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BE INSPIRED RATHER THAN REQUIRED!
Ferdinand (Ferdie) Y. Mendita A Leader that the Community Needs
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Modelling as a Filipina
AUGUST 2020 • Volume 13, Number 8
AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
Claudette Jane P. Castillo Kaya Ko; Kaya Mo!
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OPERATE HOME-BASED BUSINESS RESPONSIBLY: Must Meet AHS’ Requirements
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The Role of the Youth in the Community
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We’ve got the right mortgage for you Contact me:
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Business
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Community | Business
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Updated Summary of COVID-19 Related Resources By Giselle General
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s the pandemic has been going on for a few months, the challenges can take its toll. It can be overwhelming and stressful to know where to get help and support. As a starting point, this is a summary of some resources to get information and relief. Resources to Address Key needs - Face Masks that are Free or Available Locally: For those who are able to buy fabric reusable masks and would like to support local business, this comprehensive article outlines a few local businesses to buy from: https://linda-hoang. com/guide-to-local-edmontonarea-face-mask-makers/. If you cannot afford a fabric reusable mask, check out Facebook for various initiatives that give out free masks. A company called Unbelts also has a program where you can apply for a free fabric mask. https://unbelts. ca/pages/donation-requests-forunbelts-cloth-masks-and-supplies - Free Legal Help and Supports: If you are experiencing workplace related issues, unable to pay rent, or unable to pay bills resulting into court summons or a lawsuit, it is important more than ever to know where to get legal help. This Legal FAQs page is a great outline of all legal needs, such as information about access to the courthouse, changes in the law, particularly renters right and employment law issues, and which organizations are open to give legal help. https://www. law-faqs.org/covid-19/ - Mental Health and Therapy Supports: The pandemic could cause different kinds of emotional distress. The Canadian Mental Health Association’s website (that has online chat) https://edmonton. cmha.ca/ and Distress Line 780482-HELP (4357) is available for support. Sometimes, speaking to a compassionate listener who is professionally trained can improve our mental and emotional state.
COVID-19 including the different programs to provide relief and support. On https://www.canada.ca/ en/public-health/services/diseases/ coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html - Provincial Government: This specific link is the official webpage from the Government of Alberta regarding all updates and resources about COVID-19, including the different programs to provide relief and support. https://www.alberta.ca/ coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx - Municipal Government: This specific link is the official webpage from the City of Edmonton regarding all updates and resources about COVID-19 including the different programs to provide relief and
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External Apps or Webpages - User-Friendly Web From Edmonton Social Planning Council: This page is an easy-to-read and comprehensive outline of all the different COVID-19 related resources, from rent relief, transit, Canada Child Benefit, and more. https://edmontonsocialplanning. ca/covid-19/ - Web Portal from REACH Edmonton: This webpage from REACH Edmonton is a comprehensive resource for many things related to COVID-19. The additional benefit of their page is there are sections specifically catered to newcomers and refugees, as well as frontline workers that are serving community members. https://reachedmonton.ca/covid19-community-response/ Government Related Resources - Federal Government: This specific link is the official webpage from the Government of Canada regarding all updates and resources about
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Editor’s Corner | AFJ Staff | Table of Contents | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Be Inspired Rather Than Required, Racism Issue Stops in the hands of the victim, Buwan Ng Wika EDITOR’S CORNER
Published by Angeles Publishing Company Inc. 246 Lindsay Crescent, Edmonton, Alberta T6R 2T2 Jose L. Angeles Publisher / Chief Operating Officer Sales and Advertising CP: 780-916-7677 Landline: 780-988-8889 Fax: 780-988-2221 publisher@albertafilipinojournal.com Lito Mendoza Velasco Editor-in-Chief / Associate Publisher 780-655-5126 editor@albertafilipinojournal.com Lianne Angeles Associate Editor Melanie Rose Atizado Angeles Administrator / Office Manager Sales and Advertising 780-993-5503 albertafilipinojournal79@gmail.com Melanie C. Gomez Website / Graphic Designer Photographers/Videographer: Moses Billacura, Noli Granado, Dario Juanillo Angeline Escano Columnists: Marjorie Carmona-Newman, Tito S. Venida Ida Beltran-Lucila, Katrina Marielle U. Cereno Kristian Cereno, Marco Luciano, Moses Billacura Mervin Mendoza Cereno, Nicky Gocuan Giselle General, Riana Torrejon, Hermo Pagtakhan Januel Cedrick Ibasco, Fr. Jhack Diaz Bing J. Jaleco, Aubrey Reyes The Alberta Filipino Journal is dedicated in memory of Rosalinda Linsangan Natividad-Cantiveros of Winnipeg as she engaged her entire life in service to the Filipino Community. We welcome submissions-news, articles, pictures and letters. Letters must include signature and phone number; names can be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit for length and content. All submissions, unless arrangements are made, become the property of the publisher. Reproduction of contents, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the expressed written permission from the Publisher/Editor. Opinions by columnist, writers, and readers do not in any way reflect those of the Publisher/Editor.
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Lito Mendoza Velasco
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n accomplishment of a specific duty has always been the measuring stick of happiness. This is where success resides. He who forms as a vital and integral part of our success is the one we called our hero. We call the parcel of land and bank accounts being left to us by our parents as inheritance. In similar way, the good examples, pieces of advice, and the noble maxims are called traditions and values that can far-live beyond or the day after forever. We love to call those influential people in our lives as our inspirations. Doing what we love and loving what we do are interchangeable maxims that can bear witness to self-actualization and satisfaction. Personal and social security can only be achieved when filled with securely content individuals. Rank and file’s security of tenure depends upon the mindset of the higher echelon. If the boss is obviously short of proper knowledge and skills; the tendency is to compete with the subordinates; rather than complete the management cycle or be aware of the positive impact in the workplace. Being forced is the worst. It is the antonym of spontaneity and nature. Small and large scale management are both controlling. Money is their honey. In the olden days, slaves were being whipped in order to get to work. Time has changed. Modern slavery is well studied and practised. Some if not all capitalists in this contemporary world are now utilizing money in exchange of your labour. The old norm is still being practiced. That is, we live t work; we don’t work to live. What we get is not always going beyond our expectations. They’ve just changed the dog’s collar
or strap; but, the dog remains the same. What happens is: “we are merely required but not inspired to perform the task.” Now, can we blame our immediate superiors? Maybe no! Simple because they are just like puppets. They are shock absorbers. Just like us normal employees, They do what they are told to do. Scapegoating is their masterpiece. Standing Policies are their police No company or business establishment is not wrapped up with tumultuous policies, terms and conditions. Attempt to disobey them and you will surely be slapped by those policies. As a matter of fact, whatever is beneficial to them would be a curse to the employees. What only sounds good is that, they know the pseudo-psychology. They’ve made people realized that life itself is a problem and by humbly accepting what life is; then, there’s never be
a problem. Labourer’s partiality is the capitalist’s totality. They are contradicting with what Bishop John Powell had said: “In order to live fully, we must learn how to use things and love people; not use people and love things.” Attitude Problem: Unbecoming of a superior In logic, we are taught to be reasonable. Think before we act. For instance: “If you encounter an opposition, overcome it by reasoning and not by authority.” So, any superior or a leader should avoid being authoritative. In Rational Psychology, we are also reminded to stay calm and rational. For instance: “When emotion is on the throne, the reason is overthrown.” So, do not let your emotion rule over your reason. Avoid being impulsive. Avoid acting that would cause great Continued on page 7 ►
What's inside: A reader's guide Editor’s Corner Sports Journal Filipinavigation From Migration to Immigration Just Listen SORE TRUTH Migrant's Voices Engineer In Action ARTOSPECTIVE Huwag Pagtakhan!
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General Point of View Jan The Man’s Note Isa Kang Bayani Through A Teenager’s Eyes Kaya Ko; Kaya Mo! VIEWPOINT Make Our Daily Gospel.. Brain Twisters From A Vantage Point
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Sports Journal | Fundraiser
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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Corpus Christi Parish’s fun fund-raising golf, cheer for the Edmonton Stingers next season, crazy Oilers 50/50 SPORTS JOURNAL
Father Joseph Vadassery (extreme left) visits the Secretariat of the 4th Corpus Christi Parish Fund-Raising Fun Golf, August 15, at the Mill Woods Golf and Country Club.
Moses Billacura mo.sports@gmail.com Moses Billacura was a sports correspondent for national newspapers in the Philippines since 1992 and served as sports editor and columnist for a community paper before moving to Canada in 2010. He loves photography, manages pinoyedmontonnews.com and cheers for the Edmonton Oilers.
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thought that the Corpus Christi Parish Fund-Raising golf will not push through this year. So I texted Kuya Joseph Duenas, co-organizer of the three previous tournaments and he said that it would not really be a tournament like before because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Tinuloy lang namin this year for continuity,” he said. From what I can recall, the Knights of Columbus, which Kuya Joseph belongs, spearheaded in organizing the fundraising golfest for the “Building Fund” of the parish in 2017. It was actually Kuya Abel Cereno, a KofC member, who introduced me to Kuya Joseph and since then, the AFJ as a newspaper has been covering the golfest. I hope this Covid pandemic will be gone next year so that the 2021 edition of the golfest will become a normal golf event. Because of the pandemic, safety protocols were set in place, masks, physical distancing, etc. Sigh, the new normal. It was a beautiful warm Saturday and the weather was just gorgeous. I cooled myself with MASAZ Water courtesy of Michelle (Mabelle?, no she’s a Marin from Bulacan) of MASAZ Beauty & Massage, who was in the same flight with Joanne A. Mella, DJ Rolan Latorre’s partner at World FM’s Himig Pinoy. After I walked to hole no.10, I saw a regular participant. "Oh, it's Father Jim." “Are you the paparazzi?”, asked Father Jim Corrigan and I responded from about 200 meters away from him, “Yes Father Jim! And this is the same hole where I took your photo four years ago.” Should I sell my photos to you Father Jim? I forgot to ask you that, lol, that’s what paparazzis do, right? While others were golfing, manoy Aurelio Sumalinog and I had our “gulping” event too. We started on Hole No.10 and ended at the same hole, “gulping” kasi eh and that hole is strategically located near a “sarisari” store. Thanks to ate Virgie, owner of Ellwood Daycare and Out of School Care along 91 Street, who was volunteering at the event with husband Aurelio for the cool drinks! To spice up the fun golf, Go Honda’s Rob Victoria donated a 50-inch Smart TV for the raffle, a 55-inch TV from Dr.Greg Abesamis, a wheelbarrow of beer from Blake Stubbington, and the Mill Woods Golf Club donated two
rounds of golf with cart. Other raffle prize donors came from PACE Technologies, Ricky Santos, Raymond Johnston Equipment, and GDI. Rolan Latorre said they had so much with his flightmates Dodo De Guzman, the local crooner, Jimmy Ramos and Eric Patterson. It’s been awhile that I have not covered a sports event and I thank the organizers of the fun golf for allowing us to chronicle the event. And I can picture out Father Joseph Vadassery’s smile, who will be more than happy if you can still chip in for the “Building Fund”, with or without golf. See you next year! *** Congratulations to the Edmonton Stingers for winning this season’s Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). We’ve been covering local Pinoy basketball for years and the pandemic has placed everything to a stop. Luckily, the CEBL aired by CBC has provided us some sports sanity by watching Xavier Moon, Jordan Baker and the rest of the Stingers making some buzz in the league. They were not just entertaining us, it was very enjoyable to watch them play up the game when they clinched the title. What a joy! Tickets are actually now on sale for those who would like to watch the games live next season. Reserve your seat by August 23 and you can receive a 12% off. Calling all Pinoy basketball fans, let’s cheer for our CEBL champions next season! *** Judging from what’s happening on the FB posts, many Filipinos have joined the 50/50 of the Edmonton Oilers online. I first saw the post of Andy Chua about the 50/50 who gave me the idea that we can actually play 50/50 online. When Warren Guillen of Lube City had the chance, he would give me a call for us to watch the Oilers at Rogers Place. And I don't forget to buy 50/50 tickets.
Rolan Latorre of World FM 101.7.
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Virgie Sumalinog gestures to golfers where to sign up during the 4th Corpus Christi Parish Fund-Raising Fun Golf, August 15, at the Mill Woods Golf and Country Club.
The cool Corpus Christi Parish FundRaising golf co-organizer Joseph Duenas.
Sadly, we lost the game that night and we are not happy about it. The only consolation we have is that the 50/50 raffle has reached more than $15 million and that means that the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation with have lots and lots of money to support its various projects! That’s the best part! We lost the game. What can we do, eh? I don’t know if there will be line-up changes, coaching changes, etc. but it’s just heartbreaking to see the Oilers lose that night. Sometimes, I wish there’s five Connor McDavids in the line-up! *** If you a soccer fan, the FC Edmonton is currently campaigning in the Canadian Premier League. They lost 0-2 to Forge FC, Aug.16, and we hope they will bounce when they meet Cavalry FC on Aug. 20, Atletico on Aug.23., the Wanderers on Aug.26, Valour on Aug.29, York 9 on Sept.1 and Pacific on Sept.6. Good luck FC Edmonton! *** If you have sports news, tips, updates, please let us know by emailing mocolumnist@albertafilipinojournal.com. Maraming salamat po!
Eric Patterson
Father Jim Corrigan
Michelle Marin of MASAZ Beauty and Massage tees off at Hole No.1 during the 4th Corpus Christi Parish Fund-Raising Fun Golf, August 15, at the Mill Woods Golf and Country Club.
Dodo De Guzman
Jimmy Ramos
Joanne Aguilar of World FM 101.7.
Deacon Gem Mella
Father Joseph Vadassery. Photos by Moses Billacura/AFJ
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Lifestyle | Points of View | Business
Modelling as a Filipina FILIPINAVIGATION
Riana Torrejon torrejonriana@gmail.com Riana Torrejon is an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta who is a passionate advocate for human rights. In her spare time, she loves to write and sing. She is also the Fundraising and Events Director for the Child Advocacy Society of University of Alberta and a writer for Happy Columns. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of her greatest inspirations.
This month, I had the pleasure of speaking with the Filipina-Canadian model, Zayrah Swanson. Please enjoy our interview below! Can you tell me a bit about yourself and what you do? My name is Zayrah Swanson and I’m currently studying at the University of Alberta for Kinesiology. I work as a sales manager and a server but I do find times to do the things I love like mountain biking, going on hikes and modelling. What are your goals as a model? My goal as a model is to gain confidence in myself and to be able to express myself in different ways but also to show other individuals that there is no standard of beauty and allow them to be inspired to be creative in modelling.
