Planet Philippines (Calgary edition) - March 2011 issue

Calgary Edition

PLANET

17 PHILIPPINES

MARCH 2011

PLANET

MARCH 2011

18 PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

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Calgary Edition

PLANET

19 PHILIPPINES

MARCH 2011

PLANET

MARCH 2011

20

PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

The talented 28-yearold actress shows a sexier side in her latest drama series.

IZA CALZADO

BEAUTY QUEEN ON AND OFF THE RAMP She is one of GMA-7’s mainstays, a proven dramatic talent, TV host and model. But in her current TV series, Iza Calzado elevates her craft by agreeing to cavort in a revealing two-piece bikini as an aspiring beauty titlist.

“Meron ba namang open bikini na nakapalda o nakapantalon ang isang contestant?

Sumali ako sa open bikini sa istorya ng ‘Beauty Queen’ kaya obligado akong mag-twopiece bikini.”

BY PEPPER MARCELO

NE of GMA-7’s most bankable and versatile talents, Iza Calzado elevates her craft several notches higher by taking on a daring assignment as lead role in the network’s ongoing soap Beauty Queen. As the title suggests, the show takes the audience inside the glamorous and highly competitive world of beauty pageants. To be sure, Iza has all the requisite physical attributes to be a beauty queen, whether on TV or in real life. Her acceptance of the role nevertheless raised not a few eyebrows because she is not only one of the sweetest faces in local showbiz, she is also a proven and talented actress, TV host and model.

Expectedly, Iza, as an aspiring beauty titlist in the soap, displays her sexier side, cavorting in skimpy two-piece swimsuits. She admits feeling tremendous pressure to do justice to the role.

“Kinakabahan ako dahil first time kong gumanap ng ganitong role at medyo maraming pressure in terms of physical aspect,” she said dur-

ing a press conference to promote the show. She said she accepted the role, and its requirements, because it was an opportunity to widen her repertoire. Moreover, she was assured that the delicate and daring scenes would be handled with utmost care and professionalism.

“Naniniwala ako kay

Direk Joel Lamangan na ‘di lalabas na masagwa ang eksena dahil ‘di naman ipinupokus nang husto sa boobs ko at sa singit ko ang kamera. Saka, meron ba namang open bikini na nakapalda o nakapantalon ang isang contestant?

Sumali ako sa open bikini sa istorya ng ‘Beauty Queen’ kaya obligado akong mag-two-piece bikini.”

She admits she was nervous and uneasy about donning the revealing swimsuits in front of the cast and crew. It took some effort to get into the right mental state and accept it as part of the job. “Ang nasa utak ko talaga, this is a role and I’m doing this just for this project. With that in mind, I just let go of all apprehension.

Hindi rin naman pala ako ganoon kakumportable.”

In the end, she was happy with the result. “Masaya naman ako. Nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon at saka nagawa ko ang bagay na yun. Yung drama part niya, siyempre ilang taon na rin po akong napapanood sa telebisyon. Iniisip ko kung paano kaya bibigyan ng bagong atake para magustuhan ng mga tagapanood. At siyempre, iniisip ko rin kung paano ko pagbubutihin pa ang aking pag-arte.”

She adds that the show is not all a cheesecake fest but has its fair measure of intrigue and plot as well. “In this series, we will show not just the glamour and prestige of beauty pageants, but also the ugly side of the business — the back-biting, the harassments, and all the intriguing things that happen behind the scenes,” she says.

In the ongoing soap, Iza plays Maita, a poor market vendor who dreams of competing in the Bb. Isla Pilipinas beauty pageant. She joins one contest after another with the hope of landing in the country’s most prominent beauty competition. The show comes on the heels of the country’s renewed fascination with beauty contests as a result of Bb. Pilipinas Venus Raj fourth-place finish in last

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Calgary Edition

PLANET

21 PHILIPPINES

MARCH 2011

ATE JENN’S DEBT SOLUTIONS CORNER Dear Ate Jenn, I’m a local realtor and prior to the boom I was very busy and enjoying “the” good life with my family and friends. When the recession came it hit me like a ton of bricks because it came out of nowhere. Overnight the real estate market turned into a ghost town. The problem is in order to be a busy realtor I had to spend a lot of money per month on advertising, vehicle expenses, and daily living. When I had a short month, I just used my line of credit and pay it off the next month. Over the past two years this no longer became a long term option because I maxed out on all my accessible credit. Now, I owe $98,000 and I am also late on paying my income taxes of $13,000.

