The Filipino Express v27 Issue 46
Transcription
The Filipino Express v27 Issue 46
Happy Thanksgiving Day VOL. 27 w NO. 46 w NATIONAL EDITION w NEW JERSEY w NEW YORK w NOVEMBER 22 - 28, 2013 w (201) 434-1114 w $1.00 3.bp.blogspot.com Associated Press photo United Nations humanitarian chief amazed by Filipinos' resiliency By Tarra Quismundo Returning to typhoondevastated Tacloban on Tuesday, Nov. 19, a week since she first saw the city stripped of almost everything, the United Nations humanitarian chief found communities eager to get back on their feet and resume normal living. While noting remaining gaps in aid delivery, UN Undersecretary General Valerie Amos was amazed at the spirit of the Filipinos, who are facing a mammoth reconstruction job that could take many years. “I continue to be struck by the resilience and spirit of the Filipino people. Everywhere I visited, I saw families determined to rebuild their lives under the most difficult conditions,” Amos told reporters in Makati City on Tuesday night. “So people are, of course, to an extent traumatized by what happened. They have lost loved ones, but at the same time they're trying to look to the future,” said Amos, who first visited Tacloban City on Nov. 13. The Vatican, too, has observed the struggle of the Visayans to rise from the tragedy that has befallen them. “We want to express our admiration for the spirit of the Filipino people. We have been seeing the terrible devastation but we have also been witnessing the extraordinary care, consideration and generosity of your own people,” said Msgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications told reporters on Wednesday. Tighe is in Manila to attend the two-day Catholic Social Media Summit at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran on Saturday and Sunday. Supreme Court slays PDAF By Christine O. Avendaño In a landmark decision that could spell the end of political patronage, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declared unconstitutional past and present congressional pork barrel laws as it ordered the criminal prosecution of individuals who had benefited from the schemes over the past two decades. The high court, voting 14-0-1, also struck down the discretionary provisions granted the President in the use of multibillion-peso oil revenues from the Malampaya Fund and the Presidential Social Fundthe government share of u Page 2 Miss World Megan Young ushers fundraising efforts in the United States u Page 15 By Pau Aguilera Anderson Cooper: We honor Filipinos' strength Anderson Cooper. AP Miss World's charity organization, Beauty With A Purpose, has scheduled a series of fundraising events in the US for the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda.” On its website, Beauty With A Purpose announced their decision “to direct all of its fundraising efforts into By Julliane Love de Jesus supporting the people of the Philippines,” after the country, particularly the Visayas area, was ravaged by the MANILA -- With his voice said “second deadliest Philippine typhoon on record.” choked with emotion, veteran CNN Last Nov. 19, Megan, together with Philippine Consul reporter Anderson Cooper said that they honored Filipinos in every General Hon. Mario Lopez de Leon Jr., hosted a special broadcast, citing the strength and evening for prominent members of the Filipino resiliency of those affected in the community in New York. areas destroyed by Supertyphoon On Nov. 20, the Philippine Independence Day Council, “Yolanda” (international name: Inc. (PIDCI) hosted a special fundraising event at the Haiyan). Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Newark, New Jersey with “Can you imagine the strength it Megan as its special guest. The said event was able to raise takes living in a shack, to be sleeping $20,000. on the streets next to the body of Miss World 2013 Megan Young at the fundraiser u Page 4 u Page 3 hosted by the PIDCI. Photo by Sonny Austria November 22-28, 2013 Page 2 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. (from left) as well other respondents, including Janet LimNapoles, named in a letter-complaint of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice on Sept. 16, were directed to file “counteraffidavits and other controverting evidence” within 10 days from receipt of separate orders to them dated Nov. 19. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS Santiago dares Enrile Enrile et al. told: Answer plunder raps to commit hara-kiri over SC ruling on PDAF By Christine O. Avendaño, Cynthia D. Balana, Nancy C. Carvajal, Norman Bordadora The Office of the Ombudsman announced Thursday it had begun a preliminary investigation of Janet Lim-Napoles, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. in connection with an alleged P10-billion racket to divert assistance intended for impoverished farmers to ghost projects and kickbacks. A press statement said the f o u r, a l o n g w i t h o t h e r respondents named in a lettercomplaint of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice on Sept. 16, were directed to file “counteraffidavits and other controverting evidence” within 10 days from receipt of separate orders to them dated Nov. 19. An Ombudsman panel, after Supreme Court slays PDAF From page 1 revenues from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). In declaring unconstitutional the provisions on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the 2013 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and its earlier incarnation, the 1990 Countrywide Development Fund (CDF), the high tribunal held that these arrangements violated the principle of separation of powers. Reversing itself after thrice upholding the legality of the lawmakers' pork barrel, the court said that this time it simply “allowed legislators to wield, in varying gradations, non ove r s i gh t , p o s t e n a c t m e n t authority in vital areas of budget execution” and denied the President the power to veto items in the GAA. evaluating the case, found “enough basis to proceed with the preliminary investigation,” said the statement issued following an Inquirer report Thursday that a memorandum prepared by Assistant Ombudsman Joselito P. Fangon had tagged Enrile as the mastermind of the scamnot Napoles as alleged by her former employees. “There exists sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of criminal and administrative charges against all individuals i nvo lve d i n t h e re l e a s e , utilization and disbursement” of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), said the memo submitted by Fangon to O m b u d s m a n C o n c h i t a Carpio Morales. In an interview after she attended the budget hearing in the Senate on Thursday, Morales was asked if she had received an eight-page memo from her investigators on The ruling was issued four months after the Inquirer broke the story that P10 billion in allocations from the PDAF and the Malampaya Fund meant to ease rural poverty and the plight of storm victims over the past 10 years had gone to ghost projects and massive kickbacks. “This will surely hurt the presidency,” said Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms. “It means it will be very difficult for the executive and legislative branches to create discretionary funds.” Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento said political patronage would have little influence now during elections. “Little by little, I hope we come to a time where people will vote based on performance.” Unconstitutional In its three-page ruling, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the following which the Inquirer based its story. “I'm surprised about that eight-page memo… I don't recall an eight-page memo. The memo I received is more than 200 pages.” The eight pages referred to in the Inquirer report comprised the copies of introductory and dispositive portions in the 246-page Fangon memorandum. The copies of these eight pages were made available to the Inquirer. On Page 242 of the memo, it said: “Clearly, no matter how layered the scheme may have been perpetrated or unrelated the players may appear, all facts point to Senator Enrile as the unseen hand directing the compass and the tempo of the whole orchestra.” Estrada said he thought the Office of the Ombudsman was moving “rather hastily” in its investigation. Inquirer.net laws and practices: “All legal provisions of past and present congressional pork barrel laws … which authorized legislators whether individually or collectively organized into committees to intervene, assume or participate in any of the various post enactment identification, modification and revision of project identification, fund release and/or fund realignment, unrelated to the power of congressional oversight. “All legal provisions of past and present congressional pork barrel laws, such as the previous PDAF and CDF articles and the various congressional insertions, which conferred personal, lumpsum allocations to legislators from which they are able to fund specific projects which they themselves determine. “All informal practices of similar import and effect, which the court similarly deems to be acts of grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of discretion. By Maila Ager MANILA -- Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile should offer to commit “harakiri” now that the controversial “pork barrel” funds have been declared unconstitutional by the S u p re m e C o u r t , S e n a t o r Miriam Defensor-Santiago said on Tuesday. “Enrile's arrogance has now been declared as bluff and bluster by the Supreme Court. At the very least, he should offer to commit hara-kiri because this dishonor belongs to him,” Santiago said in a statement. The two have been at odds since Santiago questioned the P2 million Christmas bonuses that then Senate President “The phrases (1) 'and for such other purposes as may be h e re a f t e r d i re c t e d by t h e President' under Section 8 of Presidential Decree No. 910” on the use of the Malampaya Fund other than for energy development and (2) “to finance the priority infrastructure development projects” under Section 12 of PD 1869, as amended by PD 1993, for both failing the sufficient standard test in violation of the principle of nondelegability of legislative power.” The two presidential decrees refer to a portion of revenues from Pagcor to fund projects ranging from flood control to beautification and healthcare in Metropolitan Manila authorized by the President. Prosecution ordered The court said a temporary restraining order issued on Sept. 10 covering the remaining PDAF allocations for the rest of the year roughly P12 billionand those from Enrile allegedly gave to all senators, except her and three other senators. “Enrile and I engaged in h a n d - to - h a n d c o m b a t i n December 2012. He tried to bully me with the help of his attack dog, Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Thereafter, I fell ill with chronic fatigue syndrome and have been suffering the ailment for nearly a year,” Santiago said. “Getting sick over the pork barrel scandal was well worth it, now that the Supreme Court has validated my position,” she said. The SC decision, she said, was a “vindication” not only for her but also for the entire Filipino electorate.” “There's a God, after all,” Santiago said. Inquirer.net previous years had become permanent. It said these funds, along with the Pagcor resources, should be returned to the Treasury. A Pagcor statement said that for the first nine months of this year, it remitted to Malacañang P2 billion of its earnings. According to the Department of Energy, the Malampaya Fund amounted to P132 billion as of June 30. It was P70 billion when President Aquino assumed office. The Supreme Court likewise directed the government to investigate and prosecute all government officials and private individuals who have irregularly, improperly or unlawfully disbursed funds under the pork barrel system. Associate Justice Estela Bernabe wrote the ruling. Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. inhibited himself from the decision, saying his son is a congressman. u Page 8 November 22-28, 2013 Page 3 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS 'Yolanda' fails to move the rich By DJ Yap U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. AP PH typhoon warning to man, says UN chief Agence France-Presse TALLINN -- The secretary general of the United Nations (UN), Ban Ki-moon, said on Saturday the supertyphoon that killed thousands in the Philippines was an example of climate change and should serve as a warning to mankind. Ban was speaking at Tallinn University in Estonia on a tour of several Baltic states before joining a second week of climate talks in Poland. The UN chief said the world was facing a tipping point as countries thresh out a deal to be signed in 2015 to cut earth-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The representative of the Philippines to that conference, Naderev “Yeb” Saño, is currently leading a protest fast to stress the urgency of unified global action to reverse climate change. Said Ban: “We have seen now what has happened in the Philippines. It is an urgent warning,” he said, “an example of changed weather and how climate change is affecting all of us on earth.” The Philippine death toll now stands at 3,681 and is expected to rise as more rescue-and-relief operatives comb areas in the central Philippines that was hit on Nov. 8 by Typhoon “Haiyan” (“Yolanda” in the Philippines), the strongest typhoon ever to hit land. Climate change activists have linked the unprecedented strength of the typhoon to global warming. While many experts are still hesitant to link extreme weather phenomena to climate change, the UN has said that rising sea levels make coastal populations more vulnerable to storm surges. The World Meteorological Organization has estimated that 2013 was on course to be one of the hottest years since records began, with global sea levels reaching a record high. Miss World Megan Young ushers ... From page 1 The third event, which will coincide with the official announcement of the co-operation between Beauty With A Purpose and the Filipino Official Delegation in the United States, will feature an auction of some of Megan's dresses during her journey to the Miss World crown her National Costume, homecoming dress, and coronation gown. This will take place at the Beverly Hills Country Club on Nov. 21. Megan will then return to the Philippines on Nov. 27 to deliver all the funds raised in the US; followed by her visit to the typhoon and earthquake victims at their evacuation centers in Tacloban City and Coron, Palawan on Nov. 28 and 29. Manila Bulletin MANILA -- It seems the devastation wrought by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in Eastern Visayas is not enough to convince developed countries to accept responsibility for climate changeand pay for it. With two days left, there was commotion in climate change talks in Warsaw on Wednesday after the conference president, Poland's environment minister, was fired in a government re s h u f f l e a n d d eve l o p i n g country negotiators, including those from the Philippines and China, walked out of a late-night meeting on compensation for climate impacts. “ We h a d s h o w n m u c h flexibility in the negotiations, but it is clear that developed countries are not really prepared to help developing countries [deal with] loss and damage due to climate change,” said Naderev Saño, the Philippines' lead climate change negotiator. After days of marathon negotiations, “with meetings lasting deep into the night and early mornings,” Saño said, the coalition of developing countries known as the Group of 77 and China (G77+China) walked out of the negotiations on loss and damage. The Philippine delegation joined the walkout by the 133 nations in the G77+China bloc. “The walkout came at a time when the world is seeing the devastating impacts of extreme weather events on peoples and communities, especially in developing countries,” the Climate Change Commission said in a statement on Wednesday. Yo l a n d a ( i n te r n a t i o n a l name: “Haiyan”) struck central Philippines on Nov. 8, just days before the start of the United Nations-sponsored climate negotiations in Poland. The supertyphoon, the strongest on record, flattened entire towns, killed more than 4,000 people, injured thousands and left hundreds of thousands homeless. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, speaking at the conference on Tuesday, called attention to the devastation caused by Yolanda, saying it sh ou ld sp u r environ m en t ministers to put new energy into efforts to curb global warming. The 19th Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP19) ends Saturday (Friday in Warsaw), but delegates have been complaining about scant progress, particularly on the vexed question of money, after more than a week of haggling. Who is to blame? The annual talks seek a way toward sealing a global accord at the end of 2015 for curbing greenhouse-gas emissions and channeling aid to poor, climatevulnerable countries like the Philippines. The question of who is to blame for global warming is central to developing countries who say they should receive financial support from rich nations to green their economies, adapt to shifts in the climate and cover costs of unavoidable damage caused by warming temperatures. Also, they say the fact that r i c h n a t i o n s , h i s t o r i c a l ly speaking, have released the biggest amounts of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, means they need to take the lead in reducing current emissions. In Warsaw, Brazil even proposed developing a formula to calculate historical blame, to guide talks on a new global climate deal in 2015. “They must know how much they are actually responsible … for the essential problem of climate change,” Brazilian negotiator Raphael Azeredo said. Dividing responsibility Developed nations blocked that proposal, saying you must also look at current and future emissions when dividing the responsibility. China, though still a developing economy, overtook the United States to become the world's biggest carbon polluter last decade, and developing countries as a whole now have higher emissions than the developed world. To focus only on past emissions “seems to us as very partial and not very accurate,” US climate envoy Todd Stern said earlier this week. The 2015 deal is supposed to establish what climate actions countries will take after 2020. The Warsaw conference is supposed to lay the foundation for that agreement but it was unclear on Wednesday whether countries would be able to agree on basic stepping stones including a timeline for when commitments should be presented. The government of Poland, u Page 14 u Page 12 Victim of unpaid wages and overtime? Abused or discriminated by your employer? Afraid because you have no immigration status? Call labor, employment and immigration Attorney ELLAINE A. CARR (917) 993-2690 We file your labor claims and handle your immigration case. Do not be afraid! Know your rights as a worker regardless of your immigration status. ELLAINE A. CARR, ESQ. 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 336 New York, NY 10038 Tel. No. 917-993-2690 Wwww.ellainecarrlaw.com Other offices: New Orleans, Biloxi, Manila Services Offered: Family Petition / Fiancé Waiver Cases Employment Visas Humanitarian Visas: T,U,VAWA,TPS, Asylum H1B, H2B, H2A, J B1/B2, G5 Student Visas I-140, All Categories Naturalization Visa Extension and Change of Status This is an attorney advertising. November 22-28, 2013 Page 4 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Marcos defends Tacloban mayor on 'Yolanda' response, asks why DSWD 'seized' goods By Dennis Jay Santos TV news anchor Korina Sanchez Korina Sanchez Suspended From ABS-CBN For One Week Television news anchor Korina Sanchez was reportedly suspended from ABS-CBN according to entertainment site Southomer. No official statement from the the reporter's network but the alleged suspension is related to her comment against CNN anchor Anderson Cooper report in Tacloban. Last week, the rift between the two journalists started when Sanchez told Cooper he doesn't know what's talking about when he said in his report, “there's no Anderson Cooper ... From page 1 your dead children? Can you imagine that strength? I can't. And I've seen that strength day in and day out here in the Philippines and we honor them in every broadcast that we do,” Cooper said in a CNN broadcast Friday morning. T h i s wa s i n re s p o n s e to President Benigno Aquino III's appeal to the foreign media to use their role “to uplift the spirits of the Filipino people to find stories of resilience, hope and faith and show the world how strong filipino people are.” O n T h u r s d a y, N o v. 1 4 , Presidential Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma Jr. read Aquino's message to the media in a Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas' (KBP) conference at the Clark Freeport Zone appealing for “greater accuracy in reports.” “We can all do more, and today, I would like to make an appeal for greater accuracy in reports. In the same way that you have used your media coverage to give this tragedy a very real and human face, and to move others to action, you can also use your role to uplift the spirits of the Filipino people to find stories of resilience, hope, and faith, and show the world just how strong the Filipino people are,” the President said. Aquino's appeal came after his administration was heavily criticized for failing to deliver relief assistance to hundreds of victims, five days after the monster typhoon roared across central Philippines. But Cooper, who has been covering the disaster in hard-hit Tacloban City, said that they “strive for accuracy.” “Accuracy is what we strive for. I certainly pray to God that it is a better situation there. Two days ago evidence of organized relief and rescue operation around Tacloban. I haven't seen much of relief effort, I haven't seen a large military presence.” Two days after, Cooper made a statement as a reaction to Sanchez comment and even challenged her to visit Tacloban. “Miss Sanchez is welcome to go there and urged to go there. I don't know if she has but her husband is in charge I'm sure he can arrange her flight,” he said. the President of the Philippines has counseled foreign journalists that they should be accurate in their report. We certainly appreciate that counsel,” the CNN reporter said. “I would actually say that in every report we've shown how strong Filipino people are, the people of Tacloban, Samar, Cebu and all these places where so many have died,” he added. Before Cooper's response to Aquino's call, the CNN reporter enjoined local broadcaster Korina Sanchez to visit Tacloban as he clarified that his report about the lack of relief in Tacloban days after the destructive typhoon merely showed the situation in the city and wasn't an attack against the government's capability to mount the operations. Cooper's report aired on Wednesday apparently irked Sanchez, wife of Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II who is at the forefront of relief operations for victims of the what probably is strongest typhoon ever recorded. In her early morning radio show, she was quoted as saying: “Itong si Anderson Cooper, sabi wala daw government presence sa Tacloban. Mukhang hindi niya alam ang sinasabi niya. (This Anderson Cooper, he said there was no government presence in Tacloban. It seems he doesn't know what he is saying.) In his Friday live broadcast aired at CNN, Cooper lauded the Filipinos for their strength amid the desolation. “Not just to survive this storm but they're strong to have survived the aftermath of the storm for a week now with very little food, with very little