Planet Philippines (Calgary edition) June 16-30, 2011 issue by Pinoy News and Media

Calgary Edition

PLANET

17 PHILIPPINES

JUNE 16-30, 2011

PLANET

JUNE 16-30, 2011

18 PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

You Get All 7-PieSceet,s! The 2-Piece Sofa

3-Piece Table Set

& 2 Designer Lamps!

#0445

#0177

Choose Your Tables!

Different Styles Available!

Choose Your Lamps!

7-Piece Price! NOW ONLY

#7801

Multiple Colours Available!

YOU GET ALL 7-PIECES!

7-Piece Price! NOW ONLY

#1640

Choose Your Tables!

Don’t Pay for 12 MONTHS!

4-PIECE BEDROOMS!

#6565

4-Piece Set Includes: Dresser, Mirror, Headboard & Nightstand!

Chest also available separately.

4- Pi ec e Be dr oo m Se t!

#0125

5-P iec e Din ette !

†

GET A BED FRAME $ & 2-PILLOWS FOR ONLY WITH PURCHASE OF ANY PREMIUM MATTRESS SET! Starting From

#1000

Starting From

4-Piece Set Includes: Dresser,

56 $214 $

Value Plus Twin or Full

Royal Comfort Queen ea. pc.

Serta Quality

Mirror, Headboard & Nightstand! Chest also available separately.

#3100

Multiple Colours Available!

7-Piece Price! NOW ONLY

Additional Chairs Sold Separately

#1119

Choose Your Lamps!

SAME DAY DELIVERY! 100% FREE LAYAWAY!

5-PIECE DINETTES!

Co me s In: Na tur al or Ca pp uc cin o

Different Styles Available!

at Factory Direct Prices! 4- Pi ec e Be dr oo m Se t!

5-P iec e Din ette !

#1211

Calgary North STORE HOURS! Open 7 Days a Week! Mon - Thurs 12pm-8pm • Fri 10pm-8pm Sat. 10am-6pm • Sun. 12pm-5pm

5-P iec e Din ette ! Open A

Mon-S

at!

SERTAPEDIC Mattresses #2750

Advertised Mattresses Are Sold in Sets only. See Store for Individual Mattresses at Factory Direct Prices. King Sets Consist of 3 Pieces. §Premium Mattress Sets include: Sunrise, Nordic Rest, Supreme Comfort, Majestic, Elite Pillowtop, Platinum Comfort and Hampton Pocket Coil.

Calgary South

3420 - 12th St. NE

121 - 58th AVE SW

Edmonton

Red Deer

6408 Gateway Blvd.

7419 50th Ave. Unit 1,2

Open A

Mon-S

BONUS FREE Storage Ottoman! OFFER! With ANY Purchase Over $100!*

Coffee House Firm Queen ea. pc.

*Before applicable taxes. New Sales Only. Storage Ottoman includes 1 (#4198). All advertised offers can not be used with any other promotion. Promotional items are limited to one per customer, per purchase.

at!

*Tables, fabrics and colours may vary by store location. All advertised offers can not be used with any other promotion. Promotional items are limited to one per customer, per purchase. 7-Piece Packages consist of a: Sofa, Loveseat (or 2Pc Sectional), a 3-Piece Table Set (choice of #2221, #3612, #3811, #7841 or #7842) and (2) Designer Lamps (#6117, #6167) any colour. **OAC. Additional terms apply. See stores for complete details. †Same day delivery on in-stock merchandise only.

We Accept: Cash, Cheques, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Interac and FREE Layaway!

Calgary Edition

PLANET

19 PHILIPPINES

JUNE 16-30, 2011

PLANET

20 PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

BY TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA

ARIAN RIVERA has quite an extreme reputation in show business. She has one of the sweetest faces on TV and the silver screen, but is also said to have an attitude that is quite the opposite. Many a write up has talked about her snubbing a fan or confronting a fellow actress who happens to be linked to her handsome and hunky boyfriend, Dingdong Dantes. Long story short, the message has always been: Don’t mess with Marian. It was therefore a refreshing surprise to meet the-26-yearold actress for the ﬁrst time recently, and actually enjoy her company and conversation. She was gracious, funny and unassu-

ming—yes, the perfect ﬁt to her beautiful face. None of it, to be honest, seemed to be contrived. “I’m just usually misunderstood,” she smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “This is the real me—masayahin, maloko, magaan lang kasama. Bakla ako!” she added with a roar of laughter. Marian opines that the negative stories written about her stem from the fact that she doesn’t embrace new acquaintances as long

Marian and boyfriend Dingdong Dantes.

‘REAL TALK’ WITH MARIAN It was a refreshing surprise to meet the26-year-old actress for the ﬁrst time recently, and actually enjoy her company and conversation. She was gracious, funny and unassuming—yes, the perfect ﬁt to her beautiful face. None of it, to be honest, seemed to be contrived.

Calgary Edition

PLANET

JUNE 16-30, 2011 21 PHILIPPINES ATE JENN’S DEBT SOLUTIONS CORNER

Dear Ate Jenn, My husband and I spent a lot of money getting married. It was a beautiful dream wedding come true. The problem is we were expecting to profit from the wedding. We did not expect the recession when it came and no one had extra money to be generous with us at our wedding. To make matters worse, my husband lost his high paying job and now he is only making minimum wage. I didn’t realize this would turn into a nightmare; we are always fighting and blaming each other. On top of all this, we also have a new born baby. This is NOT how I want to welcome my daughter into the world - full of fighting, yelling, crying and stress. Our incomes aren’t enough to cover the debts we had before the wedding, during the wedding and after the wedding. We are in debt for $65,000. Will you help us even though we made stupid mistakes? I realize it now and I accept the punishment for the choices I’ve made and I really regret it. Newly wed and broke Dear Newly wed and broke, When I hear stories like yours, it really makes me appreciate the value of saving money. One can never really know when tough times will come so we must ALWAYS be prepared. I always make it a point to remind people our culture is PURPOSEFULLY being GROOMED by advertisements and marketing around us to SPEND money. IF we don’t have such and such a thing, THEN we won’t to be happy like the Jones’, so we need to buy their products, or for this matter, “Dream Weddings” as defined by wedding magazines. What they don’t tell you is that this kind of “happiness” always COST people money and grief later. This shouldn’t be the case, but it is. Most people don’t realize that the Jones’ are broke (in fact, they are my clients) so people need to stop trying to be like them! Dream weddings should be Debt Free weddings!!! This is something I hope you will be able to pass on to your daughter when she gets to that age. This wisdom will be priceless and will definitely help her stand out and be different in our culture today. You will have a while to prepare her for this big day but even before that, I recommend teaching her good financial and budgeting skills as soon as she learns how to add and subtract. This is something they don’t teach in school but as a mother you can lead by example. The good news is I can help you. Based on very rough numbers I may be able to reduce your debt to as low as $19,500, with no interest and a monthly payment as low as $325. This is just half my job, I also help people re-establish their credit and provide them with financial instruments that they can use to enable them to be smart with their money after going through my program. The first step, as always, is to call me at 403668-6493 for a FREE consultation. I can educate you on your options and show you a personal plan to get you on the route to getting out of debt and saving. Ate Jenn

