July 15, 2013

Vol. XXII, No. 17

Online: www. manilamail.us

July 15, 2013

FilAms hail sainthood for 2 Popes

By A. TUGADO MARZAN
WASHINGTON D.C. Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the DC area hailed Pope Francis signing July 5, 2013 at the Vatican a decree to canonize two of the 20th centurys most inuential popes--John Paul II and John XXIII-- who will be made saints of the Roman Catholic Church later this year. The date of the dual canonization of the late pontiffs will be decided by a consistory (meeting of cardinals) possibly this September, according to Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi. Some expect the ceremony to occur December 8, 2013, feast of the Immaculate Conception, a major feast day for the church that honors the Blessed Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus), to whom the two popes were devoted to. Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 266th pope of the Catholic Church since Saint Peter rst held the post almost 2000 years ago) approved a second miracle (needed for canonization) attributed to the intercession of Blessed John Paul II (also called John Paul the Great) and using his papal authority to honor Blessed John XXIII

Pope John Paul II

Pope John XXIII

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ment and Budget. More than 4,000 Filipino veterans who have led appeals after their claims were rejected could benet from these changes. These veterans have argued that they have been impeded from ling claims or believe their claims were improperly denied because the VA failed to consider other legitimate documentation to prove their service. They could also have been disqualied on technical grounds, like misspelled or transposed names. These concerns prompted the convening of the IWG, which includes the Veterans Administration, the US Army and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Their mandate was to analyze the process faced by these Filipino veterans in demonstrating eligibility for compensation in order to ensure that all applications receive thorough and fair review.

By JON MELEGRITO
The US Veterans Administration (VA), the U.S. Army and the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), in an effort to expedite pending claims and appeals by Filipino veterans who have been denied benets under the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Fund, have implemented changes to increase transparency and accelerate processing of claims submitted by Filipino World War II veterans. These changes include: the creation of a VA special team dedicated to FVEC appeals, quicker response time for ser-

vice verication requests and expedited hearings, and more detailed response letters explaining why an application was denied. In addition, because of the advanced age of veterans submitting appeals, VA staff will personally obtain copies of certain Philippine Army documents from the Adjutant General of the Philippines to increase turnaround time. These improvements are detailed in the ofcial report of the Interagency Working Group (IWG), which has been working quietly behind the scenes in the last eight months. The report was released recently by the White House Initiative on Asian

American and Pacic Islanders (WHIAAPI), which created the

group in October 2012 in collaboration with the Ofce of Manage-

File photo shows a veteran whose claim has been denied.

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PH lets US use Subic

MANILA - The Philippines is allowing the US military greater access to its bases to promote security and stability in the area. The US embassy in Manila said in a statement it is not seeking to create or reopen any military bases here. Working with the Philippines, we seek to promote security and stability for our nations and in the region. The Philippines which is weak militarily wants greater

GOPs slow down drafting own bill

WASHINGTON - After more than two hours of closeddoor talks, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives said they will take their time drafting their own version of the comprehensive immigration reform bill. CNN said the bill entered an uncertain new phase as GOPs expressed some willingness to compromise but opposition to granting the 11 million undocumented aliens a path to

Aerial view of Subic naval base station. US military presence in the wake

House Speaker John Boehner

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Alcarazs family visit warship P8

Thomas in love with Pinay? P10

28 % are foreign doctors P12

PAFC picnic P16

Congressman shoots self P20

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family, stated Kwok. Her most recent appointment was by President Barack Obama in July 2010 to serve as Chair of President Obamas Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacic Islanders. Ms. Kwok has also served as the Executive Director of Asians & Pacic Islanders with Disabilities of California (APIDC) for the last ve years. A non-prot based in Oakland, APIDC seeks to give a voice and a face to AAPIs with disabilities. Ms. Kwok has fought to break down the stigma in the AAPI community about disabilities and to provide technical assistance to organizations that want to effectively work with AAPIs with disabilities.

AARP names Kwok VP for outreach to Asians

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)has appointed Daphne Kwok as the new Vice President, Multicultural Markets and Engagement effective July 8th. Daphne will lead AARPs outreach to Asian Americans 50+. Daphne brings with her part of the AARP network so that we can benet from the extensive resources and services. As our population grows, our 50+ segment grows, I look forward to focusing my work on empowering a revered part of our APIA

Daphne Kwok an extensive history of community activism and leadership in the Asian American and Pacic Islander American (APIA) communities, said Lorraine CortsVazquez, AARPs Executive Vice President, Multicultural Markets & Engagement. We are very excited to have her return to Washington, DC and become part of our team. I am honored to be joining AARP, an iconic national voice for 50+ individuals. Our APIA community needs to become a

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By Manny Caballero
JERSEY CITY - FilipinoAmerican Councilman-at-Large Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr. was unanimously elected president of this citys City Council during the new councils rst session on July 1, 2013. The election of Lavarro took place immediately after the council members were sworn into ofce before a standing room only crowd of relatives, friends and supporters at the council chamber of City Hall. Councilman Lavarro took his oath of ofce before Mayor Steven Fulop. The councilmans wife,

July 15, 2013

Pinoy elected 1st prexy of Jersey City council

rest of the Council to transform our city and government and get results. This is what the people of Jersey City demanded and deserve. After trying for over 25 years to send a Pinoy to their city government through election (a good number of Filipinos had been appointed in the past to various positions and commissions), the Filipino-Americans here in a united front, unlike in Jersey City Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro, Jr., with his wife Veronica beside him, takes his oath before Mayor Steven Fulop. (Filipino Reporter photo) leagues chose me, said Lavarro in a statement. I intend to bring urgency, accountability and transparency to the council business. I will work to forge consensus with the previous elections, supported and successfully made a fellow Fil-Am the second highest city ofcial, next only to the mayor, in this city of 250,000. Lavarro now holds the following distinctions: 1) rst Filipino-American to win an elective position in Jersey City (2011); 2) rst Filipino-American elected to a full four-year term in Jersey City (2013); and 3) rst Filipino-American president of Jersey Citys City Council (2013). (Special to Filipino Reporter) Veronica, held the Bible while her husband recited the oath. Lavarro was the only ofcial who was sworn in by Mayor Fulop, who was also sworn in as new executive of Jersey City a few hours earlier. With his election as Council President, Lavarro earned another historic rst for himself and for Filipino-Americans in Jersey City, the second largest city in New Jersey. It is estimated that around 20,000 FilAms reside in this city, one of the biggest concentrations of Pinoys in the East Coast. I am honored that my col-

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4 Pinoys indicted for gun smuggling

PITTSBURGH - Four men from the Philippines have been charged by a federal grand jury with conspiring with others in western Pennsylvania and other states to illegally ship military rie parts and ammunition overseas. The indictment unsealed July 3 names 42-year-old James Almendral, who was arrested last week in San Francisco, and three men who remain in the Philippines: 40-year-old Frederico Aglipay, 53-year-old Roger Kabigting, and 43-year-old James Tan Lee. The men were rst indicted in 2009 before a superseding indictment was brought in November, also under seal. The documents charge the men with conspiring to buy the M-16 and M-4 rie components from a business in Illinois, then conspiring with others in Pennsylvania, Texas and California to ship them labeled as automotive parts to the Philippines. Online court records dont list defense attorneys and dont explain why the weapons were shipped.

Baltimore group helps adopt children from PH

Catholic Charities of Baltimore. a non-prot organization, has revealed that it has thus far assisted families in the adoption of children from the Philippines. It said it helps them adopt their relative children from the Philippines, under certain conditions. Over the past ve years, we have assisted over 40 families to accomplish this. We are able to assist families who live anywhere in the U.S. Ellen Warnock, LCSW-C Associate Administrator of the Center for Family Services Adoption Program, a project of Catholic Charities, says typically, adoption becomes necessary if a childs birthparents are no longer able to care for him/ her, due to death, illness, poverty, incarceration, or abandonment. It is a complicated process, and often takes 18-24 months to achieve. The Center says costs are also signicant (in the range of $22,000) since many different providers have to be paid for their services. We are a nonprot child-placement agency, and all fees simply cover the cost of our work. She asked the Manila Mail to help make their services known more widely. For more info, contact Ellen Warnock, LCSW-C, Associate Administrator, Center for Family Services Adoption Program, a Program of Catholic Charities Child & Family Services Division, 2601 N. Howard Street Suite 200 Baltimore, MD 21218 410-659-4050.

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WASHINGTON D.C. - Col. Edwin Price Ramsey, former head of the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts who led the last horse cavalry charge in Morong, Bataan against the Japanese invaders in 1942, was laid to rest with full military honors at the Arlington National Cemetery on June 28, 2013. He died on March 7 at the age of 95. Members of the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society paid their nal respects to Ramsey who refused to surrender to the Japanese and later organized a big guerrilla force to continue the ght until the end of World War II. Ramsey was born in Illinois and attended the Oklahoma Military Academy. He volunteered to serve in the Philippines

July 15, 2013

Ramseys nal Cavalry Charge in Arlington

Edwin Ramsey photos in 1940 and 2013. with the 26th Cavalry as 1st Lt. when he was 24 years old. The 26th Calvary he commanded consisted of 54 regular US army ofcers and 784 men, majority of them Philippine scouts. When US Gen. Jonathan Wainwright surrendered in 1942, Ramsey escaped to lead a guerrilla army that continued to harass the Japanese invaders until the liberation of the Philippines by Gen. Douglas MacArHorses pull caisson bearing Ramseys cofn. ( Embassy photo by Elmer G. Cato) thur in 1945. For gallantry in action in Bataan, Gen. Wainwright awarded Ramsey the Silver Star. He also received a Purple Heart and three Presidential Unit Citations for defense of the Philippines, Lingayen Gulf and Bataan. In Manila later, General MacArthur personally pinned the Distinguished Service Cross on him for his three years of guerrilla warfare and promoted him to Lieutenant Colonel. A hero to the Filipino people, Ramsey was awarded that countrys Medal of Honor, the Philippine Distinguished Conduct Star, the Distinguished Service Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Gold Cross of Valor and the Wounded Person-

Scouts, dressed in their old uniform, stand at attention during burial rites at Arlington National Cemetery. (Embassy photo) nel Medal. For more information and great images, be sure to visit http://www.edwinpriceramsey.com/

Study bares growing poverty among AsianAms

NEW YORK - The continual portrayal of AAPIs as the fastest growing, best educated, and wealthiest racial minority group overshadows the growing poverty in our communities, said Lisa Hasegawa, National Executive Director of the National Coalition for Asian Amerian Community Development (NCAACD). Ms Hasegawa made this statement recently following the ndings of the recent Asian American and Pacifric Islander (AAPI) Poverty Demographic Study at a press conference last month. She said We cannot overlook the fact that we are also one of the fastest growing poor populations in our country. We hope that the ndings from our study push policymakers and philanthropy to recognize that the faces of poverty include AAPIs and that an economic recovery for our country must reach those in our communities who have been most impacted. The report is buttressed by the recent Brookings Institution study that the number of poor people in U.S. suburbs rose by 63.6% between 2000 and 2011, from 10 million to well over 16 million people. It said that for the rst time, there are now more people living in poverty in the suburbs than in cities. The study brings attention to communities in need and broadens the conversation about what it means to be AAPI in America. The study reveals that the AAPI poor population grew faster than most other ethnic groups from 2007-2011, increasing by 38% to over 2 million. Other key highlights of the study include: * AAPI Poverty is Growing Dramatically: *From 2007 to 2011, the number of AAPIs living below the federal poverty level increased by more than half a million. * This 38% increase can be broken down into a 37% increase for Asian Americans (AAs) in poverty and a 60% increase for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacic Islanders (NHOPIs) in poverty. * In comparison, the general poverty population grew by 27% during the same time period, with the Hispanic/Latino poverty population growing by 42% and the African American poverty population growing by 20%. * The AAPI Poor Population is Concentrated: Over 50% of all AAPI poor live in 10 metropolitan areas (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Honolulu, Seattle, San Jose, Houston, Sacramento, and Philadelphia). No other racial/ethnic poverty population is as concentrated in as few places. Approximately 30% of all AAPI poor live in only 3 metro areas (New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco). * AAPI Poor Disproportionately Face High Housing Costs: The 20 highest cost housing markets in the country contain almost half of all AAPI poor. No other racial/ethnic category has as high of a proportion of its poor population in these markets (closest is Hispanic/Latino at 27%). * The AAPI Poor Population is Diverse: From 2000 to 2010, the US Census identied AAPI populations in poverty for 22 separate ethnic groups. The largest single group is non-Taiwanese Chinese at almost 450,000, followed by Asian Indian at over 245,000 and Vietnamese at 230,000. Hmong have the highest poverty rate at 27%, followed by Bangladeshi at 21% and Tongans at 19%. With this report, policymakers can no longer ignore the growing poverty in our communities, remarked Congresswoman Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacic American Caucus (CAPAC). Like many Americans struggling through the Great Recession, Asian Americans and Pacic Islanders have been devastated by long term unemployment, high foreclosure rates and downward mobility. The ndings of this study reinforce the fact that many AAPIs are suffering in the shadows, added Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-6), Chair of the CAPAC Economic Development Task Force. In my district, I see rsthand the many underserved families and individuals who desperately need resources to help them get through these difcult times. Congressman Al Green (TX9), Chair of the CAPAC Housing Task Force noted, This study highlights the importance of empowering and investing in all underserved communities, including our Asian American and Pacic Islander communities. As a member of the Congressional Asian Pacic American Caucus, I will continue to advocate for issues important to our AAPI communities, so that issues of language access are not impediments to equality of opportunity. I will also work to ensure that all full-time working Americans have access to jobs that pay living wages, which allow them to not only escape poverty but also support their families. Ford Foundation Board Chair Irene Hirano Inouye said, This report conrms that we need more accurate data on the AAPI community, which is too often ignored when it comes to resources and attention from government agencies and philanthropic interests. The ndings illustrate not only the challenges our neighborhoods continue to face in the wake of the recession, but also that the economic recovery remains well beyond reach for millions of AAPIs across the country. National CAPACD calls on Congress, the federal government, the business community, and foundations to bring more resources to our neighborhoods, build the capacity of our local community based organizations and develop public-private partnerships that bring greater investments to our communities. The full report is available on the National CAPACD website, www.nationalcapacd.org <http://www.nationalcapacd. org/>.

Boston Rondalla in Malacanang

President Benigno S. Aquino III poses for a group photo with the Iskwelahang Pilipino Rondalla during the courtesy call at Malacanangs Heroes Hall on July 2. The ensemble was formed in 1986 by Cristina Castro with a shoestring budget. She searched for several years for a teacher while collecting instruments for the Iskwelahang Filipino (IP) Rondalla. It has since ourished as a truly Filipino American expression, incorporating into its repertoire aspects of traditional and contemporary music from the Philippines and the United States. Also in photo are Violaere Rodriguez Bailey, Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and IP Rondalla founder Cristina Castro (Malacanang Photo Bureau)

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WASHINGTON, D.C.-The daughter of Commodore Ramon Alcaraz said she felt her late fathers presence the day she and her mother went on board the BRP Ramon Alcaraz-the latest addition to the Philippine Fleet that was named in honor of the Filipino World War II naval hero. When I came on board the Alcaraz, I felt so proud and honestly, speechless. I wish I had the words to express the torrent of emotions I experienced, said Ramona Alcaraz Marshall. I was extremely close to my father and I so wished he was there; yet I did feel his presence that day. Ramona had the chance to board the Alcaraz on July 2, a few days after the vessel arrived in San Diego, its last port call in the United States mainland before it resumes its voyage to the Philippines. Ramona was with her mother, Concepcion, her fathers sister Egenia Alcaraz-Johnson, her daughter Hailey Marshall and family friend Santas Tamayo during the visit. They were received by the ofcers and crew of the Alcaraz led by Capt. Ernesto Baldovino the day after the visit of Consul General Hellen Barber Dela Vega and members of the FilipinoAmerican Community. The presence of Commodore Alcarazs family gave heroism, trials and sacrices during his entire life.

