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go a long way with
WAVES
MARCH 2014
Vol. 3 No.3
filipinonewswaves@
gmail.com
(647) 718-1360
Pinoy is Oscar winner!
Robert Lopez
Also won Emmy, Grammy & Tony awards
 Youngest to become member of exclusive EGOT
CLUB
 Penned along with his wife Oscar best original
song, “LET IT GO”

By Waves News Staff
American Idol judge Harry Connick Jr. described his composition as “the song that the whole world is now singing”.
“Let it Go “ is this year’s Best Original song in the 86th
Academy of Motion Pictures awards (more popularly
known as the Oscars) and the winning songwriter is Filipino-American Robert Lopez along with his wife Kristen Anderson Lopez.
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez win for their
composition "Let It Go", for best original song for the
film "Frozen" at the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. Photo by Lucy Nicholson, Reuters
The tandem wrote the piece for the animated movie
“Frozen”, one of the 20 songs they penned for the movie
with nine of them making the grade for the awards nominations.
(Continued on page 3)
Lawyer Fabregas seeks Liberal nod for MP
Immigration lawyer Rafael "Raffy "
Fabregas has officially announced
his intention to seek the Liberal party nomination as official candidate
for member of Parliament.
In simple launching ceremonies
held at the Filipino center of Toronto (FCT) and in the presence of
hundreds of supporters,
Fabregas said he will run to represent the riding of Scarborough cen-
tre if chosen as the official Liberal
candidate.
the symbol of caregivers in this
country with Fabregas at her side
during those several years of struggle.
The young lawyer is best known
for his pro bono work in assisting
the late Juana Tejada fight for reforms in the live-in caregivers law
of government which they eventually won.
Tejada, who fought to stave off deportation and allowed to stay while
under cancer treatment, became
Liberal hopeful: Rafael Fabregas
Because of their persistence, the
government passed the caregiver
reform law, otherwise known as
“The Juana Tejada Law” which
eliminated among others, the contentious 2nd medical treatment for
caregivers.∎
Healing priest Fr. Suarez sparks
buzz and controversy
Faithful told:
Live simple,
charitable lives
Well-known healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez has come under the
microscope following alleged reports of fund mismanagement, lavish lifestyle and falling out with its
biggest benefactor and partner, conglomerate San Miguel Corporation
which has donated a huge tract of
land for the priest’s big project
worth P1 billion in Cavite province.
By Jocelyn R. Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, the Archbishop of Manila, makes a sign of the
cross on the foreheads of devotees during a Mass in observance of Ash
Wednesday, which ushers the 45-day Lenten Season, Wednesday February
23, 2013 in Manila. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Live simply
and do works of mercy this Lenten
season.
On March 3, 2014, two days before
Ash Wednesday, which marks the
beginning of Lent, Catholic Church
leaders exhorted the Filipino faithful to lead simple lifestyles and help
the less fortunate, particularly the
victims of the recent calamities.
In a pastoral message, the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) exhorted believers to
pursue a simple lifestyle in the face
of an “economy of exclusion” that
Reports emanating from Manila and
now circulating widely among the
Filipino-Canadian community said
San Miguel is poised to withdraw
from an agreement with Fr. Suarez
organization called the Mary Mother Popular priest is well known within Toronto’s Filipino community
of the Poor (MMP) foundation.
and a friend of Senator Enverga’s
San Miguel corporation has agreed wife, Rosemer.
to donate 33 hectares of land in Alfonso town in Cavite to Suarez’s renowned 30-footer Christ the ReMMP foundation to house its Church deemer statue in Rio De Janeiro in
and a big “grand” project, the build- Brazil.
ing of a giant statue of the Virgin
Mary that was to surpass the world
MARCH 2014
2
MARCH 2014
3
News
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Cristina on Enrile: Womanizer, yes; thief, no
By Christian V. Esguerra
The healing priest’s rich
lifestyle
By Ramon Tulfo
Healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez
Sen Juan Ponce Enrile with Gigi Reyes
MANILA, Philippines—The
woman who stood quietly
behind him all these years
has come out and dropped
her own bombshell against
Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile: She
still loves him.
Ponce Enrile spoke of her
long struggle with her husband’s alleged womanizing
in their 56-year marriage,
confirming that she once left
for the United States to seek
a divorce.
Speaking in an exclusive
television interview on
Monday night, Cristina
Cristina said the last straw
was Jessica Lucila “Gigi”
Reyes, Enrile’s former chief
of staff who, like the 90-year
-old senator, was also implicated in the alleged P10billion pork barrel scam.
“Yes, it is true,” Cristina admitted in Winnie Monsod’s
“Bawal ang Pasaway” program on GMA News when
PINOY IS OSCARS’ WINNER
Lopez thus becomes the
first Filipino to win the most
coveted awards in the entertainment industry worldwide.
After his win at the Academy, Lopez became the 12th
person to win all four major
annual
entertainment
awards (The Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony ) or
EGOT.
Of the 12 members of EGOT
which counts among them
Barbra Streisand, Helen
Hayes, Liza Minnelli, Whoopi Goldberg and James Earl
Jones among others, only
Lopez has the distinction of
being the “only person “ to
have won all four awards
within a decade.
He started writing songs at
the early age of seven and
finished a degree in English
at Yale University where he
became a member of the
Yale Spizzwinks, the oldest
A capella group founded in
1913.
Among his notable works,
many of which in collaboration with his wife (who is
also a multi-awarded lyri-
But the business conglomerate discovered massive
unnecessary spending by
the healing priest, according
to an SMC insider, and thus
withdrew its support from
the project.
“Before, Father Suarez
would come to RSA’s office
wearing only a T-shirt and
sandals, but now he wears
expensive
clothes
and
watches, stays in five-star
hotels and attends tennis
matches like the Wimbledon Classic and the French
(Continued from page 1)
But the Oscars was only the
icing in the cake for Lopez,
because the biggest achievement of his song writing
career ,which included writing for broadway plays and
other musicals was his entry to the most exclusive
club of all: the EGOT.
San Miguel Corp. (SMC)
could well have underwritten the construction of the
proposed P1-billion shrine
to Mother Mary, a project of
Fr. Fernando Suarez in Cavite province.
Open,” said the SMC insider.
Ramon S. Ang, president
and CEO of San Miguel Corp.
is “RSA” to his subordinates.
RSA, who wears an ordinary
collared shirt to work, has
faith in the healing power of
Father Suarez, but he was
reportedly “shocked” at the
priest’s change of lifestyle.
Ang is a devout Catholic and
his wife is a member of
Opus Dei, an organization of
ultraconservative Catholic
laymen.
When SMC, as a principal
benefactor, ordered an audit of Father Suarez’s Mary
Mother of the Poor Foundation, the business conglomerate discovered that the
OFWs oppose bill on force remittances
Robert Lopez has won The Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony awards
cist) included a musical adaptation of “Finding Nemo,”
and “Wonder Pets” (for
which he and his brother
Billy for Nickoledeon had
shared the Daytime Emmy
award in 2006).
He also authored a musical
project called the Book of
Mormon that premiered in
Broadway in 2011 and won
the 2011 Tony award for
best musical, best scoring
and a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.
He had also worked on
some “South Park” episodes
in that same year and composed songs
for
the
“Simpsons” the following
year.
With his wife, he also wrote
six songs for Winnie the
Pooh.
It is said that his father, who
was part Filipino was born
on a ship while on its way to
the United States from Manila. His grandmother was a
Filipina-Scottish American
while his grandfather is
pure Filipino.
The husband and tandem
wife according to accounts,
struggled early in their career, when Robert’s first
project in partnership with
another aspiring songwriter
Jeff Mar , Kermit, Prince of
Denmark, was rejected but
nevertheless won a Kleban
award for lyrics.
But in 1999, both Lopez and
Marx hit paydirt when their
Broadway work titled Avenue Q won “critical and popular
success” eventually
winning a 2004 Tony award
and a Grammy nomination
in 2007.
Lopez and his wife have
made plans to travel and
visit the Philippines but engagements and commitments interfered with those
plans.
Lopez knows Lea Salonga,
who, like him, was a Tony
awardee herself.
After winning the OSCARS,
Lopez said in 2014, they
intend to make it (visit the
Philippines) a reality. ∎
Why OFWs are
thumbing down
House Bill 3576
MANILA – Migrante partylist group on Tuesday said a
proposed bill requiring
overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) to make monthly
remittances to their families is against their rights.
House Bill 3576, authored
by OFW Family Club PartyList Rep. Roy Seneres,
states the responsibility of
OFWs to send monetary
support to their families in
the Philippines.
“Sobrang panggigipit ito sa
kalayaan at karapatan ng
OFW...yung iba kasi hindi
naman nasasahuran ng
tama, makapagpapadala pa
ba yun?” Connie Bragas Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Party-List, said.
Under the bill, the ambassador, consul general, or chief
of mission where OFWs are
working can make them
send remittances to relatives -- or their passports
may not be renewed, Mi-
grante said.
Some OFWs expressed dismay over the bill.
“Bakit kami o obligahin?
Bakit nakikialam ang gobyerno sa pera namin?” said
Emmanuel Villanueva an
OFW in Hong Kong.
Seneres, however, said the
bill is based on the Constitution and the Family Code.
He said it is everyone’s responsibility to support family members or legal dependents.
“May mga natatanggap ako
na reklamo sa mga asawa
na pinabayaan ng mister sa
ibang bansa,” Seneres said.
Seneres said those who will
be obligated to send money
would be those who
“forget” to send monthly
remittances to their wife,
children, even parents. Report from Apples Jalandoni, ABS-CBN News
MARCH 2014
4
EDITORIAL
True Filipino Grits
Rey & Rafael
COUNTERPOINT
A.F. Soriano
Known as simply “Dr. Rey” among his constituents in Winnipeg, the unassuming physician and professor wrote history in 1988 by becoming the first ever Philippine-born Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons.
Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan of Bacoor,
Cavite established other “firsts” during his long tenure of service as
Member of Parliament (1988-2004).
There is an idiotic trend
among some of our socalled community leaders
vis-a-vis the media. They
are deliberate copycats of a
dark era called martial law.
He also holds the distinction of being the first Filipino to be appointed
as parliamentary secretary to then
Prime Minister Jean Chretien and
the first Filipino-Canadian to be appointed to the Federal cabinet.
It also made him the highest ranking
Filipino-born elected official outside of the Philippines.
Briefly, he served as cabinet Minister for veterans Affairs
and as secretary of State for Asia and the Pacific.
In 2012, he was voted as one of the top 25 immigrants.
As a liberal party member, he had served under two prime
ministers - Jean Chretien and Paul Martin.
Fast forward to 2014. A young lawyer who championed the
cause of the fallen caregiver Juana Tejada and among those
who worked to the eventual enactment of the historic Juan
Tejada law( live in-caregiver reform law), is on a parallel
path like that of Dr. Rey.
Like Pagtakhan, Rafael Fabregas or “Raffy or simply
Paeng” is a Liberal party member,
a professional and also a 2010 top
25 Immigrants awardee.
Fabregas is seeking the liberal
party nomination for MP in the
Scarborough-Centre riding.
His work as an immigrant lawyer
(at times providing his services
pro bono) has gained him many
adherents and recognitions .
In 2008, the Federation of Asian-Canadian lawyers bestowed him the Lawyer of Distinction award for his legal
efforts in the community.
Truly, both Pagtakhan and Fabregas are community trail
blazers through their body of work that makes the Filipino
proud in this part of the world.
Pagtakhan’s election to the House of Common was the result of his sincerity, solid hard work and humility, and not
through any appointive powers that be or any political connections or rewards.
In the same vein, Fabregas, if ever he wins the nomination
and eventually the vote in 2015 would be a victory so well
deserved and overdue.
We wish “Raffy” the best of luck.
THE MARCOS CLONES
IN THE COMMUNITY
These ignoramuses ape the
dictator Marcos. Colleague
Romy Marquez videotaped
the AFCA induction rites last
March 1 where Justice Steve
Coroza was the guest speaker.
AFCA is an association of
Filipino-Canadian accountants.
After his normal media coverage of the event, he received word from one AFCA
officer “Arrojado” demanding that he withdraw or not
use the news footage for
security reason. The guy
ended his command with an
emphatic “NOW!”
The Arrojado guy also hinted that it was the good justice who wanted the video
to be withdrawn but a check
with Justice Coroza by our
publisher Teresa Torralba
through email did not confirm Arrojado’s claim.
The Justice simply does not
want to discuss the matter.
If I were in Romy’s place, I
would ignore those demands and continue doing
my job as a journalist unless
presented by a court order
or injunction.
Of course, he did. This is
Canada where press freedom is guaranteed. This is
not the Philippines of the
1970s, where the military
and the dictator Marcos
controlled and suppressed
the media.
And I suspect some people
are behind this move to harass selected media personalities in this community
who are critical of their activities.
And how else to do this is by
ordering their subalterns or
“factotums” to do the dirty
job for them.
These mini-Marcoses or
clones are simply annoying
pests that should be ignored
or brushed aside. They are
at best robots, mindless imbeciles who can’t carry their
balls in their trousers.
“Dapat sa mga ganyang tao
tinitiris at winawalis na parang dumi.”
*****
HE’S GOT “K”. Rafael “Raffy”
Fabregas is seeking a seat in
Ottawa and is vying for the
official liberal party endorsement or nomination as
candidate in the Scarborough Centre riding.
If he finally gets the nod, we
are sure Raffy is most qualified and deserving of the
position. If that happens,
the Filipino-Canadian community will be truly represented by a hardworking
young man with solid credentials and background.
As an immigration lawyer,
he proved his worth when
he helped win reforms in
the caregiver law now
known as the Juana Tejada
law.
It was Raffy who vigorously
fought for and stood by the
late Juana Tejada during the
exhaustive legal battle to
keep the later in Canada and
win needed changes in the
live-in caregiver law, which
included the abolition or
waiving of the redundant
medical tests.
