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Mabuti pa nga si Mareng Grace, gumanda ang buhay niya [sa pagkakaampon niya]. Yung pagkakaampon sa ‘kin, e, ako ang namamalengke, kumukuha ng kaninbaboy.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, rejecting allegations that he had knowledge of and approved the citizenship and residency issues raised by his partymates against Senator Grace Poe, adding that, like Poe, he too was adopted by his uncle
No matter what happens to BBL, whether it gets passed or not, MILF will stay in place on the path of peace and solve the problem in You cannot claim the Mindanao. entire sea. That’s all Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, assuring that his group is committed to peace over now, that idea regardless of the fate of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law now in the 1600s that the pending before Congress world has rejected, and China is reviving it today. I acknowledge his loyalty to my father, Supreme Court Justice Antonio but I am loyal, too, to my father’s moral Carpio, calling on China to beliefs and principles in governance and abandon its sovereign claims transparency. FULL PAGE AD over the entire South China Senator Grace Poe, on why she signed the Senate subcommittee’s draft report recommending plunder and graft charges against Vice President Binay in connection with the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall 2 parking building. Binay was Fernando Poe Jr.’s campaign manager when he ran for president in 2004
Papatayin ko talaga kayo . . . Diyan mo makita na tataba ang isda sa Manila Bay. Diyan ko kayo itatapon.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, reiterating his mission to kill everyone “who makes the lives of Filipinos miserable”
You can be macho without mentioning the word ‘kill’ or ‘killing’ in every sentence. Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, on Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s tough talk that the secret to keeping Davao the safest city was to “kill all the criminals”
Sea, citing international law established 400 years ago that no nation can lay claim over seas and oceans.
I don’t think he deserves to be president. He doesn’t deserve to be a candidate for anything. Singer Jim Paredes, one of the leaders of the “#StopBinay Walk”, a march along Ayala Avenue, Makati City on June 10 aimed at stopping Vice President Jejomar Binay from running for president in 2016
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Tough
T
O youth gangs: “I’ll break your bones.” To drug pushers: “I’ll execute you.” To alleged rice hoarders: “I will kill you.” To corrupt cops: “Not in Davao or I’ll kill you.” Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte utters one more variation of his favorite warning to criminals and lowlifes who make the mistake of operating in his city, and his admirers and supporters swoon. Such pluck! they say. So unlike the effete politicians out there who hem and haw and hedge and waffle, desperate to be seen as similarly resolute against criminality but unwilling to go down and dirty with them. The man is different; he suffers no knaves, and loves the idea of bludgeoning them to submission—or to kingdom come, if need be. His vocabulary is a thesaurus on one word—“kill.” He doesn’t mind being seen as violent; if it’s the language of the blackguards and heels he’s up against, then he’ll dish it to them, in full glare of the media and an adoring throng weary of the everyday lawlessness around them. Forget action movies, here’s the real Dirty Harry, and he doesn’t slink back into ambiguous darkness after the hit. No, he is Rodrigo Duterte, proud scourge of criminals—and, if the enthusiasts of his brand of
governance will have their way, the next president of the Philippines. It’s what we need, we’re told. This is a country that has gone to the dogs, with a justice system so weak and so rotten that it has robbed the people of the rights fundamental to their happiness and security in a decent, viable society—to walk the streets at night without fear, to drive to work without being flagged down by mulcting cops, to go to sleep without worrying about thieves entering one’s home. The Philippines imagines itself a modern country, a vibrant emerging economy of gleaming malls and humming cities, but on the ground, among the harried and harassed millions who traverse its streets every day, it’s but the Wild, Wild West, without the glamour of horses and the grandeur of the desert. The republic seems in meltdown, with criminals getting away with their crimes and politicians getting away with their politics—the two often in cahoots with and indistinguishable from each other—while the
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Guy desperate populace is caught in between, unable to look to its government for redress and largely left to fend for itself. Radical times call for radical solutions, we’re told, and here is Duterte, whose track record in Davao should speak for itself. A former backwater city strewn with “salvaged” corpses and overrun by rascals and delinquents, Davao is now rated one of the world’s safest cities, free of the drug menace, clean and orderly, peopled by law-abiding, disciplined folk. Thanks to the iron-fisted mayor, the city’s miscreants have all but disappeared—summarily executed, according to observers such as Human Rights Watch, which has called for an inquiry into Duterte’s possible hand in the formation of “death squads” that are said to have visited cold justice on those who had dared bring their nefarious activities to Davao. Hypocrites, fumed Duterte of the New York-based rights groups—these bleeding hearts who can’t even protect the citizens in their own countries, “the American-Africans” and the victims of genocide in Africa and other places, but who now have the nerve to question his unorthodox style of governance. Human Rights Watch
says Duterte’s possible involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao may have led to at least 1,000 deaths. At which Duterte once again whipped out the tough language beloved by his supporters: “You want a taste of justice, my style? Come to Davao City, Philippines, and do drugs in my city. I will execute you in public.” The appeal is understandable; it was only a matter of time before our descent into the pits as a nation would produce another tough guy, another putative strongman whose penchant for legal shortcuts, whose disdain for the exasperating niceties of the law, becomes precisely his sterling qualification for the job of extracting Filipinos from the hellhole. Ferdinand Marcos once attempted this, too—his New Society, backed by martial law, was meant to save Filipinos from the rot and evil of the old ways, and for a while the country seemed functioning and orderly. The deaths under his watch eventually reached tens of thousands. Most of them, unfortunately, were not criminals, but people who simply had a different mind than the guy in power. There’s a lesson in there somewhere. (Editorial of Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 23, 2015) n
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Sen. Chiz Escudero and Heart Evangelista’s wedding sponsors include business tycoons Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corporation; Hans Sy of SM Group of Companies; Fernando Zobel of Ayala Corporation; Andrew Tan of Megaworld Corporation; Lance Gokongwei of Robinson’s Corporation, Cebu Pacific and JG Summit; Fernando Zobel of Ayala Corporation; Gabby Lopez of ABS-CBN Broadcasting; Felipe Gozon and Gilberto Duavit of GMA-7; Roberto Ongpin of Alphaland Corp.; and Jerry Acuzar of New San Jose Builders.
