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JULY 2021 • Volume 14, Number 07
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AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
Januel Ibasco: Grad leans on family.. P23
PMAA to host Mayoral Candidates' Forum
Skin Lueur grand opening day
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Why we should care about Residential Schools
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Batok - Exploring Skin Art
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Editor's Corner | Business
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
EDITOR’S CORNER Lito Mendoza Velasco
leaders and even workers who I thought were just wanting the positions and working for money. Yet, I was mistaken when all of a sudden, after overcoming their heartbreaking experiences, here they are, proposing and acting like roaring lions and looking for something to finish. Their productiveness cannot be measured by the length of time in their position but by the sustainability of the project they’ve thought of for the welfare of society. We indeed just have to develop a tolerance and respect for everybody’s lifestyle. Of course, vigilance must also be a priceless ordinance.
Developing Tolerance and Epoche Someone’s passivity is not always a liability. This explicitly contradicts the notiok that the “first impression is lasting.” Why? Simply because, not everybody has the same work and lifestyles. For instance, we may be seeing a person or a leader who seems to be acting indifferent and just doing nothing to Pre-Conceived Notion comply with what is expected of him by his constituents or Falsity is not always proven by a concept or members. We may be assuming that he is just a piece of crap hypothesis. For example, the Latin phrase "post in our organization because he hasn’t performed what we’ve hoc ergo propter hoc" means "after this, therefore expected of him and this triggers us to never stop backbiting because of this." This fallacy is generally referred him instead of backing him up. There are lessons to be learned to by the shorter phrase, "post hoc." Examples: about paradigm shifting in Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits "Every time that rooster crows, the sun comes of Highly Effective People. up. That rooster must It is true. A person or a leader be very powerful is always wrong depending on and important!" This AFJ is neither influenced by the what our expectations are. I am phrase represents not exempt from this rampant elite nor exclusively favouring a the faulty logic of malevolent phenomenon and that one certain political party. It is owned assuming malpractice. At times, I find thing was caused myself being propelled by by whoever wants to work with us by another merely misconceptions from just ignoring because it followed in the community. the reasons behind why other that prior event in people, especially our leaders are time. exhibiting actions and attitudes contrary to our expectations. Can’t we argue within? Can’t we Close affinity should not lead to infinity. intrinsically explain that, a suspension of judgment (epoche) Another example of a fallacious argument is is always vital and necessary in order to being able to look at this: “Tell me who your friends are and I will things syllogistically? That seeing a person in silence does not tell you who you are.” Wow! This is insane and necessarily mean that he is displaying insolence? Who knows? quite unreasonable. Can you imagine a person He may just be profoundly and discretely contemplating a who befriends a dog and proving that “a dog is long-term or sustainable plan. man’s best friend.” Does this friendship make And, this realistically happens when I saw some of our a person a dog?
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What is my point after beating around the bush? There are individuals who have been paranoid about the Alberta Filipino Journal’s operation, believing and even telling their cohorts that AFJ is just favouring friends and influential people in the community. That AFJ is politically partisan. Those are not true. AFJ is open to all and it promotes a bias-free society where we can communicate, exercise the freedom of expression: ideas or opinions;
advertise businesses, publish political campaign materials and slogans, announce significant events, greet our loved ones during their important occasions, sympathize with the victims of man-made and natural calamities, campaign to raise funds for the destitute and underprivileged, and educate and propagate religious beliefs or doctrines. Soren Kierkegaard said: “Be a participator rather than spectator.” Avoid being judgmental.
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AFJ Family | News | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
Philippine Media Association to host Mayoral Candidates' Forum on Aug. 14 By Moses Billacura 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 Mark Angeles, Mike Angeles Distribution Managers - Edmonton Andy Chua Marketing Manager - Edmonton +1 (780) 965-3549, fcchua@hotmail.com Stephen Burry Distribution Manager - Calgary 1 (587) 938-3100, Freedommigrate@gmail.com Rodel Paguirigan Advertising, Sales and Marketing Manager - Calgary 1 (403) 921-0148, rodelpaguirigan@gmail.com Rolan Latorre Marketing Manager Melanie C. Gomez Website / Graphic Designer Moses Billacura, Noli Granado, Dario Juanillo Photographers/Videographers Columnists: Marjorie Carmona-Newman, Tito S. Venida, Ida Beltran-Lucila, Kristian Cereno, Marco Luciano, Moses Billacura, Mervin Mendoza Cereno, Nicky Gocuan, Giselle General, Hermo Pagtakhan, Januel Cedrick Ibasco, Fr. Jhack Diaz, Bing J. Jaleco Jon Perez (Saskatoon, SK) Contributing Writers: Katrina Marielle U. Cereno, Leonila Samarita, Raquel Getigan, Jasmine-Grace Nacu 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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EDMONTON, AB - The Philippine Media Association of Alberta (PMAA) will be hosting the first PMAA Mayoral Candidates' Forum on August 14 at a local restaurant. PMAA president Nicky Gocuan, in a meeting Wednesday night (July 14) at the newly-
opened Manila Grill Restaurant South in Mill Woods, said that invitations were sent last week, with seven candidates confirming their participation. Gocuan said Brian (Breezy) Gregg, Amarjeet Sohi, Diana Steele, Abdul Malik Chukwudi, Cheryll Watson, Michael Oshryand Kim Krushell are attending the Forum. "The Filipino community is a growing community and we would like to hear directly from the mayoral candidates themselves on what they can do for our beloved city of Edmonton," said Gocuan, a long-time newsman in the Philippines before moving to Canada and who currently writes a column for the Alberta Filipino Journal. He added that he is still hoping that the other candidates Rick Comrie, Mike Nickel and Augustine Marah will be able to attend the Forum. "We would love to have all of them attend," said Gocuan. According to the Embassy of the Philippines in Ottawa, the city of Edmonton has a Filipino population of 64,275. The next election is on October 18 and Edmontonians will elect a new mayor after Mayor Don Iveson announced that he is not seeking re-election. Aside from the mayor, 12 councillors will also be elected to represent the Edmonton wards, one Edmonton Catholic Schools Trustee for each of the seven wards and one Edmonton Public Schools Trustee for the nine wards.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Politics
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THERE'S THE WAY IT’S ALWAYS BEEN DONE. THEN THERE’S THE WAY FORWARD.
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Sports
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
Japanese anime-inspired SABC resumes, 1st ConGen golfest, 3x3 Blue Quill Classic, Lloydminster cagefest, Crosstown Auto to join Corpus Christi charity golf, St. Albert Co-Ed volleyball set SPORTS JOURNAL
Moses Billacura mocolumnist @albertafilipinojournal.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 strongly believes that sports development is for all.
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hile Pinoy community members are glued to the NBA finals between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks or (hopefully) they are following the Edmonton Stingers in the CEBL, I am happy to report that local sports action has finally resumed in our community. Servus-St.Albert Ballers Club (SABC) kicked off its league on July 10. On opening day, Ryonan defeated Sannoh, 97-79, Shoyo beat Shohoku White, 89-78 and Kainan bested Shohoku Red, 74-50. The league’s theme is Japanese anime-inspired, just to remind players growing up in the 1990s of Slam Dunk, an anime show that was popular in the Philippines. Katuwaan kung baga, ayon kay The Domz. Tournament commissioner Dominic “The Domz” Narbonita
Consul-General Zaldy Patron (7th from right, last row) with some of the players during the 1st ConGen Golf Tournament, July 2, that raised funds for the Dr. Jose Rizal Monument Project in Airdrie. (Photo by Jiggs Bascon/PCG FB)
said their Home League 2021 is down to just six teams because of the pandemic but with the easing of restrictions and with things hopefully getting better in the days ahead, they will be back with their “normal” leagues. As a precaution since the pandemic is really not over what with all the damn variants threatening us, “The Domz” said that only players are allowed on the court and the fans are upstairs to watch the games. I’m excited to watch and enjoy the games again, probably in full PPE? Just kidding. *** Bryan Guillermo led the list of winners at the 1st Philippine Consul General Golf Tournament, July 2, at
the Woodside Golf Course in Airdrie. Guillermo topped the class A with Jun Salting finishing runner-up while Emmer Valle won class B and Ed Bigornia settling for the runnerup honors. Ronnie Dayrit bagged the class C title and Jay Rejano landed as runner-up. Salting also went home with the low gross winner honors. Francis Guerrero won the class A longest drive, Aio Ponce for the closest to the pin in class A while Edwin Catolos sank the longest putt. Marvin Quintin shared the limelight by winning class B’s longest drive, Jimmy de Leon for the closest to the pin and Dick Francisco for the longest putt award. In class C, Marvin Diaz won the longest drive and Jay Rejano for the closest to the pin awards.
Crosstown Auto Centre dealer-principal Joe Medina (2nd from right) with his staff Ches Tiongson and Jecris Bautista after a sports chat with AFJ Sports. (Selfie photo by Moses Billacura/AFJ)
The Philippine Consulate General in Calgary has closely worked with the Filipino Airdrie Association led by Jun Martin, Jiggs Bascon, Mike Lozada, Ben Ang, Mark Quintin and Jimmy de Leon, and the City of Airdrie headed by their mayor, Peter Brown and the City Council for this project. Martin said it will be the first time in Alberta Province that the monument of a Philippine national hero will be built and thanked the PCG for heading the project that led to the creation of a Rizal Management Project Team. The tournament was also organized to raise funds for the project which is expected to be completed this coming October at the Nose Creek Regional Park. *** We are looking forward to two basketball events in August. First is the 4 Pillars Basketball Club tournament on August 14 at the Hoops Factory organized by referee Rhemar A. Mendoza and four fellow referees Rendo Erni,
Team representatives and organizers of the 4 Pillars Basketball Club tournament will be having fun starting on August 14, as their league resumes in Lloydminster. (Contributed photos)
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continued on page 7 ►
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Para-legal Services | Opinion | Sports
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Rumourmonger LEGAL CHIKA
Raquel P. Getigan Earned Bachelor of Laws degree at Manila Law College and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Philippine Normal University. She’s an educator by profession and Apprentice at Atty. Romeo Sese Law office.
