MAYOR’S COLUMN
inside look
Filipino Community NOV. 29, 2008 Made Big Impact on 2008 Election
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BUSINESS FEATURE
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Boyhood Hobby Turns Into Thriving Business
MAINLAND NEWS
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Pinoy Workers in New York Recover $100,000 in Wages
HAWAII’S ONLY WEEKLY FILIPINO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER
HOUSE PANEL JUNKS GMA IMPEACH RAPS By Delon PORCALLA
he House justice committee voted 42-8 to dismiss the fourth and latest impeachment complaint against President Arroyo for “lack of substance,” with one prominent administration lawmaker likening the development to a “hearse of exhumed carcasses” being “led back to the graveyard.”
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“Litigations must not be interminable. Exhumation of carcasses of dismissed causes of actions is not sanctioned since there must be an end to litigation,” declared Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, vice chairman of the panel headed by Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor. He argued that four of the seven grounds for impeachment were “recycled, rehashed.” “The committee on justice, by virtue of the vote just taken, has declared to dismiss the complaint against President Glo-
ria Arroyo,” Defensor said, as he declared the proceedings over. Lagman said the issues on “Garci tapes,” the national broadband network deal with ZTE Corp. of China, the alleged 2004 electoral fraud, the extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, the Northrail project and the fertilizer scam have all been decided upon, or junked in the 2005, 2006 and 2007 impeachments. As for the three other grounds – the P500,000 alleged bribery to congressmen, the exploration of gold at Mt. Diwalwal and
By a vote of 42 against 8 mid-Wednesday, the House Committee on Justice, chaired by Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor (3rd from right seated), threw out the 4th impeachment complaint filed against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for having failed the constitutional requirement of sufficiency in substance. the alleged Quedancor scam – Lagman said they are all “destitute of substance.” The decision will be put to a vote in the full 238-member house next week, but the
legislature is packed with supporters of Mrs. Arroyo and is certain to endorse the dismissal of the complaint. (continued on page 4)
Foreign Businessmen Remain Upbeat on RP
Fil-Am Chef Hopes to Keep White House Job
By Ma. Elisa P. OSORIO
alter Scheib, former White House executive chef for presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, believes there’s a good chance the new Obama administration will retain the current chef, Filipino-Am Cristeta Comerford. Comerford was a food technology major at the University of the Philippines. She was born in 1962 to Honesto, an assistant school principal in Manila, and Erlinda, a homemaker. In 2005, she became the first female and minority executive chef at the White House. The position as executive chef draws a salary between $80,000 - $100,000 per year. The job requires creating menus for
oreign businessmen remain upbeat about the country’s economic situation saying that the Philippines will not enter into a recession next year and will even grow by three to five percent. “The agriculture sector will be one of the pillars of the local economy next year together with the remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), business process outsourcing (BPO) and mining,” Robert Sears, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc. (AmCham) executive director told The Star in an interview. According to Sears, there will be a slowdown in the economy as a result of the worldwide economic crunch but said the Philippines is somewhat protected. “The country is a bit insulated. Some sectors will be more affected like exports,” Sears said. ”There will be a slowdown but definitely
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not a recession,” he stressed. Sears said the Philippines has a number of growth areas that can be developed. “Mining is a bit sluggish now. The government should take a good look at this particular sector,” Sears said. Likewise, he said infrastructure spending can spur the economy and probably make up for the expected slowdown in foreign direct investments. “Naturally, foreign investments will go down given the economic situation. There will (continued on page 4)
state dinners, holiday functions and official luncheons hosted by the president and first lady. While these gala affairs can be chal-
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HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
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De Venecia’s Story
EDITORIAL
t may be a case of sour grapes. But is it the truth? And if it is, will it matter in a game of numbers, where the odds are stacked in favor of Malacañang? Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. finally broke his silence yesterday, testifying in impeachment deliberations against President Arroyo that she herself, apparently egged along by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and resigned Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, was responsible for awarding a $329-million contract for a government broadband network project to Chinese firm ZTE Corp. Facing his colleagues at the House of Representatives, De Venecia also said he was among the recipients of cash distributed at Malacañang last year in the middle of another impeachment deliberation. Published reports last year placed the amounts at P300,000 to P500,000 for every recipient, with most of the cash placed in paper bags. The bribe, De Venecia said, was in exchange for a watered down impeachment complaint that the House could toss out easily. De Venecia was not at Malacañang during the actual cash distribution, but he said P500,000 was sent to him. De Venecia held on to the cash, just as he held on to his story about the meeting between ZTE executives and a Philippine delegation that included the President, her husband and Abalos at ZTE headquarters in China. De Venecia was invited to the meeting — proof of which he presented a photograph that has been reproduced in his authorized biography. Shortly after the meeting, he said the President changed her mind about making the broadband deal a build-operate-transfer project. Instead it was awarded to ZTE, with taxpayers supposed to foot the bill for repaying the loan from China’s Export-Import Bank that would have financed the project. The deal, first disclosed by De Venecia’s son Joey, cost the
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
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Return to Sender Catholic bishops said they would not accept P500,000 that Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. said he received last year as a bribe from Malacañang in exchange for supporting a weak impeachment complaint against President Arroyo that could be easily dismissed. Instead, the bishops said, they would advise De Venecia to return the money to the sender. The question that remains unanswered is who the sender was. Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio reported receiving P500,000 in a brown paper bag after a meeting of provincial governors at Malacañang on Oct. 11 last year. But even Panlilio, who is on leave from the Catholic priesthood, says he does not know who should get back the cash – the reason why he continues to hold on to it. He also changed his original story, saying it was not Malacañang staff but Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza who gave him the cash. Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, whose department has jurisdiction over local government officials and who belongs to the President’s party KAMPI, or Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino, denied knowledge of the cash handouts that reportedly ranged from P200,000 to P500,000 each for governors and
congressman his speakership and his son the broadband contract. It took De Venecia another year before deciding to disclose what he claims is the truth behind the project, which also led to the resignation of Abalos. The long wait for De Venecia’s story has given his critics reason to accuse him of being afflicted with an acute case of sour grapes. This may be so, but the road to impeachment is littered with personal resentment. Now that De Venecia has talked, the public will see if the impeachment process is more than just a game of numbers. (www.philstar.com) congressmen, some of whom were not at the Malacañang gathering. Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco described his P200,000 as a Christmas gift. Misamis Occidental Gov. Leo Ocampos, head of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, denied the cash handouts. Some congressmen said they received their money from De Venecia’s office. Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone and Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, LPP secretary general and spokesman, respectively, said the money came from their group though not all their members were aware of its existence. On Nov. 6, House Deputy Speaker Ma. Amelita Villarosa said P500,000 received by one congressman came from her party, KAMPI. Villarosa’s husband, who was in prison, was cleared of the murders of two brothers and freed. Now De Venecia is saying the money came from Malacañang. He should have spoken up when he ordered an investigation into the cash handouts. From the start there was suspicion that it was dirty money. But with no one presenting receipts and no one to corroborate De Venecia’s story at this time, the nation may never know the source of the cash. The truth is unlikely to come from the recipients, who have long benefited from their attitude – when it comes to accepting cash – of don’t ask, don’t tell. (www.philstar.com)
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NOVEMBER 29, 2008
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
LEGISLATIVE CONNECTION Alternative to Prison: A Proposed Pilot Project
by Senator Will ESPERO report released by the renowned PEW Charitable Trust based in Washington D.C. highlighted a disturbing fact that 1 in 100 Americans are incarcerated. In Hawaii, statistics show 40% of those persons in prison are Native Hawaiians. Children of incarcerated parents are 5 times as likely to commit a crime. These statistics are very disturbing, and unless new approaches are tried to deal with our prison population, our prison costs will continue to grow and the revolving door of individuals going in and coming out of our corrections system will continue. In 1990, Hawaii's prison population was 2625. In 2007 the population was 6045. In 1985 our federal prisons held 31,364 inmates. In 2000 the population was 131,739 federal inmates. In 2004, Hawaii spent $165,348,591 on corrections. This year we will
