august 2006 - final.qxp

Transcription

august 2006 - final.qxp
Step up and join the
trade professionals.
Become a
CITP
Register now at
Gilmore College.
Tel.514-485-7861
Classes start soon
August 2006, Vol. XXIV, No. 8
Be prepared for the global economy
HEADLINES
Community supports
Page 8
Elumbra
Children’s
Festival in
Montreal
Page 9
Mayon volcano erupts
Page 3
Contents
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Community News . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Global Perspectives . . . . . . . . . 7
www.filipinostar.org
“Volunteer of the Year” search is on
Montreal – August 16, 2006 Gilmore
College has launched for the first time its
search for “Community Volunteer of the
Year” Award which will be presented to
the winner during its 17th year of
foundation scheduled on October 28,
2006, 6:00 p.m. at the Ruby Rouge
Restaurant in Chinatown.
The Volunteer Awards committee
icomposed of Edith Fedalizo as the
chairperson and three members - Paul
Imperial, Dr. Emmie Pelausa and Fely
Rosales Carino, held their first meeting
today, August 16. They decided on the
following criteria which will be used in
the selection of candidates for the title
“Community Volunteer of the Year.”
The nominee must 1) have Filipino
heritage; 2) have done vlunteer work
for the Filipino community in Quebec
and 3) must be unelected and unpaid
in doing volunteer work.
Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi, the
founder and director-general of
Gilmore College, said that the award is
intended to inspire everyone to have
the desire to serve others, not because
of any political goals but out of a
genuine desire to
help wholeheartedly. This attempt to recognize
The Gilmore College Volunteer of the Year Selection Committee (seated from right) Edith
Fedalizo, Chairperson, Fely Rosales Carino, and Dr. Emmie Pelausa, members. Paul Imperial,
anotehr member of the committee, is shown in the photo below.
the most outstanding community
volunteer is certainly not going to be
easy as there are many people who
are involved in some type of volunteer
work. However, it is hoped that the
Gilmore College award will start a new
trend of promoting volunteerism not
only in Montreal but also in other
places wherever there is a need.
Paul Imperial, Committee Member
Over two thousand signatures gathered on
Sabadao’s petition so far and still counting
Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Philippine Cuisine. . . . . . . . . . 10
READERS POLL
vote: www.filipinostar.org
See Page 4
Volunteer
Danius Sabadao still anxiously waiting for Immigration
Minister Monte Solberg to decide on his fate
Earth Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Do you support the appeal of
Danius Sabadao to stay in
Canada?
Advertise in the
North American
Filipino Star
Call 514-485-7861
Reach out to your
prospective clients.
Honorable Monte Solberg, Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Danius Sabadao showing documents
proving his innocence
Since June 18, 2006 when the
case of Danius Sabadao came to the
attention of the Filipino-Canadian
community, there is very little progress
made as far as attracting the attention
of the government is concerned.
Although the story was also covered by
CTV News that same day and the
Montreal Suburban newspaper wrote
about it in its June 14th edition,
followed by the Filipino Star which
featured the story in its front page for
the July 2006 issue, it is still unknown
how Minister Monte Solberg will
respond to the request of the Filipino
Star Editor, Zenaida Kharroubi, to meet
him in person and present the
thousands of signatures gathered so
far.
A letter with the related
See Page 8
Sabadao
2
The North American Filipino Star
O
A
T
ill you, as an individual, or as
an association care to pitch in
and help in making the
government listen to our petition? If
you do, please talk to your
representative, or write a letter and email message to the Honorable
Solberg to review the above cases
quickly before it is too late.
In the website of the Filipino
Star, you may express your support for
Sabadao through our readers on-line
poll by giving a positive reply to the
question: Do you support Danius
Sabadao’s appeal to stay in Canada?
To facilitate your task of
communicating with the government,
we are providing you with the list of
people who we believe should receive
your correspondence (see next
column). We have already done our
part. Now, it is the community we are
counting on to do the rest. If anyone of
you have other ideas, please send us
your thoughts, comments, suggestions and above all, prayers for the
success of our mission to help others.
W
EDITORIAL
ne of the concerns of the multicultural communities is the
common perception that the
Conservative Party is known to be
unsympathetic
to
immigration
problems and issues. This perception
may yet prove to be unfounded if the
current case of Danius Sabadao
receives proper attention of the
Minister
of
Citizenship
and
Immigration. On July 26, 2006, a
formal letter of request was sent to his
office to present to him in person the
petition of thousands of people. We
know that it is only through Ministerial
intervention that Sabadao could have
the evidence reviewed because there
are too many cases pending and the
Immigration Department is not even
obliged to give any answer nor to
review any case once Immigration
judges have rendered their decisions.
lthough a stay of 2 or 3 months’
delay of his deportation has
been granted,
there is no
guarantee that Sabadao will not be
deported and his case may not even
come up for review within this period of
time. Hence, we are anxious to get the
personal attention of Minister Solberg.
in order to ensure that his case be
reviewed immediately, or that his
request
to
be
accepted
on
humanitarian grounds be granted.
he coming days and weeks are
critical to the resolution of
Sabadao’s case which is so
complicated that it will take a legal
expert to explain why Sabadao is in
this precarious situation for such a
long period of nine years. His lawyers
appeared to have done everything
possible to present a well-documented
file, but this is useless unless the
Immigration Department agrees to
review his case. On the other hand, if
the law called “IRPA” or Immigration
Refugee Protection Act, is in effect,
Sabadao’s case could have been
resolved properly. For unexplained
reasons,
both the previous Liberal
and
the
current
Conservative
governments have not proceeded to
declare the law to be in force. It
appears that the law is not a priority at
all. Why then did Parliament pass it in
the first place and just leave it on the
shelf to gather dust? Who among our
MP’s will have the interest or courage
August 2006
to raise the question why this law is not
being enacted? Now that we see how
this law could have given protection to
people like Sabadao, do we have the
interest to work together in letting our
political representatives follow up on
this issue?
e have not even solved the
problem of Sabadao, and we
are faced with another case
which also needs community support.
Laila Elumbra, a live-in caregiver is
reported to be facing deportation for
not completing the requirements of 24
months’ employment through no fault
of her own because she suddenly fell
W
Does the Conservative
government have any
interest in developing
closer ethnic relations?
sick with a serious, rare disease.
However, Immigration has denied her
landed immigrant status and she is
now subject to deportation. This is
again another case illustrating the
inherent injustices in the immigration
laws. Unless they are reviewed and
amended to reflect the human aspects
in the interpretation of laws, we will
have many people who will be
deported needlessly and unjustly.
There should have been a more
compassionate treatment of cases like
that of Elumbra and Sabadao. But
since the law is implemented by
government bureaucrats whose job is
to base their decisions to the exact
letter of the law, there is a need to
appeal to the Minister of Citizenship
and Immigration to intervene so that
their cases can be reviewed
accordingly.
ut we are not sure how the
Honorable
Minister
of
Citizenship and Immigration will
respond to our pleas.
It is also a
problem of communicating with
someone who may not have had any
contact with the Filipino community at
all. On the other hand, if the whole
community will react and show their
involvement by way of sending written
messages to the Minister’s office,
perhaps, he will be curious enough to
meet with us and accept our petition in
person.
Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi
Editor & Publisher
Coordinates of Government
Offices to receive your messages
1. Hon. Monte Solberg, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Citizenship & Immigration
365 Laurier West, 21st Floor
Jean Edmonds Tower South
Ottawa, ON K14 1L1
Telephone: 613-992-4516
Fax: 613-957-2688
E-Mail: Solberg.M@parl.gc.ca
2. Honoraable Vic Toews
Minister of Justice & Attorney General of
Canada
Suite 306, Justice Building House of
Commons
Ottawa. Ont. K1A 0A6
3.Right Honorable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Telephone:
Fax: 613-941-6900
E-Mail: pm@pm.gc.ca
Mayon Volcano spews
deadly gas, debris
August 14 2006
Explosions of deadly gas and
debris shook the Mayon Volcano in the
eastern Philippines as scientists
warned that the volcano has entered
the more dangerous phase of its
eruption on Monday.
The
Philippine
Institute
of
Volcanology and Seismology said
Monday afternoon that the peak in
Albay province, 330km south-east of
A journey of a
thousand miles start
with a single step
Lao Tzu
Divisoria cubao
Filipino Solidarity Cooperative
4711 Van Horne Avenue, Montreal, QCH3W 18
Tel. 514-733-8915
More choices,
competitive prices!
B
• Frozen/Refrigerated
products
• Dry Goods
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Canned Goods, Oil,
Vinegar, Spices
• Juice, Soft Drinks,
Snacks
• Rice, Cereals,
Noodles
• Barong Tagalog
• Phone Cards
• Health, Beauty and
Home Care
Products
• Ladies, Childlren’s
Wear
• Souvenirs
• Miscellaneous new
items added daily
Tangkilikin ang sariling atin para umunlad
Help yourself by supporting your own cooperative.
The Noth American Filipino Star
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Telephone: Residence:____________ Office: ________________
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4950 Queen Mary Road Penthouse
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E-Mail: filipinostar2@yahoo.com
Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi
Chief Editor & Publisher
Dr. Victor Gavino
Esther Stansfield
Lina V. Frnandez
Riza Esmeralda
Columnists
Lourdes Fabia
Entertainment News Editor
Bert Abiera
Founder
Michael Davantes
Contributing Editor
Nida Verginom Butaran
Mary Joy Lizarondo
Sales Representatives
Opinions, comments of writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect that of
the management of Filcan Publications, Inc.
www.filipinostar.org
August 2006
Manila, had generated eight mild
explosions during the past 24 hours.
Sixteen volcanic earthquakes,
which indicate active magma ascent
into the crater, and 322 tremor
episodes associated with the collapse
of fragments from the advancing lava
flow were also recorded during this
period," it said in a bulletin.
The institute warned that more
"pyroclastic flows," or clouds of
blistering gas and debris that travel at
high speed and could incinerate
anything in their path, would occur in
the following days "due to progressing
explosions."
Philippines needs urgent
help to contain worst
ever oil spill
August 16 2006
The Philippines has appealed for
help to combat the country's worst ever
oil spill which has polluted a major
marine reserve and threatened the
livelihoods of thousands of fishermen.
Coastguard officials said they were
struggling to cope with the scale of the
environmental disaster caused by the
Lava cascades down the slope of Mount sinking of the tanker Solar I last week
Mayon Volcano near Legazpi City, south of with over 520,000 gallons of industrial
fuel on board.
Manila, August 19, 2006
AFP foils terror bomb plot
in Jolo
The tanker went down on Friday in
rough seas in the Panay Gulf between
the central islands of Panay and
Guimaras. Eighteen of the crew were August 18 2006
rescued but two remain missing, the
A terrorist plot to bomb the island
coastguard said.
of Sulu in southern Philippines on
Thursday was foiled after the military
uncovered 3,000 blasting caps aboard
a passenger ship and another of the
same number left in an abandoned
tricycle in the wharf of Jolo, police said.
Lt. Col. Susthenes Valcorza,
information officer of the Armed Forces
Southern Command, said a 45-year old
suspect from Sibuto in the nearby
island of Tawi-Tawi, was arrested.
The suspect whose name was not
disclosed for the time being, is
undergoing tactical interrogation
conducted
by
Armed
Forces
intelligence operatives in Jolo.
The blasting caps were concealed
in two backpacks, each containing
3,000 blasting caps, one hidden at the
upper deck of M/V Ever Queen Emilia,
Fishermen collect oil by hand from a beach in a passenger vessel, and the other in an
Brgy Tando village, Guimaras Island in the abandoned tricycle parked at the
Philippines 18 August, 2006
wharf.
We don't have the capability right
The crewmen reported to the
now to salvage sunken vessels this police about a bomb threat they
deep. That's why we're seeking received. Immediately the military and
international support," said Coastguard police's Explosive and Ordnance
spokesman Lieutenant-Commander Demolition Team (EODT) went to the
Joseph Coyme.
pier. As reported earlier the EODT
Other coastguard officials told AFP found 3,000 blasting caps from an
the government wanted to hire foreign abandoned tricycle and another 3,000
salvage crews to refloat the tanker and were discovered at the upper deck of
well as specialist vessels to contain the the vessel.
Dr. Sima Goel is not spineless when trying to
cure what ails us!
A word of caution here: If you're
spineless, don't read another word. And I
mean that in the most literal fashion. If
you're an amoebae, worm or some other
sort of invertebrate, stop right here. This
column, dealing with Dr. Sima Goel, would
have no appeal to you whatsoever, so,
really, what's the point?
I, on the other hand, have a
spine, and meeting Goel, who is a Doctor
of Chiropractic, proved to be spine
tingling in so many ways. Iranian-born
and 40, she has had her practice in
Decarie Square for 12 years now. Her
1983 arrival in Montreal was quite exciting,
to say the least. Since then, now married
with two young sons, she has kept the
excitement levels up by helping her
patients reach optimal health through
natural chiropractic care.
"Health is by choice, not by
chance," she told me right off' much as a
caring mother giving advice. "We don't
randomly get sick, levels of toxicity (too
much sitting, fatty food etc) and
deficiencies (lack of exercise, lack of
spinal hygiene, lack of movement etc)
determine our level of health.
Dr Goel specializes in care for
her patients as a whole, not just for the
pain the patient complains about; she
works to correct cause of the problem.
Correction of subluxation (damaging
pressure cause by a shift in spinal
vertebrae) is the primary goal. Poor
posture is also an indication of
subluxation. Subluxation is our body's
attempt to adapt to our chronic stressful
lifestyle, such as sitting to long, car
accidents, sports injuries, falls, sedentary
living and repetitive movement. The
trauma from these episodes is cumulative.
No amount of drugs or surgery will cure
3
The North American Filipino Star
It urged residents to stay clear out
of the seven-kilometre danger zone
around the volcano and eight
kilometres on the south-east sector.
Close to 43 000 people residing
around the volcano have fled to
evacuation centres since last week.