As one supporter said,
“Raffy” has the K (karapatan
or deserving to be an MP)
because he possesses the
competence and solid background to become one of
the true leaders representing the Filipino-Canadian
community, not one who
was catapulted by a mere
appointment of his political
godfather or by kowtowing
to the powers that be.
There is big difference between a self-appointed
leader who advertises himself through self-serving
media posturing like photo
ops and hype but who is, in
reality an empty shell and a
silent worker who produces
results and voted upon by
the people.
At the moment, there is a
leadership vacuum in the
community which has been
polarized between forces of
the status quo, the so-called
“mutual admiration society”
and those branded as rabble
rousers, muckrakers and
those angling for change.
We need true leaders of the
community whether in the
provincial or federal levels
of Canada. But for goodness
sake, lets us have political
representatives who are at
least 80 percent acceptable,
those who are willing to
face both his detractors and
admirers with a straight
face, one who is transparent
in his actions and most of
all, with a high sense of
moral ascendancy and accountability.
And most of all, one who
can talk sense.
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solely those of the author(s).
MARCH 2014
5
Manila Feedback
Father Fernando Suarez: I forgive and
Aquino’s attempt to
revise Edsa revolt saga pray for my detractors
By Tina G. Santos
By Amando Doronila
“I know myself and God
knows who I am.”
This is what “healing priest”
Fr. Fernando Suarez has to
say about criticism of how
his Mary Mother of the Poor
(MMP) Foundation has been
handling its finances and to
allegations that he is living a
lavish lifestyle.
In shifting the celebration of
the 28th anniversary of the
1986 People Power revolution from Manila to Cebu
City on Tuesday, President
Aquino undertook the revision of history: refocusing it
to the role of the Aquino
family in the overthrow of
the Marcos dictatorship and
the restoration of Philippine
democracy.
Speaking in Cebu, the President said it was in that city,
not in Manila, where the
struggle to restore democracy began its “first chapter.”
This assertion downgraded
the importance of the
THE HEALING PRIEST’S RICH...
foundation had spent money left and right without
supporting documents.
Examples:
The foundation acquired the
Little Bridge Resort in
Butong, Taal town in Batangas province, saying it paid
P55 million out of the total
purchase price of P74 million.
There were no documents
to support the transaction.
The foundation reimbursed
spouses Bong and Elvie Garcia $850,727.20 using its
dollar account, supposedly
for the donation of the Sto.
Nino chapel in Pagkilatan,
Batangas City.
What was the reimbursement for if the chapel was
donated?
Construction work for the
Tabernacle 3 of St. Peter’s
Chapel in Butong, Taal, Batangas at P17,827,412.04 in
2008 and 2009.
There were no documents
proving the amount was
donated.
Donation of P7,249,950 by
events at Edsa triggered by
the military uprising against
the Marcos regime, followed
by the civilian mass movement that backed then defense minister Juan Ponce
Enrile and then vice chief of
staff Fidel Ramos in their
breakaway from Marcos,
knocking down the latter’s
main pillar of support. In
other words, the military
revolt served as the catalyst
of the people power revolution, starting the collapse of
the repressive dictatorship
that ruled the country for 14
years.
Teresa Chan for the acquisition of a 102,795-sq m property, but only P3,101,850
was booked.
Many rich people healed by
Father Suarez have given
him hundreds of thousands
and even millions of pesos
out of gratitude.
But when asked why his
foundation was short on
finances, the priest was reportedly heard saying: “Sa
akin binigay ang pera. Bakit
ko ibibigay sa aking foundation (The money was given
to me. Why should I give it
to my foundation)?”
Suarez’s high living led to
the resignations of Archbishop Chito Tagle as chair
of Mother Mary of the Poor
Foundation on Sept. 27,
2012; Antonio Tambunting
as vice chair on Oct. 2, 2012;
and Jun Mangilit as treasurer on Oct. 3, 2012.
***
SMC under Ang donates to
worthy causes.
The firm’s more than P1billion donation for the rehabilitation of Eastern Visayas after the devastation
wrought by Supertyphoon
“Yolanda” makes it one of
“I know that all the criticisms and lies that have
been published will help me
become a better person, a
better priest,” Suarez said
on Saturday through his
spokesperson,
Deedee
Siytangco, who is a member
of MMP’s board of directors
and has been his devotee
since 2006.
Siytangco said she had
known Suarez for more than
nine years.
“I’m among those people
touched by his ministry. I
had a brain tumor before
but with the help of a good
doctor and Father Suarez’s
prayer, I was healed,” she
said.
Suarez returned to Manila
Friday night after a nine-day
pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Siytangco told the Inquirer
by telephone that Suarez
was unavailable for an interview, as the priest was on a
“perpetual adoration” and
had asked her to speak for
him.
No need to explain
“Father Suarez feels he
doesn’t need to explain any-
In this INQUIRER file photo taken sometime in August 2011, Father Fernando Suarez dips
his fingers inside a bottle to bless its water during a healing Mass attended by some
50,000 people
thing. He said he had forgiven all of his detractors and
he would pray for them. For
all these trials, he said he
was privileged to have suffered with Jesus at this time
when we are commemorating Lent,” she said.
Siytangco said she looked
forward to the joint statement that MMP and San Miguel Corp. (SMC) reportedly
would release to announce
the termination of a deal for
the donation of a 33-hectare
SMC property in Alfonso
town, Cavite province, to
Suarez’s foundation.
“But for you to say it’s a
‘collapsed deal’ is going
ahead of us,” she said.
As for the funds for building
a Marian shrine on the SMC
property, Siytangco said the
money was intact and
“funds are still coming as we
speak.”
“We can start the project
already. We don’t have all
the funds but once we start
it, more funds will come in
for sure,” she said.
On insinuations that Suarez
mishandled the foundation’s
finances, Siytangco said the
priest was “above all these.”
“He’s not the foundation. We
have a treasurer, we have
audited statements, funds
are spent well,” she said.
“It’s just so sad that some
people are trying to put
down a priest who only
wants to heal. There seems
to be a concerted effort to
have him defrocked, his
ministry stopped,” she said.
Siytangco also defended
Suarez from allegations that
he was living a lavish lifestyle.
“He doesn’t even own a
watch. Most of his T-shirts
are given to him by friends
but he gives them to other
priests. He wears Crocs sandals but they’re fake, also
given to him,” she said.
She acknowledged that Suarez watched the French
'Walk of shame' PH mayor
provokes outrage
Agence France-Presse
MANILA - A Philippine
mayor who forced a man to
walk in public with a sign
saying he stole fish was denounced by the government's rights body Wednesday amid online outrage.
In a clip shown by local ABSCBN television and uploaded on the video sharing site
YouTube, the unidentified
man had his hands bound
behind his back with a bag
of dried fish hanging from
the knot, and a poster stating "I am a thief" taped to
his shirt front.
A group of men identified by
the network as local government security personnel
laughed and taunted the
bound man, forcing him to
kneel in front of a fishmonger to ask for her forgiveness.
"There is a clear, gross violation of human rights here,"
Commission on Human
Rights chief Loretta Ann
Rosales told AFP.
"While he was not physically harmed, he was treated
with indignity and psychologically punished," she added.
"Only the court can determine guilt and punishment.
There was no due process."
Rosales said Mayor Thony
Halili should be investigated
for abuse of power for his
role in allegedly ordering
the "shame campaign".
It was unclear when the clip
was made. The mayor could
not be reached for comment
by AFP on Wednesday.
But he told another Manila
television network, GMA, in
an interview that he had
ordered the public shaming.
"He is a recidivist. I had no
other way of making him
stop other than shaming
him," Halili added.
The controversy came just
days after the United States
criticized the Philippines for
failing to curb human rights
abuses, which it said included extrajudicial killings and
widespread abuse of power
and corruption.
Rosales demanded that the
MARCH 2014
6
News
On the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ installation
POPE TWEETS: “PRAY FOR ME”
Aquino’s attempt to revise EDSA...
March 13, 2013
The EDSA REVOLT. Faded photos of the 1986 People Power.
In a retreat house about 24 kms away from the Vatican’s frescoed
halls is where Pope Francis is spending the first anniversary of his
installation as the head of the church. Consistent with what he requested the faithful to do that historic night, he tweets to his more
than 12 million followers: “PRAY FOR ME”.
FAITHFUL TOLD: LIVE SIMPLE...
continues to define the trait
of poverty in the country
and the rest of the world.
And in a separate pastoral
statement, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal
Tagle urged members of the
flock to make donations to
programs that feed children
in disaster-stricken areas to
mark Lent.
Tagle said the back-to-back
natural and man-made disasters that recently struck
the country brought about
“widespread hunger and
misery among the people,” a
situation that calls Filipinos
to do charitable acts.
Ash Wednesday marks the
beginning of the 40-day season of Lent, which culminates on Easter Sunday.
Catholics observe the day by
going to church and having
a priest trace ashes on their
forehead in the form of a
cross to remind them of the
mortality of man.
“This Lenten season, Christ
invites all, but especially the
laity, to oppose degrading
and dehumanizing poverty
and to embrace humanizing
and sanctifying poverty. In
other words, He invites us
to imitate His example,”
read the pastoral message
issued on Monday by CBCP
president
LingayenDagupan Archbishop Soc
Villegas.
“Particularly, we are invited
to practice material poverty
by taking up a simple lifestyle and works of mercy
and justice to attend to the
poor and aim for an economy of inclusion…” Villegas
said.
The CBCP said Filipinos
were being called to lead
lives
marked
by
a
“consistent and liberating”
detachment from worldly
possessions, power and social status, among other
things.
This kind of detachment
allows one to be more sensitive and to respond to the
poor, it added.
Aside from encouraging the
Filipino faithful to live simply, the CBCP urged them to
exercise moral poverty.
“We are to exercise moral
poverty by strengthening
our resolve to practice solidarity with the neglected
and to denounce injustice
and all forms of radical inequality,” the CBCP said.
In his pastoral statement,
Tagle urged the faithful to
fast and abstain and support
the Manila Archdiocese’s
feeding program, Fast2Feed,
which provides food to children in Zamboanga, Bohol,
Cebu and in areas hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda.
Fast2Feed is the Hapag-Asa
feeding program of Pondo
ng Pinoy. It has fed more
than one million children
since its launch in 2005. The
faithful are urged to fast
during Lent and donate the
money they save on food to
feed the children through
Fast2Feed. ∎
Where was Cory Aquino, the
President’s mother and
leader of the emasculated
political opposition, when
the turmoil sparked by the
military broke out? She was
in Cebu, far away from the
center of action in military
camps at Edsa (Camp
Aguinaldo, headquarters of
the defense department,
and Camp Crame, headquarters of the Philippine Constabulary led by Ramos).
She had sought refuge in a
religious safe house in Cebu,
while the rebel forces and
the loyalist segment of the
Armed Forces led by Gen.
Fabian Ver were locked in a
standoff, in the struggle to
take control of the Feb. 2225 revolution, as civilians
mobilized by the call of Cardinal Jaime Sin to go to the
streets to protect the beleaguered rebel forces flooded
Edsa to confront tanks and
armored vehicles sent by
Ver to storm Camp Crame.
In his revisionist speech in
Cebu, Mr. Aquino said:
“Those at Edsa were not the
only ones who joined the
revolt, right? There are
those in Cebu, Davao and so
many [other] places.” It’s
about time we recognized
that Edsa people power involved the struggle of Filipinos all over the country, “not
just [those] in Metro Manila,”
he told reporters.
The President also said Cebu
could be credited with representing the “first chapter” in
the struggle to restore democracy. He recalled that it
was in Cebu where his mother called for civil disobedience and the boycott of Marcos crony enterprises in protest against the rigging of the
1986 snap election. “If we
could say that the last chapter in the struggle for democracy happened on Edsa, perhaps we could say that the
first chapter happened in
Cebu,” he said. “I was at ease
then that my mother was in
Cebu. She was in good hands.
Those who wanted to harm
her would not succeed because she was in the company of ardent supporters.”
The walkout of computer
personnel from the Commission on Elections which
counted fraudulent election
results showing that Marcos
won the election ahead of
Cory destroyed the credence
of the official results. The ratification of the official results
by the rubber-stamp Batasang Pambansa which proclaimed Marcos the winner
despite the cheating sparked
nationwide outrage and
Cory’s call for civil disobedience and boycott. As a prelude to the people power
demonstrations at Edsa,
more than a million people
jammed the Luneta in response to Cory’s call.
The shift of the venue of the
Edsa anniversary celebration
to Cebu marked an attempt
by the President to emphasize Cory’s role in mobilizing
mass protests in unseating
Marcos. This interpretation
ignores and downgrades the
military’s role in unseating
Marcos. The speech had no
reference to the military as
one of the key players of the
uprising. It, however, refocused on Cory’s role in Cebu,
while the military was hogging the stage in the struggle
for control of the revolt between the Enrile-Ramos forces and the loyalist forces. Cory’s refuge in Cebu
completely sidelined her
from center of the action at
Edsa.
It was only after the bulk of
the military establishment
had defected to join the rebel
forces in Camp Crame that
Cory returned to Manila to
reestablish her presence
while the Marcos regime was
crumbling swiftly. At this
stage, Cory declared support
for the Enrile-Ramos mutiny.
Enrile and Ramos were conspicuously absent in the Cebu
celebration on Feb. 25. Their
absence was understandable.
Their role was completely
ignored by the President. His
revisionist speech put back
his mother in the center of
the revolution and depicted
her as the entral figure in the
restoration of democracy.
The speech was to remind us
that we are indebted to her
for having been the rallying
point of civilian participation
in the people power mass
movement that flooded Edsa.
It was this demonstration
that may have made the military realize that it alone could
not seize power without mass
civilian support.
