ABAKADA Winter Edition 2011

ABAKADA, SUMMER 2010
ABAKADA
CONTENTS
Ang Balitang Kababaihan sa Danmark
The News on Women in Denmark
www.babaylan.dk
FEATURES ADVERTISEMENTS
6 Message from Ambassador E. P Buensuceso 28 Women News
7 Moments with Mayor Klaus Bondam

8 PICUM - Human Rights Day
9 Paris - Brussels Conferences 29 Grin Page
10 Response to Au Pair Ban Lifting
14 WAVE Conference 30 Transition

15 KULU 31 Migrant Women in EU C & C TRAVEL
16 Christmas Features KROGH’S VINIMPORT
18 Babaylan Foto Collage PHILIPPINE CONSULATE
21 Integration FILCOM DENMARK
22 Sara Stilling BABAYLAN
BRONCANO FAMILY
REYES FAMILY
32 Arts & Media GUDMUNDSSON FAMILY
33 Christmas Greetings Dra. MARGA CONGRESO
Cover Illustration:
Muir Jover
About the cover, Filipinos suppos-

edly have the longest Christmas
in the world, starting already in the
month of September and ending
23 Health with the Feast of the 3 Kings on 6
of January. Christmas means being
24 Kapatiran with your loved ones to enjoy and
25 Legend of Makahiya share the tastes, sight and sounds
26 Economy of the season, bask in the festive
mood. If distances keep families
27 Letters from the Outlands apart then the next best thing is to
give and receive gifts, especially
from abroad.
ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 3

BABAYLAN OFFICERS MESSAGE
BABAYLAN-DENMARK
BOARD MEMBERS & OFFICERS
2010-2011
H appy Holidays to all!
We often use “Happy Holidays” as

greetings during Christmas. It is
often used as a generic cover-all
greeting for all the Winter holidays,
JUDY JOVER Christmas, New Year’s Day, Chi-
Chairperson
judy@jover.dk nese New Year and Thanksgiving. It
is an all-inclusive greeting no matter
what culture or religion one belongs
to, fitting a growing and increas-
ANA LINDENHANN ingly diverse population.
Secretary
analind@babaylan.dk
In the Philippines, Christmas sea-
son is the most popular celebration
of the year where Happy Holidays
CES C. NYMANN covers Christmas, New Year and
Treasurer Chinese New Year.
cessy_castro@yahoo.com
Christmas season is the most popu-

lar celebration of the year and is the
most anticipated event for every Filipino. It is the time to remember
HILDA GUDMUNDSSON
Asst.Treasurer being with the family, giving gifts, preparing special foods, wearing
hilda72dk@yahoo.com your best clothes, decorating the house, hanging parols, playing
Christmas songs, shopping, sending cards, it goes on and on…
For Filipinos abroad, it’s the time of the year to visit their families
back home, to be with their loved ones on Christmas Day! It’s the
LEMY GADDI
Auditor season to be jolly...
joylemy@yahoo.com
Babaylan-Denmark would like to share a peek of Filipino Christ-
mas to all Pinoy around the country. Since October this year, our
FILOMENITA HØGSHOLM Reach Out Program, through Western Union’s sponsorship and
Public & Intl. Relations Officers help from our friends and supporters, has been a huge success.
filomenitamh@gmail.com
Holding Christmas Events to different Filipino communities from
different regions all over Denmark, be it a community fair, dinner
parties, Christmas Food Court or Christmas cultural shows, the
OWIE N. DELFTER Filipinos unite to create a strong bond with the aim of helping our
Webdesigner kababayans as well as keeping our cultures and traditions. It is in
owie@babaylan.dk 3 the spirit of Christmas where we have common thoughts on what
to give, what to share and what to eat!
Filipinas I met from several events held in Jylland,Fyn, Midt Jyl-

land, Nykøbing, Flaster & Møn were all positive and supportive of
MUIR JOVER
Illustrator & Cartoonist the program. It is my hope that in the coming years, Babaylan will
jovermuir@yahoo.com be more visible and active in empowering our Filipina kababayans
for better life and opportunities.
As we unite in the spirit of Christmas, may the coming years

bring us together to realize our goal of keeping Babaylan-Den-
mark, stronger, committed and highly competent in organizing for
change!
Women organizing for change!

www.babaylan.dk
JUDY JOVER
EDITORIAL
MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY

NEW YEAR to ALL.
The Magazine of the Philippine Women’s Network in Denmark
ABAKADAAng Balitang Kababaihan sa Danmark

Every six months we seem to hit the
jackpot. Babaylan Denmark has been
lucky once again to receive manna from
heaven. Rather like a Christmas gift that
really makes a difference because without
EDITOR FILOMENITA HØGSHOLM
INTL. COVERAGE it, you dear reader would not be having this magazine in your
hand. We are talking about the support we get from our spon-
LAYOUT/ JUDY JOVER sors and we want to acknowledge this with warm thanks for
GRAPHIC
making it possible for us in Babaylan to be seen and heard.
CARTOONIST & MUIR JOVER
ILLUSTRATOR Indeed, the Abakada, our magazine, is our window to and
CONTRIBUTORS LAKAMBINI SITOY from the world which gives us Access and Visibility, But even
IN THIS ISSUE CESAR RUIZ AQUINO more importantly, it gives us a Voice...so we can make known
ANA LINDENHANN our concerns and be in contact with like minded groups and
KENNETH JOHN DAPUNAN
LUMEN AQUARIA
individuals through networking and joining coalitions on impor-
MARTHA MADSEN tant issues. Together women can go a little further in moving
GEORGINA HØGSHOLM towards their goals.
.
PRICES ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS Earlier this year, the International Community gathered at the
@ 250 DKK/30 EURO UN in New York for MDG 2015, which coded means that the
EUROPE & THE WORLD) world must renew commitments and formulate a global agen-
SINGLE ISSUES @ 30 KR
PLUS POSTAGE da, which in global partnership can result in a better world by
2015.
PRINTER LITOTRYK
ABILDAGER 21
2605 BRØNDBY We know in Babaylan that the key to achieving all 8 MDGS is
www.litotryk.dk to start with MDG3 which has to do with gender quality and
empowering women. We believe that when this is promoted
BABAYLAN FENSMARKGADE 22. 2.T.H.,
ADDRESS 2200 COPENHAGEN N
and achieved, all the other MDGs will follow.
DENMARK
With these goals foremost in our minds, we will continue to
CVR NR 3172 5135
work for improving the welfare of immigrant women wherever
BANK DETAILS EIK BANK we are. Au Pairs, the daughters of globalisation remain at the
BABAYLAN-DENMARK core of our advocacy, because in the the au pair phenomenon
Registration Nr. - 6610 can we see many issues converge: issues on the labour
Account Nr. - 2494890
IBAN - DK3166100002494890 market rights, access to health services, sexual and repro-
SWIFT/BIC Code - EIKBDKK1 ductive rights including infant and maternal health, education,
even the environment and many more..
EMAIL babaylandk@babaylan.dk
WEBSITE www.babaylan.dk Babaylan has also competences in the social media sector
which we are already availing of in our day to day interface
SKYPE NAME babaylan.denmark
with our target groups and among ourselves. This will natu-
rally continue and hopefully be strengthened in the future.
Abakada wishes everyone a Succesfully Busy New Year

ABAKADA is the official news magazine of Babaylan- 2011.
Denmark. It is trilingual quarterly published by Babaylan-
Denmark, the Philippine Women’s Network that covers
issues of women and gender as they tangent migration
and asylum, development, cross-cultures, etc. Contribu- FILOMENITA M. HØGSHOLM
tions are welcome but are subject to editing for reasons
of space and time. Reproduction in whole or parts allowed
with permission and proper accreditation.
OFFICIAL GREETINGS
MESSAGE OF AMBASSADOR ELIZABETH P. BUENSUCESO

TO BABAYLAN DENMARK
Congratulations to Babaylan Denmark for its notable accomplishments

during the year 2010, particularly the publication of the Abakada Maga-
zine, the conduct of various conferences and seminars to help our coun-
trywomen, the championship of worthy causes and alliances on issues
affecting women, and its partnership with the Philippine Embassy.
I am inspired by your avowed objectives to elevate the issues of women,

particularly those from the Philippines, to the consciousness of our kaba-
bayans and the people of Denmark. Very often, people, especially those
misguided by disinformation and misinformation, exhibit overt or subtle discrimination against our
womenfolk in Scandinavia. The first ever Au Pair Conference we held in Oslo in last year enlightened
our people about their rights and obligations as au pairs. They also benefited from the seminars about
self worth and self respect, basic necessities in a world still not fully liberated from traditional views of
women and women migrants .
Your constructive and practical partnership with the Philippine Embassy has borne substantial
harvest. The lifting of the ban on the deployment of au pairs, first in Norway and then in Denmark,
was achieved in close cooperation with Filipino organizations, including Babaylan-Denmark. After
16 years in limbo and years of exposure of au pairs to corruption and exploitation, we finally
persuaded both the Philippine and Danish governments to come to an agreement to include
provisions that seek to protect the welfare of au pairs and at the same time allow them to depart
the Philippines with proper documentation.
Uplifting the image of our country and our womenfolk in Scandinavia is also a value cherished both
by the Embassy and your organization. With your actual assistance to au pairs in distress and
those seeking a forum for addressing their emotional, psychological and spiritual needs, you have
become the Embassy’s co-guardians in the promotion of au pairs’ welfare and protection of their
rights. I enjoin you to continue this productive partnership.
On a personal note, I would like to thank you for your loving support to me and my staff, who,
because we are not based in Copenhagen, have nevertheless been able to deliver assistance to
our people in Denmark. I also wish to extend my prayers for you to have a joyful Christmas and
another successful year ahead.
Jurisdiction: Email Address: ambassador@philembassy.no Visiting address Mailing address

