12

YEAR 12, No. 7 JANUARY 2009 Home Paper of the 1999 Canadian Ethnic Journalists’ and Writers’ Club Winner for Best Editorial Toronto, Ontario

INSIDE
MAMA CHING’S HANDS-ON MANAGEMENT STANDS OUT

Kalayaan
Ooops & Bloops

Simply
Jess C.,
etc., etc.,
etc. - 7

aims for
FEATURE: 2009
Horoscope - 12

best in ‘09
Dinagyang: Drums,
Dance, Devotion - 26

Dancing To Be A Star
- 33

‘08 RP showbiz
scene stealers - 35

It’s a freezing Saturday night and almost 8 p.m. Most seniors in

OBAMA: BE THE CHANGE

LINCOLN, MODEL PRESIDENT. 44th US President Barack Obama is the
first American Chief Executive to use the Lincoln Bible for his inauguration
since Lincoln used it in 1861. Obama’s inaugural theme, A New Birth of Free-
dom, was said to be inspired by Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
INAUGURATION HIGHLIGHTS ON PAGES 21 and 22
Canada would have been tucked in their warm beds by then.
At the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (KCCC) in Missis-
sauga, however, the night has just begun. Through the laughter, music
and glitter in a hall and rooms nearby, an 84-year old lady stays alert,
up and about in her office, ready to directly attend to the needs of the
center’s guests having a memorable time of their life.
That night, birthday parties and a debut. On Sunday night, more
funfare. On Monday until Friday, seminars and boardroom talk, sprin-
kled with feel-good and healthy community activities.
The week never stops short of events at the center. And so, it is, too
with KCCC’s perennial occupant and president Consolacion “Mama
Ching” Quejas, whose desire to be of service to a growing Filipino
base in Mississauga and metro Toronto is tireless. Just in case though,
Mama Ching has a folding bed nicely tucked in a corner of her office.
Hands-on management
The KCCC has a mandated mission, and the only way to achieve this mission is by
being true to it 24/7, Mama Ching impresses on Manila Media Monitor managing editor
Ace Alvarez and editor Butch Galicia in an interview.
Never running out of business keeps the KCCC fit; as never running out of pro-active
and productive things to do keeps Mama Ching healthy, lively and lovely.
(To page 3)

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2 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009

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e-mail: hweekes@royfoss.com

Kalayaan CCC aims for best in ‘09
(From page 1)
Mama Ching has to ap-
ply daily “person-to-person”
management to meet the de-
mands of KCCC officers,
staffmembers, volunteers,
donors and clients.
Hands-on administration
and human relations are not
new to Mama Ching, who
has to her name years of ex-
perience as a schoolteacher,
law practitioner, entrepre-
neur and community work-
er. She understands that her
work as KCCC president, a
post she has held since 2004,
entails her presence most of
the time.
Though she will be 85
come May, she shrugs off
age nuisances to enjoy “sim-
ple little things” -- to include
smiling at and greeting peo-
ple -- “that go a long way to
help” in making the KCCC
a lean but mean community
service outfit that can run at
any time.
Joyce, Mama Ching’s
reliable aide, nods in agree-
ment. Joyce knows the
KCCC is alive when people
in the center do the most
trivial of tasks without be-
ing asked, when they share
work and laugh as they cor-
rect mistakes, when they see
the community enjoy being
in and with the center.
“More people are com-
ing in and knowing about
KCCC,” she mused.
news
Biggest challenge
But it is not all smiles
at the KCCC. Mama Ching
knows she has her hands full,
as she recalls the challenges
that came the KCCC’s way
in the past year.
“So far, the KCCC is
above water,” Mama Ching
says, adding that “we are
hoping 2009 will be better.”
She avers that “money”
is still the biggest challenge
the center has to meet head-
on this new year.
The KCCC’s monthly
mortgage and maintenance
expense has gone up to some
$11,000, from the $10,000
the KCCC had when Ma-
nila Media Monitor/Front
Page Philippines TV first
interviewed Mama Ching
two years ago.
It has been delinquent in
its property tax payments,
but “we are managing” with
the help of the Mississauga
city government, she adds.
Aggressive fundraising
Unfazed by the biting
impact of a recession, Mama
Ching is confident that there
“are still many kind souls
who will let go of their ex-
tra cash to make the center
deliver.”
The KCCC will embark
on an aggressive fundraising
drive this year, she says.
A program to receive
cash donations through a
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 3
Viccari cited as Dean of Ethnic Media
direct debit Electronic Fund
Transfer scheme is in the
offing and Mama Ching is
sure “this will work.”
Jokingly, she says that
some of the dollar-laden she
meets see the glitter in her
eye as a quick peek and pick
into fat billfolds and purses.
“We don’t really make
money out of our members
or those who use our facili-
ties,” Mama Ching said.
“We look for other
sources of funds; and every
little source of donation is
most welcome,” she added.
Benevolent donors
Recently, Mama Ch-
ing received for the KCCC
a $13,000 cheque from the
Kalayaan Filipino Cultural
Organization (KFCO).
KFCO officers Willie As York South-Weston MPP Laura Albanese (center) cheers on, Premier
Cantos and Bennie Dicion McGuinty (left) recognizes Ben Viccari as Dean of Ethnic Media during a
presented the check during reception given to members of the media from various communities by the
the KCCC Christmas get- Ontario Liberal Caucus at Queens Park on Dec. 15. Viccari, whose column
together for volunteers and appears regularly in Manila Media Monitor, is the immediate past president
donors on Dec. 13, 2008. of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA), and is the predecessor to
On the same night, the the CEMA presidency of Manila Media Monitor Managing Editor Ace Alvarez.
Philippine Choral Society of (Photo: ONTARIO PREMIER’S OFFICE)
Mississauga under the baton
of Imelda Papa staged their ter’s rooms was named after Filipino workers, mostly ing Mama Ching to appeal
Pamasko concert to raise the club, the center’s only women, get past social and to volunteers to help them
funds for the KCCC and for way to show gratitude. work-related concerns dur- accomplish the job.
a five-year old girl suffering KCCC programs ing their stay in Canada. “If there is one thing we
from leukemia. The cash donations nur- The KCCC is also sup- want the KCCC to be, it is
Mama Ching also relates ture the center’s social and porting a full rondalla, which to be known as a community
the goodness of heart of the cultural programs. instruments were bought out center the grassroots built,”
Lions Club of Cookesville, Mama Ching said the of donations. Mama Ching concluded,
which donated $25,000 to KCCC is opening a regular There are a lot more pro- asking to be excused to take
the KCCC. One of the cen- program to help overseas grams at the KCCC prompt- her late dinner.

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4 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 news
TPS Pixels for Pistols gun
amnesty nets 1,897 firearms
Flaherty unwraps package of tax
The To-
ronto Po-
lice Service
relief measures for tough times ahead
(TPS) has The Canadian govern- 1, 2009. ► Increase in the length tion year would begin on
recovered a ment has unwrapped a pack- ► Application of the of the contribution period March 3.
total of 1,897 age of tax relief measures Registered Retirement In- for the Registered Education ► Extension of the capi-
firearms, as intended to benefit individu- come Funds (RRIF) pro- Savings Plan. tal gains exemption on gains
the TPS end- als, families and businesses gram to the 2008 taxation ► Expansion of the list realized on certain unlisted
ed its Pixels at the onset of 2009. (See year only. of expenses eligible for the securities exchanged for
for Pistols right box) The program proposed a Medical Expense Tax Credit. listed securities and subse-
gun amnesty Finance Minister Jim one-time 25-percent reduc- ► Extension of the quently donated.
program that Flaherty said the new tax tion in the required mini- deadline for opening a Reg- This also applied to cor-
ran from Oct. reduction steps would see mum RRIF withdrawal for istered Disability Savings porations.
22 to Dec. 1, Canadians and Canadian 2008, thus helping retir- Plan (RDSP) to March 2, Personal Income
2008. businesses paying some ees affected by the market 2009. ► Since Jan. 1, 2008,
In a “$31 billion less in taxes” downturn to keep more of This would help more employers were given more
press release or nearly two percent of the their savings in their RRIFs. parents save to ensure the flexibility to offer phased
coursed country’s gross domestic ► Increase in the North- long-term financial security retirement programs, and
through product (GDP). ern Residents Deduction by of a child with a severe dis- to raise the reward to older
Community The government had 10 percent starting Jan. 1. ability. The RDSP contribu- (To page 32)
Mobilization been implementing some of
Unit (CMU)
officer Con-
the tax reduction measures
since 2006. Employment in Alberta slows down
stable Philip A summary of the fed- Once described as a at 16,000, all in full time ployment rate, which hit 6.6
Mendoza, eral tax relief measures in- job haven, Alberta has ex- work. percent in December.
the TPS said cluded the: perienced a considerable However, hourly wages Employment growth
304 non-fire- ► Tax-Free Savings Ac- employment slowdown in remained the highest in Al- from December 2007 to De-
arms, includ- count, a flexible savings ve- 2008, a Statistics Canada la- berta, at $24.50; followed by cember 2008 was 0.6 per-
ing pellet guns and replicas, were also turned in for hicle that allowed Canadians bor force survey for Decem- Ontario, at $22.40; and Brit- cent (+98,000), slower than
destruction. to contribute up to $5,000 ber, 2008 said. ish Columbia, at $22.00. the increase of 2.2 percent
A total of 58,217 rounds of ammunition and 1,486 per year to the account, with From hefty increases of In general, the survey (+358,000) seen over the
boxes of assorted ammunition were likewise received unused contribution being over 4 percent in 2006 and said employment in Cana- same period in the previous
for disposal. carried forward. 2007, Alberta’s employment da declined for the second year.
The gun amnesty program was carried out in part- Investment income, in- rate dipped to 1.3 percent in straight month in Decem- From the record low of
nership with Henry’s Camera, the TPS CMU divisions cluding capital gains, earned 2008. ber (-34,000), the result 5.8 percent in early 2008,
and the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force. within the account would While jobs edged down of a large drop in full-time the unemployment rate
The TPS cited Torontonians for helping the service not be taxed, and withdraw- in most Canadian provinces work. had climbed 0.8 percent-
keep Toronto safe and livable. PR als would be tax-free. in December 2008, Alberta With the decline came a age points by the end of the
This took effect on Jan. recorded the highest loss 0.3 percent rise in the unem- (To page 16)

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 news
Zimbabwe’s cash woes FUEL, POWER COSTS LOWER; BUT WATER, RICE PRICES MAY RISE
RP inflation eases to 9.3%
MANILA - Philippine
inflation has eased to 8
percent in December 2008
from November’s 9.9 per-
cent, bringing the average
inflation for 2008 to 9.3
percent.
The drop in inflation, de-
fined as the general upward
price movement of goods
and services in an economy
at a given period, is expect-
ed to give consumers more
value for their money.
Core inflation, which
measures the change in av-
Unusual tide rise, heavy persistent rains,
floods, landslides batter Philippine regions
Unusual sea movements
and heavy continuous rains
have caused floods and
landslides in various parts
of the Philippines in the first
In the AFP file photo above, a shopper buys toma- 15 days of January, killing
toes in Harare. Zimbabwe. The government has at least 12 people and dis-
introduced on Jan. 16 a 100-trillion dollar note placing over 300,000 more.
(about 300 US dollars or 225 euros) in its latest In Mindanao, at least
attempt to keep pace with hyperinflation that has five persons were killed,
left the once-vibrant economy in tatters, said an 13 missing and over 47,650
AFP news report posted at Yahoo News. The re- families (over 100,000 per-
port said this is the latest grim measure of Zimba- sons) sought higher grounds
bwe’s staggering economic collapse, heightening after flashfloods struck Ca-
the urgency of a new round of political unity talks gayan de Oro and Gingoog
between leader Robert Mugabe and opposition cities and 13 towns in Misa-
chief Morgan Tsvangirai on Jan. 19. mis Oriental province.
erage consumer prices ex-
cluding certain items with
volatile price movements
such as food products and
energy, also declined from
7.9 percent in November to
7.3 percent in December.
But core inflation in
2008 reached 6.2 percent,
higher than in 2007 at 2.8
percent.
“Given the shocks to
inflation in 2008, the target
for 2009 will fall within the
official forecast of 6 to 8
percent. Inflation is expect-
In Cagayan de Oro City
alone, flashfloods displaced
at least 29,000 families in
32 barangays.
Officials said 186 hous-
es and four bridges were
destroyed. Classes were
suspended in public schools
used as evacuation centers.
Mt. Kitanglad logging
Officials are investigat-
ing the extent of logging at
Mt. Kitanglad to see if this
had caused the floods that
hit Cagayan de Oro City.
Mayor Constantino
Jaraula surmised that log-
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
ed to return within target
rates in 2010,” said Socio-
economic Planning Secre-
tary Ralph Recto.
On the other hand,
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Governor Amando Tetang-
co, Jr. described the 8-per-
cent inflation for December
as an auspicious beginning
for 2009.
“As inflation ebbs, we
will carefully consider op-
portunities for monetary
easing mindful of potential
tightening financial condi-
ging operations in and
around Mount Kitanglad -
which traversed Bukidnon,
the Lanao provinces and
the Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao - had
caused heavy downstream
rainwater flow to the city.
The flooding was said
to be the most destructive
since 1957.
Disaster in Caraga
Cascading boulders of
rocks and sands due to soil
loosening from a denuded
mountain buried alive at
least two persons and se-
5
tions,” Tetangco said.
Lower fuel, power costs
Recto attributed the in-
flation dip to lower fuel, en-
ergy and power costs.
Just recently, crude oil
prices fell to US$35 per bar-
rel from over US$100 per
barrel in the world market
due to slackening demand.
“This caused local oil
prices to go down by as
much as P1 near the end of
2008,” Recto said, adding
that power utilities have also
(To page 30)
riously hurt two others in
Purok Gangas, Mangagoy,
Bislig City.
The Caraga Regional Di-
saster Coordinating Council
said this brought to six the
number of deaths related to
a weeklong downpour that
hit Caraga region.
Declared under a state
of calamity were coastal
areas in Nasipit, Agusan del
Norte and in Surigao City,
which all came at the mercy
of strong winds and huge
waves that destroyed sea
(To page 28)
6 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Canada has 33-M people; fast growth rate in west
Canada’s population
grew by 0.39 percent in the
third quarter of 2008, its
highest quarterly growth
rate since 1990.
In its latest survey, Sta-
tistics Canada said growth
remained faster in the coun-
try’s western part.
As of Oct. 1, 2008,
Growing Filipino community in Toronto Canada’s population was
estimated at 33,441,300, up
news
129,900 from July 1, 2008.
Populations rose in ev-
ery province and territory,
except the Northwest Ter-
ritories.
The pace of Canada’s
population growth was fast-
er than in the same quarter
of 2007, the result of an in-
crease in net international
migration, which set a third-
quarter record of 89,100.
This upward movement
was due to an increase in
the number of non-perma-
nent residents.
While immigration and
emigration remained rela-
tively steady, the number
of non-permanent residents
grew by 32,400, the largest
third-quarter increase since
1988.
In the same period,
71,300 immigrants entered
Canada, slightly fewer
than in the same quarter of
2007.
Canada’s rate of natu-
ral increase also remained
stable in the third quarter
of 2008 compared with the
same period in 2007, with
the number of births and
deaths increasing at a simi-
lar pace. PR

Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
has conferred on Tobias
Enverga, Jr. the Lingkod sa
Kapwa Pilipino (Linkapil)
Presidential Award in cer-
emonies at Malacañang on
Dec. 10, 2008.
In a citation, the Presi-
dent said Enverga is being
recognized for “his patrio-
tism and love for fellow
Filipinos through continued
delivery of assistance and
support by spearheading
fundraising campaigns for
projects that will benefit his
kababayans.”
Enverga was the only
individual among four
Linkapil awardees. The
other three were groups.
The Linkapil Award is
conferred on Filipino asso-
ciations or individuals based
abroad for their significant
contribution to reconstruc-
tion, progress and develop-
ment in the Philippines.
Enverga was commend-
GMA confers Presidential Award on Jun Enverga
ed for his work with Fili-
pino-Canadian and other
organizations in a number
of charitable projects.
Enverga was credited for
the conduct of medical mis-
sions worth some $500,000;
raising funds for Bantay
Bata, for the construction of
school buildings, churches
and convents, for the instal-
lation of artesian wells, and
for livelihood training pro-
grams for disaster victims.
Lately, he helped raised
funds for the Philippine In-
dependence Day Council’s
(PIDC) Gawad Kalinga
villages in Panganiban, Ca-
marines Norte and Batasan, In his speech, he said: He said his wife, Rose- (TOP, LEFT) Tobias ‘Jun’ Enverga, Jr. (right) re-
Quezon City. “The award is not mine alone, mer, was a very big reason ceives from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Enverga is the president it is an award that is shared why the award was be- a plaque citing him for his work that benefit the
of PIDC and the Lucena by all the people who have stowed on him. He thanked poor and needy in the Philippines. (TOP, RIGHT)
City Association. He coined passionately and tirelessly everyone who worked to Jun and wife Rosemer are flanked by Jun Villaruz,
the slogan, “The Mission is supported the many events help the poor and the needy. Raymund Albovias, the awards emcee, Joe Era-
the Reason!” that we have organized”. PR mo, Rachel Eramo and Neri Albovias. PR

