It`s in your hands, make it count

WHO’S NEXT AFTER
PACMAN TACKLES
MEXICAN FIGHTER
JORGE SOLIS?
NATHAN CRUZ MOVES
ON, PLUS 5 QUESTIONS
FOR UP PRESIDENT
EMERLINDA ROMAN
PALAKASAN 45
FEATURE 24-25
filipino globe
hong kong / manila edition
Issue 6, Volume 1
www.filglobe.com
April 2007
It’s in your hands, make it count
After a vigorous
information drive,
it’s down to each
one of us to make
our voice heard
Jose Marcelo in Hong Kong
Filipinos in Hong Kong join their
countrymen around the world in casting their votes beginning April 14 in a
month-long exercise viewed as a referendum on whether migrant workers
are ready to make a difference in the
country’s political landscape.
A vigorous education campaign by
the consulate and migrant groups over
the past few months targeted an estimated 96,000 voters in Hong Kong in
only the second Philippine elections
to involve Filipinos overseas.
Now it is left in their hands to decide
how to make their voice heard when
they step inside the 22 precincts at the
Bayanihan Center in Kennedy Town
to choose among 37 candidates vying
for 12 senatorial seats and 90 organizations in the party-list elections.
The fact that overseas Filipinos are
exposed to good government and efficient systems abroad make them
more discerning with their choices,
said Comelec commissioner Florentino Tuason Jr.
“They can change the quality of our
elections and help improve it. They
are the enlightened and thinking voters because they are exposed to good
governments, systems that work, and
to elections bereft of irregularities,”
said Tuason, chairman of the Comelec’s the committee on absentee voting.
The 96,000 registered voters in
Hong Kong are the second-biggest
among all overseas posts – next only
to Saudi Arabia, whose Filipino population outnumbers Hong Kong’s by
over 10 to one – and represent about
a fifth of the 504,000-strong overseas
electorate.
It also represents an increase of
6,600 voters from the first absentee
voting held in 2004, when Hong Kong
voters registered the highest turnout
– close to 66,500 votes, or about 80
per cent – among all overseas posts.
However, officials from the consulate and migrant groups have conservative expectations this time. They
are projecting a turnout of between 40
An election information
drive targeted Hong
Kong’s 96,000 voters.
Below: Team Unity and
the Genuine Opposition
candidates work the
local electorate.
and 50 per cent in Hong Kong.
They cite the perceived indifference
of voters to the senatorial and partylist elections compared with the interest generated by the presidential balloting of 2004. Militant groups blame
the lack of information dissemination
from election officials – a charge the
consulate has denied.
“Some voters feel that the senatorial elections are not as important as
the presidential elections, but that is a
INSIDE
Complete list of candidates,
including profiles and
advocacies of senatorial
hopefuls belonging to Team
Unity and the Genuine
2
Opposition
Complete party-list line-up
More reports
3
4
perception we’ve tried to correct during our information campaign,” said
vice-consul Alnee Arugay, head of the
consulate’s election secretariat.
Officials also concede the actual
number of eligible voters is significantly lower than the official 96,000
tally since Hong Kong election officials have no mechanism to track registered voters who have since moved
out of Hong Kong after the 2004
polls. But more than the turnout, a
bigger concern for migrant leaders is
the quality of the winning candidates
to come out of Hong Kong.
Absentee voting advocates are hoping overseas Filipinos, whose US$12
billion in yearly remittances have
helped breathe new life into the moribund economy, are capable of making
a positive influence on the country’s
electoral process as well.
Their optimism springs from the
belief that overseas Filipinos have
Continued on Page 4
2
news
filipino globe
Genuine Opposition
Team Unity
Angara, Edgardo (Ed)
Date of Birth: 9/24/34
Place of Birth: Quezon
Age: 72
Education: University of
Michigan, master of law;
University of the Philippines College of
Law; Roosevelt High School
Profession/occupation: Lawyer/senator
Work experience:
Senator, 2001-2007(12th & 13th
Congress), 1987-1998 (8th to 10th
Congress); Senate president, 1993-1995
(9th Congress)
Advocacy: Education, senior citizen
welfare, arts, environment, agricultural
modernization
Oreta, Teresa (Tessie)
Date of Birth: 6/28/44
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 62
Education: National
Defense College of
the Philippines, National Security
Administration; Assumption Convent,
liberal arts major in literature & history;
Ciudad Ducal (Spain), International
Studies degree; Assumption College, high
school
Profession/occupation: Legislator
Work experience: Senator, 1998-2004
(11th & 12th Congress); representative,
Malabon-Navotas, 1987-1998 (8th to 10th
Congress)
Advocacy: Education, women and
children
Arroyo, Joker (Joker)
Date of Birth: 1/5/27
Place of Birth: Camarines
Sur
Age: 80
Education: University of
the Philippines College of Law; Ateneo de
Manila University, pre-law; Camarines Sur
High School
Profession/occupation: Lawyer/senator
Work experience: Senator, 2001-2007
(12th & 13th Congress); representative,
Makati City, 1992-2001 (9th to 11th
Congress):
Advocacy: Human rights, anti-corruption
Defensor, Michael (Tol)
Date of Birth: 6/3/69
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 37
Education:
University of
the Philippines, master in public
administration; UP, BA history; UP
Integrated School & Niles McKinley High
School (Ohio)
Profession/occupation: Businessman/
public official
Work experience: Presidential Chief of
Staff, 2006-2007; Secretary, Department
of Environment & Natural Resources,
2004-2006; Secretary, Housing & Urban
Development Coordinating Council, 20012004; representative, Quezon City 3rd
District, 1995-2001 (10th & 11th Congress)
Advocacy: Housing program, agrarian
reform
Kiram III, Jamalul
(Kiram)
Date of Birth: 6/6/38
Place of Birth: Sulu
Age: 68
Education: Manuel Luis
Quezon University, bachelor of law; Notre
Dame of Jolo, pre-law; Sulu High School
Profession/occupation: Businessman
Work experience: Consultant to
President Macapagal Arroyo, 2005-2007;
Presidential adviser on Muslim royalties
concern, 2005; Member, joint legislative
and executive advisory council on Sabah
Claim, 2000-2004
Advocacy: Muslim Filipinos, Mindanao
development
Magsaysay, Vicente
(Vic)
Date of Birth: 1/20/40
Place of Birth: Zambales
Age: 67
Education: Letran College,
BS commerce
Profession/occupation: Public official
Work experience: Governor, Zambales,
1998-2007, 1980-1986, 1978, 1971, 1967;
assemblyman, April 1978
Advocacy: Strengthening local government
units, decentralisation of government
Montano, Cesar
(Buboy)
Date of Birth: 8/1/62
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 44
Education: Lyceum
University, industrial engineering
Profession/occupation: Actor/director/film
producer/businessman
Work experience: Movie/television actor;
movie producer
Advocacy: Education, movie industry, public
health, tourism
April 2007
Pichay, Prospero Jr
(Butch)
Date of Birth: 6/20/50
Place of Birth: Surigao
del Sur
Age: 56
Education: De La Salle University, BS
commerce; St Peter’s Seminary
Profession/occupation: Congressman
Work experience: Representative,
Surigao del Sur 1st district, 1998-2007
(11th to 13th Congress); print media
publisher; owner, radio station
Advocacy: Pro-Pinoy livelihood,
education, disaster management and
environment
Recto, Ralph (Korecto)
Date of Birth: 1/11/64
Place of Birth: Quezon
City
Age: 43
Education: University of
the Philippines, masters degree in public
administration (completed course works);
De La Salle University, BS business
administration; De La Salle Greenhills
Profession/occupation: Legislator
Work experience: Senator, 2001-2007
(12th & 13th Congress); representative,
Batangas 4th district, 1992-2001 (9th to
11th Congress)
Advocacy: Economy, countryside
development
Singson, Luis (Chavit)
Date of Birth: 6/21/41
Place of Birth: Ilocos Sur
Age: 65
Education: Letran
College, commerce;
University of Sto Tomas, architecture
Profession/occupation: Public Official
Work experience: Governor, Ilocos Sur,
2004-2007, 1992-2001, 1971-1985;
congressman, Ilocos Sur 1st district, 19871992
Advocacy: Farmers’ welfare and
agriculture, strengthening local
government units
Sotto, Vicente III (Tito)
Date of Birth: 1/24/48
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 58
Education: Colegio de
San Juan de Letran, AB
English
Profession/occupation: Businessman/TV
host
Work experience: Senator, 1992-2004
(9th to 11th Congress); vice-mayor,
Quezon City, 1988-1992
Advocacy: Anti-illegal drugs
Zubiri, Juan Miguel
(Migz)
Date of Birth: 4/13/69
Age: 37
Education: University of
the Philippines Los Banos,
agricultural management
Profession/occupation: Businessman/
Legislator
Work experience: Representative,
Bukidnon 3rd district, 1998-2007 (11th to
13th Congress)
Advocacy: Agriculture, countryside
development, education and youth welfare,
biofuels
Aquino, Benigno
Simeon III (Noynoy)
Date of Birth: 2/8/60
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 47
Education: Ateneo de
Manila, BA economics, 1977-1981
Ateneo de Manila, high school, 1973-1977
Profession/occupation: Congressman,
Tarlac 2nd district
Advocacy: Continuously fight for
democracy
Cayetano, Allan Peter
(Compañero)
Date of Birth: 10/28/70
Place of Birth:
Mandaluyong City
Age: 36
Education: Ateneo Law School, 1997;
admitted to the Bar, 1998; UP Diliman, BA
political science, 1993
Profession/occupation: Lawyer/
representative, Taguig & Pateros
Work experience: Representative, Taguig
and Pateros, 1998-2007 (11th to 13th
Congress)
Advocacy: Health and education
Coseteng, Anna
Dominique (Nikki)
Date of Birth: 12/18/52
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 54
Education: St Louis
University and University of the
Philippines, AB journalism,
St Maur’s Convent (England), Notre Dame
College (USA), Palo Alto Senior
Profession/occupation: Businesswoman
Work experience: Senator, 1992-2001
(9th to 11th Congress); representative,
Quezon City 3rd district, 1987-1992 (8th
Congress)
Advocacy: Women’s rights
Escudero, Francis
Joseph (Chiz)
Date of Birth: 10/10/69
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 37
Education: Georgetown
University, master in international and
comparative law, 1996; University of the
Philippines College of Law, 1993; UP, BA
political science
Profession/occupation: Lawyer/
representative, Sorsogon 1st district
Work experience: Representative,
Sorsogon 1st district, 1998-2007 (11th to
13th Congress)
Advocacy: Housing (for teachers,
police, soldiers and the poor), livelihood
programs, education, health programs
for the poor and elderly, human rights,
environment
Osmena, John Henry
(Sonny)
Date of birth: 1/17/35
Place of Birth: Cebu City
Age: 72
Education: University
of the Philippines, public administration
program; International Social Development
Institute (Holland), social & community
development; San Carlos University, BS
mechanical engineering, 1959
Profession/occupation: Real Estate
Investor
Work experience: Senator, 1998-2004
(11th & 12 Congress), 1987-1995 (8th
& 9th Congress); representative, Cebu,
1995-1998 (10th Congress), 1969
Advocacy: Anti-graft, energy (rural
electrification, alternative sources)
Pangilinan, Francis
(Kiko)
Date of Birth: 8/24/63
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 43
Education: John
F. Kennedy School of Government,
Harvard University, masters in public
administration; University of the Philippines
College of Law; University of the
Philippines, BA English
Profession/occupation: Lawyer/senator
Work experience: Senator, 2001-2007
(12th & 13th Congress)
Advocacy: Human rights, public
accountability of government officials,
poverty alleviation through education
Pimentel, Aquilino III
(Koko)
Date of Birth: 1/20/64
Place of Birth: Cagayan
de Oro
Age: 43
Education: University of the Philippines,
College of Law (bar topnotcher, 1990);
Ateneo de Manila University, BS
mathematics
Profession/occupation: Lawyer
Work experience: Lawyer commissioner
(representing Mindanao), National Youth
Commission, 1995-98
Advocacy: Mindanao, the youth,
local governments, socio-civic groups,
professionals, the poor
Roco, Sonia (Inang
Guro)
Date of birth: 6/20/44
Age: 62
Education: Ateneo
de Manila University,
masters in communication arts and in
social psychology; St Joseph’s College,
education
Profession/occupation: Educator
Work experience: Co-founder, Our
School, center for Early Childhood
Education of the Ateneo Psychology
Department; owner, Live and Learn
Preschool, Loyola Quezon City
Advocacy: Education
Trillanes, Antonio IV
(Magdalo)
Lacson, Panfilo (Ping)
Date of Birth: 6/1/48
Place of Birth: Cavite
Age: 58
Education: Philippine
Military Academy, 1971
Profession/occupation: Senator
Work experience: Senator, 2001-2007
(12th to 13th Congress); chief, Philippine
National Police, 1999-2001
Advocacy: Health, law and order,
environment
Legarda, Loren (Loren)
Date of Birth: 1/28/60
Age: 47
Education: National
Defense College of
the Philippines, master
in national security administration;
University of the Philippines, AB broadcast
communication
Profession/occupation: Journalist
Work experience: Senator, 1998-2004
(11th & 12th Congress); majority floor
leader (12th Congress)
Advocacy: Youth, anti-drug crusade,
environment, children and women’s rights
Date of Birth: 8/6/71
Age: 35
Education: University of
the Philippines, master in
public administration; Philippine Military
Academy, BS naval systems engineering,
1995
Profession/occupation: Military
Work experience: Philippine Navy,
procurement officer/instructor, naval
education & training command, 2000-2001
Advocacy: Anti-corruption, anti-poverty,
peace and order, education, health and
social services
Villar, Manuel Jr.
(Manny)
Date of Birth: 12/13/49
Place of Birth: Manila
Age: 57
Education: University
of the Philippines, MBA, 1973; University
of the Philippines, BS business
administration, 1970; Mapua Institute of
Technology, high school
Profession/occupation: Senator
Work experience: Senator, 2001-2007
Senate president, 2006-2007 (13th
Congress); representative, 1992-2001 (9th
to 11th Congress)
Advocacy: Entrepreneurship, protection of
women, livelihood training, environment
OTHER CANDIDATES AND NOTE ON PARTYLIST
In addition to the 24 candidates affiliated with Team Unity and the Genuine Opposition, there are 11 candidates from various parties and two independents. Also, ninety-three
organizations have put themselves forward under the party-list system. They are listed on the opposite page.
Compiled and edited by Egay Serrano
FASTFACTS
Where and when can I cast
my vote?
Overseas voting at the
Bayanihan Center in Kennedy
Town will be held daily from April
14 to May 14. The voting center
will be open from 9am to 5pm
from Monday to Saturday and
from 8am-6pm during Sundays.
Precincts will be open from 7am
to 3pm on May 14.
What is the procedure for
voting?
Check if your name is listed in
the Certified List of Overseas
Absentee Voters (CLOAV) and
get your precinct and sequence
number. Go to the poll clerk of
your assigned precinct and give
your name and any identification
papers if required. Sign in the
voters list and get your ballot and
proceed to the designated voting
area. After voting, you will be
asked to put your thumb mark in
the voters’ list and ballot coupon.
What positions can Filipinos
in Hong Kong vote for?
Overseas-based Filipinos will
cast their votes for 12 senators
and one partylist organization.
Can we vote even without our
voter’s ID?
Yes. Aside from the voter’s ID,
other documents you can use for
identification purposes are your
Hong Kong ID, SSS card (with
photo), passport, seaman’s book,
E-Card (with photo) and other
IDs with photo issued by the
Philippine government.
What should I do if my name
is not in the CLOAV?
Request the assistance of the
OAV secretariat to check if your
name is in the List of Overseas
Absentee Voters with Voting
Records (LOAVVR), which is
in the custody of the SBEIs/
precincts. If your name is listed
there, you will be allowed to
vote. To avoid hassles, you can
call the consulate’s OAV hotline,
2823-8539, during office hours
to check if your name is in the
CLOAV before proceeding to the
polling centers.
Can I request a letter from
the consulate so that my
employer will allow me to
vote during weekdays?
Yes, you can approach the
consulate’s OAV secretariat and
a letter-request will be provided
to you.
Can I vote in Hong Kong if I
am a registered voter in the
Philippines or other overseas
posts?
No. You need to be a registered
overseas voter in Hong Kong to
be able to vote.
What happens if I am not
able to completely fill out my
ballot?
Voters are not mandated to fill
out their ballots. But it is also
important that you do not put any
remarks or distinguishing marks
in your ballot; otherwise it will
be invalidated and considered
spoiled.
Is the counting of ballots
open to the public?
Yes, the canvassing of election
returns will be held at the
Consulate General’s office at
the United Center in Admiralty
publicly and without interruption,
although the availability of space
will be taken into consideration.
NOTE: Eating and the use of
mobile phones are prohibited
once inside the voting centers.
news
filipino globe
April 2007
3
Others
Bautista, Martin, Ang Kapatiran
Cantal, Felix, Philippine Green Republic
Cayetano, Joselito, KBL
Chavez, Melchor, KBL
Enciso, Ruben, KBL
Estrella, Antonio, KBL
Gomez, Richard, Independent
Honasan, Gregorio, Independent
Lozano, Oliver, KBL
Orpilla, Eduardo, KBL
Paredes, Zosimo, Ang Katapatan
Sison, Adrian, Ang Katapatan
Wood, Victor, KBL
Party-list
1. 1-UNITED TRANSPORT KOALISYON
2. AA-KASOSYO PARTY
3. AANGAT TAYO
4. ABAKADA GURO formerly Advocates
and Adherents of Social Justice for School
Teachers and Allied Workers
5. ABANSE!PINAY
6. ABANTE ILONGGO, INC
7. ABONO
8. ACTION FOR DEMOCRACY AND
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE TRIBAL
PEOPLE
9. ACTION FOR DYNAMIC
DEVELOPMENT, INC.
10. ADVOCACY FOR TEACHER
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ACTION,
COOPERATION, AND HARMONY
TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL REFORMS,
INC
11. ADVOCATES FOR SPECIAL
CHILDREN AND THE HANDICAPPED
MOVEMENT
12. AGBIAG!TIMPUYOG ILOCANO, INC
13. AGING FILIPINO ORGANIZATION,
INC
14. AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ALLIANCE
OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC
15.AHON PINOY
16. AHONBAYAN
17. AKBAY PINOY OFW-NATIONAL, INC
18. AKBAYAN CITIZEN’S ACTION PARTY
19. AKSYON SAMBAYANAN
20. ALAGAD
21. ALAY SA BAYAN NG MALAYANG
PROPESYONAL AT REPORMANG
KALAKAL
22. ALLIANCE FOR BARANGAY
CONCERNS
23. ALLIANCE FOR NATIONALISM AND
DEMOCRACY
24. ALLIANCE OF ASSOCIATIONS
OF ACCREDITED WORKERS IN THE
WATER SECTOR, INC.
25. ALLIANCE OF NEOCONSERVATIVES
26. ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE’S
ORGANIZATIONS
27. ALLIANCE OF RURAL CONCERNS
28. ALLIANCE OF VENDORS AND
TRADERS OF THE PHILIPPINES
VENDORS
29. ALLIANCE OF VOLUNTEER
EDUCATORS
30. ALLIANCE TRANSPORT SECTOR
31. ALYANSA NG MAMAMAYANG
NAGHIHIRAP
32. ALYANSA NG MAY KAPANSANANG
PINOY
33. ALYANSA NG MGA GRUPONG
HALIGI NG AGHAM AT TEKNOLOHIYA
PARA SA MAMAMAYAN, INC
34. ALYANSA NG SAMBAYANAN PARA
SA PAGBABABAGO
35. ALYANSANG BAYANIHAN NG
MAGSASAKA, MANGGAGAWANG
BUKID AT MANGINGISDA-ADHIKAIN AT
KILUSAN NG ORDINARYONG TAO
36. AN WARAY
37. ANAK MINDANO
38. ANAK PAWIS
39. ANG BAGONG BAYAN NA
NAGTATAGUYOD NG DEMOKRATIKONG
IDEOLOGIYA AT LAYUNIN
40. ANG GALING PINOY
41. ANG LABAN NG INDIGINONG
FILIPINO
42. ANG SAMAHAN NG MGA
MANGANGALAKAL PARA SA
IKAUUNLAD NG LOKAL NA EKONOMIYA
formerly Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal
Para sa Ikauunlad ng Lokal na Ekonomiya
43. ANGAT ANTAS KABUHAYAN
PILIPINO MOVEMENT
44. ANGAT ATING KABUHAYAN
PILIPINAS, INC
45. ARTS BUSINESS AND SCIENCE
PROFESSIONALS
46. ASOSASYON NG MGA MALILIIT NA
NEGOSYANTENG GUMAGANAP
47. ASSALAM BANGSAMORO PEOPLE’S
PARTY
48. ASSOCIATION OF
ADMINISTRATORS, PROFESSIONALS
AND SENIORS
49. ASSOCIATION OF PHILIPPINE
ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
50. BABAE PARA SA KAUNLARAN
51. BAGO NATIONAL CULTURAL
SOCIETY OF THE PHILIPPINES
52. BAGONG ALYANSANG
TAGAPAGTAGUYOD NG ADHIKAING
SAMBAYANAN
53. BAGONG TAO MOVEMENT
54. BAHANDI SA KAUMAHAN UG
KADAGATAN
55. BARANGAY ASSOCIATION FOR
NATIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF
TRANSPARENCY
56. BAYAN MUNA
57. BIGKIS PINOY MOVEMENT
58. BIYAHENG PINOY
59. BIYAYANG BUKID
60. BUHAY HAYAAN YUMABONG
61. CITIZENS BATTLE AGAINST
CORRUPTION
62. COALITION OF ASSOCIATIONS OF
SENIOR CITIZENS IN THE PHILIPPINES,
INC
63. COCOFED-PHILIPPINE COCONUT
PRODUCERS FEDERATION, INC.
64. CONFEDERATION OF GRAINS
RETAILERS ASSOCIATION OF THE
PHILIPPINES
65. COOPERATIVE-NATCO NETWORK
PARTY
66. DEMOCRATIC INDEPENDENT
WORKERS ASSOCIATION, INC
67. FILIPINOS FOR PEACE, JUSTICE
AND PROGRESS MOVEMENT
68.GABRIELA WOMEN’S PARTY
69. HANAY NG APING PINOY
70. KABATAAN
71. KABUKLURAN NG MGA
KABABAIHANG FILIPINA SA TIMOG
KATAGALUGAN
72. KALAHI- ADVOCATES FOR
OVERSEAS FILIPINOS
73. KAPATIRAN NG MGA NAKULONG NA
WALANG SALA
74. KASANGGA SA KAUNLARAN, INC
75. KOALISYON NG KATUTUBONG
SAMAHAN NG PILIPINAS
76. LUZON FARMERS PARTY
77. NOVELTY ENTREPRENEURSHIP
AND LIVELIHOOD FOR FOOD, INC
78. PARENTS ENABLING PARENTS
COALITION PARTY
79. PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA
80. PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT AGAINST
POVERTY
81. PWERSA NG BAYANING ATLETA
82. SANDIGANG MARALITA
83. SANLAKAS
84. SEAMAN’S PARTY INC.
85. SUARA BANGSAMORO
86. SULONG! BARANGAY MOVEMENT
87. THE TRUE MARCOS LOYALIST
(FOR GOD, COUNTRY AND PEOPLE)
ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC
88. TRADE UNION CONGRESS PARTY
89. UNION OF THE MASSES FOR
DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE
90. UNITED MOVEMENT AGAINST
DRUGS
91. VETERANS FREEDOM PARTY
92. YOU AGAINST CORRUPTION AND
POVERTY
93. YOUTH LEAGUE FOR PEACE
ADVANCEMENT
Dual citizens get key waiver
Filipinos with dual citizenship are no
longer required to execute an affidavit of intent to return. However, those
categorised as permanent residents
and immigrants by host countries are
required to do so.
The OAV voter will go to the post
and cast his/her ballot personally in
the following jurisdictions: Dubai,
Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Riyadh, Hong
Kong, Macau, Athens, Kuwait,
Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hanoi, Tripoli, Beirut, Vientianne (Laos), Yangon, Port Moresby
(PNG), New Delhi, India
Nairobi, Amman, Manama (Bahrain),
Muscat (Oman),
Doha, Kokor (Palau) and Saipan.
All other posts, will vote by mail.
Seafarers can vote at any posts, either personal or postal, depending on
the mode of voting for these posts.
&Clarification
Correction
Due to a technical problem, the advertisement above appeared in low resolution in our March issue. As a result,
the text was unreadable and the images blurred. We wish to unequivocably apologise to J&D Health Concept Ltd
for the embarrassment this has caused them. Above is the same advertisement as it should have looked.
For advertising inquiries
Bob Waterfield (Hong Kong) 9470 2764
Ricky Sumallo (Philippines) 0917 539 0486
TJ Badon-Doble (Philippines) 0928 502 0379
Josephine Miranda (Philippines) 0920 951 6917
filipino globe
the OFW newspaper
1905 Lippo Centre Tower 2
Queensway, Admiralty
Hong Kong
(852) 2918 8248
Email: [email protected]
4
news
filipino globe
April 2007
OFW voice remains muted
Overseas Pinoys yet to harness numbers to send representatives to Congress
Jose Marcelo in Hong Kong
Over 10 million-strong and growing
by the thousands every day, overseas
Filipino workers have the power to
propel as many as 10 party-list representatives to the Philippine Congress.
The number of OFW representatives in the last Congress: Zero.
The inability of overseas Filipinos
to get their act together and wield the
power of their sheer numbers during
Philippine elections has been a source
of frustration and bafflement for people longing for genuine representatives to champion the cause of OFWs
in Congress.
“Let me put it this way: If only migrant workers can truly harness their
political power, we have enough
numbers to be a swing vote even in
a presidential election,” said Eman
Villanueva, secretary-general of the
United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil).
Overseas Filipinos’ numbers alone
are just short of driving a candidate
to the Senate, Villanueva pointed out.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t been able
to take advantage of that power,” he
added.
Republic Act 9189, which created
party-list representation in Congress
for marginalized sectors of Philippine
society, would have been a perfect
vehicle for overseas-based workers
to gain a voice – or even a chorus of
voices – in the country’s law-making
body.
But that has not happened, and analysts do not expect it to happen in this
year’s polls, pointing to the lack of
unity among migrant workers which,
they say, can be partly traced to the
absence of an inspirational figure or a
unifying force to band them together.
No less than 50 seats, or one-fifth of
the 250-member Congress, are allotted for party-list representatives, with
organizations needing to garner two
percent of the total votes cast in the
party-list elections to earn one seat.
During the 2004 polls, when the first
overseas absentee voting was held, a
million votes were enough for a partylist group to earn the maximum three
seats and around 250,000 to garner
one seat -- targets easily within reach
for overseas Filipinos.
