The Filipino Express v28 Issue 15

Transcription

VOL. 28 w NO. 15 w APRIL 11 - 17, 2014 w NATIONAL EDITION
NEW JERSEY w NEW YORK w (201) 434-1114 w $1.00
PH, US rush defense
talks for Obama visit
this month
By Nikko Dizon
MANILA -- The Philippines and the United
States are set to begin Thursday, April 10 the
eighth round of talks for an Enhanced Defense
Cooperation Agreement, nearly three weeks
ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to
the country.
The two-day talks will involve threshing
out issues of access of both parties to shared
areas in Philippine military bases, a ranking
government official privy to the talks told the
Inquirer on Wednesday.
“There are still some matters that need to
be fully discussed and threshed out in terms
of the access, (particularly) the modalities of
the access,” said the source, requesting
anonymity for lack of authority to speak
about the negotiations.
The source described the eight-month
long negotiations as “delicate and at times
difficult.”
Talks for the new agreement, initially
called Framework for Increased Rotational
u Page 4
u Page 3
Advocates of the Reproductive Health Law waited for more than a day for the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the RH law, and as the
court sat en banc at its summer courthouse in Baguio on April 8, actress Giselle Toengi found time to shoot a selfie with the crowd. This was moments
before the court decided that the law was constitutional, and the purple crowd went wild. Some broke into tears. EV Espiritu
US to China: We will protect Philippines
PAL to fly to NY,
major US cities
PH air carriers off US
air safety blacklist
By Daxim L. Lucas, Miguel R. Camus
MANILA -- Philippine Airlines (PAL) will open
services to New York, Chicago, Florida and other
major cities in the United States within a year
following the removal of the Philippines from the
air safety blacklist of the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) on Thursday, April 10.
Other Philippine carriers may now also fly to
the United States with the restoration of the
country's Category 1 rating. US Ambassador to the
u Page 19
Manila Bulletin Chairman of the Board
Dr. Emilio T. Yap passes away, 88
The Manila Bulletin Publishing
Corporation announced the passing
of its Chairman of the Board Dr. Emilio
T. Yap, on Monday, April 7, 2014. He
would have been 89 years old on
September 24 this year.
Interment rites will be held on
Sunday, April 13, at the Manila
Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque,
after the 7 a.m. Service at the Manila
Prince Hotel.
In addition to his being a
respected leader in the print media
industry, Dr. Yap served as Chairman
of the Board of the Manila Hotel
Corporation and of Centro Escolar
University, and Chairman Emeritus of
Philippine Trust Company.
Chairman Yap led numerous
humanitarian activities in the
Philippines and around the world. As
a sy m b o l o f h i s c o n c e r n fo r
n e w sLance
p a pCpl.
e rAndrew
m e n Silvaa n d
newspaperwomen, he constructed a
Medical Center Building at the
National Press Club of the Philippines.
In 2000, when he reached the age of
75, he dispensed with the celebration
of his birth anniversary and began the
annual tradition of donating to
various charitable causes.
The donations went to the
Mindanao Peace and Development
u Page 8
Associated Press
BEIJING -- In a face-off between the defense
chiefs of China and the US, Defense Secretary
Chuck Hagel told his Chinese counterpart on
Tuesday,April 8 that his country does not have the
right to unilaterally establish an air defense zone
over disputed islands with no consultation.
And he said America will protect Japan, the
Philippines and other allies locked in disputes
with China,as laid out in US treaty obligations.
Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan
said his country will not take the initiative to stir
up troubles with Japan, but warned that Beijing is
ready to use its military if needed to safeguard its
territory.
Washington has criticized Beijing's recent
declaration of an air defense zone over a large
swath of the East China Sea, including disputed
remote islands controlled by Japan but also
claimed by China. Hagel was in Japan earlier this
week, reassuring its leaders of ongoing US
support.
u Page 4
Illegal detention case filed vs
Cedric Lee, Deniece, others
By Tetch Torres-Tupas
MANILA -- The Department
of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday
filed before the Taguig Regional
Trial Court serious illegal
detention case against Cedric
Lee, Deniece Cornejo and
several others on the alleged
mauling of actor/comedian
Vhong Navarro.
In a 42-page consolidated
resolution released Thursday,
aside from Lee and Cornejo,
charged are Cedric's sister
Bernice, Simeon Raz, Jose Paolo
Gregorio Calma, Ferdinand
Deniece Cornejo
Vhong Navarro
Guerrero and Sajed “Jed”
Fernandez Abuhijleh. No bail
was recommended for their
Cedric Lee
temporary liberty. The alleged
mauling incident took place last
u Page 6
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 2
THE FILIPINO EXPRESS
German Chancellor Presents China a Historical
Map Showing Different Territorial Borders
By E.J. Carleoni April 4, 2014
Posted in: World, World News
German Chancellor Angela
Merkel presented Chinese Xi
Jinping with a historical map that
contradicts its own claim of
territory in history, eliciting a stir
and confusion among Chinese
netizens.
During a visit by Xi to Germany,
Merkel gave the Chinese leader the
1735 map of China made by French
c a r t o g ra p h e r J e a n - B a p t i s t e
Bourguignon d'Anville and printed
by a German publishing house.
The historical map with a Latin
caption translated as “China
Proper” purportedly showed a
glaring deviation from the modern
China territorial map, or at least
from what they have been claiming
as their own.
The d'Anville map curiously
showed 'China Proper' as a land
mass completely separate from
Xinjiang, Tibet, Mongolia and
Manchuria, areas or territories
over which China has invariably
claimed sovereignty or
administration for centuries.
But perhaps more interesting is
that Hainan is bordered by a
different color, and so is Taiwan.
The former is very much a part of
the modern China, while the latter
is very much disputed.
An antique map expert said
d'Anville's 1735 map was drawn
based on earlier geographical
surveys by Jesuit missionaries in
ancient China and supposed to
represent the “summation of
European knowledge on China in
th
the 18 -century.
Merkel's gift, expectedly, has
struck a sensible nerve among
Chinese people whose history has
taught them these areas, including
the disputed Diaoyu islands
(Senkaku to Japanese) have been
inalienable parts of China since
ancient times.”
Chinese netizens took to social
media their confusion along with
each own and different
interpretations of the map.
One commented: “We always
say some regions are inalienable
parts of China since ancient times,
th
but Merkel told us that even in 18
century those regions still did not
belong to China.”
Another fired questions one
after the other saying: “How is this
possible? Where is Tibet, Xinjiang,
the Northeast? How did Xi react?”
While others decided to
question Merkel's motive in giving
the 'inaccurate' historical
cartography and criticized the
German Chancellor for trying to
'legitimize the Tibet and Xinjiang
independence movements.”
When a completely different
version of the map was circulated
online perhaps in an attempt to
circumvent what was originally
illustrated, a Tibetan blogger,
Tsering Woeser, spotted the
difference and complained about
the deception.
Using a Chinese idiom, she said
in dismay, “To steal the beams and
pillars and replace them with
rotten timber,” which can be
translated 'they are good at
perpetuating frauds'.
The controversial map came at
a time when China is locking horns
with the Philippines over its
territorial claim of some group of
islands in the West Philippine
Sea/South China Sea, even as the
latter has recently filed a memorial,
or a formal pleading, before the
international arbitrary tribunal to
quell the Asian rising superpower's
apparent bullying in the disputed
waters.
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 3
UN welcomes SC
ruling on RH law
By Roy Mabasa
The United Nations on Tuesday welcomed the ruling
of the Supreme Court which upheld Republic Act 10354,
otherwise known as the Responsible Parenthood and
Reproductive Health Act of 2012.
It also expressed its support to the Philippine
government.
“Together with the Filipino people, the United Nations
celebrates this landmark ruling which recognizes the
basic human right of Filipinos to reproductive health,” it
said in a statement.
According to the UN, the High Court ruling comes at a
crucial time as this year marks the 20-year anniversary of
the International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD), “which placed people's rights and
dignity at the heart of development,” and also “affirmed
sexual and reproductive health as a fundamental human
right and emphasized that empowering women and girls
is key to ensuring the well-being of individuals, families,
nations and our world.”
According to the ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Report,
while significant progress has been made worldwide on
maternal health and gender equality, these successes are
not reaching everyone equally.
“This is also the case in the Philippines, where
especially the poor and marginalized women and girls
have been left without universal access to reproductive
health,” the UN emphasized.
Consequently, it noted that the maternal mortality
ratio (MMR) in the country has remained consistently
high since 1993, and it is unlikely that the MMR target of
52 deaths per 100,000 live births will be reached by the
2015 Millennium Development Goals deadline.
“The full and speedy implementation of (RA 10354)
will be critically important in reducing maternal
mortality and ensuring universal access to reproductive
health care and also sets the country on the right track for
the post-2015 development agenda,” the UN said. Manila
Bulletin
SC: RH law constitutional
By Tetch Torres-Tupas
BAGUIO CITY -- The Supreme Court
u p h e l d T u e s d a y, A p r i l 8 t h e
constitutionality of the Responsible
Parenthood and Reproductive Health
Act of 2012 but nullified some of its
provisions.
“The Court, after scrutiny of the
various arguments and contentions of
the parties…unanimously held that
Republic Act No. 10354 is not
u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l ,” h i g h c o u r t ' s
Information Chief Theodore Te said,
announcing a ruling that struck down
more than a dozen petitions against
Republic Act No. 10354 by church
groups.
A total of 14 petitions were filed in
the high court and a series of oral
arguments was held to determine the
constitutionality of the controversial
birth control law that supporters said
would transform the lives of millions of
poor Filipinos, in a stunning defeat for
the powerful Catholic Church.
The Supreme Court first stopped the
implementation of the law for four
months after it took effect on March 18,
2013. It issued a status quo ante order
after Pro-Life Philippines Foundation
Inc. and Catholic Church groups
questioned the law, saying it violated the
constitutional provisions guaranteeing
the right to life.Before the four months
was over, the Supreme Court extended
indefinitely its status quo ante order last
July.
Sex education
The law requires government health
centers to hand out free condoms and
birth control pills, as well as mandating
that sex education be taught in schools.
The law also requires that public
health workers receive family planning
training, while post abortion medical
care is also legalized.
The Catholic Church had until
Tuesday, April 8 led a successful
campaign for more than 15 years against
any form of family planning laws in the
Philippines.
Unconstitutional
Among the provisions declared
unconstitutional are: a) Section 7 which
is about access to family planning, as
well as Section A and A of its
implementing rules and regulations.
Section A requires private health
facilities and non-maternity specialty
hospitals and hospitals owned and
operated by a religious group to refer
patients, not in an emergency or life
threatening case to another health
facility which is conveniently accessible.
Section B allows minor-parents or
minors who have suffered a miscarriage
access to modern methods of family
planning without written consent from
their parents or guardians; b) Section
23 Punishable Acts (a) (1) and
corresponding provision in the RH-IRR
particularly Section 24 insofar as it
punishes any health care provider who
fails or refuses to disseminate
information regarding programs and
services on reproductive health
regardless of his or her religious beliefs;
c) Section 23 (a)(2)(i) and a provision in
the IRR with regard to allowing a
married individual, not in an emergency
or life threatening case to undergo
reproductive health procedures without
the consent of the spouse; d) Section
23(a)(3) and the provision in the IRR
which punishes any health care provider
who fails and/or refuses to refer a
patient not in an emergency or life
threatening case to another health care
service provider within the same facility
or one which is conveniently accessible
e) Section 23(b) and the provision in the
IRR which punishes any public officer
who refuses to support reproductive
health programs or shall do any act that
hinders the full implementation of a
reproductive health program,
f) Section 17 on Pro bono services of
indigent women and corresponding
provision in the IRR regarding the
rendering of pro bono reproductive
health service, insofar as they affect the
conscientious objector in securing
PhilHealth accreditation; g) Section
3.01(a) and (j) of the IRR insofar as it
uses the qualifier “primarily” for
contravening Section 4(a) of the RH Law
specifically the definition of
abortifacient and violating Section 12 on
right to life and protection of life from
conception; and h) Section 23 (a)(2)(ii)
insofar as it penalizes a health service
provider who will require parental
consent from the minor in not
emergency or serious situation.
Church pressure
President Benigno Aquino defied
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April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 4
The Philippines and the United States are set to begin April 10 the eighth round of
talks for an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, nearly three weeks ahead of
US President Barack Obama's (in photo) visit to the country. AP FILE PHOTO
In this March 26, 2014 file photo, California state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, right, leaves the San Francisco Federal
Building in San Francisco. Yee, a California state senator and more than two dozen others have been formally indicted in a
sweeping San Francisco political corruption case, officials announced Friday April 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Ben Margot,File)
Indicted California senator used
campaign money for trip to PH
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, California -A state senator indicted on
federal charges used campaign
money to pay for flights to the
Philippines and events at a San
Francisco restaurant, activities
that have possible links to gunrunning and bribery allegations,
a newspaper reported.
Records show Sen. Leland
Yee, D-San Francisco, flew to the
Philippines in 2008 and 2012,
according to The Sacramento
Bee, http://bit.ly/1fSiNmb .
Federal officials allege he tried
to coordinate a gun-running
operation from that country.
His Senate campaign
committee paid $894 in
September 2008 for a flight to
Manila, while his officeholder
account paid $246 in July 2012
for a flight to Manila for a
“governmental fact-finding” trip
lasting from July 12 through July
30.
The federal complaint
q u o te s Ye e a s te l l i n g a n
undercover agent in March 2014
that he had gone to Mindanao,
the southernmost island in the
Philippines, at the invitation of
the Mindanao government
about two years ago.
He also spent $62,000 at a
restaurant that hosted many
events for what federal
prosecutors say is a San
Francisco gang.
The complaint says the New
Asia Restaurant was the site for
many events hosted by Chee
u Page 5
PH, US rush ...
From page 1
presence of US troops, began in August
last year.
Both governments are looking out
for their own interests, the source said.
“The reason for conducting these
talks is there is mutuality of benefits
(for the Philippines and the US),” the
source said.
The Philippine government has
US to China: We
will protect PH
From page 1
In their remarks Tuesday, Hagel and
Chang largely aired their countries'
well-known positions about the
territorial disputes, although it was the
first time it was done in China, shoulderto-shoulder, after nearly two hours of
meetings.
“Every nation has a right to
establish an air defense zone, but not a
right to do it unilaterally with no
collaboration, no consultation. That
adds to tensions, misunderstandings,
and could eventually add to, and
eventually get to, dangerous conflict,”
said Hagel, pointing his finger toward
television cameras and photographers
at the back of the room, as shutters
clicked.
Diplomatic resolution
Chang said China stands ready to
resolve the disputes diplomatically. But
he made it clear that China is always
ready to respond militarily to threats.
Chang also complained that the
Philippines illegally occupies part of
China's islands and reefs in the South
China Sea.
He told Hagel, “We will make no
compromise, no concession, no trading,
not even a tiny … violation is allowed.”
On a broader scale, the meeting
focused on how the US and China can
build stronger ties, in the wake of years
of frosty relations over Beijing's military
buildup, persistent cyber-attacks by
both sides, and the aggressive Chinese
territorial claims.
Washington says it takes no side on
the sovereignty issue of the islands but
will defend Japan and the Philippines.
But it also has refused to recognize the
air defense zone or follow China's
demands that its aircraft file flight plans
with Beijing's Defense Ministry and
said the completion of the talks was
not dependent on the visit of Obama,
scheduled later this month.
The enhanced defense
cooperation agreement is widely
viewed as a deterrent to China's
continued aggressive claim to
territories in the South China Sea.
The Philippines maintains that
China's so-called nine-dash line
encroaches on its 370-kilometer
exclusive economic zone in the West
Philippine Sea. Inquirer.net
heed Chinese instructions.
Later Tuesday, at the People's
Liberation Army's National Defense
University, Hagel gave a speech to about
120 colonels and other staff officers,
and was more direct, challenging China
to play a more constructive role in North
Korea.
Continuing to support the
Pyongyang regime, he said, “will only
hurt China's international standing”
and its position in the region.
In the defense university speech,
Hagel also pointed to cybersecurity as
an area where the US wants the Chinese
to be more transparent.
As proof that the US has tried to be
more open, he revealed publicly for the
first time that the Pentagon gave
Chinese government officials a briefing
on the doctrine that governs the use of
the military's cyber capabilities. And he
urged China to do the same.
Chang, when asked about the issue,
said the People's Liberation Army
abides by the law in its cyber operations
and will not pose a threat to others. He
added that China “stands ready to
deepen the communication with the
US” on cyber.
Cyber attacks
The US accuses China's army and
China-based hackers of launching
attacks on American industrial and
military targets, often to steal secrets or
intellectual property. China says it faces
a major threat from hackers, and the
country's military is believed to be
among the biggest targets of the NSA
and US Cyber Command.
While the disagreements between
the US and China were starkly evident
during the day's events, there also was
an underlying current of slowly growing
cooperation.
The two countries interests
outweigh their differences, said Chang,
adding that “The Pacific is huge enough
to hold both China and the US.”
Inquirer.net
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April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 5
Canada matches its Friendship Singapore style:
citizens' donation P231M for Yolanda victims
By Tarra Quismundo
By Tarra Quismundo
MANILA -- The Canadian
government has announced an initial
allocation of 50 million Canadian dollars
(P2.046 billion) to support recovery
programs across Eastern Visayas as part
of a counterpart fund to match more
than C$85 million (P3.5 billion)
Canadians had raised through a public
appeal shortly after Super Typhoon
Yolanda.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen
Harper said the Canadian government
would fulfill its promise “to match every
e l i g i b l e d o l l a r ” t h a t i n d iv i d u a l
Canadians had donated to registered
Canadian charities between Nov. 9 and
Dec. 23 last year.
“I am deeply proud of the way
Canadians came together to help the
people of the Philippines in the
aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).
The remarkable support that Canadians
provided both here at home and the very
strong presence of both our DART
(Disaster Assistance Response Team)
and humanitarian partners on the
ground, especially on Panay island,
made us a global leader in helping
address the impact of the crisis,” Harper
said in a statement the Canadian
Embassy released on Friday.
Thousands of Canadians sent
donations to registered charities after
their government launched a matching
fund drive on Nov. 10. Contributions
reached C$85 million by Dec. 23.
Matching the amount in tranches,
the Canadian government released an
initial C$15 million (P614 million) to
support emergency relief operations in
N ove m b e r. O n A p r i l 4 , H a r p e r
announced the allocation of C$50
million more to various Canadian
humanitarian organizations and United
Nations agencies to implement recovery
projects in affected areas across Samar,
Leyte and Panay.
MANILA -- It was “a small
gesture of friendship and
solidarity” with a neighbor in
need, Singapore President
Tony Tan Keng Yam said of his
country's donation to those
affected by Supertyphoon
“Yolanda” five months ago.
Tan on Friday handed over
some S$7 million or P231
million in donations to partner
organizations in the
Philippines to support a
package of reconstruction and
rehabilitation projects in areas
affected by the supertyphoon
in Eastern Visayas.
Tan, who was on his first
state visit to the Philippines,
did not issue remarks at the
event but said in a press
statement that the funding
package was a “small gesture
of friendship and solidarity
with the Filipino people.”
Support for vulnerable groups
Funding will focus on the restoration
Indicted ...
From page 4
Kung Tong. The government alleges that
Chee Kung Tong is a criminal
organization led by Raymond “Shrimp
Boy” Chow, who also faces federal
charges.
It is by far the most money paid by
Yee's campaign to any restaurant.
The dinners included a March 2013
event during which an aide to Yee
presented a Senate proclamation
honoring Chee Kung Tong. The
government says Yee pushed for the
proclamation after an undercover agent
gave $6,800 to Yee's secretary of state
campaign.
It also was the site of a March 2011
dinner during which the undercover
agent was sworn in to the organization.
Most of the campaign payments
were listed as fundraising expenses,
with one event costing nearly $7,000.
The rest were described as meetings,
with one January 2007 event costing
$12,346.
The restaurant's owner, Hon Keung
So, also is charged with buying 15 cases
of stolen Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Scotch in September 2012 from an
undercover agent. Inquirer.net
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
Global leader in addressing impact of Typhoon
Yolanda. AP PHOTO/IVAN SEKRETAREV
of livelihood, shelter, health, water and
sanitation and education systems, as
well as support for vulnerable groups
such as women, children and indigenous
peoples.
“Our government worked closely
with the Filipino-Canadian community,
humanitarian partners and the
government of the Philippines in the
aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan to identify
p r i o r i t i e s a n d q u i c k ly p rov i d e
emergency assistance where it was
needed most. The Typhoon Haiyan
Relief Fund was a success and our
government is proud to play a role in
matching the generosity of Canadians,”
Harper said.
The Canadian Embassy said the
remaining C$20.59 million (P842
million) would be allocated for longterm reconstruction programs.
Once the Canadian government
completes the delivery of counterpart
funds, Canadian assistance made
through the matching fund drive would
total C$170 million (P7 billion).
This is on top of immediate
assistance that Canada released during
the emergency relief phase, including
C$5 million (P204 million) for the
distribution of tents, blankets and
shelter kits, and C$30,000 or P1.22
million for the International Federation
of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies to kick-start relief operations.
