Manila Media Monitor -- April 2009

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YEAR 12, No. 10 APRIL 2009

INSIDE Ooops & Bloops Words from sponsors -7 Spotting scams - 14

Mt. Hamiguitan, a paradise - 28

Dancing To Be A Star - 33 Remittances & the labor market - 32

Home Paper of the 1999 Canadian Ethnic Journalists’ and Writers’ Club Winner for Best Editorial

Toronto, Ontario

COLLE’S LAW? By BUTCH DG. GALICIA Has Private Member’s Bill 160 turned into a cold side dish in a brewing political hot pot? Hurrah! Bill 160 passed first reading at Queen’s Park on March 25. It passed second reading on April 9, and referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the same day. (To page 4)

MPP MIKE COLLE and Bill deterring exploitation of temporary foreign workers Photo: LARRY TORRES

Groups work to help Filipino lad with congenital heart disease The story of a young Filipino boy with a heart ailment was first presented to the Filipino Parents’ Association of Metropolitan Toronto (Filpar) and the Ontario Filipino Women’s Club (OFWC) through the boy’s relatives, who are members of both community organizations. Heart malady since birth When Yvan Chris Cuntapay was born in the Philippines, he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. At four months old, he underwent an open heart surgery at the Philippine Heart Center for Asia. But Chris suffered postoperative complications that made him stay longer in the hospital,

By GRACE PARUCHA draining the little resources of his parents Marivie and Rey Cuntapay. Chris’ parents acquired loans from many private individuals to enable him to get his medications, which were very expensive in the Philippines. Open heart surgery As Chris grew up, his condition required more intense medical needs that resulted in a second open heart surgery. As the surgery could not be done in the Philippines, Chris’ family applied for the Herbie Fund for Sick Kids and came to Canada to have the operation done.

In July 2008, Chris, who turned seven, underwent a right maze procedure, pulmonary arteroplasty, and his tricuspid and pulmonary valves were replaced with an artificial one. After the surgery, he was in and out of the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children. A mother’s sacrifice As Chris and Marivie were neither landed immigrants nor Canadian citizens, they were not entitled to state health assistance such as the Ontario Health Insurance Program, home care, drug benefits, or Wheel Trans. His mother, Marivie - who

came with Chris to Canada while husband Rey remained home - had to take her son to the hospital. A relative usually drives both to the hospital for appointments three times a week. Chris’s expensive medications are only available through Sick Kids, and Herbie Fund could only provide for his treatment at Sick Kids. Todate, Chris has used up his Herbie Fund allotment. Call for help In late January, Chris became very ill and Sick Kids asked Marivie to have husband Rey come over to Canada.

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Chris survived, but continued to be in and out of the hospital. He might require a heart transplant. Much as they would want to work to address their and their son’s needs. Rey and Marivie are legally unable to because of their temporary visitor status. Thus, the Cuntapay family has turned to the Filipino community to help them hurdle their difficult situation. Initial donations Filpar president Alex Parucha and OFWC president Elsie Maranan have cited Enrico Mayo, Lipa City Association of Canada president, for financial contributions given for Chris. (To page 29)

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APRIL 2009 MANILA MEDIA MONITOR

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

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Congen: ‘Unite for a cause’ In what better way could a grateful community remember its great moments with the congenial Alejandro Mosquera, Philippine consul general in Toronto? Celebrate with Con Gen Mosquera his commencement march as he ends in June his tour of duty in Toronto; but in a singular occasion that would mark a glaring spirit of bayanihan (collective cooperation) and unity – for a good cause. The good cause: Raise $75,000 to put up a Village of Unity of 30 homes and be counted as among those who generously helped rebuild the lives of poor compatriots in the Philippines. All these are set to happen at the Rembrandt Banquet Hall on May 22 starting at 6:30 p.m., organizers of the event said. In a letter, organizers of ‘Uniting For A Cause - A Farewell Dinner and Dance for ConGen’ stressed Mosquera’s desire to get the community involved “in a legacy that each one of us here in Toronto will cherish forever.” Mosquera intimated that he was “truly delighted” with the plan of individuals and associations to separately

MOSQUERA tender despedida parties in his honor, as he finishes his term as consul general in June after a six-year stint. But if he had his way, he said he would appreciate a single gathering of a people proud of their roots and heritage and engaged in cooperative endeavour to get many of their kababayans freed from the clutches of social and economic misery. “That is my fervent wish,” he said. “This would be a salosalo that will be true to the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos in Toronto,” he added. “As we bid each other adieu, let us unify for a cause to help the very poor in our country, the Philippines, by completing a Gawad

Kalinga village donated by the community in Toronto,” Mosquera stressed. “Let us be part of a historic achievement by channeling the cost of a separate farewell party into a $2,500 home in the Village of Unity,” he said. Mosquera got his post as Consul General in Toronto in May 2003, coming from foreign service assignments in Baghdad, Iraq; Berne, Switzerland; Honolulu, Hawaii; Hamburg, Germany and Moscow, Russia. At the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, he served as Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs and Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs. Mosquera got his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Bachelor of Laws degree at San Beda College, Manila. He also finished a course on Development Economics. He is a lawyer and member of the Philippine Integrated Bar. For inquiries and tickets, call GK Ancop’s Malou/Francis at 905-564-8539 ext. 221/226, the Philippine Consulate at 416- 922-7181 ext. 221, and Rosemer Enverga at 416- 284-2810.

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Consulate overseas absentee voters’ registration ongoing The Philippine Consulate General’s Office in Toronto has started a vigorous campaign to get qualified Filipino voters in its area of responsibility registered for the Philippine presidential elections on May 10, 2010. Consulate officials said the registration for overseas absentee voters (OAV) would go on until Aug. 31, as they called on Filipinos to have themselves listed up to exercise their right to suffrage. Reports from Philippine diplomatic posts in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas showed that 50,122 have signed up for OAV as of April 20. Photos: MANUEL CONCEPCION

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

COLLE’S LAW?

(From page 1) However, were all these routine Ontario Legislature acts just for show to buy time in appeasing a community fuming over media reports on the wanton abuse and exploitation of foreign workers and caregivers, mostly from the Philippines? It seems to be a public relations and damage control scheme, since lawmakers themselves are well aware that a private member’s bill (PMB) rarely makes it to third reading; more so to Royal Assent that makes the bill a law, a Manila Media Monitor reader noted. The reader is a political science graduate and college teacher in the Philippines before working as a caregiver in Canada. Doomed to fail According to about.com: Canada Online, a PMB is a bill introduced by a member of parliament who is not a cabinet minister. The bill goes through the same legislative process as a government bill, but the time allocated for its consideration is restricted; thus, PMBs almost always are doomed to fail. PMB 160 On April 4, Member of (the Ontario) Provincial

news from collecting fees from foreign workers; ► Protect the wages and benefits of foreign workers; ► Establish a public online registry of licensed recruiters; and ► Impose penalties of up to $50,000 for corporations, and $25,000 for individuals who violate the Act. Canadian Ethnic Media Association president and Manila Media Monitor managing editor Ace Alvarez commented that the penalties were too tame; and it only takes at least five duped

foreign workers to secure the unscrupulous recruiter’s continuous misdeed. Colle’s bill also proposed the creation of an abuse hotline and an outreach and communication campaign through local community centers. The province would enforce a code of conduct and license recruiters. Better law on the boards Amid the euphoria stirred by PMB 160, caregiver rights advocates knew the bill would ultimately reach a dead end, and would never be Colle’s law.

Colle said the Ontario Government agreed to push legislation that had similar regulations, penalties, and enforcement sought in PMB 160; and build a better law from the bill. Fonseca steps in Initially criticized for his seeming inaction when the foreign worker and caregiver protection issue fanned out, Ontario Labor Minister Peter Fonseca (Liberal, Mississauga East-Cooksville) has taken official steps on the issue to ease the heat. Reports reaching the

Manila Media Monitor showed that Fonseca adopted Colle’s PMB 160. After public consultaParliament (MPP) Mike tions and debates, PMB 160 Colle (Liberal, Eglintonwould get a makeover with Lawrence) presented before Fonseca as the official aumembers of the Philippine thor of a new bill, being the Press Club-Ontario (PPC-O) provincial labor chief. his proposed PMB 160. One such public conColle’s bill, titled Caresultation was conducted on giver and Foreign Worker April 25 at the Office of Recruitment and Protection MPP Kathleen Wynne (LibAct, 2009, promised to: eral, Don Valley West). ► Register and license Hopes are high among foreign worker and caregivrights advocates that Foner recruitment agencies; seca’s initiative will finally ► Prohibit recruiters end the decades-old and oftrepeated labor and immigration issues haunting foreign workers and caregivers. Within the year In an interview with community newsman Rodel Ramos, Fonseca vowed to push legislation addressing foreign worker and caregiver issues “within the year.” In the interview, Ramos said he based his questions from proposals laid out by pioneering caregiver rights advocate Pura Velasco. Fonseca’s reactions to caregiver issues: ► On wages: The Ontario Minimum Wage of $9.50/hr. and will be $10.25/ hr. on March 2010 applies to all, including caregivers. ► On night work preMPP MIKE COLLE (3rd from left, front) with members of the community media and guests during miums: The ministry would the Philippine Press Club-Ontario Almusalan, handled by chairman Antonio Sicat, on April 4. Photo: check with the Employment (To page 5) LARRY TORRES

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

COLLE’S LAW?

(From page 4) Standard Office on this. ► On suitable workplace, living quarters: The Privacy Act disallows home inspections; but when complaints are received, ministry inspectors can check and demand compliance of requirements of the law. ► On health benefits: There is a three-month wait in applying for the Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP), applicable to all. Caregivers are advised to get a Private Medical Insurance for three months to cover the wait period. Under the new Regulation 552 (Health Insurance Act) effective April 1, the following are eligible for OHIP coverage: -- Temporary Foreign Workers holding open work permits issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) with a full-time job for an Ontario employer under an agreed minimum of six months. Their spouse and dependents who are legally entitled to remain in Canada are likewise entitled to OHIP coverage. -- Sponsored Family Members of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents applying for permanent residence. But the

requirement of a second medical examination stays; as it is a federal law only federal officials can amend. -- Sponsored Family Members of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (Temporary Resident Permit holders). ► On workplace protection: Caregivers are covered under the WSIB program, giving them 85 percent of wages in case of accidents or injuries. Employers under the caregiver program are reminded to take insurance to cover home accidents and injuries. ► On claims for unpaid wages: The proposal to remove the $10,000 cap on claims for unpaid wages and lengthen the deadline for filing claims to two years from the current sixmonths deadline to give domestic workers and caregivers a better chance in filing successful claims against Employment Standards Act violations is noted. ► On regulating recruitment and placement of foreign workers: The proposed law makes it unlawful to charge fees from caregiver-applicants. ► On monitoring delinquent caregiver em-

5 ployers: The federal government has records on violators of employment rights of workers. The list has to be shared with the provincial governments. Once we have the list, we will publish it on our website for public awareness. ► On the creation of a CIC Central Registry branch mandated to register caregiver employers and employment agencies: The federal government knows who come into Canada and from where. It could create the Central Registry that would cover all the provinces. ► On unionism among caregivers: The question here is, how can you unionize an employer who only has one employee? ► On educating caregiver employers on applicable laws: This will be studied. However, a Manual containing Employment Standards and Occupational Health and Safety Acts of Ontario and other matters will be made for employers, agencies and caregivers so that they would know their obligations and responsibilities. It will also tell them where to go in case of problems. Ramos also reported that Fonseca is coordinating with the Ministry of (To page 6)

On April 8, Philippine Consul General in Toronto Alejandro Mosquera (2nd from right) discusses with Ontario Labor Minister Peter Fonseca (2nd from left) ways to protect Filipino foreign temporary workers and caregivers in the province. Looking on are Philippine labor officer Frank Luna (right) and Cara-Marie O’Hagan, ministry senior policy adviser.

CEMA Speakers’ Series

Who are we? Two sides of a question Is there no true Canadian identity? What does it really mean to be Canadian? These are the questions that will be up for discussion in the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) Speakers’ Series at the OMNI Majestic Board Room on May 7, at 6:45 p.m. Recently published, Who We Are: a Citizen’s Manifesto takes the position that there’s no true Canadian identity and that “unless we work together to return to

common values, Canadian citizenship will suffer.” The book’s alternative title could have been called Who Are We? The book is authored by Rudyard Griffiths, cofounder and former president of The Dominion Institute, a non-profit organization that seeks to establish appreciation of the nation’s history and what it means to be Canadian. Speaking for identity based on a pluralistic Canada will be Peter Ferreira,

lawyer and President of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council. The council’s members are umbrella organizations for ethnocultural groups. Ferreira vowed to keep multiculturalism alive in Canada. Awards Gala CEMA also announced the conduct of its 31st Anniversary Awards Gala at the Velma Rogers Graham Theatre on June 26. During the event, media (To page 6)

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COLLE’S LAW?

