Salud calls for changes to`lax rules` on helpers

Transcription

THE VOLUNTEERS
EXTENDED
FEATURE 24-25
BALIK-TANAW 41
In their twilight years, residents
of a care home are getting
plenty of tender loving care
Get more chances to
win fabulous prizes until
the end of October
filipino globe
hong kong / manila edition
Volume 1 Issue 11
www.filglobe.com
September 2007
Remittances nearing US$14b as OFW deployment surges
The Department of Labor and Employment said global deployment of
overseas Filipino workers is expected
to breach the one-million mark, while
total OFW remittances are expected
to approach US$14 billion by the end
of the year.
Labor and Employment Secretary
Arturo D Brion (right) said that by
mid-June, OFW deployment to more
than 190 destinations had breached
the half-million mark.
At this growth rate, he said deployment will top one million this year.
Brion said global deployment was
725,999 as of end-August, more than
two-thirds of the one-million goal for
this year.
Brion earlier said that from January
to July this year, deployment in the
new-hire category increased in several
host destinations, including Canada,
Italy, Cyprus, New Zealand, and New
Caledonia due to demand for Filipino
Salud calls
for changes
to‘lax rules’
on helpers
skilled workers in their
industries.
He said the percentage of Filipino professional and technical
workers went up by
two points to 14.4 percent in the first half of
2007 from 12.4 per cent in the same
period last year, with high-end skills
accounting for more than two-thirds
of all new hires.
Meanwhile, rehires increased by
2.5 per cent to 361,655 from January
1 to August 31, compared to 352,908
in the same period last year.
In addition, contracts per worker
processed by the POEA for overseas
Filipino seafarers have expanded by
15.9 per cent to 279,922 from 241,522
during the same period last year.
Brion cited a report by the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas that global OFW
remittances have reached a record
US$7 billion in the first six months of
the year, or 18.1 per cent above the
level recorded in the same period last
year.
As the trend continues, Brion said
remittances may well breach US$14
billion. He noted a BSP report that the
US$1.1 billion remitted in June this
year marked the 14th straight month
that OFW remittances have hit the
billion-dollar mark.
De Castro endorses forex proposal – Page 20
Photo: Paolo Sandino
System vulnerable to abuse and breeds
whimsical attitudes, says labor attache
Jose Marcelo in Hong Kong
Labor attache Romy Salud said only
a revision of Hong Kong’s laws concerning domestic helpers can solve
the mounting problems that have put
a group of employers and the Philippine consulate on a collision course.
Salud said the territory’s lax rules
with regards to termination of helpers’ contracts have become subject
to abuse by both sides, leading to
whimsical dismissals on the part of
employers and unhealthy attitudes on
the part of the helpers.
Under Hong Kong law, contracts of
domestic helpers can be terminated
by either side without a valid ground
if the initiating party serves a onemonth notice.
“It’s so simple that it is subject to all
abuses, and it has become very dangerous,” Salud said.
Salud called for amendments to the
labor laws after the consulate, citing
the rising cases of capricious firings
as well as maltreatment suffered by
Filipina domestic helpers, intensi-
INSIDE
Jacky Cheung fails to
get name stricken from
consulate blacklist
2
2
Unmoved by tears
Editorial
22
fied its drive to blacklist employers it
deems abusive.
On the other hand, a group of employers who have found a common
bond while pouring out their frustrations over “mean maids” in a blog site
have vowed to put up a fight.
“I envisioned that. I expected that
our move to blacklist some employers would earn their ire, na may magsasabi na what about [our protection]
against abusive helpers,” Salud said.
“So ngayon, ang sinasabi ng mga
employers, ‘What do you do with
abusive maids? Kami naman, ‘What
do you do with abusive employers’?”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Legco should take a leaf from Taiwan, which provides for a probationary period for domesic helpers,
says Labatt Romy Salud. This would help save the system in Hong Kong from being abused.
2
news
filipino globe
September 2007
Consulate says no to Cheung
Canto pop star and his wife fail to get their names stricken from blacklist
Philippine officials have turned down
Canto pop star Jacky Cheung’s application to hire two new Filipino helpers.
This came just weeks after the
High Court upheld a theft conviction against Preslyn Catacutan, one
of Cheung’s former maids, for stealing three photos and a letter from his
household.
Cheung’s record of having terminated an unusually high number of
Filipino maids during the past three
years had landed him on the consulate
blacklist, officials said.
“We told them we’re sorry but given
their record, this is our policy and it’s
best we keep it that way,” said Consul
General Al Vicente, who along with
other officials met Cheung’s wife,
former actress Mei Lo, at the consulate offices in Admiralty.
“What we tried to explain to her
was that this was not about Preslyn,
although we admitted that somehow
[the maid’s case] brings it to light
even more because of the feelings of
Filipinos and also because of the publicity this case has engendered.
“But we made it clear that [the suspension] was not a way of getting
back at them or the Chinese,” Vicente
added.
Consulate records showed that the
celebrity couple have had 21 Filipino
domestic helpers under their employ
over the past three years, revealing a
disturbing pattern of wanton hiring
and firing that spurred labor officials
to take action.
Labor sources also revealed that the
couple had hired seven more Filipino
maids after Catacutan’s contract was
terminated in August last year.
Only a handful of the 21 helpers had
been able to see out their two-year
contracts with the family, they added.
Lo, accompanied by a friend who
had arranged the meeting with consulate officials, explained that the
numbers were only exaggerated by
the fact that they hire four domestic
helpers at a time.
“She was aware of that [record],
but she explained that it was because
Jacky Cheung and his wife
learned a thing or two about
Filipino sensitivities and
values during their visit to
the consulate.
they employ four at a time,” Vicente
employers with just one household
help, she said perhaps given that period they would also come down to
that many.”
Officials said Cheung and his wife
will not be able to retain the services
of four Filipino helpers under their
employ once their contracts expire
unless the suspension is lifted, pending another review.
Vicente also took the opportunity
to enlighten the former actress on the
sensibilities of Filipinos as well as
on the precarious situation domestic
helpers face in the territory.
“We told her, ‘You know Filipinos,
they don’t just work for money. If
they’re treated well by their employers, then money may not be the main
consideration.
“They would do more than what is
expected, it would be all right if they
are treated nicely and properly.’
“That is what we would expect from
employers but unfortunately, in some
cases that had not been the case.
“We also explained to her that when
you terminate a contract, it’s not just
the person who suffers. Her family
back home also suffers. She may have
gone into debt just to raise the money
needed to come here and she expects
to earn enough money to pay it back.
“If you terminate them in a matter
of weeks, it becomes a big problem
for all of them,” he said.
Salud said the looming clash could
be averted by adopting the Taiwan
model, which provides for a probationary period for domestic helpers
during which employer and maid can
feel each other out while reserving the
right to opt out of the contract.
Once the 30 or 40-day window
closes, Salud said, contracts can only
be terminated under grounds deemed
valid by the government.
“I think such a law can eliminate
most of the problems we’re having
now,” Salud said. “Let’s say for 40
days probationary ka, I think that’s
enough time na magkakilala ang employer at helper at makapag-adjust sa
isa’t isa before the end of the probationary period.
“Ngayon, if they let the probationary period lapse, that means the
contract is binding and termination
should only be under due cause. Kung
Dumaguete
A four-day old picket at the port
of Dumaguete ended following
the issuance of a return-to-work
order by the Philippine Ports
Authority to members of the
Dumaguete Port Services.
The move resulted in the
postponement of the takeover
of cargo and arrastre handling
operations by the new
company, Prudential Customs
Brokerage Services, at the
Dumaguete port.
The Port Management Office
of Dumaguete received a
memorandum from the Port
District Office in Cebu directing
the DPS to return to work and
refrain from interrupting port
operations.
The directive states that
arrastre and cargo handling
operations of the port of
Dumaguete has not been
formally turned over to
Prudential.
North Cotabato
Members of North Cotabato’s
Sangguniang Panlalawigan
have passed a resolution
criticising a special government
prosecutor for recommending
the dismissal of multiple murder
charges against a former town
mayor and two of his security
aides in the province.
The SP’s motion stemmed
from an earlier recommendation
filed by Special Prosecutor Fidel
said. “If you compare it with other
Tears fail to move officials as suspension stays
More than plead her case before
Filipino officials, the surprise
celebrity visitor at the consulate
said she wanted to “clear my
name”.
That was the main reason,
former actress Mei Lo said she
had tapped back channels and
sought an audience with officials
led by Consul General Al Vicente
and labor attaché Romy Salud.
“She was emotional, teary
eyed at times,” said Vicente,
recounting the one-hour meeting
with the wife of Hong Kong singer
Jacky Cheung. “They came
purposely, she said, to clear her
name because she feels Filipinos
are exhibiting some kind of
antagonism toward her.
“She said, ‘I could feel it and
I want you to know that I love
Filipinos and I don’t want it to be
that way’.”
The case the couple had filed
against their former maid Preslyn
Catacutan sparked outrage in the
Filipino community, more so after
the Filipino helper was meted
a six-month prison sentence by
a Hong Kong court and later
deported.
Lo, however, told consulate
officials that the case had not
diminished her affection for
Filipinos, even for Preslyn.
“She said even those [maids]
who have gone out of my employ
come back to her and want to be
employed back,” Vicente said.
Although consulate officials
turned down her request that
her name be stricken from the
blacklist so she can be allowed
to hire helpers again, Lo took the
news nicely, Vicente said.
“Sabi n’ya naman, whether we
allow her [to hire Filipino helpers]
or not, she just wanted to clear
her name. She said, they always
liked Filipinos,” Vicente said.
Salud calls for changes to ‘lax regulations’
FROM PAGE 1
ANGBANSA
ano ang mga iyon, maybe the government can set those grounds.”
Salud said the lenient rules on transfers by foreign helpers have also been
a source of friction, and led to common complaints from employers who
claim being virtually held hostage by
their maids.
Some maids, they claim, deliberately court dismissal once they have
had more than two contracts – or five
years – with one employer, in the hope
of getting a long service pay before
moving on to another household.
“Kaya nga may sina-cite na cases
ang mga employers na nagtatamadtamaran ang ibang maids para i-terminate ng kanilang amo and then
hahanap ng ibang trabaho, kasi nga
you can easily transfer to another employer,” Salud said.
“Madalas ang mga iba bago pa magresign mayroon ng kausap dahil silasila mismo nagsusulutan. So it really
encourages things like these.”
But such practices can be discouraged if transfers are regulated by the
government, Salud said.
“From my experience with the labor
office in Taiwan, transfers are regulated and supervised by the government.
Available workers are placed in a pool
from which employers can choose
who they want to hire,” he said
“Dito puwede kang maghanap ng
sarili mong employer. Dito KKB.
Kanya-kanyang banat. Pero kung
regulated yan, may risk na hindi sila
makuha uli so these things won’t happen.”
As much as he tries to understand
the frustrations of some employers,
Salud said laws concerning foreign
maids must not put the two sides on
equal footing, insisting that the laws
must always provide extra protection
to foreign helpers.
“Ang sinasabi kasi ng Hong Kong
government, the law applies to everyone. But my feeling is, even if it ap-
plies to everyone you can’t put worker and employee in the same standing.
There must be some kind of leveling.
“Una, foreigner kami. Nasa bansa
ka na nila, nasa household ka pa n’ya,
nag-iisa ka pa. So you must give the
helpers some sort of protection,’’ he
said.
The Philippine labor office has
blacklisted over 100 employers since
starting its drive. “I hope it serves as a
deterrent against abuse and whimsical
terminations. We’re only providing
protection for a worker who, we feel,
is in a very disadvantageous position
kapag nasa household na s’ya ng employer. I feel strongly about this dahil
I know how it feels.
“But we are also discerning. We
don’t take the helpers’ statements
hook, line and sinker. But at the same
time I can’t take the risk of putting
our workers in a situation that I know
would only cause another problem for
our workers,” he said.
Macauyag, before Regional Trial
Court – Midsayap Branch Judge
George Jabido to acquit former
Banisilan Mayor Floro Allado
and two others aides, in the
killing of four Muslim civilians in
the municipality last year.
On November 2, 2006,
Allado and his group allegedly
opened fire at a group of 14
Muslim civilians who hitchhiked
aboard a cargo truck loaded
with agricultural products from
Barangay Pantar going to the
town proper.
Catanduanes
The local government has
joined the race to develop
non-renewable energy
resources in Catanduanes by
signing a deal covering the
proposed development of a
wind farm in Barangay Agojo.
A memorandum of
agreement was signed
between Mayor Leo Z
Mendoza and LinkpointEurope, a Spanish wind
power company with an office
in China, and Philippine
Carbon (PhilCarbon), which
will undertake the feasibility
study for the multi-million peso
project.
Mendoza said that under
the agreement, the three
parties signified their intent
to develop the area, finance,
design, construct and operate
a wind farm facility to help
boost energy efficiency in the
province.
filipino globe
September 2007
3
4
news
filipino globe
September 2007
We hold the key to easing pain from strong peso
Overseas Filipino workers can
help ease the pain of their reduced
remittances due to the strong peso by
changing their spending habits.
This emerged during a roundtable
discussion on the peso-dollar
exchange rate organised by
Filcomsin and hosted by Filipino
Globe.
Setting priorities in the allocation
of their money would lead to its
more efficient use by OFW families,
participants said.
The forum, held to get a fuller
understanding of the exchange
fluctuations that have severely
affected OFWs, was attended by
representatives from Filipino banks
and other financial institutions, and
leaders of the migrant community.
Among the points presented were:
• The peso appreciation defies the
classic supply and demand doctrine
whereby a steady increase in the
supply of dollars is supposed to
stabilise the value of the peso.
• The peso appreciation presents a
double-whammy situation to migrant
workers as their dollar remittances
have helped strengthen the peso
and reduced the proceeds from their
remittances
• The negative consequences of
peso appreciation is multi-faceted
and is partly a consequence of a
globalised economic and financial
system which requires a multifaceted and multi-level intervention.
Banking representatives said
long-term measures are being put
in place to support government
programs which will eventually
reduce overdependence on overseas
employment by the economy.
The discussion also looked
at a proposal initiated by OFW
organisations in Saudi Arabia for
an exchange rate stabilisation fund.
Filcomsin concluded that there is
not enough information from the
proponents to either support or reject
the proposal.
OFWs want in on park plan
Groups fear being driven from open public areas in Central under proposal
Filipino migrant groups have called
for public consultations in light of a
proposal in the Central district council to convert underutilised car parks
in the vicinity into recreational areas
for domestic helpers.
The organizations are seeking a
a forum to air their thoughts on the
proposal put forward by Central and
West District councillors before it
is deliberated and acted upon by the
government.
Foremost among their concerns was
that the move could serve to lay the
groundwork for a future campaign
to drive domestic helpers out of their
usual gathering spots in Central, like
Chater Garden, Statue Square and
the atrium on the ground floor of the
HSBC headquarters building.
“Napaka-general ng idea at this
point, so sana magkaroon muna ng
konsultasyon tungkol sa proposal na
ito at sana i-involve tayo dahil tayo
naman ang maapektuhan n’yan,” said
Dolores Balladares, chairperson of
the United Filipinos in Hong Kong
(Unifil).
However, Unifil spokesman Eman
Villanueva said migrant groups
should immediately be on guard
against moves to use the leisure parks
as an excuse to move the maids out of
publicly visible areas in the district,
all because some people might consider them “eyesores”.
Among the facilities being eyed by
the district council for the plan are
the five-storey car park next to the
old Star Ferry pier, one at City Hall,
the two at Murray Road and Ramsey
Street and another in Kennedy Town.
All average less than 20 per cent
occupancy, and as low as 6 per cent,
officials said.
Councillor Stephen Chan Chitkwai, among those pushing the proposal, said it is “highly undesirable”
for domestic helpers to be exposed to
the elements and be deprived of privacy while spending their days off on
road pavements and footbridges.
Edna Aquino of the Filipino Community Services and Information Network (Filcomsin) said the proposal is
worth looking into since the current
situation faced by domestic helpers is
far from ideal.
“I wouldn’t immediately reject the
idea,” Aquino said.
“In fact, since the initiative came
from them, we might as well take advantage of this opportunity to press
the Hong Kong government for better facilities for our domestic helpers because the current situation isn’t
perfect.
ANGBANSA
Iloilo
Iloilo City Agriculture
Department head Jose Gil
Parreñas warned of more fish
kill at the Iloilo River should
there be more flooding due to
monsoon rains.
Parreñas said he had been
informed of another fish kill
along the stretch of Iloilo River
in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo
several weeks after a similar
incident happened right in the
same area.
Initially, Parreñas believed
that the fish kill can be
attributed to lack of oxygen,
possibly because the flood
waters carried with it varied
components causing aquatic
stratification.
Parreñas said Barangay Sooc
was flooded the night before
the fish kill was discovered.
The floodwaters were
subsequently drained towards
Iloilo River.
Bacolod
Bacolod City is on course
to start operations of a
slaughterhouse in March next
year.
The contractor, AVM Bernardo
Engineering will start with the
installation of refrigeration
facilities, slaughtering
equipment, perimeter fence
and a deep well pump after it
suffered some delays.
The city government awarded
The plan may ease overcrowding (below) and
return open areas such as this to the public
during Sundays and holidays.
BY THE NUMBERS
20
Average percentage occupancy of
underutilised car parks in Central
“As it is, we are concerned with
the welfare of our domestic helpers
because they are exposed to extreme
heat and extreme cold, pollution and
vehicular traffic in their usual meeting places.”
But for the plan to work, Aquino
said Filipino groups should be consulted about the plan and involved in
the running of the facilities.
The proposed recreational facilities, she said, should also meet certain standards and address health and
safety concerns. These should also
be improved to provide more toilets
as well as facilities where maids can
hold their activities, Aquino added.
Villanueva noted that at this time,
these car parks offer nothing more
than open spaces.
Their concerns were confirmed by
Simon Cheung, chief transport officer of the Transport Department,
who said the Central car parks were
not designed to handle big crowds
and therefore lack facilities like toilets and fire escape to serve as recreational places.
“That’s why we should be involved
in the planning and the running of the
places,” said Aquino, urging consulate officials to make sure the maids’
voices are heard on this issue. “Otherwise, it won’t work.”
the contract to the AVM
Bernardo Engineering in March.
A notice to proceed followed
thereafter but there was no
specific date as to when exactly
the contractor should start with
the installation.
The slaughterhouse would
have begun operation this
month but it suffered setbacks
when the contractor deferred
its work because of a feng shui
belief that the period August
to September 11 is bad for
business.
Tacloban
The high incidence of child
labor in rural areas has
prompted the Department of
Labor to implement a program
to rescue children from the
worst forms of child labor.
The program also aims to
help their families transform
them into empowered
individuals with a sense of
self-worth.
One of the actions of DOLE
that enforces policies against
child labor is the Sagip Batang
Mangagawa Quick Action
Team.
The team is an inter-agency
task force that responds in
the surveillance, monitoring,
rescue and evaluation of
victims of child labor.
DOLE is the lead agency
in the initiative and works in
coordination with the National
Program Against Child Labor.
filipino globe
September 2007
5
6
news
filipino globe
September 2007
Mandatory SSS membership
seen making smooth sailing
Hong Kong office chief expects bonanza of increased benefits under proposal
President Arroyo’s push to make Social Security System membership
mandatory for overseas workers will
enable the agency to extend its benefits program to a lot more Filipinos
around the globe.
“This will be a big, big help for
OFWs,” said Bobby Roldan, head of
the SSS office in Hong Kong.
Arroyo announced the plan during
the agency’s 50th anniversary celebration last week.
“The SSS has the best retirement
program for Filipinos. Wala kang
talo rito. So making it mandatory to
OFWs will enable a lot more of our
kababayans overseas to avail of our
many benefits.”
The Hong Kong office already has
the largest SSS membership outside
the Philippines with over 95,000 voluntary members – a figure Roldan
said is a testament to OFWs’ faith in
the pension fund.
Arroyo’s order will need a congressional act before it can be implemented since it requires amendments to the
Social Security Act, although Roldan
is hopeful the drive will be expedited
by the President’s allies in Congress.
Once approved, the plan will mostly affect land-based overseas workers
since Filipino seafarers are already
given mandatory SSS membership
on the initiative of manning agencies,
Roldan said.
He said any amendments to the
Social Security Act should require
OFWs to secure SSS membership prior to departure, in order to streamline
the process. “That would make it easier to implement,” he said. “Besides,
once an SSS member will always be
an SSS member. So kahit nakailang
hulog ka you will still be entitled to
our programs.”
Arroyo also directed the agency to
extend its housing loan condonation
[forgiveness] program by another
six months. The program has already
benefited over 6,000 SSS members
Automatic SSS membership may be made part of the pre-departure process for overseas Filipino workers.
BY THE NUMBERS
95,000
Voluntary SSS members in Hong Kong, the
largest number outside the Philippines
back home during its initial run.
Roldan said no Hong Kong-based
SSS member has availed of the
scheme, although his office has grant-
ed a reprieve on penalties to over 60
members with outstanding salary
loans under a condonation program
that ended in June.
The SSS has made a big rebound after facing financial collapse six years
ago. Its assets now stand at P248 billion and its investment income in the
past six months has reached P15.58
billion.
SSS pensions have been increased
twice in the past 12 months – by 10
per cent a year ago and by another 10
per cent last month.
The agency already operates a P1
billion special window for micro,
small and medium-scale enterprises,
which are the biggest job generators
in the country today, Arroyo said.
In a bid to reach out to a lot more
Hong Kong-based Filipinos, the SSS
will take part in a post-arrival orientation seminar to be hosted by the Galing ng Pilipinong Manggagawa sa
Abroad, an umbrella organization of
40 migrant groups, on September 23,
at the Bayanihan Centre in Kennedy
Town.
Here’s your chance to finally get that diploma
Is the lack of a high school diploma
holding you back from pursuing
bigger dreams?
Well, here’s your chance.
The Philippine Educational
Placement Test, an equivalency
examination that gives applicants
an opportunity to earn a high school
diploma, will be made available to
Hong Kong-based Filipinos on the
final Sunday of November at the
Bayanihan Centre.
Filipinos who failed to finish
high school back home can become
eligible for college if they pass
the four-tiered exam, according to
vice consul Alnee Arugay who is
supervising preparations for the
Hong Kong exam to be administered
by the Department of Education.
The program, Arugay said,
could serve as a ticket to bigger
Filipina
succumbs to
cancer day
before her
flight home
opportunities for overseas workers,
particularly domestic helpers who
need at least 72 college units to
qualify for Canada’s caregiver
program.
“I guess that’s one reason why a
lot of people are interested in the
program,” said Arugay, who to date
has received over 80 applications,
mostly from domestic helpers.
The mechanics of the program are
simple, as Arugay explained.
“Let’s say you [only] finished
elementary, that means you missed
out on the entire high school
[education]. Ang gagawin mo, you
have to take the equivalent of four
final exams for each particular year
level,” she said.
“You also have the option to take
all four exams at the same time dahil
nandoon ‘yon sa isang exam booklet.
So let’s say you took all four exams
but only passed the first-year exam,
that means you are eligible to take
the next exam for the second year
onward sa susunod na PEPT exam.”
Applicants who pass all four
examinations will be awarded the
equivalent of a high school diploma.