Political Patronage L
ONG cited as a major drag on the Philippines’ development, political patronage is defined as the allocation of favors or rewards such as public office, jobs, contracts, subsidies or other valued benefits by a patron (usually an elected official) to a client (usually a donor or campaign contributor) in return for the client’s service, such as voting for the patron or providing money for electoral campaigning. Political patronage has also been mentioned in many studies as a major factor why industrialization did not happen as planned, why manufacturing degenerated, why land reform failed, and why the Philippines has been economically overtaken by its neighbors. Late last May, a visiting political scientist from Harvard again cited the ills brought about by political patronage— vote-buying, corruption, political dynasties—which hinder attempts to foster an “inclusive” economy that will benefit others besides the rich and the well-connected. In an investment summit organized by Financial Times and First Metro Investment Corp., Boston-based James Robinson, coauthor of the book “Why Nations Fail,” said that while the Philippines operates as a vibrant democracy, it is a democracy where
competition is not about public goods. The quality of Philippine democracy is being hampered by the lack of political competition, he observed, noting a “highly clientelistic politics based on exchanges of private goods for political support.” The long legacy and enduring presence of “extractive” political and economic institutions in the Philippines, as shown by political patronage, has indeed been one of the key constraints to the country’s development. Deposed strongman Ferdinand Marcos launched an ambitious economic program centered on
11 major industrial projects, but political patronage led to the scrapping of many of those undertakings that would have adversely affected the businesses of the regime’s financial backers or “cronies.” Examples of patronage politics fairly cry out to be noticed. Land reform, instituted since the 1970s, failed because many of the legislators tasked to craft the law to fairly and justly distribute land to farmers were landlords themselves or were beholden to the landed class for their political careers. More than 20 years ago, foreign investors proposed to build a petrochemical complex here, but politicians suspected of being beholden to businessmen whose companies would be affected adversely by the presence of a petrochemical plant initiated congressional inquiries that eventually discouraged the investors. An iconic hotel was won in a public bidding by Malaysian investors, but the auction result was reversed by a Supreme Court believed to be beholden to the losing bidder. Only recently, a big toll road
project was auctioned by the government but a new bidding was ordered after a known Palace ally complained that it was disqualified because of a simple typographical error. To this day, the biggest concession to big business has been the continued existence in the Constitution of a clause protecting certain local sectors from foreign competition. Truly unfortunate, because First World countries with industrialized economies have shown that free enterprise fosters competition that, in turn, should benefit consumers. Robinson agreed that the Philippines is capable of breaking out of this “weak state” category. While many industries are still benefiting from high levels of protection and barriers to entry—including the glass, cement and shipping sectors—he noted that the big economic success stories in the Philippines over the past decade had been those that encouraged competition, such as the telecommunication and aviation sectors. (However, telecom services leave much to be desired.) Indeed, various bills pending in Congress have sought to remove constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership and on liberalizing many economic sectors. There are also pending measures seeking an end to political dynasties and their various forms, including the padrino system and the cliques where kumpadre, kaibigan, kamaganak, and utang na loob hold sway. But for all that, politicians still take big businessmen as sponsors at their weddings, or for the baptism of their children. So what are they telling the Filipino people? That they can separate personal from official relationships? That when the occasion calls for it, they will decide in favor of their constituents and not of their godparents? They can tell that to the marines. (Editorial, Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 2, 2015) n
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The 8 Narrative Conflicts in the Poe-Binay Saga for 2016
F you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, there’s been a lot of talk going around about Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Binay, who are both eyeing higher office. While it’s not yet set if the good Senator is running for president, we all know what the Vice President’s intentions are, and he fired the opening salvo by insisting you need “experience” to run the country. But that’s just one front where the battle is being laid out. There are seven more. 8. The Rookie vs. The Veteran The kind of battle that clearly favors the vice president, the Rookie vs. Veteran republic highlights the huge gap of experience between Senator Poe and VP Binay. It’s an interesting tack to take, because it’s one that the Vice President’s own daughter was quick to ignore when used against her. Still, it’s hard to argue with experience and results.
7. Good vs. Evil Whether or not you believe in the way the narrative is being
spun, it’s pretty clear that the clean-nosed Senator is going to do battle with VP Binay, and one of her strongest arguments would be the lack of corruption issues hounding her. This is a narrative custom-built for the Senator to win. 6. Old School vs. New School The colloquialism “trapo” for “TRAditional POlitician” has led to backlash in social media whenever someone grandstands in order to keep themselves well-remembered come the elections, but can you really blame them for doing that when it clearly works? We voters are a forgetful lot, and only when we are constantly reminded to the point of annoyance do we remember when certain politicians are actually doing their job. In reframing the experience debate towards the para-
digm of old approaches vs. new approaches, Senator Poe regains a bit of her edge, but just barely. Sometimes, the old school still resonates with voters. That’s why we vote based on family names and celebrity status, for the most part.
5. The Class Struggle This is a very interesting paradigm, because it’s clearly not something Senator Poe has any business using. Yes, her dad certainly came from poverty, but she didn’t experience that for a lengthy period of time. Meanwhile, VP Binay uses both his complexion and his actual history to remind people that there was a time where he was indeed a poor young man.
4. The Race to Throw the Previous Administration Under the Bus It’s a well-known fact that when the incumbent is on his way out, a lot of candidates will use the built-up animosity with the incumbent to gain brownie points with the people. Between the vice president and the senator, it’s pretty clear that the
former has more to gain than the latter by doing this. At the moment, it’s clearly in Senator Poe’s best interests to toe the administration line.
3. The Black Propaganda Game If people had to play dirty and air out each other’s dirty laundry, unless we discover that Senator Poe was a serial killer, it should be apparent who’s going to come out smelling like roses here. This would be especially true if Senator Poe herself decided to abstain from the mudslinging. It’s unnecessary on her part.
2. The Sob Story Showdown The poor, oppressed Binay clan is going to have to contend with the daughter of the Action King who should have been president in 2004. Those are both pretty compelling and dramatic stories, and it’s practically a toss-up which one would be more endearing to the masses.
1. The-Will-of-God Game It’s going to be impressive how often we’re going to hear this platitude that their winning is “the will of God.” Here’s a secret: it isn’t. It’s the will of the people who are voting, tempered by the will of the people who will cheat during the elections. (8List.ph) n
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By gigi grande
“T
HERE were no secrets in Jaro back in the sixties,” longtime resident Marilen Montinola Locsin said of the district in Iloilo which wealthy sugar barons once called home. “Jaro was a place where everybody knew each other. Either we were friends or relatives. Everybody knew what was going on during that time.” Perhaps she was right. But there is one secret that remains to be told, and the story begins at the Jaro Cathedral before dawn on September 3, 1968. As narrated by a woman named Sayong Militar, as she approached the font, she discovered an infant wrapped in a blanket and covered in blood. The newborn would grow up to be Senator Grace Poe. (Sayong Militar’s niece, Imelda Militar Hofileña, reached out to ABS-CBN from Canada to set the record straight: it was her father, Edgardo Militar, not Sayong, who found the infant at a font of the Jaro Cathedral on September 3, 1968. Hofileña claimed her father, unable to care for the infant, later entrusted her to his sister-in-law Sayong.) The infant was brought to the public hospital and a search for her biological parents ensued. When all efforts failed, Sayong, who already had five children, would spend the next two years raising the child they called Grace like one of her own. The responsibility of rearing six children may have been too much, however, and Grace was passed on to the haciendera Tessie Ledesma Valencia, a close relative of Sayong’s employers.