At least twice, Delamarc
Travel’s Cora dela Cruz told Front
Page Philippines TV program host
Gie Alvarez that after watching
the Sunday Mass on television,
her husband Bert would flip the
channel over to OMNI 2 to watch
the Filipino program.
Cora said Bert does this every
Sunday. He’s very religious, Cora
stressed. She meant very religious
watching Front Page Philippines
every Sunday.
***
The afternoon edition of the
January 5 issue of Marketing
Daily carried an item stating
“Honda sales up in ‘08”.
The news item stated that the
carmaker sold 171,358 vehicles
in Canada last year, up one
percent from 2007 and its best-
ever annual sales in the 36 years
it has sold cars in Canada.
Please join me in
congratulating Rafael Nebres,
general manager of Action
Honda, for advertising with
Manila Media Monitor and
its media affiliate, Front Page
Philippines TV, thus, leading to
VIEWS
ACE ALVAREZ
Simply Jess C.,
etc., etc., etc.
his dealership’s contribution to
the national sales figure. (My
eye winking) Ayos na!
***
Another item in the same
edition of Marketing Daily states
that The New York Times became
the latest paper to run advertising
at the bottom of its front page
because of falling ad revenue
like those experienced by other
newspapers.
Well, sa amin dito sa Filipino
community, even before the
attribution by The New York
Times to “falling ad revenue” as
the reason for running advertising
in the front page, we are already
running ads in the front pages of
our newspapers. Just look at the
papers around you. Pera muna,
bago basa.
***
Philippine Press Club-
Ontario (PPC-O) president
Tenny Soriano sent out a
message, asking members
to signify their intention in
attending the seminar on libel
and copyright laws.
One member’s actual
response is snagged in this page
as you see here.
We’re sure that this PPC-O
member is likewise a member
of several other organizations,
hence, to all those who will
be stationed at the reception
of all other functions in the
Filipino-Canadian community,
please note that when a person
introduces himself as “Jess
Carlos”, please see to it that
the name and the person’s face
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
correspond with that in the
photo published here.
***
Because of the slumping
economy, CTV announced last
month that it was cutting about
105 positions.
Rival Global Television, on
the other hand, announced that
it cut 210 positions in all its TV
operations.
At Front Page Philippines
TV, only two jobs will be cut.
Management named the two
affected jobs as those of Ace and
Gie Alvarez.
***
Also last month, CTV
programming honcho Susan
Boyce said the advertising
dollars simply just weren’t there
for the 2009 Canadian Idol.
According to Marketing
Magazine Daily of December 18,
the network has announced that
the popular television singing
7
contest will be put on hold for
the coming year and may return
in the future.
As of this writing, no word,
in the meantime, has been heard
from other singing contests in
the Filipino community’s singing
idols contests, such as those of
the Filipino Centre Toronto and
Culture Philippines of Ontario.
Aba, siyempre, ibahin nila
ang mga Pinoy, ano?
***
Last month, PPC-O prez Tenny
issued the following advisory: “To
all PPC-O members and guests …
Our Christmas Party and Celebrity
Star Night will go on as scheduled,
Friday, December 19, 2008,
snowstorm or no snowstorm.”
In the Philippines, the advisory
would have stated “rain, or shine”.
E, kaso, Mr. President, snowstorm
ito e. More things are involved!
***
The Manila Times internet
edition of January 9, 2009
carries an item stating, “45%
of Filipinos Fear Losing Jobs
– Gallup”.
Hhhmmm … probably,
the sample of the survey was
done within, and limited to the
residents of Forbes Park!
***
On Wednesday, January 7,
2009 -- the day of one of the last
heavy snow falls in Toronto and
suburbs, the corporate Danny
Samson said during a phone
conversation in the afternoon of
that day that snow continues to
fall in Richmond Hill at that very
(To page 11)
8 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Consider the following: a
journalist was driving home with
his daughters and men sprayed
his car with bullets, killing the
journalist instantaneously, and
one daughter was wounded,
having able to scramble to safety;
the other daughter escaped death
dodging death in the back seat of
the car.
Another instance was that of a
newspaper editor who was going
out for coffee and was shot dead
as he was leaving home.
Further, a radio commentator
was ambushed by armed men
while he was outside a shopping
mall, shooting him five times
and was left clinging to his life, a
bullet lodged in his head.
Of the three instances cited
above, none of the perpetrators
have been held into account.
Mabuhay! Welcome to the
Philippines - regarded as the most
dangerous place for journalists
outside of war zones in the world.
Outside of war zones? But
since time immemorial, the
Philippines’ south remains a war
zone.
Just ask the likes of Butch
Galicia and Rickly Caluen,
Manila Media Monitor editor
and columnist, respectively, who
both hailed from the Philippines
southern island of Mindanao..
Editor Butch himself covered
the Mindanao armed conflict in the
past, first, for the Mindanao Cross,
and later, for the Philippines News
Agency - eventually becoming
PNA’s executive editor, and
last December wrote about his
experiences.
A few years ago, we vis-
ited hundreds of grade and high
schools across the archipelago to
ask pupils aged 9 to 17 who they
enjoyed viewing on television.
Nearly a million students were
polled in that landmark study.
The national study was occa-
sioned by disturbing results of a
mini-survey we informally con-
ducted for a Canada-based friend
in a handful of public elementary
schools in Malabon, Bulacan and
Laguna where, expectedly, the
concept of heroism among chil-
dren under nine was not yet con-
cretely formed.
To our horror, the heroes that
the pupils idolized and sought
to become their lifelong models
were the likes of Bong Revilla,
Robin Padilla and FPJ.
The choices would not have
been as worrisome had the subject
kids cited real heroes, besides their
fathers or teachers, choices which
relieved us to a certain extent.
Rizal and Bonifacio hardly
made the top ten list and some of
the respondent schools were even
named after heroes.
Of course today, Revilla is
hardly visible on the Senate floor
but very present on TV; Padilla is
a reformed character since incar-
ceration and conversion to Islam
and FPJ, well, six feet under.
Very evident today is the grow-
ing dependence of Pinoy children
and youth on media.
Media, particularly television,
are now the chief source of infor-
mation even education of a huge
From The
Monitor’s Desk
A salute to these
dedicated reporters
In this issue, the second
installment is published.
Both of Butch’s columns
caught my interest due to an
absence of a similar adventure
(was it?) in my own career.
I would have had such,
when shortly after completing
journalism school – and through
the recommendation of Ka Doroy
Valencia to then National Media
Production Center (NMPC)
Director Gregorio Cendana – I
was given a chance to work as
reporter for NMPC’s News Center
assigned in Mindanao, but which
my older brother Nelson did not
approve of, considering that I
was a very young graduate and
the sheltered environment I was
raised in.
Butch’s column last December
led me to wonder how it was like
to cover a war zone, or similar
environment, thus, prompting me
to ask specific questions on his
experience.
I won’t delve into those things
as editor Butch himself described
them anyway in that column and
the second part of the subject
Roundabout
MAG CRUZ-HATOL
Rising concern over celebrity
worship among young Filipinos
percentage of Filipinos under 18.
Parents and educators ac-
knowledge, with bitterness, that
morals, values, fashion tastes, de-
corum, language and even cultural
outlook are shaped by television.
It did not happen overnight.
We have heard of girls faint-
ing at the mere sight of an of El-
vis poster; crying upon hearing
the first strains of a Beatles hit;
of boys assuming the swagger of
James Dean or plastering their
rooms with posters of Alice Coo-
per or the Rolling Stones.
Not to be outdone locally, just
three decades ago, Nora and Tirso
would literally be engulfed, even
suffocated, by the tons of leis that
fans customarily slung around the
necks of their pop idols.
All this amid the ear-busting
screams and squeals of unruly but
adulating crowds.
Thankfully, there is a bit more
sophistication, refinement and
practicality among today’s young
fans because they do not splurge
VIEWS
ACE ALVAREZ
published in this issue.
Rather, on the same note,
I asked other media friends,
among others, Tenny Soriano, on
his personal thought and feeling
on covering a similar war zone
environment as a result of what
is now known as the 1986 People
Power in the Philippines, on Metro
Manila’s EDSA (Epifanio de los
Santos Avenue).
Not many know that Tenny
– the incumbent president of the
Philippine Press Club-Ontario
(PPC-O) was among those holed
up with then Defense Secretary
Juan Ponce Enrile and Gen. Fidel
Ramos at either Camps Crame
and Aguinaldo, in fulfillment of
his assignment as a reporter for
the Manila Standard.
Tenny confided that at that
very moment, he thought, “Gusto
ko na lang maging langgam” (I
just wanted to be an ant) – with
his own life at stake had Marcos
ordered the worst that could be
expected from that situation.
Manila Media Monitor
columnist Jimmy Montejo was
likewise holed up with them
as much on flowers, fan maga-
zines, autograph books and pho-
tos as much as they do on, say,
cell phone load and excursions to
malls.
We see the Elvis and Beatles
phenomena remorphed today in
the likes of Britney Spears, Hil-
ary Duff and Miley Cyrus.
However, because the parents
of today’s teens are more en-
grossed with their own turf, and
have been there and done that,
the parental anxiety is not as pro-
nounced as it should be.
Celebrity obsession among to-
day’s youth is stoked by media’s
own fuel.
Time was when the news sec-
tion of a paper competed for atten-
tion with the puzzle and comics
page.
Today, the most well read are
the entertainment pages.
On television, the presence
of celebrity in a program assured
viewership; absence meant low
ratings and a slow but sure death.
during those three days – the latter
covering for Times Journal.
PPCO member Nestor
Arellano, on the other hand, was
outside covering the skirmishes
such as those around the perimeter
of the government-owned Channel
4 TV, radio and print complex.
Meanwhile, inside the facility,
and on the duration of all those
three-days of courage, my own
Gie Alvarez continued to report
for work as radio announcer for
then DZRP - the Voice of the
Philippines radio station (re-
christened Radyo ng Bayan after
the 1986 EDSA revolt).
I had a chance to ask Nestor
recently how he felt doing his
work during those times, and
he said that for him it was an
adventure, considering that he was
a very young and starting reporter
at that time; he was only 21 and
fresh from journalism school.
What about Gie? Oh, I tell
you, her spirits were intact and
she stayed inside the VOP booth
doing her work until the very time
that the people barraged into the
Channel 4 fence, and forcibly
entered the Channel 4 building.
Not many people know that
my Gie’s composition for bravery
is so much for a woman.
Did I mention that even when
she was in elementary school, she
fired a toy gun inside the classroom
with the teacher’s back on her, and
warned her classmates simply by
looking at them against snitching
on her; nobody tattled.
Regardless of the war-like
environments that they have
(To page 11)
Gossip programs and shows
that peddle celebrity worship have
ad spaces so full that the shows
last for nearly a lifetime.
Not to be outdone, TV news-
casts cap every segment with
show biz news, the more sensa-
tional, queer and inane, the more
mileage devoted.
And they are purposely kept at
the conclusion to ensure that the
viewer is plugged in to the finish.
This unhealthy worship of ce-
lebrity has serious downsides, es-
pecially on the vulnerable young
who are still figuring out who they
are and what they want to be.
We have seen how our world
has evolved. Swifter at every turn
of the calendar.
Five centuries ago, it took
nearly a year for Magellan to in-
form Europe that he had success-
fully reached the Pacific shores.
About two centuries later,
messages were sent more expedi-
tiously, through dots and dashes
and the telegram.
Then there was the enduring
radio medium. Soon after, televi-
sion in the 50s.
And in one decade, shots from
the moon were being beamed live
to earth.
Then CNN showed the way
to present events in the Gulf War
as though they were happening in
our backyards.
It is not surprising that enter-
prising business wizards are able
to exploit the magic and power of
media to make the cash register
(To page 34)
12 years of dedicated
community service
Managing Editor
ACE ALVAREZ
Editor
BUTCH GALICIA
Associate Editor
GIE ALVAREZ
Contributing Editors
Ben Viccari
Ricky Caluen
Jimmy Montejo
Mag Cruz Hatol
Grace P. Freires
Manny Freires
Pete Lacaba
Mel Tobias
Editorial Assistants
Lennart Leigh Alvarez-Mahoney
Dods Andrada
Contributors
Eva Agpaoa
Mario Dimain
Robert Wilson
Noel Perada
Larry Torres
Chito Sarabia
Edwin Acuna
Bien Garcia
Jeannie Pilapil
Account Executive
MYRNA SORIANO
Graphics
IDTech Solutions
416-875-2541
projects@idtechsolutuionsnetwork.com
Philippine Communication Facility
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1008 Manila, Philippines
Tel/Fax: (632) 742-1484
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 VIEWS
Commentary
SURVEYS SAID:
Health is wealth These interesting times
For many retired Canadians, health tops it all.
When asked to say what the best gift they could receive in re- As 2009 is just starting, I still
tirement would be, most cited good health rather than not having find this the most challenging of
financial worries, even amid the news of a haunting recession. all times in which to sermonize,
The 19th Annual RBC RRSP Poll, conducted by Ipsos Reid in a speculate, predict.
national online survey of 1,272 Canadians from Oct. 16 to 23, 2008, What is believed by some to
showed 53 percent of survey respondents sought for good health, be an ancient Chinese curse, but
higher than the 30 percent who asked for no financial worries. never authenticated: “May you
The survey said 51 percent of retired Canadians had changed live in interesting times” most
their lifestyle to ensure a healthy retirement. certainly defines the year ahead.
Eighty percent of those who did so said they had a better diet, It looks more like horrific than
69 percent exercised more and 64 percent attended regular medical “interesting” times, as we mark
appointments. a massive acceleratiion of the
The reverse, however, was true for Canadians who have not yet Israeli/Palestinian conflict, plus,
retired, with 38 percent ranking no financial worries over health (34 depressing news from other zones
percent) as the best gift they could give themselves in retirement. of conflict.
“We are seeing that pre-retirees have not planned for the pos- January 1, as a universally
sibility that health issues may force them to retire,” said Lee Anne accepted way of marking time
Davies, head, advanced retirement strategies, RBC. is not, we know, the time for all
“Prior to retirement, it’s important to take the time to think about heritage celebrations.
how changes in your health, or the health of someone depending on But with these greetings, we
you, could affect when and how you live in retirement. It’s impor- honor all with what we hope and
tant to consider how to integrate the maintenance of good health pray will see a beginning of progress
into retirement planning,” Davies said. toward a world in which peace
But the same poll showed that 41 percent of pre-retired Canadi- and not violence, sustenance and
ans planned on becoming healthier in retirement, with 80 percent of not starvation and respect for the
them planning on having a better diet, 79 percent exercising more rights of all men, women and
and 32 percent attending regular medical appointments. children are shared in this space
The survey also bared that about one in four retired Canadians called Earth.
cited health issues as the main reason for retirement. ***
Only nine percent of pre-retired Canadians, however, believed How often I’ve jested about
that health issues would trigger their retirement. the man I most despise for his
Besides health issues, qualifying for a pension (24 percent) and inability to pronounce “nuclear’”
company downsizing (13 percent) were the leading factors that correctly. And Dubya is still doing
prompted Canadians to retire. From a CNW report it.
Job mart outlook varies, Wow, another year is finally
over and so much has happened.
career concerns rise Some good and some bad. But
that’s normal. Now I’m looking
Career planning has taken a higher priority for 2009 than in past forward to a new fresh year. How
years, as Canadians took a relatively brighter outlook of the job about you?
market despite news of layoffs and a dipping employment rate. How did 2008 go for you? Did
A Workopolis survey of 578 working Canadians, conducted by you fulfill your dreams? Did you
Harris/Decima between Dec. 11 and 14, 2008 via national omnibus move closer to realizing your am-
telephone, showed that 25 percent of the respondents contemplated bition? Or was 2008 a tough year
a New Year’s resolution related to their careers.
This was significant compared to the 13 percent who similarly
that brought you more bad than
good?
said so in a 2006 study. Like every New Year, I make
But many Canadians still prioritized other aspects of their lives. a list of resolutions that I want to
Quality time with friends and family ranked highest for 56 percent accomplish. But like every other
of Canadians, followed by exercise (53 percent), diet (45 percent) year, that list sits in my drawer
and quitting smoking (11 percent). unread and undone. I think that’s
Sixty-five percent of the respondents expected the labor market what most of us do.
to improve and the clouds of recession to clear in a year or more. Resolutions never work for
Two in ten or 22 percent expected a brighter outlook within the the simple reason that we wait for
next six to twelve months and eight percent anticipated positive a single day in the year in which
change in the next three to six months. to think about them and commit
“Canadians have been through recessions before, and we un- to them.
derstand that this too shall pass,” said Patrick Sullivan, president If we really wanted change, we
of Workopolis. would do that throughout the year.
“If you are in the market for a new opportunity, keep in mind If we really wanted to be differ-
there are still jobs out there, but you may have to be more strategic ent we would work on it every day
and focused about your search, and position yourself accordingly,” without the need to make a list.
Sullivan said. So let’s resolve to do that this
“Job satisfaction and career planning are part of the big pic- year. This year our list will be
ture when it comes to your overall happiness and well-being,” he empty. Instead of a list, we can
stressed. commit ourselves to ourselves,
Concerned about the economy and their own financial well-be- working every day on improving
ing in 2009, Canadians have begun thinking proactively about their ourselves.
careers and their marketability for future job opportunities. Let me give you a simple ex-
Four-in-ten (41 percent) said they would be more likely to seek ample:
out increased compensation in 2009. Diet. Almost everyone I know
“If you’re looking for a raise or to move to a job with more sal- wants to lose weight (including
ary this year, be sure to do your homework and be realistic. Prepare me!). I thought to myself, “self,
a strong case for yourself including being able to demonstrate your let me just enjoy the remaining
achievements,” advised Sullivan. few holiday days, then I’ll get re-
(To page 32) ally serious and lose those extra
few pounds”.
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
BEN VICCARI
Now, I blush as I hear a man
I admire, Ontario Minister of
Economic Development Michael
Bryant come out over the air with
“nu-cal-ar.” Please Mr. Bryant!
And, please fellow journalists;
can we soft-pedal on 2008’s most
overused words, “iconic” and
“famously.”
And to all: it’s FEBRUARY
not “FEBYOUARY.” !!!!!!!!!!!
***
First, may the Canadian
Tories, Liberals and NDPers and -
down south, the Republicans and
Democrats, get off the bitter and
wasteful bandwagons of revenge
politics and turn their thoughts to
true patriotism.
May the media stop making
headline news of every possible
negative incident.
May our own Canadian youth
become inspired to understand
and participate in the politics of
the nation. And may whoever is
Prime Minister in 2009 make this
a key target.
May good Queen Elizabeth’s
hat designer create headgear that
doesn’t make her look as though
she’s wearing an inverted plant
pot.
May some enterprising
Our Journey
Take control over your life
Of course that’s not working
out for me. Each day brings new
temptations and I can’t resist. I say
“self, it’s ok for today cause I’ll
deal with you tomorrow” (after all
the New Year has not started and
this is after all a resolution!!!).
Ooops. Not only do I not start
my diet, but I’ve actually gained a
few pounds more (come on, who
can resist that roast pig at Christ-
mas).
But that’s the real problem with
resolutions: They are an excuse to
put off doing important things. A
resolution sets a new time line, a
place in the future when you can
start something new. So until you
arrive at that place, you think you
are free to go crazy.
So, I’ve made the decision to
start my diet today! And not wait
for the appointed resolution date.
Wish me luck.
The other big problem with
New Year resolutions is that they
allow you to lose control over
your life.
Think about this: If I set a
New Year resolution (that by the
9
midway operator feature a three
shoes for five dollar chance to
hit the effigy of George W.Bush,
giving us a chance for fun as well
as trying to laugh at why this lame
duck, lame-brain insists on going
a-meddling abroad. (prize: a Dick
Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld or
Condoleeza Rice plush doll).
And please, CTV anchor Sandy
Rinaldo honour your gracious
countenance with a hairdo that
does it justice - not those frumpy,
lank locks that you wear.
A quick pink slip to the
person(s) responsible for the
constantly erroneous listings in the
Toronto Star weekly TV guide!
***
The following is excerpted
from the Gallon Environmental
Newsletter for December:
“At the recent UN global
climate change discussions in
Poland, Canada received the ‘Fossil
of the Day’ award more often than
any other country. In the eleven
years since the Kyoto Protocol
was negotiated, Canada has
gone from global environmental
leader to global environmental
pariah. Even our previous friends
in the circle of Kyoto denyers,
the US and Australia, have left
us behind as they now move to
seek out constructive solutions
to the global warming challenge.
Canada is risking a major global
boycott of our goods and services
because of our decisions to depend
on dinosaurs for both fuel and
governance.
The environmental outlook
for the private sector is somewhat
more positive. A greater number
(To page 18)
EVA AGPAOA
way keeps slipping day by day),
I’ve given up control over the
very thing I’ve resolved to change
(like my weight).
Changing something about
yourself is really about proving
to yourself (and others) that you
have control over your life.
Failing to change probably
means that someone or something
else has control over you (like
your emotions or weakness for
roast pig).
In my case, I’ve been “re-
solving” to lose weight for some
time now. But nothing’s happened
(well no surprise there, I haven’t
started).
My point is about controlling
my life. Going on a diet and stay-
ing on it is about discipline and
self control. And that’s important
to me. This year I will take control
of my life and I will not wait for
the New Year to do that.
You should think about doing
the same. It will be good for your
soul and self image. Be well and
have a great 2009. info@thenan-
nyexpert.com
10 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
It was one of those tropical late afternoons in the mid-
‘80s in Cotabato City. At the southwest corner of Parang
Road and Sinsuat Ave., fronting Farmacia Lourdes and
just across the entrance outpost of the Central Mindanao
Command (Cemcom) in PC Hill, I alit from the rather
uncomfortable back seat of a mud-splattered motor bike.
Abdullah had seen me off with the usual cordial
‘Wassalam (Peace be with you)’. Seconds after Abdullah
throttled away, I spotted a run-down but newly-painted
olive green Willis military jeep driven by a familiar staff
sergeant heading towards me. In a minute or two, I and
Sarge went up the winding asphalt road that led to one of
the Philippine Army’s major headquarters in Mindanao.
(Cemcom was put up in the early ‘70s to contain a
brewing Moro rebellion sparked by Nur Misuari’s Moro
National Liberation Front [MNLF]; and later with splinter
groups Moro Islamic Liberation Front [MILF] led by
Hashim Salamat and the MNLF Reformists under Dimas
Pundato. Misuari, Salamat and Pundato used to be the
MNLF’s ranking leaders. Many, if not all, MNLF fighters
were academically and militarily trained in Islamic states in
the Middle East and South Asia).
Atop PC Hill at the camp’s tennis court, Cemcom chief
Brigadier General Jose P. Magno Jr. signaled time out from
a tennis game with officers and called me into the court. As
he wiped off perspiration from his face, he calmly asked
me: “Mayroon bang sirang tulay sa pinuntahan mo? (From
where you came, did you notice a damaged bridge?)”
*****
My mind raced back to earlier events of the day.
Abdullah fetched me at my place a little after dawn.
At Quezon Bridge, the boundary of Cotabato City and the
northeast town of Nuling in Maguindanao, we changed
vehicles and motored off for a one-hour ride farther
northeast to the town of Pikit, North Cotabato, through the
Cotabato-Davao Highway.
In Pikit, we transferred to a four-wheel drive service
vehicle of the Southern Philippines Development Authority
(SPDA), a state agency implementing projects for Mindanao
rehabilitation. SPDA Liguasan Marsh project manager Bert
Ferrer and several armed chaperones, who I knew all along
VIEWS
Omerta
BUTCH GALICIA
Tryst with trust
were MILF fighters, joined us. Ferrer had built rapport
with the MILF to get his state-initiated and Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries-aided development project
on the go. A week before, Ferrer got me a one-on-one rare
and exclusive interview with elusive but soft-spoken MILF
Liguasan Marsh area commander Boy Hashim.
In another hour over what I had always amusingly
termed as first-class bad roads, we reached the Fisherman’s
Wharf, so-called because the Filipino Muslim community
there used it as an unloading base for fish catch from the
marsh and as an open-air fish drying/salting area.
From the Fisherman’s Wharf, we got into two separate
motorized bancas and navigated the narrow waterways of
Liguasan Marsh. In about 30 minutes, we reached open
marsh waters and steered past a damaged bridge that was
the entrance to Hashim’s camp, a major MILF entrenchment
on one of the marsh’s bigger but unmapped floating islands
some 500 meters away.
In another two hours, I had my potential story for the
state-owned Philippines News Agency with which I worked
as Bureau Chief for Cotabato and for the Mindanao Cross,
a local Cotabato City weekly run by the Oblates of Mary
Immaculate. More than this, I got a real swell view of the
camp after Hashim briefed and accorded me an unexpected
ocular tour of the MILF facility. Then, it was off for home.
*****
Did I see a damaged bridge? I looked at Gen. Magno
in the eye and, without affirming or lying, asked back: “If I
told you what I saw there, could I also freely tell everyone
what I see here?”
I received no reply from Gen. Magno, although I was
sure that he flashed me his best reassuring smile. He asked
me to wait and later join him at his lounge for cocktails,
excused himself, and went back to his tennis game.
Over coffee and sandwiches, we indulged ourselves in
non-military talk. Before biding each other adieu, I left him
with a clincher: “Sir, do you really wish to know what I
know? Read the papers.” He smiled back.
*****
What could have happened if I opened my big mouth
to answer a seemingly innocent question; which I expect
would be followed by endless seemingly innocent
questions? The military called it intelligence gathering and
confirmation.
That was then. Today, the general’s question would
have been considered ridiculous. Satellite technology could
speedily beam in vivid images of accurate locations.
But what if? Could it have sparked another bloody
chapter in a near to four-decade old civil strife in Mindanao?
Could it have further resulted in loss of lives, displacement
of the innocents, and utter destruction of property? Would
I have been a willing participant in the vicious cycle of
violence in a protracted conflict?
I would not know. But what I did clearly understand
later was the efficacy of military and rebel intelligence -
that if I made that reckless wag of the tongue, it could have
cost me my life.
Worse, if I lived through it, I would today be saddled with
the shame of betraying the trust of people - unfortunately
the protagonists in an unwanted Mindanao war - who have
given me their confidence.
*****
In 1998, after the Philippine National Press Club’s
Centennial Gridiron in which I acted as President FVR, I
had a short reunion with Gen. Magno a.k.a. JoeMag.
JoeMag has since retired from the military service and
was then one of President Fidel Ramos’s trusted advisers,
(To page 15)

