OCT 2013 FINAL:OCTOBER 2013 ISSUE.qxd

Transcription

http://www.filipinostar.org
Vol. XXXI No Octoberr 2013
Will Montrealers vote in 2013?
October 22, 2013 Tuesday evening English debate was moderated by CBC Montreal co-anchor Andrew Chang (second from left)
and hosted by CBC in partnership with McGill University at McGill’s Tanna Schulich Hall. Four major candidates for mayor pose
together, namely, Richard Bergeron, Melanie Joly, Marcel Coté, and Denis Coderre. Others in the photo are CBC hosts.
Montreal will have its fourth
mayor in just over 12 months, and after
a year of revelations at the
Charbonneau Commission, police
raids and arrests, citizens are
questioning their motivation to go to
the polls and vote on Nov. 3.
In 2009, just 39.4 per cent of
Montrealers cast a ballot and re-elected
Gerald Tremblay as mayor.
Then
Tremblay's
interim
successor, Michael Applebaum, was
also forced to quit over allegations of
corruption, leaving many Montrealers
even more cynical.
Voter's Tool Kit | How to cast your vote
on election day
UQAM professor Caroline
Patsias, an expert in European and U.S.
municipal politics, said that although
the city has a poor track record when it
comes to voting in municipal elections,
this time could be different.
“The
scandal
increases
visibility of the municipality and the
attention of the media on municipal
affairs can improve the interest of
citizens," said Patsias.
Patsias said this visibility could
See Page 4
Montreal Elections
MMTV Crew pays a courtesy call on
the Philippine Ambassador Gatan
The Mabuhay Montreal TV
crew went to Ottawa on Thursday,
October 10, 2013, to pay a visit to the
Philippine Ambassador, Leslie Gatan,
to ask for his greeting that will be part
of the first episode scheduled to be
aired on October 17, 2013. Due to
technical difficulties of ICI TV station,
the broadcast is postponed until the
transmission problem has been
resolved. However, the trip to Ottawa
was considered a successful one. Not
only was the TV crew blessed with a
beautiful weather but they were able to
interview the organizier of the Winter
Escapades Tour.
Consul Flerida Mayo was
interviewed by Derwin Collantes, our
Photo taken at the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa - From left: Derwin Collantes, Elizabeth M.
Bermudez, Remy Monteagudo, Hon. Leslie Gatan, Philippine Ambassador, Zenaida Kharroubi,
Consul Flerida Mayo, and Al Abdon.
TV host, about the highlights of the
Winter Escapades, and why it is
considered to be a very special event.
The deadline to register for the tour is
on October 30, 2013. The tour will start
from January 18 to 24, 2014 which will
cover four destinations - Boracay,
www.filipinostar.org
Kalibo, Aklan, Guimaras, and Iloilo,
and a photo op with the Philippine
President, Benigno Aquino III.
The
package tour includes lunches,
dinners,
entertainment,
airport
See Page 4
MMTV trip to Ottawa
October 2013
The North American Filipino Star
2
For Immediate Release
October 15, 2013
STATEMENT BY MP IRWIN
COTLER
ON
PHILIPPINE
EARTHQUAKE
I am saddened by the widespread
devastation of today’s earthquake in
the Philippines.
Early reports include dozens of
casualties, an unknown number of
patients trapped inside the partially
collapsed Congressman Castillo
Memorial Hospital, centuries-old stone
churches damaged (among them the
country's oldest, the 16th-century
Basilica of the Holy Child in Cebu,
which lost its bell tower) and large
areas without power. Rescue efforts
are being hindered due to significant
damage to roads and bridges.
Cotler’s long-time Chief of Staff
Howard Liebman, who has close
friends from Bohol, noted that early
reports from Bohol are traumatic with
widespread damage and fear. One
hour’s flight from Manila, Bohol has 1.2
million people and is popular among
foreigners because of its beach and
island resorts and famed Chocolate Ottawa, October 22, 2013
Hills.
One
of
the
fastest
growing
communities in Canada, Filipino
Canadians maintain strong bonds and
represent a dynamic link between our
two great countries. The Mount Royal
riding is home to the largest Filipino
Canadian community in Quebec, and
is among the largest in Canada. Our
hearts go out to the families here and
abroad who have lost loved ones and
to those who are still searching for
missing relatives.
On behalf of the Liberal Party of
Canada and my family, my sympathies
go out to the citizens of the Philippines
and to all Canadians citizens of Filipino
origin.
-30Contact:
Howard Liebman
Tel: (514) 283-0171
Web: www.irwincotler.ca
Twitter: @IrwinCotler
@HowardLiebman
Marché Coop
The Filipino Solidarity Cooperative, Inc.
5320-A Queen Mary Road
(between Decarie & Coolbrook)
Tel: 514-485-7861
E-Mail: filipinocoop.com
Website: marchecoop.com
Business Hours
Monday - 1:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday - 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wed. to Friday - 1:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday - 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday - 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Members can make appointment to
shop outside these hours. Phone
your orders and you can pick them
up by appointment as well.
Delivery service available for Cote
des Neiges & NDG areas between
6:00-8:00 p.m. ( $5.00 delivery
service fee.)
We sell phone cards &
gift certificates.
Harper Government on
Track
for
Balanced
Budget in 2015
Related Documents:
Annual Financial Report of the
Government of Canada: Fiscal Year
2012-2013
Fiscal Reference Tables – October 2013
Frequently Asked Questions About the
Annual Financial Report
The Honourable Jim Flaherty,
Minister of Finance, today released the
Annual Financial Report of the
Government of Canada for 2012–13. The
report shows the continued downward
track of Canada’s annual deficit. In
2012–13, the deficit fell to $18.9 billion.
This was down by more than onequarter ($7.4 billion) from the deficit of
$26.3 billion in 2011–12 and down by
nearly two-thirds from the $55.6-billion
deficit recorded in 2009–10.
The Government of Canada’s
responsible spending of taxpayers’
dollars played an important part in the
results for 2012–13, with direct program
expenses falling by 1.2 per cent from the
prior year and by 3.8 per cent from
2010–11.
“Our Government is focused on:
helping create jobs and opportunities for
Canadians; supporting hard-working
families; helping keep our families and
communities safe; and putting Canada
first,” said Minister Flaherty. “Our
Government’s continued efforts to
ensure that every tax dollar is spent as
efficiently as possible and that wasteful
spending is eliminated are keeping
Canada on track to balance the budget
in 2015 without raising taxes or reducing
important transfers to persons or to
other levels of government.”
As reported by the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD), Canada’s total
government net debt-to-GDP (gross
domestic product) ratio, which includes
the net debt of the federal,
provincial/territorial
and
local
governments, as well as the net assets
held in the Canada Pension Plan and
Québec Pension Plan, stood at 34.5 per
cent in 2012. This is by far the lowest
level among Group of Seven (G-7)
countries, which the OECD expects will
record an average net debt of 87.0 per
cent in the same year.
“Solid economic and fiscal
fundamentals have ensured that Canada
remains one of the few countries in the
world to continually receive the highest
possible credit ratings from all the major
credit rating agencies. However, we are
not immune to the effects of slow
economic growth globally. We will build
on our record by continuing to keep
taxes low, work to expand trade and
keep Canada on track for a balanced
budget in 2015,” said Minister Flaherty.
For further information, media
may contact:
Marie Prentice
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Finance
613-996-7861
Jack Aubry
Media Relations
Department of Finance
613-996-8080
Pour plus de renseignements, les
médias peuvent communiquer avec :
Marie Prentice
Attachée de presse
Cabinet du ministre des Finances
613-996-7861
Jack Aubry
Relations avec les médias
Ministère des Finances
613-996-8080
Ottawa, October 22, 2013
2013-137
Harper Government Focused on Job
Creation and Economic Growth with
Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2
Related Documents:
Economic Action Plan 2013
Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2
(to come)
The Honourable Jim Flaherty,
Minister of Finance, today introduced
the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act,
No. 2. The Act implements key
measures from Economic Action Plan
2013, as well as certain previously
announced tax measures, to help
create jobs, stimulate economic
growth and secure Canada’s longterm prosperity.
“While Canada leads the G-7 with more
than 1 million jobs created since the
depth of the global economic
recession, we are not immune from the
challenges beyond our borders. We
cannot afford to become complacent,”
said Minister Flaherty. “By implementing
the measures from Economic Action
Plan 2013, our Government is helping
to create jobs and opportunities for
Canadians and grow Canada’s
economy.”
Measures in the Economic Action Plan
2013 Act, No. 2 aimed at spurring job
creation and economic growth include:
Providing support for job creators
Extending and expanding the Hiring
Credit for Small Business, which will
benefit an estimated 560,000
employers.
Increasing and indexing the Lifetime
Capital Gains Exemption, to make
investing in small business more
rewarding.
Expanding the accelerated capital cost
allowance to further encourage
investments in clean energy generation.
Freezing Employment Insurance
premium rates for three years, leaving
$660 million in the pockets of job
creators and workers in 2014 alone.
Closing tax loopholes and combating
tax evasion
Introducing new administrative
monetary penalties and criminal
See Page 5
Harper Government
October 2013
3
OP. ED.
Editorial
Why is it important to vote during elections?
"Nobody will ever deprive the
American people of the right to vote
except the American people themselves,
and the only way they could do this is by
not voting," Franklin D. Roosevelt
observed.
What this quote reminds us is
the importance of using our right to vote
which most people seem to take for
granted, especially in municipal and
school board elections. If we do not use
our right to vote, then we are not only
neglecting
our
responsibility
of
citizenship but also leaving others to
decide for us. We will also lose the
golden opportunity to change what
needs to be changed in order to improve
our lives. If we do not go out and
participate in a democratic process, we
do not have any right to complain for it is
commonly believed that the people
elect the government they deserve.
Not many people are convinced
that they must vote. As the record
shows, municipal elections have poor
voter turn out. What is the excuse? The
most common one is nothing changes,
so why bother? But perhaps, the main
reason that many people have lost
interest is that they do not understand
the issues and why they should
participate in a democratic election. It
seems that voter education and
dissemination of information about
issues in an election are critical to a
better voter turnout.
For this coming election, there
are many issues that every citizen
should care to learn about. The most
important one is the elimination of
corruption, and the restoration of ethics
in the conduct of business with City Hall.
We have had a change of mayor several
times in a year, and we still have to see
the conclusion of all the cases lodged
against those accused of corruption,
breach of trust, and fraud. Other issues
5320-A Queen Mary Road
Montreal, Quebec H3X 1T7
are about the infrastructure of Montreal
being in a poor shape, the sluggish
economy, and the security and safety of
seniors on snow-covered streets.
Moveover, the movement of young
families to the suburbs that is referred to
as the “suburban sprawl” has a negative
impact on the city’s urban core.
Montreal, a beautiful city with
charming and warm people, should
really be a center of culture, higher
education, creativity, and innovation.
Most experts believe that it has yet to be
developed in order to have its proper
place among the great cities of the
world. But without a good government
that is run efficiently in order to help its
citizens in all walks of life prosper, the
inevitable result is mediocrity, poverty,
and waste of human and natural
resources. Obviously, we need to elect
political leaders who have a true vision of
greatness, the ability to manage,
motivate and inspire others to work for
the common good. But this does not
happen by itself.
The citizens of
Montreal must wake up to realize that the
future of the city is in their hands –
participate actively in the democratic
process of electing the right people to
represent their interests. Our Filipino
Canadian community in Montreal has
had several opportunities to elect one of
our own. In this election, we have
another opportunity to support a
candidate who is ready to serve. We
wish him good luck and may he be
blessed with the true vision of a
benevolent leader.
Hopefully, our fellow citizens
(kababayan) will take the time to go out
and vote in this election. If they do,
perhaps, it will be possible to have our
own representative at City Hall for the
first time after being here for over a
century.
Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi
Tel.: 514-485-7861
E-Mail: publicity@filipinostar.org
Published by: Filcan Publications, Inc.
MR. HARPER
HIGHLIGHTS HIS OWN
FISCAL INCOMPETENCE
Somewhere in the 7,123 words
in last week's Throne Speech -- surely
the longest and most incoherent in
living memory -- Stephen Harper had
some odd things to say about Canada's
finances.
First, in a bit of extreme fiction,
he claimed to have prepared the
country to withstand the recession
which began in late 2008. That certainly
should have been the case, but wasn't.
What Mr. Harper inherited from
his Liberal predecessors in 2006 was a
decade of balanced budgets, annual
surpluses of 13-billion per year,
declining debt, declining taxes, strong
economic growth exceeding 3%
annually, 3.5-million net new jobs, and
the most robust fiscal situation in the
western world.
But in less than three years, he
squandered it.
He overspent by three-times
the rate of inflation. He eliminated all
the contingency reserves and prudence
factors that had been built into federal
budget-making to protect against
adverse events. He sent the surplus up
in smoke and put Canada back into
deficit again BEFORE (not because of)
any recession.