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spend over $250,000,000 on our prison system. As the chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, I have been working on many ways to improve our prison system and make our communities safer. Dealing with criminals and inmates is not the most appealing task, but changes are necessary to keep costs under control and lower the recidivism rate of our offenders. I would like to share with you proposed legislation for next session which I am working on which would give some inmates early release if certain criteria are met. The proposal would be a pilot project involving 100 offenders with three years or less remaining on their sentences. Inmates convicted of violent crimes like murder, attempted murder, negligent homicide, assault, domestic violence, or home invasions would not be eligible to participate in the pilot project. Only model inmates who have good behavior in prison and who want to rehabilitate themselves would be selected. A key component of the pilot project is 24 hour, 7 day a week GPS electronic monitoring via an ankle bracelet. This would allow
the Department of Public Safety to track offenders using today's technology. Participants must have housing, a support group of at least 2 individuals, and must be enrolled in rehabilitation services or treatment he or she needs. Weekly drug testing will also be required for those offenders with drug-related activities. Offenders will also be required to work at least 20 hours a week, and a counselor or monitor will check with the participants on a regular basis throughout the week. The Department of Public Safety has recently completed an inmate classification review, and in preliminary reports, some inmates could be released into community-based programs. The Criminal Justice Institute based in Connecticut was contracted to complete the review, and some of these reclassified inmates could be candidates for the pilot project my legislation addresses. My estimates are the state could save at least $1 million for every 100 inmates released in community-based programs. The state currently has offenders in community-based programs like T.J. Mahoney and Hina Mauka, and participants have been suc-
cessful in these environments. Not all inmates are eligible for community-based programs, and some inmates deserve to be incarcerated. But over 90% of inmates will one day be released, and the state should be proactive in assisting offenders in turning their lives around and being productive members of society. Past actions have not always worked as can be seen in instances where someone is arrested with 25 arrests and 10 convictions or 45 arrests and 20 convictions. Locking them up and throwing away the key will not work anymore. We should help those who want to be rehabilitated
3 and keep problem individuals in prison where they belong. Hawaii spends over $250 million per year on corrections and inmates, and each year the costs increase. We spend over $50 million per year on the mainland due to overcrowded Hawaii prisons. Like many other states, we must reform our prison system and work with offenders who need and want help. Many non-profit organizations, churches, businesses, unions and individuals are being pro-active in our prisons and with released inmates today. My proposed pilot project involves only 100 of our 6000 plus inmates, and with the proper resources and the right attitude by all stakeholders, I believe the pilot project can be successful similar to the nationally recognized Hope Probation project currently being implemented by the Hawaii Judiciary.
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HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
HEADLINE
Under the Constitution, another complaint against her can only be filed one calendar year after an earlier complaint is dismissed. “I am perplexed why the complainants have not learned their lesson from their failures in the previous impeachment cases which were all dismissed for insufficiency of substance for alleging deficient or infirm recital of ultimate facts,” Lagman added. “Either there is a failure in craftsmanship and advocacy or the complainants cannot in truth and conscience really make out a case for impeachment,” Lagman said. “I believe it is not the default of legal craftsmen but a void of legitimate causes of action, a dearth of impeachable offenses attributable directly and personally against the President,” he maintained. Only House Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, and Reps. Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza, Teddy
Casiño, Teofisto Guingona III, Abigail Binay, Cinchona Gonzales and Rufus Rodriguez voted for the impeachment. Before the crucial vote was made, Casiño voiced his frustration at the majority lawmakers’ disregard of what he called overwhelming evidence against Mrs. Arroyo accusing them of playing “bulag, pipi at bingi (blind, mute, deaf).” Defensor ordered Casiño’s remarks expunged from the records upon the motion of Lagman, who described the militant lawmaker’s statement as “unparliamentary.” Also just before the vote, Maza alleged that some members of the justice committee had received up to half a million in bribes on Tuesday night from the government to dump the impeachment bid. Casiño recalled that as an “impeachment veteran,” being among those who voted to impeach Estrada in November 2000, their complaint then didn’t have to go
(cont. from page 1; Foreign ...)
States to look for ways to cut down costs,” Sears said. Earlier, the Makati Business Club (MBC) said that majority of local businessmen expect a recession in 2009, a more difficult credit environment, and a reduction in jobs. In a survey conducted among MBC members from Oct. 24 to Nov. 7, 87 percent of respondents agreed that the domestic economy will likely go into a recession next year. MBC executive director Alberto Lim said GDP growth will post a “mild downturn” towards the first quarter of 2009.
be a constriction of capital because there will be less money from overseas,” Sears said. Aside from the slowdown in foreign investments, Sears said remittances from OFWs may also decline as some overseas workers would lose their jobs and return to the country. However, he said contrary to what is being said by some economists, the BPO sector will continue to boom. “The BPO sector will grow because there is more pressure for firms in Europe and the United
(www.philstar.com)
NEWS (CONT.)
through the stage they underwent in the 2005, 2006, 2007 and the current impeachment cases. Defensor reminded him that during that time, the impeachment complaint reached the needed 85 votes or enough for it to make it to the Senate for trial. “We are still in the stage of determining substance. There is no argumentation if this is true or false. We are not saying the President is already guilty. We just have to go to another stage,” Rodriguez argued. Zamora, head of the 28-man opposition bloc, stressed that they have met the requirement put forth in the House rules on impeachment, including the recital of facts – a procedure over which the justice committee has jurisdiction. He said the principle of res judicata (barred by prior judgment), as explained by Lagman, does not apply. “The determination of sub-
stance is entirely different from probable cause,” Zamora pointed out. “We feel that we have passed that test on recital of facts,” he said. “There is no need to present evidence at this stage.”
‘TEMPORARY DEFEAT’ Opposition politicians however were clinging to the faint prospect that the full House could overturn the committee’s decision. “We suffered a temporary defeat,” said former speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. “But the fight will go on. The next battle on the floor will take place on December 2 and 3 and, depending on the flow of public opinion, there could be reversals,” De Venecia said. “It can happen. History can be made, knock on wood,” he said. “Our day will come,” Zamora said after resting the opposition’s case.
NOVEMBER 29, 2008 Casiño warned that blocking democratic avenues to remove Mrs. Arroyo may impel Filipinos to resort to another “people power” uprising, as they did to oust Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Estrada in 2001. “They’re courting danger by not allowing this democratic search for truth,” he said. Highlighting the days of heated nationally televised impeachment debate was the appearance of De Venecia who accused Mrs. Arroyo on Monday of bribing him and other lawmakers to ensure the defeat of last year’s impeachment complaint. De Venecia had a falling out with the administration after his businessman son Joey III linked First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo to the controversial NBN deal with China’s ZTE Corp. Mrs. Arroyo cancelled the deal after irregularities unraveled. (www.philstar.com)
(cont. from page 1; Fil-Am Chef ...)
lenging, Scheib says the greater challenge comes on the personal side—feeding the president, his family and guests. The White House chef’s sensitivity and understanding is just as important as culinary skills, given that the chef is among the few people who interact with the first family in private. “For the White House’s domestic staff, it’s all about learning the temperament and temperature of the first family,” Scheib says. “The crucial challenge is how you give them everything
they need and at the same time expand their horizons if they choose, but at the same time, not being underfoot.” Roland Mesneir, who retired after 25 years as the White House’s executive pastry chef, says “You have to almost be a clairvoyant—someone who can read a crystal ball and be able to judge what they would love today.” Both Scheib and Mesneir give Comerford high marks in that regard. While neither men believe she will be replaced, Tim Ryan, president of the Culinary Institute of America, says she will. Ryan has recommended John Doherty, executive chef at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Ryan also believes Obama could shake things up with a rotating cast of big name chefs for state dinners, in much the same way that former president John F. Kennedy invited famed artists and performers to the White House. Scheib says that if the Obamas do hire someone new, it won’t be a television personality or other famous chef. “None of those people have any idea what the job is about,” he says. “They’re temperamentally not suited for the job. You have to be a person who has a real heart of service. It can’t be someone who needs to see themselves on camera.” Mesneir would never recom-
mend a TV celebrity chef for the first family. “Celebrity chefs, in my book, are not chefs,” he says. “They’re entertainers.”
