The Filipino Express Issue 21 (May 31

Transcription

Dinagyang returns for Independence
Day celebration in New York on June 2
VOL. 27 w
NO. 21 w
NATIONAL EDITION w
NEW JERSEY w
NEW YORK w
MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2013 w
(201) 434-1114 w
$1.00
FIL AM CAREGIVER GETS SIXTEEN
YEARS FOR MURDER OF EX-HUBBY
By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA
(© 2013 Fil Am Extra Exchange)
travelshoestring.com
Ethnic Pride In the
Freedom Day Parade
By Reuben S. Seguritan
June 12th is celebrated by
Filipinos to commemorate the
day the Philippines became
one of the oldest republics in
Asia.
The Philippines used to
celebrate Independence Day
on July 4, the same day the
Americans did theirs. However,
the nationalist movement of
the fifties and sixties in the
Philippines succeeded in
changing the date from July 4 to
June 12. Former President
Diosdado Macapagal, heeding
the call of Filipino nationalists,
recognized the importance of
celebrating June 12 as a
landmark date in Philippine
history.
When Emilio Aguinaldo
declared Philippine
Independence on June 12,
1898, the event became an
important turning point in the
nation's history. It marked the
end of more than three
centuries of Spanish colonial
rule and the beginning of a
sovereign and independent
Philippines. Though sad events
in the following years stymied
early struggles for sovereignty
and independence, Filipinos
today refuse to forget or
belittle that memorable day.
JESUSA URSONAL TATAD's mug shot
courtesy of Lt. Ray Lunny of the San Mateo
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Page 4 Sheriff's department. (FAXX/jGLi)
Palace outraged by NPA ambush of soldiers
Malacañang on Tuesday
expressed outrage over the
killing of eight soldiers by a rebel
landmine in Cagayan on Monday,
saying this was a violation of
international humanitarian law
and treaty, and the convention
banning the use of the explosive
devices.
“It's very clear. It was a
violation or against the law on
the use of landmines,” President
Aquino's deputy spokesperson,
Abigail Valte, said during a press
briefing.
President Aquino pays his last respects to the seven Marine soldiers killed in the May 25
ambush
by Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu as relatives of a slain soldier comfort each other
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during the wake at the Marines' barracks in Fort Bonifacio. LYN RILLON
Lavarro: It's not over until
you vote again on June 11
JERSEY CITY, NJ - With the
ballot drawing concluded, the
stage is set for Councilman
Rolando Lavarro to continue
fighting for his seat in the Jersey
City runoff elections on June 11.
Lavarro occupies 5A on the
ballot under the banner of Team
Fulop: Moving Jersey City
Forward, along with At-Large
running mates Joyce Watterman
(3A) and Daniel Rivera (4A).
“Once again, I want to
convey my deepest gratitude to
everyone who voted for me and
Team Fulop and to all our
volunteers and supporters,” said
Lavarro. “I am extremely
gratified that we now have our
CHICAGO (FAXX/jGLi) A
“personal caregiver” had been
sentenced to 16 years for
second-degree murder without
benefit of parole for scalding her
divorced husband with boiling
water while sleeping in the same
apartment they were sharing in
Daly City, California more than
one year ago.
Jesusa Ursonal Tatad, a
native of Zamboanga in the
Philippines, was also ordered by
Judge Robert D. Foiles of the
Superior Court of San Mateo in
Redwood City to pay $19,260.58
restitution payable to her former
sister-in-law, Lilybeth Estes;
$4,441.75 to compensation
board and a $1,000 fine.
Ms. Tatad pleaded guilty to
second-degree murder of her
former husband, Ronie T. Tatad,
37, a registered nurse, who was
sleeping when she poured
boiling water on his face and
upper part of his body due to her
“rash judgment and out of anger
because of jealousy.” She later
told Judge Foiles that she had
regretted her actions “every day
of my life.”
friend and Mayor-Elect Steve
Fulop enroute to lead our
beloved city.”
“But no one should think
that the June 11 runoff will be
easy,” cautioned Lavarro. “It is
more challenging to bring voters
out one more time, not to
mention that our remaining
opponents will fight to the finish
to save their political lives and
protect the culture of patronage
that they have depended on. You
must come out and tell everyone
to vote again on June 11.”
“But no one should think
that the June 11 runoff will be
3 PH beaches make it to CNN's list of world's best
By Philip C. Tubeza
MANILA -- The giant news
organization CNN has included
three Philippine beaches on its
list of the best 100 beaches in the
world.
The issuance of the list
coincided with an announcent
by the government that tourist
arrivals in the country increased
by 10 percent in the first four
months of 2013.
The Atlanta-based cable
news channel said Puka Beach in
Boracay, El Nido in Palawan, and
Palaui Island in Cagayan were
among the best destinations for Kayaking is one of the many pleasures offered by El Nido Resorts, a cluster of four ecobeach bums around the globe. resorts in Palawan, which won the prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow Award during the
13th annual World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit in Abu Dhabi.
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May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 2
THE FILIPINO EXPRESS
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 3
Pennsylvanian Gets 12 Years
in Filipino Child Porn Case
By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA
(© 2013 Fil Am Extra Exchange)
CHICAGO (FAXX/jGLi) – A
former security guard and
insurance broker, who owned a
convenience store, was
sentenced Tuesday (May 28) to
12 years in prison by Judge
David Stewart Cercone of the
United States District Court in
We s t e r n Pe n n s ylva n i a i n
Pittsburg for coercing and
enticing a minor Filipino child
a n d fo r p o s s e s s i n g c h i l d
pornography.
Assistant U.S. Attorney
Jessica Leiber Smolar told this
reporter over the phone that
Jeffrey W. Herschell, 54, would
also be placed under lifetime
supervised release, would have
to register as a sex offender and
would have to pay $200 special
assessment.
There is no parole for
Herschell, a native of
Washington, Pennsylvania, nor
payment for fine or restitution.
Out on bail but with electronic
monitoring device, Herschell
was ordered to report to federal
prisons on or before Aug. 30 this
year.
Herschell's defense lawyer,
A s s i s t a n t Fe d e r a l P u b l i c
Defender Jay J. Finkelstein, could
not be reached for comment.
According to court
documents, Herschell, who is
suffering from COPD (chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease)
that gives him a hard time to
breath, and other health
conditions like sleep apnea and
h i gh b l o o d p re s s u re a n d
artificial hip, had agreed to 144
months (12 years) in prison in a
plea agreement he signed a
week before the sentencing
During his arraignment on
Jan. 24, 2012, Herschell pleaded
not guilty in open court.
He was initially charged
with Count 1 for possession of
material, depicting the sexual
exploitation of a minor on or
about March 14, 2011 that could
have landed him a 10-year
sentence. But if he had prior
conviction of aggravated sexual
abuse (rape), sexual abuse
involving a minor or production
minor or production,
possession, receipt mailing, sale
distribution shipment or
transportation of a child
pornograph, he would have
gotten longer jail time -- not less
than 10 year and not more than
20 years, fine of $250,000 and
supervised release from five
years to life.
INDICTED WITH 2 MORE
COUNTS
He was also indicted with
Count 2 for production of
material depicting the sexual
exploitation of a minor in or
around Feb. 2010. This could
have been punishable with
imprisonment of not less than
15 years nor more than 30 years.
Herschell was also
indicted with Count 3 for receipt
of material depicting the sexual
exploitation of a minor on or
around Feb. 2010. This is
punishable of from five to 20
years in prison.
Herschell's home was
searched in March 2011 after a
man in the Philippines was
arrested on charges he recruited
and paid poor minor girls to
perform sex acts in front of a
webcam at an Internet café in
the Philippines. He also
admitted to possessing child
pornography videos in his
residence.
There were 31 videos,
depicting girls seven or 11 years
Dubai court clears Pinay of
child molestation charges
MANILA - A court in
Dubai acquitted a
Filipina of the child
molestation charges
filed against her by her
employers.
The Philippine
Consulate General in
Dubai said the Dubai
First Instance Court
handed down its
decision on May 28
which declared Mariam
Kusain Abdullah
innocent of the charges.
The consulate said the
court cited insufficiency
of evidence as the reason
for the acquittal.
"The Consulate
General and the
Philippine Overseas
Labor Office (POLO)
Dubai will extend all
appropriate assistance
to Ms. Kusain until her
r e p a t r i a t i o n ," t h e
consulate said in a press
statement.
In September 2012,
Abdullah was accused by
her employers of
molesting their children,
aged one, six, and seven,
who were all under her
care.
Her case was the
subject of numerous
news reports both in the
Philippines and the
United Arab Emirates
(UAE) and caused a stir
when it was reported
that capital punishment
was being sought.
T h e c o n s u l a t e' s
Assistance to Nationals
(ATN) Section
constantly monitored
the case and engaged the
services of Dar Al Bayan
Advocates and Legal
Consultants to represent
Kusain.
Her agency, Forsan
Gulf Labor Supply, also
supported her during
the course of the case.
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May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 4
Malacañang says Taiwan will provide
additional security to protect Filipinos
MANILA -- The Taiwan
government intends to provide
additional security to protect
Filipinos in Taiwan amid
reports of assault and
discrimination against Filipino
nationals staying there, a
Palace official said on Monday.
Deputy Presidential
Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said in a press briefing in
Malacanang that the Philippine
government remains
optimistic that the harassment
and assaults against Filipinos in
Taiwan will be stopped after
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou
vowed last week to protect the
Filipinos there.
Last Friday, the Taiwan's
leader called for calm and
promised to protect Filipinos
residing and working in the
island.
"I understand, that their
leadership has already
expressed intent to provide
additional security and we're
hoping that the reported
incidents will not be repeated,"
Valte said.
The Manila Economic and
Cultural Office (MECO) had
already organized a team that
will document reports of
harassment and assaults
against Filipinos in Taiwan and
relay it to Taiwan's foreign
ministry.
"Our counterparts there
are already working with the
relevant ministries in Taiwan
for the investigation of these
attacks," Valte said.
Valte said the Philippine
government is calling on the
Taiwanese people not to harass
the Filipinos there because
they have nothing to do with
the shooting death of a
Taiwanese fisherman last May
9 off Batanes.
The Philippine
government assured that
contingencies are now in place
in case there is an exodus of
Filipinos from Taiwan. The
Department of Labor said it is
looking at other markets such
as South Korea, the Middle East
and Malaysia that could absorb
Filipino workers affected by the
current diplomatic row with
Taiwan.
Taiwanese mayor assures safety of Pinoys
TAIWAN -- The mayor of
Kaosiung City, Taiwan turned up
at local church on Sunday to
deliver a message to the Filipino
community.
Sunday morning
parishioners in Kaohsiung City
were surprised when Mayor
Chen Chu arrived. She greeted
Filipino workers and delivered a
message before mass started. It
was the first time a local
government official engaged
with Filipinos after the shooting
incident off Batanes. An
interpreter helped translate the
mayor's message.
"Ang batas ay fair, hindi
para lang sa mga taga-Taiwan,
k u n g h i n d i p a ra s a m g a
mamamayan," said the mayor's
interpreter Myra Wang.
According to the mayor,
she has instructed the police to
secure Filipino workers. She has
also instructed the Bureau of
Labor Affairs to hold
consultations and check the
condition of workers in factories
and dormitories. Though the
mayor is herself waiting for an
apology from the Philippine
government for the incident, she
said the local government is
ready to address any concerns
from the OFWs.
" S a h a ra p n g D iyo s ,
ipagdasal natin na matapos na
ang problemang ito," the mayor
said through an interpreter.
The OFWs were happy
with the mayor's message
especially since there are now
more than 8,000 workers in
Kaohsiung City.
"Masaya kasi hindi na kami
natatakot na lumabas," said
factory worker Edmond
Manuela. Raquel Mandani
added, "sinisigurado niya na
kami ay ligtas".
In Taipei, Filipinos were
still able to hold a Santacruzan
procession. However, instead of
a street parade, this year, they
decided to hold it inside the
church.
Resolve issue with Taiwan for the sake of OFWs
QUEZON CITY -Lawmakers on Saturday called
on the Aquino administration to
resolve diplomatically its
conflict with the government of
Taiwan in connection with the
May 9 shooting of a Taiwanese
fisherman by members of the
Philippine Coast Guard to
protect the bilateral relations of
both countries and ensure the
safety of Filipinos working there.
“We should participate in
an unbiased investigation of the
incident for it to be resolved at
the soonest possible time
because our fellowmen in
Taiwan are suffering the adverse
effects of the shooting incident,”
Rep. Marcelino Teodoro (1st
District, Marikina City) said.
Teodoro also urged the
government to refrain from
issuing statements that will
exacerbate the situation.
Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan
(Party-list, Gabriela) said the
Philippines should be more
upfront and stop denying its
culpability.
“ I f t h e Ta i w a n e s e
government is already extending
a conciliatory move by
proposing a joint investigation,
what do we lose if we agree?
Unless we are hiding something,”
Ilagan said. Ilagan said the
Philippines has to display some
FilAm
caregiver gets
16 years ...
From page 1
During her arraignment
on Dec. 7, 2011, Ms. Tatad
pleaded not guilty to felony
torture (whose maximum
penalty is life term with
parole), mayhem (life term
with parole), assault with
deadly weapon (5 years
maximum), domestic violence
(5 years maximum) and
witness dissuasion (5 years
maximum).
But during a pre-trial
hearing last April 3, 2013
before Judge Foiles, she
pleaded guilty to seconddegree murder, setting the
stage for her sentencing last
May 17.
Initially, Ms. Tatad was
not charged with murder as
Ronie survived but suffered
burned skin and under severe
pain after being scalded with
boiling water on Nov. 16, 2011.
But when Ronie died 23 days
later on Dec. 9, 2011, a murder
charge was added to her
information.
Ronie sustained secondand third-degree burns over
60 percent of his head and
body. When he woke up after
feeling burning sensation,
Ronie rushed to the bathroom
to cool off. But Jesusa hit him
amount of cooperation without
looking subservient because a
lot is at stake especially the work
and safety of OFWs.
“PNoy should desist from
issuing statements that only
incense the Taiwanese. Why not
wait for the results of the inquiry
so that he would not be forced to
take back his words should an
honest to goodness, unbiased
investigation prove him wrong,”
Ilagan stressed.
Meanwhile, Taiwan termed
the death of fisherman Hung Shicheng from the hands of
members of the Philippine Coast
Guard (PCG) as an “extra-judicial
and inhumane” killing.
on the head with a baseball bat.
Ronie was able to stagger out
of their home, attracting a
witness, who called 9-1-1.
When Jesusa tried to
prevent the witness from
calling the authorities, a charge
of witness dissuasion was
added to her information.
Jesusa is not likely to be
deported as she is said to be a
U.S. Citizen, who petitioned
Ronie to obtain a Green Card.
Their two children, 14 and 9,
who are both U.S. Citizens, are
under the care of Ronie's
relatives in Ronie's native
province of Catanduanes in the
Philippines. The children
traveled to the Philippines
before the tragic event.
It was reported that
Ronie, who worked at Laguna
Honda Hospital in San
Francisco, was with another
woman (his girlfriend) inside
his apartment when Jesusa
saw them and felt betrayed by
alleged Ronie's promise that
they would remarry after their
divorce. They secured their
divorce decree before the San
Francisco Superior Court.
Jesusa was a “personal
caregiver” with the Home
Health Advocates.
At the sentencing, Jesusa
was represented by her lawyer,
J o h n K . M ay, w h i l e t h e
prosecution was represented
by San Mateo Deputy District
Attorney Morris Maya.
([email protected])
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 5
Chinese behaving badly
By Jonathan Manthorpe
Vancouver Sun
As international travel rises, so
do complaints about conduct of
'uncivilized' Chinese tourists
abroad
As the number of Chinese
tourists has soared from almost nil
a few years ago to a world-leading
83 million last year, so has their
reputation for rudeness and
objectionable behaviour.
Their image is so bad that
hotels from Thailand to Paris will
not accept Chinese tourists, and
the Beijing government is planning
to introduce in October a law to
regulate travellers' behaviour.
At a recent national
conference on the coming tourism
law, one of China's four vicepremiers, Wang Yang, lamented
the “uncivilized behaviour” of
some Chinese tourists.
Their displays of lack of
“quality and breeding” have
“damaged the image of Chinese
people and caused vicious impact,”
Wang said in a report published by
the government-run People's Daily
newspaper.
“Improving the civilized
quality of the citizens and building
a good image of Chinese tourists
are the obligations of governments
at all levels and relevant agencies
and companies,” said Wang.
It's unclear how the Chinese
law can be applied to tourists
abroad. But a state-controlled
newspaper, Global Times, quoted a
tour operator as saying “It would
be helpful to have legal grounds
when communicating with clients
about their behaviour in the
future, giving us some power to
restrain them.”
Wang, a former Communist
party boss of Guangdong province
bordering Hong Kong, said the
main complaints against Chinese
tourists are “talking loudly in
public places, jaywalking, spitting
and wilfully carving characters in
scenic zones.”
People around the world
who have contact with Chinese
tourists report many other pieces
of unseemly behaviour including
not flushing toilets, ignoring no
smoking signs, flouting traffic
laws, littering, elbowing their way
to the front of lineups, and
allowing children to urinate or
defecate in public.
But this is all undoubtedly a
passing phase that stems from
China's rapid growth from being a
largely peasant society to the
world's second largest economy
by some measurements.
It is not as though it is a
unique phenomenon.
When the United States'
postwar economic boom allowed
middle class Americans to go
globe-trotting, their behaviour
quickly became the object of anger
and derision.
The Ugly American tourist
became a caricature who only
travelled to reinforce his or her
suspicion that the rest of the world
was a dirty and threatening place.
The only safe way for an
American to travel, so the
generalization went, was within
five minutes drive of the nearest
Hilton hotel.
A Chinese tourist uses his mobile phone to show his friend a picture of a portrait in progress drawn by a
street artist in Hong Kong. One official in Beijing has lamented the rude behaviour of many Chinese tourists,
which has 'damaged the image of Chinese people and caused vicious impact.' Among the transgressions
are spitting, not flushing tourists and queue jumping. (Photograph by: Anthony Wallace, AFP, Getty Images,
Vancouver Sun)
For the most part this clichéd
national image has faded with the
Americans' years of experience of
foreign travel.
