Splash March 2014 by Splash 'Pinas

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By Maurice MALANES

ORE than 18 years ago, visitors had no good reasons to go to Baguio City, the summer capital, in February. Some did for the sake of their children or relatives who studied at the Philippine Military Academy, the country’s premier military school. Otherwise, February was a lean month for local entrepreneurs.

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economy, Bangaoet says. No wonder, despite traffic woes and other inconvenience, all businesses—big or small— are happy. Hotels and restaurants, market vendors, flower farmers, taxi and jeep drivers, and makers of fruit jams, peanut brittle and other goodies are equally happy, he says. Baguio has yet to study the festival’s economic impact. But the acknowledged “Father of Panagbenga” has already noted its “multiplier effects.” The city government directly earns revenue. The largely private-led Baguio Flower Festival Foundation pays at least P1 million to the treasury in taxes from rent of stalls at the “Market Encounter” alone, Bangaoet says. Residents are proud to have a festival featuring the best snippets of Cordillera culture as highlighted in the street dancing and a local version of flower festivals overseas, such as Pasadena’s Rose Parade in California. Such pride has also sunk into their psyche so much so that they have become conscious to help beautify Baguio despite the city’s continuing war on waste. Bangaoet cites the small flower gardens in villages, vacant open spaces, road islands and street sides, which, he says, Panagbenga has helped encourage. Despite its success, Panagbenga is “still a work in progress,” he says. As he and the organizers continue to “find ways and means of improving it,” the private sector and the city government have yet to learn to collaborate and coordinate well with each other, Bangaoet says. “It’s not nice for the com12:28 munity to be 12/03/2014 witnessing these heated debates and exchange of negative comments,” he

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Panagbenga: Sustaining a Baguio Tradition Australia

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Many thus acknowledged Denmark France Belgium the genius behind what was to be called the Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival, which was first launched in February Germany Ireland Italy 1996. At that time, the city was reeling from the devastation wrought by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in July 1990, which Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal practically drove away tourists. Only trickles would come in the mid-1990s, even during the peak seasons, such as ChristSpain Sweden Switzerland mas and Holy Week. All that changed after Panagbenga (Kankanaey for a season of blooming), a festival to town. He had thought that the UK USA celebrate the time when flow- mountain city, being known ers bloom. Eventually, visitors for its flowers (which actually main thoroughfare, is closed started coming, filling hotels, come mostly from nearby La for the week-long street bazaar, inns and transient houses. In Trinidad town in Benguet provFor more information and FREE SIM visit: “Session Road in Bloom.” The due time, more hotels, restau- ince), could come out with a month-long “Market Encounrants and other establishments “family-oriented” event and, at Buy and top up online or in over 115,000 stores ter,” where entrepreneurs sell sprouted to cater to the thou- the same time, boost the flower preferably novelty items, a sands of people visiting the city industry and tourism. landscape competition, sports for the month-long festival. Panagbenga’s success has Promotionthat is valid from 10-03-2014 to 31/05/2014. New and existing Customers must top-up to qualify for the promotion and will receive free Lycamobile to Lycamobile calls to anybarangay Lycamobile for 30 days from date and (village) garden And was precisely how proved to be phenomenal. of top-up. Customers must maintain a minimum balance of one penny. Offer is valid for personal use only. After the 30 days free calls the customer must top-up again to continue the free calls otherwise the customer will be charged at the standard tariff. International calls are billed per minute. This promotion is only available to Lycamobile UK customers and is not applicable to roaming calls. contests, concerts and other lawyer Damaso Bangaoet Jr. Street dancing, featuring events are held. envisioned it in 1995 when he some of the Cordillera’s traA million visitors have been proposed the idea of holding ditional dances, and a parade going to these events, says Banthe Panagbenga to the board of flower-adorned floats have gaoet, citing the Department of of directors of John Hay Poro since been the biggest crowd

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Verbatim Atty. Gigi, return the money that Enrile stole…and turn the tables on Enrile by coming home and turning state witness

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, daring Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, the former chief of staff and rumored girlfriend of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, to come out of hiding and spill the beans on Enrile in the P10-billion pork barrel scam. Reyes, Senators Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and alleged pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles are facing plunder charges.

We don’t have ‘real’ political parties, as other countries recognize them. Barka-barkada lang dito, grupo-grupo lang po iyan.

Senator Sergio Osmeña III, criticising the country’s political parties for not espousing distinct ideologies or platforms, adding that they are set up to accommodate the political plans of certain individuals

Mrs. Enrile has her own reasons FULL PAGE AD for muddling the facts, painting her own picture of her marriage and laying the blame on ‘women’ who she said were the ones who ‘offered themselves’ to her husband. Excuse me, I certainly did not offer myself to him. . . So, kasalanan lahat ng mga babae, walang kasalanan si Senator kasi lalaki lang siya natural lang. . . ganon ba?

Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, reacting to Cristina Ponce-Enrile’s revelation on national television that her husband had affairs with numerous women including Reyes. Atty. Reyes left the country after the pork barrel scam was uncovered.

It’s not insulting; it’s just making a statement of fact. Di ba, there’s a saying, ‘Bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan ‘wag magalit’? If you’re paying the right taxes, it’s not alluding to you. If you’re not paying the right taxes, then it’s talking to you.

Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, defending her agency’s advertisement portraying doctors as tax cheats, which the Philippine Medical Association found offensive

He had many girls before Gigi but they didn’t last too long. With Gigi, it lasted long.

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s wife Cristina, on her husband’s rumored affair with his long-time former chief of staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes, adding that it was the women who had offered themselves to the lawmaker

I don’t want to run. I want to win. Madaling tumakbo eh.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, revealing for the first time his plan to seek the presidency in 2016

MARCH 2014 APRIL 2012

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MARCH 2014 APRIL MARCH2012 2014 MARCH 2014

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Verbatim Atty. Gigi, return the money that Enrile stole…and turn the tables on Enrile by coming home and turning state witness

We don’t have ‘real’ political parties, as other countries recognize them. Barka-barkada lang dito, grupo-grupo lang po iyan.

Mrs. Enrile has her own reasons for muddling the F U LL P AG E AD facts, painting her own picture of her marriage and laying the blame on ‘women’ who she said were the ones who ‘offered themselves’ to her husband. Excuse me, I certainly did not offer myself to him. . . So, kasalanan lahat ng mga babae, walang kasalanan si Senator kasi lalaki lang siya natural lang. . . ganon ba?

It’s not insulting; it’s just making a statement of fact. Di ba, SAM AD there’s a saying, ‘Bato-bato sa langit, angTRAVEL tamaan ‘wag magalit’? If you’re paying the right taxes, it’s not alluding to you. If you’re not paying the right taxes, then it’s talking to you.

Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, defending her agency’s advertisement portraying doctors as tax cheats, which the Philippine Medical Association found offensive

He had many girls before Gigi but they didn’t last too long. With Gigi, it lasted long.

I don’t want to run. I want to win. Madaling tumakbo eh.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, revealing for the first time his plan to seek the presidency in 2016

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By robert jon l. garcia

ROM an ID card to a driver’s license, thesis paper, receipt, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) red ribbon, diploma or any other document, you can get it here. One can order these items for anywhere between P200 and P1,500 and collect it after two hours at most. But of course, it’s fake. Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila, known as “Recto University,” is a one-stop shop not only for students in Metro Manila but also for those from the provinces who need documents for a job. Joey (not his real name), a fake-document vendor, says: “Actually, may pinaka-pagawaan ’yan, pero ’di namin alam kung saan.” Some fake documents are already half-done by the time they land at “Recto U”; forgers only need to fill the necessary information given by the customer. A year-round bestseller is the Land Transportation Office (LTO) driver’s license, which costs P500. Joey explained that they already have blank IDs ready to be filled up, whether it be a university or government ID.

