The Filipino Express v29 Issue 01

Transcription

What can I do
for my country
in 2015? Page 8
VOL. 29 w
NO. 01 w
January 2-8, 2015 w
NATIONAL EDITION w
NEW JERSEY w
NEW YORK w
201-434-1114 w
$1.00
Agence France-Presse
After a turbulent year marred by terror woes, Ebola
outbreaks and a horrific series of airline disasters, many could
be forgiven for saying good riddance to 2014 and gratefully
ringing in a new year.
Across the globe, revelers looking for a respite from the
gloom will converge on the beaches of Brazil, the shores of
Sydney harbor and the potentially snowy streets of Las Vegas
(yes, really) to welcome 2015.
Sydney takes pride in being one of the first major cities in
the world to welcome each new year, and it planned on
greeting 2015 in its trademark glittery fashion - with a
tropical-style fireworks display featuring shimmering gold
and silver palm tree pyrotechnic effects.
More than 1.5 million revelers were expected to crowd
along the shores of the city's famed harbor to watch the vivid
eruption of light over Harbour Bridge, Opera House and other
points along the water.
The festivities, however, come just two weeks after an
Iranian-born, self-styled cleric took 18 people hostage inside
a downtown café. A tribute to two hostages killed in the siege
will be displayed on the pylons of Harbour Bridge during the
fireworks display, and an extra 3,000 police officers will be
patrolling the city. Still, Sydneysiders are being encouraged to
'KWITIS' (SKYROCKETS). Kwitis, among the most popular pyrotechnic products that revelers use to greet the New Year, are
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celebrate as usual.
displayed on Paulate Street in Guinobatan, Albay. Niño Jesus Orbeta
World welcomes 2015
Chris Brown a no-show at Filipino's wife, child in AirAsia crash
Philippine Arena concert;
fans angered
By Kristine Angeli Sabillo
By Julliane Love de Jesus
BOCAUE, Bulacan -- Fans of
American rap singer Chris Brown,
outraged over his canceled show at
the Philippine Arena in Bulacan,
sought immediate refund of tickets
from the organizers on Wednesday
(Dec. 31) night.
But as of posting, the organizers,
through representatives from the
Iglesia ni Cristo, the Arena owners,
said they had yet to come up with a
solution for the “unexpected”
cancellation of the show.
Many fans who sought refund
had bought VIP tickets worth
MANILA -- The wife
and daughter of a Filipino
based in Singapore were
among the passengers of
AirAsia QZ8501, which
around P3,000. Brown was to be the
crashed into the Java Sea
main act in the “2015 Philippine
on Sunday, Dec. 28, a local
Countdown” event at the Philippine
television report said.
Arena in Ciudad de Victoria in
GMA News TV
Bocaue, Bulacan. The event also
reported on Wednesday,
features local artists including
Dec. 31, that Alejandro
Bamboo, Sam Concepcion, Enrique
Santiago was already in
Gil, KZ Tandingan and the Japanese
Indonesia in his bid to
girl group Tempura Kidz.
find his Indonesian wife
The countdown would include a
Romlah Siti and teenage
pyromusical display promised to be
daughter Jasmine Rose
the “brightest and most
Indonesian soldiers carry coffins containing bodies of victims of AirAsia Flight 8501
Ann Santiago.
spectacular” in the country.
upon
arrival at Indonesian Military Air Force base in Surabaya, Indonesia, Wednesday,
The
flight,
which
left
In behalf of the organizers
Surabaya, Indonesia's Dec. 31, 2014. A massive hunt for the victims of the jet resumed in the Java Sea on
Maligaya Development
second largest city, for Wednesday, but wind, strong currents and high surf hampered recovery efforts as
Corporation, Bro. Armand Sorbito
distraught family members anxiously waited to identify their loved ones. AP
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pacified the irate fans.
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DSWD failed storm victims, says COA
30,438 shelters not built despite P2.57-B funding
By Marlon Ramos
STAR OF HOPE. A motorized tricycle passes by a Christmas lantern in typhoondevastated Tacloban City. Thousands of residents marked their second Christmas
in the ruins following two storms. AFP
Where's the roof?
Tens of thousands of storm
victims spent the past three
Christmases without permanent
shelters due to the failure of the
Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) to
build homes for them despite
receiving P2.57 billion for such
purpose, a report of state
auditors showed.
The Commission on Audit
(COA) said a portion of the cash
assistance for the victims of
Tropical Storm “Sendong” in
Mindanao in 2011 was used “for
other purposes not directly
related” to helping them recover
from the disaster.
The COA also discovered that
more than P1.8 billion in
Disbursement
Acceleration Program (DAP)
funds allocated to the
department in 2013 had
remained unliquidated.
These were among the
findings of the agency's audit
team that conducted a review of
the DSWD's financial
transactions. The 135-page COA
report was received by the office
of Social Welfare Secretary Dinky
Soliman on Dec. 15.
“We request a status report
on the actions taken on the audit
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January 2-8, 2015
Page 2
THE FILIPINO EXPRESS
In this Monday, Oct. 13, 2014 photo, a man shows an IS flag at an
Islamic bookstore in the Fatih district of Istanbul. A Sept. 26 clash,
described to The Associated Press by Korkut and a half a dozen other
university students, was the first in a series of fights at Istanbul
University's Beyazit campus. There has been repeated violence
since, and Turkish media have reported scores of arrests. AP
Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda
affiliate in Syria. Despite
giving a breakdown, the
Observatory believes the
number killed by IS to be far
higher, given that many have
disappeared and remain
unaccounted for.
The jihadist group often
records such killings on
video and posts footage on
the Internet, which experts
say is meant to sow fear
among civilians and rival
groups, as well as to attract
new recruits. Inquirer.net
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- A key militant
commander Saddam, who was responsible for
facilitating the Peshawar school massacre, was
killed by security forces in Khyber Agency's
Jamrud area on Thursday (Dec. 25) night.
While speaking at a press conference in
Peshawar, Shahab Ali Shah, political agent of
the tribal area Khyber Agency, said that
Saddam was killed in the Gundi area of Jamrud.
He said one of Saddam's accomplices was
found injured and was arrested.
Shah said that as a key operational
commander of the Tariq Gedar group of
Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP), Saddam facilitated
the Taliban gunmen who launched the attack
on the Army Public School in Peshawar, which
left more than a hundred people killed.
Saddam was also said to be the mastermind
behind the 2013 attack on a polio team in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which killed 11 security
personnel. He was also involved in the deaths
of eight scouts personnel and various tribal
elders.
Separately, Shah said that Operation
Khyber One had extended to other areas of
Khyber Agency and that militants are being
hunted down.
Intensifying their efforts to counter
militants in Khyber, security forces have upped
action in the region in October. Inquirer.net
OU
T
BEIRUT, Lebanon -Islamic State group jihadists
have murdered 120 of its
own members who tried to
flee to their home countries,
a monitoring group said
Sunday, Dec. 28.
The slain IS members
are among nearly 2,000
people slaughtered by the
Islamists in Syria since
announcing their
“caliphate” in June,
according to the Syrian
Observatory for Human
Rights.
“ T h e
S y r i a n
Observatory for Human
Rights has documented the
execution by the Islamic
State of 1,878 people in
Syria between June 28 when
it announced its 'caliphate'
and December 27,” the
organization said in a
statement.
The Observatory, which
relies on a network of
activist and medical sources
on the ground in Syria, is
based in Britain.
It said the victims were
shot dead, beheaded or
stoned to death in the
provinces of Aleppo, Deir
E z z o r, H a m a , H o m s ,
Hasakeh and Raqa.
Of those killed, 1,175
were civilians who included
four children and eight
women.
The dead included 930
members of the Shaitat
tribe which rose up against
IS in the eastern province of
Deir Ezzor in the summer.
On December 17, the
Observatory said a mass
grave containing the bodies
of 230 Shaitat had been
found in the province.
The jihadists also
“executed” 502 soldiers and
pro-regime militiamen, the
monitoring group said.
Apart from killing its
members, IS also murdered
80 members of the rival Al-
LD
Agence France-Presse
Dawn/Asia News Network
SO
ISIS killing members
who want out - monitor
Militant commander
who facilitated
Peshawar school
attack killed
January 2-8, 2015
Page 3
Don't count on running
mate; build Roxas up, Sen.
Drilon tells LP partymates
By TJ Burgonio
MANILA -- They've got it all
wrong.
Senate President Franklin
Drilon advised his partymates on
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, to
build up their presumptive
s t a n d a r d - b e a r e r, L o c a l
Government Secretary Manuel
“Mar'' Roxas II, instead of looking
for a strong running mate to prop
him up.
“There's been a lot of talk
about vice presidential
candidates to pair with
presumptive LP candidate Mar
Roxas. In my view, what we
should concentrate on as a party
is to strengthen our presumptive
standard-bearer, Mar Roxas,
rather than look for a vice
presidential candidate,'' he said
in a telephone interview.
Drilon, Liberal Party vice
chair, reminded his partymates
about the lessons of recent
elections in which popular vice
presidential candidates won on
their own strength, without
boosting the standard-bearer's
candidacy.
He recalled that in the 1992
elections, Sen. Joseph Estrada
won as vice president while his
presidential candidate,
businessman Eduardo Cojuangco
Jr., lost.
Then in 1998, Sen. Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo topped the
vice presidential race while then
House Speaker Jose de Venecia
lost to Estrada. In 2004, Sen. Noli
de Castro was elected vice
president and his partymate
Arroyo, President.
Then in 2010, opposition
candidate former Makati Mayor
Jejomar Binay beat Roxas in the
vice presidential race, while
Estrada lost to President Aquino.
“This indicates, in my mind,
that you rely on your own
strength rather than on the
strength of the vice president,''
Drilon said.
“History does not prove a
strong vice president can carry
his or her president. The last four
vice presidents did not carry
their presidential candidates,
notwithstanding their perceived
strength in the polls. That
strength did not mean that they
could transfer that popularity to
Sen. Poe takes up cudgels for
seniors on benefits, discounts
By TJ Burgonio
MANILA -- By law they
should be enjoying their
privileges, but in reality they
are shabbily treated by many
establishments.
Sen. Grace Poe is seeking an
inquiry into the growing
number of complaints by senior
citizens that they are being
denied privileges due them
under the law by some
commercial establishments.
Poe has filed a Senate
resolution asking the
committees on justice and
social justice to look into the
Inquirer file photo
different interpretations of
Republic Act Nos. 7432 and the well-being of the elderly,
A senior claimed a 209994 that deny senior citizens and to recognize the role of the percent discount at a hotel,
their rightful discounts and private sector in this.
which the manager rejected,
benefits.
There had been reports that saying he had already availed
The hearings, she said, fast food and other restaurants himself of a promo, Poe said.
would aim to craft uniform
and hotels were denying the
In a mall supermarket, the
guidelines for the effective elderly their law-mandated cashier offered a flat P65
implementation of the two d i s c o u n t s , b e n e f i t s a n d discount instead of the 5laws.
privileges on “unjustified percent discount on prime
RA 7432, the Senior Citizens conditions,'' Poe said.
commodities, she recounted.
Act , grants benefits and
For instance, she said, while
Seniors are also rebuffed if
privileges to Filipinos aged 60 the law grants a 20-percent they fail to present their official
and over, while RA 9994 is its discount, a popular restaurant IDs, even though they have
expanded version.
gives a flat discount of P100 for other IDs showing their birth
Poe said the objective of the home delivery for a minimum date or age, Poe added.
two laws was to help improve P2,500 bill.
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January 2-8, 2015
Page 4
World
welcomes ...
From page1
In New Zealand, a giant clock on
Auckland's landmark Sky Tower
structure will count down the
minutes until the new year, with a
huge fireworks display launching
from the tower at midnight. The
capital, Wellington, will host a
family-friendly celebration in a
park, featuring orchestra music and
iconic movie clips, culminating in a
fireworks display. Midnight in New
Zealand is 1100 GMT.
Prayers in Jakarta
The loss of AirAsia Flight
QZ8501 and a deadly landslide in
Central Java are recent tragedies
that have muted celebration plans
in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.
City Gov. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama
told The Jakarta Post newspaper
that the city would conduct prayers
for the victims of the tragedies as
well as host the annual Jakarta
Night Festival.
PH police warned
Acting National Police chief
Leonardo Espina has warned that
police in the Philippines who fire
their guns during normally raucous
celebrations will lose their jobs.
Thunderous fireworks and gunfire
normally leave communities
shrouded in smog and gun smoke,
and result in hundreds of injuries
every year, even deaths, some due
to stray bullets. Since the Christmas
holiday celebrations began on Dec.
21, more than 160 people have
been injured.
Bidding with the Chinese
Beijing will count down the
new year at an event in Olympic
Park designed to highlight the
capital's bid to host the 2022
Winter Olympics. Skaters will
perform and Olympic medalist
figure skater Zhao Hongbo,
Paralympics gold medalist
swimmer Yang Yang and pianist
Lang Lang will appear. Celebrations
will also take place in Zhangjiakou,
the city in neighboring Hebei
province, which is cohosting the
bid, and at the foot of part of the
Great Wall in the northwest of
Beijing.
Shopping with the Japanese
Japanese stores generally close
for New Year's Day, the country's
biggest traditional holiday, so
Wednesday was a day for shopping
and stocking up for many in
preparation for the annual feast,
called osechi ryori.
At midnight, temple bells will
strike 108 times, the number of
evils, or temptations, as defined by
Buddhism. There will be fireworks
and bonfires around the nation as
millions of people flock to
neighborhood temples and shrines
to pray for health and happiness.
At the Copa … Copacabana
More than 1 million people are
expected to flock to the golden
sands of Rio de Janeiro's
Copacabana beach, where two
dozen artists and DJs will perform
on three stages. Tourists and locals
routinely party until dawn on the
beach, staying awake to watch the
tropical sun rise for the first time in
2015.
A massive fireworks display
blasted from boats in the waters of
the Atlantic Ocean will light the sky
over the crowd, which traditionally
dresses in all white, a Brazilian New
Year's Eve tradition to bring
purification and a peaceful year.
A n o t h e r t ra d i t i o n c a l l s fo r
partygoers to enter the sea up to
their knees and jump over seven
waves shortly after the new year
begins, for luck.
In Madrid a day early
Thousands of horn-tooting,
hat-wearing revelers jammed
Madrid's central Puerta del Sol
square on Tuesday, braving
freezing temperatures to ring in
2015 a day early.
The crowd roared and jumped
up and down as the clock in the
18th century Real Casa de Correos,
the seat of the regional government
of Madrid, struck midnight, even
though the new year only starts 24
hours later.
Many followed a Spanish New
Year's Eve custom and gobbled a
grape on each of the 12 chimes at
Fireworks explode over the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge during New Year's
Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014. Thousands of
people crammed into Lady Macquaries Chair to watch the annual fireworks show.
AP PHOTO/ROB GRIFFI
midnight for 12 months of good
luck while others counted the
clangs of the clock out loud.
Some used French fries or
chocolate-covered peanuts instead
of grapes.
City officials test the chimes the
day before New Year's Eve to make
sure they are working properly and
each year a growing sea of people
come for the trial run to start
celebrating early.
Many said they came to avoid
the much larger crowd that turns
out on New Year's Eve for the
countdown in the square, watched
live by millions of people across
Spain on television.
“ To m o r r o w i t w o u l d b e
impossible to come down here,
there would be too many people,”
s a i d Fa t i m a Ro d r i g u e z d e
Ahumada, a 33-year-old secretary
who came with her husband and
sister.
“We are going to spend New
Year's Eve at home and we will
watch it all on television. This way
we get a taste of what it is like.”
Dozens of police frisked revelers as
they entered the square and
searched rucksacks to prevent
glass bottles from being brought in
while several ambulances stood by.
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Some of the Yemenis and Africans who came for the Brown concert seek a refund of their tickets.
Chris Brown ...
From page 1
Sorbito gave his contact number
to the complainants and signed their
tickets to assure them that they could
contact him once the organizers came
up with options.
As Sorbito negotiated with the
disappointed fans, security personnel
of the Philippine Arena asked
INQUIRER.net to stop taking videos of
the incident.
But one of the fans, John Andrew
Mon, insisted that he be interviewed
so “their complaints would be heard.”
Mon said the organizers should
have at least informed them that
Brown would not be showing up.
Mon and his companions, Jasmin
Maglaque and Michael Concepcion,
who said they have been fans of the
rap singer for years, took a cab from
Makati City.
Maglaque said a video of Brown
was shown after the performance of a
local band.
“The video was dark. It's as if the
video was taped through a video call.
He apologized to the fans saying he
couldn't make it to the Philippines
because he left his passport,”
Maglaque said.
“As soon as the performances
started, we had a hunch that Chris
Brown wouldn't come. Hindi man lang
siya binabanggit sa (His name wasn't
being mentioned in the) line-up,” she
added.
“We bought our tickets just to
watch Chris Brown. We wouldn't
spend that much if it weren't for him,”
Maglaque said.
Yemeni fans
Before INC representatives spoke
to the fans, the group of Themo
Khudhair, Osama Alsharfy and Saud
Mohamed Ali, all from Yemen, went
around the Philippine Arena looking
for the organizers of the show to seek
refund of their tickets, but failed to.
Angered, they tore up their tickets and
tossed them into the garbage bin.
While many of the Yemenis and
Africans who came for the Brown
concert are studying in the
Philippines, some flew into the
Philippines just for the concert.
“We stayed at a hotel for days, paid
a taxi P3,000 to get here, bought
tickets for P1,000 and we get
nothing?” the visibly irked Ali said.
One of them, in utter disgust,
flashed the dirty finger when asked to
give a message for the American artist.
After failing to have their tickets
refunded, Khudhair said they would
just go back to Manila to join the New
Year countdown in the Mall of Asia in
Pasay City.
Brown, 24, has been in and out of
jail and rehab after a series of
complaints against him including the
assault on his ex-girlfriend and
Barbadian singer Rihanna.
Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 5
Pope Francis PH 'state visit' unlike
trips of other heads of state
By Kristine Angeli Sabillo
MANILA -- While Pope
Francis is the head of the
Vatican City State, his “state
visit” to the Philippines next
year will be unlike that of
other leaders.
Communications
Secretary “Sonny” Herminio
Coloma on Dec. 29, 2014,
said the pontiff and
President Benigno Aquino
III are unlikely to explore the
same topics that heads of
state usually discuss.
“All of us realize that he is
the head of the Catholic
Church and the Philippines
is a predominantly Christian
country…We can infer that
the common points of
interest (of Pope Francis and
President Benigno Aquino
III) will converge along
those lines and not on the
usual agenda that are taken
up by the President with
other heads of state,” he
explained.
Asked about what the
two heads of state will
discuss during Pope Francis'
visit to Malacañang, Coloma
said it won't be about
political matters.
“There is an opportunity
for them to take up issues
that are close to their hearts
and I think that is their own
call but as of this point we
don't see ourselves as
drawing any scenario that
might involve political
issues,” he said.
Pope Francis will arrive
in Manila in Jan. 15, 2015. He
will visit Malacañang the
next day before officiating a
mass at the Manila
Cathedral. On Jan. 17, he will
visit Leyte to meet with
survivors of Supertyphoon
“ Yo l a n d a ” a n d o t h e r
calamities.
Meeting with Aquino,
sisters
Upon his arrival at
Malacañang at 9:15 a.m. on
Jan. 16, the Pope will meet
with Filipino officials.
Coloma said they have
yet to announce the officials
who will join Aquino in the
Palace, especially since
many are hoping to be
invited. However, he said it
was customary for Cabinet
officials to be present.
On the other hand,
Church officials who are
expected to join the Papal
delegation are Apostolic
Nuncio to the Philippines
M s g r. G i u s e p p e P i n to ,
Manila Archbishop Luis
Antonio Cardinal Tagle, and
Lingayen-Dagupan
Archbishop Socrates
Villages who is also the
President of the Catholic
Bishop's Conference of the
Philippines.
After the singing of the
national anthem and the
hoisting of the flags of the
two states, Pope Francis will
proceed to the Reception
Hall for the signing of the
official guestbook of
Malacañang. He will then be
ushered into the Music
Room for the courtesy call
where Aquino's immediate
family members, including
his sisters, will be
introduced to the Pontiff.
The visit will last for only
an hour and a half since the
Pope must leave at 10:45
a.m. for a mass at Manila
Cathedral. Inquirer.net
Indonesian soldiers carry coffins containing bodies of victims of AirAsia Flight 8501 upon
arrival at Indonesian Military Air Force base in Surabaya, Indonesia, Wed., Dec. 31, 2014.
Filipino’s wife, child ... From page 1
Singapore, was first reported as missing. However, on Tuesday, search operations found
debris from the plane. Several bodies were found on Wednesday morning.
Santiago told the network that he had already provided identification documents
such as the photos, IDs and dental records of his wife and daughter. He also gave his DNA
sample. On Twitter, friends and schoolmates of Jasmine Rose posted photos of her,
asking for prayers. “Rest in peace Jasmine Rose Ann Santiago,” some of them posted.
Of the 162 people onboard the plane, 155 were passengers, two were pilots and five
were cabin crew. Inquirer.net
Pope Francis kisses a child as he leaves after a meeting with large families in the Paul VI
hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014. The Pope is set to visit the Philippines in
January next year. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
January 2-8, 2015
Page 6
Sen. Poe takes
up cudgels ...
From page 3
Pope Francis leaves after visiting the nativity scene set in St. Peter's Square after celebrating Mass in
St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014. The traditional Mass on Dec. 31
contains the thanksgiving hymn ”Te Deum' for the ending year and is the last public appearance of
the pope in 2014. AP
Pope says New Year should
remind of life's fleetingness
Associated Press
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis has presided
over a solemn prayer service in St. Peter's
Basilica on New Year's Eve, using his homily to
stress life's fleetingness.
The spiritual leader said, “How we like to
be surrounded by so many fireworks,
seemingly beautiful, but which in reality last
only a few minutes.”
