from page 1 - The Manila Mail

Transcription

Vol. XX, No. 2
By Jon Melegrito
Meeting in San Francisco
for its 9th Empowerment Conference Nov. 20-21, members of
the 13-year-old National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) elected new
national officers and vowed to
focus their efforts in the next
two years on advocacy, voter
education, partnerships with
other organizations, rebuilding
NaFFAA’s infrastructure.
Ed Navarra, 66, of Bloomfield Hills , Michigan was
elected national chairman, succeeding Greg Macabenta of San
Francisco , Calif. A systems engineer with Ford Company for 30
years, Navarra retired recently
to devote his time to community
service. He has served as chair of
NaFFAA’s MidWest region,
which includes Illinois , Minnesota , Ohio and Wisconsin .
Also elected at the 3-day
Online: www.ManilaMailDC.net
conference, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco
from Nov. 19-21, was JT Mallonga, 56, of Bloomfield , NJ as
national vice chair; and Brendan
Flores, 25, of Las Vegas NV as
national youth chair.
Mallonga is a New York
practicing attorney and founder
of the Filipino American Legal
Defense and Education Fund
(FALDEF). He served as regional chair of the Eastern Region for four years. Flores is a
business administration student
at the University of Phoenix . All
three executive officers were
voted into office unanimously.
In his acceptance speech after his swearing in, Navarra
vowed to re-establish NaFFAA’s
political presence in the nation’s
capital through active advocacy
and coalition building. “While
we will continue to be concerned
about events in the Philippines ,
Continued on page 22
Manny for President?
President Aquino receives a T shirt from the world’s top boxer Manny Pacquiao who paid a courtesy call on him at the Premier Guest House in Malacanang Nov. 20. With no more awards to give him, the President gave
Pacquiao a bottle of champagne. Story on page 22.
UPAA’s row
over bra P4
Garcia son faces
extradition P6
November 30, 2010
Delegates to the NaFFAA conference honored Alex Esclamado, one of the founders of NaFFAA, during the “Isang
Diwa” Gala Night. Accepting the “Order of the Carabao” Award was Luly Esclamado (center), wife of NaFFAA’s
first national chairman. From left are National Youth Chair Brendan Flores, outgoing NaFFAA Chairman Greg
Macabenta, outgoing Vice Chair Rozita Lee, Esclamado, National Chair Emeritus Loida Nicolas Lewis, Ed
Navarra and JT Mallonga, NaFFAA chairman and vice chairman, respectively. (Photo by Jon Melegrito)
‘Pilipinas Kay
Ganda’ is Out
MANILA - Following bitter criticisms from almost all
sectors of society, President
Benigno
S.
Aquino
III
scrapped the “Pilipinas, Kay
Ganda” slogan and ordered
the Department of Tourism to
draft a new concept that
would meet the public pulse
and really draw tourists to the
Philippines.
The Department of Tourism said that the new tourism
campaign would be withdrawn after its slogan was
criticized for being boring and
not easily understood by foreign tourists.
DoT has already pulled
the plug on the new website
for the marketing campaign
after it was found that its address was similar to a pornographic site.
RH backers hail
Pope’s condom edict
MANILA - Supporters of a
controversial birth control bill in
Congress and Malacanang welcomed the pronouncement of
Pope Benedict XVI that condom
use may be allowed to prevent
the spread of HIV-AIDS, and
urged local Church officials to
take the same stand because
“they cannot be more popish
than the Pope.”
“That’s a good step. I think
our own clergy should be informed by the views of the Vatican because they’ve always
referred to the Vatican when
they stated their position, now
that the Vatican’s position is
such then I think that should result in a corresponding flexibility on the part of our Church,"
Presidential
Communications
Development Secretary Ricky
Carandang said.
Carandang said the Pope’s
Cordero bids
goodbye P10
Tessie to get PH
award P11
statement could “absolutely”
boost support for the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said a
meeting on the RH bill between
the Palace and the CBCP has
been tentatively scheduled between Dec. 7 and 15. World boxing champion Rep. Manny
Pacuiao says “I’m against the
RH Bill because I have many siblings. And also on condoms, I’m
not in favor of it.” (See Pacquiao
story on p.24)
President Aquino has said
he is for responsible parenthood,
including educating couples on
how to plan their families and
providing them assistance with
artificial birth control methods
such as the use of condoms.
“I don’t want to misquote
the Pope. I think he was very
Turkey and Puto
P30
2
November 30, 2010
Inouye hurt by suit; vets march in Los Angeles
By Rodney J. Jaleco
WASHINGTON D.C. Some key supporters on Capitol
Hill have expressed their displeasure over reports Filipino
World War II veterans, spurned
from receiving lump sum payments, are suing the government. This came as Filipino
veterans and their supporters
staged a protest march on Veterans Day in front of the federal
building in Los Angeles on Veterans Day demanding justice.
Two FilAm lobbyists who
recently met with Sen. Daniel K.
Inouye, appropriations committee chair and one of the chief architects of the Filipino veterans
equity compensation fund, have
said the senator was “hurt” by
the suits filed by veterans in
California.
“He was hurt by the criticisms. That wasnt the reaction
he was expecting from the FilAm community after all he did
to help our veterans,” explained
one.
Jon Melegrito, co-chair of
the National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE),
declined to discuss the reported
falling-out with Inouye but admitted they too were “disappointed” by the lawsuit that
challenged key provisions of the
Filipino veterans equity compensation bill approved with the
stimulus bill in 2009.
Two separate lawsuits were
filed last month in California on
behalf of veterans whose appli-
Oct. 1, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
A total of 21,417 applications
were rejected.
Filipino American veteran Almeda poses with Speaker Nancy Pelosi during
the White House reception on Veterans Day. The Filam veteran also had a
picture with Vice President Joe Biden and others.
cations for the lump sum were
rejected — many because their
names were not in the roster at
the National Personnel Records
Center in St. Louis, MO. the socalled Missouri List.
More than 2,800 lump sum
claims were still pending as of
Over $207 million has been
paid out to Filipino veterans.
Both suits asked the federal
courts in California to compel
the DVA to accept proof other
than the Missouri List.
One was filed by San Francisco-based lawyer Lou Tanc-
inco. He cited the case of Romeo
Fernandez, 91, a decorated veteran who won US citizenship
partly because of his wartime exploits but whose application for
compensation was rejected because he wasnt in the Missouri
List.
The 2nd law suit filed by
DC lawyer Arnedo Valera on behalf of 27 plaintiffs also sought
the inclusion of veterans widows
to receive the lump sum payments, invalidate the quit claim
contained in the equity compensation bill, and asked that veterans living in the Philippine get
the same amount as their comrades in the US ($9,000 vs
$15,000).
Valera doesnt believe the
court proceedings are adversarial to what has already been won
or may still be won in Congress.
“They should look at the courts
as an avenue to secure the rights
of our veterans,” he urged.
Melegrito told the Manila
Mail it was “unfair” because it
created the “assumption that
nothing good can come out of
Congress” and “does not appreciate what Senators Inouye or
(Daniel) Akaka or Congressmen
(Bob) Filner or (Mike) Honda
worked for.”
He said some of the people
behind the law suits weren’t involved with lobbying efforts on
Capitol Hill and were unfamiliar
with the peculiar dynamics of
lawmaking, where compromise
is often the norm.
But Valera stressed they are
united by the desire to give aging veterans the justice and recognition they deserve even if
they choose to take different
paths. “We have to use the law
in the quest for equity,” he insisted.
November 30, 2010
3
4
November 30, 2010
The UPAA’s bra incident
Why was the article about
the “Masskara” (mask) used as a
paid advertisement instead of a
regular feature in the University
of the Philippines Alumni Association’s (UPAA) Maskara Ball
Earlier, attempts had been
made to convince Azarcon to delete the bra sentence. When he
refused as a “matter of principle,” the program committee decided to scrap it. But officers and
This photo by J. Pecson shows some of the guests with masks at the
Maskara Ball. (Photo by J. Pecson)
souvenir program that was distributed at the Gala Ball at
Westin Tyson’s Corner in Virginia Oct. 30?
Sources said the reason was
that the souvenir program committee led by UPAA president
Arturo Pangilinan decided to
hold the article of former UPAA
president Warie Azarcon because of a sentence it considered
offensive. That sentence said
“The bra was invented to make a
mountain of a molehill.”
Many UPAA officers and
members who read the article
before it was printed disagreed.
Not wanting to create a mountain out of the bra issue, they decided to run it as a paid
advertisement. As such it did
not represent the view of UPAA
in the greater Washington D.C.
area. Some members said it was
censorship.
“It was an article that was
truly UP-style, witty, sardonic,
dry humor, tongue-in-cheek. It
was a perfect answer to why indeed we are wearing masks
while trying to raise funds,” said
Dr. Jun Anthony Quion in an
email to Pangilinan. .
Prior to the printing of the
program, there was a flurry of
exchanges by phone and emails
between the pro and anti-bra
followers.
One UP alumnus said in an
email: “The Oblation need not
cry. Maskara is also a celebration
of the naked truth. The truth is
that we all have our own pretensions. We all wear masks in one
form or another.”
Asked for his opinion, a UP
alumnus in Manila said: “No, I
don’t think there is any offensive
language or idea in the article
that is worth censoring. It is not
offensive at all. One is all about
being naked and transparent to
the world, the other a cover-up,
a pretense, a whimsical fantasy.
Symbolism ng maskara(fantasy,
whimsy) set against harsh reality. Stronger, though obvious,
contrast, kumbaga.”
members who saw nothing
wrong with the article, paid to
have it published as an advertisement. Their names have been
attached to the advertisement.
Azarcon, president of Manila Mail Communications, Inc.,
has refused to comment on the
issue.
Some UPAA members complained that there was no full
discussion about the article with
other former officers and members. Dr. Quion said “the collective wisdom of the group was
negated, as we were not able to
share our reasonings with our
fellow Execom members before
making a decision. Even with
the time constraints, there could
have been some semblance of an
open discussion. For me, even
the ‘compromise’ solution was
tilted against the author - remove the ‘offending’ part, or we
remove the entire article. I
wanted a chance to talk to whoever was feeling offended by the
article, but it was declined. It felt
frustrating - just like not being
able to confront your accuser. I
stand 100% behind the author,
and I deplore this attempt to be
‘politically correct’.”
Pangilinan, for his part, said
it was a difficult decision for
him. “The decision I had to
make today is one I didn’t take
lightly. It was a very difficult
one but it was one I had to make
no matter how unpopular. The
issue at hand was whether to
keep an article in our UPAA
souvenir journal that has been
pointed out to contain a part
which is offensive to some people. I tried to excise that offensive part, not the whole article,
but I was not successful. This
item which was offensive to the
sensitivity of some of our alumni
including board members was
not imagined, predicted, or encouraged - it is real as expressed
by these alumni. If you are
aware that something could be
offensive to someone, wouldn’t
you try to do something about
it? Should we ignore ‘a little offensive’ or ‘offensive to a relatively few people’ or ‘offensive
to the prudes but not to us the
well evolved UP alumni’”?
Should a majority vote ignore
these people?
He continued:
Pangilian added: “I too
fought in the streets of Manila
for our freedom of speech but I
also fought for the small people
who are overlooked and trampled upon by the powers that
be. We are on the same side so
please let us not put each other
down until we really think of
what’s going on, and step in the
other person’s shoes. We can argue, we can disagree, but lets
not just be toxic for toxic’s sake.
UPAA as owner of the souvenir
journal has the right and the responsibility to make sure what
we put out does not cause offense or pain to our readers
(alumni and general public expected to read our journal). We
all know this, and I’m sure no
one in this group would like to
give up this right!
“One fact that is not known
to everyone is this article was
written by former officer, a current member of the souvenir
journal committee, and the article is on a non-paid page (i.e.,
not an ad). As such it is part of
UPAA representation. Can we
force our own executive committee members and alumni to represent the very thing that is
offensive to them?
“Albert suggested a ‘way
out’ of this dilemma. Why don’t
some people pay in convert this
page in to a paid ad. Although,
it still has the complete article, it
will take out the direct link to
UPAA. In this case, let the chips
fall where they fall. I will set
aside my decision and let the SP
committee do what it wishes.
“On a last note, let us not
talk about ‘never having a
chance for full interactive discussion’ or ‘collective wisdom of
the group’. Let us be honest with
ourselves, we have no collective
wisdom, people by choice don’t
even attend meetings. When the
Maskara Ball meetings finally
got going, my mantra was ‘if
you want to be part of the decision, you need to be part of the
meeting’, going forward, our
mantra should be ‘show up or
shut up!’”
“Sorry to vent and preach,
but we really, really need make
an individual decision to work
together and work through our
differences or completely get out
of the way of progress.”
Another alumnus, Alma
Conty, said that if the “UP system allows the Oblation run to
happen in the Diliman campus
with exposed genitals of male
students how can we, an alumni
group be so sensitive to the
Lewis spells UPAA
role in development
FAIRFAX, Virginia - Mrs.
Loida Nicolas Lewis, former
chair of the National Federation
of Filipino American Associations, spelled out the innovative ways through which the
alumni of the University of the
Philippines could play an active role in the development of
the Philippines.
The head of the Noy-Mar
campaign in the US before the
May Philippine elections, Mrs.
through colorful masks and
street fair. One of the famous
festivities in the Philippines, the
Masskara Festival attracts thousands of local and foreign tourists every year.
The ball also featured the
maiden performance of the Oblation Singers, the newlyformed choral group of UPAA
DCMDVA.
Speaking on the good
news that comes from the Phil-
Philippine Embassy Minister Ariel Penaranda, on behalf of Ambassador
Willy C. Gaa, addressed the UPAA Maskara Ball at Westin Tyson’s Corner in Virginia Oct. 30. Photo shows Minister Ariel and Mrs. Rowena
Penaranda, Atty. Loida Nicolas Lewis, chair emeritus of NaFFAA, and
Arturo Pangilinan, president of UPAA DCMDVA.
Lewis was the keynote speaker
of the Maskara Ball of the University of the Philippines
Alumni Association in DC,
Maryland and Virginia at the
Westin Tyson’s Corner hotel on
Oct. 30. More than 200 guests
attended the affair.
Minister Ariel Penaranda
of the Philippine embassy, who
spoke on behalf of Ambassador
Willy C. Gaa, for his part said
the large community of U.P.
alumni in the metro DC area
have been true to their title
“iskolar ng bayan”. He said
that as scholars of the people,
the UPAA always responds to
the Embassy’s call and that of
the larger Filipino-American
community in many important
occasions."
The Maskara Ball takes after the Masskara Festival, an
annual event in the City of Bacolod that features the many
smiling faces of Bacolod
ippines such as the fresh and
hopeful political climate and
strengthening economy, Minister Penaranda urged his fellow
U.P. alumni “to be always in
the loop” on current developments in the country.
He also took the opportunity to invite the U.P. alumni,
who are always eager to give
back to the Philippines, to support the campaign for the passage of the Save Our Industries
(SAVE) Act, a bill pending in
the U.S. Congress that aims to
restore and create jobs in the
Philippines and the United
States by reinvigorating bilateral trade in fabric and garments.
Proceeds from the ball will
fund the three of the seven Junior Faculty Grants UPAA
DCMDVA committed to support. Four of the seven grants
have been fully funded.
word BRA which we see advertised on sale in stores in the
mall? Why do we accept to
make the OBLATION our centerpiece and not be able to read
the word BRA in an article embedded in a mere souvenir program?”
(Execom is made up of 18
members (9 officers and 9 board)
- 11 of the execom supported the
article by listing their names, 2
other board is in support but did
not make the list, plus 1 additional former president. It would
have been more names supporting the article, except it need not
spill over to another page and it
need not indicate to be a show of
alumni ganging-in on our president.)
One of those who paid for
the ad said: “Now people would
wonder why it has to be paid for
and the story behind the story
will then be talked about. I appreciate your dogged effort and
the other people in concert with
you in defending freedom of
thought and expression. The UP
brand is working after all.”
Sol Manalo said: “For
heaven’s sake, there’s nothing
offensive with Warie’s article!
Put the article in the souvenir
program, Mr. President. To censor it is a big mistake. Where is
your UP spirit?”
5
November 30, 2010
P-Noy thanks Canada for hosting .3-M Pinoys
YOKOHAMA — President
Benigno S. Aquino III thanked
the government of Canada for
taking good care of the about
300,000 Filipinos working and
living in Canada.
The President and Canadian
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
held bilateral talks at the Intercontinental Yokohama Grand
Hotel at the sidelines of the 18th
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders
Meeting here on Saturday morning.
In an interview with the
Philippine media delegation at
the
International
Media
Center
here,
Secretary Ricky
Carandang of
the Presidential
Communicati
ons Development and Strategic Planning
Office said the
President
thanked
the
Prime Minister
for the fair
treatment given
to the Filipino
community in
Canada.
There is an
ever increasing
people-to-peop
le link between Canada and the
Philippines, their third largest
source of immigrants with over
300,000 Filipinos making vital
President Aquino III confers with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
Harper regarding Filipino presence in Canada during a break in the APEC
summit in Yokohama, Japan early this month.
contributions to Canada.
“The President thanked the
Prime Minister and the government of Canada for the good
treatment of the Filipinos living
there. They have laws to protect
migrant workers including the
Filipinos," Carandang said.
On the other hand, Harper
requested the President’s help in
reducing the human trafficking
problem in Canada where many
people from Asia and other
parts of the world are being
smuggled using different transshipment points.
6
November 30, 2010
Nat’l Day of Remembrance
MANILA - While the Philippine court has been moving
slowly over the trial of the Ampatuan clan for the massacre of
57 people in Maguinadanao last
eral petitions, the transcendental
issues involved are sufficient to
give due course to the suit.
NPC president Jerry Yap
said there is a need for a special
Human Rights chief Etta Rosales lights candle in memory of 57 massacre
victims in Maguindanao.
year, President Benigno Aquino
III declared the one year anniversary of the killings as a national day of remembrance.
Under Proclamation 73, the
President said it is appropriate
to commemorate the massacre as
justice remains elusive for the
relatives of those who were
mass-murdered in the hinterlands of Ampatuan town a year
ago.
“I call on the Filipino people
to solemnly bear the departed in
their thoughts, and for all citizens from all walks of life to
commit, in solidarity, to the
quest for justice for the victims,"
Aquino said.
Palace officials wore black
armbands to express their solidarity with the families of the
victims, especially the 32 journalists who perished in the carnage.
The National Press Club
held a candle lighting ceremony
on Mendiola Bridge.
The NPC and the Alyansa
ng Filipinong Mamamahayag
(Afima) had asked the Supreme
Court to create a special court
that will conduct a daily trial on
the case.
In the Quezon city court,
delays have been made by motions and petitions by defense
lawyers. Quezon City Regional
Trial Court Judge Jocelyn SolisReyes said she would set aside 2
days a week for the trial.
The Supreme Court has
blocked a petition to have the
trial televised and groups have
asked that Judge Reyes be relieved from handling other cases
currently pending in her court
so that she will be able to concentrate on the massacre trial.
In its 20-page petition, the
groups’ lawyer Michael Mella
said that while there is no provision under the Rules of Court
specifically allowing for unilat-
court to speed up the trial of the
multiple murder cases against
members of the Ampatuan clan.
Yap said they are concerned
about the delays in the trial,
adding that motions and petitions delayed the hearings despite the effort of Quezon City
Regional Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes.
The group asked that Judge
Reyes be relieved from handling
other cases currently pending in
her court so that she will be able
to concentrate on the massacre
trial.
Other groups have called
for the disbarment of defense
lawyers who try to delay the
trial. Estimates are that the case
will drag on for years. Meanwhile more than 100 of the suspects in the massacre have yet to
be arrested by the police.
In the south, groups like Alliance against Impunity Mindanao (AIM) and the Philippine
Center for Islam and Democracy
(PCID) called for the speedy trial
of the cases related to the massacre.
The PCID also urged the
government to take effective action to prevent the reoccurrence
of “such barbaric acts on Philippine soil”.
Prosecution lawyers expressed concern over the pace of
the proceedings, considering the
number of witnesses that both
sides will present.
Defense counsel Sigfrid Fortun said the trial may drag on
for 10 years while Senator Joker
Arroyo noted it may take 200
years.
A total of 197 people are
charged with multiple murders
for the massacre on November
23, 2009 by gunmen allegedly
acting on orders of the influential Ampatuan clan.
Yap said the accused will
likely use their resources to prolong the trial and wait for the
next President who may be more
“accommodating” to them.
Meanwhile, the National
Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) called on all
journalists, media workers, and
the public to remind the President of his pledge to deliver justice to the victims.
UN says PH ranks 4th
in remittances
UNITED NATIONS -The
recently released United Nations Development Program
Human Development Report
says the Philippines ranks as
the fourth biggest recipient of
remittances worldwide with an
estimated $21.3-billion inflow
this year. The Philippines
trailed India with $55 billion,
China $51 billion and Mexico
$22.6 billion in remittances.