Bestseller In the middle of school term, the bestseller is the Certificate of Registration (COR) of the students, which Joey sells for roughly the same amount. “Estudyante nagpapagawa diyan, tapos babaguhin nila ’yong tuition nila. For exam-

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‘Recto University’:

You Name It, They Have It!

Stalls selling fake documents on Recto Avenue in Manila. ple: P18,000, gagawin nilang P28,000,” he says. Another popular item for sale in Joey’s stall is the fake diploma. A high-school diploma is worth P250, while a college diploma is worth P500 (larger diplomas from certain colleges cost more). When asked whether he has a copy of diplomas of every university in Metro Manila, he says confidently, “Oo naman.” Moreover, Joey bragged, “Recto U” is not limited to the universities in Metro Manila. There also are copies of diplomas from schools as far as Mindanao and Visayas, some of them not known to Manileños. The most expensive item in their stall is the DFA Red Ribbon, which is sold for P1,500, although he admitted that its original price is only P400.

Fake receipts But nothing is as popular as the fake receipts sold between P200 and P300, depending on the kind of receipt requested. Among these are the official receipts of colleges and universities. A professor from a wellknown university in the area shared what happened when a student of his was caught using a fake receipt. “It was an official receipt from our Palawan tour,” he recounts. The parents gave money to their son to pay for the schoolsanctioned Palawan tour. It was later discovered that the student splurged the money on a date and used the fake receipt from Recto as proof that he joined the tour. The student was suspended for one semester.

While it seems like most items are overpriced, Joey confessed that the money is barely enough to support his family on a weekly basis. He simply acts as a runner, while the forgeries happen behind closed doors. He gets his cut of the payment weekly (daily, if business is good).

‘Kotong’ cops Moreover, the cops reportedly take a weekly cut from these payments, as well. “Minsan ang kinikita diyan nabibigay din sa mga pulis Bawal maglagay diyan hangga’t hindi sila nabibigyan ng kotong,” he says. “Minsan zero pa isang araw, eh, walang nagpapagawa.” Their cut ranges from P40P300 a week, depending on the weekly profit of the stall. “May inuutusan silang outof-school youth tapos ililista kung anong mga pangalan,” Joey whispered. There is no need for a secret handshake to do business. Store owners stand on the street and ask passers-by, “Boss, paggawa kayo?” From the point right before the entrance of University of the East-Manila in Recto to the Light Railway Transit (LRT) 2 Recto Terminal Station, there are around 50 stalls with a sign indicating they sell fake documents. There are other establishments who hide their business behind a tarpaulin. Through the years, “Recto University” has existed and numerous raids have been conducted by the Manila Police District. Business is bad for about a week. Then people start “graduating” again from “Recto U.” (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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By Maurice malanes

Panagbenga: Sustaining a Baguio Tradition Many thus acknowledged the genius behind what was to be called the Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival, which was first launched in February 1996. At that time, the city was reeling from the devastation wrought by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in July 1990, which practically drove away tourists. Only trickles would come in the mid-1990s, even during the peak seasons, such as Christmas and Holy Week. All that changed after Panagbenga (Kankanaey for a season of blooming), a festival to celebrate the time when flowers bloom. Eventually, visitors started coming, filling hotels, inns and transient houses. In due time, more hotels, restaurants and other establishments sprouted to cater to the thousands of people visiting the city for the month-long festival. And that was precisely how lawyer Damaso Bangaoet Jr. envisioned it in 1995 when he proposed the idea of holding the Panagbenga to the board of directors of John Hay Poro Point Development Corp. He was then the firm’s vice president. He saw something appropriate for Baguio as a tourism destination and a university

town. He had thought that the mountain city, being known for its flowers (which actually come mostly from nearby La Trinidad town in Benguet province), could come out with a “family-oriented” event and, at the same time, boost the flower industry and tourism. Panagbenga’s success has proved to be phenomenal. Street dancing, featuring some of the Cordillera’s traditional dances, and a parade of flower-adorned floats have since been the biggest crowd drawer. Done in February’s third weekend, both activities are the most anticipated, drawing visitors to the city’s business district. Session Road, the city’s

main thoroughfare, is closed for the week-long street bazaar, “Session Road in Bloom.” The month-long “Market Encounter,” where entrepreneurs sell preferably novelty items, a landscape competition, sports and barangay (village) garden contests, concerts and other events are held. A million visitors have been going to these events, says Bangaoet, citing the Department of Tourism’s figure. At a very conservative estimate that each of them would spend a thousand pesos a day for accommodation, food and souvenirs, at least P1 billion goes to the local

economy, Bangaoet says. No wonder, despite traffic woes and other inconvenience, all businesses—big or small— are happy. Hotels and restaurants, market vendors, flower farmers, taxi and jeep drivers, and makers of fruit jams, peanut brittle and other goodies are equally happy, he says. Baguio has yet to study the festival’s economic impact. But the acknowledged “Father of Panagbenga” has already noted its “multiplier effects.” The city government directly earns revenue. The largely private-led Baguio Flower Festival Foundation pays at least P1 million to the treasury in taxes from rent of stalls at the “Market Encounter” alone, Bangaoet says. Residents are proud to have a festival featuring the best snippets of Cordillera culture as highlighted in the street dancing and a local version of flower festivals overseas, such as Pasadena’s Rose Parade in California. Such pride has also sunk into their psyche so much so that they have become conscious to help beautify Baguio despite the city’s continuing war on waste. Bangaoet cites the small flower gardens in villages, vacant open spaces, road islands and street sides, which, he says, Panagbenga has helped encourage. Despite its success, Panagbenga is “still a work in progress,” he says. As he and the organizers continue to “find ways and means of improving it,” the private sector and the city government have yet to learn to collaborate and coordinate well with each other, Bangaoet says. “It’s not nice for the community to be witnessing these heated debates and exchange of negative comments,” he adds. He was referring to some animated debates in the city council recently mainly over some misunderstanding about earnings from the festival. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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TATE-RUN SOCIAL Security System (SSS) has collected P2.8 billion in contributions from overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from January to November last year, with the total annual collection from this sector expected to hit P3.1 billion for a 22 percent year-on-year growth. In terms of coverage, the number of OFW-members surpassed 923,000 last year, bolstered by the agency’s sustained campaign to attract migrant workers by highlighting the value of SSS coverage, promoting reactivation of SSS membership, and setting up foreign representative offices (FROs). “Over 100,000 OFWs joined as new SSS members in 2013

OFW contributions to SSS reach P2.8 B

alone. To better serve our expanding OFW membership, we deployed more roving officers to assist SSS foreign representatives in the Middle East, Europe and Asia, and we reached

out to Filipino communities in 14 major locations overseas,” Judy Frances See, SSS senior vice-president said. Last year, SSS initiated exploratory talks on proposed bilat-

eral social security agreements (SSA) with China and the USA; and pursued its SSA negotiations with Germany, Japan and South Korea. “OFWs often fall outside of social protection schemes in their place of employment, a situation that may leave them and their families vulnerable during times of sickness, maternity, disability, retirement and death – contingencies that are all covered by our Social Security program,” See explained. “This is supplemented by the Flexi-fund Program, a mechanism for OFWs to maximize returns on their investments and benefit from an additional layer of social security protection,” she added. with full news by Chino Leyco from Manila Bulletin

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PH Aims to Be No. 2 Gaming Hub in the World T

HE Philippines is aiming to become the world’s second biggest gaming hub in terms of revenue in five years, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr. said.