(From page 5) Citizenship and Immigration and with the Attorney General’s Office to resolve foreign worker problems. Ottawa to blame? Ontario Liberals are trying to shift some responsibility on the Conservativeled federal government for labor and immigration flaws affecting foreign workers. A petition supporting MPP Colle’s PMB 160 posted at the parliamentarian’s website noted: “The Federal Government in Ottawa has failed to protect foreign workers from these abuses” since it introduced the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) 18 years ago. The petition added: “In Ontario, the former (Mike Harris) Conservative government deregulated (caregiver recruitment agencies in 2001) and eliminated protection for foreign workers.” Kenney’s ‘blacklist’ Up the political strata and in the federal level, Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney Minister Jason Kenney acknowledged the existence of problems related to the abuse and exploitation of caregivers by unscrupulous

recruitment agencies. Kenney (Member of Parliament, Conservative, Calgary Southeast) said his office has started conducting a review on the LCP and would “make recommendations.” He said Ottawa has initially considered blacklisting unscrupulous recruitment agencies to eventually put these “out of business.” Kenney, over the past few weeks, have also launched information and education campaigns to raise awareness and help potential immigrants know how to protect themselves against recruiters. He has also started conducting public dialogues on the caregiver issue. On April 26, Kenney met with caregivers and community leaders to discuss concerns and receive recommendations. Pitfall in Ontario But Kenney said the provinces should also play a role in protecting vulnerable foreign caregivers. The provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia have put in place regulations that deter recruitment agencies from defrauding foreign

news PIDC PAGEANT CANDIDATES

Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) president Jun Enverga presented some of the candidates for Little Miss Philippines, Miss Philippines and Mrs. Philippines during the Philippine Press ClubOntario Celebrity Night on March 20. The pageants are regular highlights of PIDC’s annual Mabuhay! Philippines Festival, which will be staged at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on July 18. Photo: MIKE CADUCIO. (More images of the PPC-O Celebrity Night on page 37) workers. In Manitoba, strict regulations banning agencies from charging placement fees from foreign caregivers, beefing up enforcement and requiring agencies to be licensed - all to protect foreign workers - took effect on April 1. Kenney pointed at Ontario, where the caregiver recruitment industry remained unregulated. Not helping The political fingerpointing comes amid a re-

cent Ipsos Reid that showed the Michael Ignatieff-led Liberals inching their way to wrestle federal power from the Stephen Harperled Conservatives. This comes after the December 2008 parliamentary crisis when the Liberals and NDP tried to oust the Conservatives from power. “This situation does not bode well in promoting the cause of foreign workers and caregivers. Would the Conservatives be any keen to act on any Liberal initia-

tive? Proposed amendments to the LCP or plans to scrap it may have to wait until the political dust has settled,” commented the Manila Media Monitor reader. “Affected caregivers and their supporters would have to pray hard that the politicians learn to set aside self and party interests to well serve the interests of Canadians and of those that Canada welcomed as foreign workers and caregivers,” the reader concluded. With Internet reports

Who are ...

(From page 5) awards in eight categories and the Sierhey Khmara Award will be presented. The categories include two awards each for print, radio, television and internet media. Professional entertainers will perform between award presentations and during the rooftop patio reception. The entire proceedings will be taped for telecast on OMNI Television. PR

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

VIEWS

ACE ALVAREZ

‘Here are some words from our sponsors’ We, people in the media industry, are good at what we do – that is to say, in communication. On Saturday, March 28, my great friend, Romy Sison – a member of the National Press Club of the Philippines and currently member of the Philippine Press Club-Ontario, left a message on my voice mail asking me if Butch Galicia – editor of Manila Media Monitor, received the press release that he sent the latter earlier in the day. As I listened to the message, I thought, “He sent the message to Butch and he’s asking me if Butch received it.” Hmmm. Friends, I’m sorry, but am retracting the first sentence. *** Here’s a conversation I had on Easter Sunday with my fouryear old grandchild, Abbey: “ A b b e y, do you have school ABBEY

PHOTO 1 tomorrow?” “No, tomorrow is Easter Monday, Papa.” “What about on Tuesday, are you going to school?” “No. I hate school.” “Why?” “Because my teacher sends me out all the time?” “Why?” “Because, I don’t do my homework?” “Why?” “Because, I hate school.” “Why?” “Because my teacher sends me out all the time.” Half an hour later, Gie

called my attention to my four-year old grandaughter’s little corner on our fridge that Abbey herself did, as you see in Photo 1, with Gie commenting that, she could not get a recognition at school, so she recognized herself on her very own special corner on the fridge. *** You see that guy before the microphone in Photo 2? That’s journalist and newspaper publisher Mon Datol of the Philippine Courier. With us is Philippine Press Club-Ontario (PPC-O) President (PPCO) Tenny Soriano (center). When Mon held the microphone for his part of the emcee stint that night of the PPCO Celebrity event on March 20, I pointed out that he had so many commercial breaks, such as his Saturday, April 11, Sabado de Gloria Night event at the Rex

PHOTO 2 Saigon Restaurant in Scarborough; PIDC’s Mrs. Philippines 2009 Pageant on April 24; The Juan de la Cruz Band Concert on May 9 and 23; etc…. etc… etc.. When I went to the Sabado de Gloria Night - with my wife, Gie, and PPC-O prexy Tenny and his wife, Myrna - that Mon’s Philippine Courier Publishing and Entertainment itself produced, and Mon was emceeing it, Tenny and I were laughing because of the so many commercials that Mon aired again in the course of emceeing the show: Ultra-Sound Promotions “Men of the 80s Concert” on Saturday; August 8, 2009 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre; Segga Productions’ Juan de la Cruz

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Band Concert on May 9 and 23, 2009; Joy Sarmiento’s and Eva Agpaoa’s event (I’m so sorry the title has not sunk yet as Manila Media Monitor has not got an ad copy yet); the event with the Mega Star billing (likewise, the title has not sunk on me as this publication never saw an ad copy); etc…etc…etc. That’s Mon as an emcee. As a journalist, the guy probably (JUST PROBABLY) writes this way: After encountering an hour of zero visibility, a fiveseater chopper bearing Senator Mar Roxas and his party made an emergency landing in a ricefield in Arayat, Pampanga, Thursday morning. Meanwhile, Segga Productions announced that the Juan de la Cruz Band Concert will be held on May 9 and May 23 at the Toronto International Celebration Church, 190 Railside Road, Toronto, Ontario. It was learned Mar and his party left the Manila Domestic Airport at 8 a.m. aboard the said five seater chopper to attend a graduation ceremony at the Tarlac State University where he was the guest of honor and speaker. Meanwhile, Ultra-Sounda Promotions announced that “Men (To page 11)

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

Former advertising agency executive Bill Andersen – who is a regular reader of this column online, asked me recently what I thought of an essay posted recently by technology consultant, teacher and writer Clay Shirky in his blogsite on the social and economic effects of the internet on traditional media, such as newspapers. Bill was reacting to my column last month on “J-students should not lose hope in spite of bleak state of journalism”. After reading through Clay Shirky’s post, Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable at http:// www.shirky.com, I responded to Bill, saying that there are segments of our present societies everywhere who will continue to need newspapers, regardless of the convenience (or inconveniences) of its electronic format in the form of the internet. This is true, at least with the present generation of seniors that our societies, as a whole, have, and who, at their twilight, are mostly no longer into computers. All these thoughts on the future of the print media was brought by recent news of the closure of various state-wide circulated daily newspapers in the United States caused by slumping ad revenues. I hasten to add that these newspapers were mostly established, one of which had a 150-year history; another had 146 years. Their Canadian counterparts, of course, also have similar difficulties. During our rounds in the regions and schools, there are a number of questions and concerns raised by parents and educators. First is the matter of advertisements on television. Second is the apparent unregulated internet to which many children are beginning to be addicted. While advertising and the internet are outside the purview of Anak TV, the advocacy for childsafe media necessarily covers these forms. The effect of advertising is immediate and obvious. We have heard of kids brought along to grocery trips by their parents, a move that the latter soon regrets. The kids turn on their “Pester Power”, insisting on products that are familiar to them because of wide and frequent TV exposure, demanding that their parents purchase those brands in lieu of cheaper ones only because the kids think the advertised brands are better since they are more well known. Poor parents have no recourse but to hush the fretting, screaming child by giving in to his demand, in the process bringing home two brands of the same detergent, shampoo, soap, juice or milk. As a result of too much advertising, the sense of values among today’s kids has also taken on a different shade. Contemporary children per-

VIEWS From The Monitor’s Desk ACE ALVAREZ

Advertisers start clueing in on community publications: CCNA Ethnospecific publications, on the other hand, were reported to be experiencing a trend on the other tip of the scale that even some of them are expanding, according to an article by Laurel J. Campbell, originally published in The Publisher – the trade journal published by the Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA), and reprinted by the Canadian Journalism Foundation. Campbell writes: “Some of the fastest-growing ethnic communities in Canada - be they South Asian, Chinese, Hispanic or European - still prefer to get a little ink on their fingers while reading the news.” On this, Campbell said that “Advertisers have started to clue in.” Campbell cited Lori Abittan of Multimedia Nova Corporation in Toronto, which produces newspapers for the Italian, Hispanic and Portuguese communities. “More and more, corporate

Canada is reaching to these communities,” said Abittan, adding that more of their readers use many products that do not necessarily reflect their culture. These consumers was what The Canadian Immigrant magazine (published by my fellow board member at the Canadian Ethnic Media Association, Nick Noorani) called “the new faces of marketing’ in its May 2008 feature story on two friends I am proud of, namely Marvi Yap and Anna Maramba, who founded the Toronto-based fast-growing multicultural advertising agency, AV Communications, Inc. On the publications serving specific cultures, Campbell said that Abittan rejects the term ethnic for her non-English publications, calling them instead “the media for the new mainstream, printed in the language of comfort.” Campbell wrote that the characterization made by Abittan is reflected in the 2006 census on the changing reality of what

Roundabout MAG CRUZ-HATOL

Ads targetting Pinoy kids promote harm ceive more needs today than kids of generations past did. Today’s Pinoy children insist they need iPods, mobile phones and gadgets galore. They will not live well with shirts and pants bought from Divisoria racks, preferring branded jeans and shorts from malls and upscale outlets. Oftentimes, one electronic toy is not enough. They must have several or they risk looking pathetic in the company of their playmates who have massive collections. The younger ones, fresh out of toddler age, are trained in this habit by fast food chains whose beguiling ads addressed directly to them promote the concept of “collect them all!” The underlying message in these TV ads is that one must possess the toy offers because they are not only offered as freebies or at bargain prices but that not owning them at all makes them

look like sore losers and out of the chic circle. That peculiar yet sinister training is brought to pre-teen and teen age by other advertisers who bolster the “buy me” and “I want that” sensibility among the children through their delectablycrafted and well-researched ads. A number of ad agencies employ the services of child psychologists to ensure that their messages hit the right nail among the target kids. Frequently inserted behind all these sassy ads are messages that push the envelope of eroticism and sexuality further. The choice of shots, the angling and lighting, the environment and clothes, the double meaning movements and texts, the graphics and the reward promised after having purchased the product, all conspire with the brand and its featured model to titillate the child and convince him or her to exhaust all means to acquire the

constitutes the mainstream in Canada. The figures showed that eleven out of Canada’s ethnic groups have passed the one million mark in 2006. Unlike the more established print media, while the situation at the moment seems rosy with regard to ethnic publications, some publishers expressed concern for the future -- just like what Shirky wrote in his essay. Campbell quoted George Bakoyannis -- publisher of the bi-weekly Greek Canadian News of Montreal: “In 20 to 25 years our readership will have declined to next to nothing. The people who are making us viable are firstgeneration Greeks, but who’s going to read it in 30 years? My own children aren’t comfortable reading a Greek paper.” Campbell wrote further, “Like Bakoyannis, William Aykler is more concerned about declining readership than slumping ad sales. As publisher of Toronto’s Hungarianlanguage Kanadai-Amerikai Magyarsag, he watched the Hungarian community in Toronto shrink steadily over the past few decades, leaving him with a sense of doom about the publication’s future.” I say that 20 years is a longtime for us to know what new things will come by then. As Shirky wrote, “For the next few decades, journalism will be made up of overlapping special cases … No one experiment is (To page 11) product. Or else, he or she is not “sexy”. Which is why kids as young as seven now aspire to have their own mobile phones, whether they need them or not, have unhealthy coffee cravings, become selective of toothpaste and shampoo brands, wear skimpier outfits, don make up even before they need a bra, outfit themselves like little adults and worse, experiment with sex. We observe that today’s Filipino child is a true-blue consumer but hopelessly unaware of his or her rights. He is steeped in commercialism, a shopping animal and unwitting advertising target, finding thrill in shopping at an early age, balking at the idea of wearing fashion from last season, cajoling parents into stretching their allowances because they must have the niftiest toys and trendiest gadgets on offer. Failing that, they feel miserable and incomplete as persons. It is the way ads are skewed toward kids to make them blue blooded consumers that we should guard against. By their nature, TV ads are attractive, concise and arresting. It is as though advertising was created for children and not for adults. Notice how toddlers stop what they are doing the instant a TV ad comes on. The purported harm inflicted by direct advertising on children (To page 35)