July 15, 2013

I felt his presence, Alcaraz daughter says

navy ofcer was credited for shooting down three enemy didnt share details of his exploits. When he spoke of any event, he would just tell me it happened, but gave no details of what he had experienced. In that way, I think he felt that what he did in the name of country and democracy was simply just his duty to perform, no more, no less, she said. Commodore Alcaraz and the members of his crew were captured by the Japanese and incarcerated in Bulacan until they were released upon the liberation of the Philippines. He went on to serve in what would become the Philippine Navy upon the independence of the Philippines. He retired in 1966 and passed away in 2009. I was born after my father had already retired from the service. I knew my father as a successful real estate entrepreneur, loving husband and father. He was tough in his upbringing of me, but was also very tender and giving, recalled Ramona. My father instilled in me a strong work ethic and nothing in this world will be given you. You have to earn it and in order to be proud of any of your accomplishments you must conduct yourself honestly and with integrity.

Capt. Ernesto Baldovino, skipper of the Ramon Alcaraz , poses with Mrs. Concepcion Alcaraz, the widow, during the ships stopover in San Diego. the ships namesake a human dimension that touched the crew, Captain Baldovino said. We became more aware of the life of Commodore Alcaraz, his The men and women of the Alcaraz are now more inspired to do the same sacrices for the country, Captain Baldovino said as he recalled how the late

aircraft while serving as commander of a coastal patrol boat at the start of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941. It was for that feat that the Philippine Navy decided to honor Commodore Alcaraz by rechristening the former USCGS Dallas, a Hamilton Class, allweather, high endurance cutter, as the BRP Ramon Alcaraz immediately after it was turned over by the United States to the Philippines last year. When we found out the Coast Guard cutter was to be named after my father, we were overjoyed and overwhelmed by the honor. My family thought this was such a tting tribute for my fathers accomplishments in his many years of service in the Navy, said Ramona. Unfortunately, my father

8 of 10 Pinoys impacted by climate change -SWS

WASHINGTON D.C. - The World Bank says there is a need for the Philippines to undertake an extensive information campaign about climate change. In a report released late last month about climate extremes, regional impacts and national resilience, the World Bank said there is a possibility of a 2-degree warmer world in the next few decades due to climate change which threatens to reverse the development gains in East Asia and the Pacic region. The Bank commissioned the Social Weather Station (SWS) to undertake the study in the Philippines, a country that is at risk from various forms of natural disasters every year. The SWS study said that eight out of every 10 Filipinos have experienced suffering from climate change in the last three years. But it said only one-third or 38 percent of respondents have only little understanding of climate change, while 14 percent have almost no understanding of the subject. Only 12 percent of respondents said they have extensive knowledge while some 35 percent has partial knowledge of the effects of climate change on their lives. SWS said that 85 percent of respondents claimed to have suffered from climate change with 54 percent describing their expeityphoon-free have recently been hit by very strong typhoons, oods and mudslides, she added. The Climate Change Vulnerability Index 2013 report identied Manila as one of the seven cities around the world that face the highest exposure to the adverse impacts of climate change. With deeper understanding of this complex development issue, the country could enlist greater participation of the people and their leaders, civil society groups, the private sector and media in addressing the challenge especially for the poor and vulnerable, Crepin added.

File photo a ooded street in Manila. rences as severe to moderate. Intensifying information campaigns on climate change remains a very important task in the Philippines, said Christophe Crepin, World Banks sector leader for Environment in the East Asia and Pacic. With deeper understanding of this complex development issue, the country could enlist greater participation of the people and their leaders, civil society groups, the private sector and media in addressing the challenge especially for the poor and vulnerable, he added. In a statement released late last month, the World Bank said the percentage of those who personally exprienced climate change impacts are highest in urban areas (90 percent) compared to rural areas (79) percent. SWS said that at 91 percent, climate change impact was highest at the National Capital Region, followed by the rest of Luzon (87 percent), Visayas (84 percent) and Mindanao (78 percent). The SWS survey tells us just how pervasive the impacts of climate change are to the lives of many Filipinos, said Climate Change Commission secretary Lucille Sering said in the same statement. In the last several years, the country has suffered extreme weather events including long dry spells, heavy rains as well as strong typhoons and oods Even some areas in Mindanao that we used to consider as

ANCOP Sayawan sa Oxon Hill

What better way to raise awareness and funds, than to dance to the music? And thats exactly what the ANCOP Capital Region did last June 8 at St. Columbas Fr. Dewan Hall in Oxon Hill, MD. At the Sayawan sa Oxon Hill, ANCOP leaders and guests enjoyed the dinner, music, and dancing. As the evening progressed, the guests heard about the many projects that ANCOP was involved in. One worldwide project is ANCOP Global Walk for the Poor which the regional chapters all over the world will do simultaneously. The global walks are scheduled for August 3 and 24 (See DC-MD-VA Calendar elsewhere for details). The Educational Scholarship Program was also a major focus of the evening. For the equivalent of $1 a day, anyone can sponsor a childs elementary or high-school education. It is an incredible gift that changes the mindset of a child and prepares him or her for a child. Video clips about sponsored students eloquently told the success stories of students who were recipients of the scholarships. Many hands went up when donations for this program were called for. The organizers of the evening were Rey Regis, Nemi Chavez and Cres Reyes who did an outstanding job addressing all the details of a successful evening.

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MANILA - Is US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas, Jr. in love with a dusky, voluptuous Filipina with a tattoo? This is the question that the media are talking about these days. Thomas and Mithi Aquino, human resource training ofcer of a British American Cruise Line, who hails from Pampanga have been seen together often, including the recent jazz festival in Manila. But during the Fourth of July embassy reception at the US embassy, Thomas acknowledged publicly for the rst time Aquino by saying that they both would be leaving soon. Thomas Jr. with his girlfriend Mithi Aquino (left) and Frankie Reed, US envoy to Fiji and other Pacic countries, during last Novembers consular ball in Manila. Thomas himself tweeted this photo right after the ball, an early public indication that he and Mithi were an item. Lots of fun! Thomas tweeted with the picture. At the Fourth of July US Embassy reception last week, Thomas publicly declared that Mithi will be accompanying him back to the US this year when he winds up his time in Manila. Since early last year, columnists have been writing about the envoy making sweet music

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US Ambassador Thomas in love with Filipina?

since 2010. In November 2009, he was nominated by US President Barack Obama to replace Kristie Kenney as ambassador to the Philippines. Born on June 3, 1956, in New York City, Thomas earned his bachelors degree at the Jesuitrun College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He pursued further study at Columbia University and holds an honorary doctorate of philosophy from Loyola University of Maryland. Thomas, who grew up in Queens, was married to jazz singer Ericka Ovette. They have one daughter, Casey Merie. (Marge C. Enriquez, Inquirer Research)

US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas Jr. and his date Mithi Aquino (no relation to President Aquino) during the Best Dressed 2012 awards night in Makati City. (Arnold Almacen) Second photo shows Mithi with Thomas and Frankie Reed, US envoy to Fiji and other Pacic countries. Thomas himself tweeted this photo right after the ball. together with Mithi whom he met on a cruise. They tried to be discreet about their relationship, with Thomas keeping their photograph in his private enclave away from the eyes of visitors. In the past few months, they have been seen more often, leading some columnists to speculate that the relationship was getting serious. Still, the couple kept mum. During receptions which offer buffet services, Aquino would get his plate and serve him with affection. During their travels, Aquino would maintain propriety by paying for her fare and accommodations. When her two children would join the trip with Thomas, they would seem like one happy family. Thomas said that after his term ends in Manila, he will be going to Arizona to take up a teaching fellowship. The media said that from the way Aquino has been looking after him, it seems that she is ready to start a new life. Thomas has served as Washingtons envoy to the Philippines

DFA sets evacuation of Pinoys in Egypt

MANILA- The Department of Foreign Affairs have issued an alert to Filipinos in Cairo, Egypt to prepare for evacuation Muslim Brotherhood protesters who reported tried to attack the Red Guards headquarters. Because of the crisis alert

Palawan beats Boracay as Worlds Best Island 2013

NEW YORK - Palawan has dethroned Boracay in Travel & Leisure Magazines Worlds Best Awards Islands 2013. It broke Boracays record which won the award in 2012. Palawan was not even mentioned in the magazines list last year. This year, Palawan took the top spot with a score of 95.04 among the top 10 islands voted by the magazines readers. Boracay slipped to the second spot with a score of 93.58. With its majestic limestone cliffs, wondrous underwater scenes, breathtaking beaches, natural attractions and ecoluxury resorts, Palawan is fast becoming a favorite destination for local and foreign tourists. The two Philippine islands were followed by Maui, Santorini in Greece, Prince Edward Island in Canada, Bali, Kauai, Sicily in Italy, Koh Samui in Thailand, and Galapagos. Earlier this month, El Nido in Palawan, Puka Beach in Boracay, and Palaui Island in Cagayan Valley also made it to CNNs list of the worlds top 100 best beaches. In 2012, El Nido also topped CNN Gos list of the Philippines best beaches and islands. In the same year, Palawan was number four in the Top 10 Holiday Destinations In Asia category of a worldwide poll by online travel magazine, Smart Travel Asia. In 2007, Palawan was recognized as one of the worlds best tourist Destinations in National Geographic Travelers magazine. Palawan was placed in the Doing Well category, for places that are in relatively good shape but face minor problems. The magazine noted that pollution posed a threat to the diverse marine life surrounding the islands, but conservation efforts were improving. Boracay made its debut on the Travel + Leisure list in 2011 and rose to number one in 2012 despite the fact that some visitors have noted algae bloom, among the signs of pollution in the place that many describe as a beach paradise. While tourism has provided livelihood opportunities for Boracays residents, the negative effects of commercialization cannot be denied. Another problem is the uneven distribution of wealth, with the Ati, the islands original residents, on the losing end. Boracay has also suffered a tourism glut following the diplomatic row between the Philippines and Taiwan. Los Angeles Times travel editor Catharine Hamm was also disappointed by Boracay, with its roads like pot-holed obstacle courses, crowded beaches, and badly damaged coral. This wasnt a love match not for me. Maybe 30 years ago when Boracay and I were less overdeveloped, Hamm wrote in May. -Carmela G. Lapena Photo shows pro- and anti-Morsi supporters clashing in Cairo, Egypt. as a result of the ongoing crisis in that country. Upon the advice of our Embassy in Cairo, the secretary of foreign affairs has raised crisis alert level two over Egypt, in view of the deteriorating peace and order situation in the country,DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez told reporters in a briefing July 9. All Filipinos in Egypt are advised to restrict non-essential movements, avoid public places, and to prepare for possible evacuation, Hernandez said. There are slmost 6,000 Filipinos in Egypt, according to DFA. The Egyptian military ousted president Mohammed Morsi two weeks ago after days of mass protests in Cairo. At least 51 people were killed last week after troops red on level two, the deployment of newly hired Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to Egypt will be put on hold. Those OFWs who already have existing contracts may proceed but we strongly advice them to take precautionary measures, those who have yet to register with the embassy should do so, Hernandez said. He also advised the public to postpone non-essential trips to Egypt. The DFA was continuously monitoring the situation in Egypt and coordinating with the Philippine Embassy there who will issue a recommendation to upgrade the crisis alert level. Crisis alert level three will mean the beginning of voluntary repatriation, Hernandez said.

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WASHINGTON D.C. - College educated immigrants represented nearly 28 percent of physicians, more than 31 percent of computer programmers, and over 47 percent of medical scientists in the United States in 2011. Qingging Ji and Jeanne Batalova of the DC-based Migration Policy Institute said that contrary to a widely held view, immigrants in the United States have an expansive range of education levels, with about one in three immigrants having obtained a college degree According to the US Census Bureaus 2011 American Community Survey ACS), immigrants accounted for 16 percent of the 58.8 million college-educated persons. However, their numbers were much higher among workers in certain occupations: Immigrants represent nearly 28 percent of physicians, more than 31 percent of computer programmers, and over 47 percent of medical scientists. This spotlight provides a brief demographic and socioFacts: * One in six college-educated adults was born abroad. * The college-educated immigrant population grew tion.

July 15, 2013

28% of physicians in US are immigrants!

* College-educated immigrants were younger than their native counterparts. * Almost three-quarters of foreign-born, college-educated adults were Asian and white. * About 17 percent of college-educated immigrants were of Latino origin. * The foreign born were more likely to hold a doctorate or professional degree than the native born. * Close to 28 percent of college-educated immigrants were limited English procient. * Of the 9.4 million collegeeducated foreign born, one-third arrived in the last 11 years. * Over half of all collegeeducated immigrants came from Asia, with India, the Philippines, and China being the top three origin countries. * Close to 8 percent of college-educated immigrants lived in families below the poverty line. * College-educated immigrants were more likely to be unemployed than the native born. * About one in ten college-educated adults was selfemployed. * The length of stay affected the earnings of the college-educated immigrants. * Foreign-born, college-educated workers were more likely to be in high-tech, science, or engineering occupations. * California, New York, Florida, and Texas accounted for half of the 7.2 million immigrants in college-educated labor force. More than 1.6 million college-educated immigrants were underutilized in the US labor market in 2011.

Foreign doctors in a hospital operating room in the US. economic prole of college-educated natives and immigrants (age 25 and older) in 2011 and those who were engaged in the US civilian labor force. faster than their native counterparts in the 1990s and 2000s. * Women slightly outnumbered men among the foreignborn, college-educated popula-

No Pinoy in Asiana crash, EU lifts PAL ban

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Philippine embassy has said no Filipino was on board the Asiana Airlines 777 that crashlanded at the San Francisco International Airport July 6. Asiana Airlines said the plane, which originated in Shanghai, China carried 291 passengers and 16 crewmembers. It said there were 77 Koreans, 141 Chinese, 71 Americans and a Japanese. In a post on its Twitter account, the embassy said the Philippine consulate general sent two ofcers to the San Francisco airport to check if Filipinos were among the passengers. MANILA (PNA) The Philippine Airlines will soon have direct ight again to Europe after the European Union announced on July 10 the lifting of the air ban for the countrys ag carrier and on the Philippine aviation sector. (Malacanang and the Department of Tourism hailed the lifting saying this will mean more tourists coming to the Philippines from European countries.) Today, the EU has decided to lift the air ban for Philippines Airlines. The decision will be effective starting July 12 this year, Guy Ledoux, head of delegation of the EU to the Philippines, announced in a press conference at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) headquarters in Pasay City. Ledoux said the Philippines other airline Cebu Pacic Air has not been included in the lifting due to the recent airport mishap at Davao International Airport involving Cebu Pacic aircraft. Cebu Pacic did quite sound compliance but the unforthat DG Hotchkiss took over the helm of CAAP only one year ago, Ledoux said. The delisting of the Philippines from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)s roster of countries with signi-

80 die as troops battle Bangsamoro ghters

MANILA -- Up to 80 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) have been killed in clashes with soldiers last week. The BIFF is made up of renegade members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which is now close to reaching a peace agreement with the Philippine government. The aim of BIFF is to disrupt the peace deal. A lull in ghting is expected for the next few weeks as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, the military said. But Maj. Gen. Romeo Gapuz, chief of the 6th Infantry Division whose soldiers had engaged BIFF ghters in a reght for three days last week, said his men saw only 18 bodies of the dead bandits. We cannot just retrieve the bodies because that is against their customs and tradition, Gapuz said, noting that Muslims bury their dead immediately or within 24 hours after death. On our part we have six killed, one ofcer and ve enlisted personnel, and we have two wounded in action, he added.The Army casualty, a Europe with its acquisition of long-range aircraft Airbus340s. With the lifting of EU air ban, Hotchkiss is eyeing next the upgrading of the Philippines aviation from Category 2 to Category 1 by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lieutenant, died in a landmine explosion in Shariff Saidona Mustapha, Maguindanao. Landmines are prohibited under international law. The BIFF is hell-bent on derailing the peace talks by launching simultaneous attacks against civilian and military installations, Gapuz said. The BIFF broke away from the MILF in 2011 due to policy and ideological differences. The BIFF has vowed to sabotage the peace process between the government and the MILF and to ght for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao. Army reports said the BIFF had launched sporadic attacks on civilian ommunities and military detachments since last month. Last month, the BIFF attacked civilians in Barangay Bagumbayan in President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat, killing a farmer and a militiaman. On the same day in the same community, BIFF gunmen led by a certain Uztads Zukarno Sapal also attacked a patrol base of the 33rd Infantry Battalion. The BIFF also launched a series of attacks during the Ramadan last year. before the year ends. All air carriers from the Philippines were banned from the EU in March 2010 following very poor results from an ICAO audit in 2009 which led to a signicant safety concern (SSC) being issue by ICAO.

