The Oscars have come and gone with another flurry of fabulous frocks, incredible upsets (!) and all around Hollywood awesomeness.
In the wake of the golden man comes a wonderful new book by Fil-Am actress and writer Shelene Atanacio, who is on a mission to help us normal people learn to better our lives and live out our dreams through the very techniques that our favorite thespians use.
Thecommich had a lovely chat with the pretty Pinay and found some interesting parallels between us -- our traditional Filipino upbringing (where the "role" of Maria Clara - the meek, mild and self-sacrificing heroine/victim of our national epic Noli Me Tangere - is expected to be fulfilled by every woman), our desire to be strong mothers and independent businesswomen, and the confusion that results when these two poles of our identity meet. Luckily for me, Shelene's done most of the dirty work and researched effective ways for people to break through the roles that life thrusts upon them, finding instead the real person they aspire to be.
Shelene's book, Act from the Inside Out, uses the author's own personal journey through the craft of acting to show us how to write our own life script, stretch our "acting muscles" to fulfill the roles we want in real life, and (for the ladies) tap into our inner Goddess.
Shelene only started acting about 9 years ago. "I always wanted to be an actor but I was always very shy so never wanted to pursue it... it was through acting and just getting out there that I uncovered a lot of hidden parts of myself."
The process of acting not only led Shelene to discover her true talent, it also opened up the possibility to fulfill the other roles she wanted to play in her real life: that of a good mother and provider. "The way I was raised as a Filipina - where sometimes you can't be as direct as you want - how does that translate into being a businesswoman? I've had to overcome that using different acting scenarios."
A drama coach provided the necessary tools. "My teacher [has a technique] called ‘stretch work' where he puts us into improvisational exercises; we work with other actors in strengthening the weaker parts of ourselves. So if it's about being direct or being a strong businesswoman, then you set up those scenarios and keep ‘working that muscle' ‘til you become confident and you can fly through it gracefully. Definitely great advice for people who find challenges in marketing themselves or asking for what is due them.
Another technique involves surrounding yourself with characters much like the one you would like to be. In the scenario of wanting to be a successful businessperson, Shelene advises you to "surround yourself with successful women and men, see the way they communicate, the mindset that they have, the challenges they overcame when they grew up and [use that to] help you learn from them as mentors." By mimicking what successful people do in their day to day lives, you can learn to internalize the process and thus "own" the role - becoming a success yourself.
Of course, there is no magic want or single technique to becoming a better person. As Shelene says, "like acting, [your life] is always a work in progress, and as a craft that always needs to be refined." But hopefully with this little gem of a book, that refinement can be that much simpler.
You may not win an Oscar using Shelene's book, but maybe you can be the leading lady or superstar of your own life's movie.
A backpacking odyssey three hours away from Boracay is the gateway to one of Philippine’s most unexplored destination, Pandan, Antique.
Photography and Written by: Jerik de Guzman
To some, travelling always has to be exclusive to the usual destination, the prime spots; isn’t travelling about exploration and discovering something new, that one great adventure, the sudden rush of getting lost in an unfamiliar place, the challenge and triumph to eventually conquer your fear and find your way back home? As it is said in the cult favorite amongst backpackers “The Beach”, Richard says “we want to try to do something different but we wind up doing the same damn thing”.
If you’re tired of the frenzy and the larger than life experience “Bora” lures its worshippers then maybe it’s about time you discover something new, the great backpacking adventure to the town of Pandan in the quiet province of Antique. Have you heard about it? No? I thought so too.
A JOURNEY TO THE EDGE OF PANAY ISLAND
How to get there
Three hours is all you need from Boracay and you’re there. From the crowded Caticlan Jetty port you can find jeepneys and buses en route to different towns and neighboring provinces like Roxas, San Jose, Ilo-Ilo among others. Ask for a jeepney that’ll take you to Nabas, your first stop, located right in the middle of the highway where one can transfer going to succeeding towns up north or down south. Private taxis and motorbikes can be hired, but its best advised to wait for public jeep-trucks to get a feel of the real provincial life. They arrive roughly every 15 minutes so it gives you a little time to cool off and stretch your arms and legs not to mention meet locals. Tell the driver or to the conductor that you’re going to Pandan, Antique. You’ll more or less be dropped off at the intersection. From there, you can hire a jeepney, “habal-habal” (motorcycle most popular in the Visayas), a taxi or the most recommended of all, an air-conditioned Xeres bus to cool you off from the midday sun. They will drop you off to your liking; anytime, anywhere in Pandan, Antique.
The Destination
Just three hours land trip and you’ve officially arrived in the municipality of Pandan in the lovely province of Antique gracefully called “the hidden paradise of Panay”. This curve shaped province is often overshadowed by its more popular neighbors like Ilo-Ilo, Aklan, Capiz and Guimaras. But Antique definitely has its wonders and surprises that will surely amaze onlookers and travelers alike. This little side of the Panay region has been yet untouched by commercialism. Tourism is slow but it has been gaining quite a following from soul searchers and backpackers circumnavigating Visayas trying to find an untapped destination away from the tourist crowd. It is definitely a juggernaut tourism prospect waiting for its time to shine, with an eco-tourism to boast via the coastal town on the west and mountainous region bordering the province of Aklan to the East, it’s a great mystery why this spot hasn’t been regarded for its astonishing beauty.
Where to sleep
Accomodations may be scarce to find, five star amenities are a dime a dozen, one of which is Phaidon Villas and Beach Resorthttp://www.island-dreams.com/, a world class resort with very affordable prices and very accommodating staff. For backpackers, haggling is most welcome. Surprisingly, a presidential suite can be paid with your basic fan room payment if you’re good at bargaining. The resort is located in the heart of Duyong Beach, a relatively less developed beach with very few people. So for those who are tired of the hustle and bustle of Manila life, this may be the perfect relaxing place to spend your long weekends or even weeks of stay because you’ll surely extend your stay. For further information regarding the province, head to the tourism office at the town center or better yet ask around from the locals, a little Tagalog and few hand gestures will point you to the right direction.