TOO EARLY TO TELL A spokesperson for Obama says it’s too early to comment on whether there will be a new executive chef. Speculation has focused on Art Smith, Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef; NBA basketball star Carmelo Anthony’s personal chef Daniel Young, who also cooked for Obama at the Democratic National Convention; and Rick Bayless, whose Chicago restaurant Topolobampo is a favorite of Obama’s. At the same time, members of the Organic Consumers Association are organizing a letterwriting campaign urging Obama to promote healthy, sustainable and organic eating by hiring a well-known organic chef such as Nora Pouillon or Alice Waters. Scheib says none of the above would be a good fit. “I get a kick out of all these people saying that the number one thing should be green or sustainable or this or that,” he says. “They’re missing the point. It’s not about advancing your agenda, building your repertoire or promoting your business. “It’s about serving the first family—first, last and in every way. That’s the only job.”
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
MAYOR’S COLUMN
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Filipino Community Made Big Impact on Election AROUND THE ISLAND by Mayor Mufi HANNEMANN ahu’s Filipino community hit a grand slam on November 4 with widespread support for rail transit, for President-elect Barack Obama, and for my re-election, and I’m very grateful to everyone involved. It’s heartwarming to receive such a mandate and to know that our sincere efforts to embrace the community and ensure its involvement in city government and decision-making has been recognized and appreciated. I was very proud to receive overwhelming support in neighborhoods with large Filipino populations such as Waipahu, Kalihi, Ewa Beach, Kapolei and Wahiawa. For example, I carried 71 percent of the vote in Kapolei, 70 percent in Waikele and part of Waipahu, and 68 percent in Ewa Beach. Mahalo
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and Maraming Salamat to all my supporters! We look forward to further strengthening our close relationship with the community as we move forward with rail transit, transit-oriented development in communities such as Waipahu, and with popular public events such as our annual Taste of Kalihi celebrations that have proven so successful. I was very honored to participate in the United Filipino Council of Hawaii Progress Awards and Reaffirmation of Commitment ceremony at the Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel on Oct. 31, where I received the Ating Kaibigan award. This was a wonderful event and truly demonstrated community spirit and dedication. I’m very grateful to UFCH President Eddie Agas Sr., and the entire board and membership, for this prestigious award. The UFCH and Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii were early and strong supporters of rail transit, and helped foster an informed discussion about the project and its merits. Voters’ strong support for rail transit has also demonstrated once again how important our rail project is to our community and its future. We’re moving ahead swiftly,
and we’re very pleased that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project predicts that it will reduce traffic congestion roughly twice as much as our conservative early estimates. The study found that traffic congestion would be reduced between 21 and 23 percent islandwide in the year 2030 depending on the rail route, compared to the “No Build” scenario. With reduced congestion, travelers will save significant time whether they travel by rail, bus or private vehicle. For example, in 2030, morning rush hour commuters to downtown from Kapolei would save an average of 30 minutes by using rail; from Ewa, morning commuters would save 25 minutes; from Waipahu, residents would save nearly 45 minutes, as would residents traveling from Mililani. That’s wonderful news for all of us. The election of Senator Barack Obama to the presidency was truly historic for our nation, and especially for Hawaii. We will now have a president who knows Hawaii and the issues that are important to us, and who does not need a map to travel between Waianae and Hawaii Kai, or from Laie to Wahiawa and Waipahu. Perhaps most importantly, our children now know that they can and should
Mayor Mufi Hannemann and wife Gail Hannemann on election night. aspire to greatness, just like the president who grew up where they live. We’re proud of you, President Obama! In other good news, we recently welcomed Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to Oahu and reviewed the company’s plans to build a mixed-use resort at Ko Olina. The resort is to include 350 hotel rooms and 480 timeshare vacation villas on 21 acres of oceanfront property, and Disney estimates the project will create 1,000 new jobs. I reviewed the company’s preliminary plans and a scale model of the resort during an October 16 briefing at Kapolei Hale with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo and Walt Disney
Imagineering Executive Vice President Wing Chao. I had met with Rasulo previously in California and urged him to move forward with this unique project, which should help boost our economy and provide jobs that are badly needed, especially in the Leeward area. Plans call for the resort to feature an extensive water play area including a small river, waterslides and several pools. The resort will also include a spa, a conference center, a kids’ club and a wedding lawn with a view of the ocean. I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen so far, I’m pleased that Disney has chosen to invest in Oahu, and I believe they’ve made a wise choice.
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HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
ALL IDEAS CONSIDERED
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
Why...Is a Favorite Question We Ask, Why? by Felino S.TUBERA othing have I written under my column for quite a while. A reader called wondering, asking why. Motivation, hello! Are you still there? Inspiration, aloha! Who are you? I'm glad you called. I'm listening. Your call is a question I'm asking myself, too. Wondering and asking are two different things. Ask me important stuff about who, where, when or
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how, and I might be able to come up with some facts or information to those questions. But to questions as to why, I may disappoint you with no reason why. Well, let me take that back. I know I have not been writing lately, for no reason worth telling. My writing instrument is getting rusty, true, my mind fuzzy, sort of, not willfully. For me to know anybody cares to ask, I can only imagine and wonder why. Now my task is to ask myself the same question, why is that? This way I may be able to write something timid or tepid in return. No, I wasn't stranded in the Siberia of frozen thoughts. I wasn't lost in exotic faraway places or
hard-to-spell place-names like Timbuktu . I'm not in a gulag camp of tortured dreams. Not in a Guantanamo of forbidden secrets. Fortunately, my mind is still free to roam the Earth despite my wife's ( TRO ) TuberaRestrainingOrder against my forgetfulness in taking my doctor's prescription drugs. Aha! You got me there. I venerate medicine but I hate drugs. My wife gets confused in the definitions. I let her go with her suspicion that melamine is an ingredient in her nail polish because of the fungi that have populated her toenails, with her brand of self-insistence that defies logic or scientific reasoning. On this trivial issue, I offer no reason why. Well, to let you into my little corner of propagating inspiration for writing, let me say: time and airplanes are not the only things that fly: thoughts and ideas fly off the handle at times, and poor and clumsy handler of rhythm and order that I am, I do cave in to some less inspiring matters, or to priorities of lesser importance to the extent of neglecting, if not sacrificing the things closer and more endearing to my heart, like my love of writing. Chastise me. Blame that on my open-eyed obedience to domestic restrictions generated by the well-meaning house bills of obligation introduced now and then, by my legislative-processinspired-thinking wife of 38 years. In our house, there is a handful of clutter and home-management issues yet to be ironed in or thrashed out in order for us to make our home liveable physically, emotionally, spiritually. By year end, my wife and I are just 2 to 3 years short of becoming octogenarians. We are in the process of assessing and readjusting our individual needs and protocols for our mutual comfort and benefit. We both understand that getting old is mandatory, if not inevitable.