Ninang Tessie Tessie was in her forties when she took charge of Grace, recalled Tessie’s niece Carmela
Jaime Cardinal Sin, then Archbishop of Jaro, baptized baby Grace, held by Sayong Militar. Tessie Ledesma Valencia (second from right) was among the godmothers. At extreme right is Edgardo Militar.
Undated photo of baby Grace and the late FPJ.
A Foundling Named Grace
was so popular back then that they managed to get President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda to sit as principal sponsors on short notice. Carmela also recalled how Tessie and Grace lived on and off with Susan and FPJ in Greenhills, San Juan, even before the newlyweds formally adopted the child.
Rising star in politics
Grace holds her certificate of proclamation as she poses with mother Susan Roces, husband Neil Llamanzares and daughters Hanna and Nika and son Brian during the proclamation of senators-elect at the PICC on May 16, 2013. Ledesma. Born and raised in Bacolod, Tessie herself had been orphaned. She had no siblings, no husband, and no children of her own, but having inherited vast tracts of land, there was one thing she had: lots and lots of money. “She didn’t know where to put her money. She really had lots of it, “said Carmela. While showing little interest in the haciendas, Tessie was fascinated with movies and celebrities. Among the celebrities, she loved Susan Roces best, even
becoming national president of the Susan Roces fans club. “She spent a lot of money on gifts for Susan and threw big, big parties for her at my grandfather’s house on Taft Avenue,” Carmela said. Tessie, who started out as a fan, later became good friends with Susan and her sister, teenage star Rosemarie Sonora. Tessie was so close to Susan, she became a veil sponsor at Susan’s high-profile Christmas Day wedding to Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) in 1968. The couple
Grace was nearly six years old by the time a San Juan judge signed the adoption order. Her life would be well documented from then on, but it is the unknown past that may now be used against Poe, a rising star in Philippine politics based on surveys, and a likely contender for the presidency in 2016. A recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey shows Poe nearly neck and neck with Vice President Binay. While Poe hasn’t declared her intention to run for president, she knows rivals will pick up on her hazy beginnings and raise it to question her citizenship. Then and now, the identity of Poe’s biological parents has never been known. “Nobody came forward. Those who
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came forward were found to be fraudulent,” Poe said. “I would rather have that issue than plunder or anything else to defend myself,” she said.
Citizenship issue Under the Philippine Constitution, only natural-born Filipinos can become President, Vice President, Senator and Congressman. Natural-born citizens are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship. “I didn’t have to go through a special procedure to acquire my citizenship,” Poe said. But constitutional expert Fr. Joaquin Bernas said the essential requirement of being a naturalborn citizen is being born of a citizen. “You have to know who the parents are,” he said. “One of them must be a Filipino. If you don’t know who the parents are, you cannot say whether it’s natural born or not.” If political watchers are to be believed, it’s only a matter of time before the issue is formally raised.” I’m sure somebody will bring it to the Supreme Court,” said Professor Popoy de Vera of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance. “In a senatorial election, if you’re one out of twelve, the eleven others won’t bring you down as long as they are still in the top twelve. But in a presidential election, if there are seven candidates, the 6 others will do everything to try to stop you from being President.” When that time comes, Poe will be ready. ”Ang sasabihin ba natin, isang foundling, kailangan ba nating limitahan ang pagkakataon nito sa buhay sapagkat hindi natin alam ang tunay na magulang? Para sa akin, siguro tao na ang magdedesisyon nyan,” Poe said. Poe said she hopes to find the truth someday, not so she can run for president, but so she can finally put closure to this chapter in her life. (ABSCBN News) n
Can a Foundling Run for President?
U
NITED Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim secretary general JV Bautista said Sen. Grace Poe, apart from questions about her residency, could be disqualified from running for a higher office and even be unseated as a member of the Senate for not being a “natural-born Filipino.”
“A foundling by definition is stateless,” Bautista said. Bautista brought up the question of Poe’s citizenship in a news forum a day after UNA interim president and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco claimed that Poe was not qualified to run for vice president or president next year because she did not meet the 10-year residency requirement in the Constitution. (Editor: What exactly is a “foundling”? Although the term has appeared in the Family Code of 1987 and in both the Inter-Country and Domestic Adoption Laws of 1995 and 1998, respectively, it was only the new rules on adoption promulgated by the Supreme Court in 2002 that clearly defined a foundling as “a deserted or abandoned infant or child whose parents, guardian or relatives are unknown; or a child committed to an orphanage or charitable or similar institution with unknown facts of birth and parentage and registered in the Civil Register as a ‘foundling.’” The closest international treatise that can shed light on the citizenship
of foundlings is the 1961 UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which states that a child found in a certain country can “in the absence of proof to the contrary, be considered to have been born within that territory of parents possessing the nationality of that State.” The Philippines, however, is not a signatory to the 1961 convention.) To House Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, however, being a foundling is not an issue against Poe. “In the case of a foundling, it’s easy to say, ‘How do we know?’ But one rule of thumb is you cannot be a person who does not have a citizenship. You cannot be stateless. There are international conventions to that effect,” Zamora told House reporters, citing the Rohingya boat people. He noted that Poe “was found practically within hours of being born.” “How can you say she was a citizen of another country? The [baby was found still with its mother’s blood]. How can a foundling be stateless? What
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specific country is that? Clearly the Philippines. If she was not born here, how could she have arrived here?” Zamora asked. Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said one question that could be raised was whether Poe could be considered a natural-born Filipino because there was no way to ascertain the citizenship of her parents. But the burden of proving that should fall on the accuser and not on Poe, Zarate said. Zamora agreed: “It’s not for Senator Poe to establish that, but for the one impugning her citizenship.” Bautista explained that the Philippines follows the jus sanguinis principle of citizenship. “If your parents or one of them is a Filipino, then you are a Filipino by blood,” he said. He admitted that a foundling’s citizenship is hard to determine. “We have to follow the law. It may be harsh for a foundling but what can we do?” he said. ”In her May 2013 elections certificate of candidacy, Poe wrote that she was a “naturalborn Filipino.” “The proper legal remedy for that for anyone who cares to question would be a petition for a quo warranto to question her occupancy of the [Senate] office because somebody else might be entitled to that,” the UNA official said. Bautista said the candidate who ranked 13th in the 2013 senatorial election could be proclaimed duly elected senator because Poe was not qualified to run in the first place. Poe topped the 2013 senatorial election, polling more than 20 million votes. Asked why the issue was never taken up when Poe took office, Bautista said, “Perhaps nobody cared to raise it at that time.” “When you are occupying a position as lofty as the presidency and vice presidency, we should be scrutinizing carefully the qualifications,” he added.n
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Now There’s
LizQuen
“I
USED to be hated by people. It makes me happy that they are now showing more love,” says teen star Liza Soberano.