Norway Website: www.philembassy.no 4th Flr., Nedre Vollgate 4, P.O. Box 322 Sentrum
Denmark Fax No.: +47 2241 7401 0158 Oslo, Norway 0103 Oslo, Norway
Iceland Tel. No.: +47 2240 0900
INTEGRATION
MOMENTS with the MAYOR

By Babaylan News & Features
Copenhagen’s cultural diversity

Copenhagen Mayor for Integration and Employment Klaus
Bondam hosted this year’s very well attended International Day
on the last Saturday of August. A whole day affair formerly held
along the edge of the Lakes, but this year moved into the main
thoroughfare of Nørrebrogade, there was showcased many eth-
nic cuisines from the many restaurants in the area who offered
their menus @ fastfood prices, dining places around Nørrebro,
considered to be the multicultural core of Copenhagen. The
whole day also offered a plethora of cultural inputs: music and
dance, and in the case of Babaylan, our signature cultural
fashion show of national costumes and Dita Sandico Ong’s
bananawraps..
In order to thank all participants from that momentous day,

Mayor Klaus as he is popularly called invited everyone to City
Hall for a reception on the last Monday of October. Babaylan,
being one of the organizations who participated into such a day
from the very beginning, we naturally turned out in a small party
of 5. Refreshments and cake accompanied the screening of a
video documentary of this year’s International Day.
Bland dig I Byen: Get involved in the city

The event was also the official launch of Copenhagen’s Integra-
tion Policy for 2011-14 where the most significant point in such
policy is to challenge Copenhageners to get involved as part
of their rights and responsibilities as citizens. One must no
longer be just integrated, one must be included. Indeed, the
message from Copenhagen City Hall is that it is time to change
the paradigm! For so long, Denmark has been invoking the con-
cept of Integration when it really meant Assimilation. When
Danish officials require that immigrants to integrate, they often
mean that the new arrivals must change their identity overnight
and be Danish in a jiffy! They forget that by “integration” is
meant a 2-way street where two equal parts or halves, mov-
ing towards each other to make a whole, an integer. Learning
a new difficult language, finding work in a labour market where
only 70% of jobs are announced, the rest is through social con-
tacts, and finding a proper housing (non-ghetto,whatever that
really means!) require not only time and money but often also
the accept of the Danes who according to a recent Expat study
excludes rather than include the foreigners in their midst.
The new policy is a result of numerous consultations with the

myriad of organizations in Copenhagen, including youth and
migrant women organizations such as Babaylan and FAD.
According to Mayor Klaus Bondam, Copenhageners regardless
of backgrounds are concerned about how they relate to each
other, and by saying Inclusion rather than Integration, they are
“Taste the World” Copenhagen International Day signaling that everyone is welcome to their community. It goes
- Copenhagen Kommune and Wonderful Copenha- without saying that cultural diversity: new cultures, new lan-
gen celebrated International Day this year bigger guages- is highly valued in this setting. Inclusion means access
than ever. More than 50 groups & associations and to equal rights and opportunities. q
20 restaurants joined this year’s event with more
entertainment and fun in the heart of Copenhagen _____________________________________
last August 28, 2010. Postscript: Within days of the event, it was announced that
Mayor Bondam was moving to Brussels by the beginning of
2011 to be Director of Denmark House in Brussels.
HUMAN RIGHTS

LABOUR MIGRATION
Paris-Brussels:
Migrant Women on
the Move!
By Filomenita Mongaya Høgsholm
Two events of significance for the

welfare of immigrant women in Europe
were held recently one after the other:
the first , on December 7, was under The logos of the Council of Europe in Paris and
the auspices of the Council of Europe in Paris, the EU Parliament in Brussels.
and then the following day, 8 December at the
EU Parliament in Brussels.
competitive.
Babaylan’s Founding Chair, F. Mongaya-Høg-
sholm, who also represented WIDE (globalizing The following day, a crucial Hearing co-organized
gender equality and social justice) and its Dan- by 5 NGOs concerned with health and migration
ish National Platform, KULU was invited to both looked at how Undocumented Women and Chil-
events. She inputted at the PACE (Parliamentary dren are prevented from accessing health care in
Assembly of the Council of Europe) Roundtable much of the EU today, thereby fostering gross
in Paris on Migrant Women, together with other inequalities in a Europe founded on humane val-
experts from the European Women’s Lobby, the ues guaranteeing a life in dignity for all.
UN Committee on the Rights of Migrant Work-
ers and their families, as well as the International Among many panelists, many of them EU Parlia-
Organization for Migration (IOM) and of PICUM, mentarians and Medical doctors was a lone mi-
the Platform for International Co-operation on grant Woman. Virginia Mangare Greiner, Chair of
Undocumented Migrants. The Roundtable ad- ENoMW, European Network of Migrant Women
dressed the challenges and difficulties faced by launched last June and to which Babaylan DK is
migrant women in the labour market. Associate Member.
Aside from the day to day violation of women Unfortunately the Hearing held inside the Par-
migrants esp. those in domestic work in the home liament only had two hours so there was not
(housemaids, nannies, au pairs), Babaylan’s enough time to discuss fully but as pointed out by
representative pointed out not only brain drain Amandine Bach of the European Women’s Lob-
of highly educated migrants pulled by factors by, co-organizer of the Event, it was a significant
such as the demographic deficit when European Hearing because EU parliamentarians across
women no longer go for service jobs because the political spectrum all called for an equitable
of better education, leading to a need for cheap access to health care in Europe for all undocu-
hands to service the elderly and young children. mented migrants. A bold step long in coming!
Care is the only category that Europe allows in,
thus deskilling and brain waste for women mi- ALL in all, there are new and good things hap-
grants. The big challenge for Europe is how to pening on the migration front for women but
value the higher education that the care workers MUCH MORE has to be done, eg. in countries
actually come with so that they can be poised to with ever tightening rules and exclusionary poli-
take their cies such as Denmark and the Netherlands with
their “point system” that keeps families and
places in a few years say in 2020 when Europe couples apart. q
needs new brainpower of the highly skilled to be
FOCUS: AU PAIRS
New Guidelines on Legal Au Pair Deployment to Denmark:
The view from BABAYLAN
By Ana Lindenhamn, Filomenita Mongaya Høgsholm and Judy Jover

FOCUS: AU PAIRS
next page please

FOCUS: AU PAIRS
next page please

FOCUS: AU PAIRS
next page please

NETWORKING
PRESS RELEASE
19th October 2010: EUROPE UNITED. Ending Violence several European countries get
Against Women increasing upwind. To consider
12th WAVE-Conference: 300 participants from 24 coun- someone being a good father
tries came together in Warsaw to call on Europe for even if he abuses the mother
better laws, policies and support services is an “enormous backlash”,
“It is a blow to the foundation of democracy if a victim Clockwise from left: During Workshop Session; Judy Jover, Babaylan-Denmark’s
cannot seek help”, said Polands former first lady Jolanta representative with PICUM’s Programme Officer Eve Geddie from Belgium (ctr),
Kwasniewska in the opening of the WAVE conference in Entire organizers of the conference and Opening of the conference by Jolanta
Kwasniewska, Former First Lady of Poland.
Warsaw. Cuts in fundings of women’s shelters was one
of the main issues at the Conference of Women Against
Violence Europe, which was held in cooperation with the
Women’s Rights Centre Centrum Praw Kobiet in Warsaw. stressed Italian lawyer Marcella Pirrone. The so-called pa-
rental alienation syndrome (PAS), often used in court, has
“He Beats. We Pay.”, titled a Norwegian campaign. The been called “not scientific” by the Canadian and American
EU Fundamental Rights Agency estimates the total annual National Association of Psychologists, who have “warned
costs of gender-based violence at €12 billion to €20 bil- from PAS”. 70% of the perpetrators abusing women also
lion a year. Homicide investigations constitute the highest abuse children. Even if children are not directly maltreat-
costs. WAVE calls on the European Union and the national ed, they are highly traumatized through the exposure to
governments to guarantee sufficient funding of women’s violence against their mother. Maria Rösslhumer from the
shelters and to establish a minimum ratio of shelters per Austrian Shelter Network calls on every government to put
country. 45% of women in Europe suffer some kind of children’s rights over father’s rights and, amongst others,
violence at least once in their lifetime because they are to enforce mandatory training for family judges. Urszula
women. “This type of terrorism is still kept hidden”, said Nowakowska from Centrum Praw Kobiet expressed her
Carmen Romero Lopez from the European Parliament. hope that measures at the European level “change the at-
She is one of the main supporters of the European Protec- titudes of our ministers” who tend towards joint custody as
tion Order, an initiative from Spain, which would protect a general rule. Automatic joint custody is
victims of violence all over Europe. the central claim of the fathers’ rights movements. Anita
Heiliger from KOFRA, Germany, as well as other experts
Hilary Fisher from the CAHVIO Committee warned Europe from Germany, Italy and Sweden warned of the conse-
to not fall below already agreed UN-standards and called quences automatic joint custody implies for women and
for a strengthening of the Council of Europe draft Conven- children.
tion on Violence against Women. Some countries within
the Council of Europe are calling for the omission of a gen- Migrant women represent one of the most vulnerable
der perspective in the draft Convention. This would fail to groups in society, as they suffer from double discrimination
address the causes of violence, signaled Fisher. Violence as migrants and as women. WAVE calls on every govern-
against women is rooted in discrimination, while discrimi- ment to provide women with independent legal status. As
nation reinforces violence against women. An end to this long as women are dependent on their partners, they run a
“most repulsive manifestation of discrimination” can only be particular high risk of gender-based violence. The econom-
achieved “through a holistic approach” stressed Renatas ic crisis implies also a political crisis. “Women and children
Mazeika from the Daphne Programme of the European have the right to a life free of violence, so we hope that in
Commission. Violence against women encompasses this time of crisis we do not step backwards”, emphasized
physical, psychical, sexual and economic violence. Women Rosa Logar from the Domestic Abuse Intervention Cen-
are even turned into commodities through trafficking and tre in Austria. She expressed her conviction that positive
sexual exploitation. José Mendes Bota from the Council changes are indeed always possible. “We can change!” q
of Europe emphasized in his speech that “it is outrageous
to see, in the XXIst Century, that slavery is a reality in our ________________________________
countries for the sexual fun of men”. For further information, please contact:
Sonja Plessl, tel.: +43 (0) 1 548 2720-20,
Tove Smaadahl from the Krisesentersekretariatet pre- sonja.plessl@wave-network.org
sented good news from Norway: The high court convicted
a man to pay 90.000 NOK because his step daughter wit- Maria Rösslhumer, tel.: +43 (0) 664 7930 789,
nessed violence against the mother. The Norwegian verdict maria.roesslhumer@aoef.at
is allthe more important as fathers’ rights movements in