But growing old and feeling good are optional. In outlook or perspective, aging is relative. Growth is life in action. Life as a noun can be activated as a verb: living it. Activity is life. Life is activity. Live life as if dying, or not dying. It's a matter of choice. A viewpoint or point of view. There are times we trip over bumps on the roadway, set back by difficult obstacles. Other times, we emerge triumphant against unimaginable odds. Life sinks and floats. Life stumbles, bounces back, moves on. Which way? We have directions to determine, to follow, to pursue. We find ways to survive. We prevail. Death itself, we shall overcome. That's the promise of life. Sometime. Somewhere. Leave the question, how, to eternity. Back to the question why. Aren't the "whys' our favorite questions to ask? Why would anyone want to be happy as a clam? Why do we wish we were somebody else? Why has the present-day usage of the word alibi never changed from its Latin meaning (as an adverb) elsewhere? The planets in our solar system rotate counterclockwise, except one, Venus. Why? Considering how modern technology has changed our world, why is the phrase "You ain't heard nothing yet" so remarkable? Forget about cellular phones, text-messaging and holograms. Those 5 words were the first ones spoken on film by Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer, the first talking movie released in 1927. Why remarkable, honestly, I don't know. It just fires one's imagination into searching more why-questions. People don't care much knowing who invented the safety pin or the sewing needle. It is the why of things that ignites our curiosity. Why are we fascinated with cyberspace? So addicted to
WWW? According to Reader's Digest, the World Wide Web is so ephemeral, so beyond most people's ken, that it's hard to believe that it started in one place. But it did. Tim Berners-Lee, (son of two people who met designing a computer) designed it alone, in 1982, while he was working at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Switzerland. Basically, Berners-Lee took everything on the Internet and wove it into a web. (whence the Web). The very first Web site, by the way, was nxoc01.cern.ch, and the very first Web page was http://nxoc01.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/The Project.HTML. Addiction is something else. Asking the question, Who do I think I am with personal preferences in choosing questions to answer? The answer comes with a not-so-sweet taste of cynicism and a tad of sarcasm. Kind of an ego trip. There might be some delightful truth in knowing who we are, that we don't want to know. Or a shameful falsehood in the irony of not wanting to find out. Knowing not of our ignorance, who do we blame? Who are the Joneses we want to keep up with? Who are we to keep up with whom? It's no glorious achievement bringing out this trivia of sorts: that Woodrow Wilson is the U.S. President to hold a Ph.D. (John Hopkins, Political Science, 1886). Am I who to care for newfangled problems; who to question about new patron saints? Who am I to suggest changing old habits or getting rid of them, and minding people's lives other than my own? Who is talking about whom. Stuff like that. I leave the answers for questions of who, where, when and how...to experts who know better than I do pretending to know. Why? That's the question I'll keep asking. For any reason you can come up with, please let me know at tuberaf001@hawaii.rr.com.
SBA Resource Days Provide Help for Small Business HONOLULU, HI – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) can help small businesses access important information and resources to execute a viable, pro-active strategy to ride out the economic uncertainties that are now plaguing Main Street as much as Wall Street. SBA will conduct free, confidential consultations at several “SBA Resource Days” presented with area lenders in December. The private sessions will be tailored to the concerns and needs of the individual business owner. SBA’s experienced staff can explain the federal agency’s guaranteed loans, government contracting certifications and business development opportunities, and other sources for training, business counseling, planning, and technical assistance. Reservations are recommended for the 30 minute appointments and are available on the dates and at branch locations listed below. Dec. 4 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 10 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 19 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hawaii Central Credit Union 681 S. King Street, #102 First Hawaiian Bank 2411 S. King Street Honolulu Federal Credit Union 1001 Kamokila Blvd., #104
541-2990 Ext. 215 541-2990 Ext. 210 541-2990, Ext. 210
For more information or to set your appointment, call the Hawaii District Office at 541-2990. Registration is also available at www.sba.gov/hi . Appointments will be confirmed by SBA.
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
VIEW
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
FROM THE
The China Question
by Carlo CADIZ, M.D. aving been Asia’s central power for millennia, China has consistently dominated the politics and culture of much of the Far East. From Mongolia in the north to present day archipelagic Southeast Asia in the south, from Japan in the east to Turkey in the west, the depth and breath of the Chinese empire was unparalleled. The Chinese hegemony lasted for so long that much of the Far East’s trademark cultural DNA can be traced to Chinese roots. From rice to gun powder, from navigation to the invention of paper, the world would have been vastly different if the Middle Kingdom did not exist. And yet, as late as the early 70s, China was being dismissed even as a regional power. Its lack of a true market economy and a bankrupt financial system coupled
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with its backward social doctrines made it the virtual sleeping giant in the Far East. While its rival, Taiwan galloped into the 80s as a modern economic power, China was deeply embroiled in its internal political and cultural struggles. It was still so deeply embedded in its socialist path that seriously undermined its economic competitiveness. Although China possessed the largest standing army in the world, it took tiny Vietnam to claim victory in their border war in 1979. Although China also claimed victory in the same war, it was undeniably a major blow to China’s ego as a major power. For decades, China continued to be the giant panda in the room as it remained a diplomatic pariah in the world since most relations were carried out with Taiwan, a.k.a. The Republic of China. Until Nixon’s ping-pong diplomacy in the 1970s dramatically shifted China’s standing in the world. Looking for a counterweight to the USSR in the socialist world, Nixon sought to engage the world’s most populous country in what would be China’s debut into the modern world of diplomacy. One by one, Western nations relocated their embassies
from Taipei to Beijing. In fact, in one stunning stroke of genius, our very own Marcos preempted even the United States in shifting recognition to Beijing. Upon Mao’s death and the tumultuous power struggle that ensued, Deng Xiaoping emerged from the rubble of the Cultural Revolution to lead China into unprecedented modernization and prosperity. From the early 80s to the present, China’s unstoppable double digit growth became the stuff of legend. Not even Japan’s “miracle economy” after the 60s would compare with the speed and intensity with which China’s leadership pursued its giant leap forward. Overnight, fishing villages in the country’s south and southeast coasts turned into ultra-modern cities of trade and industry. It is estimated that if today’s national growth rates remain the same, 2020 would be the year when China takes over the title as the world’s largest economy. And this thought frightens a lot of people. The re-dawning of Chinese hegemony after almost half a millennium of lagging behind the West is a true cause for concern. Still a socialist country
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by loose definition, the prospect of Red China becoming number one creates anxiety for those who value free market as the way to go. While Beijing’s magnificent new skyscrapers would belie any centralized socialist planning, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) omnipresence in its streets during the Beijing Olympics was my constant reminder of China’s continuous embrace of its Maoist heritage. At the same time, however, China’s march into capitalism is just as unstoppable. The central government can continue to pledge allegiance to Mao for the duration of its existence, but one fact remains, its present prosperity is owed not to its hard-line socialist ideology but to its adoption of the free market. And if this prosperity should remain as the cornerstone of the present communist dynasty, the Chinese’ centuries old skills in trade will remain central to its way of life. In this regard, China has truly come of age. When I decided to see the Beijing Olympics, part of my enthusiasm in coming was that I knew it would be a monumental event for China. The Olympics would be China’s stage in presenting itself as a modern, welcoming, prosperous and culturally sophisticated
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power. I knew that the Chinese government would spare no expense in making it the greatest Olympic event in history. And Beijing did not disappoint me. If the Olympics would be any indication of how this massive civilization wants to engage the world, we should then be comforted by the outcome. It is also true that a lot of questions remain on how China conducts itself visà-vis Tibet, its regime’s stifling of political and press liberties, the perceived corruption in most levels of its bureaucracy, but it would be a serious mistake to reisolate this awaken giant. These are all the more reason to continuously engage China. To do otherwise is not only foolish, but extremely self-defeating.