I have had other realtor friends who have

filed for bankruptcy in the past and told me to do whatever it takes to avoid this because it was a total nightmare for them.

P.S. If we can take care of this without my wife knowing that would be greatly appreciated. I don’t want her to worry or leave me.

Sleepless Pinoy

Are you stuck with increasing monthly payments and looking for favorable rates and terms on your loan? Or, do you want to consolidate your debts and pay them off faster? All these and more can be done by tuning up your mortgage. Tuning up your mortgage means that you need to look at some important points: the interest rate, the need to consolidate debts and the amount of penalty to pay in refinancing your current mortgage. Before I go further, I would like to lay out the definition of refinancing.

What is refinancing?

Refinancing replaces your current mortgage with a new loan that has a more favorable interest rate and terms that you can afford to manage. The new loan is secured on the same property as your current loan. The new loan funds are used to pay down the current mortgage while any

remaining money can be used to your best advantage.

Dear Sleepless Pinoy, I wish this was more of an uncommon situation but unfortunately there are many self-employed professionals who are in the same position as you. When the market turned, it turned way faster and harder than anyone ever anticipated. With saying that I would be more than happy to help you not only lower your debts by up to 70%, but on a low monthly payment with no interest. In

5 Reasons Why You Should Refinance If you’re thinking of refinancing your house, check out these 6 reasons why a mortgage refinance might be right for you.

• You want to save more: Your monthly payments will be reduced if you get a lower interest rate or when the term of the loan is extended. However, with an extended term, you will be paying more in interest during the life of the loan.

• You want to pay down your mortgage quickly: You can shorten the length of your mortgage by reducing the term of the loan. Your Monthly payments will go up, but you will

addition I will help you with budgeting techniques and tools to help you re-establish your credit.

We can include all of your lines of credits, credit cards, unsecured loans and even your income taxes. Because you are still self-employed, you need to file your 2010 income tax so we can include any outstanding taxes owed in our restructuring.

Our restructuring process would help you avoid bankruptcy so you don’t have to go through the nightmare that your friends went though. There will be no restrictions on how much income you can make and no monthly future income reporting as well.

Also you won’t be labeled as a bankrupt.

I do understand that you don’t want to alarm your wife, but my recommendation is

for us to get together and include her in our plans to help you get out of debt. There are 2 reasons: If she is a co-signer, her debts would be automatically included. Second, I am also a firm believer that honesty is always the best policy. It is important that you be transparent with her and provide her with the opportunity to exercise her wedding vow to support you through good times and bad.

It also shows that you are man enough to admit you made a mistake and you are prepared to do whatever it takes to make things right. It would be a great display of integrity on your part and your wife will respect that!

I look forward to working with you, Sleepless Pinoy.

Ate Jenn

be able to save more in interest payments.

Moreover, you’ll be debt free sooner.

• You need extra cash to pay off credit cards: If you have enough equity in your home, you can refinance and borrow more than the current loan balance. With the extra money, you can pay off high interest debts such as credit card balances or installment loans. This refinance loan may be tax deductible under certain conditions.

• You wish to consolidate 2 loans into one: If there’s enough equity (due to high appreciation), you can consolidate a 1st and 2nd mortgage into a single mortgage. The monthly payment on the new loan might be lower than the combined payments on the first loan and the second mortgage.

• You want to convert an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) into a Fixed Rate Mort-

gage (FRM): A FRM prevents the lender from increasing your monthly interest payments over the life of the loan, unlike the ARM. This means your monthly payments will remain the same Refinancing makes sense for the right reasons and at the right time. You need to decide whether to opt for a simple interest rate adjustment refinance or a refinance that will provide you with extra money. If you’d like to check out what mortgage refinance rates and terms are currently available, request a no-obligation free mortgage refinance quotes from our community lenders and brokers. For more information, contact Cris Paac at 403-472-2262 or email me at crispaac@homenwork.ca.

MARCH 2011

PLANET

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PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition

IMMIGRATION NEWS BY: INTENTION 7 INC.

OK, we survived another tough Canadian winter! Not just me, as I have survived about 50 of them, but YOU! Whether it was your first, tenth or more, Congratulations! You have joined an elite group of people. I hope you were able to learn a few things that allow you to make the next winter more bearable. With our days “longer” now, we can see the signs of spring.

