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Verbatim Politics in the Philippines is a business proposition. . . It is now clear that our people are poor because our leaders have kept them poor by their greed for money and power.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, slammed corruption in politics and business in his opening salvo as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)

Kung meron tayong PDAF, mas marami sana tayong matutulungan sa mga naapektuhan ng bagyo.

Accountability is what is needed.

FULL PAGE AD Transparency is what is called for.

And this is what the PDAF decision is all about.

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., expressing regret over the high court’s decision on PDAF. Revilla, together with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada, is accused of pocketing millions of pork barrel funds through alleged bogus non-government organizations set up

by Janet Lim-Napoles.

Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanya, ngunit ikinalulungkot kong sabihin, at kahit masakit man banggitin, hindi po ako naa-asiman sa kanya!

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, responding to the sarcastic comment of his arch nemesis, Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago, who in a previous Senate hearing, quipped, “May asim pa rin si Tanda,” referring to the 89-year-old Cagayan lawmaker’s virility

Senate President Franklin Drilon, welcoming the decision of the Supreme Court declaring the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), commonly known as pork barrel, unconstitutional

Mabuhay Philippines.

Maraming salamat for showing us all how to live.

CNN broadcast journalist Anderson Cooper, capping his coverage of the aftermath of Supertyphoon Yolanda in Tacloban City

It (the victory) isn’t about my comeback. It symbolizes my people’s comeback.

Manny Pacquiao, dedicating his victory over American Brandon Rios to the victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda

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Be Pinoy, Enjoy!

By gilda cordero-fernando

P

INOY is what Filipinos call each other. It’s an abbreviated term of endearment -- you’re Pinoy from Pilipino, just like you’re Tisoy from mestizo, or Chinoy from Chinese-Filipino.

It’s a nickname, just like Ikoy is from Enrico, Minoy from Maximino and Ondoy is from Rolando. But now you’re Eric and Max and Rolly.

Pinay comes from Josefina, Monay from Simona, Pipay from Epifania. But you’ve become Jojo, Monette and Fifi.

You’re Juan de la Cruz and Mang Pandoy. You’re common tao, masa, urban poor, but also Don Jaime, Sir Ben Chan, Nora Aunor, Ninoy, Rizal, Bonifacio, Francisco Sionil José, Rio Alma and Nick Joaquin, galing-galing!

Born June 12, 1896, the Republic of the Philippines is a Gemini -- good at connecting, good at loving-loving, good at interpersonal skills.

Filipinos like to yakap, akbay, kalong, kalabit. We use our lips to point direction, we go out sama-sama, we sleep side by side, siping-siping.

There’s lots of us to distribute around the world. (Also lots of relatives to support). In jeepneys you can tell your sad story and be consoled and understood. (So who needs to talk to trees and plants?)

Who has a kuya, a hipag, a bayaw, a bilas, a balae, a kinakapatid? Who has an inaanak, who shows up on Christmas Eve, because you’re the ninong or ninang?

The maids call her ate, the driver calls him kuya, but everybody else is tito and tita.

Citizen of the world Who has a Lola Baby, a Tito Boy, a bossing called Sir Butch, his wife Ma’am Tereret, and a daughter named Kring-Kring?

The walang katapusang paalam of the Pinoy starts at

the top of the stairs (kisskiss), descends to the landing (kiss-kiss), walks to the gate (kiss-kiss), ends at the car or bus window (flying kiss!).

The Pinoy lives in a condo, a mansion, a bedspace, a bahayna-bato, ilalim ng tulay, Luneta and abroad, too.

He’s a free soul, a risk-taker, a citizen of the world. He’s in all the capitals and ghettos, bringing his guitar and his bagoong, his tabo, his lola and lolo.

A Filipino is singing her heart out in a musical in London, in a pub in Japan, dancing in Disneyland, playing a piano concert in Paris or conducting an orchestra in Sydney. Where there’s a beat there’s a Pinoy!

Look at that baggage, it must be a balikbayan box with pasalubong for everybody -sukbit sa balikat, pasan, kilik, kaladkad, sunong -- from jacket to rosary, lipstick to scarf, lotion to holy water from the Holy Land. Remember your relatives before they make tampo forever. And their bilin -- branded shirts and shoes on sale, digital camera, tablet, toy or trinket, don’t forget!

The Pinoy is a linguist Hey, Joe, don’t envy me ’cause I’m brown. You’ll get broiled like a lobster from the tropic sun or the ultraviolet rays from your artificial lamp.

Just lucky, I guess, God put us all in the oven but some came out under-baked, some ended up burned, but me, I came out golden brown!

Hey, Christof, hey, David and Ann! Your Pinoy yaya will make your children gentle,

more obedient, more prayerful. They’ll be wary of aswang, they’ll learn to love tuyo and sinigang.

We made the jeepney, the fluorescent bulb and the karaoke. We discovered balut, halo-halo, chicharon bulaklak, chicken feet “adidas.”

Our age-old holistic remedies and practices have been rediscovered, making us recover from ailments cheaper and faster.

The Pinoy is a linguist. As in. As if. For a while. Paki ganyan naman ang kuwan sa ano.

Open the light, close the light.

Don’t be high blood. If you’re ready, I’ll pass na for you.

I’m inviting you to my birthday, pls RSVP. Oo means yes, or maybe no, or I don’t know.

If you press me I’ll try my best if my car is not coded, if it isn’t flooded or traffic, I’ll be the first to show.

Yes is no Yes is also a nice way of saying no. Yes, hindi kita sisiputin. No, ayan na ako at ang

barkada ko.

Please don’t ask a Filipino a question like that! He’s not so exact. He’s not so chop-chop. She will just flow with the current, with the event. Filipino time!

Naku, huli din naman ang Kano!

The Filipino is a giver, he just hardens his stomach and his liver. Hardships of the Third World don’t dry up his optimism. Just makes him more feeling of the other guy’s lot.

Note that the domestic sends all her wages home to Tatay and Nanay. She is the Overseas Worker whose labor of the loneliness created the Katas ng Saudi. Miss you all!

The Filipino is fearless, bahala na actually means Bathala na, leave everything to God. Okay lang if I die, okay lang if I live. Okay lang if I suffer, okay lang, I’ll succeed.