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020 What advice would you give to our generation of Filipino youth who are interested in pursuing modelling? Some advice I would give to younger Filipino youth is to never stop creating and trying different things. It’s so much more fun trying something new and finding out what you truly love about modelling. Connect with lots of people because they can help you grow individually but they will also be one of your best supports system. Lastly, no matter how many opportunities you have, never forget to enjoy the moment and have fun. Do you have anything additional you’d like to say? One thing I would say about getting into modelling is that social media is your best friend when trying to showcase your pieces. Keep posting and connecting with new people! You can find Zayrah Swanson online on Instagram at zswanson_
Keeping the Filipino Culture, Heritage and Spirit Alive is essential to us! By Jonabel Z. Cabasal
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ugust is recognized as “Filipino Language Month Celebration.” Filipino language is the first spoken language amongst Filipinos and we are aware that a country’s language shows how wealthy and unique its culture and heritage is. It keeps the nation and the Filipino communities all over the world strong as it unites and bridges everyone. The Filipino language was initially recognized as Tagalog and is really famous in Metro Manila, but some changes occurred as representatives opposed and believed that not all the Filipinos in those times knew how to speak in Tagalog. For this reason, they thought of a way of integrating or incorporating the other languages such as Spanish, English, Malay, etc.
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How did we come up with the “Philippines” as the name of our country? Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, a Spanish explorer in 1953 named the archipelago in honor of King Philip II of Spain and from there, the Philippines was part of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years. According to Philippine history, Ferdinand Marcos, one of the Philippine Presidents decided to change some Tagalog words into other languages such as “silya” for chair instead of “salumpuwit” which was used by the Tagalog people, just to make the word more pleasant to hear. It was evident that more people were using the Filipino language after it was declared the official National Language in 1987 under the presidency of Corazon C. Aquino and it was embedded in the Constitution.
As a Filipino residing in Canada, I am so blessed that I was given the opportunity to be one of the people guiding, directing and instilling in our young children the need to keep our heritage and culture. Being a Filipino Teacher in Filipino Language and Culture School means so much to me. I love my country and I have a great responsibility to promote the use of our Filipino Language as well as our culture. Fellow Filipinos, please help in preserving our community. Let’s not be hesitant to use our language. I am encouraging you to inspire our children to learn Filipino and our culture. They are our hopes, our successors. We are so fortunate to have Filipino Language and Culture School in Edmonton. Enrolment is going on and classes start on September 27 from 2:00 PM to 4:45 PM. There are a lot of things to learn: banduria, Filipino Language, Cultural Dancing for both children and adults, singing and food. Let’s do our part! Let us work hand in hand, support each other and shout to the world, “We are FILIPINOS.” Our heroes made great sacrifices so that we can stay true to being Filipino. Let’s value their patriotic deeds. Bring them to life! Maligayang “Buwan ng Inang Wika” sa lahat.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Immigration Consultancy Services | Legal Matters
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Canadian Immigration COVID-19 Updates Biometrics exemption for temporary residence applicants in Canada You are exempt from giving biometrics if you’re applying from within Canada as a temporary measure. For example if you applied for the following: to extend your stay as a student, for a work or study permit, for a visitor record extension, for a temporary resident permit, to restore your stay as a student, worker or visitor and to restore your status as a student, worker or visitor. Restoration of Status If it’s been less than 90 days since your status expired, you can apply to restore your status. If it’s been more than 90 days since your status expired, you have until December 31, 2020 to apply to restore your status if your status expired after January 30, 2020 and you are still in Canada. Travel exemptions and restrictions for international students International students are exempt from the travel restrictions and are able to enter Canada if they are travelling for a non-discretionary or non-optional purpose AND have a valid study permit, or have been approved for a study permit on or before March 18, 2020 or coming from the United States. International Students already in Canada Compliance with study permit conditions
conditions if you: stay enrolled in your designated learning institution (DLI), and continue to take part in your studies online, if your DLI is offering them. If your DLI closes permanently due to COVID-19, you have 150 days to: enroll in a program of study at a new DLI, change your status to a worker or visitor, or leave Canada.
FROM MIGRATION TO IMMIGRATION
protected, retain or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian A word of caution: You should Immigration Consultant (RCIC) not act or rely on the information in good standing of the CCRC. The provided in this column. It is not legal views expressed in this article do not advice. To ensure your interests are necessarily reflect those of RCICs.
Express Entry applicants Applicants now have 90 days to submit their Express Entry application after receiving the invitation to apply (ITA).
Marjorie Carmona Newman
Permanent residence applications that are currently in process If you are missing documents due to COVID-19 for example police certificates, biometrics, passports, medical exam. IRCC will not close or refuse your application in progress. It will automatically give you an extra 90 days to submit the documents from the deadline in the request letter, and it will extend the deadline for another 90 until you can obtain the documents. There is no need to contact IRCC to get an extension and once you receive the required document send it to IRCC as soon as possible to avoid further delays.
info@ mcncanadaimmigration.com 780-758-2045 Marjorie Carmona Newman is a REGULATED CANADIAN IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT based in Edmonton, Alberta. She is currently a member of CAPIC’s Policy and Lobbying Committee and previously served as Prairie Chapter representative for Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC) in the Governance and Nomination Committee and Education Committee. A recipient of CAPIC's Members Service Award for four consecutive years (2015-2019).
If your in-class courses are being temporarily moved to an online-only format or suspended completely because of COVID-19, you are still compliant with your study permit
If you have questions regarding the above article you may contact Marjorie at info@mcncanadaimmigration.com Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
From page 4
Editor's Note repercussion and instantaneous conflict or trouble that you would be sorry about immediately after. BE INSPIRED RATHER THAN REQUIRED! ******* RACISM STOPS AS THE VICTIM DECIDES TO KEEP SILENT It is implied that this delicate issue would gain complex reactions from our readers. However, despite constant messages I’ve sent to the victim, I’ve not had the chance to receive a feedback. AFJ is here to inform the public concerning intricate issues and problems being encountered by our kababayans in this Country. One of our roles is to look for a proper agency for assistance. We help those who are willing to be helped. Meantime, we are just parking our pen and paper until further notice. ******* BUWAN NG WIKA “Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling Wika ay masahol pa sa hayop at malansang isda.” Manuel Luis Quezon Hindi lisensya ang paggamit ng sariling wika upang mapatunayan natin na nagmamahal tayo sa ating bansa. Sa panahon na tayo
ay nandayuhan, isasa-isang-tabi talaga natin muna ang sariling wika upang yakapin ang wika ng bansang ating tinuluyan. Kabastusan sa kanila kung maririnig tayo na gumagamit ng sariling wika sa ating workplaces. Para sa akin, mas mahalaga na hindi mo kalimutan ang magandang ugali o asal. Panawagan ko sa ating lahat na mga Filipino parents, huwag na huwag nating pahintulutan na iwaksi na ng ating mga anak ang kagandahang asal. Mas maiintindihan natin kung magsalita sila ng ingles, espanyol, o pranses man. Subalit, baka hindi natin maintindihan o kayanin na binabastos na tayo ng ating mga anak dahil nakalimutan na nila ang wastong paggalang sa magulang at mga nakatatanda sa lipunan. Mas mainam pa na ipaalaala natin sa kanila: “Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.” Lalo na kung walang pambayad sa pamasahe. Hahaha Lagi nating sabihin sa kanila na humarap sa salamin para ipaalaala ang mirror test. Ano yon? Itanim Sa isip nila na kahit anong husay ng ingles nila, eh mahirap ng baguhin ang height, kulay, at ang ilong nilang pango! Dahil tayo sa katotohanan ay mga PINOY! -Florante
NOTICE OF SETTLEMENT APPROVAL
Did you experience gender or sexual orientation-based harassment or discrimination while working or volunteering with the RCMP? You may be eligible for compensation. On March 10, 2020, the Federal Court approved a settlement of the class action Tiller v. Her Majesty the Queen. The class action concerns allegations of gender and sexual orientation-based harassment and discrimination of women working or volunteering with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (“RCMP”). Who is Eligible for the Settlement? Women who experienced gender or sexual orientation-based harassment or discrimination while working or volunteering with the RCMP during the Class Period (September 16, 1974 to July 5, 2019). “Primary Class Members” means current and former living Municipal Employees, Regional District Employees, employees of non-profit organizations, volunteers, Commissionaires, Supernumerary Special Constables, consultants, contractors, public service employees, students, members of integrated policing units and persons from outside agencies and police forces who are female or publicly identify as female and who were supervised or managed by the RCMP or who worked in an RCMP controlled workplace during the Class Period, excluding individuals who are primary class members in Merlo and Davidson v. Her Majesty the Queen, Federal Court Action Number T-1685-16 and class members in Ross, Roy, and Satalic v. Her Majesty the Queen, Federal Court Action Number T-370-17 or Association des membres de la police montée du Québec inc., Gaétan Delisle, Dupuis, Paul, Lachance, Marc v. HMTQ, Quebec Superior Court Number 500-06-000820-163.
What are the Terms of the Settlement? The settlement provides six levels of compensation ranging from $10,000 to $220,000 for Primary Class Members. The settlement claims process is confidential and non-adversarial. Claimants with higher level claims will be interviewed by a female assessor. How do I make a Claim? Primary Class Members must submit a claim form on or before January 12, 2021. Claim forms may be obtained and submitted online at www.rcmpsettlement.ca or mailed to the address on the form. Primary Class Members whose claims are approved at either of the two highest levels will be provided with a Secondary Class Member claim form. More Information? For complete details on the proposed settlement or more information, contact Class Counsel or the Administrator: Klein Lawyers LLP www.callkleinlawyers.com wsantos@callkleinlawyers.com
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Higgerty Law www.higgertylaw.ca info@higgertylaw.ca
Office of the Administrator www.rcmpsettlement.ca rcmpsettlement@deloitte.ca 1-844-965-0088 www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
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Opinion | Philippine Consular Update
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Clamour to Stop Healthcare Privatization Grows Stronger! “Our Legislature is broken. Our Two Party system is not creating productive debate which furthers the interest of Albertans,” says acting Alberta Party leader Jacquie Fenske. This is very evident in the recent passing of Bill 30, The Omnibus Health Bill. The Kenney government limited Opposition‘s debate time to only an hour in each stage despite the fact that there were too many things to be discussed and considered to make sure that this is for the good of Albertans. “Bill 30 sets the stage for privately funded healthcare in the future and undermines the relationship of doctors with their patients, the relationship of doctors with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) and the independence of doctors and Increase Private delivery of healthcare and undermines the independence of healthcare watchdogs like the Health Quality Council of Alberta,” said NDP leader Rachel Notley. Because of the recent development in the Alberta legislature, the clamour is growing to stop healthcare Privatization. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has always denied that they are privatizing healthcare. Kenney says they are just opening up the doors for other doctors to come in to bid for surgical procedures to drive the cost down.
JUST LISTEN
Nicky Gocuan, PMAA ngocuan@yahoo.com As a journalist with over 14 years of experience, I have covered different events from rallies on the street, entertainment and international sports events like the Asian Games. My favorite pastime is singing. I have always believed that life would be boring without music.
But recent developments just make it hard to believe what Kenney said. There is already a proposed $200 million Private Orthopedic Surgical Facility that Health Minister Tyler Shandro tentatively supports as per a CBC exclusive report. So isn’t this clear enough that Alberta is moving to Americanstyle privatized healthcare? This
is why the people of Alberta are unhappy and clamouring to stop the Privatization. While the current healthcare system is not perfect and there are wait times, it is still one of the best an Americans envy us because of our healthcare system. Albertans are smart enough and would not allow any government to take the Public Healthcare System and turn it into a two-tier system. Healthcare is not a business. Patient care is the top priority. Switching to private care will not value the patient because it focus on earning income. If the patient does not have money, then they do not get the care they need. And this is evident in the United States, where private healthcare exists. Do you want this to happen? Picture this, you don’t have money or cannot afford surgery. Do you want to die because you cannot afford Private Healthcare? I bet not. This is the reason why we have to be very smart and oppose a Private Healthcare System. If you believe this Bill is not right for you. Please write to your MLA now. *** The United Nurses Association (UNA) has made repeated requests to meet with Health Minister Tyler
Shandro to no avail. Why is Mr. Shandro afraid to meet with UNA? Why is Mr. Shandro afraid to sit down with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) to renegotiate their contract and find common ground? Many have questioned how Cabinet Ministers are picked and what qualifications they carry to do their job properly. In any job in Canada, you should have proper certifications and qualifications to be hired for a specific job. My questions is, will you hire a plumber to do an electricians job? I bet you won’t do it but this is what is currently happening. This is why we’ve got so many problems. *** When you have a huge deficit like what we are currently experiencing, what with the downturn of the oilfield industry in Alberta, it is important to look at other alternatives to get your economy back up and running. While I understand that the oil industry is an important aspect of the whole picture, you cannot sit back and relax and wait for it to rebound. Otherwise, Albertans will go hungry. Oil is not the only industry that matters. We must diversify. Look at other industries that will help the province. It is not
easy, but it is doable if you focus on what matters. *** I understand that the Kenney Government wants to balance the books and cut costs, but there are other ways to do this. There are ways to make a system more efficient without changing the structure. There are also other things like AISH, Alberta Works, Social Services that are currently being abused by individuals who found loopholes in the system. A doctor recently revealed to me that there was a patient who came to see him who wanted him to sign documentation declaring that he is unhealthy, so he could submit this document to the proper agency in order to receive benefits. The doctor kicked the person out of his office and told him that he is even healthier than him. However, he learned that the person went to another doctor and was able to get the paperwork he needed so he could get benefits from Social Services. To prevent things like this from happening, Alberta should follow what the Workers Compensation Board is doing. In order to avoid these problems, they have a group of doctors who will assess if the person is qualified for a benefit and do not rely on family doctors to do the paperwork.
Love or Money? SORE TRUTH
Aubrey Reyes Jomil Reyes is a writer enthusiast. She speaks for what she believes in and during her freetime, she likes to cook, read, play instruments, and write.