This visible mandate of the
people rallying around Cory
could not be ignored when
the military and civilian leaders of the insurrection were
considering who should lead
the provisional revolutionary
government after Marcos fled
the country.
In the oathtaking ceremony
of the new leadership in Club
Filipino on Feb. 25, Cory arrived late because of a fierce
debate between the military
and civilian leaders over
whether she should be sworn
in at Club Filipino, a civilian
venue, or at Camp Crame, the
center of the revolt. Cory and
her civilian advisers insisted
on Club Filipino. This decision defined the balance of
power between the civilians
and the military in the postEdsa years.
The credit for this supremacy belongs to the people
who filled Edsa to end the
dictatorship. We owe them
for the restoration of democracy, not the Aquino
family. ∎
www.filipinosmakingwaves.com
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MARCH 2014
7
Filipinos Making Waves
No fear, no walls for armless Fil-Am 'Let It Go' composer on Oscar win:
'Pinoy pride!'
By Kristine Felisse Mangunay
By Yong Chavez, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
posed of people with disabilities
(PWDs).
Fil-Am composer to hold benefit show for 'Yolanda' survivors
ing “Let It Go.”
“Desire is 80 percent of success.
Walls are only there to stop people
who don’t want it badly enough,”
the 31-year-old Cox said at a jampacked hall in Frontera Verde, Pasig
City.
“DESIRE, persistence and fearlessness will
help anyone accomplish anything,” says
Jessica Cox, shown here after tying her
shoelaces using her feet during her talk in
Pasig City. ALEXIS CORPUZ
She decided to take off her prosthetic arms at age 14 and had since been
“celebrating” life.
This month, the couple will hold a
benefit show for typhoon “Yolanda”
victims.
Lopez is now the youngest awardwinner in four of the most prestigious award-giving bodies in the
United States -- the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars and Tony Awards.
“When we say ‘we can’t,’ we set up
ourselves for failure. Before you say
‘I can’t,’ say ‘I’ll try,’” she added.
“Desire, persistence and fearlessness will help anyone accomplish
anything.”
Video excerpts from “Rightfooted,” a
soon-to-be-finished documentary
on her life, were flashed onscreen
during her talk, showing how Cox
not only overcame her limitations
but surpassed people’s expectations
of a person born without arms.
And that continuing celebration can
now be divided into several chapters: She finished college, learned to
play the piano and drive a car,
earned a black belt in taekwondo,
got into scuba diving, became a licensed pilot—and of course, before
all that, learned to put on her own
makeup.
One clip captured her as a blooming
newlywed using her foot to share
the wedding cake with husband
(and personal taekwondo instructor) Patrick Chamberlain during the
reception. Others showed her using
her feet to drive a car and write on a
piece of paper.
With a life story that has inspired
people
worldwide,
FilipinoAmerican Jessica Cox was in town
last week to deliver her message of
hope to an audience mostly com-
The documentary is directed by Emmy Award winner Nick Spark.
Hopefully, the last segments of the
Documentary
"Let It Go" is a worldwide hit and
Robert said he is excited to hear its
Tagalog version.
Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
HOLLYWOOD, California – "Frozen"
composer Robert Lopez, who won
Best Song at the 86th Academy
Awards on Monday (Manila time)
for the hit "Let It Go," dedicated his
victory to fellow Filipinos.
"Thanks, Filipinos! Pinoy pride!"
Lopez told ABS-CBN North America
News Bureau shortly after winning
his award. “I just want them to
know that it doesn't matter what
you look like, doesn't matter where
you're from, if you work hard and
pursue your dream, it can happen."
Lopez and his wife and co-writer,
Kristen Anderson Lopez, also
thanked their children in their
speech for the inspiration in creat-
Meanwhile, “Frozen” co-director
Jennifer Lee, who received the Best
Animated Film award for the movie,
said she was honored to be wearing
a design by Filipino Oliver Tolentino.
"I'm so honored to be wearing this.
His talent is beyond belief and he's
so lovely to work with," she said.
"Tayong mga Pilipino, gusto nating
gawain lahat para mag-serve tayo as
inspiration to the other designers,
too,” Tolentino said. “Kasi alam ko
lahat ng mga designers yan din ang
inaasam-asam."
In total, 24 individuals and groups
won trophies at the 2014 Oscars.
Among the big winners were
“Gravity,” “12 Years a Slave” and
“Dallas Buyers Club.”∎
MARCH 2014
8
Filipinos Making Waves
TO ADVERTISE please email at filipinonews-
FilCan is Second Runner Up Filipina named academic dean of
Columbia Journalism School
in Star Bellydancer Canada
YORK —Dean Steve Coll anCompetition Fusion Category NEW
nounced recently that Filipina Sheila
a great fitness workout, to simply
get in shape in both body and
spirit," she said.
The competition had 3 categories:
Folkloric, Cabaret and Fusion Bellydance. The Fusion category
where Ishra won is the most innovative of all the sections. It allows
bellydance to be fused with other
dance forms.
In Ishra's winning repertoire, she
fused the articulations of bellydance with the jumps and spins
of Ballet and the fiery footwork of
Flamenco, "to create an incredibly
dynamic piece that was sure to
wow the audience," she added.
Ishra Shirley Blanco in her winning form.
Photo courtesy of Mogi Mogado
A FilCan dancer's foray into the
sultry world of bellydancing has
earned her one of the contest's
top honors in Canada.
Filipino Canadian born Ishra
Shirley Blanco won the 2nd Runner Up title in the Fusion Category
at the Star Bellydancer Canada
Competitions held in Toronto on
February 9, 2014.
On hand to vie for the honors
were the best bellydancers from
across the country. The judges,
coming from Egypt, Cambodia,
Palestine and Canada were equally distinguished professionally, in
addition to being conversant and
knowledgeable of the bellydancing culture.
According to Ishra, in the last few
years bellydancing has enjoyed a
gradual surge into a popular distraction in Canada and globally, as
top entertainment for its fans, and
as a passionate obsession for its
practitioners. Like the Hula dance
that has captive following, bellydancing commands a widening
audience, those from the Middle
East where it originated, and
many more new adherents that
have come to love its body language.
"It is an Arabic folk dance, driven
by torso gyrations, shakes and
articulations, that evolved into
performance art, and now also as
Coronel will become dean of academic
affairs at Columbia Journalism
School, succeeding Bill Grueskin.
Coronel will assume the role on July 1,
2014.
“Sheila is a superb journalist, teacher
and leader,” said Dean Coll. “Her deep
commitment to investigative reporting,
data science and global journalism Top journalist Sheila Coronel
make her ideally positioned to advance
the school’s most important priorities.
Coll also said, “Sheila will inherit an
“She has earned the great respect of office that has been superbly led for six
her faculty colleagues and has done years by Bill Grueskin, who has creamuch to improve the school since she tively and inclusively led the faculty
arrived here. She has also established through important innovation in the
herself as a media leader through her school’s curriculum. Bill is a deeply
service to groups working to advance intelligent journalist and industry exinvestigative journalism worldwide pert.”
Schooled in the Arts (Theatre and and to protect reporters under pressure. I look forward to learning from
Acting at York University) she
was drawn to the beauty of Bel- her and supporting her new leadership
lydance and has never looked role at Columbia.”
back since. In pursuit of well(Continued from page 7)
rounded excellence she has studied other dance artforms and NO FEAR, NO WALLS FOR ARMLESS FIL-AM
trained with world-renowned artists and masters. Her body of
work so far continues to be exemplary and remarkable.
Among her seminal performances
include- as featured dancer in
Guelph Jazz Festival's Opera
"Quebicite", and with the Kitchener/Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, at the International Bellydance Conference of Canada,
and the Great Lakes Bellydance
Convention in Michigan; and live
performances with renowned musicians as Juno nominated Eccodek, Award-winning Middle
Eastern Light of East Ensemble,
internationally recognized Cuneyt
Yetkiner and Adrian Raso, as well
as Bhadra Collective.
me that (trait),” she said of mom Inez, a
native of Bonbon, Mercedes, Eastern
Samar province. If there was anything
she had inherited from Inez, it must be
her “resilience,” Cox said.
The proud daughter admitted, however, that she was not that much of a
fighter as a young girl. She used to have
prosthetic arms to hide her condition.
Embrace possibilities
But when she turned 14, she decided
take them off—and embrace the possiFilipino-American motivational speaker Jessica bilities.
Cox continues to inspire Filipinos. Cox, the
first armless in aviation history to earn a pilot's certificate, travels the world to share her
life's lessons on how to overcome difficulties.
Photo: Manny Palmero for ABS-BNnews.com
project would be filmed in the Philippines, Chamberlain, who was there to
cheer his wife on at the Pasig event,
She was a cover girl of Canada's told the Inquirer.
Premiere English-Language Bel- A psychology graduate from the Unilydance journal Mid-Bits Maga- versity of Arizona, Cox entered the
zine. Finally, she authored and Guinness Book of World Records in
published her ﬁrst bellydance 2011 for piloting an aircraft using her
children's book "My Mom Has a feet, on a license she earned in 2008
Dancing Belly" which her graphic after three years of training. She is also
artist sister Grace illustrated.
a certified scuba diver.
Currently, she is Artistic Director
of InvoketressDance based in
Guelph, Ontario where she teaches the eternal art of bellydancing
for fun and exercise.∎
Coronel, who joined the school in 2006
as the Toni Stabile professor of Profes-
Cox has toured about 18 countries as a
motivational speaker, with the latest
talk bringing her to her mother’s home
country.
“I’m a fighter, she’s a fighter. She gave
“I am most proud of maturing from
someone who was angry and upset
about being differently abled to someone able to celebrate that,” she once
said in an interview with BBC.
The same statement was printed on a
tarpaulin banner at the stage where
she spoke on Feb. 25.
“We wanted people with disabilities to
be inspired by the speaker…who successfully overcame being born without
arms to achieve everything ‘normal’
people do,” said John Silva, executive
director of Ortigas Foundation Inc.,
which organized the event.
About 700 people turned up to listen to
Cox, including PWDs, Silva noted. Donations made during the program
would go to PWD organizations and to
the completion of the documentary,
according to the foundation. ∎
MARCH 2014
9
News
CHRISTINA ON ENRILE: WOMAN...
asked if Reyes was the reason she wanted to leave Enrile that time.
“Because I had heard that
she was already too long
‘coz he [had] had many girls
before Gigi, many girls. But
they [did] not last too long,
[but] with Gigi, it lasted
long,” she recalled.
“Somebody told me that it’s
not only this time. It’s more
years than you don’t know
[about]. So that’s what got
me.”
Still, the wife came to the
husband’s defense in the
face of allegations that he
channeled huge portions of
his Priority Development
Assistance Fund (PDAF) to
bogus organizations put up
by Janet Lim-Napoles.
“I don’t think that Johnny is
that stupid,” she said. “I
don’t think so, I don’t think
so, I don’t believe that he’s
involved at all.”
Just as convinced was Cristina that her husband had
nothing to do with smuggling in Cagayan, a running
allegation in Enrile’s political base.
“No, no, that I can vouch for
it,” she said, recalling one
meeting where Enrile sup-
posedly told those in attendance: “I don’t want to know
that anybody tries to smuggle anything, even toothpick.”
Of all the women involved
with Enrile—Cristina counted 38 affairs—it was only
Reyes that prompted her to
fly to the United States and
seek divorce. She said she
eventually reconsidered after Enrile told her, “Over my
dead body.”
Cristina said she had met
Reyes “only one time,” but
preferred not to go into details, other than that she
saw the ex-chief of staff in
the other house in the compound where Enrile was
staying.
“It was not nice,” she told
Monsod, who then asked,
“And you gave it to her?”
“Oh yes,” she replied. “I decided, alsa balutan [time to
pack my bags] and try to get
a divorce.”
By her own admission, Cristina was not one to take her
husband’s
womanizing
lightly, at least early in their
marriage. She said he began
fooling around “after about
six months after my first
child.”
The couple has two children, Katrina and Juan
Ponce “Jack” Jr., a former
congressman.
Roller-coaster marriage
Cristina admitted that she
once stormed the house of
an alleged Enrile mistress
and fired at the gate. Next
stop was Enrile’s office
where she made a mess.
HEALING PRIEST FR. SUAREZ...
“It’s like a roller-coaster,”
she said, referring to her
long marriage with Enrile.
“He’s
not
a
palikero
[playboy]. The women are
the ones who [offered themselves to him].”
“Would he bite?” Monsod
asked. “Oh, definitely,” she
replied, recalling how Enrile
would supposedly ogle girls
whenever they had dinner
outside, say, in a hotel lobby.
“When he looks around like
that and follows the girl, I
tell myself, “Uh-oh, and I’m
correct.”
When she returned home
after a failed attempt to divorce Enrile, she said he and
Reyes “lay low” for a while.
“I don’t think it’s an affair
anymore. I think it’s a necessity …” she said.
Asked if she still loved her
husband, she said: “I think
the word is an affection that
I have because he’s the father of my children and I
respect him for that.” ∎
Under the agreement, San
Miguel will donate the land
on condition the MMP foundation would build the project within a span of four
years but up to now San Miguel has not been shown any
signs that the project is to
become a reality.
Reports had it that MMP embarked and spent millions to
fund several projects in Batangas and other places but
could not account or explain
for those expenses.
A spokesperson for Fr. Suarez, Ms. Deedee Sytancgo,
who had served under former President Cory Aquino,
said all of MMP foundations
finances are “aboveboard”.
Fr. Suarez became famous as
a healing priest during his
stay in Toronto, Canada
when news about him allegedly resurrecting a dead
woman spread.
Since then, he has conducted
“healing sessions” but the
Toronto Diocese learned of
his activities and banned
him from saying mass and
his healing activities.
In the Philippines, he was
also banned in Pangasinan,
in Malolos and other dioceses.