This time of year we get a few more snowfalls before winter finally goes away, but at least the worst of the cold is over. This was an especially cold year in Calgary.

No doubt you have heard the rumors of a big Filipino Festival being planned for next year. It is not a rumor anymore!

PhilippineFest 2012 will take place on June 16, 2012. We are able to confirm that we will partner with the Kasayahan team and they will provide the entertainment on the new Genesis Centre’s main stage. Several of their members have also offered to take care of various types of entertainment on the many secondary stages as well! The enthusiasm of this group of young people is great to see as they have also agreed to do much more than singing and dancing, and have numerous fun ideas. However, I am not sure if Mariedelle’s Kissing Booth can go ahead….we don’t want to start a stampede!

Anyway, the Festival is growing in size every day and there is no stopping it now!

There are thousands of Filipinos in Calgary that want to see this event succeed and to show Calgary why we are emerging as one

Hello, everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a note for the readers of Planet Philippines. Following Steve’s advice, I’m coming out of hibernation!

To welcome spring, I am pleased to announce that beginning May 2011, Planet Philippines, Calgary Edition, will be published TWICE A MONTH. Our readers will surely be delighted as well that the most respected and professionally produced Filipino newspaper in town will hit the newsstands every two weeks. This is extra special for me as this is the ONLY Filipino newspaper in Alberta that will be published bi-monthly. For our esteemed advertisers, this means you will have twice the opportunity to reach out to the ever-growing Filipino market in Calgary and neighboring areas. I look forward to a continued harmonious and productive working relationship with you. Please accept my sincerest gratitude for your continuing support. Rest assured of our abiding commitment to serve you and the Filipino community. Special thanks to the owners of business establishments who al-

of our city’s bigger cultural groups. “Unity in the Community” is alive and well here!

All Filipino Associations, Groups, Clubs, Churches and Businesses are encouraged to participate and we invite you to come to our monthly meetings and find out more. With the generous cooperation of the North East Centre of Community Society (NECCS), we have an incredible facility available. Working with their Board allows us the chance to put this Party on, and what a great opportunity to showcase the $120 million Genesis Centre of Community Wellness at the same time! As a joint fundraising venture to raise funds to allow NECCS to manage and operate Genesis Centre, our success is imminent! We will adopt the idea of “Philippines First” which means we want to use Filipino talent, suppliers and sponsors first if they are available. Corporate sponsorships are available for many of the day’s activities including the Basketball Exhibition game, halftime contests, parade and other areas.

Jump on the bandwagon now! Google: Genesis Centre, NECCS and our newest partners “Kasayahan” and “Possibilities in Motion”. You will be glad you did!

Otherwise, the next month has more fun to look forward to. There will be another Fundraiser for Jasmin Remoquillo on March 26 at Pacific Hut. Please help her fulfill her dream and enjoy a great night of awesome food and top notch performers!

Come out of hibernation and get ready for summer! Have a great month!

low us to put copies of our issues in their stores and offices. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat!

I would like to take this opportunity to invite persons with writing skills who could report on local events and happenings in our community. If you have a story, announcement or pictures you wish to submit that has relevance to the community, do contact us. Use Planet Philippines to promote your FREE event or program.

If your event is not free or you have a notice, job ad or business advertising, it will be not be posted for free.

Our next issue will come out on April 15, 2011. Advertising must be booked by April 6 and ad-ready material must be sent to us no later than April 8. For submissions and inquiries, send email to planetphilcalgary@yahoo.ca or call Percy at 403.667.2645 or 403.474.9041. The digital copy of our past issues can be viewed at www.planetphilcalgary.com and also on Facebook. Enjoy reading and do share this with your friends. See you around...

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) recently announced they are consulting with relevant stakeholders about changing various aspects of the Federal Skilled Worker Program. CIC is considering changing the number of points awarded in three of the six selection factors. CIC is also proposing changes to educational requirements and stricter rules for assessing the validity of Canadian job offers. According to CIC, these suggested changes are meant to reflect the current needs of the Canadian economy and enable immigrants to better integrate into the Canadian economy.

Points Changes in Selection Factors Applicants will still be required to attain at least 67 points out of 100, in addition to meeting eligibility requirements, in order to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. CIC is proposing to change the maximum number of points applicants can receive in the following three selection factors: language, age, and work experience.