The rising Kapamilya talent with the “angelic face” adds that she used to be the “third wheel” to the on-screen love team of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla - or KathNiel - in the TV series Got to Believe. The success of her love team with Enrique Gil in the drama series Forevermore, which ended recently, has changed everything for Liza. “This takes a lot of getting used to,” Liza admits. “Before, it was just KathNiel who were getting all the attention. Now, I’m in their shoes.” “I’m happy for her,” interjects Enrique. “I’ve been part of several love teams, but I think LizQuen (Liza-Enrique) is really something special.” Liza and Enrique are reuniting for the second time in the movie Just the Way You Are, a romantic comedy directed by Theodore Boborol which opens in cinemas on June 17.
Natural chemistry Asked what kind of love team they think is effective, Enrique said, “It’s really hard to tell. Forevermore was our first project together. We were in the mountains and had no clue about the audience’s reaction. We became close there. We
became family. The audience appreciated the truth of our relationship.” The TV show was partly shot in Tuba, Benguet. Liza thought her tandem with Enrique was effective because “viewers saw that we’re both sincere. It was just us in the mountains and we had to get along. What we wanted in the beginning was simply to have a great show and be happy -- that’s exactly what happened. People caught on with the show’s happiness.” Boborol, who was also part of the Forevermore production team, said LizQuen worked “because they have natural chemistry. You can’t fake that. Plus, of course, they are good actors.”
Something different With the movie project, Boborol said he made sure that LizQuen would show something totally different from what was seen in the TV series. “We started working on this movie before Forevermore. We had workshops with Direk Olive (Lamasan). LizQuen helped form the characters Drake and Sophia. We got input from them about their lives and incorporated these tidbits in the movie. This helped them portray their characters more truthfully.”
Kilig moment with Liza and Enrique. “We want to present them as a very versatile love team - that they can do well both in drama and romantic comedy,” Boborol added. “The movie is lighter, but it is still a story of love, family and friendship, elements that are typical in Filipino stories.” Drake and Sophia are similar to each other in the sense that they both have unresolved issues with their dads, explained Enrique. “Drake is a playboy and behaves like a hotshot in school, but this is just his defense and his way to release the anger he feels toward his dad. Sophia opts to keep it inside. These are different people with similar problems, who cross paths because of a bet. That’s where it all begins,” he added.
‘Kilig’ scenes Liza said she found Sophia equally challenging as Agnes, her character in Forevermore. “Agnes is more expressive, while Sophia keeps what she feels to herself and prefers to handle
things on her own. She has nobody to share her feelings with. In real life, I find it hard to be expressive. Sophia is difficult to play because she has many layers. She is quiet, but has a lot going on in her mind.” Boborol said the big-screen project was more mature, with five kilig scenes. “There’ll be no kissing scenes,” assures Liza. “I’m only 17. But Quen will go topless in several scenes.” The teen star relates she felt self-conscious while doing scenes with the half-naked the 23-year-old Enrique. “His body is okay, sometimes -- minsan kasi busog siya.” If Forevermore afforded LizQuen their biggest break as a love team, Just the Way You Are could catapult them to new heights. With the Kimerald (Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson) now only a memory, the fans, until recently, have only KathNiel to provide them with daily dose of kilig moments. Now there’s LizQuen. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n
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JUNE 2012 2015 APRIL
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Pay premiums before leaving for work abroad
T
HE PHILIPPINE Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) reminds rehired and vacationing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to pay their premium contributions prior to securing their Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). Philhealth said the move was in line with POEA’s implementation of a single collection policy for OECs which started last April 1. POEA will only be collecting fees for OEC, and no longer for PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG Fund. “We call on our OFW-members to pay their PhilHealth premium contributions first before proceeding to POEA for their OECs. This will secure their social health insurance coverage, as well as that of their legal dependents, for their peace of mind,” said PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Alexander A. Padilla. The collection counters of PhilHealth and other government
Philhealth said the move was in line with POEA’s implementation of a single collection policy for OECs.
agencies, however, will be re- any of the 27 accredited collecttained at POEA in Mandaluyong ing partners that we have earCity and in the one-stop shopsPAGE lier authorized for local collecFULL AD of POEA nationwide. tion from OFW-members. Padilla added that “OFW-mem“They may also pay at our Lobers may still pay their precal Health Insurance Offices mium contributions at the des- nationwide.” ignated PhilHealth counters at Overseas Filipinos pay the Balik-Manggagawa Center Php2,400.00 annually for their at POEA main office in Mandapremium contribution to Philluyong City, as well as through Health. This amount includes
coverage for all qualified legal dependents of a migrant worker, such as legal spouse who is not a PhilHealth member; legitimate and illegitimate children below 21 years old, unmarried and unemployed; and parents who are below 60 years old but are suffering from permanent disability which renders them totally dependent on the member for support. Parents who are 60 years old and above and are not yet PhilHealth members may enroll under the Senior Citizen category. PhilHealth pays for overseas hospitalization of migrant workers, as well as for the confinement of their legal dependents in the Philippines, through a reimbursement mechanism. Migrant workers have 180 calendar days from the date of discharge to file their claim documents through any of PhilHealth’s 17 Regional Offices in the Philippines. All refunds are paid for in Philippine peso equivalent. (PIA)
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Showbuzz John Lloyd, Angelica headed for splitsville? JOHN Lloyd Cruz and Angelica Panganiban are due to split up, according to Philippine Star entertainment columnist Ricky Lo. Quoting his “VDPA (Very Deep Penetration Agent)”, who happens to be close to the sweethearts, Lo reported on June 9 that John Lloyd and Angelica haven’t been talking to each other for three weeks now. “The same thing happened last year but they were able to patch things up before they got worse. This time, feel ko tuluyan na silang maghihiwalay,” Lo’s
Sarah and Matteo: Counting the years
Sarah ponders right marrying age Suffocated by extreme closeness? unnamed source said. Lo wrote: “Since the VDPA didn’t elaborate nor hint at whatever is causing the widening rift between John Lloyd and Angelica, maybe you and I can just speculate. Could the reason be, 1. They are getting suffocated by their extreme closeness (you know, everybody needs breathing space, right?); 2. Has John Lloyd gotten fed up with
Angelica’s attitude (one of the reasons why Derek Ramsay’s feelings turned sour against Angelica?); 3. Have they reached a crossroads and decided to pursue opposite directions?” John Lloyd and Angelica became a couple in September 2012, traveled several times together and seemed destined to march down the aisle, as Angelica had been hinting at.