In 2013, Fr. Suarez was in-
Scale model of the proposed
Mary Mother of the Poor shrine
vited by a friend Rosemer
Enverga, wife of senator Tobias Enverga, to the Pinoy
Fiesta.
Mrs. Enverga is an active
church worker at the Our
Lady of Assumption church
(OLA) where she does some
fund-raising activities for
typhoon victims such as
“Ondoy” and lately, “Yolanda”.
Suarez graced the Pinoy Fiesta festival only as a “guest”
but did not officiate mass
nor did any healing session.
Here in Toronto, news reports on Suarez shocked
many of his followers and
believers.
Wave News is quoting some
excerpts from the various
reports from Manila for the
readers to ponder and evaluate. Related stories are on
pages 3 and 5.∎
MARCH 2014
10
Community - Making Waves
Ambassador Gatan’s Portrait Session with the Philippine Artists Group of Canada
By Michelle Chermaine Ramos
of the afternoon having their portraits
sketched. Joining the artists for her first live
sketching session was Consul General Junever Mahilum-West who became an honorary PAG member last year and impressed
everyone with her artistic skills in portraiture.
Maestro Romi MananQuil, wife Necie MananQuil
and Ambassador Gatan pose as Ambassador Gatan points at the Maestro’s two sketches of him
and Mrs. Gatan above.
Ambassador Leslie Gatan and Mrs. Debbie
Gatan hosted a private birthday luncheon
for Mrs. Gatan organized by Beth Vasquez at
Tako Sushi in Mississauga on February 22,
2014 where the Philippine Artists Group of
Canada joined them with their families. The
celebration continued at the LVAC gallery in
Etobicoke where the couple spent the rest
PAG artists present at the lunch and portrait
session were:
Rolly Abarilla,
Jun Afable, Teody Asuncion,
Marissa Buyco
Corpus, Jhun
Diamante, Gene
Lopos,
Romi
MananQuil,
Omel
Masalunga,
Toots
Quiachon,
Michelle Chermaine Ramos,
Mark Edison
Salinas, Frank Mrs. Debbie Gatan poses with
and
Nelia her portrait sketched by artist
Michelle Chermaine Ramos.
Tonido. ∎
Ambassador Leslie Gatan watches as the artists sketch Mrs. Debbie
Gatan’s portrait. L-R: Ambassador Leslie Gatan and Mrs. Debbie Gatan pose in front of their freshly sketched portraits with the Philippine Artists Group of Canada at the LVAC Gallery in Etobicoke where
they celebrated Mrs. Gatan’s birthday. L-R: Rolly Abarilla, Michelle
Chermaine Ramos, Frank Tonido, Jhun Ciolo Diamante, Maestro Romi MananQuil, Omel Masalunga and Consul General Junever Mahilum-West who joined the PAG for her first live portrait sketching
session.
Association of Filipino Canadian Accountants (AFCA) welcome its newest members
AFCA new President Mercy Gonzales, and other officers, with the newly inducted new members of AFCA on March 1, 2014 at Versailes Convention Centre. Photo A. Ramos
MARKHAM FILIPINOS
RAISE $140,000 FOR
A MARKHAM VILLAGE
IN PALO, LEYTE
TO HOUSE HAIYAN
VICTIMS
The Filipino community and
their friends in Markham,
Ontario have fundraised
$140,000 to build a Markham
Village in Palo, Leyte, in a
continuing effort to help with
victims of typhoon Haiyan in
the Philippines.
ary 26, 2014.
Led by Councillor Alex Chiu
and the Markham Federation
of Filipino Canadians, the
housing project was unveiled
in formal ceremonies at
Markham City Hall on Febru-
Two cheques for $70,000
each were presented to
Gawad Kalinga Canada and
ANCOP (Answering the Cry of
the Poor) International. Both
organizations will build 20
two-level homes each, on
sites adjacent to each other, making upone village. It
will include the required
community facilities.
"We opted to go for a Markham Village as a tangible and
lasting symbol of the generosity of the people of Markham, beginning with our
Mayor Frank Scarpitti, and
our City Council, and the
countless friends and supporters of our Filipino community", said Councillor Alex
Chiu.
Presenting Cheques for Markham Village Project in Palo, Leyte: (L to R) Markham Federation of Filipino
Canadians Chair Yoly Ladines; Councillors Allan Ho, Don Hamilton,Logan Kanapathi; guest John Tidball;
Jun Clarita, Alex Ascano of ANCOP; Jojo Querubin of Gawad Kalinga; Sunny Paragas of ANCOP; Consul
General Junever Mahilum-West; Councillor Alex Chiu; Regional Councillor Gord Landon; Councillor Colin
Campbell; guests Rosita Tam and Benson Sy; and Agnes Manasan Of Gawad Kalinga. Photo courtesy of
Mogi Mogado.
"It's our way of helping the
victims of typhoon Haiyan in
that part of the homeland to
pick up their lives again, a
legacy I hope that will connect Markham to Palo, Leyte
for generations to come", he
added.
It will be the second project
of this kind that Councillor
Chiu has undertaken in the
Philippines. In 2012 a namesake "Village of Markham",
with 51 low-cost homes built
with funds raised under his
initiative and partnership
with the Markham Federation of Filipino Canadians,
was inaugurated in Las Pinas
City.
"The Las Pinas Village of
Markham model is thriving. It
continues to bond our peoples together in enduring
friendships and common aspirations. Palo Leyte Markham Village certainly promises to deliver the same positive outcome", said Councillor Chiu, the kababayan local
politician with the record,
longest unbroken term of 28
years in Markham City Council at present. PR
MARCH 2014
11
Community
Hadrian Trudeau
Welcome to the world,
little Hadrian. 8 lbs 3 oz.
Sophie is wonderful.
Xavier and Ella-Grace couldn’t be
prouder.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU, MP
Congratulations!
Scarborough’s Golden Girls. Mercy Maliglig, Aida D’Orazio, Tess
Cusipag and Lurvie D’Blois at the recent Rafael Fabregas campaign
launch for nomination of the Liberal Party MP race. Photo by Geny
Toribio.
At Pinoy New Talent Singing Idol contest held recently: Pinoy Radio’s
Von Canton, guest Zena “Elvis” Zagala & emcee Philip Beloso of TFC.
FV Food top honcho Mhel Galeon and his staff pose for posterity with Medwin Marfil, member of True
Faith band, after their Toronto concert held recently. Photo by Ariel Ramos.
Fiesta Filipina Dance Group performed the time-honoured-dance known as TINIKLING at the AFCA Gala
on March 1, 2014 at Versailes Concention Centre. Photo by Ariel Ramos.
Sarah (heiress of Eva's Salon and Spa) celebrated her 17th birthday
at Eva Agpaoa's house on March 6, 2014 with her classmates. Photo
by Ariel Ramos
2013 Marshall McLuhan journalism fellow Eileen Mangubat shares her insights on community journalism in the light of typhoon “Haiyan” before members of the Philippine Press
Club of Ontario (PPCO) recently. Mangubat is publisher and editor-in-chief of the Cebu Daily News, an affiliate of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Photo by Ariel Ramos
MARCH 2014
12
Filipino news publishers, editors,
writers and friends welcome 2013
Marshall McLuhan journalism fellow
Eileen Mangubat
Chyrel Samson (with friend) is shown in costume after a successful
performance at the Bayan Bayanan sa Canada play staged on March
7-9, 2014. Photo by Romy Marquez
“WALK OF SHAME” PH
MAYOR
video be taken down from
the mayor's official Facebook page. By Wednesday,
it had been shared over
1,000 times.
"He had been under surveillance for some time," the
Facebook message on the
video
link
said.
On YouTube, the video drew
angry comments.
L-R front: Jess Carlos, Ores Ting, Tess Cusipag, Eileen Mangubat, Aida D’Orazio, Mercy Maliglig, Mogi
Mogado; L-R back: Teresa Torralba, Myrna Soriano, Carlo Figueroa of Canadian Embassy, Tenny Soriano,
Faye & Nestor Arellano & Mon Torralba. Photo by Romy Marquez
FR. SUAREZ : I forgive & pray
Open last year but claimed
that neither he nor the foundation spent for it.
“He was invited by a friend,
a Hindu, whom he helped
convert into Catholicism,”
she explained, adding that
Suarez plays tennis “to keep
his sanity.”
“He plays tennis and he’s
very good at it. He’s a champion. It’s also his exercise. Is
that wrong? He doesn’t play
poker,” she said.
“You know, those that were
published were half-truths
but if you don’t tell the other
truth, it becomes scandalous,” Siytangco said.
“We stand by him, the foundation stands behind him.
We will continue his ministry, healing, livelihood, all
the things that he does,” she
added.
Suarez will go to Occidental
Mindoro today, particularly
to Ilin, a remote town in the
province where a small
chapel was built by his followers, Siytangco said.
Ilin is among the beneficiary
communities of Suarez’s
charitable foundation.
“He will spend time there.
He has his ministry there,
livelihood, among others,
which we hope to replicate
in other parts of the country,” Siytangco added.
Ministry continues
Suarez will continue to de-
vote his time to his ministry,
Siytangco said.
“His ministry will continue
whether some bishops like
him or not. It’s just unfortunate that some old issues
have been dug up because of
the egos of some prelates,”
Siytangco said.
Several bishops reportedly
closed their doors on Suarez
because his healing ministry
had turned out to be a moneymaking venture and that
he was celebrating healing
Masses in their dioceses
without their permission.
Former Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines president and retired
Lingayen-Dagupan
Archbishop Oscar Cruz and
Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros
have confirmed the ban and
expressed disapproval of
Suarez’s activities.
But Siytangco stressed that
Suarez celebrates healing
Masses only when invited
and assured that it had permission from the bishop.
“And the collection during
Mass goes to the parish, not
to him,” Siytangco said.
“He doesn’t impose himself
on anybody, including the
two bishops who banned
him from their dioceses,”
she said, adding that Suarez
is welcome again in Pangasinan province because
Cruz has already retired.
“In Bulacan province, Bishop
Oliveros still wants him
banned but you know, it’s
his parishioners who are
disadvantaged, not Father
Suarez. These are poor people, many of whom can’t afford to go to doctors. Father
Suarez says, ‘If they ban me,
I have no job to do, I won’t
get tired,’” Siytangco said,
adding that Suarez stays for
hours during healing sessions and touches everybody.
“If there are 6,000 people in
the crowd, he will touch and
pray for each and every one
of them. But he always tells
people that he’s just a conduit of God. Now, if they
want to take that away from
him, fine. He’s welcome
abroad,” Siytangco said.
Siytangco took offense at
allegations that Suarez’s
healing ministry is a moneymaking venture.
“That’s not true. The rosaries and bracelets that we sell
are made by poor people,
it’s their livelihood. I’ve
talked to Archbishop Cruz
about it a few years ago and
told him, ‘Doesn’t the Vatican sell?’ People donate to
the foundation, how can that
be moneymaking?” she said.
Siytangco also clarified that
MMP still planned to build a
Marian shrine on the Cavite
property that SMC donated
to Suarez’s healing ministry
in 2010.
A scale model of the Marian
shrine shows a statue of the
Virgin Mary towering over a
cathedral, a livelihood center and a youth development center, among other
features.
SMC donated the property
"This type of barbarity still
with us? A shame," said a
user identified as Cat Black.
Other commenters accused
the government of singling
out petty criminals, while
turning a blind eye to corrupt officials.
While the Philippines is one
of Asia's freest democracies,
rights groups say it is afflicted by a "culture of impunity" where officials believe
they can commit abuses and
get away with it.
This has led to rampant killings of journalists and activists, as well as the routine
execution of petty criminals.
∎
to Suarez’s ministry on the
condition that he build the
shrine within five years.
the province and member of
the House of Representatives.
But after almost four years,
only a makeshift chapel, an
administrative office and
Stations of the Cross have
been built on the property. A
source familiar with SMC’s
role in the project said the
company, seeing no progress, had canceled the donation and was taking back
the land.
A Marian center is under
development on Mandanas’
property but Suarez’s ministry has nothing to do with it.
Mandanas told the Inquirer
on Friday that Suarez moved
his Marian shrine project to
Cavite in 2010 because the
SMC property was larger.
Siytangco denied that MMP
failed to present a viable
plan for the development of
the shrine.
“We intend to finish it. We
already spent P100 million
to develop the area, including the roads, among others.
We cannot put up the structure there without these developments. It’s not true
that we don’t have a development plan; we showed it
to them (SMC),” she said.
Smaller scale
Siytangco, however, said
MMP had planned to
“downsize” the project but
SMC rejected it.
“SMC wants the original
plan. But the plan that we
have is from the Batangas
project and we found out
that Batangas’ topography is
different from Cavite’s, so
we told them that we have
to downsize,” she explained.
Before the SMC donation,
MMP was supposed to build
the Marian shrine in Batangas City on a 5-ha property
owned by Hermilando Mandanas, a former governor of
Siytangco said there were
no plans to build the shrine
somewhere else, referring to
reports that MMP was moving the project to another
location.
“As we speak, it’s still in Cavite, unless SMC tells us they
want it back. If that happens,
we’ll give it back and thank
them. Then maybe look for
another place where we are
welcome, if it’s God’s will,”
she said.
“But you see, Father Suarez
has touched so many lives
there [in Cavite]. It has been
put to good use, many people were healed and converted,” she said.
She, however, added that
MMP had yet to sit down
with SMC for a discussion of
the Alfonso property.
Suarez, Siytangco said, will
celebrate Mass in the covered court that serves as a
makeshift chapel in his ministry center on the SMC
property on March 16.
The ministry center is called
Montemaria (Mary’s Mountain) and Suarez celebrates
Mass there every third Sunday of the month. ∎
MARCH 2014
13
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MARCH 2014
14
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15
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16
Why is it?