Arugay concedes that applicants
who have been away from school
for so long have a hard time with the
exam, the reason only six of over 180
aspirants managed to progress to the
next level the first time the PEPT was
held in Hong Kong in 1995.
To address that problem,
Arugay has asked organizations
like the National Organisation of
Professional Teachers in Hong Kong
and the University of the Philippines
Alumni Association to conduct
review classes in the weeks leading
up to examination day.
“Ang stumbling block kasi sa mga
kababayan natin na nagte-take nito,
ang tagal nilang nawala sa school,”
Arugay, head of the consulate’s
cultural affairs section, said. “So they
need those review classes, parang
refresher course na rin.
“Pero hindi natin alam dahil, as
in most examinations, may element
of luck rin ‘yan. Baka tsambahin ka
and you may just pass all four, so it’s
really worth a shot,” she added.
For particulars and application
forms, interested parties may get in
touch with the consulate’s cultural
affairs section at tel no 28238533.
Time ran out on a Filipino domestic
helper’s dying wish to be reunited
one last time with her family back
home.
Adelina Deonido, 51, succumbed
to breast cancer and liver and lung
metastasis at the Prince of Wales
Hospital on September 3, a day
before she was to return home to
spend the final days of her life with
her husband and three children in
Atimonan, Quezon.
Her death came as a shock to vice
consul Val Roque (below), who had
helped the overstaying maid gain
clemency from the Immigration
Department and had made all the
arrangements for her trip home.
“It was depressing, to say the
least,” said Roque, head of the
consulate’s Assistance to Nationals
section.
“In a way, all our efforts iyong pagwaive ng prosecution, at iyong pagarrange ng pagbalik n’ya sa Pilipinas
were for naught.”
Deonido had overstayed in Hong
Kong for over five years and was
already diagnosed with breast
cancer by the time she sought the
consulate’s help for her surrender
to immigration
authorities in
mid-August.
Her appeal
for leniency
was expedited
by Hong Kong
authorities and
approved on
August 30 but her condition soon
made a turn for the worse, the cancer
spreading to her liver and lungs.
“Normally, if you overstayed for
five years in Hong Kong, you will
be prosecuted and made to serve jail
time. But we were able to secure a
waiver on her prosecution,” Roque
said.
As the maid fought a losing battle
with cancer, Roque and his staff held
out hope that the longed-for reunion
would still happen.
“We continued to prepare for her
return to the Philippines dahil sabi
ng doctor, she was still fit enough
to travel. May ticket na nga s’ya for
a 6 pm flight noong September 4,”
Roque said.
“Ang requirement lang ng hospital
was that she be accompanied by
someone and that an oxygen supply
be made available to her during the
flight. We took care of those things.
“While waiting for her flight,
‘yung oxygen n’ya sa waiting lounge
na-arrange na rin namin. Even on
the evening of September 3, ginabi
pa ang staff ko trying to arrange
everything.”
At 8:49 pm of September, the sad
news came.
“Nalungkot kami lahat,” said
Roque. “It came as a shock even to
her daughter, because there were
expectations that she would be
coming back.”
The consulate is arranging for the
body’s repatriation.
news
filipino globe
September 2007
ANGBANSA
Surigao
Surigao City police seized
an undetermined amount of
suspected fake Department
of Education payroll checks,
GSIS e-cards and checks after
a businessman complained
of being victimised by the
proliferation of suspected
counterfeit checks in the city.
Police arrested a certain Luz
Hidalgo Espiritu, 43, married
and who claimed she is a
resident of Baguio City.
Confiscated from Espiritu
were several counterfeit DepEd
payroll checks in varying
amount allegedly from DepEd
Caraga Region. The checks
were supposedly issued by
Land Bank of the Philippines.
Also seized were GSIS salary
loan checks “issued” by the
Philippine National Bank, fake
identification, GSIS e-cards
and cash amounting to several
thousand pesos.
Negros Oriental
The Municipality of Sibulan is
the only local government unit
in Negros Oriental and Region
7 that has built an Alternative
Learning Systems Center.
ALS is one of the programs
of the Department of Education
that aims to develop the skills
and literacy of out-of-school
youth and adults.
Dr Elsie Orlina, Negros
Oriental division supervisor for
ALS, thanked mayor Antonio
Renacia for his support to the
program.
She said that during the
provincial visit of the regional
ALS officials to Negros Oriental,
they were surprised at the
initiative of the local government
unit in helping DepEd implement
the program.
Mayor Renacia said he
believes in the program because
it gives hope to the out-of-school
youths.
Baguio
Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr
wants “jueteng”, an illegal
numbers game, to be stopped
in this mountain resort as he
ordered the Baguio City Police
Office to go after all suspected
gambling operators.
“I do not want reports on
how many raids were made,
how many were arrested, what
paraphernalia was seized
or the amount of bet money
confiscated. I want gambling
stopped in the city,” he said.
Records show that Bautista
in his campaign sorties
pledged that gambling will not
be allowed during his term of
office.
Since he assumed office
certain quarters have tried
to revive the Baguio casino
purportedly for tourism. They
failed to convince the mayor.
The casino went down with
the ruins of the former Baguio
Hyatt Hotel on July 16, 1990.
For advertising inquiries
Bob Waterfield (Hong Kong) 9470 2764
Ricky Sumallo (Philippines) 0917 539 0486
TJ Badon-Doble (Philippines) 0928 502 0379
Josephine Miranda (Philippines) 0920 951 6917
filipino globe
the OFW newspaper
1905 Lippo Centre Tower 2
Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
(852) 2918 8248, email: info@filglobe.com
Visit our website
for more information
about our
advertising and
marketing solutions
www.filglobe.com
7
8
filipino globe
news
September 2007
ANGBANSA
Palawan
The P12 billion in royalties
from the US$4.5 billion
Malampaya Deep Water Gasto-Water project, released to
Palawan, will fast track the
implementation backbone road
network, different port and
energy projects all over the
province.
This is according to vicegovernor David Ponce de Leon
during a public hearing on the
proposed regionalisation and
division of Palawan into three
provinces.
Taytay is located 215
kilometers north of Puerto
Princesa City.
“This P12 billion Malampaya
money will be used for the
concreting of Taytay-El Nido
and Puerto Princesa-Bataraza
roads, construction of roll onroll off projects and also solve
energy problem in the whole
province,” Ponce de Leon said.
Baguio
The city government has started
to inspect the documents and
permits of some 210 of foreign
schools in Baguio which started
to operate last year in time
for the arrival of many Korean
nationals who want to study
English.
Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr
said an inspection team from
his office has found some of
these foreign schools only have
permits to operate as boarding
houses.
He said the city government
will be aided by the officials
of the Commission on Higher
Education, Department of
Labor and Employment and
the Bureau of Immigration and
Deportation in its inspections of
the schools.
Bautista clarified that while
the city government welcomes
foreign investments, “their
operations in the city should be
legal.”
Cebu
We deliver
your message
Talk to us about your
advertising needs.
We have the solution.
filipino globe
(852) 2918 8248
email: info@filglobe.com
the OFW newspaper
The Cebu City Council has
declared September 2007
as Cebu Media Month in
recognition of the efforts of the
print and broadcast media in
promoting the Cebuanos’ right
to information.
The City Council passed
a resolution by Councilor
Edgar Labella expressing their
support for the various media
activities scheduled this month.
Radio and television
reporters consider September
as broadcasters’ month while
members of the tri-media will
celebrate their annual Cebu
Press Freedom Week from
September 16 to 22.
“Cebu’s media is at par with
the country’s best in promoting
the people’s right to information
and the twin constitutional
tenets of transparency and
accountability in public
services,” said Labella’s
approved resolution.
news
filipino globe
Estrada pardon
possible, but
he must ask
for it: Palace
September 2007
Former president
Joseph Estrada is
unlikely to seek a
presidential pardon
as he prepares to
take his fight to the
Supreme Court.
Chief legal adviser lays conditions for
amnesty but ex-leader is unlikely to bite
Former president Joseph Estrada
could obtain a presidential pardon
– but only if he asks for it.
Chief presidential legal adviser Sergio Apostol ruled out any unilateral
pardon from Macanang.
“The proper procedure is for Estrada to ask the government that he be
pardoned,” Apostol said.
Both Estrada and the government
should be given enough time to settle
down to consider their next steps.
“Remember that it is only the second day since Estrada was convicted
by the Sandiganbayan for plunder,”
Apostol said.
Estrada is unlikely to seek a presidential pardon, least of all by the process proposed by Apostol, after the
ousted leader repeatedly vowed to go
to prison rather than do a deal with his
jailers.
Estrada was found guilty of plunder
by the Sandiganbayan and sentenced
to life imprisonment.
The anti-graft court ordered a freeze
on his bank accounts estimated at
US$ 87 million. This will be forfeited
in favor of the government.
He was acquitted of the perjury.
Estrada was allowed to stay at his
resthouse in Tanay, Rizal under house
arrest “until further orders”.
Two of Estrada’s co-accused in the
plunder charge, his son Senator Jose
“Jinggoy” Estrada and lawyer Eduardo Serapio, were acquitted.
Apostol said the government is
open to reconciliation with anyone or
any group.
“We are offering amnesty to the
Reds, why should we not open it to
Estrada,” he said.
“This is a very compassionate government, and I do not see any reason
why unity could not be reached in the
near future,” he said.
Other than a statement by Press
Secretary Ignacio Bunye calling for
calm and sobriety, Malacanang has
largely kept its silence since the verdict, which capped a six-year trial.
Estrada’s lawyer are planning an
appeal to the Supreme Court.
9
Pangilinan
wants graft
justices out
of SC race
Senate Majority Leader Francis
Pangilinan said the three
Sandiganbayan justices who
convicted former President Joseph
Estrada should reject any nomination
to the Supreme Court out of
“delicadeza”.
He said this is necessary as
Estrada’s lawyers are preparing an
appeal to the High Tribunal.
Pangilinan made the remarks
after reports that two of the three
magistrates – Justice Francisco
Villaruz and Justice Teresita
Leonardo de Castro – had been
nominated to the Supreme Court in
the past.
De Castro had been shortlisted
three times while Villaruz had been
nominated once.
“If I were to be asked, it would
be good for the credibility and the
public perception for the Supreme
Court if these two justices, if ever
they would be nominated again to
just decline it at this point so that the
perception, or the air of suspicion is
set aside,” Pangilinan said.
Estrada lawyer Rene Saguisag,
said there will be be vacant slots in
the Supreme Court, with five justices
retiring next year. “I couldn’t agree
more with Senator Francis here in
fact I would not even wait for the
nomination,” he said.
10
news
filipino globe
September 2007
Student literacy on the mend
Public school pupils are making good progress, national test results show
More public school elementary students showed significant improvement in their reading and comprehension abilities following the reading
comprehension test for English and
Filipino, the Department of Education said.
“We are pleased with the test results
which was intended to assess the silent reading ability of elementary
school learners as well as determine
the reading performance of schools
over time,” DepEd Secretary Jesli A
Lapus (right) said.
The test showed that more Filipino
grade three students have shown significant improvement in their reading
and comprehension abilities, posting
an aggregate 22.4 per cent increase in
BY THE NUMBERS
1.8m
Public school pupils who took part in
National Achievement Test in March
their mean percentage score in both
Filipino and English.
Over 1.8 million pupils from public schools throughout the country
took part in the March 2007 National
Achievement Test.
Lapus said findings from this year’s
test showed an impressive increase in
both the English and Filipino compo-
nents of the examination.
In the English part, a
19.6 per cent increase
brought 2006’s mean
percentage score of
49.98 to 59.56 in 2007.
Meanwhile, in Filipino reading
comprehensive test, an even bigger
increase of 25.75 per cent was recorded, from an MPS of 49.21 per cent in
2006 to 60.23 per cent in 2007.
With the rise in both sections, the
combined 2007 MPS at 60.23 was
22.40 per cent higher than 49.21 percent recorded in 2006.
Equally significant was the rise in
the number of schools and students
who reached the mastery, closely ap-
proximating mastery and moving towards mastery levels.
Relative to this, there was a marked
decrease in those classified under the
low mastery, very low mastery and
absolutely no mastery levels.
“The inversely proportional rise and
fall of the percentage of schools and
students achieving higher and lower
levels of mastery confirmed that there
is improvement in the ability of our
learners to comprehend what they
read,” Lapus said.
The test also revealed the improved
performance of pupils from urban
schools in this year’s test as compared
with their rural counterparts. Students
from metropolitan areas attained
higher percentage increases.
OFWs to
benefit from
SSS loan
amnesty
Baguio
The three-day “Negosyo Para
sa Lahat” trade fair by local
manufacturers of exportable
items is on at Baguio
Convention Center.
“Negosyo Para sa Lahat”
serves as the exporters early
offer for the local residents
shopping for Christmas gifts.
Information officer Gabby
Keith said most of the
producers who are displaying
their best goods for sale at the
fair, are small and medium food
processors who make candies,
wines, jams and pickles using
native fruits and vegetables.
These products are produced
locally by thousands of tons.
The raw materials include
strawberries, santol, pineapple,
sayote, cucumber, bell pepper
and oranges.
Also on sale are local
handicrafts and other souvenir
items.
Kalinga
The Department of Science and
Technology said candymaking
using indigenous fruits and
vegetables has become one
of the most profitable means
of livelihood for women in the
province.
Gilda Baliang of the DOST
said the candymakers are using
papaya, pineapple, santol,
carrots and sayote as their main
raw ingredients.
DOST held a series of job
Edgar Serrano in Manila
Overseas Filipino Workers who
availed of loans under the direct
housing loan program of the Social
Security System stand to benefit from
the extension of the condonation
program ordered by President Gloria
Arroyo.
Hilda Taňada, senior program
specialist of SSS, said an OFW
borrower can apply for the
condonation of the penalties
from non-payment of monthly
amortizations, restructuring of
housing loan or apply for the dacion
empago program.
However, she said OFWs whose
loans were guaranteed by the Home
Mortgage Corp may only avail of the
condonation of penalties on housing
loan.
Taňada said overseas workers who
stopped paying their contributions
when they became self-employed
as an OFW may reactivate their
SSS membership by just paying the
monthly dues.
Under the condonation
(forgiveness) of penalties program,
borrowers are required to pay a
minimum of P5,000 on his housing
loan. The same amount will be
deducted from the penalties for nonpayment of his amortizations.
To illustrate, Taňada said that for
an outstanding loan obligation of
P100,000 in principal, P200,000 in
interests and P200,000 penalties,
this can be reduced to only P100,000
if the borrower makes a lump sum
payment of P200,000.
The borrower can then apply for
the restructuring of the remaining
balance of his housing loan and
benefit from a reduced interest rate of
9 per cent instead of the original 1416 per cent, and extend his payment
period for another ten years.
For those whose housing loan
terms have expired, Taňada said
that instead of foreclosing on the
property, a delinquent borrower may
opt to voluntarily surrender the house
and lot under the dacion empago
program of the SSS.
Under this program, a delinquent
ANGBANSA
The new amnesty program also comes with a raft of choices for borrowers who are unable to pay.
housing loan borrower is required to
voluntarily surrender the property. If
he still chooses to occupy the house
and lot, he will not be evicted as
long as he executes a lease or rental
contract with the SSS and pay a
monthly rental rate prevailing in the
vicinity.
The condonation of penalties
and restructuring of housing loans
has benefited more than 6,000 SSS
members out of the 32,000 housing
accounts, 95 per cent of which are
already delinquent, Taňada said.
The first condonation program
ended on June 15, while the extended
program will be available until early
part of 2008.
Six years ago, the SSS faced
financial collapse with its funds
forecast to last only until 2015.
President Arroyo said its assets
now stand at P248 billion and its
investment income in the past six
months has reached P15.58 billion.
SSS pensions have been increased
twice in the past 12 months –10
per cent in September last year and
another 10 per cent last month.
The SSS already operates a P1
billion special window for micro,
small and medium enterprises, which
are the biggest job generators in the
country, Arroyo said. In the past
years.
Arroyo also said that the agency
has facilitated the speedy grant of
housing loans to calamity victims
and other loans for sickness and
personal emergencies, fast-track
processing of loans and release of
retirement and disability pensions.
Deliquency program nets P268m
The Social Security System
has collected P268 million in
back payments from delinquent
housing loans during its sixmonth amnesty program which
started last December, a top
official said Friday.
Edgar Solilapsi, SSS senior
vice-president for investments,
said 6,434 members were given
amnesty and the number is
expected to rise because of plans
to extend the program.
“President Arroyo has asked
SSS to extend the amnesty, and
we are preparing to implement
it,” Solilapsi said.
SSS has been one of the
major sources of funds for
housing loans for private-sector
employees. The institution has
about 22,000 delinquent housing
loans.
Officials expect at least 30 per
cent of these will update their
accounts under the extended
amnesty period. “About 350
members have written the SSS
requesting for an extension of the
amnesty period,” Solilapsi said.
trainings for the women’s group,
Kalipi Tabuk chapter, in the past
two years. The group has some
100 members.
Most of these women acquired
the skill and became excellent in
candymaking.
With the initial success,
Baliang said the Department
of Trade and Industry is in
the process of helping these
women obtain more funds for
the intended expansion of their
candymaking business.
Benguet
Catholic church leaders and
officials of the Philippine
National Police signed a
covenant by which they will
assist each other in preserving
peace and order in this capital
town.
In recent years, the town has
become urbanised due to the
spillover of development from
the adjacent Baguio City.
Police Inspector Reynaldo
Pawid of the La Trinidad Police
Office said “we were in deep
prayers for the nation’s peace
and sustained progress.”
He said the covenant is in
compliance with a presidential
proclamation calling for
nationwide prayers for peace.
It was after the prayers at
the La Trinidad parish church
that we signed the covenant.
We in the PNP are happy for
this because we need the
community support in our work
to instill peace,” he said.
filipino globe
At the end of
the day, you
want them to
remember
what you
had to say
Talk to us for effective
advertising and we
will help you get your
message across
To advertise, please call our account
executives for bookings.
Bob Waterfield (9470 2764) in Hong Kong
Ricky Sumallo (0917 539 0486) in Manila
Bernie Domantay (0920 928 8401) in Manila
Josephine Miranda (0920 951 6917) in Manila
TJ Badon-Doble (0928 502 0379) in Manila
the OFW newspaper
filipino globe
closer together ... closer to home
September 2007 11
12
news
filipino globe
September 2007
A treasure in cheap medicine
Neighborhood pharmacy takes off with vastly discounted drugs for masses
Felicidad dela Cruz or “Aling Fely,”
59, suffering from hypertension these
past years, is deeply grateful that she
chanced upon the “Botika sa Barangay” in the nick of time about a year
ago.
The serendipitous discovery is by
the entrance of Gate I of the Department of Health fronting Rizal Avenue
in Sta Cruz, Manila.
From the BnB outlet, which is a few
meters away from her small, rented
apartment on Felix Huertas St, Aling
Fely regularly buys her daily dose of
anti-hypertensive medicine, 50-mg
Metropolol, and multivitamins.
She gets 44 per cent discount on the
anti-hypertensives and 65 per cent on
her multivitamins.
The same outlet is the source of
other medicines for other members of
her family.
Aling Fely appreciates that the lowpriced medicines are readily available
and affordable even for a senior citizen like herself, who would not have
afforded them until BnB came to be.
Benjamin Santos, 72, an asthmatic
and diabetic, is also a regular customer of the BnB DOH outlet, where he
buys his anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive and anti-asthma medicines.
Mang Ben gets from between 47
per cent and 81 pe cent discounts on
the medicines which he must take religiously to prevent attacks.
Aling Fely and Mang Ben are
among the estimated 20.3 million
currently availing of the low-priced
medicines and household remedies
sold at some 10,000 functional BnB
outlets all over the country.
BnBs are special pharmacies selling over-the-counter drugs, common
prescription medicines and home
remedies priced as low as between 60
and 70 per cent compared to those of
major drugstores.
Non-profit, the BnB outlets are being managed by people’s organizations and non-governmental groups.
BnB is one of DOH’s major undertakings of making available
high-quality common medicines to a
wider swath of the country’s poorest
at affordable prices, said Dr Dennis
Quiambao, a DOH officer.
Quiambao is the project management operating officer and coordinator of the DOH’s National Drug
Policy-Pharmaceutical Management
Unit-50.
Through these BnBs, Quiambao
said that 30 to 50 essential drugs are
made readily available.
September 2007 13
ANGBANSA
Hong Kong Jumbo Tours
The Iloilo City government
and the Land Bank of the
Philippines have sealed a P350
million loan agreement for the
construction of a new city hall
building.
Mayor Jerry P Treñas and
Gilda Pico, president and chief
executive of LBP signed the
agreement.
The eight-storey building
is estimated to cost P380
million. The city will put up a
counterpart amount of P30
million.
The building is expected to be
completed in 18 months.
Jeffrey Maningo, head of
the LBP Iloilo Lending Center,
said the bank has responded
positively to the desire of the
city government to put up its
own government center.
The bank pegged the loan
repayment at 25 years but did
not disclose the annual interest
rate.
Baguio
City councilor Richard Carino
has introduced a resolution
at the city council which calls
for periodic inspection of
internet cafés in the city which
allegedly give minors access to
pornographic materials.
”The minors should not
be allowed to surf sites of
pornographic files through the
internet. We should guide them
to use technology properly,”
There are more than 1,300 outlets like this selling medicines at hugely discounted prices. They’re called Botika ng Bayan.
BY THE NUMBERS
2.3m
People enjoying the benefits of cheap
medicine under the DOH program
To reach even more beneficiaries,
Quiambao said DOH targets that by
year 2010, 23,090 more BnBs are set
up, or an estimated one BnB outlet for
every two adjacent barangays.
This meant establishing 3,913 BnB
outlets per year beginning 2007 in
areas to be determined by health offices of the Center for Health Devel-
opment.
Another DOH program of supplying the market with low-cost essential
drugs is the parallel drug importation,
done through the Philippne International Trading Corp.
The parallel import program imports low-cost drugs for sale in legitimate outlets normally associated with
exorbitantly-priced counterparts.
Pricing will be so competitive, it
will force down the prices of the expensive competititors, he said.
Health officials have observed that
prices of some drugs have slowly fallen from 14 per cent to as much as 82
per cent since the PDI’s implementation. Some 15 essential drugs are sold
through the 72 DOH hospitals in the
PDI program.
A joint undertaking of the DOH and
the PITC was launched in December
2004, known as the “Botika ng Bayan”. There are now 1,390 such outlets.
It set up a nationwide network of privately owned and operated accredited
pharmacies selling low-priced PDI
or generic drugs in competition with
commercially priced medicines in the
market.
Quiambao said that present policy,
guidelines and procedures are being
formulated and reviewed, in which
imported low-priced drugs and medicines shall be sold in pilot hospitals of
local government units.
Call to widen PhilHealth reach
An official of the Philippines’
biggest group of job placement
agencies has urged the Philippine
Health Insurance Corp to include
municipal and provincial centers
in the coverage of its expanded
outpatient program for overseas
workers.
Victor Fernandez Jr, president
of the Philippine Association
of Service Exporters, said the
PhilHealth package has limited
funding and coverage.
“You cannot expect to achieve
something significant with a
pittance of funding considering the
big number of overseas Filipino
workers and their dependents,”
said Fernandez.
Iloilo
filipino globe
Under a memorandum of
agreement PhilHealth signed with
the Department of Health recently,
vacationing OFWs and their
dependents would get enhanced
medical benefits under a “zero
co-pay system” or free medical
services with accredited hospitals
until December.
“The benefit package also
adopts a zero co-pay system,
meaning there will be no out-ofpocket expenses for members and
dependents availing themselves of
the services rendered by hospitals
under the Department of Health
,” said Dr Lorna Fajardo, acting
PhilHealth president and chief
executive.
A member receives her PhilHealth card from President Gloria Arroyo.
Voucher contract worker
tickets to Canada/USA
he said. “The youths should