Currently, applicants can receive a maxi-

mum of 24 points for their first and second official Canadian language, a maximum of 10 points for age if an applicant is between the ages of 21 and 49, and a maximum of 21 points for paid skilled work experience within the past 10 years. There are as well other proposed changes.

“CIC will not be giving advanced warning of when these proposed changes will come into effect. If these changes are made to the program, applicants who are over the age of 35 and have lower language proficiency levels could have difficulties qualifying for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. If you qualify now for immigration under the current Federal Skilled Worker Program, you should submit your application as soon as possible as you may not qualify once the changes have been implemented.”

Intention 7 Inc. is up to date and current with the ever changing Immigration news.

We are here to answer any of your questions. For more information, call us at 403.457.0747.

Splinter group of PCSSC headed by Pres. Nestor Fernandez (2nd from left) attended the Oathtaking/Valentine/Birthday party of Filipino Calgarian Seniors Club last Feb. 12, 2010 at Sheraton Cavalier.

The 3 winners of the Miss Valentine of the Filipino Calgarian Seniors Club last Feb. 12 at Sheraton Cavalier. From left 1st runner-up Donna Elms, Mrs. Valentine Edna Batuyong, 2nd runner-up, Lina Sangalang with honorable MLA Art Johnson and his wife.

Winner of the Mrs. Valentine of the FCSC, Mrs. Edna Batuyong with the newly elected President Perry Quilloy & Charing Quilloy.

Calgary Edition

PLANET

23 PHILIPPINES

MARCH 2011

PLANET

MARCH 2011

BEAUTY QUEEN ON AND OFF...

From page 20 year’s Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Despite her looks and voluptuous physique, Iza said she never had any ambition to become a real-life beauty queen. She said she was more excited about fulfilling her mother’s personal aspirations. “Masaya na lang ako na magawa sa TV ang pangarap ng nanay ko na hindi niya magawa because she was like 5’1”, she explained. “She’s very short and she wanted me to be a beauty queen, which of course did not happen, hindi nag-materialize. And it’s just amazing that, now, I am given a chance to portray a character that my mom’s always dreamed I would become one day.”

Although thin by normal, average standards, Iza feels she needs more work to convincingly play a competitive beauty contestant.

“Hindi pa ako masyadong confident because may mga flaws pa ako. But I’ve been taking care of my body for quite some time now. I’ve lost a considerable amount of weight already. Lumiit na ang dress size ko, kaya for me, improvement na iyon and it makes me feel good.”

By her own admission, Iza used to be overweight, hitting the scale at 200 pounds when she was younger. She credits an active lifestyle to shedding the unnecessary pounds. “We need to constantly improve. Hindi natatapos sa paglose mo ng timbang. Tuloy-tuloy lang tayo dapat. Kaya I’ve been doing a lot of sports lately. I’ve been running, taking up Pilates and I took up pole dancing a few times.”

For several months before Beauty Queen aired last October, Iza’s career was in limbo, forcing her father, choreographer and TV director Lito Calzado, to complain to network officials. With no movies or TV shows, she busied herself as host of a cooking show on GMA’s sister network, the now defunct QTV. Under the guidance of her new manager, Noel Ferrer, Iza suddenly finds herself extremely busy these days. Aside from co-hosting the Sunday variety show Party Pilipinas, she also does daily hosting

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The 15-year-old, the youngest finalist ever in the history of American Idol, is as Filipino as can be.

Thia herself chooses the songs that she performs each week on the popular TV show, said her father, Loreto. Since Thia is a minor, her parents take turns staying with her in the house where the contestants live while the show is running.

MARIA and LADY GAGA

MARIA ARAGON PERFORMS DUET WITH LADY GAGA Iza still feels she needs to do more work in order to play a convincing beauty contestant.

“We need to constantly improve. Hindi natatapos sa pag-lose mo ng timbang.” chores at the long-running noontime show Eat Bulaga!

Iza isn’t done yet. Her next project is a cover pictorial in the men’s magazine UNO, whose coowner is Atticus King, her boyfriend of one year.

“He [Atticus] owns part of Uno, and I kept telling him that ‘You know if I’m gonna pose for a men’s magazine, it has to be Uno,” she said. “But he said, ‘If you don’t want to do Uno first, I’ll understand.’”