According to Naguiat, by 2020, the country’s gaming revenue is projected to hit an estimated $6 billion to $7 billion. “In five years’ time, I think we can be comparable if not better than the Singapore gaming industry . . . around $6 billion to $7 billion, which also means we will be higher than Las Vegas,” Naguiat said at the 3rd Euromoney Philippines Investment Forum held recently in Manila. The Pagcor chief said the Philippines cannot compete with the world’s biggest gaming hub Macau, which made about $40 billion in gaming revenue in 2013, because of the number of players coming from mainland China. “We will never compete with Macau because of its proximity to China, but with our strategic location, we are looking at least to be number 2 or number 3 in the world as a gaming hub,” he said. In 2013, the Philippines’ gross gaming revenues reached $2.2 billion, up 10 percent compared to the previous year’s revenue of $2 billion. However, 2013’s revenues failed to meet the $2.5 billion target set by Pagcor. Naguiat said a double-digit

A casino staff checks the chips in a gaming room at Solaire Manila Resort & Casino, the first of five locators to open at the Entertainment City. growth in revenue is expected in 2014. Fitch Ratings in its recent report also said it expects doubledigit gaming revenue growth in the Philippines to continue at least through 2015 “when City of Dreams Manila will be operational for a full year, and before the next wave of Macau projects come online.” City of Dreams Manila, which is being developed and operated by Melco Crown in alliance with the SM group’s Belle Corp., is set to open this year. However, Fitch said it sees risks and constraints in the Philippine gaming industry after 2015, as new projects start operating in Macau.

New airport needed Enrique Razon Jr., the chairman and chief executive of Bloomberry Resorts Corporation, which owns Solaire Manila Resort & Casino, said the goal of being the world’s second biggest gaming hub is attainable only if the government can provide the infrastructure to bring

in tourists. He said an alternative airport to the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is the “missing piece” in boosting the country’s capacity to bring in players. “If a new airport is started within that period and completed shortly after, then I think that there is more upside than downside,” Razon said. “The airport is limited in capacity. If you want another 10 million tourists, the infrastructure should be provided for that,” he added. Razon’s Solaire was the first hotel and casino to open at the 120-hectare Entertainment City in Parañaque City. Tony Shale, chief executive of Euromoney Institutional Investor in Asia, said the fundamental shift from West to East of the gaming industry is seen to boost Philippine economy. Shale cited Pagcor’s Entertainment City as an example, which is envisioned to be a Las Vegas-style gaming and entertainment complex.

Entertainment City Razon said much of the growth in the gaming industry in the coming years will come from Entertainment City as more properties are developed. “In five years’ time, there will be at least three properties here, fully built, with many nongaming aspects, theme parks, theaters, cineplexes, malls, and arenas,” Razon said, adding that a new road connecting NAIA to Pasay should be built by then. Razon, however, noted that PAGCOR should expect a decrease in its direct gaming revenue because of the complex. “The bulk of revenue from the gaming industry will come from Entertainment City while the bulk of the government’s revenue will come from gaming taxes,” said Razon. Razon also said he believes the Philippine market is more attuned to the “Las Vegas market,” which he said is focused more on non-gaming activities. “Las Vegas is no longer about gaming, Las Vegas is about clubs, shows, restaurants and non-gaming activities,” he said, adding that gaming revenues in Las Vegas have been static for about six years. Naguiat said that because Entertainment City is not designed purely to be a gaming hub, the Philippines is poised to become a destination for theatrical performances. “I think we will become the ‘Broadway of Asia’ because we have so much talent, most of the stars in West End and Broadway, a lot of them are Filipinos,” he said. He added that Entertainment City is expected to provide 40,000 jobs, mostly in the hospitality industry. Aside from Razon’s Bloomberrry Resorts Corp., other licensed casino operators in Entertainment City include Alliance Global and Genting’s Travellers International Hotel Group; Kazuo Okada’s Tiger Resorts; and a joint venture between Melco Crown and Belle. (ABS-CBNnews.com) n

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ablo “Lito” Nucum, 59, worked different jobs in Saudi Arabia and other parts of Asia for over 25 years. A graduate of the Polytechnic University of Manila, he had done quite well as an accountant and office manager. “I became an OFW to escape poverty. I had younger brothers and sisters to help and a salary in the Philippines for the young and inexperienced was not enough to support a family,” he recalled. He worked for five different companies in Saudi, all joint ventures with different countries. He felt it had given him good exposure and he learned the management styles of different companies from different countries. He usually held concurrent positions as an accountant and office manager, he shared during a recent stopover in Bangkok. After 17 years, he left Saudi Arabia for greener pastures, so to speak. In 1998, he teamed up with his former German boss in Sulawesi, Indonesia as an accountant in a pulp mill project. “It was during this time I meas-

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Job security eludes many OFWs

LITO Nucum, an overseas accounting professional, calls for more financial security benefits for OFWs.

ured my career as FULL probablyPAGE that AD is what happened to him having reached the pinnacle, during his stint in Indonesia. At pay and positionwise,” Nucum that time he was already marrelated. ried with kids, and he found his In reality, there are no perma- savings dwindling fast. nent jobs for an OFW, even if The family had set up a small they have contracts, he mused. meat processing business but An employer can terminate or the earnings were not enough cancel a contract anytime. And to support the household.

As a veteran OFW, he still questions the benefits he will get from the government when he retires. Nucum laments that OFWs are not given enough attention and security after they go back to the Philippines. He mentioned the Overseas Filipino Workers Bank which he proposed in 1987 and which was picked up by some politicians but after a while it was apparently shelved. To his fellow OFWs he has this to say: Unity is important. OFWs need a stronger voice to get government to find better ways to give overseas Filipino workers security benefits—real recognition for all the sacrifices they have made. “Stay faithful to your vows to cherish your loved ones, who also suffer with us every time we bid them goodbye,” he said. He sees overseas work opportunities as a blessing from God. An OFW for 36 years now, Nucum is the face of many OFWs who have experienced loss of jobs, despair, and financial insecurity. (Inquirer)

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Filipino Olympian Michael Martinez:

Outside-the-Box Big Dreamer Dear Michael, I was fifteen in Manila, with perhaps a similar teenage curiosity and passion as yours, when I had a big secret--I started writing a novel. I called it then, The Maya’s Wail. I didn’t tell anyone, because I knew nobody would understand. I was the kid with a few academic laurels, therefore, according to many, I should aim to be a doctor -- an attainable dream -- and follow the tracks of the medical professionals in my family. I had no interest in medicine or in following anyone’s footsteps. I was bent to create my own path, early signs of a life-long commitment to non-conformity and creativity. But your dream -- to be an Olympic Ice Figure Skater from the tropics -- touches the realm of the impossible. What you must have gone through at seventeen to pursue “the impossible dream,” a notion that only lives in Filipino consciousness as the theme song of an all-too-forgotten yellow revolution or as a Frank Sinatra rendition, overly accessed and performed by our Karaoke singing enthusiasts. To watch a Filipino think outside of the box at such a young age is refreshing. Many Filipinos are risk-averse, and culturally gifted to react with sub-standard response to big dreamers -- bahala na ang Diyos (your destiny is in God’s hands) when they should be saying, abutin mo ang langit (reach as far as the heavens). That you were graciously honored by the American media is not surprising. America loves underdogs with big dreams, and your life has the trappings of a perfect Disney story. America is built by the Lincolns, Rockefellers, and MLKs -- big dreamers and doers -- on the horizon of limitless potential. Considering our intertwined history, Americans are outsiders to Filipino culture, and will never fully understand what it takes for someone like you to dare step out of the boxed thinking of Filipino society. Many Filipinos are trapped in boxes. Colonial boxes. Feudal boxes. Natural disaster boxes. Medieval religious boxes. Unbeknownst to them, these boxes govern our present and future, passed down the generations like Adobo recipes. Outside of these boxes are the artists, writers, scholars, activists, independent thinkers, and entrepreneurs that are shunned for not conforming. Just look at our ancestral big dreamers -- Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Ninoy Aquino --who met tragic endings so they could claim an eternal light in our textbooks, studied more than emulated. As we huddle inside these paradoxical boxes, political dynasties are robbing us blind. And Filipinos let them do it. How does one explain that the Philippines has only recently recovered $29 million of the Marcos loot (in the billions, they say), while the progenies have been elected in office? Now, like blindfolded martyrs, millions of Filipinos find themselves overseas building the economies of the Middle East notwithstanding