Yet not one of seven OFW groups
which participated in the party-list
ANGBANSA
Iloilo
The Philippine National Police
here formed a team that would
look into the motives behind the
attacks against three militant
activists in Oton, Iloilo.
Iloilo provincial police director
S/Supt Melvin Mongcal said
the team lead by C/Inspector
Larito Nobleza was tasked
to immediately extract sworn
statements from the wounded
Jose Ely Garachico who is now
confined at the Iloilo Doctors
Hospital.
The unidentified suspects
blocked the path of the L200
van carrying Garachico, who
is affiliated with human rights
group Karapatan, Ma Luisa
Posa-Dominado of Selda
and Nilo Arado of the leftleaning Kilusang Magbubukid
ng Pilipinas somewhere in
Cabanbanan on Thursday.
The suspects fled after the
attack.
Davao
It’s the second time that absentee voting is being held, but OFWs have yet to make their mark.
elections of 2004 earned a single
seat.
In Hong Kong, Migrante, an affiliate of Unifil, garnered the most
number of votes in the party-list polls
with around 20,000 – four times more
than the next highest vote-getter. But
the group still fell short of the needed
votes for a congressional seat.
Villanueva cited several factors
for the failure, among them the poor
backing Migrante got from Philippine-based voters and the disenfranchisement of several of its supporters
in overseas posts, which he blamed
on the kinks of the first absentee balloting process.
“It’s not enough that a law was created to pave the way for overseas voting,” Villanueva said. “Election officials also should have made sure that
the voting was implement properly.
“As it turned out, marami sa ating
mga kababayan ang hindi nakaboto
“
If only OFWs can
truly harness their
political power, we
have enough numbers
to be a swing vote
even in a presidential
election
EMAN VILLANUEVA
Unifil-Hong Kong
either dahil nadisenfranchise sila, o
naging napakahirap para sa kanila to
exercise their right to vote dahil hindi
nga na-implement ng maayos ang absentee balloting.”
Migrante International has since
temporarily shelved its quest for
party-list representation, instead joining hands with the women’s group
Gabriela in a bid to get a nominee to
Congress.
Gabriela, Villanueva said, fell just
40,000 votes short of getting a second
nominee elected to Congress in 2004.
Gabriela has now named Migrantenominated Flora Belinan – a former
domestic helper in Hong Kong – as
its third nominee while enjoying Migrante’s full backing.
Several partylist groups claiming
to represent OFWs are again vying in
this year’s polls, but chances of millions of migrant workers around the
world rallying behind these organizations are bleak.
“Hangga’t hindi natin natatamo ang
level of unity na kaya nating abutin, I
don’t think we will attain our objectives,” Villanueva said.
E-Day: are we ready to make a difference?
From Page 1
Consulate officials say everything has been done to inform the voters.
relatively higher education and are
beyond the reach of corrupt election
practices back home.
Filipino organizations such as the
University of the Philippines Alumni
Association of Hong Kong have built
their pre-election blitz around a campaign to educate voters in the hope of
overturning “far from encouraging’
results” in the 2004 balloting. “It’s
not enough that we vote. Filipinos in
Hong Kong must also vote wisely to
make this exercise more meaningful,”
said Daphne Ceniza-Kuok, a member of the International Coalition for
Overseas Filipino Voting Rights.
Election officials have also worked
to avoid a repeat of the problems that
beset the 2004 OAV exercise in Hong
Kong, when several voters were disenfranchised and long queues in polling centers left a lot of people frustrated and discouraged.
The consulate has shifted to fiveday workweeks during the monthlong election period and will devote
Saturdays and Sundays entirely to the
OAV exercise. The consulate will resume its Sunday-to-Thursday operations on May 27.
At least 250 volunteers have also
been tapped to supervise the balloting
as well as the canvassing of votes. Migrant organizations are also expected
to assist in the proceedings the same
way they did in 2004.
More than 115,000 Grade I
public school pupils nationwide
will be supplied with locally
produced milk by dairy farmers
beginning next school year.
According to the Department
of Agriculture, some P70 million
has been allocated under the
Food for the School Program
(FSP). The pupils are from
1,151 schools in 23 provinces in
the different parts of the country.
A memorandum of agreement
has been signed between the
agriculture department and the
National Dairy Authority, Health
and Nutrition Council and the
Department of Education for
the implementation of the milk
feeding program.
The FSP aims to address the
malnutrition problem among
school children. At the same
time, it provides a market for
locally-produced milk.
Bicol
The fisheries and livelihood
project of President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo is now in
full swing in selected areas
of Bicol region, focusing
on alleviating poverty and
increasing income to marginal
fisherfolk.
Noime Lanzuela, Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Farm-Sea
coordinator, said the
projects will enhance income
generation and strengthen
fisherfolk capabilities in fishery
technologies in coastal areas,
including Ragay Gulf, San
Miguel Bay, Lagonoy Gulf and
Sorsogon Bay.
“For the past six years
of implementation, the
beneficiaries were able to
increase their daily income
and become self sustaining,”
Lanzuela said.
filipino globe
April 2007
5
6
filipino globe
news
April 2007
Hopefuls get
a glimpse
of how HK
might vote
Visiting candidates complete the picture
as mock election takes center stage
Jose Marcelo in Hong Kong
Voters treat the exercise with the seriousness of a real election. The booths were set up in the middle of Chater Road.
I
t had all the trappings of a
campaign sortie, Pinoy-style:
Loud music blaring from
speakers, colorful campaign
streamers and buntings lining the
roadside and candidates pressing
flesh and putting on their megawatt
smiles, trying to charm their way into
voters’ hearts.
Except that, this one was held
outdoors, in the heart of Hong Kong
Island.
A mock election staged by the
United Filipinos Hong Kong (Unifil),
coinciding with the arrival of three
opposition candidates for senator,
made for a festive atmosphere in
Central a week before the start of
overseas absentee voting.
The scene at Chater Road seemed
lifted from a barrio fiesta back home
as Senate President Manny Villar and
fellow opposition candidates Alan
Peter Cayetano and Senator Ping
Lacson mingled freely with mostly
domestic helpers enjoying their
Easter Sunday off.
The dawn of overseas absentee
voting has spawned a new campaign
strategy, in which candidates for
national posts not only walk the extra
mile but also log thousands of air
miles to court a new breed of voters.
Villar perhaps understood it best.
With the race for the 12th and last
spot in the 2004 senatorial elections
decided by less than 20,000 votes,
Villar said, the 96,000 eligible voters
in Hong Kong – and for that matter
the 500,000 spread around the globe
– may prove crucial in the final
reckoning.
“And overseas voters are growing
in number, so I’m sure their impact
on Philippine elections will continue
to grow from hereon,” Villar said.
So for the next hour, Villar
walked the length of Chater Road,
shaking hands, posing for pictures
and even sitting down for a late
lunch of chicken adobo and rice
with volunteers manning the mock
precincts.
The effort appeared to pay off.
When the votes were counted, Villar
had garnered 72.3 per cent (504) of
the 697 votes cast.
Mock elections or not, the results
of the straw vote, organizers said,
should serve as a reliable indicator of
how Hong Kong-based Filipinos will
vote in the absentee voting exercise
from April 14 to May 14.
“I think this reflects the sentiments
of Hong Kong-based voters,” said
migrant leader Rey Asis.
“These voters were really eager
to make their choices known. The
voting was only for four hours, and
yet almost 700 turned up to cast their
votes.”
If that is the case, then opposition
candidates can look forward to a lift
from SAR votes.
Incumbent senators Ralph Recto
(ninth with 325 votes) of Team Unity
and independent Kiko Pangilinan
(fourth with 455) were the only
candidates outside the Genuine
Opposition to crash the top 12.
Aside from Villar, other GO bets
inside the magic circle were Loren
Legarda who topped the mock
polls with 594 votes (85.2 per
cent); Aquilino Pimentel III (463),
Cayetano, (447) Noynoy Aquino,
(369), Lacson, (347), Sonia Roco
(345), John Osmeña (319), Nikki
Coseteng (312) and Francis Escudero
(284).
Ping Lacson, Manny Villar and Alan Peter Cayetano court voters in
Central. Their visit coincided with the holding of a mock election.
filipino globe
April 2007
7
8
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filipino globe
April 2007
filipino globe
April 2007
in
Saudi holds balance of power Pinoys
Europe fear
Middle East OFWs have the numbers to influence the outcome – if they turn out
Raul Acedre in Manila
Saudi Arabia holds the balance of
power in overseas absentee voting,
being home to more than 20 per cent
of registered voters.
If they all turn out to vote, OFWs in
the kingdom could greatly influence
the outcome of balloting for senators
and party-list representatives.
Comelec said 127,947 Saudi Pinoys are registered voters, mostly in
Riyadh.
Worldwide, the count is 504,122,
including about 96,000 in Hong
Kong, the most active post in the last
overseas absentee voting.
Comelec commissioner Florentino
Tuason said that of the worldwide
total, 191,760 are in Asia-Pacific,
218,260 in the Middle East, 27,240 in
North and South America and 48,446
in Europe.
More than 18,000 seafarers serving
in ocean-going vessels have also registered.
Tuason said voters in Saudi Arabia
will cast their ballots at the embassy
in Riyadh, the consulate in Jeddah or
at the International School in Alkhobar.
They are among 329,731 who will
physically cast their ballots in precincts. The rest of the worldwide electorate will vote by mail.
Tuason said the Philippine Postal
Corp (Philpost) has completed preparations for handling outgoing and incoming ballots.
“Voting by mail would not have
been possible without the assistance
of Philpost personnel and infrastructure,” Tuason said.
A dedicated complex in Philpost’s
main office in Manila has been set
up. This includes a sorting area similar to a hospital nursery with its own
“watchers’ booth” separated by a
glass window from the actual sorters.
“There are security cameras inside
the sorting room,” Tuason said.
Tuason said the complex is already
operational. “It is an assembly-line
kind of process,” Tuason said.
He added that more than 179,000
ballots bound for about 59 overseas
posts where postal voting has been
approved have been sent out.
Tuason said he had originally wanted voting by mail to be the standard
operating procedure for all jurisdictions but the postal systems of some
countries were not at par with standards.
Tuason said he would continue to
push for internet voting since “it is the
voting process of the future.”
Online voting is being piloted in
Singapore as an experiment, but votes
will not be counted after protests over
the Comelec’s readiness to effectively
implement it.
Filipino consulate officials in Riyadh in action during the 2004 presidential election. They are reprising their Comelec role in this year’s balloting.
Foreign observers to monitor conduct of polls
Raul Acedre in Manila
Foreign observers are in the country
to monitor the elections even as security officials placed three Metro
Manila cities under police watch for
potential violence.
European Commission director general for external affairs Eneko Landaburu (right) said his group is keen to
observe a “ fair, transparent, orderly
and peaceful election”.
Other governments fielding observers are the United States and Canada.
Philippine officials welcomed their
presence, saying the Philippines is an
open book in its conduct of democracy.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said
the observers have been
given full access to every
stage of the balloting.
While conceding that the
country has had its share
of election violence and
isolated incidents of fraud
in the past, Bunye said it
has come out stronger in
terms of political stability
and security.
Meanwhile, authorities are closely
monitoring three Metro Manila cities
for possible violence.
National Capital Region police chief
Reynaldo Varilla said they are watching Pasig, Caloocan and Pasay City,
noting the intense political rivalries in
these “We are focusing on these areas
because of their history
[of poll-related violence
and intense rivalry], and
we don’t want these
things to happen again,”
he said
Other areas in Metro
Manila are not a cause
for concern, he added.
He said security in Pasig,
Caloocan and Pasay can be handled
by the police.
He said they have placed Pasig
City on its watch list because of the
bombing of the vehicle of mayoralty
bet Robert “Dudut” Jaworski in December.
Jaworski, the city’s outgoing congressman, has said the attack was
politically motivated. Jaworski is running against Bobby Eusebio, son of
Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio.
Jaworski, son of former Senator Robert Jaworski, suspects the Eusebios
had something to do with the failed
attempt on his life.
Pasay City has wracked by festering political row which has caused the
dismissal of mayor Peewee Trinidad.
Trinidad is seeking reelection
against Representative Connie Dy.
In Caloocan, rivalry between former mayor Rey Malonzo and the
Asistios has intensified. Brothers
Macario Asistio and Representative
Luis Asistio, Malonzo and reelectionist Enrico Echiverri are contesting the
mayoralty post.
vote will
go to waste
A lack of information on candidates,
their parties and platforms will lead to
a lot of wasted votes, Filipino voters
in Europe warn.
They said this would happen if the
candidates did not exert more effort
to send a clear message to overseas
voters.
Voters in Britain and in the rest of
Europe will cast their ballots by mail
from April 14 to May 14, the period
of overseas absentee voting.
They complained that they do not
have enough information on the candidates, the parties and their advocacies.
Consie Lozano, a member of Amsterdam-based Likap, a FilipinoDutch youth organization, said she
does not even know the candidates,
adding the Philippine embassy in the
Netherlands is partly to blame.
“I don’t know anything about the
campaign. We do not hear anything
about a campaign, not even from the
Philippine embassy here,” she said.
Jun Saturay, a doctor and exiled political refugee, thinks that a lot of the
votes will be wasted.
“We are far from home. We do not
know who the candidates are and we
sometimes end up voting the names
that we just
hear from our
relatives back
home,”
he
said.
Europe is
home to more
than one million overseas
Filipino workers, majority
of whom are
of voting age.
They said they do not want to vote
for the sake of voting. They want their
voice to be heard through the parties
or candidates.
In the previous election, only party-list candidates came to the Netherlands to campaign.
Saturay said: “From our experience, we had visits from politicians
who requested to talk to community
organizations. We entertained them
as part of an educational campaign
to raise the awareness of Filipinos in
politics.”
Consul Leila Lora-Santos (above) of
the Philippine embassy in the Hague
said the embassy is in no position to
speak for candidates and that its role
is in disseminating information on the
overseas absentee voting procedure.
She said the embassy has done this
intensively by posting announcements in community newsletters as
well as in sending letters to the different Filipino community organizations
in the Netherlands.
More than 48,000 Europe-based
Filipinos are qualified to vote but less
than 16,000 have registered for absentee voting, mostly in Rome.
Hong Kong leads the world in the
number of registered voters with more
than 96,000. In the 2004 presidential
election, the first time absentee voting
was held, more than 65,000 turned
out to vote in Hong Kong.
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April 2007
ANGBANSA
No explanation
was given by the
POEA for the delay
in the shipment of
forms to foreign
posts. The agency
has no dedicated
representative in
Hong Kong.
Zamboanga
Government troops discovered
a dumping site in Zamboanga
Sibugay province where victims
of alleged New People’s
Army purges were reportedly
dumped.
Col Jovencio Magalso, chief
of the Army’s 102nd Infantry
Brigade, reported that the
dumping site was found last
week in Bulahan, a hinterland
barangay in the town of Buug.
Magalso said the dumping
site is a 30-foot-deep well
where they recovered skeletons
of at least 15 people, including
that of a child. He said the
victims include civilians who
were sentenced by the NPA’s
“kangaroo court” and NPA
members suspected of being
government spies.
Magalso said they also
recovered an identification card
bearing the name of a certain
Jaime from Lanao del Norte.
OEC resumes after ‘shortage’
Suspension due to lack of forms mars Easter breaks for thousands of OFWs
Jose Marcelo in Hong Kong
The consulate has resumed issuing
overseas employment certificates
(OEC) to vacationing migrant workers after its suspension left thousands
of Hong Kong-based Filipinos frustrated during the Easter holidays.
New labor attache Romy Salud announced the resumption after a fresh
supply of the document used by vacationing workers to avail of travel and
airport tax exemptions arrived from
the POEA main office in Manila.
“We have 5,000 new OEC documents which I think would be enough
to last a few weeks until the next shipment arrives,” said Salud.
The consulate’s labor office had
been forced to stop the issuance of
OECs from April 2 after its supply
of the document and its corresponding receipt dried up ahead of the Holy
Week break, when the flow of migrant workers coming home for vacations was at its peak.
A steady stream of migrant workers
were disappointed to see the consulate office’s OEC windows closed, and
were left to deal with the inconvenience of having to secure the document in Manila.
“What kind of a government is this
that such a simple service to OFWs
becomes even more of a burden to
us?” said Dolores Balladares, chairperson of the United Filipinos in
Hong Kong (Unifil-HK).
“Such an irresponsible and inconsiderate action shall result in OFWs
shelling out more money for the
OEC, not to mention the extra cost
and inconvenience for those who live
far from POEA offices,’’ she added.
Unifil lamented that migrant work-
ers affected by the suspension ended
up paying P1,000 back home for a
document which costs HK$32 (P193)
at the consulate.
A check with consulate officials
showed the OEC actually costs less
in Manila, but migrant workers end
up paying more once fees for OWWA
membership and other associated
fees are added to the charge. OWWA
membership is not required for the issuance of the same document at the
Hong Kong post.
No official explanation was given
by the POEA for the delay in the shipment of new OEC documents. The
POEA issues the certificates while the
Department of Labor is tasked with
the disbursement through its overseas
offices.
The POEA has no official posted in
Hong Kong.
“It could be because of of a shortage of paper or a printing delay or
anything, but I’m sure there’s a valid
explanation for it,’’ Salud said of the
delay. “But I agree that the timing was
not very good.”
The controversy has rekindled calls
from militant migrant groups for
the scrapping of the OEC since they
claim other official documents such
as passports and working visas can be
used by returning migrant workers for
travel and airport tax exemptions.
Salud doubts if the proposal could
work, saying “the working visa and
the OEC are two documents that serve
different purposes.” But he said he is
confident a more efficient system can
be found. “Maybe soon we can have
something like an e-card which would
serve all the needs of the migrant
worker,” he said.
Friends and strangers come
through in her darkest days
Jose Marcelo in Hong Kong
The money, all HK$116.50 of it, came
wrapped in a soiled plastic bag – her
entire earnings, the domestic helper
said, from weeks of collecting and
selling old newspapers and cartons in
her village.
“Dinala rito ang pera at ayaw magpakilala,” said a consulate official
who received the donation. “Basta
gusto lang daw makatulong.”
A couple more anonymous individuals pitched in, too. So did migrant
organizations and church groups.
Before long a sum of HK$4,300 had
been raised – enough to brighten up
the life of a distressed maid.
The donations helped pay for the
eye operation of a Filipina maid who
lost her eyesight near the end of an
undocumented 11-year stay in Hong
Kong spent doing part-time work and
dodging arrest.
The maid, Martina Tuel, surrendered to immigration authorities last
November 28, desperate, penniless
and, worse, with vision on both eyes
reduced to no more than big shadows
by worsening cataracts.
On December 22, a Hong Kong
court convicted the 58-year-old maid
from Rosario, La Union of breaching the condition of her stay and sentenced to six months in prison.
By the time she was detained at the
Tai Lam Center for Women, Manang
Martina had completely lost her eyesight. She was referred to the Tuen
Mun Eye Clinic for an examination.
Doctors said eye surgery was needed to restore her vision. Hong Kong’s
correctional program was to shoulder
the expenses for the procedure, but
the maid had to fork out $3,100 for
the replacement intra-ocular lenses
– money she did not have.
In her darkest moment, the maid
found a helping hand. Members of the
St Joseph’s Filipino group, the Catholic Center and the La Union Federa-
Palawan
Irrawaddy dolphins are dying off
due to overfishing.
A report from the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Philippines
said that 25 years after being
discovered, the Irrawaddy
dolphins (orcaella brevirostris) in
the Malampaya Sound in Taytay,
Palawan are “hanging on for
dear life.”
Despite the efforts of WWF
to conserve the sea mammal,
numerous dolphins have
continued to die yearly because
of their vulnerability to human
activities. From May to August
alone last year, five dolphins
drowned as bycatch, all were
entangled in a wide range of
fishing gear. Dolphins belong to
the mammalian Order Cetacea,
which means that every so
often, they still need to resurface
for air.
Cebu
Some came with money from selling newspapers and saving on lunch.
tion of Hong Kong and individuals
who chose to remain anonymous responded to the plea for help.
Surgery at the Tuen Mun clinic restored Manang Martina’s eyesight
last March 8.
On March 22, Manang Martina celebrated her birthday as well as a new
beginning in her life. “Iyak ng iyak at
masayang-masaya,” said vice-consul
Noel Novicio. “Ito na raw ang pinaka-masayang birthday n’ya.”
The maid is set to be released on
April 15, and Manang Martina said
she cannot wait to go back home and
see her family in La Union, most of
all her grandchildren. All seven of
them.
But most of all, she is most
thankful just to be able to see again.
Investments in Central
Visayas fell to P12.95 billion
last year from the P17.7
billion in 2005, the Board of
Investment Cebu extension
office said.
Carmen Copper Corp,
which invested P12.48 billion,
was the biggest project that
last year. The modernisation
project of Shangri-La’s Mactan
Island Resort and Spa in
Lapu-Lapu City worth P335.57
million followed.
The other new projects that
registered last year include
8990 Housing Development
Corp, which invested P120.6
million; Kida Po Design
Manufacturing Corp with
P7.14 million; A5TRX with
P6.6 million and The Babes
Pig Producers Inc with P2.3
million.
Despite the investment fall,
the number of jobs created
increased by 14 per cent.
news
filipino globe
April 2007
Fund lack dampens MJ hopes
Otherwise, he is
in high spirits
for life-saving
liver transplant
Jose Marcelo in Hong Kong
Muhammad Jamail Sultan spent a
quiet Easter Sunday in the company
of his family at their ancestral home
in Sapang Palay, Bulacan.
In a few weeks’ time, MJ is hoping
he, too, can savor new life.
The three-year-old child suffering
from end-stage biliary atresia is set to
arrive in Hong Kong with his family
on April 16, hoping to get the liver
transplant that would save his life.
Dr Vanessa de Villa, an assistant
professor and surgeon at the Queen
Mary Hospital who has helped two
other kids from indigent Filipino families get their liver transplants, has set
April 23 as the surgery date.
But that would depend on whether
MJ and his donor-aunt, Rowena Barcelo, pass pre-transplant check-ups
and if his family can put together the
estimated HK$1 million needed for
the operation.
“Sa ngayon po kulang pa ang pera
namin,” said Sally Sultan, MJ’s mother. “Ang sabi po ni doctora (de Villa),
baka ma-atras po ang schedule ng operasyon kung hindi pa kumpleto ang
pambayad.”
Sally has left her job as a sales representative of a computer company to
MJ relaxes with his family in their home in Bulacan. His liver transplant surgery may be delayed for lack of funds.
care full-time for MJ while husband
Jamail, from Lanao del Sur, sells rice
porridge on Blumentritt street in La
Loma.
They have had to depend on donations from charitable institutions to
put up the sum and the assistance of
de Villa for MJ to avail of an expensive procedure that has yet to be performed in the Philippines.
The Filipino community in Hong
Kong has previously come to the aid
of two kids who got life-saving liver
transplants – Mark Mendoza in March
2006 and Louie Perez in August. Both
are recovering well back home.
Sally said MJ, diagnosed with the
obstructive liver disease just months
after he was born, has been in relatively good health, thanks to delicate
care and a daily sustenance of vitamins and medicines.
She said MJ seems no different
from any other normal kid, except for
the glasses he has to wear due to severe yellowing in his eyes and rashes
caused by itchiness all over his body
– both symptoms of his ailment.
“Kailangan po parating naka-aircon si MJ dahil kapag pinagpawisan
lalong makati ang mga sugat n’ya,”
Sally said.
“Minsan kahit hawak mo na po
ang dalawang kamay n’ya, pilit pa rin
kinakamot dahil siguro sa makati talaga … Nakakaawa rin po.”
11
Pinay helper
in poisoning
probe nears
exoneration
A Filipina domestic helper accused
of poisoning a one-and-a-half-year
old baby under her care is set to be
exonerated after the Hong Kong police found no conclusive evidence to
pursue the charges.
The 24-year-old had been fired and
ordered arrested by her employers
when the child suffered from diarrhea and stomach cramps, allegedly
because of a bottle of milk the maid
had prepared.
But during initial investigation, a
test conducted by police on the milk
showed no traces of poison.
The child was treated at the outpatient department of the hospital where
he was brought, and discharged overnight by doctors.
Accompanied by Abner Sto Domingo of the consulate’s assistance
to nationals (ATN) section, the maid
stuck to her story that she put nothing in the bottle other than powdered
milk and water. She also insisted the
baby’s mother was present when she
fixed the drink.
Hong Kong police have asked her
to report again on April 30, when the
charges are expected to be formally
dropped. She has been staying at the
consulate’s Foreign Workers Evacuation Center since February 12 after
posting a HK$500 police bail.
Jose Marcelo
12
news
filipino globe
April 2007
Distance learning gets backing
Nationwide program builds on high-tech to make education widely accessible
President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo
is supporting the proposal of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus to use information technology to promote distance learning nationwide.
The effort is intended to increase
coverage of the Philippine educational system so Filipinos even in remote
areas nationwide can avail of this service.
“Distance learning through IT is the
new innovation he’ll put in to bring
basic education to our farthest villages,” Arroyo said.
She said this will be Lapus’ legacy
to Philippine education.
She is also optimistic such a move
will help improve quality of the
country’s basic education so Filipino
graduates can be as competitive as
their foreign counterparts.
“Secretary Lapus is putting our educational level at par with that of other
world-class educational systems,” she
noted.
Arroyo said the government will
continue implementing IT infrastructure projects needed to bolster de-
velopment of basic education in the
country.
Earlier this year, Arroyo announced
the government will invest until 2010
some PP1 trillion for such undertaking and other public infrastructure
which are expected to help attract
more job-generating investments to
the Philippines.
“In the 2007 national budget, some
P134.7 billion was earmarked for
DepEd,” he said, noting the amount is
more than the P89 billion government
allocated for the agency in 2001.
Lapus said government was able to
build in 2006 and two years ahead of
schedule 14,000 classrooms which is
twice its targeted number for the period.
“About 40 per cent of students in
private schools are scholars under the
Government Assistance to Students
and Teachers in Private Education
program,” he added.
The program was institutionalised
through Republic Act 6728 passed in
1988 to increase access of Filipinos to
quality education.
E-Tesda
ready
for pilot
program
Pag-IBIG Fund was cited for
its major contribution to the
outstanding tax collection
performance of the Bureau of
Internal Revenue (BIR) under
District Office 50-South Makati.
The Fund ranked first among
the biggest taxpayers of RDO
50.
Such contribution earned
Pag-IBIG Fund a Certificate
of Recognition received by
President and CEO Atty.
Romero FS Quimbo during
the 2007 Tax Campaign
kick-off held at the Hotel
Intercontinental in Makati City.
Unlike other government
financial institutions, Pag-IBIG
Fund is not tax-exempt.
For the past six years,
Pag-IBIG Fund paid a total of
P10.99 billion in taxes.
Last year, Pag-IBIG paid a
total of P1.96 billion, of which
P1.3 billion is in the form of
income taxes.
