Planet Philippines (Calgary Edition) April 16-30, 2012 issue

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a boy looks at the palm of a penitent nailed on a wooden cross during a reenactment of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday in Barangay cutud, san Fernando, Pampanga.

AN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- Catholic fanatics had themselves nailed to the cross on Good Friday (April 6) in a bloody display of religious frenzy as the Christian world marked the day Jesus was crucified.

The gruesome real-life reenactments of the crucifixion, which are held every Good Friday in the country, are frowned upon by the Catholic Church but have become freak tourist draws.

Faith healer Arturo Bating, 44, spread his arms and maintained stoic calm as he was hoisted onto a wooden cross atop a sandy mound. He then had 10-centimetre (four-inch) nails driven through his palms.

It was the first time he had done it, he said.

“This is a vow I had made to God so that He will spare my family from sickness,” the penitent, swathed in a white robe, he said after his ordeal, which lasted several minutes, as is usual, and was seen by hundreds of people.

“It was a bit painful, but bearable,” he added, pledging to take part in the ritual every year.

In some cases the devotees -who do not take painkillers -- also had their feet nailed to the cross and one person had to be rushed off in a waiting ambulance after his feet suffered from heavy bleeding.

More than 20 fanatics, including one woman, were nailed to crosses in the farming regions on the outskirts of San Fernando, La Union, and Paombong, Bulacan.

Crucifixions are the grisliest, but by no means the only extreme acts of penitence on show in the Philippines, Asia’s largest Catholic outpost with about 75 million followers.

Dozens of barefoot male devotees wearing black hoods whipped their own bare backs bloody with strips of bamboo tied to a string as they went around the San Fernando neighborhoods on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

They were followed by groups of children who covered their faces as blood from the whips sprayed on to their clothes.

Alex Laranang, 57, said he had

BLOODY CRUCIFIXIONS MARK LENT Crucifixions are the grisliest, but by no means the only extreme acts of penitence during the Lenten season. Barefoot male devotees wearing black hoods whip their own bare backs bloody with strips of bamboo tied to a string as they went around the neighborhoods on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

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had himself crucified every year for the past 12 years.

“I had made a vow to do this every year until I die,” said Laranang, who sells snacks aboard buses for a living. “I do not expect anything in return. I do this for my God.” Like Bating, he said the physical pain was a minor inconvenience.

“I hardly feel any pain. The nerves have been deadened.”

He added:””After this, I go home, eat and go to sleep. After two days I go back to work.”

Archbishop Jose Palma, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said earlier in the week that while the Church did not encourage the extreme show of worship, it does not fault those who go through it.

“We do not judge and condemn, but we discourage it,” the church leader said on Catholic radio Veritas.

The ceremonies are supervised by local governments, which put medical treatment on standby, said Reynaldo Sulit, a district official in Paombong.

“People here follow their own beliefs. We should not take that against them,” he said.

Camilla Kozinska, a freelance photographer from Poland who is on the last leg of a four-month Asian tour, said she was both repelled and fascinated watching the crucifixions.

“There’s just too much blood,” the 29-year-old Catholic remarked as she joined about 3,000 Filipino and foreign spectators in one village. “It’s a new experience for me.”

Many Filipinos went through more practical acts of piety like visiting churches on foot to pray during the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday holidays. n Frowned upon by the church, the crucifixion spectacle has become a tourist attraction during the Lenten season.

PLANET PHILIPPINES is the No. 1 Filipino newspaper in Calgary. The only Filipino publication that comes out twice a month, PLANET PHILIPPINES has a certified print run of 4,000 copies every issue – or a total of 8,000 copies each month. Topnotch editorial content, attractive layout, long shelf life, wide circulation and affordable rates make us the top choice of readers and advertisers.

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PLanet PHiLiPPines Worldwide LEANDRO MILAN ..................................................................................

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APRIL 16-30, 2012

Former President Joseph Estrada and Vice President Jejomar Binay are joining forces once again for political supremacy in 2013 and beyond.

BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN FOR

By LEAndRo milan

2013

HE battlE lines for the 2013 elections are now being drawn with an eye for the bigger pot in the 2016 presidential polls.