Remember to be Pinoy. Enjoy! (Philippine Daily Inquirer -- Rewritten version from the Pinoy Pop Culture book by Gilda Cordero-Fernando and M.G. Chaves. Published by Suyen Corp., 2006) n

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Storms getting stronger

ATURE and man together cooked up the disaster in the Philippines.

Geography, meteorology, poverty, shoddy construction, a booming population and, to a much lesser degree, climate change combine to make the Philippines the nation most vulnerable to killer typhoons, according to several scientific studies.

And Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) was one mighty storm.

“Yolanda” slammed the island nation with a storm surge two stories high and some of the highest winds ever measured in a tropical cyclone - 314 kilometers per hour as clocked by US satellites, or 237 kph based on local reports.

“You have a very intense event hitting a very susceptible part of the world. It’s that combination of nature and man,” said tropical meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“If one of those ingredients were missing, you wouldn’t have a disaster.”

The 7,000 islands of the Philippines sit in the middle of the world’s most storm-prone region, which gets some of the biggest typhoons because of vast expanses of warm water that act as fuel and few pieces of land to slow storms down.

Half the storms on an informal list of the strongest ones to hit land in the 20th and 21st centuries ended up striking the Philippines, according to research by Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the Weather Underground.

Storms often hit after they’ve peaked in strength or before they get a chance to, but “Yolanda” struck when it was at its most powerful, based on US satellite observations, Emanuel said.

Human factor Humans played a big role in this disaster, too -- probably

Tacloban is a wasteland in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Yolanda.

Man, Nature Share Blame for Philippine Tragedy bigger than nature’s, meteorologists said.

University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy figures that 75 to 80 percent of the devastation can be blamed on the human factor.

Meteorologists point to extreme poverty and huge growth in population -- much of it in vulnerable coastal areas with poor construction, including storm shelters that didn’t hold up against “Yolanda”.

The population of the devastated provincial capital of Tacloban City nearly tripled from about 76,000 to 221,000 in just 40 years.

About one-third of Tacloban’s homes have wooden exterior walls. And one in seven homes have grass roofs, according to the census office.

Those factors -- especially flimsy construction -- were so important that a weaker storm would have still caused almost

A big part of the devastation can be attributed to extreme poverty and high population growth. as much devastation, McNoldy said.

“You end up with this kind of urban time bombs, where cities have doubled, tripled, quadrupled in size in 50 years” without good building standards, said Richard Olson, director of the Extreme Events Institute at Florida International University. “It is, I hate to say, an all-too-familiar pattern.”

Scientists say man-made global warming has contributed to rising seas and a general increase in strength in the most powerful tropical cyclones.

But they won’t specifically apply these factors to “Yolanda”, saying it is impossible to attribute single weather events, like the typhoon, to climate change.

A 2008 study found that in the northwestern Pacific, where “Yolanda” formed, the top one percent of the strongest tropical cyclones over the past 30 years are getting stronger each year -- a phenomenon some scientists suspect is a consequence of global warming.

“The strongest storms are getting stronger” said study co-author James Kossin of the National Climatic Data Center.

Yolanda “is what potentially could be a good example of the kind of the things we’re finding.”

Philippines has it all Similarly, the Philippines has seen its sea rise nearly half an inch in the past 20 years -about triple the global increase, according to R. Steven Nerem of the University of Colorado.

Higher sea levels can add to storm surge, creating slightly greater flooding.

Just as human factors can worsen a disaster, they can also lessen it, through stronger buildings, better warnings and a quicker government response.

Emanuel said poverty-stricken Bangladesh had much bigger losses of life from cyclones in the 1970s than it does now. The international community built strong evacuation shelters that get used frequently, he said.

“The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone places on Earth,” said Kathleen Tierney, director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado.

“They’ve got it all. They’ve got earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, tropical cyclones, landslides.” (Associated Press) n

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By karl malakunas

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ACLOBAN CITY – A month after one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded hit the Philippines, masses of survivors are living amid rubble in rebuilt shanty homes, and experts say reconstructing destroyed communities will take years.

The sight of people sleeping and cooking in wasteland towns highlights the overwhelming problems as an initial, frenzied emergency relief effort transforms into one focused on long-term rehabilitation.

“A lot of people have received emergency assistance, but this is just the beginning,” Matthew Cochrane, a spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the worst-hit city of Tacloban, told Agence France-Presse.

The Philippines endures more than 20 major storms a year, but super typhoon Yolanda (international codename Haiyan) was the most destructive on record, with at least 5,796 people killed and another 1,779 missing, according to government data.

More than a million homes were damaged or destroyed, while water rushed through schools and other supposedly safe coastal buildings that were

Many people have already left evacuation centers and started the rebuilding themselves, often using salvaged material.

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One Month After Yolanda, PH Faces Huge Challenges serving as evacuation centers, killing many people sheltering there.

Permanent homes a top priority Cochrane said one of the top priorities, exactly one month after Yolanda struck on November 8, was building new homes and communities for roughly 500,000 families.

But with the process expected to take up to 5 years and cost billions of dollars, many people have already left evacuation centers and started the rebuilding themselves, often using salvaged material.

In Tacloban, 81-year-old Generio Trinidad sat at the weekend inside her tiny wooden home that was rebuilt on stilts above a putrid swamp of debris, as her neighbours threw broken furniture and shattered coconut trees onto a fire.

“I’m afraid that another typhoon will come, but there’s nowhere else to go... if the government gives us another place to live, we will move,” Trinidad said as her 3 grandchildren

played in the house.

In a neighbouring district, 18-year-old Ronnie Melaflor had recently finished erecting a makeshift Christmas tree using a bamboo pole and tinsel. It stood on broken concrete and tiles next to his family’s wooden hut.

“We can’t put a tree inside, but I still want to celebrate Christmas,” said Melaflor, who escaped the devastation wrought upon his community by sheltering with his 7 siblings and parents in a nearby school.

Outside of the cities, the government and relief workers are rushing to help tens of thousands of farmers who lost their livelihoods in the storm.

The next rice harvest must be planted this month, so urgent programs are underway to clear farms of debris, fix irrigation channels and get seeds out to remote areas.

“This is a huge issue for food security... it’s going to be an enormous challenge to meet the deadline,” Ian Bray, a spokesman for international charity Oxfam, told Agence

France-Presse.

Hundreds of thousands of people will also need some form of help to address the mental trauma of living through what many in the mainly Christian country have likened to hell.