In fact, despite all the looming
evidence of collapsing markets in the
United States and the onset of American
bank failures, Mr. Harper kept denying
that a recession in Canada was even
likely.
He said troubles in other
countries would be a good thing
because we'd have "good buying
opportunities". Such an attitude was
either incredibly naive or deliberately
dishonest.
Either way, he left
Canadians unprepared and vulnerable.
And then in late 2008, after the
recession hit, Mr. Harper's response
was again ridiculous.
With the
economy shrinking, he had no plan for
new investments in jobs and growth.
Until relentless public opinion forced
him to reverse himself, he argued for
more federal austerity, and predicted a
string of six balanced budgets. It was a
total fairy-tale and completely wrong.
Now, after six Harper deficits
Al Abdon
Alberto Baens Santos
Sam Kevin
W.G. Quiambao
Bert Abiera
Founder
Mabuhay Montreal TV
soon to be aired on
Videotron 16/616HD ,
Bellnet Fibe 216/1216HD
as soon as ICI TV
station resolves
transmission problems/
technical issues.
We regret the delay.
Community News
News & Layout Editor
Columnists
Ralph Goodale, Deputy Leader
Liberal Party of Canada
613-996-4743
North American Filipino Star
Subscription
Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi
Chief Editor & Publisher
and $169-billion in new Conservative
debt, he says he will set a "bold" debtto-GDP target of 25% by the year 2021
(down from about 34% today), and he
pledges to impose a federal "balanced
budget" law.
Take that debt target with a
grain of salt, because Mr. Harper made
that same commitment six years ago.
He was supposed to hit 25% by 2012.
And he failed. In another flight of
fancy, he also promised to eliminate
Canada's total "net debt" by 2015. He's
just not credible.
And as for a balanced budget
law, remember this -- in the past 17
years, the only federal politician to
create deficits is Stephen Harper
himself. Proposing a new law to make
deficits "illegal" is a massive admission
of Conservative failure and wrongdoing
since 2006. He's conceding he cannot
be trusted.
Looking to the years
immediately ahead, Mr. Harper's
rhetoric is once again all about
austerity. He thinks he can hack-andslash his way to prosperity. And again,
he's wrong. What Canada needs most
-- alongside strong, competent, honest
governance -- is a concrete plan for
greater sustained economic growth,
focused on the middle class.
But it's not on Stephen
Harper's agenda. In every year since
2010, economic growth in Canada has
been slower than the year before. No
Prime Minister has done worse since
the dismal days of R.B. Bennett.
Bernardo Sarmiento
Opinion Editorial
The opinions expressed by the writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect that
of the management of the North American Filipino Star nor its editors.
Name: ________________________
Tel._____________
Address: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
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Date:__________________
No. of issues ____ 12 = $30
____ 24 = $50
4
October 2013
Special Report
'We have to stop the brain drain in
Montreal.'- Marcel Côté
Montreal mayoral candidates debate
corruption, economy
Bergeron: "We have a real nightmare
for the next decade. And during this
next decade, 350,000 new cars will be
on the roads. We just have to
convince 100,000 of these new
350,000 drivers to take public transit."
Côté: "Why do we have all these
orange cones all over Montreal and
nobody doing any work?"
Q: What's the best way to revitalize
the economy to keep and attract the
brightest?
Montreal's four main mayoral
candidates faced off in a surprisingly
friendly debate on Tuesday evening,
jousting over the key issues of
corruption, city life, public transit,
economy and the proposed charter of
values.
The Tuesday evening English debate
was moderated by CBC Montreal coanchor Andrew Chang and hosted by
CBC in partnership with McGill
University at McGill’s Tanna Schulich
Hall.
Throughout the debate, the candidates
defined their leadership strengths.
Richard Bergeron highlighted his team
as an honest administration that would
be full of ideas, while Denis Coderre
promoted himself as an experienced
leader. Marcel Côté pushed his
entrepreneurial background as a skill
that would help him clean up the city,
while Mélanie Joly outlined a team that
would bring change and transparency.
The candidates were in a good
humour for the hour-long debate,
poking fun at one another and
pausing several times for laughter.
'There are no better watchdogs
than you and I.'- Mélanie Joly
Candidate Richard Bergeron got a
laugh when he criticized Marcel Côté
for including members of the former
administration in his team.
"How can you change the situation
with the same people?" he said to
Côté, adding, "It's not as bad with you
as it is with Mr. Coderre."
Mélanie Joly spoke over the laughter,
thanking Bergeron for his implied
support.
But the amicable atmosphere had its
fair share of heated discussion.
At about 10 minutes into debate,
Bergeron and Côté were yelling at
each other about whose team was
more involved in the previous
embattled city administration.
Q: What practical plans to you have to
counter corruption?
The theme of corruption has been at
the forefront of the election campaign
and the candidates wasted no time
outlining how they would clean up
City Hall.
Mélanie Joly highlighted her digital
transparency plan, which takes its
inspiration from New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg.
Côté: "We have to stop the brain drain
in Montreal ... I've invested in quite a
few businesses in Montreal. What they
want is the mayor to run properly City
Hall. They can do the rest. Montreal
has the highest business tax in
Canada."
Joly to Côté: "It's great you've made
the analysis that taxes are too high
but we need solutions, not analysis.
Q: All four of you are against the
government's' proposed charter of
From Page 4
"There are no better watchdogs than
you and I," she said.
'If we promise the world, nothing
will get done.'- Denis Coderre
Joly said her administration would
appoint a chief digital officer to ensure
that all city information would be
made public.
Denis Coderre outlined his plan for an
independent inspector general who
would be appointed by City Hall and
have the power of inquiry and the
power to open contracts and take
people to court.
"If a house has a leaky roof, you don't
throw the house down. The vast
majority of employees and politicians
are honest," he said.
Montreal Elections
translate into a boost in voter turnout,
and the "time to clean up" attitude has
also helped attract new candidates.
With the campaign beginning
on Sept. 20, there are twice as many
political parties and 60 per cent more
authorized candidates this year than
in 2009.
"The numbers have increased
very much if you compare with
elections of 2009, so we have more
From Page 1
MMTV Trip to Ottawa
transfers, land transportation, and
domestic travel insurance - all for $850
except the air ticket which can be
purchased separately from any travel
values. How far will you go in fighting
against it?
Côté: "This is a very divisive fight. We
have to be careful not to stoke the fire.
Montreal is always on the losing side
of nationalist politics. Let them play
their game."
'Don't build a wall between
Montrealers and the rest of Quebec.'Richard Bergeron
Coderre: "The charter is not a matter of
culture. It's a matter of rights. There's
no hierarchy of rights ... All that division
is bad for Montreal."
Bergeron: "It is building a wall between
Montreal and the rest of Quebec. Don't
build a wall between Montrealers and
the rest of Quebec."
Joly: "The rest of Quebec must
understand Montreal is unique in its
culture. Let's wait to see what's in the
charter, then debate in council."
(Reprinted from CBC News)
political parties, we have more
authorized candidates, so those
parties and candidates may have
followers," said Denis Dion, the
election's Director General.
"Maybe discouraging news
we had in last year won't have
negative effects on volunteers."
Average voter turnout in the
City of Montreal (and federal and
provincial ridings contained within)
It is to be noted that every
tourist who visits the Philippines is
equivalent to a job for our kababayan.
The tour is not only for pleasure but
also an opportunity to discover trade
opportunities by meeting other tourists
from different parts of North America
Richard Bergeron pointed to his party
- Projet Montréal - as a party with an
honest history in city politics.
Bergeron criticized Coderre for
running a slate of 25 candidates who
were members of former mayor
Gérald Tremblay's now-defunct Union
Montréal party.
Marcel Côté said that corruption can
only take hold in an organization that
is badly managed. He pointed to the
need for checks and balances for the
city's executive committee and for a
more efficient bureaucracy. Côté also
said his administration would make
the position of city ethics
commissioner a full-time job.
Q: How would you keep traffic flowing
on Montreal's roads and improve
public transit systems?
A candid shot of Elizabeth M. Bermudez, Remy Monteagudo and Derwin
Collantes as they were about to cross the street in Ottawa after visiting the
Parliament buildings.(Taken by Z. Kharroubi)
agency.
This is the first time that this
type of tour package is offered. It is
therefore a golden opportunity to visit
Coderre: "It's a major major problem
the Philippines in winter to avoid the
... If we promise the world, nothing will extreme cold weather in the middle of
get done."
January.
who may have a business interest in
promoting Philippine products.
Contact
the
Philippine
Embassy at 1-613-233-1121, or go to
the Philippine Embassy website.
August 2013
delivery.
From Page 2
Harper Government
offences to deter the use, possession,
sale and development of electronic
suppression of sales software
designed to falsify records for the
purpose of tax evasion.
Closing tax loopholes relating to
character conversion transactions,
synthetic dispositions, leveraged life
insurance arrangements and other
schemes to ensure that everyone
pays their fair share.
Extending, in certain circumstances,
the period during which the Canada
Revenue Agency can reassess a
taxpayer who fails to report income
from foreign property.
Respecting taxpayers’ dollars
Modernizing the Canada Student
Loans Program by moving to
electronic service delivery.
Improving the efficiency of the
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
by expanding electronic service
5
Phasing out the Labour-Sponsored
Venture Capital Corporations tax
credit.
“In the face of continued global
economic uncertainty, it is essential
that we remain squarely focused on
keeping Canada’s economy strong,”
said Minister Flaherty. “That’s why our
Government will continue to support
the drivers of economic growth and
job creation, while keeping taxes low
and returning to a balanced budget
by 2015.”
For further information, media may
contact:
Marie Prentice
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Finance
613-996-7861
Jack Aubry
Media Relations
Department of Finance
613-996-8080
Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to
tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising
which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out
a course of action and follow it to an end requires ... courage.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
God allows “pork” to
teach us a lesson
By Alex P. Vidal
October 24, 2013 | Featured, Opinion
in the Global Balita
“For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who by their unrighteousness
suppress the truth.” ROMANS 1:18
Anti-pork-barrel-rally.2We
cannot blame God for the acts of men.
The “pork barrel” scandal is an act of
man; therefore, God has nothing to do
with it.
But could God have prevented
“pork barrel”? Either he wanted to stop
it but He could not, or He wanted to
stop it but He did not. Perhaps, God
allowed “pork barrel” to unleash its
wrath on the Filipino people to teach us
a lesson as we have apparently
become a nation of apathy, greed and
neglect.
We neglected our fundamental
duties and responsibilities to elect
competent and honest leaders by
selling our votes to the highest political
bidders. We push these ruffians in
government to steal by being in
cahoots with them in age-old moral
malady called patronage politics. We
scratch their backs, they scratch ours.
We fool each other.
EXPENSES
We
rely
everything
on
politicians and oblige them to
underwrite even petty domestic
expenses that fall under our
responsibilities as members of the
working class. Because of our
callousness, we created our own
Frankensteins
and
call
them
“honorable” ladies and gentlemen.
We could see a stronglyworded pastoral letter that condemns
the misuse of “pork barrel” in a giant
billboard located on the left side when
we enter the Santuario Nacional de
Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria or
Jaro Cathedral in Jaro, Iloilo City.
The pastoral letter considers
the misappropriation of “pork barrel”
funds amounting to billions of pesos
mostly by our lawmakers as “also a sin
against God.”
AFFAIR
The “pork barrel” fiasco is
supposed to be an affair of the state
and our constitution clearly prohibits
the church from interfering in the affairs
of the state vice versa.
But the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
believes that the separation of Church
and State does not prohibit moral
See Page 8
Pork Barrel
6
Allende, in their fight to save their
Amazon rainforest. Lastly, Act five
focuses on Bill McKibben, as told by
Meryl Streep, and the 25-year effort to
address the foremost issue of our time:
climate change.
Dear EarthTalk: What is the
new documentary film A Fierce Green
Fire about and what does the title refer
to?
-- Gloria Howard, Washington,
DC
A Fierce Green Fire is a new
film documenting the rise of the
modern environmental movement from
the 1960s through the present day. It
premiered at last year’s Sundance Film
Festival and will be playing at select
theaters across the country beginning
in September 2013. Educators,
environmental groups and grassroots
activists also will be showing the film at
small and large events from coast to
coast over the course of the fall. Written
and directed by Mark Kitchell,
Academy Award-nominated director of
Berkeley in the Sixties, A Fierce Green
Fire (the film) is based on the 1993
book of the same name by
environmental
journalist
Philip
Shabecoff.
The phrase “a fierce green fire”
refers to a longer passage in one of the
seminal environmental books of the
20th century, 1949’s A Sand County
Almanac. In the famous “Think Like a
Mountain” section of that book, author
Aldo Leopold relates his experience as
part of a predator extirpation team that
shoots a wolf in the New Mexico desert:
“We reached the old wolf in time to
watch a fierce green fire dying in her
eyes.