be properly guided in order
that they grow up to be morally
upright.”
A crackdown was launched
in nearby La Trinidad, Benguet
where the problem has become
a social issue.
While saying internet cafes
help educate young people,
it should not also be used to
corrupt their minds.
Internet cafes are a viable
business in the city.
Cheapest airline tickets
to Canada
Canada PR plus AC
joint fare city (Toronto
Calgary, Edmonton,
Ottawa, Winnipeg
and Montreal)
Canada one-way ticket
on PR at $2,850 up
Dagupan
Some 2,000 indigent people
benefited from a medical and
dental mission called “Walang
Kupas” Roadshow sponsored
by the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office.
Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr
expressed his gratitude to the
PCSO for bringing the medical
and dental mission to Dagupan,
its first stopover in Ilocos region
after coming from Cagayan.
At least 35 medical personnel
of PCSO and the city health
office led by Dr Leonard
Carbonnel attended to the
patients who were also given
free medicines.
“This undertaking of the
PCSO provided an opportunity
to help our sick and needy
people in Dagupan who are
desperately in need of medical
assistance,” the mayor said.
A concert-promo was also
held at the Dagupan City Plaza
as part of the roadshow.
Call us now ...
2366 2818
Cebu Pacific promo
Booking available now
Licence No: 352022
Email: hkjumbo@pacific.net.hk
Bring this ad and get a free gift
Or visit us ...
Rm 504, 5/F
Metropole Building
57 Peking Road
Tsimshatsui
MTR station Exit C1, opposite
Fortress, above Spaghetti House
Monday-Friday: 9am to 6pm
Saturday: 9am to 3pm
Sunday: 11am to 4pm
© filipino globe ad design
14 September 2007
filipino globe
news
filipino globe
Santiago makes
pitch for Japan
deal as Senate
hearings begin
Agreement needs to be seen in global
context to be appreciated, she says
The Senate committee on foreign affairs has started public hearings on the
Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, with the country’s
economic managers, led by Trade and
Industry Secretary Peter Favila and
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves,
among the resource persons.
Committee chair Senator Miriam
Defensor-Santiago (right), said the
agreement should be discussed in the
Asian regional context.
“Free trade agreements or FTAs are
today’s response to the growing pressures from regionalism, globalization,
and technical progress,” she said.
Santiago said she expects to sponsor the treaty on the Senate floor by
the end of November. “I hope to get a
Senate vote on the treaty before yearend,” she added.
The hearing was conducted jointly
with the Senate committee on trade
chaired by Senator Mar Roxas.
Santiago said that the stakes in ratification of the agreement cannot be
fully grasped without understanding
its regional context, adding that Filipinos should not be under the illusion
that there are many alternative sources of foreign direct investments.
She said European firms prefer to
set up manufacturing plants in Eastern Europe, with China as an exemption only because China has a huge
domestic market.
While admitting that the Philippines
would lose some P13 billion in foregone revenues because of the elimination of tariffs based on the projections
by the Tariff Commission,
Santiago
said that this amount
would be offset by
estimates that Philippine exports to Japan
would grow between
15 to 20 per cent in
2007-2011.
“This was the experience of Singapore and Mexico, countries that have
signed economic partnership agreements with Japan,” Santiago said.
She added that committee hearings
will be held every Thursday until October 11.
The next hearing on September 20
will be on economics, followed by
movement of goods and services on
September 27, movement of natural
persons on October 4, and environmental effects on October 11. The
treaty needs a two-thirds vote, or at
least 16 senators, for it to be ratified.
Vilma Burgos with Ray Hollis after their strategic manpower alliance.
No-fee openings for Australia
MAB International Services and its
Australian partner employers have
agreed not to collect any fees from
Filipino workers to be deployed to
Australia .
This development came after
MABIS president and chief
Vilma Burgos met Barbara Anne
Merrigan of M&M Health Power
and Ray Hollis in Australia to
discuss a strategic alliance.
Hollis is a former Speaker of
the Queensland parliament.
Burgos is a businesswoman
married to Eduardo Burgos Jr,
former Information Attaché of the
Philippine Embassy in Australia .
“The good thing here is that the
selected Filipino workers will have
the privilege to bring their family to
Australia ,” Burgos said.
According to Burgos, among
the positions being filled by are
those for nurses, pharmacists,
IT professionals, accountants,
landscape architects, civil
engineers and mechanical
engineers among others.
filipino globe
the OFW newspaper
September 2007
15
16
news
filipino globe
Good doctor
knew the
value of the
smallest
things in life
September 2007
September 2007
ANGBANSA
Lasers shoot up from the site of
New York’s ill-fated Twin Towers
as the US marked the sixth
anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Davao
The Office of the Presidential
Adviser on the Peace Process
has expressed its solidarity
with Filipino Muslims as they
celebrate the Ramadan this
month.
Secretary Jesus Dureza said
the Ramadan is of paramount
importance to all Muslims
around the world.
Through fasting, prayer,
contemplation, and charity,
Muslims renew their
commitment to lead lives
of honesty, integrity, and
compassion during the
Ramadan.
“The rigors undertaken by
devout Muslims inspire respect
for Islam among people of
all faiths, bringing in hope
of greater understanding,
enriched by devotion to one’s
own faith and respect for the
faith of others,” Dureza, said in
a statement.
LIFE&TIMES
OBITUARY
Rosauro Castillo was silver-haired,
dignified and dapper. Strangers
thought he was a movie producer or
an ambassador.
His appearance didn’t betray his
past.
It didn’t tell of his upbringing in
the slums of Manila, Philippines. Or
how his family sold ice to scrape by.
Or how they hid in the mountains to
escape exploding bombs and gunfire
during World War II.
His appearance told of the man he
became.
Dr Castillo went to medical school
in the Philippines. When he was
about 30, he decided to come to
America.
“It was a tough life in the
Philippines as he was growing up
struggling to survive,” said his sister,
Tessie David. “There were no such
things as professional jobs.”
In Kentucky, he met his wife,
Betty, a nurse. They moved to St
Petersburg in the 1960s. He became
a radiologist at what is now Bayfront
Medical Center. Later, he was chief
of radiology at Palms of Pasadena
Hospital, his family said.
He chose radiology based on
practicality, his son said. He didn’t
think people would accept a Filipino
primary care doctor.
“As much as it made me mad, I
think he found a graceful way to deal
with it,” said Eric Castillo, 46. “He
just dealt with a difficult situation
and found a way to rise above.”
Later, Dr Castillo helped bring
his siblings to America to start new
lives. His cousin, Jovenil Danke,
came from Manila and worked as a
nurse. Dr Castillo took Danke under
his wing, making sure she was safe
and had enough money.
He took charge, even at his own
80th birthday party last year.
“They were playing a tango, and
he’s controlling me on the dance
floor - one step back, one step
forward, as if he was teaching me
how to dance,” Danke said. “It felt
good for him.”
American government fascinated
him, but he was hard to pin down
politically. “He’d watch Fox News,
but then he’d have these books about
Hillary Clinton,” said son Marcus
Castillo, 49.
His three children found time with
their father in the crevices of his
busy schedule. As a youngster, his
daughter Julie Castillo, 43, would sit
on a counter and watch her dad run
tests at the office.
Two months before Dr Castillo
died of an abdominal problem,
his oldest grandson entered West
Point. D. Castillo reached into his
wallet and handed 20-year-old
Justin Castillo a Spanish coin. The
symbolic gesture brought the family
full circle.
Even a small coin held value for Dr
Castillo.
news
filipino globe
Cebu
Pinoy researcher unlocks
chilling numbers on 9/11
Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to
set up a Bus rapid transit system
in the Banilad-Talamban corridor
by December to reduce traffic in
the area.
Osmeña said if they can
put everything in place by
December, including the buses,
the city government may start
operating it by the end of the
year.
He said the Banilad-Talamban
stretch will be the pilot travel
line, where 20 air-conditioned
Although they’re neither new nor original, these ideas continue to boggle the mind
Some chilling facts about an
American tragedy are hard to ignore.
But is it mere coincidence, or is there
something ominous about 9/11?
Many have come up with some
disturbing extrapolations and even
Biblical explanations. Although none
of these are new, a Washingtonbased Filipino researcher is trying to
understand their complexities.
Perry Diaz gives these snippets:
Seven is a lucky number to many,
and 13 is said to be ominous, but of
all the numbers game, 11 is perhaps
the most chilling based on some
“coincidence” both in facts and
figures in relation to 9/11 attack six
on September 11, 2001.
There’s a secret behind the number
11.
New York City which was the first
BY THE NUMBERS
11
The number most associated with
extrapolations on the Twin Towers attacks
to be attacked by terrorists has 11
letters.
Afghanistan, the country where the
al-Qaeda terror group is based, has
11 letters.
Ramsin Yuseb, the terrorist who
tried to blow up the Twin Towers in
1993, has 11 letters in his name.
George W. Bush has 11 letters.
New York is the 11th state of the
United States.
The first plane crashing against the
Twin Towers was flight number 11.
Flight 11 was carrying 92
passengers. 9 + 2 = 11
The second plane Flight No. 77
which also crashed into the Twin
Towers, was carrying 65 passengers.
6 + 5 = 11.
The tragic incident happened on
September 11, 2001 which is now
known as 9/11 for short. So 9 + 1 +
1 = 11
By sheer coincidence, the date is
equal to the US emergency telephone
number 911.
The total number of victims inside
all the hijacked planes was 254. 2 +
5 + 4 = 11
September 11 is the 254th day of
the calendar year.
The Madrid bombing took place on
3/11/2004. 3 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 11.
The tragedy in Madrid happened
911 days after the Twin Towers manmade disaster.
Now, brace for these additional
eerie information.
The most recognized symbol for
the US, after the Stars & Stripes, is
the American Eagle.
But in the Koran, the Islamic holy
book, it says:
“For it is written that a son of
Arabia would awaken a fearsome
Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would
be felt throughout the lands of Allah.
While some of the people trembled
in despair, still more rejoiced: for the
wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands
of Allah and there was peace.”
That verse is number 9.11 in the
Koran.
TNTs face tougher times as US steps up immigration reform
Edgar Serrano in Manila
The immigration bill is dead, but
the US, it seems, is stopping at
nothing to thwart illegal immigration
in all its guises.
This is another piece of bad news
for Filipino TNTs (tago ng tago)
working in offices, factories and
business establishments, whose
days may be numbered.
Reason: The US Department
of Homeland Security and
the Department of Commerce
have announced a number of
immigration reforms, including
requiring employers to take
specified steps within 90 days of
receiving a “No Match” letter if
they have a number of employees
with inaccurate personal identity
information.
The “No-Match” regulation
which became effective last month
will help employers ensure their
workers are legal and help the
government identify
and crack down
on employers who
knowingly hire
illegal workers.
In cases in which
an employer has a
significant number of employees
with inaccurate personal identity
information, the Social Security
Administration will send the
employer a “No-Match” letter. In the
coming months, another regulation
will be published that will reduce
the number of documents that
employers must accept to confirm
the identity and work eligibility of
their employees.
Presently, no fewer than 29
categories of documents can be
used to establish identity and work
eligibility of an applicant wherein
employers have little capacity to
verify the documents’ authenticity.
The civil fines imposed on
employers who knowingly hire
illegal immigrants will also be
raised by approximately 25 per
cent to discourage business
owners from relying on illegal
workers to save on the cost of
doing business. The DHS and
the Social Security Administration
will also study the technical and
recordkeeping reforms necessary
to guarantee that illegal aliens do
not earn credit in the US Social
Security System for illegal work.
Currently, aliens who make
Social Security payments while
working in the US legally can
continue to accrue credits even if
they overstay their visa.
President George Bush (left) has
made immigration reform a key
plank of his last term in office.
But he could not stop Congress
killing the draft immigration
legislation he had dearly hoped to
have.
Kaohsiung buses will serve
commuters during the initial
operations.
He said City Hall will operate
the BRT itself but will eventually
bid out the project to private
investors, who will also have to
provide the buses.
Osmeña said it was about
time the City implemented the
transport system that has helped
crowded cities address its traffic
problems.
Palawan
Authorities have retrieved three
bodies from the sinking of a
fishing boat off the coast of El
Nido.
Two people are missing.
The fishing boat ran into
stormy waters and capsized off
the northern Palawan resort.
Naval Forces West
(Navforwest) commander,
Commodore Danilo Cortez
identified the fatalities as
Conrado Montemayor, Gedion
Gario and Gerardo Bertania,
skipper of the Jehovah Nasi
which sank off the Guntao
Island.
Missing are Jovencio Panlilio
and Wilson Sabundo, both
natives of San Jose, Occidental
Mindoro.
The boat, which belonged
to the fishing fleet of Maria Fe
Fishing Corp, capsized after
being battered by strong winds
and giant waves during an offseason storm.
filipino globe
the OFW newspaper
Visit our website
for more information
about our
advertising and
marketing solutions
www.filglobe.com
17
18
news
filipino globe
September 2007
Far-flung Filipinos in Britain fight back the blues with fiesta
Scratch the surface and you’re likely
to find Filipinos in the unlikeliest
places in Britain. The borough of
Barrow, for instance.
Here, in this little known
industrial port of Cumbria, in
northwest England, they are
employed as nurses and careworkers by the short-staffed
hospitals in the area.
Depression in Barrow is rife. Far
removed from their families and
friends, some Filipinos have taken
to the bottle; others find solace in
gambling.
“We’re so used to an American
lifestyle and education, every
thing here takes some time getting
adapted to, not least the winter
chill,” says Bennette who works as
an Activity Coordinator manager for
Albingham Nursing Home.
Joanne Saltiga works for Barrow
Council. “We can’t even watch
football; we grew up on baseball
and basketball. We have to make
our own entertainment.” she adds.
Bennette has seen several of his
Pinoy friends here on the brink
of disaster and is now trying hard
with others to keep them engaged
and enthusiastic about living in
Cumbria.
He is joined in this effort by Jo
Ann Saltiga, a Filipino working
for Barrow Council, who helped
set up the Filipino Association. A
mother of two children, Jo has other
problems to contend with – her
children miss the food back home.
Other women like Lynn have to
deal with problems like her children
being bullied in school.
So with a lot of help from Barrow
Manila wants its workers back
Government joins Apec chorus for ‘controlled immigration’ amid brain drain
Santos Boyce in London
Australia has come under pressure to
review its migration policy amid calls
by sender nations for the return of
their skilled workers to help in their
economic development.
This was one of the main highlights
of the Apec meeting, which Prime
Minister John Howard (below left)
hosted for the leaders of the 21-nation
grouping, including President Arroyo
(below).
Government officials and business
leaders from sender countries led by
the Philippines want receiver nations
like Australia, the US and Canada to
cut back on attempts to lure skilled
and business migrants.
Instead, receiver nations should
send workers from developing countries home after two or three years.
Doris Ho, a member of the Apec
Business Advisory Council and president of the Magsaysay shipping conglomerate, said sender nations like the
Philippines need their trained workers to “come home and help build the
economy” after time spent abroad,
and they needed Apec receiver nations to pitch in.
“It’s more of a win-win if it is temporary working visas [offered] than
permanent immigration, especially in
countries like the US,” she said, offering some praise for Howard’s temporary skilled working visa scheme.
“When you offer people permanent
immigration, it’s not a level playing
field for labour mobility.
“It puts the sender country at a disadvantage and leads to brain drain.”
Apec is sharply divided between
poorer countries with high overseas
foreign worker populations, like the
Philippines and Indonesia, and rich
nations like Australia and the US
where labour demand and wages are
high.
Some nine million Filipinos, or
about 10 per cent of the population,
work abroad. The country is suffering
President Arroyo joins other
Apec leaders during a break in
their summit in Sydney.
BY THE NUMBERS
9,000,000
Filipinos living or working overseas
according to the latest estimate
from an exodus of doctors, nurses,
carers and teachers to countries like
the US and Australia, as the traditional profile of the Filipino overseas foreign worker shifts away from menial
jobs like those of maids or construction workers.
Top medical graduates are even rejecting plum, but poorly paid, jobs at
local hospitals and retraining as nurs-
es to be able to work in the US, and
start their path to US citizenship.
“We feel as a sending country that
labour mobility should be more of a
cyclical concept. So workers go away
and come back,” Ho said.
“We also need doctors, and teachers
and nurses, so what we need at Apec
is dialogue between the receiver and
sender countries.
“Receiver countries should be sensitive because sender countries spend
all their money educating their teachers and doctors and nurses.”
Apec leaders studied the Business
Advisory Council report, which says
“mobility of labour is emerging as a
significant issue with implications for
business”.
“Recent demographic studies signal
increasing vulnerability of business
across the region to a tightening of
labour supply and changes in market
demands,” the report says.
Despite praise from sections of
Apec’s business elite, Howard’s
skilled temporary working visa
scheme has come under fire over
claims it leads to a reduction in professional standards. Critics say it
lowers local wages and can lead to
exploitation of foreign workers.
A lot of handshakes, as usual, but little else
They came, they saw, and they
shook a lot of hands, but as AsiaPacific leaders wrapped up another
summit, the question was whether
their annual gathering produced very
much.
Most participants and observers
said the answer was, well, a little.
The Sydney summit’s flagship
announcement was an agreement to
work towards reducing greenhouse
gas emissions, which Australian
Prime Minister John Howard
touted as a “milestone”
in efforts to curb global
warming.
Leaders of the 21
economies, which together
represent nearly half of world
trade and include China and the US,
urged swift action to spur talks on
breaking down barriers to global
commerce.
They discussed issues from the
safety of food products,
intellectual piracy, corruption
and the fights against bird flu
and terrorism - even if there
was little new.
Roberto Romulo, who
sits on a business advisory
group to the Apec forum, said it was
normal for a summit to achieve less
than what it aimed to do. “Look at
it as 21 people sleeping on the same
bed,” he said. “Each one of them is
dreaming his or her own dream.”
Still, analyst Charles Morrison said
he was “pleasantly surprised” by this
year’s event.
“I think there’s not much in the
way of ... a big concrete output, but
the spirit was good,” said Morrison,
director of the US-based East-West
Center on Asia-Pacific Relations. He
said the advantage of a summit was
the chance to chew over concerns
privately with other Apec leaders.
Council and the Multicultural
Forum, the Filipino Cultural
Association decided to give all the
Filipinos in Barrow a big break
by bringing a bit of home, here in
Cumbria.
The first Pinoy Fiesta was held in
January last year celebrating their
culture and exposing Cumbrians to
the world of the Pinoys. Barrow has
been different since then.
Nurse wins
fight to stay
in Britain
with family
A Filipino nurse and his family living in Carmarthenshire who were
told they must leave Britain have won
their campaign against deportation.
Hundreds of people joined the fight
to allow Aldrin Quibuyen, 36, to remain in Ammanford, where he has
lived with his wife and two children
for four years.
He was told to leave because his papers were out of date but his case was
raised in Parliament by MP Adam
Price.
Quibuyen said he was “very
pleased” the Home Office granted his
appeal.
He was recruited in the Philippines
to work in Wales in 2003 and most
recently was employed at a nursing
home in Llanelli.
His wife Rhoda and six-year-old
son Buzz followed a year later, while
his daughter Phebe, two, was born in
Wales.
He said: “They can’t believe it really - we are all very pleased.
“It’s taken seven months but we’ve
won which is the main thing.
“We had a lot of support in Ammanford, Wales and from outside.
“Adam Price took it up and supported me and I’m very thankful to him.”
Quibuyen said the original decision to deport him and his family was
taken because he was late filling in a
form due to a misunderstanding.
He had his own campaign website
and hundreds of Ammanford residents, members of his local Salvation
Army church and other Filipinos in
Wales signed a petition backing his
appeal.
The Plaid Cymru MP secured an
end of day adjournment debate in the
Commons on Tuesday.
It was then that Immigration Minister Liam Byrne confirmed that
Quibuyen would be allowed to stay in
Ammanford.
Liam Byrne ... Quibuyens can stay.
filipino globe
September 2007
19
20
news
filipino globe
September 2007
Garantisadong serbisyo sa abot-kayang halaga
Mahmood Transport Co
• Hong Kong airport transfers
• Air cargo terminal transport
• Office and household removals
• Import & export removals
• Comprehensive transport service
• Advance booking available
editorial, community & features
filipino globe
Saudi group wins
support after VP
agrees to take
up proposal with
President Arroyo
Chito Manuel in Jeddah
A group of OFWs scored a breakthrough in the campaign to establish
a preferential foreign exchange rate
for migrant workers via a stabilization fund after Vice President Noli de
Castro met with the group and agreed
to endorse their proposal to President
Arroyo.
Composed of the Center for Migrants Advocacy (CMA) together
with the V-Team Advocacy and Community Service, the group personally
handed over to De Castro at his office in Manila a proposal addressed to
President Arroyo seeking a fixed 10
per cent premium above the exchange
rate prevailing in the market or a flat
rate of P50 to US$1 to be given to
legitimate OFWs.
Attached to the proposal were
around 15,000 signatures from OFWs
around the world signifying their support for the request.
V-Team senior action officer, Ronnie Abeto, said in a report on the meeting with De Castro made available to
Filipino Globe they recommended
the mechanisms in order to be able to
implement this special exchange rate
project.
These are for the government to put
up a stabilization fund to address exchange rate fluctuations and enter into
a collective “forward contract or currency options” with financial institutions.
During the meeting, Abeto said
Mike Bolos and Ellene Sana, both of
the CMA, “wisely defended our petition” after De Castro quoted the Central Bank as saying in an interview in
his radio program that the proposal
Shoppers mill around a money changer in a Manila mall as the peso continues to climb against the US dollar.
Below: Vice President Noli De Castro receives the petition letters from Ronnie Abeto, Mike Bolos and Ellene Sana.
BY THE NUMBERS
Signatures on a proposal seeking
15,000
preferential exchange rates for OFWs
is not doable with a big amount involved to put up the fund and where
the money would come from.
De Castro assured the group he
would endorse their letter to the
President and arrange meetings with
DBP executives after Abeto said their
group is willing to cooperate with a
technical committee that will study
their recommendation.
This development drew mixed reactions from OWFs in Riyadh.
Senan Angara, a community leader
and cousin of Senator Edgardo An-
gara, said “it is welcome news. Sana
magawa.”
Oscar Domingo, chairman of San
Miguel de Mayumo and Friends, expressed guarded optimism. “Bilang
OFW, karapatan nating magtanong
at mag-demand. Pero sa tingin ko,
mahirap ipatupad yang special exchange rate for OFWs dahil ang ating
currency ay nakapeg sa US dollar at
ang palitan ay base sa international
exchange rate,” he said.
Jeddah consulate sends distress call as 16 Filipinos go missing
The Philippine Consulate General
in Jeddah has sought the help of
the public in locating 16 Filipino
nationals in the Western Region
who have been reported missing.
Consul general Pendosina
Lomondot identified the missing
as Armando Petros, Jovencia
Terol, Marites Ciocson, Hernando
Evilla, Zubaina Baganian, Dioscoro
Yacap, Lea G. Saladaga, Riza
Ulanday, Arnold O. Bangoy,
Elvie Dignadice, Elena Mansia,
Christopher G. Samaniego, Aniceta
Velarde, Hazzle M. Hora, Alfonso
L. Fallera Jr., and Raymond
Hernandez.
Yacap’s place of work was
listed as Abha, capital city of the
mountainous province of Asir,
southeast of Jeddah.
Arcega was based in Najran,
farther south in Saudi Arabia’s
border with Yemen.
The rest were presumed to be
based in Jeddah.
The consulate said the 16 were
reported missing by their families.
Meanwhile, the consulate’s
Assistance to Nationals Section
called on anyone who might have
information on a man who died in a
hospital in Jeddah.
It has circulated a photo of the
man who remains unidentified two
months after he died at the Hai
Al-Jamaea Hospital in Jeddah’s
Jamea district. He had been found
unconscious with no identification.
September 2007
21
From the courts to the
internet, silly season
brings sillier things
