Calgary Edition
PLANET
1 PHILIPPINES
JUNE 16-30, 2011
PLANET
JUNE 16-30, 2011
2 PHILIPPINES
WE DELIVER MORTGAGE OPTIONS RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR
5%
Get up to Cash Back towards your down payment!
t 1 FSTPOBMJ[FE GBDF UP GBDF TFSWJDF BWBJMBCMF 24Â hours a day, 7 days a week t $ PNQFUJUJWF JOUFSFTU SBUFT BOE B 90-day interest rate guarantee t "QQSPWBMT XJUIJO Ä‹Ä? IPVST t 'VMM SBOHF PG FYDFMMFOU NPSUHBHF QSPEVDUT
Manny Balaoing
Mobile Mortgage Specialist Ph: 403-968-2261 Cell: 403-554-2909 mbalaoing@atb.com
ÂŽRegistered trademarks of Alberta Treasury Branches.
Offering You Your Complete Mortgage Solution Lower than bank posted rates Cashback for down payment Open work Visa & immigrants Debt consolidation Self employed stated income
Contact: Alfred Gabriel Mortgage Specialist Phone: (403) 461-9409 Fax: (866) 406-3565 Email: mtgplace@gmail.com
www.yourmtgplace.com
Calgary Edition
Calgary Edition
PLANET
3 PHILIPPINES
JUNE 16-30, 2011
PLANET
JUNE 16-30, 2011
4
PHILIPPINES
BY BABE ROMUALDEZ
To the Catholic Church, marriage is a lifelong commitment even if in some instances it allows annulment of marriage.
NOTHER contentious issue is once again up for debate with the Catholic Church as the primary opposition to the legalization of divorce in this country. But actually, the Church allows annulment in many instances. The basic interpretation of annulment is the declaration of a marriage to be null and void, essentially saying the marriage never took place at all (even though the couple may already have several children), while divorce is technically the “after effect” of a failed marriage. To many people, however, the difference between divorce and annulment is all just a matter of jargon and semantics because in the end, both acknowledge that the marital situation has become untenable and thus the union should be dissolved or severed. It is rather sad but the reality today is that with the modern world and the stressful life that goes with it, no one should impose or compel through legislation that two people have to live together for the rest of their lives if their relationship has become not only a source of emotional and psychological trauma, but also puts the aggrieved party under a lot of physical suffering and even danger. While many people still strongly believe in preserving the sanctity of marriage and protecting the family and the children above all from the devastating effects of a broken marriage, the fact is it is just as emotionally and psychologically shattering for children to hear or witness their parents quarreling day-in and day-out. We have heard of so many heartbreaking stories about women becoming victims of domestic violence, like this poor young woman who had absolutely no idea that her husband was a psychologically impaired man with a horrible drinking habit. Every single day of her married life of five years, she was subjected to brutal beatings and unspeakable inanities until she developed the “battered wife syndrome” where she would always rationalize her husband’s abusive behavior by thinking she was the one at fault, that she was not beautiful enough, not industrious enough, not understanding enough. He would fly into a rage every time she asked permission to see her relatives or friends, and would lock her up in a closet. What used to be a pretty, bubbly young woman became a loner who shunned the company of others, partly out of fear and shame that people would know of her situation. She finally came to her senses when a persistent relative who knew of her situation decided to rescue her from a living hell. She is currently in hiding, having psychiatric therapy while her “animal” of a husband is still prowling the streets looking for her.
While legal separation is an option, it does not allow separated couples to remarry.
DIVORCE OR ANNULMENT:
SAME DIFFERENCE To many people, the difference between divorce and annulment is all just a matter of jargon and semantics because in the end, both acknowledge that the marital situation has become untenable and thus the union should be dissolved or severed.
