Splash April 2013 Issue by Splash 'Pinas

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Verbatim Some people, when they grow old, they become elder statesmen; some people when they grow old, they become rumormongers.

Erap para sa mahirap? Eh sino ba yumaman? Siya. Illgotten wealth niya. Isoli niya.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, blasting former President Joseph Estrada’s claim of being pro-poor. Estrada is challenging Lim for the mayoral post of Manila in the coming May elections.

What is bad here is if you want to be crucified to become famous or earn money... being crucified becomes an entertainment.

Fr. Francis Lucas, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), on the Holy Week ritual of some penitents being nailed on the cross turning into a form of entertainment

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, alluding to retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz who urged the president’s sister, Kris Aquino, to comment on rumors that she has plans to run for the vice presidency in 2016, adding the bishop was engaging in ‘chika’

For me the issue of homosexuality is one of humanity - PAGE AD FULL it’s not an anomaly, it’s not a disease nor anything negative. It’s as much a part of God’s creation as being straight.

Hindi ako nagagandahan sa ugali niya.

Cecile Ongpauco, mother of actress Heart Evangelista, lambasting her daughter’s boyfriend, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who she accused of many things, including being “arrogant”, “disrespectful”, “opportunist” and “alcoholic”.

Lea Salonga, sharing her personal view on the issue of homosexuality

Hindi po nakakabata ang pagiging Pangulo ng Pilipinas. May mga nagsasabing ang kailangan ko nang magbakasyon, dahil nahahalata na raw ang lalim ng aking eye bags at lalo na raw yatang numinipis ang aking buhok.

President Aquino, joking about his thinning hair and eye bags which he blames on the stress of being chief executive of the country

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Filipino Competitiveness is Not Good, it’s Great! By james michael lafferty

WAS a panelist last week in the Euromoney Philippines Investment Forum along with many dignitaries, including President Benigno Aquino III and Secretary of Finance Cesar Purisima. One of those “standard” questions came up concerning, “What can the Philippines do to improve competitiveness?” I think many people were shocked at how bullish I am on the Philippines. And I am not saying there is nothing to improve upon. It is just that, from my vantage point of leading multinationals in this country, this nation is incredibly competitive! Let me tell a few stories to explain why. I have worked for some of the biggest and most respected consumer goods companies: Procter and Gamble. Coca-Cola. And now BAT (British American Tobacco). And on five continents and over 40 countries. In every country, there are indeed competitors — some local, but typically the ones concerned being other multinationals. Like when I was at Coke, my biggest worry was Pepsi most of the time, not the local cola brand. There is, however, one nation that stands out. Where the local companies are so good, so well run, that they represent the big competitive risk. And that country is right here, the Philippines! Let me give some examples. P&G is the biggest laundry detergent company in the world. By far. And in normal cases, the key competitors are companies like Unilever, or Henkel, as examples. But not here. In my time leading P&G, the leader of the laundry detergent bar segment, which was nearly half of the market, was a great brand called Champion from Peerless. A local compa-

ny. Well run. A very formidable competitor. They were winning market shares. And they deserved it, doing a better job of delivering real consumer value. I respected them. And they made me better. You can see the same in many, if not most, consumer categories. Diapers have EQ, a brilliant local brand. Toothpaste has Hapee. And there are many more: Splash Corporation, Belo Skincare, Alaska Milk — all local Filipino companies that are well run, hyper-competitive, and winning market shares. I have never seen a market like this. So competitive. So good at turning out world-class companies and talent. My two favorite examples start with iced tea. I can only imagine if I was a consultant, and a local company came to me and asked, “Do you think we can win if we enter a category dominated by Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola, Unilever, and Nestle?” My answer would be, “Don’t be crazy, you are taking on four monsters. Go find something else to compete in!” Well, I am glad my friend

Homegrown Jollibee lords it over global fast food giant McDonald’s in the country. Lance Gokongwei and his colleagues at URC never asked me. Because what they did is extraordinary. They entered. They had the unique name, flavors, and distribution strategy of C2. And in a few short years, they took the lead from the big boys. It’s about as impressive a story as there is. In fact, it’s a lot more impressive in my view than the story of Bill Gates starting up in a garage! Finally, when I retired from P&G and left the Philippines, sadly, for my new role in Nigeria as CEO of Coca-Cola, I met in my first week in Lagos with my top customer, an owner of the largest fast-food chain called Chicken Republic. We were chatting and he asked me where I came from. I answered, “The Philippines.” And I will never forget his answer. “Oh, my gosh! That’s neat! My hero is a Filipino.” So I, of course, asked, “Who is that?” His answer was, “Tony Tan, the founder of Jollibee. And let me tell you why. I am today the biggest fast food chain in Nigeria. But we know McDonald’s is coming. And it is scary, all their money and might and PR. But

we have hope. Because somewhere out there in this world, there is a local chain that has succeeded in beating McDonald’s, and keeping leadership. And that is Jollibee.” I loved it. Even in the middle of Nigeria, the excellence of Filipino business is recognized and cheered. Nine months later, upon the gracious invitation of Tony Tan and his team at Jollibee, I escorted my Nigerian customer and his team to Manila for a one-week visit with Jollibee to learn. It was a wonderful experience, and the entire group could not say enough good things about Jollibee, their leadership, and their commitment to excellence. It is a great, great company. I could go on and on. This country has amazing competitiveness. Yes, we can do more. We can continue to truly knock down barriers to free market competition, to level the playing field like was recently done in tobacco, to allow more companies to enter and invest. We can continue to push for investmentgrade ratings, to open up more capital markets to our businesses. We can upgrade more infrastructure. The administration is pushing all the right buttons. Anyone can see it. And I tell you this: with the amazing base of talent, skill and competitiveness this nation has right now, if we fix these things, it will be downright exciting — and scary to some — how competitive this country’s businesses can be. (The Philippine Star) n

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OLLSTER Social Weather Stations’ February survey has found that 9.2 percent, or nearly one out of every 10 Catholics who are registered voters, “sometimes think of leaving the Church.”

Though they have no data from the past which would show a trend of Filipino Catholics renouncing their religion, SWS said that its recent survey gave credence to the assertion of Jesuit priest and Ateneo de Davao University president Fr. Joel Tabora SJ that “people have been leaving the Catholic Church,” partly as a result of “theological bullying.” SWS said it took the survey on its own account, “as a public service” in response to a blog post by Tabora who also wrote, “It is time, I think, for [SWS president] Mahar Mangahas to take out his social survey tools to help us understand what is happening.” Broken down, of the Catholics who sometimes think of leaving the Church: • 4.9 percent considered themselves very religious • 9.1 percent considered themselves somewhat religious • 16.1 percent considered themselves not very religious • 57.3 percent said they have no religious belief. Of the 9.2 percent of Catholics who sometimes think of leaving the Church, 2.5 percent said they “strongly agree” and 6.7 percent “somewhat agree” with the statement, “Sometimes I think that I might leave the Catholic Church.” This was the first time SWS fielded such a question and thus it did not have earlier data that would establish if there was a trend. However, the poll did reveal that thoughts of leaving the Catholic Church are more common among Catholics “who do not consider themselves as very religious, who attend Church

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Nearly One of 10 Pinoy Catholics Thinking of Leaving Church