A dyed-in-the-wool Thomasian, CARLO CADIZ finished High School, Pharmacy and Medicine at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. Born and raised in a conservative, middle class and landed family from a Southern Tagalog province, Dr. Cadiz has been exposed to the politics and economics of both the rich and the poor, urban and provincial. He edited The Varsitarian, UST's official organ and wrote briefly for the Manila Standard, one of the Philippines' leading national dailies.
Boyhood Hobby Turns Into Thriving Business their tanks. Then I go over (their selection) and make recommendations,” he said. “The aquascape is the true focus of the aquarium. Fish are only the supporting cast.” But it is those supporting casts that influenced him to turn his boyhood hobby into a full-time
by Caroline JULIAN It all began as a hobby for Jojo Raquel nearly three decades ago. He fondly remembers his parents buying his first batch of fish to put into an aquarium as a youngster. “I never thought that it would take me where I am today,” Raquel says. He’s since turned his boyhood activity of collecting fish and maintaining an aquarium into a thriving business. But it’s more than simply filling a tank with fish—it’s what he calls an aquascape. “It’s an aquarium that duplicates what you would see in nature or an underwater garden. (It’s) somewhat of a type of living art,” describes the 34-year-old Kalihi resident who fittingly calls his store Aquascape. “These living pieces create a relaxing atmosphere in the room. Not only (does) it stimulate the mind, it also calms the soul. It’s peaceful and serene,” Raquel says. The popularity of finding stress relievers for those looking for a break has put Raquel’s creations in demand. “Aquascaping has become a new trend,” he says. “No pet store could fill that niche. We provide that special niche here in Hawaii. This is the first store of its kind which
specializes in rare aquatic plants and fish. There are a bunch of pets stores that carry aquariums and fish but none were dedicated freshwater stores.” Raquel says the response so far has been overwhelming and that people have been waiting for a specialty store like his for a long time. His clients come from all walks of life. His aquascapes can be found in doctors’ offices, stores and residential homes. Located in Aiea, the store has been open for eight months. It stemmed from a home business that up until three years ago provided aquarium maintenance services. Raquel is the only full-time employee but has three volunteer helpers. “We not only do custom setups and maintenance but also provide the tools and equipment that a hobbyist needs to excel in the
hobby at our retail store.” Raquel creates and designs the aquariums himself. A computer technician by trade, he has no formal training in aquaculture. But he perfected his craft through trial, error and experience through the years. “I’ve been in the pet industry for over six years and have been a hobbyist for almost all of my life.” His goal is to create an aquarium that radiates a peaceful and serene nature, creating a calming effect, small or large, for those with hectic lives or for others who want an aquarium with a twist. “The smallest is a beta bowl and the largest that I have done is a 650 gallon tank,” says Raquel, who has three children and is happily married to high school sweetheart, Rina. “Our clients would select what type of fish they would like to see in
business. “Never in my wildest dreams that thought I would turn this hobby of mine into a business,” Raquel says. “This (business) all started with a challenge from my wife. I took the challenge and still I am still running with it.”
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
COMMUNITY PARADE
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LANAI COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR by JP ORIAS
embers of the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls shared their talents in the medical profession and entertainment when they visited Lanai, last October 25-26, 2008 to administer free Flu Shots, Blood Pressure Screening, Bone Density and Blood Sugar (Diabetes) Testing, and curbside consultation at the Lana'i Recreation Center and show an abridged version of Butterflies & Kisses (It Takes More Than A Village To Raise A Child), a musical
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NOVEMBER 29, 2008
presentation by Doctors-on-Stage, on the night before the community health fair which served a combined total of some 300 residents of the quaint former pineapple-growing center. The rare package of Community Health Fair and show by the same group was brought to Lanai by BCWW in cooperation with the Lanai Filipino Community Council headed and mobilized by Jaughn Degamo and Jean Sumagit, United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii, LLP, Irvin C & Evea J, Bainum Foundation Inc., Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii and Hawaii Filipino Chronicle.
...MORE PHOTOS BY TIM LLENA
Dr. Roland Ylarde giving free dental check-up
L to R: Jun Abinsay, Jaughn Degamo, President of Lanai Community Council and Coordinator for the Lanai Community Health Fair, Dr. Nicanor Joaquin, President of the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls, Dr. Glorifin Belmonte, and Arnold Villafuerte
Photo shows officers, members and auxiliary members of the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls who volunteered in the community health fair
JP Orias administering the osteoporosis test
L to R: Dr. Bainum giving flu shot to a Lanai resident who availed of the free shot during the health fair
Dr. Benilda Luz-Llena administering a flu shot
Dr. Glorifin Belmonte, Drs. Richard and Mercedes Kua discussing the osteoporosis screening test
Dr. Carolina Davide giving curbside consultation to one of the attendees
Dr. Cielo Guillermo listening to the heartbeat of a health fair attendee
Peggy Laurel checking the blood pressure of an attendee
Dr. Nicanor Joaquin discussing the diabetes testing being given for free to the attendees
. L to R: (Remove Dr. Duke Bainum,) Shasha Dee Dayoan and mom, Jeanette, Imelda Joaquin and daughter, Desiree. Seated: Margie Bolosan
Volunteers of the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls on the way to the community health fair
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
PHILIPPINE NEWS
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HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
25TH Annual Kimona Ball Experts on Philippine Affairs to Lecture at UH THE 25TH ANNUAL KIMONA BALL was held on Nov. 22,2008
DR. BELINDA A. AQUINO and Dr. Federico V. Magdalena will speak on “Problematizing Philippine Citizenship: The Bangsamoro (Moro Nation) Challenge” on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 from 12 noon – 1:20 pm at Burns Hall, Room 2118 on the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus. The presentation will explore the meanings of cultural citizenship in Filipino Muslim history in the context of the continuing tension between the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which have recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement to expand the current Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This Agreement has met with violent objections from various Muslim, Christian, indigenous, military and other groups, particularly in North Cotabato and the Lanao provinces in Mindanao where the fighting has resumed. Aquino and Magdalena will analyze four basic issues connected with this continuing problem—the colonial complexity of Philippine history, the concept of ancestral domain, the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE), and the series of peace talks that have been going on since the 1970s.