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id you ever listen to a story and doubted its veracity? Have you become the subject of these circumstances? Have you experienced people gossiping about you? How have you handled a rumourmonger? When it comes to social media, today’s common conflict lies mostly in gossip. Conferring with MerriamWebster, Gossip is 1: a person who repeats stories about other people. 2: talk or rumours involving the personal lives of other people. To what extent should gossiping be endured? Let us look at this scenario with a basic legal understanding of Philippine Criminal Law, as well as at the provisions and penalties imposed. In the Revised Penal Code Book II (RPC), the Crime Against Honor consequently: Libel (Article .353)- A libel is a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or judicial person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead.
from page 6
SPORTS JOURNAL John Bautista, June Taguines and Joel Arenas. The teams entered are Dave’s Auto, Lloydminster Volts, Nuffsaid, Frontrow/Brobike and Lloydminster Bucks. Crosstown Auto Centre, which will be headed by Chairman’s Club member Jecris Bautista, has also formed a squad to play some exhibition games and add some spice to the league. Second is the 5th 3X3 Outdoor
Slander (Article 358)- Slander- Oral defamation shall be punished by arresto mayor in its maximum period to prison correccional in its minimum period if it is of a serious insulting nature; otherwise the penalty shall be arresto menor or a fine not exceeding twenty thousand pesos (P20,000). (As amended by R.A. No. 10951, August 29, 2017). In the case of Villanueva v. People, GR, No. 160351, slander is a libel committed by oral (spoken) means, instead of in writing. The term oral defamation or slander as now understood, has been defined as the speaking of base and defamatory words which tend to prejudice another in his reputation, office, trade, business or means of livelihood. Slander by deed (Article 359)- Slander by deed. The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prison correccional in its minimum period or a fine ranging from Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) to one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) shall be imposed upon any person who shall perform any act not included and punished in this title, which shall cast, dishonor, discredit or contempt upon another person. If said act is not of a serious nature, the penalty shall be arresto menor or a fine not exceeding Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000). (As amended by R.A. No. 10951, August 29, 2017) Incriminating Innocent Persons (Article 363)- Any person who, by any act or not constituting perjury, shall directly incriminate or impute to an innocent person the commission of a crime, shall be punished by arresto mayor. Intriguing Against Honor (Article 364)-The penalty of arresto menor or a fine not exceeding Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) shall be imposed for any intrigue which has for its principal purpose to blemish the honor or reputation of a person. (As amended by R.A. No. 10951, August 29, 2017) Perhaps spreading gossip is a habit for some. It is added to stories in order to make conversation more interesting, even though a statement is made with no proof or without basis. Nevertheless, if the story impugns the honour of a person, it can lead to legal impediments. Watch your words and be careful of what is spoken.
Blue Quill Classic on August 21 and 22 at the Blue Quill Courts, 11304 25 Avenue NW in Edmonton. Registration is until August 16 for a $150 per team fee for boys and girls under 14, under 16 and under 18, men’s and women’s recreational, men’s semi-competitive and competitive divisions. Join now! *** Two teams from Crosstown Auto Centre are competing in the 2021 Corpus Christi Fund-Raising Golf Tournament on August 21 at
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Bayanihan Spirit Needed To Help Build EPIC Community to come together and support a great project like the Edmonton Philippine International Centre (EPIC) which they can call their Filipino Centre. The groundwork has been done and the participation of Major Filipino Organizations has started, and I am happy to see that local businesses have also begun to support this great initiative. But we need the help of the community to make it happen. It is a daunting task but with our Bayanihan spirit, I can see no reason why it won’t succeed. What is important right now is to make people understand the importance of this project to our Community. Other Nicky Gocuan, communities such as the East Indian, Korean, Chinese and PMAA Vietnamese have their own community centres that they are ngocuan@yahoo.com proud of. And some of them don’t even have the population numbers that we have. Nicky Gocuan has been a Columnist/ Photojournalist for over 15 At 8% of the population of the Province of Alberta, we’ve years. He finished his Degree in got the numbers to make this work. Communication Arts at De La Salle What is important is to work together as a united University in 1990. After obtaining his University degree, Gocuan joined community. I know that everyone has different opinions the Print Media and has contributed but let us set aside our differences, once and for all and join for The Philippine Star, Pilipino Star hands. It does not matter who is the leader, who is the boss, and later moved to Bagong Pinoy, where he wrote a regular opinion every one of the 166,000 Filipino Canadians in Alberta has column. He also went on to write a a responsibility to help. showbiz column for The Tribune and Just imagine the power of numbers. If each of us Remate. contribute just a mere $1 every month, then we will have Gocuan has experience in covering about $2,000,000 in the span of 24 months. At that point, we the Police beat, Political beat, and can seek the help of the Federal and Provincial Government Entertainment beat before landing to match the funds we have raised. This does not include the in the Sports beat. He later wrote a regular sports column for Remate initial money raised to start this project and the additional Tonight. During this time, he was sponsors and donors that will come in later. The EPIC elected President of the Philippine committee has been transparent from the get go and you Basketball Association Press Photographers Club (PBAPPC) for Two can check out the funds on the EPIC website. Terms and helped uplift the status But before we go any further, I know that at the top of of the group to become a part of the your mind, you are curious as to how this Centre is going 5 Man Mythical Committee in the PBA. He is currently the President of to be managed when it is finally built. The EPIC Team has The Philippine Media Association of committed to hire a Professional Management Company to Alberta (PMAA) and Host of a weekly run the day to day activities of the building, such as renting radio program ‘The Fourth Estate” on Tala Luvz Radio in Calgary. out of the Hall for functions, office space, meeting rooms and maintaining the premises to avoid conflict of interest. So if you are a True Filipino living in Alberta, kindly ayanihan (pronounced as ask yourself, ever since you started living in Alberta, Canada buy-uh-nee-hun) is a Filipino what have you done to help your Community? If you are custom and the term is derived helping your community then good, but it is also worth from the word “bayan” which means considering chipping in an additional $1 every month for nation, town or community. It refers such a worthy cause. to being in a town or community How much Tim Horton’s or McDonald’s coffee do you and also to the spirit of communal consume daily? Can you divert some of those expenses and unity, where people work together help build the Filipino Community Centre that we can all to achieve a particular goal. be proud of? With the continuous growth of So, please spread the word and let us join hands to help the Filipino population in Alberta, build our EPIC! which now sits at over 166,000, Please let me know your thoughts. You can email me there is a need for the Filipino at Tfehost@gmail.com
JUST LISTEN
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the Mill Woods Golf Club. Crosstown Auto Centre dealerprincipal Joe Medina said that they will be also holding a fun event at one of the holes where players can play some fun games and win a prize! I’m glad that Crosstown Auto, which is a major backer of Pinoy basketball development in this province, has continued to support the fund-raising event of Corpus Christi Parish. Funds raised will be used for the building fund. The registration fee is $100 per golfer and to register, call Deacon
Gem Mella at (780) 466-7576 or email gem.mella@caedm.ca. The deadline is on August 16 and they will only accommodate a maximum of 144 players. Call now! *** A Co-Ed Volleyball competition is set for July 18 at Servus Place in St.Albert. Organizer Erich Francisco said that four teams have already signed up for the one-day event that will have trophies and medals at stake. A team is required to have at
least two female players in the match. Erich said that the co-ed volleyball competition will complement the ongoing basketball tournament at the same venue. May basketball na, may volleyball pa! Now, I can regain my sanity! LoL. *** If you have any sports news for us, please email mocolumnist@ albertafilipinojournal.com. Thank you very much! Stay safe everyone! www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
Educational | Community
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
Road Blocks Encountered by Internationally Educated Engineers who wish to Integrate into the Canadian Workforce from the Time They Arrive As Landed Immigrants
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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 the most sought Engineering Consulting Firm 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 licenses in Canada. For advice on a specific case in pursuing your application whether in ASET or APEGA, please email me at mmcereno@gmail.com.
n the past, Filipino immigrants in Canada who applied under Federal Skilled Workers experienced big sacrifices in going back to their professions before migrating to Canada. Many internationallyeducated engineers choose to not pursue or continue their profession due to personal circumstances, or because they have little to no information on how to begin the process or continue further studies to upgrade their skills and integrate into the Canadian workforce. Below, I summarize the two (2) Major Roadblocks that these professionals experience: 1. Education Recognition • Academic credential evaluations are performed by a 3rd party organization, World Education Services (WES). Per the WES website, there is no clear understanding for would-be applicants on how the WES will evaluate your Education Credentials. The Comparison Matrix between International Education and Canadian Education courses is not explicitly shown, nor how the WES arrived at their decision regarding Education Equivalencies.
• The credential evaluation result is dependent on which school you took your Bachelor’s Degree from back in the Philippines. Their database might be not be updated on how the Philippines Commission of Higher Education accredits schools and issue authority to offer Professional Programs, especially in Engineering. • Credential evaluation by WES from the Education Credential Assessment (ECA) submitted to CIC during the immigration process needs to be upgraded to the International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP), a course-by-course assessment, and this might result in a different evaluation on the Canadian Education System Equivalent. As mentioned, there is no clear basis published on their websites on how the applicant can at least have a better picture of the Evaluation Process.
Professional Licensing Body in different Provinces is for the applicant to have Canadian experience in line with their profession. They cannot gain the full License to Practice without the Professional Experience Requirements in Canada under a Professional Engineer. The reality in most cases is that there are no jobs available for new immigrants since employers prefer those who have Canadian experience. Hence, Internationally Educated Engineers are left with the option to upgrade their credentials through formal studies or worse, to work odd jobs. The question always will be, “How will 2. Integration of New Immigrants internationally-educated engineers be able to gain Professional Recognition into the Canadian Workforce • One of the requirements of the if there are NO JOBS available to
them at least even at an entry level in order for them to start their Professional career?” • Available resources to help Internationally Educated Engineers find an employer and eventually land a job are limited and not accessible to everybody. To this day, immigrants who graduated from any Engineering Program in the Philippines that landed in Alberta since 2016 are still struggling to find jobs in line with their Profession. They were faced with the Oil Market Collapse of 2015, and unemployment rates rose further in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The roadblocks mentioned are true for most immigrants. Some are able to overcome these roadblocks but others were not lucky enough to go back to their well-loved professions. The reason why most of my articles here in the Alberta Filipino Journal cover basic information on what internationally-educated engineers must learn is because getting the right information and guidance is very important for everybody to succeed.