Inquirer.net
Singapore's President Tony Tan
Keng Yam. AFP file photo
Singapore's president also
lauded Singapore Red Cross
(SRC) for choosing “trusted
partners” in disbursing
assistance from the city-state.
A p a r t f ro m g ove r n m e n t
funding, SRC had separately
raised S$11.45 million or
P377.85 million in donations
from Singaporeans through its
public appeal.
Spirit of solidarity
“These may seem small in
the greater scheme of the
rebuilding effort, but they are
huge gestures of friendship
and reflect the spirit of
solidarity of the Singapore
people with the Filipino
people,” said SRC secretary
general Benjamin William
during the turnover
ceremonies.
“As the funds flowed in, it
was clear to me and my
colleagues that the people of
Singapore shared the grief and
suffering brought about by
Yolanda and wanted to reach
out to touch the lives of [those]
in need,” William said, adding
that contributions of varying
amounts poured in, “from as
big as a million dollars from a
successful businessman to a
10-year-old schoolgirl giving
her entire savings of pocket
m o n e y.” S R C ' s p a r t n e r
organizations include the
u Page 6
Reports of prostitution in disaster-hit
areas being closely monitored Palace
By Kristine Angeli Sabillo
MANILA -- Malacañang on
Thursday, April 10 assured the
public that the government
continues to oversee the situation
in disaster-hit areas amid reports
of prostitution in evacuation
centers.
“Sinusubaybayan ng ating
Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) ang lahat
ng mga evacuation centers…at
bahagi (ng) kanilang tungkulin ay
'yung pangalagaan ang kapakanan
ng mga mamamayan doon kasama
n a a n g m g a k a b a b a i h a n ,”
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S e c re t a r y
Herminio Coloma said in a
televised press briefing.
(The Department of Social
We l f a r e a n d D e v e l o p m e n t
monitors all evacuation
centers…and part of their task is
to ensure the safety of the citizens
there, including the women.)
The Secretary said DSWD
have people monitoring
evacuation centers and victims of
the Zamboanga City siege in
September, the 7.2-magnitude
earthquake in October, and Super
Typhoon Yolanda in November.
Coloma also revealed that a
number of people have expressed
interest in adopting children from
Tacloban and other provinces
where many were orphaned.
“Napakahigpit ng pinaiiral na
patakaran hinggil diyan sapagkat
isa sa mga layunin ay 'yung hindi
magkaroon ng human trafficking,”
he added.
(Our rules regarding that is
very strict because our aim is
toprevent human trafficking.)
He said the government is
determined to observe the
situation in disaster zones.
“They have suffered enough
from the consequences of the
disasters, e madadagdagan pa
'yon kung mapapariwara ang
kanilang mga anak at mapapasok
sa prostitusyon,” he added. (They
have suffered enough from the
consequences of the disasters, it
will only become worse if their
children are lured into
prostitution.) Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 6
Italian diplomat charged
with child trafficking, abuse
By Maricar Cinco
CAMP PACIANO RIZAL -- An
Italian diplomat is facing charges
for alleged trafficking and abuse of
three children who, according to
him, were street children he had
brought from Manila to a popular
resort in Biñan City, Laguna, over
the weekend.
Italian ambassador to
Turkmenistan Daniele Bosio, 46,
was arrested Saturday afternoon at
the Splash Island resort in Barangay
(village) San Francisco.
Bosio, according to a report
quoting the Italian ministry, was on
a holiday in the Philippines. He was
staying in One Orchard Road in
Eastwood prior to his arrest, a
report from the Laguna police
stated.
The police report, emailed to
the Philippine Daily Inquirer on
Monday by the Laguna police
director, Senior Supt. Romulo
Sapitula, did not identify Bosio or
the victims, as it is against the antitrafficking law to release publicly
the identities of both the suspect
and the victims.
It, however, said the victims
were male children, ages 12, 10, and
9, all from Caloocan City.
According to the police report,
Lily Flordelis and Catherine Scerri,
the executive and deputy directors
of Bahay Tuluyan Foundation, who
just happened to be in the resort,
Screengrab from www.repubblica.it
were alarmed at seeing the adult
foreigner “touching and caressing”
the children while in the swimming
pool.
Bahay Tuluyan is a nonGovernment group promoting
children's rights with an office in
Manila and shelters in Laguna and
Quezon.
When asked how they were
related, one of the children claimed
Bosio was his father but another
said they were not related at all.
Sensing that something was
amiss, the foundation executives
Illegal detention
case filed ...
From page 1
Jan. 22. The DOJ cited as among the
basis of the case is the severe beatings
and mauling supposedly inflicted by
Cedric Lee's group on Navarro as
mentioned in the medico legal report
and certificate issued by St. Luke's
Medical Center.
“In this case, the vivid recollection
of complainant Navarro of what
transpired on Jan. 22 from the time he
entered the condominium unit of
respondent Cornejo up to the time he
was brought out of the said place
indubitably shows that he was
actually restrained or deprived of his
liberty against his will and that makes
respondents liable for serious illegal
detention,” the DOJ resolution stated.
“It can only be gathered that
sought help from the policemen in
the resort and arrested Bosio. Bosio
told the police the street children
asked their parents' permission to
go with him.
Sapitula, in a phone interview,
said the foreigner offered the
children food and money.
“The children said they stayed
at the foreigner's home for two days
before they came here (in Laguna.)
They said he (Bosio) bathed and
scrubbed their bodies, but of course
we know his intentions were
something else,” Sapitula said.
during this period, there was no
occasion for Navarro to free himself
from captors, as they had beaten him
up, pointed a gun at him and
threatened him, once he was inside
respondent Cornejo's unit, and even
tied his hands at the back and was
brought to the police station for a
blotter to be taken…From a serious
and introspective assessment of these
facts, it can only be gleaned that
Navarro was detained in a manner
that deprived him of his liberty
because of the serious physical
injuries he sustained,” the resolution
further stated.
The DOJ also dismissed the
defense of Lee's group that the money
they demanded from Navarro was in a
form of damages in favor of Cornejo.
The DOJ said the demand for
money while Navarro is under their
supposed custody is still considered
“ransom.” Inquirer.net
The police on Sunday charged
Bosio with anti-trafficking and
child abuse. Italian ambassador to
the Philippines Massimo Roscigno
also visited Bosio in the city jail on
Sunday.
“Yes, he is detained together
with the others (detainees.) No
special treatment of course,”
Sapitula said.
The children were turned over
to the city social welfare and
development office, he said.
Inquirer.net
Friendship
Singapore ...
From page 5
Philippine Red Cross, International
Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies, International
Committee of the Red Cross, Anglican
Crisis Relief Outreach and Support
Singapore, Life Community
Development , Humanitarian
Assistance Network for Disaster and
Assisi Development Foundation.
Beyond fund-raising
Singapore's partners in the
Philippines are set to implement a
package of projects including
housing, medical facilities, water and
sanitation, and the repair of homes
and schools across the disaster zone.
Expected to benefit from the package
are some 1.5 million Filipinos from
the typhoon-hit communities on
Bantayan Island in Cebu province,
B u s u a n ga I s l a n d i n Pa l awa n
province, Leyte province, Ormoc City,
Panay Island and Samar province.
“The outpouring of support is
heartening but we must remember
t h a t t h e wo rk o f re b u i l d i n g
communities goes beyond fundraising. It is a commitment that can
stretch over years,” William said.
“We hope that all the rebuilding
and rehabilitation projects
supported by Singapore Red Cross
and the people of Singapore will
make a lasting difference to the
people of the region… We hope that
each and every project will represent
relief and new hope,” he added.
Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 7
'Battle is not over yet,' say bishops, pro-life groups in Visayas
A Catholic church in Bacolod has cut in half a tarpaulin that tells the faithful whom to vote
for and whom to junk in the May 2013 senatorial elections (“Team Buhay, Team Patay”).
Inquirer file photo
SC: RH law
constitutional
From page 3
church pressure and signed the law
into effect in December 2012, but the
Supreme Court quickly suspended it
after church groups filed petitions
arguing it was unconstitutional.
“This monumental decision
upholds the separation of church and
state and affirms the supremacy of
government in secular concerns like
health and socio-economic
development,” Representative Edcel
Lagman, the principal author of the
law, said immediately after the verdict.
“A grateful nation salutes the
majority of justices for their favourable
ruling promoting reproductive health
and giving impetus to sustainable
human development.” The Catholic
Church, which counts over 80 percent
of the country's 100 million population
as members, had led street protests
denouncing the law as “evil”, and at one
point in its opposition campaign
threatened Aquino with
excommunication. Church leaders
have helped lead two revolutions that
toppled unpopular presidents in
recent Philippine history, and they
continue to insist they have a right to
influence the parliamentary and legal
branches of government. Another
example of its enduring influence is
that the Philippines is the only country
where divorce remains illegal.
Less conservative views
Nevertheless, many people across
the sprawling archipelago have
embraced less conservative views in
recent decades.
A recent survey carried by the
respected Social Weather Stations
polling group said about 84 percent of
Filipinos agreed that the government
should provide free family planning
options such as contraceptives.
It said 72 percent were “in favor” of
the law.
Women's rights groups and other
supporters of the law say it will be a
powerful tool in fighting poverty and
cutting the birth rate of 3.54, one of the
highest in the world.
More than a quarter of the
population live on the equivalent of 62
cents a day, according to the
government, and experts say there is
an urgent need to provide free
reproductive medical services that the
poor can not otherwise afford.
More than a third of Metro Manila's
14 million population live in sprawling
slums, according to a 2010 World
Health Organization report, and many
of them do not have access to proper
sanitation, let alone health centres.
According to the British medical
charity Merlin, which has backed the
passage of the law, 14-15 mothers die
daily in the Philippines in
complications related to child birth.
Inquirer.net
TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CALL
201-434-1114
CEBU CITY -- The Supreme
Court ruling that declares the
reproductive health law as
constitutional has not deterred
the spirit of the Visayas-based
pro-life advocates who vowed to
continue fighting the law, which
they have described as
“immoral.”
“May God forgive them,” said
Fr. A m a d e o A lve ro , Pa l o
Archdiocese spokesperson,
referring to the justices who
voted in favor of the RH law.
He stressed that the high
court ruling would not change
their conviction that the “RH
Law is not a law willed by God
but a law made by anti-life
people.”
The Church, he added,
would continue to “uphold,
respect and promote life which
God wants.”
Bacolod Bishop Vicente
Navarra said the provisions that
were thumbed down by the
Supreme Court should be
considered as a little triumph.
“We need to take action and
make a careful study and
strategic pastoral response to
this, because this battle is not
over yet,” he said.
“In fact, it has just begun and
the event today only makes us
stronger,” he added.
Navarra stressed that they
would continue to speak against
the law and condemn it as an
“immoral” measure constituting
a g rave v i o l a t i o n o f t h e
principles of the right to life and
the dignity of the human
persons in the light of the
authoritative doctrine of the
Catholic Church.
“The challenge is to form
and inform the consciences of
our faithful because the real
fight against the artificial
contraceptive methods which
are not accessible, is fought with
in that sanctuary of conscience
and where one makes a choice,”
he said.
The second challenge would
be for the church to strengthen
its various family ministries, he
said.
“ We s h a l l m a k e o u r
resistance known and felt in
every nook and cranny starting
from the basic ecclesiastical
communities and parishes. This
is our commitment and with
ever greater intensity and
energy, we shall not waver from
it,” he said
A church leader in Iloilo also
expressed dismay over the
Supreme Court ruling.
“A disastrous day for life!”
reacted Msgr. Meliton Oso,
social action director of the Jaro
Archdiocese.
He said the Catholic Church
has always stood by its belief
that the law “opens the door for
abortion and abortifacients.”
If the decision of the high
court would not be reversed,
Oso said the Church would
intensify its campaign and
teachings on life and natural
planning.
While seeing flaws in the
law, the women's group Gabriela
in Panay welcomed the ruling of
the high court, especially in
addressing needs of women and
children.
“The ruling also serves as a
challenge to the government to
prioritize health care as its basic
responsibility to the people,”
said Roxanne Arsaga,
spokesperson of Gabriela Panay.
She said the government
s h o u l d e n s u re t h a t f re e ,
accessible and comprehensive
reproductive health would be
available to women and children
especially those coming from
poor families.
For a church-based group in
Cebu, the Supreme Court ruling
did not mean the battle was
over.
“We (pro-life groups) will
regroup and discuss what
strategies went wrong and
improve it. Tuloy ang laban (The
fight continues). This is not yet
the end of the battle,” said Dr.
Rene Bullecer, country director
of Human Life International
Philippines.
He, however, said they were
a “b i t h a p py ” t h a t so m e
provisions were declared
unconstitutional. Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 8
HONORING NATION'S HEROES. President Aquino looks on as US Ambassador Philip Goldberg and Japan
Ambassador Toshinao Urabe shake hands at the 72nd commemoration of the “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of
Valor, also known as Fall of Bataan) at the Mt. Samat shrine in Pilar town, Bataan province, on Wednesday,
April 9. Lyn Rillon
Japan envoy apologizes
to Philippines for WW2
By Kristine Angeli Sabillo
MANILA -- “We have vowed
never to wage war again” was the
promise of Japanese
Ambassador Toshinao Urabe to
war veterans during the
Philippine Day of Valor (Araw ng
Kagitingan) on Wednesday at
Bataan.
The envoy, in behalf of his
country, expressed “heartfelt
apologies and deep sense of
remorse” for the “inexplicable
suffering” experienced by
Filipinos during World War II
when Japanese forces occupied
the Philippines.
“Japan has learned valuable
lessons from history. The use of
force [is] not the ultimate
solution. It only creates
problems,” Urabe said during his
televised speech at Mt. Samat
Shrine in Pilar, Bataan.
He said Japan spent the last
seven decades working with and
helping the Philippines to
“validate [its] resolve.”
“Fortunately the filipinos
have accepted to move on. We
have been building the future
together ever since,” he added.
The Day of Valor or Bataan
Day commemorates the fall of
Bataan during World War II. The
surrender of Filipino and
American soldiers to Japanese
troops paved the way for the
infamous Bataan Death March
that resulted in thousands of
deaths. Inquirer.net
PAYING HIS LAST RESPECTS. President Benigno S. Aquino III pays his last respects
to Manila Bulletin Chairman of the Board Dr. Emilio T. Yap at the Manila Prince
Hotel in Manila on April 8, 2014. (Jacqueline Hernandez)
Manila Bulletin ...
From page 1
Program and the Pangasinan and
Pampanga flood victims in 2000; the
American Red Cross, the Federal
Employee Education and Assistance
Fund, the New York State World Trade
Center Relief Fund, United Way,
Salvation Army, and the Philippine
Embassy in Washington, DC, to help
victims of the World T rade Center and
the Pentagon attacks, in 2001; the
Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) Sagip Kalinga
and the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation
Center in 2002; the Social Security
System Retirement Benefits through
the Office of the President of the
Philippines in 2003; the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) Provident
Trust Fund and the Philippine
National Police (PNP) Karangalan ng
mga Alagad ng Batas Foundation in
2004; Caritas Manila in 2006; the
Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the
Federation of Women's Clubs
Foundation in 2007; the PRC, DSWD,
and the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP) in 2008;
PRC,, DSWD, and CBCP in 2009; PRC,
DSWD, and CBCP, Caritas Manila, and
the City of Manila in 2010; PRC, DSWD,
CBCP, Caritas Manila, and City of
Manila again in 2011; DSWD in 2012;
PRC and various other charitable
organizations in 2013.
Dr. Yap was widely honored and
recognized for his professional and
charitable contributions and received
over 400 awards and citations from
the government, professional, and
civic organizations. He was conferred
23 honorary doctoral degrees from
universities in the Philippines and
abroad. Manila Bulletin
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 9
U visas available for out-of-status immigrants
in US who are victims of certain crimes
By Mary Carmen Madrid-Crost
CHICAGO, Illinois -- Victims of
certain crimes may have an avenue
to gain legal status through the U
visa. This immigration benefit
extends to the victim and qualifying
family members of the victim.
The U visa was implemented to
help law enforcement investigate
and prosecute crimes that are
mostly related to domestic violence,
human trafficking, sexual assault, as
well as other crimes listed in the
regulations.
There are 10,000 visas allocated
per year. Since 2008, close to 90,000
U visas have been issued to victims
a n d t h e i r q u a l i f y i n g f a m i ly
members. When the per-year limit
of 10, 000 visas is reached, USCIS
continues to review applications
and it will send out letters of
eligibility. The applicant who is
deemed eligible, but has not made
the quota, is waitlisted and must
continue to meet the qualifying
requirements (e.g., cooperate with
law enforcement) until the visa is
issued.
If granted, the applicant obtains
legal status for four years with an
employment authorization. The
status may be extended if the
presence of the victim is necessary
in the continued investigation and
prosecution of a crime or the
Department of Homeland Security
determines the existence of
exceptional circumstances.
U v i s a b e n e f i c i a r i e s m ay
eventually apply for permanent
residency after a continuous
presence of three years and the
continued presence of the victim is
based on humanitarian grounds to
ensure family unity.
The U visa has been used as a
form of relief from deportation and
lately, it has gained momentum as an
avenue for the redress victims of
immigration fraud. The U visa has
also been used as a form of seeking
justice for the victims of labor
contracting fraud such as when
foreign workers are intentionally
brought into the United States under
false terms.
Qualifying Crimes
Not all crime victims may apply
for a U visa. Victims of the following
or similar crimes may apply for a U
visa: abduction, unlawful criminal
restraint , kidnapping, false
imprisonment, blackmail,
involuntary servitude, extortion,
peonage, domestic violence, slave
trade, crimes sexual in nature,
trafficking, (abusive sexual
touching, sexual assault,
felonious assault, sexual
exploitation), female genital
mutilation, manslaughter, incest,
murder, prostitution, torture, rape,
obstruction of justice, being held
hostage, witness tampering, perjury
and similar criminal activities to the
above.
Any attempt, conspiracy or
solicitation to commit the abovelisted or related crimes is a
qualifying crime for purposes of the
U visa.
Who may avail of a U Visa?
A victim of one of the above
qualifying crimes, as well as his or
her spouse and children below 21
may apply for a U visa. A crime victim
who is under 21 may also benefit an
unmarried sibling who is under 18
and parents to become eligible for a
U visa.
Should the qualifying crime be
committed within the United States?
The victim of a qualifying crime
within the U.S. may apply for a U visa.
Also, a crime that is perpetrated
outside the U.S. may be a qualifying
crime if it violates U.S. federal law.
How does it work?
A successful U visa application is
conditioned upon evidence that the
victim suffers substantial physical
or mental abuse as a result of being
the victim or indirect victim (eligible
family members) of a qualifying
crime.
The victim must be in
possession of reliable information to
help in the investigation of a
qualifying criminal activity in the
U.S. military installations, territories
and outside the U.S, if a federal law is
violated.
It is important to also obtain a
certification from an official - the
police, a judge or a prosecutor - who
knows how the applicant will help in
the prosecution of the qualifying
crime.
A U visa application must be fully
documented with affidavits from
those who know about the crime,
medical records, the victim's sworn
statement about the facts of the
crime, professional evaluation how
the crime affected the U visa
applicant, and similar pieces of
evidence. It is also important to
submit vital documents to prove the
relationship between the U visa
principal applicant and the
derivative beneficiaries.
Successful/Potential U Visa Cases
and Challenges
An undocumented woman who
owned a business was robbed by
three armed men. This experience
has left an indelible mark on her
resulting in psychological harm. She
had to move out of the
neighborhood, causing her to lose
customers. She reported the
incident to the police. She learned
about the U visa and availed of it.
Her cooperation with the police
and testimony in court led to the
conviction of the armed robbers.
With the help of a knowledgeable
attorney, she was able to comply
with the requirements. Years ago,
she was granted a U visa. She is now
a resident of the United States, trying
her best to complete an education so
that she can pursue dream career.
Foreign workers looking for
greener pastures are lured to work
in the United States. Oftentimes, this
involves a network of a recruiter in
the foreign country working with an
unscrupulous financing company
a n d e q u a l ly d e c e p t ive l o c a l
placement agencies or individuals.
The worker is made to sign a fake
contract reflecting compliant wages
and conditions such that the
opportunity is too inviting to pass
up.
The worker is then made to sign
a loan agreement to pay off the
p l a c e m e n t a n d v i s a fe e s by
installment prior to their departure
for the United States. This means
that the worker is already deep in
debt even before he or she starts
earning income.
The bigger surprise is when the
worker finds out that the job is
sporadic, not full time, and the
wages are way below the promised
wages. To make it worse, the
workers are placed in cramped
housing conditions. This scenario
has the makings of medieval
peonage or slave trade, in violation
of federal law.
Oftentimes, the challenge is that
v i c t i m s i n re a l sy m p a t h e t i c
situations are not willing to come
forward. Sometimes they never
thought of keeping evidence that
could someday substantiate their
claim, and law enforcement agencies
may not be willing to issue the
required certification (because the
U visa has been abused in the past as
well).
H o w e v e r, d o g g e d
determination on the part of
advocates, have resulted in U visas
being rightfully issued to real
victims. Inquirer.net
Wounded Fil-Am Iraq War vet gets mortgage-free house
LAS VEGAS, Nevada -Wounded US Army Specialist
Dickson Daggi on April 1 received
the keys to a mortgage-free house
donated by Wells Fargo and the
M i l i t a r y Wa r r i o r s S u p p o r t
Foundation.