What is clearly emerging is an inevitable collision next year between the ruling liberal Party (lP) and the coalesced forces of PDP-laban and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP). It will be a replay of the contest two years ago when these two groups tangled in the presidential race where the lP’s standard bearer, Noynoy aquino, thumped the PMP’s bet, former President Joseph Estrada.

Visibly missing in the picture are the once formidable lakas-NUCD party of ex-President Gloria arroyo and the Nacionalista Party headed by Senator Manuel Villar, who placed a dismal third in the

Next year’s mid-term local elections will see the realignment of political parties in preparation for the 2016 presidential race. In the grand tradition of balimbing politics in the country, trapos will jump ship, change colors, shift loyalties, and suck up to whichever group that offers the best chances of advancing their political ambitions.

2010 presidential derby. but such is the fate of political parties in the country where personalities rule over ideology and platform and where parties take the persona of the leader rather than the other way around. Now that GMa is a has-been and in detention, and Villar planning his exit from politics, the lakas-NUCD and the NP

have become mere pawns in the current electoral game.

Next year’s mid-term local elections will see the realignment of political parties in preparation for the 2016 presidential race. In the grand tradition of balimbing politics in the country, trapos (traditional politicians, to the uninitiated) will jump ship, change colors, shift loyalties, and suck up to whichever group that offers the best chances of advancing their political ambitions.

President aquino is just into the second year of his six-year term but

Although President Aquino has long been an ally of Vice President Binay, he is expected to back his own Liberal Party headed by Mar Roxas.

politicians are already eyeing the next presidential polls in 2016. the logical early frontrunner is Vice President Jejomar binay, who has openly admitted that he is gearing up to succeed aquino. “I dream of becoming the President… I cannot deny that,” he told reporters. Since his upset victory over Mar Roxas in 2010, binay has carefully nurtured his political stock by maintaining close relationship with President aquino and at the same time quietly forging alliances with various political groups, including allies of Mrs. arroyo.

Meanwhile, all is quiet in the lP camp. Its leader and presumptive standard bearer in 2016, Mar Roxas, is tied down by his duties as secretary of transportation and communications. there are speculations that he might opt to regain his Senate seat in next year’s elections in order to position himself better in 2016. but being a Cabinet member or senator is certainly no match to a sitting vice president, who incidentally has the highest popularity rating among the top officials of the land.

It was no surprise therefore that the PDP-laban-PMP combine was the first to announce its 2013 plans. the two parties have formed a co+8

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From page 5

alition, the United Nationalist Alliance, or UNA, for next year’s elections and presumably for 2016 as well.

It released its preliminary list of senatorial candidates featuring many reelectionists and familiar names. The star-studded lineup is a testimony to Binay’s rising political star that draws strength from the dictum that politics is addition.

Included in the initial list are reelectionist Senators Gregorio Honasan, Francis Escudero, Loren Legarda, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and Alan Peter Cayetano; San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito, Estrada’s son by Guia Gomez; Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile, son of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Joey de Venecia, son of former Speaker Jose de Venecia; ex-senators Ernesto Maceda and Miguel Zubiri; and Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay.

Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay, the eldest daughter of the Vice President, is also being considered for the senatorial lineup.

The list is a merry mix of balimbings and political dynasties. Escudero and Legarda used to be with the Nationalist People’s Coalition; Cayetano is a ranking member of Nacionalista; Zubiri and Magsaysay belong to Lakas-NUCD. Ex-President Estrada said UNA is attracting “so many applicants” vying for a slot in the senatorial ticket. He said Binay would eventu-

Dubbed a “political butterfly” for her penchant for party-hopping, Loren Legarda finds a new home in UNA in 2013. ally have the final say on who gets picked.

The oversupply of applicants is surely bound to create problems. Already Koko Pimentel is opposing the inclusion of Zubiri. “Unfortunately, he is on the (UNA) list.

That’s a big problem. How could I be with the person who deprived me of my four years in the Senate? Certainly, I’m not jumping with joy over this,” he said.

