200708

YEAR 11, No. 2 AUGUST 2007 Home Paper of the 1999 Canadian Ethnic Journalists’ and Writers’ Club Winner for Best Editorial Toronto, Ontario

(page 33)(page 33)

HTAs unreliableHTAs unreliable

Dancing To Be A Star - 33

INSIDEOoops & Bloops

I’M LOST;NO, I

FORGOT! - 7

‘Himig ng Pasko’ choral competitions‘Himig ng Pasko’ choral competitions

Diaspora philantrophy papers reveal

alize the excessive demands the whole idea has unreasonably placed on migrants who have to provide for their families and work in an unfamiliar culture, among other things.

Unfortunate too is the reality that the contribu-tions of individual HTAs, although highly-heralded by its offi cials in community media reports, remain parochial in nature and are failing to make its in-tended dent in the overall socio-economic devel-opment of should-be Philippine benefi ciaries.

Thus writes Shawn Powers in his study Bayani-han Across the Seas: Diaspora Philanthropy and Development in the Philippines.

Silva’s thesis and Powers’ study are two of the documents on diaspora philanthropy Jeremaiah Opiniano of the Institute for Migration and Devel-opment Issues sent to the Manila Media Monitor.

(Continued on page 4)

Filipinosshine in NCM musicfestival- 21

Return to RP, helpReturn to RP, helprev up economicrev up economic

engines - 30engines - 30

Not even ticketed dinner-dances, casino trips and other small donation schemes can make Fili-pino-Canadian hometown association (HTA) mem-bers committed to the cause of diaspora philan-trophy, the act by which those with Filipino roots abroad help their less-fortunate compatriots.

Worse, many members are beginning to feel be-ing forced to be occasional milking cows.

They stay away from HTA activities-cum-fund-raisers, most of which negate to this day the cardi-nal rule of auditing and reporting back to the gen-eral membership where the funds went and how these were spent.

This Jon Silva reveals in his thesis Engaging Diaspora Communities in Development: An In-vestigation of Filipino Hometown Associations in Canada.

Diaspora philantrophy advocates must also re-

Aug. 21:Philippine

politicalhistory

crossroad - 24

Harana is a traditional form of courtship music in which a gentleman woos a lady by sing-ing under her window at night.

This is how courtiers show-er Filipinas with amorous and romantic attention since the Spanish period, 500 years ago.

Men through songs, like the kundiman (Tagalog for love songs), serenade their love in-terest.

Harana, with its own code of conduct, vary from region to region depending on the preva-lent music styles and available indigenous musical instru-ments, although the guitar is the most commonly used.

Traditional Filipino court-

ship is to be discreet and friendly at fi rst, thus the harana could be seen as a ”fi lter” in order for a man not to be seen as too aggres-sive nor too forward.

This also is in keeping with the tradition that a man has to present himself to the family of his love interest, by meeting her parents formally at her home.

For the lady’s part, the harana can be regarded as a way to let him know if she has any feelings for him.

In Filipino comic movies, the “denial to reciprocate” is por-trayed by the girl splashing a pail of water on the courtier and his crew.

Harana, uso pa ba?BY MAVIC PALANCA

(Continued on page 37)Experience harana with Josie de Leon, Rodney Ronquillo, Chyrell Samson, Cecille Arcilla, Alvin Alba, Darius Ciria and Joe Manzanares in Harana, Uso Pa Ba? at the Mabuhay Phil-ippines! Toronto summer festival, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Aug. 18 at 4 p.m.

2 Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 2007

3AUGUST 2007 Manila Media MonitorCALENDAR

CALENDAR is a public service feature of Manila Media Monitor and the Philippine Consulate Gen-eral in Toronto through Leilani Medina.

► AUG. 17 to 19: College of the Holy Spirit North American Foundation Inc.Grand Re-union, Toronto.► AUG. 17 to 19: Philippine Arts and Cultural Experience Making Waves Festival, Harbour-front Centre. ► AUG. 18: Annual Tanza Cavite Association picnic, Earl Bales Park, 10 a.m.► AUG. 18: North York Filipino Community Centre Induction Ball, Mel Lastman Square Community Centre. ► AUG. 18 to 19: Philippine Independence Day Council Mabuhay Philippines! Toronto Summer Festival, Metro Toronto Convention Centre.► AUG. 23: Halo-Halo Sa Toronto Variety Show and Forum, St. Lawrence Market.► AUG. 26: Friends of Jesus Christ 7th An-nual Israel Rejoicing Celebration, Earl Bales Park Barry Zuckerman Ampitheatre, 5:30 p.m. ► AUG. 31 to SEPT. 2: National Council of Philippine American Canadian Accountants with Association of Filipino Canadian Ac-countants Convention, Westin Harbour Cas-tle Hotel.► SEPT. 1: Culture Philippines Ontario Fili-pino Day, Wonderland Theme Park.► SEPT. 8: Philippine Press Club Ontario Picnic and Meeting, Tigley Residence, 5 p.m.► SEPT. 8: 30th Anniversary, Kababayan Community Center.► SEPT. 8: Home Karaoke Singing Variety show, Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 7:30 p.m.► SEPT. 8 & 9: Cabbagetown Festival, down-town Toronto.

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The Ancop-Gawad Kalinga Canada website, as of Aug. 10, has listed the following ongoing and completed villages in the Philippines, bankrolled by mon-ies donated by Canadian part-ners:

In Luzon - CFC Renewal Center Village, Ikirin, Pagbilao and Concepcion Village, Brgy. Concepcion I, Sariaya, both in Quezon; Nuestra Señora dela Soledad Village, Tabon, San Isidro and Formoso Village, Brgy. Sto Niño, San Jose City, both in Nueva Ecija;

Abanggayon Village, Brgy. Pamukid, San Fernando; Gov. Felix Fuentebella Mem. Vil-lage, Telegrafo, San Jose; and Esteban - CFC Mississauaga Northwest Chapter Village, Brgy. Agrupacion, Ragay, all in Camarines Sur;

Paracale Village, Brgy. May-bato Paracale, Camarines Norte; and Alegre Pangarap - CFC Mississauaga East Chapter Vil-lage, Brgy. San Jose, San Vicen-te, both in Camarines Norte;

Ibangbang Village, Brgy. Aliaga, Bambang, Nueva Viz-

caya; CFC Bermuda Village, Balagtasin II, San Jose, Batangas; CDC-Vancouver Village, Sitio Target, Sapang Bato, Angeles City, Pampanga.

In the Visayas - Barotac Fiesta Assistance and Services Village, San Remejio, Barotac Viejo and AC Tri-Star Saladmaster Village, Pototan,

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 20074 NEWS

In his survey of Filipino groups in Canada, Silva has a misgiving. He notes be-ing able to elicit only fi ve respondents, as many refuse to participate.

HTA set-up, durabilityDespite the hurdles, Sil-

va observes that “majority of Filipino migrant groups are informal in nature” and while umbrella groups exist, these are not fully utilized and leveraged.

Few of the groups have executive boards that lead and initiate discussions on organization- and project-related issues. Very much palpable are many HTAs which sole decision-making relies on the president.

Silva lays doubts on the durability of HTAs, say-ing that “Filipino migrant groups’ commitments (are) unreliable” when it comes to diaspora philantrophy.

He also notes HTA “con-cerns about second- and third-generations’ interests to help the Philippines.”

Weak linksWhat makes some HTA

assistance programs and projects fl op is the inability of HTA offi cials and mem-bers to cement links with intended benefi ciaries.

Some groups have the ability to identify projects, but most rely on requests from hometown offi cials.

Silva says “hometown ties are weak,” as HTA mem-bers are unable to regularly visit home communities.

To add to the irregular-ity, public consultations are rarely made with hometown offi cials and townmates.

Although some Fili-pino offi cials (e.g. priests, mayors, councilors) visit Filipino communities across Canada, these are not under-taken regularly and, most of the time, genuine goals for aid end at the meeting table.

Silva further says that if there had been collabo-ration, it was more with Church groups. He cites the HTAs general lack of trust towards government and non-government organiza-tion offi cials.

MotivationsBut Silva adds that the

general reluctance of HTA members to commit to di-aspora philantrophy and to relegate help to hometown communities in the Philip-pines as a secondary aim may be hinged on two mo-tivations:

► They want to fi rst as-sist members and compatri-ots in Canada, and

► They feel it a prior-

towns appropriate.► Strong networks.

Donors make good use of their networks of family, friends and acquaintances both in the Philippines and in the host country to tap donations. Connections also appear to be an effective channel for discussion and feedback, Powers adds.

► Flexibility. Migrant donors have tremendous freedom in the projects they pursue and the capacity to change course relatively quickly should their efforts prove ineffective.

► Improvements in lo-cal governance. Overseas Filipinos can exert pressure on local governments to be open and transparent, and these groups’ efforts to help their home communities help give them the credibil-ity to do so.

WeaknessesBut Powers also notes

that not all is well with HTAs when diaspora philantrophy is concerned.

He also lists at least fi ve common weaknesses to the assistance being channeled to hometown communities:

► Uneven distribution. There is an uneven distribu-tion of where migrant do-nors are abroad, and where they come from in the Phil-ippines.

Powers says that regions with more migrants have

► At just under 328,000 people, the Filipino com-munity is the third largest non-European ethnic group in Canada.► Over 70% of Canadians of Filipino origin were born outside of Canada. Of these, 77% arrived in Canada in the last twenty years.► Almost 72% of Canadians of Filipino origin live in either Ontario or British Columbia and 62% live in either Toronto or Vancouver.► 99% can carry on a conversation in at least one offi cial language.► 81% are Catholic and 15% belonged to either a mainline Protestant denomination or another Christian group.► About 50% of Canadians of Filipino origin are married, the same proportion as in the Canadian population overall. In contrast, just 4% live com-mon-law, compared with 10% of all Canadians.► Just 5% of adults in the Filipino community live alone, compared to 13% of all adult Canadians. For seniors, only 7% live alone, compared with 29% of all seniors in Canada.► Just over three in ten (31%) people of Filipino origin have a university degree, double the fi gure for all Canadians.►Over 7 out of ten Filipino labor force participants are employed (72%), ten percentage points higher than the national fi gure.► The average income of Canadians of Filipino origin is more than $5,000 lower than the national average of $30,000.► The average income for seniors of Filipino ori-gin is $17,000, compared to $24,000 for all Cana-dian seniors.► 18% of children of Filipino origin live in low-income families, about the same as the national average.► 67% of senior women of Filipino origin who live alone have incomes below the Low Income Cut-offs.

(Information culled from the 2001 Census of Can-ada done by Statistics Canada and published in a July 2007 report)

DO YOU KNOW?

HTAs unreliableDiaspora philantrophy papers reveal

(From page 1)

ity to help in the integration of newly-arrived migrants from their hometowns.

Receiving, givingHow able is an HTA to

be a diaspora philantrophist? Silva writes that HTAs gen-erally do not have enough money to sustain yearly ac-tivities.

Donations from HTA members can not be counted on. The income of many HTA members may not al-low disposable cash.

Statistics Canada’s 2001 census report released in July (see boxed item above right) says the average in-come of Canadians of Fili-pino origin is over $5,000 lower than the national aver-age of $30,000; and the av-erage income for seniors of Filipino origin is $17,000, compared to $24,000 for all Canadian seniors.

Silva says most HTAs depend on minimal mem-bership fees and cash raised from activities like ballroom dancing, casino trips, Christ-mas formals, gala nights, spring dances, entertainment fetes and contests and other such parties.

Productive projects?Filipino HTAs in Cana-

da may have come up with many tangible projects, but not enough “productive projects.”

If ever, its development impact on the Philippine hometown it serves is piece-meal, just a palliative.

Be as it may, some of the immediate needs of home-town communities are ad-dressed by the HTAs fi nan-cial and in-kind assistance, Silva says.

Gifts from abroadMeanwhile, in the study

he did as a Fulbright scholar,, Powers disects the strengths and weaknesses of diaspora philantrophy among Fili-pino-American HTAs in the United States.

Powers says the ability of US-based HTAs to re-spond to diaspora philantro-phy lies on fi ve factors.

HTA strengthsThese factors are:► Psychological in-

vestment in the benefi ciary community. Migrants have a strong personal stake in their projects because they identify strongly with the benefi ciary community and this makes them accountable to intended benefi ciaries.

► Cultural literacy. Migrants have an intimate knowledge of the culture in their home communities which makes their develop-ment help to their home-

chances to benefi t from mi-grant philanthropy, which thus makes it a “highly ineq-uitable funding mechanism for development (that may) overlook the areas most in need of assistance.”

► Sustainability. Many migrant groups rely heav-ily on volunteer and retiree labor, which depends on volunteers’ motivation and availability.

They also experience dif-fi culty raising funds abroad.

► Limited capacity. Most donors are not rich and are not non-profi t or social development experts.

Overseas Filipinos are well-meaning amateurs when it comes to selecting, implementing, monitoring and evaluating projects.

► Lack of long-term strategy.The focus of mi-grants’ development projects is like those of development groups - “short-term and donor-pleasing.” Long-term impact is wanting.

► Excessive demands on migrants. The limitations of sustainability and capac-ity give rise to the question “is it really reasonable to ex-pert overseas Filipinos to be development players?”

They also provide for their families, work in an unfamiliar culture, among other things. These consid-erations should give advo-cates a pause.

SARIAYA, QUEZON (Ancop-GK)

Ancop-GK Canada: Mission of giving back at its fi nest

SAN ISIDRO, NUEVA ECIJA (Ancop-GK)

both in Iloilo. In Mindanao - Bag-ong Oza-

miznon Village, Ozamiz City and Mantic Fisherman’s Vil-lage, Tangub City, both in Mis-amis Occidental; CFC North Scarborough Chapter, Brgy. Looc, Sitio Luna, Surigao City, Surigao Del Norte.

Greater Manila - Visayas Ave. Village in Brgy. Culiat and Roque 1 CFC HOLD Village in Roque 1, Pasong Tamo District II, both in Quezon City; Batang Bayani Village, Bataan Ship-ping and Engineering Co., Tondo Manila; Philippine Chamber of Commerce Toronto Village and Cubicside Village, both in Para-ñaque City;

CFC Brampton Village, Grezar; CFC Winnipeg Village, Brgy. Marikina Heights, Mariki-na City; and Camacho - Light Of Jesus Canada Village, Brgy. Nangka, all in Marikina City;

Amparo 1 - Ananapla Vil-lage, Brgy. 179, Bagong Silang Canada Village, Phase 9 Pkg. 6, Brgy. Bagong Silang, and Fran-ville Village, Brgy. 175, Franville


AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 5NEWS

SORSOGON CITY - Mt. Bulusan exploded morning of July 31, sending a thick ash column over fi ve kilometers above its summit.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology ere said the eruption was phreatic, characterized by a massive

emssion of volcanic ash accompanied by an earthquake.Resident volcanologist Bella Tubianoza said the erup-

tion and tremor occurred at the same time and continu-ously for 10 minutes starting at 9:37 a.m.

The eruption was Mt. Bulusan’s most signifi cant activ-ity since it started acting up in March, although alert level one around the volcano was maintained, Tubianoza said.

“We expect a big bang but we do not know when it would come. Mt. Bulusan had this capability based on its history.”

Under the present alert level, human activities are dis-couraged within the four to six-kilometer permanent danger zone of the volcano.

The eruption was viewed in full in this city, some 30 kilometers from the volcano. While most residents were

awed by the spectacular show of the caulifl ower-like column of ash, some panicked in fear. Danny Calleja, PNA

Mt. Bulusan erupts

When it rains, it fl oods?

At least eight per-sons were killed and tens of thousands of villag-ers were displaced, as typhoons Chedeng and Dodong spawned fl oods in a wide expanse of Luzon in the Philippines early August.

Here is a rundown of news reports on the ca-lamity culled from the Philippines News Agency.

From Malolos City Disaster offi cial Raul

Agustin reported on Aug. 11 that Bulacan remained on high alert and bracing up for the possible infl ow of “backfl oods” from Pam-panga and Bulacan’s higher areas into the coastal towns of Calumpit, Hagonoy, and Paombong.

Governor Joselito Men-

doza has dispatched rescue and relief teams to con-cerned areas.

Agustin said at least six persons were killed at the height of fl oods brought about by Typhoon Dodong.

Two of the victims were named as Alden Odilon, 37, of Bambang, Bocaue who died after being bitten by a snake slithering its way out of the water, and 80-year old Felicidad Gasing of Cu-lianin, Plaridel, who was swept away by rampaging fl oodwaters on Aug. 9.

Flood-affected were 57,891 families or 279,336 persons.

Agustin said damages to fi sheries in Bulacan’s 13 towns and two cities has reached P35 million, and damages to infrastructure

was placed at P58 million. The series of calamities

that hit Bulacan - swine fl u outbreak, fi shkill, two baby tornadoes and the fl oods - prompted offi cials to de-clare the province under a state of calamity.

From Dagupan CityThe villages of Bacayao

Sur, Bacayao Norte, May-ombo, Lasip Chico, Pogo Grande, Pogo Chico and Pantal - all near the Dagu-pan River - remained fl ood-ed as of Aug. 11, ever since Typhoon Dodong dumped rains in the area on Aug. 9, made worse tidal rises. Da-gupan is one meter below sea level.

From Vigan CityIlocos Sur Governor

Deogracias Victor Savel-(Continued on page 6)

Floods hit Luzon


5 Subdivision, Camarin, all in Caloocan City.

Website ancopcanada.org also acknowledged the individuals, volunteers, supporters and its major partners who have gener-ously commited themselves to sharing resources in the task of helping the poor and the homeless.

Major partners cited were the Ministry of Citi-

zenship and Immigration Ontario, Philippine Cham-ber of Commerce Toronto, Fiesta Assistance and Ser-vices, Light of Jesus Com-munity Canada, Leyte Association of Ontario, AC-Tristar Saladmaster, Doctor Ruby Formoso and family, CFC Kids for Christ Canada, CFC Handmaids of the Lord, and Couples for Christ Canada.