Only 37 percent of Catholics attend church weekly, compared to 64 percent among Protestants, 70 percent among Iglesia ni Cristos, 75 percent among Muslims, and 62 percent among other Christians. monthly at most, and whose church attendance is less now than five years ago.” In terms of church attendance, Catholics who sometimes think of leaving the Church included: • 5.4 percent among weekly churchgoers • 7.1 percent among those who attend several times a month • 12.9 percent among those who attend once a month • 14.5 percent among those who attend several times a year • 18.0 percent among those who attend once a year at most. The survey covered not only Catholics but other religions. Of the 1,200 voters surveyed, 81 percent were Catholics, 6 percent Protestants, 3 percent Iglesia ni Cristo, and 3 percent of other Christian denominations. And the “slightly down-

ward” trend of religious-service attendance applied to Catholics, Iglesia ni Cristo members and Muslims as well. The exceptions are the Protestants and other Christians among whom more attend “more frequently” than those who do “less frequently.” “Only 37 percent of Catholics attend church weekly. In comparison, there are nearly twice as many of other Christians who are weekly churchgoers: 64 percent among Protestants, 70 percent among Iglesia ni Cristos and 62 percent among other Christians,” it said. It added 75 percent of Muslims attend masjid at least weekly. SWS said that in 70 SWS surveys of church attendance from 1991 to 2013, weekly attendance was always lower among Catholics in general. The SWS said the highest

recorded weekly church attendance among Filipinos was 66 percent in July 1991, the first time SWS asked the question. It added the highest recorded weekly church attendance among Catholics was 64 percent, also in July 1991. Among all Filipinos, the 43 percent weekly church attendance in February 2013 matches the 43-percent low first recorded in March 2008. The SWS added the latest 37 percent weekly church attendance of Catholics in February 2013 matches the all-time low 37 percent weekly church attendance of Catholics in March 2008. It added the decline in Catholics’ weekly church attendance from 1991 to 2013 is highly significant, statistically speaking. From 1991 to 2013, SWS said the average annual percentage of adults identifying themselves as Catholics in the SWS surveys varied between a high of 88 percent in 1997 and a low of 80 percent in 2007. It said this indicates “a very slight, but statistically significant, downward trend in the 22-year period.” In the survey, only 29 percent of Catholics consider themselves very religious, compared to 50 percent among Protestants, 43 percent among Iglesia ni Cristo and 41 percent among those from other Christian denominations. Among Muslims, 38 percent consider themselves very religious. “Compared with other religious groups, Catholics are the least religious,” the SWS said. (GMA News) n

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Penitents Take Faith to Extremes

UTUD, Pampanga - About two dozen Filipinos were nailed to crosses on Good Friday in an extreme display of devotion that the Catholic church looks down upon as a form of folk religion but appears powerless to stop.

The re-enactment of the passion of Jesus Christ draws thousands of tourists to the Pampanga region, 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital, to watch barefoot penitents flagellate themselves and a series of crucifixions on an artificial hill. The practice, which took hold in the province about 60 years ago as form of religious vow by poor people seeking forgiveness, a cure for illness and the fulfilment of other wishes. Archbishop Paciano Aniceto said the gory practice was a distortion of Christ’s teachings of love and selfless service. But he conceded that the church could not stop the ritual that he described as “popular piety”. Another bishop said people had to understand the folk Catholicism widely practiced in the Philippines.

Penitent Ruben Enaje, center, who has portrayed as Jesus Christ for 27 times, is nailed on the cross as he leads others in a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday in Cutud, Pampanga.

“We are in no position to suppress them,” Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David told Reuters. “I do not think it is right to close our doors to them just because they are more attracted to these folk practices than to our Roman liturgy which they may find too foreign or cerebral.” In a vacant plot of land beneath the burning sun in the San Juan district, long nails were driven through the hands and feet of four men who took turns hanging on a cross as attendants prayed for them. Elsewhere in the city, hooded men lashed their bloody backs with cloth and bamboo whips, doing penance for their sins while spraying onlookers with flecks of blood. Devotees, insisting they were prepared to endure pain as pen-

ance, had 5-inch stainless steel nails driven into their hands. Then, for a few minutes, they were hanged on wooded crosses. They commit to undergo the mock crucifixion in exchange for a gift from God such as the healing of a sick loved one. “We do this because of our faith not because we’re paid,” Ruben Inaje, a house painter who has played the role of Christ for 27 years, told Reuters. “Two years ago, I said it would be the last time I’d do it. But every time I say that, my wife gets sick. I guess God wants me to continue this sacrifice as a lifetime vow,” he said before taking up a 50 kg (110 lb) cross and heading to the crucifixion site. “I am used to it already,” said Alex Laranang, 58, who was nailed up for the 14th time. Laranang, a short, sunburnt man who sells baked buns to bus passengers, said: “It is just like a needle going through my hand. After two days, I am ready to go back to work again.” So far, he told AFP, his suffering has been rewarded as his wife and children enjoy good health and he continues to

London Edition

SPLASH Philippines, London Edition, is published once a month by Splash Press.

Rolly Pantajo is being laid down after he was nailed on a wooden cross during a Good Friday crucifixion re-enactment in San Juan village, Pampanga.

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make a good living. “I am doing this for my family, so that no one will get sick and that my livelihood will continue. I am just a poor man. But I don’t ask God to make me rich,” he said. He and the three other men grimaced as the nails were pounded into their hands, but they fixed their eyes on the sky and appeared to be in a trance as they each hung on the cross for up to 10 minutes. After they were taken down, the men hobbled off to a medical tent as Western tourists snapped pictures. Norwegian Charlotte Johanssen, 26, a Manila resident who was among the crowd of onlookers, said some of her visiting friends had found the sight too much to take. “I have friends who felt sick to their stomachs and who got nauseated,” said Johanssen, who works for an aid group in the Philippine capital. “There are those who get amazed. You can’t imagine how anyone can subject themselves to this kind of pain,” she said. (Reuters /Agence France-Presse) n

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More Filipinos Seeking Annulment Despite High Cost

RE happy-everafters becoming rarer in the Philippines?

The number of annulment cases filed in the country has been steadily rising for the past eight years, with an average of 28 couples seeking to have their marriages declared null and void per day in 2012, records from the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) showed. A total of 10,528 annulment cases were brought before the OSG last year, or over 1,000 cases more than the 9,133 filed in 2011, government records obtained by GMA News Online revealed. Last year’s figure was almost double the number of annulment cases filed a decade ago. In 2002, a total of 5,250 couples sought to have their marriages annulled. Gabriela Women’s party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan said the rising trend in annulment cases in the Philippines indicates that more and more marriages have reached the point of no return in the country. “Wala namang ibang recourse para matapos ang problematic marriages dito sa bansa kundi ang annulment. Dahil walang ibang options, doon lang nakatutok at patuloy ngang dumarami ang mga kaso,” Ilagan said in an interview. Under Article 36 of the Philippines’ Family Code, a marriage may be annulled due to lack of parental consent, force or intimidation, psychological incapacity, fraud and physical incapacity to enter the married state.

Despite the high cost and tedious process, an increasing number of Filipino couples turn to annulment to end an unhappy marriage. ‘Expensive, embarrassing experience’ Ilagan, who represents the women’s sector in Congress, said the rising number of annulment cases also means that thousands of Filipino couples are willing to undergo an “expensive and embarrasing” legal process just to be able to nullify their marriages. “Kapag nagpa-annul ka, hahalungkatin buong buhay mo. This is a really painful experience, not to mention that it will eat up much of your time and resources,” she said. She added that based on the experiences of women who approached their group for help on annulment cases, a party to a case can spend from P300,000 to P1 million to nullify the marriage. “Kukuha ka ng abogado, tapos babayaran mo ‘yung filing fees. Kapag psychological incapacity pa ‘yung ground, kailangan mo pa ng psychologists and psychiatrists. Magastos talaga,” Ilagan said.