The homeland of the Moro people is referred to as Bangsamoro. The word comes from the Malay word bangsa, meaning nation or people, and the word Moro. Bangsamoro covers the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanano, Palawan, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, TawiTawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay. It also includes the cities of Cotabato, Dapitan, Dipolog, General Santos, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa and Zamboanga. The lecture is sponsored by the East-West Center’s International Cultural Studies Program and the Center for Philippine Studies. For further details, please call 9447593.
at 6PM at the Hibiscus Ballroom of the Ala Moana Hotel. The selection of the Miss Kimona , Business Women of the Year Award and the FBWA Foundation Scholarship Program were the major events presented by the Filipino Business Women's Association (FBWA). The FBWA was founded by Jean Lumauag 25 years ago. Since then, the Kimona wear contest was started. The "KIMONA" is a short blouse made of sheer, fine material. It is the descendant of the "camisole"or underblouse used as an additional coverage during the prudish and modesty conscious era of the 1500's. Now worn outside as a regular blouse, the "KIMONA" features intricate design patterns and embellishment styles making of the embroidery, patching, handpainting and beading. Its sleeves are either extended, 3/4 bell or caftan style. The former First Lady Eva Macapagal preferred and eventually popularized the "Kimona" in the 60's. During the Marcos years, Mrs. Imelda Marcos revived and re-introduced it as elegant attire. Today,the "Kimona" is one of the major costumes of Filipino women. The criteria for choosing the Miss Kimona are the following: Choice of Design and Style, Carriage and Overall Appearance. The
(L-R) Cecilia Villafuerte(Kimona Contest Chair),Alma Caberto (President 2008 FBWA), Maria Etrata (FBWA event Chair), Lovely Orcino (Miss Kimona 2007), Edna Ballesteros,Miss Kimona 2008, Melissa McMurray,First Runner Up,Aurora Sera, Second Runner Up, Grace Lamarca Third Runner Up and Dr. Carolina Davide, Fourth Runner Up. winners for 2008 Miss Kimona are the following: Miss Kimona was garnered by Edna Ballesteros who is also the 2008 Mrs. Hawaii Filipina, 1st-runner up Melissa McMurray, 2nd runner-up-Aurora Sera, 3rd runner-up-Grace Lamarca and 4th runner-up-Dr. Carolina Davide. The Most Elegant member award was garnered by Rose Baybayan. Filipino Business Woman of the Year Award was presented to Bernadette Dario Fajardo, president /owner B2B Printing LLC. The president of FBWA, Alma Caberto, together with the event chair, Maria Etrata, and the rest of the officers and members and their committees of FBWA as well as their sponsors and advertisers and the over 400 attendees made
the event a very successful one. Mayor Mufi Hannemann graced the event with inspirational message and song. The scholarship recipients are: Maureen Clemente,senior Bachelors Degree in Fashion Design at the Art Institute of California, Tamara Thorhallsson, a sophomore majoring in Internal Studies/Psychology at the University of Washington, Seattle, Christianne Liongson, freshman in Internal Relations at George Washington University. Aaro Isaac Mailona Bright, freshman, History/Education at the University of Southern California and Jessica Chica Salve Domingo, freshman in Biology at the University of California, Irvine.
PHILIPPINE NEWS
Army Steps Up Campaign vs Human Rights Abuses THE PHILIPPINE ARMY has intensified its campaign against human rights violations by investigating officers and men who have been implicated in such cases and to educate soldiers on international protocols. Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Army spokesman, said their human rights team has started making the rounds of camps in Luzon and the Visayas to conduct lectures on the implementation of laws upholding human rights. “The Philippine Army has intensified its campaign to instill in the minds of all its soldiers that the reason for their existence is to protect the rights of every Filipino by conducting seminars on human rights nationwide,” he said. He said the campaign is part of the Army’s continuous efforts to promote human rights while enforcing discipline and administering justice, including, among others, the basic principles of humanitarian law and the
value of respecting human rights. Several Army officers and enlisted personnel have been tagged as suspects and masterminds in several cases of human rights violations, particularly the killings of activists and the disappearances of leaders of militant groups, the latest of whom is Baguio City activist James Balao. The Army has earlier denied holding Balao, and has pledged to assist in the search by tapping military intelligence assets. Brawner said the Army’s human rights team has finished its first leg of visits to units in Central, Northern and Southern Luzon and Samar. In its third quarter report, the human rights group Karapatan said that since 2001, there have been 933 extrajudicial killings and 199 enforced disappearances which it alleged were perpetrated by government agents, particularly the police and military. (www.philstar.com)
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
PHILIPPINE NEWS
2 Million New Voters Expected in 2010 by Mayen JAYMALIN / Wed., Nov. 26, 2008 NEARLY TWO MILLION MORE young voters are likely to participate in the 2010 elections that will include the selection of a new president. Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chair Tita de Villa said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects 1.96 million youths to register and vote in the presidential elections. The population of young voters will now reach almost 11 million, more than enough to make a difference in swinging the vote and installing a new president, De Villa said. To enable more voters to participate in the 2010 polls, the Comelec and the PPCRV are mounting the “Bagong Bida Botanteng Pilipino-Magpalista Ka” campaign. The Comelec will set up a satellite office at the University at Sto. Tomas on Dec. 2 to kick off the campaign and encourage students there and from nearby Far Eastern University to register, De Villa said “We could only accommodate 200 students on Dec. 2, but we expect the event to encourage other young voters to also register,” she stressed.
She added that the Comelec would conduct similar campaigns in other universities nationwide. Comelec’s Election and Barangay Department (EBAD) director Teofisto Alnas said new voters are required to register at the Comelec office but it is now setting up satellite offices for young voters to register from Dec. 2 to 19 and Jan. 2 to Dec. 15, 2009. “The Comelec is requesting new voters to register early because we would not be able to accommodate them all at the same time,” Alnas said. He said the Comelec would also cleanse the national voters’ list while it would continue registering new voters. (www.philstar.com)
Tribute to Ninoy on 76th Birthday
several other detainees to a military detention center in Laur, Nueva Ecija. He was detained for seven years. by Sandy ARANETA / Thurs., Nov. 27, 2008 To protest the atrocities of martial law and his continued imprisonment, Aquino MANILA MAYOR ALwent on hunger strike from FREDO LIM will lead April 4 to May 13, 1975. today the tribute to the He was convicted of late Sen. Benigno subversion, illegal posses“Ninoy” Aquino Jr. on his sion of firearms and mur76th birth anniversary in der in November 1977, simple wreath-laying and was sentenced to die. ceremonies at the hero’s Widespread internamonument at P. Burgos tional pressure forced the Street corner A. Bonifagovernment to reopen his cio Avenue in Intratrial and allow the presenmuros, Manila. tation of new evidence and Batang Mayor 2008 Aquino’s death penalty Oliver Lorenzo Felisilda was deferred. will join Lim in the cereWhile still in prison, monies. Aquino led the political opMayor Lim cited position in forming the Aquino’s courage and party Laban and fielded selfless love for his Ninoy monument in Intramuros, Manila candidates during the countrymen. 1978 parliamentary elections. As expected Lim said that Aquino sacrificed his life the candidates of Marcos won by a landand decided to come home to help restore slide. democracy in his beloved country despite Aquino was released in 1980 and was warnings that his life was in danger. Aquino allowed to undergo triple bypass surgery at was assassinated upon his arrival at the Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Manila International Airport (since renamed He stayed in the United States for three Ninoy Aquino International Airport) on Aug. years until he went home on that tragic day 21, 1983. in August 1983. Aquino was born on Nov. 27, 1932 in The death of Aquino galvanized the FilConcepcion, Tarlac. ipino people and the protest rallies against He was serving his term as senator the Marcos dictatorship grew and became when martial law was declared on Sept. 21, the catalyst for the EDSA People Power re1972. volt, the peaceful revolution that catapulted As the leading critic of the administra- his wife Corazon to power on Feb. 25, tion of the then authoritarian President Fer- 1986. dinand Marcos, Aquino was arrested and Lim said city officials, employees and imprisoned at the military camp in Fort students would attend the simple rites for Bonifacio, Makati and later transferred with the late senator. (www.philstar.com)
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HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
PHILIPPINE
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NEWS
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
Thais More Creative 90,000 to Take Nurse Exam than Pinoys in Ousting their Leader - Villar by Mayen JAYMALIN / Sat., Nov. 29, 2008
ABOUT
by Edith REGALADO / Sat., Nov. 29, 2008
DAVAO CITY – Former Senate president Manuel Villar Jr. admired the “creativity” of Thais in seizing two airports to demand the ouster of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. Speaking upon arriving in Davao City Thursday night, Villar said what the Thais have done would have serious repercussions on their nation’s economy. “It means that the Thais are more creative,” he said. However, Villar said it would not be good for the Philippines if Filipinos resort to the same action to demand that President Arroyo step down. “It should be through peaceful means and should not affect the country’s economy,” he said. The country can still achieve the needed change and reforms peacefully, not through extra-constitutional means, he added. Villar also urged government to ensure the safety of Filipinos stranded in Bangkok as a result of the protest actions in the Thai capital. “We have to ensure the safety of our Filipinos in Thailand
