January FINAL:Filipino Star
Transcription
January FINAL:Filipino Star
http://www.filipinostar.org Vol. XXXI No.12 January2014 Aquino joins People Asia to thank foreign dignitaries for continuing support President Benigno S. Aquino III once again expressed his gratitude to foreign dignitaries who assisted the Philippines following the devastation of major calamities last year. “Here, we have the ambassadors and heads of mission who represent countries that have proven to be friends of the Filipino people—countries who have shown their support and solidarity with the Philippines in the wake of recent calamities,” the President said during the People Asia’s People of the Year Awards 2014 held in Makati City Tuesday night. “I ask you to join me in thanking them once more tonight. Excellencies, may I ask you to receive the applause—the gratitude and the friendship of our country.” The country was hit by major disasters in 2013 most notably the earthquake in Bohol and Cebu and the super typhoon Yolanda that devastated the Visayas region. The President said that Tuesday’s event is a celebration of a During the awarding ceremony for People Asia Magazine’s People of the Year, President Benigno S. Aquino III presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to National Bookstore founder Socorro Ramos, known as Nanay Coring (in gold). Super typhoon victims flee again as rains flood southern Philippines Source: Reuters - Tue, 21 Jan 2014 07:59 AM Author: Reuters By Erik de Castro BUTUAN CITY, Philippines, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Emergency workers evacuated thousands of people across the southern Philippines on Tuesday, including many already made homeless by a typhoon in November, after three days of rain flooded towns and farmland. Hundreds of survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever to make landfall, were forced to flee by tropical depression "Agaton" after emergency shelters were damaged or destroyed on the eastern central island of Samar. Tents collapsed under the weight of the rain and emergency plastic sheets have been torn away, humanitarian agency Oxfam said. An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year with Haiyan slamming into central islands on Nov. 8, killing more than 6,100 and wiping out entire coastal communities in Leyte and Samar. More than 200,000 people have been taken to shelters over the last three days as flood waters rose, but hundreds were still marooned on the roofs of their houses on Tuesday, said Eduardo del Rosario, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Del Rosario said 42 people had been killed, 65 had been injured and damage to property and farms had reached 367 million pesos ($8.13 million). "Our troops are trying to reach them and bring them to safer ground," del Rosario said. Nenita Matuda, 45, and her children perched on their neighbours' A girl pulls her brother on a makeshift raft along a flooded portion of a road in Butuan city in roof as she watched the rampaging the southern Philippine island of Mindanao January 16. www.filipinostar.org CDN-NDG AND MONTREAL NEWS Highlights of the CDN–NDG Borough Council meeting of January 13, 2014 On Monday, the Côte-desNeiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (CDN—NDG) Borough Council held its regular meeting, chaired by Borough Mayor Russell Copeman. Here are the main issues that were discussed. New street garbage cans In order to deal with the problem of household waste bags being placed in garbage cans on the street (reserved for use by pedestrians and not for household waste), Council authorized the acquisition of new garbage cans. These waste baskets will be attached to posts on the borough’s commercial arteries at a cost of $63,000 (taxes included). 5560, rue Sherbrooke Ouest Council granted an extension to Cinéma NDG so that it could meet various conditions, particularly in regards to finalizing the financing package, within the framework of the revitalization project at 5560 rue Sherbrooke Ouest. The building – also known as the Cinema V and the Empress Theatre – is the cornerstone of a cultural revitalization project stemming from a contest held in 2012. Road repair Council approved the list of streets and sidewalks targeted for repair under the Programme de réfection routière 2014 (2014 Road Repair Program). Repairs originally slated for 2013 will be added to these repairs, since they could not be completed last year due to delays in the approval of tenderers from the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). February 2014 Borough Council meeting postponed The next Borough Council meeting has been postponed until February 10. It was originally scheduled for February 3. Promotion of outdoor winter activitiesCouncil adopted a motion to set up a working group responsible for proposing a winter policy that would be aimed at doing more to promote outdoor activities within the borough during the wintertime. Non-recurring financial contributions. Council authorized the payment of a non-recurring financial contribution of $3,000 to the Corporation de développement communautaire de Côte-des-Neiges for purposes of organizing “L’hiver en fête à CDN”, an activity that will take place in parc de Kent on February 1, 2015. Non-recurring financial contributions totalling $1,400 were also made to La maison de la Barbade, Bikur Cholim Chaya Mushka, the Black Coalition of Quebec and HIPPYQuébec. Source: Borough Information: 514 868-4231 Cette activité mobilisatrice, qui en est à sa troisième édition, invite huit secteurs de l’agglomération de Montréal à participer à un exercice d’évacuation supervisé par le SIM. Cet événement permet de rappeler à la population toute l’importance que revêt le plan d’évacuation en cas d’incendie et l’avertisseur de fumée. Huit secteurs de l’île de Montréal vivront La Grande Évacuation sous la supervision du SIM : Arrondissement de L’Île-Bizard— Sainte-Geneviève Rue de Jouvence (Boul. Gouin) Arrondissement de Lachine 33e avenue et la rue Ivan-Franko, entre les rues Victoria et Saint-Antoine Arrondissement de Mercier— Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Rue Baillargé, entre les rues Saint-Donat et Liébert Ville de Montréal-Est Avenue Lelièvre, entre les rues Sainte- Catherine Est et Victoria Le coup d'envoi de la cinquième édition du Relais de la Tribu est donné Montréal, 24 janvier 2014 DesÉquilibres, organisme à but non lucratif basé à Montréal, à Laval et en France, organise, pour une cinquième année, le Relais de la Tribu. Le Relais de la Tribu est une course à relais de 250 km sur 24 heures, partant de Montréal pour se conclure à Québec. Jusqu'à un maximum de 45 équipes de 5 à 8 coureurs se relaient sur des distances de 5 à 10 km sans arrêt avec une pause de deux heures à TroisRivières. . La course est ouverte aux débutants comme aux coureurs confirmés et aura lieu les 11 et 12 octobres 2014. «C’est une course hors-norme dans laquelle jeunes et moins jeunes se retrouvent dans un esprit de partage et d’aventure. Nous attachons beaucoup d’importance au lien personnalisé avec les coureurs durant toute la phase de préparation et l’aventure. C’est toute une Tribu qui court! » de dire Luk Parlavecchio fondateur et coordonnateur général de DesÉquilibres. La période de pré-inscription est en cours, et les équipes s'inscrivant avant le 1er février bénéficieront d'un rabais CDN—NDG sur les frais d'inscription. Tous les détails sur le processus d'inscription sont Isabelle Lord, disponibles au http://relais.desequilibres.org/inscriptio ns/. Après une semaine, déjà 16 équipes se sont déjà prévalues de cette offre. Le Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal convie les citoyens à participer à La Grande Évacuation Montréal, 7 octobre 2012 – Dans le cadre du Mois de la prévention des incendies et de la sécurité civile de Montréal, le 9 octobre prochain, à 19 h, les citoyens de la métropole vivront La Grande Évacuation. Orchestré par le Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM), en collaboration avec le ministère de la Sécurité publique (MSP), l’événement sollicitera la participation des citoyens, en particulier les familles, à mettre en pratique leur plan d’évacuation, le même jour, au même moment. January 2014 The North American Filipino Star 2 « En seulement une semaine, nous avons presque égalé le nombre d'équipe de l'an passé. Plusieurs équipes reviennent pour une deuxième § Arrondissement de Montréal-Nord The Canadian Press Rue Jubinville, entre le boulevard Maurice- Published Tuesday, January 28, Duplessis et la rue Pascal MONTREAL -- A former union boss insisted on Tuesday that he never § Ville de Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue accepted any bribes while in charge of Rues Cypihot et Aumais, autour du parc Quebec's largest labour federation. Aumais Michel Arsenault, the former president of § Arrondissement de Verdun the Quebec Federation of Labour, told Rue Osborne, entre la rue de Verdun et Quebec's corruption inquiry repeatedly l’avenue Bannantyne during his second day of testimony that he was not under the influence of § Arrondissement de Ville-Marie organized crime. Rues Cartier et Dorion, entre la rue Ontario Est et l’avenue Malo Ken Periera, an earlier star witness at the inquiry, had testified that Arsenault had À 19 h, le 9 octobre, les citoyens de la been offered $300,000 by the Mob in métropole seront appelés à évacuer leur exchange for pushing ahead funding for logis selon leur plan d’évacuation respectif. Carboneutre, a soil decontamination Les résidants des secteurs participants company with links to organized crime. vivront l’expérience en compagnie du personnel du SIM. Il est à noter que ces Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) citoyens ont préalablement été informés president Michel Arsenault testifies at a de la tenue de l’activité supervisée. legislature committee on the dismantling Pour en savoir davantage et se préparer en of nuclear power plant Gentilly II prévision de cette activité, la population est Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at the invitée à visiter les sites Internet du SIM et legislature in Quebec City. (Jacques du MSP. La programmation du Mois de la Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS) prévention peut également être consultée en ligne dans le site du Service de sécurité "I never, never, never received a kickback incendie de Montréal. offer in all my years as president of the - 30 QFL," Arsenault said. "It would be easier Renseignements : for me, this morning, to say that I got an Division des communications et des offer and I refused it. It would be a lot relations avec les médias easier, but I won't lie in front of the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal commission." Ligne média : 514 872-7687, du lundi au vendredi, entre 8 h et 17 h He believes Periera might have www.filipinostar.org ou troisième édition, mais des nouvelles équipes s'inscrivent aussi, et même de l'extérieur du Québec. Il se passe quelque chose, et on aime ça! » commente Frédéric Lalonde organisateur et coordonnateur des communications du Relais de la Tribu Le Relais est la seule activité de levée de fonds de DesÉquilibres dédié à l’utilisation du sport comme outils d’engagement social auprès des jeunes notamment ceux qui rencontrent des difficultés au Québec comme en France. Pour faire un don, on peut visiter le http://www.relaisdelatribu.com Le Relais de la Tribu salue ses partenaires et commanditaires, notamment Courseàpied.ca et la Clinique du Coureur.. *** DesÉquilibres en bref DesÉquilibres utilise le sport comme un outil permettant notamment aux jeunes vulnérables âgés de 15 à 25 ans, de découvrir et développer leurs potentiels physique, psychologique et social afin qu’ils puissent s’engager socialement. Tous les jeunes doivent savoir qu’ils sont une réponse à nos enjeux de société. Site Internet : www.desequilibres.org - 30 Renseignements: Frédéric Lalonde Coordonnateur aux communications DesÉquilibres - Relais de la Tribu 2014 514 495 2828# 101 ou 514 232 7296 [email protected] misunderstood him. In the end, Carboneutre never got any money from the union's investment fund. Arsenault expressed unhappiness that Periera has become a media star. He accused Periera of threatening him in some angry messages left by Periera. Arsenault accused Periera of having a vendetta against the union and its construction wing stemming from an expense scandal involving Jocelyn Dupuis, one of the wing's directors. Dupuis quit the wing of his own accord and was soon charged with racking up tens of thousands of dollars in fraudulent expenses in the span of a few months. The charges came after after Periera, who had exposed the expense scandal, alerted provincial police. The former president said he didn't raise any alarms about Dupuis because it wasn't the place of the head of the province's most powerful union to rat out one of its own to police. He argued that most private businesses would deal with such issues internally and that Dupuis' job loss was the ultimate indignity. Arsenault insisted he didn't have any real See Page 4 Former Union Boss January 2014 Mga karapatan at responsibilidad ng mamamahayag Editorial Wil the rehabilitation of Yolanda victims’ life be a real priority of the Philippine government? Not too long ago, typhoon Haiyan, known as Yolanda, hit the Philippines and caused so much havoc that the world responded with overwhelming generosity. Total amount raised by many countries may be enough to rebuild and rehabilitate the victims. However, it is not known if they will truly receive enough and timely assistance to make their lives easier. Without a solid infrastructure, it seems that the victims may have to wait longer before they can go back to normal. Some news about poor construction of houses for the victims have raised fears that inherent corruption in the government may again be the ultimate spoiler of good intentions of donors. from different countries around the world. Being so far away from this place, and not seeing what is going on without reading about it in the newspapers and the internet, or listening to radio news, we have that uneasy feeling that the Yolanda victims are so vulnerable to the corrupt practices of bureaucrats and political leaders. It is sad to say but we do not often trust government bureaucrats. What should concerned citizens do in contemplating the prospect of massive corruption that may occur in the distribution of assistance to the victims? How do we make sure that the funds raised really benefit the victims and not the relatives of government officials? One way we can prevent corrupt officials from victimizing the victims the second time is to find out where the funds are going and how they are being spent. Do you have a relative directly affected by the storm? 