A man wakes up after sleeping
Under an ADVERTISED blanket
On an ADVERTISED mattress
And pulls off his ADVERTISED pyjamas
Shaves with an ADVERTISED razor
Brushes his teeth with an ADVERTISED toothpaste
Washes with an ADVERTISED soap
Puts on ADVERTISED clothes
Washed and cleaned with an ADVERTISED detergent
Drinks a cup of ADVERTISED coffee
Pick up an ADVERTISED cellphone
Drives to work in an ADVERTISED car
And then
Refuses to ADVERTISE
Believing it does not pay
Later when the business gets poor
He ADVERTISES it for sale.
WHY IS THAT?
MARCH 2014
17
Filipinos remember caregiverhero in Canada
By Veronica Silva, ABS-CBN Canada
Paris Hilton inaugurates a
world-class beach club in the
Philippines
The event was marked by an information session with Pinoy employment and immigration lawyers, who
continue to work with Pinoy migrant groups.
Tejada's former immigration lawyer, Rafael Fabregas, noted that the
Juana Tejada's landmark legacy is
still being challenged today.
Juana Tejada
CANADA– Filipino migrant groups
in Toronto commemorated the 5th
death anniversary of former Pinay
caregiver Juana Tejada.
Hailed as a local hero, Tejada paved
the way for the so-called "Juana
Tejada Law", a landmark legislation
which removed the need for a 2nd
medical exam for caregivers applying for permanent residency.
"We're still seeing live-in caregivers
being required by the immigration
department to undergo second
medical exams even though the regulations themselves say they don't
have to undergo the second medical
exam. That's a problem as the whole
point of the campaign with Juana
was to take that out altogether," Fabregas said.
Fabregas added the struggles of Pinoys in Canada inspired him to seek
public office, as a possible Member
of Parliament representing the Pinoy community in Toronto, home to
more than a hundred thousand Pinoys.
Tejada died in 2009 after losing her
battle to cancer. She was a former
member of the iWWorkers, a women's group fighting for the rights of
Pinays in Canada, mostly live-in
caregivers.
"I first met her when I was struggling with my own immigration,
employment and healthcare issues.
But what I saw in her at that time
was her strength. She's very softspoken, silent most of the time. But
that character actually inspired me,
because I saw that silence as a sign
of resilience," said Pinky Caneda
Paglingayen, former caregiver and
now settlement worker.
Tejada's sister Remy added,
"Pinaglaban nya ang kanyang
karapatan dahil alam nya na ito ang
tama".
Immigration lawyer Rafael Fabregas
Federal elections may not be until
next year but as early as now, Fabregas is trying to rally the Pinoy
community in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) to get another Pinoy MP
in Ottawa.∎
ism school.”
FILIPINA NAMED ACADEMIC DEAN...
Coronel is the author and editor of
more than a dozen books, including
“Coups, Cults & Cannibals,” a collection of reportage; “The Rulemakers:
How the wealthy and well-born
dominate Congress”; and “Pork and
other Perks: Corruption and Governance in the Philippines.”
sional Practice in Investigative Journalism and the director of the Toni
Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, is known globally for her
investigative work.
She was co-founder and for many
years, the director of the Philippine
Center for Investigative Journalism
(PCIJ), a pioneering nonprofit. As a
journalist in her native Philippines,
she reported on the turbulent democratic transition that followed the
fall of Ferdinand Marcos, writing for
Philippine newspapers as well as
The New York Times and the Guardian.
“I am honored and delighted to have
this opportunity to serve as academic dean of a great institution,”
said Coronel. “We are at a period of
uncertainty, as well as tremendous
possibility, for both journalism and
journalism education. It’s an exciting time to be at a top-tier journal-
She has received numerous awards
and widespread recognition of her
work, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2003, one of Asia’s
premier prizes. In 2011, she received the Presidential Teaching
Award, which honors Columbia University’s best teachers. She is a
member of Columbia Journalism
Review’s Board of Overseers.
She received an undergraduate degree in political science from the
University of the Philippines in
1979, and a master’s degree in political sociology from the London
School of Economics in 1991. Coronel will cntinue to teach and serve
as director of the Stabile Center.∎
American celebrity Paris Hilton poses during the inauguration of Paris Beach Club, her
first real estate project in the Philippines in partnership with Century Properties. For
the hotel heiress and socialite Hilton, this is just the start to many property ventures in
the Philippines.. Photo by Erik De Castro, Reuters
MARCH 2014
18
News
Half of Tacloban still
in the dark
By Joey A. Gabieta
Inquirer Visayas
photo by globalnation.inquirer.net
TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—More than three
months after Super Typhoon “Yolanda” pummeled
this city, more than half of
the residents are still without power supply.
“We are doing our best to
meet our deadline at least at
the barangay (village) level,”
said Rommel Moron, head of
the maintenance and supervision division of the Leyte
II
Electric
Cooperative
(Leyeco II).
Leyeco II has vowed to energize 19,139 houses in 115
villages before the end of
March. Tacloban has 138
villages with a total of
35,937 households.
Unless power supply is fully
restored, business and commerce would not be able to
resume full operations,
Mayor Alfred Romualdez
said.
The downtown area has
been fully re-energized, but
there are still areas where
business establishments do
not have electricity. Using
generator sets, they have
shortened operating hours.
Moron cited obstacles in
meeting their target of full
power restoration. For one,
he said, the truck ban im(Continued from page 5)
THE HEALING PRIEST’S RICH...
the biggest benefactors of
calamity victims.
The construction alone of
5,000 houses, each costing
P200,000, will amount to P1
billion.
That does not include the
construction of hundreds of
schoolhouses and the deployment of hundreds of
heavy equipment and personnel to help in the reconstruction of Eastern Visayas.
posed by Manila had affected Leyeco’s effort since
most of the materials needed, such as poles and transformers, come from Manila.
The Manila city government
has not allowed trucks to
use the streets from 5 a.m.
to 9 p.m. The schedule was
later revised to 10 a.m. to 3
p.m. following a truckers’
strike.
Tacloban-bound
trucks
loaded with the materials
and supplies were also not
given priority in passage at
the port in Matnog, Sorsogon province, to the port in
Allen town, Northern Samar
province, Moron said. Those
carrying relief packs move
much ahead.
Moron thanked other power
cooperatives in the country
for helping Leyeco II.
Among these were Cebu
Electric Cooperatives 1, 2
and 3, which sent a team of
577 engineers, linemen, barangay (village) electricians
and support staff.
Leyeco II has also initiated a
cash-for-work program for
100 people who were hired
to dig holes for the posts.
The volunteers work for 15
days and are paid P200 per
day, Moron said. ∎
It is therefore not surprising
that Ang pledged a billionpeso donation to build
Suarez’s shrine, thinking it
would be a pilgrimage site.
To SMC, the amount is peanuts given the money it sets
aside for corporate social
responsibility projects.
But it would have been very
unwise of Ang to continue
supporting a religious project whose initiator is living
the life of the rich and famous when his life should
be monastic.
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New classrooms and boats for
Yolanda survivors in Leyte and
Samar
Students in some areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda
will go back to school this
June with new classrooms,
as ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya has begun building seven new classrooms in Dulag
National High School in
Dulag, Leyte, and three
classrooms in Basiao Elementary School in Basey,
Samar.
Through the combined efforts of the local communities,
barangay
officers,
Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Philippine Navy
along with Sagip Kapamilya,
the classrooms are expected
to be finished by the end of
May, or before the new
school year starts.
The classrooms were designed by Energy Development Corporation to be typhoon-resistant and will be
furnished with arm chairs,
electric fans, and toilet facilities.
Sagip Kapamilya also continues to rebuild the livelihood of the typhoon victims.
Following the distribution of
fishing nets and more than
100 boats to some families
in Basey and Dulag, Sagip
Kapamilya will also put fish
processing facilities in Dulag
so that fishermen can further support their children's
education.
There are 4,000 boats more
to be distributed to the residents of Dulag, Basey, and to
Sta. Rita in Leyte and Marabut in Samar.
Sagip Kapamilya also eyes
other livelihood projects for
different barangays of Basey
and Dulag, including crab
cultivation,
agriculture,
weaving, and ecotourism.
As mandated by President
Noynoy Aquino through his
appointed Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation
and Recovery (PARR) Panfilo Lacson, ABS-CBN will
implement long-term rebuilding projects in the
towns of Dulag and Basey.
Sagip Kapamilya has also
widened its efforts by sending help to neighboring
towns Sta. Rita and Marabut.
Other typhoon-hit towns or
areas were also assigned to
various development partners of the government.
For updates on ABS-CBN's
Sagip Kapamilya rehabilitation projects for the typhoon Yolanda survivors
and donation details, log-on
to www.abs-cbnnews.com/
tulongph. ∎
Amerasians in Leyte chase fading dreams
By Danny Petilla
Amerasians also bear the
burden of dealing with
something beyond their
control.
WISHING FOR AMERICA. Jaime Noveda, an elderly Amerasian from
typhoon-stricken Palo town in Leyte province, is resigned to his fate
that he may never make it to the United States.
DANNY PETILLA/CONTRIBUTOR
PALO, Leyte—They call him
“Amerikano (the American).” With his good looks
and legs of pure muscle,
women
prefer
Ronnie
Philips Ulbrichts to be their
pedicab driver when they go
around town.
But despite his obvious appeal to passengers, the 48year-old Amerasian plies his
lowly trade every day with
an inner pain.
“I’ve always wanted to be
with my father in America
ever since I was small. Obviously, that has not happened,” Ronnie said in
Waray-waray.
Ronnie and his older brothers—Ernest, 50, and Patrick,
57—are the products of an
illegitimate union between
their mother, Consolacion
Fuentes, a native of Gacao
village in this town, and
Rudy Carl Ulbrichts, a US Air
Force serviceman assigned
to the then Clark Air Base in
Angeles City, Pampanga
province, in the late 1950s.
Ronnie, Ernest and Patrick
are just three of the estimated 20 Amerasians in this
town and part of the 52,000
more in the country who are
chasing lifelong dreams of
joining their fathers in
America and leading better
lives.
But even with American
blood in them, they continue
to be discriminated against
and denied the chance to
live in America.
US law
In a Catholic country that
stigmatizes
illegitimacy,
Their wishes of becoming
Americans have been largely frustrated by a US law
that bars Filipinos of American parentage from becoming US citizens. That law is
the Amerasian Immigration
Act of 1982, which welcomes Vietnamese, Korean,
Thai, Cambodian and Laotian Amerasians to come to
America to join their fathers.
The law excludes Filipinos
and Japanese.
March 4 is International
Amerasian Day. Its observance last week dramatized the neglect suffered by
the abandoned children of
broken Filipino-American
families with the end of the
United States’ 94-year military presence in the Philippines in 1992.
Broken families
The word Amerasian was
popularized by American
author Pearl S. Buck to describe children born to
American soldiers and Asian
mothers.
Half a world away in the
United States, Ronnie’s 83year-old American father,
Rudy, sits at BrightStar
Care’s nursing home in Min(Continued on page 19)
MARCH 2014
19
Charice World Tour
Saturday
March 29
TORONTO
Toronto, ON - International singing
sensation
Charice
Pempengco,
dubbed by Oprah Winfrey as the
“most talented girl in the world” is
coming to Toronto for the second
time on March 29 for her first-ever
Charice World Tour.
Charice will take the center stage at
the Global Kingdom Ministries at
Markham Rd., Scarborough with
The Voice USA finalist Cheesa. Canadian Idol finalist in 2007, Martha
Joy, will also be performing, an added bonus to the highly charged
evening of entertainment.
Charice has been busy preparing the
set list for the world tour and said
during a recent interview “This is
the new Charice… something that
fans will have to see. We’ve been
preparing not only the songs, but all
the other aspects. The world tour is
great way to start 2014.”
Charice World Tour will kick off in
the San Francisco Bay Area and Los
Angeles in the United States before
heading to Calgary and Toronto in
Canada. The tour will then continue
to Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and
Brisbane in Australia.
Toronto fans are looking forward to
Charice’s powerhouse performance
which they have witnessed in 2010
during the launching of her first international studio album Charice at
the Toronto Eaton Centre. Charice is
hoping to see most of the 6000 fans
that trooped to the centre four years
ago. The album proved to be a huge
success as it entered the Billboard
200 at 8th place, making her the first
Asian solo singer in history to land
in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200
albums chart.
She released her latest album, Chapter 10, in September, last year
which are mostly covers of her favorite pop songs and one original
song Unexpected Love. The album
includes covers of Titanium and The
One that Got Away by Katy Perry,
Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough by
Patty Smyth, When You Say Nothing
At All by Ronan Keating, How Could
an Angel Break my Heart by Toni
Braxton, Anything for You by Gloria
Estefan, Everything I do I do it for
You by Bryan Adams, Do You Know
Where You’re Going To by Diana
Ross, Makita Kang Muli (See You
Again) by Sugarfree and Yakap
(Embrace), a theme song for Filipino TV series Muling Buksan ang
Puso (Open Your Heart Again).
Her most successful single to-date,
Pyramid, features Iyaz and has been
charting the top 40 in the United
States, Australia, United Kingdom
and Canada. She amazed Oprah
when she sang the Pyramid vocals
live during its debut at the Oprah
Winfrey Show in 2010.
Parking around the church is available and Green P parking is just south of Dundas,
light refreshments will be served
She also recently released a new
single written by Bruno Mars, Before It Explodes, which is part of the
international sophomore studio album Infinity.
AMERASIANS IN LEYTE CHASE...
As an international celebrity,
Charice is no stranger to dominating
the top 10 billboard charts in Canada, Europe, South Korea and South
America. She awed audiences in Indonesia in 2010 and in Japan in
2012 with her sold-out concerts.
She has likewise sold out her album
in Japan.
In the 1960s, as Rudy roamed the
world fighting for America, Consolacion decided to go home to this
town and raise their sons here. Consolacion, who died in 2000, never
had the chance to join Rudy in the
United States.