p12rp civil aviation.tif tunate incident on June 2 has shown that there is some safety measures that the airline has to addressed, Ledoux explained. The lifting of air restriction for PAL was the result of series of meetings and on-site safety assessment conducted by the European Commission last June 3 to 7 in the Philippines, according to Ledoux. This decision is very encouraging and is a rst success for both CAAP and Philippine Airlines, Ledoux said. The EU ambassador commended CAAP director general William Hotchkiss and his team for working hard to reach this tremendous achievement in such a short period of time. Without the relentless work of DG Hotchkiss and his team, this would not have been possible. It must be remembered cant safety concerns also played big role towards regaining the EUs decision to lift restrictions on Philippine carriers. Hotchkiss expressed appreciation to EU diplomatic community who were present during the press conference for crediting the hard work and effort that the CAAP team did for more than a year. PAL president and CEO Ramon Ang also expressed his deepest gratitude to the EU diplomatic community and President Benigno Aquino III for choosing very competent team to manage CAAP. With the lifting of air ban, Ang said PAL will start ying to Europe specically in Paris, London, Rome and Amsterdam starting September or October. Ang said PAL is ready to compete with big airlines in

July 15, 2013

13
days and allows same day voting registration. It also increases nes from $2,500 to $5,000 the maximum ne for voting more than once or attenpting to inuence voters decisions. -Compounding pharmacies will now be subject to state review. These pharmacies change medicine to t the needs of a particular patient. For FilAms in Virginia: Pocketbooks of Pinoys will feel a dent as statewide Retail Sales and Use Tax rate for most purchases will increase to 5.3 percent statewide. In addition, there is a 0.7 percent increase in the localities that make up the Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads regions. This means their tax rate will rise from ve to six percent. The tax on purchases of qualifying food for home consumption will remain unchanged. -Texting while driving or reading a text message will become a primary offence. It allows police ofcer to pull a driver who does these while driving. Exception is putting information on a GPS device. Violators will be ned $125. - One year in jail for a person found buying a rearm in the state for the purpose of reselling it to a buyer who is prohibited from owning a rearm. This was a Class 5 felony but is now a Class 4 felony. - The public records of concealed handgun permits will not be made public and will be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. - Virginia public schools are going to receive a grading scale from A-F that includes the standards of accreditation, state and federal accountability requirements, and student growth indicators. (For details of these new state laws, go to: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgibin/legp504.exe?131+men+BIL For Maryland go to http://mgaleg.maryland. gov/webmga/frmLegislation.

New laws go into effect in MD, Virginia

Maryland and Virginia on July First started implementing new laws that were passed by their respective assemblies in the previous scal year. Pinoys in Maryland will have their tax on gas rise by four cents, from $0.235 to $0.275,275. It is said to be the rst gas tax hike in the state in 20 years. This is expected to generate $800 million per year for road and transit projects. Other new laws: -New smoke detector law requires that all battery only smoke detectors need to have a ten year lithium battery that is sealed in because dead batteries were responsbile for deadly house res last year. -The sales of crib bumper pads are banned. The health department says that baby bumper pads pose a risk of suffocation, strangulation, and death. - Early voting rule is expaded from six days to eight

14

July 15, 2013

July 15, 2013

science ction adventure novel that takes place in Mars and the Philippines. Sweet City Dessert, 131 West Maple Avenue, Vienna, Va. Copies available for purchase. RSVP to Mitzi Pickard, Mitzip888@yahool.com, 703-9090791 July 30 (Tuesday) 6:15pm. Washington, DC premiere of the documentary, Marilou DiazAbaya: Filmmaker on a Voyage. Written, directed, and produced by Mona Lisa Yuchengco. Romulo Hall, Philippine Embassy at 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW. Limited seating. RSVP to monalisa.yuchengco@ gmail.com no later than July 15. August 3, 2013 (Saturday) 9:00am to 8:00pm ... Marinduquenos of the Capital Area, Inc. MCA, Inc. Annual Family Picnic at Black Hill Regional Park - Shelter C, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841. POT LUCK, come one - come all - bring your favorite food to share. Contact: Xavier Cugie Dela Santa 301-728-1684 August 3 (Saturday) 8:00am ANCOP Global Walk 2013 to raise funds and awareness for the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. Online registration via www.ancopwalk.us; Occoquan Regional Park. To register, visit www.ancoopwalk.us. Registration fee: $15 August 17 (Saturday) 7:30pm Filipino Mass at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springeld, VA 22152. Sponsored by Filipino Ministry of St. Bernadette. Contact 703-569-1054. August 24 (Saturday) 7:30am ANCOP Global Walk 2013 Washington DC-Southern and Central Maryland to raise awareness and funds for its various programs- Childrens educational sponsorship, Community development, Family health and Nutrition, Medical and Surgical Mission. At 1771 Tucker Rd, Oxon Hill, Fort Washington, MD 20744. Online registration, visit www.ancopwalk.us Registration fee $15.00. September 14 (Saturday) Mrs. Philippines Home for Senior Citizens, Inc. and Yo-Yo Fiesta Tiatro (A Dinner Theatre Show of Filipino Songs and Dance). Mrs. Philippines Home at 6482 Bock Road, Oxon Hill,

15
MD 20745. $25. Three shows: 12 noon (Contact: Earl Echon 301248-9655); 3 pm show (Contact: Maria Cacas 301-567-2935; 6pm show (Contact Roy fune 443-4930391. October 5 (Saturday) 8 pm-2 am. Ateneo Alumni Association of Metro Washington DC Charity Gala Dinner-Dance and Auction. Crystal Gateway Marriott Grand Ballroom, 1700 Jefferson Davis HighwayArlington, VA 22202. Contact: Aimee San Ramon at aimeesr@yahoo.com October 19 (Saturday) 6pm12mn Bicol Association of Metropolitan Washington DC30th Sarung Banggi Gala Fundraising. Bethesda Ballroom, 5521 Landy Lane, Bethesda, Maryland 20816. Attire Formal. For all the charitable causes including scholarships and the Surgical Mission.$65 pre-paid; $70 at the door. Nov 9 (Saturday) 6:0012:00pm Feed the Hungry, Inc. Handog 2013 at Hilton Markham Center, Alexandria, VA. Contact Person: Solita Wakeeld (703) 992-4610 or swakeeld09@gmail. com Nov 16 (Saturday) 2pm 5pm PAFC Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards Romulo Hall, Philippine Embassy, Washington, DC. Contact: Aylene Mafnas 703 868 5660. Dec 1 (Sunday) PAFC, Philippine Embassy and FOCUS, Paskong Pinoy. Pryzbyla Hall, Catholic University of America.

If you would like to include your organizations forthcoming event, please send the information to Maurese Owens at mpapoose@aol.com. July 20 (Saturday) 7:30pm Filipino Mass at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springeld, VA 22152. Sponsored by Filipino Ministry of St. Bernadette. Contact 703-569-1054..

July 20 (Saturday) 2:007:00pm AACEES Health ChallengesTherapiesAnyone? at the Fountains, 5100 Fillmore Ave., Alexandria, VA 22311. Dinner will be served. Contact: Ellen Carag 540-628-2404 July 21 (Sunday) 3:005:30pm PAFC in cooperation with PALM Council Book Signing/Launch of Kevin F. Owens Martian Panahon Virus, a

US, Canada, Australia warn on Minda travel

MANILA - The United States has warned Americans against travel to the southern Philippines just days after Australia and Canada issued similar advice. Malacanang immediately reacted by saying there have been no intelligence reports of any danger posed to travellers in Mindanao. But a few days later, heavy ghting erupted in Cotabato between Philippine troops and renegade members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). A security message from the US embassy in Manila earlier this week said diplomatic staff had been restricted from traveling to three cities on the southern island of Mindanao. It was followed by a US State Department travel warning dated July 5 advising Americans to exercise extreme caution when traveling to Mindanao, citing criminal gangs... (and) terrorist groups in the area. It also called on Americans to defer non-essential travel to the Sulu archipelago, a chain of islands off Mindanao where Al-Qaeda-linked militants are active. It (the travel warning) reects continuing threats in the Sulu archipelago and the island of Mindanao due to terrorist and insurgent activities, the US embassy said in a statement. Australia and Canada issued warnings earlier about fresh threats of terrorism and kidnapping in the southern Philippines. Canberra has barred its diplomats from traveling to Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga -- the same three Mindanao cities that US embassy staff are not allowed to travel to. An embassy spokeswoman declined to comment on the nature of the threat against Americans. The Philippine national police also did not know of any specic threat against Americans in Mindanao, said spokesman Senior Superintendent Reuben Sindac. Mindanao and surrounding islands are a hotbed of various armed groups including communist guerrillas, bandits, Muslim insurgents and the Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic extremist group blamed for the countrys worst terror attacks.

16 Around DC
It rained. It shined. It was cloudy. It was sunny. And the 2013 Community Picnic & Sportfest, sponsored by the Philippine American Foundation for Charities took place bringing fun and laughter throughout Sunday, June 30 at the Tucker Road Recreation Park in Fort Washington, MD. Mya Talavera, chair of the Festival, welcomed everyone at 9:00 am with emcees Jon Melegrito and Beth Wong keeping the program rolling all day. Highlight of the day were games for the young and old, fantastic

July 15, 2013

PAFC Celebrates Friendship at 2013 Picnic-SportsFest

Photo shows, from left, Dereck Johnson, winner of the 5 K mini marathon; Corazon Toquero, womens division winner of the same marathon; Beth Wong, APODCMDVA, Mya Talavera, Chair, PAFs annual family picnic and sports festival, and Jon Melegrito. (Photo: Bing Branigin) food, super music from 8 Pinoy bands and the incredible Parada ng Litson! Gigi Bueno, coordinator of the childrens games, encourage little kids to reach out and grab a gift from the pabitin, a trellis laden with gifts and money! It was a big hit! Rain, what rain, the zumba dancers asked? As the rain poured , the energy of Rendezvous Fitness zumba dancers soared . They had arrived early at 8:00 a.m. to lead exercises for an hour. Later in the morning the clouds broke bringing the dancers back for more zumba! A nipa hut housed the champion Lechon decorated by Mr. Rey Cabacar Of Oxon Hill, Maryland and his helpers! The lechon outdid the other 6 roasted pigs in the parade with its native setting. The food was scrumptious. Barbequed chicken and pork, pancit, lumpia and more. Halohalo sales were brisk inspite of the rain. Delegate Kris Valderrama of the 26th District, stopped by to greet the crown and a Proclamation from Rushern Baker, PG County Executive, was read. Entertainment was provided by Show Pow, Mabuhay and Hulala. In the afternoon a Rock Concert broke out with Tutubi, Manilatino, Trademark Band, Jun Panlaqui Band, Va Beach Band, Mark dela Cruz Band, Tandang Sora and Virginia Beach 2 Band -- each band with his own style and tempo! (Maurese Owens)

Young members of the Filipino Youth Basketball Associations (FYBA), perform on stage at the Park. (Photo: Bing Branigin)

July 15, 2013

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Around DC in Pictures

July 15, 2013

Filipino Migrant Workers Day

The Philippine Embassy honored Filipino workers in the United States during its rst commemoration of Migrant Workers Day on 29 June 2013 at the Best Western Hotel in Lanham, Maryland with the theme, Migranteng Pilipino: Tayo ay Magkasama sa Pag-abot sa Pangarap Mo. the event was headed by Minister and Consul General Ariel Penaranda and Labor Attache Luzviminda Padilla of the Philippine Overseas Labor Ofce. Attendees participated in activities that included entertainment by Tutubi Band, cultural dance performances, games, rafes, medical pre-screening, and immigration consultation.

Consul General Ariel Penaranda delivers his message to Filipino workers at the Best Western Hotel in Maryland.

Workers perform the Tinikling dance while others watch.

The Philippine Nurses Association of Metro DC, Inc. (PNAMDC) provided First Aid during the 2013 Annual Antipolo Pilgrimage at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. on June 22. The volunteers are, from left, Carol Robles, Lourdes Careaga, Prima Colburn, Tess Samoy, Lily Chan, Alice Andam, Vicente dela Pena, Ting Delima, Rose dela Pena, Febes Galves. Family and friends threw a party for Imelda Abella (4th from left) recently on her retirement after 19 years of public service. She was Maryland Delegate David M. Valderramas chief of staff for nine years. During that same period, she also assumed the post of Prince Georges County Commissioner for the Commission on Women. In the last 10 years, she served in county with the Ofce of the County Executive and with the Ofce of Community Relations as Multicultural Affairs Coordinator. She is currently board chairman of the National Philippine Multicultural Center Foundation. With her in the picture are from left: Greg Abella, Lily Espinosa, Lianne Espinosa-Gonzales, Renato Abella, Imelda H. Abella, Emmy Abella, Gemini Abella & Zaldy Abella. (photo by Ester Fojas)

Owens sci- novel launch set July 21

July 20th is Space Day and as a toast to that day, the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc. (PAFC) in cooperation with Philippine Arts, Letters and Media Council (PALM) will present local writer Kevin Owens, who published a Filipino-centered science ction novel,*/Martian Panahon Virus. PALM president Mitzi Pickard hopes to encourage discussions of Filipino sci- novels and the future of Filipinos in space, as highlighted in this book. The reading/book launch is scheduled for 3:00-5:00 pm at Sweet City Desserts on July 21st, a day after Space Day, which is remembered for the Apollo 11 landing men on the Moon in 1969 and when NASA Viking I spacecraft made a successful touchdown on Mars in 1976. The event will be held at Sweet City Desserts, 131-A Maple Avenue W (Route 123) in Vienna, VA. Author Kevin Owens is originally from Tacoma, Washington. After working several years with Boeing, he moved to Virginia in the 1970s. From an early age, he was fascinated with space as afuturefrontier.As a kid he won a school science fair blue ribbon with a project on Mars, and while his daughters were growing up, he wrote a series of science ction stories for them about Mars. He did his tour of duty at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory in the Mojave Desert, California where he helped in the design of experimental rocket engines. He is an active member of the National Space Society and the Planetary Society. Kevin noted that when he vacationed in the Philippines with his wife, PAFC volunteer Maurese Oteyza Owens, he visited book stores searching for action ction novels penned by Filipinos. Specically, he was interested in English language, history-based adventure stories, murder mysteries, and of course, science ction tales. He wanted detective stories told with a Filipino point of view, but was unable to nd any. Filipino nurses joined the American Nurses Associations lobby day on Capitol Hill June 27 to push for approval of a bill, HR 1821, which promulgates safe stafng prctices in hospitals. mong those who joined are, from left, Leonora Mendoza Diana Comiso, Sharon Jackson, Congresswoman Lois Capps RN (D-CA), Carol Robles and Joy Arellano.

Samantha, our volunteer copyreader, proofreader

Samantha M. Alfaro is a college student who has volunteered to be a part-time copyreader-proofreader of the Manila Mail. She has written several essays for the Manila Mail in the past. She is the daughter Of Jeff and Paige Alfaro of Fairfax, Virginia.

July 15, 2013

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20
MANILA - A Cagayan de Oro congressman, who lost his reelection bid and had a wellpublicized spat with his Brazilian model wife late last month shot himself in his ofce at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon city. The congressman, Jose Benjamin Benjie Benaldo, 43, thanked his staff several times before going into his ofce (Room 512) and attempted to commit suicide on the night of June 28. Rushed to the hospital after he was found slumped on his chair, doctors said he was lucky the bullet did not hit any vital organs of his body. Benaldo failed to win reelection in the May 13 mid-term election and was preparing to

July 15, 2013

Solon shoots self after spat with wife, loss in polls

ian model-actress Daiana Menezes. She was later seen at his bedside at St. Lukes hospital. She earlier complained of being a battered wife but refused to accept offers of help from womens groups. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. also appealed to the public to respect the privacy of Benaldo and stop speculating on the motive behind his suicide attempt. Belmonte said he had ordered House sergeant at arms Gen. Nicasio Radovan to make a full report on the incident in coordination with the Quezon City Police Department. Some solons questioned why Benaldo carried a gun to the Batasan when this was prohibited by House rules.