Pimentel and Zubiri fought for the last slot in the 2007 senatorial polls. Zubiri was proclaimed the winner but Pimentel filed an electoral protest, which was upheld four years later. n

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PACMAN VS THE TAXMAN

LAW ENFORCEMENT OR HARASSMENT?

By LEAndRo milan

EING accustomed to imposing his will inside the ring, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao wants to have the last word on taxation as well.

Facing a complaint from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for his alleged failure to submit complete tax documents for 2010, the boxing champion and congressman of Sarangani is invoking his political influence and financial clout to settle the matter. His demeanor, or lack of it, raises the question: should the law accord star treatment to influential figures like Pacquiao?

Bearing the brunt of Pacquiao’s fury is Cotabato Revenue Regional Director Rozel Lozares who filed the case. The boxer-lawmaker wants Lozares removed from his post for allegedly “harassing” him, leaving people to wonder how a minor government bureaucrat could harass a

‘If Mr. Pacquiao is not hiding something, then he should submit all the documents required by the BIR. He is a lawmaker and we expect him to respect the law. We are just doing our mandate under the law.’

The Gentleman from Sarangani receives a citation from colleagues in the House of Representatives.

On being a congressman: “Being a legislator isn’t hard work, it’s kind of light.” hugely popular national icon and a powerful politician.

Pacquiao has indicated his intention to enlist the help of President Benigno Aquino III, presumably to ask the chief executive to intervene on his behalf. To cap his surprising display of temper, the country’s top taxpayer says he is transferring his tax registration from Central Mindanao to either Laguna or Manila.

The move will reduce Central Mindanao’s share from the tax revenues, which in turn will mean lesser services for the people of the region, including those of the province of Sarangani that Pacquiao represents in Congress.

Pacquiao is eyeing the governorship of the province in next year’s elections, saying he is a better fit in an executive role rather than the legislature.

“Being a legislator isn’t hard work, it’s kind of light,” Pacquiao said. “But an executive position is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

I feel I’m better suited to that. I feel I can do many things for my province.”

In spite of his “light” load as a legislator, he is one of those with the most number of absences in the House of Representatives.

Pacquaio claimed that the tax suit had cost him millions of dollars in ad money.

“Why the BIR singled me out smacks of bad faith designed to tarnish my reputation,” he said in a press conference. “In just one instance, the BIR has tarnished my name. I shall rise to the occasion and I shall fight this case until the

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MAYWEATHER KNOCKS OFF PACQUIAO MANNY Pacquiao is no longer the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer, according to a poll by a prestigious US boxing magazine The eight-division champion lost out to his nemesis, American fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr., in The Ring magazine’s “Best Fighter” poll, which will appear in its May 2012 issue.

In a poll of 10 sportswriters conducted by The Ring editor-in-chief Michael Rosenthal, Mayweather emerged as the pound-for-pound king for the year 2011, garnering 5.5 firstplace votes.

Pacquiao received 3.5 first-place votes, owing to one evaluator’s decision to halve the point and another sportswriter’s verdict to leave the No. 1 spot vacant due to the fact that Pacquiao and Mayweather have not fought each other.

Making up third to tenth places are Sergio Martinez, Andre Ward, Juan Manuel Marquez, Nonito Donaire, Wladimir Klitschko, Tim Bradley, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam and Lucian Bute.

Dubbed “The Filipino Flash,” Donaire is a sure bet to become the next Philippine boxing icon after Pacquiao. After bagging the flyweight, bantamweight and junior bantamweight titles, Donaire took the vacant junior featherweight crown in February when he beat Mexican boxer Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. Several boxing writers questioned the results of the poll.

Filipino boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz said the poll smacked of bias for Golden Boy Promotions-backed Mayweather.

The magazine is currently owned by Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Enterprises.

“Suddenly moving Manny Pacquiao from the No. 1 spot and moving Floyd Mayweather Jr., with whom Golden Boy Promotions obviously has a business relationship, to the top spot demonstrates the bias of the Ring Magazine’s new management,” Nathanielsz said.

Nathanielsz the changes in the standings should take place after Mayweather’s fight against Miguel Cotto on May 5. “Mayweather has done nothing since his last fight against Victor Ortiz to merit moving ahead of Pacquiao,” he said.