Davao
Davao has become the
pilot area of the Medicine
Surveillance Task Force, an
initiative of the Department of
Health’s Bureau of Food and
Drugs.
Dean Adelina Royo of the San
Pedro College’s Department
of Pharmacy said they want to
raise the level of awareness
of consumers who will help
them in monitoring the effects
Egay Serrano in Manila
Overseas Filipino workers can
soon avail of technical-vocational
education and training on the web
when e-Tesda is formally launched
on April 30 at the Music Hall of SM
Mall of Asia.
E-Tesda provides an array of
electronic services enabling Tesda’s
programs to become more accessible
to OFWs, high school graduates,
out-of-school youth, persons with
disabilities and underemployed
adults, opening up several career
alternatives for them.
Among the string of e-services
being offered in the Tesda portal
are career guidance and counseling,
competency assessment and
certification, full online or blended
learning programs, job matching and
referral.
Expected to grace the SM Mall
of Asia launching ceremonies are
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
and Tesda director general Secretary
Augusto Boboy Syjuco.
Syjuco said e-Tesdsa will be
piloted for eight months beginning
May until the end of the year and
will be institutionalised in 2008.
He said educating more Filipinos
means “uplifting their standards of
living as well.”
The full online training programs
that will be made available through
the e-Tesda are office applications,
computer networking, medical
transcription, software development
– SQL, software development – Java,
software development – Oracle and
English language proficiency.
There will also be programs on
welding, automotive servicing,
machining, plumbing, electrical,
electronics, carpentry and
refrigeration and air-conditioning.
Ten thousand scholarship
certificates will be made available.
The e-Tesda training programs to
be distributed as follows: 500 for
persons with disabilities; 2,000 for
overseas Filipino workers; 6,500 for
out-of-school youths, unemployed
adults and career shifters and
program leaders.
Manila
ANGBANSA
of taking drugs. The DOH used
to have reports on the effects
of the drugs in the country but
the consumers’ side were not
considered or taken as part of
the reports.
“Bantay Gamot Sumer
Medication Alert” forms are now
available in drug stores for the
consumers to fill up and drop in
designed boxes or sent to the
San Pedro College, Department
of Trade and Industry and local
DOH offices.
Bicol
More than P33 billion has been set aside for payment of back wages and other benefits to veterans.
Veterans to receive back pay
The government has set aside P33.15
billion for the payment of pension of
Filipino World War II veterans.
President Arroyo said that a total of
P19.57 billion had been released for
2006 and 2007 for the regular pension.
Another P1.6 billion had been released representing pension arrears
for the veterans who are now in the
twilight years of their lives.
She said that for the remaining
months for this year, the Department
of Budget and Management will release P9 billion for regular pension of
the veterans.
“I am instructing the Department of
Budget to release another P1.8 billion
for pension arrears,” she said.
This brings to P33.15 billion the
total pension for the veterans who
fought during the last war to preserve
freedom and democracy.
“By next year, we will be up-to-date
in our pension payments,” she said.
The pension of veterans had suffered some hitches before due to lack
of funds.
But Arroyo worked hard to have the
money included in the national budget. She earlier gave P1 billion from
her contingency funds for the veterans to spark the infusion of funds for
the aging veterans.
The surviving veterans are now between 85 to 90 years old.
It may be recalled that it was in
Bataan and Corregidor where Filipino
and American soldiers made their last
stand against the invading Japanese
forces during the Pacific War 65 years
ago.
The US-Filipino troops were forced
to surrender when they ran out of bullets, food and medicines.
After the fall of Bataan, thousands
of prisoners of war marched from
Bataan to Capas, Tarlac, in what is
now known as the infamous “Death
March” that lasted for one week.
Many died along the way due to
exhaustion, shot or bayoneted by the
Japanese.
Some escaped with the help of Filipino and American prisoners of war.
There are about 20,000 surviving
Filipino veterans of Word War II.
Bicol is still among the top four
regions with the most number of
rabies deaths.
Bicol reported 30 rabies
deaths in 2006, the third highest
nationwide.
The other regions with most
number of human rabies deaths
are Region V1 with 39 cases,
Region III- 35 cases, and
Region VII with 27 cases.
Health and agriculture
authorities here are bracing for
a possible surge in the number
of rabies deaths during summer,
that might be further aggravated
by increased mobility among
the people during the election
campaign period.
According to the report of the
Department of Health (DOH),
more than 100,000 animal
bites and nearly 250 human
rabies cases are reported
annually all over the country.
The DOH established animal
bite treatment key centers in the
provinces and cities.
filipino globe
April 2007
13
14 April 2007
filipino globe
news
filipino globe
April 2007
15
Bahrain Filipina wakes up after a month in coma
Vanessa Bartolome has finally
woken up after falling into a coma a
month ago.
The former saleslady was
bedridden at the intensive care unit
of the Salmaniya Medical Complex
in Bahrain with the hose of a
breathing apparatus attached to her
throat. Hospital nurses fed her meals
through another tube.
The 28-year-old was reportedly
unable to move since she was
admitted at the SMC last month. She
was discovered to have developed
an acute respiratory infection called
sepsis.
Nurses say that Vanessa’s
condition has drastically improved
since she arrived. She manages slow
movements of her arms and hands
including tilting of her head from
time to time.
When the Tribune visited her,
she lay in bed, listening to a tape
recorder of what seemed like
simultaneous prayer and singing.
Her response was sharp and
adequate even though her speech
was impaired.
In an earlier conversation, her
brother Jerry Bartolome, had
said that Vanessa had a habit of
postponing doctors’ visits and
sometimes refused to go to hospital.
“She has always avoided going
to the hospital. She thought that
she was a Superwoman; had she
listened, this would not have
happened,” Jerry said.
Vanessa suffers from sepsis, which
is a complex illness that has infected
her chest and inflamed her lungs.
She also suffered from
pneumonia during the first week at
the hospital.
Excess water had to be pumped
out of her lungs and a tube had
to be inserted through her throat
connected to a ventilator to assist
her breathing.
Saudi to allow
prisoners to
serve time in
home country
Riyadh moves closer to signing accord
after human rights body backs proposal
Chito Manuel in Jeddah
Saudi Arabia has moved a step closer
to an agreement with other countries
that will allow their nationals serving
jail terms to be sent home to finish
their sentence.
This comes after the National Society for Human Rights urged Riyadh
to sign prisoner transfer treaties with
countries that have a large number of
nationals in the kingdom.
These countries include the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Egypt.
A similar proposal was pushed by
then ambassador Rafael E Seguis in
2000.
Contacted by Filipino Globe, Seguis,
now undersecretary of foreign affairs,
said the move “was a welcome news
from the Kingdom’s National Society
for Human Rights.”
“I recall that during my watch in
Riyadh I proposed sometime in 2000
transfer of sentence agreement to
SFMA, he said.
“An agreement whereby Filipino
prisoners in the kingdom will be allowed to serve his sentence in Manila
will benefit their nationals by the same
token,” Seguis said in a text message
to Filipino Globe from Jakarta.
Seguis said the full name of accord
is “Transfer of Sentenced Persons
Agreement.”
“Please take note that at the time
[2000], there were so many sentenced
Filipinos in Saudi prisons throughout
the Kingdom,” he added.
While the substance of both the
Seguis and human rights society proposal is essentially the same it was
not clear whether society president Dr
Bandar Al-Hajjar and his group were
aware of the veteran Filipino diplomat’s initiative seven years ago.
In any case, the NSHR was said to
have called for an expanded prisoner
transfer agreement after the Council
of Ministers authorised the interior
minister to sign a treaty on transfer of
prisoners and the Shoura Council discussed the treaty last month to complete endorsement procedures.
Al-Hajjar said the treaty would allow foreigners who have served six
months in a Saudi jail to complete the
remaining period of the jail sentence
in their home countries.
A large population of Filipino, Indian, Pakistani and Egyptian nationals will benefit from the prisoner accord.
Manila, Manama widen agreement on health services
The Philippines and Bahrain have
signed an agreement aimed at further
promoting healthcare services between the two countries, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
In a report, Philippine Ambassador
to Bahrain Eduardo Pablo M Maglaya said the two countries sealed the
Health Services Cooperation Agreement at the Office of the Bahraini
Health Minister Nada Abbas Haffadh,
MD.
The agreement will benefit health
workers, particularly the 1,500 to
2,000 Filipino health professionals in
Bahrain. “It is hoped that when the
agreement is fully implemented, Bahrain’s aim of becoming a medical oasis in the Middle East and Africa and
the Philippines’ seeking to be the center of excellence for health services,
health science education, and health
research in the Asia Pacific will get
a boost,” Ambassador Maglaya, who
represented the Philippines in the
signing ceremony, said.
Maglaya said
Health Minister
Haffadh expressed appreciation to
the two countries in concluding the
agreement.
He said the objectives of the agreement include providing an ethical
framework, which will guide the recruitment policies and procedures of
receiving countries, and create alliances between the Philippine and
Bahraini healthcare and educational
institutions to produce sustainable
international education and professional development programs that
will increase the supply of qualified
nurses.
“The agreement’s specific objectives deal on the exchange of human
resources for health such as recruit-
ment, rights of workers, capacity
building, mechanisms for sustainability of the development of human resources for health, and the forging of
a mutual recognition agreement on
human resources for health; scholarships; academic cooperation on
human resources for health; investments; and technology cooperation,”
Maglaya said.
He said the healthcare accord also
intends to promote exchange visits
of government officials and private
sector representatives that will facilitate the close coordination and
implementation of the MOA. “For
purposes of implementing the MOA,
the Philippine Department of Health
and the Bahraini Ministry of Health
have been designated as National Coordinators and Contact Agencies,” the
Filipino envoy said.
After the signing, the two governments will meet again to discuss the
implementing rules and regulations as
well as choose specific project to be
implemented under the MOA.
The Bahraini Health Ministry is
planning to organize a delegation to
the Philippines.
16
news
filipino globe
April 2007
Pinoy tops Florida spelling bee
Miguel Gatmaytan, 11, wins one of the longest battles in the history of the contest
C-o-s-s-a-c-k. With that a quick rattle, 11-year-old Filipino Miguel Gatmaytan (right) wrapped up one of the
longest Florida spelling bees in the
history of the contest.
“Yes,” he shouted, punching the air,
after the judges pronounced his spelling correct.
Gatmaytan, a sixth-grader at Osceola Middle School in Marion County,
survived 38 rounds of spelling challenges and beat out 13 other competitors to win the 48th annual Central
Florida bee, the Florida Sentinel reported.
The youngest regional spelling
champion in more than a decade,
Miguel’s victory earned him a spot in
the National Spelling Bee in May.
“I feel awesome,” Miguel said after he had been handed a trophy and
prizes, which included US$2,000 for
travel expenses to Washington, DC.
Miguel’s father, Carlos, described
his son as a voracious reader and
straight-A student who always seemed
to have a gift with words. The family moved to Florida from the Philippines three years ago, and the trip
to Washington for the 80th national
spelling bee will be Miguel’s first to
the nation’s headquarters.
After 24 rounds, Miguel and Sophie,
the Lake County champion, were the
last two spellers left, and they battled
for the top spot.
Aplomb. Basilica. Fiefdom. Pinnacle. Adumbrate.
The two students took turns spelling
them right, among other words, to go
another 14 rounds.
Then Sophie misspelled vagary. She
sat down, and Miguel returned to the
microphone. Miguel spelled vagary
correctly, then won when he also aced
the word for a Russian peasant who
served in the Czar’s cavalry: c-o-s-sa-c-k.
Miguel said he had never entered a
spelling bee before this school year
but studied nightly once he decided
to compete. His parents helped by
drilling him on words they found in
spelling books. He won the Marion
County bee, continued studying for
Thursday’s competition and said he
plans to do even more for the national
event.
The regional bee was held at the
Orlando Sentinel, which sponsors the
event. It featured winners and runners-up from eight Central Florida
county spelling bees, though two contestants did not compete..
It took 21 rounds to whittle the
competitors to a final four. Those
four spellers included the youngest
in the pack, nine-year-old Benjamin
Rice from Port Orange Elementary in
Volusia County.
Benjamin spelled a long list of
words correctly and brought smiles to
the audience when one of them was
precocious. He was knocked out in
the 23rd round by reticence.
Kaitlyn Johnston, a student at The
First Academy in Orange County,
came in third.
NY Pinay
‘suicide’
raises
questions
Filipino association in New York
have closed ranks in a bid to get into
the bottom of the reported suicide of
a domestic helper “after a series of
abuse by her employer”.
The new revelation came after
one of four suicide notes written by
Felisa Garcia, 58, before she died.
She was found hanging inside her
closet on March 14.
In the note, Garcia said she had
been a victim of abuse by her
employer, who remains unnamed.
The Queens-based Kabalikat
Domestic Workers Support Network
is currently helping the family of
Garcia, who are based in Batangas,
to find out more about her death and
her allegations of abuse.
Garcia’s family and leaders of
Kabalikat also expressed concern
over the Philippine Consulate in
New York’s failure to disclose to the
family the results of the investigation
into the Filipina’s death conducted
by the New York Police Department.
“Fely’s family and the Filipino
community have a right to know
what happened to her,” said
Lorena Sanchez, co-coordinator of
Kabalikat.
“Fely’s letter and the nature of her
death call for a community action,”
sh said.
Sanchez said Kabalikat will call for
an autopsy and an investigation into
her claim of abuse.
“We cannot allow this incident to
be swept underneath the rug, like
many cases of distressed Filipino
ANGBANSA
Baguio
Supreme Court Chief Justice
Reynato S Puno led associate
justices, judges, lawyers and
others in the legal profession
at the blessing and formal
opening of the local office of the
Philippine Mediation Center at
the Baguio Hall of Justice.
Puno said the mediation and
conciliation process among
court litigants have resulted “in
the increased satisfaction of
litigants in the court process as
well as in the decongestion of
the court dockets which would
mean greater access to justice
by our people, especially by the
poor.”
Records show that the PMC
serving this mountain city-resort
and the province of Benguet
disposed 759 court cases last
year when litigants agreed to
settle their disputes amicably.
Zamboanga
The incidence of dengue fever in
this city has been stabilised two
weeks after the implementation
of anti-dengue initiatives by the
City Health Office.
City health officer Dr Rodel
Agbulos said the number of
dengue admissions in hospitals
fell to 10 per week from 15 a
week after the “Dengue Noise
Barrage” and heightened information and education campaign
were conducted.
Although lower than the previous weeks, Agbulos said the
weekly dengue cases are still
higher than the average eight
cases per week during the same
time last year.
Since January up to the first
week of April this year, 154
dengue patients were admitted
in hospitals in this city, Agbulos
said.
Abra
The national colors fly outside a
Philippine mission in New York.
The alleged suicide of a Filipina
domestic helper has galvanised
the Filipino community.
migrants. She was clearly crying for
help,” Sanchez said.
Members of Kabalikat met with
Garcia’s landlord last week, and
talked over the phone with Garcia’s
family in Batangas and next of kin
here in the US.
Garcia’s family said they were
never contacted by the Philippine
Consulate to discuss Garcia’s death
and legal procedures. Garcia left
behind four children whom she
supported by working as a domestic
worker in New York. Fely’s eldest
son Gabriel Garcia said his family
is frustrated over “being kept in the
dark” about his mother’s death.
Garcia’s children have also
expressed a desire to fly to New York
to settle legal procedures themselves,
and not leave everything to the
Philippine Consulate.
“The family obviously wants
justice, not silence,” Sanchez added.
“We support Fely’s family as they
push for a criminal investigation of
Fely’s employer and examination of
her body for abuse.”
Julia Camagong, co-executive
director of Philippine Forum,
challenged the Philippine Consulate
to exert efforts to ensure the speedy
release of the autopsy report.
“Throughout the world, Philippine
consulates and embassies appear
more interested in quickly closing
these types of cases of maltreatment
and distress than actually offering
assistance for victims,” she said..
A barangay tanod who was also
the driver of a politician was
killed while two others were hurt
when they were fired upon in
Barangay Libtec, Dolores town
in Abra province.
The victim was attending the
wake of his neighbor when
he was suddenly shot by the
suspect, believed to be a
teacher.
It was not yet determined if
politics was behind the shooting
incident.
Those injured were reportedly
hit by astray bullets from the
same suspect.
Senior Inspector Jomarick
Felina, Abra’s Provincial Police
deputy chief for investigation,
identified the victim as
Ferdinand Cabalbal, a member
of the Bantay Barangay of
Libtec, Dolores, Abra.
Cabalbal was allegedly a
contractual employee in the
Dolores town hall.
filipino globe
April 2007
17
18
news
filipino globe
April 2007
Not all life at
top end for
Pinoy health
workers in US
ANGBANSA
Tuguegarao
At least 205 grantees of the
city government’s scholarship
program have graduated
courses of their choice since
the launching of the program in
the year 2000.
The scholars who were
granted cash assistance of
P5,000 each every semester
finished elementary and
secondary education, bachelor
of science in public and
business administration,
accountancy, engineering,
psychology, nursing, associate
in health science, industrial
technology, automotive
technology, agriculture, legal
management, information
technology, and others.
Mayor Randolph S Ting said
the regular scholarship program
is meant for poor but deserving
students interested in pursuing
college degrees.
Doctors and nurses face challenges overseas
even as the situation at home deteriorates. Laura
Perez reports from Sacramento, California
T
he Philippines has given
the world its best medical
professionals for decades but
as the “brain hemorrhage” continues,
public health officials warn of its dire
consequences.
More than 1,000 hospitals have
reportedly closed in the past
five years because of a shortage
of doctors. Likewise, a number
of medical schools have ceased
operating because of declining
enrollment.
Patriotic Filipinos bemoan the
fact that we are losing 70 to 90 per
cent of our medical graduates to
the United States. “This is a glaring
insult to the blood, sweat and tears of
our people,” says Dr Jose Tiongco,
a University of the Philippines
graduate and chief executive of the
Medical Mission Group Hospitals/
Health Services CooperativePhilippines Federation.
As US immigrants, our doctors
have one of the highest average
incomes per household in America.
But if they are enjoying the good
life, they most certainly deserve it
after spending more than 10 years in
medical school.
Dr Francisco Marasigan, a Manila
Central University graduate who
is now based in California , was
a rural doctor in Batangas for two
years. “Many of my patients were
so poor they could only pay me with
vegetables from their farm.”
He opened Marasigan and
Marasigan Clinic in 1980 with wife
Linda who also specialises in family
practice. She came in 1968 when
there was a high demand for doctors
in Chicago.
Although she had passed the
Philippine board examination, she
had to take two years of residency
and one year of internship in the US.
When life in the Philippines
was simple and peaceful (that is,
prior to martial law, hyperinflation
and the AIDS epidemic, when our
economy was the envy of other Asian
countries), our doctors were content
to stay put, making house calls and
trudging through rice fields.
They felt it was their calling to
treat the poor barrio folk who could
hardly pay them. In return for their
dedication, these rural patients
respected and loved them to the point
of shielding their eyes from the sun.
This kind of respect is
something that eludes some of our
contemporary doctors who have
chosen to practice in another country.
A Caucasian patient in New York
reportedly demanded that he be
treated by a “real doctor”, not by
a Filipino. Two Filipino doctors
working as nurses in Texas were
recently deported because they had
changed the orders given by the
actual (American) doctors on duty.
“The Philippines produces at least
4,000 doctors and more than 28,000
nurses a year. Eighty-eight per cent
of the nurses and sixty eight per cent
of the doctors go abroad,” says Dr
Tiongco.
It is estimated that 8,000 nurses
leave the country every year to work
overseas, and almost 2,000 have
medical degrees. Because there is
a higher demand for nurses than
doctors especially in America, and
it is faster to get a nursing license
than a medical license, about 5,500
Butuan
Dr and Mrs Francisco
Marasigan went to the US
in the late 1960s when there
was a high demand for
doctors in Chicago.
“
This is a glaring
insult to the blood,
sweat and tears
of our people
DR JOSE TIONGCO
On loss of health workers to the US
doctors are now enrolled in 45
nursing schools in the Philippines.
In the past four years, 3,500
doctors left the country to take on
nursing posts abroad. Some have
even worked as caregivers in nursing
homes.
A recent UST graduate enumerates
some of the hurdles Filipino doctors
face in the Philippines: taking the
tough board examination after
graduation, and if they want to go to
the US , then taking the United States
medical licensing examination.
A medical graduate says it would
only cost her about P120,000 for
the two-year bachelor of science in
nursing program.
While working as nurses overseas
may be financially rewarding, public
health experts in the Philippines say
a dearth of medical practitioners is
killing the country’s health system.
People complain of long waits in
hospitals, women give birth without
seeing a doctor, nurse or midwife.
Meningitis or strokes are often fatal
because no specialists are available.
Most Filipinos who are in America
say they do not plan to retire in the
Philippines.
“We don’t know how we can
survive there anymore with the
increasing violence in most areas.
We cannot trust the government to
protect us. Whereas here in the US
we feel relatively secure. We have
great medical benefits and old age
pension.”
That probably says it all.
Walkout brings negligence lawsuit for nurses
This was not part of their American
dream.
Last week, 10 Filipino nurses
found themselves in front of Suffolk
County Superior Court Judge Robert
Doyle, pleading not guilty to a
misdemeanor charge.
The nurses, who were contracted
by Sentosa Recruitment Agency,
and their New York lawyer, Felix
Vinluan, were all charged with sixthdegree conspiracy, five counts of
endangering the welfare of a child
and six counts of endangering the
welfare of a physically disabled
person.
Vinluan reportedly advised them
to resign last April from their jobs at
the Avalon Gardens Rehabilitation
and Health Care Center in
Smithtown, New York.
“You cannot walk out on disabled
children who have nobody to call,
there’s no one to cry for help,”
Suffolk County Assistant District
Attorney Leonard Lato said.
“Whatever their dispute, they
could have said they intended to
walk out in 24 hours.”
When ABS CBN News
interviewed some of the nurses last
year at Vinluan’s law office, they
said Sentosa, specifically its owner,
Bent Philipson, has been notified
numerous times of their concerns
before they resigned.
“They just wanted out,” James
Druker, the nurses’ criminal attorney,
told reporters. “They didn’t leave
for better jobs, they were just tired of
broken promises.”
These 10 are among 26 nurses and
one physical therapist who walked
out of their jobs last March from
different health care facilities owned
by the Sentosa Care Group, after
being advised by legal counsels,
specifically by Vinluan.
Vinluan’s lawyer, Oscar Michelen,
told reporters that his client only
advised the nurses of their legal
rights, under the law and that the
contract allowed them to leave.
The 26 nurses included Elmer
Jacinto, a Filipino doctor who now
works as a nurse in New York City.
They accused Sentosa of
cheating them out of their agreed
wages, forcing them to work
unpaid overtime, and denying
them promised benefits. The
nurses claimed that Sentosa and
its recruitment agency hired them
to work for a specific health care
facility. But after they arrived in
New York, they were instructed to
report at different locations.
Salvador Tuy, a New York Filipino
lawyer who has volunteered to help
the nurses in the civil lawsuit filed by
Sentosa, was in court to support the
nurses.
ABS-CBN News
The Department of Agriculture
has announced the
implementation of biotechnology
projects amounting to P45.3
million this year.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur
C Yap said the nine biotech
projects aim to improve the
production of rice, coconut,
papaya and abaca and increase
the yields of macapuno through
mass propagation.
The projects include a P1
million venture to increase rice
production by using improved
hybrid rice lines, which will be
implemented by the Philippine
Rice Research Institute; and
a project costing P1.5 million
that will be carried out by the
Philippine Coconut Authority
which involves the management
and prevention of Brontispa
disease among coconuts.
Masbate
Various people’s organizations
and local government units in
Masbate province are exploring
the possibility of an extention
of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa
Kahirapan-Comprehensive and
Integrated Delivery of Social
Services program.
This came after the phasing
out of the program in Masbate,
prompting cause-oriented
groups to ask for more projects
with a community-driven
development approach, if not
a possible extension of the
program.
The townsfolk of Aroroy and
Batuan expressed hope that
development projects such
as the Kalahi program would
continue to be implemented in
their respective areas.
Aroroy mayor Arturo Vicente
P Maristela Jr said that
development efforts have given
the people a chance to change
attitudes towards their growth.
filipino globe
April 2007
19
20 April 2007
filipino globe
editorial & features
filipino globe
STREETSMART
It’s early morning ... you could almost tell that with certainty from the sparse goings on in this Manila street corner.
White Lady – or none at all
Some years back, we had a
housekeeper who said she was
unable to sleep well in our house.
The reason, she claimed, was there
was a White Lady.
Now, in other countries, when
you say “White Lady”, people will
probably think you’re ordering an
alcoholic concoction (“hey bartender,
how about a couple of White Ladies
for my friends here, huh?”) But in
the Philippines, those English words
can only mean one thing: a ghost.
You don’t need to say anything
more than may white lady diyan
– “there’s a white lady there” – and
everybody instantly knows the place
is supposed to be haunted. Recently
a horror movie was released with just
those two words as a title.
Anybody who stays in this country
even for a short time soon notices
we Filipinos love the supernatural.
They’ll also notice that just about
every hair-raising horror tale has
someone going into a dark, spooky
room or chamber... and what do you
think they’ll find?
Not Elvis. Not the Cat in the
Hat. That’s right, the ever-popular
White Lady. It’s almost as if all our
haunted houses have strict boarding
requirements – they only accept
SWF (spirit-type white females).
Don’t ask me how this got started.
focus
HOMEVIEW
on a lighter note
Alan C
Robles
“
Anybody who stays
in this country even
for a short time soon
notices we Filipinos
love the supernatural
Perhaps it’s colonial mentality: Ruled
first by the Spanish and then the
Americans, Filipinos came to believe
everything Caucasian is superior.
Perhaps a ghost simply isn’t credible
unless it’s white.
As for why it has to be a woman,
I have no answer to that. Maybe
it can be linked to many Filipinas’
obsession with acquiring white skin.
Skin whiteners are a big industry
here and I’m surprised the White
Lady hasn’t been roped into doing
product endorsements. Think of the
possible slogans: “Drop Dead, Turn
White”, or “Use our cleanser, be
hauntingly white.”
All the same, it makes me
wonder if there’s some sort of color
discrimination at work here. I have
yet to hear horror tales featuring
purple women, chartreuse teenagers
or pink gentlemen. It also worries
me: will I, a brown man, end up a
white lady?
I have to say that despite our
housekeeper’s assertion, I haven’t
met any white ladies at home. I can
only conclude they’re shy. Or maybe
there’s just one of them in the entire
country and she has a busy social
schedule visiting all her haunts (so
to speak). Perhaps meeting her is by
appointment only.
At any rate, White Ladies have
become so popular, I feel pretty sure
the time will come when they’ll have
their own constituency. I can see
how they could run to be sectoral
representatives in Congress. Their
platform would be to look after the
interests of ghost projects, ghost
employees, ghost payrolls and ghost
voters. We certainly have a lot of
those.