Mayon Volcano, famous for its
almost perfect cone, has been acting
up since February and began to spew
lava on July 15 in what volcanologists
called a "quiet eruption" that attracted
foreign and local tourists.
The 2 472m volcano has erupted
about 50 times since 1616. It last came
to life in a series of eruptions in 2001,
forcing about 50 000 people to
evacuate but causing no casualties.
Its most violent eruption was in
1814 when more than 1 200 people
were killed and a town was buried in
volcanic mud. An eruption in 1993
killed 79 people.
the detrimental effects of subluxation.
You may ask how do I know if I have
subluxation? You would not know at the
early stages and that is why subluxation is
called the “silent killer”. However at later
stages the pain is a red flag that your body
can't cope with anymore. Symptoms such
as head aches, migraines, arthritis, neck
pain, lower back pain, carpal tunnel
syndrome, fatigue, depression, insomnia,
sinus allergies, lack of concentration, and
weight gain are just a few examples.
We are suffering from too many illnesses
that are preventable. Providing
sufficiency and purity to our body is the
only way to change our health crisis.
Weekly seminars are given on a wide
range of health-related issues, such as
"Scientific research on who gets well and
who stays sick", spinal hygiene, exercise
and even meditation classes are
available. "I want to empower people to
take charge of their health and build the
foundation of happiness and joy.
If you are sick and tired of being sick and
tired, and in the spirit of holidays I have
an offer for you that could really change
your life. We are offering you a special
price for your initial consultation;
normally $210.00 will be offered to you at
$45.00. ACT NOW this offer is only valid
for a very limited time.
Further care is very affordable and you’ll
be happy to know that I have affordable
family plans. You can call Dr. Goel at
DECARIE SQUARE FAMILY
CHIROPRACTIC (located at 6900 Decarie
Blvd #340 , near Winners). Our phone
number is: 514-344-6118.
-Dr. Sima Goel, chiropractor, D.C.
www.filipinostar.org
See OIL SPILL, page 6
See BOMB PLOT, page 7
4
From Page 1
The North American Filipino Star
Volunteer
August 2006
Gilmore College
Volunteer of the Year 2006 Search
Gilmore College is now accepting
nominations for the Volunteer of the
Year Award 2006
Gilmore College opened its doors
to the public on November 1, 1989. Its
VOLUNTEER AWARD APPLICATION FORM
actual incorporation was on August 2, OBJECTIVE:
1989 but it took four months to prepare To recognize an exemplary
Last Name _____________________________________________________
the application for the necessary achievement in volunteerism in the
First name _____________________________________________________
education permit. Its last gala Filipino Canadian community in the
Address: ______________________________________________________
celebration was held on October 30, province of Quebec.
______________________________________________________________
1999 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel
Postal Code ___________________________________________________
when
it
celebrated
the
10th ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
Anyone residing in Quebec of
Tel.: Day time: ________________ Evening __________________________
anniversary.
E-Mail: ______________________ Fax: _____________________________
Now in its 17th year, Gilmore Filipino origin and who meets the
Please attach:
College is expanding its programme critieria of unpaid volunteer work is
1.
Personal photo (for publication purposes)
offerings which will include the Nursing eligible to be nominated or to apply
2.
Curriculum vitae which includes personal, educational and
Assistant profile, designed to serve for this award. The candidate must
professional background.
foreign graduates of nursing and also be unelected and have been
3.
List of your volunteerism experience (You may use form
medically-related fields such as doing volunteer work for the Filipino
provided with this application form or add separate sheet if
midwifery and physiotherapy. Due to community.
necessary.
the linguistic requirements, foreign HOW TO APPLY
Complete an application
4.
Supporting documents such as newspaper clippings,
graduates have a hard time practicing 1.
photocopies of awards/or “thank you” notes.
the professions for which they have form. Copies are available at various
5.
List the names of the persons signing your 2 letters of
been trained for in their native countries Filipino establishments and may be
recommendations
Consequently,
they
are
often downloaded from the Filipino Star
1. Name__________________________________________________
underemployed, work long hours and website - www.pinostar.org
Attach curriculum vitae and
Address: _______________________________________________
are paid less than others who have 2.
_______________________________________________________
lower education. Realizing that there include supporting documents.
Two letters of
Tel. ______________________ E-Mail _________________________
is a big need to serve this group of 3.
2. Name _________________________________________________
people who may never have a chance recommendations must be signed
Address:_______________________________________________
to go to a regular school to retrain, and sealed and submitted to the
Chairperson
of
the
Volunteer
Award
Tel. ______________________ E-Mail _________________________
Gilmore College administration has
Committee.
decided to meet the challenge and
Send your nomination and
Signature of Applicant _____________________________________________
design a program that will meet the 4.
needs of both the employers and the curriculum vitae on or before
September 28, 2006 to:
Signature of nominating person (if applicable)
employees.
Edith Fedalizo
________________________________________________________
The time seems to have arrived for
6355 Cumberland Ave.
Print Name ______________________________________________
Gilmore College to fulfill a unique role
Montreal, Quebec H3V 2P1
Address: ________________________________________________
in the Filipino community. According to
Tel:
(514)
485-7281
Tel.: _________________________ E-Mail _____________________
Mr.
Isaac
Goodine,
a
noted
E-Mail:
Date: _________________________
international educator, Gilmore e is a
efedalizo@sympatico.ca
community resource that is under
used. But this situation may change
once things get sorted out and linkages
established with other institutions here
and in the Philippines.
With the
GILMORE COLLEGE
internationalization of education which
Mr. Goodine has been covering in his
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR SEARCH
monthly column in the North American
Filipino Star, there are splendid
opportunities for Gilmore College to APPLICANT’S NAME:_____________________________________________________________
Comments
Impact on recipients of
Description of volunteer work
provide special programs to meet the Date of volunteer work
volunteer work
needs of new arrivals in Montreal. In
fact, there is a pilot project being set up
in the Philippines, India and China to
make the transition of foreign
graduates easier. A pre-departure
training will be provided in these
countries. The other part of the project
Name___________________________Year______________________________________
is to provide courses for their
integration and orientation
into
Course or courses successfully completed____________________________________
Photo
Canadian society upon their arrival
Address: __________________________________________________________________
here. Gilmore College will be actively
Telephone: ________________________E-Mail:_________________________________
pursuing the work required to make the
linkage with the centers being Favorite quotes or Present occupation or business:_____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
organized in these three countries.
proverb
Gilmore College Alumni
2006 Yearbook Marking the 17th Anniversary
Future goal or plans:
See Page 5
Volunteer
F. FARHAT
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514-527-8201
5
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
Although Gilmore College has
operated on a small scale, there are
approximately over a thousand people
who have passed its doors. It will be
interesting to make a historical record
of this accomplishment by welcoming
former students of Gilmore to attend its
17th anniversary celebration and to be
part of a yearbook. All alumni (those
who finished at least one or more
courses) are urged to send via a form
for this purpose (see page 4) a brief
information about themselves, i.e. what
they have done or accomplished after
they have left the College. Perhaps,
they have pursued a new career and
are successful in their chosen fields. A
list of former students will show the
name, year, and subjects taken. A
photo, if available, will also be included
As this yearbook may take some time,
those who are interested in this project
should contact the school and indicate
their interest in having a copy of this
yearbook which will be forwarded to
them before the end of the year.
Plans for the dinner dance party
are still being prepared. Tentatively, a
guest speaker in the field of nursing or
related field will be invited as guest of
honor. The second group of graduates
in the nursing aid program will receive
their certificates. Lots of door prizes,
entertainment, dancing, lively music
and surprise numbers are expected to
be part of the celebration and a
souvenir program will be printed.
Businesses and other community
associations who want to advertise in it
will be welcomed.
For further information, please call
514-485-7861. More details will be
announced in the September issue of
the North American Filipino Star.
Gilmore College 17th Anniversary
October 28, 2006 - 6:00 P.M.
Ruby Rouge Restaurant
Call 514-485-7861 for Tickets
Education raises the bar but lowers
the barriers to a rewarding career.
Enroll now at Gilmore College.
We promote educational
leadership and caring attitude in
the health care profession. We
believe that knowledge is critical
to take the lead in global
citizenship.
Call 514-485-7861 Step up and join the
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trade professionals Courses
Earn your C.I.T.P. title.
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• Human Resources Development (customized)
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Personal Support Worker (PSW)
Gilmore College
has an intensive comprehensive training
program in Montreal for personal support
workers (nursing aides).Graduates have
a 100% job opportunity as there is an
increasing demand for health care
workers.
Office Assistant
C.I.T.P.
The global economy needs trade
professionals who will put your business
in the international arena.
International Trade Program
• Global Entrepreneurship
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Distribution
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Research
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Trade
• International Trade Management
• An Introduction to the Cultural
Aspects of International Trade
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INTERNATIONALTRADE
TRAINING
We offer flexible schedules and budget
payment plans.
Foreign students are welcome.
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EN COMMERCE
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FITT
Weekdays - 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Evenings - 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Weekends - 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Gilmore College is an accredited delivery partner
of FITT (Forum for International Trade Training)
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4950 Queen Mary Road Penthouse (5th Fl.)
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Tel.: 514-485-7861
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E-Mail: enquiry@gilmorecollege.com
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www.filipinostar.org
6
The North American Filipino Star
Global
Perspectives
Isaac T. Goodine
Building on a Canadian Legacy in the
Internationalization of Education and Training
When Willie Sutton, the
legendary American Bandit, was asked
why he persisted in robbing banks he
replied: “Because that’s where the
money is”.
This piece was prompted by a
personal honour bestowed on me by
the Colombo Plan Staff College for
Technician Education recently. The
Staff College, based in Manila, has
appointed me to the honorary position
of Advisor to the Secretary General and
Governing
Board,
representing
Canada. This also carries a
responsibility to encourage Canadians
to become re-engaged in international
work and re-kindle some of the cooperative spirit that placed Canada
among the most effective providers of
human resource development both in
Canada and abroad for many years,
prior to the early 1990s.
At that time there developed a
hiatus that resulted in Canadians being
under-represented in the arena of
international development. CIDA
abandoned its policy of sharing our
future “through the lens of human
resource development”; Canada
withdrew from the Colombo Plan and
the Colombo Plan Staff College;
closed its Canada-ASEAN Office in
Singapore and Canada’s efforts in
economic diplomacy focused mainly
on trade with the USA and NAFTA. In
the meantime, opportunities for
Canadians to fully participate in
developments financed by other
agencies were overlooked. There was
little
Canadian
involvement
involvement in the activities of the
International Financial Institutions,
such as the World Bank and the Asian
Development Bank, where the money
is,
From the 1950s, there was
steady expansion of economic
integration which far outpaced both
political and cultural integration. The
last ten years have brought about
cultural interdependence, because of
television and the Internet, and we are
moving to one world in culture as well
as economics. The earlier phase of
integration of economic activities of
trade, finance, and investment has
generally been referred to as
“Globalization”, and the broader
aspects
such
as
educational
exchanges and intercultural activities
are
now
referred
to
as
“Internationalization”.
The global market place has
created a new labor market, where the
trans-national work force has grown to
over 80 million, making trans-national
employment the most effective and
equitable means of distribution of
wealth. Twelve years ago (1994) the
World Bank indicated that annual
“remittances” from trans-national
workers had transferred more money
from developed economies to the
Third World than the total amount
transferred by all development
agencies combined. The trans-national
labor market implies the concept of a
team that is multi-disciplined and
transcends national boundaries. The
success of these teams depends
heavily on the internationalization of
the learning process for the workforce
and their managers, wherever the
Learning and skills development takes
place.
Building and leading these
teams is extremely difficult and the
success of international business and
social development efforts depend on
a unique set of qualities of the team
leader. In view of the importance of
cross-cultural technology transfer
through the trans-national work force,
leadership development for those who
deal in human capital, surely presents
a major challenge. This is a particular
challenge in regards to the fostering of
international understanding between
all the stakeholders in international
development efforts.
Likewise, there must be a
capacity to facilitate participative and
democratic administration, wherever
the operations take place. The nature
of
Participative-Democratic
Administration as it applies to a
comprehensive
and
integrated
international undertaking or enterprise
includes:
(a)
Administration
as
Government and Policy Direction:
legislative, executive and judicial
functions
for
establishing
and
promulgating policy and intent;
(b)
Administration as Planning
and Resource Allocation: developing
strategic and operational plans to
achieve the intended goals and
objectives within the technical and
financial criteria established as policy;
(c)
Administration
as
Management: the management of
plant and personnel including
establishing
and
maintaining
administrative
structures
and
procedures for securing and managing
financial, human, physical, and
informational resources;
(d)
Administration as Supervision
and
Coordination
:
internal
coordination, within the institutional
framework, and external coordination
with stakeholders in commerce and
industry and with civil society at the
local, national, and International levels;
and
(e)
Administration as Monitoring
Evaluation
and
Dissemination:
continuous evaluation of results,
problem solving, continuous learning
from experience, and adjusting to
changing needs.
It is precisely to address such
challenges that the CPSC exists. Since
Canada was a founding member of the
Colombo Plan, in 1950, and Staff
College in 1973, Canadians have made
a significant contribution to its success
as a learning organization, there are
pools of experience and wisdom
scattered throughout the world that
stem from a Canadian source. This
gives Canadians credibility in the
concept of internationalization through
education and training.
The legacy of the Colombo
Plan is twofold as it provided both a
concept and a mechanism for
achieving prosperity together through
participatory human development. The
concept of the Colombo Plan is based
on a shared vision that we are citizens
of the world and not just citizens of
Nation States and that a cosmopolitan
approach to international development
would accomplish three main goals:
(i) Economic development
would contribute to the social and
political stability of the participating
countries and thus would enhance the
prospects for peace in the world;
(ii) The development of trade is
vital for the countries of the area and
for the continuing
expansion of
a world economy based on multilateral
trade; and
(iii) Economic advancement
would unlock the cultural resources of
the area to the benefit of
people everywhere.