All Filipinos and friends in Alberta are cordially invited to join
Learning for Interdependence & Global Awareness of Philippines-Canada and Honorary Co-Sponsors: Congress of Philippine Associations of Alberta (COPAA) Filipino-Canadian Saranay Association of Alberta
in celebrating the International Day of Peace September 21st during Alberta Culture Days held in the month of September.
Share your love of music and the vision of building a Peaceful World for all peoples and nations in the event entitled
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"Songs and Music to build a Culture of Peace: Filipinos in Alberta celebrating the International Day of Peace"
ach year, the International Day of Peace is observed globally on September 21st, which was declared by the UN General Assembly in 1989 as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, within and among all nations and peoples, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. Over the past 31 years, millions of people as well as Governments, institutions, and organizations worldwide have commemorated and celebrated the International Day of Peace through various activities such as conferences,
workshops, forums, sporting events, and artistic performances. Peace is also no longer just an absence of war or armed conflicts or physical violence. Peace also means a world that upholds nonviolence, social justice, human rights, intercultural understanding and respect, environmental sustainability and inner peace. Hence, a Culture of Peace is multi-dimensional and holistic. Participants will video-record a song related to peace themes and issues which will be broadcast by LINGAP-Canada on our website
and Facebook on September 21st for public viewing. PRIZES WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE BEST EIGHT VIDEO RECORDINGS! How to participate: 1. Form of group of 3 or more members representing your Filipino-Albertan association, family, community, colleagues or friends. 2. Send a message to LINGAP-Canada at lingapcanada@yahoo.com by July 31st, to express your intention to participate in the event. 3. LINGAP-Canada will send you
guidelines for preparing a mp4 video of your song performance, including some sample songs (Filipino of English) with lyrics related to various dimensions of a culture of peace and technical advice for recording your video. 4. Select one of the sample songs (or another song you are familiar with) that you will be singing for the video recording. Locate a YouTube karaoke music for your selected song to provide your instrumental accompaniment -but if you prefer to play your own instruments, it
will be fine. 5. Send a draft version of your video recording to LINGAP-Canada by August 20th to receive advice to enhance the audio and video quality of your performance. 6. Send the final version of your mp4 video recording to LINGAP-Canada by September 7th For further information, visit LINGAPCanada’s website http://www. lingapcanada.com or Toh Swee-Hin (S.H.Toh) at tohsweehin@ yahoo.com.au
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Points of View | Political Activism
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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JERRY CAINGCOY:
Humble Juggernaut Leadership
Photo by: Kiko Celis
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eadership is more commonly related to power than humility, and perhaps if more people related leadership to humility and service, a lot of things would be better. There are few selfless leaders, and they stand out like a true spring in the worst drought. This age of information has distracted and overwhelmed people with free but uncontrolled information, and that has had a profound impact on our society in both constructive and destructive ways. It makes cheap leadership difficult, but true leadership prospers, regardless. Leadership built on sound values and grounded on honest purpose will take root, blossom and bear fruits perennially. In all of this Covid-19 or post-covid mess, there is a Jerry Caingcoy who has prospered throughout his life journey. It seems that Jerry was born with leadership in his blood, but this leadership was born of an honorable purpose to serve, and sow seeds of hope and inspiration for others. In 2015, he founded The Filipino Champions of Canada (TFCC) which he created to provide a platform for people to share their success stories. The vision was to connect, share and inspire immigrant Filipinos in Alberta. The most important and powerful outcome I would say lies in the inspiration that the
stories provide, especially for the struggling immigrant. The mission was successful and participation grew tremendously with the strong grass root support from the community and the private sectors. This was a non-profit monetarily, but with every new success inspired by TFCC some successes grew tenfold to share, and more people’s lives uplifted. Each success shared opened up like a strange matryoshka doll with an even bigger doll inside. The whole TFCC affair defied entropy. With the defeat of Covid-19, I do look forward to more Champions’ Talks which is one of the major platforms of TFCC, not just for myself but for other people who seek paths to success and more importantly that rekindling of embers that were once the blaze that brought them to Canada. This mission and vision of the TFCC team are like an arrow that fires straight and true to break the barriers that immigrants face. A local friend once told me that every Filipino he knew was an engineer doing jobs other than engineering. That’s when the realization set in, that I wasn’t the only one, and that I didn’t need to climb uphill alone. An uphill climb would normally be slowed down by Newtonian Physics, but not for this unicorn of a beast. The numbers grow, the inspiration grows and spreads, and the momentum builds. Such is the unspoken leader of the TFCC team headed by Jerry. That leadership hasn’t lost steam, even throughout the pandemic. When people couldn’t connect or converge, TFCC reached out to the needy. It was all about bayanihan, a Filipino term with only the crudest English translation. Bayanihan is uniquely Filipino but is made of the same and simplest building blocks that comprise humanitarianism and community. Their past success has built up to a critical mass like a freight train, and that will power TFCC beyond foreseeable milestones. To
maintain leadership is one thing, and to inspire is another, and what better way to lead than to lead by example. Jerry’s past personal success was already inspirational, and he has raised the bar yet again. Jerry successfully applied for a higher leadership role this June, becoming the next Finance Leader for the City of Calgary. There is no better way to jumpstart the Champions Talks than to have the original champion lead by example. The Champions Talk usually revolves around breakthroughs into the technical field which is arguably the most common and sought-after leap for every immigrant, but now Jerry has shown us that the glass ceiling into senior management can be broken. Jerry has always been gracious in sharing his recipes for success including the culinary kind, and he’ll probably share the importance of soft skills in breaking through that glass ceiling. Jerry didn’t have the opportunity to upgrade his education but found his way to a role in the City where he could hone his leadership skills and eventually made his way up to a leadership position before his most recent promotion. Jerry perhaps knew that our home-grown education was sufficient and played major moves ahead to build on his soft skills while leading TFCC, hosting FCM live, motivational speaking, mentoring, organizing major events and programs that brought the community together. With all the feathers in his cap, you might think that he had it all from the start. Jerry’s success is a compounding of subsequent successes, each one raising him a step higher. He hails from a small island named Maripipi which is situated in the northern tip of the Province of Biliran and found his way to the Makati business district as a management trainee. His skills, persistence, and diligence brought him to
the corporate executive level in both local and multinational companies. He then founded a school in the Philippines that offered elementary and junior high school before immigrating to Canada. The same success formula brought him to his current stature, becoming a board member for the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC), “a robust not-for-profit organization that seeks to effectively and efficiently connect newcomer professionals with strategies designed to lead to successful employment outcomes” and recently inducted as one of the Founding Directors of the Filipino Canadian National Congress, “a duly registered national not-for-profit organization affiliated with the Canada Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group, and is mandated to represent the strong Filipino presence in Canada before the people and Government of Canada. The FCNC coordinates and represents the concerns and interests of nearly 1M voices within the Filipino Canadian communities, and advocates to do our active share in shaping Canada’s social, economic, environmental, and political perspectives.” Jerry is currently the Chair on Labor, Employment and Skills Training. For a Canadian success story that started only in 2007, Jerry sure cooks up a tasty alphabet soup of success. Hopefully, we’ll be able to decode and reverse-engineer this success story for all Filipino-Canadians in the next Champions Talk or FCM Live. It’ll be a tall task for this juggernaut yet humble leader to sort through all the qualities buried under modest oversimplification. Watch it, or better yet, be there and be inspired! Written by: Shalom Brian Mercader An Engineer by Profession, a graduate of University of the Philippines and is currently a Power Engineer.
Independent int’l investigation of PH rights situation shows damning evidence of widespread impunity, failure of justice system INVESTIGATE PH provides more evidence of the persistent failure of the justice system in the Philippines. Its Second Report, released today, documents intensifying human rights violations perpetrated by state agents, in line with Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s security policies and violent pronouncements that were adopted as official orders. The report includes an important series of recommendations, including a clear call for a United Nations-led probe on the human rights violations of the Duterte administration. INVESTIGATE PH is the popular name of the Independent International Commission of Investigation into Human Rights Violations in the Philippines, which is led by ‘High Commissioners’ or prominent personalities of the international community. Its recent report is the second in a series of three reports,
and builds on the findings of the first report launched in March 2021, which picked up from and further substantiated the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights’ June 2020 report on the Philippine rights situation. The Second Report spotlights three aspects of state terror in the Philippines, namely the War against the Poor (under the guise of the “war on drugs”), the War on Dissent, and the War against the Moro People. It is an important contribution to a growing body of evidence of stateperpetrated human rights violations and abuses in the Philippines that would help facilitate international accountability mechanisms. According to Atty. Suzanne Adely, co-chair of the International Committee of the National Lawyers Guild in the US and one of the High Commissioners leading the investigation,
“State policies, including Executive Order 70 or the whole-of-nation approach to counterinsurgency program and the 2020 Anti-Terrorism Act have emboldened both the police and military to massacre the poor and marginalised, as well as those who are fighting for the rights of these communities, including activists and advocates of peasant and Indigenous People’s rights. Moreover, the government’s capture of domestic redress and accountability mechanisms continue to fail victims.” The report shows that the Philippine National Police (PNP) routinely covers up the circumstances surrounding killings in ‘anti-drug operations’, intimidates potential witnesses, and obstructs investigations by victims’ families, civil society and even by the Commission on Human Rights. The release of the Second Report is timely as it follows the
recent request by the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) outgoing Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda for an investigation on the bloody “war on drugs” of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Its launching also coincided with the ongoing 47th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The report also highlights how military action in Mindanao is perpetrating violence against and entrenching the marginalization of Moro communities. The report shows that US military aid is propping up the military operations in Mindanao as part of the US-backed “War on Terror”. These operations fail to distinguish between civilians and combatants, and are also causing mass displacement of Moro communities. One of the High Commissioners, the Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe of the US-based United Methodist Church
said that, “It was difficult to hear testimony that U.S. military aid, as well as military support from other countries, is abetting human rights violations. It’s simply unacceptable.” The report will be submitted to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, member states of the Human Rights Council, the UN Secretary-General, and the International Criminal Court. Rev. Michael Blair, who is also one of the High Commissioners, said, “Throughout this investigation, we have remained steadfast in our objective to realize justice for the victims of human rights violations in the Philippines. The report must go beyond evidence gathering and be a contribution to the process of accountability and an end to the injustice”.