Last resort For Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Commission on Family and Life, the high number of annulment cases poses a challenge to the Roman Catholic Church to further strengthen marriages. “Ang pinakamahalaga pa rin ay ang paghahanda ng mag-iisang dibdib bago ikasal. Kasama dito ang lahat ng aspeto: espiritwal, moral, pisikal at pinansyal,” he added. The Roman Catholic Church considers marriage as one of its sacraments, but it allows marriages to be rendered “null and void... after an examination of the situation by the competent ecclesiastic tribunal.” Once a marriage is nullified by the Church, it is declared to have “never existed,” and the parties are given the freedom to marry again. In the Philippines, a country of 96 million people, eight

out of 10 Filipinos are Roman Catholics.

Proposed alternatives Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, for his part, said it is high time to make the annulment process “more accessible” to Filipinos, especially to those who cannot afford its costs. “Napakahaba at napakagastos ng proseso ng annulment dito sa atin. Mga Sharon Cuneta at Kris Aquino lang ang nakaka-afford. Paano naman ang karaniwang Pilipino?” Colmenares said in a separate phone interview. The lawmaker filed in 2011 a measure to “simplify” the annulment procedure by giving the presumption that spousal violence, infidelity or abandonment already constitutes psychological incapacity. “Kapag binugbog ka, iniwan o ipinagpalit sa iba, psychological incapacity na iyon. Hindi na kailangan pa ng psychologist o psychiatrist para magpatunay. Hindi ka na gagastos at mapapabilis pa ‘yung kaso,” Colmenares said.

Legalize divorce For Ilagan, however, it is already time to consider legalizing divorce in the Philippines. She explained that unlike annulment, which considers the marriage as invalid, divorce terminates the marital union. “Kapag may divorce, hindi na magiging kasing mahal ang paghihiwalay. Hindi na kailangang mag-hire ng psychologist kasi may mga malinaw na kondisyon naman,” she said. In House Bill 1799, Ilagan and fellow Gabriela Rep. Emerenciana de Jesus proposed five grounds for divorce: de facto separation for at least five years, legal separation for at least two years, irreparable breakdown of marriage, psychological incapacity and irreconcilable differences. The Philippines is the only country in the world that has not yet legalized divorce. (GMA News Online) n

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Splash PHILIPPINES 115

Pinoy photographer wins Sony World Photo Awards

HEN Manny Fajutag leaned out of a jeep to capture a sunset last May, he had no idea he’d be snapping an award-winning photograph. But almost a year later, the Abu Dhabi-based Filipino photographer has now won world recognition. His photo entitled ‘Rush Hour’ picked up top honours in the Open ‘Travel’ category of the Sony World Photography Awards, making it one of ten winning images chosen from over 54,000 entries. “I was sitting in a passenger jeep going back home from vacation on Sibuyan Island just before sunset and grabbed my camera – a Sony NX5 – to capture the beautiful moment,” Fajutag told Yahoo! Maktoob. The result is a breathtaking image capturing the fading sunlight in the backdrop of a dusty road, with the coastline gently blending into a far-off mountain range. This was the first time the 39-year-old helicopter

The winning photograph: “Rush Hour” by Manny Fajutag (below). mechanic participated in such “Photography is my passion a competition and he couldn’t and I started three years ago. I contain his excitement. just had an old point and shoot “When I got the call, I camera with a fixed couldn’t believe it. I am lense,” he said. surprised because I’m Since then, Fajutag upjust an amateur phograded to a changeable FULL PAGE ADlens camera and has tographer,” he gushed, adding: “My friend enbeen snapping away couraged me to enter. whenever he has time, This was my first time capturing landscapes and I won!” and live shots or exFajutag, a self-taught perimenting in still-life photo enthusiast, picked up photography. photography as a hobby when “I’m always thinking about Graham Advert:Layout 1 23/10/2012 Page 1 he moved to the UAE in 2009. what I’m going to do 21:48 about

my passion. Even in the summer when it’s too hot outside, I take creative shots at home,” he said. The father-of-three picked up tips and tricks from photography books and by attending a few seminars, but most of his skills were developed by persistence. “Whenever I go out in Abu Dhabi, I take live shots or landscapes,” he said. Fajutag will be honoured in an award ceremony in London on April 25, where he will compete with the nine other winners for an overall prize of $5,000. “This will be my first time in London and I’m really excited to go there, but still waiting for a visa,” he said. His photo also picked up the top award in his native Philippines, where he will attend another awards ceremony, making the win twice as sweet. The stunning photos will be on display at Somerset House, London, from April 26 to May 12. (Good News Pilipinas)

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OME purists and scholars think that street dancing during fiestas is anything but art. They perceive it as a tourism-driven, commercial event that doesn’t reflect the true culture of a place. They often label it “bastardized dance.”

Street Dancing

More Fun

in the Philippines But for former Cultural Center of the Philippines president Nestor Jardin, it is a “contemporary artistic expression of local arts and culture that should be respected for its creative value and admired for what it has contributed to community building.” He recognizes them as “occasions for artists, government officials, business sector and members of the community to come together and organize events that celebrate the community spirit and pride of the place.” Beyond the banderitas, carrozas and marching bands, the fiesta encompasses the lives of Filipinos. This is the very reason why visual artists like National Artist for Visual Arts Botong Francisco and Manuel Baldemor take inspirations from it. Filipino cultural workers are so fascinated with fiestas that it became a favorite subject in literary works, films and theater. And if we look beyond the lavishness and extravagance, we can see the artistry and craftsmanship.

Artistic expressions But what is a fiesta without the element of dance? Beautifully choreographed and rooted in the communitarian and artistic expressions, these stunning art performances show and in-

The Dinagyang is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City held on the fourth Sunday of January, right after the Sinulog in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan in Aklan. terpret local history, folklore and culture. Prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde observes “how much dancing is part of our lives as Filipinos.” “The act of dancing in the streets is, for me, the height of physical and artistic expression of celebration. No fiesta is complete without street dancing. Every year, during Aliwan Fiesta, I am always amazed by the manner in which the gray area of asphalt in front of me transforms into a colorful, energetic moving form of expression,” she wrote in the book Aliwan Fiesta: The Festival of Champions. Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) president Ruperto

“Jun” Nicdao perceives street dancing and fiesta, particularly the Aliwan Fiesta, as a way “to gain insights into the way our fellow Filipinos live” as well as “socio-historical contextual knowledge not found in books nor taught in schools.”

Aliwan Fiesta Following the theme “Flash mob: More fun in the Philippines,” the broadcasting company partners with the Department of Tourism in promoting the Aliwan Fiesta, which will be on April 11 to 13, at the Cultural Center Complex in Pasay City. “For the past 10 years, Aliwan Fiesta has established itself as a cultural presenta-

The Sinulog Festival is held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City. Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous image of the Santo Niño. tion, showcasing the ingenious dance, artistic float and colorful culture and history of the provinces where the different contingents come from. We have achieved that. The art community recognizes its contribution in promoting the culture and the arts. This year, we want to put an emphasis on its tourism potentials. We want to attract more people, especially the foreign tourists, to witness it,” shares Nicdao. What can people expect from this year’s fiesta? “We are looking forward to the Dinagyang group. This year, two of the best choreographers in the region teamed up to create a 10minute performance. Also, Sinulog is back, after a three-year hiatus. They last performed in 2008, after their third straight win which elevated them to the Hall of Fame,” shares Nicdao. This year, there are 20 contingents participating in the street dancing competition (six groups from Mindanao, five from Visayas, three from Mega Manila area, and the rest from Luzon); 16 competing floats (with three non-competing), and 21 muses. Aside from the float and dance competition, the fiesta has a Shoppers Bazaar, where people can buy the best products from the different regions of the Philippines, and a photo competition which is open to both amateur and professional photographers. (Manila Bulletin) n

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Splash PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES 13 Splash 135

81% of Pinoys Satisfied With Life

ESPITE the persistence of high poverty rates in the country, at least four in every five adult Filipinos, or 81 percent, said they were satisfied with their life in December last year, a survey found.