The mechanism, was an
Administrative Structure that facilitated
Participative
Democratic
Administration and it was called the
Colombo Plan for Co-operative
Economic and Social Development in
Asia and Pacific. Part of the reason for
the Plan’s success is that it is not a
“Plan’ in a strictly economic sense. It is
in fact a forum for the encouragement
of self-help and a means whereby
bilateral assistance is stimulated.
Ethno-centric tendencies give way to
consensus gained through discussion
and accommodation.
Canada’s Lester B. Pearson
was one of the seven founding fathers
of
the
Colombo
Plan
and
subsequently, after the Colombo Plan
Staff College was established, and
while it was hosted by the Government
of Singapore, Canada’s Ambassador,
H.E. Mr. R.K. Thompson, served as
Chairman of the Board of the Staff
College during 1976-77. Later, after the
College moved to the Philippines,
Canada’s Ambassador, H.E. Mr. David
www.filipinostar.org
August 2006
Thompson, served as Chairman of the
Board during 1987-88. Then, I, Isaac
Goodine, served as the Fifth Director of
CPSC during 1991-92, after serving for
two years as a member of the Standing
Committee of the Governing Board.
Under the Colombo Plan,
approximately 400,000 people have
benefited from long term scholarships
to study in a foreign country, many in
Canada. Also about 130,000 Experts,
including some Canadians, have
carried out long-term assignments of
Technical Assistance in the region
under the Plan. The Staff College has
alumni of over 19,000 senior level staff
from 20 countries who have attended
one or more of the CPSC programs.
Although Canada is no longer an
active member of the Colombo Plan,
there is a reservoir of expertise and
cultural understanding that Canadians
have helped to foster throughout the
World. a
From Page 3
OIL SPILL
slick, which is around 460 kilometres
(280 miles) south of Manila.
Coyme said the challenge was to
contain the 19.5 nautical-mile-long slick
off the southern coast of Guimaras and
to plug the leaking tanker which is
resting on the seabed in around 3,000
feet (900 metres) of water. Local
salvage crews have so far attempted to
put booms around the spill to prevent it
spreading, but their work has been
severely hampered by rough seas.
The slick has hit more than 200
kilometres (125 miles) of coastline
damaging
mangrove
swamps,
seaweed plantations and coral reefs
containing popular dive sites, said
Joaquin Carlos Nava, governor of
Guimaras province.
He estimated the spill, which has
been described by the coastguard as
the worst in the history of the Southeast
Asian country, would take over a year
to clean up. Three coastguard vessels
have been dispatched from Manila and
the nearby port of Batangas to combat
the pollution which Coyme said
threatened to spread north and south
towards the Visayan Sea.
"If we can't apply physical barriers it
will pass through the Visayan Sea," he
From Page 3
7
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
said. However Coyme said the slick
was unlikely to reach the resort island
of Boracay off Panay's northern coast.
The island is the Philippines's top
tourist attraction and is famed for its
white sand beaches. Governor Nava
said that in his province alone up to
10,000 fishermen and their families
were being affected by the disaster.
"It is not only the coastline and
fishing industries that are affected but
also the tourism industry," he said.
"We are looking at the possible
evacuation and support for our
displaced fisherfolk. We don't know
how long this (cleanup) will take," he
told ABS-CBN television. a
BOMB PLOT
The ship carrying an undetermined
number of passengers, including
infants was about to depart for Bongao,
the capital of Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines'
southernmost island province, when
the explosives were found.
Concerned government agencies
like the coastguard, maritime police
and port police have further
strengthened security measures in all
ports of the country following the
discovery of the bomb plot hatched by
the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf..
Valcorza said the blasting caps
could be used by supporters of the Abu
Sayyaf Group to carry out bombings as
a diversionary tactic to ease pressure
against them in the hinterlands of Sulu.
So far, 11 Abu Sayyaf, including a
mid-level leader, were killed since the
offensive started last August 1 in Sulu
province.
The offensive was launched
following reports that Bali bombing
masterminds Umar Patek and Dulmatin
of the JI were seen together with top
Abu Sayyaf leaders in the province.
Earlier
this
month,
British
authorities uncovered a terrorist plan to
blow up commercial airlines bound for
the United States. a
Impeachment dead:
House justice panel rules
complaint lacks substance
August 17 2006
The House Committee on Justice
on Wednesday threw out the
impeachment
complaint
against
President Arroyo, ruling that it lacked
sufficient substance to form the basis of
a trial in the Senate.
Fifty-six committee members, all
supporters
of
the
Arroyo
administration, voted to drop the case;
24 from the minority voted for the
complaint. The pro-impeachment
group has one last chance to revive the
case by calling a vote in the plenary
session, but again the odds will be
against them.
Rep. Simeon Datumanong, the
committee chairman, said he will
submit a report to the Committee on
Rules not later than Monday. “We
expect plenary action on the committee
report by next week,” he said.
The minority leader, Francis
Escudero, said the pro-impeachment
lawmakers “presented our case in its
complete form but we were never given
the chance to present our case.”
Earlier,
pro-impeachment
supporters in the gallery halted
proceedings after they fanned
themselves with white envelopes
symbolizing the payoffs received by the
lawmakers
who
were
against
impeachment.
The
disturbance
prompted
Datumanong to transfer the hearing to
a smaller venue, the Andaya Hall. As
members of the committee stood up to
proceed to the Andaya Hall, the crowd
let out a howl. The House majority
leader, Prospero Nograles, was
disappointed at the crowd’s behavior.
“We can’t do anything about it, and so
we have no choice but to transfer the
venue to limit the audience,” he said.
The hearing resumed at the
Gilmore College
session hall after the spectators quieted
down. Last year a similar case against
Mrs. Arroyo was also voted down. At
least one-third of the 234-member
House, or 78 congressmen, is needed
to transmit the Articles of Impeachment
to the Senate for trial.
Eight complaints were filed at the
start of Congress last month. The
justice committee decided the first
seven were submitted even before the
one-year ban on impeachment cases
against a President had elapsed, and
considered only the case filed by the
Black and White Movement.
The new complaint included
allegations of massive electoral fraud
during the 2004 election, graft and
corruption, and political killings under
the present administration.
President Arroyo’s allies maintained
that the complaint had a weak basis to
make the charges stick. Reps. Matias
Defensor of Quezon City, Douglas
Cagas of Davao City and Luis
Villafuerte of Camarines Sur all found
the
complaint
too
general,
“accusations made in generalities.”
Cagas, a staunch ally of Mrs. Arroyo,
said the complaint was “premature”
since the facts were not recited
sufficiently. Villafuerte noted the
complaint consisted of “presumptuous
conclusions of facts” and “does not
define specific offense.” Rep. Edcel
Lagman, the committee vice-chairman,
saw the complaint as “an exact
reproduction of the previous seven,
except for the variance in complainants
and endorsers” and as “oozing in
propaganda.” But the opposition said
the mere fact Mrs. Arroyo’s allies
prevented them from presenting
evidence clearly indicates that the
President is guilty as charged.
Escudero argued that all charges
listed as charged against Mrs. Arroyo
were all committed under her term. The
senior deputy minority leader, Allan
Peter Cayetano, criticized the “double
standard” of existing laws: one for the
ordinary people and the other for the
President and the First Family, which
do not hold them accountable for their
crimes. a
Erap condemns attempt
to arrest son
August 17 2006
Ex-president Joseph Estrada on
Wednesday termed as "unjustifiable
and unlawful" the attempt by
Malacañan to arrest his son, Sen. Jose
"Jinggoy" Estrada over a libel suit filed
by President Arroyo's husband.
"This is a warning to the opposition,
that even illegal means will be used
against [it] if [it persists] in [its] crusade
for the truth," Estrada said in a press
statement issued through spokesman
Rufus Rodriguez.
Rodriguez quoted the former
president as saying that the botched
arrest was a clear sign there would be
no let-up in attempts to silence the
opposition. The younger Estrada is
leading the investigation into the
Overseas
Workers
Welfare
Administration fund mess.
"What happened clearly illustrates
this policy, but I know my son well
enough to know that even the most
blatant form of intimidation will not stop
him from ferreting out the truth,"
Estrada said.
The former president accused
Malacañan of involvement in the
attempted arrest after reports surfaced
that Senate President Manuel Villar and
others in the session hall overheard the
arresting team leader saying, "Ano ang
sasabihin namin sa Malacañan 'pag
hindi namin nabitbit ito? (What are we
going to say to Malacañan if we failed
to arrest Estrada)?"
The warrant issued by Branch 109
Judge Elmer Mitra of the Pasay City
Regional Trial stemmed from the P10million suit lodged by Mr. Arroyo after
the senator alleged that Jose Miguel
"Mike" Arroyo was harboring big-time
smugglers in Manila.
The senator scored the court in a
privileged speech before the Senate
after the warrant was issued.
"The police cannot arrest any
senator for the crime of libel while
Congress is in session," he said. " a
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8
The North American Filipino Star
Community News
Deportation of caregiver deepens debate on
Live-In Caregiver Program
For immediate release July 27, 2006
Press conference held in response to
Elumbra's denial for permanent
residency
Cecilia Diocson, Executive Director of
the National Alliance of Philippine
Women in Canada (NAPWC).
Elumbra came to Canada in May
(Left to right) Honorary Consul General Salvador Cabugao, Laila
Elumbra, and Jose Calugay.
A press conference was held July
27 at the Philippine Women Centre of
Quebec, in response to Citizenship
and Immigration Canada's (CIC)
denial of Ms. Laila-Suan Elumbra's
application for permanent residency
under the Live-In Caregiver Program
(LCP). Three speakers were present
during the conference, Laila-Suan
2003 as a live-in caregiver and worked
for twenty-two months thereafter. At
this time, she fell into a coma and was
hospitalized for eight months before
she was able to speak or move. In
February, her work permit expired
along with her medical insurance.
Elumbra went public and appealed to
the Canadian government and
temporary health insurance until June
2007. However, she received
notice on July 17th advising that a
sympathetic review was placed on
both her visitor's status and permanent
residency applications, however,
neither was approved. In response to
her application's denial, Elumbra
states, "I've only ever wanted to work in
Canada and did not choose to become
sick, it has been very depressing and
disappointing to receive the denial."
"The case of Elumbra shows how
the LCP places all women under this
program in very vulnerable and
precarious situations." says Diocson.
She furthers, "the political and
economic conditions of the Philippines
push Filipinos to work abroad for
survival and is promoted by the
Philippine government to help keep the
economy
afloat.
Without
their
monetary remittances, the Philippine
economy would have been bankrupt a
long time ago." Waddell shares her
perspective as a Canadian women, "It
is troubling to see a program that is an
aberration to feminism by dividing
white middle class women and
working class women of colour, that
this policy so clearly
illustrates."
The deportation of caregivers are
increasing across the country. In
Vancouver, Emelda Emnace received a
notice to leave the country when
long
government
bureaucratic
processing delayed the approval of her
new work permit beyond the expiry
date of her old work permit. The
NAPWC has been calling for CIC to
return to the roundtable for further
dialogue and critically examine the
LCP and scrapping of the policy,
as Canada has the responsibility to
uphold equality, human rights and
most importantly, dignity for all.
Laila (second from left) is showing remarkable progress. Photo taken
during the fund raising party at Hickson Fraser Library, with Zenaida
Kharroubi, Hermie Arguilles and Minerva Torrico.
Elumbra, a domestic worker, Ms.
Amélie Waddell, French spokesperson
for the Philippine Women Centre of
Quebec (PWC of Quebec), and Ms.
Canadians to support her case for
medical insurance and grant her
permanent residency. Successfully, the
Quebec
government
granted
www.filipinostar.org
August 2006
For more information, please
contact Joanne Vasquez or Amélie
Waddell at (514) 678-3901. a
From Page 1
Sabadao
documents and a copy of the Filipino
Star July issue were sent to the
Immigration Minister on July 26,
requesting him to receive a small
delegation of concerned citizens. On
August 14, 2006, his scheduling
assistant named Aliya telephoned
Zenaida Kharroubi to ask her to mail
the
petition
to
the
Minister.
Disappointed with the reply, she
immediately wrote a follow-up letter
requesting him to reconsider his
decision. Copies of this letter were
sent to the Office of the Prime Minister
of Canada, the Right Honorable
Stephen Harper, to the Honorable
Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day,
the Honorable Minister of Justice and
Attorney General of Canada, Vic
Toews, and to His Excellency,
Ambassador Jose Brillantes. The
Prime Minister’s Office immediately
acknowledged having received a copy
of the message sent by e-mail.
As of press time, there is no
reply yet from Mr. Solberg’s office
whether he is willing to meet us at all.
However, the supporters of Sabadao
are determined to find ways and
means of getting the attention of the
government as time is running short.
They must now act more decisively to
support the Sabadao family to remain
together in Canada. a
Reserve your tickets now for
the Gilmore College’s 17th
anniversary - Call us at
514-485-7861
9
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
La Fête des enfants - Fun for Everyone!
Montréall, Saturday August 19
2006 “La Fête des enfants de
Montréal,” the family event of the
summer, is in full swing this weekend
at Maisonneuve park. It's under the
theme of "Discoveries bringing us
closer together" that the kick-off was
given this morning in the presence of
des sports with a grand gathering that
will impress everyone!
Your reference: La Fête's website
To learn about the 2006 program, the
many free services offered to families
and to check out La Fête des enfants
de Montréal's site map, visit
ville.montreal.qc.ca/fetedesenfants.
Gazette, Petitmonde.com, Montréal
pour enfants and Radio Centre-Ville.
We would also like to remind
you that the following streets will be
closed to traffic on August 19 and 20
between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. :
Sherbrooke street between Viau street
and Pie-IX boulevard and Viau street
between Rosemont boulevard and
Sherbrooke street.
For further information please
contact the Info-Fête Bell line at 514
872â ‘0060
or
visit
ville.montreal.qc.ca/fetedesenfants.
Source :
A. Asselin
Chargée de communication - La Fête
Gilmore College
invites you to join its
17th anniversary celebration
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Dinner-Dance Party
and Graduation
at Ruby Rouge Restaurant
Chinatown
Reserve your tickets by
Calling 514-485-7861
The 2nd annual GK Mabuhay Walkbe a part of it!