“In a disaster like this it’s not just about meeting the physical reconstruction needs, it’s about addressing the mental scars,” said International Federation of the Red Cross spokesman Patrick Fuller.

Church services on Sunday were part of that healing process, with survivors listening to sermons focused on hope and resilience.

“Whatever hardships and sufferings we have had, we should try to move on and forget and start all over again,” Father Isagani Petilos told a morning mass at Tacloban’s Santo Niño Church, which still has missing windows and holes in its roof.

“We have to learn to accept what happened in our lives, and we can still hope that there’s a beautiful life ahead.” (Agence France-Presse) n

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BLOODY BUT

UNBOWED In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.

-- Invictus by Williamm Ernest Henley

I

N countless stories and images, the whole world has witnessed the unimaginable suffering and devastation caused by Supertyphoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan). We were all horrified – and then moved – by the tragedy, eliciting a global humanitarian response unseen in a long time. Even as relief work continues, the long road to reconstruction has begun, albeit in modest terms given the magnitude of the disaster and the limited resources of the Philippine government.

Buried in the myriad of stories of tragedy and destruction are tales of brav-

Gone fishing on a ‘refrigerator boat’.

Leyteños will survive, come hell or high water ery, resilience and survival of the Filipino. In the face of mindboggling misfortune, survivors persevere and pick up the pieces of their battered lives. A foreign photographer on the ground summed it best: “It’s almost confusing because people are so good-natured here. People laugh and are happy, even though their lives are just destroyed. . . At the very least, they’ve lost everything they own, and at the very worst, they’ve lost members of their family, but they’re still upbeat and positive.” n

‘Mano po! Will you be my ninong?’

His brother’s keeper.

‘My faith is stronger than Yolanda. I didn’t fear Yolanda. She should fear my God.’

Let the games begin.

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Teodoro: Agency more powerful than NDRRMC needed

I

N THE aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), much has been said and written about the country’s state of disaster preparedness. Although the strength of the typhoon was unimaginable, it also highlighted how inadequate existing government institutions and resources were in dealing with a disaster so huge.

Rappler sought out former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, also a second cousin of President Benigno Aquino III, for his thoughts on disaster mitigation and management.

As defense secretary in 2007, he was concurrent head of what was then known as the National Disaster Coordinating Council, an ad hoc body that played a mere supporting role to local government units in their relief efforts.

He had his fair share of criticism when Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) dumped an unprecedented amount of rain on Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Back then he saw the inadequacy of the NDCC as an organization expected to deal with disasters. It had no teeth, no budget, no resources. It has since been replaced by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), created by RA 10121 of 2010.

Yolanda however showed that even the NDRRMC, given its still limited powers and resources, may still need a few more reincarnations before it can adequately fulfill its disaster risk reduction and management functions.

Q. Yolanda is the first serious test of the NDRRMC law of 2010.

A. With this kind of disaster, which is precedent-setting, I think we need a new agency with the capacity to actually take the leadership role and respond if necessary to these disasters. If we work on the present structure of first responders here, I guess with an Ondoy-type of disaster, it may even work, but with a Yolandatype of disaster, I don’t think it would work.

Q. How would you assess the

gate to the executive secretary who has no expertise?

A. Each president has his or her own dynamic. It’s a human organizational thing. That’s why, I think, moving forward, you have to craft a powerful personality full-time, meaning institutionally powerful. To me, maybe what can be done, the President can make a Cabinet position for this.

Gilbert Teodoro says there is a need for a new agency more powerful than the current NDRRMC

response time of the present should be in charge.

A. That’s true. But if the magadministration? How would FULL PAGE AD nitude is too big that no LGUs you have handled it?

A. I can’t say. I don’t think you are left standing, then we have a big problem. And probably can say when you’re faced with that’s where the capacity buildthat kind of a problem. What I ing of the NDRRMC comes in. can say is I think, we must say that we’re not ready for any kind of a Yolanda or worse, so let’s prepare for that. It’s important to do that. Who knows what the next disaster will be?

Secondly, I think it is important now that alongside rehabilitation should be a national infrastructure plan, long-term, which has to be talked about and legislated...To me, infrastructure development in the country, which is crucial for response, has been disjointed, whereas we’re talking about RORO (Roll On, Roll Off), other countries are talking about bridges connecting islands, and I think that’s crucial.

Q. How do you make it part of the national framework?

A. If they are to craft a new Disaster Management Agency law or augment the current one, I believe that there should be a select study group composed of the academe, operational people, even hospitals, etc. Let them craft out one coherent plan and with as much consultation as possible, Congress should pass the plan without chopping away from it or taking out its basic form.

Q. Should this be a national body? Albay Governor Joey Salceda says it should be the LGUs and local officials who

Q. In this particular case, the typhoon was anticipated to be unusually strong. So why dele-

Q. Ideally, what would be the criteria for the head of this new agency, should he be apolitical, political?

A. He should be both. He should be a politician with managerial expertise. You know the best chief justice of the Supreme Court sometimes is a good politician, because then they will know what effect a legal decision will have practically. For me, this agency will need an astute politician and diplomat, and a good manager. You need a messiah. Then the messiah will be crucified. with full news by Chay Hofilena from the Rappler

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Waiting for Santa.

Yolanda is no match to Pacquiao.

Life goes on. . . till the next typhoon.

Singing the blues away.

Mercy flight or joy ride?

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photos By kimberly dela cruz

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ETRO Manila is all dressed up for the season, and we took snapshots of the 10 most selfieworthy scenes.

Are you feeling merry yet? It’s been a tough year but as the optimists say, we still have Christmas. It’s easy to feel like a Grinch when you’re stuck in traffic or barely making enough to get halfway through your shopping list (we hear you) but take a quick stroll around the city at night. Maybe resist the urge to look down on your phone and just take the lights in (not the pollution). Get ready because Christmas is really here. (SPOT.ph)

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It’s Christmas

in the City!

It’s raining lights on Ayala Avenue!

People are buzzing around the trees in Ayala Triangle, taking that all-important Christmas shot for Instagram!

The classic parols at CCP are flashing signs that it’s Christmas. Literally.

Ortigas Center is very mellow and modest but it’s merry nonetheless.

Policiarpio St. in Mandaluyong is littered with houses that go all out with their Christmas decoration.

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Greenhills goes oriental for Christmas! We’re loving that pink and glittery Christmas dragon.

Good old-fashioned Christmas ornaments give Eastwood City a very jovial look!

