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Verbatim If I made her as a National Artist, how would she be as a role model?

President Aquino, citing Nora Aunor’s conviction in the US for illegal drug use as the reason for his decision not to proclaim the acclaimed actress as National Artist

I’m prepared. Even if I’ll die in my cell, it’s okay.

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, on his impending arrest after he and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla were charged with plunder case in the pork barrel scam; five days later Enrile filed a petition for bail, citing his advanced age (90) and poor health

I see a Marcos running for the presidency. I see a Marcos as President. That is destiny.

Ilocos Norte Congresswoman Imelda Marcos, predicting that her son, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., would seek the presidency in 2016

Kapag hiniling ng taumbayan. Malay mo, first time, nasa loob ng kulungan maging pangulo.

Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., when asked by reporters FULL PAGE AD prior to his surrender whether he would consider running for president in 2016 from his detention cell

This country needs more art and less artistas.

Cultural activist Carlos Celdran, lamenting the Filipinos’ obsession with showbiz personalities and lack of appreciation for the arts

We’re always saying na kawawa naman ang dami daming mga daga at mga ipis. Did you ever ask the rats and the cockroaches how they feel?

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, dismissing Sen. Revilla’s complaint and lambasting the “special treatment” given to senators accused of plunder in the pork barrel scam

Senator Revilla is not on vacation at Camp Crame.

Spending time in detention is not supposed to be like a hotel accommodation.

A police official who requested anonymity, reacting to complaints from family and friends of Sen. Bong Revilla about the heat, cockroaches and rats in the actor-politician’s detention cell

Mabait pa nga kami ‘pag nakainom, mas malaki nabibigay kong tip.

Actress Angelica Panganiban, on rumours that her boyfriend, John Lloyd Cruz, is an alcoholic

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If We Are So Good in English, Why Aren’t We Rich?

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BY LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES

OR DECADES, we have billed ourselves as an English-speaking country. We proudly claim that one advantage we have over other countries is our ability to speak English. We even laugh at nationals of other countries who, in our view, speak terrible English.

I also thought the same way, until I was interviewed by a foreign correspondent from a newspaper with the largest circulation in a foreign country. He said he was puzzled and asked, “If you Filipinos are so good in English, how come you are not rich?”

He was puzzled, he said.

Thousands of Asians, particularly Koreans and Japanese come to the Philippines to study English so that they will have good careers and prosperous lifestyles.

Many more learn English in language schools using call center technology. They are taught by Filipinos. Their students move on to higher studies or to better jobs while the lot of their Filipino teachers remain unchanged.

How come?, he asked.

‘Filipino English’ Firstly, I answered him, not all Filipinos speak and write English correctly. Those who teach in English language schools are a special group; they undergo intensive train-

ing. The English they FULL PAGE AD speak is not really typical of the English spoken by most FiliWe are not necessarily an English-speaking pinos. Filipinos gencountry. We are a Filipino-English speaking erally speak Filipino country.

English and all its hilarious variants.

We are not necessarily an technology, create business emEnglish-speaking country. We pires, and manage financial and are a Filipino-English speaking investment houses. For many country.

Filipinos their English is just One reason is the educational enough for them to work as system. Our cohort survival rate salesgirls, factory workers and is appalling. This means that clerks. I told the correspondent few Filipinos successfully fin- and his Filipino assistant—all ish elementary education; fewer you need to do is watch TV or still finish high school; and very listen to the radio to hear typifew finish higher education. A cal Filipino English. farmer’s child who has not even Secondly, problems of enfinished elementary school can- demic, deep-seated poverty not work in an English language prevent young people from finschool or a call center. ishing their studies or going to schools which give good, useful Limited education training in English.

Because of limited educaThirdly, working in a call tional opportunities, the kind center teaching English is a” of English most Filipinos speak dead end” job. It does not ofis not sufficient for them to infer a career path where one novate, create, and produce new can start at the bottom and

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work his or her way to the top.

Many young people consider a call center job as a way-station to better things, if there are such opportunities. They usually leave after a year or two because job-related stress and the health risks are too high.

The chances of their becoming business moguls or taipans are not likely.

No guarantee to progress Thirdly, and most importantly, being an “English-speaking country” does not necessarily guarantee progress, development and prosperity for a country. As we all know, many of the “old” countries which became rich and industrialized are not English-speaking. Five of the G-8 countries—France, Russia, Germany, Japan and Italy are not English-speaking. The BRICS group of newly emerging industrialized countries–Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with the possible exception of India, are not Englishspeaking either.

The case of prosperous Asian countries is interesting, e.g. Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. They developed first before they tried to learn more English.

While the ability to speak English might be useful, there are many factors which lead to development–national planning, technology, innovation, material resources, good governance and many others.

Going back to the original question, if we are an Englishspeaking country, how come we are not rich? The answer: English is not necessarily the sole key to prosperity. Even if it were, many Filipinos can only speak Filipino English. (Manila Times) n

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HE heritage city of Vigan up north needs your support, wherever you may be—here in the country, or elsewhere in the world. This evocative capital city of Ilocos Sur is among the 21 cities around the world that remain in the running for one of the “New7Wonders Cities.” And it is the only Philippine city in the race.

After it qualified for the Top 28 official finalist candidates last year, Vigan made it the Top 21 finalists after the consolidation of votes that ended last July 7.

“I and the people of Vigan are really overwhelmed; coming from a small city with limited resources, we [are] up against large and powerful cities of the world,” said Vigan City Mayor Eva Marie S. Medina as she thanked those who supported Vigan’s campaign to be among the Top 7 world heritage cities.

“The more difficult task is ahead of us though as all the contenders are determined [ to be ] one of the new seven wonder cities of the world; we sincerely hope that the national government play a more active participation in the campaign and voting process,” she added.

Voting for the second phase, when the Top 21 cities will be trimmed down to 14 started on July 7 and will end on October 7; while the third phase, when the Top 7 cities will be chosen from the Top 14 cities will start on October 7 and end on December 7, when the Official New7Wonders Cities will be announced.

Organized by the Swiss nonprofit organization New7Wonders Foundation, the competition began with 77 cities nominated by voters from around the world. The nominations were evaluated by a panel that included a former Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific

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Viva, Vigan!

‘Vigan is an exceptionally intact and well-preserved example of an European trading town in East and South-East Asia.’