Mayor Gerald Tremblay presided over the opening of the Children’s Festival, August 19, 2006.
He is flanked by the other dignitaries and the Montreal Scouts who assisted in the cutting of
the paper dolls symbolizing the event.
the Minister Responsible for Aboriginal
Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Kelley, Mayor
Gérald Tremblay and Françoise
Étienne Paré La Fête's spokesperson
for a second consecutive year.
"Today
and
tomorrow,
hundreds of thousands of children and
parents will participate in more than
120 various, amusing and educational
activities, in an atmosphere that
promotes exchanges. With a dozen
new activities that you will certainly
enjoy, the Ville de Montréal is
particularly proud and happy to
present La Fête des enfants de
Montréal", declared Mayor Gérald
Tremblay. Who knows, you might
discover a new passion after taking
part in a sport or cultural activity.
A fantastic parade
In this great multitude of
novelties, an activity that already
seems to be a family must of the
summer is La Fête's parade! It will end
both days with a colorful ride
throughout the Maisonneuve park.
Follow the rythms of the tom-toms and
the Cadet's musical group, join the
trains, the mascots and thousands of
visitors strolling through the different
site aisles from 5 p.m., today and
tomorrow. It will end at the Rond-point
You will also find the list of the Jean
Coutu Pharmacies of the great
metropolitan region that carry the
official pass so you can benefit from a
free ride in public transportation,
thanks to the Societe de transport de
Montreal“ La Fête's official carrier. On
our website, you can also enter La
Fête's contest in collaboration with
TQS and get a chance to win $ 8000 in
prizes. Contest boxes will also be
located at the three Info-Fête Bell
kiosks at Maisonneuve park during the
whole weekend. The contest's rules
and regulations are detailed on La
Fête's website.
Precious collaborators
Presented by the Ville de
Montréal, La Fête des enfants is made
possible thanks to the support of the
government of Québec, Bell, Jean
Coutu Group, the Société de transport
de Montréal à“ La Fête's official carrier
-, the Union des producteurs agricoles,
the Fédération des producteurs de
porcs du Québec, Hydro-Québec,
Lassonde, Jamieson, Groupe Berger,
Motorola and KPMG. La Fête also has
many
media
partners:
TQS,
TÃLÃTOON, Rock Détente 107.3
Montréal, Journal de Montréal, The
By:
Cerna
desNidia
enfants
de Montréal
On September 9, 2006, the second annual
GK Walk, hosted by ANCOP International
Canada, will take place simultaneously in
major cities across Canada. ANCOP
volunteers and Filipino association
partners in Montreal will walk a route
granted by the City of Montreal in the Côtedes-Neiges area to raise awareness and
funds to build sustainable and holistic
communities for the poor in the
Philippines.
The
Gawad
Kalinga
Foundation, known simply as GK, has
already built more than 17,000 homes
around the world thanks to the
collaboration of those who want to make a
difference and improve the quality of life for
the poor in developing countries.
For Erwin Fausto, who just came back
from the Philippines after a six month stint
as a GK volunteer, it was an experience
that was more rewarding
than he
expected: “There is a sense of fulfillment in
doing something for those less fortunate. I
was able to understand more about
poverty, and I was able to see with my own
eyes that there’s an actual solution to this
worldwide problem,” he says.
Gawad Kalinga (translated as “to give
care”) has set its goal to transform povertystricken areas building 700,000 homes in
7000 GK communities in 7 years. Through
the work of volunteers both in the
Philippines and abroad, the GK
Foundation has lowered the cost to build a
house to $1500 CAD. Costs are kept low
because GK is founded on “bayanihan”
and volunteerism, which helps every dollar
raised go farther. “When I was in the
Philippines I saw that the money being
raised goes where the Foundation says it’s
going to go: straight to the beneficiaries,”
adds Fausto.
This year’s walk will include
exhibitions on GK’s different programs as
well as a model GK house. The Walk is
called Mabuhay, which means “welcome” a friendly expression inviting Filipinos and
non-Filipinos alike to be part of the GK
miracle.
In Montreal, GK Walk registration
begins at 8A.M. at Van Horne Park at the
corner of Westbury and De La Peltrie. To
register as a participant or volunteer,
please visit www.cfcmontreal.com/41.html
Marababol at 514-769-2146.
The GK Press Team poses for a souvenir photo during the launching of the GK Walk recently.
Cuisine Santé international
Website:
www.csil.ca
Cusine Santé International is currently expanding its new office on Decarie.We
have openings for District Managers, Sales Managers and Sales Consultants to
help with the overwhelming demand for our revolutionary multi-ply cookware.We
will train you under excellent working conditions with excellent remuneration.You
may also qualify for our all-expenses-paid company trip in December
New Year’s Eve Caribbean Cruise 2006.
Call now for a private interview and a start of your new, exciting career.
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6900 Decarie Blvd. Suite 218
Cote St. Luc, QuebecH3X 2T8
Telephone:
Fax:
514-223-4700
514-223-4344
www.filipinostar.org
10
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
A Culinary journey
In Manila’s melting pot
Filipino food still a favorite in the north
Philippine Cusine
Sinigang a Filipino dish for all seasons
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4-6)
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp or 1 tsp
concentrated tamarind pulp
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 115 gm spinach or Chinese kangkong
leaves
•115 gm cooked large prawns, (jumbo
shrimps), thawed if frozen
• 5 cups fish stock
•1/2 mooli (daikon), peeled and finely
diced
• 115 gm French (green) beans, cut into 1
cm in lengths
• 225 gm piece of cod or haddock fillet,
skinned and cut into strips
• Fish sauce, to taste
•Lemon juice, to taste
•Salt and ground black pepper
• Plain boiled rice or noodles, to serve
METHOD
Put the tamarind pulp in a large bowl and
pour in the warm water. Set aside. Peel and
chop the tomatoes, discard the seeds. Strip
the spinach or kangkong leaves from the
stems and tear into small pieces. Set aside.
Using your hands, remove the heads and
shells from the prawns, leaving the tails
intact.
Pour the prepared fish stock into a large
pan and add the finely diced mooli. Cook
the mooli for five minutes, then add the
chopped green beans. Continue to cook
the stew gently for 3-5 minutes.
Add the fish strips, tomatoes and spinach
or kangkong leaves. Strain in the tamarind
juice or add the concentrated tamarind, stir
until dissolved, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir
in the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Season the stew with salt and freshly
ground black pepper, and add a little fish
sauce and lemon juice to taste. Transfer the
stew to individual warmed serving bowls,
and serve with either plain boiled rice or
noodles.
By Veronica L. De Jesus, in Manila
By Jimmy C. Calapati
The famous sugba-tuwa-kilaw
(broiled over charcoal, cooked in
boiling water with seasonings,
marinated in vinegar and spices) or
sutukil from Cebu is now in Manila.
Situated within the grounds of
Mabuhay Manor in the FB Harrison
district, 30 minutes from the airport,
Sutukil restaurant is worth the trip.
Life & Times strongly recommends
the sinigang na ulo ng salmon (salmon
head in miso broth), whose tangy, sour
taste is enough to perk you up on a
lazy, gloomy, rainy day.
When it comes to grilling, many
establishments make the mistake of
cooking the squid too long, making it
tough and dry. At Sutukil, the gigantic
pusit is grilled just right, retaining much
of its sweetish, salty juices and tender
meat.
The garlic prawns with butter is just
heavenly. As we Pinoys like to say,
"sauce pa lang, ulam na!" Partnered
with steaming hot rice, lato seaweed
and red eggs ensalada, you have a
combination that will make you forget
about the other dishes on the table.
Sutukil operates Dampa-style,
where you point to the fresh fish and
marine species you want to have for
dinner and the kitchen cooks it for you.
Mabuhay Manor caters to overseas
contract workers who fly into Manila
before heading home to the provinces,
offering 114 superior, premium and
deluxe rooms. According to Claude
Bernacer, business development
manager, the Manor offers shopping
tours to returning or departing
overseas contract workers—to Duty
Free, Divisoria, Baclaran, Ayala Center,
Greenhills—or wherever and whatever
is their heart’s content. a
Pinakabet or Bagnet on first-class
hotels. Eating in a local resort that
conforms to international standards.
Local staffs trained by no less than the
International School for Culinary Arts
and Hotel Management.
All these are dreams of Teresa and
Wilfrido Tirona of Specialized Trade
and Marketing, Inc.-better known as
Stram Events.
And they’re definitely doing their
best to make these dreams happen
thru the 1st Ilocandia Culinary Festival
that will happen on July 29 to 31 at the
St. Louis College Gym in San
Fernando, La Union.
Advertise
in the Filipino Star now!
Call 514-485-7861
Culinary Festival
Technically speaking, this is the
second time that we’ve been to the
north. We visited Baguio last year and
we staged the 1st Baguio Food and
Drinks Fest," Teresa said.
"We brought it down to the
lowlands simply because during the 1st
Baguio festival, 70 percent of the
participants came from the lowlands
and they were clamoring for us to bring
the event to the lowlands."
They said that Baguio is a good
place to do something like this since it
has practically the establishments
needed for a successful staging. "Kaya
lang, ung number ng participants, konti
lang unlike sa baba," Teresa said.
"Mas marami kasing mga resorts,
hotels, restaurants sa lowlands that
specializes on Ilocandia cuisine kaya
its more practical to do it there," Wilfrido
added.
Stram is actually an events
organizing company and this project is
just a part of the many events that they
have. Their main objective in
organizing regional
See CULINARY FESTIVAL, page 14
The North American Filipino Star Classified Ads
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$1.50 per extra line
(maximum 4 words a line, font size 10
Classified Advertising- cheapest way to
advertise!
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to: filipinostar2@yahoo.com
or Fax: 514-485-3076
COURSES
Centre 2000
Professional Training Institute
BOOKKEEPING
September classes start soon
cALL 514-485-7861
COMPUTERS
• Business Data Base
• Repairs & Trouble Shooting
• Web Page Design
Call Joseph - 514-651-9745
514-630-9701 ext. 273
DRIVING
DUPLEX TO SHARE
Do you want more privacy?
Live in a duplex.
Need 2 ladies to rent an upper
duplex, quiet, bright, clean,
equipped with fridge, stove, heated,
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Specials for Summer
Courses offered:
•
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•
•
•
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Dental Assistant
Dental Secretary
Pharmacy Assistant
Nursing Aide
Daycare Provider
Security Agent
French Course (conversation)
Saturdays available
Info:Call 514-342-1000
4950 Queen Mary Rd. Suite 351
(Front of Snowdon Metro)
Quebec certified driving instructor
with 11 years experience in giving
driving lessons. Exam car vailable
Toton 514-969-9622
LECHON
MOVING
Anywhere in Canada
Contact Joseph - 514-651-9745
514-489-6968, ext. 113
TUTORIAL
• Mathematics
• French
• Physics
• Science
514-485-7861
BigD's Lechon, telephone
number (514) 426-9088 or
VIDEO COURSE
DRIVING LESSONS
www.bigd-lechon.com.
* Car available for EXAM
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* Many examples of first time success
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www.filipinostar.org
Call 514-485-7861
11
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
contaminated from bacteria in human waste
and garbage. According to United Nations
statistics, as many as four billion people-two-thirds of global population--lack access
to safe, clean water.
Concern from the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation has spurred renewed
efforts to increase education and distribute
low-cost but needed tools such as
antibiotics and sterile medical implements.
“Some global health problems, like AIDS,
have no easy solution--but this isn't one of
them,”
says
computer-geek-turnedphilanthropist Bill Gates. “The world has an
opportunity to stop millions of newborn
deaths each year.”
Debt and population issues are also
among the underlying causes of this global
tragedy. Some poor nations must pay more
in service of international loans than on the
Earth Talk
From the Editors of E/The
Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: What are the leading
causes of child mortality around the world,
and what can be done about it?
-- Susan Hale, Oquawka, IL
The statistics are staggering. In the
world’s poorest countries, over 30,000
children under the age of five die each day
from preventable causes related to
conditions of extreme poverty. Rock Star
Bono and others tried to call attention to this
fact last year in television ads showing wellknown celebrities snapping their fingers
every three seconds, each snap
representing another tragic child death.
A baby girl born in Sub-Saharan Africa
today faces a 22 percent risk of death by
age 15, and more than a third of casualties
are babies who don't survive their first
month. They suffer from low birth weight
due to their mothers’ poor nutrition, and
then lack access to adequate nutrition
themselves. The World Health Organization
says that poverty-related malnutrition is the
key factor in over half of all childhood
deaths.
Many children suffer from debilitating
infections virtually right out of the womb,
and analysts say that often casualties could
be prevented if just basic sanitation were
available. Drinking-water pollution is a
leading culprit. In areas that lack proper
sanitation and that may have just one water
source, supplies can easily become
planning aid to developing countries in
the name of preventing abortions,
though on June 9 of this year the House
overwhelmingly adopted a bill to restore
aid that had been previously cut. Says
PAI, “U.S. leadership and investments in
international family planning assistance
are critical in order to ensure healthy
mothers, healthy pregnancies, and
ultimately, healthy families.” a
CONTACTS: Make Poverty History
Campaign, www.makepovertyhistory.org;
Gates Foundation Child Health Program,
ww.glf.org/GlobalHealth/Pri_Diseases/Child
Health/default.htm; Population Action
International, www.populationaction.org.
GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION?
Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The
Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098,
Westport, CT 06881; submit it at:
www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/,
or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com.
Read past columns at:
www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.ph
Children in developing countries struggle to survive in the face of water pollution and scarcity,
lack of basic sanitation and poor nutrition.(Getty Images.)
General Worker
Manufacturing company located in Ville St. Laurent is
looking for general workers.
Salary: $8.25/h
Language: English or French
Apply in Person or call 514-739-9761 Contact: Amir
Address:5770 Andover,Mantreall, QC H4T 1H4
IN MEMORIAM
In Memory of
Jaylen Jess
Abelardo Teja
Born
December 12, 1997
Died
July 24, 2006
health and education of their people.