PLANET

JUNE 16-30, 2011

time friends so suddenly, which many showbiz personalities tend to do. “I’m just being real. Hindi ko lang talaga kaya na best friends agad tayo when we just met, just like any regular person. But in time, naka-kaibigan ko naman lahat. Parang sa SOP, ‘ate’ na lahat ang tawag nila sa akin doon,” she related, referring to the GMA-7 Sunday noontime variety show of which she is part. According to Marian too, those who know her best would describe her as a tireless joker, always ready with a quip or to poke fun at herself. “Kaya nga enjoy na enjoy talaga ako sa Show Me Da Manny—yon ang natural ko,” she said of her sitcom with the People’s Champ, boxer, actor and congressman Manny Pacquiao. “Pag nag dradrama nga ako, mag-te-text yung mga kaibigan ko to say, ‘Hoy, sinong niloloko mo?’,” she giggled. Marian headlines GMA-7’s grandest production to date, the “epic-serye” Amaya. (The new show premiered on May 30.) In the period soap opera, she plays a noble princess who turns into a slave before becoming the greatest female warrior of her time. Cast to fight for her affection are newly awarded Gawad Urian Best Actor Sid Lucero and modelturned-actor Mikael Diaz. “Maraming pag-iyak, pero napakadami din ng action scenes,” revealed the touted Queen of Primetime TV. Her most notable projects for TV include grand remakes of Marimar, Dyesebel and Darna. This time, she is ecstatic to star in an original story. “Nakakagulat din yung laki ng production,” she continued. “Tulad kahapon, yung shi-noot naming scene sa karakoa (a huge warship built by 50 local artisans and reportedly worth millions) ay gumamit ng 100 extras, maliban sa aming mga artista. Kaya masasabi ko talaga na ang kagandahan ng Amaya ay hindi lang dahil sa bida pero sa effort ng napakaraming tao,” she said diverting the attention from herself. While Marian has given her mother studio blockbuster TV shows and movies, she acknowledges that she is extremely humbled and honored to have

PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

With boxing champ Manny Pacquiao in the comedy program Show Me Da Manny.

“I’m just being real. Hindi ko lang talaga kaya na best friends agad tayo when we just met, just like any regular person.”

Marian plays a noble princess in the “epic serye” Amaya.

been entrusted with this big-budgeted production. “Hindi lang sa budget nag allout ang network for Amaya; because it is a historical piece, may mga experts pa silang kinuha from UP [the University of the Philippines] to make sure na accurate ang mga gamit, damit kultura at pananalita naming lahat. Hindi ito regular Tagalog. Malalim na Tagalog ang

CALGARY EDITION MARIA PERCY JAVELOSA ............................................................ Publisher/Advertising Manager CARMELA SARILE ...................................................................... Graphic Artist STEVE TARZWELL, JULIE PICOC, FERDIE GAYOS .......................... Contributors

PINOY NEWS AND MEDIA 6020 Martin Grove Rd. NE, Calgary, AB T3J 2M8 Tel. Nos.: (403) 667-2645 • (403) 474-9041 Email: percy@planetphilcalgary.com

gamit namin dito kaya talagang challenging siya para sa isang artista. Bawal ang adlib!” she enumerated. If Marian were truly a prima donna as her critics accuse her to be, would her mother studio give her such an important project six years into her career? The choices in show business are always aplenty. The actress just smiled and answered the question using a different tact: “Ito lang yung pangalawang beses in my six-year career na sasabihin ko ulit na bago ako nag-artista, I graduated from BS Psychology [at De La Salle Cavite]. Nakapag-trabaho pa nga ako sa Mental Hospital kaya lang iniyakan ako ng lola ko kung bakit doon ko pa piniling mag-work! “What I’m trying to say is that mayroon akong sapat na alam kung paanong mag-isip ang mga tao, pero alam ko na hindi ko naman sila makokontrol. Pero para sa sarili ko, ang ginagawa ko na lang pag may mga taong dina-down ako, iniisip ko na dalawa, tatlo o apat lang sila sa gitna ng lahat ng magagandang nangyayari sa akin. Kaya nandito pa rin ako.” Such an attitude, coupled with the talent she has honed through the years with her fellow actors and directors, makes Marian Rivera a coveted star to this very day. It will certainly take so much more to put this girl down. Really. (The Manila Times) n

PLANET PHILIPPINES, the global newsmagazine for overseas Filipinos, is published and circulated in various cities and countries around the world. Each edition of PLANET PHILIPPINES is published by authorized individuals and companies under an exclusive licensing arrangement. We welcome inquiries from anyone interested in becoming a publisher of PLANET PHILIPPINES in their territory. Contact us at planetphilippines@gmail. com or visit our website at www.planetphilippines.com.

PLANET PHILIPPINES Worldwide LEANDRO MILAN .................................................................................. PEPPER MARCELO ............................................................................... ARNEL RIVAL........................................................................................ ROMY FLORANTE.................................................................................. DIANA PAMELA TRISTE ........................................................................

Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Art Director Photographer Editorial Assistant

PLANET

Calgary Edition

PHILIPPINES

JUNE 16-30, 2011

CELEBR TY

BEA, ZANJOE SO HAPPY TOGETHER

BEA Alonzo says she is happy with how her relationship with Zanjoe Marudo is going. During a press conference for her upcoming TV show, Guns and Roses, Bea said she and Zanjoe are just going with the flow and just enjoying each other’s company. She, however, maintained that they are not officially a couple yet. “Ganoon pa rin, masaya pa rin kami,” Bea confided. “Hindi ko masasabing kami na talaga. Kung saan na lang kami dinadala ng agos, doon kami. Siguro nga doon na rin kami papunta. Sana. Mahirap sabihin ngayon na kami na. Kung magiging kami, siguro hindi ako ang mag-a-announce. Siguro dapat siya.” But she added that she does not hide her affection for the hunk actor adding that it would really make her happy if the they would have an official romantic relationship. “Hindi naman ako aarte nang ga-

JOLINA IS ENGAGED

JOLINA Magdangal and her boyfriend, Mark Escueta, are engaged. This was announced by Mark during the celebration of Jolina’s 21st year in show business at the show Party Pilipinas. After Jolina ﬁnished a song number, Mark, the drummer of the band Rivermaya, appeared on stage and made the announcement. “Congratulations, mahal,” he said. “Alam mo na ako ang pinakaproud sa ‘yo sa lahat. . . sa unang pagkakataon, gusto ko pong ipakilala sa inyo ang akin pong magiging butihing...butihing maybahay. Ang tanging anghel na dumating sa buhay ko. Ang akin pong magiging asawa—si Jolina Magdangal.” Jolina was visibly touched. “Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ieexplain. Sa totoo lang, hindi ko talaga alam na may magmamahal sa akin ng ganito. Na walang judgment, walang anything. . . At saka promise ko sa inyo, pati sa parents ni Mark, na mamahalin at aalagaan ko siya habambuhay. ” No details or date for the wedding have been announced.

CHARICE SHOOTS 2ND HOLLYWOOD FILM

ZANJOE

BEA noon in public kung alam kong ‘yong relasyon eh walang future,” she said. “Magiging mas masaya ako kapag naging kami because I know he’s a good person. Alam ko rin na magiging responsableng boyfriend siya sa akin. So far ‘yon ang nakikita ko. Sa ngayon ha! Ewan natin baka in the end saktan niya pala ako, ha ha ha!

Iiyak na lang ako sa TV.” Asked what is it with Zanjoe that she liked the most, she said: “Napapasaya ako ng presence niya. Malaking bagay na sa akin ‘yon. Bentang-benta rin sa akin ‘yong mga kuwento niya, ‘yong mga jokes niya, ha ha ha! Ganoon nga siguro talaga kapag gusto mo ‘yong tao. Also, he thinks of me all the time. Kung saan ako magiging kumportable, sa lugar at sa oras. Pina-prioritize niya ako. Siya ‘yong nag-a-adjust sa akin.”

PACQUIAO BUYS HOUSE IN FORBES PARK

LIVING well is the best revenge. Manny Pacquiao is not content having mansions in his hometown in General Santos City or in any suburban exclusive subdivisions. He wants to live in Millionaires’ Row no less. The world’s highest-paid athlete in 2010 has bought a 1,500-square-meter house in Forbes Park for a reported whopping P338 million. The price could not be confirmed with some quarters saying the P338 million tag is bloated. Located at Cambridge Circle, the house is on the same street as the houses of businessman Tonyboy Cojuangco and Senator Loren Legarda, with the Thai ambassador’s residence right on the next street. The congressman from Sarangani province is the first billionaire member of the House of Representatives. His net worth is more than P1 billion, as reflected in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). In previous years, the Villar couple—then Las Piñas Representatives Manuel Villar (now a senator) and his wife Cynthia—were

CHARICE said she had finished shooting her second Hollywood film titled Here Comes the Boom. In her official Twitter account, Charice said that she enjoyed working with international stars like Kevin James and Salma Hayek. Charice’s first Hollywood movie was Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, a live-action animation movie from 20th Century Fox. Meanwhile, Charice turned to Twitter to express her disappointment on the negative things being said about her on social networking sites. “To all of you fake people saying great stuff in front of me, backstabbers, goodluck. :) Have a mentos! The fresh maker!! boo :P,” Charice tweeted last June 7. When asked by one of her followers why bother with the harsh comments when one cannot please everybody, Charice responded: “I care because they WERE chasters. :) Of course I care. But now that I found out about it... Will forget about it.” Charice, obviously hurt by the harsh comments of some people, decided to delete her personal account on Facebook. “Glad I deleted my Facebook. It’s funny to invade some nonpublic pages and see other ‘not so true chasters’ talk negative

CHARICE stuff about me,” she said. In May, after performing an original song on the season ﬁnale of the US TV show Glee, Charice created a buzz not just because of her powerful performance, but also because of her weight. Fans noticed that Charice, who plays the character Sunshine Corazon, gained weight. Some netizens called attention to her weight gain. In another development, international composer David Foster said it would be great if Charice and Sarah Geronimo would do a project together. “I love Sarah. Sarah’s amazing and I think the two of them would be great together. I was in the Philippines and I wanted Sarah to come sing with me but she wasn’t available and I’d love to meet her someday,” he said.

VICE TOSSES SEX CHANGE IDEA

MANNY the richest House members, but they never breached the P1-billion mark in their SALN.

TV host Vice Ganda likes things the way they are. As much as his success already allows him a number of perks, including opting to have his appearance enhanced through surgery, Vice Ganda says he’d rather keep things “all natural.” “Whatever I have, I want to maintain it. Kung aking babaguhin ang anuman sa mukha o katawan ko eh baka hindi tanggapin ng balana,” he said during a recent press conference for his upcoming concert. The gay comedian is wary of the pitfalls of changing his image. “Accepted nila ako sa ganito kong kaayusan. I have seen other comedians after the makeover at tila hindi ito nakatulong sa kanilang career.” And he has no plans of getting a sex transplant as well. “Naku, wala po, wala talaga po akong balak,” he said. He candidly admitted to having an active sex life, even if, he jest-

VICE GANDA ed, he has to pay for it. “Umaalis din [the lover], pagkakuha ng bayad,” he revealed. The Showtime mainstay is not keen on having a permanent partner, denouncing possibilities offered by marriage. “Ay, hindi po mangyayari ‘yan. Kinukumbinse nga ako ni Kris Aquino [to get married] pero ‘di ito kakayanin ng powers ko. Hindi ko talaga carry.”

PLANET

JUNE 16-30, 2011

24 PHILIPPINES

has changed from the past administration to his government.” Aquino has been dogged in his campaign to investigate his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and has made some headway with the resignation of the Ombudsman, which will allow him to appoint his own graft investigator. But he seems to have backtracked or lost focus on other issues, and his public opinion ratings have fallen. Apart from the budget, no major legislation has passed. Each week since July, tax evaders have been named at a weekly press conference, but so far only seven of 45 complaints have made it to court -- and no trials have begun. Last November, Aquino told a conference of potential investors the government would put in place mechanisms to protect their contracts in infrastructure projects, which the government planned to put out from tender from early 2011. Six months later, no contracts

BY MANUEL MOGATO

HE QUESTION of whether deposed Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos should be buried in a cemetery for national heroes is one President Benigno Aquino feels he cannot make for the nation that elected him to lead it. So instead, people can SMS their opinion on where Marcos should be buried, like voting for an American Idol contestant, to help decide the government’s position. And it’s not the only decision Aquino seems to be having trouble making.

