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Verbatim How I can do it in three to six months? Well, ibahin mo ako sa iba, gagawin ko kung ano ginawa ko sa Davao. If I say do not come here, do not come here; if I say leave Davao, you leave Davao. If you do not do that, you are Well, itong 3-6 dead. Ganu’n lang naman ang storya diyan.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, on his vow to solve months na ito, criminality in 3 to six months through the mailed fist policy pambobola ito eh. against criminals he applied in Davao Lahat ng eksperto I cannot promise it unless na nakakaalam sa you shoot several of them krimen, nagsasabing imposible ito.

FULL PAGEand AD you assume publicly Liberal Party presidential the responsibility . . . that’s candidate Mar Roxas, on Ikaw, lagi mo sinasabi the campaign promise of hard to promise. his rival Davao City Mayor ikaw ay tunay na Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, on Davao Rodrigo Duterte to stamp out City Mayor Duterte’s promise to end Pilipino. Paano ka criminality in the Philippines criminality in three to six months naging tunay na in three to six months.

Pilipino, sumumpa ka na ikaw ay I don’t want to say goodbye kasi babalik maging Amerikano! ako, I’ll make sure of that.

Ikinahihiya mo ang Kris Aquino, vowing to come back after her self-imposed pinanggalingan mo! hiatus from showbiz Vice President Binay, questioning Sen. Grace Poe’s “doubtful loyalty”

Dito ka nga nakatira sa bansa, pero nangulimbat ka naman ng pera.

Sen. Grace Poe, hitting back at Vice President Binay on the issue of corruption

Fighting corruption is a 24/7 job . . . fighting corruption is the reason for my life.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, slamming politicians who cry political harassment every time they are charged for corruption by the antigraft office

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in history na may sarili tayong equipment sa taas,” he said.

Brains behind the fairy

Diwata-1, the first microsatellite built by an all-Filipino team.

The Filipino development team behind the Diwata-1.

First Philippine-Made Satellite Reaches Space Station T HE first microsatellite developed and assembled by Filipino researchers has reached the International Space Station (ISS).

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Executive Director Dr. Carlos Primo David said the low earth orbit (LEO) satellite Diwata-1 successfully reached the ISS on the night of March 26.

The 50-kilogram Diwata-1, named after the Filipino mythological fairy, was launched into space from Florida, US, last March 23. It was carried by a spacecraft with a 3,000-kilogram cargo.

David said astronauts at the ISS have started unloading the equipment and cargo from the spacecraft carrying Diwata-1.

The Pinoy microsatellite is expected to be unloaded at the ISS by the first week of April. It will be released into outer space from the station on April 20.

The micro-satellite is expected to capture images of the Philippines from space starting the first week of May.

A view from PH from space Diwata-1 is expected to pass over the Philippines four times a day, capturing 900 images per pass or up to 3,600 images daily. It will then transfer these

Diwata-1 undergoes stringent checkup. images to the ground station in Subic, Zambales.

David said satellite images from the Diwata-1 will bring great improvements to these fields: • weather detection and forecasts • disaster risk management • detection of agricultural growth patterns • monitoring of natural resources and historical sites • observation of Philippine territorial borders • capturing photos of local tourist spots The DOST director said the Diwata-1, flying 400 kilometers above the earth, will yield sophisticated images with the help of its four cameras.

“Iyung photographs na ito hindi parang nagpadala tayo ng digital camera in outer space... Iyung isa camera rito na ang tawag ay multi-spectral camera, ibig saibihin tumitingin

siya gamit ang visible light, pwede rin siyang infrared,” David said in a radio interview on dzMM. “Iyung infrared, ginagamit iyang pang-detect ng tubig, heat content ng mga bagay, so and so forth. Marami tayong information na makukuha.”

David said these images will prevent Filipino scientists and officials from being “left in the dark” by whatever event that may affect the country.

As an example, he pointed out that without a satellite camera, the national government had difficulty in determining the areas which were the most badly hit by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

“It took us more than two weeks para malaman ito pala ang mga bayan na naapektuhan. In fact, kailangan nating bumili ng mga commercial satellite image para lang malaman natin iyung mga nasalantang area,” he explained.

But more than its technological potential, David said that Diwata-1 is a source of pride for Filipinos.

“It’s the first time that we can actually tell everyone that there is a piece of equipment in outer space with our flag on it.

Wala pang nangyaring ganito

Diwata-1 is the brainchild of seven engineering students from the University of the Philippines (UP) and two science researchers from DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI).

They were sent to Tohoku University and Hokkaido University in Japan to work on the microsatellite bus system and payload design while pursuing advanced degrees.

The “Magnificent 9”, aged 22 to 26, are Juan Paolo Espiritu, Benjamin Jonah Magallon, Gerwin Guba, John Leur Labrador, Julian Oliveros, Kaye Kristine Vergel, Ariston Gonzales, Delburg Mitchao, and Harold Paler.

David hopes that the team behind the country’s flagship space project would be given due recognition when they return from Japan.

“Dapat talagang bigyan ng hero’s welcome dahil day in and day out, nagtatrabaho itong siyam na engineers natin,” he said.

For one year, the development team worked on the design, the implementation, and the testing of various structural, mechanical, and electrical aspects of the microsatellite bus.

“Iyung one year na ‘yun, medyo mabilis. Kung makikita ninyo iyung Diwata-1, very complicated equipment ito. Kasinglaki lang siya ng balikbayan box pero iyung laman niya, sobrang high-tech na mga computer, instrumentation, camera, solar panels,” said David. “Ang dami niyang components na isa lang ang magkamali roon ay maaaring hindi gumana ang ating satellite sa kalawakan.”

The Filipino engineers are now working on the development of a second microsatellite (Diwata-2) that will be launched in 2017, David added.

The Philippine Government allotted P800 million for the three-year Diwata program.

(ABS-CBN News) n

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OVERTY remains the one area that overshadows the economic achievements of the Aquino administration. At the end of a six-year term highlighted by enviable economic growths that began in 2010, more than 26 million Filipinos remain poor. And nearly half or more than 12 million of them live in extreme poverty and without the means to feed themselves.

Contrast this with the few Filipino families who land every year in the Forbes magazine’s list of billionaires (in US dollars) and one can do the math: The benefits of economic growth are not trickling down to where these are most needed, and the cause of which is attributed to various factors, among these, a flawed economic growth model that only makes the rich grow richer; an economy where inefficient economic sectors are protected from competition, which could bring down the cost of goods and services; or a government where corruption is so prevalent even at the barangay level, such that it has adversely affected public service.

The latest survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that in the first semester of last year, 26.3 percent of Filipinos were living below the poverty line (a measure of the minimum income required to meet the basic necessities). This was equivalent to 26.48 million Filipinos, based on the total population of 100.7 million in 2015. In 2012, the national poverty incidence stood at 27.9 percent of the population. In 2009, it was 28.6 percent, practically unchanged from the 2006 level of 28.8 percent.

The 2015 survey also found that 12.1 percent of Filipinos -- roughly 12.18 million -- live in extreme poverty, meaning,

A 2015 survey found that 12.1 percent of Filipinos -- roughly 12.18 million – are not able to buy three meals a day.

Still Poor their earnings were not enough to buy three meals a day. This, too, indicated very tiny improvements from the three previous surveys -- 14.2 percent in 2006, 13.3 percent in 2009 and 13.4 percent in 2012.

The poorest regions in particular needed more immediate government attention. For example, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which had the highest proportion of the poor at 59 percent of the population in 2015, had almost a third of its residents, or 30.1 percent, living in extreme poverty. The explana-

tion was that the region was conflict-ridden and the ARMM -- or Mindanao, for that matter -- –has always been neglected economically in the past. This was reflected in the worsening figure for the ARMM, which in 2006 had a poverty incidence of 49.8 percent (21.1 percent among them extremely poor), 49.7 percent in 2009 and 52.9 percent in 2012.

In contrast, Metro Manila, the seat of government and the country’s business hub, had the lowest proportion of the poor, with just 6.5 percent of its population below the poverty line, although this has been rising from 4.4 percent in 2006 to 5.4 percent in 2009.

Almost a third of the residents of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which had the highest proportion of the poor at 59 percent of the population, live in extreme poverty.

It is true that the latest poverty incidence figure reflected slight improvements from the same period in 2012, two years after President Aquino assumed power, as well as from 2009 and 2006 under the Arroyo presidency. However, we beg to disagree with how an official of the National Economic and Development Authority describes the figure as “actually good,” and a sign that economic growth has trickled down to lower-income families. The fact remains that the Philippines has failed to meet its commitment to the United Nations under the millennium development goals on poverty, which was to halve by 2015 the country’s poverty incidence to 17 percent in 2015 from 34 percent in the 1990s.

The real poverty figure could in fact be higher if we are to consider the official national food threshold of P7,638 a month -the requirement for a family of five to be able to have three regular meals every day. This threshold is equivalent to P254.60 a day for a family of five, or P50.92 for each member to be able to eat three meals a day. That is P16.97 for each meal.