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Immigration Updates | Book Review | Business
FROM MIGRATION TO IMMIGRATION
Temporary public policy exempting some foreign nationals in Canada from requiring an immigration medical exam.
E Marjorie Carmona Newman 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 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).
Steeped in Stories: Ulat Aklat
Jasmine-Grace Nacu nacu.jgcn@gmail.com Jasmine-Grace Nacu, originally from Las Piñas, Metro Manila, is a former bookseller, current library assistant, and all around professional book lover based in Edmonton, Alberta. When she's not helping you find your next must read at your local library, she's spreading kindness by snail mail and writing reviews on @ steepedinstories on Instagram.
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any of us Filipinos have voyaged to Canada in search of better opportunities for ourselves and for our families. We have built ourselves a life and a community here and there are many things to be grateful for. With
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
arly this month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a temporary public policy exempting some foreign nationals in Canada from requiring an immigration medical exam. Permanent resident applicants and certain temporary resident applicants must undergo a medical examination as per R30 (1) (a) (i). Exemptions from medical examination requirement • 30 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 16(2)(b) of the Act, the following foreign nationals are exempt from the requirement to submit to a medical examination: o (a) foreign nationals other than ▪ (i) subject to paragraph (g), foreign nationals who are applying for a permanent resident visa or applying to remain in Canada as a permanent resident, as well as their family members, whether accompanying or not,
The requirement for medical examination serves several purposes: - To protect the health of Canadians - To protect the safety of Canadians - To reduce and prevent excessive demand on Canada’s health and social services. With this new public policy put in place by IRCC, certain foreign nationals who are in Canada will be exempt from having to complete an additional immigration medical exam as part of their application for permanent residence or for a permanent resident visa. The goal of IRCC is to help streamline the application processing for low-risk-in Canada applicants, while effectively managing health risks. This policy will also help provide better client service, support faster processing of applications, and ensure foreign nationals can more quickly receive permanent resident status. WHO ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER THIS PUBLIC POLICY? This policy
applies to IN-CANADA foreign nationals who: • have submitted a new application for permanent residence or for a permanent resident visa or have a pending application for permanent residence and have not yet completed a new immigration medical exam • have completed an immigration medical exam within the last 5 years and were found to pose no risk to public health or safety, or complied with a requirement to report to public health authorities for monitoring, and • have not left Canada for more than 6 months in the last year to live in a country that has a higher incidence of a serious communicable disease than Canada, as outlined in the list of countries requiring an immigration medical exam When applying for permanent residence or for a permanent resident visa, applicants or foreign nationals must provide an immigration medical exam or a unique medical identifier
number from their previous medical exam. IRCC will contact individuals whose results cannot be used to discuss next steps. A foreign national’s family members who are in Canada may benefit from this temporary public policy provided they meet the criteria listed above. This temporary public policy is in effect until December 28, 2021. If you have questions regarding the above article, you may contact Marjorie at info@ mcncanadaimmigration.com Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), IRPR A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of ICCRC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCICs.
Missing Children and Unmarked Graves all the good that we have found in Canada, we must also recognize its faults. The land we have settled in has a dark and violent colonial history and it’s important to learn and acknowledge that. For over a century, Canada’s policies have actively sought to destroy Indigenous rights, cultures, and identities. Between the 1870s to the 1990s, government-funded and church-run residential schools were operating throughout Canada with the ultimate purpose of cultural genocide by “killing the Indian in the child.” Indigenous children were forcibly taken away from their families and forbidden to speak their languages or practice any aspects of their cultures. Survivors have recounted countless and unspeakable cruelties that they experienced during their confinement at these institutions. Recently, Canada was rocked by the discovery of unmarked mass graves containing 215 remains of Indigenous children, some believed to be as young as three years old, in Kamloops, BC, in one of the largest former residential schools in Canada. Since that initial discovery, even more remains have been discovered in other residential school locations. And as the public’s outrage and resounding calls for every residential school grounds to be searched, more mass graves are waiting to be found. As much as the public’s outrage is justified, these discoveries should not have come as a shock. Survivors have been telling stories about these atrocities for years but they have largely been ignored. As settlers,
it’s our responsibility to educate ourselves and a good starting point is to read The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Report. The TRC was active from 2008 to 2015, with the purpose of documenting and educating the public about the history of residential schools, stories of survivors, and its lasting impact. The TRC concluded in 2015 and resulted in a multi-volume report and 94 calls to action, all available to read for free online. We might be tempted to dismiss residential schools as a thing of the past, but as Filipinos, we are not strangers to the violent and lasting impacts of colonialism which continues to affect countless lives and cultures today. The Canadian government continues to take survivors to court, the 94 calls to action are still largely unmet, and Indigenous peoples still face systemic racism and violence every day. What can we do to stand with our Indigenous brothers and sisters? We should sympathize and understand that they are mourning and are dealing with an unbelievable amount of loss and grief. We should listen and believe them and demand accountability from the government and the church. We can challenge our own stereotypes of Indigenous peoples, call out discrimination against them when
we see it, and have those difficult conversations about racism with the people around us. But beyond that, we should also celebrate Indigenous joy and excellence, and support Indigenous creators, businesses, individuals, and stories. Photo source: McGill-Queen's University Press
Newest Pinoy food truck opens
PBSA members finally 'meet' face-to-face
Watch out for the Filipino community's newest food truck, Chowkeni, in Edmonton. Follow Chowkeni on FB for updates on scheduling. (Photo by Moses Billacura/AFJ)
After more than a year, Philippine Business Society of Alberta (PBSA) members were able to gather outdoors for a meeting hosted by the Agasino family of A4 Oriental Food Store and Bake Shop. (FB post)
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Points of View | Inspiration | Government Updates | Business
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Pinay techpreneur shows the way 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.
E
very once in a while, you come across some kababayans who impress you with their positive attitude and their unshakeable drive for success. After all the negativity that came with Covid-19 (not to mention the anxiety and stress that news from the Philippines brings), good news is a breath of fresh air. There’s a start-up called Fly and Fetch that a young Pinay techpreneur from Edmonton co-founded around this time two years ago. CEO Shelvie Fernan is an immigrant from Iligan
City, and she has begun to live her dream with her startup by “disrupting” the lucrative but highly competitive shipping business. “We’re disruptors, we’re shipping hackers,” Fernan says when asked what Fly and Fetch was all about. The start-up facilitates shipments of parcels and packages by enlisting travelers to be de facto couriers for senders. By matching a sender with a traveler-courier, Fly and Fetch offers convenience and speed for clients. Ground operators at the destination points handle the release of the parcels and packages, even providing delivery to recipients for a small fee. Fernan says their operations model formalizes the “biyahera” concept, where a traveler would consolidate small goods—often of commercial quantity—and stuff them in their luggages and then sell them in the Philippines. Fly and Fetch provides customers with the platform to facilitate the shipment but with security as top-of-mind. “We’re very strict with our shipments coming in to Canada from the Philippines,” she says. For outbound packages as well—Fly and Fetch only receives parcels and
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Avoid watering your lawn in the heat of the day. Learn more. calgary.ca/waterguide
continued on page 12 ►
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Religion | Business | Legal Services
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 Philippine-produced 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.
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
The Attitude of a Gentle Spirit OUR TEXT The Meek are those who are rarely and hardly “Blessed are the meek: for they shall provoked and are quickly and easily pacified. inherit the earth.” o They are the ones who would rather forgive MATTHEW 5:5 twenty injuries than avenged one. They have the rule of their own spirits. THE MEEK. The meek are blessed for they are like the The Meek are those who quietly blessed Jesus. submit themselves to God, to His Word, o They learn gentleness by taking on the and to His Rod. They are the ones who yoke of the Lord Jesus—for He is meek and follow His directions and comply with lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). His designs. They are also gentle towards The Meek are like the blessed God Himself, all men (Titus 3:2). who is Lord of His anger and in whom fury o Gentleness is the ability to bear a is not. provocation without being inflamed o They are blessed for they have the most by it. It is displayed either in silence comfortable undisturbed enjoyment of or by returning a soft answer. themselves, their friends, and their God. o Gentleness is the ability to show o They are fit for any relation under any displeasure when there is occasion condition and in any company. They are for it without being transported into fit to live and are also fit to die. any indecencies. It is displayed by remaining cool when others are hot. THE PROMISED BLESSING - By being patient, the gentle person The Meek shall inherit the earth. keeps possession of his or her own o This, our Lord Jesus quoted from Psalm soul, when he or she can scarcely keep 37:11 and it is almost the only express possession of anything else. temporal promise in all the New Testament. Not that the meek shall always have much of the earth. o Much less that they shall be put off with that only. o This branch of godliness has, in a special manner, the promise of life that now is. Meekness: o However ridiculed and run down has a real tendency to promote our health, our wealth, our comfort, and our safety even in this world. The Meek and Quiet: o They are observed to live the easiest and simplest lives as compared with the froward and turbulent. They shall inherit the land (so it may be read), the land of Canaan, and a type of heaven. o So that all blessedness of heaven above and all the blessings of earth beneath are the portion of the meek.
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VIEWPOINT packages to be shipped out of Canada that are open. Fernan and her team make sure the contents are legal, legit, and safe to be shipped. It’s been an exciting ride for Fernan so far. Because of Covid-19 and travel restrictions, she said they had a hard time looking for travelers. But Fly and Fetch has coped, and with restrictions in Alberta now lifted, things can only get better for the company. Fernan arrived in Canada seven years ago. Since then, she has been involved in the Filipino community in Edmonton. She enrolled at NAIT and graduated with a degree in Entrepreneurship. “It was my calling,” she says as she recalled her younger days in Iligan City where she became interested in business at a very early age. “I loved selling,” she says. She was competitive and driven, but it would be in Edmonton years later where it would all come together for her. Moving forward, she reveals that they want to scale the business (as all successful start-ups do) and improve operations. Given the growing number of Filipino immigrants in Alberta, Fly and Fetch is poised to really take off. And Fernan should serve as an example to other Filipinos in Canada to chase their dreams. www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Community | Political Activism | Business
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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Why we should care about Residential Schools 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.