Ancop-GK Canada ...(From page 4)

lano said fl oods spawned by Typhoon Dodong displaced 1,331 families (6,538 per-sons) in 27 villages in San Vicente, San Ildefonso, Sto. Domingo, Santa and Caoayan towns.

Savellano said relief operations are being con-ducted, as he urged people living near and along river banks and seashores to move to higher ground.

From BataanFlashfl oods hit 26 of 46

barangays in Dinalupihan. Worst hit was Tabacan in Brangay Sta. Isabel where 30 families (89 persons) were forced to leave their homes and stay at the town’s civic center.

Also fl ooded were ba-rangays Daungan and Al-macen in Hermosa, Bataan, and some villages in Samal

Floods hit Luzon ...(From page 5)

near creeks and rivers. In many areas, erstwhile dry ricelands were submerged in deep fl oodwaters.In Lingayen, Pangasinan

The provincial board deferred a standing resolu-tion to declare Pangasinan in a state of calamity due to drought.

Heavy rains on Aug. 9 drowned speculations of a prolonged dry spell that de-terred farmers in Northern Luzon from planting rice due to lack of rainfed and irrigation water.

Offi cials said light rains began as early as Aug. 5, but not enough for planting needs.

But farmers took advan-tage of the rains and have planted 128,681.98 hect-ares of land to rice as of Aug. 9, leaving 49,934.93

hectares of a 178,616.91-hectare target still untilled.

Typhoon ChedengEarlier, Typhoon

Chedeng left in its wake at least two dead, seven hurt, 13 missing, and 11,594 families (42,041 persons) dislocated.

Those affected by Chedeng-spwaned fl oods were from Metro Manila, the Cordillera Administra-tive Region, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

The fatalities, including nine-year old Reinel Renon, died due to landslides in Ba-guio City and Abra.

Six of the seven injured were pinned down by a wall that collapsed in Brentwood subdivision in Mambugan, Antipolo City. A tornado victim in Zambales was the toher person reported hurt.

The 13 missing were fi shers whose fi shing boats capsized off Zambales.

MANILA - Philippine local government units (LGU) and the private sector will get a boost over the next eight years as the Canadian government, through the Canadian International De-velopment Agency (CIDA), has committed over P700 million in its latest bilateral project called Local Gover-nance Support Program for Local Economic Develop-ment (LGSP-LED).

Canadian Ambassador to Manila Peter Sutherland and Local Government Sec-retary Ronaldo Puno have signed a Memorandum of Understanding closing Canada’s commitment to aid LGUs.

Sutherland said the proj-ect “underscores the impor-tance of economic develop-

ment at the local level to further alleviate poverty.”

“Local economic growth encourages the public, busi-ness, and non-governmen-tal sector-partners to work collectively to create better conditions for economic growth and to create job op-portunities,” he said.

“It will not only create better and decent employ-ment for the poor but also expand tax bases, leading to increased revenue genera-tion and improved services within local governments,” he added.

“Working with the pri-vate sector to develop inno-vative solutions to commu-nity economic development will require changes in rules, models and most of all mindsets, as well as cre-ative partnerships among neighboring municipalities and provincial or regional leadership,” he added.

The project continues Canada’s long-term engage-ment with the Philippine Department of the Inte-rior and Local Government (DILG) and the LGUs. PR

Canada funds P700M for LGU growth

SUTHERLAND

School at the PCCT GK Village in Parañaque

GK 777 moves onIn the Philippines, the

gawadkalinga.org reported that Gawad Kalinga has put up 21,759 houses in 1,2453 communities nationwide, as of April 2007.

A full listing of 840 GK villages built as of Sept. 30, 2006 could be perused in the website.

It listed as No. 25 the Ontario Ministry of Immi-

gration and Citizenship GK Village in Manlico, Hinun-angan, Southern Leyte, one of the 17 GK villages erect-ed in the province.

The ministry’s dona-tion, credited as having been coursed through An-cop Canada, was made fol-lowing the tragic mudslides that hit the village of Guin-saugon in St. Bernard town, Southern Leyte last year.

I’m lost; no, I forgot!

Ace Alvarez

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 7VIEWS

Note in an e-mail, a copy of which was furnished this writer:

“How are you doing? Can you please tell me who are the pictures you have now so I can remind the rest? Will it be too late now if some of them you still have a fotosession?”

Nadisgrasya na! ***

Philippine Press Club-On-tario (PPC-O) Ladies Auxiliary member Chuchi Punsalan to fellow member Maribel Mon-temayor, copying, among oth-ers, this writer: “I think I am enjoying your ‘Goji’, mayroon bang discount pag apat agad ang order?”

Maribel Montemayor re-plied: “Free delivery, Cdn $160.00 for one case (4 bottles, one liter each), four gives. What else do you want?”

PPC-O President Tenny Soriano commented: “Mahal. Isang case ng Blue, or Coors light is 40 bucks la’ng; lasing ka pa, at tingin mo sa mga pangit kamukha ni Katrina Halili.”

***From a forwarded e-mail by

Chuchi Punzalan:

“Women are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. Most men don’t want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and get-ting hurt. Instead, they sometimes take the apples from the ground that aren’t as good, but they are easy to get. The apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they’re amazing. They just have to wait for the right person to come along; the one who is brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.

“Now … men. Men are like fi ne wine. They begin as grapes, and it’s up to women to stomp the shit out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.”

Aray ko po! ***

Message from folksinger Chito Sarabia to broadcaster Jess Cabrias, copying this writ-er, too:

“Thank you for customizing and creating ‘Sunny Smiley’ and the ‘Danby Elephant’ additional animation.

“I appreciate. You’re the best.”

Probably, Jess had Chito as guest very recently in his Ta-lakayan radio program over Fairchild Radio.

Chito told me I was the best, too, when I guested him on TV program “Front Page Philip-pines” sometime back.

***Ever since Mabuhay Gazette

- either an organ of the Philip-pine Independence Day Council (PIDC), or privately-owned, was circulated, I get all these e-mails from PR Karen Pascual-Binaday requesting for publication of PIDC press releases with Mabuhay Ga-zette in the addressee line.

Is this short of saying that all publications in Toronto are now embraced under one group known as ‘Mabuhay Gazette’, just like several community organizations taken as members of PIDC?

***… and talking of press re-

leases, the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa has now the habit of sending press releases with “/rmm” as contact.

What? Don’t ask me who “/rmm” is? I’m lost!

***

Recently, PPC-O member Ricky Caluen forwarded the fol-lowing, saying that probably, we recipients of his forwarded e-mail have this, too:

“Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. – Age Acti-vated Attention Defi cit Disorder. This is how it manifests itself:

“I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the drive-way, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing. As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I de-cide to bring the mail inside and go through it before I wash the car. I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can and notice that the can is full.

“So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage fi rst. But then I think, since I’m going to be near the mailbox when I take out the gar-bage anyway, I may as well pay the bills fi rst.

“I take my check book off the table and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go to my desk where I fi nd the can of Coke I’d been drinking.

“I’m going to look for my checks, but fi rst I need to push the Coke aside so that I don’t acciden-tally knock it over. The Coke is getting warm and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

“As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of fl owers on the counter catches my eye -they need water I put the Coke on

the counter and discover my read-ing glasses that I’ve been search-ing for all morning.

“I decide I better put them back on my desk, but fi rst I’m going to water the fl owers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fi ll a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.

“I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I’ll be look-ing for the remote, but, I won ‘t remember that it’s on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but fi rst I’ll water the fl owers.

“I pour some water in the fl owers, but quite a bit of it spills on the fl oor. So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

“At the end of the day: the car isn’t washed; the bills aren’t paid; the garbage hasn’t been taken out; there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter; the fl owers don’t have enough water, there is still only one check in my check book; I can’t fi nd the remote; I can’t fi nd my glasses; and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys.

“Then, when I try to fi gure out why nothing got done today, I’m really baffl ed because I know I was busy all day and I’m really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I’ll try to get some help for it, but fi rst I’ll check my e-mail.”

After reading the foregoing, I (Continued on page 23)

The making of anewsman

Hankering for thePinoy childhood

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 20078 VIEWS

When Manila-based artist Vic Feliciano toyed with the subject of childhood pasttimes, he evoked his own as he was growing up in Malabon, then still a bucolic dis-trict of Rizal province.

He recalled with fondness the many virginal grasslands that punctuated small communities of fi shermen and patis makers.

His recollection was of the refreshing seabreeze that meant money to the largely seafaring neighborhood of his youth.

His reminiscence brought him back to the asphalt-laden streets with functioning canals and litter-free pedestrian walks.

It was this environment that Feliciano and his playmates ap-propriated and christened as their playground.

When his busy parents were not looking, the wily Vic would sneak out and enjoy moments of play.

Minus the medals and the adulation of crowds, he was the undisputed tumbang preso cham-pion of the street, ruthless in siato and a feared expert in patintero, constantly sought out when teams are formed.

After his wife died last year,

Feliciano no-ticed a sudden yearning for things past.

His melan-cholia would usually trans-port him back to the Malabon of his puerility when his antics were still cute and his naugh-tiness, gener-ally harmless.

Living in the concrete jungle of Maka-ti where the din of racing mo-tor vehicles has replaced the symphonic clickety-clack of the rustic Malabon cale-sa, and where streets have become verbo-ten areas for his own grandchil-dren lest they be snatched or ran over, Feliciano one day took out his sketchbook and recaptured his juvenile days of innocent play.

DUYAN

LUKSONG LUBID

He hoped to rekindle memo-ries of his carefree days as a boy and create for his playful grand-children a link to his own child-hood.

The yield: an evocative collec-tion of pen and ink drawings that, in its stark simplicity and straight-forwardness, sends a rush up the spine to yearn for something lost.

It speaks of children with in-nocence etched in their eyes, oblivious to the cares of the adult world.

The works portray something so distant yet within reach, prick-ing adult consciences about what they are bequeathing to the next generation.

Most of all, they show to the viewer, a lost world, a heritage sullied by media and values alien to the Pinoy.

If a Filipino has been living away from the homeland for a number of years, and he enjoyed a fairly colorful and memorable childhood there, chances are, news about the country of his birth will be lapped up with gusto.

Despite the acquisition of more sophisticated tastes in food, dress and leisure, he remains that expat trapped in an Asian body, hanker-ing for things that will remind him of his halcyon days.

Alas, like the Yangtze river dolphin that recently entered the halls of extinction, we regret that the games of childhood have now been replaced by the computer, electronic games the mobile phone and television.

We asked some youth videog-raphers to be on the lookout for and record kiddie games bring played in the metro’s streets.

They came back empty hand-ed.

With the streets empty of chil-(Continued on page 32)

Fresh from university with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, my very fi rst ‘solo’ stint as a jour-nalist was with DXWB-FM.

The news team was composed of very young graduates of Jour-nalism, Communication Arts or Mass Communication, but the various divisions of the station were being run by broadcast vet-erans. Bong Lapira, who became popular as a newscaster for Chan-nel 5 TV’s The Big News and later for GMA 7 News, was the station manager; and Ver dela Cerna, also later of Channel 5, was produc-tion manager.

My division - News and Pub-lic Affairs - was under Herman Magsipok, a very moody person who ordered one thing and did the opposite fi ve minutes later.

But even so, Herman, I should say, was an excellent newsman who rose from the ranks to become the news director of pre-martial law Philippines’ DZMT News, the radio arm of the anti-Marcos Manila Times, then the biggest newspaper in the Philippines that

likewise owned Channel 5.My fi rst stint in news report-

ing was the time when the movie All The President’s Men about the Watergate scandal was released in Metropolitan Manila.

Being a newsman myself, of course, I did go and see the mov-ie. With my personality, though, I had related myself to the character of Robert Redford in the movie - something of a formal dresser, as opposed to the rugged-type role that Dustin Hoffman played and who Rene “Teng” de Mesa, also of DWXB-FM News (lately with the public relations department of United Laboratories), emulated, himself being a denim-dresser.

Teng, who was seated next to me in the news room, occasional-ly, would whisper to me, “Partner, you play the Redford role and I’ll play the Hoffman role.”

Working one day the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift, I came to the station wearing a Barong Tagalog, look-ing forward to the press confer-ence I was to attend at the nearby fi ve-star Manila Hilton Hotel on

Maria Orosa St. in Ermita, Manila that night. That day, Teng worked the 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift.

In those times, DWXB’s news broadcast was hourly, on the dot. Newswriters/reporters should fi le fi ve stories per hour, complete with voice-over interviews and everything. This was other than the 30-minute 7 a.m., 12 noon and 11 p.m. newscasts. While a fi ve-minute news production looked easy, it was not. Besides writing and interviewing, we also dubbed the interview work tapes into clean broadcast copy.

Pounding on my ever-reliable Olympia typewriter (there were no PCs yet) close to 3:30 p.m., a lis-tener phoned in saying there was a big fi re gutting the St. Mary’s Catholic School in Pasay City.

News director Herman imme-diately ordered me to run and go to the scene of the fi re. Off I went in my Barong Tagalog, but forget-ting my Redford role and assum-ing Hoffman’s instead.

Seated at the back of a mo-bile patrol, which was a taxicab I

fl agged down along Malate, Ma-nila’s Taft Ave., my heart pounded so hard, my mind wondering what to do: Was my voice good enough for the ‘blow by blow’ account at the scene? Could I speak gramati-cally correct English (DWXB is a straight English station)? Would my voice even come out? My nightmares were interrupted by the cab driver at the corner of F.B. Harrison and Vito Cruz, about seven more kilometers to the fi re scene. He said we could no longer proceed, and I had to walk from thereon. So, walk I did.

I reached Libertad St. via F.B. Harrison. The narrow main road was cordoned off from people by the police and volunteers. Show-ing them my Press ID, I was al-lowed behind the cordon. As soon as I saw the thick black smoke in the air, I went to look for a phone, only to be told by one after an-other that all electrical and phone lines were off in the area, thus, this Redford-type newsman had to run-walk-run back to F.B. Har-rison Ave. to look for a working phone. Luckily, I found one, fi ve kilometers away from the point I have reached so far.

“Hello.” “Yes, Ace, what’s happening?” asked Herman.

I said, “The fi re is big!”“How far are you from the

scene?” asked my news director.“Very near,” I said.“Ace, go back and be at the

‘scene’, then call me back, okay,” came the instruction.

So run-walk-run-hop-hop I (Continued on page 12)

Letters & Voices The reach ofethnic media

Anna’s story: An end to an angry world

ITEMS, PRESS RE-LEASES, LETTERS, COMMENTS, ETC. may be sent to [email protected]. All communi-cations will be edited.

Part of Canada’s mosaic

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 9VIEWS

I became a Canadian citizen in 1975, when the requirement was still fi ve years before one can apply for citizenship. Over the long wait, I agonized whether I would trade my Filipino citizenship to Canadian. In the end, it was more for convenience that I turned my back on the Philippines. In 1970, Canada did not recognize foreign education; and all were asked the same question: “Do you have Ca-nadian experience?” I had the opportunity to work in all levels of government, side by side with Canadian university graduates. Hindi ko naman pinahiya ang Philippine education ko. After 37 + years here, I consider myself somewhat a proud Canadian. Canada is very much respected globally. It is a peace-loving nation, the home of peacekeepers. I brought to Canada a good education, moral values, work ethics and a culture that is now a part of the country’s mosaic. I am getting back what I have sown for 37+ years , no more, no less. Pearl Buenafe

Thank you, Pearl, for your views on becoming a Canadian citizen. Surely, we all can be proud, in onw way or another, of our adopted country. - The Editors

Our reader is our priorityDear Sir,Is it possible to have an email format copy of the article entitled

“Dealing with priorities” written by Eva Agpaoa? It was beautifully written article and I want to share it to my friends and family. Also, I would appreciate it very much if you can forward this email to Ms Eva, in the hope she will email me back to thank her personally. Thank you very much. - Noel Sanchez

Thank you for being a Manila Media Monitor reader. We are forwarding your message to Ms. Agpaoa likewise as requested. Thank you, too, for taking the time to write us. - Ace Alvarez, Managing Editor

Too often I meet people who are trapped in relationships that are hurtful and destructive. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of daily fi ghting.

I’m not only talking about part-ners. Bad relationships come in all shapes and sizes -- with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, bosses and spouses, boyfriends or girlfriends.

We fi nd ourselves in a cycle of abuse and counter abuse.

One slight requiring retalia-tion and soon, we are trapped in a spiral.

After a while, the situation be-comes chronic. The acute hurt we feel at the start becomes a constant dull ache just beyond our con-scious fi eld of vision but always there, making our lives uncom-fortable and dragging us down.

This ache spills into every oth-er relationship and encounter we have and can slowly poison the spirit and love of life.

Being in one of these relation-ships needs something to be done about it.

Unless we act, it will disfi gure our soul and leave us bitter and resentful.

How do we recognize the situ-ation?

Sometimes it’s easy. But often, it’s subtle and diffi cult.

Many times, we refuse to acknowledge problems simply because we fi nd it hard to ac-knowledge that we are part of the problem.

Bad relationships have many causes.

There are those which begin as a misunderstanding that never gets resolved.

There are those that are rooted in bad behavior for which we nev-er apologize.

Other relationships become destructive due to external infl u-ences, such as work, in-laws or mean-spirited friends.

Anna’s story is worth refl ect-ing on.

She says: “The moment I get home from work until I fall asleep, I’m angry.”

“I’m angry at my mother, I’m angry at my son, I’m angry at my husband.

“I’m angry because they seem so selfi sh. They wait for me to get home to cook dinner, take out the garbage, clean up the house.

“Why? My mother is home all day watching TV. My husband doesn’t work so at least he can help around the house.

“Why does it fall on me to work all day and then again all night.

“I scream and shout at each of them. I’m so angry and then I feel so bad. I feel so rotten that I’ve been mean to my family. But I can’t bring myself to apologize.”

Anna leads a bleak life. She says that she feels hopeless and does not believe in a better fu-ture for her. For her, everyday is a struggle, at work and at home.