As humans, he said, there is a “time to be
born and a time to die” and New Year's also is a
time to reflect on our mortality, “the end of the
path of life.”
Afterward, the 78-year-old pontiff,
wearing a long white coat, a scarf and a thin
skull cap, braved frigid air to admire the lifesize Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square. For 20
minutes, he walked around shaking hands of
people lined up behind barriers to greet him.
Inquirer.net
“Pursuant to the stated
constitutional precepts and the
spirit and objectives of RA Nos.
7432 and 9994, the State is
behooved to ensure that the
same are truly being
implemented as such are not
only the State's legacy but its
mandate to value, respect,
dignify and look out for our
senior citizens who have toiled
to be where we are now as
Filipinos and as a nation,'' Poe
said in Resolution No. 1042.
There are an estimated 6.8million senior citizens in the
country.
On top of these two laws,
President Aquino has signed
Republic Act No. 10645, or the
Mandatory PhilHealth
C ove ra g e fo r A l l S e n i o r
Citizens, which entitles all
seniors to PhilHealth benefits
on their medical expenses.
This is expected to benefit
at least 2.16-million senior
citizens without PhilHealth
coverage. Until its passage, a
senior citizen had to prove he
was indigent before he could
avail himself of PhilHealth
benefits. Inquirer.net
Don’t count on ...
From page 3
their presidential running mate,'' he added.
Drilon said the ruling party should then
craft a strategy to strengthen Roxas
“regardless of who his running mate will
be.''
“The presidential candidate must stand
on the basis of his or her strength,'' he said.
Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen
Sarmiento had floated the idea of a teamup between Roxas and rising neophyte Sen.
Grace Poe.
The team-up would “combine
leadership, experience and expertise in
governance with mass appeal, honesty and
idealism,'' said Sarmiento, the party
secretary general.
L P s t a lwa r t , B u d g e t S e c re t a r y
Florencio Abad Jr., said this has not been
discussed, but this would be “potent.''
Poe, however, distanced herself from
this, saying it was premature to comment
on this since Roxas had yet to declare his
plans.
Poe's rating surged to 18 percent in the
Nov. 14-20 Pulse Asia survey, running
second behind Binay's 26 percent. Roxas
slid to sixth place.
The results of a Social Weather Stations
poll, released in December, however,
showed Roxas' rating rise to 19 percent
behind Binay's 37 percent and Poe's 21
percent.
“I won't even go into that assessment,''
Drilon said when asked if the party would
mind tapping a strong vice presidential
candidate such as Poe. Inquirer.net
shortages, people throw buckets of
water out their windows to wash away
From page 4
evila ritual also followed in Uruguay,
which like the communist island
Colored undies, potatoes
usually has hot weather this time of
Put on your yellow underwear, toss
year.
your potatoes under the bed and grab
Other people put money in their
your suitcase for a walk around the
shoes or tie three Chinese coins
block: The clock is about to strike
together with a red ribbon to ensure a
midnight on New Year's Eve in Latin
prosperous year.
America.
For new year's decor, many place
u
212-865-0781 u
Fax 212-749-0152
From the northern deserts of
stalks of wheat, a symbol of prosperity,
Mexico to the southern glaciers of
alongside images of angels or the Virgin
Patagonia, the region has a host of
Mary.
colorful New Year's Eve traditions and
“Changing seasons requires rites.
superstitions, some of them holdovers
From Central America to Patagonia,
from colonial times, some homegrown
these rites to mark the end of the year
and some blending cultures and
are inherited from pagan traditions,
customs in Latin Americans' unique
f ro m A n c i e n t Ro m e , f ro m t h e
style.
Egyptians, combined with indigenous
In many countries, revelers ring in
American traditions and African
the new year by walking around the
culture,” said Fabian Sanabria, head of
neighborhood with a suitcase, a ritual
the Colombian Institute of
that is meant to guarantee a year of
Anthropology and History.
journeys.
Though the rise of secularism has
“In 2012, I ran around carrying my
weakened the hold of ritual on people's
suitcases and I ended up traveling to
lives, the uncertainties of today's world
Europe. I did the same in 2013 and I
have left more individuals from all
went to Argentina. So I'm definitely
social classes grasping for the comfort
doing it again this year,” said Carla
of superstition.
Romero, a communications specialist in
“It's the zenith of astrologers and
the Ecuadoran capital Quito.
horoscopes,” Sanabria told Agence
Other Latin Americans sweep the
France-Presse.
floor or clean house to get rid of bad
vibes. In Mexico, the custom includes
Pink undies for love
washing the doorstep.
In Peru, women shoppers snap up
new year's underwear in yellow, a color
Inherited from Spain
associated with happiness and
In much of the region, revelers eat
friendship.
12 grapes, cramming one in with each
In Uruguay and Argentina, the
toll of the clock at midnighta ritual
preferred color is pink, which is
inherited from Spain.
supposed to bring luck in love.
The grapes must be divided into six
In Colombia, many women choose
red and six white, according to some
red, the color of passion.
keepers of the tradition.
The first bath of the year is another
“In my family, we put them in little
key rite.
packets so everyone can make their
In the Colombian capital Bogota,
w i s h e s ,” s a i d Ta t i a n a A r i z a , a
herb sellers at the Paloquemao market
Colombian housewife.
offer bitter- and sweet-smelling
The wishes must be kept strictly
bundles to make a purifying bath.
secret “or they won't come true,” she
Others use champagne. Douse your
added.
body in bubbly and let it dry for a year
In Cuba, which had to give up on
full of happiness and success, they say.
grapes during a period of severe
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January 2-8, 2015
Page 7
Body found in car ID'd
as missing pregnant
Fil-Am woman
The victim, Antonino Isnit
Suspected killer, Jin Ackerman
Robber kills Filipino employee
at a Las Vegas Walgreens
LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- A
Filipino worker at a Walgreens
was shot and killed during a
robbery allegedly committed
by a former coworker on Friday
morning, December 26, a police
report disclosed.
Police say the alleged
robber, Jin Ackerman, 25,
worked with the victim,
Antonino Isnit, 58, three years
ago at the Walgreens on 8500
W. C h e ye n n e Ave . , n e a r
Rampart Boulevard. A SWAT
team served a search warrant
and arrested Ackerman on
Friday.
Ackerman is accused of
robbing the location and fatally
shooting Isnit, according to the
Las Vegas Sun.
Ackerman allegedly
entered the Cheyenne location
about 4 a.m. Friday and robbed
the store of $5,000 to $7,000 in
cash. He held another
employee and Isnit at gunpoint.
The suspect allegedly pointed
his gun at Isnit, telling him,
“Sorry, Tony, but you know me,”
DSWD failed
storm victims ...
From page 1
recommendations within 60
days from date of receipt
thereof,” read the letter to
Soliman signed by COA director
Cora Lea de la Cruz.
In a text message to the
Inquirer on Thursday, the social
welfare secretary said she would
answer the issues regarding the
COA report at a news briefing at
the DSWD headquarters on
Friday, Dec. 26.
No construction
The construction of 30,438
housing units with an approved
budget of P2.131 billion has yet
to be “started and/or [the] funds
[remained] unutilized due to
varying constraints and
problems,” the COA said.
The report said the DSWD
was supposed to build a total of
36,399 units worth P2.571
billion in areas ravaged by
violent weather disturbances
since 2011. (On Dec. 4, 2012,
Typhoon “Pablo” made landfall
in Mindanao, leaving 1,607 dead,
834 missing and P37 billion
worth of damage to
infrastructure and property. The
year before, more than 1,400
people died from Sendong.)
State auditors said the failure
of the DSWD to promptly start
t h e s h e l t e r p ro g ra m wa s
“denying the disaster
victims/beneficiaries of the
immediate access to decent
shelters.”
according to the police report.
The suspect fired multiple
times at Isnit and instructed
the female employee to sit on
the floor. He fled the scene.
Police dispatched to the scene
found 11 shell casings near
Isnit's body.
Police said witnesses also
identified Ackerman as the
person who robbed a
Walgreens in the 9400 block of
West Desert Inn Boulevard,
near South Fort Apache Road,
two days earlier. Inquirer.net
The auditors said it might
also lead to “construction
materials/resources to possible
misuse, losses and wastage.”
“[The delay in the]
completion of the core shelter
units is tantamount to failure to
address the immediate needs of
family-victims of disaster, thus,
defeating the very purpose of the
program,” the COA said.
Cash grants
Under its Core Shelter
Assistance Project, the DSWD
provides P70,000 in cash grants
to every family whose house was
destroyed by natural calamities.
The houses, however, should
be environment-friendly and can
withstand winds of up to 220
kilometers per hour and
Intensity IV earthquakes.
The permanent shelters
must be built in relocation sites
identified by the national
government or local government
units “using locally available
materials to revitalize local
economy,” the COA said.
The DSWD also distributes
cash aid amounting to up to
P7,000 to each resident whose
house was partially damaged by
storms and P10,000 each to
owners of destroyed houses.
It may also provide P30,000
in cash assistance “to augment
resources of families in
constructing houses in
relocation sites provided for the
purposes and using locally
available materials.”
Lack of support, feuds
Problems regarding the titles
of relocation sites, bad weather,
SACRAMENTO, California - Police confirmed December
24 that the body found inside a
car near Sacramento was that
of missing pregnant Filipino
American, Aubrey Andrews.
The 20-year-old Andrews
was nine months pregnant
when she went missing on
December 6. The Sacramento
County Coroner's office also
declared that her baby died at
the same time she did.
Andrews had filed for
divorce In May from her
husband Edward. A domestic
violence claim filed almost a
year ago resulted in a
restraining order against
E dwa rd A n d re w s , c o u r t
documents showed.
The Prius belonging to
Andrews was found Monday
night in Elk Grove, but
authorities did not identify the
body at the time. An
investigation is under way,
which authorities said could
take up to eight months.
Inquirer.net
lack of support from local
government units, feuding local
politicians and the failure to
closely monitor the status of the
project were among the reasons
cited by the COA auditors for the
DSWD's failure to complete its
shelter program.
For instance, the mayor of
Boac town, Marinduque
province, was not interested in
implementing the government's
housing program for typhoon
survivors.
There were also cases of
beneficiaries failing to build
their houses after they received
financial assistance. In some
areas, survivors opted to move in
to their partially finished houses
without windows and doors,
exposing them to the elements.
“Some construction
materials were abandoned,
destroyed [or] deteriorating.
[W]ork delays in some areas are
due to scarcity of materials,” the
COA said.
Regular inspection
To avoid these problems, the
COA urged the DSWD to carry out
“regular ocular inspection to
determine whether project
funds are utilized according to
the objectives of the program.”
It asked DSWD officials to
submit reports “duly supported
with actual accomplishments as
well as the status of unoccupied
shelters.”
T h e a u d i t t e a m a s ke d
Soliman to order her field
officers not to release the cash
assistance until the relocation
sites were already available.
“Supervise and monitor the
Aubrey Andrews, 20, was found dead.
proper implementation of the
[housing] program to enable the
completion and proper
utilization of core shelter units,”
the COA said.
“ I n t h e c a s e o f
unfinished/unconstructed units
reported in current/prior years,
demand from [local government
units] concerned [that they]
comply with their obligations as
a g re e d u p o n i n t h e M OA
(memorandum of agreement)
with the DSWD,” it added.
In its scrutiny of the P449.4
million in trust funds for
Sendong victims, the audit
agency found out that P3 million
was used for the construction of
the Disaster Relief Operation
building, also called the Crisis
Intervention Unit (CIU) building.
“The construction of [the]
CIU building was not one of the
prioritized items identified in
the notice of transfer of funds,”
the COA said.
It reminded the DSWD that
the financial aid for the victims
was intended “purely and solely
for the welfare of the immediate
victims.”
“[U]sing such fund for the
construction of the CIU building,
which generally caters not only
to the direct victims but to
anybody under crisis situation, is
contrary to the purpose of the
creation of trust funds,” it added.
While it noted the CIU
building's importance in
providing psychosocial help to
residents in times of crisis, the
COA said the construction of the
building may be done using
other funds.
Unreleased funds
As of Dec. 31, 2013, or more
than two years after Sendong
ravaged several provinces in
Mindanao, the COA said only
P346.895 million, or 77 percent
of the budget, had been released.
In its report, the COA called
the attention of the DSWD to its
failure to properly report the use
of P1.815 billion in DAP funds
released to the department.
In July, the Supreme Court
struck down as unconstitutional
the savings-impounding
mechanism introduced by the
Aq u i n o a d m i n i s t ra t i o n to
bankroll several big-ticket
projects, such as road
construction in the provinces.
State auditors said P1.315
billion of the DSWD's DAP funds
went to the Technical Education
and Skills Development
Authority for its government
internship program, while P500
million was transferred to the
Commission on Higher
Education for its cash assistance
program for students of state
universities and colleges.
“ To d a te , t h e a m o u n t s
remained unliquidated without
any recorded liquidation to
document disbursements of the
funds transferred,” the COA said.
It said more than P110
million of the department's DAP
allocation was used for 108
daycare centers built by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
and for the “cash-for-work”
program for the construction of
100 housing units. Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 8
What can I do for my country in 2015?
MANILA -- In the past
months we have become a
nation of critics. Thanks to
social media, we were able to
express our keen interest in
evaluating our fellow Filipinos'
actions and behavior towards
issu es t ha t con cern ou r
citizenry and humanity.
But after scrutinizing all
national issues we
encountered, what comes next
for the Filipino people? Do our
acts of patriotism simply
remain as virtual scrutiny?
While it is a 'big step
forward' for the country that
more and more people are
starting to pay attention to
social matters, it would still not
translate to progress if we do
not practice the ideals we have
in mind.
Now how can we contribute
to the growth of our nation?
What can I really do for my
country from here and on?
Simple! Change for the
better.
Be more fearless. Be more
vigilant. Be more involved. And
since we are all aiming for one
goal to add to the development
of our country in our own little
ways let us re-visit our roots
and revive within us the core
values that make us, Filipino
people, distinct and united.
Let us remember to be
mapagpasalamat (grateful),
matatag (resilient), masigasig
( h a r d w o r k i n g ) ,
m a p a g m a l a s a k i t
(compassionate), and
magalang (respectful).
This is us according to the
study “The Filipino Worldview
and Values” conducted by Dr.
Mina Ramirez of the Asian
Social Institute.
Filipinos are by nature:
Mapagpasalamat (Grateful)
Matatag (Resilient)
Masigasig (Hardworking)
If the world is to name one nation that nails the
concept of “good vibes” best, the Filipino people will
be sure to take home the recognition. And that is
because we have a positive outlook in life. We always
find things to be thankful for, and even in times of
calamities and difficulties, we still manage to smile
and look at the bright side of life.
This stems from our roots of being faithful in God
and our fellowmen, says Dr. Ramirez.
“We are a happy race,” she adds, reason why we
can always spread good vibes.
And because we are optimistic even in times of
difficulties, we have also become resilient. We stand
up to every obstacle that life throws at us, no matter
how tough it is. We have learned to adapt and more
importantly, we have our loved ones and life's
aspirations to be strong for.
And according to Dr. Ramirez, Filipinos endure
everything until we surpass the hurdles because we
long for kaayusan (order).
We also work extra hard to achieve our dreams
and the inspiring part about this is that, we do not do it
for ourselves. We thrive because we want to be able to
provide sufficient and stable support for our family
and loved-ones.
A perfect example for this would be Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFWs) who endure being away
from home to give their families a life of abundance,
relieved from hardships.
Mapagmalasakit (Compassionate)
The overflowing amount of love we
have within us is not confined within
the four corners of our home. We
extend it even to our friends,
neighbours, and even people that
we're only getting to know. When we
interact with others, we do it with
compassion. We look not only into the
physical façade of our fellowmen, but
we also look into their kalooban
(character/nature) and their lives.
And because we treat everyone as
if they are family, we are able to help
other people without asking for
anything in return. This is why
championing the “Bayanihan” spirit uniting and helping each other in
times of calamities and celebrating
together during special occasions is
easy for the Filipino nation.
Now these core values are
found to be innate in every one
of us. Some may have turned
elusive overtime due to
infrequent practice, but it is
never too late to revive these
values within us.
Once we gain these values
back and we sustain it through
the years, we can definitely
become a stronger nation - a
nation with gratefulness,
resilience, hard working
nature, compassion, and
respect for its people, the
happenings on its
surroundings, and even the
continuous collective effort to
Magalang (Respectful)
“We are polite people,”
s a y s D r. R a m i r e z w h o
reiterates in her “The Filipino
Worldview and Value” study
that Filipinos have utmost
respect for the elderly and
that even our language is
respectful of sexes given that
terms like kapatid
(brother/sister), biyenan
(father-in-law/mother-inlaw) or anak (son/daughter)
do not have gender bias.
And our respect is not
limited to just these
elements. We also respect
people's properties,
emotions, and ideas.
develop it.
Resolution
As we welcome the New
Year, before we face the big
social issues, let us be Bida
Changers by making small
changes such as bringing out
and practicing these five core
Filipino values. This, when
done together, will help us
become stronger and better.
This is what we can do for
our country this 2015 and the
years to come.
We can change for the
better!
“Change for the better” is a
campaign spearheaded by
Krem-Top Coffee Creamer. For
more information on the
c a m p a i g n ,
v i s i t
facebook.com/AlaskaKremeTo
p or follow @KremTopPH on
Twitter. Advt. Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 9
Overseas Filipinos essay contest
for students offers cash prizes
SAN FRANCISCO -- An
overseas Filipino group is holding
an essay contest with an offer of
cash prizes for high school and
college students on the role and
importance of overseas Filipinos
in the future of the Philippines.
Celia Lamkin, chairperson of
the US Pinoys for Good
Governance-Marianas Chapter
(Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands and Guam),
announced the contest, which is
open to all Filipino students or
students of Filipino descent in the
Philippines and overseas, from 10
to 25 years old, who are enrolled
in high school and college.
“An Overseas Filipino is a
person of Filipino origin who lives
outside of the Philippines,”
according to Wikipedia's
definition. “This term applies to
Filipinos who are both abroad
indefinitely as citizens or
p e r m a n e n t re s i d e n t s o f a
different country, and to those
Filipino citizens abroad for a
limited, definite period, such as
on a work contract or a student. It
can also include seamen and
others who work outside the
Philippines but are not residents,
either permanent or temporary,
of another country.”
In 2012, the Commission on
Overseas Filipinos (CFO), headed
by Secretary Imelda M. Nicolas
under the Office of the President
of the Philippines, estimated that
approximately 10.5 million
Filipinos worked or resided
abroad.
Submissions start from
December 31, 2014 to February 1,
2015. Entries should be
submitted by email only at
overseasfilipinosessay@yahoo
.com.
The theme of the essay is
“The Overseas Filipinos and
their impact on the
Philippines.”
The essay should focus on:
1. The contributions of
Overseas Filipinos to the
economy of the Philippines.
The importance of the
participation of overseas
Filipinos in the Philippine
elections.
2. The social risks that the
children and families of
overseas Filipinos face due to
Atty. Loida Nicolas Lewis, national
chairwoman of US Pinoys for Good
Governance, flashes the V sign at a
rally in front of the UN building in
New York City on July 24, 2013
denouncing China's sweeping claim
to much of South China Sea and its
incursion in Philippine territorial
waters. Sonny Austria/The Filipino
Express file photo
long years of separation or long
distance relationships?
3. Why are the overseas
Filipinos called the “new
heroes” of the Philippines.
Please describe the traits of
overseas Filipinos, which make
them unique as global
immigrants and Overseas
Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Contestants are encouraged
to read books, publications and
the Internet on various articles
regarding the theme.
The essay must be original. It
must not have been previously
published in print or online or any
visual and/or auditory recording.
It must be in English and must not
be more than 1,500 typed words
and should be in MS word format.
Prize ranges from 25,000 to
3,000 pesos ($500 to $ 60). The
school/college/university of the
first prize-winning essays will
receive 10,000 pesos ($220) each.
Every student entry must
contain the confirmation of the
s c h o o l p r i n c i p a l ,
college/university dean or
president that the essay is written
by and originated from the
student. Signature of the school
principal, college or university
president or dean, address, email
address and telephone number
are required to authenticate the
student entry.
Only one entry per person will
be accepted. The entry form is
available at www.uspgg.org or it
can be requested by email at
celialamkin@yahoo.com . A
parental consent, authorization
and liability waiver form is
required for minor student. Adult
students, for their part, must
submit a student consent ,
authorization and liability waiver
form.
A panel of judges, selected by
the US Pinoys for Good
Governance Ad Hoc Committee
for Essay Contest on Overseas
Filipinos, will make the final
decision. The panel is composed
of prominent lawyers, journalists,
retired educators and university
administrators, consultants,
among others.
The awards ceremony will be
held during the Third Global
Summit of Filipinos in the
Diaspora on February 25-27,
2015, at Manila Hotel in Manila,
Philippines, where approximately
600 participants from different
countries are expected to attend.
Attorney Loida Nicolas Lewis,
national chairperson of US Pinoys
for Good Governance, says, ” It is
good to listen to what the youth
feel about Filipinos Overseas
because they themselves may be
children of Filipinos who went
abroad to seek financial resources
to give their family a better
future.”
US Pinoys for Good
Governance, headed by national
chairwoman attorney Loida
Nicolas Lewis, president attorney
Rodel Rodis and legal
counsel/spokesman attorney Ted
Laguatan, is a 501 (c) (3)
nonprofit organization based in
New York, whose mission is a
better life for Filipinos
everywhere and a better
Philippines.
For more information, email
D r. C e l i a L a m k i n a t
c e l i a l a m k i n @ ya h o o . c o m o r
Norman Silvestre at
norman.silvestre@yahoo.com.ph.
For more information on the
USP4GG, visit www.uspgg.org.
Inquirer.net
Rosemary, center, with proud parents Elvie and Cesar
Fil-Am passes New
York State Bar Exam
Rosemary Spring Ortiona
graduated from Hofstra University
(Hempstead New York Campus) on
May 19, 2014 with a degree of
Bachelor of Arts in College of Law. She
graduated Cum Laude and received an
award for excellence in the study of
Property Law.