Jose Benjamin Benjie Benaldo vacate his ofce at the Batasan Pambangsa when the incident happened. Three members of his staff waid Benaldo thanks them twice and gave them money before going into his ofce to shoot himelf with his 8 mm SIG Sauer pistol.

Brazilian actress-model Daiana Menezes comforts her wounded husband in the hospital. The congressman had been packing his things as it was his last day in ofce. Benaldo has been in the limelight lately after a well-publicized tiff with his wife, Brazil-

Stem cell theraphy and Charito Planas

Remember Charito Planas, the former Filipino activist who demonstrated in the streets of Washington D.C. against the Marcos dictatorship in the 70s? Planas, an 83-year-old lawyer, is again in the news in the Philippines. The media is using her as an example of what stem cell theraphy can do to an aging person. Reports from Manila said Planas, who used to have a hard time getting up can now walk without pain, thanks to stem cell therapy that cost her only ve gures (in pesos). While hospitals here and abroad charge millions for the treatment, a wellness center in Tagaytay offers the service 10 times cheaper, Planas said in an article of Rina Granli in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (June 30). The cane I used to walk with is just an accessory now, for I walk freely, without pain, without limping, said Planas, a political and human rights activist who sought refuge in the United States during the Marcos martial law administration, with an angelic face, performs the treatment and her fees are so minimal, Planas said. Park, who is married to a Korean, uses human placenta for the stem cell therapy and technology from South Korea. Placenta is a vascular organ that develops inside the uterus during pregnancy and is expelled after birth. But there are also reports that three politicians who allegedly died after treatment in Germany underwent xenogenic or animal-based stem cell therapy. The Philippine Medical Association also issued a warning against the procedure, as well as undergoing the treatment in nonhealth facilities. Planas said she believes placenta-derived stem cell therapy is safer, but she could only speak based on her experience. Park, who studied and researched on alternative treatment, herbalmedicines and stem cell therapy, also used the treatment to cure her lupus-stricken son, Planas said.

Albays search for Guinness record

Charito Planas according to a story in a Manila newspaper. My heavily grey hair has now regained its ebony shade; my skin- both body and facial skin has regained a youthful, shining glow; and my wrinkles are slowly fading away, she added. Planas underwent six sessions of stem cell therapy from March to April at Green and Young Health and Wellness Center, owned by Dr. Antonia Carandang Park. Other well-known personalities, such as justices, physicians and a senator, also reportedly frequented the wellness center. Doctor Park, the woman

Whos the richest PH justice?

MANILA - The Philippine Supreme Court, which ordinarily does not reveal the assets and net worth of individual justices, has for the rst time released the SALN (Statement of Assets, liabilities and Net worth) for 2012 of the 15 members of the highest court of the land. Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo is the richest magistrate with a net worth of P109,743,118.28 while the poorest magistrate is Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen with a net worth of P1,674,623.22.

5. Roberto A. Abad -- P43.4 million; 6. Jose C. Mendoza -P29,982,165.66; 7. Diosdado M. Peralta -P29,382,037.60; 8. Lucas P. Bersamin -P26,119,275.39; 9. Martin S. Villarama, Jr. -- P21,911,495.36;

In a bid to establish a new Guinness world record, over 13,000 government employes, students and volunteers, wering red black and white long sleeved shirts, form a giant No Smoking sign at the staterun Bicol University football el in Legazpi, Albay late last month. Joseph Espiritu, assistant director for operations of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bicol, said that at least 6,000 participants formed the red portion of the sign, another 6,000 for the white portion and 1,000 for the black section.

This is not the provinces rst attempt at setting a world record. In 2000, Bert Gonzales of Camalig, Albay was acknowledged as Sili King of the World by the Guinness World Records for consuming 167 pieces of chili during the 1999 Magayon Festival contest. Provincial board member Herbert Borja, chairman of the events lead convenor, SmokeFree Albay Network (SFAN), said the human no smoking logo is aimed at raising public awareness against smoking.

1. Mariano C. Del Castillo -- P109,743,118.28; 2. Antonio T. Carpio -P83,885,614.57; 3. Bienvenido L. Reyes -P76,542,167.31; 4. Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe -- P73,827,435.00;

10. Maria Lourdes P. Aranal Sereno -P18,143,104.01; 11. Arturo D. Brion -P11,908,742; 12. Jose P. Perez -P11,760,000.00;

13. Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro -- P8,941,000.00; 14. Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr. -- P8,679,740.49; and 15. Marvic Mario Victor Leonen -- P1,674,623.22.
(PNA)

July 15, 2013

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dropped out -- drafting details of their own sweeping immigration bill. In some respects our bill is better (than the Senates), Lofgren said. And in some respects its probably more conservative. It will need to be, Lofgren and others point out, to muster enough support in a House where Republicans hold 234 seats to the Democrats 201.

GOPs slow down... from page 1

citizenship as the Senate version provides. Participants in the Republican caucus meeting described a 50-50 split over the undocumented immigrant issue, with more consensus on the need to produce some kind of legislation to show the partys commitment to xing a broken system and addressing concerns of Hispanic Americans. House GOP leaders made clear they intended to slow the process down by tackling individual components of the broad measure passed by the Democratic-led Senate last month with bipartisan support. House Speaker John Boehner warned his caucus that Republicans would face political attacks if they failed to move legislation, according to several GOP sources. We dont want the White House to hope that we fail to make it a campaign issue, said GOP Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas. House Republicans want to do this on our terms, and not on the Senates terms and not on the White House terms. House to pass the comprehensive immigration reform bill because it would be for the good of the country. Politico said top Republican and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill see the momentum swinging decidedly against getting a deal in this Congress.

PH lets US use... from page 1

of Chinas aggressive military buildup in the South China Sea. For the US, the access will boost President Obamas pivot to the Asia-Pacic rim. It has now a base in Australia and basing rights in Singapore. Ambassador to the US Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., who is in Manila for the annual Ambassadors and Consuls Tour, said in a press brieng on July 8 that negotiations have already started on the bases access plan which was originally bared by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and supported by President Aquino. As expected nationalistic groups as well as some members of the Senate have expressed their opposition to the plan. Echoing earlier statements of Philippine diplomatic ofcials, the US Embassy said an agreement on the temporary access by US forces would be within the framework of the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement, which have been governing the parameters of Philippine-US defense ties. The United States and the Philippines, as friends and allies, engage in mutually agreed, mutually benecial military cooperation to enhance the training and capabilities of our forces, strengthen inter-operability for defense as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counter-terrorism, and non-proliferation, said the Embassy. An access agreement will increase opportunities for joint military training and exercises and allow the pre-positioning of equipment and supplies enabling us to respond quickly to disasters, the Embassy said of the plan, which has invited criticism from those rejecting US involvement in the countrys sovereign affairs, it added. Cuisia also guaranteed the public that a base access agreement would only be sealed if it complies with provisions of the Philippine Constitution which prohibits the presence of permanent foreign military bases. He said the US is the Philippines closest defense ally, providing nancial and technical aid in bolstering the Philippine military and law enforcement agencies. The United States is the countrys closest defense partner and boosting the relationship is seen by the Philippines as a positive step towards fortifying external defense amid regional security concerns, primarily the Chinese military buildup in the disputed West Philippine Sea. You know, we have the bilateral strategic dialogue every year. For the last two years that Ive been in Washington, weve had three dialogues. The fourth is scheduled, and this comes up as part of our discussions, how can we strengthen the alliance between the United on States and the Philippines, Cuisia said. He said the Philippines would only agree to open the countrys bases to ally access if such would be benecial to both sides.

LEADING OPPOSITION
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a leader of the Houses hell-no-on-immigrationreform caucus, held a jam-packed meeting earlier to discuss why his party should proudly defeat the Senates bipartisan bill. King said the Senates immigration plan would help elites who want cheap labor, Democratic power, brokers, and those who hire illegal labor. Responding to the Republican Partys fears of a possible loss in the next election, King said Two out of every three of the new citizens would be Democrats. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia), head of the House judiciary committee which will lead the hearings on a proposed immigration bill, said its like giving a special pathway to citizenship where people who are here unlawfully get something that people who have orked for decades to immigrate lawfully do not have. He told CNN recently a pathway to legal standing without citizenship could be an option. Other Republican party leaders think reform is crucial to winning more support from minority groups such as Latinos, Asian-Americans and immigrant electorate ahead of the 2016 presidential election. U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, said theres some chance some Republicans in California will vote for reforms because there are some 2 million undocumented aliens in the state. Lofgren is part of a House group of four Democrats and three Republicans -- a fourth

PROS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN

And to get enough votes, immigrant advocates have launched a campaign to inuence House Republicans. The bill being drafted by the 7-member bipartisan group in the House said their draft would reect Republican desires for even tougher language on points like border security than seen in the Senate bill. Speaker Boehner recently reiterated that the House is going to do its own job on developing an immigration bill. We just cant turn a blind eye to this problem and think its going to go away, Boehner said. It is time for Congress to act, but I believe the House has its job to do. And we will do our job. While the Senate passed its own version of the bill by a vote of 68-32, a count undertaken by a professor of the University of California said he is skeptical the House will pass a comprehensive bill. The University professor counts a solid 203 yes votes in the House with an additional 11 votes likely, just shy of the 218 needed for a majority. Another deciding factor for the what happens next question could also come after the August recess when House and Senate members return to their constituents. Through town halls and meetings, members of Congress get to hear exactly how their voters feel and this is one issue they are likely to hear about up close.

RYAN BACKS BILL

Another prominent House GOP leader, Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, told his colleagues that doing nothing was not an option, saying reforms would boost the American economy. Backers of the Senate bill insist some sort of path to citizenship must be part of any nal bill that they help send to President Barack Obama to sign into law. Republican leaders issued a statement again rejecting a Senate-passed bill that puts the 11 million on a 13-year path to citizenship. At the same time, a group of bipartisan House legislators have continued to draft its own immigration bill. This came as former President George W. Bush joined President Obama in urging the

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FilAms hail sainthood ... from page 1
(dubbed the Good Pope) based on his merits of convening the Second Vatican Council 50 years ago, instead of a second miracle. He was truly a pastor of souls, observing that the answer to the many problems mankind faces today is the rm foundation of God, said Washington Archbishop Donald Cardinal Wuerl in a statement. The miracle attributed to the John Pauls intercession concerned Floribeth Mora Diaz, a Costa Rican who was suffering from cerebral aneurism but was inexplicably cured on the day John Paul was beatied May 1, 2011 (the feast of Divine Mercy Sunday which then Pope John Paul II ofcially designated as the Sunday after Easter)) after her family prayed to the late pope. St. Louis Church in Clarksville, Maryland) and Father Gary Villanueva (current and rst Filipino pastor of St. Columba Catholic Church in Oxon Hill, Maryland). When I saw him in Baltimore, Maryland, I felt like I was seeing God! said Jojo and Gigi Fabella. Wow, I touched the hand of a saint! quietly enthused Reverend Monsignor Edward J. Filardi as he reected on his rare encounter with Pope John Paul II when he was priest secretary to then Washington Archbishop Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick. When I looked at him even from afar, I felt like I was about to faint, said the awe-struck monsignor who appreciates Philippine culture, thanks to the many Filipinos and Filipino Americans he has met in the various parishes (of the Archdiocese of Washington) he has served, including Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Bethesda, Maryland where he is the current pastor. Jesus Christ just passed by! recalled Vienna, Virginia resident Nancy Ceniza as saying whenever Pope John Pauls motorcade would pass near their home in Paco, Manila. He radiated purity and awesomeness! Nagniningning siya, like the sun! gushed Annie Asistores of Alexandria, Virginia, as she chuckled while reminiscing how her husband Art Asistores would hastily climb a post just to get a glimpse of the passing charismatic pope. Such was the effect of then Pope John Paul II. Its not hard to imagine the various roles credited to him as changes in world history unfolded, including his being instrumental in the collapse of dictatorships or in the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe. He was the spiritual catalyst for a peaceful revolution in Poland, reected Father Michal Sajnog who celebrated last June 16th his rst year anniversary as a priest and who, like John Paul, was born in Poland. Its about time he gets to be honored as a saint, winked the spiritual Fr. Sajnog before celebrating Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church where he serves as parochial vicar. Dapat lang! He deserves the sainthood! exclaimed Robert and Elsa Palting (of St. Lawrence Church in Alexandria, Virginia). Were elated! We prayed so hard for our dear Holy Father to be a saint! said the jubilant Manny and Lita Dialino (of Silver Spring, Maryland) who join members of the I Care Apostolate in preparing for the July 21st rst monthly Filipino Mass (with Filipino Monsignor Mariano Balbago) at St. Josephs Church in Beltsville, Maryland. We have been waiting for this day to come and were sure that all Catholics around the world are as thrilled with this development. Were glad its being done in our time so we do not forget all the good changes he brought about in the world. Pope John Paul rightly deserves the sainthood! agreed Nitoy & Sarie Lopez, Gerry & Beth Balallo, Rudy & Evelyn Bolipata, & Rumy & Marj Mohta of the Midlothian community in Chestereld County, Central Virginia, site of the upcoming PONY Bronco 11 tot baseball World Series where the Philippine Barakos (as PONY Asia Pacic Zone Bronco-11 champions) will compete late this July. John Paul was very holy, intelligent, diplomatic and forgiving mused Fred Paras, a devout parishioner of Our Lady of Victory Church (OLV) in Washington, D.C., where he was awarded a plaque for good service during OLVs 100th- year anniversary celebration. Said to have spoken 10 languages Polish, Latin, Italian, French, German, English, Spanish, Croatian, Portuguese, and Russian, the late pope met with Jews, Muslims and Christians. He was a true ambassador of Christ who only promoted goodwill and welcomed non-Christians. Hindi siya bumitaw sa kanyang pagka-Pope kahit may sakit siya! reected Nancy DizonKorionoff (of Washington, D.C), Philippines during World War II. For its part, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) authenticates prior Army service determinations on behalf of the Army. In recent years, NPRC has been servicing the VA requests regarding compensation claims. NARAs report also claried two common concerns relating to Philippine Army-related records needed to authenticate claims of service. The rst involves references to the Missouri List or the St. Louis List. NPRC states it does not have in its holdings such specied documents, nor does it have a single, comprehensive roster listing every Philippine