‘Vigan shows unique fascinated views that tell a thousand words.’ and Cultural Organization) head, an Iraqi-British architect, a thinktank head from the Netherlands, and four other experts. It was this panel that chose the 28 current contenders.

Needless to say, time is of the essence. Vigan needs all the votes it can get in this, its latest bid to bring yet another honor to the country. So all Filipinos are called on to register on the website and keep on voting.

Vigan deserves the award.

Known for its old world charm and Spanish colonial architecture, Vigan has already earned many honors for the Philippines. In 1999, Unesco named Vigan a World Heritage city. In 2012, Vigan beat out 28 other cities in 23 countries for Unes-

co’s “Best Practice in World Heritage Site Management” award, with the judges citing “good management practice in spite of limited resources, making (its example) adaptable in other countries.”

“Vigan is an exceptionally intact and well-preserved example of an European trading town in East and South-East Asia,” says one comment from a voter featured on www.new7wonders.com. Another one that is particularly apt: “Vigan shows unique fascinated views that tell a thousand words. Most cities in the top 28 are Modern but Vigan is another flavor.”

The truth is that there is no way of keeping track of how Vigan is doing in the New7Won-

ders Cities competition, except through the foundation’s announcements. The Vigan proponents have posted a statement from the foundation on their Facebook page that reads: “emerging cities such as Vigan, Shenzhen (China) and Quito (Ecuador) have seen improvements… But [they] are by no means in the ‘safe’ zone yet, especially as previous experience indicates changes up to the last minute.” Clearly every vote counts and Vigan needs them now.

Vigan has brought its campaign to the social media. Said Ilocos Sur provincial information officer Mike Escobar: “We have taken this platform to flood our audience with promotional materials.”

“As the lone nominee from the Philippines, let this be a journey where every Filipino shall join hands to bring pride to our country. Let us go beyond the border of our nation to achieve our goal,” said Vigan Mayor Eva Marie Medina at the Vigan New7Wonders Cities campaign launch last month.

Medina has asked for the government’s assistance to aggressively push Vigan’s campaign.

Vigan needs all the help it can get.

We already know what a New7Wonders Cities award can do. It can boost tourism, a major revenue-earner, as the Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan has shown. And it was the New7Wonders Foundation that named the Underground River one of the New7Wonders of Nature in 2011. The “(inclusion of Puerto Princesa) intensified the entire country’s reputation as a top global destination.

It brought economic gains to a cross-section of Philippine society,” Medina stated in her letter to Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.

Let’s do the little we can to celebrate the character and the potential of Vigan and more: Let’s vote for Vigan on the New7Wonders site. Let’s do it now.

For Vigan! For the Philippines!

(Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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By teodoro aljibe

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ATAC, Ilocos Norte - Imelda Marcos, the Philippines’ most famous political survivor, toasted her 85th birthday last July 2 as the former first lady made plans for a triumphal return to the presidential palace.

Imelda, Son Plot to Reclaim Presidency Wearing a flowing red gown and diamond rings, the self-declared “poverty-stricken” Marcos was serenaded by throngs of supporters as she emerged from her private chambers in the family mansion in their northern stronghold of Batac.

“My only wish is for God to give me a little more strength to prolong my life,” Marcos told reporters who asked about her birthday wish.

She said she had seen “the best, best, best and the worst, worst worst” in life, but insisted she has no plans to ride into the sunset just yet.

“I still have a vision and hope to bring more help to the Filipino people,” she said in a free-wheeling, often rambling, interview.

She insisted that Ferdinand Marcos Junior, her senator son and namesake of her late husband, was “qualified” to contest the presidency in May 2016 when incumbent Benigno Aquino III, son of the Marcoses’ top political foes, ends his six-year term. “(Returning to) Malacanang would be a great help,” in implementing her projects, said Marcos, referring to the presidential palace.

The flamboyant matriarch became the symbol of excess during the brutal 20-year regime of her late husband, who was also accused of looting state coffers and whose martial

law rule was marked by human rights abuses.

While the rest of the country wallowed in poverty and thousands of activists were killed or went missing, Imelda Marcos and her children enjoyed a jetsetting lifestyle.

She amassed a jewelry collection valued in the tens of millions of dollars and acquired hundreds of paintings by international masters, including Monets and Picassos.

The government conservatively estimates that Marcos plundered government coffers of about $10 billion.

A military-backed “People Power” revolt in 1986 chased Marcos and his family into exile in Hawaii, where the dictator died three years later.

As the public stormed the abandoned presidential palace, they discovered Imelda’s

The former First Lady beside a portrait of the late strongman.

3,000 pairs of shoes that came to symbolize the extent of her extravagance.

Imelda Marcos and her three children were subsequently allowed to return home, and have since regained significant political clout in the late dictator’s northern home province of Ilocos Norte.

Imelda Marcos won a second term as congresswoman representing Ilocos Norte last year, the

Mrs. Marcos with her three children (L-R) Ilocos Governor Imee Marcos, Sen. Bongbong Marcos, and Irene Marcos-Araneta.

Imelda Marcos kisses the glass coffin containing her embalmed husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, who died in 1989, during her 85th birthday celebration in Batac, Ilocos Norte. same year her son was elected senator. He has hinted at joining the presidential race in 2016.

Her eldest daughter, Imee, is the provincial governor.

On July 2 a regal but tiredlooking Imelda dramatically planted a kiss on her husband’s glass coffin as photographers jostled for position.

The dictator’s wax-like remains are kept in an air-conditioned crypt at the family compound which has become a macabre tourist attraction.

Declaring herself the “mother of world peace”, Imelda then hit out at plans by the Aquino government to auction off her jewelry collection.

She accused Aquino’s mother, the late democracy hero Corazon Aquino who was installed as president after the Marcos family fled, of persecution.

“Her first act was to confiscate and sequester all Marcos wealth even before we were tried, and that was illegal,” Marcos said.

She said she would prefer to have the jewels put on public display “because I want the Filipinos to know what is worldclass and see that.”

Marcos did not discuss her fragile health. She was rushed to hospital last year for extreme fatigue but later recovered. (Agence France-Presse) n

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MAJA

han-dahan lang.” See what she did there?

Happy accident

IS ON FIRE

By irish dizon

S

MOKY eyes.

Red lips.

Wet-look hair.

A little red dress that screams, “Vamp coming through!”