A reluctant president who won office in a landslide last year, Aquino has never really got out of campaign mode, fixated on pursuing the former administration and talking of major reforms without yet delivering a substantive agenda. The danger is that this becomes yet another lost opportunity for the Southeast Asian nation, as investors’ initial optimism on Aquino fades and his main political strength of high personal support weakens. The government is looking to raise billions of dollars to upgrade infrastructure around the nation of more than 7,000 islands, and says it will make the country more attractive to foreign investors, but details are yet to fully explained. “Aquino never really seems willing to expend any political capital on what he believes in or claims to stand for,” said Scott Harrison, managing director of risk consultancy Pacific Strategies & Assessments. “Whether this is apathy or just another manifestation of his laziness, aversion to work and the rough-and-tumble of politics remains to be seen,” he said, although he did credit Aquino for instituting some ethics in governance. The stakes are high. Asian Development Bank data shows foreign direct investment in the Philippines last year trailed well behind neighbours Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Slow economic growth

Weak employment and productivity growth means the country relies on exporting workers overseas, whose remitted income accounts for about 10 percent of gross domestic product. It also means poverty levels are rising, an anomaly in booming Asia. The country ranks below most Southeast Asian countries, its main competitors for investment funds, on measures such as competitiveness, ease of doing business and corruption. “Against this backdrop, one key policy challenge is for the government to sustain the higher level of investor conﬁdence built up last year by pushing ahead with policy

Calgary Edition

The administration has been unable to attract the desired level of foreign investments that would create jobs and propel the economy.

PINOYS WAIT FOR PNOY TO FULFILL ELECTION PROMISES

have been awarded, and there has been no legislation to improve protection against regulatory risk -- and so foreign investors remain wary for now.

Poverty levels remain high despite modest economic growth. It means the economic gains have not beneﬁtted the poor. and governance reforms,” the ADB said in a report recently. “Another is to raise state revenue so as to fund the social development and infrastructure programs required to reduce poverty and underpin a stronger private sector.” Aquino is limited to a single, six-year term. He was elected in May 2010 and took ofﬁce at the end of June. But it wasn’t until February that a committee to plan the government’s agenda and prioritize bills over its term met -- and the

A reluctant president who won ofﬁce in a landslide last year, Aquino has never really got out of campaign mode, ﬁxated on pursuing the former administration and talking of major reforms without yet delivering a substantive agenda. eventual list did not include bills Aquino had championed, including reproductive health and freedom of information.

Promises, promises

Aquino’s poll ratings on areas such as managing the economy, ﬁghting crime and reducing poverty have all fallen, suggesting a broader discontent with his administration.

“Aquino wanted to do a lot of things, but he has not done anything to carry out these things,” said Earl Parreno, analyst of Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms. “Now is the time for action, and yet the people has not seen anything concrete from his government. There’s a growing public perception that nothing

Doubts linger

Doubts are also emerging locally. Aquino’s purchase of a second-hand Porsche drew criticism from nearly half of people in an opinion poll, even though he used his own money to buy it. His poll ratings on areas such as managing the economy, ﬁghting crime and reducing poverty have all fallen, suggesting a broader discontent with his administration. There could be some change coming. His unsuccessful running mate last year, Mar Roxas, can now join the administration after the expiry last week of the one-year prohibition of losing candidates being appointed to government jobs. Roxas, an experienced operator who has served as a minister under two presidents, could become Aquino’s chief of staff and troubleshooter, local media report. That could provide Aquino the political smarts he needs to achieve his goals. “Aquino may not be doing anything wrong, but he has also not done anything good,” said Bobby Evangelista, a cigarette vendor in Manila’s business district. “I haven’t seen any change at all. We remain poor and he has a new car.” (Reuters) n

PLANET

Calgary Edition

25 PHILIPPINES

JUNE 16-30, 2011

BEAUTIFUL P

The Lanzones Festival is celebrated in October with a weekend of street dancing, parade, and pageants in the town of Mambajao. BY HENRYLITO D. TACIO

REMOTE, unspoiled paradise” is how All-Asia Travel Guide describes Camiguin, an island-province approximately 90 kilometers north of Cagayan de Oro City. The province is literally “born of ﬁre” as it has more volcanoes than municipalities. Camiguin has only ﬁve municipalities (Catarman, Guinisiliban, Mahinog, Mambajao, and Sagay) but it has seven volcanoes (Mount Vulcan Daan, Mount Mambajao, Mount Karling, Mount Uhay, Guinisiliban Peak, Tres Marias Mountain, and Mount Hibok-Hibok). Not surprisingly though, it has earned the distinction of having the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on earth (it has a total land area of 238 square kilometers).

CAMIGUIN A REMOTE, UNSPOILED PARADISE This island of ﬁre has more volcanoes (seven) per square kilometer than any island in the world. Its second major attraction is the lanzones. And there are more: lush forests, hot and cold springs, pristine beaches, exotic marine life, majestic waterfalls.

This tiny island has a lot of attractions, ranging from green forests and mythical volcanoes to eternal hot and cold natural springs, from pristine patches of black and white beaches, majestic waterfalls, exotic marine life and blue-ridge mountains, to serene surroundings. Going around the island’s 64kilometer circumferential road on a motorbike is sheer fun — and highly recommended by locals. Motorbikes may be rented at reasonable rates in the capital town of Mambajao. Camiguin is number seven in the top diving spots in the world. It is also famous for its craftworks. Blessed with a natural artistry and abundance of a variety of handicraft materials, the people have long been making baskets, pottery, metal works, and other products. Camiguin is known for two activities: Lanzones Festival and Panaad. Lanzones Festival — in honor of the tropical fruit that grows profusely in the island — is celebrated every year in October with a weekend of street dancing, parade, and pageants in the town of Mambajao.

Its pristine white granule beaches are one of Camiguin’s top three tourist attractions, the other being the volcanoes and the lanzones.