American boxing writer Brad Cooney said that for a boxer to be toppled from his rank, he would have to suffer a defeat first.

“Manny Pacquiao is the pound-for-pound king regardless of what any magazine may say. Until somebody can knock him off the hill, he’s number one,” said Cooney. “Somebody needs to knock Pacquiao off of the hill, and I’m not talking about with a pen. Somebody needs to do it with some boxing gloves on. Until that happens, Pacquiao is the king of the hill.”

SUDOKU RULES: Place a number from 1-9 in each empty cell. Each row, column and 3x3 block bounded by bold line (9 blocks) contains all the numbers from 1-9

Solution on page 37

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BiR Commissioner Henares defends the move of her subordinates.

last and final round.

We will fight.”

But Lozares was unfazed

by Paquiao’s rant. “It’s not a problem. It’s his prerogative where he wants to pay his taxes,” he said.

But he warned the part-time lawmaker to expect a backlash on his image and political career.

“The local taxpayers may question why he is paying his taxes somewhere else when he is living and conducting most of his businesses here,” he said.

Lozares said Pacquiao was given three letter-requests and a subpoena before a legal action was initiated against him last March 1. “If Mr. Pacquiao is not hiding something, then he should submit all the documents required by the BIR. He is a lawmaker and we expect him to respect the law. We are just doing our mandate under the law,” Lozares said.

The boxing champ topped BIR’s Top 500 Individual Taxpayers list in 2008 when he paid over P125 million in taxes. His income tax payment shrunk to P7.41 million in 2009.

In 2010, from a taxable income of P504.5 million, Pacquiao paid only P9.19 million in taxes. In comparison, the country’s top taxpayer in 2010, Vicente Lao, had a taxable income of only P235 million. In his 2010 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), Pacquiao declared his assets at P1.13 billion ($26.3 million) and no liabilities, making him the country’s richest lawmaker.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and BIR Commissioner Kim

“We love and respect Pacquiao, but at the same time we have a duty to review everyone’s income tax return,” said Purisima Henares defended their agency’s move, stressing that it was just doing its job.

“I don’t think the BIR will dare harass an eight-time world champion. We love and respect [Pacquiao] and we wish him the best. But at the same time we have a duty to make sure that we review everyone’s income tax return, and I don’t think Congressman Pacquiao should take this personally,” said Purisima.

Some lawmakers, however, came to Pacquiao’s defense, saying the boxing champion should be accorded special treatment because he is a national icon who has brought honor to the country. They slammed BIR officials for being “arrogant,” “insensitive” and “inconsiderate.”

But there were a few congressmen who think otherwise. Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said that as a public official and role model, Pacquiao should set the proper example and break the stereotype that the rich and powerful can evade the payment of proper taxes with impunity. Rep. Raymund Palatino of the Kabataan party list said Pacquiao “shouldn’t bully, intimidate, threaten a co-worker in government” and instead “inspire others not to abuse fame, wealth, and power to receive special treatment from the bureaucracy.” n

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THE BOND OF CULTURE AND CUISINE

APRIL 16-30, 2012

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Or Why the Filipino Food Hasn’t Made It Globally And Just What Would Make It So

By ChERIE m. del rio

T does not matter which corner of the world we are in or for how long. sooner or later, our gustatory senses will be craving for the lutong bahay meals that we have grown up with. It seems that we cannot get by without the traditional Filipino recipes to delight our taste buds on a regular basis. But unlike other Asian cuisines -- -such as Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese--the Filipino culinary arts seem to be confined to a handful of Filipino restaurants scattered inadequately in remote states and suburbs. We don’t just walk into any dining hotspot, open the menu, and find a section which contains Filipino dishes. our adobo and kare-kare haven’t earned fame and patronage the same way the Japanese sushi or Chinese dimsum have made their way in restaurant specials.

Why haven’t we made it? Where lies the problem? Why hasn’t the Filipino cuisine invaded the global scene?

A friend cleverly offers a theory: “Because everything is brown.”

And while this is partly amusing and partly true, the color of our dishes is the least factor in our inability to join the ranks of other world-renowned Asian cuisines.