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y little sister who is seven years of age tapped me on the shoulder and asked “Ate, which one would you pick? Love or money?” I asked, “What would you pick?” She smiled and said “Love.” I laughed and asked her why. She told me with no hesitation “Because love is more important than money.” When people are faced with answering the question “love or money” they may find it difficult to determine which one is the most important thing for them. They have to think about whether they should be focused on finding love or making money. For starters, money is important in order to function in your everyday life. You need a decent amount of money to live a comfortable life that gives you the lifestyle you need and want. People may choose money over love as buying certain things will make them feel happy. When some people are sad, they will go to the mall to buy certain things that www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
will help cheer them up. However, that “happiness” is temporary. As for love, it’s something you need to get through hard times, and something you need to celebrate during the fun times. To feel “loved,” you don’t necessarily need a romantic partner as you can find love through your friends or family. Having people who love you by your side allows you to see the brighter things in life, even when it feels like darkness is swallowing you as a whole. It allows you to experience joyful moments in life. In addition, having a romantic partner by your side ensures you that you will have someone you can call your “partner in crime” as nobody can tear the both of you apart. You will be able to have someone you can share the rest of your life with on a deeper level. Having a romantic partner will make it easier for you to get through the hard times, as you know you can count on him/her during your darkest moments. Being in love can make you see life in a brighter sense. One thing to remember is that money cannot buy love and happiness. The happiness money gives you is purely temporary. Even if you buy your dream car, dream house, and any of your favourite clothing brands’ products, it will always feel like you’re lacking something. What are you gonna do with material things when you don’t have someone you love, and someone who loves you to rely on? Thus, if you have to choose between money and love, the choice is ultimately up to you. If making money will truly make you happy, that’s okay; however, you must keep in mind that the value of love is far beyond what you can buy in stores.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Community | Philippine News
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Federal government support for migrant farmworkers falls short.
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n Friday, July 31, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Federal Government will be investing $58.6 million to protect migrant farm workers from COVID-19 and to address outbreaks on farms. The money will be put toward more farm inspections, creating teams that will assess farm situations and the creation of liaison officers that will work with consulates from countries that supply temporary foreign workers to Canada. A big portion of the funds will look to address the issues of housing. In a newspaper interview Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough said that the Federal Government will “create national housing guidelines very quickly and work towards housing criteria for even entry into the temporary foreign worker program.” In the same news announcement, the $58.6 million was broken down as follows: “$7.4 million will go toward
MIGRANTS' VOICES
Marco Luciano mluciano2@gmail.com Marco Luciano is the Global Council Representative of Philippine based Migrante International. He is also the current Secretary General of its chapter Migrante Canada.
supports to temporary foreign workers, with $6.0M for direct outreach to workers delivered through migrant worker support organizations; $16.2 million will go toward improving and
strengthening farm inspections regime; $35 million to go toward improving the living conditions of temporary foreign workers to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19, which includes the supply of PPE, sanitary stations, and any other health and safety measures.” However, many migrants’ advocates across Canada responded to the announcement. Migrants Rights Network (MRN), a national network of migrants’ grassroots organization said that the announcement fell short. The network thinks that all other measures will fail to protect workers’ lives and livelihoods from COVID-19, poor housing, and employer exploitation if they do not have status, asserting their call to provide status to all migrants. MRN said that the inspections can only enforce existing laws, but the existing laws are bad. Currently, migrant farm workers are excluded from basic labour laws like minimum wage, and time off. Universal healthcare is also difficult to access and there
is no real protection for workers. “More inspections won’t save lives; giving migrants the power to protect themselves and have equality through permanent immigration status will,” says Kit Andres, a member of the network. Prior to the announcement, a migrant farmworker, Luis Gabriel Flores was fired for speaking to journalists after testing positive for COVID-19. Mr. Flores came to work at Scotlynn Farms in Ontario. He tested positive for COVID-19 and was quarantined. During that time, he spoke to journalists about the poor living conditions and mistreatment at the farm. On June 20th, another worker Juan López Chaparro, who also worked at Scotlynn farm and lived with Mr. Flores, died from COVID-19. The following day, Mr. Flores was fired. The federal government’s announcement to have consultations and develop a proposal for mandatory housing requirements was criticized. The migrants advocates think that without permanent immigration status, migrant workers will not be able to assert their rights or complain when these requirements are not met. Several news outlets
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reported that migrant workers on farms across the country are falling sick and need immediate and real change. “We don’t need more consultations, we know the answers: the federal government could mandate physical distancing at all housing and workplaces which would stop the spread of COVID-19, and ensure permanent resident status now so workers can actually protect themselves,” says Byron Cruz, of Sanctuary Health in Vancouver. MRN and its members have called for years on the federal government to stop tipping the scales against migrant workers and to stop giving employers complete control over workers’ lives. “All migrants must have the power to protect themselves, to speak up, to leave abusive and dangerous situations, and that means full immigration status for all is essential,” says Syed Hussan, Executive Director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change. “It’s important that the federal government send a signal to migrant and undocumented people across the country today that what happened to Mr. Flores will not be tolerated, and that migrants who speak out will be protected,” Mr. Hussan added.
PSC puts top money on Olympic bets
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he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), for the first half of 2020 alone, has released more than Php 351 million to sports of top Tokyo Olympic bets. Despite mounting fiscal challenges and the numerous impositions of the COVID-19 pandemic, PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez continue to make ends meet to sustain the agency’s support to the country’s golden Olympic dreams. The PSC strives to cover all of its commitments to keep the Olympic gold dream even with a decreased budget after Bayanihan Act I took P596 Million and P773 Million from the sports agency’s National Sports Development Fund and funds from the General Appropriations Act (GAA), respectively. “It has been quite a challenge but we hope to keep our commitment to fund and support our athletes who have shown strong determination and chances in winning our first Olympic gold,” explained PSC
Chairman William Ramirez. Records show that the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) got the highest support from the agency with over P20.2 Million, followed by the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) with P13 Million and the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) which got P7.8 Million. These are the three National Sports Associations (NSAs) where Olympic qualifiers, pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, boxers Irish Magno and Eumir Marcial and gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo belong to. Tokyo campaigner Carlos Edriel Yulo, who lives in Japan, is backed with more than P 3.8 million for the first half of 2020 to cover his living expenses, gymnastics training, and other miscellaneous expenditures. He secured a slot in the Tokyo Olympiad when he won the gold medal in the Men’s Floor Exercise
event in the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Stuttgart, Germany with a P7.6 million support from PSC in 2019. The Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) received P11.2 Million, P3.8 million of which was to support the preparation of Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz. Tokyo Olympic shoo-in Diaz has received the greatest support from the PSC from January to June 2020 in support of her bid for the country’s first-ever gold in Tokyo Olympics. The PSC funding covered her whole training camp in Malaysia for meals and allowances, including the budget for her foreign coach Kaiwen Gao and core team consisting of a sports science personnel, strength and conditioning coach, sports nutritionist, and a physical therapist. Pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena headlining the Tokyo Games qualifiers is supported with almost Php 1.3
million for the first half of 2020. Last year, PSC gave a total of almost Php 12.5 million to Obiena, who is currently based in Italy for his preparations for the Games. Olympic-bound boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno along with 2019 AIBA World Boxing Champion Nesthy Petecio, Riza Pasuit, Carlo Paalam, James Palicte and Ian Clark Bautista received a cumulative amount of Php 5.3 million in 2019 which bore fruit in last year’s Southeast Asian Games with a total of 7 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals. The PSC also allocated a Php 1.7 million budget for the national pugilists from January to June 2020. “We are doing what we can for our national athletes. We want them to stay focused on their goals and to stay positive while aspiring for Olympic glory. We want to remind them that PSC is always here to help them achieve success in any way that is possible.” said the sports chief.
National Training director Marc Edward Velasco said that for the training of the athletes during this crisis, a safe training facility must be ensured. “Our facilities will undergo massive disinfection first and other important repairs. Then we will have all the athletes tested before they step into the premises to train,” shared Velasco, assuring that “we would ensure that the safety and integrity of the athletes and the venues are maintained.”(pr)
& LINGAP-Canada] “An overview on the COVIID-19 situation in the Philippines” • Lucenia Ortiz [President, UPAAE] “The challenges facing frontline workers, especially in healthcare” • Noreen Berkes [LINGAP-Canada & Executive Director, Changing Together] “Problems faced by displaced OFWs returning to or leaving the Philippines” • Toh Swee-Hin (S.H. Toh) [President, LINGAP-Canada] “COVID-19 strategies enacted by selected countries in comparison with the Philippines”
OPEN FORUM: [100 mins] Moderator: Jean Cawagas [LINGAPCanada] PARTICIPATE in an open and welcoming space to share your questions, insights and experiences on issues presented by the panelists as well as other relevant dimensions of the Forum theme. To register visit https:// www.lingap-canada.com/events/ the-covid-19-global-pandemiccrisis-challenges-ways-forwardfor-the-philippines/form
Chairman Ramirez
VIRTUAL FORUM: THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC CRISIS: CHALLENGES & WAYS FORWARD FOR THE PHILIPPINES Panelists Chibu Lagman, Lucenia Ortiz, Noreen Berkes, & Toh Swee-Hin, discuss the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines; challenges facing frontline workers; problems experienced by displaced OFWs; and strategies used by other countries. Time & Location Sep. 05, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. MDT Zoom Webinar About The Event Co-hosted by: LINGAP-Canada & the UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES ALUMNI ASSOCIATION of EDMONTON (UPAAE) The COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in millions of deaths and illness, severe economic disruptions,
massive unemployment, global recession, rising hunger and poverty, and suspension of “normal” schooling. Despite quarantines and other measures, millions of Filipinos have lost their jobs, businesses are shut down, poor families are suffering even more, and many thousands of OFWs have been displaced. This VIRTUAL FORUM is an opportunity for Filipino-Canadians and Canadian friends of the Philippines to express solidarity and support for the Filipino people and all
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institutions and agencies to overcome COVID-19 and to build a healthy, compassionate and sustainable future for ALL Filipinos. JOIN THE FORUM on Zoom and SHARE with the Filipino community and friends your concerns and reflections on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the safety and well-being of the Filipino people. PANEL OF SPEAKERS: [20 mins] • Chibu Lagman [Member, UPAAE
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Education | Fundraiser
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Frequently Asked Questions from Internationally Educated Engineers among Alberta Filipino Journal Online Followers ENGINEER IN ACTION
Mervin Cereno, P. Eng. mmcereno@gmail.com Mervin Cereno is a Filipino immigrant in Canada. A FilipinoCanadian Engineer license to practice Engineering in Alberta. He is employed in one of most sought Engineering Consulting firms based in Edmonton as a Structural Engineer that designs small to medium-rise commercial and multi-family buildings. He is a Volunteer and Advocates to help Filipino-Canadian Engineers to pursue their Professional Engineering License in Canada.
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ince the Alberta Filipino Journal became available online, I have received several inquiries and questions from Internationally Educated Engineers who are planning to migrate to Canada. These people are not only Filipinos, but engineers from different parts of the world who are interested in the process of upgrading their credentials to abide by Canadian Professional Regulations. Below are some of their queries and my answers to their emails. 1. Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) does not recognize WES education credential assessment. They do their academic qualification assessment instead. As such, I assume that I may be of higher risk of needing to take technical/confirmatory exams based on what I have read so far.
(Answer) That is correct. In my experience with PEO - I did not encounter problems with my academic credential evaluation. I am a graduate of the Mapua Institute of Technology with a Bachelor's and Master's degree. I underwent a panel interview with regard to my experience with them. With APEGA - it is all pure paper applications. Technical/confirmatory exams were given only for those applicants that lacked sciences in their curriculum from their Bachelor's degree. This is for all licensing provinces of Canada. For APEGA, all Internationally Educated Engineers must take Fundamentals of Engineering Exams through NCEES (NCEES.org), for PEO, they do not require a FE Exam but they might require the confirmatory exams (minimum of 5 exams to a maximum of 15 subjects) at about $275 per exam. Also, in all provinces, you are required to take the National Professional Practice Exam (Ethics and Law). 2. I have read a couple of negative reviews about them regarding the academic qualifications of internationallyeducated engineering graduates. Here are my questions, Mr. Cereno: a.) Is it possible to apply for EIT membership or Provisional License to any licensing bodies (PEO, APEGA, etc.) while still in the Philippines? If yes, do you recommend me directly applying for a Provisional License, or should I apply for EIT membership first given that I have 5-year work experience in the Philippines and have no work experience outside the country including Canada? (Answer) Apply for Professional Membership. Provisional licensee is not a membership category; this is only an interim membership for you to complete the required Canadian experience. If you are confident that your experience in the Philippines as an engineer will merit status as a Professional Member, no need to apply for EIT (Member in Training - PEO). This will save you money also. If you apply for either APEGA or PEO and your academic and experience requirements meet their evaluation, they will give you
a Provisional Licensee (which means you just lack the experience requirement). They will ask you also to either enroll in their EIT program but will require you to pay for the annual dues. b.) To get around Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), is it possible to apply for EIT membership or Provisional License from a licensing body in another province if I am planning to stay and work in Toronto, Ontario? I plan to apply to APEGA. If yes, can you recommend me doing this? (Answer) Same answer as above. Applying for licensing to another Province of Canada is easy (up to a one-month process) if you are already licensed in another province, it is just a matter of paying membership dues. After upgrading my "WES ECA for IRCC" to "WES ICAP course-bycourse Evaluation", and if the "WES ICAP course-by-course Evaluation" result will be similar to my "WES ECA for IRCC" result mentioned below, will APEGA still require me to take technical/confirmatory exams? How about the FE exam, do you think they will still ask me to take it? (Answer) WES ICAP results will determine your Academic requirement for APEGA. There are some cases that the ECA report says "4-year bachelor’s degree" but eventually in the WES ICAP report, it becomes a "2-year diploma" equivalent. If that happens, you can appeal to WES. For you to have a favorable Bachelor’s degree Equivalency from WES, you must submit ALL documents related to your degree. This should be mailed by you with a sealed envelope and signed in the flap by your registrar. These are the following documents required: i. Transcript of Record ii. Certified diploma copy. iii. Course description of all the subjects/ courses you took from your bachelor and postgraduate degrees. iv. Syllabus of all subjects/courses you took from your bachelor and postgraduate degrees A common mistake is that they just submit 4 to 5 pages of TOR evaluation from WES and will not see all the content of the subjects you took. They will just rely on the name of the subject. If the subject "name" is different from the Canadian subject, they will not credit the subject. As I mentioned, the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam is mandatory for all applicants who are Internationally Educated Engineers. 3. Thank you so much for your information and guidance about the WES ICAP Course-by-course evaluation. Since it may take much time and effort to request for the course descriptions and syllabi of each course I took, I am planning to just continue with my WES ICAP Course-by-course evaluation. I will then only submit my application to APEGA if the WES ICAP Course-bycourse evaluation result is favorable to me (that is 4-yr Bachelor's degree equivalency). If it happens to be equivalent to a 3-yr degree/diploma or below, that is when I will try to appeal to WES (by arguing the result of my WES ECA for IRCC), and send the course descriptions and syllabi of each course I took. May I know your feedback about this plan? Do you think there is a high chance
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that my 4-yr Bachelor's Degree + 1-yr Postgraduate Diploma based on WES ECA for IRCC might be downgraded once I apply for WES ICAP Course-by-course evaluation? (Answer) Please take note that if you appeal for re-evaluation to WES you have to pay again. It also takes them several months to have a re-evaluation. The course-by-course subject description is in the student manual. Registrars usually photocopy those depending on your curriculum and stamp them as a certified copy. The syllabus is usually on the school website for every subject that you can download and include in the envelope to be sent to WES. It will not take you one week to complete all those. The more information you give to WES, the easier and faster they can evaluate your credentials. This is the same as your postgraduate degree. 4. If APEGA requires me to take technical/confirmatory exams, do you think I can have it waived by (a) passing the FE exam (similar to Manitoba if the required number of technical/confirmatory exams is 5 or less if I am not mistaken) or (b) pass a panel interview (similar to PEO if my engineering work experience is >5 years)? (Answer) If APEGA decides you must take the confirmatory exams (regardless of how many), you have to take them. The only thing you can do to avoid having to take the Technical Exams is to have your WES Evaluation (if "Bachelor Degree"). There is no panel interview with APEGA. The FE Exam is mandatory to all Internationally Educated Engineers regardless of the number of years of experience outside of Canada. 5. I am an engineer trained in France and I want to apply as a professional engineer here in Canada. I am very grateful for your articles on CSAW. I would like to know if one is obliged to speak about one's professional experience in Canada for the CBAT. I look forward to your response. (Answer) As far as the CBAT (selfassessment) with APEGA - it is a must that you initially check your experience if you will have the required minimum experience before you apply. If you prove that you have this minimum experience requirement you can start applying to APEGA to become a professional engineer here in Canada. Work experience in Canada needs to be written based on one-year Canadian Experiences. Other experiences outside of Canada can be included as long as it addresses the 22 Competency Requirements. 6. I just got my degree in Civil Engineering in the Philippines, and a newcomer here in Calgary, I'm still in the stage of job hunting but have no idea how to start my career here in Canada, I just passed my credentials to WES and am still waiting for my school to send my transcripts. I don't have any experience yet, and I'm seeking your advice. (Answer) Unfortunately, for Internationally Educated Engineers who landed in Canada, there are very few options for you to land a job in Engineering. For now, what I advise is for you to continue your APEGA licensing through EIT. Try to apply for a job - even drafting works, as long as it is connected to Engineering.