I realized then and have known
ever since that there was something
new to me in those eyes, something
known only to her and to the mountain.
I was young then and full of trigger-itch;
I thought that because fewer wolves
meant more deer, that no wolves would
mean hunters’ paradise. But after
seeing the green fire die, I sensed that
neither the wolf nor the mountain
agreed with such a view.”
Kitchell’s film shows how this
passage and other writings were
instrumental in raising awareness
about the importance of wise
stewardship of the natural environment
and as such played a crucial role in the
re-birth of the environmental movement
in the 1960s.
Featuring five “acts,” each with
its own central story and character, the
film depicts a central environmental
conflict of each decade since the
1960s. The first act, narrated by Robert
Redford, focuses on David Brower and
the Sierra Club’s battle to halt dams in
the Grand Canyon in the 1960s. Act
two, narrated by Ashley Judd, tells the
story of Lois Gibbs and other Niagara
Falls, New York residents’ struggle
against pollution buried beneath their
Love Canal neighborhood in the 1970s.
Act three is all about Greenpeace and
efforts by Captain Paul Watson to save
whales and baby harp seals, as told by
Van Jones. Chico Mendes and
Brazilian rubber tappers take center
stage in Act four, as narrated by Isabel
October 2013
A new film by Academy Award-nominated
Mark Kitchell, based on a 1993 book by Phil
Shabecoff, documents the rise of the modern
environmental movement from the 1960s
through the present day. Pictured: Lois Marie
Gibbs and other Niagara Falls, New York
residents’ struggle against pollution buried
beneath their Love Canal neighborhood in the
1970s. Credit: A Fierce Green Fire
Intertwined within these main
stories are strands including the
struggle for environmental justice,
getting “back to the land,” and
sustainability efforts in the developing
world. The film ends on an optimistic
note, driving home the point that
environmentalism is really about
civilizational change and bringing
industrial society into balance with
nature and that each of us can make a
difference with a little effort.
Those interested in seeing the
film should check out the schedule of
theatrical releases at the film’s website,
afiercegreenfire.com. The website also
features more information on the film
and features historical photos of some
of the scenes and events depicted in it.
Anyone who wants to find out more
about the the makings of the modern
environmental movement should be
sure to see A Fierce Green Fire.
CONTACT: A Fierce Green
www.afiercegreenfire.com.
The production of sugar has indeed
taken a huge environmental toll.
“Sugar has arguably had as great an
impact on the environment as any
other agricultural commodity,” reports
the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), citing
biodiversity loss as a result of the
“wholesale conversion of habitat on
tropical islands and on coastal areas”
to grow sugar. WWF adds that the
cultivation of sugar has also resulted in
considerable
soil
erosion
and
degradation and the use of large
amounts of chemicals across the
tropics and beyond.
Some natural food markets
now carry sustainably harvested sugar
that does not fit this profile, though
sugar’s ugly history has led many ecoconscious
consumers
to
look
elsewhere to satiate their sweet teeth.
Fortunately there are several natural
and artificial options that are safe to eat
and relatively benign for the
environment. Perhaps the most
popular choice is stevia, a sustainably
harvested herb from Latin America that
is 30 times sweeter than table sugar
but without calories. Other natural
alternatives include coconut palm
sugar, barley malt syrup, brown rice
syrup, agave nectar, maple syrup and
raw honey. These choices may not
save on calories like stevia, but they do
sweeten without environmental guilt.
As
for
synthetic
sugar
alternatives,
there
has
been
considerable talk of how dangerous
they may be for our health, but little
evidence of harm has actually come
forth and their environmental impacts
may be more reason for concern.
Aspartame, for example, used in Equal
and also in diet sodas, is made by
fermenting corn and soy, the two
biggest genetically engineered crops
in the U.S. Environmentalists are
concerned that such tinkering with
nature could have unexpected and
potentially disastrous results down the
road.
Another
common
sugar
alternative, sucralose (trade name
Splenda) has its issues, too. A study
released in 2013 by researchers from
the University of North Carolina (UNC)
found that the majority of Splenda
used around the world ends up in the
Gulf Stream, the fast-moving ocean
current that starts in the Gulf of Mexico
and flows into the Atlantic Ocean and
beyond into the coastal waters of
Europe and Africa.
“Sucralose
cannot
be
effectively broken down by the bacteria
in the human digestive tract,” reports
UNC. “As a result, the body absorbs
little or no calories and 90 percent of
the chemical compound leaves the
body through human waste and enters
sewage systems.” Since this sucralose
cannot be broken down by most water
treatment systems, it ends up in the
oceans, where the long-term effects
remain unknown.
Saccharin
(trade
name
Sweet’N Low) got a bad rap in the
1970s when rats exposed to large
amounts got bladder cancer, but it has
since been vindicated: The Food &
Kalman Samuels, Q.C.
& Associates, s.e.n.c.
Attorneys
Fire,
EarthTalk® is written and edited by
Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a
registered trademark of E - The
Environmental
Magazine
(www.emagazine.com).
Send
questions
to:
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EarthTalk®
E - The Environmental Magazine
Stella Samuels
• Family Law • Litigation • Immigration
www.kalmansamuels.com
Tel. : 514-939-1200
DR. EMILIA ESPIRITU
Dear EarthTalk: I saw an article on
sugar’s effects on the environment.
Has anyone compared different
sweeteners (artificial or natural) for their
environmental impacts?
-- Terri Oelrich, via e-mail
CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE / DENTAL
SURGEON
5790 Cote des Neiges Rd Suite A-024
MONTREAL, QUEBEC
H3S 1Y9
PHONE: 514-340-8222 (4077)
E-Mail: dr_e_pin@yahoo.ca
October 2013
7
Drug Administration removed warning
labels in 2000 and the Environmental
Protection Agency removed it from its
lists of hazardous constituents and
areas are forced to look elsewhere for
suitable habitat if they can find any at
all. An oft-repeated side effect of all this
building is the removal of mangrove
forests and sea grass meadows—
important natural buffers against
destructive waves from storms as well
as important wildlife habitat. Other
examples of coastal development
gone awry include boardwalks or
marinas built near or on top of coral
reefs; beach-front houses, condos,
hotels or golf courses replacing sand
inhabitants much more vulnerable to
the immense destructive force of the
tsunamis,” reports the World Wildlife
Fund (WWF).
Likewise, the hurricanes that
have battered the U.S. in recent years
have been far more destructive than
those previous, and many blame
unrestrained coastal development. “A
significant chunk of the $200-billionplus bill from the Katrina-Rita
hurricanes might have been avoided if
there’d been tough, realistic plans to
commercial chemical products in
2010. Nonetheless, saccharin can
cause problems for pregnant women
and infants who consume large
amounts, and also gets a veto as a
petroleum derivative.
CONTACTS:
Climate
www.climate.org;
www.panda.org.
-Shine Shoukkathali, via e-mail
While they may put up with a
lot of stress from wind, waves and
weather, beaches and the coastal
environments surrounding them are
surprisingly fragile. The ecosystems
which make up coastal areas have
evolved over eons to their current
natural states as to their geologic
features and the types and distribution
of native plants and animals that live
there. When large numbers of humans
move in, whether as full-time residents
or vacationers, the dynamics of local
ecosystems begin to change. If the
growth is not managed well, this
inundation with people can contribute
to a wide range of environmental
problems.
For starters, development of
any kind can scar ecosystems and
seriously reduce or eliminate wildlife
habitat. As houses, condos, shops,
restaurants and other buildings begin
to replace sand, grasses, trees and
other natural features, the birds, fish
and other wildlife that frequent such
Institute,
WWF,
EarthTalk® is written and edited by
Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a
registered trademark of E - The
Environmental
Magazine
(www.emagazine.com).
Send
questions
to:
earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe:
www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free
Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.
CONTACTS: WWF, www.wwf.org;
“Fake sweetener Splenda fills our
oceans,
scientists
find,”
www.naturalnews.com/039156_splend
a_ocean_pollution_environment.html,
“The Sweet Side of Fair Trade,” Green
A
m
e
r
i
c
a
,
www.greenamerica.org/livinggreen/Sw
eetFairTrade.cfm.
Dear EarthTalk: What are the
environmental risks associated with
beach resorts?
reports the news service Common
Dreams.
The key to minimizing property
damage and the loss of lives from such
natural disasters may well be in what
we allow to be developed. By now,
most North American coastal regions
have learned their lesson the hard way
about the perils of unrestrained
development, and new building codes
now tend to be much tougher. But with
coast-battering storms getting more
frequent and intense, all bets are off as
to whether our newer rules will be
enough to protect beaches and
surrounding coastal areas in decades
to come.
According to the Climate Institute, the impact of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was
much greater in more developed sections of coastal Thailand where mangrove and coral reef
loss preceded the natural disaster Credit: Alan C., courtesy Flickr
dunes and meadows; massive
amounts of freshwater getting diverted
from coastal rivers and streams for the
benefit of tourists; and sea turtles
scared off from nest sites.
According to the Climate
Institute, the impact of the December
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was much
greater in more developed sections of
coastal Thailand where mangrove and
coral reef loss preceded the natural
disaster. “In the absence of these
natural protective barriers, the giant
wave carried its energy all the way to
shore, killing over 250,000 people and
causing billions of dollars of damage,”
reports the group. “In areas where
natural buffer zones remained, such as
the Phang Nga province, inland
territories were protected by large
mangrove forest that dulled the wave’s
impact and dissipated its energy.”
“The indiscriminate conversion
of natural shorelines and mangrove
forest ecosystems for shrimp farming,
urban
settlements,
tourism
development
and
other
often
unregulated and unplanned human
activities over the past several decades
often make the coastal areas and its
deter development in exposed coastal
areas through buffer zones, wetlands
protection, tough building codes and
relocating settlements to higher land,”
jhodrivingschool@ymail.com
Advertise in the
North American
Filipino Star
Call 514-485-7861
From Page 8
October 2013
8
“Pork Barrel
ethical values from influencing public
policies.
If
governance
were
conducted from a platform that
disregards ethics and morality, CBCP
says it only exposes our nation to
greater peril and “we have only
ourselves to blame and we make
ourselves the victims of our own
amoral conduct.”
BLAME
We are actually partly to blame for the
sins of thieves in government
because their mandates emanate
from us. Sin is a religious term and
refers to man’s offense against God.
It has no meaning apart from the
awareness of God’s holiness and
majesty. And since it is essentially not
a legal or moral term, there is no
sense of sin, no matter what a person
may do or fail to do, if there is lacking
in awareness.
We can always pray for Divine
Intervention to abolish “pork barrel”
like what the CBCP is doing when it
spearheads the “Abolish the Pork
Barrel, Now Na” movement, but we
must not forget that we are part and
parcel of the king-sized monster that
has eaten up the moral fiber of our
leaders; and God will help us only if
we help our own selves first.
This shame apparently was not enough
to deter big time corruption because
Joseph Estrada was convicted of
plunder and found his way to the 10th
place of the same list of the World’s Most
Corrupt Leaders.
Estrada’s subsequent removal
from Malacanang came about after an
aborted impeachment trial turned into
street action. Like Marcos in Edsa ’86,
people went to the street. When Estrada
lost the people, he also lost the military.
In the same list of the World’s Most
Corrupt Leaders, Estrada made it to
number 10.
Twice, sitting presidents went
into plunder and twice, the people and
the military turned against them. It was
impossible that the number one
beneficiary of the Erap Resign
movement would not learn from the
fiasco of her predecessor. But
A little history of
thievery
GLIMPSES
By Jose Ma. Montelibano
The big mistake is to be awed
by the numbers of the million people
march. It did not hit one million, maybe
not even one half. It is a bigger mistake
to not to be awed by the event last
Monday because it deserves all the
credit it claims.
Having several hundreds of
thousands in the Luneta when there was
clear organizer is a feat. In different
major cities, they had their version of the
Luneta gathering as well. The numbers
were not overwhelming, but those same
numbers are not static. Even today, the
numbers grow because the spirit of
million people march remains agitated.
Thirty years ago, August 21,
1986, a big mistake was made. The
dictatorship shot one man in the tarmac
of the Manila International Airport. He
was only one man, after all, and so many
had been killed by the dictatorship by
then. But one man’s martyrdom was
more than enough to light a fire. It was
simply time. Filipinos did not want to live
in fear anymore. They said, “If they could
kill Ninoy Aquino like that, they could kill
any of us anytime.”
Thirty years later, August 26,
2013, Filipinos said, “If they could steal
our money like that, so much, so
arrogantly, they can do that anytime they
want to.” People have had enough
today; it is simply time.