Results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that those content with their life included 33 percent who said they were “very satisfied” and 48 percent who were “fairly satisfied.” The survey, conducted on Dec. 8 to 11, asked 1,200 adults nationwide the question, “On the whole, are you very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied, or not at all satisfied with the life you are experiencing?” Satisfaction with one’s life last December was an improvement over the levels in March last year, when 76 percent said they were satisfied, consisting

of 31 percent who were “very satisfied” and 45 percent who were “fairly satisfied.” Only one in five Filipinos, or 20 percent, five months ago were left wanting—down from 24 percent in March 2012. Satisfied Filipinos were also optimistic with their personal life and the Under the Aquino adminiseconomic outlook of the country in the next 12 months. tration, life satisfaction ratings hovered between 76 percent (82 percent), Metro Manila (82 was also higher among those and 86 percent, the survey’s rewho finished college (88 perpercent) and Mindanao (71 percord high in December 2011. cent) than among elementary cent). The survey’s lowest life satBy economic group, life sat- school and non-elementary FULL PAGE AD isfaction rating was at 61 perisfaction was highest among school graduates (both at 76 cent in September 2002 and Class ABC (94 percent), fol- percent). November 2003. Satisfied Filipinos were also lowed by Class D (82 percent) In the survey last December, and Class E (74 percent). optimistic with their personal life satisfaction was highest in Satisfaction was greater in life and the economic outlook Luzon outside Manila (84 perof the country in the next 12 urban areas (84 percent) than cent), followed by the Visayas months, according to SWS. n in rural areas (78 percent). It

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Germany opens doors to Filipino nurses

ERMANY is opening its doors to Filipino nurses as Manila and Berlin are set to sign an agreement paving the way for the deployment of Philippine health workers with guarantees of professional training and a healthy work environment.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said that German Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Ursula von der Leyen is set to travel to Manila soon to formalize the deployment agreement with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. The signing follows a March 8 meeting between Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe Natividad and officials of

the federal employment agency, International Placement Services (ZAV), in Bonn, said the DFA. Supervised by Von der Leyen, the ZAV, along with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), “will ensure that Filipino nurses will have adequate linguistic and professional preparation, free of charge, prior to entry to Germany” as part of a “triple win formula.”

“It is all systems go for the Triple Win Project. When the agreement is signed, then we have a cooperation framework that enables Filipino nurses to work in Germany,” Natividad said in a statement. She said the deployment agreement has safety nets to protect the Filipino workers’ rights. “Under the agreement, Filipino workers may not be employed under working conditions less favorable than those comparable for German workers,” she said. The DFA said the deployment agreement is part of the enhanced labor cooperation that Foreign Secretary Albert

del Rosario and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle discussed in Manila last February. Earlier, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz announced that talks that could lead to the enactment of a mutual recognition arrangement for Filipino nurses are now underway. “This could result in the deployment of our nurses in Belgium and probably even to other member-countries of the European Union,” Baldoz said. Foreign nurses encounter difficulty in entering Belgium due to restrictions imposed by the European Commission, which passed in 2005 a directive that limits foreign workers. Based on the directive, licensed Filipino nurses still have to undergo course adaptation to elevate their credentials to be at par with the Belgian nursing curriculum, Baldoz said. n

Local jobs for US-licensed Pinoy nurses

Filipino lawmaker has cited the Philippines’ largest business process outsourcing provider, Accenture Inc., for recruiting US-licensed Filipino nurses for employment in Manila. “We welcome the new career opportunities for Filipino nurses being provided by Accenture,” Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers’ Association Rep. Arnel Arnel Ty said. “We have many US-licensed nurses who are still here waiting for labor market conditions in America to improve. For now, working in the Philippines for companies like Accenture will enable these nurses to keep their practice active.” Accenture has been hiring Filipino nurses who are licensed to practice in America. “They are being enlisted as managers, team leaders, and analysts in the company’s Philippine operations,” Ty said. “We reckon the Filipino nurses will help fulfill the needs of

US-licensed Filipino nurses are hired as managers, team leaders, and analysts in Accenture’s Philippine operations. Accenture’s growing number of corporate clients in the US and global health insurance sector.” By annual revenue, Accenture is the largest multinational BPO provider operating in the Philippines. Accenture in the Philippines generated P22.256 billion in revenues in 2011, up by P4.823

billion, or 27.7 percent, from P17.433 billion in 2010.More than one-tenth of Accenture’s 259,000-strong global workforce is based in the Philippines, where the firm has multiple delivery centers. To obtain a US license, Filipinos and other foreign-educated nurses must pass the National Council Licensure Examination

(NCLEX) for registered nurse administered by the US National Council of State Boards of Nursing Inc. (USNCSBN). Filipino nurses have been able to take the NCLEX at the Pearson Professional Center in Makati City since 2007. The number of Philippineeducated nurses seeking US jobs has plunged to a 12-year low. Only 3,673 Filipino nurses indicated their desire to seek employment in America in 2012 by taking the NCLEX for the first time, down 35 percent from 5,630 in 2011. The number of Filipino nurses taking the NCLEX for the first time, excluding repeaters, is considered a reliable indicator as to how many of them are trying to practice their profession in America. According to USNCSBN statistics, Filipinos are still the most aggressive seekers of potential US employment among foreign-educated nurses. n

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ERESITA Mabignay does her ironing using free electricity on the slope of a garbage dump, an unlikely beneficiary of efforts to turn the Philippines’ growing rubbish problems into a clean-energy windfall. Mabignay lives at the base of one of Manila’s largest landfills, which was the first in the country to have its methane gas converted into power as part of a United Nations’ program aimed at tackling climate change. Decomposing rubbish produces methane, which is one of the greenhouse gases that scientists blame for global warming, and turning it into electricity saves it from rising up into the atmosphere while reducing the need to burn fossil fuels. The methane is captured with pipes that are dug into the landfill, similar to wells that extract gas from under the ground or ocean. Methane is then sucked down to a power station at the bottom of the dumpsite and pumped into generators to make electricity. For the past few years Mabignay and other housewives from the slum community at the bottom of the Payatas landfill have been given free access to the power at a hall built at the dumpsite. “It really helps because it cuts down on our electricity bills... sometimes we use the savings to buy food,” said Mabignay, 50, whose husband earns the equivalent of about $200 a month working as a security guard at the dumpsite. The company behind the project, Pangea Green Energy Philippines, could afford to be generous with its electricity as it was earning hundreds of thousands dollars to capture and convert the gas. Under the UN program, industrialized countries can meet their Kyoto Protocol commitments to cut greenhouse gas output by funding projects that