Another option for you is to enroll in formal education. If you will be accepted for the Master of Engineering Program - it is the best option. If not, try to explore programs at SAIT that will give you Canadian credentials. If you eventually complete this program, you will have a better chance of landing a job in Engineering. If you are landed immigrants, explore available scholarships or student loans to finance your studies. You can work some odd jobs in the meantime in order to earn. But this is only temporary until you find a better job in your field. 7. I saw your articles in the Alberta Filipino Journal while I was looking up how to apply for APEGA membership with foreign credentials. I am a Filipino and have an engineering degree that I obtained in the Philippines. For your information, I am currently waiting for my Canada visa approval and choose to work in Alberta since my relatives are there. I would like to start to apply for APEGA online while waiting for my visa but I am not sure what kind of membership (Licensee or E.I.T.) I am eligible for, that is why I would like to seek your advice regarding my situation. These are my current credentials: WES accreditation = 4 years bachelor degree Work experience = Total of 5 years of work experience in the oil and gas industry IELTS results = 7.0 I am not sure if I can apply for the APEGA Licensee since it requires 1 year equivalent of Canadian experience. I am afraid that my application will be refused because the application fee is worth $500, which is kind of expensive. I hope you could advise me on which membership to apply for. By the way, the website is very helpful and informative. (Answer) Thank you for reading my articles. I suggest you apply for a Professional Member (Professional Engineer). Your education is sufficient for the requirements, except that you need to pass the Fundamental of Engineering Exams and Professional Ethics Exam when you land here. You need to comply with the One Year Canadian Experience here in Canada in an Engineering job to obtain the Professional Engineering License. But take note, I wrote in my November 2019 article that you need to do self-assessment regarding your experience if it suits the competency requirements. If yes, you can proceed. If not, you need to first gain the experience required that addresses the Competencies. It is a waste of time and money if your experience quality does not qualify for the competencies. For these competencies, I gave some examples in my past articles on how this can be addressed. (5 parts of articles in the previous months). The above questions are just some of the emails I received in the last months. It is very true that the Alberta Filipino Journal reaches more readers as we launch the website and we are able to help more people to continue their profession and eventually be part of the growing community of immigrants. Keep reading AFJ.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Arts & Culture | Business
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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Unawa: A Conversation on Mental Health, Arts and Culture ARTOSPECTIVE - an artist’s point of view
Ida Beltran-Lucila ida_b_lucila@yahoo.com
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ast June, I participated in an online conversation, “Unawa”, hosted by TAYO - Together in Achieving Youth Organization and HOY - Heart of Yeg. Unawa is the Tagalog word for (to understand, empathize, build compassion). The online conversations were planned to “normalize conversations around mental health, encourage youth and families to find understanding, and inspire solutions that will benefit the future of the Filipino community”. The theme was “Filipino Spirit during Hardship”, delving on resilience and coping strategies of Filipinos, and initiatives within the community, particularly the significance of Philippine Heritage Month on the well-being of Filipinos. The migrant story is a story of reconstructing one’s identity. When one uproots oneself from his/her home country, there is a sense of loss of social status, and of family and social networks. And this is where arts and cultural
activities make profound impacts on the well-being of communities. Whether you actively engage in these activities, or passively observe and watch, the time spent provides relaxation, inspiration and discovery. Art, culture and migration are rich with stories of aspirations, love, struggles, sacrifices, perseverance and success. Art provides a safe and personal space for self-expression and inclusion. Cultural activities foster a sense of community and belonging, and subsequently, mutual understanding. Furthermore, art provides a platform to reflect, to question, and to inform, thereby being an effective channel for social change. This is why art and culture play a crucial role in reclaiming our identity. We are fortunate that Canada has proclaimed a Philippine Heritage Month. And in this proclamation and succeeding celebrations, the objectives are about learning and experiencing our culture, and acknowledging the multiculturalism and diversity of Canada. When we, Filipinos, celebrate our heritage as a community, we increase our visibility and have the opportunity to embody the true Filipino spirit - both the tangible and intangible aspects. There are many initiatives by different organizations on the intangible aspects of the Filipino spirit. These are the creative expressions through performances, use of language, food, history, and pop culture. Examples of which would be: fiestas/festivals; concerts; workshops on dance, music, visual arts, storytelling, martial arts, film; blogs; food fairs; and mentoring. And there is the initiative on the Edmonton Philippine International Centre (EPIC) which is crucial work in the tangible aspect of the Filipino spirit and heritage - to serve as a gathering place, museum or showcase infrastructure, in building an inclusive
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society. Recently, there has been engagement with the Filipino community on the 5th Paint the Rails mural at the Clareview LRT station, the artwork of which is inspired by textiles, fabric, clothing, blankets and woven cultural items shared from each cultural community’s diverse traditions. And yet, despite all these ongoing efforts, there remains some challenges and a disconnect in some sectors with the Filipino culture. Different factors come into play in situations like this: circumstances on the migration, geographical location, personality structure, supports available, etc. In an effort to assimilate to the new country, one may lose their own cultural identity. It is good that conversations like Unawa are being held to acknowledge and address barriers in the community’s well-being. These may include barriers like lack of time and financial resources, relatedness with an art form and lack of resources, or accessibility to existing resources. There is also a need for a paradigm shift: 1) in viewing the arts not just as a tool for recreation, but also as a viable tool for empowerment; and 2) in determining which aspects of the Filipino spirit would we want to embody, i.e. the bayanihan community spirit or the crab mentality; the value of utang na loob (indebtedness) or maisahan (taken advantage of) and so many other characteristics that need reflection on. And I truly believe that art, in its ability to present reality and inspire action in a unique way is an effective tool in this process. It is undeniable that the Filipino community in Canada is growing in numbers. And subsequently, there is a pursuit in increasing our visibility, in having representation in different sectors of society. The one thing that would make this successful is through affirmative representation, community-based inclusion and social cohesion. Empower each individual, the more you strengthen the society. To know more about the Unawa conversations, visit the TAYO - Together in Achieving Youth Organizations YouTube channel. Addendum: Last month, the Philippine Consulate General Calgary hosted “The Blue Elephant In the Room: Understanding Mental Health Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic”. To view a recording of the session, go to the PCGC Facebook page. To comment on this article, go to https://www. philippineartscouncil.com/blog .
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Opinion | Community
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
“The Fuga Island Group & Philippine National Security”
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don't know if HE really wrote this. But it is worth a read! This one is however still very much alive! THE FUGA ISLAND GROUP AND OUR NATIONAL SECURITY (“DON’T MARVEL By: Juan Ponce Enrile August 7, 2020 at MR. MARVEL”) The Fuga island group is composed of the islands of Fuga, Barit and Mabbag. These islands are located 30 kilometres off the Northern Coast of Luzon. They belong to the town of Aparri, Cagayan, but they are closer to the town of Claveria at the western end of the province. Fuga is the largest and the longest of the three islands. It is totally flat. It has an area of about 10,000 Hermo Toribio hectares. It is around 20 kilometres Reyes Pagtakhan long and about 5 kilometres wide. It hermopagtakhanlaw@ lies east to west along the northern hotmail.com coast of Luzon. Cell: (780) 905-9288 Barit is much smaller than Fuga. It has an area of only 900 “I aspire to inspire before I expire! My Talent is God’s Gift hectares, more or less. Its terrain is rugged with a green cover. It is to me. What I do with it is my Gift somewhat circular in shape. If one back to God. Yes, I know I were to face west on the island of am not perfect. I also know I am Fuga, Barit would be on the left side a persistent sinner who is of the western end of Fuga across a body of water. struggling every day to find my Way to Holiness. God gave me Mabbag is the smallest of the the GIFTS of ARTICULATION & three. It is entirely flat and somewhat EXPRESSION. I VOW to rectangular in shape. It has an area use my talent to be a witness for of no more than 300 hectares. It Him and to USE IT for lies north of Barit across a wide channel of water. HIS GLORY! God bless all!” The Fuga island group is very important and strategic to the national security of the Philippines. It is like a dagger pointed at the with immense global ambition to very heart of the country. If it falls achieve and great national interest into the hands of a foreign power to preserve, it will certainly cause the country a very serious and
HUWAG PAGTAKHAN!
dangerous security problem. We must, therefore, never allow the Fuga island group to fall in the hands of or to be controlled by any foreign power, directly or indirectly, and most especially a foreign power like red China. If red China were to occupy those three islands, it would surely use them as Naval and Air Force Bases to complement her military base in Hainan province and its man-made heavily fortified artificial islands in the South China Sea. That would immensely enable red China to control that sea lane in the South China Sea. And should that happen, it would certainly hurt us, hurt Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and also the United States. Almost one-third of total global trade passes through that sea lane. Furthermore, if red China were to get a hold of the Fuga island group, it would dominate the whole Balintang channel - that body of water between the Babuyan island group in the north of Luzon and the province of Batanes - all the way to the Strait of Luzon between the Philippines and Taiwan. That, indeed, would pose a very serious strategic problem for us. In addition, it would also give the Chinese Liberation Army a convenient logistic base to support whatever activity red China has in mind to do in the area of Benham Rise or Philippine Rise, which is only 350 kilometres away to the east from the Fuga island group. Finally, with red China on the Fuga island group, whether
directly or indirectly, those three islands could be used to politically subvert and destabilize our society or to supply weapons to strengthen rebel groups in the country. I would like to quote some portions of Jonathan D. T. Ward's book, "China's Vision of Victory" at this point. Jonathan D. T. Ward is an Oxford University scholar. He spent ten years of his youth in red China, studying that country and her people. He was born in America and is a citizen of that country. In addition to his native tongue, he is fluent in Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Spanish. And this what Jonathan D. T. Ward said in his book: "As someone explained to me, China may not be Communist, but it is Leninist. This means that Party control of society to the maximum extent possible remains in force regardless of what is taking place economically. . . ." [p. 118] ". . . The Party maintains a delicate, determined, and thus far effective balance in granting Chinese citizens the freedom to prosper and build wealth, while not straying from the objectives of the State or from loyalty to the Party when needed. China's first diplomats were considered by the Politburo as the People's Liberation Army 'in civilian clothes', tasked in carrying out the missions of the country. China's private sector may be seen
in a similar light by the Communist Party. The 'great rejuvenation' is principally an economic game, and China's entrepreneurs and business people are, in many ways, its officers and soldiers." [p. 118] I have no beef against red China. I am simply doing my duty to my country. I am simply warning my countrymen to be very alert and careful in dealing with other nations and peoples whose national or personal interests may differ from the national interests of my own native land.
FreeDX FREEDX CANADA holds its annual family camping trip at the Sedgewick Lake Park Campground. Over the years, its president, Carmel Restauro’s, tested leadership has led the group
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to reach its goal by encouraging his members to adhere to and abide by FREEDX’s Mission and Vision. The assurance of happiness depends upon the leader’s level of tolerance.
AFJ pays them a visit and AFJ publisher Jun Angeles managed to pose with president Carmel. “No amount of enjoyment can be measured in a leader’s heart when the members truly act like members. That is the secret of unity. Be led in order to lead. As you can see right now, they are enjoying because I am just reasonably regulating and making sure that they are doing what has been agreed upon during the planning sessions. Tolerant of what they wish to joyfully and responsibly do,” Carmel said.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Community | Business
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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The Role of the Youth in the Community During the Pandemic (Part 1) Professional STAR is a non-profit organization of students, professionals, entrepreneurs and educators who are engaged in trades, arts and research. It aims to empower the community through self-growth, professional development, continuous education and life-long learning, mentorship, leadership, relationship-building, equality, inclusivity, promotion of positive change and innovation.
Lead Correspondent and Writer: Dessa Mapa International Director for Corporate Communications - Professional STAR Assistant Correpondents: John Mark Galiza President 2020 - NAIT Philippines Students Association Manny Bautista Organizer and Corporate Planning and Strategy - Professional STAR
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ast July 18, a small online gathering of youth members and leaders was held online. They shared their inspiring stories about how they are handling the current pandemic situation, how it has affected their previously normal lives, and how they help and support the community. Two of these Filipina immigrant youth leaders include Wenloriece Aguinaldo and Roxanne Joy Singlot. Wenloriece is a 12-year old incoming 7th grade student who dreams of becoming a police officer or part of the military one day. Before the pandemic, she was a champion player of the Free Footie Soccer Game at Montrose School. She is also a team leader at Canajan, Inc., a family business in the cleaning and janitorial industry. On the other hand, Roxanne is a youth community liaison at Calgary Bridge Foundation and Asian Heritage Foundation in Calgary.