THE ULTIMATE BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE
Island Life
A good place to camp around is in Batbatan Island, roughly less than an hour affordable speed boat ride from Duyong beach, one can experience the ultimate Robinson Crusoe feel. Hire a guide and cook fresh seafood served in banana leaves, and drink fresh coconut juice from the tree. Chill in the powdery sand beaches and then try spelunking in one of the natural caves and anchorages lined up in the jungle. Learn customs and traditions from the cultural minority called Tangays who call this breathtaking island their home. Get a good night’s sleep as you watch the stars and wake up in the morning to get a glimpse of the awe-inspiring show as migratory birds flock to their nest to the other island.
The town is blessed with so many amazing wonders any man would want to see, from the unspoiled beaches, curious coves, and intact coral reefs, any beach bum or sun kissed traveler would favor the golden beaches of Duyong and Manglamon to the multi-colored coral reefs of Nogas and Batabat.
Wander around
Embrace the town, walk around and you can see fishermen with their rods and fresh catch for the day, farmers burnt from the heat of the sun, women weaving their baskets and little trinkets while little kids playing around in the green fields. After a long day of sun, nothing can be more refreshing than having a dip in the cool waters of Pandan’s notably most prized possession, one of the cleanest inland body of water in the country, the Bugang River. Be prepared to carry with you fresh ginger slices though as locals believe it is an offering to the gods.
Highs and Lows
For the extremists, one may take the challenge down below by white water rafting while crashing with the rapids of water from the falls streaming the jagged riverbed. Others may enjoy the view from above, climbing may perk up their urge and valor to conquer extreme heights, nothing can be more challenging than to trek Mt. Madia-as, the region’s highest mountain. Towering at 2117 meters above sea level, a spectacular view of the lush green virgin forest, the amazing dotted islands and its coastline, and the turquoise waters of the Great Visayan sea is waiting for you to see at the top.
Pandan has a long way to go before it reaches its share of limelight as a tourism hotspot. Somehow, this is regarded as an advantage to real backpackers and travelers, a virgin land he can call his own, a land of a promise of waking up to a beautiful quiet morning, a real decent and honest conversations, embracing the culture and surroundings in peace and serenity.
For serious backpackers, this destination is a good venue to test you how far can you go out exploring, because Pandan amongst other more exquisite things it boasts off is willing to share everything it has to offer, that is if you still got more time.
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NUMBERS
21-25 Of February is The annual Tugbong Festival ( Pandan’s local version of a the Mardi Gras)
30 km. distance from Caticlan
55km. distance from Kalibo, Aklan
124 km. distance from San Jose, capital of Antique
126sq.km total land area of the town
5712 Pandan Antique Zip Code
TRADEMARKS
“habal-habal”, the unofficial most popular mode of transportation going around, feel free to hop in
Malumpati health spring for its supposed medicinal property to heal all sickness
Kiniray-a Pandan’s own native dialect, may also be called Kinaray-ang Pandananon but retains Hiligaynon as Antique’s native language
Bugang River President’s Awardee for Environment “Gawad ng Pangulo sa Kapaligiran”
Weird and funnytrick or treat Pandananon style is mumbling of scary tunes and words/phrases when visiting houses around on the eve of All Soul’s day
Welcome to the Financial Filipina - a column dedicated to empowering Filipino Americans to take charge of their financial futures.
As you all know, the economic events of the past two years have taken a toll on our wallets, our bank accounts, and our confidence in the financial markets. We’ve watched unemployment double, while housing prices plummeted, and millions of people saw their life savings disintegrate. At times we all felt cheated, outraged and helpless. As Filipinos however, it is in our nature to take action, to persevere and to succeed.
But what can we do?
We can learn.
Financial literacy is key to our stability and prosperity. We cannot control the stock market, the government, or the actions of reckless bankers. But we can control our savings, our spending habits, and our measures to protect ourselves from the world’s uncertainties. Armed with education and confidence, we can make the smart decisions necessary to guard our hard-earned wealth and legacies.
Personal finance is like chess. From an outside perspective, it may look like silly wooden pieces moving pointlessly around a board. However, after learning some basic rules and a few strategies, we can evolve from confused observers, to active players.
Consider this column your playbook and refer to it whenever you are unsure what your next move should be. And feel free to contact me specific questions and concerns.
Mamaya, I will be traveling around the country, interviewing Filipinos from all walks of life to discover what is driving them, what scares them, and what they want to know. Until then…
The end of 2009 found Mt. Mayon, in the Southern Luzon province of Albay, on the verge of erupting as molten magma flowed half a mile down from its crater and dark plumes of ashes filled the sky causing the evacuation of more than 20,000 residents in and around the 8,070 ft. volcano. But the feared eruption never came and the villagers returned to their homes.
Many feared that Mt. Mayon would go the way of Mt. Pinatubo which erupted on June 15, 1991 and which was considered the most powerful volcanic eruption in a century. As University of Chicago Prof. Stephen Levitt and New York Times Magazine editor Stephen Dubner describe it in their best-selling book on global cooling, Superfreakonomics, “within two hours of the main blast, sulfuric ash had reached 22 miles into the sky. By the time it was done, Pinatubo had discharged more than 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere.”
The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo devastated the Central Luzon provinces of Zambales and Pampanga causing the deaths of hundreds and the displacement of thousands of people. It also resulted in the decision by the US government to abandon its military bases in Olongapo (Subic Naval Base) and Angeles (Clark Air Force Base).