A giant Christmas Tree at Araneta Center in Cubao towers over the bazaar.

The Nativity Scene at QC Circle is a gentle reminder of what Christmas is about: cute little baby Jesus.

The giant globe in Mall of Asia shows festive colors in between ads. The reflected lights on the ground adds to the beauty of the decor.

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8 Traditional

Dishes

for the Pinoy Christmas

‘T

IS the season for the merry Pinoy food!

Here are 8 dishes that will most likely be on our checklist this Christmas.

8. Puto Bumbong Ushering the start of simbang gabi or the traditional misa de gallo is the huff puffing of steam coming from the puto bumbong cylindrical bamboo steamers outside churches.

The puto bumbong is made of pirurutong, that’s glutinous rice that has a distinctly violet color. This sticky kakanin is livened up by brushing with a generous dollop of margarine or butter and heaped with freshly grated coconut and brown sugar or originally with

Chicken Relleno

crumbled panutsa.

7. Bibingka While others enjoy the inseparable puto bumbong and salabat, some are avid bibingka lovers on cold December mornings. Side by side with the tube steamers are the traditional clay pots coal fired top and bottom with the bibingka slowly being cooked.

Puto bumbong Although the bibingkang galapong is now being cooked in ovens, nothing compares to the traditional way of cooking this.

The original favoured topping for the bibingka is salted duck egg. Today there are a variety of fancy toppings such as queso de bola or kesong puti. When cooked the traditional way, the slightly burnt flavor combined with the saltiness of the duck egg, the creaminess of the but-

ter and the sweetness from the sugar and coconut is a heady mix. Tempered with the spicy minty salabat the combination makes for a heart-warming treat.

6. Chestnuts “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”… as the song goes heralds the Christmas season in the country. There is something about that inviting smell that makes one long for a crack and a bite of the nut.

For some first-time tasters though, they lik-

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UK PM lauds Phl’s good governance programs

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HE AQUINO administration’s efforts to institute reforms in the bureaucracy have been lauded by Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom during the Open Government Partnership (OGP) summit in London, a Malacañang official said.

“Prime Minister Cameron cited the Philippines’ good governance programs in his plenary speech and a speaker from South Africa spoke admiringly of the Philippine government’s performance-based budgeting system,” Press Secretary Herminio Coloma said.

Coloma said the news was relayed to him by presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, who attended the summit.

Lacierda, Commissioner Heidi Mendoza of the Commission on Audit (COA) and Undersecretary Von Moya of the Department of Budget and Management led the Philippine delegation.

They were also resource speakers and panelists in different

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Prime Minister David Cameron lauded efforts made by President Aquino on governance.

sessions during the summit.

The Philippines was one of only six Asian countries invited, Lacierda said.

Coloma lauded COA for winning OGP’s Bright Spots contest for its pet project, Citizens’

Participatory Audit or CPA initiated by COA Chairman Grace Pulido-Tan. The Bright Spots award, given for the first time at the third OGP summit, recognizes inspiring examples of how open

and accountable government is changing people’s lives.

The CPA received the highest number of votes from over 1,000 summit participants, beating six other bright ideas from Chile, Estonia, Georgia, Indonesia, Montenegro and Romania.

To date, CPA has four pilot audit programs – the Camanava Flood Control project of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Education’s PPP for school buildings, Quezon City’s solid waste management program and the barangay health centers in Marikina City.

The Bright Spots award aims to show how governments in OGP countries are working with citizens to sharpen governance, harness new technologies to increase public participation and improve government responsiveness.

The OGP summit in London was held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. with full news by Delon Porcalla from the PhilStar

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en the taste of the chestnut to the camote (our local yam).

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Arroz Valenciana

5. Ham A Christmas spread is not complete without serving slices of sweet salty ham. There is a variety of ham that is available soon as Christmas carols resound in the airwaves. There are as many shapes as prices for one to choose from. There is Excelente Ham which has been in the market since the early 60’s. Another equally famous and not to be outdone brand is Majestic Ham, now available all year round in many supermarkets.

4. Queso de Bola The proverbial ham is wanting without the proverbial queso de bola on a Christmas table.

These two seem to be inseparable. There are two brands that reverberate during the yuletide season, Marca Pina and Pato.

The edam cheese balls available to locally are aged, light yellow colored, slightly sharp nutty-flavored and coated in red paraffin wax. You will also enjoy eating queso de bola with a slice of ham sandwiched in a hot pan de sal.

with paprika. This hefty rice dish boasts of loads of chicken, chorizo de bilbao, sweet red pepper slivers, green peas, potatoes wedges and raisins.

The reddish color of the dish is heighted by adding some tomato paste. This scrumptious rice dish is very enticing, one bite and you will surely be asking for more. This is a complete dish by itself.

3. Chicken Relleno

1. Fruit Salad

Stuffed turkey is to Thanksgiving as Chicken Relleno (or Chicken Galantina) is to our Christmas celebration. A deboned stuffed chicken is quite a feast to the eyes and a very welcome addition to our hearty Christmas fare. Although some settle for embotido which is also party fare, the Chicken Relleno has a more impressive and regal presentation for this momentous celebration. The delectable combina-

Ham tion of the chicken meat still intact in the deboned chicken plus the stuffing of ground pork, savory chorizo de bilbao, chopped ham, chopped Vienna sausage, pickles, carrots, red and green bell pepper, raisins, boiled eggs and seasoned with salt and pepper makes this

dish quite memorable.

2. Arroz Valenciana Arroz Valenciana heightens the festive look of any extensive party spread. This rice dish is a combination of long grain rice and glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and seasoned

A Christmas lunch or dinner without a dessert feels incomplete. The best dessert to cap a hearty Christmas meal will be a Fruit Salad. Mix the fruit cocktail with green nata de coco, red kaong (for that Christmas touch), add some red juicy apple soaked in lemon and cut into cubes, throw in some fresh seedless grapes, put some more peach slices and bottled cherries. And voilĂ , you have the perfect Fruit Salad! (8list.ph) n

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Christmas in the Philippines: then and now

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OR SOME countries, Christmas is only a one-day celebration during the month of December, but not in the Philippines. Out of all the number of festivals celebrated by Filipinos all over the country, Christmas is the longest one to be celebrated.