Wells Fargo started donating
homes in 2013 to the Military
Warriors Support Foundation for
its Homes 4 Wounded Heroes and
Homes 4 Gold Stars programs.
The bank committed $30
million, and to date has turned over
116 homes to military veterans
and their families.
Daggi and his wife, Nikki, were
first honored with the house
during the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl
Game. The 1,800-square foot home
in North Las Vegas includes four
bedrooms and is fully renovated
with new flooring, appliances and
landscaping. The couple was also
given a $20,000 gift certificate
from La-Z-Boy Furniture to furnish
the interior.
Born in the Philippines and
raised in Guam, Daggi served in the
US military, following the footsteps
of his father and grandfather.
During his last tour in Iraq five
years ago, Daggi was awarded a
Purple Heart after his Humvee
blew up from a vehicle-borne
improvised explosive device.
“It's really humbling that these
[foundations] remember the
veterans. There are a lot of
veterans who don't know about the
program. This program is real and
it's out there for you - you just have
to apply,” Daggi said.
Daggi is still undergoing
therapy for his injuries but has
returned to school to study nursing
with a promise to help other
wounded veterans. Inquirer.net
US Army veteran Dickson Daggi and wife get symbolic key to new home.
Contributed photo
[email protected]
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 10
Bravery and
heroism
On April 9, 72 years ago, the news dreaded by everyone crackled
over short-wave radio: Bataan had fallen.
From Malinta Tunnel in the neighboring island of Corregidor,
the last stronghold of the combined Filipino and US forces fighting
against the Japanese, 3rd Lt. Normando Ildefonso Reyes read the
broadcast message written by Capt. Salvador P. Lopez announcing
Bataan's - and the nation's - surrender: “The Philippine-American
troops on this war-ravaged and bloodstained peninsula have laid
down their arms. With heads bloody but unbowed, they have
yielded to the superior force and numbers of the enemy…
“The world will long remember the epic struggle that Filipino
and American soldiers put up in the jungle fastness and along the
rugged coast of Bataan. They have stood up uncomplaining under
the constant and grueling fire of the enemy for more than three
months. Besieged on land and blockaded by sea, cut off from all
sources of help in the Philippines and in America, the intrepid
fighters have done all that human endurance could bear…
“Bataan has fallen, but the spirit that made it stand - a beacon to
all the liberty-loving peoples of the world - cannot fall!”
The ordeal of the PH-US forces didn't end with Bataan's
surrender, or with the fall of Corregidor a month later. The Japanese,
infuriated at the delay imposed on their war timetable by the
unexpected resistance of these two strongholds, punished the
survivors in the most gruesome way imaginable. From Mariveles,
Bataan, they forced the soldiers to march day and night through heat
and hunger, disease and disability, beating and bayoneting those
that couldn't take another step, letting the wounded die along the
way and starving the rest until the bedraggled fallen army of some
60,000 Filipino and 15,000 American prisoners of war reached San
Fernando, Pampanga. From there, they were loaded on a box train
and transported to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac.
What came to be known as the Bataan Death March claimed the
lives of about 10,000 Filipino and 650 American soldiers, and
entered the annals as among the most horrific episodes of World
War II. It would lead to the prosecution of Lt. Gen. Homma
Masaharu, commander of the Japanese invasion forces in the
Philippines, for war crimes, for which he was executed by firing
squad on April 3, 1946, or merely six days short of four years since
the white flag of surrender was waved by the valiant defenders of
Bataan.
Ricardo Hechanova, among those who survived the march to
and imprisonment in Capas, wrote in Panay News last year: “If the
defeat was a military defeat, it was also a triumph of the spirit. One
month was the estimate of every military strategist on how long the
Filipinos could hold out against the enemy. They were wrong… The
feats of Filipino soldiery in Bataan, Corregidor and the theaters of
war prior to Bataan soon electrified the whole civilized world. The
American commanders started citing the Filipinos' valor and
bravery in combat, as well as their skills. They were amazed that
Bataan was still fighting when Singapore had already fallen…
Though the Filipinos ran out of medicine, ammunition and food,
they held on for three months.”
But after the war, the United States, under whose command the
stout-hearted Filipino soldiers had fought, refused to recognize
their bravery and heroism. Tens of thousands of Filipino war
veterans were denied their benefit claims for many decades after
World War II, despite the US government's promise.
u Page 12
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Lito A. Gajilan, Jr.
Columnists: Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq.,
Juan L. Mercado, Joseph G. Lariosa
Correspondent: Grace G. Baldisseri
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do
not reflect the opinion of the paper nor that of the publisher.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 201-434-1114 Fax 201-434-0880
2711 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07306
Adjustment of Status of
Fiancé(e) After Divorce
The K-1 nonimmigrant visa
allows the foreign fiancé(e) of a U.S.
citizen a single entry into the
United States for the sole purpose
of marrying the K-1 petitioner. The
marriage must take place within 90
days after entry. In the event the
marriage does not take place
within the 90-day period, the K-1
visa holder shall be required to
depart the U.S.
Under the law, the fiancé(e)
cannot change to any other
nonimmigrant status and cannot
be granted extension of stay. He is
also barred from adjusting status
except on the basis of the marriage
to the K-1 petitioner.
If he adjusts status on the basis
of his marriage to the K-1
petitioner, he will be granted
conditional residence status. He
can later file with his spouse a joint
petition to remove the condition. If
the marriage is terminated such as
when the marriage ends in divorce,
the foreign spouse can request
waiver of the joint filing
requirement.
If he has been married for more
than two years at the time that he
adjusts status, he is granted
permanent and not conditional
residence status.
What happens if the marriage is
terminated before the adjustment
of status application is
adjudicated?
If the petitioner dies after
marrying the K-1 beneficiary
within the 90 day period but before
the adjustment application is
adjudicated, the foreign spouse is
still eligible to adjust.
Also, a K-1 visa holder who
divorced the original K-1 petitioner
can still adjust to permanent
residence status so long as the
adjustment application is based on
the marriage to the original K-1
petitioner.
The law does not require that
the marriage still exists at the time
the adjustment application is
adjudicated. In order for a K-1 visa
holder to adjust status, the
applicant must demonstrate that
that he entered into a good faith
marriage with the K-1 petitioner
within 3 months after entry and
was not otherwise inadmissible.
In one case, the foreign
fiancé(e) married the K-1
petitioner within 90 days from
arrival and filed her adjustment
application within the two-year
conditional residence period. She
divorced her K-1 petitioner within
2 years before the adjustment
application was adjudicated. She
was allowed to adjust status even
after their marriage ended in
divorce.
In another case, the marriage
u Page 12
Curator of grievances
Historian Horacio de la Costa,
SJ, once noted that, as a nation, we
celebrate our defeats as victories.
Tomorrow's nationwide Araw ng
Kagitingan rites underscore this
insight.
Day of Valor pivots around a
ceremony at Mount Samat in
Bataan. In 1942, 76,000 halfstarved Filipino and American
soldiers surrendered thereafter
d e l a y i n g J a p a n' s t h r u s t i n
Southeast Asia by three months.
“Bataan has fallen,” said a
broadcast from Malinta Tunnel in
beleaguered Corregidor. “Men are
not made of impervious steel. The
flesh must yield at last, endurance
melts away, and the end of the
battle must come…. But the spirit
that made it stand cannot fall!”
Then Capt. Salvador P. Lopez
wrote that text. “SP” later became
foreign secretary, then, University
of the Philippines president. Who
remembers today?
An Inquirer feature queried a
jeepney driver, a second year
college engineering student and a
stall vendor. They hemmed, then
hawed, why April 9 is a national
holiday.
“I am playing Dota with
friends,” the student said. He knew
little of history, let alone the “Death
March.” Why should he care?
“Isn't Araw about easing
traffic?” a jeepney driver
wondered.
And Bataan drew a blank stare
from the vendor.
Indeed, “the memories of men
are too frail a thread to hang history
from.” Eight out of 10 students
barely recall Sen. Benigno Aquino
Jr., or why he was gunned down,
surveys show.
“We have little collective
memory of the past,” former
Ateneo University president
Bienvenido Nebres, SJ, told a
Legacies of the Marcos
Dictatorship conference. “We tend
to live in a perpetual present. Thus,
we cannot see well into the future.”
The Death March saw
prisoners of war (POWs) forced to
trek 148 kilometers from Bataan to
Tarlac. An estimated 2,500-10,000
Filipino and 100-650 American
POWs did not make it. At the
Libingan ng mga Bayani, the
remains of 32,268 Death March
veterans are interred.
Remember President Sergio
Osmeña? One of his finest moments
came during the government-inWashington exile. The 1935
Constitution mandated that TBwracked President Manuel
u Page 12
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 11
Making
life worth
living
Ellen Tordesillas
Wishing they were April Fools Day jokes
We wish these three
reports were April Fools
Day jokes:
One, Spinbusters saying
goodbye.
In its April 1 entry titled “Silly
blog concedes writes 30”, the
media watchdog wrote, “There's
no going around it, beating around
the bush, and running in circles.
With bitterness, sadness, and
deep regret, we have decided to
shut down The Spin Busters. For
good.”
Except for the fact that the
persons behind the witty blog
were anonymous (and therefore
deliberately avoiding
Doing his usual “pasaring”.
accountability) I like their
scathing criticisms of media.
I will miss it.
Two, BIR request to block
Facebook, Twitter over tax.
Henares: wants to tax Facebook and Twitter operations in the Philippines.
An April 1 entry in Yugatech's
blog said the Bureau of Internal
Revenue sent a request to the
National Telecommunications
Commission and Internet Service
Providers to block several
international websites for failure
to remit proper taxes from
operating within the Philippine
internet domain.
Facebook and Twitter are
among the top destinations of
Filipinos earning for the
Philippines the description as “the
social media capital of the world.”
BIR Commissioner Kim
Henares is not happy that P350
u Page 12
Philippine Fair Trade Manager Assassinated
Fair trade is all about working
for justice, for the poor, the
downtrodden, the impoverished
and exploited people. It strives to
lift them up to a life of dignity and
greater opportunity in a nonviolent, peaceful way through
economic development. Fair Trade
is a practical way to respect the
rights and dignity of the poorest of
the poor and to restore their human
dignity. It does this by providing
them with fairly paid jobs, social
benefits, just wages and teaching
them their human and economic
rights. It is a Christian ideal in fact,
not an ideological or political one. It
is the Gospel story of the Good
Samaritan in action as taught by
Jesus of Nazareth.
That is how Romeo Capalla
wanted to live his life. His brother
joined the Catholic priesthood and
became a well-liked bishop and
served the people. But Romy, as he
was fondly called, had his heart
among the people. As he walked in
the sugar cane fields and among the
banana groves, he wondered how
could he alleviate poverty in the
poverty-stricken island of Panay, an
island rich in agricultural products.
As elsewhere in the Philippines
all the land is owned by a few rich
families with strong political
connection. It was of course the
great inequality between rich and
poor that Pope Francis has roundly
called a scandal to humanity when
a few own and control more than 70
percent of the national wealth.
Romy was a strong advocate of
social justice and he was a pioneer
in setting up and managing a Fair
Trade marketing project called
Panay Fair Trade Center (PFTC).
The center helps the poor farmers
and unemployed people organize
small industries that export to the
world shops that sell fairly traded
products from around the world.
They export banana chips and
muscovado sugar.
Fair Trade in the Philippines is
Opinion
By Fr. Shay Cullen
more than buying and selling
products at fair prices. It is also
working for human rights, helping
the prisoners, the victims of sexual
abuse, slavery, exploitation and
land grabbing. It is about speaking
out for justice and about human
rights violations by dark forces.
Romy's advocacy and his skill in
organizing economic groups
caught the eye of the antiinsurgency military and police.
These are elite units of the
Philippine police and army. They
have not defeated and wiped out
the New People's Army since the
communist insurgency began in
1972 and they are always in need of
a success story, a victory to justify
their continued access to funds,
weapons and ammunition. Some of
t h e ro g u e o f f i c e r s c a n g e t
“victories” and promotions by
falsely accusing and arresting
anybody without evidence as
suspects and leaders of the rebel
groups.
Romeo Robles Capalla, 65, was
a soft target. He was a kind person,
an inspiring speaker at
international conferences and Fair
Trade exhibitions in EU countries. A
military unit arrested him in 2005
and charged him with subversion
of being a rebel leader and taking
part in the burning of a mining
equipment but the court acquitted
him. Unable to claim a “victory,”
they allegedly decided to kill him.
Last 15 March, they shot him
down in front of his 90 year old
mother -in-law in a bloody hail of
bullets as evening fell near the Oton
market. The evil deed was done
meters away from the municipal
hall and police station in the small
town of Oton, 15 kilometers from
the capital Iloilo City.
Romy is the 7th victim of such
précised, military style executions
t h i s y e a r. T h e r e a r e 1 6 9
documented victims killed in the
same way in recent years: a pastor,
priests, peasants, social workers
and indigenous peoples protesting
the land-grabbing of their ancestral
domain. None of them were rebels
shot like soldiers in a firefight. Most
were killed by cowardly assassins
riding in tandem on a motorbike as
happened to Romy.
Why not confront the real
rebels on the field of combat, one
might ask? Catching the real rebels
is a tough dangerous job and calls
for courageous and brave soldiers
to do that. It seems the soft targets
are all the counterinsurgency unit
can get. They get this “success” by
u Page 12
government to walk its anticorruption talk and fire Vitangcol
instead.
Na zdraví, Rychtar, as they say.
Cheers.
***
An alleged major contributor
to the campaign of the present
government, with excellent ties to
other major administration
f i g u re s , s t a n d s a c c u s e d o f
defrauding contributors to the
state housing fund of billions of
pesos. But the straight-path
government or its defenders don't
appear too interested in his case.
I was really expecting
controversial real estate developer
Delfin Lee to appear before the
Senate yesterday, as one of his
lawyers promised earlier, to shed
light on the charges that got him
arrested and detained in a
Pampanga jail. But now it appears
that the Senate will have to
subpoena Lee if it wants to get to
g e t t h e fo r m e r h i g h - f ly i n g
businessman to talk at all.
I'd like to know Lee's answers
to questions about the protection
he's been receiving, if any, from
high officials of this
administration, which he
reportedly helped install in 2010
through sizable donations to the
campaign kitty of President
Noynoy Aquino. In particular, I'd
like to hear Lee talk about his
reported closeness to Interior and
Local Government Secretary Mar
Roxas, who has been so silent since
he was made to look like a fool by
the disclosure that Lee's daughter
Divine was a bridesmaid during his
wedding to broadcaster Korina
Sanchez in 2009.
Alas, after his lawyer talked
about how Lee was willing to go to
the Senate to face his accusers,
whom the businessman said are
merely going after him for being
u Page 12
Na zdraví, Rychtar
The last thing the Czech foreign
office, which must be updated
about the actions of its ambassador
to Manila, Josef Rychtar, should do
is to recall its top diplomat here
even if the administration of
President Noynoy Aquino
demands it. Rychtar should be
allowed to continue to point out
the hypocrisy of a government that
declares it is against corruption,
but will defend a mid-level
bureaucrat who is accused of
shaking down a foreign company.
Rychtar has already been
allowed by his Czech superiors to
do what he's been doing for
months now, which is to accuse
MRT general manager Al Vitangcol
of demanding $30 million from
coach supplier Inekon. The fact
that he's not been recalled means
that Rychtar's bosses have given
him instructions to continue
exposing Vitangcol's alleged
demand for a huge bribe.
And the Czech ambassador
shows no signs of backing down,
even acceding to Vitangcol's dare
for him to shed his diplomatic
immunity so that the MRT boss
may sue him in court. I don't know
how you say “bring it on” in Czech,
but that's probably what the
ambassador seems to have told the
apparently unsinkable Vitangcol.
Malacanang Palace has also
gotten into the act, advising the
Czech envoy to take his accusations
to the proper authorities and stop
making them to the media. The
irony of this request is lost, of
course, on an administration that
cannot seem to pursue charges of
corruption against its political
enemies without virtually
convicting them in its conscript
press outlets.
Palace spokesmen have also
questioned the “timing” of
Rychtar's latest accusations, as if
the ambassador also had a political
m o t iva t i o n fo r g o i n g a f t e r
Vitangcol. Of course, the Aquino
government has also been accused
of timing the move of the
Ombudsman to file plunder
charges against three senators to
squelch snowballing doubts about
the constitutionality of the
agreement it entered into with the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Vitangcol is obviously a very
well-connected guy. He was even
quietly reinstated after he had
gone on leave the first time Rychtar
levelled his charges against the
MRT manager.
I'm sure the Department of
Foreign Affairs is now quietly
pressuring the Czech government
to replace Rychtar. I hope the
C z e c h s d o n' t s u c c u m b a n d
continue to force the Aquino
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 12
Wishing ... From Page 11
million in advertising and other
businesses have been transacted
thru Facebook and Twitter since
2009 have escaped their collection
net. Henares was quoted to have
s a i d ,” T h e B u r e a u h a s b e e n
monitoring Facebook and Twitter for
the last three fiscal years. It is within
our authority to look into their
operation and request the proper
agencies like NTC to block them if
they do not cooperate.”
Please tell me, it's an April Fools
Day joke.
Three, President Aquino
chastising the captor of Delfin
Lee, Globe Asiatique founder who
turned into nightmares the
dreams of many working middle
class Filipinos to have their own
house.
Curator of ...
From page 10
Quezon's term would lapse on Dec.
30, 1943. Quezon dug in. US
President Franklin Roosevelt stayed
aloof from a “local issue.” Ask US
Congress to suspend succession,
until after the invaders were ousted,
Don Sergio proposed. Congress
agreed on Nov. 10. Osmeña gave up
much to ensure unity.
Then, there was Philippine Scout
Sgt. Jose Calugas who also doubled as
cook. On Jan. 6, 1942, enemy fire
battered Filipino-American troops at
the critical Layac junction in Bataan,
says the sparse citation that came
with the Medal of Honor. Calugas “ran
1,000 yards across a shell swept
area,” manned a howitzer “by himself,
and fired effectively.” Although his
position was under constant heavy
enemy fire, his shelling shattered
advancing armored vehicles. Calugas
survived the Death March. Upon
release from concentration camp, he
joined the underground resistance.
Flying obsolete P-26 planes,
pilots Jesus Villamor, Cesar Basa,
Salvador Manlunas and three others,
from the 6th Pursuit Squadron,
challenged a flight of 54 Japanese
bombers and Zeroes. The grit of these
men is recalled today by the
sprawling Villamor Air Base, with
Manlunas Street running alongside.
And Basa Air Base is in Floridablanca,
The President, with his usual
pasaring(sniping, making a sly or
petty verbal attack which only
fishwives do) said at the Philippine
National Police's Araw ng Parangal sa
Kapulisan:
“This person was not getting a bad
position. At sabihin na natin
nagpakita siya ng gilas, which he
should be rewarded and
acknowledged. But at the same time,
pumasok sa kaisipan ko: 'Aba, OK to,
goes out on media, says this and that,
keeps quiet then goes out again on a
media tour.“ Everybody knows that he
was referring to Senior Supt. Conrad
Capa, who was sacked as head of Task
Force Tugis a week after his men
arrested Lee . Capa was excluded from
the list of police personnel honored at
Camp Crame on Tuesday.
Lee, accused of syndicated estafa
for allegedly defrauding the Pag-ibig
Fund of P7-billion in housing loans
t h ro u g h fa ke d o c u m e n t s a n d
applicants (his name was removed
from the PNP's list of wanted
criminals for mysterious reasons),
had eluded arrest despite a long
standing warrant of arrest until
March 6 when he was arrested by
Capa's team at the Hyatt Hotel in
Malate, Manila.
After Lee's arrest Capa was reassigned to Cebu Regional Police
Office to serve as a deputy regional
chief for operations. Capa said it was
not a promotion and he is being sent
there to “rot.” It was revealed later
that Oriental Mindoro Governor
Alfonso Umali, a close ally of the
President and treasurer of the Liberal
Party, tried to block Lee's arrest.
Aquino said the police officer
whom he didn't name “does the
service a disservice. Pinahamak niya
yung institusyon na pagka tagal-tagal
ng buhay niya at pinaglingkuran
niya.”
Huh??? An April Fools day joke?
Pampanga.
Then, there were the heels.
Makabayang Katipunan ng mga
Pilipino (Makapili) was formed in
November 1944 to aid the invaders.
The Makapilis turned informers and
torturers. In October 1947, the
Supreme Court found Makapili Julio
Garcia guilty of treason and
sentenced him to life. Amnesty later
spared other collaborators.
Doing research at the US National
Archives, in July 1985, University of
South Wales Prof. Alfred McCoy
“came across US Army records that
discredited Ferdinand Marcos'
claims to heroism in World War II.”
Thereafter, the records anchored a
New York Times series, by Seymour
Hersh, that debunked Marcos' war
medals.
Follow-up Times reports, by Jeff
Gerth and Joel Brinkley, revealed US
Army records stating: Services given
by Marcos and 23 others, to the 1st
Cavalry Division in 1945, were “of
limited military value…. At no time
did the Army recognize that any unit,
designating itself as Maharlika, ever
existed as a guerrilla force in the
years of Japanese occupation 1942 to
1945.”