While the eruption caused severe damage to the rice fields and other crops, it was not a total environmental disaster. “As it turned out,” according to Levitt and Dubner in their book which has already sold 4 million copies, “the stratospheric haze of sulfur dioxide acted like a layer of sunscreen, reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth. For the next two years, as the haze was settling out, the earth cooled out by an average of nearly one degree Fahrenheit, or .5 degrees Celsius. A single volcanic eruption practically reversed, albeit temporarily, the cumulative global warming of the previous hundred years.”
Because of Mt. Pinatubo, Levitt and Dubner concluded that carbon dioxide is not poisonous and not the culprit in global warming. They are joined in this belief by Intellectual Ventures CEO Nathan Myrvhold (former Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft) who agreed with them that “all the heavy-particulate pollution generated seems to have cooled the atmosphere by dimming the sun.”
In their book, they posed these questions: Do the future benefits from cutting emissions outweigh the costs of doing so? Or are we better off waiting to cut emissions later - or even, perhaps, polluting at will and just learning to live in a hotter world?
Their conclusion - found in the book’s most controversial chapter entitled “What do Al Gore and Mt. Pinatubo have in common?”- has been heavily criticized by scientists and economists including New York Times columnist and Nobel Laureat Paul Krugman and the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The answer to the question above is that Al Gore and Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption both suggest a way to cool the planet, but with different cost-effective methods. The authors propose creating a “garden hose to the sky” to duplicate or replicate what Mt. Pinatubo achieved by funneling carbon dioxide directly into the stratosphere just as Mt. Pinatubo did.
They believe this is a cheaper more cost-effective way than to cap carbon emissions as Al Gore and virtually all of the world’s leading scientists recommend.
The authors do not dispute the reality of global warming. In an interview that was given after the book was released, Dubner clarified their position: “If global warming is a big enough problem to worry about, and we think it is, then the current proposed solutions (primarily carbon mitigation) will be too little and too late to solve the warming problem. That is a fundamentally different argument than what the carbon activists make. I don’t blame them for attacking us: They have a lot at stake. What I’d like readers to walk away with is a better understanding of the scientific complexities of global warming as well as the economic realities - and, most of all, to understand how it would be a good idea to get a seat at the table for some other proposed solutions, including geo-engineering.”
Prof. Joe Romm, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) physicist questioned the authors’ enthusiastic embrace of geo-engineering and their dismissal of solar power as an effective tool to lower pollution. Romm criticized their contention that solar panels are ineffective “because they’re black” and thus generate heat that contributes to rising temperatures. In fact, as Romm points out, most solar panels are blue and the clean energy they generate greatly reduces the need to burn dirty coal or other hydrocarbons.
Their primary source for their belief that “carbon dioxide is not the villain” is Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology but Caldeira disputes the quote attributed to him. According to Caldeira, “carbon dioxide emissions represent a real threat to humans and natural systems, and I fear we may have already dawdled too long.”
The authors of Superfreakonomics endorse the proposal of Myrvhold to create the garden hose to the sky they call “Budyko’s Blanket” to reverse global warming at a total cost of $250 million which they contend is much cheaper than the estimated $1.2 trillion that capping carbon emissions would cost.
In response to their proposal, Al Gore responded: “If we don’t know enough to stop putting 70 million tons of global-warming pollution into the atmosphere every day, how in God’s name can we know enough to precisely counteract that?” The debates continue.
While the people around Mt. Mayon are anxiously waiting to see when, not if, the world’s most perfectly coned volcano will erupt and wreck havoc on their lives, there are people actually hoping that it will erupt just like Mt. Pinatubo did. Bust for the locals but a boon for the globals.
to Screen at the New York International Film Festival in Los Angeles
Ted Unarce’s Film will also screen at the Cannes International Film Festival in May
“MODERN DAY SLAVES”, the riveting story of four real-life overseas foreign workers, also known as ‘OFWs”, captures chillingly the true essence of injustice and inequity; this mesmerizing expose soon will breathe its screening debut at the New York International Film Festival 2010 (Los Angeles), where it now is an Official Selection. The West Coast premier screening is scheduled on Saturday, February 27 at 8pm at Culver Plaza Theaters, 9919 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. The East Coast screening is scheduled in April 2010, and will also be screened at the Cannes International Film Festival in Paris, France in May 2010.
“MODERN DAY SLAVES is not meant merely to grab viewers’ attention, said Fil Am Filmmaker Ted Unarce”, but also a call to action.” Through its raw depiction of four Filipino OFWs who respectively undergo severe physical and psychological maltreatment, rape, torture, and even beheading, MODERN DAY SLAVES aims to illustrate the neglect and abuse endured by OFWs, to thereby create awareness, and to use this awareness as a catalyst toward improving human lives”, Unarce further added.
Filmmaker Ted Unarce’s mission is to bring modern-day slavery to the forefront of topics openly discussed and acted upon among academia, the media and the public.
This opening of Unarce’s provocative work intends also to intensify dialogue within the Philippines, where President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo imposed martial law on December 6, 2009, after the country was devastated by two cataclysmic typhoons in October of last year. A site of numerous acts of violence and purported political massacres, tensions in the Philippines are high and expected to skyrocket as the May 2010 presidential elections draws closer, also as efforts to replace President Arroyo, who has been widely accused of human rights abuses by international NGOs, intensify.
“My film will serve as a wakeup call to Filipinos living abroad that it is time to unite with our countrymen back home and demand accountability from the political leaders of the Philippines,” says Unarce.
Ted Unarce is the president and executive producer of GTC Films, a San Francisco, California-based production company that specializes in documentaries that expose the effects of economic insecurity and globalization on the lives of people in both developing and developed countries.
In recognition of Unarce’s film, The Accolade Film Awards grants Ted Unarce the 2010 Humanitarian Award for his significant contribution to social change and humanitarian causes for raising awareness among the public about the plight of the Overseas Foreign Workers. The Accolade recognizes filmmakers who produce fresh, standout entertainment and compelling documentaries, and those who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity.