No wonder candidates seeking the presidency have again highlighted the poverty situation in the country, each promising to uplift the economic conditions of those who are in need most. Sadly, a promise always repeated every election season. What could be different this time? Or put another way, what different, specific programs or measures have those vying for the presidency committed to undertake to really address poverty? So far, we have not heard any from all of them, except for the promise to continue or expand the conditional cash transfer scheme dubbed Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. Which, economists agree, cannot reduce poverty in the long run as this is meant to just tide the poorest of the poor over extreme poverty. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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40 Filipino-

Over 70 nurses from PHL offered jobs at Shropshire hospitals

O

FFICIALS FROM Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust visited the Philippines last month to make a further 76 job offers.

This follows more than 60 nurses from the Philippines who are in the process of being recruited, after last year accepting conditional offers to work at the hospitals in Shrewsbury and Telford.

A total of 23 of those nurses have arrived at the trust and are currently completing their exams.

Victoria Maher, workforce director at the hospital trust, said: “The trust continues to their registration, three have to develop the registration of our re-sit part of the test, one will Philippine recruitment. need to retake all elements and “A total of 23 Filipino nurses nine nurses are currently preAboUt yourfor language? have arrived in theAREFUL trust and paring their practical examiCome on,todon’tnation be “high we are now supporting them on blood.”

May 17.

It’s strucnow perfectly correct complete their objective “There are English a further 22 nurses tured clinical examination to say tests that a “presidentiable” will in the Philstill in the process and obtain Nursingstamp Midwifery ippines we anticipate them out “carnap” andand “salvage” Council registration.incidents, or that to arrive April and May. your during “barkada” “A comprehensive programme “A second visit as took place rewill go on a “gimmick” as long of support is in place and to cently resulting in 76 condiit’s “KKb.” date seven nurses have comtional offers being made, the pleted their tests and attained first of whom will begin to

PRINCESS Royal Hospital, Telford

Royal Hospital in Telford.

They followed nine other new recruits who joined the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in October and November.

It took more than a year to get the new nurses from the Philippines to take up their posts due to immigration difficulties.

Nursing was temporarily placed on the list in December to allow more nurses to be recruited from overseas to meet the perceived shortage.

The latest report from the Migration Advisory Committee has “reluctantly” recommended that nurses from outside Europe should be made a priority the oxford Dictionfor up to 5,000 visasEnglish to work in (oED) hasfor included 40 Filithe UK ary each year, the next pino terms—compound words three years. and uniquely usage of In England 11,000 Philippine nurses from words—in the June 2015 outside English the European Economic Area update are set of to whatbeis recruited recognized as over thethenext fourrecord years, and “definitive of the Engthe figure to 14,000 when lish rises language.” the rest ofIn the factored a UK newsis release the in, oED the report (Shrop Star) saidsaid. the dictionary’s latest update “sees the inclusion of a number of words from Philippine English

Coined Words Now in Oxford Dictionary arrive towards the end of the year.

“Our twice-monthly recruitment events for nursing staff have also been very successful, with an average of 17 appointments made at each event so far.”

In December the first group of nurses started work at Princess

The Oxford English Dictionary said its latest update “sees the inclusion of a number of words from Philippine English as part of our ongoing commitment to recording words from all varieties of English, throughout the world.”

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Duterte’s Vote-Winning Vow:

Kill the Criminals!

By karl Malakunas

Agence France-Presse

R

ODRIGO Duterte curses the pope’s mother and jokes about his own infidelities, but many voters in the Philippines want to elect him president so he can honour a campaign pledge to kill thousands of criminals.

Duterte is making a spectacular, obscenity-filled charge towards the presidential palace by selling himself as a ruthless leader willing to bypass the judicial system in an unprecedented war against crime.

“Kill them all,” Duterte, 70, told a cheering crowd of supporters last month at a campaign rally in the small northern city of Lingayen as he outlined his plans to eradicate drug traffickers.

“When I become president, I’ll order the police and the military to find these people and kill them.”

Such comments are typical fare on the campaign trail for Duterte, who in Lingayen also jokingly gave business advice to those in the crowd to start up funeral parlours in preparation of him winning the May elections.

“The funeral parlours will be packed... I’ll supply the dead bodies,” he said, to more cheers and laughter.

On a previous occasion Duterte, a lawyer, pledged to kill 100,000 criminals and dump so many in Manila Bay that the “fish will grow fat” from feeding on them.

Political courage Surveys indicate his law-

Duterte vows to pack funeral parlours with dead criminals.

and-order platform, which is a centrepiece of his election strategy, is winning him many fans in a nation bedevilled by crime, corrupt law enforcement agencies and deep poverty.

The long-time mayor of the major southern city of Davao is one of four candidates with a genuine shot at succeeding President Benigno Aquino III. And he is gaining popularity, climbing into second place just four percentage points behind Senator Grace Poe, according to the latest survey by Pulse Asia.

“Duterte is really a phenomenon. I like what he is saying,” Clarita Carlos, a political scientist at the University of the Philippines, told AFP. “I like the fact that he has fire in his belly and he is politically courageous.”

His unique form of political courage has extended to insulting Pope Francis, who is revered by many in a nation where 80 percent of the population are Catholics.

In a speech to launch his presidential bid late last year, Duterte described the pope as a “son of a bitch” for causing traffic jams when he visited the

Philippines.

Duterte, who is in a longterm relationship with a woman after having his first marriage annulled, also admitted then to having two girlfriends.

However Duterte jokingly assured taxpayers they would not foot his mistresses’ bills, explaining he only spent 1,500 pesos ($32) a month on their boarding room rent and saved money by taking them to shorttime hotels.

Carlos said voters were willing to ignore his indiscretions as they focused on his track record in Davao, a formerly crime-plagued city that Duterte says he transformed into one of the nation’s most peaceful.

“Never mind he cusses a lot, he is a womanizer. I don’t think that will intrude into his effectiveness as a political leader,” she said.

Duterte also maintains a frugal lifestyle, in contrast with many corrupt Filipino politicians who use the powers of office to enrich themselves.

Death squad fears Human rights campaigners are not enthusiastic about a Duterte presidency, warning he

has the track record to back up his rhetoric.

They accuse Duterte of organizing or tolerating vigilante squads that have targeted suspected criminals and street children in Davao, killing more than 1,000 people since the 1980s.

For many years Duterte denied the existence of death squads, which were allegedly made up of local policemen, ex-communist rebels and hired assassins.

But Duterte has in recent months said he was involved in them and that rights groups had in fact underestimated the number of people to have been killed.

“They miscalculated...

1,700,” Duterte told reporters in December.

That law enforcement agencies have failed to pursue allegations against Duterte is not surprising, according to Philippine Human Rights Commission chairman Chito Gascon.

Gascon told AFP this was part of the nation’s “culture of impunity”, where politicians and powerful figures often get away with crimes. Other politicians are also accused of running death squads.

Voters are attracted to Duterte’s promise of a quick fix to such fundamental justice problems, according to Gascon and other rights campaigners.

“He is popular because he taps into this extreme disappointment in criminality and the inability of the government to deal with it,” Carlos Conde, a Manila-based researcher with Human Rights Watch, told AFP. After losing four sons in Davao to what she and human rights groups believe were the death squads, 62-year-old Clarita Alia is urging voters to beware of short cuts.

“I hope they think really hard because if they vote for the wrong person the killings will not stop,” Alia, who lives in one of the city’s bleakest slums, said after she visited her sons’ graves. n

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Slowdown in OFW Remittances Seen Amid Cheap Oil By doris dumlao-abadilla

R

EMITTANCES from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) may grow at just half the pace expected by monetary authorities this year, as the prolonged slump in global oil prices gnaws sharply on the Middle East, which hosts about 2.5 million Filipino migrant workers.

As OFWs have helped fuel the local residential property boom in recent years, the property and consumer banking sectors may also be at risk now that the Middle East is navigating through tough times, New York-based Global Source said.

In a research note titled “Simian Flu” issued on Feb. 8, Global Source warned that remittance growth could taper further this year.

While the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects a 4-percent growth rate in remittances this 2016, Global Source thinks the growth rate this year could be much less at around 2 to 3 percent.

The research note written by economists Romeo Bernardo and Marie Christine Tang underscored how continuing low oil prices had become a doubleedged sword for the Philippines, an oil-importing country.

“While it helped last year to drive down inflation, reduce the import bill and fuel a consumption boom, there is now heightened concern about spillover effects from oil export-

ers’ economic malaise,” the research said.

Global Source cited, for instance, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)’s policy to switch away from foreign workers and its pullback from infrastructure projects where contractors include Filipinos.

There are about 350,000 Filipino workers deployed annually on average to KSA in the five years to 2014, about 40 percent of which were new hires.

Of 2.5 million estimated OFWs in the Middle East, 40 percent are in oil-rich KSA. “A further worry is the tail risk from escalating geopolitical tensions in the region leading to forced repatriation of OFWs with possible repercussions on the real estate sector and on banks’ consumer loan books,” Global Source said.

Januario Jesus Gregorio Atencio, president of leading mass housing developer 8990 Holdings, said in a separate interview that if there was anything that could impair the collection efficiency of his company, it would indeed be if

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the situation in the Middle East would turn for the worse.

“The issues in the Middle East are already growing significantly,” Atencio said in a recent briefing. “We don’t feel it yet but for example, when you hear about the Philippine embassy in Oman issuing instruction to OFWs to have emergency [evacuation] bags, you think that the situation is getting worse.”

Atencio said he had identified two types of OFWs at risk: Those who work directly in the oil industry and those who work as seafarers in oil tankers.