“The immensity of Mr. Marcos'
claim that Maharlika served the
entire Luzon was absurd,” reviewing
officer Capt. Elbert Curtis wrote. The
United States shredded Marcos'
claims regarding Maharlika.
President Aquino scuppered House
Resolution 1135 which urged a
Libingan burial for Marcos.
Across town, some of 9,541
Marcos victims received last month
their second $1,000-check awarded
by the US District Court of Hawaii
which found Marcos “liable for
sys te m a t i c to r t u re , s u m m a r y
executions and disappearances.”
Walter Dacumos was one of those
who got a check, writes Inquirer's
Ceres Doyo, also a victim. He recalled
how then 2Lt. Panfilo Lacson stepped
on his chest. “Inapakan ako sa dibdib
(He stepped on my chest). I was given
the water cure. I was in detention
with Ricky Lee (who became a
scriptwriter). He vomited blood and
so did I.” And what will he do with his
P50,000? “I will buy myself a good
bed,” he said softly without batting an
eyelash.”
Araw ng Kagitingan rites matter.
Because “we forget at the cost of
betrayal.” Amnesia over past crimes
“reflects a weak sense of the nation
and of the common good,” Sociologist
John Carroll writes in “A Nation in
Denial.” “Unless (the country
reaffirms) those values, it may be
condemned to forever wander in the
valueless power plays among the
elite.” Who said “remembering with
undiminished intensity over time
does not make us curators of our
ancestors' grievances”?
It buttresses against corrosive
national amnesia.
(E-mail: [email protected])
Adjustment of ...
From page 10
between the foreign fiancé(e) and
K-1 petitioner took place within the
90-day period. They had a child
together but were divorced more
than 2 years after their marriage. He
subsequently married another U.S.
citizen. His adjustment application
was denied on the ground that it
was not adjudicated within two
years from marriage.
On appeal, the Board of
Immigration Appeals found the
foreign spouse eligible to adjust
status on the basis of his marriage to
the original K-3 petitioner even if
their marriage had terminated.
The law specifically precludes
Na zdraví ...
From page 11
“on the wrong side of the political
fence,” Lee has apparently come
down with a severe case of cold feet.
Lee was a no-show at the Senate and
will probably soon declare that he
needs medical attention (and a
wheelchair, as well) to get out of the
fix he's in.
President Noynoy Aquino has
publicly declared that Lee gets no
special treatment, pointing to the
fact that he's actually been arrested.
But Aquino lost the high moral
ground he's taken in Lee's case
when he castigated the police officer
whose unit captured the
businessman for complaining about
his transfer to a mere deputy's job in
Cebu, instead of being promoted or
even just congratulated for his work.
The palace's usually noisy allies
in the Senate, who will even release
Philippine Fair
Trade .... From page 11
branding human rights activists and
social workers as subversive and
accusing them of being communist
sympathizers. We pray the assassins
and their masters will be brought to
justice.
This being the Lenten season,
it's appropriate to reflect on the
frame up and false accusation
hurled against Jesus Of Nazareth. He
was tortured and given a death
the K-1 visa holder to adjust status
on the basis of marriage to any other
U.S. citizen or in any other manner
other than the marriage to the
original K-1 visa sponsor. In a string
of cases, the K-1 visa holder was
barred from adjusting status on the
basis of other visa petitions such as
an approved I-140 petition, an
approved family petition filed by a
sister and an approved family
petition filed by a U.S. citizen spouse
other than the original K-1
petitioner.
(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) 6955281.)
u n s i g n e d c o m m i t te e re p o r t s
damning members of that chamber
who are believed to be enemies of the
administration, aren't saying a thing
about Lee's case, either. That's why
only senators not identified with
Aquino are conducting the probe of
Lee's case.
And yet, Lee stands accused of a
crime that is breathtakingly
Napoles-like: his company, Globe
Asiatique, reportedly received
government financing to built P6.6
billion worth of low-cost housing
projects in Pampanga using the
names of fictitious beneficiaries of
the Pag-IBIG Fund.
The palace-friendly media and
its pundits have also avoided making
a fuss, for the large part, about Lee.
Even the most rabid of anticorruption crusaders (especially if
they have ties to government) have
not bewailed the lack of interest in
the controversial businessman by
the authorities.
penalty for his mission to bring
about a new “Kingdom” of justice,
love equality, sharing of land and
property, service to the poor and
repentance and forgiveness.
It was a holistic spiritual, social
change and human rights activism
all in one beautiful mission based on
truth, justice and faith in a loving
God. You could say, his radical
challenge to the society, the elders
and religious authorities brought
about his arrest, torture,
condemnation and death. Many of
his true followers suffer the same.
Bravery and heroism
From page 9
Incredibly, it was only in 2009 that the US
Congress finally approved a package
recognizing the military service of Filipino
war veterans - to the tune of a $15,000 taxfree lump sum given to those now living in
the United States, and $9,000 to those living
in the Philippines. By this time, out of more
than 250,000 Filipinos who had served
under the US command in the war, only some
18-000-20,000 remained, many of them
living in poverty and poor health.
The Philippines itself has been grossly
remiss in its obligation to honor its war
heroes. How much is the pension doled out
to veterans by law? The shocking sum of
P5,000 monthly, plus a disability pension of
P1,700 monthly - though that amount could
go lower depending on one's disability level.
More than the lack of financial support,
however, is the loss of memory of a
generation's ultimate sacrifice to defend the
nation's freedom. Ask any schoolchild today
what the “Araw ng Kagitingan” holiday
means - and weep. Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 13
What about the constitutional barriers?
By Val G. Abelgas
The signing of the
Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro (CAB) between the
Philippine government and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front expectedly
drew mixed reactions from various
sectors.
While foreign governments and
local business leaders welcomed the
peace agreement, in the words of
Vice President Jojo Binay, as “the first
step in the long journey to peace and
progress in Mindanao,” various
sectors also raised questions and
concerns on the latest peace accord.
In calling on all Filipinos to
support the agreement, Binay said: “I
am hopeful that with this act of unity
and goodwill, we will finally usher in
a new era of genuine and equitable
growth and development for our
Muslim brothers and sisters and the
people of Mindanao.”
The Makati Business Club (MBC)
and the Philippine Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (PCCI)
welcomed the agreement, saying the
accord opens up Mindanao for
investments and business
opportunities that would bode well
for the Philippine economy.
The Samahang Industriya ng
Agrikultura (SINAG), an umbrella
organization of investors in the
agriculture and fisheries sectors,
said the agreement would open up
opportunities for agriculture
investments in Mindanao and free up
the manpower for farm projects.
Even the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines, which
has opposed President Aquino on
many issues, joined the celebration.
“The journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step. We pray
that this first courageous
breakthrough will be followed by
more steps leading to true and
lasting peace in Mindanao,“ said
Villegas, who cautioned, however,
that dialogues and consultations
with the various sectors in Mindanao
should be continued even after the
signing.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib
Razak, whose country hosted the
negotiations, expressed what many
Filipinos felt about the new peace
accord: “Forty years ago, darkness
came to Mindanao. In a struggle that
bridged a generation, 150,000 lives
were lost. Today, we turn to face the
l i g h t . To d ay b e l o n g s t o t h e
Philippines and to the people of the
Bangsamoro.”
Well said, except that the light
appears to be not as bright as he
pictured it to be. Dark clouds remain
in the horizon.
Amid the jubilation, skeptics
continue to raise doubts on the
success of the peace pact. Columnist
Emil Jurado of the Manila Standard
Today, for example, warned that
while the accord may usher in the
final peace and full development for
Mindanao, “there's still a long way to
go in achieving it because the long
road to final peace could be filled
with land mines.”
Indeed, there are a lot of
obstacles along the way. There is, of
course, the problem of the angry
faction of the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF) led by Nur
Misuari and the rebellious
breakaway MILF group of Ameril
Umbra Kato, the Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and the
Sultanate of Sulu.
Although Misuari has reportedly
been ousted by the group led by vice
chair Abul Khayir Alonto, there is no
question that Misuari, who is being
supported by the Sultan of Sulu, still
have a handful of loyal followers who
can do damage to the peace accord.
The BIFF, which split from the
MILF in 2008 because it wanted to
continue pursuing independence,
has only a few hundred armed
militants but it has launched deadly
attacks in the past to disrupt the
peace process and has been able to
withstand repeated government
assaults against it.
“The war is not yet over. We are
still here,” BIFF spokesman Abu
Missry Mama warned.
And then there is the bandit
group, Abu Sayyaf, and the numerous
tribal warlords and clan leaders, who
all have their own heavily armed
private armies.
But at this time, those armed
groups are the least of the Aquino
administration's worries. The CAB is
an agreement that needs an enabling
law, and at the rate both houses of
Congress are being stalled by
investigations on numerous
corruption scandals and with the
2016 national elections looming on
the horizon, there is no certainty that
the law authorizing the creation of a
Bangsamoro entity would be
approved before Aquino's term ends.
Without the pork barrel funds,
which the Supreme Court has
declared unconstitutional, it may be
more difficult for Aquino to make
Congress toe the line this time. And
with the 2016 elections lurking
behind every senator and
congressman, the debates could be
lengthy and contentious.
Even if Congress passes the
enabling law, there is still the matter
of a plebiscite at least in the areas
that would be under the jurisdiction
of the proposed Bangsamoro entity.
And then, there is the legality or
constitutionality of the peace
agreement and the enabling law, for
that matter, that would have to be
decided by the Supreme Court, which
had stopped a memorandum of
agreement on eminent domain on
the Bangsamoro in 2008.
There are so many contentious
provisions in the agreement that
would have to pass the scrutiny of
both Congress and the Supreme
Court. Foremost among them is the
issue of sovereignty.
The CAB is basically creating
another state. The word “bangsa”
means state as in the Tagalog word
“bansa” which means country or
nation. Under the CAB, the
Bangsamoro will be governed by a
50-man Bangsamoro Assembly,
which elects the Cabinet of Ministers,
which in turn would elect the Chief
Minister, who is answerable only to
the Assembly. Thus, the Bangsamoro
state, which comprises 27% of
Mindanao, including the most fertile
and resources-rich lands in the
region, will be sort of an autonomous
entity unlike no other in the country.
On this ground, the accord may be
constitutionally infirm.
A n d t h e re i s t h e e q u a l ly
contentious issue of the police force,
which will be under the control of the
Chief Minister. Under the agreement,
law enforcement shall be the primary
function of the police force for the
Bangsamoro, which would preclude
the Philippine National Police from
enforcing laws in the new entity. This
is clearly in violation of the
Constitution, which states that that
there can be only “one police force
which shall be national in scope, to be
administered and controlled by a
national police commission.”
There are many other provisions
in the agreement, like the one on
wealth sharing, that were not the
subject of any consultations with the
members of Congress or the sectors
and the people that have a stake in
the proposed autonomous entity.
Despite all these obstacles, I
must commend President Aquino for
his relentless efforts to bring lasting
peace to Mindanao, whose people
have suffered for more than four
decades and whose promise has
been stalled by the continuous
fighting between government forces
and the Muslim rebels.
Mindanao and its people deserve
to be given a chance at peace. Peace
was once given a chance with the
1996 agreement with the MNLF, but
it failed with the emergence of the
MILF. The country survived that
failed attempt at peace. And now that
peace is within grasp again, we want
to give it a second chance. But we
cannot turn a blind eye on the
constitutional barriers.
([email protected])
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 14
Brothers oldest war veterans
By Vincent Cabreza
BAGUIO CITY -- Two brothers
are considered the oldest living
war veterans and survivors of the
gruelling Bataan Death March on
April 9, 1942. Civil engineer
Fernando Perez Javier, a University
of the Philippines alumnus, is 106
years old, while his brother Dr. Jose
Javier, who graduated from the
University of Sto. Tomas, is 104.
At 106, Fernando Perez Javier
has lived long enough to witness
World War I and fight in the second
World War.
Today, he spends his days
seated by his window, recalling the
days when he was a builder first
before he became a warrior.
Born on Dec. 22, 1907, the
retired government engineer and
third lieutenant of the United
States Armed Forces in the Far East
(USAFFE), is considered the oldest
living World War II veteran and
survivor of the 128-kilometer
Bataan Death March on April 9,
1942.
It was in the detention camp in
Tarlac province after the grueling
trek from Bataan province that
Javier met his younger brother, Dr.
Jose Javier, now 104, and learned
that his sibling had also endured
the ordeal along with thousands of
Filipino and American prisoners of
war.
BAND OF HEROES. Dr. Jose P. Javier (left), 104, and his brother civil engineer
Fernando Javier, 106. Ev Espiritu/Grig C. Montegrande
In an interview with the
Inquirer at his home in Camdas
village here, Javier had to catch his
breath every time he spoke, as he
had just spent 11 days at a hospital
recovering from pneumonia. His
hospital stay annoyed him, he said,
as it prevented him from spending
his best hours reading a
newspaper and watching the
world go by from his living room
window.
Contrary to expectations, war
was not Javier's favorite topic. He'd
rather talk about his role in
building roads in Puerto Princesa
City, Palawan province. He also
amused himself by trying to recall
the names of the people he had
worked with as an engineer.
Asked about the Death March, he
shrugged: “If you behaved, the
[Japanese soldiers] did not harm
you, so we behaved.”
The American and Filipino
soldiers who were killed or who
died on the way to Camp O'Donnell
in Capas were those who became
delusional or hysterical from the
heat and from starvation, he added.
Terrible
“War is terrible,” Javier said. “I
was in Grade 1 when World War I
ended.”
Javier was one of the first
engineers to graduate from the
University of the Philippines. At 19,
he served as assistant district
engineer in Puerto Princesa.
“My first assignment was in
Cagayan province … Puerto
Princesa was where we made
roads,” he said. “But the world
situation soon [started] getting
dangerous,” he added. “I received a
telegram to [surrender] all my
responsibilities as a government
engineer … so I could be inducted
into the USAFFE.”
He remembered news reports
about the Philippine government's
request for the United States to
send Gen. Douglas MacArthur to
help organize a Philippine army.
“We did not have an army. We only
had the constabulary,” Javier said.
6 years in Okinawa
Forced to surrender with the
rest of the Allied soldiers in 1942,
the war veteran said he coped by
thinking about his family. “When I
left to fight the war, I had two
children, ages 5 and 7. I retired
after the war, but it was hard to get
another job,” he said.
Javier said he worked for six
years in Okinawa, Japan, and
visited Korea. He was also briefly
stationed in Afghanistan as an
engineer. But he always returned
home to Baguio City, he said.
Javier recalled the Baguio of his
time as a place conducive to
walking. “There were no people.
There were no cars. I walked to the
market (from Camdas),” he said.
Another time
These days, he feels like a man
from another time, he said,
referring to the strangeness of the
summer capital dominated by
large television screens and mobile
telephones with Internet access.
He refuses to watch television,
except to catch the news, he said.
“That invention is a curse to
young people,” he added. The
Internet is an abominable concept,
he groused.
B u t J av i e r a l s o re c a l l e d
comforting moments like the time
when President Aquino helped him
remember a meeting he had with
the late President Corazon Aquino
in La Union province, when she ran
against former President
Ferdinand Marcos in the 1985 snap
elections. “The President (Benigno
Aquino III) was still in shorts,” he
said, chuckling.
Belief in God
Like most war veterans, Javier
occasionally thinks of conflicts,
especially those involving
terrorism and religious strife. But
they puzzle him, he admitted.
“I think if every religion
believes in a god, this world
[would] be all right,” he said.
Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 15
The 72nd Araw ng Kagitingan:
Remembering the valiant
By Jomari Guillermo
This year, the nation marks the
72nd anniversary of the Araw ng
Kagitingan. Under the theme
“Balik-tanaw sa Sakripisyo ng
Beterano, Gabay sa Landas ng
Pagbabago”, the government has
scheduled several activities such
as symposium, film showing, and
Bataan Freedom Run for the
observance of the Araw ng
Kagitingan and Philippine
Veterans Week.
Araw ng Kagitingan marks the
fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942. It
highlights the heroism of Filipino
and American soldiers during
Wo r l d Wa r I I w h e n J a p a n
conquered the Philippines.
To commemorate this event,
h e re a re s o m e n u g g e t s o f
information about this historical
event:
April 9 was first declared as
Bataan Day in 1961 after Congress
passed Republic Act 3022. After 26
years, it was renamed to “Araw ng
Kagitingan or Bataan and
Corregidor Day.” It marks the day
when Luzon Force commander
Major General Edward King Jr. of
the US Army surrendered more
than 76,000 Filipino and American
soldiers to the Japanese.
The surrender of Bataan led to
the gruesome Death March of
Filipino and American soldiers
turned prisoners of war who
walked 90 miles from Bataan to
Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac.
Thousands of them died while on
their way due to starvation,
dehydration, fatigue, and abuse.
The person responsible for the
d re a d f u l D e a t h M a rc h wa s
Lieutenant General Homma
Masaharu who was then in charge
of the invasion. He was also the one
who ordered the transfer of war
prisoners from Bataan.
The number of those who
survived the Death March is still
unknown but several books and
articles state that there were more
or less 50,000 out of the 70,000 to
100,000 Filipinos and Americans
who marched that lived.
With General Douglas
MacArthur's promise to return to
the Philippines, the US was again
able to invade Leyte in October
1944 and was able to recapture
Bataan in February 1945. Manila
was finally liberated in March.
General Homma Masaharu was
later charged by the American
military tribunal for war crimes in
the country and was executed by
firing squad in Los Baños, Laguna
on April 3, 1946.
On April 29, 2004, the United
States of America opened to the
public the World War II Memorial
in Washington D.C. made up of
columns each honoring the states
and countries that fought side by
side with the US, including the
Philippines.
In Maywood, Illinois, Bataan
Day is being commemorated every
second Sunday of September.
In 2009, Araw ng Kagitingan
was moved to April 6 after it
coincided with the Maundy
Thursday. During the Arroyo
administration, “Holiday
Economics” was put into law.
Through Republic Act No. 9492, all
holidays except Christmas and
New Year were moved to the
nearest Monday to it. After this was
junked by the Aquino
administration, April 9 has again
became the official date for the
“Araw ng Kagitingan”. Manila
Bulletin
Bataan Day of Valor:
Along the March [on which] these prisoners were photographed, they have
their hands tied behind their backs. (National Archives)
US Filipino Veteran Leaders Protest
China's Aggression; Wish ObamaAquino Defense Agreement Success
By Eric Lachica
Visiting Philippine presidential spokesman Secretary Edwin Lacierda and Gen. Delfin Lorenzana of
the PH Embassy Veterans Affairs Office greet members of the American Coalition for Filipino
Veterans before the Bataan Day of Valor wreath laying ceremony at the Bataan-Corregidor marker
of the National World War II Memorial in Washington DC on April 9, 2014. (ACFV photo)
Bataan Day of Valor at the National World War II Memorial: Filipino American WWII Veterans and
their family members are joined by Philippine Embassy officials and visiting presidential spokesman
Sec. Edwin Lacierda and community leaders after a sunset wreath laying ceremonies at the BataanCorregidor marker in Washington DC on April 9, 2014.
WASHINGTON DC (April 9,
2014) On the anniversary of the
Bataan Day of Valor, elderly
Filipino American veteran
leaders issued a public statement
to protest China's aggressive
moves to annex Philippine
maritime territory and to
support the expected Enhanced
Defense Cooperation Agreement
to be signed by President Obama
and President Benigno Aquino
later this month in Manila.
To m a r k t h e 7 2 n d
anniversary of the Bataan Day of
Valor on April 9, 1942, a group of
Filipino World War II veterans
joined a sunset wreath-laying
c e r e m o ny a t t h e B a t a a n Corregidor fountain in the
National World War II Memorial
commemorated by Philippine
Embassy officials and Filipino
American community supporters
in Washington DC.
“We are worried about
China's dangerous actions to
force out Philippine Marines
from their Sierra Madre naval
outpost on the Ayungin Thomas
Shoal. China occupies our
Scarborough Shoal, intimidates
our Filipino fishermen with
water cannons and threatens the
Philippine Navy. China are
stealing our valuable fish, corrals,
oil and gas resources,” said
Celestino ALMEDA, 96,
spokesman of Washington-based
American Coalition for Filipino
Veterans (ACFV). He resides in
Gaithersburg, Maryland.
“We are glad President
Obama, Defense Secretary Hagel
and the U.S. Congress are
challenging China's aggressive
moves against the Philippines,
Japan, Korea, Vietnam and her
ASEAN neighbors with strong
words and actions,” Almeda
added.
“We applaud President
Obama's and President Aquino's
negotiations to forge an
agreement to defend Philippine
territory and to increase regional
security in Asia and protect our
vital global economic interests
from China's aggression,” said
Patrick Ganio Sr., 94, a defender
in the historic 1942 Battles for
Bataan and Corregidor in U.S.
territory of the Philippines.
Ganio, a Purple Heart medal
recipient and former POW, is the
president of the ACFV coalition
and resides in Jacksonville,
Florida. Filipino WWII veterans
honorably served in the U.S. Army
Forces in Far East (USAFFE). As
U.S. nationals, more than 240,000
Philippine Commonwealth Army
soldiers and guerrillas fought
under American officers after
they were drafted by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt in his
Military Order of July 26, 1941.