water, with very little medical attention,” he added. More than half of the death toll from the supertyphoon and the P4 billion damage to crops andinfrastructure came from the provinces of Leyte and Samar. Inquirer.net TACLOBAN CITY -- Mayor Alfred Romualdez would rather stay mum for apparently being on the receiving end of criticism for the government's lackluster approach to the “Yolanda” tragedy but his maternal cousin, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., stood up for the executive and had put the blame on the national government instead. “There are a lot of people (affected) for days who were not able to eat much less have water to drink and they are even checking people on the list,” Marcos told the Philippine Daily Inquirer as he tried to illustrate how the national government has been undertaking its relief efforts. Marcos said the problem has been made complicated by the confiscation being done by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). “Everyone is offering their boats and assets to ferry it for free, but the problem is the DSWD has confiscated the relief,” he said. He cited the case of goods the Marcos and Romualdez families had tried to deliver to Tacloban and outlying towns, which ended up confiscated by the DSWD for still unclear reasons. Marcos said he tried to Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO understand the act as part of government efforts to streamline the distribution of assistance but the people could not understand as they starved and felt thirsty. “That's ok, but the thing is they won't release them,” he said. Marcos said it appeared the national government did not trust local leaders too. “They should trust their officials because not only they are victims. Not only they are victims but they are also the first responder in their village,” Marcos said. Marcos said the devastation has been so great “that it's going to take years before the Leyte folks will be able to get back on their feet,” and the cooperation of everyone would be needed to rebuild the province. Romualdez earlier expressed his displeasure with the national government, but would rather not say it on record. But he said there were many “lessons learned” and that it has become important for the government and residents of Tacloban to take a long term approach to prevent another catastrophe from happening. “I think they have to study and review the procedure,” Romualdez said, referring to the u Page 5 November 22-28, 2013 Page 5 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Marcos defends ... From page 4 government measures adopted prior to and after the calamity. Starting with weather forecast capability, Romualdez said it was important to know the circumstances that could create a storm. “The weather was beautiful before that (Yolanda) came in. So you ask yourself what causes some typhoons to form because out of nowhere this came in,” he said. He said the typhoon, initially forecast to have wind speed of 218-280 kilometers per hour, actually went beyond 300 kph during the onslaught. He even likened the storm wind to that produced by a jet engine. “So I think this is something to be looked up and studied because this might affect our building code,” he said. He said for instance, that the school buildings code adopted nationwide prescribed that buildings withstand a 160-kph wind, but this would mean it could not withstand winds of more than 200 kph. “There must be a different building code in areas like this,” he said, adding that light materials “should even be outlawed.” “Look at Batanes, it is build to withstand and save lives,” said Romualdez. He, however, acknowledged no amount of preparedness could prevent the destruction brought by Yolanda (international name Haiyan). “It is like getting caught and you can't go anywhere.” Romualdez also said the city government had prepared Tacloban to its best, and days before Yolanda, residents were already told to evacuate. He said he and other officials should not be faulted. “We have a handbook in disaster preparedness,” he said. “It is important for our future generation to know how to respond to a crisis like this. And it should be a template that nobody can change. It should be followed to the letter,” he said. Inquirer.net Romualdez: Letter form of resignation By Jamie Elona MANILA -- Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said Tuesday that the letter Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II had asked him to write may be “one form of resignation” and was advised by his lawyer not to write it. In an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM Tuesday, Romualdez said that in the letter that would be addressed to President Benigno Aquino III, Roxas instructed him to write: “I am not able to discharge the functions of the city government or even as mayor”. Romualdez said that when he asked the opinion of his legal counsel, Alex Avisado, he was told to be careful as it might be a letter similar to what former president Joseph Ejercito Estrada wrote, which was interpreted by the Supreme Court “as one form of resignation.” “And so I was advised not to do that,” said Romualdez, who won a third term opposite Liberal Party candidate Bem Noel, the former An-Waray representative, in the May 2012 polls. Romualdez and Roxas were reported not to be on speaking terms because of disagreements over relief efforts and the interior department's initiative to take over the devastated city. Aquino Roxas and Romualdez met in Taclobanon Sunday night behind closed doors, quietly sealing a partnership between Task Force Yolanda and the leadership of the local Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez hands goods to his employee in front of the ruin Tacloban Airport after typhoon yolanda hit the city. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO government that could bolster relief efforts for typhoon survivors. Saying that his primary concern is the welfare of the people of Tacloban, Romualdez said he even asked Roxas if he was becoming a hindrance to relief efforts for victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda”. “I asked the Secretary. Am I a hindrance? Am I hindering the support or help of the national government? He said no,” Romualdez said. “So what's the use of that letter? My point is if the local government is not hindering the efforts of the national government, why is it so complicated? It's like so much red tape in times of crisis like this,” said Romualdez. Romualdez said he could have discussed the matter with Aquino when he flew to Tacloban Monday, but didn't as the issue concerned only himself and was not his priority. “Because my concern is really the people. And that's what I want them to attend to. The Tacloban City and the people,” Romualdez said. Inquirer.net November 22-28, 2013 Page 6 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS 16 foreign armed forces helping PH world's biggest and most capable militaries, has already sent aid to the typhoon survivors but is not yet on the MNCC list. A FIRST FOR SINO SHIP. Peace Ark, a Chinese Navy hospital ship, leaves a base in Zhoushan, east of Shanghai, for a relief mission to the typhoon-devastated Philippines. It is considered the first Chinese Navy ship to enter Philippine waters with Manila's “consent” since the maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea between the two countries ensued. AP/EUGENE HOSHIKO By Nikko Dizon Friends in good times and bad. This was how the Australian defense attaché summed up Thursday the Multinational Coordinating Council (MNCC) of the Philippine government and the armed forces of 16 countries working together for faster and more efficient distribution of relief to the survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in the Eastern Visayas. “Our shared histories with the Philippines go a long way back. Friendship is not just about the good times. Friendship is also about the bad times, too,” Lt. Col. Paul Barta told the Inquirer. The 16 countries on the council are the Philippines, Australia, United States, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Sweden, Vietnam, South Korea, New Zealand, Spain, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel. “Our friendship has been long term. Our commitment remains long term and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of the Philippines. After a formal request from the government of the Philippines, the United States arrived and ready to help along with other nations,” said Tina Malone, spokesperson for the US Embassy. “Our role was to amplify the government of the Philippines' response by providing extra help in a time of need in the spirit of damayan,” Malone added. China, which has one of the 'Starting point' The Philippines and China have been embroiled in a territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) for decades, with tensions rising in January after Manila took their dispute to the United Nations for arbitration. Asked at a news conference about China's absence from the council, Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino said the 16 countries were a “starting point.” “We expect that there are foreign militaries that want to take advantage of the MNCC. We will welcome all the support that we will be getting, specifically for the MNCC, all the military support,” Batino said. The council was organized on Nov. 16 “to coordinate and synchronize military-to-military operations between member countries along with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” Batino said. It is the first time for the AFP to work with foreign militaries on the same council to “accelerate humanitarian and disaster relief operations and to fully maximize” each country's efforts, he said. The Israeli government has called its help mission, “Operation: Islands of Hope.” The Israeli Defense Force has a composite team of medical personnel, engineers and searchand-rescue personnel, according to Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Menashe Bar-On. Israel has also dispatched an advanced mobile hospital with 100 tons of humanitarian and medical supplies, which will be based in Bago, Cebu province, to attend to the medical needs of typhoon survivors. The Australian government has also sent a hospital ship, which has already served hundreds of survivors, some of whom sustained severe injuries that needed surgeries, Barta said. Muscle AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said the foreign contingents had a total of 61 airplanes and 14 naval vessels, aside from hundreds of rescue and medical personnel responding “swiftly and regularly to areas of critical and immediate needs for resource and relief.” The United States has 13 naval vessels positioned southeast of Samar Island and east of Leyte Island to augment relief operations in Tacloban City, Guiuan, Palo, Borongan and Kalikawan, Bautista said. The HMAS Daring of the United Kingdom is anchored northeast of Panay Island servicing the relief operations in Capiz province. Seven C-130s from the United States, Australia and Japan and several foreign helicopters have been flying relief missions with others standing by “for immediate deployment if necessary,” Bautista added. US Lt. Gen. John Wissler, head of the US military contingent, said that after Yolanda struck Eastern Visayas, “the situation on the ground was chaotic but would be chaotic in any part of the world because of the tremendous devastation.” He said coordination with the Philippine government allowed the foreign countries wanting to help to hit the ground running when they arrived in the typhoon-hit areas. “It was not a happy scene by any stretch, but the force that came on the ground was ready to be employed quickly,” Wissler said. Red tape Asked how the MNCC handles the notoriously slow bureaucratic system in the Philippines, Batino said: “We have to process the military support. We have our rules to follow. We have to issue clearances and government agency permits.” “These are the things that we want to coordinate to accelerate the [delivery] of government support,” Batino said. Inquirer.net US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Scot Marciel AP PHOTO Filipinos to become 'stronger than before' - US exec By Matikas Santos MANILA -- A US government official said that Filipinos will rise from the devastation caused by Supertyphoon Yolanda and become “stronger than before.” “Given the strength of the Philippine people and the US commitment to the bilateral relationship, I believe that Filipinos will emerge from the current difficulties even stronger than before,” Scot Marciel, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said in his speech before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Marciel reported on Tuesday (US time) before the Senate Committee about the response of the US government to the disaster in the Visayas region. “The typhoon, one of the largest and strongest in history, struck the central Philippines from the east, and carved a swath of destruction across the middle of the country. Hardest hit were Leyte, site of General MacArthur's return to the Philippines in 1944, Samar, and a series of other islands,” he said. “The typhoon's incredible winds, plus a major storm surge, killed an estimated 4,000 people, u Page 7 November 22-28, 2013 Page 7 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS US Ospreys show worth in PH aid effort Associated Press CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines -The US Marines' newest and, in some quarters, most controversial transport airplane is showing the world what it's got - for the sake of the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: “Haiyan”) and perhaps its own future. The MV-22 Osprey, which can tilt its rotors to fly like either a helicopter or a fixed-wing aircraft, is delivering tons of aid every day to people affected by the Nov. 8 storm. The US military's humanitarian effort presents a golden opportunity: The Marines want to show how safe and versatile the Osprey is, countering critics and helping to persuade allies to buy their own. Anger over the decision to base the aircraft on the Japanese island of Okinawa, the only place in Asia where they are permanently deployed, has made the aircraft the poster boy of antimilitary sentiment there. Opponents cite noise problems and high-profile crashes in the early days of the Osprey, though its safety record since then has been better than any other helicopter-type aircraft. With its unique design, the Osprey can fly faster and farther, and carry heavier loads than the helicopters it replaced. “Anything that's different Filipinos to become ... From page 6 left hundreds of thousands of others homeless, and devastated cities, towns, villages, and the region's infrastructure,” Marciel added. He described the US government's response after the typhoon as “rapid, wellcoordinated, and substantial.” Marciel further noted that the total worth of American assistance was around $37 million. “The State Department also set up a Crisis Response Task Force to help monitor generates criticism. And the Osprey is different,” says Capt. Travis Keeney, who has been flying the aircraft for six years. “There's nothing like it in military history.” He's taken the Osprey to Iraq, Libya and Africa, but this is the biggest humanitarian mission he's ever been involved in. He wants his aircraft to shine and his squadron has a lot to prove. Keeney's first orders on Tuesday appear to have little to do with humanitarian aid. His crew is told to sit tight and prepare to transport an Israeli general. Battle-tested The Osprey has proven itself in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that has gotten the attention of militaries around the worldincluding Israel's. “Everybody wants to see it,” Keeney says. But that plan is scrapped, and by 10:30 a.m., Keeney's Osprey and five others delivering aid are on their way to a busy drop zone in Borongan on the island of Samar. They will make as many runs as they can to pick up and offload supplies. Keeney's day usually goes about 12 hours - with nine or 10 in the pilot's seat and six of actual flying. Shifts earlier in the crisis were longer but even now he doesn't have time for breaks. He takes whatever food he needs with and report on developments, help identify any obstacles to effective relief supply, help facilitate coordination with other agencies, and deal with large numbers of phone calls from concerned Americans,” he said. U S P re s i d e n t B a ra c k Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry monitored the situation in the Philippines closely and had also called up their counterparts in government to offer assistance, Marciel said. Five Americans were a m o n g t h o s e k i l l e d by Yolanda while 475 US citizens who were in the disaster area have been located, he said. Inquirer.net In this Nov. 14, 2013, file photo, a US Marine MV-22 Osprey aircraft flies over damaged houses as it prepares to land to deliver relief goods for typhoon survivors in Guiuan, Philippines. The US Marines' newest and in some quarters most controversial transport airplane is showing the world what it's gotfor the sake of the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan), and perhaps its own future. AP PHOTO/DITA ALANGKARA him on the Osprey. If he needs to relieve himself, he has an empty bottle. As the plane, now bursting with boxes of supplies from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), gets close to the disaster zone, the crew chief lowers the back ramp, turning the rear of the Osprey into a huge window onto the bright blue Gulf of Leyte and the devastated Samar coastline below. The crew assesses the damage along the way to see what other places they should try to reach. Borongan, the first stop, was not so badly impacted and the drop is organized and efficient. Local men run to the Osprey, grab the boxes and race back to the loading area. In 15 minutes, the Osprey is airborne again. Plane, helicopter Lifting off in an Osprey feels much like it does in any helicopter but when it switches to airplane mode, it's much faster, zooming forward like a jet. Guiuan, the next stop, has suffered far more damage and is u Page 12 November 22-28, 2013 Page 8 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS FACT SHEET: U.S. Response to Typhoon Haiyan THE WHITE HOUSE, Office of the Press S ecretary, November 19, 2013 -- Since Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on November 8, U.S. disaster relief experts and m i l i t a r y p e r s o n n e l h ave worked around the clock to deliver food, water, medicine, and shelter to help those hit hardest by the storm. In support of the Philippines' relief effort, the United States is providing more than $37 million in humanitarian aid to those in need. U.S. Assistance at a Glance U.S. humanitarian assistance in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan includes: USAID / Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) $20,000,000; USAID / Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) $10,000,000; Department of Defense $7,230,302 In the days following the storm, U.S. assistance has included: Emergency shelter materials for 20,000 families (100,000 people); Hygiene kits for 20,000 families (100,000 people); 55 metric tons of food assistance benefitting 19,800 families (99,000 people) Water containers for 14,400 families (72,000 people) Restored functionality of the Tacloban municipal water system, benefiting 200,000 people. There are currently 15 USAID disaster response specialists and approximately 9,500 U.S. military personnel responding to the crisis. U.S. military aircraft have logged some 945 flight hours, delivered more than 750,000 pounds of relief supplies and equipment, moved more than 1,200 relief workers into Tacloban, and airlifted nearly 5,640 survivors from storm affected areas. A significant amount of U.S. assistance has also supported logistical operations, including helping get airports up and running, providing communications support , expanding transportation capacity, and establishing aid distribution centers. A Coordinated Response Even before the storm reached land, the United States began coordinating potential support to the Philippines' response effort. Departments and agencies in Washington and our Embassy in Manila were in close communication in the days before the storm. Our Embassy put out a warning message for American citizens and USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to the area. The DART was the first government assessment team to arrive in Leyte province, and continues to play a critical role in leading the U.S. response effort, assessing storm damage, advising on critical humanitarian needs, coordinating relief efforts in support of the Philippine government, and working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies. Five USAID airlifts have delivered needed emergency supplies like plastic sheeting, hygiene kits, water containers, and nutritiondense food items. Of the more than $37 million in U.S. assistance, we provided $10 million to the World Food Programme to enable, in part, the purchase of 2,500 metric tons of rice being distributed by the Philippines' Department of Social Welfare and Development. U.S. Marines on the ground in the Philippines were among the first to respond, using C130s and MV-22 Ospreys to a i rl i f t re l i e f s u p p l i e s to Tacloban and other hard hit areas. The USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Philippines on November 14, and has helped expand search and rescue operations, provide medical care, and deliver supplies using its 21 helicopters. In addition, U.S. Pacific Command has established a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Reliefcertified Joint Task Force at Camp Aguinaldo. A joint contingent of more than 850 military personnel is c u r re n t ly a s h o re i n t h e Philippines. Two U.S. amphibious ships the USS Ashland and USS Germantown - are currently en route to the Philippines after loading elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit at Okinawa, Japan and will bring with them heavy engineering equipment like backhoes, dump trucks and wreckers needed to support the Supreme Court slays PDAF From page 2 Plunder complaints The National Bureau of Investigation has filed a complaint for plunder in the Office of the Ombudsman against businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. in connection with the P10billion pork barrel scam. They all have denied any wrongdoing. Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria MacapagalArroyo and three of her Cabinet secretaries were also named recently in another plunder complaint in connection with the alleged wholesale theft of P900 million from the Malampaya Fund meant for victims of Tropical response. Our Philippine ally is responding to one of the largest disasters its country has ever faced, and we have been coordinating closely with them at every step. Thus far, our cooperation has been excellent. Our military personnel are in c l o s e t o u c h , a s a re o u r development and disaster relief experts. The Philippine government has moved quickly to facilitate humanitarian assistance provided by the United States and international community, a n d h a s p rov i d e d q u i c k clearance for U.S. aircraft, ships, and personnel, enabling us to ra p i d ly b e g i n to d e l ive r assistance to affected areas. How Americans Can Help As President Obama said last week, when friends are in trouble, America helps. The United States will continue to offer whatever assistance we can to the people of the Philippines, but this is more than just a government effort. Learn more about how you can h e l p a t h t t p : / / www.whitehouse.gov/typhoon . Storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” in 2009. “We thought we won,” said Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza. The government respects the court ruling, he told reporters before attending oral arguments on petitions questioning in the S u p r e m e C o u r t t h e constitutionality of the Disbursement Acceleration Programan impounding m e c h a n i s m fo r g ove r n m e n t savings. Jardeleza had pleaded for the retention of the congressional pork, saying that half a million students and a similar number of indigent patients were depending on the lawmakers for their continued enrollment and healthcare. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said he wanted to see the full decision to determine if there was still a way to make use of the pork barrel funds. Inquirer.net November 22-28, 2013 Page 9 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Typhoon Relief Fundraiser Raised $25K In Jersey City In this Feb. 13, 2013 file photo, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, immigration rights activist and self-declared undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas becomes emotional as he testifies about comprehensive immigration reform during a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Vargas, a former Washington Post journalist who later revealed he has been living in the country illegally since childhood has made a documentary about his experience and announced Tuesday that he is selling broadcast rights for the project to CNN Films. AP CNN acquires Vargas' immigration film 'Documented’ WASHINGTON -- A former Washington Post journalist who later revealed he was living in the country illegally has made a documentary about his experience and is selling US broadcast rights for the project to CNN Films. Jose Antonio Vargas tells The Associated Press the CNN unit is acquiring his film, “Documented,” to be broadcast nationally in 2014. Vargas wrote and directed the film chronicling his journey from the Philippines. In 2011, Vargas revealed he has been living in the country illegally since he was brought to the US as a child to live with his grandparents. Vargas grew up in California where teachers helped him gain college admission and employment. Sean Parker, the founder of Napster and first president of Facebook, is the film project's lead funder and executive producer. Inquirer.net New York City to ban tobacco sales to anyone under age 21 Associated Press NEW YORK -- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg plans to sign landmark legislation banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone under age 21, making the Big Apple the first large city or state in the U.S. to prohibit sales to young adults. City health officials hope that raising the legal purchase age from 18 to 21 will lead to a big decline in smoking rates in a critical age group. A majority of smokers get addicted to cigarettes before age 21, and then have trouble quitting, even if they want to do so. The ban has limitations, in terms of its ability to stop young people from picking up the deadly habit. Teenagers can still possess tobacco legally. Kids will still be able to steal cigarettes from their parents, bum them from friends or buy them from the black-market dealers who are common in many neighborhoods. But City Health Commissioner JERSEY CITY -- Within a week of the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, when the Filipino American community was still coming to grips with the aftermath and the urgent need for immediate relief aid, Jersey City Council President Ro l a n d o L ava r ro q u i c k ly assembled a fundraiser to begin driving cash donations to contribute to the massive relief and recovery effort. On Thursday, November 14, a fundraiser co-hosted by Lavarro and Mayor Steve Fulop was held at Porto Lounge, simply asking people to come and donate. Fueled by media, social media, and word of mouth, nearly 300 guests packed the venue and raised $23,000 in one night, including attendance by various local, state, and federal elected officials. Donations are still coming and expected to total well over $25,000 from this one event. “It was very moving and inspiring to see so many come together and respond so g e n e r o u s l y a n d compassionately to a humanitarian crisis taking place half way around the world,” said Lavarro. “Like Sandy a year ago, Jersey City's diverse community and our neighbors showed extraordinary kindness, sympathy, and heart.” T h e e ve n t b e c a m e a n opportunity to display a global bayanihan spirit, as images from the devastation flashed across TV screens, and flyers for other relief efforts were passed around. Families, friends, and strangers came together to share their collective sorrow and support for a distressed nation. With media on hand, the event provided a spotlight for the growing community-driven efforts and the groundswell of local typhoon relief activities. “We all can do a little something and there are many Mayor Fulop, left, and Council President Lavarro efforts taking place that we can support to help our kababayan who are crying for help,” said Lavarro. “Whether it's Mane Source Barbershop who donated proceeds from haircuts, PACCAL organizing relief goods drop-off, ANCOP and their online donor appeal, or Kirby Asunto headlining a benefit concert -- people are finding ways to rally the community and give to an entire nation in one of its most dire moments.” From a USAID report, as of November 15, Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan had affected an estimated 9 million people and displaced nearly 2 million individuals across 44 provinces, according to the NDRRMC. The confirmed death toll stands at 3,631, although the figure will likely continue to fluctuate [email protected] pending further verification by the Philippine Government. USAID recommends a list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for disaster responses around the world that can be found at www.interaction.org. Various community-driven relief efforts around the country can be found on Facebook, such as COMMUNITY CALENDAR: NYC Fundraising Events for Typhoon H a i y a n R e l i e f (https://www.facebook.com/e vents/1408381786063714/). If you have typhoon-relief information that you would like to share, Councilman Lavarro can be reached at r l ava r r o @ j c n j . o r g , o r o n Facebook (Rolando Lavarro Jr.), and Twitter (@rlavarro). Editorial & opinion November 22-28, 2013 Page 10 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Rewriting 'history’ For the first time in living memory, a bill seeking the abolition of political dynasties has cleared the first legislative hurdle: committee approval. The next hurdle is considerable: a debate on the floor, to be conducted mostly by disapproving political dynasts. Good luck with that. The sponsors of the consolidated bill immediately, and justifiably, pointed to “history” being made, and in truth the unanimous vote in the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms is a real milestone. While antidynasty bills have been filed in both the Senate and the House since Congress was restored in 1987, not one had managed to escape the committee level. Wednesday's committee vote was truly the first of its kind. But unless we come to terms with the obstacles and constraints that work against passage of an antidynasty law, Wednesday's outcome may also end up as the last of its kind. Here is a suggestion. To open our eyes and appreciate the odds against actual passage, let us rewrite the news stories about the committee vote to reflect actual political reality. Let's start with the Inquirer's own report. One passage reads: “Committee chair Rep. Fredenil Castro said a battle had been won Wednesday but 'it's still a long way before they win the war.'” That use of “they” is telling, but consider the following more realistic version: “Committee chair Rep. Fredenil Castro, the Capiz congressman who, after serving his first three terms in Congress generously permitted his wife Jane Tan Castro to run and serve for one term, to allow him to run for Congress again, said a battle had been won Wednesday, but 'it's a still a long way before they win the war.'” Another newspaper reported: “'The important thing is a lot of reforms have to be set in place and it shouldn't just be in the budget. It should also include political dynasties. Let's take a look again. We have been remiss in our obligation to implement this,' Minority Leader and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora said.” The new version will use the same extended quote, but end thus: “We have been remiss in our obligation to implement this,” said Minority Leader and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, whose son Francis is currently vice mayor of the same city he represents in Congress. A report online read: “The real challenge lies during the second phase when the bill is tackled on the floor, said Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares, one of the coauthors of the measures.” A more realistic version would read: “The real challenge lies during the second phase when the bill is tackled on the floor, said Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares. Whether it will reach the floor, however, is a decision that will be made principally by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, whose daughter Joy is currently vice mayor of Quezon City, where the Batasan is located, and by Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, who became the first congressman to represent the new district of Mandaluyong in 1995, when his father Neptali Gonzales was in the Senate. “Colmenares also did not explain how his party-list group's choice for president in 2010 would factor into the race for congressional support. That year, Bayan Muna and other members of the Makabayan bloc supported Sen. Manny Villar, whose extended family would fit most Filipinos' definition of a political dynasty.” One more example: A news story quoted ACT Rep. Immigration Relief for Filipinos Affected By Typhoon Typhoon Haiyan has claimed over 4,000 lives in the Philippines, according to the latest tally of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Over 4 million have been displaced and the livelihood of about 5 million workers has been severely affected. The relief response of the international community has been overwhelming. Many countries all over the world have provided aid to those affected, including the U.S. government which is providing more than $37 million in humanitarian aid. In response to the devastation caused by the super typhoon, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) released last November 15 an announcement reminding Filipino nationals of certain immigration relief measures available to them. The USCIS recognizes that natural catastrophes and extreme situations can happen. These disasters are beyond anyone's control and can impact the individual's ability to establish or maintain lawful immigration status in the United States. Eligible Filipino nationals who are currently in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant status can request to change or extend their nonimmigrant status. The request can be filed even if their authorized period of admission already expired. Request for extension of stay is made on Form I-539. The applicants will need to explain how Typhoon Haiyan has disrupted their ability to travel home, how much longer they anticipate to stay in the U.S. and how they will support themselves while in the U. S . T h ey m ay re q u e s t fo r expedited processing of their application. They may also apply for a filing fee waiver if they are unable to pay. For those paroled into the U.S., they can file application for an extension of parole and expedited processing. Extension of certain grants of advance parole may also be requested. Application for advance parole is made on Form I131. F-1 students who are experiencing severe economic hardship may request off-campus employment authorization. The request is made on Form I-765 and the students must show how the typhoon has affected their ability to pay their tuition and other expenses. Expedited adjudication and approval of application for wo rk a u t h o r i z a t i o n i s a l s o available to them. E x p e d i te d p ro c e s s i n g o f immigrant petitions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may be requested. u Page 12 A Devil or Deep Blue Sea Quandary u Page 12 Founded in 1986 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Lito A. Gajilan, Jr. Columnists: Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq., Juan L. Mercado, Jonathan Suarez, Joel Baclit Correspondent: Contessa Bourbon The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not reflect the opinion of the paper nor that of the publisher Contact us: Email: [email protected] Phone: 201-434-1114 Fax 201-434-0880 “When TV crews race cargo ships with airplanes and helicopters, the cameras always win,” John Crowley of Harvard's Humanitarian Initiative wrote after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (internationa name: Haiyan) battered the Visayas. Planes can fly 24 to 48 hours after a storm clears. And disembarking journalists will pan on the contorted faces of traumatized victims. Reports zero in on the gap between supply and demand. These are facts. But context can slip between the cracks. Yolanda's winds gusted at 275 kilometers per hour, smashing through the Storm Category 5 ceiling. Storm surges left corpses and traumatized survivors and shattered prepositioned relief stocks. The massive aid needed could come only by ship. That takes days. The repair of damaged ports and roads stretches into weeks. “But when media focuses on looting and slow aid they miss the point,” Crowley added. “Information is aid…. Scaremongering undermines relief effort.” “[T]he Philippines is captive to i t s g e o g ra p hy,” c o m m e n te d Jennifer Keister in an article ran by The Washington Post. The country sprawls over 7,132 islandsat low tide. Like many developing countries, it is “captive to political dysfunction.” Poverty, corruption, poll irregularities and pervasive political patronage gut what is, on the surface, a democratic government. We saw that in Bohol. The province was ruptured by a 7.2magnitude earthquake last Oct. 15. And in 1991, Typhoon “Uring” tore at Ormoc. Over 8,000 died, as today's memorial recalls. In 2011, “Sendong” (international name: Washi) ripped through Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, inflicting 1,453 deaths. A year later, “Pablo” (international name: Bopha) flattened much of Davao Oriental and Compostela. The “blame game,” meanwhile, intensifies, Sun u Page 12 November 22-28, 2013 Page 11 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Opinion Indomitable spirit of the Filipino By Perry Diaz You often hear the saying, “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” but seldom do you find a friend when you needed him most. This was put to a test when Super Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as “Yolanda”) struck Central Visayas creating a 25-foot tidal wave. In o n e c l e a n s w o o p , Yo l a n d a obliterated the coastal areas where it made landfall on Friday, November 8. More than 11 million people were displaced or rendered homeless. Tacloban City, the capital of the province of Leyte was hit the hardest. Indeed, Yolanda had come to be known as the strongest typhoon in recorded history. It was 3.5 times worse than Hurricane Katrina, which had devastated JGL Eye By Joseph G. Lariosa (© 2013 Fil Am Extra Exchange) CHICAGO (FAXX/jGLi) -- Even if God streaked a rainbow as a sign that never again will He bring a deluge upon his creation, man should treat every impending storm as if it is capable of wiping a piece of land from the face of the earth. When presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma, Jr. admitted that the Philippine government was not prepared to handle the disaster that super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) brought upon Central Visayas, it should be ready with solutions to avert a similar Biblical catastrophe. New Orleans in August 2005 and claimed the lives of more than 1,800 Americans. By comparison, Philippine government figures show that Yolanda left in her wake 3,633 killed, 12,847 injured, and 1,179 missing… and counting. Before Yolanda came, the nearby island of Bohol was hit by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake last October 15. The killer quake destroyed many Spanish-era churches and caused massive landslides on the famed Chocolate Hills. The casualty included 222 killed, 976 injured, and eight missing. The quake damaged 73,000 structures, of which more t h a n 1 4 , 0 0 0 we re to t a l ly destroyed. It was the deadliest earthquake in the Philippines since 1990. According to government records, the energy the earthquake released was equivalent to 32 Hiroshima bombs. And while more than 40,000 Boholanos were trying to put their lives back to normal, Yolanda struck. Help from the US Fortunately, it didn't take too l o n g fo r t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community to respond to the crisis. US President Barack Obama immediately ordered a carrier strike force (CSF) that was visiting Hong Kong to immediately deploy to the disaster area. The CSF is led by the nuclear-powered USS George Washington aircraft carrier and accompanied by the cruisers U.S.S. Antietam and U.S.S. Cowpens, the destroyers U.S.S. Lassen, U.S.S. McCampbell and U.S.S. Mustin, and the supply ship U.S.N.S. Charles Drew. The USS George Washington carries 5,000 crew and more than 80 aircraft, including 21 helicopters. She has the ability to produce 400,000 gallons of fresh water daily. It is interesting to note that the USS George Washington is moored near the shores where General Douglas MacArthur landed with a force of 174,000 military personnel on October 20, 1944; thus, fulfilling his promise, “I shall return,” that he made to the Filipino people. Philippine Star columnist, Babe Romualdez, who hails from Leyte and a cousin of Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez, has this to say in his column: “The arrival of USS George Washington in Leyte u Page 14 Typhoon-prone PH islands need Noah's arks “14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” -- Genesis 5:32-10:1 T h e g o ve r n m e n t s h o u l d welcome all suggestions, even outrageous ones, from all corners to solve this problem. It should think outside the box. For instance, since weather forecasts are now relatively accurate in predicting the strength of a typhoon three days or so before landfall, it should come up with a plan of forcibly evacuating people by placing the ground zero of the storm under martial law, if need be. Everybody should be out of the path of the typhoon! No exception! If the epicenter of the eye of the storm will be landing on a landlocked province, there are at least three ways for people to evacuate by land (thru cars and other vehicles), by air or by sea. People, who hesitate to leave because their neighbors might ransack their property they are leaving behind, should not worry of losing their property if they want to save their skin. Who cares if the hardheaded neighbors will steal their property? After all these neighbors would not stand a chance to survive Yolanda. These thieves or robbers would find no use of their loot either because they would all die anyway, like those who doubted Noah's warnings. The Filipinos' fatalistic expression: “Aanhin pa ang sakati kung patay na ang kabayo,” (What good is the grass if the horse is dead?), would certainly find application to their greed! ISLANDERS' ESCAPE PODS ARE LIMITED But what happens if the center of the storm will hit an island, like Tacloban City? Residents would have a very limited choice to flee by air because of the financial consideration involved the costly airfare nor by land because they will be stuck in Allen, Samar, the gateway of Visayas to Luzon thru my maternal mother's native town of Matnog, which has a very limited ferry transportation capability. So, Tacloban's residents only way out is the sea. This is where the government can commander all nearby ships to make port calls in Tacloban three or four days before a typhoon signal is detected and oblige all residents to board the ships so the ships can sail as far away from the storm as possible. If the typhoon is over and the treat of a typhoon is gone, then, the ships can return all the residents back to Tacloban. If the government will have enough savings, it can ask Congress to appropriate money or appeal for public donation to build very huge passenger ships, like U.S. naval ships, which can carry thousands of passengers. Their main reason for being is to load residents of islands in the path of typhoons three or four days prior to typhoon's landfall. They can take the residents to distant safety harbors and return them after the typhoon treats are over. The government will not have any problem with employing seamen to man these huge ships. As u Page 14 Ineptocracy As Dave Barry said, I am not making this up: The ambassador of Thailand, Prasas Prasasvinitchai, was warned that he would be recalled to his home country if he did not course a shipment of relief goods donated to the Philippines through the, uh, proper channels. Prasasvinitchai earlier informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that the shipment of relief goods from the Thai royal family was to arrive today at Cebu's Mactan airport, on board a Royal Thai Air Force C-130 plane. The envoy requested merely that DFA arrange for a ranking Philippine official to receive the donation. Because President Noynoy Aquino was out camping in Ta c l o b a n , t h e a m b a s s a d o r suggested that the second-highest ranked official, Vice President Jejomar Binay, meet the Thai plane in Cebu. DFA said it would look into the request. When they got back to him, DFA officials said the “higher ups” had decided that an assistant secretary and an official of the NDRRMC would meet the planeload of donations. Furthermore, they said, if the ambassador insisted on having Binay accept the donations, he would be expelled from Manila. Wonderful, right? At least, as someone else said, the ambassador is still alive. *** When CNN's Christiane A m a n p o u r a s ke d P re s i d e n t Noynoy Aquino if he thought that the failure of his government to respond properly to disasters would define his presidency, she was asking a fair question. With so little time left for Aquino to leave behind a real legacy, he may end up being remembered for being long on talk but unbelievably short on accomplishment or even empathy. In the final days of the Marcos dictatorship, government was derisively described as a kleptocracy, existing primarily to loot the treasury. I think the current administration, which is now known worldwide for its inability to respond to crisis situations, can aptly be called an ineptocracy. Since the fiasco that has become known as the Rizal Park hostage massacre of 2010, Aquino has limped from crisis to crisis, getting more beat up as he continues on a path that he calls straight. Along the way, his vaunted popularity has continued to erode, faster than the thinning hair on his head. It would certainly be interesting to find out how much Aquino's popularity among the socalled A and B classes, who are exposed to the unflattering reportage of the foreign media and the growing disenchantment in the social media (think Peque Gallaga), has slipped since the debacle in Tacloban. And how his numbers would go down in the Visayas, where the recent earthquake and Yolanda wreaked havoc and virtually created a new underclass of calamity-stricken rural poor along the way. The irony, of course, is that Aquino continues to believe that majority of the population remain firmly behind him, despite his administration's