This past Canada day was different. Thousands of residents from across the country chose not to celebrate the day but instead joined marches and protests in commemoration of the finding of remains of children in unmarked graves believed to be indigenous children from Canada’s residential schools. On June 24th, Cowessess First Nation, based in Southern Saskatchewan announced the discovery of 751 unmarked graves near the site of the Marieval Indian Residential School. The discovery is the largest uncovering of remains at a former residential school. Similarly, in May of this year, the remains of 215 children were discovered in Kamloops, British Columbia.There are approximately 1,323 bodies that have been discovered at various sites across Canada. Many believe that there are many more yet to be found. What is a Residential school? In an article “Residential School System” by Eric Hanson, he defined the term “residential school” as an extensive school system set up by the Canadian government and administered by churches that had the nominal objective
indigenous children at the rally
of educating Indigenous children but also the more damaging and equally explicit objectives of indoctrinating them into Euro-Canadian and Christian ways of living and assimilating them into mainstream white Canadian society. It simply means that these schools were designed to “kill the Indian in the child.” In The Indian Act, there was a law that required children of Indian blood under the age of sixteen years, to be sent to such industrial schools or boarding schools. This forced indigenous families to send children as young as four to these schools. There were no exceptions. RCMP officers forcibly removed children from families who would not comply. About 150,000 Indigenous children are believed to have attended these boarding schools, and these institutions existed for more than a hundred years. The program was created to separate children from their families and their culture. The last one only closed in 1997. The schools were operated by different churches that were predominantly Catholic, but there were Protestants churches as well. Children were not allowed to speak their language or practice anything from their culture. If they did, these children were beaten. Thousands of survivors told
Lumad leader Nenita Condez and Congressman Carlos Zarate met with MLA Rodrigo Loyola.
Indigenous Lumad leader Nenita Condez came to Edmonton in 2017
stories of their appalling physical and sexual abuse. Those who died are largely believed to have suffered from malnutrition and disease. Their families were often not told that they had died. Filipinos’ attitude towards indigenous people (IP) Discrimination against indigenous peoples is widespread in the Philippines. The Philippine government data has an estimated 14-17 million indigenous people belonging to 110 ethno-linguistic groups. They are concentrated in the north of Luzon and southern Mindanao. The UN Development Program describe the
Indigenous ring dance during Canada Day to commemorate the indigenous children whose unmarked graves were found in Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
problem as “IPs have been subject to historical discrimination and marginalization from political processes and economic
benefit. They often face exclusion, loss of ancestral lands, displacement, pressures continued on page 24►
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Heroism | Politics
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
FRONTLINER ISA KANG BAYANI (YOU’RE A HERO)
Joanna Dimatatac, Licensed Practical Nurse at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta
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!
Jenica Reyes, Food Server at one of the restaurants in Edmonton
Jenica Reyes serving the AFJ publisher
It’s time to have elected representatives and servant leaders who fight for the everyday Edmontonian!
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Business
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Business
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
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Government Update
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Starting August 6 A safer default speed limit is coming to residential and downtown streets. edmonton.ca/SafeSpeeds
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Community
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
Gratefulness sparking all over the place at Skin Lueur Aesthetics and Laser Centre’s grand opening
Doc Chum.
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t may not have the fireworks display like that of the Canada Day celebrations, but Skin Lueur Aesthetics and Laser Centre’s grand opening had a different kind of spark. And that’s gratefulness. It was just sparking all over the place. CEO and founder Cholomeley “Chum” Ardaniel said that it took “prayer and dedication” and with the help of friends and valued clients, Skin Lueur was able to organize a grand opening to show its appreciation and gratefulness to those who have supported her and her company in the last eight years. You may have read of companies that started in a basement. Skin Lueur did the same thing and moved to a location on 51 Avenue, and with a growing clientele, it had to find a bigger space and found one on 104th Street. “We’ve finally come to the day to celebrate and express our deepest appreciation. Thank you for supporting
Doc Chum with two of her loyal clients.
Skin Lueur, helping it grow,” said the CEO in a speech on July 10 in front of an appreciative crowd. Ardaniel made special mention of Victoria Ewert, Resty Reyes and wife Teri, Marjorie Carmona-Newman, Hermo Pagtakhan and wife Baida, Jun Angeles and AFJ Staff, Anabel Lee, Joevelyn Manglicmot, Kris Salumbides and wife Lou, Cecille Benzon, her staff and the church led by Pastor Edna Agustin for all the support she received since she opened her skin care business. She also thanked her Skin Lueur staff, including their shuttle driver Giovanni Olayer for taking good care of their clients who don't drive. Ardaniel expressed her special thanks to event organizer Carmi-Laurence Tomelden and her team for running a successful event, the media team of William Marquicias and Aris Bravo, chef Ryan Palisoc of Whitecourt for the delicious food, makeup artist April and her husband for going above and
AFJ publisher Jun Angeles and businessman Kris Salumbides (extreme right) flank the beauties.
beyond their service and Neptalie Fe Altaya and her online team abroad for helping market the big event. The CEO has banked on her years of education and experience as a medical doctor in the Philippines, attended numerous seminars and conventions, studying the latest technology, and acquiring the latest equipment to stay true to the company statement to deliver “professional skin care solutions with proven results”. Doc Chum, as she is fondly called by friends and clients, is also very proud to use Canadian-made products like Monter Skin Care. “I am thankful to my staff headed by Zabrina and Marilou, my husband Jeff and our children and to all supporters who are also following us online via our website skinlueur.com and social media channels,” said Doc Chum. Skin Lueur TV Official on YouTube has so far generated close to 2K subscribers. The grand opening wrapped up with giveaways to lucky clients courtesy
Doc Chum with Shiela.
Skin Lueur CEO and founder Cholomely "Chum" Ardaniel (right).
of Ana June Abas’s AJ’s Gold Jewelry and Accessories and gift prizes will be given to Charito Acosta, Sheryl Lyn De Guzman and Mardy Engel Reyes. Thanks also to Alberta Filipino Journal ( Jun Angeles) publisher and Lito Velasco editor for providing the exposures to the public and Roland Latorre of Himig Pinoy.
(Left-rigt)Doc Chum, Cecille ,Lena ,Annabelle ,Thelma.(Photo by Jun Angeles)
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Community | Business
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
MC Jomari interviews realtor Ryan.
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Skin Leuer staff Marilou, Zabrina and Mikaela.
Announcement of the lucky winners of prizes courtesy of AJ's Gold Jewelry and Accessories.
Doc Chum (center) with two of her valued clients.
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Pastor Edna Agustin.
Singer Anson Chua.
Chef Ryan Palisoc.
Resty Reyes of Fly Friendly Travel and Tours.
Marjorie Carmona-Newman.
Teri Reyes and Victoria Ewert.
Photos by Moses Billacura /AFJ
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Community | Business | Philanthrophy
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
Palabok House gets out of the house
Sumwinter’s Birthday Celebration at Palabok House. Happy birthday Sumsum!
Lydia Jimenez brings the Palabok House Family outside the house. Along with staff and some of her friends, they stepped out to feel the summer breeze. The contagious virus can no longer stand stronger than the heat of the sun. A corner of Sylvan Lake also had a splash of red with the birthday celebration of Mel and Rona Gallardo’s son, Sumsum. Goodbye, Covid-19! No more quarantine!
Act of Charity: Third in a row
Lexus of Edmonton and Mr. Ian Fernandez handed their monthly donation over to Mr. Jose “Jun” Angeles, as their commitment to Pantawid Calamity Fund, which is one of COPAA’S primary projects. The purpose of the Fund is to support the victims of calamities in the Philippines.
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Arts and Culture | Business
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
ARTOSPECTIVE - an artist’s point of view
Ida Beltran-Lucila ida_b_lucila@yahoo.com
T
he creative capacity of men is boundless. Artistic manifestations through time have been seen in stone, wood & bone carvings, cave paintings, murals, metal, canvas, and skin, to name a few. Tattoos have been evident in every human culture throughout history. Tattoos have been used in various ways: as a rite of passage, a symbol of social standing, medals, protection, symbol of spiritual devotion and love, and for purely aesthetic reasons. Tattoos were a prominent feature among pre-Hispanic tribes of the Philippines. The Spanish explorers dubbed the local people as Los Pintados (The Painted Ones) as the natives they encountered were heavily tattooed. But these were not just body decorations, as the position of tattoos on one’s body
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Batok - Exploring Skin Art has meaning. Chest tattoos are given to those who have been in a series of battles. As their war experiences grew in number, their tattoos would also cover their backs. Facial tattoos are special markings that are reserved only for those who are proven to be the bravest warriors of their tribe. In some tribes, tattoos symbolize the number of heads taken during a headhunt - the more heads, the more elaborate and broad the design. There is a ritual where hands and wrists or warriors are tattooed after their first kill. Women’s tattoos were regarded as marks of beauty and fertility. For some tribes, tattooing of a respected warrior is followed by his female children and female first cousins, as a sign of belonging to a renowned clan of warriors. If a woman did not bear the suffering that came with the tattoo process, she would be scorned by other members of the tribe and labeled as an outcast. Tattoos are also believed to serve in the passage to the afterlife, and to protect a person from evil spirits. However, with the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, the Americans, and the Christian missionaries, traditional practices such as tattooing gained negative stigma and were discouraged. In the remote areas of Mindanao and in the Cordilleras, untouched by Spanish influence, the practice of tattooing was preserved. It is in the mountainous region of the Cordilleras where one can find 104 year old Apo Whang-Od, the last practitioner of batok, the traditional tapping style, where ink is hammered into
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the skin using the spike of a calamansi (lime) tree attached to a bamboo stick that has been dipped in wet charcoal. Currently you see tattoos with a mixture of contemporary and tribal motifs. Outside of the Philippines, more and more people consider tribal tattooing as a means to connect to their heritage. And there are increasing efforts to preserve original practices and Filipino tribal designs in the Filipino diaspora. In the US, Lane Wilcken, a cultural tattoo practitioner, uses the batok technique, with his personally made tools, some of which are now extinct in the Philippines. His approach is spiritual, incorporating rituals, chants, food offerings and prayers in the tattoo process. In California is the tattoo tribe Tatak ng Apat na Alon (Mark of the Four Waves), which aims to revive tribal designs, encouraging its members to research symbols that strengthen their connection to their Filipino heritage. In Vancouver, Mayo Landicho is another batok practitioner, learning the practice from Apo Whang-Od. He travelled to the remote village in the Cordilleras to learn the technique after having several recurring dreams telling him to reconnect to his cultural roots. In Richmond BC, tattoo artist Romeo Reyes incorporates baybayin, an indigenous writing script in the Philippines, into his designs. There are many ways to instill and strengthen cultural pride - through the performing arts, visual arts, literature, film, cuisine, fashion and skin art. When one sees or contemplates a tattoo continued on page 24►
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Points of View | Business | Community
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
Digging Deeper into the Definition of “Survival Mode” 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. She completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta, and has a career in the nonprofit sector. 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, FilipinaYEG, and self-published a book called The Humanity of Me, and is active in numerous volunteer-based initiatives.