5320-A Queen Mary Road Montreal, Quebec H3X 1T7 Get the news from them and have them report to you regularly on the progress of the assistance being given to the victims. Another way to get information is by keeping up with the news. Lately, we came across a news report that the government has deployed a plan to make “techno-entrepreneurs” out of the Yolanda victims. Approximately 100,000 people will be given assistance in building a technology based business, In another news report, President Benigno Aquino III vowed the government would not only rebuild areas hit by disasters in 2013, but make new structures more disaster resilient. He stated that his government is guided by one principle: to build back better. In spite of a common belief that there is rampant corruption, and that the assistance being given to the Philippines might end up in the wrong pockets, we are willing to give the government the benefit of the doubt but keep up the pressure by being interested in the development of the country, not only in the devastated regions but also in other parts of the country. For those who have lived away from the country, it may be a good idea to visit regularly and see what can be done to improve the situation there. Perhaps, seeing things first hand will enlighten us and give us an idea on how we can help our relatives and those we care for in getting a better deal from the government. We are earnestly looking forward to see the rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts to be truly serious and sincere. a Tel.: 514-485-7861 E-Mail: [email protected] Published by: Filcan Publications, Inc. ni W. G. Quiambao Kalimitan ay sinasabi ng ating mga kababayan na sa isang demokratikong bansa o lipunan ay may Kalayaan ang Pamamahayag. Tumpak sila. Subalit marami sa kanila ang hindi nakaaalam na may limitasyon din ang mga kalayaang ito. Kung wala itong limitasyon, madali nating masisiraan ng puri ang ibang tao sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat. At hindi lamang may mga limitasyon ang mga karapatan ng manunulat sa pamamahayag. Ang mamamahayag ay may mga responsibilidad din sa pag-uulat ng balita sa publiko na dapat niyang sundin. Ang papel na ginagampanan ng mamamahayag ay mangalap ng balita o impormasyon na tinatawang na "of public interest" . Ito ay mga balita o impormasyon na kailangan ng publiko upang ipagpatuloy ang takbo ng demokratikong buhay . Ang konseptong "of public interest" ay patuloy na umiikot na siyang dahilan kung kaya mahirap ipaliwanag kung ano talaga ang ibig sabihin nito. Sa Quebec ay may ahensiya ang pamahalaan na kung tawagin ay Quebec Press Council, isang independiyenteng organisasyon na ang dalawang pangunahing layunin ay protektahan ang mga kalayaan ng pamamahayag at mga karapatan ng mamamayan na makakuha ng mataas na kalidad na balita. Ang ilan sa mga Kalayaan ng Pamamahayag ay ang mga sumusunod: Sa medya, ang mamamahayag ay kaillangang malaya sa pagkuha ng impormasyon tungkol sa mga bagay at pangyayari na walang balakid, pagbabanta.o paghihiganti. Kung ano ang iuulat niyang balita at paano niya ito gagawin ay nasa pasiya ng patnugot ng pahayagan. May kalayaan din ang mamamahayag sa pagkuha ng balita sa pamahalaan at institusyon. Ang isang bansa ay nariyan upang Chief Editor & Publisher Al Abdon Alberto Baens Santos Michael Davantes Sam Kevin W.G. Quiambao Community News News & Layout Editor Bert Abiera Founder paglingkuran ang kaniyang mamamayan na nakasaad sa Àn Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Informatioin) at Ottawa (Access to Informatiion Act). Ang mga balita, komentaryo, opinyon, lalo na tungkol sa pulitika, ay kailangang maging malaya sa pagbabawal o sensura. Ang batas ay dapat hindi masangkot sa pagbabawal sa kalayaang ito ng mamamahayag na pulaan ang pamahalaan.. Ang mga balitang nakukuha ng publiko sa medya ay bunga ng ibat-ibang tipo na pasya ng patnugot. Ang impormasyon ay maaaring sa porma ng balita, opinyon komenntaryo o tampok na balita. . Ito ay batay sa pasiya ng patnugot at kagustunan ng mamamahayag. Sa Quebec, may hangganan ang pagsulat ng balita at opinyon. Kailangan alam ng mamamahayag ang pagkakaiba ng balita at opinyon. Dapat ay iwasan niya ang personal niyang opinyon at komentaryo sa kaniyahng balita. May kalayaan ang mamamahayag na sumulat ng opinyon at komentqryo subalit kailangang gamiltin niya ito sa matalinong araan at gamitin niya ang kaniyang disiplina. Ang kawalan ng disiplina ang kalimitang pagkakamali ng ilang mamamahayag. At kung may mga kalayaan ang mamamahayag ay mayroon din silang mga responsiblidad. Ang isang mamamahayag ay kailangang magulat ng tama at kumpletoing balita. Hindi maaari ang pinaghabi-habi at baluktot na alita. upang ito ay maging sensesyonal. Ang uri ng balita na ginagawa ng mamamahayag ay batay sa kaniyang pagsasanay at disiplina. . Ang paggamit ng Ayon sa pinagmulan ko ng balita (According to my source) ay iwasan. Ang kalimitan pagggamit ng ganitong paraan ay nagpapatunay sa kaburaraan at katamaran ng mamamahayag. At See Page 4 Responsibilidad North American Filipino Star Subscription Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi Columnists 3 The North American Filipino Star Bernardo Sarmiento Opinion Editorial The opinions expressed by the writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect that of the management of the North American Filipino Star nor its editors. Name: ________________________ Tel._____________ Address: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ E-Mail_________________ Date:__________________ www.filipinostar.org No. of issues ____ 12 = $30 ____ 24 = $50 4 From Page 1 January 2014 The North American Filipino Star Aquino life dedicated to the pursuit of excellence that has tangible effects on others. Tuesday’s event recognized the recipient of People Asia’s highest honor, Mrs. Socorro C. Ramos, the founder and general manager of National Book Store. For 14 years, People Asia magazine has annually recognized people who have inspired others by exhibiting competence and excellence in their chosen fields. Whether in business, media and entertainment, medicine, or the many other sectors represented here today, our awardees for 2014 have indeed accomplished so much, and in so doing, have brought honor to the Philippines. To all of you: my sincerest congratulations,” the President said of the awardees. Among this year’s People of the Year are Miss World 2013 Megan Young, actress and singer Nora Aunor, Rizal Banking Commercial Corp. chair Helen Yuchengco Dee, five-time PBA coach of the year Chot Reyes, film director Brillante Mendoza, actor Coco Martin, Shell Philippines country chair Edgar Chua, ABS-CBN channel head Cory Vidanes, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, pop divah Kuh Ledesma, fashion designer Criselda Lontok, prosthodontist Dr. Steve Mark Gan, education advocate Fr. Gerard Deveza and Australian hotelier Thomas Meyer of Raffles and Fairmont Hotel. Watch the Mabuhay Montreal TV show every Friday at 7 p.m. on ICI TV, Videotron Channel 16 Bell Fibe Channel 1216 sent back to Mexico," said Dr. MarieMichelle Bellon, her treating physician. "... based on my meetings with Ms. Hernandez, I have no doubt that she wanted above all to prioritize the development of her son and believed that the tension in the house was so unbearable that it harmed the well-being of her child." “Essentially, a mother has had her child removed from her custody, perhaps permanently, due to her immigration status," said Mary Foster from Solidarity Across Borders. "Every aspect of this case is disgusting and shocking. Ivonne should not be in detention. Ivonne should have status in Canada. Ivonne should have protection from conjugal violence. And, most importantly, Ivonne, a loving mother, should not be separated from her son." “It is always shocking to me as a human rights lawyer, and quite contrary to my sense of our common values in this country, to see the Canada Border Services Agency intervening to help an abusive husband to get rid of his From Page 1 Yollanda Victims From Page 2 Responsibilidad inconvenient wife. This situation is profoundly troubling,” said Stewart waters outside Butuan City in the north kadalasan ay gawa-gawa lamang ng Istvanffy, Ms. Hernandez Segura's of Mindanao island. mamamahayag ang pinagmulan niya immigration lawyer. "Thank God we are safe but we just lost ng balita. Ang isang magandang our house," she told Reuters as she halimbawa ay nang iulat ng isang mamamahyag na binayaran ang isang wiped tears from her eyes. kandidato upang tumakbo sa pagiging A state of calamity has been declared konsehal. Nang imbestigahan siya ng in Agusan del Norte and 15 other towns Commission on Election, hindi niya in the Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur masabi kung saan niya talaga nakuha impormasyon. Ito ay and Agusan del Sur areas of Mindanao ang even as weather bureau lifted alert pagpapatunay na ang nasabing levels as the storm weakened. ($1 = 45 mamamahayag ay iresponsable dahil niya lamang ang pesos) (Reporting By Manuel Mogato; gawa-gawa impormayon na iniulat. Editing by Nick Macfie) Topical news Montreal, 23 January 2014 – Ivonne Angelina Hernandez Segura, a survivor of conjugal violence who has been living without immigration status in Canada for a year and a half, was arrested in a preplanned public ambush involving police and border authorities at Berri-UQAM metro station at approximately 4pm yesterday. Ms Hernandez Segura was arrested while she was picking up her oneyear old son, Vincenzo, from her expartner. From Page 2 Former Union Boss power to fire anyone despite heading the province's largest union. The power to hire and fire lay with the individual unions -- such as the construction wing -- while the federation oversees the groups as a whole. Ms Hernandez Segura is at risk of imminent deportation. If she is deported, her son will be separated from her, perhaps for life. She is currently being held at Laval Immigration Detention Centre. She will appear at a Detention Review hearing tomorrow at 1:15pm before the Immigration and Refugee Board, at 200 Réné Levesque West. A support rally will take place at 12:30 in front of the IRB offices. On 11 December 2013, Ms Hernandez Segura fled to a women's shelter with her son to escape a situation of conjugal violence. Her ex-partner promptly denounced her to authorities. In a shocking ruling on 10 January 2014, a family court judge awarded custody of Vincenzo to the father seemingly because been the full-time care-giver for the child since his birth. Ms Hernandez Segura and Arsenault told the inquiry that he took her son were allowed to see each other six the Mob warning with a grain of salt hours a week. and never feared for his safety. Ms Hernandez Segura came to Canada in July 2009 to seek asylum. However, in October 2011, she was refused refugee status and, in July 2012, ordered deported. Rather than return to the very real danger she faced in Mexico, Ms. Hernandez Segura joined the estimated half a million people living without papers in Canada, among the most vulnerable and exploited members of our society. "Médécins du monde followed Mme Hernandez Seguera throughout her pregnancy and after she gave birth. For several months, staff noticed signs that led them to believe that she was a victim of conjugal violence. The threat of deportation greatly threatens the motherchild relationship, primordial to the development of the child. Médécins du monde is convinced that, for their physical and mental well-being, especially that of the child, this mother and the child should not be separated." said Dr. Marie Munoz, volunteer doctor at the Médécins du monde Canada migrant clinic. Canada has an obligation under international law to prioritize the best interests of the child, including in its immigration policies. “She told me … that her partner had regularly threatened to denounce her to immigration officials so that she would be However, the Minister of Immigration has the discretionary power - and the obligation under international law - to intervene in the file and regularize Ms. Hernandez Segura's status. -30Contact: Annie Lapalme, 514-606-7992 Solidarity Across Borders, 438 933 7654 Source: Solidarity Across Borders [email protected] www.solidarityacrossborders.org Under Canada's immigration system, there Despite his insistence that organized Non-status survivor of conjugal violence crime played no role at the union, a loses custody of son, arrested in pre-planned wiretapped conversation heard earlier Tuesday suggested that Arsenault was public ambush, facing imminent deportation aware that organized crime was Non-status survivor of conjugal violence of Ms Hernandez Segura's vulnerable plotting to take over the union's loses custody of son, arrested in pre- immigration status, even though she has billion-dollar investment fund. planned public ambush, facing imminent deportation are few opportunities for someone in Ms. Hernandez Segura's situation – neither wealthy nor well-connected - to regularize her status in Canada. Although Mexico has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world, and has an extremely high homicide rate, Canada has placed Mexico on a list of “safe countries"; countries that Canada claims can protect its citizens from violence. A request to reopen her application for permanent residence on humanitarian grounds was made in November because immigration officials failed to take all of the evidence into account but there has not yet been a response. He says the notice came from construction magnate Tony Accurso, who told him about an attempt to usurp his position at the helm of the union and the investment fund because he wasn't pushing their projects. Arsenault said he believes now that organized crime tried to access the fund through Jocelyn Dupuis, a former construction wing boss who was friendly with several people with criminal ties. The former union boss said organized crime infiltrating the union's Solidarity Fund is the worst thing that could have happened. But Arsenault said the push never materialized and he believes the fund is now insulated from organized crime's reach after changes to the structure and rules were made in 2009. Arsenault held on to the presidency www.filipinostar.org right up until his retirement last November and says in that time he was never offered a bribe and never accepted a kickback. He said he didn't notify police when he received word about the infiltration attempt because he didn't feel his personal security was threatened. "I've never woken up in the morning to check if there's a bomb underneath my car," Arsenault said. "I was never afraid, I took it all with a grain of salt." Arsenault said he didn't believe in calling news conferences on the matter, wanting to save the image of the union and the fund. "I never felt pressure from organized crime on me while QFL president," Arsenault said. "Otherwise, I would have told the police." Arsenault has repeatedly defended the $9.7 billion fund, which he says has been a great boon for the Quebec economy. Commission chair France Charbonneau sought to reassure the witness that no one thought otherwise. "Nobody here believes that the Fund is not a good institution," she said. Cabane à sucre Join us on March 23rd, and get plenty of fresh air eat all you can delicious brunch the Quebecois way! Hurry! Reserve your tickets early Call 514-485-7861 January 2014 The North American Filipino Star Tips for getting perfect fit tailored suit for men Be it for business purpose or for a special occasion, every man needs at least one high-quality suit that is perfectly tailored that will help you look smart and feel confident. So, invest in the best quality you can afford. However, if you’re on a budget, the best advice is to buy offthe-rack suits in the best fit you can get, and then take them to a tailor for Q: custom adjustments. Here are the essential aspects you should consider if you're thinking about buying a perfect man's suit. Tips for getting perfect fit tailored suit for men. Displaying Tips for getting perfect fit tailored suit for men.: (Graphics from: Art of Manliness & Real Men Real Style) TO BIN, OR NOT TO BIN? A: NO. ONLY CONTAINERS, PACKAGING AND PRINTED MATERIALS GO IN THE RECYCLING BIN. You can bring your old cell phones to easily accessible drop-off points. For the one closest to you, go to recycleMYelectronics.ca/qc For more information on recycling, go to RECREER.CA 5 6 January 2014 The North American Filipino Star and coasts, CMSP “identifies areas most suitable for various types or classes of activities in order to reduce conflicts among uses, reduce environmental impacts, facilitate compatible uses and preserve critical ecosystem services to meet economic, environmental, security