A bill legalizing divorce in the country has slim chances of passing but it marks another step in the march toward eventually embracing the “sinful” idea. Don’t kid yourselves; there are also “battered” men abused by their wives. Take the case of this man whose wife turned out to be a sex addict. She kept having affairs, sometimes even with the husband’s colleagues and acquaintances. For 10 years, he took
Calgary Edition
the pain and humiliation for the sake of their three children, hoping things would change after each episode of recrimination and forgiveness until she finally got pregnant and gave birth to another man’s child. That was when he decided enough was enough but
by then he had lost the respect of all his relatives, his friends and worse, even his children. These are just a few classic stories of failed marriages where the only way out is to leave instead of being trapped into a life of misery forever. While legal separa-
tion is an option, it does not allow separated couples to remarry, depriving aggrieved parties the opportunity to make a fresh start and regain their sense of self respect. Society’s “double standard” also makes it difficult for women to rebuild their lives with a new partner because of the stigma attached to being a “separada.” Ours is a crazy “macho society” where men who separate from their wives and have another family are often not ostracized. With annulment being a costly and lengthy process (and therefore perceived to be available only to the wealthy), it’s no longer surprising to hear many horrific stories about judges (who are most likely having affairs themselves) taking money from both sides particularly when a case is very contentious and both parties want to “expedite” the process. Naturally, divorce should never be an option for philanderers and immature individuals who want to do it Las Vegas-style where couples marry after a bout of drunken carousing and seek a divorce the minute the hangover passes. If it would take a Constitutional amendment to legalize divorce then so be it, but it’s about time this country moves on to the 21st century. No one will argue against making sure that strict parameters in granting divorce are observed, like when couples have exhausted all possible ways to stay together, or when they have been separated for a number of years and reconciliation has become impossible, with both reaching a “point of no repair.” The bottom line is, it is not only unfair but more damaging to force two people and their children to live together and be miserable for the rest of their lives. (The Philippine Star) n
PLANET
Calgary Edition
DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION OF BOOKING OF AD SPACE, AD MATERIAL AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
JULY 1-15, 2011 ISSUE: JUNE 24, 2011 JULY 16-31, 2011 ISSUE: JULY 5, 2011 FOR INQUIRIES, CONTACT PERCY AT:
TEL: 403-667-2645
EMAIL: planetphilcalgary@yahoo.ca
www.planetphilcalgary.com
5 PHILIPPINES
JUNE 16-30, 2011
PLANET
JUNE 16-30, 2011
The “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” branding campaign was hastily scrapped after it met heavy criticism from various sectors. BY ESTRELLA TORRES
compare.
ROMOTING THE Philippines as a top tourist destination is not a daunting task as its 7,101 islands boast of natural beauty beyond
The Filipino hospitality and knowledge of the English language also encourage foreign tourists to travel to the country with ease and confidence. But just like any product, packaging the Philippines as a top tourist destination in the world requires creativity and huge funds to boost promotions in the international media, particularly web sites and television. A high-quality product or a tourism destination can only be known globally and be able to level off with global counterparts through a genuine and proper branding. Samuel Lim, head of the tourism promotions of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) simply puts it: “Between buying a simple bag and a Prada, a customer always prefers the one with a name even if it’s the same quality or the nameless brand is a lot cheaper.” In November last year the Department of Tourism (DOT) was heavily criticized for the botched branding campaign Pilipinas Kay Ganda. The new branding was supposed to replace the existing WOW Philippines that was popularized by former Tourism Secretary and Senator Richard Gordon. Many Filipinos have generally accepted WOW Philippines as it reflects their typical reaction when discovering something beautiful and rare. The controversial branding campaign was not just criticized by tourism industry experts, who claimed they were not consulted by the DOT. Social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, have even become platforms of wide exchange of views of Filipinos but mostly heavy criticisms on the campaign. The whole fuss about the
6
PHILIPPINES
Calgary Edition
BRANDING
THE PHILIPPINES Just like any product, packaging the Philippines as a top tourist destination in the world requires creativity and huge funds to boost promotions in the international media, particularly web sites and television.