Europe and North America
angering fellow members of the
audience by fiddling with their
glowing iPads during the
performance. But often these
people are simply following the
plot of the performance in Chinese,
something that is acceptable at
home.
But the Chinese are just at
the beginning of this cycle.
Chinese tourists spent an
estimated $102 billion last year,
but some of these nouveau riche
lack any sophistication to cushion
the impact of their wealth.
They have become used to
their money getting them what
they want and can become loud
and angry if thwarted.
In this, their behaviour
abroad is the same as their
behaviour at home.
At a more benign level, some
apparently rude behaviour by
Chinese tourists is simply from
ignorance of local customs rather
than arrogant self-regard.
There are, for example,
reports of tourists in theatres in
Many Chinese tour
companies now give their clients
briefings on local customs and
behavioural dos and don'ts in the
destination countries to try to
avoid such culture clashes and the
inevitable stain on the national
image that follows.
This cannot obscure the fact
that some activities by Chinese
tourists are purposeful.
Resort hotels in the Indian
Ocean nation of idyllic tropical
islands, the Maldives, are a
favourite honeymoon destination.
But competition is stiff from other
equally alluring places such as the
Seychelles and Mauritius.
So hotels in the Maldives
often offer special incentives to
honeymooners such as bottles of
champagne in the room, free spa
visits and romantic sunset dinners.
But a Hong Kong newspaper
has reported that some Chinese
travel agencies are supplying their
clients with fake new wedding
certificates in order to take
advantage of these freebies.
Genuine honeymooners
report their romantic experience
being debased by the company of
loud elderly “honeymooners” with
equally loud grown-up children
and even same-sex newlyweds,
even though such unions are not
legal in China.
And it is probably better to
draw a veil over exactly why all
brothels in Tokyo's famous
Yoshiwara red light district are
imposing a blanket ban on Chinese
customers because of “cultural
differences.” (Vancouver Sun)
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 6
MECO chief: Murder raps by fisherman's
daughter to complicate issue
MANILA -- The murder
charges filed by the
daughter of the Taiwanese
fisherman fatally shot in
Philippine waters last May 9
will complicate the issue, the
head of the Manila Economic
and Cultural Office (MECO)
admitted Thursday.
"Filing it in Taiwan will
complicate the issue kasi
'yung defendant(s) are here
in the Philippines," MECO
chairman Amadeo Perez
told reporters, although he
noted that the Philippines is
not discouraging Hung Tzu
Chien, the fisherman's
daughter, from filing the
charges.
"In a democratic
country, you cannot prevent
the filing of the case," he said.
Chien filed the charges
during joint proceedings
held by Taiwanese and
Philippine prosecutors in
Pingtung County.
Implicated in the
shooting are 17 Philippine
Coast Guard personnel and
three Bureau of Fisheries
Lavarro: It’s
not over until
you vote again
on June 11.
From page 1
easy,” cautioned Lavarro. “It is
more challenging to bring
voters out one more time, not
to mention that our
remaining opponents will
fight to the finish to save their
political lives and protect the
culture of patronage that they
have depended on. You must
come out and tell everyone to
vote again on June 11.”
Lavarro's race did not
end on May 14, which had
scattered reports of Election
Day problems. At Our Lady of
Mercy, a polling place with
heavy Filipino voters, there
were 2 districts that did not
have an official list of voters
in the early morning rush,
and poll workers turned
away voters without letting
them vote provisionally. State
police came in to monitor the
polls for voting irregularities.
Lavarro's ward
counterparts are also still
vying for a spot on June 11. In
Ward A, former police chief
Frank Gajewski (3B) is
looking to represent
Greenville, Society Hill, and
and Aquatic Resources
personnel. The respondents
have already been
interviewed by a team of
Taiwanese investigators.
Asked if he thinks the
filing of the case was
premature, Perez said: "Iyon
nga, pero ayaw ko naman
sabihin nila na tayo dito sa
Pilipinas ay pinagbabawalan
'yung pamilya na mag-file ng
kaso."
He said nobody, under
the laws of either the
Philippines and Taiwan, has
the right to prevent the
fisherman's family from
lodging a criminal case.
Perez, however, said he
does not know whether the
evidence to be used in court
by the fisherman's family
would be coming from the
Taiwanese probers who are
about to wrap up their
investigation in Manila.
Perez said the daughter
could have been prompted
to file the case due to "public
outburst."
The Philippines has
Country Village where there
are large pockets of Filipino
voters. In Ward B, which
occupies the Bergen, West
Side, and Mallory sections
that are also heavily
populated by Fil-Ams,
Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal
(1B), protégé of Freeholder
Bill O'Dea, is vying to be the
first West Indian/Guyanese
councilperson in Jersey City.
In Ward C, the Journal Square
area, Councilwoman Nidia
Lopez (1B) is looking to get
re-elected. In Ward D, the
Heights, Assemblyman Sean
Connors (1B) is fighting to
represent his home base now
as a Councilman. In Ward F,
t h e
B e r g e n Lafayette/MLK/Ocean
Av e n u e c o r r i d o r,
Councilwoman Diane
Coleman (1B) is also running
to retain her seat, not long
after her special election.
“We must continue to
work hard and be vigilant,”
concluded Lavarro. “The
moment that we rest easy or
grow overconfident is the
moment that the opponents
take our votes and voice
away. Wherever in Jersey City
you live, make sure you go out
and vote on June 11. I am 5A
on the ballot for Council-AtLarge and please vote for the
entire Team Fulop council
slate.”
a l re a dy a p o l o g i z e d t o
Taiwan but the Taiwanese
government rejected it and
demanded that the
f i s h e r m a n' s f a m i ly b e
compensated and fisheries
talks be conducted.
Ta i w a n h a s a l s o
implemented a freeze hiring
on Filipinos trying to land
jobs in Taiwan.
Perez said he does not
think that the parallel
investigation of the
Philippines and Taiwan
would affect the "intent of
the daughter of the slain
fisherman to file a case."
"Walang epekto iyan.
Kung ano ang resulta ng
investigation ng NBI
[National Bureau of
Investigation], they will
discuss it with the
Department of Justice for
evaluation," he said.
"In the same manner,
ang findings ng investigation
ng Taiwan, they will discuss
with the head of justice," he
added.
Troops on Ayungin Shoal
taking things in stride
By Victor Reyes
Troops stationed at
Ay u n g i n S h o a l i n t h e
disputed Spratly Islands are
uncomfortable over the
c o n t i n u e d p re s e n c e o f
Chinese vessels in the area
but are taking things in
stride, Navy spokesman on
the West Philippine Sea issue
Col. Edgard Arevalo said
yesterday.
As of Monday night,
Arevalo said two Chinese
Maritime Surveillance ships
are monitored to be still in
the vicinity of the shoal,
which is about 120 nautical
miles from Rizal town in
Palawan and one of the nine
islands in the Spratlys
archipelago occupied by
Filipino troops.
“The ships of the other
country are just there at the
p e r i p h e r y. I t ' s q u i t e
discomforting I would say
(on the part of the Filipino
troops). Nevertheless, our
thrust is to monitor their
movement and to make the
appropriate report,” he said.
The Department of
Foreign Affairs has filed a
diplomatic protest against
China after 30 fishing
vessels, escorted by a
Chinese Navy frigate and two
CMS, were spotted in
Ayungin shoal last May 8.
“What they are doing is
they are lying in, they appear
to be stationary,” said
Arevalo of the two CMS.
Arevalo said the
soldiers know that reinforcements would come if
needed. He expressed hope
that the diplomatic protest
would ease the tension and
discomfort of the troops.
“Our personnel there
are not demoralized, their
morale remains to be high.
Our communication with
them is continuous. We are
not receiving any complaints
from their side. We really
admire them how they are
coping with their isolation,
with their feeling of
discomfort, and the tension
there,” he added. MALAYA
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 7
Strike when necessary in South China Sea: Chinese scholar
Source: Focus Taiwan News
Channel
Taipei (CNA) -- China
should hit out when necessary to
resolve rows over some shoals in
the South China Sea that are
unlawfully occupied by other
countries, a Chinese scholar has
urged.
In a recent interview with a
Shanghai-based radio, Han
Xudong, a professor at the PLA
National Defense University,
issued the call on grounds that it
is hard to settle the territorial
disputes in that region through
soft power such as “diplomatic
maneuvering” and China “should
s t r i ke a t a ny t i m e w h e n
necessary against any attempt
by other countries to take
control of the islets there.”
“Diplomacy only leverages
when backed by military might,”
Ethnic pride in
the Freedom
Day parade
From page 1
Like many compatriots in the
Philippines, Filipino Americans
celebrate Independence Day with
much festivity and cultural
entertainment. The fact that we
now live on the other side of the
world does not deter us from
publicly acknowledging the
significance of June 12. Recent
years have seen truly colorful and
elaborate Philippine
Independence Day parades and
celebrations in New York City and
at several other places around the
country where there are a
concentration of Filipinos or
Filipino American communities.
The ones that we have witnessed in
New York City, for instance, have
been remarkable for the cultural
shows and pageantry that
attended them.
Never has a public event
been so well attended by Filipino
Americans in the US. And rarely is
an occasion so poignant that more
could be made of it than the social
spectacle that it has become. It is
the event to mark all events. It has
also become an occasion to make
he said, questioning why China
cannot make military moves
now that the Renai Shoal and
Scarborough Shoal are the
sovereign territory of China?
S i n c e C h i n a' s m a r i n e
power now is strong enough to
protect national interests and
rights, China should exercise its
diplomatic and military clouts
interactively to achieve its aim,
he contended.
of marines were living on a
grounded ship a former U.S.
tank-landing vessel that was
intentionally abandoned by
Filipino authorities to serve as a
base in that area.
Han said that the
Philippines has long been
coveting shoals in the South
China Sea and taking control of
them since its independence
after World War II, at a time
when China was mired in
internal fighting and its marine
forces were powerless.
Conflict between China and
the Philippines over the Renai
Shoal caught international
attention last week after Manila
accused Chinese warships of
“illegally and provocatively”
circling the area, foreign wire
services reported.
Even until the 1980s,
China's Navy was still weak and
those shoals in the South China
Sea were beyond the reach of its
power, he said.
The Philippines dispatched
ships to Renai Shoal, also known
as Second Thomas Shoal, in the
Spratly Islands, where a handful
The lack of attention paid
to the region over the long term
allowed the Philippines to send
marines to station in waters near
the Renai Shoal in 1999 and
claim sovereignty over it, he
said.That same year, China's
embassy in Yugoslavia was
shelled by the United States and
the bombardment made Beijing
realize the fact that it should
strengthen its marine power to
safeguard its maritime interests.
political statements.
The parade is an exclusively
Filipino affair. Every Filipino who
cares about the symbolic
significance of the occasion should
care enough to be present. Among
other things, being there means
supreme reverence for what our
ancestors had gone through to end
the abusive and debilitating reign
of the Spaniards and other
colonizers.
Every year's celebration
turns out to be more interesting.
The Filipino community for once
unite to make the affair a showcase
of our culture and tradition that
make Filipinos a distinct group
form other ethnic minorities.
Ethnic pride and nationalism
are no doubt the sentimental but
no less valid reasons to be at the
parade. The confusing, volatile
melting pot that that city has
become gives us all the more
reasons to affirm Freedom Day
with our presence.
Independence Day in
America can serve us in many
ways. It gives us the once-a-year
opportunity to get together to
affirm our heritage amid the
varied, sometimes, contrary
cultures that go on show all year
round. At the same time, it is the
only occasion, outside of a fullblown protest march, to confirm
our strength as an ethnic minority
and our political power and
fo r t i t u d e b e fo re a u d i e n c e s
including invited mainstream
politicians and decision-makers.
Community efforts at
celebrating the occasion is, indeed,
commendable. But there will have
to be more meaning to all these.
There is a certain feeling of
cynicism after the parade, when
the celebrations die down. There is
a need to reflect very seriously on
this significant moment of the
Filipino nation.
Independence Day should
not be reduced to being just an
occasion to meet new and old
friends. It should not just be a time
to show off exotic dances,
costumes, and pretty young faces.
Indeed, it is a time to rejoice and be
glad, but we should not let the
occasion be squandered away,
when something more meaningful
can turn out from it.
It is time we used this
occasion, so potent with political
meaning, for what it should have
been a long time ago: a venue to
launch the Filipino political agenda
in America. The parade can be the
starting point from which we can
make our political statement. We
should not stop and rest after we
proclaim our national
independence, lest we find
ourselves overrun by our own
inactivity and lack of political will
to map out our political future. It is
time political leaders capitalize on
this opportunity and encourage
their members to talk and get
involved in political programs.
Our social presence in this
country is not enough. For a
growing community such as ours,
we can no longer sit around and
wait for other to decide on our fate,
anymore than we can confine a
g ro w i n g F i l i p i n o A m e r i c a n
community in one place. At a time
when minorities are asserting
their rights by uniting and
contributing to the formation of
political programs, we have not
made such headway in this area
and have been content with mere
social gatherings.
While many political leaders
in America appear to listen to what
we have to say, the way is clear for
us to make our next move. A
conference must be held among
our leaders and community
members so that we can thresh out
ideas, set priorities, outline our
political agenda and organize a
task force of dedicated leaders to
guide us through our political
future. Everyone in the community
with his own ideas must be
encouraged to join in this
discussion.
The Chinese and the Koreans,
the Indians and the Latinos have
asserted their way into major local
posts. But Filipino Americans have
yet to be appointed or elected to
one position of note. There is a
plethora of social programs
everywhere; seemingly every
organization has filled its agenda
with beauty contests, dinner
socials, dances or anything that
requires food, drink, glamorous
dresses and make-up. Rarely do we
see programs which feature
regular discussion of current
events, or Filipino American
gatherings which discuss political
issues as main agenda.
When other ethnic
minorities make their own noise
and gestures to attract attention,
we can also seize the occasion to
bring home a point about our
community solidarity and strength
in numbers.
The Independence Day
parade is the most opportune
occasion to show mainstream
American society how solid and
culturally united we are. The
overflowing and proud marchers,
the support generated from every
Filipino American community for
this Freedom Day parade, speak
eloquently of our pride in our
national identity.
(Editor's Note: This article is an
excerpt from the author's book, “We
Didn't Pass Through the Golden
Door.”)
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 8
This would most likely cause China to protest India's “incursion” to the South China
Sea, which she claims as her territory and “core interest.” Is this the beginning of a
move by India and Southeast Asian nations to pool their naval resources to deal with
China's aggressive behavior? – PERRY DIAZ
Indian warships visit Malaysian waters
By A. RUBAN
The Star
PORT KLANG -- Four
Indian frontline battleships on
an operational deployment to
the South China Sea and the
Western Pacific have made a
port call here.
The vessels deployed on a
goodwill visit between midMay and mid-June are the INS
Satpura, INS Ranvijay, INS
Kirch and INS Shakti.
All four vessels
collectively carry more than
800 crew members.
The five-day visit to
Malaysia is led by Rear Admiral
Ajit Kumar and includes
several programmes with the
Royal Malaysian Navy.
Admiral Ajit, who is
officially in the country with
the vessels for the second time,
said he was looking forward to
enhancing ties with the
Malaysian armed forces.
He said a passage exercise
(PASSEX) has been planned
with the Malaysian navy and
Visiting battleship: One of the Indian navy ships which docked at Westport in Port Klang.
added it would contribute
immensely towards furthering
peace and maritime security in
the region.
“The spectrum of this
exercise encompasses both
conventional war time drills
and cooperative military action
against unconventional threats
in the maritime domain,” he
told reporters at a briefing here
yesterday.
However, he said the most
important exercise during the
visit was to foster closer ties
a n d f r i e n d s h i p b e t we e n
Malaysia and India.
“There might be times
when both countries may have
to work together, hence such
port calls would strengthen
this purpose,” he added.
On whether the ships
would be open to the public,
Admiral Ajit said he would
make an announcement
regarding the matter within
the next few days.
There will be a dinner
reception on the ship for Indian
embassy key personnel and
Malaysian officials on Monday.
The vessels will head to
Vietnam next and then make a
final port call to the
Philippines.
Basilan native appointed new
MILF ceasefire committee chief
MANILA -- The Moro
Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) on Tuesday
announced it has appointed a
Basilan native to chair its
Coordinating Committee on
the Cessation of Hostilities
(CCCH).
MILF peace panel head
Mohagher Iqbal said its new
CCCH head, Abbas Salung, has
been a member of the MILF's
CCCH since 2007.
“We are confident that
he can perform well and his
appointment is a positive
development in our
visionmission for the
Bangsamoro and Muslim
ummanh as well as to the
g ove r n m e n t M I L F p e a c e
process,” Iqbal said in an
article on the MILF website.
Iqbal said Salung was
appointed acting chairman of
the MILF CCCH since May 1,
replacing Said Shiek who was
appointed as a member of the
B a n g s a m o ro Tra n s i t i o n
Commission.
Salung is the first
chairman of the MILF CCCH
from Basilan province, he
Pennsylvanian
gets 12 years ...
From page 3
olds, found embedded in Herschell's
computer and other media storage
that were later confiscated from
Herschell.
Herschell had acknowledged
paying to view live sex acts of minor
in the Philippines by paying to
PayPal, which allows money transfer
thru Internet, in February 2010. It
included a 12-year-old minor female
engaged in sexual activity.
At the sentencing Tuesday,
Herschell, although he had an
opportunity to do so, did not make
any statement nor apologize before
the judge. He was accompanied by
two men and his lawyer, Attorney
Finkelstein, during his sentencing.
The case was supervised by
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Mythili Raman of the Justice
Department's Criminal Division; U.S.
Attorney for the Western District of
Pennsylvania David J. Hickton; and
Special Agent in Charge John
added.
“The MILF has full trust
and confidence with Brother
Salung. Salung has proven his
commitment, competence
and credibility to the cause of
the Bangsamoro and the
MILF for right to
selfdetermination and the
peace process,” he said.
The MILF CCCH works
closely with the government
CCCH and the Malaysia-led
International Monitoring
Te a m t o m a i n t a i n t h e
ceasefire between the
government and the MILF.
It also helps establish an
enabling environment for the
peace process and the peace
negotiations.