Her personal life is blooming as well. She couldn’t be happier with her relationship with her boyfriend, who is a scion of the family that owns the motel chain Victoria Court. But the 28-yearold beauty is quick to say that she is not ready yet to settle down. “I have many things to do pa in my life and maybe I need to prepare first my mind, heart, and soul in order to be ready.” n

Youtube singing sensation Maria Aragon’s dream came true when she performed a duet with her idol Lady Gaga at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada last March 4.

Videos of the concert showed the 10-year-old Maria sitting on Lady Gaga’s lap while singing the hit song Born This Way. After the performance, Lady Gaga kissed Maria as she turned emotional listening to the Pinay’s words of appreciation to the American star for giving her the chance to perform with her.

“I wanted to say I’m just really grateful for you, for all of you, for all the support. I am actually from Winnipeg and I came over, I was invited,” Maria said.

She shot to Internet celebrity status after her YouTube video of Gaga’s song caught the pop superstar’s attention. Gaga posted Maria’s video on her official Twitter account and described the young Fil-Canadian as “the future.”

Maria’s YouTube video has been viewed at least 17 million times.

She has appeared in the US talk shows The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Good Morning America.

PINAY TEEN MAKES IT TO ‘IDOL’ FINALS

LOS Angeles -- “Filipino pride!”

This was what American Idol finalist Thia Megia excitedly announced after gaining the coveted slot last March 4.

“It feels amazing!” she exclaimed when asked about being included in the top 13 of television’s most popular talent show.

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

THIA The daughter of two immigrants from Pampanga, Thia idolizes Charice and Regine Velasquez, and has performed in a concert featuring the latter.

She likes sinigang, adobo and pancit.

Thia thanked Filipinos for supporting and voting for her. The petite singer with the huge talent also expressed gratitude to her followers within the United States and around the world.

SHALANI: NO ROMANCE WITH WILLIE

SHALANI Soledad says her relationship with Willie Revillame is only limited to being co-hosts on TV5’s variety show Willing Willie.

She said she had adjusted quite well and started to enjoy her hosting job, which, she said, she did not entertain even in her wildest dreams.

She shared that since taking on the new job in November, she has to manage her time well so that she does not neglect her duties as councilor of Valenzuela City.

She joked that her Valenzuela council office has become an extension of Willing Willie. “Kasi lahat yata ng communication letters ko, para kay Willie, e. Either request na manood ng Willing Willie, or mga sulat para kay Willie asking for financial support, asking for medical help, mga ganoon.

Parang extension ng Willing Willie office yung opisina ko.”

Asked if she has any suitors at the moment, the ex-girlfriend of President

Calgary Edition

Noynoy Aquino quipped, “Actually, hinahanap ko. Wala naman!”

Is she ready to fall in love again after her breakup with PNoy in September, she said, “Hindi mo naman masasabi ‘yan. Siguro if it happens, it happens. You just pray na when it does, you can also commit hundred percent to the person.”

JOHN WEDS BRAZILIAN GIRLFRIEND

JOHN Estrada and Priscilla Meirelles got married on Feb. 26 in La Union in a private ceremony. T h e two celebrities exchanged “I do’s” before more than 200 guests.

Celebrities including Richard Gomez (best man), Lucy Torres-Gomez (matron of honor), broadcaster Ginger Conejero, Anjo Yllana, Randy Santiago, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Ogie Alcasid, Gabby Concepcion, and Kris Aquino (bible reader) were part of their entourage.

Willie Revillame, who was originally picked as one of John’s best men, did not come. His absence was expected since he blasted John and Randy Santiago on his program last month for accepting to host the new noontime show at ABS-CBN. Estrada’s children from his first marriage to actress Janice de Belen were also in attendance.

In a taped interview with The Buzz host Boy Abunda, Priscilla said her favorite part of the wedding was when she was walking down the aisle while her favorite song was being played in the background.

“I realized that I was getting really married. I would be somebody else’s Mrs. I’m going to be with my own family,” she said.

“I believe in destiny. I really believe there is a reason why I came from so far to end up as Mrs. Estrada. I don’t believe that anything is by chance in life. I really think that there is a plan for everything and there’s a reason why everything happens,” the Brazilian beauty added.

As for Estrada’s favorite, he said: “The kiss was nice. ‘Yong paglakad niya papunta sa akin.

In-enjoy ko ‘yong reception talaga.