The film received strong supports from the San Francisco Bay Area Fil Am community among them, Demos Punsalan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit California Technological Care (http://ctcglobal.wordpress.com), and Bay Area attorney and community leader Cesar Fumar who both witnessed the private screening of the film.
In addition to being chosen at the New York International Film Festival 2010 in Los Angeles, Modern Day Slaves won several Awards of Excellence from the prestigious Indie Fest; Canada International Film Festival, and was selected at the International Film Festival South Africa.
‘Dear John,’ a heartwarming love story ended the 7-week record breaking of ‘Avatar’ and topped the box-office this weekend.
Also, ‘Paano Na Kaya’ an ABS-CBN International’s pre-Valentine movie offering starring today’s hottest loveteam - Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, sent Bay-Area Fil-Am record crowds to UA Stonestown in San Francisco.
Over at Cache Creek Casino, Christian Bautista and Karylle’s Friday and Saturday night Pre-Valentine concerts were both sold-out making the show’s Line Producer, Fremont’s Ms. Sunny Tila and Producers, Ben and Edna Ramos extremely happy.
Indeed, love conquers all!
PBB Double Up’s Big 5
As this column accurately predicted last week, Pinoy Big Brother Double Up (where 2 ex-housemates came from the US - Tom Mott of Arizona and Hermes E. Bautista of San Diego, CA) Big 5 Winners, as announced last Saturday, were General Santos City’s funnygirl, Melissa Cantiveros, Melissa’s semi-boyfriend (according to Melissa herself), Jason Francisco, Cebu’s self-made Millionaire, Paul Jake Castillo, Waiter Johan Santos and Private Securityman, Tibo Jumalon. The Big Winner (determined via viewers’ cumulative text votes the last couple of weeks) will be announced in a grand Big Night this Saturday night, Feb 13th at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Expected to top the votes and win big is Melissa, as buoyed up by her love team inside the house with Jason. Although, their votes maybe split between them, thereby giving way to dark horses either Paul Jake or Johan to grab the lead. Tibo is expected to be in the bottom of the Big 5.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Being Miss Universe is like having a birthstone, you may lose it. Being a Filipina is like having a birthmark, it’s forever.” By 1973 Miss Universe, Margarita ‘Margie’ Moran during the final Q&A portion, when asked what’s the difference between being a Miss Universe and being a Filipina.
Now on its 45th year, the annual Binibining Pilipinas Beauty Pageant is a project of Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Incorporated (BPCI), a non-stock, non-profit organization founded by its chair, Stella Márquez de Araneta. The pageant, BPCI’s primary instrument as it pursues its mission of spreading peace and love across the nation, was envisioned as a prestigious fund-raising activity for projects that would benefit orphans, indigent families and other less fortunate members of Philippine society. Apart from producing the country’s best beauties as representatives in various international competitions, BPCI has been a key partner in nation-building for over four decades, providing skills training, educational workshops, mission work, and other relevant services for the marginalized sectors of the community.
This year’s Grand Coronation Night is scheduled on March 6, 2010 8:00PM at the Araneta Coliseum.
When Maritess Salientes Bloom, a dual citizen from Boston, Massachusetts, appeared at a hearing before the members of the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Manila on January 14, 2010, she was hopeful that the commissioners would grant her petition to extend the voter registration period for overseas Filipinos.
There was, after all, no opposition to her petition and the commissioners who heard her lawyer's arguments expressed no reservations and actually seemed sympathetic to the plight of overseas Filipinos. Loida Nicolas-Lewis, a New York resident and long-time advocate for the suffrage rights of overseas Filipinos who accompanied Maritess to the hearing, called me right after the hearing to tell me "the good news".
"There will be an en banc hearing of all the Comelec commissioners on Tuesday, January 19, but it is all but certain that the Comelec will extend the voter registration period for overseas Filipinos," she announced.
I was attending a meeting in South San Francisco when Loida called so I placed her on my speaker phone and all the overseas Filipinos in the room heard her announcement and her cry of "Hallelujah!" which everyone in the room joined in chorus.
It seemed too good to be true. For the last several months, I have written articles advocating for the extension of the registration period for overseas Filipinos and I had personally e-mailed each of the Comelec commissioners but all my e-mails went unheeded. Not one of them bothered to even give me the time of day.
Then on December 8, 2009, the Philippine Supreme Court (SC) unexpectedly granted the petition of Roberto Palatino to extend the registration period for Philippine voters after his petition was denied by the Comelec. After reviewing the Palatino decision, Loida and I concluded that our best hope for securing the extension of the registration period for overseas Filipinos was with the Supreme Court.
Our Philippine lawyers, headed by Atty. Jose Amor Amorado, informed us that we first had to file a petition with the Comelec, which I was virtually certain the Comelec would reject, before we could take the matter up the SC.
So our lawyers prepared the petition on behalf of Maritess Bloom, an overseas Filipino who had not been able to register before the August 31, 2009 deadline but who wanted to do so. Her petition to the Comelec was filed on January 11, 2010 and the hearing was set for three days later.
At the January 14 hearing, Atty. Amorado argued that the deadline for overseas registration should be extended by 28 days because the Comelec's August 31, 2009 deadline was 28 days shorter than the deadline set by the Philippine Congress when it approved the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 (RA 9189).
The shortened deadline, Bloom's petition asserted, "effectively deprived millions of the voting population twenty-eight (28) days of opportunity to register provided to them by the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003, thereby actually amending the statute's provision on the system of continuing registration of overseas absentee voters."
The arguments seemed to hit home with the commissioners who did not question the petitioner or her lawyers.
Despite the early optimism, however, on January 19, 2010, the Comelec commissioners voted unanimously to reject Bloom's petition by declaring that the 280 day "prohibitive period" applied only to the 2004 elections because Congress explicitly stated that "for the succeeding elections, the Commission shall provide for the period within which applications must be filed".