To boost tourism, it is essential that we are able to effectively market our numerous destinations. RIGHT:The new local branding campaign titled Pilipinas, Tara Na! has started without much media publicity. country’s branding campaign only stopped when Tourism Undersecretary Vicente Romano took all the responsibility in the botched branding campaign. DOT’s move to dump the P5 million worth Pilipinas Kay Ganda branding campaign left bitter lessons to the government, according to Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim. Lim said the experience on the botched branding campaign taught the government “that the public takes very strong interest in the branding campaign.” The experience did not just waste some P5 million worth of public funds but now brought tourism experts back to the drawing board to formulate a new and possibly effective branding campaign that will entice foreign travelers to explore the country and bring in fresh investments. Secretary Lim said the department is expected to come up with a new branding campaign by the fourth quarter of 2011. The tourism chief said the DOT lacks enough budget to push for a branding campaign that aims to level off with the similar grand promotions of neighboring South-
east Asian countries, such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. He explained that the tourism department is trapped with a meager budget of P500 million, roughly $11 million, for tourism promotions this year. He said Malaysia’s spending for a branding campaign for CNN advertising alone is $8 million, almost the entire amount for the government’s tourism promotion budget. “We continuously appeal to President Aquino and sent out intent to Congress to put additional budget for tourism programs,” said Lim. He said the department needs to allocate another P5 million solely for branding campaign and another P10 million is needed for the concept and applications. The department also has to place separate allocations for execution of the campaign and media placement. Lim said legislative measures to help raise funds for tourism
campaign failed because of the misinterpretation of the law. A provision of Republic Act 9593, also known as the Tourism Act of 2009, had particularly sought to allocate a portion of revenues of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for the country’s tourism promotions. He said the law had intended to allocate 25 percent up to 50 percent of Pagcor revenues for the department’s tourism promotions. But Lim said the Department of Justice had come out with an opinion saying Pagcor, as a government-owned and controlled corporation, is not covered by the Philippine dividend law. While the tourism department is threadi n g c a u tiously on coming up with a new branding campaign, it started a local branding campaign titled Pilipinas, Tara Na! without much media publicity purposely to avoid public criticism. Lim said tourism industry plays a crucial role in the government’s fight against poverty by attracting investments, creating jobs and increasing revenues. He said the sector has contributed 6 percent to the country’s gross domestic product last year and contributed 10 percent in total employment or 3.4 million people were given jobs. The government is now aiming to double foreign tourist arrivals from 3 million in 2009 to at least 6 million by 2016. But the number is not that high compared to the current number of foreign tourists visiting the neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. Statistics from the Associa-
tion of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) secretariat showed that the Philippines is among those member-countries lagging behind in terms of attracting foreign tourists. Tourist arrivals in the 10-member regional bloc have increased from 56.9 million in 2006 to 65.4 million in 2009. However, the Philippines’ share of foreign region tourists coming in Asean has remained stuck from 2.6 million in 2006 to 2.7 million in 2009. Among those getting the lion’s share of tourist arrivals in the Asean region include Malaysia, with 18.4 million share in 2006 and 23.6 million share in 2009, as well as Thailand with increased foreign tourists from 13.8 million in 2006 to 14 million in 2009. Foreign tourists also flock to city-state Singapore although its tourist arrivals decreased from 9.7 million in 2006 to 9.6 million in 2009. Indonesia and Vietnam also surpassed the Philippines in terms of share in foreign tourists. Indonesia’s foreign tourist arrivals increased from 4.8 million, in 2006 to 6.4 million while Vietnam hosted 3.5 million foreign tourists in 2006 and increased to 3.7 million in 2009. The Philippines is confronted with lingering issues of peace and security, lack of infrastructure, particularly efficient transportation system to facilitate safe and easy travel of tourists in its major islands, as well as enough tourist facilities, like hotels and resorts. But while the government tries desperately to address all these serious concerns, it faces a more concrete problem of promoting the Philippines abroad through an effective branding campaign that will be at par with its neighboring countries. Having the world’s most pristine white sand beaches, such as Boracay, and best diving sites, like the Tubbataha Reef, and numerous tourist attractions is one innate treasure the Philippines has simply beyond compare. But to make it known to the world is another thing, an effort that requires government’s political will to pour funds for an effective branding campaign and to be able to satisfy the needs of foreign travelers. (Business Mirror) n
Calgary Edition
PLANET
7 PHILIPPINES
JUNE 16-30, 2011
BEING PROUD OF OUR OWN FILIPINOENGLISH DICTION
Rico Hizon: Proud to be Filipino, proud of our Filipino-English diction. BY RICO HIZON
VERY SINGLE day for the past 10 years on BBC World News, over 350 million people from all over the world wake up to the sound of my voice. What I say can make or break their business. How I say it, however, will affect how they will react—whether to stay calm or panic. Delivery is key. Apart from having complete, accurate and relevant information, the news must be read clearly to ensure that it is easily understood.