Too often, we let a situation go on far too long because we are afraid of the consequences of act-ing.

Needing to do something about a bad relationship does not necessarily mean leaving or ask-ing the other party to leave. It’s not either or.

Take a deep breath. Think about life and why things are not going well.

Sit down and talk gently with the people in your life and try to understand why they are acting the


July, 2007 and the 46th Toron-to Outdoor Art Exhibition came and went, as always a great draw and bigger than ever in the num-ber of works displayed.

Once again it reminded me of the potential of our ethnic media, at the time of the fi rst exhibitions largely confi ned to perhaps 75 to 100 European-language news-papers and a handful of radio broadcasts on English and French language radio stations. Multicul-tural/multilingual stations had not yet arrived.

As a director of the exhibition, then held at the Four Seasons Mo-tor Hotel, I was responsible for publicizing it. Since many of the 100-plus artists were recent immi-grants in 1962 I researched their origins and sent a news release to appropriate ethnic newspapers. Two of the exhibitors were the Polish husband and wife team of Roman and Mary Schneider; he, a ceramicist; she, a watercolorist. They were a lovable, middle-aged couple

Fast forward to early spring of 1963. The hotel clerk called me and asked me whether I would

help identify a Mary Schneider who had received a letter ad-dressed to her care of the hotel

The letter was from a friend of Mary’s. They’d had a luncheon date in Warsaw on the day Hitler invaded Poland and the consequent air raid prevented their meeting. Mary and Roman escaped Poland and eventually reached Canada where they opened an art school.

Mary Schneider was overjoyed to receive the letter, and by mail, the two friends were reunited after 23 years. Seems the press release had been picked up by newspaper in Poland.

***So many years, so many wor-

thy Canadian fi lms have received little acclaim or distribution be-yond the screenings at the To-ronto International Film Festivals (TIFF). What’s in store for Cana-dian fi lms at Festival 2007, open-ing on September 11?

One recalls Falling Angels, Ararat, Rhinoceros Eyes, Stardom - to name just a few that came and went quickly on screens across Canada. Plus, the hordes of fi ne Quebec fi lms - outside their prov-ince of origin.

It is to the credit of festival co-directors Piers Handling and Noah Cowan and the TIFF board that they persist in bringing us a large proportion of productions with Canadian origins.

This year’s selections bring fresh hope for a real breakthrough and are linked to creative names like Denys Arcand, Francois Gi-rard, David Cronenberg, Guy Maddin, Robert Lantos, Jeremy Podeswa and Clement Virgo, all of whom have scored kudos at previous TIFFs.

Viggo Mortensen, David Cronenberg at TIFF presscon

We’ll watch with interest the way in which Lantos and Podeswa have accepted the challenge of adapting festival opener Fugitive Pieces, from the stunning, poetic novel by Ann Michaels and how David Cronenberg, reunited with his History of Violence star Viggo Mortensen serves up what prom-ises to be a new twist to to an old genre in the thriller Eastern Prom-ises.

Here’s the offi cial TIFF re-lease:

Canadian programming at the 32nd Toronto International Film Festival highlights the best of our national cinema, bringing the country’s fi nest fi lms and fi lm-makers to the attention of local, national and international audi-ences.

This year, Canada First! opens with Martin Gero’s funny, sexy comedy Young People F*cing, and continues its celebration of

emerging talent with eight feature fi lms.

Ticket passes and packages now on sale.

For more information, please visit tiff07.ca or call 416-968-FILM or 1-877-968-FILM.

***The recent speculations that

Canada’s Atomic Energy Corpo-ration Limited might be handed on a platter to General Electric, a U.S.-controlled company, is fur-ther disturbing evidence of impor-tant Canadian business resources being gobbled up by foreign cor-porations.

In the event of power one day falling into the hands of a govern-ment even farther to the right than the Bush administration, the U.S.- controlled branch operations in Canada would provide a ready-made “fi fth column” of support for what would be an inevitable push to make Canada the 51st state.

For three years during the Spanish Civil War, Madrid was under siege by Generalissimo Franco’s fascist rebels.

A Franco general had boasted that as well as four military col-umns advancing on Madrid, there was a fi fth column of fascist sup-porters inside the city.

***Christian fundamentalists

stick by the Bible’s every word, even the hallucinatory Book of Revelations, which predicts that before the second coming of Jesus Christ the world will be consumed by Armageddon, a battle between the forces of good and evil.

It follows then that to get their pie in the sky they’re willing to see mass destruction on an un-precedented global scale.

One might cast a jaundiced eye on belief in such prophecies but the scary part is that inter-preters of the so-called revelation have always placed the battle in the Middle East.

Beware the self-fulfi lling prophecy!

(Used with permission. Ben Viccari is the President of the Canadian Ethnic Media As-sociation [CEMA] and makes frequent appearances on OMNI TV Commentary. Some of his commentaries are republished in this publication and slightly ex-panded in some cases from their 70-second broadcast originals. For more of his work, please visit Ben’s website at: http://canscene. ripple.ca)

Gloconomics:Strong peso = Weak OFW?

OMERTAButch DG. Galicia

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200710 VIEWS

The Filipino owner of a Toron-to store - that doubles as a money remittance conduit between Can-ada and the Philippines - called a patron on a recent weekend. The storeowner offered something like P44 to a Canadian dollar, and said the ‘high’ exchange rate would hold only during that weekend.

The patron sealed the offer, truly a deal after the Philippine peso, in recent months, fi rmed up against the American green buck (thereabouts P45=$1) and the Canadian loonie (thereabouts P43=$1).

Similar transactions have been transpiring worldwide, mostly in the Middle East and the Americas where there are large concentra-tions of Overseas Filipino Work-ers (OFW).

Many of the eight million Fili-pinos overseas (a tenth of the Phil-ippine population of 80 million plus and counting) are engaged in a frantic search for a forex dealer or money rermitter who could give them the best peso value for their hard-earned dollars.

This wariness among OFWs is completely sane and understand-

able. There was an era when the exchange rate went way above the P50 to US$1 and the P45 to Cdn$1 levels.

This was when Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Ar-royo gloated over the billions of dollars OFWs had sent home that helped prop up a sagging national economy and saved her from im-pending political doom.

This was when OFWs heaved a sigh of relief, assured that their loved ones back home would cope up with never-ending infl ation - the virtual rise in the prices of goods and services and transpor-tation costs well beyond earlier involed ceilings.

Belt-tightening, again?But, alas! These days of wine

and roses might be over. The ‘stabilized’ peso, real or

artifi cial, has been adversely af-fecting OFWs and their families, a large consumer base serving as the country’s tough hedge against any economic parody.

Ideally, a strong peso meant higher purchasing power - more goods in the basket, more food on the table, more services delivered,

more miles traveled, etc.Ideally, the undesirable effects

on peso-dollar exchange rates will have been reduced, or cancelled out, by an equivalent dip in prices of goods and services, to the joy of a massive dollar-earning and dollar-yearning consumer base.

But it looks like the laws of economics are negated in the Phil-ippines. Ate Glo and her cohorts boast of a robust economy, but it has failed to trickle down to the masses. Instead, Gloria’s econom-ics (Gloconomics, as I coin it) has spurred spiralling prices and has further buried the poor to the seeming bottomless pit of help-lessness and desperation.

To maintain the present peso equivalent of their dollar remit-tances, already tired, weary and restless overseas Filipinos would have to work more hours and/or tighten their belts and forget about a little recreation, so they can remit more dollars for the usual peso equivalent. Some have even put off plans for a traditional salo-salong Pamasko with family and friends. Sayang ang gastos. Saka na kapag nadagdagan ang sahod.

In the Philippines, their fami-lies also have to cut on a few needed spending to make the best of what they get from kin abroad. Kinulang kami ngayon. Baka hin-di makapag-enrol si Junior. Sana, madagdagan mo kahit kaunti.

Perhaps, this is just the game plan of Gloconomics - maintain the strong peso and infl ation rates and force OFWs to send more dol-lars to pay the country’s ever-in-creasing foreign debts and provide safety nets for ailing exporters (cronies?), with more foreign trips as bonus, to wit. Who knows?

Fixed P50-US$1?Ineffective, it seems, were

the pleas of offi cials to leaders of various advocacy groups and the Filipino people to be sober about the issue, as they tried harder to explain how Gloconomics would place the Philippines in the global economic roadmap.

What made matters worse was when they gathered all their gall to remind OFWs and their fami-lies that the latter are not being slapped the income tax because of their ‘heroic’ contributions to na-tional growth and prosperity.

The government urgings were obvious nip-in-the-bud reactions to a global web-based OFW and overseas Filipinos’ signature cam-paign petitioning Ate Guy’s clone to peg, for all time, the peso-green buck exchange rate at P50=$1.

The Philippine Star’s Mayen Jaymalin quoted OFW Family Club head and former ambassador Roy Señeres as saying that adopt-ing a fi xed exchange rate would encourage more migrant workers

to remit through formal channels.This would make the Bangko

Sentral ng Pilipinas better monitor the infl ow of dollars sent through banks and money-transfer fi rms, Señeres explained.

If the proposal is approved, monetary authorities could then be sure that the remitted dollars are used to fuel the economy and are not hoarded, he added.

But Labor Secretary Arturo Brion on Aug. 8 ruled out the pos-sibility of setting a fi xed exchange rate. “OFWs are already exempted from paying taxes so it’s no longer possible to provide them a special exchange rate at this time.”

There were notions to with-hold dollar remittances to the Philippines for at least a month.

Some even sought for a two-month remittance embargo.

“Let’s see what happens to government’s reluctance and rejec-tion to give OFWs better terms,” a Dubai-based blogger said.

Ripples of concernThis comment, however, has

sent ripples of concern among those in the OFW community.

One remarked: “Fasting is okay. But we also have to consider the loans and mortgages most of us are paying. Withholding remit-tances even for a month means added costs, which we may not be able to afford later.

Another said: I am a newly-ar-rived OFW and my family awaits my fi rst remittance. How then?

A third OFW commented: Anyone who agrees to the remit-tance embargo must see to it that


Keeping seniors at easeRelax, enjoy a safer bath

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Manila MEDIA MONITOR has compiled literature on Seniors’ Safety, hoping its publication in a series will keep the paper’s valued senior readers well-informed, safe and sound wherever they are.)

PART 4

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 11FEATURE

Bathing allows people to main-tain social standards of cleanliness and refreshes and relaxes the body and mind.

For the frail elderly, however, the need for cleanliness is often carefully weighed against the risks of accidents while bathing.

For the caregiver, bathing an elderly loved one also has emo-tional and physical stresses in-cluding preparing the bath, stand-ing nearby for emergencies, and having to towel dry an embar-rassed parent.

So what can a caregiver do to ensure a loved one’s bath-time safety?

A high-risk activityBath-time accidents are as-

sociated with two factors: the tub and bathroom design, and bather frailty.

In the fi rst case, bathrooms of-ten have little room to maneuver, particularly around the tub. And tub design often ignores the mo-bility challenges of the less agile.

Fortunately, new inventions, such as tubs with doors for step-ping in as well as walk-in shower stalls, are available. These options are worth exploring.

In the second case, elderly persons’ frailties are often compli-

cated by medication side effects (e.g. dizziness), reduced physical ability (e.g. arthri-tis) or diminished eye sight.

These frailties may be exaggerated when the elderly, in an effort to

maintain privacy, refuses bathing help from caregivers.

In many cases, older adults tend to be too confi dent and over-exert themselves to maintain their independence and compensate for their loss of capabilities. This over-confi dence and lack of help often results in personal injury.

Individual solutionsWhen bathing is a con-

cern, a caregiver can consult with a health profes-

sional, who will conduct

a proper assess-m e n t

of the e l d e r l y

p e r s o n ’s a b i l i t i e s

and environ-ment. The

assess -m e n t

s e r -vic-e s

a r e a v a i l a b l e

from a government-funded or private agency. Some caregivers may balk at the idea of paying privately; however, the in-creased safety and peace of mind are well worth the investment!

Nonetheless, most bath-time

accidents occur for several rea-sons. Here are the reasons and some helpful solutions for ensur-ing bath-time safety:

Balance - Many elderly have poor balance. For support in the bathroom, they often hang onto the sinks, fi xtures, shower doors, soap holders - any of which may break loose and cause an accident. As these products are not designed for support, they may force the person to turn and twist the bod-ies, thus exposing them to the risk of falling.

Transfer Benches ease trans-fers in and out of tub. They gen-erally remain partly inside and partly outside the tub, and a per-son sits on the part outside the tub and slides his or her body inside the tub.

Bath seats rest in the tub. They must have proper non-slip legs to ensure stability, and preferably have a back for additional sup-port.

Bath lifts raise and lower the elderly into and out of the tub. They must be installed properly to ensure safety.

Toileting - The area in and around the toilet is a frequent site of slips and falls. Slippery fl oors near the toilet and the tub often

cause falls when the elderly are sitting on the toilet or entering and exiting the bathtub or shower.

Floor mats, if used, must be secured to the fl oor. Bathmats must be non-skid and have suc-tion-cup-like backing, or they will loosen and slip. Bath patches are inexpensive small, non-skid piec-es that are permanently glued to the tub surface.

Boating shoes are used by some elderly in the tub and show-er. Caregivers can use sneakers in the bathroom.

Hand rails or grab bars provide weight support and allow a person to manoeuvre easily.

Standing, reaching and over-exertion happen for three rea-sons:

► Stretching for supplies and controls that are not within easy reach,

► Tying to reach various parts of the body, and

► Challenging reaching capa-bilities because of physical limits.

Preparation is important. The caregiver should lay everything to minimize reaching.

For example, have bath towels at arm height close to the tub, or use soap-on-a-rope to avoid un-necessary reaching if the soap falls. Hand-held showers allow an elderly person to shower while sit-ing down on a bath bench.

Privacy - The elderly often fi nds privacy during bathing to be a problem. Family caregivers may fi nd the level of intimacy diffi cult to manage. Paid caregivers ac-knowledge that bathing assumes


Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200712 FEATURE

went back to the ‘scene’.“Hey, you can’t go

there!” shouted the police. “DWXB News,” I said.

“Oh, okay.”Reaching the ‘scene’, I

scrutinized the magnitude of the fi re gutting the entire building only to be awak-ened from a seemingly deep sleep by the hot air engulf-ing my very environment. I realized that I was the only person inside the quadran-gle of the school building being engulfed by the fi re.

Run-walk-run-hop-hop fi ve kilometers back to the phone. “Hello.”

“Tape rolling, Ace,” said my news director.

Composing myself, my voice cracked, “A big fi re is now engulfi ng the entire building of … “.

Herman interrupted, “Ace, please go back to the scene of the fi re. Your ‘lead’ (in journalistic parlance, the fi rst and most important sentence of the news sto-ry) is already stale. DZHP News has reported that two fi remen have been injured. I want you to ask the names of the fi remen and which hospital/s they were taken to. Okay?”

(DXWB, in those times, alternately with Kanlaon Broadcasting Corporation’s DWKW-FM, placed fi rst or

second in the ratings game. Thus, run-walk-run-hop-hop fi ve kilometers, I got back to the scene.

I asked the fi rst police offi cer I saw if he had in-formation on the injured fi remen. None, I was told. I asked other policemen, sev-eral fi remen, even Baran-gay Tanods until I got the information.

Run-walk-run-hop-hop fi ve kilometers back to the phone. “Hello.”

“Tape rolling, Ace,” my news director calmly said.

Thus, this roving re-porter par-excellence pro-ceeded, “The two fi remen injured in the fi re now in progress ...”

“Ace,” Herman inter-rupted, “I am monitoring DZHP. They reported that some persons have died, thus, your ‘lead’ is now stale. Can you go back and inquire who died? Then come back and call me up with your report. Okay?”

Run-walk-hop-hop-walk fi ve kilometers back to the ‘scene’. Inquire, in-quire, inquire.

Walk-hop-hop-walk-walk-walk fi ve kilometers back on the phone. “Hello.”

“What is your ‘lead’, Ace?” asked Herman.

“Three persons died to-day....” I said.

“Ace, I am monitor-ing DZHP, they reported just now that the fi re has been put under control. Is it true?”

Frustrated, I banged the phone, sat on the chair, or-dered a bottle of Coke, “with ice on glass, PLEASE,” from the restaurant where I had run-walk-run-hop-hop fi ve kilometers back and forth until my energy was gone to just walk-hop-hop-walk-walk-walk.

While I was seated in the restaurant, my frustra-tion was mostly directed to the sapin-sapin I ordered together with a bottle of Coke.

At almost nine in the evening, I arrived in an empty news room, the rest having gone to the Manila Hilton press conference.

Very much frustrated, I opened my locker and looked for my clean shirt to change my - by this time soaked and dirty Barong Ta-galog- but it was nowhere there.

I realized that my com-padre, Jimmy Montejo (who later worked for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Philippine Star), like-wise a member of the news team, ‘stole’ my shirt, to-gether with my necktie and wore them to the press con-ference in lieu of myself.

When the ‘socializing’ newsmen came back, I was

already updating some of the news items for the 11 p.m. 30-minute news round up, their faces were blush-ing red from the ‘John-nie Walker Black’ whisky served at the press con.

Seeing me pounding on my ever-faithful Olympia typewriter, Montejo said, “Pare, I’m sorry, I had to borrow your shirt and tie.”

***Several months after,

while I was on duty, a lis-tener again phoned in say-ing there was a fi re in wher-ever.

I asked, “Do you know the name of the street; the number?”

The listener only knew two pieces of information - the name of the street in Pasay City and the approxi-mate time it started.

After having inquired on the veracity of the infor-mation, the latebreaker was immediately aired:

“A fi re is now raging on F.B. Harrison Avenue in Pa-say City.

“Firefi ghters from Met-ropolitan Manila are now on the scene of the fi re.

“Reports reaching DWXB-FM News said the fi re was tapped in at around 8:35 this evening.

“As of this writing, no reports of injuries, nor ca-sualties have yet been re-ported.

“DWXB-FM News will

update you in its nine o’ clock newscast.”