On October 28, 2014, Rosemary
received a letter from the New York
State Board of Law Examiners
congratulating her for passing the
New York State Board Examination
she took as first-timer in July 2014.
Rosemary has two brothers who
are currently in active duty: U.S. Army
Lt. Col. Christopher John Ortiona and
U.S. Air Force Capt. Alexander Angel
Ortiona. Both were previously
deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and
other countries that are in war zones.
Rosemary is the only daughter of
Cesar R. Ortiona of Magdalena, Laguna
and Elvie A. Ortiona of Solano, Nueva
Vizcaya.
San Francisco grants $100K for college
prep for Filipino immigrant youth
SAN FRANCISCO -- In what is seen
as a groundbreaking initiative by a city
government, the City of San Francisco
in December approved the release of
$100,000 to a Filipino-led nonprofit to
launch a one-of-a-kind, culturally
sensitive college preparatory program
for low-income Filipino immigrant
youth and other communities of color
in the South of Market district.
With the strong support of District
6 Supervisor Jane Kim, the South of
Market Community Action Committee,
and the South of Market Youth
Collaborative, City Hall granted the
funds that would allow West Bay
Pilipino Multi Service Center, the
oldest Filipino American nonprofit in
Northern California, to launch a
vgslaw@gmail.com
college prep program early next year.
“This is a historic moment for the
Filipino American community,” said
Vivian Zalvidea Araullo, West Bay
Pilipino's executive director. “As far as I
can tell, there is no other city
government that has shown
tremendous support for the welfare of
underserved Filipino immigrant youth
aspiring for higher education.”
According to a May 2014 study
commissioned by the API Council,
Filipinos have among the highest high
school dropout rates in San Francisco,
with an alarming increase from 2.3
percent in 2009 to 3.8 percent as of
2012, which is more than half the San
Francisco average of seven percent.
u
Page 12
January 2-8, 2015
Page 10
While the iron's hot
The year 2014 may well be remembered as the year when
government policymakers woke to the reality that the economy
needs their proactive involvement to achieve a faster growth rate.
For the first time since President Aquino assumed office, the
administration actually started moving - and at an impressive
pace - on the public-private partnership program, which is the
cornerstone of its economic program. Not everything was smooth
sailing, of course; just like anywhere else in the world, it never is.
But government bureaucrats, or at least some of them, finally set
aside their interminable planning sessions and overdone
feasibility studies and decided to “just do it,” as that famous
sneaker ad counsels.
This is important because, for all the professions of love that
the administration has made for “inclusive growth” - that is,
ensuring that the benefits of a resurgent economy are felt as much
by the poor as the rich - it seemed to overlook the fact that the
billion-peso fortune it continues to funnel into its Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino subsidy program is but a stopgap measure.
For genuine inclusive growth to take hold, only the participation
of the private sector on a massive scale will do. But the
administration, with its dogged focus on cleaning up the
government in the first few years of its term, appeared to forget
that private-sector initiative can only be spurred with publicsector policies.
The administration's moves to spur faster economic growth
could not have come at a more opportune time. The Philippines
has received another credit-rating upgrade from an international
debt watcher, pushing the country higher into investment-grade
territory. This means that all Philippine entities, from the
government to private corporations, can borrow funds from
overseas at lower interest rates. With global interest rates set to
rise, this is a welcome development on which Filipinos should not
fail to capitalize.
Indeed, there is a large infrastructure gap which the
Philippines needs to bridge if it is to join the ranks of more
developed nations and reduce poverty. This gap can only be
reduced by a massive infrastructure program, and there is no
better time to do it than the present, with the small window of low
borrowing rates still open to the country. It is this small funding
window that would allow the government to bring into higher
gear the rehabilitation and reconstruction program it has put up
in response to the damage Supertyphoon “Yolanda” wrought on
Eastern Visayas.
Month after month in 2014, pundits expressed dismay at
reports of persistent underspending by the government. It's time
for the administration to abandon this miserly approach to
economic stimulus and actually start spending where the funds
are needed.
Finally, there is the good news brought about by the drop in oil
prices worldwide. The Philippines - being an importer of “black
gold” to run everything from motor vehicles to power plants - is
widely expected to benefit from this phenomenon. Consumers
are actually beginning to feel the benefits through lower
petroleum prices and, slowly, lower public transportation fares.
The public is of course hoping that prices of consumer goods
would soon follow the downtrend. But if economic theory and
practice have anything to teach us, it's that prices tend to be
“sticky” on the upside. That is, once people get used to selling
Philippine EB-3 Has
Advanced over 6 Years
in Past 12 Months
The January 2015 Visa Bulletin
shows that the worldwide
employment-based third
preference (EB-3) cut-off date
which includes the Philippines has
advanced by 7 months from
November 1, 2012 in December to
June 1, 2013. China has advanced
by 9 months to March 1, 2011 and
India by 2 weeks to December 15,
2003.
The Philippine EB-3 cut-off
date has jumped dramatically by 6
years and 3 ½ months in the past
12 months. In January 2014, the
cut-off date was February 15, 2007.
Such rapid movement is likely to
increase the demand for visa
numbers and this may require
corrective action. Retrogression is
a possibility in the coming months.
China's employment-based
second preference has advanced by
one month to February 1, 2010 but
India is unchanged at February 15,
2005.
The employment-based second
preference (EB-2) remains current
for all other countries. All the other
employment preferences remain
current for all countries.
The family-based preferences
(F-1 to F-4) move slowly. The
worldwide preference cut-off dates
are as follows: F-1 July 8, 2007; F2A April 15, 2013; F-2B April 1,
2008; F-3 December 22, 2003 and
F-4 March 22, 2002.
The Philippines cut-off dates
are: F-1 December 22, 2004; F-2A
April 15, 2013; F-2B February 1,
2004; F-3 July 8, 1993 and F-4 July
15, 1991.
Because of the annual
numerical limitation of visa
n u m b e r s , c u t - o f f d a te s a re
established for oversubscribed
categories. If an applicant's priority
date is before the cut-off date
stated in the monthly visa bulletin,
a visa number is immediately
available. If the priority date comes
on or after the cut-off date, the
applicant needs to wait until the
priority date becomes current.
The family-based 1st
preference category (F-1) refers to
unmarried sons and daughters of
U.S. citizens, while the F-2A
preference refers to spouses and
children (less than 21 years old) of
permanent residents.
The F-2B preference category
refers to unmarried sons and
daughters (21 years or older) of
lawful permanent residents. The F-3
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Writing '-30-’
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Lito A. Gajilan, Jr.
Columnists: Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq.,
Juan L. Mercado, Joseph G. Lariosa
Correspondent: Grace G. Baldisseri
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do
not reflect the opinion of the paper nor that of the publisher.
Email: filexpress@aol.com
Phone: 201-434-1114 Fax 201-434-0880
2711 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07306
“You're a fool,” our fellow
journalist snapped at us. “Don't you
realize that there are thousands
scrambling to migrate to the United
States - or anywhere else?”
Upon retiring from the United
Nations, which posted us in
Thailand and Italy for 19 years, the
wife and I chose to return to the
Philippines. Then we gave up our
permanent-residence status in the
United States, which had earlier
given us sanctuary, as it did to
previous generations of refugees.
We broke loose from martiallaw detention and two years of city
arrest under the Marcos
dictatorship. For that, we stacked
up IOUs that can never be paid.
“Just write anything [in your
petition to the President to scram],”
counseled then Press Secretary
Jacobo Clave, a former colleague in
the Evening News. So we scribbled,
pledging to obey the laws of the
republic. Clave got the signature
that was the only law then. Human
rights lawyer Joker Arroyo
monitored every step of our way to
get out and kept the International
Press Institute informed.
On the receiving end in UN
Thailand, Dioscoro Umali, then
regional representative of the Food
and Agriculture Organization and
subsequent Philippine National
Scientist, gave us a temporary job.
“This contract is for three
months,” the FAO's Corazon Uy
said. We stayed 17 years, as regular
FAO officer. But that's another
story.
Exit from the unlamented “New
Society” opened alternate doors
for our five children. They chose to
become US citizens in the interim.
The wife and I chose ìthe road less
traveledî - and, as it turned out, a
return to journalism.
S h o r t ly t h e re a f t e r, t h e n
Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot
and then Opinion editor Jorge
Aruta asked now Presidential
Assistant Manuel Quezon III and us
to each do a twice-a-week column.
It has been over nine years now
since we started crafting
Viewpoint columns for the
Inquirer. The first column, titled
“Trade in orphan tears,” appeared
on Feb. 5, 2004.
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Page 14
January 2-8, 2015
Page 11
'How
do
we
welcome
the
tenderness
of
Opinion
God?' Pope Francis' Christmas Eve homily
By Yonat Shimron
Religion News Service
Pope Francis delivered the
following Christmas Eve homily at
the Vatican:
“The people who walked in
darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep
darkness, on them has light
shined” (Isaiah 9:1). “An angel of
the Lord appeared to (the
shepherds) and the glory of the
Lord shone around them” (Luke
2:9). This is how the liturgy of this
holy Christmas night presents to us
the birth of the Savior: As the light
which pierces and dispels the
deepest darkness. The presence of
the Lord in the midst of his people
cancels the sorrow of defeat and
the misery of slavery, and ushers in
joy and happiness.
We too, in this blessed night,
have come to the house of God. We
have passed through the darkness
which envelops the earth, guided
by the flame of faith which
i l l u m i n a te s o u r s te p s , a n d
enlivened by the hope of finding
the “great light.. By opening our
hearts, we also can contemplate
the miracle of that child-sun who,
arising from on high, illuminates
the horizon.
The origin of the darkness
which envelops the world is lost in
the night of the ages. Let us think
back to that dark moment when
the first crime of humanity was
committed, when the hand of Cain,
blinded by envy, killed his brother
Abel (cf. Gen 4:8). As a result, the
unfolding of the centuries has been
marked by violence, wars, hatred
and oppression. But God, who
placed a sense of expectation
within man made in his image and
likeness, was waiting. He waited
for so long that perhaps at a certain
point it seemed he should have
given up. But he could not give up
because he could not deny himself
(2 Timothy 2:13). Therefore he
continued to wait patiently in the
face of the corruption of man and
peoples.
Through the course of history,
the light that shatters the darkness
reveals to us that God is Father and
that his patient fidelity is stronger
than darkness and corruption. This
is the message of Christmas night.
God does not know outbursts of
anger or impatience; He is always
there, like the father in the Parable
of the Prodigal Son, waiting to
catch from afar a glimpse of the lost
son as he returns.
Isaiah's prophecy announces
the rising of a great light which
breaks through the night. This light
is born in Bethlehem and is
welcomed by the loving arms of
Mary, by the love of Joseph, by the
wonder of the shepherds. When
the angels announced the birth of
the Redeemer to the shepherds,
they did so with these words: “This
will be a sign for you: you will find a
baby wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger”
(Luke 2:12). The “sign” is the
humility of God taken to the
extreme; it is the love with which,
that night, He assumed our frailty,
our suffering, our anxieties, our
desires and our limitations. The
message that everyone was
expecting, that everyone was
searching for in the depths of their
souls, was none other than the
tenderness of God: God who looks
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Page 12
Opinion Go watch 'Bonifacio' to encourage
film producers
By Neal H. Cruz
The good news from the Metro
Manila Film Festival is that
“Bonifacio” won nine awards,
including Best Picture. But the best
news is that such potboilers as
“Feng Shui 2,” “The Amazing
Praybeyt Benjamin,” and “Shake,
Rattle and Roll XV” did not win any.
(“Buti nga.”) For many years
already, new versions of the latter
horror flick have been insulting
MMFF moviegoers.
A film festival is supposed to
show outstanding movies. The
MMFF was started to improve
Philippine movies by giving
awards to outstanding films, but it
has not been able to do that. The
MMFF has ceased to be a contest
for best film achievement but a
contest for the top box office
grossers.
As big a story as the award
winners are which pictures earned
the most at the box office.
And the sad news is that the
leaders in the box office are the
trash movies. The good ones like
“Bonifacio” are lagging behind.
“Bonifacio” star Robin Padilla said
the film has earned only P10
million as of last Sunday. It cost
P250 million to make. How can we
encourage producers to make
better movies with such a poor
return on investment? Let us hope
that after winning nine awards, the
movie would be something people
would go to see. We should support
movies like it, not the trash movies.
In spite of years of the MMFF,
the big studios have not been able
to produce good movies. They have
been content to produce movies
mainly for the box office. It is the
small independent producers who
have been turning out outstanding
films. Maybe the MMFF should
concentrate on the independent
producers, not the big studios.
Many entries of the big studios
to the MMFF should not even be
admitted to the festival, but for
many years its organizers and
judges have been qualifying trash
movies. Entries of the big studios
are sure to be qualified even if they
are insults to the intelligence of
moviegoers.
For years, horror flicks,
romantic comedies, and fantasy
movies were the common fare of
the MMFF. Thought-provoking
movies like “Bonifacio” were few.
Last year, the film about Emilio
Aguinaldo, “El Presidente,” won
best picture, if I am not mistaken.
These two movies should be
viewed one after the other because
they present opposite views of
history. “El Presidente” shows
Aguinaldo as the hero and
Bonifacio as the villain. “Bonifacio”
shows it the other way.
“El Presidente” portrays
Bonifacio as a traitor and a threat
to the new independent republic;
that is why Aguinaldo ordered him
executed. “Bonifacio” shows him as
a martyr, the founder and Supremo
of the Katipunan who launched the
Philippine Revolution of 1896, but
became a victim of revolutionary
politics. He was another example of
the saying that “revolutions eat
their own sons.”
Eddie Garcia as the museum
curator contradicts the “traitor”
accusation by telling the students:
“Ganyan ba ang traidor? Binigay
nya ang buhay sa bayan?” (Is that a
traitor? He gave his life for his
country.)
The movie also says that
Bonifacio is the first president of
the Philippines, not Aguinaldo.
And that is the point of
“Bonifacio.” It wants the younger
generation not to believe entirely
the history textbooks but to look
deeper into history and judge for
themselves. That is why the movie
is told on two levels: the present
and the past.
In the present level, students
discuss Philippine history in class
and go to the Bonifacio shrine to
look at relics. Then the movie shifts
to the revolutionary days, then
back to the present, and then back
to the past again. This breaks up
the narrative about Bonifacio and
the Katipunan and sometimes
irritates moviegoers. But the
movie wants to entice the young
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Page 14
Perhaps it has to do with the
fact that the Communists have no
powerful advocates outside of the
Philippines, now that Communism
itself has lost a lot of its old
influence worldwide. On the other
hand, the Moros have extremely
powerful backers like the United
States and Malaysia, to name just
two countries that want peace to
descend on Mindanao, to further
their own agendas.
I don't really know. All I know
is, if Noynoy is truly seeking peace,
he will embrace the Communists like his father and mother did - in
the same way that he does the
Moros.
***
OK, the head of the Catholic
Church is about to pay a visit. But
perhaps it's not the right time to
channel the spirit of John Lennon
and imagine a world without
religion.
It's always a tricky proposition
to interpret Catholic doctrine
when you're not a canon lawyer, as
broadcast giant ABS-CBN found
out recently. And I'm sure that if
the network knew that its
campaign to sell “misleading” Tshirts ahead of the visit to the
Philippines of Pope Francis would
get it in trouble with the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the
Philippines, it would not have
played fast and loose with the rock
star pontiff's statements.
The Lopez network incurred
the bishops' ire when it started
selling shirts that simultaneously
referenced Lennon's popular song
“Imagine” and a statement made
by the Argentinian pope. “No race.
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Page 14
Unequal rebellions
When this Aquino
administration is over, historians
and political scientists will have a
field day dissecting one of its most
unusual policies, the one that
considers the two prolonged
insurgencies that have beset this
country unequally. For now, we
can only wonder why President
Noynoy Aquino will pull out all the
stops to buy a permanent peace
with the Moro secessionists while
not even rousing himself to settle
the Communist rebellion.
This newspaper's longrunning exclusive on the
impending resumption of the
formal peace talks with the
National Democratic Front is
remarkable, in this sense, because
of the tepidity with which
Malacañang has greeted the
willingness of the Communists to
return to the negotiating table. On
the other hand, it seems that there
is no hurdle high enough, no
atrocity chilling enough and no
cost steep enough to gain what the
administration claims is a final
solution to the Moro insurrection
in Mindanao.
Yesterday's reaction to the
Communists' latest demand, to
free Benito and Wilma Tiamzon,
among other top leaders of the
insurgency, as proof of its sincerity
before the resumption of the
negotiations, was no different. The
palace flatly turned down the
demand - no ifs, no buts.
Contrast this hardline position
with the efforts of the
administration to negotiate a
truce with the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front, its chosen
Muslim insurgent group among all
the others claiming primacy in the
strife-torn region. Aquino and his
government are deep in
negotiations for the crafting of a
Bangsamoro Basic Law that will
basically cede large parts of the
country to the Islamic rebels, over
the objections of Mindanao's large
Christian population and other
campaigners for keeping the
territorial integrity of the
Philippines.
Only Aquino himself can
explain his double standard when
it comes to considering the two
rebellions. Even his late mother,
when she was President,
endeavored to strike a balance,
considering both the NDF and the
Moros as equal, if obviously
separate, insurgencies.
January 2-8, 2015
Page 12
How do we
welcome ...
From page 11
Young Filipino students at West Bay Multi Service Center tutorial. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
San Francisco
grants ...
From page 9
The college prep program
aims to help low-income youth
from the Filipino American
community and other
communities of color bring up
their SAT scores to increase
their chances of qualifying for
college.
It will assist youth in
getting financial aid and
scholarships that would allow
them to afford college. Other
fe a t u re s i n c l u d e c o l l e g e
campus tours and career talks
to enable youth and their
families to make informed
choices.
In the context of Filipino
culture, youth who obtain
college degrees are expected to
help lift their own immediate
families out of poverty, as well
as start their own future
families on the right foot.
“San Francisco's move to
invest in West Bay' Pilipino's
college prep program will help
address poverty not only in
these youths' families of origin,
it will also help stop
perpetuating the cycle of
poverty in our community in
the future,” Araullo explained.
The program is also expected to
serve youth of other ethnicities.
Twenty percent of West Bay's
youth population is AfricanAmerican.
The program is expected to
help address the worsening
income and social inequality
gap in San Francisco.
Inquirer.net
upon us with eyes full of love, who
accepts our poverty; God who is in
love with our smallness.
On this holy night, while we
contemplate the Infant Jesus just born
and placed in the manger, we are
invited to reflect. How do we welcome
the tenderness of God? Do I allow
myself to be taken up by God, to be
embraced by him, or do I prevent him
from drawing close? “But I am
searching for the Lord” we could
respond. Nevertheless, what is most
important is not seeking Him, but
rather allowing Him to find me and
caress me with tenderness. The
question put to us simply by the
Infant's presence is: do I allow God to
love me?
More so, do we have the courage
to welcome with tenderness the
difficulties and problems of those
who are near to us, or do we prefer
impersonal solutions, perhaps
effective but devoid of the warmth of
Philippine EB-3 ...
From page 10
preference refers to married sons and
daughters of U.S. citizens. The F-4
preference pertains to brothers and
sisters of adult U.S. citizens.
Beneficiaries of employmentbased and family-based preferences
who have priority dates earlier than
the aforementioned cut-off dates and
are currently in the U.S., must file their
adjustment application in order to get
certain interim immigration benefits
such as employment authorization
and travel permit. Those with
pending adjustment applications will
be allowed to remain in the U.S. and
work here until the adjudication of
their adjustment applications.
Eligible to file for adjustment of status
are those lawfully present in the
United States or those who are
beneficiaries under Section 245(i) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act.
the Gospel? How much the world
needs tenderness today!
The Christian response cannot be
different from God's response to our
smallness. Life must be met with
goodness, with meekness. When we
realize that God is in love with our
smallness, that he made himself small
in order to better encounter us, we
cannot help but open our hearts to
him, and beseech him: “Lord, help me
to be like you, give me the grace of
tenderness in the most difficult
circumstances of life, give me the
grace of closeness in the face of every
need, of meekness in every conflict”.
Dear brothers and sisters: On this
holy night we contemplate the
Nativity scene: there “the people who
walked in darkness have seen a great
light” (Isaiah 9:1). People who were
unassuming, open to receiving the gift
of God, were the ones who saw this
light. This light was not seen,
however, by the arrogant, the proud,
by those who made laws according to
their own personal measures, who
were closed off to others. Let us look
to the crib and pray, asking the
Blessed Mother: “O Mary, show us
Jesus!”
To be covered under Section 245(i),
an alien must be the beneficiary of an
immigrant visa petition or labor
certification properly filed on or
before April 30, 2001. If the visa
petition or labor certification was
filed after January 14, 1998, the alien
must prove that he/she was in the U.S.
on December 21, 2000.
Among the documents required to
file for adjustment of status, in
addition to Form I-485 and related
forms, are the applicant's
photographs, medical examination
report, affidavit of support, copy of
passport and I-94, copy of birth
certificate, and if applicable, copy of
the applicant's marriage certificate
and official proof of termination of
any prior marriage.
(Editor's Note: REUBEN S. SEGURITAN has
been practicing law for over 30 years. For
more information, you may log on to his
website at www.seguritan.com or call (212)
695-5281.)
While the iron’s hot
From page 10
their goods and services at higher prices - whether they be large
corporations, office employees, or the smallest traders - they become
hesitant to settle for less, even when their costs have declined.
(The sharp drop in oil prices holds many risks as well, with some
scenarios being quite devastating for the global economy. But that is for
another, less festive, time.)
So once more, the onus falls on government policymakers to make the
benefits of all these positive developments reach the lowest rungs of
Philippine society's ladder. With less than two years left, the Aquino
administration must do so with utmost urgency. Barring that, it must
unfetter the private sector with the same urgency and get rid of the
bureaucratic roadblocks that have been hindering development.