obvious lack of preparation and proper response in crisis situations. The further irony is that this President is so obsessed with his ratings, which, even if no calamity or disaster had actually taken place, would by necessity plummet due to the political equivalent of gravity. Of course, it doesn't help Aquino that, despite his declarations of preparedness and worthiness for office, nature seems to conspire to make him look like the head of the student government that he really is. Perhaps there is really some truth to the so-called “Aquino curse” of calamity, first noted during the presidency of his mother, after all. Cory's stormy term was also buffeted by calamities, natural in the case of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and manmade in the form of the never-ending coup attempts and day-long blackouts. But she was, ultimately, a transition President, who had the tough and painful task of leading this country back to democracy. Cory's son has no such excuse. He is merely inept for no good reason and that will probably be u Page 12 November 22-28, 2013 Page 12 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS US Ospreys show ... From page 7 much more hectic. It is so congested with aircraft that Keeney decides to bag it and fly to the USS George Washington, a short hop offshore. Within a half hour, the Osprey is refueled and back in Guiuan, with supplies to drop off from the carrier. From there, the Osprey flies to Tacloban City, which was almost completely flattened by the storm and has become a hub for aid efforts. The area around the runway has become a tent city populated by nongovernment organizations, military planners, emergency workers and local people desperate for supplies or a flight out . Helicopters buzz the skies like mosquitoes. Most of the military aircraft here are PH typhoon ... From page 3 The latest round of UN talks to set new climate goals comes amid warnings a 2009 aim to limit warming to an increase of 2 degrees Celsius in the average global temperature is growing ever more elusive. In September, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted global surface temperatures could climb on average by as much as 4.8 degrees Celsius this centurya recipe for catastrophic heat waves, floods, droughts Ineptocracy From page 11 what he will be remembered for, regardless of whatever else he does in the remainder of his term. *** It appears that the Malacanang-friendly network ABS-CBN has suspended anchor Korina Sanchez for a week for castigating CNN senior c o r re s p o n d e n t A n d e r s o n Cooper for “not knowing what he was saying” when he reported about the lack of g ove r n m e n t re s p o n s e i n American but an Austrian C130 taxis by as Keeney's Osprey begins to load up. Keeney takes off as soon as the plane gets more fuel and more supplies, including 10 bags of rice. En route to Guiuan, over the Eastern Samar town of Salcedo, Keeney sees a distress signal spelled out on the ground. He decides to make a quick drop. As soon as the ramp goes down in LZ Salcedo, dozens of men, women and children rush to the plane, ignoring instructions from the crew. They climb onboard and fight each other to get the bags of rice. This is what crew chief Michael Anthony Marin was told wouldn't happen that the chaotic early days of the aid effort were over. This is his first flight since getting to the Philippines and his first realworld operation as a Marine. “I was scared as hell,” the 27-year-old says later. “You could see the desperation in their eyes. I was worried about the safety of my crew members.” Crew's safety Fearing the situation could get out of control, the crew cranks up the Osprey's propellers, creating a deafening roar and a strong rotor wash on the ground. With no more rice to grab and the wind on the ground making it hard even to stand upright, the crowd disperses and the Osprey flies off. The next stop is only about a m i l e a w a y. T h i s t i m e , townspeople run to the plane, form a chain gang and quickly offload the USAID boxes - no panic, no fighting. “I guess a situation like this just brings out the best and the worst in people,” Marin says. “You want to keep them going but there is only so much you can do.” Inquirer.net and sea level rise. “We need action before it is too late,” said the UN chief, adding that a rise in temperatures would “affect us all. The threat is very real, and we all have to take responsibility to stop it.” Ban said the UN had put in place a scientific advisory board of at least 30 scientists who will begin work in February to help the UN make decisions on protecting global resources and addressing the climate change threat. On the first day of the climate change conference in Warsaw, the Philippine envoy broke down in tears and announced he would fast until a “meaningful outcome is in sight.” His emotional appeal was met with a standing ovation at the start of the two-week talks where more than 190 countries will try to lay the groundwork for a new pact to fight global warming. “We can fix this. We can stop this madness. Right now, right here,” Saño said, adding that he would fast until the end of the conference to stress the urgency of the matter. Inquirer.net Tacloban. But the network is just as guilty in the debacle as Sanchez, whom they kept on despite the fact that she is in an obvious conflict of interest situation, as the wife of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas. Of course, Sanchez can be expected to come to government's defense, especially since her husband is supposedly at the front lines of the relief and rehabilitation effort. Now that she did what was expected, why can't her bosses who must have known this was going to happen blame themselves as well and remedy the situation? And how true is it that Malacanang Palace called up CNN officials in Atlanta to complain about Cooper's reporting, which led to the recent pullout of the renowned c r i s i s re p o r te r f ro m t h e Philippines? Cooper has never been known to leave a crisis situation before, and yet was unceremoniously removed from reporting on Tacloban and other areas devastated by the typhoon. A week's suspension for Sanchez in exchange for the pullout of Cooper. Sounds like a deal to me. A devil or deep ... From page 10 Star's opinion editor Bong Wenceslao noted. Critics of President Aquino scour reports on government's response to Yolanda and storm surgehit Tacloban City, he said. They feast “on every sign of incompetence they've long accused him of possessing…. “All rules of decency are jettisoned, and profanities are thrown at will ('hole,' 'gago'). “Admittedly, government response has been inadequate. So there are enough materials for critics… But to be P-Noy-centric is to distort reality and hide the complexity of the events….” “As so often happens, the best human stories are those that didn't make the 6 o'clock news,” UP mass communication graduate Angioline Loredo e-mailed. Some in media “make it appear the whole country is exploding,” she wrote. “One has to remind one's self of the silent triumph of the human spirit amidst unspeakable horror…. This is the worst and best time to practice journalism.” There are more Yolandas ahead. “We are now entering a period of consequences… in the global climate crisis,” noted Nobel Laureate Al Gore. “But the impact of climate change isn't spread equally… the burden heaviest for countries close to the equator,” the World Bank said. This is compounded by the lack of “economic, institutional, scientific and technical capacity to cope and adapt.” The “calamity fund” has been doubled since 2009. But the till is near empty, sapped by a series of disasters. What isn't funded by international aid has to be bankrolled by siphoning off resources from other programs: How many typhoon victims could have been helped from the squandered pork barrel a la Janet Napoles? Ask Bong, Juan Ponce, Jinggoy and company. The United Nation says the risk reduction laws here are “among the best in the worldat least on paper,” Washington Post noted. They stipulate that seven out of every P10 in disaster spending go to long-term measures. The task for lowering disaster risk falls on local governments. “Some operate like little fiefdoms.” Think Ampatuans Immigration ... From page 10 The USCIS will also assist lawful permanent residents who lost their green cards and other USCIS-issued d o c u m e n t s w h o a re s t ra n d e d overseas. For lawful permanent residents who are stranded in a place where there is no local USCIS, the USCIS and the Department of State will coordinate to provide assistance. Those who lost their green cards may request to replace their cards on Form I-90. A request for interim or Chavit Singson. The embedded system of patronage and strongman politics hobbled response, wrote Keister who did three years of research here. “Haiyan highlights the degree to which these pathologies generate underpreparedness and confound relief efforts…. The system is prone to underprovision of public goods and services broadly, but particularly ill-suited to disaster preparedness.” That's academic jargon for g-r-a-f-t. Ilocos Norte Gov.Marcos stashed a secret account in the Virgin Islands, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists reported. So did Sen. Joseph Victor Estrada. They glossed this fact over in their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth. So, did they dip into those accounts to help typhoon victims? Next question please. Sleaze erodes “public trust to levels that residents may not obey exhortations to evacuate,” Keister added. (Others) may not believe government will protect their property from looters or squatters if they did. Trust in government is the linchpin. Strongman politics distorts the distribution of disaster aid. “Disaster response (here) is often plagued by allegations that local authorities hoard aid supplies and distribute (these) only to political supporters or family members,” Keister noted. Like vultures that scent carrion, profiteering businessmen swoop on aid distribution. “[C]onspiracy theories are an understandable refuge for f r u s t ra t e d p o p u l a t i o n s w h o s e predicament may be the result of many factors, but the persistence of such accusations… suggests they may contain an element of truth,” Keister opined. Aid agencies are required to work through local politicians and many may serve their constituents with integrity. Keister added. In many instances, aid providers find themselves confronting a devil-or-deep-blue-sea quandary i.e., having to choose “between supporting political pathologies they find unappealing and trying to help victims directly,” or be zapped. E-mail: [email protected] evidence of permanent resident stamp (I-551 stamp) from a USCIS Field Office may also be made. Request for replacement of I-94 card is made on Form I-102. Those who have received interview notices or request to submit evidence (RFE) in support of their application may show how the typhoon has affected their ability to appear or submit the documents required. (Editor's Note: REUBEN S. SEGURITAN has been practicing law for over 30 years. For more information, you may log on to his website at www.seguritan.com or call (212) 695-5281.) Rewriting ‘history’ ... From page 10 Antonio Tinio, a coauthor of the consolidated bill: “When we first advocated for the abolition of PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund), eh pinagtatawanan kami rito (they laughed at us). No one took us seriously, suntok [daw] sa buwan (they said it was like going for the moon). Now, because of the power of public mobilization, we've seen what that has achieved so far,” he said. True, to a certain extent, but a news story more reflective of political reality would say more: “When we first advocated for the abolition of PDAF, they laughed at us,” Tinio said. He meant their quest was a long shot, but the laughter was also partly because the Makabayan bloc he belongs to has credibility issues on the PDAF. When bloc members had the chance, they made full use of the congressional pork barrel. “No one took us seriously, they said it was like going for the moon.” Inquirer.net November 22-28, 2013 Page 13 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Philippines Typhoon Response Highlights Weak Infrastructure By Kelvin Chan and Teresa Cerojano MANILA (AP) -- Under a reforming president, the Philippines emerged as a rising economic star in Asia but the trail of death and destruction left by Typhoon Haiyan has highlighted a key weakness: fragile and patchy infrastructure after decades of neglect and corruption. Authorities fear that the storm that tore through Leyte province in the country's east has killed thousands. More than 600,000 people have been displaced. Low rates of insurance in the Philippines mean the disaster is likely to sap government finances but analysts say it might not slow growth significantly because of the small role the affected region plays in the wider economy. Haiyan's devastation, however, underlines the pressing need to spend more money to build hard assets such as more roads, ports and power lines not only to improve living standards but also to better withstand the storms, earthquakes and other natural disasters that strike the country with numbing regularity. The Philippines has the lowest percentage of paved roads when compared with neighbors Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore, according to data compiled by foreign business groups in the Philippines in 2010. It also had the worst scores in other key indicators such as fixed phone lines, households with power and electricity lost in transmission. "It's hard to prepare for the worst storm in the world," said HSBC economist Trinh Nguyen. "But at the same time one of the issues now is there isn't a way to access these places that are severely hit. The roads are not there." The Philippines is the country that's most at risk to natural hazards, according to UK-based risk analysis firm Maplecroft. The country loses $1.6 billion dollars a year on average each year because of such disasters, according to the Asian Development Bank. Haiyan, likely the most powerful storm on record, was just one of 20 typhoons that hit the country each year and arrived as it was still recovering from a 7.2 magnitude quake in October that killed 220. Despite the challenges posed by natural disasters, President Benigno Aquino III has managed to steer the economy into one of Asia's fastest growing, raising hopes that millions would be pulled out of poverty. Quarterly growth has risen as high as 7.8 percent this year, o u t p a c i n g C h i n a . Re f l e c t i n g improved finances, Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch have all given the country an investment grade credit rating, allowing the government to borrow money more cheaply for big projects. Aquino, who took office in 2010 pledging to root out corruption and reduce poverty, launched an ambitious effort to improve the country's inadequate infrastructure. He set a goal of boosting infrastructure spending to 5 percent of the economy by 2016. That's about double the average of 2.5 percent over past decades, which substantially lagged other countries in the region, according to a joint report by foreign business chambers. Aquino's goal amounts to about $20 billion year, said John Forbes, an advisor to the American Chamber of Commerce. "Targeting that, frankly even funding it is the easy part. Actually spending it is more of a challenge," said John Forbes, a senior advisor to the American Chamber of Commerce. Aquino's plan included partnering with private companies on some projects. Out of 47 public works in that pipeline, only one is partly complete: a plan to build about 9,400 classrooms able to withstand earthquakes, typhoons and floods. Progress has been slowed by efforts to eliminate corruption. In 2011, Aquino scrapped or reconsidered $2 billion in foreign funded infrastructure projects that he said had inflated costs or technical problems. The projects were signed under predecessor Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is embroiled by corruption and election-fixing allegations. They included a $430 million Belgian project to dredge a lake on the southern edge of Manila that involved moving silt from one section to another. Aquino also ordered the renegotiation of a $276 A boulevard of broken houses and dreams. Photo by Mario Ignacio IV,VERA Files million French port building project and the restudy of a Chinesefinanced rail line. HSBC's Nguyen said infrastructure investment is even more crucial given the Philippines rapid growth in population, which rose from 74 million in 1998 to 96 million today. "When you have a lot of people coming into the labor force, coming into the population, you really need to increase your infrastructure funding. Added to this, there's a lot of pressure from weather related challenges," Nguyen said. Analysts and officials say the disaster-struck region, one of the poorest in the Philippines and the only one that suffered shrinking e c o n o m i c o u t p u t l a s t ye a r, contributes about 2 percent of the national economy. Officials looked for silver linings. "We can also turn this into an opportunity to improve land use planning" in communities exposed to storm surges and other natural hazards, said Emmanuel Esguerra, deputy director general of the National Economic and Development Authority. - AP writer Oliver Teves in Manila contributed. Chan reported from Hong Kong. November 22-28, 2013 Page 14 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Indomitable spirit ... From page 11 Members of non-governmental organizations walking out of the UN talks on global warming held at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013 to show their impatience with the government negotiators, who, the movements say, are making no progress in their task of laying foundations for a new climate deal. The talks are scheduled to close on Friday (Saturday in the Philippines). AP PHOTO/CZAREK SOKOLOWSKI ‘Yolanda’ fails to move ... From page 3 which has been criticized at the talks for hosting a coal summit at the same time, stirred things up fu rt her on Wedn esday by replacing Environment Minister Marcin Korolec, who is presiding over the climate conference. Korolec told reporters the move would not affect his duties as conference president. Loss and damage At a related meeting on Wednesday, the Climate Change Commission's vice chair, Lucille Sering, pushed for the establishment of a loss and damage mechanism for countries hardest hit by extreme weather events arising from climate change. Sering thanked the countries at the climate talks for their support for the victims of Yolanda. But “relief is only temporary,” she said. Sering told environment ministers at the meeting that loss and damage mechanisms would help countries deal with the immense impacts of extreme New York City ... From page 9 Thomas Farley said the idea is to make it more inconvenient for young people to get started, especially young teens who had previously had easy access to cigarettes through slightly older peers. “Right now, an 18-year-old can buy for a 16-yearold,” he said. Once the law takes effect, in 180 days, Farley said, that 16-year-old would “have to find someone in college or out in the workforce.” Tobacco companies and some retailers had opposed the age increase, saying it would simply drive teenagers to the city's thriving black market. “What are you really accomplishing? It's not like they are going to quit smoking. Why? Because there are so many other places they can buy cigarettes,” said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. “Every 18-year-old who walks out of a convenience store is just going to go to the guy Typhoon-prone PH islands... From page 11 No. 1 exporter of the seamen in the world, the Philippines can just hire local Filipino seamen with a salary commensurate with what other seamen earn worldwide as incentive to discourage them from leaving the Philippine soil or sea. The expenses involved in building and maintaining these huge ships will be canceled out by hundreds, if not thousands, of lives that will be saved from disasters. REQUIRE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO PASS SWIMMING TESTS weather events. “Loss and damage is not compensation but prevention,” she said. Sering said this would help countries prepare for the effects of climate change, prevent the migration of victims, and help them rebuild their communities. “We want to be where we are hence our desire to strengthen our resiliency against climate change. We have seen an exodus of people moving out of affected areas, but most of them are still hoping to be able to return as soon as the situation permits. We intend to translate the hope to reality,” she said. Inquirer.net in the white van on the corner.” Bloomberg also was to sign legislation Tuesday that will seek to keep the price of tobacco high by prohibiting coupons and other discounts and setting a minimum cigarette price of $10.50 per pack. Large cigarette companies now commonly offer merchants incentives to run price promotions to bring in new customers. “For someone who might be trying to quit smoking, it makes it easy for them to buy on impulse,” said Farley. Calvin said the elimination of discounts would just further feed the drift away from legal cigarettes, and toward illicit supplies brought into the city by dealers who buy them at greatly reduced prices in other states, where tobacco taxes are low. Both bills were passed by the City Council late last month. The legislation also prohibits the sale of small cigars in packages of less than 20 and increases penalties for retailers that violate sales regulations. Inquirer.net As I told Stacey Baca, a partF i l i p i n o A m e r i c a n b ro a d c a s t journalist for ABC-Channel 7 Chicago, who was reaching out to the Filipino community while Yolanda (Haiyan) was massing into a super typhoon, perhaps, the most that the Philippines and other countries located in the Typhoon Belt can do, are to keep structures, like electric cables underground, instead of putting electric posts up, so power failure can be avoided. I told Stacey the Philippine government should encourage the construction of low-lying but sturdy stone houses like those built up north in Batanes in Luzon, which is visited by typhoon more often, except during Summer (April-June), than any part of the Philippines. From accounts of survivors of Yolanda, one thing stood out: one can survive such storm if you cling on any piece of wood or log that could keep one afloat if one is out at sea. But I'm sure if one lives in a place near big rivers or beside a sea, he should learn how to swim to avoid drowning. Because the Philippines is composed of 7,000 islands, I suggest, the government should require elementary students to pass a swimming tests in their physical education classes before they complete their primary or elementary education just as 16year-old American high school students are required to pass a test to drive an automobile. This swimming test will minimize deaths caused by drowning not only during the time when there Gulf is reminiscent of the time in our history when Filipinos rejoiced at the arrival of General MacArthur on the shores of Palo, Leyte in October 1944 heralding our country's liberation from Japanese occupation the same sentiment that survivors and the public now feel at witnessing the rapid deployment of the Nimitz class super carrier and its strike wing, with cargo jets, choppers and American troops dispatched on the ground to help bring some semblance of order in the chaos and confusion that was hampering relief efforts several days after the typhoon.” At press time, more than 250 Marines were already on the ground, supported by five C-130 cargo planes and four MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Another 900 marines on board two US Navy amphibious ships the Japan-based USS Germantown and USS Ashland were on their way. The marines had already delivered more than 50 tons of water, food and medicine. Emergency shelters were coming from Dubai. In addition, the U.S. pledged $20 million in immediate aid. Help from the United Kingdom The United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious was being deployed to the Philippines to provide humanitarian assistance. The HMS Illustrious has a crew of 900 and seven helicopters on board. The helicopters would be used to assist with the distribution of food and water to survivors. She also has the ability to produce drinkable water. She is due to arrive in Leyte on November 24. The UK also pledged over £20 million, which makes her one of the most generous donors to the ravaged country. Australia, others pitched in Another big donor is Australia who pledged another $20 million in addition to the $10 million she had contributed. Prime Minister Tony Abbot said Australia would also deploy additional military aircraft to provide logistical support . Abbott issued the following statement: “As a good friend and neighbor, Australia stands beside the Philippines as it deals with this humanitarian is a typhoon but also when they are on board capsizing ferry boats or passenger ships, which is a recurring phenomenon among ships overloading passengers plying Visayan islands. On the other hand, learning to drive an automobile is one of the tools of American students to land a job and a bare necessity to survive in the asphalt jungle. And if the government wants to help typhoon survivors recover some coverage in case of drowning or death during a typhoon, it can help by partly subsidizing payment of premium for payment of hazard term insurance coverage provided the resident is taxpayer and lives in areas often visited by typhoons. It is akin to the U.S. government paying premium for life insurance coverage of any disaster. The additional funds will be used to address serious n u t rit ion , child hea lt h a n d p ro te c t i o n n e e d s , p u rc h a s e emergency foods and provide logistic support and non-food items.” So far, two Australian military aircraft had arrived in the Philippines carrying Australian doctors, nurses, paramedics and defense force logistical staff. In addition, the Australian Defence Forces is preparing to provide water-purification systems and power generators to Tacloban. The HMAS Tobruk was also made available to support the relief effort if the Philippines requested it. Other countries and agencies who pledged to donate or provide humanitarian aid were: United Nations ($25 million), U.N. World Food Program ($2 million), Japan ($10 million), Canada ($5 million), HSBC Group ($1 million), China ($1.6 million), Taiwan ($200,000), Israel, Indonesia, Spain, Vatican, UNICEF, Red Cross, World Vision, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Mercy Corps, Americares, International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders, Lutheran World Relief, Catholic Relief Services, American Jewish World Service, and many more. Clarion call The United Nations estimates t h a t Ty p h o o n Yo l a n d a h a s displaced more than 11 million people. The world body also calls for help from the international community to raise $300 million for the relief effort. Among those who heeded the clarion call were the more than 10 million Overseas Filipino Workers ( O F Ws ) i n m o r e t h a n 1 2 0 countries. Once again, the Filipinos stood up to the daunting challenge of surviving from a natural calamity that was far too big than what Man could overcome. But the Filipinos' resilience was far too strong than what Nature could conquer. Indeed, Yolanda brought out the indomitable and bayanihan spirit of the Filipino. At the end of the day, the Filipino people owe the United States a Special Thank You, who over the years, come hell or high water, had always stood beside the Philippines. Indeed, the Filipino people find in Uncle Sam a true friend… and a loyal and dependable ally in times of crisis. ([email protected]) member of the U.S. Armed Forces. This subsidy is very critical when a U.S. G.I. takes a tour of duty in some war zones in any part of the world. And last but not the least, the government should maintain a database of names and addresses of each resident, so that in case victims are missing, it can easily consult their database and extrapolate that based on its record, certain hundreds or thousands of residents are missing. The government can start collating names and addresses from the voters' or taxpayers' lists or come up with a national database, listing the names and addresses of the Filipino people. ([email protected]) November 22-28, 2013 Page 15 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Tacloban comes back to life “We pray for you at this time, we o f f e r w h a t e ve r s u p p o r t a n d assistance we can but above all we want to assure you of our prayers that your spirit, that your ability as a people would be fully manifested at this time,” he said. Second visit Amos spoke to reporters after returning from Tacloban and other devastated parts of Samar, including the town of Guiuan, where S u p e r t y p h o o n “ Yo l a n d a ” (international name: “Haiyan”) made the first of five landfalls on Nov. 8. Around the disaster areas, Amos said she saw images of daily life amid scenes of devastation: women either cooking in makeshift kitchens or doing the laundry and men clearing debris and scavenging for materials to rebuild their destroyed homes. Amos shared a conversation with a carpenter looking to replace his lost tools to rebuild his house and restart his business. “What they are seeking to do is to rebuild their lives and get back to a position where their children are educated, where they're able to work, where they have somewhere to live, where they're healthy to being looked after and they can essentially support the rebuilding of their communities,” Amos said. Different face “That's the spirit that I got from the people I spoke with today,” she added, referring to a “very different” face of the disaster zone on her second visit. Amos said she had seen an i m p rove m e n t i n t h e f l ow o f assistance to typhoon survivors, but called for greater attention to inland villages that had yet to receive assistance. “While much of the international focus has been on Tacloban, people need help in many other areas. There are areas farther inland in the mountains on the many of the smaller islands that we have yet to reach,” she said. Assessing the flow of aid, Amos said the relief operations had been “scaled up significantly.” The improvement in pace came as a relief from delays last week caused by logistical hurdles and the sheer magnitude of the disaster, which drove Amos to say that the global effort had “let people down.” “Every day aid efforts gather pace with the systems getting through to more people. Significant food and medical assistance has been provided and water services, as well as limited telecommunications services, restored,” Amos said. The United Nations has estimated that some 1.1 million have received food aid since the disaster struck, but less than half of the estimated 2.5 million affected residents are in need of food aid. Amos said water services have been restored in Capiz, northern Cebu and Roxas City. Medical teams43 international groups and 44 localprovide medical services to the survivors, she said. Julie Hall, country representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), said most patients treated in the first week had trauma injuries, including fractures and cuts from typhoon debris. I n t o t h e s e c o n d we e k o f operations on the ground, medical teams have seen an increasing number of patients with preexisting diabetes and heart problems who have been lacking medication and care. Children vulnerable UN officials also expressed a special concern for displaced children, citing their vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking given the loss of their parents' livelihood. The United Nations estimates that there are nearly 5 million children in disaster areas in need of emergency shelter, protection and psychosocial support. “Children face the risk of separation from their parents, with their parents on the move looking for food for survival. They may leave children behind, and this is where children are at risk. They are at risk of trafficking. This area is already at high risk of trafficking,” said Sarah Norton Stahl, child protection chief at the United Nations Children's Fund Philippines. Stahl said previous disasters had led to a 10-percent rise in child trafficking, as displaced families grappled with the lack of resources to survive. She also cited the need to establish safe spaces for children, noting that 90 percent of daycare centers in ravaged towns and cities were destroyed. Last week, the United Nations appealed for $301 million for a sixmonth action plan for typhoon-hit areas in the Eastern Visayas, covering food, shelter, water, hygiene and sanitation, reconstruction and livelihood, among other forms of assistance. ... From page 1 As of last night, Amos said $87 million had been filled by donations from around the world. Agreeing with Amos' observation, Tecson John Lim, city administrator of Tacloban, on Wednesday said the city, which used to have 220,000 people, was struggling to rise 12 days after the monster storm. “Slowly, we're getting back on our feet, and we are encouraging business establishments to reopen,” Lim said. Banks reopen The local branches of government-owned Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines are open again, with privately owned Metro Bank and Allied Bank announcing they will be back soon, he said. Some gasoline stations, grocery stores and stalls at the public market have also reopened, he said. But not ready to reopen are shopping malls Gaisano Central City and Gaisano Capital, both located downtown, which were looted in the first few days of the government's absence after the storm. Lim said he had talked to the owner of the two shopping malls, the Gaisano Capital Group, and was told by its officials that they were not ready to resume business. It is believed that most businessmen in the city fear a repeat of the looting at the height of the chaos that followed Yolanda. With local police themselves victims of the typhoon, the national government sent special military forces and crack police teams into Tacloban to restore law and order. With more than 2,000 police officers and 1,300 soldiers patrolling the streets of Tacloban and guarding the city's business district, Lim assured businessmen that they and their businesses would be safe should they decide to resume operations. Lim said city officials were grateful to the national government and to the international aid agencies for coming to Tacloban's aid. “We are glad that the national government, particularly President Aquino and his entire Cabinet, especially Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, has been with us even before Yolanda hit Tacloban and since day one. They are being fair to us,” Lim said. Baseless, useless Roxas said he did not know where the reports of his differences w i t h Ta c l o b a n M ayo r A l f re d Romualdez came from. “This is baseless and useless,” Roxas said. Romualdez, a nephew of former first lady Imelda Marcos, who now holds the seat of the first district of Ilocos Norte in the House of Representatives, parried questions about his quarrel with Roxas, saying he was concentrating on bringing life in the city back to normal. Speaking at a meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Tacloban, Roxas said the situation in the city had “stabilized.” As of Wednesday, the death toll from Yolanda stood at 4,000. In Tacloban alone, 1,549 people died and 469 were reported missing. Inquirer.net November 22-28, 2013 Page 16 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Makiling: Ecotourism's 'sleeping giant’ By Maricar Cinco Only a handful of rangers look after a 4,244-hectare tropical rainforest teeming with plant species. Equally pitiful is the annual budget of P800,000 to operate and maintain a primary forestry training laboratory. Now, park managers at the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve see a glimmer of hope after Mount Makiling was declared an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Heritage Park recently, the fifth in the Philippines and the 33rd in the Southeast Asian region. The recognition, although without any monetary grant, “gives us leverage to seek more support and change policies,” said Dr. Nathaniel Bantayan, director of the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME). It is about time, he said, “that Makiling graduates from mendicancy.” The Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR), 65 kilometers south of Manila, was established in 1910. Management and control of the forest had been transferred to different state agencies five times, and its name changed three times until 1990 when jurisdiction of the MFR was fully given to the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), through the MCME. Since then, scientists and researchers from around the globe have flocked to Makiling to study the 2,057 species and subspecies of mostly endemic plants. The inactive volcano sits on a vast source of geothermal energy fed to the national grid, and fresh water that the entire forest had to be topographically divided into four subwatershed zones. Aside from the water supplied to communities and industries, farm workers benefit from the forest products and raw materials. A study by MCME showed that at least 2,000 people were directly dependent on the Makiling forest. Agricultural lands also owe its fertile earth to the rich soil that n a t u ra l ly e r o d e s f r o m t h e mountain. “But the [stakeholders] do not realize that they are able to operate because there's a good forest up there (in Makiling),” Bantayan said, noting that surrounding private businesses have not shared their resources to maintain the forest reserve. He raised issues concerning land-use plan and territorial boundaries since the MFR straddles four municipalities belonging to two provinces. “Local governments units tend to focus only on the part of their territory that generates income when their land-use plans should Encompass the watershed areas,” Bantayan said. THE FISHING village of Tadlac in Los Baños, Laguna, is among the many communities around Mt. Makiling that enjoy the bounty offered by the mountain, including its forest with more than 2,000 species of endemic plants, its geothermal energy and its groundwater. AL BENAVENTE / CONTRIBUTOR 'Sleeping giant' What is needed is a “change of mindset” of local government and industry leaders, he said. “It should no longer be the case wherein we have a wish list and we ask each of them what they might want to give,” he said. “Help should come from them and form part of their consciousness.” Asean Center for Biodiversity director Roberto Oliva has offered the agency's support to the UPLB in preparing its master plan as Makiling becomes a national ecotourism site. “We are looking at a next big attraction,” said Oliva of the MFR, which he likened to a “sleeping giant” because of its big potential to draw not only the scientists and researchers but tourists and hikers as well. “Let's protect the biodiversity and at the same time invite people to see it,” Oliva said, to which Bantayan pointed out that it should not be the responsibility of a single agency, “but everyone's role.” Inquirer.net November 22-28, 2013 Page 17 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS EXPRESSWEEK November 22-28, 2013 Page 18 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS PAFCOM 2014: On the Right Track Jersey City, NJ -- As the 2013 year comes to a close, PAFCOM once again finishes another year strong as one of Jersey City's most influential and well respected socio-cultural organizations. From fundraisers to festivities to assisting in the campaigns of bringing greater change to the city, PAFCOM has continued its tradition of contributing to the progress and quality of life to not only the people of Jersey City, but generally people from all over, Filipinos and Non Filipinos alike. So now with a new year just around the corner, PAFCOM prepares for the upcoming turnover that will take place on December 2, 2013 along with a whole new set of officers to be appointed. Among the positions is the Overall Chairman that Mr. Edwin Solano currently sits. As he respectively steps down from his position on this date, he will be succeeded by Mr. Mario V. Garcia as the new 2014 Overall Chairman. PAFCOM held an election for the 2014 Officers back in October 16, 2013 that was held at University Charter High School, 275 West Side Avenue. Mario V. Garcia was declared the 2014 Overall Chairman being no other candidates filed for the position, so the election with the majority of the Board Members present declared the day to become the proclamation of the new sets of officers for 2014. The 2014 Overall Chairman, Mario V. Garcia is a Civil Engineer & currently working in New York City as Director of Planning & Scheduling for TDX Construction Corp., one of the largest CM in the Tri-State area. He is the first AsianAmerican to hold this position. He is currently in charge of the following projects in New York City: Harlem Hospital RB Building, MPC/OGS Projects, Jacobi Hospital, Bronx Community College, New York City Housing (NYCHA), and the MTA Mentoring Program along with other various public programs with a total worth of more than $500 million. He was also part of the Project Team that built the Citi Field/ New Mets Stadium, several buildings of the Trump Empire on the West Side (Bldg. A, C, J1, J2, H), New York Times Building, MOMA, Bronx Criminal Courthouse, Time Warner Building, and many more. Mario is also currently an active member of the Filipino American community in the Northeast USA. Aside from now b e i n g t h e O v e r a l l Chairman/President of PAFCOM, he is also the President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of T.A.P.A.T., Inc. (The Alliance of Philippine-American Associations & Trustees, Inc.) as well as the President and Chairman of the Board of Adamson University Alumni Associations of Northeast USA. To add to his already impressive resume, Mario also held the position of President and Chairman of the Board of FAAE, Inc. (Filipino American Association of Engineers in NY, NJ & CT) between 2006-2007. Mario was also a Board member of PIDCI in 2008 to 2009 and served as Chairman of the Corporate Fund Raising Committee as well as Chairman of 1 s t PIDCI Golf Tournament. He also served as CoChair of PIDCI's Street Fair and in 2011, he was one of the Committee Chairman of NAFFAA Northeast & Chairman of Special Committee of PGANY. With such a vast and impressive array of accomplishments, Mr. Garcia will now continue using his excellent leadership skills as the newly appointed Overall Chairman of PAFCOM in 2014. Accompanying Mr. Garcia to Office and assisting him in continuing PAFCOM's traditions in creating another memorable year for the city and its associates are also its newly appointed Officers. Secretary - Ellen Alonzo; Treasurer - Ledy Almadin; Asst. Treasurer - Angelita Roxas; Auditor - Luis Morales; Assistant Auditor - Becky Cooney; PRO Augustus Salud Jr.; Technical Advisers - Gerry Austria / Jun Hornilla; Governmental Relations - Ed Toloza / Pam Andes The following list is as follows: Recording/Executive Secretary Helen Castillo; Corresponding Vice Overall Chairs: Special Events - Gani Puertollano; Parade - Joel Flores; Festival - Maureen Javier Engineer Mario Garcia, PAFCOM 2014 Overall Chair. Inset photo: Mario and his wife, Chona. Committee Chairs: Coronation Night - Annelyn Flores; Grand Marshal Night - Medy Taeza; Parade - Greg Agulan; Festival Rose Javier; Booth & Exhibit - Mila Simba Official turnover date is scheduled on December 2, 2013 wherein the new Grand Marshal will be named. For more information visit us at www.pafcominc.org, and on facebook. Empire State Building lights up in blue, red, yellow for 'Yolanda' victims By Julliane Love de Jesus MANILA -- For two consecutive nights, blue, red and yellow colors illuminated the iconic Empire State Building in New York City in solidarity with the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan). The 103-story skycraper rising above the Manhattan skyline began to display the colors of the Philippine flag on Friday, Nov. 15 (Saturday in Manila), and again on Saturday, New York time. “Empire State Building raises awareness and support for Typhoon Haiyan (victims) in the Philippines,” the management of the 82-year-old building said on its website. Each night, the building's tower lights take on a new lighting sequence, representing major holidays, iconic milestones and global events. Inquirer.net New York's iconic Empire State Building bathed in blue, red and yellow in solidarity with the victims of Supertyphoon 'Yolanda' in the Philippines. Photo by the Philippine Embassy in the United States. November 22-28, 2013 Page 19 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Please support fundraisers for Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts BUSINESS & ECONOMY November 22-28, 2013 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS PH may lose out on some trade pact benefits By Amy R. Remo The Manila Bay Resorts when completed Manila Bay Resorts to provide thousands of jobs MANILA -- Providing recreation and generating thousands of employment opportunities to the Filipinos are the goals in erecting the 44-hectare Manila Bay Resorts bound to be a home to the biggest of its kind in the country. A fusion of luxurious casino, plush hotel suites, top-notch restaurants all in one entertainment complex, the Manila Bay Resorts, developed by Japanese-led Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc. will rise in the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation Entertainment's ( PAG C O R ) 1 2 0 - h e c t a re Entertainment City in Parañaque city come 2015. Fo r e f r o n t s o f T i g e r I n c . developing firm, President Masahiro Terada and Vice President Kenji Sugiyama shared to the press their ultimate vision for the upcoming integrated resort, which boasts six-star and five-star hotels, 20 food and beverage destinations, retail and spa facilities and residential properties. First in the Philippines, the Manila Bay Resorts will house a man-made beach resort with 100meter diameter indoor glass dome. Meanwhile, its 30,000 square meter-casino alone will house 500 table games and 3,000 machines. It also commits to provide safe yet high-class entertainment and recreational activities fit for Filipino families, foreign tourists and funloving individuals with exquisite taste. In its press launch statement, it said the resort's hiring initiative will more or less generate 15,000 employments for Filipinos seeking for jobs in their own homeland. “Our target is to really attract lots of people, local and foreigners, and in the process, be of great help to the Philippine economy and employment,” Sugiyama said in a statement. Sugiyama, whose background includes being a world-class hotel asset protection chief, pointed out the volume of Filipinos working overseas as hotel and restaurant staff. “That's one of the big reasons to create employment here for more than 15,000 Filipinos, almost 95percent will come from the Philippines, five-percent for the expatriates,” he added. The Manila Bay Resorts will produce more than a thousand spacious hotel suites, world-class Page 20 Critical growth constraints, such as “inadequate infrastructure” and a “small industrial and manufacturing base” may hinder the country from fully enjoying the benefits to be had from the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). According to a paper published on the website of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the “Philippines should take key structural and institutional reforms in order to realize the potential benefits coming from participation in the RCEP [and] … anticipate necessary adjustments to make in view of the changes in rules and processes governing trade, services, investments and other important areas.” The paper's authors, Gilberto M. Llanto and Ma. Kristina P. Ortiz, noted the need to focus reforms on “low utilization of free trade agreements (FTAs), critical constraints to growth, trade facilitation and customs administration, services liberalization, and investment incentives system.” More specifically, the paper cited the need to raise more awareness on how FTAs can be beneficial for local businesses; “to make substantial investments” in infrastructure, notably for power, transport and logistics, and “to improve the institutional and regulatory frameworks of the ports and maritime sectors”; as well as “to pursue reforms related to transparency, standardization and harmonization, and electronic processing of customs requirements.” “On services liberalization, the government needs to review all constitutional and legal barriers to investments and trade, in particular addressing issues on limitation of foreign equity,” the paper further said. By 2015, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and its six trading partners hope to conclude the RCEP, a free trade agreement, which, if successful negotiated, could give rise to the world's biggest trading bloc. Negotiations for the RCEP involved the 10 member states of the Asean, which include the Philippines, and their main trading partners: Japan, China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India. Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo earlier stressed that the RCEP was crucial for the Philippines because it involved two of the country's biggest trading partnersChina and Japan. “[The RCEP is beneficial] to the extent that we can get better twoway flows in both trade in goods and trade in services, and to the extent that we can encourage a better investment regime. If more investments come from these partners, that will be good for us. The RCEP just kind of integrates the Asean and its partners into one economic regime,” Domingo earlier said. Inquirer.net Electronics captured 42 percent of total PH Groups dismayed over gov't policy exports in September u Page 22 on incentives to foreign investors By Tetch Torres-Tupas MANILA -- Business groups on Tuesday expressed dismay over the government's inconsistent policy with regards to incentives given to foreign investors in the country. In a statement, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines vice president for external affairs Henry Schumacher speaking on behalf of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC), said investors are having difficulty trying to refund the Value Added Tax they paid in advance during the import of capital equipment. “While the Aquino administration is claiming that it will honor existing tax free incentives, the reality shows a different picture. Investors find themselves in court…to get the incentives promised by the government,” he said. Schumacher noted discrepancies in the manner the executive and judiciary have dealt with the VAT refunds. He cited the By Amy R. Remo “other electronics” fell by 37.6 percent to $92.6 million during the same period. Compared to the previous month, exports of electronic products in September grew by 17.8 percent from $1.8 billion in August 2013. Exports of other electronics similarly grew by 25.7 percent from $73.7 million in August this year. Seipi, however, expects the country's electronics exports to contract by 10 to 12 percent this ye a r, d r ive n l a rg e ly by a weakness in global demand, specifically for semiconductors. While double-digit growth is seen in the automotive and consumer electronics sector, weakness in semiconductors, which comprised 76 percent of the industry export, drove the contraction. Despite this year's export revenue contraction, however, Seipi is projecting a recovery in 2014, which may see a meager 5percent growth in electronics exports, Lachica had said. Electronic products remained the country's top export in September, accounting for 41.7 percent of the Philippines' total export revenue for the month, said the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (Seipi). According to Seipi, exports of electronic products from January to September this year fell by 10 percent to $15.8 billion compared to the $17.6 billion posted in the same period last year. Cumulative exports of “other electronics” similarly declined by 36 percent to $471.5 million San Roque Dam. INQUIRER file photo during the same period, from $740.5 million a year ago. case of San Roque Power Corp. “When studying the pending On a month-on-month basis (SRPC), which has P483.80 million VAT refund case of San Roque however, electronics exports in refunds pending after it started Power Corporation (SRPC) before showed improvements. the operations of its $1.20-billion the Supreme Court and comparing Seipi reported that exports of hydro-electric power plant in that case with many others decided electronic products for Pangasinan more than 10 years ago. by the BIR (Bureau of Internal September alone grew 12.8 He said the San Roque case, Revenue), Court of Tax Appeals percent to $2.1 billion from the while having similar cases in the (CTA) and the Supreme Court, then $1.9 billion recorded in the same u Page 22 past have different rulings. month last year, while exports of November 22-28, 2013 Page 21 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Faces of the Filipino micropreneurs By Amadís Ma. Guerrero Sharpening bladed tools Alwin, 39, father of four, had a hard time in his native Iligan City because of his limited education. To top it all, he was courting a girl named Angelie. They got married, and decided to migrate to Metro Manila in search of a better way to earn a living. That was 13 years ago. He became a sharpener (naghahasa) of knives, itak and other bladed weapons, a skill he learned suddenly. His friends and compadres call him “pareng lagare” and he still uses the electric grinder that he bought for P1,200 10 years ago. “Maliit lang ang puhunan ko (my investment is small),” he says. His customers are carpenters, maintenance men and gardeners of well-off people who live nearby. On good days, usually a Sunday, he earns P1,500 but much less on other days. And during bad weather, he has no choice but to close shop and business suffers considerably. Fruits are good for your health. Russel, 46, from Lucena City and father of one, is a vendor who just buys his goodies from the nearby market: “Namamalengke lang ako,” he says. Sometimes his wife, Raquel, accompanies him. He displays an array of candies, sandwiches, Tipas hopia, all sorts of instant noodles, potato chips, soft drinks, and other snacks dear to the heart of the Filipino consumer, especially children. His puesto (place) is right beside a jeepney loading and unloading zone, which ensures a steady stream of consumers. These i n c l u d e s t u d e n t s , wo r ke r s , passersby, office people and commuters. Russel and Raquel can make do with earnings of P200-300 a day. 'Galing sa Bumbay' “Ang puhunan ko ay galing sa Bumbay (my investment or seed money comes from the Indian Energy restoration in Yolanda-hit provinces to cost P1-Billion MANILA -- The Department of Energy said around P1 billion will be needed in the restoration of energy in Yolanda-hit areas. Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla said some of the vital parts of the power grid in the Visayas region, which brings electricity to Samar and Leyte, were damaged at the height of the super typhoon. "In the initial stage, when you look at the place, it's like an atomic bomb was dropped in the area and restoring it is almost impossible. I heard from the reports that 200 plus, 240 NGCP transmission line towers were down," he said. But Petilla is confident they will be able to bring energy back in almost all areas in eastern Visayas by December 24. "Power is going to be restored in the heart of the city or the poblacion of the town, including majority of the barangays. The only ones that will be left behind will be the isolated ones where some barangays are 10 kilometers away and have major damage. They're going to be put on the back burner," he said. "Even with all these typhoons, we will restore. I am putting my job on the line but at the same time. Ang tanong ko lang sa lahat, what are you actually putting on the table? Because I want to tell everybody that we will do our best. If our best is not good enough, we are willing to bet," he said. Petilla also urged residents in Metro Manila and Luzon to conserve energy to help boost energy in eastern Visayas. "It's one of the appeal we will make to have excess power Luzon so we can throw them to Visayas. If we can also cut down on unnecessary use of electricity in Luzon, especially in the Meralco franchise," he said. moneylenders),” says Manang Rufina, another vendor who has a permanent puesto near a busy flyover and a school. The reference was to Hindu or Sikh moneylenders, distinguished by their turbans and ubiquitous motorcycles, who in street parlance are known as “5-6” because of the interest that they chargeP6 for every P5 borrowed. Rufina, mother of three and originally from Baliuag, Bulacan, would rather deal with a Filipino moneylender because the Indians are strict (“mahigpit”). But the latter seems to have a monopoly on the moneylending trade. On good days, Rufina can earn less that P1,000 but business slumps when school is out. To augment income she sells the three major dailies and sleazy tabloids. The Inquirer is always the first to be sold out. When that happens, the reader can always go to the nearby 7-Eleven convenience store where for a breakfast of only P49 you can have a copy of the paper for only P5. Peanuts & fruits Peanuts are said to be good for your digestion, if not for your heart (“like all nuts,” observes friend Rustie O., himself a nut). Peanuts are also the livelihood of Rex, 30, who hails from Allen, Northern Samar. His peanuts are hubad Tata apparently thinks big. On pineapples alone, his investment is P2,000 (also from “5-6”), with one box costing P700. And on good days, according to him, he can earn P3,000 daily. (skinless), matamis (sweet), and may balat (with skin). He himself boils the peanuts in a big frying pan. The product is sourced from Divisoria, Manila, per bag and Rex can earn P750-950 daily. Business, he says, is fine (“maayos naman”) and the handsome, bearded vendor can even joke: “Nakakabuhay ng dalawang asawa” (It can take care of two wives).” Fruits, on the other hand, are loaded with vitamins and all agree that they are good for one's health. Fruits are the bread-andbutter/rice-and-fish of Tata, 38, father of five and originally from Surigao del Sur. His products include pineapples, papaya, poncan oranges, apples, papayas, and Honey Mandarin from China, locally called “kiat-kiat.” These come from Tanauan, Batangas. Watchmaker, also taxi driver Buddy, 41 and father of two, is from Cabayog City, Samar, but grew up in Manila. A watchmaker, he opened his little stand in 1996, having bought his toolssmall screwdriver, batteries, bracelets and spare partsfrom Recto Ave., Manila. He works every other day repairing all kinds of watches and earnings P500, sometimes more, on any given day. But Buddy is also a taxi driver on the days when he is not at his puesto. He's on duty 24 hours and can gross P4,500 “pag masipag ka” (if you're industrious). But the boundary is P1,700 and P1,300 goes to gasoline expense; the rest is his take-home pay. Student's favorite In 2004, Manang Corazon, originally from Virac, Catanduanes, set up an outdoor carinderia (eatery), protected only by make-shift cloth, right outside her housing unit and beside a school. It soon became a favorite of the students, who could be seen from Monday to Friday in their u Page 22 Wells Fargo donates $250,000 for Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts ExpressSend Remittance Transfer Fees to the Philippines waived; Wells Fargo ATMs to accept donations for American Red Cross Taguig, Philippines, November 13, 2013 -- Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is supporting the Philippines typhoon and flood relief effort with a grant of $250,000 more than Php 10 million with $125,000 going to the American Red Cross and $125,000 to the International Medical Corps. These funds will help with the ongoing relief efforts and rehabilitation in the affected areas of the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. “This typhoon has brought unprecedented devastation and loss of life to the Philippines,” said Tim Hanlon, head of Strategic Philanthropy and Partnerships for Wells Fargo. “While we are grateful that all of our team members there are safe and accounted for, our hearts go out to all those who were impacted by this storm. Our contribution will help get aid quickly to those who need it.” Wells Fargo is also temporarily waiving all remittance transfer fees for ExpressSend® transfers from an eligible checking or savings account to reduce the cost of sending money to the Philippines to support friends and family. Customers can send funds to their family or friends in the Philippines at a number of remittance network members including Bank of the Philippine Islands, BDO Unibank, Metrobank, M.Lhuillier and Cebuana Lhuillier by calling Wells Fargo Global Remittance Services at 1-800556-0605, going online at wellsfargo.com, or visiting a Wells Fargo banking store. The first remittance for a service agreement must be completed in person at a store. The fee waiver is effective November 13 through November 30, 2013. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and communities that have been devastated by this storm,” said Daniel Ayala, head of Wells Fargo's Global Remittance S e r v i c e s G r o u p . “A s t h e s e communities begin the long, difficult process of recovery, we're working closely with our remittance network members in the Philippines to make sure our customers and team members are able to support their families and friends.” From now through December 11, 2013, Wells Fargo customers can donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund at more than 12,000 Wells Fargo ATMs across the U.S. (with the exception of Kansas, Missouri, and Washington, D.C., due to local restrictions). Customers will not be charged a fee for using this service and 100 percent of the donations will be sent to the American Red Cross. “Wells Fargo is committed to helping the community recover.” said Aveek Mukherjee, head of Enterprise Global Services Delivery. “We look forward to working together with the community and our partners to aid in the relief and rehabilitation.” Wells Fargo is committed to community service and runs regular programs in its international locations. Wells Fargo in the Philippines has a volunteer task force comprised of team members, with initiatives focused on disaster relief efforts, supporting learning programs for socially disadvantaged schools, improving the levels of education and infrastructure, among others. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.5 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo p rov i d e s b a n k i n g , i n s u ra n c e , investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, and the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank's customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune's 2013 rankings of America's largest corporations. Wells Fargo's vision is to satisfy all our customers' financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at blog.wellsfargo.com. In 2012, the Company invested $315.8 million in grants to 19,500 nonprofits, and team members contributed more than 1.5 million volunteer hours around the country. For more information, please visit: www.wellsfargo.com/about/csr. November 22-28, 2013 Page 22 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Sumitomo bullish on PH rice production By Ronnel W. Domingo MANILA -- The government's efforts to make the Philippines selfsufficient in rice production put the country in Sumitomo Chemical group's list of priority markets, particularly for its herbicides. Industry figures show that the domestic herbicide market is valued at between P1 billion and P1.5 billion yearly. Group officials said its local unit, Sumitomo Chemical Philippines Inc. has shown “very strong” growth since it was established in 2008. Lawrence Yu, head of Sumitomo Chemical's health and crop sciences business in South Asia Pacific said in an interview the Philippines is considered among the company's key markets, particularly because rice production has become a very important topic in the country. “The Philippines used to be the world's top rice importer and now it is almost self-sufficient (in rice production), although not yet,” Yu said. He said that with the government's push for rice selfsufficiency, Sumitomo Chemical's growth opportunity here is “immense.” Yu did not elaborate, but based on the company's financial results for the fiscal year that ended last March 31, shipments of herbicides and other crop-protection products rose, especially in overseas markets, due to increased production capacity Groups dismayed over ... From page 20 there is sufficient evidence that all three decided on the basis of different criteria, confusing the private sector and depriving some investors of the promised VAT refund,” he said. The government's efforts to make the Philippines self-sufficient in rice production put the country in Sumitomo Chemical group's list of priority markets, particularly for its herbicides. Inquirer photo and sales expansion. “The Philippine herbicide market is changing very fast [as farmers] are looking for safer, better performing and economical products,” Yu said. “We expect very good growth in the coming years,” he said, adding that a main driver of growth is the roll-out of products that were developed through the company's research initiatives. On Friday, Sumitomo Chemical launched in the Philippines its “Zeta One” herbicide, which is said to be able to remove even the most resilient and prevalent kinds of weeds in irrigated rice paddies. According to Kimitoshi Umeda, general manager of the marketing department at Sumitomo International's crop protection division, the Philippines is only the fourth country where Zeta One was introduced. The productrolled out initially in Japan and then in South Korea and Vietnamis being imported into and distributed in the Philippines by Leads Agricultural Products Corp. “It is good timing for this [product] introduction considering the Philippines' efforts to attain selfsufficiency,” Umeda said. “This herbicide can benefit the country and the farmers with lower labor cost [related to weeding] and increased yield.” “ T h e re s h o u l d b e e q u a l protection under the law. San Roque Power Corp. is just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of companies out there with pending VAT refund claims,” Schumacher said. San Roque sought filed a motion with the Supreme Court to clarify its ruling. “The Supreme Court has the chance now to finally c o m e u p w i t h a c o h e re n t , conclusive, definite decision…That is precisely the reason why San Roque Power Corporation filed a second Motion for Reconsideration to provide the lower courts and the investors with a clear guidance on tax incentives. The business community would more than welcome for such a clear guidance.” Schumacher said. Faces of the Filipino ... From page 21 spic-and-span, dark blue-andwhite uniformscrowding the place, and placing their orders before the harassed servers. The food served is better than most , home-made (“lutong bahay”) and uniformly priced at P35, plus P10 for rice. On any given day you will see such favorites as dinuguan, sweet and sour pork, adobo, nilagang baboy, chicken curry, corned beef and lumpiang shanghai. Daily earnings “ay hindi parepareho (vary), depending on the students,” says Corazon. But on good days she may earn up to P5,000 daily. No school, however, during weekends and so she too closes shop. Rodrigo and his jeepney. Rodrigo and his jeepney. Rodrigo, 44, is a professional driver and in the agency where he once worked he was learning to be a good photographer, thanks to his supervisor, Mr. Toledo. Unfortunately, things didn't work out and he and wife, Cristy, who has good business sense, decided to go back to his native town of Catubig, Northern Samar, where they planted palakata (acacia falcata) trees. To their surprise, they made a killing during harvest time. And so they went back to Metro Manila and invested in a jeepney, which Manila Bay Resorts ... From page 20 banqueting, 24-hour butler service, and the “Jewel Square,” which will blend international designer brands, jewelers and specialty stores. With Japan being an earthquake hotspot, the Manila Bay Resorts will not only offer state-of-the-art facilities but it will also be built with a Japanesestandard construction. After Bohol and nearby Central Visayas provinces were shook by a 7.2-magnitude tremor in October, the use of Japanese technology to strengthen the foundation of the high-class resort assures Filipinos of safety from natural disasters. “We also know how to solve a tsunami,” Sugiyama playfully Rodrigo often drives but sometimes turns over to a friend (boundary is P700). Usually he earns P1,500 daily net. Their firstborn, Kristine Joy, is a Business Administration graduate; Keenan is taking up Marine Transport and the youngest, Krisha, is in high school. Mother Courage Manang Arsenia, from Mangatarem, Pangasinan, and mother of two, is some kind of Brechtian Mother Courage. Her problemor shall we say challengestarted when her husband, Antonio, a seaman, suffered a slipped disc on board the ship and was deemed permanently disabled as far as seafaring was concerned. He spent two and a half months in a Manila hospital. Arsenia did not want him to be operated on. Instead, she swung into action. She started selling beauty products, but for some reason sales were not encouraging. So she went into vending dried fish like daing and dilis along with kamatis (tomatoes), plus lots of fruits. To her surprise, the fruits outsold the dried fish, so she concentrated on these. She is still at it, and earning well. Antonio is now able-bodied and takes turn tending to the business. In three days, they can register a profit of P5,000. “Ayokong mangutang at pinapaikot ko ang pera (I don't want to borrow and so I keep the money going around),” Arsenia says. T h ro u g h t h e i r h e ro i c s , scrimping and saving, investing wisely, depositing and then withdrawing come tuition time, Arsenia and Antonio have been able to send their two children to private schoolsthe eldest, 19, a boy, has just graduated from the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies and the girl, 17, is taking up mass communication at Lyceum University. Inquirer.net added. Apart from developing the Manila Bay Resorts, the Tiger Inc. has also opened its doors to community involvement, helping the victims of recent typhoon Pablo by donating rice supplies worth P2.5 million. “A new effort of similar nature is being spearheaded, this time to provide assistance to victims of devastation earthquake in the Visayas region,” the Tiger Inc. statement added. Sugiyama said, “It is part of our mission to extend a helping hand to those in need.” W hen a sked why Tig er Resorts chose to invest in the