The MILF said Salung
and the MILF CCCH
secretariat head took a twoweek Course on the United
N a t i o n s Fra m e wo rk o n
Ceasefire Monitoring and
Mediation in Oslo, Norway
last March.
The training would be
"very useful" for his duties
and functions with the CCCH,
the group said.
Kelleghan of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement's (ICE)
Homeland Security Investigations
(HSI) in Philadelphia.
Atty. Smolar was assisted by
Trial Attorney Bonnie L. Kane of the
Criminal Division's Child
Exploitation and Obscenity Section
(CEOS). This case was investigated
by ICE-HSI Pittsburgh and the ICEH S I A t t a c h e' s O f f i c e i n t h e
Philippines with significant
assistance from the National Bureau
of Investigation (Philippines) and
the Philippine National Police.
This case was brought as part
of Project Safe Childhood, a
nationwide initiative to combat the
growing epidemic of child sexual
exploitation and abuse launched in
May 2006 by the Department of
Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices
and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood
marshals federal, state and local
resources were to locate, apprehend
and prosecute individuals, who
exploit children via the Internet, as
well as to identify and rescue
victims. More information about
Project Safe Childhood can be
accessed by visiting
www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
([email protected])
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 9
Ampatuans plea not guilty to
murder of 58th massacre victim
MANILA - Seventyeight suspects in the
gruesome 2009
Maguindanao massacre
entered a not guilty plea
to a 58th murder charge
on Wednesday.
F o r m e r
Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) Governor Zaldy
Ampatuan, former Datu
U n s ay M ayo r A n d a l
Ampatuan Jr., former
Maguindanao Governor
Andal Ampatuan Sr.
pleaded not guilty to the
killing of the 58th victim
of the massacre, Midland
Review photojournalist
Reynalo "Bebot" Momay.
Seventy-five other
suspects, composed
mostly of policemen and
armed civilian and militia
members, also entered a
not guilty plea.
The 78 suspects
were arraigned at the
Quezon City Jail annex in
Camp Bagong Diwa,
Palace outraged
by NPA ambush of
cops
From page 1
The soldiers all belonging
to the Special Action Force were
killed when a mine planted by
the communist New People's
A r m y ( N PA ) b l e w u p i n
Allacapan town in Cagayan.
They were in “athletic
uniform,” not in combat fatigues,
as they were on their way for a
medical checkup, Valte said. “We
couldn't make sense of their
(rebels') reason for justifying
(the attack),” she said.
Luis Jalandoni, chief peace
negotiator of the communist-led
National Democratic Front
(NDF), has claimed that the use
of “command-detonated
landmines” as opposed to
“contact-detonated” ones, by the
NPA was not a violation of the
Ottawa Treaty.
The Ottawa Protocol is
formally known as the
“Convention on the Prohibition
of the Use, Stockpiling,
Production and Transfer of AntiPersonnel Mines and on their
Destruction.”
The Office of the
Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process (Opapp)
condemned the NPA's use of
landmines as “a gross violation
of Republic Act No. 9851, or the
Philippine Act on Crimes against
International Humanitarian Law,
Genocide and Other Crimes
Against Humanity, as well as the
Taguig before QC Region
Trial Court Branch 221
Judge Jocelyn SolisReyes.
The charges were
filed following a
Department of Justice
(DOJ) investigation on
the complaint filed by Ma.
Reynafe Momay-Castillo,
the daughter of the slain
photojournalist.
The DOJ had said
there is sufficient
evidence that Momay
was indeed part of the illfated convoy, composed
of journalists and
relatives of then Buluan
vice mayor and
gubernatorial candidate
Esmael "Toto"
Mangudadatu.
Momay was added
last year to the original
57 victims of the
massacre, after a team
from the Commission on
Human Rights recovered
parts of his dentures.
Ottawa Protocol.”
“By its insistence on using
land mines and its insistence on
continuing a regime of violence
instead of talking peace, the NPA
turns a blind eye to the clamor of
our people for a peaceful
resolution of the armed conflict,”
the Opapp said in a strongly
worded statement.
Sen. Francis Escudero said
the government should return to
the negotiating table with the
Communist Party of the
Philippines and the NPA, its
armed wing, as a means to avoid
bloody clashes with the rebels.
Escudero, who chairs the
Senate committee on justice and
human rights, said the
breakthrough in the peace talks
with the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) should also be
duplicated with the NDF.
“Will the doors and
windows be open to avoid
skirmishes like this? The
government has been truly
successful in its negotiations
with the MILF. I hope we can also
see the same happen with the
NPA,” he told reporters.
In a statement, Interior
Secretary Mar Roxas condemned
the attack, saying such “kind of
savagery has no place in our
society.”
“This makes the attack all the
more shocking and senseless
since it was premeditated and
carried out without
provocation,” he said.Reports
from Michael Lim Ubac, Norman
Bordadora and Marlon Ramos
(Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Canada joins US, UK, Australia in warning
citizens versus kidnap threat in Mindanao
MANILA -- Despite
re p e a te d a s s u ra n c e f ro m
Philippine officials, Canada on
Thursday (Manila time) joined
the US, UK and Australia in
discouraging their nationals in
the Philippines from traveling to
parts of Mindanao due to a
supposed kidnap threat.
In an update to its travel
advisory, Canada urged its
nationals to "exercise a high
degree of caution" due to an
"ongoing terrorist threat to
We s t e r n e r s a n d We s t e r n
interests."
" Fo re i g n A f fa i r s a n d
International Trade Canada
advises against all travel to the
Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao (consisting of Basilan,
Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Lanao del Sur,
Maguindanao and Sharif
Kabunsuan), as well as to the
Zamboanga Peninsula,
Zamboanga del Sur, Sarangani,
Lanao del Norte, Davao del Sur
(excluding urban areas of Davao
City), North and South Cotabato,
and Sultan Kudarat, due to the
serious threat of terrorist
attacks and kidnapping," it said.
Canada also noted the US
Embassy in Manila had warned
US citizens in the Zamboanga
region to be "extremely vigilant
following a credible threat of a
terrorist plot to kidnap
foreigners for ransom in that
area."
It added dozens of people
have been killed or injured by
bombings in Cotabato,
Kidapawan, Zamboanga City,
General Santos City, Iligan City,
Jolo, Isabela City and Davao City.
"The threat of terrorist
attacks remains high in major
centres in the region," it said.
Aside from the US,
Australia and the United
Kingdom have similarly warned
their nationals in the Philippines
to be wary of kidnap threats in
parts of Mindanao.
'No specific threat'
Philippine officials earlier
assured foreigners in the
country that there was no
specific threat in the Zamboanga
area and other parts of
Mindanao.
"Upon consultation with
our security and law
enforcement officials, there are
no specifc threats that have been
monitored in that area," deputy
presidential spokesperson
Abigail Valte said in a text
message to reporters earlier in
the day.
Still, Valte recognized "the
need of any country to warn its
citizens of precautionay
measures necessary for their
safety."
On Wednesday, military
information chief Maj. Ramon
Zagala stressed that with or
w i t h o u t t rave l wa r n i n g s ,
government security forces
"will continue to be firm in our
commitment to protect Filipinos
and foreign citizens visiting our
country."
Responsibility
In its advisory, Canada
reminded its nationals that
"(t)he decision to travel is your
responsibility," and that they are
responsible for their personal
safety abroad.
" T h e G o ve r n m e n t o f
Canada takes the safety and
security of Canadians abroad
very seriously and provides
credible and timely information
in its Travel Advice. In the event
of a crisis situation that requires
evacuation, the Government of
Canada's policy is to provide
safe transportation to the
closest safe location.
" T h e G o ve r n m e n t o f
Canada will assist you in leaving
a country or a region as a last
resort, when all means of
commercial or personal
transportation have been
exhausted," it said.
Better governance urged in ARMM
By Roel Pareño
LAMITAN, Philippines - Villagers will no longer be
entertained by goats from their
respective municipalities, and
pupils will be ensured of their
teachers' presence assured
Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Mujiv
Hataman as part of the reforms he
would be instituting in the region.
T h e g ove r n o r - e l e c t o f
ARMM issued this stern
p ro n o u n c e m e n t d u r i n g t h e
'Kanduli' (thanksgiving) he and his
vice governor-elect Al-Rashid
Lucman held at the district
engineers compound in this city
attended by all the provincial and
l o c a l g o ve r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s
following their victory in the just
concluded May 13 polls.
Hataman was optimistic
reforms will be put in place before
they step down from office once
the Bangsamoro new political
entity will be implemented as a
result of the peace talks between
the government and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Hataman said the stability
and development in the povertyand graft-ridden provinces in
ARMM will now depend on local
governance.
Hataman challenged the
town mayors to report to their
respective town offices instead of
constantly traveling outside their
places.
“We will not approve any of
your projects unless you have a
functional governance, you have
clear government center, clear
economic center then we will help
you,” Hataman told the local
leadership of his intentions to
hasten the government
development programs in the
ARMM.
He said once there will be
functional governance down to the
barangay level, peace and security
will be addressed slowly.
So, ayusin n'yo ang inyong
munisipyo, kasi kahit magkakampi
pa tayo sa nakaraang eleksyon
titiyakin ko na nasa hulihan kayo
ng programa kung hindi kayo
gagalaw. Tanggalin n'yo ang mga
kambing doon at dalhin n'yo ang
inyong mga empleyado para
magsilbi sa taumbayan,' Hataman
said.
He said out of the more than
2,000 barangays in the ARMM
about 154 barangays were unable
to benefit from comprehensive and
complete government service.
Hataman said the president
has called him to find out how
many of the areas in the ARMM
have yet to establish rural health
units.
He said they have already
prepared about 20 percent of the
P1.5-billion budget for the
improvement of the water system
in the Muslim region that will also
go with the health program.
“In our investigation on the
recent cholera incident where 100
were downed and five succumbed,
we found out that the problem was
due to the lack of water system,”
Hataman said.
The ARMM chief executive
said they will be more pro-active in
bringing about the needed
development and stability in the
area.
Hataman said they will be
implementing the one-strike
policy in the Muslim region to
address the poor education system
in the area.
He said during the
implementation of the reform
program, they have also
discovered that most of the
teachers in the ARMM were not
re p o r t i n g to t h e i r a re a o f
assignments regularly.
Hataman said he will be
deputizing the barangay officials
and the military to monitor the
teachers who fail to report
regularly and provide incentives to
the schools that are performing.
He also appealed to the
village chairmen to make an
inventory of areas that have no
schools yet.
ARMM Education Secretary
Jamal Kulayan said they have
enough teachers who will be
prepared when classes open next
week.
Kulayan made the assurance
as he led the distribution of boxes
of chalks, school bags and writing
paraphernalia at the district office
in Lamitan.
“We have arrested the
bloated figures of students in the
region and we will go on in
implementing the biometrics to
ensure that the data of the number
of students are the actual number
of students,” Kulayan added.
(philstar.com)
Editorial & opinion
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 10
Sick man of Asia
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III loves to tell anyone
who will listen that the Filipino is no longer the “sick man of
Asia.”
It doesn't matter that we were, in fact, one of the few
economies that still managed to grow even during the global
financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, thanks in part to the sound
fiscal policies put in place by Mr. Aquino's predecessor. None
of these facts fit in with Mr. Aquino's propaganda line that
the economy is booming and that Filipinos are standing
proud because of the reforms he had introduced upon taking
power in 2010.
Ironically, very few people and certainly not Filipinos
themselves ever described the Philippines as the “sick man”
of Asia until Mr. Aquino started peddling the idea.
Very quickly, the World Bank and the ratings agencies
swallowed Mr. Aquino's myth hook, line and sinker.
“The Philippines is no longer the sick man of East Asia,
but the rising tiger,” declared World Bank Country Director
Motoo Konishi during the Philippines Development Forum
in Davao City in February.
The words were impressive but meant very little when
indicator after economic indicator showed that only a tiny,
elite fraction of the population enjoyed the fruits of last
year's 6.6 percent growth in the gross domestic product.
The claim of a strong and resurgent Philippines is even
more ludicrous against the backdrop of the Aquino
administration's utter failure to defend our sovereignty,
territory and people.
Over the last week, Chinese fishing vessels and
government ships have been coming and going into the
Ayungin Shoal as if the waters there belonged to China. They
do not. The Ayungin Shoal is part of the Kalayaan Island
Group that is well within the country's exclusive economic
zone.
In response, the Aquino administration filed a
diplomatic protest that will lead nowhere because the
country has neither the political nor military clout to back its
claims.
In the meantime, Mr. Aquino's spokeswoman advised
Filipino fishermen who have been deprived of their
livelihood because of the Chinese intrusions to simply look
for other fishing grounds.
“There is a deliberate choice to avoid or to not respond
to any provocative actions and not to make any actions that
would tend to escalate the situation,” the Palace
spokeswoman said, putting the usual spin on its
helplessness to defend our national interests.
It was the same weakness that Mr. Aquino exhibited
when he groveled before the Taiwanese after an initial and
short-lived bout of bombast, when it became apparent that
Taipei was serious about imposing sanctions against the
Philippines for shooting dead one of its fishermen.
This same lack of backbone was on display when Mr.
Aquino failed to take Malaysia to task for killing and abusing
the rights of Filipinos in Sabah.
No longer the sick man of Asia? That sounds like a tale
told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
(Manila Standard)
Founded in 1986
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Lito A. Gajilan, Jr.
Columnists: Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq.,
Juan L. Mercado, Jonathan Suarez, Joel Baclit
Correspondent: Contessa Bourbon
The opinions expressed by columnists are their
own and do not reflect the opinion of the paper
nor that of the publisher
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 201-434-1114 Fax 201-434-0880
Immigration Bill moves to Senate
floor but House has no Bill yet
After five long days of
markup, Senate Bill 744,
popularly known as the
Comprehensive Immigration
Reform Bill, was approved last
May 21 by the Senate Judiciary
Committee by a vote of 13-5.
There were about 300
amendments filed. Senator
Grassley, a Republican, had 77
and Senator Sessions, also a
Republican, had 59. In the end, a
number of significant
amendments were approved but
the core provisions of the bill
remained intact. It now moves to
the Senate floor for a final vote by
the entire Senate.
Among the amendments
t h a t we re a p p rove d we re
provisions intended to keep
families together such as Hirono
Amendment 1 introduced by
Democratic Senator of Hawaii,
Mazie Hirono, to exempt children
of certain Filipino World War II
veterans from the numerical
limitation, and Hirono
Amendment 23 that would
require the Department of
Homeland Security to take into
consideration the humanitarian
needs of family members during
removal proceedings at the
border.
Senator Hirono also
succeeded in pushing
amendments that would make
DREAM Act students eligible for
federal financial aid, protect
children from trafficking, and
allow applicant for Registered
Provisional Immigrant (RPI)
status to pay application fees and
penalties in installments. But her
proposal to allow U.S. citizens
suffering extreme hardship to
petition for their adult sons and
daughters or siblings was voted
down.
Senator Blumenthal's
amendment to allow the
naturalization of DREAMers
serving in the Armed Forces was
approved but his proposal to
move the physical presence
requirement for RPI eligibility
from December 31, 2011 to April
17, 2013 was withdrawn.
As to employment-based
u
Page 12
“BEYOND TOMORROW”
“The future starts today, not
tomorrow”, Pope John Paul II
once cautioned. That reality
underpins the new Asian
Development Bank study that
sketches “a daunting unfinished
agenda when the Millennium
Development Goals expire in
2015.”
“The Millennium
Development --- what?”, asked
this newly-elected congressman.
He's a third generation edition
from a deeply-rooted Visayas
dynasty. “. “I didn't know that we
and 188 others countries
adopted MDGs in 2000,” he
admitted.
MDGs are eight targets to
tamp down deprivation: from
hunger as well as high infant and
maternal death rates. These
goals were worked into
indicators. “MDG's chief appeal
is they convert high rhetoric into
hard numbers,” the Economist
noted.
In 2015, the UN will receive
from members states reports on
how they achieved MDG targets.
That's less than two years away. It
will also be the second to the last
year of President Benigno
Aquino's term of office.
PNoy set higher standards
of integrity and governance. But
he'll report that we flubbed
Goals 1,2 and 5. “We could have
achieved MDGs under the (
Arroyo ) regime”, says the study:
“Winning the Numbers, Losing
the War”. But corruption raged
unchecked. ( The regime ) was
born in turbulence, governed in
turbulence (and) left many issues
demanding urgent closure…”
Sleaze hasn't been totally
scrubbed.
”I never think of the future,”
the physicist Albert Einstein
o\said.. “It comes soon enough.”
Many newly elected officials are
not aware the world has moved
on.
“A global debate is under
way on the best way to tackle
challenges of a post-2015
development agenda,” ADB says
.“The focus in this fast growing
region should be on the glaring
gaps in MDG achievements.”
The Philippines Family
Health Survey, for example,
documents that 221 mostly
faceless mothers now die in
every 100,000 live births.
u
Page 14
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 11
OPINION Who cares about the hungry?
By Jose Ma. Montelibano
I have been monitoring the
hunger incidence statistics of the
Philippines as reported
quarterly by SWS for over ten
years, as long as I have been
involved with the Gawad Kalinga
movement. Because I was a latecomer in anti-poverty work at
that time, I remained observant
but quiet. I thought I could not
speak up when I was just like
most people I knew then
uninterested, uninvolved, and
concerned with a million other
things.
Along the way, I grew more
intimate with poverty from
consistent presence in areas
where the poor were, getting to
Making
life worth
living
Ellen Tordesillas
'A nation that aspires to
be a world power but refuses to
follow the Rule of Law is a
danger to peace and stability
in our world.'
know them better, deeper
involvement with community
o r g a n i z i n g , wo r k i n g w i t h
volunteers and partners, and
helping design community
programs. All the time, I always
remained watchful about hunger.
And when I knew the terrain
much better, I began to write
about it.
Wanting to understand why
the Philippines, a country so rich
in almost everything, was
inexplicably mired in massive
poverty, I was forced to turn to
history. In my whole lifetime,
poverty was already a reality in
the Philippines. And since
governance by Filipinos began
only in 1946 despite claims of
independence earlier, I could not
blame any government
administration of causing
poverty. Of course, government
may be very guilty in
perpetuating in what it could
have substantially mitigated in
the last 67 years, but not in
causing the massive poverty we
have.