MDG 3
A wedding party to em-

power women
Women in wedding dresses crowded in
front of Copenhagen City Hall last Septem-
ber 18th. They were there to demand that
politicians take them and their issues seri-
ously at the UN Millennium Development
Goals Summit in New York, September
2010.
The third Millennium Development Goal or

MDG3 for short, is gender equality, and while
several of the eight goals are headed in the right
direction, the goal of empowering women has
fallen behind – that goal has not gotten enough
attention anywhere.
New Millennium focus

on women
That is why KULU – Women and Development, the only Danish development organisation that
focuses specifically on women’s rights – threw a “wedding party” to remind the Danish politicians to
work for women of the world and their opportunities.
The new declaration on the Millennium Development Goals agreed upon at the Summit did, indeed,
turn out to increase focus on gender and empowerment of women. How the eight goals can be
achieved through, and how they impact, women and girls, is now an integral part of the spirit of the
MDGs.
Enable girls’ rights in Africa: Mali

KULU – Women and Development has been working for women’s rights in developing countries
since 1976. The rights and empowerment of women is crucial to the development of all countries.
In Mali, women do not have equal rights with men, and many women cannot access the rights they
do have. They or their families cannot afford to pay fpr their birth or marriage certificates or identity
cards – or, indeed, do not think a woman even needs these papers.
KULU’s campaign “Enable girls’ rights in Mali” raises money to buy these official papers that secure
women and girls’ rights in the eyes of the law, so they can go to school, vote, travel, and get divorced
without losing their children or their homes.
With these papers, they can verify their existence, and make a difference to themselves, their fami-
lies, and to Mali – and they can create a better future.
Read more and support the campaign here: www.givenpigeret.dk
Martha Madsen
Communication Officer, KULU

CHRISTMAS FEATURE
tears from my eyes doing the same. I didn’t know

if I should be glad or frown instead. Then a small
‘’IMPORTED PINOY voice whispered to my ears saying, “the beauty of
a White Christmas is nothing without my family”.
CHRISTMAS’’
Getting over this kind of predicament seems not
By: Kenneth John Dapunan easy. Unless the fighting spirit reigns within you
and you have the courage to deal with your loneli-
It’s probably true that nothing compares with ness. What I did was, I knelt down and then prayed
Christmas celebrations in the Philippines espe- to God. And all of
cially when it comes to our fascinating traditions-- a sudden I was
big Christmas trees, star lanterns or parols, color- enlightened and
ful lights outside dazzling after dark, children’s had the strength
caroling, Filipino-style foods like lechon, (suck- to open up my
ling pig, ed.) which I miss terribly and of course mind about the
Filipino or Pinoy Christmas wouldn’t be complete situation I was
without misa de gallo (midnight mass starting facing.. I have
from the 16th of December to Christmas eve,ed) come to realize
and Noche Buena .(the final midnight table full of that the common
delicacies equivalent to the Nordic Christmas eve effect of being
dinner at 6 pm, after the Christmas mass at 4 pm, quite far away
ed.) These kinds of simple yet wonderful traditions from my loved
truly give joy to our hearts particularly when cele- ones was home-
brated together with sickness. Even
our loved ones though it was
back home in the not easy, con-
Philippines. sequently, I did
overcome it.
Two years ago
on 24 Decem- A year ago later,
ber 2008, I expe- I and my newfound friends decided to
rienced Christ- have some fun, by creating something
mas celebrations new and different. We decided to bring
abroad which I the Pinoy Christmas here to Europe.
celebrated with We celebrated our Christmas as if
my new friends. In we were in the Philippines. The food
other words, with- we cooked were all Pinoy-style namely
out my dear family, relatives and old good friends. adobo, pansit, lumpia, puto, embutido, and some
My mother was not there to call me: “Ken, its time other Filipino delicacies. We had, at least one
for noche buena!” It was without my father too hand-made parol (star lantern) hung in my room.
who always cooks roast duck for me, my loving We sang different kinds of Tagalog Christmas jin-
sisters and my one and only brother who gives gles. We ended the party traditionally with dancing
me a hug just to say, ‘’Merry Christmas my little and exchanging of gifts.
bro!’’ My aunts and uncles, cousins, nephews, and
nieces who precisely visit us on this particular day So far, Christmas celebrations have become more
were not there either.. That would then make for fun for me than before. I have met a lot of nice com-
an unforgettable sad experience especially since panions who like to hang around with me. I feel at
one is meant to be happy because it’s Christmas home now knowing the fact that there are many
time! Filipino groups and communities who can help
me out certainly. And obviously, Filipino Christmas
I recall sitting down by a couch near the window…. gatherings are plentiful. Like the common Filipino
And it was snowing outside. While I was looking at expression, ‘Iba talaga ang Paskong Pinoy.’’
the snow falling down from sky, I could feel the

CHRISTMAS FEATURE
after married people fall in love with office matess under the
MORE ROOM at the INN : mistletoe or the maternity leaves 9 months after....but this is
a kind of Christmas Story digressing a bit. Back in track...
by Lumen Aquaria This particular Christmas eve dinner, we also had to provide
transport and most of our guests were student musicians who
Pre-story played at nearby churches to earn a few kroners so we had
to mobilize our battered Saab as Taxi service. When my hus-
For it was writ- band had to fetch the latest arrival, who was delayed. While
ten...there was waiting he could see from the corner of his eye a lone foreign
a bright star in woman with a small suitcase, lost in minus 7 degrees C. She
the East which obviously had no map to guide her on foot towards her desti-
guided the nation! My husband asked if he could help her, told her there
wise men, the were definitely no more taxis. She showed him her cousin’s
3 Kings in their address, the cousin who was supposed to meet her at the
quest to find now closed train station. But when they drove to the address,
the Christchild, it was pitch dark. Obviously, her cousin was not home. .
with their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh..This was
one of my favourite childhood pictures that signified Christ- A quick decision to extend the Christmas table further and
mas: the receiving of gifts, the anticipation to find a treasure add another nationality to the UN-like gathering at our hum-
in my medyas (socks actually), ittle brown Americans that we ble hearth. Everyone was wide-eyed when my husband ex-
were, hung the night before Christmas, chimneyless in the plained we had another guest at the Christmas table as he
Philippine landscape of payags (nipa huts) in the barrios and came in with two guests, one old and one new! Now most
bahay bato (stonehouses) in the towns. Danes will stick with the traditional fare of pork crackling and
roast duck and the obligatory red cabbage, caramel potatoes
The other picture was the Belen or creche almost every brown sauce. Plus the ris a’l’amande or almond rice pudding
home rich or poor displayed when I was a child. Ours was served with warm cherry sauce. We always had this fare, at
in foldable cardboard to which we added small animals in least while my mother in law was still with us.
plastic and in wood to the cradle where the baby Jesus was,
watched by angels and his parents: Mary and her husband to After we finished dinner, it was time for the tradition of ex-
be, Joseph, the lowly carpenter from Nazareth. They ended change of gifts. Luckily, we always have a lot of extra gifts in
here in the manger because having walked for days, in order our closets and I could apportion a few to the special guests,
to register the prospective birth for the census, were denied and all signed by Sheba, which was actually our ageing
a place for the night even though Mary was highly pregnant. housecat. Our Tanzanian friend did not get to sleep at the inn.
There was no room at the inn that particular cold winter night Her cousin turned up to fetch her. She had actually travelled
in Bethlehem. -fled? from Germany we found out later, Her slightly visible
bruises maybe had something to do with her trip to Denmark
A not so Danish Christmas on Christmas eve..
And so it came to pass that Danish Christmases be spent in
warmth, in the bosom of one’s family. And if as a lucky parent, The message of Christmas -and of Christianity-is really to
one’s children have many friends, then one has to lengthen love your fellow human being as you love yourself. It is the
the Christmas table! Our eldest, the most affable of the three story of the good Samaritan...when it comes down to basics,
invited her boyfriend and his brother and together they had a the real spirit of Christmas and of Christianity is that we must
Chinese student friend who was a long way from his home, make room in the inn, and open our doors -our hearts, our
Shanghai, so naturally he was invited too. My mother in law homes- to those who are needy, in need of shelter and soli-
had a couple of lonely cousins who lived on their own, so darity.
pretty soon the “wings” of the old pine table were now out-
stretched to capacity. In my world that translates into asylum seekers, refugees,
trafficked women, molested children, all kinds of misfits who
On Christmas eve, public transport in Denmark is at a stand- we, as established society, tend to turn our backs on. Christ-
still at around 6 pm when Danes have their Christmas dinner, mas is about being merciful, magnanimous, and givng back
the pinnacle of many weeks of Christmas rush that put me people their dignity. In roominess, Yes, we have plenty of
off early on: the mad shopping, the gløgg parties, the jule Room at the Inn if we have the good will! Christmas today
frokost or Christmas office parties, abhorred by spouses who and everyday?
were not invited and by the bosses who had to finance it.
Neither are able to prevent the coming catastrophe: divorce Have a Meaningful Christmas.