Speaking in English is not unpatriotic. We are not less Filipinos for mastering another language. We are only making good use of our gift for languages to forge ahead. English should be the medium of instruction in schools. And for that, I am grateful for my education from the Philippines. Tubong Maynila po ako! I was born, raised and educated here in Manila. Hindi po ako nagaral sa Amerika o sa UK. Hindi po ako nag Cambridge o Harvard. I learned to speak well and clearly thanks to the patience of my parents, siblings and my teachers at La Salle Green Hills and De La Salle University. My looks and my diction often leave people
wondering about my nationality. On many occasions, I›ve been asked if I›m a western-educated Chinese, Singaporean, Malaysian or even Indonesian. They wonder because of my eyes, skin color, and the way I speak English. I guess you can say it’s Pinoy super power.
The Filipino diction
We have the gift of languages. But what sets us apart is how,
with any language we use, we are able to speak it clearly. The Filipino diction is—clear, simple, neutral, easy to understand. The Filipino enunciates clearly, pronounces every syllable in a pleasant --- even --- and non-threatening tone modulated for every ear to capture its essence…. And when we speak English, for instance, it is neither American nor British English. It is a Pan-Asian diction. It does
+9
PLANET
JUNE 16-30, 2011
8
PHILIPPINES
Calgary Edition
BY TAMARA T. AZAÑA
sense of adventure and optimism.
T SEEMS as if everyone just wants to leave. People are leaving the provinces for Manila or Manila for elsewhere in the world (even if it means going to the very rural communities of another country). The grass is greener over there (or so we’ve been told), the streets are paved with gold, and there is more of whatever it is we seek.
Opportunities at home
Moving makes sense if what we seek is opportunity, if there are more jobs, better jobs and a better quality of life waiting for us on the other side, if there are better benefits, better public transportation and better choices for us there, if there are better chances for our children out there. These are all valid reasons to move to a place far from home. Moving has always been part of human history. People move all the time—and people ought to move, ought to grow and ought to learn. We Filipinos are no first-timers when it comes to moving. Filipinos left for Hawaii in the 1920s, and from there, to California and the rest of the world. Up until now, Filipino doctors, nurses, nannies, construction workers, caregivers, teachers and technicians are scattered across the globe.
Two faces of migration
Having so many Filipinos around the world has its pros and cons. The remittances of our workers keep the economy afloat, and yet, you have different organizations and the academe scrambling to correct what seems to be a social mistake with repercussions on the family as well as the brain drain and human rights violations. Migration has had some mixed results, but still millions long for the golden ticket to leave. There is a difference between leaving because one wants to explore and grow and leaving because there is nothing at home that allows you to provide for yourself and the people you love. It is heart-wrenching to see families separated because there are “better opportunities” abroad. It makes one wonder if there really is no chance for those who remain at home.
Coming home
It makes you wonder even more when you have already made it abroad and then you are thinking of moving back. If moving is normal and there are millions of Filipinos leaving because
HOME
The country won’t become a “better place” without people making it what it should be. There won’t be a better anything if people don’t start to believe they can make it better. The author says the “better life” is not as obvious back home simply because you have to put more effort to achieve it.
IS WHERE THE GRASS IS GREENER
Going home makes sense to me. There is so much potential in our country. The opportunities are there for those who are willing to take the risk. there is seemingly no green grass left in the country, why would anyone want to go back? Not much is said about balikbayans who
come home permanently but I believe there have been waves of them because my family was caught in one in the 1990s.
Much has been written about the exodus of Filipinos to foreign shores in search of a better life. But little has been said about the waves of balikbayans who came home permanently.
After 15 years in the United States, my parents decided that they had their fill of the American dream and took us all home. After college we could choose whether to stay or go. I shuttled between the United States and Manila and eventually chose Manila as my home. But as fate would have it, I got married last year and moved to Vancouver where my husband works. I was no stranger to migration. We knew we were going to move back home eventually (everyone who leaves says something like that; they just can’t say when). But a few months into our marriage, my husband decided it was time to regain his Filipino citizenship and come home for good.
