YEAR 10, No.

9 March 2007 Home Paper of the 1999 Canadian Ethnic Journalists’ and Writers’ Club Winner for Best Editorial Toronto, Ontario

Longer job stay for temp foreign labor (See page 7)

INSIDE WINTERLUDE: CLEARING THE WAY FOR SPRING.

Ooops & Bloops

Hopeless
romantics
-- 6

Among the Innu - 13

Recall
the
‘Guy’?
- 26

Toni
Gonzaga
opts
career
over
men - 36

PINOY IMMIGRANTS AGREE : NO TO SECOND-CLASS TREATMENT

‘STOP LYING’
Gov’t asked to give status to Pinay live-in caregiver
(Stories on page 4)
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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
Kaakbay Financial JLB Grocery Dr. Salvador
Services Pinoy Mart Dr. Fernandez
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Bernabe Mabini Express Platinum Care
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Cusina Restaurant Angel Kiss Restaurant Reliable Cargo
Cosmetic & General Laguna Jewellers (27)
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Pamilihang Pinoy Daily Bread Express Kaakbay Financial Services Dr. Miriam B. Bernacer (30)
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MISSISSAUGA and BRAMPTON National Conservatory of Cyril Sapiro (32)
Music (12) Lovely Travel & Tours
Dr. Victoria Santiago & Yuan Ming CRD Institute
Associates Turo-Turo Gateway Centre
Aqua Crystal Clear (12) Int’l, Inc. (32)
Aristokrat Karaoke Sunmart Dr. Christina Gamo Golden Island Freight (13) Arme Ortega-Braiden (33)
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Feliciniana Restaurant Oriental (China Town) Dr. Annette Simbulan (16) Clemente Cabillan (35)
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Delamarc Travel (17)
Rendevouz Resto HotStyle Triple AAA
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Forex (17) T.H.D. Consultants (35)
Restaurant Fantastik New Asia Russell International (18) Home Karaoke (37)
Happy B-Day Cake Cinerama Debt Clinic Western Union (19) Superb Travel (37)
Halo-Halo Store Cinesuerte Bayanihan Front Page Philippines (19) CHIN Radio (38)
Sige Store Golden Island Freight & Jee-Leah Store Tropical Deli (20) RCT Travel (38)
Omni Store Gen. Services musicpad.com (20) New Look Beauty & Hair
Memories of Elvis (21) Lounge (39)
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Dr. Roslyn Sim-Sabilano
Dr. Santiago & Associates
(40)
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MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor 3
CALENDAR
MARCH 21: The Most Races Show on Earth!
stand-up comedy show, Panasonic Theatre,
7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

MARCH 24: Club Filipino of Brampton, Capi-

tol Banquet Hall, Mississauga.

MARCH 25: Filipino Center Toronto Induction

of Officers

MARCH 30: Opening of the Brampton East

Employment Resource Center

MARCH 31: Sto. Domingo Filipino Associa-

tion in Canada Event

MARCH 31: Candace Santos in The Phenom-

enal Candace Live in Concert, Metropol Ban-
quet Hall and Theatre, March 31.

APRIL 14: The APO Experience (Apo Hiking

Society), Living Arts Centre Hammerson Hall,
Mississauga.

APRIL 28: Philippine Independence Day

Council Little Miss Philippines Pageant.

MAY 6: Philippine Independence Day Council

Mr. & Ms. Philippines Pageant.

MAY 24-27: De La Salle Alumni Association

6th World Congress hosted by the Toronto
Chapter, Holiday Inn Select Airport

JUNE 2: Will Ganzon Dinner-Dance Show,

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Parish
Dance Hall, 6:30 p.m.

CALENDAR is a public service

feature of Manila Media Monitor
and the Philippine Consulate
Toronto through Leilani Medi-
na.

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4 NewsNEWS Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007

STOP LYING TO IMMIGRANTS BY ACE ALVAREZ and BUTCH GALICIA

Not one. Not 10. Not even 100 or 1,000.
Tens of thousands of over 118,200 immigrants from
the Philippines who arrived since 1996 are still feeling
the pinch of giving up most, if not all, of their prized
possessions to anxiously exact expectations of milk and
honey in a taunted highly-developed country.
And if they had their way and the cash to boot to
start afresh, they would rather return to the homeland,
not only to avoid the cold and harsh Canadian weather
but also the cold and harsh treatment they get from a
government callous to their plight and the surprisingly
similar-to-the-Philippines semantics, rather than con-
crete action, from politicians.
“But as of now, we can habol sa iyo,” recalled Mang
only agree with (New Dem- Carlo, a retiree.
ocratic Party {NDP} leader “Frankly the government
Jack) Layton when he said: is treating new immigrants
The government needs to like second-class citizens. It
stop lying to immigrants,” is failing the new Canadians
Efren, 33, a native of Ma- in this country because it
jayjay, Laguna, told Manila does not allow them to use UNRECOGNIZED, WASTED: Potential mass of intelligent and professionally-trained immigrants
Media Monitor. the skills, the talents, the ex-
Layton recently stressed perience and the credentials only promise something I
this as he called on the Con- that they have brought with still have to compete for, I
servative government to tell them,” Layton said. chose the first,” quipped Re-
the people what happened to “We feel duped. Why nato, a lawyer from Cebu.
the $307 million earmarked assess us for nothing?” la- “So I had to take on a
last year to improve settle- mented Rosa, 29, a Manila survival job, which is not
ment programs. top-notch college summa among the jobs catalogued
In 2006, the federal gov- cum laude grad, who left on embassy data and immi-
ernment also promised to a well-paying comfortable gration ads. Anyway, how
allot $18 million for offices nursing job, thinking she can I finish a training course
and agencies to assess and could do better in Canada. on an empty stomach?” he
recognize immigrants’ for- Her seemingly impec- asked.
eign credentials. cable credentials were only Survival jobs never pro-
It has been nine long good for a part-time day- vided surpluses to fund tu-
months since the vows were care job, as many of the in- ition or professional upgrad-
made; yet no action has been stitutions she applied with JACK LAYTON DIANE FINLEY JIM KARYGIANNIS ing.
taken, Layton said. wanted to try her first as a Do more
In a recent question pe- volunteer. working with immigrant- made available at orienta- ers; and the establishment Layton chided the gov-
riod in the House of Com- Rosa said she has been serving agencies and new tion sessions in international of reciprocity agreements ernment to do more, say-
mons, Layton blasted the saving money for her return Canadians, Layton said. visa offices so potential im- so that immigrants arriving ing visa processes and the
Harper government for re- to Inang Bayan, never to The plan batted for the migrants could get assess- in Canada would be work points system used to as-
neging on its promises. come back to a hostile host. creation of an agency with ment and accreditation prior ready. sess immigrant applications
Efren, together with Another plan? online and toll free line to their arrival to Canada. “I’d love to attend the should jive.
wife Mila, expected the high Layton said the NDP has facilities where potential The plan included coor- bridge training courses be- “The tragic fact is that
positive assessment they got put forward a seven-point immigrants could access dinating with professional ing offered. But between we lure people to come here,
from the immigration consul plan to speed up the rec- information on assessment bodies and provincial ac- spending the money I we give them points for their
at the Canadian Embassy in ognition of credentials and criteria, education and li- creditation offices to ensure a brought with me to get my- experience, and their profes-
Manila would land them into employment experience of censing bodies and recogni- uniform recognition process self and my family through sional credentials,” he said,
jobs, at least commensurate immigrants. tion processes. nationwide; the conduct of the high cost of Canadian adding “they come here and
with their academic quali- The proposal was based Information and pre-as- more mentorship and train- living and on an expensive the doors are simply closed,”
fications and professional on years of consultation and sessments would also be ing programs for newcom- course or program that can (Continued on page 18)
experiences -- Efren being