BABAYLAN EVENTS
3
4
1 Philippine Independence Day,

Copenhagen Culture Center, 9 PaskOdense, Christmas Party
June 12, 2010 Hockeyklub, November 06, 2010
2 Summer Sport, Klampenborg 10 Jingle Bell Rock Christmas Party,
August 08, 2010 Sct Anne, November 19, 2010
3 Au Pair Info Event, Borup 11 Give Love on Christmas Day
Højskole, September 04, 2010 Aalborg, December 11, 2010
4 WAVE Confrence, Warsaw, Poland, 12 Consular Outreach & Passporting
October 14-18, 2010 December 10-11, 2010
5 Annual General Assembly, EMKR 13 Au Pair Info Event, CCC
Verdenskultur Center October 23, 2010
6 Copenhagen International Day, 14 PaSkonderborg,
Nørrebrogade,August 28, 2010 Pasko na, Fiesta Pa
7 Expat Day , Copenhagen City Skanderborg, November 27, 2010
Hall, October 04, 2010 15 FILCOM-DENMARK,
8 Holly Jolly Christmas Party December 10, 2010
Nakskov, December 04, 2010
7
BABAYLAN EVENTS
10 11
13
12
14 15
TRIBUTE
Evidence is rife in our own art, on magazine covers, live on TV, from Amorsolo’s portraits
of country lasses bathing in streams to models conquering the the international ramp, or
beauty queens for whom grace has been the winning X-factor.
In a country where natural disasters such as
typhoons,
The soulfulness of theearthquakes and reflecting
Filipina shines through, volcano eruptions
in her confidence are
the best of both
worlds, East and West.
common occurrences, and which has experienced
the vagaries
Her eloquence of colonialism
of spirit spells sheer elegance. three times in its short
history, the figure of the loving and devoted Filipina
is akin to a ray of sunshine, the amihan (wind from the
east) or the land itself. An inherent part of her
character that cannot be overlooked is her
exceptional capacity for love and devotion.
DEVOTION
- Cesar Ruiz Aquino
Tribute to FILIPINA
POUL KROGH
Consul General
OPEN
Monday to Friday
10:00 - 12:00
Jægersborg Alle’ 16, 2. sal DK-2920 Charlottenlund Denmark

Telephone +45 2563 6711 Fax +45 3940 1889 Mobile +45 4013 7711
www.filippinsk-konsulat.dk mail: poul.krogh@pc.dk

INTEGRATION & DEVELOPMENT
tion the 8th of December before the Parliament, arranged by

the organization, Marriage without Frontiers and with speak-
Integration and ers, aside from the 5000 member “Danes Worldwide”, also
expats the labour union FOA, and two small but principally humane
Excerpted from Copenhagen political parties, the Social Liberals and the Unity List party.
Post, Vol.13, Because the two top opposition parties (Socialdemocrats
Issue 49, 10-16 December and the Socialist People’s Party) are also in agreement
with the government about the Point System –they are now
accused of pandering to the right so as to win the next elec-
The release of the Expat tions- there has been registered a shift of voters from these
Study of 2010 highlights a number of challenges for those parties to the smaller parties on the left and center.
involved in attracting foreign workers to Denmark. The study
shows decision makers that there are still major obstacles to
expat’s integration despite efforts to alleviate the situation. Nobel Prize Awardee
These obstacles need to be tackled as it is estimated that for Microcredit Bank
Denmark will require upwards of 100 000 highly educated Initiative In Financial
workers by the year 2020. Scandal
Excerpted from Kristeligt
The study was conducted by the Copenhagen Post with the Dagblad, December 10;
support of a number of public and private agencies including translation by Worldscan
the Immigration Ministry, the Greater Copenhagen Regional
Council and the Technical University of Denmark. Muhammad Yunus,
the Bangladeshi
The survey apparently is also about the “openness “of Nobel Prize winner
Danes towards foreigners or lack of it since of the 1500 who for Peace in 2006 awarded for his innovative microcredit
were surveyed when asked about this question 43% said banking (Grameen Bank mostly servicing women) has come
Less good/Not good, meaning Danes can improve on this under fire in a newly screened Norwegian TV documentary
point, although there was also a significant number who entitled “Imprisoned in Microcredit.” The thesis of the film
thought otherwise. Indeed an observation was made that is that 608 million Kroner of development aid from mainly
maybe Danes are not unfriendly but that their social circles Norwary and Sweden was withdrawn from Yunus’ Grameen
are difficult to enter by foreigners. Bank, then deposited into another account and used to set
up a telephone company instead. These amounts were
The aspect of non-working spouses who may be unhappy originally intended as microcredit loans to poverty stricken
was cited also as a factor of lack of integration or that the Bangladeshi women.
working foreigner might not stay long in Denmark. Many in
the study agreed that learning the Danish language was Norad, the Norwegian equivalent of Danida, which donated
key, esp. to finding jobs. Only 1/6 of all expats had ready most of the funds, already discovered the swindle back in
jobs upon arrival. 60% have yet to find work and this is 1998 but first come out with it publicly 12 years after, in the
made difficult by the fact that most jobs will already be filled TV documentary screened by NRK, the Norwegian Broad-
by natives thru social networks. casting System, or long after the Nobel Prize had been
awarded to Muhammad Yunus in 2006. Apparently Norad
Demonstration against ”Point System” investigated the matter when it came up already in 1997,
policy on Danish migrants when Yunus denied the allegations. First in 1998 when the
Nowegians threatened to take back their donation did Yunus
Ever since the ruling go to a meeting in Norway where he promised to pay back
Conservatives and the 170 millions, after which Norad went along with making
Liberals with their par- the documents confidential, until this year when NRK came
liamentary support, the upon the facts and decided to make a TV documentary ex-
extreme right Danish pose about it. The rest of the amount was donated by SIDA
People’s Party, came up or the Swedish Development Agency, but the Swedes have
with yet another amend- made neither noise nor bones about it. So far.
ment to the Aliens Law,
this time to implement The beautiful ideal of a Bank for the Poor which the
the so-called “Point Grameen Microcrdit Bank was conceived to be, started by
system”, there has been Yunus in 1976 has 8.5 milllion women borrowers today.
resistance in many segments of Danish society. The point Some researchers of late have avowed that the Bank,
system means that Danish citizens can settle in Denmark dependent on the good will of people who want to help the
with their foreign born spouses only when the spouses can developing world, for example in the Scandinavian countries
earn enough points such as higher education (from top 20 has hoodwinked its supporters into thinking that microcredit
universities in the world(!), fluent Danish skills, etc. plus the is the panacea for poverty says a Professor from Cam-
Danish part has to put up 100 000 DKK (ca. 20 000 USD) bridge. Not all women can be entrepreneurs nor can they
bond. The Danish Aliens Law has been amended 18 times support their families in this manner. In fact many of the poor
during the last 8 years, increasingly to prevent foreigners to women are so enmeshed in a web of microloans that have
be able to settle in Denmark. brought them to total bankruptcy.
“Danes Worldwide” Chair, ex-Ambassador Christopher
Bramsen, was one of the visible speakers at a demonstra- FOTOS from Ny I Danmark

SPECIAL FEATURE
SARA STILLING at stå stille, blive et sted, committe sig til nogen og
noget. Måske er det derfor jeg alligevel gør det. For at
OG KUNSTMESSE se om det virkelig er så slemt. Og nu skal vi til at have
af Georgina Mongaya Høgsholm
et barn, og det skræmmer mig mere end noget som
helst andet. Jeg lader som om at jeg tager det i stiv
”Enten vil man gerne hænge sig selv, eller også vil
arm, men hold op, der findes ikke noget mere skræm-
man holde et gigantisk party”
mende. Men måske er det også det, som gør at jeg
Sort på hvidt. Og alligevel ikke. De mørke
bliver nødt til at prøve det.”
tuschstreger af dyr, mennesker, ting og natur smelter
sammen i hybrid-lignende skab-
Og måske er det barnet
ninger på detaljeret baggrund,
og familielivet på vej, og
og indimellem med tilråb af tve-
udsigten til – i hvert fald for
tydige kommentarer på skrift.
en periode – en mere still-
estående tilværelse, der sæt-
Det er ikke første gang Sara
ter en hidtil anden grundtone
Stilling udstiller på Kunstmes-
i gang for den kommende
sen. I februar 2010 udstillede
udstilling. Spørger man Sara
hun på Copenhagen Art Fair
Stilling er fremtiden sta-
under temaet Save The World,
digvæk et aktuelt tema, men
og dengang lå tanken om en
man aner mindre tvivl, og i
fremtid uden dyr til grund for
stedet en større drøm. ”Lige
arbejdet: ”Er der nogle i frem-
nu er jeg optaget af de her
tiden som vil forstå at vi har
’jeg vil have mere’-tanker,
ædt alle dyr og taget dem på
som jeg tror de fleste men-
som beklædning? Jeg fores-
nesker tænker. De fleste
tillede mig verden om 300 år og
drømmer om at blive bedre til
i mine illustrationer klædte jeg
deres job, en bedre forældre,
mennesket ud i dyr, mens jeg
en bedre kæreste. Eller vil
tænkte, måske vil vi gerne være
de bare have en andens job,
dyr, måske vil vi gerne starte
en andens krop, en andens
forfra…”
kæreste? De fleste ting i
vores samfund handler om at
Der er klare tråde mellem kun-
blive bedre, rigere, sundere,
sten og hendes tidligere karriere
tyndere… Og på samme tid
som designer i modebranchen.
er vi i en periode af finan-
Menneskets selvforståelse
skrise, et sted hvor vi hver
gennemarbejdes og kommer til
især prøver at genoprette et
udtryk i det materielle. Men der
tilfredsstillende liv, eller være
hører ligheden også op. Sara
tilfredse med det vi har, i for-
Stilling har trang til at skabe,
hold til det vi havde før. Vi ser
ikke for kommerciel vindings
op til folk som gør det godt,
skyld, men for at tømme ho-
vi vil gerne være mere som
vedet, se angsten i øjnene og
dem. Vi har brug for vores
kaste sig ud på ukendt grund. Det er ikke altid lige
idoler, de giver os håb.”
sjovt, til gengæld er det så tæt på frihed som vi måske
kommer. ”Sådan er det at være kreativ”, beskriver
Om det er frygten eller friheden der fører penslen, kan
Sara Stilling sin kunstnertilværelse, ”enten vil man
man få at opleve på Kunst, Mad &Vin festivalen. Sara
hænge sig selv, eller også vil man holde et gigantisk
Stilling udstiller på stand nr. 52.
party.”
Begge Sara og Georgina er dansk-filippinere som iøvrigt kalder
Frygt og frihed spiller bag kulisserne af de færdige
sig selv Danish Plus, dvs.Dansk med mere da de udover dansk
værker, og på tragikomisk vis kan forskellen være
har andet fremmed kultur i baggagen. q
svær at få øje, når de samme ting som skræmmer,
også er dem som fascinerer. På den ene side frygter