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Experiment in the Dumpsite

From Trash to Energy

Housewives in a slum community do their ironing using power from methane gas. reduce emissions in developing nations such as the Philippines. Companies in developing countries earn credits for reducing emissions, each equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide. The credits are then sold to companies, institutions or governments in industrialized countries to offset their emissions. Pangea president Jennifer Fernan Campos said the Payatas energy project was set up to take advantage of the UN scheme, with the first kilowatts generated in 2008. “We are also very gratified to be helping the environment and the community. In our own little way we are mitigating greenhouse gas emissions,” she said. Thousands of renewable energy projects in developing countries have been registered under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism since it began in 2005, including wind

farms, solar stations and hydropower dams. There have also been many waste-to-energy projects, with four others in the Philippines starting up after the pioneering Pangea operation, according to industry website www. cdmpipeline.org. However the market price for each tonne of greenhouse gas that companies save started dropping sharply in 2010, partly because of the economic meltdown in Europe which was the biggest source of revenues. “Our rate is a floating one so when the market collapsed, we suffered,” Fernan Campos said, explaining they made the mistake of not locking in a higher price when they had the chance. Industry experts have warned the carbon trading scheme is in danger because of the collapse in prices, and many clean-energy projects

face an uncertain future. However Fernan Campos said the Payatas project had become commercially viable without the UN-channelled money. She said Pangea this month expanded capacity from 200 kilowatts to one megawatt, and began selling directly onto Manila’s electricity grid. Previously the electricity generated at Payatas had just been used to power operations at the landfill and for the nearby slum communities via the ironing project and neighborhood street lights. The amount of greenhouse gases that are now being saved at Payatas is the equivalent to taking 18,000 cars off Manila’s roads, according to Fernan Campos. She said the project had a host of other environmental benefits, including less direct air pollution for people living close by. The extracted methane gas could also no longer contaminate the water system. Nevertheless, Greenpeace and some other environment groups oppose waste-to-energy projects, arguing their green credentials are often exaggerated and that they create a financial incentive for more rubbish to be dumped. “The only way to address the issue of methane generation from waste is to stop the rubbish going to the landfill in the first place,” Greenpeace Philippines program manager Beau Baconguis said. “Having such projects in place encourages the generation of waste, rather than eliminating it, because you need waste to run the facility.” Baconguis said there was no vision from the Philippine government to reduce waste, and that Manila’s roughly 12 million residents were producing between 6,000 and 8,000 tonnes of rubbish every day. However Fernan Campos insisted Pangea was not lobbying for, or encouraging, more waste to be dumped at Payatas. (Agence France-Presse) n

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PH Investment grade calls for reforms

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The Philippines is rushing reforms as it prepares for stronger fund inflows following its promotion to an investment grade credit rating.

HE Philippines is rushing reforms in its foreign investment and foreign exchange rules as it prepares for stronger fund inflows following its promotion to an investment grade credit rating. But it will take several months and possibly as much as a year before new rules aimed at opening up certain industries to more foreign investment can take effect, as they will likely require legislation, officials said. Fitch Ratings delivered the Philippines’ first investment grade rating on 27 March, citing a persistent current account surplus and an improved debt-to-GDP ratio that fell to a 14-year low of 51 percent last year. Other debt watchers Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service are expected to follow suit, with their actions closely watched by investors who want to put money into the country but are restricted from doing so in non-investment grade nations. But Christian de Guzman, Moody’s senior sovereign risk analyst, told Reuters they want to see more proof that Manila’s economic and fiscal gains were sustainable before considering elevating the country’s credit rating from junk bond status. Despite robust economic growth in excess of 6 percent a year, the Philippines has an

investment problem, attracting paltry levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) compared to its Southeast Asian peers. That imbalance has kept the unemployment rate around 7 percent and the underemployment rate near 21 percent, among the highest in the region. Policymakers need to attract more FDI into the real economy while curbing inflows of speculative “hot” money, which are forcing prices of stocks, bonds and the peso currency higher. The government of President Benigno Aquino is reviewing archaic laws and regulations on foreign investment, with a view to possibly opening up areas now restricted to only Filipinos.

Fairytale revival? Restrictions on foreign ownership in major industries and land acquisition by foreigners are part of the reasons investors have shunned the Philippines, resulting in net foreign direct investments of $2 billion in 2012, or just under 3 percent of the total that flowed into a group of five peer economies including the Philippines in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2011. The government wants to finish the review and prepare recommended legislation before a new Congress is sworn in in July, Domingo said, adding in-

vestors have been waiting in the wings for infrastructure, tourism and manufacturing projects. “What all these developments will do is to accelerate those processes given the very high

interest in the country right now (and) ... make the Philippines attractive as an investment destination,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said. However, with the government not keen on amending the constitution to relax a 40 percent limit on foreign ownership in many sectors, there is little hope of a sharp jump in FDI soon. “Clearly foreign businesses will see opportunities. I just don’t necessarily think the country is going to be able to capitalize on that in the best way,” said Kenneth Akintewe, portfolio manager at Aberdeen Asset Management in Singapore. “There is a real hesistancy to allow foreigners to come in and have a major say on how businesses are run. Until that dynamic changes it is difficult to see foreigners being particularly enthusiastic,” Akintewe said, pointing to family-controlled big businesses which dominate the economic landscape. (GMA News)

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A FAN LETTER TO KRIS AQUINO

Dearest Krissy,

First of all, let me just tell you that I am your fan. I am a fan of your intelligence, your talent for articulation, and your penchant for exposing the truths about your life despite the possibility of facing public contempt and ridicule. I have literally cried with you when you bravely faced the media and revealed the sour details of your failed relationships with Philip Salvador and Joey Marquez. I rejoiced with you when you’ve finally found joy and romance in the arms of James Yap. And I have once again cried with you when your marriage fell apart. It seems, however, that we’ve been crying a lot. They call you the Horror Movie Queen for your roles in a number of horror movies, but it seems like your life is filled with more melodrama and failed love affairs -which, I guess, can be considered horrors of their own. I considered you my idol because you are an open, courageous, and strong woman: your show, KrisTV, and your many other morning shows before that have always been a source of inspiration, enlightenment, and ultimately, amusement. Who will not be able to admire the way you carry a conversation and how you can bring your guests to open up on national TV? And of course, it is impossible not to share that famous laughter of yours. I have patronized literally every brand you have endorsed: from food to fragrances, from clothing brands to laundry soaps, everything! I love Kris Aquino, end of story. But as your fan, I can’t help but ask this question: how come you seem to thrive in all the drama? And why must your family always be part and parcel of this drama? It was bad enough before that your saintly mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, whom everyone loved and admired, had to put up with all the showbiz intrigues and controversies that you had found yourself entangled with. Now that she is gone, your sisters seem to have taken the place of your mother -- standing beside you in tearful moments aired all over the media. And today, your love woes appear to have reached a level so grand it’s become a concern of your Kuya Noy. Your problems are of presidential proportions that even matters concerning national security have taken a backseat. Suddenly, newspapers stopped printing headlines about politics. The front page was instead plastered with articles about your latest legal spat with James -- how he allegedly tried to force himself on you in front of your five-year-old son, Bimby. But, Krissy, why didn’t you press charges? If you despise James that much for the alleged trauma that the incident may have caused Bimby, why not go all the way to court and fight for your dignity as a woman? Isn’t that what you seem to be fighting for, my dear idol? I am confused. Why file a mere Temporary Protection Order? And I wonder, will you also back away from this once James admits the allegation and publicly apologizes? The same way you have withdrawn from the drama when Joey issued his own public apology? You have made such a shocking decision to leave the showbiz industry. I would like to believe that it is because you want to live in peace, to keep your children away from all the negativity that show business exposes them to. After all, your sisters have made it clear to the audiences that in the midst of all this latest controversy, you are only trying to be a good mother at the end of the day. There have been rumors, however, that although you are quitting showbiz, you are actually going to come back years from now not as an actress or TV host but as a politician. Quoting unconfirmed reports, retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said that you will be running for vice president in the 2016 elections. Of course, I have no reason to doubt your chances. You have won the Filipino nation countless times over the last how many years. They have stuck by your horror movies and your horror stories. But is politics really your next career move? Please make it clear to me, Krissy. Because as much as I love your charisma and your genius, I find it hard to understand you sometimes. I also do not understand why you had to quit showbiz. The industry will not be the same without your bubbly presence, your witty commentary, your impeccable charm: you are definitely one of a kind. And despite all the controversies hounding you like wolves, you remain a bankable talent and a top showbiz icon. You are an unparalleled star and no one can ever match the sparkle of Kris Aquino. I just want you to know, Krissy, that despite all the rubbish rumors and the harsh truths, I will always be in awe of your honesty and your bravery to face it all -- a trait so unusual of showbiz personalities. And although I may not understand all your motives or your actions, I will remain your biggest fan. P.S. I saw you on Pilipinas Got Talent the other night. Welcome back! Please tell me you’re not leaving!