Gov’t asked to grant permanent residency

a civil engineer and Mila, a
certified public accountant.
“Our professions were

status to Filipino live-in caregiver

on the list of needed jobs
posted on the embassy walls
then, and we were looking
forward to doing what we
have been trained to do and
knew we could do well,”
Efren said.
Like many of the mil-
lions of immigrants from all
over the globe who set foot
in Canada in search of the
good life, Efren and Mila
later regretably and disap-
pointingly found out that the
only jobs available for them
were as hands in stores,
factories, streets, seniors’
homes, etc.
“We were lucky then in
the late 60s, when jobs we
were tailored to do back in
the Philippines were abun-
dant here. ‘Ika nga, lima
singko, sila pa ang nagha-
Live-In Caregiver
Program (LICP) gradu-
ate Juana Tejada’s dream
of becoming a permanent
resident is taking shape.
Health officials have
reaffirmed, in a letter re-
ceived on March 8, Te-
jada’s Ontario Health In-
surance Program (OHIP)
coverage. She got her
OHIP card the next day.
Community leader
Gene Lara said the reaf-
firmation would enable
Tejada to get much-
needed and rather costly
$40,000 treatment for
lung cancer, a medical set-
back that had immigration
authorities put on hold her
application for permanent
residency, as health officials
subsequently suspended her
OHIP coverage.
An applicant for per-
manent residency could be
ineligible for status if found
with a criminal record or a
serious medical problem.
Tejada had foregone
treatment for almost a year
since the health department
suspended her OHIP cover-
age, Lara told members of
the Philippine Press Club
Ontario during a March 10
breakfast forum.
It was not until Febru-
ary when she finally went
through a CT scan and bi-
opsy, courtesy of immigrant
advocates, community and
church leaders who raised
$1,000 for her, Lara said.
“It’s such a relief for
everyone. We hope it’s still
not too late. The more delay
she has with her treatment,
the more dangerous it will
be for her,” Lara was ear-
lier quoted by Toronto Star’s
Nicholas Keung.
But early March, after-
Star profiled Tejada’s plight,
health officials wrote Tejada,
saying she had “met the re-
quirements” and was “eli-
gible” for continuous On-
tario health coverage “from
June 15, 2003 until Aug. 28,
2007,” when her open work
visa would expire.
The same letter said
OHIP would pay back any
outstanding medical claims.
The Star earlier reported
that Tejada had worked two
years as a nanny, hoping to
later reunite with her hus-
band, parents and six sib-
lings in Canadian soil.
In January 2006, she
was finally eligible to
apply for residency and
went for the required
medical exam, which
turned her dream into a
nightmare as Tejada was
to learn she had devel-
oped lung cancer.
Star’s Keung earlier
reported (Tejada) found
herself stuck in a Catch-
22: She needed to be in
good health to pass the
medical requirement for
immigration but couldn’t
get treatment because
(Continued on page 5)
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007 5 News An Appeal from the Homeland
Dear Kababayan:
Back home, we know that you have not lost your social consciousness to the North
American wind. We are familiar with stories about the charity programs you support in the
homeland and are elated by your good intentions but disheartened because of the dole-out
attitude such charity programs engender among our fellowmen.
Having seen what direct dole-outs do to increase our people’s dependence on charity,
we have resolved never to succumb to the temptation of no-strings attached contributions.
There is simply too much mendicancy and very little imagination going around. As a reac-
tion, the trend these days among NGOs is to provide a fishing rod, rather than serve the
fish, to their clients.
Our foundation, organized years ago by all the major TV networks operating in the
country, lives by that tenet. It is called the Southeast Asian Foundation for Children and
Television but more familiar as Anak TV. To give you a clear picture of the organization,
who runs it, its chief advocacy and key projects, visit our website: <anaktvweb.com>.
Our focus is responsible television, especially because it impacts on our vulnerable
children who today are unable to see themselves as Asian or Filipino simply because the
economy does not allow stations to produce enough local material. On the one hand, the
advocacy promotes child-sensitive TV; it also pursues family-friendly and prudent view-
ing on the other.
It is in the area of responsibly-made, quality TV programs FOR Filipino children where
we wish to interest you and the Filipino associations you belong to.
There is a shocking dearth of material for kids back home. This is awful considering
that nearly half our population is under 18, technically kids. In a predominantly one-TV-
set-per-household environment and where TV literacy, in particular, and media education
AT THE FORUM. Community leader Gene Lara appeals for moral and finan- in general, is absent, you can expect that our Pinoy kids are exposed to the same inanities
cial support to help 37-year old caregiver Juana Tejada Lara attain her dream as their adult companions at home: telenovelas, reality shows, showbiz gossip programs,
- that of becoming a Canadian permanent resident. Tejada is trying to sur- stupid comedies and talent contests.
vive symptoms of lung cancer that must be treated so immigration officials Whatever programs there are for kids, whether in the pre-school, grade school or high
can reconsider her application for status. Lara spoke before members of the school brackets, are oftentimes canned shows imported from Japan, US, Australia, Taiwan,
Philippine Press Club Ontario (PPCO) under President Tenny Soriano (5th Korea or Britain. There are only two (2) locally produced programs genuinely for kids and
from left) during the club’s breakfast forum at Casa Manila on March 10. Fo- as we write, their existence could be endangered.
rum chair is PPCO director Tony Sicat. Photo: LARRY TORRES/Innovations To be sure, there is no lack of artistic gift in the country. On the contrary, there is a
surfeit of talent in the writing, production design, TV research and performance fields such
Gov’t asked to reconsider ... (Continued on page 9)
(From page 4)
OHIP denied her
benefits as long
as the medical
clearance was
outstanding.
“This is a per-
fect case of a hard-
working person
falling through
the cracks of our
immigration and
health systems,”
Sister Celeste
Reinhart of St.
Jamestown’s Our
Lady of Lourdes
Church told the
Toronto Star.
Tejada had
found a job with
a Tim Horton’s
outlet, but she
still had to send
money to the
Philippines to
support her fami-
ly, leaving herself
enough to get her
through under the
roof of a relative
in North York.
Meanwhile,
Lara said groups
that initiated a
fund drive to
help Tejada also
hoped immigra-
tion officials
would somehow
open their hearts
and help Tejada
become a perma-
nent resident.
“This woman
has given three
years of her life
caring for a cou-
ple of Canadian
families and their
children.,” Sr. Re-
inhart said. “This
is a time for us to
show our grati-
tude for her hard
work.”
6 Views
A Toronto Star news
item first week of March
states, “Ontario needs
more doctors.”
Dah! They’re driving
taxicabs in Toronto al-
ready!
***
Another Toronto Star
headline on Sunday, March
4, yells, “Holy Profit”.
The story partly stated,
“While 3,000 mostly poor
congregants donate as much
as 10% of their earnings to
the evangelical Prayer Pal-
ace, Pastor Paul Melnichuk
and his sons drive luxury
cars and live in multi-mil-
lion dollar mansions.”
Hhhhmmm. I think I
want to organize my own
evangelical group, too.
Kaya, mga kapatid ….
***
Almost every Friday
before noontime, singer
and Philippine Press Club-
Ontario (PPC-O) member
Chito Sarabia e-mails out
his “TGIF” (for :Thank
Ace Alvarez
Hopeless romantics
SARABIA
God, it’s Friday).
Anybody of you who
knows Chito Sarabia per-
sonally please don’t every
ask the guy the following,
“How’s your job, Chito?”
or “How was your day at
work, Chito?”
The answer rests on
that regular e-mail every
Friday morning.
***
For her help in dissemi-
nating regular information
to Manila Media Monitor
readers and viewers of TV
program Front Page Philip-
pines, the two media outlets
gave a very nice plaque of
appreciation to Philippine
Consulate General’s office
Public Information Officer
Caroline Martin recently
after the completion of her
tour of duty in Canada.
True that the simple
ceremonies held at the Con-
sulate General’s office was
delayed.
Reason: Manila Media
Monitor Editor Butch Gali-
cia - who was tasked with
the preparation of the cer-
tificate of recognition had
a hard time looking for a
frame.
Wal-Mart and all the
stores could not come out
with an 11” x 8.5” frame af-
ter the Philippine Indepen-
dence Day Council (PIDC)
gave Certificates of Appre-
ciation to all its volunteers,
member organizations, me-
dia and everybody some-
time back.
***
Myrna Soriano, wife
of PPC-O President Ten-
ny Soriano, inquired with
Manila Media Monitor,
why the February, 2007
issue came out two days
after the publication’s
usual release date.
Unto Myrna, this
writer - who manages the
publication, states, “We
beg for your very kind
understanding. Much as
we wanted to release the
paper as regularly sched-
uled, we were derailed at
the other end of the work
flow. Our graphics people
at Trimedia Networks,
namely Danny Samson,
Jun Afable and Erlinda
Domingo did not want
to work on February 14.
They’re the very romantic
type and wanted to cel-
ebrate Valentine’s Day”.
***
Re the request made by
this publication’s graphics
artist, MMM editor Butch
Galicia replied to me, “No
probs. A day, or two, would
not make a difference. Sa
Manila Media Monitor
PSST, MAY PULIS. BEHAVE MUNA!
atin naming mga pilayboy,
araw-araw ay Valentines
Day.” Another very roman-
tic guy.
Note to advertisers: So,
if you need to advertise your
products, or services, saan
pa kayo mag-a-advertise, e,
di dito na sa Manila Media
Monitor. Mga romantiko
ang mga tao dito, at hindi
masusungit! Telepono bi-
lang (416) 285-8583.
***
PPC-O member Faye
Arellano on a photo taken
during the breakfast fo-
rum hosted by PPC-O at
Casa Manila: “Thanks
Ariel (referring to PPC-O
member Ariel Ramos who
took the photo). Reminds
me of high school class
pictures …. Mukhang
well-behaved tayong la-
hat ano? Hahahahaha …
Cheers ….
***
This writer to Butch
Galicia on a press release
that a family will estab-
MARCH 2007
lish this and that in their
hometown somewhere in
the Philippines: “Please
hold the item until we see
something. For me it’s bet-
ter to tinker with my electri-
cal system at home, rather
than tinker with some items
coming to us, because the
latter zaps us more, rather
than the electrical system at
our homes.
“As Chito Sarabia stat-
ed in one of his TGIF items,
After everything is said
and done, more is said than
done.”
***
Butch Galicia replied,
quoting our print journal-
ism mentor, the late Bert
Corvera - whom we both
place at a special place in
our hearts (sabi sa inyo,
romantiko kami, e): “Sabi
nga ni Bert, don’t believe
anything until you see,
hear, smell, taste and feel
something.”
***
(Continued on page 20)
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
7 News Longer job stay for temporary foreign labor
VANCOUVER - Temporary
foreign workers can stay on the
job for up to 24 months without
having to ask for an extension.
Employers can also start using
the online services of the Human
Resources and Social Develop-
ment (HRSDC) ministry to apply
for a labor market opinion (LMO)
and, upon request, the ministries
of Citizenship and Immigration
(CIC) and HRSDC will process
AT THE FORUM. Newly-elected Markham School Board work permits and LMO’s simul-
member Marlene Mogado (with mike) outlines her programs taneously.
and projects to enhance educational services and commu- HRSDC Minister Monte Sol-
nity life in Markham. Mogado spoke before members of the berg and CIC Minister Diane Fin-
Philippine Press Club Ontario (PPCO), which President Ten- ley jointly announced on Feb. 23
ny Soriano (3rd from left) heads, during the club’s monthly these twin measures aimed to re-
breakfast forum at Casa Manila on March 10. Forum chair is solve labor shortages being felt in
PPCO director Tony Sicat. Photo: LARRY TORRES some areas of Canada.
Solberg said the improvements
Blair: Toronto police meet to the Temporary Foreign Worker
Program (TFWP) would “make it
faster and easier for Canadian em-
target as diversified force ployers to meet their labour force
needs.”
Gone are the days when the Metro Toronto police force had fewer “Employers who have ex-
than three percent of visible minorities, leaving crime in the ethnic com- hausted their search for Canadian
munities unsolved and serving newcomers to Canada far less. workers often need to hire tempo-
“Today, our number for visible minority police officers is close to 17 rary foreign workers to work for
percent … and we have officers representing just about every [minority] a period longer than a year,” and
community and language group,” said Toronto Police chief Bill Blair. raising the period of stay of for-
“Believe me, it has helped us solve a lot of crimes because they eign workers would allow this to
understand the language, the culture, the little nuances that are impor- happen, Solberg added.
tant for police work,” Blair told Canadian Ethnic Media Association “The changes (to the TFWP)
(CEMA) members in a gathering on Feb. 6. will reduce the time that employ-
Blair said that in the last graduating class of new recruits, the police ers have to wait to get the workers
had more than met its targets. “Fifty percent of the graduating class they need,” said Finley. “As well,
comprised visible minorities and women.” extending the time that workers
“Visible minorities are also represented on every specialized unit in can stay in Canada provides more
the force,” he added. “It’s not just getting them in, it is using them in security and stability to the work-
every specialized unit.” Zuhair Kashmeri, CEMA ers and to the employers.”
The program allows employers
to hire temporary foreign workers
when there are no Canadian citi-
zens or permanent residents avail-
able for the positions.
Previously, temporary foreign
workers with less formal training
would have to leave Canada after
twelve months, for four months,
and then re-apply to come back.
With the changes, they could
stay for up to 24 months without
having to request an extension.
Colin Hansen, British Colum-
bia (BC) Minister of Economic
Development, welcomed the im-
provements, saying it would as-
sure the presence of a labor force
that would sustain “our booming
economy.”
Mark Von Schellwitz, vice-
president of the Canadian Restau-
rant and Foodservices Associa-
tion, said the industry expected a
shortage of 44,000 workers in the
next ten years in BC alone.
“It is going to get worse and
worse. So we also need a perma-
nent solution,” Schellwitz said,
adding that restaurants would also
like to see servers and cooks to re-
main permanently in Canada.
Albertje Willems, chief op-
erating officer with K&F Global
Partners here, said the changes
would make a difference to for-
eign workers, to Canadians and
the economy.
K&F has been hiring workers
from Europe for construction proj-
ects in Alberta and BC. “In some
areas of Canada, projects are not
being completed and sometimes
not even being started,” she said.
However, Wayne Peppard of
the Building and Construction
Trades Council, said the the twin
measures has not done anything
to protect workers from exploita-
tion.
“These people are vulnerable.
They are indentured to their em-
ployer - whether it is 12 months or
24 months. If they don’t like the
employer, they can’t move. If the
employer doesn’t like them, they
are sent home. And that’s not fair
to the workers,” Peppard stressed.
He said foreign workers on
construction jobs for Canada
Line, a rail-based rapid transit line
in BC, were being paid less than
the minimum wage.
The measures, according to
the Canadian Federation of Inde-
pendent Business, are a good first
step in dealing with some of the
issues faced by small businesses.
“With the shortage of labor at
an all-time high, foreign workers
are a more and more important re-
source for small businesses trying
to deal with the issue,” said Cath-
erine Swift, president and CEO of
CFIB.
“However, CFIB research
found that the immigration and
temporary foreign worker process
is cumbersome and complicated to
navigate. Today’s announcement
shows the government is listening
to small business’ concerns and is
beginning to address the issues,”
she added. PR, Wires
8 Views
from the monitor’s desk
Patatawarin po!
Sa isang pribadong pagtitipon,
Tata Peles sat beside me …
“Ace, I read a news item in
the January issue of Manila Me-
dia Monitor that the Committee
to Protect Journalists, the Inter-
national Federation of Journalists
and Reporters Without Borders
- For Press Freedom named the
Philippines as the second country
most dangerous for journalists;
and this is after either Iraq, or Af-
ghanistan.”
“Yes, the Philippines is consis-
tently named as second place for
the last four years now,” I replied.
“Well, you’re lucky, that
you’re in Canada,” Tata Peles ca-
sually commented.
“Not really, even Toronto is
kinda’ dangerous for people like
me, especially I move about in the
Filipino community.”
“How is that so?” Tata Peles
seemed surprised. “Do they kill
media people here, too?”
“You seemed you could not
believe what you’re hearing. Let
me explain.”
“… oh, incidentally …,” Tata
Peles interrupted, “don’t you want
to eat anything. I noticed you
haven’t eaten at all. Are you on
diet?”
All this traveling I chalked up
in recent years could mean any or
all of the following : frequently
creased clothes; constantly being
in a state of time warp; enormous
mobile phone bills; actually look-
ing forward to airline food; fantas-
tic mileage but a stagnant savings
account; disheveled luggage with
wobbly wheels; a disenchanting
look at one’s self and nation.
In nearly every airport, I bump
into the ubiquitous Pinoy traveler.
The giveaway stance and
gesture, the unmistakable leer, a
tentative smile and later, a radi-
ant face of recognition “Kabayan!
Kamusta?”
The former stranger is sud-
denly a new acquaintance.
Alas, they are not the typi-
cal tourists one finds herded by a
flag-hoisting tour leader. Nor the
camera toting, duty-free panick-
ing credit card tourist that five-star
resorts woo.
Sociologists and statisticians
erroneously call them the troops of
the Filipino diaspora but the true
Ace Alvarez
Ace Alvarez
I said, “No, I’m not. I’m just
testing how long could I stand
without really eating.”
“See, I run two media com-
panies - one for print, the Ma-
nila Media Monitor, which is the
publishing arm of the publication
bearing the same name. The other
is Russell International, an inte-
grated company for everything
that involves media.”
“I don’t understand what you
mean, Ace,” Tata Peles seemed
lost furthermore.
“Tata Peles, you mentioned ear-
lier the findings of separate studies
conducted by the CPJ, IFJ, and the
“Reporters Without Borders.”
“Yes, and how does that relate
to the reason why you’re not eat-
ing?” Tata Peles was quick to in-
terrupt.
“See, recently I got an inqui-
ry from a friend who sells cars
for one dealership. He wanted to
know how much it would cost
to have a 15-second commercial
aired on the TV program I pro-
duce for OMNI Television,” I pro-
ceeded to explain.
“Of course, Tata Peles, before
one could air a commercial, one
has to have a commercial pro-
duced first.
roundabout
Pinoy traveler:
Unsung, unheralded
but unbowed
Pinoy never ever leaves home.
He brings home with him any-
where his wanderlust or working
visa takes him.
Like Indians and Chinese, they
huddle in cliques, ever loyal to the
language, accent, witticism and
cuisine of the homeland, always
yearning for news, no matter how
tawdry.
Even entertainment gossip
bolsters his link with the country
because he is certain that the mor-
sel of gossip is masticated, shared
and swallowed by his own family
and friends back home.
Overheard in a few recent
trips, in a variety of accents and
tones:
“You are right ; you should try
working in Hong Kong first be-
fore trying out Bahrain.”
“Try entering Singapore from
Malaysia; there are cheaper flights
out now from Clark to KL.”
“I heard it is difficult to get
into Canada. Just like getting into
the US and Australia. It is easier to
penetrate Singapore and Brunei.”
“After having sent him our rate
card, he started asking for what he
called a ‘discount’.
“So, I shaved out the fee meant
for conceptualizing and writing
the script. He wanted more.
“I’ve taken out also the
amount as fee for the music rights
to be used for the commercial. He
wanted more.
“And …,” Tata Peles eagerly
awaited the next price slash as if I
owned Wal-Mart.
I continued, “So, I slashed also
the budget for the voice-over and
gave him the final price for the
production of his commercial. But
he asked me further if there were
no more hidden charges in the
quote.”
“I breathed deeply and ex-
claimed, ‘Oh my gosh’.
“I excused myself and told my
inquiring friend that I would call
him back within a few minutes. I
just needed to consult somebody.
“So, I phoned my video edit-
ing studio and inquired if he could
cut back on his professional video
editing and studio time fees.
“ … Oh, I need to tell you Tata
Peles that my editing studio has
a complete broadcast editing ma-
chine; that each equipment would
Mag Cruz Hatol
“My cousin has a brother in
Italy; he wants me to join him but
placement fees are steep.”
“Can we become Japanese
citizens if we stay long enough to
marry a local?”
“Is Dubai all right? Is it not as
boring and lonely as Jeddah?”
“This airport looks like NAIA
half a century from today.”
If God were an anthropologist
listening in on airport conversa-
tions, He would have concluded
that the Pinoy is a clever voyager,
never content and constantly ea-
ger.
Which is why the Pinoy has
planted the flag in even the most
unfashionable nooks of the world
(Iraq, Afghanistan , Sudan), found
comfort and acceptance in the
most unfriendly climes of the
planet (Finland, Oman, Alaska)
and has weathered every political
and ideological upheaval known
(China, America, Romania).
God would probably find it
amusing that the Philippine econ-
omy, once propped by agriculture,
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
not cost less than $10,000 in value.
The Betacam SP Player-Recorder
machines alone costs $35,000
each brand new; and I’ve known
my video editor for the last nine
years. He has become one good
friend, too. In fact, sometimes, he
asks my help on some of his gigs
- with fee at rate.”
“And what was his reply on
your requests?” Tata Peles led me
back to my inquiry.
“My video editor said, ‘Ace,
what you are asking me is practi-
cally to work for you for free’.”
“So, what happened?” Tata
Peles inquired.
“Unknown to my friend at the
other end of the line, my face red-
dened.”
***
“A week later, Tata Peles, I
phoned my inquiring car sales-
man-friend what the decision of
his boss was.
“I was told, namamahalan
daw sa TV commercial produc-
tion cost.”
***
“Three weeks later, I went to
visit my car salesman-friend at
the dealership and inquired about
their 2007 top of the line car mod-
el that I would want to either lease
or purchase.”
“O, ano ang nangyari?” Tata
Peles asked.
“When he presented to me the
quote, I asked, can we take out the
freight fee?”
“We can’t do that, Ace,” he
said.
“Can we take off the fee for
license plates?”
(Continued on page 20)
is now sustained chiefly by the
sweat of Pinoy labor overseas.
And the Philippine govern-
ment is so densely constituted that
it makes no bones about increas-
ing terminal fees at an airport that
is best described as a domestic ter-
minal in the pre-war years; adjust-
ing taxes upward to further bite
into the poor migrant worker’s
take home pay and of late, de-
manding increased contributions
to a variety of overseas worker
funds.
The migrant Pinoy worker
does not fret if his airline meal is
served in a box. He will always
find a way to sneak a call home
anywhere he is.
He hardly cares if his flight
does not earn him enough miles
for a future upgrade.
But he does mind it if his hard
earned foreign currency gets a
lousy bargain back home because
every penny of it meant sacrifice
of the highest order.
He would cheer visiting politi-
cos and government functionaries
in the name of pakikisama, lend-
ing a hand at showing strength in
numbers.
But he will jeer at the same
guest once the program is over
because that imbecile who flew in
first class at his expense and just
descended the stage to return to
his deluxe accommodations was
one of the opportunist Judases
who repaid his economy-saving
labor with more onerous taxes
(Continued on page 9)
MARCH 2007
9 Views Commentary
Ben Viccari