Yes, 1986 Edsa was about
freedom lost and regained. Freedom
most of all was the battle cry. But the evil
of corruption followed very closely as
motivation for Filipinos to fight the
dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. The
call for a boycott against crony firms
after the snap elections meant that
Filipinos knew how the dictator fed his
cronies while he bled the nation.
Marcos underestimated the
temper of the times just as he
underestimated the numbers of Filipinos
willing to confront him. For too long, he
did not depend on the support of the
people. He was too used to using the
military to frighten people into quiet
submission. In the end, he lost both the
people and the military. In the end, the
spirit for change drove the people to
Edsa and Marcos to Hawaii.
In Transparency International’s list of the
World’ Most Corrupt Leaders as of 2007,
Ferdinand Marcos was in Number 2.
apparently, Gloria learned the other
lessons but not the most important –
honesty. She kept the military close to
her, or at least the key leaders from day
one to year nine.
She could not keep her image
clean, though, and all the more her
husband’s. Early in her presidency, the
IMPSA scandal broke out before she
could warm her bed in Malacanang. The
most expensive roads in the reclamation
area scandalized the people, followed by
the smuggling of rice, of sugar, of
different foodstuff. The list went on and
smelled so bad that in December 2002,
she announced that she would not seek
reelection in 2004. She lied, of course,
but the lie worked enough to fool the
people and eased the political pressure.
Learning as well that Edsa ’86
and Edsa Dos in 2001 worked because
the Catholic Church went with the
people against Marcos and Estrada,
Gloria went out of her way to establish a
relationship with bishops. She got
enough of them to be supportive of her
and there were only muted cries against
the corruption of her administration. She
was not able to prevent being viewed so
negatively by the public that she has
emerged as the most unpopular
president ever in Philippine history.
Of course, Gloria now stands
accused of plunder and stealing the
2004 presidential elections. It is no
wonder that the 10 billion peso scam
could have taken place in the
environment Gloria built around her nine
years in office. And it will be no wonder if
many times that amount will also surface
as stolen. Sen. Serge Osmena already
pointed to a 111 billion scam in a
bridges-to-nowhere program. COA is
investigating the mis-use of the
Malampaya oil amounting to 23.6 billion.
The ZTE scandal did not
materialize because whistleblower Jun
Lozada found the courage to tell the
public about what was going on. But the
story goes that the Chinese firms
involved had already given advances,
not to government, of course, but to
government officials. But cases could
not prosper despite all the corruption
because the environment did not
encourage prosecution.
It is expected that the current
furor over the 10-billion scam, the PDAF,
and the so-called pork barrel will find a
government eager and willing to run
after the thieves. Already, the DOJ/NBI
are combining efforts with the
Ombudsman and the COA, including
AMLA for money-laundering activities.
And why shouldn’t they? Was it not PNoy’s first act to establish the truth
Commission? Was it not Former Chief
Justice Corona’s first act to shoot down
that Truth Commission – because it
seemed to target only Gloria Arroyo?
Well, Rene Corona, we may not live long
enough for government to finish finding,
investigating,
prosecuting
and
convicting her and all the thieves from
2001-2010.
A little history of the thievery will
go a long way in making social media
revolutionaries realize the context, and
difficulty, of cleansing society of
corruption in high places. But the odds
are now in our favor because people
power is alive.
(Reprinted from Global Balita)
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October 2013
9
Souvenir Photos
Filipino students in French
Students from different countries - Cambodia, Venezuela, and Tunisia
Monday class of mixed students - Cambodians and Filipinos every
Monday evening
Wimbledon Paraiso just arrived from Israel and visited Gilmore
College for the first time.
A mixed class of students from four countries - Philippines,
Cambodia, Haiti, and Turkey.
Wednesday evening French class
10
Ask the
Video Guy
by
Al Abdon
Common Mistakes in
Kids Photography
Majority of the “wanna be”
photographer started by choosing their
favorite subjects. The first is landscape
and the second are their family especially
their children. I’ve seen many parents try
to get a nice picture by controlling the
kids and give instructions how to pose.
Well, there are better ways to compose a
memorable pictures but please avoid
these common mistakes:
Mistake 1: Asking Kids to Sit Still: “Hey
kids, please sit…”
The kids are all dressed up for
the photo shoot and excited, but don’t
quite know what will happen, so they do
what comes naturally – they run off and
play.
The photographer and parents
then try to round up the kids, find a place
to photograph them and then ask the kids
to sit down and be still and look at the
photographer. Ever tried this? It goes
against all the natural instincts of the kids
– they are super excited and told to sit
still. Very difficult to achieve!
Solution – Let the kids run & play
All kids love to run and play. It’s a
natural part of being a kid, so why not let
them do what comes naturally? Some of
the best images I capture are when kids
are allowed to run on the beach or at a
park. I take this one step further and
create games for the kids to play, like
racing each other, or getting the parents
to chase the kids.
There are 2 things that happen when kids
are allowed to run & play:
Kids have all this built up energy
that needs to be released, and now they
get to use it up. It’s fun for them and they
become happy, playful kids. This is what
you want.
Parents and kids get to relax and
we capture natural facial expressions, unposed with no fake smiles.
Tip: Shoot in sports mode – use
a fast shutter speed 1/500th sec or
1/1000th sec with AI Servo auto focus
(tracking autofocus). When kids are
racing towards you, a very fast shutter
speed and tracking autofocus will mean
So you (the photographer) need to
become the clown.
How do you do that? When you
meet the kids for the first time get down to
their level and introduce yourself in a very
enthusiastic and loud voice. Set the
scene from the start, then, when you are
photographing the kids, be loud, be
funny, do funny things like roll your eyes,
stumble around, dance, or get the kids to
scare you! Bring along props to entertain
the kids, like a clown nose.
An alternate to being the clown is
the have the parents or siblings become
the clown. When I’m shooting the close-
“gangnam style” dance is hugely
entertaining for the kids. It’s also a lot of
fun for the parents.
Mistake 3: Standing Tall
Have you ever had someone
stand over you and talk down to you?
How do you feel? Inferior, small &
insignificant? This is what kids feel like
when someone photographs them from
high-up. They feel intimidated and it’s not
fun for the kids.
Also there is nothing special
about the images captured from high-up,
they are more like snapshots.
Solution – Get Down Low
When I first get to meet the kids I’m about
to photograph, I get down low, and
introduce myself. “Hey kids, my name is
Al and we are going to have so much fun
today! What is your name?” I connect with
the kids in a very enthusiastic voice. From
then onwards the kids know that I’m on
their side.
When I photograph them, I kneel down to
their level, sometime I lay down flat on the
ground to get a very different angle of
view. Parents love these images, because
they have never seen their children from
this low angle, and the kids do not feel
intimidated so they relax and play along
with me.
Summary:
So, next time you go out and photograph
kids keep these 3 tips in your mind. The
photo shoot will flow and everyone will
have much more fun – including you!
Let the kids run and play.
Be the clown and get the kids to laugh
naturally.
Get down low to their level.
Al Abdon
that you capture all the action and your
ups (after the kids have run around and Hollywood Junkies Video & Photo
subjects are in focus.
released all that energy) I get the parents (514) 264-8706
to stand behind me and I get them to
Mistake 2: Asking for a Smile – “…look
dance around. This always gets the kids
this way and smile!”
smiling and laughing – seeing dad do
Wow, this is a big one. I don’t
think I have ever seen a parent not say
RESTAURANT
“smile” to their children when they are
being photographed. “Common kids,
LA MAISON NEW KUM MON
smile. Give us a big smile!”
Yes, sometimes we get a smile, 6565 Côte-des-Neiges Road
5047 Henri Bourassa Est
but it’s normally a fake smile. Who wants (near Corner Appleton)
Montréal, QC H1G 2S1
images of their children with fake smiles? Montreal, QC
Tel.: (514) 322-3133, 322-3130
Not me.
Solution – Be the Clown
Ecole de Conduite
ECHO
Certified by
My
experience
taking
photograph with kids was the Muntin
Binibining at FAMAS. Everytime I need to
get their attention is to clown a bit and you
will surprised by the result.
Have you ever taken your kids to
the circus to see a clown? A really
entertaining clown, who gets the kids
laughing. Go behind the clown and
photograph the kids – those are real
smiles!
October 2013
Driving School
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October 2013
11
Bohol quake created long ‘spectacular rocky wall’
The powerful earthquake that
struck Bohol, Cebu and other
cities and provinces in Visayas
and Mindanao has created a
spectacular rocky wall that
stretches for kilometers through
farmlands,
geologists
said
Thursday.
Dramatic pictures of the earthaltering power of the 7.1
magnitide quake have emerged.
A “ground rupture” pushed up
a stretch of ground by up to three
meters, creating a wall of rock
above the epicenter, according to
Maria Isabel Abigania, a geologist
at the Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology.
“Our people have walked five
kilometres so far and not found
the end of this wall,” she said, as
experts from the institute surveyed
the damage.
A photograph on the institute’s
website showed part of the rock
wall grotesquely rising on
farmland behind an unscathed
bamboo hut.
Another house was shown
lodged in a crack of the Earth,
while a big hole on the ground
opened up at a banana farm.
Renato Solidum, head of the
institute, said the ground fissures
from the quake, which killed 198
people on Bohol and two nearby
islands, were among the largest
recorded since the government
agency began keeping quake
records in 1987.
President Benigno Aquino told
reporters Thursday the institute
had assured him the worst was
over, though Bohol would
continue to be hit by aftershocks
over the next few weeks.
Aquino also appealed to the
residents to return to their homes
10 days after the killer quake.
Residents have been reluctant
to return to their homes because
of the aftershocks as well as for
fear that their houses may no
longer be structurally safe.
In its latest report, the National
Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council revealed
that the number of people affected
by the Oct. 15 earthquake has
now hit 631,605 families or
equivalent to 3,158,009 people,
representing 1,494 villages in 59
towns and six cities in six
provinces of Central Visayas. a
Ground rupture. A house sits atop a huge crack that geologists call ‘lateral
spreading’ in Catigbian, Bohol, after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol
and Cebu on Oct. 15. It is one of the changes volcanologists noted in the popular
tourist island, including a kilometers-long rocky wall that now runs in the province.
A boy walks away from the rubble of San Isidro de Labrador church which was
caused by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake at Tubigon township, Bohol province.
12
October 2013
The North American
FILIPINO STAR PHOTO GALLERY
Gilmore College students huddling together like a family at the birthday party of Precy Billones
(holding a bouquet) Seated from left: Edna Lorenzo, and Zenaida Kharroubi “acting mother” of
the group. Standing from left: Wimble Paraiso, Desiree Fernando, Juvy Solis (Gilmore dance
club member) and Mayette Danao, October 20, 2013. Happy birthday, Precy!
Cheryll Salvatierra, Zenaida Khraroubi, Edna Marie Escoto (seated), Janette de Vibar, Wimble
Paraiso, and Mayette Danao. Barong and Maria Clara costumes provided by Edith Fedalizo
of Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble.
Backyard barbecue “candle light” party - from left are: Amy Manon-og, Monica Ragacho,
Gildo Manon-og, and the host, Zeny Kharroubi.
“I-pad or I-phone” mania -what are they looking at? It must be a gimmick of some kind.
Mayette, Edna, Marie and Wimble have to explain this photo taken on Oct. 13, 2013
Gilmore College thanksgiving party souvenir photo taken on October 12, 2013. Front row:
Wimble Paraiso, Mayette Danao, Edna Lorenzo, Amy Manon-og. 2nd row: Edith Fedalizo,
Minerva Santos, Bert Santos, Zenaida Kharroubi, Ben Bade, Sophie Toledo. Last row: Betty
Corpuz, Precy Billones, Sheena Dano, Gildo Manon-og, Estella Sanchez, Cheryll Salvatierra,
Janette de Vibar, Arlene Manalo, Rose A. Sogelio, Grace Aggabao, Marie Edna Escoto, and
Julie Alarcon. Not in photo: Criselda Alzate, Wendy Gerinea and Leilane Villahermosa who
came after this photo was taken.
Souvenir photo of the thanksgiving party organized by Gilmore College students. Standing
from left: Arlene Manalo, Mayette Danao, and Wimble Paraiso who acted as the emcee and
prepared the program with Mayette. Seated from left: Rose A. Sogelio, Grace Aggabao, Bert
Santos, Miverva Santos and Zenaida Kharroubi.
Dancing “Ouch” or “Aray” folk dance choreographed by Wimble Paraiso with Mayette Danao
performed at Gilmore College International’s thanksgiving partry, October 12, 2013.
Barbecue anyone? Arlene Manalo and Wimble Paraiso seem to enjoy their cooking in the
backyard. Photo taken on October 13, 2013 at Zeny Kharroubi’s place.
October 2013
13
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14
Is the end of the pork
barrel near?