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ack in 2017, during a political engagement event, I was chatting with a few people complaining that too few people volunteer for political campaigns. While I understood the frustration to a degree, as I looked at that event room full of lawyers, businessmen, government employees, I tried my best to say respectfully “most people are in survival mode”. A program coordinator for a career development program told me it is tough to convince newcomers to participate in their career development programs and I am not surprised. I gently pointed out “will the program pay their bills while they are in this program?” Many people are in survival mode, living day by day, putting food on the table and having to scrape by to ensure they can pay the upcoming bills. That impacts what they can do right now and limits the ability to pursue important activities that don’t have immediate payoff, like education, career development, community service, or political advocacy. How can you attend a rally or vote when you have to work your two jobs? How can you attend an educational program when you have to worry about paying rent and groceries? Will this activity financially make up for wages lost? Survival mode means no medium-term or long-term plans about the future, and the inability to see one’s actions from that perspective. Many of us are in this mode right now,
either due to the impacts of the pandemic, the difficult realities faced right upon immigrating to Canada, or because of countless personal issues and needs that pile on top of each other in rapid succession. Survival mode influenced my experiences as a university student in Edmonton. There were so many student programs I badly wanted to participate in, that I opted out of because of survival needs, and immediate financial reasons. Just like back in the Philippines I would have loved to represent my school in academic competitions, where I could challenge my skills and gain prestige for myself and my school. But that involved fees and not missing work. That was an unacceptable option when I had to pay for home expenses for both myself and my little brother who just arrived in Edmonton. I would have loved to go for a Study Abroad program. Financially, that’s a double negative because on top of not earning money to pay for my room, I would also need to incur additional expenses from being away. What I did pursue successfully, is my university’s Cooperative Education Program, a program where students apply for jobs and get paid an actual office worker wage. It extended my university degree by 16 months. The wages
Mayor Peter Brown and members of City Council were delighted to join the Philippine Consulate Generals Office, the Filipino Airdrie Association (FAA) and City Staff to commemorate the Dr. Jose Rizal joint project. June 19 was the 160th birth anniversary of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal and was celebrated with a groundbreaking
from that job, in addition to keeping my retail job in the evenings and weekends, helped boost my income, support myself and my brother, and kept my student loans from growing. And a few years after university, after finding my first career job, that is where I slowly shifted out of the ‘survival mode’ state. I have resolved my debt from my first visit to the Philippines, paid off my student loans, bought a house and started an emergency fund. Then, and only then, was I able to pursue a lot more community-oriented and big-picture pursuits, such as volunteering for my neighbourhood, volunteering for the Filipino community, participating in leadership programs, and the biggest, most resource-draining of activities, running for public office. I do believe that many people can make a big difference in solving our social, political and economic issues, people who are full of ideas, heart, and potential. But everyone needs time and understanding, while they are unable to do so yet because of immediate, survival needs. I hope that as we rise from the harsh, unexpected hardships inflicted by the pandemic, that more of us can rise above survival mode into a state of making a positive change long-term, both for ourselves and the community.
of the Rizal Monument that will be installed in Nose Creek Regional Park. The Rizal Monument Project was initiated by the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) and is being implemented in collaboration with Airdrie City Council and the Filipino Airdrie Association (FAA) and is expected to be completed by October 2021.
(Pictured: Mayor Peter Brown, Consul General Zaldy Patron and FAA'S Mr. Jun Martin).
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Inspiration | Philippine Consular Updates
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Grad leans on family, cultural community to persevere after heartbreaking losses Januel Ibasco kept his goal of a sports business career in sight despite the deaths of his mother and grandmother, and was inspired to explore his Filipino roots through volunteering. By Michael Brown | University of Alberta
After tragedy struck Januel Ibasco's family, the aspiring sports business executive moved forward by persevering in his education and exploring his Filipino roots through community involvement. (Photo: Ryan Whitefield)
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he traditional Indigenous game of “Back Push” sees two competitors seated on the ground back-to-back with their arms locked. The object is to stand up together but push your opponent out of a designated area. The goal of a children’s version of the contest is to simply communicate and lean on each other in such a way that eventually both kids are standing. Indigenous games were at the
heart of an undergraduate research project Januel Ibasco did when he was a third-year Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation student as part of the course KRLS 323: Aboriginal Peoples and Physical Practices: Canadian Perspectives. For the study, Ibasco conducted a literature review exploring the importance of traditional Indigenous physical activity for Indigenous youth. He found a myriad of benefits including increased cultural pride and rediscovery, and a deepened connection to family. “This is just a simple game for younger children, but it teaches kids the importance of leaning on those around you when things get hard,” he said. Unfortunately, Ibasco had learned that lesson—the value of seeking support in times of need— first-hand four years ago in the most heartbreaking way imaginable. A month before he was to start his studies at the U of A, his mother suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and died. The university offered the grieving Ibasco the option to defer his start, but he decided to soldier on. “With education being so important to her, I wanted to continue on and get busy with school,” he said.
Barely two months into that first year, the Ibasco family suffered another tragedy when his grandmother was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. “Right after my classes, I’d go to the hospital to be with her and take over some of the care,” he said. His grandmother died just a couple of days before final exams started. Again, Ibasco had a chance to defer his exams. He chose to push through. “With all the challenges, I definitely leaned on my friends and family— particularly my dad, my sister and my girlfriend—all of whom helped me cope and encouraged me to do what I needed to do,” he said. “Despite losing two important people in my life, I believed that getting an education and becoming more involved in the community were great ways for me to move forward from these challenges.” And move forward he did. Ibasco—who graduates this week with a bachelor of arts in recreation, sport and tourism (BARST) with a minor in sport and recreation management—directed his lifelong love of sport and recreation into an interest in the business of sport. “I came out of high school looking for a program that mixed both business and sport,” he said.
PHILIPPINE CONSULAR INFO SERIES
“I believe the BARST program is a hidden gem at the U of A.” Academics wasn’t the only thing on Ibasco’s mind during his time at the U of A. The death of his mother and grandmother inspired a desire to explore his Filipino roots. Their stories of the Philippines, of coming to Canada before he was born and of the vibrant Filipino community in Edmonton made him want to strengthen his connection to the culture. Ibasco put his penchant for writing to good use by volunteering with the Alberta Filipino Journal. There, he started out with a column reflecting on different multicultural events around Edmonton, and then morphed his space to feature Filipino businesses across Alberta during the pandemic. “It’s all volunteer work, but it’s something I’m passionate about,” he said. “I just like meeting new people in the community.” Ibasco also volunteers with the Recreation for Life Foundation, an Alberta charity that promotes recreation as essential for enhancing individual well-being, community vitality, economic sustainability, and natural resource protection and conservation.
Suite 920, 517 10th Ave SW, Calgary AB, T2R 0A8 ▪ Tel: 403-455-9346; 403-455-9457
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“Leisure and recreation are the few things that a lot of people do in terms of relieving stress in our lives,” he said. “The foundation really hammers home the message that the only way to get through the difficulties we all go through is to take time for ourselves, to engage in leisure.” Ibasco will start law school at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., in the fall. His main focus will be sports law, but he’s also considering immigration law, something that has been on his mind since he was an adolescent listening to stories of his parents’ immigration woes trying to come to Canada. “This pursuit of law has inspired me to be part of the solution for immigrants,” he said. Before heading west, Ibasco will spend the summer helping to spread his love of golf as an ambassador with Edmonton’s River Valley Junior Golf Club. “We’re trying to grow the game of golf in the greater Edmonton area,” he said. “Our main values are integrity and respect—because we believe how you carry yourself on the course will translate to how you carry yourself off the course.” As for the U of A, he said he will miss his time on campus developing his passions and, maybe more importantly, help build community. “It can be daunting to meet new people, but it’s important to put yourself out there, get involved. If you’re willing to do that, the benefit will be surrounding yourself with not only like-minded individuals, but people coming from different backgrounds and expanding your worldview.”
Philippine Consulate General, Calgary www.philcongencalgary.org
1k Passport Applicants Served During Back-ToBack Outreach Missions In Edmonton, Alberta 30 June 2021, Calgary – More than 1,000 passport applicants benefitted from the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary’s back-to-back passport outreach missions in Edmonton, Alberta, on 22-24 June and 27-29 June 2021. The PCG’s two outreach missions were the first in the last 15 months as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the PCG from undertaking any outreach missions during the period. With the Province of Alberta under Stage 2 of its Open for Summer Plan and the vaccination rate in the province increasing, the PCG decided to resume its outreach missions. “We chose Edmonton as the site of our back-to-back passport outreach missions since the city hosts the second largest Filipino community in Alberta after Calgary. With the applicants now
using our online passport appointment system that allows the PCG to process passport applications faster than before, we are glad to have processed more than 1,000 passport applications in six days in Edmonton,” Consul General Zaldy Patron said about the successful activity of the PCG. The PCG sent two teams to Edmonton for the outreach missions, with the first leg headed by Vice Consul LV De Guzman and the last one led by Consul General Patron. The PCG also administered the oath of 13 applicants who retained and reacquired their Philippine citizenship under RA 9225. Meanwhile, the Office of the SSS Representative was able to attend to 48 clients during the second leg of the passport outreach. Public health safety measures were observed throughout the two passport outreach missions.