Please call Arshid Mahmood on 9811 1945 or 8207 8318
De Castro endorses forex plan
focus
I
OFWs to
pit bowling
skills for a
good cause
Chito Manuel in Jeddah
A surge in economic growth had officials trumpeting the achievement last week. The man on the street has yet to notice it.
If you are a bowler-OFW and
set for vacation in December in
the Philippines, stick this in your
schedule: the first OFW BalikManggagawa Pasko-Siklaban
Worldwide Bowling Tournament
will be held on December 27 at the
Filinvest Festival Mall’s GameworX
Bowling Center in Alabang,
Muntinlupa City.
Cash prizes, trophies and bragging
rights as the first champion of this
inaugural OFW event are up for
grabs.
The tournament is a spinoff from
the Worldwide Balikbayan Bowling
Tournament, an annual event being
held around Christmas. It started in
the late 1980s, but organizers this
year reconfigured the format.
Eligible to participate in the
tournament are only OFW bowlers.
Non-OFW bowlers – balikbayan
bowlers with permanent residency in
other countries, with
dual citizenship –
will not be allowed
to participate along
with former national
team and local
bowlers.
Noli Ritual
(above), director
for internal affairs of the organizing
Filipino Bowling Group of Riyadh,
said prospective participants should
bring with them their OWWA card
or any proof that they are legitimate
OFW.
Registration at the venue on the
fourth level, Anchor A, of Festival
Mall is set from 8 to 10 a.m. Entry
fee is P3,500 inclusive of lunch and
souvenir a T-shirt.
Guaranteed cash prizes based on
100 participants or more, according
to Ritual, are as follows: Champion
P80,000, 2nd place P40,000, 3rd
place P20,000, 4th place P10,000,
5th place P5,000, 6th to 10th place
P2,000 each.
Special prizes of P20,000 for the
first perfect 300 game, P2,000 for
high game scratch for male and
high game handicap for female and
P2,000 for high series scratch for
male and high series handicap for
female will also be given away.
Ritual said the one-day event is
organized in cooperation with the
ABS-CBN Foundation for the benefit
of Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage.
First, the good news – and some more
S
eptember arrived with a bundle
of good news for our overseas
Filipino workers.
On the first week of the month,
President Arroyo directed the Social
Security System to expand its
membership base by covering all
Pinoy workers abroad.
On its 50th anniversary where she
was the guest speaker, Mrs Arroyo
ordered the SSS to make mandatory
the inclusion of Filipino migrants in
the roster of its more than 12 million
members.
Upon effectivity of membership,
the country’s “new heroes” may start
availing of benefits such as death,
disability, maternity, retirement,
sickness, funeral, medical care, 13th
month pension and dependents’
pension.
At present, SSS coverage of the
nation’s OFWs are voluntary.
Not to be outdone, the Philippine
Association of Service Exporters,
Inc. on the same week strongly urged
the Department of Health to “widen
the coverage of health insurance for
dependents of OFWs.”
PhilHealth will find itself in the
forefront of this particular endeavor
to which every Filipino worker
abroad should be entitled.
On the heels of these welcome
developments, comes now the 10
local seamen whose ship foundered
off the coast of South Africa.
After several days in the frigid
waters, a passing ship was able to
rescue nine of them. Unfortunately,
PRESSBOX
comment
FT
Ocampo
one of their companions
perished, either from drowning or
hypothermia, before the heaven-sent
vessel arrived on the scene.
But a more tragic scenario had
been averted.
And the last – and definitely not
the least – entry for the fortuitous
week is the 7.5 growth rate posted by
the economy.
The doomsayers, ever vigilant in
their skepticism, predict that this
phenomenal benchmark cannot be
sustained, granting.
The non-believers of this
remarkable piece of good news are
baying at the moon. Government
economists and those in the private
sector are optimistic that the surge in
the gross domestic product can hold
its own in the days to come, powered
by improved goods and services and
OFW remittances.
n the north temperate zone,
September opens the door to
autumn which has been celebrated
in music and literature as “the fairest
season of the year”.
Suffused with lambent melancholy,
I
it conjures images of falling leaves,
balmy days, bracing nights and
plumes of smoke in late afternoons.
The metaphysical poet John Donne
bestowed on this hauntingly beautiful
time the ultimate tribute with these
words: “In Heaven, it is always
Autumn.”
lso in this month, there were
unexpected developments in
the religious front that should merit
notice not only from the faithful but
from the secular sector as well.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio
Cardinal Rosales was a pleasant
surprise with his statement that “the
law may be harsh but it is the law.”
He was referring to Erap’s
plunder case where a decision is
expected to be handed down by the
Sandiganbayan even before this
paper hits the streets.
Calling for sobriety, the good
cardinal urged Erap’s supporters and
sympathizers to calmly accept the
court’s decision in the plunder trial
and reject any unwarranted action if
a guilty verdict is forthcoming.
He also noted that the defendant
has been given a fair trial and all
proper procedures and investigations
during the last six years were deemed
aboveboard.
The laws punishing corruption
must be respected and the rule of law
must always prevail to avoid chaos in
our society, he stressed.
Every once in a while, I find
it quite easy to agree with the
occasionally meddlesome church.
A
A chapter closes, but have we learned our lesson?
The Sandiganbayan decision on
the trial of former president Joseph
Estrada closes a tumultuous chapter
in our history.
Whether President Arroyo offers
Estrada a pardon or the Supreme
Court sees fit to reverse the lower
court’s ruling, we should be
relieved to close the book on a very
controversial case that took the
court more than six years to make a
judgment on.
What lessons have we learned?
OTHERVOICES
what they say
The Manila
Times
First, almost every Filipino is
saying we should forswear “people
power” as an alternative to bad
government.
Second, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, like the professional
Civil Service, should uphold
neutrality and independence on a
grave constitutional issue.
Third, the system is unfair because
it allows the guilty to walk away
from a crime.
Finally, we learned that there is
no sanctuary from misdeeds in the
highest office of the land.
t hasn’t been a terribly good
summer for us Pinoys this
year. We longtime residents of
the territory who’ve been wishing
that Hong Kong folks would
acquire some generosity of spirit
got knocked sideways last month
when High Court Justice Verina
Bokhary rejected Preslyn Catacutan’s
appeal to have her earlier six-month
sentence rescinded.
This was obviously a misplaced
hope on our part, because the
lady judge upheld Hong Kong’s
reputation for heartlessness by
pronouncing a three-month sentence
for Preslyn even while admitting that
the earlier six-month judgment was
excessive.
So our kababayan is now
permanently branded as a felon
– all for a few purloined photos of
her popstar employer. As we know,
the earlier judge, Winston Leung,
ingratiated himself to Jacky Cheung
by commending his “courage” in
going to court to send a lowly Pinay
domestic to the slammer.
Having already served seven weeks
in jail, Preslyn thankfully won’t have
much more time to serve. But none
of this mitigates the anger felt by us
Preslyn supporters, which included
that longtime champion of the
underdog, Elsie Tu.
Like her, we had hoped the female
judge would display some justice and
compassion – we’d forgotten that the
Lady Verina is a Hong Kong native,
which puts her in the same category
of hard-hearted Hongkongers with
whom we Pinoys have long been
familiar.
As though this wasn’t enough of
a slap on the face, there’s the case
of ditsy journalist Malu Fernandez
who, after a junket abroad for her
Manila newspaper, provoked a storm
by complaining about her flight out
of Dubai. Thinking she was being
witty (in fact, she remarked on her
“acerbic wit”), she wrote about
feeling “trapped like a sardine in a
sardine can” because her flight was
full of chattering OFWs reeking of
cheap perfume.
The silly furor this generated,
particularly among Pinoys online
and the Dubai press, showed that,
as a nation, we’re great at creating a
proverbial storm in a tea-cup.
We can raise a ruckus over
politicians who never fulfill their
campaign promises and persist in
the honored tradition of enriching
themselves and their clans, while we
expend our spleen and energy over
trivial matters which aren’t worth a
hill of beans (as American cowboys
would say). Perhaps the fault lies
in the fact that any mindless Maria
or clueless Caloy in these days of
electronic journalism can be a hack,
no matter how small-minded and
large-egoed.
Another piece of notoriety for us
Pinoys was the report by Canada’s
Globe & Mail newspaper about the
fortunes stashed away by the world’s
former leaders. Transparency
PINOYDIMSUM
observations
Isabel T
Escoda
International, which issues yearly
listings of the most corrupt countries,
has ranked the late unlamented
Marcos in the number two slot, next
to Indonesia’s Suharto who amassed
an estimated US$15 billion to
US$35 billion (Ferdie’s fortune was
a trifle less at US$5 billion to US$10
billion). No wonder schoolbooks are
being promoted in Manila showing
what a fine leader he was – obviously
the work of his clan which is lording
it over the mindless masses and
greasing the right palms.
That corruption list, from 3 to 9,
ranked the former leaders of Zaire,
Nigeria, Yugoslavia, Haiti, Peru,
Ukraine and Nicaragua, with none
other than our very own Joseph
Estrada at number 10, with a mere
US$78 million ro US$80 million.
Two Pinoys in one list sets a new
record, rather like the number of
“
Two Pinoys in one
list sets a new
record, rather like
the number of
international beauty
queens we’ve had
over the years
international beauty queens we’ve
had over the years.
Finally, as though adding insult to
injury, National Public Radio in the
US featured a broadcast by their Asia
correspondent Michael Sullivan who
said that while in Manila recently,
the sight of something made him
“incredibly sad.”
This was the long queues in
front of the POEA building, whose
initials he spelled out. Talking
about the types of exports generated
by other countries in Asia, like
cars (Japan), textiles and toys
(China), computer parts and flowers
(Taiwan), furniture (Indonesia) and
handicrafts (Thailand), he noted that
the Philippines biggest export was
its citizens. So what else is new?
Should we be proud or what?
Unlike Sullivan, we don’t feel
“incredibly sad.” We avoid that by
carrying on with our singing and
dancing, while hoping for another
boxing champion or beauty queen to
boost our sagging spirits.
22
forum
filipino globe
TINGINNAMIN
September 2007
Pamilyang San Jose sa
Pinas at sa ibang bansa
B
Easier said than done but worth a try
It takes gumption for a government
official of one country to challenge
the laws of another, but that is what
our labor attache has shown.
Romy Salud may not find a
sympathetic ear in Hong Kong, and
few in government may be as well
inclined as him to throw down the
gauntlet.
In any case, it’s hard to argue
with the point that he is making:
that Hong Kong’s laws on the
employment of foreign domestic
helpers are vulnerable to abuse.
Worse, they’re being abused with
impunity by both employers and
workers.
Whether changes to these laws
are called for is for Hong Kong
legislators to decide. It would
have been enough to say that yes,
something needed to be said so that
the issue might be brought to their
attention.
Where the onus lies is where
decisions are made on the conduct of
employment regulations. And in the
interlocking functions of concerned
agencies, the gamut runs through
the entire bureaucracy. Which might
explain why tackling the issue is
easier said than done.
There are losers, of course, in this
situation. These are the very people
who have flouted the rules and who
are now paying for it in hidden
antagonism towards each other.
We will leave that aside and let it
play out.
In the meantime, we can rest
assured that someone like Labatt
Salud will be watching.
SULATLETTERS
The government can do
something about [the peso-dollar
exchange rate].
If anyone of you know how
foreign currency hedging works,
it would help.
By this method, the
government could set up a fund
that would cushion forex rate
fluctuations.
Any change in the forex rate
against a fixed rate would result
in either a foreign exchange loss
(if less than the fixed rate) and
foreign exchange gain (if more
than the fixed rate) to the funds
that had been set.
The risk for us dollar earners is
when the dollar goes up against
the peso, then it will be loss on
our part.
The system works.
It’s just a matter of political will.
Russell B. Famisaran
Riyadh
There really isn’t any need to
insult Malu Fernandez further;
I think she’s quite miserable on
her own.
I’ve encountered her enough to
know that she’s pretentious and
obnoxious.
I also know that although her
family may have some affluence,
I certainly would never include
her among the truly high end of
Philippine society she aspires to
associate herself with.
Sure she may orbit the circle,
but she lacks the financial
gravitas to truly live the lifestyle
at that level.
But even that aside,
her complete lack of finer
sensibilities or circumspect in her
utterances indicate a mistaken
concept of how the higher strata
generally operate.
Sigmund
Manila
I am willing to support the
petition not to send the
remittance through banks.
Nothing is impossible if we the
OFWs unite.
Most of my friends in the
Philippines grabbed the
opportunity to go abroad to earn
money for their family
But because of the dollar rate,
they’re hurting and so are their
families.
Mikael Aguinaldo
Libya
unso sa anim na
magkakapatid ang
Nanang Dely. Kilala
siya sa Mababang Paaralan ng
Taliptip ng Bulakan, Bulakan
na Miss Teodoro o maestra
Fidela. Taga-Bambang, Bulakan,
Bulakan katabing baryo ng
Taliptip patungong Obando.
Doon siya niligawan, sinundan at
pinakasalan ni Precillano San Jose
o Felicing, na mula sa angkan ng
namamalaisdaan at nagbebenta ng
bangus.
Bilang guro sa elementarya,
pinalaki ang anim na anak
katuwang ang Tatang Felicing na
minsa’y namamakyaw ng laman ng
palaisdaan, nagmamaneho ng jeep
o taxi.
Nakapag-aral ang panganay na si
Gil ng kursong elecrical engineering
sa Mapua. Gayundin si Larry sa
FEU. Sumunod ang bunso na lalaki
na si Boyet sa kursong drafting sa
Feati.
Ang mga babae, sina Connie
(pangalawa sa panganay) ay
nagtapos at nakapasa sa eksamen
sa kursong nursing, gayundin ang
bunsong si Annie. Si Nori (pangatlo)
ay nakatapos at nakapasa sa kursong
dentistry.
Nakapag-abroad ang mga anak
na babae at nakapag-asawa. Si
Connie ay nakapag-asawa ng
isang inhinyero, si Gil Sta Rita,
at registered nurse na sa Ontario,
Canada. Doon na sila nanirahan
kasama ang tatlong anak na babae.
Sumunod na nagpunta si Nori sa
Saudi bilang dentista sa isang ospital
at isinama ang esposong si Ed de
Leon na nag-aral ng accounting,
at kapwa na sila nagtrarabaho sa
ospital. Pagkaraa’y isinama na
rin ang isang anak na babae. Ang
dalawang anak na babae ay pinagaaral pa sa Pilipinas kasama ang
kanilang lola Dely.
Ang bunso sa lalaki na si Boyet
ay hindi lamang kahusayan sa
drafting ang talino. Nadagdagan ito
ng kahusayan bilang computer artist
at doon din sa Saudi nagkaroon ng
magandang trabaho. Nakapag-asawa
siya ng kababayan na si Emily, isang
midwife, at ito ang nag-aalaga ng
mga anak.
Samantalang ang bunsong babae na
si Annie ay nakapag-asawa ng kapwa
nurse, si Roy Lagman, at parehong
nasa Kuwait at may isa nang anak na
babae.
Naiwan sa Pilipinas sina Gil
at Larry na nakapag-asawa ng
lingkod-bayan
filipino globe
CONSULAR FEES AND CHARGES
ASK OUR CONSULATE
Passport services
New/renewal 32 pages
$425 New/renewal 64 pages
Replacement of lost passport 32 pages
Replacement of lost passport 64 pages
Issuance of travel document
Amendment of passport entries
ITAASMO
Visa services
kabayan
Single entry (3 months) $212.50
Multiple Entry (3 months) $425
Special investors resident visa
Special resident retiree’s visa
Teo
Antonio
Affidavit of support/consent
Acknowledgment of instruments (deeds, powers of attorney)
Authentication of documents
Jurat (sworn statements, letters)
Original Seen
Seen and noted
Contracts (authentication and verification)
Issuance of certified true copy of document
Taking of deposition
Report/registration of marriage/birth/death
Any other certification
All OFW members
Salary
bracket
Q: What sort of help can nationals
in distress, especially in war-torn
countries, expect from the
consulate?
A: Philippine missions overseas offer
a range of services to Filipinos in
war-torn countries. Among others,
our missions attend to whereabouts
inquiries from families and friends in
the Philippines; mobilize the
community to ensure that all Filipinos
are accounted for; identify and
establish temporary shelters in
safe havens; provide food, water
and other basic necessities in the
shelters; issue travel documents to
those who need them; and arrange
for safe passage and transportation
for evacuees.
Q: Who pays for their repatriation,
for instance?
A: The answer to this question
comes from Section 15 of Republic
Act 8042 (Migrant Workers Act of
1996), which states: The Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration
(OWWA), in coordination with
appropriate international agencies,
shall undertake the repatriation of
workers in cases of war, epidemic,
disaster or calamities, natural or
man-made, and other similar events
without prejudice to reimbursement
by the responsible principal or
agency.
However, in cases where the
principal or recruitment agency
cannot be identified, all costs
attendant to repatriation shall be
borne by the OWWA.
Q: What assistance is given by the
consulate in legal cases in which a
national cannot afford a lawyer?
Executive EDITOR: Rex Aguado PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Philip Evardone ADVISERs Therese Necio-Ortega, Prof Dr Maurice Teo BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Ricky Sumallo
CORRespondents Eddie Alinea (Manila), Celeste Terrenal (Manila), Terrie Fucanan (Manila), Chito Manuel (Jeddah). Rick Sumallo (New Jersey), Loi Liwanag (Los Angeles)
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bernie Domantay, AccessPoint (Philippines) Josephine Miranda (Philippines), TJ Badon-Doble (Philippines), Bob Waterfield (Hong Kong)
EDITORIAL BOARD Rex Aguado, Philip Evardone, Prof Dr Maurice Teo CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Beting Laygo Dolor, Teo Antonio, Chito Manuel, Danny Vibas, Dante Vino
Filipino Globe is published once a month by Apex Services (HK) Ltd, Suite 1905, Lippo Centre Tower 2, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong, telephone (852) 2918 8248, email info@filglobe.com. No part of this publication
may be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers. Printed by Premier Printing Group, Yuen Long, New Terrories, Hong Kong
A: Filipinos in Hong Kong who do not
have the financial means to hire a
lawyer are advised by the Consulate
to apply for legal aid from the Duty
Lawyer Service if they are facing
charges in magistrate courts, and
from the Legal Aid Department if
their cases fall under the district and
higher courts.
We make sure that they know
the application procedure and the
ways by which they can secure the
services of a particular lawyer during
our regular prison visits or when we
personally call them in prison.
Legal aid from the Hong Kong
Government is available for criminal
and certain civil cases.
Send your questions to Filipino Globe,
Suite 1905, Lippo Centre Tower 2,
Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong or
send an e-mail to info@filglobe.com
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Compensation
range
(pesos)
4,750 – 5,249.99 5,250 – 5,749.99 5,750 – 6,249.99
6,250 – 6,749.99 6,750 – 7,249.99 7,250 – 7,749.99
7,750 – 8,249.99
8,250 – 8,749.99
8,750 – 9,249.99
9,250 – 9,749.99
9,750 – 10,249.99
10,250 – 10,749.99
10,750 – 11,249.99
11,250 – 11,749.99
11,750 – 12,249.99
12,250 – 12,749.99
12,750 – 13,249.99
13,250 – 13,749.99
13,750 – 14,249.99
14,250 – 14,749.99
14,750 and over
Comparative schedule
Before Now
Before
Now
Monthly
salary
credit
(pesos)
5,000
5,500
6,000
6,500
7,000
7,500
8,000
8,500
9,000
9,500
10,000
10,500
11,000
11,500
12,000
12,500
13,000
13,500
14,000
14,500
15,000
Before
Now
470
520
705
780
940
1,040
517
572
752
832
987
1,092
564
624
799
884
1,034 1,144
611
676
846
936
1,081 1,196
658
728
893
988
1,128 1,248
New
monthly
contributions
(pesos)
520
572
624
676
728
780
832
884
936
988
1,040
1,092
1,144
1,196
1,248
1,300
1,352
1,404
1,456
1,508
1,560
Before
Now
1,175
1,222
1,269
1,316
1,363
1,410
1,300
1,352
1,404
1,456
1,508
1,560
Flexi Fund
Contributions must not be less than P200 a month
ANNOUNCEMENT
Disneyland calling children
Sa pangkaraniwang tanawing ito nagmula at yumabong ang pamilyang San Jose.
$212.50
$212.50
$212.50
$212.50
$212.50
$212.50
$297.50
$212.50
$212.50
$212.50
$212.50
SSS CONTRIBUTION SCHEDULE
“
Nagpagawa ng duplex na bahay
sina Connie at Annie sa harapan ng
bakuran ng aming lolo at lola upang
doon manirahan ang mga magulang
o kung sila ay umuwi ay may bahay
na matitirhan.
Nangingiti ako sa suwerte ng
Nanang Dely at yumaong Tatang
Felicing. Matagal nang nagretiro
ang Nanang Dely sa pagtuturo.
Dumami nang dumami ang kanyang
mga apo, namunga na ang kanyang
pagod at hirap sa pag-aaruga sa mga
anak. Pumalaot ang apat na anak sa
ibang bansa at hindi siya pinabayaan
hanggang sa huling sandali ng
kanyang buhay.
$510
$765
$1,190
$255
$170
Multiple Entry (6 months) $680
Multiple entry (1 year)
$1,020
$3,400
$3,400
Notarial services
kababayan din. Naging kabyak ni Gil
si Araceli Santos. Katuwang ni Gil sa
pagnenegosyo.
Nagkaroon ng siyam na anak at
isa lang ang lalaki. Nagtrabaho si
Gil sa Meralco at nakapagretiro.
Samantalang si Larry ay
nakapagtrabaho sa Mescor at
nagretiro na rin. Napangasawa
niya si Susan Reyes na isang store
manager sa isang kilalang chain
store.
Naiwan sa Pilipinas sina Gil
at Larry. Pero si Larry na lamang
ang nag-aasikaso sa Nanang Dely
nang yumao ang Tatang Felicing.
Dumami nang
dumami ang
kanyang
mga apo,
namunga na
ang kanyang
pagod at hirap
sa pag-aaruga
sa mga anak
23
September 2007
Filipino children in Hong Kong between the ages of
seven and 11 are invited to an open casting session
for the Small World vocals to be used in an upcoming
attraction at the Hong Kong Disneyland.
Small World is a new attraction to be opened in early
2008.
The ride will feature a multitude of audio-animatronic
figures in the style of children of the world singing A
Small World, a song composed by the Sherman Brothers as a tribute to all children.
The song will be adapted in Tagalog, Korean, Cantonese and Putonghua for use in Hong Kong Disneyland.
The chosen Filipino children, one boy and one girl,
will record the Tagalog version of the song.
They will join other children during the official recording session on 29 September and their vocal tracks will
be used in the new attraction.
Interested participants should contact the casting director, Charlotte Chiu, on 9217 2904 or via e-mail at
lotte_chiu2@yahoo.com.
PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL
14/F UNITED CENTRE, 95 QUEENSWAY, ADMIRALTY
Hotlines: 9155 4023 (Consular), 608 08323 (Labor), 6345 9324 (OWWA),
Trunkline: 2823 8501 Fax: 2866 9885
Working hours and statutory holidays
The Consulate is open from 9 am to 4 pm, Sundays to Thursdays,
except during the following holidays:
1 July Hong Kong SAR
Establishment Day
26 September Chinese
Mid-Autumn Festival
1 October China National Day
19 October Chung Yeung
Festival
1-2 November All Saints’
and All Souls’ Day
30 November Bonifacio Day
22 December Chinese Winter
Solstice Festival
24-25 December Christmas Day
30 December Rizal Day
Note:
Other holidays may be declared
by the Philippine government
24
TENDER LOVING CARE
feature
filipino globe
September 2007
25
Bayanihan spirit thrives in Hong Kong as volunteers in increasing numbers pitch in to make a difference in the lives of the elderly residents of a care home in Kowloon Tong
Gabby Alvarado in Hong Kong
F
or more than two years now,
elderly residents of the China Coast
Community in Kowloon Tong have
been receiving tender loving care and plenty
of good cheer from a brigade of selfless
Filipina volunteers.
Armed with stethoscopes and blood
pressure monitors, caring hands, cheerful
spirit and easy banter that could melt the
grumpiest of hearts, these volunteers – who
come in batches of 10 – descend on the
institution on Sundays and brighten it up.
Their chores may appear mundane to
some. Administering health care and
therapeutic massage to residents of this
home for the elderly, and assisting them
in their usual activities, do not seem far
removed from the volunteers’ regular chores
as domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Hard to
ignore, however, are the ties they build with
their part-time wards and the comfort their
company and pleasant chatter bring to these
sometimes lonely hearts.
“Nasasanay na sila na every Sunday may
Pilipina silang bisita who take good care
of them,” says Rosel Abrenica, president
of the Consolidated Filipino Community
Brigade (CFCB) who oversees the volunteer
program.
“Pag wala kami, alam mo na ang
matatanda, naghahanap din. They learn to
love us.”
The CFCB was formed in 2005, an
offshoot of the South Waterford Alumni
Association whose members have undergone
nursing aide training and alternative
therapy courses at the Wan Chai-based
South Waterford Distance Learning
Centre. Determined to see the community
benefit from what they have learned,
South Waterford graduates linked up in
December 2004 with the CCC to care for
the institution’s residents, a mission since
assumed by CFCB’s volunteers.
This month’s batch of volunteers is now
the 26th the CFCB has assembled for the
CCC, bringing the total number of caregivers
to 260 since the program started. Each group
of skilled volunteers spends five successive
Sundays caring for the CCC residents. At
the end of their terms, they would hold
lively short musical programs and host a
farewell party. The volunteers also provide
entertainment during special occasions like
Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas.
Perly Alegado of Whampoa initially
thought volunteer work would be taxing
but was surprised to find even the smallest
gesture could mean so much to the CCC’s
elderly. “Malaking bagay sa kanila yung
may nakakausap sila,” says the native of Sta
Ignacia, Tarlac. “Saka napaka-polite nila at
masunurin.”
Perly, 30, was given charge of a humorous
wheelchairbound Turk named Allan.
Sometimes, 66-year-old Allan would
blurt: “Perly, marry me?” Hearing this, her