UNDPHD introduced a
new measure called the Gross
National Income (GNI) as a
measure of economic growth.
Unlike Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), the GNI takes into account the value of remittances
that flow into a country and
how this spurs internal economic growth. The significance
of these remittances was recently highlighted by the World
Bank in its Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011 (MRF
2011).
Based on the MRF 2011,
the Philippines ranks as the
fourth biggest recipient of re-
mittances worldwide, with an
estimated $21.3-billion inflow
this year. Overseas Filipino
Workers (OFW) remittances
have been rising steadily from
$10.24 billion in 2003 to $19.76
billion in 2009.
Last year’s remittances accounted for 12 percent of the
Philippines’ Gross Domestic
Product.
The other countries in the
top 10 receiving nations are
France, Germany, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Spain, and Nigeria.
Overall, migrants are expected
to send a total of $325 billion to
their home countries this year,
up 6 percent from last year.
While
the
Philippines
ranked ninth worldwide in
number of overseas nationals,
the value of the remittances
sent attests to the changing
complexion of the Filipino diaspora, with many able to send
back higher remittances that
have assisted their families and
dependents in the country in
meeting their basic needs.
Gen. Garcia’s sons
faces extradition to PH
NEW YORK - Timothy
“Tim” Mark Depakakibo Garcia,
the stylish and ankle braceletwearing Fil-Am publicist of
Marc Jacobs and son of retired
Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, will appear in a New York court on Jan.
12, 2011 for his extradition hearing in connection with the plunder
and
money-laundering
charges he and other family
members are facing in the Philippines.
Garcia’s extradition case is
pending before U.S. District
Court Judge Richard Holwell of
Southern District of New York.
He is facing no other criminal
charges in the U.S.
In San Francisco, meanwhile, the district court there has
set the sentencing of Garcia’s
two other sons, Ian Carl, 32, and
Juan Paulo, 29, for Nov. 29.
The brothers pleaded guilty
on Sept. 8 to charges of bulk
smuggling when they were arrested for not declaring to customs officials the $50,000 seized
from each of them on their arrival at the San Francisco airport
in 2003.
The court also ordered the
publication of the forfeiture notice on its government website
for at least 30 days to give “any
person other than the defendants, having or claiming a legal
interest" in the forfeited cash.
Ian Carl, a retail Game Stop
employee, and Juan Paulo, a
computer help desk technician,
returned in court on Nov. 15 for
the hearing on the modification
of the order for their release in
separate extradition cases before
Judge Edward Chen.
The two are asking the
court to have their electronic
monitoring devices removed.
They face a maximum of 60
months imprisonment, a fine of
$250,000 each, and a maximum
of 36 months in supervised release. They will also be paying
$100 each in assessment fees.
Garcia’s wife, Clarita, 59,
also has a pending extradition
case before Judge George Caram
Steeh of the Eastern District
Court of Michigan. She was arrested in Pontiac, Michigan, on
March 4.
The
extradition
cases
stemmed from plunder charges
filed against the Garcia family
with the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City in 2005.
General Garcia was accused
of amassing ill-gotten wealth
from commissions and kickbacks worth P303 million ($6.9
million) that was deemed to be
“disproportionate to” his legitimate income.
Garcia later turned his
wealth -funds, landholdings and
real and personal Properties
over to his family members even
though they did not have the fi-
A fashion model, Timothy Garcia,
wears a stylish ankle bracelet, at a
recent fashion show in New York
City.
nancial capacity to own them.
Except for Garcia, all members of his family are US citizens, a status that made it easy
for them to take their money to
the United States where they reportedly acquired real He and
his mother, along with his two
older brothers, were named as
co-defendants for allegedly helping Gen. Garcia conceal his unlawfully-acquired assets. They
are facing 30 years to life behind
bars if convicted by the Sandiganbayan (Philippine graft court
for public officials).
Gen. Garcia, who is serving
a two-year sentence for perjury
in the Philippines, served as
comptroller for the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
He is also being tried for plunder.
At the same time, his
mother Clarita was also in
prison. “That hurt me the most,"
Garcia said. “She’s 60 and to put
her in prison in conditions like
that is difficult for a son. She
was in prison longer than me."
The extradition of Clarita is
pending before the U.S. Eastern
District of Michigan Judge
George Caram Steeh.
The general was accused of
amassing ill-gotten wealth while
in active service in the form of
funds, landholdings and other
real, and personal properties in
the amount of 303.27 million pesos ($6.9 million) that was
deemed to be “disproportionate
to” his legitimate income.
These allegedly came in the
form of “commissions,” kickbacks," “shopping money" or
“gratitude money.”
7
November 30, 2010
RP vets eligible for 17 kinds of benefits
By Rodney J. Jaleco
WASHINGTON D.C. - Retired US Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba says Filipino World
War II veterans are already eligible for 17 different kinds of
benefits provided by the government.
Taguba said there are 23
million veterans in the US and
only 2.2 million actually avail of
benefits provided by the government. The benefits available to
Filipino veterans range from
service-connected disability to
medical care; from clothing allowances to small business
loans. Some are restricted to US
esidents; still others are open to
those in the Philippines.
As the son of a Filipino war
veteran, Taguba is driven by a
deep desire to win the recognition and benefits befitting their
courage, suffering and sacrifices.
Taguba said the world is
only starting to understand the
deep scars that soldiers take
back with them after war.
He said his father Tomas,
who is a Bataan Death March
survivor, “still hasn’t talked
about the war.” He was a soldier
in the 45th Infantry Regiment of
the Philippine Scouts. He survived the Battle of Bataan and
the infamous Death March, and
became a prisoner of war
(POW).
“He has yet to tell him what
happened during those dark
days of World War nearly half a
century later, ”He just sits there.
He talks about everything except
the war," Taguba revealed.
Taguba, who’s been fighting for recognition and benefits
for Filipino World War II veterans, wants to draw attention to
war-borne post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
HBO recently showed its
latest documentary - “Wartorn”
- that explored PTSD from the
American Civil War to the wars
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Shell shock” was a common term to describe this condition during World War II. Some
afflicted with PTSD were accused of cowardice; and it was
manifested in many ways ranging from suicides to paralysis.
Taguba said the world is
only starting to understand the
deep scars that soldiers take
back with them after war.
Retired US Army Maj. Gen. Antonio
Taguba
8
November 30, 2010
Dewey’s flagship survives
By Rodney J. Jaleco
WASHINGTON D.C. Commodore George Dewey’s
flagship in the Battle of Manila
Bay, the “USS Olympia,” got a
reprieve from being turned into
a veritable “talabahan”.
The 344-foot battle cruiser,
built in 1892, was in danger of
being scrapped or sunk and
turned into an artificial reef due
to disrepair.
Moored
at the Independence Seaport Museum in
Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing
along the Delaware River, caretakers were scheduled to close
her down last week.
They need $10 million to
dry-dock and restore the “Olympia”, and another $10 million to
establish a trust fund for her upkeep.
The museum raised an undisclosed amount to make basic
repairs and keep the ship open
to the public.
The ‘Olympia" was the flagship of Dewey’s Asiatic Squadron that demolished the Spanish
flotilla in Manila Bay, and paved
the way for the US occupation of
the Philippines in 1898.
She was armed with twin 8inch guns fore and aft, ten 5-inch
guns, fourteen 6-pound mortars,
four Gatling guns and six torpedo tubes.
When the US declared war
against Spain in April 1898, it
dispatched the Squadron to the
Philippines.
The Olympia and eight
other cruisers, gunboats and
transport ships arrived at Subic
Bay in the evening of April 30,
1898.
They raced into Manila Bay
the following morning, sparking
a one-sided fight that decimated
the outgunned, obsolete, slower
Spanish armada commanded by
Admiral Patricio Montojo.
Spain had seven cruisers
and five gunboats.
They were protected by six
shore batteries - Fort Abad
(where the present Philippine
Navy headquarters is located)
and Malate in Manila; Fort San
American forces lost only
one man, chief engineer Francis
Randall, who died from a heart
attack aboard the support ship
USS McCulloch, which didn’t
The USS ‘OLYMPIA’ in Pennsylvania
Artist’s drawing of the battle of Manila Bay.
Felipe, Sangley Point and Canacao in where Cavite City stands
today; and Corregidor, Caballo
and El Fraile islands.
The Spanish forces lost all
their cruisers and suffered 161
dead and 210 wounded.
After destroying the Spanish ships, the Olympia joined the
USS Baltimore and USS Boston
in bombarding Sangley Point.
On May 2, Dewey landed the
Marines in Cavite.
join the actual fight.
As a footnote, the McCulloch was dispatched to Hong
Kong to fetch Emilio Aguinaldo,
who arrived in Cavite on May 19
to resume command of Filipino
revolutionaries.
The “USS Olympia” today
has the distinction of being the
oldest steel warship still afloat,
although it’s still uncertain for
how long.
11 trafficked OFWs
still wait for aid
WASHINGTON D.C. - Is
the Philippine government
helping 11 “trafficked” Filipino
workers whose case is now being investigated by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation?
The workers who are now
being helped by the Catholic
church and Filipino Americans
in Los Angeles said they have
not received any help from the
Philippine government. But the
Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in the embassy
here said they are being given
assistance.
This came as some 30 other
Filipino workers brought to
Florida under the temporary
guest worker program are said
to have also fallen victims to
human traffickers who exploited and abused them, according to FilAm Star in
California.
This new batch of victims
said they have been duped into
paying $6,000 each allegedly by
Adman Resources for nonexistent jobs in Florida hotels.
In Manila, the Department
of Foreign Affairs, Department
of Labor and Overseas Workers
Welfare
Administration
(OWWA) cited a report of the
POLO chief that assistance was
being extended to the workers
who are now in Los Angeles.
The workers said they
have not received any assistance from the Philippine government despite repeated pleas.
The Manila Mail first reported
the investigation being conducted by the FBI to determine
if the recruiter- Adman Human
Resources Placement, Inc. - is
using the US H2-B visa for human trafficking to the United
States.
The workers, led by Norman Paul Yaranon, said they
fled Biloxi, Mississippi because
of harsh working conditions in
the hotel where they worked.
They are now in Los Angeles
where the church and non-government groups are helping
them. Yaranon also told the
Manila Mail earlier that the
POLO
chief
Luzviminda
Padilla was not helping them.
Instead, he said, Padilla told
them in a letter that instead of
spending for their request for
shelter and aid, it would be better for them to go back to work
or go home.
Asked by the Manila
Mail’s Rodney J. Jaleco about
her suggestion, Padilla retorted:
“I am not forcing them!” Yaranon questioned whether Padilla
was with them or with the recruiter.
In a later telephone interview with the FilAm Star, a San
Francisco-based weekly, Padilla
denied that she ever suggested
that they go back to work or go
home. “I was just exploring
some options for them and for
our labor policy makers back
home,” said Padilla, who is a
former labor undersecretary.
She explained the “options” were based on an email
exchange she had with Filipino
American immigration lawyer
Ellaine Carr of Gulfort, Mississippi, and was motivated by
her desire to save money for the
Philippine government.
Yaranon
repeated
his
charge that the government
was not helping them in an interview with the FilAm Star.
Responding to the charge
of the workers, the Department
of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Labor, and the Overseas
Workers
Welfare
Administration (OWWA) cited
the report of Padilla that the
government was helping them.
Victims to get $1,000 each from Marcos US properties
FORT WORTH - US District
Judge Terry Means has approved what is termed as an unusual $10-million settlement in a
case involving Dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ 4,000-acre property in Tarrant County and 530
acres in Colorado.
Judge Means approved the
settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by 9,539 Filipinos who
were human rights victims of
the Marcos’ regime. The properties were said to have been
bought with Marcos’ funds.
The plaintiffs were either
victims of torture, summary executions and other harsh treatments or their heirs. After legal
fees, each will get about $1,000,
according to Robert Swift, a
Philadelphia lawyer who has
been representing the class for
over two decades.
“I think it’s a start,” Swift
said. “After 25 years, I hope it’s a
start.”
The companies involved
were said to be shell companies
formed by Marcos crony J. Y.
Campos. They are Ellesmere Investment Corp., B.N. Development Co., Jason Development
Co., Langley Investment Corp.,
Pender Investment Corp., Revelstoke Investment Corp. and Vernon Investment Corp. They will
retain ownership of the properties but are expected to put them
up for sale soon, Swift said.
Ferdinand Marcos was
overthrown in 1986 and fled to
Hawaii where he died in 1989.
The former First Lady Imelda
Marcos still lives in the Philippines and was elected to the
country’s Congress this year.
In 1995, the U.S. District
Court in Hawaii awarded the
plaintiffs $1.9 billion in damages. Fifteen years later, the
plaintiffs have yet to receive any
money, Swift said. The difficulty
has been tracking down Marcos’
estate through a maze of shell
companies, he said.
At one point, the plaintiffs
collected money from the sale of
a Hawaiian home, a bulletproof
Mercedes-Benz and a Picasso
painting, all connected to Marcos’ estate, according to a September report in the Honolulu
Star-Advertiser. The amounts
were too small to distribute to
the plaintiffs, the paper re-
ported.
Marcos allegedly began
making land deals in the 1950s
through a confidant, Jose Campos, who used offshore companies. Parcels across Tarrant
County were allegedly bought in
the 1970s and 1980s using
money that Marcos pilfered
from citizens of the Philippines,
Swift said.
The companies share many
directors and officers, including
people who live in Hong Kong
and Vancouver, according to
Texas comptroller records.
They list Jeffery Campos
and Joselito Campos as directors. All the companies were
formed in the Caribbean as
Netherlands Antilles corporations.
The mineral rights of some
of the properties also became an
issue. Some were already producing natural gas, and the others had drawn interest from
natural gas producers, Swift
said.
The combined value of the
surface and mineral rights of the
land in Texas and Colorado is
described as “less than $78 million” based on appraisals in the
last two years, according to the
settlement. Much of the local
land is off U.S. 287.
“In some respects, the settlement is a no-brainer,” Swift said.
“The class receives $10 million,
which can be distributed very
shortly, and we’re still able to
pursue other Marcos properties,
which we are doing."
9
November 30, 2010
RP Bayanihan dancers perform in Virginia
The world-renowned Bayanihan
Philippine
National
Dance Company opened the
2010-2011 season of the Hylton
Performing Arts Center in
Manassas, Virginia with a performance on November 10, 2010
at the 1,000-seat Merchant Hall.
They also performed Nov.
13-14 at the George Mason University Center for Arts in Fairfax, Virginia before a sparse
crowd. Not many Filipinos in
the area knew the dance troupe
was in town or that it would
perform in Virginia.
The Nov. 13 performance at
George Mason U also coincided
with the Pacquiao-Margarito
fight in the Dallas Cowboy Stadium.
Multi-awarded and a true
national treasure of the Philippines, Bayanihan has brought
the rich and diverse culture of
the Philippines to more than 700
cities around the world in the
last fifty years through dance.
The group is currently in the
United States for a series of performances which started in San
Francisco in late September.
Performing with indigenous
accompaniment, lithe and extraordinary grace and stunning
costumes, the Bayanihan introduced a fresh repertoire that displayed
unique
Filipino
traditions as well as social values that Filipinos hold dearly.
The evening opened with
the folk dances that define the
regional groups in the Philip-
pines such as the ‘Tinikling’(depicts how the bird, “tikling”,
hops to escape bamboo traps),
“Maglalatik ”(mock battle between Christians and Muslims
over “latik” or coconut milk residue) and ‘Singkil"(tells the story
of how a princess manages to
avoid stepping on trees and
rocks felled by earthquake),
Families of Philippine embassy officers and staff members pose for photo with the Bayanihan Philippine National
Dance Company at the backstage of the Hylton Performing Arts Center when they performed here on November 10,
2010 as part of its US Tour. In photo are Dance Director and Choreographer Ferdinand B. Jose and Music Director Melito S. Vale Cruz (7th and 8th from right).
among others.
Through creative choreography and seamless execution,
the Bayanihan transported the
audience to certain towns and
cities in the Philippines.
‘Zapatero" depicted the famous shoemakers of Marikina,
the lively Labandera showed excited young ladies chatting
while doing their laundry by the
river and the incredible Bangkero which literally means boatman, portrayed the pearl divers
of Mindanao.
In the second set, the Bayanihan displayed the Spanish influences in Philippine dance and
music through dances such as
“En la Luneta, Sacramonte de Intramuros" and ‘Habanero de dilao".
The crowd favorite was the
different tableaus representing
masterpieces by Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. A tribute to Filipino
women, this set showed the
painter’s high regard for the
beauty of the Filipina.
This US tour shows how
Bayanihan has successfully reinvented itself to keep its appeal to
varied audiences. The National
Dance Company of the Philippines has proven yet again its
astounding power on the stage.
10 Around DC
November 30, 2010
23 young students get Rizal awards
What is Dr. Jose Rizal, the
Philippine national hero, to
young Filipino-Americans who
grew up here, surrounded by
American heroes and the values
they extol?
For Jaena Marie Chu, 14,
and Hanna Michelle Montoro,
17, he was a man who fought
against injustice, raising his people through peaceful protest
much like American civil rights
heroes Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King.
“They were extraordinary
people who did small things,
like riding in a bus, which had a
big impact on the people around
them,” Montoro said of her essay on Rizal and Parks.
Chu and Montoro were part
of 23 young Fil-Ams chosen for
the 2010 Dr. Jose Rizal Awards.
The Awards is now on its
18th year.
Launched on June 19, 1993
Rizal’s birthday it became part
of the annual Philippine Festival
timed with the celebration of
Philippine Independence. It was
slowly pushed back to the Fall
fit into the Fil-Am community’s
busy calendar events.
“You have Rizal’s blood in
your veins,” Roberto “Bobby”
Tamayo reminded the awardees.
Joel Vazquez, 16, who goes
to Bowie High School in Maryland, said he admires Rizal for
the way he fought for equality
for Filipinos when they were oppressed.
“I hope that I too will find
Ernie Cordero
spend time with friends and
relatives, many of whom he’s
not seen since he flew to America in 1957.
Cordero is well known in
the FilAm community of Metro
DC.
The Philippine American
Foundation for Charities (PAFC)
threw him a “pasasalamat”
brunch in Vienna, Virginia recently.
Katherine & Kayla Argente,
daughters of Liezl & Leon Argente of Beltsville, MD; Nariella
The young student winners pose in front of the Philippine embassy with Filipino American community leaders
Becky Pagsibigan, PAFC president, (far left), Maurese Owens, at far right, and others.
the courage when that time
comes,” he declared.
This year was an impressive
crop.
Kelvin
Moncera,
18,
couldn’t attend the awarding
rites (his father Jensen stood in
for him) because he was busy tutoring other students at the University of Maryland-College
Park, where he is biochemistry
freshman. He graduated as class
valedictorian at Oxon Hill Science & Technology High School.
Kelvin is completing his investigation of the invasive properties
of Madin Darby Canine Kidney
Filam volunteer Cordero
returns home for good
At 74 Ernie Cordero says all
he has is a lot of time on his
hands.
He has gone home to the
Philippines for good last week to
Cells (MDCK) at the John Hopkins University. He will be
UMD’s
exchange
medical
He came to the United
States on a college scholarship
and graduated with a Radio &
TV Communications degree
from American University.
But he never got to practice
this degree because he got sidetracked into the construction industry. He worked as a
self-employed contractor for the
next three decades.
He has either led or joined
Ilocano, Pampangueno, Tagalog,
Zambaleno and about half a
dozen other Fil-Am organizations here (he actually traces his
roots to Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte).
Cordero has been divorced
since 1991. He was going back
home “for some rest and reproduction,” he joked.
On a serious note, he explained that he’s been going
back to the Philippines at least
once a year for the past several
years.
“Everytime I go home, I fall
in a love with the country
again,” he averred.
He observes that the Philippines “is a land of disasters and
calamities” so she needs all the
help she can get.
“I am really touched by the
children, seeing how they strug-
scholar to the University of
Kingston in Britain next year
4th grader Jacob Filon of
Claremont Immersion School in
Arlington, VA won this year’s
National Geographic Bee in his
school and helped raise over
$2,000 for Habitat for Humanity
and the Lego Building Block
Blitz.
7th grader Bernadette Ferrer
of Lake Braddock Middle School
in Burke, VA is part of the National Junior Honor Society and
volunteers as a piano and violin
musician in nursing homes.