Yielding to pressure from “Make Poverty
History” advocates, leaders of the world’s
top industrialized nations last year agreed
to cancel $40 billion in debt owed by the
world’s 18 poorest countries. However,
experts point out that this only covers about
a sixth of the debt owed, for example, by
African nations.
And birth rates continue to soar well
above the replacement level of two children
per couple, and population is growing well
beyond the “carrying capacity” of these
poor countries. This has a profound effect
on the environment as well as on human
misery. According to Population Action
International (PAI), “More than 200 million
women in the developing world today wish
to delay or end childbearing but do not
have access to modern and effective
contraceptives.” In spite of this, the Bush
Administration has steadily cut family
The family and friends of
JAYLEN JESS A. TEJA wish to
extend their sincere thanks to
all those who sympathized
with them in their hour of
bereavement and who said
prayers, gave donations
and flowers.
www.filipinostar.org
The Filipino Star
always strives to
serve you!
RESTAURANT
LA MAISON NEW KUM MON
6565 Cote des Neiges,
Montreal, QC (Corner Appleton)
5047 Henri Bourassa Est
Montréal, QC H1G 2S1
Tel.: (514) 322-3133, 322-3130
Bean Curd Seafood Soup
1/2 Crispy Chicken
Salt and Pepper Pork Loin
Stuffed Bean Curd with
Shrimps
Sauted Seasonal Vegetables
Steamed Rice
$37.95
4 Persons
Fish Maw Seafood Soup
Baked Lobster with Ginger
Seafood with Chinese
Broccoli
Saltand Pepper Cuttle Fish
Fried Sea Bass Fish
Steamed Rice
$58.95
4 Persons
Bean Curd Soup
1/2 Crispy Chicken
Shrimp Cake with Chinese
Broccoli
Sweet and Sour Pork
Seafood with Bean Curd in
Hot Pot
Salt and Pepper Squid
Fried Sea Bass Fish
Steamed Rice
$63.95
6 Persons
Fish maw seafood soup
2 Baked Lobsters with Ginger
Seafood with Eggplant
in Hot Pot
Stuffed Bean Curd with
Shrimp
Seafood with Chinese broccoli
Fried Sea Bass Fish
House Fried Rice
Special Fried Noodles
$125.95
10 Persons
FREE DELIVERY
514-733-6029
514-733-1067
Minimum order of $10
Delivery hours:
11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
For party menu, call Kenny
12
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
The North American Filipino Star Photo Gallery
Ah, what cool masks! The children show off their colorful masks during the
children’s festival on August 19, 2006 at Park Maisonneuve.
Laging Handa Scouts participated in the Children’s Festival by assisting in the demonstration of Philippine
handicrafts sponsored by the Philippine Folk Art Society of Quebec at Park Maisonneuve, Aug. 19, 2006.
The parade of colors during the FAMAS “Pista sa Nayon,” at Mackenzie King Park, July 22,
2006, with Mayor Michael Applebaum and the Executive Board“
Borough Mayor Michael Applebaum visited the tent of the Laging Handa Scouts
group during the Pista sa Nayon, July 22, 2006 in spite of the rain.
www.filipinostar.org
Mercan
13
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
M
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C
A
P
I
T
A
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WeDoffer.our
Your application for a visa is successful
when you deal with Mercan Capital
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aplikasyon kung kayo ay magkukonsulta muna sa isa sa aming
mahusay at eksperiensadongtagapayo.
Mercan Capital Ltd.
founded in 1989,
one of the most
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whose expertise and
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We offer our expertise in
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Mercan Capital Ltd helps
you obtain your visa, and
if unsuccessful, your
money will be refunded.
Mercan Capital Ltd. keeps
itself informed about
immigration rules which
are
constantly
changing.The information
you receive is relevant and
up-to-date.
Mr. Jerry Morgan, President and Member of the
Canadian Association of Professional Immigration
Consultants
Ms. V. Marcas, lawyer, Member of the
Quebec and Canadian Bar, assists our
clients with the legal technicalities of
their applications.
A mosaic sculpture which can be
seen at the public square of the
Old Port of Montreal symbolizing
religious freedoms recognized by
the Canadian Constitution.
The Parliament building where
the Quebec Government holds its
meeting of the National
Assembly composed of 123
MNAs who are elected every 5
years.
We accept credit cards
Mercan Capital
Ltd. offers you all
services and
informs you of the
programs that will
facilitate your
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MERCAN CAPITAL LTD., Founded in 1989
Mercan Capital Ltd.., 390 Notre Dame West, Suite 410,Montreal (Quebec)H2W 1T9
14
TOURISM
Erupting volcano a
tourist stop
LEGASPI, Philippines – Ominous
posters around this city show the
nearby Mayon volcano, erupting
forcefully, shooting fiery sparks into the
sky with blood-red lava dripping from
its mouth.
But the words on the poster are
cheerful rather than frightening: “Visit
Legaspi: Mayon Eruption 2006.”
The posters are part of an
impromptu campaign to find some
benefit from a looming disaster that has
already forced the evacuation of nearly
40,000 people from their homes on the
rumbling volcano’s slopes into
overcrowded evacuation centers.
While initial estimates of tourist
revenues are not available, officials say
the volcano, which began oozing lava
on July 15 and is on high alert for a full
eruption, has helped bring in more
local and foreign tourists to this city of
about 400,000 people on the povertystricken Bicol peninsula.
The posters are the brainchild of
Legaspi City councilor Cerilo Chan who
realized over a week ago that the
tourism potential of the volcanic
eruption was not being fully exploited.
He printed up the posters and had
them placed in different parts of the city
and also personally stuck copies at
airports, hotels and at the tourism
districts in Manila where potential
visitors might see them.
“I just noticed many foreigners
were arriving,” but that there were not
enough people attending to them, he
said.
Since then, Chan has been getting
many inquiries. He has been
successful in attracting some 120
employees of the central bank to
vacation here in late July where they
personally got to see Mayon put on a
fireworks show at night – from a safe
distance.
The 8,070-foot (2,460-meter) high
volcano has long been a tourist
attraction, thanks to its near-perfect
The North American Filipino Star
cone, its symmetrical slopes and its
history of being the most active volcano
in the country.
But it has been overshadowed by
other tourist attractions in recent years
such as diving with whale sharks in the
nearby coastal town of Donsol.
Many of the tourists who pass
through Legaspi City just use it as a
jumping off point to some place else
but the eruption of the volcano has
revived interest in Mayon.
From Page 10
August 2006
CULINARY FESTIVAL
culinary events is to be able to bring to
the local/provincial cities what the
professionals and amateur from the
foodservice industry, missed out from
the culinary activities happening in the
metropolis.
Also, they hope to be able to gather
some of the best food, drinks, gadgets
and equipment and other suppliers
from the industry and bring their
products and be able to demonstrate
the latest technology in the field of food
and drinks preparation.
"Filipinos basically love to eat. Our
passion for trying local cuisine never
dies. That’s why this is one of the more
successful events that we have," Teresa
said.
Stram also hope to provide
workshops/trainings and seminars as
well as product and cooking
demonstration that will be beneficial to
the whole foodservice industry by
bringing together a pool of experts who
shall conduct very timely topics.
The culinary event is specially
made for small to medium scale
restaurants. "We made sure that the
participants would only pay very
minimal registration fees."
"For now, our target is only 60
participants. That’s a manageable
group. But there is a clamor to increase
it to 100. But I think we won’t be able to
manage that big a group."
The event will have two parts: the
workshops/trainings
and
the
forum/competition.
Among
the
speakers will be Ms. Helene Pontejos,
Culinary Directress of San Miguel
Culinary Center, "Global Food Trends";
Adolf Aran, Marketing Manager, San
Miguel Corp., "Biyahe na! Marketing
Pa!"; Chef Gene Gonzalez who will do a
demo on "Asian Cuisine with Regional
Flavors"; and, Hans Schallenberg,
Director of International School for
Culinary Arts and Hotel Management
(ISCAHM), who will talk on "Food
Handling and Sanitation Practices?
And "Food and Beverage Management
and Cost Control".
Another objective is to organize
friendly culinary competitions that will
challenge the practitioners as well as
the students by competing based on
mechanics and criteria of international
standards and prepare these talents for
bigger challenges here and abroad.
The competition will be open to
local participants. "So that they will
have a feel of what is happening on
Chefs
on
Parade
and
other
competitions. So that later on, when
they’re ready, they can compete na rin."
Series of Events
Way back in 1995, when the golf
industry was still flourishing, Stram had
events focused on golf developers and
While government volcanologists warn enthusiasts. "When the Asian crisis hit
people not to enter a six to eight the country in 1997, we didn’t find the
kilometer (four to five-mile) danger purpose on doing it because most of
zone around the crater, the city of
Support our advertisers.
Legaspi, located some 15 kilometers
Read the Filipino Star regularly.
(about 8 miles) away, is well out of
danger. a
www.filipinostar.org
the developers stopped constructing,"
Wilfrido said.
"So what I did, I started doing
culinary events for San Miguel Corp. I
was responsible for opening Monterey
meat shops in the provinces. They
contracted our company to do it for
them," Teresa quipped.
"Due to my constant dealings with
chefs and food handlers, I fell in love in
that field. Especially when I saw them
prepare food or even style the food
they serve, it was really something that
comes from with in. Not anybody can
do that unless you that passion for
cooking."
The first culinary event that they did
was at the SM Megatrade hall. "I want
to do something bigger. But we (Stram)
are not the only events organizer in
Manila focusing on culinary events. It is
so saturated already."
"Sabi ko, why are we concentrating
here in Manila when the need is
actually out there in the provinces. How
else can we be able to get bulk of the
tourists that we wish to visit the sites
when not much is happening there?
Yet, when we market the Phil., we
always say go to Boracay, to Palawan,
to other provinces."
That prompted the couple to hold
various culinary festivals geared at
training local food handlers on safety
and exposing them to the international
standards. "They need to have proper
trainings from food handling to
preparation to presentation."
"Paano natin dadalhin ang mga
turista kung ang dudumi ng pagkain?
Better train this people first than do this
massive campaign," Wilfrido said.
Stram held the first Culinary Event
in Davao 3 years ago. "We’ve been to
Davao several times before and we
love the place. The variety of produce
available there plus the fresh seafood
prompted us to stage the first culinary
event there."
In August, they will be staging the
4th culinary Festival in Davao. There
are also plans to do a culinary festival
for central Luzon particularly in the
Batangas-Tagaytay area.
"The idea is for our local food
handlers to serve food that are safe and
meets international standards. So that
when the tourists come, they are
assured of the quality of food that they
will eat." a
Learn French the fast
and easy way!
Enroll now at
Gilmore College
Call 514-485-7861
Since 1989
15
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
Gilmore College, in collaboration with the
World Academy of Letters, presents a
workshop based on an innovative
method of developing better writers:
“Writers helping Writers”
Every person who has the ability to read has the ability to write.
Being able to write and express your own ideas help you achieve your goals
in all types of situations - professional and personal.
This hands-on workshop is designed to be:
The word is mightier
• Interactive
than the sword.
• multi-cultural
Dr. Jose P. Rizal
• process-oriented
A follow-up to this workshop
• practical
will bea public speaking
course and the organization
• Inspirational
of the first “Writers Circle” in
• an eye-opener
Montreal.
• creative
• productive
Isaac T. Goodine
BsC., B. Ed., C.Eng.
International Speaker, Author of
“Leaders Leading Leaders”
Resource person, Transparency
International, Human Resource
Development Consultant,
Former School Principal and
Director of Colleges, Member of
International Associations
Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi
Call 514-485-7861 for the Summer
B.A., Eng. Lit., M.A. in Ed. Studies,
Dip.Ed., TESL Cert.
and Fall schedules.This workshop is
Founder & Director=General
held over a weekend starting on Friday evening at 6 to 10
Gilmore College
p.m., then on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Lunch
Publisher & Editor, The North
American Filipino Star, Group
break is at 12 to 1 p.m. RESERVE YOUR SEAT NOW!
Commissioner, Scouts Canada, Tuition fee: $495 (tax deductible) including taxes & materials
Quebec Council
An attractive certificate and tax receipt shall be given to each participant.
Hours:
Mon.-Tues. Wed.
Thursday -Friday
Saturday
8 AM-5 PM
8 AM-9 PM
8 AM-5 PM
Closed on Sundays.
We’re wishing you a nice summer vacation.
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Half or Whole pork
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Approximately 200 lbs
Boneless leg
of ham
1.89lb
3.79lb
Pork Spare Ribs
1 litre of fresh
blood with purchase
1/2 pork
Front quarter of beef
19
1.lb
Home smoked
meat
2.29lb
8.29lb
99
Buffet - 8 choices - $6.
+
Starts on Friday - 5:00 to 9:00 P.M.
Saturday & Sunday - 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Crispy pata available starting Friday and the weekend
Special Rate for Private arties
(max. 60 persons)
Business Hours:
Mon. & Tues. - 2 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Wed. to Fri. - 12 - 9 p.m
Sat. & Sun. - 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
5839 Decarie Boulevard
(near Bourret)
Montreal, Quebec
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10 lbs & over
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Regular smoked
bacon
Beef
short ribs
Fresh Belly
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taxes
1.39lb
4.69lb
St.Chrysostome St. Remi St. Edouard
Napierville
Fresh pork blood
Fresh bacon
Fresh liver
Pork skin
Available
Tel.: 344-3670
www.filipinostar.org
Sherrington
Barrington
203
Havelock
202
219
Hemmingford
Jackson Road
Canada
219
Parc
Safari
Lacolle
Sortie
Exit No.6
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
15
16
The North American Filipino Star
Sarah Turns 18
Without Fanfare
Heart Pays Price of Stardom
Heart Evangelista is paying the
price of stardom. She confesses that
she’s been through a series of crises in
the past few months which has deeply
hurt her. A lot has been written about
her – that she’s an ungrateful daughter
who chose her boyfriend over her
parents, that she had an abortion, and
lately, that she caused the feud
between her boyfriend Jericho Rosales
and John Estrada, who, some quarters
intimate, had a “past” with her.