fellow volunteers would butt in: “Marry us
too, Allan.” To which the charming Turk
would reply: “I can marry five because I’m
Muslim.”
Minutes later, however, Allan forgets about
the marriage proposal, and Perly needs to
show him her name tag just to remind him
who she is.
Theirs is just one of the amusing stories in
a volunteer’s fulfilling life.
The CFCB volunteers’ commitment and
Filipino-American retirees find
a spot of Florida just like home
On special occasions,
volunteers put on a show.
This is part of their mission
to give care and comfort to
the elderly residents.
“
We hope to continue
for as long as there
are volunteers willing
to commit themselves
for a worthwhile
cause ... We consider
it a blessing. May
kapalit din ang
pagtulong nila sa
kapwa. Gumaganda
ang buhay nila
ROSEL
Care home volunteer
service have earned them “special mention”
in Vijai Singh’s annual CCC manager’s
report in February.
Singh praised the Filipinas for being
“compassionate, caring and kind to the frail
residents.”
“To all of them (volunteers) and the team
leaders who are too many to mention – I say
a special thanks for all they do for the CCC,”
Singh wrote.
Rosel, a 46-year-old widow and mother
of two professionals, says her group is keen
to promote the Bayanihan spirit in the SAR
with the CCC project and outreach programs
designed to help distressed OFWs, including
those at shelters like the Bethune House in
Jordan. The CFCB also sometimes provides
free blood pressure check-ups at gatherings
at Chater Garden and first-aid treatment to
competitors in sports activities in the city.
“We hope to continue for as long as there
are volunteers willing to commit themselves
for a worthwhile cause,” she says.
The CFCB initially had 50 members
but some have already returned to the
Philippines for good or moved on to Canada,
UK and North American cities to make a
living. “We consider it a blessing,” says
Rosel. “May kapalit din ang pagtulong nila
sa kapwa. Gumaganda ang buhay nila.”
Their volunteers do not automatically
become CFCB members, though many like
Perly choose to remain with the group long
after their five-Sunday tenures at the CCC
are over.
“Para na rin itong pamilya namin,” says
Quarry Bay-based Josephine Docyogen,
the organization’s secretary. “It’s not only a
Sunday routine kung saan ini-expect naming
makita ang isa’t isa sa outreach programs.
Kahit off-medics kami, magkakasama pa din
sa lakad.”
Rosel did not see herself getting involved
in a community service-oriented group when
she first arrived in Hong Kong in 1988 as a
staff at the Beas River facility of the Hong
Kong Jockey Club. Now an employee of the
Israel Consulate, Rosel finds fulfillment in
organizing cause-oriented activities in the
SAR.
“I’m enjoying it. It has become a passion,”
says the Ilocana.
But the group’s pet project remains the
volunteer program for the CCC’s elderly,
whom they have also tried to introduce to
crafts like making greeting cards and bead
accessories.
Some volunteers, like Perly who is bound
for the UK soon, find it hard to say goodbye
to their part-time wards.
“Very sad. Naging close na ako sa kanila,”
she says. “Kahit nandoon na ako sa UK,
kung ano man ang maitutulong ko sa grupo,
gagawin ko pa din”
Benie Mayo was afraid she’d find
alligators when she moved to
Palm Coast. Instead, she found a
lot of fellow Filipinos – and they
keep coming.
“We are clannish by nature,”
said Mayo, president of the city’s
flourishing Philippine American
Cultural Club. “Filipinos always
long for the environment we
came from. That’s why we moved
here.”
While working as a dietitian in
a Chicago hospital in 1984, Mayo
heard about a Filipino real estate
agent selling land in Florida for
cheap. Before she’d even met the
realtor, Mayo and her husband,
Reynaldo, were paying deposits
for two lots in Palm Coast. They
were one of dozens of Filipino
couples to buy in the area at a
time when developers say lots
were going for about US$5,000
and homes for approximately
US$14,000.
“It was just a good offer, and
there was nice weather like our
country,” Benie said. “That was
very convincing when you’re
used to shoveling snow.”
But it would be another 11
years before the Mayos decided
to build a house on the property
for their retirement. They moved
to Palm Coast permanently in
2000.
Once they realised the place
wasn’t crawling with alligators,
the Mayos learned to love their
new environment. They started
spending Sunday mornings at
St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic
Church and quickly met a host of
An increasing number of
Fil-Am retirees are settling
down in Palm Coast,
Florida. A bus (below)
shuttles residents of a
senior home.
other Filipinos living in Flagler
county and joined the Philippine
American Cultural Club. The
couple spend each Christmas
Eve caroling at Filipino homes,
and they have prayer groups with
other Philippine-Americans each
Friday night.
The social schedule has kept
the retirees busy and helped
them find a niche of friends that
they can communicate with in
Tagalong.
They feel there’s a sense of
cultural tolerance in Palm Coast.
“The interaction between ethnic
groups is very good,” Benie said.
“It’s very brotherly.”
They expect their club to
become more of a presence in the
coming years. When the couple
moved here, there were about 90
families in the club. Today, the
club has about 200 registered
members. They estimate there
are at least 400 Filipinos living in
Palm Coast.
“So many people own lots here,
so more will probably be coming
and retiring,” she said.
26
community
filipino globe
September 2007
filipino globe
September 2007 27
PICTUREGALLERY
Christian
Bautista rocks
a jampacked
Chater Road in
Central during a
concert marking
the third
anniversary of
PLDT’s 1528
Smart in Hong
Kong. Rain did
little to dampen
the spirit of the
star-studded
cast and a
sell-out crowd
that gamely
stood under a
sea of yellow
umbrellas.
The show
was dubbed
Anibersaya
Concert.
The new officers of the Borongan Hong Kong Workers Association take their oath
before OWWA welfare officer Ma Teresa Olgado. The induction coincided with the
celebration in Hong Kong of the annual fiesta of Borongan City, Eastern Samar.
The celebration was held at the Novotel Hotel in Kennedy Town.
It’s tennis, and it’s all in the family
A new generation is
learning at the feet of
one of the country’s
finest players, writes
Gabby Alvarado
A
family that plays together,
stays together.
Although Bernardo
Valleramos did not plan it, he and
sons Kenneth and BJ are now all in
Hong Kong doing the same thing
– earning a living out of a game
with which the name Valleramos
has become synonymous. Father
and sons are all tennis instructors,
carving a niche for themselves in a
highly competitive profession where
trainers from sports-mad Australia
are predominant.
Mang Jun, as the elder Valleramos
is called, packed his rackets for Hong
Kong in 1991, together with his
former ward Bong Battad, a retired
national player.
Kenneth and BJ followed not
long after, Kenneth to work in a
financing company and BJ to study
in secondary school. Though the
younger Valleramoses tried to pursue
paths different from their father’s,
opportunities to make money in
tennis kept opening up for them.
“Gusto ko sana maghanap sila ng
ibang trabaho para hindi puro tennis
na lang,” says Mang Jun, who turns
56 next month. “Pero mukhang
nagustuhan na rin nila.”
BJ, 26, a computer engineering
graduate, has had to forgo plans to
practice what he learned in college
in favor of the chance to work with
Champion Club, owned by Andrew
Champion and which offers training
on a variety of sports disciplines to
youngsters and adults from MidLevels and Stanley.
“Masayang magturo kahit
makukulit ang mga bata minsan,”
says BJ, who spends an average
of six hours on court daily. “Ang
kagandahan ng pagtuturo, nakikita
mo ang progress ng estudyante.
Masaya ka na hindi nasasayang ang
effort mo.”
BJ went to college at the Liceo
de Cagayan in northern Mindanao,
where his mother Rebecca comes
from, but had difficulty landing a
job in Hong Kong on his return.
“Sa dami ng inaplayan kong
trabaho, sa tennis ako nakakita ng
Jun Valleramos and sons BJ and Kenneth take a break with a young student (second from right) at Victoria Park.
The little girl is BJ’s daughter Bea Justine Marie, who at three years old is already showing a lot of promise.
“
opportunity. Naisip ko bakit hindi
i-try muna ito habang naghihintay
ng ibang pagkakataon,” he explains.
“Mas prefer kasi ng Hong Kong
employers yung may experience
kesa fresh graduates, lalo na sa
mga technology-related na trabaho.
May experience din naman ako – sa
tennis.”
The Valleramoses’ love affair with
the game began decades ago on the
hardcourts of Davao City, where
Mang Jun was once a ballboy.
Dr Elias Dacudao, for whom the
center court at the Rizal Memorial
Tennis Center in Manila is named,
took him and his talented brothers
Ben and Manuel, now also a tennis
trainer in Jeddah, under his wings.
“Binigyan kami ng raketa at
sapatos, labingwalo ata kaming
magkakasama noon,” Mang Jun
recalls. “Pinaglaro kami para sa
Davao City Tennis Club.”
Dacudao’s stable of players
became a fearsome force on the
So pagkatapos
ko sila turuan ng
fundamentals,
sila-sila na ang
nag-aral. Nagamit
naman nila
MANUEL VALLERAMOS
On teaching tennis to his children
national scene in the late 1970s
and apart from the Valleramos
brothers included such stars as Rene
Abastillas, Melchor Sabandon and
Danilo Pila. In a bygone era when
wooden rackets were the norm and
players relied more on finesse and
shrewd ball placement rather than
brute force, they did battle against
other stars of the period like Eddie
Cruz, Romeo Rafon and Ody
Gabriel.
Manuel Valleramos went on to
win a singles gold medal in the 1983
Southeast Asian Games in Singapore
while Mang Jun, a serve-and-volley
player, reached as high as No 2 in
the local rankings behind Rafon in
1979 and distinguished himself as
a doubles player. Certainly not bad
for two whose musician-father never
swung a tennis racket but played a
mean guitar and harmonica.
It was only natural that Mang Jun
would also teach his five children the
fundamentals of the game, though
the demands of feeding a growing
family meant spending more time on
court with pupils who have money
to pay for tennis lessons. “Ang time
ko sa kanila dati, kokonti,” he says.
“So pagkatapos ko sila turuan ng
fundamentals, sila-sila na ang nagaral. Nagamit naman nila.”
Kenneth, 33, served it up in
district meets in Manila during his
younger years. BJ, who took up the
game when he was six, became an
age-group champion at 10 but later
focused on his studies.
Back in Cagayan de Oro, he played
on the university’s varsity tennis
team and represented Region 10
twice in national meets of the Prisaa.
Mang Jun’s only daughter, Precious
KC, is now a college freshman in
Cagayan de Oro and has resumed her
love affair with tennis after briefly
trying her feet in athletics.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Mang
Jun continues to give tennis lessons
and organise Sunday tournaments for
Filipino drivers and musicians.
Retirement can wait, he says.
“Hanggang kaya ng katawan ko,
magtuturo pa rin ako,” Mang Jun
says, then adds laughing: “Ako na
lang ang hihingi ng allowance sa
mga anak ko pag nag-for good ako.”
As for BJ, he is now training
the third-generation Valleramos to
whack a tennis ball: his three-yearold daughter Bea Justine Marie.
“Nakakapalo na ng bola at saka
interesado siya sa laro,” he says.
Western Union Ad
film (repeat previous ad)
28
filipino globe
community
September 2007
Employers,
illegals
arrested in
crackdown
We deliver
your message
Talk to us about your
advertising needs.
We have the solution.
filipino globe
(852) 2918 8248
email: info@filglobe.com
the OFW newspaper
Fifteen suspected illegal workers
and eight employers have been
arrested in a crackdown on illegal
employment.
The arrests were made in suspected
hotspots, including Chai Wan, North
Point, Wan Chai, Western District,
Tai Po and Discovery Bay.
Of the 15 suspected illegal
workers arrested, four were found
working as retail sales assistants,
four worked as foot masseurs and
two worked on covered renovation
sites. The remaining illegal workers
worked as waiter, food delivery
worker, repair worker and general
worker respectively.
All of the suspected illegal
workers came from the mainland.
Twelve of them held valid two-way
permits while three were overstayers.
The majority of them came from
Guangdong province.
During the operation, eight
employers were taken to police
stations for investigation.
Senior Labour Officer Ernest Ip
said that since January this year, the
Labour Department had conducted
115 joint operations with other
enforcement departments to combat
illegal employment.
“We will continue with our
vigorous action to deter these illegal
activities.
Meanwhile, an employment
agency has been fined for unlicensed
operation and overcharging.
XPAT Domestic Ltd was fined
$14,200 by the Eastern Magistrates’
Courts after it was found to have
started its business before a licence
was issued.
An investigation also discovered
that the agency collected a $295
registration fee from job seekers and
demanded job seekers to pay several
thousand dollars for placement
service.
The employment ordinance
requires operators apply for a licence
before starting an employment
agency. The licence fee, as
stipulated in the employment agency
regulations, is $2,000 for a main
office and $385 for a branch office.
The maximum penalty for unlicensed
operation is $50,000.
In addition, the operator of an
employment agency is prohibited
from charging any reward, payment
or other advantage in respect of
expenses from a job seeker directly
or indirectly in connection with
having obtained, obtaining or seeking
to obtain employment.
However, a commission of not
more than 10 per cent of the
applicant’s first month’s salary after
a successful placement may be
collected. The maximum penalty for
overcharging a job seeker is $50,000.
The Commissioner for Labour
may refuse to issue or renew, or may
revoke a licence if the employment
agency operator has contravened
any provision of ordinance, or if the
operator has been convicted of an
offence involving membership of
a triad society, fraud, dishonesty or
extortion, or if for any other reason,
he is not considered a fit and proper
person to operate an employment
agency.
filipino globe
home, health & beauty, money, travel, stars & sports
life
September 2007
29
Is it me, or is there really something to picking the right fridge?
Q
While others may think it’s
simple enough, choosing
the right refrigerator can be a
challenge. Is there really an
energy-efficient fridge?
Rhea Togonon
Manila
Refrigerators’ energy
conservation has improved
a lot since standards were
set in 1993 and 1998.Today’s
refrigerator-freezer models also
offer a lot more convenience.
You can still get the basic
18-cubic-foot, freezer-on-top
model with wire shelves, but
the most popular style offers 20
cubic feet of storage, adjustable
glass shelves, meat keeper with
temperature control, vegetable
A
DIYBOB
do it yourself
ROBERT
LUNARIA
crisper with humidity control; icemaker; and door bins.
The right refrigerator can almost
blend in seamlessly with your
kitchen.
Next in cost and convenience
are models with the freezer
located below the refrigerator (a
very good option for people with
bad backs) and 22-cubic-foot
capacity. Side-by-side designs
and water- and ice-dispensing
“convenience centers” built right
into the door add further appeal.
Built-in refrigerator-freezers
and commercial, stainless-steel
models are top-of-the-line choices
for luxurious looks or serious,
high-volume storage.
How much refrigerator do you
need? One rule of thumb says
plan on 12 cubic feet for two
people and two more cubic feet
for each additional household
member, but other considerations
also matter.
If you like to stock up during
sales, or cook often for crowds,
the more room the better. Sideby-side models are easiest to
organise, but the smaller models
have relatively narrow freezers.
Make sure the model you buy can
fit a frozen turkey or pizza.
In all cooling sections, look
for pull-out, roll-out bins and
baskets that make it easy to
see everything without having
to dig around, squandering
energy (yours as well as the
refrigerator’s).
Beyond the main fridge, if
you’ve got the room, a separate,
under-counter refrigerator for
soft drinks and a wine cooling
compartment are entertaining
options.
If you’re a serious entertainer,
you may want to look into ice
makers that fit into the space of
a trash compactor and produce
large quantities of ice daily.
As you can see, there’s a little
homework involved in choosing
the right refrigerator.
Send your questions or comments to
diybob@filglobe.com
You can retreat
to a quiet little
pocket right on
your property
All it takes is a bit of imagination to turn your
backyard or front lawn into an oasis of peace
and tranquility. Tom Arguelles shows us how
C
reating the ideal quiet retreat
requires careful planning; if
you spend the time to think
about it now, you’ll end up with the
perfect spot for rest and relaxation.
You’ll want to evaluate several
factors before you decide where to
situate a quiet retreat in your yard. As
with real estate, this can be the most
important consideration in planning a
successful retreat in your landscape.
Take a look at not only the existing
characteristics of your yard, but
the space around you as well. If
you don’t have a fence or natural
barrier between you and the nextdoor neighbor, then the property line
won’t be the best place to get away
from it all.
By definition, it seems most natural
to place a quiet retreat in the corner
of a yard, and that can certainly be a
good spot. But don’t restrict yourself
to the fringes of the property. With
the right design, you can have a
relaxing getaway right in the middle
of your lawn.
One important consideration
is how you will get to your quiet
retreat. An inviting path can light up
a landscape, turn everyday walks into
unfolding journeys, and transform
ordinary gardens into something
more exciting.
While paths are certainly practical
“
It’s a good
idea to picture
yourself using
the area before
you finalise your
plans
LISA LEE
Architect
– they reduce soil compaction, give
a sense of direction, and keep feet
clean and dry – they also add an
aesthetic and emotional appeal to the
landscape by creating a mood and
inviting people to explore. A winding
path can help create the sense of
privacy at the end, and lets visitors
pause and appreciate the garden.
Naturally, it should complement
the existing house and landscape.
One great thing about creating a
peaceful hideaway in your backyard
is its multitude of potential uses.
Take time to think about how you’d
like to use it before you choose
a design. Do you want a place
where you can escape with the
Sunday paper and a cup of coffee?
Or a secondary spot for guests to
congregate during parties on the
back deck?
Perhaps a spot for quiet, candlelit
dinners for two, surrounded by a
garden in full bloom? You can have
all of this- and more- with the right
plan.
If you’re looking for solitude,
you’ll want to create a smaller space
than if you plan to serve meals there.
“It’s always a good idea to picture
yourself using the area before you
finalise your plans,” says architect
Lisa Lee.
The right sitting area will help to
define your space, and should be
considered in the planning stage.
You may consider a hammock your
pinnacle of relaxation, but it won’t
work well if you plan to serve meals
in your quiet spot. Other options
include ever-popular chairs or simple
table and chair settings.
It can be little
backyard
affair (top) or
a nook behind
the fence. If
you wish, you
can make a
hammock the
center piece of
your back porch
(above) and
garden.
30
health matters
filipino globe
September 2007
See a doctor if you have
a troublesome ‘period’
E
Fetuses up to three months old are being aborted by destitute mothers. A poster (below) sends out an urgent message.
‘I can only pray that
God will forgive me’
In backstreet illegal ‘clinics’, mothers are battling
with their conscience over their unborn babies
M
inda is a masseuse with a
difference. Her caress is
used to abort fetuses. The
50-year-old grandmother has lost
count of the number of pregnancies
she has terminated in the country,
where about half a million women
end their pregnancies every year.
Most women who seek illegal
abortions are married with several
children and too poor to afford
another baby.
Remy, a 44-year-old mother, who
declined to give her last name, paid
150 pesos for a hilot, or traditional
midwife like Minda, to crush her
three-month old fetus using rough
strokes and pincer-like grips on her
belly.
The procedure, which can also
involve pounding the lower abdomen
to trigger a miscarriage, is called a
massage.
“I felt guilty but I thought it was
better than having another child that
will only suffer because we have no
food,” she said in an interview in a
slum on the outskirts of Manila.
Remy bled for a week after her
session with the hilot, passing out
with the pain.
She refused to let her husband
take her to the hospital because of
the shame of what she had done and
because they couldn’t afford the
medical bills.
“I just prayed to God and asked for
“
I felt guilty but I
thought it was
better than having
another child that
will only suffer
because we have
no food
REMY
A mother who had her fetus aborted
forgiveness,” she said.
Before her abortion, Remy had no
access to artificial family planning.
If she had, she says she wouldn’t
have become pregnant and resorted
to the potentially life-threatening
procedure.
The government promotes natural
family planning methods such as
abstinence when the woman is
ovulating.
“Supplies [of contraceptives]
have already run out in many
towns and cities so the situation is
rather desperate,” said Dr Alberto
Romualdez, a former health
secretary.
Over half of women who have had
an abortion in the Philippines were
not using any family planning and of
those that were, three-quarters were
using natural methods advocated by
the government such as rhythm or
withdrawal, according to a survey.
Both methods have high failure
rates.
The population, currently estimated
at 89 million, is expected to swell
to 142 million by 2040. The rapid
arrival of new mouths to feed is
already straining the country’s
infrastructure and choking efforts to
cut poverty.”
Women who abort their fetuses
risk a prison sentence of up to six
years, while anyone providing help
or assisting faces a similar sentence
as well as the loss of any medical
license.
Only one in four women have a
surgical procedure, according to the
survey.
The 4,000 pesos to 15,000 pesos
cost, usually in private clinics, is
beyond the pockets of most women.
Davao spas boom as residents take to pampering
Davao is seeing an explosion
in wellness services as demand
continues to grow.
Rayenne Evelyn Arao, manager of
MediSpa of SM City Davao, said spa
visits have become regular family
affairs.
She said most of their clients are
mothers and daughters and most
go to wellness center for health
and fitness reasons “and a bit of
bonding”.
Spas are mushrooming in the city,
driven by a new feel-good culture of
its residents. Visitors are also taking
advantage of their trips to put in a
few hours of pampering. This growth
in the industry is prompting operators
to offer competitive services and
prices, Arao said.
She added that her company
is equipped with state-of-the-art
equipment and manned by top-flight
staff.
ven if we think that
the menstrual cycle is
straightforward, sometimes it
defies medical explanation.
It is not surprising, therefore, that
many women are unable to grasp its
effects on their body.
Sarah Mae Jacinto, writing in from
Hong Kong, wants to know if her
problemsome “period” is a case of
PMS or premenstrual syndrome.
We asked Dr Ernesto Lactaoen, an
OB-gynecologist at the Mandaluyong
City Medical Center, to shed light on
PMS.
He writes:
That stage in the female
reproductive stage and sexual
maturity is called menstruation, or in
layman’s term, period.
It is the stage in puberty where a
woman is capable of reproduction.
Sometimes, it comes with bizarre
collective symptoms that cannot be
explained by the woman herself and
worse, even by her gynecologist.
Premenstrual syndrome or PMS is
a condition with no certain etiologic
factors, no specific treatment and is
best treated with just a placebo. At
worst, psychiatric help is needed.
This condition consists of
unexplained emotional, behavioral
and physical changes in women in a
roller coaster fashion.
Depression, mood swings,
irritability, and emotional outbursts
and anger set in without apparent
cause.
Some women crave certain
food, feel bloated, and suffer from
intractable headache.
PMS is usually felt five to seven
days before the onset of menstruation
and it diminishes one to two days
before the said “period”.
It usually afflicts women in their
late 20s and early 40s. This is due to
levels of the hormones estrogen and
progesterone that abnormally change
during menstruation.
The American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists says
85 per cent of menstruating women
HEALTHTALK
what the doctor says
Dr Jun
Amigo
have at least one PMS symptom in
their monthly cycle.
Therapeutic approach to PMS
patients is best started with
counseling with emphasis on
maintaining good nutrition, taking
lots of fruits, avoidance of too
much sweets and foods rich in salts,
caffeine and alcohol.
Avoidance of stress is also included
in the bundle.
“
This is due to
levels of estrogen
and progesterone
that abnormally
change during
menstruation
Vitamin B complex, especially B6,
is necessary to maintain the daily
recommended caloric requirement.
The use of mefenamic acids,
ibuprofen, aspirin and other over-thecounter pain reliever has been tested
to relieve mild to moderate pain
associated with PMS such as cramps,
headache and breast tenderness.
Hormonal therapy and the use of
diuretics can also be given as adjunct
in the treatment, but this on the sole
discretion of your doctor,
Women with persistent symptoms
associated with premenstrual
syndrome would do well to visit their
doctor for proper advice.
Hormonal therapy may be used but at the sole discretion of your doctor.
health@filglobe.com
If you have questions about health, send them to us and we
will try our best to answer them with expert opinion. With
Dr Jun Amigo, chief surgical resident at the Mandaluyong
City Medical Center, as moderator, this forum will feature
specialists on the chosen topic. Please note that this is not
intended as a medical consultation and readers are strongly
advised to see their doctor for proper advice. To contact
us, please visit our website www.filglobe.com and click on
“health@filglobe.com” to send your queries.
filipino globe
September 2007 31
32
lakbayan
filipino globe
September 2007
Our Lady of Peñafrancia is celebrated in mural (above) and carried in a procession in a show of devotion as old as the ancient churches of Naga. The feast will mark its 300th year in 2010.