The seafarers are likewise at risk as when there’s no oil shipment, there will also be job cuts, he said.

“We’re concerned that there may be contagion effect. If KSA implements budget cuts, there will be less people employed in hospitals, where a lot of OFWs are employed as nurses or administrative staff,” he said.

In the case of 8990 Holdings, he said OFW accounts constituted 20 percent of sales, of which 5 to 6 percent were from the Middle East and mostly from the KSA. If the situation worsens, he said the collection efficiency of property developers could take a hit unless affected clients immediately find jobs somewhere else.

Overall, the BSP expects a $2.2-billion balance of payments (BOP) surplus for 2016, but Global Source thinks it may revert to a deficit due to capital outflows.

The country’s BOP surplus

reached $2.6 billion at the end of 2015, with the BSP expecting the current account surplus at close to $9 billion.

The large amount may be traced to inflows from remittances—which grew by 3.6 percent year-on-year to $22.8 billion from January to November 2015—as well as service exports, particularly business process outsourcing receipts which grew by 8.7 percent to $12.3 billion in the first nine months, offsetting a larger trade-in-goods gap.

“We expect the pattern to continue this year, thus keeping the current account comfortably in surplus, albeit likely lower.

Earnings from BPO will remain resilient judging by industry insiders’ view of continuing double digit growth rates in sales and reports of the sector, predominantly servicing Western clients, also now attracting the Japanese.

However, we remain apprehensive about risks to remittances and merchandise exports,” Global Source said.

Meanwhile, apart from the woes in the Middle East, Global Source said the Philippines must brace for other threats to the health of the global economy, such as: Spillovers from weaker growth in China and second round effects on economies in east and southeast Asia with closer trade and investment linkages to the Philippines; impact of US Federal Reserve rate hikes. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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By eddie m. mananghaya

2

016 marks the 25th year since I embarked on a courageous decision to join the Filipino diaspora to Korea after the devastating Mt. Pinatubo eruption.

That fateful day of June 15, 1991, when the catastrophe sent American military personnel leaving for safer bases like Japan and Guam, I lost my job due to the untimely closure of the Clark Air Force Base in Angeles City, Pampanga.

With P40,000 broker’s fee and round-trip air fare, I joined the exodus and took that early morning Northwest Airlines flight on Dec. 15, 1991, to Seoul.

Ironic as it was, Filipinos then were looking forward to the much-awaited Christmas break for family reunions, while we were off to temporary separation only heaven knew until when. On the very same day church bells were heralding the start of the Misa de Gallo, I and my family of four children aged 10, 8, 5 and 1, were traversing the North Luzon Expressway on a rented utility Ford Fierra for the airport. They were to send me off to a destination I knew very little of: Korea.

With only my passport, a plane ticket and few hundred bucks as pocket money, I was determined to venture into the so-called green pastures for the sake of my children whom I did not want to grow up without better if not the best education and little comforts in life.

Undocumented worker I could not call myself an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) then since I was not bringing with me the usual documents like employment contracts nor working permits. Nevertheless, I landed on foreign soil and found jobs in factories in the Land of the Morning Calm.

Moreover, being undocumented, I was subjected to dis-

The author in South Korea: ‘The father in me takes precedence over my own wants and needs.’

Ten Thousand Days: My Journey As an OFW Filipino workers at a South Korean factory. crimination, lived in empty container vans improvised as living quarters and worked in “3D” jobs—dirty, difficult and dangerous. I did not enjoy the benefits of medical and health insurance, hence, I kept relying on the generosity and benevolence of good Samaritans. I survived; I still do.

Twenty-five years later, those little toddlers I left behind turned to be productive

citizens. The eldest opted to be an Australian citizen after a short stint in the local broadcast media; the second is a government lawyer; and the third a member of the Philippine Military Academy Maragtas class of 2007 serving as a military pilot in the Philippine Navy (Marines) with a rank of captain. The youngest has decided to pursue a medical course after success-

fully passing the nursing board exams in 2012 and is the main reason why I decided to remain an overseas factory worker.

‘Valedictory address’ In writing about my journey, I wish this note to be my “valedictory address” to Korea and token of gratitude to her people for having afforded me the lease of time to be able to support my children achieve their own dreams.

It is also my fervent prayer that others may take the same road I took in sacrificing my own gratification if only to eliminate the hindrances to my children’s success. The father in me takes precedence over my own wants and needs. I wish I could thank the people who joined me in my journey and thank them enough for cradling me in the bosom of their generosity.

I am an overseas factory worker still in my journey and this is my story. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) (Eddie M. Mananghaya, 60 years old, factory worker and a graduate of philosophy. A father of four, who have made their own places in the fields they have chosen.) n

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Philippines launches world’s first mass dengue vaccination

T

HE PHILIPPINES launched the first public immunization program for dengue fever, seeking to administer to a million schoolchildren the world’s first licensed vaccine against a mosquito-borne disease that the World Health Organization estimates infects 390 million people a year globally.

Hundreds of fourth-graders at a public school in metropolitan Manila’s Marikina city were given the first of three shots of Dengvaxia. Some of the pupils received their vaccination shot under the glare of cameras during a festive ceremony at a gymnasium festooned with multicolored bunting and preceded by songs and dances performed by the children.

The Philippines had the highest dengue incidence in the WHO’s Western Pacific region from 2013 to 2015, recording 200,415 cases last year, according to the Department of Health.

Health Secretary Janette Garin called the program’s launch “a historic milestone” in public health. “We are the first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through (the) public health system and under a public school setting,” she said.

The government is spending 3.5 billion pesos ($76 million) to administer the free vaccines, which it bought at a discounted cost of 3,000 pesos ($65) for three doses for each child. Free vaccine programs ensure that “health should be for all, rich or poor,” Garin said.

The health department says a study showed that the vaccination of 9-year-old children for five years starting in 2016 can reduce dengue cases by 24.2 percent in the Philippines. The vaccine is given as a three-dose series, with the doses coming six months apart.

Dengvaxia, developed by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur, obtained its first license in Mexico in December 2015 for use in individ-

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uals aged 9 to 45. Regulatory agencies in Brazil, the Philippines and El Salvador followed.

But the vaccine is awaiting regulatory reviews in Europe and dozens of non-European countries, as well as prequalification by the WHO. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, a study of children from 9 to 16 years old showed that the vaccine reduces the risk of contracting dengue by 65.6 percent. It also prevents dengue hospitaliza-

tions by 80 percent, and severe dengue cases by 93 percent. But the effectiveness was lower for children younger than 9, as well as against the type of dengue caused by serotype 2 — one of the four strains of dengue.

“A vaccine able to reduce six out of 10 cases, or more importantly to reduce by 80 percent the risk of hospitalization or 93 percent of the risk of dengue hemorrhagic fever, is a major breakthrough,” Guillaume Leroy, Sanofi Pasteur’s

DENGVAXIA, World’s first dengue vaccine

vice president for dengue vaccine, told The Associated Press, adding that the vaccine would be especially important in Asia and Latin America, where dengue incidents are high.

Leroy said that while there are differences in the level of effectiveness against the different dengue strains, the vaccine “has shown efficacy against all the four serotypes, all the serotypes circulating in the world.”

He said that while Sanofi has prioritized dengue endemic countries for licensing, it recently submitted for review an application to the European Medicines Agency. It has applications in 20 additional countries, and will be applying in 17 more.

Dr. Rosario Capeding, head of the Department of Microbiology, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, said the vaccine will provide protection from devastation that can be caused by dengue.

“The important thing is the vaccine is now available; it can protect our patients—you know, our main goal really is to prevent the disease, prevent our patients from suffering from devastation caused by dengue,” Capeding added.

She noted that being a mother, herself, she had seen and felt the devastating effects of dengue when her daughter suffered from it years ago and she appreciated the significance of the new vaccine in terms of preventing the painful consequences of dengue disease.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sally Gatchalian, president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines and secretary of the Philippine Pediatric Society, said that dengue does not have only medical burden but also economic burden.

“There is social burden, emotional and psychological, stress and trauma not only in patient but on whole family as well,” she explained.

The Philippines spends annually about P16.7 billion due to dengue, she said.

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T SIX o’clock on a Thursday evening the most important road in Manila, known as EDSA, has become a car park.

Five lanes heading north and five heading south are clogged with cars and buses, many of them pointlessly honking their horns. “Traffic in Manila is not ordinary”, says a taxi driver, wearily. He means that it is extreme, not that it is rare.

When people meet in Manila, they talk about traffic. “It rules everything”, says Julia Nebrija, a cycling advocate. Some stories are funny, like the one about the transport official, Francis Tolentino (who was actually former chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority which has jurisdiction over traffic in the metropolis), who missed a live TV interview because he was stuck on EDSA, or the one about the archbishop who was so fed up with one jam that he got out of his car and started directing traffic. Business people tell more worrying tales. As commutes grow longer, productivity is suffering, says Jaime Ysmael of the Ayala Corporation, a conglomerate.

Filipinos will vote for a new president in May, and the candidates are trying to blame each other for the parlous state of Manila’s roads and public transport. The very fact that one of them, Manuel Roxas, used to be transport secretary was held against him in a televised debate. The candidates tout diverse plans, from building more roads to increasing taxes on second cars to moving government offices out of the metropolis. Such is the level of angst that anybody who cracks Manila traffic would have a good shot at the top job.