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 [email protected]

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Commentary BEN VICCARI

STATISTICS CANADA SAY

Canada has 33.5M people Canada’s population grew by 0.19 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, the fastest fourth-quarter growth rate since 1992. The increase in population continues to be steadier in the western part of the country, notably in Alberta. As of January 1, 2009, Canada’s population was estimated at 33,504,700, up 63,400 from October 1, 2008. The increased pace in population growth can be explained by a marked increase in net international migration (NIM), specifically a rise in net non-permanent residents. During the fourth quarter of 2008, the NIM rose to 35,700, an increase of 7,700 compared with the same period in 2007. Net losses in non-permanent residents went from 17,500 in the fourth quarter of 2007 to 7,700 in the fourth quarter of 2008. Immigration to Canada reached 53,600 during the four quarter of 2008, declining by just over 2,000 from the same quarter of 2007. Except for Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories, the population rose in every province and territory during the fourth quarter of 2008. In the fourth quarter, the population growth of Ontario (+0.08%) continued to be below the national level. During this period, the province registered a net outflow in interprovincial migration of 6,500 people, the largest fourth quarter net outflow since 1975. Ontario received 23,800 immigrants in the fourth quarter of 2008, 2,400 less than during the same period in 2007. The province’s attraction for new immigrants continues to diminish, as Ontario received slightly less than 45 percent of the country’s new immigrants. JEY DHARMARAJ

Earning gaps noted among moms, singles A sizeable earnings gap is also noted between Canadian women with children and those without children, but much of the gap can be explained by differences in work experience and other characteristics. From 1993 to 2004, average hourly earnings of women with children were 12 percent below those of women without children. At younger ages, the gap between women with and without children was quite small. At the age of 20, for example, the earnings of women with and without children were $8.60 and $9.50, respectively (2004 dollars), a gap of 10%. At the age of 30, the gap widened to 19%. Although it shrank slightly between the ages of 34 and 38, it widened further thereafter. For example, at age 40 the gap became 21%. Much of this widening gap can be attributed to the career interruptions of mothers. Women with children had almost a six-year difference between their actual and potential work experience, while women without children had a disparity of just above one year. Long career interruptions had a strong negative impact on the earnings of mothers. For example, the difference in average hourly earnings between childless women and mothers with more than three years of interruption was close to 30% at the age of 40. Among mothers with different lengths of interruption, the gaps were significant only for mothers who had more than three years of interruption. The study controlled for both observed factors (such as education) and unobserved factors such as career motivation. The gap was also related to the number of children: it was fully explained for mothers with one child but remained significant for mothers of two or more children. The earnings gap between single mothers and single childless women was almost twice as large as that between married mothers and married childless women. Once other individual characteristics were controlled for, the gap for married mothers disappeared, while that for single mothers persisted. Well-educated (more than high school) mothers incurred greater earnings losses than less educated mothers. This was still so even after controlling for other individual characteristics. Overall, about 70% of the earnings gap was accounted for by observed individual characteristics and unobserved factors. But persistent gaps for certain groups of mothers were still evident. In particular, lone mothers, mothers with three or more children and highly educated mothers incurred greater losses than married mothers, mothers with one child, and mothers with less than a high school education. JEY DHARMARAJ

The sport that kills I’m not easily shocked but a recent announcement by the Canadian Shooting Sports Association did remind me of the evil that lurks amongst us. Garry Breitkreuz, a Saskatchewan Member of Parliament, would present a draw prize of a Beretta semi-automatic handgun at the association’s annual dinner in Toronto. This surprise announcement raised the hackles of chiefs of police across Canada and caused the Prime Minister and members of his government to run for cover. Breitkreuz will not attend the dinner and furthermore will not present his private member’s bill to end Canada’s gun registry. But the damage has been done and compounds such suspicious official actions as Prime Minister Harper’s recent speech to the far right Manning Institute, a western enclave of Tory ideology. And since disciplining Breitkreuz the government has issued its own challenge to gun registry legislation. *** The Australian Broadcasting Corporation blog recently published this Reuters piece which Canada’s caregiver program is broken. The original concept and intent are laudable and should not be abandoned. However the implementation needs a serious reworking if the program is to continue. The concept makes perfect sense: There is a growing need in Canada for caregivers and nannies; a need not easily fulfilled by the domestic workforce. On the other hand, there are so many people in developing countries with the talent and expertise to provide the service but who do not qualify for immigration under the normal rules. The answer is to invite these workers here to fulfill the demand for a specific period of time and, in return, they get citizenship. As I said, the concept is perfect but the implementation is rife with abuse. There are two main problems with the current program: First are the unscrupulous and dishonest agencies that recruit foreign workers with the promise of a contract here in Canada. The agencies charge a large upfront fee (sometimes as much as $10,000 CAD). Once the worker is admitted to Canada, there is no waiting job and the worker is left on his/her own to find work. Sometimes, they are lucky and can get a legitimate job that counts towards their requisite number of

should make all lovers of English shudder. Hope you agree with me that they should vanish along with overblown executive bonuses: Fed up with the babble, waffle and impenetrable jargon beloved of politicians and middle-managers, Britain’s local government association has drawn up a list of 200 words it wants public bodies to avoid if they are to communicate properly. Gone should be terms or phrases such as “cascading” (sending an e-mail around), “menu of options” (choices) and “predictors of beaconicity” (?), and in comes straight talk. Instead of “transfor-mational” just say “change”, rather than “client” use “person” and avoid the confusion created by a phrase such as “distorts spending priorities” and just admit that whatever it is “ignores people’s needs”. “Why do we have to have to have ‘coterminous, stakeholder engagement’ when we could just have ‘talk to people’ instead?” asked Margaret Eaton, the chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA). “Councils have a duty, not only to provide value for money

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to local people, but also to tell people what they get for the tax they pay.” The banned words, taken from documents issued by the central government and public sector bodies, are being sent to council offices around the country to try to get everyone to be clear together, otherwise known as “consensually transparent”. British politicians have a long-held reputation for using sometimes meaningless jargon to paper over what they are really trying to say. Former British prime minister Tony Blair was fond of the word “stakeholders”, which to many just meant taxpayers. Opposition leader David Cameron has been known to talk about “community engagement”, otherwise known as getting people involved. Among the LGA’s most unpalatable phrases are “best practice” (the best way of doing something), “benchmarking” (measuring), “slippage” (delay) and “democratic legitimacy” (voted in). While some of the phrases are laughable, the LGA says there’s a serious point to simplifying language, believing that many people miss out on government services because they don’t understand what’s on offer. “Unless information is given to people to explain what help they can get during a recession, then it could well lead to more people ending up homeless or bankrupt,” Ms. Eaton said. (To page 14)

Our Journey EVA AGPAOA

Fixing the caregiver program months. More often, they move from job to job being paid under the table, their status in limbo without much hope of meeting the minimal requirements for residency. This is the best case. It gets worse. Many of these unscrupulous agencies intend to use the labor in sweatshops. On arriving, the agency confiscates the workers passport and puts them to work under conditions close to slavery. Second are the unscrupulous and dishonest employers. Not all agencies are bad. In fact the vast majority perform a valuable service pairing worker with employer, handling the complicated paperwork required by the immigration authorities and looking after the newly arrived worker until he or she is settled with an employer. The problem is that some employers believe they have hired slave labor and demand much more from the worker than is

legally allowed. One example is the case of Annett: She was brought over to care for a family’s two children. It turned out the children needed minimal care. The parents confiscated her passport and put her to work in their restaurant. Annett works close to 60 hours a week without any additional pay. Each time she complains, the employer threatens her with deportation. This is slavery under another name. I want to stress that the vast majority of employers and agencies are honest people who treat their caregivers fairly and with compassion. However, there are enough bad apples that the program needs to address.. The first issue, that of bad agencies, is currently the subject of discussion between the Filipino community and the Canadian (To page 18)

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

When dogs go nuts, they chase their tails. That was what a study said. I just do not know if the study factored in the annoying fleas feasting on its enders as a cause for a dog’s restlessness. Perhaps, the dog also could not get its instinct off that teenie winnie defying the law of gravity after a walk in the park. Yeow!!!! But when man’s best friend go real crazy, it rabidly drools and rapidly decools. Mind you, its mind is on its share of the big bite. Ever heard of asong ulol? Funny, but I think it rhymes with asshole. *** This must be infectious. No wonder, in these hard and troubled times, some people go nuts chasing tales to create scams for fast cash. Too good to be true, that is what their tale is. Too bad, their wagging tail is nothing more than a big fat lie. But despite the telling signs and the bold-faced warnings, many still fall flat face to fraud, getting nil but thin air and barrels of tears. An endless doggone tale of woe earned in a dog day afternoon (or shall we say mourning?), that is what

Omerta BUTCH GALICIA

Dogs: Beware of men some people are left with after the duping. Perhaps, the feature on scams on page 14 would help get rid of scamdog millionaires and scam bugs. *** Do you believe people and groups who doggedly pass on highly-biased information as bible truth, citing woeful testimonials, selfserving incidents and statistics of eons past, mostly overtaken by events? Devious tongues and literature are meant to get your pinched pennies out of your shallow pockets. Worse, they persuade you, in a crooked sordid notion of volunteerism, to do as they do - that is, dip your hands in other people’s purses, too. That’s multiple daylight robbery of your time, money and effort in any language.

The 3rd Eye MARIO DIMAIN

The lost hill Although the globe is round in shape, it is also a known fact that it has four corners, starting from the north to the south and continues on from the west to the east. However, this universal law does not seem to apply in Scarborough. Funny as it may sound, the eastern corner is missing, particularly in the Highland Creek area. When our family moved to Scarborough in 1980, I did not have the slightest idea that living in West Hill could be confusing. I thought that by simply

VIEWS

travelling east, I would end up in the neighbourhood of East Hill. I found out soon enough that it wasn’t so. There was no East Hill on

Moreover, they want you to join them and be a captive idiot for numerical use to seek Canadian grants and funds for activities (many of them disguised as social, cultural and educational events) that serve as venues to perpetuate their vanity, profanity and political viability. If you think they are into it for a good cause, think again. Perhaps, a good cost will do. What makes me throw up is how some people ably turn ugly events into selfenriching situations. Scamming is like a chess game. You see the pieces; you think you have the edge. You seize the gambit; the checkmate comes; game over, you lose! *** I’ve been hearing kids saying “You’re my dog.” the map. So, where the heck is East Hill? To my dismay all of the people I asked did not know what to say. None of them was sure if it ever existed. It just did not make sense. How can there be a West Hill without an East Hill? Did it just sink? Was it swallowed by the creek? The questions nagged me for weeks. And when I couldn’t take it anymore, I took on the challenge of finding the missing corner. (To page 34)

hIGHLAND CREEK TODAY

A MURAL OF HIGHLAND CREEK IN 1867

If being called a dog is street slang for best friend, I have no objections. Even Randy Jackson of American Idol uses the expression on contestants that merit his approval. To my amiable friends, please keep this warning in mind: Dogs, Beware of (rabid) men! *** See the pics on the right? They are of my first granddaughter, Zoe Karel. So, I am a grandfather ... again, having been blessed with two grandsons Gabriel and Raphael. Now, I’ve got a muse. Ten more boys and we have a basketball team; nine more girls, a volleyball team; etc. etc. etc. What a dream! Isn’t family supposed to be team(To page 12)

In 1907, during a major league baseball game, second base was stolen 13 times by the winning team. The catcher for the losing team, Branch Rickey, was unable to pick off even a single runner. That record stands to this day. It also spelled the end of Rickey’s career as a baseball player after just two short seasons. With nothing else to do, he went to college and law school. Six years later, he returned to major league baseball. This time as a manager - and what a manager he turned out to be! He created the modern baseball farm system which enables major league teams to nurture and develop future stars through their minor league teams. He was the first to establish a permanent spring training facility in Florida. He changed the way statistical analysis is used in baseball by proving that on-base percentage is more important than batting average. Branch Rickey is best known, however, for breaking the color barrier by bringing African-American Jackie Robinson into the major leagues. It earned him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rickey offers this as his

Zoe Karel is a 7.9-pound healthy bundle of joy for proud parents Mylene David and Francis Zadkiel Galicia. Zoe Karel was born at 11:03 a.m. on April 21 at the St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. (BELOW) Zoe Karel receives her first visitors: Grandmas Evelyn and Teodora (who flew in from Magalang, Pampanga), great grandma Isabel, grandpa Roberto, grandma Maribel and cousins Raphael and Gabriel. From Pampanga, Grandpa Mario has sent his warm welcome to his third granddaughter.