300 years of journey by Our Lady
Naga starts countdown
to a milestone in one
of the country’s biggest
and most important
religious festivals
W
hen Naga celebrates the
widely known Feast of
Peñafrancia this month,
it will kick off preparations for 300
years of devotion to its patron saint.
The devotion to the Catholic saint
lovingly called “Ina nin Kabikolan”
began with Father Miguel Robles
de Covarrubias on May 1, 1710,
when he wrote his superiors in Spain
and claimed that the many devotees
received numerous favors from the
saint.
In 2010, the Nuestra Señora de
Peñafrancia feast will mark its 300th
year, and the preparations in the
preceding three years will revolve
around the theme of gratitude and
thanksgiving.
The celebrations were officially
launched by Archbishop Leonardo
Legaspi with other clerics,
government dignitaries and sectoral
representatives.
Legaspi said the tricentennial
celebrations’ overall theme is
“Growth in Holiness under the
Mantle of Ina”.
The first-year activities (September
2007 to September 2008) focus on
revisiting the history of the devotion
to the Peñafrancia in order to
understand it deeper, organizers said.
The celebrations coincide with
“
It will be a year
of grace, a year
of favor from the
Lord ... Mary
journeyed with us
for 300 years
the 125th anniversary of the Divino
Rostro (August 26, 1882), when
for the first time, the Rostro was
enshrined together with Ina in the
Cathedral amid the threat of cholera.
From September next year to
September 2009), on the theme of
“Renewing our Faith through Ina”,
celebrations will be dedicated to
appreciating “giftedness” so that
“devotees can develop a more vibrant
and relevant faith life”.
In a statement, diocesan organizers
said the call to renewal includes
catechesis, Marian missions and
pilgrimages in the parishes, exhibits,
video documentaries, Marian and
retreats for the Bicol clergy. A
special commemorative stamp will
be issued for the occasion.
Marian spirituality, Legaspi said,
is also a commitment to protect
the environment with plans to
rehabilitate the Naga River.
Next year, Legaspi celebrates the
silver anniversary of his installation
as the third archbishop of Caceres.
The third and final year (September
2009-September 2010) will be a
“sharing” period among devotees, a
call to action with confidence.
According to Legaspi, this means
devotees are “convinced not only
of the significance of the devotion
to Our Lady of Peñafrancia but also
joyfully anticipating and sharing the
immense fruits of such devotion”.
The last year will also highlight
international pilgrimages and Marian
conferences, the celebration of the
Silver Jubilee of the Nueva Caceres
Basilica and the launching of a film
and a book on Peñafrancia.
“It will be a year of grace, a year
of favor from the Lord. From 1710
to 2010, Mary journeyed with us for
300 years. Legaspi said in a pastoral
letter.
She will continue to journey with
us in the future.”
The Russians are coming – to Cebu, Manila, Boracay and Palawan – in that order
Cebu ... top destination for high-spending and long-staying Russians.
Cebu, Manila, Boracay and
Palawan are the top tour
destinations in the Philippines for
Russian tourists.
Russian tourism representative
Edward Grigoriev said the
beaches, spa and wellness
centers, diving spots and shopping
malls in these destinations serve
as main tourist attractions.
Grigoriev, who described Russian
tourists as big spenders, urged
the country’s tourism officials to
aggressively market the Philippines
in Russia.
“Russian tourists some of the
biggest spenders in the world.
Travel itinerary should include
visits to souvenir and craft shops,
malls and pearl farms,” he said.
“Most Russians like to stay in
bungalows fully equipped with
modern home appliances and airconditioned rooms,” he said.
DOT Team Europe marketing
head Verna Covar-Buensuceso
said Russians visiting the
Philippines are the second-biggest
spenders among all tourists from
Europe.
She said Russians are also
“shopaholics” and stay in the
country an average of 21 days.
For the country to benefit from
this emerging market it has
to intensify its marketing and
promotional efforts, Grigoriev said.
“The local Russian market suffers
from a lack of knowledge about the
Philippines. We have to start from
scratch,” he said.
More than 12,000 Russians
visited the Philippines last year.
Grigoriev said the Philippines’
Southeast Asian neighbors
promote their tour packages
aggressively.
He said among countries
in the region, the Philippines’
main competitors are Thailand,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Goa (India),
and Maldives. Thailand is the
leading destination for Russian
tourists in the region.
filipino globe
September 2007
33
34
money matters
filipino globe
September 2007
If capital dries up, you may turn
to your partners for extra funds
I
recently started a new nineSaturday business course at the
De La Salle College of Saint
Benilde called Retiring To Business.
It is a short course targeting
those who are retiring from the
government, military, police or the
private sector.
I thought about this course
as I have seen what happens to
many retirees, where the skills
of a good number waste away
simply because they either do
not have the confidence nor
professional upbringing to slide into
entrepreneurship.
For those who actually managed
to set up a small company, nearly 80
per cent closed within the first four
years.
In the first batch of attendees, I saw
a strong desire to be an entrepreneur
given a gut-feel business idea and
a ready market. They unfortunately
could not quantify how to generate
profit out of their planned investment
and how income will evolve from the
right marketing moves.
Their appreciation of a multitasking envrionment and selection
of partners coming from immediate
relatives and friends are not clearly
rationalised.
OFWWISE
be your own boss
Herbie
Sancianco
Basically, they perceive
entrepreneurship as a soleproprietor proposition. They have
no appreciation of the tax issues
involved versus having a registered
company of several partners.
The business will be capitalised
from P250,000 to not more than
P1 million. The starting equity is
usually understated and inadequate
to support the firm’s operational
expenses for at least 18 months.
Many believe that the break-even
point can be achieved in six months.
In my experience, that is too short for
90 per cent of all starting entities.
When the money runs out before
profit is made, panic sets in. The
knee-jerk solution is to borrow
money.
If capital has not been managed
The Dagupan City council is
looking for ways to boost revenue
at the newly built three-storey
Malimgas public market amid
signs it is about to suffer financial
collapse.
More than 200 stalls remain
vacant, 80 on the first floor and
146 on the second floor.
The third floor and the roof deck
are reserved for pay parking,
but nobody wants to park there
because of the steep incline.
Councilman Jesus Canto,
chairman of the council’s market
commitee, wants rentals cut. But
vice-mayor Belen Fernandez said
the city would suffer more as it
is paying a Land Bank loan used
to finance construction of the
market.
The new market, with an airconditioned second floor, is the
first market-mall in the city.
The council is seeking a
thorough study of the market’s
revenue and expenses to avert a
financial disaster.
The move came after city
treasurer Romelita Alcantara said
35
the market was earning only an
average of P1.1 million a month
against operating expenses of
P930,000.
This is on top of the P3 million
monthly, or P.5 million quarterly,
amortization on the more than
P300 million loan from the Land
Bank used to build the market.
Alcantara said the city is giving
P100,000 in daily subsidies to
operate the market.
The market was built under
the past city administration three
years ago.
The market area in Jolo teems with activity. At right, seafood from the island province will soon be a staple in Manila restaurants, hotels and shops.
Manila eyes Sulu seafood, fruits
Businesses increasingly tapping island province under peace, livelihood program
Your next copy of Filipino Globe
will arrive by hand
Subscribe now ...
don’t be left behind
SUBSCRIPTION FORM
Name:
September 2007
Dagupan may cut rentals at slumping public market
properly, this results in a depleted
bank account while the company
is still having birth pains. The
confidence of the shareholders begins
to erode.
During the early period of business
development, many entrepreneurs
succumb to the practice of giving
out generous credit terms to their
customers so as to create their
customer base.
Some will be forced to have their
goods consigned to the customer
until it is sold or consumed. A
customer who is a reseller will not at
the onset allow himself to have his
money tied up in inventory for a long
period.
Proper management of company
finances from the start will ensure the
firm’s stability to survive its infancy.
If the company needs to increase
its working capital, the first correct
step is to ask the partners to shell
out some more money against their
pro-rated share so as to address the
looming financial gap. This is what is
termed as an equity call.
Herbie Sancianco is a professor in
the graduate school for continuing
education, De La Salle College of
St Benilde, Manila
money matters
filipino globe
Or subscribe through our website
www.filglobe.com
Address:
Manila restaurants and hotel operators are increasingly turning to Sulu
for seafood, giving an added boost to
local industries.
The southern Mindanao province
already suppplies fruits and fruit
products to Manila.
Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan said
he has received expressions of interest from Manila businesses to help
market the seafood.
Tan said the fishing industry stands
to benefit from active marketing.
On Monday, visiting Senator Richard Gordon helped ship six tons of
mangosteen, lanzones, and durian
produced by local farmers.
They were flown on an air force
cargo plane.
Gordon was accompanied by executives of big business establishments
in Manila, including Shopwise, SM
Supermarket, Rustan’s Supercenters
and Nestle, where the fruits are being
sold.
Tan said Sulu fishermen can supply
the seafood market in Metro Manila,
saying 80 per cent of shipped seafood
already come from Sulu.
“We have the capability to supply
the big supermarkets in Manila,” he
said. Tan added that Gordon is talking
to certain airlines to transport the seafood directly from Jolo, the provincial
capital.
Tan said he was told by Shoemart
executives that the Sulu fruits shipped
on Monday were sold out in less than
one hour.
Gordon, who is also chairman of
the Philippine National Red Cross,
founded and runs the Fruit of Hope
program.
It is being implemented in coordination with the Asia America Initiative and the Sulu provincial government to promote the local economy
and create livelihood.
Gordon, Tan, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process,
an AAI representative and the visiting
Manila business executives signed a
memorandum of agreement supporting the program.
Tan called on Sulu farmers to take
advantage of the opportunity under
the program.
“Let us all take advantage of this
opportunity to promote investments
for hope, where every peso spent is
an investment for lasting peace and
sustainable progress,” Tan said.
Dumaguete lines up trade fair
Mobile No:
Clip this form and send to Filipino Globe
Suite 1905, Lippo Centre Tower 2
Enclose a check payable
to Apex Services (HK) Ltd
Subscription rates:
$180 (one year)
$90 (six months)
filipino globe
the OFW newspaper
The Department of Trade and
Industry in Negros Oriental will
hold its Presyo Bonanza trade
fair next month in line with
the nationwide celebration of
Consumer Welfare Month.
This is the eighth year that
Presyo Bonanza is being held
in Dumaguete, said Angeline
Gonzalez of the local DTI office.
This year, the fair will run for
three days from October 13 to
allow consumers more time to
avail of the low prices of basic
commodities and electrical
appliances. Other highlights of
the fair are raffle draws and a live
band concert.
Another feature this year is a
showcase of electrical products
as a way of educating the public
on the risks of buying substandard electrical appliances
that pose dangers to life and
limb.
The trade department has
warned businesses against
selling electrical products that
do not carry the “Philippine
Standard” mark.
It has shifted its focus to
empowering consumers
themselves to protect their rights.
This will help the department
cope with manpower shortage,
Gonzalez said.
Today’s toxic environment
coupled with the high-fat, highsugar diets that are so common
among most people combine to
make it very difficult to achieve
optimal health, slow aging and
prevent chronic illness.
In many ways, conventional
medicine has failed to fully
address the problems we face in
today’s world.
www.xocaipinoy.com
email rsumallo@yahoo.com
mobile +63917 5390486
MXI Corp Philippines pick-up and training
center: (632) 637 5279
fax (632) 634 7909
36
celebrity
filipino globe
September 2007
celebrity
filipino globe
All abuzz as
curtains come
up on stars’
babies season
Camille Prats has a long layover in the US, where she will give birth to her child. She will stay with a grandmother.
“
Tatlong beses ko
siyang dineny.
May tatlong
singsing na siyang
ibinigay sa akin
CHERRY LOU
On boyfriend Michael Agassi
Three rings and a baby for sexy starlet Cherry Lou
Sexy starlet Cherry Lou (above) is
three months pregnant, courtesy
of boyfriend Michael Agassi, a
younger brother of actor-rapper
Carlos Agassi. (Michael was once
a talent of ABS-CBN 2 but gave up
after about a year.)
Happily, they do plan to get
married – and they are slated to
do so on Sept. 15 in a resort in
Laguna known as Mystic Valley,
which is owned by Michael’s
family.
The couple disclosed that even
before they found out that Cherry
is pregnant, Michael has already
proposed three times. Cherry
seconded: “Tatlong beses ko
siyang dineny. May tatlong singsing
na siyang ibinigay sa akin, ‘pag
nagbibigay siya sa akin, ‘yon na
‘yon. Pati family niya involved na.
Gustung-gusto na nila.”
“Matagal ko nang gustong
magka-baby, e ... Gusto ko
talaga ng boy, sobra. Pero gusto
ng family ko girl kasi lahat kami
[magkakapatid] three boys, e,”
revealed Michael.
(Their youngest brother, Aaron, is
also very much an ABS-CBN star
who appears in the Saturday light
drama Abt Ur Luv). Chery Lou, who
dances very well, used to be part of
S
he has no reputation of being
sexually liberated. Or, to
be blunt about it, of being a
loose girl. But, yes, the relatively
demure Camille Prats is four months
pregnant.
Camille, younger sister of ABSCBN 2 star John Prats (below), is
22. She used to be with ABS-CBN,
too, but she “defected” to the rival
network about two years ago. She
was last seen in GMA 7’s Super
Twins, which concluded just about
two months ago.
Camille’s pregnancy – which she
once denied – seems to be the reason
she has mysteriously moved to Los
Angeles, California.
The first time it surfaced that
she was moving out to the US, she
insisted that it was not because she
was pregnant, as rumors once had
it, but simply because she wanted to
a group known as Showgirls which
used to perform on ABS-CBN 2’s
Sunday noontime show, ASAP.
The group included Gem Ramos,
Michelle Estevez, and Apreal
Tolentino.
The birthing season among Pinoy
showbiz idols actually began in
May this year when Kris Aquino
gave birth to baby James, her
firstborn with husband James
Yap, the Purefoods star basketball
player. This was followed by
Claudine Barretto’s giving birth
to Rodrigo Santino, her firstborn,
too, with actor husband Raymart
Santiago.
continue her college studies there.
Well, she finally admitted she is
pregnant. And her mom, Alma Prats,
confirmed that her “little girl” is
indeed “infanticipating”.
The mom accompanied Camille to
the US and they flew to Los Angeles
last Sept. 5.
Both mother and daughter denied
that the baby’s father is music video
director Paul Soriano who had been
Camille’s boyfriend in the past –
though the guy is now openly known
as the boyfriend of ABS-CBN 2’s
Toni Gonzaga.
The baby’s father is Camille’s
boyfriend Anthony (whose surname
remains unrevealed by her up to
now) of two years.
They once broke up but then
reconciled after a few months.
Anthony’s family is a longtime friend
of the Prats, according to mother and
daughter.
Anthony, according to Camille,
will soon follow her to the US.
They are likely to get married after
she gives birth in the US – and the
wedding will most likely be in the
US, too.
Camille’s mom insists that her
daughter will find a way to finish
college in the US while waiting for
her baby’s birth.
The mother will actually not stay
with her daughter in the US all
throughout her pregnancy. Aside
from John, she has three younger
children in the Philippines, so she
will have to come back for them.
And for John, of course.
Camille will stay with a
grandmother in the US.
Maricel turns grandma, Janna pulls through, Gary ponders
Danny Vibas in Manila
Meryll Soriano, the actress niece
of “Diamond Star” Maricel Soriano
(right), gave birth to baby boy Elijah
Palanca on August 27. The baby’s
father is Meryll’s estranged husband,
actor Bernard Palanca (a grandson of
veteran actor Armando Goyena).
Meryll and Bernard had a
whirlwind romance that ended in a
short-lived marriage of about four
months. They separated while Meryll
was in the early stage of pregnancy.
Meryll’s mother is Beck-beck
Soriano, Maricel’s younger sister,
while her father is the once-more
beleaguered TV host-comedian
Willie Revillame. Beck-beck and
Willie were never married, which
is why Meryll uses her mother’s
surname. Meryll’s marriage to
Bernard remains un-annulled since it
was only a few months ago that the
couple separated.
Bernard’s much longer romance
was with actress Rica Peralejo
– which (happily?) did not end in a
(broken) marriage. Meryll seems to
have been his next girlfriend after
Rica.
Their having a baby has not
changed their minds about the
separation. They will still pursue an
annulment of their marriage – though
Bernard has practically sworn that he
will be a “very cool” dad to Elijah,
who will, of course, stay with his
mother.
Bernard and his family turned up
at the hospital soon after Meryll gave
birth through normal delivery. Meryll
sweetly accepted them, and so did
Beck-beck.
Meanwhile, Maricel feels that
Elijah is among her lucky charms.
Her first ever movie with Aga
Muhlach, A Love Story, was a big
hit in the Philippines. Maricel was
actually in the US with co-stars Aga
Muhlach and Angelica Panganiban
for the movie’s gala premiere
showing in some cities there when
Elijah was born.
Remember actess Janna Victoria
(above) who was once more
popularly known as actor Dominic
Ochoa’s girlfriend? It was Janna
who was with Dominic in a resort
in Palawan when their fellow actor
Rico Yan suddenly and almost
mysteriously died of some pancreatic
disease. But, well, the father of the
baby girl that Janna gave birth to on
September 3 at the Makati Medical
Center is not Dominic – but a nonshowbiz guy by the name of Joseph
Flores. They are not married. They
named their baby Jordana Brielle.
Janna says she and Joseph have
been friends for years but became
sweethearts only about a year ago.
Joseph is reportedly a first cousin of
GMA 7 actor Robert Ortega, who
is currently a mainstay in the soap
opera Mga Mata ni Angelita.
Then on to Gary Estrada, whose
ex-actress wife, the pretty Bernadette
Allyson, is seven months pregnant
with their third baby, a girl – so she
will be their third daughter in a row.
Their eldest is Gariella Bernise,
five, now studying at Colegio de
San Pedro Poveda in Ortigas Center,
Pasig City. Their second child, is
Gariana Beatrice, who happens to be
only seven months old.
“When my wife went to the
hospital to have her check-up and 3G
ultrasound para malaman ang gender
ng next baby namin, agad niya akong
tinawagan when she got the result.
Sabi niya sa akin, ‘Ikaw kasi playboy
ka kaya girl ulit ang anak natin.’ I
know she was just joking, pero agad
tuloy akong napaisip, pambayadutang ba ito? Totoo ba ‘yon?”
27
37
War of words adds fuel to the fire
When Joey de Leon, a host of
the rival show Eat Bulaga started
making veiled remarks about a
host who cheated a contestant, the
controversy caught on like wildfire.
Willie answered back,
categorically mentioning Joey, and
pleaded with him to stop.
When Joey persisted, WiIIie
retaliated by vaguely mentioning a
court case in which Joey and some
of his Eat Bulaga co-hosts figured
in the past.
WiIIie was alluding to the rape
case fiIed in the mid-80s against
Joey and others by then bold
Who’s expecting and who’s got the little ones
safely home. Also, whose careers are being
kept on hold, if not derailed, by parenthood
September 2007
With their rival shows behind them, Joey de Leon (above) and Willie Revillame
have slugged out in s series of exchanges that have recently turned ugly.
Politicians get
in on act over
‘cheating’ on
Wowowee
Legislative inquiry slow to take off
pending invitation to concerned parties
N
either host Willie Revillame
nor any of the production
executives of the beleaguered
show Wowowee has been invited to
a Senate hearing to determine if the
show cheated a female contestant out
of a P2 million jackpot.
The supposed rigging of a new
game segment of the show resulted
in the contestant taking home
P370,000 instead of the jackpot.
The furor apparently has not
stopped fans turning up at ABSCBN, enabling the show to tape six
episodes to be aired while he was
away in Las Vegas,.
The female contestant also has not
said a word.
The supposed rigging occured
during the August 20 show, then
only a few days old. It’s called
Wilyonaryo which replaced the old
game Pera o Bayong.
The jackpot part of the game
requires a contestant to choose from
several round colored boxes each of
which hides a number that’s either
zero or 2.
Zero means the contestant brings
home cash or a special price whose
value is much lesser than P2
million, which is what the number 2
represents.
Only one of the boxes hides the
number 2 and only Willie knows
which of the boxes has that jackpot
number.
What happened that afternoon
was that the violet box which the
contestant did not choose but which
supposedly had the number 2 did not
have the number 2 but also revealed
another zero.
Willie himself was startled when
co-host Mariel Rodriguez blurted
”Ay mali,” making Willie realise that
what he pulled out was not the sheet
covering the number 2 but the sheet
itself that has 2 printed on it.
It was a glitch that could have been
avoided with, perhaps, more off-cam
rehearsals with stand-in contestants.
The incident soon became
controversial because a viewer
managed to upload the segment
to YouTube, the free videosharing
website on the Internet. The uploader
cited it as a case of cheating. without bothering to get the show
The show is no stranger to
controversy. Two years ago, a dawn
stampede killed 80 people and
injured 200. The show stopped for
about a month.
stars Sarsi Emmanuelle and Pepsi
Paloma.
The two actresses later withdrew
their charge and an out-of-court
settlement seemed to have
occured. About a year later, Pepsi
committed suicide.
More senators and congressmen
may have spoken their piece about
Wowowee and Willie Revillame by
the time you read this.
Two congressmen want the
show scrapped and replaced
with one that stresses hardwork .
One of them is former actor Dan
Fernandez.
Danny Vibas
38
celebrity
filipino globe
September 2007
Loves of her life and
one very special guy
KC Concepcion has finally
faced the press, primarily to
promote her forthcoming special
on ABS-CBN 2, but as is usual
with promo press conferences,
the interview with her became
wide-ranging and only her sense
of control could limit the answers
she was willing to give.
For instance, she didn’t want
to talk about her lovelife, though
she somehow gave an inkling
about it.
“Opo, I’m happy,” she said
when asked if there is someone
now making her heart sing.
When directly asked about
her reported relationship with
young director Lino Cayetano,
she playfully replied: “Magaling
siyang director.”
KC gamely accommodated
all of the questions tossed at her
– from “papa” Gabby (right) to
her life as a student in Paris.
Being naturally friendly,
KC thinks that her closeness,
particularly with guys, is very
susceptible to intrigues and false
impression.
“Marami po ang nakakamisinterpret sa certain
relationships ko. Kaya po siguro
ako nali-link kasi lahat sobrang
kinu-kuya ko. And ‘yon nga po
ang payo sa akin ng isa kong
kaibigan noon na ‘Huwag ka
naman masyadong maging close
sa mga guys kasi laging namimisinterpret ng tao.’
“Iniisip nila may something na
when really, it’s just friendship.” .
And then the talk shifted to her
dad, former matinee idol Gabby
Concepcion, about whom she
was more open.
She revealed that now that she’s
done with her Paris education,
she wants to visit her father in the
United States more often.
“We plan to see each other
every year. So hopefully, in the
next couple of months puwede na
po kami magkita ulit. May plano
po talaga akong bumalik to go
and see him in California,” she
said.
KC’s original plan was to visit
her father, whom she fondly
calls papa, immediately upon
her return from Paris. But her
workload and other commitments
got in the way.
“Pagbalik ko po dito [sa
Pilipinas], talagang medyo naexcite ako sa trabaho and halos
araw-araw ‘yong trabaho ko.
Hopefully, makahanap ako ng
konting time. Gusto ko right
away,” she said.
She would love
to convince her
father to come
home even for a
short vacation.
However, KC
said that she
doesn’t want
to interfere with Gabby’s work,
especially now that his career is
in an upswing.
“Napaka-successful po niya.
One of the top ten realtors po siya
in all of California. And recently
po, nakuha niya ‘yong lisensya
niya to open his own company.
Napaka-successful po niya doon
sa ginagawa n’ya, so I don’t feel
na I should encourage his return,”
explained KC.
KC also had a chance to meet
her father’s partner last year
during an emotional visit.
“She’s very decent and very
kind, very welcoming, very
warm,” she said.
“Gumaan po yung loob ko
once na nakilala ko siya and
siya pa po ‘yong nagbi-video sa
aming mag-ama. Kaya talaga po
napakalaking blessing. Pilipina
po siya.”
Prior to KC’s visit, father and
daughter had not seen each other
for 10 years.
KC wants to follow an emotional reunion with Gabby last year with
yearly visits now that she has finished her schooling in Paris.
I
t’s funny, or perhaps, ridiculous.
Rufa Mae Quinto’s house gets
burglarised, she loses about P2
million worth of jewelry and other
property. And then it gets rumored
that her very own mother is the
culprit.
Are the ridiculous rumors borne
of the fact that Rufa Mae (right) is a
comedienne, a screwball?
The rumored stories as to how
‘I can’t put my heart
through a blender’
In a candid interview, Sharon rules out doing a movie with Gabby
S
haron Cuneta is finally
slimmer, sexier these days,