Even with a perfect trans-

APRIL 2016

LONDON

Slowly Does It

The city’s first fault is its failure to build an extensive, high-volume public transport system.

Cars are thought to carry about 30% of people in the metropolis but account for 72% of traffic. port plan, Manila would probably have a problem. The population of the entire capital area rose from 18 million to 23 million between 2000 and 2010. It is dense: Shlomo Angel of New York University, who measures cities, estimates that it crammed 274 people into each hectare a decade ago, compared with 64 per hectare in Paris—and Manila will have got only more squashed since. What is more, the capital has an unfortunate hourglass shape. The middle, which contains the main business districts, is pinched by Manila Bay to the west and Laguna Lake to the east. Suburbs sprawl to the north and south.

So traffic is funnelled, and the funnel often blocks up.

On top of that, Manila’s transport plans have been terrible—among the most foolish adopted by any great city. The Philippines has a complex history: it was a Spanish colony for four centuries, then an American one. It is as though Manila has taken the worst aspects of American urban planning and applied them to a dense, Spanish-style metropolis before adding not a few mistakes of its own. It has the jams it deserves.

The city’s first fault is its failure to build an extensive, high-volume public transport system. Seven metropolitan railway lines have been planned but only three have been built since work began in the early

1980s, and the connections between them are poor. At rush hour, the queues just to get into the stations are long.

If Manila has too few trains, it probably has too many buses.

Competition and plentiful supply should be good for passengers, except that drivers are paid partly based on the number of fares they collect. So they race each other to busy stops and then loiter for as long as they can, blocking other drivers.

Yet the biggest reason Manila’s roads move so slowly is that so many people now drive.

The economy of the Philippines grew by 5.8% last year, and a swelling middle class is buying lots more cars. Cars are thought to carry about 30% of people in the metropolis but account for 72% of traffic.

Road transport in Manila is commendably diverse. As well as cars and buses it has motorbikes with sidecars and perhaps 50,000 jeepneys. Yet many roads are tightly restricted. Buses are often kept out of the smarter business districts, and some are barred from EDSA at rush hour. Gated housing developments ban all vehicles without residents’ stickers, forcing drivers around the edges.

Belatedly, Manila is trying something sensible. In December the Philippines approved a “rapid bus” route in north-east Manila, with buses travelling along dedicated lanes. Similar systems have worked well in Brazil and China.

So perhaps the city will unblock. But Manila will need to be both clever and quick if it is to start moving again. A combination of fast growth and dismal planning got it into a jam. If the second cannot be changed, the first comes into question. (The Economist) n

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PH remittances can withstand slowdown

M

OODY’S INVESTORS Service said the Philippines’ remittances have a chance of withstanding reduced migrant transfers from oil producing countries because of the diversity of the salary profile and professions of overseas Filipinos.

“Overseas Filipinos are engaged in a wide range of jobs, including domestic work, hospitality, medical services and engineering. Workers in such professions are much less likely to see an impact from the slowdown than those in the construction or oil and gas industries,” said Moody’s in a report, “Sovereigns-Asia Pacific: Falling Remittances from the Gulf Dampen Benefits of Lower Oil Prices”.

It is assessed that remittancereliant Asian countries such as the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Vietnam will likely continue to face weakened remittances because of the slump in oil pric-

Remittances to the Philippines can withstand the global economic slowdown, according to Moody’s.

es. “For these six economies, remittances are equivalent to three to 10% of GDP, and between 22% and 188 percent of foreign reserves.

For countries such as the Philippines, India, and Vietnam, because of the diversified locations and vocations of their overseas workers, this could help reduce the fall in remittances overall, said Moody’s.

“For most of the countries in

Moody’s study, remittances inflows are greater than net oil import payments as a percentage to GDP. However, the 25% decline in oil prices since the start of 2015 is large,” the credit watcher explained. “(We) expect the declines in remittances to be much lower than that in percentage terms. Therefore, unless remittances fall significantly more than it expects, their decline will dampen, but

not completely offset, the benefits of lower oil prices for the current account.”

In 2015, the World Bank said about $250.2 billion worth of remittances were reported in Asia Pacific ex-Japan. This year however, the World Bank estimates a lower remittances average because of the cheaper oil prices.

The Philippines’ sources of remittances, according to Moody’s, is “almost equally” from the Gulf or the Middle East and the US, unlike Vietnam’s bigger reliance on the US for its migrant transfers.

“For the Philippines, between 2010 and 2013, growth in the number of Filipinos migrating to the US has been outpaced by those to the Middle East,” said Moody’s. Still, the proportion of fund transfers from the US and the Gulf are nearly equal at 34% snd 31.7%, respectively. In 2015, OFWs sent home nearly $25-B, equivalent to more than 10% of the country’s GDP. It is a main driver of consumption growth. (Manila Bulletin)

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Manila Most Exposed City to Natural Disasters L ONDON - Asia has the largest number of people exposed to natural disasters, but African countries are the most vulnerable to them, largely because of political instability, corruption, poverty and inequality, a new global assessment shows.

India has a billion people at risk, with China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan and Pakistan also ranked among the 10 countries with the most people exposed to natural hazards, according to data compiled by Verisk Maplecroft, a UK-based risk management company.

In all, 1.4 billion people in South Asia are exposed to at least one major natural hazard, from severe storms to flooding and earthquakes, researchers said.

But the list of countries most vulnerable to disasters - in terms of their ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from them - is topped

by African nations, particularly conflict-plagued South Sudan, Burundi and Eritrea.

“Recent or prolonged conflict can erode societal resilience,” warned Richard Hewston, an analyst with Verisk Maplecroft who led the development of the natural hazards data.

Much vulnerability in Africa and elsewhere is the result of poor governance - including corruption - and an inability to implement policies to reduce disaster risk, Hewston said.

“For example, in India and Pakistan, to some extent, there are building codes in place but they are very weakly imple-

ton said.

Most crucially, reducing vulnerability to disasters, particularly in places with large exposure to natural hazards, will depend on tackling poverty and inequality, he said.

Providing education and healthcare and giving more people access to services can improve their incomes and knowledge, and help them move from precarious places to safer ones, which are typically more expensive to live, he added.

Metro Manila’s 23 million residents are constantly battered by massive flooding.

Good business

mented. You see construction going on, on the sides of landslide-prone mountains or in flood plains,” he said.

“In theory, there’s urban planning,” he added. “So clearly corruption is an issue.”

In Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, more than 85 percent of people are exposed to at least one kind of natural hazard, researchers noted. But all three countries are classed as having low vulnerability, and together recorded less than 32,000 deaths from natural disasters since 1990.

Haiti, on the other hand, is not as exposed to potential disasters but is considered highly vulnerable, having suffered over 230,000 deaths since 1990, many in a major 2010 earthquake.

With losses from natural disasters now averaging more than $100 billion a year worldwide, many businesses are looking into ways to minimize the threats to their factories, workers and supply chains, the Verisk Maplecroft report said.

Already private investment accounts for 70 percent to 85 percent of investment in disaster risk reduction worldwide, it said.

That suggests private spending could help supplement government efforts in many places, particularly as businesses are trying to protect not only their facilities and supply chains but their workers and customers too.

“You can have really (strong) infrastructure at your site and you might be untouched, but if there’s no power and no one can get to work, you’ve got no workers,” Hewston noted. “There needs to be a holistic approach.”

As a result of the new global agreements last year to reduce disaster risk, curb climate change and achieve new Sustainable Development Goals, “there’s more and more a push for businesses to be involved, to engage at the local level”, he said. (Thomson Reuters Foundation) n

City ranking Data on cities shows that Manila is the most exposed city, with almost all of its 23 million people in the path of cyclones and many also facing tsunamis or earthquakes, researchers said.

Seven other major cities in Japan, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh and India - particularly Tokyo, Jakarta and Dongguan in China - also have large popu-

A flood control project in Metro Manila. lations at risk, they found.

The fast pace of development in Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and the Philippines has done little to cut that region’s disaster risk, researchers noted.

Some of the most vulnerable countries have shown strong economic growth, but infrastructure and welfare systems that could protect people remain weak, as does governance, they said.

In Nepal, for instance, a massive 2015 earthquake not only caused widespread damage and deaths, but cut off communications and transport from many outlying communities to the capital.

“People who survived and were injured were left to cope on their own, with no emergency services and no food,” Hews-

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APRIL 2016

Guy and Pip

Vi and Bot

By fm ganal

S

HOWBIZ is a place of work to its denizens, strictly speaking the source of wealth for some and the means of livelihood for the rest.

It is a wonderland only in the eyes of its beholders, the fans who probably don’t even know or care they have the power to build or undo the careers of their favorite stars.

Let’s not quibble about their values, their taste, their sense of discernment. Fans are what they are, they are numbers, and who can argue with numbers?

Keep them up, the windfall follows easily. Let them slip, and it all comes down fast.

One thing about the fans, they are ever young, they grow in number, not in years. This is why it is the business of the moneybags to capture all their romantic ideas in film and television. And what can be more titillating to them than the magic of young love.

To feed their fantasies, the money at the moment is on JaDine, KathNiel, LizQuen, AlDub, and KimXi.

LONDON

Is There Such a Thing As Forever With Love Teams?