She is also a youth leader at YEP. These organizations are involved in youth empowerment programs and community capacity building through training, projects, and events. Finishing the B.A. Psychology program from Mount Royal University led her to her profession to care for the youth sector. When asked about their experience during this pandemic, most of the participants echoed the same feeling that it had taken a toll on their mental and emotional wellbeing. When the pandemic started, they all felt anxiety, frustration, depression, powerlessness and loss of control over the situation, fear of the unknown, worry and concern for their loved ones, friends and their community. For instance, Wenloriece misses most of her friends and had difficulty adjusting to the situation. She also feels disappointed that she could not continue enjoying outdoor activities
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Roxanne
just worried about themselves, their studies and their careers, but they also worry about the organizations that they lead. When schools throughout Alberta announced that they would be closed throughout Alberta, Roxanne worried for her youth members because most of them consider their school a safe place, sometimes even Wenloriece safer than their homes. Taking away such as football and hiking, that she schooling for them did not only would typically do. Like most of the make her youth members anxious graduating students, she also feels about losing their education, but frustrated that she will not be able they also fear losing a haven of safety to experience live and in-person and belonging. Although she often graduation rites. Similarly, the feels exhausted and emotionally pandemic made Roxanne feel burnt drained, she continues to make out from her work, especially when check-up calls to make sure that most of her activities shifted from the youth members are in good in-person events to online meetings dispositions and that they have and phone calls . access to all their needs. In addition, Despite their personal concerns, her activities with YEP focused on the youth never forgets to care for youth engagement and connection, their community. They were not one of which is helping out with
resume and cover letter building for future young professionals. The organization also created online challenges, activities and fun-facts. Through these activities, the youth leverage the technological benefits to help other community members, particularly the youth sector, to cope with the situation to keep themselves well. Roxanne and other youth leaders at YEP also prepared and distributed Lingappackages to families and graduation packages to students in and around Calgary with funding from the proceeds of online concerts. In the same manner, Wenloriece was also engaged in the Drive Happiness program, where her family volunteered to give rides to the senior members of the community and give away grocery packages. Even if the pandemic took away most of the good things that bring joy to the youth, they are continuously learning from the situation. Both Wenloriece and Roxanne find new things to learn while going about alternative activities that will help them channel their emotions and their efforts. They also learn that self-care is as important as kindness to others. This situation also provides the youth with time to rest from their busy lives and reflect on future goals. Moreover, this pandemic teaches the youth to be resilient and flexible in planning. Most of all, it taught them to be hopeful that all this will pass, but the learnings from the situation will forever remain.
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Points of View | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
“Accessible By Default” Is a Worthwhile Goal
D
uring a virtual town hall, a local politician asked the audience ‘what is your dream for a post-COVID society?” I answered, “I dream for our community to be Accessible by Default”. I can’t even remember where I first heard the statement. The pandemic emphasized several accessibility issues which made me more passionate about the topic. I remembered a friend asking for donations for print paper. Most of the information about COVID19 is in English, and that is a problem. She aimed to print content in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Tamil for seniors living on the southeast side of the city. It is certainly important to publish information quickly and accurately, but language is a key factor. A few weeks ago, I started seeing copies of digital posters about health information from Alberta Health Services, with translated versions in French, Tigrinya, Simplified Chinese, and more, available for anyone to print. Digital communication is an area where accessibility issues were evident. During the daily video updates of the Chief Medical Officer regarding the pandemic in March, advocates pushed hard towards making information more accessible, specifically, by having sign language interpretation for those who are deaf and hard of
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GENERAL POINT OF VIEW
Giselle General gqgeneral@gmail.com Giselle General came from the cold, mountainous region on the Benguet province, and immigrated to Canada as a teenager in 2007. After completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta, she now dedicates her business training to the nonprofit sector, both in employed and volunteer capacities. She works at the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, which provides free legal help to low-income Edmontonians. She channels her creativity by writing in her personal blog, General Point of View, and has recently published a book of her poems and artwork titled The Humanity of Me.
hearing. It sounds like the plea was heard. Many videos started to have closed captions as well. But there are still gaps. A colleague who is blind, gets frustrated when
using social media. Major companies and government departments are using this platform more often to reach wide audiences. However, his comments made me re-evaluate my approach. He said, only 2% of images on Twitter have Alt Text, which is the additional text description of an image, so that software such as screen readers can read it and verbally describe the image. In his case, infographics with colorful charts and bold numbers are useless. This means, posters with colorful drawings and step-by-step instructions, do not reach audiences like him. He shared to me and my coworkers how his screen reader tried to interpret the pictures we shared during a ‘Hug Your Cat’ Photo Contest. Sadly, auto-interpretations of screen reader software lose a lot of context. I drew a picture of a cat and sent a selfie because I do not have a cat. His automated screen reader described it as “child, stuffed animals”. Had I thought about it ahead of time, I would put alt-text such as “Giselle holding a piece of paper with a cat drawing”. So now, in my day job as I handle our office’s digital communications, I started adding alt-text in all the images we publish. It adds 25% more time, but it is worth it. Many agree that access to internet, and a reliable connection is important more than ever. Some argue that, just like electricity
and telephone lines, internet should be considered an essential utility. Internet access is crucial to staying informed, for students to be able to continue schooling, and for workers to continue working or find work. With the drastic shift to e-learning, one issue that was not anticipated is that many families don’t have laptops or computers, or the internet connection is too weak for several gadgets to connect simultaneously. The C5 Hub on the northeast side of the city launched a laptop drive to help low-income families have laptops so their kids can continue participating in classes. I heard that it was a success.
Accessibility is quite broad, and the first example people think of is wheelchair ramps and automatic buttons on doors to make entering buildings easier. But it is more than that. It is about ensuring that those with a wide variety of disabilities or barriers, can get services and information as those who are more literate, able-bodied, and tech-savvy. If you are a business owner, volunteer, or public servant, it is worth asking: is our products, services, facilities, and communication methods accessible be default?
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Greetings | Business
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
JAN THE MAN’S NOTE Januel Cedrick Ibasco Januel Cedrick Ibasco is a proud FilipinoCanadian and is currently a student at the University of Alberta studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. Sportsmanship is a big slice of his cake. He is highly-spirited when playing golf, volleyball, and basketball and loves reading, writing and volunteering at church. Jan looks forward to taking up law after his undergraduate degree.
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arlier this month on August 8th, Aaron Yee and Jessica Ibasco officially got married and celebrated the holy Sacrament of Matrimony at St. Vital Catholic Church located in Beaumont, Alberta. The now, Mr. and Mrs. Yee enjoyed a small gathering at the church with only about thirty individuals present due to the COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions. I wish the best for the two newly weds as they embark on their new journey of marriage!
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Business
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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Business
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Community | Heroism
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
ISA KANG BAYANI: FRONTLINER
This column aims to recognize and appreciate everyone’s heroism when facing the challenges of life with courage and equanimity. Our society truly needs virtuous people like you. Indeed, we can speak of the truth, though, it may be hard; but we can soften it with kindness.”A grand salute to our heroes!
MARILOU AVENA Patient Food Service Worker- Nutrition and Food Service Worker University of Alberta Hospital
MARY JANE ALIX AND VICKY DE JESUS Administrative Support Workers/Clerks University of Alberta Mailroom
Duties and Responsiblities
EDGARDO VILLANUEVA Stores Attendant 1 University of Alberta Hospital
HYDE JONSON Patient Food Service Worker- Nutrition and Food Service Worker Stollery Children’s Hospital, Edmonton
NELSON YECPOT Service Worker - Porter University of Alberta Hospital
LOLIT ABELLON Patient Food Service Worker- Nutrition and Food Service Worker. University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton
NILA ANDALO Housekeeper University of Alberta Hospital
NATHANIEL CASTILLO, RN FERNANDINA JIMENEZ FERNANDINA JIMENEZ, RN Registered Nurse MARC GAERLAN, RN University of Alberta Hospital Alberta Health Services - University of Alberta Hospital
JOCELYN CERVANTES GERMO Trayline, Patient Food Server University of Alberta Hospital
BERNADETH DEWALT Trayline, Patient Food Server University of Alberta Hospital
ARACELI ALVAREZ Trayline, Patient Food Server University of Alberta Hospital
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MARIA RISHA RONDOLLA Trayline, Patient Food Server University of Alberta Hospital
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Community | Points of View | Business
PEDRO “BONG” ESTOQUE: Ordained Amidst COVID-19 By Dario Juanillo
July 21, 2020, Pedro "Bong" Estoque was odained to the permanent diaconate in the Archdiocese of Edmonton along with other three aspirants. Archbishop Richard Smith officiated the Mass of Ordination at St. Joseph's Basilica. Close family and Friends were among the witnesses during the ceremony.
The Only Constant Thing THROUGH A TEENAGER’S EYES
Kristian Cereno Kristian Gabrielle Cereno is a Grade 11 Student of Archbishop MacDonald Senior High School. His hobbies include writing poems, composing songs, acting and drama and a love of music. He plays piano and guitar and will soon learn to play the violin. Hockey? – Leave it to the Canadians. Dcn. Bong with his lovely and very supportive wife Rhoda
Dcn. Bong with two other Filipino Deacons, Dcn. Gem Mella and Dcn. Ramon Morales. Fourth Filipino Deacon is Dcn. Tony Obleada (not in photo).
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Change. The act or instance of making something or becoming different. Most of us may have heard of the cliché, "change is the only constant thing in this world." But does change make a person different? Does it make them act differently? Change is inevitable, but even though change may happen, we are still the person that we used to be even before change happens. Change cannot alter our past because it is our setting stone;
no matter how long time passes by, we will still be the person we were from the past. Change has also immensely affected me. Moving from the Philippines to Canada was such a culture shock for me. I had to adjust to the weather, language, making new friends and basically almost everything. Living in the slums of the Philippines is very different from living in Canada. Even though I am part of the middle-class in the social hierarchy, it is such a big jump to adapt to a life of being Canadian. However, the changes I had to undergo did not change me as a person; I still have the same name from when I was in the Philippines. There is always a part of me that I can never change – and that is being a Filipino. Change may affect one's life massively, but you will still remember who you were in the beginning. A change in a man's life does not mean a difference in his identity and his background. The past will always be a part of a man. Humans are subject to change but will always stay human; even if a hundred changes happen to them. In life, as change happens, our past will never change as we cannot bring back time. We will always be the same person with the same shadow as before.
Photos by Dario Juanillo
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20
Community | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
AFJ Patronizes Food Truck Business
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ccasionally, the AFJ Team goes around the city in search of Filipino-Canadian businesses that need to be patronized. Their food is most likely to satisfy our taste buds. Their pride is our pride. The Team spotted Jeepney Jaytee at Millwoods Park (one of its spots in Edmonton). Quite true that after you’ve tried JayTee’s menu, you tend to forget your in-law’s names. It’s so good that there’s also a tendency to become oblivious to what his food tastes like. It leaves you craving for more and looking forward to seeing this food truck again. Wika nga nila: “Ang sarap na nakakalimutan ay nanaisin mong balikbalikan upang muling lasapin ang linamnam.” This food truck is owned and operated by a young Filipino entrepreneur, Jaymee Balmores.
PBSA: Picnic At The Victoria Park
Edmonton, August 16, 2020. The Philippine Business Society of Alberta, spearheaded by its president Bayani Alcantara held a fun-filled day with its members and visitors. Sumptuous food and snacks were served. Manny Arban, the Zumba King of Edmonton gave a workout that burned calories for the zumba participants. Appearances by government leaders fuelled the fire of enthusiasm and greatly contributed to the success of the event.
After the solid foods, the Team has to balance the diet. After lunch from Jeepney Jaytee, they found SOSYAL SCOOP, a food truck that carries multiple flavours of ice cream. It was situated along 99 Street and 72 Avenue, Edmonton. People, regardless of age bracket, will surely love to take a lick to discover the trick of Yelo’d ice cream. It is owned and run by Filipino-Canadian couple Ailynn Santos and Jay Wong. Photos by Lito Velasco
The Taste of Tapsilog AFJ’s tradition of leadership has been conspicuously observed in the community. This time, publisher Jun Angeles, Sports Columnist Moses Billacura (first from left), Editor Lito Velasco, and the new Marketing Specialist Manny Bautista (second from left) pay a visit and try the elegance of the original Filipino dishes being cooked by Philip Nate (second from right) and Jun Sobremisana (first from right) the Tapsilog Restaurant located at 10617 - 51 Avenue in Edmonton. Next door is the Phil-Mart Filipino Store and both owned by Willy and Edith Saltoc (sitting).
Photo by Lito Velasco
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Inspiration | Business
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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Filipinos Success' Stories:
Kaya Ko; Kaya Mo! If I can; You surely can!