It can well be this administration's resolution for the new year: Move
faster, or get out of the way. Good times never last, at least economically
speaking. Everyone in the public and private sectors must strike while the
iron is hot. Inquirer.net
TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CALL
201-434-1114
January 2-8, 2015
Page 13
Was Bonifacio the First President?
By Perry Diaz
Recently, there has been a great
deal of interest on one of our heroes
and founder of the Katipunan, Andres
Bonifacio. Indeed, many are now of the
belief that he had been denied the
recognition he deserved.
A decade ago, I wrote a column,
“Was Bonifacio the First President?”
that revisited the turbulent times
when the revolutionary movement
was in disarray; divided into two
factions, one led by Andres Bonifacio,
the Supremo of the Katipunan, and the
other, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of
theMagdalo faction.
Although Aguinaldo succeeded in
wresting control of the Katipunan from
Bonifacio in a power struggle that cost
Bonifacio his life, Aguinaldo never had
a chance to establish his rule over the
archipelago. The coming of the
Americans weakened his fledgling
government. He fled to Palanan,
Isabela in Northern Luzon where he
made his last stand.
On March 23, 1901 - exactly four
years after Aguinaldo took his oath of
office as president at the Tejeros
convention the Americans, led by Brig.
Gen. Frederick Funston, captured
Aguinaldo in his camp in the
mountains of Palanan. Caught by
surprise, Aguinaldo was subdued
without a shot fired.
Thus ended the aspirations of the
Filipino people to establish their own
nation, sovereign and independent
from foreign powers, which makes one
wonder: If Bonifacio wasn't murdered
and Aguinaldo had joined his
government, would the revolution
have succeeded under the leadership
of Bonifacio? And this begs the
question:
Was Bonifacio the First President?
(By Perry Diaz, January 21, 2005)
On July 7, 1892, Andres Bonifacio upon hearing the news that Dr. Jose
Rizal was arrested and deported to
Dapitan the day before - called for a
meeting with five of his friends, to wit:
Jose Dizon, Valentin Diaz, Deodato
Arellano, Ladislao Diwa, and Teodoro
Plata. That night, they organized a
secret society called Kataastaasang
Kagalanggalangan na Katipunan ng
mga Anak ng Bayan (Highest and Most
Respected Society of the Sons and
Daughters of the Nation) - in short,
Katipunan. Bonifacio was named their
Supremo.
They recruited people to join and
by 1896, on the eve of the revolution,
the Katipunan had more than 400,000
members. During the revolution, two
dominant leaders emerged - Bonifacio
and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. By 1897, to
the detriment of the revolution, their
rivalry had divided the revolutionary
forces into Bonifacio's Magdiwang
faction and Aguinaldo's Magdalo
faction.
Attempts were made to reconcile
the two leaders. On March 22, 1897,
the two factions held a convention in
Tejeros, a barrio of San Francisco de
Malabon in Cavite, Aguinaldo's
bailiwick. Aguinaldo did not attend the
gathering. Jacinto Lumbreras, a
Magdiwang, presided over the
a s s e m b ly. T h e a g e n d a o f t h e
convention was to adopt a plan for the
defense of Cavite. However, the subject
was not even discussed as the meeting
became tumultuous. Instead, those in
attendance decided to elect the officers
of the revolutionary government. In
essence, the participants threw out the
Supreme Council of the Katipunan
under which all the revolutionary
forces had been fighting for. Bonifacio
reluctantly agreed to preside over the
election. Aguinaldo was elected
President; Mariano Trias as Vice
President; Artemio Ricarte as CaptainGeneral; Emiliano Riego de Dios as
Director of War; and Bonifacio as
Director of the Interior. The following
day, March 23, Aguinaldo and the other
elected officials, with the exception of
Bonifacio, took their oath of office in
the new revolutionary government.
Meanwhile, on the same day the
Aguinaldo took his oath of office,
B on ifa cio a n d his followers numbering forty-five - met again at the
same venue of the convention held the
day before. They were furious. They
felt bad about the results of the
election. They believed that the
Magdalo faction committed anomalies
during the balloting. Consequently,
they decided to invalidate the election.
They drew up a document - Acta de
Tejeros - giving their reasons for
nullifying the results of the convention.
Bonifacio and his supporters
believed that Aguinaldo's men were
responsible for the chaos at the Tejeros
c o nve n t i o n . H e b e l i e ve d t h a t
Aguinaldo's men had maneuvered him
out of power. Indeed, it was a rude
awakening for him because even the
Magdiwangs, his followers, did not
vote for him either for President or
Vice-President.
Adding insult to an injury, Daniel
T i ro n a , a M a g d a l o , p ro t e s t e d
Bonifacio's election as Director of the
Interior saying that a person with a
lawyer's diploma should hold the post.
Bonifacio, outraged by Tirona's insult,
angrily declared: “I, as chairman of this
assembly and as President of the
Supreme Council of the Katipunan, as
all of you do not deny, declare this
assembly dissolved, and I annul all that
has been approved and resolved.”
At Naik, where Bonifacio
280 Luis Munoz Marin Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07302
subsequently moved his Magdiwang
forces after the failed Tejeros
convention, Bonifacio and his
supporters drew up another document
- known as the Naik Military
Agreement - in which they resolved to
establish a government independent
and separate from the one established
at Tejeros.
Bonifacio and his supporters
proceeded in forming a government.
The government was calledHaring
B aya n g K a t a ga lu ga n (S overeig n
Country of the Tagalog Nation). They
printed itsCartilla, a small handbook
containing the rules, the 14-point code
of ethics, and the recruitment process.
In it, the Katipunan declared that the
word “Tagalog” stood for “all who were
born in this archipelago… hence
Visayans, Ilocanos and Pampangos
were all Tagalogs” (“Filipino” during
the Spanish regime was a Spaniard
born in the Philippines and the natives
were called “indios”). The following
were elected as officers of the de facto
government of Haring Bayang
Katagalugan: Andres Bonifacio President; Emilio Jacinto - Minister of
State; Teodoro Plata - Minister of War;
Aguedo del Rosario - Minister of the
Interior; Briccio Pantas - Minister of
Justice; Enrique Pacheco - Minister
Finance; Silvestre Baltazar - Treasurer
General; Daniel Tirona - Secretary
General. Unfortunately, the Bonifacio
government was never recognized
because they were all busy fighting the
Spanish colonial forces.
Upon learning of the Naik Military
Agreement , Aguinaldo sent a
contingent of soldiers to arrest
Bonifacio and his brothers Procopio
and Ciriaco. The confrontation became
deadly. Ciriaco was killed and
Bonifacio and Procopio were
wounded. They were brought to Naik
to face a military tribunal. Albeit the
absence of evidence, the Bonifacio
brothers were found guilty of treason
and sedition. They were recommended
for execution. Aguinaldo commuted
the sentence to deportation. However,
Generals Mariano Noriel and Pio del
Pilar, both former allies of Bonifacio,
convinced Aguinaldo to withdraw his
order and proceed with the execution.
They believed that as long as Bonifacio
were alive, there would be no unity. On
May 10, 1897, Aguinaldo's soldiers
executed the Bonifacio brothers at the
foot of Mt. Tala. They were buried in
shallow graves without markers.
On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo
proclaimed the independence of the
Philippines and installed a “Dictatorial
Government” that would be temporary
in nature until peace is achieved at
which time it may be “modified by the
nation, in which rests the principle of
authority.”
On March 23, 1901, exactly fours
years after he took his first oath of
office, American forces captured
Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela. Thus
ended the Philippine revolution
started by Bonifacio.
To d a y, A n d r e s B o n i f a c i o' s
admirers believe that he was the first
president of the Philippines. He
organized the Katipunan and led the
revolution against Spain. They
believed that not only was he the first
president of the country, he should be
accorded the title of “National Hero” of
the Philippines.
Had the historians robbed Andres
Bonifacio of his rightful place in
P h i l i p p i n e h i s t o r y ? S h o u l d n' t
Bonifacio precede Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo as the acknowledged Father
of the Philippines?
(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)
201-333-8060
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
January 2-8, 2015
Page 14
CHINA CONTINUES BULLYING IN
WEST PHILIPPINE SEA. With the
Philippines helplessly looking on,
an expansive China continued to
reclaim land in disputed reefs in
the West Philippine Sea - even as
the arbitration case the
Philippines filed with the United
Nations moved forward.
PNP CHIEF UNDER FIRE.
Suspended PNP Chief Alan
Purisima is facing plunder charges;
the first was filed on April 22 for an
allegedly anomalous courier
services contract with Werfast
Documentary Agency. The second
followed on December 9, this time
involving undeclared properties in
Batangas.
PORT CONGESTION LEADS TO
DELAYED GOODS. A daylight truck
ban ordinance in Manila
hampered the movement of
goods out of the Port of Manila.
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada
finally moved to repeal the ban
after repeated objections and
complaints from business and
industry sectors.
Writing ... From page 10
There is a time for every affair under the
sun, Ecclesiastes tells us. And now, it is time
to write “-30-,” as reporters over 50 used to
do.
So why did journalists then end their
stories that way? Journalism is full of funny
phrases and traditions, and writing “-30-” is
one of them.
The use of the symbol was once so
prevalent that it made its way into Webster's
New Collegiate Dictionary. It means “a sign
of completion.”
“I don't know the origin,” wrote the
Philadelphia Bulletin's Peter Binzen. He
ended his 56-year newspaper career with a
farewell column that concluded with - what
else? - ”-30-.”
Some say the mark began during a time
when stories were submitted via telegraph,
with “-30-” denoting “the end” in Morse
code.
“I'm not sure that it's any more of a
mystery than a lot of other things,” observed
Linda Steiner, who teaches journalism at the
University of Maryland. “Journalists have
always liked to create odd or weird names
for things that they do or conventions that
they have.”
In her final New York Times column,
“Stepping Aside,” Anna Quindlen points out:
“Youngsters today account for about a
quarter of the population. And so, inevitably,
they have created a kind of bottleneck in the
work world, including newsrooms. 'You
guys just won't go,' said my well-mannered
and thoughtful son.”
Previously, there was an orderliness to
how one generation moved aside and
another stepped up to primacy. Life
expectancy has stretched. “Even when I was
the same age as my children are now, there
was a natural transition from one
generation to another.”
Every year, a small group of reporters
#InquirerSeven
Most Rage-inducing
Stories of 2014
MANILA, Dec. 27, 2014 – As 2014 draws to a close, it's
time to take a breather and join INQUIRER.net as we
look back at the seven biggest stories that caused us to
lose our temper.
DEATH OF JEFFREY “JENNIFER” LAUDE. Another US Marine has been
implicated in a crime near the former US naval base of Subic Bay. The
grisly death of transgender woman Jennifer Laude sparked popular
outrage, with militant groups calling for the immediate repeal of the USPhilippines Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defence
Cooperation Agreement.
would leave the newsroom, to be replaced by
younger ones. “With the harsh insensitivity of
youth, I thought this was perfectly fine. But
this makes for a simple equation: fewer
opportunities for the young to move in or
move up.”
“But many of us of a certain age have had a
great deal of difficulty with the concept of
getting older. And that means staying front
and center professionally. The unspoken
synonym for 'emeritus' is' 'old.' And 'old' is a
modern obscenity.”
Changes in news technology have seen
the young invent room for themselves. There
is nothing quite as tedious, or as useless, as
ritual recitations of the good old days, which
most often weren't.
Throughout the world there seems to be
an understanding that this is and ought to be a
time of reinvention, in the economy, in
education, in the office - and in the
newsrooms.
But no one seems eager to reinvent on an
individual level. Yet never has there been a
time when fresh perspective and new ideas
were more necessary.
“The torch has been passed to a new
generation,” John F. Kennedy once said. But
torches don't really get passed very much
because people love to hold on to them.
But between the lines I read another
message, delivered without rancor or
contempt, the same one I once heard from my
own son: It's our turn. Step aside. And now I
will.
We are doing likewise.
And on stepping aside, may we thank the
Inquirer, especially Opinion editor Chato
Garcellano, Christine Ang, and staff for
bearing with a more than onerous dose of our
flaws.
We'll take pleasure in reading the young
ones take on a world where print and the
Internet merge in unforeseen combinations.
So, how do we title this thank-you-and solong column? How else but by “Writing '-30'”?
E-mail: juanlmercado@gmail.com
Go watch ... From page 11
students to be interested in history and to
look further into the politics and conflicts of
revolutionary Philippines.
That is why Daniel Padilla, Robin's
nephew and the heartthrob of teenagers, is
cast in the movie. Although he does nothing
but look at Bonifacio relics, Daniel is
supposed to attract the young crowd simply
by his presence in the movie.
There is a bit of nepotism in the latest
MMFF entries, too. Besides Robin and Daniel
in “Bonifacio,” Rommel Padilla, Robin's
brother and Daniel's father, appears in a
cameo role. He was executed by the
Spaniards. (Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno already an actor before he entered politics also has a cameo role.)
“Feng Shui 2” was produced by Kris
Aquino and features her son Bimby. The only
Unequal ... From page 11
No religion. I embrace diversity,” the shirt
said.
While the message was clearly
intended to leverage the popularity of
Francis, the network apparently forgot
that it will have to be sensitive to the
doctrinal authority of the local bishops,
who are, after all, the interpreters of the
Church's teachings in this country. In a
terse two-sentence statement announcing
the pullout of the offending shirts, the
network apologized for being guilty of, as
they say, being more popish than the pope.
ABS-CBN's experience is a cautionary
tale for every person or entity that wants
to ride on the popularity of the visiting
pope for less-than-holy motives. Selling Tshirts is one thing, after all; using the pope
BILIBID VIPS. The authorities
conducted surprise raids inside
the Maximum Security Compound
of the New Bilibid Prison, finding
illegal drugs, gadgets, closed
circuit television, a music room, a
private gym, and millions in cash.
Three NBP officials were relieved
and 20 high-profile inmates
transferred to NBI facilities.
STATE OF TRANSPORTATION IN
METRO MANILA. The appalling
transportation situation in Metro
Manila reached a new low when
an MRT train broke free and
crashed through a Taft Avenue
station barrier and on to EDSA.
The Japan International
Cooperation Agency estimates
that road traffic costs the
economy P2.7 billion ($57 million)
daily.
ENZO PASTOR SLAY. Enzo Pastor,
the 31-year-old champion racer,
was shot dead by motorcycleriding men in Quezon City on June
12. His wife, Dalia Guerrero, and
her alleged lover, businessman
Domingo “Sandy” De Guzman,
were charged with murder. De
Guzman denied the allegations
while Guerrero has not appeared
in the preliminary investigation
conducted by the DOJ.
person missing there is Boy Abunda.
Another sad piece of news is that “Kubot:
the Aswang Chronicles” won third best
picture when it should not even have been
included in the MMFF. What's wrong with the
MMFF organizers and judges?
But looking at the bright side, maybe the
victory of “Bonifacio,” and “El Presidente”
before it, would encourage producers to
make more movies on Philippine history and
its heroes. Already, a movie about General
Antonio Luna is being made. And the
producers of “Bonifacio” announced that a
bioflick of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar would be
its MMFF entry next year. Good choices.
These two heroes had lives that are dramatic
and cinematic.
May I suggest movies on Generals
Macario Sakay and Miguel Malvar, the last
Filipino generals to surrender to the
Americans. They had cinematic adventures,
too.
to not-so-subtly gain political mileage is
another thing altogether.
And as the celebrity pontiff prepares
to make his apostolic visit, it's important
to remember that not everyone who
declares that he or she is the pope's
biggest fan is doing so out of religious
fervor. Thank God the pope isn't raising
any politician's hand in endorsement
before the next elections, or we'd really be
in trouble.
Of course, that doesn't mean that those
who want to use the insanely popular
Francis' visit for purely base and material
motives aren't going to do so, or die trying.
But the public and the Catholic faithful
should really be more discerning - and
aware that while most only see a pope
coming to visit, others see an opportunity
to make money or assume high office.
January 2-8, 2015
Page 15
SEN. GRACE POE-LLAMANZARES.
The 2013 Senate topnotcher
continued to make waves in 2014.
Senator Poe rode the MRT last
August to experience the suffering
of many commuters first-hand,
earning her wide praise on social
media. Visibly reluctant to consider
a run for the presidency in 2016,
Poe nevertheless surged to a
strong second in Pulse Asia's most
recent sur vey of preferred
presidential candidates.
D A V A O M AY O R R O D R I G O
DUTERTE. Another reluctant
presidential prospect, Duterte
continues to attract support from
various groups despite his
repeated statements that he has no
intention of running for president.
He is known for his strongman
approach to enforcing the law in
Davao City.
FILMMAKER LAV DIAZ. Renowned
filmmaker Lav Diaz garnered
international acclaim for several of
his films this year, including
“Norte,” “Mula sa Kung Ano ang
Noon,” and “Mga Anak ng Unos
(Storm Children).”
M I C H A E L M A RT I N E Z W I N S
HEARTS AT OLYMPICS. Despite
being the Philippines' lone entry in
the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics
and finishing 19th out of 24, 19year-old Michael Martinez won
the hearts of many Filipinos for his
gutsy and passionate
performance.
FILIPINOS RETURN TO STAGE
'MISS SAIGON'. Following in the
footsteps of award-winner Lea
Salonga, Filipinos took to the stage
in the 2014 revival of “Miss
Saigon”: Filipino-American Eva
Noblezada played Kim; Jon Jon
Briones played The Engineer; and
singer Rachelle Ann Go stunned
the audience as world-weary bar
girl Gigi.
PHILIPPINE ARENA IS THE
'WORLD'S LARGEST'. With a
seating capacity of 55,000, the
Philippine Arena in Bocaue,
Bulacan is touted as the world's
largest multipurpose arena. Built
by the Iglesia ni Cristo, the Arena is
the centerpiece of a 140-hectare
tourism zone called Ciudad de
Victoria.
#InquirerSeven
Most Talked-About
Newsmakers
of 2014
MANILA, Dec. 30, 2014 -- The past year has been a good
year for some personalities but not so much for others.
Look back with INQUIRER.net at the newsmakers who
kept making headlines throughout 2014.
'TANDA, POGI, AND SEXY'. In an unprecedented development, three
senators were arrested for their alleged involvement in the billion-peso
pork barrel scam allegedly masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles.
Senators Juan Ponce-Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and Jose “Jinggoy”
Estrada are facing trial on charges of plunder.
#InquirerSeven
Most Fist-Pumping
Stories of Pinoy
Pride of 2014
MANILA, Dec. 29, 2014 -- With 2014 slowly moving over to
usher the new year, INQUIRER.net looks at all the triumphs
of Filipinos around the world that brought pride to the
country.
THE HEART OF GILAS PILIPINAS. It was a bittersweet year for Gilas
Pilipinas; they didn't win medals during the Fiba Basketball World Cup
and the Southeast Asian Games this year, but they won the hearts of
Filipinos with their passion for the game and puso, or heart.
SEN. MIRIAM DEFENSORSANTIAGO. After a two-month
battle with cancer, Santiago
returned to the limelight to say
that she was (mostly) cured and
announced plans to run for
president in 2016. She has also
created a cult following by making
the rounds of universities to
deliver her jokes and pick-up lines.
VICE PRESIDENT JEJOMAR BINAY
AND FAMILY. The Vice President
remains the leading presidential
prospect for 2016, but several
exposes about alleged anomalous
transactions in Makati City and
undisclosed properties in
Batangas implicating him and his
family have been a heavy drag on
his survey numbers, especially his
trust ratings.
POPE FRANCIS. He charmed the
faithful and the rest of the world
with his down-to-earth ways,
candid speech, and a general
openness to modern culture. The
first Jesuit to become Pope, and
the first Pope from Latin America,
Francis continued to make history
on April 27 when he canonized
two PopesPope John XXIII and
Pope John Paul II.
'LET IT GO' COMPOSER IS
FILIPINO-AMERICAN. Robert
Lopez and wife Kristen AndersonLopez won the Best Song Award in
the 2014 Academy Awards and
were also included in Time's Most
Influential People list for a singular
achievement: Their song “Let it
Go” in the animated feature film
“Frozen” became a worldwide
phenomenon, continuing to trend
months after its release in
November 2013.
FILIPINO PEACEKEEPERS PULL
'GREAT ESCAPE'. Fighting off more
than a hundred Syrian rebels for
several hours while being
surrounded and running low on
ammunition, 40 Filipino
peacekeepers pulled off the
“greatest escape” in Golan Heights
last August. Their UN commander
drew flak for previously ordering
the Filipinos to surrender.
RISE OF PINOY 'MAINDIE' FILMS.
This year's Cinemalaya Philippine
Independent Festival drew more
aspiring actors and crowds while
Filipino filmmakers received
critical acclaim in film festivals
around the world, from Lav Diaz at
the Locarno International Film
Festival to young Mikhail Red at
the Vancouver International Film
Festival.
January 2-8, 2015
Page 16
Works by Malang and Zalameda also set new records
BenCab's 'Sabel' sold for P20 million in León auction
By Brylle B. Tabora
León Gallery continues to set a
number of world records in its
ye a re n d e r K i n g ly Tre a s u re s
Auction. The auction featured 155
“Sabel,” by BenCabrera, 1942
pieces of artworks, antiques and
objets d'art that came from
distinguished provenances.
With the starting price of P2
m i l l i o n , B e n e d i c to “ B e n c a b”
Cabrera's 2002 acrylic on canvas
“Sabel” garnered the highest bid
with P14 million. His pièce de
résistance, “Jose Rizal,” was sold for
P10 million.
Breaking León Gallery's own
record for a Mauro Malang Santos
artwork was “Tres Marias,” which
fetched P3.97 million. It beat the
artist's “Mga Kendi,” from the
collection of Carmen Guerrero
Nakpil, which was sold for P2.56
million in the previous auction.
Also setting a new world was
Oscar Zalameda's oil on canvas “A
Good Catch,” which fetched a
staggering P3.7 million, was a little
more than twice the amount his
“Market Scene” was sold for during
León Gallery's mid-year auction this
year.