What the Comelec failed to comprehend is that when the Philippine Congress passed the Overseas Absentee Voting Law in 2003, it set a 280 day "prohibitive period" because Congress anticipated that it would take a longer time to get the voter registration mechanisms in place for overseas elections as it would be the first time it was being done. After the basic mechanisms were set in place, Congress believed that it would take a considerably shorter time in future elections to register overseas voters so it left it up to the Comelec to set future deadlines. Instead of the shorter period anticipated by Congress, the Comelec went in the opposite direction.
In denying Bloom's petition, the 9-page Comelec decision explained that it would take a longer time for overseas voting because "for the first time, the Commission shall be implementing the nationwide automated election system". But overseas voting will be manually tabulated and not automated so this was totally irrelevant.
To explain why it didn't have enough time to extend the registration for overseas voters, the Comelec cited examples of what it has to do to prepare for the May 2010 elections like "project precincts", and "Board of Election Inspectors" and listing the candidates for local elections. But all of these examples don't apply to overseas absentee voters who can't vote for local candidates and who don't require "Inspectors" or "project precincts" as consular officials will supervise the voter registration and the actual voting.
In its decision, the Comelec boasted that it had "done its best in ensuring the success of the overseas absentee voting system" by taking credit for all the actions of the consular officials to register overseas Filipinos with their limited resources without any financial assistance from the Comelec.
The Comelec defensively insisted that it "did not sleep on its job" of registering overseas Filipinos but the commissioners' loud snores belie this empty claim. They're all still asleep.
In its conclusion, the Comelec stated its duty "to balance the interest of the electorate with the end in view of ensuring that the right of suffrage of our people is not deprived of them." This is actually the key to understanding the attitude and mentality of the Comelec commissioners towards overseas Filipinos.
By "our people", the Comelec is really only referring to the Filipino voters in the Philippines. It is only their "right of suffrage" that the Comelec cares about, reflecting a consistently callous and total indifference to the suffrage rights of overseas Filipinos.
The Comelec decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court.
Filipinos love to eat. A source of comfort, togetherness and pride, it is fair to say that food dominates our lives. Many a foreigner have remarked on our unique ability to be already planning for the next meal in between bites of the spread currently laid out in front of us. Eating is so constant in fact, that Filipinos frequently use “Kumain ka na?” (Have you eaten yet?) as a way of greeting one another. Food is not served in courses at the Filipino dining table. All dishes - meat, rice, vegetables and soup are artfully arranged on the table at the same time so that the diners can pick and eat from all dishes simultaneously.
Known for our hospitality and warmth, entertaining is a much-loved past time for Filipinos, with food at the center of all social activities. And we never run out of occasions to celebrate and showcase our wide variety of dishes. No doubt, we are proud of our cuisine and all its splendor. Nothing hits the spot quite like a plate of tapsilog (cured beef and fried egg) served with garlic rice and atchara (pickled papaya strips) in the morning, a steaming bowl of sinigang (sour tamarind soup) or dinuguan (a spicy stew made with pork blood) and puto (steamed rice flour cakes) on a rainy day, a helping of sizzling sisig (chopped pig’s face) while enjoying a cold beer, or a nice warm ensaymada (buttery sweet roll covered with cheese) just about anytime.
Why then, is Filipino food not popular outside the country? Even the restaurant mecca that is New York City, with its unlimited options for culinary adventures is home to a but a smattering of Filipino restaurants, despite having the fourth largest Filipino American population in a U.S. metropolitan region.
According to Bayan Café owner Carol Kohtiao, it is the aesthetic; simply the way the food looks that seems to turn off foreigners from eagerly diving into a bowl of pork adobo (stew). “Filipino food is very saucy and soupy. It doesn’t look particularly appetizing.” Bayan Café, a Midtown joint which serves up down-home Filipino food that is part turo-turo, is popular among the Filipino lunch crowd especially because of its proximity to the U.N. “There are over 700 Filipinos working the U.N., which is precisely why I decided to set up shop here. 90% of our customers are Filipino.”
It is a shame that our food is not as highly regarded in the United States as other Asian cuisines. There is a Vietnamese craze now sweeping the city of Manhattan, with Pho bars and Bahn Mi sandwich places cropping up in every neighborhood. Those who have sampled our fare will attest to the fact that in terms of taste, Filipino food is right up there with any popular Asian cuisine. There is so much variety and uniqueness of flavor that will delight any palate; it is just a matter of changing the public perception. Filipino chefs in New York have been trying to do just that. Chef Romy Dorotan, former owner of the beloved Filipino Soho spot Cendrillon has reincarnated it as Purple Yam in Brooklyn, featuring a rich selection of Filipino and pan-Asian bites. He was one of the first Filipino chefs in New York who succeeded in appealing to a wider set of diners by adding an elegantly modern twist to down home Filipino cooking. Another chef making waves in the Filipino culinary world is King Phojanakong, a half-Thai, half-Filipino chef who opened the funky Kuma Inn in the Lower East Side and Umi Nom in Brooklyn, serving up upscale Filipino tapas with a little Thai flair thrown in. It is this kind of revolutionizing that Filipino cuisine needs.
As Christmas looms closer, the merry festivities evoke memories of favorite dishes from home. What is the best way to get a taste of the Philippine cooking you know and love? Re-create your favorite dishes at home. Browse through recipes and cookbooks at FilipinoVillage.com and share the wonderful secrets of Filipino food with good friends.
In the weeks following the Ampatuan Massacre, I read hundreds of news articles and opinion columns about the barbaric slaughter of 61 innocent people, including 30 working journalists. I also viewed on the Internet gruesome close-up photos of the mangled, brutalized bodies of the victims, images which still haunt me.
One columnist whom I greatly respect, Jose Ma. Montelibano, wrote that he was “crushed by the Maguinadano massacre and the congressional run of a sitting president”. I emailed him and asked how he could possibly compare the two events and place them both on the same scale. I told him it diminished and trivialized the most brazen, barbaric act in recent memory to even compare it to the latest political ploy of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to remain in power.