Claudette Jane P. Castillo speaks through the AFJ. BEAUTY BY CLAUDZ
follow my beautiful journey on the BEAUTY BY CLAUDZ Facebook page and visit my website at www.shopbeautybyclaudz.ca
Molded and strengthened by a dream. Growing up, I’ve always looked up to my Dad who is a Ship Captain - a seafarer. I liked the fact that he was able to travel the world for free. So, it has also been my perennial dream to work on a cruise ship. My career path-like I’ve had a lot of jobs before finally realizing that I am really passionate about BEAUTY. I worked in coffee shops but my love for beauty remains the same, I mean nothing has really changed. I’ve been going to work fully glammed up, like what they said back home, I’ve always been “PLAKADO.� It was a roller coaster but at the same time, it was worth all the pain, the nerves and the sacrifices. When I started my career in the Beauty industry I was honestly stunned with the client’s reception and how they accepted my small business. I can still recall the time when I used our laundry room as my studio and already felt so happy and blessed to service 1 to 2 clients a day. Then I managed to move to a commercial space after 7 months of providing beauty services out of my laundry room. This is all thanks to the support of everyone around me. All the struggles I went through made me who I am today. You may
Playing rather than enjoying the game as a spectator: Success is not grown instantaneously I’ve always been a dreamer and a goal-oriented person but to be very honest, I didn’t really think that my hobby would eventually become my goal. I believe Sharing is Caring! I’ve always made it a point that I am not the only person who looks good, glamorous and “Artistahinâ€? (charot! đ&#x;˜Š) Goal? Things falling into place? Uhm, things didn’t really fall into place in an instant. It was hard, I must say, but with hard work, a positive disposition and perseverance, nothing is really impossible when you believe that you can do it. The struggles: Appreciating the forest after the storm. OMG! YES! I am sure everyone can relate when it comes to the COVID-19 lockdown. I opened my beauty studio in December 2019 and it was March 27, 2020 when the world stopped and all personal services businesses had to close! It was crazy! But you know what? Instead of feeling upset and down I managed to overcome the situation and came out with a beautiful product line! I started my online beauty boutique (www. shopbeautybyclaudz.ca) where I sell false lashes that you don’t need glue or a magnet for. It’s the easiest and a magical way to still have lashes! I was so blown away by how the popularity of my product line skyrocketed! Upgrading Knowledge and Skills: The Perfect Tools to Get Ahead. Yes! Because I wanted to do something that will make me feel empowered and accomplished. I decided to step up and boost my confidence by becoming a professional expert. Back in December 2017, I enrolled in Eveline Charles Academy, a school that specializes in Beauty and Aesthetics. I balanced working three jobs during the day and being a student at night. Yeah! Unbelievable, right? Even I can’t believe how I
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managed to do it. This is all thanks to my husband Allan, who has always been there to support me financially, physically and emotionally. I am also thankful for my family for being here with me. It was really exhausting but as I’ve said, “Nothing is really impossible if you believe that you can do it.� I also went to Cosmopolitan Lash and Brow Academy and took Lash Artistry, Micro Needling, BB Glow, Nano Brows and I also took additional Master Classes to add Glam Up Canada (Hair Extension, Henna Brows, Mapping, Facials, Lash Lift and Tint, Beauty Business Marketing, Threading and Waxing) to my services.
Significant pieces of advice to my younger self.
You could have more time to be with your parents and show them how much you love them. I know all you wanted is that someday, they would be proud of you and that you will be able to give them a good life, but I understand, while you were busy growing up, you forgot that they were also growing old. (Rest in peace, papa! I love you so much!) It’s okay, I know they are proud of who you have become. A responsible, hardworking and empowered fearless young woman of your age. I am sure your Papa is looking at you from the stars up in the sky, with great pride and honor. And your Family? Your friends? Don’t worry about them! They have nothing but pride and happiness for all the successes you have achieved! You made them so proud! Do not stress over the things you can’t control and focus on the positive things in your life. I swear it’s worth it. Laban lang, sis! You made it girl! I’m proud of you and happy for you! If there is one thing that I would like to wish for you, it is just one thing, TAKE A BREAK! A day of pure rest and enjoyment won’t hurt! :) Finally, please do not ever forget who you are! You should not forget that you are “Jane� for your family, “Claudz� for your friends, and “Babe� for your hubby! I love you, take care, and God bless you!
Dear Claudz, You could have spent more time with your family.
XOXO, Claudz of the future. :)
Total Surrender to the Hands that hold me: Your Will be done, Oh Lord! Wherever You go, I go! In proverbs 19:21, it says that “Many are the plans in a Man’s Heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.� That’s what exactly happened to me. It became so hard for me to pursue my dream of working on a cruise ship but with God’s blessing, everything became so easy for me to be here in Canada. (Fast forward to 2013) One day, my best friend, now my husband, told me to try my luck with working in Canada. A week before he left the Philippines to work in Edmonton AB, Canada, he asked me to come with him so that I could submit my application to Mercan Philippines. I was lucky, because after a few months, my Sister Dianne in Calgary told me that her employer was in need of new staff. With God’s blessing I was able to fly to Canada in less than a year. In Jeremiah 29:11, the Lord said, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.� It’s true, guys! Don’t ever give up on your faith and of course, never lose hope!
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Business Law
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way By Violeta G. Boquiren
I
have been asked many times if having a Last Will and Testament is better than not having one. First, what is a Will? A Will is your written expression of who you want to give your property to after you have passed away. We will call these persons your beneficiaries. Your property is everything that you own in the world, from your pen to your palace. We refer to it as your estate. Your will speaks only from the time of your death and deals only with the property that you own at the time of your death. You can change it at any time before you pass away, assuming you are mentally competent to change it. On your passing, the institutions that hold your money, the government that you pay taxes to, that pays your pension, or other benefits and the other persons or businesses that you had financial dealings with, will all want to know who represents you, your estate, after you have died. You name in your Will who that representative is. This person is your personal representative (PR). Often, the PR will be your spouse, or other family member, or anyone else you chose as trustworthy. They have the authority given to them by your Will to deal with government and financial institutions and individuals. Your PR will be able to apply for death benefits from the government, pay your taxes, deal with banks and distribute your property to the persons you have named in your will. What happens if you don’t have a Will? We said a Will expresses who you want to give your property to. It also names your PR. Without a will, no one knows who you want to give your property to. Without a will, no one knows who represents you after your death. The government, banks and other institutions will refuse to deal with anything related to your estate. This will mean confusion and delay added to the grief on your passing. This is not a satisfactory state of affairs. The government has passed laws that deal with what happens to your property when you don’t have a Will and there is no personal representative. These laws, in general, specify who can apply to be your personal representative and what percentage of your estate goes to certain individuals depending on their relationship to you i.e. spouse, children and depending on whether or not certain of your family members, or extended family members are alive when you pass away. In blended families, this becomes all the more important. You may not agree with who the law states are entitled to your property or who is entitled to be your personal representative. This is referred to as intestate succession. Without a Will, you will have no choice but to follow the distribution under intestate succession.
Do these laws save the day so that you do not need a Will? The clear answer is no. These laws are not a substitution for a will. Not having a will when you die will result in, potentially, additional expense to your estate and, certainly, additional delay in the administration of your estate with the potential for unintended persons administering and benefiting from your estate. In addition to the planning of your will with your lawyer, the time spent with him or her gives you a valuable opportunity to consider a number of matters. These will include reviewing your property and the way in which title is held;
potential tax issues arising upon your death and naming a guardian for your minor children among other things. Further, it will give you the opportunity to discuss the administration of your finances and your personal care if you become mentally incompetent during your lifetime and cannot look after your financial and personal affairs. When you are legally incapacitated to make such decisions, it is important that you have an Enduring Power of Attorney to cover your finances and a Personal Directive to cover your personal affairs.
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Points of View | Religion | Sports
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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No more ‘return to normal’ Moral Purity Matthew 15:1-2,10-14
VIEWPOINT
Bing J. Jaleco bingjaleco@yahoo.com Raleigh “Bing” Jaleco was a veteran journalist and public relations consultant in the Philippines. He started out as a correspondent for Ang Pahayagang Malaya and then moved on to be a reporter, and then an editor, of The Manila Chronicle. He also served as news editor of The Manila Standard, business editor of The Manila Times, and sub-editor at the Manila Bulletin. He landed as a permanent resident in Canada in 2016.
ALBERTA schools will reopen in September. The provincial government declared that in-class learning will be resumed as the province struggles to move forward amid a global pandemic. Is this good news or bad? Should schools reopen this soon? To be sure, this is pretty much
the debate raging all over the world, a debate that bedevils governments and worries parents. Here in Alberta, the reopening of schools is an attempt to push the recovery agenda and get the province back to normal. “The return of more than 750,000 students to near-normal learning in the new school year is indicative of Alberta's continued recovery as we work to relaunch our economy and return to our regular everyday lives,” Premier Jason Kenney told media recently. Wait, what? Mr. Kenney’s sentiments, which is shared by many Albertans, reflect a yearning to a return to pre-Covid 19 days. While this is understandable, it is also very dangerous. Perhaps it is high time for everyone to accept the “new reality” instead of going back to the “old normal.” Science tells us the virus would most likely be here to stay, at least through autumn and winter. Science also reminds us that we must work to prevent the spread of the virus. Science is simply telling us to start accepting a new normal that reflects a shift in our way of life rather than a mere palliative, temporary arrangement. In a way, the school reopening debate reflects a broader issue: should we start changing the paradigm of how we live our lives and embrace a new normal that dictates how we
work, play, and socialize? The new normal would, in fact, dictate how we live and love, laugh and grieve, and interact in a world that has changed drastically in the past six months. Many parents are still skeptical over this decision to reopen schools. And rightly so: while the overarching theme of getting on with our lives seems like a no-brainer, parents frown on the details of the plan— such as requiring young boys and girls to keep their face masks on and practice social distancing. I can imagine many parents asking, “how many face masks will be lost, misplaced, or thrown away before noon of a school day?” I believe resuming in-class sessions is a gigantic risk that the government is taking, all for the sake of a “return to normal.” The sooner this government understands and accepts the reality that there is no more return to normal, the better. What we have now is a new normal that is heavily influenced by how a virus moves, spreads, infects, and kills. From a strategic policy standpoint, the point is this: government must have the political will to throw out the old playbook because it has been rendered useless by the virus. Write a new playbook because Covid 19 created a new game, it’s called survival.
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Fr. Jhack Diaz Rev. Fr. Raldy "jhack" Diaz is the first Filipino priest ordained in the Diocese of St. Paul Alberta. He is currently the Pastor of St. Jean de Brebeuf Parish, Mallaig, Alberta.
“It is not what you eat that defiles you” It is not what goes into our mouths that makes us ‘unclean’. The problem is not the stomach, but the heart. If we watch our physical figure but do not watch our spiritual fitness there is something wrong with our life. Defilement is moral and spiritual, not physical. You could have red lips but with a dirty mouth, your lipstick is
useless. If we dress up with branded and expensive clothes but make our body a temple of wickedness, we are like a “devil wearing prada.” Jesus said, if you want to be concerned about things that defile - look into your hearts for the cause of real impurity: adultery, fornication, murder, stealing, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness. Moral cleanliness is more important than ritual purity. Do not be a blind guide, folks. Our worship is meaningless if our practices are just for display. Our going to the church is just a show if on the other hand, we are still living dishonest lives, being unfaithful to each other, having illicit affairs, swearing, lustful thoughts, etc. Let us internalize our externals. My dear kababayans, be careful with what seeds you allow to take root in the garden of your heart. Not all seeds bear good fruit. Your life is your garden. Your thoughts are the seed. If your life is not awesome you have been watering not the seeds but the weeds. Fellow sinner, our heart needs the help of heaven. Let us cry out to Jesus right now and ask Him to make us clean in and out. Blessings Fr. Jhack
Starting and Operating a Food Business in Your Home
T
his guide provides key information about Alberta Health Services (AHS) requirements when starting and operating a home-based food business. You are responsible for reviewing all applicable legislation and contacting all the appropriate regulatory agencies for the most up-to-date information. Home-based food processing operations are acceptable in private residences provided they meet the criteria below and have a valid Food Handling Permit. REQUIRED APPROVALS AND PERMITS You must contact your local municipality to apply for: • Appropriate municipal zoning and licensing approval • Appropriate Safety Codes approval (Building, Electrical, etc.) You must contact your local public health inspector to apply for: • Food Handling Permit Applications for a Food Handling Permit are available on the AHS EPH (Environmental Public Health) website Open a Business under Food Facilities, available at https://www.albertahealthservices. ca/eph/Page15563.aspx. Public Health Act and Regulations You must comply with the Public Health Act and its regulations, in particular: • Alberta Food Regulation • Alberta Food Retail and Foodservices Code Copies of the legislation is available on the AHS EPH website on Health Enforcement Orders . available at https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/ eph/Page3150.aspx. BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR A FOOD HANDLING PERMIT The food business must be physically
separated from the rest of the house. All foods and equipment used in the food business must be stored in this area. You cannot use your household kitchen for your food business. You must allow the public health inspector to enter your food business to conduct inspections and to ensure that you comply with the Public Health Act. The food business kitchen must meet these requirements: Surfaces and Equipment • There must be sufficient space for the safe storage and preparation of food. • Floors must be smooth and washable. Materials cannot absorb water or grease. Vinyl composite tiles or sealed concrete are examples of suitable flooring. • Walls and ceiling must be smooth and washable. Materials cannot absorb water or grease. Painted drywall and acrylic paneling are examples of suitable walls and ceilings. • An adequate supply of hot and cold water that is safe to drink (i.e. potable water) must be available. • All light fixtures must be shatter-proof or have protective covers in the food preparation and storage areas. • Cooking equipment must have an exhaust system to vent cooking fumes to the outside. • Garbage containers must be water tight and in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of the business. Handwashing and Hygiene • If handling unwrapped food, you must have a handwashing sink with liquid soap and single-use paper towels in a proper dispenser. This sink must only be used for handwashing. Temperature Control • High-risk foods, like poultry or cooked rice, must be kept at either less than 4°C or greater than 60°C during storage and transportation. • High-risk foods should not be kept at room temperature for more than two (2) hours. • Coolers and refrigerators must maintain
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food at 4°C or colder. There must be a working thermometer in all coolers. • Freezers must keep all foods frozen (-18°C or colder is recommended). • There must be one working probe thermometer to monitor cooking and hot holding temperatures. Cleaning and Sanitizing • A two or three compartment dishwashing sink and/or a sanitizing dishwasher may be required depending on the type of food handling. Dishwashers must meet EPH standards. • Drain racks must be available to air dry dishes. • Approved sanitizers and test strips must be available. o chlorine bleach at a concentration of 100 - 200 ppm (approximately one tablespoon of bleach in one gallon of potable water) o quaternary ammonium compound at a concentration of 200 ppm o other approved sanitizers Food Safety Training • The person in care and control of the food business must be trained in food safety. Information on approved courses and registration can be found at Take a Course, available at www. albertahealthservices.ca/3151.asp. STEPS TO DEVELOPING A FOOD BUSINESS IN YOUR HOME Step 1 Decide what type of food business you want to operate. Step 2 Contact your municipality to discuss your proposed home business. Ensure your home is zoned for businesses. Step 3 Review the municipality and public health requirements. Step 4 Develop a kitchen layout (plan), if you are able to develop a home business. Step 5 Submit your kitchen plan to the municipality and your local EPH office. Step 6 Obtain a building permit, if necessary. Step 7 Register in an approved food safety training course if you are not already certified.
Step 8 Apply for your Food Handling Permit. Obtain approval from your local Public Health Inspector prior to opening. Step 9 Congratulations – you can open. Step 10 Post your Food Handling Permit once you receive it.