Crossing over to television she
joined the cast of the hit US TV series Glee in the recurring role of
Sunshine Corazon, an exchange student from the Philippines. In describing Charice’s musical talent,
Glee executive music producer Ryan
Murphy said “When that girl opens
her mouth, angels fly out.” In the
film industry, she made a cameo
appearance in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel in 2009 and
played the role of student Maila de
la Cruz in Sony Pictures’ 2012 flick
Here comes the Boom which starred
Kevin James.
“My father is a good-looking man. I
respected him,” Ronnie said, describing the time he spent with his
father during a family outing in Baguio City in the 1970s.
Charice also performed at the Ellen
show in the US, at The Paul O’Grady
Show in London, England, and at
David Foster’s tribute concert Hitman: David Foster and Friends. She
has shared the stage with Canadian
singer Celine Dion and Italian tenor
Andrea Bocelli. Charice was discovered on YouTube.
His mistrust of people has a basis.
According to his son, Ernest, their
father was mugged and left for dead
in his hometown of Seattle, Washington, three years ago before he
decided to relocate and retire in
Minneapolis.
A portion of the proceeds from her
Toronto concert will be donated to
charitable non-profit organization
Gawad Kalinga (to give care) Canada to help in the rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts for typhoon Haiyan survivors in the Philippines.
Tickets are priced at $45, $65 and
$95. For event, sponsorship and
other information please contact
Sani Baluyot at 647.242.6949 or
Cheryl Cantojos at 647.962.2002;
toll free numbers, 1.855.855.3794
or send an e-mail to [email protected].
Tickets may also be purchased
online at https://
charice.primetimeeventsgroup.com
/seating/1. For updates on the Toronto concert please check https://
www.facebook.com/
ChariceWorldTourLiveinToronto.#
neapolis, Minnesota, waiting for any
news about his three sons from this
town.
Baguio interlude
“He showed me his car and told me:
Ronnie, I want you to have a car like
this,” Ronnie recounted.
Contacted in his room by phone in
Minnesota, the elder Ulbrichts was
informed about his sons’ wishes to
join him there. He seemed confused
about the sudden phone call and
said: “There’s a lot of crap going on.
I need receipts.”
Son accepted
His white skin darkened by exposure to the searing tropical heat
while driving a pedicab every day,
Ronnie has come to accept that he
might not have the chance to join
his father in the United States—
ever.
“I know I’m getting old. But what is
important is that he has come to
accept me as his own son,” Ronnie
said.
Although he did not finish his education, Ronnie is happy being a pedicab driver, which has allowed him
to support his wife, Judith, 41, and
three children—Julie Fay, 13, Ronnie Jr., 12, and Rhea Joy, 3.
Rudy thought of bringing his three
sons to the United States but he never took the first step of filing paternity petitions before they turned 18
years old, as required by the 1982
law, virtually eliminating any
chance for them of joining him in
America.
Dream still alive
“Despite our father being absent all
our lives, he sent us money and
helped us build our house,” Ernest
said. “Some of the fault is ours. We
could have pressed him early on to
bring us to America but we did not.”
But thanks to the global attention to
this town brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name:
Haiyan) and the “pivot to Asia” policy of US President Barack Obama
calling for increased military presence in the region, that dream may
be open again to Filipino Amerasians in the Philippines.
“I know my father is dead. But it
would be nice to touch base with my
brothers and sisters, if I have any, in
America,” said Jaime Noveda, a 67year-old retiree and son of James
Branson, an African-American soldier of the US Army who lived in the
US capital of Washington, DC.
No regrets
Noveda was born a few weeks after
his father left his mother, Presentacion Noveda, to go back to the United
States following the end of World
War II. Despite America’s door being slammed shut on him because of
his age, he has no regrets.
“My mother told me a little bit about
my father. To me, that is enough. I
am honored to have known him,
even though I did not get to see him
in person,” Noveda said.
There have been efforts in US Congress to correct the 1982 Amerasian
Act to include Filipino and Japanese
Amerasians. But the chief sponsor,
US Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii,
died in December 2012, leaving no
leader in Congress to advance their
cause.
Writing in The New York Times on
May 27, 2013, Christopher Lapinig,
a Filipino-American law student at
Yale University, urged the American
government to revive the cause of
the Filipino-Amerasians, noting that
Obama was about to make his “pivot
to Asia” policy.
“The United States has an opportunity for redemption—to make
sure that Filipino-Amerasians are
not left behind by the ship again,”
Lapinig wrote. ∎
MARCH 2014
20
Business
Forbes’ richest Pinoys
differ from BIR’s records’
By Delon Porcalla
Philstar
MANILA,
Philippines
Malacanang does not believe
that the 10 richest Filipinos
featured in Forbes magazine
are also the richest in the list
of the Bureau of Internal
Revenue (BIR).
Speaking to reporters, presidential spokesman Edwin
Lacierda yesterday said the
standards by which Forbes
draws up its list are different
from that which BIR Commissioner Kim Henares publishes. “What we publish as a
government is the list of actual taxes paid by the taxpayer and does not necessarily
reflect the total capital that is
owned by a billionaire,” he
said. “We take a look at their
tax returns.”
Lacierda did not say whether
these same persons would
end up as the country’s richest.
Each year, the BIR comes up
with a list of people who paid
the highest taxes – and the
country’s billionaires are not
on top of the list.
Lacierda said Henares has
explained this every year.
“The lists of the top taxpayers are based on the incomes
that they have earned,” he
said. “The list in Forbes reflects the total assets or the
total capital owned by a respective billionaire.”
As for the country’s Top 500
companies, the list “only
shows the income earned
and the taxes they pay with
respect to those incomes
earned,” Lacierda said.
local Canadian businesses
that have shifted their efforts
to this ethnic market.
A report of multicultural marketing company Ameredia on
its website confirms this vigorous market stating that Filipinos in the US have an annual buying power of $15 billion
with an annual median in-
Five simple ways to save on roaming’
-- just in time for March Break
- Marc Saltzman
Based on Forbes’ latest report, Filipino-Chinese businessman and shopping mall
tycoon Henry Sy and family
are still the richest people in
the Philippines and among
the top 100 billionaires in
the world. The Forbes 2014
list said the 89-year-old magnate and his family are
ranked 97th among billionaires, leading 10 Filipinos
and their families even after
their net worth dropped to
$11.4 billion from $13.2 billion in 2013.
Henry Sy and his family are still
the richest Filipinos, according to
Forbes magazine's 2014 global
billionaires' list
Travelling soon? Avoid ‘Phone Bill Phobia’ with these simple tips
Forbes said Sy merged his
vast property assets under
mall operator SM Prime
Holdings to create a company with a recent market cap
of $9.3 billion.
In November 2013, Sy’s
property unit SM Land garnered a $1.2-billion contract
to reclaim land in Manila,
next to the Mall of Asia complex. However, Forbes said
Sy’s fortune also dropped by
$1.8 billion mainly because
shares of his holding firm SM
Investments tumbled 30 percent in 2013.
“They took a hit when the
company sold some shares to
institutional investors at a
discount to market price,”
Forbes said.
The 10 Filipino billionaires
who made it into the 2014
Forbes billionaires’ list are:
Henry Sy and family, $11.4
billion (97th overall); Lucio
Tan and family, $6.1 billion
net worth (227th); Andrew
Tan, $4.7 billion (319th);
Enrique Razon Jr., $4.2 billion
(354th);
John
Gokongwei Jr., $3.9 billion
(388th); David Consunji, $3.3
billion (483rd); George Ty
and family, $2.3 billion
(764th); Tony Tan Caktiong
and family, $1.7 billion
(1,046th); Robert Coyiuto Jr.,
$1.5 billion (1,154th); and
Andrew Gotianun, $1 billion
(1,565th).
Forbes said a record 1,645
billionaires made the list this
year, with an average net
worth of $4.7 billion.
Microsoft co-founder Bill
Gates is back on top of the
list as the world’s richest
person with a net worth of
$76 billion.∎
come of $46,698. The report
added that 62 percent of
these households have annual income over $35,000.
FPB intends to help brands
gain inroads to the Filipino
North
American
market
through its services that include press release submission, writing services and distribution. As a Search Engine
Whether you’re travelling for
work or play – or perhaps a
bit of both – you no doubt
want
to
bring
your
smartphone along for the
ride.
Not only can your pocketsized device help keep you
organized, connected, productive and entertained while
on the go, but you’ve also got
built-in GPS navigation, a
camera and camcorder, alarm
clock, pedometer and more.
Problem is, you’re probably
afraid to use your phone outside of Canada – especially
given the horror stories of
travellers coming home to an
astronomical wireless bill.
You don’t need to succumb to
“Phone Bill Phobia,” as long
as you heed these simple
travelling tips:
Travel add-ons
Before you leave on your trip,
it pays to pick up a travel
plan. Most carriers offer options to purchase add-ons
that will save you money on
the standard rates for voice,
text and data usage while
you’re away. WIND Mobile,
for example, is the first Canadian carrier to offer unlimited
data, talk and text across the
U.S. -- for just $15/month.
With an unlimited plan, you
have the freedom to share
your entire trip with the
world, without the stress of
keeping track of your usage
or fears of coming home to a
crazy bill. If you’re not able to
take advantage of a deal like
this, you can still prevent
“Phone Bill Phobia” with the
following suggestions.
Disable push mail, apps
When roaming, manually
check for new email instead
of having the data pushed to
your phone automatically.
iPhone and Android users, for
example, can turn off “Fetch
New Data." Similarly, go into
your Settings and disable
pushed notifications for apps
that support it -- such as live
sports
scores,
real-time
weather and news headlines - as it also eats up data.
Turn off ‘Sync’
On a related note, turn off the
option to synchronize data
and
apps
automatically.
Simply uncheck the "Sync"
option in Settings to make the
necessary changes. Many
time-sensitive apps are set to
automatically sync using your
data connection -- to constantly get new information
for you -- but you can temporarily disable it or select
when to sync (specific dates
and times).
Properly close apps
Make sure you properly close
apps when you’re done with
them – otherwise, they may
still be running in the background and using up data
(and your battery, too). This
includes GPS-based maps/
directions,
social
feeds,
games and other apps that
might stay open on your
phone, though minimized. On
Android, press and hold your
Home button and then swipe
to the right to close apps; iPhone users can double-tap the
Home button and then flick
up to close each app.
Consider text, IM
Use text messaging (SMS) or
instant messaging -- like
BBM, WhatsApp, iMessage,
Kik, Google Hangouts or Facebook Messenger -- opposed
to making a voice call. Why?
It’s a lot quicker and cheaper.
After all, there’s a lot less
“small talk” when chatting via
typed words opposed to a
phone call.
Email tip
If you're a heavy email user,
go into your email settings
and choose not to download
the entire email from lengthy
messages. This way you can
manually tap “Get remaining
message” (or a similar option) to read the entire text, if
desired. Similarly, you can
also choose for attachments
not to download automatically, such as a large image.∎
PR submission website for the Filipino
North American market launched
Digital Ink Group has recently
launched Filipino PR Box, a
press release submission site
for the Filipino North American market at http://
www.filipinoprbox.com recognizing that Filipinos in
America are a fast growing
market.
Statistics Canada has reported that the Philippines has
become the number one
source of new immigrants
since 2006 surpassing China
and India. The 2011 National
Household Survey showed
that there were 454,340 Filipino immigrants for the year
and 292,505 had Canadian
citizenship. It further said that
15,000 held both Canadian
and Filipino passports and
Optimized (SEO) website, FPB
leverages both search and
social sharing strategies to
help brands engage with their
target markets.
FPB outlines the following
benefits to brands that will
utilize its services: possible
publication of company PRs in
the media or Filipino blogs
depending on the news value
46,615 were listed as nonpermanent residents living in
Canada as students, refugees,
Temporary Foreign Workers
or as Live-in Caregivers. The
Filipino population is concentrated in Ontario at 50.4 percent, followed by British Columbia at 21.2 percent, Alberta at 11.1 percent, Manitoba
at 9.7 percent and Quebec at
6 percent, the report stated.
Meanwhile, the 2010 United
States census on major racial
and ethnic groups showed
that Filipinos are now the
second largest Asian group in
the country. A total of 3.4
million Americans have identified themselves as Filipino,
alone or in combination with
another race. With more than
of their copies; backlinks to
their company websites; increase their brand awareness;
establish their expertise;
more customers; engagement
through social sharing; and
cost-efficiency.
FPB is a division of Digital Ink
Group, a registered web content development and press
relations services company in
4 million in population, Chinese Americans are the largest Asian group and third are
the Indians at 3.2 million.
The Migration Information
Source also reported that Filipinos are the largest Asian
group in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Washington, Wyoming and
South Dakota.
These statistics indicate that
Filipinos in North America are
a robust market for any consumer brand. In the past
year, Canada has witnessed
major global brands that focused their marketing efforts
on the Filipino market. This
same observation extends to
Toronto. To join FPB or to
simply to gain more information about its services
please
visit
http://
www.filipinoprbox.com. For
inquiries please call Odette
Montelibano at 416-743-9610
or send her an e-mail at
[email protected].
MARCH 2014
21
10 most memorable
Adobo as national food?
Melanie Marquez quotes ABS-CBNnews.com
1. "Nagpapasalamat lang ako sa Diyos na walang complication kasi pwede ako ma-parasite dahil sa car accident." - On
her recovery from a car crash in the US in February this year
which could have left her paralyzed
2. "I don't eat meat, I am not a carnival." - On why she is a vegetarian
3. "I-English-in ko para maintindihan niya. And to you, Mrs.