Tapping our potentials
Friends and family are shocked to learn that we are going back to the Philippines. It makes no sense to many of them. Moving from Canada to the Philippines. Moving from Vancouver to Manila and then to Naga. It is some sort of reverse migration. While everyone else seems to be scrambling to get out, there are a few crazy ones who are going back. But we aren’t alone in making that choice. My parents did it 20 years ago. Going home makes sense to me. There is so much potential in our country. The opportunities are there for those who are willing to take the risk. The “better life” is not as obvious back home simply because you have to put more effort to achieve it. One needs to work harder and invest more in making home worth staying in. The country won’t become a “better place” without people making it what it should be. There won’t be better jobs if people don’t create better jobs. The Filipino won’t be better educated if there are no more good teachers. There won’t be a better anything if people don’t start to believe they can make it better. With balikbayans trickling in, and with the focus of other friends on the provinces, I see much hope in this new kind of migration There is a new movement going on—one that is no longer driven by desperation, but by a new
We see opportunity in the idle land of the countryside. Opportunities exist in the men and women actively trying to be productive. There is opportunity in everything, even in what we think as the most negative aspect of what we have as a people. We have raw materials and raw talent, giving us a million and one opportunities to process and produce whatever it is we want. There is opportunity if we are willing to define it ourselves, risk it and make it something fruitful. There is opportunity because we see the beauty of what we have and hope that there can be something even more beautiful. Funny how a Philippine-born Canadian citizen, who has spent more than half his life in Vancouver, found his match in an American-born Filipina from Manila in San Jose, a sleepy little coastal town in Camarines Sur. In our young lives, we have had the chance to cross oceans, travel the world, work in the West, and yet met our destiny where we least expected it: at home. Our first meeting in itself told us of the opportunities that can really be anywhere.
Grass is greener back home
People move all over the world in search of many things. They leave the country to find themselves or make something of their lives. And it’s great if they succeed. But we believe it is also okay to go back to one’s country, because in going back to your roots, you may find yourself as well. And you may find success, or in our case, your life partner. We know we can find more back home, so we are packing our balikbayan boxes for the last time. It wasn’t the easiest decision to make. We could have waited another thirty-something years, growing our pension and retiring comfortably back home. But our youthful idealism started to see something practical and profitable as well. Investing our time and the little that we have now may grow into something not just for us to enjoy, but something the community can share as well. So we are leaving Canada and moving back home to the Philippines. We are going to live in Camarines Sur because we know we can make the grass greener over there. (The author, 28, has an AB Social Sciences degree from the Ateneo de Manila University. She hopes to be a social entrepreneur at the Center for Social Innovation.) Philippine Daily Inquirer n
PLANET
Calgary Edition
9 PHILIPPINES
BEING PROUD OF OUR OWN... From page 7
not pretend to sound western but both Asians and non-Asians can easily comprehend what is being said. There are a variety of accents speaking the English language and there is no need for the Filipino to imitate … the American, British or whatever accent just to say it’s proper English.
Stick to our very own
We have our very own, and that is what makes us a cut above the rest. And that›s why I am where I am. It›s because of the Filipino-English diction. People often mistake the American accent for good diction. And yet, there is no real American accent because there is the Southern drawl, the Texas twang, and a host of so many others . . . It is too, difficult to keep track. . . But that›s beside the point. Someone pointed out, we are Filipinos. We don›t have to speak good English. But don›t you think it›s amazing that we do, despite the fact that we›re not? (Think about it.)
No to Taglish
During my time, English was the medium of instruction. When I graduated Grade School in 1980, High School in 1984 and University in 1988, the majority of students could carry a very decent English conversation, because during my generation we had very good teachers who encouraged us to speak the language fluently. We either spoke in English or we spoke in Tagalog. Mixing them up into Taglish was unacceptable. Even earlier, during my parents› and grandparents› time, the country had citizens that were very good in English regardless of their educa-
tional attainment because English was widely and strictly used. But today when I look around me and speak with the youth, I think we are dwindling race. English as a second language of Filipinos is fast deteriorating. In fact, it has become a third language after Filipino and the more widely spoken Taglish. Not many can speak at least two or three sentences of straight English. Worse, the diction is twisted to favor a twang often taken as a sign of being sosyal or wealthy. And believe me, nothing could be farther from the truth.
Media partly to blame
The media has played a major role in the inability of many Filipinos to speak English well. TV programs these days are all in Taglish. Even the news is no exception. What do we do? How do we stop the spread of “Here na me, where na you?” and “Yes, op kors, dats rayt.” And it also does not help, that when people text or sms, the language and the writing is inappropriate. And thus their inability to learn correct spelling, impacting their ability to communicate clearly and correctly—whether it be in English or Tagalog. The key lies in recognizing that proficiency in communicating in English is indispensable. Speaking in English is not unpatriotic. We are not less Filipinos for mastering another language. We are only making good use of our gift for languages to forge ahead. English should be the medium of instruction in schools.