Kiko Escora's 2002 “Sanguine
Menagerie,” which fetched P1.4
million, broke the record set by
Sothebys for the artist's “Portrait,”
which was sold at P1 million in
2008.
Moreover, Manuel Ocampo's
2011 oil on canvas “The
COmpensatory Motif of The
Libidinal Economy of a Painter's
Bad Conscience,” was sold for P1.28
million. It surpassed Philips de Pury
and Company's record for Ocampo's
“Karl Marx Ejaculating” in 2007.
Younger than Ocamoo, Dominic
Rubio's nostalgic painting on
Hispanic Philippines, “La Juventurs
Manila (Youth of Manila), fetched
P525, 600.
For sculpture, Solomon Saprid's
“Tikbalang,” signed and dated 1973,
was sold for P3.5 million. This broke
León Gallery's own record for his
“Fisherman,” which was valued at
A Good Catch,” by Oscar Zalameda, 1930-2010
P2.57 million.
Old masters
Among the works of old masters
featured in the auction were by
Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Alfonso
Ossorio, Lee Aguinaldo and Juvenal
Sansó, and National Artists
Hernando R. Ocampo, José Joya, Ang
Kiukok and Jerry Elizalde Navarro.
One of the highlights in the
collection was Anita MagsaysayHo's 1949 acrylic on wood “Women
with Jars,” which was auctioned off
at P9.9 million. Another of her piece
in the lot, “Fish Vendors,” was
bought for P1.16 million.
Ossorio's 1951 wax, ink and
watercolor piece was sold for P1
million. His work, praised by close
personal friend Jackson Pollock,
u
Page 17
January 2-8, 2015
Page 17
“Tres Marias,” by Mauro Malang Santos, 1928
BenCab’s ...
From page 16
Shows his signature abstract
expressionism.
Aguinaldo's 1966 painting “Linear
No. 5,” which showcased the artist's
hard-edged minimalist style, was
declared sold at P2.8 million.
Sanso's surrealist and supernatural
rendition of bouquets and flowers,
depicted in his 1965 oil on canvas piece,
was sold for P1 million.
Another noteworthy piece was
Hernando R. Ocampo's oil on canvas
“The Vortex,” signed and dated 1962,
which was sold at P6.77 million.
Considered as the artist's most
sensational piece, and one of the most
expensive art pieces in the auction, José
“BWISIT,” (Jai-Alai Series), by Danilo Dalena, 1942
Joya's 1960 oil on canvas “Labyrinth”
was sold for P8.76 million.
Ang Kiukok's 1980 oil on canvas
“Still Life Table with Fruits,” with the
starting price of P700,000, was sold for
P3.97 million.
A 1996 acrylic on canvas by Navarro
titled “The Barrier Now Cleaven” was
sold at P1.4 million.
Antique furniture
The Atay Cabinet, created by the
country's foremost cabinetmakers AhTay and son Eduardo, was sold for P1.98
million. According social historian
Martin Imperial Tinio, the cabinet was
most probably commissioned by
Francisco Reyes from the Taller de
Carpinteria of Eduardo Atay.
Meanwhile, the Dellota Comoda
with Kneeler and Altar, which was an
unusual piece of furniture and perhaps
the only one of its kind in the country,
was declared sold at P93, 440.
One of the sought-after pieces in the
auction was the rare and unusual carved
kamagong cabinet. It was sold for
P876,000.
“The entire aparador is made of
boxwood, except for the paneled doors
and the thin architrave, which are of
kamagong,” Tinio said. “The two doors,
framed in kamagong, are composed of
narrow planks of bulong aeta that have
carefully been joined together so as to
appear like a seamless slab. Each door is
carved with a raised oblong panel with
lobed corners, embellished with lineinlay of kamagong all along the border.”
Inquirer.net
“ATAY Cabinet”
1914, narra
January 2-8, 2015
Page 18
Remembering Dr. Jose Rizal
President Benigno S. Aquino III, right, leads the flag raising ceremonies for the commemoration of the
118th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal at the Rizal National Monument in Rizal Park,
Manila City on Tuesday, Dec. 30, with the theme: “Rizal 2014: Dunong at Pusong Pilipino.” Also in photo
are Vice President Jejomar Binay, center, and Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada. (MNS photo)
President Benigno S. Aquino III offers a wreath. (MNS photo)
President Aquino with Vice President JejomarBinay, Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada, Defense
Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino,
National Historical Commission of the Philippines chairperson Dr. Maria Serena Diokno and NHCP
executive director Ludovico Badoy. Also in photo is the Supreme Commander of the Order of the Knights
of Rizal Sir Jerry Singson, KGCR, 7th from right. (MNS photo)
President Benigno S. Aquino III greets the descendants of Dr. Jose Rizal. (MNS photo)
PH national hero Jose Rizal revered in a version of traditional 'pasyon’
By Maricar Cinco
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna -Eriberto Saños, 49, has his hands
full whenever December 30
approaches. He prepares food and
his home for some 20 guests
arriving for the day - the death
anniversary of national hero Jose
Rizal.
One of his special visitors is
Baeng, a woman now in her 80s.
Baeng or Remigia Lagmay-Hibe is
the wife of Regalado Hibe or Apo
Nonong, the late leader and
founder of the Universal Rizalist
Brotherhood Association Inc.
(Urbai).
Urbai, registered in 1982 and
currently with about 1,000
followers, is a Rizalist group.
“Rizalista is a collective term,”
Saños said, that refers to people
with deep spiritual devotion to
Rizal. “But like any other religion,
there are many types or sects (of
Rizalistas). Perhaps about 200 in
the Philippines.”
In Calamba City alone, the
birthplace of Rizal, there are about
five different factions, the most
heard of are the Iglesia Watawat ng
Lahi or the Iglesia ng Lipi ni Gat Dr.
Rizal.
The Saños residence is one of
the many Rizalist temples or
houses of prayers. It seems like any
other average-income household
in the lakeshore village of Sucol
here - tiled floor, neatly arranged
furniture and pet dogs - except for a
small room on the third floor.
The room has an altar of Rizal's
portraits among the statuettes of
the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ
and its walls are adorned with
framed Rizal photos and unusual
symbols, letters and figures. On the
roof deck is a Rizal bust facing the
majestic Mt. Makiling.
“Makiling is an encantada,”
Saños said. “She, along with Arayat
and Inang Sinukuan were the ones
who handed the infant Rizal (to his
parents).”
It is in this room where Saños
regularly lights a candle and says
his prayers. But December 30 and
June 19, Rizal's birth anniversary,
are special occasions as Urbai
members join the family in reciting
the “Pasyong Rizal” for several
hours toward the eve of the
anniversaries.
The Pasyong Rizal is a 230page book that Saños, who was
born to a Catholic family, wrote and
published in December 2011. It is
similar to the traditional Catholic
pasyon, a narration of Christ's
passion, death and resurrection
that elders read or chant during
Lent.
Saños grew up listening to
elders chanting the pasyon in his
community. “Pasyon is a metrical
romance so it should not be simply
read aloud but has to be done with
some art,” he said.
When he was in high school, he
joined hikes to Mt. Banahaw in
Quezon where his early exposure
to different Rizalist groups started.
“I liked how they prayed so
solemnly,” he said. “I thought, if we
have the pasyon for Christ, why not
for Dr. Rizal, who is the Bathalang
Ama (God the Father),” he said.
Pasyong Rizal is divided into
two main parts. “The first is about
Rizal's life and works and the
history of the Philippines and the
second is the mysterious part,”
Saños said.
Urbai basically believes in Rizal
as God the Father; Mother Mary,
whom they call Bathalumang Inang
Virgo Eva Celis Maria Purisima;
Christ as the Holy Son; the Espiritu
Santong Wagas and the Bathalang
Omnipontente ang Kalangkap sa
Dilim at Buong Liwanag.
One of their basic prayers,
recited every 8 p.m. for 49 straight
days for male Urbai members and
48 days for female members, is
called the “pagli-lima”.
“If you pray to just one or two of
them, the power is weaker. You
have to call on the five,” Saños said.
Their prayers are also recited,
both written in numbers and in the
alphabet, with the left hand placed
on the chest and the right hand
raised. Pasyong Rizal talks about
Dr. Rizal's professions. “He is an
anthropologist, botanist,
cartographer and so on,
completing (the alphabet) from A
to Z,” Saños said.
It also talks about Rizal as a
prophet, a healer, a linguist who
spoke six dialects and 22 languages
and mentioned several accounts of
Rizal's contemporaries who
referred to him by titles as a Christ.
As a true God, “Rizal did not die
when he was shot at the
Bagumbayan,” Saños said.
In the Pasyong Rizal, Saños
quoted a March 29, 1987 news
report, which historian Ambeth
Ocampo also found in the National
Archives. The document contained
a report from an agent of the
Spanish governor-general that said
a rose-colored cloud enveloped the
carriage supposedly containing
Rizal's body. Upon checking, the
soldiers did not find Rizal's body
inside but instead a beautiful white
cock. Saños, a father of three, is a
licensed forester and currently
works as the chief environment
officer in Coron, Palawan. He is also
a proud believer of the Rizalist
ideas.
“Why will I be (ashamed)? A
person can worship dirt and no one
will stop him,” he said.
He said Rizalist beliefs are
founded on history, Catholicism,
environment and nationalist ideas.
Saños wrote the Pasyong Rizal
in hopes of uniting together all
Rizalist groups into one faith. Since
2011, he has been distributing
copies of the book to other Rizalist
factions.
“Even if I have to do it alone, I
will. Ama (the Father) said it so,” he
said.
He also refuses to call his group
a cult but rather a “brotherhood.”
“It's based on faith and nothing
more. What will you gain from the
members - they are the old, the
poor and the uneducated. There is
neither money nor fame, just faith,”
he said. Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 19
Call to action by Rizal still resonates, says Aquino
By Nikko Dizon
MANILA -- President Aquino
early Tuesday, Dec. 30, led the
commemorative rites on the 118th
death anniversary of the national
hero, José Rizal.
At 7 a.m. at the Luneta, Aquino
led the flag-raising at the Rizal
M o n u m e n t , a s s i s te d by V i c e
President Jejomar Binay and Manila
Mayor Joseph Estrada, among
others.
As tradition dictates, the
President also laid a wreath before
the tomb of the national hero who
was executed by the Spaniards on
Dec. 30, 1898, for leading the fight
for Filipino freedom.
It was a brief formal ceremony
without any fanfare that was also
attended by descendants of Rizal and
members of the Order of the Knights
of Rizal.
Mr. Aquino did not deliver a
speech, but his office sent out a Rizal
Day message to media outlets, in
which the President emphasized
how Rizal was the epitome of a real
Filipino.
“We discover an exemplar
citizenship in our national hero; and
in his triumphs and sacrifice, we
imbibe the inspiration to continue
the fight for the Filipino. May this
commemoration invigorate and
impassion us as a people, that we
may remain unwavering in the duty
to bequeath succeeding generations
with the dignified, progressive
future they deserve,” he said.
Rizal, the precedent
Aquino stressed that while the
battles the current generation of
Filipinos faced were different from
their forebears, “the call and action
they once heard remains resonant
and clear.”
“Rizal served as our precedent
for prodigious acts: He took it upon
himself to alleviate the despair of
others and cast his stake for a
tomorrow of peace and liberty,”
President Aquino said.
He urged today's generation of
Filipinos to “walk the path of
accountability and commit ourselves
to the task of nation-building.”
Binay said the commemoration
Bronze plaque and other Rizal memorabilia
installed at the ground floor lobby of Hotel Ingles.
of Rizal's ultimate sacrifice for the
nation was one of the moments that
should make the Filipino proud.
Still unable to escape questions
about his presidential bid, Binay said
t h e re wa s n o t u r n i n g b a c k ,
“particularly when you are faced
with accusations left and right.”
“If you don't go through with it
(his presidential candidacy), it could
become another big issue, that the
accusations are true after all,” he said
in an interview.
Later Tuesday afternoon, Aquino
attended the wedding of movie stars
Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera,
one of the rare times that the
bachelor President was seen in a
tuxedo, as shown in a photo posted
by his younger sister, TV host Kris
Aquino, on her Instagram.
In Ligao, Albay, heavy rains failed
to dampen the government
employees, nongovernment
organizations and ordinary people
who commemorated the national
hero's death anniversary by offering
flowers before his statue beside the
city hall.
Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua
WHO'S NOT LOOKING UP? President Aquino (at right) leads the flag-raising rites to
commemorate the 118th anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal at Rizal
Park. From left, National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chair Serena
Diokno, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino,
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and a grimfaced Vice President Jejomar Binay. JOAN BONDOC
said honoring Rizal on Dec. 30 had
been the culture of the city with each
barangay (village) council, city
government and national agency
always ensuring they had a wreath
or bouquet of flowers to offer at his
monument.
The author in front of Ateneo de Madrid façade.
She said the gesture was clear
proof that “we value and honor the
heroic act of Rizal and what he had
done for the country in order to
attain freedom from colonizers.”
Inquirer.net
Facade of Hotel Ingles where Rizal paid tribute to
Filipino artists Juan Luna & Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo.
Looking for Jose Rizal in Madrid
By Ramon M. Roda
During a stopover in Madrid
from their studies at Universidad
Internacional Menendez Pelayo
(UIMP) in Santander, 24 Filipino
scholars, including this writer, were
toured by UIMP administration and
Agencia Española de Cooperacion
Internacional (AECI), in
cooperation with the Philippine
Embassy in Madrid, to retrace Jose
Rizal's footsteps as a young student
and later as an expatriate in the
Spanish capital in the late 19th
century.
After his medical studies at
University of Santo Tomas, Rizal left
the Philippines on May 3, 1882, and
arrived in Madrid in September
1882. He took courses in medicine
at Universidad Central de Madrid as
well as painting at Real Academia de
Bellas Artes de San Fernando in
Calle Alcala.
Rizal mentioned that he
enrolled at Facultad de Derecho, but
shifted to Filosofia y Letras, which
he finished with highest honors on
June 19, 1885.
Universidad Central de Madrid,
now Universidad de Complutense
de Madrid, has since moved to its
new location at the outskirts of
Madrid known as Ciudad
Universitaria. It is a city within a city.
However, the old brick-andplaster building where our national
hero finished his medicine course
still stands in its old location, and
few classes are still being held there.
I visited the old university site
during my first sojourn in Spain in
1962-63 while on a nine-month
scholarship grant from Ministerio
de Asuntos Exteriores in Madrid for
my postgraduate studies in Spanish.
Returning to Madrid this time
wa s s h e e r p l e a s u re a n d a n
exhilarating experience as it gave
me the opportunity to research and
retrace more historical and cultural
landmarks associated with Rizal.
Boarding houses
According to Gregorio
Brilliantes, “from 1882 to 1885 and
during his second shortest stay in
Madrid, in 1890-91, he lived in at
least nine boarding houses, hostels
or residences.”
He continues: “One of the
reasons for Rizal's frequent transfer
from one boarding house to another
and the search for the best possible
rooming house was due to the fact
that he wanted to look for a cheaper
place in order to save, also the
proximity of the place to his school,
the tranquility of its neighborhood,
for nights of study and writing; the
state of the house itself and the
composition of its tenants.”
Rizal also found it more
convenient to stay in the center of
Madrid to economize on
transportation fares.
The same thing happened in
Heidelberg where his three-story
apartment at Lutwigsplatz No. 12
Grebangasse was right across
University of Heidelberg.
Rizal during this time continued
to be busy with serious pursuits,
with literary, artistic and patriotic
labors, despite the many attractions,
the spunky and joyous sounds of
Madrid, because he had a mission to
accomplish.
Our walking tour of Rizal's
Madrid began late afternoon near
the center of the city, just off Puerta
del Sol, the human and geographical
hub of the city.
Armed with a map of Madrid on
which we marked off the streets
where he had lived during his
student days, we walked the narrow
maze of cobblestone streets for
several hours.
Time constraints and inclement
weather, however, prevented us
from continuing with our search for
other sites related to Rizal's life as a
university student in Madrid.
According to records, the following
are the houses where he resided
while he was in Madrid.
Amor de Dios 13-15. This is the
first place where Rizal lived from
Sept. 12, 1882, to May 1883, when
he first arrived in Madrid, according
to the registration form that he filled
up on Sept. 12, 1882.
This place is close to Facultad de
Medicine and Escuela de Bellas
Artes de San Fernando, but quite a
distance from Facultad de Filosofia y
Letras.
Calle de la Visitacion 8, c/Fernandez y Gonzales 8, planta 3,
puerta num. 4. Rizal transferred to
this house in May 1883 and stayed
here up to June 17, 1883, when he
left for Paris. This place is situated in
the old part of Madrid close to Plaza
Santa Ana right behind the Teatro
Español. The house still stands at
t h e c o r n e r o f C a l l e
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January 2-8, 2015
Page 20
E-trike maker achieves
85% local content
By Bernie Magkilat
Congress urged to probe
slow Internet service in PH
By DJ Yap
MANILA -- Why is Internet
connection in the Philippines
so slow and so expensive?
Frustrated by the poor
service of local Internet service
providers, a congressman is
seeking a formal inquiry into
the country's slow connection
to the World wide Web in
comparison to neighboring
countries in Asia where such
services also cost less.
Ookia report
Under House Resolution
1658, Las Piñas Rep. Mark
Villar urged the House
i n f o r m a t i o n a n d
communication technology
committee to conduct an
inquiry on “how to improve the
country's poor Internet
connection.”
“[Data] from Internet
metric firm Ookia show that
the Philippines [has] a general
average speed of only 3.55
Mbps (megabit per second),”
Villar said.
This lags behind other
Southeast Asian countries,
such as Laos, with 4.0 Mbps,
Indonesia, with 4.1 Mbps,
Myanmar and Brunei, with 4.9
Mbps, Malaysia, with 5.5 Mbps,
and Cambodia, with 5.7 Mbps,
he said.
Singapore (61.0), Vietnam
(13.1) and Thailand (17.7) are
the only Southeast Asian
countries with Internet speeds
above the regional average of
12.4 Mbps, Villar said, citing
the Ookia survey.
'State of the Internet Report'
The lawmaker also cited
the first-quarter results of the
“State of the Internet Report” of
Akamai, a major US-based
provider, which said the
Philippines has an average
speed of only 2.1 Mbps. (This
slightly improved to 2.5 in the
second-quarter survey, the
latest available on the firm's
website.)
“There is a need to address
this alarming and poor state of
Internet service in the country
as it impacts on consumer
welfare, productivity, right to
information and ultimately on
our economy,” Villar said.
Slow and expensive
Local consumers, he said,
would spend about P1,000 a
month for Internet service with
speeds of up to only 2.0 Mbps
or about P2,000 for up to 5.0
Mbps.
But the largest
telecommunications company
in Singapore offers 15 Mbps of
Internet speed for 36.90
Singapore dollars or about
P1,312 a month, he said. In
Thailand, 799 baht, or about
P1,100, could give consumers
12 Mbps of connection.
“There is an urgent need to
enhance effective competition
in the telecommunications
industry in order to promote
the state policy of providing the
environment for the
emergence of communications
structures suitable to the
balanced flow of information,”
Villar said. Inquirer.net
PH posts P6.8-B surplus in November
By Ben O. de Vera
MANILA -- The government
posted a surplus in November
as the decline in spending
outpaced a slight drop in
revenue collection during the
month, the Department of
Finance reported Monday, Dec.
29.
According to the DOF, the
P6.8-billion surplus registered
in November was 582 percent
higher than the P1 billion
posted in the same month last
year.
Even as revenues slipped 4
percent to P158.2 billion in
November from P165 billion
last year, expenditures slid by a
bigger 8 percent to P151.4
billion in the same month from
P164 billion a year ago.
Last November's surplus
exceeded the P6.008 billion
programmed for the month.
During the January to
November period, revenues
maintained a double-digit
growth, posting an 11-percent
rise in collections to P1.736
trillion from P1.566 trillion in
the same 11-month period of
2013.
Expenditures, meanwhile,
remained slower with a mere 5percent increase in government
spending during the first 11
months to P1.762 trillion from
P1.677 trillion last year.
The January-November
deficit stood at P26.8 billion, 76percent lower than the P111.5
billion registered between
January and November 2013.
The deficit was way below
the program of P238.294 billion
for the 11-month period,
reflecting anemic government
spending on infrastructure and
public services despite robust
revenue collection.
For Finance Secretary Cesar
V. Purisima, the lower deficit
was nonetheless a good thing.
“With the recent Moody's
credit rating upgrade, as well as
improved scores in the
Millennium Challenge Corp.
scorecard leading to our
eligibility for a second compact,
one thing is clear: the
Philippines is in a virtuous
cycle. Prudent fiscal
management by the national
government keeps us in this
sweet spot, reaping rewards
and raring to reach for more,”
Purisima said in a statement.
In November alone,
collections by the Bureau of
Internal Revenue went down 4
percent year-on-year to P121.9
billion, but the JanuaryNovember take was higher by 9
percent year-on-year at P1.22
trillion.
Collections by the Bureau of
Customs last November
declined by a faster 13 percent
Filipino-owned electric vehicle
manufacturer KEA Industrial Corp. has
announced it has now achieved 85
percent local content of its electric
tricycles (e-trikes) and sales are
expected to hit 100 units per month.
KEA President Edgar Araga said the
company is investing additional P10
million for a total of P20-million
investments at its manufacturing
facility in Bacoor, Cavite.
KEA has already sold a few units of
e-trikes since it has finalized the
prototype design in August 2012.
“We built the prototype and with the
permission of Bacoor Mayor Strike
Revilla, we pilot tested the prototype,”
said Araga.
KEA was organized by Araga and his
family in 1991 in Navotas City. They
started out as a metal stamped parts
supplier for the OE market, among them
Honda Philippines and Yamaha for
motorcycle parts, Honda Cars and
Mitsubishi Motors for auto parts and
Hella for car accessories.
Now, KEA's e-trike has a local
content of 85 percent with only the
electric motor imported from China and
the controllers from Taiwan.