and even those who were reported caught in the incident in Mumbai, India,” he said. “We have to bring them home safely.” Villar was in Davao City to receive the Hall of Fame award given to outstanding members of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants during its 63rd national convention on Thursday. Meanwhile, a former lawmaker and her husband and daughter are among thousands of Filipinos stranded in Bangkok since Tuesday. Former Bacolod lawmaker Edith Villanueva, her husband, Jose Ma. Villanueva, president of First Farmers Holding Corp., and their daughter arrived in Bangkok on Nov. 25 to attend an international conference on sugar and ethanol at the Grand Sheraton Hotel. Mrs. Villanueva, also the president of the Sugar Industry Foundation Inc., said protesters occupied Suvarnabhumi International Airport a few hours after they arrived Tuesday afternoon. (www.philstar.com)
90,000
NURSING
graduates are set to take the licensure examination today. Marco Sto. Tomas, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Board of Nursing (BON) member, said 89,252 graduates have applied to take the two-day Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE). Sto. Tomas said the PRC has set up additional examination centers to accommodate the record number of NLE examinees. He said Manila registered the biggest number of examinees with
40,344 and was followed by Baguio with 13,460. Davao and Cebu posted 8,113 and 8,036 examinees, respectively. At least 2,000 to 5,000 nursing graduates from Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Legaspi, Lucena, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga will also be taking the examination starting today. “Even Jolo, Sulu has 139 examinees for this scheduled examination,” Sto. Tomas added. PRC has set an examination earlier but due to the huge number of examinees, Sto. Tomas said re-
sults will likely come out a little late or probably in February. “It depends on how fast the machines will help us in checking, but with this volume of examinees, we might have the results next year already, in January or February,” he said. The BON has given assurance that appropriate measures were undertaken by the PRC to ensure that the scheduled NLE on Nov. 29 and 30 will be tamper and leak-proof. The licensure examination is composed of five tests and each test has 100 questions.
RP Tourism Reels from Global Crisis
by Mayen JAYMALIN / Thurs., Nov. 27, 2008 THE LOCAL TOURISM INDUSTRY is now reeling from the global economic meltdown. Alejandra Clemente, president of the Federation of Tourism Industries of the Philippines (FTIP) said fewer foreign tourists are coming to the country as a result of the financial crunch. “There were no booking cancellations, but we are only getting very few bookings at this time. The industry has really been affected by the economic crisis,” Clemente told The STAR. Clemente noted that the number of foreign tourists, particularly those coming from the country’s top market-Japan and South Koreahas sharply declined over the the past months. “Since early this year, the industry already recorded a 35 percent dropped in arrivals from Japan and the number is still going down,”
Clemente added. According to Clemente, Japanese tourists are shying away from the Philippines because of the very high hotel rates here compared to neighboring Asian countries. “A room in five star-hotels in the country cost about $250 which is more than double the $100 rate of hotel rooms in Macau,” Clemente said. The restriction in hiring of foreign entertainers in Japan, Clemente said, has also contributed to the slowdown in the number of Japanese visitors to the country. “There are so much constraints in getting the Japanese market, but, of course, the major reason is the economic meltdown. Japan is in recession right now,” Clemente explained. She said fewer overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and “balik-
bayans” are returning home. “Traveling is very expensive, so many of our OFWs and balikbayans are hesistant to return home,” she disclosed. But Clemente said the situation can be reversed if both houses of Congress and President Arroyo immediately pass into law the proposed Tourism Act. Clemente said the proposed measure would promote the construction of additional hotel and other tourism-related establishments in the country. “With more hotel rooms, the rate would be lower and thus more foreign tourists will be coming here,” she stressed. Clemente said the tourism industry is also pushing for the ratification of the ASEAN open skies agreement to encourage more foreign tourists to visit the country. (www.philstar.com)
Pacman Will Be Too Fast, Furious for Oscar by Abac CORDERO / Sat., Nov. 29, 2008 LOS ANGELES – Manny Pacquiao is much too fast for Oscar dela Hoya that boxing’s Golden Boy will get tired trying to catch him. “Like what I said, Oscar’s going to tire after six rounds,” said Marvin “Much Too Much” Cordova, one of Pacquaio’s sparring partners. The 5-foot-9 Cordova, 156 pounds and undefeated in 20 fights with 11 knockouts, sparred four rounds with Pacquiao at the Wild Card Gym Thursday. Then as he cooled off after banging bodies with the Pinoy megastar, he talked about Pacquiao’s chances against Dela Hoya. He said Pacquiao has what it takes to win. “He’s ready. Oscar has got to be ready because Manny’s coming after him baby,” he said the resident of Rocky Ford, Colorado. “His speed is going to give Oscar a lot of problems. He’s com-
ing up (in weight) and Oscar is losing the weight,” Cordova said. He believes that Pacquiao will bring the fight to Dela Hoya in the first six rounds, and when the latter tires, the former will go for it. His punching power is impressive and his left hand, body shots are looking real strong. “Once he gets Oscar with those punches it’ll be real good. Will it last the distance? Nah. Like what I said Oscar will tire after six rounds. “Then Manny will put it on him in the eighth and ninth round and knock him off. Oscar’s got the jab but Manny will counter him with his right hook.” Cordova thinks that Dela Hoya is a one-handed fighter who has to worry about Pacquiao’s left and right all throughout the match. “Manny’s an animal on ring,” he concluded. Rashad Holloway, the other sparring partner, is confident of a
Pacquiao victory but said Dela Hoya being knocked out is not that easy. “Can he hurt Oscar? Definitely, but to knock Oscar out is kind of hard. Oscar’s a veteran and been hit by big guys and is pretty tough,” he said. “I think Manny can hurt Oscar and if he sticks to the game plan and stays on three minutes of every round then we may see a stoppage. “But honestly I think he can beat the mess out of Oscar for 12 rounds as long as he sticks to the game plan,” he said. Holloway, standing close to six feet, has been with Pacquiao since Day One of this camp, and was quite surprised with everything he’d seen. “Have you looked at his legs?” he asked, referring to Pacquiao’s pair of calves that can carry a 300pounder. “He’s got some big, strong legs and that’s where he generates his power. He’s very explosive. I kind of underestimated him in the beginning,” he said. (www.philstar.com)
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
LEGAL NOTES
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Certain Aliens Allowed to File for Amnesty Under Old Law by Reuben S. SEGURITAN ertain aliens who were unable to apply for legalization under the 1986 amnesty law will now be allowed to file their applications from February 1, 2009 through January 31, 2010. This announcement issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on November 3, 2008 was pursuant to an order of a federal district court in Seattle which had earlier approved a settlement
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agreement between the USCIS and the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project. The settlement agreement is the culmination of a national class action lawsuit filed more than twenty years ago. The lawsuit challenged the policy of the then Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) of denying legalization applications for failure to meet the “known to the government” requirement. Under the amnesty law, known as the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, applicants were required to prove that they were in unlawful status prior to January 1, 1982 and that such unlawful status was “known to the government”. Many aliens were not able to apply because of the strict stan-
dard imposed by the USCIS in determining whether the unlawful status was “known to the government”. Many of those who filed were also denied. The settlement agreement will make it easier for applicants to meet the specified legal standard. Applicants will have to file a class membership application and an application for legalization on Form I-687. Those who had previously filed but whose applications were denied must also file a class membership worksheet and a motion to reopen their applications on Forms I-290B. Individuals whose applications have not been adjudicated do not have to file another legalization application although they have the option to file for class
membership in order to alert the USCIS of their pending cases. Members of the class include those who entered the U.S. as a nonimmigrant prior to January 1, 1982 and who violated their status in a manner known to the government. Their violation of status will be considered as known to the government if documentation, such as quarterly or annual address reports, (or lack of it) existed in any government records or if INS records such as school and employer reports of status violations are missing in their A files. A violation will also be deemed known to the government if the individual whose facially valid “lawful status” was obtained by fraud or mistake, whether such “lawful status” was the result of a reinstate-
MAINLAND NEWS RP Corruption Saves Doc from US Raps
MADISON, WISCONSIN – A 58-year-old Filipino doctor accused of defrauding the US military’s health care program of $2 million avoided prosecution after a judge ruled that he was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial. US District Judge Barbara Crabb said investigators waited four years to arrest Dr. Diogenes Dionisio after his indictment in 2004. Prosecutors said Dionisio, who ran a clinic in Metro Manila, defrauded the military’s Tricare program in 1999 and 2000 by submitting inflated claims and splitting payments with patients. They did not seek Dionisio’s arrest and extradition, arguing that the Philippine government was corrupt and would fail to execute the request or botch it.
