Pilipino Express • Aug 16 2021

Volume 17 • No. 16 • August 16 - 31, 2021 Publication Mailing Account #41721512

Sanya Lopez

Manitoba Filipino Street Festival is a GO this year

12 10 Gabby Concepcion & Sharon Cuneta

See the story on page 19

Canadians go to the polls September 20

Erin O’Toole Conservative Party

Jagmeet Singh New Democratic Party

Justin Trudeau Liberal Party

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Governor General Mary Simon at Rideau Hall on Sunday morning, August 15, to formally ask her to dissolve Parliament and allow a federal election.

Canadians will go to the polls on Monday, September 20.

At a news conference after the meeting, Trudeau faced questions about the risks of holding an election as Canada enters the

fourth wave of the pandemic. He responded, saying that Canadians need to choose how the country finishes the fight against COVID-19.

See ELECTION p5

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

Creating Health Chiropractic The Manitoba government has shown its support to both the Chiropractic profession and Massage Therapists by allowing us to stay open for the needs of our patients.

Our patients need our help.

Due to high levels of stress, poor ergonomics from working at home, challenged fitness levels due to reduced recreation options, our patients are sore, tight and expressing all kinds of nerve system irritations.

We are masked, social

distancing as much as possible and cleaning consistently to ensure your safety. You will be asked screening questions upon booking, but this is to keep every one safe.

Our team is here for you!

Dr. Crystal Paculan and Dr. Gerald Tole Call us at 204-253-1900 Creating Health Chiropractic 100-600 St. Anne’s Road Winnipeg, Manitoba

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It’s common among Filipino families, when the parents pass away, for the children not to pay the inheritance tax nor complete the legal steps to transfer the family properties in the Philippines to their names.

Instead, the children come to an informal agreement on who will use the family property without settling their parents’ estates in the country.

Although convenient in the short term, this arrangement becomes a problem because the estate tax is incurred upon the death of the owner. Its payment is a condition for the transfer of title to the properties. If left unpaid, the estate tax is subject to interest, surcharges, and penalties, which continue to accrue year after year.

It is in this way that grandchildren in Canada can find themselves owning Philippine properties they cannot do anything with because these are still registered in their grandparents’ names. By then, the years or decades of accumulated fines are too much for even willing heirs to pay.

The Philippine Estate Tax Amnesty is a solution to this problem. We are happy to note that the amnesty’s effectivity has recently been extended until June 14, 2023. The amnesty applies to unpaid taxes on the Philippine estates of persons who died before January 1, 2018.

The amnesty sets the rate at which Philippine estates are taxed at 6 per cent. It also forgives them of the accrued interest, surcharges, and penalties from failure to pay the inheritance tax for all these years. The amnesty is a singular chance for Filipino families to finally register inherited properties in the names of the present heirs or to sell them to buyers.

The law extending the amnesty also does away with an obstacle that kept many families from availing of it earlier.

Previously, the law provided that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) could only accept payment of the 6 per cent estate tax if the BIR was shown proof of the settlement of the estate among the heirs. This meant that the BIR had to be shown either:

PILIPINO EXPRESS

1) a formal agreement among the heirs on how the estate is to be divided (an extrajudicial settlement); or 2) a Philippine court judgment settling the estate.

Doing either of these takes much work, often requiring coordination and negotiation between family members scattered around the world, to say nothing of the extensive title investigation, paperwork, and legwork that inevitably accompany the settlement of an estate. The requirement prevented many families from availing of the amnesty.

But the law extending the amnesty period has deleted this requirement. The BIR will henceforth accept payment within the amnesty period even without proof of the settlement of the estate.

This will allow the heirs to pay the 6 per cent tax even while the settlement between them is still being worked out. This way, the tax can at least be paid off in time and the estate will no longer be liable for the massive, accumulated fines after the amnesty period expires.

The inheritance tax can now be paid, unlocking the family estate to finally be transferred to the heirs or for them to sell.

Of course, to complete the transfer of the titles from the decedents’ names to the living heirs or to sell the properties, the heirs will eventually need to finish the estate settlement (through extrajudicial settlement

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The Philippine Estate Tax Amnesty has been extended or in court). But, if they pay the estate tax before the 2023 deadline, they can work on the title transfer knowing they will no longer have the inheritance taxes and immense, accumulated fines to worry about.

How to settle the estate To settle the estate, they must first take stock of what documents they have relating to the properties. The more complete their documents are at the outset, the easier it will be to accomplish the land transfer.

Do they have the Owner’s Copy of the land titles? Do they have the updated real property tax declarations? Is there a last will and testament? Answering these questions can require a lot of investigation for Filipino families scattered across the world.

If the documents are incomplete – and they usually are – then they must be gathered.

This requires sending someone to check with the Register of Deeds and the city or municipal assessor’s offices in the Philippines, among others.

The heirs should also confer so that, if possible, they can all agree on how to apportion the estate. Their agreement can be put in writing as the extrajudicial settlement of the estate. This is a notarized document that becomes

the basis for the transfer of title to the living heirs, or the sale of the property, or whatever disposition the heirs agree to.

Since it is common for heirs to be scattered around the world, getting them to all sign off on the settlement can itself be a logistical task. It may require each of the heirs to sign the document and have it notarized in turn, or they can make a special power of attorney authorizing someone else to sign it on their behalf.

If unanimous agreement is not possible, then the heirs must consider asking a Philippine court to resolve the dispute between them. A court case is not ideal because it is costly in time and treasure, but it may be necessary if an agreement cannot be reached.

Once the documents are completed, there will be rounds of transactions with Philippine government offices to put all this into effect and allow the transfer or the sale.

For these families, the task ahead is probably not simple, but it is made worth it by the estate tax amnesty.

Atty. Francesco Britanico is a lawyer in the Philippines. He can be reached at francesco. britanico@lawyerphilippines. org and www.lawyerphilippines. org.

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In the world of immigration there are some things that appear too good to believe. Our perceptions are based on wishful thinking, dreams and limited knowledge and experience. What you consider easy or true may be difficult or false. In terms of immigration, our actions are measured and judged by the immigration Act and Regulations.

Some will believe what they want to believe and do what they want to do. There is nothing wrong with hope, with prayer, but you must be aware that some things that appear too good to be true appear that way because they are not true.

Take for example the oftenmisunderstood concept of which family members you can sponsor to Canada under the family class.

I am speaking specifically of the well-intentioned Canadians who want to sponsor a brother or sister to Canada. It was never their intention to bypass the immigration Act or Regulations but to find what they consider to be a possible way to sponsor

ELECTION...

From page 1 “As much as we’ve done over the past many, many months, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. … You deserve a say, because this is your moment.”

Although opposition parties have argued that holding an election during a pandemic is irresponsible, the opposition leaders have been making campaign-style announcements across the country in recent weeks.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole spoke at an Ottawa hotel on Sunday and then held virtual events with people in Quebec and British Columbia.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh launched his campaign in Montreal, where he attended Pride celebrations.

The Bloc Québécois’ YvesFrançois Blanchet also kicked off his campaign in Montreal and participated in the Pride parade with other Bloc candidates.

Green Leader Annamie Paul launched her campaign in Toronto Centre, where she is

PILIPINO EXPRESS

close relatives. The sponsors are often well-established, financially able to support their family members, supportive, and sincere, but misguided. They are soon to discover the error of their ways and the price they pay for pursuing false hopes.

The relatives who can be sponsored under family class are set forth in the Regulations s. 117(1). The Canadian sponsor (citizen or permanent resident) can sponsor their spouse, common-law or conjugal partner; dependent child; parent or grandparent, orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece, or grandchild under the age of 18 years of age, or someone sponsored by a Canadian who has no other living relative in the world. It is important that potential sponsors understand the limits of each family class sponsorship based on the law and not wishful thinking and dreams.

Each family relationship must match the limits of the family class. Regarding the question of sponsoring brothers, sisters,

hoping to win a seat in the House of Commons.

The Liberals have been governing during the pandemic in a minority Parliament and hope to gain a strong majority mandate to implement their recovery plan – 170 seats are needed for a majority in the 338-seat House of Commons.

At the time of dissolution of Parliament, the Liberals held 155 seats, the Conservatives 119, the Bloc Québécois 32, the NDP 24 and the Greens two. There were also five Independents and one vacancy.

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If it appears too good to be true, it may not be true cousins, aunts, and uncles, the answers are readily available for all who check Regulations section 117(1)(h). There are stated limits of family members you can sponsor today. The Assisted Relative Class is something that existed in the past but ended in 1993 or 28 years ago. The language of IRPR s.117(1)(h) is clear and unambiguous: (h) a relative of the sponsor, regardless of age, if the sponsor does not have a spouse, a common-law partner, a conjugal partner, a child, a mother or father, a relative who is a child of that mother or father, a relative who is a child of a child of that mother or father, a mother or father of that mother or father or a relative who is a child of the mother or father of that mother or father (i) who is a Canadian citizen, Indian or permanent resident, or (ii) whose application to enter and remain in Canada as a permanent resident the sponsor

may otherwise sponsor.

This is the section described as the “lonely Canadian” under the Regulations and is not readily open to interpretation. If you have a “spouse, a common-law partner, a conjugal partner” etc., you do not qualify. It is possible to find forms under Document Checklist – Sponsor (IMM5287) and submit an application, but you must understand the purpose. If you don’t meet the requirements for a “lonely Canadian” set forth under IRPR s.117(1)(h), you should not submit such a sponsorship.

You will only end up with disappointment, dashed dreams, and misspent funds.

Do not fool yourself into believing that you have found the secret way to sponsor brothers, sisters or other ineligible persons for family class sponsorships. If you don’t understand immigration or want to ensure that you are doing the right thing, consult with a licensed immigration

consultant or lawyer. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is better to do your research than to face the reality of losing your processing fees and having your dreams and those of the applicants crushed. It is important to leave the reading of this column with the warning that not everything that appears too good to be true is actually true.

In the case of sponsoring brothers and sisters, the answer for many is that they cannot be sponsored under the family class.

Michael Scott is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, R525678) who has 30 years of experience with Immigration Canada and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. He currently works as a licensed consultant with Immigration Connexion International Ltd. Contact him at 204-691-1166 or 204-2270292. E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail. com.

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

The eight feng shui fruits of good fortune Much like in the west where there is a high regard for hard work and the fruits of our labors, eating and displaying fruits in feng shui symbolizes the culmination and attainment of your efforts and goals.

Their wood element also represents good health, good fortune, and longevity.

The Chinese culture has many myths and symbolism surrounding flowers and fruits. At the Lunar New Year giving fruits and plants that bear fruits, such as kumquats and orange trees, is considered very auspicious and augurs wealth and good fortune for the coming months.

Placing bowls of fruits in the dining room signifies the attainment of material wealth and possessions.

Displaying real fruit or images of fruit signifies abundance as they are richly evocative symbols of a bountiful harvest and the prosperity of the family.

Select images or figures of fruits you enjoy conferring the beauty and richness of the attainment of material success.

Choose the fruits that align with and that have the most meaning for you and your family.

Orange, mandarin, tangerine, kumquat The family of orange citrus is most auspicious and represents gold and good fortune. Because of this, the orange is given freely for good luck at the lunar New Year, and their presence is thought to bring income, happiness, and an easy and continuous flow of wealth.

Apple The apple is another auspicious fruit symbol but one that confers wisdom and symbolizes feminine beauty.

The apple while known for its

homophone that sounds like peace, is a worthy representation of contentment and harmony, making it the fruit to display if there has been disharmony in the home.

Peach The peach is always highly regarded as a fruit of long life.

The peach tree is well-known for being long-lived and as such is regarded as a symbol of good health. The peach is also a symbol of a beautiful girl and of the trysts of lovers, hence the term peach blossom luck denotes physical attraction.

Pears The pear is lesser known than the peach, but it is a longlived tree, and therefore another excellent symbol of vitality, growth, and good health.

However, an image of pears should always be displayed as the whole fruit, and the fruit should never be divided or shared because of how closely the word pear sounds to the word separation in Mandarin.

Persimmons The persimmon is a fruit that stands up to pests and time. It is the fruit most associated with shrewd business and confers especially good fortune in commerce when they are paired with oranges, lychee, or tangerines. Because of their association with business, persimmons make excellent business gifts. They are also often planted in temple gardens.

Pineapple In the west, the pineapple has long been a sign of welcome and of wealth because of the dear price they once commanded. The pineapple is a fruit that is often given at the Lunar New Year as a gift for its symbolism of good luck.

In particular, pineapple is a fruit that is auspicious for those

who like to gamble or who speculate in the stock market.

In translation, the pineapple name means good luck coming your way. For this reason, many people eat pineapple when they want good luck or to change their luck.

Plums Like the peach, the plum blossom also has romantic connotations, making it an excellent symbol for singles and those wishing to enrich their love lives. Because they’re often first to bloom in winter, the plum tree and its delicate pink blossoms are admired and considered symbols of endurance and strength.

Pomegranate A round orb bursting with juicy red seeds, the pomegranate has long been held as the most favored fruit for procreation and as a representation of sexuality.

Display these images if you wish to become pregnant or create more romance in your relationship.

Women who eat them at the beginning of the year are believed to become pregnant with sons. The fruit, originally brought from the Middle East, is a homophone for full of children, and became associated with fertility and families with many children, and in particular, sons.

Kathryn Weber has over 20+ years of feng shui study, practice

and professional consultation.

Her witty, no-nonsense style appeals to audiences, making her a popular speaker and radio show guest. She is often called on by media to explain feng shui

What to do if you have any Covid-19 symptoms Anyone who develops symptoms of Covid-19 should self-isolate and visit www. manitoba.ca/covid19/ to use the online screening tool, or call Health Links–Info Santé at 204788-8200 or toll-free at 1-888315-9257 for health guidance on how to seek testing.

Symptoms may include: • Cough • Headache • Fever/ chills • Muscle aches • Sore throat/ hoarse voice • Shortness of breath/ breathing difficulties • Loss of taste or smell

• Vomiting, or diarrhea for more than 24 hours • Poor feeding if an infant • Runny nose • Fatigue • Nausea or loss of appetite • Conjunctivitis (pink eye) • Skin rash of unknown cause

While many people will develop only mild symptoms, some groups appear to be more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Those at higher risk typically develop more serious, even fatal, symptoms such as pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome and kidney failure.

in down-to-earth terms, and has been featured in Seventeen, First for Women, Faces, Conceive, Martial Arts Professional, and Natural Health magazines, and on websites around the world.

High risk groups include those: • 60 years of age and older • living with chronic health conditions (e.g. diabetes, heart, renal or chronic lung conditions) • with weakened immune systems (e.g. cancer) Symptoms of COVID-19 or other coronaviruses may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus.

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

OUR HEALTH PILIPINO EXPRESS

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Answering questions about delta variant, COVID-19 vaccination Dear Mayo Clinic: I am hearing more about the delta variant and am worried about my family’s risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. My husband and I are vaccinated for COVID-19, but some of our extended family members are not. They don’t seem concerned about the new variant.

Can you share more information about it and the importance of being vaccinated for COVID-19?

Answer: Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of viruses are expected to occur. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented, including a highly transmittable form of COVID-19 known as the delta variant.

The delta variant, which was first seen in December 2020 in India, is spreading globally.

It is more contagious than the previous strains of COVID-19 that have been detected in the U.S and Canada. It’s also causing more severe illness and causing hospitalizations to increase.

Given the rapid spread of the delta variant, the need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 is even more urgent now.

I’m often asked about how effective current vaccines are against the delta variant. The messenger RNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) are highly effective against this variant.

We have that information from clinical studies and laboratory tests of what we think the immune response should be. They’re showing clinically in the U.K., where the delta variant has been taking hold for many months now, that those messenger RNA vaccines are still highly effective — over 80% for infection and 90% or so for severe disease.

We don’t yet have large numbers of people in clinical studies to see what impact the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will have on the delta variant, but early immunology data suggest it also will be quite protective.

I know many people have been waiting to see how others respond to COVID-19 vaccination and what side effects happen to those who are vaccinated before they are vaccinated themselves.

We’ve seen that most side effects are mild and no different than other immunizations. They’re self-limited.

While there have been reports of other, more serious side effects, the incidence is still extremely limited. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks.

The other concern I often hear is about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine as it relates to fertility and pregnancy.

We have not seen any reproductive side effects from any of the COVID-19 vaccines, and that includes fertility and birth outcomes. There is no concern for the safety of women who are pregnant or women who are trying to conceive, or for future reproductive development.

Vaccines are particularly important for pregnant women, as they are at an increased risk for serious illness if they become infected with COVID-19.

Pregnant women have altered immune systems, and that could make them more susceptible to COVID-19. Also, research shows that pregnant women with underlying comorbidities or medical health conditions are at higher risk of having worse outcomes if they are infected with COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines are incredibly safe. I recommend that everyone be vaccinated. I also recommend that regardless of your COVID-19 vaccination status, if you know you will be in areas with people who could be infected, continue social

distancing and continue masking, as we know these safety measures also can help.

Dr. Melanie Swift, Preventive Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network

Five stair exercises to do at home Dear Mayo Clinic: Like many people, I am now working at home. Unfortunately, with my schedule, I have not been able to work out regularly, outside of running downstairs for a quick snack between meetings. What can I do at home for exercise?

Answer: You don’t need fancy gym equipment to get a good workout. You certainly do not even need to leave your home.

Squeeze some quick exercise into your day by simply stepping onto your stairs.

Research shows that stairclimbing helps strengthen and tone your leg muscles. It keeps your leg arteries flexible, allowing blood to move more easily. Better blood flow in your legs equals a healthier heart and body.

Taking a three-minute stroll up and down the stairs after a meal also may help you control your blood sugar. Skimp on sleep last night? If you’re a young person, stair-climbing may wake you up better than a small cup of coffee.

A simple stroll up and down the stairs gives you an aerobic workout. But you can get an even greater health boost by adding in a few resistance and balance-related moves.

Step up your daily exercise routine with these five simple stair exercises: 1. Stair push up • Firmly place your hands on a step. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders.

• Push your toes into the floor and extend your legs into a plank position. You should feel your core, or stomach, muscles working.

• Inhale and bend your elbows.

Lower your body until your chest is just above the stairs.

• Exhale while straightening your arms and raising your body back to the starting position.

• Keep your neck and back in a neutral position during this exercise. Don’t let your hips drop.

• If you can’t lower your body to the stairs, use the next higher step.

2. Stair crawl • Begin at the bottom of the stairs, on your arms and legs.

• Your arms should be under your shoulders, knees below your hips, and feet resting on the ground.

• Slowly raise up to your toes, lifting both knees off the floor.

• Keep your back in a neutral position.

• Begin crawling up the steps by moving your opposite arm and leg forward at the same time to the next step.

• Alternate this cross-body pattern for the desired number of stairs you wish to climb.

3. Stair lunge • Facing away from the stairs, stand tall with your feet shoulderdistance apart.

• Move your left leg backward to rest on a step.

• Inhale, bend your right knee, and lower your body.

• Exhale and extend your legs, then return to a standing position.

• Your front knee should be over the centre of your front foot. Don’t let the knee bend beyond your toes.

• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching to put the right foot on a step.

4. Step up • Stand tall with feet shoulderdistance apart in front of a step.

• Tighten your core and place

your left foot flat on the step while keeping your spine straight.

• Shift your weight onto the left foot.

• Breathe out, press through the left heel and move your body up onto the step.

• Place the right foot entirely on the step. Breathe in, and then slowly lower your left foot to the floor.

• Return the right foot to the floor to return to your standing position.

• Continue leading with the left leg until you’ve completed your goal number of repetitions, then repeat on the opposite side.

• Want a bigger challenge? Hold a dumbbell or weighted object in the opposite hand of the stepping leg.

5. Side step • Stand with your feet parallel, or sideways, to the stairs. The right side of your body should be closest to the stairs.

• Using your stomach muscles, bend your knees and hips slightly.

• Step the right foot onto the first step, followed by the left.

• Continue this stepping motion until you’ve reached the top of the stairs.

• Always lead with the high foot.

Don’t let your feet cross while climbing up the stairs.

• Walk back down the stairs and repeat the sequence with the left leg leading.

• Alternatively, you can stay on one step going up with the right leg and then down to the starting position.

Stair safety Good balance is a must for any stair activity. Before starting any type of stair exercise, make sure you are steady on your feet.

If you cannot stand on one leg for 45 seconds without holding

onto something, you may not be able to safely perform some of these exercises. If you aren’t sure if you should give them a try, ask your health care provider if stair exercises are safe for you.

And, last, put your phone down. Scrolling through social

media or answering a text or call during a stair exercise, could lead to a dangerous misstep and fall.

Dr. Thomas Rizzo Jr., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network

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US President Joe Biden recently applauded local leaders and knocked governors with antimask directives, saying, “To the mayors, school superintendents, educators, local leaders who are standing up to the governors politicizing mask protection for our kids: Thank God that we have heroes like you… This isn’t about politics—this is about keeping our children safe.”

Lamentably, Canada has its share of political leaders – fortunately only a few – who are not fully supportive of all public health guidance. Worse, there is a small minority of people who not only refuse to get vaccinated but also deliberately spread disinformation messages about the virus, vaccines and vaccination. In addition, they co-mingle unmasked with others and pose a health threat to them, including to children who cannot protect themselves.

A dangerous environment for American children Indeed, unvaccinated, unmasked American adults are the major source of the current surge of COVID cases, including in children, in many states with low vaccination rates such as in Florida, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas. Alarming news reports coming from these states tell of suffering children, exhausted nurses and pediatricians, and of a baby girl with COVID-19 who was airlifted 150 miles because of the Houston hospital bed shortage.

Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas said, “We have not seen kids pile into pediatric ICUs across the South like we’re seeing right now.” Said Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatric vaccine specialist from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a vaccine adviser to the US Food and Drug Administration, “(unvaccinated, unmasked) adults have really let our children down.”

The circumstances identified below help define why the current situation in America is a dangerous environment for their children: 1. The contagious Delta variants continue to surge and mutate in the southern US; 2. There is no vaccine approved for those under the age of 12; 3. Those who go to school and day care will be gathering closely together during their classroom and play activities; 4. The schools and daycare centres may not have upgraded their ventilation systems; 5. Full vaccination among the vaccine-eligible, 12-year-and-over population has not reached yet the desired goal; 6. Children may come from homes in regions and communities with low vaccination rates; 7. Response to wearing masks and getting vaccinated has become deeply politically polarized; and

PILIPINO EXPRESS

8. More so now than last year, children develop serious disease requiring hospitalization and ICU admission for life-support. – Madeline Holcombe. CNN News.

August 11, 2021.

What is the situation with Canadian children?

The American situation gives us a picture of what could be coming for Canadians. In fact, Canada’s Public Health Agency has only recently announced that the Delta-driven fourth pandemic wave is underway. Since extreme contagiousness is a defining hallmark of the Delta variant, does this mean the country is facing an imminent COVID wildfire?

Senior health reporter Andre Picard made the observation in his opinion piece, “Brace yourself for more COVID-19 nastiness” (Globe and Mail, August 9, 2021) that “the much-dreaded fourth wave of COVID-19 … could be the toughest one yet … we’re going to experience a new kind of nasty, with a lot more children and young adults getting sick and hospitalized than in earlier waves.”

At the same time, Canada has not experienced the same magnitude of pediatric alarm being experienced in the US due in large part to the high vaccination rate we have in Canada with the two mRNA vaccines that are highly protective even against the Delta variants. Another possible explanation is the lesser partisan divide we have compared to the US. While I share the optimism that the overall Canadian situation would not be devastating, I am cautious and concerned about the situation with our children under the age of 12. They are unvaccinated because there is still no approved vaccine for them. And they are returning to schools next month – a necessity for their overall development. This age-group of children depends, therefore, on older children and adults eligible for vaccination to have theirs as soon as possible. This situation also underscores the point that all safety precautions must be in place for the unvaccinated, non-vaccine eligible children.

I consider the situation with Canadian children under 12years of age challenging and, therefore, merits our critical attention. This means we should all acknowledge that masking, physical distancing, smaller class sizes, adequate ventilation systems and, when indicated, isolation, contact tracing and testing, all serve their useful purposes as we navigate the fourth wave. Most important, get fully vaccinated so that we can protect our nation’s children.

Current vaccination status implications Canada’s percentage of fully vaccinated is 62.6 per cent of the total population or 71.2 per cent of the eligible 12-year-of-age-

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

A challenging time for children and mandatory vaccine certificates and-over population for whom vaccines are approved for use.

(Source: CTV News, August 12, 2021) The corresponding figures for the partially vaccinated are higher, but I have excluded them in this discussion since partial vaccination offers protection below the acceptable regulatory threshold. We shall consider them for what they are – the necessary step to full vaccination.

While the statistics for the fully vaccinated in Canada compare better than in the USA and in most other countries, certain rural and remote areas in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are reporting full vaccination rates as low as only 16 per cent. Since our country’s full vaccination target has been placed higher at 90 per cent of the total population to effectively confront the extreme contagiousness of the dominant Delta variants and the emerging Delta variant plus, these rural and remote regions in the prairies are particularly at much greater risk of a full-blown resurgence as the Delta-driven fourth wave spreads.

Hence, the greater threats to the area residents and to the control of the pandemic.

The unvaccinated versus the fully vaccinated Difficulty accessing the vaccines, religious beliefs and disinformation are some of the common reasons that keep residents from getting vaccinated. The first is more amenable to finding a solution, such as establishing a neighbourhood vaccine hub, which can 1) establish a community presence, 2) be available to answer questions, 3) provide vaccine information, and 4) administer vaccinations as Ottawa Public Health has done with success in increasing vaccination numbers (Josh Pringle, CTV News, August 11, 2021).

The latter two reasons would require more intensive counter measures, including repeated public reporting on the proportion of all new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths coming from the unvaccinated, partially vaccinated and fully vaccinated. For example, Saskatchewan reported last month that “more than 90 per cent of all new cases and hospitalizations were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people; 95 per cent of ICU admissions were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated; and 100 per cent of deaths were unvaccinated.”

These figures are consistent with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, which shows that full vaccination has provided the following: 1. an eight-fold reduction in people getting the disease; 2. a 25-fold reduction in both COVID-19 related hospitalizations for serious disease; and 3. a 25-fold reduction in COVID-19 related deaths.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits a vaccination site in Montréal, Quebec, on July 15, 2021. Photo by Adam Scotti (PMO) Meeting the full vaccination target Currently, 27.4 per cent of the total population (that is, 10,413,435 of 38,005,238 Canadians) or 18.8 per cent of the eligible population (that is, 7,144,984 Canadians) have yet to receive their full vaccination to reach our national target of 90 per cent. The current figures reflect approximately 6.5 million more Canadians were vaccinated during the last half month. This is a positive development. At this current pace of vaccination, it appears Canada can reach its target of 90 per cent full vaccination coverage by the time fall begins.

Flattening the fourth wave Admittedly, even full vaccination cannot completely prevent transmission. Be that as it may, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, felt the fourth wave could be flattened, depending on how successful the country is in hastening full vaccination coverage, and the tempo and extent of reopening.

My preceding commentary discussed the challenges posed by re-opening of international borders without regards to vaccination status of incoming passengers, reopening of schools without requiring full vaccination, public health measures failing to reckon with the intermingling of non-vaccinated and vaccinated populations, absence clear protocols for safety in healthcare and related settings, and unavailability of approved vaccines for children under 12 years old.

In the intervening half month, it appears that several provinces – although not all – have moved in the right direction to address the challenges, and vaccine developers have announced that vaccines for those under 12 years of age may soon be ready for emergency use approval.

Vaccine certificates and passports are a necessity For greater clarity, proof of vaccination for the purpose of international travel is best called a “vaccine passport,” while one for the purpose of verifying the status of a full vaccination is best called “vaccination certificate.” These

may be required in doing certain jobs and entering certain places that would make unvaccinated people co-mingle with vulnerable people, such as in healthcare and day-care settings; long-term and elder care institutions; schools, also in public safety work (police, firefighters, and military); non-essential businesses (bars, restaurants, gyms); entertainment (theatres, concerts) and sports facilities.

In the opinion piece, “The time for debating COVID-19 vaccine passports is over,” published in the July 26, 2021, issue of the Globe and Mail, Andre Picard persuasively made the case for a mandatory vaccination certificate and passport. The same paper’s subsequent editorial, “Yes to vaccine mandates. Yes to vaccine passports,” of August 12, 2021, echoed the same conclusion, citing historical precedence, similar regulatory examples in other areas, and equivalent rationale for the protection of Canadians, individually and collectively.

They underscored the need for “verifiable, secure, standardized, accessible and portable” documentation that is focused on clarity, simplicity and fairness and urgently adopted as time is of the essence.

Summation Getting fully vaccinated and having a vaccine certificate and vaccine passport can be the difference between wellness and illness, between a mild disease manageable at home and a more severe type requiring hospitalization and ICU admission for life-support, or between life and death for self, loved ones, neighbours, coworkers or unknown contacts in the community. Acting now on both necessities would certainly mitigate if not eliminate the challenging pandemic environment children are in. We owe it to those who cannot protect themselves.

Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan, P.C., O.M., LL.D., Sc.D., M.D. M.Sc. is a retired lung specialist and professor of pediatrics and child health, and former Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

PILIPINO EXPRESS

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Tinututukan namin gabi-gabi ang seryeng pinagtatambalan nina Alden Richards at Jasmine Curtis Smith. Maganda ang daloy ng kuwento, kakaiba, interesante.

Dalang-dala ng Pambansang Bae ang papel na ginagampanan niya, napakaguwapo niya sa halos lahat ng anggulo, humihingi rin ng simpatya ang role niya bilang kinakawawa ng kontrabidang si Tom Rodriguez sa istorya.

Pero noong Huwebes nang gabi ay naunsiyami kami sa kissing scene nina Alden at Jasmine. Sana ay hindi na lang ‘yon kinunan. Halatang-halatang daya ang eksena.

Ibinabad pa ang mga camera nang napakatagal, lalo tuloy nakitang dayang-daya lang ang eksena, kinunan na lang sana ‘yon nang malayuan para mapaniwala ang manonood na naghahalikan nga sila.

‘Yon lang naman. Pero sa kabuuan ay wala nang kapansinpansin na makakaabala ng ating isip, maayos na ang mga eksena, partikular na ang marespetong pagpapaalam ni Alden kay Dina Bonnevie.

Ang inaabangan ngayon ng mga tagahanga ni Alden ay ang gagawin niyang paghihiganti sa mayabang at pasaway na si Tom. Unti-unti nang lumalabas ang mga pangil ng mabait pero kinakawawang si Louie sa kuwento.

Sabi ng kaibigan naming propesor, “Wala ka nang hahanapin pa kay Alden.

Napakaguwapo na, magaling pa siyang umarte. At lalo pa siyang gumuguwapo sa paningin ng televiewers dahil alam nating may mabuting puso siya.

“Sana, maraming tumulad kay Alden na nasa kaniya na ang lahat-lahat, pero napaka-humble pa rin,” papuri ng kaibigan naming si Prop.

May isang kaibigang nakapagkuwento sa amin na kahit naka-lock-in taping si Alden ay hindi ‘yon nagiging hadlang sa pagbibigay niya ng ayuda sa mga kababayan nating dinadalaw ng kalamidad.

Laganap ang pagbaha dahil sa walang tigil na pagulan, may bulkang pumuputok, maraming kababayan natin ang nangangailangan ng tulong.

Kumpleto ang komunikasyon ni Alden at ng kaniyang team, mapuso rin ang mga taong nagaalaga sa kaniya na sina Carlites at Tenten, abala man sa trabaho ang sikat na aktor ay may mga kumikilos para sa kaniya.

Napakagandang puso. *** Ang ganda-ganda ng aura ni Kris Aquino. Maganda ang kaniyang make-up. Hindi namin nakita sa kaniya ang ikinababahala niyang pagiging sobrang payat.

‘Yon ang timbang na inaasinta ng mga artista, payat man ay meron pa ring laman, ‘yon ang eksaktong weight na tamang-tama lang sa harap ng mga camera.

Hindi siya si Kris Aquino kung hindi siya magpapakawala ng kataklesang kaniyang-kaniya lang. Si Willie Revillame ang napuruhan sa kaniyang mga adlib.

Hindi pa man nagdedeklara si Willie kung papasukin na nga ba nito ang pulitika ay nauna na si Kris, iboboto niya si Willie, nakasuporta siya sa TV host sa anumang larangang pasukin nito.

Magaling pa ring mag-host si Kris, inabala lang siya ng sipon sa una niyang pagsalang, pero hindi nabalagoong ang kaniyang husay sa pagho-host na hindi niya nagamit nang limang taon.

Nakakaaliw pa rin siyang panoorin, lalo na kapag iniinis niya si Willie, bakit daw siya inirereto ng TV host sa iba samantalang botong-boto ang See CRISTY p11

Angel Locsin & Neil Arce

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

• Alden Richards at Jasmine Curtis Smith – Halatang-halatang daya ang kissing scene • Kris Aquino – Blooming at may bagong pag-ibig?

• Congresswoman Vilma Santos Recto – pinanday na ng politika • Neil Arce at Angel Locsin – Tahimik na nairaos ang kasal • Coco Martin at Julia Montes – Isinuko na ang kanilang privacy • Derek Ramsay at John Estrada – Nagkasundo na • Sharon Cuneta – Nagpabawas ng dibdib. Movie with Gabby, tuloy na?

• Hiwalayang Kylie Padilla at Aljur Abrenica – May third party?

• Elijah Canlas at Kokoy de Santos – Mga bida sa Gameboys 2 • Raymond Gutierrez – Proud member ng LGBTQ

Congresswoman Vilma Santos Recto Jasmine Curtis-Smith & Alden Richards

Kris Aquino

Mel Sarmiento

Elijah Canlas

Coco Martin & Julia Montes

Kokoy De Santos

Derek Ramsay & John Estrada

Raymond Gutierrez

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

PILIPINO EXPRESS

CRISTY...

From page 10 kaniyang mga anak na sina Josh at Bimby kay Willie?

Noong magkasama pa sila sa ABS-CBN at may taping si Kris sa kaniyang game show ay iniiwan niya muna sina Josh at Bimby kay Willie. Nandoon lang ang magkapatid sa dressing room ni Willie, naglalaro, ipinasusundo na lang ni Kris ang kaniyang mga anak kapag tapos na siyang magtrabaho.

Sobra-sobra ang pasasalamat ni Kris kay Willie dahil limang taon na siyang inilalakad ng TV host sa GMA-7 pero hindi lang ‘yon nangyayari. Mailap pa sa kaniya ang panahon.

Kung matutuloy sa pagkandidato si Willie bilang senador ay alam na natin ngayon kung kanino nito iiwanan ang Wowowin-Tutok-To-Win. Kitang-kita na ang ebidensiya. *** Kay Kris Aquino nagsimula ang apoy. Binati niya ng happy birthday ang isang espesyal na lalaking dumating daw sa kaniyang buhay. Pa-blind item lang ang atake ni Kris.

Matagal na panahon daw ang kaniyang pinalipas bago siya nagtawid ng mensahe sa lalaking ‘yon na nakasama niya sa kalungkutan. Noong mga panahon daw na napakalalim ng kaniyang pagdadalamhati ay ang naturang lalaki ang nagbigay sa kaniya ng suporta.

Pinawi raw ang kaniyang luha See CRISTY p13

Gabby Concepcion & Sharon Cuneta

Kylie Padilla & Aljur Abrenica

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AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

Sanya Lopez vows to keep the fire burning as a Kapuso Sanya Lopez is looking forward to more years as a loyal Kapuso after renewing her ties with GMA Artist Center in a contract signing held on July 29.

There’s no question about Sanya’s passion and dedication for her craft. The 25-year-old star is now a household name through her notable roles in various projects including the most recent hit GMA primetime series First Yaya where she won the hearts of Filipino viewers as the adorable Yaya Melody.

“I’m very, very happy. I didn’t expect na mangyayari ang lahat ng ito. Ang gusto ko lang noon ay basta may trabaho lang. Kahit hindi ako maging bida kasi alam ko naman kung gaano kahirap makapasok sa showbiz. Pero God gave me more than what I prayed for,” she said.

In addition, she promised her fans and her home network that she will remain grounded and will continue to give her all in every project assigned to her, “Kung sino si Sanya noon ay

Julia Montes makes a TV comeback The most awaited reunion on television is finally happening as Julia Montes joins FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano to be Coco Martin’s new leading lady in the sixth year of the country’s longest-running action-drama series.

Dreamscape Entertainment confirmed the news on Friday, July 30, after it released photos of the actress on social media attending the show’s story conference and pictorial at ABS-CBN. Julia and Coco’s TV reunion comes after years of clamour from fans to get them back together after their first pairing in the phenomenal TV drama Walang Hanggan in 2012.

Aside from Julia, FPJ’s

Ang Probinsyano will also introduce new characters to be played by Tommy Abuel, Rosanna Roces, Vangie Labalan, Michael Flores, Chai Fonacier, Marela Torre, Elora Españo, and Joseph Marco.

As the series goes into its sixth year this September, viewers can look forward to more of Cardo’s gripping adventures with Task Force Agila and their relentless crusade to protect the country.

FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and Filipinos have marked many milestones together over the years, from when it became the country’s most watched TV show until it pivoted to digital last year.

See JULIA p13

Coco Martin & Julia Montes

same Sanya pa rin ang makikita nila ngayon na masayahin at patuloy na magpapasaya sa lahat ng mga sumusuporta sa kaniya.

Sa GMA, lagi kayong nakatatak dito sa puso ko dahil kayo ang nagbigay ng malaking break sa akin dito sa showbiz. Mahal na mahal ko kayo.”

Present during the virtual signing ceremony were GMA Executive Vice President and CFO Felipe S. Yalong, GMA Films, Inc. President and Programming Consultant to the Chairman and CEO Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, Senior Vice President for GMA Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, First Vice President and Head of Regional TV and Synergy Oliver B. Amoroso, First Vice President For Drama Productions Redgie A. Magno, Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angel Javier Cruz, Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, Senior Assistant Vice President for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy, GMA Artist Center Assistant Vice President and Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun Ferrer, GMA Artist Center Consultant Johnny Manahan, GMA Artist Center Senior Talent Manager Tracy Garcia, and Sanya’s comanager Frank Mallari.

Sanya Lopez

Julie Anne San Jose’s LIMITLESS Musical Trilogy Julie Anne San Jose takes her fans on an extraordinary musical journey in LIMITLESS, A Musical Trilogy, set to premiere on September 17 with tickets available now.

The three-part musical journey is set to unveil the different facets of Julie as a singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and multiinstrumentalist. But the biggest revelation comes to Julie as she searches for new inspiration in this journey of discovery that takes her to unexpected locations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“When I learned about the concept of LIMITLESS, it really got me excited. So far, preparing for it is already a breathtaking experience. It makes me feel more inspired with living life. I think this will definitely be one for the books, and food for the soul,” Julie said.

See JULIE ANNE p13

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

JULIA...

From page 12

Viewers continue to tune in to the action-packed show on Kapamilya Online Live on Facebook and YouTube, where it has repeatedly shattered its own records in terms of live concurrent viewership. In 2020, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano also became the first Pinoy teleserye to livestream on the video-streaming site.

More people worldwide are also able to watch Cardo’s story through The Filipino Channel and Netflix, and its airing in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and 41 counties in Africa.

Don’t miss FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, CineMo, Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, iWantTFC, WeTV, and iflix. For viewers outside of the Philippines, catch it on The Filipino Channel on cable and IPTV.

JULIE ANNE...

From page 12 The award-winning actress and singer made headlines recently after she was featured on a digital billboard at the iconic Times Square in New York City. The said billboard was for Spotify’s EQUAL campaign, which encourages users to listen to amazing women all around the world. The LIMITLESS star previously landed on the digital cover of Spotify’s EQUAL playlist for the Philippines with her song Free, which took the No. 2 spot on iTunes Philippines Chart just a few hours after its official release.

A versatile artist, Julie is one of the hosts of GMA’s top-rating program All-Out Sundays. She is also set to return with Rayver Cruz as Clash Masters in the alloriginal musical competition The Clash. She bannered the GMA rom-com series Heartful Café, opposite David Licauco and will soon be starring in an online video streaming platform’s musical series Still alongside Christian Bautista.

“We have always been amazed and proud of how multi-talented Julie is,” said GMA Regional TV and Synergy First Vice President and Head Oliver Amoroso.

“We have been a witness to her powerful stage performance during GMA Synergy’s highlysuccessful Kapuso Concerts series The Sweetheart and the Balladeer as well as 3 Stars, 1 Heart. And she continues to surprise us over the years. LIMITLESS is set to unleash Julie’s musical prowess that we have never seen before and we cannot wait for her fans here and abroad to be part of this new musical experience which begins on September 17,” he added.

“Julie is one of GMA’s finest homegrown talents who would incessantly share her music and penchant for acting,” shared First Vice President for Business Development Department III

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

Darling De Jesus-Bodegon.

“She has flourished to become one of the best performers in our country and is now beginning to be recognized not only here but also abroad. This is why we are excited to present to Julie’s fans this musical trilogy, LIMITLESS because we know that Julie’s talent will take her fans to limitless heights when they join her in this musical journey.”

Directed by Paolo Valenciano, LIMITLESS, A Musical Trilogy is produced by GMA Synergy.

CRISTY...

From page 11 at isinalin sa ngiti, pakiramdam daw ni Kris ay napakaligtas niya sa anuman dahil sa ipinakikitang malasakit sa kaniya, bukod pa sa gusto raw ng kaniyang bunsong si Bimby ang mahiwagang lalaki.

Gustung-gusto ng mga kababayan natin ang blind item.

Kahit sa mga tabloids, talk shows at iba pang atake ay paborito ng mga Pinoy ang pitik-bulag.

Natumbok ng mga netizens kung sino ang special man na pinatutungkulan ni Kris. Ito ang pulitikong nagtrabaho sa DILG na mula sa Liberal Party at kaibigan ng kaniyang namayapang kapatid na dating pangulo.

Si Mr. Mel Senen Sarmiento ang binati ng happy birthday ni Kris, 59 years old na, na kung ilarawan ng mga bashers ay ang bagong lalaking guguluhin ni Kris ang tahimik na buhay.

Kung bakit naman umamin ang dating sekretaryo ng DILG nang i-bash ito at sinabihang napakamalas naman dahil kay Kris.

Buong-ningning nitong sinabi na hindi malas si Kris, napakasuwerte nga raw nito dahil pinasasaya ito ng TV host, bakit daw malas ang sinabi ng basher?

Umpisa na ito. Ghost month pa naman. Kung anu-ano nang pamimintas ang tinatanggap ngayon ng espesyal na lalaki sa buhay ni Kris.

Haaaayyyy! *** Naging panauhin namin ang Star For All Seasons sa Cristy Ferminute noong Lunes nang hapon. Ganoon pala ang mga Vilmanians, kapag guest ang kanilang idolo sa kahit anong programa ay sila mismo ang nagbibigay ng impormasyon sa kanilang mga kasamahan, kaya napakataas ng live views ng CFM. Pati ang mga Vilmanians sa iba-ibang bansa ay tumututok, hindi pa nagsisimula ang aming interbyu kay Congresswoman Vilma Santos Recto ay nagtetext na sila, nagbigay sila ng panahon para muling mapanood ang kanilang nag-iisang idolo.

Sisenta’y siyete anyos na ngayon ang aktres-pulitiko, pero parang hindi siya nagkakaedad, napakalayo ng kaniyang itsura sa kaniyang mga kasabayang artista.

Pinanday na ng pulitika si Congresswoman Vilma Santos, kahit anong tanong ang ibato mo sa kaniya, lalo na tungkol sa balitang pagtakbo niyang senador

ay parang nagkukukot na lang siya ng butong-pakwan kapag sumagot.

Kabisado na niya ang lahat, wala na siyang hindi alam, ibinibigay niya ang kredito sa pagtutok niya sa mga nagaganap sa ating bayan at sa kaniyang mentor-asawang si Senador Ralph Recto.

Napakahusay niyang magsalita, kapag nagbuka siya ang bibig ay parang nasa entablado na siya ng kampanya, malinaw niyang naitatawid kung bakit hindi pa siya handang sumabak sa mas mataas na posisyon.

Sa ganda ng kartada ng kaniyang pangalan sa mundo ng pulitika na pinatunayan niya bilang mayor, gobernador at ngayo’y kongresista ay markado ang kaniyang sinabi, “I’m not a saint, but definitely, I’m not an evil.”

Ibang-iba ang magiging takbo ng eleksiyon sa susunod na taon dahil pandemya. Bawal ang personal na pangangampanya, puro sa social media lang nakabangko ang labanan, bawal kumamay, bawal yumakap, bawal humalik ang mga botante.

“Mahirap!

Paano ko maipararating sa pamamagitan ng social media lang ang aking plataporma kung sakaling tumakbo ako? At 67 na ako ngayon, kakayanin ko pa bang tumakbo sa mas mataas na posisyon?

“Mahirap ang sitwasyon ngayon, kahit ang mananalong pangulo, mahihirapang ibangon ang ating ekonomiya, nasa pandemya tayo na nagpapahirap sa ating bayan at sa buond mundo,” tuluy-tuloy niyang pahayag.

Hindi pinalalakas ng kaniyang loob ang katotohanang sikat siya kaya nakakahon na ang kaniyang tagumpay. Kontra siya sa ganoong ideya.

Para kay Congresswoman Vilma Santos Recto ay mas pinakamahalaga pa rin ang kapasidad sa paglilingkod sa ating mga kababayan.

Resibo pa rin ang kailangan. *** Tahimik na nairaos nina Neil Arce at Angel Locsin ang kanilang kasal. Tamang desisyon ang kanilang ginawa. Kung hihintayin pa nilang bumuti ang sitwasyon ng ating bansa dahil sa pandemya ay magiging paurong nang paurong ang kanilang plano.

Hindi na mahalaga kung simple lang o pinaghandaan ang kasal, ang importante ay meron nang basbas ang kanilang relasyon, mapaplano na nila ang kinabukasan ng kanilang pamilya.

Tamang panahon na rin para harapin ni Angel ang personal niyang kaligayahan, wala na siyang kailangan pang patunayan sa mapuso niyang pagtulong sa mga kababayan nating hinahagupit ng kalamidad, ginagawa niya ‘yon nang walang mga camerang sumusunod sa kaniyang pagbibigay ng ayuda.

At hindi na rin siya bumabata, patuloy na tumatakbo ang panahon, prayoridad nila ni Neil Arce ang pagbubuo ng pamilya.

Maraming maligaya para kay Angel Locsin, ang isang

personalidad na tulad niya na hindi nagdadamot ng biyaya sa mga kababayan nating nangangailangan ay kinakasihan ng panahon, hangad ng lahat ang kaniyang kaligayahan.

Napakaraming panahon para sa pagpapakasal nila sa simbahan para makasama ang mga taong mahalaga sa kanilang relasyon. Kayang-kayang bigyan ng bonggang kasal ni Neil Arce si Angel, may tamang oras para doon, pero ang pinakamahalaga muna ngayon para sa kanila ay ang maging legal na ang kanilang pagsasama bilang mister at misis. *** Kapag para sa kanilang pangsariling interes ay kayang magpakatotoo ng mga personalidad. Magdedenay sila nang mahabang panahon tungkol sa kanilang pakikipagrelasyon pero kapag kailangan na nilang pagkakitaan ‘yon ay puwede na silang umamin.

Ang pinakamagandang halimbawa noon ay sina Coco Martin ay Julia Montes. Ginawa nilang pahulaan ang kanilang relasyon, napipikon pa si Coco kapag may mga nagtatanong kung ano ang totoo sa kanila ni Julia, pero ngayong magtatrabaho na sila nang magkasama ay lumalantad na sila.

Sabi ng kaibigan naming propesor, “Nakakatawa ang paninindigan nilang gawing private ang relasyon nila. Ni ayaw nga nilang ipakita ang mga mukha nila kapag magkasama sila sa labas, para silang mga holdaper na tagung-tago ang identity nila, di ba?

“Pero sa tawag ng pangangailangan sa career nila, heto, nakikita na sila sa kahit saan, pati bubong, e, inaakyat nila nang magkasama.

“Isinuko na nila ang privacy na sinasabi nila para sa career nila.

Itinago nang pagkahaba-habang panahon para lang ilantad kapag kailangan na nila,” pabuntonghiningang komento ni prop.

Papasok na kasi si Julia sa walang kamatayang istorya ng FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.

Ito na kuno ang pinakahuling makakatambal ni Coco, sila na ni Julia ang magsasarado sa kurtina ng seryeng barilan nang barilan pero parang wala namang nagkakamatayan, ‘yon ang sabeeee…. *** Ngayon lang namin nakitang dumedepensa si Derek Ramsay sa kaniyang karelasyon. Nasanay na kaming pinadadaan niya lang ang isyung kinasasangkutan ng kaniyang girlfriend, itinatawa lang niya ‘yon, hindi siya nagpapaapekto.

Pero ngayon kay Ellen Adarna ay parang balat-sibuyas si Derek, nakadepensa siya agad, sobra siyang naaapektuhan. Siya pa ang mas nasasaktan kaysa kay Ellen.

Sobra-sobra ang pagmamahal ni Derek kay Ellen. Ayaw niyang nasasaktan ang kaniyang girlfriend, kahit kaibigan na niya nang matagal na panahon ay handa siyang mawala, maipagtanggol lang niya ang aktres.

Sabi ng kaibigan naming propesor, “Ibang-iba na si Derek

PAGE 13 ngayon. Wala na ang very cool Derek na nakilala ko, it must be love talaga, napakasuwerte ni Ellen, hindi siya pababayaan ni Derek na saktan ng kahit sino,” Mabuti naman at nagkausap na sila nang masinsinan ni John Estrada, si Derek mismo ang tumawag sa kaniyang kaibigan, katabi niya ang kaniyang mga magulang nang magkalabasan sila ng emosyon ni John.

Nakapagsalita kasi si Derek na parang nakikipagsaulian na siya ng kandila kay John, tinatapos na niya ang kaniyang asosasyon sa aktor, pero marunong siyang gumamot.

Siya mismo ang nagpaliwanag kay John kung saan siya nanggagaling, kung bakit siya nakapagsalita nang masakit, tinanggap naman ni John ang kaniyang paliwanag.

Sayang na sayang naman kasi ang kanilang samahan, si John pa nga ang naging tulay kung paano niya nakilala si Ellen, pinahahalagahan ‘yon ni Derek.

Ngayon lang talaga namin nakikitang ganito kaemosyonal si Derek. Dahil ‘yon kay Ellen na sobra-sobra niyang mahal. Pero paminsan-minsan ay puwede rin sigurong magtimpi si Derek.

Huwag na niyang pinapatulan ang mga bashers ng kaniyang girlfriend. Artista si Ellen, natural lang na may hindi nagkakagusto sa mga ginagawa ng kaniyang girlfriend, huwag na sana niyang sinasagot ang patutsada ng mga taong hindi naman nakakakilala sa kanila at para may masabi lang.

Hindi masama ang ginagawa niyang pagtatanggol kay Ellen, natural lang ang ganoon sa mga nagmamahalan, pero paminsanminsan ay dapat ding mapagaralan ni Derek Ramsay ang papasukin niyang laban.

Sayang lang ang panahon, sayang ang kaniyang laway, lalong-lalo na kapag wala namang kabuluhan ang isyu. *** Kararating pa lang ni Sharon Cuneta mula sa ilang buwan niyang pagbabakasyon sa Amerika ay sinalubong na siya agad ng mga pamba-bash na may kuneksiyon sa balitang tuloy na tuloy na ang reunion movie nila ni Gabby Concepcion.

Kaswal lang niyang nasabi ‘yon, ibinahagi lang niya sa publiko ang inpormasyong ipinarating sa kaniya ng produksiyong magpo-produce ng pelikula, pero siya agad ang napuruhan ng mga bashers.

Binusog siya ng mga pasaring, ng mga komentong siya lang daw naman ang atat na atat na makasama sa pelikula ang ama ng kaniyang anak, samantalang tahimik lang si Gabby tungkol sa kuwento.

Si Sharon pa ngayon na aktibo naman ang career ang pinagbibintangang magpapasaklolo ng popularidad kay Gabby. Pinalagan ‘yon ng mga Sharonians siyempre.

Ngayon pa nga ba naman pagbibintangang sabik na sabik si Sharon para sa tambalan nila ni Gabby, ngayong pinagpipistahan ang pinakahuli niyang pelikulang Revirginized, ang Megastar pa ba See CRISTY p15

PAGE 14

OUR COMMUNITY PILIPINO EXPRESS

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

Salon De Manila III continues to serve beauty under new management

by Lucille Nolasco Garrido Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. And beauty salons are ready to lend a beautifying hand.

As COVID-19 restrictions loosen in Manitoba, businesses considered non-essential are reopening their doors. One of these businesses is Salon De Manila III, operating inside the Philippine-Canadian Centre of Manitoba on Keewatin Street.

The salon is now under the ownership and management of entrepreneur couple, Nap and Nena Ebora. Mr. Ebora has experience in many different fields – the food industry, distribution, funeral pre-arrangement, and now he’s taking on the beauty business.

PE: When did you assume ownership of Salon De Manila?

Nap Ebora: My wife and I assumed the ownership of Salon De Manila III on August

1, 2020. We are celebrating our first anniversary this month. As seniors ourselves, we would like to honour the seniors in our community by giving them 15 per cent discount for their haircut.

PE: Did you face any difficulties in operating the salon?

NE: As a seasoned entrepreneur, I know that challenges are normal. What we didn’t expect was the pandemic to hit us. As a man of faith, I believe that there are opportunities in every difficulty in life. As a retired couple who are still called to serve the community, through our hair salon, we are still encouraged to make our environment a better place by making them feel better through the services we have at Salon de Manila III. PE: Did you maintain the former employees?

NE: We are excited for you to meet our committed and passionate hairstylists. Expect that they will make you feel

better with the services we offer at the salon. Their experience, expertise, loyalty, and willingness to be of service to our community is what makes the new Salon de Manila III special.

PE: Tell us about the services at Salon De Manila III? NE: We are open Tuesday to Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays at 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We welcome walkins but encourage everyone to call us for an appointment. Our services include cut, hair and make-up, perm, hair colour, hair re-bonding, ear piercing, and barber’s cut for all ages. We are closed on Mondays.

PE: Have you ever thought of changing the name of the salon?

NE: We are continuing to use the name of Salon de Manila III because it is already wellknown here in Winnipeg. We are so proud to represent the Filipino salon. We offer many Filipino styles for hair, and it

Nena & Nap Ebora makes us feel good to be given an opportunity to help with what our kababayans need and want.

We believe in building a good relationship with our employees and customers. It is our greatest pride and honour to operate Salon de Manila and serve the Filipino and other communities.

My wife and I are both blessed to be blessings to others.

In my own experience, it’s not only about making money; it’s all about caring, loving, giving, accepting, and forgiving. Before you can learn to help and support others you must first learn to love and care. We are so grateful to God’s goodness and faithfulness, and we want to express that gratitude through our generosity to others.

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

EH KASI, PINOY! PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 15

Brian Bowman vs.

Wab Kinew?

Agosto 10, 2021, Martes ng hapon habang nakikinig ako sa afternoon radio program ni Hal Anderson sa CJOB ay sumahimpapawid ang breaking news at live broadcast mula sa Brandon, Manitoba. Habang naka-break ang PC sa kanilang caucus ay lumabas si Premier Brian Pallister at nag-anunsyo ng kaniyang pagbibitiw bilang pinuno ng Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba at Premier ng Probinsya.

Ang emphasis ng kaniyang resignation announcement ay ang mga naiambag niya sa public service nang mahabang panahon at ang kaniyang paninidigan sa mga polisiya at programang kaniyang ipinatupad. Ipinagmalaki rin niya na aalis siya bilang Premier ng Manitoba nang walang anumang iskandalo na parang pinatamaan ang dating administrasyon ni Greg Selinger, partikular ang isyu na may kaugnayan si Stan Struthers.

Remember the “Tickle me Stan” scandal?

Si Mang Brian Pallister, sa

CRISTY...

From page 13 ang mangangailangan ng saklay sa kaniyang career?’

Maraming nakapilang trabaho si Sharon, walang Gabby Concepcion sa mga proyektong ‘yon, kaya galit ang mga tagasuporta ng Megastar sa gustong palabasin ng mga nambabash sa kanilang idolo.

Sabi ng isang loyalista ni Sharon, “Hindi niya na kailangan ang reunion movie nila ni Gabby, napatunayan na nang matagal ni Shawie na hindi niya kailangan si Gabby, uminom naman sana ng kape ang mga umuupak kay Mega para kabahan naman sila kahit paminsan-minsan!” *** Malaking problema ng mga artista ang maliit nilang dibdib.

Nagpapadagdag sila.

Pero matinding problema rin para sa kanila ang malulusog na dibdib.

Nagpapabawas sila.

Matagal nang problemado si Sharon Cuneta sa malalaki niyang boobs.

Mabigat.

Nakakangalay.

Nakakapagod kargahin. ‘Yon ang dahilan kung bakit habang nasa Amerika siya ay isiningit na niya ang pagpapatapyas ng magkabila niyang bundok. Napakamoderno ng paraan sa Amerika, parang paggamot lang ng sugat ang breast enhancement doon, hindi nakakakaba ang resulta.

Naiintindihan ng isang kausap namin ang pagpapabawas ng boobs ni Sharon, dumaan din ito sa ganoong proseso sa Amerika, napakalaking ginhawa raw ang naging resulta para sa kaniya.

tingin ko, ay isang maangas na tao. Maangas ang termino sa mga taong may ugaling pinaghalo ang katigasan ng ulo, malakas ang loob at pagiging prangka. Wala siyang pakialam sa sasabihin ng tao, basta masabi at matupad niya ang kaniyang gusto. Siya na mismo ang nagsabi na wala siyang pakialam kung unpopular ang mga desisyon na gusto niyang gawin.

Ayon sa kakilala kong insider sa PC party (hindi si Jon Reyes), ang pagbaba sa puwesto ni Brian Pallister ay bunga din ng puwersa ng mismo niyang mga kasama sa partido. Ayon sa aking source, marami siyang mga kapartido ang hindi ayon sa istilo ng kaniyang panunugkulan. Tulad ng ibang mga partido, may faction sa PC party. On a side note, isa ring insider sa NDP ang aking nakachat na nagsabing hindi niya sinusuportahan si Wab as their leader although, NDP pa rin siya.

Anyway, si Mang Brian, di umano, ay pinilit pababain upang hindi macompromise ang pagbagsak ng buong PC party.

Early this year, sa isang survey na ginawa ng Probe Research, lumalabas na nearly two-thirds ng mga Manitobans ay hindi sang ayon kay Brian at 46 per cent dito ang sumagot nang “strongly disapproved.”

Ano ang gagawin sa lumulubog na barko? Fix the ship. Ayusin ang partido. Hence, the resignation of Pallister.

Magpapatawag ng leadership convention ang PC. Again, ayon sa ating mga impormante, ang mga posibleng tumakbo ay sina: Scott Fielding, Cameron Friesen, Rochelle Squires at Kelvin Goertzen.

But wait, may mga bulungbulungan din na kung gusto ng PC na manatili sa puwesto ay dapat silang pumili ng leader coming from the outside o hindi yung mga incumbent MLAs at ministers.

Dito pumutok ang usap-usapan sa posibleng pagtakbo ni Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman bilang leader ng Tories! Matatandaan na nag-announce na si Mayor Bowman ng hindi niya pagtakbo bilang Mayor ng Winnipeg sa

susunod ng civic elections next year.

Alam n’yo ba? Noong 2011, bago pa man tumakbong Mayor si Brian Bowman ay hinimok na siya ng PC Party of Manitoba bilang maging leader ng partido matapos ang resignation ni Hugh McFadyen as PC leader.

Idagdag pa natin ang strong connection ni Brian Bowman sa mga PC party members tulad nina former Premier Gary Filmon at marami pang mga Tories na tumulong sa kaniyang mayoralty campaigns.

Ang isang pang plus factor kung bakit daw dapat si Bowman ang pumalit as PC leader ay ang pagiging Metis nito. Alam nating lahat na he is considered as the first Indigenous Mayor of Winnipeg, claiming Red River Metis heritage.

Kung saka-sakali, maganda ang salpukan nila ni Wab Kinew sa darating na provincial elections! Mahahati ang boto ng mga katutubo, which will hurt the campaign of Wab Kinew.

Ang isa pang tanong ay:

“Coronation night na ba sa NDP ang pagbaba sa puwesto ni Pallister?” Hindi pa. Hindi dahil mawawala na sa eksena si Pallister ay lilipat na agad ang suporta ng tao sa NDP. Tiyak na hahanap ang PC ng matinding lider na pang saklolo sa lumulubog nilang barko at pantapat sa popularidad ni Kuya Wab Kinew.

Ito nga ba ay si Brian Bowman? Abangan!

Noel Lapuz ay dating OFW sa Middle East (Dubai at Qatar).

Nagtrabaho nang sampung taon sa City Hall ng Taguig bilang Human Resource Management Officer. Naging bahagi ng BataBatuta Productions bilang manunulat, entertainment host at stage actor. Nagtatag ng Kulturang Alyansa ng Taguig.

Kasapi ng Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP).

Paunawa: Ang mga paksa at salitang nakasaad sa Batang North End ay sariling opinion ng may-akda at maaaring hindi opinion ng mga taga-lathala ng Pilipino Express.

“Ang hirap-hirap kaya ng ganoon, para kang may pinapasang krus sa bigat, matagal kong naramdaman ‘yun. Para ka ring ngalay na ngalay madalas, kasi nga, mabigat ang dinadala mo,” natatawang sabi ng aming kaibigan.

Markado ang araw na ito para sa Megastar, ngayon na ang pagpapalabas ng pinagbidahan niyang pelikulang Revirginized, ibang-ibang Sharon Cuneta ang matutunghayan ng publiko sa proyekto niyang ito.

Pero malungkot ang ibang kababayan natin, nahuli sila sa pagbili ng ticket para sa palabas, hindi sila mauuna sa pagsilip dahil ubos na ang tickets sa loob nang ilang araw.

Napakasuwerte ni Direk Darryl Yap na nagkaroon ng oportunidad na makumbinse ang Megastar sa isang mapaghamong papel. Winasak ng pelikulang ito ang imahe ng isang Megastar mula nang pasukin niya ang pagganap. Pero sa positibong paraan.

Ang trailer pa lang ng Revirginized ay kumakaway na, nang-iimbita na, para saksihan ang isang kakaibang Sharon Cuneta.

Sigaw ng kaibigan naming propesor na nahuli rin sa pagbili ng ticket, “Siguradong mapapahiya ang mga bashers ni Mega ngayon! Sino ngayon ang laos na? Nand’yan pa rin ang magic niya!

“Hindi pa ipinanganganak ang magbabagsak kay Sharon Cuneta!” napakadiing komento ni Prop. ***

May mga kakaining salita ngayon si Kylie Padilla. Sa dami ng pinakawalan niyang salita laban kay Aljur Abrenica noon ay wala siyang pamimilian ngayon kundi ang bawiin ang mga inilabas niyang kuwento tungkol sa kanilang paghihiwalay.

‘Yong isyu ng third party.

Hindi ‘yon maikakaila ni Kylie dahil mismong tatay niyang si Robin Padilla ang nagsabing mayroon daw.

Kung sinu-sinong babae ang pinagbintangang third wheel sa kanilang relasyon, ‘yon daw ang ipinalit sa kaniya ni Aljur, pero wala naman silang napatunayan.

Ngayon ay nagpaparamdam si Kylie na puwede raw niyang bigyan ng second chance si Aljur, nakikita raw naman kasi niyang nagbabago ang aktor, paano na ang salitang nakapanakit noon kay Aljur?

Basta-basta ganoon na lang ba ‘yon? Ang maganda kay Aljur ay hindi ito sumagot sa mga bintang ni Kylie, walang kakaining salita ang aktor, nanatili itong tahimik lang noong mga panahong walang nakikitang maganda sa kaniya si Kylie.

Nagkakaisa ang marami sa pag-oopinyon na dapat nagiisip muna ang aktres bago siya nagbibitiw ng mga salitang siguradong makapananakit sa damdamin ng kaniyang mister.

Tulad ngayon, may ikalawang pagkakataon siyang sinasabi na puwede niyang ibigay kay Aljur, sino ang kahiya-hiya ngayon?

Si Aljur ba na walang anumang binitiwang salita laban kay Kylie?

Huwag kasing nagpapatalo sa emosyon. Mag-isip muna nang

libong beses bago magpakawala ng mga salita. Parang pusa ngayon si Kylie Padilla na kakainin ang sarili niyang suka. *** Mulat kami na BL movie ang Gameboys 2. Panahon ngayon ng mga palabas na ganoon ang tema.

Pagmamahalan ng lalaki sa lalaki.

Tinutukan namin ang pelikula noong isang gabi, ang mga bida, sina Elijah Canlas at Kokoy de Santos. Paminsan-minsan ay dinadagsa tayo ng mga baguhang may lalim sa pagganap.

Dagdag sa bilang sina Elijah at Kokoy na hindi lang basta umaarte, nagkukuwento sila habang nakaharap sa mga camera, may gustong ipaunawa ang mga papel na ginagampanan nila.

Lahat ng mga sangkap para bigyan ng init at kilig ang manonood ay nasa Gameboys 2.

Halikan ng magkaibigang nauwi sa pagmamahalan ang relasyon.

Nandoon ‘yon.

Nagpatong sila at pinadaloy ang naglalagablab nilang emosyon, hindi na mahalaga kung sino ang top o bottom, pero walang kadaya-daya nilang pinakawalan ang pagmamahal na para lang sa isa’t isa.

Habang nagtititigan sina Elijah at Kokoy at nagtatawid kung gaano nila kamahal ang bawat isa ay hindi dalawang lalaki ang nakikita mo kundi dalawang taong nagpapasalamat dahil inilaan sila para magmahalan nang walang pretensiyon.

Maayos ang daloy ng kuwento na nagpapaunawa sa manonood na ang tunay na pagmamahal ay hindi nanunukat kung lalaki o babae ba ang iniibig mo.

Ang malinaw na mensahe ay puwedeng magmahal ng kahit sino ang bawat isa sa atin basta wala tayong sinasaktan at inaagawan para tayo makumpleto.

Ramdam na ramdam ang kahenyuhan ni Direk Jun Lana sa pagtitilad at pagbabalangkas ng mga linyang naitawid nang makabuluhan nina Elijah at Kokoy.

Iningatan ni Direk Ivan Payawal ang eksekusyon ng mga eksena, kinambalan ‘yon ng magandang pag-iilaw ni Carlo Mendoza, ramdam sa kabuuan ng pelikula ang mabusising pagaalaga nina Direk Perci Intalan at Elmer Gatchalian ng The IdeaFirst Company.

Seselyuhan ng ending ang isang dakilang pagmamahalan, bubuhos ang luha nang hindi mo nararamdaman, ang mahalaga nga sa buhay na ito na napakigsi lang ay kung kanino ka maligaya at kung sino ang nagpapaligaya sa iyo.

Tapos na ang palabas ay may isang tanong na maiiwanan sa isip mo. BL movie ba ang katatapos mo lang panoorin?

Kunsensiya mo ang kokontra.

Hindi. Ang tinutukan mo ay isang kuwento ng pang-unawa at pagbibigay-respeto sa isa sa pinakadakilang regalong ipinagkaloob sa atin ng Diyos.

Pagmamahal.

Kina Elijah Canlas at Kokoy de Santos, ang aming pagsaludo, ibang-iba kayo sa iba! *** Sa paglantad sa katotohanan ni Raymond Gutierrez tungkol sa kaniyang tunay na kasarian See CRISTY p17

OUR COMMUNITY

PAGE 16

PILIPINO EXPRESS

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

Leonardo and Nelia Cuya 50th wedding anniversary Leonardo and Nelia Cuya tied the knot for the second time amidst the COVID pandemic, on August 08, 2021. Maggie and Frank Urbano, and Maricel and Elmer del Mundo took on the roles of ninongs and ninangs. Donna Arenas Natividad facilitated the program. Leonardo and Nelia also thank the Zapanta, Gilana, Natividad, and del Mundo families for all their help. Photos by Edwin del Mundo.

Leonardo and Nelia on their wedding day in August 1971

Nelia and Leonardo at St. Edward’s Church

The newly re-wed couple at Assiniboine Park

The Alvarado, Arenas, Cuya, del Mundo, Gilana, Natividad, Urbano, and Zapanta families conclude the event with a jump shot at Assiniboine Park.

Nelia and Leonardo with Ninong Frank and Ninang Maggie Urbano

The newlyweds with their families and friends after the Eucharistic celebration at St. Edward’s Church (left to right): del Mundo, Cuya, Alvarado, Urbano, Gilana, and Zapanta families.

Canada Protection Plan Advisor appreciation event

Canada Protection Plan Regional Vice President Ryan Cruz (5th from right) and his guests enjoy the Winnipeg Blue Bombers season opener on August 5, 2021

EH KASI, PINOY!

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

PILIPINO EXPRESS

KROSWORD

NO. 375

Ni Bro. Gerry Gamurot

PAHALANG 1. Magwagi 5. Nagsulyapan 12. Tiyuhin 13. Rason 14. Pananong 16. Lagi 17. Hinintay 18. Hulapi 19. Panawag pansin 21. Ipasalin 25. Tuwa 27. Talos 29. Istorbo 31. Sapantaha 32. Nakaligtaan

CRISTY...

From page 15 ay maraming artistang lalaking pinagdududahan din ang gender ang hinahamon ngayon ng mga bashers na magpakatotoo na rin.

Sana raw ay tularan nila si Raymond na hindi lang sa salamin umamin kundi sa publiko. Marespetong tinanggap ng marami ang paglantad ni Raymond.

Ilang beses naming nakasama sa pagho-host ng talk show sa TV5 si Raymond. Totoo ang kaniyang sinabi na pormalidad na lang ang ginawa niyang pag-amin dahil open-secret naman sa buong showbiz ang tunay niyang estado.

Pero walang nagtatanong sa kaniya, respeto ang namamagitan, parang hangin lang ‘yon na dumadaan.

Ang mahalaga ay hindi siya nagkukunwaring brusko,

wala siyang pretensiyon, nagpapakatotoo siya sa lahat ng oras.

Mahalaga ang kaniyang sinabi na suportado siya ng kaniyang pamilya at mga kaibigan. Wala nga namang matatakot humarap sa katotohanan kapag alam mong ang unang-unang sasaludo sa iyong pagpapakatotoo ay ang iyong pamilya.

Isandaang porsiyentong suportado ng kaniyang mga kapatid si Raymond, maging ang kaniyang kakambal na si Richard, ang komento na lang ngayon ng kaniyang mga magulang ang hinihintay na marinig ng ating mga kababayan.

Ang importante ay nailabas ni Raymond ang kaniyang saloobin, napakagandang senyal din para sa mga tinatawag na kloseta ang sinabi niyang walang dapat ikatakot ang mga may gustong mag-out, ibang-

PAGE 17 iba ang kaligayahang dulot ng pagpapakatotoo sa mundo.

Tumawag ang isang kaibigan namin, “Kailan naman kaya magpapakatotoo sina ____ at ____? Pandemya na, magpakatotoo na rin sana sila, para hindi na binubusisi pa ang gender nila!”

Open-secret din ang kasarian ng mga lalaking personalidad na tinutukoy ng aming kaibigan, palagi silang pinagpipistahan, pero walang diretsong nagtaanong sa kanila kung miyembro ba sila ng komunidad ng LGBTQ. Darating din ang eksaktong panahon. Puwede ring makasama na nila sa hukay ang totoo nilang kasarian. Pabayaan na lang nating maging masaya sila sa kanilang konbiksiyon.

Napakaigsi ng buhay. Kung saan tayo masaya at kung kanino tayo maligaya ay doon tayo.

– CSF

11. Tabako 15. Mabait 18. Bawasan 20. Sagana 21. Tangis 22. Biyaya 23. Bulalas ng nabigla 24. Lasa 26. Hamak 28. Kapara 30. Palayaw ng lalaki 31. Sabaw ng sinaing

SAGOT SA NO. 374

PABABA 1. Beriberi 2. Panimplang butil 3. Atungal ng baka 4. Uga 6. Tulad ng 12 pahalang 7. Alwan 8. Pangulay 9. Iwas 10. Palayaw ng babae

BCBP Canada Winnipeg Mission celebrates 2nd anniversary The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) Winnipeg Mission, a not-for-profit Catholic lay organization, celebrated its 2nd year anniversary last July 24, 2021. The Holy Eucharist was celebrated at St. Emile Parish Church by Fr. Gerry Sembrano. A

family day followed at Assiniboine Park.

BCBP had its roots in Philippines where 24 businessmen from Ligaya ng Panginoon Covenant & Community introduced a Christian Businessmen Breakfast in July 1980 with the objective of bringing

Christ in the marketplace and in the society as well. The Breakfast flourished drawing a large number of businessmen and professionals.

This led to BCBP with members not only in the Philippines but also in other countries in Southeast Asia and North America. Here in Canada, the BCBP operates in

Greater Toronto East and West, Hamilton, Durham, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. And two years ago, the Winnipeg Mission was established.

Breakfast meetings are held simultaneously every Saturday.

Even with the pandemic, BCBP still hold its breakfast and other

activities virtually. This year, on August 20 – 21, BCBP marks its 41st National Anniversary Celebration.

For inquiries, please contact the BCBP Secretariat at bcbpwinnipeg@gmail.com or the Breakfast Head, Bro. Loy Salvador at (204) 962-1535.

PAGE 18

PILIPINO EXPRESS

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

PILIPINO EXPRESS

Manitoba Filipino Street Festival is a GO this year Summers in Manitoba are never complete without big gatherings or festivals. But because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the ever-changing health protocols aimed at halting infections, most of these community happenings have been limited, done virtually, or cancelled altogether.

This summer, with the province loosening the public health restriction, organizers of the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival (MFSF) are pushing through with the festivities, albeit scaled down compared to past years.

Lucille Nolasco Garrido of The Pilipino Express interviewed Ley Navarro, Chairman of the MFSF, to talk about the festival scheduled this August 28 and 29.

Pilipino Express: Tell us how the preparations are going for the MFSF this year.

Ley Navarro: It’s quite challenging. The festival normally is in June and because we were not able to do a physical festival in almost two years, we decided to go for a scaled down event as soon as the improved COVID-19 situation allowed us to do so. But then, a lot of associations and groups were not ready and could not commit to participating. Some groups had already made plans, and some are understandably reluctant to be in a big gathering.

PE: Considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, what are the safety and health protocols in place for this year’s festival?

LN: Even before the pandemic, safety and health protocols have always been a priority for us.

Every year, we strictly followed the province health and safety requirements. Hand washing stations will definitely increase this year and we’ll make sure an abundance of hand sanitizers is available. Constant reminders to observe proper distancing will be part of the emcees’ script.

PE: Under the latest provincial health rules implemented on August 7th, more people are allowed to gather, so how many people are you allowing or expecting to join the festival?

LN: 1,500 people is the number we are allowed to let in.

We might decide to bring it down to 1,000. That is a fraction of the 10,000 attendees we used to get pre-COVID. Maybe next year.

PE: Will you be requiring a

proof of vaccination for attendees?

LN: Yes, we will.

PE: What will be among the highlights of this year’s street festival?

LN: This is a scaled down festival, and we will not have the annual Cultural Parade and no movie star from the Philippines.

We do have local “stars” for sure.

This year, attendees with have a close-up experience of BIBAK’s Cañao and the authentic feel of a Santa Cruzan at dusk, with elegant Reyna Elenas and beautifully adorned arches by the Quezon Province Association of Manitoba.

PE: Take us back a few years when you were just starting. What were the goals and objectives that have been met, and what will be the plan moving forward?

LN: When we started, the goal was simply to present a few of the hundreds of festivals celebrated all over the Philippines, while encouraging associations and groups in our community to come together, in a one-day fiesta.

But soon after the success of the first festival, we had to come up with pre-festival and post-festival activities familiar to Filipinos in Manitoba. Activities like parol making and carolling contest.

Moving forward, we can only hope that a new group of volunteers from our community will take over and soon, to continue what we have started.

We invite everyone to come out and spend a day with us at the festival. We have barely three weeks to prepare, but be that as it may, no matter what, when we come together as Filipinos, we will have fun, for sure.

PE: Do you have other projects after this August event?

LN: Yes, on September 25, MFSF will be holding Ang Galing Mo, Ipakita Mo, a talent competition open to all members of any Filipino association or group in Manitoba. In October, the 4th Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika, the annual concert featuring songs from Filipino composers from the 50s to the present, interpreted by some of our local singers. And in November, plans are being made for MFSF’s own version of a Santa Claus parade, parol making contest, and carolling contest.

For more details, visit the MFSF website, manitobafilipino. com, or their Facebook page.

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

PILIPINO EXPRESS

AUGUST 16 - 31, 2021

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