Rift between Sharon, KC goes beyond ‘sexy poses’ KC Concepcion has admitted that she and her mom, Sharon Cuneta, are going through a problem that she hopes to be fixed, following her mother’s revelation of a rift between them. But the 30-year-old actress chose to keep mum on details of her rift with her mother. “I feel na to protect her, ayoko nang magsalita at palakihin ‘yung issue, and because I love my family, I feel na... I’m very hopeful na whatever we’ve been going through for a long time na, will be fixed,” she said. The issue came to light after Sharon earlier expressed her frustration over a sexy photo of KC, saying she is hurt every time she sees her daughter in
KC in a men’s magazine pictorial. daring pictorials and pointing out that these have been repeated instances. “I also really honestly would have to say I do not like that she
has done this and other unnecessary too-sexy poses,” Sharon wrote on Facebook. In subsequent Facebook posts, Sharon revealed that she has a rift with KC and that “the reasons are sad and not made public as they are personal and have been going on for way longer than people will ever know.” Saying her frustration goes beyond KC’s sexy photos, Sharon hinted that her daughter’s behavior towards her has also been a problem. “And yes, she is an adult now,” she replied to a Facebook follower who advised her to let go of KC. “I think adults should know better especially in terms of gratitude and respect, don’t you think?”
SARAH Geronimo was not totally joking when she was quoted as saying that she plans to get married five years from now. She made the statement while taping for the Blind Auditions of the second season of The Voice Kids. “Half meant. Siyempre hindi mo naman madidiktahan na dapat ay 32 magpapakasal na ako. Paano kung mas maaga pala?” Sarah teased in an interview last June 3. Sarah is turning 27 on July 25. “Wala pa pong groom, boyfriend pa lang,” she quipped, referring to Matteo Guidicelli. But asked if she sees herself marrying Matteo, the singer-actress said: “Marami pang kailangang ayusin, kasi ang hirap-hirap ng pagpapakasal. Ang dami kong stories na na naririnig na hindi talaga biro-biro ang pagpapakasal. Kaya yung iba ay pinipili na mag-isa na lang sila. Pero siyempre kung ano ang kaloob pa din ng Diyos.” In a previous interview, Matteo said that he already sees Sarah as “wife material” but admitted that he is not yet ready to settle down.
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Showbuzz Maja on daring roles:
Maja as club dancer in the TV series Bridges of Love.
It’s time to grow “IT’s time to grow.” This was the candid reply of Maja Salvador on why she agreed to do daring scenes for the movie You’re Still The One, where she has three love scenes with Dennis Trillo. In an interview on Kris TV, Maja told host Kris Aquino that she thinks it’s time to do new
things. “Siguro kaya hindi na din ako nag-back out sa pelikula na ‘yon kasi it’s time to grow,” said Maja, who turns 27 in October. She recalled her very first teleserye, It Might Be You, with John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo back in 2003 and her conversation with veteran actor
Daniel admits relationship with Erich IT’S confirmed: Daniel Matsunaga and Erich Gonzalaes are officially a couple. The Brazilian-Japanese model-actor admitted he is in a relationship with the ABSCBN actress during an episode of the ABS-CBN game show Kapamilya Deal or No Deal. During the episode, host Luis Manzano asked Daniel, who was a contestant of the show, why he and Erich call each other “Spartan” and “Spartan baby” on their Instagram accounts. Daniel replied, “Mahilig ako sa workout di ba? So nung naging kami…” Luis interrupted Daniel mid-sentence upon his revelation. “Okey, tapos. Ganun lang. Walang pasikot-sikot. Hindi po nanggaling sa akin. Hindi po nanggaling kay Erich. ‘Nung naging kami.’ Tapos,” Luis quipped. Daniel countered: “Yes, she’s my girlfriend na.”
Tirso Cruz III. “Never kong nakalimutan hanggang ngayon ‘yung sinabi niya na bilang artista dapat ikaw mismo alam mong i-repackage ‘yung sarili mo. Dapat alam mong ibenta ‘yung sarili mo,” she said of Tirso’s advice. “Kaya every time na natatapos ang isang project talagang mini-make sure ko na ‘yung panibago kong gagawin ay hindi
ko pa nagawa or may bago kay Maja na makikita. Kaya nag-album din ako,” she added. Apart from the movie, Maja also took on a sexy role in the primetime TV hit Bridges of Love, where she plays a club dancer. Recently, she launched her second album titled In Love, following her breakup with Gerald Anderson.
Dennis: My heart is resting now
Erich calls Daniel “Love” The admission came after several weeks of speculation on the real score between the two. Last April Erich hand er long-time non-showbiz boyfriend broke up, which started rumors that the actress is dating Daniel. While the two have remained mum on the status of their relationship previous in interview, Daniel and Erich have not been shy about expressing their love for each other on social media.
DENNIS Trillo refused to confirm the rumor that he has reconciled with former flame, Jennylyn Mercado. “It feels good to be in love, but it’s also good to take a break for a while,” said the 34year-old actor. At the press conference of his latest movie, You’re Still the One, Dennis added, “My heart is resting now. I’m at a state in my life where I refuse to feel pressured. I’m just going with the flow. I just do things that make me happy.” Dennis earlier admitted to spending four days with Jennylyn on Balesin Island in Quezon province during the Holy Week break. “There’s nothing going on between us, in spite of what
No time for love, for now. people say about us. I don’t want to put a label on it. I’m just happy that everything is okay between us, especially after the not-so-good incident a few years back,” Dennis told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He was referring to their highly publicized breakup. In a tell-all interview, Jennylyn even accused Dennis of physical abuse.