a picture of a happy, content
woman. KC Concepcion, her lovely
daughter by ex-husband Gabby
Concepcion, has just finished college
in Paris, France, while Frankie and
Miel are growing up to be fine young
little misses.
Her weight loss, KC’s coming
home, and her movie comeback,
have been the talk of the town.
KC is now a Kapamilya. A video
documentary on the last few weeks
of her life as a student in Paris will
be shown soon on ABS-CBN.
Ruffa Gutierrez, in an interview
for ABS-CBN’s The Buzz, asked
Sharon the secret to her weight loss,
the megastar enthused: “South Beach
(diet) works for me. I sometimes mix
phases 1 and 2 because I have been
on it forever.”
Sharon says she has nothing
against plastic surgery but she is far
from making that decision. “I am
very scared to have someone touch
my face. Isang pagkakamali lang
hindi na maibabalik.”
Having been once rumored to have
undergone a nose job, she asked
Ruffa to pinch her nose. “Lapirutin
mo nga Ruffa dali, lapirutin mo nga.”
“It’s real,” Ruffa declared.
Everybody is in praise of how well
she raised her daughter KC. KC is
said to have told her mom, “I didn’t
get pregnant, I don’t do drugs.”
But will KC be in showbiz for
good? “She is still deciding whether
to live partly here or partly in New
York. She likes to travel though.”
KC is rumored to be playing
beautiful music with young director
Lino Cayetano, a son of the late
Senator Renato Cayetano and
youngest brother of two incumbent
senators (Pia Cayetano and Allan
“
Lahat tayo gusto
natin prinsipe ang
maging asawa ng
anak natin pero
prinsipe naman
but in the end ...
SHARON CUNETA
On the choices people make
Peter Cayetano). Without speaking
for her daughter whom she says is
old enough to speak for herself, the
megastar mom is thrilled about her
daughter’s lovelife. “Masaya ang
puso ni KC. Parang mas masaya
pa sa akin. Wala naman siyang
pinuproblema na mga friends niya,
yong problema ng bansa. When Kiko
has a problem, I’m affected.”
Asked if she is okay with KC
having a PG (an acronym for patay
gutom which the feisty Annabel
Rama concocted) for a boyfriend,
Sharon divulged: “My father used
to say, kahit Metro Aide anak basta
mahal ka at mahal mo. But I’m sure
he was praying wag naman yong
ikaw ang magpapakain habang
buhay.
“Lahat tayo gusto natin prinsipe
ang maging asawa ng anak natin pero
prinsipe naman but in the end ...”
Ruffa butted in: “Sinasaktan ka.”
Sharon impIied that she has been
through emotional and mental
suffering but never physical. “I was
never hurt physically because I’m
also strong.”
And she revealed she knows how
to use a gun. “That’s my hidden
talent.”
Talk about KC always leads to
issues about her dad. She is in praise
of Gabby despite their estrangement.
“I am happy for him because he is
experiencing the kind of peace [that
he wants]. I was overflowing with
joy when KC told me, ‘ang bait bait
niya Mama’ [referring to Gabby’s
present wife].”
But would she allow KC to do
a movie with Gabby? That, she
revealed, is something she has never
allowed herself to think about.
“Actually somebody asked me,
would you be open to do a movie
with Gabby? For a hundred million
[pesos]? Not even. Not yet. Parang
you’re gonna put my heart through a
blender. You know why?
“Even if we’re okay na and he has
his own life and I’ve been married
to Kiko for 11 years and a half, even
if you say our daughter is already
a grown-up and has her own mind,
you know others will still play
around with us. I don’t like anybody
disrespecting my husband or his
wife. Neither of them deserves that.
and we certainly don’t deserve it.”
September 2007
39
Did Rufa Mae’s mom steal from her?
Sharon Cuneta did her
best to lose unwanted
pounds. The result is
a slimmer and sexier
megastar.
celebrity
filipino globe
Angel to sell
used clothing
alongside
Richard
Angel Locsin is now very much a
Kapamilya star, but she keeps her
friendship with former Kapuso onscreen sweetheart Richard Gutierrez.
Angel (below) has agreed to
participate in a rummage sale of
stars’ used clothes and accessories
which Richard and his twin brother
Raymond are holding to raise funds
for their favorite charities. Billed as
RRRampa for a Cause, the rummage
sale will be held on September 16
at the Rockwell Tent at The Fort in
Taguig.
Although now affiliated with
two different networks, Angel and
Richard can still team up in projects
not produced by their respective rival
networks and rival film companies.
(Angel is now with Star Cinema.
while Richard is with Regal and
GMA FiIms.)
The forner oncam sweethearts
are all set to shoot a
shampoo commercial
in Bangkok also this
September.They’ll do
the shoot in Bangkok
in between tapings
for their respective new soap operas.
Angel has begun taping with Piolo
Pascual the action-fantasy series Anq
Taong Lobo. She also performs on
Sundays on the network’s noontime
show ASAP 2007.
Richard, on the other hand, must
be dividing his time now mainly
between taping his upcoming GMA 7
action series Kamandag and shooting
for his latest movie Dawag, which
happens to be his first film under
Chito Roño’s direction. The movie
will later be shot partly in faraway
Camarines Norte. It’s horror.
Both Ang Taong Lobo and
Kamandag are due to be shown midOctober and might likely air right
across each other.
Asked to react to that possibility,
Richard beamed: “Okey lang, though
I find it kind of weird that our shows
will be airing against each other.
But then I think it will be a healthy
competition that will be good for
both networks. Mas may challenge sa
akin at sa kanya. Pagandahan na lang
kami ng shows.”
Kamandag is co-directed by Mark
Reyes and Topel Lee, a short-film
and digital director who is now
making waves in the mainstream
film industry. It is based on Carlo J.
Caparas’ illustrated komiks novel
which is being adapted as a TV series
for the first time.
her mother became a suspect really
don’t even make sense – but they
were being passed around by word
of mouth and in text messages all the
same.
“Hindi ko pagtatakpan ang nanay
ko, pero tigilan na sana yung kung
anu-anong kumakalat na text-text.
Ang bastos ha, kasi nanay ko pa rin
‘yon, di ba? Hindi ko sinasabi na
perfect ang nanay ko, pero I’m doing
my best para proteksyunan siya,”
pleaded Rufa Mae in a TV interview.
Rufa Mae’s
mother was
allegedly spotted
in the vicinity of
the GMA 7 studio
in Edsa where the
Sunday noontime
show SOP is
telecast – allegedly
with the intention of soliciting
money. Rufa Mae is a mainstay in
the said show.
“Wala po ako sa SOP nung Sunday,
kadarating ko lang nung Lunes. Ang
mommy ko daw went there, pero
hindi ko naman alam. Nagpunta
siya du’n nagso-solicit daw siya.
Pero siyempre hindi naman porke
nag-solicit siya, nagnakaw. I think
kung sino man ang nagsabi nun, ang
bastos naman,” said an obviously
upset Rufa Mae.
The need to seek her out to ask for
money was uncalled for, according
to the screwball actress, as she has
always provided for the entire family
ever since she started earning as a
celebrity.
“Mommy, ano ba yung sinu-solicit
mo? Nakakahiya ha. Hindi naman
niya kailangan mag-solicit dahil
lahat na sinagot ko na lahat.” she
addressed her mom on TV. Rufa Mae
confided that her mom had left home
and had yet to return at press time.
Thinking it might be an inside
job, Rufa Mae asked everyone in the
house to undergo a lie detector test
to help investigators.
40
celebrity
filipino globe
September 2007
SexBomb girl
gets the boot
over late-night
party antics
This just in ...
Jay Sonza
is alive and
newscasting
Cynthia Yapchiongco is out but she may
continue to appear in group’s TV sitcom
T
here’s one less SexBomb
member these days. SexBomb
manager Joy Cancio has fired
Cynthia Yapchiongco for the second
time. And possibly for the last time.
Cynthia was first kicked out from
the group along with Jackie Rivas.
The former got the axe for getting
herself a tattoo at her back and for
hanging out and staying up late in
bars.
Cynthia, according to Joy, has
gotten herself into trouble in bars
many times. Her late-night hanging
out affected her dancing and the
manager got worried that the habit
would eventually affect her health.
Joy forbids her dancers from
having pernanent body markings
because the dancers’ young fans
might imitate them and upset their
parents.
Jackie got her walking papers also
for choosing to hang out in bars over
attending rehearsals.
Both were given a second chance
by their manager – because both
promised to mend their ways. Also,
Cynthia promised she would have
her tattoo removed.
But a week after she was given a
reprieve, Cynthia was found to be
back in her late-night habit.
To justify her decision to fire
Cynthia, Joy declared: “Hindi niya
minahal ang trabaho niya. Sayang
ang mga oportunidad na dumarating
for her at sa grupo.
The SexBomb girls have strict standards as most of their fans are young
people who might be influenced by their behavior, says manager Joy Cancio.
“Kung ayaw niya sa trabahong
ito, siguro naman may isa diyan na
gustung-gustong maging SexBomb
Girl.”
Joy insists that she was fair in her
decision.
But Joy is allowing Cynthia to
continue appearing in the SexBomb
Girls’ afternoon soap opera on GMA
7, Daisy Siyete.
Cynthia, however, definitely can’t
join anymore in the girls’ regular
stints in Eat Bulaga, Tok! Tok! Tok!
Isang Milyong Pasok, and Si, as well
as in mall shows and provincial tours
by the dance group.
Ever wondered whatever happened
to news anchor-host Jay Sonza
(below) after his failed attempt to
become a senator in 2004?
Well, he rejoined UNTV 37
which he fist joined in 2002 as news
manager.
And now the man is back on
camera as an anchor of UNTV
primetime news program Ito ang
Balita. He is joined by the young,
pretty, and intelligent
Candace Giron whom
he was able to “pirate”
from GMA 7.
It was actually
Daniel Razon, who
was once with GMA 7, too, as a
newscaster-host who recruited Jay to
UNTV.
Jay has not lost his passion for
broadcasting though he has definitely
lost his passion for Mel Tiangco.
The world knew that almost all the
time they were teamed up on GMA
7, they were also very much lovers
off-camera.
At the press conference for Ito Ang
Balita recently, Jay said he and Mel
have long stopped communicating
with each other and that they also
have not met for years since he left
GMA 7. Jay maintains there is no
romance between him and Candace
who admits being separated from her
husband.
Danny Vibas
balik-tanaw
filipino globe
September 2007
41
EXTENDED TO GIVE MORE READERS A CHANCE TO WIN FABULOUS PRIZES
Handog ng Filipino Globe
Sagutin at manalo
Two round-trip tickets (HKG-MNL-HKG or MNL-HKG-MNL)
Three iPod Nano
Five tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland
Clip this entry form and send to Filipino Globe, Suite 1905 Lippo Centre Tower 2, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Sagot
Name___________________________________________________________________
1) __________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________
2) __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3) __________________________________
ID Number _______________________________________________________________
4) __________________________________
5) __________________________________
Telephone Number_______________
Email Address ___________________________
(write none if you have no email address)
6) __________________________________
(please check appropriate box)
7) __________________________________
Occupation:
Domestic helper
Professional __________________ (please specify industry, title or both) __________
Others _______________________ (please specify industry, title or both) __________
Terms and conditions:
• Entries may be submitted starting on July 14 but not
later than October 31, 2007
• Entries with the most number of correct answers will
qualify to win a prize
• Only one entry per person is allowed
• Winners will be announced in the November issue of
Filipino Globe and on our website (www.filglobe.com)
• Winners will be notified individually by telephone, and
may claim their prize at a pre-arranged time
• Flights must be taken within six months of the prize
being presented, except during the Christmas and
Chinese New Year holidays
• Information required in this entry form must be properly
filled and completed. Otherwise, the entry may be
invalidated
• Employees and correspondents of Filipino Globe or
their dependents cannot participate
• In case of any dispute, Filipino Globe reserves the right
to make the final decision
Age group
23-30
31-40
41 and above
Education
Elementary
High school
University/College
Years in Hong Kong or overseas
2-4
5-10
11 or more
Masters degree
PhD
Note: Information collected is strictly confidential and intended for internal use only
42
celebrity
filipino globe
September 2007
Stories behind her love songs
Cecile Azarcon lets us in on the private thoughts and feelings that inspire her music
Laura G Perez in Sacramento
T
o call Cecile Azarcon a
hopeless romantic would be
an understatement. But to
say that she is all heart would leave
out that part of her that pulsates
in her compositions, something
that launched her as a promising
composer with the release of Lift up
your Hands in the 1980s. Originally
sung by Basil Valdez, this has
become a standard in church services
and spiritual retreats. It may well be
Cecile’s signature song.
Now she is poised to outdo herself
with a major composition that will
sear everyone’s soul. The new song
is about Jesus’ invitation to Peter to
walk on water with Him. Entitled
Walking on Water, it could well
define her spirituality.
Seated at the grand piano in her
elegant home in Vallejo, Cecile
tells us the story behind it. “It was
composed three years ago, during my
sister’s tragic bout with cancer.”
She kept this song in her heart
before she finally handed it over
to a singer who could interpret it
beautifully – her long-time friend,
Kuh Ledesma.
Walking on Water takes the
listeners through the raging sea of
doubts and fears, and gets them to
focus on an anchor.
Cecile says pain is a factor
in creating some of her best
compositions. “I sometimes tease
my husband, Alex, who is such a
peaceful man, to quarrel with me so
I can have something to write about
and wait until I have finished writing
a song before making up with me.”
They both burst out laughing. “But
seriously, I am so blessed with my
husband.”
Cecile has just come back from
a worship leader’s seminar at the
Saddleback Church, where Rick
Warren, author of The Purpose
Driven Life is the pastor. Kuh
Ledesma and her daughter Isabella,
an up and coming jazz singer and
painter, joined her in Los Angeles.
“Throughout the years, Kuh has
been a source of encouragement and
inspiration. She became more than a
singer who sang my songs but a true
friend who was there for me in the
different seasons of my life.”
Kuh received a 1990 Double
Platinum Award for the album
Lihim which features Tagalog songs
composed by Cecile. All 10 songs are
about love. In 1999, Vicor released
Cecile Azarcon, Piano Collections
in celebration of her 20th year in
the industry. The CD features her
greatest hits.
Cecile met Kuh in Manila while
she was fresh from the UP College
of Music and giving voice lessons to
practically all the well-known singers
you can think of. She was seen as
following in the footsteps of her
mother, Minda Azarcon, known as
the voice teacher of the stars.
Aside from composing, Cecile was
also in demand as a back-up singer
of topnotch solo artists.
Basil Valdez heard her sing Lift up
your Hands while she was playing
it on the piano. He asked her if he
could record it. She was then 19.
“Lift Up Your Hands was written
in a matter of ten minutes as if
the words and melody just passed
through me,” Cecile says. “It was
“
I sometimes tease
my husband,
Alex, who is such
a peaceful man,
to quarrel with
me so I can have
something to write
about
CECILE AZARCON
On what keeps the music flowing
Star-studded cast of students
Cecile Azarcon could have made
a career from singing but she
chose to focus on composing
and giving voice lessons.
She has been teaching voice
for the past 28 years.
Among her students were Kuh
Ledesma, Gary Valenciano,
Sharon Cuneta, Jam Morales,
for a friend who was going through
a difficult time. I had no Bible in
front of me and did not plan to turn a
verse of scripture into a song. I take
no credit for this divinely inspired
song.”
Life is not that all that bad, my
friend
If you believe in yourself,
if you believe there’s Someone
who walks through life with you ...
Even If, sung by Jam Morales
in the 1980s, was composed for
another friend who had experienced
a monumental heartbreak. Jam sang
this again during a concert held in
Cecile’s honor two years ago, when
Cecile celebrated her 25 years as a
songwriter.
All those sleepless nights
All the tears I cried
All the pain I kept inside
I kept asking myself why
You had to say goodbye...
Cecile would not say which songs
were borne out of her personal
experience. All she would say was
Pops Fernandez, ZsaZsa Padilla
and Cherie Gil, to name a few.
Today, Cecile is based in
California.
Some of the students that she
has trained here in the US made
it to the cast of Miss Saigon and
American Idol semifinals.
Laura G Perez
that she knew what it was like to be
betrayed by someone she trusted and
loved. And so we just have to read
between the lines of Reaching Out
(Gary V), and One More Try (Kuh
Ledesma). After a kind of catharsis,
she takes us to the whole process of
falling in love all over again in So
It’s You (Raymond Lauchengco) and
I Think I’m in Love (Kuh Ledesma).
How Did You Know, originally
sung by Chiqui Pineda in 1994,
was released again 10 years later by
Gary Valenciano as a theme song of
an Aga Muhlach-Kristine Hermosa
movie, All My Life. It became a
smash hit and has become very
popular in weddings. An acoustic
version was recorded by Aiza
Sequerra.
I asked Cecile if Sana ay Ikaw
na Nga – sung by Basil Valdez – is
meant for her husband, but Alex says
it came out long before they met each
other in Seattle. They laugh. Then
Alex asks Cecile to sing The Love
of my Life, which he feels is their
theme song. She obliges, impressing
us with an exceptionally good voice.
During Kuh Ledesma’s Valentine
Concert at the Mandarin Hotel in
Manila last year, Kuh asked Cecile
to do a duet with her. It was such an
outstanding performance that Kuh
gushed: “Iba talaga pag composer
ang kumanta.”
As the afternoon draws to a close,
Cecile plays on her piano another
composition that is sure to cause a
stir.
It echoes the sentiments of Ikaw
ang Lahat sa Akin, sung by Martin
Nievera in 1986 and which became
the theme song of a soap opera
broadcast by ABS CBN featuring
Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz,
Claudine Barretto and Diether
Ocampo.
At kung hindi ngayon ang panahon
Upang ikaw ay mahalin
Bukas na walang hanggan
Doo’y maghihintay pa rin
The soon-to-be-released song,
however, has a finality about it, a
kind of Epilogue: You may think you
are over someone, only to discover
that the feeling just stays dormant,
that it will always be there in the
deep recesses of your being.
This song takes you back to a
place where time stands still. The
unpublished song is entitiled Ikaw
Ang Buhay Ko.
It seems that love, to Cecile, is
a beautiful thought, something to
meditate on during moonlit nights,
something she would much rather
keep from the heartaches and
pettiness of everyday existence,
indeed something to protect from her
very self.
September 2007
43
TAKEFIVE
Pals rap Britney
Britney Spears is reeling after
rap stars Akon and Common
blasted her much-hyped
comeback performance at the
MTV Video Music Awards in Las
Vegas.
The singer, making her first
major public appearance in four
years, wore a silver and black
sparkly underwear set and
knee-high black boots to debut
her upcoming single Gimme
More. But her critics claimed
she looked disinterested and
unfit. And her fellow celebrity
pals seemed to agree.
Speaking backstage after the
event, Akon said, “That could
have been better. She looked
nervous.”
Kid Rock thrown out
Behind her grand piano at home in Vallejo, California, Cecile is set to outdo herself with a major new composition.
palakasan
filipino globe
Kid Rock has been ordered by
Las Vegas police to appear in
court next month following his
attack on rocker Tommy Lee at
the MTV Video Music Awards
on Sunday.
Rock, real name Robert
Ritchie, was ejected from the
ceremony in front of thousands
of fans after punching the
Motley Crue drummer.
Although neither star was
arrested at the time of the
incident, both rockers were later
questioned by local authorities,
with Ritchie receiving a citation
for the assault.
Las Vegas police said: “We
determined that the altercation
was between Kid Rock and
Tommy Lee.”
Donald trumps Rosie
Tycoon Donald Trump (below)
has attacked Rosie O’Donnell
in his new book Think Big
and Kick Ass, calling the TV
personality a “loser”. The pair
has been feuding since Trump’s
appearance on O’Donnell’s
former show
The View earlier
this year, which
turned nasty.
They have
bickered in the
media ever since
and the billionaire
has turned to his
literary effort in
a bid to have the last word. He
tells the New York Post’s gossip
column PageSix: “I devote some
time to Rosie in my book. As you
know, she said I went bankrupt
and ABC apologised. Rosie lies.”
Oops ...
Singer Christina
Aguilera’s (left)
pregnancy
has been
inadvertently
confirmed by
socialite Paris
Hilton, who
revealed her
friend is expecting a baby to a
packed crowd in a Las Vegas
nightclub.
The pair was partying at
LAX Nightclub in the Luxor
hotel when Hilton grabbed a
microphone and paid tribute
to Aguilera, as she and her
husband Jordan Bratman
looked on in shock. Hilton said:
“Congratulations to the most
beautiful pregnant woman in the
world. You’re gorgeous.”
Muli nating
ipagbunyi
si Nadia
Comaneci
Nadia Comaneci wrote herself into the history
books with seven perfect 10s in a five-gold
romp during the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
Six years later, she retired at the ripe age of 20.
“
They [disabled
athletes] want to
be no different
from others ...
They dare to be
the best they
can be
NADIA COMANECI
Olympic gymnastics great
Sa pagsuporta niya sa disabled athletes,
taglay niya ang puso ng isang kampeon
Celeste Maring in Manila
S
imbolo siya ng pag-asa sa
karamihang atleta.
At bakit hindi, ang buhay ng
limang ulit na Olympic gold medalist
na si Nadia Comaneci ay puno ng
pagsisikap, sakrispisyo at tagumpay
na para sa kanya ay mga mumunting
leksyon.
Ayon kay Comaneci, naging
makulay ang kanyang buhay dahil sa
mga hamon nito.
“I wouldn’t be what I am today if
things didn’t happen the way they
did so I have no regrets in life. I love
challenges because without them,
life would be boring. I travel all over
the world to motivate and inspire
people to be the best they can be,”
paliwanag ni Comaneci.
Labing-apat na taon lamang si
Comaneci nang magtala siya ng
pitong perfect 10s sa gymnastics sa
1976 Montreal Olympics at nagretiro
siya limang taon pagkatapos nito
nang siya ay 20 taon pa lamang.
“You retire when the fans will
miss you, not when you overstay
and they say, is she still around?”
wika niya. “I still loved to flip when
I quit but I felt it was time to go.
After competing in 1976 and 1980, I
returned to the Olympics in 1984 as
a guest.”
Ngayong 45 anyos na, kinikilala
pa rin si Comaneci na isa sa
pinakamahusay na atleta sa daigdig.
“I always thought Muhammad Ali
was the greatest but it’s nice to be
considered one of the greatest as a
female and in my sport,” pahayag
nito. “I’m proud of what I did and it
feels good that people still remember
me for what I did 30 years ago. I’ve
always loved what I did. I worked
hard and I did more than what I was
ever asked to do,” sabi ng dating
Romanian athlete.
Naalala pa ni Comaneci na nang
maka-iskor siya ng una niyang 10
ay hindi niya alam kung ano ang
nangyayari. “I was too young to
know what was going on,” aniya.
“I had no idea. I never looked at
the scoreboard when I competed. It
was no big deal. When I got home
from the Olympics, I figured I had
done something because of all the
media attention and interviews.”
“There were only a few countries
that excelled in gymnastics during
my time,” kuwento nito. “The US
only got better in 1984. In Romania,
we were about 15 gymnasts from
about 50 who tried out. We took a
lot of exams. They chose the ones
who ran faster, who were stronger,
more flexible. It wasn’t like we were
ordered to train. I also played with
dolls. I could’ve quit any time. But I
loved what I was doing. My parents
couldn’t afford to send me abroad so
this was my chance to travel.”
Si Comaneci bumisita kamakailan
sa Pilipinas upang ikampanya ang
World Special Olympics sa Shanghai
sa Oktubre.
Sinabi ni Comaneci na isinama
siya ng kanyang asawa na si Bart
Conner, isang Olympic gold medalist
din, sa 1991 Special Olympics at
natunaw ang kanyang puso sa mga
disabled athletes. “They want to be
no different from others,” wika niya.
“They dare to be the best they can
be.”
Nagsilbing simbolo ng pag-asa si
Comaneci nang malagpasan niya ang
pagkakakulong sa kanya sa Romania
ng diktador na pangulong Nicolae
Ceausescu matapos ang Olympiada.
Matapos ang ilang taon, nag-defect si
Comaneci.
“I don’t call my hardships ordeals,”
wika ni Comaneci. “That’s part
of life, things of the past. I never
complained. Others complained for
me. But I always try to be a strong
person,” wika ni Comaneci.
Ayon kay Comaneci, simple
lamang ang paraan upang
magtagumpay sa buhay.
Idinagdag niya na ang importante
ay mahal ng tao ang ginagawa nito.
“The first thing is you must love
what you’re doing,” paliwanag nito.
“You must have discipline,
dedication. You try to balance your
life. Get good people around you
because they can get you to high
places. Don’t be with people who are
negative because they will bring you
down.”
Nonito Donaire: malaking impluwensya sa akin ang aking kapatid
Pagtayo sa karangalan ng
bawat mamamayang Pilipino.
Ito ang naging inspirasyon ni
Nonito Donaire, ang itinuturing
na bagong bayani sa boksing ng
Pilipinas.
“That fight was a great
experience,” wika ni Donaire. “I
fought a world-rated guy, I felt
great.”
Matalas pa sa alaala ni
Donaire ang mga pangmamaliit
na natanggap mula sa ibang
dayuhang boksingero noong siya
ay nagsisimula pa lamang. “I
can still remember the way they
discriminated against us. “
Ang mga mapait na alaalang ito
ang nagsilbing armas ni Donaire,
tiguriang “Filipino Flash” nang
pabagsakin sa ikalimang round
ang dating walang talo na IBF
flyweight champion na si Vic
“Raging Bull” Darchinyan.
Bukod sa mga alaalang ito,
ginamit din ni Donaire ang
hangaring maipaghiganti ang
kanyang nakatatandang kapatid
na si Glenn Donaire, na natalo
kay Darchinyan noong nakaraang
taon. Nabali ang panga ni Glenn
sa naturang laban.
Sa laban ni Donaire kay
Darchinyan, namalas ang bilis at
lakas ni Donaire. Subalit, matinik
ang pinagdaanan ng 23-anyos na
Pilipino bago niya makuha ang
kampeonato.
“It was not that I grew up dirt
poor, but it definitely was difficult
growing up in my village in the
Philippines,” wika ni Donaire.
“My parents moved to America