The roster of awardees are
Fernandez, daughter of Noel &
Monica Fernandez of McLean,
VA; Eliza Buan, daughter of
Paul & Angelina Buan of Bowie,
MD; Jacob Filon, son of Peter &
Suzanne Solis Filon of Arlington,
VA; Mavis Joy & Marc Daniel
Manaloto, children of Noli &
Manolisa Cornel Manaloto of
Fairfax, VA; Jenelle Virginia &
Jaena Marie Chu, daughters of
James & Gene Chu of Laurel,
MD; Natalia Fernandez, daughter of Noel & Monica Fernandez
of Beltsville, MD;
Joseph
McHenry Cajayon Chavez, son
of JM & Tita Chavez of Annan-
dale, VA; Bernadette Ferrer,
daughter of Sifrino & Marian
Ferrer of Burke, VA; Alfred-Enberg & Krizia Ivana Tan
Udquim, children of Jose &
Lizette Udquim of Lorton, VA;
Mark & Michael Ramada, sons
of Drs. Antonio Ramada & Melinda Sebastian of Annandale,
VA; Joel James Vazquez, son of
Larry & Cynthia Vazquez of
Bowie, MD; Tatiana Lozano,
daughter of Butch & Ma. Theresa Lozano of Leesburg, VA;
Hanna
Michelle
Montoro,
daughter of Emmanuel & Asuncion Montoro of Woodbridge,
VA; Kelvin Jens Moncera, son of
Jensen & Gloria Moncera of Fort
Washington, MD; Ruth Joy Relador, daughter of Ronaldo &
Grace Mary Relador; and
Amanda Andrei, daughter of
Codin & the late Mercedes Tira
Andrei of Leesburg, VA.
Tamayo expressed the hope
that the 250 young Fil-Ams
who’ve received the award
would “continue the legacy of
celebrating young talent, and
that when your time comes in
the future, that you will be here,
standing like me, to confer honors upon the young.”
Paskong Pinoy set Dec. 4
be held at the Travel Outlet at
5347 Lila Lane, Suite 101, Virginia Beach, VA 23464. For details and appointment for
ePassport application, please
contact the Travel Outlet at tel.
nos. 757-424-3311.
The Philippine Embassy in
Washington D.C. will conduct a
consular outreach service from
9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 1:30
p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday,
December 4, 2010 in Virginia
Beach. The consular team will
accept and process applications
for electronic passport (ePassport), notarization of documents, and registration of births
and marriages.
Passport applicants are no
longer required to bring photographs since they will have
their pictures taken using ePassport data capturing machines at
the outreach site. However,
they still need to bring other
necessary requirements, such as
their current passport, the passport application form which
may be downloaded from
www.philippineembassy-usa.o
rg, an application fee of $60.00
and a self-addressed stamped
envelope (preferably Express
Mail with tracking number),
with their application.
The outreach program will
also include an oath-taking
ceremony for individuals who
will reacquire their Filipino citizenship under the Dual Citizenship Law.
The consular services with
gle from day to day,” he said.
Living off his pension, Cordero said he would continue
what he’s been doing here - doing his share helping organizations that help the Philippines.
He added he might act as a
conduit for Metro DC-based organizations like the PAFC that
have year-round projects to help
Filipinos back home.
Cordero promised to visit in
May and June, next year, to help
out as he’s always done for the
Ilocano Association beauty pageant and celebration of Philippine independence in the US
capital. (Rodney J. Jaleco)
The Philippine embassy,
Philippine American Foundation for Charities (PAFC), Filipino Organization of Catholic
University Students (FOCUS),
and the Filipino American community of Greater Washington
D.C. will present Paskong Pinoy, Pagkakaisa at Pakikipagkapwa
(A
Christmas
celebration of unity and Compassion) on Dec. 5. The free
show will be staged starting at 5
p.m. at the Edward J. Pryzbyla
University Center of the Catholic University of America at 620
Michigan Avenue NE, Washington D.C. 20064.
Consular team goes
to Virginia Beach
Dec. 4
GSIS warns of fake
insurance agents
The Philippine embassy
has released this warning from
the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). GSIS is
warning the public, as well as
the insurance industry and
regulatory bodies, that private
individuals are fraudulently securing
reinsurance
contracts/claims without their
authority. Such schemes have
been reported in England and
Australia. GSIS notes that it assumes no responsibility to compensate or indemnify any party
for any contract or agreement
entered into in violation of the
above-mentioned policy.
11
November 30, 2010
FtH founder gets 2010 presidential award
Tessie Alarcon, founder of
Washington-based Feed the
Hungry, has been named one of
the 24 recipients of the 2010
Presidential Awards for Filipino
Individuals and Organizations
Overseas.
The announcement was
made Nov. 11 by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO)
which is the Awards Secretariat.
CFO said it received 110 nominations from 23 countries. The
nominees underwent screening
of three different committees
with representatives from government agencies, media, academe, religious and
business sectors. The new
chair of CFO is Imelda Nicolas,
sister of NY businesswoman
Loida Nicolas Lewis.
The awardees will be honored by President Benigno S.
Aquino III at the Malacanang
Palace tentatively on 14 December 2010.
Seven Filipino organizations, one foreign group, three
foreigners and 13 Filipinos are
the recipients of the 2010 Presi-
Tessie Alarcon
dential Awards. They came from
United States, Hong Kong,
South Korea, Israel, Jordan,
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, UAE,
Australia, Germany and Canada. The Awards is a biennial
awards system which was institutionalized through Executive
Order 498 signed by former
President Corazon C. Aquino in
1991.
The Awards recognizes the
achievements and significant
contributions of Filipino individuals and organizations overseas to communities here and
abroad. It is also a part of the activities in celebration of the
Month of Overseas Filipinos and
International Migrants Day this
December.
From 2003 to 2008, there
were 314 individuals and organizations from 42 countries
and territories who were conferred the award.
Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino
Awardees are:
1. Alarcon, Teresita R. United States of America
2. Martinez, Ruth C. Australia
3. North Central Virginia
Association of Philippine Physicians (NCVAPP) United States
of America
4. Philippine American Association of Connecticut (PAAC)
- United States of America
5.
Philippine
German
Community Oberberg e.V. Germany
Kaanib ng Bayan Awardees
are:
1. Caritas Lebanon Migrants
Center (CLMC) - Lebanon
2. Lam Bik Che, Phoebe Hong Kong
3. Lam Kai Chor, Sunny Hong Kong
4. Salpeter, Simha - Israel
Banaag Awardees are:
1. Abagat, Dr. Emely D. ,
South Korea; Computer Society
of Filipinos International (COMSOFIL), Saudi Arabia; Congress
of
Visayan
Organizations
(COVO) US; Federation of Filipino Communities in Israel
(FFCI) - Israel; Gange, George
US; Kasimieh, Marilyn R.,
United Arab Emirates;. Kinding
Sindaw, US; Olalia, Sr. Lucia C.,
South Korea; Ybo, Evangeline
V., Jordan.
Pamana
ng
Pilipino
Awardees are:
Caa, Lilac L. - Canada;
David, Angelito D. US; De Asis,
Fred S. US; Gener, Bernard
Randy G. US; Navarro, Lilibeth
E. US; Totengco, Rafe US For
more information, please contact
the CFO Awards Secretariat at
(02) 561-8160, 561-8291 or 5618321 local 600-604.
12
November 30, 2010
The Manila Mail’s 20th birthday
The Manila Mail marked its
birthday on Nov. 14 at a party
hosted by volunteer columnists
Oscar and Evelyn Bunoan at
their residence in Fairfax, Virginia. This is the third time in as
The Manila Mail volunteers pose for group photo: front row, from left, Evelyn Bunoan, Jojo dela Rosa, Becky Pagsibigan, Warie Azarcon, Bert Alfaro, Frank Redondo, Kevin Owens, and Mimi Katigbak. Back row, Maurese
Owens, Norma Azarcon, Rodney J. Jaleco, Pat Pagsibigan, Dino dela Rosa, Auring Redondo, Angelyn and Rico
Marzan with daughter, Oscar Bunoan and Jon Melegrito. Not in photo are Bing and Bill Branigin.
many years that the Bunoans
have hosted the Manila Mail’s
anniversary dinners.
Warie Azarcon, president Manila Mail Communications, Inc. and Bert Alfaro, Manila Mail editor, present a token of appreciation to Oscar and Evelyn Bunoan for volunteering to host the dinner marking the 20th year of
publication of the Manila Mail. This was the third time that Evelyn, who
writes the Recipe column and Oscar, the Jokes column, have hosted the dinner for the newspaper.
Filipino teachers survive PG budget cuts
By Rodney J. Jaleco
John Melegrito, volunteer columnist of the Manila Mail for more than 12
years, offers toast and prayer before the dinner at the residence of the
Bunoans in Fairfax, Virginia.
PAFC Appreciation Brunch
The Philippine American foundation for Charities (PAFC) hosted an appreciation brunch for community leaders who have volunteered to help in its
various activities in the metro area. Over 70 guests came to the brunch held
last November 30, at the Suntrust Building, Vienna, Virginia. Front row, L
to R: Bobby Tamayo, Ador Carreon, PAFC chair; Maj. Gen.(Ret) Antonio
M. Taguba, guest of honor; Becky Pagsibigan, PAFC president; Ernie Cordero, and Bing C. Branigin. Back row: Ding Gomez, Presy guevara, Mitzi
Pickard, Mya Talavera, Lynn Francis, Maurese Owens, and Ramon Calalang.
ISA Induction
The Ilocano Society of America (ISA0 held its 27th Year Dinner Dance and
Induction of Officers on November 20, 2010 at Fort Myer Community Center in Arlington, Virginia. The new president of ISA, Ms. Grace Valera
(center), led the incoming officers as they take their oath before Vice Consul Corina Apostol (leftmost. She also read the message of Ambassador
Willy C. Gaa. He extolled the Ilocanos’ persevering spirit, tireless work
ethic, industry and resourcefulness. The Ambassador also urged ISA to continue reaching out to the larger Filipino-American community and help
achieve collective goals that make everyone proud of their Filipino heritage.
PRINCE
GEORGE’S
COUNTY - Filipino teachers in
this county have largely escaped
deep budget cuts that have led
to the lay-off of hundreds of
teachers and school support
staff.
“There has been some costcutting, and yes, some Filipino
teachers were effected but they
have been minimal," explained
Dr. Carlo Parapara, president of
the Maryland-based Pilipino
Educators Network (PEN) and a
Special
Education
(SPED)
teacher in Upper Marlboro.
PG County has been hiring
teachers from the Philippines
since 2004.
There are now over 600 of
them, not counting their family
members.
The PEN was formed only
last February and swore-in the
maiden set of officers three
weeks ago.
Parapara explained that
PEN aims to be the public voice
of Filipino teachers in PG
County.
Their objectives include
uniting Filipino educators in the
county for mutual assistance;
help them understand their
rights and responsibilities; facilitate professional development;
and help promote Philippine
culture and traditions.
Parapara
said
Filipino
teachers in PG County are flourishing despite the economic recession.
Grace Genova, an English
for Speakers of Other Languages
(ESOL) teacher, concurred with
his assessment.
They attributed this to the
fact that the vast majority of Filipino teachers have kept their
certifications current and per-
formed well in their jobs.
The PG County Board of
Education had eliminated hundreds of jobs - 300 of them teaching positions - slashed bus
service and expanded class sizes
to cope with budget cuts.
The $1.66 billion budget approved at the start of the 2010-
in making themselves recessionproof.
“Most of our teachers are
pursuing higher studies,” Parapara averred.
Most of them entered the
United States on an H-1B visa
which is valid for three years
and can be extended for another
The newly-organized Pilipino Educators Network (PEN), composed of
Filipino teachers in Prince George's County in Maryland, held its First
Annual
Meeting and induction of officers at Ernest E. Just Middle
School in Mitchellville, Maryland on November 6, 2010. PEN was formed
to provide professional development opportunities and assist teachers in
understanding their professional rights and responsibilities. Elected
president is Carlo Parapara, 6th from right, second row. Among those in
the picture are Arnedo Valera, David Valderrama, Realista Rodriguez,
Embassy Vice Consul Corina Apostol, reelected MD delegate Kris
Valderrama, and Robert Gaskin. Apostol commended PEN for formalizing
a support system that will strengthen a critical social resource in the United
States. (Photo by Millet Panga)
2011 school year represented a
2.6 percent reduction from the
previous year.
Parapara said they only get
to know of a Filipino teacher
who’s been laid off or transferred to another school through
the grapevine or if the affected
mentor goes to them for help.
He explained they arrange
for legal advise for those who
want them.
Based on that, he said the
number of displaced Filipino
teachers has been minimal.
He said they are more concerned with the reduction in
training opportunities.
This appears to be one of
the secrets of Filipino educators
three years.
The first batches of Filipino
educators are near the end of the
H-1B visa validity but even here,
they’re not worried.
Parapara said 95 percent of
the Batch 2005 mentors - to
which he belongs - have already
received their immigrant visa,
the so-called green card.
He said he plans to stay five
more years in PG County before
embarking on a major career
move.
The majority of Filipino
teachers have expressed the desire to stick it out in PG County
although some plan to move “to
a less difficult” school, he said.
13
November 30, 2010
Fake Marshal pleads guilty
SAN DIEGO - Remember
the man who posed as an immigration agent and forced the
“deportation” of the pregnant
Filipina wife of an American
here?
Gregory Raymond Denny, a
38-year-old
security
guard
pleaded guilty to one federal
charge of impersonating a
United States Marshal in order
to kidnap his cousin’s pregnant
Filipino wife, bypass three airport security checkpoints and
force her onto an airplane to the
Philippines.
Denny, of Hemet, California, entered the plea recently in
San Diego federal court. His
wife Karen Denny, 52, also
pleaded guilty to aiding him in
Cherriebelle Magada Gabalonos
Hibbard
the January kidnapping of Cherriebelle Magada Gabalonos Hibbard, who was then five months
pregnant.
In a plea deal with the U.S.
Attorney’s Office, other charges
including kidnapping, conspiracy and making false statements
to federal agents to bypass airport security were dismissed in
exchange for admitting to the
scheme, The Press-Enterprise reported.
Meanwhile,
Cherriebelle
gave birth in the Philippines and
both mother and baby Czedric
are living with Cherriebelle’s
parents in Manila. Her immigration visa had recently lapsed and
the couple was in the process of
seeking a renewal.
The Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) admitted
the security lapse and said it has
strengthened its procedures for
anyone presenting themselves as
law enforcement at airport
checkpoints.
U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-
Vista, called for an investigation
into the TSA, but it was deferred
by the Department of Homeland
Security.
December 4 (Saturday) 5:30
pm. University of Santo
Thomas Alumni Association in
America, Metro Washington,
DC “UST Quadricentennial
Ball” celebrating 400 years of
the University’s legacy. Double Tree Hotel (Crystal City),
300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202.
Amy
Quinto 240.260.1802.
December 4 (Saturday)
10:00 am- 5:00pm. Tanghalang
Pilipino (TP) auditions for play
entitled “Doon Po Sa Amin”
premiering on Sept. 2011. 1701
K St., Suite 1000, Washington,
DC 20006. Looking for actors/actresses 25 years old and
over able to commit to Saturday 5-hour minimum rehearsals beginning in January. This
is a not-for-profit production.
Contact:
Richard
at:
202.351.1004
(rtagle@higherachievement.org),
Munam
Goodwin at (munamgoodwin@yahoo.com) or Annie at
703-927-1498
(anniebaquirin@yahoo.com).
December 5 (Sunday)
5:00pm. Paskong Pinoy cosponsored
by
Philippine
American
Foundation
for
Charities and Filipino Organization of Catholic University
Students with the Embassy of
the Philippines. Edward J.
Prysbyla University Center,
Catholic University of America,
620 Michigan Ave. NE, Washington, DC. Free admission but
donations encouraged. Contact: Ador Carreon 240-4752645
or
corina.apostol@philippinesusa
.org.
6:00pm -12:00pm. Mabuhay
Inc. Christmas Party and Induction of Officers DinnerDance
and entertainment.
Sheraton Hotel-4095 Powder
Mill Road, Calverton, Md.
20705 . $40.00/person . Contact:Lulu Alexander 301-5521697
or
lulu_b_alexander@yahoo.com
6:00pm. Marinduqueno Assoc.
of the Capital Area, “Paskohan
at Sayawan” Holiday Inn
10000 Baltimore Ave. ,College
Park, MD 20740 $60 Live music & DJ with the “Tutubi
Band.” Contacts: Blanca Ho 301
919 0753 Aida Hulen 240 777
8510 Cugie 301 728 1684
6:00pm. Philippine Association
of Metro Washinton, DC Engineers
(PAMWE)
Annual
Christmas Dinner Dance, Fort
Myer Community Center, Arlington, VA. RSVP by Dec. 1 to
Aylene Mafnas: 703-868-5660
or Aylene@mris.com
December 17 (Friday),
7:00 pm. Christmas Party and
Induction of Newly-elected Officers of the College of the Holy
Spirit North America Foundation Metropolitan Washington
DC Chapter. The Stone House
in Cascades, 20670 Fernbank
Court, Potomac Falls, VA
20165. Contact: Violet. “Contact: Bolet Vergel de Dios,
571.244.6288
or
hmalaty@cox.net
7:00pm. “Simbang Gabi” Our
Lady of Good Counsel, 8601
Wolftrap Road, Vienna, VA
22182. Contact: Verna Samson
703.281.7718
7:30pm. Filipino Community
Mass. St. Bernadette Catholic
Church, 7600 Old Keene Mill
Rd, Springfield, VA 22152.
January 15, 2011 (Saturday) APO Induction of Officers Banquet Dinner.
Key
Bridge Marriott Hotel, 1401
Lee Highway · Arlington, Virginia 22209. Contact: Soan Velasquez
703.589.0301,
apodcaa1925@yahoo.com
or
Santi
Sipin
240.274.5599,
santi_pewadc@yahoo.com
January 20-24 Bicol Association Medical Mission
to
Naga City, Camarines Sur.
February 7-11 Medical
Mission of Mercy USA sponsored by the Philippine Medical Mission of Mercy of
Washington,
DC,
Inc.
Hagonoy, Bulacan.
February 13-14 Medical
Mission of Mercy USA Mini
Mission to Subic, Zambales.
14
November 30, 2010
USDA says 17.4-M US households eat less
WASHINGTON DC - Some
17.4 million US households
struggled to get enough food to
eat last year because money was
tight, the US Department of Agriculture said Nov. 15. In more
than a third of those households,
around one in eight US homes,
at least one person did not get
enough to eat at some time during the year and normal eating
patterns were disrupted.
Hardest hit by hunger were
urban households with children
headed by single parents and
African American and Hispanic
households, the USDA said in a
report. While the number of
hungry people was deemed too
high for the affluent United
States, the report found that it
had held steady from the previous year, thanks in large part
to government-funded food assistance programs. The number
of people on the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP), formerly called food
stamps, rose by about 5.3 million
people a month in 2009 compared to the previous year, the
report said.
Pinoy chef wins
Sears Chef tilt
NEW YORK - A Filipino
chef has won the grand prize for
this year’s Sears Chef Challenge.
Chef Alex Dino battled it out
with 23 chefs from Chicago,
New York, Los Angeles and
Washington. For the finals, Dino
faced off with Le Cordon Bleu’s
Chef Mark Maassen in Chicago.
Chef Dino has new kitchen appliances from Sears. His favorite
charity, The Food Bank of Central New York, also won a total
of $20,000. Earlier, he said: “It’s
very intimidating, to be honest
with you. And I’m the only
Asian, the only Filipino chef in
the whole competition but I can
guarantee you one thing we are
gonna rise above kasi Pilipino
tayo eh,” Dino said.
Some 24 chefs from 4 cities
battled it out for the top prize complete kitchen makeover and
the $20,000 for their favorite deserving charity. The challenge:
an in-store live demonstration in
different Sears locations. Chefs
get secret ingredients to work
with and the winners were chosen by online voting. Proud to
be Filipino, Chef Dino chose to
use uniquely Pinoy ingredients
in his demos, from bagoong or
shrimp paste to Filipino favorites like Silver Swan soy sauce
and patis or fish sauce. “It’s not
a signature but it’s an identity of
me being a chef and being a Filipino,” Dino added. Chef Dino
was named by Fortune Magazine as one of the top three corporate
chefs
in
America
alongside the corporate chefs at
Google and eBay. He was the
corporate chef at Factset Research Systems in Connecticut
then.
Another Filipina
join ‘Glee’ show
Another Filipina, Hazel
Faith dela Cruz, is joining Glee,
the hit TV series which won the
2010 Golden Globe Award for
Hazel Faith dela Cruz
Best Television Series-Musical or
Comedy. It has become more
popular with Filipinos ever since
Charice Pempengco joined its
cast in Season 2. Hazel Faith is
the winner of ETC’s Glee off to
Hollywood Promo and is one of
less than ten lucky winners from
around the world who were
awarded with an all-expense
paid trip to Hollywood with a
walk-on role in Glee’s 2nd Season. She arrived in LA early this
month accompanied by her
mother, Chay de la Cruz, and
Rolly Abuya, Corporate Marketing and Events Manager of Solar
Entertainment, parent company
of cable stations ETC and Jack
TV, where the hit series Glee is
aired. In an exclusive interview
with the Asian Journal in downtown Los Angeles, Hazel recalled how she joined the contest
where she bested more than a
hundred contestants in the Philippines in April.