July 15, 2013

grandmother of 18-year-old Chastity Centina, the newly crowned Miss Teen PhilippinesAmerica. He did what most human beings would hesitate to do: forgiving Mehmet Ali Agca who shot and critically wounded him and even asking the faithful to pray for my brother Agca whom I have sincerely forgiven, said retirees Dr. Archimedes & Resurreccion Jao of Vienna, Virginia, Engineer Clem and Alex Manaois of Chicago, Illinois, and Roberto Bobby M. & Gloria Maria Talastas Federigan of Mclean, Virginia who all witnessed the late popes beatication in the Vatican City in 2011. Pope John Paul credited the Blessed Virgin Mary as having saved him during that assassination attempt. He inspired us to be calm in troubled times and to pray earnestly the Rosary as a sign of respect for Mary, the Mother of God, said Feed the Hungry, Inc founders Pablito and Tess Alarcon and Nancy Ceniza, Rafe Committee Chairperson of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc. Equally inspired by the late pontiff to seek Marys intercession are other Marian devotees (including participants of the 16th Annual National Filipino Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Birhen ng Antipolo) June 22, 2013 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.): Eddie Caparas, Mila Cortez, Pamela Uy, Stella Aguila Famoso, Emelina Camp, Precious & Alice Andam, Rose & Vic dela Pena, Febes Galvez, Pilar Poblador Walsh, Ray Cabacar, Ador & Nanette Carreon, Anjelica & Jerico Ryan, Gaio & Stella Gonzalez Jun & Lucy Pangilinan, Vic & Ellen Carag, Cora Tesnado, Mila Ocampo, Johnny Panlaqui, Jim & Liza Almendrala, Lulu Alexander, Ado and Margi Paglinawan, Robert and Lynn Bagtas, Geoffrey & Charito P. Ampoyo, Fe Sarangay, Tita Datu, Marilen Pascaran, Greg & Emmy Sikorski Abella, Danny & Nelly Orino, Mar and Rose Alipio, Dr. Babe Army veteran and recognized guerilla. NPRC authenticates prior service determinations by examining claim folders, nding aids, and a variety of rosters compiled by the Army during its post-war recognition program. In a statement, the Philippine Embassy welcomed the release of the report of the Interagency Working Group created by the White House. We appreciate the commitment demonstrated by the Interagency Working Group and the efforts taken by the member agencies to review the certication process of Filipino veterans and address their concerns, said Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. who has been actively involved Ecarma, Sylvia & Ramon Calalang, Henry Balagtas, Fer Azarcon, Andrew and Susan Castro, Jun and Kathy Alhambra, Tim Zamora & Bu Hernadez, Lucy Cornejo Pascual, Dominic, Veronica & Joseph Thieman. Lita de Castro, & Cecilia Thieman, among many others . Pope John Paul II, on the other hand, did not waver in his stand against contraception, abortion, euthanasia, and homosexual acts. Inspired by his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (who was also present during Vatican II as Father Joseph Ratzinger) told the faithful to resist any watering down of Roman Catholic teachingThats what Pope John Paul II did, when faced with erroneous interpretations of freedom, underlined in an unequivocal way, the inviolability of human beings, the inviolability of human life from conception to natural death. Freedom to kill is not a true freedom, but a tyranny that reduces the human being into slavery, said Benedict who recalled the words of John Paul when he said the ministry of the pope is the guarantor of the obedience toward Christ and his word. Even as many cheered the elevation of Blessed John Paul II to sainthood, others were wary on what his sainthood would mean. Pondered Amy Pascual, a Filipino American graphic designer at Washington Post: Will he be like my favorite Saint Rita who could intercede for me anytime and show me signs/symbols that I am on the right path to having my prayers answered? Or will Saint John Paul be an intercessor for priests and the religious only? Others wonder if the sainthood of John Paul will inspire young Catholics to be excited about their faith or even encourage others to joyously return to the faith. Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz (John Pauls secretary for 40 years) said of his pope, He lived for God and brought others to God. Perhaps, through the intercession of beloved Saint John Paul, the faithful will do the same. in efforts to facilitate the grant of long-awaited benets for veterans. We are hopeful that the procedures introduced will result in more appeals being approved and the processing time reduced, Ambassador Cuisia said, adding that the development will benet the over 4,000 Filipino veterans whose claims under the FVEC Fund were earlier denied.the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act and grants a onetime lump sum of $15,000 for veterans who have become US citizens and $9,000 for those who retained their Philippine citizenship.

Charismatic Pope
Of the two candidates for sainthood, John Paul, who led the Catholic Church for 27 years (from 1978 till his death in 2005), is the one whom most people, including Filipinos, are familiar with since he was one of the most traveled world leaders in history, even going as far as what he lovingly called the beautiful mountains of Baguio City in northern Philippines where he celebrated Holy Mass for the indigenous tribes. Likened to a papal rock star, he attracted vast crowds as he crisscrossed the globe, visiting 129 countries during his ponticate, including the United States (in 1979, 1981, 1987, and 1995) and the Philippines (in 1981 and 1995) which has the third largest number of Catholic citizens in the world, after Brazil and Mexico. The charismatic pope even went twice to my alma mater, the imposing 402-year-old University of Santo Tomas in Manila where he told the youth that he felt immensely happy in their company. He truly deserves to join the pantheon of saints, together with our own Filipino saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod! exclaimed Father Pete Literal (Associate Pastor,

FilVets get 2nd chance ... from page 1

To date, the VA has approved more than 18,000 claims. Eligible veterans who are U.S. citizens received a onetime payment of $15,000. Philippine nationals who qualied received a lump sum of $9,000. These funds became available when President Obama signed the $198-million FVEC Fund into law in 2009. The VA made the rst payments within 40 days of the programs enactment in 2009. We appreciate the hard work of the Interagency Working Group in ensuring transparency in the decision-making process, says NaFFAA National Chairman Ed Navarra. We hope that the implemented changes will assure our veterans that their legitimate claims will be honored. In its report, the U.S. Army explained how it developed and administered a recognition program between late 1942 and June 30, 1948. Over 1.2 million individuals applied for recognition with ultimately over 260,000 recognized with positive determinations for the Philippine Commonwealth Army. This program included authenticated rosters of recognized guerilla units and individuals who contributed materially to the defeat of Japanese forces occupying the

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23

Lights, camera, action!

W
The Fast (Fat!) Food Chains

lawyer in the United States, Sam Hirsch, sued McDonalds on behalf of his obese clients. Of the tobacco companies that had been sued, he says you cant stop tobacco from being unhealthy, but you can make food less unhealthy. Obviously, he was referring to the health dangers of what many people consider junk foods, with high cholesterol and fats, like hamburgers, eggs, fries, etc. in this $142 Billion fast food industry. Nobody thought the suits led in the United States by families against the giant tobacco rms on behalf of their dead loved ones who succumbed to smoking-related diseases, like lung cancer, would succeed. But they did. Will Sam Hirsch and the other lawyers soon to follow his footsteps make their case in court, and prosper? Having heard of a great number of ludicrous lawsuits that have won, I wont be surprised if Atty. Hirsch wins his case. But I have to admit that, to some degree, I do agree with one essence of this suit: that these food chains and other purveyors of food have the social obligation to make their products less unhealthy, or, better yet, as healthy as possible for the consumers, especially for the children. These youngsters are still developing habits and lifestyle that are essential for their future. Apparently concerned with the screaming health-conscious consumers, and of the future legal consequences for food companies, the largest food giant in the USA, Kraft, has decided to set the pace, launching a sweeping global overhaul of the way it creates, packages, and promotes its foods. Kraft announces its plan to reduce the portion size, fat and calories of its food products. This move is expected to have a worldwide impact on other food companies and consumers around the globe. McDonalds, for instance, has already scheduled to test its Happy Meal this summer, replacing the popular but fatlled and deadly French fries, with a bag of fresh, sliced fruits.

More and more restaurants are having a salad bar. Fish is becoming a popular option. There is today a greater awareness of the health benet of staying away from high cholesterol foods, like red meats (beef, pork, etc) and eggs, and concentrating on sh, vegetables, fruits and high-ber foods, as the mainstay of our diet. chart from the American Obesity Association of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention published in USA Today showed the following prevalence of obese children ages 6 to 11: From 1976-1980, 7%; from 1988-1994, 11%; from 19992000, 15.3%. The incidence of obesity among 12-19: From 19761980, 5%; 1988-1994, 11%; and 1999-2000, 15.5%. There is no question in my mind that healthy lifestyle must start from the crib, because prevention is the key to health. Children, as young as ve or six years of age, who died of accident or disease, have shown on autopsies to have a thin lining of cholesterol plaques in their arteries (brain, heart, abdomen, etc). We, parents, must be doing something wrong for these youngsters, at those tender ages, to have arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) already. This is the essential message in my, entitled Lets Stop Killing Our Children, an anthology of cardiovascular and other diseases, with emphasis on prevention starting from the crib, written in laymans term. The book is available at philipSchua.com, xlibris. com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. The Philippine edition has just been released in Manila. Diet is a very signicant factor in the development of arteriosclerosis, the condition that leads to heart attack and stroke, and to the aging process in general. The greater and more advanced the hardening of the arteries is, the faster a person ages, not only in years but in looks. When the arteries supplying nutrients and oxygen to the skin are narrowed or blocked by arteriosclerosis, the skin loses its collagen, turgor, elasticity, and youthful look. This leads to wrinkle

hile looking for a home, have you ever stepped in a house where it looked like the seller hired an interior decorator and staged it like a model house? You were so impressed and asked your Realtor to immediately prepare an offer although the house next door is exactly the same as this one and even priced lower. Sounds and feels familiar? I just attended an intensive training on staging last week so I can offer more value to my clients especially the sellers. I always believe as long as the property is clean and well arranged, it should do the job and sell. Well, not really; Staging is using your timeframe and budget to prepare a house for sale so it will sell faster and get the best price. In staging, the seller is the star, Realtor is the director and potential buyers are the audience. The star and the director should work as a team so they can portray their roles, execute their best and get audience impact based on their performance. We are so emotional when it comes to our home because it holds a lot of memories to us and this is our kingdom, our pride and joy. However, when you sell, you have to disconnect the emotional aspect and your goal is how it will appeal to the buyer to get the best and highest offer. Less is more; this means you have to get rid of your personal collections that you accumulated over the years. You have to take down personal pictures everywhere, mementos acquired from all your trips, personal collections; change the painting although your favorite color is red or pink. I know those are very important to you and its hard to let go; but you have to. When buyers got to your home, they dont care who you are and what you have.

They picture the house as their future home and everything has to appeal to them not yours. Staging is de personalizing your home from you. Most of the time, you just have to remove clutters all over the house. To give a better curb appeal, remove all unnecessary items like hose, bikes, and dead plants from outside. A nice ower pots maybe necessary if the garden is bare. You may want to add mulch for a dramatic and fresh appeal. No more 3 soft colors of paint from the outside, it cannot be as colorful as Disneyland. The interior should be a Q Tip clean as in detailed from top to bottom. Remove all clutters like what should be there. For example in the living room, a couch, center table, side tables. No entertainment center, videos, toys etc. Pretty tough I know but that is how you maximize the space which everybody is looking for. Do yard sales, put items on Craigslist and if you dont really want to get rid of them, rent storage for around 2-3 months. You are moving anyway so why not pack all these. You are already ahead of the game. Clutter eats your equity. Stay on off white color or tan on wall paints. This reects space and cleanliness. The list goes on and on but these are the basics I can share with you. It does not take a course to attain this; it just has to make sense to you. It is a fact that when the house is staged, you get multiple offers and get the sales price or higher. Buyers are embarrassed to lower the price to staged homes. Imagine with all the clutters there and dont be surprised to get at least $10,000 less on the asking price. Secondhand (passive) smoking has been found to be even deadlier. Daily exercise is another factor. It not only tones and conditions our body for cardiovascular tness, but also neutralizes some of the bad effects of the unhealthy food we eat or the bad habits we have. Physical activities also reduce stress and put our mind on a more positive frame. The benecial effect of daily exercises on the heart is astonishing. Monitoring and maintaining our weight to as close to our ideal weight as possible is fundamental. Persons who

Is staging expensive? Not necessarily. Stagers can use what you already have in your home and just charge a minimal fee of $350 for consultation and around $600 for the actual staging. If it is a big house, you may want to rent furniture as well. The cost is very minimal but you get the top $$$ on your home. This makes a lot of sense. Remember ROSI, Return On Staging Investment. After the class, we all went to a single house in Vienna to apply what we have learned in the class. Each team has to stage at least two rooms in the house and I took before and after pictures. I just cant believe a simple room can turn into a showroom and we just use what the owners already have. I went home after that and so excited to do mine. What a transformation and I thought I already staged my home. There is always a possibility and your creativity should go hand in hand. If you do not have that, thats what were here for. Do not lose any equity just because your home is not staged well. Dont forget the lights that will add to it so you can get more actions and top dollars for your home. Note: Jocelyn Porteria is a Realtor licensed in V A. She earned a designation of ASP, Accredited Staging Professional; ABR, Accredited Buyers Specialist; CDPE Certified Distressed Property and Short Sale Expert, (SFR) Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource. For more info, visit her website at www.jprealdeal. com or call her at 571-432-8335 or email at realdealconsulting@yahoo. com for a free confidential evaluation of your property, individual situation, property value, and possible options. are overweight are more prone to illnesses because obesity increases the rate and degree of arteriosclerosis and also weakens the immune system. As a result, complications and risk of surgery among patients who are overweight are greater than those with normal weight. The recovery rate is also slower among the obese. Studies have shown that people who control their calorie intake and who leave the dining table with less than full stomach live longer. Eating to full satiety three meals a day obviously impacts negatively on longevity. So, it is good to be still a little hungry after each meal.

formation, thinning and loosening of the skin. This is why high-ber, low-cholesterol (no red meats and eggs) diet, consisting of sh, vegetables and fruits, is highly recommended, if we are to slow down the process of arteriosclerosis in our body. The less arteriosclerosis, the healthier and younger we look and feel. The other part of the health equation is the abstinence from tobacco, a substance that has been found to speed up hardening of the arteries, not to mention its direct poisonous effects on lungs and practically on all organs in the body. A very common cause of deadly cancers, tobacco must be avoided.

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July 15, 2013

Froud to be Finoy

T
On Our Missing Pronouns

became aware of them on the third year of my high school at a private school just outside the geographical boundaries of Manila. To be more precise, I noticed their (them) absence then. Them are the personal pronouns, the referencing points of our individuality as human beings. In the everyday grammatical speech, they refer to our sex, female or male. On a higher level, in a more polished and polite manner, we allude to our gender, feminine or masculine. The awareness came in 1954, when the high school I was attending included in its curriculum a subject on Tagalog, on its way then of being declared eventually as the national language. I had always been used to having English as the medium of instruction in my schooling years. The teacher then ordered us to use for class discussions a prescribed balarila, a book on Tagalog grammar, and Diwang Ginto and Diwang Kayumanggi both collections of Filipino-authored Tagalog prose and poetry. Even though Tagalog was the language spoken at my home, skimming through the pages of the balarila gave me an uncanny feeling that the construction of every word, its use and its relationship with other words, would be an unwelcome difculty. The horror became even more pronounced when one of the short stories we were supposed to discuss was that written by Estrella D. Alfon, titled Maghilom May Baticolum. How much Tagalog can you get it at that? Tagalog, or Pilipino, as the national language, has dened the Filipinos as cohesive peoples of more than 7,000 islands. Peoples with their own Malayinfused dialects speak and use Tagalog as bond of citizenship. They may be speaking their own dialects in Bicol, Sugbuanon, Hiligaynon, Ilokano, Kapampanganan, Pangasinan, WarayWaray, Aklanon, Igorot, Ilonggo, or Bisaya, but Tagalog will carry them through successful results in any social or commercial settings, more so in individualized, personalized, occasions. But Tagalog, as a language, has one peculiarity that summons unwelcome suspicions. More often than not, the glaring

absence of personal pronouns creates curiosity among those who are skilled in the use of major European languages, say, in French, German, Italian, or Russian. Why is it that the Tagalog equivalent of personal pronouns she or he does not exist in the national language? He or she is siya, third person singular and they is sila, third person plural, even on occasion when the word they is grouped according to gender. The demonstrative pronouns denoting ownership or possession, his or hers, does not have any equivalent words in Tagalog. The personal pronouns in Tagalog has afnity with Bahasa Indonesian, Thus, She is my daughter, is translated as Dia anak perempuan saya and, He is my son, as Dia anak lalaki saya. The same is true in Korean; He or she is keu saram or keu pun (used when conferring honor or ascribing superiority). In Chinese Mandarin, he or him, or she or her, is ta (singular) and, they or them, is tanem (plural). Tagalog, as a language, does not have the ease of recognizing, by tone of voice or by written alphabet the attribution to sex or gender. In major European languages, like Italian or Spanish or those languages belonging to the Romans group, the recognition is easily manifested in the end letter of any referencing word, a for feminine and o for masculine. Their specic grammar is well dened. Grammarians refer to the personal pronouns, along with the action words, verbs, as exions, like muscles in a human body which can bend to achieve a desired result. Hence, we always conjugate a verb in relation to a pronoun, whether personal or demonstrative. In German, because of its Teutonic origin, pronouns are used in relation to nouns, verbs and adjectives. Hence, declension is used instead of conjugation. The difculty of mastering German is compounded when the articles die, das and der are used improperly. Of course, Tagalog does not have these oddities. But why the absence, the disappearance of the gender-specic pronouns? It was a puzzle in my high school