All my love, Suzie

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PHL gets int’l praise for women’s rights

HE Philippines received praise from the international community for the key role it played in a historic global agreement to eliminate violence against women and girls. Philippine delegation members had held constructive discussions for two weeks on “Agreed Conclusions” that brand violence against women as a human rights violation, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. “The 57th (Commission on Status of Women) session concluded with the adoption of Agreed Conclusions on the elimination of violence against women and girls, which was widely hailed by governments, UN officials and civil society as a historic global agreement,” it said. It added the 57th session was held from March 4 to 15 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The session was attended by representatives from 133 states delivering statements, the DFA

said. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet welcomed the adoption of the agreement and pushed its speedy implementation, the DFA said. “The Philippine delegation actively engaged other delegations in constructive discussions during the more than two weeks of intensive negotiations on the draft agreed conclusions which was facilitated by CSW Vice Chairperson Ana Marie Hernando of the Philippine Permanent Mission, representing the Asia Pacific Region,” the DFA added. FULL PAGE AD Leading the Philippine delegation to the 57th CSW session were presidential peace process adviser Teresita Deles and Permanent Representative to the UN Libran Cabactulan. The PH gaming industry may Singapore’s $5.6 billion market by 2018, Credit Suisse said. Members of the delegation included representatives from the Philippine Commission on Women, Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Anti-Poverty Commission, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Hindi kami naniningil ng fee kapag hindi panalo ang kaso!! Peace Process, Commission on Dapat maging maalam ang mga Pinoy na ang mga insurance na binayaran Human Rights, Department of Health and civil society groups. sa loan sa bangko o mga credit cards at maaaring ibalik sa pamamagitan

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‘Agreed conclusions’ The DFA said the Agreed Conclusions emphasize that violence against women is a human rights violation, and that the State has the duty “to promote and protect all human rights, which are universal and indivisible.” It said the Agreed Conclusions will guide the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Wdmen (UN WOMEN) in working with UN member states, UN country teams and civil society to protect the rights of women and girls “to live free of fear and violence.” Also, the agreement has a road map for prevention and response, with 69 concrete actions to be taken by governments and other stakeholders. with full news from GMA News

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Showbuzz John Lloyd clarifies ‘early retirement’ talk JOHN Lloyd Cruz clarified that when he talked of his plans for “early retirement” in showbiz he did not mean he would completely turn his back on his career. “Ideally, when I say early retirement, hindi naman totally wala ka na sa [entertainment scene],” he explained. “Hindi dahil may sinabi ka noon, yun na yun. Yun yung naramdaman ko at that moment.” He continued: “Now if I were to explain ang konsepto ko ng early retirement, basically... hopefully, several years from now, within five to ten years, I’m thinking na more relaxed... Mas pili [ang projects], yung pacing... It’s more like having the luxury of choice. The actor apologized to his fans who were surprised by his plan to retire early. Pasensiya na po. Siyempre may mga s u m u suporta, may mga na-disappoint.”

Vice won’t identify ‘Baby Boy’

Ai Ai and Jed

Ai Ai weds boyfriend in Las Vegas AI AI de las Alas and her boyfriend, Jed Salang, tied the knot in a civil ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 4, according to separate reports by the Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) and Philippine Star entertainment columnist Ricky Lo, quoting information from sources close to the comedienne/TV host. Ai Ai uploaded photos in her Instagram account showing her and Jed in formal attire in Las Vegas together with her exhusband Miguel Vera and their four children, Sancho, Sean, Nicolo and Sophia. The caption simply said, “FORMAL DINNER. . . happy day!” ABS-CBN News reported that Ai Ai had refused to confirm or deny the supposed Las Vegas marriage. The gossip show The Buzz tried to get Ai Ai’s side but she only said: “Next time na.”

Maja slowly opens up about Gerald IT seems that Maja Salvador is slowly opening up about her relationship

VICE Ganda won’t be pressured into revealing the identity of his boyfriend, known only as “Baby Boy.” “Ayoko talaga siyang i-expose. Maraming hakahaka ang mga tao kung sino talaga siya,” said the TV hostcomedian dubbed “The Phemonemal Box-Office Star.” with fellow Kapamilya star Gerald Anderson. In her official Instragram account, Maja posted an underwater picture of her and the actor with the caption: “Hawak kamay di kita iiwan sa paglakbay.”

Vice

Maja and Gerald Just last month, Maja stressed that she and Gerald are not yet an item but didn’t deny that they are seeing each other. She admitted that she is happy with Gerald, who has been defending her against intrigues. “Aamin ko masaya naman ako. Pero hanggang dun muna. Ayoko muna magdetalye. Pero sobrang salamat sa kanya kasi nararamdaman ko na special ako talaga sa kanya at ipinagtatanggol niya ako kahit papaano,” she said. For his part, Gerald had also said that he regards Maja as someone “special.”

He continued: “Pero, wala namang nagku-confirm talaga at hindi ko talaga iko-confirm. Di ba, yung mga ibang tao, masaya sila kapag proud sa kanila ang dyowa nila o kung kayang ilantad? Ako, mas gusto ko kasi na pangalagaan yung pribadong buhay ng tao kasi hindi naman showbiz yun. “Personal na buhay ng tao, ang daming paghuhusga niyan na hindi ko naman ia-allow na mangyari sa kanya. Hindi naman kailangan ng mga tao kung kami ay nagmamahalan. Ang importante, alam namin na love namin ang isa’t isa.”

Nora postpones throat surgery NORA Aunor’s long-delayed throat surgery is again shelved. The Original Superstar said she would finish taping the teleserye Never Say Goodbye for TV5. She is also doing an indie film

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Nora titled Ang Kwento ni Mabuti. Nora decided to postpone the surgery after TV5 executives advised her to get a second opinion from doctors in Manila considering that the operation is a delicate and costly procedure. “Ang pinapayo ko lang sa kanya -- and she understood it naman -- kumuha tayo ng opinion ng mga doktor dito tapos kung meron man silang tanong, mag-usap sila bago kayo lumipad at magbayad ng malaking halaga for something na hindi ka sigurado,” said Perci Intalan, Creative and Entertainment head ng TV5.