highly oppressive working and living conditions. We glorify our Overseas Foreign Workers when they capture the world with their majestic singing voices, while their basic human rights voice is muted for as long as their billion dollar remittances fuel the Philippine economic engine. When do we leave these boxes? I am sure when you return to the Philippines, people will praise you for all the wrong reasons. Who doesn’t love a modern-day Cinderella? I don’t expect much in the way of shifting the mindset of those who you will put you on a pedestal. I can only be glad that you, at your age and without even being aware of it, are carving a new path for the youth who will one day shatter the walls of these boxes. Your dream is too big for the local people to comprehend. Unlike many Filipino celebrities who were discovered by happenstance on YouTube, your innate talent goes beyond skates, jumps, and choreographed dances. You constructed your own box and made the unthinkable possible. If only the Philippines had more people like you, political dynasties and their closest kin, corruption, would have been flattened like cardboards long ago. Fifteen years after I started writing The Maya’s Wail, I would publish it as The Umbrella Country. I was already in New York City, far from the boxes that would have kept my eternally curious mind and ambition in prison. Your ambition is much bigger than mine, and in fact, the country’s. Challenges are already lined up ahead of you. But you have the advantage of youth, and the courage of having already stepped out of the box. You saw something in your future that is only visible to you. Fortunately, your dream is contagious, and grateful are the people who watch you and realize what awaits outside their boxed lives. Only time will tell if you will fulfill your ambition, but be rest assured that there are many of us whose hands are on your back pushing you to reach your fullest potential. Outside-the-box Fan, Bino A. Realuyo (The author is a poet/novelist, community organizer and educator. This article first appeared in The Huffington Post.)

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TV confession Angel made headlines last January when she publicly confessed on national television her love for Luis, her former boyfriend of two years. Three months earlier, in October, the couple split from their respective partners - Angel from Phil Younghusband, and Luis from Jennylyn Mercado. Since then, Angel and Luis have taken to social media to post photos of their sweet moments as well as Luis’s Valentine’s Day surprise to Angel. “When she came out on TV, we were already talking, we got to spend time with each other,” Luis told Buzz ng Bayan. He narrated how they both made an effort to stay away from each other after their breakup. They had no communication for three years, he said. “Effort na iwasan ‘yun ah, no talk, no text, no see,” he said, explaining that they were uncomfortable with each other because of “unresolved issues.”

They’re among the very few showbiz couples who split and reconciled.

Will It Be for Good This Time?

days after Christmas. He said that they started texting a few days after Christmas and that he went to visit Angel at her house on New Year’s Day. Angel was already sleeping when he came over, but he spent time with her sister and friends.

“A few days after that, everything fell into place,” he said. Luis and Angel first became a couple in July 2007, but separated two years later. Subsequently they entered into new relationships – Angel with the FilipinoBritish soccer player, and Luis with the Kapuso actress.

Christmas spark But the “spark,” he said, was rekindled after they exchanged text messages a few

No third parties

T’S confirmed: Luis Manzano and Angel Locsin are back together. “I am proudly her boyfriend,” said Luis Manzano in an interview in the gossip show Buzz ng Bayan on February 16, confirming his relationship status with Angel Locsin. All smiles, Luis said he is very happy. “I am so happy, grabe, how happy I am,” he said, saying that those feelings come from faith. “Pinanggagalingan no’n is faith, faith that there is something called ‘in God’s perfect time,’” he said. “Every smile or every tear you go through in life has its reason. You’re supposed to be where you are, no matter what you experienced in the past, whether it be happiness or a low point, you’re supposed to be there for a reason.”

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The lovebirds in a playful mood in Dubai in January.

In separate interviews both Angel and Luis have maintained that neither of them was the reason for their breakup with their previous partners. “Hell no,” Luis answered when asked if Angel caused his breakup with Jennylyn. The speculations, he said, were made by “ignorant and unfortunately stupid people.” “Jen and I know the real reason why we broke up, our families know, our friends know, and we are definitely sure that it’s not Angel,” Luis said, without disclosing the real reason for the breakup. As Angel and Luis worked on their rekindled romance, both their exes wished them well. Jennylyn said in January, “Kahit papaano naman, I wish them well. Wala na ako dun, kung anuman ang meron sila.” For his part, Phil took to Instagram to ask the public to move on from the issue. “To all those involved, can I kindly request we put an end to this issue? We appreciate all your support, but if we are to be happy, we must all move on. As supporters of Angel & I, let’s all move past this & look forward. Thanks!” he wrote as a caption to the image of a peace symbol.

Wedding bells? In the same way that speculations about the cause of their respective breakups emerged, so did rumors about their impending weeding plans. When asked if he and Angel have plans of tying the knot this year, Luis replied, “Maybe not.” In 2015, perhaps? “We’ll call you,” he teased. In the same interview in Buzz ng Bayan, Luis’s mother, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos, said she believes her son is mature enough to know if he is ready to tie the knot. “As long as I know na maligaya ang anak ko, at hindi naman iba si Angel... Mature na po ang anak ko to decide for himself. Kung iisipin niya na ready na siyang magpakasal, walang problema,” she said. (Rappler.com) n

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MARCH2012 2014 APRIL

LONDON

New immigration card reduces queuing at airports

HE BUREAU of Immigration implemented the passenger-friendly, paperless and queueless embarkation and disembarkation card seen to reduce passengers’ queuing time at all international ports in the country. The new immigration forms that are now being used at the NAIA’s four international terminals was designed to ease the long lines of departing/arriving passengers awaiting their turn for clearance and stamping of their passports at the immigration counters. The 12 other international airports in the country are also implementing the same procedures for incoming and outgoing international passengers. The new documents are coded blue for arrival and red for departure. The cards also fit exactly the size of a passport. Immigration said all arriving Filipinos--including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), seafarers, immigrants and other regular Filipino travellers---are

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The Bureau of Immigration launched the “paperless” clearance of all incoming and departing passengers.

no longer required to fill up new immigration arrival cards upon their arrival, but are required to submit embarkation cards when leaving the country; while all foreign visitors, including Filipinos holding for-

eign passports, are required to submit their arrival card but are exempted from submitting forms when departing the Philippines. NAIA Immigration Supervisor Dennis Opina said Ter-

minal 1 alone handles more than 25,000 passengers daily for both departures and arrivals. With the implementation of this new form they expect that immigration formalities on both arriving and departing passengers will reduce the queuing of passengers. Ed Monreal, Cathay Pacific Airlines station manager, welcomed the new approach, saying it now puts Manila on a par with neighbouring countries where this system was implemented earlier. Moreal added that airlines will no longer carry the burden of supplying and printing their own immigration forms. Presently, aside from the BI, the Customs Bureau also requires arriving passengers to fill up a separate form. The BI and the member of the Airline Operators Council (Aoc) have agreed that old forms remaining in the hands of the airlines would be used up and not thrown away. with full news by Eric B. Apolonio from InterAksyon.com

MARCH 2014 APRIL 2012

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Showbuzz of their only son, Bimby, following a tumultuous three years for the former couple.