Luminato
An appeal from ... Those old enough to remem- It should be recommended 2002 letter then, Canada might
(From page 5) ber the infamous Army - McCar- viewing for all loose cannons in well qualify as a socialist state,
that the skills are commonly sought in Singapore, Hong Kong and thy hearings will find a striking Ottawa. with our universal medicare that
elsewhere. Our animators are employed by American and Aussie resemblance to them in state- *** right wing ideologues assail daily
firms. What we lack is capital and a vision. ments by two Conservative Party According to the leaked letter with their rationalization of two-
It is our idea to start a kitty for young producers and writers MPs last month. They said there that surfaced recently, in 2002, cit- tiered medicine - the first step to-
of Filipino programs FOR Filipino children. Instead of importing are terrorist supporters (unnamed) izen Stephen Harper condemned ward unbridled privatization as in
animes from Japan or pre-school programs from Britain, we could among Liberal Party MPs. the Kyoto accord as “a socialist his revered United States.
be producing and exporting these instead, with a typically Pinoy In 1954, the hearings labored scheme to suck money out of rich Throwing baby out with
flavor and design. Our foundation desires to start that fund. We can on as Wisconsin junior Senator Joe countries.” bath water
do it in alliance with you and your association. McCarthy repetitiously attempted Today, Prime Minister Harper Examples of state-owned fa-
The mechanics are simple and easy. to prove that the US Army was seems to be dedicating himself to cilities that right wing ideologies
We can start with as little as US$20,000, kept in trust jointly by crawling with Communist party the wearing of the green, even if brought down are to be found in
our foundation and your group. We circulate announcements that members. he’s still opposed to Kyoto. the Harris-Eves regime in Ontario
we are ready to finance the pilots of innovative TV programs for It took the combined guts of One wonders at Harper’s un- 1995-2003: the chaotic privatiza-
and about Filipino children, particularly in the education and cul- CBS producer Fred Friendly, CBS derstanding of the word “social- tion of Ontario Hydro and the gift
tural genres. With a qualified board (see our website and look at our newsman-interviewer Edward R. ist.” to Spanish interests of that iconic
officers, a veritable who’s who in local media and broadcasting) and Morrow, CBS president Bill Paley According to the Canadian Ox- rip off, Highway 407.
a stable reputation behind it, our foundation is in the best position and Army counsel Joseph Welch ford Dictionary (COD), socialism Socialism, as described in the
to conduct the national search, assess entries and professionally to bring McCarthy’s campaign is “a political and economic the- COD, may be ultimately repres-
guide every aspect of production. [At the risk of sounding boastful, down to the dust it deserved. ory of social organization which sive and doomed to failure but
when the local broadcasters’ association (KBP), the government Fortunately in the 2000s, we advocates that the community as a where the common good is con-
and UNICEF seek professional advice relative to prudence on TV can rent the video of the 2005 whole should own and control the cerned, some nationalization may
and child-sensitive television, they enlist our help.] movie “Good Night and Good means of production, distribution not be such a bad thing, providing
The best entries are then tied up with any of our member TV Luck”, an extraordinary and his- and exchange.” a Charter of Rights and parliamen-
stations by a contract. Airtime, easily the biggest ticket in any pro- torically accurate recounting of The company Kyoto keeps tary system of government exists.
duction endeavor, is underwritten during the co-production venture. those days. Signatories to the Kyoto ac- One has only to look as far as
In effect, the production is shepherded by the foundation, the TV I’m no spoiler when I tell you cord include the United Kingdom, the world’s armament industries
station and your organization, every step of the way. Each partner it has a happy ending as McCarthy Belgium, Brazil: Costa Rica, Den- to see how private ownership
is credited as co-producer. The station makes money; the producer begins his decline into oblivion. mark, Iceland, Germany - hardly thrives on ways to make death pay
and his team make money too, thanks to our start up funds which It’s history, the kind of which we the poor socialist countries im- a dividend.
revert to the mother account that we will jointly maintain. should be reminded at times like plied by the Harper letter. They should all be publicly
The idea is for the new producer, thru the home station that these. According to the logic of that (Continued on page 10)
adopts him, to loan part of the amount to realize the program. After
two or three pilots are produced, the foundation and the station go
about town promoting the new show among advertisers and other
likely supporters. That way, funding is assured to produce the rest
Our journey
By Eva Agpaoa
of the season, with the original money returned to the foundation
kitty so that another group, after being similarly screened, may use
it to start another novel undertaking for television.
It is not remote to estimate that the US20,000 fund is generally
intact even after two years with up to four new and quality chil-
Human rate of
dren’s programs on air. The cycle continues because the foundation
is expected to defray fund management costs and administrative exchange for OFWs
expenses as its counterpart support.
From your end, you may also branch into actual scholarships in I was in the Philippines in Feb- the impotence of not being able to Certainly in front of a foreign
the various branches of TV production, again with strings attached, ruary and for the first time, I really provide for themselves, and their employer I feel that gap. In front
rather than actual dole-outs. The funds earmarked for Filipino took a good look at my country. families; of not having the chance of an immigration officer, with all
youths desiring to pursue technical education or broadcast com- Yes, I was born there and I grew up to contribute and be part of it all. my papers in order, I feel that gap.
munication leading to TV production can be “borrowed”, rather there but like many of us, my life This frustration at times drives And most definitely at an embassy
than given outright. We can outline the mechanics of this particular revolved around the small world persons to do things they might trying to get an entry visa, I feel
idea another time. which was my village. Since leav- later regret, to allow themselves to that gap - immense and heavy - a
Since your group co-owns every production yielded, you may ing, I have been back many times be exploited because their needs steel door shut tight with the key
also wish to look into the possibility of co-producing DVD versions but always to my village to visit are so intense and to allow them- just beyond my reach.
for sale to the various Pinoy communities in the US and Canada. my family. This trip was different. selves to be treated as less than But it truly is amazing that
Everybody wins. You make money, we spread our wings further, I really got a chance to see and ex- who they are. people keep going and their spirit
the North American-based Pinoys have new, more appropriate and perience my country. And this frustration - this in- somehow finds a way.
intelligent things to support from the homeland and the new Fili- And what a beautiful country tense need - is so palpable it hangs I met Sunshine at a coffee shop
pino writers/producers make bigger names. it is. What incredible potential and in the air between them and others, in Bacolod City. She was there
We hope we have explained the concept clearly and engagingly drive to succeed it has. It’s every- like a thick fog, clouding thoughts with her husband and daughter,
enough for you to salivate at the juicy prospects. If you or your where. The air shimmered and vi- and judgments. They allow oth- and I was there having lunch with
group find the idea promising and doable, let us hear from you brated with the energy of people ers to degrade them because they an old friend.
soonest. If we receive even just one enthusiastic reply, we will be rushing about working and living need the job. They allow others to Sunshine had been working
able to sleep well knowing that our cause has not been lost. -- from office workers in Manila humiliate them because their child overseas (let’s call that country X
All the best, to ferry workers in Iloilo to the is hungry. And some days it feels so we won’t offend anyone in par-
Mag Cruz Hatol, Secretary General, Southeast Asian Founda- beach side masseurs in Boracay like the fog will never lift, that ticular), and from country X had
tion for Children and Television, anaktv_seal@yahoo.com; office : carrying their tattered blankets it just keeps getting thicker and received a job validation to enter
(632) 374-7066, 373-3739 looking for their next client. This thicker. And it breaks hearts. Canada as a caregiver. This was
is the Philippines, at least part of What do others see when they a golden passport. All she needed
Pinoy traveler: Unsung ... it. They are the lucky people -- look at a Filipino? How does the was to schedule an interview with
(From page 8) they have jobs, they can feed their world judge our worth? I know the Canadian embassy in X. She
and fees. economy. families and maybe save a little they mostly see that fog and frus- got the interview, but three weeks
Indeed, the Pinoy traveler, Unsung, unheralded but un- for the future. tration and need. And they are after her contract in X expired,
nay, the traveling worker, is the bowed. But some still have to struggle, tempted to exploit it. Is that our she would have to go home and
industrious termite one only hears To them, a text message re- finding it hard to make ends meet national export? Our face to the then come back. She begged, she
about during beheadings, hostage ceived from a friend is dedicated: I instinctively wanted to reach out world? What is the Human Rate of pleaded, to have the date moved so
situations and evacuations. Sadly, “ We are pilgrims on the road of and help, but I knew I couldn’t. Exchange? Is a Filipino worth as she would not have to travel back
outside of these breaking news life. We bring nothing when we For every person who has much as an American? A Swede? from Bacolod for the interview.
reports, he is mere statistic that die. But we leave behind love work, many others sit by jobless Is it one to one? Five to one? They would not budge. So,
greases the cogs and wheels of the shared, hope given and goodness and watch in frustration as life There is a gap and it’s a wide she resigned herself to spend the
perpetually wanting Philippine done.” passes by. They are frustrated by gap but it’s unfair and unjust. (Continued on page 20)
Commentary ...
(From page 9)
owned with no shareholders
permitted, to offer an eventual
possibility of international disar-
mament.
***
For Torontonians, a long-
awaited festival celebrating a di-
versity of arts disciplines ranging
from opera to cabaret, from the-
atre to carnival is taking shape and
comes to us on June 1 to 10.
It promises to be a multilay-
ered, multicultural event featuring
a variety of exhibits and perfor-
mances, many of which are free to
the public.
This spectacular installation
by Xavier Veilhan will be one of
the many outstanding features of
Luminato. As it deserves, it car-
ries its own title - Luminato, a
word its organizers hope will be-
come an annual fixture attracting
Torontonians and visitors alike to
a number of exhibits, performanc-
es and special events.
Among the Canadian and in-
ternational talents to be featured,
as of March 1, are film, stage
and opera director Atom Egoyan,
composer Philip Glass, poet Leon-
ard Cohen, playwright George F.
Walker, theatre impresarios David
Mirvish and Albert Schultz, the
amazing Cuban dance ensemble
Vida and China’s Chen Wei Dance
Arts and some of Canada’s great-
est operatic stars including Rich-
ard Margison and Isabel Bayrak-
darian.
Some of the focal points of
Luminato will be the Distillery,
Roy Thomson Hall and Harbour-
front, where at the latter location
the official festival hub will be
the spiegeltent’ntavern, a unique
venue reminiscent of a 1920s Eu-
ropean cabaret.
It will be free during the day to
all visitors through the festival’s
run, and evening performances
will be given at the moderately
priced Spiegel show.
During the closing weekend,
a free event, Carnivalissima will
feature Toronto’s best carnivals
such as Caribana and the Brazil-
ian Ball, together with the spirit of
international carnivals including
New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, Bo-
livia’s la Diablada and Jamaica’s
Jiunkano
The Government of Ontario,
the Ontario Tourism Marketing
Partnership Corporation, the City
of Toronto, Tourism Toronto,
Toronto Waterfront Revitaliza-
tion Corporation and the Canada
Council for the Arts are named as
government partners, and corpo-
rate sponsors include The Globe
and Mail, National Bank Finan-
cial, Toronto Star and Toronto
Life.
For updating, Luminato’s web-
site is http://www.luminato.ca/
(Used with permission. Ben
Viccari is the President of the
Canadian Ethnic Media As-
sociation [CEMA] and makes
frequent appearances on OMNI
TV Commentary. Some of his
commentaries are republished in
this publication and slightly ex-
panded in some cases from their
70-second broadcast originals.
For more of his work, please visit
Ben’s website at: http://canscene.
ripple.ca)
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
10
Omerta
Throw the book
kanako, Bay!
Don’t fear,
Butch is here.
Like to feel any better?
He’s six feet under.
But to his loyal gang
O, ‘di ba! Parang natutulog lang!
If I still could have my way
shortly after I have completed that
course on Womb to Tomb 101, I’d
love to etch the words above on
that perennial marble centerpiece
(kung kaya pa ng budget) adorn-
ing my resting place. Naive (nai-
iba) na, cute pa! Simple pero rock
ang arrive (dating)!
Oh, no! Don’t get me wrong.
I am not depressed. Neither am I
suppressed or oppressed. I am just
a member of the press who - by all
means, intents and legal purposes
it may swerve - does not want to
write 30. Most times, I like to be
stiff but not frigid.
Anyway, not after my 53rd
birth anniversary that quietly
passed by - because I had little
time and cash for birth anniversa-
ry bashes - early March and which
I look forward to every new year.
Likewise, not at this time
Views
By Butch DG. Galicia
when there is a lot to write about
well-kept wampums haunting big
names and groups in the commu-
nity. How about the juicy gossips
floating around town?
Not yet! Not in this issue.
Publisher Ace Alvarez granted
me only so much space so that
the Manila Media Monitor could
thank all its past, present and fu-
ture advertisers and supporters for
keeping the paper within the easy
reach and intelligent perusal of a
growing but decisive community
for ten years now.
Peks man, X-men (cross my
heart), promise to the bones! I
would get the controversial wam-
pums and the evidence-laden gos-
sips into the pages of later issues.
Sabi nga nila, hanggat may
makakating dila, hindi mauubos
at mamamatay ang balita.
If you think this kind of sus-
pense is killing you, make me first
(unahan na ninyo ako).
But I can’t guarantee that what
you do to me won’t be construed
by my friends as a political killing
or an affront to press freedom they
can level against Ate Glo Ayoko.
***
Siyanga pala, have you heard
about Consuelo Debobo, the dam-
age control specialist that usually
backfires and does little to respond
to a given situation?
Consuelo Debobo came in the
form of an Ontario Health Insur-
ance Program (OHIP) card health
officials recently reissued to sick-
ly live-in caregiver and taxpaying
foreign worker Juana Tejada.
This was the same health card
they stripped away from Tejada
for almost a year, to complement
an immigration ministry provi-
sion in what human rights advo-
cates called a flawed, anti-women
and highly-discriminatory Live-In
Caregiver Program law.
Tejada finished the program
and became eligible for permanent
residency. But her dream of gain-
ing status and bringing her family
into Canada dampened when her
medical exams showed she had
developed lung cancer. Immigra-
tion held her application.
Taking away Tejada’s health
benefits was tantamount to, at
the least, blocking all of Tejada’s
chances to get into the immigra-
(Continued on page 12)
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007 News 11
Couples married in Canada but
don’t have a marriage certificate
may get it from the institution in
which they were married or they

Keeping seniors at ease

may contact the Registrar of Vital
Statistics in the capital city of the
province or territory in which they
were married.
Couples married outside Can-
ada may call us for help if they

Allowance Program may be eligible for the allowance if you have applied for a Canada don’t know how to get a copy of
or allowance for the survivor. Pension Plan (CPP) benefit. If you their marriage certificate.
Complete the application and cannot obtain one of these certifi- If in a common-law relation-
PART 6 return it quickly. You could lose cates, call for information about ship, provide a statutory declara-
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Manila MEDIA MONITOR has compiled a some benefits if you don’t apply other documents that you may be tion that gives the date when you
number of programs the federal government of Canada has been im- right away. able to use instead. and your partner began living to-
plementing to benefit the province’s seniors. Manila MEDIA MONI- If you need help completing If married, you must provide gether. Call us for a copy of this
the application, call us. A service a marriage certificate. Common- form and for help to complete the
TOR, in this series, will provide insights to these programs for seniors
agent will answer your questions law couples must sign a “statutory declaration.
on this space, hoping it would keep the paper’s valued senior readers
or make an appointment for you to declaration” and prove that they You must also provide objec-
informed.)
meet with an agent. have been living together for at tive proof that you and your part-
Individuals must apply for the least one year. (Continued on page 16)
The allowance is a monthly lowance for the survivor if your allowance and the allowance for
benefit for low-income seniors
whose spouse or common-law
spouse or common-law partner
has died.
the survivor on their own behalf.
If applying for someone else, call
10-year residency requirement on
partner is eligible for, or is receiv- You may qualify for the al- for details.
Documents
old age security ‘cruel’ - Chow
ing, the Old Age Security (OAS) lowance for the survivor if your
pension and the Guaranteed In- partner, in the case of same-sex You will have to provide some OTTAWA - Member of Par- She added that the Immigrant
come Supplement (GIS). couples, died on or after January or all of the following documents: liament Olivia Chow (NDP, Trin- Seniors Advocacy Network had
To qualify, you must be 60 to 1, 1998. ► For seniors with a spouse ity-Spadina) has called on the been telling the government that
64 years old; be a Canadian citi- If you think you are eligible, or common-law partner who re- federal government to take im- the “restrictions on sponsoring
zen or legal resident when your contact us at Canada Benefits ceives or is eligible for the GIS mediate concrete steps to amend elderly relatives are too tight and
benefit is approved (or have been website canadabenefits.gc.ca. - birth/baptismal certificate, mar- or lift “a cruel 10-year residency that they cannot access old age se-
one when you last lived in Cana- Call toll free 1-800-622-6232. riage certificate/statutory decla- requirement on the old age secu- curity; and that without assistance
da); and have lived in Canada for Applied but turned down ration and proof of cohabitation, rity” and “finally provide fairness for public transport, seniors are
at least 10 years after turning 18. If you have previously applied and citizenship/immigration doc- for seniors” after years of neglect. isolated and lonely.”
You must not be divorced or for the allowance or the allowance uments. Chow told the House of Com- “The government is turning its
voluntarily separated from your for the survivor (formerly the ► For seniors whose spouse mons that a multitude of immi- back on Canadian seniors,” Chow
spouse or common-law partner Spouse’s Allowance and the Wid- or common-law partner has died grant seniors “are forced to live in stressed as she chided Lynne
for more than three months. owed Spouse’s Allowance) but did - birth/baptismal certificate; mar- isolation with barely the means to Yelich, Parliamentary Secretary
If you have not lived in Can- not qualify, you can apply again. riage certificate/statutory declara- support themselves.” to the Minister of Human Re-
ada for at least 10 years since Also, since July 1, 2000, changes tion and proof of cohabitation; cit- “The situation is dire for far too sources and Social Development,
you turned 18, but have lived or to the legislation have made same- izenship/immigration documents; many. They must choose between who vaguely told the House the
worked in a country that has an in- sex common-law partners eligible and death certificate of spouse or medication and rent payments,” ministry was addressing Chow’s
ternational social security agree- for the allowance. common-law partner. she said, as she asked federal offi- issues in Bill C-36, in a particular
ment with Canada, you may still Application kit The birth or baptismal certifi- cials: Would the minister carry out provision that “will ensure that we
qualify. Normally, an application kit is cate will prove your age. You do more humane steps to give seniors do not compromise our immigra-
You may qualify for the al- sent to you when records show you not have to send these documents more respectable lives? tion.” PR
Omerta ...
(From page 10)
tion system, and at the worst, let-
ting symptoms of lung cancer get
into poor Tejada’s system.
Will Consuelo Debobo be able
to cure a a year’s utter disregard of
simple logic and ethics?
Will Consuelo Debobo also be
able to bring back Tejada to the
pink of health she had when she
entered Canadian airspace three
years ago and on which basis - so
said the old flawed book no politi-
cian dared edit for fear of losing
votes said - she was permitted to
do a caregiver’s job?
Whatever, Tejada, her family,
friends and supporters can only
pray that all is not lost, hinted
community leader Gene Lara be-
fore the community media at the
Philippine Press Club Ontario
(PPCO) Almusalan on March 10.
Now is the time for all good
men to come to the aid of Juana!
***
This is a classic example of the
callousness of immigration and
health authorities to understand
and respond to a situation requir-
ing common sense, moral decency
and love for humanity.
It bespeaks of a bureaucracy’s
inability to go beyond bookish
reason to prove itself worthy of
its global image as a system that
cares for its people and its guests.
Ottawa seems to forget the
wee but lasting contributions of
Juana’s kind - the good dedicated
guest worker and taxpayer - to Ca-
nadian society and the economy.
Come to think about it. Throw-
ing the book can be dangerous to
one’s health ... especially if it’s
hard bound.
***
Philippine Press Club Ontario
president Tenny Soriano asked:
Views
The words ‘compassionate’ and
Manila Media Monitor
12 MARCH 2007
‘humanitarian’ - are they still part
of Canadian vocabulary and still Sa Likod Ng Musika
in the Canadian dictionary? Titik at Himig: CHITO SARABIA
***
GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Musikang kay ganda aming kinagisnan,
A must-read and must-compre- Bata pa kami ng mapag-aralan
hend book title for heartless inhu- Nadama namin ang kasiyahan,
man public servants who simply Sa bawat notang mapapakinggan.
want to stay out of trouble with
their masters and stay in a well- Lumang maong at kamiseta’y suot namin sa tugtugan
paying job until their terms end. Ano mang ayos namin ay huwag na lang ninyong pansinin
*** Ang mensahe ng himig namin sa inyong isipan ay itanim.
In his undying universal poem
Desiderata, Max Ehrmann in 1952 Hindi nyo’ ba napapansin, makulay ang mundo natin
wrote: If you compare yourself Ikaw at ako ay iisa, at sa musika ay nagsama
with others, you may become Hanap dito, hiram doon ng gitara
vain and bitter; for always there Sa pagtugtog dala-dala na rin namin ang gitara.
will be greater and lesser per-
sons than yourself. Sa likod ng musika ay nais naming iparating
True enough, I felt being a Ang mensahe ng himig namin sa inyong isipan ay itanim.
total stupid
overbearing Hindi nyo’ ba napapansin, makulay ang mundo natin
schmuck when I Ikaw at ako ay iisa, at sa musika ay nagsama
once questioned Hanap dito, hiram doon ng gitara
the credentials Sa pagtugtog dala-dala na rin namin ang problema.
of Chito Sarabia
to be a PPCO Ang mensahe ng himig namin sa inyong isipan ay itanim. (2x)
member.
I have writ- with ease. is a far better kind of media work.
ten a lot of prose I had been a ranking officer of My apologies, Chito, for not
in so many organizations and spoke and lec- having treated you as an equal.
columns but I tured a lot on communication but ***
never knew if I never knew if people listened O, hintuan na ang pagiging
people read and and understood what I said; un- insek (as in insecure) at kaplasti-
understood me; like Chito who could set anyone’s kan! Balik tayo sa epitaph ko, in
unlike Chito’s mood, hit anyone’s emotions, and relation to birth anniversaries.
simple, brief make people appreciate life when My community journalism
and terse poetry he croons his wide array of multi- mentor Patricio Diaz once said: “I
and music (see genre songs. no longer celebrate my birth anni-
Sa Likod Ng Now, I understand that what I versary. It reminds me that I am
Musika above) knew and did may be better than another year nearer my grave.”
that could get its what Chito knew and could do; And he must be nearing 90 now.
message across but what Chito knew and could do butchgalicia@yahoo.com
 “I’ve got 80 plus regis-
tered for First Reconcilia-
tion/Communion and Con-
Fr. Iting Silva, OMI:
firmation. I am sure there
are more since I continue
to receive calls, but they do
not come to register.”
Among the Innu
“It is surprising that most
parents do not even know
the basic formal prayers. I
guess it is their shyness that
is affecting their learning
too. So, I am really hoping
the elders will take on the
role of teaching. It will be
more effective that way.”
That was how Fr. Nestor
Silva of the missionary Ob-
lates of Mary Immaculate
(OMI) summed up one of
the challenges of his work
to spread the Gospel among
the Mushau Innu (The
People) in the tiny town of
Natuashish “in the middle
By BUTCH GALICIA of the vast wilderness” of
Labrador.
“I am here in Natuash-
ish, Labrador for over a
year now. A reserve for the
Mushau Innu, the communi-
ty is about 600 people, most
of them Roman Catholics,”
he said.
Like most missionaries,
Fr. Iting had to practice a lot
reading in Innu Aimun.
Fr. Nestor ‘Iting’ Silva, OMI finds his missionary life fulfill- “I am beginning to get
ing among the Innu whose warmth extends to a half snow- familiar with the words. But
covered church and a rectory, both completed last month. when I listen to the local ra-
dio broadcasts, I still find it
hard to pick out most of the
words. I guess the books I
am reading are in another
dialect of the same language
line,” he averred.
“My accent too is dif-
ferent from theirs,” he said,
Manila Media Monitor
13
Feature
but was quick to note that he
had been able to successful-
ly get God’s message across
during Masses he had been
proclaiming in Innu.
Fr. Iting has never been
new to this kind of parish as-
signment in wintry Canada,
as he had seen 10 years of
mission work in Saskatch-
ewan, he told this writer, a
classmate in the seminary in
the early 70s, in a long-dis-
tance phone talk.
Used to sub-zero tem-
peratures, Fr. Iting always
looked forward to his regu-
lar 30- to 45-minute around-
the-village strolls, meeting
and talking to parishioners
who have taken him warm-
ly into their presence.
The village band council
had even built a new church,
an office, a sacristy and the
parish priest’s residence,
new additions to Natuash-
ish’s sparse skyline.
“The ground floor (of
the rectory) is for the office
and sacristy. The second
floor is for the residence. It
is nice and compact. It even
has a big picture window
in the washroom. Too bad,
it faces the busiest street. It
will be covered by a bigger
curtain,” Fr. Iting quipped.
Some of the amenities
that characterize modern
living might not be imme-
MARCH 2007
diately available. But being
a true missionary, Fr. Iting
could meantime do without
the washer and drier and a
wash basin, all of which
could only be delivered ei-
ther by plane or by boat to
Natuashish.
Fr. Iting said he had de-
cided to stay put in Natuash-
ish only in January, to avoid
the big expense of jetsetting
to and fro Goose Bay.
“To save, I hitch rides
on charter flights. Quite a
number of times, only a ca-
daver and I are passengers.
We keep quiet the whole
trip,” he said.
The phone line would
also have to wait, although
Fr. Iting said he had access
to the Internet with a slow
dial-up old computer.
No big deal! “Being
with the Innu is all that mat-
ters. And keeping the flock
closer to the Lord is fulfill-
ing enough,” he stressed.
Fr. Iting, a native of Co-
tabato City, the Philippines,
entered the OMI Seminary
in 1970.
He was ordained an Ob-
late priest by then Bishop
Orlando Quevedo at the
Holy Rosary Church in
Cotabato City on Dec. 14,
1981.
The Oblates have a pro-
vincial house in Ottawa.
 Andrew Jacob’s Baptism
ANDREW JACOB SORIA-
NO, born on Dec. 26, 2006,
Who? What? Manila Media Monitor
14 MARCH 2007