ACFV leaders and their allied
groups in major cities are
planning monthly protest actions
to embarrass China for bullying
her neighbors and her refusal to
agree to international laws. The
Philippine Government filed
their complaint March 30 with
the United Nations' International
Tribunal on the Laws of Seas
(ITLOS).
For details email:
[email protected]
or call Eric Lachica, volunteer
executive director at
202.246.1998
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 16
Ifugao women in native attire can be found at various viewpoints. They will
pose for you for a P20 tip.
Bangaan
The Ifugao are well known for their wood carvings. The wooden scooter is
something to look out for at Banaue Viewpoint.
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How about a rice
terraces mountain
adventure?
By PJ Enriquez
It's officially summer, with temperatures hitting the mid-30s. Many will
most likely be heading to the beaches, as we have some of the best in the
world. But how about going to higher ground instead to explore the
Cordillera Mountains, site of our world-famous rice terraces?
Built by hand by our Ifugao ancestors more than 2,000 years ago, the
terraces cover the province of Ifugao like a spider web. While terraces can
be found in many parts of the world, ours were built on steeper slopes at
higher altitudes. The careful carving along the natural contours of hills and
mountains to make the stone- or mud-walled terraced pond fields, coupled
with an intricate irrigation system that harvests water from the forests of
the mountain tops or muyong, as the locals would call it, reflects a mastery
of engineering that has landed the Rice Terraces of the Cordilleras on the
list of Unesco's World Heritage Site.
The rice terraces are actually five clusters spread out to four
municipalities. These are Nagacadan in Kiangan, Mayoyao central terraces,
Hungduan, and Batad and Bangaan in the municipality of Banaue. The
terraces in the town of Banaue are not among them.
Getting to the terraces in not difficult, as a bus from the Ohayami Bus
Company leaves Sampaloc, Manila, daily at 9 and 10 p.m. Cost is P450 oneway. The journey is a nine-hour overnight drive to Banaue, Ifugao, which
should serve as your drop-off point and hub to explore the province. To see
all five clusters, you will probably need about four days if you sequence
your visit properly.
Arriving in Banaue, the first thing to do is buy your return ticket to
ensure your ride back to Manila. Then check into one of the inns in town,
like Sanafe or Greenview, and have a quick breakfast. Lodging should cost
not more than P400, and P100 should be enough for breakfast with coffee.
Moving around Ifugao, assuming you don't want to walk, is done via
jeep or tricycle, and cost is pretty much the same, since fuel is the basis for
their costing.
Walk on the terraces
On Day 1, you should visit Hungduan. Its sprawling terraces can be
reached in an hour. Here, there is an opportunity to easily walk on the
terraces. A staircase gives visitors access to them in less than 10 minutes,
and walking through the terraces takes about 45 minutes. If you have more
time, you can ask your guide to take you to the hot springs for a refreshing
quick dip before heading back.
For Day 2, plan a trip to Mayoyao. It is less than three hours away from
Banaue, and it will cost you P6,000 for a same-day round trip. Though you
can stay overnight in Mayoyao, it's best to make it a day trip. Along the way
you will pass the Bangaan rice terraces, also a World Heritage Site. It is best
viewed from the road, though you can walk down to the small village in the
u Page 17
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 17
The Ifugao are in danger of losing their culture and need help in keeping them.
“Voluntourits” like this group from Canon, regularly visit the province to help them keep
our heritage alive by working hand in hand with the Ifugao.
How about a rice terraces ... From page 16
middle. But don't spend more than 30 minutes here, as you want to get to
Mayoyao as soon as you can, since it is big.
In Mayoyao, you can get a guided tour of the terraces which can take
anywhere from one to three hours. There are several viewpoints all around,
which are near the roads as well. You can have lunch anywhere in town. Try to
leave Mayoyao by 2 p.m., as you want to get back to Banaue while there is still
light.
For Day 3, your stop will be Batad. It's a little over an hour's ride from
Banaue, and a jeep can be hired to take you to the saddle for P2,500. From
there, it is a short 30-minute walk to the town proper, where you can get a
glimpse of Batad's famous amphitheater rice terraces.
You can actually see Batad and go back to Banaue on the same day, but
this is one place where you will want to stay overnight and explore.
Swimming
Check into one of the inns like Simon's or Hillside, then get a guide to take
you to Tappiyah Falls. Ask your guide to take a high route, across the top of the
terraces, then make your way down towards the back of the ridge where the
falls are located. Arrange for lunch to be brought from one of the inns, and
spend a couple of hours swimming in the cool mountain waters.
The trip to the falls takes about two hours, and going back will take just as
long if not longer. But trust me, the experience is worth it.
On your last day, leave after breakfast to make it to Banaue early enough
to catch a one-hour jeepney ride down to Lagawe, where you can take a
tricycle to Nagacadan, the last of the clusters that make up the heritage sites.
You can actually visit this on your first day, as the bus makes a stop in Lagawe
before heading up to Banaue, but you usually arrive there around 5 a.m. If you
are willing to wait an hour or so to find someone to drive you up there, this
can actually be your first stop. Then you can head up to Banaue via jeepney
for P40 and proceed with the rest of your journey.
Whatever you do, take the time to visit Banaue's three main viewpoints
and walk around town. Riding up to see them costs about P1,000 - complete
with a visit to the town's museum, where you can learn about the region's
history. Just don't forget to be at the bus terminal before 6:30 p.m. so you
don't miss your bus ride back.
Sagada side trip
If you have an extra day to spare, you can actually make your way to
Sagada in Mountain Province, just two hours from Banaue. Transportation
costs P150 via van to Bontoc, then you transfer to a jeepney for the last 30minute ride up to Sagada for P50.
Sagada is much smaller than Banaue, so everything is pretty much
walking distance. One night is normally enough to see the hanging coffins,
and go spelunking or caving. But, for me, the highlight of Sagada is the food.
Most of the establishments serve good stuff, but be sure to check out
Masferre, Log Cabin Buffet, Lemon Pie House and Yoghurt House. Who
would have thought that this sleepy town high up in the Cordilleras is a food
destination? Jeepneys leave early for Bontoc so don't forget to get to the
terminal before it gets crowded.
Last-minute tips
Traveling around Ifugao can be fun, but can also be quite costly.
Transportation to any of the sites ranges from P2,500 to P6,000 for a roundtrip journey. Guides, whom you will also need to navigate the numerous trails
and terraces, charge anywhere from P1,000 to P2,000 per day. So, while
traveling alone can be exciting, I suggest going with a group to help lessen the
cost of travel, as well as for safety. Lodging and food are quite affordable, with
lodging ranging from P250 for homestay to P400 for the inns. Banaue Hotel,
which is the only hotel in the area, charges P2,000 inclusive of breakfast, for a
room for two. Food is pretty simple in Ifugao - adobo, fried chicken and
chopsuey are some of my favorites and can be easily had for P200 with coffee.
If you are a little adventurous you can ask for pinikpikan, a local delicacy
prepared by beating a live chicken with a stick before cooking. The process
brings the blood to the skin surface, which is said to improve the flavor. One
whole chicken will cost P800.
As for clothes, it is advisable to expect the best but plan for the worst.
Weather can be a little unpredictable up in the mountains, so better be
prepared. Cool, light and quick-drying clothing is advisable, coupled with a
nice raincoat. Bring a light sweater if you are the type who gets cold easily.
And, as much as possible, travel light, as you will most likely be carrying your
things around most of the time.
So, think you're up for a mountain adventure? Inquirer.net
In Ifugao culture the women do the planting while the men harvest.
Photos by PJ Enriquez
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 18
“An Evening of Original Philippine Music with Cecile
Azarcon and the Sounds of Manila” on Sunday, April 27,
2014 @ 7:00pm at Peter Norton Symphonyspace, 2537
Broadway at 95th Street, New York, NY.
Emmanuel Malana
Amelyn Trayvilla
Connie Mangaoil
Julieta Perez
Leila Rodulfa
Maria Fe Aguilar
Marvin Cadornigara
Melvin Damolao
Nestor Tebio
Ronie Mataquel
Search for “Ulirang Guro” for 2014
The Search for “Ulirang Guro” (Outstanding
Filipino Teachers) of America has its awarding
ceremony on April 12, 2014, 1 pm to 5 pm, at
Norman Thomas High School Auditorium at 111
33rd Street and Park Avenue, New York City. This
is the fourth time the search has been
successfully conducted since its inception in
2008.
The Search was founded by Lumen Castaneda
in 2008 after she witnessed Metrobank's yearly
search for the Ten Outstanding Teachers of the
Philippines and since then has become a biennial
search. The search not only aims to recognize and
honor exemplary teachers making a difference in
the lives of American children and youth but also
to give recognition to the teaching profession. So
far, the project has awarded 23 teachers from the
east to the west coasts since the founding.
For 2014, there are another 10 winners, one
from CA, one from TX, another one from VA, two
from MD and five from New York City. They
represent the elementary level, middle school,
senior high school, business school, and
unfortunately there is nobody for the
college/university level. The nominees were
judged on two parts; first, on the documents
submitted and the second part was an open
interview by the pre-determined board of judges
with those from out of town, SKYPE was used in
the interview.
The five board of judges was composed of 3
teachers, a retired teacher, and a journalistteacher. The Awarding Ceremony is sponsored
by Ms. Loida Nicolas Lewis of TLC BEATRICE, Kho
Financial Services (New York Life), GMA Pinoy TV
and GMA Life TV, and other friends in the
community. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE
WINNERS. Let us remember that to TEACH is to
TOUCH LIVES FOREVER.
PHILIPPINE CHAMBER RONDALLA GUESTS AT TYPHOON
HAIYAN SURVIVORS BENEFIT CONCERT ON MAY 3
Hillsborough, New Jersey (April 5, 2014) - The Philippine
Chamber Rondalla of New Jersey joins friends from the world
of opera and dance to hold a benefit concert for survivors of
Typhoon Haiyan. To be held on Saturday, May 3, at 7 p.m. at
Christ Church, 5 Paterson St., New Brunswick, New Jersey, the
concert will raise funds towards the community-based
disaster management activities of the Citizen's Disaster
Response Center. CDRC is a non-governmental organization
that has been providing disaster preparedness and mitigation
training since 1984. In the first three weeks after Typhoon
Haiyan hit the Philippines, CDRC assisted more than 17,000
families in 13 provinces.
Produced by bass-baritone opera singer, Nicholas Hay, and
sponsored by Princeton-based Web of Compassion, the event
will present a unique variety of music and culture including
opera excerpts, flamenco dancing and Filipino music. Joining
Mr. Hay and PCR-NJ on stage are young and gifted performers,
sopranos Amy Suznovich, Jenne Carey, and Alissa Indeck,
mezzo soprano Jessica Renfro Ling, tenor John Villemaire,
baritone Stan Lacey, and flamenco dancer Lisa Bottalico. Web
of Compassion President and Founder, Grace Asagra Stanley,
will speak about the devastation wreaked by Typhoon Haiyan
on the Philippines and the continuing need for assistance by
the survivors.
Suggested donation is $20 ($10 for students). Call 908359-3297 or 732-991-2395 to order tickets and to obtain
more information. Information about Web of Compassion
can be found at http://www.webofcompassion.org/ and visit
http://www.cdrc-phil.com/ for info on CDRC.
PH gov’t welcomes
“Philippine Charitable
Giving Assistance Act”
04 April 2014 – The Philippine Government
welcomes the recent passage of the Philippine
Charitable Giving Assistance Act as this underscores
the importance the US Government places on the
immediate recovery of typhoon-devastated areas in
the Philippines.
The bipartisan bill is intended to spur donations to
charitable organizations by allowing taxpayers who
donate to the relief efforts now to receive benefits on
their 2013 tax returns. This is an initiative of US
lawmakers aimed at encouraging the American
people to continue their contributions to the relief
efforts and the early stages of the long-term
rebuilding process.
This law was introduced in the US House of
Representatives by Congressman Eric Swalwell (DCA) and was co-sponsored by 35 congressmen made
up of 26 Democrats and nine Republicans. In the US
Senate, it was sponsored by Senators Mazie Hirono
(D-HI), Dean Heller (R-NV), Harry Reid (D-NV) and
Robert Menendez (D-NJ).
The US House of Representatives unanimously
passed HR 771 on 24 March 2014 and approved by
Senate on 25 March 2014. The Senate passed its
version (S 1821) on 6 March 2014. President Barack
Obama signed the bill into law in the evening of 25
March 2014.
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 19
PAL to fly to NY ...
From page 1
Philippines Philip Goldberg
announced Thursday, April 10 the
FAA's restoration of the Philippines
to Category 1 rating on Twitter.
“Good news! Philippines
compliance with international
aviation safety oversight standards
earns Category 1 Safety Rating,”
Goldberg said.
PAL hailed the FAA decision,
which will enable the flag carrier to
resume services on its Manila-New
York route and expand to other
destinations in the United States.
“Your flag carrier welcomes the
return of the country's aviation
rating to Category 1,” PAL president
and CEO Ramon Ang said.
“This is a culmination of the
government's hard work, as
exemplified by the efforts of the Civil
Aviation Authority of the Philippines
(CAAP) to upgrade the country's
international aviation safety
standards,” he said.
“With the upgrade, the
Philippines now rejoins the ranks of
the most important aviation nations
in the world, made up of select
countries that meet the [United
States'] strict standards of aviation
safety,” Ang said.
Although widely expected,
Thursday's FAA decision came as a
surprise, as it had been expected to
be announced by US President
Barack Obama during his visit to the
Philippines later this month.
The FAA decision, based on a March
review of the CAAP, came after the
European Union in July 2013 lifted
its own ban on Philippine Airlines
after they upgraded their aviation
safety standards.
Expansion plan
Ang said PAL was ready with an
expansion plan for its US services
following the upgrade.
He said PAL would open services
to New York, Chicago, Florida and
other cities on the US East Coast
within a year. PAL used to fly to New
York, operating services there from
1996 to 1997. It stopped the services
due to financial constraints and as
the Asian financial crisis forced
businesses to review aggressive
expansion plans.
The airline stopped flights to
Europe a year later.
Meeting int'l standards
Category 1 rating means the
CAAP complies with safety
standards set by the International
Civil Aviation Organization, a United
Nations agency that lays down
i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t a n d a rd s a n d
recommended aviation practices,
including aircraft operation and
maintenance, the US Embassy in
Manila said.
The FAA downgraded the
Philippines to Category 2 rating in
January 2008 for failure to meet
international safety standards.
Category 2 rating “means a
country either lacks laws or
regulations necessary to oversee air
c a r r i e r s i n a c c o rd a n c e w i t h
minimum international standards,
or that its civil aviation
authorityequivalent to the FAA for
aviation safety mattersis deficient in
one or more areas, such as technical
expertise, trained personnel, record
keeping or inspection procedures,”
the embassy said.
The 2008 downgrade of the
Philippines to Category 2 status due
to US concerns over the quality of
Philippine aviation standards froze
the local aviation industry in a status
quo, preventing Philippine carriers
from expanding their US operations
or even replacing their gas-guzzling
aircraft with newer and fuel-efficient
airplanes.
Thursday's reinstatement to
Category 1 rating will not only allow
Philippine airlines to add more
flights between the Philippines and
the United States, but also replace
older aircraft with more fuelefficient planes and, subject to
bilateral negotiations, open up
routes to new destinations like the
US East Coast.
Goldberg's good news
Goldberg spoke at a luncheon
meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila,
where he gave more details of the
Philippine upgrade.
“The first thing I did this
morning is I went to see the Civil
Aviation Administration [of the
Philippines] to give them a letter
from the FAA in Washington to tell
the [Philippines] that it now has
Category 1 status,” Goldberg said,
drawing applause from the
Rotarians.
“This will open up all kinds of
opportunities,” he said. “It will help
the Philippine airline industry do
several things, including create more
opportunities for US routes, and to
use new aircraft.”
Goldberg said the United States
would “continue to work with the
Philippines so that the safety
adjustments and safety
i m p r o v e m e n t s u n d e r w a y,
specifically related to certain issues,
will continue through technical
consultations.” He described the US
assistance to the Philippine civil
aviation industry as “a continuing
process” with the goal of making the
local improvement “stick,” making
the Category 1 status “a permanent
condition.”
“This is good news for the
Philippines and for the Filipino
people,” Foreign Secretary Albert del
Rosario said, as he commended the
CAAP for dealing with the FAA's
concerns about aviation safety in the
Philippines and the Philippine
mission in Washington for its efforts
to get the upgrade.
Lone PH carrier to US
At present, PAL is the only local
carrier that has flights to the United
States.
PAL uses 1990s Boeing 747-400
and Airbus A340-300 aircraft,
designed and built long before the
recent spike in fuel prices made
them less attractive to cost-saving
airlines.
The upgrade to Category 1 status
will allow PAL to use newer and
more fuel-efficient Boeing 777300ER twin-engine jets on its transPacific routes.
PAL's Ang said using those
aircraft would result in “big fuel
savings” for the flag carrier.
Currently, PAL operates 26
weekly flights to the United States,
with services to Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Honoluly and Guam.
Bigger aircraft, lie-flat beds
PAL said in a statement that it
would deploy six Boeing 777300ERs, acquired in recent years for
$1.2 billion, for US flights “within a
month's time.”
“With this, passengers can now
enjoy nonstop flights to Los Angeles
and San Francisco aboard new
aircraft equipped with the most
modern cabin and state-of-the-art
amenities, including lie-flat beds in
business class,” the airline said.
For its flights to Honolulu and
Guam, PAL will continue to use new
wide-body Airbus A330-300s and
single-aisle A320-200s.
Shares of local airlines rose
following Goldberg's
announcement.
Tourism officials, travel agents
and tour operators welcomed the
upgrade as a boost to tourism and
the economy.
Presidential deputy
spokesperson Abigail Valte said the
US decision signaled “enhanced
tourism and economic activity
between the Philippines and the US.”
Va l t e l a u d e d P h i l i p p i n e
transportation and civil aviation
officials for rectifying lapses in the
past and for ensuring that the
country's aviation industry meets
international standards.
Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB)
Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla
s a i d t h e u p g ra d e p re s e n t e d
Philippine carriers with an
opportunity to tap the broader US
travel market.
“The US market is our number
two source of traffic, with 3 million
Filipinos [living] in the US. [The]
bulk of that is Filipino-Americans,”
Arcilla said. “[Philippine] airlines do
not even operate to the US East
Coast. It's a center for Filipino
communities as well.”
“For us travel agents and tour
operators, it's a welcome
development in terms of creating
more package tours,” said JP Cabalza,
president of the Philippine Travel
Agencies Association (PTAA).
Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 20
WB forecasts robust GDP
growth for PH in 2014, 2015
By Chino Leyco
The Philippine economy is
likely to sustain high growth until
next year despite the challenging
global environment and the
impact of the recent supertyphoon “Yolanda,” the World
Bank announced last April 6.
But while the Washington
D.C.-based bank expects the
country's gross domestic product
(GDP) growth to remain strong,
the lender has lowered its
projection by 0.1 percentage
point for this year, but slightly
raised the 2015 forecast.
The World Bank is now
estimating that Philippine GDP
may expand 6.6 percent this year
and 6.9 percent in 2015. It earlier
projected the country's annual
output to be at 6.7 percent and 6.8
percent, respectively.
In 2016, the World Bank is
projecting a 6.5 percent economic
expansion for the Philippines.
“The damage brought about
by typhoon 'Yolanda' is likely to
pull down consumption growth,
but reconstruction spending can
partially offset the decline in GDP
growth… These projections
crucially depend on the speed and
scope of the reconstruction
program,” the World Bank said.
The bank's latest growth
forecast for this year is at the lowend of government's target of 6.5
percent to 7.5 percent, while its
2015 projection is below the 7
percent to 8 percent goal of the
Aquino administration.
In the short term, the World
Bank suggested that a welldesigned as well as rapidly
executed recovery and
reconstruction program to “build
back better” can boost the
nation's economic growth beyond
current projections.
“Over the medium term,
growth prospects can be
enhanced by a sustainable
ramping up of infrastructure
spending,” the bank said.
But the World Bank also
warned about the downside risks
to the country's growth, which
include a slower global recovery,
financial market volatilities
following the tapering of the US
stimulus program, potential
bubbles in the real estate sector.
The lender also cited that
there is a possibility of slower
post-typhoon reconstruction, and
domestic reform lags.
“As seen in 2013 and despite
the Philippines' strong
macroeconomic fundamentals,
the country will be affected by
regional contagion, given the
large share of financial market
assets held by foreigners,” the
bank said.
“Slower global recovery in
high-income countries and
financial market volatility could
slow growth through weaker
external demand, large capital
outflows, and higher interest
rates,” it added.
World Bank also warned
unchecked growth of the real
estate sector, including shadow
financing for real estate, is a
source of risk.
“A s l o w e r p a c e o f
reconstruction spending could
pull down 2014 growth by up to
0.6 percentage points. Finally,
domestic reform lags, in
particular reforms to raise tax
revenues, could undermine a
fiscally sustainable acceleration
of the ambitious infrastructure
spending program,” the bank said.
Manila Bulletin
World Bank urges
gov't to raise taxes
Huge infra spending to keep growth high
By Paolo G. Montecillo
Raising government revenues
further to finance the state's
ambitious infrastructure
program will be key to keeping
economic growth above the 7percent threshold for increasing
jobs and reducing poverty, the
World Bank said.