The guards at the shoot location are pretending to watch TV, but their eyes are unfocused, roving, surreptitiously stealing glances at our cover girl, whose skin is glistening with body oil and droplets of water. Even without massive Kate Upton cleavage, there’s no denying it: Maja Salvador is hot.

But unlike other “hot” girls who tend to intimidate and even alienate, Maja has innate warmth, the kind you can’t pick up from personality workshops; the kind you either have or don’t.

“Halika, ki-kilayan kita,” she declares as the interview begins, and proceeds to expertly fill the sparse areas of this writer’s brows. She’s using the same eyebrow pencil, that just moments ago, touched her face. It’s a no-big-deal move, until you consider the fact that that face represents some of the biggest brands out there.

It’s sweet and mind-blowing how the girl who gets paid millions to endorse a gamut of products is not averse to sharing makeup. With a no-name reporter. The gesture feels unstudied, spontaneous, and authentic. Three words that perfectly describe this small-town girl who dreamed big.

From tweetums to actress If you’ve never heard of Maja’s from-Aparri-to-ABS CBN

Maja plays mistress of Jericho Rosales in the top-rating teleserye The Legal Wife. story, here’s the gist: She entered the biz when she was 15, wowing critics, veteran actors, and the public with her subtle but soulful brand of acting (Revisit horror flick Sukob for throwback reference). On the dance floor, Maja was (and still is) a monster. Hip hop, jazz, ballet, interpretative — whatever: Give her a beat and she’ll own it. She’s not called Dance Princess Maja for nothing.

Now 25 years old, Maja says she’s pretty happy with the way life’s been treating her.

At an age where most people are grappling with uncertainty and quarter-life crisis, Miss Salvador has everything going for her: Her career? On point. Her relationship with actor Gerald Anderson? Strong and steady.

Her family life? Drama-free.

Plus there’s that fact that she’s made peace with ex-BFF, exnemesis Kim Chiu. The cherry on top? Her stint on top-rating soap, The Legal Wife, has helped her transition from medyo tweetums to full-on actress.

Risk pays off Playing Nicole Esquivel, TV’s most recent kabit du jour, was a big risk, Maja admits; one that paid off big time when The Legal

Maja is pleasantly surprised at the success of her first album.

Wife became a nightly trending topic both online and in real-life conversations. “Stress maging mistress,” Maja says, explaining the difficulty of portraying one of Filipino society’s most hated archetypes. On top of taping days that never seemed to end and getting slapped, punched, pushed, kicked, and screamed at by co-star Angel Locsin who played the titular role, she was tasked with the job of making her character likeable.

“Hindi lang siya basta malandi,” Maja stresses. “Kailangan nila maintindihan kung saan nanggagaling si Nicole.

Pero dapat maisip pa rin nila, ‘Nakaka-awa, pero hindi, mali pa rin talaga siya eh.’” We ask if she could ever pull a Nicole, and Maja, visibly horrified, violently shakes her head. “Hindi ko kayang manira ng pamilya,” she says, impassioned.

“Ang love grabe mangbiktima, walang pinipili. Kaya sa bawat desisyon na gagawin mo, da-

Two weeks ago, her album Believe went gold, and Maja is both proud and incredulous about this latest win. “Dati, niloloko-loko ko lang yung pagkanta,” she recalls.

“Sinong mag aakala na mangyayari yun?” Adding singer to her CV was unplanned, a happy accident, so to speak.

Last year, she thought of going on tour around the Philippines to perform live for her fans, as her way of thanking them for 10 years of solid support.

By some stroke of luck, Ivory Music & Videos producer Jonathan Daza caught one of her performances and was so impressed, the company offered her a recording contract.

Maja admits she’s not the best singer out there, but she took voice lessons to hone her new craft: “Kahit hindi ka magaling sa isang bagay, kung pag-aaralan mo at pagsisikapan mo talaga para mag-improve ka, mangyayari at the right time.”

She’s currently preparing for her first-ever concert cheekily named Maja: The Legal Performer, happening in July. Her body peg for this show is Britney circa 2002, and she says fans can expect song and dance numbers in the style of J.Lo and Brit-Brit. “Audition ko ito eh, na kaya kong maging performer,” she laughs.

Her watchful handler sidles up to her and signals our time is up. Maja asks for one more minute, puts the finishing touches on my brows, and gives a satisfied nod. As she walks away, ready to slip into the vampy role she’s assuming for this shoot, it hits me: No matter how slowly she goes, Maja Salavador will see things to the very end. And that is why her star will burn bright long after others have dimmed. (The Philippine Star) n

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Showbuzz Sarah also calls Matteo ‘Mahal’ FOLLOWING her admission that she is in a romantic relationship with Matteo Guidicelli, Sarah Geronimo now reveals when she plans to walk down the aisle and tie the knot.

In an interview on The Buzz, the singer-actress was asked what she thinks is ideal marrying age considering she is already turning 26 on July 25.

“Ang ideal age for me is before 30, or sana 29. Kahit matagalan nang konti basta wala naman po sa edad iyan. Kapag natagpuan mo na ang tamang panahon, tamang ikaw at tamang partner din, yun na,” she said.

Sarah said she is grateful to have Matteo in her life because he makes an effort to make her feel special.

“Siyempre thankful naman tayo sa Diyos dahil everything that’s happening, kumbaga na-bless ako ng ganitong klaseng relationship, ganitong klaseng karelasyon kasi mabait na tao naman si Matteo at talagang matiyaga,” she said.

Just like Matteo, she said she also calls him Mahal.

“Oo naman, kasi mahal ko yun eh. Mahal ko yun talaga,” she said.

When reminded that Matteo seems to be the only suitor who won her parents’ hearts, Sarah said, “Ano naman iyan eh, continuous iyan.

Dapat hindi natatapos ang effort mo na ligawan [ang magulang]. Kasi ako okey na ako, yung magulang na talaga.”

PNoy cites drug use for snub on Nora PRESIDENT Aquino finally broke his silence on his controversial decision not to proclaim Nora Aunor as National Artist, citing the acclaimed actress’ use of illegal drugs as the reason for his decision.

Aquino said that while he recognized Nora’s immense contributions as an actress, he had a problem with the actress’ conviction in the US for illegal drug use.

“Ang naging problema ko lang dun ay alam naman natin lahat . . . na-convict po siya sa drugs,” he said, citing the government’s zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs.

He, however, expressed awe not only by the Superstar’s acting ability but also by her life

story. “From selling water in the train stations to Tawag ng Tanghalan, I’m very impressed,” Aquino said.