will be baptized on March

25. His proud parents are
Glenn and Mary Ann, and
big brother Jared Austin.
Stephanie, 18
Proud parents Franco and
Catalina Agostinis tender a
surprise party for daughter
Gaborno-Sunga Wedding and debutante STEPHANIE
RANDOLPH LESTER HERA at Whistlers McNeil
GABORNO and JAMILLE Room on Feb. 24. Seated,
ANNE SUNGA tie the knot from left, are the debutante’s
before Rev. Jeremy Cit- Ninang, Amor Mangolino
ron at the Mississauga Pineda; the debutante’s
Civic Centre on March 10. mother; and her father. Stand-
Concelebrating with them ing are Fr. John Pilkauskas
the sanctity of their mar- and Fr. Roselle Azares of St.
riage are (below, from left) Boniface Church and Rose-
Anne’s father Jose Sunga marie Ferrer. TS
and Randolph’s parents
Edna Valencia and Amor
Gaborno. Family and
friends later joined the
newlyweds in a reception
of post-nuptial tradition, Bash for Alice
toasts, fun and dancing. PHOTOS: WILLY SANTIAGO
ALICE FERUELO (4th from
left) gets a birthday party
from fellow nurses Nelia,
Genieve, Cristina, Arlene,
Zarah, Perla, Robert, and
Zeny at the 4 East Nephro
Department of the St. Joseph
Health Center. RAZ

Fil-Can families send books,

learning tools to RP schools
BY: JENNIFER S. J. MACLEAN
Rebuilding in Guinsaugon For over ten years, the San Sciences, Mathematics, Science, the Camarines Norte State Col-
Juan and Recinto families of Technology and General Refer- lege which got 633 volumes from
North York and Scarborough, re- ences. 1999 to 2001; Lakan Dula High
spectively, have never failed to On March 1 alone, San Juans School, Manila, 222 books in
send books and teaching/learning and Recintos shipped, through 2001; Marikina College of Arts
materials for ill-equipped libraries door-to-door cargo, 118 books, and Trades, 45 teachers’ referenc-
in schools in the Philippines. monographs and magazines to es in 1999; Makati High School,
The donations - new and used the Tambo Elementary School in 38 titles in 1999; and FEATI Uni-
textbooks and publications such Lipa City, Batangas, through air versity, 258 selections in 1996.
as student workbooks, teachers’ force Major Cesar Recinto. The The teaching and learning
guides and curriculum/instuctional same school received 125 books materials were “age-appropriate,
manuals - constituted the donors’ in 2001. biased-free and curriculum-rele-
continuing gesture of giving back, In November 2006, some 67 vant,” donor Tony San Juan said.
“para sa kanilang pinagmulan.” volumes were sent to Guintas The books, dictionaries, en-
The books covered classified National High School in Antique, cycopledias, learning cassettes/
titles in elementary, secondary through Joyce Rodriguez. The tapes and library materials came
and collegiate subjects in Eng- school earlier got 318 volumes. sourced from family, friends, ga-
FARM TOOLS. These were bought for Guinsaugon mud- lish, Literature, Education, Social Other beneficiaries included rage sales and used book sellers.
slide victims out of the funds raised from the Rebuilding
The Pillars’ Valentine Lady
Lives concert put up by the Community Alliance for So-
cial Justice (officers’ photo below) and participated in by
Filipino-Canadian artists. Photos: CDRC, CASJ
Newbie champs
citation set
Ontario has launched the
Newcomer Champion Awards to
recognize Ontarians who have
enriched cultural diversity, facili-
tated harmony and understanding
or helped newcomers to success-
fully settle and integrate.
Ontario Minister of Citizen-
ship and Immigration Mike Colle
on March 2 said the awards would
acknowledge contributions in ar-
eas such as cultural outreach, cul-
tural celebration and connecting
newcomers to communities.
Award applications would be
Juanita Riego, 89 accepted until April 13.
JUANITA RIEGO joined her Creator Nomination forms, eligibility LILY ZARAGOZA (4th from left), 92, reigns as the 2007 Ms.
on Feb. 13, 2007. She was born on requirements and additional de- Valentine of The Pillars, an association of Filipino-Canadian
Nov. 29, 1917. CP tails about the awards have been seniors in Ontario under President Frank Maralag. Sharing
posted at www.citizenship.gov. Zaragoza’s glory are her children, nephew, nieces and grand
on.ca/honoursandawards. children. MP
Consulate, PPCO, 3M honor Carol Martin
TOP PHOTO. Outgoing
consulate communications
and information officer
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007 15 Who? What?
Carol Martin (2nd from left)
receives a plaque of com-
mendation from Philippine
Reyes named to Ontario
Consul General in Toronto
Alejandro Mosquera (3rd
from left), Consul Imelda
electoral reform assembly
Panolong (left) and Vice By ACE ALVAREZ
Consul Edna Mae Lazaro A Canadian of Filipino roots is among those composing the 104-
(right), on behalf of the member Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform (CAER).
men and women who com- Cornelio (Junior) Reyes of Belleville, Ontario, says he finds the REYES
pose the consular staff . assembly “very interesting and challenging.”
Martin completes her duty Reyes was born in the ordinator at a major retailer The CAER assesses
with the consulate and is Philippines, where he ob- for 15 years and travelled Ontario’s electoral system,
given an appreciation bash tained a Bachelor of Sci- across Canada and enjoys among others, and recom-
on Feb. 16. Leilani Medina ence in Criminology (with a bowling, curling, reading mends whether Ontario re-
takes over Carol’s post. major in handwriting analy- and listening to music. tains the current system or
MIDDLE PHOTO. Manila sis) and worked for the Ma- The selection to the adopt a new one, a role usu-
Media Monitor executives nila Police Department for electoral assembly began ally reserved for expert pan-
Gie and Ace Alvarez also five years, before coming to quietly in April 2006 when els or royal commissions.
thank Martin for her news Canada in 1976. Elections Ontario sent In Ontario, the Citizens’
contributions that benefit He worked as an I.T. co- 124,000 letters to randomly Assembly discusses the op-
the community. (PHOTO selected registered voters. tions for voting dates and
BELOW) Balita publisher Tess Cusipag (holding mike) The letters asked people how votes are translated
cites Martin’s (right) invaluable support to the Philip- to respond if they were in- into seats for Members of
pine Press Club Ontario (PPCO) and to individual me- terested in being part of the Provincial Parliament.
dia entities. The PPCO, through president Tenny Sori- Ontario Citizens’ Assembly If the Assembly recom-
ano (4th from left) and members Romy Sison, Imelda on Electoral Reform - a first mends a change, Ontario
Suzara, Jess Cabrias, Butch Galicia, Ariel Ramos, Gie for the province. voters will have their say in
Alvarez, Nelson Galvez, Joe Damasco, Ricky Caluen, Of the 12,000 respon- a referendum in October.
Ace Alvarez, Jojo Taduran, Mogi Mogado and Melinda dents, 1,200 were invited to Electoral reform is on
Rustia cite Martin with a Testimonial of Recognition. selection meetings, where the agenda in many coun-
Also completing his tour is consulate staff Manny one person from each riding tries, but few have given
Gascon. Photos: MOGI MOGADO, JUN MARTIN was selected randomly to sit such a direct voice to citi-
in the assembly. zens.

JFM concludes $4.45-M

deal for church, center
Jesus First Ministries (JFM) church has become
the proud owner of a 44,500-square ft. facility in the
heart of Brampton.
The church recently closed the $4.45- million
transaction on Feb. 1 after almost three years of ne-
gotiations.
The facility, conveniently located at Hwy 410 and
Steeles Ave., will be the permanent home of the vari-
ous ministries of the church and its community ser-
vices arm, Hedgedale Community Centre (HCC).
JFM is a multicultural, Christian charismatic
church pastored by a Filipino, Jerry Berenguer.
HCC is a registered non-profit community center
that caters to individuals in the Greater Toronto Area.

Panolong to induct
Club Filipino
Brampton officers
Philippine Consul in Toronto Imelda Pa-
nolong is set to induct the officers of Club
Filipino Brampton (CFB) at the Capitol
Banquet Hall in Mississauga on March 24.
The inductees are Carmelita Matugas,
president; Fred Gadin, 1st vice president;
Flor Cabading, 2nd vice president; Malut
Alilain, secretary; Wilma Salucop, assistant
secretary; Ofelia Gadin, treasurer; Nersa
San Miguel, assistant treasurer; Gener Ur-
rutia, auditor; Romy Benedicto, assistant
auditor; Doris Yaraa, PRO and membership
committee chair; and Ben Joson, PRO.
To take their oaths as board directors
are chair Orly Villanos, Ben Matugas, Nilo
Perez, Ed San Miguel, Alberto Gadin, Per-
lita Villanos, Julie Maneja and Nenette Dul-
guime.
In the past, the club has donated to the
ANCOP housing project, put up a bus shel-
ter in Brampton and supported local educa-
tional and feeding programs. PR

ADVERTISE
Call 416-285-8583
16 Who? What? Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007

G andang
TONNIE FURTO
FLORENDO P. LLAMEG
Licensed to Practice Law in Ontario, New York
and the Philippines
Areas of Practice: ► Corporate
► Real Estate
► Immigration
► Personal Injury
Barrister and Solicitor at Devry Smith & Frank LLP
95 Barber Greene Road, Suite 100,
Toronto, Ontario M3C 3E9
Phone: 416-446-5828 / Fax: 416-449-7071
Email – florendo.llameg@devrylaw.ca
General Inquiries at Phone: 416-449-1400
The Firm’s areas of practice also include:
► Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorneys
► Estate Planning and Taxation

Cell No. 647-868-5935

► Commercial Lending
► Employment Law

Beauty Queen LUBUSAN PONG MAGLILINGKOD SA INYO.

SALAMAT PO.

Allowance program mon-law relationship for at

(From page 11)
ner have been living in a
conjugal or marriage-like
relationship for at least 12
months.
Documents to prove
cohabitation include tax
returns, GIS applications,
joint bank accounts, wills,
investments, and bills.
If not born in Canada,
you must show citizenship
or immigration documents.
If you have not lived
continuously in Canada
since the age of 18, submit
proof of all the dates when
you arrived in or left Cana-
da. The passport has this.
Calculate benefits
The allowance is based
on annual income, exclud-
ing the OAS pension and the
GIS, for the previous year
plus that of your spouse or
common-law partner. The
allowance for the survivor
is based on your previous
year’s income.
As of January 1, 2004,
the maximum monthly ben-
efits you can receive are
$820.48 for the allowance
and $905.83 for the allow-
ance for the survivor.
Most seniors get less
than the maximum amounts
because they have income
from other sources.
You must also report
your CPP, private pension
income and superannuation,
foreign pension income,
RRSPs that you cashed,
employment Insurance
benefits, interest on any
savings, any capital gains
or dividends, income from
any rental properties, any
employment income, and
income from other sources
In some situations, such
as when you stop working
or when your other pension
income drops, benefits may
be calculated by estimating
income for this year, instead
of using last year’s income.
If you or your spouse or
common-law partner have
a lower income this year,
your benefits may increase.
If you and your spouse
or common-law partner
separate voluntarily for
more than three months,
your allowance will end.
If you and your spouse
are separated for reasons
beyond your control (for
example, if one of you has
to live in a hospital or nurs-
ing home), call for more in-
formation.
You qualified for the
allowance for the survivor
because your spouse or
common-law partner died.
If you remarry, your allow-
ance will end. It will also
end if you live in a com-
least one year. You must no-
tify us of any changes.
When benefits begin
Once your application is
approved, your allowance
will begin the month after
one of these dates, which-
ever is latest: your 60th
birthday; when you meet
the residence and income
requirements; or when your
spouse or common-law part-
ner qualifies for the GIS..
If you apply for the al-
lowance after becoming
eligible for benefits, you
can receive a retroactive
payment of up to 11 months
plus the payment for the
month in which you apply.
Payments usually ar-
rive in the last three bank-
ing days of each month. If
your payment is more than
a week late, or if you lose it,
inform us.
We can deposit your
payment into your bank ac-
count through the direct de-
posit service.
We need to know per-
sonal information like your
social insurance number;
telephone number, includ-
ing the area code; home ad-
dress, including the postal
code
Likewise is your bank-
ing information like the
name of your bank or finan-
cial institution, the bank’s
branch number and account
number.
Moving
If you plan to move, in-
form us of your new address
and postal code as soon as
possible, so we can update
our records and make sure
your payment gets to you
on time. Even if your pay-
ments are deposited directly
into your bank account, we
need to know your new ad-
dress so we can send you
information and your yearly
income tax slip or renewal
form.
Outside Canada?
The Government of
Canada designed the allow-
ances to support low-in-
come seniors living in Can-
ada. If you spend more than
six months in a row outside
Canada, we will make pay-
ments for the month you
leave and for six months
after that. Then payments
will stop.
If you stay outside Can-
ada for a longer period, then
return, you can always re-
apply when you come back
to live in Canada.
Cost-of-living increases
We will increase your
pension payments to re-
flect increases in the cost of
living as measured by the
Consumer Price Index. We
apply any increases every
three months - in January,
April, July and October.
Your monthly payment
CHECK TURNOVER. Filipino-Canadian Seniors
Association The Pillars members Frank Maralag,
Mila and Timmy Lupango, Caridad Bercasio-To-
mas, Joaquin Corpus, Carmelita Domingo and
Rommy Solis hand over to Consul Imelda Pan-
olong a cheque donation to the National Disaster
Coordinating Council for Bicol typhoon victims.
in Bicol.
will not go down if the cost common-law relationship;
of living falls. and if you die.
When benefits end If you are receiving the
We stop paying the Al- allowance and your spouse
lowance and the Allowance or common-law partner
for the survivor if you do dies, you will be switched to
not reapply for the benefit the allowance for the survi-
for the coming year; your vor. Your benefits will then
income, or the total income be calculated on the basis of
of you and your spouse or your income alone.
common-law partner, is At the age of 65, most
above a certain level; you people who receive the al-
leave Canada for more than lowance or allowance for
six months in a row; ff you the survivor have their ben-
qualified for the allowance efit automatically changed
for the survivor because to an OAS pension. At this
your spouse or common- point you may also be eli-
law partner died, then you gible for the GIS. Benefits
remarry or begin living in a Canada
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007 17

LONG LIST of journalists killed in

the Philippines since 1986, the year
when the country purportedly re-
gained democracy after martial law.

CEMA joins call

vs media slays
The Canadian Ethnic Media Associa-
tion (CEMA) has expressed alarm over the
growing number of murders, acts of vio-
lence, unjust incarcerations and punitive
censorship of journalists worldwide.
While declaring common cause with the
rights organizatons monitoring the alarm-
ing situation, CEMA stressed the need for a
free press education campaign in the coun-
tries concerned, given the literacy and edu-
cation level of most of these countries.
CEMA cited 2006 figures from the New
York-based Committee to Protect Journal-
ists (CPJ), stating that in 2006, at least 55
journalists died around the world doing their
jobs. The number rose from 45 in 2005.
For the fourth consecutive year, Iraq
was in a category all its own as the deadli-
est place for journalists.
The Philippines and Afghanistan ranked
side by side second to Iraq, with three
apiece. Russia, Mexico, Pakistan and Co-
lumbia each had two journalists killed last
year.
The CPJ said another 37 media support
workers – interpreters, drivers, fixers and
office workers died in line of work since the
invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
CEMA declared common cause with or-
ganizations as Amnnesty International, Ca-
nadian Journalists for Free Expression and
Pen International Canada in protesting and
opposing violations of human rights wher-
ever they occured.
CEMA also called on the organizations
involved in monitoring the violence against
journalists to mount an education campaign
in the countries concerned.
CEMA said the campaign should be
mounted at the official government level
and among the public to impress the criti-
cal role that a free press ciould play in the
lives of ordinary people, keeping in mind
that many of these countries have an ex-
tremely poor literacy and education level.