“It was really very hard,” she says.
“All things seemed blown out of
proportion and all these things are
coming at the same time, parang I felt
it’s the end of the world. Parang before
we could really fix things; marami nang
nasabi.” She clarifies that she had her
parents’ permission when she decided
to move to her own condo unit
although she admitted there have been
rough times in the family. “My mom and
I just had a talk the other day and we’re
fixing things. Other than that, we’re still
a family and I know everything will be
OK soon.” She denies that she and
John never had a romantic relationship
and “will never have one because he’s
married.” Heart says it has been a very
difficult yet instructive six months for
her.
But she emerged stronger and is
determined to move on with her life.
Her immediate goals are to stay in love
with Jericho, master her craft and be a
role model to her fans.
She disclosed that a soap opera
with Jericho is in the works. She wears
on her left ring finger a heart-shaped
diamond ring which Jericho gave her in
their first year anniversary on June 10.
Pop princess Sarah Geronimo
turned 18 last July 25, but the usual
trimmings of a coming-out bash for
debutantes -- huge birthday cake,
beautiful gown, the traditional cotilion,
18 candles and 18 roses – were
nowhere in sight. “Ang gusto ko lang
mag outing with my family, pero lagi
namang umuulan ngayon, so kamikami na lang sa bahay, mas masaya
ako ng ganito," she said during the
launch of her international album
entitled Becoming, which also served
as a birthday party for her.
"Marami naman akong birthday parties
eh, kagaya nito, tapos sa ASAP pa.
Tama na po yon. Ayaw ko talaga ng
grand debut, kami ng mga kapatid ko,
ayaw namin, never kaming na-curious
sa debut. Mapapagod lang ako sa
pagga-gown,” she said. Her mother’s
birthday gift to her is a Yorkshire terrier
worth more than P30,000. Her birthday
wish: "Sana maging successful lalo ang
career ko. At sana maging international
star din ako." Sarah is set to fly to
Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia, where
her album Becoming will also be
released. Sarah will have another
concert tour in the US in August. Sarah
remains down-to-earth, unassuming
and humble despite her phenomenal
success as a recording and TV/movie
star. a
God is Testing Me – Nora
Nora Aunor’s drug counseling
program, originally set for one year, has
been extended by six months and will
last up to October 2007. It was
extended by six months in exchange
for La Aunor’s request to allow her to
perform outside Los Angeles.
www.filipinostar.org
August 2006
She has been meeting with a drug
counselor six times a week as part of a
plea bargain that her lawyers had
sought in connection with the LA
airport incident two years ago where La
Aunor was allegedly caught carrying an
illegal substance. "’Yung mga lawyers
ko, pinasok ako sa program, okay?,”
she clarified. “I want to make it clear
that no, there’s no sentence. They just
entered me into the program for
meetings and counseling, good for one
year. After one year, parang walang
nangyari."
Nora is appearing in a number of
concerts in the US from August to
October. Nora says that every concert
she does in the US, she never fails to
include at least one Gospel song such
as Raise Me Up. Her advice, "Huwag
kalilimutan ang nasa Itaas. Don’t forget
God." a
Claudine is
longer bossy
no
Claudine Barretto is slowly
adjusting to her new real-life role as
wife to Raymart Santiago. "I’m happy,"
she says. "Raymart is independent and
doesn’t like me packing things for him.
I run the household, take care of the
househelp’s salaries, the pest control
schedule, the weekly menu, the
budget." In addition, she has learned to
temper her personality.
"I’m no longer too bossy. My pastor
(Robert Hurry) in the Victory Christian
Fellowship told me I was a control
freak. I’ve changed," Claudine
confesses.
According
to
her,
motherhood will have to wait until next
year. “I realized that even if I only have
one child (two-year-old adopted child
Sabina), my hands are already full. I
want Sabina to be ready for a sibling
first." Claudine admits she misses elder
sister Gretchen, with whom she not
spoken for more than two years now.
“Yes, yes, I miss her. I don’t look for her
… because I see her on TV and she
looks happy naman. But you know,
when people mention her name, it
makes me stop and think: Ay, nakakamiss.” She says she has gotten over
the family feud “a long time ago.”
Asked when the Barretto sisters will
patch things up, she replied, “Maybe …
it’s not yet time. It’s difficult to talk
about my sister; something totally
different might reach her. It’s better for
her to hear it straight from me. That’s
why I don’t talk about it.” a
17
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
Angelica's Pose 'Too Provocative'
Pampered Housewives
It's a casting coup, no doubt. We
are referring to the Mother Lily
Monteverde’s feat of casting four of
showbiz’s most sophisticated and
attractive (and sexiest) actresses in one
movie. Gretchen Barretto, Dawn
Zulueta, Ruffa Gutierrez and Pops
Fernandez are starring in the local
movie version of America’s TV hit
Desperate Housewives. To be sure, the
four are neither desperate nor ordinary
housewives. Gretchen’s live-in partner
is Tonyboy Cojuangco, CEO of ABC 5
TV network and former chair of PLDT.
Dawn’s husband, businessman
Anton Lagdameo, is a scion of a
wealthy family from Davao. Ruffa is
married to Turkish millionaire Yilmaz
Bektas. Pops, who is separated from
singer Martin Nievera, has built a
personal fortune from a highly
successful singing career. The film
project was nearly torpedoed by a rift
(or
misunderstanding)
between
Gretchen and Dawn. Gretchen was first
reported to have said she would not do
the project if Dawn was in the cast.
Insiders say the movie was
conceived with Gretchen, and
that’s why she has the right to dictate
who she wants to work with. According
to reports, Gretchen had carried a longstanding grudge against Dawn
allegedly because during social
gatherings in the past, the latter would
reportedly snub Gretchen because the
family of Tonyboy, who is a cousin of
Anton, did like Gretchen. But things
have been patched up after Dawn
apologized to Gretchen for the
perceived slight in the past. a
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Now it can be told. The planned
huge billboard of the recently launched
Philippine edition of the men’s
magazine Maxim featuring cover girl
Angelica Panganiban had been
trashed. To drum up interest for the
Maxim Philippines’ maiden issue, its
publisher, ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc.,
wanted to put up a huge Angelica
billboard near Rockwell in Makati City.
But Adboard, the advertising industry’s
regulatory body, disapproved the
billboard because it was “too bold.”
The Adboard said Angelica’s “boobs
are too big; her looks are too
provocative."
To
accommodate
Adboard’s
objection, ABS-CBN digitally reduced
the size of Angelica’s boobs but
Adboard deemed them still "too
provocative." According to Rafael
A.S.G. "Apa" Ongpin, assistant general
manager of ABS-CBN Publishing Inc.,
Maxim editors had already shrunk
Angelica’s 34B boobs. Apa says they
"were actually much bigger, they
looked so incredible, hindi kapanipaniwala, so we decided to reduce
them a bit." a
New Brunswick,
Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island
6-Day Tour
Starts from $338 (hotel & luxury bus with tour guide)
M e r c e d e s Te x t i l e s L i m i t e d
Mercedes Textiles Limited is a manufacturer of Fire Hose for the
Municipal, Industrial, Forestry and snow making markets. As a
result of increased business and the need for long-term growth, we
are currently seeking full time workers for the following positions
and starting rates.
Student or general worker:
starting at $9.50
Folder (days and PM): $9.55
Loom operator: (nights) $11.20
Mechanic, loom (night) $12.32
All candidates should be team players, hard working, loyal and honest, have
a minimum of level 5 schooling and be able to speak either French or
English well. All on the job training will be provided. The above rates
represent 80% of the top rate of the category. $0.35/ hour premium for the
PM shift and $0.75/hour premium for night shift.
Serious candidates only apply to
5838 Cypihot, Ville St-Laurent, H5S 1Y5
(off highway 40 and Henri Bourassa)
Day 1 - Montreal - Fredericton (overnight stay at Holiday Inn, Fredericton)
Day 2 - Fredericton - St. John - Moncton (overnight stay at Coastal Inn in
Sackville)
Day 3 - Moncton - Halifax (Overnight stay in Wyndham Hotel, Halifax)
Day 4 - Halifax - Prince Edward Island ( overnight stay at Howard Johnson
Hotel on PEI or equivalent).
Day 5 - P.E.I - Campbellton (overnight stay at Atlantic Host in Bathurst)
Day 6 - Campbellton - Montreal (back to Montreal around 8:30 P.M.)
Details of itinerary available upon confirmation of reservation with payment.
Departure:Every Saturday
Call 514-485-7861 for reservations and information.
Tour organized by Concord Tours
in cooperation with Gilmore College
www.filipinostar.org
18
The North American Filipino Star
GMAs super regions concept continues to
draw positive reactions
August 7 2006
The super-regions blueprint
enunciated by President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo in her Sixth State
of the Nation Address (SONA)
continues to draw positive reactions
both in the local and international
financial community.
In his weekly newspaper column,
"The View From The Palace" coming
out Monday (Aug. 7), Press Secretary
and Presidential Spokesperson
Ignacio R. Bunye said the President’s
massive investment program is
designed to sustain economic
growth, spread progress to all areas
of the country through the MegaRegion economic development
strategy, and propel the Philippines
to the First World status.
Under the super-regions concept,
which forms part of the Medium-Term
Public Investment Program (MTPIP),
the country’s 16 regions have been
grouped into four mega-regions, plus
another region that cuts across the
four mega-regions, to create an
enlarged economic landscape based
on the natural competitive advantage
of these areas.
These are the North Luzon MegaRegion, the Metro Luzon Urban
Beltway, the Central Philippines
Mega-Region, the Mindanao MegaRegion and the cyber corridor that
serves as the cyber link between
these four regions.
Bunye said that the super-regions
development strategy, which is also a
part of the government’s second
phase of economic reforms, has
been getting favorable reviews by the
business community because it
makes the country a more appealing
choice for foreign investment.
He added that under this
investment program, government
focus centers on "investing in better
infrastructure and services to create
jobs and improve living standards."
"Our infrastructure investment
program is designed to lower the
costs of doing business and boost
productivity, making the Philippines a
more appealing choice for the foreign
investment we need in order to
generate jobs and drive economic
growth," Bunye said.
He pointed out that contrary to
claims by the President’s critics, the
government has the funding needed
to complete this ambitious task.
"There are, indeed, available
funds to finance the ambitious
Medium Term Public Investment
Program," Bunye said.
"This investment program will be
funded by government revenues
generated by tax reforms, as well as
partnerships and other support from
the private sector and our bilateral
and multilateral partners," he added.
During the 15th Cabinet and
National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA) Board Meeting in
Malacañang last Tuesday, Budget
Secretary Rolando Andaya said
funding for the P372-billion MTPIP
would be sourced from the national
government (P186.27 billion or 50
percent of the total funding
requirement), the private sector
(P68.4 billion or 18.39 percent),
government-owned and controlled
corporations (P116 billion or 31.18
percent), and the local government
units (P1.33 billion or 0.36 percent).
Bunye said the funds for the
MTPIP would not have been available
if not for the tax reforms which were
introduced by the President to boost
revenue collections.
"For the first time in a generation,
our budget is under control, we are
lowering our deficit and raising
unprecedented amounts of revenue,
thanks to the tax reforms which were
introduced by the President and
which are now in place," he said.
Among these tax measures are
the Reformed Value Added Tax Law
(R-VAT) which increased the VAT rate
from 10 percent to 12 percent and the
Lateral Attrition Law which compels
government
revenue
agencies
(Bureau of Customs and Internal
Revenue) to strictly meet revenue
collection targets within their
agencies. a
PSE suspends Baguio Gold
August 18 2006
The Philippine Stock Exchange
yesterday suspended the trading of
holding company Baguio Gold Corp.
following a disclosure Thursday that
its board of directors approved the
acquisition of 81.57 percent of
unlisted flag carrier Philippine Airlines
Inc.
Baguio Gold and PAL are both
controlled by beer and tobacco
tycoon Lucio Tan.
In a notice to brokers, the PSE
said it had asked the company to
submit additional information on the
acquisition to adequately inform the
investing public.
“The trading of the corporation’s
shares shall be suspended today
pending the submission of necessary
clarification requested by the
exchange,” the PSE said.
Baguio Gold disclosed the other
day that it was acquiring shares of the
flag carrier held by Pol Holdings Inc.,
Cube Factor Holdings Inc., Ascot
Holdings Inc., Sierra Holdings and
Equities Inc., Network Holdings and
Equities Inc. and Maxell Holdings
Corp. These companies collectively
Peso hits a record
51.09 to $1
August 18 2006
The peso hit P51.09 to the US
dollar Thursday, the highest recorded
since April. The peso opened
stronger at 51.11 than the previous
day’s P51.25 close. It averaged at
P51.17 and closed at P51.13 with
volume worth $590.85 million.
Marcelo Ayes, Equitable PCI
Bank markets strategy head, said
stronger peso was attributed to the
weakness of the dollar across all
major Asian currencies and this is the
test of the P51-figure. However, he
said it would be “nice to have a
healthy correction from here.”
Most Asian currencies have
rallied against the greenback after
weak US data have shown economic
slowdown, which strengthened
forecasts that the US Federal Reserve
would not raise interest rates by
September or the rest of the year. The
latest data showed that US wholesale
prices were slow in July as the prices
of goods emerging from US factories,
farms and refineries edged up in July
by the smallest amount for five
months.According to the US Labor
Department, producer price index
rose slightly by 0.1 percent last
month on higher energy costs which
threaten to boost inflation even as
economic growth slows. a
www.filipinostar.org
August 2006
own 81.57 percent of PAL.
“The foregoing companies are
single-asset companies, their assets
consisting solely of shareholdings in
Philippine Airlines Inc.,” Baguio Gold
said in the disclosure.
Baguio Gold said it planned to
acquire the liabilities of those firms
pending to the results of an ongoing
audit. Stock market analysts said the
corporate move was preparatory to a
possible backdoor listing of the
airline.