John

John gets back at Janice JOHN Estrada refuted the claim of his former wife, Janice de Belen, that he is allegedly not “supporting his children right.” He cited a court order which requires him to render

a specific amount for his children with Janice. “‘Yung sinasabi ni Janice na magiging okey kami if I support my kids right, korte na po ang nagsasabi - kasi dinala niya ako sa korte na I didn’t contest -- ito dapat ang ibigay mo sa mga anak mo, ‘yun talaga,” he said. “Ano pa bang hindi tama na korte na nagsabi na ito dapat ang ibibigay ko sa mga anak ko? And I give more.” John went on to detail the forms of support he has given his children over the years. “I love my kids. Isa nag-graduate na ng college na mula naghiwalay kami [ni Janice], ako nagbabayad ng tuition, medical, dental. May monthly sila, may pakotse pa sila,” he said. He admitted that there was a recent instance when he had been late in giving financial support to his children with Janice. “Totoo ‘yon, may times talaga na hindi ako sa oras, pero na-compensate iyon. Hindi ibig sabihin hindi ako nagbibigay.”

Kylie: Aljur is a good guy KYLIE Padilla admits her father, action star Robin Padilla, still does not approve of her relationship with boyfriend Aljur Abrenica in spite of all her efforts to “defend” it. “I really want Papa to realize that my boyfriend is a good person,” the 20-year-old actress said. Kylie says her father believes that a couple is not totally committed until they’re married. “That’s where my dad and I differ,” she says. “AJ and I are too young for marriage. We still have unrealized dreams. For now, we simply treat each other as an inspiration.”

But Kylie insists her father trusts her. “He just doesn’t want me to get hurt.” Aljur is “a very quiet guy” she adds, and would rather discuss his intentions for her with Robin than with the media. She is very comfortable around his family, Kylie says, “but his parents seem afraid, too, that we may get too serious too soon.”

Why Karylle failed ‘Miss Saigon’ auditions NOW it can be told. The reason singer-actress Karylle did not make it to the final round of the Miss Saigon auditions had very little to do with her performance; it had a lot to do with her appearance. According

Karylle to Miss Saigon Philippine representative Dong Alegre, Karylle was eyeing not the role of Miss Saigon lead Kim, but the hardened Vietnamese bar girl Gigi, who was originally portrayed by Isay Alvarez when the musical was staged at the West End in London. “Without pretension, she first sang ‘Movie (in My Mind)’ – perfectly . . . but halfway through, we were all fairly convinced that she was not physically ‘cut’ to play the role of a ‘tired, aging bar girl.’” Alegre said in an interview. So they decided to consider Karylle for the role of Kim, originally played by Lea Salonga. “As we needed to explore if she could possibly be a suitable Kim, she was asked to sing I’d Give My Life For You – which she also sang to perfection, until a dreaded ‘thank you’ was heard from the end of the panel table causing a heated discussion to ensue amongst us,” he added. In the end, Karylle was not accepted to take on the role of the Vietnamese prostitute Kim because she looked too “dignified,” said Alegre. At the close of the Manila auditions for Miss Saigon last November, only six female hopefuls, including recording artist Rachelle Ann Go, were asked to stay until the very end. n

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Flash t Lenten Tradition A boy joins his family as they carry crosses to one of the Stations of the Cross while doing the “VisitaIglesia” on Maundy Thursday (March 28) at a church in Quezon City.

t The Fight Goes On Campaign Season

Election fever is compounding the summer heat in the country. The mid-term elections on May 10 will choose 12 senators and all local officials – from congressmen and governors to mayors and council members.

t Dancing Inmates

After generating 52 million hits on YouTube, the Cebu Dancing Inmates are featured in a film described by its makers as “inspired by real-life struggles.” Titled Dance of the Steel Bars, the movie stars Irish actor Patrick Bergin and Dingdong Dantes.

Activists supporting the Reproductive Health (RH) Law hold a protest in front of the Supreme Court building in Manila after the high court, voting 105, suspended for 120 days the controversial birth control law that had met fierce opposition from the powerful Catholic Church. The RH Law would have been effective on March 31.

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Junk from the Sea

The stern of the USS Guardian, the last piece of grounded ship, is removed by a crane vessel on March 30. The U.S. Navy minesweeper became trapped on Tubbataha Reef, a world heritage site off Palawan on Jan. 17. The Philippine government is demanding $1.4 million in compensation damages.

t Hats in the Air Jubilant members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Pudang – Kalis” Class 2013 celebrate by throwing their hats in the air during the 108th PMA Commencement Exercises at Fort General Gregorio del Pilar in Baguio City. During the rites held on March 17, President Aquino commissioned the new graduates to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

New Manila Casino

t t

Foreigners play on a baccarat table during the opening of Solaire Casino-Resort in Paranaque City on March 16. Big casino operators will be scrutinizing the Philippines’ debut as Asia’s newest top-end gambling destination to see if Manila can deliver on promises of better profit margins and lower costs than global betting capital Macau.

Tragedy at State U

Students of the University of the Philippines in Manila gather in front of the school’s symbol, the Oblation, to offer prayers for co-student Kristel Tejada who committed suicide apparently after she was forced to take a leave from the school after not being able to pay her tuition fee. The State University offers some of the lowest school fees in the country.

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By Melissa GIBSON

EMITTANCES continue to play a major role in the Philippine economic outlook, but behind the numbers is a growing awareness in civil society and government of the need to deliberately harness this social phenomenon as an engine of development.

Remittances Should Be More Than a Numbers Game

In 2012, remittances to the Philippines reached $21 billion.

Remittances are already a fixture of the Philippine economy, and the country remains a major labor-sending country -- with OFW deployment up 11 percent to over 1.4 million in 2012. Money transfers to the Philippines amounted to $21 billion in 2012, approximately 10 percent of GDP. Top sending countries include the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Japan, United Arab Emirates and Singapore. The United States accounted for nearly 30 percent of incoming remittances or $6.4 billion. Sea-based workers accounted for 23 percent or $4.8 billion. Remittances contribute to the foreign exchange receipts of the national economy as well as current GDP growth rates–up 6.1 percent in 2012. Indeed, the present Philippine economic “window of opportunity” has been made possible in large part by the remittance phenomenon, a fact acknowledged in the “2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan.”

Direct but limited benefits First and foremost, cash transfers directly provide for basic needs and consumer goods of OFW families back home, contributing to the wellbeing of an estimated 10 percent of the population. However, remittances do not necessarily lift

Government and the private sector are looking into ways of tapping OFW remittances to benefit the whole country. all boats. According to the National Statistics Office, 85 percent of monetary and in-kind support from overseas benefits households in the two highestincome quintiles (i. e., families making P100,000 [$2,456]+ or P250,000 [$6,141]+ a year). While this may reflect upward mobility among families of migrants, overall, poverty data over the last 25 years indicates that income inequality and relative poverty incidence remain virtually unchanged. By some accounts, there were as many poor people as a percentage of the total population in 1985 as in 2005. Thus, while migration may be an economic game-changer for many families (albeit with social costs, i.e. children growing up without their parents, strained family and clan dynamics centered around mon-

ey, etc.), for the nation, as a whole, migration may in fact widen disparities. For policymakers and migrant advocates, the question of migration and development is, therefore, not simply a numbers game. The challenge is finding ways for migration to raise all boats by spurring productivity and innovation, rather than merely enabling consumption for a minority. A host of third-party stakeholders also have an interest in remittances, including financial institutions, the private sector and the government. Twenty years ago, many banks were reluctant to serve the burgeoning overseas Filipino community. But today, according to the National Statistics Office, 72 percent of incoming remittances pass through bank channels rather than the informal pada-

la (delivery through friends and relatives) system. Top remittance players include I-Remit, LBC, Western Union, Xoom and Philippine National Bank. The multiplier effects of family remittances can be widely seen in the retail sector, on construction and real estate, and on private education.