FilAm designer
in Hollywood
SHERMAN OAKS, California - For the past 13 years, Filipino-American Carlyn Nuyda
Calloway has been known as
“Thumbelina” for creating wedding dresses, tiaras, and accessories. Her custom hand made
creations, are meant for every
stage of a woman from the single life to marriage and motherhood. She never thought this
would eventually become her
career.
In the early 90’s, Calloway
was a Hollywood agent. But
when it was her time to get married, she couldn’t find the perfect veil or dress. So she decided
to design her own. Within two
years, she quit Hollywood to become a wedding fashion designer. Celebrities now want to
wear her creations. Julia Roberts
wore one of Thumbelina’s tiaras
during her 2001 wedding. When
Calloway began making baby
carriers, Denzel Washington
bought a pair for Roberts’ twins.
Barbara Walters has featured her on “The View.” Her
current project is a wedding
dress for day time soap star Jennifer Birmingham.
Pinoy nurse joins
Union in Canada
KITIMAT, Canada - Dennis
Villanueva, a Filipino nurse, is a
steward for the BC Nurses Union. He said that by joining a
uknion, “You learn that you
have more rights than you might
have realized, and that is a kind
of power.” Arriving in Canada
after graduating as a registered
nurse in the Philippines in 2005,
Villanueva and his spouse (who
is also a nurse) moved up here
where they both found full-time
employment at the hospital. Villanueva is able to practice nursing in various departments
including Medical, Surgical, Maternity and Emergency. “In a
rural hospital you are an allaround nurse,’he says with
pride. Villanueva also helps patients who feel overwhelmed by
their problems.
“When you come to Canada
from a country where people
don’t have much and you hear
people complain about this and
that, sometimes you just have to
laugh with them. They don’t always realize how good life is
here in comparison. As for his
union activism, Villanueva explains that “in the Philippines,
union activism has a somewhat
negative profile as a movement
of the far left of the political
spectrum. You might even be
called a communist. They don’t
tend to view a union as an
equalizer but here in Canada we
do.” Working with his union, he
is able to help new nurses adjust
and thrive at the start of their careers. Adjusting to the cold
northern Canadian winters however, has taken a bit of getting
used to “for a tropical guy used
to seeing palm trees.”
Vets, supporters
march for justice
LOS ANGELES - More than
seven hundred students, veterans and widows with community marched for an hour on
Veterans Day towards the
Downtown Federal building to
demand recognition and benefits to the remaining 60,000 veterans and 11,000 widows in the
US and in the Philippines. The
day began with the pre-rally
program held at SIPA. The 3mile long march began at
around 10;45 Am. With the student groups like Kappa Psi Epsilon, Chi Rho , XPO, TBD,
Samahang Pilipino at UCLA,
Kababayan of UC Irvine. Katipunan UC Riverside, CalPoly
BARKADA, FASA from CSUN,
Long Beach PAC, San Marcos,
Andres Bonifacio Samahan from
San Diego to mention a few
leading the way. They were
joined by student activist groups
from Pro People Youth KMB,
ANSWER-LA, BANTAY PILIPINAS-USA, EPCC, AJLPP, the
EFJPP while ve veterans and
widows from the Society of
Guerilla and Scouts (SGS),
United Filipino American Veterans (UFAV), VFP-UC Chapter,
AWARE-LA, Seniors for PACE
(SPACE) rode in the vehicles.
Big streamers calling for recognition, justice and equity as well as
immigrant rights were very
prominent.
Pinoy Navy man
gets purple heart
WASHINGTON D.C. - Filipino American US Navy
Corpsman Stephen “Ted” Librando recently received the
Purple Heart award on his hospital bed at the National Naval
Medical Center in Maryland.
The 21-year-old Navy corpsman
from Guam survived an improvised explosive device blast in
Afghanistan on Oct. 15, less than
a month into his first overseas
deployment. Three Marines
were killed in the blast, his family was told. Guam Delegate
Madeleine Bordallo witnessed
Stephen Librando receive the
Purple Heart award, given by
Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., assistant commandant of the Marine
Corps. Bordallo said “I commend the bravery and service of
Corpsman Librando.” Stephen
Librando’s father, Edgar Librando; and sister Cyril Librando stayed by Stephen
Librando’s side as the sailor was
given the award while still unable to get up from his hospital
bed.
The 2008 George Washington High School graduate,
award-winning hip-hop dancer
and car enthusiast was deployed
to Afghanistan as part of a Marine unit from Camp Pendleton
in California.
Pinay is Union
city councilor
UNION CITY -Filipino
American Community Leader
Pat Gacoscos, 31, is the newly
Pat Gacoscos
elected council member of this
California city. Gacoscos was the
top vote getter among the nineperson race for City Council this
past November election race.
“Thank you to all my supporters who voted for me,”
wrote Gacoscos in her website
after her win. “And a special
thank you to my committee
members! Without your untiring
dedication, this would not have
been possible."
She currently serves as a
member in the Board of Directors in the Union Sanitary District since 2004. Prior to that,
Gacoscos has also served as a
School Board member in the
New Haven Unified School District (1992-2000), in the Alameda
County Human Relations Commission (1987-1995) and the Union City Human Relations
Commission (1992-2000). Gacoscos holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary
Education, and a candidate for
Master of Arts in Education. She
taught public schools in Manila
before moving to US, and later
on taught in the New Haven
Unified School District.
Filam fails to win
Intercontinental tilt
Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia Pacific 2010 Christi Lynn “Ashley”
Landrito McGarry, a FilAm from
Jersey City, New Jersey, has
failed to win any place at the
Miss Intercontinental 2010 in
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on Nov. 6. The 20-year-old
daughter of Victoria Alba Landrito of Bicol and Christopher
McGarry of Malate, Manila, is 5’
10" tall and measures 34-25-36.
She graduated valedictorian
from the grammar school Our
Lady of Victories in Jersey City,
where she received countless
awards and was the student
body’s president and captain of
the girls’ basketball team. A
graduate of Dr. Ronald E.
McNair Academic High School,
she received a full scholarship to
PACE University in Manhattan,
major in marketing and advertising, and minor in visual arts.
Filam Jazzfest
expands program
LOS ANGELESA - jazzPhilUSA, the organizers of the popular 6th Annual Fil-Am JazzFest
Presented by ABS-CBN announced that the Festival will be
expanding this year to feature
world music of the Philippines.
The renowned virtuoso and
scholar of the kulintang, Master
Danny Kalanduyan, and famed
instrumentalist Bo Razon, from
San Francisco, will teach and
perform on the weekend of December 3-4. JazzPhil-USA chair
Charmaine Clamor announced,
“We’re expanding our programming to include Philippine indigenous music and arts. These
sounds and customs play an important part in our cultural identity, and as more Filipinos
explore the American art of jazz
we are delighted to honor the
musical traditions that make us
uniquely Filipino.
November 30, 2010
15
16
November 30, 2010
November 30, 2010
17
18 Hometown News
November 30, 2010
Amnesty for AFP rebels hits snag
The House of Representatives is expected to send
the amnesty proclamation for
soldiers who rebelled against the
Arroyo administration back to
Malacañang with amendments.
The House committees on justice, and national defense and
security maintained that admission of guilt and remorse for the
political crime is prerequisite to
granting amnesty. Proclamation
50, issued by President Aquino,
grants amnesty to soldiers who
took part in the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny in Makati City, the
February 2006 standoff by Marines in Fort Bonifacio, and the
siege of the Manila Peninsula
Hotel in Makati on Nov. 29,
2007. The committees approved
the motion of Cavite Rep.
Elpidio Barzaga to create a small
panel to insert the amendments
to the document. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., who attended the inquiry, said the
Palace is amenable to amending
the proclamation. Lawmakers
were riled at the statements of
former Army general Danilo
Lim and former Marine colonel
Ariel Querubin that they do not
regret leading the mutinies
against the Arroyo administration. The rebel soldiers were invoking
the
constitutional
provisional stating that the
Armed Forces is the protector of
the state and the people.
PH issues alert
on bird flu
The Philippines is taking
steps to prevent the entry of bird
flu virus into the Country. the
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) said
Nov. 22 it will keep a tight
watch over pet and cage birds
being transported at entry
points, such as airports and seaports. DENR Secretary Ramon
Paje issued the directive in the
wake of reports of a bird flu outbreak in Hong Kong where the
alert level for the disease has
been raised to “serious,” which
means that there is a “high risk”
for humans to be infected with
the potentially fatal disease. “We
have to strengthen our preparedness and reduce the opportunities for the virus to spread
through increased information
dissemination and improved
warning systems," Paje said. Indonesia and Vietnam remain as
the two countries with the most
number of people infected by
the bird flu with 170 and 119
cases, respectively.
Cavite road project
starts Nov. 18
The Department of Public
Works has launched two major
infrastructure
projects
this
month in line with President
Aquino III’s effort to upgrade
and decongest vehicular traffic
in Metro Manila. On November
18, the DPWH started the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport
(NAIA) Expressway link that
will connect Andrews Air Base
in Villamor to the coastal side of
Cavite starting from Bacoor to
the Cavite-Laguna Expressway
via the Skyway and the South
Luzon Expressway.
DPW said the first section is
the 27-km. Cavite side of the
Cavite-Laguna
Expressway
which is estimated to cost P11
billion. Singson said the DPWH
is now completing their feasibility studies of several roads that
were designed within the 200kilometer radius of Metro Manila.
quired to provide insurance coverage for accidental death worth
$15,000, natural death ($10,000),
and permanent total disablement ($7,500).
Pnoy inducts 3
UP board members
President Aquino has inducted three new members of
No lavish X’mas
parties in offices
President
Benigno
S.
Aquino III has issued an order to
government offices to stop lavish Christmas parties in line
with his austerity measures.
“Christmas parties need not
be extravagant,” deputy presi-
137 new Peace
Corps sworn in
Noynoy approval
rating declines
President Aquino III’s overall approval rating registered a
9-percentage point decline, according to the latest Pulse Asia
survey.
Pulse Asia said that 79 percent of Filipinos approve of the
new President’s performance,
while 80 percent express trust in
him. Aquino’s approval ratings
were highest in the Central Philippines (86 percent) and among
the poorest (83 percent). However, Aquino’s overall approval
rating is lower compared to his
previous rating of 88 percent in
July or a 9-percentage point decline.
His trust rating also dipped
by 5 percentage points, from 85
percent in July to 80 percent in
October.
Mandated insurance
for OFWs scored
No recruitment agency will
be exempted from the mandatory insurance provision of the
Migrant Workers and Overseas
Filipinos Act or Republic Act
10022, the Philippine Overseas
Employment
Administration
(POEA) said. POEA chief Jennifer Manalili said in a statement
posted in its website that recruitment agencies were required to
provide its workers an insurance
coverage from accredited insurance providers. “With the law
already in effect, the POEA is
under obligation to implement
the provision on insurance coverage for agency-hired Filipino
workers leaving the country for
the first time under new contracts,” Manalili said. POEA issued
the
statement
after
recruitment agencies from Hong
Kong had earlier announced it
has stopped hiring Filipino
household helpers with the implementation of the R.A. 10022
because of the additional cost
from the mandatory insurance
coverage. Under R.A. 10022, the
recruitment agencies are re-
capagal Arroyo had P76 million
when she left office, compared
to P66 million when she assumed office in 2001. Mr.
Aquino had submitted his Statement of Assets and Liabilities
and Net Worth (SALN) to the
Office of the Ombudsman after
he assumed office and the documents showed that he is worth
P50.194 million. His real estate
property valued at P33.755 million includes a house in Quezon
City, which he declared to be
worth P13.8 million. Mr. Aquino
inherited the house and lot.
Inducted at the lobby of the Premier Guest House by the President were
former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Elizabeth SiguionReyna and Magdaleno Albaraccin Jr.
the 11-man Board of Regents of
the University of the Philippines,
of which 5 to 6 are appointed by
the Office of the President. Inducted at the lobby of the Premier Guest House by the
President were former Supreme
Court Chief Justice Reynato
Puno, Elizabeth Siguion-Reyna
and Magdaleno Albaraccin Jr.
The President, according to
Puno, reminded the new UP
Board of Regents members of
the many things he wanted done
in UP given the resources of the
government to restore the state
university into its premier
status.
CHED’s moratorium
on nursing, others
The Commission on Higher
Education has imposed a moratorium on the opening of new
programs in business administration, nursing, teacher education, hotel and restaurant
management, and information
technology education, effective
school year 2011-2012, it was
learned. Labor and Employment
Secretary Rosalinda DimapilisBaldoz said the decision contained in CHEd Memorandum
Order (CMO) 32, Series of 2010,
issued on 30 September 2010 is
part of the government’s efforts
to shift focus to college courses
that will land graduates in gainful employment. In imposing the
moratorium, the CHEd cited the
proliferation of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) offering undergraduate and graduate
programs in business administration, nursing, teacher education, hotel and restaurant
management, which, it said, “if
allowed to continue unabated,
would result in the deterioration
of the quality of graduates."
dential spokesperson Abigail
Valte said in an interview with
government-run radio dzRB.
State workers will receive
the remaining half of their 13th
month pay and their P5,000 cash
gift starting early this month.
The 13-month pay is equivalent
to one-month salary while the
P5,000 cash gift applies across
the board.
Suu Kyi release
positive step
The recent release of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San
Suu Kyi at the weekend after
more than two decades of house
arrest is a positive step towards
democracy in the neighboring
Southeast Asian nation, President Aquino said.
However, the President
noted that other political prisoners remained in detention under
the junta-led country and that
the recently concluded polls has
not been seen as credible. There
is a need for Myanmar to further
prove that it is serious in pursuing its road map to democracy,
he added.
“In the interest of its people
and the region’s long-term stability, I encourage Myanmar’s
government to build upon the
release of Aung San Suu Kyi and
take concrete steps towards a
more open and fair system, efforts which will be surely welcomed by the rest of the
international community," the
President said.
PNoy asset P50-M,
Arroyo’s P71-M
President
Benigno
S.
Aquino III’s assets stood at P50
million when he assumed office
in June. Former President and
now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Ma-
Some 137 new US Peace
Corps volunteers were sworn in
for a 27-month service in different Philippine communities after
passing a three-month pre-service training.The US embassy
held two simultaneous swearing-in ceremonies in Pasig City
and Bacolod City for the 137
new volunteers from the 269th
batch of the US Peace Corps. US
Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr.
administered the oath of service
to 71 volunteers in Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol and US
embassy deputy chief of mission
Leslie Basset led the swearing-in
ceremonies of 66 volunteers at
the Meralco Multi-Purpose Hall
inside the Meralco compound
along Ortigas Avenue in Pasig.
Airport Bundol gang
hunted by police
After the arrest of the leader
of the notorious Bundol Gang
and three other members, police
are now hunting down the remnants of the robbery group.
Police have set up 24-hour
mobile patrol units on major
roads near the airport including
Airport Road in Paranaque City,
C5 road, EDSA, Diosdado Macapagal Avenue and other connecting thoroughfares where
other members of the gang
could strike. Motorcycle policemen are also set to complement
mobile checkpoints to protect arrivals from the airport. The arrest of four members of the
Bundol Gang in Paranaque and
Pasay cities has effectively crippled the group who usually victimizes balikbayans between 12
midnight and 6 a.m. Members
force vehicles of newly arrived
victims coming from the international airport to stop and then
rob them of their cash and valuables. The gang’s latest victims
were Gregorio, Emma and
Krizia San Diego, who recounted that on November 5, the
suspects on board a black
Toyota blocked their Montero
vehicle along E. Rodriguez Avenue/C-5 flyover causing them to
stop. San Diego said the suspects
19
November 30, 2010
Hometown News ... from page 18
dragged him and his wife toward the Toyota while their
daughter was pressed at the
backseat of the Montero. Complainant said they lost an aggregate amount of P544,335.050 in
cash, valuables and personal belongings, while the Montero cost
about P1.4 million.
Famed botanist slain
in Leyte ‘clash’
Famed botanist Leonardo
Co was killed along with two
gunshots were coming only
from the direction of the soldiers. Leonard Co was described
by his friends and colleagues as
a simple man, a great taxonomist who did not use his profession to earn money. Instead, he
put his heart and mind to his
passion with an aim to
serve the people. It was
shocking news for all of
his colleagues and friends
that a man who had, in
his entire life, been exploring the Philippines’
mountains and forests to
discover new species was
killed. Co, 56 was survived by his wife Glenda
and daughter Linnea
Marie, eight years old.
Pinoy wins silver
in Asian Games
Leonardo Co
others - Sofronio Cortez, a forest
guard and Julius Borromeo, a
farmer - in Kananga, Leyte,
while conducting a research
about the biodiversity of trees
within the compound of the Energy Development compound
on November 15. Lt. Col. Federico Tutaan of the 19th infantry
Battalion claimed that Co and
his companions were killed in a
crossfire. But witnesses said the
Malacañang lauded a
Filipino golfer for bagging a silver medal in the
ongoing Asian Games in
Guangzhou, China. Malacanang
congratulated
teenage golfer Miguel
Luis Tabuena for winning
a silver medal in the golf
competition of the 16th
Asian Games on Nov. 20
at the Dragon Lake Golf
Club in Guangzhou,
China.
The
16-year-old
Tabuena, the reigning
South California Junior Professional Golfers Association overall champion, won the second
silver medal for the country and
the first Asian Games silver
medal in golf since 1998. He
scored six-under 272 to be at
nine strokes behind gold medalist Kim Meen Whee of South Korea while Hung Chien Yao of
Chinese Taipei was a stroke be-
hind to settle for the bronze
medal. Malacanang also congratulated the other Filipino athletes
who
won
in
the
quadrennial sporting event. The
Philippine taekwondo team won
four more bronze medals. In the
semifinals, John Paul Lizardo
settled for the bronze in the 54kilogram category after a loss
against Kim Seong Ho of South
Korea.
Tourists ‘police’
rob German lady
Stefanie Sixdorf, a 23-yearold German lady, has been
robbed about 800 U.S. dollar
worth of cash and valuables by
robbers who introduced them-
20
November 30, 2010
selves as tourist police and offered her a ride back to her hotel, Manila Bulletin reported.
Ernesto Banal, a police officer of
the Manila Police District- General Assignment Section, said
the suspects carried out the robbery inside their car while they
were cruising along the Mabini
Street in Ermita district of Manila. “I really thought they were
tourist cops so I decided to trust
them when they offered me a
ride after they introduced themselves as police officers,” said
Sixdorf. Sixdorf got lost in the
Ermita district and tried to trace
her way back to her hotel by using a map, when a heavily-tinted
black car, without a license
plate, stopped in front of her.
PNoy inducts 21
new AFP generals
President Aquino Nov. 22
inducted members of the newlyformed government panel for
the peace talks with communist
rebels, 21 newly-appointed generals and other national government officers. The members of
the GRP peace panel are A.
Padilla, as chief negotiator; Atty.
Pablito Sanidad, gender and labor rights advocate Jurgette
Honculada, and indigenous people’s rights advocate Ednar Dayanghirang. The newly-appointed
generals and flag officers are
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ricardo A. David, Lt. Gen.
Eduardo Oban Jr., Major Generals Jessie D. Dollosa, Rustico O.
Guerrero, Ricardo C. Banayat,
Gregorio E. Macapagal and
Lauro Catalino G. Dela Cruz;
Brigadier Generals Ernesto R.
Aradanas, Romeo V. Calizo, Essel D. Soriano, Nestor A.
Anonuevo, Benito Antonio T. De
Leon, Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz,
Neal P. Gacrama, Eldon Luis G.
Nemenzo, Rosalindo C. Acacio,
Fred M. Payawan, Edwin
Manuel F. Remotigue, Raul L.
Dimatatac, Romeo T. Tanalgo,
and Commodore Jaime S. Bernardino as commander of the
Joint Task Force Malampaya.
The new Undersecretaries are
Josefina Patricia A. MagpaleAsirit of the Department of Energy and Jose M. Layug Jr. The
new Assistant Secretaries were
Luz M. Cantor and Amelita D.
Castillo of the Department of
Budget
and
Management
(DBM); Elmer G. Punzalan as
acting Assistant Secretary of the
Department of Health; Emmeline L. Versoza as acting executive director of the Philippine
Commission on Women; Alex
Ramon Q. Cabanilla as deputy
chairman with the rank of Undersecretary of the Metro Manila
Development
Authority
(MMDA); Magdangal B. Elma as
presidential assistant for special
concerns with the rank of Secretary; and Lucille Sering as vice
chairperson of the Climate
Change Commission.