Other local parts and accessories
suppliers are Roberts Manufacturing,
Hella Philippines, Titan Rubber, Uratex
Foams, Takino Rubber, and Johnson
Tires.
For KEA, the electric tricycle it has
developed was born out of love and a
serious case of self-preservation.
Araga converted his motorcycle gift
to his father, Tinoy Araga into a 3wheeler to minimize accidents since the
old man, despite his advanced age,
cannot be stopped from going around in
a motorcycle. “My Dad loved the
contraption so much that before he
passed away, he told me to continue
producing the 3-wheeler I have
conceptualized as he sees a very bright
future for it. Thus was born what is now
one our company's major product,” he
said.
Edmund, a third generation Araga
who now helps his Dad manage KEA,
said that although the EV industry in the
Philippines is still in its infant stage,
they see it as a very promising industry.
“Thus, we decided to update Dad's
original E-trike design and come up
with a more modern setup and
prototype,” he said.
KEA secured a registration with the
Board of Investments as an E-trike
manufacturer and assembler on a
pioneer status.
Within one month, KEA presented
six more E-trikes for testing on a larger
scale to further enhance the evaluation
of the E-trikes for the next five months.
Service routes in loops were
created, complete with the most
important EV infrastructure: charging
stations at the terminals and at strategic
locations.
When KEA was satisfied with the
test results, they started mass
production of the E-trikes in a dedicated
plant in Cavite. The KEA E-trikes were
formally launched on August 13, 2013.
Old Peso bills going
out of circulation
By Paolo G. Montecillo
MANILA -- As the new year kicks in,
the central bank will start phasing out all
peso bills bearing old designs, regulators
announced this week.
Starting January 2015, the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will begin the
yearlong “demonitization” process for
all old peso bills with denominations of
5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000.
These include bills still accepted as
legal tender but have been out of
production for years such as the green
Emilio Aguinaldo five-peso bill and the
brown 10-peso bill that has Andres
Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini on it.
Both bills were replaced with coins.
Old peso bills, which are still called
New Design Series (NDS) notes, will be
replaced with New Generation Currency
(NGC) banknotes that were released to
the public in 2010.
NDS notes were introduced in 1985.
Minor changes were made to the designs,
but NDS notes have maintained the same
look they had three decades after they
were released.
By the end of 2015, NDS notes will
cease to be legal tender, the BSP said. The
public, however, may still have these old
notes replaced with NGC notes until the
end of 2016.
The move to replace all old peso bills
with NGC currencies is part of the BSP's
efforts to ensure the integrity of physical
money. NGC notes are manufactured
with additional security features that
m a ke t h e m l e s s s u s c e p t i b l e to
counterfeiting. The new bills are also
more durable. Lower denominations
even have antibacterial properties that
make them more resistant to wear and
tear.
Local peso bills are still
manufactured using paper and other
natural fibers, despite the shift of other
jurisdictions to plastic notes.
Plastic notes, the BSP said, are much
more expensive to produce and fade
easier. Plastic money also does not hold
up well to being folded several times,
making it unsuitable for countries like
the Philippines where paper money is
often crumpled and placed in pockets.
Inquirer.net
To advertise, please call
201-434-1114
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January 2-8, 2015
Page 21
Sweets top 'balikbayan' box goodies
By Kate Pedroso
Holidays are sweeter with
“balikbayan” boxes around.
Chocolates, candies and
clothes top the list of favorite
balikbayan box contents, with
three in every five readers citing
them as among their all-time
favorites.
The Inquirer's “What's in
Your Balikbayan Box?” contest,
which ran from Dec. 14 to Dec. 21,
asked readers to name their alltime favorite items found inside
balikbayan boxes sent through
the years by family members
living or working in other
countries.
Readers from the provinces
of Ilocos Sur, Cebu, Leyte,
Pangasinan, Batangas, Bulacan
and Cavite shared their lists of
favorite goodies in boxes sent by
loved ones from the United
States, Canada, Italy, Saudi
Arabia, United Arab Emirates,
Israel, Japan, South Korea and
Singapore.
Sixty-seven percent listed
“chocolates and candies” while
63 percent had “clothes” as
among their top favorite goodies.
Others wrote shoes (56 percent)
and food (52 percent).
Toiletries (44 percent) and
canned goods (41 percent) were
also on the lists, as were bags (22
percent), toys (19 percent) and
watches (15 percent).
The sweetest things
“Chocolates [are] the
sweetest. A balikbayan box would
never be complete without them,”
said Eilen Pajimula, who receives
the boxes from her mother in
Dubai.
“Every year, my sister Marie
gives us chocolates and other
goods and sends [them] to us,
usually during the Christmas
season,” said Gee Lorena, whose
sister is in South Korea.
Alice Pineda is likewise
excited about the balikbayan
boxes her sister Arlene sends
from San Diego, California. One of
the things she most looks
forward to? Delicious See's
chocolates. “Forget about the
calories,” she said.
“ O h , w h o d o e s n' t l ove
chocolates?” said Edelyn
Valdoria, whose Tita Myrna
Cavagnaro of Stockton,
California, always makes sure to
include Cadbury chocolates and
Toblerone bars in the boxes she
sends home, much to the
enjoyment of her nieces and
nephews.
“Of course, No. 1 on my list are
chocolates,” said 21-year-old
Geraldine Fajardo, who receives
balikbayan boxes from her father
Gerardo in Saudi Arabia. “If
someone gives you chocolates, it
means he/she loves you and
wants you to taste the sweetness
of the country where he/she is
now.”
Lobella Calago's favorite
goodies-in-a-box are clothes for
her and her husband. “Clothes
and shorts for him, blouses and
bras for me,” said Calago, who
receives balikbayan boxes from
her sister-in-law Jingle in the
United States.
Shoes
“Some branded shoes are not
available here, or if they are,
expect a higher price,” said
Fajardo, who also listed shoes as
among her favorite box items.
“My parents are both working
in Singapore as logistics officers,
and they regularly send
balikbayan boxes home. They
never fail to include my
favoriteVan's shoes,” 15-year-old
Vianca Pangilinan said.
Rhea Mel Icalina, a reader
from Cebu City, said her brother
Bryan always sends balikbayan
boxes to make the family feel his
presence more. Among the
contents are the shoes Rhea
wears to work.
“My brother Bryan has a
generous heart. He always makes
sure that his family and relatives
can enjoy the packages he send[s]
to us. Every balikbayan box he
send[s] delight[s] us. It is like a
big 'I love you' box to us,” she said.
Food, canned goods
“Food is the most basic
content of a balikbayan box,” said
Jennifer Padilla Celeste, who
receives boxes from her husband,
a migrant worker in Canada.
“Topping the list is Spam. We
don't even have to request this.
[I]t is a given,” she said. “Imported
canned Spamthis is one of the
things we look forward to when
we open the box.”
Bernard Orquina describes
imported shampoo and soap as
“runaway hits” as far as box
contents are concerned. “For us
who live in a barrio far from big
supermarkets, shampoo always
[comes] as a treat. It also mean[s]
goodbye to small sachets of the
locally produced brand for the
next month or so,” he said.
Orquina's favorite is Irish
Spring soap in a green box. “The
[fragrance lingers] in my memory
so much,” he said.
Tradition
More than bringing families
together, the balikbayan box has
also become a tradition passed on
from generation to generation.
For Marcelino Bautista and
his family, their father started it
all when he was working in Saudi
Arabia in the 1960s.
“I remember vividly how
excited we were, waiting for the
balikbayan box from our Santa
Clausour father,” he said.
For their mother, the No. 1
thing on her wish list was always
her husband's presence.
“Yes, she was happy we had
all the goodies, but my dad's
presence during Christmas was
all she would ask from Jesus,”
Bautista said.
Bautista, now 63, said he still
felt a childlike excitement as the
family waited for another
balikbayan boxnow sent by his
sister, a migrant worker in
Florence, Italy. “[Y]ears have
passed, but our longings have
[changed] very little,” he said.
Inquirer.net
PIA CAYETANO'S CAVEAT
E-jeepney is OK, but …
By Leila B. Salaverria
MANILA -- Electric jeepneys'
being environmentally friendly is
not a sufficient reason to allow
them in the Philippines, especially
if the roads are congested and
those jeepneys are imported rather
than locally developed, according
to Sen. Pia Cayetano.
Cayetano, in a recent hearing
on sustainable transportation, said
bringing in electric jeepneys must
be part of a traffic management
plan.
Just because electric jeepneys
are considered beneficial to the
environment does not mean there
is automatically room for them in
Philippine cities and towns, she
said.
“Of course, I want something
environmentally friendly, but
environmentally friendly alone
does not necessarily tackle other
issues like traffic management,” she
said at last week's hearing.
“We're so proud that e-jeeps are
environmentally friendly that we
let cities get 20 or 100 of them. But
that's still more rolling vehicles on
the road that cannot afford to have
a single extra vehicle,” Cayetano
said.
Comprehensive plan
She noted that not all of the
Shown is the fleet of electric jeep shuttle parked at the ADMU parking
lot in Quezon City.
ADMU launches in-campus
electric jeep shuttle system
By Bernie Magkilat
Senator Pia Cayetano. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
electric jeepneys in the country are
covered by franchises. Rolling out
electric jeepneys must be part of a
comprehensive plan that would
take into consideration how big the
vehicles should be and how many
could be deployed, she said.
The lack of planning is “very
frustrating,” she added.
Cayetano said she had been a
supporter of the electric jeepney,
earlier calling on the government
to grant franchises to e-jeep
operators.
But she had assumed, she said,
that the Department of
Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) was
doing a study to determine
whether there was a need for
additional vehicles on the road.
Cayetano also pointed out that
most of the electric jeepneys in the
country are imported, when the
Philippines has a jeepney industry
that should be supported and
developed.
Ateneo de Manila
University (ADMU) has
launched its in-campus Electric
Jeepney Shuttle transport
system called Ateneo EJeep,
making it the first educational
institution in the country to
introduce an in-campus
E l e c t r i c J e e p n ey S h u t t l e
transport system.
The Ateneo EJeep system is
operated by Meralco Energy
Inc. (MServ), a subsidiary of
Meralco, which also provides an
eVehicle Power Station at the
Ateneo grounds in Katipunan,
Quezon City.
T h e E l e c t r i c Ve h i c l e
Association of the Philippines
(EVAP) lauded the initiative of
t h e p re m i e r e d u c a t i o n a l
institution for introducing a
clean and modern transport
system.
EVAP President Rommel
Juan said the initiative comes
just a month after Filinvest
Alabang launched its own
shuttle system Filinvest 360
Eco Loop which also utilizes
Ejeepneys.
u
Page 22
Jeepney is Filipino
The jeepney is a Philippine
invention that has become a big
u
Page 22
January 2-8, 2015
Page 22
Looking for
Jose Rizal ...
From page 19
del Lobo.” Calle de San Miguel 7.
(now Gran Via 22). Rizal lived in
this place which was then a
Pension, after his arrival from
Paris. Ha had been staying there
since Sept. 6, 1883, paying four
pesetas a day excluding the cost
of kerosene which he had to buy
himself in order to have light.
Calle Bano 15. Piso Principal
actually called Calle Ventura de
la Vega. Rizal lived in this
address from autumn of 1883
up to August 1884. It is also near
to the Facultdad de Medicina
and a walking distance from La
Escuela de Bellas Artes de San
Fernando but far from the
Facultdad de Filosofia y Letras.
The place housed the Circulo
Hispano which was composed
of Filipino students and Spanish
sympathizers of the Philippines.
Calle Pizarro 13, 20 (now
Calle Pizarro 15). Rizal lived
with two classmates here from
August 1884 to September
1885. It was near the Facultdad
de Filosofia y Letras and the
Universided Central de Madrid
which was then located in Calle
San Bernardo. It was also here
where Rizal quietly started
writing “Noli Me Tangere.” The
building is now part of the
Ministerio de Justicia.
Calle de Atochia 43. It was
here where La Solidaridad was
published. Old copies of paper
carried this address. The flat is
located on the first floor.
Calle Cedaros 11. Rizal
moved to this house, which he
shared with Ceferino de Leon
and Eduardo de Lete because it
was cheaper than at the Calle de
Pizarro. He only had the
intention of staying in that
house for about 15 days, from
Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, 1885.”
Calle de Echegaray, 17, now
Los Gabrieles. This was also
frequented by members of the
Filipino Propaganda Movement
of 1882. Rizal had described the
two murals which are still there
today, to his sister in one of his
letters.
Other places of interest
Ateneo de Madrid is a
private sociocultural club built
by a group of liberal
intellectuals in 1885 and it
occupies one of the oldest
buildings along Calle del Prado
21. Unlike its Manila namesake,
Ateneo de Madrid is not a Jesuit
school as we have been led to
think, but an institution with its
own library used as forum for
liberal ideas in the past century.
Rizal described it as “beautiful,
vast, extensive and welldecorated.” It was where our
hero would research and
“regularly attended theatrical
presentation, music and poetry
recitals and books launchings
during his student's days there.”
Restaurante Ingles, since
renamed “Viva Madrid,” is
located on Calle Fernandez y
Gonzales -7. Rizal took most of
his meals during his stay in
Madrid. It is still in its original
site and has remained
incredibly the same as in Rizal's
time. “This is also where they
would normally find Graciano
Lopez Jaena having his usual
copa de vino,” said a guide book.
“They would invite him to
several glasses of wine so that
he could finish his articled for La
Solidaridad.”
Hotel Ingles, Calle
Echegaray-7. A distinctive
landmark is the Hotel Ingles
where Rizal delivered his
famous speech in the banquet
held on June 25, 1884, in honor
o f J u a n L u n a a n d Fe l i x
Resurreccion Hidalgo for
winning first and third prizes at
the Madrid Exposition in 1884
their murals, “Spolarium” and
“Virgenes Christianas.”
The Hotel Ingles is still in its
original site, but slightly
renovated. Nevertheless, it has
retained its 19th-century
ambience and has at the lobby
paintings showing the hotel's
original look, testimonials and
markers installed at the right
portion of the wall to preserve
the historical significance of the
place. We slowly made our way
to the ground floor lobby where
some Rizaliana memorabilia,
among them a bronze plaque
with following inscriptions:
“El 25 de junio de 1884, en el
antiguo restaurante de este
hotel, el heroe nacional Jose
Rizal inicio publicamente su
labor patria con discurso en
honor de Juan Luna y Felix
Resurreccion Hidalgo,
reflejando las ansias libertarias
de su pueblo. Recuerdo
agradecido de Filipinas. Madrid
12 de septiembre de 1994.”
It was at Hotel Ingles on
June 24, 1884 where Rizal
delivered his impassioned
speech exalting Filipino genius
as illustrated by the victories of
Luna and Hidalgo. What was
touching was that when Pedro
Paterno asked Rizal to make the
toast, the latter was, in fact,
hungry because he didn't have
money.
It was an emotional
moment and an exhilarating
experience to have travelled all
the way to Madrid in order to
have a glimpse of this historic
landmark. While inside the
lobby, time stood still and I felt
as if I was being transported
back in time.
Highlight of our walking
tour was a visit to the Rizal
Monument located in a welllighted and -landscaped 70meter corner lot donated by the
mayor of Madrid on Parque
Santander along Avda. de
Filipinas in downtown Madrid.
The monument, similar to the
Rizal Monument at Luneta, has
a four-meter high bronze statue
sculpted by Filipino artist
Florante Caedo. It was unveiled
on Dec. 5, 1996 by Philippine
Ambassador Isabel Caro
Wilson.
We walked farther to the
Cortes Espanola, now Congreso
de los Diputados, just across the
P l a z a C e r va n t e s , a p a r k
dedicated to the memory of
Cervantes, the famous creator
of Don Quijote de la Mancha and
Sancho Panza. Rizal and his
fellow expatriates used to
congregate here where they
conducted rallies and lobbied
for the “Filipinos' rights to
autonomy and for equal rights
with Spanish citizens.”
We rushed back to our hotel
t i re d a n d ex h a u s te d b u t
immensely happy that we were
able to retrace Rizal's footsteps
in the maze of cobblestone
streets where our national hero
walked more than a hundred
years ago.
Ramon M. Roda is a retired
professor of Spanish and Rizal
Course at the College of
Commerce and Business
Administration of the University
of Santo Tomas. Inquirer.net
PH posts ...
From page 20
year-on-year to P24.7 billion, but the
agency kept the double-digit growth
during the January to November period
with a haul of P324.6 billion, up 16
percent year-on-year.
The Bureau of the Treasury's
revenues in November decreased by a
tenth year-on-year to P3.4 billion, but
the January-November revenues
nonetheless grew by a fifth year-on-year
to P90.5 billion.
“The quick-paced growth of year-todate revenues leaves even more room
for strategic government expenditures.
With increased fiscal space to invest in
health, education, infrastructure, and
other social services, we are able to reap
even more rewards for the Filipino
people. Such is the virtuous cycle put
into motion by this administration's
conviction that good governance spurs
good economics,” Purisima said.
As for expenditures, interest
payments last November were flat at
P18.1 billion, while interests paid from
January to November were 1 percent
lower year-on-year at P292.3 billion.
The DOF said January-November
interest payments were below program,
hence generating savings worth P27.6
billion for the government.
The share of interest payments to
expenditures was likewise on a
downward trend. The DOF attributed the
decline to “prudent liability
management measures.”
“The continued decline in interest
payments, apart from the substantial
hauls pulled in by the revenue agencies,
significantly expands our fiscal space
and enables us to fuel more growth.
Credit rating upgrades that respond to
the government's commitment to good
governance and sound economic
management, for example, lower our
borrowing rates and free up more funds
for more productive investments,”
Purisima said. Inquirer.net
“More and more private institutions
are now introducing their own ecofriendly transport systems to transform
their establishments into green
establishments,” said Juan.
The Ateneo EJeep system boasts of
an initial four units 14-seater EJeeps
which run all throughout its sprawling
86-hectare Ateneo campus grounds. It
currently has 11 stops and has a wait
time of about ten minutes per EJeep.
Ateneo introduced this as a free
shuttle service to the Ateneo community.
It services the high school and college
students as well as the faculty and staff of
Ateneo which comprise about 17,000
people.
For its part, Meralco helped to design
and set up a very vital infrastructure a
power charging station which it calls the
Meralco eVehicle Power Station. It has
four bays and is capable of charging the
EJeepneys overnight and can then have
them running the next day for about 100
kms during the morning rush hour
inside Ateneo campus. Topping off the
charge can be done during the lean
hours.
Juan explained that electric Jeeps are
now gaining popularity as the quality of
air in Metro Manila continues to
deteriorate.
“About 80 percent of air pollution is
attributed to the old, dilapidated and
smoke-belching public utility Jeepneys
and buses. EJeepneys are therefore seen
as the logical replacement for these
relics on the road,” he said.
Juan said that not only are EJeepneys
easier to maintain, but they are also
more economical to run as well. “An
EJeepney costs only P4.60 per kilometer
to operate as compared to a
conventional diesel-powered jeepney
which costs P6.70 per kilometer to
operate,” he said.
The blue and white Ateneo EJeep
units were supplied by PhUV Inc., the
pioneer in electric vehicle assembly in
the Philippines. PhUV Inc. sales manager
John Marasigan says that its EJeep units
can be easily registered with the LTO and
can also be able to get a franchise from
the LTFRB as in the case of the three
Makati Green Routes which was the very
first EJeepney mass transport system to
get an LTFRB Franchise.
“EVAP hopes that many other
commercial and even industrial
establishments will soon follow suit in
operating their own environmentfriendly transport solutions,” he added.
Manila Bulletin
E-jeepney ...
resilient and sustainable transport
systems.
ADMU ... From page 21
From page 21
part of the country's cultural heritage,
and it must not be overshadowed by
imports, she said.
“I don't find it acceptable that one
group is rolling out e-jeeps that are
imported and we have a local jeepney
industry. Sustainability means providing
jobs. And thats's also where one of my
strong advocacies comes in. That's our
heritage, that's our culture, this jeepney
culture,” she said.
She said she would not want to see a
proliferation of imported electric
jeepneys or other countries selling
electric jeepneys to the Philippines as an
alternative to locally built jeepneys.
Instead of replacing the local
jeepneys with foreign-made ones, the
government must step in to transform
them into a more sustainable form of
public transportation, she said.
Assistant Transportation Secretary
Sherielysse Bonifacio said during last
week's hearing that the DOTC's National
Implementation Plan was focused
focused not only on environmentally
friendly forms of transportation, but also
on sustainable ones.
Bonifacio said the goal was to
provide accessible, affordable, safe,
Asean goal
She said this was the goal of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) and an Asean commitment to
which the Philippines adhered.
As for electric jeepneys, the DOTC
has no policy yet, but it entertains every
application, she said.
To determine whether there are
enough public vehicles, there must be an
origin-destination study, which has not
been done since 1996, she said.
Such a study shows where people are
going, and ideally it should be done every
five years, she said.
The Metro Manila study, however, is
being updated by the Japan International
Cooperation Agency and results are
expected next November, she said.
Awarding franchises
Bonifacio said Transportation
Secretary Joseph Abaya was looking for a
scientific way of awarding franchises for
public vehicles.
At p re s e n t , t h e i s s u a n c e o f
franchises, which is based on public
demand in a particular transport
corridor, is “very subjective,” she said.
Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 23
'With Love,
Pope Francis'
debuts on
Jan. 15-19
Pope Francis. Two main thrusts dramatically and musically weave the anticipated play about the beloved pontiff.
Hazel Stuart with her dog Cushi. Photo courtesy of Robert Harland
For 20 years now, writer- performed from Jan. 15 to 19 at next year, where millions of
director Nestor Torre has been the Mabuhay Restop theater café devotees are expected to gather
credited with enhancing the at Rizal Park (near the Quirino for Pope Francis' Mass, which is
country's artistic and spiritual grandstand), and later in scheduled on Jan. 18. Since all
life with religious plays and Tacloban.
those devotees will be spending
musicals that have been
As producer Rose Cabrera many hours and even days
embraced by audiences all over describes it, “With Love, Pope waiting for that signal event,
the Philippines.