The
Un-Comfort
It was the most hilari- Three years ago my wife

The 3rd Eye ous and unique experience I

ever had in the kitchen.
and I decided it was time
to move our son out of the

Tale of the
Laughing Peppers
It has been said that
laughter is the best medi-
cine. Maybe so, to those
who laugh?
But what about if you
are the one being laughed
at? Would you still agree?
One late afternoon, at
home in our kitchen, I was
preparing the ingredients
for the beef stew which I
planned to cook for dinner.
After slicing the red bell
pepper in two, my eyes were
drawn to the seeds that were
so remarkably undisturbed.
They remained neatly
clustered on its core that
I felt obliged to respect its
MARIO DIMAIN
formation.
So I carefully worked
the knife around them.
To my surprise, the two
halves of the red bell pepper
revealed the unexpected.
They appeared to be like
two faces laughing together.
As if they were making fun
of me and laughing at me.
And the funny thing
was, I started laughing too.
It seemed like all the
three of us were laughing
about something we did not
know anything about.
But there is one thing I
know for sure that these two
clowns did not know.
It is quite amazing how
an ordinary red bell pepper
would turn into laughing
faces.
In retrospect, the laugh-
ing peppers that I acciden-
tally created were in fact
good eye-openers.
They made me realize
that we all need to insert a
little humor in our some-
times stressful lives.
It is a must. We all know
how to laugh. So why not
laugh the stress away?
It is a lot better than cry-
ing and it is the healthiest
way to stay young. At least
at heart.
In this day and age, we
know of many different
ways to amuse ourselves.
TV shows are the most
common and shopping
would probably rank sec-
ond, followed by exotic
travels.
What about the old fash-
ioned and no cost humorous
conversation with families
and friends? Did anybody
count that in?
In the Holy Scripture,
nothing is mentioned about
Jesus laughing.
Does that mean that He
didn’t? I would like to be-
lieve that He did. He was
just as human as anyone of
us.
He must have laughed
at some of the jokes of His
disciples. Or maybe He
(To page 15)
nursery and into a regular
bed.
So, on a Saturday
afternoon, we retrieved my
old bunk-beds from my
parent’s attic.
All we needed to do
was buy a couple of new
mattresses.
The following morning,
as we lingered over coffee
and the Sunday paper, my
wife pointed to several ads
and exclaimed, “Look at all
these sales. We picked the
perfect time to buy a new
mattress!”
Being in the advertising
business, I chuckled, and
said, “Honey, that’s the
beauty of advertising.
Mattresses are always on
sale, but no one ever notices
that until they’re in the
market for one.”
Once buyers are ready
to enter the market for
a particular item, their
attention to advertising for
that product is heightened.
It’s information they
want, and the questions on
their minds are: “Who has
the best product? Who has
the best price? and Where
can I buy it?”
Readiness-to-Buy
occurs at different times for
different people.
If a company is not
communicating with them
when they enter the market,
then that company will not
be considered in the buying
Zone
with ROBERT WILSON
Why advertising
during a recession is
good business
decision.
This fact is just as true
during a recession.
Sometimes we need
to remind ourselves what
the short-term benefits of
advertising are -- during
good times or bad - it
creates sales immediately;
it generates added business
from current customers;
and it brings in new leads
and prospects.
Then there is the long-
term benefit of advertising:
it works cumulatively.
The more familiar
people become with a
brand, the more favorable
they feel toward it, and the
more likely they are to buy
it.
In other words, people
don’t like to do business
with strangers.
And, since the owners
and staff of a company can’t
personally meet all their
prospective customers in
advance, their advertising
must do this for them.
Maintaining brand
recognition should be
considered an on-going
business investment.
The moment it stops
-- it begins to lose power
immediately -- and future
sales are in jeopardy.
Studies have shown that
it takes four to six months
to see the results of an
advertising program.
Cutting back during a
down-turn is like throwing
away your investment.
Maintenance today costs
much less than rebuilding
tomorrow.
This doesn’t mean
advertisers shouldn’t change
anything.
In fact, they should
work to get the most out
of their advertising dollars
by eliminating emotion-
based, image-building
advertising and using
instead informative ads that
(To page 14)

Simply ...
(From page 7)
hour. In T.O., it tapered off
shortly by noon.
Danny said probably it’s
because they don’t pay their
taxes.
Reminds me of that
Philippine legislator who
proposed to the Philippine
Congress to outlaw
typhoons.
***
In Indonesia, a news
item in the Straits Times
of January 9 states,
“Gov’t Jails 11 Papuans
for Raising Banned
Independence Flag”.
In Toronto and
suburbs, we jail those
raising marijuana!
A salute to these dedicated reporters
(From page 8)
worked on in the past, and
the Philippines’ present
ranking in Reporters Without
Borders’ worldwide press
freedom index, I thank God
that many of my friends in
the media in and out of the
Philippines are still here
with us.
Some of them may
not have worked in war-
like situations, but even
just daring to investigate
corruption in the government
is already one journalist’s
warrant to signing his own
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VIEWS
Wise &
Otherwise
JIMMY MONTEJO
(This column will resume next issue. Ed)
***
“Does the advertising
industry really need another
awards show?” this question
was subject of an article
in Marketing Daily’s PM
edition on January 7.
Ask WalMart Canada
this same question in relation
to the Filipino-Canadian
community in Toronto and
death certificate.
Every Filipino knows
that the Philippines is
engulfed in a culture of
impunity, protecting killers
and silencing news reporters
and editors.
If one is to remain
alive, a criminal case for
defamation or libel is a
treat.
Even so, these true-
blooded people in print and
broadcast media will always
be there working to inform
and advance readers and
Christmas 2008 Raffle Draw Winners
Mariano, C.
Rosal, M.
Solinap, R.
the answer would be in the
negative.
Reason: WalMart runs
out of stocks of frames
whenever the PIDC holds
its Annual Appreciation
Night for its volunteers
and sponsors. PIDC prexy
and First Lady Rosemer
Enverga buys every stock at
WalMart stores.
viewers into action, until …
each of us writes “ – 30 –”.
To these people who
worked with dedication in
war-like environment and
those who have many times
opted to divulge sensitive
information and placed their
work above themselves and
their families, I have no
international journalism
plaques, nor awards of
recognition to hand over,
but here from my heart is a
snappy salute to honor you
friends.
** no upfront fees
** live-in caregivers are also welcome to apply
Zambale, F.
#8747
#9959
#9771
In a few days’ time come
February 14, lovers all over
the world will go through
the rituals of re-affirming
their love for one another.
On that day, some
would pray that Cupido, the
Roman god of erotic love,
would rekindle the flame
of love that may have been
reduced to tiny flickers.
Those engaged in the
“love” industry (restaurant
owners, florists, chocola-
tiers, makers of Viagra, etc.)
might even briefly enjoy
a much-needed shot in the
arm.
All this penchant
for symbolisms and the
fancy will overshadow
the commemoration of a
different kind of love that
had manifested itself 110
years ago come February 4,
2009.
Perhaps only a handful
of history buffs and anti-
imperialists will recall the
significance of that day in
Philippine history.
But it was on the fateful
night of February 4, 1899
that the first shots of the
Philippine-American War
were fired.
Most history books
name the American soldier
(he was actually an English
immigrant who acquired
U.S. citizenship) who fired
the first shot—Pvt. William
#9608
Sanchez, K.
Benedicto, J.
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Perspective
RICARDO J.S. CALUEN
Different kind of love
W. Grayson - but not the
first Filipino soldier to fall
from this shot that was heard
around the archipelago.
Now we know him to be
Cabo Anastacio Felix.
As the American version
of the antecedents of the
so-called San Juan Bridge
incident goes, Grayson, as
sentry, challenged a figure
that rose from the darkness
of the night by shouting
“halt”.
After two other Filipino
soldiers were shot, Grayson,
in his own words, admitted
to alerting the rest of the
American soldiers on duty
at the bridge by shouting
“Line up fellows, the niggers
are in here all through these
yards.” The rest, they say, is
history.
At the time, President
William McKinley was
seeking the ratification of
the Treaty of Paris by the
US Congress.
Resulting from Spain’s
#9207
#8378
11
defeat in the Spanish-
American War, the treaty
was signed on December 31,
1898 and provided for the
cession of the Philippines
to the United States in
exchange for the payment
of $20 million.
With Gen. Elwell Otis,
Commanding General of
the US Armed Forces in
the Philippines, reporting
to President McKinley that
Filipino soldiers instigated
the hostilities, the US
congress ratified the Treaty
of Paris immediately,
paving the way for the
full colonization of the
Philippines.
President Emilio
Aguinaldo issued the call to
arms on February 5 but the
formal declaration of war
was made by Pedro Paterno,
president of the freshly-
minted Malolos Congress.
The United States never
declared war against the
(To page 16)
17)
12 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Pioneering and coura-
geous Aries is being called
to times of incredible new
growth and renewal. The
considerable reflective time
you have spent rehashing
and deciding which avenue ARIES
will best serve your highest March 21 - April 19
purpose has shaken you to
the very root of your personal belief systems. Through sur-
rendering to your higher self, new realizations and golden
opportunities you never thought possible are brilliantly
opening up for you. Your new commitment to self has giv-
en you a renewed appreciation of your divine wisdom and
accomplishments. The understanding you have radiates
love and compassion, and is attracting your highest good.
As your creative spirit soars, the excitement you feel helps
you submit to the larger purpose and vision gained in your
dreamtime. You are easily able to bring your work out into
the world with clarity and purpose. Your heart’s desires are
quickly manifesting right before your eyes and you are able
to reap long-standing benefits as you detach from the past
and are catapulted forward. Because of your humanitarian
ideals and desire to be a helper in our emerging world, be
careful not to fall into old patterns of helping others ful-
fill their needs rather than taking care of your own. As you
grow, people are drawn to your altruistic ideas and your
visionary and compassionate personality. In spite of your
good endurance and concentration, remember to take care
of yourself on an everyday basis to maintain wholeness and
integration. Finding a good physical outlet for your frustra-
tions is important so that you don’t deplete your energy
and prevent yourself from getting what you really want.
Enjoyment is the fundamental desire of your life, and you
are able to create the life you enjoy.
It’s time to celebrate
yourself, Taurus! You are
pouring yourself into your
life’s mission and rejuve-
nating yourself with abun-
dant thinking, which at-
TAURUS tracts great things to you.
April 20 - May 20 You’re diligently creating a
FEATURE
‘09 Horoscope
Provided by astrology.com
public arena where opportunities will emerge for you to be
a teacher or messenger. Engagements for speaking, writing
and sharing your thoughts will open up. Other people will
be inspired by your enthusiasm and insight, and will sup-
port you in accomplishing your goals. Taurus’s excitement
radiates more than ever this year, bringing with it a mag-
nificent energy the world has been lacking. As you embrace
the power of your heart and spirit, you are allowing yourself
to transform and align with a universal energy source. You
discover the space for your creativity to flow and abun-
dantly bring the truth of your being into the world. Your
focus on your connection with a higher purpose brings out
the best in you and refines your self-expression. You appre-
ciate all the expansive shifts that are taking place in your
life, and you are learning to break up routines and old pat-
terns of rigidity. This allows you a new level of awareness
and acceptance of your ultimate purpose. Pay attention to
what has heart and meaning. Express your truth and you
will advance. You will find avenues to bring your talents
and belief systems to philanthropic endeavors. By the end
of the year, you will be able to slow down a bit and find
more time to enjoy the new you that you have created.
As a Gemini, you pos-
sess an amazing ability to
see dualities -- the pros and
cons of situations as change
approaches -- and to quickly
and efficiently think them GEMINI
through before making any May 21 -
decisions. In 2009, you dare June 21
to look deeply into your de-
sires, regenerate self-awareness and recognize psychologi-
cal ambiguities. This will bring balance into your home and
family life. Pay attention to the details as you bring your
inner and outer life into harmony. And be sure to enjoy the
changes occurring within you! As you come to terms with
yourself, you are able to see a more fulfilling purpose in
life, and your field of experience broadens. Focus on mat-
ters that affect you most deeply and, like magic, your life
will become easier and things will seem to take care of
themselves. You have all the necessary resources and mo-
tivation to make tangible changes and achieve results this
year. Toward the end of the year, you’ll have time to enjoy
yourself, and to bask in a great sense of accomplishment.
With the expansive and idealistic energy flowing through-
out 2009, Gemini is very comfortable in this age of new
awareness and high-mindedness.
As we enter the Golden
Age of Aquarius, you are
ready to receive all the
blessings that are there for
you, especially in the ar-
CANCER eas of communications
June 22 - and relationships. Being
July 22 understood and getting the
responses you desire helps
you believe in your ability to succeed and reach your high-
est potential. Your focus is excellent, and you know what
you want. Use this to your advantage when working with
others, but don’t demand that they see your ideas as vi-
sionary -- even if you do. As ideas start flowing freely to
you, make sure you articulate your insights clearly. This
year, you will be strongly motivated by transformation, es-
pecially in romantic unions. When balanced in your heart
and mind, you easily express your emotions and are quick
to support others. It is important for you to have a partner
who is willing to explore different ways of doing things.
You will experience many changes as you learn new ways
of expressing yourself. As you make this shift, avoid put-
ting restrictions on yourself and stopping the flow. You
are learning to behave in a new positive way, not worry-
ing about the outcome. This will curb your need to control
situations and enable you to take your relationships -- work
and personal -- to a higher level of consciousness.
In 2009, you find yourself connecting with people ef-
(To page 13)

GENERAL DENTISTRY
Dr. Gilbert Chan
Dr. Daphne Chien
Dr. Janet Ho
Dr. Janet Wong
Dr. Michael Chin
 FEATURE
fortlessly as your
warm-hearted
actions are ac-
knowledged and
radiated back
to you in a way
you’ve never ex- LEO
perienced before. July 23 - August 22
The confident joy
and happiness you freely give to others gives
you the innate ability to be productive. For you,
kind actions are the way to transformation and
success. This is a perfect time for proud Leo,
because you have the desire, drive and power to
help society. You realize there’s work to do, and
you’ll give a helping hand wherever you can.
You are ready to align yourself with a higher
level of awareness, and exhibit a regenerative
attitude is about reaping the harvest by submit-
ting to the larger purpose. What you are able to
give to others directly reflects the transforma-
tion happening within you. Your heart is in the
right place, and you are likely to accomplish all
that you set out to do this year. You’re develop-
ing excellent skills in your own personal trans-
formation process, and you are ready to make
the conscious decision to be the best you can be.
You feel secure, and the beauty of who you are
shines through easily and effortlessly.
Wo n d e r -
ful things are
in store for you
this year, Virgo!
You re experi-
encing tremen-
dous feelings
of rebirth and, VIRGO
as you release August 23 - September 22
old ways of ex-
pressing yourself, you’ll find yourself walking
into all kinds of new experiences. Virgo loves
to make sure everything is clear, concise and
methodical, and this will help make it easy for
you to graciously receive and beautifully adapt
to the growth you are experiencing. You’ll feel
very peaceful with the changes happening both
inside and outside of you, and you welcome the
opportunity to express the new knowledge you
gain. There’s a renaissance going on within you
that seems to have been asleep for sometime
now. You discover where the doorway is and
are ready to consciously find new meaning in
your life, and to manifest who you are in your
own way. Mentally, culturally, instinctually and
spiritually, you’ll be going through incredible
transformation this year. Your fresh take on life
will give you the ability to manifest a new re-
ality. You take a big leap forward as you share
these changes with others. A re-emergence of
your inventive and creative self will give you
new ways of taking action and bringing your
talents into the world. You will feel secure, safe
and centered, which allows you to achieve any-
thing you want in your life. You will feel more
spiritually balanced in 2009 than ever before.
Brilliant
ideas come
easily into
Libra’s aware-
ness throughout
2009. As you
trust your higher
self and allow
LIBRA thoughts to flow
September 23 -- freely, you are
October 22 able to embrace
new opportuni-
ties and make positive changes in your life. You
come to a higher level of understanding and ap-
preciation as you let go of old ideas. You’re no
longer separated from what you want as you to
detach from limiting thoughts, bringing you a
new spiritual perspective of feeling fully sup-
ported and loved. As you stay centered within
your core, your highest ideals manifest, and you
have the ability to help others realize their in-
terconnectedness, and bring balance into their
lives. Your efforts bring you into a more stable
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 13
AMIT BHATIA
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way of working than ever before, an important development, self in a completely different light this year as you discover new
what with all the changes occurring this year. You are a natural ways of bringing harmony into your life and communicating on a
conduit, and you are able to receive messages that will help you deeper level. Accept who you are at the core, and you will experi-
grow in every area of your life. You have a strong inner sense of ence a wholeness you never thought possible. Trusting yourself
direction for where life is going, so trust and allow your struggles is the key to spiritual growth.
to be released.
You tend to attract just about
Get out there and communicate everything you want this year
your passionate awareness to the through your warmth and magnetic
world this year, Scorpio! As you ar- Sagittarian charm. That said, you
ticulate your beliefs, you will move may also go through some great
your life -- and the planet -- toward a transformational shifts in 2009 as
more spiritual and thoughtful reality. SCORPIO you realize that your happiness no
Positively express yourself and your October 23 - longer depends so much on pos- SAGITTARIUS
vision, and you will be a source of November 21 sessions, but rather on the deeper November 22 -
great inspiration. Scorpio loves chal- meaning associated with things December 21
lenges, especially when it involves transformational energy. As symbolic of love and sharing. Instead of controlling what s hap-
you purify your instincts and overcome any fears of letting your pening around you, you now have experiences that perhaps you
creative passion flow, a newfound enthusiasm and strength will don’t understand, but in allowing new insights to come in and
arise within you, and affect everyone around you. You see your- (To page 14)
14 FEATURE MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009

have a voice, the rearranging of your resources and your to move our planet toward need to create peace and harmony. Be inventive in channel-
values gives you a sense of security and growth. By surren- the highest and healthiest ing your dreams into reality. As you find a place to manifest
dering to your higher power, you realize you don’t have to quality of life. You are high- this energy, it will become easy for you to usher in a better
struggle as much to get what you want. As you open up to ly energized with this won- world. The time to realize your highest ideals is here!
the ideas and energies flowing around you, your priorities derful alignment, and your
shift dramatically. And you don’t need to work as hard to inspiration is rekindled to In 2009, Pisces will
enjoy sensual pleasures either! Great opportunities arise as move energy in grandiose enjoy swimming in new
you explore your potential, and discover what kind of envi- ways. You are able to utilize dimensions, as the highly
ronment best serves you in your endeavors. Being in touch these high frequencies in or- AQUARIUS charged Aquarius energy al-
with this part of yourself helps you align with your higher der to create new structure January 20 - lows you to dream big and
purpose, and your drive to continue will lead to great suc- and value in people’s lives. February 18 manifest your ideas. Your
cess. Life becomes much easier when you trust that the uni- This is no time to sit back imagination soars, awaken-
verse will take care of you. and let anything slip through your fingers. Express yourself ing a deep desire to seek
and move forward with your visionary ideas. As you forge spiritual truth and meaning PISCES
CAPRICORN ahead, you find a reworking of meaning on a deep level, in your life -- and in the February 19 - March 20
December 22 - and discover possibilities as you connect with your highest world. Your awareness and
January 19 star. Your ideas have always been ahead of the times, and new perception helps to serve others. You are able to live
now you are a shining example of what the Earth force can freely in the world of transformation, and this encourages
In order for Capricorn assimilate into everyday living. You realize that the world others to do the same. They feel supported by your wisdom
to accomplish their goals was created with structure, and outdated modes of living and understanding. Your inspirational qualities are a large
in 2009, intelligent brain- that no longer serve mankind are being recognized around part of your purpose in the world -- your ability to heal and
storming is a must. Connecting with others satisfies your the world. It’s time to let go of anything that holds you inspire. At times, it may be difficult for you to live in this
mind, and friends are a source of stimulation and inspira- back. New thinking is on the horizon, and people are ready world of concrete realities, and conversely, sometimes it is
tion, adding to the scientific developments you like to ex- to align with the quickly changing energies of the planets. hard for others to understand that all you want to do is live
plore. Be sure to take time for yourself. You don’t have Your leadership skills will help humanity make these shifts, in a world of endless possibilities. As you learn to balance
to master everything in a day. You thrive on making new and you will feel supported by those who understand the these polarities, harmony prevails.
discoveries and developing opportunities. Call upon your
Why advertising during a recession is good ...
inner guidance to help get the job done more efficiently.
If you feel any uncertainty, other people are there to con- (From page 10) Be read!
firm your ideas, and allowing yourself to explore your in-
ner thoughts will help you align yourself with a greater
demonstrate their product’s
superiority.
Another false assump-
tion is that it’s safe to reduce
The benefit is clear,
when fewer competitors are Get results!
sense of awareness and meaningfulness. Capricorn rarely
shies away from highly concentrated work, and you are
Perhaps the best
reason to keep advertising
the advertising budget if the
competition is reducing
advertising, the ones that
continue or increase their
ADVERTISE
able to meet challenges as they come up in 2009. This is a during a recession is that theirs. advertising become more
time of great self-discovery and transformation for you. As it may actually provide an However, research has visible to the consumer, and
you work to manifest your best possible self, you will see opportunity for companies revealed that companies that could be -- you!
things from a deeper perspective than ever before. Hidden to dominate their market. maintaining or increasing (Robert Evans Wilson, CALL
beneath your desire to work hard is the key to making your Many businesses make advertising during periods Jr. is a motivational 416-285-8583
life easier. In other words, you won’t have to strain as much the mistake of assuming of economic slow-down speaker and humorist.
if you surrender to a higher knowing. Using your powers that because money is tight will boost market share. He works with companies
of concentration to tune into universal knowledge will help everywhere, customers Some companies will that want to be more information on Robert’s
you manifest your highest dreams. will be spending less and even see an increase in sales competitive and with programs please visit www.
therefore money spent on over their competitors who people who want to think jumpstartyourmeeting
Aquarius is all about a new vision in 2009, and working advertising will be wasted. decrease advertising. like innovators. For more .com.)