In preparation for the acquisition,
the board earlier approved a
resolution increasing the company’s
authorized capital stock to P20 billion
from P400 million and voided an
earlier
resolution
raising
its
authorized capital stock to P5 billion.
Baguio Gold will present the
proposed increase in capital stock
during the company’s annual
stockholders’ meeting on Sept. 19 for
shareholders’ approval.
PAL president Jaime Bautista
earlier said the airline was seriously
considering the possibility of offering
its shares to the public through an
initial public offering by 2008. a
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
GMA touts deregulation
for lower power costs
Clothes, entertainment
cheapest in Manila
August 4 2006
August 16 2006
President Gloria Arroyo said
electricity users in the Philippines will
enjoy lower power costs starting this
month due to the deregulation of the
energy sector.
Power consumers in Manila and
surrounding provinces who use up at
least 200 kilowatt-hours in a month
will have their electricity bill slashed
by 52 centavos (about a dollar) per
kilowatt-hour starting this month,
Arroyo told a news conference.
Other areas will have lower
reductions in their power rates,
officials said.
Arroyo said this was due to free
market
competition
in
the
downstream electricity sector, begun
in June when the Philippines
launched its wholesale electricity
spot market (WESM).
"This is a system that allows
electric companies to buy power at
the lowest price from a choice of
power plants. I am glad that to hear
from the WESM that electricity
charges will be reduced for the billing
month of August," Arroyo said.
"This is the result of free
competition in the sale of electricity
from the power generators. This is
very good news for consumers,
businesses, and even workers," she
added.
Foreign
investors
had
complained that the Philippines had
one of Asia's highest electricity costs.
Manila is one of the four cities in
the world that is ideal for a short story
in terms of prices but where wages
are very low, according to a study,
“Prices and Earnings,” which
catalogs purchasing power around
the globe.
The survey, conducted by UBS
Wealth
Management
Research
covered 71 cities and ran from
February to April.
UBS is one of the world’s leading
financial companies and has offices
in 50 countries. The survey, which is
issued every three years, presents an
overview of the prices of goods and
services, wages, wage deductions
and working hours and purchasing
power in 71 cities on all continents.
The survey put together a basket
of 10 goods and services, including
an overnight stay for two in a firstclass hotel, two dinners with a bottle
of red wine, one taxi ride, 100 km in a
rental car, two outings to the theater
by public transport and other small
expenditures such as a paperback
novel or a phone. The package costs
$350 in Nairobi, $260 in Kuala
Lumpur, $350 in Buenos Aires and
$330 in Manila. The package is most
expensive in London at $1,180.
Clothes are also the least
expensive in Manila. A complete set
of men’s clothes of medium quality is
eight times more expensive in Tokyo
($1,320) than it is in Manila ($170).
But wages in Manila are quite low.
The city is second to the last in the
survey. Manila residents also work
longer (50 days more) than
a
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people in Paris, where a working year
is just 1,480 hours. People work
longest in Asian cities with a mean
annual working time of 2,088 hours.
Historical shows that Europeans
have reduced their working hours in
the last 30 years in favor of more
leisure time while Americans and
Asians have a higher regard for
earned income. In terms of domestic
purchasing power, a person in Metro
Manila needs to work 81 minutes in
order to buy a Big Mac while only 12
minutes are needed by a worker in
Chicago.
Oslo,
London,
Copenhagen, Zurich and Tokyo are
the world’s most expensive cities. Life
is particularly expensive if the cost of
housing is included. a
15 companies to teach Internet
to hearing-impaired kids
August 14 2006
Fifteen of Cebu's top companies
are pooling their resources to teach
Internet to hearing-impaired students
and help them compete in the
information-driven global economy.
Karl Hudson, Ayala Business
Club (ABC) president, said these
students could become successful in
the workplace if given the right
working tools.
The group, through the Gearingup Internet Literacy and Access for
Students (GILAS) program, equipped
62 first year high school students for
the Hearing Impaired with full access
to the Internet.
19
GILAS, an initiative of a
consortium of topnotch corporations
in the country, identified basic access
to information technology (IT) such
as the Internet, especially in public
secondary schools, as the key to
economic growth.
Hudson added that skills in IT are
today's tools in ensuring quality
workforce in the country.
"It is the future and we need to
prepare our young students early on
for them to be successful and
contribute to the growth of the
economy," he said. Big companies
have earlier attributed the growing
unemployment rate in the country to
the deteriorating educational system
in our schools. They noted that a
huge number of the country's
graduates could hardly meet basic
skills required by companies,
majority of which belong to IT-driven
industries.
ABC has a commitment to
support three program advocacies,
namely GILAS, Children's Hour and
Habitat for Humanity, in a bid to
strengthen its practice of corporate
social responsibility. The ABC group
donated 10 new personal computers,
free one-year subscription of Internet
connection, training for teachers and
an Internet literacy program for
students.
Hudson also assured they would
continue supporting the students
through "mentoring schemes" from
the club's member companies. a
20
The North American Filipino Star
Child Health Advocate ‘Doing
Her Part’ to Help Stem Problem
Looking of an HD Camera?
We all know HD is the future of
video production, but the cost of joining
the HD club of videographers could be
staggering.
High-definition production
is spreading. From football games and
local parade coverage to network miniseries and feature films, this format is
changing the way our industry
approaches production. Whether you're
looking to take your wedding business to
a new level of quality, craving with
corporate clients, hoping to produce your
own indie film, or just wanting to have the
latest electronic gadget, familiarity with the
HD format is a must.
If you feel you need to get an HD
camera to show it off to your neighbors or
business competitors, here are some HD
cameras available on the market which is
not too pricey but produce an HD quality
pictures..
JVC, Sony, and Canon all produce
HDV cameras of various stripes and
abilities. The JVC HD100U ($7,995 list)
shoots 720p, has a true 24p frame rate,
provides a professional-looking form
factor, and sports the ability to change out
lenses. Sony's two popular HDV cameras
are the HDR-FX1 ($3,995) and the HVRZ1U ($5,995). Both of them shoot 1080i
only and provide pseudo-24p. The XL H1
($10,999) is Canon's addition to the HDV
roundup. It provides HD-SDI output and
gives you the option of interchangeable
lenses. Like Sony, it shoots 1080i without
true 24p capabilities All of these cameras
are 3CCD models (the baseline for
professional camcorders), and all sport
professional-level XLR audio inputs, with
the exception of the Sony HDR-FX1. Sony
also has single-chip HDV cameras; the
consumer HC1, which is a miniature
version of the FX1; and the A1U, a junior
version of the Z1U.
At the other end the Panasonic
spectrum is the new AG-HVX200 ($8,995
without storage cards). This widely hyped
camera does away with tape-based HD
4715 Van Horne
(near Plamondon Metro)
Tel.: 514-344-9999
recording and instead records HD to either
the solid-state memory P2 cards or to an
attached hard drive. It has the ability to
shoot all above-mentioned HD resolutions
plus DVCPRO 50 and DV25. It records
DV25 to tape, but DVCPRO 50 is captured
on the P2 cards or the optional attached
hard drive. The maximum size of currently
available P2 cards is 8GB at a cost of
$1,900 these will hold about eight minutes
of 1080p DVCPRO HD.
Another one of Panasonic's popular
HD units is the $80,000 Varicam, which
shoots at 720p. A distinctive feature of the
Varicam is its ability to shoot at variable
frame rates, These different frame rates
allow you to achieve a look similar to that
of film camera. The HVX200 offers similar
Varicam abilities in a less expensive
camera with smaller chips and cheaper
glass.
Sony groups their HDCAM cameras
under the CineAlta name. They cover a
wide range of prices and features, ranging
from two recently released XDCAM HD
models, F330 ($25,800) and F350
($35,800), to the widely used F950. The
XDCAM HD cameras record directly onto
Sony's Professional Disc media, which is
physically similar to, but not compatible
with, consumer Blu-ray discs. These
cameras can record various quality levels
of 1080i and 1080p, plus regular SD
DVCAM. Unlike other Sony HD cameras,
The XDCAM HD supports i.LINK (FireWire)
for file access and DV output.
Near the high end of Sony HD
solutions is found the F900, retailing for
approximately $100,000. It captures both
1080p and 1080i at various frame rates,
including 25p and 50i.
Well there you go. Different cameras
comes with different needs. And the cost
of buying these toys are similar to buying
a house or a condo. Oh by the way, just
like houses, these cameras can be rented
on a daily or weekly basis. a
Al Abdon
www.hollywoodjunkies.tv
(514) 264-8706
Bubble tea with a
variety of flavors
Results from a new Harris Interactive®
Health-Care Poll released today found
that a whopping 74 percent of parents
or guardians of a child aged 12 and
under consider childhood obesity a
“major problem” in the U.S., which is
up from 70% in 2005. The poll also
shows “a strong majority of adults
believe more physical activity is part of
the solution’” with 94% indicating
“parents should lead by example by
being physically active themselves and
encouraging their children to be
physically active.”
Child health advocate Merilee
Kern, CEO of HealthyKidsCatalog.com
“weighs in” on the poll, noting “There’s
little doubt that childhood obesity is
fast becoming a nationwide epidemic
and, as these poll results reveal,
although caregivers are well aware of
the problem, far too many don’t have
adequate information or resources to
help inspire healthy lifestyle habits
among children.”
Kern continues, “Simply put, its
time for America’s youth to make the
proper connections between lifestyle
and health, and be empowered to
make good choices with the litany of
kid-friendly solutions available in the
marketplace today. Far too many
unknown, which I believe is a travesty.
August 2006
This conundrum is the sole inspiration
for our catalog exclusively offering
sound,
lifestyle-oriented
weight
management products for kids are
flying under the radar, relatively
‘solutions that foster healthy children’.”
“The bottom line is simple,”
concluded Kern. “Childhood obesity
not only spells danger for the future
health of our children, but for our
nation at large. As such, it's our
collective responsibility – caregivers,
journalists, educators, government
officials, medical practitioners - to help
ensure kids can navigate the
omnipresent
cultural
landmines
adversely affecting their health and
well-being. It takes a village, indeed.”
Please contact me at 858-577-0206 or
agoldberg@kerncommunications.com
if you would like to discuss this topic
with Merilee Kern, or if you would like a
free reviewer’s copy of her groundbreaking fictional children’s book, "It's
Not Your Fault That You’re Overweight
A
Story
of
Enlightenment,
Empowerment and Accomplishment
for Overweight and Obese Kids,”
winner of iParenting Media’s “Excellent
Products of 2006” award (please
provide shipping address – postal for
hard copy, email for soft e-Book
version). a
In Good Health,
Anne Goldberg
Children and the Elderly Need Support When
the Temperatures Get Dangerously High
Washington, DC— Hundreds of people
die each year across the country from
heat-related
causes,
but
the
encouraging news is that heat illness is
100-percent preventable.
The
American College of Emergency
Physicians (ACEP) urges everyone
dealing with extreme heat this summer
to make a special point of looking out
for those most susceptible to heat
illness.
“We all suffer when it gets brutally hot,”
said ACEP President Dr. Frederick
Blum, “But children and the elderly
especially need to be careful of
dehydration and possible heat illness.
They also are often less able to help
themselves when they begin to show
symptoms of heat exhaustion or
heatstroke. Parents or caregivers
should make sure children get plenty
to drink, and everyone should check in
on elderly neighbors and family to
make sure they are staying cool and
hydrated.”
Heat-related illnesses include sunburn,
heat cramps, heat rash, heat
exhaustion, and heatstroke. Of these,
the two most serious conditions are
heat exhaustion and heatstroke, both
of which can be fatal. Symptoms of
heat exhaustion include heavy
sweating, muscle cramps, fatigue,
weakness, cold or clammy skin,
dizziness, nausea or vomiting, and
fainting. Untreated heat exhaustion
can progress to heat stroke suddenly,
and cause unconsciousness within
minutes and may be signaled by
feelings of uneasiness and sickness.
“Because heat affects different people
in different ways, it is vital to keep a
close eye on anyone in hot conditions
for any length of time since they may
not realize they are in danger, “said Dr.
Blum. “If you see someone acting
strangely in the heat, offer them help as
quickly as you can. We all need to look
out for one another when the
temperatures get dangerously hot.”
If you suspect someone is suffering
from heat exhaustion:
o
Help the person to a cool
place. Lay the person down and raise
their legs.
o
Give the person plenty of water
to drink, or a sports drink containing
electrolytes.
o
Even if the person recovers
quickly, they should see a doctor.
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21
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
My Hero
By Kathreen Pascual-Binaday
Teachers are an extraordinary
breed of people. They can influence a
great many number of lives in
unexpected ways and pave one's path
to greatness or inconsequentiality. In
the world of classical music, the
student-teacher relationship extends
far beyond the confines of the
classroom or practice studio.
Its
intensity can mean the evolution of an
individual who can play an instrument
to someone who becomes a musician
and eventually transforms into an artist.
and Beethoven.
For over 15 years, Mrs. Brimo was
the main piano soloist for the Manila
Symphony Orchestra and was featured
in their tours to countries such as
Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong,
Singapore and many others. Also, she
was often invited to play for the
Philippine Armed Forces during the
war. One performance in particular
stands out in Mrs. Brimo's memory
when in the middle of her Brahms
concerto, power throughout the
building went out. Even though chaos
ensued, she continued playing until the
end of the piece while people around
her scrambled to gather candles in the
gathered in homage to a lady they call
"a major and tireless Pygmalion in the
world of Philippine music." Throughout
her teaching career, Mrs. Brimo has
had more than 102 graduates from UST
and St. Paul alone. She used her
influence in encouraging change by
recognizing outstanding talent and
opening doors of opportunity for artists.
In 1988, Mrs. Brimo immigrated to
Canada and now resides in the
suburbs of Montreal. She is a member
of the Quebec Music |t
Teachers
Association and continues to hold
regular recitals featuring her students.
Over the years, Mrs. Brimo has refused
to allow health problems to become
deterrent factors in her incessant desire
to continue playing the role of grand
lady of music. She is an inspiration to
the younger generation. Her students
from around the globe regularly call,
write and visit her; always eager to lend
her a hand at home and are thrilled to
get a music lesson whenever they can.