Despite his admiration, the President was still firm in his decision to exclude Nora.

“The message here is that drugs are bad, I cannot emphasize that enough,” Aquino said.

“If I made her as a national artist, how would she be as a role model?”

Almost a decade ago, Nora was arrested for drug possession after drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine were allegedly found in her bag at the Los Angeles International Airport.

However, in 2007 media reported that the actress was

Nora holds Best Actress trophy in the 7th Asian Film awards in Hong Kong in 2013 cleared of the charges after she complied with the court’s condition of undergoing a sixmonth drug rehabilitation program.

Contrary to Aquino’s statement, Nora’s lawyer said the actress was never convicted.

Angel returns as Darna in ‘PH’s biggest movie’

Angel as Darna in 2005 ANGEL Locsin will fly again as the iconic superheroine Darna in a movie she described as a first in Philippine cinema in terms of scale.

The 29-year-old actress,

who first played the Mars Ravelo-created character in 2005, has confirmed that she will reprise the coveted role in a Star Cinema-produced film.

The Kapamilya star had just finished meeting with the creative team and Star Cinema executives last June 26 when she spoke with reporters about the movie, which is still untitled.

“Naku, you have no idea kung gaano kalaki! Kasi kahit ako, nagulat, eh. . . As in, never ako naka-experience ng ganito kalaking project, o nakarinig man lang. . . First time ito. First time ito sa buong history ng Pilipinas,” she said.

“Ang tapang ng Star Cinema para gawin itong project na ‘to,” Angel added. “And ako,

bilang napili nilang artista dito, sobrang. . . Hanggang ngayon, speechless talaga ako! Overwhelmed ako kung gaano kalaking proyekto, gaano kaganda, at kung gaano kagagaling ‘yung mga tao na kinuha nila behind ng camera. Ang makakatrabaho ko dito, best of the best ng industriya talaga.”

She expressed confidence that the film will elevate standards in local filmmaking, saying it is something Filipinos can be proud of on the global stage.

Citing the scale of the project, Angel said she already considers it the highlight of her career. She even said, in jest, that she would have no regrets if it happens to be her last film.

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Showbuzz Marian tops FHM’s ‘Sexiest’ poll

Marian tops FHM’s sexiest list for the third time

WITH over 13 million votes counted, men’s magazine FHM announced the results of its annual “Sexiest Women in the Philippines” poll.

Topping the list for the second year in a row is actress Marian Rivera, who got over 1.5 million votes, according to FHM on its official website. The two-time FHM cover girl also ranked first in the 2008 list, making this the third time she was named the country’s sexiest woman.

Placing second this year

is Sam Pinto with 1.4 million votes. Since 2011, Sam has consistently placed either second or first in FHM’s “Sexiest” list, according to the men’s magazine.

Rounding off the top 5 are consistent fan favourite Angel Locsin, who came in third this time with over 1 million votes; Jennylyn Mercado, who railed Angel by 20,000 votes; and Cristine Reyes.

This year’s results for the top 5 slots were a repeat of last year’s balloting.

Claudine and Raymart: Are they finally ok?

IT looks like everything is already okay with former couple Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago – at least, that’s how it seems.

On June 28, Claudine posted photos with Raymart and their children on her Instagram account. One of the photos was captioned “happy day.”

In another photo, Claudine greeted her daughter and Raymart a happy birthday.

In an interview on June 27, Claudine said that she and Raymart will try to be good parents for the sake of their two children, Sabina and Santino.

“We may have failed as husband and wife but we will strive to be good parents for the sake of our children,” she said.

Late last month, the couple faced each other at the Marikina Regional Trial Court regarding the custody of their kids. Both camps did not re-

Claudine together with Raymart and their two children are one happy family again in this photo posted by Claudine on Instagram. veal what transpired, saying there was a gag order, meaning that they could not discuss the case in public.

While things may seem well in the photos, it wasn’t the case in the last few months.

Last April, Claudine tweeted that she was in fear for the safety of her kids and that she was being set up. She also accused her estranged husband and sister Gretchen Barretto for playing a role in her legal

troubles regarding a robbery case filed against her by her former helpers.

The couple got embroiled in a bitter court battle when Claudine accused Raymart of physical, sexual and psychological abuse after they separated last year.

Raymart denied the charges, claiming that he was also a victim of domestic violence.

He also filed a petition for the custody of the two children.

Kris on Herbert: I truly loved him “TRUE love graciously lets go.”

This was Kris Aquino’s message as she finally opened up about her failed relationship with Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Speaking on The Buzz on June 29, Kris admitted she got hurt when she watched Herbert’s TV interview where he said that he no longer wants to get back with her in deference to his two children with longtime girlfriend Tates Gana.

“I did keep quiet for one very human reason. I got hurt for that very same reason because I truly loved him,” said Kris.

When the relationship did not push through, Kris said she opted to see the breakup from Herbert’s perspective, because she is also a parent.

She admitted that prior to Herbert’s interview, she expected have a second shot at their failed relationship.

She had this message for Herbert: “True love graciously lets go. . . Sincere ito, para kay Mayor Herbert, from my heart, I really wish that kung anong magpapaligaya sa buhay mo, kung ano ang kukumpleto sa ‘yo bilang tao, sana lahat ng ‘yun mapunta talaga sa ‘yo, sana makamit mo ‘yun. . . Grateful lang ako na dumating ka sa buhay ko. Someday, sana maging magkaibigan pa rin tayo.”

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Nurturing an Investment Mindset for OFWs E

VERY year, millions of Filipinos seek work aboard.

The lure is irresistible: a chance to earn double or triple than what they’d typically receive back home.

But despite having bigger salaries, many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) continue to feel anxious about never having enough. They want to generously provide for their families’ daily needs. But at the same time, they want to set aside enough for a comfortable retirement.

If you’re an OFW, you might ask: how can I start earning for the future as well?

Just like anyone who wants to be financially independent, OFWs need to nurture an investment mindset.

Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Prioritize paying for the future For the first quarter of 2014, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported that OFW households used remittances for the following top items: • Food and other household needs – 97% • Education – 68% • Medical expenses – 62.9% • Debt payments – 45.9% • Savings – 45.9%

Money, just like employment, will not last forever. Savings should be a top priority.

Despite earning better, more OFWs are paying off debt rather than setting aside for savings.

They are spending more for the present and the past.