April 2007
21
We’re a jolly jovial lot
measured against gross
national unhappiness
It’s long been known by those of
us foreign residents of Hong Kong
that too many of the natives among
whom we live are a rather gloomy
lot. Unfortunately for us fun-loving,
bahala-na Pinoys, there aren’t many
lovable local individuals with whom
we can become fast friends. If we do
find some congenial ones, they’re
usually like-minded gweilos and
gweipors like us.
Perhaps because many of us find
the Cantonese tongue a stumbling
block in building relationships, this
is why it’s hard to communicate
with non-English (or non-Tagalog)
speakers.
And the difficulty often lies in too
many master-and-servant attitudes
prevailing in Hong Kong, where
stern employers use a few English
words with a lot of sign language,
and obsequious Pinoys respond with
some Chinese words like “Pengyau,”
“Oongoi,” “Waaah!” etc. Such a
situation simply doesn’t foster peace
and harmony among the different
races who have to live in close
proximity to each other. Hence
the dearth of happy scenes among
Chinese, Pinoys and other Southeast
Asians around the territory.
Recently, the South China Morning
Post ran an article about the state
of unhappiness among the locals.
“We’re good at hating, whether at
work, home or school,” was the
headline in a survey carried out
by City University. The report
highlighted the fact that most
people’s interpersonal relationships
have been deteriorating.
The condition is not quite as
virulent as SARS, or as threateningly
dangerous as bird ‘flu, but a minor
pandemic of hate is apparently
circulating in Hong Kong. Most of
those infected are young people who
detest their classmates, parents and
friends.
Among adults, the dislike is
targeted at colleagues at work,
bosses, neighbors and strangers.
This latter category undoubtedly
covers Pinoys, as well as the assorted
foreigners who live and work in the
territory.
My first experience of this
local dislike for foreigners
was as a newcomer when I’d
ask for directions and would
either be ignored, waved away
unceremoniously or stared at as
though I didn’t exist.
Much of the prevailing hatred,
according to the university professor
of Applied Social Studies who led
the survey, is attributed to stress that
produces intolerance which in turn
results in disputes.
He said Hongkongers generally
don’t know how to handle
interpersonal relations properly,
with most ignoring their relationship
problems, which he warns will only
make them worse. This depressing
nastiness is obviously out of
proportion with the overall economic
well-being of what’s been touted as
“Asia’s World City.”
PINOYDIMSUM
observations
Isabel T
Escoda
A well-known
political cartoonist (gweilo, as it
happens) once featured a crankylooking Chinese woman saying to
her maid, “Filipinos are happy even
though the outside world thinks their
country is poor and unstable,” with
the perky Pinay replying, “Hongkong
people are miserable even though the
outside world thinks the country is
rich and stable!”
Other observers have commented
on the fact that a developing country
like the Philippines seems to be
populated by unusually bouyant
people who hardly ever commit
suicide.
In contrast, Hong Kong’s suicide
rate has been growing, with more
and more young people killing
themselves over pressure at school
and problems at home.
An Australian friend once asked
me where the Pinoy’s happy-golucky trait comes from. Fancying
myself an amateur psychologist,
I like to trot out my own theories
“
Compared to
the serious sullen
Hongkongers,
Pinoys are a jolly
jovial lot
whenever I’m asked this question:
this inborn cheeriness is due in part
to the mysticism inherited from our
ancestors who believed in spirits,
anting-antings and the like, plus the
religion drummed into us, first by
the Spanish colonials, and today by
American-style Pinoy evangelists
who promise heaven on earth – if
followers pay tithes so the preacher
can build himself a mansion in
Baguio, or better still, in Arizona.
We live in a hopeful religious
fog, hence the tendency towards a
seemingly irrational sunniness.
Never mind if we sometimes turn
zany – like that Jun Ducat who
recently held some kids hostage so
he could get on TV to rail against
poverty; or the yearly crucifixions
by imitators of Christ; or the attempt
by a congressman during President
Garcia’s time to pass a bill banning
typhoons.
Compared to the serious sullen
Hongkongers, Pinoys are a jolly
jovial lot.
22
forum
filipino globe
TINGINNAMIN
Prisoner transfer: Congress holds the key
Hong Kong comes to mind with
word that Saudi Arabia has moved
a step closer to signing a prisoner
transfer agreement with certain
countries, including the Philippines.
The reason Hong Kong has entered
the picture is that it, too, has such an
agreement.
The difference is that its agreement
with the Philippines has not moved
fast enough to be of any benefit to
anyone.
So while the Saudi authorities have
moved decisively on their front, our
dear senators were still sitting on the
agreement last time we checked. It
has been more than four years since
the agreement with Hong Kong was
formalized. Hong Kong has fulfilled
its part of the agreement with the
necessary legislation.
Ours has yet to be ratified.
The Saudi initiative is being driven
by the country’s human rights body,
whose unequivocal backing for
the measure has ensured its quick
passage.
Initially, the agreement will be with
countries that have large numbers
of their nationals working in the
kingdom. These are the Philippines,
India, Pakistan and Egypt.
We can only hope that we are
not giving the prisoners any false
hopes about their chances of being
able to serve out their terms in their
home countries, where their friends
relatives would be able to visit.
In Hong Kong, anxiety among
Filipino inmates has been building
since they wrote the government to
speed up the process after seeing
nothing moving forward.
They should not be made to wait a
day longer.
SULATLETTERS
Malamang na sa sinasabing
structural defects ng NAIA
Terminal 3 ay tuloy-tuloy na
itong maantala at hindi na
makapagbukas ngayong taong
2007.
Kaya’t habang sinasabi ng
gobyerno na malapit ng itong
magbukas, lalong nagiging hindi
kapanipaniwala.
Ang tanong ko po ay paano
nakalusot ang kontraktor sa substandard na trabaho?
Ang alam ko po ay sa mga
proyekto na pamahalaan, nasa
pamahalaan ang responsibilidad
ng quality control.
Kung ang tinutukoy ng report
ay ang kontraktor na naging
pabaya, hindi rin po kaya naging
pabaya rin ang mga taong
dapat tumingin sa proyekto para
tiyaking nasa ayos ito?
Ronald Antiporda
Hong Kong
Nabasa ko po sa dyaryo ang
tungkol sa naging problema ng
mga OFWs sa OEC kamakailan.
Bagama’t hindi ako isa sa mga
apektado ng pagkasuspinde nito,
alam ko kung gano kalaking
abala ito. Palagay ko panahon
na para tanggalin ang OEC.
May ibang paraan naman para
matupad ang mga bayarin. Alam
kong may dahilan kung bakit
may OEC sa araw na inilunsad
ito, ngunit wala nang dahilan
ngayon para ipagpatuloy ito.
Reyna
Hong Kong
I have to say that despite the
best efforts of the consulate to
educate voters on absentee
voting, there has been very little
progress in actually getting them
interested to vote.
I will not be surprised if fewer
people turn out this year than the
last time OAV was held.
I think the indifference stems
from the fact that OFWs have no
real champions from among the
candidates, or worse, none from
their ranks.
It’s hard enough that very few
of the advocacies of candidates
are a little more than promise.
It’s even harder to find any that
would make sense to an OFW.
We don’t need one-liners from
the candidates. We need to
hear more about their specific
platforms.
Tim Lerios
Dubai
April 2007
Parating na ang araw
ng OFP, humanda sila
Sabihin na nating masarap
mangarap. Libre naman at
itodo na natin ang gusto nating
pangarapin. Nasabi ko ito,dahil
may nabasa ako,tungkol sa
hinaharap ng ating mga OFW.
Ayon sa isang propesor sa
ekonomiya, Wilfre M Villamil ng
De La Salle University, “Most of
the migrants are skilled educated
workers who are not necessarily
poor … you have a situation
where migration is substantially
costly,so it is the relative welloff who might have better
opportunities for migration.”
Dugtong pa niya: “The gains
may be large if those who leave
are the unskilled and who belong
to the low income class …but
those who leave are skilled.”
Sa ganiton pananaw ng ating
propesor na ekonomista mas
nakalalamang ang kakayahan ng
marami nating OFW sa buong
mundo dahil silaý may talino at
kadalubhasaan. At marami ang
sinasabi niyang “brain waste”
dahil hindi napapasok sa trabaho
batay sa kanilang “expertise.”
Kailangang maghanda ang ating
bansa para sa kinabukasan ng
ating OFW pagdating ng panahon.
Hindi laging aalis sa bansa ang
hukbo-hukbong manggagawa
upang humanap ng berdeng
pamayanan.
Sa panahong nakamit na n
gating bansa ang kaunlarang
pinapangarap at naging amlusog
ang ekonomiyamposibvleng
kumonti ang mga manggagawang
pupunta sa ibang bansa. Dahil
malaki na ang kanilang kinikita
sa Pilipinas.magkakasama sila
ng pamilya sa iisang bubong sa
tinubuang lupa.
Pagdating nga panahonh
iyon,ang kakailanganin naman
ng ibang bansa ay an gating mga
eksperto at propesyunal dahil
bilang halimbawa ng maunlad na
bansa sa Asya.
Dadagsa naman ang
pangangailangan nila sa
Overseas Filipino Professional
ITAASMO
kabayan
Teo
Antonio
(OFP).Aangkat sila ng mga
Pilipinong economic manager,
financial manager, business
manager, medical manager, at
iba pang eksperto sa iba’t ibang
larangan ng tutugon sa kanilang
pangangailangan sa ating mga
propesyunal na kababayan.
Kapag nangyari ito,sila
naman ang maghahabol at hindi
na ang mga propesyunal na
Filipino ang magkakadarapa
para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa.
Ang mga propesyunal naman
natin ang magtatakda ng nais
nilang suweldo na gusto nila.
kasa na ang mga benepisyo na
ibibigay sa kanila upang sila’y
maakit na magtrabaho sa kanilang
kompanya.
Maaaring magkatotoo ang
ganitong pangarap.Hindi laging
dehado ang kalagayan ng Pilipinas
sa habang panahon.
Ang iba’y nawawalan na,
ng pag-asa.Parang wala nang
pag-unlad sa Pilipinas.Malay
natin,nagbago na ang istema ng
gobyerno.
Umugit na ang mga kabataang
lantay ang damdaming
makabayan.Binago na ang
kairalan at kasama nilang
nakikiisa ang sambayanang
Filipino tungo sa pagbabago.
Hindi ba maganda ang pangarap
na kung noon ay OFW ang
kasangga sa pag-unlad. Bukas
naman ay Overseas Filipino
Professional o OFP ang tumatabo
ng salapi at lalong umaapas ang
“remittances” sa kaban ng bansa.
Hindi ba maganda at masarap
na pangarap ito sa ating bansang
dati’y “kakaning-itik” ang tingin
ng mauunlad na bansa sa Asya.
Executive EDITOR: Rex Aguado PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Philip Evardone ADVISERs Therese Necio-Ortega, Prof Dr Maurice Teo BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Ricky Sumallo
CORRespondents Eddie Alinea (Manila), Celeste Terrenal (Manila), Terrie Fucanan (Manila), Chito Manuel (Jeddah). Rick Sumallo (New Jersey), Loi Liwanag (Los Angeles)
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Bernie Domantay, AccessPoint (Philippines) Josephine Miranda (Philippines), TJ Badon-Doble (Philippines), Bob Waterfield (Hong Kong)
EDITORIAL BOARD Rex Aguado, Philip Evardone, Prof Dr Maurice Teo CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Beting Laygo Dolor, Teo Antonio, Chito Manuel, Danny Vibas, Dante Vino
Filipino Globe is published once a month by Apex Services (HK) Ltd, Suite 1905, Lippo Centre Tower 2, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong, telephone (852) 2918 8248, email [email protected]. No part of this publication
may be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers. Printed by Premier Printing Group, Yuen Long, New Terrories, Hong Kong
filipino globe
April 2007
23
24
special feature
filipino globe
April 2007
Nathan Cruz moves on, but the dream remains
Seven years after his momentous UP valedictory, he is ready
to give something back to the country, writes Gal Roma
S
even years ago, a young man living in
the slums went on stage to deliver his
valedictory address at the University
of the Philippines. Standing tall and proud,
he began his speech by saying, “My mother
is a domestic helper”.
To Cristeta Cruz, those were moving
words of affirmation from her son Joseph
Nathan Cruz, whom she raised on her own.
In front of thousands of people, Nathan
acknowledged how important her job was
in aiding, pushing and inspiring her son to
finish his studies, and graduate at the top of
his class, magna cum laude, in the College
of Arts and Letters.
“I wanted to honor my mother,” Nathan
tells Filipino Globe in a telephone interview
from Singapore, where he is now based. “I
wanted to share the honor with my family
because graduating at the top of my class
was such a huge step, it was very personal to
me,” he adds.
Education, he says, was high on his
mother’s priorities.
She was desperate for Joseph and his older
sister, Joy, to get a degree. “My mother did
not finish high school because no one would
support her,” Nathan says. Eventually, she
became a domestic helper, “slaving away
to wash other people’s underwear and cook
other people’s food”, as her son would
describe it. His father died when he was only
nine years old.
“My mom wanted more than just
survival,” Nathan says, adding: “Quitting
school and quitting on our dreams was never
really an option. Not when you have a role
model like my mother. She did not give up
on us. She persevered.”
So his sister Joy finished a degree in
education while he pursued his dream at UP.
“The first thing we did was to get out of that
social ghetto,” Nathan quips.
Nathan was referring to the slums, a place
they call “Coco Village” in Taytay, Rizal,
where most houses are made from cheap
coco lumber. It was home while he was
growing up.
When he and his sister saved enough
money, they moved out of the slums. He was
25
Emerlinda Roman: the alumni are
committed to help UP in any way
University of the Philippines President Emerlinda Roman is
leading a worldwide campaign to raise funds to help modernise
the university’s facilities, improve faculty salaries and provide
money for research grants and scholarships.
Gal Roma talks to President Roman in advance of her visit
to Hong Kong next month as part of her fund-raising tour.
Below are excerpts from the interview.
“
Quitting school and
quitting on our dreams
was never really an
option. Not when you
have a role model like
my mother
M
any Filipinos, especially
the overseas workers,
believe that a UP
diploma is a prized possession
and a privilege. Does this hold
true?
Yes, we believe the UP diploma
remains respected all over the
world. A UP degree is accredited
in many countries abroad. Our
alumni continue to make a
name not only nationally but
internationally. Parents continue
to dream to have their children
admitted to UP. Last year alone,
applicants to UP increased from
66,000 in 2005 to 70,000.
When alumni give back to UP,
they always emphasise that their
education in UP was a crucial
factor in being successful in life.
happy enough to move on with his life, until
he tried his luck in civil service.
“I graduated at the top of my batch and
I could not get a job in the civil service,”
he relates. He blamed corruption and the
patronage system that blocked what he
thought was his way of paying back the
government that paid for his schooling.
“I wanted to serve my country and they
wouldn’t let me,” he says.
After some time of serious “soulsearching” Nathan found his calling. He
wanted to be part of the academe and
become a full-fledged teacher. He was
granted a scholarship at the National
University in Singapore, where he finished
his master of arts in literary studies last
December. His wife, Lorie, is also a scholar
at the NUS.
“I will be marching to receive my MA
diploma in July. My mother will be here
and I’m sure she will again be very proud,”
Nathan says.
After his MA, he will work on a doctorate
in sociology in the same university.
“When I go back to the Philippines four
years from now, I hope to be starting the
rest of my life where I could just focus and
do my life’s work, studying the forces that
make our society tick and helping students
do the same in the effort to help, or in their
small way, to fix it,” Nathan says.
“It’s not a bad life, and I am looking
forward to it.”
Nathan relaxes at home in Singapore and spends a night out with wife Lorie (above).
His mother, Cristeta and sister Joy (top) get ready to tuck into a merienda.
We have heard of faculty
members leaving UP to work
for institutions that offer higher
pay. What is the university doing
to help and to keep the faculty
members?
Incidentally, the highest paid
faculty member of UP – a full
professor who has a PhD and who
has worked over 30 years in UP
only gets P31,000 per month or
roughly US$550. Professors in
Ateneo and DLSU get three to
five times more. If this is all the
professors get, you can imagine
how much the junior faculty
members are getting.
What I admire most about our
faculty is that they have stayed.
Many continue to be intrinsically
motivated – never mind if they
don’t have flashy cars or other
possessions – they are content
with having a laboratory where
they can do their work quietly.
By raising funds for them and
giving them grants and awards
– professorial chairs, faculty
grants, research grants, and by
modernising facilities so that their
teaching and research facilities are
at least up-to-date and state-of-theart, they will want to stay and stick
it out with UP.
What is being done to maintain,
or improve, the standards of
teaching in UP?
The last Asiaweek survey
placed UP No 48 among Asian
universities. But this last survey
was done in 2000. Asiaweek has
folded since then. We tried to
analyse the results and found out
that most of the questions hinged
on financial resources. Questions
like median faculty salary, number
of students with e-mail accounts,
student/computer ratio, etc.
Because UP suffers from severe
financial constraints, there is really
nothing much it could have done if
the questions hinged on financial
resources. This was in 2000.
Last year, Times Higher
Education Supplement (THES)
published its ranking of
universities worldwide and
UP placed No 299. De la Salle
placed second among Philippine
universities, Ateneo, third, and
UST fourth at 500. Based on this
survey, UP still is recognised as
the best in the country. But there
is nothing much to be happy about
this ranking because UP needs to
benchmark internationally. We are
at 299.
Among Asian universities,
we ranked No 46. But when
we compared UP with other
universities in Asean, we found
that we did better than some of
those who ranked higher than UP
overall, in recruiter rating and in
citations per faculty. This finding
speaks well of the quality of our
graduates and the research track
record of our faculty.
What is the target in your fundraising campaign?
Our target is P5 billion and the
breakdown of the sources is:
• National government: P2.5
billion
• UP projects (S&T parks,
licenses on intellectual property,
development of other idle assets,
etc: P1.8 billion
• Alumni: P700 million
Uses of funds raised:
• Faculty retention and
development: P2 billion
• Scholarships: P300 million
• Modernization: P2.65 billion
• Fund for artists and athletes: P50
million.
You are tapping the alumni
community for some of these
projects. What response are you
getting?
They have enthusiastically
responded to our call for support.
The alumni are committed to
help UP in any way because
they believe in paying back to
the institution that has made a
difference in their lives.
Descend to the top, prove to the world how special we Filipinos are, and never lose your heart for our country
In 2003, Butch Jimenez set online groups and chat rooms abuzz with his speech to the
UP graduating class. It inspired readers with its sense of nationalism and human values.
Last year, Jimenez delivered the commencement address at Silliman University. No less
compelling, the speech has made the e-mail rounds. It has been carried by newspapers
and magazines, and cited in marketing conferences. It is reprinted here, with the author’s
permission, and excerpted in the interest of space.
O
ne of the questions running in your
mind today as you graduate and
move forward is, “How do I reach
the top?” A fair question and one that needs
to be answered. And since I now presently handle marketing for both PLDT and
Smart, let me share with you some marketing principles that I have learned, that may
guide you on your quest to the top.
Success in marketing is a battle to be the
first in the mind of the consumer. What
does this all mean to you, as you go out
into the workplace?
If you guys want to start rising to the
top, you have to be the first or the top of
mind amongst the people that you work for
specially your boss. When the boss needs
something done, you have to be the first
in his mind. If you’re just the third, or the
fourth, or the fifth, or the tenth in his mind,
you’re just like a company that is in third,
fourth or fifth position – far, far away from
rising to the top. But being top of mind is
not enough. You also have to burn an attribute in his mind.
Now, a slight word of caution. Burning
an attribute in your boss’s or co-worker’s
mind is a double-edged sword. You have to
make sure that you burn a positive attribute
and not a negative one. There are many attributes that I would have wanted to share
with you, but in the interest of time, I will
focus on two. The first one is the attribute
of discipline.
A year and a half ago, I went to a leadership conference in Singapore. I wanted to
listen to Lee Kuan Yew and what he had
to say. Lee Kuan Yew shared how he built
Singapore from nothing to where it is today. A generation ago, Singapore was far
worse off than many of its peers. But today, it is an economic superpower.
He narrated that when he first started to
lead Singapore, he asked his think-tank to
visit neighboring countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and figure out what they don’t have.
He said they all came back with one conclusion: These countries lacked discipline.
So to differentiate Singapore from its
neighbors, he decided to build his country
on discipline. This meant that if Singapore
promised something to its people, to its
foreign investors, and to other countries, it
will be fulfilled.
One of my good friends is the president
of Alaska Milk, Fred Uytengsu. I used to
see him on the baseball field when he used
to coach his son’s team and I was an assistant for my son’s team. One day, I saw him
wearing a shirt that said, “If you don’t have
discipline, you don’t deserve to dream.”
No matter how harsh it may seem, the
point is true. Don’t even bother dreaming,
if you don’t have the discipline to make it
a reality.
In the world of business, discipline is defined as work ethic. I’d like to share with
you an anecdote about a great man who
epitomised what work ethic is all about:
Thomas Alva Edison.
At the age of 82, Edison, deserved to be
honored for his lifetime work, declared the
president of the United States. So they put
together a huge event in his honor. Being
82, he felt a bit sick that night and fainted.
Good thing they were able to revive him
and he was still able to go up on stage.
Edison, upon accepting the award, simply
said, “I am tired of all this glory. I want to
get back to work.”
The second attribute we should burn is
execution. We need to be able to drive in
the minds of the people that we work with
that we are the “go-to” guy. That if they
want to make something happen, you are
the guy to go to, because you are the person who can execute.
One of the greatest mentors of all time
said to his pupil: Luke, there is no try.
There is either do or not do.” You know
who that is? That is Yoda teaching Luke
Skywalker of Star Wars one of the most
important lessons in life: execution or
making it happen.
An icon of execution, of course, is Michael Jordan. He is arguably one of the
greatest basketball players that ever lived,
but not without getting the ball, taking that
shot, and executing the play. But part of
execution is learning how to fail yet rising
again. Michael Jordan says this: “I missed
more than 9,000 shots in my career and lost
almost 300 games. On 26 occasions, I have
been entrusted to take the game-winning
shot and missed. I have failed over and
over and over again in my life, and that’s
precisely why I succeed.”
Let’s also learn a lesson from Mickey
Mouse. Well, maybe not from Mickey, but
from his originator, Walt Disney. Walt had
four mantras: dreaming, believing, daring,
and then doing. Of the four, “doing” is
what turns everything into a reality.
Walt said: “Dreaming, believing and daring without doing is just like Dumbo, the
elephant, without ears. It just won’t fly.
Abrakadabra will never work.” Only execution does.
In my UP speech, I talked to them about
“what’s better than,” and I juxtaposed
what’s better than this versus what’s better
than that. Now, all of us want to ascend to
the top. No doubt about it. And we should.
But what’s better than ascending to the
top? The answer is descending to the top.
The Bible tells us that he who wishes to
be the greatest must be the servant of all.
What I want to share with you is that as
you rise to the top, the more you have to be
a servant. The keyword is humility.
I want to share with you what happened
to Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple computers and inventor of the Ipod. As he
was ascending to the top, as he was rising towards greatness, Jobs forgot humility. While he was hitting his peak, all he
thought about was how great he was, how
fantastic he was, and how the world and his
company revolved around him.
What happened to Steve Jobs as he hit
the peak? He was driven out of his company both in failure and in disgrace. Then after having failed in many other endeavors,
he started again and went on to make an
indelible mark in the entertainment industry. But something was different about the
man this time. People started to feel Steve
had changed. And so in a big conference
at the Moscone Center in San Francisco,
there he was, listening to the chants of the
people, demanding him to come back and
run Apple again.
For the first time in his public life,
there on stage, Steve appeared genuinely
touched. He wasn’t brash or cocky anymore. He said:“You guys are making me
feel funny right now. I get to come to work
with the most talented people on the planet. The best job in the world. But these jobs
are team sports. I cannot do it alone; I can
only do it with a team.”
If you’re able to get a copy of Time
Magazine’s issue where they declared who
their Man of the Year was for 2005, you’ll
see their choice was Bill Gates. But not
because of what Bill Gates has done for
Microsoft. Not because he revolutionised
the computer industry. But because of what
Bill Gates has started to do for humanity.
Bill realises that this is probably the generation where if health care were given
enough resources, he can actually make a
big difference in millions of people’s lives.
And that has become the man’s passion
and advocacy, donating billions to uplift
the health of poverty-stricken nations.
Finally, as you rise to the top, you should
never lose your heart for our country. I always tell my team in PLDT, that yes, we
have a business to run, but let us never forget we also have a country to serve. You
will have businesses to run, you will have
your own careers to take care of, and you
will have your own dreams to pursue, but
never forget you have a country to serve.
You may ask, “How? How do I serve
the country?” One way is actually quite
simple. I’ll give it to you in one word. If
you are great, if you are smart, if you are
the best, if you have a Silliman education,
then, please stay. You would have actually
done a great service to our country just by
staying. But if you can’t stay, or you don’t
want to stay, that’s fine.
But I want to ask two things of you. First,
go out there and show the whole world
how great the Filipino is. In whatever field
you’re in, prove to the world how special
we Filipinos truly are.
Second, don’t just plan to come back.
Plan to give back to the country. If you do
that, if every Filipino who goes out there
into the world – and there are millions of us
already – proves to everybody how great
the Filipino is, and not only plans to come
back, but actually plans to give back to this
country, in less than one generation, we
will be an even greater nation.
You must be asking yourselves, “How
do I reach my dreams?” or “How far can I
go?” In the last 42 years of my life, I have
realized one thing: “There is no destination beyond the reach of those who walk
with God.” So when you go out there in
the world, take God’s hand and walk with
Him. There will be no destination beyond
your reach.
Visit www.filglobe.com for the full text
26
filipino globe
community
April 2007
community
filipino globe
April 2007
27
Women in
Philippines
least likely
to suffer
abuse: UN
The Philippines has the lowest incidence of domestic violence against
women, a United Nations guidelines
has shown.
The study show that in Hong Kong,
which is home to more than 100 Filipino domestic helpers, women do not
suffer as much abuse as their counterparts in women in 10 other jurisdictions around the world.
Much abuse in Hong Kong goes unreported because the sufferers either
believe it is not sufficiently serious,
they can handle it on their own or do
not want to see their abusers arrested.
According to the survey, one in five
Hong Kong women suffers some form
of abuse at least once in her lifetime.
With a 17 per cent prevalence of
violence out of 2,602 interviewed, the
Philippines has the lowest incidence.
“Looking at the homicide and criminal rates of Manila, one might be
surprised,” said Rod Broadhurst, an
honorary sociology professor at Hong
Kong University.
Surprisingly, Australian women recorded a high violence rate despite
the country’s sophisticated policies to
combat violence.