Kris, Vilma debunk VP rumors Kris: Yes, I’m in love

KRIS Aquino revealed that she is in love, but requested that the man, who she did not identify, be given privacy. The 43-year-old TV hostactress got candid on the topic during the live telecast of Aquino & Abunda Tonight on March 5 when co-host Boy Abunda asked how she reacted when she was teased by ex-husband James Yap that her good mood owes to her being in love. “Sabi ko, ‘Oo!’” Kris said, to audible surprised reactions in the studio. “You know me, I’ll answer, right? So I said yes!” But even as she admitted having a love life, Kris said she hopes the mystery man will be spared from intrigues and media attention. “But again, uulitin ko po ah, utang ko po sa inyo na i-kwento ko ang buhay ko, pero utang ko sa kanya na bigyan ko siya ng privacy at bigyan ko siya ng katahimikan. And sana i-regalo niyo na po sa amin iyon.” Last February, Kris confirmed entertaining a suitor, who she said left her “semi-brokenhearted” when he decided to stop pursuing her. “Fault ko din naman,” she shared at the time, explaining she may have offended her suitor with something she said. “Kasi ‘di ba if you won’t give yourself a chance, how will you ever get a chance? I’m giving myself a chance.” Earlier, Kris reached an agreement with James regarding the visitation and custody

KRIS Aquino and Vilma Santos both denied speculations that they were eyeing the vice presidency in the 2016 elections. According to recent reports, President Aquino is planning to anoint Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas as the administration party’s presidential standard-bearer for the 2016 elections, with Kris as his vice presidential running mate. But the TV host-actress said the possibility of her running for office in 2016 has “never been discussed.”

“No truth. Huwag sila gumawa ng intriga kasi hindi talaga totoo,” she said. “No plans, has not been discussed, is not on the table.” Kris acknowledged that politics is in her blood but added, “Pero at this point in my life -and, categorically, kaya ko magsalita ng patapos -- sa 2016, it’s not yet my time.” Meanwhile, Senator Ralph Recto doused cold water on an apparently media-driven notion to have his wife, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos, run as

Is Sarah rebelling against her parents? A smiling Sarah Geronimo debuted her new hairstyle on March 6 during the launch of a shampoo brand’s ad campaign, amid speculation that the pop star cut her hair short following a disagreement with her parents. The 25-year-old singer has reportedly been wearing hair extensions in recent weeks, during live performances and at film shooting, to hide the drastic change. She was asked by reporters why she cut her hair, but did not respond. In an interview on Buzz ng Bayan Sarah was similarly evasive when cornered about the alleged issue between her parents and actor Matteo Guidicelli, who is rumored to be her boyfriend.

the running mate of Vice President Jejomar Binay in the 2016 presidential elections. Recto said that his popular wife will most likely to return to her acting career rather than seek higher office in 2016. “Walang plano si Vilma na tumakbo sa 2016 na alam ko,” he said. “Palagay ko gusto din niyang gumawa ng bagong pelikula dahil nakapaglingkod na rin siya ng mahabang panahon sa aming lalawigan ng Batangas.”

Kathryn isn’t ready to do kissing scene

ALTHOUGH she’s turning 18 on March 26, Kathryn Bernardo maintained that she’s not yet ready to do a kissing scene with Daniel Padilla for the much-awaited finale of the teleserye Got To Believe. “Feeling ko it’s too early para sa akin,” said Kathryn.

Asked to react to “sightings” of her and Matteo together, Sarah said, “Puwede po huwag po natin pag-usapan?” Explaining why she opts to keep her personal life private, the actress said, “Siyempre, personal po na buhay po namin iyon. ‘Yun lang po. Sana naiintindihan po ng mga tao.” Asked whether there is truth to rumors that her father, Delfin, is supposedly angry with Matteo, Sarah said, “Please po, hindi po ako handang sagutin ang mga tanong.”

Daniel and Kathryn “Kasi parang kapag nasimulan mo na yun, feeling ko, parang kailangan sa lahat ng shows mo ganun ka na. Hindi ka na puwedeng tumanggi o magsabi ng ayoko. Nagawa mo na, e. So for me talaga, hindi pa. “Puwede namang hug lang muna, kiss sa cheek, ‘yan pwede. Pero ‘pag sa lips, [the right] time will come for that. For his part, Daniel said that he’s “steadily” waiting for the right time to take that next step in their acting career. He made it clear though that Kathryn’s first onscreen

MARCH 2014

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Showbuzz kiss should be with him. “Siguro naman dapat si Kathryn [din ang first onscreen kiss ko]. Sa haba ng pinagsamahan namin. E, kung mapupunta naman sa iba yun, bad trip naman yun,” Daniel said, eliciting laughter from reporters.

Vhong to file libel, perjury raps vs accuser

VHONG Navarro is set to file perjury and libel charges against Roxanne Acosta, a former beauty pageant contestant who accused the TV host of raping her in 2010.

On Feb. 19, Acosta filed a rape case against Vhong, claiming the actor allegedly raped her in his vehicle in 2010, some time after they met at the noon time show Showtime, where Vhong served as a co-host and Acosta as a guest along with other beauty pageant contestants. The camp of Vhong denied the accusation, saying it could not have happened because Vhong was performing with Vice Ganda in a concert in Cavite at the time of the alleged rape on the night of April 24, 2010. Vice has executed an affidavit affirming Vhong’s alibi. Acosta’s legal counsel Virgilio Batalla explained that the alleged incident did not necessarily happen on April 24, as other reports indicated. Batalla said he and his client did not confirm April 24 as the date of the alleged rape and that the public had been “condi-

tioned” to believe that the alleged rape happened on April 24. He said the alleged rape happened “during the time of April 24, 25, 26, and 27.” Batalla also said his client was mistaken regarding the hotel she was allegedly staying in during the time of the alleged incident, given that his client was a probinsyana in 2010.” Vhong’s legal counsel, Alma Mallonga, said she believes Acosta’s camp is adjusting to pieces of evidence that have emerged. She noted that Acosta’s camp cannot claim that the alleged rape happened at “any time” among a series of dates. “Tingin ko napako sila, may lumabas na mga ebidensya, ngayon, naga-adjust sila. Pero huwag mong sasabihin na yung reklamo nila pwedeng any time from April 24 to 27, hindi ‘yon totoo,” said Mallonga.

Paulo and KC

KC admits ‘crush’ on suitor Paulo

KC Concepcion drew kilig among her online followers when she confessed having a crush on actor Paulo Avelino, who has admitted courting the actress-host. In a post on Instagram, the 28-year-old KC shared a photo of Paulo on a 2012 cover of women’s lifestyle magazine Cosmpolitan, where he appears shirtless. “San man ako makarating basta crush ko pa rin sya sa cov-

er na to. CRUSH lang naman!! Bawal ang nega. LOL #thatsall #sorrynotsorry #justagirl,” KC said in the photo’s caption. KC is in the US for further studies but Paulo remains unfazed by their separation. The actor revealed that he and KC are in regular communication, adding that she continues to inspire him. “Sinabi ko naman dati sa TV ‘yon, that I was dating her. Now,

Marian sparkles in her second FHM cover pictorial

MARIAN Rivera is the cover girl of the March issue of the men’s magazine FHM Philippines, which marks the 14th anniversary of the magazine. This is the second time that the two-time Sexiest Woman in the Philippines has graced the cover of the magazine. Asked why she consented to do another cover pictorial for FHM, the Kapuso Primetime Queen said, “Siguro kasi, maganda yung kinalabasan ng una kong pictorial. Nakita ko naman kung paano magtrabaho ang FHM at inalagaan naman nila ako. At in fairness sa FHM, nirerespeto nila kung ano lang yung kaya kong ibigay, gawin. “At yun nga, maganda naman ang kinakalabasan. At bago nila ilabas, ipinapakita

Marian on FHM cover

pareho po kaming busy. Ngayon, I’m doing a soap here and she’s in the US taking classes. Although, we still communicate. “Siguro, masasabi ko po ngayon na I’m inspired. Nagkocommunicate pa rin naman.” Paulo added: “You know, she’s studying there, winter doon. So, parang medyo malungkot, you just wanna inspire someone. She’s been inspiring me also, giving me advice.”

nila sa akin, pinapa-approve nila kung ano yung mga napili rin nila, kaya yun din naman.” Marian earned praise from various quarters, including talents from ABS-CBN such as Anne Curtis, Kathryn Bernardo and Jodi Sta. Maria. Queried if she sought permission from boyfriend Dingdong Dantes before posing again for FHM, she replied, “Hindi, kasi una sa lahat, sa aming dalawa ni Dong, ang trabaho ay trabaho. Yes, nagha-heart-to-heart talk kami, like, ‘Eto ang mga gagawin ko.’ Pero ang trabaho sa amin, trabaho. At saka bago naman lumabas, ipinakita ko sa kanya yung mga pictures. At sabi nga niya, okey raw, maganda raw lumabas. Yung cover, isa yun sa mga nagustuhan din niya.” Marian is the reigning FHM’s Sexiest Woman in the Philippines.