OFWs should learn to pay for the future too. Money, just like employment, will not last forever. Savings should be a top priority.

2. Create a budget plan that includes savings and investments The typical behavior of OFWs is to send most of their earnings to their beneficiaries. The head of the household then takes care of budgeting this amount between expenses and savings. This can be affected by the pressure back home depending on their immediate need and the thinking that more money will come next month anyway.

What should happen instead is that OFWs actively decide how to allocate their hard-earned money. For example, they can

open a separate savings account that cannot be touched for household expenses. Or, they can create a stock investment portfolio as another way of protecting the family’s future.

3. Take time learn about other forms of investment In preparation for retirement, many OFWs invest in fixed assets like real estate in preparation for retirement.

Most will look forward to coming home to their dream house, or using the house as a passive source of income through rent. On the flip side, investing in real estate also constitutes years of mortgage, followed by annual taxes. Calamity or accident can reduce this solid investment into rubble.

OFWs need to remember that every investment, tangible or not, comes with risks.

The “safest” or most advisable way to protect one’s earnings is to spread it out through

different forms of investments.

4. Use online tools The Internet is a blessing for overseas Filipinos – in the age of video calls, social networking sites, and web-based messaging, making communication with loved ones stress-free.

Today, it can also help OFWs manage their finances as major local banks have facilities for monitoring accounts and facilitating fund transfers online.

In the same light, growing your money through stock investment has been made easy.

Through online investment portals, OFWs can monitor and even trade their own stocks whenever and wherever they are. Using mobile apps, one can get real-time market quotes and information and quickly make trades.

5. Set achievable goals Early retirement is a common goal among OFWs as they want to enjoy the fruits of their labor and to make up for lost time with their families.

However, OFWs ought to not be satisfied with simply sending enough every month. Other than having a plain savings goal, they should capitalize on creating other forms of income to help achieve their targets.

Small sacrifices are more bearable once OFWs and their families understand that every day brings them one step closer to a better life. Spending wisely becomes easier when there are bigger dreams to look forward to.

How else can OFWs nurture an investment mindset? Research, attend seminars, and read about how other overseas workers have invested wisely.

Use knowledge to gain inspiration. (Rappler.com) n

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The 10 Most Awesome Fiestas of the Philippines 3. ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL, KALIBO, AKLAN

By anton diaz

I

’VE compiled a list of the top 10 fiestas that every Filipino should experience to get a deeper appreciation of our own culture and traditions.

It wasn’t an easy process since each festival has its own style and unique charm. Here’s my definitive guide to the 10 Most Awesome Fiestas of the Philippines (based on my own first-hand festival experiences):

1. DINAGYANG FESTIVAL, ILOILO What is it? -- Dinagyang means “merry making” and it’s a celebration held in honor of the Santo Niño.

Type of festival: Religious, cultural, and a spectator-type festival When: 4th Sunday of January (one week after Sinulog and Ati-Atihan) Main highlights: Ati-atihan Dance Competition on Sunday (all day starting 9 a.m. and Kasadyahan Street Dancing on Saturday (all day) A lot of festival enthusiasts believe that Dinagyang is one of the

Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Pampanga

Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo best festivals in the Philippines.

Although the celebration still has that quaint, provincial cityfeel, the Ati-atihan dance productions are among the best I’ve seen in street dance festivals in the Philippines.

2. SINULOG FESTIVAL, CEBU What is it? Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous image of the Santo Niño. The name pertains to the strong current movement of the Cebu River which is re-enacted in the dance.

Type of festival: Religious, cultural, dance ritual,

Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon and a spectator-type festival When: 3rd Sunday of January (Feast Day of Santo Niño) Main highlights: Santo Niño procession on Sunday (all day after the first Sunday Mass); Sinulog Fluvial Parade on Saturday (early morning) Sinulog in Cebu is the biggest festival in the Philippines, celebrating the feast of the Child Jesus, Santo Niño de Cebú, with a dance ritual to the beat of the drums. It is the largest and most attended fiesta in the country with an all-day-long parade and party.

What is it? Ati-atihan means “to become like Aetas” which is originally a pagan animist festival that the Spaniards adapted in honor of the Sto. Niño.

Type of festival: Religious, cultural, and a participativetype festival When: 3rd Sunday of January (Feast Day of Santo Niño) Main highlights: Ati-atihan parade on Saturday; Feast Day religious celebrations of Señor Santo Niño de Kalibo on Sunday Kalibo’s Ati-atihan is the mother of all the big Sto. Niño festivals of Sinulog in Cebu and Dinagyang in Iloilo. It’s the biggest fiesta that is “non-commercialized” and stays true to its Filipino fiesta vibe. It’s a “participative fiesta” where you dance with the performers vs. a “spectator fiesta” where you just watch in the sidelines.

They say you have not experienced a Filipino fiesta unless you’ve been to Ati-atihan.

4. PAHIYAS FESTIVAL, LUCBAN, QUEZON What is it? A Harvest Thanksgiving Festival to San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers Type of festival: Religious, cultural, harvest festival, spectator-type When: Every 15th of May Main highlights: Early morning procession in honor of San Isidro Labrador; walking along the procession route, where all the houses are decorated with kiping and their harvest.

Pahiyas is one of the most awesome fiestas in the country.

It is celebrated in Lucban (most popular and commercialized), Sariaya, Tayabas and other towns in Quezon.

JULY 2014

LONDON 5. CUTUD CRUXIFICIONS, SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA

Masskara Festival in Bacolod

What is it? A Holy Week reenactment of the passion and death of Jesus Christ Type of festival: Religious, cultural, and a spectator-type festival When: Every Good Friday 3 p.m.

Main highlight: Passion play culminating with a nailing to a wooden cross of three penitents at 3 p.m.

Going to this festival is very difficult and you have to endure the hardships to be fully immersed in the passion play experience. Make sure you go with a family who is from San Fernando, to get invited to their traditional no-meat Lenten feast on the evening of Good Friday after the Santo Entierro procession.

6. MASSKARA FESTIVAL, BACOLOD What is it? A masquerade party to lift up the spirits of the Bacolod people after the sugar crisis in 1980s. Its name comes from the English word “mass” or “multitude of people”, and the Spanish word kara or face.