Even before the month of December arrives, Christmas songs are already being played on the radio or in the malls and Christmas trees, lights and decors are already sold in the market. This is how early the spirit of Christmas can be felt in the Philippines.

However, the yuletide season in the country really begins at the 16th up until the 24th day of the last month of the year where Misa de Gallo (Night Mass), a nine-day devotion which is usually done as early as 3 o’clock in the morning, starts.

Most of the time people are encouraged to participate in this series of “simbang gabi” because of the belief that if one completes the nine mornings of epiphany; one wish shall be granted to them.

Filipinos, just like the rest of the world, are fond of carolling during Christmas season too.

Most of them are children who tend to ask for their “aginaldo” or Christmas present which is often cash and coins.

These Christmas parties which Filipinos are also fond of organizing are also classified in many celebrations.

The school and office party which is usually celebrated one week before Christmas is different from the party which is meant only for the family.

These parties usually serve as a reunion wherein relatives outside the country reunite with their family here in the Philippines.

Most of the time, the local government, churches and

FULL PAGE AD Noche buena is a traditional Filipino feast done on Christmas eve with the family. even private institutions conduct fund raising Christmas contests like Parol (Christmas lantern) making, carolling and Christmas lights exhibition to be donated to an orphanage, school or hospital for example.

The most traditional and preferred way of how Filipinos celebrate this season is staying up late on 24th for the night-long party of the “Noche Buena”, a feast usually done on the Christmas eve with the family.

Ham, Queso de bola (Cheese) and lechon, three of the classic Pinoy Christmas food, are usually served this night.

However, this picture of how Filipinos celebrate Christmas has deepened more since the last three Decembers where the country suffered devastation brought by raging Christmas typhoons Sendong (2011), Ondoy (2012) and Yolanda (2013).

After these series of unfortunate events, the bazaar

and extravagant celebration of Christmas became more frugal and meaningful.

Those people who used to go shopping with the use of their Christmas bonuses learned to set aside their wish lists to give way to the basic needs of those who were in need of help.

Meanwhile, those who follow the traditional simbang gabi, do not limit their prayers and wishes only to themselves but also to other people who are suffering crisis in their lives.

Other institutions, public or not, has also become more particular on how they will spend their h a r d -

earned money. In fact, there are some companies and organizations who chose to gather all their cash bonuses to donate cash and kinds to the typhoon victims.

Some Filipinos who already planned on going home during the Christmas holiday decided to volunteer themselves on charity works like packing and distributing relief goods and donations instead of celebrating with their family.

Different institutions and organizations that used to do fund-raising charity events became more determined to raise money and find sponsors or donors to be given to the thousand homeless people in the remote areas.

Families who used to serve excessive servings of food during Noche Buena learned to limit their cooking and share the extra ones to others instead of leaving it spoiled on the fridge.

These are only a few positive changes on how Filipino Christmas celebration has become today.

The Philippines may not be among the list of the first world countries but celebrating Christmas here is one thing that this country will always be known for –celebrating Christmas not only for one’s self but for the whole country as well.

(Sun Star)

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HEN celebrities are hot, the world goes to their doorsteps. When they’re not, nobody wants to touch them with a ten-foot pole.

That’s the law of advertising, especially when it comes to celebrity endorsers. They move brands off the shelves, your brand future becomes bright (at least for now) and you smile, all the way to the bank.

Every marketer anywhere in the world lives by selling. Selling, especially in a very competitive market, can be tough. If the going gets tougher, some marketers opt for the easy way out. They knock on a celebrity’s door.

Businessweek calls celebrity endorsement a “borrowed equity,” the term used to describe the value of a celebrity spokesperson.

“Borrowed equity is just that -- borrowed. It may rub off on the brand endorsed, but in the long run, belongs to the celebrity. And one thing that celebrities should realize is, as quick as they ink a deal, they can quickly lose it in the wake of a scandal.”

High-profile global endorsers Controversies have brought bad luck to celebrities that once enjoyed multi-million endorsement contracts. Among the highprofile ones were those that involved Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Their headline-causing scandals made their advertising deals dissipate.

Manny Pacquiao’s magnet to advertisers prior to his stinging defeat to Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez was mind-blowing.

Each time he closed a deal, the windfall he got electrified his handlers.

The world’s biggest sporting brand Nike signed Pacquiao up.

Hennessy commissioned New York-based ad agency Droga5, a multi-Cannes Lion winning ad agency, to do a TV commercial about his life, pushing him to the top of Forbes’ most soughtafter global celebrity endorsers

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to shine brighter.

12. Michael V - Old-reliable crowd-drawer, the star of recent food seasoning, biscuit, and liquid dishwashing TV campaigns.

Local brands have also hired the services of Vic Sotto, Toni Gonzaga, Sam Milby, Coco Martin, Dindong Dantes, Ogie Alcasid, Erich Gonzales, Billy Crawford, Enchong Dee, Izza Calzado, Chris Tiu, Phil and James Younghusband, and maybe soon, the Teng Brothers.

list. In a different celebrity ring all his own, no one comes close to Pacquiao, even after his last two controversial fights.

Top celebrity endorsers Who are the biggest Filipino celebrity endorsers then after Pacman? BusinessFriday makes a survey and the Top 12 are: 1. Kris Aquino - The presidential sister is also one of the top Filipino taxpayers. Labeled as “Queen of Talk” and “Queen of All Media” you often see her endorsing products for many different brand categories.

2. John Lloyd Cruz - Sought by many marketers for his popularity, wholesomeness and boyish looks, aside from the fact that his movies are blockbusters.

3. Kim Chiu - Her youthfulness makes advertisers like her.

She has made commercials for a shampoo, sanitary n a p kin, cola, fastfood, apparel, cellphone and other forteens-only brands.

4. Piolo Pascual - This boy-nextdoor type is undeniably, one of the most pleasant celebrities to work with, according to people who have worked with him.

5. Judy Ann Santos - Endeared by millions of soap-opera fans.

Young mothers can easily empathize with her, a convincing endorser for food and household brands.

6. Anne Curtis

- The Fil-Australian mestiza has endorsed many top brands and market leaders. She is the face of a leading shampoo, beauty soap, feminine napkin, cellphone, condominium, watch, fastfood, bank and a premium apparel brand.

7. Sarah Geronimo - Name it, the talented singer and charming morena beauty can easily fill up the biggest concert venues in the country.