How did these love teams come to be in the first place?

What makes them tick as a pair, and not with the others? If not real love, is it chemistry that makes them stand out? What makes them enthralling, what is all that screaming about?

A love team is a tricky business.

It’s obvious that the pair has to connect first to each other, but what if this connection is rejected by the fans? What if they don’t really see eye to eye, but the fans are thrilled to see them together?

More pointedly, how long can they keep the numbers up?

Is there such a thing as forever with love teams?

PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) tries to find

the answers in the top love teams of yesteryears. The success of the past and present crop of love teams has parallel stories, with television as their common launching ground. The game changer, of course, is the advent of social media as a determining factor in the rise and fall of a love team today.

Social development was the predominant theme of Philippine cinema in the 70s and the 80s, a trend propagated by the late Ishmael Bernal and Lino Brocka, and Mike de Leon, among the few whom critics hailed as intellectual directors. People came in droves to see their movies, but more for the stars than the merits of their craft.

Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos reigned in those movies,

but only after their romantic comedies and musical shows on television catapulted their respective love teams to a level of popularity hitherto unknown in local showbiz.

They were known as Guy and Pip (Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III) and Bot and Vi (Edgar Mortiz and Vilma Santos).

BOT AND VI: 5 years In 1969, the two joined Eddie Peregrina, a phenomenally famous singer at the time, in his movie My Jukebox King.

A year later, they were launched together with Guy and Pip in the movie Young Love. Bot and Vi followed this with 14 more movies, which included My Pledge of Love, Love Letters, and I Love You Honey.

APRIL 2016

LONDON In the mid-70s, the love team went on separate ways to pursue their individual careers.

19

a love team puts weight on the overall success of the tandem.

Of course, working on screen was a give-and-take kind of performance.

The reason why the WilliamMaricel love team lasted for almost a decade was because they played comedy with a high level of enthusiasm.

At the same time, the real-life romance of Sharon and Gabby fulfilled the dream of fans.

Their wedding in 1984 was celebrated by the entire country.

When they separated, their followers had kept up their hope they’d get back together.

In the 1990s, the game changed drastically as television gradually emerged as a quicker, more convenient, and cheaper alternative than cinema.

This decade presented two major platforms to launch a love team, film, and television, which meant producers had two avenues for strengthening the following of their stars.

Sharon and Gabby

GUY AND PIP: 20 years Arguably the greatest love team in Philippine cinema, these two released box-office hits from 1969 to the 1989.

Did you know that their eponymous movie Guy and Pip stayed in the cinemas for six months? It was watched by four million Filipinos, a record unbroken to this day. Not even Beauty and the Bestie, currently the alltime highest-grossing film, came close. It was watched by approximately 2.2 million Filipinos.

Success factors In the case of Guy and Pip, it was a mix of chemistry, versatility, and publicity.

To begin with, Guy already had a following as a singer.

And Tower Records did the right thing at the right time: pick the right partner for Nora.

It also helped that Guy and Pip were so Pinoy na Pinoy.

Next, they hyped it up. In 1969, Pip gave Nora a doll named Maria Leonora Theresa. Fans went wild.

Not long afterwards, the Bot and Vi tandem was formed, and an intense rivalry was born.

The bashers then were the Noranians and Vilmanians, each side as passionately attached to their idols as their intention to put down the other.

In the 80s, films continued to mix and match young actors and young actresses as the teen stars reigned throughout the decade.

Whether through drama or

Splash PHILIPPINES

JUDAY AND WOWIE: 9 years Juday and Wowie

William and Maricel comedy, producers tested the waters with different pairings; but only two love teams prevailed.

SHARON AND GABBY: Almost 10 years Dear Heart marked the start of Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion’s reel- and real-life romance. The ebbs and flows of their love life got the attention of the public, not just their fans.

With their marriage and

the birth of their daughter KC, their fans could not get enough of Sharon and Gabby they watched all their films from 1981 to 1992.

Meanwhile, the other side of spectrum, William Martinez and Maricel Soriano were lighting up the screen with their quirky antics, witty banters, and comedic timing.

They were the perfect balance to the drama of Sharon and Gabby, which meant each pair had a good share of audiences.

Then as now, the on-screen and off-screen relationship of

At the onset of the decade, Filipinos tuned in to the series Mara Clara, which saw the rise of Judy Ann Santos and Wowie de Guzman as the strongest love team at the time.

From 1992 to 1997, Mara Clara ruled television and made Judy Ann and Wowie a household name. In between those years, they made four films: Sana Naman, Mara Clara the Movie, Kung Alam Mo Lang, and Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita?

As soon as Mara Clara ended, Esperanza was aired, and ran for two years.

Their last movie together was Luv Text in 2001.

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CLAUDINE AND RICO: Almost 3 years

APRIL 2016

LONDON Presence on big and small screens

Jolina and Marvin

Claudine Barretto’s Mula Sa Puso was launched in 1999. It was also her first television series with the late Rico Yan. First paired up in 1996’s Radio Romance, Rico and Claudine were pitted against the tandem of Judy Ann and Wowie.

Judy Ann and Claudine were the reigning teen actresses of their generation.

Unfortunately, the success of the love team of Claudine and Rico was cut short by the untimely death of the young actor in 2002, a month after their movie Got to Believe was released.

JOLINA AND MARVIN: Technically, 20 years Buoyed by the popularity of soap operas and their teen stars, television also produced teen-oriented shows, which became another vehicle for launching love teams.

ABS-CBN aired GIMIK in 1996, which introduced the tandem of Jolina Magdangal and Marvin Agustin to the mainstream audience.

Marvin was the funny, pretty boy with his center-parted hair, while Jolina let loose her quirkiness with butterfly clips, colored hair, and outlandish outfits,

which set a trend among her fans.

They starred in a number of romantic-comedies, including Labs Kita… Okey Lang (1998), GIMIK: The Reunion (1999), and Hey Babe (1999).

In 2002, Jolina transferred to GMA, where she and Marvin resumed their on-screen tandem.

Their last project together was Flordeliza, which was shown last year when Jolina moved back to ABS-CBN.

BOBBY AND ANGELU: 4 years While ABS-CBN had GIMIK, GMA aired the teen-oriented s h o w

Bobby and Angelu T.G.I.S (Thank God It’s Sabado), which gave birth to the tandem of Angelu de Leon and Bobby Andrew. It was their first big break both as actors and as a love team.

People followed their story on T.G.I.S in 1995 to its sequel, Growing Up, in 1997. In the same year, fans also watched them in their teleserye Ikaw Na Sana.

They also had a string of hit movies from 1996 to 1998—Takot Ka Ba Sa Dliim (1996), Laging Naroon Ka (1997), and Ikaw na Sana, The Movie (1998).

Their success as an onscreen couple ended completely in 1998 when Angelu announced she was expecting a child with the actor Joko Diaz.

Lately, the Angelu-Bobby tandem was revived via the Kapuso teleserye Buena Familia.

The successes of each love team relied on their presence both on the silver screen and the small screen.

Whether it is through a television series or a movie, these projects helped them stick to audience’s minds.

The longevity of a tandem was achieved by Marvin and Jolina with their separate lives.

Their fans followed them in Flordeliza.

It may be the ultimate dream of most fans to see their favorite couple together, but it can be a nightmare to producers and directors.

A complication that can cause project delays, even disillusionment on the part of the fans when the stuff of their fantasies become too real for comfort.

Where does it leave the present-day love teams of Kim Chiu and Xian Lim, Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards, Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo, James Reid and Nadine Lustre, and Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil? They’ve been told to enjoy the moment, to ride the crest of a wave with their surging popularity, and to be mindful that sooner or later, it will ebb. They can drown if they’re not careful.

Or they can swim to safety, to other pursuits, or they can stay and make the most of the scenery as Nora had done, a multi-awarded actress in her mellowing years.

Vilma found fulfillment as a politician, Marvin as a chef, Judy Ann as a TV host, Jolina as wife and mother.

The point is, the fate of the love teams is not in the numbers. It is in their own hands.

On the other hand, love teams do touch the lives of their fans in ways they probably cannot imagine. If they can embrace that responsibility, they’ll find more meaning in their lives than their make-believe magic.

They will forever be the one true thing in the dazzling world of showbiz. (Philippine Entertainment Portal) n

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Showbuzz Manny nostalgic in first day as ‘retired boxer’ Those were the days . . .

John Lloyd confirms split with Angelica JOHN Lloyd Cruz finally broke his silence and confirmed that his relationship with Angelica Panganiban had come to an end.

“Single na single,” the 32-year-old actor said when asked to set the record straight about the current status of his love life. “Wala naman pong nagbabago.”

He said his love life is actually “intriguing”, adding, “It’s as intriguing as the color yellow. Love life ko, wala po eh.”

John Lloyd also denied speculations that there was a developing relationship between him and former love team partner Bea Alonzo, who coincidentally had also broken up wih Zanjoe Marudo at about the same time John Lloyd and Angelica called it quits.

“Kayo ang unang makakaalam,” he said when prodded to address reports about him and Bea. “At saka pag ganun hindi naman dapat iyon nililihim o tinatago.”

He also said that he does not talk about the rumors with Bea. “We don’t feel the need to talk about it. ... Kasi doon sa mga taong involved doon sa issue, alam nila naman kung ano ang totoo, and madalas sapat na sa amin iyong alam namin ang totoo.”