Masaya lahat.”

The two said they are temporarily postponing their honeymoon due to work commitments. 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

25 PHILIPPINES

BY MYNARDO MACARAIG

Pastel-colored houses with distinct Italian accents dot what were once farming areas in the now-thriving town of Mabini.

ABINI, Batangas— On an isolated hillside in the Philippines, a tiny slice of Italy has risen from among the vegetable patches and coconut trees, the product of thousands of overseas workers.

Large stone houses -- often with brandnew vehicles in their driveways -- cover the district, even though the narrow streets can barely accommodate more than one car at a time.

‘LITTLE ITALY’ RISES ON PHILIPPINE HILLSIDE

This is a sharp contrast to the lifestyle in the 1980s, recalled district chairman Raymundo Magsino, 63.

“Back then, we depended on farming: vegetables, fruit and corn. We were the poorest district in the province. These were all just thatch huts,” Magsino said, pointing to the pastel-colored houses that dot the hilly area.

This new wealth comes from the remittances of residents -including entire families -- who

The money sent home from Italy by Filipinos doing mostly domestic work has completely changed the face of Mabini town in Batangas. Those who have left have brought touches of Italy back with them.

have gone to Italy to work, turning a district of subsistence farmers into a relatively prosperous community in a generation.

About 6,300 people from the town’s total population of 47,000

MARCH 2011

have made the trip, said Aileen Constantino-Penas, program director of a non-government organization for migrant workers in Mabini.

The money sent home from

Italy by Filipinos doing mostly domestic work and laboring has completely changed the face of Mabini town, located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Manila.

Those who have left have brought touches of Italy back with them.

“The accents of their homes are no longer typical of Filipino homes,” Constantino-Penas said.

Italian-style large terraces or wrap-around porches with marble balusters proliferate in Mabini, some with exteriors covered with artificial stone. Other houses look like mini-Pantheons, complete with Roman-style columns in front.

Traces of Italy can also be found inside the houses, even in the bathrooms. Bidets are common here even though they are unheard of elsewhere in the Philippines.

And when speaking among themselves, those from Italy sometimes use Italian words including the occasional “Mama Mia” exclamation, said Constantino-Penas, whose relatives are also among the workers in Italy.

Going abroad to seek higherpaying work is nothing unusual in the Philippines: nine million people, or about 10 percent of the population, are currently laboring abroad.

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Calgary Edition

PLANET

Calgary Edition

27 PHILIPPINES

MARCH 2011

BEAUTIFUL P

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DAVAO CITY AS ECOTOURISM DESTINATION

BY HENRYLITO D. TACIO

AVAO CITY evokes delectable fruits (controversial durian, antioxidants-laden mangosteen, seedless pomelo, and sweet-smelling banana), fine beaches (Samal Island is just five minutes away by boat), and religious sites (historic San Pedro Cathedral and the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague).

Davao has four ecotourism attractions: Philippine Eagle Center (the only one in the country), Malagos Garden Resort, Eden Nature Park, and Davao Crocodile Park. Each has unique ecosystems and different come-ons.

Davao is also one of the top ecotourism destinations in the Philippines. The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the culture and natural history of the environment, taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem while producing economic opportunities that make the conservation of natural resources

beneficial to local people.”

Ecotourism refers to the business of nature travel. Its main focus is environmental awareness and activities range from purely educational (such as studying ecosystems), hobby-oriented (like photo expeditions into exotic habitats), or

Malagos Garden Resort offers visitors a myriad of orchid varieties, exotic plants, tropical fruit trees, and a bird park. thrill-seeking (mountain climbing comes to mind).

Davao has four ecotourism attractions and most of them are for educational purposes. These are: The Philippine Eagle Center (the only one in the country), Malagos Garden Resort, Eden Nature Park, and Davao Crocodile Park.

Each has unique ecosystems and different come-ons.

Philippine Eagle Center

Let’s discover each of them.

Some 30 kilometers northwest and about an hour’s ride from downtown Davao, the Philippine Eagle Center is the transient home of the country’s national bird.

Here, visitors will see several male and female eagles being induced to breed in

A staff at the Philippine Eagle Center holds one of the birds that is being induced to breed in captivity.

captivity.

Don’t fail to see the first tropical eagle conceived through artificial insemination. The bird was given the name Pag-asa (the Tagalog word for hope).