The newest member of the team, Leny Seva (now engaged in the cottage in-dustry) asked me, “Ace, were you not given only two bits of information by that listener?”

“Yes,” I said.“Then how were you

able to write a longer story with other information?” she asked.

I explained, and if I might stress - authorita-tively: “When there’s fi re, Leny, fi refi ghters of course will rush to the scene, so there it is in the story. I said (fi refi ghters) ‘from all over Metropolitan Manila’ because while I was on the phone, a fi retruck passed by with its siren on; and since this is Manila and the fi re is in Pasay City, so, I said ‘various fi refi ghters from Metro Manila are rushing to the fi re scene.’ Of course, when there’s fi re, you ex-pect the fi refi ghters to rush to the scene and not take it easy going there, right?

“I said no injuries nor casualties have been report-ed because the informant did not report anything on that, right?”

Leny seemed to be think-ing deeply while nodding her head. Of course, I never told her that ... Ooops! I blooped when I myself was new in news reporting.

The making of a newsman ...(From page 8)

his/her family back home can settle obligations and adjust to the situation.

A fourth wrote: Our de-pendents, like us, live on a day-to-day basis. How do we expect them to brace for a storm?

If I may add, instead of asking for a fi xed exchange rate, how about asking Ate Glo to order a drastic roll-back and set realistic ceil-ings in the prices of goods and services?

Head-on collisionI have received reports

that in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone, at least 6,600 OFWs have signed the peti-tion, which was circulated as early as the second week of August to OFW welfare advocacy groups in various continents.

The petition is set to be formally transmitted on Aug. 21 to President Ar-royo, accompanied by a barrage of text and e-mail messages to offi cials of the departments of labor and fi nance and other monetary and economic authorities.

The situation is very disturbing. A head-on col-lision between rulers and governed must be averted.

How? Perhaps, Glo-conomics can provide the solution. [email protected]

Gloconomics ...(From page 10)

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 13FEATURE

The Vietnamese Canadian Centre (VCC) has set up the Coordinating Committee for the Sponsorship of Vietnamese Refugees in the Philippines (CCSVRP) to initiate Proj-ect Freedom at Last, which would sponsor at least 161 Vietnamese refugees stranded in the Philippines since 1988.

This came in the wake of the May 10 announcement the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada made, vowing to facilitate the immigration of Vietnamese in the Philippines to Canada.

The Vietnamese community in Canada has lobbied for government action on the matter for fi ve years.

A VCC press release said the applica-tions of those disqualifi ed for Canadian admission under either the Family Class or the Federal Skilled Worker Class would be assessed based on humanitarian and com-passionate grounds.

Under Project Freedom at Last, the CC-SVRP would work with lobby group SOS VietPhi and US-based non-profi t fundraiser Vietnamese Overseas Initiative for Con-science Empowerment.

Sponsorship donations would be used to help refugees cover the costs of resettle-ment - including the application processing, medical examinations, permanent residence fees, and transportation costs, and to form sponsor groups across Canada to help bring into the country.

Vounteer sponsor groups would ensure the provision of basic resettlement assis-tance to the refugees, e.g. arranging accom-modations, medical insurance, employment, language or training courses for adults, and children’s school enrollment.

They would not be required to sign any legally-binding agreement with the govern-

ment.The VCC said all donations to Project

Freedom at Last, in cheques or money or-ders only, should be payable to Vietnamese Canadian Centre/Project Freedom at Last, and sent to the Vietnamese Canadian Centre

at 249 Rochester St., Ottawa, ON K1R 7M9 Canada. Donations of $5 or above would be issued a tax receipt, usable in either Canada or the United States.

Contributors in Canada could also send donations to the VCC or through reliable lo-

cal organizations. Contributors in the U.S. or elsewhere could send donations to Ot-tawa or to VOICE’s offi ce in Washington, D.C., to lawyers Hoi Trinh or Lisa Nguyen at 1802 S St. N.W., Washington D.C. 20009 USA.

Vietnamese work for RP-stranded refugee-compatriots entry to Canada

14 Manila Media Monitor Manila Media Monitor AUGUST AUGUST 2007

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 15WHO? WHAT?

way they do (which makes us act the way we do!).

Yes, sometimes this leads to a break up. But most often, this leads to deeper understanding of the situation and, hopefully, a calmer more fulfi lling rela-tionship.

As it turns out, Anna’s issue has nothing to do with her husband, son or mother.

She is angry at herself, really angry and disap-pointed with her progress (or lack of) at work.

She has no outlet and takes it out on her family.

I’m not saying it’s al-right that her husband does

not help at home or that her mother sits around and watches TV all day.

But Anna does not deal with the issues that both-ers her directly. She never tells her mother she needs household help.

But when she fi nally talks with them, she is sur-prised.

She says: “When I told my mother that I resented her not helping around the house, she looked at me and said ‘you’re always so angry at me, I was afraid if I did something which you didn’t like, you’d get even more angry.’”

Anna’s story: An end to an angry world ...(From page 9)

Confusion, misunder-standing, lack of communi-cation -- these are the factors that break relationships.

A loved one deserves the effort to try and under-stand what goes wrong.

Too often we get so wrapped up in the moment we forget to communicate what it is we want and need. And we forget how to listen, really listen to others.

A bad relationship will poison your life and the lives of those around you. Don’t let that happen. (Eva Agpaoa may be reached at [email protected])

Offi cers, members and friends of the Lucena City Association gath-er for a picnic at the Thomson Park on July 28. The association has lived up to its slogan “The Mission Is The Reason,” its leaders are planning for next year’s 10th anniversary -- ten years of helping the poor and the needy in the Philippines. PR

Lucena Assn.picnic

Featinians meet in picnic

Offi cers and members of The Featenians Association of Toronto headed by president Oliver Rey pose for posterity during the group’s recent picnic at the Thomson Memorial Park. JT

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Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200716 WHO? WHAT?

CHSNAF grand reunion set

College of the Holy Spirit North America Founda-tion (CHSNAF) members (from left) Evelyn Faus-tino-Ador Dionisio, Marilou Capistrano (Parcero), Pixie Cruz-Eleazar, Maritess Lumanlan, Mila Eu-staquio-Syme, Melissa Fajardo-Unidad, Patty Faustino-Cebrero, Yoly Reyes-Lim, Rose Cheng-Pimentel and Marite Acosta-Zala gear up for the group’s grand reunion in Toronto, Aug. 16 to 19. The reunion will start Aug. 16 with a recollection at the St. Basil’s Church and a pilgrimage to Mar-mora; followed by a two-day conference, high-lighted by the gala dinner-dance on Aug. 18 at the Imperial Ballroom of the Fairmont Royal York Ho-tel. PR

The Bodybliss group has launched on Aug. 15 its Passport to Happiness raffl es, giving clients the chance to win any of three Canada-Philippines-Cana-da round-trip tickets. Mercy Rementilla said this was a way to thank clients of the Bodybliss healthcare sys-tem. Participating outlets included Bodybliss Physio-therapy, Duncan Mills Or-tholine, Markham Orthope-dic Center, Orthopedic and Orthotic Appliances and Bioform Health. The raffl e ends on Feb. 15, 2008. PR

Bodybliss skedsgratitude raffl e

Six students - a grade school graduate in Toronto and fi ve high school gradu-ates in Manila, the Philip-pines - have received this year’s Pilipino Canadian Friendship Society of Can-ada (PCFSC) award.

Toronto awardee Marie Tonea did Grade 8 at the Buchanan Public School.

She got her award from principal Amanda Sinclair, program chair Greg Pipher and Tony San Juan dur-

ing the school’s graduation convocation on June 26.

Last year’s awardee was Avine Suntharamoorthy of George B. Little Public School.

In Manila, the awardees were top graduates Mar-gie Cuadra, Rickee Gerald Brieva, Abegail Masang-kay, Franz Pomarca and Joy Carpio, all of Florentino Torres High School.

They were recognized during the school’s 94th

commencement exercises.PCFSC Philippine di-

rectors Lourdes Santiago and Romeo Esquivel wit-nessed the awarding.

Awards consist of cash gift, a gold medallion, and a certifi cate of recognition.

Awardees are selected based on excellent academic performance and exemplary leadership.

The PCFSC is in its sec-ond year of presenting the award.

PCFSC is headed by its founding chairman Tirso Balitian. PR

PCFSC award goes to 6 Toronto, Manila grads

trust between them and their clients; how-ever, this trust can be diffi cult to achieve when there is little consistency in caregiv-ers.

Frank discussion about bathing between the elderly person and the caregiver is im-portant. Does the person prefer a family member to assist, or would she or he like it better if a stranger helped? Would the per-son prefer someone of the same sex or the opposite sex?

Washing private parts may be dealt with in various ways, such as the caregiver hand-ing a soaped washcloth to the elderly per-son or placing a wash cloth may over the genitals.

Some elderly prefer wearing a towel around the waist while showering. It doesn’t matter if the towel gets wet; remaining ca-sual is important.

Hiring a caregiver to give a bath regu-larly may be worth the expense. It would provide continuity and eliminate the need to repeatedly write down the particulars of bathing (e.g., what shampoo to use, in what order to do things etc.) to new caregivers.

Other considerations - Poor lighting may cause tripping or overextending, espe-cially when an elderly person removes their eyeglasses before bathing.

Additional light in the bathroom may be helpful; however, glare must be avoided. Light-coloured walls in the bathroom and a transparent curtain may also help.

Opening faucets and adjusting wa-ter temperature are troublesome activities for many elderly. Those lacking sensation in the hands can also easily misjudge the temperature and get scalded. Installing anti-scalding devices or automatically setting the water temperature will reduce the risk of burns.

Cognitive impairment such as Alzheim-er disease may cause a person to refuse a bath. Being calm, explaining step by step what will happen, and promising a special treat after the bath may ease this task.

Ask for helpWhen in doubt, never hesitate to ask for

help. Trained professionals, caregiver sup-port groups, and adult day programs may all provide insight and assistance. Canada Safety Council

Relax, enjoy ...(From page 11)

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 17WHO? WHAT?

Filipino accountants from all over North America are expected to converge in Toron-to for a convention at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2.

The convention is conducted by the National Council of Philippine American Canadian Accountants (NCPACA) in co-operation with host Association of fi lipino Canadian Accountants (AFCA).

AFCA offi cials say the convention will benefi t accountants involved in the prepara-tion of fi nancial statements and who review or audit statements.

The convention will also cover topics pertaining to current developments in ac-counting and auditing, non-profi t organiza-tions, IT and communications/leadership skills.

Extra convention activities include a boat cruise, a talent night and a gala night.

A CPE certifi cate will be issued on the last day of the convention. PR

AFCA hosts NorthAmerica accountants Toronto convention

Experience the Nepalese arts, crafts, food, and music and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Nepal at the Nathan Phillips Square on Aug. 26, 2 to 8 p.m. Admission is free.

The Nepalese Canadian Community Servicesis inviting everyone to NEPALI MELA:

The HIMALAYAN FESTIVAL

Noted Filipino neurologist Dr. Alfredo Bengzon will head a medical team that will visit Toronto and explain the advantages and benefi ts of traveling to the Philippines for any major medical treatment, in a forum in the Council Chambers of the Toronto City Hall on Aug. 22.

Bengzon, also CEO of The Medical City in the Philippines, and his colleagues will also be give a presentation on The Medical City and accredited tourism facilities of the Medical Tourism Program.

The Medical City has invested millions of dollars in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment better, if not equal, to North American hospitals, to attract a larger share of the world medical tourism market.

With an impressive 18-storey Medical Arts Tower with 280 doctors’ clinics, it has over 1,000 physicians in all fi elds of specialization, most of whom are trained in North America and Europe.

Medical tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. This necessary travel is fuelled by the long wait for medical treatment in Canada.

To assure foreign travellers of world-class medical care, The Medical City has been awarded the JCI Accreditation, a highly-prestigious accreditation, by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations, a non-profi t institution that evaluates and accredits health providers in the United States.

To pamper its recovering patients, The Medical City also offers homey interiors and comfortable amenities equal to that of a world-class hotel. Moreover, the patients’ visit is complemented with exceptional royal treatment provided by accredited facilities of the Medical Tourism Program.

To confi rm attendance, contact Evelyn Pagkalinawan at 416-369-1318 or email at [email protected]. PR

Medical City group sets medical tourism forum

ALFREDO BENGZON andTHE MEDICAL CITY

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200718 WHO? WHAT?

UST-EHS ‘70 reunionEtobicoke’s Tony Borja (2nd from left, back row) shares fond memories of high school life with batchmates (sitting, from left) Cheri Reyes Dauter-man, Rosario Paraiso delos Santos, Feliz Var-ias Viernes, Marilyn Bautista Alberto, Elizabeth Nunez Matt, Precy Guevara Ravago, Gigi Aus-triaco Jamias, Loida Arceo Hale, Nettie Teleron Famarin, Martha Dayao Ocampo, (standing, from left) Glenn Redrico, Jing Firmeza, Raul Espiritu, Raul Lazaro, Ross Carballo, Rene Encarnacion, Jay Laquian, Jing Francisco, Gani Ruperto, Aris Acorda and Ted Soriano, during the University of Santo Tomas-Education High School Batch 70 re-union in San Francisco, California on July 14 and 15. Batchmate Tanny Zapanta came later.

Former residents of the NDC compound in Sta. Mesa, Manila who have settled in Toronto met for a reunion on July 29. The affair was host-ed by the Errazo family with coordination from Teresa Torralba, Romy Zetazate, Jun Castillo, and Erning Peralta. The Errazos - Flordelizo, Bobby, Rosy and Fe - were glad to be with neighbors back home, some they have not seen for many years. (See photos on left) those in attendance in-cluded the Zetazates, Mendozas, Peraltas, Castollos and Zarago-zas. Another reunion is slated next year.

Sta. Mesa NDC residents reunion

Cotabateños reunion at Thomson ParkCotabateños in Toron-to had a fi eld day in a summer reunion at Thomson Park. Pos-ing for posterity are (top to bottom pics) the papas, the mamas and the children. Pho-tos by Peter Paul dela Cruz and Rene Ty

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 19

Startec Global (2)Dr. Evangeline M. Bernabe & Associates (3)Goldentuller & Associates (3)Rolly’s Garage (3) Dr. Arla Rondilla Dentistry Professional Corp. (5)Dr. Albine A. Miciano Cosmetic & General Dentistry (6)Action Honda (7)Ellesmere-Kennedy Dental Centre (10)Kaakbay Financial Services (11)Dr. Roslyn Sim-Sabilano & Associates (12)Mortgage Intelligence (13)Golden Mile Motors Ltd. (13)LDV Computers (14)Aqua Crystal Water (14)Front Page Philippines (15)Gandang Tonnie Furto (16)Nanny Home Care (16) musicpad.com (16)Forex (17)Home Karaoke (18)All Stars Productions (19)Ma. Louisa Diaz (20)NCM Festival (21)Moneygram (22)Culture Philippines Ontario (22)Castle Honda (23)

ADVERTISERS’ INDEXDr. Heidi Amado-Gonzales Family Dentistry (23)New Conservatory of Music (23)Mila Echevarria (24)UMAC Toronto (25)Mary’s Esthetics (25)Dr. Bernarda Rosales Verzonilla Family & Cosmetic Dentistry (27)Laguna Jewellers (27)Mary Gargaritano (28) Conrad Fajardo (28)Liland Insurance Inc. (29) Arme Ortega-Braiden (31)Lovely Travel & Tours Int’l, Inc. (31)Roadsport Honda (32)OCDC Parcel Services (33)Mabelle Villamor (33)Russell International (34) Superb Travel (36)Clemente Cabillan (36)Innovation (36)T.H.D. Consultants (37)Yellow Bird Driver’s Training Centre (37)Timeless Images (37)CHIN Radio (38)RCT Travel (38)New Look Beauty & Hair Lounge (39)Dr. Santiago & Associates (40)Fairview Dental Centre (40)

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20 Manila Media Monitor Manila Media Monitor AUGUST AUGUST 2007

21AUGUSTAUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor Manila Media Monitor

Filipino students have excelled at the 2007 NCM Mu-sic Festival.

Eight-year old Karen Asuncion, and 11-year old Adri-enne Hudencial won $1,000 scholarships for their excel-lent piano playing. And nine other Filipino youngsters won scholarships worth $500.

More than 100 scholarships were awarded to ex-ceptionally talented students at the Festival. Over 1,500 youngsters participated in the annual event.

The caliber of performance was outstanding in all cat-egories.

The $500 scholarship winners were Filipino students Mikahaela Arocha, Charlize Low, Lia Luz, Aileen Muan, Alyssa Grace Salamat, Monica Soriano, Sahar Tabrizi, Martin Tahamid, and Sheena Marie Yadao.

The $200 scholarship winners were Angelica Acut, Frederick Crisolo, Micah Erin De Lara, Melissa Dizon, Anthony Doyaoen, Jillian Exconde,

Marc Gonzales, Henry Gu, Adrianne Hackett, Luis Kabigting, Ranielle Macapagal, Vanessa Hope Marcial, Joanne Masanque,

Jessie Montalbo, Julian Quan Fun, Christina Reyes, Kayla Rivera, Kevin Christian Saludares, King Tabrizi, Kashiya Taylor, and Vincent Sean Villanueva.

The NCM Festival was held over two weekends in June at the Scarborough Campus of the University of To-ronto and at the Stephen Leacock C.I.

Among the highlights of the Festival were the Rock’n Roll, and Jazz and Blues contests for fi ve- and six-year-olds, the mini Miss NCM 2007 and the junior NCM Idol contests.