OPP urges camp

training diversity
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is
inviting men and women representing di-
verse communities and interested in a ca-
reer in policing to list up for the 5th OPP
Bound recruitment program at the Provin-
cial Police Academy in Orilla from July 15
to 20. Participants will have the chance to
live the life of an OPP recruit at the Acad-
emy, doing firearms, drill, physical training
and practical exercises. The deadline for
application to the program is May 4. Fur-
ther information may be obtained at www.
opp.ca. CNW

Stop lying to immigrants ...
(From page 4)
one of the great trag-
edies seen in all immigrant
communities.
A Statistics Canada re-
port said more new immi-
grants were highly educated
with degrees and skills yet
were unable to find jobs in
their field and had become
“persistently poor.”
(A news item of the
StatsCan report was pub-
lished in the February issue
of Manila Media Monitor
and could be read at www.
manilamediamonitor.com).
“Canada’s failure to
recognize the credentials of
qualified, skilled and profes-
sional foreign-trained im-
migrants in the workplace
is widening the prosperity
gap for new Canadians,”
said Layton.
“New immigrants con-
tribute to the country by
providing essential servic-
es, yet they continue to be
discriminated against and
forced to accept low-paying
jobs. This is unfair to them
as they are hardworking
Canadians trying to provide
a better quality of life for
their family,” he added.
With the new federal
budget expected to be an-
nounced in a few weeks,
Layton said NDP would be
pushing to see the foreign-
credential recognition issue
on the agenda.
“One topic it (the bud-
get) should deal with is
making use of immigrant
skills and experience we
have here in Canada,” Lay-
ton said. “We will use this
issue as a lever, see how far
we can take it.”
Karygiannis reacts
Still in Ottawa, Scar-
borough-Agincourt MP
Jim Karygiannis likewise
questioned the Harper gov-
ernment’s commitment to
remove barriers faced by
foreign-trained workers.
The former Liberal ad-
ministration, Karygiannis
said, committed $68 million
over six years for foreign
credential recognition.
It had invested time and
money to raise the issue
with the medical communi-
ty; set up a program to work
with sectors to break down
barriers to credential rec-
ognition and labor market
integration in non-regulated
professions; and put up a
Foreign Credential Recog-
nition Secretariat. “(The
current leadership) inher-
ited the framework and the
funding. But it slashed the
program and cut the fund-
ing,” he said.
Karygiannis, in a press
release, said these actions
have deprived new Canadi-
ans of the chance to contrib-
ute to their new homeland
and these have deprived all
Canadians of the benefit of
much needed skills.
Gov’t serious
Still in Ottawa, Citi-
zenship and Immigration
minister Diane Finley ex-
pressed the government’s
serious commitment to put
up an office “to help quali-
fied foreign-trained profes-
sionals become accredited
so they can practice in their
chosen fields in Canada.”
In a press statement, Fin-
ley called for cooperation at
all levels of government to
give new immigrants better
working opportunities.
“Improved labor market
integration is critical so that
Canada can continue attract-
ing and retaining the skilled
immigrants it needs,” Fin-
ley said.
Visible Minorities
Meanwhile, Senate
Human Rights committee
chair Sen. Raynell Andrey-
chuk noted “that members
of visible minorities are still
significantly under-repre-
sented in the public service,
compared to their labor
market availability.”
Andreychuk advised the
Public Service Commission
(PSC) to keep trying harder,
as the committee was set to
file a report on its prelimi-
nary findings on issues of
alleged discrimination in
the hiring and promotion
practices of the Federal
Public Service (FPS).
The PSC has made
progress in hiring for wom-
en, people with disabilities
and aboriginals, commitee
deputy chair Sen. Sharon
Carstairs noted, but urged
News
the PSC to hire more visible
minorities so that “it will
ultimately truly represent
Canada in the make-up of
its workforce.”
The committee urged:
► That bonuses of
deputy ministers be tied to
performance assessments in
terms of progress on diver-
sity and job equity goals.
► That FPS develop
concrete means to carry
out its action plan ensuring
equal access to executive
level positions and all occu-
pational categories for each
of the designated groups.
► That FPS adopt a spe-
cific policy to ensure the ef-
fective removal of systemic
barriers existing in hiring
and staffing processes.
This should include a
communication strategy
geared towards reaching
out to different populations
across Canada; strategies
to acquire and maintain ex-
ternal candidates; support
for official language train-
ing, particularly within im-
migrant communities; and
minimizing the use of tem-
porary contracts.
CASJ bid
In the community front,
the Toronto-based Commu-
nity Alliance for Social Jus-
tice (CASJ) has succeeded
to bring to the attention of
lawmakers the concerns
of immigrants affected
Manila Media Monitor
18
by stringent immigration
policies resulting in “immi-
grants ending up as a source
of high quality cheap labor
in Canada.”
In a petition circulated
to the federal and provincial
legislatures, CASJ chairper-
son Edwin Mercurio said
the alliance sought for:
► A review of policies
and practices of Ontario’s
regulatory boards, asking
for changes to allow for a
highly informed, profes-
sional, fair and efficient ac-
creditation process.
► The provision of ef-
fective social supports to
allow immigrants to settle
and find appropriate jobs
commensurate to their for-
eign education, training and
experience.
► The reformation of
the Live-In Caregiver Pro-
gram to allow applicants to
enter Canada as skilled im-
migrants, giving them ac-
cess to housing and social
service support, legal and
labor protection, and bring
their families with them .
► The provision of le-
gal, professional and aca-
demic services to immi-
grants seeking credential
recognition.
► The legislation of a
Fair Registration Code that
would recognize the spirit
of the strict points system
to assess the academic and
MARCH 2007
professional capability of
immigrants.
► The provision of gov-
ernment-subsidized loans to
foreign-trained profession-
als to use their skills and
practice their professions.
► The establishment of
a department within a new-
ly-created public Access
Centre to fairly evaluate the
equivalence of standards
between regulatory bodies
and educational institutions
in different countries and in
Ontario.
Mercurio said the Fili-
pino community should be
represented in the group.
CASJ president Hermie
Garcia said access to trades
and professions for immi-
grants has high priority in
CASJ’s advocacy mission.
Garcia said despite their
high educational attainment,
long professional experi-
ences, strong command of
English and familiarization
of North American institu-
tions, many Filipino immi-
grants have suffered from
economic marginalization.
A CASJ survey con-
ducted by York University’s
Dr. Philip Kelly and Mila
Astorga-Garcia attributed
the situation to the non-rec-
ognition of foreign-earned
credentials, institutionalized
de-skilling, de-profession-
alization and occupational
segmentation.
MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor 19

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MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor
From the Monitor’s Desk ...
(From page 8)
“No, we can’t, Ace,” he said.
“I pushed some more, ‘can we
take out the administrative fee?’.”
“No, Ace. I’m so sorry, we
can’t.”
“Okay, wala na bang hidden
costs diyan sa quote mo? What
about your sales commission?”
“He replied, “Ace, you’re
practically asking me to work for
free.”
“So, I exclaimed, ‘E ganoon
naman pala, e bakit tawad ka
ng tawad sa services ko. You’re
practically asking me to work for
nothing!”
“Ha! Ha! Ha! … ” Tata Peles
laughed profusely, and declared,
“Ace, e talagang dapat nga mag-
practice ka na huwag kumain.”
“Aba’y totoo nga palang de-
likado ang Toronto sa katulad mo
na nasa media, ano?” Tata Peles
symphatized.
“E teka muna,” the old man
continued, “E, hindi ba commu-
nity work mo iyan.”
“Community work? Paanong
magiging community work ito?
Tulad sa Manila Media Moni-
tor, hindi naman nag-co-commu-
nity work ang imprenta namin.
Naniningil e. Hindi rin naman
community work ang trabaho ng
kumpare ko - si Oscar Cruz, who
handles the delivery in East York
and Scarborough.
“Likewise, Joe Damasco’s
delivery for downtown Toronto,
North York, Mississauga and
Brampton is not community work
either.
“E, hindi naman aandar ang
mga sasakyan ng mga kaibigan
kong iyon kung community work
ang ilalagay sa tangke ng gasolina.
“Ang graphics artists namin sa
Trimedia Networks - si Danny Sam-
son, Jun Afable at Erlinda Domingo,
lupa na nga ang kinakain, e.”
“Lupa? Totoo?” Tata Peles al-
most fell from his chair.
“Oo, lupa. Ayun at ang inaatu-
pag e, ‘yong darating na ‘Miss
Earth Philippines Pageant’ sa Ma-
nila. E ‘di ba lupa iyon.”
“Ang editor ko sa Manila Me-
dia Monitor - si Butch Galicia,
e, graduate pa iyon ng Advanced
Journalism sa Berlin, Germany, at
kung hindi ko babayaran, e baka
German ang gamiting linguwahe
sa pahayagan, so, papa’nong
maiintindahan ng tao ang binaba-
sa. Hindi na nga maintindihan ng
mga tao ang ilan sa mga babasa-
hin dahil sa bali-balikong Ingles,
dadagdagan pa namin.
“Tata Peles, masakit ang ti-
yan ko. Palagay ko, kailangan ko
nang kumain.”
“E, talagang dapat, Huwag
ka’ng paparis sa ibang diyaryo na
bagsak ng bagsak ng presyo para
lamang makakuha ng advertisers.
Dapat talagang kumain ka. Naka-
katawa nga e, ang daming pahina
ng mga pahayagan ng iba, wala
namang laman.
“Bakit ba?” Tata Peles wanted
the details. “Ang sukatan ba ng
diyaryo ay nasa dami ng pahina
nito?”
“Tata Peles, sila po ang tanun-
gin ninyo at hind po namin gawain
sa Manila Media Monitor iyon.”
Ooops & Bloops ...
(From page 6)
A recent e-mail message
from Buckley’s colds and cough
syrup: “PUBLIC AUDITIONS
FOR FACE OF FUTURE BUCK-
LEY’S TV AD”.
O, pagkakataon na para sa
mga mapapait ang mukha na mag-
ing model.
***
Voltaire de Leon in a mes-
sage to Manila Media Monitor:
“Can you spare someone to cov-
er the event?”
Reply: “Would you volun-
teer, Voltaire, to cover the event
for Manila Media Monitor?”
***
A forwarded message from
PPC-O member and freelancer
Jojo Taduran about a story of two
nuns - one of them was known as
Sister Mathematical (SM), and
the other one was known as Sister
Logical (SL).
It is getting dark and they are
still far away from the convent.
SM: Have you noticed that a
man has been following us for the
past thirty-eight and a half min-
utes? I wonder what he wants.
SL: It’s logical. He wants to
rape us.
SM: Oh, no! At this rate he
will reach us in 15 minutes at the
most! What can we do?
SL: The only logical thing to
do of course is to walk faster.
SM: It’s not working.
SL: Of course it’s not working.
The man did the only logical thing.
He started to walk faster, too.
SM: So, what shall we do? At
this rate he will reach us in one
minute.
SL: The only logical thing we
can do is split. You go that way
and I’ll go this way. He cannot
follow us both.
So the man decided to follow
Sister Logical.
Sister Mathematical arrives at
the convent and is worried about
what has happened to Sister Logi-
cal. Then Sister Logical arrives.
SM: Sister Logical! Thank
God you are here! Tell me what
happened!
SL: The only logical thing
happened. The man couldn’t fol-
low us both, so he followed me
SM: Yes, yes! But what hap-
pened then?
SL: The only logical thing
happened. I started to run as fast
as I could and he started to run as
fast as he could.
SM: And?
SL: The only logical thing
happened. He reached me
SM: Oh, dear! What did you
do?!
SL: The only logical thing to
do. I lifted my dress up.
SM: Oh, Sister! What did the
man do?
SL: The only logical thing to
do. He pulled down his pants.
SM: Oh, no! What happened
then?
SL: Isn’t it logical, Sister?
A nun with her dress up can run
faster than a man with his pants
down.
Jojo caps the story, “ … and
for those of you who thought it
would be dirty, I’ll pray for you!”
20
Our Journey ...
(From page 9)
money and went back to X for her
interview. This job validation was
a ticket for her family to Canada.
Now here was the tragedy.
And it was truly senseless. She
had been refused an entry visa
back to X so that she could attend
her interview. She had a letter of
endorsement from her mayor and
other prominent members of her
community, but was still denied.
She lost her interview spot and
lost her job validation. Her dream
to start a new life in Canada evap-
orated back into the fog.
Listening to her story at that
coffee shop … watching her little
girl work her way through dessert
and feeling content that life at the
moment was good, I felt the im-
mense gap of our Human Rate of
Exchange.
Sunshine knews that she would
have to wait at least another two
or three years before she could get
another chance.
She knews that she would be
away from her daughter on an-
other contract in X or some other
country.
She knew all this but she was
not daunted. Instead, she smiled
and told me she was prepared to
do what it took so that her family
could have a better life.
I left my country - the Philip-
pines, with mixed feelings.
I see so much hope and poten-
tial but so many roadblocks that
I’m torn between joy and despair.
But then I think of Sunshine
and her incredible spirit and this
brings a smile to my face.
MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor 21
 (ALFPAGE#??X?PDF0-

MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor 22

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 Manila Media Monitor
For 21 years now, the EDSA call for ‘Magkaisa’ has not changed
23 MARCH 2007

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivers her speech during the 21st an-
niversary celebration of the historic EDSA People Power Revolution at the
People Power Monument along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) in
Quezon City on Feb. 25. Photo: REY BANIQUET – OPS/NIB
24 The Philippines
Alston: RP must do more to end summary slays;
Arroyo takes quick action on Melo suggestions
The basic fact? Large
numbers of extrajudicial
killings are taking place in
the Philippines.
While President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo and her
military cohorts have as-
sured encouraging steps to
get rid of this dirty blot to
their human rights record,
“there is a huge amount that
remains to be done.”
Thus concluded Profes-
sor Philip Alston, special
rapporteur of the United
Nations Human Rights
Council, in a Feb. 21 press
statement on extrajudicial,
summary or arbitrary ex-
ecutions in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, President
Arroyo said the govern-
ment is making progress in
resolving the extrajudicial
killings of activists and me-
dia members.
“The government is
more than sincere in its ef-
forts to resolve these kill-
ings; we have taken im-
mediate concrete steps,”
Arroyo said.
Alston spent 10 days in
the cities of Manila, Baguio
and Davao, invited by the
government to “inquire into
the phenomenon of extraju-
dicial executions.”
He met with persons and
groups of varied social lean-
ings who could shed light
and present “documentation
and detailed testimony” on
the issue.
He said he was given
voluminous professionally-
prepared and detailed data
by the parties, both public
and private, he dealt with.
But he found “consider-
able variation” in the sub-
missions, some being “en-
tirely credible” and others,
“superficial and dubious.”
“The word ‘propagan-
da’ was used by many,” he
said, adding he took them
to mean “that the overriding
goal of relevant groups in
raising extrajudicial execu-
tion questions was to gain
political advantage in the
context of a broader battle
for public opinion and pow-
er, and that the human rights
dimensions were secondary
at best.”
“Some suggested that
many of the cases were fab-
ricated, or at least trumped
up, to look more serious
than they are,” he said, re-
Manila Media Monitor
basic fact that large num-
bers of extrajudicial execu-
tions are taking place, even
if they disagreed on precise
figures.”
He said the informa-
tion given by some groups
“proved credible under
cross-examination.”
“My focus goes well
beyond that adopted by ei-
ther Task Force Usig or the
Melo Commission, both of
which are concerned es-
sentially with political and
media killings ... in many
ways, a symptom of a much
more extensive problem,”
he added, saying the Usig/
Melo scope of inquiry was
inappropriate for his use
since the approach was re-
active, many killings were
not reported, or not pur-
sued, and for good reason;
and a significant proportion
of acknowledged cases of
‘disappearances’ involved
persons killed but not re-
flected in the figures.
LESS WORDS, MORE ACTION TO END KILLINGS Uncertain as to how
many were victims of sum-
ferring to government and element in such allegations mary killings, Alston said
military officials. (on extrajudicial and politi- he was “certain that the
Alston said “there is cal killings) ... but I met no number is high enough to
inevitably a propaganda groups who challenged the be distressing.”
MARCH 2007
“More importantly,
numbers are not what count.
The impact of even a limit-
ed number of killings of the
type alleged is corrosive in
many ways. It intimidates
vast numbers of civil society
actors, it sends a message of
vulnerability to all but the
most well connected, and
it severely undermines the
political discourse which is
central to a resolution of the
problems confronting this
country,” he stressed.
Of particular concern in
the Philippines are:
► Killings by mili-
tary and police, and by the
NPA or other groups, in the
course of counter-insurgen-
cy operations.
► Killings not in the
course of any armed en-
gagement but in pursuit of a
specific counter-insurgency
operation in the field.
► Killings, whether at-
tributed to the military, the
police, or private actors, of
activists associated with
leftist groups and usually
deemed or assumed to be
covertly assisting the com-
munist front. Private actors
(Continued on page 28)
Manila Media Monitor MARCH 2007 25

‘Trip to Heaven’ peddled in Cebu streets

By ED BARRITA
CEBU CITY - For men
who “fall short” of their
partners’ expectations, there
are sex gadgets and implants
being peddled in busy Os-
mena Blvd., this city.
The use of locally-
crafted sex gadgets and im-
plants, which scandalized
the Spanish clergy of early
Philippine history, has sur-
vived for the last four cen-
turies.
Pablo Nabizaga, 42,
from Jaguimit, Naga town
in southern Cebu and known
to his clients as Doctor Bo-
litas, peddles these gadgets
and contraptions.
Bolitas are round pellets
of penile implants, purport-
edly capable of enhancing
a woman’s sexual pleasure.
They are made of plastic,
silicon, glass, jade or ivory.
Nabizaga’s best seller,
however, is the “goat’s
eye,” a thin ring made of
hide surrounded with a tuft
of hair made from goat’s
Goat’s eye: Looking for-
ward to a trip to heaven
eyelashes.
”You have to soak it first
in alcohol before using it so
that it becomes clean and
soft,” Nabizaga says, add-
ing that a adept workers in a
backyard factory near a goat
abattoir in Tabunok, Talisay
City assembles “goat’s eye”
and supplies these to him.
He washes and airs
them one by one before
selling them to vendors at
P10 apiece.
Retail prices vary ac-
cording to diameter size:
from P70 to 90 each.
Marlon Omtawar, 35,
a “goat’s eye” seller and
Nabizaga’s client, advertises
his goat’s eye as Biyaheng
Langit (Trip to Heaven).
Last year, he admits hav-
ing sold - at one time - 100
pieces to a Japanese tourist
and another 500 pieces to a
Davao trader.
Ardent clients who re-
turn seven months after
purchase only pay P20 for a
new replacement, Omtawar
avers.
Nabizaga notes that the
small-diameter “goat’s eye”
is the fastest moving item in
his stock.
Most of his products,
are big hits in February and
December, on Valentines
Day and Christmas.
Nabizaga says clients
are usually men who “fall
short” of their partners’ ex-
pectations and men “who
want to please their part-
ners.”
He says expatriates, mil-
itary men, drivers, overseas
contract workers, students,
old men, even husbands
with their wives and some-
times mistresses in tow, buy
from him.
Women also get their
goat’s eye for their lovers
and husbands, he quips.
Nabizaga also sells sex
rings, or rambutan in street
slang.
Rambutans are elastic
(Continued on page 35)