In its East Asia and Pacific
Economic Update report released
Monday, the multilateral lender
said lawmakers should seriously
consider raising existing taxes similar to what was done for
excise taxes in 2012 - as a quick
way of growing state coffers.
The government was also told
to s u s t a i n re fo r m s i n t a x
administration to improve
collections and broaden the
state's revenue base.
“Clearly, there is tremendous
need in the Philippines [for
resources] in several areas …
most prominently for
infrastructure, and that's going to
cost money,” World Bank East
Asia and Pacific Chief Economist
Bert Hoffman said at a press
briefing. “To remain sustainable
at a fiscal deficit level, revenues
have to be raised further and it
can't be done just with
AFP FILE PHOTO
administrative measures. It
doesn't have to be new taxes, but
simply updates to existing taxes.”
In its report, the World Bank
said the Philippine economy's
growth was expected to slow
down by six-tenths of a
percentage point to 6.6 percent
this year as damage to key
provinces caused by
Supertyphoon “Yolanda” late last
year adversely affect business
activity and consumer demand.
This would be slower than
last year's 7.2 percent. The bank's
projection was the same as its
previous forecast, which was
published last month. The
updated forecast was still within
the government's growth target
of 6.5 to 7.5 percent for this year.
Additional spending on
infrastructure, made possible
through higher revenues, would
be crucial for the country to meet
u Page 21
Top Filipino, US businessmen
to lobby for Philippine inclusion
in Trans Pacific Partnership
By Ben O. de Vera
MANILA -- A group composed
of top Filipino and American
business leaders would help lobby
for the Philippines' inclusion in
the US-led Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP) trade deal, on
top of initiatives to attract more
American investors into the
country, the Philippine envoy to
Washington said.
Philippine Ambassador to the
US Jose L. Cuisia Jr. told the
Inquirer last week that the USPhilippines Society (USPS) was
working on bringing into the
country a delegation of American
businessmen for a trade and
investment mission within the
year. Cuisia is an ex-officio board
member of the USPS.
Formed in 2012, the USPS is “a
private sector initiative organized
to broaden and expand interaction
and understanding through basic
research and/or applied research
in the areas of security, trade,
investments, tourism, the
environment, history, education
and culture between the United
States and the Philippines which
would benefit the American public
and the people of the Philippines,”
according to its website. It is cochaired by former US envoy to the
Philippines John D. Negroponte
and Filipino business tycoon
Manuel V. Pangilinan.
In January last year, a highlevel, USPS-led American
Philippine Ambassador to the US
Jose L. Cuisia Jr. Inquirer photo
delegation visited the Philippines
and met with President Aquino to
explore trade and investment
opportunities here.
Cuisia said that last year's
business mission brought new
American investments into the
Philippines, citing for instance
that of USPS honorary co-chair
and former AIG chief executive
Maurice Greenberg, whose Starr
Companies put up a nonlife
insurance unit here.
Besides Greenberg's company,
some agribusiness and electronics
firms have also set up shop in the
country following the USPS
mission, Cuisia said, without
elaborating.
“Definitely, interest in the
Philippines as an investment site
among US companies is still
growing,” Cuisia said. Inquirer.net
PH seen ready for Asean
economic integration
By Amy R. Remo
MANILA -- The Department of
Trade and Industry remains
bullish on the country's prospects
with the upcoming regional
economic integration of the 10
member-states of the Asean
starting 2015, stressing that the
Philippines is “primed and ready.”
Although some quarters
continue to highlight the
country's unpreparedness for the
integration, Trade
Undersecretary Adrian S.
Cristobal Jr. noted that for the
Philippines, the establishment of
the Asean Economic Community
would mean vast opportunities
for growth and intra-Asean
investments, dynamic
competition as well as
complementation.
“Since 2010, most Asean
goods have been traded in the
region at zero tariff, including
products from the Philippines. A
considerable number of our local
companies have since established
their presence within Asean,
engaged in healthy competition
with businesses located in the
region,” Cristobal explained.
“The private sector has been
aggressive in gearing up for
c o m p e t i t i o n
a n d
complementation, to better serve
a bigger market outside of the
Asean and strengthen its market
presence. Government on the
other hand, is addressing nontariff barriers so we can benefit
more from intra-Asean trade,” he
added.
By virtue of the Asean Trade in
Goods Agreement (Atiga), most of
the import duties in Asean have
been at zero since January 2010.
More than 99 percent of goods
traded in Malaysia, Thailand,
Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei
are already at zero tariff, while
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and
Vietnam have been offering 0-5
percent duties on 98.6 percent of
goods sourced within the region.
Only a few products are still
protected by tariffs within Asean
such as rice, sugar, swine and
chicken.
The Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) is holding this
week a forum entitled
“Converging towards an AEC
Game Plan” to tackle topics that
include competitiveness as a
driver of growth, deeper private
sector engagement in the AEC
integration process and the
adoption of a strong, harmonized
national game plan for AEC 2015.
u Page 22
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 21
Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam, center, is escorted by President
Aquino, right, as he reviews the troops during a welcoming ceremony Thursday,
April 3, 2014 at Malacanang Palace grounds in Manila at the start of his four-day
state visit to discuss trade and security between the two countries. Singaporean
companies are now keen on tapping investment opportunities in the country's
agriculture, retail and infrastructure industries. AP
DTI: They are coming to do bigger things here
Singapore firms to tap
agri, retail trades in PH
By Amy R. Remo
MANILA -- Encouraged by the
Philippine economy's robust growth,
Singaporean companies are now keen
on tapping investment opportunities
in the country's agriculture, retail and
infrastructure industries.
On the sidelines of the Philippines
Singapore Business Council meeting
last week, Trade Secretary Gregory L.
Domingo said the arrival of the foreign
business delegation led by Republic of
Singapore President Tony Tan Keng
Yam was a “sign of the growing
relationship … between the
Philippines and Singapore.”
And the establishment of the
International Enterprise Singapore
office in Manila indicates that the
Singaporean firms, “are coming to do
bigger things here in the Philippines,”
Domingo said.
The agency assists Singaporean
companies in investing overseas.
According to Domingo, the
country's trade with Singapore is
already quite huge, as the latter is
already the Philippines' fifth-largest
trading partner with trade totaling $8
billion.
“We will try to continue to grow
t ra d e , b u t t h e re a re n a t u ra l
limitations because Singapore has a
small domestic market. There are
bigger opportunities in investments,
which have become two-way already
because some of the Philippine
companies, like Jollibee and the Ayala
Group, have already put up offices and
invested in Singapore,” he said.
“Big companies in the Philippines
are becoming more confident in
World Bank
urges ... From page 20
the government's target of growth of
up to 8.5 percent in 2016, the World
Bank said.
The Aquino administration wants
to raise infrastructure spending to the
equivalent of 5 percent of gross
domestic product (GDP) by 2016, up
from just 2.5 percent last year.
World Bank senior economist for
the Philippines Karl Kendrick Chua
said that apart from raising the rate
fo r ex i s t i n g t a xe s , i m p rov i n g
collections through stricter
enforcement held more promise for
increasing revenues. He cited the
investing overseas because they have
better capitalization, have more
access to liquidity and have better
management skills,” the trade chief
further said.
In a statement, International
Enterprise Singapore noted that more
Singaporean companies now consider
the Philippines to be “an upcoming
growth market.”
Tony Chew, chair of Singapore
Business Federation (SBF) was
quoted in the IE statement as saying
that “as more and more Singapore
companies seek trade and investment
opportunities in the fast growing
Philippines market, I am certain that
our chamber-to-chamber relations
will strengthen and become a key
success factor for our Singapore
companies.
Singapore Business Federation
“looks forward to organizing more
activities to increase Singapore's
engagement with the Philippines,”
Chew said.
In the same statement, Tan Soon
Kim, Assistant Chief Executive Officer
of IE Singapore said that “the
Philippines' economic resurgence is
driven by robust growth in domestic
demand, strong infrastructure
spending and structural economic
reforms. This has led to renewed
investor interest. It is timely for
Singapore companies looking to
diversify their presence in the region,
to look at this market anew for
opportunities commensurate with
the needs of the market, including
infrastructure and urban solution
demands, complemented by a sizable
consumer base.” Inquirer.net
example of the expanded value-added
tax (E-VAT), which was raised to 12
percent from 10 percent in 2006. Prior
to the increase, collection efficiency
averaged 30 percent. After raising the
rate, efficiency increased to 35
percent, but in the five years that
followed, was eroded back to 30
percent. “What this tells us is that the
problem is the administration,” Chua
said.
Chua noted that in 1997, tax
collections in the country were
equivalent to 18 percent of GDP. This
fell to 12 percent in 2010. He said the
Aquino administration has been
successful in slowly raising taxes
relative to GDP. In 2012 alone, tax
collections rose by 0.6 percent of GDP.
Inquirer.net
Downtrend revenue
collections hit BOC
By Raymund F. Antonio
MANILA -- The lingering
downtrend in revenue
collections continues to hamper
the Bureau of Customs (BOC),
with a shortfall of P4.214-billion
that it posted last month.
In March, collection records
from the BOC showed that the
agency only collected P29.072billion as against its target of
P33.286-billion.
It was the third straight
month that the agency incurred a
shortfall, bringing the total
deficit to P8.518-billion for the
first quarter of the year.
Based on the same data, the
BOC had a target of P94.778billion for the three-month
period, but preliminary figures
showed that it only collected
P86.260-billion.
This means the BOC was
nine-percent off its revenue goal.
The bureau only offered a
consolation that the revenues
surged by P17.433-billion or 25.3
percent , compared to the
P68.816-billion collections in the
same period in 2013.
“The sustained growth of our
collections is strong evidence
that we are moving in the right
direction, but our job is far from
over,” Customs Commissioner
John Phillip Sevilla said.
Sevilla confirmed that
collections were comparatively
dismal following the work
stoppage initiated by truckers to
protest the expanded truck ban
in Manila.
Officials identified the slow
business activity after the
Chinese New Year in February as
another culprit, as most Chinese
businessmen went on extended
vacations, resulting to lower
volume of shipments.
Amid the slump in the
revenue intake, the BOC has
undertaken an overhaul of its
personnel and experienced a
changing of guards upon the
assumption of Sevilla in
December, last year.
But since then, it has been a
free fall in terms of collections,
averaging a P3 to 4 billion
monthly shortfalls. Manila
Bulletin
Photo shows PSE President and CEO Hans B. Sicat (left) receiving the Asia's Best CEO Award for outstanding
executive achievement in investor relations from Corporate Governance Asia's Publisher and Managing
Director Aldrin Monsod
PSE's Sicat wins Asia's Best CEO for
investor relations excellence award
Philippine Stock Exchange
(PSE) President and CEO Hans
B. Sicat was one of the
recipients of Corporate
Governance Asia's (CGA) Best
CEO award for outstanding
executive achievement in
investor relations. The award
was given at the 4th Asian
Excellence Recognition Awards
held on April 3, 2014 at the
Renaissance Harbour View
Hotel in Hong Kong.
The recognition given by
Corporate Governance Asia
was based on scores from
submissions and interviews
conducted with investors.
According to CGA, the
accolades were given to people
who possess strong leadership
in guiding the board of
directors and the company
management in growing or
expanding the business, and at
the same time uphold the
highest ethics in business
practices.
“I am grateful for this
recognition from Corporate
Governance Asia. It is a
testament to how seriously we
take corporate governance as a
listed company and as an
Exchange. The citation in the
field of investor relations is also
special as there is a conscious
effort for me and my colleagues
to reach out to our
stakeholders. We're also
spearheading efforts to further
improve investor relations
practice among the listed
companies through various
initiatives, one of which is the
possible creation of a
Philippine investor relations
organization,” PSE President
and CEO Hans B. Sicat said.
Corporate Governance Asia
is a quarterly journal that
provides news and analysis on
corporate governance issues,
boardroom practices, and
shareholder activism.
Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 22
EU aviation ban
lifting paves way
for Cebu Pacific
Toyota Innova assembly at Santa Rosa factory. Photo by Tessa Salazar
Japan auto firms rue
industry roadmap delay
May relocate PH operations sans gov't incentives
MANILA -- Japanese
automotive firms may consider
relocating their Philippine
o p e ra t io n s to n eighb orin g
countries if the government is
unable to issue the much-awaited
roadmap that will outline the
strategic direction, policies and
new incentives needed to make
the automotive industry more
competitive.
Takashi Ishigami, president of
the Japanese Chamber of
Commerce and Industry of the
Philippines Inc. (JCCIPI), said in
an interview that they have long
been waiting for the issuance for
this automotive roadmap, which
was supposed to have been
released by the Philippine
government in October last year.
“A l l o f [ t h e ] J a p a n e s e
automotive manufactures are
interested in this roadmap. If this
is favorable to them, they can
expand their production capacity
in this country. But if not, they will
get out from this country like [the]
Americans,” Ishigami told the
Inquirer.
“If announcement is delayed
further, Japanese manufacturers
will give up their production in
the Philippines and they are going
to other countries like Thailand
and Indonesia. As a result, you
should import most of cars from
ove r s e a s a n d yo u l o s t a n
opportunity to create jobs in this
country even though you have a
big wave of motorization,”
Ishigami further warned.
The automotive roadmap was
earlier targeted for release in the
first quarter this year but the
D e p a r t m e n t o f Tra d e a n d
Industry continues to “fine-tune”
the details, as requested by the
economic cluster of the Cabinet.
Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene
D. Almendras said in an interview
last month that the “question of
the President was more on the
details [of the automotive
roadmap].
“We don't want to create a
subsidized environment. If we're
going to [come up with]
something, it has to make firms
c o m p e t i t i v e ,” A l m e n d r a s
explained. “My view was that
there was a need to refine certain
things as there were programs
wherein the government will buy
vehicles on certain conditions.
There were details that needed to
be [threshed out]. The
Department of Finance is also of
the view that you don't give out
[income tax] holidays but rather
give a push on the other side.”
Last month, Trade Secretary
Gregory L. Domingo announced
that four foreign automotive firms
were mulling to set up assembly
operations in the country, even as
the government has yet to issue a
new roadmap.
If the proposed projects
would push through, these would
entail investments of at least
“several hundred millions of
dollars” for each facility.
“Hopefully these companies
will no longer wait for the
issuance of the automotive
roadmap. I think there may be
others who will not wait for it
anymore. These companies are
here because of the strength of
the economy,” Domingo said.
Inquirer.net
EU is expected to totally lift
soon the ban it imposed against the
Philippine aviation services to
pave the way for a second
Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific to
fly to Europe, French ambassador
to the Philippines Gilles Garachon
said.
The French Ambassador to the
Philippines told reporters during a
press conference for the visiting
French delegation, composed of 24
top industrial firms of France, that
EU is now in the process of lifting
the ban on Cebu Pacific after it
lifted the ban in July last year for
Philippine Airlines, the country's
largest flag carrier that has
resumed direct flights to London in
November last year. The EU
imposed a ban on Philippine air
carriers several years ago on safety
issues.
“Hopefully, the ban will be
lifted this year,” Garachon said.
With a good prospect of the ban of
the lifting, President Aquino is
already scheduled for a visit to
France in September this year.
“The decision has still to be
taken officially and hopefully will
go into good direction. If the ban is
completely lifted then it will help
increase the number of tourists
visiting the Philippines,” he added
noting that a total lifting of the ban
will pave the way for Cebu Pacific
to finally fly to Europe and help
raise the number of French tourists
to 40,000 level this year from
30,000 last year.
According to the ambassador,
several French firms have been
coming here every here every just
to inquire and is just in the process
has been intensifying.
“French companies are very
much interested, some have been
very dynamic and some in very
interesting stage of investing and
some planning to do so, but most
are convinced they must have
permanent presence here,” the
ambassador said.
Trade and Industry
Undersecretary Ponciano Manalo
Jr. told reporters after a luncheon
meeting with the French
delegation the group is interested
in aviation, PPP projects, energy
and oil and gas for Mindanao.
“Most of these businessmen
have come to the Philippines for
the first time except for three,” he
said.
Gilles Vernet, commercial
counsellor at the French Embassy
in Manila, noted that bilateral trade
between the two countries have
reached 2 billion euros but the
balance of trade has been heavily
in favor of France because of the
purchases of Airbus planes by PAL
and Cebu Pacific. He said that
France exports 1.5 billion euros to
the Philippines while the
Philippines only exports 500
million euros to France. This
makes the Philippines its 10th
trading country with huge trade
deficit.
Vernet, however, said that once
the Philippines starts exporting
more products like marine
products the balance of trade is
expected to even up. Without the
plane purchases, he said, the trade
level could be equal for both
countries.
France has been supportive of
the Philippines' effort to be
granted duty-free status under the
EU-GSP plus.
He also cited several
investments made by French
companies including cement firm
L a fa r g e w i t h $ 3 8 0 m i l l i o n
investments here. Oil firm Total
has also invested in 300 gas
stations all over the country. Some
French firms are vying for some
PPP projects, particularly airport
operation.
“We are very happy with the
PPP Center and we must say within
two years we've seen very good
improvements in bidding
processes,” he added. Manila
Bulletin
PH seen ready ...
representatives from the private
sector, academe, civil society and
media have been invited and are
expected to attend the forum on
April 10.
The AEC aims to create a
single-market economy with free
movement of goods, services and
investments throughout the Asean
region and is the culmination of
Asean's economic efforts since the
1990s.
It was in 2007 that Asean
leaders adopted the AEC blueprint
as the guide for all membercountries, including the
Philippines, in establishing the
AEC, which envisions a stable,
prosperous, highly competitive
economic region with “equitable
economic development and
reduced poverty and
s o c i o e c o n o m i c d i s p a r i t i e s .”
Inquirer.net
From page 20
“In the DTI tradition of
collaboration and consultation,
our sustained engagements with
the private sector have proven
helpful in identifying issues and
focusing on areas that require
intervention. That is why both
private and public sectors need to
discuss and align our trade and
economic interests in Asean as well
as in the rest of the Asia-Pacific
region,” Cristobal explained.
The forum will also accelerate
DTI's initiatives to increase
awareness and promote proper
understanding of the AEC, deepen
discussions through dialogue and
mobilize support for Philippine
participation in the AEC. Some 500
participants from the government,
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 23
Alice Dixson says splitup
left her depressed
know I made the right decision.”
She's not closing her door on
other networks, though. “Artists
go where the right projects are,”
Alice said. “TV5 is very flexible
with me; I'm allowed to do
guestings in other networks if
my schedule and contract allow.”
By Allan Policarpio
Actress Alice Dixson
admitted that she fell into
depression soon after breaking
up with her husband of 13 years,
businessman Ronnie Miranda,
whom she married in Canada.
The TV5 talent rued that she lost
not just a partner, but also a
friend.
“I had never been with
anyone that long. Maybe in the
future we will be friends again,”
Alice told a small group of
reporters at TV5's recent road
show in Baguio City. “For
months, I was depressed and
didn't go out much.”
Alice filed for divorce in
Vancouver in late 2012, citing
“irreconcilable differences.” The
divorce was granted last year.
Throughout that trying
period, Alice said, work became
her “therapy.” “I kept busy and
exercised a lot,” she related. “I
fed myself with positive quotes. I
was lucky to be surrounded by
people who loved me.”
She doesn't cry as much
nowexcept when she watches
sad movies, Alice said. “I'm
strong, but also emotional.”
While she has started dating
again, Alice isn't keen on being
with someone from show biz.
“I'm particular about privacy,”
she explained.
Alice Dixson
Not a cougar
At 44, Alice remains one of
the sexiest women in show biz.
Younger men still find her
attractive, but Alice said she was
wary of dating anyone half her
age. “If he's mature enough, [I'll
give it a chance]. But the
youngest I would date should be
about eight years my junior,” she
said. “I want a long-lasting
relationship.”
Alice, who is in the cast of the
comedy series “Confessions of a
Torpe,” said she was happy with
the Kapatid network.
“TV5 gave me the break
when I returned to the country
in 2011,” she pointed out. “I
Comic cast
In “Confessions,” Alice acts
with a cast that's adept in
comedy -Ogie Alcasid, Gelli de
Belen, Bayani Agbayani and
Wendell Ramos. She once
starred in the sitcom “Okay Ka,
Fairy Ko” but, she noted, there's
more comedy in “Confessions.”
“I get more opportunities for
interaction in the skits,” Alice
said. “At first, working with Ogie
and the gang was very
intimidating, but now I have fun.
It's fascinating how their humor
comes out even when they're not
trying. It's been a learning
experience for me so far.”
Alice doesn't have a
manager, and nor does she need
one. She is used to negotiating
contracts, having worked as a
licensed realtor in Canada. “I'm
outspoken,” she admitted. “A lot
of artists are too shy to represent
themselves…and to discuss
talent fees and cut-off time. But
I'm professional and
straightforward…they can also
talk to me straight.” Inquirer.net
Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista
Kris Aquino
Kris confirms
relationship with
Herbert Bautista
MANILA -- There's nothing that
would hold her silence.
After numerous speculations on
whom her new lover is, Kris Aquino
shattered the unusual lull in her
television show Monday (April 7)
evening. Aquino bared she is
currently dating Quezon City Mayor
Herbert Bautista.