Festival fi rst place trophy winners were Hannah Acosta, Harry Acosta, Michael Alconcel, Charina Fay Alducente, Jacqueline Alfonso, Karen Asuncion, Nich-ole Belen, Ma Louisse Calderon, Mariafe Calica, David Candelaria, Frederick Crisolo, James Dallo, Eric Kyle De Guzman, Micah Erin De Lara, Iana De Ocampo,

Justine Diaz, Anthony Doyaoen, Elyssa Encinares, Jil-lian Exconde, Daniel Falco, Peter Falco, Rosephine Del Fernandes, Danise Fernandez, Cruziel Francisco, Marlon Gonzales, Ranzel Gonzales, Aaron Gabriel Hernandez, Adrienne Hudencial, Nicole Huff, Stephanie Lacsamana, Charlize Low, Lia Luz, Ranielle Macapagal,

Vanessa Hope Marcial, Andrew Mariano, Jessie Mon-talbo, Aileen Muan, Dane Olayres, Vincent Ostrowski, Ayla Ozkaratay, Kimberly Pallarca, Margaret Nika Pardi-lla, Janelle Pena, Justin Penaranda, Zak Rahman, Zeydan Rahman, Mark Pierre Ramnarain, Pierce Sean Ramnarain, Tash Repolleza, Jeffrey Reyes, Alyssa Sagum,

Kevin Christian Saludares, Roxanne Alyssa Santos, Maritha (Mauie) Sia, Richard-David Sison, Monica Sori-ano, Samantha Sunga, King Tabrizi, Sahar Tabrizi, Martin Tahamid, Eldrin Jude Velasco, Maria Joyce Verendia, and Vincent Sean Villanueva.

Second Place Trophy Winners were Erin Danielle Abila, Michelle Angeles, Gayle Aradanas, Chantelle Bal-tar, John Carlo Baltazar, Joanna Bibangco, Jillian Braga, Joeffre Braga, Ynez Buenconsejo, Jamie Cameron, Ro-chelle Catignas, Maria Richmond Chanco, John Claveria, Billkenth Colegio, Jan Isaac Concepcion, Neil Dacanay,

Sarah Dairo, Micah Erin De Lara, Melissa De Leon, Samantha Dicion, Melissa Dizon, Charlene Dorland, Tracy Dumael, Kenneth Ecijan, Ezekiel Evangelista, Jaya Louise Florentino, Jennifer Frango-lin, Kevin Galleta, Marriane Garcia, Marc Gonzales, Jasmine Gooljar, Katrina Ashley Jose, Luis Kabigting, Gabrielle Laberinto, Elizabeth Mabb, Christine Mabbayad, Naomi Mangunay, Dashel Mae Masang-cay, Maria Angelica Masangkay, Jason Pagaduan,

Joshua Matthew Pascua, Curtis Joseph Pascual-Nahibuan, Jordan Paul Pedrajas, Christopher Pineda, Katrina Po, Ralph Ranez, Christina Reyes, Denise Reyes, Victoria Reyes, Kayla Rivera, Courtney Rose Rolloque, Michael Rutledge, Alyssa Grace Salamat, Helen Saygan, Miguel Soriano, Thayra Sugunalan, Angelo Tamayo, Camille Ubay, Marijo Victorino, Ashley Villagracia, and Kevin Yuayan.

Third Place Trophy Winners were Angelica Acut, Janessa Anne Alejandria, Austine Ancheta, Mikahaela Arocha, Richard Asuncion, Hannah Baldovino, Alysson Bernabe, Joy Braga, Melody Buzon, Katherine Catignas, Ashley Cayetano, Kimberly Cristobal, Cerniel Cruzada, April-Gayle De Guzman, Micah Erin De Lara, Michelle De Lara, Sirikit Ayla Diktas, Elizabeth Doligas,

Freddielyn Estanislao, Heather Estebes, Moses Falco, Dion Flores, Charlene Gallardo, Elaine Garcia, Marriane Garcia, Jamie Gomez, Justin Albert Guiyab, Sharmina Habib, Adrianne Hackett, Alessandra Hechanova, Jason Heraldo, Tristan Justice Heraldo, Maria Franches-ca Ilagan, Katrina Ashley Jose, Lachelle Junatas, Jeny Labao, Monica Labuguen, Timothy Ladia, Kyle Adrianne Lagasca, Ezra Mae Lam-sen, Mia Mahinay,

Elijah Daniel Manalo, Paulyn Mandap, Nina Mae Maramot, Me-lissa Marasigan, Joanne Masanque, Rochelle Mendigorin, Angeline Luz Nakpil, Selena Norva-Quilaga, Alexis Ostrowski, Robbin Palo-mo, Darnell Pasco, Kathleen Pena, Sean Po, Julian Quan Fun, Alex Reyes, Eric Reyes, Melvin Roxas, Justin Sillar, Miguel-Luis Talictic, Kimberley Tanious, Marie Ubungen, Girlie Valino, and Sheena Marie Yadao.

Filipinos a hit at NCM Festival

PIANO AGE ACHIEVEMENT WINNERS: (Front, from left) Kar-en Asuncion, 8, Aylin Ma, 9, Adrienne Hudencial, 11, Kelly Vuong, 7, (back, from left) Eva Zila, 12, Joe Wu, 14, Sahar Tabrizi, 15, Arranka Kumarachandran, 13.

Sheena Marie Yadao, Martin Tahamid, and Mikahaela Arocha

$500 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: (Front, from left) Mikaheala Arocha, Charl-ize Low, Aaron Gabriel Hernandez, Vicki Go, Martin Tahamid, and Sheena Marie Yadao. (Back row, from left) Lia Luz, Monica Soriano, Stephanie Galan, Shara Nauth, Sahar Tabrizi, Andrew Loay, Aileen Muan, Yu San Seun, and Arranka Kumarachandran.

LA TANGO: (Front row, from left) Jelise Keating, Franchesca D’Almeida, Abi-rami Sivanathan, Ellie Kubisz; Second row, from left: Jennylene Gaanan, Kristen Latchana, Kateleen Reyes, back row: Christine Crisolo, Kyle Lagas-ca and Sunanthan Sivakumar.

Adrienne Hudencial and Angel Hong, both $1,000 Scholarship winners

22 Manila Media Monitor Manila Media Monitor AUGUSTAUGUST 2007

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23AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The Philippines and Indonesia have stepped up naval presence at their border areas to deter terrorism, criminality and illegal activities at sea.

Philippine Navy Commander Vicente Cejoco said the navies of both countries have “enhanced interoperability in com-bined naval operations” following the 10-day Bilateral Naval Exercise Coordinated Patrol, or Corpat Philindo.

Conducted from July 13 to 23, Corpat Philindo involved patrol ships BRP Sultan Kudarat of the Philippines and KRI Sutedi Senaputra of Indonesia.

The coordinated patrols were conducted to secure Philippine and Indonesian border areas from illegal activities, and test exist-ing doctrines and operational procedures being practiced by both naval forces.

The exercise is a routine joint activity in keeping with the country’s commitment to international defense and economic agree-ments and treaties, such as the RP-RI Joint

Border Patrol Agreement, Cejoco said. During the joint exercise, the participat-

ing units conducted Flashing Light Exer-cise, Replenishment at Sea Approach, Flag Hoist Exercise and Tactical Maneuver, said Cejoco, who commands the BRP Sultan Kudarat.

The participating units went to Bitung, Indonesia on July 16 for courtesy calls to local government offi cials and goodwill games the following days.

While in Indonesia, Cejoco met with Commander John Eco, Philippine Navy li-aison offi cer in Manado, Indonesia.

He also had a meeting with Philippine Consul General Olivia Palala for the release of two Filipino fi shermen previously ap-prehended by Indonesian Navy for illegal entry.

Cejoco said the drills during the naval exercise enhanced Philippine Navy person-nel competence and skills through a series of naval sorties. Rommel Rebollido, PNA

RP, Indonesia step up border patrols

got upset. Aba, ano ang akala niya sa akin? So, I

thought of responding to send a nasty reply to the e-mail sender, which I haven’t sent out yet.

Ano? Wait, am still looking for that e-mail, because I forgot who sent it to me.

I’m lost; no, ...(From page 7)

The PHILIPPINES

MANILA - Heavy traffi c and fl ooding spawned by heavy rains in Metro Manila never deterred famous Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino to attend a special event in Malacañang Palace on Aug. 15.

Faced with the prospects of arriving late, Tarantino transferred from a car to a pedicab, a bicycle with a sidecar, near the Nagtahan Bridge.

The pedicab driver, knowing the twists and turns in the area, pedaled and sped his way to the Palace in no time.

Tarantino, best known for his fi lms Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, went to Malacanang to attend a formal ceremony honoring award-ees in the recent 9th Cinemanila Interna-tional Film Festival.

The acclaimed American director ar-rived at the ceremony wearing a Barong Tagalog, the Philippines’ formal attire, and jogging pants which he had to borrow as his formal pants got soaked in rain.

Tarantino was accompanied by Cinema-nila director Amable “Tikoy” Aguiluz.

The fi lm director arrived in the Philip-pines mid-August to take part in the inter-national fi lm fest, where he was bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award for his con-tributions to world cinema and continued support to the promotion of Asian and in-dependent fi lms.

Tarantino said he would consider shoot-ing a fi lm in the Philippines, if not some-thing about the Philippines.

He said he was writing a book about alternative cinema that would feature cin-ematic masterpieces by Filipino fi lmmak-ers. PNA

Manila pedicab driver gets QuentinTarantino to Palace event on time

International director Quentin Tarantino (right) receives award from Philippine Presi-dent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. OPS Photo

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200724 PHILIPPINE HISTORY

In the good old days, Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, in the heart of Manila, symbol-ized freedom of assembly, of speech and of the press, a venue where anyone could freely air and debate issues.

Seven kilometers south-wards, the Philippines’ in-ternational gateway, then Manila International Air-port (MIA) - now Ninoy Aquino International Air-port handling 17.7 million travelers and listed as the world’s 72nd in terms of passenger traffi c - beckoned to all to come, see and feel the islands’ beauty where freedom of movement was a democratic surety.

But on a same date, Au-gust 21, twelve years apart, Philippine freedom and de-mocracy were put to a grue-some test.

On August 21, 1971, blood spilled in Plaza Mi-randa after a grenade ex-plosion that killed eight people, including a 10-year old cigarette vendor, and wounded 120 of the thou-sands who gathered for an evening Liberal Party (LP) pre-senatorial election mit-ing de avance. Another gre-nade thrown on the make-shift stage did not explode.

Among those wounded

were the who’s who in Phil-ippine politics at that time: Senator Gerardo Roxas and his wife, Sergio Os-meña, Jr., Laguna Gover-nor Felicísimo San Luis, Congressman Ramón Bag-atsing, and senatorial candi-dates John Osmeña, Senator Jovito Salonga, Senator Eva Estrada Kálaw, Congress-man Ramón Mitra, Salipada Pendatun, and ex-solon Ed-gardo Ilarde.

LP stalwart and sena-torial bet Benigno Aquino Jr. was supposed to be in the carnage. But he arrived late, thus saving his life. Later, he claimed that he got an anonymous phone call, rumored to have come from the Maoist-Leninist New People’s Army (NPA), warning him of the attack.

Tragic fate, however, fi nally caught up with him at the MIA’s tarmac on Au-gust 21, 1983 when Aquino, then LP secretary general, was felled by an assassin’s bullet in the head.

Political crossroadBoth events triggered

what then political opposi-tionists, radicals, activists and leaders of a growing communist movement - to include Philippine-based elements of the US Cen-

August 21: Crossroad in Philippine political historyManila International Airport, August 21, 1983

To Filipinos and the world, Aquino’s sacrifi ce meant that freedom was still a hope worth dying for. - Asiaweek

tral Intelligence Agency involved in a Low Inten-sity Confl ict scheme, wary of its Asia-Pacifi c military interests - considered, for one, a dark era in Philippine political history and, for an-other, the country’s political rebirth.

As expected, immedi-ately after the Plaza Mi-randa bombing, then Phil-ippine President Ferdinand Marcos suspended the writ of habeas corpus.

A year later, on Sept. 21, 1972, Marcos issued Proc-

lamation 1081 and declared martial law that led to the arrest of thousands, to in-clude then Senator Aquino. Assuming the threats to his ‘dictatorship’ had ebbed, Marcos signed Proclama-tion 2045 that lifteed mar-tial law on Jan. 15, 1981.

But it was far from over. Aquino’s killing galvanized the ranks of anti-govern-ment groups that, from Feb. 22 to 25, 1986, staged the world-renowned and glob-ally-replicated People Pow-er revolt that sent Marcos

fl eeing to Hawaii, under the auspices of a benevolent US government.

The revolution also in-stalled Aquino’s widow, Corazon C. Aquino, as the nation’s Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The homemak-er from Tarlac became the country’s and Asia’s fi rst female president.

Aug. 21 mysteriesHowever, mystery has

continued to shroud the Pla-za Miranda bombing and

the MIA assassination.Despite the fi nger-point-

ing and tomato-throwing amid a never-ceasing show-er of pro- and anti-govern-ment propaganda, Filipinos to this day could only sur-mise who planned and car-ried out both incidents.

Who ordered the Plaza Miranda bombing? Who di-rected Aquino’s killing?

Who knew? The Mar-coses’ conjugal dictatorship and their military cohorts and business cronies? Jose Maria Sison and the CPP-NPA? The political opposi-tion? The American CIA? Or the silent complacent Juan dela Cruz?

Communist act For many years, Marcos

was blamed for the Plaza Miranda grenade attack, seen as an attempt to rid himself of powerful politi-cal foes and pin down the crime on red terrorists.

But in his books A Jour-ney of Struggle and Hope and The Intangibles Thaqt Make A Nation Great, for-mer Senate President and Marcos oppositionist Jovito Salonga charged then Com-munist Party of the Philip-pines (CPP) leader Jose Ma. Sison as the principal author


AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 25PHILIPPINE HISTORY

PLAZA MIRANDA: Venue for political expression

August 21: Crossroad in Philippine political ...(From page 24)

of the Plaza Miranda bomb-ing. The plot: drive moder-ates to the Left and expand the NPA’s strength for a protracted fi ght against the Marcos administration.

Salonga cited three chief sources, to include able NPA guerilla Danny Cor-dero who in 1972 confessed he had threw the grenades and that Sison had ordered the bombing.

CPP politburo leader Romulo Kintanar was pres-ent during Cordero’s confes-sion, but was later ‘purged’ allegedly by his comrades under Sison’s orders for ‘knowing too much.’

Salonga also cited ac-counts from the driver who drove the NPA bombers to the LP proclamation rally.

Former rebel Victor Corpuz agreed with Sa-longa, writing in his book Silent Wars that Sison, not Marcos, ordered the Plaza Miranda bombing.

To this day, Sison - now based in The Netherlands and serving as the CPP’s National Democratic Front consultant - denied involve-ment in the bombing.

In her Philippine Star column after the July 16 and 17, 2007 Supreme Court-hosted Summit on Extrajudicial Killings, Car-

men Pedrosa wrote: “Why (was) the case of

Joma Sison and the Plaza Miranda bombing not pur-sued in court in all these years? Several people died in that bombing; there were witnesses and they are still alive to tell the story ... Has anyone in government dared to propose that Sison should

be charged with murder for Plaza Miranda and brought to court. They say this can-not be done; there is no extradition treaty with The Netherlands. But given the gravity of the issue, a case could be made with the Netherlands government.”

Similar caseQuite similarly, the

noise raised by the Aqui-no assassination had died down, swept away by and drowned in a sea of contem-porary political upheavals.

A year ago, Aquino’s brother former Sen. Agapito Aquino made remarks that looked like he had given up all hope on the capture of his ‘Kuya Ninoy’s’ killers.

In parallel, Aquino’s family members, in recent years, appeared impassive about the issue.

A political analyst said: Either the Aquinos have given up all hope on the case, or they have been ly-

ing between their teeth.‘Who killed Aquino?’

remained an unanswered query.

Evidently not Rolando Galman, a farmer who Mar-cos said was a communist hitman who shot Aquino with a Magnum .257 before being killed by troopers.

Then the Marcos-formed Agrava Commission that probed into the killing concluded in October 1984 that Aquino was killed by the military in a conspiracy carried out by 26 men on orders of Presidential Se-curity Command chief Gen.

Fabian Ver. Only a few of the 26 conspirators were in-dicted and jailed. Gen. Ver was acquitted a year later, went in exile to Hawaii in 1986 with Marcos and died of emphysema in Bangkok.

Not even President Corazon Aquino, with all the power she had, was able to ferret out who killed her husband during her six-year term in Malacañang.

But whatever, Aug. 21, 1971 and Aug. 21, 1983 were dates that made its mark in Philippine political history, only remembered for convenience’s sake.

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200726 The PHILIPPINES

BUTUAN CITY - The people have spoken. In a plebiscite on July 28, they have elected to cre-ate Cabadbaran City, some 30 kms. from here, as the newest city in Northeastern Mindanao or the Caraga region. Cabadbaran City also be-came the new capital of Agusan del Norte prov-ince. Just last month, Ba-yugan City and Tandag

Cabadbaran is Caraga’s newest city

Kalibongan: Retracing a people’s cultural rootsBY BUTCH GALICIA

(As edited from the author’s original article in The Mindanao Cross, August 22, 1981)

KIDAPAWAN, North Cotabato - Gone are the days of the wooden blow-guns, bows and arrows, slings, darts and spears. But the primitive customs and traditions of a people native to Mindanao live on.

Descendants of Indo-nesians and Malayans who

crossed land bridges during the Ice Ages and migrated to an archipelago before the Spaniards christened it the Philippines in 1521, mem-bers of Mindanao’s high-land tribes have maintained their cultural identity and heritage throughout the cen-turies, living it to this day.

In mid-August, dur-ing the annual Kalibongan (Manobo term for big gath-ering), cultural communi-ties from the Davao, Agu-san, Surigao, Zamboanga and Cotabato provinces will come and reconverge here to bask in a colorful and na-tive-laden reincarnation of

The author (4th from left) receives blessings for physical well-being and spiritual strength from an elderly woman who has implored the power of the anitos while concelebrating the investiture of honor-ary datus, a fi tting ritual to cap the Kalibongan festival, a daylong gathering of highland praise, thanks-giving and jubilation. FILE PHOTO by ROMMEL REBOLLIDO

THIS AUGUST IN KIDAPAWAN, COTABATO

Effective July 25, Fili-pinos can start looking for-ward to enjoying, for sure, seven long weekends dur-ing the calendar year.