“Pag-asa connotes hope for the continued survival of the Philippine eagle, hope that if people get together for the cause of the eagle, it shall not be doomed to die,” says Dennis Salvador, the executive director of Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF).

PEF manages the eagle center.

A private, non-stock organization, it is dedicated to saving the endangered bird. “By using the Philippine eagle as the focal point of conservation, we are, in the process, saving wildlife and their habitat,” adds Salvador.

The eagle center has been doing its best to educate the Filipino people as to the importance of the bird and its habitat. Its facility was actually opened to the public in 1988 to raise awareness among those who visit the center. Majority of its visitors are children on school-sponsored field trips.

“Many of these children came from all over Mindanao,” Salvador explains. “We use the opportunity to tell them about the importance of wildlife conservation. Our mode of dissemination ranges from providing lectures, slide and film presentations, to guided tours.”

Malagos Garden Resort

Not far from the Philippine Eagle Center is the Malagos Garden Resort. Travel time from the metropolis is about 30 minutes.

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PHILIPPINESthe BEAUTIFUL Originally part of an orchid farm that grows the world renowned waling-waling orchid and other exotic plants, the site was later redeveloped to become an ecological center as well as a getaway for city dwellers.

Today, Malagos Garden Resort offers visitors a myriad of orchid varieties, exotic plants, tropical fruit trees, which may be available for picking, and a bird park that houses several endemic species. An environmental conservation center is also located within the vicinity where the Amazing Bird show is held every afternoon for the purpose of entertaining as well as educating visitors in the park.

There’s more. At the Petting Zoo, you get a glimpse of donkeys, miniature horses, goats, sheep, and other farm animals.

All these will surely give both children and adults lots of educational fun. Not to be missed is the heavenly butterfly sanctuary, which houses more than 70 different kinds of butterflies. Once you enter the place, you will have the opportunity of watching butterflies floating if not wrapping around you.

Eco-trailing, horseback riding, biking, swimming and other adventure games are also some of the available amenities within the premises of the Malagos Garden Resort.

Eden Nature Park is a beautiful manmade resort nestled at the foot of Mount Talomo in Toril. It’s a must-visit ecological tourist destination in Davao.

Eden Nature Park

You can find Eden only in the Holy Bible. But in Davao, there is such thing as Eden Nature Park, a beautiful man-made resort nestled at the foot of Mount Talomo in Toril. Its brochure says: “It is truly a testament to how man’s ingenuity and concern for the environment can create a paradise on earth, making Eden a must-visit ecological tourist destination in the Philippines.”

At 2,650 feet above sea level, Eden Nature Park offers breath taking views of Davao City and the Davao Gulf. The place was a remnant of logging concessionaires in the 1970s and used to be covered only by a blanket of wild grass.

Jesus V. Ayala, who owns the area, saw the potential of the place in 1971. So, he instructed his people to make terraces carved out of the mountain slope. As this developed, thousands of pine tree seedlings

Housing some 700 crocodiles, the Davao Crocodile Park showcases a state-ofthe-art crocodile farming system in the Philippines. were planted to revitalize the area.

Bamboo, which are native to the place, were left to flourish.

Years later, growing pine trees created canopies, allowing other trees and plants to grow and create secondary forest.

Now, there are over 100,000 pine trees spread in about 80 hectares, making the resort 95 percent man-made. Today, the once-barren piece of land provides a relaxing alternative to the bustling city life with its cool weather and unpolluted air.

If you enjoy hiking, you can follow the mountain trail the resort has created. Carved along towering trees, creeks, and boulders, it is an experience of a real

adventure and a test of endurance and determination to finish the entire course. “Be in touch with the sights and sounds of nature as you walk along the four-kilometer trail,” the brochure said.

Crocodile Park

Going back to the city, proceed to Maa Diversion Road and visit the Davao Crocodile Park. With about 700 crocodiles, the park is making waves as one of Davao’s popular tourist spots.

“The park is an establishment that showcases a state-of-the-art crocodile farming system in the Philippines,” says Philip ‘Sonny’ Dizon, owner of the park. “It has the most recent crocodile farm de-

‘LITTLE ITALY’ RISES ON PHILIPPINE HILLSIDE

From page 25

They work as sailors, nurses, construction workers, musicians, maids and in dozens of other professions in almost every country in the world.