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 The Philippines: Recalling ‘The Guy’
Death of a Friend
TIME, Monday, Mar. 25, 1957 (A Reprint)
(It was March 17, 1957.) The C-47
PRES. MAGSAYSAY 1955
took off smoothly from the Cebu airport
and into the moon-bright Philippine night.
It was 1:17 a.m., and the plane radioed the
tower at Malacañan Palace to have Presi-
dent Ramon Magsaysay’s car at Manila’s
Nichols Field at 3:15 a.m. Then there was
only silence. Two hours later, when the
plane failed to arrive, the silence became
ominous. By dawn, Philippine naval ves-
sels and air-force planes, later joined by the
U.S. Air Force, were scouring the lovely in-
land sea between Cebu and Manila. By ra-
dio and whisper, the news spread: the Phil-
ippines’ beloved President Magsaysay was
missing. The long morning wore on. In the
barrios, priests offered up special prayers,
and Filipinos clustered silently around ra-
dios. Then, as night began to fall, came
the “very bad news.” Wreckage had been
found in a mountain ravine near Asturias,
only 22 miles northwest of Cebu city. One
newspaperman, badly burned, was the only
survivor of 26 aboard. President Magsay-
say was dead. In the barrios and the streets
of Manila, Filipinos wept.
Open Door. To his people, Ramon
Magsaysay, 49, was a kind of combination
Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt
and Andrew Jackson, with none of their
faults: a war hero and a man of peace. He
was the President who had opened Mala-
canan Palace to the people. Palace corridors
and reception rooms, once the preserve of
suave politicians and their richly gowned
ladies, were thronged with peasants or
plantation workers bringing their troubles.
Magsaysay listened to them all.
Rugged, tall (5 ft. 11 in.), plainspeaking,
Magsaysay was indefatigably energetic and
incorruptibly honest (“My parents taught
me to be a good Christian. Do you know of
any good Christian who is dishonest?”). He
was a blacksmith’s son, who came out of
the Zambales mountains to work as a chauf-
feur and mechanic to pay for his mechani-
cal engineering studies at the University of
the Philippines. He fought the Japanese as a
guerrilla, at war’s end commanded an army
of 10,000 men - but was especially proud of
his U.S. Army rank as a captain in a motor
pool. Elected to the Philippine Congress,
he battled his own Liberal Party when it in-
dulged politics and corruption in the army,
goaded the politicos so much that in 1950
President Elpidio Quirino made him Secre-
tary of Defense.
The Communist Hukbahalaps in 1950
were 16,000 strong; in some areas they
levied taxes, ran their own schools, news-
papers and factories. They maintained their
headquarters brazenly in Manila and drew
up a plan for seizure of the city itself. Farm-
ers, forced under antiquated laws to pay
70% of their crops to hereditary landlords,
gave the Huks sanctuary, and soldiers, often
unpaid for months, felt small inclination to
hunt them down. Sleeping only three hours
a night, Magsaysay took to the air, island-
hopped from army post to army post. When
he found soldiers living in shacks and eat-
ing miserable food, he fired their officers
on the spot. Dropping in unannounced on a
remote post one cold night and finding sol-
diers sleeping without blankets, he furious-
ly roused the officers from bed, made them
distribute blankets to the enlisted men.
The army awakened, Magsaysay
launched savage forays to root out the Huk
activists. At the same time, he struck at the
roots of their power—the discontent that
made potential Huks of every Filipino farmer.
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
26
“They are fighting the government because
they want a house and land of their own. All
right, they can stop fighting because I will
give them a house and land,” he cried. And
he did, setting up settlements complete with
houses and electric lights in unused lands.
“I don’t know where to put all the Huks that
have surrendered,” he said triumphantly, and
the Huk rebellion was broken.
Honest Election. In the past, the army
had dominated Philippine elections as the
bullyboy of the politicians in power. In
1951 Magsaysay undertook to insure the
Philippines’ first free election. He jailed
mayors or town officials for allowing pho-
ny registration, warned trigger-prone local
bosses, once arrested a town’s whole po-
lice force for murdering opposition voters.
The results were incontrovertible proof of
Magsaysay’s honesty in Philippine eyes:
his party was resoundingly defeated.
By 1953, Maysaysay was fed up with
Quirino’s Liberal government. He had been
offered one too many bribes, had seen one
too many corrupt colleagues, he said. But
when the rival Nationalists approached him
to lead a military coup d’état, he refused (“I
might be a good dictator, but how do you
know about the next one?” he asked them).
Then they asked him to become their presi-
dential candidate. His speech at the nomi-
nating convention was short. “I am a man
of action. Therefore I am not a speechmak-
er,” he said, and sat down. He was elected
President by a landslide.
As President, Magsaysay was the U.S.’s
sturdiest defender and stoutest friend in all
Asia. When opponents taunted him as an
“American puppet,” he replied defiantly
that he would run for election any time on
the platform of friendship with the U.S. He
had no patience with neutralism. “Between
(Continued on page 27)
 MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor
27

MALIGAYANG
PASKO NG
MULING
PAGKABUHAY

CFAC showcases RP Easter traditions in

42nd Easter Around the World festival
The Community Folk
Arts Council of Toronto
(CFAC) and its member
groups is inviting the public
to see 18 ethnic community
Easter displays at the 42nd
Annual Easter Around the
World Festival at the City
Hall Rotunda on April 1
from noon to 5 p.m.
Admission is free.
Participating countries
include Hungary, Serbia,
Madeira, Poland, Pioneer
Canada, Russia, the Phili-
pines, Ukraine, Macedo-
nia, Peru, Slovak, Portugal,
Lebanon, Romania, Colom-
bia, Mexico, Croatia and
Chile.
Food, flowers, fun and
fashion are the key words
during the festival, which
yearly draws huge crowds
who want to experience
how Easter is celebrated
worldwide.
The culinary bounty
celebrating the end of Lent
and the coming of Spring
promise to delight senses.
At the festival, one can
buy traditional home baked
goods and decorated eggs,
bring the children to learn
about the many traditions of
Easter and try his/her hand
at the intricate designs un-
der expert instruction from
a master of the art of egg
decoration.
The Easter event is one
of Toronto’s longest run-
ning annual festivals.
CFAC is a not-for-prof-
it, charitable organization
that presents the heritage of
over 91 nationalities found
in Toronto.
CFAC showcases inter-
national traditions through
events like Global roots,
Christmas Around the
World, First Night and Taste
of Toronto.
The council also brings
groups from other nations
to perform in Toronto,
and sends its own member
groups to perform in places
as far away as Taiwan.
Through its activities,
the council helps to bring
about a higher profile for
the heritage and arts in the
greater Toronto area. PR

Death of a friend ....

(From page 26)
our way of life and Communism,
there can be no peace, no paralyz-
ing coexistence, no grey neutral-
ism,” he said. “There can only be
conflict—total and without rec-
onciliation.”
Smiling Now. Even his well-
wishers worried over Magsay-
say’s impatience with experts
and technicians. When forced President Ramon and Mrs. Luz Banzon-Mag-
to listen to them, he cracked his saysay with Eleanor Roosevelt (center).
knuckles nervously and rolled his
head back and forth on his neck. “The
professor’s reports aren’t as important as
people,” he said; what saved him from
folly was his instinct for what the people
wanted and needed. Whenever he could,
he got out of the palace to go back to the
barrios. Filipinos lined the roads along
his route, and he extended his hand to
brush their fingers as he passed. Bound-
ing up steps two at a time, mopping the
sweat from brow and neck with a towel,
he shook hands in city halls and in the
village squares, talked under mango
trees among nipa huts, pledging a new
pre-fabricated schoolhouse here, discuss-
ing a new road or a new irrigation dam
there. Magsaysay himself seemed to
draw strength from the contact. Looking
out at the sea of people, Magsaysay said
proudly: “People smile now. It’s only six
years since no one smiled and everybody
was afraid of his neighbor.” The Guy: Time cover, Nov. 26, 1951
Ramon Magsaysay flew whenever he
could, at any time and in any weather. He shrugged off protests impatiently; any other way
wasted time, and he was a man in a hurry. Last Saturday Magsaysay flew down to Cebu.
He talked at three universities, to the local war veterans, to the Chinese Chamber of Com-
merce. Then he decided to fly back to Manila that night.
After the crash, the Cabinet hurriedly summoned Vice President Carlos Garcia home
from Australia, where he has been attending the SEATO Conference. A nondescript politi-
cian forced on Magsaysay by the Nationalists, Garcia is unlikely to be more than a care-
taker until the presidential elections, to be held this fall. Just who that successor will be,
no one can predict. Magsaysay so completely dominated Philippine politics and affections
that in all likelihood he would have been nominated by both parties. There was no one like
him —a man in whom Filipinos saw their best, just as he always saw the best in them.
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
28 The Philippines Provincial Roundup
March in Bohol
Sandugo (One Blood) Festival
Sandugo Festival, a yearly historical event in
Tagbilaran City, Bohol every March, commem-
morates the blood compact and association
or treaty of friendship between Datu Sikatuna
Spanish conquistador Captain General Miguel
López de Legazpi in March 16, 1565. The two
were believed to have made a cut on their left arms with a dagger and sprinkled their blood
into a cup filled with wine, which both drunk in honor of their friendship and brotherhood.
This was 44 years after Ferdinand Magellan was killed attacking Mactan Island in Cebu. The
Sandugo (dugo means blood in the Visayan language.) treaty was a traditional way to for-
malize treaties of friendship in the Philippines. Magellan himself took part in several of these
ceremonies before attacking Mactan Island. It was the first international treaty of friendship
and comity between the Filipinos and Spaniards.
Alston: RP must do more to end political slays
(From page 24)
included hired thugs in the pay of politicians, land-
owners, corporate interests, and others.
► Vigilante, or death squad, killings.
► Killings of journalists and other media per-
sons.
► ‘Ordinary’ murders facilitated by the sense of
impunity that exists.
The military has relentlessly pushed the idea that
the recent rise in killings was due to purges commit-
ted by the Communist Party of the Philippines and its
armed group, the New People’s Army.
But the evidence to support the theory was un-
convincing, Alston said. Human rights groups have
documented very few such cases.
“Some killings may have been attributable to the
AFP, but they were committed by rogue elements.
There is little doubt that some such killings have been
committed,” he said.
The military remained in a state of almost total
denial of its need to respond effectively and authenti-
cally to the significant number of killings which have
been convincingly attributed to them,” he said.
“The President needs to persuade the military that
its reputation and effectiveness will be considerably
enhanced, rather than undermined, by acknowledging
the facts and taking genuine steps to investigate.”
Alston also took jabs at the Melo Commission re-
port: “It is not for me to evaluate the Melo Report.
That is for the people of the Philippines to do.”
The President showed good faith in responding
to allegations by setting up an independent commis-
sion.; but the political and other capital that should
have followed was drained away by the refusal to
publish the report and the justifications given were
unconvincing.
“Extending a Commission whose composition
has never succeeded in winning full cooperation
seems unlikely to cure the problems still perceived
by those groups. Immediate release of the report is an
essential first step,” Alston said.
“The increase in extrajudicial executions in re-
cent years is attributable, at least in part, to a shift
in counterinsurgency strategy that occurred in some
areas, reflecting the considerable regional variation
in the strategies employed, especially with respect to
the civilian population,” he said.
“In some areas, an appeal to hearts-and-minds is
combined with an attempt to vilify left-leaning orga-
nizations and to intimidate leaders of such organiza-
tions,” he added.
Alston said that “in some instances, such intimi-
dation escalates into extrajudicial execution. This is a
grave and serious problem and one which I intend to
examine in detail in my final report” due to come out
in the next three months.
As this developed, President Arroyo named Chief
Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol to monitor
the progress of directives she issued on Jan. 31 based
on the recommendations of the Melo Commission.
At the justice department, Secretary Raul Gonza-
lez has liberalized admission requirements, particu-
larly when the threat level on bona fide witnesses is
high. Regional State Prosecutors are authorized to
grant provisional coverage to high risk witnesses un-
der threat pending confirmation of their admission.
Gonzalez directed regional state, provincial and
city prosecutors to be proactive in seeking out bona
fide witnesses in cases involving political killings,
media murders and human rights violations.
The President has also asked the Commission on
Human Rights (CHR) to delve deeper into the matter
of extrajudicial killings, as she approved the release
of P25 million for the Commission to do its task.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes
Esperon issued on Feb. 4 a memorandum ordering
strict adherence to the doctrine of command respon-
sibility, as recommended by Justice Jose Melo, chair-
man of the Melo Commission.
Command responsibility refers to the “account-
ability or responsibility or answerability of the com-
mander of a Military Force or Unit for the acts of his
men, inclusive of the authority to order, to direct, to
prevent or control the acts of his men.”
Supreme Court chief Justice has recently an-
nounced the setting up of special courts to prosecute
the perpetrators of extrajudicial killings.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has also re-
quested for European Union assistance in the ongo-
ing investigations, the Palace was informed.
Diplomats from Europe, Japan and other coun-
tries as well as the UN Special Rapporteur Philip
Alston welcomed the news of these actions by the
Arroyo administration in separate briefings earlier
this month. PR, OPS
Dog bites man, risky in Aklan
KALIBO, Aklan - Rabies has claimed the lives of four persons in
Aklan in the last several months, sending officials to raise alarm
bells over the vaccination of the province’s more than 55,300 dogs
to ensure zero rabies case. Health officials said 1,172 Aklanons were
dog bite victims in 2006. Officials called for the full implementation
of the Rabies Ordinance that provided for the elimination of stray
dogs, compulsory leashing and caging of dogs, castration to regulate
dog population and encouragement to owners to be responsible pet
owners. Stray dogs have also caused countless fatal motorcycle ac-
cidents in the province for years. PIA
Candaba kids for bird flu free RP
CANDABA, Pampanga - Some 60 grade school children in this
town frequented by migratory birds have joined the drive against
bird flu, learning about the dreaded disease from art and literature
workshops facilitated by artists from the Cultural Center of the Phil-
ippines. The workshops were part of the Stay Bird Flu Free Philip-
pines campaign sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) and the People of Japan. Similar programs were con-
ducted in the cities of Butuan and Roxas. PIA
DSWD seeks more foster homes
PANGASINAN - Social welfare officials here are looking for more
adoptive and foster parents for 147 children who needed permanent
and loving families, facilitated through the government’s adoption
and foster care program. The children have been initially provid-
ed with basic social interventions by the community-based social
workers. PIA
E. Samar eyes bigger coco plant
HERNANI, Eastern Samar - The Integrated Coconut Processing
Plant here is set to expand as it acquires soon a bigger decorticating
machine, to raise production of coconut fiber and meet growing de-
mand. Mayor Cesar Tagun said the plant’s output was only 1.5 tons
of coconut fiber, way below the requirements of coco fiber users.
Coconut fiber is essential in making geonets or geotextiles used in
preventing soil erosion. Tajun said the plant’s output included coco-
nut by products such as soap, crude oil and virgin coconut oil. PIA
Ifugao studes go into recycling
TABUK, Kalinga - The St. Louis
College of Bulanao has launched a
series of seminars to teach students
and the community here on how to
control waste and garbage and con-
vert trash into cash. SLCB Presi-
dent Bishop Prudencio Andaya Jr.
said the college clean brigade could
help participating students defray
school tuition fees and other ex-
penses by collecting and recycling
or selling trash. Other in-kind in-
centives will also be given to stu-
dents. The program taught participants how to sort waste, put this in
proper containers, collect garbage, recycle usable waste materials,
and apply other ecology-friendly practices. PIA
Tandag, Surigao N. soon a city
TANDAG, Surigao del Sur - Tandag, one of 12 candidates for city-
hood, is sure of its conversion awaiting President Arroyo’s signa-
ture. Tandag mayor Alexander Pimentel said the cityhood papers
had been signed by Senate President Manuel Villar. Pimentel said
the approved measure would be submitted to the people of Tandag
for a plebiscite. Tandag, along with Cabadbaran of Agusan del Norte
and Bayugan of Agusan del Sur were the three towns of Caraga re-
gion submitted for conversion into a city. PIA
More shuttle services to Clark
C L A R K
ZONE, Pam-
panga - Clark
Development
Corporation
(CDC) offi-
cials have an-
nounced the
opening this
year of new
shuttle routes between the Diosdado Macapagal International Air-
port (DMIA) and the eastern provinces of Luzon, as it signed ac-
cords with five transport firms in a bid to increase passenger servic-
es. The transport firms included Philtranco, Partas, Triangle Phils.,
Airport Shuttle Service Inc. and Genesis. Most of the transport firms
have stations in Cubao, Pasay and near the Ninoy Aquino Interna-
tional Airport. PNA
MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor 29
30
MILF-military ceasefire pact may collapse
MANILA - The Moro Islam-
ic Liberation Front (MILF) on
March 11 warned of an impending
collapse of its ceasefire agreement
with the government if military
forces continued attacking its po-
sitions in Southern Philippines.
MILF chief negotiator Mo-
hagher Iqbal issued the warning
after a week of fierce fighting be-
tween MILF mujahideen and gov-
ernment troops in the jungles of
Midsayap, North Cotabato.
The military earlier claimed
the fighting broke out on the eve-
The Philippines
ning of March 7 when at least 300
MILF rebels attacked two mili-
tary outposts in the town. Bomber
planes supported ground troops
against the rebels.
Despite the attacks, Armed
Forces public information officer
Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said
the military was committed to
the pursuit of a peace pact with
the country’s largest secessionist
movement.
“We’d like to say that the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
really puts primacy to the ongoing
peace process with them (MILF),”
he said.
But Iqbal said the military ap-
peared “to be repeating what it did
in the years 2000 and 2003, when
it launched campaigns against the
MILF” while negotiating with
government for a peace accord.
In 2000, then President Joseph
Estrada ordered an all-out offen-
sive against the MILF resulting
in the capture of scores of MILF
camps, including the rebel group’s
main headquarters Camp Abuba-
kar in Maguindanao.
In 2003, the defunct South-
ern Command ordered an assault
of the MILF position at the Bu-
liok (Liguasan Marsh) complex
in Pikit, North Cotabato after the
receiving information that the
place was used as “staging area”
of criminal elements.
“The government is repeating
what it did in 2000 and 2003 and it
begins to appear that it’s avowed
policy of ‘primacy of the peace
process’ is now a rhetoric,” said
Iqbal.
The MILF claimed the mili-
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
tary sparked the skirmishes in
North Cotabato, that the military
initiated the attacks.
Iqbal said the MILF “will
not take this aggression sitting
down.”
Formal peace talks between
the MILF and the government hit
a snag on August 2006, on the is-
sue of ancestral domain.
But negotiators expressed op-
timism the talks would soon re-
sume, and an agreement reached
to render a lasting solution to a
decades-old conflict. PNA
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
Doha Round trade talks to
open marts for RP exports
Philippine exporters and
producers stand to gain most
with the Doha Round’s goal
to reduce trade barriers in
both developed and devel-
oping countries.
World Trade Organiza-
tion (WTO) Director-Gener-
al Pascal Lamy stressed this
in a forum with members
of the Philippine Chamber
of Commerce and Industry
(PCCI).
Philippine exports are
concentrated on electric and
electronic equipment, ma-
chinery and vehicles and ap-
parels, accounting for over
70 percent of the country’s
exports to the US, Japan,
the EU, China and Hong
Kong China in 2005.
Lamy said the Doha in-
dustrial tariff negotiation,
if successfully concluded,
would substantially reduce
tariff barriers Philippine ex-
ports face in target markets.
“Being a developing
country, the Philippines is
entitled to the flexibilities
available for developing
countries. These additional
flexibilities do not provide
full exemption of the Phil-
ippines from concessions,
but provide breathing space
32 Money
PASCAL LAMY
for the government to cover
their most sensitive sector
and achieve developmental
objectives,” said Lamy.
From a systemic view-
point, WTO has provided a
global level playing field for
Philippine exports, making
sure they enjoyed the “Most
Favored Nation and Nation-
al Treatment” without being
discriminated against.
The WTO also provided
a forum to solve trade dis-
putes fairly when they hap-
pen, and the Philippines has
benefitted from the protec-
tion of the dispute settle-
ment system.
DO NOT
FORGET
Your income tax return for 2006 has to be filed on or before April 30, 2007.
If you file your return after April 30, 2007, your GST/HST credit, Canada Child
Tax Benefit (including those payments from certain related provincial or territorial
programs), and Old Age Security benefit payments may be delayed.
Self-employed persons: If you or your spouse or common-law partner carried on
“In agriculture, the Phil- a business in 2006 (other than a business whose expenditures are primarily in con-
ippines also has offensive nection with a tax shelter), your return for 2006 has to be filed on or before June 15,
interests. For example, the 2007. However, if you have a balance owing for 2006, you still have to pay it on or
Philippines is the world’s before April 30, 2007.
largest coconut exporter. It
has an interest in making FREE INCOME TAX PREPARATION SERVICES
sure that trade distorting do- ► MARCH 18: Association of Filipino-Canadian Accountants, Bayview Hill Community
mestic subsidies and export Centre, 1 to 4 p.m.
support is reduced as a re- ► MARCH 18 & 25: Filipino Centre Toronto, FCT Rizal Hall, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
sult of this Doha Round and ► MARCH 24 & 31, APRIL 14: Club Filipino of Brampton, Chinguacousy
markets in other countries Library, Brampton, 10 a.m to 3 p.m.
are more open.” ► MARCH 31: Gateway Centre for New Canadians and the Association of
Lamy explained that the Filipino Canadian Accountants, Gateway Centre, Mississauga, 1 to 4 p.m.
Doha Round is also negoti-
ating new rules, like trade
facilitation.
“As the Philippines is
strategically located, global
disciplines cutting red tape
and facilitating customs
clearance will greatly en-
hance the country’s com-
petitiveness.”
He pointed out that the
Doha Round could bring
more market access, a fairer
playing field, new disci-
plines and better enforce-
ment of existing rules.
“On the other hand, ev-
ery country in these nego-
tiations, including the Phil-
ippines, needs to contribute,
the bigger ones contributing
more, the weaker or the Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inspects the state-of-the-art
smaller ones contributing facilities of Sykes-Cebu Call Center on Feb. 26. With the President is Asia-
less.” EDU LOPEZ Cebu General Manager and Call Center Director Rosario Durano. OPS/NIB

Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
‘06 OFW inflows hit $12.8B high
Send-ins from Filipino workers in Canada cited
Remittances from
overseas Filipino workers
(OFW) totalled $12.8 bil-
lion in 2006 on the back of
a record high $1.3 billion
remittance in December.
The Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) said the
2006 OFW remittances was
$500 million higher than
projections.
The BSP said the 2006
OFW inflow was 19.4 per-
cent higher than the 2005
send-ins through banks.
The strongest inflow
came in December, reach-
ing $1.3 billion and rising
by 37.2 percent compared
to the year-ago level.
“This is also the highest
monthly remittance level
ever recorded thus far,” the
BSP said in its yearend re-
mittance report.
The BSP said the strong
cash remittances were due to
two major factors that have
kept monthly OFW inflows
in excess of the billion-dol-
lar level for eight consecu-
tive months last year.
BSP Governor Amando
Money
33
Tetangco Jr. said more Fili-
pinos were sent abroad and
most sent money through
banks in 2006.
Tetangco said finan-
cial conduits have also
made it easier and cheaper
for OFWs to send money
through banks.
He said banks and non-
bank remittance companies
have competed intensely
to make remittances faster,
safer and more efficient.
Remittance channels
have adopted advanced
systems and new technolo-
gies such as Internet/online
banking, phone banking
and through short messag-
ing system.
Banks have also devel-
oped financial products and
services to attract OFWs.
These included bill pay-
ment arrangements, inter-
national money/cash cards,
remittance network expan-
sion and new correspondent
remittance agreements with
host countries.
The bulk of OFW remit-
tances still came from the
US, Saudi Arabia, Canada,
Italy, the United Kingdom,
Japan, the United Arab
Emirates, Hong Kong, Sin-
gapore, and Taiwan.
The Philippine Over-
seas Employment Admin-
istration said deployment in
2006 reached 1.1 million.
Deployed were 831,318
land-based and 260,737
sea-based workers.
More than eight mil-
lion Filipinos are recorded
working overseas, the num-
ber nearly a tenth of the
country’s population.
Meanwhile, former
senator and labor leader
Ernesto Herrera noted the
big contribution of Filipino
workers in Canada, who
sent home a record $283.46
million from January to
September last year alone.
Herrera credited the
surge in money transfers to
the “buoyant migrant labor
market, particularly for pro-
fessionals and other skilled
workers,” in Canada, which
has been one of the biggest
beneficiaries of the global
GOT A SWEET FOREX DEAL?
Check out if you got your peso’s worth for the dollars
you have had exchanged since Feb. 12, courtesy of
Manila Media (Money) Monitor.
US$ Cdn$
March 09 48.51932 41.42443
March 08 48.68628 41.25673
March 07 48.74571 41.35654
March 06 48.77818 41.47550
March 05 48.84921 41.35642
March 02
March 01
48.70935
48.56443
41.44140
41.45934
Feb. 28 48.59052 41.52752
commodities boom. Feb. 27 48.25740 41.45932
He said Canadian com- Feb. 23 48.25401 41.65006
panies have aggressively Feb. 22 48.24241 41.52839
drafted petroleum and min- Feb. 21 48.12526 41.44171
ing engineers, construction Feb. 20 48.06312 41.08465
and transportation workers Feb. 14 48.48549 41.57986
as well as services staff.” Feb. 13 48.45257 41.45987
Herrera said the bursts Feb. 12 48.34045 41.15223
of growth in Canada’s min-
ing and energy industries
have actually spilled over to
other industries.
Canada is a world top
Cebu SMEs get support from
producers of gold, silver,
copper, nickel, zinc, alumi-
num and other precious and
Canadian, Dutch aid agencies
industrial metals. The Confederation of Business Support Organiza-
With the bullish global Philippine Exporters Foun- tion Program (BSOD).
energy markets, Canada’s dation (Cebu), Inc. (Phil- Assistance through the
production of synthetic export Cebu) and aid agen- BSOD would include semi-
crude oil from “oil sands” cies from Canada and the nars and workshops, organi-
has also been growing by Netherlands have signed zational strengthening, mar-
leaps and bounds, the Trade a memorandum of under- ket information systems,
Union Congress of the Phil- standing that would provide export diversification, and
ippines official said. Philippine small and medi- other training modules.
Canada’s oil sand de- um enterprises with training Pearl 2 is funded by the
posit in northern Alberta is to improve competitiveness Canadian International De-
the world’s largest and con- and marketability abroad. velopment Agency in part-
tain the equivalent of 1.7 Under Pearl 2 or the nership with the Center for
trillion barrels of oil. Private Enterprises Accel- the Promotion of Imports
“This is where our erated Resource Linkages from Developing Countries,
OFWs, our modern-day he- project, the aid agencies an agency of the Dutch Min-
roes, go,” Herrera said. would carry out a three-year istry of Foreign Affairs.
 Acura turns
20 in Canada
Twenty years ago on Val-
entine’s Day (Feb. 14), the
Acura brand was launched
in Canada, the start of a bold
brand venture. The first Jap-
anese luxury nameplate had
arrived in Canada.
Created to bring per-
formance, elegant design,
advanced technology and
higher levels of customer
service to the luxury import
market, Acura has grown
from two nameplates in
1987 to six distinctive mod-
els, including two utility
vehicles, Acura RDX and
MDX, and an exclusive-to-
Canada luxury compact se-
dan, the Acura CSX.
“Acura has dramatically
advanced its products and
technology over the past 20
years,” said Jim Miller, ex-
ecutive vice president, Hon-
da Canada Inc.
“Acura’s commitment
is to always be ahead with
customer-relevant technolo-
gies and products that add
to our customer’s quality of
life. We thank those Canadi-
ans who have embraced the
Acura brand over the years,”
Miller said.
Since then, over 320,000
Acura cars and trucks have
been sold in Canada. Acura
builds two products at Hon-
da Canada’s facility in Allis-
ton, Ontario.
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007 34
Acura RDX is year’s Canadian Utility Vehicle
The all-new 2007 Acura
RDX Technology Package,
a luxury-performance cross-
over utility vehicle (CUV),
is the Canadian Utility Ve-
hicle of the Year.
Thus voted the Automo-
bile Journalists Association
of Canada (AJAC).
Toyota bags 3 Energuide awards
Toyota Canada Inc. an-
nounced that EnerGuide
named three of its models
as the most fuel efficient in
their respective classes for
2007.
Toyota’s three class-
leading vehicles are:
► 2007 Toyota Yaris
(manual transmission):
Most Fuel Efficient Sub-
Compact, with a rating of
Wheels
The competition started
in October in Ontario where
over 70 AJAC members
tested and evaluated 65
products in 13 categories.
The RDX initially won
as Best New CUV between
$35,000 and $60,000.
Honda Canada Inc. mar-
6.9 L / 100 km city and 5.5 L
/ 100 km highway. The Yaris
Hatchback won the category
last year - its first year on
sale in Canada.
► 2007 Toyota Prius:
Most Fuel Efficient Mid-
Size, with a rating of 4.0 L /
100 km city and 4.2 L / 100
km highway. The revolu-
tionary gasoline-electric hy-
brid Prius has been named
kets five vehicles under the
Acura brand -- the exclu-
sive-to-Canada Acura CSX
luxury compact sedan, RL,
MDX, TL and TSX.
Both the CSX and the
MDX are produced at the
Honda of Canada Mfg. fa-
cility in Alliston, Ontario.
best in class every year since
the mid-size version was in-
troduced in 2004.
► 2006 Toyota Sienna
FWD: Most Fuel Efficient
Minivan, with a rating of
11.7 L / 100 km city and 8.1
L / 100 km highway.
EnerGuide announced
the winning vehicles at the
Canadian International Auto
Show.
GM goes interactive in Montreal
General Motors is the first marketer to test drive Zoom
Media’s new interactive “billboards.”
Targeting car-buyers 18 to 34, the 50 boards throughout
Zoom’s resto-bar network in Montreal are equipped with
12” high-definition video screens with audio.
Motion sensors activate the billboards as people pass
by, inviting them to stop and learn more about eight dif-
ferent Pontiac and Chevrolet models and view video of the
cars, making choices via four “touchless” buttons.
Brochures about the cars will also be in postcard racks
installed on the boards. Based on an existing web applica-
tion and developed by Cossette Media, there are four dif-
ferent programs and each provides information options on
two models.
The boards went up in early February and will run until
summer.
“It was important to engage young consumers and give
them the opportunity to live a virtual experience,” says Ju-
lie Courtemanche, account manager at GM’s media agency
Cossette Media, in a release.
“The interactivity provided by these new billboards
enables us to extend our campaign’s reach which, up until
now, was limited to the web.”
“Our interactive board provides not only a wireless
Internet and mobile network compatibility that allows for
remote updating, but also collects data on the interactivity
which is supplied to our clients on an on-going basis,” adds
Andy Querin, president of Zoom Media. David Brown,
as released in Marketing Daily
36 Manila Media Monitor MARCH 2007
Ring & tinseltown - YES,
But Pacquiao KOs politics
Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao, who has
four movies and a string of television bits to his
gold belt, finally knocked out plans to seek a con-
gressional post in the May elections.
Instead, Pacquiao’s handlers said he would fo-
cus on his fight against Mexican Jorge Solis at the
Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on April 14.
Pacquiao’s poll adviser Romulo Macalintal
hinted that fans would not want the boxer’s win-
ning fists dipped into dirty politics, as gleaned
from the loud booing Pacquaio and his camp re-
ceived recently during the Z Gorres and Boom
Boom Bautista forays at the Cebu City Sports
Complex.
Macalintal said Pacquiao would like to apolo-
gize to his fans for hurting them because of his
MANNY PACQUIAO political plans and that “Pacquiao treats his fans
as very important to him and would listen to their sentiments.”
Veteran politician Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña had advised Pacquiao that he could
run for an office, but “not at this time.”
As an actor, Pacquiao has starred in Lisensyadong Kamao (2005), Basagan ng Mukha
(2001), Mahal Kita, Kahit Sino Ka Pa (2001), and ‘Di Ko Kayang Tanggapin (2000).
Roxanne: No part in
Meryll-Bernard split
Hot and sultry White Castle 69 model and Maxim Phil-
ippines March 2007 poser Roxanne Guinoo staved off ru-
mors that she was the ‘significant other’ that spawned the
marital breakup of Meryll Soriano and Bernard Palanca.
Fresh from her own split with boyfriend Joross Gam-
boa, Roxanne said she always tried to keep off Bernard
who frequently sent her text messages. She said she did not
want to be known as coveting someone else’s husband.
At 21 (she was born on Feb. 14, 1986), Roxanne had
been too busy with her acting and modelling projects to ROXANNE GUINOO
even bat an eyelash for Bernard.
A Star Circle Quest talent, Roxanne hails from Rosario, Cavite.
She is preparing to shoot her White Castle TVC in the trademark skimpy two-piece red
bikini, white horse and the beach.
CAREER TOPS
TONI’S LOVELIFE
Toni Gonzaga is in love. But not with Sam
Milby, Luis Manzano, Zanjoe Marudo, or the
politician allegedly hounding the TV host-
singer-actress lately. Toni is very much in
love with her showbiz career that be-
ing romantically involved with any
guy at this point of her life is not in-
cluded on her priority list.
Toni is still loveless. But she
does not fret about it. And when
asked, from the list of her suit-
ors, why no one has captured her
heart yet; Toni stated matter-of-
factly, “Masyadong maiksi ang
lifespan ng showbiz career ng
mga artista, kaya I’m just making
the most out of what I have now.
Saka na siguro ‘yan. Minsan lang
ang ganitong opportunity, so ‘wag
na nating palampasin pa.”
Who among Sam, Luis, and Za-
njoe is closest to her heart?
“Cliche nang masyado ‘to, pero
close ako sa kanilang lahat. We are
all good friends. Wala yung ranking
kung sino ang ganito o ganyan. Pan-
tay-pantay silang lahat para sa akin,”
said Toni.
Aside from Pinoy Big Brother,
she hosts with Mariel Rodriguez
and Bianca Gonzales, Toni’s other
TV shows are ASAP ‘07 on ABS-
CBN and Wazzup Wazzup on
Studio 23.
She has also a finished a
movie with Sam and Zanjoe
entitled You Got Me from Star
Cinema. PEP
Pinoy
SHOW
BIZ
Bakekang film in the making
The spectacular rise of Bakekang on the
boob tube charts - since its premiere on Sept.
11, 2006 over GMA 7 - is inspiring film writ-
er and director Carlo J. Caparas and Donna
Villa to produce its movie version.
If Caparas had his way, he wanted the
flick on the roll this March, but Villa insist-
ed that a potential award winning film like
Bakekang would suit all intents and purposes
if shown during the December Metro Manila
Film Festival.
Caparas hinted that Philippine teleseries
newest queen Sunshine Dizon would still fill
in the shoes of Bakekang in the movie, not-
ing Dizon’s incomparable portrayal of the
comics character Caparas himself created 30
years ago.
On Feb. 18, 1978, Nora Aunor did
Bakekang. Dizon’s reprise of the Aunor film
is expected to be very novel and different
from the first, he said. SUNSHINE DIZON
The director said Dizon’s fans have be- ... as ...
come so used to her transformation from a BAKEKANG
lovely, beautiful lass to an ugly, pitiable tele-
serye character that they would shout foul if
someone else played the role in the movie.
Earlier rumors said Jolina Magdangal
and Kris Aquino were eyed to do Bakekang.
Even Ai-Ai delas Alas wanted in. But Dizon
beat them to the draw.
Besides, Dizon has become so accus-
tomed to the prosthetics that she would have
no qualms wearing them over and over in the
filming process, he said.
“Sulit na sulit ang pinaghirapan ko,” Di-
zon said on learning she had been chosen for
the movie, as she expressed elation over the
decision of Caparas.
Dizon said Bakekang was her biggest
break in prime-time Philippine television.
While the show was not really one of GMA 1978 BAKEKANG POSTER
7’s big-ticket projects, it rapidly took off and
shot up at the ratings.
Is Dizon ready to be compared with Nora Aunor who did the movie version? In an
earlier interview, Dizon mused: “I know that it is inevitable, but I wish that people would
not compare us because Ate Guy (Nora’s monicker) is Ate Guy. She is the Superstar and
I am not even close to that. I just hope people will give me the chance to show them my
capabilities in playing this character without judgment.”
“What Bakekang’s biggest lesson will ultimately be is giving people the inspiration to
find their talent, to claim what they are good at, and hope that things will be better. That
looks may be important to some, but in the end, it is the person’s character that really
counts,” she said.
Comelec chides Montano on
TV documentary appearance
The Commission on advertisements or election
Elections (Comelec) is set propaganda.
to disqualify May poll ad- Abalos cited Section
ministration senatorial bet 6, paragraph 8 of the Fair
and actor Cesar Montano. Election Act that provided:
That is if Montano fails No movie, cinematograph
to explain why his appear- or documentary portrayed
ance as host and narrator of by an actor or media person-
an old EDSA People Power ality who is himself a candi-
documentary - aired over date shall likewise be pub-
Living Asia cable tv chan- licly exhibited in a theater
nel - does not violate the or any public forum during
Fair Election Act. the campaign period.
Comelec chairman Ben- However, Abalos said
jamin Abalos Jr. said the CESAR MONTANO the April 14 fight of boxing
poll agency has ordered champ and congressional
Montano and Living Asia didates or registered politi- bet Manny Pacquiao was
to explain and show cause cal parties seeking national unlike Montano’s hosting.
why they should not be cit- elective positions are given Abalos said Pacquiao’s
ed for violating the election 120 minutes of air time fight, to be aired live, is
law, for which poll bets may on free TV and cable TV considered “a current event
be disqualified. and 180 minutes on radio, of national interest.”
But a Comelec resolu- whether by purchase or do- That was if Pacquiao
tion also provided that can- nation, for their broadcast had continued running.
36 Manila Media Monitor MARCH 2007
Ring & tinseltown - YES,
But Pacquiao KOs politics
Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao, who has
four movies and a string of television bits to his
gold belt, finally knocked out plans to seek a con-
gressional post in the May elections.
Instead, Pacquiao’s handlers said he would fo-
cus on his fight against Mexican Jorge Solis at the
Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on April 14.
Pacquiao’s poll adviser Romulo Macalintal
hinted that fans would not want the boxer’s win-
ning fists dipped into dirty politics, as gleaned
from the loud booing Pacquaio and his camp re-
ceived recently during the Z Gorres and Boom
Boom Bautista forays at the Cebu City Sports
Complex.
Macalintal said Pacquiao would like to apolo-
gize to his fans for hurting them because of his
MANNY PACQUIAO political plans and that “Pacquiao treats his fans
as very important to him and would listen to their sentiments.”
Veteran politician Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña had advised Pacquiao that he could
run for an office, but “not at this time.”
As an actor, Pacquiao has starred in Lisensyadong Kamao (2005), Basagan ng Mukha
(2001), Mahal Kita, Kahit Sino Ka Pa (2001), and ‘Di Ko Kayang Tanggapin (2000).
Roxanne: No part in
Meryll-Bernard split
Hot and sultry White Castle 69 model and Maxim Phil-
ippines March 2007 poser Roxanne Guinoo staved off ru-
mors that she was the ‘significant other’ that spawned the
marital breakup of Meryll Soriano and Bernard Palanca.
Fresh from her own split with boyfriend Joross Gam-
boa, Roxanne said she always tried to keep off Bernard
who frequently sent her text messages. She said she did not
want to be known as coveting someone else’s husband.
At 21 (she was born on Feb. 14, 1986), Roxanne had
been too busy with her acting and modelling projects to ROXANNE GUINOO
even bat an eyelash for Bernard.
A Star Circle Quest talent, Roxanne hails from Rosario, Cavite.
She is preparing to shoot her White Castle TVC in the trademark skimpy two-piece red
bikini, white horse and the beach.
CAREER TOPS
TONI’S LOVELIFE
Toni Gonzaga is in love. But not with Sam
Milby, Luis Manzano, Zanjoe Marudo, or the
politician allegedly hounding the TV host-
singer-actress lately. Toni is very much in
love with her showbiz career that be-
ing romantically involved with any
guy at this point of her life is not in-
cluded on her priority list.
Toni is still loveless. But she
does not fret about it. And when
asked, from the list of her suit-
ors, why no one has captured her
heart yet; Toni stated matter-of-
factly, “Masyadong maiksi ang
lifespan ng showbiz career ng
mga artista, kaya I’m just making
the most out of what I have now.
Saka na siguro ‘yan. Minsan lang
ang ganitong opportunity, so ‘wag
na nating palampasin pa.”
Who among Sam, Luis, and Za-
njoe is closest to her heart?
“Cliche nang masyado ‘to, pero
close ako sa kanilang lahat. We are
all good friends. Wala yung ranking
kung sino ang ganito o ganyan. Pan-
tay-pantay silang lahat para sa akin,”
said Toni.
Aside from Pinoy Big Brother,
she hosts with Mariel Rodriguez
and Bianca Gonzales, Toni’s other
TV shows are ASAP ‘07 on ABS-
CBN and Wazzup Wazzup on
Studio 23.
She has also a finished a
movie with Sam and Zanjoe
entitled You Got Me from Star
Cinema. PEP
Pinoy
SHOW
BIZ
Bakekang film in the making
The spectacular rise of Bakekang on the
boob tube charts - since its premiere on Sept.
11, 2006 over GMA 7 - is inspiring film writ-
er and director Carlo J. Caparas and Donna
Villa to produce its movie version.
If Caparas had his way, he wanted the
flick on the roll this March, but Villa insist-
ed that a potential award winning film like
Bakekang would suit all intents and purposes
if shown during the December Metro Manila
Film Festival.
Caparas hinted that Philippine teleseries
newest queen Sunshine Dizon would still fill
in the shoes of Bakekang in the movie, not-
ing Dizon’s incomparable portrayal of the
comics character Caparas himself created 30
years ago.
On Feb. 18, 1978, Nora Aunor did
Bakekang. Dizon’s reprise of the Aunor film
is expected to be very novel and different
from the first, he said. SUNSHINE DIZON
The director said Dizon’s fans have be- ... as ...
come so used to her transformation from a BAKEKANG
lovely, beautiful lass to an ugly, pitiable tele-
serye character that they would shout foul if
someone else played the role in the movie.
Earlier rumors said Jolina Magdangal
and Kris Aquino were eyed to do Bakekang.
Even Ai-Ai delas Alas wanted in. But Dizon
beat them to the draw.
Besides, Dizon has become so accus-
tomed to the prosthetics that she would have
no qualms wearing them over and over in the
filming process, he said.
“Sulit na sulit ang pinaghirapan ko,” Di-
zon said on learning she had been chosen for
the movie, as she expressed elation over the
decision of Caparas.
Dizon said Bakekang was her biggest
break in prime-time Philippine television.
While the show was not really one of GMA 1978 BAKEKANG POSTER
7’s big-ticket projects, it rapidly took off and
shot up at the ratings.
Is Dizon ready to be compared with Nora Aunor who did the movie version? In an
earlier interview, Dizon mused: “I know that it is inevitable, but I wish that people would
not compare us because Ate Guy (Nora’s monicker) is Ate Guy. She is the Superstar and
I am not even close to that. I just hope people will give me the chance to show them my
capabilities in playing this character without judgment.”
“What Bakekang’s biggest lesson will ultimately be is giving people the inspiration to
find their talent, to claim what they are good at, and hope that things will be better. That
looks may be important to some, but in the end, it is the person’s character that really
counts,” she said.
Comelec chides Montano on
TV documentary appearance
The Commission on advertisements or election
Elections (Comelec) is set propaganda.
to disqualify May poll ad- Abalos cited Section
ministration senatorial bet 6, paragraph 8 of the Fair
and actor Cesar Montano. Election Act that provided:
That is if Montano fails No movie, cinematograph
to explain why his appear- or documentary portrayed
ance as host and narrator of by an actor or media person-
an old EDSA People Power ality who is himself a candi-
documentary - aired over date shall likewise be pub-
Living Asia cable tv chan- licly exhibited in a theater
nel - does not violate the or any public forum during
Fair Election Act. the campaign period.
Comelec chairman Ben- However, Abalos said
jamin Abalos Jr. said the CESAR MONTANO the April 14 fight of boxing
poll agency has ordered champ and congressional
Montano and Living Asia didates or registered politi- bet Manny Pacquiao was
to explain and show cause cal parties seeking national unlike Montano’s hosting.
why they should not be cit- elective positions are given Abalos said Pacquiao’s
ed for violating the election 120 minutes of air time fight, to be aired live, is
law, for which poll bets may on free TV and cable TV considered “a current event
be disqualified. and 180 minutes on radio, of national interest.”
But a Comelec resolu- whether by purchase or do- That was if Pacquiao
tion also provided that can- nation, for their broadcast had continued running.
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007
37 Entertainment
Sahagun does encore for charity
Versatile and dynamic
singer/songwriter/compos-
er Crystal Sahagun does an
encore in a concert to benefit
the Heart and Stroke Foun-
dation, St. Thomas More
Church and the Blessed
John XXIII Church.
Crystal will perform
with Emil Zarris and the
St. Thomas Youth Choir at
the McVety Auditorium on
May 12.
Crystal has been per-
forming since she was eight
WILL GANZON ZENA ZAGALA years old, drawing raves
from audiences in Toronto,
Los Angeles in California,
Las Vegas, Ottawa, Hamil-
ton, and the Philippines.
Only 13, she sang at the
Raptors NBA opening game
at the Skydome, an instant
hit on national television.
Crystal’s passion for
singing has benefited the Ju-
venile Diabetes Foundation,
Princess Margaret Hospital,
Lord of Ascension Church
in the Philippines, Blessed
John XXIII Church, Ancop,
CRYSTAL SAHAGUN and many others.
She believed in sharing
her God-given talent with
others.
She is the daughter of
Thea and Deacon Cesar
Sahagun, whose liturgical
ministry covered St. Thom-
as More Church.
Crystal studied Jazz Per-
formance at Humber Col-
lege, Culinary Management
at George Brown College,
Medical Laboratory Assis-
tant at CDI College, and is
taking a photography course
at George Brown. PR