There is no doubt in my
mind that poverty was a direct
consequence of Spanish
colonization, specifically in
taking control of land that
belonged to the people. Land in
the 16th century was more
meaningful that what it is today.
When everything was
agricultural then, land meant
everything that man needed
aside from his own skills and
administration. Land meant
home, land meant food, land
meant security. land meant
opportunity, land meant the past,
the present and the future.
When Spain engineered the
largest land-grab in our history,
the people's slide to poverty
began. Only a few were spared
from it, mostly local leaders who
allowed themselves to be used by
the foreign masters to control the
rest of the natives. Only a few,
then, were spared from the
massive poverty that ensued in
the centuries to come. These
included the peninsulares and
the insulares who, together with
cooperative local leaders,
became the first elite.
The landlessness of native
Filipinos led to poverty, led to
homelessness, led to hunger.
T h e re wa s j u s t n o o t h e r
explanation for poverty, not at
the national scale it reached.
That there are always poor
people around may be
understandable, but not when it
reaches 90%, as in the D & E
classes of the Philippines. The
saving grace is that livelihood is
n o w n o t a ny m o re t o t a l ly
dependent on land. Landless
OFWs are earning enough to buy
home lots and build sturdy
homes. They are also lifting
themselves out of poverty
without help from the
government and the elite.
But the point is not only
about poverty but one of its most
horrible faces hunger. I have
written many times that hunger
shames us as a people. It shames
government. It shames the
Church. It shames all the nonpoor among us. Beyond being a
shame, it places a curse on us, not
just the administration in power,
not just the cardinals and
u
Page 14
Justice Carpio: appeal to world opinion
vs Chinese defiance of the rule of law
The Department of Foreign
Affairs filed a diplomatic protest
on Chinese on Ayungin shoal
May 10.
HERE we go again. This
time it's over Ayungin Reef
(Ren'ai Reef to the Chinese.)
DFA Spokesman Raul
Hernandez said in their protest,
they cited “the provocative and
illegal presence of the Chinese
government ships around
Ayungin Shoal.”
T h e P h i l i p p i n e N av y
reported sightings of Chinese
ships in the vicinity of Ayungin
shoal as early as first week of
May, the last stretch of the May
13 elections, and before the May
9 incident in Balintang Channel
where the Philippine Coast
Guard fired upon a Taiwanese
fishing vessel and killed one of
the fishermen.
He said that “Ayungin Shoal
is an integral part of our national
territory” stressing that shoal is
located 105.77 nautical miles
from Palawan and constitutes
part of the country's 200nautical mile continental shelf
as provided under the United
Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea. China, of course,
insisted that Ayungin Reef,
which they call Ren 'ai Reef, is
theirs being a part of Sansha City,
established last June in the
southernmost province of
Hainan. The Philippines had also
protested the inclusion of
Macclesfield Field, one of the
largest underwater atolls in the
world, covering an area of 6,500
square kilometers which is in
Philippine territory, under
Sansha city.
An article in a Chinese
online publication, Global
Times, under the headline,
“Ren'ai Reef under actual
control of China” said, “Wang
Xiaopeng, a scholar studying
issues pertinent to territorial
seas at China's Academy of
Social Sciences, commented that
the Chinese Foreign Ministry
never made mention of the
Ren'ai Reef when, back in April,
it released eight Chinese islets
and reefs currently seized by the
Philippines, which means the
Ren'ai Reef is already under
China's actual control.”
The eight islets that the
Chinese acknowledged being
occupied by the Philippines are
Lawak, Patag, Parola, Pag-asa,
Kota, Panata, Rizal, Likas.
The article further said:
“Ren'ai Reef… is part of the
Chinese territory and, an area
over which China proclaims
sovereignty and vows never to
yield an inch to others. “
Obviously, China ignores the fact
that in Ayungin shoal, there's
BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine
Navy ship that was purposely
beached in the islets following
the occupation by China of the
Mischief or Panganiban Reef in
1995. Ayungin Reef is 25 miles
away from Mischief Reef.
What does the Philippine
government do in the face of
what many fear is another
expansionist act by China in the
disputed waters of Spratlys?
Not much really. The
Philippines has filed a petition
with the United Nations'
Artbitral Court to look, among
other issues, into the legality of
China's nine-dash line map,
which is the basis for its claim of
u
Page 12
The truth hurts
One day, I hope, this
President will wear the
Philippine flag on his chest
instead of that suicide watch
yellow ribbon that he believes is
his true symbol. Until then, he
can't honestly expect Filipinosto
say nothing of the foreigners
who are walking all over us, it
seemsto respect this true
national emblem that his
predecessors-in-office have
proudly worn.
Last Tuesday was the
115th anniversary of the first
time the Philippine flag, sewn by
Filipino expatriates in Hong
Kong, was publicly displayed
during the revolutionary Battle
of Alapan in Cavite. To mark this
event, the Aquino
administration announced that
May 27 up to June 12, the
anniversary of Philippine
Independence, have been
designated “Flag Days,” to honor
the national symbol.
O n p a p e r, t h e
administration was all about
waving the national tricolor.
“We enjoin our countrymen to
learn more about our flag and
take pride in this unifying
symbol of our nationhood and
our collective aspirations,”
intoned Abigail Valte, the
congenitally clueless Palace
spokesman.
But this same week,
President Noynoy Aquino
visited the flag-draped caskets
of seven Marines who were
killed by Abu Sayyaf bandits
over the weekend in Patikul,
Sulu. Aquino arrived at the
Marine headquarters in Fort
Bonifacio wearing the requisite
solemn demeanor and the
spotless, nationalistic barong
tagalogbut with his yellow
ribbon prominently pinned to
his chest.
Yes, one day, perhaps,
Aquino will get it through his
thick skull that he does a
disservice to his country every
time he refuses to wear the flag
like a proper head of state. The
only honor he gives when he
does that, he must understand,
i s t o h i s f a m i ly a n d i t s
sycophants, who have adopted
that hateful partisan ribbon as
the de facto national seal.
Talk about your “unifying
symbol of nationhood and
collective aspirations.” This
President has always sought to
divide his own country into
those who blindly worship him
and those who do notbut who
are still no less patriotic than
any Yellow fanatic.
And the lip service that this
administration pays to
respecting the flag is exposed
every time Aquino wears his
yellow ribbon. That speaks
volumes about this
government's desire for unity, as
well.
***
Dennis Halpin, an
American diplomat and former
House Foreign Affairs
Committee senior staff member
advising on Asian issues, has
written a rejoinder to a recent
article in The Diplomat that I
mentioned here recently, J.
Michael Cole's “How Taiwan
Bungled the Philippine Crisis,”
which basically blamed Taipei
for the controversy surrounding
the killing of a Taiwanese
fisherman by the crew of a Coast
G u a r d g u n b o a t . H a l p i n' s
“Actually, It Was The Philippines
That Bungled The Crisis With
Taiwan,” published in the same
periodical, is sobering and
possibly hurtful to Filipinosin
the way that the truth is hurtful.
It is Halpin's thesis that
Manila has, from the very
beginning, attempted “to evade
the Philippine government's
responsibility in this tragedy.” I
could not agree with Halpin
more.
“Nuance is critical in
diplomacy,” Halpin wrote.
“Unfortunately, from day one,
Manila has misused its
diplomatic language in an
attempt to reassure Taipei and,
as a consequence, has bumbled
into an avoidable row.”
T h e
A q u i n o
administration, he wrote,
missed “'[t]he propitious time to
cease escalation,' as described
by Mr. Cole, [which] quickly
passed by in the first few days
[after the incident].”
u
Page 14
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 12
Justice Carpio:
appeal to
world opinion
vs Chinese ...
VP on Ayungin: If necessary,
fight until the last man
From page 11
the whole South China Sea
including islands in the
territorial waters and exclusive
economic zones of the
Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Brunei and Vietnam.
But the petition has not
deterred China from going into
disputed areas they consider
part of their territory.
BRP Sierra Madre stuck in Ayungin Shoal, 25 miles from Mischief Reef occupied by the Chinese.
Supreme Court Justice
Antonio Carpio, in his speech
before the graduating class of
the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng
Maynila College of Law last
week, warned of the dangers of
China's 9-dash line.
“So what can the
Philippines do?” Justice Carpio
asked.
“In the case of the
Philippines, China's 9-dash line
claim takes away our exclusive
economic zone and extended
continental shelf in the West
Philippine Sea beyond 30 to 50
NM from the baselines of the
Philippines. That deprives the
Philippines of 80% of its
exclusive economic zone, and
100% of its extended
continental shelf, in the West
Philippine Sea.”
But even Carpio
acknowledges the difficulty of
enforcing the decision of the U.N
Arbitral Court if it's adverse to
China, which has refused to
participate in the case.
where adherence to the Rule of
Law is the norm. A nation that
aspires to be a world power but
refuses to follow the Rule of Law
is a danger to peace and stability
in our world.”
Carpio said “The only
remaining recourse for the
Philippines is to appeal to world
opinion.”
Carpio said a favorable
decision from the arbitral
tribunal, and world opinion also
in our favor, time will be on the
side of the Philippines.
He told the graduates: “As
life-long students of the law
with an abiding faith in the Rule
of Law, it is your mission from
now on to help shape world
opinion that a nation should
follow the Rule of Law if it wants
to be accepted as a member and
leader of the community of
civilized nations. If a nation
refuses to comply with the Rule
of Law, then it becomes a rogue
nation, an outcast in the
community of civilized nations
“In matters of sovereign
rights among nations, our time
horizon should span several
decades or even longer. In the
battle to defend a nation's
sovereign rights from
encroachment by other states,
there is no such thing as instant
success. Even nations with the
Rule of Law and world opinion
on their side must persevere for
a very long time to succeed,” he
said.
MANILA -- Vice-President
Jejomar Binay on Thursday said
the Philippines will "fight until the
last man" if necessary against the
intrusion of Chinese ships in
Ayungin shoal off Palawan.
He, however, conceded that
the Philippines has already
reacted by filing a diplomatic
protest before Beijing, which is a
more peaceful solution to the
issue.
"I think we had already
reacted. If it is necessary we have
to fight until the last man. Pero, we
are preempting kasi remember
we had further case for
arbitration. That is a peaceful
[solution]," he told reporters.
Malacañang earlier said the
Philippines is not sending a vessel
to counter the presence of
Chinese ships in Ayungin shoal off
Palawan.
Deputy presidential
spokesperson Abigail Valte said
the Philippines has chosen to take
the peaceful path in addressing
the issue.
The Chinese intrusion is
already the subject of a diplomatic
protest filed by the Philippines.
Less than 10 personnel of the
Philippine Marines are reportedly
guarding the shoal.
"As mentioned to me by the
President, we have deliberately
Immigration
Bill moves to
Senate ...
From page 10
immigration, the Senate
Judiciary Committee adopted an
amendment of the W visa
program allowing the foreign
workers to change employers
without losing their
immigration status. Moreover,
the annual number of H-1B visa
was increased from 110,000 in
the original bill to 115,000. The
amendment further adopts a
new formula that will allow a
quota increase of 5,000 to
20,000 within a fiscal year. This
will depend on the demand and
unemployment rate for
managerial, professional and
related occupations.
The final bill also clarifies
that I-140 or employment-based
immigrant petitions would
remain valid so long as the
beneficiary has a new job in the
same or similar classification.
The amendment adopted also
allows adjustment applications
to be filed concurrently with
immigrant petitions even if the
visa number is not yet available
for a supplemental fee of $500.
The bill will still be subject
to deliberation and
amendments in the Senate floor.
The Senate will need 60 votes to
successfully move the bill to the
House of Representatives. No
Vice-President Binay
chosen not to respond to
provocative statements or actions
given that we have already chosen
the path of peaceful resolution
and exhausting diplomatic means
to do so," Valte said.
The Palace said that taking
the diplomatic approach in
resolving the issue is "not
inconsistent" with the
Philippines' desire to establish its
"minimum credible defense
posture."
The President recently
announced the plan to acquire
additional military assets to boost
the Navy's capability to patrol the
country's borders.
bill has been introduced in the
House yet but once a House bill is
passed, the Senate bill will be
reconciled with the House
version. A group of bipartisan
members in the House are
expected to release their own
version of the bill in a couple of
weeks.
Meanwhile, some 150
conservative leaders have sent
an open letter to members of the
Senate urging them to vote
against the bill. They are now
campaigning to get support from
the public particularly harping
on the proposed pathway to
citizenship as “immediate
amnesty” which only rewards
lawbreakers.
Also, a group of
conservatives in the House who
are not in favor of the
comprehensive approach are
already introducing individual
bills dealing with specific
aspects of immigration. Many
consider the comprehensive
immigration bill as the only way
that the proposed pathway to
citizenship for the
undocumented can pass. The
“piecemeal approach” employed
by the conservatives is seen not
as a means to subvert
immigration reform but as a
means to kill the proposed
pathway to citizenship for the
undocumented.
(Editor's Note: REUBEN S. SEGURITAN
has been practicing law for over 30 years.
For more information, you may log on to
his website at www.seguritan.com or call
(212) 695-5281.)
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 13
3 PH beaches
make to CNN’s
list of world’s
best
From page 1
It listed Palaui on No. 10, the only
Southeast Asian beach in the Top 10.
“Glorious white sands meet
volcanic rocks and blue-green waters
topside, while coral gardens and a rich
marine reserve meet divers under the
surface. Palaui is all about raw beauty,”
CNN said of the island off the
northeastern tip of Luzon.
“Treks to get there require
battling thorny grass, muddy ground
and a mangrove forest…. With no
resorts or hotels, Palaui has only two
real options: camping under the stars
or home stays,” it added.
El Nido, which supposedly
inspired author Alex Garland to write
the novel “The Beach,” landed on No.
14, or five notches above Maya Bay in
Ko Phi Phi, Thailand, where the novel's
movie adaptation starring Leonardo
DiCaprio was filmed.
“El Nido is the gateway to
adventure, 'the last frontier' of the
Philippines, as it has been dubbed,”
CNN said.
“Powder-fine beaches and ginclear waters complement the stunning
views of karst limestone formations,
e m p t y l a g o o n s , m a r b l e c l i f fs ,
prehistoric caves and waterfalls,” it
added.
CNN also noted that El Nido
surrounding waters contain more
than 50 species of coral and attract
whales, whale sharks, sea cows, manta
rays, dolphins and endangered turtles.
And while it has received flak
recently for being overcrowded and
for being a disappointment for some
travel writers, Boracay island,
particularly Puka Beach, still made it
to No. 84.
“Making a respectable claim to
its 'tropical paradise' reputation,
Boracay has powdery beaches, water
sports and spas. Puka Beach is named
for its Puka shells, meaning the sand
here is coarse,” CNN said.
“Puka is the second-longest
beach on Boracay and relatively empty
most times, with no resorts and a
limited number of restaurants,” it
added.
International publications like
Travel+Leisure Magazine and the New
York Times earlier named the
Philippines among the hottest tourism
destinations for 2013.
On Thursday, the Department of
Tourism ) said foreign visitor arrivals
during the first four months of 2013
reached 1,649,458 million, or a 10.12
percent increase from the same period
in 2012.
“The first four months represent
30 percent of the target arrivals for
2013, with the month of January
yielding the largest volume of 436,079
visitors and February generating the
highest growth of 15.52 percent,” the
DOT said.
For the first four months of the
year, South Korea contributed the
largest arrivals with 406,595 visitors,
keeping its undisputed pole position
with the biggest market share of 24.65
percent of total inbound traffic and a
double-digit growth of 23.08 percent.
The DOT said the United States
came in as the second biggest source
market with 246,011 visitors or a
share of 14.91 percent.
“Japan is third with 148,950 or
9.03 percent of the overall visitor
volume. China has kept its position as
the fourth biggest market with
132,307 or an 8.02 percent share.
Australia is fifth with 72,015 arrivals,
constituting 4.37 percent of the total
visitor count,” the DOT said.
Arrivals from Taiwan declined
by 8.3 percent with 68,654 visitors
and this was before public anger in
Taiwan over the killing of a Taiwanese
fisherman by members of the
Philippine Coast Guard.
The other top tourism markets
for the Philippines were Singapore
with 55,096 (15.90 percent); Canada
with 50,352 (4.25 percent); Hong
Kong with 45,734 (12.87 percent);
United Kingdom with 43,055 (3.10
percent); Malaysia with 35,069 (8.36
percent); and Germany with 28,799
(9.16 percent).
Other markets that registered
double-digit gains included Russia
(30.33 percent), India (23.13 percent),
and France (20.10 percent).
“This growth is an affirmation of
our various marketing and destination
development activities, strengthened
by partnerships with the various
stakeholders. While the upsurge may
primarily be attributed to the summer
season, it is also a clear indication that
the nation has galvanized its
reputation as an attractive
destination,” said Tourism Secretary
Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr.
“ We h ave b e e n s e e i n g a
sustainable increase in arrivals since
last year. This building enthusiasm for
the Philippines, aided by our
government's good governance
agenda, gives us the confidence to
achieve our target of 10 million tourist
arrivals by 2016,” he added. Philippine
Daily Inquirer
PHL's foreign tourist arrivals
hit 1.6 million in four months
MANILA -- In only the first
four months of the year, the
Philippines has already
recorded 1,649,458 million
foreign tourist arrivals, which is
a 10.12 percent increase from
the same period in last year's
data.
This result, which
represents 30 percent of the
t a r g e t a r r i va l s f o r 2 0 1 3
according to the Department of
Tourism (DOT) on Thursday, is a
"robust performance".
January alone yielded the
largest volume of 436,079
visitors; meanwhile, February
generated the highest growth of
15.52 percent.
Tourism Secretary, Ramon
Jimenez, Jr. said in a statement
that the DOT has been seeing a
sustainable increase in arrivals
since last year.
“This building enthusiasm
for the Philippines, aided by our
government's good governance
agenda, gives us the confidence
to achieve our target of 10
million tourist arrivals by 2016,”
Jimenez said.
“Central to this, we are
reaching out to industry,
government, and civil society to
continue investing in
s u s t a i n a b l e p ro j e c t s a n d
partnerships to secure our
continued growth,” he added.
Koreans comprised the
largest number of arrivals at
406,595 and the biggest market
share of 24.65 percent to the
total inbound traffic and a
double-digit growth of 23.08
percent.