Type of festival: Festival of smiles, modern and spectatortype When: Every third weekend of October (or closest weekend to October 19) Main highlights: MassKara street dancing contest on a Sunday; Electric MassKara Dance Parade and Party on Saturday night

celebration during the business-lean months of February and March to attract tourists to the City of Baguio after the Christmas holidays and before the peak summer season. The flower festival symbolizes the rise of Baguio from the city’s devastating earthquake disaster on July 16, 1990.

8. HOT-AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL, CLARK, PAMPANGA What is it? A 4-day Hot-Air Balloon and Everything that

Flies Festival Type of festival: Airshow Festival, modern and spectator-type W h e n : Thursday to Sunday in the 2nd or 3rd week of February Main highlights: Early Morning Hot-Air Balloon Flight (Thursday to Sunday); Hot Air Balloon Fly-In and Evening Glow (Thursday to Sunday) The Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Fiesta celebrates the passion for flying and highlights the love for hot air balloons. It was started after the US military left Clark Air Base to boost tourism and the morale of the community around Clark Field, Pampanga.

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9. KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL, DAVAO What is it? A thanksgiving harvest festival to celebrate the harvest of Davao’s fruits, flowers, and farm produce Type of festival: Flower and cultural festival, spectator-type When: Third weekend of August Main highlights: Indak Indak sa Kadalanan street dancing on Saturday (entire day); Kadayawan floral parade on Sunday Its name comes from the Mandaya word madayaw, a warm and friendly greeting used to describe something good, beautiful, valuable, superior, or profitable.

10. LIGLIGAN PARUL, SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA What is it? It’s a Giant Lantern competition among the different barangays in San Fernando, Pampanga Type of festival: Cultural, Christmas festival, spectatortype When: Second Saturday of December Main highlight: Giant Lantern Dancing Lights Showdown The Giant Lantern Festival is one of those moments when you will be proud of the Filipino’s creativity and hard work.

It is best to watch the competition from beginning until the end to appreciate the beauty of each parol. (Our Awesome Planet) n

7. PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL, BAGUIO What is it? Panagbenga comes from local Kankana-ey term in Cordillera meaning “a season or time for blossoming” Type of festival: Flower festival, modern and spectatortype When: Last Sunday of February Main highlights: Street Parade along Session Road on Saturday 8 a.m.; Flower Float Parade along Session Road on Sunday 8 a.m.

Panagbenga is a month-long

Pangabenga Flower Festival in Baguio

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Nature, Culture Zip Through Lake Sebu By frinston l. lim

L

AKE SEBU, South C o t a b a t o — Perched above the hills, some over 300 meters above sea level, this first-class municipality in Mindanao’s south-central tip is a veritable paradise for tourists of all persuasions.

A visit to Lake Sebu is an encounter with nature, culture and adventure, all in one package. Its people, numbering more than 75,000, boasts of some of the country’s most picturesque lakes and a rich T’boli culture. And an unforgettable heart-pounding trek to the mountains.

For as low as P3,900, tour packages—including transportation, food and accommodations—are being offered by Destination Mindanaw, a fledgling tour operator in the region that caters to local and foreign tourists who want to experience the thrills and frills of Lake Sebu.

We set out from Tagum City in Davao del Norte province, bracing for the sights and experiences of a destination seven hours away on a 20-seat air-conditioned bus. Destination Mindanaw provides a light breakfast of rice, corned beef, eggs and a Cavendish banana, so leaving home on an empty stomach to catch the 5 a.m. trip wasn’t too much of a sacrifice.

The bus pulled over for lunch at The Farm, a 12-hectare mountain resort on Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City, South Cotabato province. The Aviary, The Farm’s restaurant, serves French and Filipino cuisine cooked up by Manila-based

A woman in t’nalak costume serves as a tour guide of visitors on a boat cruising near one of the “seven falls” in Barangay Lahit, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato province chef Humphrey Navarro.

In the municipality of Surallah, tourists are treated to a visual feast consisting of tribal artworks by known Mindanao sculptor Kublai Millan. His creations of life-size statues of T’boli men and women and their indigenous instruments dominate the main road arteries and plaza.

A swing to the left of the Surallah-Tacurong highway brings us to our main destination. Along the 21 km of paved road is an expanse of pure rustic beauty—vast pineapple fields stretching to the edge of glistening, sun-kissed hills as the mighty Allah River, the source of life to the “rice granary of the South,” cuts through the fertile valley.

Like Baguio A slow climb on good roads to Lake Sebu offers a commanding vista of pines and the balmy whiff of an afternoon breeze, reminiscent of the uphill ascent to that fabled highland resort city in northern Luzon: Baguio.

Lake Sebu, in fact, is known as

the summer capital of southcentral Mindanao.

Passengers are treated to a picture of nature in contrast— on the left, unfolds a panorama of hills and forests; on the right, the three “great lakes” welcome the first-time visitor.

Lake Lahit, the smallest with an area of 34 hectares, is surrounded by hills dotted with huts and a handful of houses made of concrete. Lake S’loton (Seloton), the deepest at more than 200 feet (60 meters), is wide enough (38 ha) to host hundreds of cages of tilapia, a major source of livelihood of residents.

The last of the upland lakes is the eponymous Lake Sebu, the largest at 380 ha. It has 12 islands and islets nestling communities of indigenous T’boli and on its shores, dozens of resorts.

Boat cruise Punta Isla is a must-visit resort. For a minimal price, tourists are treated to a fantastic view up close of six of the islands and islets in a 30-minute

boat cruise around the lake.

Not to mention the opportunity to witness a way of life like no other, of T’boli islanders as they go about their daily chores on board an owong, a dugout canoe, the main mode of interisland transport.

A T’boli tour guide accompanied the visitors throughout the itinerary, complementing the visual attractions with information on everything and anything about the lake and T’boli culture in general. One guide, Sherilyn Gandam, led a group of young people who performed indigenous dances, songs and musical instruments during nightly cultural shows at the resort.

For foodies, the cuisine is exquisite and sumptuous. One can choose from a wide array of tilapia-based dishes for as low as P190.

Weaver of dreams Rounding up the cultural tour of Lake Sebu is a visit to Lang Dulay and her women weavers of dreams. The 89year-old Dulay was given the National Artist for Culture award in 1997 for her world-renowned t’nalak loom weaving, a T’boli way of weaving abaca hemp into complicated cloth designs using tree dyes.

Dulay and her school of dream weavers are just a kilometer away from Punta Isla, in Poblacion, Lake Sebu.