FOR someone who has devoted more than half of his life to boxing, Manny Pacquiao said he’ll definitely miss fighting and everything about the sport that has defined him as a person.

Speaking to reporters one day after his unanimous decision over Timothy Bradley in their third fight in Las Vegas on April 10, the Filipino boxing idol said it won’t be easy detaching himself from the daily grind of boxing that became his life the moment he aspired to escape poverty in his native General Santos City and gambled in the Big City as a gangling teener.

“Siyempre,” he said without batting an eyelash when asked if he’ll miss boxing. “Dito tayo lumaki, e.”

Despite the cruelty of the

Manny enjoying first day of retirement. sport, there is still a throbbing pain he feels deep inside him about finally walking away from boxing. “Oo naman (malulungkot ako),” he said, adding that most of his boxing gloves and paraphernalia had already been given away.

There were no formal goodbyes between him and longtime

trainer Freddie Roach, who became more of a father figure to him than the man who transformed him into the legendary fighter the world has come to know.

The Filipino boxing hero said he only has good memories from the 15 years they spent together which boxer and trainer tried to recall during their final days in training for the Bradley fight. “Nagmumuni-muni nga kami noong last training day sa Wild Card,” he said.

Pacquiao, 37, won’t leave boxing completely as he intends to help other fighters as chief of his own MP Promotions, even in the event he assumes a higher public office should he win a Senate seat in the coming Philippine elections.

Luis on relationship with Angel: ‘We’re friends’ DESPITE their reported breakup early this year, Luis Manzano said that he and Angel Locsin are still good friends.

“We’re friends. Yes we’re friends,” he told reporters after the press conference for his new show Family Feud, on April 4.

“Ayoko na talagang mag-expound kasi nga nakakahiya sa tao. Masasabihan ako na user, masasabihan ako ng ganyan.

Kumbaga less talk, less mistake, iyan ang sinasabi nila sa industriya.

Let people say what they want,” he said.

As for reports that they are back together after an

episode where Luis was seen guiding Angel (who is suffering a back injury), he said: “At this point, we’re friends. I don’t want to add color. Basta magkaibigan kami. At sa lahat ng pinagdaanan namin, magkaibigan kami.”

L u i s also clarified the sup-

posed kalmot issue with Alex Gonzaga, after bashers went to her social media accounts, accusing her of hurting Luis.

“Nagwo-work out kami together . . . galing akong muay thai, tinanggal ko ang t-shirt ko na pawis na pawis . . . gusto ko sana ay isabit sa kamay niya [‘yung shirt], gusto kong gawing sampayan.

Lumampas or binaba niya ‘yung kamay niya, e pumasok sa bibig niya. So basically, nainom niya ang pawis ko ... So sabi niya, ‘Kuya!’

Galit na galit sa akin, so hinahabol niya ako sa kili-kili niya.

Pagkahawak niya sa akin, pumipiglas ako kasi kili-kili niya. So pumipiglas ako, nakalmot,” he explained.

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Showbuzz Marian says she has already forgiven Heart

Proud parents Marian and Dingdong with baby Letizia MARIAN Rivera can’t understand why her five-year-old rift with Heart Evangelista has not been completely laid to rest.

“Hindi pa rin tapos,” she lamented.

Marian and Heart had a falling out in 2011, after they filmed the movie Temptation Island. The rift even resulted to Heart’s mother, Cecile Ongpauco, allegedly confronted Marian at the airport.

Marian said she has already patched up her differences with Heart when they saw each other at a tribute show for Dolphy in 2012.

“Lumapit na siya sa akin,” Marian said. “The mere fact na lumapit na siya sa akin, pinatawad ko na siya. So, wala nang dahilan sa mga isyu na ‘yan.

Kaya nagtataka ako bakit paulit-ulit, paulit-ulit na nabubuhay.”

Dominic gets biggest break of his career DOMINIC Ochoa has done supporting but inspiring roles in many Kapamilya teleserye over his more than two decades in showbiz.

And now he is in the cast of the new ABS-CBN fantasydramedy series My Super D not just as a lead star but as a superhero. This is his biggest break in his career.

“I’m very blessed and thankful sa trabahong binigay nila... hindi lang basta trabaho, said Dominic. “Everyone’s saying to me nga, ‘Dom, ang tagal mo. We’re happy na ito na yung big break mo.’”

He added, “Never na pumasok sa utak ko na itong My Super D, ako ang bida dito.

Para lang isa itong role na ibinigay sa akin, it’s not about the things that are given to

you. It’s your responsibility, whether it’s small or big, it’s a responsibility given to you. Whether magampaman ko siya o hindi, gagawin ko parati ang lahat ng hundred to hundred-fifty percent na makakayanan ko.”

Dominic said he could relate well to his role as Super D because he is also a father.

“Actually, kaya ko nagugustuhan rin ito kasi nagkataon na tatay din ako.

Nakaka-relate din ako nang bongga,” he said.

Marian said she chooses to remain positive despite the intrigues, especially now that she is now a mother to baby Letizia.

The 31-year-old actress and wife to Dingdong Dantes has two upcoming TV projects: the reboot of the fantasy show Encantadia and a morning show.

Kathryn mixes showbiz and school.

Kathryn bent on finishing her studies DESPITE her hectic schedule Kathryn Bernardo says she is bent on finishing her studies.

She is now on her second year of her marketing course but she has to complete some first year subjects.

“Hanggang kaya talaga, kung ilang units ang kayang i-take, yun ang ine-enroll ni Mama” said Kathryn. “Basta dapat hindi raw mag-stop. Sobrang hirap pagsabayin, pero ang laking challenge din sa akin.”

She said finishing her college course would mean a lot to her.

“Pag natapos, grabe yun!

Iba, e, pag nakatapos, sinasasabi ng lahat and sa sarili ko rin …

Parang right ko yun. Yung iba sinasabi, ‘Artista lang, walang pinag-aralan.’ At least, pag nakatapos ka, maipapakita mo sa sarili mo, sa ibang tao, nagawa mo yun. Hindi lang naman dahil may trabaho, hindi nga naman ito forever. So, kailangan mayron tayong back-up, sa fu-

ture mapagmamalaki mo.”

According to Kathryn, her love team partner Daniel Padilla is also determined to pursue his studies.

“Gusto niya actually, napaguusapan namin ‘yan,” she said.

“Ang problema lang, ‘Kung ikaw nahihirapang pagsabayin, baka hindi ko rin kayanin,’ sabi niya.

Itutuloy niya talaga ‘yan someday, napag-uusapan naming . . . Gusto niya kasi, pag may focus sa isang bagay, yun lang muna. Ayaw niya na hindi naibibigay ang 100 percent sa dalawang bagay. Hindi rin kasi siya biro, pero I’m sure someday… si DJ pa!”

Asked what she would be doing now if she did not enter showbiz, Kathryn said, “Siguro normal na nag-i-school, nagaaral ng mga cooking lessons or photography class. Marami akong gustong lessons, e. Medyo feeling ko, marami akong ina-attend-ang class kung hindi ako artista.”

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The Philippines: Asia’s New Must-See Destination

For all its urban glory, the Philippines is much more than just Manila - which is welcome news for anyone who might struggle with the By peter lloyd • Daily Mail Online testing humidity. Mercifully, respite is offered in N a world that the form of the Philippines’ 7,000 idyllic islands. seems to be getting Islands which, unlike those surrounding Thailand’s smaller, it’s difficult mainland, feel truly secluded and untouched.

I

to find a place that’s not already trending with tourists or, worse, gap-year students.

That was my only criticism of Thailand when I visited ten years ago. Yes, I certainly loved the country that means ‘Freedom’, but there was little of it that wasn’t marred by Western influence and even on my arrival on the island of Koh Samui, I was greeted with a McDonald’s sign.

So, when the Philippines came calling, I was instantly intrigued by the famed archipelago which boasts 7,000 isles south-east of Asia’s mainland.

Why? Because it’s the road less

The skyline’s the limit! Manila at night became a shimmering city in flux - both taller and broader than expected.

travelled.

One explanation for this slight under-discovered feel could be because so few carriers have previously offered competitive-enough deals to get the masses over there, but - with a tempting new schedule

by Philippine Airlines

in conjunction with Hayes and Jarvis - that almost certainly looks set to change.

And, this time, I was determined to go ahead of the curve.

Fourteen hours of non-stop business class later and we touch down in the hus-

Life’s a beach! The Philippines is a famed archipelago which boasts 7,000 isles south-east of Asia’s mainland ...with epic vistas

tle and bustle of the capital city, Manila. A neon landscape taller - and broader - than expected, it was like driving through a pinball machine with the volume cranked-up.

Fast-forward sixty minutes and we arrive at the grand Shangri-La Makati hotel, located in the affluent business district.

Five-star by any standard, the clientele was a reassuring mix of international travellers and discerning locals who clearly rated the traditional, in-house restaurant, Inagiku. Always a good marker of credible quality.

Greeted by cocktails in the hotel’s penthouse Sage Bar, this warm welcome formed a springboard for our first night in the place author Dan Brown once described as ‘the gates of hell’.

Naturally, we saw no evidence of this - on the contrary, instead we witnessed a shimmering city in flux. In particular, one that’s hospitality industry is thriving.

From our vantage point (Manila’s tallest night-spot, 71 Gramercy - a must-see) we could truly appreciate the scale of a modern metropolis in metamorphosis.

And, while other Asian cities may suffer from a seedy underbelly, Manila’s is either wellhidden or discretely indulged in private.

By day, the revelation continued. We saw a surprisingly organised, clean side of Manila - one that’s evolved from the original plan devised by Daniel Burnham in 1905 (who later sketched layouts for Washington and Chicago and was similarly responsible for New York’s Flatiron building).

Like America, which once ruled the Philippines, Manila is unapologetically retail-tastic.

And all the better for it, too.

The arrival of Greenbelt Super Mall in the 1980s (which is so epic it spawned a fifth wing in 2007) is living proof of this.

Packed with restaurants, nightclubs, medical centres and immaculate shops ranging from Dior to Yves Saint Laurent, visitors should be under

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Overseas absentee voters — What you need to know

A

MONTH BEFORE elections in the Philippines, some 1.38 million Filipinos abroad can already cast their votes and choose who they want as leader for the next 6 years.

Overseas absentee voting (OAV) began on Saturday, April 9, and will run until May 9.

The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 enacted the system which allows Filipino citizens residing or working abroad to participate in the elections in the Philippines. Those qualified, however, are only allowed to vote for national candidates such as president, vice president, senators, and party-list representatives.

Since the OAV was introduced in 2004, the number of registered voters has been increasing.

For 2016, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) targeted two million overseas absentee voters or more than double the registered voters in 2013.

The poll body, unfortunately, did not hit its goal when the registration period ended in 2015. It, however, managed to hit an alltime high.

From 2004 to 2016, the number of overseas Filipinos who registered to vote grew by 1,016,779 voters.

The huge increase can be attributed to the “aggressive campaign” of the Commission on Elections or Comelec. The poll body partnered with several government agencies, particularly the Department of Foreign Affairs and its 84 outposts across the world, to introduce several ways for Filipinos abroad to take time to register to vote in the upcoming elections.

The numerous activities – including physical registration booths

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in airports and online services – contributed to the smooth registration of overseas Filipinos, thus encouraging them to do so.

How powerful is the OAV? Liberal Party (LP) tandem Benigno Aquino III and Mar Roxas dominated the overseas vote during the 2010 presidential elections.

Aquino garnered a total of 83,553 votes – 54.5% of the total 153,323 votes cast.

Roxas also won by a landslide in the OAV. He got 83,853 votes against Jejomar Binay’s 18,529 votes from overseas Filipinos. He, however, failed to win the vice president seat and lost to Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance.

In the 2013 senatorial elections, meanwhile, 8 out of the top 12 senators with the most overseas votes eventually got elected.

Leading the list was Senator Loren Legarda with 40,651 votes.

Nine of the 12 candidates who got the most number of votes from overseas absentee voters ran under the administration’s ticket – Team PNoy. Convincing to vote Registered Filipinos abroad now have a month to go to their respective polling stations to cast their votes. They will be the first ones to have the chance to let their voices be heard through their ballots.

Comelec Commissioner Arthur Lim highlighted the strength of the overseas vote. He argued that the number of overseas Filipino votes is not just a “small lot” and can even determine the next president.

In a minute resolution signed in December, the Comelec said it will implement the automated election system in 30 posts.

In addition, 26 posts will adopt the postal mode of voting, while 26 will adopt personal voting or personally appearing in the overseas posts. Both modes of voting will remain manual.

London, United Kingdom Where to vote: The Philippine Embassy, Suffolk St, London SW1Y 4H When to vote: Every day starting April 9 to May 9.

How to vote: Registered voters may personally go to the precincts to vote or request for the ballot to be mailed. For postal voting, a voter may either pick up the ballot from the Embassy, or request the Embassy to mail it to the voter’s registered address.

All registered overseas voters in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Greenland who wish to receive their ballots by mail must file a request before April 22 through the following methods: Mail: Embassy of the Philippines, 6-8 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HG Email to embassy@philemb.co.uk with the subject “Send Ballot by Post” Text message: +447802790695 Include the your full name, date of birth and full mailing address with postal code.

There is also a plan to conduct field voting during the Embassy’s consular outreach mission to Dublin, Ireland on April 16-17.

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Retail therapy: Manila offers plenty of street vendors, but also boasts 16 airconditioned ‘super malls’ that are decidedly middle-class.

Stunning scenes: Four hours of wading through Iguana-rich waters of Loboc River resulted in a dramatic waterfall crescendo which left them - quite literally – speechless.

by Pope John Paul II during his 1981 papal visit for being too opulent. Fabulous).

However, for all its urban glory, the Philippines is much more than just Manila - which is welcome news for anyone who might struggle with the testing humidity. Mercifully, respite is offered in the form of the Philippines’ 7,000 idyllic islands. Islands which, unlike those surrounding Thailand’s mainland, feel truly secluded and untouched.

Any traveller going for weeks (rather than months) will only be able to do a handful during their stay, but I strongly suggest Bohol (and neighbouring Panglao in the central Visayas region), plus the stunning Palawan.

An hour’s flight south of Manila, the former is the larger and offers a perfect segue between the city and the sedate.

That said, it still buzzes with sights to see - namely the Tarsier Wildlife Sanctuary, which houses the endangered species in a specially-built ecosystem, plus Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, where one thousand 40m mounds dominate the landscape. So-called because they resemble giant cocoa beans.

My personal highlight of my trip, however, was without question when nature and adventure collided in the form of paddle-boarding along the epic Loboc River.

Four hours of wading through Iguana-rich waters complete with dramatic rain (as

ter - clothes dripping wet - there was literally nothing else in sight.

No crush of humanity, no roads, no competing land. That journey, they told us, was their average morning commute.

Greeted by local singers who serenaded us in style, they then escorted us to our private cabins which consisted of apartments afloat on the water.

Rising on stilts above the island’s coral banks, the resort’s 64 water villas offer stunning, uninterrupted views of the sea.

With 102 square meters of floor space, they are made for a cosy romantic hideaway, and a picturesque honeymoon retreat.

But, because the Filpinos know how to enjoy themselves, we hosted a private party of our own...without fear of waking the neighbours.

It was during this moment, flanked by a star-gazing sky and surrounded by fabulous people who remain new friends, that I realised the magic of the Philippines is the same whether experienced from the city or by the sea.

Because, ultimately, it’s a heady combination of the people and the place.

Yes, it’s true that Asia’s more commercial offerings may have long enjoyed their moment in the sun, but - when it comes to the Philippines - their time is most definitely now.

Don’t be late. n

no illusion: it’s decidedly middle-class, not some poor man’s Westfield in the sun. In fact, with sixteen air-conditioned malls in total, shopping here is a way of life for locals.

A more bespoke shopping alternative, however, is The Henry Hotel, where live-in designer Eric Paras curates a handsome boutique that’s previously attracted the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, no less. Situated in a gated community, it’s also the city’s best small-scale hotel on offer and was the recent location of an Elle Magazine shoot.

Not that it’s all commerce, of course. Manila’s historic Spanish quarter boasts plenty of heritage with their Tower of London equivalent, Fort Santiago, housing a memorial to the Philippines’ national hero, Dr. José Rizal. The San Agustin Church, a compelling UNESCO site, is also worthy of attention.

But there’s also more leftfield fun to be had. As a selfconfessed movie buff, I organised a bespoke tour of filming locations for some of the Philippine Film industry’s bestknown productions, including The Bourne Identity and Brokedown Palace, starring Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale.

This included the Manila Hotel - a classic spot from 1912 that once hosted John F Kennedy, Ernest Hemingway and the Beatles - plus Coconut Palace, a building commissioned in 1978 by former First Lady Imelda Marcos (and famously snubbed

Rising on stilts above the island’s coral banks, Huma Island Resort and Spa’s 64 water villas offer stunning, uninterrupted views of the sea. tourists trawled by on luncheon liners) resulted in a waterfall crescendo which left us - quite literally - speechless. Never, ever have I felt closer to nature. And I’m not sure I ever will again.

Believe me, the Philippines may offer a tropical climate, but this particular experience was seriously cool. And the people who call it home don’t take it for granted.

Chatting with one local about whether she’d ever swap it for a life elsewhere she didn’t miss a beat in explaining: ‘People spend years working hard to make money so they can retire, leave the madness and live on a beautiful island. I already have that - and there is more than one way to live a rich life’.

Unable to top that, we then headed to the province of Palawan, where we caught a speedboat to the privately-owned Dicilingan Island, home of the luxury Huma Island Resort and Spa. Standing at the bow of the boat as it blasted along the wa-

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EGION IV-A OR the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (Calabarzon) area, where many great heroes thrived, is now considered as the country’s “Historical Culinary Destination Center” with its best variety in food choices and numerous tourist spots.

Calabarzon took on the new tag at the launching of the DOT’s “Eat Your History Culinary Packages” and “Food Holidays Philippines Travel Guide Book” in simple ceremonies last Monday at the General Emilio F. Aguinaldo Shrine audio-visual room and grounds in this municipality.

The launch gave the country and the world insights and glimpse of the best healthy and delicious foods in the region and its spots — scenes and eateries.