and social objectives.” EarthTalk® E - The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: I recently heard the term “ocean sprawl,” which was a new one on me. We all know “sprawl” as it manifests itself above sea level. But in the oceans? Can you enlighten? -Bill Chadwick, Nantucket, MA According to the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), our oceans are already under siege from problems like pollution, overfishing and acidification, and increased industrial activity off-shore— leading to so-called “ocean sprawl”— will jeopardize the food, jobs and recreation we have come to depend on the oceans to provide. It’s hard to believe, given how much planning goes into various types of development and human activity on land, that the oceans are still like the Wild West—with various entities staking claims on huge stretches of open water for different purposes. A promising approach to combat ocean sprawl is called coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP), a form of zoning for the seas to help define who can do what and where. Says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the federal agency charged with predicting changes in climate, weather, oceans EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected] Dear EarthTalk: What is the Obama administration’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative and what does it hope to accomplish? -- Doug St. James, New York, NY “Marine planning places sound science and the best available information at the heart of decision-making and brings federal, state, tribal and other partners together to cooperatively develop coastal and marine spatial plans,” continues NOAA. “This process is designed to decrease user conflict, improve planning and regulatory efficiencies, decrease associated costs President Obama signed a Presidential and delays, engage affected Memorandum in April 2010 communities and stakeholders, and establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to promote and support innovative community-level efforts to conserve outdoor spaces and reconnect Americans to the outdoors. The Memorandum calls for collaboration among the Departments of Interior and Agriculture as well as the Environmental Protection Agency and the White House’s own Council on Environmental Quality in leading the initiative. Eight other federal agencies play a supporting role—and literally thousands of other partners from state, local and tribal governments, nonprofits and the private sector are involved as well. Getting young people, especially city kids, into the outdoors The next frontier in sprawl may be on the high seas, where the proliferation of fishing, shipping, tourism, resource extraction, energy development, military exercises and other human activity has begun to call into question just how vast our oceans really are. Pictured: a fishing trawler on the high seas. Credit: Jon Anderson/Flickr We are all familiar by now with “urban sprawl”—the uncontrolled spread of urban development into areas beyond the city. But environmentalists warn that the next frontier in sprawl is on the high seas, where the proliferation of fishing, shipping, tourism, resource extraction, energy development, military exercises and other human activity has begun to call into question just how vast our oceans really are. NOAA Coastal & Marine Spatial Planning, www.msp.noaa.gov; World Ocean Council, www.oceancouncil.org. preserve critical ecosystem functions and services.” to experience our country’s unique natural heritage is a top priority of America’s Great Outdoors. Before pursuing any specific strategies, initiative leaders solicited feedback from everyday Americans as to what mattered most to them regarding conservation and access to the outdoors. Some 105,000 written comments and many more spoken ones from “listening sessions” held coast to coast streamed in and were crucial to the development of programs. Public feedback continues to shape the initiative’s agenda. Some of the programs that fall under the umbrella of America’s Great Outdoors include: the Veterans Fire Corps, which employs veterans in forest fire management; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s program providing technical training and work opportunities for underserved youth in habitat restoration and fisheries monitoring; and the establishment of a new network of “water trails” coast to coast to increase everyone’s access to the outdoors. America’s Great Outdoors was in the news recently when Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced the launch of 21st Century Conservation Service Corps as part of the program. “21CSC,” as Jewell calls it, aims to be a modern incarnation of the Civilian Kalman Samuels, Q.C. & Associates, s.e.n.c. Attorneys President Obama’s 2010 National Ocean Policy directs NOAA and other federal agencies to work with ocean users, industries and coastal communities on ways to implement CMSP in America’s off-shore waters to prevent ocean sprawl at home while setting an example for other nations around the world. Nine regional planning bodies are currently tasked with developing detailed plans for their own regions by early 2015, at which point federal policy makers will begin to coordinate implementation. In response to momentum on CMSP, a coalition of industries including offshore energy, shipping, fisheries, recreation, mining and others formed the World Ocean Council to have a say in how and where marine spatial planning is implemented. The group organized a National Business Forum on Marine Spatial Planning in 2011 and will take part in a World Ocean Summit in San Francisco in February 2014. Those of us who appreciate the sea certainly hope that CMSP and other approaches will succeed in turning the tide for oceans and not be undermined by special interests only concerned with bottom lines. Stella Samuels • Family Law • Litigation • Immigration www.kalmansamuels.com Tel. : 514-939-1200 DR. EMILIA ESPIRITU CHIRURGIEN DENTISTE / DENTAL SURGEON 5790 Cote des Neiges Rd Suite A-024 MONTREAL, QUEBEC H3S 1Y9 CONTACTS: NRDC, www.nrdc.org; www.filipinostar.org PHONE: 514-340-8222 (4077) E-Mail: [email protected] January 2014 The North American Filipino Star well. While only some of them have the auto-sensing and “learning” capabilities of the Nest, those without that feature also cost less. And merely programming in a weekly schedule to any smart thermostat will be the main source of cost and energy savings. People who were diligent about turning their old thermostats up and down throughout the day might not see any substantial savings with a smart thermostat, but most of us aren’t so diligent—especially when it comes to turning the heat down at night when we are sleeping. President Obama's America’s Great Outdoors Initiative seeks to promote and support community efforts to conserve natural spaces and reconnect Americans to the outdoors. Pictured: a "listening session" soliciting input from everyday Americans as to what mattered most to them regarding conservation and access to the outdoors.Credit: Team St. Louis Conservation Corps (CCC) that President Franklin Roosevelt used to help put Americans back to work during the Great Depression. Jewell envisions a 100,000 person strong “CCC 2.0” that will provide opportunities for thousands of young Americans—6.7 million of whom are currently unemployed or not in school—and veterans transitioning back to civilian life to serve their country, feel proud of what they are accomplishing and improve their own lives and the lives of others around them. Part of what makes America’s Great Outdoors unique is that partners from every sector of American society—not just the federal government—are encouraged to help. 21CSC is partially funded by a $1 million dollar donation from clothing retailer American Eagle Outfitters, and Jewell is in search of another $19 million from other private sector partners to turn the program into a potent force for reducing youth and veteran unemployment while giving our endangered lands and waterways some much-needed attention. Dear EarthTalk: Will I really be able to save money and energy in the long run by shelling out hundreds of dollars now for a so-called “smart” thermostat? -- Bill Cone, Aptos, CA Spending $200 or more to replace that older, still functioning thermostat with a new whiz-bang “smart” variety might seem like a waste of money, but it can be one of the best small investments a homeowner can make, given the potential for energy and cost savings down the line. The coolest of the bunch of new smart thermostats, the Nest, was created by former Apple employees who had been instrumental in designing the original iPod and iPhone years earlier. This simple looking round thermostat is reminiscent of old-school thermostats that one would manually adjust by turning the temperature dial. But the auto-awake feature that turns Environmentalists may be disappointed that the Obama administration hasn’t been able to muscle through mandatory greenhouse gas emissions cuts and put sustainability concerns at the forefront of the policymaking process, but getting unprecedented numbers of Americans involved in conservation projects that protect the nation’s treasured natural heritage is a worthy conservation legacy in its own right. The program is sure to positively impact generations of Americans for decades to come. Many smart thermostat owners report savings of between $10 and $30 per month on their heating/cooling bills— and research has shown that such an upgrade can save upwards of 10 percent of the total energy consumed by a given household. Smart thermostats range in price from $50 to $250, so upgrading could pay for itself within a year or two at most, with longterm savings racking up month-bymonth after that. Many utilities now offer free or discounted smart thermostats to customers. Getting in on such a program is a great way to reduce energy costs without the up-front expense of installing a smart thermostat independently. According to the Database of State Incentives for CONTACTS: America’s Great O u t d o o r s , www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/; 21CSC, www.doi.gov/21csc/. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected] on the bright blue digital display when someone walks nearby gives the Nest away as an ultra-modern piece of high tech gadgetry. The Nest’s software “learns” the habits in a given space by logging when inhabitants tend to be home and awake and noting when they tend to turn up or down the heat—and then sets a heating/cooling schedule accordingly. Owners can also program the Nest, which connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi, to heat up or cool down the house at a set schedule or go into “away” mode from any web browser or smart phone. While the Nest is likely the best known smart thermostat available—especially since Google acquired the company behind it in early 2014—several other manufacturers (including Honeywell, ecobee, Hunter, Radio Thermostat, Trane and Lux) have Wi-Fi-enabled smart thermostats available now as www.filipinostar.org 7 Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE), incentives to install smart thermostats are available through utilities in 45 states. New York’s Con Edison, California’s PG&E and Texas’ CPS Energy are just a few of the larger utilities offering such incentives. Those that do upgrade certainly won’t be alone. Navigant Research reports that the number of smart thermostats in operation around the world will jump from 1.4 million currently installed to some 32 million by 2020. These kinds of numbers will help utilities meet or exceed energy efficiency goals regardless of other upgrades on the power plant side of their businesses. Likewise, the efficiency boost also can play a key role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and our emissions of greenhouse gases. CONTACTS: Nest, www.nest.com; DSIRE, www.dsireusa.org; Navigant, www.navigantresearch.com. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: [email protected] 8 "Manigong Bagong Taon sa lahat ng mambabasa ng sulok na ito. Ayaw ko pang abalahin ang paglalaro nina Pichu Pechay at Peras pero may balitang dapat malaman ang madla.... ang pagbabalik ng Pasuguan ng Pilipinas (Consular Outreach January 2014 The North American Filipino Star magdodonasyon lang ng $1.00 o $2.00 ay mababayaran na ang lugar kung ayaw gumasta ni Pangulong Aquino? 4) Sadya bang wala nang magiting at Sophie Toledo (right) conducts a raffle with NEI rep Beth Santiago (middle).unidentified raffle winner (left) Rizalista at umagaw ng pagkakataon sa ibang tunay na kasapi. Sa kabila ng lahat lahat, makulay at buhay na buhay ang maikling paradang ginanap sa loob ng bulwagan. Nagbigaysigla rin ang kababaihang Rizalista na grupong umawit ng “Ang Bayan Ko.” Binigyan ng pangaral na plake si Dra. Gene Santander sa naging papel niya pagtatatag ng samahang ito. Natapos ang pagdiriwang sa dating gawing sayawan. Cabane à Sucre Mission) sa kandila buhat sa bandila. Ibabato ko sa inyo, tulirong komunidad, ang mga tanong: 1) Bakit umalis ito sa FAMAS na higit na karapat-dapat na honorary consul na maaaring gumanap sa Montreal o ipit talaga sa pananalapi ang ating bansa dahil sa nata-Tacloban ng corruption? Hayan! Tila nagluwag-luwag ang Sugaring Off Party Organized by Gilmore College Sunday, March 23, 2014 Assembly time: 9:00 AM Departure time: 9:30 AM Return to Montreal: 3:30 PM Meeting place: Plamondon Metro (Van Horne Exit) Destination: La Goudrelle, Mont St. Gregoire, Quebec Call 514-485-7861 for reservations From left to right: Samson Kuk, Judith Gonzales of NEI, Mary Grace Aggabao, and Bert Santos after the Panday Tinig concert, December 16, 2013 at the Segal Center, Montreal. (Photo courtesy of Al Abdon./ ginhawang puntahan ng mamayan? 2) Bakit sa JIL (tabi-tabi po, Pastora Mercy) o sa St. Kevin's na luluklukan ng lalong nakakararaming Pilipino na siyang pinagsisilbihan? 3) Bakit hindi sa 6767 Cote Des Neiges na dibdib ko at naisiwalat ko sa inyo ito. Natitiyak kong hindi ako nag-iisa sa aking damdamin. Dapat na ipagsaya ng sulok na ito ang isang nagtalumpati sa ating Wikang Pambansa pero maraming dumalo ang hindi nakaunawa. Isa pang pula, diumano, ang nagsalita sa entablado ay hindi binasbasang Need Money? • No Credit Checks! • No upfront fees! • Immediate response! Call and Get Cash Now!!! L-R Edith Fedalizo, Zenaida F. Kharroubi, Bert Santos and Minerva Santos after the Panday Tinig Concert, December 21, 2013 at the Segal Center. (Photo by: Mary Grace Aggabao) www.filipinostar.org (514) 344-1499 January 2014 BAKIT KAYA WALA PANG FINANCIAL REPORT? – Hanggang sa ngayon, may dalawang buwan na ang nakalipas, ay wala pang inilalathala ang kasalukuyang administrasyon ng FAMAS na listahan ng mga nagbigay para sa mga biktima ng super bagyong Yolanda at halaga ng donasyon ng bawa’t isa. Bakit kaya nagaatubili silang malaman ng komunidad kung magkano talaga ang kabuuang halaga na kanilang nalikom? Ano na ang nangyari sa kanilang ipinangakong “transparency” noong sila’y mga kandidato pa? CONTRARY TO SOME PEOPLE’S BELIEF, ST. KEVIN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS A PRIVATE PLACE Does the government own St. Kevin Catholic Church? No, it does not. Is it owned by any public entity? No, it is not. Actually, St. Kevin Catholic Church, which is located on Cote des Neiges Road between St. Kevin Avenue and Dupuis Avenue in Montreal, is owned either by the local community of believers or a church organization. It means that it is a private property. Since it is a private property, its owner, or at least its administrator, has all the rights in the world to decide or dictate what a person may bring into its premises. Whether it’s unfair or not to some people is inconsequential. The publisher/editor-in-chief of a rival newspaper claimed in his December 2013 article that the “community decries St. Kevin Catholic Church’s decision to ban copies of his publication from its grounds.” Of course, he exaggerated again when he called “very few people” [that includes his wife and himself] “community” in his ridiculous and futile attempt to demonize the church’s administrator. The same publisher/editor-in-chief even needlessly quoted some people, whom he claimed to be sympathetic to him, as saying: Dante Tabamo: “What is true to me should be true to all. This country is a democracy." It should have occurred to Mr. Tabamo that it was exactly the democracy he referred that allowed the administrator of St. Kevin Catholic Church to stop placing of copies of that particular newspaper in its premises. Furthermore, Mr. Tabamo, if he were smart, should have taken note that it wasn’t the freedom of expression or the press that said church wanted to stop, but merely the distribution of copies of that newspaper in its premises, and not anywhere else. Paraphrasing Tabamo’s own line: What is true to Tabamo should also be true to St. Kevin Catholic Church.” If I stop someone from smoking inside my house or within my premises, I am not necessarily curtailing his right to smoke, am I? For all I care, he can smoke himself to death if he wants to. I just don’t want him to smoke inside my property because it is hazardous to my health. St. Kevin Catholic Church insiders most likely think that copies of that newspaper are hazardous to their health. 