The

Un-Comfort Zone

with ROBERT WILSON

The main ingredient recipe for success, “Success is where preparation meets opportunity.” A simple formula that reminds me of the old joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer: “Practice. Practice. Practice.” Obviously, you can’t take advantage of an opportunity if you don’t have the skills. It’s a good recipe for success, but it doesn’t reveal the secret main ingredient. A funny old song from Frank Sinatra gets us little closer to the answer. Do you remember these lyrics from High Hopes ? Just what makes that little old ant Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant Anyone knows an ant, can’t Move a rubber tree plant! I love that song because a stanza later we learn the ant CAN: “Oops there goes another rubber tree plant.” Is having “high hopes”

the secret ingredient? No, but it gets us closer to it. You see, the ant succeeds because he doesn’t know that he can fail. Think about some of the people you know who are successful. What is it that makes them big achievers? What traits do you associate with them? When I ask this question of my audiences, I frequently hear the following ingredients: Courage, Perseverance, Enthusiasm, Discipline, Confidence, Decisiveness, Self-reliance, Responsibility, Focus, Ambition, and Optimism. All of these are certainly traits of successful people, but which one is the overriding characteristic? Which one is the main ingredient? None of the above! That’s right – none! Yes, they are all important, but there is one ingredient that makes the cake, and that is simply (To page 16)

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

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Ooops & Bloops ... (From page 7) of the 80s” concert will be held Saturday, August 8, 2009 at the John Bassett Theatre, Metro Toronto Convention Centre. But the chopper encountered thick clouds due to bad weather condition, obstructing the pilot’s view of the landing area at Hacienda Luisita. In a related development in the paragraph before the last, the Philippine Independence Day Council, or PIDC will stage the Little Miss Philippines and Miss Philippines PIDC 2009 Pageants at the Korean Cultural Centre on Leslie Street in North York, Ontario. Anyway, I said Mon probably writes that way (JUST PROBABLY). *** On the PubZone website, an item appeared stating that the “Ontario Chamber of Commerce” has launched its “Dream Big Campaign” encouraging the people of Ontario to shift their focus from the difficulties facing the province and to speak up about the positive things happening and Ontario’s potential.

PHOTO 3

PHOTO 4

Now, you see that guy in Photo 3, that’s Mr. Rafael Nebres – president of the “Philippine Chamber of Commerce” and general manager of Action Honda. He’s probably (JUST PROBABLY) discussing on the phone with the guy in Photo 4 about PCCT’s next project. The next project probably (JUSTPROBABLY) will be called “Dream Even Bigger Campaign” encouraging the people of Canada to shift their focus from the difficulties facing

the country and to speak up about the positive things happening and Canada’s potential. *** I received the following message from a Member of Parliament on Wednesday, April 15 at 3:36 p.m. as Photo 5 below shows. The text follows, in part: As these groups represent a wide spectrum of society and would be dealing with current issues, the GTA Liberal Caucus wanted to extend an invitation …. Would you or any member

PHOTO 5

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(From page 8) going to replace what we are now losing with the demise of news on paper, but over time, the collection of new experiments that do work might give us the journalism we need.” In the meantime, publications serving ethnospecific communities are here to stay, and as

Madeline Ziniak – chair of the Canadian Ethnic Media Association and national vice president for OMNI Television, said, “The (ethnic) papers offer a model from which mainstream media organizations could learn as they deal with changes in the industry.”

“Many of the GTA’s ethnic news organizations survive with a bare minimum of staff, while keeping costs low and telling local community stories,” Madeline said, adding that for many in the ethnic media, the motivation is “labor of love”. ace. [email protected]

of your media group wish to attend this event and pose questions to the

Liberal Caucus regarding their discussions? If you would like to participate

in asking questions please let my office know by 3:30 pm today, Wednesday 15th April 2009 (underscoring mine). *** See Photo 6, probably (JUST PROBABLY) those two state leaders are saying, “Let’s take it lightly here, and let those guys in Photo 7 discuss the serious items, thus, Toronto’s newspaperman Jojo Taduran explains before the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza, Jr. (seated at left) something about the country’s reforestation program. To my good friends Sec. Lito Atienza and Jojo Taduran: I think you should switch places, sirs!

PHOTO 6

PHOTO 7

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

Dogs: Beware of men

(From page 10) work? But I surely would place my chips on any of my grandchildren who would shine individually. *** Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Listening to Zoe stretch her lungs out (must be hungry or wet), I have come to terms with growing older and ... please don’t even think about the wiser part of the equation. I wish I could be like my community journalism mentor Pat Diaz, former editor of the Cotabato Citybased The Mindanao Cross. When asked why he no longer celebrates his birth anniversary, he replies: “That’s because I don’t want to be reminded that I am a year nearer to the grave.” But on the upside, I have begun to marvel at the beauty of sunset anew, not since years ago when a dazzling Luneta sunset awed me. With a new family addition, I am ready to hone my memory to ably count gifted children (those who always receive gifts during big days) and remember natal and other such family events; before I am counted among the ‘in memory of.’ Further, I would have to stretch my limbs and be ready for more kids’ play,

like they-make-a-mess-andI-tidy-up; before my limbs lie on a stretcher. Zoe’s arrival has reinvigorated my outlook of life and of God’s endless blessings, always mysteriously given to the right person at the right time and the right place. Zoe, incidentally, connotes life. *** If Bathala lovingly gives, He also lovingly takes back. This time, He

called on Jose Capadocia to return to His Kingdom. (See photo below) He was JoeCap. Simply knowing him and being in his company, even for a very short time, were enough to make me feel the respectability of Philippine journalism and Filipino journalists which he epitomized. JoeCap was a wise elder. He had nothing but honesty and truth in his words, as he guided his staff in Malacañang - including me when I was at the Presidential News Desk - to work as ‘straight’

NEWS 25,000 jobs in Canada just for Filipino workers

public servants. JoeCap was a humble mentor. During his stints as Gridiron chair at the National Press Club, he would chide us to be comically like the Palace official we were to satirically mock publicly. He taught us a lot of things, but he left us to do things our own way. JoeCap was a caring friend, always there when one needed him. He will always be remembered for what he was, maybe more but no lesser. [email protected]

Philippines Press Secretary Cerge Remonde and members of the Malacañang Press Corps led by president Paolo Romero carry the urn containing the ash of the remains of Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia (inset) upon its arrival on April 14 at the New Executive Building in Malacanang. Capadocia and seven others died in a helicopter crash in a thickly-forested mountain in the boundary of Benguet and Ifugao provinces on Holy Tuesday, April 7. Photo: EXEQUIEL SUPERA, OPS-NIB

GENERAL DENTISTRY Dr. Gilbert Chan Dr. Daphne Chien Dr. Janet Ho Dr. Janet Wong Dr. Michael Chin

MANILA - There are 25,000 job opportunities exclusively for Filipinos in Canada this year, according to Richard Mills of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, ABS-CBN News reported. Mills said these are in health care, engineering, and the oil industry. Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque said the job openings were part of the four memoranda of understanding that the Philippines signed last year with four provinces of Canada, namely British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Roque admitted they had initially agreed on 40,000 jobs but Canada had to cut the number down to 25,000 because of the crisis. Roque said the job openings are posted at the website of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. He also reminded applicants that they do not have to pay a placement fee when applying.

The Philippine’s labor secretary clarified that those who would get jobs would be treated as guest workers. He also said that they could apply to be a migrant after working in Canada for two years. Apart from employment in Canada, Canadian companies will also continue to offer jobs to Pinoys locally. Mills said 10 percent of the business process outsourcing centers in the Philippines are Canadian firms. This means, these firms may provide 10 percent or 10,000 of the projected 100,000 job openings in the BPO industry this year. ABS-CBN News

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Filipino pastors meet in Toronto By ROMY SISON Some 60 Filipino church ministers of various congregations recently met to express full support in partnering with government to reach out to the needs of the community, as regards to spiritual deportment and social services. The caucus is composed members of the Filipino Ministerial Fellowship (FMF) in the Greater Toronto Area. Newly elected FMF head Rev. Eli Diolanda, in a talk, said it was the group’s “desire to serve the people better.” Diolandia called on community groups and the local media to help in the endeavor. Guest speaker Toronto Police Constable Philip Mendoza, on the other hand, expressed the willingness of the Toronto Police Service (TPS) to be of assistance to the community atlarge. Mendoza, of the TPS Community Mobilization Unit, stressed the TPS’s readiness to speedily address cases of domestic violence, unlawful labor practices such as the maltreatment of Filipino workers by employers, and police aid to troubled neighborhoods. But in his short talk, Mendoza said the speed and effectiveness of any assistance would depend on the immediate reporting of incidents. He said the city’s police force is composed of 7,997 officers serving a population of 2.75 million, or one police officer for every 495 citizens.

STOP BULLYING! Did you know, that one out of four kids are bullied, one out of five kids are the bully and that nationally, 282,000 high school kids are attacked each month. Bullying is not what it once was. The means and types of bullying have evolved over the last several years. Youth, parents, educators along with the community at large have had to learn how to cope with the overall and long-term effects of bullying. Students often feel they are alone and have nowhere to turn. However, there are a variety of new resources such as websites, presentations, along with books that offer suggestions and definitions related to targets of bullying, bystanders, what bullies themselves can do as well as what adults can do. Websites such as the first youth-created antibullying website in Canada, www.BullyingCanada.ca offer countless hours of volunteering to help people from all aspects of bullying, in order to ensure that they have a voice among the many silent targets of bullying. The website was created by Katie Neu, 17, of Kitchener, Ontario and Rob Frenette, 19, of Woodstock, New Brunswick. Both of these youth experienced their fair share of bullying, and have decided to provide assistance to a bully, victim and bystander so no other youth has to endure what they’ve experienced. A free weekly e-newsletter entitled Youth Voices provides up-to-date articles related to bullying, and anyone interested to receive the newsletter may send an email to: subscribe@ bullyingcanada.ca BullyingCanada.ca has launched a national petition campaign to ask the Government of Canada to declare each December 17 as a “Blue Day” to support the many anti-bullying organizations from across Canada. December 17 has been selected because it is the official launch date of BullyingCanada.ca, which was created in December of 2006. On January 27, Tobique-Mactaquac Conser-

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vative Member of Parliament Mike Allen presented over 5,000 names from across Canada in support of “Blue Day”. Over 150 schools across Canada had their students and staff take a stand by wearing blue on Dec. 17, 2008. Many communities across Canada have declared “Blue Day” in support of this initiative. Anyone can request to have a copy of the petition to collect names for their community, friends and family along with their workplace by visiting the website, or by emailing: [email protected]. On May 1, a youth database will be launched to supply the public with up-to-date information on what types of services are offered in their community. This online database can be accessed at: www.youthdatabase.org. Bullying has been around for years, with many people even taking their own lives, in what is being called “Bullycide”. More and more youth are also attempting suicide because youth are in so much fear. With support from websites such as BullyingCanada.ca, along with Kids Help Phone, everyone has someone they can turn to for support. PR

Balikbayan awardees Couple Joe and Leonie Manzanares were cited by Moncada, Tarlac mayor B e n i t o Aquino as Mr. and Mrs. Balikbayan, during the town fiesta. Brampton’s Cesar and Fe De Veyra invited them to grace the affair.

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

The sport that kills (From page 9)

Feature

Spotting scams By ELIZABETH ROGERS, 50Plus.com

MARTINE CAROLE as Lola *** What’s the difference between a courtesan and a prostitute? That depends, but Eliza Gilbert was no fifty dollar hooker. Neither was she your run-of-themill courtesan. Born into a British army family stationed in India, she was sent to England to be schooled and proved a rebellious, unruly child in the home of her aunt. In her teens she severed her connections with family and targeted a stage career as a Spanish dancer; hence the adoption of the name Lola Montez After a disastrous marriage at 16 to a sadistic drunk Lola did her best to perform as a dancer without any great success. But her real talent was in choosing male companions of stature in society, including composer Franz Liszt and King Ludwig I of Bavaria Lola’s fascinating story was told by the German film director Max Ophuls who placed it in a circus setting with Martine Carole as an impoverished Lola performing for brash ringmaster Peter Ustinov. The film opens in the circus ring with Ustinov at 34 still slim enough to traverse the ring with an almost serpentine grace as he touts the scandals of Lola. The film, made in France bears the French surname Montes, instead of Montez. Behind Lola are her great adventures with lovers like Liszt and Ludwig I, the latter almost costing both her and the king their lives. Scenes alternate between the circus where myth holds sway and the reality showing us Lola’s moody relationships with the men

in her life. On its release, audiences hated the film, hesitating to lend their imaginations to the unusual nature of its storytelling. The producers hacked it to pieces and re-released it; even so it was a box office failure. Mercifully all the excised scenes were preserved Now the late Max Ophuls has triumphed. Lola Montes has been restored by the Cinematheque Francaise to its original length and stunning coloring. Peter Ustinov’s portrayal of the ringmaster and Anton Walbrook’s Ludwig I are outstanding while Martine Carol as Lola remains a somewhat enigmatic figure, as Ophuls intended. The circus is a metaphor for the myhthmaking that accompanied her throughout her life. Canadian audiences first saw the restoration at a recent Toronto screening at the Cinematheque Ontario but it’s not likely to be seen there again in the near future. True cinema buffs should needle art houses and repertory theatres to do their best to obtain prints from Cinematheque Francaise. (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 70second broadcast originals. For more of his work, please visit Ben’s website at: http://canscene.ripple. ca)