Capping the two-day sojourn is an exhilarating adventure to Hikong Mountain Resort, a high-altitude, adrenaline-booster jaunt not for the faint of heart.

The upland resort in Purok Malipayon, Lahit village, boasts of the awesome Seven Falls Zip Line which, at 740 meters (2,428 feet) long and 183 meters (600 feet) above sea level, is reputed to be one of the country’s longest and highest recreational cable lines.

For P300, brave hearts are strapped to the zip line and set off to zoom across two hills.

(Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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s

Flash Bocaue Fluvial Parade

Bocaue’s fluvial parade, famously known as the Pagoda Festival, was back last July 6 after an absence of over two decades. The annual event was suspended after the boat carrying the pagoda sank in 1993, killing 300 devotees.

Young Muslims

s

Muslim students hold a prayer before starting to read the Koran at a classroom inside the Al-satie Mosque in Baseco, Tondo, Manila, on June 29, the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

s Majestic Mayon

A tourist aboard an all-terrain vehicle admires the stately Mayon Volcano, unmindful of its rumbling which led government last month to warn the public against entering the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.

s

Bahay Kubo

Craftsmen and merchants ply their wares -- bahay kubo made of bamboo, and other products made of wood and rattan – to travelers along the highway in Tayabas, Quezon.

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WHAT’S ON

T

he old Spanish town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a living museum of the Philippines’ spirited past, has made it to the 28 official finalists of the New7Wonders Cities campaign.

The official announcement made by New7Wonders founder-president Bernard Weber marks the launch of the Finalist Stage of the global election which will run across three elimination phases that will end on December 7, 2014, when the official New7Wonders Cities chosen by hundreds of millions of votes from around the world will be revealed.

Joining Vigan in the shortlist are: Athens, Greece; Bangkok, Thailand; Barcelona, Spain; Beirut, Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Chicago, USA; Doha, Qatar; Durban, South Africa; Havana, Cuba; Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Istanbul, Turkey; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Kyoto, Japan; La Paz, Bolivia; London, United Kingdom; Mendoza, Argentina; Mexico City, Mexico; Mumbai, India; Perth, Australia; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Prague, the Czech Republic; Quito, Ecuador; Reykjavik, Iceland; St. Petersburg, Russia; Seoul, South Korea; Shenzhen, China; and Vancouver, Canada.

According to UNESCO’s World Heritage Center, Vigan is “the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia with an architecture that reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.”

Department of Tourism (DoT) Region 1 director Martin Valera said Vigan perfectly exemplifies a “wonder city” because of its local government’s sustainable practices in conserving and preserving the structures of 16th century Spanish colonial town.

“Vigan is a living heritage city,” Valera said. “Unlike other cities included in the list that are mere replicas, Vigan has been a functional city since the 16th century and we are so proud

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Vigan shortlisted for New7wonders Cities

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that the world will finally recognize just how wonderful Vigan really is.”

One of the oldest towns in the Philippines, Vigan still has pavements of cobbled stones and a good number of Spanish colonial architecture as seen in centuries-old homes that once belonged to friars and colonial officials, quaint old antique shops and cafés along the famous Crisologo Street and the St. Paul’s Cathedral, constructed in 1641 – one of the oldest cathedrals in the Philippines.

“This outstanding shortlist of 28 cities mirrors the diversity of urban society, especially when, for the first time in history, more than half of our planet’s population lives in cities. The New7Wonders Cities campaign will encourage debate about how cities should respond to the challenges of the present and the future. By voting in this worldwide campaign, people everywhere can decide the 7 cities that best represent the achievements and aspirations of our global urban civilization,” the statement read.

New7Wonders Cities is the third global vote organized by New7Wonders and follows the successful New7Wonders of the World and New7Wonders of Nature campaigns.

Last year, Puerto Princesa Un-

derground River in Palawan was named one of the official New7Wonders of Nature and has resulted to a massive increase in tourist influx, both lo-

cal and foreign, in the 8.2-kilometer underground river. with full news by Jacky Lynne A. Oiga from Manila Builletin

ler XA

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WHAT’S ON JULY 2014

SPOTon

30

SPL

19-20 Jul. 2014

2 GIANTS, 1 MAJOR EVENT!

30th Barrio Fiesta sa London

30 th

Be dazzled by the vocal prowess of Mr. Pure Energy, Gary Valenciano!

Together with the biggest and the brightest Kapamilya Stars!

Shut tle avail coache able s the from Cour Hampto n t St the ation to Maki- venue! ride na!

July 19 Pokwang

Piolo Pascual

Pokwang

Enchong Dee

Kathryn Bernardo

Daniel Padilla

Jessy Mendiola

Enrique Gil

Shaina Magdayao

Rayver Cruz

Julia Barretto

Venue: The Apps Court Farm, Hampton Court, Hurst Road, Walton-onThames KT12 2EG

July 20

Co-presented by

with Mr. Pure Energy,

Gary V.

Also brought to you by

With the support of

COMMUNITY

www.planetphilippines.uk.com www.planetphilippines.uk.com

The Philippine Centre and TFC proudly present the biggest, the grandest and the most star-studded event of the year!

Sam Milby

ll t of a ppor In su events in d o it go un y omm the c

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Media partner

Contact: 07879646076 or londonbarriofiesta @abs-cbn.com

General Admission is FREE. Limited PAID VIP tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.

For sponsorship and VIP ticket reservation, call +447879646076 or email luis_bariuan@abs-cbn.com.

2-17 Aug. 2014

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Barrio Fiesta sa Milton Keynes Venue: Campbell Park, Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD Time: 9am to 7pm

Barrio Fiesta Caravan

For stall rentals, call +447867940447 or email londonbarriofiesta@abs-cbn.com.

17 August 2014

Scotland Barrio Fiesta Hamilton Park Racecourse, Bothwell Road, Hamilton, Lanarkshire ML3 0DW Time: 10am - 5pm Contact: Lolita 07973469450 Lynn 07799183450 Bennie 07907251044

24-28 Sept. 2014 Enchanted Bird Play Venue: Chelsea Theatre, 7 World’s End Place, King’s Road, London SW10 0DR Contact: Bobby 07760961532

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30-31 Aug. 2014

Venue: Lower Castle Park of the famous Roman Castle Park in Colchester Time: 10am-7pm Contact: 07758752672 07506683937 07952462608

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Contact: Aurora 07748 252 530 aurobb0203@gmail. com

26-28 Sept. 2014

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P Festival 2014

One World Summit 2014

Starring: Sandwich, The Diegos, Yano, Pedicab, and Squid 9

Venue: Dublin, TBA Counselors: Kofi Annan, Jamie Oliver, Sir Richard Branson, Sir Bob Geldof, etc.