Alberta approved Farmers’ Markets are outlined in the document Farmers’ Market Information Package, available at Information for Your Business under Food Facilities, available at https://www. albertahealthservices.ca/eph/Page8302. aspx. Please refer to Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s website: www. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS agric.gov.ab.ca for a list of approved Can I prepare low risk foods like candy or markets. chocolate in my household kitchen to sell? All food prepared, served or sold Is there an alternative to building a to the public must be from an approved separate kitchen? facility. The only exception is food sold You can approach an approved food at Alberta approved Farmers’ Markets. establishment such as a restaurant, Home-based businesses from which community hall or church, to use their food will be sold in places other than kitchen for storage and preparation of an approved Farmers’ Market, must food. A “Permission to use an approved comply with all of the requirements of food establishment form” must be signed the Food Regulation. by the owner of the establishment. You are also required to get a food handling Why can’t I use my household kitchen to permit for your business. Available at make food to sell? https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/ Household kitchens cannot become eph/Page13999.aspx. approved food facilities These kitchens may have unsuitable activities or foods What are the requirements for caterers? that are not permitted in approved The kitchen requirements are the same facilities. Examples include allowing as any home-based food business. In children and pets in the kitchen, storing addition, approval of transport and personal food items, and using ingredients holding equipment would be required. like uninspected meat or ungraded eggs Food must be adequately protected at that are not allowed in approved food all times. facilities. What are the requirements for cooks for I would like to sell jams, pickles and /or hire / personal chefs? baked goods at Alberta approved Farmers’ Cooks for hire (personal chefs) do not Markets. What are the requirements? require a permit provided all food storage The requirements for selling food at and preparation is done in the client’s home.
A FRIENDLY REMINDER FROM JOSEPH ANGELES, A MEMBER OF PBSA. The Philippine Business Society of Alberta was not created to persecute aspiring business owners. The goal was and still is to educate, inspire, and assist fellow Filipino business owners. I hope this message is clear as we do not and will not in any way shape or form hinder someone’s entrepreneurial drive. Stay safe everyone. www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
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Poetry | Brain Twisters
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Ako’y Pilipino, Wika Ko’y Filipino
CR OSSWOR D
ni Jonabel Z. Cabasal
Ako’y Pilipino, sa bansang Pilipinas ang sinilangan ko Ang aking mga magulang ay parehong mga Pilipino Sa aking mga ugat ang dumadaloy ay dugo ng ating mga ninuno Ako’y Pilipino sa kultura, sa anyo at sa puso. Wikang Filipino’y di na masyadong ginagamit Sa wikang banyaga ito’y lubusan nang ipinagpalit Puso ko’y napipighati at lubos na nalulumbay ‘Pagkat iba’y pilit itinatago ang katangiang Pilipinong taglay. Mga kapwa Pilipino, ako’y sadyang kumakatok sa inyong mga puso Ipinapaalala na dapat ipagmalaki ang pagka-Pilipino Mapa saan mang dako o sulok ng mundo kayo sa oras na ito Dapat ipagmalaki ang lahing kinagisnan o pinagmulan ninyo. Wikang Filipino’y pakatandaan at pahalagahan Ito’y isang naging salik sa kaunlaran ng ating bayan Mga bantog na bayani ipinaglaban ang kalayaan Kabilang na ang paggamit ng sariling wika na isang pagkakakilanlan. Kung ikaw ay nasa ibang bansa gaya ng America o Canada Wikang Filipino’y gamitin din sa pakikisalamuha Lalo na sa mga Pilipinong okasyong ipinagdiriwang Isa na ang buwan ng Agosto-ang “Buwan ng Filipinong Kawikaan” Saan mang lupalop ng mundo Ipinagmamalaki ko ang lahi ko Ipinagmamalaki ko ang wika ko Ako ay tunay na Pilipino kagaya niyo. Wikang Filipino’y tangkilikin at palaganapin Huwag hayaang mawala sa pang-araw-araw nating gawain Ito’y isang kayamanang ipinamana ng mga ninuno natin Nagsilbing sandata nang maipabatid ang mga layuning nais iparating. Sa sarili sabihi’y “Mahal ko ang bayang aking pinagmulan, Wikang Filipino’y aking lilinangin at ikararangal Patalasin at pinapangakong ito’y akin pa ring bibigkasin ‘Pagkat kaysarap pakinggan at pakasambitin.”
HOROSCOPE
I am Jonabel Z. Cabasal, a former public school teacher in the Philippines, presently a Preschool Teacher and a Filipino Language Teacher in Edmonton. Writing has been one of my passions and hobbies. The month of August is known as the Filipino Language Month Celebration. My love of my country is expressed heartily in this poem. This is all about taking pride in using Filipino as our Mother Tongue in which we should give importance as this is one of the reasons why our heroes fought against the invaders hundreds of years ago.This fight gave us our freedom so we could keep our culture and heritage as one of the birthrights handed down to us as Filipinos.
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This is an excellent day to express your natural creativity, Aries. The arts will more than likely be very important to you. You may find that nothing brings you more pleasure on days like this. Consider putting this to good use by painting, sculpting, or doing crafts. You'll find the perfect thing for you is engaging in art activities with a focus on giving.
Your active side may really show today, Libra. While you can be extremely focused on "thinking" work, you can also love keeping active and enjoy physical work. When you have a project like cleaning your home, you can be quick when you put your mind to it. This is a good day to get a lot accomplished. You'll probably enjoy it very much and bask in the satisfaction afterwards.
If you feel tired, Taurus, you may need to close your eyes and listen to soothing music. You work hard most of the time, so do your body and mind some good and just relax and listen to your favorite music. Even a few minutes will make a difference. You can always use the quiet time to plan if you feel you need to accomplish something.
If you've been feeling tired or sick lately, this will probably turn around for you today, Scorpio. Bouts of moodiness can be a real drain. Your emotional state has a pronounced effect on the way your body feels. Be sure to take care of your feelings as well as your body. If there are things that need to be worked out, do that now. The two really do go together.
Today could bring some strong feelings, Gemini. This may not be new, as you generally tend to feel things deeply. Finding a way to express this could sometimes be tough for you. While you're creative, it isn't always easy to find the right activity to get you going. Visit an online bookstore and look for some appealing craft or art books. They may spark ideas for expressing yourself.
Cancer, consider that artistic expression can happen in many ways. It isn't always about drawing a picture, singing a song, playing music, or acting. The way you arrange your home or workspace is an artistic expression, as are how you dress and do your hair. Each thing you do is an expression of your style. You are uniquely artistic. Enjoy this gift today.
You may find that today brings great physical strength and energy, Leo. You may want to do some really challenging, physical work. This is the day for it, so why not go to it? Do some yard work or clean out closets, cupboards, drawers, and filing cabinets. Consider donating items that you don't use anymore or sell things online to make a couple bucks.
Get into doing things today, Virgo. Activities that require focus or creativity are supported. Your physical strength and energy will compel you to do something active. If you've been feeling tired or under the weather, this can put an end to it. Consider artistic projects that take strength, such as building something out of wood or carving. Make something special for someone.
June 2020 Crossword's Solution
You'll probably be busy today, Sagittarius, and this may suit you just fine. This can really work in favor if you have some tasks to catch up on. Being energetic, active, and productive is natural for you. In fact, when you have to sit too long you probably feel restless or anxious. You may fidget, too. If you find yourself doing this, go find something active to do.
Today, Capricorn, your ability to stand up for your decisions and not let others sway you may be enhanced. This will be especially strong if you've solved a problem. You may find that others often try to change your decisions, but not today. Things are working in your favor and you'll feel new strength as a result. Follow your heart.
You may feel a need to get moving today, Aquarius. Almost everyone at times prefers quiet activities, books, art, and even just sitting around to physical activity. But your health can suffer if you're too inactive. Fresh air, exercise, and sunshine are vital to your well-being. Don't resist the urge to get up and do something active. Chances are good that you'll really enjoy it.
Pisces, you'll probably find that you have a ton of energy to put into all kinds of activities. Finish any work that still needs completion, consider doing some cleaning and organizing, or see about getting out for a little warm weather fun. Whatever you choose, make sure it's active. You'll need a place for all that energy to go and quiet activities won't cut it today.
ACROSS
1. Genuine 5. Swamp 8. Step 12. Capri or Wight 13. "Days of ____ Lives" 14. Face shape 15. Deserted 17. Bolivia's neighbor 18. Snaky letters 20. Curtain holder 21. Fight site 25. Give a right to 27. Of the moon 28. Gull's kin 29. Motor
DOWN
1. Disencumber 2. Wind dir. 3. Pacino and Gore 4. MGM lion 5. Feathery shawls 6. Beginning 7. More environmentally friendly 8. Burst 9.Turn aside 10. Yuletide tune 11. Escape 16. Students 19. Sit as on a house 21. Pub offering 22. Sprint 23. Part of the UK
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31. Food allotment 35. Air opening 37. Male bee 38. Detrimental 41. "____disturb" (2 wds.) 42. Charge 43. Tangle 45. Roadhouses 47. Evaluated 52. Wild disorder 53. Gun an engine 54. Present! 55. TV award 56. Clairvoyant's letters 57. Thyme or sage
24. Unsophisticated 26. Beginning part 30. Trap 32. Charged atom 33. Lennon's lady 34. Tennis divider 36. Taunts 38. Burning 39. Jeans fabric 40. Snake's poison 44. Invitation letters 46. Messy place 48. Hush! 49. Comprehend 50. Make mistakes 51. Society gal
Sudoku Puzzles are games of patience, numbers and genius! The satisfaction of solving a challenging Sudoku Puzzle is one of the greatest accomplishments any sudoku game player can experience. The rules are simple, fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain one instance of each of the numbers 1 through 9.
Here is the puzzle. Good luck!
June 2020 Issue Sudoku's Solution
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Para-Legal Services | Religion | Media Partner
Winning the Battle with Doubt FROM A VANTAGE POINT
Tito S.Venida FOUNDING FATHER
Tito S. Venida is a product of the University of the Philippines. He used to be a student-leader during his college days and became one of the founders of the Tau Gamna Phi, one of the world leading Philippineproduced fraternities. His immensurable love for the human race has brought him to the conviction of translating his mission from fraternity into Divinity--from a mere brotherhood into sainthood. Tito authored a book entitled Quocunque Jeceris Stabit, which means, wherever you throw, it will stand.
OUR TEXT “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 INTRODUCTION How important is faith in our lives? Christian, you must have faith! For without faith it is impossible to please Him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). But doubt puts our faith into ruins! Remember the incident when the apostle Peter walked on water to come to the Lord Jesus Christ? As soon as he saw the boisterous wind and was afraid: and beginning to sink. He cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately the Lord Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto Peter, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:28-31). As we can see from the passage above, doubt is the opposite of faith. It is uncertainty of belief or opinion that often interferes with our decision making. It is a deliberate suspension of judgment; a state of affairs giving rise to uncertainty, hesitation, or suspense. It is a lack of confidence, distrust, and an inclination not to believe or accept. If faith is being convinced of something, therefore, doubt is being unsure of everything. At this point, it is very important to know where doubt comes from. And
the Bible says, it comes from Satan (Genesis chapter 3). But think it not strange, Christian, concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you (1 Peter 4:12). Friends, you must remember that in this world we have many battles. And one of these is our battle with doubt. To win this battle, we must know the causes of doubt. THE CAUSES OF DOUBT 1. Our ignorance of the Word of God. “But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus: (Philippians 4:19). “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). NOTE: Therefore, God does not respond to our need. Rather, He responds to our faith. 2. Our misunderstanding of who God is and what He is like. “Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:21-22). “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25). 3. Sin and guilt in our life. “When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die” (Ezekiel 18:26). “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways” (Proverbs14:14a). “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). 4. Misunderstanding the work of the Holy Spirit in our life. “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:13-14). 5. Our focus on the wrong things. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:15). “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:16). 6. Previous failures in our life. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wantingnothing” (James 1:2-4). 7. Negative influences of others. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; inasmuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:23-24).
prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29). 2. Uncertain in everything. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:5-6). 3. Unstable in every way. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). THE CONSEQUENCES OF DOUBT 1. Affects our fellowship with God. “He that believeth in him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). 2. Affects our prayer life. “Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:21-22). NOTE: Doubt cancels out our prayers. 3. Hinders our service to God. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves
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to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness” (Romans 6:16). 4. Devastating to the blessings of God. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us; And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:12-15). 5. Discouragement. “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? … Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil theref” (Matthew 6:27, 34). THE COURSE WE NEED TO TAKE 1. We need to identify the cause of our doubt. 2. We need to recall past experiences where we trusted God (Genesis 35:1-11). 3. We need to read the Word of God and meditate on it ( Joshua 1:7-9). When we are in doubt and afraid, we need to remember this: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalm 56:3 Amen.