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Want to earn some extra money for simple tasks like stuffing envelopes, assembling products or processing insurance claims? How would you like to earn hundreds of dollars per week - or even a six figure income per year - from the comfort of your own home? There’s a reason offers like these sound too good to be true. Work-at-home scams are a pervasive subset of employment scams, and money and time aren’t the only things you need to worry about losing. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), you could also be hurting your reputation by selling sub-standard (or non-existent) products and services to others. Worst yet, you could face legal action for perpetuating a fraud or being involved in an illegal pyramid scheme. You could also become a victim of identity theft if you’ve given out personal or financial information. There are legitimate opportunities out there, but to protect yourself you need to spot the scams. Watch out for... Known scams. There are certain opportunities you should automatically be suspicious of because they’re known scams (or scams imitating real opportunities). Typical cons include assembling products, addressing or stuffing envelops, mailing out marketing materials, chain letters, processing medical or insurance claims, forwarding cash or goods and data entry. In more recent years, other ploys like paid survey sites and freelance opportunities that don’t deliver have joined the mix - and they’re harder to spot because they mimic legitimate services. “Work from home” is the title. According to experts, scams target people for whom a work at home arrangement would be convenient - such as seniors, people with disabilities and stay-at-home moms. Fraudulent ads often focus on the convenience factor but are short on essential details like what the position is, what tasks are involved and for whom you will be working. “No experience nec-

d-scam.com essary”. Another favorite target of scammers is people who think they don’t have the skills or experience to get a good job. A job that requires no skills or previous experience is therefore appealing. However, legitimate postings will list required skills and qualifications and you’ll have to submit a resume. Too-good-to-be-true promises. Scammers are looking for people who dream of a “get rich quick” solution. The reality is that companies can’t stay in business by paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for a few hours of work each week. Watch out for claims that simply aren’t financially sound. A machine could do it better. Consider: major companies use machines not people - to stuff envelops and assemble products because it’s cheaper and more efficient. Envelop stuffing and product assembly are two of the oldest schemes around. Paying for more information. Do you have to call a 900 number for more details, or pay for a list of companies that hire home workers? You should be able to get more information about the position without having to pay for it. Payment is required up front for materials, instructions, training or equipment. Most work at home scams are schemes designed to make you pay a fee upfront or to sell you something - whether it’s materials to assemble products, “essential” equipment

or software, training materials or access to special websites and databases. Also, beware of any “good faith” payments or requests for you to handle cash. In general, a new job shouldn’t cost you money, and you shouldn’t have to purchase anything from your new employer. Promises of guaranteed customers or a market for your work. While it’s true that certain skills and jobs are in demand, don’t take the posting’s word for it. Ask for proof. Is there research to back up their claims? Can you talk to references and clients to verify their testimonials? Is the information supported by current job trends? Questionable sources. Did the opportunity come to you as junk mail or spam? Companies with real jobs to offer don’t need to resort to these means to get attention. They’ll advertise on their own websites and through ads in legitimate services. “Sponsored ads” and internet search results are also suspect. Ad servers and search engines are automated processes that don’t distinguish between what’s real and what isn’t. Experts agree that it’s best to take a “buyer beware” approach. Latest tricks Scammers know that you’re probably aware of the classic warning signs, so the cons are getting more elaborate and complex. Some of the latest tactics you might see include: Questionable endorse-

ments and experts. Don’t get taken in by pictures, voices, names and signatures of “real people”. Endorsements, testimonials, experts and company executives can be fabricated - and stock photography makes it easy to put a face on the fraud. Just because a company executive, expert or “satisfied customer” is featured on a website doesn’t mean that person exists. False reviews. In addition to paid or placed reviews, there are a variety of websites out there that claim to have completed “extensive research” or “hundreds of evaluations” on work-at-home opportunities. Their results claim that “95 to 97 percent of all opportunities are scams”, butthey have been able to find the two or three that are legitimate. You’re invited to try them for yourself, and even sign up for a “free report” or newsletter. What these websites are really doing is sending you specific websites and services - and someone on the back end is earning a fee or commission. The companies and services look like they’ve been vetted, but you don’t know who is making the judgements. Those free reports and newsletters could be an attempt to get your personal information. Questionable awards and endorsements. Fake reviews and company (To page 15)

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

COMMUNITY

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Nabus, Dumaran speak at UPFC world peace fest

Fr. Ariel Dumaran (right) and Willie Nabus (2nd from right), past president of the Silayan Community Centre, are behind the rostrum talking about world peace during the Inter-Religious and Multicultural Famly Festival conducted by the Universal Peace Federation Canada at the Church of Scientology. Photo: JOJO TADURAN

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Spotting ... (From page 14) websites try to make themselves look legitimate by posting awards and recommendations that don’t exist. Claims like “Voted #1 review site” or “the leading site for work at home jobs” are meaningless if the organization they’re from isn’t reputable or well-known, or the claims aren’t backed up by industry research. The same applies for those “trusted site” seals. Consider: who did the evaluation, what authority do they have and what criteria did they use? The process should be transparent in order to mean something to users. For instance, there are strict rules governing accreditation from organizations that matter, like the Better Business Bureau, and those rules are outlined on those organizations’ websites. As seen on... Everyone loves good press coverage, but that too can be faked. It’s easy to copy and

paste logos from popular media sources, but if you visited those sources could you find the article? A link should be provided, and you should be able to find the reference by searching the publication’s archives. Protect yourself Other than knowing the signs, there are a couple of simple steps you can take to protect yourself. ► Evaluate offers carefully. There are legitimate offers out there, but scammers rely on people not looking closely enough or asking the right questions. Look for inconsistencies and watch out for missing or incomplete information. Make sure you get the full details of any offer in writing. ► Research the company. Whether you’re applying directly to a company or considering a staffing agency, you should get a reliability report from the BBB. Further, look for other sources of information like press releases and articles in credible publications. At the

very least, the company’s contact information should be posted on their website, and you should be able to verify it with an outside source like a phone book or 411.ca. ► Ask who is accountable. Content and opportunities don’t appear out of nowhere. Who is responsible for the information? (Or conversely, who would get in trouble if there was a problem?) If you can’t figure out who “is behind the curtain” then chances are they don’t want to be found - and there’s a reason. ► Use tried-and-true ways of finding a job. Perhaps the best strategy of all is to ignore the ads, the emails and the websites and stick with reliable job search strategies and resources. Update your resume and network. Let people know you’re looking for work. You never know where a lead will come from. Ultimately, it’s up to you to sift through the ads and opportunities to sort out the real ones.

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Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre (KCCC) president Mama Ching Quejas (2nd from right) congratulates winners of the KCCC First Annual Bowlathon on March 21, an event that raised $4,000 for the center. The IAMAO team of Chito Cabatic, Edgar Frondozo, Roger Marcos, and Leo Pineda won the championship trophy. The youth team of Jose Buenavidez, Jacqueline Cuenca, Krissy Cuenca, and Jaime Mangverra came in second. With Mama Ching are (from left) Pasky Pliveria, Alex Sales, Raquel Dumlao, Marcos, Frondozo and Pineda. PR Photo

The main ingredient (From page 10) your belief that you will succeed. It’s called Self-Efficacy. Your belief in your ability to achieve what you seek is the biggest part of actually getting there. The best part is that selfefficacy is a trait that can be acquired at any age. We acquire a sense selfefficacy in four ways. The first way is cumulative. With each success we achieve, we add a new layer

of confidence in ourselves. The second way is through observation. When we see someone similar to ourselves succeed, we realize that we can too. The third way is controlled by our attitude. A positive attitude enhances our belief in our abilities whereas a negative one destroys it. The fourth way is from the encouragement of others who believe in our ability to succeed.

This is where you as an effective manager can help your people succeed. Tell them that you believe they can meet their goals and you will help them believe it too. (Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. is a motivational speaker and humorist. He works with companies that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think like innovators. Visit www. jumpstartyourmeeting. com.)

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

COMMUNITY

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TCWCIM concert develops friendship Close to 100 people, mostly teenagers from diverse backgrounds, gathered at the Toronto Christian Worship Centre International Ministries (TCWCIM) sanctuary for a fun-filled evening of music, interaction and fellowship. Held on March 14 and dubbed “Awakening 2009,” the concert showcased Gospel music played by the TCWCIM Band with lively participation from the audience. The evening was climaxed by true-to-life testimonies of Alfie Tan, a Mississauga-based young man in a wheelchair, who touched and inspired the lives of the audience. Born in Iloilo province but grew up in Canada, he said his self-confidence and faith in God became stronger after he was shot by an unknown gunman while enjoying a vacation in the Philippines in April 2008. This incident paralyzed

TCWCIM POST-CONCERT SOUVENIR PHOTO his lower body. “I was personally moved and inspired by Alfie’s story,” cried Giselle Tolentino, one of the participants, whose life was also drawn close to God by music. “Actually, our group’s aim is to unite the youth in the community, to awaken them to the problems that affect us, and express the truth through music that no matter what our problems are, we may have various ways to solve them but the ultimate solution can always be found in God,” said JR Copreros,

TCWCIM’s worship leader, guitarist and male vocalist. Speaking from the biblical point of view, JR shared in all modesty that “the enemy of our soul attempted to stop us from fulfilling this musical concert, but we cheated death and have overcome by the grace of God.” At 2 a.m. on March 14, JR’s sports car slammed a concrete post along Mississauga Road while driving home from their rehearsal. The vehicle was totally wrecked but miraculously,

he and his brother Jonathan sustained non-threatening injuries. The police officer and emergency team were entirely amazed on how the two brothers escaped

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the crash. “The Lord’s protection is definitely on them,” TCWCIM’s senior pastor Ogie Fernandez said. Youth Leader and drummer Daniel Ascano

announced that with this huge success, the participants are clamouring for another youth power concert, which is tentatively scheduled on August 1. PR

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Fixing the caregiver program (From page 9) government. It has been suggested that agencies must register with the Philippine consulate as a step towards legitimizing their role. And only registered agencies will be permitted to process caregiver applications. I believe this is a step in the right direction. Once registered, agencies can be tracked and monitored. Those with a history of bad, dishonest behavior will have their rights revoked and eventually be forced out of business. The second issue, that of bad employers, is somewhat harder to address. The current laws create a situation whereby the worker has few practical rights and is essentially an indentured servant at the mercy of an employer. A worker brought in under the caregiver program must complete 36 months of accredited work history within a four-year period. If they fail to do so, they lose their right to residency and eventually get deported. However, they are free to change employers. In theory, this makes sense but in practice, it is difficult to find a new employer. Many workers do not understand their rights nor have the courage to navigate the complex bureaucracies in our city. Bad employers depend on this lack of awareness to exploit their employees. Canada prides itself as a fair and equitable place for labor. And, for the most part, it is. However, in this situation, it falls far short of the ideal.

The very nature of the program encourages abuse. How can this be fixed? One thing for sure: The program must continue because it is valuable to both the employer and the worker. It is valuable because it gives desperate parents a caring and skilled caregiver at a cost far below the domestic market thus enabling many to join the workforce. Further, it gives many in the underdeveloped world a chance at a new life in Canada. Let me suggest that a step towards fixing this program is to create a confidential Ombudsman with limited but well-defined authority. This Ombudsman will have the mandate of protecting workers brought in under this program. A worker should be able to access the Ombudsman through the phone and via email with their complaints of abuse. It would be the job of the Ombudsman to determine if the complaint is legitimate (as in the case of Annett) or just sour grapes of a worker who does not like an employer. If legitimate, the Ombudsman will have the duty to investigate and if necessary take legal action to protect the rights of the worker. This is a fist step. How should this office be funded? My suggestion is that funding needs to be shared between the government and the agencies (maybe, as part of the registration, an agency pays a fee part of which goes towards funding this office). I would even go so far as to suggest that workers and employers might also participate in the funding.

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

EI takers reach 560T in January The number of people receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits rose to 560,400 in January, up 4.4 percent or 23,700 from December. Over half the rise occurred in Ontario, much greater than that province’s share of the labor force (39.1 percent). In January, growth in the number of beneficiaries was especially strong in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, all of which registered month-over-month increases above the national average. JEY DHARMARAJ, Statistics Canada Let me again stress this is but a first step and one which needs considerable discussion before it can be implemented. There are many issues which will need to be defined. One of the biggest fear caregivers have under the program is their ability to attain residency requirements that could be compromised if they complain about their work condition. In addition to creating the Ombudsman’s office, attention has to be given to the rules so that caregivers are not punished simply because they fall into the hands of unscrupulous employers. It is time we take action to protect people who come here under the caregiver program. It should be no longer acceptable that they be treated as commodities bartered between parties whose only interest is self enrichment. Get involved and be part of this discussion.