26 Sept: Manchester Venue: TBA, at 6pm 28 Sept: London Venue: TBA, at 1pm

Contact: Matthew 02071996184 07450206318

Contact: Marvin Guzman 07889171595 41689_OYW_Sales_Brochure_2014.indd 1

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E

VER find yourself with a free weekend and asking yourself, “Damn. What else is there to do these days besides dinner and a movie?”

For a lot of people who live in the Philippines’ busy cities, the urbanization has somewhat transformed a lot of people into stereotypical couch potatoes. Even when we do decide to go on vacation, our default mindset is to hit the beach, where we can spend even more time lounging around. We simply swap out our couches for beach chairs, and our pajamas for swimsuits.

We thought it’d be worth spending time finding out what else our beloved country has to offer. Not being very adventurous ourselves (beyond our video games), we decided to find out what kind of daredevilesque extreme sports we could try with minimal instruction and little risk of injury to our already frail bodies.

Here’s what we found!

Skydiving

5 Couch Potato-Friendly Extreme Sports to Try in PH Mud karting

Bungee Jumping… sort of Wakeboarding

Mud Karting Go karts? Meh. Dune buggies are the way to go. We’ve read about people going kart racing in the city, but the idea of driving an actual dune buggy in the mud seemed much cooler. No concrete and asphalt this time, just your foot flooring the gas pedal, wind in your hair, and mud on your face!

No driver’s license required.

Also, you get the whole off-road dune buggying experience in a controlled environment versus going at it on your own. For ₱500, you get 8 laps around the track, plus an additional ₱100 if you’ve got a passenger with you.

Check out X-Treme Sports Philippines with locations in both Puerto Galera and Laguna.

Wakeboarding The emergence of wakeparks in the country has brought wakeboarding to the masses by not only lowering the costs (no need

It’s a little-known fact, but yes, you CAN go skydiving in the Philippines. It’s not the cheapest activity out there, and only available during select times of the year, but if you’ve got the cash to spend, there are few things more extreme than jumping out of a plane!

Skydiving was once allowed in Clark, Pampanga, but has been temporarily stopped. The next best option city slickers have is a trip to Cebu in January-April of 2015, the supposed next season for jumps, with Skydive Cebu.

Since this is supposed to be a couch potato-friendly guide, worry not! It’s not likely that anyone will allow you to jump on your own. Dives will be tandem jumps, meaning you’ll be attached to a professional skydiver the entire time, from jumping out the plane to landing. When you’re traveling at 190 km/h (120 mph) towards the earth, you probably won’t mind him being there.

to rent a speedboat or buy your own gear!), but by also making it a lot safer and n00b-friendly.

Man-made lakes mean you’re less susceptible to the wrath of Mother Nature. Instead of being out in the open seas being pulled by speedboats, winches pull you along.

You don’t have to deal with actual wakes (the “waves” formed by a moving object in the water, like boats). Also, for people with a slightly weaker sense of balance, wakeparks have kneeboarding gear too!

Whitewater Rafting If you ever find yourself traveling to Cagayan de Oro, you can’t miss out on the opportunity to channel your inner Bear Grylls and go whitewater rafting! Over the years, it’s emerged as one of the primary reasons people visit CDO,

Whitewater rafting whether they’re seasoned at the sport or not.

Years of watching the Discovery Channel may have brainwashed us into thinking that it’s pretty scary, but people who’ve journeyed down south to try the extreme sport have mostly great things to say about the experience. Safety precautions are taken, and instructors make sure that even first-timers are equipped with enough knowhow to navigate the choppy waters. With the river offering different levels of difficulty rated by how rough the current gets, you don’t have to go all out all at once either.

Of all the adrenaline-pumping activities, bungee jumping is probably on top of everyone’s list. Considering that the Philippines is full of mountains, you’d think we’d have a bungee jumping center by now, no?

Unfortunately, it seems that as of writing, there aren’t any permanent bungee jumping facilities… yet. Agas-Agas Bridge in Southern Leyte has been rumored to be a primary candidate, but as of now, it looks like they’ve just got a zipline for now (not extreme enough!!).

The alternative? It looks like the closest thing to an actual bungee jump we’ve got is in Subic, at the Tree Top Adventure Park. With a harness on, you’re dropped from a 60foot tree! Not quite a bungee jump (it’s not high enough, nor do you get the bouncy feeling from using a bungee cord), but if conquering your fear of heights is your thing, it’ll do!

(Looloo.com) n

Y 2014

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EMBASSY NEWS

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WHAT’S ON

EMBASSY OUTREACH - CARDIFF The Embassy will hold its next Consular Outreach Mission for 2014 in: Date/Time: Venue:

26 July 2014 (Saturday), 9:30am to 6:00pm Cardiff Masonic Hall, 8 Guildford Street, Cardiff CF10 2HL Contact Persons: Mr. Henry Montoya 07786262951 Services Offered: PLANET PHILIPPINES - e-PASSPORT APPLICATIONS LOCAL SERVICES - CIVIL REGISTRATION (Reports of Birth, Marriage or Death) - NOTARIZATION and LEGALIZATION SERVICES (Affidavits, SPAs, etc) - NBI CLEARANCE FORM SERVICING (Fingerprinting) - ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATION FOR VISA TO THE PHILIPPINES - PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP RETENTION/RE-ACQUISTION - ASSISTANCE-TO-NATIONALS and ADVICE ON PHILIPPINE LAWS FULL PAGE AD - PAG-IBIG MEMBERSHIP AND INQUIRIES - SSS MEMBERSHIP - OVERSEAS VOTERS’ REGISTRATION

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Payment at the Outreach Mission shall be in cash or with postal money order made out to the Philippine Embassy.

Personal cheques are not accepted. For more info please go to http://philembassy-uk.org/

at your doorstep!

LONDON

ANUARY 2014

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11/06/2014 15:22

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Announcing The Ocean’s Finest

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Asean Seas believe in providing the highest quality produce at affordable prices. Their Galunggong/Scad is sea caught (not farmed) and uses advanced freezing technology to ensure maximum freshness from the ocean to your plate.

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