MEMORIES OF ELVIS
Metropol Convention Centre & Banquet Hall, April 27
The evening of April 27
is going to be a a big blast
for Elvis Presley fans.
At the Metropol Con-
vention Centre and Banquet
Hall, four equally-talented
‘The King’ tribute artists
are set to bring the house
down with a repertoire of
Elvis tunes in a two-hour
concert put up by JNS Pro-
ductions Inc.
Showcasing their own
brand of rock and roll made
famous by Elvis in the 60s
are Will Ganzon, Ely Tor-
renueva, George Elvis and
Lady Elvis Zena Zagala.
Maharlika music award-
ee Candace Santos (see re-
lated story on page 38) and
Rey Tugbang will also pro-
vide performances.
The production is direct-
ed by Edgar De Guzman.
Public dancing is set af-
ter the concert.
JNS Productions is han-
dled by businessmen June
Soriano, Noel Tumblod and
Steve Nembhard. Sales,
marketing and administra-
tion head is Claudia Santos.
Will Ganzon
Of Filipino roots but
deeply entrenched in On-
tario, Will Ganzon strove to
be an accomplished replica
of his idol, Elvis.
He has studied the King
for years, imbibing Elvis’
voice and movements that
his audience often feels that
‘Elvis is in the house.’
For his hard and dedi-
cated work, Will has been
named Reflections of the
King champion in Blasdell,
New York in 2006; 2nd
placer in the Collingwood
Elvis Festival in Collin-
gwood, Ont. in the same
year; and Ladyluckmusic
Peoples Choice champion
in Mississauga in 2005.
Either accompanied by
a band or professionally-
recreated tracks, Will belts
out Elvis’ enduring music
made popular during The
King’s prime, the rock and
roll era an, his movies and
into the 70s.
George Elvis
Another accomplished
Elvis tribute artist, George
has echoed The King’s
tunes in the international
entertainment circuit.
George has graced the
celebration of the Chinese
New Year where he gave
the same brand of perfor-
mance he rendered at the
Collingwood Elvis Concert
and his numerous stage and
television outings.
He has done shows at
Boracay and in Philippine
hotels, in Los Angeles, and
other places in the Far East
and North America.
Zena Zagala
Known as the only fe-
male Elvis tribute artist in
North America, Zena has
undoubtedly carved a name
for herself in Toronto.
Another Maharlika mu-
sic awardee, Zena has dis-
tinguished herself in perfor-
mances before huge crowds
during community gather-
ings and benefit concerts.
She had performed in
Canada’s Wonderland, the
Cabbagetown Festival, Ka-
mayan 06, WOW Mabuhay
2005, Collingwood Music
Festival and many others.
Her first concert, Sum-
mertime Festival on July 8,
2006, was a smash hit.
The granddaughter of
50s Philippine movie icon
Carmen Rosales, Zena
served as the PRO of Filipi-
no pop singer Rico J. Puno
- factors that have given her
the genes and the training to
perform, as good as Elvis.
Ely Torrenueva
Dynamic and versa-
tile, Ely’s soulful voice has
thrilled North American au-
diences.
Also a Maharlika music
awardee, Ely started sing-
ing at an early age with a
church choir and joined Hi-
mig Pilipino in 1983.
Seven years later, he
won the Star Search put up
by Sing-A-Long Company.
From then on, Ely has
found himself entertaining
community audiences and,
later, the patrons of Board-
walk and Monte Carlo in
Las Vegas.
Ely has performed with
Manilyn Reynes, Martin
Nievera, Pops Fernandez,
and Vilma Santos.
His first album Bakit Pa
was released under BMG
Records in the Philippines.
A remake of the song
Bakit Pa was done by Jessa
Zaragosa who hit the charts.
PR

The METROPOL
The Metropol Banquet
Hall and Restaurant, un-
der its new and dynamic
management, is the place
to be in any occasion and
under any weather.
The exquisitely-de-
signed banquet hall pro-
vides the ambience and
the space suitable for cel-
ebrations of life -- birth-
days, weddings, debuts,
-- or those corporate par-
ties, reunions and dances.
The equally-spacious
restaurant caters to the dis-
criminating tastes of The
Metropol’s guests, offering
a wide array of culinary
expertise, served in the el-
egance of fine dining.
European, Canadian,
Asian, Carribean -- the cui-
sine is something to taste,
savor and return to.
Very soon, the banquet
hall’s balcony will see
its transformation into a
bigger dinner and enter-
tainment theatre, where
guests could comfortably
sit and dine while watch-
ing a show.
‘The Theatre’, repli-
cating the likes of a Las
Vegas stage, recently
showcased the Cavalcade
of Singers and Tribute to
Elvis shows. PR
 Entertainment PIDC taps Manzanares for
Manila Media Monitor
MARCH 2007 38 Dancing With The Stars tilt
Only the best feet will shuffle, hips sway,
arms flail and bodies whirl to the sound of ball-
room music when the finals of the Philippine
Independence Day Council’s (PIDC) Dancing
With The Stars takes centerstage at the Metro
Convention Centre on Aug. 18.
PIDC President Jun Enverga and activity
lead persons Pete Mauricio and Imie Belanger
have tapped seasoned dancer-choreographer
Leonie Manzanares to chair Dancing...
SHOWBIZ TALK. Enter- Manzanares is the Society Buzz columnist of
tainment executive Te- Likha Newsmagazine and president of the Club
resa Mendoza Torralba Manila Performers.
(left) seeks the help of Manzanares said “this is a great challenge
Progressive Conserva- and marvelous experience. I’m pleading for
tive Party leader MPP good dancers to come out of the limelight as this
John Tory on matters is really a great chance for you to socialize and
affecting the ethnic en- show off your acquired skills and grace on the
tertainment arena. MD dance floor and be compensated.”
Patterned after the highly successful televi-
sion show Dance With The Stars, the PIDC con-
test will partner community amateur terpsicho-
res with international pro dancers. LEONIE MANZANARES shows
Applicant dancers must be able to execute form and grace as she dances
latin and standard modern dances like waltz, with husband Joe. File Photo
tango, fox trot, quick steps etc.
At least ten couples will be chosen to compete until finals day.
Winners will receive trophies, cash and other prizes.
Enverga, meanwhile, said the finalists would be asked to give a big Filipino audience a
sneak preview of the competition when they perform during PIDC’s June 16 picnic at the
Earl Bales Park ampitheater. PR

Candace Santos in concert

Rising child singing star years,serenading and wow-
Candace Santos is set to ing crowds of all ages with
launch her solo debut in The her angelic, crystal-clear
Phenomenal Candace Live voice and fine-tuned pitch.
in Concert at the Metropol At her young age, she
Banquet Hall and Theatre has proven her talent and
on March 31. ability as a singer.
Backing her up are Santos has won the Fili-
equally talented community pino Singing Idol competi-
performers Arabel Castillo, tion of the Filipino Centre
Jing Carlos, Yvette Casta- Toronto and Rising Star
ñeda, Roy Tugbang, Jas- competition of Culture Phil-
ippines Ontario.
Search for Last year, she received
two special awards, one
NCCA 2008 from Binibining Pilipinas
Beauty Pageant as one of
Filipino Artists 2006 Most Outstanding

Awards on Young Filipino, and another

from Maharlika Awards,
The Philippine National both recognizing her as a
Commission for Culture talented artist.
SANTOS. File Photo Santos is one of the
and the Arts (NCCA) has
started accepting nomina- mine Ragual, Grace Rodri- main artists of JNS Produc-
tions for the 2008 Filipino guez, Michael Magali, Jun tions, which produces the
Artists Awards. Soliven, Michelle Bataclan, concefrt.
A Malacañang Selection Adam Villasanta, Cindy JNS will also pres-
Committee will choose the Villasanta, Ely Torrenueva, ent Tribute to Elvis Live in
awardees on the basis of: and Zena Zagala. Concert at the Metropol on
► Their impact on na- At 13, Santos has gone April 27. The show features
tional development through far and has made a name Will Ganzon, Ely Torrenue-
the arts and in the promotion in the local entertainment va, George Elvis, and Zena
of cultural diplomacy with- circuit in the last three Zagala. PR
in the community abroad;
► Their contribution
to the enhancement of the
standing of the Filipino
ADVERTISE
community abroad; and with
► International recog-
nition.
Interested parties may
submit directly to NCCA at
633 General Luna St., Intra-
muros 1002 Manila; through
the Internet at info@ncca. and
gov.ph/website: www.ncca.
gov.ph the following:
► Nominee’s bio-data
► Samples of works
► Letters/articles of af-
firmations and attestations
► News clippings. PR CALL 416-285-8583
MARCH 2007 Manila Media Monitor 39