9 The North American Filipino Star newspaper in question from being distributed within St. Kevin Catholic Church’s grounds is not a violation of press freedom because it was not such freedom itself that the church wanted to stop but merely the distribution of copies in its premises. And whether reporting the wrongdoings of a priest is a criminal act or not is irrelevant. By the way, it is wrong and completely silly to say that Manuel was prevented by the COMELEC from assuming the FAMAS presidency in 2011. Actually, the COMELEC, in its decision, found Manuel guilty of election rule violations and was subsequently disqualified from assuming office. That decision was later confirmed by the Registraire des Enterprises to be well within said committee’s mandate and authority, and therefore, not an abuse of its power. Hindi natin maiiwasan ang maghinala na meron na namang nangyaring hokuspokus o milagro, lalo na kung sasagi sa ating alaala ang mga di-kanaisnais na alegasyon tungkol sa kanila. Umuwi kamakailan sa Pilipinas ang isang pangunahing balatkayong lider ng komunidad. Kasama n’ya ang kanyang sinisinta na napabalita na nabali ang balakang nang mahulog s’ya sa hagdan habang nagpapasasa sa bayang sinilangan. Grabe raw ang aksidente kaya naospital doon nang kung ilang araw. Kaagad nakarating sa Montreal ang tungkol sa nasabing aksidente. May paisaisang nalulungkot, pero higit na mas marami ang nagpapasalamat, natutuwa at nagdiriwang. Karma raw sabi ng ilan. Bakit daw hindi pa ‘yung “lalake” ang naaksidente biro’t-totoong sambit naman ng iba. ******* FAMAS EXECUTIVE BOARD TINAWAG NA BOBO? – Ayon sa balitang kutsero (teka muna, meron pa bang kutsero sa panahong ito?), tinawag daw ng isang nagdudunungdunungan at mapagpanggap na lider na bobo ang mga, o ilan sa mga, miembro ng kasalukuyang Executive Board ng FAMAS. Kung bakit hindi nagprotesta ang mga kinauukulan ay maaaring dahil totoo na bobo talaga sila o ayaw lamang nilang patulan ang isang matagal nang may toyo sa ulo. Kamakailan lamang ay tinawag din akong bobo ng nasabing hipokritong lider sa kanyang pitak. Nalimutan n’ya na s’ya ay hamak na mas malaking bobo kesa akin o kesa sinuman sa mga tinuran kong miembro ng Executive Board. Maraming taon na ang nakakaraan nang si Miss Hypocrisy ay naging testigo sa isang kaso na kinasangkutan ng isang dating honorary consul sa Montreal. Testigo s’ya para sa kalaban ng nasabing dating honorary consul pero dahil sa kanyang kabobohan ay nagmistulang kakampi s’ya ng dating honorary consul. Gumagamit pa s’ya ng kodigo para sa kanyang testimomya. Napansin iyon ng hukom at binawalan n’ya ang bobong testigo sa paggamit ng kodigo na lalong ikinataranta ng huli. See Page Beyond the Pale Jimmy Aquino: " The Filipino Forum is a community paper. As such it has the right to be distributed at St. Kevin." Mr. Aquino’s argument is fallacious, and Mr. Editor-in-Chief is apparently ignorant that it is. So what if it is a community newspaper? Being a community newspaper does not give any publication any right to be distributed at a private place like St. Kevin Catholic Church, or at any other church, for that matter. Besides, it is not a “right,” which is inalienable, but merely a “privilege,” which is revocable. Anyway, it’s high time that those people knew the distinction between a right and a privilege. Lilia Esguerra: “The church should be open to everybody, including Muslims.” I don’t think the issue here is preventing or not preventing anyone from entering St. Kevin Catholic Church. As far as my knowledge is concerned, said church did not, and still does not, bar anyone from going to it at reasonable hours. So Ms. Esguerra’s argument is a non sequitur. Josefa Nicolas: “It's utterly unfair. The paper's competitor is displayed at the church's exits. Why can't the Filipino Forum also show its issue at their exits for distribution." Cesar Manuel, in whose behalf the same publisher/editor-in-chief keeps on harping to be the legally elected FAMAS president but was prevented by the COMELEC from assuming his post in 2011, said "This is a violation of press freedom. It's not a criminal act to report the wrongdoings of a priest." I wonder if Ms. Nicolas would allow copies of Filipino Star to be displayed at her house’s exit if they carry articles defaming her. I am absolutely sure that she would not waste any time mulling over whether or not she should throw them into the nearest garbage bin. I’m quite certain that she would just throw them away as quickly as she could. And she would most likely disagree with me if I say, “It’s utterly unfair.” No, Mr. Manuel, stopping copies of the ******* Do you want to be the life of the party? Meet new friends? Enjoy life to the fullest? It’s easy - learn how to dance like a PRO. Join the Gilmore Dance Club. Start with 10 lessons, to try if you like it. Classes are taught by a professional dance instructor. Sunday schedule - 6 to 7 p.m. Classes start as soon as there are 7 to 10 confirmed registrations Cost - $100 for 10 lessons prepaid. Course to start in January. For information & registration: Call 514-485-7861 www.filipinostar.org 10 The North American Filipino Star January 2014 example True cinema 4k products might 2 0. Those options are also available in also be able to now support true 24P, 4K, or even options for a full raw where QFHD products are more likely to recording within 4K. But remember, with support the 23.98 video standard. HFR 4K you already have 4x the pixel count (high frame rate) beyond 60 fps might which means even a 4 2 0 a 4K signal can also be supported in some cases, produce an excellent down converted 4 2 although as I’m sure you can appreciate 2 HD signal. In fact, 4K can produce a processing and storing this type of better HD signal than can be natively bandwidth is on the extreme side and so produced in HD itself. is offered at quite a premium price point if Most early adopters of HD in fact at all. were just looking for ways to improve This level of “4K” or UHD video their SD deliverables (while sometimes resolution when compared against say unknowingly also improving their archive digital photo’s, means that we are footage) something that just as easily actually capturing over an 8 megapixel applies today as the 4K era dawns, now compatible HD displays do play 60P image per frame. Which is quite that the HD transition is essentially images. 1920X1080 HD is about 6x the significant as an 8 megapixel image can complete, we are looking to delivering pixels or spatial resolution of 640×480 which was the resolution of SD standard definition NTSC television. Due to the 1280×720 or 1920×1080 pixel count, HD signals are considered to be wide aspect, defined as being natively 16×9 in aspect ratio whether they are 720 or 1080 in nature where SD was a 4×3 (more square) aspect ratio. Since cinema screens have wider aspect ratios than televisions the 2K cinema DCP (Digital cinema projection) standard identified an aspect ratio of 17×9 or 2048 horizontal pixels by 1080 vertical pixels. Since both HD and true 2K have an horizontal pixel count near 2,000 pixels they are often generalized together as being 2K resolution.4K is generalized to encompass two standards: one for Sony FDR-AX1 camera that uses 4K technology. cinema and one for television. True cinema 4K has horizontal resolution of actually produce a very good quality and preserving even higher quality 4096×2160 with a horizontal pixel count 8x12” print. So imagine the possibilities of images that can engage more viewers. of just over 4,000 pixels hence the a still camera with a motor drive capable Much of this techie information, we categorization as 4K and hat delivers a of capturing 60 frames per second. 4K should be bracing ourselves towards this 17×9 aspect ratio. The vast majority of video could in fact allow you to produce new format. First it is Standard Definition, consumer and pro displays and cameras images for any medium print, web, video next is High Definition and now the Ultra High Definition. I wonder what’s next? cannot actually support this cinema 4K in a single pass. Another thing to note is color resolution. Instead they work at a resolution that is 4x or quad HD also sampling. Just as in SD or HD you can Al Abdon known as QFHD (quad full high reduce the amount of information you Hollywood Junkies Video Production definition) at 3840×2160 pixels delivering want to store or transmit overall by (514) 264-8706 exactly 4x HD in spatial resolution, with reducing the color space from 4 2 2 to 4 the same 16×9 aspect ratio. So in essence both can deliver the same image RESTAURANT resolution to a given part of the screen, QFHD is simply slightly cropped from LA MAISON NEW KUM MON 17×9 to 16×9 image size the same as 2K and HD. 6565 Côte-des-Neiges Road 5047 Henri Bourassa Est Within cinema 4K or QFHD you (near Corner Appleton) Montréal, QC H1G 2S1 can now also have the choice of varying Tel.: (514) 322-3133, 322-3130 Montreal, QC progressive (no longer interlace) frame rates up to and even beyond 60P, for Ask the Video Guy by Al Abdon What is 4K? By Bryan Young As you know digital cinema, video and consumer electronics in general are moving towards adopting the much talked-about 4K or UHD (ultra high definition) tech. This year, almost everyone was talking about 4K, showing off new TVs, cameras, laptops, mobile devices, streaming media services and more – all containing 4K or UHD technology. UHD (or ultra HD) is a ubiquitous term used to describe image resolutions beyond Full HD (>1920×1080). Originally, there were two specifications for HD images or HD broadcast standards. One that had a lower spatial resolution (pixel count) but generally could provide a higher temporal resolution (frame rate) of 1280×720 (pixels) up 60P (frames). Then there was the broader adopted standard of Full HD that had a higher spatial resolution, but generally lower temporal resolution of 1920×1080 60i where the 60i stands for interlaced fields, so the frame count was actually 30fps or 29.97. Many professionals chose to shoot at 24fps (or technically 23.98) to mimic film style image judder while sacrificing temporal resolution, which complicated matters. Most of today’s HDTV’s and cameras can accommodate up to 1920×1080 60P signals, but broadcast cannot support that frame rate as it’d require twice the available bandwidth. In other words, two channels would be required – not what providers or subscribers want to hear in today’s multichannel universe. However Blu-rays and playback files are available in full 1920 x1080 60P via HDMI 1.4, so most Ecole de Conduite ECHO Certified by Driving School 5871 Victoria, #219 Montreal H3W 2R7 514-731-8757 /514-961-0591 [email protected] $699 tax included More discounts for two or more persons who register together.!! •New Program (RSEP) 24 hrs theory •Free & Fast Road Test booking appointment & 15 hrs practical driving •Have Filipino instructor •Payment plan for new program •Instructors w/more than 10 yrs •Practical Driving Package experience certified by AQTr We emphasize quality of service and students’ satisfaction. 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Habang nasa witness stand ang bobong testigo, tinanong s’ya kung ano ang kanyang edad. Bigla s’yang napipi at hindi kaagad makasagot, at sa halip ay bulung nang bulong habang pilit na inaabot ang nakabiting mikropono. Ikinainis na naman iyon ng hukom at kanyang pinangaralan ang bobong testigo na pabayaan na ang mikropono dahil sapat na sapat na ang layo nito para maging epektibo. Inutusan ng hukom ang nasabing testigo na magsalita nang malakas at maliwanag at sagutin ang tanong tungkol sa kanyang tunay na edad. Nang malaon ay nalaman ng mga nanood ng hearing na kaya pala hindi masagutsagot ng bobong testigo ang The North American Filipino Star tanong tungkol sa kanyang edad ay dahil sinabi pala n’ya sa kanyang mga panauhin sa kanyang birthday party na s’ya ay 60 years old lamang ganung halos 70 na s’ya nang panahong iyon. Kung sasabihin n’ya sa korte ang totoo tungkol sa kanyang edad, malalaman ng mga tao na matagal na n’yang pinagsisinungalingan ang tunay n’yang edad. Kung hindi naman n’ya sasabihin ang totoo, malamang na hatulan s’ya ng hukom ng contempt of court for lying under oath at sentensyahan s’ya ng ilang araw na pagkabilanggo. Her stupidity finally caught up with her, and it’s all documented by a court of law. Ngayon, sino ang tunay na bobo? Hindi ba si Miss Hypocrisy? Dapat sana’y tiningnan muna n’ya ang uling sa kanyang mukha bago n’ya pintasan Highlights of the of the NAFS news By W. Quiambao for 2013 I The year 2013 was an outstanding year for the North America Filipino Star. It brought you interesting, inspiring and intriguing news in the community and around the world. These were stories that you will remember for a long time. Following is the list of selected stories published in the NAFS in 2013: January -"Montreal Mayor Michael Appllebaum refutes allegations he has connections with the Mafia" Montreal Interim Mayor Applebaum says the fact he attended the event at a restaurant that was once Popular with members of the city's underworld doesn't mean he had tie with the Mafia. "I am not afraid of the Mafia. I don`t hang out with the Mafia and I do not know the Mafia," he said. He denied newspaper reports that he was being investigated for real-estate deals conducted while he was mayor of Montreal's largest borough. February - "Pope Benedict XVI resigns" Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratziner, has announced that he is to resign . He was elected as pope in 2005, after the death of John Paul II. In his statement, he said that he had come to the certainty that `that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Pope Benedict had the right and potentially the duty to resign.` March - "Pope Francis inauguration 2013 " After a week marked by act of simplicity and openness, Pope Francis finally let his words to the talking as he officially began his stewardship of the Catholic Church on March 19. He implored the tens of thousands , both poor and powerful gathered outside St. Peter's Basilica, "Let us be, protectors of creation, protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment. " "Former FAMAS Binibining Pilipinas brain tumour scare enables her to re- evaluate her life."