“We are a work in progress, and
it's a joint project that both of us are
happily undertaking with maturity,
respect and commitment,” Aquino
said. Inquirer.net
Ara Mina reveals
‘painful' loss
By Jecelyn V. Macahindog
Ruffa Gutierrez
unruffled by reality
Ara Mina
Ruffa Gutierrez with daughters Venice (center) and Lorin, who often hang out with the clan's “newest member.”
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Like a true beauty queen,
Ruffa Gutierrez very rarely gets
ruffled by tough questions from
media.
Until this curveball was
thrown: “Is there a new addition
to the Gutierrez family?”
Ruffa was momentarily
flustered, but quickly recovered:
“Is there?”
It's Sarah
Actually, her mom-manager
Annabelle Rama earlier referred
to Sarah Lahbati, Richard
Gutierrez's girlfriend (and not
the young couple's rumored
baby) as the new member of the
family.
“Nakakaloka,” Ruffa told the
Philippine Daily Inquirer in a
one-on-one interview during
her launch as endorser of Cosmo
Skin L-Glutathione.
According to Richard, Sarah,
as the latest addition to the clan,
will appear in the coming reality
series, “It Takes Gutz to be a
Gutierrez,” airing soon on E!
“We treat Sarah like family.
She loves my daughters and they
love her,” Ruffa said.
She related that, when she's
working, Sarah would often
baby-sit sisters Lorin and
Venice.
“They have bonding
moments. My daughters watch
movies with Richard and Sarah.
They're planning to catch Taylor
Swift's concert in Manila
together, this June.”
Fireworks
Richard announced that the
persistent questions hounding
him and Sarah will be answered
in the reality show. “I'm sure
there will be fireworks,” Ruffa
said. “Knowing our family, there
will be an explosive revelation in
each episode.”
With siblings Richard and
Raymond, Ruffa closed this
u Page 24
Ara Mina has come clean about her
rumored pregnancy, admitting that she
was indeed pregnant with Bulacan,
Bulacan Mayor Patrick Meneses' baby
last year only that she lost it in a
miscarriage.
The actress-entrepreneur divulged
the matter in an official statement
published on PEP.
It read: “I would like to clear the
issue about the pregnancy. Yes, I was,
but unfortunately I had a miscarriage
few weeks back.
“It's something we don't want to
remember as it was so painful for me
u Page 26
Antoinette denies having child
with Dingdong
By Marjorie S. Duran
Former actress Antoinette Taus
brushes off persistent talks that she
has a love child with former boyfriend,
actor Dingdong Dantes.
“Natawa na lang din ako kasi, ever
since, 'di naman matapos 'yung
(rumors), tapos parami nang parami
yung mga 'anak' ko. Hindi naman ako
ganun,” she told PEP.
Taus stressed, “If ever I did have a
child, sasabihin ko naman sa publiko,
'di ko naman itatago,” adding,
“Siyempre I'll be proud of the child I
have and I do want to have kids
someday… Kung sakali mang (magkababy) ako, I'll be celebrating.”
Work is top priority at the moment
for Taus, having just returned to the
Antoinette Taus
country to revive her showbiz career.
“ ' Yu n g l ove l i fe , p a ra s a a k i n ,
makakapaghintay pa,” said she.
The former child actress revealed
that she has secured several projects
already, only that she couldn't share
details about these yet.
u Page 24
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 24
Pokwang wants her kid
to meet Japanese dad
Petra Mahalimuyak appears
topless on magazine cover
By Marinel R. Cruz
Showbiz newbie Ashley Rivera,
famously known as the YouTube star
Petra Mahalimuyak, is gaining more
attention for gracing the cover of a
men's magazine.
Rivera is on FHM's April 2014
issue wearing nothing but a bikini
bottom and some strategically placed
green and blue water guns covering
her breasts.
As Petra Mahalimuyak, Rivera
gained online prominence for her
comedic tutorial videos and parodies
including “How to Dance In A Club”
and “My British Accent.”
She told “24 Oras,” “I'm still a
comedian, I guess, but hindi na 'yung
Petra, Petra is YouTube stuff.”
She also shared, “I really wanna
do showbiz eh, like, I'm really serious
about it eh. I really wanna be an
actress.”
Rivera came from Los Angeles last
year. She has since appeared in the
rom-com film “A Secret Affair.” The
budding star wants people to know
that she is no one-trick pony.
“I can do films, shows, and
Comedienne Pokwang said
she would not get in the way of
daughter Ria Mae, should the girl
decide to look for her estranged
Japanese father, especially since
she is marking her 18th birthday
this year.
“I asked if she wanted to meet
her father and she simply replied,
'Why not?' I guess she's still a little
undecided. I've always told her not
to harbor ill feelings toward her
father. I remind her that she
wouldn't be here if not for him,
and that she should have a heart
that's open and forgiving,” said
Pokwang during the press launch
for the ABS-CBN drama series
“Mira Bella.” The 43-year-old
single mom said: “I still appreciate
his role in my life because I
wouldn't have Ria Mae if not for
him. She's my inspiration. I will
not be selfish… I'd do anything to
make Ria Mae feel complete as a
person, even if that meant
reconnecting with her father.”
Pokwang, however, stressed
that she no longer hoped to
reconcile with her former partner,
who is based in Japan with a new
wife and their own children.
“Their kids are almost the same
age as my daughter. We no longer
communicate, but I heard that he
has found out about my current
work here in the Philippines from
a common friend, and through
TFC (ABS-CBN's international
channel).”
Pokwang (left) wants her daughter Ria Mae to feel complete as a person.
Fear factor
Pokwang admitted that failed
relationships have left her scarred
and reluctant to try again. “May
takot factor,” she confessed. “I'm
not saying that men shouldn't be
trusted. I've just decided not to be
too concerned about my love life
and, instead, to focus on saving up
for my daughter's future.”
Ria Mae is a college freshman
taking up Culinary Arts. “She's got
three more years in school and
maybe then I can finally relax.”
Pokwang also had a son; he died of
a congenital brain ailment at age 6.
Despite all her heartaches,
Pokwang admitted being “a
romantic” and that she still
believes “there's a guy for every
girl.”
She advised single moms like
herself to enjoy life to the fullest.
“Make your children the source of
your happiness,” she said. “Don't
be afraid to fall in love again, but be
sure to set priorities.”
Pokwang plays adoptive
mother to “Mira Bella” lead star
Julia Barretto in the series
directed by Erick Salud, Jerome
Pobocan and Jojo Saguin. “Mira
Bella” took two years in
preproduction, and finally started
airing on March 24.
“We didn't mind that it took so
long to get the show started. We
knew it would be worth it,”
Pokwang said. “Julia is a promising
actress. She admits that she's not
as good as her aunts (Claudine and
Gretchen), but tries to make up for
it by working hard.”
The comedienne, bullied in
the past because of her looks, said
she accepted the project because
it hit close to home. “The story
speaks to me. I wish people would
define beauty not by what they see
but by what's inside someone's
heart,” she said. Inquirer.net
Antoinette
denies ... From page 23
“Mukhang magtatagal pa talaga ako.
Pinaplano lahat, may mga projects
really in the works,” she shared. As to
being away, she insisted, “Kumbaga,
tumira muna ako sa ibang bansa for a
while, I never really left it naman
talaga…this is really my life, lalo na
singing.”
The past
Though she maintains she is in good
Ruffa Gutierrez ...
From page 23
reality-show deal with One Mega
Group's TV 100 and E! Channel Asia.
They had to present the show to E!
executives for approval. “It was nervewracking,” she recounted.
“We were not used to having
cameras follow us around,” she said of
filming the pilot. “It was an
experimental project for us. But E! execs
loved it so much, that instead of a twohour special, they asked for an entire
season (six episodes. They wanted
more, but we thought it was best to try it
first.”
Some episodes were shot during the
family's Asian holiday on board the Star
Cruises, Ruffa remarked.
All the better to feel trapped with
their mom? “Mom tends to be makulit …
as in, OC (obsessive-compulsive) when
we travel together. She would always be
the first to arrive at the airport … she'd
nag us about our passports. She thinks
we are all 10 years old.”
She should have brought her
colorist to the cruise, Ruffa said. “My
hair could have turned gray because of
my mom,” she quipped.
Biggest revelation
Biggest revelation in the show could
well be feisty mom Annabelle's seldomseen vulnerable side. “While we were
shooting the pilot episode, my mom
suddenly cried,” Ruffa recalled. “As my
daughters put it: Humagulgol siya! We
Ashley Rivera, famously known as the
YouTube star Petra Mahalimuyak
shoots… I want them to see that I can
be a kontrabida, a mermaid, or
whatever. Just expect more of me. I've
been praying and I think I deserve a
break,” she said in an article published
on FHM's website.
terms with Dingdong, she admitted,
“”Hindi pa talaga kami nagkikita at
nagkakausap, but I'm sure it's gonna
happen.” Apparently, they used to keep
each other in touch, with Taus insisting,
“Talagang naging friends naman kami.
Everything is great, mahirap lang
talagang mang-intriga 'yung mga tao.”
“Wala talaga kaming problema,” she
reiterated. She even wished Dantes and
current girlfriend, actress Marian
Rivera, a long, happy relationship
together. “I'm happy for them, sana
magtuluy-tuloy yung magandang
relationship nila,” said she. Manila
Bulletin
had never seen our mom cry. We got
worried.” Her relationship with
Annabelle has “evolved a great deal”
t h ro u gh t h e ye a r s , Ru f fa s a i d .
Sometimes their roles are reversed and
she finds herself fussing over her.
“The usual bickering is still there,
but we have a deeper understanding [of
each other] now,” she volunteered.
“That's because I'm also a mother, and I
see where she's coming from.”
On the other hand, Ruffa insisted
that Annabelle has “mellowed”
considerably. “She's still funny, but not
as aggressive as before.”
No quarrelling
Annabelle suspected that it was
Ruffa who inserted a provision in the E!
contract stipulating that the fearless
“momager” was not allowed to quarrel
with anyone on Twitter or in real life.
“For the record, it wasn't me,” Ruffa
said. “The contract really stated that my
mom had better behave. Hindi siya
puwedeng mag-taray!”
Ruffa promised that the show would
present a candid portrait of her family un-Photoshopped, warts and all.
“We will reveal everything, even our
beauty secrets,” she said. She is willing
to go on-cam without makeup, too.
“In the pilot, I was not feeling well I
was coughing, my voice was hoarse and I
wasn't dolled up at all! I wanted to
cancel the shoot. But our director (Mike
Carandang of “America's Next Top
Model”) thought it was perfect that I was
sick. I told myself: That's reality!”
Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 25
12 Filipino interns
in Van Damme film
By Marinel R. Cruz
The Film Development Council of
the Philippines (FDCP) has sent 12
aspiring filmmakers to Guangzhou,
China, for a month-long internship on
the set of a Hollywood production
featuring action star Jean-Claude Van
Damme, FDCP chairman Briccio
Santos announced during the
weekend.
“They were picked by the
council's technical panel,” Santos told
the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “It was
the panel that advised producers,
consultants and film institutions to
recommend nominees for the boot
camp.”
Vital exposure
The interns, who left Manila on
Thursday, will participate in the
production of the Van Damme movie,
“Pound of Flesh,” up to May 5. “The
goal is for them to learn the ins and
outs of a Hollywood production,” said
Santos. “They will be assigned
different tasks; they may also appear
in the movie as bit players.”
The venture was launched under
the auspices of the FDCP Film
Cultural Exchange Program, with the
support of the Chinese government.
It was made possible through an
agreement with the China-based Ace
Studio. “The experience and wisdom
that they stand to learn from the
Jean-Claude Van Damme. AP
exposure will be vital in their overall
development as filmmakers,” said the
FDCP chief.
The chosen 12
The interns are Richelle C.
Adevoso, Audrey Shane A. Alminaza,
Brian Anthony B. Bagoyo, Alfred John
M. Brian, Therese Gracielle V. de
Guzman, April B. Marañon, Anna
Francesca Z. Marfori, John Marvin S.
Nueva, Seline Mae T. Ong, Jonathan M.
Paredes, Diomar Joseph G. Parulan
and Eleaverne Shayne Ruebe.
Directed by US filmmaker Ernie
B a r b a r a s h ( “ C u b e Z e r o ,”
“Assassination Games,” “6 Bullets”),
“Pound of Flesh” is a coproduction of
Canada and China, and involves
production companies Ace Studio
u Page 26
FDCP chair Briccio Santos and acting Philippine Consul General Rosanna Villamor-Voogel (1st and 2nd from
left, respectively) accept the donation from HKIFF executive director Roger Garcia and actress Catherine
Deneuve (1st and 2nd from right, respectively). Photo courtesy of the FDCP.
A 'Philippines Day'
at HK int'l film fest
By Marinel R. Cruz
Organizers of the 38th Hong
Kong International Film Festival
( H K I F F ) m a rke d i t s f i r s t
“Philippines Day” on March 30
by donating HK$25,000
(P145,132.25) to the Philippine
Red Cross for the rebuilding of
areas ravaged by Supertyphoon
“Yolanda.”
Film Development Council
of the Philippines (FDCP) chair
Briccio Santos announced this in
a statement sent to the Inquirer
on Monday. Santos, along with
acting Philippine Consul General
Ro s a n n a V i l l a m o r - Vo o g e l ,
accepted the donation from
HKIFF executive director Roger
Garcia and festival guest, French
actress Catherine Deneuve.
The “Philippines Day” was
conceptualized with the aim to
“bring focus to Filipino films that
are gaining popularity
worldwide” and to introduce
new content to hundreds of
Filipinos based in Hong Kong,
said the FDCP report, quoting
Garcia.
The day-long event likewise
featured the Hong Kong
premiere screenings of two fulllength movies - Erik Matti's
u Page 27
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 26
Another first
for Leo Valdez
Although known for
portraying the demanding role
of The Engineer in the famed
musical “Miss Saigon,” veteran
t h e a te r a c to r a n d m u l t i awarded performer Leo Tavarro
Valdez admitted he went
through several challenges
preparing for his role as a drag
queen in the local adaptation of
“Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.”
It is Leo's first time to
portray such a role, and he
admits, apart from having to
adjust his voice, he is also having
a bit of trouble wearing the
heavy makeup his character
requires.
The versatile actor is used to
having his face painted for
different roles, admitting that he
even puts it on himself at times.
The makeup he is required to
wear for “Priscilla, Queen of the
Desert,” however, is rather
“complicated” for him.
“Hindi ko kaya, hardcore 'to
eh. This is more complicated. I
see the way (makeup artists) do
it and it's like painting, a piece of
art; you're like an open canvas…
tapos, dahan-dahan nag-mi-mix
ng colors,” he says in an
interview.
The show costumes posed a
different set of challenge
Leo Valdez (center) with (from left) Red Concepcion and Jon Santos
during the press launch of 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (Jim Guiao
Punzalan)
inasmuch as it prompted Leo to
work out and trim down. Then
there are the nights he spent
watching drag impersonators.
Leo says of his role, “It is
challenging because you play
and get into the role of a gay
person and I've never done
anything like this … you have to
assume the conflict and the
challenges… I dig deep into the
character and then assume what
would a gay person do, what
would a fabulosa person do on
stage.” Despite the hundreds of
productions he has appeared in
from all over the globe, Leo is
still willing to star in smaller
productions.
“If there is an opportunity,
that will be great,” he says.
It also helps that the
Broadways star is not choosy in
picking roles so long as he “can
sync with the character.”
Asked if he still gets nervous
before a performances, he
blurts, “Oo naman.”
Interestingly, Leo never had
dreams of becoming a
mainstream actor.
u Page 27
How co-stars supported Vhong
while shooting 'Da Possessed'
By Walden Sadiri M. Belen
Vhong Navarro had trouble
finishing his scenes in “Da Possessed,”
due to the trauma he suffered
following the mauling incident he got
embroiled in some months ago.
The film's director, Bb. Joyce
B e r n a l , f u l ly u n d e r s t o o d h i s
predicament.
Joyce was very supportive of
Vhong all the way. It helped that the
two are familiar with each other,
having worked together in three
previous films: “Mr. Suave” in 2003;
“D'Anothers” in 2005; and “Agent
X44″ in 2007.
“Da Possessed,” under Star
Cinema and Regal Films, is their
fourth collaboration.
Also supportive of Vhong's are the
rest of his co-stars in “Da Possessed.”
Indeed, everyone did their share
to boosts Vhong's morale and selfconfidence.
It's the first time that Vhong
worked with Solenn Heussaff, they
just met on the set and the subsequent
shooting served as a workshop of sort
for both.
Because it's also her first time to
do a movie under Star Cinema, Solenn
said, “This is definitely a major
milestone in my career. It's such an
honor to work with Vhong, Direk
Joyce, Star Cinema and Regal Films.”
She added, “Nagpaalam naman
ako sa GMA Network (with which I am
under contract) and I didn't know my
role was initially for another star, but I
accepted it as a great opportunity. And
it was truly great working with Vhong
and the rest of the cast.”
Asked how they supported Vhong
d u r i n g t h e s h o o t i n g , S m o key
Manaloto said: “We did not remind
him about his current problem, 'yung
mga kaso niya. When not shooting,
kuwentuhan lang kami, everything
normal lang, kaya enjoy kami lahat sa
12 Filipino
interns ... From page 25
and Odyssey Media. “This could pave
the way for the next Van Damme
movies to be shot in the Philippines,”
said Santos.
First time in Beijing
Meanwhile, the FDCP will
represent the country for the first time
at the fourth Beijing International Film
Festival and Film Market (BJIFF) set
April 17 to 19. “The Council is proud
and looking forward to being present at
the event's film market,” Santos said.
Ara Mina ... From page 23
and Pat, something that we just cannot
vocally discuss in public, but we both
owe the people the truth that's why I'm
making a statement about it.
“In God's time, maybe another
blessing will come in the future, but for
now, we are still trying to move on,
trying to forget the miscarriage. We
hope that people would understand
why we kept in private. Thank you.”
In a separate report published by
Push, Ara recounted that she lost her
baby on Dec. 23, 2013, two days before
her grandfather, former Quezon City
Mayor Ismael Mathay, Jr. passed away.
According to the same report, Ara
Vhong Navarro
set. Masaya kami.” On his part, Joey
Marquez said, “Gusto namin magshine siya sa pelikula na ito kasi
'possessed' kami lahat para sa kanya.”
And like what Smokey said, Joey
and the rest avoided talking about
Vhong's predicament.
Beverly Salviejo, another co-star
said, “We all did our share to help him
get back to his old self…”
Joy Viado agreed as she added that
she admires Vhong for being a natural
comic.
By the way, when asked whom he
wants to possess him, Vhong replied,
“I want to be 'possessed' by Tito
Dolphy!”
The others in the cast of “Da
Possessed” are John “Sweet” Lapus,
Empoy, Lito Pimentel, Matet de Leon,
and Aaliyah Belmoro.
“Da Possessed” is written by
Athena Aringo-Tengco, Ays de
Guzman, and Antoinette Jadaone.
It opens on April 19 in theaters
nationwide. Manila Bulletin
According to a statement from
FDCP, the aim of the BJIFF is to develop
China's film industry and provide
comprehensive support and services
to domestic and international
participants by setting up two large
professional markets the Film Factor
Market and the Film Project Market.
Santos elaborated: “Film locations
being one of the main demands of this
specific market, it is the FDCP team's
hope to promote the Philippines as
sucha versatile filming location. The
opportunity to mingle and forge
potential partnerships with exhibitors
and visitors from all over the world is
one that the FDCP team cannot wait to
accomplish.” Inquirer.net
chose to keep silent on the matter out of
respect for her boyfriend.
In January, the 34-year-old actress
excitedly announced to the media that
she and Meneses are planning to settle
down soon.
“Talagang soon na. Hindi naman
this year, baka next year. Because I'm
not getting any younger. Two years na
kami,” Ara said in a “Kris TV” episode
back. She also didn't refute the
possibility of having a baby before
marriage.
“As much as possible, mas gusto
naming mauna ang kasal bago ang
baby. Pero kung mas mauna man ang
baby, ituturing namin siyang blessing,”
she was quoted as saying in a previous
ABS-CBN News report.
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 27
Robin Padilla raffles
off honorarium at tribute
event
By Jojo Panaligan
Ryzza turned emotional after Bossing gave her a house and lot (screengrab from GMA)
Bossing gives Ryzza
her dream house
Child star Ryzza Mae Dizon was
brought to tears after Vic Sotto
announced in a video message that he
is giving her a house and lot as gift
during the anniversary episode of
“The Ryzza Mae Show.”
Ryzza initially unwrapped a
present that had a pink key chain
inside. “'Yang key chain na 'yan, diyan
mo ilalagay ang susi ng inyong bagong
bahay at lupa,” Bossing said.
He went on by saying, “Natupad na
rin ang pangarap mo na magkaroon ng
magandang tirahan. Inaayos na lang
ng onti ang kisame at pwede na nating
ipakita sa mga Dabarkads ang iyong
bagong bahay at lupa.”
An emotional Ryzza faced the
audience to express elation over the
surprise. “Thank you po sa inyong
lahat. Mga Dabarkads, 'yun nga po,
pagkatapos po ng isang taon ng 'The
Ryzza Mae Show' meron na po ako ng
pinapangarap na bahay…” said she.