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I
HEARD urgings from friends and family: “You should go to Batanes.” And so I did. Last April with my sister and a close friend, I boarded an early morning flight that only took an hour to get us to the northernmost tip of the archipelago. Our plane landed in Basco, the provincial capital, with a slight thud on the short tarmac (stuck between a mountain and a sloping hill, there’s just no room for a runway expansion). Batanes is the smallest, northernmost and least populated province in the Philippines; but it has the most in terms of breathtaking open space, rolling hills and rugged coastline. Life in Basco is unhurried and tranquil; light traffic flows through its narrow streets lined with small but sturdy homes built with thick stone or concrete walls to withstand frequent strong typhoons. Small shops are tucked among the houses; the town has no public market under one roof. Locals greet us with a wel-
JUNE 2015
LONDON
Batanes Beckons Fundacion Pacita
Ivatan Stone Houses in Chavayan coming nod or a polite smile, as we make our way to Amboy Seaside Resort, a few minutes’ drive from the town proper. After checking into our bungalow room, we arranged for a van and a three-day tour of Batanes. Our young guide began his tour at Mt. Carmel chapel built on a hill in the Ivatan style of rock walls but topped
with bricks instead of traditional cogon. Inside the small chapel, religious icons fill the walls and the ceiling has been painted by local artists with the Pacita Abad Arts Foundation. With a commanding view of the ocean, it is easy to understand why it is a popular setting for weddings. We drove to nearby Fundacion Pacita, the town’s fancy restaurant and boutique hotel belonging to the Abads, of the political clan and of the late internationally acclaimed painter Patricia Abad. A bronze likeness of the artist greets guests leading to her former residence and studio on the edge
of a cliff, with an ocean view on the back and a lovely garden in front. It is the most expensive place to stay in Batanes, but part of the proceeds goes to support local artists and historic preservation. On another hill, the PAGASA Weather Station monitors daily weather conditions in the region. Its sphere-shaped tower appears on the peak, next to a viewing platform that let us and other guests enjoy a 360degree view of Batan. Soon we were on our way to Valugan Beach where gigantic boulders litter the entire length of the seashore. These enormous lava rocks were spat out by Mt. Iraya’s fury eons ago; centuries of splashing ocean waves polished these smooth, giant, dinosaur egg-like boulders. There is no shortage of open space in Batanes. Not far from Basco town proper lie acres of lush, green pasture on rolling hills with panoramic ocean views at every turn that would prompt one to sing “the hills are alive… “ We hiked uphill to get to Basco Lighthouse, which no longer functions as a beacon but serves as a popular photo op site and a great vantage point to view the island from end to end. On a clear day, one can see the neighboring island to the south.
Day Two: Sabtang Mayahaw Arch
With a new tour guide, we headed to the Ivatan dock for an early morning boat ride to
JUNE 2015
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the island of Sabtang. The onehour journey proved to be as thrilling as the destination – we sailed on a faluwa, a sturdy wooden boat built without outriggers and designed to navigate turbulent, crashing waves where the Pacific Ocean and meets the China Sea. A van was waiting at the shore to whisk us off to Morong (also known as Nakabuang) Beach, before crowds gathered at perhaps Batanes’ most photographed landmark, Mayahaw Arch. The arch is a nature-carved limestone formation that gracefully arches onto the beach. All guests to the island register at the Visitor Center where we sampled locally grown brewed tea, tried on the wig-looking cogon grass hat and cape traditionally worn by Ivatans for sun protection. Our tour guide took us to a stroll around Chavayan, and we actually walked in to one of the occupied Ivatan houses. We were amazed at how compact and well preserved these houses are. Sabtang has more preserved traditional Ivatan houses than Batan. These homes were originally built of bamboo and cogon grass until the Spaniards introduced the use of corals and rocks put together with lime for building thick walls. These sturdy stone structures have withstood time and strong typhoons that frequent the area, and they continue to be lived in today, some with added modern amenities inside. Tricycles topped with bamboo and cogon roof drove alongside our tour van on the narrow, hilly street that wends its way up to the end of the road disappearing to nowhere. The ChamayadTinyan viewpoint offers an unbelievable vista, revealing one gorgeous hill after another as one climbs the many lookout points to enjoy postcard-perfect views of the picturesque coastline and ocean. Cooling huts by the roadside offer refreshments and souvenirs. It is a welcome re-
Uyugan
Chamayad-Tinyan View Point spite from the hike and the awe-inspiring scenery we just experienced before heading out to lunch. The trip back to Basco was no less bumpy; we had to move from our seats for cover from splashing waves. I caught glimpses of flying fish darting like birds–a common sight and local staple. We made our way back safely and transferred to a hotel located in the heart of the town. We enjoyed strolling around the church and exploring the town plaza, shopping for souvenirs and a good restaurant to get dinner that evening.
Day Three: Mahatao, Uyugan and Ivana We started our third-day tour in the morning driving around the southern scenic coastline of Batan, on a narrow, winding, two-lane street all the way to our tour destinations. In Batanes, drivers are encouraged to honk with “Honk UR Horn” signs posted at every blind curve on steep, winding, twolane roads for good measure. Our first stop was at the Chawa viewpoint where a long concrete staircase hugs the
Sunset on Basco Beach cliff below, leading us a long way down to corrals and tide pools exposed by the morning low tide. We marveled at tiny black fish squirming among seaweeds in the crystal-clear turquoise water at our feet, and took in the stunning ocean view and the cliff towering before us in living color. A few feet further down is a stretch of pure white sand beach with a huge rock sitting at its far end. The water was calm and nearly deserted except for a handful of fishermen. We then took off to the next town of Ivana, slowing down just enough to take a snapshot of the oldest working Spanishstyle stone bridge in Batanes. Not far is Honesty Café where you can buy local delicacies and handicrafts, paying at the unmanned counter before leaving. Honesty is still the best policy in this neck of the woods. At the town’s edge is Ivana’s busy port now getting a major expansion of its seawalls. It is the island’s major hub for boats taking travelers to and from the neighboring islands. We reached the town of Uyugan where housing gets sparse and the landscape changes to
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greenery as far as your eyes can see, down to the rock-framed sea. Miles of forest and iridescent hills that slope down into the ocean below provided us plenty of postcard-worthy moments. Our van entered a metal gate to cow-herding territory referred to as Marlboro Country for obvious reasons. We had our scheduled lunch atop a hill overlooking the ocean and Mt. Iraya at a distance. After a satisfying lunch under a grass shack, we headed to our final stop, the southern hexagonal-shaped lighthouse (Batanes has three to four lighthouses of more recent vintage except for the small Spanishera tower sitting next to the Mahatao church). We were soon back in Basco, and after a short stop in our hotel, we called for a tricycle Uberstyle (tricycles rarely drive by in Batanes) to take us to the beach at the Marine Sanctuary, near the town’s edge. We soaked in the serenity of this haven called Batanes one last time, savoring every bit of a glorious vacation that was coming to an end. But I heard Itbatan Island in the north already calling for our return.