Pinay trader wins
Rolex award
Reese Fernandez, a 25-yearold Filipino social entrepreneur
and
co-founder
of
the
Rags2Riches enterprise which
assists women who recycle scrap
material to make rugs for sale in
Payatas, recently won the 2010
Rolex Awards for Enterprise:
Young Laureates Program.
Other winners were young
Laureates from Nigeria, India,
Ethiopia, and the United States.
They accepted the awards during the elegant ceremony held at
the Rolex Learning Center in
Lausanne last week. The Rolex
Awards provided grants of
$50,000 each to the five young
Laureates for their projects. All
winners were also given a Rolex
chronometer and will benefit
from an international publicity
campaign. Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Maria Theresa P. Lazaro, who was present
at the award ceremonies, commended Fernandez “for her
commitment to change the lives
of Filipino women and their respective families by providing
them the opportunity to work
and earn a decent living."
Miriam blocks DepEd
Luistro confirmation
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has blocked the confirmation of Armin Luistro who has
close ties with the Catholic
Church. Senator Edgardo Angara says he shares Miriam’s
concerns over the possible conflict of interest arising from the
appointment of Bro. Luistro of
La Salle University. Like Santiago, Angara said now more than
ever, we need to uphold the
separation of the church and the
state. I have confidence in Luistro’s abilities, but he must be
able to handle issues such as sex
education and the reproductive
health bill with objectivity," Angara said in a statement. Santiago enumerated three reasons
for opposing Luistro?s appointment: conflict of interest, gross
ignorance of the law and political deafness.
NCCA names Abunda
envoy of the arts
The National Commission
for Culture and the Arts has
named television host Boy
Abunda as ambassador of the
Philippine International Arts
Festival (PIAF) that will be held
early next year. Abunda, a close
friend of presidential sister Kris
Aquino, is expected to play a
key role in the promotion of the
country’s culture and arts during a grand festival, that coincides with the National Arts
Month, on February 2011.
“Known for his advocacy in promoting Philippine arts and culture, Mr. Abunda will add color
to next year’s month-long cele-
bration,” NCCA said in a statement.
CBCP must pay P20-M
for furniture - CA
THE Court of Appeals has
ordered the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines to
pay almost P20 million to a furniture company for the office
equipment it delivered to it 10
years ago but which remains unpaid.
The court’s Fourth Division
denied the church group’s petition to overturn a March 3, 2005
judgment of a Mandaluyong
court favoring Spinbase International Corp., which had sued for
payment.
Contrary to the church
group’s claim, a contract of sale
“established a definitive agreement or meeting of the minds
between the concerned parties
as regards the price or term of
payment," the Fifth Division said
in its decision written by Associate Justice Franchito Diamante.
Bus strikers face
LTFRB sanctions
Bus firms that participated
in Nov. 15 protest strike that left
thousand
of
commuters
stranded will be made to answer
before the Land Transportation,
Franchising and Regulatory
Board (LTFRB) as to why their
licenses should not be revoked.
The LTFRB said that they are
now readying to file the notices
to bus operators who participated in the transport strike.
Based on figures from the
Philippine
National
Police
(PNP), at least 8,500 passengers
in Metro Manila were stranded
because of the strike. These included 5,000 in Quezon City,
2,000 in eastern Metro Manila
and 1,500 in the cities of Pasay,
Parañaque and Muntinlupa.
17,261 pass exam
for RP teachers
A total of 17,261 examinees
passed the Licensure Exams for
Teachers (LET) given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) last September, the
PRC announced. The 7,737 became the country’s newest licensed
elementary
school
teachers, while 9,493 passed the
exam for secondary school
teachers.
Thirty-one
exam
graduates meanwhile passed the
Accelerated Teacher Education
Program, according to the PRC.
APEC to battle
graft, terrorism
Leaders of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Summit have committed to continue their collective efforts to
combat terrorism, currency manipulation and corruption in the
region.
The heads of state, including President Aquino, also
agreed to work for a comprehensive free trade agreement in the
region by 2020. The APEC lead-
Edsa Shangri-La Manila welcomed the festive season with a Christmas
party for 100 children under the care of the White Cross Orphanage and
tree-lighting ceremony at the lobby lounge, led by Mandaluyong Mayor
Benhur Abalos and Edsa Shangri-La general manager Sian Yilmaz.
ers, however, said the five developed countries Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and
the United States, as well as the
volunteer developing economies
of Chile, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and Chinese Taipei, all
failed to meetthe commitment of
free, open trade and investment
in the region by 2010.
Pinoy invention
in BBC contest
The Philippines’ entry to the
BBC World Challenge 2010 - an
indigenous hydraulic ram pump
- has been voted as one of the
top three projects among 12 finalists
worldwide.
Auke
Idzenga, the founder and executive director of the Negros-based
Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI),
broke the news in an email to
the Manila Bulletin, disclosing
that the Philippine invention received over 167,000 votes from
all over the world to earn a spot
in the top three projects. The
awarding ceremony for the winner and two runners-up of the
BBC World Challenge 2010 will
be held in Amsterdam on November 29 and broadcast on December 4 on BBC World News
and announced on the website
on the same day and profiled in
Newsweek magazine in the December 21 issue which will be on
sale starting December 14, 2010.
LUZON
Bulusan spews ash,
hundreds flee
SORSOGON - Hundreds of
villagers fled to safety Nov. 21
after Mt. Bulusan belched smoke
and ash high into the sky, rousing many from their sleep, officials said. Despite the ash
explosion, its sixth in recent
weeks, there was no danger of
an imminent eruption, government volcanologists said.
Hundreds of villagers fled
their homes in the towns of
Irosin and Juban by foot and in
army trucks as Bulusan shot a
plume of grayish smoke and ash
more than a mile (two kilometers) into the sky for nine minutes, regional disaster-response
official
Raffy
Alejandro
said."Aside from the ash explosion, there were rumbling
sounds so many got scared,"
Alejandro said.
The mountain in Sorsogon
province calmed down after the
spectacle and villagers were expected to return home from two
evacuation centers, he said.
Ex-Governor says log
operators return
ISABELA - Former Gov.
Grace Padaca says the chainsaw
operators are back at the Sierra
Madre cutting age-old trees. It’s
not only the return of the illegal
loggers that worries Padaca,
whose reform movement “Kaya
Natin”-which includes Interior
Secretary Jesse Robredo and former Pampanga Governor Ed
Panlilio-supported President Benigno Aquino III in the last election. She doesn’t see the reforms
promised by the President during the campaign being fulfilled.
Looking at the pieces of timber scattered along the Abuan
watershed, Padaca remembers a
mayor who was one of her original allies. She says:"Pero dahil sa
involved siya sa illegal logging e
di isa siya sa pina-raid ko.
Fishponds on 100
21
November 30, 2010
islands scored
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan The
provincial
government
wants to know why government
agencies with oversight functions over the Hundred Islands
National Park (HINP) are sitting
on their jobs on the continuous
presence of fishpond structures
in the tourist destination.
Provincial administrator Rafael Baraan asked why the Department of Agrarian Reform
Adjudication Board (DARAB)
has unresolved up to now the
case filed by the Philippine
Tourism Authority and other
agencies against the Bolo Development Corp. (Bolodeco). The
DARAB reportedly conducted
its last hearing on the case 10
years ago. Bolodeco was granted
a certificate of land ownership
award in the early 1990s that
segregated 46 hectares of the
HINP where it could operate
fishponds.
Snow show set
in Baguio cigty
BAGUIO CITY - This mountain resort city has added yet another
attraction
to
its
month-long activities in celebration of the Yuletide season
showcasing a scenic snow show
that is certain to attract tourists
and generate the attention of local residents to have a feel of the
Christmas festivities.
The snow show will be
along the stretch of Session Road
for at least two hours with five
minutes interval every weekends starting December 4.
Councilor Elmer Datuin,
chairman of the Christmas in Baguio celebration, said the snow
show will be part of the planned
festive mood in the city following the putting up of a multimillion
decorative
light
agreement with a private firm to
light up the city’s central business district starting December
1, 2010.
VISAYAS
PNoy in opening
of Radisson hotel
CEBU CITY - President
Aquino upbeat on Cebu’s tourism industry after he graced the
formal opening of SM Investment Corp.’s (SMIC) Radisson
Blu Hotel Cebu this month, saying this major development signifies strong investors’ interest
in the province. “In launching
this new facility, SM Investment
Corp. demonstrates that it is
bullish about the country’s economy,” Aquino said, as he commended business tycoon and
patriarch Henry Sr., founder and
chairman of the SM Prime Holdings Inc., as well as SMIC for
their latest initiative in partnering with United States-based
Carlson Group to run the first
Radisson Blu in the Asia Pacific.
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Carlson Group is one of
the largest privately-held corporations in the United States.
Iloilo ranks 98th
outsourcing cities
ILOILO CITY - Iloilo City
ranks 98th in the world’s Top
100 Outsourcing Cities study
conducted by services globalization and investment advisory
firm Tholons.
The metropolis also made it
to the list of 50 “Aspiring Cities”
around the globe vying to become ideal hubs for business
process outsourcing (BPO) investments. The 2010 Top 100
Outsourcing Cities list “is not
only a reflection of the current
competitiveness and stature of
cities in the global outsourcing
landscape but provides insight
to the future potential of locations in addressing emerging
trends and demands in services
globalization," Global Services, a
media platform which connects
buyers and service providers in
the global IT services and the
BPO industry, said.
MINDANAO
Raped volunteer
nurse
remembers scene
DAVAO CITY - Volunteer
nurse “Florence” has now remembered what transpired before she was snatched and raped
at the back of the South Upi Municipal Hospital last September
25. Florence now recalls that she
had a drinking party at a
videoke house in South Upi, Maguindanao on that night.
Justice Secretary Leila de
Lima has visited the volunteer
nurse on instructions of President Aquino. De Lima had said
that the volunteer nurse can lead
investigators to the real perpetrator or perpetrators of the
rape, and that she is the only one
who can confirm or belie Melchor Fulgencio’s confession that
he raped her. De Lima said
authorities are still looking for
Fulgencio’s supposed companion, only identified as Edwin.
Losing bet kidnaps
hubby of rival
LANAO DEL SUR - A losing candidate for village chieftain here abducted the husband
of his winning rival and demanded a refund for his election
expenses, police said. Nasif Agasor, 43, husband of newly
elected Bangco village chieftain
Mambao Agasor, was kidnapped Nov. 15 in Piagapo
town. Police said the kkidnappers were led by Najer Subo,
who lost to Mambao Agasor in
the election.
Subo allegedly demanded
that the victim and his wife reimburse his campaign expenses
and new elections be held. Special village elections were held in
eight towns in Lanao del Sur after the scheduled voting on October 25 was postponed because
of peace and order problems in
the area.
22
November 30, 2010
DC Pinoys oppose Manny as President
By Rodney J. Jaleco
WASHINGTON D.C. Manny Pacquiao’s convincing
shellacking of Antonio Margarito and a budding political career in the Philippine Congress
have sparked speculations he
could become President in the
future.
“Oh my gosh!” exclaimed
Roberto Tamayo, vice president
of the Philippine American
Foundation for Charities (PAFC)
and chair of the recently concluded 2010 Dr. Jose Rizal Youth
Awards, in mocked shock.
He doesn’t think the 8-division boxing champion should
run for the presidency.
Talk of a presidential run
was fueled in part by Bob Arum,
Pacquiao’s promoter, who predicted the boxing icon could be
Philippine president soon.
“Mas okay siya sa local government,” opined Bong Pangilinan, head of the UP Alumni
Association in the Metro DC region.
Aiming for the presidency,
he said, requires a much broader
knowledge of the country.
“He must be in-tune not
only with people like him, but
other people as well,” he explained.
At age 32, Pacquiao is still
too young even to run for senator (at least 35 years old), much
less as president. Under the Philippine Constitution, he will need
to be at least 40 to qualify for the
top office of the land.
Though he still has a long
way to go, Pacquiao’s already
got one vote from accountant
Patrick Ferraren, an unabashed
Pacquiao fan.
“If an actor like Erap Estrada can be president, what
more of Pacquiao?” he asked.
“There are a lot of lessons
we can learn from him. His definition of boxing is hard work.
People with similar talent don’t
Navarra is new ... from page 1
our collective energies will be directed towards issues that affect
our community here in the U.S.
," he declared. “We will undertake these initiatives not as an
umbrella organization but as an
equal partner with other national formations and local
groups that have a stake in protecting and promoting the interests of Filipinos and Filipino
Americans in this country."
Among the critical issues
that NaFFAA will continue to be
engaged in include comprehen-
sive immigration reform, notably the DREAM Act and family
reunification. He also pledged to
continue pressing for equity
benefits for the widows of Filipino World War II veterans.
“We are grateful to our champions in Congress, like Sen. Daniel
Inouye, Sen. Daniel Akaka, and
Rep. Bob Filner for securing the
long-awaited official recognition
and a one-time compensation for
our veterans," he said. “But their
widows, and their sons and
daughters, also deserve a meas-
RH backers hail ... from page 1
qualified in what he said but still
what you can say is the Pope has
shown some flexibility on an issue that is still controversial
here. It’s not controversial in the
rest of the world anymore,"
Carandang said. “I think the
Pope’s position should inform
the position of the local clergy.
Like I said, our clergy cannot be
more popish than the pope."
In excerpts of his upcoming
book, the Pope cites the example
of the use of condoms by prostitutes as “a first step toward moralization,”
even
though
condoms are “not really the way
to deal with the evil of HIV infection."
The 219-page book embodies Benedict’s responses to questions raised by German Catholic
journalist Peter Seewald in over
a month of meetings at the papal
summer residence.
On the Pope’s mention of
condom use as justified in certain cases, such as by prostitutes,
Seewald asked: “Are you saying,
then, that the Catholic Church is
actually not opposed in princi-
ple to the use of condoms?"
The Pope answered: “She of
course does not regard it as a
real or moral solution, but, in
this or that case, there can be
nonetheless, in the intention of
reducing the risk of infection, a
first step in a movement toward
a different way, a more human
way, of living sexuality."
Militant lawmakers also
lauded Benedict’s declaration
and urged local Church leaders
to show the same “open-mindedness on social realities.”
“It is time to consider the
plight of the poor, the sick and
the marginalized in particular
and the flock in general," Rep.
Luz Ilagan of the party-list
group Gabriela said.
Ilagan said the Pope’s declaration “boost our Reproductive
Health Bill because one of its
provisions is protection from
HIV/AIDS."
House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, author of RH bill,
said this was a welcome development. He said Pope Benedict’s
pronouncement that HIV-in-
work as hard and he has a fierce
determination to succeed. He
has integrity, his work ethic is
unequalled, he is a family man
and spiritual stalwart and these
are the qualities the nation
needs,” Ferraren averred.
Not only has Pacquiao a
large following in the Metro DC
region, he has personal ties here
as well.
His Aunt Lilia, reportedly a
sister of his mother Dionesia
Dapidran Pacquiao, is an Arlington, Virginia resident.
Ferraren said he started to
be a Pacquiao fan after he won
his grudge match with Erik Morales in Las Vegas in 2006.
All the talk about a possible
presidential run stems in part
from Pacquiao’s multi-faceted
interests outside the ring.
Aside from being a neophyte politician, he has canned
several movies, has at least two
platinum music albums, performed to sold-out concerts and
Photo show Manny Pacquiao’s aunt, Lilia, with Patrick Ferraren at Philippine Independence Day gala in Washington DC last June.
Pacquiao himself.
Just as Filipinos welcomed
their hero home, Arum started
negotiations for Pacquiao’s next
fight, meeting with representatives of WBC welterweight
champion Andre Berto and
Shane Mosley.
ure of justice."
Looking towards the 2012
elections, Navarra stressed that
Filipino voter participation is
key in community empowerment. “Our goal is to translate
our numbers into political
power," he said. “This requires
getting more eligible immigrants
to be naturalized citizens, registered as voters and turning out
in the polls."
This concerted effort will be
implemented through a national
FilVote program, in partnership
with national coalitions and regional organizations.
One highlight of the 3-day
conference was the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding
between the Philippine Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO)
and NaFFAA. Imelda Nicolas,
new CFO Chair, penned the
MOU representing the Philippine Government. “We resolve
to work together to initiate and
undertake the implementation of
projects and programs that promote the welfare of Filipinos in
the US ," Nicolas said.
Close to 200 delegates from
all over country attended the
conference which was organized
around the theme “Building the
Next Generation of Community
Advocates." The conference program included workshops and
panels on “Bridging Generations,” “Mentorship: Intergenerational
creativity
and
leadership with service," and advocacy through technology, social networking and digital
media. Speakers included guests
from the Philippines and elected
officials from California.
(Jon Melegrito is NaFFAA
National Communications Director.)
fected male prostitutes could use
condoms to prevent the spread
of the disease weakened the local Catholic Church opposition
to the RH bill.
House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, author of reproductive health measure House Bill
96, observed that this was a ‘’departure from the strictly very
conservative approach of the papacy and the Catholic Church’’
on contraception.
‘That is a welcome development because the papacy is
opening up to the eventual contraceptive use,’’ he said in an interview by phone.
‘’Once you have opened up
and made an exception, the liberalization of the Church outlook has started. And we’d
expect further liberalization.
He has made an exception,
then more exception would be
forthcoming,’’ he added.
The Pope said HIV-carrying
male prostitutes could use condoms as a first step of taking
moral responsibility to avoid infecting partners, but stressed
that this was not a ‘’real or moral
solution.’’
Benedict also reaffirmed
church teaching opposing artificial contraception, and reiterated
the church’s position that abstinence and marital fidelity would
be the only sure way to prevent
HIV.
Lagman said that the Pope’s
comments
‘’weakened
the
Church opposition’’ to the controversial RH measure, which
would mandate the government
to provide artificial and natural
means of birth control in public
health centers to ensure the
spacing of children.
“That impacts on weakening the Church opposition, because that opens an exception to
the Church tenets against contraceptive use,’’ he said.
Lagman declined, however,
to say whether the pronouncement would draw even more
votes for the RH bill in Congress. The bill has drawn the
support of President Aquino
and House Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte Jr.
‘’The RH bill is already
strong by itself. Whether the
Pope says it or not, it does not
diminish our advocacy and the
import of the RH measure,’’ he
said.
Paranaque
Rep.
Roilo
Golez, author of HB No. 13 seeking to protect the rights of the
unborn child, offered a different
view, and said that the Pope’s
pronouncement was irrelevant
to the RH measure.
‘’The Pope’s comment is
more of a health matter because
it’s talking about preventing infection. Whereas the RH bill is
about population,’’ he said by
phone. ‘’You’re talking of HIVinfected persons. You’re not preventing babies, but preventing
infection.’’
Golez doubted that RH proponents could use the Pope’s
pronouncement to their advantage since the Philippines had
among the lowest incidence of
HIV cases worldwide.
To prove his point, Golez
quoted a Vatican analyst who
said that he didn’t see the Pontiff’s comments as signaling a
‘’sea change in the Church’s
broader birth control policy, as
condoning the use of a condom
to prevent the spread of a disease is not the same as saying it’s
okay to use one to prevent pregnancy.’’
is one of the hottest commercial
endorsers today.
His next fight won’t come
until the summer, according to
23
November 30, 2010
‘Pilipinas Kay Ganda’ ... from page 1
“We made a wrong choice
of internet address,” Tourism
Secretary Alberto Lim admitted.
The new logo was also criticized
for being similar to Poland’s
tourism logo.
The website, www.beautifulpilipinas.com, was taken
down one day after it’s launch.
Its
address
is
close
to
www.beautifulfilipinas.com,
which redirects web surfers to a
more explicit site.
The Tourism Department
launched the website under a
new campaign with the slogan
“Pilipinas, Kay Ganda,” which
translates as “Philippines, So
Beautiful."
Critics said the slogan was
“bland,” “lacks punch” and
“sounds dishonest." They also
worried that foreigners would
not understand the slogan be-
cause it was in the Tagalog language.
Lim said the department
was studying returning to the
old slogan, Wow Philippines,
amid the flak.
“With all this criticism, we
may drop this line,” he said. “If
people reject it because they
think they know more than the
researchers, we will back off."
Lim rejected allegations that
the department copied the campaign logo - which shows the
sun, a coconut tree and a tarsier
primate - from the tourism logo
of Poland.
The Philippines is seeking
to attract 3.3 million tourists in
2010. Last year, 3 million tourists
visited the country. The number
of visitors had reached 2.3 million in the first eight months of
the year.
CA -X’mas bazaar
Mrs. Estela Martir, wife of Commodore (Navy) Vic Martir, and former
Naval Attache', Philippine Embassy, Washington, DC, poses with Mrs.
Lovely Romulo, chairperson of the International Christmas bazaar which
was held at the PICC complex, Pasay City. (Bing Branigin)
The government was optimistic the full-year target could
be reached despite fallout from
the botched handling of a tour
bus hostage crisis on August 23,
which left eight Hong Kong
tourists dead.