President Gloria Maca-pagal-Arroyo has approved Republic Act 9492 that ra-tionalized the celebration of national holidays and provided the observance of seven national regular and special holidays on Mon-days nearest former dates.

These are Araw ng Kagitingan (used to be ob-served on April 9), Labor

Day (May 1), Independence Day (June 12), Ninoy Aqui-no Day (Aug. 21), National Heroes Day (Aug. 30), Bonifacio Day (Nov. 30) and Rizal Day (Dec. 30).

Still observed on the day they fall are New Year’s Day (Jan. 1), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Eid’l Fitr, All Saints Day (Nov. 1), Christ-mas Day (Dec. 25) and New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31).

But in the event the hol-iday falls on a Wednesday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday of the week.

Filipinos gear for long weekends

their glorious days of yore.They include the Mano-

bos, Bagobos, Clatas, Aro-manons, Kirinteks, Ilianons, Mandayas, T’bolis, Man-sakas, Bilaans, Dibabaons, Higaonons, Matigsalugs, Kalagans, Mamanwas, Isa-mals, Tagakaolos, Igorots, Tirurays and Subanons.

Tradition speaks that Kalibongan be observed and celebrated with days of feasting, music and danc-ing, sports, and the donning of the best of det-det and sow-ua (native uniforms).

Thus, the women are clad in abaca-woven skirts, bead-embroidered blouses, feathered headdresses, and dangling bells and trinkets belted on their hips, legs and feet. The men show off equally handmade courtship ternos and well-crafted war suits, adorned with amulets and thick bead necklaces.

To the loud reverbera-tions of brass agongs and the rhythmic beating of skin-wrapped drums, they march and dance before thousands of their Chris-tian and Muslim brethren and neighbors, beaming and proud to present to all

and sundry the very roots of the native Filipino’s distinct and unique culture.

Picturesque as they are in native costumes, they fur-ther relate to Kidapawan’s rural landscape with Mt. Apo, the Philippines’ high-est peak, as backdrop.

The Kalibongan festi-val, so to speak, is a kalei-doscope of solemnity and funfare, of age-old rituals and modern-day competi-tions, traditional music and contemporary dance steps, sans the trimmings of com-mercialism.

In unison but in their own native tongues, the cul-tural communities open the festival with a thanksgiving chant to and offerings for their anitos (gods) for the social and economic bounty they have received through-out the year.

Then follows the long list of native rituals that de-fi ne social milestones.

Many highland couples mark the Kalibongan festi-val in their Gregorian cal-endars, anticipating with excitement a wedding in authentic though simultane-ous native ceremonies.

Parents also bring their younger brood for the blessing of the datu (tribal leader) and formal tribal ac-ceptance.

The newly ‘baptized’ children have a bonus. They get a lot of gifts from a line of honorary datus who will go through traditional con-fi rmation ceremonies in the evening of Kalibongan.

Those confi rmed as hon-orary datus are non-natives who have contributed, in their own special ways, to the growth of the highland communities in Mindanao.

The Kalibongan festi-val also features the all-day sportsfest where members of tribal teams square off in native archery, spear throw-ing, blowgun mastery, na-tive versions of tug-of-war and marathon and a lot

more, while cheering tribe-mates egg them on to win.

But Kalibongan will never be a festival without the horsefi ght, when two stallions pounce, kick and literally get into each oth-er’s throat, amid the noise of a cheering human audi-ence. The rather bloody horsefi ght stops when one of the stallions fl ees from its tormentor or falls from the thrashing it gets. And the winner, hopefully, gallops off with the mare used to lure the stallions to fi ght.

(This year, the tradi-tional horsefi ght has been scrapped in the list of fes-tival events. Issues over animal cruelty have legally impeded offi cials to include the horsefi ght as an event. Section 8 of Republic Act . 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 states: It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to neglect to provide adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat any animal or to subject any dog or horse to dogfi ghts or horsefi ghts, kill or cause or procure to be tortured or deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or use the same in research or ex-periments not expressly au-thorized by the Committee on Animal Welfare.)

The Kalibongan festi-val was initiated by former Cotabato governor Carlos Cajelo to preserve the cul-tural identity and heritage of the highland communi-ties who were facing rapid urbanization that could slowly erode native ways.

From an idea brought up before Mindanao’s tribal leaders in 1975, the Ka-libongan festival has stood up as one of the most glit-tering and must-see events in the Philippines today.

For those who want to refl ect on the roots of the Filipino people, the Kali-bongan offers the return to the primitive.

City were likewise voted to be chartered cities of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur, respectively. Other cities in the Caraga region are Butuan City, Surigao City and Bislig City. PNA

A BEACH IN CABADBARAN CITY

If the holiday falls on a Sun-day, it will be observed on the Monday that follows.

For movable holidays, the President will issue a proclamation, at least six months prior to the holiday concerned, specifying the date that shall be declared as a non-working day.

Eid’l Adha, one of the most important events in the Islamic Hijrah calendar, shall be celebrated as a re-gional holiday in the Auton-omous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 27The PHILIPPINES

News RoundupBAGUIO CITY - Councilors Erdolfo Balajadia and Antonio Tabora Jr. have proposed stiffer penalties for the violation of the city’s anti-smoking ordinance, such as a fi ne of P500 to P2,000 and/or imprisonment of one month but not to exceed six months. They also sought for the 60-day closure or business permit suspension of establishments that sell cigarettes to minors. They likewise said that aside from public utility vehicles and govern-ment offi ces, smoking should be banned in all other public places like churches, schools, gymnasiums, shopping arcades, transportation terminals, cinema houses, funeral parlors, malls and others where people converge. PNA

Baguio dads seek fi rmer anti-smoking law

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - Local public utility service and telecommunications pro-viders here have begun cleaning city streets of sagging overhead ‘spaghetti’ wires that could take a year to complete. Mayor Constantino Jaraula said the move of cable tv, tele-phone and electricity providers to end the presence of chaotic wire stringing in the city would “make the place a more pleasant, comfortable and livable place for every Cagaya-non.” The clean up started along the streets of Apolinar Velez, C.M. Recto, Fernandez, R.N. Abejuela, Tirso Neri, Corrales, Tiano Bros. and Capistrano. PNA

Cagayan de Oro ‘spag’ wires clean-up starts

DAVAO CITY - Wayne Isaac Uy, a high school senior at the Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus in Mintal, this city, brought home a medal for being one of the top scorers in the recent 32nd American Regions Mathematics League con-ducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA. Uy has represented the country in previous international mathematics contests and was one a winner in the International Mathematics Olympiad IYMC in Lucknow, India and the “I Love Math Summer Camp” in China. PIA

Davao math wiz gets medal in Las Vegas

TALISAY CITY - Residents of Sitio Mambucano. Barangay Cabatangan here have start-ed reaping the benefi ts of the fi rst-of-its-kind micro-hydro power and charging facility put up by the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. with funding from the United Nations Development Fund-Small Grants Programme. The 16 households in the village use power from the 10-kilowatt hydro power with charging plant. They charge and recharge batteries for energy consumption. Through the village’s 20-member cooperative Cafarmulco, the farmer-villagers built a 2.2-kilometer irrigation canal that ran the hydro power turbine. Project cost was P2.2 million, to include the charging facility. PIA

Talisay lights up with micro-hydro power

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY - Residents here released into the sea a 90-kilo green turtle caught in a fi shpen set up in the shallow waters off barangay Bancao-Bancao. the migra-tion pattern of The Department of Environment and Natural Resources documented and tagged the turtle (chelonia mydas), locally known as pawikan, to help monitor its migra-tion pattern. The green turtle, abundant in the coastal waters off this city, is an endangered species and is protected under local law. Mayor Edward Hagedorn has offered a reward of P14,000 to anyone who would report the discovery of rare marine species. PNA

Pawikan released in Puerto Princesa shore

CEBU CITY - Local Governments Undersecretary Lito Ruiz has proposed the provision of guns and secutiry escorts for Cebu judges and prosecutors, after the killing of a member of the judiciary in Negros Oriental late July. Without ample and needed protection, judges might be frightened to send to jail suspects involved in drugs; likewise, fi scals might hesi-tate to prosecute the same offenders, Ruiz said. The police and judicial offi cers would have an orientation and fi rm up the plan on Aug. 17. PNA

Cebu judges, prosecutors to get protection

ALCALA, Pangasinan - Farmers here bade adieu to traditional summer crop, burley to-bacco, but said hello to another cash crop, mongo. Mayor Manuel Collado, who gave a 20-percent seed subsidy for mongo farmers and a 10-percent subsidy to rice and corn farmers, said the shift to planting mongo came in the wake of the ebbing demand for tobacco.In 2003, air-cured burley tobacco leaves rotted in barns for lack of buyers, a situation also felt in tobacco-growing Ilocos. Ever since and to this day, tobacco manufacturers have become more discriminating and were no longer buying tobacco leaves called locally as saplak that dominated most of the burley-tobacco production in Alcala and elsewhere. PNA

Adieu tobacco, welcome mongo in Alcala

ROXAS CITY - Preschool children in Capiz have started benefi ting from a United Na-tions Children’s Fund (Unicef) program that has provided tables and chairs, toys, eating utensils and art materials for day care pupils. Provincial social welfare offi cer Violeta Silva said the care centers in Balaring and Basiao in Ivisan town have availed themselves of playground facilities worth some P70,000 from the Unicef program, which would soon be conducted for day care centers in Burias and Bungsi in Mambusao town. The villages were among the 10 disparity areas identifi ed in Capiz for the implementation of Unicef’s Sixth Country Programme for Children with the provincial government here. PNA

Unicef program benefi ts Capiz pre-schoolers

BACOLOD CITY - The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls would eventually go on as scheduled on Oct. 29, despite a House Resolution Cebu Rep Eddie Gullas fi led seeking for postponement. Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella said there were strong signs the political exercise would proceed as set, as House Speaker Jose de Venecia voiced his approval of the October schedule. Rep. Gullas asked to move it to May 2008. PNA

Barangay, SK polls to proceed in October

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200728 The PHILIPPINES

Philippine President Gloria Macapa-gal-Arroyo seeks for more teeth in the country’s anti-terriorism drive delivers her annual State of the Na-tion Address before the joint open-ing session of the 14th Congress on July 23 at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City. Looking on are Sen-ate President Manuel Villar (left) and House Speaker Jose de Venecia. OPS/NIB Photo

MANILA - The police arrested a suspected terror-ist, who admitted to plans of bombing shopping malls and food terminals in the National Capital Region.

Southern Police District director chief superinten-dent Roberto Rosales said suspect Kaharudin Usman alias Kasalud worked for the southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jemaah Is-lamiyah (JI).

The police nabbed Us-man in the SM Bicutan mall on Aug. 3.

Usman told police he took orders from JI leaders.

At least two prominent JI leaders - Dulmatin and Omar Patek, who respec-tively have US$10-million and US$1-million bounties on their heads - are being hunted in Mindanao.

Rosales said police re-covered materials for bomb making in Usman’s posses-sion when he was arrested.

Follow-up operations at Usman’s residence in Maha-rlika village in Taguig City on Aug. 4 yielded a still-un-armed improvised explosive device made from a 60mm mortar with C-4 explosives, batteries, squib/bulbs, leg wires, tester, wire relay and

mechanical timer. “These are powerful

explosives and can result to much damage,” Rosales said, adding that police also saw text messages from Usman’s cellphone coming from JI operative Zulkifl i Bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman, said to be a leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Urban Bombing Squad.

Basit’s text message read: “Hurry up with our

plans there, let’s include Manila, Davao and General Santos.” It was received 9:08 p.m. of Aug. 3.

Basit’s message also told the suspect of an attack in Koronadal City on Aug. 3. The attack in the Yel-low Bus terminal pushed through and resulted in sev-eral casualties.

Rosales said Usman was ordered to supervise the bombing operations.

He said the bombs to be

be used were supposed to be assembled by Indonesian JI member alias Saad and Sadi.

Usman’s arrest came less than a month after the effectivity of the Human Security Act or the the Anti-Terrorism Law.

Police said Usman would be charged with pos-session of explosives, study-ing if he could be charged with terrorism under the anti-terror law. PNA

Metro mall, terminal bombings thwarted DAVAO CITY - A sidewalk vendor doubling as a pimp could just have just served a 20-year jail term.

But in a review of the case following the defendant’s ap-peal, Judge Wenceslao Ibabao of the Regional Trial Court Branch 33 here realized his judgment ‘error’ and instead slapped a life term on the accused.

Lucia Magnifi co alias Ate Luz hoped she could get an acquittal as she tried to convince the court that it erred in holding her responsible for the fate of a 17-year old lass, who testifi ed in court that Magnifi co looked for sexual pleasure-seeking strangers and ‘offered’ them her services.

The court found Ate Luz guilty and convicted her for taking advantage of the gullibility of a minor.

Following Magnifi co’s appeal and a thorough review, Judge Ibabao discovered and later grudgingly admitted that the court, indeed, committed an error in convicting Ate Luz for the crime of child abuse for a 20-year jail term.

To the dismay of Ate Luz, Judge Ibabao said his new judgment would not work in favor of the accused, who he instead convicted for a more serious felony of human traf-fi cking that carried a penalty of life imprisonment.

Aside from being kept behind bars for life, Magnifi co was also ordered to indemnify her victim P2 million. PNA

Judge errs, rectifi es verdict

MANILA - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ad-ministered on Aug. 7 the oath of offi ce to incoming De-fense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who said he would do his best at his new post.

“I am honored and humbled by the trust of the President and I promise to execute my duties to the best of my abili-ties,” Teodoro said after the induction in Malacanang.

Teodoro, a former Tarlac congressman, said among the general instructions the President gave him was to contin-ue with the planned features and facilities upgrade of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and to pursue the investi-gation of the “Basilan incident.”

The Basilan incident refers to the July 10 encounter be-tween Philippine Marines and Muslim extremists where 14 Marines were killed, 10 of whom were beheaded. PNA

Teodoro is new defense secretary


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Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200730 MONEY

tory of the nation. Other sectors like min-

ing are attracting interest from the world’s premier organizations.

Typical projects of these companies are $1 billion in size and include tremendous benefi ts to remote commu-nities since they build roads, hospitals and schools, in ad-dition to providing jobs for thousands of people.

One Canadian company has plans to build a $3-bil-lion refi nery that will pos-sibly be the largest in the

region. Given that the entire

foreign direct investment for all of the Philippines is just $1.1 billion as of a year or so ago, this is a tremen-dous turn around.

It all speaks well of the country’s near-term future for employment and busi-ness opportunities.

Stability President Gloria Ma-

capagal-Arroyo has been making steady progress at improving the country.

Gone are the regular

mass protests and coup at-tempts.

Instead, Filipinos are getting used to a strengthen-ing peso and trade surplus.

Even the country’s fi s-cal defi cit seems on track to disappear over the next few years.

Leaders of multination-al companies in Asia have come to notice these posi-tive changes at a time when other countries are not look-ing quite as interesting as they did way back.

Thailand’s recent mili-

Filipinos have long held to the belief that working anywhere outside the Phil-ippines was a better career option than working within.

In the past, there were good reasons for this. In countries like the US, there were more jobs and the pay was better. Career advance-ment was said to be more dependent on performance rather than favoritism.

The result had been one of the greatest net move-ments of workers of any na-tion in world history. Even today, a steady stream of Filipino professionals leave the Philippines for work elsewhere and few return.

Few, that was, until re-cently. A reversal of the long-term trend could be felt and seen.

Career-minded profes-sionals have started weigh-ing the options of working abroad. More often, they have opted to stay in the Philippines.

ComebackLikewise, many are

considering to return to the home country.

A turning point in Phil-ippine history could be said to be within sight.

A major reason for the change has to do with an ex-panding number and range of employment opportuni-ties in the Philippines.

Income levels are rising and chances for advance-ment are numerous.

People with overseas

professional experience tend to benefi t most.

Economic beehiveTo understand the

change, one has just to look at a couple of key indus-tries.

The fastest growing in-dustry from an employment perspective is clearly Busi-ness Process Outsourcing (BPO). From almost zero jobs a few years ago, there are now some 300,000 peo-ple working in the industry.

The Philippines is said to be the fastest grow-ing BPO destination in the world today.

This growth opportunity has resulted in unrivaled op-portunities for management professionals.

Hundreds of experi-enced managers are required monthly for this sector that is growing at 10,000 new employees per month.

Semiconductors and electronics may not promote itself as well as the BPO in-dustry, but it is growing at double-digit rates and pro-viding 60 percent of the country’s export earnings.

This is signifi cant, given that a short time ago every-one thought the industry would move to China.

Recently, Texas Instru-ments chose the Philippines for a new billion-dollar plant, the largest single for-eign investment in the his-

Go back, help rev up Phil. economic engines BY REBECCA BUSTAMANTE

Manila Media Monitor website readertary coup has been disas-trous for foreign invest-ment. Other countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia are said to be over-invested and China has lost some of its shine.

India, the main alterna-tive for BPO services, is rapidly pricing itself out of the market.

Given the alternatives, the situation in the Philip-pines looks downright ap-pealing.

But the Philippines has a less than stellar track re-cord in political stability.

Nevertheless, the phrase “sustainable growth” is be-ing heard about the Philip-pines for the fi rst time in a long time.

Call for returnFurther Philippine in-

dustrial growth needs the brains and expertise of ex-perienced professionals.

Those who went abroad have left holes in the mid-dle and senior management ranks.

The best option is to attract Filipinos with inter-national experience back to Philippines.