THE CHARACTER OF A DOUBTER 1. Unsuccessful in his/her prayer life. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight” (Proverbs 15:8). “The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the
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Opinion | Philippine News | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Conversations for Change: What is Inclusion and Diversity? By Mila Philipzig
W
hen I first came to Edmonton in 1984, the city was not as diverse as it is today. I was the first graduate student from the Philippines - from East and Southeast Asia actually - at the Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Alberta. I did not know anyone and lived in Lister Hall, a dorm at the U of A. I felt so cold that I was already wearing a winter jacket in October and I heard some students shout, “Where are the polar bears?” and did not realize they were directed at me. To my face, some would say “Have a rice day!” and I thought they were being friendly, not easily distinguishing between “rice” and “nice,” I assumed they were saying the latter until a friend told me otherwise. Outside the university, more than once, I was asked how many children were under my charge, as people simply presumed, I was in Edmonton as a nanny. I believe that many immigrants, especially people of color like Filipinos, have experienced similar situations where people make fun of us, insult us, or judge us according to stereotypes, biases, and prejudices. This can happen during the first few months we move to another place, or even after 30 or more years of living in
the same place. This can happen anywhere and anytime – where we work, while on vacation, while shopping, and sadly, in our own neighborhoods and even places of worship. While the examples of prejudice I provided above seem trivial and harmless, discrimination is actually pervasive and insidious. Prejudice and discrimination can directly influence our lives in a bigger way. Discrimination can impact our chances for social and economic upward mobility – we may not get considered or chosen for employment or promotion; communities we live in remain under-resourced for education, health, and extra-curricular activities because we do not have a voice in policy-making, and the day-to-day and continuously having to deal with annoyances and frustrations based on discrimination can take a toll on us as individuals and communities, both physically and mentally. Think about the times our names are mispronounced or people not taking the time to listen accordingly, or give our ideas proper value, just because of our accents. Consider the times our children were ignored at school or could not participate fully due to feeling and believing that they do not belong. Think about how this pandemic has hit our community harder because
many of us work in industries and services where we are more exposed to contagion; that despite our background and experiences, we need to stay in jobs for which we are overqualified. Think about the times some of us may have been overlooked for promotion because we do not fit some criteria that are outdated and geared towards a specific group. In light of all these, plus the recent attention to assessing and addressing systemic racism, we should be more intentional in learning and doing more for Diversity and Inclusion – we should reflect on the ways we think, act, and speak, and assess if we promote diversity and practice inclusion. What is Diversity and Inclusion and why are they important? DIVERSITY refers to the traits and characteristics that make people or groups unique. It could be based on race, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental health conditions, as well as social or economic status. INCLUSION refers to attitudes, perspectives, and social norms that ensure people feel welcome and included just as they are. Inclusion rests on the concept that every individual, regardless of differences, has the right to be welcomed and incorporated fully
into the fabric of society, that despite differences, we are equal in the workplace, in schools, and in communities. Diversity and Inclusion are important because we should be able to recognize and speak up if we are being excluded. In addition, we should also be aware if we are contributing to excluding others. All of us grow up with mindsets, perspectives, and a frame of reference that might have some discrimination against some groups just because they are very different than us. These can then translate and show up in attitudes and opinions that tend to exclude those who do not fit into our comfort zones, those who are not like us, or those who do not think like us. In some groups or families, dealing with homosexuality is very difficult or still taboo. Mental health is considered simply as weakness or dismissed as just a tendency to be lazy or unmotivated. Inter-generational conflicts abound because there is no real patience for nor acceptance of differences. And sometimes, Filipinos stay mostly with kapwa-Filipinos, not really including people from other cultural backgrounds into their intimate friendship circle. This is understandable – accepting the “similar” is easy, and we can relax with people who are familiar to us in
many ways, their language, actions, likes and dislikes are recognizable and predictable to us. But we ought to also reflect on what we think and say, and how we act, if we ourselves are not being exclusive. In our opinions and conversations, are we ourselves promoting prejudices and stereotypes even as a joke? Are we talking about other groups in a negative way? Are we aware of our bias and intolerance and ensure we are not passing these on to our children? The first steps to inclusion include a) being humble enough to admit that each and every one of us has ingrained prejudices, and b) to be intentional in correcting our thoughts, actions, and words if we are not being accepting and tolerant of differences. This is a daily exercise. It is difficult to overcome thoughts and attitudes we have had for a long time. It is difficult to go against the majority mass thinking. It is difficult to always be on the alert – but it would be totally worth it. Much of the conflict nowadays is caused by intolerance, divisiveness, and the preservation of group superiority at the cost of others. Being inclusive contributes to a more compassionate and tolerant world, with better and healthier interactions among people and groups. What is your choice?
The Qualities of a Leader that the Community Needs Ferdinand (Ferdie) Y. Mendita was born on December 17, 1959 in Baguio City, the summer Capital of the Philippines, the eldest of Constante and Mercedita Mendita’s 7 children . When he was 10 years old, his family moved to mother’s home town in Southwest of Manila, Pola, Oriental Mindoro where he met his childhood friend and now wife, Merle Aranas Aceron of 36 years. In 1980, He obtained Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering degree from Adamson University, Manila, Philippines. After graduation,
he started working in Philex Mining Corporation, Philippines, the country’s largest Mining company as a Shift Engineer, then promoted to Assistant Mill Superintendent. In 1984, he decided to move to Edmonton to join Merle and later started a family of my own. They are blessed with 3 sons and a daughter, SK Ralph, SK Ronald, SK Randy ; all members of Nazareno Council 12904 and St Michael Assembly 2795 and a daughter named Rosemary. He started working in the Food Industry, worked as a Maitre’D and then became an Assistant Food & Beverage Manager of Royal Glenora Club. He has been with Century 21 Real Estate since 1989 until present. Aside from his Real Estate business, he also established a Food business, Moo’s Healthy Food Fast located in Edmonton and area, operated by his children. He received many awards; business, personal and Civic awards namely: At a business and personal awards, he was named Top Century 21 Realtor in Alberta and Canada, Gold Awards of Excellence, Master Diamond Award, Centurion Award of Excellence, member of Edmonton Real Estate Board Million Dollar Sales Club. At the Edmonton Civic Awards, He was named Businessman of the Year, a Filipino community service Award, Philippine Ambassador to Canada’s Award of Excellence, Philippine Tourism Secretary’s
Award of recognition. In addition, he was also granted an Alumni International Service award by his Alma Mater, Adamson University, Philippines. He is an active member of Good Shepherd Parish in Edmonton, an Usher and a Lector. Ferdie joined the Knights of Columbus in 1983 in the Philippines, then transferred to and become active with Nazareno Council #12904 since November 2001. He served in many very important council projects and made tremendous impact with distinction. He joined the 4th Degree in 2002, a Charter member and a Charter Honor Guard Commander, became Faithful Captain, and Faithful Navigator for 2 years of the St Michael Assembly No. 2795; and then a Marshall to Master of the 4th Degree. He was granted some Knights of Columbus awards namely: Nazareno Family of the Year 2007, State Family of the year 2007, A runner up for Supreme Family of the Year 2007, Sir Knight of the Year 2004, Shining Sir Knight 2004 and 2005, Faithful Navigator of the Year 2007, Assembly of the Year 2007, Top Proposer of the Year 2007. In November 2018, he was chosen to be a 2nd Degree Honoree recipient by Edmonton Chapter. He was elected Insurance delegate to represent our jurisdiction at the 2011 Knights of Columbus’ Supreme Convention in Denver, Colorado and also at the 2018 Supreme Convention in Baltimore, Maryland.
He was a member of Nazareno Council’s First Degree team as Deputy Grand Knight and Edmonton 2nd Degree team as a District Deputy. He was appointed as the State Communications and Public Relations Director for 4 Columbian years 2007 to 2011, State Newsletter Chairman, State Affairs Editor/ Chairman, State Alternate Funding Chairman and later served as the State Ceremonial Director for the last 2 Columbian years, 2011-2013 He has been respectively elected as the State Warden, State Advocate, State Treasurer, and State Secretary. Currently, he is elected as the Grand Knight of Nazareno Council 12904, Knights of Columbus, Edmonton ,Alberta. In Service to One, in Service to all!
Signs of maturity: 1. Small talks no longer excite you. 2. Sleep is better than a Friday night out. 3. You forgive more. 4. You become more open-minded. 5. You respect differences. 6. You don't force love. 7. You accept heartaches.. 8. You don't judge easily. 9. You sometimes prefer to be silent than to engage in a nonsense fight. 10. Your happiness don't depend on the people but on your inner self.
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AUGUST 2020 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
2020 was a Bust! By Jennica Rae L. Marquises
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had been looking forward to 2020. It was the year I would graduate from High School and the year I turn 18. . . . Since starting High School, I couldn’t wait for the time to graduate and move on to bigger adventures. I’ve been looking forward to the Graduation Ceremony, selling chocolates to finance Graduation Dinner, and taking grad pics at the Legislature. I joined the Grad Committee so I could voice my opinion on how things should be organized. My friends and I started browsing for our grad gowns as early as October 2019, and we bought our gowns early to ensure that we don’t duplicate each other’s looks and preferred colors. After scouring the internet for almost 4 months to search for my perfect gown, I finally decided on a blush colored chiffon halter gown. A week after I bought my gown, COVID-19 struck and announcements were made by every school that classes would be conducted online. We were quarantined at home to prevent the spread of a deadly virus that resulted in a global pandemic. I thought a few days or even a few weeks at home wasn’t so bad, since I got to stay home and wake up or go to sleep later than usual. I got to eat snacks whenever I felt like it and I didn't have to dress up for the day, I could wear my PJs all day long. Quarantine wasn’t as bad after all. But I never imagined that the quarantine would last until June. Days turned to weeks, then months
and there was still no certainty on when this would end. Preparations for my 18th birthday also came to a halt since we weren’t sure if large gatherings would be allowed. It has been very frustrating to say the least. I wasn’t able to say farewell to all my teachers and classmates, so it felt like there was no closure for my senior year. We were allowed to go back to school to return our books but we had to wear masks and were instructed to maintain social distancing so we couldn’t converge as usual. Plus, I could hardly recognize my school mates because of the
masks. The ambiance in school was sad and depressing. My High School tried to celebrate our graduation by placing a banner and pictures of all the graduates on the front lawn. This show of support buoyed our spirits somehow but the only person there was our Principal and there were no other teachers. Fortunately, the pandemic was well managed in Edmonton and we are slowly relaunching. Looking at how devastated other countries have been as a result of the pandemic, we are still very fortunate. Instead of whining about missed parties and celebrations, my family and I are celebrating the fact that none among my immediate family has been infected. I am grateful that I live in a city that always values people’s lives and respect for one another has always been practiced. I’m looking forward to other challenges in the coming months and hopefully I can hang out with my friends again when this pandemic is over.
Ferdie Sy sings From the Heart for the Hearts Edmonton, August 5, 2020 at Cafe Amore. His soft melodious voice has caused the audience’s hearts to palpitate and become attuned to the beat of love. Listening attentively to his music is like riding in a time machine where you can revisit the golden
days. The younger generation should learn from his style. The quality of his performance should be copied in order to rearrange the notes and revive the real essence of music instead of noise. Moreover, his music can be used to affect, influence, and recreate harmony.
Photo Op with Ferdie Sy, Edmonton’s phenomenal Filipino singer
Photos by Lito Velasco
KofC Installation of Officers CY 2020-2021
Knights of Columbus' Nazareno Council and St. Michael Assembly installed their new sets of officers for Columbian Year 2020- 2021, last Friday, the 10th of July, 2020 held at Palabok House
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Bro. Ferdie Mendita the newly installed Grand Knight of KofC Nazareno Council No.12904
Sir Knight Rudy Arcilla the new Faithful Navigator of KofC St. Michael Assembly No.2795
A Birthday Celebration with Precaution
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nother set of Helen Cue-Regier’s circle of friends has thrown her a simple birthday celebration being hosted by Lydia Jimenez of Palabok House. The reality of COVID-19 cannot hinder one from meeting everyone when the zeal of friendship prevails. As the saying goes: “If there’s a will; there’s a way.” Mask is a must. That allows everyone to briefly pose for souvenir photos. Hopefully, this pandemic is coming to an end by the virtue of the celebrant’s only wish: “Lord, please keep us away from this plague. Please eradicate this COVID-19 pandemic from this earth. Amen!”
From left: Lito Velasco, Jun Angeles, Lydia Jimenez, Helen Cue-Regier (celebrant), Ana De Leon, Malou Filasol, Jencet Montaño, Doc. Rod Montaño (behind Ana), and Philip Aseron Photos by Julia Chua
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Greetings
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Andrea’s Sweet 16th Birthday Happy 16th Birthday Andrea Candava, daughter of Liezel Marquicias and granddaughter of Ike and Eva Marquicias, all of Edmonton. A surprise party was given by the family last Sunday, August 16, 2020 at Palabok House Restaurant and it was attended by relatives and family friends. An amazing day for Andrea when she found out that the dinner she was attending was her sixteenth birthday celebration. A toast to a budding, beautiful and talented teen who is ready to face the challenges in life.
Joint Birthday Celebration Daddy Lito Agasino and his daughter Airen Alexis are both showered with love by family, friends, and the congregation of Jesus is Lord. Lito is very grateful for having been gifted with a God-fearing daughter like Alexis. Lito could not ask for more as he has also been blessed with two other responsible children, Allysa and Adrian. Most of all, he is greatly blessed with a caring and loving wife, Beng. Alexis, you are so lucky to have them all surrounding you during your natal day and forever. Happy birthdays to both of you!
Daddy Lito, Mommy Beng, Allysa, Alexis, and Adrian
Andrea with her mom Liezel Marquicias in Vancouver on here actual Birthday August 12.
Andrea with her cousin Edward Marquicias
Welcome to the Christian Mika’s 4th world Mikaela Autumn
Churchmates and friends
Birthday
Churchmates and friends
Mikaela Autumn Buenaseda Guillen is welcomed to the Christian world by her loving parents Michelle and Warren Guillen and grandparents Rosalyn and Eliseo Buenaseda, August 8, after her baptism by Father Silvichan at the St.Michael's Parish in Leduc. (Photo by Moses Billacura/AFJ)
The dog that barks is the dog that guards and yes that's Mika celebrating her 4th birthday. A labradoodle, swift and agile as a leopard but also sweet and lovable. She is the guard dog of the Angeles residence and with her, we don't really need a security alarm. She is owned and pampered by her master, Mark Angeles.
Welcoming the blessings and praying over for the celebrants Daddy Lito and Alexis
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Arielle Hope Velasco Turns 14 Life without hope is living in desire. We can dare to survive in one month or more without food and water. But, we cannot bear to live even a single minute without hope. This is the very reason why you’ve gotten Hope as your second name. You are your bother Aaron’s keeper and our hope. Look at the 180 degree turn in your life. Take a simple glimpse into the time when you were just a toddler, 14 years ago. A great leap has yet to come, our lovely daughter! Continue to grow in wisdom and in the love of our Creator. Be thankful to Him for the gift of a healthy mind and body! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ARIELLE HOPE!
Later is Better than Never: Happy Birthday, Kevin! Edmonton, July 17, 2020. Hazel of Unique Mixx and Kevin O’Brien’s mom prepared the birthday cake at HanJan Restaurant and she greeted her son a “Happy Birthday.” While his other siblings are camera-shy, they gave their best wishes and sang a birthday song for the celebrator. “We love you to the moon and back. Wishing you all the best.” The celebration wouldn’t have been complete without target shooting at the Wild West.
Photos by Iyam and Haze
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL AUGUST 2020
Nourished By Love On Her Birthday Edmonton, Palabok House. Mrs. Eloisa Calvelo-Dolores is so blessed to have her very loving and supportive husband all the time. What truly adds to her happiness is this simple celebration with some of her friends, who, despite the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, still managed to throw her a simple but heartfelt party. A loving person like her deserves to be nourished by her family and friends’ love during this special day. More birthdays to celebrate, Madam! Photos by Lito Velasco
Seventy One and still Number One Maria Nieves Mendoza-Cereno or Tiya Sedes is the loving mother of AFJ columnist Mervin, grandmother to Kristian and Katrina Cereno, and sister-in-law to Abel Cereno. She is also a supportive sister to nanay Cora and her nephew, editor Lito Mendoza Velasco. The indefatigable services and love she offered the entire family for the past seven decades plus one year cannot be compensated by any amount of money. Having her in the family is the greatest treasure and gift from Above. Happy birthday, Tiya Sedes!
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