Second is the United States
with 246,011 arrivals or a share
of 14.91 percent. Third is Japan
with 148,950 or 9.03 percent of
the overall visitor volume.
Meanwhile, China remains
the fourth biggest market with
132,307 or an 8.02 percent
share. Australia is fifth with
72,015 arrivals, constituting
4.37 percent of the total visitor
count.
Its double-digit increase of
12.06 percent from last year
catapulted it to the fifth spot
moving Taiwan to sixth, the
latter delivered 68,654 visitors,
reflecting a slight decline of 8.30
percent.
“This growth is an
affirmation of our various
marketing and destination
development activities,
strengthened by partnerships
with the various stakeholders,”
Jimenez, said.
“While the upsurge may
primarily be attributed to the
summer season, it is also a clear
indication that the nation has
galvanized its reputation as an
attractive destination,” he
added.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 14
that it has helped millions of
families, it is like saying the SWS
surveys are terribly
understated, that the two or
more million families that the
CCT says it has reached used to
be part of the hungry. Either the
CCT is completely inutile
against hunger and dishonest
about its failures, or there used
to be more than thirty million
Filipinos experiencing hunger.
Who cares
about the
hungry?
From Page 11
Bishops still active in their
service, but all of us who can
feed someone who is hungry but
does not.
It is extremely difficult at
this time not to be angry about
20 million Filipinos
experiencing hunger. There is
something that is inhuman
about it, not that there are
hungry people, but that there
are people in strategic positions
who end up doing nothing. It is
not as though it is only now that
millions have experienced
hunger, it has been reported by
SWS for at least 15 years.
We have a Catholic Church
that expended great effort to
wage war against the RH Bill, to
create Team Patay during the
campaign. My God, if my God is
the same God they believe in,
the same Bible we read has
Jesus Christ asking on Judgment
Day, “When I was hungry, did
you feed me?” Is that kind of
message so hard to understand
or have the priorities of religion
been flushed in the toilet bowl?
We have a spokesperson
for the President of the Republic
who, when asked about the
latest hunger incidence report,
says that “they do not take the
survey results alone as the sole
benchmark used by the
government for its povertyalleviation priorities.” Well, Ms.
Valte, if you speak for our
President, please take the
hunger incidence report every
quarter with the utmost
interest, priority and sympathy.
Do not make people believe that
the President is simply more
interested in defending his
policies than getting more
hungry people fed.
In truth, who cares about
poverty-alleviation priorities
when people are hungry? The
success of anti-poverty
programs can be appreciated
only when hunger is effectively
and substantially reduced. In
other words, if the CCT claims
I thought that an Einstein
saying was most relevant only to
elections. But it seems even
more relevant to poverty and
hunger. Einstein said, “Insanity:
to do the same thing over and
over again and expecting
different results.” In attempts to
ease poverty and hunger, what I
used to think was only stupidity
is actually insanity according to
Einstein.
But what may be the
unkindest cut of all for our
m i l l i o n s wh o ex p e r i e n c e
hunger is not government, not
the Church, but the rest of the
Filipino people who are not
hungry and who make no effort
to feed the hungry. It is
Philippine society as a whole, its
perversion from a culture of
bayanihan to one that cannot
think beyond oneself and one's
family. How sad to realize that,
by how we have treated them,
nobody really cares about the
hungry.
The truth hurts
From page 11
The trouble started, Halpin
related, when “[o]n May 10, one day
after the Taiwan fisherman's body
was taken back to Taiwan and the
public's outrage began to boil over,
P re s i d e n t A q u i n o' s D e p u t y
S p o ke s p e r s o n Ab i ga i l Va l te
defended the Philippine Coast
Guard against the alleged
'aggressive act' of the Taiwan
fishing boat GDX 28. Obviously,
Manila was trying to paint the
PCG's killing as an act of selfdefense against an aggressor.”
The bungling was followed by
more bungling. “During the 72hour period from May 11 to May 14
[when Taiwan demanded a joint
inquiry and a public apology], there
was only silence between Taipei
and Manila,” Halpin said.
“If, at this critical moment
Manila had taken immediate,
consistent and concrete steps to
build mutual trust with Taipei, the
standoff would have been largely
resolved.” This is classic noynoying,
but neither Halpin nor the
“Beyond
tomorrow”
From page 10
That's up from 162 deaths in
2006. There has been a tragic Uturn in decline of maternal deaths,
sociologist Mary Racelis notes.
Then and now, most of those
deaths were preventable. Our
chances of meeting Millennium
D eve l o p m e n t G o a l t o s l a s h
maternal deaths to 52 in two years
are zero. “Goal 5 is least likely to be
achieved by 2015.” National
Ec o n o m i c a n d D eve l o p m e n t
Authority warned.
The bank's new study is
titled: “ADB's Support for Achieving
Millennium Development Goals”.
Aside from measuring gaps
between pledges and delivery, the
study also tries to improve the
setting and tracking of
development targets.
Asia and the Pacific
performed very well on tamping
down income poverty. This
slumped fell from 55% in the early
1990s to 24% by the late
2000s.”This is a historically
unprecedented global
achievement.” Nonetheless, twothirds of the world's poor cluster in
this region.
Wealth gaps between rich and
poor have widened in about half of
economies in Asia and the Pacific
Here, 28 out of every 100 Filipinos
scrounge below national poverty
linesunchanged over the last six
years, says the 2013
National
Statistical Coordination Board
report..
About
20 percent of the
poorest make do with six pesos out
of every 100 in the total national
income. You see that in slum
families or in scrawny kids cadging
for handouts. “Children from the
poorest households run twice the
risk of dying before age five.”
“Continuing the same pattern
of growth will not be enough to
stem rising inequality”, says
Independent Evaluation's Director
General Vinod Thomas “Nor will it
nor reverse environmental
degradation in timeproblems that
i n t u r n t h re a t e n s u s t a i n e d
economic growth.”
Inequality is not straitjacketed into to income poverty.
Taiwanese were aware of this
presidential proclivity.
And when Manila called the
killing an “unintended loss of life”
and insisted that its “one-China
policy” restrained it from offering
an official governmental apology,
Taiwan understandably become
angrier. Meco Chairman Amadeo
Perez “just added salt to Taipei's
wounds [by saying that the policy
was] an impediment to block Perez
from simply stating an apology 'on
behalf of the Philippine
government.'”
Going forward, Halpin also
proposed “a bilateral TaiwanPhilippines fishery agreement, as
Taiwan proposed, along the lines of
that signed between Taipei and
Tokyo this April. [This will]
effectively facilitate a rules-based
mechanism to manage potential
conflict.”
But Halpin seems unaware
that Aquino was truly busy at the
time tending to the May 13
elections, which had his full and
undivided attention. And that was
the real cause of the noynoying
make that bungling.
Much of Asia and the Pacific suffer
“from large disparities in the
provision of basic services.”
Here, 88 kids out of a hundred
are immunized against measles,
n o te s U N D P ' s 2 0 1 3 H u m a n
Development Report. It is 96 for
Malaysia. Six out of 10 Filipino
mothers deliver babies with
properly trained birth attendants.
In contrast, almost 99 percent of
births in Thailand have medical
personnel present.
In Asia and the Pacific, the
number of underweight children
aged below 5 declined only from
35 percent in the early 1990s to 25
percent by the late 2000s.
Under-age-5 child death rates
or “U5MR” here were halved
between 1990 and 2011. Two
decades back 59 kids, out of every
thousand births, never made it to
age 5. About 14,000 fewer children
die each day (compared to) two
decades ago. Still, almost 19,000
children under five die every day.”
Unicef 's survey pegs the
Philippines into Slot 80 among 193
nations. That shoved us almost on a
par with Dominican Republic but
behindMalaysia.
Babies born pretermbefore
the 37th week of pregnancyare
specially vulnerable. “The shorter
the term of pregnancy, the greater
the risks of death.” About half of
Filipino children's deaths occur
within this narrow deadly window.
Most of these deaths occur at home.
Unrecorded, they remain invisible
to all but their grieving families.
The quality of economic
growth is essential. A positive link
between economic growth and
h u m a n d e ve l o p m e n t i s n o t
automatic. You can impoverish
even in boom times.
Confronting environmental
degradation, caused by the region's
rapid economic growth , will persist
well into the post-MDG era. “There
has been vslow progress and even
regression on some environmental
targets in many countries”, writes.
Linda Arthur, the ADB study's
principal author.
G o v e r n a n c e a n d
accountability deficits” at all levels
must be addressed,.if the post2015a
agenda is to gain
m o m e n t u m . J o h n F Ke n n dy
cautioned: “Those who only look to
the past are certain to miss the
future.”
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 15
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 16
10 Top
Tourist
Attractions
in the
Philippines
1
Banaue Rice Terraces
No trip to the Philippines could be complete without seeing the spectacular Banaue Rice
Terraces. Carved from the mountain ranges about 2,000 years ago without modern tools by
the Ifugao tribes, these magnificent farm terraces resemble giant steps reaching up to the
sky. Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more
younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing and emigrate to the cities.
3
Chocolate Hills
2
Boracay
Boracay may be a small island, but it packs great features such as award-winning beaches,
beautiful resorts and great adventures like cliff diving, parasailing, motorbiking, horse riding,
snorkeling, kite surfing and scuba diving. If that is not enough, boat tours allow visitors to
watch stunning sunsets, explore volcanic caves and remote coves of turquoise lagoons.
When the sun sets, Boracay night-life pulsates with many bars and restaurants serving food,
drinks and fun until dawn.
4
Donsol
Written by Touropia
Located at the very eastern edge of Asia,
the Philippines are home to more than
7,000 islands, which are inhabited by
friendly locals and many indigenous tribes.
From pristine beaches and marvelous
natural wonders to interesting historic sites
and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the
Philippines pack many exciting things to
see and do. Check out the following top
tourist attractions in the Philippines.
One of the top tourist attractions in the Philippines, The Chocolate Hills are unusual
geological formations that consists of at least 1,268 individual mounds scattered throughout
the interior of the island of Bohol. The almost symmetrical and same-sized formations range
from 98 to 164 feet (30 to 50 meters) high and are covered in green grass. During the dry
season the grass turns brow, hence the name. There is no consensus on how these giant
mole hills were formed. One theory holds that the Chocolate Hills are the weathered rock
Located in the province of Sorsogon, a place of pristine beaches, stunning waterfalls and
unexplored caves, the sleepy fishing village of Donsol is the place in the Philippines to see
whale sharks. The ocean's gentle giants can be seen between November and June, with the
numbers peaking between February and May. Tourists can also take a boat cruise along the
Donsol River through mangrove and palm trees, and watch the night light up with millions of
sparkling fireflies. If that's not enough, a traditional shrimp-catching expedition with
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 17
5
Underground River
Located on the northern coast of the island of Palawan, Puerto Princesa is a nature lover's
paradise. Home to unspoiled landscapes rich in wildlife, this lovely town also lays claim to
one of the world's most unique natural phenomena, an underground river known as the
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. Protected within a national park, this natural wonder is
the world's longest navigable underground river. Guided paddle boat tours show intriguing
rock formations and fluttering bats.
8
Mayon Volcano
Rising more than 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) above sea level, Mayon Volcano is significant for its
perfectly symmetrical cone shape. Visitors can enjoy a number of activities here such as camping,
climbing, hiking, bird watching and photography. A picturesque spot in which to admire Mayon
Volcano is from the nearby Cagsawa ruins. Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines,
having erupted over 49 times in the past 400 years. The most destructive eruption of Mayon
occurred on February 1, 1814 bombarding the nearby towns with volcanic rocks. The belfry and
what is left of the baroque church that was destroyed by the 1814 eruption can still be seen.
6
Puerto Galera
Just south of Manila is the charming coastal town of Puerto Galera, well-favored for its
gorgeous beaches, excellent diving spots and wide diversity of marine species. The most
popular beaches are White Beach and Sabang Beach, which also offer nearby shopping,
dining, nightlife and hotel accommodation. Another popular attraction is the natural harbor
of Muelle Bay with its rows of shops, restaurants and bars. Visitors can also go snorkeling to
see some of Asia's best coral reefs or dive among old shipwrecks and hundreds of fish species.
9
San Agustin Church, Manila
Located in Manila, a visit to the San Agustin Church is a must see. Built in 1589, this beautiful
church has survived seven earthquakes and two fires over the centuries and now remains as
the oldest stone church in the Philippines. At the main entrance, there are exquisite carvings
on the wooden doors. Inside the lovely, Mexican-influenced interior is designed in the shape
of a Latin cross. The gorgeous ceiling was painted in the 1800s by Italian artists, Giovanni
Dibella and Cesare Alberoni.
7
Malapascua Island
A small island made up of quiet fishing villages, Malapascua Island is popular for its ideal
diving spots and for being the only place in the world to see thresher sharks on a regular basis
as well as manta rays and hammerheads. The other hidden gems here are the beautiful,
sandy white beaches, crystal clear waters bordered by coconut trees and colorful coral
gardens.
10
Tubbataha Reef
The Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea is a marine sanctuary protected as the Tubbataha Reef
National Marine Park. The reef is made up of two atolls, North Atoll and South Atoll,
separated by a deep channel of approximately 5 miles (8 km) wide. It has become one of
the most popular dive sites in the Philippines because of its coral walls where the shallow
coral reef abruptly ends giving way to great depths. The marine park is open to live-aboard
diving excursions between the months of April to June when the waves are most calm.
EXPRESSWEEK
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 18
PIDCI: SEE RECORD TURNOUT FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY
NEW YORK The Philippine
Independence Day Council, Inc.
(PIDCI) expects a record turnout
of Filipinos, Filipino-Americans
and tens of thousands of their
friends and maintream
Northeastern Americans for
what the PIDCI family of
volunteers have been preparing
assiduously for for much of the
first part of the year: Philippine
I n d e p e n d e n c e D ay,
commemorating the 115th
anniversary of the declaration of
Philippine Independence.
Annually, it's celebrated on
the first Sunday in June, this year
the 2nd of June, highlighted by
the annual Philippine
Independence Day Parade, with
close to 200 contingents of
marchers, marching bands
interspersed by colorful floats,
flashy open cars bedecked with
beauties and VIPs along with
many other groups.
The parade is led by this
year's PIDCI-picked
Independence Day Parade Grand
Marshal Dr. Rebecca “Dolly”
Castro Rivera and her family.
The parade is ushered in at
11:45 in the morning by brief
opening ceremonies, including a
ribbon-cutting, on Madison
Avenue at 39th Street, before it
goes off heading downtown at
12:00 noon, passing a Reviewing
Stand on the East side of the
Avenue between 30th and 29th
Streets before turning off on
27th Street for dispersal.
Independence Day actually
starts early morning at 8:30 a.m.
with a flag ceremony in front of
the Philippine Center building at
556 Fifth Avenue, between 45th
and 46th Streets, in Manhattan,
followed by a Mass of
Independence at the Kalayaan
Hall on the second floor. The
Mass is slated to be celebrated by
Monsignor Oscar A. Aquino, JCD,
spiritual leader of the Filipinos
in the Northeastern United
States.
The second of three major
events of the day is the
Independence Day Street Fair, a
two-block (24th to 26th Streets)
long all-day (10:00 a.m.-6:00
p.m.) affair that's long been
known as a Filipino Food
Festival, with the East side of
Madison Avenue lined up with
booths hawking the distinctive
Filipino barbeque, pancit
(noodles) of all kinds, halo-halo
(mix-mix), ukoy (shimp and
vegetable tempura-style
fritters), the ubiquitous Filipino
national dish adobo, and many,
many other Filipino delights.
On the Madison Square
Park side of the Avenue is what
many people call a Mini-Expo,
replete with booths occupied by
companies and corporate-types,
exhibitors and merchants. This
year, TV5, one of the Philippine
m a j o r
T V
m e d i a
partner/sponsor of PIDCI and its
Independence commemoration,
will install what is popularly
known as a jumbotron a giant
television screen raised on a big
van at the southwest corner of
the Avenue at 25th Street.
And to cap the day's
activities will be the Cultural
Festival on a stage set up at the
23rd Street end of the Avenue.
This year's Cultural Festival will
feature not only local auditioned
talents and performers, the fourhour (2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.) show
will have many highlights
topped by the world famous,
multi-award winning Dinagyang
Fe s t i v a l S t r e e t D a n c e r s ,
appearing through another
partner/sponsor arrangement
between PIDCI and the
Philippine Department of
Tourism in promoting the
Philippine Government's “It's
more fun in the Philippines”
tourism campaign.
The
Dinagyang Festival Street
Dancers is the same group that
wowed Philippine
Independence Day audiences in
2011 when the day's
celebrations drew a record
whopping 100,000 people.
The Cultural Festival will
also showcase celebrities and
performers brought to the Big
Apple by the three major
Philippine TV networks that
have partnered/sponsored with
PIDCI in the Independence Day
commemoration: GMA, ABSCBN-TFC and TV5, notably Aga
Muhlach, Sharon Cuneta, Derek
Ramsey, Gary Valenciano, Bong
Revilla, Marian Rivera and Rafael
Rosell.
The Independence Day
parade spearhead will also be
led by a line of important guests,
Philippine and U.S. Government
officials and other VIPs among
whom will be re-electionist
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero,
accompanied by Heart
Evangelista, Senator Bong
Revilla, two-term PIDCI
u
Page 19
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 19
PIDCI: See
record turnout
for ...
From page 18
President Fe Martinez, Philippine
Consul General in New York
Ambassador Mario Lopez de Leon,
Jr. and Philippine Permanent
Representative to the United
Nations Ambassador Libran N.
Cabactulan.
Others who will be at the
parade spearhead are officers and
staff of the Philippine Consulate
G e n e ra l i n N e w Yo r k , t h e
Pe r m a n e n t M i s s i o n o f t h e
Philippines to the United Nations,
the Philippine Department of
Tourism in New York, the Special
Trade Representative's Office, and
the Philippine Center
Management Board (PCMB), along
with past Independence Day
Parade Grand Marshals, past
PIDCI Presidents, past PIDC and
PIDCI Overall Chairs, current
members of the PIDCI Board of
Directors, Executive Committee,
advisers and past directors and
officers.