The Aling Maliit is grateful for the
outpouring of blessings, saying how
she only dreamed of winning the
“Little Miss Philippines” title in 2012
and be part of “Eat Bulaga” but now
has more than enough. She even told
audience “sana po kahit lumaki ako
magkakasama pa din tayo.”
Another first for ... From page 26
“I'm basically a singer who's been fortunate to go into musical theater,” he
shares, adding, “kahit bata pa ako, no. I started many years ago, I've been invited to
(be part of a film, TV show) but I just know where I'm comfortable.”
He admits that he is willing to try indie films. “Indie is a very interesting avenue
to explore,” he relates. Still, music and theater are his top priorities, maintaining that
acting on stage is “all fun and I love it.”
“Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” highlights the journey of two drag queens,
Tick/Mitzi (Leo) and Bernadette (Jon Santos), and a transsexual, Adam/Felicia (Red
Concepcion), who go on a cross-country trip for a cabaret gig in a remote Australian
desert. Also starring Michael Williams as Miss Understanding, among others, it
premieres on May 9 at Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila.
A ‘Philippines
Day’ ... From page 25
action-thriller “On the Job” and Chris
Martinez's comedy flick “Kimmy
Dora: Ang Kiyemeng Prequel”and a
short film, “The Heart of the Storm.”
Taken from footage captured by
the FDCP team during a trip to Leyte
last November, “The Heart of the
Storm” is an eight-minute
documentary that seeks to share with
viewers a firsthand account of the
recent tragedy.
A portion of the ticket sales of
“The Heart of the Storm” will likewise
be donated for the relief of typhoon
victims, the FDCP chief announced.
During the screening, Santos
broke the news of the coming
“International Film Commission's
Conference on Climate Change” that
the FDCP has arranged to be held in
Manila on June 25.
Stakeholders
“ We h o p e t h i s i m p o r t a n t
c o n fe re n c e w i l l i n d u c e m o re
awareness among film counterparts
and the audiovisual communities and
organizations worldwide of the
changing climate patterns,” Santos
said. “After all, this is our planet and
we are all stakeholders in it. We all need
to preserve and protect it, to ensure its
wellbeing.”
Santos invited Deneuve, best
known for her work in such films as “Le
Dernier Métro” and “Indochine,” to
grace the Manila conference's opening
day.
Over 600 Hong Kong-based
Filipinos attended the red-carpet event
and the premiere screenings of the
participating Filipino films. They
mingled with the Filipino delegates and
participated in Q&A (question-andanswer) sessions after each film
screening.
Also present when Garcia handed
the check donation to the FDCP were
actors Piolo Pascual and Joel Torre from
“On the Job,” Mimi Juareza from “Quick
Change,” and Eugene Domingo
(“Kimmy Dora”). Domingo had come
straight from the Asian Film Awards,
where she was nominated for Best
Actress, for Jun Robles Lana's “Barber's
Tales.”
The 2014 HKIFF ends on Monday.
The festival's Special Section, titled
“The Glories of Filipino Cinema,”
featured films from Jun Robles Lana
(“Barber's Tales”), Lav Diaz (“Norte,
Hangganan ng Kasaysayan”), Elwood
Perez (“Otso”), Eduardo Roy Jr. (“Quick
Change”) and Brillante Ma. Mendoza
(“Sapi”).. inquirer.net
ROXAS CITY, Capiz, April 6 -A big gathering of teachers here
over the weekend turned into a
happier occasion when action
star Robin Padilla decided to
give away on-the-spot his sixdigit honorarium for making the
appearance.
During the “Hatag
Kasadyahan Para Sa Capiz”
event held by PLDT Gabay Guro
at the Gerry Roxas Foundation
R e s o u r c e C e n t e r, R o b i n
delivered a speech about the
important role teachers played
in his life. The star said he was
initially asked by the organizers
to shoot a video of himself which
would be played as one of the
highlights, but he insisted on
making a live appearance. Robin
then pulled out from his pocket a
hundred thousand pesos “given
to me at the airport,” held the
wad of bills up, and announced
that he was raffling it off in
installments, much to the
delight of the attendees.
“Etong isang daang pisong
ito, ipammimigay ko sa inyo.
Ngayon na, ibibigay ko,” he
crowed, joking, “Baka (naman)
akala niyo politiko din ako na
magaling mangako (pero) sabay
alis. Hindi ho…”
Touched by the gesture,
PLDT Gabay Guro headed by
Chaye Cabal-Revilla promptly
Robin Padilla (left) with PLDT Gabay Guro's Chaye Cabal Revilla and
Gary Dujali
produced and raffled off the
same amount. A source told
Bulletin Entertainment that
Robin was meant to perform
three numbers but felt ill that
day. The source, a regular
volunteer, added it was the first
time cash had been given away
at the tribute event for teachers
also held in Manila, Tacloban
and Bohol in recent months.
Some of the teachers also
received mobile phones and
other gadgets, “kabuhayan”
showcase, and a motorbike at
the “Hatag Kasadyahan Para Sa
Capiz” event.
According to its Facebook
page, Gabay Guro is a joint
program of the PLDT-Smart
Foundation (PSF) and the PLDT
Managers Club Inc. (MCI) which
aims to support and honor
teachers through scholarship
grants, teacher's training,
livelihood, teachers' tribute,
housing & other programs.
Other performers at the
“Hatag Kasadyahan Para Sa
Capiz” event were Joel O., Kim
Idol, Regina and Ate Gay. A music
video of Regine Velasquez's
tribute song to teachers titled
“Believing In Me” was played.
In the afternoon, the
Ceremonial Turn-Over and
Blessing of the PLDT Building at
the Don Juan S. Jarencio
Memorial School in Ivisan was
held.
The building was built to
withstand such natural
calamities as earthquake and
floods both of which ravaged
some areas in the country a few
months back. The turn-over was
graced by Ivisan Mayor Felipe
Neri Yap and Capiz Governor Vic
Tanco. Manila Bulletin
CHRISTIAN BAND Iktus inks a recording deal and releases an EP of pop-rock gems
Hot new band Iktus releases debut album
By Crispina Martinez - Belen
Iktus, the winner of the
2013 Sun Broadband Quest, is a
four-piece Christian pop-rock
band composed of siblings
Andrei, CJ and Andrew
Panaligan and Augusto
Mendoza.
They have recently released
their eponymous EP under MCA
Music, Inc., an eight-track
album that features the carrier
single “IMY” along with “Hiling,”
“Mahal Kita (I Love You), “Eto,”
“Wag Na,” “Paalam,” and
“Alaala;” and includes an
acoustic version of “IMY.”
The band describes their
sound as alternative pop rock.
As the band's primary
songwriter, Andre write songs
that predominantly deal with
love, hope and positivity. “Ang
gusto namin kahit hindi ka
broken-hearted, ma-brokenhearted 'yung pakiramdam
mo,” he said.
Iktus (the name comes from
the Greek word “Ichthys,”
meaning fish that alludes to
Jesus Christ) was formed in
2005 while twin brothers
Andrei and Andrew were still in
high school.
Their sister CJ joined them
as vocalist in 2006. Augusto
joined the following year. They
honed their skills by joining
band competitions. The lineup
changed in 2007 and the band's
repertoire shifted from jazz to
pop rock. Aside from winning
the Sun Broadband Quest
contest, Iktus also joined and
won recognition from other
competitions such as the UP
Fair Battle of the Bands (third
place), UP Rockbakan (second
place), radio station DJV's
Battle of the Bands (first place
and Best Vocalist award), and
Nescafé Soundskool, among
others.
Iktus' debut EP is now
available via iTunes, Astroplus
and Odyssey outlets.
The band will be at Odyssey
Greenbelt 1 on May 2, Odyssey
Festival Mall on May 10, and
Odyssey SM Megamall on May
18. Manila Bulletin
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 28
Michael Martinez bags
gold in Triglav Trophy
By Mark Giongco
MANILA -- Filipino skater
Michael Martinez bagged the gold
medal in the senior's division of the
Triglav Trophy international figure
skating competition on April 6 in
Jesenice, Slovenia.
The 17-year-old Martinez beat
out six other participants in the final
round posting 195.13 points and
finishing first in both the short
program and the free skate.
“I Thank God for this blessinganother gold medal in senior event,”
Martinez posted on his Facebook
account.
“It was actually difficult for all of
us because the 30 minutes practice
sessions were scheduled a day
before, and no more practices during
the competition days. I'm very happy
[I] made it to first place.”
Filipino-American Samantha
Cabiles, on the other hand, wounded
up in sixth place with 100.04 points
in the junior ladies division, which
was ruled by Kazakhstan's Elizabet
Tursynbayeva.
Japan's Keiji Tanaka and Ryuju
Hino finished in second and third
AP file photo
Bradley won't last distance - Peñalosa
By Roy Luarca
Michael Martinez. RODELROTONI
place, respectively with189.83 and
183.06 points.
Great Britain's Philip Harris
came in fourth with 174.32 points
while Korea's June Hyoung Lee
rounded out the top five with 173.16
points.
Austria's Mario-Rafael Ionian
came in sixth with 158.94 points
followed by Norway's Sondre
Oddvoll Boe, who tallied 146.27
points. Inquirer.net
At center, Bruno “The Aloha Kid” Escalante. Photo by Mario Serrano
Escalante triumphs
over Ruiz in title fight
BROOKS, California -- Bruno “The
Aloha Kid” Escalante, a Cebuano
boxer, successfully defended his IBA
S u p e r - F ly we i g h t t i t l e w i t h a
unanimous decision against a game
Victor Ruiz at Cache Creek Casino on
April 5.
“Escalante vs. Ruiz” was
presented by Don Chargin
Productions, Paco Presents Boxing
and Cache Creek Casino Resort.
In the early rounds, Ruiz (13-1-1,
6 KOs) pressed the action and won a
few rounds before Escalante (12-3, 9
KOs) got into his groove.
Escalante made adjustments in
the middle rounds and used superior
boxing skills and defense to confuse
Ruiz, taking the lead going into the
final two rounds.
Ruiz tried to make a final push, but
Escalante dug deep and finished
strong. Escalante hurt his hand in
Round 2 and fought with his right
hand for most of the fight. Scorecards
read 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94 all in
favor for Escalante.
“This was a tough fight, but I made
the proper adjustments to come out
on top,” said Escalante.
“Ruiz is a warrior, but he never
hurt me except when I busted my left
hand in the second round, but that
came from me hitting him. My corner
men Brian Schwartz and Mike Bazzel
gave me great advice. They told me to
use my jab and stay relaxed. My
defense was on point tonight and I
was in great shape. I will go to the
hospital tonight to get an x-ray of my
hand. I'm hoping to return to the ring
as soon as I get cleared from the
doctor. I want to thank my team for
this victory.”
“Bruno did what he had to do to
get the victory,” said Manager Herb
Stone. “I'm very satisfied that Bruno
was able to make the adjustment
needed to win this fight. The
prognosis of his hand injury will give
me an idea of when he'll be able to
return. If it's not too bad I will get him
back in the ring in the summer.”
Inquirer.net
HOLLYWOOD -- When he
first saw Manny Pacquiao in
training in General Santos City
last month, former two-division
world champion Gerry Peñalosa
predicted that his close friend
would beat Timothy Bradley by
unanimous decision.
Two weeks ago, though,
when he watched Pacquiao spar
at the Wild Card Gym here after a
bout with the flu, Peñalosa
changed tack.
He felt that the Fighter of the
Decade was far from his best
form and could be in for a
tougher fight than expected.
Barely two days later,
Peñalosa was relieved to see
Pacquiao in his elements again,
b o m b a rd i n g h i s s p a r r i n g
partners with combinations.
After the six-round sparring
sessions Wednesday (Thursday
in Manila) and Friday, Peñalosa
changed his prognosis of how
Pacquiao's grudge rematch with
Bradley for the World Boxing
Organization welterweight
crown on April 12 (April 13 in
Manila) at MGM Grand in Arena
would end.
“If what he showed in
sparring will come out on fight
night, then Bradley won't last
the distance,” Peñalosa told
Filipino sportswriters at the
lobby of Vine Inn and Suites
here. “They (the sparring) were
really beautiful to watch,” said
Peñalosa. “He can't be nailed.”
According to Peñalosa, a
fixture in Pacquiao's fights in the
United States, his friend's tworound performances against
former world champion Steve
Forbes, unbeaten Lydell Rhodes
and top prospect Julian
Rodriguez, were reminiscent of
the way he made Oscar De La
Hoya quit after eight rounds in
2008.
Peñalosa, hailed by Hall of
Fame trainer Freddie Roach as
the most technical Filipino
fighter of his generation,
credited the improvement to
Pacquiao's intense and diligent
training. “You can see it in the
volume of punches he throws
per round,” said Peñalosa, who's
now into boxing promotion.
“They're in the hundreds.”
Inquirer.net
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 29
'Street art should always be for free. You do it to communicate your message and start meaningful discussions. In return, the public
gets to experience art outside of sanctioned spaces like galleries and museums. You bring art to the masses. You bring life to the streets.'
ART ON THE WALLS. The Four Seasons (Bonifacio
High Street Central, Taguig) with its creator Dee Jae
Pa'este.
ART ON THE WALLS. Mang Rudy McBayawak (Pamplona, Las Piñas City) by Rai Cruz.
The streets are alive
By Jacky Lynne A. Oiga
Transient spaces are the crux of
street artwalled compounds that are
public, but not for lingering; crevices
of emptiness and absence that are
confined by loose chains of systemic
neglect. Through these spaces, an
artist finds an open canvas, where
swaths of paint and scrap materials
are transformed into intricate murals,
paint-swathed pieces, hulking
nametags, and graffiti. Street space
lends a dais for both the nameless and
renowned, while the art reactivates
the spaceuntil the city scrubs the walls
clean again.
Currently, it's a rather tamed and
domesticated image that emerges
from these street renditions. It is nice
to see that the once illegal subset of
vandalism has found its way in
wholesome places like Bonifacio
Global City, pop up events, and even in
private school compounds. There's
more exposure to street art, more
creativity being put out in the open,
and Filipinos are more inclined to the
idea of seeing art done non-
traditionally in non-traditional places.
D e e J a e Pa' e s te , a n I r i s h Polynesian-Filipino artist born and
raised in California, has been painting
street murals professionally in San
Jose and New York when he decided to
move back to the Philippines to pursue
his art and launch Manila Pop Up, an
unconventional marketing
consultancy specializing in pop up
events, with friends chef and blogger
Erwan Heussaff and TV host Mike
Concepcion.
“I think with the history of graffiti
or street art and what it is about, a lot
of it transitions into artists not having
space or given the luxury to have
access to art galleries,” says Dee Jae.
“So you give these artists walls on the
street and it gives them a whole
different platform. A way to share
ideas, creativity, and expressionit's
something everyone can see and
everyone can appreciate. It opens up a
lot of exploration, also a lot of
interactivity with an art piece, even if
it's done legally or illegally.”
The resistant strands of street art
that Dee Jae alluded to as vandalism
involve graffiti tags or stylized letters
sprayed on public and private
properties without proper consent,
either from the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) or
property owners. Regardless of the
public's growing interest and
acceptance, authorities still bark on
street artists like vandals. These
renegade artists still lurk in the dark,
in the wee hours of the night, hastily
finishing a piece at the risk of being
jailed or fined.
A group of “vandals,” however, is
finding ways to transcend this taboo,
elevating street art into a finer art
form, connecting people's notion of art
with their own, and thus finding an
acquiescent medium. Rai Cruz, one of
the founders of Cavite Collective or
popularly known as Cavity, a group of
artists from Cavite and Las Piñas that
utilizes public space as a means of
visual expression, believes that the
coarse reality of literally hustling for
space to make art has always been the
gist of street art.
“Whether graffiti, street art, or
public art, these genres are all
EXPRESS SUDOKU
HOW TO PLAY: Place a number from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so that each
row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9
Solution to Issue 14 Sudoku
ART ON THE WALLS. Mula sa Ideya Lahat Puwedeng Magbago (Roxas ART ON THE WALLS. Andres
Bonifacio (Bonifacio High Street
Boulevard, Manila) with its artist Rai Cruz. (Images by Pinggot Zulueta)
Central, Taguig) by Doppel.
Solution to Issue 14 Crossword
unequivocal heirs of vandalism. But
not vandalism as in a destructive
crime, vandalism in terms of
reclaiming a space that once belonged
to the public. It's about reactivating a
benign space and transforming it into
something that creates interaction.
That's what we're trying to do, but
through the proper channels,”
explains Rai, a visual and street artist
who also teaches multimedia arts at
Mapua Institute of Technology and
Asia Pacific College.
Proper channels would mean
commissioned murals or projectbased pieces in partnership with
different private entities or local
barangays. But the group's most
fulfilling works will always be the
public ones. The murals they do for
free, unpermitted, unwarranted, and
ephemeral.
“For me, street art should always
be for free. Hindi talaga siya para
pagkakitaan eh. You do it to
communicate your message to the
greater public, to get honest criticisms
from strangers, and start meaningful
discussions. In return, the public gets
to experience art outside of
sanctioned spaces like galleries and
museums. You bring art to the masses.
You bring life to the streets,” Rai says.
The burgeoning street art movement,
however, is not exclusive to the city
capital and south of the Metro. The
streets of other big cities like Cebu,
Iloilo, and Davao are likewise bursting
with their own flavor of street art that
reflects their own culture and
heritage.
“It's been really amazing to
witness the growth of street art here in
the Philippines. You could see graffiti
artists from all over the country like
the Mighty Bhutens from Baguio and
Cavite Collective getting asked to do
different projects, which open doors
for street artists to take the stage and
take their craft to the next level,” Dee
Jae muses.
Meanwhile, Rai hopes that the
current popularity of street art is not
just a fad. “Street art is driven by
passion. I hope that passion won't die
out and leave our streets grey again.”
Manila Bulletin
EXPRESS CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1. Parisian subway
6. Plate
10. A tart spicy quality
14. Submarine
15. Savvy about
16. Diva's solo
17. Coded message
19. Dispatched
20. Entertained
21. Mineral rock
22. Leg joint
23. Kingly
25. Accumulate
26. It holds up trousers
30. Black Sea port
32. Green gem
35. Racetrack tout
39. Sacred
40. Hit the sack
41. Hairdresser
43. High ranking officer
44. Off course
46. Optimistic
47. Flavor
50. Dismay
53. Wings
54. Amplifier (abbrev.)
55. An unquestionable
truth
60. Decant
61. The study of caves
63. Ancient Peruvian
64. Participate in games
65. Sweetener
66. Bobbin
67. Arid
68. Wear away
1. Large indefinite
quantity
2. River of Spain
3. Playthings
4. Awestruck
5. Aquatic mammal
6. Man's best friend
7. Encroachment
8. Hollywood hopeful
9. "Where the heart is"
10. Supervisor
11. Sporting venue
12. 9 9 9 9
13. Fence "doors"
DOWN
18. Lyric poem
24. Deity
25. Type of poplar
tree
26. What we sleep on
27. Send forth
28. Tax
29. Involving three
parties
31. "Your majesty"
33. Licoricelike
flavor
34. In order to
prevent
36. Novice
37. Historical periods
38. Depend
42. Stomp heavily
43. Cheat
45. Materialize
47. Snouted animal
48. Without company
49. Condiment
51. How old you are
52. Not tight
54. Vipers
56. Aspersion
57. Jump
up and down
58. Quaint outburst
59. Stringed
instrument
62. Alkaline liquid
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 30
Rentals
PSYCHIC
LOUISE
Spiritual Leader and
Adviser.
Help all problems of
life.
One free question by
phone.
Also palm and card
reading.
Address:
1265 Forest Avenue
Staten Island, NY
10302
Telephone:
u
Help Wanted
u
BABY
SITTER
WANTED
Live-in baby
sitter for 2
month old baby
Infant care
experience is
essential.
Please call
Ali Hashmat
646-423-8344
The Filipino Express is only
$40 a year for 52 issues
Live-in full day
nanny for 3
month old boy,
light housework.
Infant care
experience with
valid ID essential.
Immediate
employment
possible
Call:
973-251-2428
Or
732-236-4226
u
Personal
u
HOUSEMAN
WANTED
General household
duties. Cleaning,
occasional cooking.
Other help in
household. Live-in.
Must be legal.
Eric's
Steakhouse in
Palisades Park,
NJ is looking to
hire experienced
sous chef,
waiters,
waitresses and
busers.
Off Grand Ave
at Palisades
Park.
Public
transportation is
stress free.
Ask for Eric.
201-960-3770
Services
CHEAP SHARE
East Village,
Manhattan
$325 monthly
(including utilities),
plus help around the
house.
SEEKING:
Call Christine
718-720-1865
LIVE-IN
NANNY
WANTED
Jobs
201-750-8041
SECRETARY
WANTED
With driver license.
Data entry, some
accounting,
ecommerce experience
Call:
David Tawil
732-996-5395
A neat, reliable young
lady with few
belongings.
OFFERING:
A small, but beautiful
and comfortable 1
bedroom apartment to
share with a mature,
working woman from
Western Europe and
her 2 cats.
References and security
deposit requested.
Replies to:
[email protected]
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 31
April 11 - 17, 2014
Page 32

The Filipino Express v28 Issue 15

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