More English TV programs
Spoken in the presence of trained teachers, children will learn to speak fluently and clearly, becau-
To help our students speak English fluently, teachers should demand that students not mix English and Tagalog in school. se when we master one language, whether it be English or Tagalog, we prepare our youth to challenge themselves to stretch and excel in their language skills, and basically, setting the foundation from an educational perspective. There should be more English television programs such as documentaries and talk shows on commercial/terrestrial television with at least one dedicated English newscast. Such shows these days are all on cable channels and are beyond the reach of the less privileged. It is also equally important that we Filipinos read English text more often. Doing so further improves the grasp of the language. Nowadays less Filipinos read and enrich the
TV programs these days are all in Taglish, which play a major role in the inability of many Filipinos to speak English well.
mind through books, editorials or websites. And because of this, poor reading skills translate into poor writing and poor diction. Indeed, sometimes the answer truly lies in reading between the lines, as well as from cover to cover.
Speak proudly as Filipino
In this age of globalization, it is inevitable that the Filipino will interact with peers and colleagues
JUNE 16-30, 2011
in the international community. We can rightfully expect to hear even more accents, even more variations of the English language. As such, this should spur our youth to even greater heights, to cement our place in the international scene as the most skilled, in communicating in the English language. You have to give it to the Pinoy, we are still the best English speakers on this side of the planet. So I believe it is time to stand up, stand out, speak proudly as a Filipino and be heard across the globe loud and clear. I know I did! Live from the Toastmasters International Conference this is Rico Hizon reporting. Proud to be Filipino! Proud of our Filipino-English Diction! Mabuhay ang Pinoy! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! (Delivered during Toastmaster International›s District 75 Annual Conference in Manila. The author is a Filipino broadcast journalist, with BBC World News. He anchors Asia Business Report and Asia Today which is broadcast to more than 300 million households worldwide. He is the firstever Filipino news anchor to work for two of the world›s most prestigious television news networks - CNBC Asia and BBC World News.) n
PLANET
JUNE 16-30, 2011
10 PHILIPPINES
BY RUBEN JEFFREY G. ASUNCION
ILIPINO WOMEN’S image over the Internet as “good wives” may have prompted many Japanese to marry Philippines’ female denizens and may be the reason for the further spike in interracial marriages amid restrictive visa rules in Japan. “There are no concrete [pieces of] evidence pointing to why there are more Filipinas marrying foreigners than Filipino males. However, we believe at CFO that the way Filipinas are portrayed as ‘good wives’ over the internet also encourages foreigners to look for Filipinas as brides,” Regina Galias of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas told the OFW Journalism Consortium.
This may also explain the counter-cyclical trend of FilipinoJapanese marriages as government data shows a dip in foreign marriages involving Philippine citizens: about 0.8-percent less from the 8,365 official records in 2006. Figures from the document titled “Foreign Marriages of Filipinos: 2007” released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) also support earlier data in 2004 on the predominance of interracial marriage in foreign matrimonies. Interracial marriages, which are contracted between a Filipino and a foreigner, make up most of the foreign marriages involving Filipinos abroad. Defined as matrimonies “solemnized abroad,” foreign marriages have declined for the two years appraised by the NSO. The NSO document, nonetheless, showed that about four out of every ten interracial marriages were between Filipino women and Japanese grooms. This meant that 2,916 of the total 5,689 interracial marriages recorded in 2007 were contracted between Filipina brides and Japanese men. While very small figures were recorded for Filipino grooms married to female foreigners-with 152 marriages recorded for 2007, the NSO reported that more than half of these marriages were contracted with Japanese brides. A similar trend was also observed in 2004, when the NSO revealed that 2,433 marriages had involved Filipinas and Japanese grooms. They represent 38.1 percent of the 4,652 interracial marriages recorded for that year, the 35th anniversary of the Internet. Set in the context of mail-order brides, an inherent feature of the migration phenomenon, the Internet has become “the most common means of matching people for marriage and companionship,” Federico V. Magdalena of the University of Hawai’i at Manoa said in his seminal paper. “There is reason to believe that the Internet has been convenient-
Foreigners, particularly Japanese men, are attracted to Filipina women because the latter are projected as good wife material, submissive, loyal and hard working.