Still others, who will be
riding on floats will be this second
year's Mrs. Kalayaan, Rose Pacia
Labelle, along with her court: first
runner-up Mrs. Kalayaan FilipinoAmerican titlist Ernestine Hollins,
second runner-up Mrs. Kalayaan
Philippines Leila Fernandez
Morales, Mrs. Kalayaan Luzon
Jeanette Corpus, Mrs. Kalayaan
Visayas Josephine Guarana, and
Kristine Liwag
Diwa Ng Kalayaan 2013
Rose Pacia LaBelle
Mrs. Kalayaan
Mrs. Kalayaan Mindanao Susan
Tobias.
Preceding the last float of the
parade will be the Dinagyang
Festival Street Dancers, once again
rocking the concrete canyon walls
of Manhattan island with their
pomp and spectacle as they dance
the entire route of the
Independence Day Parade.
Bringing up the rear of the
Parade, on their own special float
are this year's Diwa ng Kalayaan
beauties, led by the titleholder, 18year-old Kristine Liwag of New
Jersey, the 2013 Diwa ng Kalayaan
(Spirit of Independence). She will
be joined by first runner up Miss
Filipino-American Riana Aldana,
second runner-up Hiyas ng
Pilipinas (Jewel of the Philippines)
Camille Jessica Cunanan, Bituin
ng Luzon (Star of Luzon) Allysson
M. Prada, Bituin ng Visayas (Star
of the Visayas) Judith Ashley
Quilapio and Bituin ng Mindanao
(Star of Mindanao) Kirsten Claire
Fernandez.
N e w Yo r k ' s a n n u a l
commemoration has grown by
leaps and bounds from its
inception in 1990 to this day, and
for more than the last 18 years it
has been proudly hailed by
Filipinos around the world as the
largest celebration of Philippine
Independence outside of the
Philippines. over the last five
years, the annual Philippine
Independence Day has been
touted by Filipinos and their
friends everywhere as the largest
outdoor gathering, at one time, in
one place, of Filipinos in the world,
having drawn some 70,000
celebrants in 2008 and a surge of
100,000 people in 2011, when the
world renowned Dinagyang
Festival Street Dancers from Iloilo
City, Iloilo, Philippines was the
celebration's special guests.
The culminating
commemorative event for this
year's celebration of the 115th
anniversary of the declaration of
Philippine Independence is the
Independence Ball scheduled at
the Grand Ballroom of the Teaneck
-time Philippine National Festival of Festivals Aliwan Fiesta annual award winner
Dinagyang Festival street dancers from Iloilo City.
Marriott at Glenpointe Hotel at
100 Frank W. Burr Boulevard in
Teaneck, New Jersey 07666-6796
on Saturday, June 8, 2013 from
7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight. For
information on or for invitations
to the Independence Ball, please
call Committee Chair Margie
Wisotsky at (347) 306-7707 or
Angie Molina at (718) 857-2901,
or PIDCI President Fe Martinez at
(973) 222-0085 or any member of
the PIDCI Board of Directors.
The organizer, producer,
director, and presenter of the
115th commemoration of
Philippine Independence in New
York, the Philippine Independence
Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI),
currently counts with more than
170 Filipino and FilipinoAmerican member organizations,
associations, clubs and groups.
The officers of PIDCI are Fe
Martinez, President; Elvira Reyes,
Vice President; Joyce Castillo,
Secretary; Violeta McGough,
Treasurer; Annie Ortiz, Internal
Auditor; Manuel B. Quintal, PhD,
Legal Adviser, and the Honorary
Adviser is Consul General Mario L.
de Leon, Jr. The other members of
the Board of Directors are Jesse
Arteche, Albert Diala, Dora
Koltsidis, Ner Martinez, Angie
Molina, Maryann Sanagustin,
Aristides Uy, Vivian Velasco and
Margie Wisotsky.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Philippine economy in 1Q
grows way above target
MANILA -- The
Philippine economy grew 7.8
percent in the first quarter of
the year, making it the fastestgrowing in East and
Southeast Asia.
Economic expansion in
the first three months was
way above the National
Economic and Development
Authority's (NEDA) forecast
of 6-7 percent, which is also
the full-year growth target
range, and faster thant he 6.8
percent in the fourth quarter
of last year.
NEDA Director-General
and Socioeconomic Planning
Secretary Arsenio Balisacan
today said the country's firstquarter growth was the
fastest in East and Southeast
Asia, citing China's 7.7
percent, Indonesia's six
percent , Thailand's 5.3
percent and Vietnam's 5.9
percent.
Driving Philippine gross
domestic product (GDP)
growth in the first quarter
were manufacturing and
construction, which rose 32.5
percent and 9.7 percent,
respectively. These led the
industry sector to expand by
10.9 percent, faster than the
seven percent for services
and 3.3 percent for
Arsenio Balisacan
agriculture.
The Department of
Budget and Management
earlier said it had released at
least 80 percent of the fullyear infrastructure budget in
the first quarter of the year. As
a result, government
expenditures grew nine
percent year-on-year in the
first quarter.
"The 7.8 percent growth
exceeded market forecasts,
including my own. At the rate
we're going, the Aquino
administration may hit the 78 percent growth by 2016,"
Balisacan said during the
press briefing for the release
of the first-quarter GDP
results. Analysts had forecast
economic growth of no more
than six percent for the
period.
Despite the economy's
faster-than-expected growth,
Balisacan said NEDA is
"sticking" to its full-year
growth target range.
"While we recognize our
robust performance in the
first quarter, we will continue
to be vigilant against
downside risk and address
critical constraints to
maintaining this growth
momentum. We remain
positive in our outlook and
we will translate this into
postiive action to achieve
inclusive growth," he said.
"The bottom line is our
economy diversified -- that
would be good for the
stabliity of our economy," he
added, referring to the weak
global growth that has led to
the contraction of Philippine
exports in the first quarter.
On the sidlines of a
forum held today on anticorruption, Budget Secretary
Florencio Abad said the firstquarter expansion was led by
n o n - e l e c t o r n i c s
manufacturing.
Aquino gov't lauds BIR for surpassing its
target for the month of April this year
MANILA -- The Aquino
administration lauded the
Bureau of Internal Revenue
( B I R ) fo r s u c c e s s f u l ly
surpassing its target for the
month of April this year
when it managed to collect
P148.99 billion in tax
revenues, a Palace official
said on Sunday.
Deputy Presidential
Spokesperson Abigail Valte
said during an interview
aired over governmentowned radio station dzRB
Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday
that the BIR collected
P148.99 billion in tax
revenues in April, 4.43%
higher than its P142.66billion target.
Valte said last month's
collections were also 28.2%
more than what the BIR
generated in April 2012.
April is traditionally the
BIR's strongest month
b e c a u s e o f t h e ye a r ly
deadline for filing the
income tax returns.
The BIR continues to
Abigail Valte
Implement reforms by
intensifying its crackdown
on tax evaders to hit its
revenue goal for 2013. The
agency is eyeing to collect
P1.253 trillion for the year
2013, over 17% higher than
its P1.066-trillion goal in
2012.
Meanwhile, Valte also
announced that the
Department of Tourism
allocated a total of P1.5
billion to finance tourism
infrastructure projects in the
Davao Region.
"Isa po doon sa mga
proyekto na popondohan po
noong amount na binanggit
po natin ay iyong
improvement ng mga daan
connecting the foot of Mt.
Apo, iyong Davao del Sur to
Davao City," she said.
The DOT's project aims
to bolster tourism in the
Davao region and increase
employment and business
opportunities for the
communities in the region.
" S o i s a p a n g
magandang balita natin ang
42 million pesos that the
DBM (Department of Budget
and Management) has
released to support the
operational requirements of
the Bangsamoro Transition
Commission; at, of course,
alinsunod po ito doon sa
ating goal na ma-facilitate
ang socio-economic reform
and development sa ARMM,"
Valte said.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 20
Philippines' April budget
surplus at fresh record
MANILA -- The Philippines'
budget surplus hit P36.8 billion
in April, the highest level
recorded for the month.
Data from the Department
of Finance showed the April
surplus exceeded the P32.8
billion program and is 19%
higher than the year-ago surplus
of P31.02 billion.
Finance Secretary Cesar V.
Purisima attributed the increase
in government's budget surplus
in April to the intensified tax
collection efforts, particularly by
the Bureau of Internal Revenue
(BIR).
"This most recent fiscal
performance report is
heartening to us, as it vindicates
our belief that a drive for good
governance and has tangible
effects on our ability to raise
revenues, resulting in more fiscal
space towards our priority
programs,” Purisima said.
For the January to April
period, the deficit stood at P29.7
billion versus P2.9 billion a year
ago.
The government adjusted
this year's budget deficit goal to
P238 billion from P241 billion to
reflect changes in the revenue
targets of the Bureau of Internal
Reveue, Bureau of Customs and
programmed expenditures.
Manila spent P153.2 billion
in April, up 25% from a year
earlier, bringing total spending
in the first four months of the
year to P584 billion. The
government has a spending
program of P1.98 trillion in
2013.
Cesar V. Purisima
Fitch Ratings delivered the
Philippines' first investment
grade rating in March, citing a
persistent current account
surplus and an improved debtto-GDP ratio, a move followed
five weeks later by Standard &
Poor's.
The government wants to
limit the budget deficit to 2.0
percent of GDP in 2013 through
2016, when President Benigno
Aquino's term ends.
The Philippines is planning
to raise at least $500 million
from the sale of 10-year U.S.
dollar denominated bonds to
local investors in the fourth
quarter to meet its funding needs
and create more demand for
dollars.
The government has said it
will source all of its borrowing
requirements this year from the
local debt market to help temper
the peso's appreciation against
the U.S. dollar.
BCDA eyes P2-B windfall after
compromise deal on NAIA 3
MANILA -- Bases
Conversion and Development
Authority (BCDA) said it expects
to receive P2 billion in lease
payments for the next 10 years on
the land where the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport Terminal 3
(NAIA 3) sits.
In a statement, BCDA chief
financial officer Nena D. Radoc
said the agency reached a
compromise agreement in which
the Manila International Airport
Authority (MIAA) will pay P190.5
million a year starting 2013 until
2022 for the lease of the land
where the NAIA 3 sits.
Radoc said the lease
payment is subject to a five
percent price escalation every
five years, in accordance with the
original lease agreement.
Before striking the new
deal, BCDA and MIAA had
different interpretations of the
1997 lease contract's start of
payment date.
“In essence there were two
dates in the contract that
specified the effective date of the
lease: first was the transfer of
clean possession of the site which
was on August 17, 1998, and
second, the in service date or
when the airport becomes fully
operational which, according to
MIAA, has not happened yet,”
Radoc said.
The issue was brought to
t h e O f f i c e o f t h e G e n e ra l
Corporate Counsel (OGCC), then
to the Department of Justice
(DOJ) before reaching the Office
of the President. The chief
executives of BCDA and MIAA
then agreed that it would be more
efficient to settle the issues
amicably.
“BCDA and MIAA jointly
filed a motion to withdraw the
pending appeal with the
[President],” Radoc said.
BCDA chief executive Arnel
Paciano D. Casanova said half of
the P2 billion in revenues from
the lease payments would go to
t h e A r m e d Fo r c e s o f t h e
Philippines Modernization
Program.
“We welcome the
compromise agreement with
MIAA as it will play a significant
role in generating the much
needed revenues to purchase the
much needed hardware that our
country's armed forces need to
defend out land,” Casanova said.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 21
Amcham urges speedy trial of oil importer's case
The American Chamber
of Commerce in the Philippines
(Amcham) has joined the
chorus of foreign and local
business groups in voicing calls
for the expeditious
prosecution of a case versus an
oil company on fears it may go
the way of the used car
importation case in the past.
In a statement, Amcham
urged the Court of Appeals to
remove the temporary
restraining order that stalls the
trial of Phoenix Petroleum for
alleged underpayment of taxes
and duties on its oil imports.
The group said this could
turn like the used car
importation case and how the
slow judicial action had
contributed to the decline of
the automotive assembly
industry in the Philippines.
The business group was
referring to a 2002 executive
order banning importation of
used cars which was thwarted
by the Regional Trial Court in
Olongapo, followed by the
Court of Appeals. Government
finally won the case in 2007
nevertheless.
Amcham urged the Court of Appeals to remove the temporary restraining
order that stalls the trial of Phoenix Petroleum for alleged underpayment of
taxes and duties on its oil imports.
“A s t h e w h e e l s o f
Philippine justice ground
slowly for five years, more
than 150,000 used cars
junked from Japan and Korea
were imported, resulting in
Bill granting incentives for hybrid vehicles pushed
MANILA -- A lawmaker
today expressed optimism that
the proposal to grant incentives
for the manufacture, assembly,
conversion and importation of
electric, hybrid and other
alternative fuel vehicles will be
ratified by the House and the
Senate during the resumption of
session next week, and
eventually signed into law by
President Aquino.
Rep. Hermilando
Mandanas (2nd District,
Batangas), one of the nine
authors of House Bill 5460 or
the proposed “Electric, Hybrid
and Other Alternative Fuel
I n c e n t ive s Ac t o f 2 0 1 1 ,”
expressed optimism the
proposal will be finalized in the
bicameral conference
committee and ratified by both
chambers next week.
“We hope the House and
Senate versions will easily be
reconciled and ratified so the
proposal will be enacted into
law during the 15th Congress,”
said Mandanas.
T h e H o u s e o f
Representatives approved on
third and final reading HB 5460
on March 21, 2012 while the
Senate passed its version Senate
Bill 2856 last January 28, 2013.
The Senate requested for a
conference committee on Jan.
29, 2013.
Mandanas said
enactment into law of the
proposal will provide an answer
to the fuel-saving woes of the
country, and lessen the demand
for the importation of
traditional or conventional of
fossil fuels (gasoline and
petroleum) and more for the
production of alternative fuels
like electric, solar, wind,
hydrogen fuel cell, compressed
natural gas (CNG), liquefied
natural gas (LNG), and liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG).
The former Chairman of
the House Committee on Ways
and Means said HB 5460 aims to
address the climate change
problem by providing fiscal and
non-fiscal incentives for the
m a n u f a c t u r e , a s s e m b l y,
conversion and importation of
alternative fuel vehicles.
Mandanas said the bill
aims to lay the groundwork for
the widespread use of hybrid
and alternative fuel vehicles in
the country and thus lessen its
dependence on imported fossil
fuel as well as to mitigate the
deleterious effect of harmful
carbon emission into the
atmosphere to protect the
environment.
The measure exempts
from payment of excise taxes
and duties for nine years from
the effectivity of the law, the
manufacture or assembly of
completely knocked-down
(CKD) parts of electric, hybrid
and other alternative fuel
vehicles, including the
conversion of vehicles into
alternative fuel vehicles.
It also exempts from the
payment of value-added tax for
nine years from the effectivity of
the law, the importation of raw
materials, spare parts,
components and capital
equipment used in the
a l t e r n a t ive f u e l ve h i c l e s
including the conversion of
vehicles into electric, hybrid
vehicles.
Furthermore, it subjects
to zero percent VAT rate for nine
years from the effectivity of the
law, the sale of raw materials,
spare parts, components and
capital equipment used in the
a l t e r n a t ive f u e l ve h i c l e s
including the conversion of
vehicles into electric, hybrid
vehicles.
It also exempts from
payment of excise taxes and
duties for four years from the
effectivity of the law, the
importation of completely built
units (CBUs) of electric, hybrid
vehicles.
E a r l i e r, t h e wo r l d ' s
leading carmaker Toyota Motor
Corp. said the enactment into
law of the proposal is vital at
enhancing the use of electric,
hybrid vehicles and other
alternative fuel vehicles in the
country.
According to Bernie
O' C o n n o r, exe c u t ive v i c e
president for Toyota Motor Asia
Pacific Pte. Ltd., the Philippines
has the potential to be one of the
top users of hybrid vehicles in
the region due to its growing
economy and the increasing
environmental consciousness
among Filipinos.
severe undermining of
investments by major
automotive firms in the
Philippines,” Amcham said.
The CA on May 9 issued a
temporary restraining order
for 60 days against the
Department of Justice in the
case against the president and
chief executive officer of
Phoenix Petroleum Philippines
and its customs broker and
other parties.
“The importance of the
case against Phoenix cannot be
overestimated and is of equal
importance to the case against
the used auto smugglers at
Subic, who were never
prosecuted. If the accused are
successful in delaying justice,
other private sector smugglers
and their corrupt accomplices
will be encouraged to continue
to plunder the economy,” said
AmCham Senior Advisor John
Forbes.
AmCham calls on the
Court of Appeals to lift the TRO
and allow the case against
Phoenix tried expeditiously.
We are hopeful that the three
justices will carefully weigh the
negative cost to the economy of
further delay and the positive
impact against smuggling that
an early and highly punitive
decision will have on investor
confidence.
The group said
smugglers should be brought
to justice as soon as possible,
adding that smuggling had
plagued the Philippine
economy for decades and has
long given the Bureau of
Customs (BOC) the reputation
of being the most corrupt
agency of the government.
Amcham said that while
cleaning up the BOC is a noble
objective of President Aquino,
an equally important objective
is “to prosecute and punish the
big fish among smugglers who
are the private sector partners
of corrupt BOC officers.”
Under the Run After the
Smugglers (RATS) campaign of
the Department of Finance,
numerous cases over the last
three years have been brought
against businessmen
suspected of underpaying
proper VAT and duties on
imports.
Amcham said the DOJ and
judicial system should move
with determination to
investigate all these cases and
to initiate actions to prosecute
alleged offenders.
Oil smuggling is
estimated to cost the
Philippine Government for
many years as much as P30
billion a year in lost revenue.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 22
NPC asks Philex to pay P6.4B for minespill damage
The National Power Corp.
(NPC) has asked Philex Mining
Corp. for a payment of P6.4 billion
in damages due to lost revenues
from power generation after the
mining firm's minespill heavily
silted the San Roque Dam.
million for damaged vegetation demand for the mining company
and penalty for P500,000.
to “take them seriously”.
Ridulme said that Philex
“It would be grossly
needs to remove the deposited irresponsible for the company to
mine waste if it will not be able to accede to the unsubstantiated
pay the amount it demanded.
demands by NPC,” he added.