8. Carmina Villaroel - The popular actress who started early in her showbiz career is a favorite endorser for mom-who-loveswhat-is-best-for-her-family roles. Usually seen with her twins and husband Zoren.

9. Robin Padilla - When it comes to tough-guy roles, the ageless actor commands top-of-mind awareness among advertisers.

10. KC Concepcion and Marian Rivera - Two of the country’s most beautiful and refreshing faces are tied in 10th place.

11. Daniel Padilla - The young actor’s rise to popularity is phenomenal and his star continues

Company image tied to celebrity Recently, local clothing brands Bench and Penshoppe have been the most ambitious, engaging hot Hollywood and international celebs like Taylor Lautner, Zac Efron, Joe Jonas, Adam Levine, Lee Min Ho, Lucy Hale, Ian Somerhalder and Leighton Meester.

Why do celebrities jump into the bandwagon?

Philippines’ top casting director and star-builder Roly Halagao gives a good answer: “Advertising contracts are validation of a celebrity’s superstar status. It’s like receiving a badge certifying that you have arrived.

Without it, you really haven’t reached superstardom.”

Halagao says celebrity talent fees are expensive in the Philippines.

“If you can afford a lot of money for the borrowed equity of a talking head, go ahead.

But know that celebrities exist in public eyes, surrounded by nosey media. One embarrassing act can damage your brand,” Halagao says.

Businessweek mentions a chilling reminder: “Once you tie your brand identity to a celebrity, living or dead, you’re hostage to that person’s image.”

(Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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Showbuzz Filipino talents lead ‘Miss Saigon’ cast

FILIPINO talents have bagged the major roles in the revival of the musical hit Miss Saigon at London’s West End next year.

Filipino-American Eva Noblezada was picked to play the lead role of Kim, which was originally played

by Lea Salonga. The 17year-old Eva, who was born in North Carolina, was discovered in a New York high school concert last July.

Singer Rachelle Ann Go was chosen to reprise the role of Saigon bar girl Gigi Van Tranh. Filipina stage actress Isay Alvarez played the role in the original run of the musical in London.

Another Filipino theater actor, Jonjon Briones, was tapped to portray the role of The Engineer.

Rachelle was among the six Filipina aspirants who were shortlisted for the musical during the Philippine leg of the casting search held last year by executive producer Trevor Jackson and director Laurence Connor.

On its 25th anniversary, Miss Saigon will be staged at Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End beginning May 3, 2014.

Freddie weds 16-yearold GF in Muslim rites

ANAK hitmaker Freddie Aguilar and his 16-year-old girlfriend were married in Islamic rites on Nov. 22 at a restaurant in Buluan, Maguindanao.

The 60-year-old Freddie, whose Muslim name is Abdul Farid, converted to Islam about six months ago, according to one of the wedding’s principal sponsors, Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu.

Speaking with ABS-CBN News

Anne apologizes for rowdy behaviour ADMITTING she had “one too many drinks,” Anne Curtis has come clean and apologized for her rowdy behavior last Nov. 23 at an upscale club in Taguig City.

This was how the Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) narrated the incident based on an interview with JR Isaac, editor and publisher of Circuit Magazine, who was at the scene.

Isaac said he was with a group of friends, including John Lloyd Cruz, model-host Phoemela Barranda and Jake Cuenca, at the VIP section of the Prive Luxury Club at around 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. last Nov. 23 when Anne came out of the restroom, shouting, “Who was banging the door?”

Isaac said Anne, who was hosting a bachelorette party for a friend, walked towards them and slapped him, John Lloyd and a fe-

male friend.

She allegedly called John Lloyd “an addict” and told Phoemela, “I can buy you, your friends, and this club.”

Anne took to Twitter to air her apology. “For those who have read about the issue, yes, most of it is true,” she posted online.

“I admit to that and I have apologized to all parties included immediately.”

Addressing her fans, Anne said, “I’m sorry if I let any of my fans down. . .

As you all see, I’m just like any other person that makes mistakes in life.”

Freddie and bride hours before the wedding, Mangudadatu explained that under Islamic practices, a couple can marry as soon as the woman has her first menstruation.

Presidential Decree No. 1083, which recognizes the system of Filipino Muslim laws, provides that “any Muslim male at least 15 years of age and any Muslim female of the age of puberty or upwards and not suffering from any impediment under the provisions of this Code may contract marriage.”

The provision further reads: “A female is presumed to have attained puberty upon reaching the age of fifteen.”

Freddie is facing charges of qualified seduction for entering into a relationship with a minor. Skeptics say converting to Islam and marrying in Islamic rites was Freddie’s way of evading the legal case.

The singer, who is separated from his third wife a decade ago, has six children from different relationships with the youngest being 24 years old.

At 68, Boots finds love again

SIX years after her husband passed away, veteran actress Boots Anson-Roa finds a new love.

Boots, 68, is engaged to law-

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Showbuzz PNoy against Kris joining politics

yer Francisco “King” Rodrigo Jr., son of former Senator Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo. King is a widower.

“After six years, God has given me a soulmate and future partner who I shall spend the rest of my life with,” Boots told the Inquirer.

The couple plans to get on June 14, 2014. Their future ninang is Boots’ close friend Marichu “Manay Ichu” Maceda.

Booots was formerly married to broadcaster Pete Roa, who died of cancer in 2007.

She eloped with Pete, who was her co-host in the 60’s TV show Dance-o-Rama, when she was 19. They have 4 children and 9 grandchildren.

Manny in talks with BIR to settle tax case

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the camp of boxing idol Manny Pacquiao have agreed to pursue an out-ofcourt negotiation over the P2.2billion tax case of the boxer.

“Both parties agreed to explore further negotiations over

the matter,” Claro Ortiz, the BIR lawyer handling the tax case of Pacquiao, told the Inquirer.

Ortiz said the decision of both camps to negotiate was relayed to the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), which called on the two parties for a hearing.

The CTA gathered the two parties supposedly to conduct a hearing on a motion previously filed by Pacquiao to contest the tax liability assessment issued by the BIR. But Ortiz said both camps informed the CTA that they would pursue negotiations.

In response, the CTA issued a gag order, thus preventing both camps to comment publicly about the case while they explore ways to negotiate.

The Tax Code allows compromise settlements on tax cases under certain circumstances.

Earlier this year, the BIR slapped Pacquiao with a P2.2billion tax deficiency assessment.