A closer look At long last, the various stakeholders are taking a closer look at the long-term economic potentials of the remittance phenomenon. The last few years have witnessed a remarkable convergence among government, the private sector and NGOs on the challenge. Begun in November 2011, the Remittance for Development Council (ReDC), co-convened by the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is one such example of convergence. These quarterly meetings of remittance stakeholders recognize the importance of partnerships. The Council recommends policy and regulatory changes to the remittance environment in order to harness remittances for development. Local governments are also incorporating partnerships with migrant families into their regional planning. Ilocos Norte and Taguig City, for example, are introducing NGO-based models of migrant savings and alternative investment at the municipal and provincial levels. It’s an effort to scale up successful initiatives for the benefit of a wider locality. The recently concluded Second Global Summit of Filipinos in the Diaspora, hosted by the CFO, likewise tried to forge meaningful linkages for development among migrant families and other stakeholders. The two-day event held in Manila on February 24-26, 2013 featured plenaries and workshops on themes such as tourism, investment, entrepreneurship, balikturo (return-to-teach), philanthropy, and arts and culture. (Positively Filipino) n

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WHAT’S ON BFAB COMEDY CONCERT LAUGH ALL YOU CAN

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Saturday, 27 April 2013 Brought to you by:

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27 April 2013

18 May 2013

Miss London NABA 2013

LAUGH ALL YOU CAN, featuring top rated Pinoy Stand up comedian Venue: St.William Hall, Ingleby Road Bradford

Venue: Camden Centre, Euston Road, London WC1H 9JE Contact: Sabrina Maxim (07850880635) Ryan Abeleda (07515252235)

Contact: BFABBritish Filipino Association of Bradford - 07780076256 / 07597135617

6 July 2013 London Piano Trio and Friends 7:30pm, St John’s Smith Square, London SW1P 3HA Tickets: £26/22/17/ 12 Contact: 02072221061 www.sjss.org.uk

1-2 June 2013

1 June 2013

Barrio Fiesta Bristol: Eastville Park, Muller Rd Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6XA

Barrio Fiesta Yorkshire: The Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 1UG

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Contact: Gerome (07717884293) , Honelyn (07783343848), Clarence (07500896239)

Contact: Lolita Boddy 01765 535015, 07425 949239

8-9 June 2013

8 June 2013

Barrio Fiesta Morden: Morden Park, Morden, Greater London SM4 5DX

PHILSCOT INDEPENDENCE DAY

Contact: Tess Juval 07956593236, Gil Zarcilla 0208 204 7808

St. John’s Church Hall, Hayocks Road, Stevenson, Ayrshire, KA20 4DE Contact: Nally Carroll 01294 461709 Arlene Hunter 01294 601628

15 June 2013

6 July 2013

Barrio Fiesta Oxfordshire: The Quadrangle Conference and Exhibition Centre, The Kassam Stadium, Grenoble Road, Oxford, OX4 4XP

Barrio Fiesta Newcastle: Blaydon Rugby Club Field (Carboot Area) Hexham Road, Swalwell, Newcastle NE16 3BN

Contact: Jose Ariel Lanada, chairman@filcomoxford.org.uk

Contact: Sally Sellars 07886742417 / Bong Bangayan 07824338251

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6-7 July 2013

7 July 2013

Pista sa Bristol 2013: Eastville Park, Muller Road, Bristol, BS5 6XA

Barrio Fiesta Leeds: Event Field, Temple Newsam, Leeds, LS15 0AF

Contact: Julius 07786 320131 Mann 07590560663 Joan 07545466362 Sherwin 07521299026, Vivian 07889005076

Contact: Chris Dungca 07766 015698; Rowena Greenwood 07717 220095

13 July 2013

13-14 July 2013

Fiesta sa Cardiff 2013: University Hospital of Wales Sports and Social Club, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 FULL PAGE AD 4XW

Barrio Fiesta Birmingham: Woodgate Valley Country Park, Clapgate Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham B32 3DS

Contact: Richard 07414442151, Jhune 07855 294528, Lito 07956211903

Contact: Rozen Malonzo 07985159203 / 01212446900; Noel Azuro 07861805260

20-21 July 2013

27 July 2013

Barrio Fiesta sa London 2013

Barrio Fiesta Mitcham: Three Kings Piece, Commonside West Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 4HA

Venue: The Apps Court Farm (Hurst Road, Walton-onThames, KT12 2EG) Organisers: 07867940447 or londonbarriofiesta@ yahoo.com

3-4 August Filipino British Society: Milton Keynes Fiesta 2013 Campbell Park, Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD Maria Davis 07737676850 Grace 07951939090

Contact: Atty. Romulo Rivera, 07891 604638, 07789 930496 Ronald Dalida 07766 314207

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WHAT’S ON

Embassy Closures for MAY 2013

EDINBURGH OUTREACH The Embassy is pleased to announce the holding of its 2nd Consular Outreach Mission for 2013 at the following venue:

The public is advised that, in observance of Philippine and UK holidays, the Philippine Embassy in London will be closed on the following weekdays of May 2013:

DATE : 27 April 2013 (Saturday) TIME: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM VENUE: Central Hall, 2 West Tollcross, Edinburgh EH3 9BP CONTACT PERSONS: Alex and Marjorie Chong Email: scotlandoutreach@yahoo.com Mobile number: 07544077213

1 May – Labor Day 6 May – Early May Bank Holiday 13 May – Philippine National Elections 27 May – Spring Bank Holiday

All those who will avail of the services during the Outreach Mission are advised to check the documentary and other requirements at www.philembassy-uk.org. Applicants may likewise download application forms in advance from the same website.

In addition, there will be no consular services (e.g. passport and visa applications, reports of birth/marriage/death, legalization/notarization of documents, dual citizenship applications, etc.) on 14 May due to the continuing Counting and Canvassing of Overseas Absentee Votes at the Embassy.

Those who wish to receive their e-passports, visas to the Philippines or other documents by Post are advised to submit a self-addressed stamped special delivery envelope with their applications.

Regular office hours and services will resume from 2, 7, 15 and 28 May.

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In case of death or detention of a Filipino citizen in the United Kingdom, please contact the Embassy’s emergency mobile phone at 07802790695.

Payments for consular services can be made in cash (English currency) or with postal money orders made out to the Philippines Embassy. Personal cheques are not accepted for payment purposes.

Franchising seminar invites OFWs to invest in PH

NVEST IN the Philippines, as it is one of the fastest growing economies in

the East. That was the message on the Seminar titled “Philippine Business Opportunities in Franchising for Overseas Filipinos in the United Kingdom” hosted by the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre. Members of the embassy, Department of Tourism, and the Department of Trade and Industry present in the Franchising seminar. The main speaker, Samie Lim, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Franchising Association. Ambassador Manalo gave the opening remarks, quoting the Philippines as Asia’s rising tiger, perfect for investing opportunities. Mr. Lim talked about prospects, the advantages and challenges in franchising, and how it can be a great financial instrument in today’s emerging markets. One can actually franchise for

as low as 250,000 php for a stall, or around £ 3900. One can also be grand and go for the likes of clothing store Bench or food chain giant Jollibee, which has a price of 25 million pesos. BPI’s Mr Raul Dimayuga then discussed the benefits of getting a loan as part of your investment. To quote, ‘good debt is a form of good investment’. The Q and A portion tackled topics like which franchises are suitable for today’s econ-omy, and the impact of being a master franchiser (bringing a brand to the Philippine mar-ket), as well as loans offered by BPI and its scopes. Given the recent investment grade and the betterment of the country’s political system, we can expect Filipinos to be more financial literate, as the growing middle class will look for ways to secure wealth and make full use of the nation’s increasing quality of life.

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