PLANET

JUNE 16-30, 2011

26 PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

PHILIPPINESthe BEAUTIFUL Points of interest

Katibawasan Falls — Some ﬁve kilometers southeast of Mambajao at the foot of Mount Timpoong, the falls tumble down into a green pool; ideal for a refreshing swim. Giant ferns decorate the surrounding land, carpeting for space with huge trees and dropping vines. Tuasan Falls — Located six kilometers northeast of Catarman, the pool below the waterfalls is deep and clear. The surrounding scenery is unspoiled and perfect for a peaceful picnic; the only sounds around you are those of the tumbling falls and running water. Bura Soda Water swimming pool — Located in Bura, Catarman, it’s only here where you can swim in a pool of soda water. It has great scenery over the ﬁelds and the seas as its cold water is refreshing to bathers and picnickers. Ardent Hot Springs — A government-run resort located at the foot of Mount Hibok-Hibok, the place has a four-tiered pool of varying depths and warmth. Tangub Hot Springs — Located 12 kilometers west of Mambajao, it is a volcanic hot spring below the sea bed. The small area is formed by a pool of sea stones and corals and is completely undeveloped. Water temperatures turn from cold to lukewarm, warm and hot as the tide changes. Sto. Niño Cold Spring — Lo-

The island has seven volcanoes but Mount Hibok-Hibok is the only active volcano. With a 1,250-meter slope, the volcano has a crater lake and stream that serve as outlets in many places at the peak.

Camiguin boasts of majestic waterfalls, hot and cold natural springs, patches of black and white beaches, majestic waterfalls, and blue-ridge mountains.

cated four kilometers north uphill of Catarman proper, it has a pool measuring 25 meters by 40 meters and 1/2 meter deep of cold spring water sprouting from its sandy bottom. Santo Rosario Church — An old church in Sagay town, built in 1882. The sunken cemetery — Marked by a large white cross, this has a superb sunset and an ideal place for snorkeling and diving. Ruins of San Roque Church — Located in Gui-ob, Bonbon, Catarman, this church was ruined by the eruption of Old Vulcan Daan in 1871. It is a monument with thick century-old walls, belfry, and convent reminiscent of the second Spanish settlement established in 1697. Mount Hibok-Hibok — The only active volcano in the island, it has a 1,250-meter slope. A crater lake and stream serve as outlets in

many places at the peak. A clear view of the entire island and Bohol beyond can be seen on clear days. White Island — Also known as Medan Island, it is located two kilometers across from the beaches of Agohay and Yumbing. Aside from the fact that the island is purely white sands, it also vanishes during high tide. Mantigue Island — This island, located three kilometers offshore across from Hubangon and San Roque in Mahinog, is only four hectares with evergreen forest, fringed with white granule sand beaches. A fishing village is found in the north of the island. One side of the island is a white sand beach with coral offshore, and the opposite side provides a deep drop-off for snorkeling and diving. Taguines Lagoon — Located at Benoni, Mahinog, this is a manmade lagoon mantled by limpid water, large cliffs and gently rolling hills. The brackish water is engulfed by a century-old crater; ideal for boating and fishing. Camiguin is accessible by air and sea from Cebu City; but trips are limited only. Most fly in to Cagayan de Oro City, which is 84 kilometers away from the port of Balingoan. For those who would like to bring their own vehicles to Camiguin, some of the ferryboats at Balingoan Port can transport cars, pick-ups, vans, and even large trucks to Benoni Port. (Manila Bulletin) n

DESPERATE EFFORTS TO SNEAK OUT...

From page 11 proved recruiters. The government says these measures are needed because Filipinos who go abroad can easily be exploited in many ways and, at worst, be forced into crime or prostitution. Sometimes the country they want to work in has been blacklisted completely, such as was the case with the fake nuns, with the Philippines banning people from working in Lebanon in 2007 due to security and labor concerns there.

Willing victims

But many Filipinos seek to circumvent these rules, with illegal recruiters often setting up the scams. “We have economic problems in this country and sad to say, they become willing victims,” Pelia said, referring to the Filipinos who sneak overseas to work illegally. Pelia said many prospective illegal workers simply presented themselves at airports as tourists, and it was up to the immigration ofﬁcials to determine their real motive for travelling overseas. At the immigration desk, staff look for signs to distinguish the

illegal workers from legitimate tourists. Pelia said the give-away could be a bare passport indicating the person had not travelled abroad before, or a plan to “holiday” in areas of the Middle East not normally known to attract Filipino tourists.

Immigration screening

She said illegal workers were sometimes caught out by being unable to answer the simplest of questions, such as: “Where are you going?” or: “Who is providing for your tour?”. But on other occasions, they put more thought into their ruse. Pelia said the government now coordinated with sports bodies to verify which athletes were heading overseas, after some workers made it to Japan by claiming to be volleyballers bound for an Asian Games there in the 1990s. Immigration ofﬁcials are also constantly on the lookout for Filipinas seeking to head abroad for work as prostitutes who travel with fake boyfriends, Pelia said.

Beating the system

“Carlos,” a 35-year-old laborer, said he beat the system three

Desperate for decent jobs, many prefer to pay off illegal recruiters to help them leave the country even if a darker prospect awaits them in foreign shores. years ago when he entered Japan to escort his mother on a vacation there. When his mother returned home two months later, Carlos did not come back. Instead, under a plan hatched by his family, he was sheltered by his sister, who already had permanent residency in Japan. “We were always terriﬁed that Japanese immigration would track me down to her house and burst in at any time. But they never came,” said Carlos, who spoke

to AFP by telephone on condition his real name was not used. Carlos said his sister helped him ﬁnd a job as a construction worker in Japan, and he now earns the equivalent of about 26,000 Philippine pesos ($600) a month, three times what he could earn at home.

US watch list

The problem of Filipinos being exploited saw the US State Department place the Philippines on its “tier 2 watch list” for human

trafficking in 2009. This meant the US government believed the Philippines was failing to comply with “minimum standards” on stopping human traffickers. The government says it has since sought to tackle the problem more seriously. About 25,000 would-be illegal workers have been stopped from leaving the Philippines since a crackdown began in August last year, according to Chrissy Avila, a lawyer with the government’s anti-trafficking task force. And 28 traffickers have been convicted since the start of last year, with some of them being sentenced to life in jail, according to the task force. But Avila said the prospective workers, who are not punished if caught, often remain determined to try again because of the deep social problems and poverty at home. “What they have in mind is that they are going abroad to have a better future, to earn dollars. They don’t mind the fact that they might be victims of illegal trafficking,” she said. (Agence FrancePresse) n

PLANET

Calgary Edition

PHILIPPINES

JUNE 16-30, 2011

AQUINO: A NATION FREE FROM CORRUPTION, POVERTY

EARLY A year after assuming his post, President Benigno Aquino III announced on June 12 that the ﬁrst steps have been taken to free Filipinos from the twin threats of poverty and corruption.