In ordering the scrapping,
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said this is a
government that takes into consideration the public pulse.
“The DOT had said that we
will consider the opinion of the
public. So we are going to have
new concepts and we will go
through the same process once
again," Valte told governmentrun radio station dzRB.
Valte said it is possible that
the old “Wow Philippines” logo
may still be adopted, especially
since Lim was instructed by
President Aquino to provide another blueprint
She said the President still
has trust and confidence in Lim,
who himself was open to new
ideas, saying the proposed slogan was announced only for
purposes of trying to assess how
the public would react to it, and
would want all stakeholders to
be part of the dialogue.
“The proposed branding
was opened to the public. There
has been a reaction. We’ve seen
over the past few days that a lot
of people really commented
about the proposed brand,"
Valte said.
Over the weekend, the
President scrapped the DOT slogan. He arrived at the decision
after meeting with various stakeholders and Lim.
“The stakeholders appear
Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Vicente Romano resigned
Nov. 23 over the botched "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" branding campaign,
admitting he was the one responsible for the controversial branding
scheme. President Aquino immediately accepted his resignation.
unsatisfied. Perhaps it’s automatic that it no longer needs
fine-tuning, but a replacement
that will be more appropriate,"
he told reporters in MalacaÃ±ang after receiving world
boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.
Aquino acknowledged that
“Wow Philippines” appears
more acceptable to most Filipinos.
“Wow Philippines” was the
country’s tourism battle cry during the previous administration.
It was the brainchild of former
senator and tourism secretary
Richard Gordon.
The President said he had
also asked Lim to submit a blueprint for developing the country’s tourism industry.
“I want to review all the details,” Aquino said.
“Maybe some of it I cannot
really reveal because we will be
embarking on a non-traditional
approach in trying to really promote tourism in the country and
among them, it’s like the recognition of assets that we have,"
Aquino said.
“I think you will see that
there will be a lot of changes and
they have submitted to me their
overall plan. I also want all of
the details of those plans,"
Aquino said.
Aquino admitted that the
image of a tarsier in the Pilipinas
kay Ganda logo as well as the
smiling face were his idea because “I was given something
that was a lot plainer than what
resulted and there was a deadline that they were working on."
“There are concepts that
should have been tested out better. There should have been focus group discussions. There
should have been more market
research that was mislaid during
the launch," he said.
“I understand now that
what they were doing was to
talk to the stakeholders to get
their reaction on something that
will seek to differentiate us from
all our competitors," he said.
24
November 30, 2010
Manny Shows Subtle Compassion
By Rodney J. Jaleco
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia Manny Pacquiao dazzled millions of fans when he pummeled
Mexican Antonio Margarito in
the Nov. 13 fight in Arlington,
Texas.
In our apartment complex,
the front desk people bent their
towing curfew rules by allowing
guests of Pinoy residents to stay
past midnight so they can watch
the fight and celebrate Pacquiao’s win.
“I’m sure Pacquiao will
win,” said Lynn, the front desk
in our building, assuring my
nephew and his mom.
The Pacman’s popularity
has grown beyond being the
Philippine’s pride or even that of
the boxing world; he’s become a
kitchen name among many
Americans.
Earlier in the day, some FilAm friends complained they
couldn’t find anyone willing to
take a wager against Pacquiao,
even among Mexicans.
Sure, we’ve become accustomed to his lightning speed,
flurried punches, impossible angles and fighting heart. But 31-
year-old Pacquiao, the rags-toriches hero to many, seems to
leave added dimensions after
every fight.
He clearly dominated Margarito from the get-go, carving a
unanimous victory on the
judges’ scorecards (120-108, 119109 and 118-110).
Pacquiao
captured
his
eighth title in as many weight
divisions.
“It was a virtuoso performance,” wrote Tim Dahlberg of
the Associated Press.
“Pacquiao was magnificent
and this was a masterclass,”
blogger Gareth Davies wrote on
Telegraph.co.uk. Chris Mannix
of Sports Illustrated paid homage to the Pinoy pugilist’s “indomitable force”.
CBS correspondent Bob Simon noted in his report that Pacquiao “has a global influence
now that extends far beyond the
borders of his beloved homeland.”
“For Floyd Mayweather Jr.
who has already given every indication he wants no part of a
Pacquiao fight, Margarito’s condition is another nightmare reminder of the fear keeping him
up at night,” declared Lance
Pugmire of Chicago Breaking
Sports.
Near the end of the 12rounder, my sister-in-law Emma
asked if Pacquiao would not
take pithy on Margarito, perhaps expressing her own concern while watching close-up
shots of the Mexican boxer’s corner working feverishly to close a
big cut below his right eye.
We laughed her off of
course. This was boxing, perhaps the most violent sport.
There’s a reason it’s called a
“blood sport”.
But Pacquiao appear to bear
her out on the penultimate
round. He seemed to be carrying
Margarito, holding back, and
throwing only enough to ensure
he won the last round as well.
When they held each other
in the middle of the ring for
what felt like a long time in
Round 11, we imagined Pacquiao telling Margarito he’s
fought gallantly but it was over,
and there would be no indignity
if he didn’t answer the bell for
the last round.
“Look at his eyes, look at
his cuts,” Pacquiao was quoted
Pacquiao's right fist hits Margarito's already swollen right eye.
as imploring the referee.
“I did not want to damage
him permanently,” Pacquiao
later explained, “That’s not what
boxing is about.”
Wrote Kevin Mitchell on
The Guardian, “In the final
round, Pacquiao, maybe for the
only time in his career, went
through the motions, unwilling
to inflict further punishment,
just doing enough to secure the
win.”
He echoed our own sentiments. We knew Pacquiao could
have rearranged his opponent’s
face even more, a deserved payback perhaps for the way Mar-
garito and his retinue disrespected him and coach Freddy
Roach before the fight. But he
did not.
“It was an act of subtle
compassion,” Mitchell added,
“He is a great champion, perhaps an even greater human being.”
And so Manny Pacquiao in
beating
Antonio
Margarito
showed another, perhaps more
laudable and inspiring dimension to an already storied boxing
career.
‘I Want To Be Champion Public Servant’ - Pacquiao
MANILA - World boxing
champion
Rep.
Emmanuel
“Manny” Pacquiao received a
red carpet welcome as he returned to the House of Representatives
to
receive
the
Congressional Medal of Distinction and a dinner reception.
The session was suspended
to allow congressmen and staff
to welcome Pacaquiao after his
victory over Mexican boxer Antonio Margarito. Speaker Sonny
Belmonte conferred the award to
him and hosted a dinner with
live band in the House.
“I want to be a champion
public servant,” he said prior to
receiving the award Nov. 22.
“I’m taking a break from boxing
and I’ll focus now on my job as a
congressman," he said in Filipino.
Meanwhile,
Malacanang
wants him to be the Department
of Tourism’s “poster man” to
draw in tourists.
“We honor our colleague today, not only what he has
achieved but for what his victories signify for our country... He
has showed us that he is a man
of strong faith, which has carried
him through every adversity,
and he has never ceased to return that gratitude to our God
despite the many peaks he has
already achieved in his life," Belmonte said.
“This victory is not mine
alone, it belongs to the Filipino
people,” Pacquiao said in accepting the honor. “We have
shown how we the Filipino peo-
of children.
“We sometimes need to
make sacrifices like: ‘Darling,
not tonight because you’re fertile
so we sacrifice in the meantime’," Pacquiao said, eliciting
laughter from journalists.
“You guys must also learn
to sacrifice, abstain. But hey, the
girls sometimes are the ones
making advances," he said.
He said he supports the bill
filed by ParaÃ±aque Rep. Roilo
Golez and co-authored by former president and now Pampanga
Rep.
Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo seeking to
protect the rights of the unborn
child.
Letty Lechoco, 76
Speaker Sonny Belmonte confers the Congressional Medal of Distinction on
Rep. Manny Pacquiao while other congressmen look on approvingly.
ple can excel in a world-class
arena because of hard work,
dedication and faith in the Almighty."
Earlier in the day, Pacquiao
went over a long list of projects
and requests from his constituents that urgently needed to be
implemented but were delayed
due to lack of funds.
He said he is willing to take
additional tasks in the name of
public service as his current duties and schedules permit.
Pro-life advocates might
have found a new poster boy because he had expressed opposition
to
the
controversial
Reproductive Health (RH) bill
and suggested abstinence as a
means of family planning.
“I’m against the RH Bill be-
cause I have many siblings,”
Pacquiao said. “And also on
condoms, I’m not in favor of it.”
Pacquiao has two sisters
and four brothers and has four
children - Emmanuel Jr., Michael, Princess, and Queen Elizabeth.
“We have our own respective beliefs. We have differing
beliefs. I believe that there is
nothing in the Bible that says
that we limit the number of our
children," Pacquiao said.
“In the first place, the Lord
said: ‘Go to the world and multiply’ and not ‘go to the world
and have two kids’," he said.
He said couples should undergo orientation on how to
plan a family that could entail
abstinence to limit the number
The remains of Atty. Leticia E. Lechoco, who recently
passed away, were interred at
the Resurrecion cemetery in
Clinton, Maryland following
Mass at St. Ignatius Catholic
Church in Oxon Hill, Maryland
on Nov. 13.
Letty is survived by her
husband Napoleon Lechoco,
children Bong, Bing, Don,
King, Prince, Sonny and Lady;
daughters-in-law
Mrilu,
Carole, Hila and Agie; grandchildren Leanne, Christine,
Matthew and Mark Anthony,
brothers, sisters and other inlaws.
Born in Masinloc, Zambales on Sept. 24, 1934, Letty
was well-known for having organized the Zambaleneos and
Mrs. Philippines Nation’s Capital beauty pageant as tax-exempt corporations in 1986. She
was also instrumental in the
building of the Mrs. Philippines Home for Senior Citizens
in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
25
November 30, 2010
Lenders’
relocation aid
Protecting the stomach
‘You do not want 15 minutes of pleasure to risk your
health and life for weeks, if not
years, of agony and shame.’
Those taking NSAID drugs like
ibuprofen, and other anti-arthritis pain medications regularly
can be victims of stomach irritation which could result in ulcers
and bleeding complication. To
prevent stomach ulceration, ingesting 8 to 10 ounces of vegetables a day can work wonders by
protecting the stomach wall lining, according to a researcher at
Sweden’s Uppsala University.
Viagra, Cialis, Levitra
There are so many sex aids
which come in herbal potion,
pills, lotion, gel, and juices including ginseng and similar
herbs, but studies have shown
that the best results for those
with erectile dysfunction among
men, young or old, were obtained by taking Viagra, Cialis
or Levitra.
These drugs should be
taken only after consultation
with a physician, because some
prescription medications may
interact with any of these three
pills and cause serious problems.
Data today show that these pills,
which have been prescribed for
millions of times around the
world, are effective and safe for
ED in men, used under medical
supervision. The fake ones from
Pakistan, India, and other countries, which are being sold in the
Philippines for a very cheap
price, are deemed crude formulas and very dangerous.
Healthy dish
Omega 3 Fish Oil (Omega 3
fatty acids DHA and EPA) is a
popular supplement to eating
fish for its cardio-protective
benefit. It can lower blood pressure, help new brain cells regenerate and reduce the risk of the
development of Alzheimer’s,
minimize inflammation, and is a
great aid in the management of
cholesterol and arthritis. It also
boosts the immune system.
When digested, fish oil breaks
down to hormone-like ingredients
called
prostaglandins,
which reduces inflammation,
like in arthritis (inflammation of
the joints). This leads to lesser
need for pain medications, as it
also lubricates the joints. Fish oil
is also good for auto-immune
diseases. Indeed, a versatile supplement. Daily exercise, eating
fish and vegetables at least 3
times a week, and abstaining
from red meat and egg yolk is
the healthy way to go, for children and adults alike.
Sex could be deadly
Having multiple sex partners can be hazardous to health
and deadly. A perfectly healthylooking person could be walking
around with HIV, chlamydia,
gonorrhea and other STDs
(sexually transmitted diseases),
including syphilis. And no matter how normal looking the sexual organs of the women or men
are, they could be harboring bacteria, fungi, viruses, and sometimes, even parasites not
obvious to the naked eye.
Only a medical check-up
and laboratory tests could confirm their presence or absence.
STD infections in general, affecting the sexual organs, and of the
eyes and mouth, are common.
Be smart. You do not want 15
minutes of pleasure to risk your
health and life for weeks, if not
years, of agony and shame. A internet message said, “unlike
love, herpes is forever." That
may sound funny but herpes is
really for keeps. Sex is a major
and serious responsibility, not
only to our body and health but
to our family and friends, to all
our loved ones.
Crackling brain food
If you want a healthy snack,
one that keeps your brain sharp
and reduces your risk for the development of Alzheimer’s, nothing beats crunchy celery,
cucumber, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, olives, bell peppers, and
other veggies. Eating them uncooked preserves all the phytochemicals in them, like luteolin,
which prevents brain inflammation, a common condition linked
to ageing, chronic brain syndrome, multiple sclerosis, etc.
So, to stay young, with a sharper
mind, stay away from the high
carbo snacks, including soft
drinks, and savor the benefits
from these crunchy veggies.
Even your looks and your complexion will shine, with your favorite moisturizer, and without
the use of glutathione or other
expensive
herbal
products,
which may even be dangerous
after chronic use. Veggies are in,
especially among teenagers. We,
adults, should learn from the
younger generation.
Laughter: A healer
HAPPY
THANKSGIVING!!! I’m sure everybody still
has hang over of the long weekend and of course delicious food
and drinks. I hope you did not
forget to be thankful for all the
blessings we have although we
are having difficulty paying our
mortgages.
You are not alone and there
are always other options and
resolutions. Life has to go on.
Let’s move on and enjoy what
lies ahead for us.
Lately, I was surprised by
different lenders contacting me
on my short sales transaction offering to qualify my clients for
the HAFA Program (Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives) this is supposedly a
government program in effect
last April; which is primarily designed for homeowners who are
unable to stay in their home
even with the HAMP Program
(Home Affordable Modification)
What I noticed was I don’t
need to ask the lender if they
participate in HAFA and trying
to pre qualify my clients. Lenders are now actively gathering
information to determine if the
borrower is eligible for HAFA
once they intend to do short sale.
These are the benefits
of HAFA:
Allows borrower to receive
pre approved short sale terms
before listing the property including net proceeds and other
closing costs.
Require borrowers to be
fully released from future liability on the first mortgage and if
there is a second mortgage; will
Living a healthy lifestyle includes laughter. The more we
laugh in life, the healthier we
are. Indeed laughter is “the best
medicine.” Laughing increases
our T-cells in the body which
boost our immunity. Laughing
also lowers the cortisol (stress
hormone) level allowing us to
minimize stress and its adverse
effects on our system. It also
blocks out bad emotions within
us, giving us a better outlook
and perspective in life.
Even nothing is funny,
laugh anyway, because the act of
laughing in itself brings out all
those benefits. And don’t worry
if people think you are crazy
and laugh at you. You are doing
them a favor anyway, by helping them get healthier.
What’s to come
Instead of the cumbersome,
uncomfortable diagnostic procedures now available for detecting lung cancer, the University
of Texas researchers are developing a new lung cancer test
that allows the use of “a simple
mouth tissue sample, which
offer 6% or up to $6,000 pay off
to release the lien and no promissory note, no cash contribution
or deficiency judgment is allowed.
Provides financial incentives $3,000 for borrower relocation assistance; $1500 for
mortgage servicer and up to
$2,000 for investors allowing the
$6,000 pay off on the second
lien.
Standard, short, uniform,
time sensitive much simpler
processes compared to the traditional short sale.
Eligibility is easier for those
who are HAMP eligible. These
are borrowers who previously
applied and were qualified;
however still unable to make
payments or did not successfully
complete the trial period due to
delinquent payments. Lender
will offer the borrower to do a
short sale to avoid the worst scenario: FORECLOSURE. However, the borrower must meet
basic eligibility criteria: must be
your principal residence or has
to move for job relocation.
Mortgage must be originated before 2009. Valid hardship that
cause the delinquency. Principal
balance should not be no more
than $729,750. Your monthly
mortgage exceeds 31% of your
gross income.
Procedure and Timeline:
The borrower has to sign an
SSA (Short Sale Agreement) and
has 14 days to sign and return to
the lender. The bank will give at
least 120 days up to even a year
to market the property by a Real
Estate broker. Once an offer is
submitted to the lender, they
have to return within 10 business days if it is approved, denied or countered. Be sure to
respond immediately usually
within 14 days or the file will be
closed. You will be given 30-45
days to close once an Approval
has been granted.
HAFA ends December 31,
2012.
We are starting to feel the
cool crisp air of December reminding us that the Holidays are
coming soon!!! Enjoy the cool air
and the spirit of the Holidays.
Note: Jocelyn Porteria is a
Realtor® licensed in VA. She
earned a designation of ABR, Accredited Buyer’s Specialist and a
CDPE Certified Distressed Property and Short Sale Expert. A Certified
Program
3648
Representative.For more info, call
her at 571-432-8335 or email at realdealconsulting@yahoo.com. For a
free confidential evaluation of your
individual
situation,
property
value, and possible options, you can
also visit hosted.cdpe.com/jocelynporteria for detailed short sales information.)
compares the changes that takes
place 95% of the time in both
mouth and lung cells" among
those individuals with lung cancer. This would be fantastic progress in our fight against lung
cancer and cancers in general.
A non-invasive “virtual biopsy” technology (using harmless electrical current to better
detect skin and cervical cancer
(and eliminate need for surgical
biopsy) has been developed by
an Australian scientist.
A new ultrasound, “which
can catch tiny tumors earlier,” is
being evaluated for clinical use
in Norway. Second to preven-
tion, catching any cancer in its
early stage can lead to complete
cure, among most cancers.
Progress in science, in every
sphere of human endeavor,
benefits mankind as a whole. We
are indeed lucky to be living in
this world of today, in spite of
all its imperfections and problems, most of which are manmade.
For world peace and prosperity, where there is no war,
poverty and hunger, all we really need is love, tolerance, and
respect for each other. And the
best place to start is at our own
home.
26
November 30, 2010
SWEET GODDESS
With the holidays just a
stone’s throw away, here is a
simple and quick-to-bake dessert for your family and guests.
It is also an excellent gift, especially when the slices of these
desserts are wrapped individually in different colorful seethrough or cellophane wrappers
or candy foils. This recipe is a
take-off from “Food for the
Gods”.
Yield: 30 pieces
1 cup buttery spread (Smart
Balance) or 2 sticks butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 tablespoons honey
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
(bleached)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups pitted dates
2 cups walnuts
1 2 tablespoons Turbinado
raw sugar
1 greased non-stick 8x12x2
pan or aluminum pan
Preheat oven to 350º F. In a
bowl, combine the softened buttery spread, the 1/2 cup brown
sugar and honey. Add the eggs
and beat with a rubber spatula
until well blended.
Blend the flour, salt and
baking soda with a whisk.
Gradually mix in the blended
flour to the egg mixture, and
then fold the dates and nuts into
this batter. Pour the batter into
the pan, level with a spatula and
sprinkle the raw sugar over it.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Let
cool on a rack before cutting into
squares.
Chef’s Tips:
Bake in the middle of the
oven for the best heat circulation; and never overcrowd the
oven.
In slicing cake, use the knife
like a saw. Do not press down
on it with the knife otherwise
you will crush the cake. Slide
the knife back and forth, like in a
sawing motion.
Keep your knives sharp;
dull knives can cause accidents
when slicing.
Editor’s Note: Master Chef
Evelyn - 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S., 2009,
Filipina Women’s Network; Owner,
Philippine Oriental Market & Deli,
Arlington, Virginia, serving the
Filipino-American community for
more than 32 years; Culinary writer
and instructor, master baker and
cake designer (created, kitchentested and mastered more than 400
recipes, and counting); Member, International Cake Exploration Societé; Master Chef, French Cuisine
and Patisserie, Cordon Bleu, London, U.K.; Host of the cooking show
“Evelyn’s Kitchen Cooking with
Friends.” Also, Founder and President of CHEW Foundation (Cancer
Help Eat Well), a non-profit organization to help and cook probono for Filipino-Americans who
are afflicted with cancer and other
serious illnesses.
STUD AT 85
Roland, 85, married Jenny, a
lovely 25 year old. Since her new
husband is so old, Jenny decides
that after their wedding she and
Roland should have separate
bedrooms, because she is concerned that her new but aged
husband may over-exert himself
if they spend the entire night together.
After
the
wedding
festivities Jenny prepares herself
for bed and the expected knock
on the door. Sure enough the
knock comes, the door opens
and there is Roland, ready for
action. They unite as one. All
goes well, Roland takes leave of
his bride, and she prepares to go
to sleep.