3 P.M.

PPC-O Christmas Party, Celebrity Night with Kol Hope Foundation
PHILIPPINE PRESS CLUB -ONTARIO (PPC-O) president Tenny Soriano and vice president Ace Alvarez lead members and guests during the premier local
media organization’s Christmas party on Dec. 19. Despite a snowstorm, the PPC-O also went on to successfully conduct, during the same occasion, its
second Celebrity Night with Kol Hope Foundation officers and members and guest singers. PHOTO: ARIEL RAMOS
Tryst with trust
(From page 10)
with a board member’s post
at the Government Service
Insurance System to boot.
Very few words were
spoken during that meeting.
He was in a hurry out of
Manila Hotel, being with
Ramos’s party. The fast
warm hug, a tight handshake
and the usual flashing smile
he gave me were enough to
let me feel that I was still
in his list of men he could
swim and sink with.
*****
In 2001, I had a chance
to renew friendships with
Boy Hashim. I was then
Philippines News Agency
Bureau Chief of Davao and
public relations consultant
of the Special Zone of
Peace and Development of
SPDA.
Hashim has
exchanged his guns for
since
the plow, so to speak, and
has become a successful
agricultural trader in
southeastern Mindanao.
That was what he told
me and fellow Mindanao
journalist Ted Marañon.
Over lunch of our
fave grilled hito (catfish),
we recalled the good old
heydays. When it came to
the subject of that Liguasan
Marsh sortie and Gen.
Tale of the Laughing ...
(From page 10)
cracked a joke Himself just
to show His human side.
Were the laughing pep-
pers, one of God’s ways to
test my humor?
Well, if it was a test, I
must have passed it with
flying colors, because today
the photo of the laughing
peppers can still put a smile
on my face.
Some have asked how I
did it. How did I make them
laugh and what was the trick
that I used?
I honestly wish, I could
claim any credit for it, but
these happy peppers just
laughed freely on their
own.
Believe it or not, I have
COMMUNITY
Magno’s query, he flashed
a reassuring smile and, in
his usual subdued tone,
muttered: “We knew you as
a newsman, never a spy.”
*****
I never ceased to recall
and talk about JoeMag and
Boy, two men in opposing
uniforms playing the game
of life and death in a long
and harsh Mindanao war.
They taught me, in the
least words possible, a lot
about giving trust; and
more, about accepting trust.
JoeMag and Boy
imbibed in me and my
journalistic work the prime
value of trust.
‘Off the record’ is sacred.
So are information given in
confidence. Separating facts
from propaganda needs due
diligence.
Experience tells us that
loss of trust has ended so
many cordial and long-
running relations between
sources and newsmen.
This new year, when
each day is over and when
all things are said and done,
I wish and pray that what is
left with us is what is right.
Ain’t it then just right
to live by and keep dear
and holy each other’s trust?
butchgalicia@yahoo.com
tried many times to re-cre-
ate them with other pep-
pers that I sliced, but to this
day, The Laughing Peppers’
jolly expression remains ir-
replaceable.
The image of The
Laughing Peppers is one
of my most treasured shots
and the most talked-about
photo in my portfolio.
It has been recognized
by photo judges for its
unique artistic expression;
and with its contagious
laugh, it has also won the
smiles and laughter of the
many that have seen it.
Life is short. Make the
most out of it. Be happy and
laugh while you still can.
Kapisanan PCAC sets AGM on Jan. 21
Gets $42,000 Laidlaw Foundation grant
The Kapisanan Philip-
pine Centre for Arts and
Culture will conduct its an-
nual general meeting on Jan.
21 at 6:30 p.m., an occasion
which officials see as an
opportunity for members to
elect their board members
and to communicate ideas
on the direction they would
like Kapisanan to go.
“The new board is going
to do the strategic planning
at the end of the month so
it’s a time for paying mem-
bers to submit their sugges-
tions for what they want at
the K,” said board president
The Pillars CA officers inducted
Philippine Deputy
Consul General in Toronto
Imelda Panolong has induc-
ted the officers of The
Pillars Cultural Association
(TPCA) for 2009-2010
during the group’s recent
Christmas dinner-dance.
Sworn in were Gerry
Elises, president; Tony
Niel, vice president; Rheza
Evangelista, secretary and
public relations officer;
Zenaida Lopez, treasurer;
Ben Ferrer, auditor;
Ellen Mendoza, assistant
secretary; Leah Garcia,
assistant treasurer; Bonnie
Cornista, assistant auditor;
Ed Umali and Godofredo
Balcita, sergeants-at-arms.
Board members inclu-
ded Irene Reyes, Pat
Martin, Rosa Siochi, Angie
Umali and Bing Mendoza.
Service awardee
In the same occasion,
TPCA was awarded a
congratulatory certificate
from the Minister of Culture
for outstanding service to
the community.
Year-end report
In his year-end report,
Elises noted the endowment
fund TPCA got last year,
significantly contributing to
fun Pillars events in 2008.
The events were the
Isabela Palanca.
Community members
interested to know about
the K and Filipino artists
and youth who want to join
the organization are urged
to attend, Palanca said.
“It’s an opportunity to
become part of a collective
that is promoting positive
visibility of Filipinos and
making waves in the To-
ronto cultural fabric,” she
added.
Kapisanan members get
access to shared workspace,
audiovisual equipment, and
a resource library.
seniors information fair,
recreational trip to the Ottawa
Tulip Festival, fall prevention
seminar, celebrating Seniors
Day at the park, and the free
flu shot clinic.
TPCA also had its
Valentine’s Day dinner-
dance, the traditional
Pabasa, Mother/Father’s
Day celebration, Pillar’s
31st anniversary bash,
Halloween costume and
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
They can also take ad-
vantage of project/career
resources, mentorship for
arts, design, and media/
communication, and free
arts and culture programs.
The non-profit Kens-
ington Market-based center
offers a range of programs,
including conversational
Tagalog lessons, critical
Filipino history and tribal
dance workshops to the
community.
Kapisanan also presents
two festivals that showcase
Filipino-Canadian talent ev-
ery year: the Kultura Festi-
masquerade ball, and the
Christmas dinner-dance.
Partnerships were also
made with the Philippine
Consulate in Toronto for
dual citizenship seminars
and oathtakings; and Merrill
Lynch, through Suzy
Llanera, for the seniors
Christmas caroling.
Elises also thanked
individuals and groups who
supported the TPCA. PR
15
val in the summer and Tales
from the Flipside, in com-
munity partnership with the
Carlos Bulosan Theatre, in
the spring.
$42,000 grant
Meanwhile, Kapisanan
executive director Caroline
Mangosing said “2009 is
going to be a big year for
Kapisanan,” as the center
has set its sights into for-
malizing its Filipino lan-
guage and history programs
and creating a drop-in arts
and culture program for its
members.
(To page 16)
Harbourfront
Centre opens
community
partnership
platform
Harbourfront Centre’s
Community and Education-
al Programmes Department
is accepting proposals for
partners to co-produce pro-
grams and events from Sep-
tember 2009 to May 2010.
To assist community
groups to better understand
a partnership with Harbour-
front Centre and how to put
a strong proposal forward,
center officials are inviting
eligible organizations to
participate in an informa-
tion session.
Community-based, reg-
istered, non-profit organiza-
tions with arts and cultural
mandates are eligible to at-
tend.
The workshop dates are
Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. and Jan.
24 at 1 p.m. PR
ADVERTISE
CALL
416-285-8583
16 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Kapisanan PCAC ...
(From page 15)
The language, history
and culture program would
be bankrolled by a $42,000
grant the Kapisanan recent-
ly received from the Laid-
law Foundation.
Mangosing said the
“grant will really help us
strengthen our internal op-
erations and allow us to
help young people develop
professionally.”
She said two youth co-
ordinators would be hired
and trained to help manage
the project.
Laidlaw, a progressive
and inclusive youth arts
funder, has been helping fi-
nance Kapisanan projects.
“Laidlaw has supported
us for the last three rounds
of funding and each time
their support has increased.
We are very grateful to
them,” Mangosing said.
Trillium grant
Mangosing said Kapi-
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CREDIT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
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sanan has also received a
$90,000 grant from the On-
tario Trillium Foundation,
to be paid over two years.
She said the the money
would be used for research
and to develop a revenue
diversification strategy for
the center.
The Trillium grant is
aimed to strengthen the cen-
ter’s volunteer sector and
get more people engaged in
community work.
Kapisanan hoped to in-
crease its membership and
volunteer base from the
current 60 members and 45
volunteers.
In the three years that
Kapisanan has had a pres-
ence in downtown Toronto,
it has provided the commu-
nity, particularly the youth,
with arts and cultural ac-
tivities and events with a
specific Filipino-Canadian
bent. PR
COMMUNITY
Rizal groups mark 112th year of hero’s martyrdom
Officers of the Knights of Rizal Canada Region,
the Ladies Auxiliary and the Aspirations of
Rizal marked the 112th year of the martyrdom
of Philippine national dero Dr. Jose Rizal in
meaningful ceremonies on Dec. 30. Acting regio-
nal commander Sir Tom Virey, KGOR, led the
groups in a wreath-laying ceremony at the park,
where Rizal’s bust had been immortalized. In
a short program, inspirational messages were
given by Sir Alejandro Mosquera, KCR, Philippine
consul general in Toronto; Sir Popoy Cana, KGCR;
Sir George Poblete, KGOR, representing the
Supreme Council; and Lady Asuncion Ramos,
of the Aspirations of Rizal. They all talked about
the life and heroism of Rizal. Sir Joe Damasco,
KGOR, was the master of ceremony with host
commander Sir Mike Murphy, KCR, of the Oakville-
Halton Chapter. PR
Employment in Alberta ...
(From page 4)
year, with most of the in- In December, full-
crease occurring in the last time employment losses
quarter. (-71,000) were partially
offset by gains in part-time
employment (+36,000).
Mostly occuring in Que-
bec and Alberta, the losses
were attributed to a drop
in construction, one of the
largest monthly job shed-off
- at 44,000 - for the industry
in over 30 years.
But this was partially
offset by an increase in jobs
in the transportation and
warehousing sectors.
In December, employ-
ment declined for youth
aged 15 to 24 (at 37,000)
and men aged 25 to 54 (at
28,000).
But jobs for those aged
55 and over increased (at
28,000).
The unemployment rate
for youth rose by 0.6 per-
centage points in December
to 12.9 percent. PR
Press and captioned photo releases published in the Manila Media Monitor are for PUB-
LIC SERVICE and FREE OF CHARGE. Press releases must be in word document format.
Photos, must be in JPEG, TIFF or PDF formats. All contributions are subject to strict
editorial appreciation. Send them to mediamonitor@rogers.com on or before the 8th of
each month. SUBMISSIONS IN FLYER, POSTER OR OTHER BOXED FORMATS SHALL
BE TREATED AS ADVERTISEMENTS AND SHALL BE BILLED ACCORDINGLY.
TV ads reach far.
ADVERTISE with
Call 416-285-8583
NEWSBITS
TCDSB night, online courses on
The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) has
started on Jan. 7 accepting registrations for its evening
credit and online courses. Classes will begin on Feb. 17
at the Jean Vanier and Monsignor Percy Johnson Catholic
secondary schools and on Feb. 18 at the Bishop Marrocco/
Thomas Merton and Francis Libermann Catholic second-
ary schools. Online courses will also start on Feb. 18. PR
’09 Filipino Mass sked out
The Filipino Neighbourhood Association of Highland
Creek has released the 2009 schedule of its sponsored
Masses in Filipino at the St. Joseph Church every first Sat-
urday of the month. The incoming Mass schedules are set
on Feb. 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 4, Aug. 1,
Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. The schedule was ap-
proved by the Filipino Catholic Mission in the Archdiocese
of Toronto. PR
SFC officers sworn in
Constable Philip Mendoza, liaison officer of the Toronto
Police Service’s Community Mobilization Unit, has sworn
in the new officers of Samahang Filipino sa Canada in
simple ceremonies on Dec. 21, 2008. Inducted were Ar-
nel Lopez, president; Iggy Manlangit and Cora Labog, vice
presidents; Jonathan Macala, secretary; Honorata Eroma,
treasurer; and Jose Ellone, sergeant-at-arms. Also sworn
in were directors Jay Liguidliguid, Jack Lumayor, Turing
Tiri, Nestor Bautista, Amay Luib, Babie Escobar, Marissa
Gimeno and Manny Nepomuceno. LETO TIGLEY/PR
BFSC officers inducted
Sharon Bonello, coordinator for the Senior Citizens Pro-
gram of Brampton City, has inducted into office the 20090-
2010 officers of the Brampton Filipino Seniors Club. In-
ducted were Maria Abuyuan, president; Tim Evangelista,
vice president; Evelyn Mates, secretary; Lydia Bernardino,
treasurer; Virgie Obaldo, auditor; Epifania Acosta, assis-
tant secretary; Laureana Roxas, assistant auditor; Ric Laxa-
mana, sergeant-at-arms; Severino Raguindin, property cus-
todian; Victorino Dizon, PRO; Manuel Santos, assistant
PRO; and directors Honorio Bautista, Linda Mohamed,
Irene Sicat and Carolina Siasat. The BFSC past president is
Aurora Villanueva. PR
ADVERTISE!
BE READ.
GET RESULTS.
On its 12th year of service
Call 416-285-8583

Different kind of love
(From page 11)
Philippines.
McKinley treated the
duration of the Fil-American
War as an uprising that
necessitated military inter-
vention without having
to seek congressional
approval.
Thus, for a hundred
years, the war had officially
been referred to in the United
States as The Philippine
Insurrection.
While officially de-
clared to have ended on
July 4, 1902, Filipino
historians consider the
Philippine-American War
to have dragged on until
the surrender of Generals
Miguel Malvar and Simeon
Ola in 1904.
Still, other historians
consider the Moro Wars
- that ended in 1913 - as
a continuation of the war,
of the struggle against
American imperialism.
The Philippine-Ame-
rican War was the United
States’ first “Vietnam” with
its policy of hamletting.
The atrocities committed
against an entire population
as in the infamous Balangiga
Massacre in Samar foresha-
dowed My Lai and later
massacres by American sol-
diers.
It is estimated that a
million Filipinos, civilian
and military alike, died
during this war that saw
COMMUNITY
the first Asian nation
fight a superpower in the
nineteenth century.
In his Resena Veridica
de la Revolucion Filipina
(written in 1899 originally
in Tagalog, with Spanish
translation by Felipe
Buencamino ... later pub-
lished by the National
Historical Institute in 2002
with English translation
and copy of the draft in
Aguinaldo’s handwriting),
President Aguinaldo offers
his analysis of American
interest in the Philippines:
Oh, dear Philippines!
Blame your wealth, your
beauty for the stupendous
disgrace that rests upon
your faithful sons.
You have aroused the
ambition of the Imperialists
and Expansionists of North
America and both have
placed their sharp claws
upon your entrails.
Loved mother, sweet
mother, we are here to
defend your liberty and
independence to the death!
We do not want war;
on the contrary, we wish
for peace; but honourable
peace, which does not
make blush nor stain your
forehead with shame and
confusion.
And we swear and
promise that while America
with all her power and
wealth could possibly
RemitX to give back to community, to
launch Free Rewards Card in February
Global money transfer
firm RemitX has vowed
to make 2009 “a year for
giving back.”
In a press release,
officials said the public
“will see us more involved
in supporting educational
initiatives and other worthy
vanquish us; killing all of
us; but enslave us, never!!!
Captured in Palanan,
Isabela, in February 1902,
President Aguinaldo later
swore allegiance to the
United States.
Major changes concer-
ning the Philippine-Ame-
rican War have taken place
in the past ten years.
The National Historical
Institute, after much study
(and understandably to the
dismay of the residents
of San Juan City, Rizal)
declared in 2003 that the
first shots of the war actually
took place in Sta. Mesa,
specifically in the area that
is now covered by Sosiego
and Silencio streets, and not
in San Juan.
Thus, the marker had
been moved accordingly
to Manila district of Sta.
Mesa.
As well, in 1998, the
1899 war between the
community-oriented
charitable causes.
As a major program
for its growing number of
clients, RemitX is set to
launch its Free Rewards
Card in February.
“This is our way of
thanking and giving back to
Americans and Filipinos
is now officially referred
to in the United States as
the Philippine-American
War, and no longer The
Philippine Insurrection.
The import lies in
the fact that this change
in nomenclature is a
recognition that at the
time of the hostilities, the
Philippines was, in fact, an
independent republic.
Most people express
their love to those dear
to them by buying them
chocolates, taking them on a
cruise, or buying expensive
jewellery. Others are willing
to give up their lives in the
name of love. Like love of
country. It’s a different kind
of love.
February 4 is not Na-
tional Heroes Day in the
Philippines. But let’s
remember all those who
have died, and are willing
to die, for love of country.
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
its growing number of loyal
clients.
“Rewards are exactly
what they should be.
RemitX gives back to its
customers every time ... no
gimmicks ... no membership
fees,” officials said.
The cards would be
available at RemitX agent
locations and full details on
the card would be posted at
www.remitX.com.
Officials also said
RemitX is looking forward
to expanding its financial
services to 82 countries,
from the current 43 with over
CNAC-O fund, aid drive
benefits flood victims
Hundreds of victims of
end-November 2008 floods
that hit seven towns of Ca-
marines Norte, the Bicol
Region, the Philippines
have received cash and in-
kind donations from indi-
viduals and groups from the
Greater Toronto Area. (Re-
lated story on page 28)
The Camarines Norte
Association Canada-Ontar-
io (CNAC-O) spearheaded
a fundraising drive in the
Filipino-Canadian commu-
nity.
CNAC-O president Tony
17
57,000 payout locations, in
the early part of 2009.
“We offer a safe, fast,
secure and reliable way
for our customers to get
money to their loved ones
around the world, with
competitive exchange rates
and transaction fees.”
RemitX is a brand of
First Global Data Corp., a
leading financial services
technology company opera-
ting in Toronto for over
21 years. First Global has
offices in Canada, the USA,
the UK, Guyana and the
Philippines. PR
San Juan publicly appealed
for donations through the
community media.
CNAC-O raised
C$3,670, which was sent to
and received by provincial
Bishop Gilbert Garcera.
CNAC-O also shipped
on Jan. 2 five door-to-door
boxes containing non-per-
ishables like canned goods,
new and used clothing and
other useful items.
CNAC-O has expressed
its thanks to all those who
supported the cause. JSM/
PR
18 COMMUNITY
These interesting ...
(From page 9)
of companies are publishing environmental
performance reports. Environment, led
by energy, is playing a greater role in the
marketplace than ever before. Companies
that ignore the public’s interest in improved
environmental performance are beginning
to experience the costs of their folly. We
expect that more will do so in the future.”
***
Now that a new year is upon us, it is
time to forget all those feel gooders that
have been thrust down our teletubes at us.
May those of us looking for good,
sensitive DVDs for our home entertainment
remember these: Stanley Kubrick’s’ Paths
of Glory, George Clooney’s Good Night
and Good Luck, Edward Zwick’s Blood
Diamond and Peter Raymont’s Shake Hands
With the Devil -- great movies that define
some of humankind’s moral dilemmas and
persons of courage who faced up to them.
Paths of Glory, banned in France, is
based on a true World War I story of how four
blameless French soldiers were executed as
scapegoats for their commanding officers.
Kirk Douglas was never better than in this
film as the French officer who tries to stop
the slaughter.
Clooney directed Good Night and Good
Luck as a semi-documentary brilliantly
showing how in 1954, CBS producer Fred
Friendly, news anchor Edward R. Murrow
and Lawyer Joseph Welch put an end to
Senator Joe McCarthy’s contrived attempts
to prove the US Military was riddled with
Soviet spies. Clooney plays CBS producer
Fred Friendly and as director, coaxes
an uncannily redolent performance from
David Strathairn as Ed Murrow. The whole
is blended seamlessly with actual footage
of McCarthy and Welch to achieve an
unforgettable impact.
“Let your light shine before men in such a way
that they may see your good works and glorify
your father who is in heaven.”
MATTHEW 6:16
To all gifted photographers out there who have the third eye
in capturing photos that reflect a Christian message, there is a
Christian Fellowship of talented photographers that awaits you.
They are Photographers For Christ who use the art of photography
in spreading the word of God.
Listen to your hearts, the Holy Spirit is calling you.
Pick up your camera and follow us.
PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR CHRIST
www.the-3rd-eye.com
photographersforchrist@gmail.com
Merrill Lynch, FCT, The Pillars
sponsor Yule calls for seniors
On Dec. 21, 2008, Filipino-Canadian
seniors flocked to facility centers to avail
themselves of an opportunity to be in touch
with family, relatives and friends in Canada
and abroad.
For 23 years without fail, the
community’s seniors received this precious
Christmas gift - free calls - from Merrill
Lynch Canada, Inc.
Merrill Lynch also arrived with a group
of Victorian carollers and volunteers who
spread good cheer, provided goodies and
handed out the prepaid long distance phone
Blood Diamond explores the depths of
the illegal diamond market in Sierra Leone,
adult slavery and the enlistment of child
soldiers in rebel armies. Edward Zwick’s
direction of Leonardo di Caprio, Djimon
Hounslou and Jennifer Connelly in this tale
of conspiracy to secure an enormous raw
stone adds punch to a film that is narrated
like a runaway train through brilliantly
edited sequences of war-torn Sierra Leone.
The growing chemistry between mercenary
Caprio and reporter Connelly is something
to behold. This is an actress who has been
with us since childhood and gets by with
sheer acting skill without the benefit of
traditional “star” looks. On another level is
the growing respect between Di Caprio and
Hounsloo depicted convincingly.
Canadian Peter Raymont’s documentary
Shake Hands with the Devil brings us right
into the mental and spiritual dilemma of
General Romeo Dallaire whose climb back
from the brink of suicide is a testament
to the essential goodness of this man. As
head of the UN peacekeeping mission, he
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
cards.
In 2008, the Filipino Centre Toronto and
the “Original” Pillars Cultural Association
joined Merrill Lynch to carry out its free
Yule call tradition.
Passing on a worthy deed
Since 1985, the late Grace San Juan had
led members of the Pillars to participate in
the annual Merrill Lynch Christmas Calls
program.
San Juan carried out her volunteer role
as prime organizer of the Filipino group
(To page 23)
is forced by sheer weight of numbers, to
stand by helplessly watching the genocide
of hundreds of thousands ot Rwandan Tutsis
by Hutus in a country that’s a virtual natural
paradise. One grisly long shot shows Hutus
mercilessly hacking away at Tutsis but in
the main, Shake Hands With The Devil
focuses on the remarkable Dallaire, now
a Canadian senator. Be sure to see the
documentary rather than the feature movie
of the same name.
Raymont went on to film Promise
to the Dead, the moving documentary
on novelist/playwright Ariel Dorfman,
survivor of General Pinochet’s bloody 1973
coup in Chile. (Used with permission. Ben
Viccari is past president of the Canadian
Ethnic Media Association [CEMA] and
makes frequent appearances on OMNI TV
Commentary. Some of his commentaries
are republished in this publication and
slightly expanded in some cases from their
70-second broadcast originals. For more
of his work, please visit Ben’s website at:
http://canscene.ripple.ca)
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
Henderson Weekes @ Roy
Foss (2)
Dr. Roslyn Sabilano
Dentistry Professional
Corp. (2)
Dr. Evangeline M. Bernabe
and Associates (3)
All Debt Solutions,
Consulting Services (4)
Dr. Arla Rondilla
Professional Corp. (5)
Dr. Albine A. Miciano
Cosmetic & General
Dentistry (6)
Action Honda (7)
Kaakbay Financial Services
(11)
Ellesmere-Kennedy Dental
Centre (12)
Amit Bhatia Credit Manage-
ment Services (13)
Front Page Philippines (14)
Timeless Images (16)
Forex (17)
Photographers for Christ
(18)
areyouindebt.ca (22)
New Conservatory of Music
(22)
JC Eye Care (22)
Clem Cabillan (22)
UMAC Toronto (23)
CALENDAR
► JAN. 17: United Aklanon Association
of Toronto Ati-Atihan, Chinese Cultural
Centre, 6 p.m.
► JAN. 21: Kapisanan Philippine Cen-
tre for Arts and Culture Annual General
Meeting, Kensington Market, 6:30 p.m.
► JAN. 23: GMA 7 Kapuso Blow-Out
featuring Janno Gibbs, Kyla and Allan
K, Toronto International Celebration
Church, 7:30 p.m.
► JAN 23 to FEB. 5: Ystillo Inc. pre-
miere screening of Love Me Again
(Land Down Under), Scarborough Town
Centre.
► JAN. 25: Filipino Centre Toronto
Fund-raising Trip to Casino Rama, as-
sembly at FCT, 3 p.m.
► JAN. 26: Pistahan ng Santo Niño de
Cebu, Mass at St. Ambrose Church, 11
a.m.
► FEB. 6 to 12: Ystillo Inc. premiere
screening of Love Me Again (Land
Down Under), Mississauga Square
One Empire Theatre.
► FEB. 7: Isabela Cultural Organiza-
tion of Ontario 18th Anniversary and In-
duction Ball, Rembrandt Banquet Hall.
► FEB. 21: Tawanan 2009 Comedy
Show, Korean Cultural Community
Centre.
► FEB. 27: Filipino Centre Toronto
2009 Filipino Singing Idol Competitions,
Second Round, FCT Rizal Hall.
► MARCH 14: North 44 Entertainment
Production The Perfect Combination
(Eric Santos and Toni Gonzaga), Uni-
versity of Toronto Convocation Hall, 7
p.m.
► APRIL 11: Extreme Heartthrobs Ca-
nadian Tour, Massey Hall.
A public service feature of the Ma-
nila Media Monitor and the Philip-
pine Consul General Office. Also
visit pakulo.com.
Gonzales Dentistry
Professional Corp. (23)
LDV Computers (24)
Saratoga (25)
Lovely Travel and Tours
Int’l, Inc. (26)
Dr. Bernarda Rosales
Verzonilla Family &
Cosmetic Dentistry (27)
NannyNanny.ca (27)
Superb Travel Services (28)
Wellness Company (28)
Liland Insurance Inc. (29)
musicpad.com (30)
OCDC Parcel Services (31)
Rhowena Adolfo @
Investors Group (31)
Dr. Miriam B. Bernacer (32)
Innovation Video/Photo (33)
T.H.D. Consultants (33)
North 44 Entertainment
Productions (34)
Roadsport Honda (35)
Tawanan 2009 (37)
CHIN Radio (38)
Seoul Driving School (38)
Ystillo, Inc. (39)
Russell International (39)
Dr. Santiago & Associates
(40)
Fairview Dental Centre (40)
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 COMMUNITY 19
Jennifer Urbe turns 18

Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre

Mississauga, Ontario
January 10, 2009

All images
courtesy of
Rico de las
Alas and
Anagaile
Soriano
20 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 US PRESIDENT BARACK O
Key excerpts from
Martin Luther King’s

‘I have a dream’

MARTIN LUTHER KING

► “In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to
cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote
the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Decla-
ration of Independence, they were signing a promissory President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th Presi-
note to which every American was to fall heir. This note dent of the United States during the inauguration cere-
was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as mony in Washington on Jan. 20. Michelle Obama watches
white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights at right. The Bible Obama used is the same one that 16th
of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvi- President Abraham Lincoln used at his Inauguration on
ous today that America has defaulted on this promis- March 4, 1861. Obama is the third US president from Il-
sory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. linois, next to Lincoln and Ulysses Grant. REUTERS, as
Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has posted in YahooNews
given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has
come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’”
► “The marvelous new militancy which has en-
gulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a dis-

Obama: Nation must opt f

trust of all white people. For many of our white brothers
as evidenced by their presence here today have come to
realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and
they have come to realize that their freedom is inextrica-
bly bound to our freedom. We can not walk alone.”
► “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise
up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold
these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created The nation must choose House by Bush, who left erance, loyalty and patrio- the globe who seek to sow conflict,
equal.’” “hope over fear, unity of Washington as one of the tism. or blame their society’s ills on the
► “I have a dream that my four little children will purpose over conflict and nation’s most unpopular “What is required of us West - know that your people will
one day live in a nation where they will not be judged discord” to overcome the and divisive presidents, the now is a new era of respon- judge you on what you can build,
by the color of their skin, but by the content of their worst economic crisis that architect of two unfinished sibility, a recognition, on the not what you destroy.”
character.” has battered the US since wars and the man in charge part of every American, that He said the occasion was a mo-
► “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of the Great Depression. at a time of economic ca- we have duties to ourselves, ment to recall “that all are equal, all
Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former This was one of the key lamity that swept away our nation and the world, are free and all deserve a chance to
slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table messages newly-inaugu- many Americans’ jobs, sav- duties that we do not grudg- pursue their full measure of hap-
of brotherhood.” rated US President Barack ings and homes. ingly accept but rather seize piness.”
► “This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back Obama stressed in a 17- Taking stock gladly, firm in the knowl- He likewise called for a po-
to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew minute speech after he took Obama took stock of the edge that there is nothing litical truce in Washington to end
out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this his oath as the 44th and first nation’s sobering problems. so satisfying to the spirit, “the petty grievances and false
faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords African American President “That we are in the so defining of our character, promises, the recriminations and
of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. of the USA. midst of crisis is now well than giving our all to a dif- worn-out dogmas, that for far too
With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray Remaking America understood,” he said. ficult task,” he said. long have strangled our politics.”
together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to With 11 million Ameri- “Our nation is at war, With the economy in a At high noon
stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be cans out of work and tril- against a far-reaching net- long and deepening reces- When the clock ticked high
free one day.” lions of dollars lost in the work of violence and ha- sion, Obama said it was time noon, Michelle Obama patted her
► “Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick- stock market’s tumble, tred. Our economy is badly for swift and bold action to husband on the shoulder, remind-
sand of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Obama said that his biggest weakened, a consequence create new jobs and lay a ing him that he has become the
Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s challenge was to repair the of greed and irresponsibil- foundation for growth. President, even if Barack Obama
children.” tattered economy outgoing ity on the part of some, but Congressional Demo- was six minutes away from taking
► “Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and President George W. Bush also our collective failure crats have readied an $825- his oath of office.
when we allow freedom ring—when we let it ring from left behind. to make hard choices and billion stimulus plan of tax At 47, Obama moved into the
every village and every hamlet, from every state and “Our time of standing prepare the nation for a new cuts and spending for roads, Oval Office as the nation’s fourth
every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all pat, of protecting narrow age,” he added. bridges, schools, electric youngest president.
of God’s children—black men and white men, Jews and interests and putting off Obama said: “Our grids and other projects. The United States Constitu-
Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics—will be able to join unpleasant decisions - that health care is too costly, “The question we ask tion has mandated that the term of
hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: time has surely passed,” our schools fail too many, today is not whether our office of the President started at
“Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are Obama said. and each day brings further government is too big or noon of January 20.
free at last!” “Starting today, we must evidence that the ways we too small, but whether it This came after the 1933 ratifi-
pick ourselves up, dust our- use energy strengthen our works,” the new president cation of the 20th Amendment that
“I Have A Dream” is the popular name given to selves off and begin the adversaries and threaten our said. changed the start date of the term.
the public speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., work of remaking Ameri- planet.” ‘What you can build ...’ Until 1937, Inauguration Day
when he spoke of his desire for a future where ca,” he said. New era of “To the Muslim world,” was on March 4.
blacks and whites among others would coex- The dawn of the new responsibility Obama said, “we seek a Warm cheers on a cold day
ist harmoniously as equals. King delivered the Democratic era - with He said that all Ameri- new way forward, based on Millions of Americans and
speech before more than 250,000 civil rights Obama allies in charge of cans have roles in rebuild- mutual interest and mutual foreigners packed the National
supporters on August 28, 1963, from the steps both houses of Congress - ing the nation by renewing respect.” Mall and parade route to welcome
of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on ended eight years of Repub- the traditions of hard work, But he bluntly warned, Obama.
Washington for Jobs and Freedom. lican control of the White honesty and fair play, tol- “To those leaders around Cheers erupted when Obama
OBAMA’S INAUGURATION
Close RP-US
ties to stay
ARROYO
MANILA - Philippine
President Gloria Macapa-
gal-Arroyo is looking for-
ward to work with new US
President Barack Obama.
Arroyo, in a statement
before members of the dip-
lomatic corps on during the
traditional Vin D’ Honneur
at Malacañang on Jan. 19,
said: “In my conversations
with Senator Obama before
the elections and Presi-
dent-elect Obama after his
election, it was made clear
that the special relationship
between the US and the
Harper to Obama:
Stabilize US economy
OTTAWA - Canada’s
prime minister Stephen
Harper has urged US Presi-
dent Barack Obama to first
set his sights on firming up
the US financial sector and
cleaning up the country’s
economic mess that has sent
many other nations reeling
into a recession.
Harper said woes in the
US economy would contin-
ue to bear negatively on the
global economy unless the
problems are fixed.
“None of us are under
any illusions about the great
challenges that face Presi-
dent Obama,” he said.
But “in all the great
challenges that confront
him, he will find no better
friend, neighbor and ally
than Canada,” he said.
The prime minister re-
called Obama’s proposed
Philippines will continue
unabated.”
“Our ties run deep.
Over two and a half million
Americans are of Filipino
descent,” Arroyo told for-
eign dignitaries.
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
HARPER
economic stimulus package
and “the necessity of get-
ting that right.”
Harper would be an-
nouncing - before Parlia-
ment on Jan. 27 - a Canadi-
an stimulus package during
the submission of the fed-
eral budget.
towards “the Philippines, a
close friend and ally of my
country, will remain under
the administration of Presi-
dent Barack Obama.”
Kenney, in a recent in-
terview over DZWX Bombo
21
The opposition vowed
to oust Harper’s Conserva-
tive Party if no significant
program is unveiled.
Obama visit
Meanwhile, Ottawa
officials confirmed that
Obama has accepted an of-
fer to visit Canada, possibly
in February.
This would be Obama’s
first foreign visit, after his
inauguration as America’s
44th president.
Harper said the trip
would be “a wonderful ges-
ture and a great sign of re-
establishing strong Canadi-
an-American relations.”
New US presidents, dat-
ing back to Warren Hard-
ing in 1923 and Franklin
D. Roosevelt in 1933, have
typically made Canada their
first international visit fol-
lowing their inauguration.
our economic, social and
other developments.”
She cited “Filipinos here
and abroad for their com-
mitment to democracy and
concern to world issues.”
She said: “Rest assured

for ‘hope over fear’

On the other hand, US Radyo in Baguio City, said also that our countries
Ambassador to Manila Kris- “the bond and friendship of can overcome the on-go-
tie Kenney has assured that our countries shall remain ing world financial crisis.”
American foreign policies strong as we both work for OPS/PNA

stepped to the inaugural platform,
a midday sun warming the crowd
that had waited for hours - some
for over half a day - in near freez-
ing temperatures.
Spectators stretched the almost
two-mile distance from the inau-
gural platform at the U.S. Capitol
to the Lincoln Memorial.
All over the US, more watched
the inauguration proceedings live
over CNN and other news net-
works and over cyberspace.
Giant television screens
brought the coverage to many
more -- in the streets, in class-
rooms, in bars and restaurants.
Mixed feelings
The same excitement pervad-
ed elsewhere in the globe, with
peoples accepting Obama as if he
were their own, seeing in him a
sign that America would be more
embracing and open to change.
But despite resounding hopes
of a better future, some world
leaders expressed deep caution
over the difficulties that lay ahead
for Obama.
► German Chancellor Angela
Merkel wished Obama “the best
of luck” but warned that Germany
would not be swayed into adding
more troops in war-torn Afghani-
stan, where the German contin-
gent had been increased to 4,500.
Merkel said she also under-
stood Obama’s plan to seek direct
talks with Iran, which many coun-
tries accused of seeking nuclear
weapons, but was sceptical as to
Obama’s chances of success.
She made it clear to
Obama that Europe would
not accept what it saw as
unfair aid to the US auto in-
dustry during the financial
turmoil.
► Israeli opposition
leader Benjamin Netanyahu
said: “I took away the im-
pression that Barack Obama
understood our distress very
well, as well as the cruelty
of the enemies we face.”
► French Foreign Min-
ister Bernard Kouchner
said: “I think we should
not expect him to immedi-
ately solve all America’s
problems, nor ours. Barack
Obama does not have a
magic wand. He will have a
huge job, even if his merits
are huge.”
► Russian Prime Min-
ister Vladimir Putin said he
was “deeply convinced that
the biggest disappointments
are born out of big expecta-
tions. Mr. Obama looks like
a sincere, open person and
this of course is appealing.”
“That there is such en-
thusiasm in European coun-
tries apparently means that
there is big disappointment
about what Europeans have
seen in US foreign policy
recently,” Putin said.
► Chinese defense
ministry spokesman Colo-
nel Hu Changming said:
“In this new period we hope
that both China and the US
could make joint efforts to
create favorable conditions
and improve and promote
military-to-military ties.”
► Polish Foreign Min-
ister Radoslaw Sikorski
said his country would back
Obama “wherever our in-
terests come together and
where our political and eco-
nomic ability allows.”
International support
A BBC World Service
poll of people in 17 coun-
tries found that most - an
average of two-thirds - be-
lieved Obama would im-
prove the relationship be-
tween the United States and
the rest of the world.
Ghanaians are most
positive, on 87 percent; fol-
lowed by Italy, 79 percent;
Germany and Spain, 78 per-
cent each; France, 76 per-
cent; Mexico and Nigeria,
74 percent each.
In Canada, a Canadian
Press Harris-Decima phone
survey suggested Canadians
did not think the sky-high
expectations for Obama
would bring him down.
The survey said 57
percent of respondents be-
lieved the Democratic pres-
ident would do better than
expected. Most respondents
also thought Obama would
be re-elected in 2012. Wire
reports
22 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009

Front Page Philippines viewers meet host

Front Page Philippines program host

Gie Alvarez poses with the TV pro-
gram’s regular viewers Laura and Frank
Casper. The three met during the Pasko
sa Toronto at the Metro Toronto Con-
vention Centre in December 2008.

Tenny Soriano’s birth anniversary bash

Philippine Press Club-Ontario president and Balita associate editor Tenny

Soriano (left) shares a birth anniversary dinner with peers and friends (from
left center, clockwise) Ace Alvarez, Chuchi Punsalan, wife Myrna Soriano
who also celebrated her birth anniversary on Jan. 2, Gie Alvarez, Evelyn
Galicia, Maribel Montemayor, Amor Gaborno, Chito Sarabia and Butch Gali-
cia. PHOTO: RICO DELAS ALAS

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 the PHILIPPINES
World Bank blacklists 7 firms
engaged in collusive bidding
The World Bank (WB)
has uncovered a major car-
tel “engaging in collusive
practices” in bidding on a
Philippine road project and
has barred seven companies
from participation in WB
projects for at least four
years.
Meanwhile, Deputy
Presidential Spokesman
Anthony Golez Jr., in an
interview over Radyo ng
Bayan, said “no Philippine
Merrill Lynch, FCT ...
(From page 18)
until her death in November
1996.
From then on, Suzy
Llanera carried out her
late mother’s role and
coordinated the program
with Merrill Lynch.
Llanera did all she
could to make the event
known to seniors in the
Filipino community and the
mainstream group.
270,000 seniors served
Merrill Lynch marked
2008 as the 28th year of its
free Yule call program.
The initiative has
reached over 270,000 senior
citizens globally since its
inception.
government agency was
linked to the mess.”
“This was an internal
WB investigation based
on the WB’s own criteria,”
Golez said.
He added that the gov-
ernment was willing “to
charge those involved once
it could be proven (the Fili-
pino companies involved)
violated our laws.”
He also welcomed a
reported statement that the
Officials noted the
participation of their Toronto
office in the program for 23
of those years.
“The long participation
underscores how close
this event is to our hearts,
and we are delighted to be
able to help the community
maintain its holiday spirit.
Merrill Lynch volunteers
here today are especially
pleased to see the joy
experienced by all that will
be making the connection
with a loved one,” said Mimi
Theodorou, coordinator
for Merrill Lynch, APMS
Canada Global Philantrophy.
SSL/PR
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 23
WB would continue to give
assistance to the Philip-
pines, despite the alleged
rigged bidding.
In the freezer
Blacklisted were:
► Philippines-based
E.C. de Luna Construction
Corp. and its owner Eduardo
de Luna. They were barred
permanently, the strongest
possible WB sanction and
the first since 2004.
► Philippines’ Cavite
Ideal International Con-
struction and Development
Corp. and CM Pancho Con-
struction, Inc. They were
each barred for four years.
► China Road and
Bridge Corp., barred for
eight years.
► China State Con-
struction Corp. and China
Wu Yi Co. Ltd., each barred
for six years.
► China Geo-Engineer-
ing Corp., barred for five
years.
The Korean firm Dong-
sung Construction Co. Ltd
was separately sanctioned
in August 2008 for four
years for fraud and corrup-
tion related to the NRIMP
in the Philippines.
(To page 24)
24 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Bright golden rings visible
on Jan. 26 annular eclipse
MANILA - The first of
two solar eclipses of 2009
will be visible in the Philip-
pines on Jan. 26, when the
moon covers the sun’s disk,
forming a luminous bright
ring around it.
“In Manila, the annu-
lar eclipse can be observed
on Jan. 26 starting 4:55
p.m. The maximum eclipse
will be at 5:51 p.m.,” said
Prisco Nilo, Philippine At-
mospheric Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Ad-
ministration director.
According to the Nation-
al Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), an
annular solar eclipse hap-
pens when the moon’s an-
World Bank blacklists 7 firms engaged ...
(From page 23)
NRMIP 1 rigged bidding
WB investigations said
the committed acts of collu-
sion were found out in the
bidding of US$33 million
worth of contracts under
phase one of the Philip-
pines’ National Roads Im-
provement and Manage-
ment Program, known as
NRIMP 1.
WB said no funds were
disbursed to any of the
barred firms.
“This is one of our most
important and far-reaching
cases, and it highlights the
tumbral shadow crosses the
Earth.
During the eclipse’s
maximum phase, the sun ap-
pears as a blindingly bright
ring, or annulus (French
word for ring), surrounding
the moon.
The annularity will last
seven minutes 54 seconds.
A partial eclipse will be
seen from the southern third
of Africa, Madagascar, Aus-
tralia (except Tasmania),
southeast India, Southeast
Asia and Indonesia.
An eclipse of the sun, or
solar eclipse, can only oc-
cur at New Moon when the
moon passes between Earth
(To page 28)
effectiveness of the World
Bank’s investigative and
sanctions process,” said
Leonard McCarthy, World
Bank vice president for in-
tegrity, from Washington.
“As the World Bank
Group continues to ramp
up its anti-corruption work,
(it) will remain vigilant in
investigating allegations
and holding wrongdoers
accountable,” McCarthy
added, referring to the Phil-
ippine road project.
The decision by WB
president Robert Zoel-
the PHILIPPINES
Military, police in
rescue ops for ICRC
workers held in Sulu
Malacañang said the
Philippine military and po-
lice are capable of locating
and rescuing three Inter-
national Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) staff re-
portedly kidnapped in Sulu
on Jan. 15.
Unidentified elements
reportedly held at gunpoint
ICRC’s humanitarian aid
Middle-school students from the Sichuan Province of China admire the tar- workers Swiss Andreas
sier, the world’s smallest monkey, during a visit to Loboc, Bohol, part of Notter, Italian Eugenio
their seven-day trip to various tourism sites in the Philippines. The students Vagni and Filipino engineer
also visited the Chocolate Hills and had a call on President Gloria Macapa- Mary Jean Lacaba.
gal-Arroyo in Malacañang. They arrived on Jan. 11 under a Philippine gov- They were traveling af-
ernment-sponsored trip. Photo: REY BANIQUET/OPS-NIB ter a visit to the Sulu pro-
vincial jail where they in-
Fishers save endangered dugong spected the ICRC water and
PUERTO PRINCESA around its belly to release it sanitation project.
lick followed revelations CITY - Fishermen in Ba- back to the sea. Deputy presidential
that Indian IT firm Satyam rangay Maryugon here res- The gentle dugong plied spokesman Anthony Golez
Computer Services Ltd., cued an 8.5-foot sea cow the Philippine archipelago said there was no need to
which WB sanctioned in that got beached in a shal- until hunting and habitat call in foreign help on res-
September 2008, was in- low inlet during low tide. degradation wiped out most cue operations for the ICRC
volved in a $1-billion cor- The World Wide Fund of the herds. personnel.
porate fraud scandal. This for Nature (WWF) said The dugongs are pro- “We have not received
hit Indian stocks and the Maryugon resident Henry tected in northern Isabela requests for foreign help,”
rupee currency. Barlas found the refrigera- province, the southern Min- Golez said.
Also barred from quali- tor-sized mammal, locally danao region and Palawan. The government be-
fying for direct contracts known as dugong, lying Sea cows are said to live lieved terrorist Abu Sayyaf
with the WB were Indian helplessly on the beach sand up to 70 years. Females give bandits abducted the three
firms Wipro Technologies, fronting his home. birth to a single calf every ICRC workers.
India’s No. 3 software com- Barlas, other fishermen few years. It takes up to 15 The military, on orders
pany, and India’s Megasoft and a WWF representative years to mature, making the of the President, is conduct-
Consultants. OPS, Philip- nursed back the dugong to species particularly vulner- ing pursuit and rescue op-
pine Star online health before tying a rope able to extinction. PNA erations. OPS
 the PHILIPPINES
Monument honors Tandang Sora’s heroism
QUEZON CITY -
Mayor Feliciano Belmonte
Jr. led city officials and the
people in unveiling a monu-
ment and mural at the Tan-
dang Sora Shrine in Sitio
Banlat, Barangay Tandang
Sora to mark the 197th birth
anniversary of one of the
most iconic Philippine he-
roes, the beloved Melchora
Aquino.
Taguig City has
12 new villages
TAGUIG CITY -
Mayor Freddie Tinga has
welcomed the people’s ap-
proval of the creation of 12
new barangays here.
Created after the con-
duct of a plebiscite in
December 2008 were ba-
rangays North, South and
Central Signal Villages;
Katuparan; North and South
Daang Hari; Bagong Tan-
yag (Proper); San Miguel;
Central and New Lower Bi-
cutan; Fort Bonifacio; and
Pinagsama.
“This would bring about
the more effective delivery
of basic services to city res-
idents,” Tinga said.
Taguig (pop. 615,000),
once a sleepy fishing com-
munity along the shores of
Laguna de Bay, became a
city on Dec. 8, 2004. PNA
In his speech, Belmonte
urged Filipinos to nurture
the social values that were
the trademark of Tandang
Sora - love of country, love
of service and compassion.
He said that notwith-
standing her old age - Tan-
dang Sora was 84 years old
when she served the country
- she showed extraordinary
courage and nationalism
by caring for the sick and
wounded Katipuneros.
Belmonte noted that
even her subsequent six-
year exile in the then deso-
late island of Guam did not
break her indomitable spirit
and she came back in 1903
as defiant as ever.
Even the Americans,
Belmonte said, recognized
her heroism and offered her
a pension but Tandang Sora
rejected it outright saying
that “love of country does
not seek compensation.”
“Tandang Sora is a great
mother of the revolution
and a great mother of Que-
zon City,” he added.
Conceptualized and de-
signed by sculptor Abdul-
mari de Leon Imao Jr., the
monument stands 35 feet.
It is aptly titled Melcho-
ra Aquino: Ilaw ng Tah-
anan, Gabay ng Katipunan,
Tanglaw ng Lipunan.
The monument proper
is a six-by-four meter brass
sculpture comprising of four
figures on a sculptural base
cauldron and flame spire.
The monument takes the
form of an oil lamp with the
flames interpreting the un-
furling of flags that radiates
from the beacon - the figure
of Tandang Sora attending
to a wounded Katipunero.
The curved secondary
base depicts a coconut shell
used as a lamp bowl to sym-
bolize a cradle, the refuge of
the weak and the wounded.
The lower part of the
monument rests between a
six-panel back-to-back de-
sign mural on the life and
heroism of Tandang Sora.
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
MMDA’s ambitious plan
Turn U-Belt into
wifi zone
MANILA - Metropoli-
tan Manila Development
Authority (MMDA) chair-
man Bayani Fernando is
eyeing to turn Manila’s
famed University Belt area
into a wifi-zone to ben-
efit students and residents
and help police in battling
crime.
Fernando said the U-
Belt wi-fi plan would use
the Wi-max (Worldwide
Interoperability for Micro-
wave Access) technology.
Wi-max is a telecom-
munications technology
that provides wireless trans-
mission of data using a vari-
ety of transmission modes,
from point-to-point links to
portable internet access.
The technology pro-
vides up to 75 symmetric
broadband speed without
the need for cables; and is
based on the Broadband
Wireless Access.
Fernando said Wi-max
was the same technology the
MMDA used in its traffic
surveillance cameras stra-
tegically installed along the
24-kilometer Epifanio delos
Santos Avenue (EDSA), the
metropolis main thorough-
25
fare.
Fernando said the wi-fi
plan would likewise be of
use to the police using In-
ternet-based tracking sys-
tems against criminals.
The plan is part of the
MMDA’s “Univer-City”
concept aimed to make the
area more livable and con-
ducive to education.
The U-belt is the unoffi-
cial name of the sub-district
in Manila where there is a
high concentration of high-
er education institutions.
As part of its tasks, the
MMDA will clear the U-
Belt’s sidewalks of any
obstruction, repair streets,
install road signages, put up
pedestrian lanes and cross-
ings and plant trees.
Further, more traffic
lights and lamp posts will
be put up. Traffic rules, par-
ticularly on illegal parking,
will be strictly imposed to
ease traffic in the area.
Police sub-stations will
also be established to deter
criminal elements.
The concept includes
the protection and preserva-
tion of the area’s historical
and cultural heritage. PNA
26 TRAVEL & TOURISM MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009