According to the Department
of Environment and Natural
Resources, the Philex minespill
released around 20 million cubic
meters of waste into the Balog
Creek and the Agno River which is
part of the San Roque dam
“The dislodged volume of reservoir.
water could have converted an
Ridulme said a 2.5 kilometer
annual equivalent energy of 4.82
stretch along Balog creek covering
million KWH worth P6.27 billion
12.5 hectares of riparian
per year,” NPC said.
vegetation was destroyed.
NPC vice president on legal
Phhilex, in a disclosure to the
counsel Melchor Ridulme said in a
Philippine Stock Exchange, said it
letter to Philex president Eulalio
has received the NPC letter, but
Austin that aside from heavily
said the NPC failed to specify the
silting the dam, the minespill also
legal and factual basis for its
damaged vegetation at power
demand.
generating agency's watershed
Renato Migrinao, Philex
reservation.
senior vice president for finance,
NPC said it should be paid
said the company has asked NPC
P6.27 billion per year while the
to specify the legal basis for its
sludge remains in the dam, plus P1
NPC estimated that the 13
million cubic meters of minespill
that settled in San Roque Dam
reservoir reduced the volume of
water it could use for power
generation.
“In any event, even if NPC's
claims all have valid legal and
factual basis, as NPC's claims
consist of two principal monetary
claims that are alternative, and not
c u m u l a t ive , t h e c o m p a ny ' s
ultimate liability in the event of
non-payment of the amount
stated,” said Migrino.
Philex also said it was “of the
opinion that NPC's claims are not
material.”
“Notwithstanding the fact
that the company is still awaiting
the NPC's substantiation of its
claims, and the company believes
that the possible liability to NPC is
not material in the event the
claims can be legally and factually
substantiated,” he added. (Malaya
Business)
Philippines prepares for APEC 2015
By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat
The Philippines has
identified eight priority
economic sectors topped by
education, energy and food
security when it will host the
APEC Leaders' Summit in 2015,
the second hosting opportunity
for the government to host
l e a d e r s f ro m 2 1 m e m b e r
countries, the first being in 1996.
Foreign Affairs
U n d e r s e c re t a r y L a u ra d e l
Rosario said at a press briefing
for the country's preparations for
the APEC 2015 hosting by the
national organizing committee
(NOC) that the eight priority
sectors would be subject to
ministerial meetings during the
APEC 2015.
The eight priority topics are
education, energy, food security,
SME, oceans, science and
technology, transportation and
w o m e n a n d t h e e c o n o my
summit.
“We've selected these
priority topics because these will
push us to another level of
development,” Del Rosario said.
For instance, Del Rosario
said that education sector was
chosen because the Philippines
would like to improve capacity
and global competitiveness of its
huge population and the
direction to become a
knowledge-based economy.
These sectoral ministerial
meeting initiatives of the
Philippines are on top of the
regular ministerial meetings and
the senior economic meetings
leading to the APEC Leaders
Summit, which is normally held
between October to November
each year.
Luz, who is part of the
APEC-NOC, said there will be a
total of 22 top level meetings
happening within the 12-month
period in the Philippines.
Clark, Subic, Albay, Iloilo,
Bacolod, Boracay and Davao.
These have been narrowed down
to Boracay, Bacolod, Albay, Clark
and Subic.
The other meetings include
four senior officials' meetings,
and related working group
meetings and three regular
annual ministerial meetings of
the finance, trade and joint trade
and foreign ministers meeting.
There will also be APEC Business
Advisory Council Meeting and
APEC CEO Summit.
Criteria for site selection
include the organization of the
area including the public and
private and the written
commitment from the local
leadership; facilities and
infrastructure; security and
public safety; risk assessment
and disaster preparedness plans
in place; power and water
conditions; back-up sites;
cleanliness, sanitation condition;
medical services availability;
hospital services; definite postAPEC plans; partnership
between national government,
LGU and private sector; and
livable city principles.
All these meetings will be
happening in the country prior to
the APEC Economic Leaders'
Meeting that will span over 7
days including pre-Leaders'
Meeting.
“We have not yet finalized
the location for the APEC
Leaders' Meeting,” Del Rosario
said noting that vetting for the
location is being done and would
be presented to each of the 21
members of the APEC. Subic was
the chosen site for the APEC 1996
Summit under then President
Fidel V. Ramos.
But there will be multiple
locations for these various
meetings. Initially, ten potential
sites have been identified to host
one of these meetings including
Metro Manila, Cebu, Tagaytay,
The final APEC hosting
venues for SOMs and sectoral
ministerial meetings will be
known next month.
Luz explained that while
the host country will have to
spend for this huge gathering, all
the needed infrastructure and
facilities have been budgeted
under the General
Appropriations Act. Public
Highways Secretary Rogelio
Singson is heading this particular
committee, Luz said. (Manila
Bulletin)
NPC is dunning Philex P6B in foregone revenues from power generation due to
the heavy siltation in San Roque Dam (bottom photo) that resulted from the
minespill from Padcal tailings pond (top photo) . The red line in the map shows
the path of spill from the Padcal pond to the dam.
Mindanao is important to mining
industry, says MGB chief
MANILA -- Out of the 397
mining contracts and permits
issued by the government as of
April 2013, the Mines and
Geosciences Bureau said
Monday that 31 percent or 123
are in Mindanao, including 106
out of 339 mineral production
sharing agreements.
Also, 16 exploration
permits out of 52 and 1
financial or technical assistance
agreements were all based in
Mindanao.
"The figures on operating
metallic mines are more
interesting for Mindanao,"
Mines Bureau executive
director Leo Jasareno told the
Chamber of Mines during a
mining forum in Quezon City.
Out of the 38 operating
metallic mines of the country, as
of May 2013, 20 or 53 percent
are in Mindanao.
"When the MGB started
accepting mining applications
on March 18, 2013, after a
moratorium of about 2 years, 16
exploration permit applications
or 29 percent of the 56 accepted
so far are situated in Mindanao,"
noted Jasareno.
"The numbers clearly
demonstrate the very
important role of Mindanao in
the Philippines minerals
industry today," Jasareno told
reporters on the sidelines of the
first “Mining Forum: The
Mindanao mining agenda:
S o c i o - e c o n o m i c
Transformation.”
At the forum, Mai Dalena
S a m l i n g , a fe m a l e t r i b a l
chieftain of the B'laan in
Tampakan, South Cotabato said
tribe members were already
benefiting from the presence of
the Sagittarius Mines Inc. the
proponent of the $5.9 billion
Tampakan copper-gold project
in South Cotabato.
“Without it, may be our
children would not be able to go
to school until now. There will
still be no roads, no water, or
health centers,” Samling noted.
SMI is the holder of the
financial and or technical
assistance agreement since
1995.
SMI was given a
conditional environmental
clearance certificate (ECC) by
the Department of
Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) early this
year.
Jasareno said the of the
five major mining projects in
the making, three are in
Mindanao, including the SMI
Tampakan copper-gold project,
the Boyongan-Bayugo copper
gold project led by Philex
Mining Corp. in Surigao del
Norte and the Kingking coppergold project of Nationwide
Development Corp. in
Compostella Valley.
The Mines Bureau expects
some 1,200 new permit
applications for the 1,218 areas
now opened to mining.
With the moratorium on
new mining applications lifted,
Jasareno said investments will
likely surpass the $718 million
target for the year and may even
reach $1 billion. The higher
number is achievable, he added.
“ We ex p e c t m o re
investments to come this year
with the lifting of the
moratorium,” he added.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 23
Gov't urged to invest more in infra to
revive manufacturing sector, create jobs
Manila -- The
government has to invest
more in public infrastructure
i n o rd e r to rev ive t h e
manufacturing sector and
create more jobs.
Ideally, the government
should spend at least five
percent of P500 billion of
country's gross domestic
product (GDP) to public
infrastructure, according to
University of the Philippines
economist Benjamin Diokno.
But in 2012, the
government spent only 2.4
percent of GDP or equivalent
to P249 billion in
infrastructure, lower than
2011 infrastructure spending
of P250 billion.
Diokno urged the
government to have a higher
budget for public
infrastructure especially at
this time when the cost of
funding is at historic low.
A good infrastructure
will attract investors, will
ease the logistics phase of the
manufacturing sectors,
making it more easy for them
to distribute their products to
different points of the country.
"We have to revive
manufacturing to provide
decent jobs for new entrants
into the labor force." Diokno
said.
He noted that
productivity in the
manufacturing sector will also
play a vital role in creating
jobs. “We have to ramp up
infrastructure spending. We
need to build the airports and
seaports, highways, power
plants, water systems,
irrigation systems, etc... so
that good jobs will be created,"
Diokno said.
Meanwhile, a research
study of Philippine Institute
for Developing Studies (PIDS)
also stated that the sector
manifested weak
performance because of its
low contribution to
employment, investment and
productivity growth.
The government needs
to provide one million jobs
every year as one million
workers join the labor force
yearly.
PH opens new fishing
ground: Benham Rise
MANILA -- As China asserts
i t s p re s e n c e i n t h e We s t
Philippine Sea, Filipino
fishermen are actively avoiding
Scarborough Shoal in the waters
just off Zambales province.
Amid the tension in the
western sea board, the
Philippines has announced the
opening of a new fishing ground
in the east -- the Benham Rise.
Benham Rise, a 13-million
hectare undersea region that has
u n t a p p e d p o te n t i a l ly r i c h
mineral and gas deposits, is
located off the coast of Aurora
province, opposite the disputed
waters of South China Sea.
Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
Director Asis Perez said more
than 60 fish-aggregating devices
will be installed at Benham Rise
starting May 30.
According to BFAR, the area
is rich in marine resources.
"Maraming tuna, merong
blue fin tuna, pinakamahal na
isda. May galunggong, lapu-lapu,
isdang bato," Perez said.
The government is
confident the new fishing ground
will not be a subject of a
territorial dispute in the future.
"Sinisiguro ko po sa inyo,
wala ng aagaw," Perez said.
But fisherfolk group
Pamalakaya said while opening
of Benham Rise is a welcome
development for fishermen, they
have information that a fishing
ban will be implemented in 10
fishing grounds.
BFAR said Pamalakaya's
information is untrue, as there is
no fishing ban at all in the whole
country.
Under the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS), Benham Rise, also
known as Benham Plateau, is
part of Philippine territory.
It is the Philippines' first
successful validation of a claim in
accord with the 1982 Law of the
Sea Convention.
Presidential spokesperson
Edwin Lacierda earlier said the
area is off-limits to Chinese and
Taiwanese fishermen.
"There are no Chinese
poachers in Benham Rise. Also
there are no reports of Taiwanese
fishing activities there," he said.
"We are the only country
that was allowed to fish blue fin
tuna. There's a regional Pacific
management body in charge of
fishing in the Pacific waters," he
added.
ENTERTAINMENT
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 24
No more heartthrob roles for Piolo
Marian Rivera
Karylle
Marian Rivera,
Karylle meet
MANILA -- Marian Rivera
and Karylle, girlfriends of actor
Dingdong Dantes at different
times, had a recent encounter.
Rivera denied that she and
Karylle are not in good terms,
citing their chance meeting.
"Actually, ang lagi ko ngang
sinasabi, wala namang naging
problema sa amin ni Karylle.
Nagkataon lang na ex niya si
Dong (Dantes) at naging
boyfriend ko si Dong," Rivera
said.
After three years of being a
couple, Dantes and Karylle broke
up in September 2008, amid
rumors linking the actor to
Rivera, his new leading lady at
the time.
The "It's Showtime" host is
now reported to be in a
relationship with singer Yael
Yuzon, while Dantes and Rivera
have been officially a couple for
years now.
Karylle reportedly referred
to her recent pleasant encounter
with Rivera as a "blessing,"
pointing to the latter's warmth.
Recalling their meeting,
Rivera said, "Nag-smile lang ako
sa kanya, kasi wala naman talaga
akong problema sa kanya, e."
Vice Ganda apologizes to
Jessica Soho over rape joke
MANILA -- Comedian
Vice Ganda made a public
apology Wednesday to GMA
News anchor Jessica Soho
for making fun of the
popular news personality,
which included a "gang
rape" joke that has been
widely criticized on social
media.
"Humihingi po ako ng
kapatawaran sa inyo," Vice
Ganda said in a live telecast
on ABS-CBN's noontime
program 'Showtime."
In his concert last May
17, Vice Ganda joked that if
Soho were a bold star in a
movie, the scene would have
to involve a "gang rape."
In a statement, Soho
said: "Rape is not a joke and
should never be material for
a comedy concert."
Vice Ganda said he
phoned Soho early
Wednesday to make a
personal apology, but he
quoted the broadcast
journalist as saying that she
was not ready to talk to him.
The comedian is
known for crass and gallows
humor in his shows. Aside
from Soho, he poked fun at
ABS-CBN news personalities
and other celebrities during
his May 17 concert.
A video of the segment
that showed Vice Ganda
making the gang rape joke
has been circulating on
social media sites, drawing
condemnation from human
rights groups.
Gabriela party-list
representative Luz Ilagan
said on Twitter, "Joke is
made in bad taste. Rape is
one of the worst (if not the
worst) forms of violence vs
women."
In her statement, Soho
also said: "I thank all those
who shared my hurt and
expressed their support, but
this should not be about me
but about rape victims who
suffer tremendously from
this terrible crime. The
horrors they go through are
unspeakable and should
never be taken lightly,
especially by way of a cruel
joke."
MANILA -- Piolo Pascual is
happy to graduate from "pa-pogi"
roles, with no less than a crimethriller participating in the
prestigious Cannes International
Film Festival marking his latest
portrayal.
"Masaya ako, kasi it's
something that I've always
wanted to do, something out of
the box, something na hindi mo
ini-expect, parang hindi pa-pogi,
para maiba naman," Pascual said.
Pascual is attending Cannes
this year as the lead star of a the
Erik Matti-directed action flick
"On The Job."
The Star Cinema
production will hold its world
premiere at the film festival, as
one of the selections of the
Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, or
the Directors' Fortnight, a section
at Cannes held independently by
the French Directors Guild.
"On The Job" shows Pascual
as a National Bureau of
Investigation agent hunting down
a hitman on the run portrayed by
actor Gerald Anderson.
The Kapamilya actors are
joined in the film by Shaina
Magdayao, Joel Torre, Joey
Marquez and Angel Aquino.
"We're so excited because
it's bringing honor to the country.
It's not just about making a film,
but also representing your
country to a big festival," Pascual
said on Tuesday.
Piolo Pascual
Pascual is thrilled to
headline the project, which he
sees as a departure from his usual
heartthrob roles on the small
screen.
"Lahat naman ng ginagawa
natin we try to be different, para
sa lahat ng role natin may ibang
nakikita ang mga tao," he said.
He added: "Itong pelikula,
sobrang off-beat, the audience
will be surprised, especially the
Filipino audience, kasi hindi siya
l o v e
s t o r y,
e ."
Expressing confidence in
the quality of "On The Job,"
Pascual urged Filipinos to pray
for the success of the film in
representing the country to
Cannes.
"Talagang maganda 'yung
pelikula. When I saw it, sabi ko,
'Wow, anglaking pribelehiyo para
sa akin to be part of this film.'
Talagang trinabaho ko 'to for so
many years, para magawa ko rin,
para makasama," he said.
"Kaya gusto natin humingi
ng dasal, kasi lalahok tayo sa
kumpetisyon, na may mauwing
award, para karangalan sa bansa
natin. Even walang mauwi, it's a
blessing already to represent the
country, to be part of a big
festival," he said.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 25
Venus closes door on Andrei Nora Aunor turns 60,
MANILA -- For Venus Raj,
there is no longer any chance of
getting back together with exboyfriend and former co-host
Andrei Felix.
"Yes, it's finished," the 24year-old beauty queen said.
"Ako po kasi 'yung klase ng
babae na pagbibigyan kita kasi
mahal kita, pero once na ako na
'yung nagsabi na ayoko na,
hindi ko na kaya, that's it, wala
na".
Raj confirmed her
separation from Felix, her
boyfriend of one year, early this
month. In earlier interviews,
she admitted that the break-up
happened over the phone.
Asked if she and Felix
have had the chance to address
the separation personally, Raj
said, "Maraming beses ko nang
sinabi nang personal. Sa tingin
ko, this is the time na para
naman na talagang mahinto
na."
In the earlier TV
guestings together, Felix had
been vocal of his intentions to
marry Raj, saying she is "the
one."
"Pero hindi lahat ng
inaakala mo ay nangyayari, o
hindi lahat ng ini-expect ay
iyon ang nangyayari," Raj said.
"Hindi lahat ng relasyon na
nag-start nang maayos, kung
anuman ang nakikita nila sa
telebisyon, e 'yun na ang
now a senior citizen
Andrei Felix and Venus Raj
katotohanan."
Explaining her decision
to break up with Felix, Raj said
their relationship had come to
a point where she came close
to compromising her values.
"Sa isang relasyon kasi
pag mahal na mahal mo 'yung
tao, nabubulagan ka. Minsan
dahil blinded ka, dahil mahal
mo, minsan 'yung sinasabi ng
pamilya mo, o ang nakikita
mong actions ninyong dalawa,
kahit alam mong hindi tama,
parang naggi-give in ka nalang
kasi mahal mo, e," she said.
"Ayaw na ayaw kong macompromise unang-una 'yung
values ko, kasi 'yun lang ang
kayamanang meron ako, e," she
said.
Raj admitted that Felix is
trying to win her back, "[pero]
decided ako sa ginawa ko, at
alam ko tama 'yung ginawa ko."
MANILA - Veteran actress
Nora Aunor feels blessed to have
reached the age of 60 and still be
active in the entertainment
industry.
Aunor, tagged as the
country's "superstar," officially
became a "senior citizen" on
Tuesday.
“Sobrang saya dahil naiiba
na naman at matagal nang hindi
nauulit ang nangyayari noon sa
mga birthday ko. Wala na akong
mahihiling pa,” she said.
Aunor said she is thankful
that her fans still continue to
support her through many years.
“Lahat tayo dadating sa
ganun kaya hindi natin pwede
i t a g o . M a s d a p a t n g a ay
ipagmalaki natin dahil nakaabot
tayo sa ganitong edad.
Nakakapagtrabaho pa rin tayo at
nakakagawa ng mga ikasisiya ng
mga tao,” she said.
Aunor, who just finished
shooting her upcoming movie
“Ang Kuwento ni Mabuti,” said
she will always strive to do her
best as long as her supporters
believe in her capability as an
actress.