After a few minutes, Jenny
hears another knock on her
bedroom door, and it's Roland
again. He is ready for more
action. Somewhat surprised,
Jenny
consents
for
more
coupling. When the newly weds
are done, Roland kisses his
bride, bids her a fond good night
and leaves.
She is set to go to sleep
again, but, aha, you guessed it Roland is back again, rapping on
the door and is as fresh as a 25year-old, ready for more action.
And, once more they enjoy each
other.
But as Roland gets set to
leave again, his young bride says
to him, 'I am thoroughly
impressed that at your age you
can perform so well and so
often. I have been with guys less
than a third of your age who
were only good once. You are
truly a great lover, dear.'
Roland, somewhat embarrassed, turns to Jenny and says:
'You mean I was here already?'
FOUR-LETTER
WORDS
A young couple got married
& went on a cruise for their honeymoon. When they got back
from the honeymoon, the bride
immediately called her mother,
who lived a couple of hours
away. "Well, darling," said her
mom, "how was the honeymoon?" "Oh, mother," she replied, "the honeymoon was
wonderful! So romantic, we had
a terrific time! But, mother, as
soon as we returned, Sam began
using really horrible language...
Stuff I'd never heard before... Really terrible 4-letter words.
You've got to come get me and
take me home. Please mother!"
And the new bride began to sob
over the telephone. But honey,"
the mother countered, "What 4letter words?" "I can't tell you,
mother," said the daughter,
"they're too awful! Come get me,
please!" "Darling daughter, you
must tell me what has made you
so upset... Tell mother the 4-letter words!" Still sobbing, the
bride said, "Mother... he uses
words like: dust... wash... iron...
cook!
SARA
Three Italians die and go to
heaven, where they are met at
the Pearly Gates by St. Peter. He
says, "Ladies, you all led such
wonderful lives that I'm granting you six months to go back to
Earth and be anyone you want."
The first lady says, "I want-a
to be Sophia Loren" and poof!
she's gone.
The second says, "I want-a
to be Madonna" and poof! she's
gone.
The third says, "I want-a to
be Sara Pipalini."
St. Peter looks perplexed.
"Who?" he asks.
"Sara Pipalini," she replies.
St. Peter shakes his head
and says, "I'm sorry but that
name just doesn't ring a bell."
The lady then takes a newspaper out of her bag and hands
it to St. Peter. He reads the paper
and starts laughing. He hands it
back to her and says, "This says
'Sahara Pipeline laid by 500 men
in 7 days'!"
ma'am!
The next week the lady
returns. "Doctor," she says, "I
don't know what you gave me,
but now my farts reek."
The doctor says, "Good, we
fixed your sinuses! Now let's
work on your hearing."
SPORTS ADDICT
PASS GAS
Adik: Doc, grabe yung
panaginip ko gabi-gabi, kasi
lagi daw akong nanunuod ng
basketball.
Doctor: Sige, halika may
gamot ako para diyan.
Adik: Huwag muna doc,
championship game na mamayang gabi, eh!
A little old lady goes to the
doctor and says, "I can't stop
passing gas. Luckily, my farts
don't smell and are always
silent. As a matter of fact, I've
farted twice since I've been here
in your office, but you didn't
even notice."
"I can help you," says the
doc. "Take these pills and come
back next week."
Titser: Ano ang past tense
ng laba?
Boy #1: Naglaba po, ma'am!
Titser: Tama! Ano naman
ang present tense?
Boy #2: Naglalaba po,
ma'am!
Titser: Tama! Ano naman
ang future tense?
Boy #3: Magsasampay po,
ENGLISH
PROPESIYON
Anak: Itay, pinapatanong ni
ma'am kung ano raw ang
propesiyon ninyo.
Itay: Sabihin mong ako ay
cardiologist.
Anak: Ano po ba ang
cardiologist, Itay?
Itay: 'Yung tagaayos ng
radio sa car!
H2O at CO2
Lito: Pare, ano
ba ang
kaibahan ng H2O sa CO2?
Joseph: Diyos ko naman!
Simpleng bagay hindi mo pa
alam! Ang H2O ay hot water! At
ang CO2 ay cold water.
BAKIT
Judge: Amor, sabihin mo sa
husgado kung bakit mo sinaksak ang mister mo ng kutsilyo
habang siya'y natutulog.
Amor: Your honor, inisip ko
kasi, kung baril ang gagamitin
ko, eh, baka magising ang anak
namin.
27
November 30, 2010
‘Balik Kabayan’
There was the familiar voice
which won fans ahead of the
face and a storied broadcast career. “Magandang gabi, bayan”
Noli de Castro bid his trademark
farewell at the end of the “new”
TV Patrol.
“Kabayan” Noli said goodbye to the Philippine broadcast
world once before, after being
drawn to the world of national
politics.
We are familiar with his
humble roots because he would
occasionally intersperse the
morning story conferences at
ABS-CBN’s dzMM conference
room with childhood tales from
where the sea met the rice fields
in Pola, Mindoro Oriental.
He told us about his beginnings in radio, hanging around
the studio, trying mightily to be
useful by running errands or
making coffee for the station’s
bosses. He would later apprentice with broadcast icon Johnny
de Leon.
Such were the rites of passage for journalists of that era.
They didn’t only have to prove
they knew the job more importantly, they had to prove just
how badly they wanted the job.
He earned the “Kabayan”
because the “masa” identified
with him. Through the years,
they also learned to trust him.
Of all the journalist’s attributes, trust is perhaps the most
difficult to win and also the easiest to lose.
For many, hearing him bid
the audience “Magandang gabi,
bayan” is like telling them that
they’ve seen all they need to see;
they now knew everything they
needed to know; the day is almost finished and there was a
new day coming.
That became the trademark
sign off for TV Patrol, a pioneering newscast known for hardhitting news, popular advocacies
and public service. It defined
perhaps more than any other
show, the public image of ABSCBN after it was resurrected by
the 1986 People Power revolt
that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.
Sign offs are simple one-liners that usually convey a belief
or virtue.
It can be as simple as John
McLaughlin’s “bye bye”.
Or something as iconic as
Walter Cronkite signature, definitive sign-off “And that’s the
way it is”.
Those words perhaps car-
ried no greater weight the evening he told the world about the
assassination of President John
F. Kennedy in 1963.
“Good night and good
luck,” Edward R. Murrow
would always end his broadcasts.
They speak about the power
of words, and the people who
speak those words.
We expect “Kabayan” to
pick up where he left off, as he
leads a news program that we
understand, is being pitted
against a game show in a rising
broadcast station.
We never did understand
the game of programming and
counter-programming that purported broadcast gurus play
against each other, but we’ve always believed that no reality
show can trump the real-life
drama of people in the news.
“Magandang gabi, bayan”
is more than an “extro”. It is associated with “Kabayan” Noli
de Castro and possibly offer a
foil against the temptation to tailor down news programs, to
make them “softer” to compete
with a new rival. After all, “Magandang gabi, bayan” also tells
of a virtue.
to all the fans who came to
watch. That’s all I can give, you
know, I’m trying to make people
happy. Now I’m going back to
Congress. That’s why now I
have another job after this. I’m
going back to the Philippines as
a public servant and I wanna
help people.” Indeed, Pacquiao
is a consummate boxer with a
big heart. May he remain unchanged.
***********
It is without doubt that the
University of Sto. Tomas (UST)
in Sampaloc, Manila, is a vital
witness to the history of the Philippine nation. If you as a
Thomasian studied there, you
share the same alma mater of heroes who shaped the nation’s
destiny — Jose Rizal, Emilio Jacinto, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Apolinario Mabini or Philippine
Presidents like
Manuel Luis
Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Jose P.
Laurel and Diosdado Macapagal. Whether you studied or
served there, you’ll never forget
any of the gates you entered
from the boundaries surrounding UST’s
21.5- hectare-lot:
Espana Boulevard,
P.Noval,
A.H. Lacson and Dapitan Street.
The upcoming
Dec. 4th
Quadricentennial Ball marking
UST 400 years of existence could
make you nostalgic of years
gone by but nostalgia may be a
good thing: it dares us to look
back at where we started, to deal
with the present, and to assess
where we’re going. UST may be
a story of Philippine emergence
but it is also a story of the
Thomasian, a Filipino who goes
through life equipped with a
foundation rich with the yearning of knowledge and wisdom, a
sense of nationalism that inspires helping his/her countrymen, and a devotion to a God
who will make all these possible.
(angelynftm@yahoo.com)
By Rodney J. Jaleco
The Boxer with a Heart
“Mabilis!”Better boxer than
Muhammad Ali!" “Walang kalabanlaban!
”Kayang-kayang
talunin kahit sino, mataas o
mabigat sa kanya!"Compassionate!" “A true sportsman!” “Pride
of the Philippines!” Such were
the immediate reactions of those
who watched the boxing match
between Philippine Congressman Manny Pacquiao and Mexican-American
Antonio
Margarito last Nov. 13, 2010.
“Unbeatable, regardless of
his height and weight! The Filipino is always the best!” exclaimed Robert and Elsa Palting
of Alexandria, Virginia. “My adrenaline was so high, I couldn’t
sleep after the match!” revealed
Nel Orino, who with husband
Danny Orino are entrepreneurs
in Washington, DC. Drs. Reynaldo and Zorayda Lee-llacer,
however, slept thru the night as
they did not watch the Pacquiao-Margarito
fight.
“I
couldn’t watch the actual fight
because I don’t like to see people
punching one another!” said
Charette Hosford. “At the Inova
Woodburn Surgery Center (in
Annandale, Virginia) where I
work, we take care of people.
That’s why when the punches
started flying, I looked away, got
some food, and then returned to
watch once the bell rang in between rounds.” Her husband,
Doug Hosford, a US Marine
Corp veteran, however, watched
the whole boxing match and
found Pacquiao to be a “great
fighter.”
Yolly delos Reyes, on the
other hand, was waiting for Pacquiao to knock down his opponent as he had been doing in
previous matches. “Sayang,
hindi niya napatumba yung
kalaban niya,” said delos Reyes.
Said Lem Ramos, “Margarito’s
too big and too tall but Pacquiao
is so fast! But it was not Pacquiao’s best fight because he
was not able to knock down
Margarito in 5 rounds. I think he
lost his power, his focus because
he’s now a politician, a congressman trying to help his people in
Mindanao’s Sarangani province.
He’s now more compassionate,
even asking the referee if he’ll
stop the fight as Margarito’s face
was all bloody and wounded!”
Lem’s wife, Becky Ramos, added
that Pacquiao is educating himself to serve his people. “I think
he’s taking up Political Science
but he must focus on one: be a
boxer or be a politician.”
No doubt Filipino viewers
could feel Pacquiao’s compassion and observe his prayerful
stance. “Best God-fearing boxer;
dasal ng dasal; humble public
servant!” whispered former diplomat Grace Valera-Jaramillo
who later explained that she lost
her voice due to her thunderous
cheers for Pacquiao. “It was
cool,” said Architect Raymund
Cornejo, a more subdued viewer
of the match between the resident of Sarangani province in
southern Philippines and the
resident of Tijuana, Mexico. “It
showed how much Pacquiao
puts his faith in God,” reflected
Cornejo, an inspiring mover in
the Filipino community of St.
Rose of Lima Parish in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “In fact, the
closest Pacquiao gets to the floor
is when he kneels down to
pray!” observed Cornejo. Millions of viewers around the
world indeed saw how the two
boxers made the sign of the
cross before the start of rounds.
“It’s like their weapon,” quipped
devout Catholics Melchor and
Zen de la Cruz, “Ang gandang
tignan but Pacquiao did more of
the sign of the cross. Was that
why he won?” winked Melchor.
Pacquiao is a compassionate
sportsman, said Castor and Ellen
Salazar. “He prayed before the
game and in between rounds,”
said these residents of Vienna,
Virginia. Comparing the match
to the Biblical David and Goliath, they added that “Pacquiao
really sets a good example of
what a professional sportsman
must be — a very good person.”
Pacquiao must be that kind
of “good person.” Check out his
much-awaited after-fight interviews where he answers in his
distinct deep accent: “Boxing is
not about killing each other; it’s
about entertainment for everybody. I’m just doing my job. I’m
happy with what I’ve done in
boxing. You know, my job is to
entertain people and I want
them to be happy. I’m not scared
to fight anybody as long as
there’s not gonna be any problem with the negotiation with
my promoter and that’s my promoter’s job and I’m just a fighter
to do my job and train hard for
the fight....I want to thank God
for giving me the strength and
the victory that He gave me and
28 Editorial
November 30, 2010
Political empowerment
Some 40 years ago, Filipinos were only referred to as the second biggest
Asian immigrant population in the United States, next to the Chinese. They
were a nonentity as far as politicians were concerned. Some did not even want
to get involved with politics thinking that their votes won’t be counted anyway.
The only kind of suffrage they have experienced was to elect officers of
their local community organizations. And sometimes, even this simple exercise has resulted in controversies, many over imagined anomalies.
Today, Filipino Americans have become more active in politics. Many are
now participating in local, state and national elections. They go out of their
way to campaign for heir candidates and to cast their votes. In the last midterm elections, many politicians sought the support of the Filipino Americans.
Some, like reelectionist Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, even asked Manny Pacquiao to endorse his candidacy. More and more politicians attend Filipino social functions to win over their votes.
Evidence of their growing political clout has been their success in lobbying
in Congress. Among them was the recognition of the services of Filipino veterans who fought under the US flag in World War II and the subsequent grant
of benefits to them. The Philippine government is now harnessing their clout
to push for approval of a pending bill in the US Congress that will create more
jobs. Filipino American organizations are now united to righting the wrongs
that are done to the community or to Filipinos in general.
And slowly, more and more Filipino Americans are running for local, state
and national positions. Some Filipino Americans have run or have already
won elective positions in the government while others are gearing up to participate in future elections.
The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) has
been vocal about political empowerment. But because it’s a tax exempt organization, it could not engage in politics. It’s hoped that with the recent conference, NaFFAA will find a way to utilize the growing Filipino American vote.
Philippine Star
Washington Tsismis
Voice from the grave
This is not Tsismis. Tsimoso just
wants to prove to his readers that he
reads books and magazines.
Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens), a
friend of the Philippines at the turn of the
century, has left some notes that are to be
published soon, 100 years after his death.
Titled Autobiography of Mark Twain, the
book has notes on the massacre of Filipinos in 1906. The Time Magazine review
said what really gets steam coming out of
his ears is a 1906 massacre of rebellious
Philippine tribesmen and their families
by American force, who trapped them in
a crater and rained artillery and gunfire
down from the heights of days. Twain,
who was against American imperialistic
designs on the Philippines, said “The enemy numbered six hundred- including
women and children- and we abolished
them utterly, leaving not even a baby
alive to cry for its dead mother.”
Thanks Mark for this bit of history.
***
Don’t expect to see Philippine Ambassador Willy C. Gaa attending induction balls or Christmas parties in the area
in the next few weeks or months. Unconfirmed reports are that the ambassador is
sick and is in New York undergoing “biopsy tests”. These reports say that a
lump was discovered somewhere in his
body recently…Friends of the ambassador hope that this was nothing serious.
They are asking Pinoys to pray for him.
***
Here’s a contribution from a Tsismoso reporter:
“Luzviminda Padilla, head of the
Philippine Overseas Labor Office
in
Washington D.C., tells Manila that she is
helping the 13 Filipinos who are now being investigated by the FBI as human traffic victims of recruiters. But a spokesman
for the abused workers said they wondered if Padilla is with them or for the recruiters. The workers said her help
consisted of telling them to go back to
work like slaves in Biloxi, Mississippi or
go home. Ms Padilla’s said this was one
option she offered to the workers to ‘save
money’ for the Philippine government.
The POLO, OWWA and other attachés
should be told that OFW money remittances are paying for their salaries and allowances to help stranded or abused
workers like the Biloxi workers. Filipino
American families in Los Angeles have
been helping the stranded Filipinos by
giving them a place to stay while the FBI
probe is on. It’s time for the home office
to listen to the abused Modern Filipino
Heroes rather than to the reports of
POLO, the Embassy, consulate or attaches who always submit self-serving reports. There are unconfirmed reports that
some are in cahoots with illegal recruiters! Let’s wait for the FBI report.”
***
Pretty soon we might not be seeing
Filipino American Deputy Mayor of
Washington D.C. Valerie Santos. Her
term coincides with the departure of
Mayor Adrian Fenty who lost the DC primary two months ago. She assumed her
post only two years ago.
***
Wowwowee…The Department of
Tourism’s Pilipinas Kay Ganda slogan is
kaput, zilch, nada, shot down… It’s called
pangit, baduy, bakya! And President
Noynoy is also receiving flak for announcing its launch in Yokohama, Japan
during the APEC summit. Who among
the APEC leaders knew what Pilipinas
Kay Ganda means?
Noynoy, who announced its launching in Yokama, Japan during the APEC
summit, last week ordered it scrapped because of the flak. Reports are that he himself had made some changes in the slogan
and presentation.
***
The editor passed this email from
Dan Jimenez re my column on Noynoy’s
evening habits, including playing video
games, etc. Dan asked:
Item 1. Is the allegation that P-Noy
can not attend important early morning
meetings true?
Item 2: If it is, there must be a reason
for such.
Item 3: If he is playing video games
until the morning’s wee hours, does such
reflect childish behavior?
Item 4: If such childish behavior hinders his performance as President, will
that be a ground for impeachment?
Recently, Department of Tourism unveiled its “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” campaign whose logo it turned out was
plagiarized version of Poland’s.
From “Wow Pilipinas”, it is now being labeled, “Wow, Mali!” Does that ap-
Opinion 29
November 30, 2010
President
Manny
Thirteen Years After
This time there were no ruffles and flourishes. No bangles,
baubles and beads. Just a modest effort to roll up sleeves, get
down
to
brass
tacks
and…breathe.
Reviving a national organization that has been declared
dead by almost everybody except perhaps for the diehards is
a humbling feat.
Gathering in San Francisco
one weekend for the NaFFAA
9th Empowerment Conference,
more than a hundred community leaders gathered to figure
out how to recapture the 13year-old organization’s “glory
days” and regain the community’s trust as the voice of the
four million Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the U.S.
Greg Macabenta, outgoing
national chair, was blunt and to
the point when he delivered his
farewell address.
NaFFAA already had serious problems when he took over
as chair in 2008: No funds to pay
the office rent and staff, due in
large measure to grant sources
that have dried up and the Recession which had set in. “Our
detractors said NaFFAA was terminal,” Greg said. “Even NaFFAA’s loyal supporters felt that
NaFFAA had one foot in the
grave. Our challenge was to
keep NaFFAA alive and nurse it
back to health.”
To rectify the perception
(including one that NaFFAA
was too focused on the Philippines) and stabilize the financial
situation, NaFFAA leaders made
some internal changes, like
changing the by-laws to restructure the federation. “We have
mistakenly projected ourselves
as a monolithic umbrella since
our inception,” Greg noted. “Instead, we should form equal
partnerships and alliances with
other national and regional organizations and work together
on a wide range of common
causes.”
In the next two years, NaFFAA revived relations with the
Greenlining Coalition, the National Council of Asian Pacific
Americans, contacts in the White
House, federal agencies and
community groups. It moved its
office from downtown DC to
rent-free quarters in Maryland
and discontinued the full-time
services of a paid staff.
Meanwhile, the Recession
worsened. NaFFAA had to dig
in and go into “survival mode.”
Still, advocacy continued.
Winning “partial equity” for our
veterans was a reason to celebrate. More significantly, we developed from the campaign an
infrastructure for political action
that will serve us well in the next
battles. We sat at the table with
coalition partners who were
pushing for comprehensive immigration reform. And we
worked with regions that were
heavily involved in the 2010 US
Census.
“Much needs to be done,”
Greg admits. “We still lack
clout.”
As they say, when you’ve
been down so long, the only
way is up.
In a scale of one to ten, with
ten being the best, we’re at a
five, or at best six. But we’ve
come a long way from zero.
I have a personal stake in
keeping NaFFAA alive, having
been present at its creation in
1997. I gave up my 27-year job at
GWU (with its steady income) to
take over as executive director of
an organization that was literally on a hand-to-mouth existence. Having a full-time staff
assured us of continuity and sustainability. I left four years letter
because I needed a regular paycheck to pay the bills.
Meanwhile, unable to sustain the youth’s interests, NaFFAA slowly lost the young
people who were bursting with
energy. They wanted to have a
role in shaping and running
NaFFAA. Instead, they got disenchanted and left.
I’m asking our community
to give NaFFAA another chance
to fulfill its core mission of promoting the civic engagement of
Filipino Americans in the U.S.
political process. Now more
than ever, we need a revitalized
NaFFAA so we can build the
next generation of community
advocates.
Let’s rake away the dead
leaves of past perceptions and
suspicions and allow the ground
of NaFFAA’s being to once
again breathe.