Philippines, Sugiyama quipped: “in other country, they don't smile!” As the Japanese honcho laughed, he answered further: “we chose Manila for its friendly people… and their smiles.” Inquirer.net TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CALL 201-434-1114 ENTERTAINMENT November 22-28, 2013 Page 23 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Top Pinoy singers to record 'calamity' song By Bhenj Agustin Gin Blossoms (Photo from the band's Facebook page) More artists rock the Yolanda relief wagon By Jecelyn V. Macahindog Recent Philippine visitor Gin Blossoms did not witness the devastation super typhoon “Yolanda” (“Haiyan”) wrought in the central Visayas region, but the American poprock band called on their friends and fans to make monetary donations to the Philippine Red Cross to benefit those affected. “We are only beginning to understand the scale of destruction, but Haiyan is estimated to have claimed thousands of lives, and the physical and economic damage will be both widespread and long-lasting,” they posted on the band's official website (ginblossoms.net). Vocalist Robin Wilson said, “Any amount our fans and friends can afford will offer much relief to effected families fast.” “We performed in Manila less than a month ago. It's so tragic that this has affected so many of those wonderful people,” added guitarist Jesse Valenzuela. As part of their effort, Gin Blossoms announced that hold a show called “Gin Blossoms Rockin' for Philippines” on Nov. 21 at Stage 48, 605 West 48th Street in New York City. Wilson said, “We hope everyone will come to Stage 48 this coming Thursday, Nov 21st for a Rockin' fun night and help the Philippine people in need!” They posted on their official Twitter account (@ginblossoms): “Proceeds from our Nov 21 show in NYC will benefit those effected by T y p h o o n H a i y a n . h t t p : / / u s h a re . re d c ro s s . o rg . p h #GBFansRockPhilippines.” Meanwhile, half-Pinay Jessica Sanchez announced in an interview aired on ANC that she will also be This isn't the first time Alicia Keys is coming to the Philippines to wow her fans, and surely the Pinoys have also won her heart. In fact, in the days following supertyphoon “Yolanda” (“Haiyan”) hitting the country, the Grammy Award-winning R&B/soul singersongwriter Alicia Keys took to Twitter on Tuesday to express her solidarity with the nation and its survivors. “It's so shocking how in one place everything is fine and in another people's world's are totally torn apart. #Haiyan #prayers,” she wrote on Twitter. In another post, she said: “To the people of the Philippines my heart is with you #prayers #Haiyan. When I heard the Ryan Cayabyab (Photo by Bhenj Agustin) contribute is, one, to perform to play music, to raise funds from music. Number two, to help raise the spirit of everyone, the giver and the receiver so ito yung effect ng music. Number three, is through the concerts and the event, we are able to make known the plight of the people who've been devastated (by the calamities).” Philpop 2014 Now on its third year, Philpop once again aims to further enrich the OPM catalogue by discovering songs that reflect the mood and taste of the times. Justin Bieber paints graffiti to shore up 'Yolanda' fund drive u Page 24 By Michael Joe T. Delizo After upsetting Brazilian and Columbian authorities with his street paintings re c e n t ly, C a n a d i a n p o p sensation Justin Bieber is now using his obsession with graffiti for a good cause. The 19-year-old pop star, strength of the typhoon was more along with his friend Milk powerful than Katrina and Sandy, I didn't think that was possible. Tyson, spray painted a wall in http://bit.ly/HF1w5n.” Los Angeles with the aim of Later, she called on her raising funds for the victims followers for help: “2.5 million of super typhoon 'Yolanda' families need our support. If u (international name: want 2 do something, donate to 'Haiyan'), according to report @WFPUSA & help @WFP on entertainment news site emergency food relief TMZ. http://bit.ly/HF1w5n.” On Instagram Nov. 18, Keys will hold her latest concert in Manila today, giving her Beiber posted a photo of his fans a night of a respite from the graffiti; a gray-colored onslaught of disheartening news clasped hand in prayer with about the ravaged Visayan region. the words “Pray 4 While going to the concert in Justine Bieber paints graffiti to help Philippines Philippines” above it. Bieber no way signifies the attendees are signed his initials at the forgetting about the plight of our bottom, “JB.” The caption graffiti, along with the used first step in contributing to less fortunate countrymen, Keys' read: “We all can help.” spray paint cans. The money t h e r e s t o ra t i o n o f t h e fans are expecting to hear their According to a report, the w i l l b e h a n d e d t o t h e typhoon-wrecked Visayas. favorites, from her debut hit teen star wants to auction off Philippines typhoon relief Manila Bulletin u Page 25 the signed picture of his group. It said that it only his Alicia Keys has the PH in her heart By Anya Santos Philpop MusicFest Foundation Executive Director Ryan Cayabyab in cooperation with Universal Records is securing the commitment of renowned local singers to record a song relating to the recent super-typhoon “Yolanda” and the Bohol earthquake. The song can be downloaded from select websites with the proceeds going to the Philippine disaster fund. Like “We Are The World” the benefit song recorded in the '80s for Africa then revived a few years ago for Haiti the still unnamed song may have select Universal Record, MCA Music, Warner Music and Viva Records artists doing a line or two each. The lyrics will be sung in different Philippine dialects. The Loboc Children's Choir is confirmed to join. “Ang hinihingi lang namin sa bawat singer ay isang line. Sa sobrang dami ng gustong sumali, hindi naman puwedeng ilagay or pagbigyan ang lahat na makapagisang line…” He pointed out how artists can help those in need. “Karamihan sa aming mga artists, wala kaming as much money (as others). Kasi siyempre ang gigs namin, hanggang dun lang ang gig. So the best way we can do and R e c a l l t h a t l a s t y e a r, hiphop/R&B tune “Dati” won the t o p p l u m . P r i o r, “ B a w a t Hakbang” nabbed the title. Both were by young songwriters. “Pero nakakatuwa rin na makakahanap ka rin ng mga awitin na classic ang dating. Meaning yung mga magagandang ballads na halos katulad sa kundiman. Hindi natin maiaalis yun dahil mga Pilipino tayo na very sentimental ang preference ng music,” Cayabyab said. As before, he advises Pinoy songwriters here and from around the world to submit good songs that have “clear” meaning of high recording quality. “Malilinaw meaning kuha na agad ng listener yung ibig sabihin ng composer sa mga first 30 seconds to first minute pa lang ng kanta. At hindi naman kailangang professaional yung singer na inyong ilalagay sa recording kahit kayo at hindi din kailangang pumunta sa isang recording studio para sabihing malinaw dahil maraming nakaka pasok na mga entries na ang kanilang recording ay sa bahay lang. Basta maganda ang tunog.” They will accept entries for three and a half months from Nov. 15, 2013 till Feb. 28, 2014 on i t s w e b s i t e , www.philpop.com.ph, where contest rules are available. Manila Bulletin November 22-28, 2013 Page 24 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS The Lettermen: For our next number, we give every one of you … a photo op John Ford Coley recorded a life album in PH in 2009. John Ford Coley: I love Filipinos; they laugh a lot By Oliver M. Pulumbarit An hour into their recent gig at the Newport Theater in Resorts World Manila, The Lettermen launched into the “Camera Portion,” inviting audience members to the stage for individual photo-ops. Surprise! Initial reluctance (shyness?) soon melted into audacity. Half the hall, it seemed, took up the challenge (theater capacity is 1,800). Those who were not already on stage in a special section stepped down from their seats lugging cameras, and posed with the guys one by one they were not in a hurry, either. Tony Butala, Donovan Tea and Bobby Poynton (in blue suits) sang through it all, for the next 40 minutes. And then, all too suddenly, it was time to resume the music-making in earnest. But not before Butala announced, “We will be outside the theater later to sing to everyone of you who didn't get up here.” Ovation's next foreign act would be hard-pressed to upstage these absolute crowdpleasers. Inquirer.net “I just truly love playing. I enjoy doing what I'm gifted to do,” singersongwriter John Ford Coley told the Inquirer at the press event in Solaire Resort last Tuesday for his one-night show there, “Love Overload,” the day after. “I'm not an audiophile,” Coley said, adding that he was never particular with the nuances of recording sessions , or even music formats. “I listen to any format… whatever's convenient [as long as it's] a greatly crafted song.” Originally part of the Grammynominated American duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, the singer, 65, scored hits with high school buddy Dan Seals in the 1970s“Simone,” I'd Really Love to See You Tonight,” and “Sad to Belong,” among others. After eight albums, they disbanded in 1980. Seals passed away in 2009. A classically trained pianist, Coley continues to tour. Describe the perfect love song. Oh, gosh. It should take you to places that you haven't thought about… it should get you choked up. One is Dan Fogelberg's “Leader of the Band,” [though] it's not about a romance, but about love between father and son. You've performed music in various genres. How do you pick them? I've always been eclectic and have pretty much done what I enjoyed doing. Whatever happens to come out, it's what God lets me do. How is that spirituality informing your lyrics? More artists rock ... From apge23 teaming up with Philippine boxing champ Manny Pacquiao for more relief efforts for “Yolanda” survivors. The “American Idol” runner-up, who has been in the country twice for concerts, earlier staged a live streaming event for the benefit of her typhoon-struck kababayans. She posted on her Facebook page: “Blujays! Friday 5pm PDT, I'll be doing my first StageIt!! All proceeds will be going to the American red Cross in support of those affected by typhoon Haiyan. Tickets are limited. The Philippines need our help!! Please I don't write spiritual music, per se; When people come to my concert, they don't want to hear spiritual things or politics, although I'm very political. If you want to talk to me about those things, I'd be more than happy to, but not from the stage. What have you observed about American music now? The recording industry has changed dramatically. We have a new generation of artists with their own styles. I recognize that music changes and progresses. I enjoy Josh Groban and Little Big Town. I love Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin… Melody is a key ingredient. How differently did artists behave all those years ago? The older artists realize it's not 1976 anymore and we can't behave the way we used to. We've grown up a bit! Artists now have a lot more opportunities… but many don't appreciate where they come from, and that's sad. I grew up on the road, traveling with Bread, Three Dog Night, Elton John. Those who trashed hotel rooms, that wasn't us. There were certain standards that we held for ourselves. You recorded a live album here in 2009. What makes your bond with Filipinos different? This might be my 20th visit since 2000. I love my relationship with the Filipino people for one major reason: they laugh and are appreciative. They have respect. They like love songs, things that speak to them. They're very friendly and kind -- I've experienced that on many different levels. The food ain't bad either, I'll tell you that! Inquirer.net join me to help make a difference! Every little bit counts!” Fil-Canadian singer Martha Joy, on the other hand, will also raise funds via a concert in Toronto on Nov. 22, reports Middle East North Africa Financial Network (MENAFN.com). “I am deeply saddened by what has happened in the Philippines and hosting a concert is the least I can do to help the people of the Philippines… This concert is not solely for the Filipino community it is for everyone who feels touched by the devastation in the Philippines,” said the former “Canadian Idol” finalist. The report added that proceeds of the concert will go directly to designated charities and Archdioceses in the Philippines. Manila Bulletin November 22-28, 2013 Page 25 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Ryzza Mae, Bimby named ‘Golden Kids’ By NR Ramos Jessica Alba, Barbra Streisand, Nia Peeples, Gene Simmons and Mel Gibson (Photos from Reuters, takesontech.com, contactmusic.com) More help from Hollywood hotshots Assistance from other international stars pours in for the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda.” Actress Jessica Alba and her team from The Honest Company, a nontoxic and ecofriendly household product corporation, made a generous donation through Operation USA, which they delivered in Los Angeles. Singer-actress Barbra Streisand and her charity, The Streisand Foundation, pledged a “major” financial donation. In an interview on ANC's “The Bureau,” Mel Gibson committed to help in fundraising activities through Mending Kids International (MKI), an organization that aid sick and poor children worldwide. “I'm still sorry, you know, God bless you (Philippines). I hope you can put it back together; there's been a tremendous loss of lives. It's hard even to be able to say anything,” he said of the catastrophe. Singer-actress Nia Peeples related in the same interview on “The Bureau” that “I was actually thinking about who was gonna call to say what kind of fundraiser we can do for that, it's tragic.” Kiss band member Gene Simmons expressed willingness to do the same. “We're gonna be doing some work to try not just to raise awareness but funds. Our hearts and prayers go out to everybody (in the Philippines),” he was quoted as saying. The rock bass guitarist added: “It's probably time for all the countries in the world to realize we are one.” Early this week, right after the typhoon struck, Hollywood stars from Josh Duhamel and David Archuleta to Rihanna and George Clooney tweeted messages of love and support for the calamity victims. Manila Bulletin Alicia Keys ... From page 23 single “Fallin'” considered her signature song to her latest, “Girl On Fire.” To a lot of music fans, even here in the country, one of the songs Keys is remembered for the best is “Empire State of Mind.” It is, of course, a massively popular Jay-Z track that features the singer. Coincidentally, the official Twitter account of the Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) tweeted on Saturday morning (PHL time; roughly 7 p.m. Friday, NY time) a photo of the iconing structure lit up in the colors of the Philippine flag Its caption read: “2nite & tmrw night, our lights shine in the color of the #Philippines flag 2 raise awareness of the #Haiyan tragedy.” It sure feels good to not be forgotten. Alicia Keys' “Set The World On Fire” Manila leg happens on Nov. 25 at the Mall of Asia Arena, produced by Ovation Productions, with Popular child actors Ryzza Mae Dizon and James “Bimby” Yap, Jr. are set to be named “Golden Kids” at an upcoming expo celebrating families. According to the event's official website, the awards, which is one of the highlights at The Baby & Family Expo 2013, is meant to honor celebrity kids, parents and families who have been a “great inspiration and role model to Filipino families.” Dizon, “Eat Bulaga” Little Miss Philippines for 2012, and Yap, the son of popular TV host Kris Aquino, are paired in the Metro Manila Film Festival 2013 offering “Torky And My Little Bossing.” The young rising stars garnered the honor through online public voting via the event's official site. Also to be recognized at the s a m e eve n t a re c e l e b r i t y husband and wife Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos who, along with kids Johanna (Yohan Lois) and Juan Luis (Lucho), will be awarded the “Golden Family of the Year” Meanwhile, Regine Tolentino and Lander Vera-Perez are to be honored as “Golden Couple of the Year.” Aside from honoring these celebrities, of course, the event will also celebrate non-showbiz individuals as “ParentPreneurs.” The event website explained that ParentPreneurs are the modern day moms and dads who have successfully “balanced parenthood and their role as an entrepreneur” through “hard work and dedication.” The event in itself, which carries the theme “Welcoming Life, Love and Care,” celebrates the “gift of life and family” by “fostering an intimate e nv i ro n m e n t e n c o u ra g i n g bonding and unity through community discussions, shopping opportunities and fun activities.” Set to add color to the event billed as the “ultimate family affair” is RJ Ledesma, who will give audiences “Daddy 101″ tips. “Starstruck” avenger Jade Lopez, on the other hand, will Ryzza Mae Dizon & Bimby Yap c o n d u c t “ R i gh t S t a r t ,” a n advocacy talk. Fo r m e r b e a u t y q u e e n turned-actress Maria Isabel L o p e z a n d M T RC B b o a rd member Gladys Reyes will also hold a charity bazaar at the event for the benefit of the victims of typhoon 'Yolanda.' Manila Bulletin Kris Aquino gets nomination at 2013 Asian TV Awards MANILA -- Kris Aquino turned emotional on Thursday as she shared her latest achievement as a television host. Aquino is nominated in the Best Entertainment Presenter/Host category of the 2013 Asian TV Awards for her morning show on ABS-CBN, "Kris TV." She happily shared that she is the only Filipino nominee in the said category. "Sa totoo lang po, sa gitna ng pinagdadaanan natin, it gives me so much pride and honor to represent our country. Of course, h i n d i n a t i n a l a m ku n g s i Singapore ang manalo or si Thailand, pero parang panalo na tayo," Aquino said. "Eighteen years and sinabi ko, kasi tinext ko ang mga kapatid Kris Aquino ko, in-explain ko, 'It's me.' Thank you, of course, sa 'Kris TV' but the nominee is me as a presenter in the show that most represents me. Na 'yung araw-araw, through the good and bad, kung ano ako, 'yun ang nakikita nila. At sa mata nila ay gusto nilang bigyan ng parangal. "Just the fact that you are nominated is such a big achievement . Sorry kung nagiging emosyonal ako kasi 'yung parating sinasabi ng tao na si God nakikita talaga lahat ng ginagawa mo and all," she said. Aquino, the youngest sister of President Benigno Aquino III, said she dedicates her nomination to the Filipino people, especially those who are affected by super typhoon "Yolanda" (international name Haiyan). " S a g i t n a p o n g pinagdadaanan ng Pilipinas ay inaalay ko po ito sa inyong lahat. Kasi lahat po ng tagumpay, kung may tagumpay akong makukuha, ay ibinabalik ko po ito sa inyo and, of course, to my ABS-CBN family. Filipinos get British awards nod Alicia Keys Manila Bulletin as one of the media partners. Tickets are still available at SM ticket outlets or online at w w w. s m t i c k e t s . c o m . M a n i l a Bulletin TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CALL 201-434-1114 JOHN Arcilla in “Metro Manila” Filipino actors John Arcilla and Jake Macapagal are nominated for British Independent Film Awards (Bifa) honors, for Sean Ellis' “Metro Manila.” Arcilla got a best supporting nod, alongside Jeff Goldblum (“Le Weekend”), Eddie Marsan (“Fifth”) and Rupert Friend and Ben Mendelsohn (both of “Starred Up”). Macapagal's bid is for most promising newcomer. Bifa has invited Arcilla to the Dec. 8 awards show in. “I'm happy,” Arcilla said simply. “Metro Manila” got a best film nod. Bayani San Diego Jr. Inquirer.net November 22-28, 2013 Page 26 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Ate Vi: Nora deserves National Artist title Martin Nievera: I never thought I was the best about attendance. Maybe people are looking for someone new or different. I don't know if they still want to listen to me. Do I still have fans or have they moved on to another artist?” Martin acknowledged, however, that he performed to a packed Big Dome during his “#3D: Tatlong Dekada” concert last September. “I'm just so blessed … for someone who's been here 30 years, filling up Araneta the way I did is something I'm proud of,” he said. By Dolly Anne Carvajal Ate Vi (Vilma Santos) was in high spirits at the belated birthday luncheon hosted for her by The Generics Pharmacy at theMakati Shangri-La. The “Star for all Seasons” chose to partner once again with the country's largest and affordable drugstore chain for a new multi-media campaign. If we could only look as good as she does at her age, we would not mind being called a senior citizen -with junior looks! “I'm still reluctant to sign my senior citizen's card,” she chuckled. “I'm giving it time to sink in. Besides, I can still afford to pay even without discount,” she said, laughing. The birthday girl had a candidly engaging interview with her son, Luis. She had to pause in the middle of their one-on-one to commend him. “Though I get to watch Luis host on TV, it's rare that he interviews me,” she said. “I can hardly believe he's all grown up and doing so well. Before, he just tagged along with me during shootings. Now he has made a name [for himself]. I'm one proud mama.”' Ate V i l e f t n o q u e s t i o n unanswered. Even as she was swarmed by media, she had a knack for being attuned to each interviewer. That's charisma a la Vilma! LUIS interviews his famous mom. Deserving On talk that Nora Aunor might be named National Artist: “She more than deserves it. She has made so many worthy contributions to the movie industry. I just hope the public won't [make it an issue] between her and me. There are more important matters that our nation has to attend to.” On the “Yolanda” tragedy, she e x p r e s s e d s o r r o w. “ I t ' s heartbreaking! I wish I could go to the affected areas to cheer up the victims. But my worry is some people might misinterpret my good intentions. So I'm helping out in my own way. No need for fanfare.” She revealed that she and hubby Ralph Recto are stronger than ever: “We keep each other on fire, always! We've been together for 27 years. We complement each other. I am strong where he is weak and [vice versa].” On turning a year older, Ate Vi elaborated, “I welcome growing old. I embrace the wisdom that comes with age. I have mellowed. Dati papatulan ko lahat ng intriga. Now I've learned to sift the significant from the insignificant.” Inquirer.net Better colleagues Asked if he thought that solidified his place in the biz as “Concert King,” the 51-year-old balladeer quickly dismissed the idea, saying that titles were just thattitles, and nothing more. “I think Jed Madela sings better NIEVERA: “Jed Madela sings better than I do. I think Erik Santos has a than I do.” stronger voice. Charice is definitely more popular. I think Gary V is By Allan Policarpio more poetic and lighter on his feet. I never thought of myself as the best. Though he's dubbed “Concert I just perform to the best of my King” in the local music industry, abilities,” Martin said. Martin Nievera confessed that he But while he doesn't see sometimes got anxious about himself as “king,” he always tries to whether or not he still has enough give performances fit for a king. drawing power to fill up a large “The audience is king,” he venue like the Smart Araneta stressed. “My goal is to entertain Coliseum. Audiences' tastes in and give them a concert worth their music, he pointed out, had changed. time and money.” Martin also said He shared some apprehensions he hoped to inspire long-retired with the Inquirer: “I do worry u Page 27 Regine denies upstaging Sarah G in concert MANILA -- Regine Velasquez denied that she and Lea Salonga deliberately upstaged singeractress Sarah Geronimo at her 10th year anniversary concert held at Araneta Coliseum last Friday. In her 10th anniverary concert "Perfect 10," Geronimo performed a medley of Barbra Streisand's hits with her special guests Velasquez and Salonga. But in a press conference for her latest album "Hulog Ka Ng Langit", Velasquez said this normally happens in every concert, including her own shows. "You have to think na yung lahat ng mga nanood kay Sarah ay her fans. So both Lea and I are grateful na nagbigay-pugay sila sa amin kasi alam namin na fans sila. Lahat silang nanonood ay supporters ni Sarah," Velasquez explained. "Hindi siya na-upstage, hindi siya in-upstage, hindi siya nang upstage. That's her concert, that's her moment. Kumbaga binigyan lang kami ng moment ng importansiya," she added. Velasquez said she doesn't have a problem with Geronimo's fans, popularly known as "Popsters." "There was no issue sa fans niya. Hindi nga ako sure kung baka basher lang 'yon. I answered one lang, parang hindi nga daw siya Popster," Velasquez noted. "There was never an issue because they know how much I love Sarah. 