‘Hala Bira!’, ‘Viva Señor Santo Niño!’ in Iloilo City Bacolod-Silay airport
Dinagyang: Drums, Dancing, Devotion opens to int’l flights
BACOLOD CITY - The new
P5.6-billion Bacolod-Silay airport
had its first international flight ar-
rival at 10:58 p.m. on Jan. 2.
The flight carried a group of
Kazakhstan investors who ex-
pressed interest in the medical
tourism potentials of Negros Oc-
cidental.
Antonio Alfonso Jr., local Air
Transportation Office head, said
the twin-engine Russian-made
aircraft - as big as a BAC 111 -
flew in from Amaty, Kazakhstan
after a refueling stop in Chengdu,
China.
Local customs, quarantine, and
immigration officials welcomed
the plane’s eight passengers and
eight crewmembers.
Their bodies covered with soot and ashes and donned in colorful costumes made out of native materials, Iloilo City street When the Bacolod-Silay air-
dancers sway to the rhythm of drum music as they show devotion to the Señor Santo Niño, give thanks to God for blessings port opened almost a year ago,
received and mark the sale of Panay Islands. Transportation and Communica-
tions Secretary Leandro Mendoza
Dinagyang is drums. But more than this, the 2009 brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio and back to San Jose Church. then said the airport would be de-
Thus, the synchronized rhythm Dinagyang Festival would once Enderez as a gift to the Parish of Most unusual worship clared an international gateway
and music of a thousand drums more pompously show what it had San Jose. Later, the Confradia patterned based on the standards of the In-
would hog the limelight as a fit- been famous for - street dancing The faithful, led by members the celebration on the Ati-atihan ternational Civil Aviation Organi-
ting climax of this year’s Dinag- as a tribute to the native Atis and of the Confradia del Santo Niño of Ibajay, Aklan where natives zation.
yang Festival in Iloilo City. their historic sale of Panay Islands de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, received danced in the streets, their bodies Mendoza said the airport
The festival had begun since to Malay settlers, and the people’s and paraded the image from the covered with soot and ashes, to would usher in a new air transpor-
Dec. 1, 2008 with all events and devotion to the Señor Santo Niño. Iloilo Airport to the city streets. mark the sale of Panay. tation era for Negros Occidental,
activities presenting the rich cul- Dinagyang’s roots The first parish-confined feast It was not an imitation in its as it would be opened to interna-
tural and religious traditions of the In November 1967, Roman of the Señor Santo Niño was cel- entirety of rituals, but an imitation tional flights initially from other
people of Iloilo. Catholic parish priest Fr. Ambro- ebrated in 1969, highlighted by a done in the spirit of devotion to Southeast Asian countries.
The merrymaking would reach sio Galindez introduced the devo- fluvial procession where the Se- the Child Jesus. The airport, as an international
its high on the fourth week of Jan- tion to Santo Niño, with the usual ñor Santo Niño was borne on a Dinagyang had thus become gateway, would spur progress in
uary, a period of thanksgiving and novenas and Masses. decorated banca from the mouth the most unusual of Ilonggo wor- Negros, as in the case of the Cebu
offering for all of God’s blessings The following year, a replica of Iloilo river at Fort San Pedro ship that has surpassed the test of international airport that helped
received. of the Santo Niño de Cebu was down to Iloilo Provincial Capitol time. Online sources Cebu become an industrial zone.

Help upkeep heritage sites

MANILA - Tourism
Secretary Joseph Durano
has urged local commu-
nities and domestic and
foreign tourists to help
protect, preserve and
promote Philippine eco-
logical and tourism areas
included in the United
Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO)
World Heritage list.
During the recent
World Heritage Travel
By LYNDA B. VALENCIA
Expo in Macau, Durano
said these sites “are sources
of our livelihood, as much
as they are wellsprings of
our national pride. We also
owe their preservation not
only to our fellow Filipinos
but to the world and our fu-
ture generation.”
He said the government
has also sought help from
schools, local government
units and Filipino families
“to enthuse our children in
taking concrete steps to pro-
mote and give value to our
heritage sites and our other
tourism attractions.”
The UNESCO list in-
cluded the historic city of
Vigan and the Nuestra Se-
ñora dela Asuncion Church,
both in Ilocos Sur; Church
of San Agustin in Ilocos
Norte; Puerto Princesa Sub-
terranean River National
Park and Tubbataha Reef
Marine Park, both in Pala-
wan; Banawe Rice Terraces
in Ifugao; Sto. Tomas de
Villanueva Church in Iloilo;
and San Agustin Church in
Manila.
Recent reports said
UNESCO had also included
the Apo Reef National Park
and Mt. Iglit-Baco National
Park, both in Mindoro, in
the list. PUERTO PRINCESA SUBTERRANEAN RIVER
The four churches made
it to the list because of their benefit from its World Heri- impeled preservation and
European Baroque architec- tage status.” enticed the involvement
ture. Besides worldwide at- of the local community.
Durano said the Tubba- tention, the reef has har- A testament to the
taha Reef “has derived great nessed tourism receipts, (To page 28)
 PHILIPPINE Regions MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 27
NEWS ROUNDUP
Bacolod City: Seized firecrackers destroyed
BACOLOD CITY - Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco and provincial police
director Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix led residents in destroying some P500,000
worth of seized firecrackers at the capitol premises on Jan. 5. The police said eight perons
were arrested for displaying and selling oversized imported pyrotechnics during the holi-
days. Officials added that policemen in the province’s 31 police stations complied with or-
ders against indiscriminate firing during the season. Firecracker-related injuries in Negros
Occidental dropped by 20 percent. PNA

Benguet: Baguio-Aritao road cuts travel time

BOKOD, Benguet - The 104-kilometer Baguio-Aritao Road has opened to traffic, linking
Benguet to Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and Quirino, all in the Cagayan Valley region. Through
the new Ambuclao dam bypass road, travellers are spared from traversing the dam’s spill-
way, and travel time to the south-central part of the Cordillera mountain ranges was cut by
five to six hours. The Baguio-Aritao road starts from the Wright Park of Baguio City and
ends in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya. It is etched along mountainsides and crosses gorges and
rivers through 13 bridges. The road is part of the Cordillera Road Improvement Project
bankrolled with a grant from the Japan Road Improvement Project. PNA

Cagayan de Oro City: MPSC becomes state U

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The Mindanao Polytechnic State College (MPSC) in Ba-
rangay Lapasan here officially became the Mindanao University of Science and Technol-
ogy (MUST), after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the conversion bill on Jan.
7. MUST has satellite campuses in Jasaan and Alubijid in Misamis Oriental, Oroquieta
City, and in Panaon, Misamis Occidental. The MPSC’s conversion into a state university
was in response to the need for a wider and more comprehensive higher-education pro-
vider to match the demands of industries for high-level and research manpower in science
and technology in Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions. OPS

Camiguin Island: Ro-Ro link to Bohol soon

CAMIGUIN ISLAND – The Maritime Industry Authority will allow Camiguin Island
to operate a roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) ship to link the province from Balbagon Port to the
Jagna Port in Bohol. Officials say this will hasten the transfer of agricultural, commercial,
and industrial goods and services between the two provinces. Camiguin will set up a cor-
poration that will run the P70-million M/V Camiguin Star RO-RO ship, to be leased from
NDC Maritime Leasing Corp. PNA

Daet: Top 20 taxpayers cited

NAGA CITY - Daet town mayor Tito Sarion has cited 20 persons and corporate enti-
ties for their financial and economic contributions to the growth and development of the
capital town of Camarines Norte, as he awarded them plaques of recognition as Top Tax-
payers of Daet. Cited were individual taxpayers Cesar Lee, Delfin Dolor, Nena Ong, Nor-
man Ong, Henry Jimenez, Benito Kho Lo, Omar Anthony Ong, Alexander Tang, Nelson
Buenavista and Benito Ching. The top corporate taxpayers were Bicolandia Drug Corp.;
Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils, Inc.; Avon Cosmetics, Inc.; Motortrade Nationwide Corp.; South
Star Drugs; Fuller Life Direct Selling Phil.; Family Merchant Project Development Corp.;
Jack Trading, Inc.; Rural Bank of Panganiban, and Zenco Sales Inc. PNA

Davao City: Bike lane proposal gains speed

DAVAO CITY - The city council has prioritized action on a proposed ordinance to put
up bicycle lanes in main streets, aimed at decongesting traffic flow, promote the safety
of bicycle riders and reduce pollution. A 2007 survey showed that at a given time, some
10,000 bikers traverse through city main streets, with peak hours at 6 to 7:30 a.m. and 5 to
7 p.m. The proposal required offices and establishments to segregate bicycle-parking bays
with metal posts. Comfort rooms where biker-employees can change and freshen up are
encouraged near the bike parking bays. PNA
GenSan City: DFA consular office starts work
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) formally un-
veiled its 17th Regional Consular Office at the Gaisano Mall here to help address the
growing list of passport applicants and provide consular services to foreign and local resi-
dents of Southwestern Mindanao and neighboring regions. Regional DFA consular offices
are also expected to open soon in the cities of Bacolod, Butuan, Puerto Princesa, Baguio
and Cotabato. PNA
Sorsogon City: Public smoking ban enforced
SORSOGON CITY - The city government has enforced an ordinance banning cigarette
smoking in public places, including mass conveyances. Violators are fined from P500 to
P1,000. The police were deputized to carry out the ordinance. The ban covered malls, hos-
pitals, health clinics, government offices, enclosed commercial or public establishments
and restaurants, passenger jeepneys, buses and vans. PNA

Zambo City: Health concerns in city agenda

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The city government has vowed to work towards the improve-
ment of health centers and the delivery of basic medical services to the people in 98 ba-
rangays. Mayor Celso Lobregat and City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos agreed to the
need of establishing a health center in each village. The center would be patterned after
that of Barangay Cawit. Agbulos said funds to buy medicines for the health centers would
be increased this year. Agbulos added that the Ayala health center for the west coast, Mer-
cedes for the east coast and Canelar for the barangays within the seven-kilometer radius
were identified as feeding centers in line with the campaign against malnutrition among
children. PNA

For advertising and inquiries, call 416-285-8583

28 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 PHILIPPINE Regions
Help upkeep heritage sites
(From page 26)
Philippines as an island par-
adise is the Puerto Princesa
Subterranean River.
Tourism Undersecretary
Eduardo Jarque Jr. said the
river has ranked first on the
online voting search for the
New 7 Wonders of Nature.
“It stands out from the
rest because it’s a river that
has strong tidal behaviors,
due to its direct connection
STO. TOMAS DE VILLANUEVA CHURCH to the sea. It’s also every
conservationist’s dream –- a
river that seamlessly flows
into a mountain and forest
landscape forming a teem-
ing habitat of biodiversity,”
Jarque said.
The 2,000-year old Ifu-
gao Rice Terraces was rec-
ognized for its unparalleled
part in Philippine history,
environment, culture, engi-
neering, and agro-ecosys-
tem.
It stood out as an endur-
TUBBATAHA REEF ing art form and scientific
design built by hand and
simple tools.
“A distinctive monu-
ments to the genius of our
ancestors, the Rice Terraces
has been declared as an en-
dangered heritage, which all
the more spurs our concern
and support,” Jarque said.
The historic town of
Vigan has provided a well-
preserved example of a BANAWE RICE TERRACES
planned Spanish colonial
town in Asia.
Its architecture reflected
the fusion of cultural ele-
ments from the Philippines,
China and Europe, resulting
in a culture and townscape
that could not be seen else-
where in Asia.
Vigan had the unique
blend of Asian building de-
sign and European colonial
architecture and planning, a
well preserved concept of a
European trading town in
Asia. PNA COLONIAL HOUSES IN VIGAN

TV ads reach far. Unusual tide rise, heavy ...
ADVERTISE with
www. FinancialProblem.ca (From page 5)
with credit cards and bank loans walls and houses.
Too many loans & credit cards? Landslides, floods
Paying too much interest? In Catanduanes, flood-
Afraid to pick up your own phone? ing and landslides spawned
Looking for consolidation? by continuous heavy rains
have killed one and dis-
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in 139 villages of 11 towns.
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710 families from Duma-
guete City and the coastal
towns of Dauin, San Jose,
Amlan, Vallehermoso and
Sibulan were affected by
natural calamities.
Vallehermoso recorded
the most number of flood
victims at 348 families in
15 barangays.
Big waves crashed
homes in barangays Tin-
aigan and Malaga in Bin-
doy town, forcing villagers
Bright ...
(From page 24)
and sun.
The NASA said this is
the 50th eclipse of Saros
131, a 70-eclipse family
that began with 22 partial
eclipses on Aug. 1, 1125.
The first central eclipse
was ‘total’ in the Northern
Hemisphere in 1522.
The series will produce
29 more annular eclipses,
the last on June 18, 2243.
Saros 131 ends on Sept. 2,
2369, after a string of seven

dan, Panganiban, San An- to evacuate. partial eclipses.

dres, San Miguel Viga, and
capital town Virac.
District engineer Ig-
919 Ellesmere Road nacio Odiaman said 93
Suite 107, Scarborough landslides have made im-
Ontario M1P 2W7 passable the 314-kilome-
ter Maharlika Highway at
Genitligan, Baras and Villa
Aurora, Gigmoto, including
the Bagamanoc and Pandan
road.
Rising tides
In Dumaguete City, re-
ports said rising sea tide
submerged homes in Baran-
gay Tinago, sending several
families to seek shelter at a
nearby women’s center.
In the whole of Negros
Oriental province, some
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The national highway in
Malaga was partially dam-
aged, and so was part of the
national highway in Lala-
an, San Jose.
Reports said three hous-
es in Ajong, Sibulan were
washed away.
Some 21 families in
Mag-abo, Amlan and 17
families in Tapon Norte,
San Jose, were affected.
Negros Oriental officials
said they have never experi-
enced such stormy weather
in the past years and the re-
cent sudden tide rise was a
cause for concern.
Storm surge
In La Union, officials of
The second eclipse of
2009 will happen in July,
and will be a total solar
eclipse.
This will outrank the
annular kind for eclipse
tourists; and if weather per-
mits, the July eclipse will be
more spectacular and vis-
ibly long. PNA
the coastal town of Aringay
reported that a strong storm
surge from the Lingayen
Gulf caused big waves that
swept 93 houses away and
sent some 93 families in Ba-
rangay Berlin-Alaska scam-
pering to higher grounds.
PNA

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RP inflation eases to 9.3% as fuel, power costs dip
(From page 25)
given consumers a much-
desired rate cut relief.
Fuel rollbacks
As of Jan. 13, reports
from the Philippines News
Agency showed major oil
players Shell, Petron Corp.
and Chevron Philippines
applying a fresh 50-centa-
vo-per-liter rollback in gas-
oline, diesel and kerosene
prices; with another price
cut in the coming weeks.
Thailand-based PTT
Philippines slashed the price
of its petroleum products by
P1 per liter.
This was the first price
rollback the oil companies
made for the year.
Prices of gasoline stood
at P29 to P32 per liter, die-
sel at P27 to P32 per liter
and kerosene at P36 to P41
per liter.
P8 fuel price cut?
But while this was so,
industrialist Raul Concep-
cion, head of the Consumer
and Oil Price Watch, said oil
companies should return to
consumers at least another
P8 per liter for January.
Concepcion said oil
firms, as of Oct. 31, 2008,
were “all even,” thus cur-
rent pump prices should re-
flect world market prices.
“We will accept that re-
finers Shell and Petron and
importers Chevron, Total
and Seaoil incurred losses
until end-2008 because they
hedged when prices of oil
were high,” he said.
But Concepcion noted
that since prices dropped to
as low as US$35 per barrel
for December and delivery
is expected in February, the
oil companies should have
bought their requirements
for February from the fu-
tures market at US$35.35
to protect themselves from
higher prices.
“It is important that they
hedge now because once
Barack Obama sits as the
44th US President, con-
fidence goes back to the
global economy which will
trigger oil prices to go up,”
he said.
LPG shortage
Meanwhile, liquefied
petroluem gas (LPG) major
suppliers Liquigas, Shell
and Petron have assured the
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
STURDY FILIPINOS IN HARD AND TOUGH TIMES. Many Filipino families,
like the scavenger couple above, are so used to being poor and eking out
a life a day at a time. They no longer care about anything else but food on
their laps and a place to lay their tired bodies on. Pushing the cart to get
somewhere and turning their backs on the rosy image of the economy state
officials and politicians paint have kept them moving on.
supply of LPG would nor-
malize near the end of Janu-
ary, when shipments arrive.
Most Filipino house-
holds use LPG for cooking.
LPG shortages were re-
ported in Metro Manila and
elsewhere in the nation.
Power rates
In Metro Manila, resi-
dential customers of power
retailer Manila Electric
Company (Meralco) would
likely see their January
bills lesser by as much as
P18.80.
Meralco officials said
power rates were reduced
by 7.9 centavos per kilo-
watt-hour (kWh) in Janu-
ary, as a result of low prices
in the wholesale electricity
spot market and the use of
banked gas by plants of
First Gas.
In December, Meralco
slashed its generation charge
by 45 centavos per kWh due
to the use of banked gas by
First Gas for its two power
plants in Sta. Rita and San
Lorenzo.
Water rates on hold
Water rate hikes, on the
other hand, would have to
wait until February as water
concessionaires Manila Wa-
ter and Maynilad are await-
ing the decision of the Met-
ropolitan Waterworks and
Sewerage System to grant
them the extension of their
concession contract.
Maynilad is also await-
ing the approval of its busi-
ness plan after undergoing
its own rate rebasing exer-
cise last year.
The new rate adjustment
for Manila Water was set to
start this January based on
the company’s approved
business plan for 2008 to
2012.
Rice price to rise
Relatedly, officials as-
sured a stable supply of rice
until mid-2009, but said the
price of the staple would
slightly rise due to the ef-
fects of the global financial
crisis.
The National Food Au-
thority said it had an inven-
tory of some 940,000 met-
ric tons of rice, even as they
have started estimating how
much would be imported
for food security purposes.
The agency had been
selling subsidized rice for
P25 per kilo; but giving it
at P18.25 per kilo to poor
MONEY
GOT A FOREX DEAL?
Check out if you got your peso’s worth for the
dollars you have had exchanged since Dec. 15,
courtesy of Manila Media (Money) Monitor.
US$ Cdn$
Jan. 16 47.15228 37.59982
Jan. 15 47.35779 37.58394
Jan. 14 47.08531 38.03162
Jan. 13 47.50916 38.78128
Jan. 12 47.49319 39.57584
Jan. 09 47.12908 39.53536
Jan. 08 46.87907 39.45791
Jan. 07 46.39448 39.14948
Jan. 06 46.95502 39.72341
Jan. 05 47.20497 39.66568
Jan. 02 47.29271 39.08256
Dec. 31 47.46804 38.77915
Dec. 30 47.48329 38.91897
Dec. 29 47.47382 39.03869
Dec. 26 47.45318 38.89414
Dec. 24 47.45812 39.15438
Dec. 23 47.37738 38.95977
Dec. 22 47.27907 38.81506
Dec. 19 46.74233 38.09226
Dec. 18 46.75866 39.09424
Dec. 17 46.90213 39.08322
families with access cards Dec. 16 47.40398 38.75800
and those included in rice
Dec. 15 47.71105 38.63005
allocation ledgers.
4% growth in ‘09
Amid all these develop- new opportunities. inflows and the cut in cor-
ments, investment house Vulnerable porate income tax from 35
First Metro Investment But Dennis Arroyo, di- percent in 2008 to 30 per-
Corp. (FMIC) predicted rector of NEDA’s National cent in 2009, Arroyo said.
that the Philippine economy Planning and Policy Staff, He said the government
would grow by four percent said there were sectors vul- had laid out a labor sector
in 2009, notwithstanding nerable to the global crisis. action agenda for OFWs
the global financial crisis. These sectors included and crisis-hit workers and
FMIC chairman Fran- export-oriented industries; would continue carrying out
cisco Sebastian said the eco- personal consumption ex- programs that would protect
nomic slowdown has tamed penditures and private in- and benefit the country’s
inflation, dragging interest vestments; overseas Fili- poorest of the poor.
rates with it and giving the pino workers (OFW) at risk He added the state would
economy the much needed to displacement; and jobs in also accelerate spending for
boost to weather the effects commodity exports particu- fast, simple, small-scale
of the crisis. larly garments, electronics, infrastructure projects that
Sebastian said this wiring and harness and co- could create new jobs and
would help the Philippine conut oil. would intensify the mar-
economy to post a modest Shock absorbers keting of BPO services as
growth of an average of 4 However, the Philippine cost-cutting solutions for
percent for 2009. economy could count on a US firms.
He also forecast the number of crisis shock ab- Eric Le Borgne, World
peso-US dollar exchange sorbers. Bank senior economist for
rate to hover between P46 These included easing the Philippines, noted: “The
to P52; the national deficit oil prices and the inflation country’s resilience is no
under a manageable level; rate, ample supply of gross accident: it is mostly due
and the financial market to international reserves, posi- to the robust buffers delib-
remain under continuous tive balance of payments, erately built since the East
volatility but would open strong OFW remittance Asian crisis.”