E-mail your comments to
jonmele@aol.com
Another Manny Pacquiao
victory! He made history in the
sports world by winning eight
crowns in eight different weight
divisions.
Once again, the Philippines
was crime free for an hour or so.
Government soldiers and rebels
observed an undeclared ceasefire and partisan politics took a
backseat.
What now, Manny Pacquiao? There are reports that he
is looking ahead somewhere
down the road for a presidential
run. That is why he is giving the
impression that he takes his congressional job seriously. Soon after arriving in Manila, he
immediately attended the congressional session. Don’t be surprised if he introduces bill after
bill in the Philippine House of
Representatives. The province of
Sarangani will likely see some
up tick in commercial activity
with Pacquiao’s plan to make it
a tourist destination for the
scuba diving enthusiasts. Since
he is breeding fighting cocks, he
might just make his province the
Sabong capital of the Philippines.
If casinos can bring good money
to Indian reservations in the
U.S., Sabong can do the same to
Sarangani.
President Pacquiao? You’ll
never know. After Erap and Fernando Poe, lawyers, accountants
or economists no longer have a
grip on the circle of presidentiables.
If he keeps himself visible
and audible in Congress, the
masses could warm up to the
idea of Pacquiao walking away
from boxing and fighting in a
new arena, this time not for his
own purse but for the empty
stomachs of the people.
He can claim more government experience than Fernando
Poe who almost won. He can say
that he does not have to engage
in graft and corruption because
his pillows are all stuffed with
dollars. He will be beloved by
the bishops because he has demonstrated his devotion to the
Lord with his overt prayers in
every televised fight. He can expect votes both from the soldiers
and the rebels because they all
cheer for him. And since people
want to be entertained by politicians who sing or dance, he can
give a concert in every campaign
sortie.
President Pacquiao. It is not
an outlandish thought in the
Philippines. What if that really
happens? Who can we expect to
surround him in Malacanang?
He loves his mother, and he
trusts her too. Nanay Dionisia
will become the Secretary of the
Department of Social Welfare
without salary. He would like all
monies allotted for the poor to
go to the poor without a single
peso missing. His mother who
was once poor surely has her
heart for the poor and they will
get her constant attention. She
can even bring joy and good
health to the senior citizens by
teaching them ballroom dancing.
Whenever Manny Pacquiao
fights on TV, there’s always former governor Chavit Singson
standing like a shadow. I wonder what’s between the two of
them. Chavit squealed on Erap
Estrada as the godfather of
jueteng. He can use Chavit. Appoint him as the chairman of the
Games and Amusement Board.
Stop the graft and corruption
from jueteng by legalizing it. Call
it something else and give all the
net proceeds to the bishops to
fund their anti-condom campaign. He can set up the cockfighting world championship in
Sarangani. Will Chavit be happy
Book doctor
MANILA
Philippine schools are full
of sick books.
This is the diagnosis of the
academic supervisor of a small
school here in Metro Manila.
Antonio Calipjo Go is the
academic supervisor of Marian
School in Quezon City, a busy
suburb of Manila. He’s more
well-known as a crusader
against errors in public school
textbooks.
Go has been at it for many
years now. He’s elicited sympathy and moral support from
various quarters, mainly from
those who are concerned about
the kind of English that students
are imbibing inside their classrooms.
But Mr. Go has also faced a
wall of resistance from parts of
academe, primarily from the
authors of the books in question.
The authors as well as officials in
the country’s Department of
Education have stonewalled
against Go’s assault on bad language in the books.
Here are a few examples of
the errors that Go has unearthed
from questionable books:
“The airport is open to passengers only.” “Humans may
turn blue when they cry.” And
“The engine of the tractor is
sleeping now.”
How about the following?
“Ms. Vera, please entertain this
computer.” “Comfortable means
having the comfort.” “I trust you
so much, I even told you not to
enter my room.” “The Koran,
their Bible, forbids the eating of
dead meat.”
“Cartoon characters are
taken from dreams of the cartoonists.” “He’s or she’s worried
about his/her future.”
There are hundreds and
hundreds of these errors that Go
has found in public textbooks.
The ones cited about are from
one book only, used in Grade 6,
titled: “English for You and
Me.” published in 2008. In just
one book, there may be as many
as 500 mistakes. The whole
lot that Go has discovered lurk-
ing in our textbooks would fill
Manila Mail and elbow out the
rest of the paper’s contents.
It’s bad enough that our
textbooks here are jampacked
with errors that remain uncorrected for years, even until they
become old and no longer physically usable. Indeed, if Go hadn’t
screamed bloody murder against
these errors, nobody would have
known about them (not even
teachers themselves!) and nobody would have taken steps to
correct them.
What’s worse is that the
authors have been contesting
Mr. Go’s criticisms and are denying that there’s something
wrong with their books. And,
ironically, not all in the Department of Education (DepEd) have
agreed with Go that, indeed, the
30
November 30, 2010
Immigration Notes
By J.G. Azarcon, Esq.
Abused
alien spouse
Proud to be Pinoy
DALY CITY
How times have changed.
In America, folks are Proud to
be Pinoy. Thanks to California
Chief Justice Tani CantilSakauye, San Francisco Giants
ace pitcher Tim Lincecum and
Pambansang Kamao Manny
Pacquiao.
Back in the early 80s, Filipinos in America were actually
embarrassed to admit their nationality. The image of the Philippines was mud. Marcos and
his military had the country in
an iron grip. Ninoy Aquino had
been assassinated. There were
demonstrations and riots in
Metro Manila and the provinces.
The economy was in a nosedive.
We had just opened a
branch of our ad agency, Advertising & Marketing Associates,
in the San Francisco Bay Area.
One of our initial projects was a
glossy magazine on U.S. Pinoys.
I planned to call it FilipinoAmerican Heritage, but was told
that it would be more prudent to
give it another name, like,
Asian-American Heritage.
It was probably the worst
time to enroll our only daughter,
Christina, in a high school exchange program in the U.S. We
were sending a 16-year old alone
to a place where people knew
little about her country, and
what they knew was likely going to be unflattering
Knowing that she would inevitably be asked to talk about
the Philippines, I decided to prepare her for it. I produced a
home video where she introduced herself, her family and
her country, including a visit to
Makati and a quick tour of the
Philippines via Nayong Pilipino.
“When they ask you about
the Philippines, speak of our
country with pride," I told her.
She did exactly that. And
she became one of the best-liked
girls in school. And, yes, people
had a positive impression of the
Philippines.
Indeed, the fact that the
new Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court is a bona fide
Pinay, and the pitcher who
helped give the San Francisco
Giants its first-ever world championship traces his roots to
sacadas, were reason enough for
us to walk with head high in
America.
Pacquiao’s one-sided vic-
tory over Antonio Margarito
simply capped it all.
And yet, wasn’t it only a
few months ago when we were
walking with head bowed, embarrassed over the hostage-taking that resulted in the deaths of
several Hong Kong tourists?
It seemed to me then that
everyone was talking about the
Third Person Pinoy. The Sad
Sack who could never do anything right. The public official
who didn’t have the balls to take
responsibility for gross incompetence. The mass communicators
who were prime examples of
miscommunication. The policemen and SWAT operatives who
made the Keystone Kops look
absolutely brilliant. And a media
community that relished selfflagellation.
Such is our roller-coaster
perception of ourselves as a people. One day, we’re walking
head high with pride, because
one of our own has just been
conferred highest honors. The
next day, we grovel in shame because of the incompetence or the
dishonesty of our public officials.
One day, we are thrilled at
the prospect of one our own being crowned Miss Universe. The
next day, we speak with embarrassment about the fact our
beauty queen spoke an interesting kind of English.
We think it’s cute when an
American or any other foreigner
tries to speak Tagalog and does
so badly. Yet we laugh with derision at one of our own speaking imperfect English
Why this penchant for selfdeprecation?
Do we have such a humongous inferiority complex and are
we so unsure of our place in the
world, that we sink to depths of
embarrassment or soar to
heights of pride, depending on
what we think other people
think of things Pinoy?
Sadly, yes.
I think this goes back to our
upbringing, at home and in
school, especially during our
early, impressionable years. To
start with, our culture encourages false modesty. To be “mayabang” or “mahangin” is to be
obnoxious. Even genuine, welldeserved pride has to be doused
with expressions like, “No, it’s
An alien who is a beneficiary of a permanent resident petition filed by a U.S. citizen spouse
within two years after the marriage is granted conditional permanent resident status valid for
two years.
Before the second anniversary date of the issuance of the
conditional residence, the US
citizen and the alien spouse need
to file a joint petition to remove
the conditional residence and
convert the status to full permanent residence. If the US citizen
spouse refuses to sign the joint
petition, the alien spouse may
not obtain full permanent residence unless the USCIS waives
the requirement under limited
circumstances.
There are three grounds for
the waiver of the joint petition:
extreme hardship, good faith
marriage and battered spouse or
child.
The
extreme
hardship
ground requires the alien to
show that he/she or his dependent child would suffer extreme
hardship if they were not allowed to remain in the U.S. Family separation and economic
reasons alone would not constitute sufficient justifications. Termination of marriage is not
material.
The good faith ground requires a showing that the alien
entered into the marriage in
VISA PRIORITY DATES FOR THE PHILIPPINES
DECEMBER 2010
• FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: Unmarried sons/daughters
of US citizens
Second:
A: Spouses/minor children of
permanent residents:
B: Unmarried sons/daughters 21 years of age
or older of permanent residents
Third: Married sons/daughters of citizens
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of citizens
Apr. 01, 1997
Aug. 01, 2010
Mar. 01, 2000
Jul. 01, 1992
Jan. 01, 1988
• EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority workers
Second: Professionals holding advanced degrees
or persons of exceptional ability
Third: Skilled workers, professionals
Other Workers
Fourth:
Certain Religious Workers
Fifth: Employment creation/
(Million or half-million dollar investor)
good faith at the inception of the
marriage. The USCIS will look
into the duration of the marriage
after the alien has obtained the
conditional status,
intermingling of income, acquisition of
joint assets and birth of children.
This ground requires that the
marriage has ended either
through divorce or annulment,
or at least initiated in the appropriate court by either spouse.
The third ground is based
on spousal or child battery. The
waiver petition can be filed by
the alien even if the alien is still
living with the petitioning
spouse. Divorce or separation is
Current
Current
Feb. 22, 2005
Apr. 22, 2003
Current
Current
Current
not required. The alien spouse
must establish that he/she or the
dependent child of the alien was
subjected to extreme physical or
mental cruelty by the US citizen
or permanent resident spouse or
parent. Acts of violence deemed
acceptable grounds for waiver
include forceful detention, psychological or sexual abuse or exploitation, rape, molestation,
incest and force prostitution.
Even if the abused dependent
child has a valid status, the alien
conditional resident can still apply for a waiver.
If the abused alien however
Turkey &
‘puto’
Turkey and all the trimmings, family gathered around
the dinner room table, pancit
and crispy pata - a typical
Thanksgiving feast? Yes, if
you’re a typical FilAm family.
Historians still debate how
Thanksgiving - celebrated on the
4th Thursday of November in
the United States and on the 2nd
Monday in October in Canada all began.
But conventional thought
places that in Plymouth , Massachusetts in 1621.
It started off as a harvest
festival to express gratitude for
God’s blessings.
Lizette Udquim of Lorton ,
Virginia said they prepare the
traditional turkey feast but add
crispy pata that she says is a little sour, Philippine-style. They
also add pancit bihon and lasagna, fruit salad and cassava
cake.
Gene Chu of Laurel , Maryland revealed she lays out a feast
of turkey and greens, spaghetti,
puto and biko.
Over the years, Filipinos
have injected traditions and rituals from the Philippines to this
favorite American holiday.
They’re almost sure to add
some noodle or pasta dish because they are associated with
good health and long life.
Sticky sweets have connotations of joy in family unity and
cohesion.
Some like Udquim add rich
pork dishes like crispy pata or
lechon because they are more
usually seen as more representative of success and progress
than poultry’s reputation of
“isang kahig-isang tuka”.
Food is obviously the center
of any Thanksgiving celebration.
But Mitzi Pickard, who’s
single, has a different take on all
those gastronomic predilections.
“I’m tired of feeding myself
so I’d like to feed others,” she
told the Manila Mail.
She said she will spend
Thanksgiving helping out in a
food line for homeless people,
and was touching base with
Thelma Billy, another FilAm
civic leader, to look for a church
to volunteer in.
Perhaps the only really universal facet of Thanksgiving is
the gathering of family.
Chu revealed they have
their Thanksgiving feast at noon,
and then move to the Macalinao’s home in Silver Spring ,
Maryland for a birthday celebration - a ritual they have followed
through the years.
31
November 30, 2010
Book doctor... from page 29
books are chock-full of mistakes.
Errata sheets have been inserted in some of the questioned
books (to reprint the books in
full would cost millions of pesos) but it’s uncertain if these
corrections have solved the
problem fully or if, indeed, the
corrections have been inserted at
all.
For his crusading efforts, Go
has been disparaged, accused of
grandstanding (which is a favorite pastime of many politicians
and bureaucrats here). He has
even received threats against his
person, or worse, his life. And he
has been dismissed as someone
who is unqualified to critique
books or language because he
has no impressive and highfaluting graduate degrees after
his name. The objects of Mr.
Go’s critiques have hit back at
him for being someone who
knows not what he’s talking or
writing about. How can Go be
credible when he hasn’t published a single book himself, they
add.
As debates go in the Philippines, this is a common tactic to
put down or diminish one’s adversary. Go has stung book
authors here like a frustrated bee
and they’re hitting back. They’re
painting Go as an unqualified
ignoramus who lacks the credentials to question what
the M.A.s and PhDs in the lofty
towers of academe have published. How dare an undereducated
someone from a small school
question what we’ve published!
they say with much indignation.
That’s mainly how the
Turkey & ‘puto’... from page 30
Proud to be Pinoy... from page 30
not really much!” so as not to
“sound boastful.”
While that is bad enough,
what is worse is the lack of a
conscious effort on the part of
older people to imbue the young
with pride in themselves as Filipinos, and to express affection
for the Motherland.
“God bless America!” is an
expression that easily flows from
the lips of people in the U.S. I
have to hear an equivalent expression among us Pinoys.
Somehow, “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” strikes me as just a cheer,
rather an expression of love.
Pundits and sociologists
routinely comment that Filipinos
have “no sense of nationhood."
An American journalist wrote
about our “damaged culture."
Parents encourage their children
to go abroad as nurses or seamen or contract workers..
Around Asia and in Europe,
Filipina has almost become a
synonym for domestic. And foreign governments routinely issue advisories against travel to
our country, ostensibly because
of terrorist threats.
We have gotten so used to
being told that the Philippines is
“the sick man of Asia" and is
“one of the most corrupt countries in the world” that we have
come to accept it as an incontrovertible fact.
The result is that our children are raised feeling inferior
and incompetent in a world that
has little patience with born losers.
No wonder, we exult over a
Pacquiao victory, much more
than the fact that a provincial
mayor like Jesse Robredo is one
of the most outstanding local executives in the world. Whenever
Pacquiao pummels his opponents, especially when they are
so much bigger than he is, we
are there with him in the ring,
letting our frustrations loose.
And yet, we have many reasons to feel Proud to be Pinoy.
Not the least, the beauty of our
people and our land.
I guess this is the rationale
behind the new campaign of the
Department of Tourism revolving around the theme, “Pilipinas
Kay Ganda” or “Philippines, the
authors in question have reacted
to Go’s criticisms. I guess that’s a
universal tactic of belittling
one’s opponent, question his
qualifications and dismiss him
as a nobody who hasn’t a clue
about what he claims.
But to this Observer, the
more, if not the only, relevant
point is: are Mr. Go’s claims correct? Are the errors that he has
cited in fact errors? That is the
proper question.
I’ve cited above some of the
hundreds of errors Go hasfound.
He hasshone the light of scrutiny
upon what he believes are basic
errors in language and in
thought. They’re out in the open
for all to see.
The reader may judge for
himself who is right, Mr. Go or
the authors of the questioned
books?
This will be followed of
course by that other American
tradition - the Black Friday
shopping rush.
It’s that time of the year
when stores offer their biggest
discounts, especially the “early
bird specials” - one family that
camped outside a large department store chain in St. Petersburg , Florida a full week ahead
of Black Friday was rewarded by
the store with a free i-Pad.
Udquim said she staying off
the queue. “No more shopping
for me. I used to do that before
when I was younger and
stronger," she says with a grin.
There are just some Thanksgiving rituals FilAms can’t
change.
Beautiful.”
I think it’s a good advertising theme, reminiscent of ‘America, the Beautiful." But to make
this campaign fly, we need to
work on our national psyche
and imbue our people with
genuine pride in ourselves as a
nation.
And not simply because of
another Pacquiao world title. Or
even the outstanding performance of a FilAm sports ace or the
achievements of a Pinay jurist.
We need to imbue ourselves, especially our youth,
with the kind of pride in the
Philippines and the Filipino people that our daughter felt when
she first left for a foreign country.
That pride should be strong
enough to withstand another
hostage situation or an advisory
against traveling to the Philippines.
Meanwhile, let’s relish Pacquiao’s one-side pummeling of
Margarito. In fact, let’s join him
in the victorious fray.
Take that. And that. And
that. Ummmm. And that.
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.c
om)
President Manny... from page 29
without a salary?
The Department of Public
Works is known as a fat cow.
What is needed is someone who
has no idea about graft and corruption. Manny will naturalize
his trainer, Freddie Roach and
appoint him Secretary. What
does he know about public
works? If none, he surely will
not think of kickback and that
will be good for the country.
For Chief of Staff, there is
his wife, Jinky. She has management experience earned from the
businesses she has established in
General Santos City. She will see
to it that Manny will not do a PNoy. She will pick a male to
serve as Manny’s stylist consultant. For those who are not
aware, Pres. Noynoy Aquino
ended up dating his stylist.
As for the rest of his cabinet,
I do not worry. Pacquiao is a
very prayerful person. He will
make enlightened picks through
spiritual consultations.
Mabuhay and Pilipinas.
Abused alien spouse... from page 30
has not been petitioned by
his/her US citizen or permanent
resident spouse, he/she can file
an independent immigrant visa
petition on the ground of battery
and extreme cruelty to the alien
or the alien’s dependent child.
Spousal abuse is a defense in re-
moval proceedings, provided
that the alien can establish a
good faith marriage, at least
three years physical presence in
the US prior to the application
for relief, demonstrate, extreme
hardship if forced to leave and
good moral character.
Washington Tsismis ... from page 28
ply also to P-Noy’s Presidency?
Pray not.
Tsismoso’s
comment:
Amen.
***
Where is this man who goes
by the name of Klaus Buntua
(name obviously derived from
Santa Claus). The last his friends
heard from him was the pictures
he send while traveling abroad.
He was attired in a Muslim outfit! One possibility is that he has
converted to Islam, incarcerated
by Homeland Security or just
hiding around in the community.
The value of Pacquiao
By Dan Jimenez
Having won eight boxing
titles in as many weight classes,
Pacquiao, is not just the world’s
best pound for pound boxer, he
is the Filipino that nobody in
the Philippines can question
nor doubt. His words will be
believed by the citizenry regardless of how jaded they are.
To most Filipinos, if not all, he
is a man who through sheer
hard work, courage and determination achieved his dreams
in spite of the gutter poverty he
was born into. Even to the
learned, the powerful and the
educated, Pacquiao is somebody one can look up to. His
lack of education, heavy accented English and the seeming
naivete do not diminish his
stature, instead add to his mystic.
He is seen as a very good
student whose God-given skills
were polished by a good
teacher because he followed the
instructions in improving them.
He is humble from the heart always kneeling in gratitude, deferring to Roach, his mentor as
his master and respects his opponents and never takes them
for granted. He credits God, his
mentor, his Team, his family
and his luck for what he has accomplished, only impishly admitting that yes, he thinks he is
the best boxer ever.
The Filipino people will
celebrate with gusto and total
abandon when Pacquiao goes
home. He will be accorded the
highest Congressional Award,
the one and only recipient, so
far. His political stock is soaring, the Presidency is within
reach. His colleagues in Congress will listen when he
speaks, the Senators will strain
their ears to hear every word he
utters and even P-Noy will give
him audience anytime he
wants. He is every Filipino’s
hero who is alive and real.
With such credibility, it
will be a waste if Pacquiao’s
psychological value to the Filipino society will not be put to
maximum use. He should be a
spokesman to what the Filipinos aspire for as a people. He
should speak about discipline,
about hard work, about sacrifice, about family and the Supremacy of God. He must
communicate to the people that
the country is the people’s and
that they must labor for its upkeep, that theirs is not only
what is within their fences or
inside their abodes.
That theirs is the whole
Philippines. And with that
pride in ownership comes the
responsibility.
32
November 30, 2010

from page 1 - The Manila Mail

Transcription

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