| On her 30th birthday, Mimi Flores was diagnosed with brain tumour. The news was like a bomshell.For guidance, she turned to her family and her deep faith in God. She was hospitalized for surgery, then given news that her cancer was benign. During her ordeal, she learned to live life to the fullest - laugh more and love more. She learned to tell her family and friends more often how much she loved them. April - "Boston marathon bombing suspect in custody ."The 19-year old suspect wanted in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings which killed tree people and wounded more than 180 others is in custody after an extensive manhunt involving thousands of law enforcement. Dzhokhar's brother, 26year old Tamerian, who was also a suspect in the bombing, died early Friday morning after a gunfight and car chase during which he and his younger brother hurled explosives at police from stolen car. May - "Action Plan for Foster Family Reunification on track to cut backlog in half." New parent and grandparent program re-opens January 2, 2014. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will re-open the Parent and Grandparent (PGP) Program for new applications on January 2, 2014 by which time the backlogs and wait times in the program are expected to have been cut in half. Citizenship Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney said, "It is very important that we continue to make progress and not return to the old broken system with wait times as long as a decade that would be unfair to families." ang uling sa palayok. ******* WALA NA ANG PHILIPPINE EMBASSY SA FAMAS CENTER — Sa kaiisip ko kung bakit bumalik sa JIL (Jesus is Lord) Office sa Montreal ang Philippine Embassy, napanaginipan ko tuloy noong isang gabi kung bakit umalis ang Embahada sa FAMAS Community Center pagkatapos ng dalawang taong pagbibigay ng consular services doon. Ayon sa aking panaginip, hiniling daw nitong si Miss Hypocrisy kay Amba na gawin s’yang honorary consul pero tumanggi raw ang Embahada matapos nilang malaman ang tungkol sa mga pinaggagawang kabalbalan ng nangangarap na maging diplomat. Nagpupuyos daw sa galit si Miss "FAMAS 50th anniversary a smashing success!" Zenaida F. Kharroubi , the North American Filipino Star's chef editor & publisher, and W. G. Quiambao, community news editor, were among the 50 community leaders honored for their outstanding contributions to the community. The event was held June 15 at the Hellenic Community Center. July - "Filipino-Greek boxer, another Pacquiao in the making",. Evagelos Frangos from NDG is just 17 years old. Frangos, whose father is Greek and mother is Filipino, is ranked as the heavy weight Quebec champion under 18 years old.-He is aiming to qualify for the Olympics . August - "FAMAS elects new Executive Board" Nida Quirapas was elected as the FAMAS president. She received 343 votes while Al Abdon garnered 256, a difference of 87 vote. "ICI TV ready to launch in September" A new local TV station named ICI which mans International Channel Canada International is set to broadcast its ethnic programs next month. There are 19 ethnic groups, including the Filipino--Canadian community which will have its prime time show for half an hour every Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Zenaida Kharroubi signed on August 2, 2013 a one-year contract to buy air time and operate a community show weekly. "FAMAS 2011-2013 Executive Board declared legal by the Regis des entrprisdes." After nearly two years, the Registraire des Enterprises announced on July 30 the COMEEC;s decision to recogbze the Mabuhay Team candidate , not the Samahang Makabayan candidates, as the duly elected board for 2011-2013. o September - "Mabuhay Montreal TV to showcase Filipino community in ICI station" Zenaida Kharroubi is now the Executive Producer of Mabuhay Montreal TV under the corporate name of Filcan TV Productions. Inc. which was incorporated on Aug. 1, 2013 .The June - "Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum quits after fraud arrest " Interim Mayor Michael Applebaum came into office vowing to clean up government. He resigned day after his arrest on fraud charges. AppoLebaum denied the accusations. www.filipinostar.org 11 Hypocrisy sa pagtanggi ng Embahada sa kanyang kahilingan kaya pinagbawalan n’ya ang Embahada sa pagbibigay ng consular services sa JP Memorial Center (formerly FAMAS Community Center). Ayon pa rin sa aking paniginip, ang ipinagtataka raw ng komunidad ay kung bakit pumapayag ang Executive Board na maghari si Miss Hypocrisy sa FAMAS gayong hindi naman s’ya ang ibinoto ng mga tao noong nakaraang eleksyon. Ganoon na bang kasubservient kay Miss Hypocrisy ang kasalukuyang presidente ng FAMAS at hindi n’ya makuhang igiit at ipagtanggol ang kanyang pagiging presidente? Ganoon na bang kahina ang buong EB at palagi na silang pumapayag na masapawan ni JP (Just Patronizing) tungkol sa mga desisyon na dapat sana ay sila ang gumagawa? focus of the program will be focused not only on entertainment value but also for its educational contents. "Lawyer asks Magallanes to retract story about Sarmiento" The statement, which Magallanes still claims not defamatory, appeared on the July 16 to August issue of the FIlipino Forum. It read" They had a valid excuse but they were disqualified because it's in that stupid Comelec rule written by Bernardo Sarmiento, who was caught stealing garbage bags from a Montreal Hospital and kicked out from sexual harassment." October - "Bohol quake created long "spectacular rocky wall'" The powerful earthquake that struck Bohol, Cebu and other cities and provinces in Visayas and Mindanao has created a spectacular rocky wall that stretches for kilometres through farmlands. A ground rupture pushed up a stretch of ground by up to three meters, creating a wall of rock above the epicentre. November - "Most violent storm hits Philippines" Last November 8, the strongest typhoon of the year, Yolanda, hit Eastern Visayas - with winds 3.5 times stronger than that of Hurricane Katrina. Thousands were killed, 11 million lives were affected. Almost a week after the event, the dead still lie on the streets. Many residents were driven to desperation with food and clean water in short supply. . December - "The greatest tribute to Nelson Mandela is the emulation of his ideas." Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison and yet he was willing to forgive his jailers, died on December 5. He said that if he did not forgive them, he would still seem to be in prison. One of the questions he asked, "How many of us get involved in joining a movement to change things that need to be changed?" 12 The North American Filipino Star www.filipinostar.org January 2014 January 2014 13 The North American Filipino Star The North American Filipino Star Photo Gallery Tenne Rose Dayandante holding her baby Rafael Xavier poses with some of her guests during the baptismal party held at the Holiday Inn on Cote de Liesse Road, January 4, 2014. SVPM Chief, Marc Parent (4th from right) poses with the members of the Vigie Asiatique at the annual year end appreciation party held on Nov. 26, 2013. If you can read, you can also learn how to write. Register now! Call 514-485-7861 The Best Writing Workshop is: • • • • • interactive insightful multi-cultural stimullating exciting • • • • • practical authentic rewarding inspiring memorable This workshop will help you develop a personal perspective that is important in discovering your hidden or latent abilities Who is the workshop for? • open to all who write • anyone who needs to develop and use writing skills • professional writers, managers, novelists, business leaders, poets, lawyers, editors, professors, journalists, public speakers and anyone who needs to broaden their communication skills. This is a breakthrough idea. The writing workshop experience plants a seed that grows each time you write, long after the weekend workshop has concluded. You will gain special insights that open your creative self as you continue to write. You will be able to set and achieve personal goals to: Professor Isaac Goodine International Educator, Author of the book “Leaders Leading Leaders”, has delivered many workshops around the world. • learn new and useful methods of solving problems in writing • increase your power to know what you want to say • increase your ability to put across persuasively what you have to say • enable you to see the actual relationship you have with your readers SEMINAR FEES: $495 (including taxes and materials) DURATION: 2 1/2 days - Friday evening, Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Schedule: To be announced to registered participants Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi, Editor & Publisher, The North American Filipino Star Director-General, Gilmore College International Exec. Producer, Mabuhay Montreal TV 14 The North American Filipino Star www.filipinostar.org January 2014 January 2014 15 The North American Filipino Star Philippine Cuisine and Favorite Food Compiled by Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi Empanada (Stuffed Bread with meat) Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1 pinch salt 2 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup raisins Original recipe makes 2 dozen Change Servings 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup shortening 1 1/4 cups water, or as needed 1 tablespoon white vinegar 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed Check All Add to Shopping List Directions In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender, or pinching into small pieces using your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use a fork to stir in water a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture forms a ball. Pat into a ball, and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Crumble in the beef, and season with salt, paprika, cumin and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until beef is browned. Drain excess grease, and stir in the raisins and vinegar. Refrigerate until chilled, then stir in the hard-cooked eggs. Form the dough into 2 inch balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball out into a thin circle. Spoon some of the meat mixture onto the center, then fold into half-moon shapes. Seal edges by pressing with your fingers. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). Place one or two pies into the fryer at a time. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning 2 lbs Spaghetti 1 big bottle banana ketchup 1 big can Tomato sauce (approximately 4 cups) ½ cup Tomato Paste 1 tsp Garlic, minced 1 ½ lbs Ground Meat (pork or beef) 4 pcs Hotdogs, sliced Brown Sugar 1 medium sized Onion, diced Cheddar Cheese 2 tbsp Salt 36 ounces Water (about 1 liter) 4 tbsp Cooking Oil Cooking Procedure In a large pot, pour the water in and bring to a boil Put-in the salt and oil Add the Spaghetti Noodles and cook until tender (see package for cooking time) then set aside Using a separate pan, saute the garlic and onions Put-in the round meat and let cook for 5 minutes Add the hotdogs and cook for 2 minute Put-in the tomato sauce, banana catsup, tomato paste, and brown sugar then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes Place the sauce on top of the cooked noodles and add some cheese Serve hot. Share and Enjoy! Number of servings (yield): 6 BUSINESS HOURS Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Saturday Sunday 2 2.15 Boneless Pork shoulder $2.89 lb Frozen pork blood Fresh liver Pork skin Goat Available on order .99lb 9 Beef short ribs .49lb Regular smoked bacon Ground Beef 5.99lb 6 4.50lb 3.19 lb Home smoked meat 2.89lb Fresh Pork Belly with skin Kitchen-Friendly View Bone-in shoulder chops Fresh Pork Leg lb once to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot. 2.49lb 4.99lb Half or Whole pork Cut & Wrapped 4.49lb Ground Pork Special 2.59/lb Over 20 lbs 4.29 lb St.Chrysostome St. Remi St. Edouard Napierville Sherrington Barrington Havelock 202 219 203 Hemmingford Jackso n Road Canada 219 Lacolle Sortie Exit No.6 Parc Safari 15 Class Covey Hill Road Boucherie Viau Inc. Malone Nilagang baka (Beef soup) Picnic Ham w/bone Beef Blade steak Pork loin Approximately 15 lbs .85lb 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed Moders U. S. A. Champlain 83 Covey Hill, Hemmingford QC J0L 1H0 Tel.: (450) 247- 2130 or (450) 247- 3561 PREP 1 hr COOK 20 mins READY IN 2 hrs 20 mins Footnotes We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used. Pinoy Spaghetti or Filipino Spaghetti is the Filipino version of the ever popular pasta that is of Italian origin. This version of Spaghetti requires the use of sugar, hotdogs, and banana ketchup. It might some peculiar to some but these ingredients brings up a whole new flavor that is totally Filipino. Being loved mostly by the young ones, every kiddie party won’t be complete without this dish. Ginormous Fast Food chains such as Jollibee and Mc Donald’s even have their own Pinoy Spaghetti version (mostly included in their kid’s meal or kiddie meal). Filipino Spaghetti Recipe Ingredients www.filipinostar.org INGREDIENTS: 1kg Beef Bones, with marrow inside 1kg Beef Brisket, cut into chunky cubes 7-8 whole black peppercorns 1 tspn coarse table salt 3-4 bunches of petchay (pak choy), trimmed and rinsed 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky cubes 20 string beans, trimmed and rinsed 1/4 cabbage, trimmed and cut roughly into big pieces 1 large onion, peeled and cut into large cubes Enough water for the cooking COOKING PROCEDURE: Rinse your Beef Bones well with cold water and at the same time with a small knife, scrape the end bits to get rid of the boney paste. Place your Beef Bones inside a large pot and cover with cold water (water level should be just above the bones). Bring to boil and lower the heat so that the liquid is just simmering. Skim the scum/dirt off the top occasionally and dispose. Simmer the Beef Bones for about 1 hour and then add in your Beef Brisket. Bring to boil and let it simmer down, and don’t forget to skim the dirt off the top once again. IMPORTANT: Skim the scum/dirt as much as possible while simmering. a The North American Filipino Star 16 January 2014 FILIPINO STAR SHOWBIZ GOSSIP Jennylyn, Mark and Kristoffer: Kapuso stars at Dinagyang No time for love Festival Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras, Kristoffer Martin Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras and Kristoffer Martin are so busy with their respective careers that they have time for little else – not even for matters of the heart. So, don’t expect any of these single lady and gentlemen to rekindle anything with their exes anytime soon. Jennylyn Mercado, the female lead of GMA 7′s latest suspense-thriller series entitled “Rhodora X,” said she doesn’t want any complications in her life following her breakup with Luis Manzano. Since her ex is rumored to have gotten back with ex-girlfriend Angel Locsin, Jennylyn said she wants to move on as well. However, Jennylyn stressed that she will not be entertaining any suitors yet as she would rather focus on work, especially with her new series “Rhodora X.” “What’s important to me right now is my work, my kid, my family and friends who are always there for me,” she said. She admitted that she’s a woman who doesn’t fall out of love easily so she knows the challenges ahead. “Kapag na-in-love ako ibinibigay ko lahat. Pero ’yung biglang mawawala ang love, never ko ginagawa,” she quipped. Still, she’s never gotten back with a former partner. “Wala pa akong binabalikang ex,” she insisted. The principle holds true even with Mark Herras, among her former boyfriends, and currently her co-star in “Rhodora X.” “Ang daming nagtatanong sa akin kung babalikan ko ba. Kasi ‘di