In a recent interview with Chef Gene Gonzales of Café Ysabel, he graciously shared his insights as to why Filipino dishes still haven’t made it globally. Chef Gene, who is the co-founder of Alta Cocina Filipina (the movement for contemporary Filipino cuisine), has authored many cookbooks and articles on the culinary arts for Manila’s major newspapers. His knowledge and brilliant observations on the current state of the Filipino culinary arts pave the way for the even more remarkable visions he has for our native cuisine.

“There is no problem with flavor, ingredients,” Chef Gene explains.

“Presentation can be attained by a new generation of food stylists and

For Filipino cuisine to attain global recognition, both locals and tourists should be able to identify the strong connection between our cultures and traditions and the food we eat and serve. with. He elaborates, “It can have a the strong connection between our historical, anthropological, sociologi- cultures and traditions and the food cal, medical nutraceutical or a com- we eat and serve. It must be recogbination of several factors of how a nized that when we speak of Filipino recipe could have evolved.” culture and heritage, we likewise Where then should our focus be speak of the Filipino recipes that have chefs without altering the time charin order for our cuisine to have a been handed down from one generaacter of the recipe or dish.” tion to another and vice versa.

For Chef Gene, the problem lies global reach?

Chef Gene offers the most inHe looks back at the culinary with a weak marketing campaign and an even weaker political will. He teresting and profound answer: we events he has attended and shares his believes that anybody interested in should emphasize the bond of our observations on how the other Asian food will try a dish if explained well culture with our cuisine. Both locals cuisines have been marketed. “Take in a context that the person can relate and tourists should be able to identify the Thai, Malaysian, and Vietnamese experience. Food is always part of any tourism promotion the Philippines has only started the past years,” Chef Gene says. “I’ve been doing Philippine food festivals every year abroad and a good appreciation for our cuisine is obvious among those who try our spreads for as long as the dishes are well explained.”

The man behind Café Ysabel’s world-class cuisine also recounts an example that bolsters the need to highlight the bond between a country’s culture and culinary arts.

“Take the Thais,” he says. “It took an American P.R. firm to teach them how to market their food and it was successful. All over Thailand, a Tom Yam looks like a Tom Yam, so does their Red Curry or their There is a need for an adequate marketing scheme that will push our recipes Papaya salad. At present, any Thai forward, plus sufficient government support. national that sets up a restaurant

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The problem is not because our food is brown or that our recipes are not healthy or varied enough, says a chef. outside of Thailand gets a royal subsidy from their embassy because they want to prove that it is one of the best cuisines of the world.”

It is clear. The Filipino cuisine hasn’t penetrated the global culinary arena not because all our food is brown or that our recipes are not healthy enough or not varied enough. We have not reached that most coveted world-class level because we do not have an adequate marketing scheme that will push our recipes forward, neither do we have sufficient government support.

“It’s a marketing and government problem,” Chef Gene emphasizes.

Having identified our weakness, Chef Gene now relates his compelling vision for the Filipino cuisine and how it can flourish both locally and globally. “We should include Filipino cooking in every grade school and high school curriculum.

We should make it a required subject in all professional culinary programs,” he suggests.

He says we explore and be conscious of other culinary arts such as the cuisine of our Muslim brothers in Mindanao, the Filipino ethnic or tribal cooking and its documentation, the Filipino-Chinese cooking, particularly Tsinoy Binondo cooking which has evolved and is its own cuisine.

Chef Gene likewise believes that creating special awards on regional Filipino cookbooks (without the Fusion, of course) can help push our culinary arts to excellence and popularity.

Another one of his well-established suggestions is to create a Food Almanac and document all the specialties on a per town basis.

“This can be done on a local government level since all local government units have a tourism office,” Chef Gene offers this insight. “Filipino cuisine will proliferate and will experiment a great push if the multi-sectoral effort will be spurred by a government that realizes the bond of culture and cuisine. only then can we truly see the reality of a dream of evolving new and more dynamic Filipino recipes.”

And only then can we be closer to the day when we shall walk into a restaurant in some diner in Chicago or Houston and find, perhaps, the sinigang featured in the regular menu. only then can we claim that our Filipino cuisine has finally descended upon the international culinary scene. n

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over three towns.