_______________________
hun afhængigheden af dagligdagsindhold som bil,
Læs mere på www.sarastilling.dk
hjem og fast job. På den anden side drømmer hun om
og www.kunstmesse.dk
forankring og sikkerhed. ”Min frygt har altid været

HEALTH
AGEING PROCESS ...... INSIGHTFUL !
WE all accept that getting older is inevitable, and now leading clinicians have revealed the exact age
when different body parts start to decline, most alarming being the brain and lungs.
French doctors have found that the quality of men’s’ sperm starts to deteriorate by 35, so that by the
time a man is 45 a third of pregnancies end in miscarriage.
With the help of leading clinicians, Angela Epstein tells the ages when KIDNEYS - Starts ageing at 50.
different parts of the body start to lose their battle with time. With kidneys, the number of filtering units (nephrons) that remove waste
from the bloodstream starts to reduce in middle age.
BRAIN - Starts ageing at 20.
As we get older, the number of nerve cells - or neurons - in the brain PROSTATE - Starts ageing at 50.
decrease. We start with around 100 billion, but in our 20s this number The prostate often becomes enlarged with age, leading to problems
starts to decline. By 40, we could be losing up to 10,000 per day, affect- such as increased need to urinate. This is known as benign prostatic
ing memory, co-ordination and brain function. hyperplasia and affects half of men over 50, but rarely those under 40.
It occurs when the prostate absorbs large amounts of the male sex hor-
GUT - Starts ageing at 55. mone testosterone, which increases the growth of cells in the prostate.
A healthy gut has a good balance between harmful and ‘friendly’ A normal prostate is the size of a walnut, but the condition can increase
bacteria. But, levels of friendly bacteria in the gut drop significantly after this to the size of a tangerine.
55, particularly in the large intestine,says Tom MacDonald, Professor of
Immunology at Barts and The London Medical School. As a result, we BONES - Start ageing at 35.
suffer from poor digestion and an increased risk of gut disease. Throughout our life, old bone is broken down by cells called osteoclasts
and replaced by bone-building cells called osteoblasts - a process called
Constipation is more likely as we age, as the flow of digestive juices from bone turnover. Children’s bone growth is rapid - the skeleton takes just
the stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine slows down. two years to renew itself completely. In adults, this can take ten years.
Until our mid-20s, bone density is still increasing. But at 35 bone loss
BREASTS - Start ageing at 35. begins as part of the natural ageing process.
BY their mid-30s, women’s breasts start losing tissue and fat, reducing
size and fullness. Sagging starts properly at 40 and the areola (the area TEETH - Start ageing at 40.
surrounding the nipple) can shrink considerably. As we age, we produce less saliva, which washes away bacteria, so
teeth and gums are more vulnerable to decay. Receding gums - when
BLADDER - Starts ageing at 65. tissue is lost from gums around the teeth - is common in adults over 40.
Loss of bladder control is more likely when you hit 65. Women are more
vulnerable to bladder problems as, after the menopause, declining es- MUSCLES - Start ageing at 30.
trogen levels make tissues in the urethra - the tube through which urine Muscle is constantly being built up and broken down, a process which is
passes - thinner and weaker, reducing bladder support. Bladder capacity well balanced in young adults. However, by the time we’re 30, break-
in an older adult generally is about half that of a younger person - about down is greater than buildup. Once adults reach 40, they start to lose
two cups in a 30-year-old and one cup in a 70-year-old. .... between 0.5 and 02 per cent of their muscle each year. Regular exercise
can help prevent this.
LUNGS - Start ageing at 20.
Lung capacity slowly starts to decrease from the age of 20. By the HEARING - Starts ageing mid-50s.
age of 40, some people are already experiencing breathlessness. This More than half of people over 60 lose hearing because of their age.
is partly because the muscles and the rib cage which control breathing
stiffen up. SKIN - Starts ageing mid-20s.
The skin starts to age naturally in your mid-20s.
VOICE - Starts ageing at 65.
Our voices become quieter and hoarser with age. The soft tissues in TASTE AND SMELL - Start ageing at 60.
the voice box (larynx) weaken, affecting the pitch, loudness and quality We start out in life with about 10,000 taste buds scattered on the
of the voice. A woman’s voice may become huskier and lower in pitch, tongue. This number can halve later in life. After we turn 60, taste and
whereas a man’s might become thinner and higher. smell gradually decline, partly as a result of the normal ageing process.
EYES - Start ageing at 40. FERTILITY - Starts ageing at 35.

Glasses are the norm for many over-40s as failing eyesight kicks in - Female fertility begins to decline after 35, as the number and quality
usually long-sightedness, affecting our ability to see objects up close. of eggs in the ovaries start to fall. The lining of the womb may become
thinner, making it less likely for a fertilised egg to take, and also creating
HEART - Starts ageing at 40. an environment hostile to sperm.
The heart pumps blood less effectively around the body as we get older.
This is because blood vessels become less elastic, while arteries can HAIR - Starts ageing at 30.
harden or become blocked because of fatty deposits forming on the coro- Male hair loss usually begins in the 30s. Hair is made in tiny pouches
nary arteries - caused by eating too much saturated fat. The blood supply just under the skin’s surface, known as follices. A hair normally grows
to the heart is then reduced, resulting in painful angina. Men over 45 and from each follicle for about three years, is then shed, and a new hair
women over 55 are at greater risk of a heart attack. grows. Most people will have some grey hair by the age of 35. When we
are young, our hair is coloured by the pigments produced by cells in the
LIVER - Starts ageing at 70. hair follicle known as melanocytes. q
This is the only organ in the body which seems to defy the aging ANGELA EPSTEIN, Freelance Health Journalist
process. Foto from Reforming NY
ANNIVERSARY
TWENTY
YEARS through the years. One is
of Lily’s (Ankone) pioneer-
ing role in the history of
KAPATI- Filipina migrants in the
Netherlands…which was
RAN used as basis for mo-
bilizing and organizing
Filipino migrants in the
Babaylan congratulates
country.
a sister organization in
the Netherlands that just
As to Jimmy (Ayong) I
turned 20. Kapatiran’s
cannot forget the won-
birth is unique: it was both
derful days when we
an end and a beginiing.
hopped from town to
Like many Filipino organi-
town, participating in
zations around the globe,
solidarity information
it was discord that led to
evenings on the Phil-
the founding of Kapatiran
ippines by perform-
(brotherhood) Regrettably
ing our traditional
this is a very familiar dy-
dances. What was
namic with Filipino organiza-
important to us then
tions wherever they may be.
and now, which
This frequent visitor to the
both shared with us
land of the tulips and wind-
while they were still
mills, and who lived there for
around, was this
7 years, has woven a mosaic
vision of bettering
of recalls, observations and
our societies. Liv-
analysis..
ing in France today, and being part of a Filipino migrant
woman’s group called Babaylan, is this ongoing vision. Our
As longtime Chair Wads Wijnberg-Tiongson recalls, “Like
struggles continue in different ways, and in France, the con-
orphaned children we had to reinvent ourselves and had to
text of more rigid migration laws, has rendered the lives of our
look for a new beginning to continue the work most of us
women still precarious and sometimes inhuman.
started in Samahan. Powered by the desire to help other Fili-
pino migrants in the Netherlands and elsewhere, and to as-
Greater unity and solidarity between Netherlands-based Fili-
sist poor communities in the Philippines, Kapatiran was born.
pinos and local communities in the Philippines through small
It was 1990.
scale and self-reliance projects are goals, while organizing
information for awareness-raising. Since 2003, the multi-
“I have always been an avid supporter of children’s welfare
culturality of the organization was reflected in the choice of a
and education and special projects oin the rural areas in the
Dutch Chairperson. Mr.Wim Vermeiden. q
Philippines. I was real glad when the Basic Literacy Program
was launched in 2000 says Irma Galias who first got involved
In 2008, Kapatiran received from the Philippine government
with Kapatiran in 1994. Irma actually was for a short time
the prestigious Presidential LINKAPIL (Lingkod sa Kapwa
Chairperson of Kapatiran but withdrew when her workload in
Pilipino) Award.
the music world increased.
Nitnit Mongaya Hoegsholm
Sally Rousset-Viegelmann (now resident of Paris) was one STICHTING KAPATIRAN

of the original co-founders of Kapatiran.“I thank my friends in P.O. Box 8267
Kapatiran for giving me this space, which I would like to use 3009 AG Rotterdam
The Netherlands
to honor two remarkable Kapatiran members who just left us
Tel.: +31-(0)10-2860931
–our friends Lily and Jimmy. I will limit myself to two incidents Email: info@kapatiran.nl
that remain in my mind and which have accompanied me