ba sa isang relationship hindi natin masasabi kung ano ang mangyayari. Kung kayo ba talaga or hindi. ’Pag friendship, forever ‘yan. Gusto ko lang sabihin na special ang friendship namin ni Mark at ayaw ko lang mawala ’yun. Kasi special sa akin si Mark and special ang friendship namin, gusto ko hanggang forever ’yan. Ayaw kong mawala kung anuman ang meron kami,” Jennylyn intimated. Mark agrees with Jennylyn saying he doesn’t want any complications in their working relationship. He is not closing his doors on the possibility, though. Nevertheless, the actor is hurt over accusations in social media circuit that he’s only “using” Jennylyn for his career’s sake, especially in line with his alleged renewed relationship with Ynna Asistio. “Hindi kami nagkabalikan… we’re good friends,” he insisted of the latter. “Naging super close ako sa family ni Ynna so kung gusto kong pumunta doon ng Christmas, New Year, or kahit walang okasyon gagawin ko. Hindi ko naman kailangang pagbawalan ang sarili kong makipagkaibigan kasi sobrang mahal ko rin sila,” Mark added. On the other hand, matinee idol Kristoffer Martin, who is starring alongside Kim Rodriguez in the afternoon soap opera “Paraiso Ko’y Ikaw,” is also not planning to reconcile with ex-GF Joyce Ching at the moment. “For me, if it’s destined to happen, hindi ko haharangin ang dapat mangyari. I’m open to possibilities and ayaw ko namang sabihing hindi, ayaw ko namang sabihing oo kasi malay natin kasi baka kainin namin mga sinabi namin eventually,” explained Kristoffer. He added that he is also still recovering from their breakup. He admitted that he simply couldn’t dismiss the three years they spent together. He is glad though that as colleagues, especially working together on “Paraiso Ko’y Ikaw,” they get along well professionally. “Ayaw naman naming maging pabigat sa production at sa GMA-7. Bilang mga artista nila gagawin namin na maayos ang trabaho namin. At kung alam naman naming sa ikagaganda ng show wala kaming karapatang tumanggi. Wala kaming ilangan at nag-uusap kami kasi okay na kami,” expressed Kristoffer. a Dingdong Dantes at the jampacked Robinsons Iloilo. Right: With a fan. Kapuso Network recently spread cheers at Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival. GMA Regional TV invited some of the brightest Kapuso stars. The festival commemorates the Christianization of the natives and is in honor of the Holy Child Jesus (Señor Sto. Nino). Dinagyang Festival was voted the Best Tourism Event among the country’s festivals for 2006, 2007 and 2008 by the Philippine Association of Tourism. that he is still the “Bad Boy of the Dance Floor.” The Ilonggos’ warm welcome was reserved for Genesis star Dingdong Dantes who serenaded the crowd with the song Adik Sa Yo and Don’t Know What To Do Don’t Know What To Say. Dingdong was excited about his second movie with director Erik Matti. “Wala pang casting, pero nag memeeting na kami ni direk Erik, target din namin na maisama ang movie sa Rhodora X stars (from left) Yasmien Kurdi, Jenny Mercado and Mark Herras pose for fans. The Kapuso Day in Dinagyang drew thousands of screaming fans last Jan. 24 at the Robinsons Mall Iloilo. Present were Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kurdi and Mark Herras, the lead stars of the newest GMA 7’s primetime series Rhodora X. Yasmien performed her original song titled I Know and Kisap Mata. Locals and tourists alike sang and danced along with Jennylyn as she did a couple of cover songs When I Was Your Man and Clarity, while Mark’s body-shaking dance proved www.filipinostar.org international festivals,” he said. The event was also graced by AVP of GMA Regional TV Oliver Amoroso. Parlor games gave Kapuso Ilonggos a chance to join the affair. Kapuso local talent John Arceo hosted the event. The following day, The Borrowed Wife stars Camille Prats, Rafael Rosell and TJ Trinidad took part in the Kasadyahan Parade. The event featured colorful parade of floats and tribes as Ilonggos and tourists grooved to the beat of the drums. a January 2014 17 The North American Filipino Star Gretchen wants ‘old Claudine’ back After their controversial word war last year, Gretchen Barretto is now singing a different tune about her younger sister, Claudine Barretto. In an emotional interview on “Buzz Ng Bayan,” Gretchen explained her appearance in court with Claudine’s estranged husband Raymart Santiago last Dec. 19 amid the couple’s court battle. Gretchen clarified that she’s not testifying against Claudine, but instead they went because “we were forced to come out and do the affidavit against Claudine to defend ourselves. I was summoned by the court.” She admitted being “desperate” to save Claudine’s two children if their father goes to jail. “We need to save the children. Kung mali sa tingin ng tao ’yung ginawa ko, I’m sorry pero ’yun talaga ’yung desperate move namin na magkakapatid,” she added. The actress was brought to tears upon expressing concern for her sister. Despite some disagreements, she noted that she never had ill feelings towards her, whom she described as “the most generous, loving and kind person.” “I don’t hate my sister, I hate what she’s doing,” she said. She continued, “I want the Claudine back, the old Claudine back. (Si) Claudine, bunso namin ’yan. She was a doll.” On coming out with this muchpublicized family feud, Gretchen claimed that their family life has been full of “turmoil, noise, shouting, cursing and belittling” since she was a child. “The nastiness that everyone’s witnessing is nothing compared to the actual harm done to me and to my siblings,” she said. While admitting that the brouhaha is difficult to accept, she admitted that she has embraced the feeling of “deep pain and shame because it’s true.” a Gretchen Barretto and Claudine Barretto Deniece Cornejo files rape case vs Vhong Navarro The camp of 22-year-old model Deniece Cornejo filed yesterday afternoon a rape case against actor and television host Vhong Navarro before the office of Taguig City Prosecutor Archimedes Manabat. Cornejo was accompanied by her lawyers Howard Calleja and Maria Concepcion Aquino in filing her 10page complaint against the 37-year-old host of the popular noontime show “It’s Showtime.” Assistant Prosecutor Laarni Fabella received the copy of the complaint that narrated what happened during the night of January 22 when Navarro (Ferdinand Hipolito Navarro in real life) allegedly raped her inside her condominium unit at Forbeswood Heights Condominium in Global City, Taguig. Wearing a black blazer, polo shirt, and black jeans, Cornejo arrived at the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office with her lawyers shortly before 4 p.m. Aquino, one of Cornejo’s counsels, said they are filing a case against Navarro because the model was the victim in this whole incident. She said the filing of the case is also meant to give justice to her client as she expressed confidence the case “will prosper.” A Moral Issue “Moralidad ang issue dito (This is a moral issue). We have already filed our action with the public prosecutor here in Taguig and we leave it to the investigating body to ascertain the crime that we have filed,” Aquino said. Calleja, in a separate interview, clarified that they never said that what happened on the night of January 22 was an attempted rape on the part of Navarro. “Let me just clear that, we never said attempted rape. We never said anything to that effect. As I said, whatever facts were presented to us, whatever they said before was an interpretation of a layman, not a lawyer. What was presented to us as lawyers clearly constituted a crime of rape,” Calleja said. Calleja also said that Navarro was lying when he claimed earlier that Lee was already in Forbeswood Condominium before he arrived in the area. “If you see the statements of Mr. Navarro, it is very clear that he said that when he entered the condominium, Mr. Cedric Lee was already in the condominium. But the CCTV (footage) clearly shows that Mr. Vhong Navarro was ahead of Mr. Cedric Lee. Clearly, makikita natin kung sino nagsasabi ng totoo at hindi,” he said. Despite this, Calleja believes that the CCTV does not tell the whole story. “The CCTV can only show you part of the story. We’re not even sure if it is clear or not tampered. The true victim in this case is Deniece Cornejo,” he said. Not Escaping Calleja, meanwhile, assured that Cornejo and Cedric Lee will not leave the country despite the cases filed against them by Navarro’s camp. “Let me just make things clear… Our clients will face the charges in a court of law. We will not fight this in a court of public opinion and the court of law will prevail,” he said. “Hindi po sila tatakas, hindi po tatakas at kampante po (sila) na kaya nilang labanan ang anim na kaso. Hindi po ito paramihan ng kaso. Kahit ilang dosena pa ang kaso, ang katotohanan ay ang nangyari noong January 22 na may hinalay na babae,” he said. (They will not flee as they are confident of facing the six charges filed against them. This is not about the number of cases but what happened on January 22 when a woman was raped). a www.filipinostar.org Vhong Navarro recovering from brutal attack The comedian and “It’s Showtime” host, Vhong Navarro is currently in critical condition after a group of men attacked him inside a condominium unit in Fort Bonifacio. Navarro was invited by a female friend in the said place where attackers put a blind folded him, tiedup, and beaten black and blue. Chito Roño, Navarro’s manager, confirmed what happened to one of his talented guy. “It’s Showtime” host suffered severe injuries and might undergo surgery, Roño said in a statement given to Navarro’s mother network ABS-CBN. Roño added that Navarro was also threatened and was a victim of extortion. The attackers also asked for money from the victim. The real motive on the attack is still questionable and will be investigated. Meanwhile, Vhong Navarro will temporarily be out of the spot light as he may undergo surgery and recover from the injuries he had. This includes “It’s Showtime”, which airs weekdays and Saturday, and other television commitment. a More Showbiz Gossip p.18 The North American Filipino Star 18 Showbiz Gossip January 2014 Jericho-Kim wedding May 1 Ai Ai withdraws physical abuse in Boracay Continued from p.17 charges against ex-hubby Ai Ai delas Alas is no longer pursuing the physical abuse case she filed May of last year against exhusband, businessman Jed Salang. The comedienne revealed that she has withdrawn the case as part of their divorce agreement, which was granted recently by a Las Vegas court. “Tapos na ‘yun (case) noon pa. Kaya lang hindi puwede i-discuss unless tapos na ‘yung divorce,” she said in a taped interview on “Startalk.” She clarified that it was Jed who sought for the divorce and that her withdrawal of the physical abuse case is “’Yun ang kapalit nun…” Despite the “closure,” the 49-yearold mother of three admitted that she still has “mixed emotions” about being single again. “Siyempre masaya ako kasi parang ito na ‘yung closure ng pagaasawa ko pero… may certain sadness din sa puso ko. Siyempre wala namang babaeng gusto na (maging) deborsyada. Siyempre lahat ng babaeng nag-asawa, ang goal niyan ay matagal ang magiging pagsasama nila,” she explained. Adding to that, she pointed out,“In my heart, yes (I’m willing to forgive), pero hindi pa ako ready na makipagusap or makipag heart-t0-heart talk. Ai Ai now willing to forgive ex-husband Siguro sa sarili ko, in my heart, kaya kong magpatawad para sa peace of mind ko.” Notwithstanding the breakup, Ai Ai shared that she has maintained good relations with Jed’s father, disclosing that it was the latter who relayed news about the Las Vegas court decision. She shared that the older Salang even sent his condolences during the death of her biological mom recently. “Ever since naman my father-in-law is a very decent man. I think, isa ‘yun sa dahilan (kung) bakit tinuloy ko pa o bakit ako nakisama kay Jed, nagtiis ako kasi mabait ‘yung father-in-law ko sa akin,” she said. a Sunshine granted full custody of kids Jericho Rosales and Kim Jones during an exclusive interview with The STAR in August last year: Jackpot! Jericho Rosales and his girlfriend Kim Jones are getting married on May 1, Labor Day, in Boracay, just as Jericho hinted at in an exclusive interview with The STAR in August last year, saying he wanted the event to be solemnized on a beach. Both Jericho and Kim, a Fil-Brit model/TV host, are Born-Again Christian, members of New Life Christian Center. He proposed to Kim during a Sunday worship which had Jesus is…Unli Love as theme on Aug. 4, 2013, which happened to be Kim’s birthday. After the worship, Jericho asked Pastor Jeric Soriano, who was officiating, if he could go onstage to express his message of love and he started by saying that he could never explain why Jesus would choose to die for a sinner like him. “Why me?” Jericho asked aloud. Then he sprang a big surprise when he turned to Kim and asked her, “Will you marry me?” Breaking into a big smile, a hint of tears in her eyes, Kim said yes. Then she announced on her Twitter account how Jericho had made her the happiest lady on earth, with a big scream: “I’m engaaaaggggeeeddd!!!” Replied Jericho, on his own Twitter account, “God is amazing! Yeeeeehaaaa!” Kim was born in England to a British father and a half-Filipina (who is part-Spanish/part-Chinese) and grew up in Adelaide, Australia where she studied Architecture (undergraduate). She came in 2010 for a five-week “looksee” and then came back (“On a oneway ticket,” she told The STAR) and promptly ventured into modeling and TV-hosting. The sweethearts met at a dinner in Rockwell hosted by a make-up artist who is their mutual friend. “It was Kim’s eyes that first attracted me,” recalled Jericho. “Actually, before that meeting, I saved on my iPad her photos which my friend had sent me. Yes, those eyes. They are very caring. Aside from her eyes, what I love about Kim is her being very caring and nurturing. Magaan siyang kasama. Even at first meeting, you feel comfortable with her.” Asked how he felt having Kim as lifetime partner, Jericho blurted out, “Jackpot!”