Broadhurst said Hong Kong’s city
lifestyle probably offered more protection with a higher degree of surveillance.
The three countries with the highest
rate of abuse of women were Costa
Rica, the Czech Republic and Australia with the rate of women reporting
violence at least once in their lifetimes ranging from 60 percent down
to 57 per cent.
In the past 12 months alone, 3 per
cent of women in Hong Kong were
abused, although Hong Kong police
figures for 2005 put the number of
women who reported abuse in that
year at only 0.02 percent.
Hong Kong is the only Chinese
city to participate in the United Nations International Violence Against
Women Survey, which aimed to address the under-reporting of sexual
and domestic violence as an international problem.
Hong Kong University’s Faculty
of Social Sciences interviewed 1,297
women aged 16 or above for the survey, with 45 percent responding to all
questions.
“The standardized tools [in the 11
jurisdictions] offers the best estimation of what the true rates are,” said
John Bacon-Shone, director of the
university’s Social Sciences Research
Centre.
Bacon-Shone said even though the
rates of violence in Hong Kong are
relatively low when compared with
other countries, they are still “quite
serious” issues and “life destroying to
some people at the least.”
He said the data collected would be
valuable to policymakers.
Twenty-one per cent of women in
Hong Kong were found to suffer from
violence at least once in their lifetime,
the second lowest incidence.
Those in lower economic status
were significantly more likely to be
victimised.
Pambato sila
sa disiplina
at simpleng
pamumuhay
Taglay ni Arman
(likod) at Roel
ang lakas ng
disiplina para
magtagumpay
sa larangan ng
bodybuilding.
Laging handa ang dalwang Pinoy musclemen
sa anumang hamon na dulot ng naiibang
larangan sa palakasan. Ulat ni Adan Magnaye
L
imang taon matapos niyang
manalo sa Mr Hong Kong
bodybuilding competition,
nagbabalik ang Pinoy muscleman
na si Armando Villasoto upang
subukang bawiin ang kanyang
korona. Idadaos ang taunang contest
sa Queen Elizabeth Stadium sa
Hunyo kaya puspusan ngayon
ang kanyang paghahanda at
pagpapakundisyon.
Parang relihiyon ang turing ni
Arman sa bodybuilding at tunay na
kagila-gilalas ang katawan niyang
parang nililok ng eskultor. Hinubog
ng libu-libong oras na ginugol
sa gym, pambihirang disiplina at
malinis na pamumuhay.
“Sa sport namin, hanggang hindi
ka pumatong ng 60 anyos, hindi
ka pa laos,’’ ani Arman, 34 taong
gulang at ama ng tatlong malulusog
na batang lalaki. “Basta huwag mong
abusuhin ang katawan mo.”
Driver at cook para sa among
Amerikano sa Mid-Levels si Arman.
Tuwing hapon, nagpupunta siya sa
California Fitness Gym sa Central
para mag-weights. Sampung taon na
siya sa among international lawyer
at naiintindihan nito ang kanyang
obsesyon.
“Alam niyang wala akong bisyo
kaya sinusuportahan niya ako sa hilig
ko,’’ ani Arman. “Walang problema
sa kanya.’’
Nitong mga nakaraang taon,
nawili si Arman sa pagsama sa
Philippine Team sa mga international
competition kaya nawalan siya ng
panahon para sa Mr. Hong Kong
contest. Hindi birong hirap ang
dinadaanan bago makasali sa team.
Kailangan munang manalo sa Mr.
Philippines contest at doble ang haba
umano ng paghahanda bago tumulak
sa ibang bansa na dala-dala ang ating
bandila.
Laking Jaro, Iloilo, beterano si
Arman ng 2003 Vietnam Southeast
Asian Games at ng 2005 SEA
Games na ginawa sa Maynila.
Muntik-muntikan na siyang magkamedalya sa dalawang paligsahan.
“
Alam niyang wala
akong bisyo kaya
sinusuportahan
niya ako sa hilig ko.
Walang problema
sa kanya.
ARMAN VILLASOTO
Tungkol sa among Amerikano
Kampeon siya sa middleweight
division ng Mr Philippines contest
noong 2003; nagwagi naman siya
bilang welterweight sa nasabi pa ring
kumpetisyon noong 2004. Naging
susi ang panalo niya sa welterweight
division ng Mr. Hong Kong
competition noong 2002.
Namumutok ang dibdib at parang
troso ang braso, kayang-kaya ni
Arman na bumuhat ng tatlong sakong
bigas. Minsan umabot sa 22 inches
ang sukat ng braso niya – maliit
lang ng half-inch sa braso ng idolo
niyang si Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Brusko man siyang tingnan, hindi
mapagkakamalang Terminator si
Arman. Tuwing magsalita kasi ay
lumalabas ang lambing ng isang
tunay na Ilonggo.
Takaw-away daw at madaling
makursunadahan ang gaya
niyang bodybuilder pero malakas
magtimpi si Arman. Dapat lang na
magdalawang-isip muna bago kulitin
at awayin ang taong ito. Nagtuturo
din kasi siya ng martial arts at
combat arnis.
Bago mangibang-bansa,
nagtrabaho din si Arman bilang
bouncer at close-in security ng
mga celebrity pag may concert o
kasiyahan sa Pilipinas. Sa katunayan
bahagi siya ng security group ni
Kobe Bryant nung bumisita ang
NBA star sa Maynila noong 1997.
Sa ganitong trabaho niya nakilala
ang kanyang kasalukuyang amo
minsang may inasikaso itong
asunto sa Pilipinas. Isa si Arman sa
naatasang maging escort ng abugado.
Ngayong malapit na ang contest
para sa Mr Hong Kong, matindi
ang diet ni Arman: Gulay, patatas,
steamed chicken, steamed fish at
nilagang itlog. Bawal ang soft drinks
at maalat at mamantikang pagkain.
Tatlong linggo bago ang laban,
pati manok goodbye na sa menu.
Nagpipiyesta siya sa broccoli,
cauliflower, spinach, string beans
at okra. Para maiba lang ang lasa,
pinaghahalo niya ang kalabasa,
saluyot, okra at malunggay. Alaga
din ang katawan niya sa bitamina.
Steroids at illegal drugs? Hindi uso
ito kay Arman. Tama na sa kanya ang
protein shake – binubuo ng walong
itlog (hindi kasama ang dilaw), isang
saging at isang kutsarang skimmed
milk.
Hindi rin siya nag-iisa sa laban
ngayon. Tinutulungan din niyang
maghanda ang kapwa Pinoy na si
Roel Boholst. Bartender sa Lan
Kwai Fong at laking Pandacan. First
time sumabak ni Roel sa ganitong
kumpetisyon kaya gayon na lang ang
kaba niya. Buti na lang aniya nandito
si Arman upang tulungan siya at
palakasin ang loob.
Sa Hunyo, posibleng makatapat ni
Arman ang pambato ng Hong Kong
na si Chan Yun To. Gold medallist
nitong nakaraang Asian Games sa
Doha, Qatar. Hindi ba nangangamba
ang Pinoy muscleman?
“Kung kaya ko siya, salamat. Kung
hindi, I’ll try again,’’ aniya. “Proud
ako na makalaban ko siya kung
sakali.”
PICTUREGALLERY
Florencia Ramirez
(third from left)
receives a giant
check from PLDT
Hong Kong
general manager
Viboy Genuino
(left) after winning
the grand prize in
the 1528 SMART
and SMART Padala
Spin-A-Win promo.
With them are the
winner’s daughter,
guest artist Dennis
Trillo and host
Arnel Ignacio.
Bai Kanangga
Winners of Spin-a-Win Promo
1528 SMART Pinoy Center, Shop 109, WW
House, Central 21 & 28 Jan; 4,11,18 & 25
Feb; 4,11,18 & 25 March 2007 (Draw) and
Chater Garden, Central,18 Feb & 8 April
2007 (Spin)
1. Florencia D. Ramirez
2. Richel M. Banawag 3. Aurora B. Pedarios 4. Corazon E. Budanio 5. Rosalina Maquiling 6. Maria C. Rempillo 7. Enterlina de Pedro
8. Natividad O. Austria 9. Rosalinda P. Zaragoza
10.Imelda I. Ronquillo
P100,000
15,000
10,000
15,000
25,000
20,000
25,000
10,000
15,000
15,000
11.Elizabeth V. Manuel
12.Ninfa M. Agudos 13.Sesan L. Presto
14.Jeaphie A. Villasor
15.Bella Esteban 16.Eva Luz Ana D. Fajardo 17.Marivic C. Rivera 18.Elizabeth S. Trogo
19.Roselyn A. Villon 20.Ofelia E. Cabulisan 21. Lara B. Gaor
25,000
20,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
10,000
10,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
25,000
*All prizes are in the form of gift certificates
**Per TPCL Nos 26840-43
filipino globe
28 April 2007
home, health & beauty, stars & sports
filipino globe
life
April 2007
29
If only wireless could be made to work everywhere, it would be nice
Q
I’m one of those people
who hate wires running all
over the floor. But sometimes, I
realise it can’t be helped. Can’t
it, really?
Bella Inigo
Hong Kong
A
Unless you are particularly
organised and good with tie
wrap, you probably have a few
dusty power cord tangles around
your home.
You may have even had to
follow one particular cord through
the seemingly impossible snarl
to the outlet, hoping that the
plug you pull will be the right
DIYBOB
do it yourself
ROBERT
LUNARIA
one. This is one of the downfalls
of electricity. While it can make
people’s lives easier, it can add a
lot of clutter in the process.
For these reasons, scientists
have tried to develop methods of
wireless power transmission that
could cut the clutter or lead to
clean sources of electricity. While
the idea may sound futuristic, it
isn’t particularly new. Nicola Tesla
proposed theories of wireless
power transmission in the late
1800s and early 1900s.
One of his more spectacular
displays involved remotely
powering lights in the ground at
his Colorado Springs experiment
station.
Tesla’s work was impressive,
but it didn’t immediately lead to
widespread, practical methods
for wireless power transmission.
Since then, researchers have
developed several techniques
for moving electricity over long
distances without wires.
Some exist only as theories or
prototypes, but others are already
in use. If you have an electric
toothbrush, for example, you
probably take advantage of one
method every day. The wireless
transmission of energy is common
in much of the world. Radio waves
are energy, and people use them
to send and receive cell phone,
TV, radio and WiFi signals every
day. The radio waves spread
in all directions until they reach
antennae that are tuned to the
right frequency.
A similar method for transferring
electrical power would be both
inefficient and dangerous.
A toothbrush’s daily exposure to
water makes a traditional plug-in
charger potentially dangerous.
Ordinary electrical connections
could also allow water to seep
into the toothbrush, damaging its
components.
Because of this, most
toothbrushes recharge through
inductive coupling.
Send your questions or comments to
[email protected]
Keep in mind
your guests’
preferences,
sensitivities
Etiquette consultant Christa Koch-Kessler
takes us through the first steps of a restaurant
dinner in her maiden column on good living
Dr Steve Warren is board
certified in family medicine
as well as hospice and
Dr
Steve Warren
is board
palliative
medicine
certified in family medicine
as well as hospice and
palliative medicine
Today’s toxic environment coupled with the high-fat,
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www.xocaipinoy.com;
email
[email protected];
www.xocaipinoy.com; email
[email protected];
mobilemobile
+63917 +63917
5390486; MXI
5390486;
Corp Philippines pick-up and training center: (632) 637 5279; fax (632) 634 7909
W
hen you have to take out
your overseas customer/
client the first questions
which comes up is: Where shall I go?
If you do not know your client,
please ask him if he prefers Chinese
cuisine or Western cuisine? It is
also polite to ask, especially if he
comes from a country with a mainly
Muslim population, if he refrains
from eating pork and drinking
alcohol. Nowadays, many people
are sensitive to a number of foods.
It is also advisable to inquire about
any allergies or aversions the person
might have.
Keep in mind it is not advisable to
bring the client to a restaurant where
he/she comes from. The restaurants
offering foreign cuisines may not
offer really authentic food and your
guests might get disappointed.
However, Chinese clients are
different and they enjoy very much
going to a restaurant where they can
enjoy food from their hometown.
In today’s example we will make
a reservation in an Italian restaurant
for three persons.
Being the host, you should arrive
in time, preferably before your guest
has arrived. If you arrive together
with your guests, as a gentleman
you enter the restaurant first. You
might have been wondering why
“
Nowadays, many
people are sensitive
to a number of
foods. It is also
advisable to inquire
about any allergies
or aversions the
person might have
a lady never enters the restaurant
first, especially when you are taught
from an early age “Ladies first”.
This behavior dates back to the days
of traveling in carriages. When the
travelers interrupted their journey to
rest their horses or stay overnight in
an inn, the man was obliged to check
out the place if this was suitable that
a lady could enter the premises.
Hence, the men are the ones who
take the lead in this situation. If you
are having a business meeting and
you are three women, in this case the
female host will take over the role of
the man.
Now you have arrived at your table
in the restaurant and as the host you
help the ladies out of their coats or if
your clients are men only, you help
the oldest person in your party. The
coats are than given to the waiter/
waitress and they will stow them
away.
When making the seating
arrangements, very often the host
places himself in the middle. In this
way you can keep in contact with
only one person and there is the
danger that the second person feels
left out as you have to turn your
face and body towards the person
you address but at the same time the
second party sees only your shoulder
and back.
It is much better you place yourself
that you have full view of both of
your guests. Don’t place them on
either side. Place the more senior
person across from you and the more
junior on your left.
The rules of
engagement
are the same
whether you
are in an Italian
restaurant
(above) or
whether you are
having steak or
seafood (left).
30
your health
filipino globe
April 2007
Summer can be bliss
or curse to your skin
what the doctor says
Dr Jun
Amigo
• Squamous cell carcinoma is
commonly a red, scaling, thickened
patch on sun-exposed skin.
Ulceration and bleeding may occur.
• Most melanomas are brown
to black lesions. Signs that might
indicate a malignant melanoma
include change in size, shape,
color or elevation of a mole. The
appearance of a new mole during
adulthood, or new pain, itching,
ulceration or bleeding of an existing
mole should be checked.
Skin cancer is most closely
associated with chronic inflammation
of the skin. This includes:
• Sun burn or excessive sun
damage, especially early in life.
Sun exposure between 10 am and 4
pm is thought to be most harmful.
Natural (sun) and artificial ultraviolet
exposure (tanning salons) are
associated with skin cancer.
• Chronic non-healing wounds,
especially burns
• Genetic predisposition, including
congenital melanocytic nevi
syndrome, which is the presence of
“nevi” or moles of varying size that
people are either born with or that
appear within six months of birth
Skin cancer is an increasingly
common condition, in part attributed
to increased exposure to ultraviolet
radiation. The increased exposure is
mainly due to the recent popularity
of sun tanning (sun bathing).
Meanwhile ...
Joselene, a 46-year-old OFW has
a small, hard and round swelling
on her forearm and near her navel
and below her breast. Doctors have
diagnosed it as fibromasis.
She wants to know if it’s an
alarming situation.
We cannot tell for sure since we
have not examined her, but we want
to give her some information about
the condition.
Neurofibromatosis. is a progressive
disease with involvement of the skin
and nervous system as well as other
organs.
It occurs in two distinct forms:
Type 1 is more common and is
usually characterised by multiple
tan patches on the skin (café-au-lait
spots).
Type 2 accounts for only 10 per
cent of all cases and is characterised
by bilateral acoustic neuromas,
which causes hearing loss, facial
weakness, headache, or unsteadiness.
Brain tumors and lens abnormalities
(in the eye) may also occur.
There is no specific treatment
for NF, and management includes
genetic counseling and early
detection of treatable conditions or
complications.
The asymptomatic patient should
be re-examined yearly.
Symptomatic patients may benefit
from surgery treatment of tumors.
[email protected]
If you have questions about health, send them to us and we
will try our best to answer them with expert opinion. With
Dr Jun Amigo, chief surgical resident at the Mandaluyong
Medical Center, as moderator, this forum will feature
specialists on the chosen topic. Please note that this is not
intended as a medical consultation and readers are strongly
advised to see their doctor for proper advice. To contact
us, please visit our website www.filglobe.com and click on
“[email protected]” to send your queries.
April 2007 31
At the end of
the day, you
want them to
remember
what you
had to say
HEALTHTALK
I
t’s summer, and two things that
easily come to mind are sun and
skin. Most of us have no problem
dealing with that.
Some, like Emily Dorotheo, a
Filipino school teacher in Florida,
worry about being exposed to the
sun. She had a scare last year when
she thought a welt on her forearm
might be a form of skin cancer.
Although her doctor has ruled it
out, she wants to know whether she
is predisposed to the condition,
We asked Dr Alfredo L Lo
fellow, Association of Plastic
Reconstructive and Aesthetic
Surgery, for some perspective on
skin cancer.
Dr Lo, who is also a fellow of the
Philippine College of Surgeons and
the Philippine Association of Plastic
Surgeons, is the hospital director at
the Mandaluyong Medical Center.
He writes:
Skin cancer is the most common
form of human cancer. It is estimated
that one million new cases occur
annually. The annual rates of all
forms of skin cancer are increasing
each year, representing a growing
public concern.
There are a variety of skin cancer
symptoms. These include sores or
changes in the skin that do not heal,
ulcers in the skin, discoloring in parts
of the skin, and changes in existing
moles.
• Basal cell carcinoma usually
looks like a raised, smooth, pearly
bump on the sun-exposed skin
of the head, neck or shoulders.
Sometimes small blood vessels can
be seen within the tumor. Crusting
and bleeding in the center of the
tumor frequently develops. It is often
mistaken for a sore that does not
heal.
filipino globe
Unlike other diet pills and supplements, coconut virgin oil actually feeds the cells and turn body fat into energy.
From beauty regimen
to top obesity fighter
Already a champion in personal beauty care,virgin
coconut oil is proving a winner in the fight against flab
F
ilipinos between 40 and 59
years old are facing increased
risk of obesity and doctors are
turning to a beauty regimen for a
solution.
It has not been fully documented,
but the promise of virgin coconut oil
for battling obesity is being held up
to the same level as its potential for
personal beauty care.
“There are known medical
qualities inherent in virgin coconut
oil that makes it both a beauty
regimen and a potential solution for
fighting obesity,” medical ethicist
Clarence Lee said.
Australia-based Filipino doctor
Nestor Fuertes is bolder and more
emphatic.
He is recommending VCO, as it is
known as an alternative weight-loss
supplement.
He is convinced of its
effectiveness, saying unlike other
diet pills, VCO feeds the cells and
convert body fat into energy.
This comes after a survey by
the Food and Nutrition Research
Institute showed an increase in the
prevalance of obesity among older
Filipinos.
Those between 40 and 59 are
especially at risk because of their
reduced metabolism.
The practical effects of VCO in
pesonal beauty care are known. Its
high lauric acid content helps prevent
bacterial, viral and fungal infections
and its ability to preserve the body’s
antioxidant reserves also helps keep
skin soft and smooth.
“
I am a skeptic so
I did not believe it
at first and medical
school do not teach
you these things
Dr Nestor Fuertes
On the virtues of virgin coconut oil
Dr Fuertes said he became curious
when his Filipino patients showed
an improvement in their medical
condition after they tried taking
virgin coconut oil as a dietary
supplement. In particular, many attest
that their blood sugar level stabilised.
“I am a skeptic so I did not believe
it at first and medical school do not
teach you these things,” Fuertes
said. However, upon further studies
and examination of his patients he
became convinced of the benefits
of VCO, especially in combating
obesity. VCO converts fats into
energy that help reduce weight. He
added that VCO contains medium
chain triglycerides that are easily
absorbed and transformed into
energy.
Interestingly, VCO apparently
can also promote weight gain for
those who are underweight. He
urged local physicians to use VCO
to help address the high level
of malnourished children in the
Philippines.
Fuertes recommended a daily dose
of two tablespoons of VCO. He
cautioned against a higher dosage of
VCO to drastically reduce weight as
this may have a negative effect of the
body’s system. A regular daily dose
of VCO will reduce weight by about
4 to 6 pounds a month. “We want
a gradual, steady and sustainable
weight loss. VCO also hydrates the
skin thus making people even look
younger,” he said.
According to Fuertes, more than 30
medical practitioners in Australia are
already promoting the use of VCO.
That’s good news indeed.
Dr Fuertes serves as a general
practitioner supervisor for the
Victorian Medical Alliance and an
out-of-campus medical professor for
the General Practice Department of
the University of Melbourne.
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32
lakbayan
filipino globe
April 2007
lakbayan
filipino globe
February
April 2007
33
Moriones fest
just the tip of
Marinduque’s
great treasure
One of the country’s best-kept secrets is a
lush rural destination that offers a break from
the concrete jungle, writes Tess Mauricio
T
Para sa mahilig maglakad, nasa Mt Parker na yata ang hamon. Sa ibaba, bubulaga sa iyo ang isang magandang tanawin, at habang umaakyat ka, madadaanan mo ang maraming picnic grounds.
May katapat ang Peak sa Mt Parker
Sa hiking trails at
picnic grounds
nakakalamang ang
tuktok ng Quarry Bay.
May maipagmamalaki
rin itong tanawin, ayon
kay Adan Magnaye
H
indi ito Everest pero para sa
batugang gaya ko na walang
ginawa kundi matulog,
kumain at manood ng DVD kapag
day off, para na ring top of the world
ang Mt Parker.
Mahigit isang oras lang na lakaran
mula sa Quarry Bay, sabay konting
dasal pag medyo hinahapo na at
nagrereklamo ang nirarayumang
tuhod, abot na ang tuktok nito.
Kaaya-ayang tanawin ang
naghihintay sa sinumang matiyagang
umakyat. Tahimik at matiwasay.
Saglit na malilimutan ang trabaho
at magulong siyudad na iniwan sa
ibaba.
Balot sa makapal na ulap ang Mt
Parker nung una kong marating
ang tuktok nito. Walang makitang
view na pampaalis ng pagod.
Medyo basa at maulan kasi nung
araw na iyon. Mandin ay kaba
ang naramdaman ko dahil parang
eksena sa Twilight Zone o Blair
Witch Project ang natunghayan ko
sa huling dalawang kilometrong
paakyat. Dadalawang kaluluwa lang
ang naligaw doon maliban sa akin.
Nangahas mamundok kahit maselan
ang panahon.
Palibhasa bitin ang lakwatsa,
bumalik ako isang araw na maganda
ang weather.Ang laki ng pagkakaiba
sa una kong karanasan dito.
Alam mong nakarating ka na sa
tuktok ng Mt Parker pag naabot mo
na ang dalawang gusaling animo
higanteng golf ball na mga 800 metro
lang ang layo sa isa’t isa. Parehong
nababakuran ng alambre ito. Bawal
pumasok at posible daw ma-expose
sa radiation. May makitid na
balkonahe paikot sa bawat isa. Doon
malaya kang gumala at magmasid.
Sa isang bahagi tanaw mo ang
harbor, kumpol ng housing estates at
hilera ng bundok sa Kowloon Island
saka Tung Lung Island.
Sa kabila naman makikita ang Tai
Tam Reservoir, Stanley, Lamma
Island at South China Sea.
Pangalawang pinakamataas na
bundok sa Hong Kong Island ang
Mt Parker, kasunod lang ng Victoria
Peak sa Central. May taas na 532
meters above sea level, kalahati ito
ng Mt Arayat sa Pampanga o Mt
Makiling sa Laguna. Lam San Ting
ang tawag dito sa salitang Intsik.
Maraming daan patungong Mt
Parker.
Kung marami kang oras, maaari
mong simulan ang lakad sa Sai Wan
Ho. Medyo mahaba at minsan ay
madulas ang tatahaking lupa pero
tahimik at malilim. Napaliligiran
“
Hindi kailangang
maakyat ang tuktok
ng Mt Parker para
masiyahan. May
mga barbecue at
picnic sites sa mga
daraanan; meron ding
mga baras at ilang
gamit pang-ehersisyo.
ng pine tree, higanteng tipak ng
bato, batis at may madadaanang
mga bangin. Minsan wala kang
ibang lulusutan kundi halos naguumpugang malaking bato, sa
sobrang kitid hindi kasya si Dabiana.
Manaka-nakang matatanaw ang Tai
Koo, Quarry Bay at Shau Kei Wan.
Kung nagmamadali ka naman,
sa Korn Hill puwedeng umpisahan
ang pag-akyat. May mga hagdan-
hagdan dito katabi ng isang batis,
tapos lusot sa Quarry Bay Forest
Track Station at ang sementadong
Mt Parker Road. Bawal ang bisikleta
at sasakyan maliban doon sa mga
van ng nangangasiwa sa ginagawang
reforestation sa lugar. Nakakatawagpansin ang mga ibong humuhuni
at mga paru-parong matingkad
ang kulay. Akala mo maskarang
gamit sa Chinese opera. Paboritong
pugad umano ng paru-paro sa Hong
Kong ang Mt Parker kung saan
80 klase nito ang matatagpuan. Sa
isang paglalakbay ko, ginulat din
ako ng isang mailap na squirrel
na naghahanap ng makakain sa
kakahuyan.
Hitik sa kasaysayan ang Mt
Parker. Namirmihan dito ang
hukbong Hapon noong panahon ng
giyera. Inaakalang gawa ng mga
sundalong Hapon ang ilang lagusang
matatagpuan dito patungo sa mga
yungib na ngayon ay selyado na.
Matapos sakupin ng mga Hapon
ang Guangzhou noong Oktubre
1938, alam ng gobyernong Briton na
kasunod nang lulusubin ang Hong
Kong. Bilang paghahanda, nagtayo
sila ng mga pugon at kusina sa
paligid ng Mt Parker. Hindi kalayuan
dito ang mga itinalagang wartime
food store. Wala ring silbi ang mga
ito dahil bumagsak ang Hong Kong
sa kamay ng mga Hapon noon araw
ng Pasko, taong 1941. Sa loob lang
ng 18 araw na labanan, sumuko na
ang mga Briton.
Hindi kailangang maakyat ang
tuktok ng Mt Parker para masiyahan.
May mga barbecue at picnic sites sa
mga daraanan; meron ding mga baras
at ilang gamit pang-ehersisyo. Bago
ang huling dalawang kilometrong
paakyat sa tuktok, may patag na
bahaging kung tawagin ay Windy
Gap. Paboritong pahingahan ito
ng mga namumundok. Dito tanaw
ang Tai Tam Reservoir. Buhat dito
nagsisimula nang bumalik pababa
ang karamihan ng mga hiker.
Kung hindi pa nangangatog ang
tuhod at nanginginig ang bilbil,
maaring tumuloy papuntang
Wong Ng Chung Gap para sa
mas magandang view ng Tai Tam
Reservoir o kaya ay mag-detour sa
karatig na Mount Butler.
Ah, sa ibang araw na iyon.