FILIPINIANA
Myth on the origin of

Makahiya
(Tickle me Plant)
O nce upon a time, there were

a rich couple named Dondong
The bandits knew
they had a daughter
and Iska. They had a 12 year old and they searched the
daughter named Maria whom whole house to find the
they love deeply. little girl but to no avail
they couldn’t find Maria.
Maria was a responsible daugh- They took all their
ter, hard working and kindheart- money and jewelries
ed. Because of her traits, every- and they left.
body loved Maria.
When Dondong and
Maria was also a shy young lady Iska regained con-
and because of her shyness, sciousness, the bandits
she was not fond of speaking with had already fled. They
other people. She would blush every time somebody immediately ran towards the flower garden to find
would greet her and she would just nod her head and their young daughter Maria. Much to their surprise,
wouldn’t utter a word. Because of this, she would of- Maria was gone! They tried to look for her everywhere
ten hide herself in her room so she wouldn’t have any but still they did not find Maria. They went back to the
chance of mingling with other people. flower garden and searched on every corner but they
didn’t find Maria.
Maria loved taking of her flowers. She had a beautiful
flower garden that was popular in their town. She took “My daughter! They took away my daughter!” Iska
good care of the flowers in her garden. She loved it was frantic and scared.
there; it’s in her garden that she found refuge and
happiness. Suddenly, Dondong felt something pricked his foot.
He was shocked with what he saw. He saw a small
One day, the townspeople heard horrifying news. A plant that quickly closes its leaves. It was the first time
group of bandits came to a nearby town and killed all they ever saw such a unique plant. He stooped down
the people who tried to hide their money and other to look at the plant more closely; Iska did the same
belongings from them. The next day, the group of thing too. They saw that the plant would open up and
bandits had reached the town where the family of will close its leaves again once touched. Because
Dondong, Iska and their daughter Maria lived. Don- of this, they believed that the plant was Maria. God
dong saw the group of bandits were heating towards made Maria into a plant to save her from those ban-
them, so he decided to hide Maria in her flower gar- dits.
den to protect her from being killed by the bandits as
well. Both Dondong and Iska couldn’t stop their tears from
falling. As their tears dropped on the plant, they be-
Iska and Dondong hid inside their house, frightened came little flowers that looked like little roses.
and shaken. She heard the bandits crushed their door
and at that moment she silently prayed to protect From then on, Dondong and Iska took good care
them from whatever the bandits will do to them. of the plant. They believed and they knew that the
Iska cried out, “Oh Lord, my Lord, please save my plant was indeed their daughter Maria. Just like their
daughter Maria.” At this time, the bandits had already daughter, the plant was also quite shy. Because of
broken down their door. They went in and hit Don- that, they called the plant “makahiya”, because they
dong on his head, he lost consciousness and fell believe the plant was as shy as Maria. And from then
down on the floor. Iska, on the other hand, tried to run on, the plant had been called “makahiya”. q
and escape but she too was hit on her head and fell
down and also lost consciousness. From Alibata
Philippine Mythology & Folklore
25
ECONOMY
Norway's petroleum capital. Stavangerexpats.
Entertainment: Movie ticket: $16 com says food expenses in Norway are about
The Appliances: Washing machine: $880 50 percent higher than the EU average: A can
World's of soda is about $2.80, and a beer at a bar can
Oslo rose above Copenhagen as the most be $12.
Most expensive city in Europe when the kroner
strengthened against other currencies. ECA 7. Kobe, Japan
Expensive International says an upward trend in oil prices, Rank in 2009: 6
Cities a short recession, and Norway's reputation as Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $16
2010 a safe haven for investors contributed to the Can of beer from grocer: $3.09
kroner's rise. One kg of rice: $8.57
One dozen eggs: $2.81
3. Luanda, Angola Entertainment: Movie ticket: $20
Rank in 2009: 1 Appliances: Washing machine: $470
For Americans overseas, exchange rates and Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $47
cost-of-living adjustments can make living over- Can of beer from grocer: $1.62 The city has one of Japan's largest ports and
seas more expensive than back home. One kg of rice: $4.73 has become home to many heavy machinery,
New York ranks only No. 29. If you think $43 is One dozen eggs: $4.75 iron and steel, and food product companies. Ac-
too much to pay for lunch, you shouldn't live in Entertainment: Movie ticket: $13 cording to the Japan External Trade Organiza-
Oslo. According to "ECA International", a global Appliances: Washing machine: $912 tion, 117 foreign and foreign-affiliated companies
human resources company, that's how much have offices in Kobe. As the price of Kobe beef,
Angola's capital slipped to third place this year the style of high-grade meat named after the
an average lunch costs in Norway's capital. But as the kwanza depreciated. Prices in Luanda
Oslo is only the second-most expensive city city, suggests, food is costly here, as are other
have actually increased in the past year, but living expenses.
on ECA's ranking of 399 global locations. And currency changes offset any inflation, according
while the price of an average lunch in Tokyo is a to ECA International. In addition to everyday 8. Copenhagen, Denmark
comparatively modest $17.86, other costs, such goods, EuroCost International estimates that Rank in 2009: 7
as a $22 movie ticket and an $8.47 kilo of rice, the average expat pays more than $3,500 per Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $36
earn it the dubious honor as the world's most month for a two-bedroom flat in Luanda. Can of beer from grocer: $2.10
expensive city. One kg of rice: $4.85
4. Nagoya, Japan One dozen eggs: $6.99
ECA's ranking is based on a basket of 128 Rank in 2009: 3
goods that includes food, daily goods, clothing, Entertainment: Movie ticket: $15
Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $19 Appliances: Washing machine: $1,196
electronics, and entertainment, but not rent, Can of beer from grocer: $3.08
utilities, and school fees, which are not typically One kg of rice: $9.14 A 2009 "survey" of 73 international cities by UBS
included in a cost-of-living adjustment. ECA re- One dozen eggs: $3.33 found that employees in Copenhagen have the
searchers and local partners gathered prices in Entertainment: Movie ticket: $20 highest income. Places with higher salaries of-
September 2009 and March 2010 for domestic Appliances: Washing machine: $621 ten have higher prices, but residents here enjoy
and imported brands that are internationally good living standards overall. Some examples of
recognized—such as Kellogg's cereal or Sap- Japan's fourth most populous city, Nagoya is the cost of living: Renting a DVD costs about $8
poro beer. While lower-priced goods and ser- also among the country's most expensive. The per night, a pair of women's jeans is more than
vices are available in these markets, the study city ranks No. 1 for the cost of rice: $9.14 per $150, and a one-way ticket on public transport
estimated the cost of supporting the standard of kilogram, according to ECA International data. costs about $3.70.
living expected by expatriate employees. Some As Japan's auto hub, the Nagoya area is an im-
of the cities, such as Seoul and Stockholm, portant center of business: about 44 percent of 9. Geneva, Switzerland
jumped up in the ranking as the local currency automobiles produced in Japan are made here, Rank in 2009: 9
strengthened against the U.S. dollar. While a according to the Greater Nagoya Initiative Cen- Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $30
slowdown in business may tempt employers to ter. Such companies as Toyota, Honda, Suzuki, Can of beer from grocer: $2.02
scale back compensation, "recessions only last Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, and General Motors One kg of rice: $3.81
so long" and retaining top talent in these places have headquarters, manufacturing operations, One dozen eggs: $7.64
is critical to companies' success when the global or distribution points in the Nagoya region. Entertainment: Movie ticket: $16
economy recovers. Appliances: Washing machine: $1,304
5. Yokohama, Japan
Rank in 2009: 4 Geneva, home to many companies and U.N. or-
1. Tokyo, Japan Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $17.39 ganizations, is one of the most expensive cities
Rank in 2009: 2 Can of beer from grocer: $3.26 for food and household appliances. Food prices
Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $18 One kg of rice: $6.54 in Switzerland are 45 percent more expensive
Can of beer from grocer: $3.37 One dozen eggs: $3.72 than in the rest of Western Europe, and the
One kg of rice: $8.47 Entertainment: Movie ticket: $19.50 cost of electronics and appliances in Geneva
One dozen eggs: $3.78 Appliances: Washing machine: $630 is among the highest worldwide, according to a
Entertainment: Movie ticket: $22 2009 UBS report.
Appliances: Washing machine: $879 About half an hour by commuter train from
Tokyo, this port city has active shipping, 10. Zurich, Switzerland
The strength of the yen has brought Tokyo back biotechnology, and semiconductor industries. Rank in 2009: 10
to the No. 1 spot on ECA International's ranking Yokohama is one of the world's most expensive Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $25
for the first time since 2005. In addition to the cities, but companies here enjoy lower operating Can of beer from grocer: $2.01
costs above, rent for a two-bedroom apart- costs compared with the nearby capital. Nissan One kg of rice: $3.36
ment for expats is typically more than $5,000 opened a new headquarters in Yokohama this One dozen eggs: $5.81
per month in Tokyo, according to data from year and reportedly will sell its office in Tokyo to Entertainment: Movie ticket: $16
EuroCost International. While visitors need more cut costs. Appliances: Washing machine: $974
pocket money here than in any other city, the
monthly consumer price index in Tokyo's wards 6. Stavanger, Norway Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, is the country's
has actually dropped year-on-year for 14 straight Rank in 2009: 14 main business center and the headquarters
months as of May 2010, based on figures from Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $33 city for many financial companies, including
Japan's statistics bureau. Can of beer from grocer: $4.76 UBS and Credit Suisse. Although Zurich had
One kg of rice: $5.71 the greatest number of company bankruptcies
2. Oslo, Norway One dozen eggs: $6.34 in Switzerland last year, according to Dun &
Rank in 2009: 8 Entertainment: Movie ticket: $15.50 Bradstreet, the inflation rate started to increase
Food: Lunch at a restaurant: $43 Appliances: Washing machine: $749 again this year after falling in 2009.
Can of beer from grocer: $4.71
One kg of rice: $5.66 This small seaside city earned its riches from oil Source: “ECA International”
One dozen eggs: $6.72 in the North Sea and has become known as Vanessa Wong, Business Week
SPECIAL FEATURE
ternational corporate culture where English is the lin-