Dee, I have two words for you: Ang labo mo!" - Her message
to her former husband Derek Dee's mother, who she partly
blamed for the breakup
4. "Ang tatay ko ang only living legend na buhay!" - Marquez,
in her speech accepting an award for her biopic directed by her
father, late director Artemio Marquez
5. "Why should I have a calling card? I'm not a call girl!" Marquez, recalling her response to a baron from England asking
for her calling card in her younger years
6. "You can fool me once, you can even fool me twice, you
can even fool me thrice. But you can never fool me four." Her message to her former house boy who she accused of molesting her kid
7. "Nikki, you're so galing. You should go to the States. You
will sell hotcakes!" - Marquez, to actress Nikki Valdez reportedly after watching her dance number from the side of the stage
8. "Ah, okay lang 'yan, Boy [Abunda], kasi matagal na rin
akong semi-retarded." - On whether she is concerned about
her showbiz career after becoming a Mormon
9. "I would like to thanks... to give my thanks to all of you,
and to the designer who've made all my clothes and that's
Renee Salud... and also to the poor... people... in the Philippines." - Marquez, in her speech after being crowned Miss International 1979
10. "Don't judge my brother; he is not a book." - In defense of
her brother, Joey Marquez, at the height of the controversy involving the actor-politician and TV host Kris Aquino∎
MANILA - What should be
the Philippines' national
food?
Bohol Rep. Rene Relampagos (1st District, Bohol) has
filed a measure seeking official recognition of adobo as
the national food.
He also wants the following
declarations of national
symbols:













RCMP is HIRING
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please attend the Career Presentations and Q&A
The Filipino Center, 597 Parliament St, Toronto
MARCH 22, 2014 at 2-4pm
bakya as national slippers
bahay kubo as national
house
jeepney as the national
vehicle
arnis as national martial
arts and sport
carinosa as national
dance
Philippine monkeyeating eagle as national
bird
kalabaw as national animal
bangus as national fish
narra as national tree
Philippine pearl as national gem
sampaguita as national
flower
anahaw as national leaf
mango as national fruit
Relampagos said he filed the
bill to "lay the basis for the
declaration and recognition
of the Philippine national
symbols.
“National symbols represent
its country, its people, its
history and its culture. In
Chicken and Pork Adobo (CPA)
the Philippines, there are
around twenty national
symbols being taught in
school. However, of these
symbols, only ten are official, that is with basis either
in the Constitution, Republic
Acts and Proclamations,”
Relampagos said.
The move, he claimed,
would leave other "national
symbols unofficial or blatantly colorums, for having
no basis for their declaration."
“Rizal now becomes the unofficial national hero, carabao the unofficial national
animal, mango the unofficial
national fruit, bangus the
unofficial fish, the baro’t
saya as the unofficial national costume and so on,”
Relampagos said.
He said the bill "aims to develop and instill nationalism
and unity, ensure respect,
promotion and preservation
of the national symbols, correct the unofficial status of
these symbols as taught in
schools, provide guidelines
for their use, care and conservation and to promote
Philippine tourism through
these symbols, among others."
He added the bill is in support of the "policy of the
State to inculcate patriotism,
nationalism and appreciation of the role of national
heroes and symbols in the
historical development of
the country."
If passed into law, it would
direct the Department of
Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the National
Commission for Culture and
the Arts (NCCA) and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines
(NHCP) "to give primordial
importance to the respect,
promotion,
preservation,
conservation,
cultivation
and usage of these national
symbols, as appropriate,
including
dissemination
through the quad-media.∎
ood
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i
F
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at its bes
NO
MSG
Philippine Food Specialty
Dine in - Take Out - Catering
4915 Steeles Ave E., Scarborough ON
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NO
INSTANT
MIXES
MARCH 2014
22
ENTERTAINMENT
COCO AND KIM THRILLED WITH THEIR GRAND TV REUNION VIA
“IKAW LAMANG”
Teleserye King Coco Martin and
Teleserye Princess Kim Chiu are
both excited about their highly anticipated return to primetime TV
through ABS-CBN’s upcoming drama series “Ikaw Lamang.”
“It’s been a while since Kim and I
worked together in ‘Tayong Dalawa’
and ‘Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo.’
That’s why I’m happy and blessed to
be given the chance to reunite with
her in a new teleserye,” said Coco
about his newest leading lady in the
Kapamilya network’s ‘once in a lifetime TV event.’
Kim, meanwhile, admitted that she
is having mixed emotions about her
new project and her new team-up
with Coco. Kim’s last primetime TV
show was the hit family series “Ina
Kapatid Anak,” while Coco starred
in the superhero-serye “Juan dela
Cruz.”
“Aside from the excitement, I feel
nervous and pressured especially
because the cast of ‘Ikaw Lamang’ is
really full of brilliant actors and actresses. I can say that this is the
most challenging role and project
that I’ve ever had,” she shared.
“Ikaw Lamang” will unravel the love
story of childhood friends Samuel
(Coco) and Isabelle (Kim), whose
fate will be tested by time and their
clashing families.
Joining Coco and Kim in their newest TV drama are two of the most
talented actors of their generation,
Jake Cuenca and Julia Montes.
Completing the award-winning
powerhouse cast of “Ikaw Lamang”
are Ronaldo Valdez, Tirso Cruz III,
Cherry Pie Picache, Cherie Gil, John
Estrada, Daria Ramirez, Meryl Soriano, Spanky Manikan, and Lester
Llansang; with the special participation of Kapamilya child stars Zaijian
Jaranilla, Louise Abuel, Alyanna Angeles, and Xyriel Manabat.
Under the direction of Malu Sevilla
and
Avel
Sunpongco,
“Ikaw
Lamang” is the newest TV masterpiece of Dreamscape Entertainment
Television, the group that created
“Juan dela Cruz,” “Ina Kapatid
Anak,” the phenomenal drama series topbilled by Coco and Julia
“Walang Hanggan,” and the first
project of Coco, Jake, and Kim,
“Tayong Dalawa.”
Don’t miss the beginning of the
timeless love story of Samuel and
Isabelle in “Ikaw Lamang” on March
10 (Monday) on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.
For more information about “Ikaw
Lamang” visit the show’s official
social media accounts Facebook.com/IkawLamang.Online,
Twitter.com/IkawLamang_TV and
Instagram.com/IkawLamang_TV.∎
Charice, Jessica, Jennifer Hudson
performs at Pinoy Relief concert
Jessica Sanchez singing the Oscar-winning song “Let it Go” from the film, “Frozen”. On
piano is the winning composer himself, Robert Lopez. Photo courtesy: idolator.com
The star-studded concert was held
on Tuesday, March 11 at New
York’s Theatre at Madison Square
Garden that featured performances
from Jennifer Hudson, Charice Pempengco and Jessica Sanchez, among
others. The event was staged to
raise money for the Pinoy Relief, an
initiative to help the survivors of
super
typhoon
Yolanda
(international name: Haiyan).
Created in the wake of the super
typhoon which struck the Philip-
pines in November, the organization “was formed to generate
awareness, raise funds and create
sustainable recovery programs for
the victims and communities affected by this devastating natural disaster.”
The show was graced by the special
appearances of Filipino-American
apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas and
EGOT award winning songwriters
Robert and Kristen AndersonLopez.∎
“Ikaw Lamang” power cast. Jake Cuenca, Kim Chiu, Coco Martin and Julia Montes
MARCH 2014
23
ENTERTAINMENT
Lea, Lani, Arnel, and Billy sing ‘Listen with Your Heart’
FILIPINO MUSIC ARTISTS SAY ‘THANK YOU’ TO THE WORLD FOR
YOLANDA AID VIA SPECIAL MV
Lani Misalucha
Lea Salonga
Filipino music artists led by some of
the most renowned names in the
international music scene collaborate to say thank you to the whole
world for the help they extended to
the Philippines after the onslaught
of typhoon Yolanda via the music
video “Listen with Your Heart,”
premiering this Tuesday (Feb 25) in
“It’s Showtime” and after “TV Patrol” on ABS-CBN.
Days after the super typhoon struck
last November, aid from all over the
world arrived for the victims of
Yolanda and in-kind or cash donations and pledges from more than
50 countries poured in.
“As the distraught victims sought
refuge, the world reached out and
Billy Crawford
Arnel Pineda
offered help in the form of relief
goods, rescue, and medical assistance to help the Filipinos survive
and move on from this disaster.
Through their help and also the help
of our countrymen, we are slowly
picking up the pieces from what
seemed to be an insurmountable
adversity. It is time to show the
world our heartfelt gratitude,” explained ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management head Robert
Labayen.
Chosen to send this message of gratitude are world-class Filipino artists
Lea Salonga, Lani Misalucha, Arnel
Pineda and Billy Crawford who sang
the theme song “Listen with Your
Heart” together with other popular
local music artists such as Jaimie
Rivera, Angeline Quinto, Yeng Constantino, Juris Fernandez, Bugoy
Drilon, Liezl Garcia, Jovit Baldivino,
KZ Tandingan, Marion Aunor and
Wynn Andrada.
The song, written by Christine Daria
-Estabillo with music by Marcus Davis Jr., was intentionally written in
English so that the message will
cross boundaries and will surely be
heard in all parts of the world.
With meaningful and heartfelt lines
like “Even the strongest heart can
break. When we’ve had too much to
take” and “Beyond our faith. Beyond
our race. Hand in hand we’ll rise
above,” “Listen with Your Heart” is a
powerful tribute to humanity and a
strong affirmation on how different
nations can set aside differences
and come together in times of need.
Watch the premiere of “Listen With
Your Heart” this Tuesday (Feb 25)
in “It’s Showtime” and after “TV Patrol” on ABS-CBN. The song was
produced by the Creative Communications Management Division of
ABS-CBN. The music video was directed by Paolo Ramos together
with members of the creative and
production team Johnny delos Santos, Roxy Liquigan, Jonathan Manalo, Danie Sedilla-Cruz, Mark Raywin
Tome, Edsel Misenas, Jaime Porca,
Jojo Medrano, Danica Rueda, Emil
Rae Hembra, Alfie Landayan and
Andrew Go. ∎
Julia Barretto & Enrique Gil team up in 2014’s official summer teleserye “MIRA BELLA”
phenomenal drama series
“Walang Hanggan,” toprating superhero teleserye
“Juan dela Cruz,” and the
timely series “Honesto,”
which is already nearing its
Julia Barretto and Enrique Gil
Kapamilya stars Julia Barretto and Enrique Gil are set to
capture the hearts of primetime TV viewers as they
team up for the first time in
ABS-CBN’s upcoming fantasy series “Mira Bella,” which
premieres this March.
“All artists, especially newcomers like me, dream to
have our own teleserye. And
with this opportunity given
to me by ABS-CBN, I promise to do my best for our
show,” said Julia.
Like Julia, Enrique admitted
that he is also excited for the
premiere of “Mira Bella.”
“This is my first ever fantaserye and I can't wait to
share it with the viewers.
It’s a new experience that
has taught me new things
and has given me the chance
to work with other great
actors for the first time. It is
very refreshing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Julia and Enrique shared that they believe that the primetime audience will enjoy the narrative of their program. “'Mira
Bella’ is perfect for the
whole family this upcoming
summer season. It is a story
about family, love, and acceptance. TV viewers, especially the younger generation, will surely learn a lot
from our story,” Julia shared.
Julia will portray the character of a young girl cursed to
have a wood-like skin
named Mira, who is secretly
admired by her blind best
friend Jeremy, who will be
played by Enrique.
Despite her extraordinary
characteristic, Mira grows
up as an obedient and kindhearted child because of her
stepparents
Osang
(Pokwang) and Paeng (John
‘Sweet’ Lapus).
Also joining Julia, Enrique,
Sweet, and Pokwang in
“Mira Bella” are Sam Concepcion, Mylene Dizon,
James Blanco, Mika dela
Cruz, and Gloria Diaz. It is
directed by Erick Salud, Jojo
Saguin, and Jerome Pobocan.
“Mira Bella” is
masterpiece of
Entertainment
the group that
the newest
Dreamscape
Television,
created the
finale.
Don’t miss the beginning of
a beautiful love story in
“Mira Bella” this March on
ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.
For more information about
“Mira Bella,” visit the show’s
official social media accounts at Facebook.com/
MiraBellaOnline and Twitter.com/MiraBellaOnline. ∎
MARCH 2014
24
Sports
Pacquiao shocked by Bradley's pre-fight ritual
ABS-CBNnews.com
The Sarangani congressman
then came up with a safe answer even as he stressed the
importance of proper hygiene.
“[‘Yung] punch mitts kumbaga
pinakamahirap sa lahat ng gagawin yun eh, nasorpresa kami
kasi umabot kami ng 15
rounds… pinakamahirap sa
lahat
ng
gagawin
ng
boksingero ‘yung susuntok sa
punch mitts kasi puro power
punches tapos yung ipinakita
kanina iba naman,”
said
Pacquiao’s close friend.
“No comment ako dyan... kelangan maligo para hindi ka
mabaho,” he said while smiling.
MANILA, Philippines – Manny
Pacquiao was a picture of disbelief when he was asked to
comment about Timothy Bradley's strange ritual of avoiding
a shower the week leading to a
fight.
The Filipino boxer knitted his
brows and rolled his eyes sideways, apparently thinking if
the reporter was asking him
the right question.
“Grabe naman ‘yun... sobra,”
was Pacquiao’s initial reaction.
In an interview with ABS-CBN
North America Bureau’s Bev
Llorente, Bradley revealed that
he has consistently avoided
bathing during the week leading to a fight.
“I don't know why... that's one
thing I don't do. The week,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, I don't take a
shower. Saturday, that's when I
take a shower for the first
time,” he said while taking a
break from training.
Pacquiao
and
Bradley
are
Pacquiao fights Bradley on April 12
scheduled to face off for the
second time on April 12. At
stake in the rematch will be
Bradley’s WBO welterweight
crown.
Pacquiao’s
assistant
trainer
Buboy Fernandez said the Filipino boxer looked impressive
during Tuesday’s training.