(Rebecca Bustamante returned to the Philip-pines from Canada seven years ago. She is President of Chalre Associates, a search fi rm focused on se-nior management positions for multinational compa-nies. She can be reached at [email protected] )

CALL CENTER OPENING. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo fi xes her headset to personally try her hand on a computer being used by call cen-ter agents during last year’s inauguration of Genpact Philippines Customer Contact Center at the North Cyberzone in Alabang, Muntilupa. OPS Photo

US$ Cdn$Aug. 14 45.80280 43.08634Aug. 13 45.79227 43.60953Aug. 10 45.65259 43.35285Aug. 9 45.07414 42.68114Aug. 8 45.31419 43.19467Aug. 7 45.35232 42.98594Aug. 3 45.69663 43.43522Aug. 2 45.69205 43.43144Aug. 1 45.57214 43.11665July 31 45.74069 42.94650July 30 45.74703 42.83145July 27 45.68818 43.14003July 26 45.14674 42.99427July 24 44.78686 43.18641July 23 44.95204 43.01437July 20 44.90606 43.01124July 19 45.17496 43.32652July 18 45.26236 43.39411July 17 45.35635 43.48352July 16 45.64243 43.88472

GOT A FOREX DEAL?Check out if you got your peso’s worth for the dol-lars you have had exchanged since July 16, courtesy of Manila Media (Money) Monitor.

The Philippine Department of Agriculture has relaxed rules banning Canadian and American beef. North Ameri-can beef has been banned from the Philippine market since 2005. Under the ban that was implemented due to concerns over BSE outbreaks in North American cattle herds, only imports of boneless and gland-free beef from cattle less than 30 months old were permitted. The new rules lifted the age restriction on boneless beef from North America, while imports of bone-in beef from North American cattle less than 30 months of age are permitted. Dow Jones Com-modities Service

Limits on Canadian beef relaxed

Philippine foreign min-ister Alberto Romulo has cited Canada’s nod to fur-ther strengthen Philippine-Canadian cooperation in promoting migrant work-ers’ welfare and in pursuing sound environmental man-agement.

“(The Philippines and Canada) recognize migra-tion and environment as issues of mutual concern,” Romulo said, following a meeting with Canadian deputy foreign minister Leonard Edwards during the recent 40th Asean Min-isterial Meeting and 14th Asean Regional Forum in Manila.

Romulo ascribed Philip-pine-Canadian cooperation in migration as a “signifi -cant step forward in advanc-ing Philippine advocacy for and regional commitments on migrant workers’ rights and broadening support for a caring and sharing world community.”

“The international com-munity recognizes the chal-lenges and opportunities presented by migration. Through our partnership with Canada, we are giv-ing further impetus to our region’s collective desire to protect and promote the welfare of migrant workers even beyond Asean,” he ex-plained.

On July 30, Asean for-eign ministers adopted the Statement on the Establish-ment of the Asean Commit-tee on the Implementation of the Asean Declaration on the Protection and Promo-tion of the Rights of Migrant Workers and the Guidelines for the Provision of Emer-gency Assistance by Asean Missions in Third Coun-tries to Nationals of Asean Member Countries in Crisis Situations.

Saskatchewan pactRomulo also lauded

the labor agreement signed between the Philippine De-

partment of Labor and Em-ployment and the Province of Saskatchewan in Decem-ber last year.

The agreement, which opened up employment opportunities for Filipino workers, also incorporated provisions on ethical re-cruitment by creating a fund for the conduct of trainings and other capacity-build-ing measures for re-tooling Filipino workers.

Minister Edwards, who was born and educated in Saskatchewan, observed that Filipinos made up the third largest group of mi-grants in Canada, as he rec-ognized their contributions in nation-building.

He said the Canadian government has noted the impact of temporary migra-tion on Canadian society.

Development aidRomulo also welcomed

Canada’s development sup-port for the Philippines and urged the channeling of

development aid to envi-ronmental projects, particu-larly in sustainable mining. “Canada has recognized ex-pertise in the area of sustain-able development in mining. With deeper collaboration and exchanges, we can har-ness the Philippines’ poten-tials while wisely managing our natural resources and environment.”

The Philippines has an estimated untapped mineral wealth worth $840 billion.

Minister Edwards also reiterated Canada’s resolve in advancing and imple-menting best environmental practices in mining.

He agreed to look into how the environment and sustainable mining could be incorporated in the Philip-pine agenda of the Cana-dian International Devel-opment Agency, which had been involved for the last 15 years in helping local governmenta and small and medium enterprises. OPS

RP, Canada to intensify ties inlabor rights, skills improvement

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 31MONEY

MANILA - The Re-gional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board of the National Capital Region approved on Aug. 6 a P12 per day increase in the basic pay of all minimum wage earners in Metro Manila.

The new wage hike raised to P362 (Cdn$9) the minimum wage in the area.

Labor Secretary Ar-turoBrion said the wage in-crease, to take effect 15 days after publication, would compensate the projected erosion in the minimum

Metro Manila workers get P12/day wage hike

wage rates due to infl ation.The wage board said

existing economic condi-tions in the region made them see the need to give workers immediate relief, without impairing business viability.

Brion said all private schools should implement the raise in schoolyear 2008-2009.

The Trade Union Con-gress of the Philippines sought for a P75 per day across-the-board wage in-crease in April. PNA

Philippine Airlines (PAL) chairman Lucio Tan (left) announces plans for PAL to exit from receivership before the yearend following an eight-year streak of operational profi ts and three straight years of net income, which Tan re-ported to shareholders during the fi rm’s Aug. 1 annual meeting. PNA

Believing that business generally abhors fi lthy sur-roundings, the Metro Ma-nila Development Author-ity (MMDA) has launched Metro Gwapo, Pook Na Bulok, Negosyo Hindi Pa-pasok, a two-pronged proj-ect to clean up and draw investors to key areas of the metropolis.

MMDA Chairman Bay-ani Fernando said the clean-up drive was only a part of the whole package. The bigger goal was to make the metropolis the country’s business showcase and hub of economic activity. PNA

Metro Guwapoon the go!


All roads are expected to lead to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre all day long on Aug. 18.

The Philippine Indepen-dence Day Council (PIDC) is rearing to present to all the ultimate in Philippine customs and traditions in songs, dances and music; of deli and cuisine; of products and services.

PIDC president Jun Enverga and festival chair Minda Neri say this year’s entertainment offering will bring out the best from re-nowned Joey Albert, Jeanne Young, Louie Reyes, Miss Saigon Stephanie Reese and the QP8 Band performing alongside Canada-based art-ists of Filipino roots.

The day’s events:

Ati-Atihan: Put on a mask and shout ‘Hala, bira!’ in chorus with dark-painted bodies dancing to the fren-zied beat of the drums.

Santacruzan: Witness a parade of regal beauties - representing Filipino-Ca-nadian Associations - while they re-enact Queen Hele-na’s journey of the cross.

Tuloy Po Kayo (Please

come in): Filipino hospital-ity - marked by that gleam-ing and genuine smile - will greet every festival visitor.

Ummmm, sarap! (Sim-ply delicious): Philippine cuisine is laid out for those with discriminating tastes to test. Make sure to ask for halo-halo.

Magbalikbayan Tayo (Let’s visit home): Visit the

display area and dream of a long homeland vacation.

Palengke (Market):Tour the agora put up in cooperation with the Phil-ippine Chamber of com-merce-Toronto and be awed by Filipino entrepreneur-ship emulated by Philip-pine products and services in over 140 booths. May PX goods pa!

There are more events that will highlight the Mabu-hay Philippines festival, say Enverga and Neri as they invite all be part of the dis-tinctly fi lipino celebration.

But above all, Enverga and Neri conclude that part of the festival’s proceeds will go to Gawad Kalinga to build homes for the poor in the Philippines. PR

Mabuhay Philippines! Toronto summer festival in full gear

dren, the cities sorely lacking in playgrounds and with the Pied Piper lure of electronic media, luksong tinik, patintero atbp are fast entering the corridors of our heritage muse-ums.

(Note: The exhibition of works, accom-

LUKSONG TINIK

SARANGGOLA

Hankering for the Pinoy ...(From page 8)

SIPA

panied by a running video cour-tesy of Probe Productions and a modest display of actual game paraphernalia, premiered at the Baguio Museum and is sched-uled for move-over engagements in Manila, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu.

Next year, the exhibit will be staged overseas in cities where large Filipino communities exist

and declare interest in hosting it.The original framed works

are on sale, along with limited edition novelty mugs and T-shirts signed by the artist.

A catalogue is available for art collectors. Funds support the advocacy for responsible media as spearheaded by Anak TV.

Interested parties may write [email protected].)

The Settlement and Education Partnership in York Region (SEPYR) team will conduct workshops for York Region public high school students on Sept. 8 and for Catholic high school students on Sept. 15.

The free workshops, funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, will take place at the Dufferin Clark Community Centre from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SEPYR team head Agnes Manasan says the Wel-come to Canada workshop aims to make newcomer students feel welcome in the school system by creat-ing a forum where they can meet other youth; pro-vide an overview of Canada , its educational system, basic school policies, programs and services for young people; and provide a chance for newcomers to share their experiences with each other and with settlement workers and school staff.

SEPYR is supported by the York Region District School Board, York Catholic District School Board, Catholic Community Services of York Region and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

The SEPYR team is composed of 13 school set-tlement workers speaking different languages like Farsi, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Spanish, Russian, Urdu, Tamil, Hindi, Hebrew, Japanese, and many others. PR

SEPYR skeds workshop fornewcomer high school studes

0

AUGUST 2007 Manila Media Monitor 33Arts & Entertainment

Russell International, in cooperation with Front Page Philippines and Manila Media Monitor, is set to stage the fi rst-ever choreographed choral competitions of Christmas airs. The competitions venue and date will be announced.

Himig ng Pasko competing choirs - of 15 to 25 members excluding the conductor and piano accompanist - shall represent a school, a congregation, or an association and have not performed as a professional group.

A participating choir shall be registered with the Himig ng Pasko organizing group by its representation head -- either the principal or music teacher (for schools); a priest, pastor, minister, etc. (for congregations); or the president (for associations).

The choir may either be all male, all female or a mix. There shall be no age limit and a multi-cultural variation in the membership of a choir is most welcome.

Under competition rules, participating choirs will sing, in at least four voices, two Christmas tunes while simultaneously giving aesthetic meaning to their vocal performance in choreographed

‘HIMIG NG PASKO’ choral competitions setfashion.

The fi rst rendition, a popular Christmas carol of the choir’s choice, will be with piano accompaniment.

The second rendition, the contest piece, is a medley of Filipino Christmas songs Noche Buena and Pasko Na Naman to be sung a capella.

Both renditions must be performed within eight minutes. The performance shall be clocked and overtime shall be penalized with a three-point deduction in the overall performance rating.

Both performances will each be judged according to:

► Vocal arrangement and quality - 50 percent;

► Choreography - 25 percent;► Costume - 15 percent; ► Stage presence - 10 percent.In the overall performance rating

(OPR), the fi rst song carries 30 percent; and the contest piece, 70 percent. The OPR reached by the judges shall be fi nal.

Musical and vocal arrangement, choreography and costumes shall be borne by the chorale representation and contestants.

Two copies of the musical and

vocal arrangements of both songs shall be submitted to the Himig ng Pasko organizing group at least three weeks before the competitions.

Prizes that await winners include: First prize, $1,000 ($500 for the representation, $500 for the choir); second prize, $600 ($300 for the representation, $300 for the choir) ; and third prize, $400 ($200 for the representation, $200 for the choir).

Winners will also receive trophies, and all contestants will be awarded plaques.

The choreographed choral

competitions will be featured in the Kapaskuhan presentations of Front Page Philippines over OMNI 2 TV, Channel 69-Toronto (Cable 14 in Toronto) on Dec. 23 and 30.

Participating chorales will likewise be featured in the Manila Media Monitor prior to the event.

For registration and inquiries, get in touch with RUSSELL INTERNATIONAL, 98 Comrie Terrace, Scarborough, ON M1M 3T2, Tel. No.: 416-285-8583, Fax No.: 416-285-6862, E-mail: [email protected].

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200734 Arts & Entertainment

A new television show debuted on the Mabuhay Channel, Rogers Cable channel 606 on July 8, 2007. It is called Iba Talaga ang Pinoy, Sa Bawat Gusot May Lusot. It seems that the title is rather long for a tele-vision show, however this is because it is a spin-off of the popular radio program aired each Sunday at 101.3 FM between 9 to 10 p.m.

I have been a frequent viewer of the Mabuhay channel for some time now, right from the start I was captivated by the overall picture and sound quality, it is, as if, a haze of fog was lifted before my eyes. I was impressed by the way the introduction title was made, the color is so vivid as if we can smell its delightful fra-grance and taste its smooth texture. Congratulations to the creator of the animation.

The show grabs the viewer’s attention at once. We see the opening of the show with an animation of a jeep, and a Filipino show is about to come to life. The jeep begins race off and exits the frame as the title of the show chases close behind, unfortunately, it crashes into a wall and fall to the ground. They regroup

and pick themselves up and we see the title proudly re-veals itself, Iba Talaga ang Pinoy.

Whether or not this is the correct symbolism, I interpreted the crashing of the title into the wall as an obstacle that the Filipino people face each day in their pursuit of a better life here in Canada. It did not dampen their determina-tion as they quickly picked themselves up to face their next challenge. It appears to be a very clever interpreta-tion in personalizing the eloquent words of the hosts Mary Grace Santos and Ed-gar de Guzman about the resiliency of the Filipinos through adversity.

There is a dance number alongside the theme song of the show. The song is clearly sung by the impres-sive Mary Grace Santos. In this segment, the cameramen demonstrated great exper-tise. The dancing venue was rather small, however, with good execution of angles, the cameramen showed his expe-rience by capturing his entire subject in focus. The editor in command creatively inter-cuts the footage of the fi lm in a very smooth manner.

The interviews con-

ducted by Jess Carlos and Bernice Buktaw of the many prominent people of the Fili-pino community reveal mes-sages that are very informa-tive to all Filipinos. Premier Dalton McGuinty gave very encouraging remarks about the Filipino people.

Although, not many facts were collected from the Sports segment, I see a bright future for this seg-ment. Sports reporter Gerald Santos, is quite ac-complished in his interview skills and is very passionate about sports and their im-portance in our community.

You cannot help but be captivated by the charisma and composure of the future whiz kid Aaron Paul. At only 11 years old, he asks relevant and smart ques-tions. He may be an amateur but he handles himself very well. His appeal and charm will resonate with viewers of all ages.

One of my favorite seg-ments is called “Kain Na.” We see two actors playing the scene where they are cooking their favorite Fili-pino dish: the adobo. These two young people showed great potential to be very good performers. Co-host Don Martin is handsome

and rather funny. We also have Crystal Sahagun, who appears to be a very knowl-edgeable culinary chef. Ex-pect more delicious dishes from Don and Crystal in future shows.

To sum it up, Iba Talaga ang Pinoy television is good quality programming, just what the Mabuhay channel needed. I look forward to seeing more wonderful pro-gramming from the produc-ers at Global Dreams Media Group. Picture and sound quality… superb!

The hosts of the show are also to be greatly com-mended. They have great chemistry with each other and they are very resource-ful. I will use the words they often used to describe this duo…an exuberant pair.

Of course, the director who ensures every moment is in the right perspective deserves to be given a big ovation for the way the show was put together.

Filipinos now have heart-warming and enlight-ening entertainment that only Iba Talaga ang Pinoy, Sa Bawa’t Gusot May Lusot can deliver. Join them every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. on the Mabuhay Channel, Rog-ers Cable channel 606. PR

Iba Talaga Ang Pinoy: A ReviewBY GERRY INDON

Gerry del Mundo:Crooning for charityGerry del Mundo, an energetic and

spirited award winning salesperson, shifts his passion for work to a higher plane - entertaining for charity.

Del Mundo, who spent 24 years in the medical fi eld and 18 years in real estate, will be doing a series of shows - titled Songs and Laughter - at Casa Manila every last Thursday of the month, from Aug. 30 to July 31, 2008.

Proceeds of the shows will go to his two favorite chari-ties, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Sick Kids Foundation. (See ad on page 19)

Del Mundo had been involved with the Sick Kids’ Her-bie Fund as early as 1980 when Eric Dacumos, the tour-ist boy from the Philippines, needed a heart operation in Toronto. He was also involved with the Sick Kids’ Herbie Fund Appeal To Heal For Querubin.

He said the experience gave him a very rewarding feel-ing especially “when I see those kids getting well and liv-ing normal lives.”

Del Mundo’s motivation to help MADD became intense after he has seen the alarming frequency of fatal accidents involving drrunk driving in Toronto. He is proclaiming himself as ambassador for responsible driving.

An advertisement on TTC buses that read “Lawyers For Impaired” upset him that he phoned TTC and told its adver-tising staff the latter was sending an “outrageous” message, like telling drivers to drink and not to worry about impaired driving as someone will take care of them.

As an entertainer, Del Mundo starred in successful fund raisers like Skate-a-thon, Filipino Kids vs. Filipino Adults hockey game, mall shows, and dinner-dances.

Funds raised from Skate-a-thon went to the Philippine National Red Cross and Canadian National Red Cross, benefi tting Philippine calamity victims. The hockey game proceeds went to Peel Memorial Hospital.

How can Del Mundo mix The Beatles with Frank Sina-tra? The only way to fi nd out is to go to his shows. PR


SHOWBUZZ

Pinoy

Rufa Mae QuintoBeautiful and talented. But above all, sexy and funny. Comedianne cum tv show host Rufa Mae Quinto, at 27 (born on May 28, 1980 in Quezon City, the Philippines), gets the looks and the nods from awed males everytime she sheds off her alluring persona.

Rufa is proud to be de-scribed as Booba. She is no dumb belle, but thankful for being well-endowed. So, so natu-rally friendly, her main goals in life are to help others and make people laugh.

Her biggest inspirations are her family and fans. She checks her phone when she wakes up and prays (no one would call) before she goes to sleep.

What does this Maxim cover girl and fan of Brad Pitt, Jennifer Anis-ton, K and the Boxers, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast always tell everyone? “What you see is what you get! Todo na ‘to!”