The amount covers allegedly unpaid taxes plus penalties for incomes he derived in 2008 and 2009. Incomes covered win-

Manchester City’s players line up behind a banner showing support for victims of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines before their Champions League soccer match against Viktoria Plzen on Nov. 27 at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England.

IF President Aquino would have his way, he would advise his youngest sister, TV host-actress Kris Aquino, not to get into politics by running in the 2016 elections.

Aquino said that he loves his sister so much that he would not want Kris to be exposed to the harsh side of politics.

“The latest pronouncement I heard from her was she is aiming to be the perfect stage mother,” he said in a media forum, triggering laughter. He was referring to Kris managing her youngest son Bimby’s entry into showbiz.

“I adhere to that saying of the Americans, I think, that if you want to get even with somebody, get them into politics.

And I love my sister,” he added.

Another Aquino sibling, Aurora Corazon “Pinky” Abellada, similarly advised the actress against pursuing a career in public service early this year.

“Kasi talagang ‘yung life mo, you have to put it on hold ‘di ba,” Pinky said in an interview in August.

“Paano ka naman magwo-work nang [mayroong] regular life? If you look at the bright side, okey din naman, pero sana huwag na siya mag-politics.”

Kris has been hinting at her plans of joining politics as early as 2010. Early this year, the actress once again shared she is considering running for public office, specifically in Tarlac, her family’s home province.

In order to prepare, the actress-host said she “would like [to undergo] on-the-job training with mayors of “bonggang’ cities,” citing in particular Davao and Iloilo. nings from his fights, earnings from pay-per-view cable services that aired the fights, and earnings from endorsements.

Penalties accounted for about half of the P2.2-billion tax liability assessment.

Following his alleged failure to respond to the BIR’s tax assessment within allowable time, the BIR in July issued a warrant of distraint and levy on the two bank accounts of Pacquiao worth P1.1 million.

The move was an attempt to get hold of the money as partial payment for his alleged tax liabilities.

Angelica ready to take the plunge

NOT now. Maybe next year!

That’s Angelica Panganiban’s curt reply when asked if she has any plans of settling down anytime soon. But the

way she said it – she was giggling – makes one wonder if she is serious.

Pressed how she would react if boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz would propose now, Angelica, again in a lighthearted manner, said, “Kapag nag-propose siya next year, sasagutin ko na siya!”

She shared that when she was young, she dreamt of settling down at 28 and becoming a mother at 30. She is now 27.

But what would she do if John Lloyd does not propose this year?

“Kung wala, e, di hintay ako next year, hanggang 29,” she said. “Kapag wala pa rin, 30.

Tapos kapag 31, hihiwalayan ko na!”

“Ano ba? Maghahanap na ako ng ibang pakakasalan ko!” she added, bursting into laughter. n

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WHAT’S ON

Workshop: i-Recharge This unique fund-raising event for the Typhoon Haiyan victims is organized by the Paddington Rotary Club, Bayswater (Mr. Mariandy Amador, Community & Vocational Services: 07932439160).

It is a workshop on preventive health care and age control through holistic health concepts.

Embassy Closures for DEC 2013/JAN 2014 The public is advised that, in accordance with Presidential Proclamation Nos. 459.s-2012 and 655.s-2013 dated 16 August 2012 and 25 September 2013, respectively, the Philippine Embassy will be closed on the following dates: Tuesday, 24 December (PHL non-working holiday) Wednesday, 25 December (Christmas Day, PHL/UK Holiday) Thursday, 26 December (Boxing Day, UK Holiday) Monday, 30 December (Rizal Day, PHL Holiday) Tuesday, 31 December (Last Day of the Year, PHL Holiday) Wednesday, 01 January 2014 (New Year’s Day, PHL/UK Holiday) Friday, 31 January 2014 (Chinese New Year, PHL Holiday) Regular office hours will be observed on Friday, 27 December 2013 and from Thursday, 02 January 2014.

THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY attended the International Thanksgiving Mass @ St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church Cadogan Chelsea London to thank the United Kingdom and the whole world who supported and donated for the Love of Our Country of The Philippines on Dec. 8, 2013.

The Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan response was overwhelming. It

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was organised by PE London & the Filipino Community of UK, through the help of Adelle Caguimbal & Essex Angulo of Friends of Our Lady of Penafrancia, and Consul Mila Macahilig & Cecille Santos of The Philippine Embassy London. The mass was headed by Cannon Stuart Wilson of St. Mary’s Church, Father Voltaire & Father J. Alexander.

Advisory: Donations for Typhoon Yolanda

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Quezon City, 1100”

GA Kababayan,

To be properly acknowledged by the Philippine Embassy, please provide us with a copy of your remittance receipt, or if you have donated goods, a copy of your bill of lading (if by sea) or airway bill (if by air) and a copy of the packing list, or an acknowledgement from the forwarding company which received your goods.

If you wish to send donations in kind, please be reminded that CEBU City has now been designated as the central hub for typhoon relief efforts. As such, all donations in-kind should be shipped to: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (Attention: Typhoon Yolanda Relief) DSWD Field Office VIII Maxillom Avenue Cebu City, Philippines

Please take note of the following priorities for donated goods: 1. Food items 2. Bottled water, water purifiers and containers 3. Temporary shelter such as tents, sleeping bags 4. Blankets and mattresses 5. Hygiene kits 6. Cooking implements and utensils 7. Power generators Donations of medicines, medical supplies and equipment should not be mixed with the abovementioned goods.Private individuals, international NGOs, and Filipino Organizations are advised to CONSIGN their in-

kind, non-medical shipment to the DSWD which allows the granting of duty and taxexemption: Consignee: Department of Social Welfare and Development c/o Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman Constitution Hills, Batasan Pambansa Complex Quezon City 1100, Philippines Shipment address: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (Attention: Typhoon Yolanda Relief) DSWD Field Office VIII

Maxillom Avenue Cebu City, Philippines Focal person in the DSWD for donated goods is Mr. Patrick Reyes who may be emailed at: pjgreyes@ dswd.gov.ph If the donor organization would like to consign the shipment to other organizations or foundations, the shipment may still be coursed through the DSWD. The intended organization must be specified in the consignment details, e.g: “The 123-ABC Foundation, c/o DSWD, Constitution Hills, Batasan Pambansa Complex,

C. For those who wish to make a monetary donation to charities, you may do so through either: 1. The DEC (http://www.dec.org. uk/) which is the British side of the donations (note: the website lists other ways of donating if you don’t want to do it online, and has a handy guide on holding a fundraising activity in the name of the DEC. or: 2. The Philippine charities listed on the embassy website.