‘GOOD WIFE’ IMAGE HOOKS JAPANESE TO PINAYS
ly used as a medium to pander Filipino ladies to foreign men. On the Internet, these Filipinas are “exoticized” and “commodified” beyond wildest imagination, making them among the most popular mail-order brides in the world today who line up by the thousands,” Magdalena said in a roundtable discussion on “Issues in the Filipino Diaspora,” in Cebu City in 2005.
About four out of every 10 interracial marriages in 2007 were between Filipino women and Japanese grooms. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas believes that the way Filipinas are portrayed as ‘good wives’ over the internet encourages foreigners to look for Filipinas as brides.
On the Internet, Filipinas are “exoticized” and “commodified” beyond wildest imagination, making them among the most popular mail-order brides in the world.
Calgary Edition
Magdalena added that there’s also a twist since “most of these ladies are willing participants in the globalized exchange of warm bodies that have now become a popular source of the Filipino diaspora.” CFO’s Galias also thinks along the line, saying that Filipinos marry foreign partners also because of the latter’s attractive physical attributes. The ability of the foreign partner to provide for the needs of their future families is also a factor in the matrimony, she added. “The Filipinos were referred to these partners by their friends and family. Maybe the Filipinos simply love their partners.” According to Galias, who is CFO’s division chief for Migrant Integration and Education, the commission made these observations based from the counseling sessions it had with the spouses of the foreigners. While admitting that there are no specific details explaining why more Filipinas marry foreigners than Filipinos, Galias hypothesized that online communication and Internet advertisements may help account for this situation. The NSO also found out that couples who are involved in foreign marriages usually prefer to marry in June, a trend which was observed both in 2004 and 2007. The census office also noted that 2004 and 2007 data consistently show that most of the grooms and brides were single when they got married through foreign marriages. However, the number of single groom and brides engaged in foreign marriages decline beyond the age of 30, the office added. In addition, the median age for both bride and groom foreign marriage remain older than those in local matrimonies. In 2007, the median age for grooms was 36.4 years old while those of brides was 29.8 years old. In terms of modal groups, the NSO said that foreign marriages usually occur between the ages of 25-29 for Filipina brides and for foreign grooms. CFO data showed that the 108,245 Filipino spouses either engaged or married to Japanese nationals are almost 30 percent of the total for the category “Number of Filipino Spouses and Other Partners of Foreign Nationals by Major Country.” For this category, the number of Filipinos who are either spouses or couples of Americans, registered from 1989 until 2009, account for four-tenths of the total. The document also showed that, apart from Japanese and Americans, Filipinos also tend to become spouses or partners of Australians, Canadians and Germans. (OFW Journalism Consortium) n
Calgary Edition
Those without proper documentation such as a legitimate overseas job contract present themselves at the airport as tourists in order to sneak out of the country. BY MYNARDO MACARAIG
IX WOMEN dressed as nuns stood anxiously in a queue at Manila’s chaotic international airport, unaware their shoes were about to end their dreams of an illegal job abroad. At the immigration counter, an official looked up after stamping a genuine traveller’s passport and surveyed the women. “People were wondering, if they were nuns then why was one nun in rubber shoes and another in red shoes,” said airport immigration chief Lina Andaman Pelia. “And all six just had one bag. You could tell they weren’t real.”
PLANET
11 PHILIPPINES
JUNE 16-30, 2011
DESPERATE EFFORTS TO SNEAK OUT OF COUNTRY Despite the real risks of being exploited by employers or landing in jail overseas, many Filipinos continue to try every trick in the book to sneak out of the country. With illegal recruiters often setting up the scams, the workers become willing victims. Under questioning, the “nuns” admitted they were not heading to a religious seminar in Hong Kong as claimed, rather to Lebanon to work illegally as maids.
Tricks to get out
And so -- just like thousands of desperate Filipinos before them
who have tried to use a dizzying array of tricks in an effort to head overseas for a higher paying job - their journey was over before it had begun. Deep poverty in the Philippines has for decades driven Filipinos abroad and about nine million -- or 10 percent of the population -- cur-
rently work legally and illegally in a wide range of jobs overseas, according to government data. While the Philippine government allows its citizens to work overseas, it requires them to have guaranteed labor contracts and to register with state-ap-
+26
JUNE 16-30, 2011
PLANET
12 PHILIPPINES
Calgary Edition
Honda West Is Hiring.