The common perception of piano
teachers is that they are eccentric, godlike beings who are difficult to please;
Mrs. Brimo is no exception and in fact
has her share of idiosyncrasies.
Technical exercises are custom made
for each person in order to work on
their recognized short-comings. Her
students must learn the correct way of
bowing and ensure that their hands are
positioned properly while not in use
during a performance. The outfit one
wears to a recital or concert must be
acceptable and there is a short preshow ritual to complete before stepping
out on stage. These traits endear Mrs.
Brimo all the more to her loyal students.
There is no secret to what makes
Mrs. Brimo a great teacher. She loves
Stella Brimo
In the Philippines, where the
majority of its people are exposed to
popular tunes, classical music has had
a rich history and continues to play a
pivotal role in producing performers
worthy of world-wide recognition. In
order to evolve in this field, one
requires guidance from an individual
with unparalleled wisdom and the
generosity to share it.
Several
Philippine-born artists who have
become internationally renowned
attribute a big part of their success to
the tutelage of Mrs. Stella Goldenberg
Brimo.
Mrs. Brimo was born in the
Philippines to parents of European
descent.
Her family had several
business ties in the country and to
date, are still enshrined in its history
having owned the famous Goldenberg
Mansion inside the Malacanang Palace
grounds. Her academic schooling was
done at Assumption College in Manila
but she pursued her musical studies at
the age of seven at the University of
Santo Tomas. Her parents were very
supportive of her musical aspirations.
She was stimulated to grow outside of
the confines of the classroom and
actively immerse herself in actual
places
where
classical
music
originated. She spent time in Austria to
understand the nuances of pieces
written by Mozart and did the same
when she went to Germany to grasp
the complexities of works by Brahms
music and thrives in the development
of talent that she quickly recognizes.
Some of her students hailed from the
barrios of provinces where the pleasure
of hearing classical music is a rarity
enjoyed only by the elite. She has
literally plucked talent from all over the
Philippines and provided a chosen few
with personal scholarships for the
sheer joy of watching them grow into
outstanding musicians.
Mrs. Brimo is like a second mother
to many whose lives she has
influenced. She takes great pride in
every person with whom she taught
and delights in knowing of their
accomplishments. At the age of 94, she
continues to share her talent to
students of varying ages who flock to
her home for lessons. She can still pick
up nuances in the interpretation of
music and continues to enthrall those
lucky enough to watch her perform. It
has been said that classical music was
God's way of communicating to people
by touching their souls. Clearly, Mrs.
Brimo continues to lead a great many
of us down the path of enlightenment
through music. She is my HERO - the
Grand Lady of Music. a
There is no greatness
where there is no
simplicity, goodness
and truth.
Leo Tolstoy
Enterprise Immigration Canada Inc.
hopes of lighting their surroundings.
For her efforts, she was showered with
thunderous applause by the men and
women who were there to witness her
bravado.
Mrs. Brimo taught at educational
institutes such as St. Paul's College of
Music, St. Joseph's College and also
served as President of the Manila
Symphony Society.
Her most
prominent tenure was at the prestigious
Conservatory of Music at the University
of Santo Tomas ("UST") from 1948 to
1988 where she became the first
female Dean of Music from 1972 to
1980. During her administration, the
woodwind, brass wind, string, voice
and piano departments produced
future winners of various competitions
that included the National Music
Competition
for
Young
Artist
(NAMCYA),
Manila
Symphony
Orchestra, Piano Teachers Guild of the
Philippines and many others. Her
colleagues and students have publicly
acknowledged receiving unwavering
support from Mrs. Brimo in furthering
their careers and give her credit for
single-handedly raising the bar for all
other classical musicians that followed.
Some of her former proteges are now
deans, music professors and recording
artists themselves. In January 2000, a
tribute concert called "Bravo Brimo"
was organized at the Cultural Center of
the Philippines ("CCP") and featured
artists from all over the world that
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22
The North American Filipino Star
Petron urged to pay
for oil spill
August 21 2006
Petron Corporation, the largest
oil refiner in the Philippines, is being
pressured to pay up for the massive
oil spill that came from its tanker,
which sank off Guimaras Island on
August 11.
One town in Guimaras was
asking for 2.5 million pesos
(Dh180,000) in assistance, said
Senator Claro Recto, adding that
more towns in Guimaras will be
asking for financial assistance from
the oil company.
"Petron's financial records show it
can easily accommodate the request
of some local government units in
Guimaras and Iloilo for financial
assistance," said Recto, adding,
"Petron Corporation is awash with
cash. It can clean up the oil-washed
coastline of Guimaras.”
"The amount needed for the
clean up is just a drop in its barrel of
profits," Recto said, adding that
Petron, an industry leader, controls
38 per cent of the market.
The 2005 net income of Petron
surged to 5.765 billion pesos from
3.886 billion pesos the previous year,
or an increase of 48 per cent, records
showed.
If found liable, Petron could be
charged in court," said Congressman
Leovigildo Banaag, chairman of the
Committee on Natural Resources.
"We will do everything possible to
determine Petron's accountability,"
Banaag said, adding, "More than
criminal liability, Petron has to spend
a lot, to allocate millions sufficient
enough to clean the oil mess."
Members
of
the
probing
committees will go to Guimaras to
check the extent of damage and ask
people what help they require.
Virginia Ruivivar, a spokeswoman
for Petron, earlier said, "Although the
liability falls on our hauler, Petron is
taking responsibility for the event."
She did not mention any amount.
She also said that two British
pollution
experts
from
the
International Tanker Oil Pollution
Federation were sent to Guimaras to
assess the situation.
"Our oil spill equipment is being
readied and we will deploy it once we
get a clearer picture of the situation,"
she added.
Right now, about 350,000 litres of
bunker oil were estimated to have
been initially spilled by tanker Solar 1.
It carried 2 million litres of bunker fuel
on board when it sank 3,000 feet
south of Guimaras. a
August 2006
Police in London foil
major terrorist plot
items through airport security, the
company said in a statement.
British Airways also advised
passengers that no electrical or
August 10 2006
battery powered items including
Police in London said they have laptops and mobile phones could be
thwarted a major terrorist plot to blow allowed in the cabin. a
up aircraft in mid-flight.
Scotland Yard said that the aim of GMA sets up panel to
the plot was to detonate explosive probe political murders
devices on board the aircraft in hand
August 21 2006
luggage.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on
The plot was likely to target flights
from Britain to the United States, it Monday set up a commission to
investigate a surge in politically
said.
Police had made a number of motivated murders of leftist activists
arrests overnight in London, it added. and journalists.
Mrs Macapagal has been
Responding to the incident,
Britain raised its security threat level criticised for not doing enough to
stop the spate of killings, which some
to "critical" from "severe."
Britain has a five-level rating for believe are a consequence of the
security threats, ranging from low to government’s intensified operation
against communist insurgents.
critical, which is the highest level
Amnesty
International,
the
Security at the airports across the
country has beefed up. A total of 18 London-based human rights group,
people had been arrested so far, last week issued a report criticising
the Philippine government over the
according to a BBC report.
British Airways (BA) on Thursday issue. It counted 51 political
advised all passengers that they assassinations so far this year
would not be permitted to carry any compared to 66 for the whole of last
hand baggage on board any aircraft year.
Mrs Macapagal appointed Jose
departing from any airport in Britain.
Passengers will be allowed to Melo, a former supreme court justice,
take
only
travel
documents, to head the special commission
which includes representatives from
eyeglasses and a handful of other
a law enforcement agency, the
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23
The North American Filipino Star
August 2006
department of justice, the Catholic
Church and the legal community.
The commission will be given
“wide power and a sweeping
mandate for its members to put
murderers behind bars and break this
cycle of violence once and for all,”
said Mrs Macapagal at a ceremony
marking the anniversary of the death
of Benigno Aquino Jr, the popular
leader whose assassination in 1983
sparked nationwide protests against
then strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
She said: “Whether you are a
journalist or a political activist or the
left or the right, it is the obligation of
the government and indeed the entire
nation to protect the rights and
liberties of every citizen.”
Some observers doubt the new
investigative body will be effective,
particularly in bringing to justice any
members of security forces who may
be involved. The government already
has a permanent Commission on
Human
Rights,
which
has
condemned the killings but has yet to
file charges against a single suspect.
“It was intended mainly to deflect flak
from the international community
over the rise in killings,” said Loretta
Rosales, a Congress member who
sits in a legislative committee on
human rights. Left-wing groups said
they doubted the independence of
the commission, whose members
include the chief state prosecutor and
the head of the National Bureau of
Investigation, saying they work under
Mrs Macapagal and would not be
likely to pursue leads that could hurt
the government. Amnesty warned
that the government’s declaration of
an “all-out war” against the
communist guerrillas will result in
more killings. It noted that many of
those killed were members of groups
that government officials have
accused of being front organisations
for the underground communist
movement. Military officials said
some of the deaths of leftist activists
were the result of violent conflicts and
purges within the communist
movement itself. a
Filipino Judge Claiming To
Have Psychic Powers Sacked
Three Filipino babies
are born every minute
Salvador tops Genova
chess, nears GM title
August 21 2006
By Roderick T. dela Cruz
August 8 2006
A Philippines judge who believes
in dwarves and claimed to have
psychic powers has lost an appeal to
keep his job, court officials said.
Judge Florentino Floro, who
presided in a suburban Manila court,
was sacked on March 31 on
"administrative grounds" after he
failed a psychiatric test ordered by
the Supreme Court.
The judge, who started his court
sessions with a reading from the
Bible's Book of Revelation, lodged an
appeal instantly.
Floro also was understood to
have claimed supernatural abilities,
the ability to read the future and held
"healing sessions" in his chambers.
But the Supreme Court was not
convinced of the judge's mental state
and rejected his appeal.
The final ruling, written on August
11, said "judges are expected to be
guided by the rule of law and to
resolve cases before them with
judicial detachment" to ensure the
public maintained its confidence in
the judicial process.
"The psychological finding of
mental unfitness, when taken
together with Judge Floro's claimed
dalliance with 'dwarves', poses a
serious challenge to such required
judicial detachment and impartiality,"
the ruling said.
This would "eventually erode the
public's acceptance of the judiciary
as the rational guardian of the law, if
not make it an object of ridicule.
"His insistence on the existence
of `dwarves', among other beliefs,
conflicts
with
the
prevailing
expectations concerning judicial
behavior and manifests a mental
state that should lay to rest any
doubts about his valid removal from
office for lack of the judicial
temperament required of all those in
the bench."
Judge Floro could not be
reached for comment. a
Three babies are born in the
Philippines every minute, but there
are indications population growth is
slowing because one in every four
births is a first-born, a government
agency says.
The National Statistics Office
says it arrived at the figure based on
the 1.669 million live births it
recorded in 2003 from the birth
certificates at the Local Civil Registry
Office. It says the live births in 2003
compares with the 1.667 million
recorded in 2002 — or a very slight
increase of 0.2 percent.
“In 2003 the daily occurrence of
births was 4,574 or 190 babies born
every hour or three babies per
minute,” the agency says. The total
fertility rate—the average number of
children a woman would have when
she reached the age of 50—came in
at 2.6, down from about three or four
children decades ago.
The survey also shows that more
male than female babies were born in
2003—or 868,749 males and 800,693
females. The survey also shows that
more male than female babies were
born in 2003—or 868,749 males and
800,693 females. This means there
were 108.5 male babies for every 100
female babies born in 2003.
Most of the babies born that year
were born in Luzon including
281,063, or 16.8 percent, in Metro
Manila. The babies born in Cavite,
Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon
represented 14.2 percent of the total,
and those born in Central Luzon
accounted for 11.7 percent.
Despite the slowing fertility rate,
the survey indicates that some of the
mothers who gave birth in 2003 got
sexually active early. Mothers aged
15 to 24 delivered a third, or 595,427,
of the total births that year.
The average age of the female
and male parents of children born in
2003 was consistent with the
previous year’s 27.6 and 31.4,
respectively. a
Former child prodigy Fide Master
Roland Salvador nailed his second
grandmaster (GM) result by winning
the
10th
International
Chess
Tournament Open held at the Hotel
Novotel Genova Ovest in Genoa
(Genova), Italy, recently.
The 24-year-old native of San
Jose del Monte, Bulacan, scored
seven points on 6 wins, 2 draws and
1 loss, the same score posted by
countryman International Master
Rolly Martinez, who hails from
Isabela.
Ranked No. 15 in the RP-Fide
(world chess federation) rating list
with an Elo of 2420, Salvador, a
former kiddie standout, obtained an
impressive performance rating of
2612 to pass the Fide requirement of
seven titled opponents and 2600
performance rating. He also gained
21 Elo points from the 9-round Open
A Swiss-system event confined to
titled players. Martinez, ranked 22nd
in the Philippines (2399), gained 6
points but failed to get a GM result.
“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa
Diyos dahil nagbunga din yong
paghihirap ko rito,” said the former
Philippine Navy mainstay in a long
distance call to engineer Ric Paragua
(GM
Mark
Paragua’s
father)
Wednesday
night.
“I
hope
matulungan ako ng ating mga
kababayan sa pagdarasal para
makuha ko na ang huling GM norm.”
Salvador got his first GM result
when he was still an untitled player in
the 26th International Chess Open
held in Bratto, Italy, in 2004. In
Genova, Salvador also beat top seed
GM Alexei Barsov (2546, Uzbekistan),
3rd seed GM Krum Georgiev (2485,
Bulgaria), FM Piero Bontempi (2318,
Italy), Candidate Master Mauro Berni
(2078, Italy) and CM Christiano
Novelli (2145, Italy). He drew with 5th
seed GM Miraljub Lazic (2477, Serbia
and Montenegro) and GM Petar
Velikov (2465, Bulgaria). His only loss
came at the hands of 2nd pick GM
Marat Dzumaev (2509, Uzbekistan) in
the seventh round. a
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24
The North American Filipino Star
www.filipinostar.org
August 2006