. a Jennylyn’s jellyfish trouble Jennylyn added, “Sobrang sakit pala nito.” She didn’t mention when and where she encountered the jellyfish attack. Several celebrity friends including Maxene Magalona and Carla Abellana, as with a number of sympathetic fans, were quick to react on the matter. Maxene disclosed how she was once stung by a jellyfish, advising Jennylyn to rinse the affected area with vinegar. “OMG AKO RIN!!! Sa paa! Sobrang sakit at makati put suka!!! Lots of it!” she said. Sunshine Cruz and her 3 daughters (Cruz’s Instagram) Actress Sunshine Cruz got the nod of the courts to have sole custody of her three daughters with estranged husband Cesar Montano. Cruz on Thursday, took to Instagram to share the news. She posted: “full custody awarded to me. :) Thank God.” In a separate post on Facebook she added: “…Masaya ako, kami ng kids. Finally awarded ako sa full custody ng kids. This is what they really want naman talaga noon pa. The father can visit at pwede silang ipasyal.” In her exclusive interview with PEP published Saturday, Cruz maintained that it was the children themselves who finally helped decide the matter, telling the judge whom they prefer to be with. Cruz made clear that “it’s not a matter of who they love more. Pareho naman kaming mahal ng kids.” But she added that “It was their choice. That has always been their choice…” Asked if Montano was present during the hearing of the case, Cruz said, “He was there.” As for the status of her relationship with the awarded actor, Cruz remains non-committal. “Sa ngayon, I’m not ready. We are both not ready. “I’m hoping that in time, puwede maging civil, because we have three kids naman.” Montano is still mum on the matter as of this writing. a Jennylyn Mercado Jennylyn Mercado was stung by a jellyfish. The Kapuso actress shared this bit of news to her followers on Thursday via Instagram, posting a photo of her arm which showed red marks marring her skin. She captioned the post thus: “Sinong nabiktima ng jelly fish!? Hooh! Anyare??? Gusto niya sa kilikili banda eh!” The 26-year-old then was worried the attack might leave a permanent mark. “Magpepeklat ba to? Sobrang maga eh. Tsaka nakabukol,” she related. OUCH! Jennylyn shows followers marks left by the jellyfish attack (Instagram) Several studies suggest that vinegar can counter the effects of the venomous nematocysts that a jellyfish releases during an attack. a January 2014 19 The North American Filipino Star Luis and Angel ‘kissing’ photo goes viral Have Angel Locsin and Luis Manzano rekindled the flame? Some of their followers are assuming so, based on several now-viral Instagram photos that both have posted recently. In a photo posted by Luis (luckymanzano) on Saturday, Jan. 25, he is seen giving a smiling Angel a peck on the cheek, with the caption, “Kulet and Kiti headed back to Manila :) .” The photo has garnered over 19,300 likes and almost 1,200 comments as of this writing. Another photo posted by Luis showed him and Angel standing together near what looked like a stage. It now has over 20,800 likes and 1,200 comments. Angel posted a solo photo of Luis on her own Instagram account (therealangellocsin), which was The two call themselves ‘Kulet’ and ‘Kiti’ (Instagram) seemingly taken inside a plane, and captioned thus: “Maraming salamat po sa mga nanuod ng asap live dito sa dubai! Pabalik na ngayon ng pinas kasama netong seatmate ko simulan na ang masarap na usapan.” The upload has garnered over 17,300 likes and over 1,000 comments as of this writing. Apparently, the photos were taken during a recent trip to Dubai, where Luis and Angel joined several other ABS-CBN talents for a live taping of an episode of the Sunday variety show “ASAP.” During a press conference for the show held Thursday, Luis shared to media his feelings for Angel, saying, “I love her.” His statement came only a week after the actress, herself, admitted that she still loves her ex-boyfriend. a No more shortcuts for Iza Whenever she looks at old photos showing a heavier version of herself, Iza Calzado can’t help but feel a mixture of happiness and pride over the progress she has made in dealing with her weight issues. The actress, who wouldn’t know that she tipped the scales at 220 lbs. had she not met an accident as a teenager, is now in such fine form at 130 lbs. And like any hard-earned achievement, it hasn’t been without struggle. “It’s no joke to maintain it after all these years,” Iza told The STAR and other reporters in an interview. “It’s a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly battle. It’s a constant battle that you have to face. You have to accept that it will be part of your life because once you let go of that, you will also let go of your commitment to stay fit and healthy.” Iza said that it took her “30 years” to get to where she is now, and it came not just with a change in lifestyle, but also in mindset. “I’m already 31 and yes, I am more confident now… I’m very proud of my whole body. It’s far from perfect but I’m so proud of it. I’ve come to terms with my imperfections.” But she does have her “weak moments” amidst the pressure of being in an industry obsessed with perfection. “Sometimes, I feel bad and I say, why I’m not perfect like them, then I remind myself that nobody’s perfect. Second, this is who I am and every battle scar that I have is part of my journey, and I have to embrace that because the first person that has to accept and love that is myself.” Iza added, “I will always go back to where I came from and remind myself that I’ve worked so hard to (reach) where I am today. I have to be grateful for what I have.” One thing is for sure: There will be no more shortcuts for Iza, and that she’s in for the long haul through healthy eating and exercising. Apart from resorting to unhealthy practices such as starving and crash diets in the past, she also candidly admitted that “…I won’t lie and I’ve also mentioned this in past interviews, sometimes, even about like, their father. I can relate and empathize with them, of course, with their weight issues, but it’s not only (because of) that.” As a prelude to Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition (Doubles), you can also catch part of her story in the Feb. 1 episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya. “(It tells about my) journey and struggles ko kung bakit ako naging malaki. At times, the physical (aspect) is only a reflection of what you’re going through inside. There was a reason why I kept on eating. It’s a story of change and I’m a work-in-progress, so change is something I continue to work on.” Asked for tips for those who want to finally make that crucial change in their health and fitness, Iza advised, Iza Calzado, host of ABS-CBN’s The Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition (Doubles): ‘I won’t lie that I had some cosmetic surgeries, but I’m proud to say that I’ve long passed that stage in my life because I had to make a decision that there should be no more shortcuts.’.' I had some cosmetic surgeries and proud na proud naman po ako na matagal ko ng nalampasan yung stage (na yun) ng buhay ko because I had to make a decision that there should be no more shortcuts like that.” Right now, Iza is keeping off the extra pounds and looking to downsize, five pounds more, to get to her “optimal weight” (not stick-thin, take note) through gym time, swimming, some yoga, crossfit every now and then, and via running again soon. “After work, workout is really my next priority. I really have to make time for it. Sometimes, if it’s possible, I would request for an adjustment in my call time so I could work out.” As for her diet (in her case, she said, it has to go hand-in-hand with her workout), she cuts back on carbs and practices portion controls. “I really love food, but I’ve learned to control my appetite. I no longer eat as much as I used to. There are food items that I have taken out completely from my diet, then there are stuff that I still eat occasionally.” Iza will be sharing more of her weight-loss success story as the new host of ABS-CBN’s Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition (Doubles), which premieres on Feb. 3. As a host, she’s having her fill of lessons since this is her first reality-TV program and her first show of this scale, but as an individual — because of the interaction she has had with the 14 pairs of overweight contestants (she gets to see them twice-a-week) — she has learned to become a more “listening person.” Iza said, “I really empathize with them. Iyak din ako ng iyak dito that it’s like I’m also doing a teleserye because sometimes, they suddenly say things that touch you, and you really understand where they come from, sometimes it’s about their weight, or www.filipinostar.org “You have to make the decision... like anything in life, that decision has to come from you because no matter how many people try to encourage you or even dictate on you, it doesn’t work because it has to come from a person. “Then you set goals. Maybe you want to lose five or 10 lbs. or you want to do a 5K run, or it could be healthrelated or fitness-related or beautyrelated, it’s up to you — set goals. Even lovelife or heartbreak (can be a motivation)! Before when I was heartbroken, I got into crossfit. It really depends on you. Whatever works for you, that’s good. “That’s what I’ve learned, if I don’t have goals, I tend to relax on whatever I set myself to do. But the minute you set goals, you will have the motivation.” a More Showbiz Gossip p.22 20 The North American Filipino Star January 2014 Panday Tinig stirs nostalgia for Philippine Christmas traditions at concert 2013 By Edith Fedalizo, Coordinator, Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble “At magbuhat ngayon, kahit hindi Pasko ay magbi-gayan…” echoed by the Panday Tinig for their final number at their Christmas concert, Paskong Pinoy Sa Montreal, held on Saturday, December 21, 2013 chorus followed with the singing of Jingle All The Way, a song describing gift-shopping, gift-wrapping, cardwriting and mailing, things that we do to prepare for Christmas. The evolution of the Philippine Christmas carol was featured, beginning with Kasadya ‘Ning Takna-a (Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit) Paul Imperial conducting the Panday Choral Ensemble (Photo by Peter Annett) said, “I had goose-bumps on our way to Montreal. But here, inside this theater, I still had goose-bumps because of the songs. This concert reminded us of our history and of our traditions.” In spite of the freezing rain outside the Segal theatre, it was all warm and cozy in the lobby as friends, colleagues, and family members shared food and conversation. “Thank you for gracing our Christmas concert.” Minister Raitt responds to Transportation Safety Board recommendations following Lac-Mégantic The Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble at their concert, Paskong Pinoy Sa Montreal, December 21, 2013, Segal Theatre (Photo by: Peter Annett) Reaffirms commitment to maintaining and enhancing the safety of Canada's rail sector January 23, 2014 – Ottawa – Transport Canada The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, issued this statement today in response to the Transportation Safety Board’s three recommendations related to the ongoing investigation into the July 2013 train accident in LacMégantic, Quebec. “The safety of Canadians remains Transport Canada’s priority. Transport Canada officials are reviewing the Transportation Safety Board’s recommendations. The department is committed to doing all it can to maintain and enhance the safety of Canada's rail sector. “Following the accident in LacMégantic, Transport Canada took immediate action to improve rail safety and the transportation of dangerous goods by requiring: All railway operators to further enhance the safety of existing railway operations and the security of railway transportation. Railway companies to develop rules in this regard for the longer term. Any person who imports or offers for transport crude oil to conduct classification testing if the current tests had not been performed prior to July 7, 2013. Railway companies to share information with municipalities, which will further support municipal emergency planners and first responders. “In addition, the Government of Canada has committed a combined $155 million in federal support to Lac-Mégantic for response and recovery and additional decontamination and clean-up efforts. “The Government of Canada has taken several other measures to strengthen railway safety: Between April 1, 2012 and March Consul General Eric Gerardo E. Tamayo (front), Minister and Consul General and Alternate 31, 2013, Transport Canada conducted Representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), gave the closing more than 30,000 inspections. remarks. (Photo by: Peter Annett) Invested more than $100 million Santa Claus as the awaited gift-giver Hallelujah Chorus). The Embassy of in our railway safety system. Philippines, Ottawa, was during Christmas. Be A Santa by the the Continued to hire more Panday Tinig men’s chorus represented by Eric Gerardo E. inspectors. Increased fines for companies demonstrated this Santa Claus Tamayo, Minister and Consul General. concept. The Panday Tinig women’s “On a cold wintry night like tonight,” he found to break our regulations. at the Segal Theater, 5170 Côte SteCathérine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Paskong Pinoy Sa Montreal is a musical time scale of the events in Philippine history that had influenced the evolution of our Christmas traditions. Pasko Sa Aming Nayon, the concert opener, described how Christmas is traditionally celebrated in a village where Ninang at Ninong take charge of giving gifts to the children, where there is litson at pritong manok to eat, where there is singing and dancing as both young and old celebrate. Three songs demonstrated the liturgical type of music during the Spanish era. In a Monastery Garden was sung in English and in Latin for the Kyrie. This was followed by Esta Noche Tan Hermosa and Ave Maria. The Americans introduced followed by Payapang Daigdig/Himig Ng Pasko, and Pasko Na Sinta Ko. The two Christmas traditions that were featured through songs were Simbanggabi and Noche Buena. The song Paskong Pinoy Sa Montreal (Filipino Christmas in Montreal), words by Editha Fedalizo, Panday Tinig pianist, and music composed by Paul Imperial, Panday Tinig director, was sung by a sixtette, to tell the story of how Filipinos in our community had brought along with them their cherished traditions – Simbanggabi and Noche Buena – and how they had managed to incorporate such traditions in our multicultural city of Montreal. For the last part, the Panday Tinig sang two choruses from Handel’s Messiah – And The Glory and the Alleluia Coro (Tagalog translation of the Set the groundwork for creating whistleblower protection for employees who raise safety concerns. Will require each railway to have an executive legally responsible for safety. “On January 10, 2014, Transport Canada proposed tough new standards for the DOT-111 tank cars, including thicker steel requirements as well as the addition of top fitting and head shield protection for the tank car. New cars will be built to the new, stronger amended standard with enhanced safety requirements. “Transport Canada continues to work with all its stakeholders, including officials in the United States, as we look together to what additional requirements may be needed for the North American fleet. This includes exploring the retirement, retrofit or repurposing of older DOT-111 tank cars. As these tank cars regularly cross Canadian and American borders, a North American solution is required. “In addition, I asked the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (SCOTIC) to review safety management systems for railways and the transport of dangerous goods program. Transport Canada has also launched three industry-led working groups (Classification, Emergency Response, and Means of Containment) to provide recommendations by the end of January on short term and long term safety actions and enhancements that could be made to the DOT-111 tank cars. “We recognize that there is still a lot of work to do. The department remains committed to working with the rail industry, all levels of government, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, international partners and others to continuously improve the safety of the railway system in Canada.” Contacts Ashley Kelahear Director of Communications Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt Minister of Transport, Ottawa 613-991-0700 January 2014 Wine-Tasting Workout: Train Yourself to be a Better Wine Taster By Megan Krigbaum When wine pros evaluate a bottle, they focus on six key things. Here, F&W’s Megan Krigbaum collects exercises from a trio of experts to help even a wine knownothing become a smarter, happier, more insightful taster. What Defines Body In Wine? “Body is the sense of weight or richness or heaviness, and even the feeling of viscosity that a wine leaves in your mouth,” says Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, author of Great Wine Made Simple. Generally, the more alcohol in a wine, the more body it will have, which means that wines from warmer climates (which produce grapes with more sugar to be converted into alcohol) tend to have more heft. Sugar, oak and the overall concentration