gua franca. So they live in Denmark for the duration of
Letters their job postings or their marriages, and in that span
from the of time exist in a kind of plastic bubble, isolated from

the language of the natives.
Outlands
I think he meant to class me alongside North Ameri-
Lakambini Sitoy cans, Australians and Brits – and that sure was fun,
Manila Times column for since these folks possess a cache attributable to their
November 11, 2010 relative wealth and fine careers and, yes, the fact that
they’re white.
A blessing and a curse But I’m Filipino and, apart from the fact that it’s the
language in which I read in and express myself best
A kababayan once observed that Filipinos living in in, my reasons for clinging to English are a bit more
complicated.
Denmark generally don’t speak the Danish language
as well as other immigrants, because they resort to
I didn’t grow up speaking standard English. I learned
English too often.
to. I made a conscious choice.
With this worry at the back of my mind, I approached
Apart from a moderate amount of reading that broad-
my first Danish classes, and for a while my perfor-
ened my vocabulary, and a great deal of private writing
mance seemed to belie this dire prediction. I seemed
that sharpened my communication skills, I watched
to do well. I wasn’t a fast learner of the grammar, and
movies and did a ton of mimicry. Because I grew up
for the longest time my vocabulary was limited to
literally on a university campus, I had more exposure
whatever appeared in our exercises and handouts.
than the average Filipino child to the English language,
But I got so much praise for my pronunciation that I
but it was not of a standard variety. It was Filipino
gained confidence enough to speak a few greetings
English. It had to be distanced from, and overcome. I
in that language, when meeting my husband’s friends
wasn’t the only one, and I know lots more people who
and family at gatherings and such. That part of the
did it much better than me – people who spoke and
ritual over, we then shifted to English, because it was
wrote like Americans though they had never once left
so much easier.
the Philippines. And there were rewards: good grades
for projects that were well-written and never mind the
And so my Danish plateaued. I’d taken two basic
analysis, and later on, the better jobs.
courses in 2006. Back in the Philippines the following
year, I taught Communications and English literature
Apart from that, I grew up surrounded by the notion
to college students, and wrote fiction, likewise in Eng-
of the Filipino – tiny, brown, you name it – as inferior,
lish. While Danish was a trophy I could show off to my
and that notion was dramatized most effectively in the
friends from time to time, it was also an annoyance
inability to speak English. So I had my reasons not to
that loomed over my future.
let go of that language in Denmark, not the least be-
ing political: When you are in someone’s home for a
The truth was, I equated English with a high degree
holiday dinner, and they remark that you can eat with
of education, a history of travel, and liberal thought.
a knife and fork, express surprise at the modern ma-
Danish, through an unfortunate series of personal en-
chines in a typical Filipino home, and are consternat-
counters, represented closed-mindedness, eurocen-
ed because you know the James Bond movies, when
tricism, prejudice, fear.
your status is provisional, and the situation prevents
you from being sarcastic, it’s so much easier to stick
My Modul 5 teacher once observed that people from
to English and thereby forge your connection with the
the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia tend
most culturally powerful nations in the West.
to do poorly in the Danish language. The main reason
is that they use English in nearly all communicative
It’s a pity that English, in all its breadth and beauty,
situations in Denmark. In this they are abetted by the
could impede the process by which one integrates –
Danes themselves, some of whom have native- or
probably in other parts of continental Europe as
near-native speaker proficiency, and often by an in
well. q

WOMEN OF THE WORLD
Compiled by Judy Jover
Filipina Tycoon Virginia Cruz-Santos

“The Incredible Animator”
Loida Nicolas-Lewis is probably the
richest Filipino living outside her home She gave life to several animated
country. She is the chairman and CEO characters like: The Cowboy Girl,
of TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Bullseye the horse and a little of Bugs
Inc., a two-billion-dollar corporation of 64 and Woody in “Toy Story 2,” Forth
companies based in 31 countries. TLC Rant, Sally and Mike in “Monsters
is a marketer of ice cream in Spain and Inc.,” and Dory and some scenes of
the Canary Islands, the leading manufacturer of potato chips in Nigel in “Finding Nemo.”
Ireland, and a prime distributor of beverage in the Netherlands,
Belgium, France and Thailand. Her most recent film is “The Incredibles,” which became a top gross-
er in its first week in the Philippine Cinema. Among the characters
that she made were: Helen Parr – dubbed by Holly Hunter, Dash,
Veronica Pedrosa is the lead Violet and Edna Mode.
news presenter at the Kuala
Lumpur broadcast centre of Mona Pasquil has become the first woman, first Filipino American,
Al Jazeera English, a leading and first Asian American to become a lieutenant governor of Cali-
international news network. fornia.
She is a former news anchor She reached the top when Lieutenant
of CNN International, BBC Governor John Garamendi won the
World, who also was a former journalist at ABS-CBN News and 10th Congressional District special
Current Affairs. elections to replace Representative
Ellen Tauscher.
She is the daughter of Filipino journalist Carmen Navarro Pedrosa,
who wrote a tell-all biography on then-First Lady Imelda Marcos The lieutenant governor’s powers
during the Marcos’ martial law-backed regime in the Philippines stayed with her as Garamendi’s chief
that led to the Pedrosa family’s exile to London. of staff. These powers include deci-
sions being made at the State Lands Commission, the Board of Re-
She was named Best News Anchor at the Asian Television Awards gents of the California State University and University of California,
2004. and many other panels and boards.
Lisa Teresita Pacheco Macu- A Filipina of many firsts

ja-Elizalde is a Prima Ballerina. DR. ELEANOR Concepcion “Connie”
She is the first Philippine balle- Mariano is an amazing woman of many
rina, and first foreigner who ever “firsts.”She is the first Filipino-American
joined the Kirov Ballet in 1984. to reach the rank of Rear Admiral in the
She is regarded as the most United States Navy, the first graduate
phenomenal ballerina the Philip- of the Uniformed Services University of
pines has ever produced. In the Medicine to reach flag officer status, the
Philippines, she is the Artistic Di- first Filipino-American who became the
rector of Ballet Manila and Vice- youngest captain in the US Navy, the first woman and first Filipino-
Chairman of the Philippine UNESCO National Commission. She American military woman to be appointed White House Physician,
was also the Commissioner of the National Commission on the and the first woman and the first Filipino-American to be the direc-
Role of Filipino Women. Macuja-Elizalde is also Directress and tor of the White House Medical Unit. By attending to two American
faculty member of the Ballet Manila School – a training center for presidents for more than eight years, Mariano is by far the longest
ballet professionals who are steeped in the Russian Vaganova serving White House physician in American history
method.
Josie Natori (born Josefina Almeda Cruz) is a Filipina fashion designer and the CEO and founder of The Na-
tori Company. Natori served as a commissioner on the White House Conference on Small Business. In March
2007 she was awarded the Order of Lakandula, one of the highest civilian awards in the Philippines. [1] In April,
2007, Natori received the “Peopling of America” Award from the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation
The Natori Company now sells lingerie, sleepwear, loungewear, underwear and other high-end women’s fashion
to upscale department stores in the US, and to at least 15 countries internationally. In addition to women’s cloth-
ing, the company is also in the home furnishings industry, and in May, 2008 signed a licensing deal to sell Natori
perfume. The perfume debuted in the US in September, 2009, with international distribution to follow. Natori also
launched towel and eyewear lines in the Fall of 2009 as well. q
ENTERTAINMENT
A man in Scotland calls his son in London the day before Christmas Eve
HI!HI!HI!HI! and says,
“I hate to ruin your day but I have to tell you that your mother and I are
HA!HA!HA!HA! divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough”.
“Dad, what are you talking about?’” the son screams.
“We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer”, the father says.
“We’re sick of each other and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call
your sister in Leeds and tell her”.
Frantically, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone, “Like hell
they’re getting divorced”, she shouts, “I’ll take care of this”.
She calls Scotland immediately and screams at her father, “You are NOT
getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my
brother back and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing,
GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN DO YOU HEAR ME?”and hangs up.
Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa : half discovered, half wild,
The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife.
fertile and naturally beautiful.
“Done! They’re coming for Christmas - and they’re paying their own
Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe : well developed and open way.”
to trade, especially for someone of real value. -----------
Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain : very hot, relaxed, and con- How to Tell the Sex of a Fly
vinced of her own beauty.
A woman walked into the kitchen to find her Husband stalking around
Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece : gently aging but still a with a fly swatter.
warm and desirable place to visit.
“What are you doing?” She asked.
Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain : with a glorious and
all conquering past. “Hunting Flies” He responded.
Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel : has been through war, “Oh! Killing any?”She asked.
doesn’t make the same mistakes twice, takes care of business.
“Yep, 3 males, 2 Females,” he replied.
Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada : self-preserving, but open
Intrigued, she asked. “How can you tell them apart?”
to meeting new people.
He responded, “3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone”.
After 70, she becomes Tibet : wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and
the wisdom of the ages, an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual -----------
knowledge. Hotel Related Incident
GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN A man checks into a hotel in New York City while on a business trip and
Between 1 and 90, a man is like Iran, ruled by nuts. was a bit lonely.
----------- He thought of one of those girls you see advertised in phone booths when
you’re calling for a cab.
Little Johnny Strikes again
He popped into a phone booth in Times Square near the hotel and found
The teacher asked the class to use the word ‘fascinate’ in a sentence.
an ad for a girl calling herself Erogonique, a lovely girl, bending over in
Molly put up her hand and said, ‘My family went to my granddad’s farm, the photo. She had all the right curves in all the right places, beautiful long
and we all saw his pet sheep It was fascinating.’ wavy hair, long graceful legs...... well, you get the picture! He copied the
phone number and returned to his hotel.
The teacher said, ‘That was good, but I wanted you to use the word
‘fascinate, not fascinating’. When back in the room he figures, what the hell, give her a call.
Sally raised her hand. She said, ‘My family went to see Rock City and ‘Hello,’ the woman says. God, she sounded sexy.
I was ‘fascinated.’ The teacher said, ‘Well, that was good Sally, but I
‘Hi, I hear you give a great massage and I’d like you to come to my room
wanted you to use the word ‘fascinate.’
and give me one.. No, wait, I should be straight with you. I’m in town all
Little Johnny raised his hand. The teacher hesitated because she had alone and what I really want is sex. I want it hard, I want it hot, and I want it
been burned by Little Johnny before. now. Bring implements, toys, rubber, leather, whips, everything you’ve got
in your bag of tricks. Tie me up, cover me in chocolate syrup and whipped
She finally decided there was no way he could damage the word ‘fasci- cream, anything you want! Now, how does that sound?’
nate’, so she called on him.
She says, ‘That sounds fantastic, but you need to press 1 for an outside
Johnny said, ‘My aunt Gina has a sweater with ten buttons, but her tits line.’
are so big she can only fasten eight.’
It took three hours for him to get the courage to Checkout next morning.
The teacher sat down and cried.
TRANSITION
u Filomenita Mongaya
Hoegsholm
In recent elections held in Brussels on 20