October 14, 2013 | Featured, Opinion,
PerryScope
By Perry Diaz
The Philippine Supreme Court,
in a move that caught administration
officials by surprise, issued a
temporary restraining order (TRO) last
September 10 stopping further
releases of funds from the Priority
Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)
and the President’s Social Fund (PSF).
Also covered in the TRO are releases
from the Malampaya Fund, which
President Benigno Aquino III had used
in projects that had nothing to do with
“financing
energy
resource
development
and
exploitation
programs and projects of the
government” as required by law.
The TRO was in response to
three citizens’ petitions that asked the
court to declare as unconstitutional the
lump sum allocations under the PDAF
and the PSF, and the misuse of the
Malampaya Fund. The petitioners are
former senatorial candidates Greco
Belgica and Samson Alcantara, and
former Marinduque Board Member
Pedrito Nepomuceno.
The respondents include
Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo”
Ochoa, Department of Budget and
Management
(DBM)
Secretary
Florencio “Butch” Abad, Senate
President Franklin Drilon, and House
of Representatives Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte.
Mockery of the Constitution
In his petition, Alcantara said:
“The pork barrel system allows the
perversion of taxation by providing
opportunities for the members thereof
to gorge themselves in funds collected
pursuant to tax legislation they have
enacted purportedly for the public
good.”
He called the pork barrel
system
a
“mockery”
of
the
constitutional
mandate
on
“accountability, honesty and integrity
of public officers.” He said that the
President could end up “controlling”
the lawmakers because the system
allowed him to release or withhold the
funds, which is in violation of the
constitutional separation of powers.
It’s interesting to note that while the
respondents indicated that they would
comply with the TRO, Speaker
Belmonte raised an issue. “To abolish
it 100 percent, to reform it, to do
anything with it, it is my position that
it’s a political question which under our
system of government belongs to
Congress,” he told the media.
Unconstitutional provisions
But Senior Associate Justice
Antonio Carpio seems to support the
petitioners’ arguments. During the
hearing for the oral arguments on the
petitions last October 8, he said that
the
PDAF
“on
its
face
is
unconstitutional”
because
the
President cannot share the power to
utilize public funds with the legislative
branch. He said that the power to
utilize public funds lies solely with the
President; therefore, any power-
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio
sharing is unconstitutional. He said
that the PDAF is “riddled with
unconstitutionality.”
Carpio also said that while the
Constitution allowed the President to
realign savings, he couldn’t delegate
that authority to Cabinet secretaries.
Carpio also said that another
unconstitutional provision is the power
given to Congress to concur with the
realignment of funds, and the privilege
given to lawmakers to identify their
projects. He said that these provisions
circumvent the “power of the President
to veto.” “It violates the right of the
President to veto projects. It destroys
the check and balance when it comes
to the executive and legislative
branches of government,” he said.
There is a groundswell of
support for the abolition of the pork
barrel system, which many believe is
the source of massive corruption.
Indeed, a citizens’ movement for the
abolition of the pork barrel system is
spreading like wildfire.
Another EDSA?
An EDSA “people power”
revolution might be welcome to the
suffering poor. However, oligarchic
forces – like those behind EDSA 1 and
EDSA 2 — usually lead this kind of
revolution, which is actually antirevolutionary intended to preserve the
oligarchy, albeit with a new set of
players. But the people are now tired of
“people power” revolutions where
“change” is nothing more than reinvented slogans and recycled trapos
(traditional politicians).
It is therefore in this context
that a “judicial interference” is,
imperatively, the only instrument for
real change. This is because the
executive and legislative branches of
government have abdicated from their
core responsibility of implementing
laws that are consistent with not only
the letter of the law but, more
importantly, the spirit of the law. And
what a better time to do it than now!
Speaker
Belmonte
can
continue to argue that the abolition of
pork barrel is the prerogative of
Congress and that the Supreme Court
should stay out of congressional
business. But how can the high
magistracy of the land stay out of it
when there are – right now! — three
valid petitions filed before it? Simply
put, the Supreme Court may not have
any alternative but to rule on the
constitutionality of the pork barrel
system. After all, its job – and solemn
duty – is to make sure that any law
enacted by Congress, if challenged,
must be within the purview of the
Constitution.
To avoid the death knell for the
pork barrel system, Congress must act
to reform it and to institute controls to
prevent anyone – particularly the
lawmakers – from raiding the people’s
treasury. But wouldn’t this be akin to
the Mafia policing itself to prevent the
Mafiosi from committing crimes? For
this reason, the only branch of
government that can institute real
reforms to the pork barrel system and
avoid its abolition is the Judiciary.
In reforming the pork barrel
system, the high court should be
cognizant that lawmakers thrive on
pork barrel. Indeed, pork barrel is to
Philippine lawmakers as ambrosia was
to the Greek gods. It’s their food.
October 2013
Deprive them of their food and they’d
wither away.
It would not then come as a
surprise if the members of Congress –
with collaboration from the executive
branch – were to lobby the 15 justices
of the Supreme Court to uphold the
constitutionality of pork barrel. It is a
fight not only for their livelihood but
also to save their political lives. In other
words, it’s all about self-preservation.
End game
DBM Secretary Florencio Abad and
President Benigno Aquino
President Aquino is now at the
crossroads of his presidency. Would
he heed the wishes of his “boss,” the
people, or would he pander to the
corrupt political establishment? It
shouldn’t be a hard choice to make;
however, there were times when
“political expediency” had taken
precedence over good governance.
And by the looks of it, Aquino seems
like he is bent on maintaining the
status quo, with some “reforms” to
keep everybody happy… except the
people.
Last October 14, the House of
Representatives announced that the
P27-billion PDAF would be scrapped
from the proposed P2.268-trillion
national budget for 2014. But the PDAF
and PSF (President’s Social Fund) are
just small portions of the President’s
P450-billion Special Purpose Funds
(SPF). If you add the SPF, the
Unprogrammed Funds, and the Funds
Under the President’s Control, you’re
looking at a huge pork barrel totaling
P1.33 trillion! Does it seem like
Aquino’s allies in the House are
sacrificing the tiny PDAF to preserve
the obscenely humongous presidential
pork barrel? However, Malacañang
insists that these are not pork barrel.
What is it then?
Ultimately, the people will be the final
arbiter, which brings to mind the
question: Is the end of pork barrel near
or is it here to stay? A wise man once
said, “The more things change, the
more they stay the same.” Yes, indeed.
(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)
Advertise your business
in the North American
Filipino Star
and on
Mabuhay Montreal TV
To be on the air soon!
October 2013
Philippine Cuisine
and
Favorite Food
Compiled by Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi
Embutido (Pork Meat Loaf)
ngredients :
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1 cup (6 slices) finely chopped
(sweet or cooked) ham
3 tbsp. minced green bell pepper
3 tbsp. minced red bell pepper
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup raisins
3 whole eggs
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
dash of liquid seasoning
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. cornstarch
slices (wedges) of hard-cooked eggs
(see recipe)
slices (wedges) of Vienna sausage
aluminum foil, 10? x 12? sizes
(Cooking Measurements)
Cooking Procedures :
BUSINESS HOURS
Mon. Tue. Wed.
Thu. Fri.
Saturday
Sunday
3.00lb
Fresh Pork Leg
2.89lb
lb
4.50lb
Frozen pork blood
Fresh liver
Pork skin
Goat
Available
on order
2.69lb
Boneless Pork
shoulder - $2.89 lb
Bone-in shoulder chops
3.19 lb
Home smoked
meat
8.49lb
Beef
short ribs
.99lb
Regular smoked
bacon
Ground Beef
5.99lb
7
Fresh Pork Belly
with skin
Picnic Ham w/bone
4.99lb
Half or Whole pork
Cut & Wrapped
2.
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed
Beef
Blade steak
Pork loin
Approximately
15 lbs
29
15
4.49lb
Prepare a steamer and set aside.
Alternatively, prepare a baking pan and
a wire rack and preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, combine all the
ingredients and mix until well blended.
Divide the mixture into 2 to 4 portions
(depending on how many you want to
make).
Spread and flatten the mixture onto
the center of each foil, divide the slices
of hard cook eggs and Vienna
sausages. Place each slices at the
center of each mixture. Hold the foil
onto your hand and roll until the ends
of the mixture covers the eggs and
sausages. Alternatively, by holding
each ends of the foil, roll the mixture
back and forth until it covers the slices
of eggs and sausages in the center.
Finally, roll the aluminum foil into a
tightly packed log about 1? to 2? in
diameter, sealing on both ends. Repeat
with the remaining pork mixture.
Place the embutido in a steamer and
steam for an hour. Alternatively, if you
don’t have a steamer: place embutido
in a wire rack on a baking pan, half
filled with hot water. Cover with
aluminum foil (Be sure the steam will
not escape). Steam-bake in the center
of the oven for an hour.
Let it cool and slice into rings. Serve
with your favorite catsup or sauces.
Refrigerate unused embutido.
Ground Pork
Over 20 lbs 4.29 lb
Special 2.59/lb
St.Chrysostome St. Remi St. Edouard
Napierville
Sherrington
Barrington
Havelock
202
219
203
Hemmingford
Jackso
n Road
Canada
219
Lacolle
Sortie
Exit No.6
Parc
Safari
Chicken Saffron Rice ("Khao
Suratan" - Rice of the Sultans)
15
Class
Covey Hill Road
Boucherie Viau Inc.
Malone
Moders
U. S. A.
Champlain
83 Covey Hill, Hemmingford QC J0L 1H0
Tel.: (450) 247- 2130 or (450) 247- 3561
This Thai chicken saffron rice recipe,
called "Rice of the Sultans", is flavored
with spices not usually thought of as
Thai. Many centuries ago, traders from
Indonesia brought exotic spices to
Thailand such as saffron, cinnamon,
and nutmeg. In Thailand, such culinary
riches were still new and terribly
expensive. Thais gave this special
chicken and rice recipe its name based
on the rulers of Sumatra, who were
sultans and could afford such luxuries.
The recipe is extremely delicious! - I
like to describe it as a cross between
Thai chicken & rice and a Spanish
Paella. Try it - you'll absolutely love it!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
SERVES 2
4 chicken drumsticks, OR 1/2
chicken chopped into pieces
2 cups rice
3 1/2 cups good-quality chicken
stock
1 tsp. saffron threads
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (more
or less according to how spicy you
want it)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3-4 Tbsp. fish sauce (or more to
taste)
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 small sweet red and yellow bell
peppers, cut into thin strips (or use
sweet baby peppers)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh coriander, lightly
chopped, OR a mixture of fresh
coriander and basil
2 spring (green) onions, sliced
wedges of fresh lemon or lime to
garnish
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Measure out 1 cup of chicken stock.
Add the turmeric and saffron, stirring
with a fork to dissolve the turmeric.
Place chicken in a [covered] casserole
dish, and pour over this flavored stock.
Cover and set in the oven to bake 3035 minutes, or until chicken is nearly
cooked. Turn the chicken pieces in the
stock, ensuring all sides are
permeated with the bright saffron
color/flavor.
Drain off the saffron-flavored stock
ino a glass measuring cup (You will use
this to cook the rice). Cover the
casserole dish to keep chicken hot.
To the stock, add the cayenne
pepper, lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. fish
sauce, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir
well.
Now add more chicken stock until
you have a total of 3 1/2 cups. Pour this
over the chicken in the casserole dish.
Now add the rice and vegetables,
stirring everything together. Cover and
set in the oven to bake until rice is
cooked (45 min. to 1 hour).
Taste-test the rice (it should taste
flavorful, spicy, and slightly tangy from
the lemon juice). Add more fish sauce
if not salty or flavorful enough.
To serve, portion out generous
amounts of rice, chicken, and
vegetables onto serving plates or
bowls. Finish each serving with a
sprinkling of fresh coriander/basil and
spring onion, plus wedges of fresh
lemon or lime, if desired. ENJOY!
October 2013
16
FILIPINO STAR
SHOWBIZ GOSSIP
Pio: The passion for music and nationalism
by Giselle Sanchez
apl.de.ap.)
Pio, for his part, will never
forget the words of wisdom Miss
Carbon shared with him: “Sabi po
niya
napaka-importante
na
magpaka-tototoo dahil ’yan lang
ang paraan para magtagal ka sa
ginagawa mo.”
Taking her words to heart, Pio
wrote “Batugan,” a song that
A rap artist with the boyish looks of
Bamboo and the tongue of Gloc-9
was a guest on my TV show
“Karaokray.” His name is Pio (full
name Pio Balbuena), and we might
have just witnessed the birth of a
rising star.
The reception he got when we
taped at the Philippine Women’s
University was, in fact, nothing
short of surprising. However,
beyond the screams of the college
teens in PWU during his
performance, I found myself
moved with the lyrics to one of his
songs. Written from the point of
view of a grieving wife, it flows like
an ode to her husband that died in
the Mindanao war.