These fascinating landforms are composed of limestone and other marine organisms, like corals. The Chocolate Hills are a must-see in Bohol, which has many other attractions.

By CARmELA g. LAPEñA

ITH summer vacation just around the corner, many Filipinos are excited to plan their vacations. While seeing the world may be fun, it can also be quite expensive.

Fortunately, there are several places that are more than worth seeing in the Philippines. Ang Pinaka, a GmA News TV show, lists ten of the most awe-inspiring sites and attractions in its feature Amazing Natural Wonders ng Pilipinas.

10. Mount Pulag -- This mountain is the third highest in the Philippines and Luzon’s highest peak at 2,922 meters above sea level. It is located in mt. Pulag National Park, which straddles the boundaries of Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.

Famous for its unique flora and fauna, the mt. Pulag Park is a mountaineer’s dream destination.

Passing through forests to get to the summit, campers can stay overnight to wake up on top of the world.

With its rainforests and grasslands, the mountain is often awash in sunlight and fog.

Permits are needed to climb the park, and it’s best to prepare for the challenging climb.

10MOST AMAZING Above the clouds on Mt. Pulag

The view from Tagaytay Ridge

7. Donsol, Sorsogon -- since a group of divers first made contact with butanding in 1998, the gentle giants have become a worldwide attraction in the town of Donsol in sorsogon. It is one of a few places in the world where the whale sharks can be found.

Butanding watching is what draws tourists to the place. To ensure that the whale sharks are not disturbed in their natural habitat, the local government has imposed guidelines for tourists. People are

NATURAL WONDERS difficult to get to, and mass tourism in the area is really not a good idea.

But Agusan marsh is a popular destination for bird watchers. It is host of different bird species, including rare ones that are not found in other parts of the world.

9. Agusan Marsh -- One of the

most ecologically significant wetland ecosystems in the Philippines, the Agusan marsh is an area for conservation. It is a very popular destination for bird-watchers from all over the world.

It is not yet that popular as a tourist attraction as the marsh is

APRIL 16-30, 2012

8. Chocolate Hills -- some-

Butanding, the gentle giant

times green, sometimes brown, Bohol’s famous natural wonders are so perfectly shaped that it’s hard to believe they are nature’s creations. In fact, a great deal of effort is made to keep people away from the hills.

You have to climb 214 steps just to see the hills, which are spread

not allowed to touch or swim too close to the whale sharks. swimming with the butanding is a truly awesome experience. It’s so amazing, it’s almost surreal, swear those who have been tried it.

6. Coron, Palawan -- The main gateway to the Calaminan Group in the northern section of Palawan, Coron is a small island with an abundance of natural beauty.

Apart from spectacular limestone formations, immaculate beaches, hot springs and the Cayangan Lake, there is a fantastic dive site where one can see the Japanese

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Underwater world of Tubbataha naval vessels sunk by American fighter planes during World War II. Culion Island, which was once a leper colony, remains relatively unspoiled because tourists do not frequent the place for fear of contacting leprosy. There’s hardly any development on the island since the fifties, so it’s very peaceful and pristine.

5. Boracay -- Famous for its

pristine white powdery sand, Boracay was recently named the second best island in Asia, second only to Indonesia’s Bali, and the fourth best worldwide. Despite being crowded at times, one can manage to find a peaceful spot on the island.

Apart from swimming, the paradise island offers a variety of activities, and visitors have a wide array of options when it comes to resorts and dining. Night life is as vibrant and exciting as in any big city.

4. Mayon Volcano -- Known for its perfect cone, Mayon Volcano is as breathtaking as it is scary. It is best admired from a distance although adventure-seekers may opt to get up close by climbing up its slopes.

Beneath its beauty and splendor is a boiling cauldron that sparks terror in the hearts of the residents in the area. Past eruptions have wrecked havoc on surrounding communities, destroying crops and livestock and leveling villages. The ruins of the Cagsawa Church’s belfry are silent witness to the fury of the volcano.

3. Taal Volcano -- Another frequently-visited volcano is Taal Volcano. Arguably the smallest active volcano in the world, it is submerged in Taal Lake, the third largest lake in the Philippines next to Laguna de Bay and Lake Lanao.