Francis” is about the much-loved “With Love, Pope Francis” will
H e b e g a n w r i t i n g a n d pontiff's visit to Tacloban. Aside have multiple performances
directing religious productions f r o m t e l l i n g t h e Yo l a n d a each day from Jan. 15 to 19.
Christmas Spirit 24/7,” at L'Fisher
with “Magnificat,” starring Pinky survivors' stories, it goes into
While waiting for the papal
Hotel in Bacolod City. The film is
Marquez and Dulce, about the Pope Francis' life, to discover mass, early birds who have come
about the many unsung heroes in
Virgin Mary's life, with music by what has made him so uniquely to Rizal Park to get choice places
the Philippines who demonstrate
Ryan Cayabyab.
loving, caring and charismatic.
days or hours before the
the true Christmas spirit of giving
The religious work has been
These two main thrusts are important event will be able to
not just at Christmastime.
so acclaimed and popular that dramatically and musically watch the play and thus prepare
With music provided by Jose
it's been performed on tour all woven together by a gifted cast of themselves significantly for their
Mari Chan and his family, it features
over the country, for 170 times - some of the best actor-singers in once-in-a-lifetime encounter
the generous hearts of people like
an unprecedented feat in Filipino the country.
with one of the most well-loved
American pastor Joseph Rosmarino,
spiritual theater.
Torre and Cabrera went to pontiffs in history.
who runs Calvary Home with his
After “Magnificat,” Torre Tacloban to talk to disaster
Torre's spiritual works are
wife, Billie, in Barangay
went on to write and direct victims and better understand known for not being “estampita”
Handumanan in Bacolod. The home
“Nasaan Si Hesus?,” “Birhen ng their challenging experience. or predictably “pious” dramas
cares for more than 150 children
Caysasay” starring Ogie Alcasid Insightful research was also done and musicals. Instead, they are
because, according to Rosmarino,
and Cocoy Laurel, again with on the Pope's life, slides and believable, peopled by flesh-and“no child is ever turned away.”
Cayabyab, “Padre Pio” with Ricky v i d e o s o n w h i c h w i l l b e blood characters with very
u
Page 24
Davao and “Pope John Paul II.”
significantly featured in “With human conflicts, and therefore
This January, Torre is adding Love, Pope Francis.”
easy for viewers to relate to and
another title to his spiritual
The production is unique empathize with. Inquirer.net
works - “With Love, Pope because it will make its debut at
F r a n c i s ,” t o b e i n i t i a l l y Rizal Park from Jan. 15 to 19 early
For UK filmmaker,
PH is in the heart
Carla P. Gomez
BACOLOD CITY -- Puti ang
balat, pero Pinoy ang puso (My
skin is white but my heart is
Filipino).”
The message is written on the
shirt that British television
documentary filmmaker Hazel
Andrea-Stuart often wears.
And that's exactly what she is.
Hazel has dedicated her life to
making documentaries that feature
the Philippines' wonders, as well as
its culture and exceptional people.
On Sept. 19, she launched her
75th film on the Philippines, “The
Paying homage to
stars' iconic ethos Stars grace Ala Eh! Festival
By Nestor U. Torre
Nora Aunor's new “Himala”inspired statue in Ilocos has
underscored the sometimes
overlooked but actually
important role played by arts and
media stars in shaping our
collective consciousness.
The fact that Nora is the first
pop luminary given this “iconic”
treatment is yet another feather
in the Superstar's colorful
chapeaux - and some of her
colleagues are frankly envious.
Yes, FPJ and Dolphy have had
larger-than-life statues put up to
honor them and their unique
ethos, but what about the other
stars who have also come up with
“iconic” performances and
characterizations - should
“signature” statues be put up to
honor them, as well?
Well, surmises a colleague
game enough to go along with us
on the speculative ride, maybe but, the statues should be
erected, not all over the country,
but in a unique, star-themed
sculpture park - perhaps on the
By Mikee Delizo
The annual Ala Eh! Festival,
considered the mother of all festivals
in Batangas, was once again a huge
success.
Among highlights of the event was
the singing competition “Voices, Songs
& Rhythms: Timpalak Awitan sa
Kapitolyo,” with the finals held at the
Taal Park on Dec. 18.
Members of the panel of judges
include showbiz luminaries like Ogie
Diaz, Jovit Baldivino, Jamie Rivera, Bea
Binene, Angel Locsin, Rachel
Aunor. Immortalized by “Himala”Alejandro, Vehnee Saturno, Ejay
inspired statue in Ilocos.
Falcon, Rey Valera, Mother Lily
Monteverde and Tirso Cruz III.
Mowelfund compound? The
Hailed winners in the Junior
unique park could become a
Division were Keon Patrick Carlos Driz
popula r tourist spot , and
of Batangas City (grand champion),
admission fees would pump up
Lucas Nico Garcia of Lipa City (1st
the movie welfare organization's
runner-up) and Maria Christina Dolor
coffers - a win-win situation all
of San Juan (2nd runner-up).
around!
Winners of the Main (Adult)
Which stars should first be
Division were Joel Alcaraz of Talisay
given the “iconic” treatment? Like
(grand champion), Moon-A-Mel
FPJ's Ang Panday, Darna has
Dogtong of San Luis (1st runner-up)
become a prized staple on the
and Milky Sheena Villaester of
u
Page 24
Nasugbu (2nd runner-up).
Batangas Governor Vilma Santos. Photo from Wow Batangas
January 2-8, 2015
Page 24
Fascinating finalists in
'Showtime's' creative
Yuletide tilt
By Nestor U. Torre
Each Yuletide season,
many small communities and
barangays hold Christmas
tree and/or parol
competitions, stressing the
use of “native” materials at
minimal cost, and group
creativity and neighborhood
or community involvement.
While most everyone
should get “E for Eeefort,” the
results are often less than
truly aesthetic, because the
“native” or natural materials
used are generally brown in
color, which simply isn't very
festive.
And, when colorful plastic
or other artificial materials
are added to solve that
problem, the solution
sometimes results in a
similarly unsalubrious mix. What to do?
For some weeks now, on
“ I t ' s S h o w t i m e ,” s o m e
solutions have been provided
by way of the noontime
show's “TV Parol”
competition, which featured
native Christmas lanterns big
enough to each contain a
person within.
The “walking parol” tilt
came up with a number of
fascinating finalists that
competed for the top prize
last Dec. 20 - and we made
sure to watch the finals,
because some of the “best of
Paying homage ...
From page 23
m ov i e i n d u s t r y ' s p o p - c u l t u ra l
landscape, so a statue of the first
homegrown Wonder Woman, played
by Rosa del Rosario, would be a clearly
logical choice.
Another no-brainer is the fantasy
character of Dyesebel, initially
portrayed by the innocent-looking but
all-woman Edna Luna.
What about Tessie Agana as the
much-abused waif, Roberta? Come to
For UK
filmmaker ...
From page 23
think of it, perhaps an entire section of
the sculpture park could be reserved
for iconic child characters: Aside from
Roberta, there's the young Vilma
Santos in “Trudis Liit,” Tita Duran, Niño
Muhlach, Aiza Seguerra, Snooky Serna etc!
Other adult “nominees” for iconic
treatment: Joseph Estrada as the title
character in “Geron Busabos, Ang
Batang Quiapo.” Ramon Revilla in
“Nardong Putik” - and Gloria Romero
brandishing a giant cigar in “Ang
Dalagang Ilokana!” Inquirer.net
possible from him and did not flutter
my eyelashes,” Hazel said.
A few weeks later, Weilbert called
her up from the United States to tell her
David was going to England. Sixtyseven hours after his arrival in
England, David proposed to her on the
top step of St. Paul's Cathedral. He even
apologized for being so slow.
Hazel can still remember what
David had told her: “When I retire as a
project manager for Kodak, I shall buy
a motor home and we will go around
doing your concerts.”
They got married on July 4, 1985,
in brilliant sunshine in Yorkshire,
England, and the reception was in the
house of Oliver Cromwell, a famous
English military and political leader in
the 1500s. They had their honeymoon
in Jamaica.
“We then moved back to a new
house in Rochester, New York, so David
could continue until retirement at
Kodak,” she said.
David fulfilled his promise. He
bought a beautiful motor home and
they went all over the United States
where she performed more than 100
concerts a year.
American pastor Todd Caplinger
and his wife, Catherine, run a mission
and church in Salvador Benedicto
town, Negros Occidental province,
which help indigents through
livelihood projects.
Also in the film are Chan's sister,
Maria Theresa, and her son, Micco,
who are behind One Meal Program, a
nonprofit organization that provides
underprivileged schoolchildren with
such basic needs as repairing
classrooms, constructing school
buildings and distributing school
supplies.
The organization also conducts
feeding programs for kindergarten
and Grade 1 pupils.
Hazel dedicated her latest film to
her
late husband, American David
'Parol' from Albay wins top plum.
Stuart - the reason she came to the
Philippines.
the best” contenders were
still looked comparatively
David was the son of Dr. Harland
Stuart, the first president of Central
truly choice.
dark and un-festive, but the
Philippine University (CPU) in Iloilo
It was amazing to see how
big learning point for us was
Back to Iloilo
City from 1922 until 1938, and
the most “ordinary” and
that other cheap materials
David, however, didn't forget his
Guendolen Reed. He grew up in Iloilo
inexpensive materials could
could be judiciously
childhood and wanted to go back to
but went back to the United States
be transformed by inventive
combined to produce works
Iloilo.
when he was 14 after his mother got
design and execution into
of real beauty and excitement!
“As a British videographer, I was
sick.
veritable works of high craft Specifically, we learned
thrilled
at the thought of seeing the
Hazel
was
born
in
Kent,
England,
and sometimes even of art.
that colored soft drink bottles,
country where my husband grew up.
where she was part of the elite BBC
True, the parols made out
if creatively cut up and
We came for a visit in 1997. I dived and
singers. She later left the group for a
of brown leaves and grasses
u
Page 26
filmed the coral reefs in Tubbataha
solo career.
[Reefs] and in other parts of the
Her performances - a fusion of her
country, and fell in love with the
singing, poetry and photos of nature
people,” Hazel said.
and places projected on a screen
They were later invited by CPU to
behind her - brought her to Lincoln
work as consultants to its Media
Center in New York, National
Center. In 1998, they returned for
Geographic in Washington and
good.
London's prestigious Royal Festival
The couple left CPU in 2002 and
Hall.
started making films about the
“I sang a wide range of music from
country.
By Rito P. Asilo
opera to folk song and songs from
When David died in 2008 in Iloilo,
[musical] shows,” she said.
Hazel moved to Bacolod where she
Vice Ganda may not have
Hazel met David in 1983 when he
stayed for six years before returning to
the wide vocal range of some of
and his wife, Marge, went to London
Iloilo. She kept on making
our best performers, but at
upon the insistence of Hazel's
documentaries about the Philippines
least he knows how to mask his
American friend, Betty Weilert. At that
limitations with his
using her pension because, she said,
time, she was a professor at London
interpretive ability, clear
her love of the Philippines continued to
College of Music.
b a r i to n e a n d a c c e s s i b l e
grow.
“[David and Marge] took me to
vibrato - as his latest album,
Her documentaries were shown
lunch. The first time I saw him, it was
“#Trending,” proves. And, it
on Living Asia and some local channels
love at first sight, but he was sitting
doesn't hurt that it's hard to
in the Visayas and in the United States.
next to his charming wife, Marge,” said
find fault with his ability to
Five of her films won the
Hazel, whose fiancé just died at that
entertain his audience.
International Communicators Awards
time.
His hit album contains
in the United States.
The next year, Hazel was on a
Ganda doesn't rest on his wacky laurels
catchy novelty tunes (the self“I have produced over 75 films on
concert tour in the United States when
penned “Boom Panes”) and
without stealing Vice's musical
In “Ibang Hugis, Ibang
the Philippines, because I live here, and
she learned that Marge had died of a
anthemic ballads (Jimmy
thunder!
Kulay,” cowritten with the
because it is so beautiful. It is a way of
heart attack. She felt sad for David and
Antiporda's “Malaya Ka Na”) - a
Vice doesn't rest on his
prolific Noel Cabangon, Vice
bringing publicity to the Philippines,
his three daughters.
collection that is made heftier
wacky laurels. The
sings not only about gender
and several times people have thanked
by remixes and minus ones.
multimedia star cashes in on
inequality, but also about the
me in the street and told me I am doing
Dinner date
“Push Mo 'Yan, 'Te” is as
his album's irreverent tone and
divisive differences that lead to
more for the Philippines than for
Three weeks later, Weilert invited
rousingly inspiring as it is
brutal honesty by singing
hate and discrimination.
Filipinos. This means so much to me,”
both Hazel and David to dinner. “I felt
wacky - but, it is instantly
songs, like “Aba, Matindi,”
Curiously, Lani Misalucha
she said. Inquirer.net
the same way as before but sat as far as
noteworthy because of the
about corrupt government
is billed as a featured artist in
judiciously rendered
officials who remain
the otherwise earnestly (and
improvisational runs of the
shamelessly remorseless, even
tellingly) rendered ballad,
prodigious Regine Velasquez
in the wake of incriminating
“Malaya Ka Na,” even if she's
in the background. Asia's
exposes about their greed and
nowhere to be found in the
Songbird impresses, even
nefarious practices.
track! Inquirer.net
'#Trending' cashes in on Vice Ganda’s
irreverence, brutal honesty
To advertise, please call
201-434-1114
January 2-8, 2015
Page 25
40th Metro Manila Film Festival
'Bonifacio' wins Best Float, Youth
Choice Film Awards at MMFF
By Nestor Corrales
MANILA -- The Metro
Manila Film Festival (MMFF)
announced December 27 that
the historical film “Bonifacio:
Ang Unang Pangulo” starring
actor Robin Padilla won the
Best Float and the Youth Choice
Film Awards.
This year's 40th MMFF
edition has eight official entries
including romance-comedy
“English Only Please,” actionfantasy “Kubot: The Aswang
Chronicles 2,” action film
“ M a g n u m M u s l i m . 3 5 7 ,”
comedy films “My Big Bossing's
Adventures” and “Praybeyt
Benjamin 2,” and horror films
“Feng Shui 2” and “Shake, Rattle
& Roll XV.” Inquirer.net
Derek Ramsay and Jennylyn Mercado. Inquirer file photos
Jennylyn Mercado bags 40th
MMFF best actress award;
Derek Ramsay is best actor
By Nestor Corrales
“Bonifacio”. Inquirer file photo
BONIFACIO OR AGUINALDO?
Robin Padilla film sparks
fresh debate on who was
first president of PH
By Gil C. Cabacungan
A Robin Padilla film is
sparking a fresh wave of public
interest in a long-standing
historical debate on who is the
first Philippine president, Gen.
Emilio Aguinaldo or Supremo
Andres Bonifacio.
Transportation and
Communication Secretary
Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo
Abaya, a direct descendant of
Aguinaldo, said that the
question on who the first
Philippine president was has
already been answered.
“It has been settled and I
think we have had the same
history classes. If there are new
discoveries of documents then
history experts may or may not
revisit,” said Abaya.
“Bilang apo sa tuhod ni
Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo,
bukas din naman ako sa
pagbabago ng ating
kasaysayanan kung ano po
talaga ang factual history (As
the great grandchild of Gen.
Emilio Aguinaldo, I am also
open to changes in our history
as long as it is really factual
history),” said Abaya in a text
message.
Abaya, however, refused to
be dragged into a debate to
defend Aguinaldo's rightful
claim to the title. “That is for
expert historians to debate.
Vina Morales and Robin Padilla
The debate between people
who are not expert historians is
useless. I am one of those who
is useless in this debate,” said
Abaya.
“I am a mathematician,
electrical engineer, lawyer and
a retired member of the
Philippine Navy. I am not a
historian. Based on what I
learned from grade school,
A n d re s B o n i fa c i o i s t h e
Supremo of Katipunan. So
probably, he is the first
president of Katipunan,” Abaya
said.
But Abaya urged all
Filipinos to watch the Metro
Manila Film Festival (MMFF)
movie entry to learn about the
bravery of the local hero.
“I'm sure we will learn from
the movie,” said Abaya, who
was also a blood kin of Isabelo
Abaya, a revolutionary hero
MANILA -- Jennylyn Mercado won
the best actress award and Derek
Ramsay bagged the best actor honor
for their performance in the movie
“English Only Please” at the 40th Metro
Manila Film Festival (MMFF) on
Saturday (Dec. 27) night at the
Philippine International Convention
Center.
Robin Padilla's “Bonifacio: Unang
Pangulo” won Best Picture, among
other awards.
Other winners were:
Best Supporting Actor - Joey
M a rq u e z ( Ku b o t : t h e A s wa n g
Chronicles 2)
Best Supporting Actor - Lotlot de
leon (Kubot: the Aswang Chronicles 2)
Best Cinematography - Carlo
Mendoza (Bonifacio: Ang Unang
Pangulo)
Best Editing - Marya Ignacio
(English Only Please)
Best Production Design - Ericsson
Navarro for (Kubot: The Aswang
Chronicles 20
B e s t T h e m e S o n g a wa rd (Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo)
Best Director - Dan Villegas
(English Only Please)
Best Screenplay Award Antoinette Jadaone (English Only
Please)
Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award
for Film - (Bonifacio: Ang Unang
Pangulo)
Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural
Award - (Bonifacio: Ang Unang
Pangulo)
E a r l i e r, A l l e n D i z o n o f
“Magkakabaung” won the new wave
best actor award and Zsa Zsa Padilla
received the new wave best actress
honor for the film “M. (Mother's
Maiden Name) while Jason Paul
Laxamana (“Magkakabaung”) was best
director.
Other winners in the new wave
category:
New wave Best Supporting Actress
- Gloria Sevilla M. (Mother's Maiden
Name)
New Wave Best Supporting Actor Kristopher King (Maratabat)
Best Picture - Magkakabaung
New Wave Special Jury Prize - M.
(Mother's Maiden Name). Inquirer.net
Ryzza Mae Dizon bags MMFF
Best Child Performer award
from Candon, Ilocos Sur.
Abaya said that he, his
family and three children
would use the free tickets given
by Metro Manila Development
By Nestor Corrales
Authority (MMDA) chair
Francis Tolentino to watch the
MANILA -f i l m . T h e M M DA i s t h e
Ryzza
Mae Dizon
organizer of the annual MMFF.
was adjudged Best
Padilla's film was originally
Child Performer
titled, “Bonifacio, Gusto Mo Ba
for
the movie “My
Siyang Makilala? (Do You Want
Big Bossing” in the
to Know Him)” when it was
announced among the eight
40th Metro Manila
finalists by the MMDA last June.
Film Festival
When it was finally shown in
awards night at the
theaters, its movie posters
P h i l i p p i n e
carried the revised title,
I
nternational
“Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo
Convention
Center
(The First President).”
(PICC) on Saturday
When asked to comment on
(Dec. 27) night.
the movie's title, Abaya noted
Inquirer.net
that “provocation facilitates
Ryzza Mae Dizon. Inquirer file photo
ticket sales.”
u
Page 26
January 2-8, 2015
Page 26
Katrina Halili returns to FHM
MANILA -- Sexy actress
Katrina Halili is back on the
cover of a popular men's
magazine exactly a decade
since she last graced its
pages.
FHM Philippines posted
a photo of its January 2015
cover on its website and
Facebook page, showing
Halili wearing only white
panties with white fur
covering her bare bosom.
“This cover is more of a
reminder, hindi lang para
ipakita sa iba, pero para sa
sarili ko na rin -- it's a
reminder to take care of
myself more," she was
quoted as saying.
Given all the
controversies that she has
hurdled in the past years,
Halili said she realized how
much she missed working.
"All the things I went
through made me feel na
parang ang dami kong ayaw
gawin. Dahil sa mga
pinagdaanan ko, dumating
ako sa point na feeling ko
wala akong halaga. Nawala
'yung self-confidence ko.
But I realized that I need to
work and I want to work,”
she said.
Stars grace ...
From pag 23
The grand champions in both
divisions took home P100, 000 cash,
while the 1st runners-up got P75, 000
and the 2nd runners-up received P50,
000.
The remaining eight finalists were
awarded P10, 000 each.
The contest was hosted by Luis
Manzano, who was joined onstage by
Cesar Montano, Maxene Magalona,
Arnell Ignacio and Ai Ai delas Alas.
In her speech, Batangas Governor
Vilma Santos expressed gratitude to
the big stars who graced the event.
“Ito hong mga ito (artista) ay hindi
nagpabayad. Itong mga ito ay nandidito
upang makiisa sa atin at upang ipakita
po na sila ay nakikiisa sa selebrasyon
natin ng Ala Eh! Festival,” she said.
The actress-politician was thankful
that the recent super-typhoon “Ruby”
didn't delay activities.
“God is so good! Natakot po ang
bagyong si 'Ruby' sa dasal nating lahat.
Kaya muli, sa ating Panginoon, sa ating
Halili rose to fame after
she joined a reality TV
competition.
She recently made
headlines when she broke
up with singer Kris
Lawrence with whom she
has a daughter Katrence.
Despite their breakup,
Halili said they remain in
g o o d te r m s a n d t h a t
Lawrence has been
shouldering some of their
daughter's educational
expenses. MNS
Fascinating
finalists ...
From page 24
combined, could end up looking so
bright, lovely and celebratory!
Standout
In particular, the generally lightgreen hues of the finalist entry from
Bacolod, with its “Masskara” motif, was
a standout in this regard, as was the
giant parol made out of 6,000 plastic
spoons - and then some!
Also deserving of special mention
for interesting and sometimes even
witty design were the Christmas
lanterns featuring simple “machinery,”
like a “wheel” of spinning rays, and a
bird made out of dried leaves, with
Robin Padilla
film ... From page 25
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said
Aguinaldo's place in history was secure.