CALENDAR ► APRIL 26: Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre Children’s Fashion Show. ► MAY 9: Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre Fallsview Casino fundraising trip. Pick up at Central Parkway Mall, Mississauga, 8:30 a.m. ► MAY 9 & 23: Sega Productions Inc. Juan dela Cruz Band Canadian Reunion Tour, Toronto International Celebration Church, 7 p.m. ► MAY 16 & 17: Filipino Centre Toronto Victoria Invitational Basketball Tournament, Hoopdome. ► MAY 21: Philippine Chamber of Commerce Toronto Seminar on Business Planning and Marketing. ► MAY 30 (tentative): Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre Cultural Show. ► JUNE 6 & 7: Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre Independence Gala Night and Summer Festival Picnic, respectively. ► JUNE 7: Sharon Cuneta & KC Concepcion Live in Toronto, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 6 p.m. ► JUNE 13: The Pillars Cultural Association Mother and Father’s Day. ► JUNE 13 & 14: Filipino Centre Toronto Pistahan sa Toronto, Nathan Philips Square. ► JUNE 14: Filipino Centre Toronto 2009 Filipino Singing Idol Competitions, Final Round, Nathan Philips Square. ► JUNE 18: Philippine Chamber of Commerce Toronto Seminar on Health and Safety in the Workplace. ► JUNE 20: Quezon National High School Alumni Association of Toronto Dance-O-Rama, Malvern Community Centre. A public service feature of the Manila Media Monitor. Also visit pakulo.com.

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Car for Sale (22) UMAC Toronto (23) Gonzales Dentistry Professional Corp. (23) Tri-Media (24) Neil Padilla Insurance Agency (25) Dr. Bernarda Rosales Verzonilla Family & Cosmetic Dentistry (25) LDV Computers (26) Liland Insurance Inc. (27) Lovely Travel and Tours (28) Superb Travel Services (30) Front Page Philippines (30) needananny.ca (31) musicpad.com (32) Rhowena Adolfo, Investors Group (33) Innovation Video/Photo (33) OCDC Parcel Services (34) T.H.D. Consultants (35) Seoul Driving School (35) Villa Movers (35) F/T Nanny Required (35) Roadsport Honda (36) Ravi Suri (38) Perlas ng Silanganan (38) Sega Productions, Inc. (39) Dr. Santiago & Associates (40) Fairview Dental Centre (40)

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COMMUNITY GMA Pinoy TV sponsors Mabuhay Festival

PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY COUNCIL MOVERS & ACHIEVERS The Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) welcomes GMA Network Inc. as it joins Rogers Wireless as presenting sponsors of the PIDC Mabuhay Festival at the Metro toronto Convention Centre on July 18, and the rest of the council’s 2009 events. The PIDC 2009 events include the Mrs. Philippines, Little Miss Philippines and Miss Philippines pageants; the annual Salu-Salo sa Earl Bales Picnic; the PIDC Gala Night; the Mabuhay Cup basketball tournament; the Mabuhay Parade and the Dancing to be a Star competitions. GMA Network Inc. said it was pleased partner with PIDC, one of the longest running non-profit Filipino association in Toronto. GMA said it is excited to bring Kapuso Talents to the Mabuhay Festival. “Our kababayans in Greater Toronto can definitely expect great performances from the artists. Konting intay na lang po at darating na ang mga paborito ninyong mga Kapuso!” said Vancouver-based Faye Nalicat from the Filipino Canadian Marketing Group, Inc., Canadian Consultant for GMA Network Inc. With GMA Network Inc. as a major partner, PIDC’s Mabuhay Festival will once again offer the best of the the Best of Philippine Arts, Culture and Charity. This year will be the most exciting, according to Minda Neri , chair of the Mabuhay Festival. PR

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

CANADIAN ETHNIC MEDIA ASSOCIATION

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Presentation of 8 media awards plus the Sierhey Khmara Ziniak Award Two Print Category Awards Two Radio Category Awards Two Television Category Awards Two Internet Category Awards ---------Professional entertainers will perform between award presentations ---------Rooftop Patio Reception ---------Entire show will be taped for telecast on OMNI Television ----------

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COMMUNITY

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LIFE Phils. raise funds for RP, Rwanda projects L.I.F.E. Philippines Foundation, Canada Inc. presents the 15th edition of its popular annual fundraising dinner and dance - the Reyna Elena Coronation Ball. The event will be conducted at the St. Clement’s Ohrid Ballroom on June 6, starting at 6 p.m. Founded in 1990 by

the late Filipino-Canadian community leader Dr. Honorata Migriño-Stephenson, L.I.F.E. aims to address the relationship between livelihood, infrastructure, food, education and overall human health: physical, mental and spiritual. Organizers say the foundation’s 2009 projects include an artesian well in

rural Batangas, a women’s livelihood program in Bohol, and educational support of Rwandan children born from genocidal rape. L.I.F.E. also has projects in Abra and Iligan City, Mindinao. Guest speakers include Dr. Carolyn Bennett, who will discuss food security. PR

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Masalunga heads PAG

Philippine Artists Group (PAG) members after a meeting where they elected Romeo Masalunga as the group’s new president. Also elected were Frank Cruzet, vice president; Cobie Cruz and Nelia Tonido, recording and coordinating secretaries, respectively; Ma. Nellie Bautista, treasurer; Jun Afable, P.R.O.; Jhun Ciolo Diamante, webmaster; Rolly Abarilla, archivist; and Frank Tonido, auditor and property custodian. Immediate past president Justino Magalona would join Romi MananQuil and Calixto Quiachon in the Council of Past Presidents. Other PAG members are Fred Alinas, Teody Asuncion, Celia Correa, Archie Cruzado, Manny de Jesus, Tony Doctor, Tony Luna, Rocille Lampitoc, Rol Lampitoc, Tony Leyco, Koni Marcoux and Joey Rollo. PR

Leaders at Queen’s Park

Community leaders attend Canada’s 20th Anniversary campaign launch supporting the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The launch is dubbed Celebrating Harmony: Respect, Equality & Diversity in Ontario. Enjoying a light moment with MPP Peter Tabuns (4th from left) are Maria Guiao, Merfa Bataclan, Jojo Taduran, Evelyn Pagkalinawan and Edwin Mercurio. PR

Birth Anniversary Celebrator

Ms. Teen GTA Rachelle Araneta Perez (right) joins 54 others in vying for the title Miss Teen Canada Globe. Earlier crowned Miss Teen GTA, Perez wowed judges during the pageant conducted at the Rembrandt Hall on March. 28. Photos: NOLI GUMAPAC

Vangie Vasquez (seated, left) recently celebrated her birth anniversary with friends. With her are Noel and Nini Atencio, Josie and Boysie, Chito Collantes, Jennifer Camacho and son Nate, Violy and Art Jaravata, Rose Olano, Cely Potes and Buddy Paras. PR

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

the PHILIPPINES

Mt. Hamiguitan is a ‘paradise’ By FERDINAND O. ZUASOLA SAN ISIDRO, Davao Oriental - He first climbed the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, before climbing the mystical Mount Hamiguitan Range of Davao Oriental. For Everest Man Erwin Pastour Emata, Mount Hamiguitan is a “paradise.” “I have been to the world’s tallest peak and famous peaks of Europe and Asia, but I found Mount Hamiguitan Range of Davao Oriental as paradise,” he said. “I will definitely go back to this place, I was fascinated no end by its very unique beauty. So fabulous, it is host to nature’s rarest treasures,” said Emata, after successfully conquering the 5,000-meter high Mount Hamiguitan, which is home to the endangered Philippine monkey-eating eagles. “Our trekking to Mount Hamiguitan is supposed to be a minor climb which is best recommended for neophyte mountain climbers because of its low elevation compared with Mount Apo, but it turned out to be more than that,” he said in an interview at the foot of the Mount Hamiguitan range in the hinterland village of La Union in this fourth-class town. Climbing Mount Hamiguitan usually took regular trekkers at least three days, but Emata’s group, composed of architects from Davao City, completed the climb in only two days. “The place is so pristine you will fall in love with nature no end. This paradise will truly captivate the nature tourists. Unlike many other tall mountains, it offers many fabulous, very unique sights like the mystical pygmy forest - yes, a thick forest of dwarf trees more than

one thousand years old. No other mountain offers the most wonderful sights, like Mount Hamiguitan,” said the 34-year-old Emata, who started mountain climbing at the age of eight. He rose to fame after he successfully scaled Mount Everest, one of the very few men and women worldwide who did so. “The place for me is a best package of unique, most wonderful sights. At the peak, you will get a best view of the picturesque Pujada Bay of the City of Mati. At the other end of the peak, you will also see the Davao Gulf and the scenic Pacific Ocean. Along the way, you will see pristine waterfalls, very clean rivers and a fascinating hidden lake and a vast forest of the unique diminutive millennium trees,” Emata said. But the “very hospitable” people living at the foot of the mountain “is a big plus factor,” he said. “A best come-on really especially for the foreign tourists because no matter how beautiful this place is, no matter how unique and fabulous are the sights it offers, the tourists would surely be turned off if the villagers are uncouth and unfriendly to them,” he added. “I am very happy that your porters here are highly informative on environmental issues and very helpful to the trekkers. In many areas in the country, the porters are a big turnoff because they dupe mountain climbers,” he noted. He said that on their way down the mountain, they got lost and “the villagers have willingly led us to the safest way out of the mountain. So no one was hurt or injured when we went out

of the mountain range.” “We should all do our part in protecting and preserving the paradise. I will definitely go back to this place and am willing to be part of and even spearhead the protection and preservation campaign of environmentalists just so this place will remain intact. We should protect this paradise at all cost because this is a source of life especially for the locals,” he further said. “Please, do not allow the miners and loggers to enter this paradise because they are just out to exploit and destroy this paradise for their selfish ends,” Emata appealed. He said that he was “very happy” that local government officials have closed ranks that prodded the national government to declare Mount Hamiguitan Range a national park. Emata’s fellow trekker, Jonathan Cosio, said he enjoyed the very rich biodiversity of Mount Hamiguitan. ”For the first time, I’ve seen different colors and shapes of mushrooms. So I took photos of them. It was

a total experience,” Cosio said. But some trekkers raised alarm over what they saw in the pygmy forest. “I saw signs that there are cutting of the endangered pygmy trees. It should be stopped, otherwise the

rare trees will soon be gone here. Tourists should not be allowed to cut these wonderful trees,” trekker Salvador Sandoval said. The Philippine Eagle Foundation declared Mount Hamiguitan as a sanctuary of Philippine eagles. PNA

Weather info office a must for airports, Pagasa says MANILA - A weather information office must be established in all Philippine airports to provide airlines with accurate forecasts and avoid accidents caused by varying weather conditions. Nathaniel Cruz, deputy administrator for operations of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said “it is important to provide aviation industry with timely data pertaining to weather because it helps them bring people safely to their destinations.” Cruz cited a number of fatal aviation accidents worldwide due to sudden and violent changes in wind direction. In January, a commercial plane crashed in Caticlan airport due to strong winds that caused the aircraft’s landing gear to explode. Pagasa maintains a World Area Forecast System, a state of the art weather monitoring system at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Mactan International Airport. Other Philippine airports have either their own weather monitoring systems or they outsource weather information from private entities, Cruz said. Some of the data come from abroad, and “it’s better to get the data here, for accuracy and safety’s sakes,” he added. Experts who could read meteorological data in local airports are needed to deter plane mishaps, he said. He noted an upswing of tourist arrivals in the country and “bringing them here safely should be a priority.” Tourism officials said some 3.14 million visitors came in 2008. PNA

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

Bishops to Erap: Set aside 2010 plans MANILA - Bishops have advised former Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Estrada to forget his plan to join the 2010 presidential polls. But the bishops urged Estrada to help discover a new breed of political candidates. “I think he should set aside his personal ambition if he wants to unite the Filipino nation,” said Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad. He said Estrada should give other people a chance to lead the country, as he had served as a chief executive but did not finish his term following his ouster in the 2001 EDSA People Power. Jumoad said Estrada

ESTRADA should instead help the opposition choose a candidate to seek the land’s highest electoral post in the May 10, 2010 elections. “I think he would serve as (a) unifying force for the opposition,” he added. On the other hand, Calo-

ocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez said he was not against the idea of Estrada running for president per se. But Iñiguez urged Estrada to discern on how he could be able to serve the country better. “He should assess his capability, his track record. If he thinks that he can respond to the country’s problems, then he should run. Anyway the decision (to vote for him or not) is still with the people,” he said. Estrada had repeatedly said that if the opposition could not unite behind one candidate, he would run for president again. He gave opposition candidates until November, to unite themselves. PNA

Nominations for 1st 18 Dec. Awards open The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto informs the Filipino community that nominations for the “Year 2009 1st 18 December Awards for Overseas Filipinos” is open. The Award marks the celebration of the Month of Overseas Filipinos under the auspices of the Philippine Migrants Rights Watch (PMRW) and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). Filled up nomination forms and supporting documents should be forwarded on or before July 30 to the Philippine Migrant Rights Watch c/o Scalabrini Migration Center, 4, 13th Street, New Manila, Quezon City 1112 Philippines. The documents may

also be sent through facsimile number (632)721-4296 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Nomination forms and awards details may be downloaded from the website. Awardees include exemplars of Filipino excellence who have dedicated their work in the service of Filipino migrants and their families, leaders of community initiatives that promote the common good, and advocates for the promotion and protection of the rights of Filipino migrants and their families. Civil society organizations based overseas whose programs have helped improve the lives of Filipino

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the PHILIPPINES

migrants, particularly in the marginalized sectors, will also be honored. The Awards ceremonies will be conducted during the annual celebration of the International Migrants Day in the Philippines organized by the Interagency Committee. Disqualified for the nomination are individuals who are working for government organizations, if the contributions cited as bases for their nomination are specifically required to be among their functions and duties.