But the people of Mabini have found Italy to be especially welcoming.

District chairman Magsino said some people made the journey to Italy as early as 1977, at a time when this meant sneaking into the country illegally.

Working in Italy really caught on in the 1980s as word spread of the opportunities there, luring even more Mabini residents.

“People who have relatives there talked to (prospective) Italian employers and told them that (their relatives) will work for you so they fixed the papers to bring them in,” Magsino said.

Luciana Hernandez, 81, said she was one of the pioneers of the exodus to Italy, having helped arrange for her daughter to go there to work in 1986, back when that meant sneaking into Italy from Austria or the former Yugoslavia.

“An agency took her by plane (to Europe). Then by speedboat, then they crossed the mountains

on foot, hiding all the time,” she recalled.

Once her daughter was established in Italy, she was able to petition for the rest of her siblings to go there, where they also obtained jobs, said Hernandez.

Eventually all but one of Hernandez’s 10 children went off to work in Italy. Most of them are still there and have taken their own children with them, she said.

“When they first left, I cried every time I thought of them. But I am used to it now and these days, they can call very easily with these new phones,” she said.

Life as a foreign worker in Italy is easier than in other countries, say those who have worked there.

While tales of abused Filipino maids proliferate in many countries, Filipinos in Italy enjoy legal protection and many of them get along well with their hosts, they say.

“Italy is a better place, even if you are just a domestic helper.

They treat you well and even give you insurance for hospitalization,” said Alona Solis, 39, who first went to Italy when she was 16 years old.

“They are not allowed to hurt

Many houses have Italian-style large terraces or wrap-around porches with marble balusters, some with exteriors covered with artificial stone. you. You can complain about abuse, unlike some other countries.”

Since she left for Italy in 1986, she has returned to the Philippines only twice: once in 2005 to get married and last December for a vacation that she is still enjoying. But she plans to go back to Italy soon.

“I am used to working there.

My boss there already sees me as his child,” she said.

Her husband also has a job in Italy and they share an apartment with her two young children, said Solis, who can speak Italian.

Solis can earn as much as 1,000 euros a month ($1,350) as a domestic helper if she works over-

time, far more than she could ever get in the Philippines as a highschool drop-out.

“If the educated people have trouble finding a job here, how much more the uneducated,” she said.

Despite the wealth brought by the Italian ventures, officials concede that there are costs to having so many people from the community working outside the country.

Magsino, the district chairman, said family members left behind had become dependent on the remittances of their relatives.

“Many don’t want to work in the farms anymore. They just play cards and go to cockfights,” he lamented.

Constantino-Penas said her non-government organization, Atikha, had been working to teach the overseas workers how to manage their money and to make sure their relatives at home didn’t suffer the ill-effects of separation.

“There is a social cost of migration. Children left behind don’t want to study. Their mindset is they should go abroad and not study. We see a lot of drop-outs, most of them among overseas workers’ children,” she said.

sign equipped with modern facilities and equipment.”

Actually, the park is more than just a crocodile farm; it also houses other kinds of animals and plants.

As one visitor observes, “Although the park is not a full-fledged zoo, it is one of the few places in the city where children and adults can learn more about the rich flora and fauna of the region and the rest of the Philippines.”

As soon as you enter the park, you will be greeted by colorful birds of all kinds: eagles, parrots, and lovebirds. Many are placed in cages but there are birds that are merely tied to their bird houses. If you are a bird lover, you will surely enjoy the experience.

You’d also find snakes, monkeys and freaky lizards.

Just like in Malagos Garden Resort, Davao Crocodile Park has its own version of butterfly haven. Upon entering the Butterfly House, you will see butterflies flying around, crawling on the floor, drinking water on festive plates, and even mating! The brochure says it all: “Learn the notable and unusual life cycle of a butterfly – from larval caterpillar stage to spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colorful winged adult form.”

If ecotourism is your thing, then these places are reasons for you to visit Davao City. (Manila Bulletin) n

Her organization is teaching children to stay in school, to save their money rather than spend it, while also helping their guardians learn how to budget and invest the money that is sent home from Italy.

Meanwhile, Mabini tourism officer Pacencia Casapao has struggled against the apathy lingering over the town in her effort to give it more touches of Italy.

“I’ve been asking for someone to come back and set up an Italian restaurant for tourists. But no one wants to do that,” she said.

(Agence France-Presse) n

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