when I was seven. From the time
they left and until we rejoined
them in the United States, my two
brothers, sister and I were raised
by our grandparents,” dagdag pa
niya
“During those last few years
living in that village, we hardly
had any food, and what we did
have had to be rationed out.
But nobody complained. We
appreciated what we had. Some
people had it a lot worse.”
Ipinagmamalaki ni Donaire na
malaking impluwensya sa kanya
ang kanyang kapatid na si Glenn.
“Basically, I followed in his
footsteps,” aniya.
“We were not rowdy as kids,
but my dad did not want to take
any chances, so he got Glenn
into boxing to keep him off the
streets.”
44
palakasan
filipino globe
‘I’ll do it all
over again in
a heartbeat if
I get a chance’
P
agkatapos ng kabiguan sa
Olympic qualifying, may bukas
pa ang basketball sa Pilipinas.
Ito ang inihayag ni coach Chot
Reyes bagama’t inamin nito na
nanghihinayang siya sa nawalang
oportunidad na makaakyat sa
Olympics sa 2008.
Bilang host sa 2008 Olympics,
seeded na ang China sa Games
proper kaya’t may isa pang slot
na natitira para sa ikalawang
Asian team bukod pa sa ang
ipinadala ng China sa 24th Fiba
Asia Championship, ang Olympic
qualifying, ay mga bagito lamang.
Gayunman, naglaho pa rin
ang oportunidad ng Pilipinas na
makasama sa Olympics kahit
dalawang ulit nitong tinalo ang
Chinese squad na pawang mga
kabataan pa lamang.
Ayon sa mga apisyonado ng
basketball, natuto na ang China
kaya’t sa susunod na qualifying
sa London Olympics sa 2012,
siguradong de-kalibreng players na
CHOT REYES
National team coach
ang ipadadala nito. Pero kahit pa tila
isang bangungot ang karanasan ng
national basketball team, nakahanda
pa rin si national coach Chot Reyes
na ulitin ito.
“It’s been a hell of an experience,
It’s back to
the world of
dreams for Team
Philippines after
seeing its Olympic
hopes dashed.
Coach Chot Reyes
(above) is adamant
the Philippines
should keep trying
and not resign
itself to defeatism.
very painful. But if I have to do it all
over again, I wouldn’t hesitate even
if I know that this is what’s gonna
happen,” aniya.
“I took full responsibility with
the loss. I personally picked the
players and the coaching staff. We
made the best possible preparation.
If we didn’t land in the toughest
group in this competition, maybe we
could have made the next round,”
paliwanag ni Reyes.
Ayon kay Reyes, ang kapalaran ng
Pilipinas sa Takushima ay nailatag
sa loob lamang ng 30 minuto – ang
drawing of lots, ang first half ng
opener laban sa Iran, at ang huling
dalawang minuto ng naturang laro.
“I think we can sum up everything
in 30 minutes,” sabi ni Reyes. “The
first 10 minutes when the draw
happened and we were bracketed in
the Group of Death, and the last 30
minutes kasama ang last two minutes
of the game with Iran.”
Ayon kay Reyes dalawang dagok
ang naranasan ng bansa na nagsilbing
pabigat sa kampanya nito. “We failed
to survive the tough draw and the
technical foul called by the Greek
referee in our game against Iran,”
sabi nito.
Ayon kay Reyes, ang “bad luck
of the draw, a sluggish start against
the Iranians, and bad breaks in
officiating” in the closing minutes
summarised the whole experience.
“I don’t believe in excuses, no
matter what. But if you’re asking for
an analysis of what happened, I think
the fact that we were thrust into our
first big international competition
really told heavily,” sabi ni Reyes.
“We saw that in the first 20 minutes
of the Iran game, how tight we were.
I think pressure is the word to use
that we were not able to execute,”
dagdag ni Reyes.
“I’ve said before that I’m taking
responsibility for the loss. I’m
sticking with it. The players have
no fault at anything that happened.
Neither the PBA nor the SBP. It was
simply my call. And I’ll do it again
in a heartbeat if given the chance.”
Sa ngayon, nananatiling pangarap
ang makasama ang Pilipinas sa
basketball ng Olympics, kung kalian
ito matutupad ay isang katanungan
na nakabitin pa ang kasagutan.
Call 2918 8248 to book this space
• Filipino food products
• Print, copy or fax
• Karaoke
• Internet
Danna’s
Internet Cafe
Shop B, G/F Yue On Bldg, 78-86 Catchick St
Kennedy Town, Hong Kong
Tel: 2819 1905 Fax: 2818 5284
Build a towering
presence for
your product
or service
Bisakol Sikat
Karaoke
Food & drinks
Call 2918 8248
to book this
space
The Discovery
NBA icon Kobe Bryant gives tips on passing and foot positioning to young basketball aspirants who attended the Southeast Asian leg of the Kobe
Supernatural Asian Tour at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. Rule No 1: Make your opponent work hard for every point. Be there when he’s at it.
Open every day
Managing director: Lito
Room 701, 7/F, 9-13 Li Yuen St, West
2nd Ale-Ale, Central, Hong Kong
Fax: 2845 7043 Mobile: 9843 4188
Printing, scanning
Philippine products
E-load, phone cards
Lunch/dinner boxes
Videoke
62-A Sai Wan Ho St, Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong
(In front of Ki Wan School) Tel: 2567 9555
Top hairdresser
Now moved from Wanchai to Central
Gold Star
Videoke
Printing
Internet tutorial
Food & drinks
Catering
Party venue
A doctor researching an ancient
society deep in the Himalayan
mountains, discovered that the
people living close to certain wells
of water, lived to be over 100 years,
had no grey hair, and never lost
their teeth. This region between
Nepal and India, is considered by
many, to be one of the most sacred
places on earth.
What’s in the water?
Keyboards
sequencer
singer
Alex/Sandra
Internet Cafefe
No 2 1/F Li Yuen St. East, Central,
Hong Kong
Tel: 2574 3308
Internet Cafefe
Internet Cafe
Carlan
RAUL ACEDRE in Manila
Filipina
Maus@Point
Internet Cafefe
Flat 7 G-M/F
Luckifast Bldg
1 Stone Nullah, Wanchai
THE KOBE BRAND
45
It’s a matter of view. Give your clients the full scope of your business.
Tigers pick
size over star
potential in
bold trade
Coca-Cola is going for plenty of fizz
in the PBA off season – in a big way.
“We felt we really needed a few
big men,” said the Tigers’ head
honcho, JB Baylon. “So when the
opportunity arose to get a quality
big man like Mark Isip, we took the
gamble to release Joseph Yeo.”
Having no first-round picks in the
past draft, the Tigers assessed their
needs and decided to trade Yeo and a
second-round pick in the 2008 PBA
Draft for Sta Lucia big man Mark
Isip and outside shooter Cesar Catli.
The Tigers maybe taking chances.
Yeo has the potential to become a
premier player and trading him off
was like divesting its own future.
But their need for a big man was
just too great and they couldn’t pass
up on Mark.
After years in the shadow of the
San Miguel franchise, Coca-Cola
splashed out on a blockbuster trade
that netted them Alex Cabagnot,
Kenneth Duremdes and Ricky
Calimag in the past conference.
September 2007
Advertisers are responsible for the content and accuracy of their advertisement. Readers are strongly advised to check the veracity of the advertisements before making any purchase.
“
I don’t believe in
excuses. But if
you’re asking for
an analysis ... I
think the fact that
we were thrust
into our first big
international
competition really
told heavily
your guide to products & services
filipino globe
Coach Chot Reyes sticks to his guns
after national team fails Olympic bid
classified globe
September 2007
Beauty Salon
2/F No 9-13, Fai Man Bldg, Li yuen St West
2nd Alley-Alley, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: 9136 7194 2521 2793
Ricky
Sumalloe
Wholesale and retail
Available @ friendsconnection
websiteworld
For more information
please call 2525 1845
or 9601 0035 and ask for Beth
Please call (63) 917539 0486
for details
1003 10/F Yat Fat Bldg
44-46 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong
46
palakasan
filipino globe
September 2007
Our Olympic dream and
the hunt for elusive gold
W
Venus rising
from the water
Los Angeles resident and Oscar winner Jack Nicholson is an avid fan of the Lakers, whom he describes as a passion.
Sports idols: how they
play out in Hollywood
It’s the ultimate tonic – stars cheering on the home team
W
hen the Lakers-Celtics rivalry was at its zenith, so
was actor Jack Nicholson.
He got more time on TV’s little screen
during this period than he did on Hollywood’s big screen.
Much like Hollywood, sports has a
retinue of star gazers. But in this case,
they’re stars who ogle their heroes
and root for their teams. The A-list of
celebrity fans runs from Leonardo DiCaprio to Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt
and Bruce Willis.
The Lakers have many celebrity
fans, but NBA.com gave Nicholson
top honors over venerable Dyan Cannon. “He is deeply honored and only
hopes that he has been as consistently
entertaining as the Lakers have been,”
his publicist said at the time.
During a 2002 sitdown with Interview magazine, Nicholson explained
his love for the Lakers: “I’ve always
liked basketball. I wasn’t a Lakers
fan for a long time, but eventually I
got tired of rooting against the home
team, so I switched over, and then after that, it became a passion.”
The Dodgers have always attracted
Hollywood types to their games. So
there is nothing unusual about Alyssa
Milano owning season tickets.
But she is no ordinary baseball fan.
“
An airline pilot
said when he flies
over the state,
he can tell when
we’re playing
because the roads
are empty
ASHLEY JUDD
Writing in Sports Illustrated
Milano has dated several ballplayers,
including Carl Pavano, Brad Penny
and Barry Zito. Her passions extend
well beyond the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
“I prefer the National League,” Milano said recently. “When the Dodgers
aren’t playing, I root for the Mets.”
Filmmaker Spike, a fixture at Madison Square Garden, had his best exchanges with Indiana Pacers guard
Reggie Miller during NBA Eastern
Conference playoffs. Remember the
time Miller tried to shut up Lee by
pouring in 25 fourth-quarter points on
the Knicks?
The headline in the next day’s New
York Daily News read: “Thanks A Lot
Spike.”
Such exchanges have kept Lee coming back for more. “It wasn’t just that
Reggie would beat us – it was the way
he beat us,” Lee told NBA.com.
Ashley Judd is a movie star. She
is married to a race car driver, Dario
Franchitti. But it appears the real love
of her life is Kentucky basketball.
She will drop everything to see the
Wildcats play a big game. Judd has
had the team over to her house. She’s
had players over to her room at the
team hotel.
In a first-person piece for Sports
Illustrated, she explained her zeal:
“People often ask me to try to explain
why Kentuckians are so nutty about
UK basketball. My guess is that it’s
because the commonwealth is so diverse, from the mountains of the east,
where my family hails; to the central
bluegrass, where we have a proud
tradition of raising the world’s best
thoroughbreds; to the farmlands of
the west. Basketball is one thing that
unites us, something for which we all
can be proud. An airline pilot once
told my Nana that when he flies over
the state, he can tell when UK is playing because the roads are empty.”
In a delicious mix of Hollywood and sports, Ashley Judd, Alyssa Milano and Spike Lee root for their heroes.
hen sprinter David
Nepomuceno competed
at the 1924 Paris
Olympics, he made history
by becoming the first Filipino
to participate in the Summer
Olympic Games.
Since then, we have won a
sprinkling of bronze and silver
medals, but a gold medal – the
symbol of athletic supremacy
– remains elusive to us. Two
boxers came very close to giving the
country its first ever Olympic gold
– featherweight Anthony Villanueva
and light-flyweight Mansueto
“Onyok” Velasco, who both settled
for the silver medals in their
respective divisions.
The country’s first Olympic silver
medal came in 1964 when then 19year-old Villanueva, son of 1932
Los Angeles Games bronze medalist
Cely Villanueva, fought Russian
Stanislav Stephaskin in the finals
of the featherweight class in Tokyo.
Villanueva lost the gold in a split
decision to the Russian.
Thirty-two years later, Velasco
nearly clinched the country’s first
Olympic gold medal in the 1996
Atlanta Olympics when he battled
Bulgarian Daniel Bojilov in a virtual
slugfest in the light-flyweight finals.
Velasco’s older brother, Roel, was
also a bronze medalist at the 1992
Barcelona Olympics in the lightflyweight division.
Aside from producing the most
number of Filipino world champions,
boxing has also contributed five of
the nine Olympic medals won by
Filipino athletes since Nepomuceno’s
breakthrough participation at the
1924 Paris Games.
I am, therefore, optimistic that it is
in boxing where the Philippines has
the strongest chance to finally break
into the gold medal column, in next
year’s Beijing Olympics.
But first, our boxers must prepare
well and contend for Olympic slots
in a series of qualifying competitions.
A possible surprise for a gold medal
may happen in taekwondo, where
Filipino athletes are regularly among
the top contenders in the world.
Although the Olympics are
supposed to celebrate sports, they
have also become a competition
between nations. Peoples and
countries take great pride when
an athlete or team from their own
country wins a medal, particularly
a gold medal. Next year’s Beijing
Olympics, therefore, promises to be
just as exciting as in previous Games
when we resume our search for the
country’s first ever Olympic gold
medal.
***
The first Filipino Olympic medalist
was swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso,
who won the bronze medal in the
200-meter breast stroke at the 1928
Amsterdam Games. Four years later,
at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles,
Yldefonso again won the bronze
medal in the same event, making him
the only Filipino to win two Olympic
medals.
***
Did you know that we could have
won our first Olympic gold medal
at the 1988 Seoul Olympics if only
bowling were an official sport?
Arianne Cerdena won the gold
medal in women’s singles play but
bowling was only a demonstration
OLYMPICUPDATE
letter from beijing
Noel
Novicio
sport during the Olympics. Thus, her
gold medal did not officially count in
the medal tally.
***
Did you know that the Philippines
has the distinction of having the
highest placing in men’s basketball in
the Olympics for any Asian country?
The feat was achieved by the
“Islanders” at the 1936 Berlin
Olympics when they placed fifth
overall. The team then was captained
Our gold medal drought goes
back more than half a century. In
1996, boxer Onyok Velasco flirted
with our first gold in Atlanta.
by Ambrosio Padilla, future senator
and statesman.
And did you know that the great
Edgardo Ocampo played in four
Philippine basketball teams in the
Olympics?
He was a member of the RP Five
that competed in the Olympics in
1960 (Rome), 1964 (Tokyo), 1968
(Mexico City) and 1972 (Munich),
making him the only Filipino
basketball player to play in four
consecutive Olympics.
The writer is Third Secretary and Vice
Consul at the Philippine Embassy
in Beijing. This is his personal
contribution.
dibersyon
September 2007
filipino globe
BUHAYPALAD
ARIES Mar 21-Apr 19
LIBRA
The eclipses are back,
but lucky you, you are
not in the epicenter
of what is about to
happen. Still, while your Virgo,
Pisces, Gemini, and Sagittarius
family and friends will be feeling the
shifts, they will need you to lend
your good advice and to offer a
shoulder to lean on.
This month, the most
important actions that
occur in your life will
take place offstage,
out of the glare of public attention.
With a solar eclipse on September
11 and Saturn moving into this part
of your chart, you seem to want to
retreat and think about your next
move.
TAURUS
SCORPIO
Apr 21-May 20
Oct 23-Nov 22
This will be an exciting
time for you as Saturn,
the taskmaster planet,
will make its exit from
your lofty tenth house of career
status and promotion at long last.
Ever since Saturn entered this
part of your chart in July 2005
you began two years of career
challenges.
GEMINI May 21-Jun 20
SAGITTARIUS
This will be a strong
month, one that will
allow you to make a
few major decisions
that will let you move forward on
several fronts. You won’t always
have such a strong environment
to move forward, so while you do,
get cracking. You will need all the
momentum.
This month marks a
very big moment. Like
the actor waiting in the
wings about to go out
on the stage, you may have a few
butterflies in your stomach, but pay
no attention. The audience is in
their seats, the orchestra is starting
up, and the curtain is rising. Your
moment is about to arrive.
CANCER
CAPRICORN
Nov 23-Dec 22
Dec 21-Jan 19
Over the past two
years, financial
considerations have
ruled almost every
decision you made. By now you
are tired of all this monetary
maneuvering. Very soon, your
financial picture will improve
dramatically. The change will be so
refreshing like a miracle,
This month will bring
cause for celebration.
Saturn, the planet
that teaches us how
to live with life’s harsh realities
by banishing wishful thinking, will
finally change signs on September
2. Since July 2005, Saturn has been
putting you through your paces on a
certain joint financial matter.
LEO Jul 21-Aug 21
AQUARIUS
The big headline
news for you concerns
money. Last month,
at the lunar eclipse,
August 28, you may have received
a shock about jointly held funds.
You may have thought you were
due more money than you received,
or a negotiation may have taken a
difficult turn.
This will be a great
month, for everything
is changing now. It
goes to show that just
when you thought nothing would
ever change and you were ready
to give up, it does change, and life
seems instantly brighter. A difficult
relationship over the past two years
is no longer an issue.
VIRGO Aug 22-Sep 22
PISCES
The eclipses are back
in your sign, and as
a result, your view of
the world is about to
be transformed – again. You have
become sensitive to these eclipses.
In the subsequent months, a whole
series of events have pushed and
prodded you to move into a new
reality.
You are now at your
half-birthday. Each
September, the Sun
is 80 degrees away
from your sign on the old, creaky
horoscope wheel. That is as far as
the Sun will go before it loops back.
Until then, deprived of the Sun’s
comforting warmth, September is
always your personal “winter.”
USEFUL NUMBERS
Philippine Consulate
2823 8500
2866 6975
Labour Hotline
9102 0840
Immigration
2824 6111
Police/Fire/Hospital
999
Labour Department
2717 1771
Labour Tribunal
2717 1771
Airport assistance
2861 3980
Int’l Social Services
2836 3598
Caritas Filipino Serv
2526 4249
2147 5988
Bethune House
2721 3119
Bayanihan Center
2817 8928
Asian Migrant Center
2312 0031
Mission for Fil Mig
2522 8264
Unifil Hong Kong
2522 8264
Race Relations Unit
2835 1579
Fil Mig Work Union
2915 9468
ANGSISTE
Sep 23-Oct 22
You may be very
serious about your
career, but this month
your mind and heart
will be squarely trained on at
least one personal relationship.
Everything else seems to pale by
comparison, although a creative
project could also take center stage
and provide a pleasant distraction.
Jun 20-Jul 21
47
KATUWAANLANG
How to order breakfast in Manhattan
A Filipino pilot who became well
known for his absent-mindedness
was invited to pilot a new flying
boat. The pilot had a good time
flying. After spending a couple of
hours in the air, the pilot decided
that it was time to land.
He was about to make a landing
on the ground when his assistant
reminded that they were supposed
to land on the sea.
“Yes, I know. I was just testing
you,” answered the pilot. “I am
not that absent-minded.” So the
flying boat made a safe landing on
the water. Having accomplished
this, the pilot, being proud for not
committing a big mistake, opened
the door and stepped into the sea.
***
Pinoy orders breakfast at a coffee
shop in Manhattan ...
Waiter: “What kind of coffee
would you like, regular or decaf?”
Pinoy: “No... Big cup! Big cup!”
Waiter: “What would you like for
your breakfast?”
Pinoy: “Hameneggs.”
Waiter: “And how do you like
your eggs, sir?”
Pinoy: “Yes, tenkyu, I like dem
beri much.”
Waiter: “No sir, I mean how
would you like them cooked?”
Pinoy: “Yes, tenkyu, I wud like
dem cooked.”
Waiter: “And what bread would
you like?”
Pinoy: Begyurpardon?”
Waiter: “What
kind of bread
would you like...
white? rye? whole
wheat? toast?”
Pinoy: “Pan
Amercano...”
Waiter: “We don’t
have that...”
Pinoy: “Okey. Gib me Taystee...”
Waiter: “We don’t have that
either, sir...”
Pinoy: “Do you heb pan de lemon
or bonete?”
Waiter: “Sir, you are wasting
my time... I shall ask for the last
time, what would you like for
breakfast?”
Pinoy: “Donut plis...”
LARONGSUDOKU
Jan 20-Feb 18
Feb 19-Mar 20
Pinakamainit na laro ngayon, hamon sa kakayahang mag-isip at magbilang. Punuin ang mga square ng
numero mula 1 hanggang 9 na hindi umuuulit. May dalawa kayong tsansa para hamunin ang sarili. Suko?
Tingnan ang sagot sa aming internet edition (www.filglobe.com).
YOURDIARY
September 23
Marinduque Day
anniversary and oathtaking, 11 am - 4 pm,
Empire Hotel, Wanchai.
Jo 9533 7303
September 30
Anak Ti San Nicolas
Hong Kong Chapter
(Ilocos Norte) coronation
of Miss Popularity. 1- 6 pm.
Bradbury School hall, 43C
Stubbs Road. Lynda 9470
6399 for details.
Ongoing activities
Free Cantonese lessons.
First, second and fourth
Sundays, 2.30 - 4 pm,
Evangelical Community
Church Ministry Centre, 3/F
Hong Kong Pacific
Centre, 28 Hankow Road,
EXCHANGE RATES
Tsimshatsui. Fe 9145 1937
or 2732 7311.
Marivic 9263 8634 for
details.
Hong Kong dollar
British pound
94.3873
DOMOHK Search for Mr
Suave 2007. OFW, male
of any age, single or
married, with talent. Grand
finals in November. Medy
67731021, Rose 9203 3539
or Jhosie 9606 5140.
Gabriela Team (Hong Kong
Island) women’s volleyball
list-up and tryouts.
Members need no longer
undergo new tryouts.
Please get in touch with
Miss Long 6801 9367.
Saudi riyal
12.4049
Canadian dollar
44.1046
Euro
64.0756
Australian dollar
38.3245
Japanese yen*
41.1000
Singapore dollar
30.5169
US dollar
46.5260
Unified Drivers Association
is inviting all interested
drivers to join the
association. Please contact
Send your activities and
programs for publication
to info@filglobe.com
5.9745
*per 100 yen
Above rates are for reference only. Please
check with your bank for the actual rates.
shoot, show & tell
filipino globe
the big picture
September 2007
48
IRISH ICON
A Dublin side street comes alive with early birds arriving for Happy Hour in this row of pubs. Adapted to the local culture, the iconic Irish pub lives in many forms from America to Australia and
Africa. It’s one of the island nation’s biggest cultural exports. On the other hand, Ireland imports a growing number of foreign workers, including Filipinos, for its burgeoning economy.
What Malu Fernandez needs on her next flight
W
e all know how hard
it is getting overseas
Filipino workers to agree
on anything. Last month, socialite
Malu Fernandez achieved the
inconceivable: she united OFWs
across the globe. Against her.
Of course, she needed to try
hard, the poor dear. Fernandez, a
society writer for an inconsequential
daily, led off with a column in
April mentioning how, flying to her
vacation in Greece, she had to share
the flight with OFWs: “When you are
trapped in economy class … filled to
the brim with migrant workers, the
smell gets a bit funky.”
In June, she followed with a glossy
magazine article detailing that trip.
Among other things, she said the
thought of being “trapped” with
OFWs in a plane made her want to
“slash my wrists”.
When complaints started pouring
in, she responded with a column
basically inviting critics to ponder
her derriere.
Specifically, she wrote “if any of
these people actually read anything
thicker than a magazine”, they’d
LIGHTERSIDE
view from home
Alan C Robles
in Manila
alan.robles@filglobe.com
“
OK, so perhaps
circulating the
photos was an
unkind cut. As in
cold cut
actually see her article was “very
funny”.
Wait. She also said: “Although it
may sound elitist to you, the fact is
this country is built on the foundation
of haves, have-nots and wannabes.
One group will never get the culture
of the other.” Can you hear it? The
abaniko flapping?
Helpfully, Fernandez pointed out
that her story was “hilarious” and full
of “acerbic wit”. Just in case, you
know, you needed reminding. Or in
case the steam coming out of your
ears was clouding your judgment.
Her articles generated so much
enthusiasm among OFWs who read
it, they couldn’t decide whether to
form lynch mobs or hunting groups.
There were calls to boycott the
newspaper and magazine, which
failed because both hardly had any
subscribers to begin with (“hello,
‘Daily Whatever’? I’d like you to
know that if I were a subscriber I’d
have cancelled by now”).
Things got ugly. When somebody
posted pictures of Fernandez in
a bathing suit, it turned out the
socialite wasn’t so lite. In fact,
if forced to look at the alarming
visuals, military historians would
probably be reminded what Winston
Churchill called the disappointing
Allied landing at Anzio in 1944 (“a
stranded whale”).
OK, so perhaps circulating the
photos was an unkind cut. As in cold
cut. But then Fernandez had put
down Filipinos who’re doing more to
sustain the country than she is. The
reason the economy is afloat is it’s
sailing on the sweat of OFWs.
Anyway, after becoming the
biggest thing on Pinoy cyberspace
(right up there with Osama and the
Antichrist), Fernandez realised she
might have goofed. In hindsight,
perhaps she shouldn’t have written
how the cheap perfume of the OFWs
on the airplane extinguished her own
expensive scent (Eau de Balyenne).
I’m guessing the death threats
had something to do with it, but
eventually, Fernandez apologised and
said she was “resigning” from the
newspaper and the magazine.
I’m a bit suspicious. I’d swear she
was just a contributor, not a staff
member, which meant she resigned
from publications she didn’t work
for. But that’s OK, because her
critics were calling for a boycott of
a newspaper nobody subscribed to
anyway.
Moral of the story? For Fernandez,
it’s pretty clear: next time you travel
economy, bring enough perfume to
cover your body. Say, three gallons.
PHOTOESSAY
Show us your flash for
photography by giving us
the big picture of the Filipino
expat’s life. Photos must be
accompanied by a caption
of not more than 100 words,
describing the event or
circumstances behind them.
Or tell us an interesting
anecdote or observation in
not more than 500 words
and share them with the
world.
Each photo or essay
entitles its owner HK$200
and becomes the property
of Filipino Globe. Photos
should have a minimum
resolution of three
megapixels. We reserve
the right to make changes
in line with house style.
Entries should be sent to
info@filglobe.com

Salud calls for changes to`lax rules` on helpers

Transcription

Similar documents

China 2006 July 7 - 18 Beijing, Xi`an, Shanghai and Hong Kong

Please contact our Global Event Associate, Thu Thao Nguyen: E

APPS GAMES WEBSITES

PRESTIGE HONG KONG June 2011 THE WELL

issaas 2012 news 2

JUNE 2012 - Filipinos Making Waves

Filipino Star April 2012 Issue

October 2006 - FINAL.qxp

M - LM Confidential

76-020 USAF 76-0020 F-15A c/n 199/A172 Built 1976 by McDonnell