CEBU CITY - Garbed in their bright orange jail uniforms, some 1,600 in-mates of the Cebu Provin-cial Detention and Reha-bilitation Center (CPDRC) in Barangay Kalunasan, this city have earned a spot in cyberspace by dancing to the tune of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

A week after security consultant Byron Garcia uploaded on July 17 a video of the dance number on You-Tube, a video-sharing web-site, the CPDRC inmates have gained international at-tention, with close to a mil-lion viewers and more than a thousand comments.

Several international magazines and television stations have contacted Gar-cia through e-mail to inquire about the video, expressing intention to feature it in their respective media outfi ts.

GMA 7’s Eyewitness and Jessica Soho have asked for Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Gar-cia’s permission to feature the inmates, hoping to make the CPDRC a model for oth-er jails in the country.

The video was also fea-tured in CNN late July.

The dance number was among the inmates’ presen-tation during the governor’s recent jail visit.

Besides Thriller, the in-

Thriller dance lands CPDRCtermers in int’l cyberspace

mates have performed algo-rithm dances, and the Hail Holy Queen dance from the fi lm Sister Act.

Byron Garcia said the inmates had dance practices during morning exercise.

Gov. Garcia said the in-ternational attention given to the inmates would redeem the image of the Philippines after a “humiliating” feature on the condition of Philip-pine jails was shown on CNN months ago.

The video ‘classic’ has

Cherry Pie Picache bagged the best actress award in the Asian and Arab competition section of the just-concluded Osian Cine Fan Filmfest that ended July 29 in New Delhi, India.

The Osian jurors cited Cherry Pie for her portrayal of the character Thelma, a foster mother who takes care of orphans before adop-tion, in Seiko fi lms’ Foster

Osian Cinefan namesCherry Pie best actress

Will former GMA-7 tele-serye queen Angel Locsin’s untimely decamp to ABS-CBN be the end of her show-biz career?

Angel has been the talk of the town since June, espe-cially when she left for Lon-don for a two-week fashion designing study.

Her career has been held in abeyance for a while but ABS-CBN offi cials said she would soon have a teleserye with Piolo Pascual.

Varied reactions have been heard from her fans and the warring studios, movie producers and kibitz-ers; bordering on outrage of differing degrees and shades of understanding.

Some have called Angel an “ingrate” for leaving the studio that gambled time, money, effort so she could become a superstar.

Others insisted she did not possess loyalty and was more interested in money or royalty after earning at least P40 million with GMA-7.

Angel, incidentally, has

End of Angel Locsin’s reel life?

been an effective product endorser and is seen in nu-merous print and electronic media commercials.

She has had some hit movies with Richard Guti-

errez but her popularity has not reached the level secured by Claudine Barreto or Judy Ann Santos.

In one one of his live ra-dio shows, talent manager Alfi e Lorenzo said: “That would be the end of Angel’s career. She reigned supreme at GMA-7 and was treated as a queen, with plenty of perks and expansion. Why should she want to go to Channel 2 and compete with several wanna-bes’ for Claudine’s crown?”

Alfi e added: “Does she think she will get royal treatment from the rival network? Will it be fair if she gets more projects than those who have slaved their lives at ABS-CBN? Do you think she is better in terms of talent, beauty, box-offi ce appeal? She can’t dance nor sing, that’s a big minus on her.”

But Lolit Solis retorted: “What Angel has done is a common phenomenon to the movie world.” Lily Ra-mos, PNA

Angelica P. nixes live-in tsismisActress-model Angelica

Panganiban has fl atly denied rumors that she has been liv-ing in with boyfriend Derek Ramsay.

“Palagi ngang itina-tanong sa akin `yan, kung live-in na raw ba kami ni Derek? Of course, not! Sa bahay pa rin namin ako umuuwi,” Panganiban told entertainment reporters.

“At saka, hindi papayag ang mommy ko na makipag live-in ako, kahit boto siya kay Derek,” she said..

She added that she would never betray the trust given her by her mother.

“Si mommy, gusto niya ang relasyon ko kay Derek,

kasi nakikita naman niya na masaya ako palagi, at magandang impluwensiya naman si Derek sa akin.,” Panganiban said.

Child directed by Brillante Mendoza.

“Cherry Pie has deliv-ered a performance that has managed to make even a fi c-tional story look very much like a slice of life,” the jurors were quoted by Philstar.com as saying.

It was Cherry Pie’s second international Best Actress award this year, coming after that from the

Durban International Film-fest in South Africa, for her role as a lesbian in Kaleldo, also by Mendoza. She also won this year Best Sup-porting Actress for Twilight Dancers, directed by Mel Chionglo, in the Golden Screen Awards.

The Philippines has been lucky at the Osian’s.

In 2005, Katherine de Luna, in Mario O’Hara’s Ang Babae sa Breakwater, won best actress honors.

In 2006, Jeffrey Jetu-rian’s Kubrador won for Gina Pareño the best actress award too. Jeturian also won as best director and the mov-ie got the FIPRESCI antics awards.

Besides Cherry Pie’s award at the Osian’s, the Philippine-produced fi lm Huling Balyan ng Buhi, di-rected by Sherad Anthony Sanchez, won Best Film Award in the First Features Section of the festival.

Awesome CPDRC inmates dancing the Thriller

1,600 jailbirds sync steps in Sister Act number

In Jumbo Hotdog In a cha-cha routine

made its way into the hearts and souls of admirers world-wide.

Bloggers said the CP-DRC and its inmates have become instant celebrities in the US and in Canada, and elsewhere.

Some have even sug-gested making dancing as an exercise mandatory in pris-ons worldwide, including that in Guantanamo Bay.

One blogger said “it must be fun to be in that jail.” PNA with wires

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Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200736 HAPPY NEST

Amo to Maid: Titira dito ang biyenan ko ng tatlong buwan. Ito ang listahan ng mga paborito niyang pagkain. Kapag may niluto ka dyan, sisante ka!

*****Mrs.: Naniniwala ka ba na ang babae

habang tumatanda ay gumaganda?Mr.: Oo naman.Mrs.: Ano? Gumaganda ba ako?Mr.: Sa tingin ko, hindi ka tumatanda.

*****Husband.: When I get mad at you, you

never fi ght back. How do you control your anger?

Wife: I clean the toilet bowl. I use your toothbrush.

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tin sa US. Nagpadala ng picture, nakasan-dal sa kotse. Basahin mo nga ang nakasulat sa likod.

Nanay: Inay, nagpapasalamat ako, kasi, kung hindi dahil sa kotse na ito, natumba na ako sa sobrang gutom.

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House Upside Down While Screaming - Open forum. Monday, 8 to 10 p.m.

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Class 9: Real Men Ask For Direc-tions When Lost - Real life testimonials.

Tuesdays at 6 p.m., location to be determined.

Class 10: Is It Genetically

Impossible To Sit Quietly While

She Parallel Parks? - Driving simulations. 4 weeks, Saturdays start-ing at noon for 2 hours.

Class 11: Learning to Live: Basic Differences

Between Mother and Wife - Online classes and role-

playing. Tuesdays at 7 p.m., location to be determined.

Class 12: How To Be The Ideal Shop-ping Companion - Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques. Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m.

Class 13: How To Fight Cerebral Atrophy: Remembering Birthdays, An-niversaries And Other Important Dates and Calling When You’re Going To Be Late - Cerebral shock therapy sessions and full lobotomies offered. Three nights, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7 to 9 p.m.

Class 14: The Stove/Oven: What It Is And How It Is Used - Live demonstra-tion. Tuesdays at 6 p.m., location to be determined.

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ka pa, iistepler ko ang bibig mo!Kinabukasan ulit ...Bata: Mama, may stapler kayo?Tindero: Wala.Bata: Pabili nga po ng ubas.

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Promdi: Bakit ganito ang kwarto ko? Maliit, wala pang kama at bintana?

Roomboy: Sir, nasa elevator po tayo.

Bakit nga ba walangospital para sa tanga?

Fall classes for Men at the Adult Learning Center. Registration must be completed by Monday, Aug 30, 2007.

(Note: Due to the complexity and dif-fi culty level of their contents, class sizes will be limited to 8 participants.)

Class 1: How To Fill Up Ice Cube Trays - Step by step, with slide pre-sentation. Meets 4 weeks, Monday and Wednesday, 7 to 9 p.m.

Class 2: The Toi-let Paper Roll: Does It Change Itself? - Roundtable dis-cussion. Meets 2 weeks, Saturday 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Class 3: Is It Possible To Uri-nate Using The Technique Of Lifting The Seat and Avoiding The Floor, Walls and Nearby Bath-tub? - Group practice. Meets 4 weeks, Saturday 10 p.m. to 12 midnight.

Class 4: Fundamental Differences Between The Laundry Hamper and The Floor - Pictures and explanatory graphics. Meets Saturdays at 2 p.m. for 3 weeks.

Class 5: Dinner Dishes: Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Kitchen Sink? - Examples on video. Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m.

Class 6: Loss Of Identity: Losing The Remote To Your Signifi cant Other - Help line support and support groups. Meets 4 weeks, Friday and Sunday, starts 7 p.m.

Class 7: Learning How To Find Things, Starting With Looking In The Right Places And Not Turning The

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Artist Tiffany Joy Vil-lahermosa will present her painting masterpiece Love, Passion and Understanding during the 2007 Market-place at the Harbourfront Centre from Aug. 17 to 19.

Villahermosa says her obra speaks of the “inter-twining fl ames of love, pas-sion and understanding that emit a beautiful balance and fruitful growth of souls.”

Her painting and other works will be on display in the marketplace that has become a venue of interna-tional arts and crafts.

Villahermosa has been a regular in Toronto arts exhibits, the most recent of which was the May Love Transcending Boundaries Exhibition, also at the Har-bourfront Centre.

Villahermosaobra in H’frontagora art show

Singer, songwriter, per-former Elise Estrada is set to topbill this year’s culture Philippines Ontario (CPO) Filipino Day concert in Canada’s Wonderland on Sept. 1.

Estrada will perform with equally featured artists Josie de Leon, Jennifer Fer-mo, Inah Canlapan, Aileen Muan, RMX Dance Team, YFC-NYE Dance Group, and a lot more.

Also sharing the spot-light with Estrada and the rest are the Singing Idol contestants to CPO’s Battle of the Champions.

At top capacityStar Files Asian Maga-

zine has described Estrada perfectly packaged beauty who, at 19, is an accom-plished superior of televi-sion and stage.

With a handful of songs to her name, Estrada contin-ues to grow as a songwriter. “I’m pushing to perform and write at top capacity, trying to craft a personal best.”

Estrada topbills CPOWonderland concert

ELISE ESTRADA

After closing a record deal with premier North American Indie label Rock-STAR Music Corp., Estrada has teamed up with super producers Adam H (Lov-erboy, Bianca, Rosette, Sy’Rai, Marika, George Clinton), Sean Hosein and Dane DeViller of The Ba-nanaToons (Jessica Simp-son, Kelly Rowland, 98 De-grees, The Corrs), and Steve Smith and Anthony Ander-son of SA Trackworks (Ro-sette, Stacie Orrico, Laura Pausini, O TOWN).

Worldwide fan baseEstrada’s stage pres-

ence, smile, and voice have been capturing audiences during live performances globally.

Her albums have been selling and she is gaining a fan base worldwide.

She has been featured repeatedly in hometown periodicals The Vancouver Sun, Leader, Now and Phil-ippine Showbiz Today.

Estrada was the Canadi-

an grand contender of Phil-ippine top-rated American Idol-style television series Pinoy Pop Superstar.

After winning Miss Vancouver Princess 2004, Estrada has appeared in talk shows, and has guested on SOP, the music variety show of GMA 7 that released and promoted the album Pinoy Pop Superstar Grand Con-tender Year 2.

She has been doing ra-dio interviews and mall shows. On her return to Canada, Elise recorded her debut self titled album. PR

This saves the man from further embarrassment and therefore he does not have to pursue his interest. He has not made it to fi rst base, so to speak.

As traditions evolve and other cultural infl uences fi nd their way into Fili-pino culture, courtship and dating has taken different forms, venues and routes.

The formalities that Filipino ancestors are ac-customed to are replaced by less face-to-face encounters e.g. phone calls, e-mails, text messages, instant mes-saging.

Harana may be obsolete but its essence stays, unwit-tingly in off-the-rack greet-ing cards.

No longer does the courtier sing to the lady love but he uses commercialized means such as a portable karaoke, especially if he is not gifted musically.

Bayanihan, another age-old Filipino tradition, can also be seen in harana, when the courtier’s friends play guitar accompaniment or simply stand around the courtier for moral support.

They prod, give signals, encourage. They share the courtier’s burden, which is essentially bayanihan.

In Philippine art, this tradition is best captured in a painting of several men re-locating, on their shoulders, a nipa hut - a family’s home - to wherever the family is moving.

Filipinos continue to live this tradition in so many ways.

Experience a taste of harana and bayanihan, more of the Filipino spirit, customs, food and enter-tainment at the Mabuhay Philippines! Toronto Sum-mer Festival at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from Aug. 18 to 19.

Harana, Uso Pa Ba? will be shown on Aug 18 at 4 p.m.

Toronto’s diva Josie de Leon will lead a cast to give life to harana.

Playing lead role with de Leon is Rodney Ronquillo as the balikbayan suitor.

Completing the cast are Chyrell Samson, Cecille Arcilla, Alvin Alba, Darius Ciria and Joe Manzanares.

They will all relive the almost extinct courtship and dating tradition.

In an interesting nos-talgic fl ow of Filipino clas-sic and contemporary love songs, this reincarnation of a distinct Filipino tradi-

tion does not only guaran-tee a happy ending but also brings pride in being a Fili-pino outside of the Philip-pines.

Harana Uso Pa Ba? is produced by the Philippine Independence Day Council and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce Toronto with help from Studio Six Pro-ductions.

Harana, uso pa ba? ...(From page 1)

Manila Media Monitor AUGUST 200738 Arts & Entertainment

Watch and hear young Filipino talents sing and play music live at the Juan Tomas Show Band concert at the Scarbor-ough Civic Centre on Oct. 14.

Juan Tomas Show Band

Backyard concert

(From left) Arabel Castillo, Jovie Ann Canape, Juan Tomas, Eric Cariño and Rochelle Cariño jam it up during a backyard concert put up by the Juan Tomas School of Music on July 22. PR

The Culture Philippines Ontario (CPO)-hosted Phil-ippine pavilion at the recent Carassauga festival in Mis-sissauga notched the Peo-ples Choice award, goetting the most votes from festival viewers and visitors.

A CPO press release said Carassauga organiz-ers have decided this year to give the public a hand in selecting the pavilion that gave them more fun and en-joyment during the annual festival.

Behind the Philippine pavilion were the Egyptian and Italian pavilions.

Last year, the Philippine pavilion got the most Out-standing Pavilion award, as in 2004 and in 2003.

Filipino DayMeanwhile, CPO has

invited the public to come and support Filipino Day in Wonderland on Sept. 1.

Filipino Singing Idol – Battle of Champions,

featuring a competition of singing contest winners in and around the GTA, would highlight the day in the theme park.

CPO said names of Singing Idol winners in two age categories - 10 to 16 and 17 to 30 - are inscribed on a perpetual trophy.

CPO also urged dance groups, bands and individu-als to join in and perform at the Filipino Day in Wonder-land.

CPO show skedIn another development,

CPO said it has recently performed during commu-nity events, to include the Filipino Centre Toronto’s Pista Ng Bayan, the Dragon Festival in Centre Island, and the international Mon-dial des Cultures Drum-mondville in Quebec.

Up on CPO’s slate are performances in the Mabu-hay Philippines! Summer Festival and the Filipinos

Making Waves Festival this month.

Offi cials said CPO would go on improving and expanding its repertoire of dances, while honing the performing abilities of its growing cast of dancers.

The said investments have also been made on authentic costumes to give audiences a real deal on the rendition of tribal and folk-loric dance and music rep-resentation of the different cultures found in different parts of the Philippines.

They noted the dedica-tion of CPO members and performers, and the support of the community and pro-gram sponsors, to include PNB Remittance, Dr. Solon Guzman & Associates, Dr. Victoria Santiago & Associ-ates, and Dr. Loida Coronel & Associates, who shared with CPO the commitment to make Filipinos proud of their heritage. PR

CPO Carassauga RP pavilionclips People’s Choice award

Nelia Tonido’s art blossoms in her lively and colorful renderings of fl orals, land-scapes and still life pro-jected in her masterpieces during the recent Philippine Artists Group exhibit in Ce-dar Ridge. An architecture graduate of the University of Santo Tomas in the Phil-ippines, Tonido honed her arts skills in offi ce furniture and interior design, then in cake decorating, and lately, in water color painting. MOGI MOGADO

Artist Nelia Tonido

Author Gemma Nemenzo will con-duct a signing tour for her latest book Heart In Two Places: an Immigrant’s Journey at the Another Story Bookshop in Toronto on Aug. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Nemenzo topromote, sign

new book

STAR DANCERS

Who will be the DancingTo Be A Star champions?

Will the champion be Mike and Maselle Virey, Vicky and Rene Cipriano, Kip Lo and Christopher Au, or Agnes Canlas and George Tungol in the advanced category?

And Mel Bertocillo and Ron Andrada, Emilia and Fernando Gonzalvo, Mei Alvia and Jun Danao or Christie Gamo and Rob-ert Henson in the intermediate category?

Dancing To Be A Star chair and chore-ographer Leonie Manzanares said the con-test champions would be announced and awarded in a dinner-dance grand fi nale at the Macedonian Banquet Hall on Sept. 22.

Manzanares said the couple-fi nalists made it to the top after showing off their dancing prowess in competitions at the same venue on July 28.

They were proclaimed by judges Abby Mina, Richard Thibeault and Giorgio Ar-gentini, all professional standard and latin dance instructors.

The tabulation of results was provided by Al Tupe, Joe Ragual and Merce Ven-turanza of the Association of Filipino Ca-nadian Accountants.

The contest is sponsored by the Philip-pine Independence Day Council headed by president Jun Enverga. Contest co-chairs are Imie Belanger and Pete Mauricio, and executive assistant Evelyn Lao.


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