“It is recognized that the
Philippines gained its independence on
June 12, 1896. It was on that date that
the Philippines was born. The
Philippine flag was raised coupled with
the singing of the national anthem and
the declaration of Philippine
independence was made by General
Aguinaldo at his house in Kawit, Cavite,”
said Barzaga.
“These circumstances undoubtedly
show that General Aguinaldo is the first
president of the country. It is worth
mentioning that the Philippines
became independent as a result of a
revolution.”
The heated rivalry on who is the
first Philippine president is as fierce as
the long-time discourse on who is
deserving to be hailed as the country's
national hero, Bonifacio or Jose Rizal.
Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares
said his group was hopeful that
Bonifacio would gain his rightful place
in the country history when it filed
separate bills last year, during
Bonifacio's 150th birth anniversary, to
declare him not only as the national
hero but also recognize him as the first
Philippine president.
“We want to correct this mistake of
poong Mahal na Birhen, maramingmaraming salamat po,” she said.
Meanwhile, Santos' husband,
Senator Ralph Recto, praised the
Batangueños' attitude crediting it for
making the province one of the more
progressive of its ilk in the Philippines.
“Ang Batangueño, kakaiba sa lahat
ng Pilipino. Lalo't higit ang pamilyang
Batangueño, masisipag tayo kaya mas
maunlad tayo sa maraming lalawigan
sa buong Pilipinas. Mapagmahal tayo sa
pamilya lalo na sa ating asawa.
Madasalin tayo sa ating Panginoon, at
lagi tayong binibigyan ng biyaya,” he
maintained.
The senator added that the
celebration of Batangas' 433 years of
township is a symbol of the unity of its
people.
Also present at the event, which
also featured a dance parade, a beauty
pageant, a costume and float
competition, and fireworks display,
were Taal, Batangas Mayor Michael D.
Montenegro, Vice Mayor Fulgencio
Mercado and Batangas Vice Governor
Mark Leviste. Manila Bulletin
flapping wings.
It was also impressive that the
huge parols cost only a thousand pesos
or a little more, since they were made
out of “found” or donated materials.
But, when the winners were finally
announced, admiration turned to
consternation. Third place winner,
“Dahon I Want For Christmas,” lacked
sparkle, and the top victor was
similarly dark - although it did feature
a charming belen.
Our personal choice was the
Masskara parol, mainly for its festive
colors, but it managed to win only
second place.
Despite this less than thrilling
outcome, “TV Parol” was a fun, creative
tilt that should be held again next
December, hopefully with brighter and
more appropriately festive
contenders! Inquirer.net
history. In fact, scholars have already
agreed on this historical fact since the
1990s and it is only now that it is being
discussed or known to the public. We
are glad Robin Padilla made the film to
honor the man who led the movement
that eventually overthrew Spanish
tyranny and corrected the distortion in
our history,” said Colmenares.
Colmenares urged the House
leadership to fast track the hearing of
the Bonifacio resolution so that it
would take effect as a law.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice also filed
a resolution to convert the Bonifacio
monument in Caloocan City as a
historical shrine and museum or the
same status as the Rizal monument at
Luneta Park.
“Both Andres Bonifacio and Emilio
Aguinaldo declared themselves
presidents of the republic. It's not for us
to tell,” said Erice. “What is important is
to declare both Rizal and Bonifacio as
our national heroes worthy of
emulation by the Filipino people.”
A year ago, the Manila City Council
approved a resolution to recognize
Bonifacio as the country's first
president, citing recent findings and
new evidence uncovered by historians
to boost this claim.
Early this month, Caloocan Mayor
Oscar Malapitan said his city should be
considered the first capital of the
Republic of the Philippines since
Bonifacio crafted his plans and strategy
against Spain in Caloocan. Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 27
Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera
tie knot in grand 'royal wedding'
By Aries Joseph Hegina
The newlyweds wave to their guests. Inquirer photo/Grig C.
Montegrande
On her own
2014 has been a rough
ye a r f o r t h e S h a ro n
Cu n e t a , b e i n g o n a n
emotional roller coaster at
the latter part of the year,
which was unfortunately
capped off by losing her
mother, Elaine GamboaCuneta. In the wake of her
departure from TV5 last
September, no one is sure
when and where will we
see Sharon again onscreen. That is why an
independent film, in its
entire substance and
sobriety, would be the
perfect comeback
e n d e avo r fo r h e r. I t
worked for the Superstar
(“Thy Womb”), the Star for
All Seasons (“Ekstra”),
why wouldn't it for the
Megastar? Paul
Aguilera/Manila Bulletin
Sharon Cuneta
TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CALL
201-434-1114
MANILA -- It was a wedding fit
for royalty.
After being in a relationship for
five years, actor Dingdong Dantes
and actress Marian Rivera got
married in a “Spanish romance”themed wedding held at the
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
in Cubao, Quezon City Tuesday (Dec.
30) afternoon.
Dubbed by the couple's home
n e t wo rk G M A - 7 a s “ K a p u s o
Primetime Royal Wedding”, the
grandiose wedding was officiated
by Cubao Archbishop Honesto
Ongtioco, along with eight bishops
and seven priests.
During the homily, Novaliches
bishop Teodoro Bacani wished
eternal love for the celebrity couple.
“A n g t e l e s e r y e a y m a y
katapusan, ito ay may katapusan
din. Ang katapusan ay ang walang
hanggan,” Bacani said.
At 4:10 p.m, Dantes and Rivera
were pronounced as husband and
wife. The couple then sealed their
marriage with a kiss that lasted for
eight seconds.
President Benigno Aquino III
took time off his busy schedule to
attend the wedding of Dantes,
whom he appointed as
commissioner-at-large for the
National Youth Commission, as the
couple's “witness of honor.”
There are 20 pairs of principal
sponsors which included the
couple's friends in the field of show
business, fashion, and politics such
President Benigno Aquino III poses for a photo with newlyweds Marian
Rivera and Dingdong Dantes. Malacañang Photo Bureau/Robert Viñas
as GMA-7 CEO Felipe Gozon,
clothing brand honcho Ben Chan,
singer-couple Ogie and Regine
Alcasid, actress and Batangas
governor Vilma Santos-Recto, and
fashion designer Randy Ortiz.
Dantes' brother, Jose Angelo
served as one of his best men while
celebrities Ana Feleo and Roxanne
Barcelo were among Rivera's maids
of honor.
The GMA-7 actor arrived at the
wedding venue in a black Ducati
motorcycle, wearing a Randy Ortiz
cream suit. Meanwhile, the stunning
bride wore a Michael Cinco ecru lace
wedding gown studded with
Swarovski crystals and a pearl tiara.
The romance between the two
blossomed after they were first
paired onscreen in the local
adaptation of the Mexican
telenovela hit “Marimar.”
Dantes proposed twice to
Rivera: first in 2012 in Macau and
the second time was last August
when he asked for her hand on live
television.
Well-wished poured for the
celebrity couple on social media,
w i t h t h e # D o n g Ya n We d d i n g
topping the worldwide trends on
Twitter. Inquirer.net
Deaths, weddings and scandals of 2014
By Mark Sablan
Deaths, weddings and scandals
- 2014 had it all. Here are the stuff
we Googled, read about online,
tweeted about, and maybe even
made memes of.
'Frozen' domination
The animated film had
everyone singing along to the
extremely catchy “Let It Go.”
Parents ended up buying
merchandise from the movie for
their children. And the kids ended
up donning blond wigs and Elsa
gowns.
hitched (we don't know who
among the two is luckier). Solange
Knowles married Alan Ferguson
(and released amazing photos of
her entourage, all in white).
Celebrity deaths
Talented and unforgettable
celebrities passed away in 2014,
from actors Robin Williams and
Philip Seymour Hoffman to TV host
Joan Rivers, and legendary author
Maya Angelou.
Comedian in trouble
Popular standup comedian and
actor Bill Cosby was slapped with
rape allegations one after another,
even from celebs like Janice
Dickinson.
Breaking the Internet
Kim Kardashian “broke the
Internet” by posing on the cover of
Paper magazine, flaunting her
shiny, well-oiled behind. Her iconic
pose spawned several memes. Kim
also earned a lot, thanks to her
mobile app Kim Kardashian:
Hollywood.
Fashion icon
Oscar-winning actress Lupita
Nyong'o attended a lot of events,
wore a variety of gowns and
dresses in every possible shade
found in the color wheel.
Celebrity weddings
Kim Kardashian and Kanye
West finally exchanged I do's. Brad
Pitt and Angelina Jolie also finally
walked down the aisle. George
Clooney and Amal Alamuddin got
Legit model
Kim Kardashian's little sister
Kendall Jenner stepped out of the
reality TV world and successfully
c r o s s e d o ve r t o m o d e l i n g ,
appearing in several fashion
magazines, doing legit catwalk
gigs, and even bagging
endorsements such as being the
global face of Estee Lauder.
Hot mess
June Shannon, the mother of
“Toddlers & Tiaras” discovery
Alana Thompson a.k.a. Honey Boo
Boo, got into trouble when news
surfaced about her dating a
pedophile ex-boyfriend who
reportedly molested her own
daughter.
Sappy hit
The sappy book “The Fault in
Our Stars” and its film adaptation
had teens and teens-at-heart
bawling and posting quotes online,
plus buying merchandise like
shirts, rubber bracelets, phone
cases, and accessories.
Drastic change
After a long absence from the
limelight, the new Renee Zellweger
obviously had plastic surgery. The
change was so drastic we didn't
recognize her anymore. As
expected, the online world had a lot
to say about the new Renee.
Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 28
Why Floyd Mayweather Jr. still dodges Manny Pacquiao
By Roy Luarca
F l o y d M a y w e a t h e r J r.' s
shameful reluctance to fight
Manny Pacquiao may be driven by
fear, according to veteran ring
pundits.
The brash, undefeated
American fears that the Filipino
superstar will stain his record and
seriously hurt him as well, they
said.
Mayweather himself said so.
Take this from his interview
with ESPN.com in 2012 where he
a c c u s e d Pa c q u i a o o f u s i n g
performance-enhancing drugs
and the boxing world of not
showing any concern for his safety.
“Health is more important
than anything,” Mayweather said.
“Because guess what? When my
career is over, if I'm hurt because of
something that has happened in a
fight, I can't come to you and say, 'I
need (money).'
“People say, 'We don't give a
f______ if he's taking (drugs) or not;
we just want to see the fight. We
don't give a f______ about your
health and we don't give a f______
about your family.'”
In another interview with
NBC's Bob Costas in the same year,
Mayweather again explained why
he is not keen on fighting Pacquiao.
“I am in the ring to win, not just
inside the ring, but outside the
ring,” Mayweather said. “My health
PACQUIAO: The Filipino ended the career of several opponents.
MAYWEATHER: My health is more important. Self-preservation.
is more important. I come first.
Self-preservation. I gotta worry
about my family. If the fight don't
happen, so be it.”
After continuously evading a
fight with Pacquiao for two years,
however, Mayweather finally ran
out of excuses. He told Showtime
Sports recently that the time has
come for them to fight each other.
He said he wanted to fight
Pacquiao on May 2 next year.
Pacquiao, who called out on
Mayweather again after trouncing
Chris Algieri on Nov. 23 in Macau,
readily agreed.
The Filipino eight-division
world champion held out hope that
Mayweather would not throw a
spanner in the works so that the
Pacquiao to quit on his stool in the
eighth round in 2008, and Briton
Ricky Hatton, whom Pacquiao
knocked out cold in the second
round in 2009.
And there were Antonio
M a rga r i to , wh o m Pa c q u i a o
reduced into a punching bag in
2010, and Shane Mosley, whom
Pacquiao mercifully carried to
finish their bout in 2011.
Fight analyst David Phillips of
the Sweet Science said Pacquiao's
punches are still more devastating
than Mayweather's.
While Mayweather can dodge
most of the punches, Phillips said
the judges will likely be swayed by
Pacquiao's aggression and activity.
Even casual boxing fans can
negotiations for the projected
blockbuster would succeed.
Of late, however, Mayweather
has clammed up again, fueling
speculations that he had made the
fight announcement just to tone
down growing sentiment that he
has been dodging Pacquiao.
While Mayweather continues
to deny the fear factor, two boxing
pundits provided insights on it to
aubtimes.com.
According to The Wall Street
Journal's Josh Katzowitz, Pacquiao
is a difficult proposition for
Mayweather because he had
ended the career of many boxers.
Prominent among them were
boxing's former poster boy Oscar
De La Hoya, who was forced by
read between the statistics.
C o m p a r i n g t h e i r
performances against common
opponents, Pacquiao has the
better grade. Mayweather won by
split decision over De La Hoya and
took 10 rounds to stop Hatton.
Pacquiao also stopped Miguel
Cotto, whom Mayweather beat by
unanimous decision.
It's only against Juan Manuel
Marquez that Mayweather enjoys
the edge, having dominated the
Mexican in their lone meeting in
2009.
In contrast, Pacquiao has a 2win, 1-draw, 1-loss record against
Marquez, who knocked him out in
the sixth round of their fourth bout
in 2012. Inquirer.net
DILAPIDATED: The decades-old Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila
SNAPTHEPIX.COM
Clark training center
built by Dec. 2015?
By June Navarro
The Philippine Sports Commission
has set December 2015 as the tentative
date for the completion of its ambitious
multibillion-peso training center for
national athletes at Clark Freeport in
Pampanga.
“This training center should be
finished before the end of 2015,” said
PSC chair Richie Garcia yesterday. “I
hope this happens because Rizal
(Memorial Sports Complex) is no
longer acceptable as training center for
our athletes.”
The old, dilapidated 9.3-hectare
RMSC in Manila has been the home of
Filipino athletes since the mid-1930s
and is now prone to flooding. The PSC
also holds office inside the complex.
Exposed to pollution, flooding
“We're exposed to pollution and the
area easily gets flooded during heavy
rains, making it difficult for our athletes
to train,” said Garcia.
He said the committee on youth and
sports development of the House of
Representatives is crafting a bill for the
relocation of the national athletes from
various sports in Metro Manila to the
50-hectare site at Clark Freeport.
The agency is working on signing a
u
Page 30
January 2-8, 2015
Page 29
Worldwide fitness trends for 2015
Many are likely to engage in exercise, if shown ways to do so at a time and place they find convenient
By Mitch Felipe Mendoza
The American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) has finished its
ninth annual survey for 2015
worldwide fitness trends.
It included inputs by some 3,000
fitness professionals from
Barbados, Brazil, Brunei, Costa Rica,
Ecuador, Greece, Hong Kong,
Ireland, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman,
Peru, Portugal, Spain, Thailand,
United Arab Emirates, United States
and United Kingdom.
Body weight training
Sedentary individuals are more
likely to embrace a healthy lifestyle
if they can do a fitness program at a
convenient time and place.
Body weight training is one of
the best ways to motivate them.
They can use their body weight
as the resistance to strengthen
major muscle groups, engage the
core and to burn more calories by
doing the simplest exercises like
push-ups, squats, sit-ups and
planks.
Progress by increasing the
repetitions, modifying the position
and adding other body weight
cardio exercises to increase heart
rate.
High-intensity interval training
(HIIT)
The survey shows fitness
experts still believe that HIIT as a
training method can motivate more
people because it can produce
greater results in fitness level and
weight loss for less than 30 minutes.
Keywords here are short
duration and faster results.
However, most people think that
HIIT workouts might not suit their
fitness levels and should be done
o n ly by a t h l e te s o r s e r i o u s
exercisers.
Interval training can be as
simple as doing jog/run-walk
interval training or a simple home
workout.
The goal is to reach 85 percent
or more of your maximum heart rate
(220 minus age) for the work period
(30 seconds) and for as low as 60
percent of the maximum heart rate
for the rest period.
Professional trainers
Fitness buffs should choose a
responsible, credible and
experienced fitness professional
who can help reach their full
potential.
Some exercises that were the
trend 10 years ago might not be safe
today. Always consult with a
certified fitness professional.
Everyone can benefit from
getting a personal trainer because,
aside from guiding your exercise
program, an experienced and
qualified personal trainer has the
skills to help improve your overall
health and lifestyle.
World-class certifications
accredited by the National
Commission for Certifying Agencies
(NCCA) include American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM) and
American Council on Exercise
(ACE).
Strength training
Strength training is an integral
part of a complete fitness program. A
full-body strength program done
twice or thrice a week can produce
significant results such as improved
metabolism, strength and muscle
tone.
It can also help prevent or
rehabilitate injuries; it is very
important in body shaping and
weight management.
Strength or resistance training
can be done using your body or with
different strength equipment like
resistance training machines, hand
weights or dumbbells, body
leverage equipment, kettlebells,
resistance bands or exercise tubing
and medicine ball.
Exercise and weight loss
We i gh t l o s s c a n o n ly b e
sustained with exercise.
Fitness and health experts will
always encourage clients or patients
EXPRESS SUDOKU
HOW TO PLAY: Place a number from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so that each
row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9
Solution to Issue 52 Sudoku
Solution to Issue 52 Crossword
WWW.ACSM.ORG
to incorporate exercise in their
eating program to achieve quality
results.
Majority of fitness professionals
now incorporate behavioral eating
u
Page 30
EXPRESS CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Public transit vehicles
6. Dry
10. Money
14. Positive pole
15. At the proper time
16. Savvy about
17. Deplorable
19. Roman emperor
20. A woman chaperon
21. Disencumber
22. Narrow opening
23. Prank
25. Oozes
26. Requests
30. Sour
32. Mail pouch
35. Terrestrial
39. A citizen of Calcutta,
for example
40. Scanty
41. Notwithstanding
43. Cite
44. Treeless plain
46. Feudal worker
47. Preserves
50. Homeric epic
53. Smell
54. Utilize
55. Allow
60. Guy
61. Pre-car transport
63. Aquatic plant
64. If not
65. French farewell
66. Flower stalk
67. Consider
68. Wards (off)
1. Hairless
2. Two-toed sloth
3. A few
4. Biblical garden
5. Ringworm cassia
6. American Dental
Association
7. Direction
8. Unlawful
9. Not the original
color
10. Sanctify
11. Anoint (archaic)
12. Thin piece of
wood
13. Owl sounds
DOWN
18. Buff
24. Children's game
25. Femme fatale
26. Among
27. Rational
28. Children
29. Backwash
31. Greek territorial
unit
33. Entices
34. Initial wager
36. Auspices
37. A noble gas
38. Sea eagle
42. Letter
43. Japanese apricot
45. Give delight to
47. Soft drinks
48. Grownup
49. Hostel
51. Gorilla
52. A type of coffee
54. Utilized
56. Was a passenger
57. Principal
58. Frozen
59. As a result
62. Precious stone
January 2-8, 2015
Page 30
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memorandum of agreement with the
Clark Development Corp. for the
training facility's construction.
Garcia said the government sports
agency would need about P3.5 billion
to fund the entire project.
“Once we get the go-signal (from
Malacañang), we'll immediately look
for the funds,” he said.
RMSC property claimants
The PSC has been in talks with the
Manila city government - which also
claims the RMSC property - in a bid to
find financing for the new complex,
which will house the athletes'
dormitories and sports facilities of
several sport.
“For as long as the PSC is there (at
RMSC), it remains under the control of
the PSC,” said Garcia. “Since we cannot
sell it, we're planning to relinquish the
control of RMSC to the City of Manila
in exchange for P3.5 billion.
Fully-furnished
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Clark training
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“There's no sale there. We just
returned the property to Manila.”
There are still unresolved
questions over which party - the PSC
or the Manila city government - really
owns the RMSC real estate.
The property was donated to the
national government in the 1930s by
the Vito Cruz family, whose patriarch,
Hermogenes Vito Cruz, was the leader
of the Katipunan in Pasay during the
1890s.
“They're saying that there are
restrictions on the deed of donation,”
said Garcia. “But if you base it on
practice and history, why was part of
the property sold to Century Park or
Harrison Plaza? The property still
belonged to the Vito Cruz family.
“If there are restrictions, the title
of the property cannot be transferred
to Manila. And because of that, we'll be
out in the market to look for other
sources of funding.”
According to the PSC chief, the
construction of the facilities and
transfer of athletes to Clark Field
could take at least six months.
Inquirer.net
For details, call us at 201-434-1114
or send an email to filexpress@aol.com
Worldwide
fitness ...
From page 29
strategies in their weight loss
programs to give clients the
results that they need.
Dieticians and doctors will
always encourage their patients
to engage in regular physical
activities.
Yoga
The popularity of yoga can be
attributed to its mental,
emotional, spiritual and physical
benefits.
The atmosphere in a yoga
studio and attributes of a yoga
teacher have powerful effects
wh e n i t c o m e s to g e t t i n g
participants to be consistent in
their practice.
Aside from physical benefits
such as total body and core
strength, balance and flexibility,
there are also other gains such as
improved concentration and selfdiscipline.
challenged by other clients who
signed up for the same session.
Functional training
Fitness experts apply
functional training to clients to
make their exercise program
more complete and effective.
This training method
improves balance, coordination
and functional strength.
Most fitness programs focus
on full body training, imitating
activities of daily living to make
clients become more functional in
their usual activities such as going
up and down the stairs, lifting,
pushing and pulling activities.
Fun
On a personal note as a fitness
professional, our regular clients
are older adults. This shows how
committed the older population
can get once they realize the
importance of fitness in their dayto-day lives.
They see results in weight
management, they feel younger
and stronger and, most of all, they
are having fun.
Group training
Most exercisers are exploring
the benefits of training in a small
group instead of joining big
classes or signing up for a one-onone personal training session.
Group personal training is
more fun and affordable as
compared to a private session.
You can also get inspired or
Next fitness trends
These are the next fitness
trends which we hope to discuss
soon: Worksite health promotion;
Outdoor activities; Wellness
coaching; Circuit training; Core
training; Sport-specific training;
Exercise for the treatment and
prevention of obesity; Outcome
measurements; Worker incentive
programs; Boot camp.
Inquirer.net
January 2-8, 2015
Page 31
January 2-8, 2015
Page 32

The Filipino Express v29 Issue 01

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