of flavors in a wine can also add body. How Does Body Affect Pairing? “A key principle for pairing is to match body with body, so that the wine’s not too heavy or light for the dish, and vice versa,” says Robinson. “Wines have different weights and richnesses, mostly due to alcohol. Milk can vary in the same way, but of course that’s due to fat,” says Robinson. Wine-Tasting Workout: Body 2. California Pinot Noir: 2010 Dutton Goldfield Azaya Ranch Vineyard 3. Chianti Classico: 2009 La Maialina 4. Zinfandel: 2010 Ridge East Bench What are Tannins? Tannins are compounds in grape skins, seeds and stems that contribute to wine’s structure, complexity, texture and ageability—especially red wine. Tannins create a drying and slightly bitter sensation in the mouth, usually toward the back of the tongue. Tannic wines pair especially well with rich foods and substantial meat dishes because they cut through fat; fat also softens the perception of tannin, making the wines more approachable. almost a stinging sensation or taste sour. How Does Acidity Affect Pairing? Acidity makes your mouth water, cuts through the fat in rich foods and refreshes the palate. Wine-Tasting Workout: Acidity Equipment Five 4 ounce glasses of water 1 orange 1 grapefruit 1 lemon 1 lime Set aside the first glass of water. Squeeze the juice of 1/4 orange into the second glass; into the third, squeeze the juice of 1/4 grapefruit; into the Wine-Tasting Workout: Tannins fourth, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon; into the fifth, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime. Equipment Taste in that order, starting with a 3 mugs sip of plain water, to experience increasing 3 black tea bags levels of acidity. Experiment by adding Hot water more juice to each glass to see how the acidity increases. Notice the point at which Pour 8 ounces of hot water into the juice becomes too sour. each of the mugs. Place one tea bag in Wines to Try from Least to Most Acidic each of the mugs and start a timer. After 2 minutes, remove the bag from the first 1. Marsanne: 2011 Qupé mug; after 4 minutes, remove the bag from 2. Sauvignon Blanc: 2011 Brander Santa the second mug; and after 8 minutes, Ynez Valley remove the final tea bag. Let the tea cool. 3. Muscadet: 2011 Michel Delhommeau Taste the teas in increasing steep- Cuvée St. Vincent time order, swishing the liquid around in Equipment your mouth before swallowing. Notice how What is Sweetness in Wine, and Why Does 4 glasses 1/4 cup each of skim milk, 2% milk, whole the teas are perceptibly more astringent as the steeping time increases. milk and heavy cream Wines to Try From Least to Most Tannic Taste the milk in ascending order of richness, beginning with skim and ending with heavy cream, considering the texture of each and the sensation in your mouth. The skim milk should dissipate very quickly; the cream will coat your tongue. Wines to Try From Lightest to Most FullBodied White 1. Northern Italian Pinot Grigio: 2011 Tiefenbrunner 2. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: 2011 Kim Crawford Marlborough 3. White Burgundy: 2010 Domaine Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc 4. Barrel-fermented Chardonnay: 2010 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Red 1. Valpolicella: 2011 Tedeschi Lucchine 21 The North American Filipino Star it Matter? Sweetness in wine is measured by the amount of residual sugar (RS) in the liquid after fermentation. “Sweetness can only come from one thing in wine, and that’s sugar content,” says Master Sommelier Shayn Bjornholm. Acidity can mask some of the sweetness in wines by balancing out the sugar, as in German or Alsatian Riesling. Sugar can also contribute to a wine’s body and texture. Equipment 16 ounce glass with 8 ounces of water 2 lemons 1 cup of sugar Squeeze the juice of the lemons into the water and stir. Taste the mixture; it will be very tart. Stir in sugar 1 teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition. You should notice when the juice achieves the right level of sweetness and balances the acidity of the lemon. Rieslings to Try from Driest to Sweetest 1. Dry Riesling: 2010 Robert Weil Kiedrich Turmberg Trocken 2. Off-dry Riesling: 2011 Hexamer Kabinett 3. Sweet Riesling: 2010 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese See Page 23 Wine Tasting Exercise 1. Beaujolais: 2010 Potel Aviron Côte de Brouilly 2. California Merlot: 2009 Simi Sonoma County Merlot 3. Bordeaux: 2010 Château Bellevue Bordeaux Supérieur What is Acidity in Wine? Acidity in wine comes from the natural acids (tartaric, malic, etc.) in the grapes themselves, or acids that are added during the the winemaking process. The acidity in grapes varies greatly depending on the variety, as well as sun exposure, climate and the soil in the vineyard; grapes grown in cooler areas tend to have higher acidity. When drinking a wine, you’ll feel the effects of acidity mostly on the sides of your tongue. 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January 2014 The North American Filipino Star 22 Showbiz Gossip Continued from p.19 Megan credits new-found ‘maturity’ to Miss World experience Heart Evangelista details latest encounter with Mom Heart Evangelista Megan Young Megan Young acknowledges she is now a “woman” thanks to the training she had in competing for the Miss World 2013 title. “In the process of training, talagang nag-mature ako. Hindi na ako ‘yung teenager, ‘yung pre-teen, ‘yung young adult na katulad dati,” Megan said in a recent interview on “Bandila.” She confidently declared, “I can say that I am a woman, I finally act like a woman.” ako kasi kelangan ng balance in walking. ‘Yung hosting workshop, it helped me with my nerves. I get to speak in front of other people, and it helped kasi I don’t get nervous anymore,” said the “StarStruck” alumna. Despite her new-found maturity, the 23-year-old beauty queen pointed out that she can still “be silly at times.” “Kahit na sabihin mo na I act like a woman (now), importante pa rin sa akin yung I can be silly at times, I can Miss World 2013 Megan Young during People Asia's People of the Year Awards Night on Tuesday, January 21. The actress-model confessed that she didn’t expect the preparation for Miss World to be “really tough.” “It isn’t (what I imagined). People have expectations. They see the glitz and the glamor, they see what’s on camera, in pictures. They don’t see the preparation.” As hard as it was, Megan admitted that the many workshops she attended prior, as part of her efforts to carve a career in show business, helped her. “Buti na lang nag-dance worshop still play with my brother and sister, enjoy each other’s company, we play video games together, stuff like that.” Until now, Megan still can’t believe that she won the crown at the 63rd edition of the Miss World pageant held in Indonesia. “I’m doing my duties, of course, but when I’m at home, when I’m just regular Megan with the family, sometimes hindi pa rin talaga ako makapaniwala.” a Heart Evangelista has confirmed talk that her mother Cecilia Ongpauco rebuffed her when they bumped into each other at a restaurant in Makati last December. The actress claimed she initially just waved at her mother who acknowledged it with a nod. Deeming the reaction as a good sign, Heart said she approach her. “Sabi ko sa friend ko, I should go up to her, right?… kahit ano man ‘yung nangyari… So, lapit ako, ‘Hi mom.’” But supposedly, when the actress was about kiss her, the matriarch allegedly raised her hands as if to ward her off. Although embarrassed by what happened, Heart said she kept her composure. “I didn’t want to appear so (affected) ’di talaga ako umiyak (noon)… ang daming tao.” She only broke down when she got to her car. “I just felt upset, I also have my sentiments about certain things but I swallowed that, so that was a bitter pill to swallow but I did coz’ it is Christmas season (then)… At least I did my part.” The misunderstanding between mother and daughter started with the actress entering into a romantic relationship with Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Cecilia has publicly expressed disapproval of the senator for her daughter. Heart sees no immediate end to the conflict, citing that even having Chiz’s baby might not even be enough for reconciliation. “My mom is very tough…” said she. After all that’s happened, the “Startalk” host maintains she respects and understands her parents’ stand saying, “Mahal naman nila ako kaya nila ginagawa.” Wedding Day Although not yet engaged to Chiz, the actress is resigned to walk the aisle someday even without her parents there. “I’ve accepted that a long time ago,” she said. “I think on my wedding day, I owe it to myself and to the person I’m going to be with, to be happy without thinking about (kung) masama ang loob ng taong andun, so okay lang sakin (na wala ang parents ko).” She feels lucky having Chiz, Heart Evangelista with her mother and manager Cecilia Ongpauco describing him as the best boyfriend she’s ever had, even if their relationship is proving itself quite challenging. “Kasi may isang area na nagsuffer,” Heart said. “I guess that’s my family side so, there’s always a certain balance in your life.” Although open to the idea of marriage, Heart clarified that she and Chiz are not yet living under one roof. “Household niya (Chiz) is set without me there although we live in the same area.” Double Celebration After the last taping of “Magkano Ba Ang Pag-ibig?” on which Heart plays Eloisa and with the series airing its finale on Feb. 14, the actress is set to take a short vacation with Chiz. The couple plans to go abroad with a couple of their closest friends, to celebrate the actress’ birthday which happens to fall on the same date. “I’m still thinking… baka somewhere in Asia lang,” she said. “Siguro kasi nabugbog lang talaga ako sa trabaho. That’s always a good thing naman but parang nice lang the idea na makakapag-relax ng slight.” a January 2014 From Page 21 Wine Tasting Exercise What Accounts for a Wine’s Aromas and Flavors? A wine’s flavors come from the grape variety, as well as the climate and the amount of sun exposure and type of soil in the vineyard. Different winemaking techniques will extract various flavors, too. What’s The Best Way to Describe a Wine’s Flavors and Aromas? The truth is, everyone smells and tastes different aromas and flavors in wine. It’s a very subjective judgement. That said, the more tasting experiences you have, the more easily you’ll be able to pick out those flavors. Having your own flavor vocabulary can come in handy when ordering wine from a sommelier or talking with a salesperson at a wine shop—and, most importantly, when pairing wines with food. Wine-Tasting Workout: Flavor Equipment Blindfold Lychee Pencil Shavings Mushrooms Bacon Rock Sage Raspberries Cassis Lime Zest Orange Blossom Water Put on the blindfold and have someone set out the aromatic items in front of you in any order. Smell each item. “Aroma 23 The North American Filipino Star accounts for the majority of our taste, anyway,” says Bjornholm. Not only will this exercise give you a better idea of what you like, but it will also increase your Rolodex of flavors to have on hand when tasting. Wines to Try from Herbal to Savory Floral 1. Loire Cabernet Franc: 2011 Chais St. Laurent Chinon (sage) 2. Moscato d’Asti: 2011 Bera (orangeblossom water) 3. Australian Riesling: 2011 Rolf Binder Highness Riesling (lime zest) 4. Gewürztraminer: 2010 Lucien Albrecht Réserve (lychee) Fruity 5. Zinfandel: 2010 Foxglove (raspberry) 6. California Cabernet blend: 2009 Justin Isosceles (cassis) Savory 7. Red Burgundy: 2009 Pierre Morey Monthelie (mushroom) 8. Côte Rôtie: 2007 E. Guigal Brune et Blonde de Guigal (bacon) 9. German Riesling: 2011 Christoffel Erdener Treppchen Kabinett (rock) 10. Left Bank Bordeaux: 2008 Château Malartic-Lagravière (pencil shavings) Wine-Tasting Exercises: Oak Wine Tasting Workout: Oak Illustration by Julia Rothman. What does it mean for a wine to be oaked? Oak barrels used in winemaking develop their toasty, caramelly, vanilla flavors from being fire-charred. The barrels can be toasted to different levels, depending on the winemaker’s preference; those barrels can hold wine while it ferments or while it ages. Some producers favor old oak over new oak because its effect on a wine’s flavor, tannins and structure is more subtle. Wine-Tasting Workout: Oak Equipment Box of Cheerios Marshmallow Skewer Crush up Cheerios and smell them. According to Joshua Wesson, the toasty, wheaty notes of the cereal are very similar to those in oaked white wine. Skewer a marshmallow and roast it over a flame on a gas stove until it’s charred. “In red wines, oak leaves the impression of campfire smoke or the smell of a burnt marshmallow,” Wesson says. Chardonnays to try from unoaked to oaky 1. Chablis: 2011 Jean-Marc Brocard Domaine Sainte Claire 2. White Burgundy: 2010 Joseph Drouhin Meursault 3. California Chardonnay: 2010 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay Red wines to try from unoaked to oaky 1. Sicilian Frappato: 2011 Tami 2. Chianti Classico: 2009 Rocca delle Macìe 3. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon: 2009 Groth Canada’s New Asylum System a Success Total savings already over $600 million January 22, 2014 — Toronto — In the year since comprehensive reforms to Canada’s asylum system took effect, the number of new asylum claims from safe countries has decreased to historic lows, ensuring that genuine refugees – truly vulnerable people from some of the world's most volatile areas – receive faster and fairer protection, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced today. Asylum claims from countries that historically produced high numbers of unfounded claims have dropped by a dramatic 87 per cent. The overall reduction in asylum claims has already resulted in greater than anticipated savings to Canadian taxpayers of more than $600 million in provincial and federal government welfare, education and health-care costs. Overall savings are projected to be more than $1.6 billion over five years. Quick Facts · In 2011, there were approximately 6,300 asylum claims from EU countries – more than from Africa or Asia. · Under the new rules, annual asylum claims from Hungary – an EU country and the top source country for asylum claims in Canada over the past three years with already high withdrawal and abandonment rates- have declined by an overwhelming 97 per cent. · Asylum claims from the United States have also dropped significantly - down by roughly 80 per cent from the year before. · Countries in distress, such as Afghanistan, Congo, Egypt, Somalia and Syria, now rank among the top 10 source countries for asylum claims in Canada. 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Filipino Canadians and Cambodians studying French together Students studying French as a second language on Monday evenings shown with their teacher, Zenaida Kharroubi checking homework assignments PAB/PSW students pose with their teachers seated from left: Clarice Mackay, Nina Schiff, and the director-general, Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi PROGRAMMES • Early Childhood Education • Personal Support Worker • Office Systems Technology - Accounting - Secetarial • Seminars - Writers Helping Writers Small Business Management Cooperative Education COURSES Languages - English - Spanish - French - Mandarin - Filipino (Tagalog) Computers - Microsoft Office - Simply Accounting - Keyboarding (Touch Typing) - Computer Literacy Tutorial Courses on customized programs Gilmore College International, a private college, designed to offer courses to help adults develop their full potential, and increase their opportunities to succeed in their personal and professional goals www.filipinostar.org