Aquino, who gave a preview of sorts of his State of the Nation Address (SONA), also defended from critics what he called the “reforms” that his administration has pursued. “Sinasabi ko sa inyo ngayon sa ngalan ng buong Pilipinas, ipinahayag ko ang pagbubukas ng isang bagong yugto sa ating kasaysayan kung saan ang bawa’t Pilipino ay mapipitas [na] ang bunga ng kanyang pinaghirapan, kung saan ang batas ay ipatutupad nang patas sa mahirap man o sa mayaman, kung saan maaring panghawakan ng lahat ang sariling kapalaran kung saan ang kalayaan ay may katuwang na karangalan,” he said after the ﬂag-raising ceremony marking the 113th Philippine Independence Day in Kawit in Cavite. He criticized the rhetoric of past administrations, which all failed in their attempts to quash poverty and corruption. This is because corruption had prevented whatever gains of past administrations from reaching the people, he said. “Hangga’t di nauubos ang korap hindi mauubos ang mahirap. Kung gusto natin palayain ang bayan kailangan natin palayain ang gobyerno at ang sarili mula sa kasakiman. Matagal na tayong nagtiis sa sitwasyon kung saan ang dapat nakikipagdigma sa kahirapan ang

AQUINO siya ring pinag-uugatan nito,» he added. According to him, true independence is freedom from hunger, poverty, ignorance and lack of opportunity. True freedom is freedom with dignity and honor. He also said that while Filipinos are divided on many issues, they share in the conviction that their situation now must improve. Last year, Aquino based his presidential bid on an anti-graft platform. But for now, Aquino said Filipinos can take pride that they are no longer treated or considered second-class citizens. He said Brunei has asked Filipinos to help in product design and branding while Cambodia has invited Philippine ﬁrms to invest there.

“Tapos na ang panahon kung kailian meron pang pagkahiya sa pagiging Pilipino. Taas noo natin maihahayag, Pilipino ako kaya kaya na akong tulungan ng aking gobyerno. Kaya na akong tulungan ang kapwa kong Pilipino. At kaya ko na rin tumulong sa buong mundo,» he said. Aquino also gave a preview of his SONA, where he enumerated the nation’s gains after nearly one year in ofﬁce. These include: • The passage of a measure postponing the Aug. 8 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and synchronizing them with the May 2013 elections; • The signing into law of a measure limiting the perks of ofﬁcials of government-owned and controlled corporations; • The pocket open skies policy that aims to boost Philippine tourism; • The continuation of the conditional cash transfer program for poor families. “Ang mga batas na naipasa natin – ang postponement ng ARMM eleksyon at ang maitama ang pasahod sa GOCC; ang pagtanggal sa mga tiwali sa pwesto, ang mga polisiyang maraming kumokontra nguni’t mas maraming matutulungan, ang proyekto at department na binuhusan ng pondo mula edukasyon hanggang pabahay ng sundalo at kapulisan, mula kalusugan hanggang sa conditional cash transfer program, lahat yan ginawa natin para ipamana ang tunay na kahulugan ng kalayaan sa ating mga kababayan,” he said. n

ROXAS ACCEPTS DOTC POST SOME men on a mission start out on their jobs with pompous promises. Former Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas began his simply with a song—a Burt Bacharach oldie about a lover waiting for a plane to bring his sweetheart back to him. It might have been a lighthearted beginning but Roxas was deﬁnite about one thing on Tuesday when he ﬁnally accepted the post of secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC), which was offered to him by President Aquino: He means business. “My priority here is, ‘Wala akong sasantohin’ (I will spare no one). My

top priority here is to deliver service to the people,” Roxas said when he appeared on national television to announce his acceptance. Reports said that Roxas, the President’s unsuccessful running mate in last year’s elections, had wanted to be the Palace chief of staff, a potentially all-powerful position. But Mr. Aquino prevailed on his longtime friend, persuading him to instead head the DoTC, the largest line agency, in charge of projects running into billions of pesos. “This agency is in charge of huge projects, big-ticket items that have long been the milking cow of

ROXAS corrupt individuals in the past,” Mr. Aquino said at a news briefing. “I asked him (Roxas) as a friend and as ‘your President.’ I told him I actually need you here in our headquarters, but there’s a fire that broke out on the frontline. Can you be the one to proceed to the fire?” he said. Taking over the rostrum after the

ENRILE

BELMONTE

SENATE, HOUSE LEADERS TO REVIVE CHA-CHA TALKS THE two leaders of Congress are reviving Cha-Cha (charter change) talks. Instead of passing the reproductive health (RH) bill and other proposed laws seeking to address poverty, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile wants to get to the root of the issue by amending the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. Enrile said he wants to revive Cha-Cha talks, and added that he has had informal discussions with House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte about this. For his part, Belmonte has ruled out the possibility of a joint vote by congressmen and senators in a constituent assembly. Popularly known as Con-Ass, this modality involves both the lower House and the Senate convening as a single body to deliberate and vote jointly on amendments to the 1987 charter. In this mode, all lawmakers will get a vote each. In a sense, senators can be very easily outvoted. Belmonte, “the notion of the [last] 14th congress, [is that] it’s possible to act using the number of the House, meaning to say, not voting separately, I don’t think it’s possible ... We’re thinking ... the Senate tackPresident, Roxas launched into the 1965 Bacharach song “Trains and Boats and Planes,” trying to sing its ﬁrst line: “Trains and boats and planes …” Roxas described his new turf in the government as “very huge and very wide” and explained why he picked the song. “When I woke up this morning, I looked for a new theme song and I found one written by Burt Bacharach and sung by Dionne Warwick.” Then he burst into song, drawing a few laughs from the reporters. Roxas, who according to the

ling and voting on its own.” Belmonte’s line is similar to the position of senators in previous congresses, and is a turnaround from the position of the 14th Congress under then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He acknowledged that the issue of a joint voting was the stumbling block as to why the previous attempt at charter change failed. Belmonte said he and Enrile will meet again while Congress is in recess to talk about charter change. Belmonte admitted the issue may not be one of Malacanang’s priorities, but “it’s worth exploring.” “As Senate President Enrile and I said, we’ll get together again during holidays and try to see if it’s an idea that will go forward,” he added. He said this may be the right time for it. In the 14th Congress, allies of then President Arroyo were accused of pursuing charter change to prolong her stay as national leader. However, unlike previous talks on Constitutional change that centered on changing the system of government, Enrile said he wants to focus on provisions against foreign ownership of businesses in the country.n