Continued on page 30

DALY CITY he Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino is proposing the rationalization of the names used for our country, our citizens and our national language. Indeed, a lot of people foreigners and Pinoys alike are confused. Aside from being known as The Philippines, is our country called Pilipinas or Filipinas? Are our citizens Filipinos or Pilipinos? Is the national language Filipino or Pilipino? When is it proper to use P and when to use F? In the U.S., some groups who identify themselves as purists insist on using Pilipino to describe our national language. They point out that the use of F is un-Pilipino, the letter being Spanish in origin. That seems logical enough. If youve noticed, we always refer to the national language as Wikang Pilipino. And when we speak the language of Balagtas, we never use F, as may be seen in the lyrics of Bayan Ko: Ang bayan kong Pilipinas. On the other hand, when we speak in English, we unconsciously shift to F as in, the Filipino national language. This is probably inuenced by how we call our country, the Philippines, pronounced like F. Curiously, most Pinoys in America (including some of the purists) refer to themselves as Filipino-Americans or FilAms, rather than PilAms. In fact the largest organization of Pinoys in the US is called the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations. And whenever I deliver a talk on the roots of our people in the New World, I refer to the original name given to the islands by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, which was Las Islas Filipinas. However, after my lecture, during the open forum, whenever I am asked to describe myself, I say Pilipino ako when speaking in Tagalog and Im Filipino when responding in English. I hardly notice the shift. It comes unconsciously. I dont know if anyone ever wrote down the usage rules, in all my seven decades of existence, Ive managed to shift from F to P and back to F quite effortlessly. The F version is widely used in America. Not just the community associations but the media, as well. The Pinoy newspapers are called FilAm Bulletin, FilAm Courier, FilAm Journal, Filipino Reporter, Filipino Express and Filipinas Magazine,

to mention some. But maybe thats because these are considered English descriptions. One newspaper in Miami unabashedly calls itself, Basta Pinoy Times. And when GMA Network introduced its rst international channel in the US, it was called GMA Pinoy TV. The nickname Pinoy appears to be constant, however. I dont recall anyone daring to use Finoy. I can appreciate the objective of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino to standardize the usage, the better for non-Pinoys to declare, Its more fun in the Filipins. Aside from consistency, there are some advantages in being referred to as Filipinas. I recall overhearing a discussion concerning this at a meeting among the ofcials of the Ministry of Information, back in the wild and wooly days of the Marcos regime. It was 1983 and they were preparing for the participation of Da Apo at the North-South Summit in Cancun, Mexico, which was to be attended by such world leaders as Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Francois Mitterand and Indira Ghandi. With such international superstars in attendance, Marcos information people were concerned that the Western press would conveniently overlook the president of the Philippines. Back then, our countrys reputation was already in a bad way. There was an urgent need for Marcos to gain some positive media mileage, particularly on US network TV. This was when it was pointed out that the Mexican hosts had insisted on using Hispanic names for the participating countries. This meant that the Philippines would be referred to as Filipinas. The Hispanic nomenclature was like a blessing from the gods. In the seating arrangement, Marcos, as president of Filipinas, was positioned between Reagan of Estados Unidos and Mitterand of Francia. This assured Da Apo of shared exposure with both Western leaders who, needless to say, got a lot of media coverage. Of course, were not the only country that uses a variety of names, depending on who is using them. Germany is known to the natives as Deutschland. China is Zhong Guo. Japan is Nippon. Spain is Espana and

Italy is Italia. And if youre in Roma and want to travel to Florence, make sure you buy a ticket to Firenze, which is what the locals call it. While I can appreciate the protests of those who want to retain the status quo, whatever the lexicographers say, in America, changing ones name, the moment one is sworn in as a naturalized US citizen, is de rigueur. Theres this story of a fellow named Casimiro Bukirkir. Upon gaining US citizenship, he reportedly changed his name to Cashmere Bouquet. And then there was Pedro Cubeta who was so unhappy with his name that when he took his oath of citizenship, he changed it to Peter Cubeta. Okay, okay, both are jokes, of course. But a true story is about Wendell Mayculob, a realtor in Daly City. Because his clients always had difculty pronouncing his name, he would say, Its like the beer. Thus, when he became a US citizen, he formalized the change and he forthwith became ofcially known as Wendell Michelob. My own family name had to be re-spelled at the turn of the century to satisfy the politically correct requirements of some folks. My fathers original surname was spelled Macaventa. But when he enrolled at the Liceo de Manila, shortly after the revolution against Spain, he encountered a super nationalist professor, Pedro Basa, who told my father that his surname was spelled wrong. There is no c and no v in the Philippine alphabet, declared Basa. You better change the spelling to k and b. My father, being a nationalist himself, readily agreed. Thus, did Makabenta evolve. When he went home to Carigara, he announced the change in spelling to the clan and most of his relatives, including all his siblings, followed suit. It was not until I became a reporter that the spelling of the surname reverted halfway to the original, mainly because of a misspelling in my press pass. It was then that my father related the metamorphosis of our surname. As Malacanang has put it, the proposal to use Filipinas and no longer Pilipinas presents an interesting topic of discussion.

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25
Immigration Notes
By J.G. Azarcon, Esq.
VISA PRIORITY DATES FOR THE PHILIPPINES JULY 2013 FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES First: Unmarried sons/daughters of US citizens Jul. 01, 2000 Second: A: Spouses/minor children of permanent residents: Oct. 08, 2011 B: Unmarried sons/daughters 21 years of age or older of permanent residents Dec. 22, 2002 Third: Married sons/daughters of citizens Nov. 22, 1992 Fourth: Brothers/sisters of citizens Dec. 15, 1989 EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES First: Priority workers Current Second: Professionals holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability Current Third: Skilled workers, professionals Oct. 01, 2006 Other Workers Oct. 01, 2006 Fourth: Current Certain Religious Workers Current Fifth: Employment creation/ (Million or half-million dollar investor) Current
unlawful presence. In order avoid the three or ten-year bar, the alien needs to obtain a waiver of inadmissibility from the Department of State. This requires a showing that the US citizen relative will suffer extreme hardship as a result of the separation from the alien. Under the old procedure, the application is led at a foreign consular ofce after the alien has exited the US. If disapproved, the alien would be stranded in his home country and separated from his family in the U.S. The new rule change will allow the ling and determination of the merits of the waiver application in the US without requiring the alien to exit while the waiver is in process. It does not alter or lower the standard of proof required for a showing of extreme hardship. What does this mean to somebody who walked across the border without a visa,

Provisional waiver processing Bad training kills

MANILA ecently here, a ight to the major southern city of Davao of a domestic airline, Cebu Pacic, overshot the runway and the passengers were made to wait anxiously on the tarmac for about 30 minutes before any emergency action was taken by airline personnel. The ight and ground crews ineptness in times of potential danger brought to focus a grave aw in doing business here: lack of professional training. The woefully inadequate training of professionals across the board thrives in a society that tolerates mediocrity and improvisation. Its a product of our bahala na and puwede na yan mentality that results in clueless or ill-trained people shoved willly-nilly into positions of responsibility. While I dont know the actual costs of inadequate training to overall economic productivity, reasonable and common-sense observation would tell us that our economy would improve and society would be more orderly if professional training were more rigorous. Our teachers who go abroad wouldnt be relegated to lowly household jobs if they had undergone more rigorous training. Our engineers and accountants wouldnt just be clerks abroad if their training had been more superior. Filipino senior staff, supervisors and managers wouldnt be demoted to clerk positions abroad if they had more impressive credentials. How often have we encountered bureaucrats, receptionists, security guards, secretaries and many other workers who are unable to explain why their ofces cannot do what we ask or seek? All theyre able to tell us is that they had been told that that is so but the why was never explained to them. If our teachers are not up to their jobs, how then could we expect their students to be any better? Unqualied teachers produce half-baked graduates, and thats why Filipino graduates arent exactly sought after abroad for good jobs. That explains the prevailing situation where Filipino teachers, nurses, accountants and the like are hired all over the richer countries

as household staff, nannies and chauffeurs. When something bad happens on or to an airline in ight, the crew cant be relied on to explain what had happened because they either dont know why or theyre not procient to explain it in an appropriate language. I once was on a ight from somewhere to Manila on a Filipino airline company and the plane had to make an emergency landing. The plane sat on the tarmac for an interminable length of time without any word from the captain or the crew. It turned out later the landing gear was busted and the plane couldnt safely take off again (and land again at its nal destination). And yet, there was not a single word from the crew. No doubt, this has happened to many other Filipino passengers. The crew were not trained to explain emergencies when they do happen. That appears to be what happened at the Davao City airport. The crew just didnt know what to do after the plane overshot the runway. That is often what happens to Filipino personnel when faced with something unusual: they are paralyzed into inaction. Often, Filipinos lack the leadership quality of taking over a situation and making sense or order out of the mess. Were not natural leaders, were more used to following orders. The now-infamous and tragic Luneta hostage-taking incident involving tourists from Hongkong a few years ago was a similar case. The police were illtrained. They didnt know what to do. They didnt know how to negotiate (even with a colleague, even in their own language). And when they were ordered to carry out an assault, they didnt know how to proceed correctly. And they didnt have the right gear to carry out an effective assault that could have spared the lives of some, if not all, of the hapless tourists. To make it all worse, civilian ofcials in command werent trained to handle such situations. Police overkill treatment of criminal suspects results from a lack of training, too. Weve had so many incidents in the coun-

he Department of Homeland Security has released on January 2, 2013 new rules changing the procedure for obtaining a waiver for a ground of inadmissibility based on unlawful presence in the country Starting on March 4, 2013, certain aliens who are in the country without valid status and who need a waiver of unlawful presence to qualify for a green card can now apply for obtain a waiver decision before exiting the US for an interview abroad. Those who could avail themselves of this rule change are spouses, children under 21 years and parents of US citizens who are unlawfully present in the US because they entered without having been admitted or paroled or violated their authorized stay. These are mostly people who crossed the border and others who do not qualify for adjustment of status. These aliens do not qualify for adjustment of status in the US and must exit the country for a visa interview. Upon departure however, they are subject to a three year or ten-year bar depending on the length of

Continued on page 30

No Other Way

Continued on page 30

MANILA opes John XXIII and John Paul II could be canonized as saints together, possibly this December 8, La Stampa newspaper of Rome reported. . That day is feast of the Immaculate Conception. (This column was written before the Vaticans ofcial announcement.) The Congregation for Causes of Saints meet Tuesday (July 2), said the Vatican Press Ofce. But it didnt comment on an Associated Press report that members formalized their recommendation to canonize Pope John Paul II. All proceeding in sainthood causes are secret until the pope issues the relevant decrees. Filipinos feel a special afnity for John Paul II. He rst visited here in 1981 and told a poker-faced dictator Ferdinand Marcos to his face: Government cannot claim to serve the common good when human rights are not safeguarded. During the Marcos years, there were 3,257 extrajudicial killings, 35,000 torture victims, and 70,000 imprisoned.,historian Alfred

McCoy notes in a Yale University study. That dark legacy hobbles Ferdinand Jrs bid to seek the presidency in 2016. Pope John Paul presided over World Youth Day, at Rizal Park, in January 1995,. Over four million attended the closing Mass. Thats the current world record for the largest papal gathering. Filipinos will host Pope Francis January 2016. Hell attend the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City. An advance team is here to nalize details. Filipinos will look beyond church institutional deadwood and identify with Francis concerns for the poor. The likelihood then is that of a two-John canonization. That furthers fan an ongoing debate where laymen and scholars compare the man wholl be honored and the pontiff wholl preside over the ancient rites. From the moment of his

introduction to the world as Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio resembled Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, or Pope John XXIII, more than any other pontiff, John Borelli of Georgetown University wrote in the international Catholic weekly: The Tablet. Both were 76 when elected. Roncallis electors gured on a short-term caretaker - 54 months it turned out. But John XXIII stunned everyone by convening the Second Vatican Council. Only 20 such general councils met in the last two thousand years. Pope Francis turns 77 this December Barely less than 200 days on the chair of St. Peter, he is correcting the churchs immediate past, as did John XXIII. He is also setting directions for the future, notably implementing stalled Vatican II reforms...

Continued on page 30

26

July 15, 2013

MUNG BEAN SPROUTS WITH TOFU

This is one of several dishes I will demonstrate this coming July 21 at Diamond Hill in Charlotte Court House, Virginia, owned by Vellie DietrichHall. This is a charity event to benet the Charlotte County Adult Learning Center and all is arranged by Vellie. This will also be attended by the President of Mama Sita Foundation. This delicious and wholesome dish is a meal in itself, which can be eaten with or without rice or bread. However, this recipe can be prepared both the hard and the easy way. Either way, it is a pleasure to cook this dish. If the hard way is chosen, be prepared to chop and cook the onions and garlic, on top of making the vegetable or chicken stock. Just cooking the stock is no simple matter and takes a lot of prep time. The easy way is to use one of the most popular Philippine products -- Mama Sitas Chop Suey/ Pancit Canton Stir Fry Mix. This is available at any oriental store. Serves 6-8 crosswise 1/4 cup red bell pepper strips

Methods:
Briey submerge the bean sprouts in cold water and remove any oating mung bean skin.; drain and set aside. In a non-stick skillet, stir fry the tofu in a little bit of oil until lightly golden (do not toast). Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Mix 2 cups of water and 1 packet of Mama Sitas Chop Suey/Pancit Canton Stir Fry Mix until dissolved; wipe clean the same skillet and pour in this mixture. Bring the mixture to a quick boil and add the mung bean sprouts. Let simmer for a few minutes or until the sprouts is half-cooked. Add the tofu, celery and red bell pepper strips and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes but do not overcook the bean sprouts. Season slightly with salt and pepper, only if needed. Serve hot. Editors Note: Master Chef Evelyn: 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S., 2009, Filipina Womens Network; MHC Most Outstanding Migrant Award in Culinary Arts, 2011; PAFC Dakila Special Achievement Award, 2011; Owner/Chef, Philippine Oriental Market & Deli, Arlington, Virginia; Founder and President of CHEW (Cancer Help Eat Well) Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) public charity formed to help and cook pro-bono for

Filipino-Americans who are afflicted with cancer and other serious illnesses; Culinary writer; Member, Les Dames dEscoffier International, Washington DC Chapter; Member, International Cake Exploration Society, Member, Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C.; Master Chef, French Cuisine and Patisserie, Le Cordon Bleu, London.

Ingredients:
1 pound mung bean sprouts 1 pack (16 oz.) rm tofu, diced (1/2) Vegetable oil 2 cups water 1 packet Mama Sitas Chop Suey/ Pancit Canton Stir Fry Mix 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

MARRIAGE
Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.... Dumas Ive had bad luck with both my wives. The rst one left me, and the second one didnt.... Patrick Murray I dont worry about terrorism. I was married for two years.... Sam Kinison A good wife always forgives her husband when she is wrong.... Milton Berle Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming 1. Whenever youre wrong, admit it. 2. Whenever youre right, shut up.... Nash at it said, Sir your license has expired. And again John apologized and mentioned that he didnt realize that it had expired and would take care of it rst thing in the morning. Jessica said, I told you a week ago that the state sent you a letter telling you that your license had expired. Well by this time, John is a bit upset with his wife contradicting him in front of the ofcer, and he said in a rather loud voice, Jessica, shut your damn mouth! The ofcer then leaned over toward Jessica and asked. Maam, does your husband always talk to you like that? Jessica replied, only when hes drunk. day, Ethel was speeding up one corridor when Fast Eddie outstretched his hand. STOP! he shouted in a rm voice. Have you got a license for that thing? Ethel shed around in her handbag and pulled out a Kit-Kat wrapper, and held it up to him. OK he said, and away Ethel sped down the hall. As she took the corner near the TV lounge on one wheel, Weird Harold popped out in front of her and shouted, STOP! Have you got proof of insurance? Ethel dug into her handbag, pulled out a drink coaster, and held it up to him. Harold nodded, and said Carry on, maam. As Ethel neared the nal corridor before the front door, Crazy Craig stepped out in front of her, stark naked, with a very sizable erection. Oh, good grief, cried Ethel, Not the Breathalyzer Test again!

iyan dito sa bio data ko?