“’Yung improvement na ipinakita niya kanina sa punch mitts
masasabi natin na nasa 80-90
percent [conditioning] tayo
ngayon. So ang sa atin, imaintain na lang natin ang conditioning,” he added. -- From a
report by Francis Canlas,
ABS-CBN Gensan
He said Pacquiao did 15 full
rounds of punch mitts, which is
a tiring routine for boxers.
Odds favor Pacman at 2-1 vs Bradley
By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - The
money is still on Manny
Pacquiao for his coming rematch with undefeated American Timothy Bradley.
According to the latest betting
lines, the eight-division world
champion from the Philippines
is almost a 2-1 favorite to beat
Bradley on April 12 at the MGM
Grand.
As of yesterday, BetUS.com has
Pacquiao at -220 and Bradley
at +175.
If you’re going for Pacquiao,
you need $220 to win $100,
and if you’re for Bradley, a wager of $100 gives you $175 in
return – if the latter wins.
As far as the odds are concerned, it’s the closest fight for
Pacquiao in years.
“At long last, a competitive super fight. I am sure the sports
books in Las Vegas are gearing
up for huge two-way action,”
chief promoter Bob Arum told
SB Nation in a recent interview.
The lines also show that more
bettors think or believe that the
fight may last long or even go
the distance.
Odds are at -350 that the fight
will go over nine and a half
rounds, and they’re at +250
that it will be over before the
1:30 mark of the ninth round.
Based on the result of the first
fight, bettors are assuming that
Bradley knows how to fight
Pacquiao, knows how to survive and knows how to last.
Pacquiao lost a split decision to
Bradley when they first fought
in June 2012 when a lot of people thought Pacquiao won the
fight.
Many were surprised that
Bradley lasted the distance
against Pacquiao.
Just five months after that loss,
Pacquiao faced Juan Manuel
Marquez and got knocked out
cold. But he seemed to have
recovered from those back-toback defeats.
Last November, Pacquiao outclassed a younger and bigger
Brandon Rios in 12 rounds at
the Cotai Arena in Macau.
“We’re back,” said Pacquiao.
In the eyes of the betting public, he remains the favorite.∎
MARCH 2014
25
Religious & Inspirational
National Shrine of our Mother of Perpetual Help
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
131 McCaul St, Toronto
(416) 598 3269
“Remember thou are dust and unto to dust thou shall return”
The season of Lent starts
By Tina G. Santos
WEEKLY WEDNESDAY MASS & DEVOTIONS:
7:30 am * 9:30am * 12 noon, * 2:30pm * 5:05pm * 7:00pm
MANILA,
Philippines—A
Church official on Tuesday
reminded the Catholic faithful to fast and to abstain as
the Christian world on March
5 marks Ash Wednesday,
which signals the start of the
Lenten season.
Fr. Santo Arrigo, Pastor of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, gives blessed ashes onto the foreheads of the
faithful during Ash Wednesday service. More than a tradition, it is a visible spiritual reminder that encourages one to adopt an attitude of prayer, repentance and humility. Photo by Waves
Pope Francis offended by his own myth and mystique
Associated Press
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis
says he finds the hype that is
increasingly surrounding him
“offensive.”
In an interview with Italian daily
Corriere della Sera, Francis said
he doesn’t appreciate the mythmaking that has seen him depicted as a “Superpope” who sneaks
out at night to feed the poor. On
Wednesday, a new Italian weekly
hit newsstands — a gossip magazine devoted entirely to the pope.
Francis said: “The pope is a man
who laughs, cries, sleeps calmly
and has friends like everyone
else. A normal person.”
Francis also said he and Pope
Benedict XVI had agreed that the
emeritus pontiff would “participate
in the life of the church,” in keep-
“With that dirt on your forehead, you declare to everybody that you are no different from the others who need
to be converted,” said Fr. Genaro Diwa, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Liturgy.
According to Diwa, the observance of Ash Wednesday
is very significant because it
is during this time that the
faithful admit they are now
ready to repair whatever
damage they have done in
their relationship with God
and with others.
Pope Francis. AP FILE PHOTO
ing with Francis’ belief that the
elderly shouldn’t be hidden away
The priest or a lay minister
will apply ashes in the form
of a cross on the forehead of
each Church member while
saying, “Repent and believe
in
the
Gospel,”
or,
“Remember that you are dust
and unto dust you shall return.”
in homes when they have a
wealth of experience to offer. ∎
Monte Maria Chapel in Alfonso, Cavite
“The ashes (from the burned
palm fronds) of Palm Sunday
signify or symbolize the desire of Christians to follow
Christ,” Diwa told reporters.
Forego passions
He said that apart from desiring renewal, the faithful
should also fast and abstain.
Fasting means skipping at
least one full meal a day
while abstinence means abstaining from eating meat.
But Diwa said the faithful
should not just avoid eating
meat but also abstain from
their passions and desires.
“Fasting declares that even if
you need food, which is a human need, there is something
even greater than food and
that is God,” he said.
Giving alms
The temporary chapel, covered with a sturdy prefabricated metal roofing, has a seating capacity of 4000
Its centerpiece is an altar with a magnificently lighted cross with a life-like Image of an agonizing Jesus
hanging on the Cross. INSET: The Blessed Mary Mother of the Poor statue.
Those who choose to perform corporal works of mercy instead of fasting or engaging in abstinence may do
so, he added.
“If you decide not to abstain
during that Friday, it must be
replaced by a certain kind of
corporal act of mercy, such as
giving alms [or] doing something good,” said Diwa, who
is also the minister of the
Liturgical
Affairs of the Archdiocese of
Manila.
“There are many things that
we do during the Lenten season. We hope that all these
activities will help us to be
strengthened in our renewal
of our baptismal vows,” he
said.
Simplicity of life
In his Lenten message, Lingayen-Dagupan
Archbishop
Socrates Villegas, CBCP president, focused on the beatitude of poverty, emphasizing
that it teaches sensitivity and
proper ways to respond to
the poor.
According to Villegas, all are
called to practice poverty in
its material, moral and spiritual aspects.
Material poverty that humanizes and sanctifies is experienced in simplicity of life and
works of mercy and justice,
he said.
Moral poverty, according to
him, can be exercised by
strengthening one’s resolve
to practice solidarity with the
neglected, and to denounce
injustice.
‘Spiritual poverty’
“Catholics should embrace
spiritual
poverty
by
‘deepening our rootedness’ in
Christ, whose poverty alone
enriches us,” Villegas said.
The CBCP head called on the
faithful to oppose and confront “dehumanizing” poverty by taking steps to alleviate it.
“This Lenten season, Christ
invites all, but especially the
laity, to oppose degrading
and dehumanizing poverty
and embrace humanizing and
sanctifying poverty,” Villegas
said.
“In other words, he invites us
to imitate His example. We
fight poverty with poverty
only because Christ has
shown us the way,” he
stressed. ∎
MARCH 2014
26
MUSIC STAND
Mon Torralba
Thank you to the followers of this page.
I will do my best to share the chords of
your requested OPM songs. Email at
[email protected].
Enough of Tag-Yelo. It has been a long, nasty
winter that we are having. The title of the following song makes me look forward to the gentle
sprinkles of spring and the warmth of summer!
Hindi Kita Malilimutan
Tag-Araw, Tag-Ulan
Basil Valdez
Haji Alejandro
INTRO: G/D - CM7/D - EbM7/D
F/D - Bb/D - C/D - G/D
Intro: CM7-FM7-CM7-FM7
Verse 1
VERSE 1
G/D GM9/D
CM7/D
Hindi kita
malilimutan
C/D Cm/D G/D-GM9-F/G
Hindi kita pababayaan
CM7 D/C
Bm7 Em7
Nakaukit magpakailanman
Am7 D11
G G/F Eb
Sa aking palad ang 'yong pangalan
Remembering my parents’ wedding anniversary on
March 7 and their favorite song below.
Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal
Celeste Legaspi
Intro: F/G -G13b9
VERSE 2
G
CM7
Malilimutan ba ng ina
Am7 D11
Cdim/G G F/G G13b9
Ang anak na galing sa kanya
Cm7
D/C
Bm7 Em
Sanggol sa kanyang sinapupunan
Am7 D11 G F/G G13b9
Paano niyang matatalikdan
CM7
D/C
Bm7 Em
Ngunit kahit na malimutan
Am7 D7#9 D7b9 G
F/G G13b9
Ng ina ang anak niyang tangan
CHORUS1
CM7 D/C Bm7 Em
Hindi kita malilimutan
CM7 Am D11 G F/G G13b9
Kailanma'y di pababayaan
CM7 D/C Bm7 Em
CM7 Bm7 Am7 D11 G
/F Eb11
Kailanma'y di
pababayaan
Adlib: Ab - AbM9 - DbM7 - Bbm7 - Eb11
Eb7b9 - Ab - Gb/Ab - Ab13b9 - DbM7
Eb/Db - Cm7 - F9b5 - Bbm7 - Eb11
Eb7b9 – Ab - GB/Ab - Ab13b9
CHORUS 2
DbM7 Eb/Db Cm7 Fm
DbM7 Cm Bbm7 Eb11 F11 F7 F11 F7
Kailanma'y di
pababa-yaan
DbM7 Eb/Db Cm7 B13
Bbm7 Eb11
Ab Ab/Gb Fm
Kailanma'y di
pababayaan
...Eb11 Ab
ADVERTISE WITH WAVES
647 718 1360
C C+
G/F F
Eb-Db C
Ikaw lamang ang a__king I__ i___bigin
Dm G13
C- Fm/C - C- Fm/C
Magpakai_lan____man
Verse 1
C E
Am
Dm Bb/D Gsus-G
Ang pag-ibig ko sa 'yo
ay tunay
C/E
Fm
Nais ko sanang patunayan
Em
Am7 Dm7 G+
Huwag ka nang mag-alin__la___ngan
C C+ Am
Dm Bb/D Gsus-G
Ang pag-ibig ko'y hindi
kukupas
C/E C+/E F
Tulad din ng
umagang
G#6
C/G Dm G7 C
May pag-asang sumi_ sikat
Chorus
Am
Dm
Ang ating buhay
G7
C
Maikli aking hirang
A7sus
Dm
Kung kaya't kailangan
Am
D7
G Gaug
Ng pagsuyong wagas kailanman
C E
Am
Dm Bb/D Gsus-G
Ang sumpa ko sa iyo'y asahan
C C+
F
Eb-Db C
Dm G13
C
Magpakai_lan____man
(Repeat Chorus)
C E
Am
Dm Bb/D Gsus-G
Ang sumpa ko sa iyo'y asahan
C C+
G/F F
Eb-Db C
Dm G7
C/Bb - F/A-G#6-C
Magpakailanman
Filipino-American Malaya Watson makes it to Idol’s Top Ten
MANILA – The 16-year old high school tuba player has made it to the
Top 10 of the popular reality hit show, American Idol Season 13.
Malaya Watson, from Southfield High School, is safe and will be among
the nine other contestants who will be part of the "Idol" tour this summer.
On Wednesday (Thursday in Manila), Watson performed a rendition of
a Jennifer Hudson song called "I Am Changing" from the movie
"Dreamgirls".
That performance from the bubbly teenager earned a standing ovation
from both the audience and the judges.
Judge Jennifer Lopez described the performance as a "perfect", while
judge Keith Urban commented that Watson had a good understanding
of the songs. Harry Connick Jr. said that she just showed the there is a Malaya Tina Bandico Watson
big belter in American Idol Season 13.
CM7
Tag-araw
Bm7sus
Bb9b5
Am9 D7b9
Sa may dagat namasyal
D7#9 D7b9 GM7
At pag
dilim
C9b5
Bm9 E7b9(#5)
Sa may baybay humimlay
Am7
At nagyakap
Am7b5
GM7
Sabay sa pagsabog ng alon
Gm7
C11
FM7
Sabay sa paghuni ng ibon
Fm7 Bb7
EbM7 G7sus
Saksi ay liwanag ng buwan
Refrain
CM7
'Di ba sabi mo pa
C/D
Na wala pang iba
CM7
Na ako ang una
C/D
GM7 Dm7
Sa pagmamahal mo, sinta
Verse 2
G7#9-G7b9 CM7
At
ang buhay
Bm7sus Bb9b5
Am9 D9b5
Nating dal'wa ay nagbu___nga
GM7 F#7#5
Bm9 E7b9(#5)
Ng makulay na pag-ibig na daki__la
Am7
Ngunit bakit
Am7b5
Bm7
Bb13(9)
Ngayong umuugong ang hangi't ulan
Am7
C/D
'Sing lamig ng gabi ang mga halik mo
Bm7
E7sus-E7 DM7 DbM7
Ni wala ng apoy titig mo
sa a___kin
CM7
C/D
GM7 Dm7
Naglaho ba ang pagmamahal mo, sinta
Adlib/Narration:
G7#9-G7b9 CM7Bm7sus Bb9b5 Am9 D7b9
GM7 C9b5 Bm9 E7b9(#5)
Bridge
Am7
At nagyakap
Amb5
Bm7 Bb13(9)
Sabay sa pagsabog ng alon
Am7
'Di ba sabi mo pa
C/D
Na wala pang iba
Bm7
At sa habang buhay
E7sus-E7 DM7 DbM7
Tayo'y mag__sa_sa__ma
CM7
C/D
GM7 Dm7
Nakamtan ko ang pagmamahal mo, sinta
G7#9 G7b9 CM7
Ngu_nit
bakit
Bm7sus Bb9b5
Am9-D9b5 pause
Sa tag-ulan ay nagla___ho
Am7
C/D
'Sing lamig ng gabi ang mga halik mo
Bm7
E7sus E7 DM7 DbM7
Ni wala ng apoy titig mo
sa a___kin
CM7
C/D
GM9
Naglaho na ang pagmamahal mo, sinta
MARCH 2014
Lift Up Your Hands
27
MARCH 2014
28

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Transcription

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