President would also be a senior member of the economic cluster, stressed that there would be no sacred cows in his bid to improve public service through transportation and communication. “It’s been said in a light manner, ‘trains, boats and planes,’ but that’s the way our people move. That’s the way our economy moves,” he said. Citing Roxas’ role in exposing corruption in the abortive $329-million NBN-ZTE deal during the Arroyo administration, Mr. Aquino said Roxas had what it takes to accomplish the job. n

JUNE 16-30, 2011

PLANET

28 PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

PLANET

Calgary Edition

29 PHILIPPINES

JUNE 16-30, 2011

NEWSROUND-UP

GMA BLOCKS JUSTICE’S BID FOR OMBUDSMAN FORMER President and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has asked the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to block the application of Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales as Ombudsman. In her letter, Arroyo said she will be the principal target of complaints before the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman considering the campaign promises of President Aquino to hold accountable ofﬁcials of the previous administration. She noted Aquino’s efforts to create a Truth Commission under Executive Order 1 and moves to replace Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. The former president said she

doubts Carpio Morales would be fair. “If appointed Ombudsman, I sincerely believe that Justice Conchita Carpio Morales would not have the required independence and impartiality in resolving cases involving me and my family,” she said in her letter to the JBC. She said that while Carpio Morales was a member of the High Court, she consistently voted in favor of major cases involving allegations of wrongdoing against the Arroyo administration. Arroyo said that while the lady justice’s view did not prevail because the High Court is a collegiate body, the Ombudsman would be acting alone in the performance

of investigating corruption cases against government officials. “I trust that the Judicial and Bar Council will have no difficulty identifying applicants who possess the required probity and independence to act on cases brought before the Ombudsman, including against myself, my immediate family and others who served in my administration,” she concluded. Arroyo’s spokesman, Elena Bautista Horn, said the former leader need not show up before the JBC to state her objection, and to allow Carpio Morales to confront her. Horn clarified that it is concern,

Kabataan Representative Raymond Palatino, who was among the lawmakers who met with Robredo, said government needs to have a master plan to address the housing backlog, increase the social housing fund, implement a moratorium on demolitions, and take a close look at the conditions faced by people at relocation sites. Danilo Ramos, secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, worried that more than half a million families may be in danger of being banished from cities to give way to the Aquino administration’s projects for its ﬂagship public-private partnership. He said there are not enough resettlement units under the National Housing Authority (NHA) to house the 556,526 families who may lose their homes. The report cited data from the National Housing Authority showing only 32,762 units in 18 relocation sites are available. This will still leave a shortfall of 523,765 families without relocation. Until 2016, the government projects to make available 332,000 housing units, but this will still leave a shortfall of resettlement homes for 191,764 families. Of Metro Manila’s informal settler families, 41 percent or 228,142 live on governmentowned land, 34 percent or 190,376 live on private land, 18 percent or 102,406 families live in danger zones, four percent or 20,521 families are in areas for priority development, and three percent or 15,081 families are in areas affected by government infrastructure projects. n

Arroyo critic since he was a lawmaker, campaigned to hold Arroyo accountable for various corruption scandals during her administration. Arroyo’s family and allies have previously cried political persecution over the slew of cases that have been ﬁled against them. Critics said former Ombudsman Gutierrez was supposedly Arroyo’s ﬁrst line of defense against prosecution. Carpio Morales is said to be Aquino’s top pick for the Ombudsman post. She is among the 27 applicants undergoing scrutiny by the JBC. She is set to retire from the High Court in a few weeks. n

BINAY’S FORMULA: MILITARY HONORS FOR MARCOS IN ILOCOS

25% OF METRO RESIDENTS ARE SQUATTERS ONE in every four residents of Metro Manila lives in informal settlements, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said. Citing 2010 data from the Metro Manila Development Authority, Robredo said 556,526 families, or about 2.7 million of the national capital’s roughly 10 million residents, live in slums or informal settlements, representing a 2.14 percent increase from the MMDA’s 2007 figures. The DILG chief submitted his report to President Benigno Aquino III in April. Robredo recently met with party-list representatives who have been calling for a moratorium on the dismantling of informal settlements after a recent series of violent confrontations between demolition teams and squatters. In his report, the DILG chief acknowledged that “current and projected government shelter programs are inadequate to fully and effectively address the challenge.” He also admitted that the current “default option” of relocating informal settlers outside the metropolis has “proven to be not pro-poor.” “Economic and social displacement in terms of loss of livelihood, uprooting from communities and other hardship conditions are faced by the beneficiaries at their relocation sites,” Robredo said, adding that relocated squatters find it hard to land new jobs because of a mismatch between skills and available opportunities. This forces many families unable to meet monthly amortizations to either sell their new houses or return to Metro Manila and become informal settlers again.

not fear, of Carpio-Morales that motivated the letter. She said the Ombudsman has to be an independent thinker, something which Arroyo does not think Carpio Morales will be. Horn said the Ombudsman must make decisions based on evidence. She indicated that Arroyo will support any candidate for Ombudsman except Carpio Morales. “There are 27 nominees within the JBC for them to pick the next Ombudsman. Siguro may mahahanap sila na independent thinker na makaka-discharge sa trabaho ng Ombudsman,” she said. President Aquino, a consistent

BINAY VICE President Jejomar Binay has recommended full military honors for the burial of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos but that the interment service must take place in the former president’s province of Ilocos Norte, not at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Aquino had tasked Binay to decide whether to allow the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Being the son of the late President Corazon Aquino and assassinated former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., both of who were among Marcos’ greatest political foes, the young Aquino inhibited himself from making a public stand, citing personal bias, and asked Binay to help him decide. Marcos’ remains are preserved in a refrigerated crypt in Batac City, Ilocos Norte. His family has refused to bury him until he would be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani with full military honors. Marcos died on Sept 28, 1989 while in exile in Honolulu, Hawaii. His remains were brought back to Manila in 1993 during the administration of President Fidel Ramos, a distant relative of the ousted leader. Binay described his recommendations as “very balanced,” claiming that “all sides were considered.” In April, Binay’s ofﬁce sent out an undisclosed number of letters seeking the opinion of various groups and decision-makers on the Marcos burial issue. In May, Binay disclosed that “senators and lawmakers [had] not sent their ofﬁcial responses to the survey

conducted by the OVP, although some [had] already expressed their opinion through the media.” He also said that “none of the 130 parties accredited by the Commission on Elections [had] so far replied to the OVP’s letter seeking their official stand on the issue.” But his office said it would “still wait for the official stand of the political parties.” At the House of Representatives, a resolution was filed by Sorsogon Representative Salvador Escudero urging Malacañang to allow the burial of the remains of the late strongman at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. At least 216 House members signed House Resolution No. 1135. The resolution said that “as the longest serving President of the republic, Ferdinand Marcos built the modern foundations of the Philippines” and that Marcos “remained a Filipino patriot to the end of his life and in death deserves to be honored as such.” The Makati Business Club (MBC), however, dismissed the House measure as “historical revisionism at its