Pagpahingahin nyo muna ang lolo
nyo.
here’s more to the heartshaped province of
Marinduque than just the
famous Moriones Festival. Despite
being the smallest province in the
Southern Tagalog region, it is a lush
rural destination that offers a break
from the concrete jungle and instead
gives the traveler an opportunity
to enjoy a more natural and simple
setting.
Like the rest of the country,
Marinduque is filled with gracious
and hospitable people who are
always ready to offer assistance,
smile and make sure the visitor
enjoys his or her stay in the province.
Marinduque was first peopled by
Malays and was called Malandik
after the province’s highest peak.
Having a hard time saying Malandik,
the Spanish conquerors changed it
to Marinduc which then evolve to its
present name.
The province is mainly agricultural
composed of the provincial capital,
Boac and the municipalities of
Buenavista, Gasan, Mogpog, Santa
Cruz, and Torrijos. Along with rice
and coconuts, fishing plays a big
part of the local economy. It is also
known as the “Butterfly Capital
of the Philippines” because of the
butterfly farming practiced there.
Marinduque’s culture and customs
are part of the tightly woven tapestry
of Philippine culture. Their unique
practices offer the traveler a different
view of the culture fabric of the
Philippines. Immediately noticeable
among these are the putong, tawak
drinking and Kalutang.
Putong is the Marinduquenos’
way of greeting friends and honored
guests. A group of men and women
called mamumutong chant greetings,
sing, dance and offer coins and
garlands to the visitor and treat him
or her like a deity.
Tawak is local liquor made of mint
leaves, spices, herbs and local vodka
prepared on Good Friday by local
healers and imbued with healing
powers through a bulong (whisper).
The bulong should be done before
the stroke of 12 noon on Good Friday
because this is when the power of
the healer ends. The potion is good
for a year. Mostly men drink this
concoction but women have been
known to take a sip or two as well.
Kalutang on the other hand is a
native musical instrument comprised
of two wooden sticks. Its varying
sizes enable a group of 10-12 people
to perform intricate musical numbers.
Natural attractions abound in
Marinduque. Having no cities and
being so far from the urban sprawl,
nature adventures rightfully take
their place on the itinerary of any
visitor. There are plenty of activities
for the visitor to indulge in; from
diving, snorkeling, island hopping,
trekking, camping or simply
watching a beautiful sunset from one
of its many white sand beaches.
Lying off the west coast of
Marinduque, the Tres Reyes Islands
named after the three kings Melchor,
Gaspar and Baltazar are ideal for
diving and snorkeling.
The secluded beaches found on all
three islands also offer an ideal venue
for picnics. Poctoy White Beach is
also a popular tourist attraction with
a fine white sand beach that stretches
almost a kilometer. Beach side huts
are available to those seeking shelter
or shade.
Inland, Mt Malindig is
Marinduque’s highest peak at 3,167
feet. It is an ideal camping and
trekking destination and wildlife can
be seen here especially raptors in
flight. At the foot of Mt. Malindig,
one can take advantage of the warm,
slightly sulfuric water that flows in
the pools of Molbog Springs. The
water is said to have therapeutic
qualities and is a popular choice for
those seeking a relaxing dip.
A must see for anyone traveling
to this province is Paadjao Falls. It
is a series of gently cascading falls
covering 100 feet and ending in a 15
foot drop. Natural Jacuzzi-like pools
are formed downstream from the
falls and are perfect for taking cool,
private dips.
Spelunking enthusiasts can marvel
at the multi-storied Bathala Caves.
There are seven caves in this system
and they are said to be a repository
of psychic powers emanating from
the universe. Another is the Tarug
Caves, a natural wonder found within
Boac church
has been
preserved as a
monument to
Marinduque’s
rich Spanish
heritage.
Photo:
Don Machuca
“
Natural attractions
abound in
Marinduque. Having
no cities and being so
far from the urban
sprawl, nature
adventures rightfully
take their place on the
itinerary of any visitor
a limestone formation that rises to
just over 900 feet. Its summit has an
area of barely 3 square meters.
Marinduque is likewise known
as the “Lenten Mecca of Southern
Tagalog” because of the Moriones
Festival.
Moriones draws its name from
Morion which means mask or visor
such as those worn by Roman
Centurions.
This century-old, week-long
celebration done every holy week is
a re-enactment of Christ’s passion
and death though with an added
element – Longinus.
He was the blind centurion who
regained his sight after he stuck the
spear on the side of Jesus and the
blood from the wound fell into his
blind eye.
The festival’s widely known
trademark, the Moriones mask is
a prized souvenir for any traveler
visiting the province. It is made of
wood and quite heavy. Along with
a Roman soldier’s costume, it must
be worn for the entire duration of the
festival. Marinduque can be reached
by air from Manila via Asian Spirit
Airlines. These flights bring the
visitor to the Marinduque airport in
the municipality of Gasan.
Another way to get to the province
is by land transportation to Lucena
City’s Dalahican Pier then by ferry
to either Balanacan Pier or Buyabod
Pier.
Private vehicles can also be
brought to the province via the
same route using the roll-on/roll-off
ferries.
Jeeps, tricycles as well as vans-forhire are widely available for those
without private transportation.
For more information, you may
contact the provincial tourism
coordinator Gerry Jamilla at
telephone number (63 42) 332-1018
and e-mail [email protected].
ph. You can also visit their website
marinduque.gov.ph.
The face of the Moriones festival, Marinduque’s pride and joy and centerpiece of its tourist calendar. At right is Maniwaya island. Photos: Joven Lilles
34
your money
filipino globe
April 2007
Starting from scratch could be
most suitable option for you
I
f taking up a franchise does
not appeal to you, the next
option is to start your business
from scratch, given the business
opportunity that you see in front of
you. An opportunity presents itself
when there is a utilitarian need that
is unfulfilled as there is no product
available, or where an existing
product is unable to fully satisfy the
need for reasons of price value and/
or performance.
Ideally, the business model is
an idea where you have a skill or
talent for or it is something you are
passionate about. Skill is what you
have gone to school for and trained
further from employment.
Talent is what is natural about you,
given your personality or family
upbringing. So while you may be, for
example, a store clerk by profession,
your acquired ability in sewing
clothes taught by your parents can
become a small business in tailoring.
In a recent study done by the
Department of Foreign Affairs on
OFWs, it was learned that some
76 per cent of the OFWs who go
into business fail in a short time
as many are not familiar with the
business model nor have the skill
to successfully manage the venture.
OFWWISE
be your own boss
Herbie
Sancianco
Managing it by remote control does
not work since the OFW does not
see the real problems on a daily
basis and is therefore unable to make
sound decisions in resolving the
issues.
The business idea should be
studied first no matter how small.
This will give you a fair idea of what
you are getting into, the problems
that may happen along the way and
the possible profits that can be made.
Sizing up the market potential and
risks on paper will enable you to
make a good decision for the amount
of investment you will commit
against the returns it can produce
over the first five years.
The exercise shall also manage
your expectations where your blood
pressure can always be kept in check
and you can sleep soundly at night.
Select your business partners and
managers well. Making the unskilled
wife, a trusted relative or a close but
unqualified friend the business driver
on behalf of the deployed OFW has
proven to be a costly exercise for
many time and again. Marriages and
friendships break up as an added
result.
There should be a formal
organization regardless of the
firm’s size. It will be composed of
people who can be productive for
the business and can be responsible
for the task given to them. They
will have to work for the success of
the business. It is not good enough
that they just be mere caretakers.
They will have to be proactive and
committed. They must share the
vision that the company’s founder
has.
At the end of the day, the business
you put up should work for you and
not the other way around since you
are already working for someone
else.
Herbie Sancianco is a professor in
the graduate school for continuing
education, De La Salle College of
St Benilde, Manila
April 2007
35
Revolutionary wind turbine sets RP debut
A new, cost-effective technology
that harnesses the wind as a
source of alternative energy has
been developed in Hong Kong
and is set to be introduced in the
Philippines.
A Hong Kong company,
Motorwind, developed a unique
wind turbine system adaptable
to urban settings by resolving
all the efficiency issues that
have plagued conventional wind
turbines.
“Wind power is a very mature
technology, but underutilized due
The fruit becomes a beauty soap as papaya is taken through a laboratory process to produce a new Mindanao export. Indonesian women are buying papaya soap in bigger numbers.
Indonesia takes to papaya soap
Demand for the beauty product leaves Mindanao exporters hard-pressed to fill orders
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P
apaya soap is all the rage in
Bitung, Indonesia, creating
opportunities for makers of the
product in Mindanao.
Indonesian women are taking to
the product in such big numbers
exporters are hard-pressed filling
orders this month.
This follows trial sales last March,
which allowed exporters to gauge its
market potential
Sarangani provincial director
Nenita Barroso of the Department of
Trade and Industry said the product
is saleable mostly among Indonesian
women.
“Being conscious of their looks
make beauty products top seller in
the area,” she said.
Together with the papaya soap that
will be shipped to Bitung this month
is activated carbon and other agriproducts.
Barroso said the initial trading
with Bitung was the result of the
collaboration between the local
governments of Jose Abad SantosGlan-Sarangani Cooperation Triangle
(JAGS-CT) in Southern Mindanao
and the Regency of Sangihe in North
Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Both partnership is geared toward
reviving historical trade ties and
expand cross-border cooperation
under the East Asean Growth Area.
Both areas agreed on the
establishment of a regular JAGS
CT-Marore-Tahuna (Sangihe
Regency) shipping linkage through
the expansion of the existing border
crossing agreement between the
Philippines and Indonesia.
This includes the Glan Port and
Tahuna Harbor as additional border
crossing.
Barroso is optimistic trading
between the two areas will flourish
with the port in Glan identified as
transshipment point of goods to other
countries.
She said it was in September 2006
when businessmen from JAGS CT
first made a trip to Bitung and traded
products from the municipalities
covered by the triangle.
Before they went into product
selling, the leaders had sent an
exploratory trade mission to Manado,
Indonesia. Business meetings
produced the first orders.
Singapore taps Philippine
exporters for port products
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filipino globe
the OFW newspaper
The Philippines is preparing to export
about 300 metric tons of pork products to Singapore by June or July this
year.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap
said two Mindanao-based meat processors, Matutom Packaging and
Nenita’s, are seeking to become the
first exporters of the commodity to
the island state.
Yap said Singapore is sourcing some
of its pork needs from the Philippines
because of the country’s status as
foot-and-mouth-disease-free area.
Malaysia is currently Singapore’s
primary source of pork products.
However, it is apparently experiencing some FMD contamination.
Yap said the Office Internationale
de Epizooties earlier declared the entire Visayas and Mindanao regions as
FMD-free.
By May 2008, he said the OIE will
make its decision on whether to declare the entire country as FMD-free.
Yap said Nenita Quality Foods Corp
would make the initial shipment, after
officials of the Singapore’s Agriculture and Veterinary Authority inspected its processing plant. He said this
would be the first time the Philippines
would export pork products.
to various issues [concerning
conventional turbines],” said
Doug Woodring at Motorwave,
which is bringing the Motorwind
technology to the country.
Motorwind’s breakthrough
technology allows it to package
a wind turbine system ideal for
urban consumers.
Its injection molded turbines are
cheap, lightweight, and easy to
handle and capable of generating
energy more efficiently than
conventional turbines.
Conventional wind turbines are
designed for winds of at least 15
miles per, but Motorwind turbines
can operate in a wide range of
wind speeds, and are efficient
in low wind speeds. They can
be used with a local battery, or
plugged into a grid, depending on
local regulations.
The end product is a wind
turbine with operability of up to 80
per cent of the time in both low
and high wind conditions, and at
a price 20 times less than that of
conventional turbines.
Jose Marcelo
36
celebrity
filipino globe
April 2007
Showbiz turns
on star power
as celebrities
court votes
Politics could become a world of
make believe, if it isn’t already
Danny Vibas in Manila
I
f all the candidates in the May 17
elections who are from showbiz
win, then we would have a very
showbiz politics soon – for better
or for worse. Yes, showbiz idols no
longer just campaign for politicians
now: they, too, want to become
political leaders. Again, that’s for
good or bad of the country.
Leading the pack are senatorial
aspirants Cesar Montano, Richard
Gomez, and Tito Sotto who has
had several terms in the past in the
country’s senate.
If we consider TV journalism part
of showbiz, then Loren Legarda
belongs to the bunch of Cesar,
Richard, and Tito. Senator Francis
Pangilinan, better known as Mr
Sharon Cuneta, once did some oncam work for ABS-CBN 2, and may
also be lumped with the showbiz
idols.
Aside from being the husband of
the megastar, Francis is the brotherin-law of pop idol Gary Valenciano
who is married to Francis’ sister,
Angeli.
Richard has made up his mind
about his senatorial bid as an
independent candidate. Some weeks
ago, he considered joining a partylist
instead as a candidate for a Lower
House seat.
Still very much a senator, former
action star Lito Lapid wants to battle
it out with the well-entrenched
Jejomar “Jojo” Binay to be the
chief executive of business-oriented
Makati.
Another ex-action star wants
to be mayor once more: Rey
Malonzo, who was Caloocan
mayor for several terms. One of
his supporters is Cristina Decena, a
rich businesswoman who was once
Phillip Salvador’s live-in girlfriend.
(They parted unpeacefully and
Cristina has sued the ex-action star
for money owed to her by the former
protégé of the late filmmaker Lino
Brocka.)
In the city of Manila, two former
showbiz idols are contesting the
vice-mayoral post: ex-comedienne
Cita Astalls and ex-teen star Ishko
Moreno. Former young star-turnedcharacter actor Robert Ortega is in
the running, too, in that city for some
post or another. He is actually a reelectionist.
In Parañaque, where the mayor
for several terms in the past was
comedian Joey Marquez, comediannoontime show host Anjo Yllana is
seeking reelection as vice-mayor.
His younger brother, sexy actor
Jomari Yllana, filed his certificate
of candidacy to be a councilor of
that city on March 29, the last day
of filing of candidacy for the local
elections – only to back out a few
days after.
Talk has it that his Kuya Anjo
asked him to back out because he
would have to compete against
his (Anjo’s) partymates. Jomari
would have run as an independent.
Girlfriend Pops Fernandez (the
former Mrs Martin Nievera) even
accompanied him when he filed his
candidacy.
Joey Marquez’s ex-wife, actressshowgirl Alma Moreno, dreams of
becoming a councilor of the city
where her ex-husband used to be the
biggest name.
It’s not just in Metro Manila but
also in the nearby provinces that
showbiz idols want to be voted into
public office. Vilma Santos insists
Kiko Pangilinan campaigns alongside megastar wife Sharon Cuneta. Loren Legarda works the crowd and
Richard Gomez flashes a vote-getting smile. Bottom: Vilma Santos announces her candidacy. Aiko Melendez
is running for councilor in Quezon City, while Tito Sotto will try to extend his winning streak in the Senate.
“
Yes, showbiz idols no
longer just campaign
for politicians now:
they, too, want to
become political
leaders
she has been prevailed upon by
the mayors of Batangas to seek
the gubernatorial post there. Her
husband’s older brother, Ricky
Recto, who was once obsessed with
becoming governor as a promotion
from incumbent vice-governor, has
decided to run for Congress instead.
Ate Vi’s husband is, of course,
Senator Ralph Recto, who is seeking
reelection under the administration’s
Team Unity ticket. It looks like
Christopher de Leon will go on to
seek the votes to be Batangas vicegovernor even as an independent
candidate. He was originally meant
to be Ricky Recto’s running mate.
Believe it or not, comedienne
Angelika Jones, who is known to
be a scatterbrain and a wrecker of
English grammar, wants to be a
board member in Laguna.
Balladeer Marco Sison is casting
his lot on becoming the province’s
vice-governor.
Lani Mercado wants to be vicegovernor of Cavite, where husband
Senator Bong Revilla was once
governor.
Ex-actor ER Ejercito (who later
changed his screen name to George
Estregan Jr as he is a son of the late
actor who is a brother of deposed
president Joseph Estrada), if allowed,
may be seeking another term as
mayor of Pagsanjan, Laguna.
Well, that’s entertain ... er, politics,
folks.
filipino globe
April 2007 37
38
celebrity
filipino globe
Anne Curtis
is guarded, as
usual, but she has
once described
Luis Manzano as
someone she would
be willing to marry
someday.
April 2007
Kris keeps off sweets
– and controversy
Danny Vibas in Manila
Look who’s playing
coy and winning big
Anne Curtis and Luis Manzano create a buzz this way, writes Danny Vibas
E
ither Anne Curtis and Luis
Manzano are secret lovers who
want to keep their relationship
untouched by intrigues or they are
just smart enough to make the
public believe that there is something
going on between them somehow
that make their on-cam pairing
exciting.
Anne says they are more than
friends but less than lovers. Luis says
they are soulmates.
And the reason they talk about
their kind of relationship is their
being paired for the second time in
the movie Ang Cute ng Ina Mo in
which the mother is played by the
wacky Ai Ai de las Alas who, in real
life, is a mother of three children of
two different fathers from both of
whom Ai Ai is separated.
Anne plays Ai Ais biological
daughter whose Australian dad took
her to the Land Down Under as a
child.
When the story unfolds, Anne
has come back as a grown up to her
Pinay mother who has brought up an
adopted son (Luìs).
In real life, both admit that they
really were once sweethearts whose
romance turned into a very close
friendship after they broke up. They
assert that their friendship has never
been affected by the romance each of
them later had with others.
Anne says she has no boyfriend
now though she has had well-known
relationships with other actors before
and after her brief romance with Luis
(whom she calls Manzano).
Anne once had for a boyfriend
actors Richard Gutierrez and Oyo
Boy Sotto. Her known non-showbiz
boyfriend was thirtyish Paolo
Araneta, who happens to be a son of
former actress Maritess Revilla.
She is also currently being linked
to the sensational Fil-Am actorsinger Sam Milby simply because
she is in a love triangle with him
and Bea Alonzo in the top-rating
ABS-CBN 2 soap opera Maging Sino
Ka Man (which will be extended
till May, though it was originally
intended to end about first week of
April)
Luis, who is Vìlma Santos’ only
child by ex-husband actor Edu
Manzano, has had only one wellknown showbiz romance, that is
with Fil-Canadian actress Nancy
Castiglione (whose dad is originally
from Italy). Luis must have a thing
for half-breeds because even Anne is
actually a Pinay-Australian.
Luis admits to having once courted
Toni Gonzaga at the time she was
still with the independently produced
Eat Bulaga on GMA 7 but Toni
almost promptly told him that she
was not ready yet for a romantic
relationship with anyone but she is
willing to keep him as a friend. (True
enough, Toni has no boyfriend up to
now, though she has also been linked
to Sam Milby with whom she has
been paired in two movies.)
Anne recently described Luis to the
press as someone I would be willing
to marry someday.
As for Luis, every time the press
grills him about Anne, he always
declares as seriously as he can (for
he can be as wacky and glib as his
daddy Edu): “Anne will always have
a special place in my heart.”
If James Yap doesn’t fall into
temptation again, or if no Hope
Centeno attempts to seduce and
hound him again, his wife Kris
Aquino would almost surely give
birth on May 6.
The youngest child and
daughter of former president
Cory Aquino chose the date
herself, making sure it is a full
week and one day before the
May 14 elections in which older
brother Benigno “Noynoy”
Aquino III is a senatorial
aspirant on the so-called Genuine
Opposition ticket.
She said she does not want her
delivery to distract the family’s
attention from her kuya’s battle
at the polls.
She is due to give birth by
caeasarian section. That’s why
she could choose the date of her
delivery of baby James Yap Jr.
Kris is in her eighth month of
pregnancy.
The ultrasound in the fifth or
sixth month of her pregnancy
showed that the baby in her
womb is a boy, and the couple
decided to name him James Jr.
“Nararamdaman ko na talaga
‘yong pain. ‘Pag sumisipa,
sobrang sakit. Mabigat na ang
tiyan ko pag tumatayo, pag
naglalakad, ‘pag pumupunta sa
banyo, or kaya kung nakaupo
ka while eating, or ‘pag nagkocomputer.
“Then hirap na akong mag-
sleep. Restless ako for the whole
night,” confided the TV hostactress on-leave confided about
her present condition.
The baby n her womb will be
her first with husband James Yap.
She has a son, Joshua, now eight
years old, and a special child,
fathered out of wedlock by now
inactive actor Phillip Salvador.
A month ago, Kris decided to
temporarily leave show business
until she gives birth to Baby
James.
She reasoned that the issues
surrounding her marriage are
affecting her pregnancy.
Hope Centeno, a former
employee of Belo Medical
Group, revealed on national
television that she had an affair
with James.
James denied the allegations.
Since the controversy began,
Kris has been rushed to hospital
twice because of “premature
labor pains,” endangering her
health and that of the baby.
She was also diagnosed with
gestational diabetes, a type of
diabetes that occurs only during
pregnancy.
The doctors have told her
that the baby is underweight,
weighing barely three lbs.
In a recent visit to her doctors,
Kris was told Baby James already
weighed four lbs and was doing
well.
Just the same, though, Kris was
advised to have complete bed rest
and to stay away from sweets.
Kris Aquino and James Yap share a light moment with
Purefoods’ Rene Pardo after a recent PBA game.
Janno at Bing kwidaw pa rin sa stalker na nagsasabing fan siya
Danny Vibas in Manila
Sumabak si Janno Gibbs (kanan) sa
GMA 7 Lupin, na nag-umpisa noon
unang linggo ng buwan. Ito ang
kauna-unahang primetime drama
series ni Janno. Paano napapayag
si Janno na mapabilang sa cast
ng Lupin na pinangununahan nina
Richard Gutierrez, Rhian Ramos, at
Katrina Halili?
“Tinawagan nila ako at in-offer
nga ang role ni Inspector Clavio, inireserve daw nila talaga ‘yon sa akin.
Pero pinag-isipan kong mabuti. Alam
kong mahirap ang taping ng mga
soap, baka maging cause
of delay ako. Hindi ko
naman inililihim na
mahirap ako talagang
dumating nang maaga
sa mga commitments
ko, lalo na kung umaga.
Worried ako na baka
ma-late ako, pero hindi
ko rin natiis,” kuwento
ni Janno.
“Perfect role ‘yon, tumatayo
nang sarili niya ang character kaya
binalikan ko sila [Lupin staff]. Sinabi
ko muna ang worry ko, pero sabi
nila magiging flexible ang schedule
ko. Pwede naman kasi
akong mag-taping ng
lunchtime or after lunch.
“Saka laban naman
ako sa puyatan, may
insomia kasi ako, umaga
na talaga ako natutulog.
In fairness sa akin, nakatwo weeks na rin akong
nagti-taping at wala pa
naman akong naibigay na problema
sa kanila,” natatawang wika ni Janno.
“Naisip ko ring tanggapin ang
offer kasi feeling ko, at this point
in my career, parang masyado na
akong relaxed, wala nang challenge.
Hindi dapat na basta na lang ako
nagpapatawa sa TV o kanta na
lang nang kanta. At para sa akin,
challenge ang paggawa ng isang soap
dahil kailangan mo itong bigyan ng
time. Three times a week kasi ang
taping, hindi tulad ng mga sitcom na
once-a-week lang,” aniya pa.
Kumusta namin ang stalker niya na
ipinahuli nila ni Bing sa pulis some
weeks ago?
“Fan ko raw siya at napatunayan
nang hindi naman siya minor, tulad
ng kini-claim niya. Kilala ko naman
siya na mabait. Nagdadala pa nga
siya ng pagkain kapag may taping
ako dahil tumatawag siya sa akin
kung saan daw ang taping ko,” sabi
ni Janno.
“Ang claim niya, napagtripan
ng mga friends niya ang cell phone
niya at yun nga, kung anu-ano ang
itini-text sa akin. Pero iba na ang
usapan nang may death threats na
silang ipinadadala, kasama na ang
mga anak namin, kaya hindi na kami
nanahimik.
“We are willing to deal with her.
Ang mahalaga, ang kaligtasan ng
mga anak namin [ni Bing]. Hindi pa
rin kami naging kampante, patuloy
namin silang pinababantayan.”
celebrity
filipino globe
April 2007
39
Top network favorites fire up rivalry
Danny Vibas in Manila
ABS-CBN 2’s The Buzz had better
watch out: GMA 7 competitor S
Files will air in a new format and
title starting from April 15. The new
show will be known as Showbiz
Central.
It’s being called a reformat of the S
Files, but most likely, it’s an attempt
to shore up its ratings after reportedly
taking a hammering from The Buzz.
The reformatted show will have the
same production staff but with a new
combination of hosts,
namely, Pia Guanio
(right), John Lapus, and
Raymond Gutierrez.
Also in the cast are DJ
Mo Twister, although
he will be featured in a
segment and won’t be
hosting the entire show.
Talk is that Showbiz
Central will feature “40
Forbidden Questions” which DJ Mo
used to host on his morning show
Good Times With Mo on Magic 89.9.
We doubt that Mo Twister
can pull off his “40
Forbidden Questions”
on-cam. We doubt that
showbiz idols could be as
frank on TV as they are on
radio. May intimidating
effect ang camera.
Ryan Agoncillo was
approached to be one
of the hosts of Showbiz
Central, but he declined because of
prior commitments with ABS CBN.
Interestingly, Agoncillo
So what happens to the other hosts
of S-Files who were not retained in
Showbiz Central?
Richard Gomez left S-Files earlier
when he filed his candidacy as a
party-less senator. Paolo Bediones
will have a primetime game show
after the early evening newscast 24
Oras. Joey Marquez has two new
shows: Fantastic Man, topbilled by
Mark Herras, and which starts airing
on April 14, and Sino’ng Nanay Mo?
which replaces Lagot Ka Isusumbong
Kita, where he was once also among
Superstar
a grandma
again, thanks
to Matet
Danny Vibas in Manila
Former child star Matet de Leon, an
adopted daughter of ex-couple Nora
Aunor and Christopher de Leon,
gave birth to a 6.12-pound baby girl
at St Luke’s Medical Center last
month.
She and husband Mickey Estrada
have named the baby Maria
Cassandra Elliana. She was delivered
by caesarian section.
“Gusto ko kasi lahat ng magiging
babae kong anak may Maria, kasi
ako meron. ‘Yong Cassandra, wala
na akong ibang maisip. Feeling
ko lang, parang maganda ‘yong
pangalan. ‘Yong Elliana ang ibig
sabihin niya ‘My God has answered
me’,” said Matet (below).
The baby is nicknamed Mishka,
and she’s the couple’s third child.
The couple has an older daughter
Maria Michaela
Alexinne. Their
second child,
Miguel, was born
premature and
died soon after
birth.
With her third
child, Matet took
precautions to
ensure the baby’s
safe delivery. In fact, she was awake
during the operation.
Matet said she had not spoken to
her adoptive mother about the good
news yet. The Superstar has been
living in the US where she figured
last year in a drug case – for which
she is on probation.
She said her younger adoptive
brother, Kiko, is now with their
mother in the US. Shortly before
Matet was brought into the delivery
room, she called Kiko and told him
to let their mother know that she was
going to give birth.