Honda West has an Immediate Opening for a Canadian Certified Automotive Journeyman Technician
CANADIAN CERTIFIED AUTOMOTIVE JOURNEYMAN TECHNICIAN Qualified candidates can submit their resume: By email to: bob@hondawest.ca Or mail to: Honda West 55 Glenbrook Place SW Calgary, AB T3E 6W4 Interviews will be conducted by appointment only.
Honda West 55 Glenbrook Place SW Calgary, AB T3E 6W4 (403) 249-9100
Calgary Edition
PLANET
13 PHILIPPINES
JUNE 16-30, 2011
JUNE 16-30, 2011
PLANET
14 PHILIPPINES
Calgary Edition
PLANET
Calgary Edition
15 PHILIPPINES
JUNE 16-30, 2011
BIGGEST
w w w. C A N Y O N C R E E K T O Y O TA . c o m # ! , ' ! 29 s
OUR
ALL POINTS LEAD TO CANYON CREEK TOYOTA!
0 0 $0 % $ S
GET
FACEBOOK COM CCTOYOTA
D
PLU
AN
SECURITY
DOWNPAYMENT
FINANCING
DEPOSIT
LEASE OR FINANCE
UP TO 60 MONTHS
OR GET CASH SAVINGS UP TO
/PEN I4UNES TO DOWNLOAD OUR &2%% APP TODAYĂ?
EVER
~ BOOK APPOINTMENTS ~ CONTACT US ~ OUR WEBSITE
$
4,000 REF- ZF4DVP 2011 RAV4 2WD DELIVERS AND OUTSTANDING
, KM #ITY s , KM (IGHWAY
REF- BU42EM
$
2011 COROLLA CE DELIVERS AND OUTSTANDING
, KM #ITY s , KM (IGHWAY
15,079
$
OR LEASE FOR
184
$
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE
PER -/.4( $0 DOWN
2011
COROLLA
*
25,419
OR LEASE FOR
309
$
PER -/.4( $0 DOWN
2011
RAV4*
2%& +! $#4 s 0!33%.'%2
2011
SIENNA*
2011
VENZA*
REF- ZA3BBT
2011 SIENNA LE DELIVERS AND OUTSTANDING
, KM #ITY s , KM (IGHWAY
$
2011 VENZA DELIVERS AND OUTSTANDING
, KM #ITY s , KM (IGHWAY
OR LEASE FOR
#!3( 02)#%
29,324
$
29,522 $
390
REF- KU4EEM
2%& "& %,4 s ,%!4(%2 s -//.2//&
2011 MATRIX 5M DELIVERS AND OUTSTANDING
2011 CAMRY SE DELIVERS AND OUTSTANDING
, KM #ITY s , KM (IGHWAY
17,844
$
OR LEASE FOR
232
$
PER -/.4( $0 DOWN
PER -/.4( $0 DOWN
, KM #ITY s , KM (IGHWAY
2011
MATRIX
*
2%& +9 & 4 s 2%' #!" s 8 s , 6 2011 TUNDRA DELIVERS AND OUTSTANDING
, KM #ITY s , KM (IGHWAY #!3( 02)#%
28,093
$
2011
CAMRY*
#!3( 02)#%
23,825
$
PLEASE READ. AMVIC LICENSED. All offers OAC. All applicable rebates and credits to dealer. All offers exclude taxes and fees. Offers that have prices and leases, the price reflects the lease aquisition price. All lease payments based on 60 month terms with $0 downpayments. Cost of Borrowing/APR/ Lease end Value is Corolla CE: $2,332/3.4%/$5,805; Camry: $2,459/2.9%/$9,201; RAV4 2WD: $3,936/3.4%/$9,904; Sienna LE: $5,037/3.9%/$9,927; Matrix 5M: $$2,724/3.4%/$5,934. Inventory accurate at time of publication. Limited time offers. See dealer for details.
2011
TUNDRA* RA IL BO W
CANYON MEADOWS DRIVE
M
T
TRAIL FOOT
WWW CANYONCREEKTOYOTA.COM
O TT BO
DEER
MACLEOD TRAIL
ANDERSON ROAD
JUNE 16-30, 2011
PLANET
16 PHILIPPINES
Calgary Edition