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Kitchen Tips | Philippine Consular Update | Religion
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
Reasons Why You Need to Eat or Drink More Watermelon KUSINA DIARIES
Leonila Samarita samleonila@gmail.com Leonila learned to take life in stride after realizing that life truly is what we make it. She believes that life, in every moment, brings opportunities for us to be better or do better. She is grateful. Finds joy in everything she does. She loves her life.
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atermelon is a beautiful summer fruit. Its sweet reddish-pink flesh can do more than refresh – it is also packed with nutrients that are good for you. It is delicious and fun to eat. Picking a perfect one from those big boxes in the stores is also a fun guessing game each time. Here are a few reasons why you need to consume more of it. It hydrates the body and can improve digestion With 92% water combined with fiber, it supports circulation and helps keep the digestive tract moving for normal bowel movements. According to Healthline.com, one cup of 100%
watermelon juice provides 6% of the Daily Value of potassium and magnesium. It also contains other electrolytes that help regulate essential body functions such as nerve signaling, muscle contraction and hydration. It promotes healthy skin and hair Watermelon is rich in vitamins A and C, both important for healthy skin and hair. According to the USDA, a cup and a half of watermelon contains about 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene, which helps protect your skin against sun damage. It lowers inflammation Inflammation is said to cause various illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Lycopene and vitamins A and C are abundant in watermelon. In a 2015 study, lycopene was found to reduce markers of inflammation and increase antioxidants in humans. One cup of watermelon was also found to provide 25% of our daily needs in vitamin C and 12% in vitamin A. These vitamins help keep blood vessel walls free of cholesterol deposits and protect bones and teeth. It helps maintain healthy eyes Lycopene’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help protect against age-related macular degeneration and keeps your eyes healthy. It helps maintain a healthy heart According to studies, lycopene helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Watermelon also contains amino acid and other vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B6, magnesium and potassium that are also good for your heart. How to pick your perfect watermelon Pick one that is heavy for its size. The bottom of the fruit should have a yellowish colour, which is a good indication that the fruit ripened on the vine. According to USDA, the lycopene content of watermelon increases by 11% to 40% when it is left at room temperature rather than in the fridge while beta carotene jumps by 50% to 139%. It is important to wash your watermelon thoroughly under running water before slicing to prevent contamination from the skin surface to the edible fruit. Ways to prepare and serve Watermelon is great as-is, but it can also be used to prepare sweet and savory dishes and different kinds of drinks. Combine it with other fresh fruits for a simple, refreshing salad. It can also be added
Be Humble And Simple Matthew 11:25-27
MAKE OUR DAILY GOSPEL READING TRENDING Like it and share it!
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.
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n today’s Gospel, Jesus is condemning intellectual pride. "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants.” What really matters to Jesus is not the head, but the heart. The brain is useless if the heart is empty. Our www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
I.Q. is nothing if all that we have learned prevents us from knowing and recognizing God. There are so many clever and well-educated people around nowadays, but riends, we don’t need to be intelligent. We are called to be simple and humble. Stay away from pride for it closes the truth about God. Only the humble can receive true wisdom from above. Child-like simplicity and humility are the keys we need to keep. It is the childlike mind that finds the kingdom. My dear friends, let our intelligence be a medium to learn humility and simplicity. To know Jesus, it requires humility. It is only the simple and humble who recognize the Lord. Today’s Gospel is teaching us this message: Be simple and be humble! The clever and welleducated people are those who look at themselves as infants. Like infants, have room in your heart to accept new things and learn about Jesus. Unless we can be like infants, we can’t be happy. Let me end with the words of Mencius: “Great is the human who never lost his childlike heart.” Blessings Fr. Jhack
to a vegetable salad with your favorite vinaigrette dressing. Combine it with diced mango, cucumber, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper for a hearty salsa. The white rind can be dipped in batter then deep fried for a delicious snack. The list is endless. My favorite? Pureed watermelon. It just takes the one ingredient, or you can add some ice for that extra refreshing cold drink, which is especially welcome during these hot summer days.
from page 13
Why should we care about the Indian... to and destruction of traditional ways of life and practices, and loss of identity and culture”. The disrespect and discrimination of IP became the norm in the Philippines. These negative attitudes, and the lack of respect and understanding of IP were carried by the Filipinos when they came to Canada. Often referred to as “pana” or bow and arrow, indigenous people in Canada faced the same discrimination and disrespect from my community. We mimic the same white supremacist attitudes towards them. The belief is that the “pana” are dangerous as they are alcoholics and addicts; and lazy as they are dependent on Canadian government handouts. Common History of colonization: Like Canada, the Philippines was colonized by Europeans. In particular, the Spanish. The colonizers imposed the same tactics of using the church on one hand and the military on the other to pacify the people. The Spanish colonizers stayed for over 300 years. from page 21
Batok - Exploring Skin Art design, look beyond the aesthetics of the patterns - for thin parallel lines may symbolize a complex indigenous irrigation system; the sun and snake for ancient gods; the crocodile jaw facial tattoo for the deity responsible for transporting
While they did not allow Filipinos (or the indios) to be educated, it was the American colonizers that imposed the policy of “benevolent assimilation”, initially sending 600 teachers on board the battleship USS Thomas, calling them the “Thomasites”. It was the colonial system of education that tightened the hold of America on the Philippines. We were taught at a very early age the American language, starting with the alphabet. “A is for apple” to the people in the land that grows no apples. People started to crave apples and this was born the market for colonial goods. Like the indigenous people in Canada, the Filipinos were stripped of their indigenous identity by their colonizers. Now, the remaining indigenous people continue to fight for their culture, community, and their way of life amidst the ongoing harassment and forced disappearances. They are victims of extra-judicial killings by state forces just for protecting their ancestral lands. Similarly in Canada, indigenous peoples and
dead spirits into their resting place; zigzag lines represent water which is the source to maintain all life; mountains represent perseverance and stoicism; or a centipede as a protection from evil forces. And for some, the act of tattooing goes beyond the physical pain but is viewed as a process of knowing your ancestry and family history
nations continue to fight for their land from extractive industries and oil pipelines passing through. Moving forward The recently discovered graves are only a small part of the issue. The fact that this happened for such a long time and was allowed to continue until 1997 is a shame. The graves are just proof that it truly happened. There are many readings and writing about the fact that the Federal Government, RCMP, local police forces, the courts, and many churches worked together to systematically abuse and eradicate entire generations of kids. As occupants of Treaty 6 territory, we, the Filipino diaspora must consistently educate ourselves and our community about the colonization of Canada and the continuing oppression of its indigenous people. We must also equally educate ourselves on our own colonization and displacement. Then perhaps we can see that connection. In the meantime, as human beings, we need to understand the pain our indigenous brothers and sisters are going through, and provide support by not staying silent.
and finding symbols or patterns that resonates to the person, of creating a spiritual practice of generating energies to empower the symbols bestowed on the skin, and being one with one’s history, environment and individuality. To comment on this article, go to https:// www.philippineartscouncil.com/blog.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Points of View | Inspiration | Obituary
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL So The World will Know! INSIDE EVERY FILIPINO IS A HERO! VERY PROUD TO BE PINOY! Heroes are Ordinary People who make Themselves Extraordinary!
PINOY MAKABAYAN Salute to Real Life Heroes Series:
“Surfer ROGER CASUGAY” HUWAG PAGTAKHAN! (“DON’T MARVEL at MR. MARVEL”)
Hermo Toribio Reyes Pagtakhan
The Filipino Surfer sacrificed SEA Games 2019 Gold Medal to SAVE Indonesian Competitor from Drowning! Iyan ang PUSONG PINOY! Talagang VERY PROUD Ako to be PINOY! Filipino Roger Casugay, hero surfer sacrifices gold to save a fallen competitor at SEA Games event The 2019 Southeast Games (SEA Games) proved to be more than just a show of athletic skills at the surfing competitions held in La Union. Roger Casugay gave up his gold aspirations to help out a competitor in the 30th Southeast Asian Games’ men’s longboard event.
According to multiple accounts, Casugay was one of the favorites to win the event together with teammate Jay-R Esquivel. He was ahead of the pack. The 30th edition of the SEA Games witnessed a show of heroism, sportsmanship, and camaraderie from Filipino surfer Roger Casugay. The incident happened right in the middle of the surfing competition at the 30th SEA Games in San Juan, La Union. The waves were high and strong that day. While both competitors were showing off their surfing tricks, Indonesian Arip Nurhidayat fell off his board when the leash broke off, leaving him stranded in open water,
waves threatening to swallow him as his teammates and the rescue crew scrambled to get to him. When the Philippine team surfing coach noticed that the Indonesian surfer was being hammered and overwhelmed by the big waves, he told the event announcer to inform Roger Casugay of what was happening. Casugay turned back to help his competitor, losing out on his opportunity to win the competition. Roger’s act gained admiration and praise from people who witnessed the event and everyone who learned about the story. In fact, the video has gone viral on the internet. Despite missing out on his chance at gold in the event ending, Casugay felt like a champion as Nurhidayat raised his hand in victory. It was something much sweeter than any title. Once again, a sense of Filipino pride enveloped the host nation of the biennial meet in the midst of an outpouring of praises for the Filipino surfer’s heroic deed, adding to the
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ROGER CASUGAY FILIPINO SURFER HERO IN 2019 SEA GAMES
goodwill of Filipino athletes and SEA Games staff that was shown to the guest athletes. Praises for the Philippines have been noted as the people of the host nation have stepped up with the Pinoy Bayanihan spirit to welcome guest athletes and spectators who are in the Philippines for the SEA Games held last December, 2019. (Story and Photos Credits to ManilaPapers.com)
hermopagtakhanlaw@ hotmail.com Cell: (780) 905-9288 Hermo Toribio Reyes Pagtakhan of Edmonton, Alberta is a Lawyer who had practised for more than 25 years in the Philippines and in Alberta and thereafter, was an Index Options Trader in Wall Street. He is currently a Family Counselor with Arbor Memorial Gardens whom he joined in 2013. Hermo is also President of PROXSMART GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES and of NOTIFY GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES which develop Mobile Apps for Digital Marketing and Contactless Technologies which enable Businesses to operate their businesses and at the same time keep their Employees and Clients safe from Covid19 Contamination. ROGER CASUGAY FILIPINO HERO HELPSINDONESIAN SURFER ARIP SAFELY TO THE SHORE
1 INDONESIAN SURFER INTROUBLE
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Philippine Ambassador's Update | Horoscope | Mind Twisters
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
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Monday brings opportunities for emotional healing when Mercury in Cancer trines Jupiter in Pisces. Talking to someone about your childhood or family issues can help you gain closure and heal. Score karma points by doing good deeds in private, Aries.