HINDI RAW
Customer: (Sumisigaw)... Pabili ng HOPE. Tindero: Huwag kang sumigaw, hindi ako bingi. Ilang COKE ba ang bibilhin mo?

BAKIT?
Sa isang ospital pagkatapos ng operasyon... Pasyente: Dok, bakit ganito ang pagka-opera sa ulo ko? Halos kita na ang utak ko. Dok: Okey yan... at least open-minded ka na ngayon.

AWAY
Nag-aaway ang dalawang tanga: Kulas: Ano ba ang gusto mo... away o gulo? Tomas: Away na lang para walang gulo.

TRAFFIC STOP
John and Jessica were on their way home from the bar one night and John got pulled over by the police. The ofcer told John that he was stopped because his tail light was burned out. John said, Im very sorry ofcer, I didnt realize it was out, Ill get it xed right away. Just then Jessica said, I knew this would happen when I told you two days ago to get that light xed. So the ofcer asked for Johns license and after looking

ANG ORDER
Sa airport canteen, umorder ang isang Amerikano. Kano: Miss, will you please give me one few two. Tindera: What sir? Kano: I said one few two. Tindera: Oh, puto. Kano: yeah, thats right. Tindera: (Sa sarili:, Tanga. puto lang, pino-few two, few two pa, gagantihan ko nga). Okey sir, what color do you want? Few la or few ti?

HOME POLICE
Ethel was a bit of a demon in her wheelchair and loved to charge around the nursing home, taking corners on one wheel, and getting up to maximum speed on the long corridors. Because the poor woman was one sandwich short of a picnic, the other residents tolerated her, and some of the men actually joined in. One

YAYA
Maam: Yaya, magluto ka na pag-alis ko ha! Yaya: Ano po lulutuin ko? Maam: Its up to you. Maam: (During dinner) Yaya, bakit ketsup at tuyo ang ulam? Yaya: Di ba nung tinanong ko kayo kung anong lulutuin ko, sabi niyo, kitsup, tuyo!

SEX
Totoy: Inay, ano po ba yung sex? Inay: Ah, eh... ang ginagawa ng mag-asawa para magka-anak. Totoy: Ang haba naman nun, nay... paano ko isusulat

July 15, 2013

27

Halo Halo

S
Sugbu of My Youth

y mother is Ilocano and my father is Cebuano. I grew up in Batangas, the accepted home of the Tagalog dialect. That makes me difcult to categorize. Like a Yankee Doodle-Dixie who was raised in the mid-west. If our visits to Dupax, my mothers hometown, were infrequent, our trips to Cebu were downright rare. One either took a plane or a boat to reach the island which is south of Manila. Because we were a military family, we could y to Cebu for free. But ight schedules were irregular and spaces were allotted on a rst come rst served basis. The family of a non-commissioned airman on vacation had the lowest priority. So we traveled by sea. In the 1950s boat trips took several days and were relatively expensive, but they were more affordable than airline tickets. Cebu City, which some prefer to call Sugbu, is the oldest city in the Philippines. Almost ve centuries after Ferdinand Magellan landed on its shores, evidence of Spanish inuence remains. The dialect is sprinkled with Spanish words. It co-opted town and city names - Alcoy, Cordoba, Santander, and Valencia to name a few. Cebuanos count just as easily in Sugbuanon as well as in Spanish. Our family lived in Lipa, Batangas. It sits on a plateau so the weather is cooler there. On the other hand, Cebus heat is oppressive and saps all energy. I came to dread the unbroken string of sunny blue skies which meant days of unrelenting heat. We rode horse-drawn carriages called tartanillas. I hated them. The choice between modesty and safety didnt appeal to me. They were uncomfortable and were hard to board. We entered from the rear of the tiny coach which sloped upwards at an angle. I scraped my shin from slipping and sliding. My Cebu grandfather, had several fruit trees in his property. I welcomed the shade and the breeze those trees provided but was startled to see a little creature hanging from a branch. He was dismayed to see me and started screaming his displeasure. Eek, eek, eek. He shrieked his high pitched indignation as he threw small branches at me.

My aunts and uncles tried to hide their amusement as I cowered behind them in panic. A small monkey lived among the trees. My aunties shushed the agitated creature and shooed him to the far trees, away from me. What a strange place, I thought, a monkey in the middle of a city? Wait till my classmates hear of this. Or maybe not. I wasnt particularly liked at the moment. I just had sticuffs with a classmate and everyone gave me a wide berth. The fresh avocados picked from those trees were sweet and creamy. My aunts cut them in small pieces, poured milk, added sugar, and ice cubes. It was refreshing and a welcome snack. I stuck my tongue at the offended monkey as I ate, but careful to stay well away from his aim. His anxiety was clear even from a distance. His angry tantrum greeted me almost every day. Then one day he disappeared. My aunts and uncles shrugged their shoulders. They were unconcerned. But I felt shamed. I wished him gone and was feeling guilty. I looked for him each day but I never saw him again. The thought that he might have come to some harm troubled me. My father is the oldest of eight children. Their reunions were full of laughter and singing. I learned rudimentary guitar as I watched my uncles take turns strumming and harmonizing with each other. I attributed my love of singing and voice to my mother. She was a good mezzosoprano in her youth. It was a revelation to learn my fathers family was musical too, although it should not have surprised me. Cebuanos love to sing and guitars have become an appendage to most of them. Papang spoke of his early years, of growing up with parents who were both industrious and frugal. They scrimped and saved to buy the piece of land that was the pride and joy of the Monteras. Our Ramos ancestors had land and were relatively comfortable. There is a street named after one of them. V. Ramos Street, I believe. But every piece of that land is gone. The Ramos-Montera became a family divided. The loss became the cornerstone of our family mythology. The story of one lolo-sa-tuhod

ummer is here and halo halo is synonymous to the season. It is a welcome treat. Who would refuse a glass of this refreshing mixture of shaved ice, milk and a variety of native sweets in the midst of hot and sweltering weather? Not me! Not even those having calorie count challenges that I know of. Double whammy is the Special Halo Halo with leche an and ube or mango ice cream topping added to the regular ingredients of macapuno, kaong, beans, munggo, langka, sweet babanas, yams and pinipig. OMG! Forget about counting those calories. Literally speaking, halo in Tagalog means the motion of swirling something like combining and blending the various ingredients used in halo halo. It is only when they are well mixed with the liqueed ice and milk ala milkshake when it is thoroughly enjoyed and drunk to the last drop. However, not all halo halo offerings in Filipino restaurants are the same. Some lacked the yummy ingredients like the leche an and macapuno or langka and the milk used is not the usual canned thick evaporated milk. Why the name halo halo? We want to repeat words a lot, ergo halo, became halo halo or mix mix in English, as we say in our own lingo. It also meant a mixture of a variety of ingredients. Talking about repetition of words, in names we are also guilty of calling our children: Bong-Bong, Jun-Jun, GingGing, Ric-Ric, Jo-Jo at marami pang iba. Homemade halo halo: I have something to share with you about it preparing the easy way. I substitute vanilla ice cream for the evaporated milk and shaved ice when I am too lazy to get and set the ice shaver from the kitchen cabinet and shave the ice cubes. And I also dont have canned evap milk sitting in the cupboard most of the time. Well, the result is almost the same with cold creamy shake, mixed with the store bought bottled halo halo ingredients. With this, I save time, money and energy, but importantly, I hear no complaint from my food critic family. Whether eaten in restaurant or homemade, enjoy your mix-mix! Mother, mother I am sick . Hearing this, the mom ew to be with her daughter right away. Yes, my youngest daughter had a torn ligament knee surgery in St. Petersburg, Flor-

ida. She lives alone in her own house with a pet named Buddy. Of course, she has friends who offered to help, but mom is the best person to take care of her. Arriving two days before, I accompanied her to the surgical center and stayed during the procedure. Before her bed was wheeled to the surgery room, I softly said take care of my baby. I was just whispering, but the nurse heard me and remarked dont you worry, we will. She smiled because the baby I was referring to was an adult. Waking up after the surgery I drove and took RocheIa home. It was a nice feeling to baby her again like when she was little. I propped her leg up on pillows every morning, prepared her breakfast , lunch and dinner; also applied ice bag on her knee and directed her foot and leg exercises. She had snacks of cut up fruits and cashew nuts by her side with a glass of iced water constantly lled up. I gave her a much needed back and neck massage which I always did when she was home in Virginia for Christmas. I cooked chicken Arroz Caldo and fried tokwa as the side dish for her merienda. (I remember my own mother used to cook the same hot merienda for me whenever I was sick). In the evening after watching the TV news or movies, her leg was again propped up over a pile of pillows as I tucked her in bed. I fed Buddy with his dog food and a couple of capsules for his allergies every other day. He licked the medicine imbedded in a small ball of peanut butter with gusto. He came to me with a pair of pleading eyes when he wanted to pee and poo in their back yard. He either played with his favorite toy, a black spider, or slept most of the time. But the most amusing activity that he did was when he exercised on the tread mill. My daughter, Rochela, trained him to do it for 40 minutes, daily. He seemed to be enjoying it with his tail wagging and I have not seen a dog exercising like this. Buddy is a lovable disciplined black Labmother and her sisters remained Catholics but their only brother converted to Protestantism. Papang idolized his uncle and joined him. One other uncle became a Mormon. Only Catholics went to heaven. That was seared in my brain. The rst two decades of my life were spent fearing for

rador. Theres a period in the morning when he brought me his spider wanting me to start his game of throw and catch. Funny but he communicated with me and I understood him. When Rochela could now walk without her crutches, we went to the nearby Sunken Garden and just walked slowly and leisurely around the beautiful, lush trees, bushes, vines, variety of owering plants and ponds with koi, and a couple of pink amingoes nearby. It was an enjoyable walk in the serene setting. Then we also went to the marina, a tourist spot and savored the fresh soupy mussels with garlic bread and fried spicy calmari. We invited one of her friends, who offered to drive us to this place by the water. The restaurant was called Forrest Gump named after the inspiring movie played by Tom Hanks. Chela and I had a relaxing and stressed relieving massage. The day before I left, I cooked Mechado, Menudo and small lumpia with ground turkey lling. She specically requested me to cook these for her. When done, I put them in individual containers and properly arranged them in the freezer. I hope this would last for a week. There was also some left over like ribs sinigang, chicken curry with basil leaves and chicken vegetable soup. This was an opportunity to bond with my youngest daughter. I only see her when she comes home a couple of times a year, but of course we talked on the phone for news and updates. Rochela is not a typical youngest child in the family. She is rather independent, organized, condent, and manages her money very well. Her demeanor is like an oldest child, like my son. She is a business/systems analyst, owns her home and not married. But like my other three children, whatever her age and work position, she holds her permanent place in the family known as the bunso. So, when she calls Mother, mother I am sick, mother comes very quick. my papangs soul forever barred from heaven. The Cebu of my youth is gone. Progress has turned it into a mini-Manila. God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December. Thank you for that quote, James M. Barrie.

(great-grandfather) was a tragic though familiar one. Spanish friars coveted his land but he refused to either sell or cede. He was hauled before the friars and while there, he signed over the deed to his land. That created such hatred toward the Spanish that spilled over to extreme dislike of the Catholics. My grand-

28 Editorial

July 15, 2013

Call the House Now!

The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill by a 68-32 vote last month. This feat marks a huge rst step towards xing a broken immigration system. Its now up to House members to act just as expeditiously as their Senate counterparts to move this legislation forward. They have about a month to get the job done before the summer recess. But the House Judiciary Committee, the body charged with moving this process along, has so far approved bills that are not in tune with the Senate measure. One not only eliminates the sibling category in the family immigration system prospectively, but will deny many sibling visas for those currently in line with approved petitions. Moreover, none of their bills creates a path to citizenship. In fact, all of their provisions would negatively impact communities with huge immigrant populations. A key member who needs to hear your voice is the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Robert W. Goodlatte, a Republican congressman from the 6th District of Virginia. Although his constituents are from Roanoke, Staunton, Harrisonburg and Lynchburg, Filipino Americans not only across the state of Virginia but from all over the country must let him know where they stand. Public clamor for a fair and sensible immigration reform has been growing within the last few years. Most Americans today favor giving citizenship rights to the undocumented. To Filipino Americans, the important issues are xing the long backlogs and reuniting families. House members would do well to heed what George Washington said back in 1788 when this nation was trying its best to form a perfect union: I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable Asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong ... Call your Representatives now and demand action. But dont just call. Drop in and visit them at their ofces. (J. Melegrito)

Mr. intrigador speaks

The Filipino American community in the greater Washington D.C. is again alive with rumor about which group held the biggest celebration to mark the 115th anniversary of Philippine independence last month. A rumor-mongering Tsismoso intrigador No 1 is referring to the galas of the decades-old Philippine American Foundation for Charities (PAFC) and the fairly new Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) which held separate balls to mark the anniversary. This Tsismoso inrigador mailed his observation to Mr. Tsismoso, C/0 Manila Mail. Here goes: Dear Mr. Tsismoso, did you notice that the PAFC held its gala ball at the Marriott Hotel in DOWNTOWN DC with the theme of Our Families, Our Communities: Helping Shape America and MHC held its own at the UPTOWN Marriott Wardham Park Hotel with the theme of America is Powered by Immigrants? Sa hotel location lang, talo na ang PAFC! Based on reports, I have concluded that MHC had a bigger ball than PAFC even before Manila Mail columnist, Rodney Jaleco, mentioned it in his column (June 15.) that MHC holds bigger affairs. He says, and I agree, that the MHC ball was easily one of the largest parties in the Metro-DC region. Again, in terms of praise from Ambassador Jose Cuisia, who with his wife attended both occasions, PAFC lost again! The ambassador who has been trying to please all groups in DC had more praise for MHC than PAFC. I was present when the ambassador lauded MHC for recognizing, honoring and celebrating the many achievements of Filipino immigrants. At the PAFC gala, I heard the ambassador merely repeated his report about economic progress in the Philippines and praised the group for its work in the community. I hope you will publish this, just as you published Jalecos column. More power to you. Salamat. Yours truly, Intrigador. (Note: Letter was postmarked in Oxon Hill, Maryland and dated June 28). Informed about this intriga of Mr. Intrigador, a PAFC supporter said: Aba, besides the gala, mayroon ba ang MHC Brown Strokes, book readings, rafes, a very successful community Picnic at iba pa? Nagdodonate ba ang MHC money for charity? *** Lutong Macao? Fixed? are among the comments of some Filipino Americans who have been following the case of Mylene de Leon Scott, a small Filipino woman who was shot ve times by a sheriffs deputy at Costco store in Sterling, Virginia May 29. Up to now, there has been no ofcial report about the incident despite Ambassador Cuisias request for an exhaustive probe and the Washington Posts editorial demand that police release the tape of in-store TV monitors. There were earlier reports that the State Police or the Countys Attorney General would conduct the investigation. Now, the latest report is that the Sheriffs ofce, which earlier said the deputies acted according to their rules. Some Pinoys say that if the incident involved a Black woman or a Latina, the activists in these groups would have already launched continuous protest demonstrations until higher authorities acted. For Pinoys in Loudon, be careful. *** Why is it that the Philippine embassy holds its annual vin dhonneur sometimes in trendy hotels and, at times, only at the embassy residence or the Romulo Hall of the embassy? The recent reception hosted by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. was at the classy Hay Adams hotel in Washington D.C. During the time of then Ambassador Albert del Rosario, receptions were held in hotels. But during the time of Ambassador Willy Gaa or Raul Rabe, receptions were held only in the embassy residece or at cheaper hotels. The reason, according to Tsismosos, is that most career envoys dont have money to spend while the political envoys have sources which they can tap. *** Know what most members of the Philippine Senate do? Engage in inanities. Take for instance the socalled macho senators.. Greg Honasand and Tito Sotto. Instead of participating in serious deliberations about certain legislation, they use Senate time to quibble about a proposed bill to protect battered husbands. Because they believe themselves to be machos, they take the time to hold a dialogue about the proposed legislation after someone proposed legislation to protect battered wives.