“Ikaw umalis sa amin nakatayo
pa, dumating ka bakit nakahiga na,
nakabalot sa kumot na puti,
damang-dama ko ang sakit at
hapdi…”
Those are deep lyrics from the
mind of a 19-year-old that has not
even gone to college because, like
many, his family has fallen on hard
times. Perhaps this is why his rap
album is entitled “Dukha.”
“Dalawa lang kami ni Mama.
Wala
siyang
trabaho
pero
napagtapos niya ako ng high
school,” he revealed. “Iba’t-ibang
diskarte ginagawa niya para may
pang-gastos kami araw-araw.
Nagmamasahe siya, minsan
may mga illegal din siyang
ginagawa para mabuhay lang
kami. Pero nang magkaroon ako
ng trabaho sa pagsusulat ng kanta
at sa pagra-rap, nakatulong na ako
sa kanya para mai-ayos namin ang
aming buhay kahit papaano.” Here
was a teary-eyed teen-ager so full
nating mautusan, ayaw na rin
nating mag-trabaho. Sinulat ko po
ang ‘Batugan’ bilang pamulat ng
mata. Marami sa ating Pilipino kasi
ang taas ng pangarap pero ayaw
kumilos. Gusto nilang manalo sa
lotto, pero ayaw pumila. Taas ng
panagarap pero ’di kayang gawin
ang maliit na bagay para sa
malaking pangarap nila.”
of emotion and passion for music
baring his soul to me. After
listening to the five songs in his
album, I begin to think that this
street smart kid will go a long way.
Albeit a new Viva rap artist and
songwriter, Pio collaborated with
Pio (center) with fellow pinoy rappers Mike Kosa (left) and Ayee Man
no less than Asin’s Lolita Carbon,
whose folk song “Himig Ng Pagibig” helped give honor to the
unsung hero at the heart of his
song. Apparently, the folk-rock icon
initially had second thoughts about
letting Viva use her song, which
she considers “sacred,” for
another artist. However, when the
Asin’s lead singer heard Pio’s lyrics
that paid homage to the Filipino
soldier, she not only consented to
the use of her song, she also
volunteered to sing it and
collaborate with Pio to create the
new masterpiece! (FYI, the one
and only collaboration that Miss
Lolita Carbon agreed to prior was
with The Black Eyed Peas’
sheds light on how Filipinos have
high dreams and aspirations but
are sometimes too lazy to do
anything about it. It has proven
quite a hit among his young
listeners.
Like his other songs, “Batugan”
is one that also truly resonated with
me.
“Kung tatamaan ka kaibigan
ko pasintabi, batugan o tamad ’yan
ba iyong ugali? Papaalala ko lang
I asked him if he believes that
the Filipino is a natural Juan Tamad
and he replied, “Hindi po. Wala
lang kumakalabit sa kanila. Pero
masipag ang Pilipino. Sa tingin ko
dahil inalipin tayo masyado, mula
sa panahon ng Kastila hanggang
sa panahon ni Marcos. Kaya
ngayong tayo na ang amo, ngayon
tayo naman ’yung hari, ayaw na
nasa huli ang pagsisisi”
I strongly recommend Pio’s
brilliant CD, “Dukha,” which teems
with a sense of nationalism and
messages that can inspire people.
You can also check Pio out on TV
as he is a part of the new program
entitled “Rap Sessions” on Viva,
the Home of the Stars cable
channel. (also available on Youtube) a
October 2013
17
Miss World Megan Young back in Manila
Newly-crowned Miss World Megan Young arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Thursday Oct. 14
The Philippines’ first Miss
World Winner, Megan Young, arrived
in the country to adoring fans
Thursday afternoon at the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport – 10 days
after her triumphant quest for the
elusive “blue crown.”
On board a Cathay Pacific flight
from London, Young waved to her
supporters upon her arrival at the
airport, with the coveted sapphireladen crown on her head.
Young, 23, bested 126 other
international delegates in the 2013
Miss World pageant held in Bali,
Indonesia, last September 28. After
her coronation, the organizers flew
her to London where the pageant is
based, for a series of official
appearances.
Wearing her crown and sash,
Young arrived around 4:20 p.m. on
Cathay Pacific flight CX 919 from
Hong Kong and was greeted by
hundreds of staff of the Manila
International Airport Authority.
Speaking before the media,
Young could not hold back tears of joy
as she said she was “overwhelmed”
by the reception of the Filipino people.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Young
managed to say before shedding
tears of joy. “It’s an overwhelming
feeling, how warm I was met here in
the Philippines.”
“These are tears of joy. I’m just
really happy to be home and just
really happy to see everyone,” she
said. a
Wowowillie bids goodbye
Willie Revillame's message to his fans: "Wala ho ako dito kung hindi dahil sa inyong
lahat."
"Ito na ang huling araw natin na
magkasama!"
This was Willie Revillame's
farewell message to the thousands
of people watching Wowowillie for
the last time both in the studio and in
their homes.
Willie moved to TV5 in 2010 after
he had issues with the management
of ABS-CBN. His show aired in the
Kapatid network for three years.
“Ilang minuto na lang po, hindi
muna tayo magkikita-kita,” he
started.
“Marami
kaming
pinagdaanan bago po mabuo ang
programang
Willing
Willie,
Wowowillie, Wil Time Big Time.
“October
23
(2010)
po
nagsimula ang isang programa—
nagmula sa tanghalian, naging
gabihan. Alam n’yo nine years n’yo
na akong kasama sa pananghalian,
naging sa gabihan, bumalik sa
tanghalian," Willie said.
He said that during the airing of
the gameshow, all he wanted was to
give the people hope.
After a short speech, the staff of
the show reminisced how everything
started since they moved in TV5.
An video showing the evolution
of the game show from Willing Willie
to Wil Time Bigtime and to
Wowowillie.
After the presentation, Willie
performed live some of his singles
like “Ikaw na Nga” and “I Love You,”
which made everyone in the studio
emotional.
Then he called onstage all the
hosts, dancers, and staff of
“Wowowillie.” This time he shared
his sentiments about being a host.
“Hindi po biro ang mag-show
araw-araw kahit wala ka sa mood,
may sakit ka, kailangan mong
ngumiti. May namatay, may sakit
ang anak mo, may sakit ang
pamilya, may sakit ang staff mo,
hindi po biro sa amin ‘yon dito sa
Wowowillie.
“Kailangan paglabas namin
sumisigaw ka, nakangiti ka kahit
nagdurugo ang puso mo. ‘Yan po
ang aming obligasyon, ‘yan po ang
aming kaligayahan—ang magbigay
kasiyahan sa inyong lahat.”
He alsop thanked everyone,
starting with TV5’s former and
current executives: Manny V.
Pangilinan, Noel Lorenzana, Rey
Espinosa who he said convinced
him to be a TV5 talent.
He also thanked the people
working behind and in front of the
camera for “Wowowillie,” and even
mentioned its former hosts Ethel
Booba and Ate Gay, whom he once
had a rift.
“Ako po ‘yong taong hindi
nagtatanim ng galit kahit kanino.
Ako po ‘yong taong wala sa akin
‘yong hatred, bitterness, wala po sa
akin ‘yon,” he added.
Willie, meamwhile, did not
mention why Wowowillie is going off
air despite its good ratings.
“Mawawala po kami dahil sa
aming paningin, e, masyadong
mahal kami, pero hindi po totoo
‘yon—mahal namin kayo, ‘yon po
ang importante,” he sad.
Willie also hinted that the game
show may still air in the future again,
although he jokingly said he has yet
to get offers.
“Kapag may kumausap, pagiisipan," he said. a
More Showbiz Gossip
p.18
18
Showbiz Gossip
October 2013
Robin calls for unity among
Freddie Aguilar ready to ‘suffer’ Filipinos
Continued from p.17
consequences of love affair with
minor
After being sued for “loving” a
minor, Freddie Aguilar said he was
ready to face the music and “suffer”
the consequences of his actions.
The 60-year-old folk singer was
charged Thursday afternoon with
qualified seduction by a member of the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines before
the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
Aguilar and his 16-year-old
girlfriend have been drawing criticisms
from the Church, the social media, and
various sectors of the society since
they made public the “love they
shared.”
Although he regarded the law as
“stricter than Martial Law,” Aguilar said
he was willing to part ways with his
underage girlfriend because, still, “no
one is above the law.”
“Kung iyan ang akda ng batas,
wala po kaming magagawa. Magtitiis
po kami hanggang tumungtong siya sa
tamang edad. Pero syempre magsusuffer po kaming dalawa kasi
paglalayuin kami [If that’s what the law
says then we cannot do anything about
it. We will wait until she reaches the
legal age. But of course, we will suffer
because we will be separated],” he
said in a radio interview.
According to Aguilar, his girlfriend,
who will turn 17 this November 29, also
wanted to take their relationship to the
next level and tie the knot once she
reaches 18.
He said his Mindoro-native
Freddie Aguilar
girlfriend lamented: “Why is this
happening? Why are the bashers
calling the person who loves me and
protects me ‘Dirty Old Man,’ and
‘Cradle Snatcher’?”
The “Anak” singer defended that
the parents of his girlfriend gave him
their blessing and even told the
Department of Social Welfare and
Development in its visit to the parents’
house that they have nothing against
their daughter’s relationship with
Aguilar.
Aguilar also said the parties, even
his family, approve of their muchdebated relationship.
“When two people, one being
older than his partner, love each other,
and they have the consent of their
families, do people have a right to
meddle with them?” he said. a
Maegan Aguilar defends her dad
siblings) have no problem with their
“Tatay dating,” saying, “desisyon
nilang dalawa yun-walang nagpilit sa
kanila na maging sila…”
In the end, she asked, “SO
ANONG PROBLEMA NIYO? Kasi
INAMIN NI TATAY? anung masama
dun?
Anung
masama
kung
nagpakatotoo siya? Sige nga!”
Freddie’s girl
Maegan Aguilar
Maegan Aguilar, daughter of
legendary musician Freddie Aguilar,
has taken to social media to lash out
against her father’s detractors.
Earlier this week, the 60-year-old
“Anak” singer admitted that he is in a
relationship with a 16-year-old girl,
raising a few eyebrows – particularly of
netizens – in the process.
“Mahigit na sa isang dekadang
hiwalay si Tatay sa Nanay namin… 6
kaming magkakapatid at sa tingin ko’y
wala siyang naging pagkukulang
bilang AMA sa amin,” Maeagan wrote
on her official Facebook account on
Thursday, Oct. 17.
She continued, pointing out,
“Lumaki kaming ‘independent’ and
absolutely
FREE
FROM
THE
SHACKLES OF SOCIETY. None of us
are LIARS or CORRUPT like most
people around us.”
Maegan added that they (with her
Meanwhile, Freddie’s girlfriend has
also finally reacted to the negative
comments being hurled against him.
“Oo, masakit, pero wala ’kong
magagawa eh, ganun ’yung utak nung
ibang tao,” she said in an interview with
Super Radyo DZBB.
“Basta ang alam ko mahal ko si
Freddie.”
She explained, “Kinalimutan ko na
nga ’yung pagiging 16 kasi, nandito na
’ko sa time na…hindi ko na kailangan
’yung maraming kaibigan.”
She also confirmed that she and
Freddie have her parents’ consent,
narrating, “Sabi nung nanay ko ‘Oh
sige, kung dun ka masaya, edi
susuportahan ka namin,’ tapos ’yun
sinabi din nila na ‘Pero mag-ingat
ka…’”
On what she liked about Freddie,
she simply said, “Maalaga, ganun.
Tapos ang maganda dun, ’yung mga
pagkakamali ko, kino-correct niya
palagi.” a
Robin Padilla is also known to some by
his Muslim name, Abdul Aziz
Robin Padilla is urging for
speedier resolution concerning
the situation in Zamboanga where
recent clashes between the
government and members of the
Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF) have led to the
displacement of thousands of
Filipinos.
Padilla visited Zamboanga City
over the weekend to make his
presence felt among evacuees,
most of whom are Muslims.
The actor said he is saddened
over what he saw, relating to ABSCBN News on Monday that,
“Dapat nasa rehabilitation stage
na tayo, dapat tapos na tayo sa
relief.”
Padilla called for unity,
insisting that differing religions
should not even be an issue.
“Hindi dapat sinasali ang
relihiyon dito,” he said. “Hindi ako
maniniwala
kung
sasabihin
ninyong Kristyano kayo, o Muslim
kayo, tapos nagbabanta kayo ng
giyera. Dahil walang galit sa ano
mang relihiyon ito.”
Padilla converted to Islam
following his incarceration some
years ago due to illegal
possession of firearms.
He has been quite vocal in his
effort to uplift his Muslim brethren
that led him to sojourn in faraway
Basilan and Jolo.