“Sana ipagpatuloy nila at
p a g t i n g k i l i k , p a g t a g uyo d ,
paniniwala at pagmamahal nila
sa akin. Hangga't may gustong
manood ng mga ginagawa ko,
patuloy pa rin akong gagawa,”
she said.
“Bilang mang-aawit
naman, hangga't may gustong
makirinig na kumakanta ako,
Nora Aunor
ako'y patuloy na kakanta pa rin.
[Mas mabuti na ang lagay ko
n gayo n ] kaya l a n g ka p a g
nagtatagal, nawawala pa rin [ang
boses ko],” she added.
According to Aunor, she
will undergo yet another
operation abroad to regain her
singing voice.
Last January, the "Thy
Wo m b" a c t re s s h a d a
preliminary medical check-up in
Boston and it was decided upon
t h a t s h e s h o u l d h ave a n
operation when she returns to
the United States.
Aunor's long hiatus from
the music scene stems from a
botched cosmetic procedure in
Japan which allegedly affected
her singing voice. She has
undergone a number of
treatments and operations to
regain it.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 26
Denise Laurel plays 'good girl' in new soap
Anne Curtis
Anne not leaving showbiz for school
MANILA -- Television hostactress Anne Curtis denied
rumors she will be leaving show
business to go back to school.
Curtis said she will only be
taking up online courses. “It's
distance learning so basically all
the lectures are done online. It's
always something that I wanted
to do,” she said.
A s i d e f ro m b e i n g a n
actress, Curtis said it has been
her dream to become a pre-
school teacher.
Last month, Curtis posted a
photo of her school ID on the
image-sharing site Instagram.
“This arrived in the mail.
Haven't had a card like this in
ages. Super nervous and excited
at the same time. Wish me luck,”
she said.
Curtis regularly appears on
ABS-CBN's noontime show “It's
Showtime.”
Julia Barretto to star
in 'Cofradia' remake
M A N I L A - - Yo u n g
actress Julia Barretto is set to
topbill a TV series for the
first time.
Barretto will take on
the title character in ABSCBN's upcoming series
"Cofradia," which is based on
the Dominador Ad Castillo
novel of the same title. It tells
the story of Cofradia, a young
woman who is afraid to fall
in love because of her dark
complexion. With the help of
a magic candle, she
eventually transforms into a
beautiful lady.
"Cofradia" was first
portrayed by Gloria Romero
in 1953, and later on by Gina
Alajar in 1973.
"To have been given the
opportunity to play
Cofradia, sobrang thankful
ako," Barretto said on Friday.
The director of
"Cofradia," as well as its
other cast members, have
yet to be announced.
The series will
premiere on ABS-CBN later
this year.
"Cofradia" was offered
to Barretto amid the
controversy including her
Julia Barretto
mother, Marjorie, and aunts
Gretchen and Claudine.
Before being formally
introduced as an artist of
ABS-CBN's talent
management arm Star Magic
early this year, Barretto
previously appeared in a
number of Kapamilya series
like "Kokey" (2007),
"Walang Kapalit" (2007),
and "Palos" (2008).
MANILA -- TV viewers will
see a different kind of Denise
Laurel in the upcoming drama
series "Annaliza."
In her last TV show, Laurel
drew praise for her portrayal of
the villain in "Precious Hearts
Romances Present: Paraiso."
But in "Annaliza," a remake
of the 1980 soap classic that
launched the late Julie Vega to
superstardom, Laurel plays
Isabel, the loving mother of
Annaliza, played by Andrea
Brillantes.
Veteran actress Alicia
Alonzo played the role in the
original "Anna Liza."
"I've been waiting for 16
years for someone to let me learn,
for someone to let me grow, for
someone to give me the
opportunity, kaya siguro hindi
ako nagrereklamo. Kaya kahit
anong ibigay sa akin ay go ,"
Laurel said.
The villain role of Stella,
played by Daria Ramirez in the
original, was given to Kaye Abad,
who is usually cast in "sweet"
roles.
Laurel said it's a challenge
for the entire cast because they
will be compared to the wellloved soap, which was launched
in 1980 and ran for six years.
"Ang 'Anna Liza' kilala 'yan
ng lahat ng tao. It's really a classic.
Everybody knows the story,
everybody grew up with the soap
opera. So siyempre lahat kami we
Denise Laurel
want to pay honor to that soap
opera that ran for years," Laurel
said.
Laurel also praised
Brillantes, saying she is perfect
for the role of a poor girl "who has
an immense capacity to touch and
change the lives of everyone who
crosses her path."
"Wala siyang bratiness,
wala siyang vanity at all. Hindi
s iya k i kay. Ku n g a n o a n g
direksyon na ibigay sa kanya,
hindi siya naghe-hesitate eh.
tatalon siya," Laurel said.
"'Yun ang nakikita ko kung
bakit siya ang kinuha dito. She
has her own charisma, charm.
Mata pa lang, patay na, parang
ganoon. You can see why, first
scene pa lang, they will see why
she is Annaliza," she added.
Joining Laurel and
Brillantes in the soap are Carlo
Aquino, Patrick Garcia and Zanjoe
Marudo.
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 27
Why Gerald admitted relationship with Maja
MANILA - Gerald Anderson
re ve a l e d h e a d m i t t e d h i s
relationship with Maja Salvador
to the public so he could finally
put an end to all the rumors that
are continuously surrounding
them.
Anderson said it was his
decision to speak about their
relationship in the June 2013
issue of StarStudio magazine “for
everybody's peace of mind.”
“I decided on my own. I
decided para sa akin na rin and
para sa mga nadadamay para
matapos na. Ayaw ko na rin
masyado pag-usapan kasi hahaba
lang. Kung ano ang nabasa nila,
iyon na iyon. Kung may mga
tanong pa, basahin na lang,” he
said.
Anderson said he felt it's
about time to finally speak up
about their romance, which
started late last year.
“It's the right time. Hindi na
dapat tinatago iyon. Wala naman
dapat itago,” he said.
After his StarStudio
interview, Anderson said he
doesn't want to further discuss
his relationship with Salvador.
“Pagdating sa detalye, sa
amin na iyon. Sinabi ko na [na
kami na], pero pagdating sa mas
malalim na detalye, sa amin na
iyon,” he said.
Kim and Maja's 'wasted
friendship'
M e a nw h i l e , A n d e r s o n
broke his silence on the “wasted”
friendship of Salvador and his
Gerald Anderson and Maja Salvador
former girlfriend Kim Chiu.
“The person that's hurting
because of our relationship is
someone I cared for also. Hindi po
m a i iwa s a n n a r i n p o a ko
masasaktan. All I can say about
the situation is, napakahirap and
the only way to get through this is
being mature enough about it and
just keep moving forward and
being happy. Being happy for the
person you love and being happy
for the other person,” he said.
The actor said he is aware
that he and Salvador have plenty
of online bashers.
“Nararamdaman ko na
'yung feelings na parang gusto ko
siya. Bakit ko pipigilan? Bakit ko
hahayaang mawala pa siya sa akin
because of the backlash of the
people? They can say what they
want, but who are they to judge?”
he said.
In early January, Chiu
expressed regret over her
"wasted" friendship with
Salvador, following reports of a
blooming "relationship" between
t h e " T h e l m a" a c t re s s a n d
Anderson.
Chiu and Anderson broke
up in 2010 amid controversies
surrounding their relationship.
Chiu, however, had said she
has already forgiven Salvador and
Anderson.
“Madaling magpatawad
pero mahirap kalimutan yung
ginawa nila sa iyo. Napatawad ko
naman na sila,” Chiu said.
Ai Ai delas Alas
Ai Ai seeks police protection
MANILA -- Amid her
controversial separation from her
husband, actress-comedienne Ai
Ai delas Alas is seeking police
protection, according to an official
of the Philippine National Police
(PNP).
The 48-year-old actress has
applied with authorities to be
given security detail, PNP-Police
Security and Protection Group
Director Wilhelm Barlis said.
According to Barlis, delas
Alas' application is still under
evaluation, and will be approved
once a credible threat against the
actress is proven.
If approved, Barlis said delas
Alas may be given one to two police
escorts.
Last Sunday, an emotional
delas Alas admitted in a taped
interview on "The Buzz" that she
and Salang, her husband of one
month, broke up after he allegedly
physically abused her.
Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales
Emotional Charlene lauds
Aga for election fight
MANILA - Television host
Charlene Gonzales fought back
tears as she talked about the
experience that she and her
husband Aga Muhlach went
through during the recently
concluded mid-term elections.
Gonzales said Muhlach's
perseverance to seek a
congressional seat so he could
serve the people only made her
love him “a hundred million more
times.”
“During this whole process, I
say I'm proud of Aga because he
showed so much strength. I admire
him even more today because
'yung laban ni Aga, there was a
point in time na it wasn't about Aga
anymore but about the fight for the
people,” she said.
Amid the accusations of
cheating during the elections,
Gonzales said she is proud because
her husband fought for what he
believed in.
Felix William "Wimpy"
Fuentebella was declared winner
in the tight congressional race for
Camarines Sur's 4th district.
Fuentebella got 82,834 votes
against Muhlach's 80,629 votes.
SPORTS
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 28
Jones Cup snub: PH five 'will hone up anywhere’
By Musong R. Castillo
teams are playing in the Jones
Cup, the coaching staff would
have had the chance to scout the
opposition in the Fiba Asia.
The Samahang Basketball
ng Pilipinas (SBP) is ready to
send Gilas-Pilipinas to whatever
continent so that the Nationals
will get the preparation they
need for the Fiba Asia
Championship.
The Nationals are
scheduled to fly to Lithuania on
Saturday for a two-week
training camp. Exhibition
matches against PBA selections
have also been scheduled in
Cebu, Davao and Manila.
Officials of the SBP made
this decision yesterday at an
emergency meeting to discuss
t h e t e a m' s o p t i o n s a f t e r
Taiwan's basketball authorities
withdrew their invitation to
Gilas-Pilipinas for the Jones Cup,
set in early July.
The SBP is considering
stints in Europe, Australia and
the United States for the
Nationals who are hoping to
sharpen up for the Asian
qualifier, set Aug. 1 to 11 at Mall
of Asia Arena, to the World
Basketball Championship in
Madrid.
“We are going to call our
(international) contacts and
explore all our options,” said
Gilas-Pilipinas team manager
Butch Antonio after the meeting
attended by coach Chot Reyes
and top SBP officials.
T h e P h i l i p p i n e s wa s
supposed to use the Jones Cup as
The Manila Fiba Asia
marks the first time in 40 years
that the country will host a
tournament of this magnitude.
The Philippines is shooting for
one of three continental berths
at stake to return to the world
championship scene.
WWW.MMAMANIA.COM
the final phase of its
preparations for the Manila
joust, only to learn that the
event's organizers would not
invite the country ostensibly for
security reasons.
rock-bottom following the fatal
s h o o t i n g o f a Ta iwa n e s e
fisherman by Philippine Coast
Guard personnel in waters off
Balintang Island, north of
Batanes.
Jones Cup organizers
wrote SBP president Manny V.
Pangilinan last Monday to
inform him that they could not
guarantee the safety of the
Filipino players in Taipei.
The incident sparked
demonstrations in Taiwan and,
later, assaults on Filipino
workers in the island republic,
which claimed the shooting
happened in waters within its
exclusive economic zone.
Behind tournament Most
Valuable Player LA Tenorio, the
Philippines won the Jones Cup
last year after a close victory
over the United States in the
finals.
“ We' r e l o o k i n g f o r
Because all the best Asian
Relations between the
Philippines and Taiwan have hit
San Miguel ousts Thailand, faces
Indonesia in ABL finals anew
By Celest R. Flores
MANILA -- San Miguel
clinched a title berth anew in the
Asean Basketball League (ABL)
on Thursday night, showing the
door to Sports Rev Thailand in
game four, 77-61, of their
physical best-of-five semifinals
series.
The Beermen arranged a
rematch of last season's finale as
defending champion Indonesia
first got the ticket to the finale
after disposing of Westports
Malaysia in the other semis
affair.
Paolo Hubalde led the
Beermen's attack on the road in
Nimiburt Stadium in Bangkok,
Thailand, with a game-high 16
points.
The 40-year-old PBA
veteran Asi Taulava, meanwhile,
continued to defy his age in
churning out MVP digits with 15
points, five rebounds, four
assists and two steals for San
Miguel.
The statistics were from
the league's official website.
The championship series
between the Beermen and the
Warriors kicks off on June 7 in
Manila as San Miguel has home
court edge throughout the
playoffs. (INQUIRER.net)
replacement tournaments now,
but nothing definite yet,” Reyes
said in a text message to the
Inquirer. “It's okay for us not to
play at the Jones Cup as long as
we can play in other (highcaliber) tournaments.”
Spain will host the Fiba
Basketball World Cup, known
until 2010 as the Fiba World
Championship, next year.
The Jones Cup snub was
the latest spoiler to the GilasPilipinas' buildup.
The team already lost key
cogs Kelly Williams and Jared
Dillinger to injuries. Alaska's 6foot-7 banger Sonny Thoss will
also miss the Lithuania trip
because of a nagging back injury.
(Philippine Daily Inquirer)
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 29
A new way for Filipinos to connect on social media launched
MANILA -- The war of the
mobile social communication
applications in the country heats
up as what is considered one of the
world's most popular social media
communication apps was officially
launched in the Philippines.
so happy to be doing this for the
brand,” said Villania of the brand's
new television commercial,
revealed at the launch. “Download
WeChat now and you can see
yourselves how easy and fun it is to
use.”
With over 300 million
registered user accounts
worldwide, WeChat is set to
change the way social-mediasavvy Filipinos communicate with
friends, family and people from all
over the world.
A Newer, More Fun and Safer
Way to Connect to the World
“Whether it is the desire of
Filipinos to create their own
profile, share photos or engage in
live chats over audio or video, they
can now enjoy all these features in
one integrated mobile social app.
Everything you need is on WeChat
and it is free!” said Poshu Yeung,
Vice President of International
Business, Tencent.
“The Philippines is a very
important market for WeChat in
Southeast Asia. In a country
dubbed 'the texting capital of the
world', WeChat is destined for the
spotlight. We are now launching a
series of brand engagements to
reach as many Filipinos as
possible, so that they are aware of
this new, creative and free medium
to express themselves,
communicate with one another,
and connect with the world,” he
added.
Poshu Yeung, vice president of International Business, Tencent, and host Rizza Diaz
at the recent Philippine launch of WeChat, considered one of the world's most
popular social media communication apps. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Young celebrities Iya Villania
a n d D re w A re l l a n o , b ra n d
ambassadors for WeChat, spoke
on the virtues of WeChat's new
and exciting features in a press
conference officially launching the
popular application to the
Philippine market.
“I think it's amazing how
WeChat makes it fun and easy not
just to stay connected but to find
and make new friends. With the
feature called 'Look Around',
We C h a t l o c a t e s o t h e r
WeChat users in your area so that
you can simply send them a
message. And to make it twice as
fun, you can use emoticons, send
voice messages, video chat.”
Villania said: “We Filipinos
love to share photos. Often, what
we share with others is a reflection
of how we feel at that particular
point in time, and are expressions
of our individuality. This is the
reason I love WeChat's 'Moments'
feature which allows me to share
photos, posts and online stories so
easily from my mobile onto my
social networking sites.”
“WeChat's is our first
commercial as a couple and we are
EXPRESS SUDOKU
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row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9
Solution to Issue 20 Sudoku
Solution to Issue 20 Crossword
Designed for users to easily
chat with friends or to connect
with people from all around the
world, the application enables
users to add friends through
various methods including,
scanning QR codes, connecting via
phone books and activating
location-based functions such as
“Look Around” and “Shake”.
WeChat also comes with its
very own social network for one's
selected circle of friends called
“Moments” It gives users the
ability to share pictures,
comments and URL links with
close and trusted friends.
To safeguard privacy to
users, only friend are granted
permission to connect and view
the photos and comments posted.
For users who would prefer
to speak “face-to-face” with
friends, WeChat offers a real time
Video Chat function. And thanks to
WeChat's network efficiency
feature, users can switch between
voice and video dynamically
without finishing the call. The
safeguard privacy of Moments,
also extends to this feature.
Against the backdrop of
security and privacy concerns on
social media, these measures leave
users with a peace of mind, and
ensure that users are sharing and
interacting only with those they
wish to be in contact with.
A WeChat feature that is
bound to pique the interest of
Filipinos is the ability to
personalize emoticons. Filipinos
are known to be very expressive
and this app is the perfect fit to do
so. To many, emoticons are as
essential to social conversation as
acronyms.
And with WeChat, users are
able to either download unique
emoticons from its vast online
portfolio or choose to create
personalized ones with photos
from the albums on their very own
devices.
WeChat is now available for
download on iOS, Android,
Symbian, BlackBerry and
Windows Phone smartphones and
remains the most downloaded
mobile social app on iOS and
Android smartphones in many
Asian countries including
Indonesia and Malaysia.
(Inquirer.net)
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May 31 - June 6, 2013
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call:
Ocean Ventures Realty
WANTED
The Filipino
Express
is only
Moringa/Malunggay
Leaf Powder Products.
Exceptional-Superior Quality,
Nicaraguan,
Retail and wholesale, grown on rich
volcanic plantation soil.
750-458-2151
Please visit:
Http://www.herbladyisintoday.
blogspot.com
Buy the highest quality Moringa Powder,
Moringa Seeds and Moringa
Supplements
CAREGIVER
WANTED
LIVE-IN CAREGIVER TO CARE
FOR ELDERLY PARENTS.
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK.
COOK, BATHE, MEDICINE,
HOUSEKEEPING.
MUST DRIVE.
MUST HAVE PATIENCE.
FAX RESUME
TO 718-589-9940
Use the
Savings Coupon
Below
FOR CLASSIFIED ADS
CALL 201-434-1114
Only $30 for 25 words
(deadline is Wednesday noon)
NANNY WANTED
Looking for a nanny who
can work from 8am to
6pm Monday thru Friday
taking care of a newborn
baby as well as some
house chores in
Elmhurst, Queens.
$8 per hour in cash
Please call Ming Chao
@ 917-763-2533
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 31
May 31 - June 6, 2013
Page 32

The Filipino Express Issue 21 (May 31

Transcription

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