deceitful worst in an attempt to recast the image of a disgraced leader.” In a statement, the MBC said “the claim that he built the modern foundations of the Philippines is a gross distortion of the late dictator’s true legacy of autocracy, ruined democratic institutions, violent political repression, unprecedented wholesale corruption, shameless nepotisms, crony capitalism, a crushing debt burden, and widespread social inequity and marginalization.” It recalled that Marcos “did not call for a presidential election until 1981 – a sham political exercise meant to bolster his democratic pretensions.” “It was only due to the intense political pressure that had built up after the assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1983 that he was forced to call another presidential election in 1986. He tried to steal that vote as well, but the true will of the people could no longer be suppressed and he was driven out of power by a peaceful popular uprising,” the MBC added. n

PINAY MADE TO WORK LIKE A SLAVE

VANCOUVER couple has been charged for allegedly bringing from Hong Kong a Filipina domestic helper and forcing her to work for the family in slave-like conditions, the Canadian Press reported on June 9. The wire service quoted Const. Jana McGuinness of the Vancouver Police Department as saying the 38-year-old Filipino woman was made to work seven days a week and at all hours of the day and night to care for the family. McGuinness said the woman’s passport had allegedly been conﬁscated after she came to Canada in 2008, and she feared going to authorities because she thought she’d be deported. Police did not reveal the Filipina’s identity. Police said the case came to light a year ago when ofﬁcers were called to a home on an unrelated matter and discovered a young woman living there who was illegally in the country on an expired visitor visa. The Filipino woman at the center of the case remains in Canada for now. n

JUNE 16-30, 2011

PLANET

30 PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

PLANET

31 PHILIPPINES

JUNE 16-30, 2011

32 PHILIPPINES

Do you want us to prove how big and stable we are as a company? Compare our prices to our competitors.

Calgary Edition

cdn currency

DROP OFF LESS $12

Pick-up / box

Our balikbayan boxes are bigger & better!

Metro Manila North & South Metro Manila

$70

(Marila, Meycauayan, Plaridel, Bocaue, San Pedro,

$80

Binan, Cabauyao, Santa Rosam Taytay, Binangonan, Antipolo, Tanay, Morong, Kawit, Bacoor, Imus)

Central Luzon (Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Bataan, Zambales, North of Malolos, Laguna (South

$90

of Calamba), Batangas

North and South Luzon (La union, Baguio, Ilocos Sur, Quezon)

Bicol Region (Albay, Catanduanes, Marinduque, Mindoro,

$100 $100

(all same destination)

Cagayan Valley

(all same destination)

$100

Quirino Province, Abra, Benguet)

All of Visayas and Palawan All of Mindanao

Nag-aral. Nag sikap. Ngayon nga nasa Canada ka na.

10 box in 1 year = 1 Free 7 box at the same time = 1 Free 4 box at the same time = 1 half price

Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Ifugao, Kailnga-Apayao,

Hahayaan mo nanaman bang hindi makarating ang pinahahalagahan mong Balikbayan box? Pinagpawisan at pinagpaguran? Maraming cargo companies dyan na kung ano-ano ang ipinapangako sainyo. Nakarating nga, may butas at kulang naman ang Balikbayan box mo. Worst, paano kung iniwan ka na sa ere tulad ng nangyari sa F at A cargo? hindi karapat-dapat kang tratuhin ng ganon sapagkat ang Balikbayan box mo ay iyong pinaghirapan at pinahahalagahan. Sa Manila Forwarder, kung gaano kahalaga sayo ang Balikbayan box mo, ganun din namin pahahalagahan ang mga ito. You know better than becoming a victim.

it has more space and can handle more weight.

Sorsogon, Camarines Norte / Sur, Masbate)

(Aparri, Cagayan, Batanes, Bayombong,

Free strap & no pick up charge!!!

18 X 18 X 31 with 61 ECT (edge crust test) and with water and moisture resistant adhesive.

$105 $110

WE ACCEPT COMPETITOR'S BOXES & we will replace it with ours. BE SMART PINOY

NOW WITH OUR FILIPINO STORE AFFILIATES IN CALGARY & SURROUNDING AREAS, YOU CAN DROP OFF OR BUY MANILA FORWARDER BOXES.

Pinoy Sari-sari Store - 3607 17 Ave SE Calgary, AB (403) 248-3230 Makabayan Filipino Store - 416 Erinwoods Dr SE Calgary, AB (403) 452-6143 Filipino Market - 3803 26 Ave SW Calgary, AB (403) 984-8100 Melly's Bakery - 112 6800 Memorial Dr NE Calgary, AB (403) 569-1517 Loriz 1 - 13 8330 Macleod Tr SE Calgary, AB (403) 256-8604 Loriz 2 - 25 2525 Bridle Crest Way SE Calgary, AB (403) 256-8604 Asian Palate - 519 3208 8 Ave NE Calgary, AB (403) 272-2098 Tindahang Pinoy - 1093 Falconridge Dr NE Calgary, AB (403) 285-1875 Iremit Calgary - 636-999 36 St NE Calgary, AB (403) 569-8887 Rolymie Bakery - 5-5008 Whitehorn Dr. NE Calgary, AB (403)590-0099 MacEwan Sisters - 12-16 MacEwan Dr NW Calgary, AB (403)275-8023 Tondar Computer - 999 36 St NE #525 Calgary, AB (403)248-7126 Lanhel Oriental Store - 4734 49B Ave Lacombe AB (403) 782-0056

BETTER ACCESS, BETTER CONVENIENCE FOR YOU

PLANET

JUNE 16-30, 2011

We are a very Straight Forward & Licensed Company. No hassles, no gimmicks. We operate for the good of all Filipinos since 1998. We have branches all over the world however this ad is only focusing in AB, Canada. Check us online for our other branches.

Manila Forwarder Calgary & Surroundings: 203 3912 Stanley Rd SW Calgary, AB T2S2P3 3544 Fonda Way SE Calgary, AB T2A6E8 (403) 890-7975 c/o Richard Panuelos

Kung magpapadala ka, Check us online to see how big and stable we are as a company:

Direct: (403) 890-7975

Toll Free:

Manila Forwarder Edmonton & Surroundings: 9818 163 St Edmonton, AB T5P3M8 (780) 818-6684 c/o Sonny Suarez