'Yung mga Popsters ni Sarah, they know how much I love her and, like I said onstage, I will always be there whenever she needs me, kahit Regine Velasquez answers questions from the media during her press conference on Tuesday. Photo by Rey m a B u a n - D eveza fo r A B S CBNnews.com hindi concert. Ang turing ko sa kanya ay anak siya. So no issue," the veteran belter stressed. Velasquez, who was the host of the talent competition "Star For A Night," which launched the career of Geronimo, promised to be part of the repeat concert on November 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena. "I'm still there, she asked me so I'm gonna be there," Velasquez said. New album Like Geronimo, who donated part of the proceeds from her concert to the survivors of “Yolanda,” Velasquez is also taking part in relief efforts in the wake of the super typhoon. u Page 27 November 22-28, 2013 Page 27 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Osang comes to terms with controversial past Rosanna Roces By NR Ramos At a time of disaster, people need to come together. Letting go of bad blood, in any way, shape or f o r m , w o r k s w o n d e r s . Fo r someone like Rosanna Roces, one of local tinseltown's controversial actresses who's been in and out of the showbiz loop in the past decade, her second stab at redemption, so to speak, comes in the form of making amends. First in the 41-year-old actress' list are the country's teachers, whom she once h a ra n g u e d o n a i r v i a “ I t ' s Showtime.” Roces related in a recent interview with PEP that she is now producing a film that would highlight their sacrifices. Said she of the project: “It's my way of… kung may kasalanan man ako na sinabi tungkol sa mga guro… bawi ba?” She added that she had realized the need to acknowledge one's mistakes, insisting, “Ayoko kasi ;pag tumanda ako na may daladala ako.” Sharing a bit of the movie's plot, Roces said, “It's about 'yung teacher na hindi na siya nakapagasawa. So, talagang inilaan niya ang panahon niya sa pagtuturo.” Roces also shared that she has also come to terms with the Revillas, with whom she had a quarrel in the past relating to the custody of her grandson, Budoy. Budoy is the son of her daughter Grace with actor-turnedpolitician Jolo Revilla. “Puro galit ako noon, di ba?… Ngayon, hindi na. Natuto akong i-share 'yung love,” she said. Asked how her kids are these days, Roces notes how Grace has matured into a hands-on mom. However, she is yet to reconcile with estranged son Onyok, with whom she had a physical altercation some months back. “In God's time,” she said. Another thing that Roces is yet to see happily ending is the case filed against her by former home studio GMA 7. A local court recently ruled that Roces is guilty of violating her contract with the network when she jumped ship to ABS-CBN in 2004. Roces has been ordered to pay GMA over P2 million in damages. Manila Bulletin Regine denies ... From page 26 Velasquez announced that part of the proceeds from "Hulog Ka Ng Langit," her third album under Universal Records titled will go to the victims of typhoon. "It is very memorable because when I was doing the album, I was also going through some stuff. This album is special and memorable because I dedicate this to my son, husband, family and loved ones," Velasquez said. Among the songs included in the album are "Rainbow Connection," "Amazing," "My Child," "Pag-Ibig," "Tomorrow," "Someone's Waiting For You," "Araw, Ulap, Langit," "Just The Way Your Are," "Nathaniel (Gift of God)," "The One Real Thing," "Happiness," "Hele Ni Inay," "You," "Sa 'Yo Na Lang Ako," "You Got It" and "God Gave Me You." Martin Nievera ... From page 26 1980s colleagues to sing again. He elaborated: “I believe there's a place for us seniors in the industry. Now all the '80s singers are going to come out of their graves and say, 'You know what? Kung kaya ni Martin, kaya ko rin!'” His initial plan after “#3D” was to hold a series of more intimate shows. But clamor for a repeat of the concert was strong, Martin said, and he was more than happy to oblige. “Repeats happen often, but not anymore. I'm just happy that I was asked to do it again. It's a big risk for a dinosaur like me,” he said, laughing now. Titled “#3D2: Tatlong Dekada,” the repeat concert will be held Nov. 22 at the Big Dome. Martin said he would tweak the repertoire a little for returning fans. “There will be more surprises. I will do a few different songs to rouse their interest.” Lesson from Anne Confidently, he stated, “As far as songs and performances go, I think I have nothing more to prove.” But of course, he stressed, “I want to fill up the venue again for my producers and all the people who still believe in me.” Meanwhile, Martin and actress Anne Curtis' mashup of David Guetta's “Without You” and U2's “With or Without You” has registered over two million views since it was uploaded to YouTube last August. Martin said collaborating with newer celebrities was his way of getting in touch with the younger audience. And though a lot of critics knock Anne for insisting on singing despite, uh, vocal deficiencies, Martin said he had a lot to learn from the bubbly celeb. To dream again “Anne can teach old artists like me how to dream again and be driven; how to be excited about a high note, to be grateful to be in tune. While [most] of us are bitching about clothes, billing and talent fee, Anne just does what makes her happy,” he explained. As he approaches his 31st year in the biz, Martin is taking extra care of his health in order to preserve his voice: “I don't smoke or drink … like, ever. And I'm more health-conscious now. I try to just keep singing because you'll lose it if you stop.” Martin added that his definition of what makes a great singer has changed through the years. “If you can make your whispers get the same response as your belting, you're good. That's what I try to do more of; I try to play with the emotions.” Inquirer.net Mikael Daez confirms brief meeting with Megan Young in London MANILA -- Model Mikael Daez confirmed that he meet up with Miss World 2013 Megan Young during his recent trip in London. In an interview with the actor on Wednesday evening, he said it was a brief meeting because he was actually on tour and was busy taping episodes for his mini food show "Midnight Snack". Megan, on the other hand, was on her way to work. "I just asked her where should I e a t . S h e d i d n' t k n o w ( a ny restaurant) because she didn't eat out a lot." The two are constantly linked to each other even before Megan joined Miss World-Philippines. But both camps denied the rumors. "She's Miss World and people have been trying to link me and her together. We are not together. I'm single and she's single... from what I know." Mikael shared he's good friends with Megan and they still communicate from time to time even though the beauty queen now resides in London. As a testament of their closeness, the actor confirmed that he knew of Megan's accident in Haiti even before it made headlines in Manila. "I knew about it already and I know she's okay. We're good. Nothing has changed over the past Miss World 2013 Megan Young years. We're still friends," he said. He's also proud of what she has achieved in the Miss World competition. "(I'm) very proud. Just as proud as every Filipino out there because she represented the Philippines, our country," he added. When asked if he misses Megan now that she's living abroad, Mikael said he's focused with work and very busy juggling three shows. "When it comes to being sentimental, it's not in my personality. I don't really think about it. Truth to be told, I'm very in love with my work. For someone to have three shows right now all at Model Mikael Daez the same time, you should love your work or you'll probably have a mental breakdown." Aside from "Midnight Snack," he's also part of gag show "Bubble Gang" and the upcoming primetime program "Adarna." The actor is also excited with the newest fantaserye as it's his first time to do a program in this kind of genre. He will work opposite Kapuso actors Benjamin Alves, Kylie Padilla and Geoff Eigenmann. "I'm excited because costume pa lang and production value are amazing. Nagulat talaga ako. We have a great team who actually knows what they are doing." Shamcey, Lloyd to exchange wedding vows in December MANILA -- Shamcey Supsup is still finalizing the details of her upcoming December wedding to non-showbiz boyfriend Lloyd Lee. In a recent interview with the former beauty queen, she said it will be a simple celebration which they are keen to share with close friends, family and colleagues in and out of the entertainment industry. The couple is set to exchange vows in a church wedding on December 29 followed by a destination wedding in an undisclosed location the week after. "The way we pick kung sino ang invited is kung sino yung palaging nakakasama namin. The old friends that we have," she said. "The date of our wedding is between Christmas and New Year and a lot of our guests will celebrate with their family. It's hard naman to tell them to cancel their trip. So, until now we are finalizing the list." Shamcey initially thought it would be a breeze planning two weddings. But with all the details and things that needs to be considered, she realized it's not an easy feat. "I still have a lot of work pero sinisingit singit ko din. I didn't know that I'm going to be this hands on sa wedding. Simple wedding lang ay okay na sa akin, sabi ko nga kahit 50 people lang Shamcey Supsup and akala ko dati na pwede na yan or yung ganitong design," she said. "Ngayon pati kulay ng font ng invitation, gaano kalaki yung pangalan sa paper, ganoon siya kadetalye at hindi ko akalain na sa isang araw invitation card pa lang ang pinag-uusapan namin." T h e 2 7 - ye a r - o l d fo r m e r beauty queen is set to walk down the aisle in a Francis Libiran creation. When asked to describe her wedding gown, Shamcey replied: "Think of my evening gown in Miss Universe." The couple also preferred classic pieces and will use pastel colors as motif of their wedding. Meantime, Shamcey is hosting lifestyle program "Interior Motives." With her background in architecture, the television personality said it's a dream come true for her to head this kind of show. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm so happy that they picked me to do this. Talagang nag-audition ako for this and I also want to share what I learned from school," she said. She revealed that her fiancé, Lloyd, was the one who encouraged her to try her hands in hosting a lifestyle program. "Actually siya talaga ang nagpush sa akin to audition for this because he knows this is what I want. I'm a type of person who sometimes get intimidated or scared to try something new. Siya yung nagbigay talaga ng support sa akin," Shamcey said. Shamcey said that nothing will change, in terms of her showbiz career, once she's already Mrs. Lloyd Lee. SPORTS November 22-28, 2013 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS Roach-Ariza feud turns into a melee By Roy Luarca Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin NFL player carries PH flag to honor 'Yolanda' victims MANILA -- Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin carried the Philippine flag onto Century Link Field on Sunday, Nov. 17 to honor the victims of super typhoon Yolanda. According to the Seattle Times, Baldwin has family members living in the Philippines, including his grandmother. News reports added that B a l d w i n' s r e l a t iv e s i n t h e Philippines are okay but this didn't stop him from showing his support by carrying the country's flag onto the field before Seattle's win over the Minnesota Vikings. The photo was posted by the football team on its official Twitter account. “Please continue supporting #Haiyan relief. @DougBaldwinJr appreciates your generosity. #PinoyPower,” the Seahawks said in a tweet. Netizens, however, noted that the Philippine flag has the red bar on top, which is used only during times of war. "This is dope but he held the flag wrong side up! Red on top means the country is at war,” Twitter user Miguel Moldez posted calling the attention of the Seahawks and Baldwin. “ We a re f i g h t i n g t h e devastation of #Haiyan which has been worse than many war-torn re g i o n s o f t h e wo rl d ,” t h e Seahawks replied back. The Seahawks, one of the favorites to win this season's Super Bowl, chalked up their 10th win of the National Football League season on Sunday as it thrashed the Vikings, turning a close game into a rout with two fourth quarter interceptions, including one returned 29 yards for a touchdown. Two interceptions thrown by Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder helped Seattle score 14 points in less than a minute, as the Seahawks turned a close game early in the fourth quarter into a 41-20 victory over the Vikings. After linebacker Bobby Wagner intercepted a Ponder pass in Minnesota (2-8) territory, Seattle's Marshawn Lynch scored his third touchdown of the game to give the Seahawks a 31-13 lead with 13:14 remaining. Forty-four seconds later, S e a t t l e c o r n e r b a c k Wa l t e r Thurmond III picked off Ponder and returned it 29 yards for a score as the Seahawks (10-1) wrapped up their sixth victory in a row. TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CALL 201-434-1114 Page 28 MACAU -- The seething animosity between Freddie Roach and the camp of Brandon Rios turned physical Wednesday as conditioning trainer Alex Ariza kicked Roach following a verbal tussle at the fighters' inconspicuous training room at The Venetian Macao. Actually, it was Roach and opposing trainer Robert Garcia who had an altercation with regards to overlapping training schedule, but Ariza butted in and told Roach to get out. Roach dared Ariza, whom he sacked from the Manny Pacquiao camp recently, to throw him out even as he was moving forward. That was when Ariza kicked Roach on the chest. The scuffle, which was caught on video, also involved Donald Leary, a member of Team Rios who had to be restrained by security personnel from lunging at Roachallegedly due to a racist remark that he was a stupid Mexican. Ariza was also seen pushing Leary toward Roach. Apparently, Team Rios exceeded the time (9 to 11 a.m.) allotted them and Roach told Garcia to vacate the area as Pacquiao was arriving for training. Garcia refused, saying they still had an interview with ESPN. This irked Roach, who cussed him. Even as Roach's party, that included conditioning coach Gavin McMillan, was leaving, the exchange of harsh words continued with Garcia yelling “F… you Roach. You don't run this f…… Place.” Garcia, the 2012 Trainer of the Year, insisted that Roach insulted him and that he'd never disrespected the man. Still fuming, Ariza, who moved over to the Rios camp after he got sacked, was overhead challenging Roach to a fight while pointing at the makeshift ring. Roach later told Manilabased sportswriters that he didn't regret what he said and that Ariza “kicked him like a girl.” “I don't like team (Team Rios) anyway. They're bad people.” Roach harbors a grudge at Garcia and Rios after a video leaked out in 2010 in the buildup to the PacquiaoAntonio Margarito showdown that showed Garcia, Rios and Margarito mocking the slurred speech and shaky movements of Roach, who has Parkinson's disease. That incident stuck in Roach's mind, and he said the Pacquiao-Rios welterweight bout on Sunday is personal. According to Roach, Team Garcia baited him into the incident. “They wanted an altercation. They knew that it was past their time,” said Roach, noting that it was already 11:10 a.m. when he entered the room. Renowned promoter Bob Arum said the fracas, though it generated excitement, was unfortunate and bad for the sport. “The incident reinforces the people's belief that there are hooligans in boxing,” said Arum, who said Garcia has agreed for Ariza not to be involved in prefight activities. Additional security personnel will also be deployed during functions leading to the bout. Inquirer.net November 22-28, 2013 Page 29 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS 8 relatives of Jason Day 'Rios will run when he gets hit' die in typhoon 'Yolanda' MACAU -- Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach both think that Brandon Rios will ultimately s t o p c o m i n g fo r wa rd a n d backpedal. They just don't know when. “Manny actually thinks he (Rios) will run,” Roach told Manila-based sportswriters. “I'll say he'll run after the first punch is landed.” The revelation was a surprise as Rios is noted for his relentless come-forward style. But even if Rios does that, it will suit Pacquiao just fine. “Manny likes people coming in,” said Roach, who bared that the Fighter of the Decade is right on target and ready to fight on Sunday. “He was really quick.” “Manny is fine,” added Roach, noting that Pacquiao tipped the scales at 147.5 pounds Tuesday, well within sight of the 147-lb limit. For a while, Roach was worried that the scuffle involving him and Alex Ariza will affect Pacquiao. But when Pacquiao jokingly kicked him at the close of their training session Wednesday, Roach heaved a sigh of relief. Pacquiao was at his element, horsing around after their two- hour regimen. True enough, Pacquiao told a foreign television crew that the incident doesn't bother him. “It's business as usual,” said Pacquiao, whose pranks included donning the mitts for sparring partner Liam Vaughan, who was training with Marvin Somodio, doing basketball jumpshots and jumping back into the ring after skipping ropes. He also deliberately ignored Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez's call that the training session was over. Pacquiao said he bore no rancor for Ariza's bolting over to the Rios camp and was not about to pass judgment on the incident. He also dismissed the notion that he's past his prime, based on the result of his last two bouts against Timothy Bradley, a disputed split decision loss, and Juan Manuel Marquez, who knocked him out cold with a second to go in the sixth round. “My power is still there. My speed is still there,” said Pacquiao, who reiterated that he's forgotten about the shocking knockout. “Past is past. I've already moved on.” Inquirer.net 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 45 Sudoku Solution to Issue 45 Crossword Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia -Australian golfer Jason Day has confirmed that eight of his relatives died in Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in the Philippines, including his grandmother. “I am deeply saddened to confirm that multiple members of my family lost their lives as the victims of Typhoon Haiyan,” Day, who plans to play at this week's World Cup, said in a statement released Monday by the PGA Tour. “My family and I are thankful for all who have reached out with their prayers and concern.” Day was attending a corporate outing in Melbourne on Monday and it was not clear whether he would be at Royal Melbourne, where the World Cup tournament begins Thursday. He and his Australia teammate Adam Scott, who won the Australian Masters on Sunday, were scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday, Nov. 20. “We feel devastated for all who have been affected by this horrific tragedy,” Day added in the statement. “While I understand the media's interest in this matter and hope that any Australian golfer Jason Day comments to journalists at Royal Melbourne golf course in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. Day has confirmed that eight of his relatives died in Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, including his grandmother. AP coverage can spread awareness to assist with the relief efforts that continue in the Philippines, I hope that all will respect my family's privacy during this difficult time. “I will have no further public comments at this time. Please pray for all who have suffered loss. Thank you.” Day's mother, Dening, had earlier told Monday's edition of the Gold Coast Bulletin that the player's uncle and six cousins also died in the typhoon, which has killed nearly 4,000 people and left more than a thousand missing. Day's mother, who migrated from the Philippines to Australia 30 years ago, told the newspaper “my daughter has been updating him, but I don't want to bother him because he has commitments.” She said many of her family members lived in the area around Tacloban, the capital of hardesthit Leyte province. Day is playing at Royal Melbourne as Australia's secondhighest ranked player at No. 20. Scott is No. 2 and the Australian pair is among the favorites for the tournament which has team and individual components. Day is entered to play in the Australian Open at Royal Sydney next week. Inquirer.net EXPRESS CROSSWORD ACTION CLASSIFIED Rentals Help Wanted Jobs November 22-28, 2013 Page 30 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS u u u Personal u Services BILINGUALS NEEDED! Social Services MAKE A DIFFERENCE Professional Entry Positions Available in the NJ Judiciary: International Company looking for bilingual individuals for the Marketing Department. Probation Officer and Probation Officer Bilingual Part time(Flexible schedule). Must have reliable transportation. www.njcourts.com Please send resume to ultrapurejob@hot mail.com or call Juan at (828)989-4429 (in Spanish & English) $44,914 + benefits Looking for a quick learner in manufacturing facility. Closing date Nov. 29, 2013 EEO/AA EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO ENSURING AN OPEN DOOR TO JUSTICE INTERNATIONAL IMPORT and EXPORT COMPANY currently expanding into the Bergen County area Entry Level positions available within the Marketing Department. Training offered $750 per week For more detail, contact Jenn @ 201-366-4441 Monday-Thursday 10am-1pm This is a full time position. Monday to Friday (9am-6pm). WHITE CATHOLIC MALE, 73 YEARS OLD, NEVER MARRIED, FINANCIALLY SECURE WOULD LIKE TO MEET SINGLE FILIPINA BETWEEN IN HER MIDFORTIES FOR MARRIAGE. Please call 201-313-1008 ask for Ara PLEASE RESPOND TO FILIPINO EXPRESS ATTN: ADS SECTION PERSONALS English speaking necessary. Seeking motivated individual to work in busy medical office in Bayside, Queens. To view job description, application information & requirements visit: ENGLISH/TAGALOG A MUST Jewelry manufacturing company needs a male employee SEEKING MEDICAL BILLER TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CALL 201-434-1114 Only $30 for 25 words (deadline is Wednesday noon) Full Time Position EXCELLENT SALARY Please email resume to: [email protected] The Filipino Express is only $40 a year for 52 issues November 22-28, 2013 Page 31 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS November 22-28, 2013 Page 32 THE FILIPINO EXPRESS