Emotional blocks hit you hard when Pallas retrogrades in Pisces and your habit zone on Wednesday. During this retrograde, it could be hard to find the energy to be very productive. Remember to take proper care of yourself to stay healthy. You can’t find a new routine if you feel sick, Libra.
Are you feeling a little obsessed, Taurus? As Pallas retrogrades in Pisces on Wednesday, you could become more fixated on noticing what others have that you don’t. This can lead to jealousy. Take a break from social media and work on helping others instead of focusing on what you feel is missing from your life.
This week brings some trouble with creativity and self-expression when Pallas retrogrades in Pisces and your sector of pleasure on Wednesday. You might feel creatively blocked or not find much pleasure in life, leading to frustration. Take a step back and try to relax. You might just need a break.
After embarrassing yourself publicly last week, you have a chance for redemption when Mercury in Cancer trines Jupiter in Pisces on Monday. Your valuable ideas can help you in your career and boost your self-esteem. Show your bosses just exactly why you’re an asset to the team.
Make the first move when it comes to family matters as Mercury in Cancer trines Jupiter in Pisces on Monday. Your words have the power to transform your family relationships, whether you’re asking for money, or trying to create harmony in the home. Express your intimate feelings to gain understanding.
Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but when Pallas retrogrades in Pisces and your intimacy zone on Wednesday, distance could feel downright unbearable. This means that it could be very difficult to be far away from a loved one during this time. Overwhelming emotions could shake up your life, so find healthy outlets where you won’t lose your cool.
You like to move fast, Leo, but as Pallas retrogrades in Pisces and your intimacy zone on Wednesday, change could be moving too quickly even for your fiery nature. This could make change so overwhelming that you cling to the past for self-protection. However, this is an opportunity for rebirth. Let go of the past so you can move forward.
Your week begins on a positive note when Mercury in Cancer trines Jupiter in Pisces on Monday. It’s a day of connections. You could get asked out by a crush, hang out with friends, or volunteer to help others. Wishes can come true, so be open to receiving good things.
June 2021 Crossword's Solution
Communication issues kick off your week when Pallas retrogrades in Pisces and your communication zone on Wednesday. The asteroid could make it difficult for you to get your point across or express your emotions. Stress can feel overwhelming, especially when you can’t turn off your brain. Ask friends for help coping with this stress.
The week brings potential money issues when Pallas retrogrades in Pisces and your value zone on Wednesday. You may struggle with how you spend and save your money—or even become obsessed with it. You might also struggle with self-esteem during this retrograde, so try to remember your worth, especially when money is tight.
Start the week by doing things that make you happy, Pisces. On Monday, Mercury in Cancer trines Jupiter in your sign, making it an excellent day to practice selfexpression and do things that bring you pleasure. Focusing on having fun will bring you good luck and great vibes.
1. Company (abbr.) 5. Heel 8. Long (for) 12. Wide-mouthed pitcher 13. Tumult 14. Strategy 15. Supported 17. Pause 18. Colleague 20. TV pooch 24. Change 25. _____ span 28. Tempo 29. Light brown 30. Average skirt 34. Electricity source 36. Trap 40. Contact ______ 41. Lunchroom 44. _______ of passage 45. Native of England's capital 50. Nights before holidays 51. Compass direction (abbr.) 52. Fit 53. "Wish You _____ Here" 54. Poet's eternity 55. Freeway exit
DOWN
1. Passing grade 2. Possess 3. Maroon
4. ____ and con 5. Part of VCR 6. Citrus drinks 7. Extinct bird 8. Fourth month 9. Shoe spike 10. Undue speed 11. Register 16. Shower 19. Tuna container 20. Science rm. 21. Gobbled up 22. Amtrak terminal (abbr.) 23. Tennis unit 26. Author _____ Fleming 27. Brief joke (hyph.) 30. Adult male 31. That thing's 32. Bambi's mom 33. Tax agcy. 34. Receive 35. Enjoy a book 36. Metal fastener 37. Innocent 38. Behind 39. ____ Witherspoon of "Sweet Home Alabama" 42. Ultimatum word 43. Fragrant flower 46. Boat paddle 47. Hoops league (abbr.) 48. Graceful tree 49. Dem.'s foe
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 2021 Issue Sudoku's Solution
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Community | News | Greetings | Media Partner
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POTATO CORNER OPENS IN SOUTHGATE MALL
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ne of the tastes of Philippines opened in Southgate Mall last June 30, 2021. Rodriguez’s family truly appreciated the presence of their friends and customers during the simple ribbon cutting. Free Potato Corner fries were served by the crew in all corners of the mall. While it is true that winning a man’s heart is through his stomach, it is also true for the Rodriguez family that prospering in business is through satisfying people’s taste buds as well as meeting their budgets. The business is superbly good when you serve delicious food. “17 more branches will be opening soon,” according to Mr. Nelson Rodriguez. “This will definitely create more jobs to serve and boost Edmonton’s economy,” he added.
Photos by Lito Velasco
Congratulations, Jeremelle! As you graduate from High School at Jasper Place, a new beginning looms as you take the next big step to a higher level of education University. We all look forward to seeing you succeeding and that someday, your dream of becoming a doctor will come to fruition. Always remember that we are proud of you, happy for you, thinking about you, and will unconditionally support you in your chosen field and endeavours in the future. Love, Mom and Dad
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Graduation Day isn’t over Travelling in life is travailing. There is no professional who hasn’t gone through tedious theoretical and practical training. Being educated is an advantageous asset in today’s competitive world, be it in employment, business, politics, and other careers. Lucky are these parents for having this young lady who graduated with honors. It is guaranteed by looking through her eyes that a company, business industry, and other institutions will not be deprived of success by having this kind of professional on their team. One who knows not only to apply what she learned from her education, but also knows how to project a philanthropic vision through her contagious smile. Congratulations on you graduation and happy birthday, Jessica Juno Pulongbarit De Jesus!
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Philanthrophy - Community
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Sports | Politics | Education | Business
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
JAN THE MAN’S NOTE
Januel Cedrick Ibasco Januel Cedrick Ibasco is a proud Filipino-Canadian who is currently a student at the University of Alberta and is studying to obtain 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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Edmonton’s River Valley Junior Golf Club
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he River Valley Junior Golf Club (RVJG) located in Edmonton, Alberta is a non-profit organization that is one of the most accessible golf clubs in Edmonton because of the accessibility to three municipal golf courses which include Rundle, Riverside, and Victoria. With different levels of memberships offered by the RVJG one can expect to pay as little as $75.00 to $450.00 max for the entire season. Golf as many of you know, is an expensive sport and the RVJG looks to promote golf in the greater Edmonton area to get more of our youth (aged 6-18 years) out on the course and learning the game. As someone who was a junior with this golf club for six years, I can attest to the many benefits that are offered by the RVJG and amazing individuals I was able to meet. Some of the perks of being a part of the golf club is access to lessons and clinics that are discounted if the junior is a
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member. Not only that, juniors are allowed one free bucket of golf balls at the Victoria golf course driving range daily for the entire golf season! Another benefit includes golfing with ambassadors out at Riverside and Rundle where juniors can gain skills in course management, course etiquette, rules of the game, and meet other members of the golf club. Furthermore, throughout the
summer juniors can participate in competitive and non-competitive golf tournaments hosted by the club. Lastly, a benefit that was meaningful for me as a junior was the organization’s annual funding towards scholarships and bursaries towards post-secondary education.
Parents and guardians, if you would like your child to get outside and enjoy Edmonton’s beautiful summer weather, consider signing them up to join the River Valley Junior Golf Club and meet new people, gain new skills, get exercise, compete, and most of all – have fun! Check them out at rvjg.ca.
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Greetings | Media Partner
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE: Moving Forward
Birthday is everyone’s most cherished moment as this is when we celebrate the covenant between life and its Giver. Nobody is born alone. There are two causes of life that we have to acknowledge, appreciate, and recognize. The first is the Ultimate Cause or Giver, our God and the second are the proximate causes, our parents. Now, He who doesn’t acknowledge, appreciate, and recognize his or her life is also rejecting its Causes. Lucky are these individuals who truly celebrate life with the significant people around. May you all continue to share the gift of life to others. Active co-existence follows essence.
Aaliyah 10th
Happy Birthday to the most beautiful 10-year-old girl in the whole, wide world. Sweetheart, I hope you enjoy this very special celebration of your life with great joy and happiness. Aaliyah Angeles is the daughter of Mike and Katie Angeles and the granddaughter of AFJ publisher Jun Angeles.
One and a half decade: Arielle Hope Velasco “Arielle Faith or Arielle Hope Velasco?” These were the two choices given to me when this pretty little girl was still in her mom’s womb. I chose the second for the very simple and practical reason: “We can sustain life devoid of any material possessions, but, we can’t without hope.” Dante Alighieri said: “Living without hope is living in desire.” We live on purpose. I cannot forget even until the day after forever that a real blessing came into our lives on July 14, 2006. It’s you, Arielle Hope. It was also that time when I got my full-time job at the University of Alberta Hospital. Was
it a coincidence or an accident? I would say no. It happened for a purpose, and that was to remind me of how beautiful life was, is, and will be. I was doubly blessed to have this new life born into our family, and to have a permanent job bestowed upon me in order to support our lives. Impossibility is the consequence of negativity. A pessimist never gains prosperity. What I really admire about our daughter is her sense of optimism. The love from her parents and her brother Aaron Jabez Velasco, and most of all, the love of God, will guide her into a bright future. Anak, Arielle Hope, as you turn 15, may you continue to grow in wisdom and may your dreams be your guiding lights. Happy Birthday! Congratulations for also completing your Grade 10! New chapter is awaiting in the corner for your further education. Walking one step at a time is the right time. www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
Rochelle Amoronio
Abby Lheraine Dionzon
JR Montano
Albert Dizon
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
JULY 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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Business
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Business
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL JULY 2021
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA