Pilipino Express Feb 1 2016

Volume 12 • No. 3 • February 1-15, 2016 Publication Mailing Account #41721512

Pauleen Sotto

Ready for Manitoba New Program for MB bound immigrants

MANILA – A new program designed to help immigrants coming to Manitoba was announced in the Philippines on January 22 at an event sponsored by the Canadian Embassy in Manila. Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Neil Reeder, made the announcement.

The Ready for Manitoba Program (RMP) will assist immigrants from the Philippines, India and China who have met eligibility requirements, including Manitoba-bound immigrants who have been selected by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) or the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) to become permanent residents. The program will provide services such as information and orientation, employment-related services, and community supports to help immigrants before they arrive to start their new lives in Manitoba.

The RMP was developed at the University of Manitoba in the fall of 2015 in coordination See READY p7

17

Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines, Neil Reeder, announces the Ready for Manitoba Program during the embassy’s Study in Canada Fair at the Fairmont in Makati, January 22, 2016

Travellers wary of Zika virus

22 PGT’s hosts: Luis Manzano & Billy Crawford

Aedes aegypti mosquito, carrier of Zika virus OTTAWA – The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recently reported several cases of Canadians infected with Zika virus, which Margaret Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO),

NOEL CADELINA

Sales, 6th Consecutive SMG Gold Ring Awardee

LITO DABU

Sales, & Leasing Consultant 5th Year SMG Gold Ring Awardee

JOEL SIBAL Service Consultant

ROBERT MISA

Triple Diamond Sales Consultant Award 2014 - Gold Winner

NELSON LANTIN Sales Manager

ROMMEL FAJARDO

Sales Manager

has described as spreading “explosively” in the Americas.

Zika virus is suspected of causing birth defects known as microcephaly in babies born to infected mothers. Microcephaly is a condition in which a child

MA. LEE HOLGADO JEZREEL “The Jet” Sales Advisor REYES Sales Advisor

is born with an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain.

However, the link between Zika and microcephaly has not yet been proven conclusively.

The symptoms of Zika virus See ZIKA p21

ELAINE VERRI

Sales Consultant

JOELAN MENDOZA Collision Repair Advisor

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st. mary’s academy an advantage for life New student applications due February 12, 2016 Applications accepted for all grades, with major entry points in Grades 7 & 9 Financial assistance available All faiths welcome Students at St. Mary’s Academy know that education is more than just opening a book.

They are part of a community that encourages academic excellence, spiritual growth, athletic ability and artistic expression.

Each student is challenged to reach her full potential as an individual created in God’s image.

550 wellington crescent, winnipeg, mb, r3m 0c1 | 204-477-0244 stmarysacademy.mb.ca | facebook.com/smawinnipeg | twitter.com/smawpg

A community of learning, faith and service. This is my school.

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What’s the point?

The presidential campaign in the Philippines is always a time for great fanfare. Each candidate tries to outdo the other in impressing their names on the minds of the people in the hope that name recall will carry them to victory. This is done in various ways, from TV advertisements to vehicles blaring out campaign jingles to newspaper ads to posters to flyers ad infinitum.

There is actually no platform that will not be used. We have seen in the past that even relief goods are stamped with the names of candidates, earning for them the ire of netizens but also curiously putting them on top of the surveys. And of course the old song-and-dance is an effective means to catch the attention of the people, with candidates dragging celebrities on their sorties to entertain the people and bury the issues in the background. In the Philippine presidential campaign, the name of the game is form versus substance.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) tries to counter this by scheduling debates in which the candidates can engage each other.

The first such debate will be held on February 21 in Cagayan de Oro City, and the poll body has already identified the following as the topics: agricultural

I am happy to report to the community that the Canadian Historical Association (CHA) has commissioned me to write a booklet on Filipinos in Canada, with a hopeful release date in January 2017. The CHA has two series of short historical booklets; one on general Canadian history and one more specifically on Immigration and Ethnicity in Canada. They are available for free online (http://goo.gl/3cI2JH).

Since 1953, the CHA has released 64 booklets under the general history series, and 33 under the immigration and ethnicity series, which my booklet will be under.

The CHA itself is an institution in Canadian academia, founded in 1922 to support, unite, and lobby for historians working in Canada.

The interest of the CHA in releasing a booklet on the history of Filipinos in Canada demonstrates that the organization is taking note of the significant Filipino community in Canada, and this booklet will hopefully be of use to many outside of academia. As a short introductory history, it will not

development, poverty reduction/ asset creation and redistribution, Charter change, and peace and order. The second debate is scheduled for March 20 in Cebu, with the following as topics: disaster preparedness/climate change adaptation, healthcare, education, and fighting corruption. The third debate on April 24 in Pangasinan will tackle traffic and public transportation, electoral and political reforms, foreign policy, tax reform, and national defense. All topics are very important, and these are the things that the people need to hear their candidates talk about.

But based on the election campaigns in previous years, it is a long shot for the current crop of candidates to even show up for any of these debates. There has been no presidential debate of note in the past decades, with the candidates shying away from such activities for reasons that we can guess. Mostly it is probably because they think it is a waste of time to debate each other – and we agree, but for different reasons.

In the candidates’ eyes, debates are useless because the people do not want to watch such shows.

In their minds, the people only want a show, and that’s where they invest their time and effort.

We believe, however, that while

tell all the stories of those have chosen to live and/or work in Canada, but it will open the door to Canadians and others about this group’s history. Over the last two decades, there has been good research done on Filipinos in Canada from the social sciences, but has been more or less neglected from a historical standpoint. What has been done is often community driven, which I have written about in the past.

Hopefully, this booklet will be of use to the Filipino community in Canada, and not just to an academic audience. The ANAK organization has long been advocating for the importance of ethnic history, which I fully agree with, and I have argued that the silence in Canadian history books about Filipinos in Canada can have a negative impact on integration and belonging. In terms of Asian immigration to Canada, Chinese, Japanese, and South Asian immigrants have received considerable historical study, but more recent Pacific immigrants – Filipinos especially – have, for one reason or another,

debates are essential; there is not enough difference between the candidates to sustain the interest of the people. Think of it: each and every person who wants to serve government claims to believe in four things: that they are makaDiyos, makabayan, makatao, and makakalikasan (pro-God, pro-country, pro-people, and pro-environment). And because they are essentially the same, any debate will only descend to the level of mudslinging.

We want the debates to materialize, but the Comelec must program them in such a way that the candidates deal only with the issues. Otherwise, what would be the point?

Impressions Police officers, soldiers, and government workers have been warned by their respective authorities not to use their social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter to support the candidacies of political candidates on pain of being slapped with various sanctions, including suspension and even dismissal from service.

The rationale for the warning is that the act of “liking,” “sharing,” or commenting on content that promotes the candidacy of politicians is inimical to the service. Since police offices, soldiers, and government workers are supposed to be non-partisan, it does not serve the interest of the people if civil servants begin campaigning — even in small ways — for particular candidates.

Simply put, it gives the

impression that these servants are serving not the people but those who are already in power. Indeed, the main reason for the directive has to do with the incumbents; since they are the ones who have control over the purse. Since they are the ones who are seen, rightly or wrongly, to make the decisions on the continued employment of their staff, it is presumed that they can use government resources to pressure their personnel to campaign for them.

The problem takes on a more sinister air if soldiers and police officers are the ones campaigning, especially if it is done on social media. As we have seen in the past, platforms like Facebook and Twitter tend to take twists and turns that no one expects, and it is entirely possible for one’s post to become viral for all the wrong reasons. A cop or soldier — especially one with a higher rank — can easily give the impression that he or she favours particular candidates with just one click of the mouse or a tap of a finger. Given our nation’s troubled past and history with martial rule, such an impression is a fearsome one that few welcome. The police and military are rightly told to take their place in neutral territory so as not to give the past a chance to make a comeback.

Jon Joaquin is the Associate Editor of EDGE Davao, the newest daily newspaper in Mindanao. E-mail Jon at jonjoaquin@gmail.com.

Canadian Historical Association to publish a history of Filipinos in Canada been neglected. Including these histories in national narratives will reinforce the fact that Filipinos are a part of Canada’s national identity, and have been for decades. Indeed, I have been able to show that as early as the 1920s there were Filipinos immigrating to Canada, and possibly as early as 1905 along the west coast.

The challenge presented with this booklet is the length. The booklets average in length from 30-40 pages, and this is a very small space to tell the national history of a group! What broad story should be told? What examples given? What about life in the Philippines does one need to know to understand Filipino immigration to Canada? How can one best represent the lives, activities, and experiences of those who have come to call Canada home (and even those who are only here temporarily)?

I would be interested in what the community thinks about this and

I am certainly open to suggestions from anyone.

Additionally, I am always interested in gathering life histories of community members.

My work on the Winnipeg Filipino community’s history is written in part by the testimonies of those I interview; their stories shape the history of the community and will help others understand and appreciate what life has been like for them in Canada. This is an opportunity to shape the historical narrative of the community, as everyone’s life experience has an effect on others. Oral histories such as these are important because they demonstrate that while some broad trends are shared and experienced by others, individual life histories are in fact complex and unique.

To be sure, no two experiences of immigration and settlement in Canada are the same, and each story helps us to understand the overall experience. I’ve written See MALEK p20

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Rizal’s first love With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it is fitting to read about love in history and there is no better way to see Rizal as a typical lovesmitten adolescent (with pimples?) than to read his Memorias de Un Estudiante de Manila (translated

by Leon Ma. Guerrero), covering his birth and early years to 1878.

This concerns Rizal’s first crush on a 14-yearold “virginal, attractive and engaging” girl named Segunda Katigbak, whom he describes as “not the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but I have not met another more alluring and beguiling… from time to time she looked at me and I blushed.”

Segunda, referred to in his diary as “K”, was a boarding student at the Colegio de la Concordia where his sisters and his future fiancée, Leonor Rivera, also studied.

Rizal used his sisters as an excuse to visit K and in one of these visits they talked

about flowers and K asked him if he had a girlfriend.

He replied, “No, I never dreamed of having one because I know pretty well that nobody would pay any attention to me, especially the pretty ones.”

K answered, “What?

You deceive yourself. Do you want me to find you one?” Rizal said, “Thanks, senorita, but I do not want to bother you.”

The visits continued until Rizal accepted the reality that K was already engaged.

However, he could not resist her charms. In one visit, she gave him a white rose for his hatband, saying that the flower came from Rizal’s sister. During his next visit, Rizal asked her about the rose, saying that his sister was incapable of making such, so K told him the truth and he promised to keep the rose as long as he lived, adding, “Do you know it is very painful for me to lose you after having known you?” She

tearfully answered, “But I am not getting married!”

She stopped short of telling Rizal she really loved him.

Rizal wrote: “Our visits continued. I abstained – rather, I forbade my heart to love… perhaps she really loves me. I’m not rich or handsome; I am neither sophisticated nor attractive. I adopted a course of silence, determined that until I should see greater proofs of sympathy between us, I would not subject myself to her yoke, or tell her that I love her.”

News of the affair spread, and before long, all their friends and relatives were talking about them.

Rizal was shattered, for all they had at this point, in the modern idiom, was simply an “understanding.” It was not yet “serious.” Much later, his letters to Leonor Rivera (Taimis) were written in code and with codenames to avoid all the fuss.

Rizal avoided an explicit declaration of his love. “…I spent the night… without being able to fall asleep, distracted by my thoughts.

My rebellious heart…

refused to express itself and thus to submit, fearful perhaps of confiding its happiness to hands so frail.”

One day, K received a letter from her father ordering her to return to their province. The good news was that her family would visit a fiesta in Laguna and they could see each other there. A pattern with Rizal makes its first appearance here, which is that when he becomes close to a woman to the point of “intimacy,” he leaves her.

On the day of her arrival, Rizal saddled his horse and rode off to meet her.

Yet when he saw her, as he wrote: “All I did was to take off my hat. I said nothing. The same thing has happened to me at the most trying moments of my life! My tongue so glib at other times, falls silent when my heart overflows with feeling… at critical moments in my life, I have always acted against my heart’s desire, obeying contradictory purposes and powerful doubts. This is how it ends.

“Ah, how much truth was

once instinct in these words!

Ended, my adolescent and confident loves! Ended, at an early hour, my first love!

My virgin heart will always mourn the reckless step it took… my illusions will return, yes, but indifferent, uncertain, ready for the first betrayal on the path of love… I realized that she was the woman who satisfied completely the yearnings of my heart, and I told myself that I had lost her.”

Does it sound mushy enough for a Regal film?

One cannot imagine Jose Rizal going through all this, but it’s true.

Happy Valentine’s Day. Source: Rizal Without the Overcoat by Ambeth R. Ocampo, Anvil Publishing.

Ambeth Ocampo is a past Chairman of the National Historical Institute of the Philippines and an associate Professor in the Department of History, Ateneo de Manila University. He writes a widely read editorial page column, Looking Back, for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Hit refresh: cleaning out your educational drawer Everyone has that drawer they toss everything into, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. As an educator, I hear new ideas and suggested practices all the time. Some, I’ll implement immediately, some I’ll “save for later” and throw into a pile that I most likely will forget about.

Only now, in my fourth year of teaching, have I begun to truly clear out that drawer. In the physical sense, it means sorting four bookcases of resources that I have had the honour of inheriting from the previous teacher. She

was gracious to leave them with me, and I’ve had an adventure in trying new things each year.

The challenge was when they became a security blanket. I felt safe knowing I had eight resources to teach fractions with, knowing I only actively use three.

So now I have clutter, and even more current ideas and practices are coming my way. What’s an educator to do?

I began de-cluttering by filtering the resources I was 100 per cent sure of. I then donated unused resources to my fellow

intermediate teachers. Anything extra, I sent down to our Resource Teacher to store or discard.

I also do this with my metaphorical drawer, which arguably is a more treacherous space than physical clutter. This is where I have the potential to become set in my practices, hesitant to try new programs.

This is where I store ideas and experiences. Ideas can range from “I know that the students the past two years liked this, so I’m can expect that these students should do well too,” to “this bombed that one time, so I won’t try it again.”

As an educator, I need to be

flexible in my career. I need to cater to the needs of the students, not considering what’s more convenient. In order to truly work smarter, not harder, you need to understand the core needs of your students. Each new term, I learn to let go and to be open-minded with studies and suggested practices.

Parent tip: Clean-up time!

This practice of cleaning out the physical and metaphorical drawers is applicable to any lifestyle or career. Children pick up the habits of their parents. Do you find yourself leaving clutter around? I, myself, am guilty of this and, as mentioned above, I

am only now going through and letting go of what could be useful to someone else.

Take time to clear out your clutter, both in your workspace, and in your head. Your children will certainly notice this habit and, when encouraged, they may see the importance and value of being open to new things, and making room for new ideas, practices, and challenges in their lives.

Happy cleaning!

Judianne Jayme is an educator teaching sixth grade and a division-wide mentor in the Winnipeg School Division.

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Scents and sensitivity in the workplace Have you ever walked through the fragrance section of The Bay or any major department store in a mall? I am sure at one time or another you have experienced being stopped by a sales person coaxing you to either be sprayed on or to smell a sample scent.

How did it make you feel? How did you react to the scent?

It is believed that in ancient times, the Egyptians were fragrance connoisseurs and they were one of the first civilizations to use perfume. They used it for both ceremonial and beauty purposes. The Egyptians believed that fragrance was the sweat of the sun god Ra. Archaeologists have also discovered many Egyptian recipes and formulas for developing perfume and the compositions were a complex mixture of natural materials such as scented oils. However, times have changed and now perfumes are mostly comprised of chemicals.

In the modern world, when we refer to fragrances, it can mean anything from smells or odours from cosmetics such as perfume, shampoo, hand lotion or even products such as air fresheners and cleaning solutions. In most workplaces, there are employees who want to smell good, however, there are also employees who are sensitive to scents. Those employees who like to wear perfume may not realize they are triggering allergic reactions in their fellow coworkers.

The issue of sensitivity to fragrance in the workplace is quite complex. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, however, to figure out that the chemical substances contained in these fragrances are not natural and can in fact have adverse effects on our health. Allergic and asthmatic patients, as well as those with other reactive conditions, report that certain odours, even in the

smallest amounts, can trigger an attack. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, the severity of symptoms can vary. While some may report a mild reaction, others can be incapacitated. As a result, these individuals may avoid going to public places or crowded areas.

These reactions are called environmental sensitivities and according to the Women’s College Hospital, “Environmental sensitivities (ES) describes a chronic condition whereby a person has symptoms when exposed to certain chemicals or other environmental agents at low levels tolerated by most people. The symptoms may range in severity from mild to debilitating. ES has also been called multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical intolerance, environmental hypersensitivity, environmental illness, toxicantinduced loss of tolerance, and idiopathic environmental

A representative of the Ready for Manitoba Program shares information with attendees to the Study in Canada Fair sponsored by the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines

READY...

From page 1 with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and will be delivered

by Extended Education at the U of M with $526,310 in funding over the next fiscal year.

Services have already been set up in the Philippines and plans are in place to open offices in China this April and in India in September.

The program will be delivered mainly through online technology, including virtual classroom sessions, live webinars, online videos and social media tools. In addition to online components, there will be onsite classroom workshops and face-to-face

meetings with individuals in each of the three countries participating in the program. The program is expected to address newcomers’ needs for early and occupationspecific career guidance, employment advice, educational planning, and community awareness.

“The University of Manitoba is committed to meeting the needs of newcomers to our province,” said Kathleen Matheos, Associate Dean of Extended Education.

“The Ready for Manitoba program offered through Extended Education will allow participants to learn about resources that will help them make their transition to Canada easier and acquire skills

necessary for fully functioning and participating in Canadian society.”

To avail of this program, clients must send a copy of their approval letters for permanent residency in Manitoba to Lualhati Marcelino, the International Program Coordinator for RMP. Marcelino will work face to face with the clients and facilitate the on-site programming. She will also help set up the China and India offices of RMP later this year.

For more information about the Ready for Manitoba Program: E-mail: Lualhati.Marcelino@ umanitoba.ca Facebook: Facebook.com/ ReadyForManitoba Twitter: @ReadyForMB

intolerance.”

So why is this even an issue?

Well, this is because scents can affect an employee’s well being.

Also, there are human rights laws in Canada that protect environmental sensitivity on the grounds of disability. As a result, cases arising from scent sensitivity have recently been innovated in provinces like Ontario and other provincial jurisdictions.

In addition, at the federal level, the Canadian Human Rights Commission recognizes environmental sensitivity as a medical condition that is entitled to the protection of the Canadian Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.

What does this all mean?

It means, accommodation is required under the federal and provincial human rights Acts.

From an employer’s perspective, such accommodation might include a request from a Manager or Supervisor for employees not to wear over powering fragrances, as well as allowing those with sensitivities to leave their workstation when experiencing symptoms or a reaction.

So the next time you grab that bottle of cologne or aftershave, as you get ready for work, be considerate of others who are suffering from environmental sensitivities. What smells good

to you might be problematic for others. It’s not only employers who have a duty to accommodate, we all have a duty to accommodate in creating a safe working environment for everyone, and that includes contributing to a fragrance-free environment.

This article is intended for information purposes only.

Consult the human rights commission in your province for any questions you may have regarding environmental sensitivities.

Sources www.bustle.com/ articles/101182-the-strangehistory-of-perfume-fromancient-roman-foot-fragranceto-napoleons-cologne canadasafetycouncil.org/ workplace-safety/perfumeworkplace www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ hsprograms/scent_free.html w w w. c h r c - c c d p . g c . c a / sites/default/files/policy_ sensitivity_0.pdf Michele Majul-Ibarra is a HR Professional. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Human Resource Management. She also holds the C.I.M. professional designation (Certified in Management).

E-mail her at info@pilipinoexpress.com.

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Update on the MPNP for business The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program for Business (MPNP-B) has provided additional information about expressions of interest and applications submitted under their Business Investor Stream.

Like the skilled worker stream of the MPNP that most readers are familiar with, the business program also starts with an online profile submission.

The first step is the submission of an online Expression of Interest (EOI) profile, but the requirements are somewhat different from those asked of skilled worker applicants. The business adaptability matrix includes points for age, business knowledge, business experience, net worth, English or French language proficiency, and enhanced settlement facts. The optimum age is 30 to 44. A business owner and manager (more than 50 per cent ownership) would be awarded a maximum of 15 points under business knowledge and business experience of 10 years or more, a maximum of 15 pts. Net worth over $2.5 million will earn maximum points of 15. In terms of language, a CLB above 6 would be awarded 20 points. The MPNP-B can also award “enhanced settlement”

points with 15 points awarded when, “The applicant has visited Manitoba for at least five working days and conducted relevant business and lifestyle-related research.” There are also points under adaptability for language proficiency of spouse, or even if they have a dependent studying in the province, for a maximum of 20 pts.

The EOI submissions are rated according to points with the highest scoring submissions receiving a “Letter of Advice to Apply.” At this point the applicant submits a formal application to the MPNP-B, which would include attaching proof of the claims made in the EOI submission. If you do not submit a nomination application after receiving the invitation, your EOI will be removed from the database for a period of one year.

The general requirements have been around for a while and the selection process is ongoing.

As of January 4, 2016, 340 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAA) have been issued to persons with EOI scores ranging from 80 to 98. Of these, the MPNP received 212 nomination applications within the 60 days compliance period.

Among the requirements is a

verifiable personal net worth of CDN $350,000 and a minimum of three years of successful business ownership and managerial experience or executive-level experience as a senior manager in the past five years.

The breakdown of applications is significant and shows a trend in immigration to Canada with the Peoples Republic of China leading all world areas in terms of nominations. To date 59 per cent of the applicants to the Manitoba business investor stream list the PRC as their country of residence, followed by India (13 per cent), Iran (12 per cent), Korea (4 per cent) and others (14 per cent). The small number of business applicants from the Philippines are captured in the 14 per cent “other” category.

Other provinces have also noted the increased participation from Chinese applicants, although the Philippines remains a primary source country for skilled worker applications in Manitoba and a number of other provinces, including Saskatchewan.

The business part of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program remains an integral part of the way Manitoba attracts immigrants who can contribute economically to the growth of the provincial economy. The nominee program continues to be a way

for the province to attract both needed skilled and semi-skilled workers as well as investors and business applicants who bring an influx of foreign capital and a real potential to create new jobs in Manitoba. Immigration is an important part of Manitoba’s future and something that we should expect will become the focus of the upcoming provincial election in April. The MPNP-B website does warn all readers that there is a “2016 Provincial Election Communications Blackout” from January 19 to

April 19, 2016 due to Section 92 of the Election Financing Act, which limits communications by departments in the 90 days prior to the provincial election on April 19, 2016.

Michael Scott BA (Hon), MA, is a 30-year veteran of Canada Immigration and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program who works as an immigration associate with R.B. Global Immigration Consultants Ltd. (204) 783-7326 or (204) 227-0292. E-mail: mscott.ici@ gmail.com.

Ice dams An ice dam is a hill-like ice formation on the edge of a roof that blocks melting snow from draining off the roof.

As water collects behind the dam, it can seep through the roof and cause deterioration to roof underlayment, ceilings, walls, insulation and other areas. Ice dams are formed by the interactions between: 1. snow covering the roof; 2. warm portions of the upper roof (warmer than 0° C) and; 3. heat lost through the roof when the attic gets cold. Melted snow from the warmer portions will refreeze when it pours down to the colder area, thus forming ice dams.

Even though the major cause of snow melting on the roof is heat loss from the building’s interior, solar radiation also provides plenty of heat to melt snow. In Winnipeg, sufficient sunlight can be transmitted through 15 cm of snow cover on a clear sunny day to cause melting even when the outside temperature is minus 10° C and attic temperature is minus 5° C. Contrary to popular belief, gutters do not cause ice dam

formations. However, gutters assist in ice accumulation in susceptible areas where parts of the house can strip away due to the weight of the ice and come plunging to the ground.

Ice dams can lead to various problems when water leaks from the roof into the building envelope. It can significantly reduce the effectiveness of building insulation.

Damp insulation doesn’t work well and will not decompress even when it dries. With an ineffective insulation, more heat will flow to the roof to melt more snow, causing more ice dams to form.

Water that penetrates in the wall cavities can cause rotting of the structural wood members and blistering and peeling of exterior paint. Furthermore, trapped water can lead to respiratory illnesses due to the growth of mould.

There are many ways to prevent the formation of ice dams: • Seal all air leaks in the attic floor, particularly those surrounding attic hatches, ceiling

light fixtures, and duct and plumbing penetrations.

• Increase the thickness of the insulation of pipes, ducts and chimneys that passes through the attic.

• Increase the height of vents that terminate just above the roof.

• Provide a minimum 75 mm of air space between the top of the insulation and roof sheathing in sloped ceilings.

• Remove snow from the roof using a special roof rake from the ground. Be careful not to dislodge dangerous icicles or damage roofing materials. Do

not use shovels, hammers, ice picks, or lawn rakes.

• Make channels in the ice by hosing it with warm water. However, this procedure deliberately adds water to the roof and must be done only in emergencies when there is too much water is flowing through the roof, and when the outside temperature is warm enough that the hose water can drain before it freezes.

• Install electric heat cables.

However, this system rarely works, requires a professional installer, consumes electricity,

and can make asphalt shingles brittle.

Summing up, ice dams are caused by insufficient attic insulation, but homeowners can take certain preventative measures to minimize its formation and deleterious effects.

Norman Aceron Garcia is a registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Property Inspector of Mr. Peg Property Inspections Inc. Please visit www.mrpeg.ca for more information on home inspection, building science and home maintenance tips.

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 9

Feng Shui for 2016 – The Year of the Monkey In 2016, the Year of the Monkey holds some big changes and wonderful opportunities.

Women will really enjoy the Monkey year!

Like all years, though, it also has its challenges.

But if you’re prepared and put your remedies and enhancements in place, you’ll do just fine. If you really make an effort, this could be the year you take big steps. That’s because women have some terrific energy that can help them set a plan in place that could pay off for years!

Areas of Concern: Security and safety first This year it’s more important than ever to stay on the side of caution — and in every respect — and for everyone in your family. Make sure you are thorough with contracts, read the fine print, check your credit card statements for fraudulent charges and do background checks on questionable people (single girls are you listening?). Don’t take a smooth talker at his word or job promises without getting it in writing.

Make sure to check locks, invest in a burglar alarm and don’t go out alone at night.

Make sure your family is safe, too. Make the kids wear their bike helmets, buckle up in the car, and be extra cautious about the oldest son. Risky sports and rough sports can bring injuries.

Watch your words – especially on the job The 3 star in the northwest sector (bosses) and the 2 star in the centre sector and the 7 star in the career sector all create a nasty triangle of bitter talk.

Avoid gossip at all costs — both personally and at work, but especially at work. You will get caught up in a “triangulation” of gossip at work and it will cost you even if you don’t instigate it.

Jobs can also be lost because of the 7 star and work relationships can be harmed by “cutting” words. Hold your tongue this year and count to ten. As a rule, it will be better to listen than speak; but that’s good advice anytime, isn’t it? But, it’s especially true this year. Keep your ear to the ground this year in case there are layoffs. Have your resumé up to date just in case. Be careful about injuries on the job, especially if you travel for work.

If your bedroom or front door is in the north, make sure you wear plenty of blue and black clothes and have blue and black colours in your bedroom.

Health can be a challenge The 2 star flies to the centre sector, the sector of the spine.

But most of the problems the 2 star causes are mild and annoying versus serious. Make sure you take care when lifting anything or you could aggravate an old back injury – or have a new one.

It won’t be bad, but it will take you out of commission for a while. Keep healthy lush plants in the centre sector of the house or living room and add metal objects here such as a 6 rod wind chime, wu luo and Happy Buddha to protect your health and wealth.

It’s also a year for challenges across the board for health because of the 5 Yellow in the northeast sector. This is the sector of the hands and the mind.

Take care when working with your hands or doing anything like roller-skating – many wrists are broken trying to break a fall.

It’s critical that you watch ailments this year if your bedroom or front door is in the northeast corner of the house.

Please heed this warning: have all symptoms checked out immediately if your front door or bedroom is located here. You should be especially cautious if this is your bedroom. If you can move out of this room, it would be wise.

You can help alleviate the influence of the 5 Yellow, which is known for tumours, cancer, broken bones, major financial problems and severe accident, if you have a 5 Element Pagoda and metal objects here. Having a pendulum clock or a ceiling fan constantly turning is wise. If this is your front door, add lush healthy plants to protect your health.

Make sure you keep those annual appointments with the dentist and doctor Don’t put off any health symptoms that concern you because these could mushroom into a bigger problem. This is true for the whole family and for rabbits, in particular. Boars and Rabbit zodiac signs should be cautious about injuries by metal (i.e., car, sharp objects, etc.) and they should carry amulets to protect them. Areas for Growth Wealth gains coming this year for women There is good business potential in the southwest corner of relationships and women.

You can get ahead in the year by thinking strategically in business by partnering with women or joining up with your significant other or spouse. Women host the 8 Wealth star to help them get make strong job gains and this bodes especially well for women entrepreneurs.

What’s the word to focus on for gaining income and financial opportunities?

Partnership.

Make sure you activate both the southwest sector of women and the southeast wealth sector with a dragon tortoise or fish to activate the water (read: wealth) energy!

We also have good potential this year to get ahead by rubbing elbows with influential friends.

The number 6 good fortune star is in the south, the sector of networking and socializing. You could find that it’s a good idea to attend networking events, go to socializing activities after work or fostering relationships with influential friends and asking for favours. Ask those movers and shakers you know for advice and they may just mentor you or take you under their wing.

Trying to get pregnant?

This is the year the pregnancy star is in the east sector so you have some cosmic help there – especially if you’d like a boy.

2015 was a good year to try for a girl; in 2016, it’s a boy. Spend lots of time here and add fresh flowers to boost your chances of becoming pregnant.

Wealth potential from investments, working on your portfolio Despite what the stock market has done, it will pay to invest some time and energy in your assets such as retirement and stock accounts. This year the White 1 star of income means that there’s an opportunity to grow wealth assets. If you haven’t started an investment account (yet), this is the year to do it. Adding a water fountain or dragon tortoise in the southeast sector where the income star has flown to will help you get a leg up on those investment accounts this year.

Love gets a boost in 2016 The 4 love and education star has moved to the west and that means the west corner of your house holds the greatest potential for love energy. Make sure you boost this area with crystals. It’s also the area associated with education, so having a globe located here will help you with exams, writing and moving ahead in education. This bodes well for children. Have them study in this part of the house or living room.

Like many year recently, water is a missing element.

Stress (particularly verbal stress) can run high this year. Health might be strained. That’s why a vacation to the beach or lake is your best bet for relaxation.

Water will soothe angry words and frayed nerves. Be sure to wear blue, carry a blue purse (for money energy!), and try to take time by water either with swimming, listening to a waterfall, or just staring at the ocean.

Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in authentic Chinese feng shui.

Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more visit www.redlotusletter. com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!

The Year of the Monkey starts from Feb. 8, 2016 (Chinese New Year) until Jan. 27, 2017. Monkey is the ninth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac. The Years of the Monkey include 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028..

Health can be a challenge in the Year of the Monkey

PAGE 10

PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

The Harana and the ultimate playlist There are plenty of good singers in the Filipino community.

There is no doubt about that. But how many can we say have used their talent entirely for love? How many have perfected a song to fill one’s heart with the idea of (dare I say) “forever”? What playlist could they possibly choose from?

Long before Spotify, Facebook, Twitter, and even SMS text messaging, a young Filipino man would proclaim his romantic intentions in a song. He waited until night to stand below his crush’s window with a guitar (or among his musician friends) for her and her household to hear his serenade or harana.

The art of the Philippine serenade or harana was once commonplace throughout the provinces. From the 1900s and into the 1970s, serenaders or haranistas followed known courtship codes and protocols through Tagalog, Spanish, and later English ballads. Nothing was kept secret. The entire “dating” process (as we might call it today) was an actual social event.

Imagine watching the young man risking all his effort to call for the lady at her window. You might cheer for him or you might

laugh at him, but nevertheless, you join in on the idle tsismis (gossip). He sings Natutulog Ka Na Ba, Sinta? (Are you asleep, my love?) to make his presence known, but she doesn’t appear to come to her window.

The first stage, the Panawagan (Announcement), has begun and he may go on singing until the sunrise beckons him home.

With some tenacity, he may eventually see her window open to capture her approving smile.

He’s made it to the next round!

He continues to prove to her (and her conservative family), with gifts and songs, that he’d like to be invited in. When the day that invitation comes, everyone is there to see him sing of his love’s beauty and virtue. The Pagtatapat (Proposal) stage is meant to gain the approval of her entire family. He sings Kung Ika’y May Alinlangan (If You Ever Doubt Me) just to get his point across.

Finally, she sings from her own playlist to publicly accept or reject him. The Panagutan (Response) could easily turn into a romantic duet or an unfortunate end. If she’s unsure (and feeling sorry for the guy), she might sing Ang tangi kong pag-ibig ay minsan lamang (True love for

me is rare). Or, she might give in and accept his proposal with the line, O kay sarap mabuhay, lalo na’t may lambingan (Oh how sweet it is to live, more so in the presence of love and affection) from the ballad, Maala-ala Mo Kaya? She might outright reject him just for him to sing Pusong Wasak (Shredded Heart) or the melodramatic Laot Ng Dusa (Open Sea of Suffering).

The Harana comes to an end as the inevitable Pamamaalam (Farewell) stage arrives.

Now, go grab your iPhone and glance at your playlist now. Scroll

past all that bump and grind garbage and bitter breakup music.

Look for the meaning in those coded lyrics of today. Do they spark the thought of a different kind of love, a romance? Do they invoke your own need to declare your heart’s wish? If so, take that ballad and practice. Upload it, share it, and send it for all to see.

Let your inner Haranista sing.

Sources Florante, Aguilar and Benito Bautista.

Harana: The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade. haranathemovie.com 2010. (Cited 26/1/16).

Bella Ellwood-Clayton. “All we need is love - and a mobile phone: texting in the Philippines,” Cultural Space and Public Sphere in Asia. 2006.

Darlyne Bautista is a member of ANAK. She has a graduate background in History and Southeast Asian Studies. Please join us for a special Valentine Dinner with a screening of the award winning film Harana: The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade on February 18, 6:00 p.m. at Canad Inns Polo Park.

Visit www.anak.ca for more information.

The big shiny brand Did you know that you’re a walking and talking billboard?

Most people may not be aware of the fact that there are two types of brands in business, career and life. The most commonly understood brand is the business brand. When you create a brand in business you create differentiation and uniqueness in the marketplace. A business brand distinguishes you from other businesses and this allows for recognition to take place. For

without recognition you would be in the “sea of sameness.”

The second brand is happening to everyone whether they like it or not. We all have this second brand and those that know about it have an incredible advantage over those that don’t.

Not understanding this brand category is why most individuals fail to be competitive as an entrepreneur, employee and as an achiever. Implementing the psychology behind this brand will

help you gain control, win over people and take your success in everyday life to the next level.

It is called the personal brand.

Your name brand is along the same lines as the business brand.

This is also called “branding you.” The general public lives inside a box. We wake up and get off of our sleeping box. We drive a box-car to work and then work inside a box-shaped workspace staring at a computer box. We rarely think outside of the box and watch a television box and then we one day are buried and put inside of a box. We are very much the same for the most part and this makes it difficult to compete with others. This is

why we must move away from the “sea of sameness,” and move onto the “island of individuality!”

Business, Success & Money message With that said, here are four ways to be yourself and separate from the herd. Hint: Not doing this is why people struggle financially, have people always forget their name and are followers and not leaders.

Branding by association: Branding yourself by connecting with congruent networks and organizations that will advance your business, career and life.

Branding by recommendation: Branding yourself by collecting as many written, e-mailed and

video testimonials from others that can improve your credibility and visibility.

Branding by achievement: Branding yourself by letting others know about related awards and honours that support your business, career and life.

Branding by big impression: Branding yourself by going above and beyond anything you thought possible – like writing for a publication, getting on the radio, being a part of a movie, getting involved in a speaking engagement and getting recognizable PR. You’re a name brand! Brand you! www.valenvergara.com

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 11

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ

PAGE 12

PILIPINO EXPRESS

Mrs. Vic Sotto na si Pauleen Luna. Sabado, Enero 30 nang lumakad papunta sa altar si Pauleen palapit kay Bossing Vic hatid ng kaniyang amang si Eugene.

Iyon ang itinuturing niyang pinakamarkado at pinakamahalagang paglakad sa kaniyang buong buhay.

Onse anyos si Pauleen nang una naming makita bilang Reyna Elena sa santacruzam sa Isla, Valenzuela City kung saan nagmula ang lahi ng kaniyang ama. Kapatid ng kaniyang Lola Lita ang nakaupong mayor noon ng Valenzuela na si Tito Gerry Angeles.

Tinukso namin ang kaniyang lola, sayang ang ganda ni Pauleen kung sa mga santacruzan lang siya makikita ng mga kababayan natin, pasadung-pasado siyang mag-artista.

“Hindi, mag-aaral na lang siya. Kailangan muna niyang magtapos,” mabilis na sagot ni Tita Lita Luna.

Pero walang nagawa ang pamilya ni Pauleen, nag-artista rin siya, at nagtagumpay naman sa kaniyang karera.

Sa biglang pag-iisip ay sino nga ba ang mag-aakala na si Poleng pala ang pakakasalan ng sikat na komedyante at TV host?

Pagkatapos ng kanilang paghihiwalay ni Dina Bonnevie ay marami pang ibang babaeng personalidad na naugnay ang pangalan kay Vic Sotto. Pero hanggang sa pagkakaroon lang ng relasyon ang lahat, bukodtanging si Pauleen ang inalok ng kasal ng makarismang si Bossing Vic, kaya maraming nagsasabi na kakaiba ang magneto ni Poleng.

Maayos na ang lahat, kaibigan na ni Pauleen ang partido ni Vic, lalo na ang mga anak nito kay Dina. Ganoon din ang pamilya ni Pauleen, tapos na ang mga pagaalinlangan ng kaniyang lola at mga magulang, kung saan masaya ang aktres-TV host ay doon na rin ang mga ito.

May bagong bahay na silang uuwian pagkatapos ng kanilang kasal, harinawang magkaroon agad ng magandang produkto

ang kanilang pagsasama, iyon ang kaisa-isang kukumpleto sa kanilang relasyon bilang magasawa na. “Mabuhay ang mga bagong kasal!” *** Sino ngayon ang magsasabing puro kilig at tili lang ang pakinabang sa tambalan nina Alden Richards at Maine Mendoza? Wala raw namang saysay ang AlDub, mga bulag lang daw ang kanilang mga tagahanga, kaya sinasabing penomenal ang kanilang pagsikat.

Nitong nakaraang Enero ay pinasinayaan na ng sikat na loveteam nina Alden at Yaya Dub, Lola Nidora at Lola Tinidora ang pinakaunang AlDub Library sa Lumban, Laguna.

Isa pa lamang ito sa maraming benepisyaryo ng Tamang Panahon ng Eat…Bulaga! at kalyeserye na ginanap sa Philippine Arena na nakalikom nang mahigit na apatnapung milyong piso.

Unang nabiyayaan ang Lumban Central Elementary School. Hinandugan sila ng school library ng AlDub, kaya mula sa pusong pasasalamat ang itinatawid ngayon ng pamunuan ng nasabing paaralan sa penomenal na tambalan, sa noontime show at sa AlDub Nation, na ginawang posible ang pangarap ng Eat…Bulaga! na makapag-ambag ng library sa maraming paaralan.

Ang kanilang sigaw, “Ito na ang tamang panahon para magbasa,” kumpleto sa mga computer at librong kailangan ng mga mag-aaral ang unang AlDub library.

Dahil sa kadakilaan ng kanilang puso ay mas maraming kababayan natin ngayon ang nagdarasal na sana’y magtagal pa ang tambalan nina Alden Richards at Maine Mendoza. *** Pinag-iinitan na rin ngayon pati ang political ads ni Senadora Grace Poe. Kinuwestiyon ng isang dating pulitiko ang pagpapalabas ng kaniyang bayad na anunsiyo dahil parang inuunahan na raw noon ang magiging desisyon ng Supreme

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

• Bossing Vic at Pauleen – Mabuhay ang mga bagong kasal!

• Alden at Maine – Hindi lang puro kilig, nagtayo ng Aldub library • Se. Grace Poe – Binabatikos dahil llamado ang anak ni FPJ at Susan • Luis Manzano at Angel – Karnabal ngayon sa social media ang break-up • Maribel Aunor – Marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob • John Lloyd Cruz – Hindi totoong karelasyon ni Bea Alonzo • Karla Estrada – Mayabang na raw ang ina ni Daniel Padilla • Ciara Sotto – Maraming “third party” ang dahilan ng hiwalay • Dingdong at Jessa – Tama lang maging overprotective kay Jayda • Raymart Santiago – Sa wakas, nagkasundo na ang mag-asawa • Claudine Barretto – Balik na sa pag-aalaga ng kaniyang career • Diether Ocampo – May karapatan nang mag-Ingles ang hunk actor • Cesar Montano – Naka-move on na ang guwapo at mahusay na aktor

Mr. and Mrs. Marvic Sotto (photo grab from InstaGram - Eat Bulaga)

Alden at Maine - Tumutulong sa mga batang mag-aaral ang itinayong Aldub Library

For many years, we have been serving the Filipino community with

Dedication, Commitment, Friendship & Trust

We have worked hard at this by providing a dedicated and hard working group of professional men and women offering: • full disclosure of pricing • ensuring our Lamay are professional with great service • offering two well-positioned facilities • providing the best product lines.. and the list goes on!

We are not a nameless, faceless entity in Toronto or Houston.

We live here, work here and play here. Winnipeg is our home, and we demonstrate this daily to the families we serve.

24/7 Compassion & Accessibility Phone: 204-275-5555

Two City Locations 1839 Inkster Blvd. (corner of Inkster Blvd. & Keewatin St.) 1006 Nairn Ave. (corner of Keenleyside St. & Nairn Ave.)

We are your Kababayan in the business! Feel free to call owners Darin Hoffman (Zeny Regalado), Shawn Arnason or our community representative Nap Ebora for a uniquely Filipino prerspective on prearrangements.

Phone: 204-275-5555

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

L-r: Lala Aunor, Ai Ai Delas Alas, Marion Aunor, Winnipeg’s Neil Soliven, Cristy Fermin and Rey-Ar Reyes of Pilipino Express Court sa mga kasong isinampa laban sa kaniya.

Napakasimple ng political ad.

May babaeng nagtanong kung totoo bang disqualified na siya sa pagtakbo sa panguluhan. Sumagot ang babaeng nagwawalis, hindi raw, dahil binigyan siya ng kalayaan ng Supreme Court.

Nag-opinyon naman ang isang lalaki, ganoon din daw ang nangyari noon sa kaniyang ama, pero sa bandang huli ay pinayagan pa ring lumahok sa panguluhan si FPJ. Kani-kaniyang atake ngayon ang mga pulitikong may inaasintang mataas na posisyon sa gobyerno, pero bukod-tanging ang political ads lang ni Senadora See CRISTY p14

Sen. Grace Poe

PAGE 13

PAGE 14

CRISTY...

From page 13 Grace Poe ang kinuwestiyon, lahat na lang ng butas ay nasisilip at ibinabato laban sa senadora.

Sigaw ng kaniyang mga kalaban, masyado raw ginagasgas ni Senadora Grace Poe ang pangalan ng pumanaw niyang ama. Palagi raw bukambibig ni SGP ang linyang “Sabi ng aking ama,” patahimikin na raw sana ng senadora ang kaluluwa ni FPJ. Palibhasa’y nakukuha ng senadora ang simpatya ng publiko, palibhasa’y ramdam ng mga kalaban na malusutan lang niya ang mga kumukuwestiyon sa kaniyang residency at citizenship ay babaligtad ang bangka, kaya sa kaniya nakatuon ngayon ang atensiyon ng kaniyang mga katunggali.

Pero ang Supreme Court pa rin ang huhusga, ang sambayanang Pinoy pa rin ang mamimili ng gusto nilang mamuno sa ating bayan.

Sabi nga sa isang kumpulan ng mga pulitiko, kapag nalusutang lahat ni Senadora Grace Poe ang mga isyung legal na isinasampal sa kaniya ngayon at kapag nanalo siya sa panguluhan, ay wala nang mas tatamis pa sa kaniyang tagumpay. *** Hanggang hindi kinukumpirma nina Luis Manzano at Angel Locsin ang kanilang paghihiwalay ay patuloy silang paglalaruan sa social media.

Walang ibang puwedeng magbigay ng mga totoong detalye kundi silang dalawa lang na nakakaalam tungkol sa tunay na nangyari.

Ang malinaw lang ay naganap ang kanilang paghihiwalay pagdating nila mula sa pagbabakasyon sa ibang bansa. Si Luis ang nakipaghiwalay at hindi si Angel.

Hindi na kasi kagandahan ang mga istoryang umiikot ngayon, sangkot na sa kuwento ang kanilang mga kasarian.

Pinaglalaruan na sila sa social media, Hindi na maganda ang mga takbo ng mga insinwasyon.

Mas gusto raw ni Luis na kasama ang mga kaibigan niyang lalaki.

Si Angel naman ay napapalibutan ng mga tibo. Kalat na rin ngayon ang kuwento na isang may posisyong kyombs (read: tibo, tomboy) ang naging dahilan ng paghihiwalay nila ni Luis.

Walang makapagpapatunay sa mga ganoong istorya, pero patuloy ang paglaganap, kaya para matuldukan ang lahat ay walang ibang puwedeng gumamot sa mga ispekulasyon kundi sina Luis at Angel lang. *** Ilang beses nang inilalabas ni Maribel Aunor (miyembro ng dating Apat Na Sikat at dakilang ina ng magaling na singercomposer na si Marion) ang mga kaibigan naming nagbabakasyon ngayon dito mula sa Winnipeg, Canada.

Bitin ang bakasyon nina ReyAr Reyes ng Pilipino Express at Neil Soliven, sandali lang ang kanilang paalam sa opisina nila sa Winnipeg, hindi na sila puwedeng

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

mag-extend.

Masarap katrabaho si Lala, ang mga Pinoy na tumutulong sa kaniya kapag may dala siyang show sa Canada ay hindi niya nakakalimutang asikasuhin kapag nandito sa ating bayan, matanaw ng utang na loob at marunong siyang magpasalamat.

Katatapos lang ng concert ni Marion sa Winnipeg, lahat ng kinita sa show ay ipinamahagi na nila sa tatlong institusyon dito sa Pilipinas, ganoon katinding makisama si Lala at ang kaniyang mga anak na sina Marion at Nakipagkita rin kina ReyAr at Neil si AiAi delas Alas.

Kasama nitong dumating si Gerald Sibayan para ipakilala sa kaniyang mga kaibigan.

Sana nga, lahat ng mga producers ay tulad ni Maribel Aunor na walang amnesia, kung paano siya inaasikaso ng mga kababayan natin sa ibang bansa ay ganoon ding pag-aalaga ang ginagawa niya kapag nandito ang mga taong nakakatrabaho niya.

At iyon ay sa kabila ng kaniyang tagumpay bilang negosyante, napaghandaang mabuti ni Maribel Aunor ang kinabukasan ng kaniyang mga anak, maingat siya sa pananalapi at napakaparehas sa kaniyang mga tauhan kaya patuloy siyang pinagpapala. *** Walang katotohanan ang kuwentong si John Lloyd Cruz na ang karelasyon ngayon ni Bea Alonzo. Kung may pagtatangi sila sa isa’t isa, hindi na kailangan pang dumaan ang dekada para makaramdam sila ng kuryente sa pagitan nila.

Pinagpipistahan na ngayon ang mga kuwentong Zanjoe Marudo sa mga umpukangshowbiz. May kinalaman iyon sa kaniyang nakaraan. Tungkol iyon sa mga nakaraan niyang pakikipagrelasyon.

Komento ng isang miron, “Ito naman kasing si Bea, anim na taon ding nagkasipon! Wala siyang naamoy!” *** May kuwento ang isang kaibigan naming stylist tungkol kay Karla Estrada. May mga kaibigan ito na nakakatrabaho ng ina ni Daniel Padilla.

Bonggang-bongga raw magpakain si Karla, parang may catering daw sa dami ng pagkain, bukod pa sa malakas siyang magbigay ng pakimkim sa mga make-up artist.

Magandang kuwento iyon, marunong palang magbahagi ng mga biyayang tinatanggap ng kaniyang anak si Karla, kaya nga ang tawag na sa kaniya ay Queen Mother.

Nang marinig ng isang grupo ang kuwento ay maraming kumontra, pinipili lang daw kasi ni Karla ang pabobonggahan niya. Mas marami pa rin siyang napababayaan ngayong maganda na ang estado ng kanilang buhay.

Komento ng isang nasa umpukan, “Naku, e, bakit iyong mga taong inabala niya noong walang-wala pa sila, e, hindi man lang niya maalalang kumustahin ngayon? Kasalanan ba naman ng mga taong iyon ang lapitan sila palagi ni Karla noon?”

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

John Lloyd Cruz at Bea Alonzo

Familia Avanzado – Jessa, Dingdong at kanilang anak na si Jayda

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

SHOWBIZ, SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 15

Karla Estrada – Totoo kayang yumabang na ngayon ang mommy ni Daniel?

Sabi naman ng isa, “Iyon ngang friend ko na inutangan niya noon, hindi man lang niya maalala. So, ako na ang nagsabi kay Karla na bayaran ang utang niya, kasi, may capacity na siyang magbayad ngayon.

“Kundi ko pa siya sinabihan, siguradong hindi pa rin siya masisingil ng kaibigan ko. Noong minsang may nangumusta sa kaniya, ang sagot ni Karla, ‘Heto, pagod na pagod sa pagbibilang ng pera!’

“Na-offend ang dating kasama-sama niya sa mga shows, bakit daw ganoon si Karla, ang yabang-yabang na? Marami siyang nakakalimutang balikan.

Iyon ang mga taong kahit anong

oras, e, binubulabog niya para lang siya manghingi ng tulong.

“Kaya sabi nga ng mga becki, ‘Aanhin mo ang mansiyon, kung nagmumura pa rin ang balakang mo at puson?’ May amnesia ang babaeng iyon!” napakadiin pang komento ng aming source. *** Nagmimistula nang karnabal ang mga kuwento tungkol sa paghihiwalay nina Jojo Oconer at Ciara Sotto. Ang dami-dami nang babaeng sangkot sa istorya na sinasabing third party sa hiwalayan.

Lumalabas tuloy na parang parolado na si Valeen Montenegro dahil sabit na rin sa kuwento sina Julia Clarete,

Meg Imperial at iba pang mga pangalan.

Parang napaka-playboy naman yata ng mister ni Ciara, parang napakarami naman nitong babae, iyon nga kaya ang tunay na dahilan ng kanilang paghihiwalay?

Isang katotohanang minsan pang napatunayan sa senaryong ito ay ang masarap na pagmamahal ng magulang sa kanilang anak.

Maganda ang posisyon nina Senador Tito Sotto at Ms. Helen Gamboa sa pinagdadaanang problemang personal ngayon ng kanilang bunso.

Nand’yan lang sila bilang nakasuportang magulang ni Ciara. Kung ano ang maging

Diether Ocampo – May karapatan nang mag-Ingles ngayon desisyon ni Ciara ay rerespetuhin nila, ang kanilang anak naman ang makikisama, hindi sila. Pero hindi nila iniaalis ang kanilang pagiging magulang na puwedeng takbuhan ng kanilang mga anak anumang oras na kailanganin sila. *** Isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit hindi na kumandidato uli bilang vice-governor ng Siquijor si VG Dingdong Avanzado ay

ang kaniyang pamilya. Gusto niyang makabawi sa kaniyang mga pagkukulang sa panahon at atensiyon kay Jessa Zaragoza at sa kaisa-isa nilang anak na si Jayda.

Saka wala nang kailangan pang patunayan si VG Dingdong sa kaniyang mga nasasakupan sa Siquijor, marami siyang nagawa sa kaniyang termino bilang See CRISTY p16

PAGE 16

SHOWBIZ, SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

Luis Manzano at Angel Locsin

Ciara Sotto

Cesar Montano

CRISTY...

From page 15 pangalawang ama ng probinsiya, ang kaniyang mag-ina naman ang tututukan niya ngayon.

Matagal nang may kumukuha sa kanilang anak para mag-artista.

Mayroon na ngang mga record producers na handang tumaya dahil magaling kumanta ang dalagita, pero naging prayoridad ng mag-asawa ang pag-aaral ni Jayda.

Dose anyos na ngayon ang kanilang anak, mukhang gusto na ring kumanta ng dalagita, kaya ayon sa VG Dingdong ay mahalagang palagi nilang nasusubaybayan si Jayda.

Pero hindi pa man ay mayroon nang nangnenega sa kanilang anak, mayroon nang mga bashers, kaya umiral ang pagiging nanay ni Jessa. Napapalaban ngayon si Jessa sa social media.

Komento ni Jessa, “Sobrang below the belt na po kasi ang sinasabi nila against Jayda.

Minumura-mura po siya, sinasabihan ng pokpok, pampam, kabit, user daw si Jayda para makilala lang siya.

“Sobra na po, too much na, kaya minsan, kailangan mo na

silang sagutin and put them in their proper places. At karapatan ko pong protektahan ang anak ko, lalo na’t wala naman siyang ginagawang masama. Inosente po si Jayda.

“Ako po talaga ang makakalaban nila at siguradong maiintindihan ako ng lahat ng mga ina, ng bawat nanay na nagmamahal sa kanilang anak.

Twelve years old lang po si Jayda, napakainosente, she doesn’t deserve this,” emosyon ng dakilang nanay.

Napakabago at napakabata pa nga naman ni Jayda para makatikim ng mga salitang kumakagat, hinding-hindi iyon pababayaang maranasan ng kaniyang unica hija, kaya si Jessa Zaragoza ang humaharap ngayon sa mga bashers ni Jayda.

May pagmamanahan si Jayda.

Bukod sa maganda at matalino na ang dalagita ay magaling pa siyang kumanta. Isa lang ang masasabi namin sa talento ni Jayda.

Hindi siya magiging anak nina Vice-Governor Dingdong Avanzado at Jessa Zaragoza nang walang dahilan. *** Sayang, sa pagkakasundo

rin pala mauuwi ang kanilang pagdedemandahan, sana’y nasaksihan pa iyon ni Mommy Cheling Santiago.

Pero nahuli ang pangyayari, patay na ang dakilang ina ni Raymart Santiago nang magkasundo sila ni Claudine Barretto, sana’y naging mapayapa ang pag-alis sa mundo ni Mommy Cheling.

Ang maaliwalas na aura ni Claudine ang pinakapalatandaan na maayos na nga ang relasyon nila ngayon ni Raymart bilang magkaibigan. Hindi na sila magpa-file ng annulment para sa kapakanan ng kanilang mga anak.

Mga anak kadalasan ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit magkaroon man nang matinding problema ang mag-asawa ay napipilitan silang gumawa ng paraan para magkasundo kahit bilang magkaibigan na lang.

Ganoon mismo ang nangyari kina Raymart at Claudine.

Pagkatapos nang ilang taon nilang pagdedemandahan ay nagising na lang sila isang araw na kailangan nilang isantabi ang mga personal nilang interers para sa kapakanan ng kanilang mga anak.

Ngayon ay malaya nang nahihiram ni Raymart ang

kanilang mga anak ni Claudine, nakapag-uusap na rin sila nang maayos, lahat ng iyon ay ginagawa nila para sa kanilang mga anak. *** Gustung-gusto na naming paniwalaan ang kuwentong bumalik na sa dating gawi si Claudine Barretto. Kahit anino raw ng masalimuot niyang pinagdaanan ay hindi na makikita sa kabuuang pagkatao ngayon ng aktres.

“Professional si Claudine, saka hindi pa rin nangalawang ang acting niya kahit matagal siyang nabakante.

Walang kahirap-hirap sa kaniya si Direk Joel Lamangan,” kuwento ng isang kasamahan namin sa TV5 na ang tinutukoy ay ang taping ng Bakit Manipis Ang Ulap na mapapanood na sa darating na February 15 nang gabi.

Maaliwalas na ang mundo ngayon ni Claudine, nagtatrabaho na uli siya, pinupuri ng produksiyon ng TV5 at ng Viva Entertainment ang kaniyang propesyonalismo.

Bumibida siya ngayon sa teledrama series na Bakit Manipis Ang Ulap kasama sina Cesar Montano at Diether Ocampo sa direksiyon ni Direk Joel Lamangan. *** Hindi ang kaniyang kaguwapuhan ngayon ang napansin ng mga reporters kay Diether Ocampo, hindi rin ang mas lumaki pang bulto ng kaniyang katawan, ang bumida nang makaharap ng mga press people ang aktor ay ang walang patumangga niyang pagsasalita ng Ingles sa presscon ng Bakit Manipis Ang Ulap ng TV5 at Viva Entertainment.

Gulat na gulat ang mga reporters, tinatanong si Diet sa Pilipino, pero ang isinasagot niya ay Ingles. Akala ng mga manunulat ay nagkataon lang

iyon, pero hindi pala, wagas na wagas talaga ang pag-uumingles ni Diether Ocampo.

Maraming artistang palaIngles. May mga talagang marunong magsalita ng lengguwahe ni Uncle Sam dahil iyon na ang kanilang nakasanayan kahit noong hindi pa sila nagaartista.

Noong bagitong artista pa lang si Diet ay nag-uumingles na siya, pero palagi siyang nalalait, mali-mali raw kasi ang kaniyang grammar at halatang nagpapakatrying hard lang siya.

Siguro’y gusto namang patunayan ngayon ni Diet na tama na ang kaniyang grammar, diretso na rin siyang nakapagsasalita ng Ingles, hindi tulad noon na para siyang cellphone na nagha-hang.

Sa dami na rin ng nagiging karelasyon niya na mula sa alta sosyedad (ang pinakahuli ay si Michelle Cojuangco Barreira na isang equestrian) ay nahasa na siguro nang husto si Diet sa pakikipag-Inglisan.

Pero tayo’y mga Pilipino.

Nabubuhay tayo sa Pilipinas.

Kundi man tayo bihasa sa King’s language ay hindi iyon makamemenos sa ating pagkatao.

Kumabyos man tayo sa pagsasalita ng Ingles ay hindi nakahihiya dahil tayo’y dugong-Pilipino na may sariling lengguwahe at kulturang atingatin lang. *** Maraming nakapansin sa maaliwalas na itsura ni Cesar Montano sa presscon ng Bakit Manipis Ang Ulap? na pinagbibidahan nila nina Diether Ocampo at Claudine Barretto.

Puro positibo ang mga komentong naririnig namin tungkol sa aktor.

May isang kapwa manunulat pa kaming nagsabi, “Madalas ko siyang nakikita, pero ngayon ko lang siya nakitang ganyan kaguwapo at ka-fresh!”

Ang inaasahan kasi ng marami

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016 ay isang mukhang problemadong Cesar ang kanilang makikita.

Nasa kasagsagan ang problemang marital nila ngayon ni Sunshine Cruz, pero mukhang baligtad ang naging epekto noon kay Cesar.

Makinis ang kaniyang mukha, maayos ang pangangatawan niya, positibo ang kabuuan ng kaniyang itsura. Puwedeng sabihin na siguro’y naka-move-on na siya sa paghihiwalay nila ni Sunshine, pero mas magandang isipin na siguro’y hindi siya naliligalig, dahil wala namang katotohanan ang mga bintang na ipinaaako sa kaniya ng aktres.

Sa mga unang eksenang kinunan para sa bagong serye ng aktor na mapapanood na sa TV5 sa pakikipagtulungan ng Viva Entertainment sa February 15 nang gabi ay hangang-hanga sa kaniya ang buong production staff.

Sabi ng isang cameraman, “Kung ganyan naman kagaling ang isang aktor na problemado, sana, maging problemado na rin ako habambuhay! Walang kupas si Cesar Montano! Magaling siya, hindi nangalawang!”

SHOWBIZ, SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 17

Raymart Santiago at Claudine Barretto kasama ang kanilang mga anak na sina Sabina at Santino. Sa wakas ay nagkasundo na ang dating mag-asawa. Balik-career na si Claudine at maganda ang feedback ng kaniyang mga kasama sa TV5 ngayon.

Vic Sotto at Pauleen Luna – Ikinasal na

Naganap na noong Sabado ng gabi, Enero 30, ang pribadong pag-iisang dibdib ng Eat Bulaga dabarkads na sina Vic Sotto at Pauleen Luna sa St. James the Great Parish sa Alabang, Muntinlupa.

Ang kasal ay pinamahalaan ni Father Jeffrey Quintela, na siyang nagbasbas din sa bagong tahanan ng mag-asawa.

Bago ang kasal, sinabi ni Vic sa Eat Bulaga special na ngayong araw lang nag-sink in sa kaniya na ikakasal na sila ni Pauleen.

“Ilang araw kong hindi iniisip.

Sinusubukan ko i-deadma. Pero, paggising ko

kanina, naisip ko na, ‘Aba, totoo na pala ito,’” ani Bossing.

“Noong mga nakaraang linggo, parang hindi totoo.

Ang dami naming inaasikaso ni Pauleen. Before this, busy kami at ang dami naming pinagkakaabalahan. Kaninang umaga lang nag sink-in sa akin na ito na pala. Ngayon na pala.”

Nakahanda na raw ang regalo niya kay Pauleen pero ang pinakamahalagang regalo raw maibibigay niya sa kabiyak ay ang pangakong, “magsasama kami habambuhay.”

Sinabi naman ni Pauleen sa hiwalay na panayam na, “We’ve prayed for this for quite

a while. Marami na rin tayong napagdaanan. I am so blessed that I’ll be sharing this life with you, and I’m so happy that I’ve found my home in you.”

Kabilang sa mga wedding sponsor sa kasal sina Senator Tito Sotto at Mrs. Carmencita Garcia; Eat Bulaga! executive Tony Tuviera at misis niyang si Madeleine; at sina Joey de Leon at Dr. Salvacion Gatchalian.

Ang kaibigan ni Pauleen na si Franchesca Que ang Maid of Honor at Matron of Honor naman si Ruby Rodriguez.

Ang anak ni Vic na si Vico Sotto ang Best Man. Kasama naman bilang Groomsmen ang

mga kapatid ni Vic na sina Val and Maru Sotto, at mga EB Dabarkads na sina Anjo Yllana, Wally Bayola, Jose Manalo, at Paolo Ballesteros.

Bridesmaids naman si Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, kasama sina Anne Margaret Luna, Leah Camille Agcaoili, at Mara Isabel Sotto.

Candle sponsor ang isa sa anak ni Vic kay Angela Luz na si Paulina Sotto, ka-partner ang kapatid ni Pauleen na si Miguel Mario Luna. Veil sponsors ang mag-asawang Danica Sotto at Marc Pingris, at Cord sponsors sina Oyo Sotto at ang misis nitong si Kristine Hermosa.

Ring bearer naman ang anak nina Marc at Danica na si Jean Michel Pingris at coin bearer ang anak nina Oyo at Kristine na si Kristian Daniel Sotto.

Ang ang apo ni Sen Tito na si Alessandro Jose Sotto ang Bible bearer at Rosary bearer naman si Marciano Dominico Antonio.

Nagsilbing flower girl si Ryzza Mae Dizon, kasama si Ellenor Rose Lagrio at ang anak nina Marc at Danica na si Anielle Micaela Pingris at anak nina Oyo at Kristine na si Ondrea Bliss Sotto. – Bianca Rose Dabu/FRJ, GMA News See more photos p18

PAGE 18

SHOWBIZ, SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

Bossing Vic at ang kaniyang mga anak, manugang at mga apo (Photo credits: screengrabs from InstaGram: AllanK, Helenstito, Danica, Oyo, Francis Libiran, Mickeysee and Eat Bulaga FB page)

Pauleen – Wedding gown designed by Francis Libiran

Best man ng groom ang kaniyang anak na si Vico Sotto

Ryzza Mae Dizon – ang cute na flower girl

Ang bride at groom sa harap ng altar ng St. James the Great Parish Church

Maine Mendoza at Alden Richards sa simbahan

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

EH KASI, PINOY! PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 19

Ang reyalidad at ang political correctness Maraming mga isyu ang madalas iwasang mapag-usapan dahil maselan, makakasakit ng kapuwa at maaaring pagmulan ng hindi matapos tapos na debate.

Ang mga taong takot mapagusapan ang mga reyalidad ng buhay ay kadalasang mga politiko.

Ayaw na ayaw nilang matanong sila ng posisyon nila sa mga kontrobersyal na isyu dahil tiyak na pupulaan sila ng taumbayan sa anumang posisyon nila. Dahil sa pagiging “safe” ng mga politiko sa mga ganitong usapin ay untiunti nang umuusbong ang mga kakaibang karakter sa larangan ng politika. Kakaiba sila. Matapang silang nagpapahayag ng kanilang nakakagulat at prankang posisyon sa mga isyu.

Sikat na sikat si Donald J. Trump, isang nominado sa pagka-presidente ng Republican Party. Marami ang nagulantang at sinabing suicidal ang mga statements niya sa mga isyu tulad ng illegal immigration, refugees, at mga Muslim. Minsan sa kaniyang speech ay sinabihan niya ng masasakit na salita ang mga Mexicano. Bukod dito ay

ipinangangalandakan niya ang pagtatayo ng isang wall sa border ng Amerika at Mexico para maiwasan ang pagpasok ng illegal immigration gamit ang border.

Ang banat pa niya, Mexico daw ang gagastos sa pagtatayo ng wall na ito.

Isa pa sa kaniyang kontrobersyal na posisyon ay ang matapang niyang pagpapahayag na pagbawalan ang mga Muslim sa pagpasok ng Amerika temporarily hangga’t hindi pa nila nalalaman kung ano talaga ang nangyayari. “We will temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US until we find out what the hell is going on,” pahayag ni Trump.

Marami ang bumatikos kay Trump. Marami ang nagsasabing sira na daw ang ulo niya. Pero sa kabila ng mga batikos ay marami rin ang sumusuporta kay Trump dahil sawang sawa na raw sila sa mga tradisyunal na politiko na takot magsalita ng reyalidad ng buhay. Ang banat pa ni Trump, “We will make America great again.” Sa lahat ng campaign meetings na napanood ko ay hindi magkamayaw ang dami ng

mga tao. Maraming supporters si Trump sa kabila o dahil sa kaniyang pagiging pranka.

Kaabang-abang ang nominasyon ng Republican Party. Kung magiging standard bearer siya ng Republican Party ay sino naman kaya ang makakaharap niya sa tropa ng Democrats? Si Tata Bernie kaya o si Madam Hillary?

Abangan.

Sa Pilipinas, nangunguna si Rodrigo Duterte sa ilang mga surveys sa pagka-Presidente.

Kilala si Duterte na astig na Mayor ng Davao. Tahasan niyang sinasabi sa kaniyang mga speeches na may mga pinatay siyang tao dahil mga halang ang kanilang kaluluwa. Kaya naman hindi sila in good terms ni Ka Eta Rosales ang Chairman ng Human Rights Commission.

Madalas siyang magmura.

Minsan na rin niyang nakabanggaan ang simbahang Katolika dahil sa pagbatikos niya kay Pope Francis. Naghamunan na rin sila ng sampalan ni Mar Roxas. Ipinagmamayabang din niya na ibabalik daw niya ang peace and order sa bansa within six months at ibabalik daw niya ang parusang kamatayan.

Marami ang bumabatikos kay Duterte dahil sa kayabangan di umano nito at sa walang habas na pagmamayabang ng pagpatay ng tao. Sa kabila nito ay marami din naman ang sumusuporta sa kaniya dahil sawang sawa na raw sila sa mga tradisyunal na politiko. Sawang sawa na raw sila sa huwad na daan. Sawang sawa na raw sila sa walang pangil na liderato ng bansa. Kailangan na raw ng bansa ang matapang na lider. Tingnan natin. Be careful of what you wish for.

Kung babalikan natin ang halalan ng pagka-Mayor sa Winnipeg ay naging laman ng balita ang Facebook comment ng asawa ni Gord Steeves tungkol sa mga pasaway na katutubo sa Downtown na wala raw umanong ginawa kundi ang manlimos at mambwiset ng mga taga Downtown. Marami ang bumatikos sa Misis ni Gord kaya hindi na ito pinahaba pa ni Gord.

Kung sakali kaya na pinanindigan ni Gord ang pahayag ng kaniyang Misis ay nanalo kaya siyang Mayor? Laman ako ng Downtown at alam ko ang sinasabi ng kaniyang Misis. Racist agad?

Iba na talaga ang panahon.

Marami ng iba’t ibang strategies para makakuha ng atensyon ng publiko at makasilat ng boto.

Anuman ang istilo ng mga pulitiko ay nakasalalay pa rin sa ating mga tao, at mga botante ang desisyon. Tayo ang magpapasiya.

Tayo ang magsusulat sa balota.

Mag-isip tayo nang mabuti at huwag padalos-dalos sa ating magiging desisyon. Sa ating mga kapatid na Amerikano, good luck sa inyo. Sa ating mga kababayang Pinoy, isip-isip din pag may time.

At sa April naman dito sa Manitoba, bago tayo madala sa mga drama, kanta, sayaw at palabas ng mga pulitiko ay pagaralan sana natin ang kanilang mga polisiya para sa ating probinsya.

Maging matalino sa pagboto.

Si 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 Bata-Batuta Productions bilang manunulat, entertainment host at stage actor. Nagtatag ng Kulturang Alyansa ng Taguig. Kasapi ng Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace (EMJP).

Pagod ka na ba?

Mababasa sa biblia ang kuwento ni Mepibosheth. Pagod na sa siya sa kaniyang buhay.

Hindi patas ang naging buhay niya. Maganda na sana ang pasimula nito. Ang kaniyang ama na si Jonathan ay ang prinsipe ng Israel. Ang kaniyang lolo naman ay ang kauna-unahanag hari ng Israel na si Saul. Dugong maharlika siya at siempre marami siyang pribiliheyo bilang galing sa maharlikang lahi. Andiyan ang yaman, maraming kaibigan, at ang paggalang ng maraming tao.

Noon iba rin ang kaniyang pangalan, ito ay pangalan ng mga maharlika, “Mirab Ball” na ang ibig sabihin ay kaaway ni Baal.

Si Baal ay isang diyus-diyosan.

Pero ngayon iba na ang kaniyang pangalan – “Mephibosheth” na ang kahulugan ay anak ng kahihiyan at ang lahat ng ito ay dahil sa nangyari noong araw kung saan ang lahat sa kaniyang buhay biglang nagbago.

Nong siya ay limang taong gulang, may isang duguan at pagod na pagod na lalaki na tumatakbo tungo sa tarangkahan ng palasyong kaniyang tinitirhan at nagsisigaw na binalita na patay na si Haring Saul at ang kaniyang mga anak na lalaki. Sa

murang edad niya noon, hindi niya maunawaan ang lahat ng mga pangyayari. Bigla-biglang nagkagulo sa loob ng palasyo.

Umiyak ang mga asawang babae at ang mga naglilingkod sa palasyo ay namutla at nagtatatakbo.

Naalala ni Mepibosheth kung paanong dali-dali siyang pinuntahan ng kaniyang nars at kinarga siya nito at tumakbo ito nang tumakbo. Pero hindi napansin ng nars na may parating na karuwahe at bigla itong natumba. Nawala sa kaniyang bisig ang bata sa pagbagsak nito. Tinamaan nang husto ang kaniyang likod. Hindi naramdaman ng bata ang sakit sa kaniyang likod at akala ng nars ay okay ang bata kayat iikang-ikang na nagpatuloy sila sa pagtakas.

Paglipas ng ilang sandali nang ibaba niya ito dahil sa matinding pagod, doon nadiskubre ng nars na nalumpo ang kaniyang alaga. Dinala niya ito sa isang malayong lugar na kung tawagin ay Lo Debar at doon nabago ang pangalan niya at siya ay naging Mephibosheth.

Kinailangan niyang matutong mamuhay nang walang binti. Lagi siyang kargakarga ng iba kahit magbinata na siya at naging mama. Kinailangan

niyang lunukin ang kaniyang pride.

Bukod sa kawalan ng buhay na may karangyaan, namuhay siya na walang tatay na gumagabay sa kaniyang paglaki. Araw araw kailangan niyang harapin ang buhay ng isang lumpo, ang buhay na puno ng pangungulila, ang buhay na tila walang magandang kinabukasang naghihintay.

Isang araw dumating ang mga tauhan ni Haring David at siya ay pinasusundo. Nagtataka siya kung paanong nalaman ng hari ang kaniyang taguan pagkatapos ng mahabang panahon. Natakot siya dahil narinig na niya ang kuwento kung paano inargabyado ng kaniyang lolong Haring Saul si David at siguradong damay siya at siya ay gagantihan ni David.

Kahit labag sa kaniyang kalooban, dinala siya sa palasyo. At noong hinarap na siya sa haring David, buong pagpapakumbaba itong yumuko at sinabing “Ako po ay inyong lingkod.” Inaabangan na niya ang sentensiya ng kamatayan mula sa bibig ng hari pero sa halip ito ang sinabi ng hari “Huwag kang matakot. Pakikitaan kita ng kabutihan alang-alang sa iyong ama na si Jonathan na aking matalik na kaibigan. Ibabalik ko ang lahat ng lupain na pag-aari ng iyong lolong si Haring Saul at lagi kang kakain sa aking mesa.”

Kaibigan, hindi lihim sa Diyos

ang mga masasakit na pangyayari sa inyong buhay. Alam din niya na pagod na kayo na pasanin ang hirap ng buhay. Sa biblia sa Mateo 11;28 may paanyaya siya sa atin “Lumapit kayong lahat sa akin, kayong lahat na napapagal at nabibigatan sa inyong pasanin at kayo ay pagpapahingahin ko.”

Kaya’t tulad ni Haring David, nais niya kayong sunduin upang makaranas kayo ng kapahingahan sa piling niya. Nais niya kayong bigyan ng magandang buhay.

Nais niya itong gawin dahil mahal niya kayo. Tularan natin si Mepibosheth, hindi na siyang nagmatapang. Inalis na niya ang kaniyang pride at isinuko na lamang ang buhay niya sa hari. Sa halip na parusa at kapahamakan, nakaranas siya ng masaganang buhay. Ganiyan din ang nais ng Diyos na mangyari sa ating buhay. Lumapit lamang tayo sa

kaniya at siguradong tulad ni Mephibosheth, hindi natin ito pagsisisihan.

Pastor Junie Josue is Senior Pastor of International Worship Centre (IWC) at 1077 St. James St. (Worship Services: Sundays - 9 a.m. Tagalog, 10:45 a.m. English service). Other IWC English worship services every Sunday are also held at the following sites: Cineplex Entertainment, Kildonan Place at 1555 Regent Avenue at 10:30 a.m., Cinema City Northgate at 1399 McPhillips St. at 10:15 a.m., Calvary Chapel at 221 Hamilton St. Neepawa, MB at 1:30 p.m. & West End Community Centre at 247-23rd St., Brandon, MB at 10:30.a.m. Pastor Junie is also host of radio program Higher Life on CKJS 810 AM, Monday to Friday, 8:50 a.m. For more information, call 774-4478.

EH KASI, PINOY

PAGE 20

PILIPINO EXPRESS

KROSWORD

HOROSCOPE

NO. 245

PEBRERO 1 - 15, 2016

Ni Bro. Gerry Gamurot

PAHALANG 1. Iniibig 8. Bahagi ng maghapon 11. Iduwal 14. Mahalaga 16. Bigla 17. _____ Clara 18. Pantukoy 19. Istorbo 20. Uso 21. Pananong 23. Linis 25. Pinapipintig 28. Isama 29. Tila 30. Tagapagligtas PABABA 2. Intinda 3. Init 4. Bulong 5. Karayom 6. Umaabot 7. Magpapahirap

9. Maliksi 10. Papapel 12. Lumipat 13. Magulo 15. Asal 22. Hinamak 24. Tabako 26. Bulati 27. Tantiya

SAGOT SA NO. 244

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

Aries (March 21 – April 19) Hindi mo man iniisip ang romansa, ito’y kusang lalapit sa iyo. Nasa sa iyo na kung papaypayan mo ang baga ng pag-ibig kung ikaw ay single pa. Kung may partner ka na, makulay at mainit ang pagmamahalan. Tamangtama para sa araw ng mga puso.

Enjoy! OK ang ika-2, 3, 4, 11 at 12. Alalay ka sa ika-5 at 6.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) Masyado ka yatang nagiging galante sa mga kaibigan mo. May oras para diyan.

Tapos na ang oras mo. Asikasuhin mo ang pag-iipon ng pera dahil may darating na pangangailangan at ikaw lang ang makakalutas nito. Pamilya ang unahin mo ngayon. Mapalad ka sa ika-2, 3, 4, 11 at 12. Stressful ang ika-1, 7, 8, 13 at 14.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) Handa ka na bang umibig?

Kung gayon, handa ka na ring isakripisyo ang iyong mga kasaganaang tinatamasa. Hindi niya kayang ibigay sa iyo ang mga material na bagay na nakalakihan mo. Kaya mo bang mabuhay ng gayon?

Ikaw lang ang makakasagot. OK ang ika-2, 3, 4, 11 at 12. Ingat sa ika-9, 10 at 15.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) May darating na hindi mo inasahan – maaaring pera o tao o bagong oportunidad sa negosyo. Bago mo kagatin, pag-aralan mong mabuti lalo na kung kailangan mong mamuhunan ng pera o oras. May darating din na kakatok sa iyong puso, siya na kaya? Lucky days mo ang ika-5, 6, 13 at 14. Ingat sa ika-1, 7 at 8.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) Buwenas ang pasok sa iyo ng Pebrero.

Kung may sisimulan kang proyekto, ngayon mo na gawin. Kung may mga bata sa pamilya mo – anak o nakababatang kapatid – bigyan mo ng atensyon dahil may malaking problema na hindi niya kayang lutasin. Suwerte ang ika5, 6, 13 at 14. Ingat sa ika-2, 3, 4, 9, 10 at 15.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) Huwag kang mag-alala. May hanapbuhay ang iyong mga kasama at hindi ka nila pababayaan.

Kung kailangan mo ng tulong, hindi sila magdaramot, magsabi ka lang. Pag-aralan mo kung paano mo mapapabuti ang iyong kabuhayan. Hindi pa huli ang lahat. OKs ang ika-5, 6, 13 at 14.

Ingat sa ika-11 at 12.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Huwag ka sanang magmadali. Kahit lahat ng kaibigan mo ay mayroon nang minamahal at ikaw ay wala pa hanggang ngayon. Magugulat ka na lang dahil darating din siya sa tamang panahon. Maaaring ngayon o sa susunod pang buwan.

Maghintay ka lang. OK ang ika7, 8 at 15. Ingat sa ika-2, 3, 4, 9 at 10.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Kumusta ang iyong bank account?

Kung may sobra, bayaran mo agad ang iyong utang. Kung kapos pero hindi ka naman magugutom, iwasan mo ang mangutang. May mga gastos ka nitong nakaraang taon na hindi dapat. Matuto ka sanang magtipid. Masuwerte ka sa ika-1, 9 at 10. Stressful ang ika-5, 6, 11 at 12.

MALEK...

From page 4 an information pamphlet on oral history for those curious about the process and the importance of it. It is available on my project website www.pearloftheprairies. ca (http://goo.gl/SGIP0F). As well, Dr. Alexander Freund of

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) May kilala kang mayaman kung ituring sa lipunan.

Malapit siya sa iyo dahil may tiwala siyang hindi pera ang dahilan ng kabaitan mo sa kaniya. May darating na ahas sa buhay niya at makikita mo agad nito. Pagsabihan mo siya nang mag-ingat siya sa ahas na iyon.

OK ang ika-7,8 at 15. Ingat sa ika-5, 6, 11 at 12.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) Ipagtapat mo na sa kaniya ang iyong nakaraan. Kung tatanggapin niya, salamat.

Kung ang pagtatapat mo ang magiging dahilan ng kaniyang paglayo, salamat din.

Hindi mo kailangan ang tao na hindi ka tatatanggapin ng buungbuo. Ipagsapalaran mo ito. OK ang ika-1, 9 at 10. Ingat sa ika-7, 8, 13 at 14.

the Oral History Center at the University of Winnipeg has written a CHA pamphlet on oral history, available for free online (http://goo.gl/V6tPJM). If you are interested in contributing to and helping to shape this project, I’d be pleased to hear from you (jmalek7@uwo.ca), regardless of age, date of arrival, or place of

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) Maganda ang relasyon mo at ng iyong partner sa buhay. Tiwala siya sa iyo kaya huwag mo sanang balewalain ang pagtingin niya sa iyo. Kung may lalapit sa iyo at magpapahiwatig ng romansa, kung may partner ka na, iwasan mo ang tukso. Malas iyon sa buhay. OK sa ika-7, 8 at 15.

Careful sa ika-1, 13 at 14.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Kontra-pelo kayo palagi. Kontra ka sa mga sinasabi niya at gayon din siya sa iyo. Ang nakapagtataka, mahal na mahal ninyo ang isa’t isa. Dahil lagi kayong nagbabangayan, akala ng mga kilala ninyo ay malapit na kayong maghiwalay. Kontento ka ba sa buhay? OK ang ika-1, 9 at 10.

Ingat sa ika-2, 3,4 at 15.

birth. Each story is valuable and can help others understand and appreciate their history.

When the booklet is completed, I will be certain to circulate it widely.

Jon Malek is a PhD candidate in History at Western University, and is a member of the Migration and Ethnic Relations program.

EH KASI, PINOY!

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

Sanhi ng humihinang purchasing power ng Canadian loonie, ang kailangan ay kaunting higpit ng sinturon. Apektado ang mga mamamayan. Magtataasan ang halaga ng mga bilihin, lalo na ang mga pagkain at ibang mga pangangailangan. *** Apektado din ang budget ng Winnipeg School Division.

Humihingi ng karagdagang gastusin para sa school supplies, books, equipment, building maintenance and other incidental expenses. *** Ang patuloy na pag-iral ng mababang halaga ng krudo ay isa sa mga pangunahing sanhi sa paghina ng ekonomiya. Walang katiyakan kung papaano ang problema ay malulunasan ng gobyernong Trudeau. Ginagawan na raw ng mga pagbabago ang dating mga plano sa budget.

Gayon din ang pagtanggap ng refugees. *** Ang reklamo ng mga alagad ng Simbahang Kotoliko tungkol sa Doctor’s Assisted-dying Law, ayon sa Ottawa, ay within five months mula ngayon pa magkakaroon ng aksiyon.

Pilipinas Mananatiling kontrobersiyal na isyu ang Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) na pamana ng administrasyong Aquino sa mga mamamayan ng Pilipinas. Nakuha na ng US ang malaong hinahangad na muling magkaroon ng mga military bases sa bansa.

Hindi raw treaty ang EDCA – Executive Agreement – kaya hindi dinaan sa senado. Bakit ang simpleng air navigation permit ay kinailangang magdaan sa senado gayong ang EDCA na waring amendment sa VPA ay nagmistulang inutil ang senado

PILIPINO EXPRESS

na majority members ay LP ni PNoy? *** Matindi raw ang plano ng China. Hihigpitan ng Beijing ang pagpapalabas ng dollar. Layon ay para lalong mapahina ang US economy. Kung mangyari, lahat ng bansang ang currency ay nakatali sa US dollar ay tiyak na damay. *** Maraming tubig na hulog ng langit, subalit nabalitang may 28,000 na ektarya ng lupang taniman ng palay sa North Cotabato ang nakaranas ng kawalan ng tubig. Marami pang lugar na ganiyan ang sitwasyon.

Maliwanag na responsabilidad ng gobyerno subalit bakit kinalimutan nito ang konstruksiyon ng irrigation dams. Foreign farmers sa halip na mga magsasakang Filipino ang matulungan. *** Binalita ni Al Vitangcol, exGeneral Manager ng MRT-3 na may 5 per cent kickback from the 3.85 billion pesos sa Chinese coaches na pakinabang ang mga opisyal ng DOTC. Naku, si Vitangcol ang may kaso ngayon.

Kick forward ‘yon sabi ng mga kritiko. *** Kinatigan ni Sen Bongbong Marcos si Sen. Chiz Escudero.

Sinabing maraming retiradong kawani ng SSS ang nahihirapan ngayon sa pamumuhay. Hindi katwiran na ang ahensiya ay mababangkarota sa dagdag na dalawang libong pisong pensiyon. Incompetent na mga opisyal ng SSS ang kailangang magbitiw sa puwesto kung hindi nila kayang makahanap ng pondo. *** Ano ba itong ahensiyang “Bigay Ikaw Regalo?” Si

HINAGAP Pintig ng Puso

Ang tampok na araw sa buwan ng puso, Sumapit na namang mahirap maglaho; Kahapon at ngayon na mga pangako, ay sinasariwang anyo ng pagsuyo! *** Ang bawat pagtibok ay may kahulugan, Mabagal na uri’y dapat subaybayan; Mabilis na pintig ay kinakabahan, Kung pabagu-bago ay may dinaramdam! *** Kapag sa pag-ibig puso ang naghari, Mayaman at dukha walang pinipili; Subalit mahirap ang dakilang uri, Makamit sa isang pangit ang ugali! *** Pag-ibig na wagas ang gintong adhika, Dito sa daigdig ng mayama’t dukha!

Paquito Rey Pacheco

Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach ay kinakanti na sa mga prize money na tinanggap. Binalita pa sa mga pahayagan. Hindi na makapaghintay. Abril pa ang filing ng income tax. Buti na lang ang mga kongresista ay may panukalang tax-free ang kinita ng Filipinang Miss Universe. *** May mga bagong inpormasyon umano si Sen. Juan Ponce tungkol sa SAF 44 massacre kaya napagbigyan sa kahilingang muling buksan ang Mamasapano imbestigasyon.

Sabi ni PNoy, politically motivated daw. Aba, siya rin ang nagsabi at binanggit pa ang nasa Bible, “the truth shall set us all free.” Bakit hinaharang? Sino ngayon ang natatakot lumabas ang katotohanan? *** Ang insidente ay hindi bastabasta makalimutan ng mga naulila sa sinapit ng 44 SAF na nangyari noong ika-25 ng January 2015.

Sabi ni Presidential Spokeperson Sonny Coloma, busog daw sa pera ang mga naulila ng 44 SAF. Ampaw ‘yon. *** Ang orihinal na plano para sa imprenta ng mga balota ay January 26. Pinapagpaliban sa February 1. Ang latest ngayon ay sa ika-8 ng Pebrero. Ano ba talaga ang totoo? Ibinalita kasi ng Comelec na sa ika-26 pa ng February ilalabas ang opisyal na listahan ng mga kandidato. *** Bagaman kapuwa tumanggi sina Grace at Bongbong sa balitang they are related, batay sa DNA test, eh, paano kung totoo?

Baka dinadaga na ang dibdib ni PNoy at LP na kaniyang mga alipores? Ang disqualification case ni Mrs. Llamanzares ay malamang magkaroon agad ng resulta.

Katas Halos 150 days na lang at ang Pilipinas ay inaasahang

PAGE 21 magkakaroon na ng bagong Pangulo: 1.

Sana ang bagong administrasyon ay pamunuan ng lider na mapagkakaisa ang mga mamamayan. Gawin ang nararapat; huwag daanin sa puro dakdak.

2.

Marinig sana ang panaghoy at daing sa kahirapan ng taumbayan na napabayaan ng gobyerno ang kanilang mapagkukunan ng kabuhayan.

3. Isang pangulo na hindi benggatibo. Pantay ang trato sa mayaman at mahirap.

4.

Sundin, sa halip paikutan ang mga nakasaad sa Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas.

5. Higit sa lahat, sana’y maayos na peace and order, mabigyan ng ikabubuhay ang mga mamamayan para hindi maglayasan sa sariling bayan.

Kasabihan Huwag isuko ang iyong pangarap. — Miss Universe, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

Microcephaly is a condition in which a child is born with an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain. Microcephaly-comparison by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Zika...

From page 1 infection are usually mild – lowgrade fever, joint pain, red eyes, rash and generalized symptoms such as muscle pain, physical weakness, lack of energy and headaches – and last for about two to seven days. Only one in four people infected with Zika virus are believed to develop symptoms.

In November 2015, a Brazilian investigation found 4,000 cases, or an average twenty-fold increase in the incidence of microcephaly among babies born in areas where Zika virus was known to be in circulation.

Zika virus has also been reported in Africa and parts of Asia since the 1950s, and in the south western Pacific Ocean in 2007. In 2015, Zika virus emerged in South America with widespread outbreaks reported in Brazil and Colombia. None of the Canadian cases has involved pregnant women.

The PHAC warns that since

Zika virus is spread through mosquito bites, Canadian travellers to Central and South America should protect themselves from mosquito bites using insect repellent, protective clothing, mosquito nets, screened doors and windows.

The Aedes albopictus or “Tiger” mosquito, which is known to transmit the virus to humans, does not exist in Canada.

The agency also recommends that pregnant women, and those who are considering becoming pregnant, should discuss their travel plans with their health care provider to assess their risk and consider postponing travel to areas where Zika virus is circulating in the Americas.

Canadian Blood Services (CBS) reports it will soon refuse blood donations from travellers who have been to countries where Zika virus has become widespread. The agency will decide in the next few days which travel destinations would be linked to a temporary ban on donating blood.

CBS already prohibits

donations from Canadians who have travelled within the last 12 months to countries where malaria is endemic. The deferral period following travel to a Zika-endemic region would be much shorter, as the virus stays in the body for a much shorter amount of time than malaria does.

In light of the Olympic Games later this year in Brazil, the World Health Organization is meeting today, (February 1) and might decide to declare the Zika virus an international health emergency.

Currently, there is no prophylaxis, vaccine or treatment for Zika virus other than general symptom relief.

The U.S. government is just beginning research into a possible Zika vaccine but vaccine development typically takes years. There are vaccines in various stages of development for other viruses in the same family, such as dengue, West Nile and chikungunya, which offer a pattern for creating something similar against Zika.

PEOPLE & EVENTS

PAGE 22

PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

Pilipinas Got Talent on ABS-CBN Who will be season five’s grand winner?

Pilipinas Got Talent judges: Freddie “FMG” Garcia, Angel Locsin, Vice Ganda and Robin Padilla World-class talent search Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) is back to search for the best Pinoy acts on ABS-CBN. Hosted by Billy Crawford and Luis Manzano, the local adaptation of the worldwide hit franchise gets even bigger this season as PGT welcomes a new set of judges. Joining resident judge and certified star maker Freddie “FMG” Garcia in the panel are award winning versatile actress Angel Locsin, “astig” idol Robin Padilla, and the phenomenal box-office star and comedian Vice Ganda.

This season also marks the first time the judges will use the Golden Buzzer. If any of the judges decides to press the Golden Buzzer, the contestant instantly

goes straight to the semi-finals.

Last week, the preliminary live auditions roared to life at the KIA Theater where hopefuls from Metro Manila pulled out all the stops to impress the judges and the live audience. In the coming weeks, the PGT team will go around different parts of the country to cull and watch the potential talents from the different regions.

The popular “Got Talent” franchise first made its debut on Philippine television in 2010, when siomai vendor Jovit Baldivino was named the first grand winner. In 2011, it returned for the back-to-back seasons 2 and 3 won by singer Marcelito Pomoy and singing trio Maasinhon Trio, respectively.

Billy Crawford

Luis Manzano

In 2013, online singing sensation Roel Manlangit was named the grand winner of PGT’s fourth season.

Pinoy acts not only

conquered the local stage but the international stage as well, as some PGT contestants made it to the first edition of Asia’s Got Talent. Shadow act El Gamma

Penumbra was named the grand winner; Gerphil Flores was among the top five finalists, and the Velasco Brothers made it to the semi-finals.

PEOPLE & EVENTS

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 23

Miss Universe comes home MANILA – Tens of thousands of fans paralyzed traffic in Manila on Monday, January 25 to welcome home the newly crowned Miss Universe, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

The 26-year-old model, dressed in a flowing blue-green gown, held the Philippine flag while riding atop a float designed in the fashion of the beauty queen’s diamond and sapphire crown.

Busloads of policemen were deployed to secure the homecoming parade for the third Filipina to win the Miss Universe title. Crowds left their offices and schools to jam the streets and take photos while others screamed and waved from the windows of office buildings.

“I hope I can be an inspiration to all of you, not to give up and to always keep studying and respect your parents and treat each other fairly,” Wurtzbach said at a ceremony before the parade.

Like many other Filipinas who have been successful in international pageants, the Philippine-German Wurtzbach is poised for a successful career in entertainment.

Wurtzbach was crowned Miss Universe in Las Vegas last month

following an epic blunder viewed by an estimated one billion people watching on televisions around the world. The pageant host, American comedian Steve Harvey, mistakenly announced Colombian Adriana Gutierrez as Miss Universe and then corrected himself minutes later.

Wurtzbach told the media on Sunday she plans to use her high profile to raise awareness about HIV, especially in the Philippines where infections are rising.

The parade was only one of the activities in Wurtzbach’s almost weeklong homecoming.

On Tuesday, January 26, the beauty queen paid a courtesy call at the Malacañang Palace and met with President Benigno Aquino III in a one-hour, closed-door meeting.

Aquino has been romantically linked to Wurtzbach after the two reportedly went out on a group date in early 2015. She also previously admitted to personally talking to the president.

Wurtzbach was accompanied on this visit by her mother Cheryl Alonzo Tyndall, Binbining Pilipinas Charities Inc. Chairperson Stella MarquezAraneta, and Miss Universe President Paula Shugart.

Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach

Fans greet Miss Universe at the palace grounds

Miss Universe Pia pays a courtesy call to meet with President PNoy in Malacanang Palace

Miss Universe takes selfie with homecoming crowd

Miss Universe enters the palace

Photo-op for the press with the visiting Miss Universe

PAGE 24

PILIPINO EXPRESS

FEBRUARY 1 - 15, 2016