The ceremonies were led by Rebecca Villanueva-Labit, DoTRegion IV-A director; and DOT Undersecretary Ma. Teresa Martinez and Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato.

Cavite Provincial Tourism Officer Liberty Herrera said that over 4.8 million of the more than 15 million Calabarzon local and foreign tourists visited Cavite and dined in the province in 2015.

Sky Ranch and other areas near the panoramic view of Taal Volcano and Lake in Tagaytay City is the most frequented by the young and adult and the Aguinaldo Shrine the top historical site visited in the province, Herrera said.

One of the highlights of the Monday event at the Shrine was the book launching of Food Holiday Philippines, with the theme “Travel the Islands for Culinary Culture” and insight of the 25 “gastronomic destinations” and 15 “heirloom recipes.”

The book, made by Colors Integrated Travel Media in partner-

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TRAVEL

DOT launches Calabarzon as Philippines’ ‘Historical Culinary Destination Center’

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ship with the DoT regional office, is a compilation focusing on the beautiful facets of the cuisine in Southern Luzon and the fusion of history and taste that bespeak of the tradition and foods served on the Filipino table.

Cavite, deemed as one of the oldest provinces in the country, is known for its “paella,” “lengua,” sea foods, “arroz caldo,” “pancit,” “kilawin,” “nilaga” and “inihaw” meat and vegetable foods and other delicacies and sweets such as “leche flan,” and “ube halaya,” and so with its neighboring areas.

Calabarzon officials treated about 200 people at the event with free eat-all-you can foods — “organic lechon,” “lumpia ubod,” “boneless bangus,” “special tamales,” kulawong pusong saging,” “kinulob na baka,” pancit pusit,” “gintaan halu-halo,” “minaluto, crabs and other sea foods, Cavite and Rizal-kind “paella,” among others — and drinks, the Lakan Lambanog, a deluxe

coconut wine from Batangas and the pure and flavored Lambanog from Quezon.

Mayor Faustino Silang of Tayabas, Quezon, led the ceremo-

nial toast with the local chant “nuay” or ‘kampai” (good luck and happiness).

(Manila Bulletin)

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WHAT’S ON 11 June 2016

Philscot Independence Party 2016 Time: 7pm - 11:30pm St. Peter’s Church Hall, 1 South Crescent Road, Ardrossan, KA22 8DU Contact: Nally 01294539713 Marilyn 01475522459

LONDON

FIESTAS 11 June 2016

Yorkshire Barrio Fiesta Time: 10am-5pm (Sat) Venue: The Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 1UG Contact: Lolita Boddy 01765535015 Tess Wills 07920280549 Web: www.maharlika.org.uk

12 June 2016

18-19 June 2016

Contact: 07428677870 tekkitevents@gmail.com

Contact: Bing Juco 07739479172 Mayette 07501530530 Tess Juco 07956593236

FB: Tekkit Events

Web: www.bayanihan.org.uk

24-25 June 2016

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Venue: Fairlands Valley Park Showground Arena, Broadhall Way, SG2 8RH Contact: 07534711757 barriofiestainhertford shire@yahoo.com

Venue: Blaydon Rugby Club Field (Carboot Area) Hexham Road Swalwell, Newcastle NE16 3BN Contact: 07886742417 07824338251 07725892489

25 June 2016

26 June 2016

PHL Independence Day Celebration in Slough 2016 Time: 12nn - 4pm (Sat) FULL PAGE AD Venue: The Centre, Farnham Road, SL1 4UT

Hertfordshire Barrio Fiesta 2016

Bristol Barrio Fiesta 2016 Time: 8:30am-6pm (Sat) Venue: Eastville Park, Muller Rd, Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6XA Contact: Carlo - 07528770491 Honeylyn - 07783343348 Clarence - 07500896239 Wil - 07900485194

Morden Barrio Fiesta 2016 Time: 9am-6pm (Sat) Venue: Morden Park, London Road, Morden SM4 5QX

Newcastle Barrio Fiesta 2016

Leeds Barrio Fiesta 2016 Time: 9:30am-6pm Venue: Event Field, Temple Newsam, Leeds LS15 0AF Contact: 07787510277 07917563070 01132174109 07449878657

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Scotland Barrio Fiesta 2016 Time: 10 am - 5 pm Hamilton Park Racecourse, Bothwell Road, Hamilton, Lanarkshire ML3 0DW Contact: Lolita 07973 469450 Fe 07868 469149 Chel 07478 741277

9-10 July 2016 Barrio Fiesta in Manchester 2016

Venue: Thatch Leach Lane Playing Field Thatch Leach Lane Whitefield, Bury M45 6FN

Barrio Fiesta in Manchester 2016

Time: 9am-5pm

9-10 July 2016

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FIESTAS 2-3 July 2016

Bham-Sandwell West Midlands Fiesta Celebration

9 July 2016

Oxfordshire Barrio Fiesta 2016

Contact: 07985159203 07896082895 07472953935

Venue: Tingewick Hall, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU Contact: joarielan@yahoo.com chairman@filcom oxford.org.uk

9-10 July 2016

16-17 July 2016

Venue: Lightwoods Park, Adkins Lane, Bearwood, Smethwick, B67 5DP

Barrio Fiesta 2016 The Big Comeback Venue: Woodgate Valley FULL PAGE CountryAD Park, Clapgate Lane, Bartley Green B32 3DS Contact: 07810377208 07402201985 07850268868 07540633789

32nd Barrio Fiesta sa London Venue: Contact: http://www.london barriofiesta.com/ FB - TFC Europe

30-31 July 2016

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Mr and Miss Teen PH Islands UK 2016

Lani Misalucha Live in Manchester 2016

Time: 9am-7pm

Venue: Baden Powell House, Queens Gate, London

Venue: The Lighthouse CC, 12 Coronet Way, Eccles, Manchester M50 1RE Tickets: £22, £33

Milton Keynes Barrio Fiesta 2016

Venue: Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD Contact: Merald07909957313 Anita-07557358013

Contact: 07541432314

1 May 2016

Twitter: @MrandMissTeenPH

Contact: Aurora 07748252530 Mayette 07501530530

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Miss London NABA

Salo-Salo 2016

Venue: Camden Centre, Kings Cross

Venue: The Theatre Room at St Mary Abbots Centre

Venue: Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 7RU

Time: 6:30pm Tickets: £12-£15 Facebook: MissLondonNABA

Time: 12pm - 5pm Contact: http://www.fwa-uk. com/contact/

SPORTS FEST

Contact: 07725892489 07920259323 07809713191

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Kapamilya stars support TFC’s #Vote4ASelfieWorthyPH campaign

AS THE 2016 Philippine national elections opened Saturday, April 9 (Manila time), more and more Kapamilya stars are heeding the call of The Filipino Channel (TFC) to #Vote4ASelfieWorthyPH, the premier network’s overseas voting campaign.

Part of TFC’s advocacy to promote overseas voting, in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs Overseas

LONDON against a backdrop or scenario they want improved for the country.

Overseas Filipinos can vote from April 9 to May 9 Manila time. Before exercising their right to vote, OFs can check their names at the Certified List of Voters at comelec.gov.ph.

Voting will be conducted at the nearest Philippine Embassy, Consulate General, MISSION or Manila Economic and Cultural office (MECO).

Meantime, deadline of requests for mailing of ballots is on April 22.

To vote, OFs just need to bring their valid passport and ID. (TFC)

Voting Secretariat (DFA OVS) and COMELEC Office for the Overseas Voting, the campaign aims to make the voice of the overseas Filipino (OF) FULL heard byPAGE AD way of their participation in the coming national elections.

ABS-CBN entertainment and news personalities share TFC’s belief in the importance of the OF vote and have shown this by ‘casting’ their support by way of posting selfies of themselves

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EMBASSY NEWS

LONDON

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OVERSEAS VOTING ADVISORY THE COMMISSION on Elections announces the adoption of Automated Election System Modified Postal Voting at the Embassy of the Philippines in London for purposes of the 09 April 2016 to 09 May 2016 overseas voting period.

Under this system, the voter has the option to vote either through personal voting or postal voting.

For personal voting, a voting precinct will be opened at the Embassy from 09 April 2016 until 11:00 a.m. on 09 May 2016.

There is also a plan to conduct field voting during the Embassy’s consular outreach mission to Dublin, Ireland on 16-17 April 2016.

For postal voting, a voter may either pick up the mailing packet from the Embassy, or request the Embassy to post the packet to the voter’s registered address.

All registered overseas voters of London PE in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Greenland who wish to receive theirFULL ballots PAGE by post are requested to file a request before 22 April 2016 using any of these methods: • Send a written request by post to: Embassy of the Philippines, 6-8 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HG • Send an e-mail with the subject “Send Ballot by Post” to: embassy@philemb.co.uk • Send a text message to +447802790695 All requests to send ballots by post should include the voter’s full name, date of birth and full mailing address with post code.

Requests without these data will not be entertained.

Requests received after 22 April 2016 will not be entertained.

Please be guided accordingly.

EMBASSY CLOSURE: APR-MAY 2016 The public is advised that the Philippine Embassy will be closed on the following date:

Monday - 2 May 2016 (UK Bank Holiday) Regular office hours will resume on Tuesday, 3 May 2016. In case of death or detention of a Filipino citizen in the United Kingdom, please contact the Embassy’s emergency mobile phone at 07802790695.

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