July 15, 2013

Opinion 29

Champion

B
Old Soldiers Never Die

y 85-year-old uncle, Arsenio Dizon, is the only surviving relative in our family who was a guerilla during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines from 1940 to 1945. He was recruited by his older brother, uncle Gil Dizon, who formed a guerilla army under the American commanding general of the resistance movement in Northern Luzon. A prisoner who escaped the Death March, uncle Gil was more than ready and willing to ght the Japanese invaders. He rounded up 22 men, including Uncle Arsing, from his hometown in Guimba. Impressed, Col. Robert B. Lapham, overall commander of the Luzon Guerrila Army Forces, prepared the papers of authority recognizing my uncles guerrilla unit, Squadron 206-A. I was very happy and jubilant for now I could operate freely and independently in ghting the enemy, he wrote in his journal. Then I realized the enormous responsibilities I have to undertake, and the missions I have to accomplish: to continue the resistance until the war is won, to wipe out lawlessness and banditry in my given area of operation, and to give the necessary protection to the civilian populace wherever it needs be. True to his vows, he led his guerillas in attacking Japanese garrisons in Nueva Ecija and Tarlac, raiding rice granaries and distributing them to barrio folks. Wily and cunning, he evaded Japanese soldiers whom he pissed off (to put it mildly), chasing him and his guerrillas through rice elds and mountainous terrain. But uncle Gils weakness for wine, women and song got him ensnared in a trap set up by the enemy. He was captured and tortured to the point of death. He was eventually released, thanks to the intercession of high Philippine government ofcials. When the rst wave of U.S. liberating forces arrived, uncle Gil joined the reconnaissance troops. He attached his guerrilla unit with the American forces that launched an attack on the retreating Imperial Army in Cagayan Valley. Throughout the campaign, all guerrilla units in Northern Luzon were attached to the 25th Division of the U.S. Army under one unied command.

With the war over, Uncle Gils guerrillas were all given an honorable discharge and recognized as accredited members of the of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). Fast Forward. Im citing these accounts because my Uncle Arsing is among the 4,000 veterans who were denied benets under the FVEC because his record of service couldnt be authenticated. I have assisted him in his appeal and assured him not to give up hope. Now theres hope because the White House Interagency Working Group (IWG) has recently come up with changes in the verication process. Composed of the Veterans Administration, the U.S. Army and the National Personnel Records Center, these agencies recognize the urgency of authenticating claims and expediting certication requests. I believe the Obama administration want to do the right thing by making sure all eligible veterans receive their rightful benets. As stated in its report to the IWG, the U.S. Army administered an accreditation program to extend formal recognition to Philippine guerilla units and individuals who contributed materially to the defeat of Japanese occupying forces. My dad, Gregorio Melegrito, and my two uncles, were among the over 260,000 recognized with positive service determinations. US Army ofcials worked closely with Philippine authorities, guerilla unit commanders in developing authenticated rosters. They consists of over 1,600 boxes of permanent historical value and are stored at the National Archives and Records Administration facility in College Park, MD. These rosters remain the basis for all claims presented and adjudicated by various U.S. government agencies since 1948. My dad and Uncle Gil died before 2009 so they didnt get anything. But Uncle Arsing is still alive. For their sakes I plan to sort through those boxes soon, if only to conrm that old soldiers never die. Whether or not their names are listed in some roster somewhere, they served this country proudly and honorably and their legacy will live forever. Send your comments to jdmelegrito@gmail.com

oxer Manny Pacqiao may have lost his championship belt but he is still a champion. He just won a new title, the Congressman with the highest absentee record in the Philippine House of Representatives. He represents the province of Sarangani in Mindanao. Pacqiao explains that he was not gallivanting because his time away from the halls of Congress was spent for constituent work. His constituents obviously believe him. He just won reelection handily this year. Nobody dared to run against him. My barber who is not from Sarangani believes that Pacqiao is serving his people well. Being a born again Christian, his pastoral work includes counseling wayward husbands to exercise natural birth control by not making babies outside the marriage. His jobs plan includes praying to the heavens that somehow his compatriots will nd jobs from know not where. He promotes his social welfare program and does charity work through his TV program called Show Me Da Manny where he dispenses cash to star struck contest participants. His time away from Congress is actually a plus, my barber says. He doesnt have

enough time to learn graft and corruption. And besides, Pacquiao is not a great pretender. He does not know how to appear busy in the legislature when he is actually coming in only to see if his new Barong Tagalog ts him well. *** The Philippines has earned another title with no bragging rights attached. It has the highest teen pregnancy rate in Asia, according to a TV report. A media commentator said that this calls for an urgent action to spread information to the youth. In America, it is called sex education. Do you really believe that most of these young people who engage in sex do it without knowledge that if you put something in there, something in your image could possibly come out from there sometime? Was there sex education

when our grandparents were blooming with youth and teen pregnancy was an insignicant statistic? Learning about the birds and the bees may not be enough to imbue responsible behavior among those whose passionate eruptions overwhelm social restrictions. Family and the church may be ghting a losing battle. But who else will plug the leaking dike? *** Are you ready for Obamacare? Many will have to wait a little longer. Pres. Obama is not ready, not quite. The administration announced that it will postpone for another year the employer mandate part of Obamacare. Under the Affordable Health Care Act, employers with more than 50 full time workers will have to provide manda-

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Been there, done that

The turmoil in Egypt is a by-product of a military-backed popular uprising that deposed a strongman two years ago, a situation that Filipinos should be familiar with. In 1986, widespread protest against the Marcos dictatorship, riddled with charges of graft and human rights abuses, boiled over until a faction of the military launched a mutiny that was eventually embraced by the people. That process would be repeated 14 years later when the military withdrew support for then President now Manila City Mayor Joseph Erap Estrada amid a popular clamor to remove him from ofce after a failed impeachment trial. The scenes in Cairos Tahrir Square were reminiscent of EDSA, a sea of humanity peacefully ghting for change, both in 2011 (against Hosni Mubarak) and just the past few weeks. But the arrest of Mohamed Morsi, the countrys rst freely elected leader since the 1920s has threatened to derail efforts to restore democracy in the worlds biggest Arab nation. The latest events, especially the killing of hundreds of protesting Morsi supporters have left the United States and its principal ally in the region, Israel, nervous about where all

these will lead to. What happens to Egypt is important to America, but its also signicant because perhaps the Philippines can offer some lessons to the Egyptian people as they strive to build a democracy that satises their needs and conforms to their long history and unique culture. The Egyptian military is widely respected in the Middle East, imperative for maintaining peace and stability in this otherwise volatile region. They are widely regarded as the true center of power in Egypt and it was impossible they would not be drawn in the political conict. Politics usually operate under set rules, many of them shifting and unspoken. If what we know about what transpired in Manila in 1986 and 2000 are any indication, there would have been signicant pressure on the Egyptian military leadership to act.

Just like in the Philippines where military intervention was seen as key for victory for either side, Egypt has a much lengthier history of soldiers stepping into the role of both kingmakers as well as kings after a successful coup ended an experiment with British-style democracy in 1952. However, the real challenge is after, when people have to push the military back to their barracks. Then President Corazon Aquino stared down at least six mutinies including the August 1987 aborted putsch where her son, current Pres. Benigno Aquino III, was wounded in a rebel ambush while he tried to rush to his mothers side in Malacanang. Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, swept to power after Estradas generals abandoned him, quelled two uprisings in 2003 and 2006. The lessons from EDSA are apparent. Firstly, we rarely get

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Been there, done that... from page 29
it right the rst time. After President Marcos was forced to ee to Hawaii, his successor faced huge challenges foremost, dismantling a dictatorship while managing the peoples often impatient expectations. Events in Manila demonstrated that leaders are tempted to revert to dictator-like powers and subvert democratic institutions. Egyptians are only beginning this process; theyre still trying to x the democratic revolution theyve started amid the growing chaos of discarding a bad leader and searching for a better one. This is perhaps the most perilous stage of political transition. Secondly, the military will not go back to barracks voluntarily. They have to be enticed, pressured or cajoled to step back and let the civilians govern the nation. Some generals could feel invested in the political transition or skeptical of the messy process of building a democracy but these can be overcome by a united, vigilant citizenry. In the Philippines, the militarys own fear of being thrown asunder by competing political forces and a deep desire to be embraced once more by the public proved powerful motivation for them to let go. The Egyptian people should nd their own levers to sway the generals. Thirdly, there is no quicker way to derail democratic change than violence. After the peaceful revolution of 1986, a segment of the Philippine military reacted to the new political openness by assassinating leftist leaders, at times justifying them in the name of protecting People Power gains. The government went after the erring soldiers even if some of them helped drive out the dictator, but perhaps more importantly, the public itself denounced the murders. In the initial vacuum of political transition, excesses are likely to be committed by all sides. This is the time when people in the streets need to rise above partisan loyalties and express clearly Just last week, the administration announced that it will not verify the income of applicants seeking insurance subsidy under Obamacare. That means the government could dispense nancial assistance based on a lie. I smell insurance fraud, big time. Sen. Max Baucus, a prominent Democrat from Montana who helped craft Obamacare warned a few months ago that Obamacare is facing a train wreck in its implementation. Does the good senator have a clairvoyant vision? consequences had sadly been serious and/or fatal, as in the Luneta hostage-taking and a police encounter in Paranaque City, south of Manila, that resulted in the unnecessary killing of an innocent father and his young daughter. Similarly, many lives could have been saved from the many boat sinkings in the history of country had the ships crews been better-trained and familiar with life-savings techniques. Inadequate training should never be tolerated by companies or institutions that deal with the public. Fortunately, sometimes it results in inconveniences only to the people involved. But oftentimes, it results in tragedy. *** Greetings. A shout-out to friends Rommel Simon and Teresa Simbulan, who laid-out and printed my books when I was still living in the DC area. Hope youre both well and thriving. (Teresa, I have no news about your Dad, but best regards to all in your family.) XXIII, people sense there is no pretense that keeps them from easy relationship with Francis. Almost overnight, Francis began to restore credibility of his church just by being himself. He washed the feet of prisoners, including a Muslim woman, at the Holy Thursday liturgy. Thus, he panicked far-right Catholics but spoke of true religion to the

July 15, 2013

their solidarity with the freedoms theyre ghting for. Lastly, the world, especially the US and Egypts friends, should be unequivocal about their support for peaceful, democratic change. Granted that could be tricky as well as risky, experience in the Philippines showed that the rights words (or right action) at the right time to the right people could prove decisive especially when the situation is so uid. During the December 1989 coup, rebel pilots captured planes and used them to bomb targets in Manila. The US scrambled F-4 Phantom jets from Clark Air Base to buzz rebel airbases, producing sonic booms as progovernment troops and mutineers battled below, that left no doubt the US was standing by Mrs. Aquinos elected government and signaling the putsch was doomed. We doubt the US can or would even want to do something as dramatic in Cairo. Its a different, more dangerous eighborhood. Still, the desire for freedom and the opportunity for people to shape their future are timeless and universal. As some Pinoys might say, been there, done that. We can only wish Egyptian democracy ghters a safe, fruitful journey as they travel that same road.

Champion... from page 29

tory health insurance. Full time employees are those working more than 30 hours per week. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi once said- Lets pass this bill so that we will know whats in it. She is right. Now more and more people know about it and a good number do not nd it desirable. According to a new Gallup poll, more than 40 percent of small-business owners say that Obamacare caused them to freeze hiring and twenty ,percent say that they cut existing workers because of it. Only nine percent of 603 small-business owners surveyed believe that Obamacare will be good for business as compared to 48 percent who think otherwise. According to the House Energy and Commerce based on documents submitted by 17 of the nations largest insurance companies insurance premiums will increase an average of 100 percent under Obamacare.

On Our Missing... from page 24

years, unsolved until the start of my college years at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. The founding of UST in 1611 had always fascinated me, especially when I learned a few weeks after my enrolment that it had been conferred the title of Pontical University by the Vatican. My interest in the history of the founding of UST led me to a discovery of the Italian School of paintings, especially those masterpieces done by the Florentine artists of the 15th and 16th Centuries. Most of these artworks have depth of vision! Looking at an encyclopedia of illustrated works of arts, The Adoration of the Magi by Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lipi or The Portrait of a Lady by Nerocio de Landi, exhibited to me the usual two dimensional views, but examining them further, they both gave me a vision of two parallel lines converging on a point that to my eyes seemed endless like an innity. Further readings led me to a discovery that these two lines converging to an endless point, was the vanishing point, an optical illusion that appeared to an onlooker that the parallel lines seemed to meet at a point and objects appeared smaller the farther they were from my vision. These lines vanishing to a point gave the whole painting the perspective. Other works by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Bramantino, which I had examined, carried the same features. The absence of genderspecic pronouns in Tagalog is a vanishing point, a linguistic trait that is part of the Filipinos cultural heritage. The absence gives the Tagalog language a perspective; this uniqueness is a point of honor. No race, no culture, no language is better than the others. The Filipinos, their descendants, are the products of their own culture, shaped by customs and traditions, which, as distinct individuals, were acquired from their own families, nurtured and preserved since birth. The tone of voices, as expressed in Tagalog or in other native dialects, the inections, the stresses of emphasis, these are all acquired by the Filipinos and their descendants from the start of baby talks from the crib. Knowing all these, do you, as Filipinos, or as their descendants, still miss the personal pronouns?

Bad training kills... from page 25

try where police failed to use calm and calibrated responses to armed standoffs, ambushes or shootouts, resulting in unnecessary deaths (including of bystanders). Trigger-happy policemen simply rake suspects with excessive gunre, when simply disabling them would have been the appropriate action. In our everyday lives, we encounter all-too familiar instances of improper training. Look at Filipino drivers. They constantly break the law because theyre unfamiliar with the rules. How many Filipino drivers went to driving school? How many professional drivers are really professional? How many passed a real test at the Land Transportation Ofce to get a license? Everybody (even the blind, in one instance I remember from the news) gets a license. A lot of times the examiner himself lls out the test answers for the applicant. For a fee, of course. We get by through improvisation and shortcuts. We can all recall incidents of cluelessness in our lives. If only the people we dealt with had been properly trained, everything would have gone smoothly. Imagine how much in wasted time and effort such encounters must have cost us and companies in terms of lost productivity. As the adage says, time is money. Wasted time is costly. And wasted lives are tragic. Lack of training has been a bane of Philippine society and industry. Kaya mo yan, we tell trainees and let them sink or swim in the real world. And many of them fail precisely because theyre unprepared for their jobs. The consequences can be ruefully serious. Fortunately for the recent Cebu pacic runway overshoot, no one died or was injured. The delay (without a reassuring announcement from the crew) could have ended in more tragic circumstances, like a re or explosion. But in other incidents about which many of us are aware, the

Provisional waiver... from page 25

worked under the shadows for years and married a US citizen? Many of them do not risk departing the US for a visa interview in their home country for fear that the waiver will not be granted. That would mean a long separation from their spouse and children in the US, unless their immediate family will choose to join them abroad. With the procedural change, the alien will know in advance if his waiver application is world. The act spoke more of Francis understanding of Islam than the learned ( but often misunderstood ) theologically dense addresses of Benedict XVI. That, approved or denied before he makes a decision to appear for a visa interview abroad. Those who could not tolerate a long separation may just decide to forego with the visa interview abroad and continue to live in limbo status in the U.S. if the provisional waiver is denied. This is the main benet that the rule change brings in addition to the promised shorter processing time. alas, was not Benedicts strong suit, Kenndy adds. He was determined to diminish the inuence of a Vatican council that he insisted had been misinterpreted.

No Other Way... from page 25

Pope Benedict was 78 when elected, recalls Eugene Cullen Kennedy professor of psychology at Loyola University, Chicago - Benedict XVI spent eight long -- and I mean long -- years as our Holy Father. Francis entered our lives only a season ago. So, why does Francis seem like someone weve known a long time? Of Benedict, we fall back on the Irish saying that we hardly knew ye. John and Francis resemble each other most in their being anything but themselves. By its very nature, that quality cannot be faked. As they did about John

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