In response, Montelibano wrote that he agreed “the barbarism of the Maguindanao massacre is a class of its own in the history of brutality in the Philippines.” But, he insisted, “the barbarism happened because the barbarians were encouraged by their unholy alliance with Gloria that anything goes for as long as they do their part in keeping Gloria in power. The arms that have been discovered so far around the barbarians’ complex also came from the AFP and DND as well as from other sources. The unholy alliance gave not only a signal of encouragement but arms to affirm support beyond the law.”
“The lust for power is the cause for barbarism with impunity and official power,” he wrote. “Such brazenness would not have been possible without presidential support, even presidential initiatives asking the barbarians to do everything possible to ensure political victory and control.”
I understood his point but I also expressed my view that the issue went beyond GMA and that even if Fernando Poe. Jr. had been president in November of 2009, the Ampatuans would still have been the warlords of Maguindanao and the ARRM and this same massacre would have likely still occurred. The cancer of feudal warlordism is more deep-seated and existed before GMA became president and will continue no matter who is elected president in May 2010.
I would also add that it is not only the “lust for power” that causes barbarians to act with impunity, it is also the fact that in the history of the Philippines, people in power and even those out of power enjoy de facto immunity from prosecution. Unlike South Korea, Taiwan and Peru where former presidents were arrested, charged, imprisoned and convicted for corruption, that has not been the case in the Philippines.
The closest we ever came to such justice was when Erap Estrada was charged and convicted of plunder. But before he could even spend a day in the Bilibid prison, he was quickly pardoned by his successor GMA. It is understandable that GMA did not want to create a bad precedent for former presidents.
When I was still in the Philippines in 1970, a young warlord in Vigan, Ilocos Sur by the name of Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo, the son of Gov. Carmeling Crisologo and Rep. Floro Crisologo, brought his private army of “Suzuki boys” to punish two towns that did not vote for his mother. The Batanes towns of Ora Centro and Ora Este were razed to the ground and many villagers slaughtered to teach them a lesson similar to the lesson that another young warlord, Andal Ampatuan Jr., wanted the people of Maguindanao to know. Don’t mess with the Crisologos then, don’t mess with the Sampatuans now.
Bingbong was arrested and charged with the pillaging of the towns and the murders of innocent civilians. He was convicted and sentenced to two life terms. While he was serving his sentence, however, Bingbong became a “born again Christian” and was pardoned. He is now in the Batasan serving as a congressman for Quezon City.
Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos committed countless crimes during their 20 years in power, including 14 years as conjugal dictators, ordering the tortures and executions (”salvaging”) of their political opponents and the theft of billions of dollars of the people’s treasury. But they never spent a single day in jail for their crimes.
Imelda even got the Philippine Supreme Court recently to order the return to her of the $650-M in jewelry that she stole fair and square. Imelda is now running for the Ilocos Norte congressional seat being vacated by her son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., who is running for the Philippine Senate under the presidential banner of Erap Estrada.
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos were tortured and killed by the Japanese imperial forces aided and abetted by their Filipino collaborators led by Jose B. Laurel, president of the puppet republic. Laurel’s sons even went to Japan to study and they ate the finest food in Malacanang while the people suffered. When the American forces returned to reclaim the Philippines as an American commonwealth, the Japanese command flew Laurel and his family back to Japan fearing American retribution for their collaboration.
Laurel was arrested by US authorities in Japan and extradited to the Philippines to stand trial for treason. But Laurel was never tried. Manuel Roxas, who was himself a member of Laurel’s puppet government, was elected president in 1946 and he immediately proclaimed an amnesty for all political prisoners including Laurel.
I believe Imelda Marcos ordered the execution of Ninoy Aquino and Erap “Bigote” Estrada similarly ordered the executions of Bubby Dacer and Edgardo Bentain. But they will never be charged with those capital offenses because nobody ever really pays for their crimes in the Philippines.
That is the culture of impunity that allows warlords and ambitious politicians to commit crimes against the people fully confident that they can always be pardoned, if they’re ever even charged with anything.
The murderous jackal, Andal Ampatuan Jr., may take comfort in this sorry history of impunity. After all is said and done, like Bingbong and Bongbong, he may yet serve as a future congressman.
(Please send comments to Rodel50@aol.com or mail them to the Law Offices of Rodel Rodis at 2429 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94127 or call (415) 334-7800. For past columns, log on to Rodel50.blogspot.com).
For millions of Americans, including many tens of thousands of Filipino-Americans, who are struggling mightily to pay their bank mortgages and stay “above water” to avoid bank foreclosures, a recent decision by a New York judge may offer much-needed relief.
On November 19, 2009, New York Judge Jeffrey Arlen Spinner issued a decision canceling the $527,437 mortgage of a Long Island couple whose bank refused to negotiate a modification of their mortgage loan that would have allowed them to keep their home. In his decision, the judge criticized the bank’s “unconscionable” lack of good will in refusing to help the couple avoid foreclosure.
The couple, Diana Yano-Horoski and Greg Horoski, originally secured a $292,500 loan in 2004 with an adjustable-rate mortgage at 5 percent that ballooned to anywhere from 10 percent to 13 percent in the four years that followed.
Their mortgage loan was originally obtained from Deutsche Bank which was serviced by IndyMac, until it collapsed with the mortgage crisis and was bought by a group of billionaire investors who renamed the California bank as OneWest Bank.
When the Horoskis fell behind in their mortgage payments, OneWest Bank immediately filed a complaint to foreclose on the property. A judgment of foreclosure and sale was granted on January 12, 2009.
In accordance with New York law, if the loan is deemed to be “sub-prime” or “high cost” in nature, the defendant homeowners can request the court to convene a settlement conference, which the Horoskis requested. Their plea was granted and a settlement conference was set for February 24, 2009. Because the bank refused to attend the settlement conference, it was postponed on five separate occasions.