S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A S A B O K U P A D O
G 11 12 13
A L A T A S A H A R
O 14 15
T M A I S S A H A N G
16 17 18
sa P I N A K A A N G A
19 20 21
A A P U L A G A N
B 22 23 24 25 26
A L A A B U L A L I
T 27
A N
28
K
29
A K O N
30
G S
I
31 32 33 34
D T I L A U N G U L A
35 36 37
W A M I R A Y A L I D
I 38 39
Y A M A H A W A L O
K 40 41
A A L A B A N G T A R
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Make TFSA transfers without
the pain of tax gain
By the Investors Group Financial Services Inc.
By now, you prob-
ably know a lot about the
Tax Free Savings Account
(TFSA) that came on line
on January 2nd.
And you may be won-
dering if it’s a good idea to
transfer some of your exist-
ing non-registered assets
into a TFSA to avoid future
taxation on the investment
income.
Here’s your answer: Yes
it is a good strategy – as
long as you are aware of the
tax implications.
First, let’s review the
benefits of a TFSA:
It allows you to use your
savings to invest in eligible
investment vehicles and
the capital gains and other
investment income earned
in your TFSA will not be
taxed.
‘Eligible’ investments
are generally the same as
those allowed in an RRSP
– mutual funds, publicly-
traded securities, govern-
ment bonds, GICs, and seg-
regated funds.
TFSA contributions
must be included in income
for tax purposes.
But investment income,
including capital gains,
earned in the TFSA will not
be taxed, even when with-
drawn.
TFSA funds can be
withdrawn at any time for
any purpose.
Withdrawn amounts can
be put back into a TFSA
without reducing contribu-
tion room.
Unused TFSA contri-
bution room can be carried
forward to future years.
Now let’s look at how to
make tax-advantaged trans-
fers.
In most cases, you will
be ‘selling’ an existing in-
vestment and re-investing
the money in your TFSA.
If you’re selling a GIC-
type investment, no prob-
lem – you’re moving from
an investment with fully
taxable income into a tax-
free investment vehicle.
However, if you are sell-
ing non-registered invest-
ments that produce capital
gains or losses, factor in the
tax consequences:
If your non-registered
investment is in a ‘gain’ po-
sition, making an ‘in-kind’
transfer directly into your
TFSA will trigger a ‘dispo-
sition’ and you’ll pay tax in
MONEY 31
the year of the transfer on
50 percent of the gains.
If that investment is in a
‘loss’ position and you make
an ‘in-kind’ disposition into
your TFSA, you will lose
the loss because the CRA
will deem it to be ‘nil’.
But … as long as you
transfer the investment into
another investment inside
the TFSA you will trigger
the loss and be able to use it
against ‘gains’ made in the
past three years, this year,
or in the future.
If you wish the TFSA
to hold the original invest-
ment, you must wait at least
30 days before the TFSA
purchases this investment
to be able to use the loss.
Tax planning and the
effective use of TFSAs are
essential parts of almost any
financial plan.
Your professional advi-
sor can help make sure your
total plan is greater than the
sum of its parts. (Related
story on page 4)
ADVERTISE
MANILA MEDIA
MONITOR
Call 416-285-8583
32 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Flaherty unwraps package of tax relief measures for ...
(From page 4)
workers from full-time
work. The 2007 Budget
amended the income tax
rules to permit an employee
to receive pension benefits
from a Registered Pension
Plan and simultaneously ac-
crue further benefits, with
certain constraints.
► Effective the 2008
taxation year, proposed
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Act increased the number of
Canadian amateur athletes
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muneration related to their
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Shaklee Corp. introduces revolutionary
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Most Americans have
heard that drinking a glass of
red wine can be healthy but
are unaware of why exactly
this is true.
In 2006, researchers at
the Harvard Medical School
and the National Institute
on Aging (NIA) reported
that a natural substance
found in red wine, known as
resveratrol, can potentially
offset the negative effects
of a high-calorie diet and
significantly extend lifespan
in mice.
After the largest research
project in its 52-year history,
Shaklee Corporation,
the number one natural
nutrition company in the
U.S., is introducing Vivix™
Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic,
the first all-natural dietary
supplement that combines
resveratrol with a patent-
pending plant extract to
combat cellular aging.
“Shaklee is proud of this
breakthrough innovation
of Vivix,” said Dr. Jamie
McManus, Shaklee’s chair
of Medical Affairs, Health
Sciences and Education.
“Our team has invested
years of research to locate
and isolate a unique blend of
potent plant phytochemicals
which when combined
with resveratrol have been
shown in laboratory studies
to positively impact four
key mechanisms of cellular
aging by protecting and
repairing cellular DNA,
positively impacting genetic
► Being phased in from
March 19, 2007 to Jan. 1,
2011 were meal expenses
for truck drivers. This raised
the deductible portion of the
cost of food and beverages
taken by long-haul truck
drivers to 80 percent from
50 percent over five years.
Business Income
► On Jan. 1, 2008, the
general corporate income
tax rate was reduced from
22.12 percent (including
the corporate surtax) to 19.5
percent. The tax rate further
went down to 19 percent ef-
fective Jan. 1, 2009.
On Jan. 1, 2010, it would
regulators, promoting cellu-lar
energy production and Vivix
ingredients are 10 times more
powerful than resveratrol
alone at slowing AGE protein
formation.”
Vivix™ is made with the
purest and most potent natural
resveratrol available and
contains a unique profile of
polyphenols which have been
shown to address mechanisms
of cellular aging in several
laboratory tests.
Vivix ingredients combat
these key mechanisms by;
repairing cellular DNA,
positively impacting genetic
regulators to help turn
down aging, and promoting
mitochondrial biogenesis to
increase power production
within cells.
Published in Nature, the
Harvard Medical School
and NIA report suggests that
resveratrol could help offset
some of the negative impacts of
a high-calorie diet in mice.
Researchers found that res-
veratrol extended the lifespan
of mice and appeared to blunt
some of the effects of aging.
“This product goes far
beyond resveratrol in the fight
against cellular aging, says
Shaklee product distributor,
Mila Magno.
A 30-day supply delivers the
equivalent amount of resveratrol
found in 3,000 glasses of red
wine and has actually been
shown in laboratory studies to
be ten times more powerful than
resveratrol alone at slowing
one of the key mechanisms of
dip to 18 percent; on Jan. 1,
2011 to 16.5 percent; and on
Jan. 1, 2012 to 15 percent.
► Since Jan. 1, 2008,
the small business tax rate
was reduced from 13.12
percent (including the cor-
porate surtax) to 11 per-
cent.
► Since Feb. 26, 2008,
improvements were made
on the Capital Cost Allow-
ance (CCA), a deduction
for tax purposes that rec-
ognized the depreciation of
capital property.
► Since 2007, manu-
facturing and processing
businesses were allowed to
cellular aging.
The recommended
serving of Vivix is one
teaspoon a day, taken
preferably with breakfast or
lunch. Vivix is all natural
without artificial flavors,
sweeteners, colors or
added preservatives and
is exclusively available
through Shaklee Independent
Distributors. For more
information please visit
www.milamagno.com
call/text 647-272-7259.
or
(Statements have not
been evaluated by the Food
and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure, or
prevent any disease.)
***
For 50 years, Shaklee
has been a leading provider
of premium quality, natural
nutrition, and personal care
products, environmentally-
friendly household products,
and state-of-the-art air and
water treatment systems. In
2000, Shaklee became the
first company in the world
to be Climate Neutral™
certified to totally offset its
CO2 emissions, resulting
in a net zero impact on the
environment. With a robust
product portfolio, including
over 50 patents and patents
pending worldwide, Shaklee
has more than 750,000
members and distributors
worldwide and operates in
the U.S., Mexico, Canada,
Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and
China. ADVERTORIAL
MONEY
write off capital investments
in machinery and equipment
using a special two-year 50-
percent straight-line CCA
rate for eligible assets ac-
quired between March 19,
2007 and Dec. 31, 2009.
In 2010 and 2011, an
accelerated CCA would be
given on a declining basis.
► Since Feb. 26, 2008,
measures were made to ex-
pand eligibility for acceler-
ated CCA for clean energy
generation.
Added were applica-
tions involving ground
source heat pumps and en-
ergy-from-waste.
► On April 1, 2008, the
temporary Mineral Explora-
tion Tax Credit was extend-
ed for investors in flow-
through shares to March 31,
2009.
The “look-back” rule
would allow funds raised
with the benefit of the cred-
it to support exploration
spending until the end of
2010.
► Since Feb. 26, 2008,
the availability and acces-
sibility of the Scientific
Research and Experimental
Development Tax Incentive
Program were enhanced for
small and medium-sized
businesses.
► The Budget 2006 has
extended the carry-forward
period for unused ITCs to
20 years from 10 years, ap-
plicable to ITCs earned in
taxation years that ended
after 2005.
The carry-forward pe-
riod was extended to meet
the likelihood that firms
would be able to apply
ITCs against future tax li-
abilities.
In early 2008, the 20-
year carry-forward pe-
riod was further extended
to unused ITCs earned in
the 1998 to 2005 taxation
years.
The change was seen to
facilitate a smooth transi-
tion to the new single cor-
porate tax administration in
Ontario, starting in the 2009
taxation year.
► Since Jan. 1, 2008,
Threatened with layoff?
Be pro-active
SAN DIEGO, CA - During these times of economic
difficulties, employees under threat of layoffs must be
pro-active.
The following are suggestions to keep those who are
under such threat:
► Always keep your eyes and ears open at your cur-
rent place of employment to determine if layoffs are im-
minent.
Take care of the career basics right away by having
an updated resume, cover letter, and references ready
for immediate use. If unsure about the current style of
resumes or how to properly market your qualifications,
you might benefit by investing in assistance from a pro-
fessional resume writer.
► Be pro-active instead of reactive. Start searching
for positions inside and outside your current industry
now. Visit major or niche job boards to ascertain what
types of positions are available and determine if your
qualifications meet the requirements of those positions.
If any of the positions look promising, apply for them.
Network before a potential job loss. Developing
a network of professionals who can help with the job
search is best done while still employed.
Consider investing in interview career coaching.
Many job seekers have been with companies for several
years and have not had to interview outside their current
employer’s walls.
The method employers use to evaluate external can-
didates has changed dramatically. If you are in an in-
dustry where the jobs will not return for a long time,
you may need career coaching to determine a new career
path. The Career News
Job mart outlook varies ...
(From page 9)
Other career path strate- Albertans were more
gies for 2009 included: likely than other Canadians
► Pursuing additional to manage their financial
job training or skill devel- concerns by considering a
opment, which 40 percent of second or part-time job.
respondents said they would More than a third or 34
more likely consider; percent of Alberta respon-
► A job change for 23 dents said they were likely
percent; and to look for additional work,
► Taking an additional compared to the national av-
job or considering part-time erage of 23 percent. From
work for 23 percent. a CNW report
the withholding tax on in- eliminated in 2010.
terest paid to arm’s length The rate was reduced
non-residents was elimi- from 10 percent to 7 per-
nated. cent on Jan. 1, 2008; and
► Began in 2008 and in further 4 percent as of Jan.
keeping with the fifth Pro- 1, 2009.
tocol to the Canada-U.S. Flaherty admitted that
Tax Treaty, the withhold- the Canadian economy had
ing tax on interest payments been facing challenges,
from Canada to non-arm’s “but the government has a
length U.S. lenders is be- plan, and we will come out
ing phased-out over a three- of this stronger than ever.”
year period and completely Finance Ministry PR