How To Get There PAL flies daily from Manila to Basco and back; and JetAir flies thrice weekly. Regular plane roundtrip tickets cost anywhere from $200 to $350. Look for promotions to get cheaper deals on flights and tour packages. The average hotel costs from $45 to $100/night. You can get around Basco town proper by tricycles for less than $2. Packaged tours (tour guide, van, boat fee and meal included) can be arranged through the hotels. Or you can save a lot, as we did, by just renting a van for $70/day. Hire your own freelance tour guide (referred to you by a friend or from the internet) for $45/day. The boat ride to Sabtang is $3 each way. You can spend $7 to $12 for lunch at designated stops on the tours. (Positively Filipino) n
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JUNE 2012 2015 APRIL
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OFW’s daughter becomes first Pinay elected in UK
A
FILIPINA politician won in the recently concluded elections in the United Kingdom. Cynthia AlcantaraBarker, a native of San Pablo City in Laguna province, was elected town councilor of Elstree and Borehamwood. Elstree and Borehamwood, considered as England’s version of Hollywood, is a civil parish with more than a hundred years of filmmaking history. Barker, the first FIlipino to win in a UK election, ran under the Conservative party, which won 331 seats in the parliament and secured the re-election of Prime Minister David Cameron. she wished to bring Filipinos greater recognition through her post and to involve the closely-knit community in public works and projects. “I hope that by running for the Conservative party, I will
inspire other Filipinos to get involved in politics. If I am successful in this, I hope that Filipinos will be encouraged and take an active part in the community and the whole of the country,” Barker said. She was “humbled” to have been elected and is looking forward to working with FULL her con-PAGE stituents. Barker’s mother was an OFW who went to the UK in the 70’s to support her five children. Barker, who considers her mother her hero, later joined her there. (GMA News)
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Flash s
The Great Wall of Sand
The controversial Chinese artificial island project on Spratly Islands as seen from the US International Space Station. Denounced by the Philippines, the US and other neighbouring countries, China’s move is aimed at fortifying its claim to the disputed South China Sea, which the Philippines calls West Philippine Sea.
The Beauties and the Mayor
s
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada is flanked by candidates to the Miss Manila 2015 beauty pageant during their courtesy call at Manila City Hall. The winner will be crowned on June 24 as part of the Araw ng Maynila celebration.
s Shuttle Service
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A father bring his three children to school in Manila aboard a 50 cc motorcycle designed for one passenger. Note that only two of the four riders are wearing the required helmets while a traffic enforcer is unmindful of the safety violation.
Philippine Team
The Philippine contingent, with volleyball player Alyssa Valdez carrying the national colors, marches during the opening of the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore on June 6. As of June 9, the 300man Philippine team’s medal haul stood at 12 golds, 17 silvers and 29 bronzes.
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WHAT’S ON
T
HE PHILIPPINES can book over P7 billion in revenues and attract 100,000 luxury tourists by 2018 as it kicks off a series of high-end business-to-business tourism event, a group of the biggest travel agencies in the country said. S8 Exhibition Inc. organized the first Asia Premium Travel Mart in a bid to expand the country’s tourism industry into the big spending markets by pushing the Philippines as a luxury destination. During the launch of the first Asia Premium Travel Mart, S8 Exhibition president Fe AblingYu said the Philippines is ready to cater to the luxury market given the existing facilities and accommodating people in the industry. “Our promise is we have the people that can communicate with our clients, tourists. When we say luxury, it does not necessarily mean only resorts and hotels but also experience they will have in the Philippines,” she said. S8 Exhibition director Edwin Villanueva said they are targeting 10,000 tourists and P770 million in revenue a year after the event, 30,000 tourists and P2.31 billion in 2017, and 60,000 tourists and P4.62 billion in 2018. This totals to 100,000 high-end tourist arrivals and P7.7 billion in revenues in three years. “Our buyers are large companies that handle corporations and companies. So, when they bring in a group, they don’t bring in individuals, they bring in a company,” he said. A high-end tourist has a spending capacity of $350 per day compared to a $150-per day ex-
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Travel group sees additional P7-B tourism revenues
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pense of a regular traveler. Currently, existing luxury travelers are from the United Kingdom, Russia, US, Canada and nearby Southeast Asian countries, Abling-Yu noted. “We expanded our invites to push the Philippines and to be promoted properly to the right market,” she said, noting that invited buyers come from as far as South Africa, Brazil and the Middle East. The initial premium travel mart on May 26 to 28 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City featured 50 of the country’s top luxury destinations for over 100 international buyers from more than 30 countries. (PhilStar)
“The Philippines is ready to cater to the luxury market given the existing facilities and accommodating people in the industry...”
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Flash
Readying the Flag
s
Sewers in a haberdashery in Santa Cruz, Manila work on a 10x12-foot Philippine flag that will be used in a ceremony on June 12 for the 117th anniversary of the first unfurling of the flag in Imus, Cavite.
s Prescription for Peace
Supporters of the Bangsamoro Basic Law march to the House of Representatives. The controversial proposal is being debated in the two houses of Congress.
Back to School
s
Some 10,000 college students flock to the main campus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila during the first day of classes on June 1. A state university, PUP is the largest tertiary school in the country in terms of population.
s Earthquake Drill
Students hide under the tables as a teacher gives instructions on how to react during an earthquake on the first day of classes on June 1 at the President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School in Quezon City.