As a result of the bank’s “intransigence in its continuing failure and refusal to cooperate, both with the Court and with the Defendants’ multiple and reasonable requests,” the Judge ordered the bank to produce an officer of the bank to attend the sixth scheduled settlement conference on September 22, 2009.
OneWest Bank assigned its loss mitigation manager, Karen Dickinson, to attend the hearing but, at the hearing, she refused to even consider the offer by the Horoskis’ daughter, who lived with them, to buy back the home at fair market value or to help finance a modification with income from her job.
At the hearing, according to the judge, Dickinson made it “celeritously” clear that the bank “had no good faith intention whatsoever of resolving this matter in any manner other than a complete and forcible devolution of title from the Defendants”. In other words, it was the bank’s way or the highway.
The judge found the bank’s attitude “deeply troubling” especially since the county’s courts had been successful in securing loan modifications from banks which had issued sub-prime loans in cases where the lenders relied on “the income of non-obligors who reside in the premises under foreclosure”.
At a final hearing on November 18, 2009, the judge asked the plaintiff for the amount it claimed as the principal balance. Ms. Dickinson informed the court that as of September 22, 2009, it was $527,437.73. But the Horoskis produced two letters from the bank stating that the principal balance they owed as of February 9, 2009 was $285,381.70 and $283,992.48 as of August 10, 2009.
After the hearing, the judge reviewed the documents and issued a ruling the following day declaring that it is the court’s obligation to determine issues regarding credibility. Citing the Latin principle “Falsus in uno, falsus in omni” (”false in one, false in all”), the judge wrote that “the Court has been unable to find even so much as a scintilla of good faith on the part of the Plaintiff.”
“Plaintiff comes before this Court with unclean hands yet has the temerity to demand equitable relief against the Defendant.”
The judge noted “as a relevant aside” the “greater social problem…of housing those persons whose homes are foreclosed and are thereafter dispossessed. It is certainly no secret that Suffolk County is in the yawning abyss of a deep mortgage and housing crisis with foreclosure filings at a record high rate and a corresponding paucity of emergency housing.”
If the bank would only be reasonable and work with the Horoskis on a reasonable settlement, then, according to the judge, the Horoskis would “continue to maintain the property’s physical plant, pay taxes thereon, and the property would retain or perhaps increase its market value….(the bank) would receive a regular income stream…without sustaining a loss of several hundred thousand dollars. In addition, no neighborhood blight would occur from the boarding of the property after foreclosure which would, in turn, avert problems of litter, dumping, vagrancy and vandalism as well as a corresponding decline in the property values in the immediate area.”
It could have been a “win-win” for all the parties, the judge opined.
After “careful consideration”, the judge then ruled that the indebtedness of the Horoskis to plaintiff OneWest Bank shall be “canceled, voided and set aside…to decree anything less than the foregoing would be for the Court to be wholly derelict in the performance of its obligations.”
In a written statement, the bank said it would appeal. “We respectfully disagree with the lower court’s unprecedented ruling. The law does not authorize a judge to cancel a borrower’s loan obligation because he did not like the way loan modification discussions were handled.”
The appeal process may likely take years. But until it is reversed, homeowners in situations similar to that of the Horoskis may take a similar course of action and just hope that they find a similar judge.
God bless Judge Jeffrey Arlen Spinner!
(Please send comments to Rodel50@aol.com or mail them to the Law Offices of Rodel Rodis at 2429 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94127 or call (415) 334-7800. For past columns, log on to www.rodel50.blogspot.com).
7TH HEAVEN. Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquaio admires his 7th title belt/win in 7th weight division classes after defeating via TKO, Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto last Saturday night in Las Vegas. Pacquaio’s 7th title win is unprecedented in boxing history. Photo by A. Chris Fernandez.
FIGHTING FOR LIFE. Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquaio lands a powerful left punch onPuerto Rican Miguel Cotto which knocked Cotto down early in the 3rd round of their Las Vegas fight last Saturday, Nov 14th. Pacquiao TKO’d Cotto in the 12th round, winning his 7th title in 7 different weight divisions, a record no other mortal holds. Pacquiao always fight as if he is fighting for his life, his countrymen and his country. LA TIMES says it’s another epic performance by Pacquiao. “The Pride of the Philippines has now become the pride of all boxing.” Photo by A.Chris Fernandez.
THE TIGER. Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao lands a powerful right blow, his series of attacks on the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, on the 4th round of their 12-round TKO Pacquaio win last Saturday, Nov 14th in Las Vegas. The Mexican Boxing Media is dubbing Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao as ‘The Tiger Woods of Boxing.” To which, a sportswriter at MGM Media Center objected, corrected and retorted, “Tiger Woods is the Manny Pacquiao of Boxing!” Pacquaio’s 7th title win is unprecedented in boxing history. Photo by A. Chris Fernandez.
A record of more than 40,000 seated boxing fans witnessed how our almost-a-national hero and Boxing World’s Number 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao, ,more popularly known as Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquaio of General Santos City, hammered 29-year old Miguel Cotto of Caguas, Puerto Rico, permanently etching his way to history-making greatness, as he captures his 7th title in seventh weight division, a feat achieved by no mortal ever before, last Saturday night at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas. Pacquaio won by technical knockout as the fight has to be stopped 55 seconds before the final and 12th round bell ring, by referee Kenny Bayless, who was then already fearful of Cotto’s escalating injuries.
Manila Mail Newspaper was again in the center of it all capturing the momentous Pacquaio fever (more felt than the deadly H1N1 fever!) as the predominantly Filipino crowd from all over the world, trooped again en masse to the 16,000-seater MGM Grand Arena (officially, approximately $9 million in ticket revenues were generated from the gates alone, according to Power Promoter Bob Arum), to be a part of the celebration right from the get-go. In addition, quoted Arum again, 15,335 seats were officially sold in the closed-circuit TV halls owned by the MGM Group of Companies, from their other hotels (Mandalay Bay, The Hotel, Bellagio, etc). The rest of the estimates are from the non-MGM viewing places around the Las Vegas strip.