Meanwhile, her oldest adoptive
sister, Lotlot de Leon, has petitioned
the court to annul her marriage
to estranged husband Ramon
Christopher Gutierrez, Pilita
Corrales’ son by Eddie Gutierrez
(the father of showbiz idols Tonton.
Ruffa, Richard, and Raymond).
Ian de Leon, the only biological
child of Nora and Christopher, has
long been married to a non-showbiz
girl and is currently a mainstay in the
GMA 7 nightly fantasy adventure
Super Twins, topbilled by Jennylyn
Mercado and Nadine Samonte.
Hesei ad
(film)
the stars, along with Richard Gomez.
Meanwhile, at The Buzz, hosts
Boy Abunda and Cristy Fermin are
quite happy with Ruffa Gutierrez as
a pinch-hitter for the still very much
pregnant but almost fully-recovered
Kris Aquino.
Ruffa really has her own endearing
charm and her own way of asking
probing questions to guests caught
up in one controversy or another.
She graciously handled even the
sharpness of her very own mother,
Annabelle Rama-Gutierrez.
40
celebrity
filipino globe
April 2007
Claudine, ang
pinakamabait
na buntis sa
balat ng lupa
A
ng ganda-ganda ni Claudine
Barretto sa press conference
ng Walang Kapalit, bagong
teleserye niya kasama si Piolo
Pascual sa ABS-CBN 2.
Kahit walang masyadong make-up,
maaliwalas ang mukha niya at fresh
na fresh ang aura.
Akala mo tuloy ay babae ang
kanyang ipinagbubuntis. Pero ayon
sa ultrasound, 80 per cent sure na
na lalaki ito dahil nasa ikaanim na
buwan na siya ng pagbubuntis.
May naiisip nang pangalan sina
Claudine at Raymart sa kanilang
magiging first baby. Two names
ito, pero ’yung first name pa lang
ang naiisip nila na kailangan daw
ay magsimula sa letter “R” bilang
pagsunod sa tradisyon ng mga
Santiago. “Rodrigo” ang naisip nila.
Bakit hindi na lang gawing
“Raymart Junior” ang first baby nila?
Nagulat kami sa sagot ni Claudine.
“Eh hindi naman kasi Raymart ang
real first name ni Raymart. Petname
lang n’ya ang Raymart.
“Ang buo n’yang pangalan ay
Rozelle Raymond Martin – tunog
pambabae ang first name n’ya kaya
ayaw n’yang ipasa yon sa magiging
anak namin.”
Wow, nagulat talaga kami ru’n.
Samantala, dati nang mabait
si Claudine, pero sabi ng co-star
n’yang si Piolo, mas mabait pa si
Claudine ngayong nagdadalantao
siya.
Itinanong namin kay Claudine
kung nag-e-extra effort talaga siya na
April 2007
Whitney Houston gets divorce after 15-year marriage
A judge has granted Whitney
Houston divorce from Bobby
Brown, citing “irreconcilable
differences”.
The divorce takes effect on April
24.
Brown did not appear in the
courtroom. Houston got custody of
their 14-year-old daughter.
Lahat nakapansin sa pagbabago ni
Claudine Barreto sa ugali at ganda
Danny Vibas in Manila
celebrity
filipino globe
Pahinga naman si Claudine para sa dinadalang sanggol matapos lumagare sa taping ng bagong show sa ABS-CBN 2.
maging mas mabait dahil alam nyang
likas na masungit ang mga buntis
dahil sa bigat ng nasa sinapupunan
nila at dahil na rin sa hormonal
changes sa loob ng katawan nila.
“But I dont feel uncomfortable
with my body now dahil nga siguro
magsi-six months pa lang naman ang
tiyan ko,” tugon nya.
Sa Walang Kapalit, may punto
sa istorya na magdadalantao siya
bilang asawa ni Piolo. “Actually,
kinailangan pa ngang dagdagan
ang tiyan ko nung kinunan yung
eksenang yon para mas mahalatang
buntis ako,” pag-iimporma pa ni
Claudine.
Sa July pa siya nakatakdang
magsilang at sa ngayon ay hindi pa
tinitiyak ng mga doktor niya kung sa
normal na paraan siya magsisilang o
sa caesarian section.
“Pero sana normal ang delivery
ko,” asam nya.
Pagkatapos makapanganak, sa
October pa raw ulit ang simula ng
kanyang next soap, kaya she’ll have
enough time para sa kanyang newborn baby.
Ngayong tapos na ang taping,
pahinga na si Claudine hanggang sa
oras ng panganganak.
Bukod kina Piolo at Claudine,
kasama rin sa teleserye sina Amy
Austria, Dina Bonnevie, Edu
Manzano, Lloyd Samartino, TJ
Trinidad, Candy Pangilinan, Bobby
Andrews, Jodi Santamaria-Lacson,
Nikki Valdez, DJ Durano, Victor
Basa, Edda Nolan, Joem Basco,
Sam Concepcion and Julia Barretto
na anak na panganay ng kapatid ni
Claudine na si Marjorie kay Dennis
Padilla.
Julia plays the young Claudine.
Ang istorya kasi ng Walang Kapalit
ay magsisimula sa childhood
nina Claudine at Piolo bilang
stepsister and stepbrother na laging
magkaaway nung mga bata pa pero
mai-in love sa isa’t isa paglaki nila.
The Superior
Court hearing in
Orange, California
was brief, lasting
only about 20
minutes, during
which Houston
told the judge she did not need
spousal or child support to raise her
daughter, Bobbi Kristina.
Houston told the judge that “it’s
very difficult to communicate with
Brown”.
“He’s unavailable ... He doesn’t
keep his word. If he says he’s going
to come, sometimes he comes, most
of the times he doesn’t,” she said.
“His schedule is erratic. I don’t
know where he’s going to be at any
point in time.” When Brown fails
to appear, the couple’s daughter
is “very disappointed,” Houston
added.
The divorce comes six months
from the day Houston filed
papers to end their nearly 15-year
marriage.
How much are
the Jacksons’
memories
really worth?
company Universal Express Inc, of
Boca Raton, Florida, which bought
it last year from a New Jersey
construction company owner.
The former owner, Henry Vaccaro,
claimed a warehouse full of Jackson
memorabilia after a failed business
venture wound up in bankruptcy
court. Michael Jackson and Janet
Jackson sued to stop Vaccaro from
taking ownership, but a Los Angeles
judge threw out Michael Jackson’s
claim in 2006.
Vaccaro’s lawyer, Edgar Pease III,
said that Janet Jackson’s claim to
the items ended with a confidential
settlement in March 2006. Messages
left Wednesday and Thursday with
Janet Jackson’s publicist were not
immediately returned.
Pease claimed during the
unsuccessful prosecution of Michael
Jackson on child molestation charges
that he turned over items from the
warehouse in Oxnard, Calif., to the
Santa Barbara County, Calif., district
attorney’s office that included skin
bleach, soiled underwear, sexual
videotapes and sexual paraphernalia.
Ettinger said parts of the
warehouse collection – mostly
personal and performance belongings
of Michael, Janet, Jermaine, Tito,
TAKEFIVE
Missing Crickey
The wife of late Crocodile
Hunter star Steve Irwin is
struggling to cope with single
parenthood since the death
of her husband after a freak
stingray attack last year.
Terri Irwin expressed her
anguish at Nickelodeon’s 20th
Annual Kids Choice Awards in
Los Angeles.
“It’s extremely difficult,” she
said. “Part of me is still waiting
for the day that he walks
through the door.
“We have so much footage of
Steve and we watch it so it’s like
we almost get to see him every
day. The kids and I have good
days and bad, but you just deal
with it as it comes.”
Foster’s sexuality
Jodie Foster’s sexuality is
under attack again – this time
from one of America’s top gay
magazines.
The editors of Out have put
an image of two models holding
masks of Foster and CNN
newsman Anderson Cooper
over their faces on the cover of
the upcoming May issue, over
the headline: “The Glass Closet:
Why the stars won’t come out
and play.”
The lifestyle magazine’s May
issue features a list of America’s
most influential gay men and
women.
But editors couldn’t resist
taking a swipe at Foster, who
has been the subject of lesbian
rumors for years.
Michael Jackson considers court order to stop
auction of memorabilia from group’s heyday
Michael Jackson’s gold record award
for the Thriller album, a Victory Tour
program signed by Jackson family
members, and handwritten lyrics for
the 1970 Jackson Five hit ABC are
among the items to be auctioned next
month unless the entertainer moves
to block the sale.
Arlan Ettinger, founder and
president of Guernsey’s Auction
House, compared plans to sell more
than 1,100 Jackson family items May
30-31 to an auction of Elvis Presley
Graceland memorabilia he conducted
in Las Vegas in 1999.
“It certainly is in that sphere of
landmark, high profile, extraordinary
auctions,” Ettinger.
A representative of Michael
Jackson said the pop icon was
considering legal action to stop the
auction planned for the Hard Rock
hotel resort in Las Vegas, according
to Associated Press.
“Mr Jackson was not aware
and he is extremely upset that
his memorabilia was included
amongst the memorabilia that is
being auctioned off,” said Raymone
Bain, Jackson’s spokeswoman in
Washington, DC.
Ettinger said the collection was
owned by luggage transportation
41
Lindsay dream role
Michael Jackson’s memorabilia from his Thriller and Bad tours are part
of the items to be sold at auction, unless he opposes the sale in court.
La Toya, and other family members
– would be previewed to the media
at Guernsey’s Auction House in New
York.
They included a white fedora,
believed to be from Michael
Jackson’s 1987 Bad album music
video, to brother Randy Jackson’s
futuristic 1984 stage boots.
He said other items date to the
1960s, when Jackie, Tito, Jermaine,
Marlon and Michael toured as The
Jackson Five. Included are a test
pressing of the 1969 hit I Want You
Back, the first No 1 single for The
Jackson Five.
Also offered will be Marlon
Jackson’s glitter jacket, costumes
from the five boys’ appearance on
Sonny and Cher’s television show in
1974, and a Mae West costume worn
by a young Janet Jackson performing
with all nine Jackson children at the
MGM Grand hotel in 1974.
Michael Jackson has been living
in Las Vegas while he evaluates
proposals for a comeback after his
June 2005 acquittal in Santa Barbara
County. His father, former Jackson
Five manager Joe Jackson who also
lives in Las Vegas, did return calls
seeking comment.
Clooney’s US$20 lemonade
A group of kids on spring break
thought setting up a lemonade stand
near George Clooney’s movie set
might be a good idea.
They were right.
The star paid US$20 for his
lemonade, which 10-year-old Carter,
six-year-old Chandler and five-yearold Chase Fontaine were selling for
25 cents.
Clooney made his way over to the
lemonade stand after shooting scenes
for Leatherheads, a movie about the
early days of professional football
that he is directing and acting in.
The boys’ mother, Courtney
Fontaine, offered Clooney the
lemonade for free. He had posed for
pictures with her and some other
women. But Clooney insisted on
paying, sending someone over with a
US$20 bill.
Chandler enjoyed telling
people afterwards that Clooney’s
representative didn’t want any
change. Before long, Carter had
made another sign that read, “George
Clooney was here!” and planted it at
the road.
The boys had a field day fielding
questions from other kids. They paid
25 cents for their lemonade.
Hollywood starlet Lindsay Lohan
(below) is desperate to play
Diana, Princess of Wales in a
movie about the tragic royal’s
life.
Lohan has confessed playing
Diana--who was killed in a
Paris car crash
in 1997– is her
dream movie
role.
She says,
“It would be
amazing. She
gave back a
lot and was an
amazing woman.”
Earlier this year, Lohan’s
mother Dina expressed her fears
Lindsay would die in a similar
manner to Diana, because she is
pursued by paparazzi.
Johansson coy
Scarlett Johansson is keeping
coy about her reported
relationship with Justin
Timberlake, insisting the press
will link them regardless.
The Lost in Translation beauty
is said to have enjoyed a brief
fling with the pop star earlier
this year following his split from
Cameron Diaz in January.
But Johansson refuses to
confirm the relationship, adding
the reports were inevitable.
She says: “We live in a world
today where if two people are
single – and one’s a guy and
one’s a girl and they’re both
famous – with somebody.
“If it’s somebody one week,
it’s going to be somebody else
the next week. It’s either me or
Jessica Biel.”
42
celebrity
filipino globe
April 2007
Making fame – and fortune
It’s fabulous, growing and defies belief, but wealth is the lot of celebrities, writes Loi Liwanag
N
ow get this, young ladies. It’s
not how old you are but how
well you do that counts in
money matters.
Well, may be not always, but
you could take it from the Olsen
twins, who know a thing or two
about making a few million dollars
– US$100 million, to be exact.
“They’ve converted their
supporting roles on a middling 1980s
sitcom into a retail empire,” Forbes
reports in its latest listing of the
richest women celebrities.
The 20-year-old twins preside over
Dualstar Entertainment, a chain of
retail shops selling Olsen-branded
products. Last year’s sales topped
US$1 billion, Mary-Kate and Ashley
two of the wealthiest young women
on the planet.
Celebrity and business are also a
good fit for Jennifer Lopez, whose
fashion and perfume lines ad up to a
net worth of US$110 million.
With more than 200 million albums
sold worldwide, Madonna sits on a
fortune estimated at US$325 million,
three times that of Britney Spears,
whose Baby One More Time album
helped catapult her to the US$100
million league.
The richest actress on the list
is Julia Roberts, who built her
estimated $140 million fortune film
by film.
The Pretty Woman star was the first
actress in Hollywood to command a
US$20 million-per-film paycheck,
a fairly common salary for male
superstars like Will Smith and
Johnny Depp.
Other actresses who make the list
largely due to their film fees are
Nicole Kidman and Cameron Diaz.
Sandra Bullock, who checks in at No
14 on the list, supplemented movie
earnings by producing the ABC
sitcom The George Lopez Show,
which went into syndication last
year.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling
enjoys millions of dollars in royalties
and merchandising revenues from the
incredibly successful film adaptations
of her books; and supermodel Gisele
Bundchen, a fixture of Victoria’s
Secret catalogs, earned her US$70
million fortune not just from
modeling, but also from a line of
successful sandals sold in Brazil.
Martha Stewart’s fortune fluctuates
wildly, but her nearly US$650
million fortune is based almost
entirely on the 28 million shares
she owns in Martha Stewart Living
Omnimedia, a media company that
owns the eponymous TV program.
Although her brief stint in prison
forced her to relinquish the chief
executive title, she still collects US$2
million a year in salary and bonuses.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (above) are the youngest celebrity on the
list, topped by Oprah Winfrey (top right). Others on the rich list are Julia
Roberts, the wealthiest actress, and Britney Spears.
Already boasting US$250 million,
Canadian singer Celine Dion lifted
her stock with an exclusive five-year
gig at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.
Dion’s stationary extravaganza is
more profitable than one that requires
paying roadies in every major city in
the world. An estimated 140 million
albums sold worldwide has not hurt
her bottom line either. Her single My
Heart Will Go On, the theme song
for the blockbuster Titanic, sold over
15 million copies alone.
Mariah Carey’s career exploded in
1990 with her debut album released
under the guidance of Columbia
Records’ boss Tommy Mottola.
The two endured a tempestuous
five-year marriage before divorcing
in 1998. Her career was seriously
derailed with the 2001 release of
Glitter, a critically slammed semiautobiographic sound track and
movie.
A year later, Columbia bought
out her contract for a reported
US$28 million. No one could
“
Mary-Kate and
Ashley Olsen have
converted their
supporting roles on a
middling 1980s sitcom
into a retail empire
FORBES MAGAZINE
On the 20-year-old Olsen twins
have anticipated her extraordinary
comeback in 2005 with the
bestselling The Emancipation of
Mimi. To date, the pop diva has sold
160 million albums and her net worth
has ballooned to US$225 million.
As the youngest of the famous
Jackson clan, Janet Jackson has
always enjoyed the spotlight. But it
wasn’t until 1986, with the release of
her breakout, platinum-selling album
Control, that she came into her own.
Since then, Michael’s kid sister
has sold over 50 million records
worldwide and landed 10 No 1
singles on Billboard’s Hot 100. Tours
have proven a substantial cash cow
for the seasoned performer, and she
hits the road again in March.
But the mother of all celebrity
money spinners has to be Oprah
Winfrey.
Reared in poor, rural Mississippi,
Oprah today is the richest woman
in entertainment and the only black
female billionaire (estimated net
worth: US$1.5 billion)
In the late 1980s, following
the debut of her super-successful
syndicated talk show, Oprah earned
US$2 million a year.
Today, she pockets an estimated
US$225 million annually from TV
(including shows starring Dr. Phil
McGraw and Rachael Ray, produced
by Oprah’s Harpo Productions),
satellite radio, magazines and other
multimedia endeavors.
Smith doc
investigated
over drug
prescription
The Medical Board of California is
investigating a Los Angeles doctor
who, according to documents,
authorised all 11 prescription
medications found in Anna Nicole
Smith’s hotel room the day the starlet
died of a drug overdose.
Dr Khristine Eroshevich, a Los
Angeles psychiatrist and friend of the
former Playboy Playmate, is under
investigation, board spokeswoman
Candis Cohen said.
Cohen declined to provide other
details.
On Wednesday, Cohen would not
comment on a possible investigation,
saying such information was not
public record.
Repeated calls to Eroshevich
Wednesday and Thursday were not
returned.
According to documents from
the medical examiner’s office in
Florida, Eroshevich authorised all
the prescription medications in the
Florida hotel room where Smith was
found unresponsive shortly before
her death on Feb. 8.
Eroshevich had traveled with
Smith to Florida.
More than
600 pills,
including
450 muscle
relaxants,
were missing
from
prescriptions
that were no
more than
five weeks
old, according to the documents,
according to Associated Press.
Meantime, two diaries penned by
Smith have thrown new light on her
battles with weight, depression and
her aging husband.
The journals, written in the early
1990s, reveal how the former
Playboy playmate was exasperated
by oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall
II’s constant calling, and endured
constant pressure to stay thin.
In one entry she writes: “I’ve
been really stressed out lately and
depressed and I can’t quit eating.
I feel like a pig. Howard has been
buying me some jewelry but he
calls me 15 or 20 times a day – it
drives me crazy. I love him but he
aggravates me sometimes.”
The memoirs have only recently
been made available and are among
several pieces of Smith memorabilia
going up for public auction later this
month by Heritage Auction Galleries
of Dallas.
Star Trek star ‘Scotty’ gets his final wish
The ashes of James Doohan, who
played chief engineer Montgomery
“Scotty” Scott on the original “Star
Trek” TV series, have been loaded
into a rocket that is set to launch in
New Mexico later this month.
The remains of Doohan, Mercury
astronaut Gordon Cooper and some
200 others were loaded into the
rocket on Friday by Charles Chafer,
chief executive of Celestis, a Texas
company that contracts with rocket
firms to send cremated remains into
space. “And we’re ready to go,”
Chafer said after inserting the silver
canister.
Jerry Larson, president of
Connecticut-based UP Aerospace
Inc., said the rocket will be launched
April 28.
Families paid $495 to have a few
grams of their loved one’s ashes
placed on the rocket. Chafer said
he’s aware of the dedication of “Star
palakasan
filipino globe
Trek” fans. “There’s no doubt that
we’ll find a way to accommodate
fans who travel here and want to be
part of that experience,” he said.
Doohan died in July 2005 at age
85. The remains of “Star Trek”
creator Gene Roddenberry were
blasted into space in 1997.
April 2007
43
Masigabong
pagbubunyi
ang hatid ni
Ronnie Alcano
(dulong
kaliwa) sa mga
tagumpay niya.
Pagdating sa
laro, taimtim
at seryoso ito,
tulad ng laban
na ito sa isang
kampeonato.
Hindi mapigil
ang tagumpay
ni Ron Alcano
Matapos dominahin ang mundo, wala pa rin
tigil ang hari ng bilyar. Ulat ni Celeste Maring
M
alayo na nga ang narating
ni Ronato Alcano. Mula
sa patambay-tambay
lamang sa mga bilyaran, kilala
at kinatatakutan na rin si Alcano
sa larangan ng bilyar. Madalas,
inihahanay na nga siya sa maalamat
na si Django Bustamante at idolo
niyang si Efren “Bata” Reyes.
Kamakailan ay nagdagdag siya
ng karangalan sa dumarami na
niyang tropeo makaraang sikwatin
ang kampeonato sa World 8-ball
championship na ginawa sa Fujaira,
United Arab Emirates.
“Suwerte lang talaga, nagkataon
na maganda yung mga tira ko,” wika
ni Alcano na kamakailan ay binigyan
ng bagong kotse ng isa sa kanyang
sponsor dahil sa panalo nito.
Halos walang ginawang
mali si Alcano sa kanyang
pakikipagsapalaran sa UAE laban
sa kapuwa-Pilipino na si Dennis
Orcollo sa finals ng torneo.
Pinabagsak ni Alcano ang kanyang
roommate at kaibigan na si Orcollo
sa championship round ng torneo.
“Maganda rin naman ang nilaro
ni Dennis, kaya nga lang hindi niya
na-sustain sa huli,” wika ni Alcano
na marami ang pinahanga sa istilo
ng laro.
Ngunit, kumusta na nga ba si
Alcano makaraang manalo ng
world 9-ball championship noong
nakaraang taon?
Maging si Orcollo ay humanga rin
sa malaking ipinagbago ng laro ni
Alcano.
“Malaki na ang kumpiyansa niya
sa kanyang sarili pagdating sa laro.
Pero ganun pa rin siya na mapagbiro
at down-to-earth kapag wala sa
kompetisyon. Yun nga lang mas
makikita mo na pokus talaga siya
ngayon,” wika ni Orcollo.
“Kita naman sa nangyari dun
sa finals ng 8-ball, hindi siya
nawawala sa pokus kahit pa
minsan pumapalpak yung tira
niya, determinado talaga,” wika ni
Orcollo.
Ngunit, ano man ang pagpuri
ni Orcollo ay pilit na itinatabi ni
Alcano.
“Nataon lang talaga. At saka gusto
kong sumunod sa yapak ni idol [Bata
Reyes]. Pero siyempre matagal
pa bago ko marating kahit kalahati
ng alam niya,” sabi ni Alcano na
nakuha ang kampeonato sa 8ball championship apat na buwan
makaraang mapanalunan ang World
9-Ball championship.
Naiuwi ni Alcano ang top prize
na US$25,000 habang US$12,000
naman ang kay Orcollo.
Sa panalo, nakalinya na si Alcano
sa mga world 8-ball champions sa
Asya na sina Reyes at Wu Chia
Ching ng China. Nanalo si Reyes
noong 1999 habang si Wu ay noong
2005.
Maaaring marami nang nagbago
sa buhay ni Alcano. Pero, nananatili
pa rin ang kanyang dating ugali at
kinagawian na dala-dala niya kahit
noong hindi pa siya isang world
champion. “Unang-una yung pageensayo, dedicated ako sa laro kaya
palagian akong nag-eensayo.”
At kahit na pinagkakaguluhan
siya ng mga panatiko sa bilyar,
sinabi niyang hindi pa rin siya
sanay sa pagiging popular. “Minsan
nakakailang pa rin, hindi ko minsan
alam kung ano ang ikikilos ko.”
44
palakasan
filipino globe
April 2007
From good to great, nationals must now learn the drill
Tito Talao in Manila
The Philippine team has to be anything but less than wonderful if it is
to successfully scale one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Great
Wall of China.
As an ancient Chinese proverb
goes, only the worthy can walk the
length of the Great Wall.
In Mid-March, the core of a 12man, all-pro national team took the
first steps to worthiness, with a berth
in the 2008 Beijing Olympics their
ultimate goal and survival for the
next five months of rigorous training
their personal mission.
More than two years after a vision
to return to the Olympic Games first
saw light, then blurred by the suspension meted by the International
Basketball Federation (Fiba), stars
from the Philippine Basketball As-
sociation summoned
by national coach Chot
Reyes reported for
practice at the Moro
Lorenzo Sports Center,
the state-of-the-art facility inside the Ateneo
campus on Katipunan
Avenue in Quezon
City.
Heeding the call were Asi Taulava, Renren Ritualo and Jimmy
Alapag of Talk ‘N Text, Mick Pennisi of Red Bull, Danny Seigle and
Dondon Hontiveros of San Miguel
Beer, Ranidel de Ocampo of Air21,
Kerby Raymundo of Purefoods, and
Tony dela Cruz of Alaska.
Also in attendance for Day One
of training were alternates Rico Villanueva of Red Bull and Romel Adducul of San Miguel.
The Kings’ dynamic duo, Mark
Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand, were expected to
be back from vacation in
the States within the week
– Helterbrand from South
Carolina and Caguioa from
California.
Two other alternates,
Ginebra’s Rafi Reavis, who
is scheduled for surgery, and
Rudy Hatfield, who begged off from
the national team due to his forthcoming wedding, were unable to
make it.
Seigle, the Beermen’s hotshot
forward, was present but running
a slight fever and did not join the
45-minute abdominal stretching exercise and the ensuing weights, running and shooting drills.
Prior to its disbandment, of the
12-man RP squad that won the Brunei Cup in August last year, only six
– Hontiveros, Taulava, Pennisi, Ritualo, Seigle and De Ocampo – remain.
“The guys you see here will be the
guys you’ll be living with for the
next five months until we get to Japan,” said Reyes during team huddle
prior to the start of the five-days-aweek regimen.
Tokushima, Japan is the site of the
Fiba-Asia men’s championship, the
pre-Olympics qualifying tournament
from July 26 to August 5.
The team will compete in the
Southeast Asian Basketball Association tournament in Ratchaburi, Thailand May 24-28, using the regional
competition to qualify for the FibaAsia and complete preparations for
the Tokushima championship, where
the nationals need to win the title
or finish second to China to get an
Olympic invite.
Nagkaalaman
sa galing sa
unang labas ng
PBA imports
“No sacrifice is bigger than to play
for flag and country, and I thank you,
guys,” said PBA commissioner Noli
Eala, exhorting them afterward: “Remember, fellows, eight-eight-eight.”
The Olympics unfolds on August
8, 2008.
A Philippine basketball team last
saw action in the Olympic Games
in 1972 in Munich, where Muslim
terrorists called Black September
scaled the walls of the Athletes’
Village and held hostage and later
killed half a dozen Israeli athletes
and coaches.
The nationals, under coach Ning
Ramos and led by Robert Jaworski,
finished 13th with three wins and six
losses.
Russia won the championship. The
United States, behind future NBA
star Doug Collins, took the silver
medal.
Impresibo sa
unang laro pa
lamang si Shawn
Daniels, kaya
naman nakaamba
ang triple double
sa tuwing siya’y
nasa loob ng
basketball court.
May linaw na kung sino ang matitira
at sino ang bibigyan ng ticket pauwi
Tito Talao in Manila
S
a unang mga laro pa lamang
ng mga imports sa Philippine
Basketball Association Fiesta
Conference ay makikita na agad
kung sino ang dodomina at kung alin
naman ang bibigyan agad ng ticket
pauwi.