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Malunggay and zucchini fritters

By sol vanzi

ROWING up in a rural area, I always took malunggay leaves for granted as an ingredient for fish and chicken soups, or to add contrast to jackfruit and papaya stewed in coconut milk. Tinola and Pesa always were cooked with malunggay leaves and sometimes with its young pods. The leaves provided color and crunch to Lola’s Ginataang Gulay and Ginisang Mungo.

Malunggay:

Miracle Philippine National Vegetable

Malunggay was something we never bought; malunggay trees served as fences or property boundary markers and everyone was free to break off young leaves and stems at any time. Trimming was actually encouraged; it helped keep the fast-growing trees low, preventing breakage during storms. Because we never paid for it, we paid little attention to it despite the high marks it got from our elders. They believed it was good for our blood; it helped new mothers produce more milk for their babies; it kept us from getting sick. Today, scientists are proving our old folks right. Biochemists and molecular anthropologists around the world have discovered that malunggay is rich in Vitamins C and A, iron and high-density lipoprotein of good cholesterol, making it an effective cure for illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, infections, cancer and aging issues.

scale tiangge and cooking demo, there are bound to be products incorporating malunggay: pesto sauce, cookies, breads, pandesal, polvoron, noodles, oil, soap, lotion, powder. And this everyday, ordinary vegetable will soon get the supreme recognition of being named Philippine National Vegetable. Recently, the House of Representatives Committee on Revision on Law approved a bill to declare malunggay as the national vegetable of the Philippines and the month of November of every year as the “National Malunggay Month.” The bill was authored by Pangasinan Rep Gina de Venecia, an Ilocana who grew up eating the vegetable several times a week. De Venecia said malunggay, serving as a “miracle vegetable” and “nature’s medicine cabinet,” deserves recognition by declaring it as a national vegetable and by devoting November of every year as its national month.

National vegetable

Economic benefits

The current trend towards healthy alternatives is finally granting malunggay the attention it deserves. At every up-

“For the past years, malunggay in the Philippines has been considered as a backyard tree. Now, we can say that malunggay

can save lives, increase incomes, generate millions of jobs, utilize vast tracts of agricultural lands, make the Philippines globally competitive, impact local and international market, and help attain socio-economic equity,” De Venecia said. “Malunggay is one of the important plants that deserve national and international promotion due to the many bio-medical endowment and numerous socio-economic benefits that can be derived from it,” she pointed out. Because of its enormous benefits, malunggay is encouraged by the Department of Agriculture. Our country is presently expanding the local market for malunggay and its products with the aim of enhancing the agribusiness potentials of various crops as part of the government’s poverty alleviation and health care programs.

Easy home recipes Getting children to eat more malunggay would be impossible if all we offer them are Tinola and Ginataan; it takes a little imagination to prepare healthy dishes that children will actually ask for.

After raising five kids and several grandchildren, I have realized that the trick is to trick them. Find out what they like to eat and adapt those recipes in the family’s daily menu. Malunggay in pasta – Malunggay leaves, in powder form, are kneaded into the pasta dough to create beautifully green-speckled noodles or lasagna. To powder leaves, dry them in a very low oven and whirl in a blender or coffee grinder. Young malunggay leaves can also be added to basil when making Pesto Sauce. Spread the Pesto on flat bread and bake, or dot over pizza. Malunggay burger – Increase the nutrients of hamburgers, meatloaves and meatballs by adding shredded or powdered malunggay leaves to the mixture. The recipe should be adjusted by increasing the amount of flour and other binders and starches, as the leaves will reduce the cohesiveness of the meat mix. Caramelization of the surface produces a brown crust, which would serve to tone down or camouflage the “green stuff” that children try to void. Malunggay fritters – This is our current household favourite. It is made with drained shredded zucchini, leftover potatoes, canned sardines, beaten egg, panko, flour and spices. The mixture should not be runny, but hold its shape when mounded on the lightly oiled frying pan. Do not deep-fry; cook in a lightly-oiled cast iron pan or a non-stick omelet frying pan. Fry over medium heat until one side is light brown, then flip and brown the other side. Transfer cooked fritters to a paper-line plate to reduce oiliness. Fritters can be served in place of burgers in sandwiches, or with sweet and sour sauce as main course or side dish. Pods in pasta – The malunggay pods are peeled and only the very tender inner core is used. This part has mild, asparagus-like flavor, and blends well with gravies and pasta sauces. (Manila Bulletin) n

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By amy besa

The flavors of pre-refrigeration are part of our legacy. Heritage and heirloom food, like the original varieties of livestock and crops, are the trend within the organic food movement. Here are 8 regional foods that all Pinoys should try (and let their foreign friends try, too!).

8. Philippine cacao Why get imported when we grow them everywhere? I’ve been bringing to Brooklyn cacao from Davao, Tuguegarao, Tiwi, Albay and from Negros Occidental.

7. Local organic herbal teas From Negros like the balbas pusa (cat’s whiskers), gotu kola, guyabano leaves, sambong, yacon, etc.

6. Philippine coffee Enough of the snooty way of looking at beans! Not necessarily Arabica, but we have great

8 Delicious Regional Pinoy Foods You Should Definitely Try

Philippine-grown coffee beans

Y husband Romy Dorotan and I have been running Purple Yam restaurant in Brooklyn (NYC) these past few years but I’ve been going back and forth to the Philippines to research and explore regional food items and tracking down handed-down recipes from generation to generation.

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Sambong Robusta and Liberica from Negros Occidental and Oriental, Mindanao and Cordilleras. It’s how they were grown, fermented and roasted.

5. Natural vinegars So many flavor nuances! From coconut sap, sugar cane, sugar palm, bananas, pineapple, bignay, duhat, etc. Go to Ilocos Sur and Norte, they have sukang iloko, which is sugarcane vinegar. There’s paombong which comes from the town of the same name in Bulacan. You can get coconut sap vinegar from Sorsogon, Bicol and the Visayas.

4. Artisanal patis or fish sauce Navotas and Cavite are the best places to get patis from the first pressing and puro if possible. It is not salty at all. The commercial versions are really diluted patis with salt and caramel coloring added.

3. Regional sea salts The most famous are, of course, from Pangasinan (which is why it is named pang-asin-

an—because it is famous for its salt beds). I have tasted roasted sea salt from Zambales, which is great, too. In Roxas City and Guimaras, they have the dukduk which is a block of salt cooked down by burning driftwood collected from the beach and water is passed through the coal to collect the salt from the sea water. Coconut milk is added and the whole thing is cooked down to evaporate the water to leave a block of salt. People use this like hard cheese and grate them over garlic fried rice. Unfortunately, only a few families make this now. Clueless airport people in NAIA confiscated my dukdok when I tried to bring this home with me from Manila to NYC, be sure to pack this in your check-in baggage! 2. Heirloom rice varieties Heirloom means the origi-

nal rice grains and not hybrids. In the Cordilleras, some farmers retain the same grains that have been passed down from one generation to another. Some people believe that the healthiest food to eat are heirloom and organic because heirloom grains retain the original nutrients and hybrids tend to be watered down. I like the purple ones like the diket from the Cordilleras. Very difficult to harvest because it is semi-glutinous and the farmers have to harvest the grains fast before the birds eat them up.