‘Mind over matter’ triumphant again, is Pacquiao, as he defeated the visibly heavier, bigger, younger and stronger Cotto, with his smarts inside the ring.
“This is one of the most difficult fights of my boxing career,” wearing a round dark-brown hat, the still-swollen and heavily-bandaged-on-the-right ear, 30-year old Pacquiao (he’s turning 31 on December 17th) said in an international media conference held at the MGM Grand’s Media Center minutes after his win, as he gamely faced and personally thanked the press for writing and supporting the event. Relying perhaps on its historical impact in the boxing world, the Cotto event was one of his most written about fights in his career. Cotto was hospitalized at the nearby University Medical Center (UMC) and therefore, was unable to face the reporters.
Most arena boxing fans were already bracing themselves for a Hatton-ending – meaning, an early finish, when Pacquaio gave Cotto a solid right punch that almost knocked Cotto out 2:10 just into the third round. But the Puerto Rican 3-time world champion was able to recover and lasted up to 12 rounds, well almost.
“I thought I can finish it in the 4th,” said Pacquiao. “He is brave and he punches strong, too.” Pacquiao admitted that Cotto was able to hurt him several times during the fight but he endured it all, for himself, for his family, for his countrymen and for his country.
“I stayed focused on our strategy, that is why I did not attack him during the early rounds. I tried to take a good estimation on how strong his punches will be.” explained Pacquiao. He now holds a 50-3-2, 38 KO record.
As soon as Pacquiao got a good grip of Cotto’s strength, he didn’t waste any more time, exchanging powerful blows with Cotto, to the loud cheering, entertaining fans and giving them their money’s worth, from the 6th to the 8th rounds. Pacquaio’s legendary left and right combinations were in full display that night. Cotto was outnumbered 3:1 in the exchange of jabs.
After the ninth round, only a knockout could save Cotto as Pacquiao dominated the points, as most of Pacquiao’s powerful combinations landed and destroyed his now heavily bleeding face.
By the 10th, Cotto’s face appeared bloodier (34-2, 27KO) from a cut on the lower right side of his cheek and left eyebrow. Cotto now became evasive, running around the 24 X 24 bigger ring, as Pacquiao pursued him intently. At one point, Pacquaio smiled a bit, raised both arms, as if silently saying ‘come on, bring it on!’.
It appears that Cotto stopped responding with jabs at all in the 11th and Pacquiao thought the fight was going to be over. More so when Pacquaio cornered and showered him with more combination blows - his blood oozed all over his nose and face.
“I thought we will stop on the 11th round, because he was really bloodied,” said Pacquiao.
When the final bell rang, crowd claps and cheers became louder (smelling their own betting victory, perhaps) when during the last 55 seconds of the fight, Pacquiao gave Cotto again a barrage of almost endless left-right combinations (a la Fernando Poe). Fearing for Cotto’s life, referree Kenny Bayless rushed in the middle of the 2 champions and stopped the fight.
Pacquaio admitted that he initially wanted to knockout Cotto during the 3rd round..
“Yes, I want to knock him out on the 3rd, but I was extra careful because I know he was looking for that big-shot as well for him to maybe take this fight,” furthered Pacquiao.
Pacquaio now is the current World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) Welterweight Champion, previously holding 6 other weight titles, namely Super Lightweight, Flyweight, Super Bantamweight, Super Featherweight, Lightweight and Light Welterweight.
Now considered a legend, Pacquaio was reported in the international press conference, to be being dubbed by Mexican Boxing Press as ‘The Tiger Woodsof Boxing.” To which, a fan sports reporter responded with ‘Correction, Tiger Woods is the Manny Pacquaio of Golf!.” And that kinda says it all.
This writer and Manila Mail Newspaper President Ruben Bunag (who is running for a District Councilor seat in Tondo, Manila in 2010) thank Andy Olson of Magna Media International for the Media Credentials thereby allowing Manila Mail Newspaper to seat in front /center of it all and report this history-making fight.
In the wake of the golden man comes a wonderful new book by Fil-Am actress and writer Shelene Atanacio, who is on a mission to help us normal people learn to better our lives and live out our dreams through the very techniques that our favorite thespians use.
A drama coach provided the necessary tools. "My teacher [has a technique] called ‘stretch work' where he puts us into improvisational exercises; we work with other actors in strengthening the weaker parts of ourselves. So if it's about being direct or being a strong businesswoman, then you set up those scenarios and keep ‘working that muscle' ‘til you become confident and you can fly through it gracefully. Definitely great advice for people who find challenges in marketing themselves or asking for what is due them.
FIGHTING FOR LIFE. Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquaio lands a powerful left punch onPuerto Rican Miguel Cotto which knocked Cotto down early in the 3rd round of their Las Vegas fight last Saturday, Nov 14th. Pacquiao TKO’d Cotto in the 12th round, winning his 7th title in 7 different weight divisions, a record no other mortal holds. Pacquiao always fight as if he is fighting for his life, his countrymen and his country. LA TIMES says it’s another epic performance by Pacquiao. “The Pride of the Philippines has now become the pride of all boxing.” Photo by A.Chris Fernandez.
THE TIGER. Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao lands a powerful right blow, his series of attacks on the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, on the 4th round of their 12-round TKO Pacquaio win last Saturday, Nov 14th in Las Vegas. The Mexican Boxing Media is dubbing Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao as ‘The Tiger Woods of Boxing.” To which, a sportswriter at MGM Media Center objected, corrected and retorted, “Tiger Woods is the Manny Pacquiao of Boxing!” Pacquaio’s 7th title win is unprecedented in boxing history. Photo by A. Chris Fernandez.