Prior, Padilla has put up a
school for Muslim children called
Liwanag ng Kapayapaan (light of
peace) in Fairview, Quezon City. a
October 2013
19
Rhian brings joy to kids with Echo: Second
illness on her birthday
what?
Marian Rivera and Rhian Ramos
With hopes of making her 23rd
birthday
celebration
more
meaningful, Rhian Ramos opted to
hold her party at the Philippine
Children’s Medical Center in
Quezon City.
This is the third time she has spent
her birthday in the company of the
patients of the said hospital.
“Kasi they’re kids. Gusto kong
maramdaman nila na bata sila at
nage-enjoy sila. Dapat talaga sa
kanila ‘yung nae-enjoy nila, may
party, so sana ‘yun ‘yung ma-feel
nila,” she said in a report aired on
the “Chika Minute” segment of “24
Oras Weekend.”
She may have put the needs of
others before hers on her special
day, but Rhian has already been
treated to a surprise birthday party
courtesy of her boyfriend, KC
Montero, and the cast and crew of
her sci-fi drama series “Genesis.”
Rhian recounted that she and
KC were parking on the side of the
road when she noticed the
“Genesis” team, along with director
Joyce Bernal, holding a birthday
cake for her. Then they took her to a
karaoke bar for a nightlong singing
session.
Prior to that, though, Rhian
already got an early birthday gift of
sorts. She and Marian Rivera, the
girlfriend of her leading man
Dingdong Dantes, finally got the
chance to talk at the birthday party
for GMA showbiz reporter Aubrey
Caramper’s child.
This encounter finally ended the
rumors of bad blood between the
two ladies.
Admitting that they’ve never had
a chance to talk before despite
working in the same TV network,
Rhian said Marian took the initiative
to approach her.
“Sabi namin, ‘Okay, wala ‘di ba?’
‘Wala!’ Picture tayo para alam nilang
lahat na happy,’” she shared of their
conversation.
On Instagram, she posted photo
of them with that caption that read:
“Finally got a chance to chat over
some ice cream at #AmbyTurns1
=)”
After that, she started following
Marian on Instagram. a
choice?
so
Jericho Rosales
Jericho Rosales has no
problem in accepting roles that
were first offered to others.
“It doesn’t matter kung ano (or
sino) ’yung pinalitan mo, kung
may pinalitan ka ba or ikaw ’yung
ipinalit. If it’s fit for you, it’s fit for
you. It has happened to me so
many times,” said the awardwinning actor in an interview with
Bulletin Entertainment.
The statement was prompted
by rumors that he replaced Paulo
Avelino on an upcoming teleserye.
Jericho (or Echo to some of
his friends) thinks timing and
creative vision are all there is to
landing roles. More, he believes
it’s all up to divine design.
“God is controlling the
situation. ‘Okay, that’s it. I have
plans for this project. Let’s put this
guy.’”
Year ago, Echo had to beg off
from playing one of the lead roles
in “Dekada ’70” in favor of the
soap “Pangako Sa ‘Yo.”
“But look what happened to
Piolo. He won best actor (for
‘Dekada’). (On my end), ’yung
‘Pangako Sa ’Yo was shown in
different countries…” a
Enchong denies rumored sex video
Kapamilya star Enchong Dee
denied that he is the subject of a yet to
be released video scandal.
Earlier this month, Enchong was
rumored to have a sex video with gay
online celebrity Sebastian Castro.
Both Enchong and Sebastian
already reacted to the news separately
via
their
accounts
on
the
microblogging site Twitter.
“Astig, may video scandal pala
ako?? Paki post naman para mapakita
ko sa magulang ko habang nasa
bakasyon kami…bilis ang daming
naghahantay,” the 24-year-old actor
tweeted on Oct. 3.
Speaking to the press during ABSCBN’s
announcement
of
the
upcoming Richard Gomez-Dawn
Zulueta soap opera “You’re My Home”
on Thursday, Oct. 16, Enchong said
he was not offended that he was
rumored to have a sex video.
He added that he’s giving the
people claiming he has a sex video a
chance to show the scandal because
More Showbiz Gossip
“whatever it is, I’m not scared na
p.22
lalabas siya because I’m not the kind
of person who does that.”
Enchong Dee: 'I’m not the kind of guy na manggagamit ng tao para mapatunayan ko
He also said, “As far as I can sa kanila kung sino ako.'
remember, ang scandal is something
Nothing to prove
became an online celebrity thanks to
you’re not proud of. So sabi ko, ‘Wala
his Youtube music video “Bubble,”
naman akong naaalalang ginawa ko
Enchong explained he does not also denied the issue on his Twitter
na I’m not proud of’.”
know who Castro is. Castro, who account.
“To the person na affected sa
ganito, I don’t know him personally
pero pasensiya na,” he said.
“And at the same time, sa mga
taong naglalabas, hindi ko akalain na
ganun kababa ang tingin ninyo sa
akin,” Enchong added.
The Kapamilya actor has been the
subject of rumors speculating about
his sexuality in the past. But Enchong
said he doesn’t mind.
“I’m not really offended or I’m not
really worried about it,” he said. “Ang
tagal-tagal ko na dito, bakit puro
ganun lang?”
The actor added he doesn’t see
the need to prove anything to anyone.
“I’m not the kind of guy na
manggagamit
ng
tao
para
mapatunayan ko sa kanila kung sino
ako.”
Enchong is part of the upcoming
family drama “You’re My Home.” The
show serves as a reunion of sorts for
Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta,
who starred in the 2012 soap opera
“Walang Hanggan.”
“You’re My Home,” which will also
star Shaina Magdayao and Iza
Calzado, among others, is slated to
premiere first quarter of 2014. a
20
Perez vows to eliminate
corruption if elected
by W. G. Quiambao
Councilor Lionel Perez, a familiar figure
in the Filipino community, is running
for re-election in the district of
Darlington next month.
”I’d like to continue serving the
residents of Darlington, “said Perez.
"It's a multi ethnic and multicultural
district. I’ve fought for the interest of
the residents and I’ll continue to do
so.”
Perez holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) law
degree from Osgoode Hall Law of
School in Toronto and a Bachelor of
Civil Law (B.C.L.) from the Faculty of
Federal government program
helps entrepreneurs find
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loans to a maximum of $500,000 to
establish a start-up, or to expand or
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program is available for the purchase or
improvement of equipment, including
business vehicles, and for renovations to
leased property by a tenant. Loans for
that purpose are capped at $350,000.
Loans of up to $500,000, however, are
available
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To apply, you must present your
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Your financial institution is responsible for
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toll-free 1-866-959-1699.
www.newscanada.com
meet a lot of people."
During his first term as a city councilor,
Perez was the president of the
Law of the University of Montreal. He
also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in
Political Science.
Prior to his political career, Perez was a
successful businessman and a
corporate lawyer and a co-founder of
the Canadian legal document filing
service
company
CorporationCanada.ca.
His first entry in politics was in 2009.
"I've been involved in community
organizations, whether in schools,
local food banks and social services,"
said Perez. "Then I was offered to
increase my involvement to contribute
to society. Obviously, the Filipino
community is a large part of our
borough. I was able to learn about the
Filipinos' rich culture and heritage. It's
a pleasure meeting a lot of friends from
different Filipino organizations like
FAMAS and the Council of CanadianFilipino Associations of Quebec."
Lionel Perez
CDN Borough Mayor
this secularism. These positions show
a willingness to define secularism that
is rigid and selective. Nobody should
be forced to make a choice between
October 2013
Perez
can
boast
of
his
accomplishments during his first term.
"I've done improvements of the street
to have safety for children and seniors,
the street bumps on different signs,
condition of dwellings," said Perez. "I
was able to hire an inspector to force
the landlords to improve the dwelling
conditions."
Perez, who wears a kippa, a Jewish
skullcap - while serving as an interim
Borough Mayor, spoke of Quebec's
religious garb debate issues. "What
should concern us is vision and how
the government wants to implement
Lionel Perez posing with Rosemer Enverga and Senator Tobias
Enverga during the Pista sa Nayon festival this year.
being elected official and wearing a
religious symbol on the job."
On Nov 2012, he was elected by
acclamation as Borough Mayor of
Cote-des-Neiges,
Notre-Dame-deGrace, following the election of
Michael Applebaum as city of Montreal
mayor.
This coming election in November,
Perez is running as councilor with
Team Denis Coderre who is supported
by Irwin Cotler. "Coderre is an honest
man" Perez said. "He defends Canada"
According to Perez, the team is not
using posters for environmental issue.
"We're campaigning door-to-door to
and aches and pains. Although stuffy
Cold and flu 101 – your guide to nose, sneezing and sore throat can
occur with both illnesses - these
knowing the difference
symptoms are more common in colds.
NC) Many people confuse the
There are a variety of
flu with a bad cold – so what's the
difference and how do you properly treat
it? In some ways they are similar, both
influenza, commonly referred to as “the
flu,” and the common cold are both viral
respiratory infections, affecting the nose,
throat and lungs.
They are spread from person to
person through airborne droplets that
are sneezed or coughed up by an
infected person. In other cases, the
viruses can be spread when a person
touches an infected surface and then
touches their nose, mouth or eyes. This
is the reason why these illnesses are
most easily spread in crowded
prescription
and
non-prescription
conditions such as schools or the
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workplace.
symptoms and for controlling pain.
But the flu and a common cold
Consult your pharmacist or healthcare
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associated with different complications.
medication is the right one for you.
“Influenza is associated with
Antibiotics are not effective for the flu or
more serious complications when
compared with the common cold,” says
Bowen Chen, Target Pharmacist. “It can
lead to pneumonia or respiratory failure
and can potentially be life threatening, so
it has to be taken very seriously – this is
especially relevant in at-risk populations
such as the elderly or very young
children.”
In terms of symptoms, the flu is usually
associated with a high fever, headaches,
Examination Commission and he had
drafted report of 24 recommendations
to improve the process of awarding the
contracts and combating corruption
and collusion.
"Corruption is everywhere," said
Perez. "I got elected after these
corruptions and collusion happened.
I'm a lawyer, a businessman, have a
wife and four children, and grew up in
this wonderful city. If elected, I'll
eliminate corruption and collusion. I'll
make sure that every measure taken
is clear and fair so there's no taking
advantage of the system."
a cold unless a bacterial infection
develops. Antiviral medications may be
helpful in reducing the duration of your
flu, but they must be taken within 48
hours of developing symptoms.
For more information on cold
and flu prevention, and to find out
which Target pharmacies are offering
the flu shot, please visit Target.ca.
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October 2013
your go-to varietal on a normal
weeknight, are impossible to answer
until you've tasted hundreds of
different wines.
Intimidated by wine?
Start drinking.
By David White
Intimidated by wine? You're not
alone.
Consider the prototypical wine
connoisseur -- swirling his glass,
sniffing his wine, and blabbering on
about some French chateau. He's
insufferable
Or consider a representative tasting
note. Wine Spectator recently praised
a wine for offering notes of "creamy
boysenberry, plum skin and cassis . .
. [along with] hints of mesquite and
grilled herbs." They're bewildering.
Add to that the number of wine
regions, grape varieties, and
production methods that oenophiles
can easily rattle off, and it's no
wonder why so many people find
wine so daunting.
Keep your chin up. Wine might be
complex, but at the end of the day,
it's just fermented grape juice. And
the best way to learn about wine is to
drink it.
For budding wine enthusiasts, the
importance of tasting is impossible to
overstate. Even simple questions, like
21
butter, French Chardonnays are
marked by tart fruits, like green apples
and lime.
When Pinot Noir comes from warmer
If you prefer white wine, do you seek
regions of California, like Napa Valley
ones that are crisp and light, like
and Carneros, it presents aromatics of
Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre? Or
sweet fruits, like black cherries. In the
do you prefer whites that are buttery
French region of Burgundy, Pinot Noir
and ripe, like California Chardonnay? If generally offers aromas of tart cherries
you prefer red, do you seek out big,
and earth.
muscular wines, like Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon? Or the more
Syrah can offer a stunning contrast.
restrained profile of Pinot Noir from
Many California winemakers utilize the
Burgundy?
grape to produce fruit bombs -- think
gobs of ripe blackberries and licorice.
Tasting can be as simple as visiting
French Syrah is typically more
the local wine shop or attending a
restrained, marked by blueberries,
food and wine festival. Getting
meat, and pepper.
together with friends and asking each
person to bring something different is
Looking for differences between
another way to taste several wines at
similar wines is extremely educational.
once.
And when the paper bag comes off
each bottle, it's exciting to see
One of my favorite tastings is a bit
whether or not you correctly deduced
more formal. I select four varietals -the origin of each.
generally Sauvignon Blanc,
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah -Most showdowns have a winner. But
and open two bottles of each, one
with wine, neither France nor the
from California and one from France.