1. Regional spirits Tapuy is rice wine made by gnarled old men and women of the Cordilleras by fermenting soaked balatinaw rice grains. They make yeast first called bubud by mashing soaked ground rice together mixing it with pineapple or ginger or other fermenting agent. Also try nipa lambanog from Infanta, Quezon. This will be the “in” alcoholic beverage of the Philippines soon! (Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan are the authors of “Memories of Philippine Kitchens.” Besa is president of Ang Sariling Atin Culinary Heritage Institute.) n

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Flash A Splash of Colour

Close to 20,000 students and their parents read a book while forming the Philippine flag in an open field in an open field in Alabang to commemorate the 19th anniversary of Muntinlupa as a city. It was also an attempt to break the Guinness world record for the most number of adults reading to their children.

s s Human Flag

Capturing the Moment

Participants in the Color Dash are splattered with dye after finishing the five-kilometer run in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City on March 2. The event aims to promote health and wellness.

Flower Girls

This photograph of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 by Filipino news photographer Alberto Garcia has been selected as one of 38 emotionpacked pictures of all time by the American online publication Huffington Post.

Women garbed in Igorot native attire and decorated with fresh flowers dance their way long Session Road in Baguio City during the grand parade of the Panagbenga Flower Festival. The month-long festival, now on its 18th year, is one of Baguioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top tourist attractions.

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Flash t Cheering Up the Kids –

Soccer star David Beckham kicks ball with children of Tanauan, Leyte, during his visit to the typhoonhit areas of the province on Feb. 14. The former captain of the England football team is a goodwill ambassador of the UN International Children’s Fund (Unicef), which is actively involved in the recovery and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda.

s Butanding Festival

Residents prepare to unload a papier mache replica of a whale shark in Donsol, Sorsogon, in preparation for the Butanding Festival. The coastal town a favourite playground of whale sharks, locally known as butanding, drawing thousands of tourists.

New Sporting Hero

s Walk for ‘Yolanda’

With at least 175,000 participants, the Iglesia ni Cristo Worldwide Walk in Metro Manila on Feb. 15 set a Guinness World Record for the largest charity walk in a single venue. The event was held in 85 sites in the Philippines and 55 elsewhere in the world to raise funds for survivors of Supertyphoon Yolanda.

Filipino Olympic skater Michael Martinez performs for the crowd at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City upon his return to the country after the Winter Olympics. Martinez, the lone athlete representing the Philippines in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, finished 19th among 24 qualifiers in the men’s figure skating competition.

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LONDON

WHAT’S ON

HE PHILIPPINES, as a country, seemed to have a reputation for being a rather dangerous place to travel through. All travellers knew that Thailand had all the best beaches, China had all the work opportunities and Vietnam had all the best food. Why bother going to the Philippines? Here’s 10 reasons why you need to skip Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and head straight to the Philippines on your next trip to Asia.

1. The amazing people It’s amazing how friendly the people are here. One can experience the generous, welcoming spirit of the Filipino people. They’re also so polite! They’re just polite for the sake of being polite, and that’s something that you don’t see around the world too often these days. Filipino’s certainly know how to make you feel welcome.

2. The incredible food

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TRAVEL

10 reasons why the PH

malls is modern, classy and full of character. Spend a whole day walking through here and you’ll probably only manage to see half of it.

7. Unbelievable beaches

should be your 1st stop in Asia tractive things about Asia is Filipino food is very diverse the blatant and vibrant. From caldereta, FULL PAGE AD scamming. If you’ve adobo, sinigang, bulalo, turon, ever been to the markets in lumpia, one could go on forev- China or caught a tuk tuk in er. There really is a lot of stuff Thailand you’ll know what it is. that will be like nothing you’ve Maybe the Philippines’ strong religious roots has something ever tasted before. to do with it, but whatever it is you’ll definitely appreciate it. 3. You don’t get scammed To me, one of the most unat-

4. It’s off the beaten track

It’s struggling to understand how so many attractions in the Philippines continue to fly under the radar. Part of the magic in exploring the spotless white sand beaches of the Philippines is that you quite often have them all to yourself. .

5. Everyone speaks English! The language of instruction in schools in the Philippines is actually English! Finding your way around a language barrier can be half the fun in travelling, but it’s also surprising how different your travel experience becomes when you can actually communicate with everyone. 6. The fantastic shopping Out of the 20 biggest shopping malls in the world, 5 of them are in Manila. That’s more than any other city. Their malls are not just big, boring boxes either. The maze of Greenbelt

In a country made up of over 7,000 islands beautiful beaches are bound to be everywhere. And they are! Try Googling Amanpulo, Caramoan, White Beach Boracay, Coron, Camiguin, Anguib Beach, Cagbalete Island, Caramines Sur, Nacpan Beach, Bolobadiangan Island, Subic Beach, Buluan Island; there’s just too many to list.

8. The pretty faces The Traveler’s Digest released an article ranking Quezon City as one of the “Top 10 cities with the world’s best looking men”. Also, the Philippines won Miss World 2013 a few months later.

9. It’s cheap! Budget travellers will definitely have no problem making their way through here. Taxi rides around town cost $3, a decent meal costs $1.50 and a bucket of beers will barely run you $5. Catching the latest movie at the cinema will cost you $6 and you can rent yourself a studio apartment for around $15 a day!

10. It’s growing, fast When you visit Fort Bonifacio you can feel like you are walking through an upgraded version of Singapore. Skyscrapers were going up in all directions, it was incredibly clean, all the international eateries were around, the roads were wide and uncrowded, there were fancy public parks and boutique shopping streets. GO TO THE PHILIPPINES NOW! Asia’s best kept secret may not stay a secret for too much longer. with full news by Bren from Bren on the Road

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ll t of a ppor In su events in good mmunity o the c

15 March 2014

“Pooh” on Stage Caravan Tour 2014 Walbottle Campus Theatre, Hexham Road, Walbottle, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE15 9TP Tickets: £ 25 Time: 5:00pm Contact: Sally Sellars 07886742417, 01912736779

4-6 April 2014

The 70’s Superband: Tayo’y Magsayawan! Venue: The Dome, NW5 1HL (London) EPIC Studios, NR3 1JD (Norwich) Brittania Theatre, ME4 4LL (Kent) Tickets: £15 at www.sideprojects.biz Contact: 07903547676

14 June 2014 Barrio Fiesta Halifax

Venue: Shibden Park, Godley Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 6XG

COMMUNITY

22 March 2014 SPRING FILIPINO FOOD FESTIVAL Venue: Ashford Christian Fellowship Church, Bank Street TN23 1BA Ashford Tickets from £4 at http://www.filipinofoodfestival.co.uk/ Contact: Laurie 01233 629428

4 April 2014

7-8 June 2014

14 June 2014

Barrio Fiesta Morden 2014 MORDEN Morden Park, LonPAGE ADMorden, BARRIOFULL FIESTA don Road, Surrey SM4 5DX 2014

June 7-8 Sat and Sun Morden Park, Morden, Surrey SM4 5DX

Time: 9am to 6pm

www.finestworkers. com

Independence Day sa Newcastle Blaydon Rugby Club Field (Carboot Area) Hexham Road, Swalwell, Newcastle NE16 3BN

14 June 2014

116th PH Independence Party Venue: The Chartroom Restuarant/Bar, Inverkip, PA16 OAS Time: 7 to 11:30pm

21-22 June 2014

28 June 2014

Contact: Honeylyn 07783343848 Clarence 07500896239 Hilda 07909724653

Time: 8pm

Time: 9am to 6pm

Contact: Nally Carroll 01294 461709 Marilyn Kaarits 07805562450

Venue: Eastville Park, Muller Rd Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6XA

Eventim Apollo 45 Queen Caroline St., Hammersmith, London W6 9QH

Contact: Tess (info) 07956593236 02034175038

Contact: Melanie 07745 247 933 Kim 07726104 013

Barrio Fiesta Bristol

Eraserheads Live in London

Barrio Fiesta Yorkshire Venue: The Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 1UG Time: 10am - 5pm Contact: Lolita Boddy 01765 535015/ 07973 469450