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14 June 2015
18 Jun-5 Jul 2015
Contact: 07823338947 nelsonginez@yahoo. co.uk
Venue: London / Kent / Bristol / Swansea / Ipswich / Hertfordshire / Liverpool / Derby Contact: richard_mercado123@yahoo.co.uk
Bradford Barrio Fiesta 2015 Time: 10am-5pm Venue: Lady Hill Park, Allerton Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD15 7RJ
20 June 2015
Bristol Barrio Fiesta 2015 Time: 8:30am6:30pm Venue: Eastville Park, Muller Rd Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6XA Contact: Honeylyn 07783343848 Clarence 07500896239 Hilda 07909724653
21 June 2015 Swansea Barrio Fiesta 2015 Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea SA1 4PE Contact:
07984941099 07912600584 07500906831 07729194548
5 July 2015
Scotland Barrio Fiesta 2015 Venue: Hamilton Park Racecourse, Bothwell Road, Hamilton, Lanarkshire ML3 0DW
Contact: 07973469450 07868469149 07478741277
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Troy Montero UK Tour 2015
20-21 June 2015
Morden Barrio Fiesta 2015 FULL PAGE AD Time: 8am Venue: Morden Park, Morden, Greater London SM4 5DX
Contact:
20 June 2015
Battle of the Champions of Filipino Basketball Time: 9am to 6pm Cardiff Uni Sports Training Village, Talybont, Cardiff City CF14 3AT Contact: 07919277882 07964522721 20-21 June 2015 Manchester Barrio Fiesta 2015 Venue: Heaton Park, Middleton Road, Manchester M25 2SW
07956593236, 02034175038 07802761446, 02082047808
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26-27 June 2015
4 July 2015
Barrio Fiesta Hertfordshire 2015 Time: 8am-6pm Venue: Fairlands Valley Park Showground Arena, Broadhall Way, SG2 8RH Contact: 07534711757, 07428184063 07533764965
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aurobb0203@gmail. com
Oxfordshire Barrio Fiesta
Time: 9:30am-6pm
Venue: Tingewick Hall, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU Contact: joarielan@yahoo. com
11-12 July 2015
1 Aug. 2015
Venue: Woodgate Valley Country Park, Clapgate Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3TH
Venue: Lower Castle Park in Roman Castle Park Free Entry!
Birmingham Barrio Fiesta 2015
Contact: 07985159203 07531022269 07472953935 07401765373
Barrio Fiesta Colchester 2015
Contact: Jocelyn 07717441468 Allan - 07506693837 info.fibrics@yahoo. com.uk
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Milton Keynes Barrio Fiesta 2015
OFBA 6th Barrio Fiesta 2015 Time: 10am to 5pm
Venue: Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes, MK9 2AD
Venue:Hewitts Farm Court Road, BR6 9BX Orpington, Bromley Contact: 07768 105669
Contact: 07909957313 07808079202 07875729891 07415135211
8-9 Aug 2015
Fun Familia - Mini Olympic 2015 Venue: The Parks Sports Centre, Howdon Road, North Shields NE29 6TL Contact: 07886742417 07824338251 07725892489
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WHAT’S ON
EMBASSY OUTREACH - BIRMINGHAM
EMBASSY OUTREACH - EDINBURGH
The Philippine Embassy is pleased to announce that appointment slots are still available for the Consular Outreach Mission in Birmingham on:
The Philippine Embassy is pleased to announce that appointment slots are still available for the Consular Outreach Mission in Edinburgh on:
Date: 20-21 June 2015 (Saturday - Sunday) Time : 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (Sat), 9:30am – 12nn (Sun) Venue : Queen Elizabeth Hospital – Birmingham, Hospital Balcony and Faith Centre Main Entrance Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2WB
Date: 4 July 2015 (Saturday) Time : 9 am – 3 pm Venue : Destiny Church (Edinburgh) 52 Georgie Road, Edinburgh EH11 2NB Contact Person : (For details on the venue/on-site arrangements) scotlandoutreach@yahoo.com
Contact Person : (For details on the venue/on-site arrangements) Birmingham Filipino-British Community Volunteers Mr. Rozen Malonzo 07985159203 / 01212446900, Mr. Marlo Quilang :07531022269 / 01212492765, Mr. Crismel de la Cruz 07472953935 Ms. Marivic Philipps 07401765373 Due to audit regulations, only cash payments may be accepted. We do not accept personal cheques or debit cards. Applicants are advised to check the documentary and FULL other requirements at www.philembassy-uk.org and to download the application forms in advance from the same website. http://philembassy-uk.org/
Statement of the Embassy on Filipino Nurses Some reports on the criminal conviction of Mr. Victorino Chua, a British citizen originally from the Philippines, seem to have cast shadows of a doubt on the qualification and competence of Filipino nurses in the UK. Whatever doubts that may have arisen are unwarranted, considering that Mr. Chua’s case is an isolated incident and does not in any way reflect the quality of training and competence of Philippine-trained nurses. Filipino nurses have an excellent reputation and track record in the UK. In fact, the Philippine Embassy receives news of the excellence and quality of work of Filipino nurses and health workers in the UK in the form of employers’ awards recognizing their valuable contributions in providing healthcare. In 2013, a delegation from UK’s Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) undertook an official mission to the Philippines to investigate the Philippine nursing education and training system. They reported that their mission was successful and that they left with a deeper understanding and satisfaction with the Philippine nurses’ training and licensing process. The Philippine Embassy is proud of Filipino nurses’ significant and positive contributions to British society. The Embassy also wishes to thank the British Government for its fair treatment of Filipino nationals who live and work in the country.
Payments for consular services can be made in cash (English currency) or with postal money orders made out to the Philippine Embassy. Personal cheques are not accepted for payment purposes. Applicants are advised to check the documentary and other requirements at www.philembassy-uk.org and to download the application forms in advance from the same website. http://philembassy-uk.org/
PAGE AD IMPLEMENTATION OF TERMINAL
FEE INTEGRATION PROGRAM
Effective 01 November (deferred from 1 October) 2014, the Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will be implementing the International Passenger Service Charge Integration Program, i.e., the IPSC – commonly known as the airport terminal fee - shall be incorporated into the cost of airline tickets at point of sale. The aim of the integration scheme is to address congestion in all Ninoy Aquino International (NAIA) terminals caused by the increasing volume of passengers, through the adoption of measures that reduce processing times.
PUBLIC ADVISORY The Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has advised that there is NO APPROVED JOB ORDER for UKbound nurses in MALTA as of this date. Filipino nurses who wish to work in the UK should apply through appropriate channels for recruitment of nurses into the UK. BEWARE OF ILLEGAL RECRUITERS!
Philippine passports may not be used as collateral The Philippine Embassy in London advises the Filipino community that Philippine passports reported held as guarantee or collateral for loans/obligations are automatically cancelled upon notice by the passport holders as per Foreign Service Circular No. 214-99. The cancellation of said passports therefore renders the documents invalid for purposes of guaranteeing payment of loans/obligations. The Philippine Embassy reminds the Filipino Community that all Philippine passports are property of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and shall not be used as collateral for any loans/obligations.
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