UK seeks Filipino healthcare pros
MANILA - Despite the
global financial crisis and
fears of recession, Filipino
professionals continued to
be very much welcome in
the United Kingdom (UK).
British Ambassador to
Manila Peter Beckingham
said overseas Filipinos
BI new visa
policy to attract
foreign capital
MANILA - Lito So-
riano, executive director
of the Federated Associa-
tion of Manpower Export-
ers (FAME), has noted
the Philippine Bureau of
Immigration’s (BI) move to
attract external investments
with an offer of a permanent
resident visa for a foreigner
who hire 10 Filipinos in the
country.
“This move gives hope
that the government is seri-
ous in bringing in foreign
capital to create more jobs,”
Soriano said, adding that
his group would like to see
more of this concrete action
from the state.
He said FAME has writ-
ten to Philippine President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
suggesting that the BI new
visa offer to foreigners who
put up shop in the country
and employ locals should
also cover foreign princi-
pals who hire Filipinos.
Soriano said the BI
seemed to have broken off
from its traditional role of
just being law enforcers to
being an instrument in eco-
nomic growth.
“The BI moves are not
exactly new. Many countries
friendly to foreign investors
have these programs,” he
added. PNA
MONEY
workers (OFW) have been
valuably contributing to
the UK labor force, as they
have a reputation for pro-
viding quality work in their
respective fields.
Beckingham noted the
ability of Filipinos to speak
English, an edge over some
European Union migrants
seeking work in the UK.
The number of OFWs
in the UK has reached some
200,000, most of them hired
in the healthcare industry
Contract ban on joining
labor unions abroad scrapped
MANILA - The Depart-
ment of Labor and Employ-
ment (DOLE) has scrapped
from the Overseas Filipino
Workers’ (OFW) model
employment contract the
prohibition for Filipino mi-
grants to join labor unions.
The department would
fully implement the move
next year.
The prohibition was
adopted in 1975 when the
Iranian government under
the Shah declared joining or
forming trade unions illegal
in the Gulf country.
Since then, the rule has
been followed by other Gulf
countries and was stipulated
in the OFW’s contract.
DOLE Secretary Mari-
anito Roque, however, said
www. FinancialProblem.ca
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as nurses, caregivers and
chefs.
The British Borders and
Immigration Agency has
bared its latest national oc-
cupation shortages list that
sought for engineers, doc-
tors, nurses and teachers.
Filipino healthcare pro-
fessionals and other skilled
workers are urged to apply
for work permits and fill up
the large number of vacant
National Health Service po-
sitions. PNA
that despite the erasure
of the prohibition, OFWs
would have to follow the
laws of their destination
country.
Meanwhile, Sena-
tor Manny Villar said the
DOLE’s resolve was a big
step for the improvement
of OFWs’ conditions while
working abroad.
“Many OFWs end up
in distress because they
have been denied the right
to organize themselves and
negotiate for better terms of
employment,” Villar said.
He also asked diplomat-
ic and labor officials abroad
to work for the lifting of the
same ban in countries where
there is a big concentration
of OFWs. PNA
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 33
AT THE HOMEFRONT, hardworking Filipinos - such as those in a
garment factory in photo - hold on to their jobs, which they pray
will hold on to them for long.
State braces for OFW
job losses in Q1 ‘09
Labor and employment officials are “But the figures from the first quarter of
bracing themselves for an impending 2009 next year would be telling ... we need to put
first quarter storm in terms of potential job safety nets in place,” she said.
cuts abroad. Returning jobless OFWs might need to
In Taiwan alone, over 6,000 workers undergo “retooling” for new jobs needed
had to fly home before the holidays after abroad, and among those who might need
the manufacturing plants they worked for “aggressive training” are Filipino seafarers
was lamed by the global financial crisis. so that they could fill the many and still va-
The same was noted in other parts of the cant positions for officers, she added.
world where big-ticket projects were can- Frantic search for jobs
celled; where hiring foreign workers was Meanwhile, the government has begun
stopped; and where factories either closed its frantic search for a million jobs, albeit
shop or downsized operations. temporary, in the first six months of 2009.
DOLE reports noted that in recent days, The job creation tickler was agreed
more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)
have returned, nursing lost jobs.
upon during a Cabinet meeting in Iligan
City on Jan. 6.
And state officials are aware that un- It aimed to step up livelihood and emer-
less immediate action is done about the gency programs to lessen the impact of the
dire situation, these OFWs and those in the global economic meltdown on Filipinos,
homeland might as well mull over a bleak especially the poorest of the poor.
and uncertain social and economic future, National Anti-Poverty Commission
even as remittance-dependent national cof- chair Domingo Panganiban said the Out-
fers are expected to face a big dive. of-school Youth Serving Towards Eco-
Situation normal, but ... nomic Recovery project, an emergency
An INQUIRER.net report quoted Over-
seas Workers Welfare Administration
employment program, is expected to churn
out 700,000 new jobs that included hollow
(OWWA) chief Carmelita Dimzon as say- blocks making and road maintenance.
ing that the agency has continued monitor- Various other livelihood projects, most
ing 24/7 the overseas labor situation. of them in the implementation stages, are
“The situation is not yet alarming. The expected to generate some 150,000 jobs,
figures are still normal. Filipinos are still
being deployed every day,” Dimzon said.
Records of the Philippine Overseas Em-
Panganiban said.
He added that a special program for
OFWs who lost their jobs as a result of the
ployment Administration (POEA) showed
that some 3,000 OFWs leave daily for work
economic meltdown, is being mapped out.
With PNA, OPS and other wire ser-
abroad. vices
T.H.D. CONSULTANTS
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To book your appointment please call ........... Anna Eusebio @ (416) 609-8912
34 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
Rising concern over celebrity worship among young Filipinos
(From page 8)
sing.
As they raked in mon-
ey, they also succeeded in
changing lifestyles.
We saw generations that
suddenly could not stand the
silence of the farmlands so
they brought out the transis-
tor radio.
Our fathers could not be-
gin the day without the cus-
tomary cigarette, coffee and
newspaper.
Our own generation
lived around the TV clock,
and were told by our bod-
ies that when the noontime
variety came on, it was time
for lunch.
When the early prime-
time news started broadcast,
it was time for supper.
After the last soap or
drama at night, it was time
for bed.
And Saturday and Sun-
day mornings meant car-
toons.
Today’s generation is
several notches higher in
media usage.
There seems to be no
blur between how they use
media and how they act out
media lives.
Simple fascination by
media in the past has been
replaced by more actualiza-
tion through media today.
Notice how more tod-
dlers are becoming afraid of
the sight of Santa Claus but
will bravely handle the more
frightful Pokemon or Trans-
former toys.
And how their childhood
fears are brought to life by
gothic films and horror TV
series.
Much has been written
and said about the obvious
effect of media violence and
sex on the youth.
There is little discussion
on celebrity worship, a usu-
ally ignored prong in the
convoluted media mess.
It could be that parents
find our youth’s infatuation
with pop stars as mere pup-
py love, a cute and harmless
learning stage before their
kids graduate to more seri-
ous romantic involvements.
After all, isn’t childhood
mostly drill for life’s future
challenges?
We play house and let’s
pretend.
We get drafted into com-
petitive sports to understand
the nature of life’s intramu-
rals.
We are hurled into cam-
pus politics as early practice
for one of adult life’s inane
addictions and afflictions.
But media stokes its own
fires, having discovered
from the times of the carni-
vals and circuses, of Rudolf
Valentino and WC Fields,
and of Atang dela Rama and
Susan Roces that celebrity
ENTERTAINMENT
worship fattened producers’
purses.
The more gullible and
unquestioning an audience
is, and to this category be-
long our vulnerable children
and a vast mass of youth, the
more money can be made.
This is not to say that
media producers are an un-
conscionable lot.
They are simply astute
businessmen.
Media is, by and large, a
business enterprise.
Otherwise, why bother
with ratings and advertising
if the bottom line was not
pegged to currency?
And so to fuel the pas-
sion further, we have toys
galore to accompany film
debuts.
Comicbooks and nov-
eletas move only if there is
something popsy or ticklish
on the cover.
The best selling school
notebooks feature today’s
hottest teen stars.
(Would a Filipino twelve
year old buy a Sterling note-
book with German Moreno
on the cover?)
Will a horror movie at-
tract minus the love angle
featuring well-brushed,
clear-skinned, teeny boppers
caught in an adventure?
Will a TV show run lon-
ger than a season if the pop
element was not factored
in?
We have noticed what
makes a town fiesta a bigger
crowd drawer.
Certainly it is not the
mayor’s speech or the pre-
sentation of plaques to the
town’s seniors.
We have seen how na-
tional politicians win elec-
tions handily and why there
is a beeline to Pacquiao even
if his name stinks in local
polls.
And worse, why celebri-
ties emerge in political cam-
paigns even without a decent
platform to speak of.
We wonder if toothpaste
and shampoo will sell if they
were endorsed by some girl
from Arayat who did not
have a familiar name or air-
brushed face.
Celebrity addiction also
afflicts the adult these days,
we notice.
The public school teach-
er, forced to compete for at-
tention in a humdrum class,
has to resort to showbiz gos-
sip to enliven discussion.
Eyes roll and dour faces
become eager when teacher
starts to recount last night’s
installment of a popular
soap.
Newscasts, once the
bastion of formality and
seriousness, has taken a
nonsense turn by purposely
magnifying any bit of no-
news to sensational mate-
rial: the romantic reason for
a pop star’s zits or why so
and so celebrity broke into
tears after her victory in a
relay game.
It happens that anything
mouthed or pushed by “ce-
lebrity gods” is instantly
lapped up by adoring le-
gions, all desiring to be an
inch closer to their idols.
That Belo, Calayan and
their ilk are making oodles
of money can in part be
attributed to the almost
prayer-like incantations
made by hosts and guests
during almost every live lo-
cal program on TV.
Down the age ladder,
youth are aping the trends
started by celeb teens: be-
fore it was only in the do-
main of health and beauty
products; today it is any-
thing from fleece jackets in
the tropics to ski caps in the
humid streets, Arabic head-
gear slung around necks to
elephantine or low-waist
pants and nose studs, tattoos
and rap to hair rebonding
expeditions to the parlor.
On the other hand, there
is a celebrity stalker in each
of us, we admit.
We faithfully follow ce-
lebrity lives.
Once a mere novelty in
newspapers, added to spice
up the staid publication, the
entertainment section is now
the most avidly read by all
ages.
Parties and family gath-
erings are frequently pep-
pered with idle talk, much of
it revolving around celebrity
lives and scandals.
There is no better busi-
ness season for PR handlers
and gossipmongers than
today. (Sarah Palin, whose
popularity was catapulted by
media, now regrets not hav-
ing spoken to media more.)
Politicians are known to
spin tales to keep afloat in
people’s consciousness, the
more ludicrous, the more
mileage they enjoy.
Expect such crooked
media savviness to rear an
even uglier head as we inch
closer to elections.
And media can’t seem to
have enough, assigning even
ridiculous incidents to late
breaking news segments, as
though our GNP depended
on them.
As we pretend to be a
media-wise nation, by buy-
ing up every conceivable
gadget available in the mar-
ket because some celeb or
fashionista was seen carry-
ing it, we should recognize
that all this celebrity hul-
labaloo inevitably trickles
down to the child audience
we are shaping as future re-
sponsible and smart adults.
 ENTERTAINMENT
PHILIPPINE ENTERTAINMENT PORTAL’S
2008 Showbiz Scene Stealers
As we say goodbye to
year 2008, PEP (Philippine
Entertainment Portal) takes
a look at the personalities
who made Philippine show-
biz more colorful.
Controversy is a staple
in showbiz and the Year of
the Rat never ran out of it.
It was a year filled with
joy as many artists basked in
the glory of their chosen pro-
fession.
It was likewise wracked
with pain, as some of Philip-
pine entertainment’s greats
rejoined their Maker.
Here are the people who
mattered most in Philippine
showbiz this year:
MARIAN RIVERA
(Controversy Magnet):
Whatever Marian Rivera
says or does surely elicits
people’s reaction - positive
or negative - simply because
she is the hottest star in
showbiz today. Proof is the
page views and comments
that articles about Marian
get in PEP. In our list of 100
Most Viewed articles, more
than 10 are stories about
Marian.
Marian made the head-
lines this year for several
reasons: a video of her con-
frontation with a fan; admit-
By ERWIN SANTIAGO
MARIAN RIVERA and DINGDONG DANTES
ting that she is a “jologs”;
pregnancy rumor; and her
crying over Karylle’s “mys-
terious smile.”
This year can be also
considered a banner year
for Marian’s showbiz career.
She continued to reign su-
preme in primetime televi-
sion, thanks to Marimar and
Dyesebel. She was also able
to do four movies this year:
My Best Friend’s Girlfriend,
One True Love, Despera-
das 2, and Shake, Rattle &
Roll X. Todate, she has 24
endorsements tucked under
her belt.
DINGDONG DANTES
(Sexiest Man): Marian Ri-
vera’s screen partner Ding-
dong Dantes had his share of
shining moments this year.
Dingdong established
himself as one of the most
sought-after young actors
in the industry. After tak-
ing a risk by shedding off
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
his wholesome image and
his clothes, he captured the
public’s wild imagination.
When he first appeared
in the Bench denim and
underwear fashion show in
July 2008, Dingdong drew
the loudest cheers and ap-
plause from the audience.
Unknown to Dingdong, it
was the start of better things
to come.
Later this year, Ding-
dong ranked No. 3 in E!
Television’s list of Top 25
Sexiest Men of the World,
behind UK soccer superstar
David Beckham and Argen-
tinian actor Michael Gurfi.
He became the first Filipino
to be included in the Sexiest
List of E! and the highest-
ranked Asian this year.
His recent breakup with
singer-actress Karylle was
the one of the hottest is-
sues in showbiz this year, of
course. The breakup ignited
several other issues includ-
ing his rumored romance
with Marian and the rift be-
tween Marian and Karylle.
All these made Ding-
dong the hottest male star in
2008.
GABBY CONCEP-
CION (Comeback Kid):
Probably the biggest come-
35
back in the history of Phil-
ippine showbiz is that of
Gabby Concepcion.
After staying away from GABBY CONCEPCION
the limelight for 13 years,
Gabby, who was one of the
top matinee idols in the ‘80s,
arrived on March 30, 2008.
Gabby’s return elicited vari-
ous reactions, but people,
especially his fans, were ex-
cited to see him once again.
However, his homecoming
did not turn out the way he
wanted it to be.
Although he got a very
lucrative deal with ABS-
CBN and Star Cinema, it MANNY PACQUIAO
created an issue with GMA
Films, with which he signed that he is the best pound-
a contract when he was still for-pound boxer in the
in the United States. world. This year alone, he
He also had to face all won three matches in three
the legal cases that he left different weight divisions:
before he flew to the U.S. superfeatherweight, light-
Two additional cases were weight, and welterweight.
filed against him; one by After Pacquiao’s split-
showbiz writer Jobert Su- decision victory in his re-
caldito and another one by match against Juan Manuel
his new manager, Rose Fla- Marquez on March 15,
miniano. Gabby is back in 2008, he became the first
the U.S., probably thinking Filipino to win three world
hard about returning to the titles in three weight di-
Philippines. visions: WBC flyweight
MANNY PACQUIAO champion, IBF super ban-
(Boxing Champ): The Phil- tamweight, and WBC super
ippine’s pride Manny “Pac- featherweight.
man” Pacquiao has proven (To page 36)
36 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009
2008 Showbiz Scene ...
(From page 35)
Pacquiao moved to light-
weight to fight against Da-
vid Diaz, who he knocked
out in the ninth round dur-
ing their match on June 28,
2008. Then, on Dec. 6, 2008
(U.S. time), Pacquiao made
boxing legend Oscar de la
Hoya surrender after the 8th
round during their non-title
Dream Match.
All three boxers Pac-
quiao defeated in 2008 are
Mexicans; thus fortifying
his reputation as the Mexi-
can Executioner.
MARKY CIELO (Too
Young To Die): Marky’s
death literally stole the
spotlight from Manny Pac-
quiao’s historic win on Dec.
7 (Philippine time).
The showbiz industry
was in total shock when
news broke out that 20-
year-old actor Marky Cielo,
the first and only StarStruck
Ultimate Sole Survivor, was
found dead in his room in
Antipolo City.
Marky’s sudden death
was deeply mourned by his
family, friends, co-workers,
and fans. Marky’s clean re-
cord in showbiz, an excep-
tion rather than the rule,
made him an inspiration to
many.
Marky was always
proud of his Igorot roots in
Bauko, Mountain Province,
where he was buried.
The cause of Marky’s
death remains a mystery.
There were talks that he
died in his sleep, that he
committed suicide, some
even say that there was
foul play. But most people
would rather not talk about
it and give Marky the peace
CHARICE PEMPENGCO in one of her international appearances
he deserves.
RUDY FERNAN-
DEZ (Goodbye, Daboy):
The whole movie industry
mourned the death of ac-
tion superstar Rudy Fernan-
dez on June 7, 2008, after
a long, hard-fought battle
with cancer.
During his entire or-
deal, Daboy’s wife, actress
Lorna Tolentino, never left
his side. It was also during
this time that Daboy be-
came closer to his family
and bosom friends Jinggoy
Estrada, Bong Revilla and
Philip Salvador.
Three months before his
demise, Daboy celebrated
his 56th birthday (March 3),
with almost all of his clos-
est friends in the industry.
ARNEL PINEDA, Journeyman
At the Toronto leg
of Journey’s 2008 in-
ternational concert tour,
a fan told fellow jour-
nalist Tenny Soriano:
“Amazing how so many
Filipinos love west-
ern music.” Soriano
replied: “Besides the
good music, we are here
because that guy sing-
ing the lead for Journey
is a Filipino! He made
us proud.”
Amazing indeed was the journey of ARNEL
PINEDA, who literally sacrificed a lot and rose from
humble beginnings as a barroom musician to become
the world-class vocalist for the renowned Journey band
that has just completed a successful world tour.
Pineda placed the Philippines in the global enter-
tainment map. For that, the Manila Media Monitor,
as a rejoinder, has selected ARNEL PINEDA as its
Filipino Artist of 2008.
ENTERTAINMENT
RUDY FERNANDEZ
In a speech delivered with
his typical fighting spirit,
he said: “I’ll see you again
next year, same time ... I’m
sure magkikita pa rin tayo.
Hang on, huwag kayong
malulungkot, I’m not going
to die.”
KC CONCEPCION
(The Megadaughter): The
daughter of Gabby Concep-
cion and his ex-wife Sharon
Cuneta decided to follow in
KC CONCEPCION (above)
JENNYLYN MERCADO (right)
her parents’ footsteps and
plunged into showbiz.
After finishing her stud-
ies in Paris, KC formally
entered her parents’ world
by signing a deal with ABS-
CBN. As her baptism of fire,
she was given a special epi-
sode in the drama anthology
Maalaala Mo Kaya. Later,
she starred in the month-
long drama I Am KC.
This year also saw her
birth as a movie actress
when she was paired with
Richard Gutierrez in Star
Cinema’s For The First
Time. A follow-up movie
is in the works, also with
Richard but this time under
GMA Films.
She has recorded her de-
but album under SonyBMG
and appeared in the musical
Katy.
KC was chosen by the
World Food Program of
the United Nations to be
the National Ambassador
Against Hunger.
JENNYLYN MERCA-
DO (Young Mother): Year
2008 was a roller-coaster
ride for young actress Jen-
nylyn Mercado.
The first big story of
the year was Jennylyn’s
pregnancy, courtesy of boy-
friend Patrick Garcia. But
after just a few weeks, the
couple ended their relation-
ship bitterly.
Jennylyn gave birth to
Alex Jazz Mercado on Aug.
16, 2008. Three days after,
her adoptive father Roger
Mercado passed away.
Until this day, Patrick
has yet to see his son and
Jennylyn has no plan to
give him that privilege.
Jennylyn made a come-
back via a two-part episode
in the weekly drama anthol-
ogy Dear Friend, opposite
screen partner and ex-boy-
friend Mark Herras. She is
also in the cast of OctoArts
Films’ One Night Only, an
entry in the 2008 Metro
Manila Film Festival.
She will next be seen
in the GMA-7 sine novela
Paano Ba Ang Mangarap?
again with Mark Herras.
NADIA MONTENE-
GRO (Newsmaker): Nadia
Montenegro may not be ac-
tive in showbiz anymore,
but she never ran out of is-
sues that became topics in
showbiz talk shows.
Nadia figured in hot
verbal tussles this year with
three women: Gretchen
Barretto, Rose Flaminiano
and Cristy Fermin.
Nadia was accused by
Gretchen as the one spread-
ing rumors about her alleged
affair with Dody Puno. Na-
dia was called by Mrs. Fla-
miniano as the “sulsoltant”
of Gabby Concepcion. And
finally, Cristy revealed
that Nadia allegedly had a
daughter out of wedlock.
Nadia’s rift with these
women remains unresolved,
although Gretchen has ex-
pressed willingness to settle
things with Nadia soon.
ROSE FLAMINIANO
(Manager): Former FLT
Films producer Rose Fla-
miniano surprised everyone
when she was able to con-
vince Gabby Concepcion
to return to the Philippines
after 13 years in the U.S. It
was Flaminiano who initiat-
ed a multimillion-peso deal
with ABS-CBN for Gabby,
which even his former man-
ager Lolit Solis admitted she
would not be able to do.
But the partnership be-
tween Flaminiano and Gab-
by turned out to be short-
lived. Gabby complained
of “commission and omis-
sion, lack of transparency,
and mismanagement of
financial and employment
concerns.” Gabby wanted
to end his contract but Fla-
miniano would not allow it.
Flaminiano also had
a verbal feud with Nadia
Montenegro, who she ac-
cused of being the “sul-
soltant” of Gabby, making
the actor suddenly turn his
back on Rose.
Later in the year, enter-
tainment columnist Aster
Amoyo and actresses Ara
Mina, Aubrey Miles, and
Maui Taylor filed a com-
plaint against Flaminiano
for a housing loan in Pag-
IBIG Fund. They never
used the loan, they claimed,
yet earned a bad record at
the agency.
ERASERHEADS
(Concert of the Year):
Music aficionados would
remember Aug. 30, 2008
as one of the most historic
moments in Philippine mu-
sic. The ‘90s Pinoy rock
band Eraserheads reunited
for a one-night concert at
the Fort Open Field, Taguig
City, before an eager audi-
ence of about 40,000.
Many thought that an
Eraserheads reunion con-
cert would not be possible,
since band members Ely
Buendia, Raimund Mara-
sigan, Buddy Zabala, and
Marcus Adoro had a falling
out before their disband-
ment in 2002. But, by some
miracle, the four agreed to
do the reunion concert.
But the concert was cut
short when Ely had to be
rushed to the hospital after
complaining of chest pains
due to emotional and physi-
cal stress. His mother had
passed away a few days be-
fore the concert.
Although the concert
ended abruptly, it paved
the way for the Eraserheads
members to reconnect and
renew their friendship.
CHARICE PEM-
PENGCO (International
Singing Sensation): Teen
singer Charice Pempengco
conquered the international
music scene in 2008 with
her exceptionally powerful
voice.
After being discovered
in YouTube and personally
invited by Ellen Degeneres
to perform on her show,
Charice appeared in inter-
national TV shows (The
Paul O’Grady Show and
Oprah) and performed with
some of the world’s best
singers like Celine Dion,
Andrea Bocelli, Josh Gro-
ban, David Foster, and the
Jonas Brothers.
Oprah Winfrey called
Charice “the most talented
girl in the world.” Charice
has performed in the USA,
Canada, Italy and the Neth-
erlands.
 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 37
Philippine Choral Society of Mississauga in concert
Villahermosa
shares art with
children, youth
“There is nothing more
gratifying than experiencing
the innocent smiles, the sheer
joy and the incredible pride
the children radiate while
they express themselves so
honestly through their art.”
These, Tiffany Joy Villa-
hermosa says as she shares
the rewards of her work
with the Arts for Children
and Youth (AFCY).
AFCY provides unique, The junior and senior divisions of the Philippine Choral Society of Mississauga (PCSM) jointly render a Christmas song number
hands-on arts programs for during what was said as probably the last PCSM public performance held at the Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (KCCC) in
the young from under-served Mississauga on December 13. Ching Quejas, president of the KCCC, said proceeds of the show was for the benefit of the many
groups through inner-city needs of the KCCC in its operation. The PCSM is one pride of the Filipino community and acts as the Filipinos’ ambassadors of
schools, community centers, goodwill before other cultures. PCSM’s musical director is Imelda Papa. Manila Media Monitor/Front Page Philippines Photo
hospitals and Toronto
Community Housing units.
Villahermosa has led
an art program My Identity
Memory Box Project at
the O’Connor Community
Centre in Toronto, wherein
the children paint their own
memory boxes, with images
on the interior and exterior,
symbolizing what makes
them who they are. VILLAHERMOSA
They visually express
cultural traditions, favorite showcased her new series
things, accomplishments of acrylic paintings at The
and symbols of those who Artisans at the Distillery
are most valuable to them. show; in the design series
Villahermosa believes Words That Come Alive!
“the more we share, the Tiffany also commits her
more we understand one time working for Visual Arts
another, therefore building Ontario, Canada’s largest
a respectful relationship, and most active association
which I feel is so crucial of working artists and arts
in our culturally rich and professionals.
diverse community. The Villahermosa says that
wonderful dialogue of “a career in the arts certainly
shared expressions has has its own challenges and
reinforced their self- I find it rewarding to help
confidence,” she adds. other artists through their
Last year, Villahermosa own creative journeys.” PR

YSTILLO, INC.

EXTREME HEARTTHROBS PROMO!

2009 Heartthrobs Concert artists Piolo Pascual,
Sam Milby, John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo and Pokwang
are performing in Toronto’s Massey Hall on April 11.
The artists will perform at the Orpheum Theatre in
Vancouver, British Columbia on April 9.
Buy your tickets for the Toronto concert and you
will are automatically entered to WIN A DATE WITH
THE HEARTTHROBS IN VANCOUVER, giving
you that rare chance to get up close and personal with
two of the hottest male celebrities in the Philippines!
VIP ticket holders have five chances of winning
the grand prize; $115 and $108 ticket holders, four
chances; $88 and $78 ticket holders, three chances; $58
ticket holders, two chances; and $38 ticket holders, one
chance.
The Grand Prize includes a round-trip ticket to Van-
couver, a VIP ticket to the Heartthrobs concert, one
night hotel stay, a spot to the exclusive sponsors-only
lunch. The total prize is valued at over $1,000.
The second prize is an Extreme PC package pow-
ered by Mabini Express Merchandise Direct and the
third prize is an Ultimate TFCko Experience, a set-up
box and six months free subscription.
Get your ticket then go to www.ystillo.com to regis-
ter the ticket number. All entries must be in by March 20
at 11:59 p.m. The draw will be made on March 21. The
winner will be contacted by phone or e-mail.
“This promotion is our way of saying thank you to
our loyal concertgoers,” says Rose Ami, marketing di-
rector of concert sponsor Ystillo Inc. PR
38 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Studio Six Productions talents
BATID 1

11
2 3

12
4 5

13
6 7 8 9 10

WIKA 14

16 17
15

18
PAHALANG
19 20 21
1. Ika-7 araw
4. Abala 22 23 24 25 26
11. Lasa ng asin
27 28 29 30
13. Bulaklak pangkasal
14. Halamang butil 31 32 33 34
15. Sangsang
16. Unlapi ng pagpapahayag 35 36 37
18. Iyakin 38 39
19. Sawata
21. Apelyidong Intsik 40 41
22. Siyudad sa California
24. P____, kathang kuwento
26. 51 kay Caesar PABABA 17. Baluktot ang likod
27. K____an, uri ng sayaw 1. Paniniwala 20. Galaw ng dagat
29. Tawag kay Ciriaco 2. Jai ____ 23. Hayup
31. Wari 3. Kaluban ng tari 25. Milyon
33. ______n, angilan 5. Ngayon 28. Panahon Talents of Studio Six Productions during thei Christmas party: (Sitting, from
35. Rami 6. Hayop-gubat 30. Gitla left) Arvin, Anjo, Josie, Loy, Mavic and Ailene; (2nd row) Randy, Pam, Ruth,
37. Payat na payat 7. Bigkis 32. Taga-Gitnang Chat, John Paez, Mike, Jing, Tess and Zach; (3rd row) Mark, Kris, Todd, Rod-
38. Tatak ng motorsiklo 8. Pagpapasikat Silangan, Ingles ney and Alvin. PR

Love Me Again (Land Down

39. Bilang 9. Puri 34. Biyoleta
40. Lugar sa 10. Tagapagtatag ng 36. Salitang pang-gulat
Muntinlupa kapisanan
41. Aspalto 12. Sagisag ng pulis (Sagot sa PAHINA 32)
Under) premieres in Toronto
ADVERTISE with The much-awaited first
movie team-up of Piolo
Pascual and Angel Locsin,
Love Me Again (Land Down
Under) will have premier
screenings in Toronto from
Jan. 23 to Feb. 5 at the
Scarborough Town Centre
and in Mississauga from
Call 416-285-8583 Feb. 6 to 12 at the Square
One Empire Theatre.
The Canadian screenings
(including those in Winnipeg
and Vancouver) are being
handled by Ystillo Inc.
The movie, directed
by Rory B. Quintos and
produced by Star Cinema,
tells the story of a woman
who goes to the Land Down
Under for the sake of her
family and her dreams,
and the man who would go
to the ends of the earth to
follow her.
After working for
several years in Manila,
Migo (Piolo Pascual)
returns to Bukidnon, to its
magnificent rolling hills
and lush pasture lands, to
reclaim the ranch that his (From left, clockwise) PIOLO PASCUAL, ANGEL
family had lost after his LOCSIN, RORY QUINTOS
father’s death.
During the famous of a poor cowboy, she feels Migo arrives in Australia to
Kaamulan festival, Migo compelled to accept this work as a cowboy and, more
sees his first love, Arah man’s offer of marriage in importantly, to reclaim his
SEOUL DRIVING SCHOOL (Angel Locsin), who also order to give her family a true love Arah.
happens to be the beautiful better life, no matter how Can their love bloom
YELLOWBIRD and fearless rodeo queen of much she still loves Migo. again in the dry landscape
Bukidnon. Arah leaves Bukidnon, of the Outback?
4862 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario He falls in love with her along with a group of Pinoy Will Migo be able to
all over again and resolves cowboys who have been reclaim the love he has lost,
to win back her heart. hired to work in the vast and or will he learn to let her go
However, Arah is lonely Australian ranch. and start anew?
engaged to Brian Sullivan, Arah thinks it’s all over Catch the movie during
an Australian rancher. between her and her great its limited screening in
Being the eldest daughter love, but two years later, Toronto. PR

TV ads reach far.

ADVERTISE
Call 416-285-8583
MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009 39

See PIOLO PASCUAL, SAM MILBY, JOHN LLOYD CRUZ, BEA ALONZO, and POKWANG during the
2009 Heartthrobs Concert sponsored by Ystillo, Inc. at the Massey Hall in Toronto on Saturday,
April 11 and WIN A CHANCE TO BE WITH YOUR FAVE STARS IN VANCOUVER. Details on page 37.

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40 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR
JANUARY 2009

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