NEWS ROUNDUP Vatican elevates Libmanan to diocese The Vatican has created a new diocese in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, bringing to 55 the number of dioceses in the Philippines. Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, the Pope’s envoy to the Philippines, announced this in a letter to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Jose Rojas as the diocese’s first prelate. On Dec. 9, 1989, the late Pope John Paul II created the Prelature of Libmanan, canonically erected on March 19, 1990. The diocese has nearly 500,000 Catholics. It has 27 parishes and 51 priests. The Philippine Catholic Church has 16 archdioceses, seven apostolic vicariates, five territorial prelatures and one military ordinariate. PNA

4,000 children to learn Latin dances CEBU CITY - Some 4,000 children from the city’s 80 barangays will learn different Latin dances this summer under the free Dancesport sa Barangay workshop of Dancesport Team Cebu City. The children will be grouped in 21 cluster barangays. Dancesport Team director Edward Hayco said they wanted to help children develop self-confidence and discipline and help them stay away from drugs and illegal activities. The children will be taught by over 100 volunteer teachers trained by the team’s head coach. PNA

Panay railways up for revival KALIBO, Aklan - The engineering work for the revival of the Panay Railway System (PRS) is expected to start next year, the Regional Development Council (RDC) said. Aklan provincial planning and development officer Engr. Roger Esto said an Australian firm has finished the project’s feasibility study. Esto is the chairman of the RDC infrastructure committee as permanent representative of Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez. The Panay Railway system will initially commence in Iloilo City. In two to three years of operation, the project will extend to Roxas City towards Caticlan, Malay Aklan. PNA

Benguet’s first mall to rise LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - Very soon, residents of La Trinidad and its environs in Benguet province will no longer trek to Baguio City to go malling and shopping. Town mayor Artemio Galwan said the construction of La Trinidad’s first mall will soon begin. This town is the seat of one of the biggest agricultural state universities, several branches of banks, food chains and trading center of the multi-million peso fresh vegetable industry of the Cordillera region in northern Luzon. PNA

Rescue, release of turtles cited ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has cited city government’s wildlife protection program, specifically in the conservation of turtles. Since 2005, the city government has rescued and released 25 sea turtles, the latest of which was Fortunato, a male sea turtle rescued by a fisherman in Barangay Bolong. PNA

P1-M funding for village hosting dumpsite BACOLOD CITY - Councilor Greg Gasataya, Sangguninag Panlungsod ecology and environment committee chair, has endorsed an ordinance setting aside a P1-million annually for the barangay that will host a waste disposal facility. Gasataya noted the closure and rehabilitation of the city’s dumpsite in Barangay Felisa. He said the proposed funding would help ensure the safety and well-being of the people and the environment in the village that would host the new waste disposal facility. PNA

Ro-Ro a big boost to RP nautical highway

Groups work to help ... (From page 1) On its own, Filpar initiated a Niña Bonita Campaign in October 2008 and raised money that was donated to the Herbie Fund in Chris’ name. A Filpar casino fundraising trip added a few dollars to help the Cuntapay family. Meanwhile, in December 2008, OFWC donated part of its dance’s proceeds to help Chris’s family. Filpar and OFWC have remained steadfast in working hand in hand to raise money for the

Cuntapay family. On April 25, the Philippine Independence Day Flag Raising Committee and Philippine Consulate General hosted a fund raising party at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 Banquet Hall. Officials appealed for community help for the Cuntapay family through Grace Parucha at [email protected] or at 416-759-3537; or through Alex Parucha, Sr. at alejoparuchasr@rogers. com.

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (left) waves to the crowd on board the roll on-roll off (RO-RO) vessel at the Verano Port in Surigao City on its way to San Ricardo Port in Southern Leyte. President Arroyo’s RO-RO trip formed part of the 3rd RO-RO Caravan that officially launched a new leg of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SNRH) Eastern Seaboard route. The President says the SNRH routes – Eastern, Central and Western seaboards - will connect Luzon to Mindanao though the Visayas and play a major role in spurring countryside development. Photo: BENJAMIN BASUG JR./NIB-OPS

For a timely daily dose of events happening in your Philippine province, log on to http://www. pna.gov.ph.

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

The PHILIPPINES

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Whale shark interaction season, a tourism hit

RP tourism chalks up growth despite global economic crunch

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DONSOL, Sorsogon - The tourism industry remains a bright spot as a source of revenue for the Philippines and its people, despite the impact of an economic crunch that has been gripping the world. “Tourist arrivals in 2008 rose by 1.5 percent to a record 3.14 million, and this is a very encouraging sign that the tourism industry remains vibrant,” said Senator Francis Escudero. Receipts from the tourism industry “accounts for 6.2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product,” Escudero, who hails from Sorsogon, said.

“Although the global financial crisis continues to wreak havoc on the economies of many countries, I have seen positive developments that would maintain if not improve that tourism performance, especially in Bicol, this year,” he added. Escudero made the positive note in a visit here coinciding with the peak of the whale shark March to May interaction season. Whale shark flock During the Philippine summer, whale sharks, known locally as butanding, flock to the coastal waters of Sorsogon to mate and feed on planktons teem-

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ing at the mouth of the Donsol River. The entire whale shark season starts on January and normally lasts until the end of the third quarter of the year. However, the massive sea creatures could be occasionally sighted the whole year round in the area and the waters off the coastlines of municipalities straddling the Sorsogon Bay and Ticao Pass. The whale shark watching season has begun. But more than just watch, more intrepid and adventurous tourists swim and cavort up close with the world’s awesome gentle giants of the sea. Butanding festival Donsol town is also preparing for the annual Butanding Festival on April 28 to 30. The three-day festival is highlighted by street cultural dancing, parades and fluvial processions of thanksgiving for the good life. Festival (To page 34)

3 P.M.

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

GOT A FOREX DEAL?

Remittances affect RP labor market

Check out if you got your peso’s worth for the dollars you have had exchanged since March 16. US$ April 17 April 16 April 15 April 14 April 13 April 09 April 08 April 07 April 06 April 03 April 02 April 01 March 31 March 30 March 27 March 26 March 25 March 24 March 23 March 20 March 19 March 18 March 17 March 16

MONEY

Cdn$

47.78340 47.56625 47.26652 47.21806 47.76209 47.89220 47.96016 47.72515 47.80614 47.74674 47.87320 4823926 48.24910 48.05531 48.12621 48.03576 48.15320 47.99397 47.97128 48.25034 48.29782 48.27612 48.30504 48.34537

39.35793 39.43941 39.28858 39.34621 39.11466 39.03001 38.83238 38.67284 38.48937 38.72215 38.66807 38.16162 38.29108 38.16752 38.84031 38.95655 39.33831 39.14456 38.93583 39.00351 39.20099 38.01030 38.00327 38.00483

Over eight million Filipinos working overseas have put a high premium on the education of their children. But how many of these school kids would dare make the high climb to success and not turn their backs on a good future a good education funded by their parents’ remittances - promises?

Hit by global economic downturn

Aviation industry to fly back soonest also dipped to a 1.1-percent growth in 2007-2008, from 4.6 percent in 2006-2007. Gonzales said ICAO’s 2009 outlook for passenger traffic “is poor for all the regions. Growth is expected to be around zero percent.” But 2010 would see passenger traffic recovery with an expected growth of around 4.4 percent, he added. Offsetting impact To offset the recession impact, Gonzalez said many airlines have started to take cost efficient measures such as fleet reduction, routes cancellation and merger negotiations. In some airlines, passen-

MONTREAL - The world air travel industry, though having felt the pinch of a pervading global economic crisis, is expected to recover from its losses in a year or two. This, Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez, president of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), confidently said. Reduced growth “The transport is very sensitive to the economy,” Gonzalez said. ICAO reports showed passenger traffic growth went down to 1.8 percent in 2007-2008, as against 7.1 percent in 2006-2007. Cargo traffic growth

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gers have been asked to pay for the second luggage and very light food on board. Some even went a bit too far. Reports told of an airline that charged passengers for the use of its toilet. Safety first But he stressed that none of the measures any airline take to offset recession impacts “should affect safety. Safety is our priority.” “We have a safety audit program in place to oblige civil aviation authorities to oversee airline operations, to warranty safety,” he said. Air travel has always been a very successful mode of transportation and it is the safest, he said.

Concerns One of ICAO’s main concerns, Gonzalez said, was to have enough quality professionals well trained to manage the industry’s expected growth. “We have strongly urged aviation training centers to improve their capacity, because if we keep growing at 4 or 5 percent, we could have some problems,” Gonzales said. “It takes time to prepare pilots, maintenance engineers and air traffic controllers. The industry cannot prepare them in one month, two months, or even one year,” he said. PNA/Xinhua

MANILA - Remittances sent by overseas Filipinos workers (OFW) were reported to have saved some five million Filipinos from poverty. But it was also cited as among the reasons for the slower transition of many Filipino youth from school to better jobs. In a paper Philippines: Poverty, Employment and Remittances – Some Stylized Facts, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Southeast Asia Department Senior Economist Kelly Bird said “one major indicator of a vibrant labor market is the capacity of the youth to get a permanent job after finishing school.” Low transition ratio “In the Philippines, this transition appears to be slow,” the study said. An ADB labor market survey showed that only about eight percent of teenagers in the labor market have permanent jobs. The survey noted that it was 17 percent for young people with ages 20-24, 30 percent for prime adults and 14 percent for mature adults. “These ratios are relatively low and particularly low for young persons when compared on an international basis and for a country with a similar level of development,” the study said. Higher pays urged The study stressed that “while there are major pull factors for Filipinos working overseas, there are also major push factors, including chronic poverty in certain regions of the country and an inefficient labor market.” It cited the rigidities in the country’s labor policies like severance and social security costs, restrictions

on the use of fixed term contracts and restrictions on the use of third party manpower hiring agencies as among the reasons for the high employment rate here and the slow transition rate of youth to better jobs. “In particular, the youth transition from school to placement in a good job is slow, thereby encouraging younger Filipinos to move abroad,” it said. The study said addressing this particular issue needs “hard political decisions for reform of the labor market” with the focus primarily on high minimum wages and relaxing rules of employment contracts. Reservation wages Relatively, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco, Jr. said “international migration and the accompanying remittance flows tend to raise the reservation wage of individuals coming from households receiving remittance income.” Tetangco defined reservation wage as the “threshold wage which determines whether individuals would join the workforce or not.” “Higher reservation wages could discourage members of migrant’s origin household from working, and hence lead to reduced domestic labor supply,” he added. Remittances Official data placed remittances at US$16.4 billion in 2008. However, analysts have predicted that remittances would likely decline by 33 percent this year, due to the prevailing global economic turmoil. Citbank analyst Jun Trinidad lower remittances would compromise Philippine economic growth targets. PNA

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

MONEY Best swears in PCCT officers

Margaret Best, Ontario Minister of Health Promotions, inducts Philippine Chamber of Commerce-Toronto officers during the group’s gala on March 7. From left are directors Agnes Loshusan and Cherrie Liu, secretary Arlene Martirez, director Flor Vendiola, auditor Elizabeth Leggett, 3rd vice president Cori Naron, president Rafael Nebres, first vice president Henry Sia, second vice president Oswald Tugadi, direrctors Ted Dayno and Roger Yu, treasurer Edgardo Gonzales, and director Steve Pagao. Other officers are directors Lino Sabilano and Ed Joaquin. PR

Know the differences

Tax rules for TFSAs, RRSPs, non-registered investments by Investors Group Financial Services Inc. T a x Free Savings A c c o u n t s (TFSAs) are a nearly brand new and quite flexible investment v e h i c l e ; Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) have been a vital tax-advantaged retirement s a v i n g s opportunity for many years; and non-registered investments are an important component of virtually every financial plan. If you are currently weighing the advantages of each of these investment options as you restructure your investment portfolio to match your overall financial goals during this difficult economic climate, you need to know how each is taxed. So let’s compare the tax treatment rules for TFSAs, RRSPs and non-registered investments. (See table above) There are tax and

income-building advantages and disadvantages to each of these investment options. You need to look at them in relation to your overall tax situation and financial objectives. Your professional advisor can help you make

the right decisions for your unique situation. (This Investors Group Financial Services Inc. item (in Quebec – a Financial Services Firm), presents general information only and is not a solicitation to buy or sell any investments.)