November 2010 for the gender equality
network WIDE Women in Development,
Globalising Gender Equality and Social
Justice), Babaylan’s Founding Chair,
Filomenita Mongaya Hoegsholm, repre-
sentative from KULU, the Danish Plat-
form of WIDE. She is one of the 5 women
from various parts of Europe , who make
up the Executive Committee of this highly
t General Consul Poul Krogh respected feministic network.
In a cosy and warm dining room in Tivoli Divan 2, Mr. Poul
t
Krogh was inaugurated as Consul General of the Republic of

the Philippines. He has served as Honorary Consul in the last
year and from now on, will have added work area and responsibility
dealing also with visa matters. He was sworn in by Her Excellency, Ms.
Ambassador Elisabeth Buensuceso.
The 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters will take

place February 27 - March 1, 2012 in Washington, DC. The
t
conference will bring together grassroots activists and ad-

vocates working on ending violence against women. At this con-
ference, delegates will receive tangible tools and knowledge from
other activists, as well as collaborate with women from all over the
world. Babaylan-Denmark is invited to Come and join this amaz-
ing, unique conference to become a part of a global effort to end
violence against women.
FILCOM-DENMARK, the united Filipino Associations in Den-

t
mark, consisting of Babaylan-Denmark, CCC, FAD, FCCC,

Filipino House, JIL, Mabuhay, Migrante Denmark, FDC, PU-
GAD, Roots & Wings, Open Gate, Sct. Anne Kirke and Baptist Church
organized the coming PASKØBENHAVN 2010, the Pinoy Christmas
Celebration to be held on the 18th of December at Copenhagen Con-
ference Center at Englandsvej 337 in Kastrup. There will be community
fair during the day from 10.00 to 17.00 and then Christmas dinner buf-
fet during the evening. Tickets are available from each associations.
WAVE is a network of European women’s non-gov-

t
ernmental organisations working in the field of com-
bating violence against women and children (wom-
en’s refuges, counselling centres, SOS hotlines/helplines,
organisations focusing on prevention and training, etc.).
Currently the Network focuses specifically on violence in the

family and in intimate relationships. The Network sets out
to promote and strengthen the human rights of women and
children in general and to prevent violence against women
and children in particular. Through PICUM, Platform for Intl.
Undocumented Migrants in Brussels, Babaylan-Denmark
was invited to participate on their 12th WAVE Conference
in Warsaw, Poland last October 14-16, 2010 on Ending Vio-
lence Against Women.

MIGRANT WOMEN IN EU
The voice of the migrant woman must be heard

“Equality between women and men is not an
end in itself. It is a prerequisite for meeting
the EU’s aims for growth, employment and
social cohesion”, said president of the EESC
Section for Employment, Social Affairs and
Citizenship, Leila Kurki on launching the Eu-
ropean Network of Migrant Women
(ENoMW), the first EU level organisation of migrants. EESC is a partner of the network.
In an integrated Europe and in a globalised and interdependent world, diversity and difference are
normal. “Equality should be mainstreamed into all policies, and the specific area here is the migrant
women’s integration and fundamental rights”, Ms Kurki reiterated.
The Committee believes that integration policies must be linked to the main objectives of EU social
policy and become an integral part of the Social Agenda. Women, and especially migrant women, are
vulnerable to social exclusion and poverty. “It is important that gender analysis is fully mainstreamed
into all of the Commission’s spheres of activity, also in the immigration policy field”, said Ms Kurki.
The Committee would like to see an effective instrument adopted, which reflects the specific features
of domestic work. “EU and the Member States should combat the considerable amount of illegal work
in this sector, and protect migrant women who are in irregular circumstances and suffer abuse. Inter-
national conventions should be applied and should offer them protection”, said Ms Kurki.
The European Economic and Social Committee is very much in line with the ENoMW’s approach.
“Employment, education, health, the fight against violence, women’s participation in public, political
and business life, are our core tasks”, added Ms Kurki.
The European Network of Migrant Women is the first EU level organisation of migrants. ENoMW is
also invited as a speaker to the third meeting of the European Integration Forum organised by the
EESC and the European Commission.
Denmark was represented by Hakima Lasham Lakhrissi from EMKR and Babaylan’s Founding Chair
Filomenita Mongaya Høgsholm, also from EMKR.
By Torben Bach Nielsen; email: torben.bachnielsen@eesc.europa.eu
Christmas is a time
when you get
homesick - even
when you’re home.
~Carol Nelson

FOCUS: AU PAIR
New Guidelines on Legal... (from page 13)
ARTS & MEDIA
Babaylan-Denmark’s layout artist, Muir Jover, designed the lofficial ogo for the
Summer Sport 2010 which is going to be an annual event for all Filipinos who
would like to participate on sports particularly Beach Volleyball.
Muir has also recently designed the GO CARDs for the Danish Dental Associa-
tion which will be officially used on their campaign against smoking especially
for the youth.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
One of the real joys of the Holiday Season is the

oppotunity to say Thank You to all of Babaylan
members, friends, supporters & sponsors who made
this year a successful & memorable one.
Wishing you a Joyous Christmas & a New Year
filled with Peace & Happiness.
BABAYL AN-DENMARK
Sincerest wishes for hope ,

happiness and peace
during this Holiday
Season and throughout
the coming year...
from
United Filipino Associations in Denmark
BABAYLAN DENMARK ¤ CCC ¤ FAD ¤ FCCC ¤ FILIPINO HOUSE

FILIPPINSK DANSKE GRUPPE ¤ JIL ¤ MABUHAY MIGRANTE DENMARK
FDC ¤ PUGAD ¤ ROOTS WINGS ¤ OPEN GATE ¤ ST ANNE ¤ BAPTIST CHURCH

Liebe Nanay Gisela,
Frohe Weihnachten und einen

guten Rutsch in das kommende Jahr!!!
Danke fur die vielen Jahre und
dass Du einfach so bist, wie Du bist.
Ich habe Dich soooo lieb.
Alles Liebe von Deiner Töchterli ,
Maligayang Marga
Pasko po!
from Gil, Helena, Lukas & Feliza
Broncano Family
Maligayang Pasko at
Manigong Bagong Taon!
from Hedelyn, Ramon & Razel Reyes
Wishing you all the Joy,

Hope and Wonder of Christmas
from
Hilda, Torben, Jeff & Gail
Gudmundsson Family

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010

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ABAKADA, SUMMER 2010

6 Message from Ambassador E. P Buensuceso 28 Women News

7 Moments with Mayor Klaus Bondam

14 WAVE Conference 30 Transition

About the cover, Filipinos suppos-

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 3

We often use “Happy Holidays” as

Christmas season is the most popu-

Filipinas I met from several events held in Jylland,Fyn, Midt Jyl-

As we unite in the spirit of Christmas, may the coming years

Women organizing for change!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY

ABAKADAAng Balitang Kababaihan sa Danmark

Abakada wishes everyone a Succesfully Busy New Year

MESSAGE OF AMBASSADOR ELIZABETH P. BUENSUCESO

Congratulations to Babaylan Denmark for its notable accomplishments

I am inspired by your avowed objectives to elevate the issues of women,

Jurisdiction: Email Address: ambassador@philembassy.no Visiting address Mailing address

MOMENTS with the MAYOR

Copenhagen’s cultural diversity

In order to thank all participants from that momentous day,

Bland dig I Byen: Get involved in the city

The new policy is a result of numerous consultations with the

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 8

Two events of significance for the

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 10

next page please

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 11

next page please

next page please

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 14

A wedding party to em-

The third Millennium Development Goal or

New Millennium focus

Enable girls’ rights in Africa: Mali

Read more and support the campaign here: www.givenpigeret.dk

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 15

tears from my eyes doing the same. I didn’t know

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 16

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 17

1 Philippine Independence Day,

Jægersborg Alle’ 16, 2. sal DK-2920 Charlottenlund Denmark

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 20

tion the 8th of December before the Parliament, arranged by

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 21

også er dem som fascinerer. På den ene side frygter

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 22

AGEING PROCESS ...... INSIGHTFUL !

EYES - Start ageing at 40. FERTILITY - Starts ageing at 35.

Sally Rousset-Viegelmann (now resident of Paris) was one STICHTING KAPATIRAN

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 24

Myth on the origin of

O nce upon a time, there were

ternational corporate culture where English is the lin-

from the of time exist in a kind of plastic bubble, isolated from

ABAKADA, WINTER 2010 27

Compiled by Judy Jover

Filipina Tycoon Virginia Cruz-Santos

Lisa Teresita Pacheco Macu- A Filipina of many firsts

“Dad, what are you talking about?’” the son screams.

In recent elections held in Brussels on 20

Krogh was inaugurated as Consul General of the Republic of

The 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters will take

conference will bring together grassroots activists and ad-