United States makes "better" wine. My
preferences shift all the time.
The stereotype tells us that American
wines are fruitier than their French
This is just one model for a tasting, of
counterparts. While one can find wines course. One can just as easily host a
that debunk this stereotype, it's based
in truth. So I purposefully seek out
wines that fit the stereotype. And I
serve everything blind, pouring the
wines from paper bags to mask where
they're from.
"wine on a budget" party, selecting
several bottles under $10. It's also fun
to explore one grape, in depth. Pinot
Noir, for example, is particularly
expressive -- so it's fun to explore the
differences between classic bottlings
from Napa, Sonoma, Oregon, and
Burgundy.
Once wine becomes a passion, those
baffling tasting notes make sense.
Hard-to-pronounce regions across
Europe become easier to remember.
Those flaws that sommeliers can spot
become obvious. But only if you've
tasted enough wine. So start drinking.
David White is the founder and editor
of Terroirist.com, which was named
"Best Overall Wine Blog" at the 2013
Wine Blog Awards. His columns are
housed at Palate Press: The Online
Wine Magazine.
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Recognizing the differences should be
obvious, even to novices.
The aromatics of California Sauvignon
Blanc are intense, typically reminiscent
of fresh-cut grass and grapefruit.
French Sauvignon Blanc, especially
from Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé,
presents more subtle aromatics, like
chalk and white flowers.
Chardonnay provides a similar
contrast. While California Chardonnays
are characterized by tropical fruits and
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22
Showbiz Gossip Continued from p.19
Angelica bids John Lloyd goodbye
during killer quake
October 2013
A game close to Judy Ann’s
heart
By Jerry Donato
Judy Ann Santos, the host of ABS-CBN’s Bet On Your Baby: The kids will just play,
while the parents will figure out if their children can do the challenge.
Angelica Panganiban
Almost a week after experiencing firsthand the magnitude 7.2 quake that hit
Bohol, Angelica Panganiban still has a
clear picture of her near-death episode.
“Talagang tinatapon kami sa loob
ng bus,” Angelica narrated in an
interview with “Buzz Ng Bayan” over
the weekend.
She continued, “Pagbaba namin,
pa-recover pa lang kami, tapos biglang
may lalaking tumatakbo sa likod namin
galing ng beach tapos sabi niya nawala
’yung tubig.”
Angelica and the “Banana Split”
cast and crew were in the province for
a scheduled out-of-town taping on
Tuesday, Oct. 15, the day the
earthquake struck.
The comedy gag show was taping for
an episode that would have been part
of their fifth anniversary celebration this
month.
The 26-year-old actress recalled
being so scared, thinking she might
die, that she immediately got in touch
with her mom and her boyfriend John
Lloyd Cruz. She supposedly not only
informed them of what was happening
but also said her frantic goodbyes.
“Nung nagkakatakbuhan na,
tumawag ako kay Lloydie, tapos
parang nagpapaalam na ako, sabi ko
‘Mamamatay na kami, mamamatay na
ako. Lumilindol dito mamamatay na
kami,’” Angelica said.
“Akala mo talaga katapusan mo na.
Nagpapasalamat lang ako na sa
pinagdaanan namin, kumpleto kaming
nakauwi,” she said in retrospect.
The
“Banana
Split”
crew
temporarily stayed in an open area in
front of the Tagbilaran City Hall. They
were later picked up by a chopper that
brought them to city proper before
flying back to Manila.
After
the
team
reportedly
underwent stress briefing, they finally
resumed taping last Thursday. a
Big-name celebs rush to help
Bohol, Cebu
Actors like Cesar Montano, himself
a Boholano, who have been quick to
launch fundraising events to benefit
victims of the 7.2 earthquake that
shook Cebu and Bohol on Oct. 14.
Montano’s concert project will be held
at the Teatrino in Greenhills on Oct. 25,
to be graced by a number of singers
and other actors, notably Noel
Cabangon.
A bigger fundraising show with the
same goal is being planned at the
MOA by another set of artists.
Officials
of
the
National
Commission on Culture and the Arts
(NCCA) who are mapping out plans on
how to restore, rebuild, rehabilitate, as
the case may be, at least 10 of our
beautiful Spanish churches in the
central Visayas. May I suggest that
restorers save everything they could
from the ruins, including rocks and
stones and pebbles and ground
limestone which could be recycled in
building the new but looking-old
churches?
Cesar Montano
The positive outlook of tourism
operators in Bohol who believe they
can bounce back from their current
debacle marked by the destruction of
resorts and hotels and the loss of their
tourist attractions such as those
ancient churches.Bohol, which was
the most severely affected province by
the tremor, needs all the help it can get
from government and our countrymen.
“It’s very fun for the kids and at
the same time very educational.”
That’s Judy Ann Santos speaking
about her latest Kapamilya TV show
titled Bet On Your Baby, which will
premiere on Oct. 19 after TV Patrol
Weekend. Like her reality cooking
shows, Junior Master Chef and
Master Chef Pinoy Edition, the game
show is very close to Judy Ann’s
heart as she is a doting mother to
Yohan, eight, and Lucho, two. It is
another hosting stint that Judy Ann
can easily get an A for an effortless
and engaging work.
“It’s a good bonding (activity) for
the parents and the kids,” shares
Judy Ann. “It’s different. Parents and
soon-to-be parents will learn from
the show like how to teach their kids
about colors and how to interact with
them.”
Whoever says that playing and
learning cannot be mixed, better
think again. All this is possible in Bet
On Your Baby.
“The kids will just play, while the
parents will figure out if their children
can do the games,” says Judy Ann
about the basic premises and
mechanics of Bet On Your Baby.
“The (challenges) are based on the
games normal kids can do like
playing
football
and
card
(stacking).” Every Bet On Your Baby
game posts this question to parents:
How well do you know your kids?
This gauges the toddler’s success in
carrying out the task.
Why children age two to three
and a half are tapped as players of
the show?
“It’s the stage where kids listen
to their mothers and become
curious about what’s going on
around them,” answers Judy Ann.
“It’s the same age level where kids
would ask: Will I do this or not?...
This is the stage where they are in
their peak of pagiging malikot…
(and) when kids are most innocent.”
This innocence is what adults
lack these days to appreciate the
little joys of life — you know, stop
and smell
the roses — and the
child-like spirit to momentarily forget
their daily cares and give themselves
their well-deserved “Me” Day. This
breather from work means spending
quality time with family.
“I can work three straight days,
but give me two free days,” says
Judy Ann. “I need to make up for
lost time with my children. If not, the
call time should be at 11 a.m. So I’ll
be up when Yohan goes to school.
Si Lucho napapaliguan ko pa,
nahihintay ko pa na sunduin siya ng
lola niya. With that, I have the time to
see my kids before I leave. I just
need to see my kids in the morning.
If I can’t catch up with them in the
evening, at least I can see them the
following morning. It is like, a day
won’t pass without them seeing me
or me seeing them. I feel sad and I
feel something missing if I don’t see
them before going to work. The hug
and the kiss are my vitamins when I
go to work in the morning.” Bet on
Your Baby also advocates among
parents to create strong connections
with their children, nurturing
relationships that gain trust and
confidence.
As hands-on parents, Judy Ann
and husband Ryan Agoncillo take
turns in taking care of their kids and
disciplining them. Judy Ann says
that they don’t have cardinal rules at
home. They just rely on the situation
and on what happens. If in instances
that one kid hurts someone, they will
call the kid’s attention. But the
cardinal rules will be defined once
Yohan and Lucho reach their preteen or teen. These include “no girls
or no boys allowed.”
Meantime, Judy Ann is on her
toes to assist parents and children
go through the fun challenges that
await them in Bet On Your Bet. She
can’t wait to say “Let the games
begin” and can’t contain her
emotion when kiddie players
accomplish and fulfill different
challenges. With that, it’s time to
place one’s bet on one’s baby. a
October 2013
23
A beauty called Sunshine Cruz
In 1999, the sexy movie genre was
the trend in Philippine Cinema and
Sunshine Cruz, who was 22 years old
then, was a prominent figure in sexy
movies. So when her first Ever Bilena
(EB) ad came out with the tag line “It’s
Ever Bilena or I wear nothing at all,” it
came out truly catchy and spoke much of
her showbiz image.
Now, 14 years after, Sunshine is back
as the brand’s celebrity endorser. Again,
its tag line “Beauty Shines In You,”
perfectly describes who Sunshine is
today, especially after her marriage to
Cesar Montano crumbled. (As of press
time, Sunshine is adamant against any
reconciliation with her ex-hubby.)
During her recent formal launch as
Ever Bilena endorser, she shared that if
people find her still beautiful, it has to do
with growing-up and maturity. She has
learned to take care of herself more as
she grew older. She has also kept a
positive outlook in life even during the
trying and challenging times of her
marriage to Cesar.
She admitted though, that she gave
herself a month “para mag-mukmok” as
she said in the vernacular. After all the
tears, she was thankful for acting projects
that came her way like the now-defunct
“Dugong Buhay” and “Galema,” her
latest afternoon drama series. Endorsing
projects too helped a lot in rebuilding her
self-esteem especially since she is now a
bonafide working single mom.
Maturity played a big role in putting
her life back to recovery. “Immature ako
dati pero noong nakipaghiwalay ako, I
can say that I can make my stand now!
Lalo na ngayon na I’m earning. Dati kasi
hindi, umaasa lang ako sa allowance.
Pero ngayon, aba, meron na akong
sariling desisyon, ako na ’yung kumikita
at gumagastos,” Sunshine shared.
Come to think of it, when other actors
or actresses face or are in a “scandal,”
often they lose endorsing jobs, but it
looks like Sunshine is an exception to the
rule. EB CEO Dioceldo S. Sy explained,
“As long as you know how to take care of
yourself and you have credibility. And
knowing her, she took her stand…hindi
siya nagbago. The moment she said
ayaw na niya, pinanindigan na niya.
Talagang she fought for her kids.”
Looking at Sunshine’s photos in her
first EB print ad and comparing it to
today’s, he commented that the actress
is as beautiful as ever or even better.
Sunshine
expressed,
“I
was
surprised they got me, but I’m honored to
be back with Ever Bilena. They provide
quality products that empower women
and products that make them feel
complete, ageless and gorgeous.”
Sunshine’s wish – for her contract to
be extended when it ends after 18
months. a
Sale prices valid from
6430 Victoria Avenue, Montreal, QC
Telephone: 514-733-7816
Buenas Coconut gel - $1.00 each
Mini croissant - $1.29 pack
Saba Mackerel - $1.99 can
October 26 to November 3, 2013
Clover chips 85 g - 99¢
Misua - 99¢ pack
Lorins vinegar - 99¢ bottle
Seacatch Sardines - 2/$1.00
Bulacan longganisa - $1.99
Beef - Pork zhaomai $2.99 pack
Sunlee coconut milk Suree - 79¢ can
Mustard - 79¢ lb
Sunlee mongo 400 g - 99¢ pack
No photo available
Check at the store
Cabbage - 59¢ lb
Pork & Skin - $1.59 lb
Pork Shoulder - $1.99 lb
Komal Condensed - $1.79 can
24
October 2013
Education raises the bar but lowers the
barriers to a rewarding career.
5320-A Queen Mary
(between Coolbrook
and Decarie)
Montreal, QC H3X 1T7
514-485-7861
www.gilmorecollege.com
Gilmore College bldg.
SNOWDON
PAB students on training at St. Margaret
Gilmore College PSW Nursing aide students pose with their teachers seated in front: L-R: Clarice Mackay,
Nina Schiff, and Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi, director-general and founder.
Bookkeeping Class
COURSES
• English, French,Spanish,
Mandarin, Filipino (Tagalog)
• Computer Literacy
• Microsoft Office
• Keyboarding
• Business Communication
(English & French)
PROGRAMMES
• PAB/PSW Nursing Aide
• Early Childhood
Education Assistant
• Office Systems
Technology
- Secretarial
- Accounting Technician
Two-Day Accounting Seminar
“Learn how to prepare government financial reports”
By a chartered accountant, Frank McInnis
•
A fast and easy way to do
your own financial reports required by
the government
• A 2-day workshop designed
for individuals with no prior accounting
experience.
• Pre-requisite to the course
is an understanding of Microsoft Excel
We are looking forward to the silver
(25th) anniversary of Gilmore College
foundation day on November 1, 2014.
Everyone is welcome to join us to mark
this important milestone. More details
will be released and committees to be
organized. Past teachers and alumni are
requested to volunteer in these
committees. Please Call 514-485-7861 to
submit your name.
• Course Fees - $195
covers taxes & materials
• Course consists of two
6-hour small group lessons plus one
home assignment.
• Certificate given at the end
of the course
Call 514-485-7861 for more
information.

OCT 2013 FINAL:OCTOBER 2013 ISSUE.qxd

Transcription

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