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR The lost APRIL 2009 (From page 10)

RP tourism chalks up growth despite ... (From page 30)

DONSOL VISITORS SWIM WITH THE BUTANDING attractions include eco-trips to the sea and sand guides. Big contributors The presence of whale sharks as tourist come-ons have contributed much to the town’s economic growth. Last year, Bicol’s tourism industry posted 1.3 million local and foreign tourist arrivals, Escudero said. Tourism department records showed 2008 gross receipts of P782 million made in Bicol alone, from P443.5

million in 2007. At least 499,336 jobs were created. “Mayon Volcano in Albay, which fared well in the preliminary search for the World’s New Seven Wonders of the Nature, remains as Bicol’s major tourist attraction,” Escudero said. International events Among events conducted in Bicol that attracted foreign participation were the 1st Daet International Kite Boarding Competition on

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Feb. 5 to 8 and the International Wakeboarding Championship on March 25 to 29 in Pili, Camarines Sur. “The fact that two international water sports events were held in the region shows that the Philippines - with its ideal location and natural resources - has the potential to be the site of other sporting competitions,” the senator said. The Bicol region also got international exposure when the French edition of the reality show Survivor was conducted in the Caramoan Peninsula, Camarines Sur, he said. PNA

hill

Like another Indiana Jones, but without the fedora hat and the whip, I embarked on the search for the “Lost Hill.” Months have passed and I was still getting dead ends. Then, one day while leisurely reading up on the history of Scarborough, the fascinating tale of the elusive hill unfolded its page and shed light to the mystery. In the early years of Scarborough Township, back in the 1850’s, a hilly land stretching down from Sheppard Avenue to Lake Ontario and across from Galloway Road to Port Union was home to the hardworking immigrants who built the community known as Highland Creek Village. It was the largest and the centre of commerce in Scarborough. Though established as one community, it was geographically sliced in two by a valley.

The one on the west side was appropriately named as West Hill, while the hill on the east side by the creek was never referred to as East Hill, but retained the Highland Creek name of the village. The gap caused some form of friction between the local residents living in the opposite hills. In 1879, the Post Office, which was the center of rivalry between the two competing communities, was moved to West Hill. Its relocation overshadowed Highland Creek, at least in postal sense. Although it appeared that West Hill may have gained the upper hand, it also marked the beginning of the two communities in putting their differences aside under one name. Today, the land that was known as Highland Creek is known as West Hill. The shifting of name could not change the fact that the hill on Highland Creek was the cradle of its

community. It is one of the historical landmarks of Scarborough. Its history is proudly showcased in a beautiful mural on the eastern wall of Highland Creek Plaza by the historic Wesleyan Cemetery, on the north side of Old Kingston Road and east side of Morrish Road. The large scale painting by the renowned muralist, John Hood, depicts the early settlers of Highland Creek Village, building an extension to the Wesley Methodist Church in the winter of 1867. This short glimpse of Scarborough’s history revealed the much sought explanation to the “Lost Hill” that was always there. This year, on June 20, Highland Creek Village will once again bring back time and its old glory. It will celebrate its 24th Highland Creek Heritage Day. And just like in the previous celebration, it promises another day of great time for everyone, starting from the Annual Festival Parade. The festivity will re-live the good old days. And the folks from the other side of the creek will cross the valley to attend the celebration. The East Hill that I thought was missing is not missing after all. It is still standing tall by the old creek, ... and is lost no more. Long Live Highland Creek.

Arts & Entertainment Villamor & community mediamen

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

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SEOUL DRIVING SCHOOL YELLOWBIRD 6013 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario

Will Villamor (3rd from left) of North 44 Productions joins Front Page Philippines TV’s/Manila Media Monitor’s Gie and Ace Alvarez, and Balita columnist and Philippine Press Club-Ontario president Tenny Soriano and his wife, Myrna, for a souvenir photo during Sabado de Gloria Night concert produced by Philippine Courier Publishing and Entertainment’s Mon Datol. Villamor also coordinates the Men of 80s Concert for Ultra-Sound Promotions. Photo: MIKE CADUCIO/Philippine Courier

Segga Productions Inc. producers Segga Productions Inc. producers pose for a souvenir photo in preparation for their company’s very first project, the Juan de la Cruz Band Concert next month: From left, Samira Flores, Elsie Maranan, Grace Parucha and Allane Parucha.

Ads targetting Pinoy kids promote harm

(From page 8) is not so much from the type of products it promotes but from the frequency, timing and form of bedazzlement that the medium employs. One can peddle gum, ice cream, novelty items and toys the way traditional street barkers do. However, to compete for attention among a crowd that has become increasingly deadened to traditional ways and indifferent to lackadaisical communication techniques, advertisers now resort to a variety of tactics to entrap the target buyer, make him listen to the sales pitch, convince him to part with his money and keep him loyal. How to effectively do this in only fifteen or thirty seconds of expensive airtime is by far the most challenging thing these days; next only perhaps to filling a chip the size of a mosquito with gazillions of data ad information. The battle of ads on Philippine television is engaging. Many of today’s ads are a joy to watch because they are able to squeeze in so much sense and emotion in a short period. The battle for recall is waged so that the memory of the product and its supposed

attributes should linger until we hit the shelf. Nowhere is this war more true than in products peddled with children as direct or indirect targets. Chips, ice cream, milk, toothpaste, lotions and other beauty products, toys, gadgets, even mobile phone services and coffee are now aimed at hapless Filipinos under 18! When perusing an ad addressed to kids therefore, it helps to assess the effort poured into ensuring that the message is transmitted instantly and fruitfully to a finicky child. It helps to understand what sort of visual, sensory or psychological trickery was employed to capture the kid’s imagination, send him into a fit of desire and trigger the internal mechanism that makes him switch on his “pester powers” to acquire the product. Meanwhile, many Filipino parents complain that ads meant for adults find their way even in what should ordinarily be sacred segments such as the children’s hour. Trailers of upcoming films with adult content and ads that sell products intended for adult use end up

being screened in animation and cartoon features, oftentimes because these are the spots that are sold cheapest to advertisers. Sometimes, a broadcast channel has to fulfill a contract with an advertiser that stipulates a certain number of exposures for his product. To fill the quota, the ads are carelessly placed where there are lots of open space. Because children’s programs do not sell well, it is wide open for ads that could not be accommodated in popular segments. That explains why parents shriek during what should be innocuous and innocent viewing hours. It is therefore a wonder why the denizens of the advertising industry, presumably parents too and very well educated, oftentimes fail to factor in childsensitivity and responsibility in many of their projects. The clarion call of the peso and the stress on the bottom line have sadly taken over many advertising consciences and value systems. Broadcasters have also joined the bandwagon. The biggest casualty, like in any war, is the innocent. [email protected]

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36

MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

Arts & Entertainment

Aljur Abrenica & Kris Bernal

Flor & Mhel with Heartthrobs

2009 loveteam to watch in RP TV Just how hot is the Aljur Abrenica-Kris Bernal loveteam these days? Their series Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin debuted at no. 2 in Mega Manila households - a phenomenal feat considering that the program airs not on Philippine primetime, but on the afternoon block. AGB Nielsen Philippines overnight ratings showed Dapat ... (with 22.1 percent) beating its rival show (10 percent). Dapat ... is the television adaptation of the 1984 hit movie of the same title, which starred an all-time most popular showbiz loveteams in the Philippines, Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion. The series is about the trials that young lovers go through. “Sobrang excited kami, at kinakabahan,” Kris told writer Jason John S. Lim in an interview for igma.tv. She adds that there is indeed a lot of expectations surrounding this remake. “Dahil itong movie na ‘to, naging best actress pa po dito si Sharon Cuneta, [at] isa pa ito sa mga naging paborito niya.” The roles are really

FV Foods’ Flor Vendiola and Mhel’s Fine Foods’ Melchor Galeon (4th and 5th from left, respectively) with Filipino celebrities in the recent Heartthrobs 2009 show in Toronto.

Artists at calayca cd launch several steps up for the two who were first paired in teeny-bopper show Boys Nxt Door. They then co-starred in shows such as Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, Dyesebel, and Luna Mystika. Dapat ... is the couple’s biggest break in the Kapuso Network. As expected, both are not taking the responsibility of leading a show lightly. Not only do they make sure that they thoroughly study the entire script, they

also call each other to get pointers on how they can make the scene work when they feel that a scene would be particularly challenging for them. The hard work seems to pay off. Their co-star Ara Mina can attest to that. Ara, who plays the manipulative rich woman who is out to steal the heart of Aljur’s character, said in an interview during the show’s launch, “I’m happy with Kris and Aljur, kasi nakikita ko ‘yung chemistry nilang dalawa.” PR

Local artists donated their time and talent to a CD to help raise funds for the family of still missing Cristina Calayca. (Above) Artists Rolly Gatchalian, Josie de Leon and Darius Ciria pose with composer/producer Jun Dadivas at the recent CD launching at Woodbridge. PR

AMB. BRILLANTES

JUN

RICKY

ACE, TENNY and MON

CASSANDRA

ROSEMER

MIKE

RICKY

JOSIE and DARIUS

Philippine Press Club-Ontario Celebrity Night in Images guests sing hearts out

PHILIPPINE PRESS CLUB-ONTARIO MEMBERS WITH CELEBRITY GUESTS

GUESTS

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

Arts & Entertainment

MYRNA and GIE

INAH

ZENA

@ Casa Manila, March 20, 2009 (Photos courtesy of MIKE CADUCIO)

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

Life & Leisure

BATID WIKA PAHALANG 1. Pangangalap 5. Maalinsangan 11. Bantog 14. Nara 15. Palara 16. Nawala sa linya 17. Unlaping pangaksiyon 18. Kasim 20. Aliwalas 21. Lalaking nananakit 23. Ayaw magbigay 26. Gitlapi 27. Pagtotono 31. Pandaigdig 34. Pangalan ng babae 35. Nota ng musika 36. Amiray 37. Pastol 40. Balat ng palay 43. Bayan sa Bataan 44. Pera sa bulsa 47. Nilibot 49. Nandito 51. Isalab sa apoy 52. Pusang gubat 53. Watawat 54. Seremonya sa simbahan PABABA 1. Sarado 2. Kudyapi 3. Uga 4. Opisyal ng barko 6. Panunuyo sa dalaga

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7. Paniwala 8. Sana 9. Mapanirang insekto 10. Nipa 12. Siyudad sa Batangas 13. May-ari ng mahiwagang lampara 16. ____a, angat 19. Inakda 21. Guri-guring sulat 22. Tutop 23. Alyas ng boksingero 24. Gapas 25. Negrito 28. Nanay

Joel Recla Producer/Host

MAY ASTROLOGY By FOX KARMA

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29. Lasa, pag inulit 30. Isang mall 32. ____r, pistola 33. Kolehiyo sa Cubao 38. Kapanahunan, Ingles 39. Pera sa Saudi 40. Salok 41. Hanay 42. Sakit sa balat 44. Mahiyain 45. Mabutong prutas 46. Inuming nakabote 48. Tulong, Ingles 50. Samahan sa AFP (Sagot sa PAHINA 32)

Taurus (April 20 – May 20): As your big day approaches, continue to do the things that bring you personal pleasure, just not in excess. Do remember that too much of anything is not good for you. Lucky Number 24 Gemini (May 21 – June 21): Your hard work will pay off this month. Give it your best effort at work and soon you’ll have a new promotion to look forward to. Lucky Number 15 Cancer (June 22 – July 23): Re-think your actions in the workplace. Even when it seems like your employers are not paying attention to your emotional outbursts at work. Oh, they are watching you! Lucky Number 4 Leo (July 23 – Aug. 23): Do not allow your words to become meaningless by over-committing yourself. Do prioritizing and time management ring a bell? Lucky Number 19 Virgo (Aug. 24 – Sept. 23): Many will seek your company because your analytical mind and great ability to let go of your emotions to arrive to a logical conclusion is of high value. Lucky Number 19 Libra (Sept. 24 – OCT. 23): Despite other people’s disempowering thoughts towards your beliefs, continue to your journey towards building your dreams into convictions. After all, most of what we consider a reality now started out as someone else’s dream turned into reality. Do not feel discouraged, as you are almost there! Lucky Number 7 Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 22): Just when you feel your short fuse about to smoke, try and remember your own words to stay positive and breath a sigh of relief – this world is a great place to be in. Why? Because you’re in it! Lucky Number 12 Sagittarius (Nov. 23 – Dec. 21): Unknown to you, some people are thankful for your encouraging words and actions. Continue to be a good Samaritan. Lucky Number 25 Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19): Don’t let the statistics of finding a partner to be get you down. Even when the road seems bleak, there is someone out there for you. So don’t settle for less, continue to believe that you will meet your match. Don’t be afraid to have your heart broken because many of those who have found the love of their love of their lives have had their hearts broken before finding the one. You won’t know unless you try. Lucky Number 27 Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18): If you ever wonder why it feels like you don’t have many friends – it’s because you tend to push people who want to get close to you, away. Perhaps you do it unknowingly, just remember all relationships that you have formed in the past or in the present required some work on your part. No one ever said you had to be the social butterfly, but opening your heart to new people may open some new doors towards your future. Lucky Number 11 Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20): You’ve spent weeks replaying the negative scenarios at work and arguments with your partner, you’ve cried your eyes out feeling pity for yourself. Now that you’ve finished doing that, please look at the bright side of all those people who truly love you and mean well. You cannot change other people, but you can modify what it is you do not like – now is the time to start! Lucky Number 9 Aries (March 21 –April 19): Use your independent nature to start a new business venture this month. It may lead to a newfound passion. Lucky Number 4

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MANILA MEDIA MONITOR APRIL 2009

GENERAL DENTISTRY

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