Contact: Sally - 07886742417 Eva - 07542026296

Philippine Independence Day Celebrations in Oxfordshire Venue: The Kassam Stadium, Grenoble Road, Oxford OX4 4XP Time: 9am to 6pm Contact: joarielan@yahoo.com, www.filcomoxford. org.uk

29 June 2014

Barrio Fiesta Northern Ireland Hydebank Parks and Playing Fields, 19 Newtownbreda Road, Belfast BT8 6BQ Contact: Roy - 07412625738 Malou 07850151678

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WHAT’S ON

COMMUNITY

29 June 2014

12-13 July 2014

Venue: Lady Hill Park, Allerton, Bradford, BD15 7AA Time: 9am to 6pm

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

Contact: Nelson 07823338947 Nina - 07780076256 nelsonginez@yahoo. co.uk

Contact: Rozen Malonzo 07985159203 / 01212446900; Mario - 07531022269

17 August 2014

30-31 Aug. 2014

Venue: PAGE ADHeaton Park, BARRIOFULL FIESTA Middleton Road, MANCHESTER Manchester M25

Time: 10am - 5pm

2014

Contact: Erik - 07795068798 Mara - 07824513018

EMBASSY NEWS

LONDON

The Embassy presents “Maria Farrar: An Exhibition of Paintings”

N EXHIBITION of paintings by Filipino-British artist Maria Farrar will be on display at the Philippine Embassy, London, from the 2nd to the 11th of April, from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Born 1988 in Cabanatuan, Philippines, and brought up in Japan, the artist arrived in the UK in 2004. This is her first solo exhibition after completing BFA

SPOTon

2SW

Contact: Aurora 07748 252 530 aurobb0203@gmail. com

LONDON

SPL

19-20 July 2014

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

30th Barrio Fiesta sa London

Barrio Fiesta Manchester

Scotland Barrio Fiesta Hamilton Park Racecourse, Bothwell Road, Hamilton, Lanarkshire ML3 0DW

MARCH 2014

Barrio Fiesta Birmingham

Barrio Fiesta Bradford

The Apps Court Farm in Hampton, Hurst Road, Walton-onThames KT12 2EG Contact: 07867940447 07879646076 londonbarriofiesta@ abs-cbn.com

GERRY FORONDA: Winter Exhibition

OU ARE invited to view the Exhibition from Sunday 6 April to 11 April 2014 at Arundel Museum and Heritage Centre, Mill Road, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9PA. Viewing starts at 10am to 4pm. Tel: 07712122613 Email: gforonda21@yahoo.com

WHAT’S ON EMBASSY OUTREACH

The Embassy will hold its 2nd Consular Outreach Mission for 2014 in Belfast on 15 March at: Time : 9:30 am to 6:00 pm Venue: St. Colmcille’s Parish Hall, 191A Upper Newtownards Rd. Belfast, County Antrim BT4 3JB Contact Person: Ms. Vee Benasa 07828095361 Ms. Katrina Albarico 07796787513 Mr. Kit Tupas 07718998273

NEXT OUTREACH: ISLE OF MAN (26-27 APRIL) DUBLIN (17-18 MAY) CARDIFF (JULY - TBA) at the Ruskin School of Fine Art, Oxford.

Further information, including venue and opening times, will be announced later. For more info please go to http://philembassy-uk.org/

Splash PHILIPPINES

By arjun shroff

Ilocos Norte Why go. “You get to see one of the most ancient churches in the country, the Spanish-era Paoay Church. I think a lot of people go to Ilocos Norte specifically to see that area of town considered one of the oldest Spanish cities in the Philippines.” Sidetrip. “When you mention Ilocos Norte, what comes to mind are images of Bangui Windmills, Cape Bojeador, Patapat Viaduct, and the white sand beaches of Pagudpud. It’s very nice to visit these places with your family. You get to appreciate history; you get to see nature; and you can enjoy the beach there.” Bunk in. Fort Ilocandia offers plenty of time to spend with the family. At the hotel, everything is big: the rooms, the meal servings, even the swimming pool. The beach sand dunes stretch endlessly and make for the perfect family playground. The only thing small here is their mini zoo, but nevertheless it makes up for that with its extensive bird collection. For bookings and reservations, call +632/ 478 6506.

2. Skywalk at the Crown Tower, Cebu Why go. “Everyone calls it the ‘Queen City of the South.’ It’s a miniature of Metro Manila tempered with the more relaxed pace of a local province. The good news is that beaches are just a few minutes away from the center of the city.” Sidetrip. “You can do things in a slower pace plus it has beaches and some modern facilities like the Skywalk at the Crown Tower. Families can also go to Malapascua and have a very relaxing, affordable vacation. Transportation is not a problem at all within Cebu. Ev-

MARCH 2014

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Top Budget Family Holidays

Bangui windmills in Ilocos Norte

Palawan Underground River erything’s very accessible.” Bunk in. The Crown Regency Hotel and Towers is a favourite among families and thrill seekers alike as it features the Edge Coaster and the Skywalk Extreme. Some of the hotel facilities include a restaurant, nightclub, 24-hour room service, game room, 4D Cinema, gym, and outdoor pool. For bookings and reservations, call +6332/ 418 8888.

3. Bohol Why go. “Bohol is famous for the Chocolate Hills and the famous little primate, the tarsier. It’s a very unique experience to see a primate in that miniature form, which is not so common in Asia. In the Philippines, it’s the only place where you get this opportunity to experience the Chocolate Hills, made of limestone, basically coral and other sea fossils that have

dried up and turned chocolate brown after millions of years. During summer, the hills look like chocolate because of the heat that burns off the grass.” Sidetrip. “Bohol is a haven for nature lovers. You can visit the countryside and see the man-made forest and the Loboc River. You and your kids can go dolphin and whale watching in Pamilacan Island. Or you can enjoy the beach in Panglao.” Bunk in. Stay at the Bohol Bee Farm for P2,500 per night, good for three persons. The resort serves delicious meals, made from organically-grown vegetables on the farm. Try the squash muffins, vegetable lasagna and a specially-brewed coffee from roasted corn and wild berries. The farm owner also rents her chalet-style home to guests who want to enjoy the peace and serenity of having the entire farm to themselves.

For bookings and reservations, call +6338/ 510 1822.

4. Palawan Main attraction. “Palawan is the favourite destination of everyone now.” The Underground River in Puerto Princesa, after making it to the New 7 Wonders of Nature, has been so popular that you should book months in advance to be able to see the site. Sidetrip. “Families can enjoy watching little monkeys in the Monkey Trail, or bathing in the waterfalls, or cruising the dark underground river onboard a speedboat and then watching fireflies after sundown. And then, they can go to the city’s dining spots or go shopping.” Bunk in. Book the family room at the Duchess Pension Inn. The three-storey building has 24 hours water supply, package tours, transportation assistance, telephone, standby generator, budget rooms, aircon rooms and a cafeteria. Their family room, good for four persons, costs P1,300 per night. For bookings and reservations, call +6348/ 433 2873.

5. Boracay Main attraction. “Boracay has become a year round destination. It’s tropical climate year round.” Sidetrip. “Families can enjoy a leisurely walk on the white-sand beach, take a dip in the warm sea water in the early morning and late afternoon — kids love this. Shop for souvenirs at D’Mall; indulge in a good meal; have ice cream or refreshments al fresco style.” Bunk in. Families can book an air-conditioned cottage at The Orchids Boracay for P2,350 per room night for three people. For big families and big groups, book the family villas (P4,875 per night, good for 10 people). For bookings and reservations, call +6336/ 288 3313. (InFlight. ph) (The author is the managing director of Shroff Travel, one of the country’s established tour agencies.) n

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