Pawang kumikinang ang
kredensyal ng mga reinforcement
balik-PBA man o baguhan. Pero
hindi nakikita sa papel ang husay ng
import kundi sa basketball court.
Kahit pa balik-import o baguhan,
sino kaya ang tatagal sa laban?
Itinuturing si James Penny ng
Red Bull bilang sukatan kung
gaano kagaling ang mga imports.
Taliwas sa ibang imports, hindi
na kinakailangan pa ni Penny na
gamayin ang kanyang koponan dahil
ito ang ikalawang asignature niya sa
Energy Drinkers.
Sa kanyang mga naunang
laro sa Red Bull sa kaagahan ng
komperensya, ipinamalas na naman
ni Penny ang husay niya sa depensa
na kinakailangan ng Red Bull.
Ngayon pa lamang ay nakalista na
ang pangalan ni Penny sa listahan ng
kandidato para sa Best Import.
Isang balik-import naman si
Roselle Ellis, ang tumataguyod
bilang import ng Alaska. Noon pa
man ay nagpamalas na ng katatagan
at pagiging epektibo sa crunch time
si Ellis. Sa husay niya sa depensa,
marami na agad ang nagsasabi na
“
Pawang kumikinang
ang kredensyal ng
mga reinforcement
balik-PBA man o
baguhan. Pero hindi
nakikita sa papel ang
husay ng import kundi
sa laro. Sino kaya ang
tatagal sa kanila?
title contender na agad ang Alaska
Milk.
Maituturing na isa sa do-it-all
type na import si Shawn Daniels ng
Air21. Sa unang mga laro pa lamang
niya sa koponan ay kita agad sa
kanya ang pagiging agresibo kaya’t
laging nakaamba ang pagkakaroon
niya ng triple double. Inaasahang isa
si Daniels sa magpapahirap sa ibang
koponan tulad ng ginawa niya noong
nakaraang taon nang hilahin niya sa
ikatlong puwesto ang Air21.
Hindi mapagsidlan ang tuwa ng
Barangay Ginebra sa kanilang
nabingwit na import.
Kumakamada ng matinding
numero si Rod Neally na kayang
umiskor at mag-rebound. Sa
unang mga laro nito sa koponan
ay nanggulat ito sa pagtatala ng
matinding iskor kasama na ang
pagpapabagsak agad sa defending
champion na Red Bull.
Hindi dapat husgahan si Anthony
Johnson sa kanyang itsura lamang.
Maaaring hindi ito kasinglapad ng
ibang import pero ito naman ang
dahilan ng kanyang bilis. Mahusay
na slasher ang dating Louisiana
Lafayette Ragin’ Cagun.
Pinalitan ni Marquin Chandler si
Jesse King na hindi naging impresibo
sa mga unang laban ng Purefoods.
Muling ipinapamalas ni Chandler
ang kanyang all-around abilities
tulad nang ginawa niya noong
nakaraang taon.
Big-time scorer at mahusay na
rebounder si Chandler. Bukod dito
ay napaka-versatile ni Chandler at
walang dudang siya ang go-to-guy
muli ng Purefoods.
Hindi gaanong impresibo ang
performance ni Rock Winston ng Sta
Lucia Realty. Maliit siya kumpara
sa ibang mga import at habang
isinusulat ito ay wala pa siyang
gaanong naipapakita maliban sa pagangat sa Realtors kontra sa underman
na Purefoods.
Isa pa sa mahusay na
reinforcement ay si JJ Sullinger ng
Talk ‘N Text. Maituturing na well-
rounder player si Sullinger. Kung
maaayos lamang niya ang kanyang
shot selection, tiyak na lalo pa niyang
matutulungan ang kanyang koponan
Ito ang unang komperensya
ni Charles Clark, ang import ng
Welcoat, sa abroad. Malaki at
maskulado si Clark na bagama’t
hindi gaanong mahusay ang inilaro
sa naunang mga asignatura ay untiunti nang humuhusay.
Hindi naging maganda ang debut
ni Paul McMillan para sa San
Miguel Beer. Pero unti-unti naman
siyang bumabawi. Naipapakita na
niya ang husay niya sa scoring at
depensa. Tiyak na may ibubuga pa si
McMillan.
palakasan
filipino globe
April 2007
45
Nakaabang na sa susunod na laban
Haharapin pa ni Pacman si Jorge Solis, ngunit marami na ang nakahilera para makatunggali siya, ayon sa ulat ni Celeste Maring
H
indi pa man naibababa ang
telon sa April 14 na laban ni
Manny Pacquiao kay Jorge
Solis sa Alamodome, Texas, naghuhumiyaw at nakapila na ang mga
gustong makalaban si Manny Pacquiao.
Nakaabang na agad si Juan Manuel
Marquez na kagagaling lamang sa panalo at si Edwin Valero na nabigong
makaharap ang tinaguriang “People’s
Champion” dahil sa hindi pagkakasundo ng kanilang mga handler.
Para sa mga eksperto sa boksing,
na kay Pacquiao ang lawak ng karanasan, bilis at mala-aserong baba bukod
pa sa lalong nagiging agresibo ang
istilo nito kumapara sa mga nauna
niyang laban.
Sa huling panalo ni Marquez laban
kay Marco Antonio Barrera, sinabi
nito na nakahanda siya sa rematch kay
Pacquiao na maaaring magpabago at
magpaningas na muli sa lumalamlam
na career ng Mexicano.
Matagal nang nais ni Marquez na
isagawa ang rematch kay Pacqauiao
lalo na at sa unang paghaharap ng
mga ito noong 2004 ay tatlong beses
na bumagsak si Marquez bago ang
kontrobersyal na draw. Para kay
Marquez, isang tinik si Pacquiao.
“It is like a small thorn in a lion’s
paw,” sabi ni Marquez. “I want to remove that thorn, of drawing with Pacquiao, from my paw.”
Nagkaroon na ng negosasyon
noon para sa rematch nina Pacquiao
at Marquez, pero hindi pumayag ang
kampo ng huli sa premyong ibinib
igay ng Top rank, sa halip, lumaban
si Marquez kay Chris John sa mas
mababang premyo. Natalo si Marquez sa laban.
Namumuro si Pacquiao sa laban
niya kay Solis, kung saan inaasahan
siyang magtatagumpay. Ito’y isang
palatandaan na hindi sa labang ito nakatutok ang mga apisyunado kundi sa
susunod niyang malaking laban.
Mas matindi ang kahilingan sana
ng mga boxing fans sa PacquiaoMarc Antonio Barrera rematch, pero
tinanggihan na ito ni Barrera na isa
ring Mexicano at sinabing balak na
niyang magretiro ngayong taon.
“I am past that fight,” sabi ni Barrera. “I wanted it. But if it does not
happen, it does not happen. I am looking to retire this year.”
Pinabagsak ni Pacquiao si Barrera sa 11th round ng kanilang laban
noong 2003 sa San Antonio, Texas.
Isa pang nagnanais na makaharap
ang Filipino world champion ay si
Edwin Valero na minsan nang naasar
kay Pacquiao na nagsabing tanging
mga “taxi driver” lamang ang kayang
kalabanin ni Valero.
Sadsad si Manuel Marquez kay Pacquiao sa naunang laban. Si Jorge
Solis (kaliwa, ibaba) naman ngayon ang nakasalang habang nakahilera
sina Marco Antonio Barrera (gitna) at Edwin Valero.
“
It is like a small thorn
in a lion’s paw. I
want to remove that
thorn, of drawing
with Pacquiao,
from my paw
JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ
On another shot at Pacquiao
“I want Manny next. I hope [Bob]
Arum is listening. I don’t want to hear
Manny a lot of excuses to fight me
this time. If our fight will happen, he
will realize that he too is a cab driver,”
sabi ni Valero.
Si Valero, isang heavy-handed
fighter pero mahina ang depensa,
ay nanalo kamakailan kay Mexican
Michael Lozada para mapanatili ang
World Boxing Association (WBA)
super featherweight crown.
Kung tutuusin, mas liyamado si
Pacquiao sa kredensyal kumpara kay
Valero.
Sa limang taong pagboboksing ni
Valero, 25 anyos, nagtala na ito ng 21
panalo na ang 19 ay pawing knockout sa unang rounds. Bagama’t may
21 fights si Valero, 31 rounds lamang
ang kabuuang laban nito sa kanyang
career kumpara kay Pacquiao na nakatatanda ng tatlong taon pero may
242 career rounds na.
GAB steps up crackdown after Pinoy boxer dies in Thailand mismatch
Boxing officials have stepped
up their crackdown on dubious
fights after a young Filipino boxer
died in a “horrific mismatch” in
Thailand.
Games and Amusements Board
chairman Eric Buhain said he
had received the support of Thai
authorities in his efforts to stop
the smuggling of Filipino boxers
for fights outside the country.
Buhain announced the renewed
initiative in the wake of the death
of Lito Sisnorio after a fight in
Thailand with local hero Chatchai
Sasakul.
Sisnorio was knocked
unconscious in the fourth round
and suffered brain hemorrhage.
He died following brain surgery.
Thailand’s top boxing official
assured Buhain of his support in
putting an end to mismatches and
other unscrupulous practices that
endanger the lives of fighters.
Buhain sent emissaries to
Thailand to investigate the
circumstances behind Sisnorio’s
death after conflicting reports
about Sisnorio’s preparedness
and the conduct of the fight
Reports said the contest was
a total mismatch and that the
Filipino was unqualified to fight
Chatchai, a former world flyweight
champion with a record of 37
knockouts in 58 wins, with three
losses.
Sisnorio, who had lost his three
previous fights, had five wins in
11 outings.
“I feel very strongly about the
death of Sisnorio. We don’t want
these mismatches. We have
been warning the promoters in
Thailand. Now, we will check
every fight, even the warm-up
bouts and the undercard fights,”
said Thailand’s top boxing official,
General Kovit Bhakdibhumi, who
is also vice-president of the World
Boxing Council.
“I don’t care if the promoters are
unhappy. That’s not important.
We have to protect the fighters as
best we can.”
Buhain sent Commissioner
Angel Bautista and boxing
division chief Dr Nasser Cruz to
Bangkok to make inquiries about
the tragedy.
They were expected to meet
Philippine Ambassador to
Thailand, Thai boxing officials
and the Thai promoter of the fight,
known only as Virat.
Buhain said he was keen to
meet his Thai counterpart to
see how their agencies can
Raul Acedre
cooperate.
46
palakasan
filipino globe
April 2007
Keeping
score
with NBA
royalty
–
Night the Knicks wilted under Chamberlain’s 100
Wilt Chamberlain (right)
exploded into the history books
with the first – and only – 100point game in the NBA.
The beneficiary of his
towering performance were the
Philadelphia Warriors, where
he played center, and at the
receiving end were the New York
Knicks.
Although a meaningless
late-season match, the game
was notable as much for what
Chamberlain did in it, as for what
he did before it.
Chamberlain had been out
partying with a girlfriend the
night before and had hardly
had sleep when he blew into
the Hersheypark Arena in
Hershey, Pennsylvania on the
night of March 2, 1962 with a
It’s a sure shot
Jordan has a
successor in
Kobe Bryant
big hangover. He had boarded
the train to Philadelphia in the
morning, met friends in the train
station and had a long lunch with
them, missing the team bus to
Hershey.
When all was said and done,
the Warriors had won a minor
battle in a 169-147 pasting of the
Knicks. Their combined score
(316) was a record at the time.
Reggie Amigo in Hong Kong
Kobe Bryant asserts
his authority while
Michael Jordan
acknowledges fans
after a sterling
performance.
Here’s where the comparisons start
Rodel Almazan in New York
I
s Kobe Bryant the new Michael
Jordan? Yes, could be the short
answer, but there’s more.
Bryant is already proving better
than Jordan in certain aspects of the
game, at par in leadership qualities
and perhaps pulling closer in the
money stakes.
Like Jordan, Bryant is an allrounder, and there the comparisons
grow and take a life of their own.
At-will scoring is a hallmark of
both men as are playmaking and
opening up opportunities for the next
man.
“They’re a statistician’s kind
of players,” NBA analyst Carlos
Redondo, said. “They just pile it on.
After all, this is a game of numbers.”
Where Bryant outshines Jordan is
in the scoring department, the one
area in the game where careers are
built or broken.
Bryant’s scoring spree over the
past week should put to rest any
lingering doubts that he is the best
player in the NBA.
Better than Steve Nash, who is
the best point guard, but not the
lethal force that Bryant is. Better
than Dwyane Wade, who is certainly
closer to the Jordan-Bryant level than
LeBron James, but Wade’s game is
not as polished as Bryant’s.
Bryant’s streak of four straight
50-points-plus games is something
none of those players can do, and it’s
something that has not been done
since Wilt Chamberlain, who had an
NBA-record seven straight 50-point
games.
Truthfully, Bryant should have
tacked another 50 on Golden State in
a recent outing.
The idea that Bryant is better than
Jordan – or even the best player in
this league – is repugnant to some
fans.
Even though Bryant has proven
himself under pressure countless
times, he gets the A-Rod treatment.
Bryant can’t please anyone. And
“
Jordan and Bryant
are a statistician’s
kind of players. They
just pile it on. After all,
this is a game
of numbers
CARLOS REDONDO
NBA analyst
it doesn’t help that most people
suffer from revisionist history when
it comes to Jordan, forgetting that
he was just as poor a teammate and
a ball hog and that he ran off coach
Doug Collins like Bryant ran off Phil
Jackson the first time.
Bryant will never be forgiven for
Shaq O’Neill’s departure, but Jordan
would also have had ego issues
playing alongside a player with
Shaq’s star power.
Besides a different level of media
scrutiny, there was definitely a
difference in the level of competition
during Jordan’s heyday compared to
now.
Yesterday’s NBA player certainly
was more fundamentally sound,
but there’s no question that today’s
player is bigger, stronger and faster.
When Jordan played, he was a
singular force that could not be
equalled.
Jordan was guarded by the likes
of John Starks and Joe Dumars, who
were fine players but were not nearly
as skilled or physically imposing
as James, Wade, Tracy McGrady or
even Vince Carter.
The NBA is tougher now.
Bryant, like Jordan, is surrounded
with mediocre to below-average
talent, and Phoenix, Dallas and San
Antonio are all better than the Utah,
Portland and the Charles Barkley-led
Phoenix team that Jordan met in the
NBA Finals.
Hakeem Olajuwon, David
Robinson and Patrick Ewing will be
among the best centers ever, but none
of them affected the league the way
Shaq and Tim Duncan have.
There are two two-time MVPs in
Bryant’s own conference (Duncan
and Nash), which is a problem
Jordan never faced during his
championship runs.
Seven-footers were not launching
3s back then. Magic Johnson and the
Lakers were on a downward spiral,
and the Pistons were on their last
legs. It was Jordan and everyone
else. That’s not the case for Bryant.
If offense is king, NBA royalty
would put Wilt Chamberlain as
supreme monarch and everyone else
would be princes and pretenders to
the crown.
Michael Jordan would sit on one
side of the throne and Kobe Bryant
on the other.
Player agent Thomas Moorer
puts it more succinctly: “They’re
the unholy trinity of professional
basketball, if you will.”
Yet, a player’s real worth is not
measured by how much he dumps in
a game but by how well he creates
opportunities and shares them with
the team.
For most of us, however, only one
piece of statistics matters: the field
goal.
It is in the mesmerising hold of
the three-point shot, the thumping
triumph of the overhead dunk and the
gut-ripping tug of the drive that we
view the game in its best perspective.
Chamberlain had none of the first,
many of the second and several of
the third. Imagine if he had all three
weapons at his disposal when he
reigned in the 1960s.
Jordan and Bryant can thank the
dramatic changes in the way points
are made for helping polish their
scoring stats.
Jordan punctuated his NBA career
with a personal-best 69 points, and
Bryant has made 81 in a single game
and could conceivably improve on it
with many more good years ahead of
him after 10 seasons.
But Chamberlain’s 100 stands as
the scoring benchmark all can aspire
to but none can ever hope to achieve
with certainty. It’s the holy grail of
the NBA, something with almost
mythical quality that gives pretenders
a warm feeling just by looking at it,
even if you’re Michael Jordan.
Jordan, arguably the best man that
ever played the game, shone looking
for it. When he scored a career-high
69 points in an overtime victory by
Chicago over Cleveland in March
1990, his performance was helped by
18 rebounds, a personal best.
It was four years after he rattled
home 63 points against Boston in
a playoff loss in overtime. He shot
60 or more in one game three other
times.
Jordan’s ability to lead – and affect
the team in a way that inspired it to
greatness – gave him the cachet to
command optimum performance
from his teammates, almost to a man.
The result redounded to his credit,
which reads like this: six-time NBA
champion (1991-93, 1996-98); MVP
(1988, ‘91, ‘92, ‘96, ‘98); 10-time
All-NBA First Team (1987-93, 199698); All-NBA Second Team (1985);
Defensive Player of the Year (1988);
Nine-time All-Defensive First Team
(1988-93, 1996-98); Rookie of the
Year (1985); 14-time All-Star; AllStar MVP (1988, ‘96, ‘98); One of
50 Greatest Players in NBA History
(‘96); Olympic gold medalist (1984,
‘92).
It’s the kind of achievement every
player would like to retire on – and
be remembered by.
dibersyon
April 2007
filipino globe
BUHAYPALAD
ARIES Mar 21-Apr 19
LIBRA
The month begins
almost silently, akin to
a tiny kitten walking
with her soft little paws
over newly fallen snow. If you make
a big decision or commitment this
month, you might decide to keep it
to yourself for a while until all the
details are in place. Then you can
announce it with a bang.
The month starts out
with a bang. The full
moon in Libra will
bring to conclusion
something dearly important to you.
It could be something personal
or relationship-oriented. If your
closest partner has been upset
about (but never revealed) an inner
resentment, you’ll hear all about it.
TAURUS
SCORPIO
Apr 21-May 20
Oct 23-Nov 22
Your romantic life
is about to perk up
beautifully. It’s time
to go out and see
what the world has to offer. Every
member of your sign, of every
possible marital status, will be
included. Mars will enter your
romance sector to join Uranus and
Mercury, to stay until May 15.
GEMINI May 21-Jun 20
SAGITTARIUS
Last month’s eclipses
left you exhausted
and possibly shaken
concerning a career
matter. You may have heard that an
important authority figure that had
always protected you has suddenly
left, or that new procedures or
developments in your firm have
brought surprising shifts.
Your optimism will
be contagious with
both jovial Jupiter and
transformative Pluto
in Sagittarius. You will be able to
rally others quite easily to your
endeavors, for you will be so very
passionate about them now. This
is a rare year for you – one of your
very best in over a decade.
CANCER
CAPRICORN
Nov 23-Dec 22
Dec 21-Jan 19
It’s time to expand
your mind and try new
things. Travel could
be one way you take
advantage of this coming sevenweek trend, and if so, getting a
change of scene would be good
for you. If you do decide to leave
town, think big. The world is full of
wonders waiting to be experienced.
Vast changes in your
chart show that without
a doubt, a new chapter
is rapidly forming for
you and it will be one you’ll adapt
to nearly instantly. You have had a
hard time in late 2003, 2004, and
early 2005, but you have emerged
like a butterfly out of the cocoon
ever since.
LEO Jul 21-Aug 21
AQUARIUS
Last month you may
have experienced
a hard time with a
relationship due to a
tense angle of Mars. Thankfully,
Mars has moved into a new
position in your chart, and soon,
you’ll soon find your interactions
to be smoother and less prone to
misunderstandings in weeks ahead.
Mars is about to end a
nearly two-month visit
to Aquarius and once
this energetic planet
leaves, you will lose some of the
enviable favor that the Red Planet
has steadily provided to you over
the past few months. You still have
nearly a week to make tracks and
regain ground.
VIRGO Aug 22-Sep 22
PISCES
Last month’s
relationship dramas
may continue and a
lot of information from
(or about) your partner will continue
to surface. You may be dismayed
to be confronted with much of the
information, but even more by
the complex emotions that will be
hurled at you and spring from you.
Last month could have
marked a difficult time,
so this month, take
quiet time to assimilate
the seismic shifts of the past weeks.
The reason you may be dealing
with a lot of change lately is that last
month we had two eclipses – one
in Pisces, and one in your opposite
sign of Virgo.
USEFUL NUMBERS
Philippine Consulate
2823 8500
2866 6975
Labour Hotline
9102 0840
Immigration
2824 6111
Police/Fire/Hospital
999
Labour Department
2717 1771
Labour Tribunal
2717 1771
Airport assistance
2861 3980
Int’l Social Services
2836 3598
Caritas Filipino Serv
2526 4249
2147 5988
Bethune House
2721 3119
Bayanihan Center
2817 8928
Asian Migrant Center
2312 0031
Mission for Fil Mig
2522 8264
Unifil Hong Kong
2522 8264
Race Relations Unit
2835 1579
Fil Mig Work Union
2915 9468
ANGSISTE
Sep 23-Oct 22
You’ve been on a
strong career track
lately, and on the full
moon, you will wrap
up an impressive project that will
bring you high-profile attention.
You will be justifiably proud, and
afterwards, you’ll have much more
time to socialize than you have in
past weeks.
Jun 20-Jul 21
47
KATUWAANLANG
The inheritance ... and a generation gap
young Michael cried: “I want
excitement, adventure, money,
and beautiful women.
“I’ll never find what I want
here at home, so I’m leaving.
Don’t try and stop me.”
He headed toward the door.
His father rose and followed close
behind.
“Didn’t you hear what I said?
I don’t want you to try and stop
me” he told his father.
“Who’s trying to stop you?”
replied his father. “If you wait a
minute, I’ll go with you.”
Two friends meet in the street.
One looked forlorn and almost on
the verge of tears.
The other man said: “Hey, how
come you look like the whole
world caved in?”
The sad fellow said: “Let me tell
you. Three weeks ago, an uncle
died and left me forty thousand
dollars.”
“That’s not bad,” said the friend.
“Hold on, I’m just getting
started. Two weeks ago, a cousin
I never knew also died and left
me eighty-five thousand free and
clear.”
“I’d like that,” said the friend,
visibly intrigued.
“And last week, my grandfather
passed away. I inherited almost a
quarter of a million dollars.”
“Then how come you look so
glum,” the friend asked.
“Because this week – nothing.
Father : Why did you fail your
mathematics test?
Son : On Monday, teacher said
3+5=8
Father : So?
Son : On Tuesday, she said
4+4=8, and on Wednesday, she said
6+2=8.
Son : If she can’t make up her
mind, how do I know the right
answer?
During one “generation gap”
quarrel with his parents
LARONGSUDOKU
Jan 20-Feb 18
Feb 19-Mar 20
Pinakamainit na laro ngayon, hamon sa kakayahang mag-isip at magbilang. Punuin ang mga square ng
numero mula 1 hanggang 9 na hindi umuuulit. May dalawa kayong tsansa para hamunin ang sarili. Suko?
Tingnan ang sagot sa aming internet edition (www.filglobe.com).
YOURDIARY
April 15
Filipino Nurses
Association follow-through
meeting,Gold Coast, Tuen
Mun. Lorna 9518 0835
Mindanao Hong Kong
Migrant Alliance induction,
Grappa’s Cellar, Central,
12-7pm. Nazzer 6093
2124.
April 29
Mindanao Hong Kong
Workers Federation
Central, 9am-7pm. Loreta
6125 8143 or Sally 2804
6694.
induction, Harcourt Garden,
Admiralty. Aura 9206 9848
or Rizza 9348 1747.
United Pangasinan
Hong Kong Handog
Pasasalamat, Chater Road,
May 1
Jesus is Lord 22nd
anniversary, Chater Road,
Central, 1-7pm. With Bro
Eddie Villanueva. Guest:
Gary Valenciano. Bart 2368
8996.
May 6
OWFIE fifth anniversary
and Outstanding Mother
EXCHANGE RATES
Awards, Chater Garden,
Central. Dorie 9433 7173.
Hong Kong dollar
British pound
95.27
May 13
Alaminos City Pangasinan
Hong Kong fourth
anniversary and induction,
Moreton Terrace,
Causeway Bay. Irene 9019
3472.
Saudi riyal
12.87
Canadian dollar
41.67
Euro
64.33
Australian dollar
39.27
Send your activities and
programs for publication
to [email protected]
Japanese yen
6.17
40.57*
Singapore dollar
31.77
US dollar
48.26
*per 100 yen
Above rates are for reference purposes only.
Please check with your bank for actual rates.
shoot, show & tell
filipino globe
the big picture
April 2007
48
ANOTHER VIEW
A rarely seen view of the Vatican inspired Tom Plata to look at the city in a different perspective. He snapped this shot but he is not sure now which part of St Peter’s building it is.
Baby boomers to leave Japan feeling old
This month, more than five million
Japanese, who account for an
estimated 8.6 per cent of Japan’s
work force will be retiring — and
their sudden disappearance from
Japan’s offices and factories would
be a blow to the economy at a time
when the overall labor force is
shrinking.
Studies have predicted that the
so-called Japanese baby boomers
generation’s retirement will heavily
impact many aspects of the Japanese
economy, including labor markets,
corporate management, savings and
investments.
This could be one of the reasons
why, in a news item published in
this, Japan is said to be disappointed
over the delay in the ratification of
FRANKLYSPEAKING
Egay
Serrano
Manila
the Japan-Philippines Economic
Partnership Agreement.
The news item quoted Foreign
Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo
who said that “We must implement
the JPEPA, including the opening
of the Japanese health sector to our
workers.” The Japanese government
expected the agreement to be ratified
last month but Congress did not
make it a priority; Japan has ratified
JPEPA and is just waiting for the
Philippine Congress to do the same.
The Japanese government has a
lot of reasons to be pissed off by
Philippine’s inaction on the proposed
treaty. According to Senator Miriam
Santiago, chair of the senate foreign
relations committee, deliberations on
JPEPA would have to start from the
beginning if it will be taken up in the
next Congress.
The retirement of the boomers,
which kicks off in April with the
start of the fiscal year, is a signature
event for Japan, symbolising a
rapidly aging society, a looming
fiscal crunch and the emergence of
a roaring “gray economy” fueled by
free-spending retirees.
The Finance Ministry’s research
institute recently produced an
interesting report on how this
massive retirement will negatively
affect the Japanese economy warning
that “if baby boomers leave the labor
market, up to 1.09 million workers
will disappear from the labor force
in 2010.”
The aggregate earned income
totaling seven trillion yen will
disappear, and Japan’s gross
domestic product could fall by about
16 trillion yen. Simple calculations
show the loss to be equivalent to
about 3 per cent of about 550 trillion
yen of real growth in fiscal 2003.
The report further said that with
the increase in pension recipients, the
central and local governments’ fiscal
budgets will face a total additional
deficit of 4.5 trillion yen.
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