Considered as one of the top 10 beautiful lakes in the world, Taal Lake is actually a crater. It has been

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PHILIPPINES

APRIL 16-30, 2012

CANADA SCRAPS 300,000 IMMIGRANT APPLICATIONS

nominated for the UNESCO world heritage list.

The serene lake is best viewed and admired from the Tagaytay Ridge. Tourists flock to the resort city for its cool weather and the magnificent views along the ridge.

A mere two-and-a-half drive from steamy Manila, Tagaytay is the next best thing after Baguio.

2. Palawan Underground River -- Recently named one of the

New Seven Wonders of Nature, the Puerto Princesa Underground River is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The river winds through a cave before flowing directly into the sea and is navigable with a boat up to four kilometers deep from the sea.

The cave includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers.

To preserve the cave formations from excessive carbon emissions from human, he local government is limiting daily visitors to 700.

Hordes of local and foreign tourists descend on Puerto Princesa every day.

1. Tubbataha Reef -- Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Rising from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea in the western Philippines, these magnificent atolls encompass an astonishing diversity of marine life.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tubbataha is the Philippines’ first national marine park. It supports an unparalleled variety of marine creatures. Colorful reef fish crowd corals growing in the shallows while sharks and pelagics haunt the steep drop offs to the open sea.

A team of rangers are stationed on the reef year-round and, from March until June, divers visit Tubbataha to experience the wonders of this unique underwater world.

(GMA News) n

There are two compelling reasons for the decision to return nearly 300,000 applications from skilled workers: to eliminate a huge backlog of stale applications and to speed up the intake of immigrants needed by today’s economy.

TTAWA - Canada plans to eliminate a backlog of stale immigration applications by skilled workers, in a potentially controversial move designed to enable immigrants whose skills are in greater current demand to enter the country faster.

Some Canadian employers have complained that backlogs have hobbled the immigration system and made it unable to respond nimbly to demand for foreign workers in higher growth sectors like video-gaming and the oil patch.

Canada’s Immigration Minister Jason Kenney (middle) trumpets the Canadian Experience Class program designed for those who have already worked or studied in Canada.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on March 29 that Canada now plans to return almost all of the 300,000 foreign skilled worker applications that were filed before February 27, 2008, along with their C$130 million ($130 million) in fees. Some have been waiting for a decade or more.

Flaherty made the announcement in his annual budget, saying the reforms would make the system faster and more efficient.

“We will ensure it is designed above all to strengthen Canada’s economy. As a result we will be better able to fill gaps in our labor

force,” Flaherty told the House of Commons in his budget speech.

It is an irony that national unemployment is running at more than 7 percent while certain industries face labor shortages, but such employers may be looking for people with certain skills not found among most of the unemployed.

But someone who applied in 2001 may not have the skills needed in 2012, and if she or he was 42 when they applied would now be 53 and have fewer working years.

Canada has traditionally welcomed high numbers of immigrants. The country lets in 250,000

Canada’s Immigration Minister Jason Kenney (middle) trumpets the Canadian Experience Class program designed for those who have already worked or studied in Canada. people a year and because of its below-replacement birth rate it will eventually rely on immigrants for any growth in its labor force.

It has a total backlog of one million would-be immigrants, about 460,000 of whom are skilled workers. Also in the backlog are applications by family members of recent immigrants, as well as investors and entrepreneurs.

The government allows 75,000 skilled workers to immigrate each year. In 2008, Ottawa started fast-tracking new applications by skilled workers but it quickly had to put a cap on those in order to be able to work through those still in the queue.

As a result of the measures announced on March 29, it will be able to raise the number of applications it fast-tracks, with a planned eventual turn-around time of six months.

It had already told those in the backlog that they were welcome to withdraw their applications and reapply under the new rules. But if their skills are now in less demand, their chances of acceptance will also be lower.

The budget also announced somewhat less developed plans to revamp the rules under which investors can immigrate. Previously, they were required to invest large sums of money with Canadian governments. But the intention now is to require them to invest directly in the economy. n

APRIL 16-30, 2012

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