You may also wish to visit the following two (2) links related to relief efforts for the Philippines: http://friendsofthephilippinesuk.com/ www.SpectraSingers.com Philippine Embassy

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COMMUNITY From Heaven with Love is a comedy musical written and directed by Ramon Castillanes Teñoso.

Philippine Theatre (UK) is a voluntary community theatre group based in London and founded in September 2002 by Ramon Castillanes Teñoso and friends. PTUK produces various

SOMEWHERE OUT THERE, in a not so distant galaxy, lies a place called Heaven ruled over by an omnipotent being called God. God has a long time rival known as Satan, who tends to be a bit of a nuisance, especially when it comes to dealings with a tiny little planet called Earth. The Earthlings are trying

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to raise enough moneyFULL to reno-PAGE vate a local village church – God is pleased – Satan is displeased.

God decides to send in the A Team, Archangel’s Michael, Gabriel and Raphael to assist where possible. Satan sends in his alter ego’s Natas and Lucy Fur. There may be trouble ahead!

original theatre productions (in English) each year and is open to all believers in theatre from any race, colour, creed or background. PTUK provides workshops in team-building, selfconfidence and method acting using theatre arts. PTUK is the only active Filipino theatre group in Europe!

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Western Union resumes services in Tacloban amid typhoon debris

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As makeshift markets pop up in the Leyte province in a bid for normality after Typhoon Haiyan, Universal Storefront Services Corporation (USSC) – anchor Agent of The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) – has successfully reopened two key locations in Tacloban to offer international money transfer services. USSC is the first to enable the transfer of much needed cash from overseas for embattled residents in this worst hit area.

Despite the operating challenges, USSC stores along Rizal Avenue and MH del Pilar Street in Tacloban are coping by running on power generators with cash being flown in from Cebu to replenish the cash stocks badly needed by the beneficiaries in Tacloban. In addition, 14 other USSC stores throughout Leyte and Samar have also resumed operations as soon as cellular signals became available.

“Just like much of the province, we are making do with what little we have. A power generator is not ideal but it is getting

the job done and as of this moment, the stores are able to pay out all money transfers,” said Gabriel Paredes, President & CEO, Universal Storefront Services Corp.

He added, “Just days earlier, USSC officers from the Visayas Region boarded the military C130 cargo plane to search for employees possibly hurt or missing from their washed out premises in the province. They also distributed 5,000 packs of relief goods to the needy. We do our best to always be there for our customers, employees,

and the community; and this gets affirmed every time there is a national disaster.”

“The opening of the two USSC locations will provide much needed cash injections to those that need it most; sent by loved ones and well-wishers from overseas,” said Patricia Riingen, Senior Vice President, East & South Asia, Western Union.

“Western Union and USSC have been providing services to our loyal customers in the Philippines for 18 years out of our 22 year tenure in the Philippines. It is times like

these it becomes ever more of a priority to continue servicing them,” said Patricia Riingen.

To enable more consumers around the world to support the relief efforts in response to Typhoon Haiyan’s aftermath, Western Union announced nofees on inward transfers from 43 countries into the Philippines until November 30, 2013.

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TRAVEL

The PH remains a safe and fun destination for all

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HE Philippines remains a safe and fun destination for all tourists, notwithstanding this unfortunate incident.

The DOT assures the travelling public that tourism establishments and tourism activities continue and remain in operation in most parts of the Philippines.

More than 97% of the country, including the main travel destinations are fully operational and are welcoming visitors.

The access to Coron Palawan by land, sea and air from Manila, Puerto Princesa City, Cebu City, El Nido, Culion and Occidental Mindoro are all operational.

This includes the tourism establishments such as accommodation, restaurants, souvenir shops as well its tourism sites and attractions.

Tourism accounts for 8% of the GDP and 2.9m jobs, almost 8% of the total employment. It is a

Children welcome a US Air Force helicopter relief aid delivery in Palo

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key contributor to the development of the country in rebuilding lives and businesses in communities.

The recently concluded familiarization trip to the Philippines for UK operators in the past two weeks was a “fabulous

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trip”, as reported by Keith Harrison of Cathay Pacific. “I’ll be “bigging” up any opportunities that arise for promoting and encouraging Philippine Tourism.. It’s a very special place”, he added.

While Malcolm Davies of Funway Holidays stated, “we will show the travel industry in the UK that the Philippines needs us and is always ready to receive and welcome the tourists to its shores. We’ll go back (to UK) and tell them that what happened should not affect people coming here to spend the holidays.”

Former tourism minister and current deputy leader of the House of Representatives Joseph Durano, who represents Cebu, the north of which was hit by the disaster, said he understood some might feel it too soon to send tourists to the islands.

Hotels, even in areas far from those affected in the storm centre of Tacloban or to its west, Bohol, the epicentre of October’s earthquake, were full of staff with relatives touched by the disaster, he said. “For sure, the country is close-knit.

I am from Cebu and I know of friends that have two or three families that they have taken in from Tacloban or Bohol.”

Durano said the next phase was to begin rebuilding, something visitors would assist indirectly.

“Any help in our economy will contribute to the next step.”

The tourism industry is also beginning to respond in a formal way. Shangri-La Hotels’ property in Cebu will select a village around 100 miles away in the Daan Bantayan area, a popular beach and dive destination devastated by the typhoon. The hotel will direct donations and its own funds into a rebuilding programme.

“We will rebuild their houses there because there is nothing really left. We’re looking at adopting around 500 families and rebuilding their homes, but we will build them from concrete, not wood.”

Outside the affected areas, tourism is continuing as usual, with large numbers of Chinese and Korean visitors present as well as Europeans. The UK is the Philippines’ biggest market in Europe and last year, 113,000 Britons visited the country.

A direct Philippine Airlines flight from London to Manila began days before the disaster and is continuing.

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Sending help to the Philippines We are donating â‚Ź100,000 to UNHCR to provide safe drinking water and food to children affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

You can help too To help you stay in touch with your loved ones in the Philippines, Lebara will match any call credit that you share with them.

Text SHARE to 65088 to share call credit Visit www.lebara.com for more information

Always by your side Terms and conditions apply, see www.lebara.com for more information.

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