Instead, federal agents arrested Dionisio in March when he stepped off a plane in the US territory of Guam, where he was taking a family vacation. Crabb wrote that Dionisio lived and worked at the same address from 2004 to 2008 and took no steps to evade arrest. She said prosecutors offered little evidence to support their belief that rampant corruption in the Philippines would render any extradition request unsuccessful. The US government claims its extradition treaty with the Philippines is working, she added. Assistant US Attorney Peter Jarosz said prosecutors are considering an appeal. His office has conducted a long-running investigation into overseas fraud involving Tricare, which insures 9.2 million current
and retired service members and dependents worldwide. If prosecutors do not appeal, defense lawyer Charles Giesen said the ruling clears the way for his client to return to the Philippines. Dionisio has been living with relatives in Skokie, Illinois, but is barred from leaving the country while he faced charges. “Dr. Dionisio is gratified and
pleased and very anxious to return to his patients and family,” Giesen said. “I’m hopeful they won’t appeal. It was a very well-reasoned decision.” Seventeen people have been convicted so far – including at least a dozen US military retirees – in a little-noticed investigation that has been handled by federal
ment or change of nonimmigrant status or adjustment of status. In order to qualify, the above class members should have between May 5, 1987 and May 4, 1988 attempted to file a complete legalization application, but such application was rejected or they were advised of their ineligibility or were refused application forms and thus, failed to file. If they were able to file under the original filing period, such application should not have been fully adjudicated or it was denied or terminated due to their inability to meet the “known to the government requirement”. EDITOR’S NOTE: REUBEN S. SEGURITAN has been practicing law for over 30 years. For further information, you may call him at 212 695 5281 or log on to his website at www.seguritan.com
prosecutors out of Wisconsin because Madison-based WPS Health Insurance holds the contract to process many of the claims. It has not been accused of any wrongdoing. Much of the fraud, which court records show exceeded $100 million, has originated in the Philippines, where US military bases were located until the early 1990s and many military retirees still live. – AP
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HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
PHILIPPINE LANGUAGE
Panag-Dios Ti Agngina! No “Agyamanka!” DAYASADAS by Pacita SALUDES i mabilang dagiti panangbalikas ti sao nag Agyamanak. Kadagiti amin a panawen nga adda maipaay kenka wenno maited kenka a banag wenno aramid, di maawan dayta a balikas kadagiti bibig. Nasam-it a denggen ket ipakitana ti kinatanok wenno kina-adda ti sursuro dagiti agbalikas. Ta asino ti di agyaman no adda maipaay kenka! No saan matanobutoban ti likudanna. Dina pay ammo ti agyaman, kunada. Ita a bulan ti tawen ti aldaw a panagyaman kadagiti amin a masagrap nga imbag manipud
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siasinoman. Nupay kadagiti amin nga oras ken panawen, adda latta nga ibalikas ti bibig no adda masagrap a sao, aramid a manipaay kenka. Di malipatan ti ipalagip ti aldaw a Panagyaman. Selebraran nga inrugi dagiti immay nagdapat iti America. Palagip met kadatay iti amin a masagrap a gin-awa ragsak man a maipaay wenno pagsayaatan. Dagiti maapit wenno magun-od a gin-awa, matungpal man nga arapaap wenno dumteng a naimbag a gasat a mapasamak iti Biag. No adda naipaay kenka, aglalo no makaparagsak kenka, tumokno ti langit ti pannakaisawang ti “Dios Ti Agngina” balikas a mangkarga ti balitok a ramen manipud iti puso. Kunada a no ammo ti agyaman ammo met ti mamakawan. Ha! Kuna met ti maysa a kumara, Seguna! No rebbengna a mapakawan! Oho! Wen met, ngem
kunada a no mamakawanka pakawanennaka met ni Apo Dios.
TI GUMIL HAWAII Ipakaamona ti naindaklan a panagmitingna ita a tawen. Isu pannakapili dagiti sumaruno nga agserbi ti GH. Dagiti opisyales ti 2009. Maminsan iti panagbubutos iti opisyales iti dua a tawen. Naunday dagiti aldaw a pannakaitungpay dagiti gandat ti organisasion. Dagiti maluom a bunga ti kinaanep dagiti opisyales ken kamkameng ti regta dagiti kamkameng. TI ILOCOS SURIAN ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII Di maputput ti panagdayaw dagiti adu nga assosasion ti ISAH. Isu ti kaaduan ti panagdayaw a tumultulong iti ili ken probinsya a nagtaudanda. Kodos para iti Pangulo a nabayagen agtamed kami ken Presidente Danny Villaruz ken kakaduana.
Kasta met dagiti nabalangatan a reyna ita a tawen Mrs. Sinait, Mrs. Santa and Mrs. Vigan. Adu dagiti maitungpal a gakat ti Ilocos Surian Association of Hawaii. Lagip Ken Pammatalged No makitak dagiti salingkadang A talgedmo tapno maipakitam kaniak A kabaelam sumurot kadagiti papanak Ikarigatak latta nga ipamusposan ep-ep Pannakailam nga agmaymaysa, kayatko a naragsakka Iti kaawanko, inoras nga awaganka Ayatko a dika maila iti panagmaymaysa Ikarigatak ti sumangpet a masapa Ammok nga ur-urayennak tapno agkalanglangta
MAINLAND NEWS
Pinoy Workers in NY Recover $100,000 in Wages FILIPINO WAITERS AND OTHER WORKERS in New York have recovered $100,000 in illegally-withheld salaries with the assistance of Andrew Cuomo, New York State Attorney General. Cuomo announced the settlement with Florida labor contractor Star One Staffing, Inc. on November 20, 2008. “This settlement is another message to unscrupulous employers who try to scam New York workers out of money they’ve earned,” Cuomo says. According to the Office of the Attorney General, Star One reportedly failed to pay proper
wages to Filipino workers. The contractor also deducted money from their salaries for rent, board and transportation, which violates New York Labor Law. Cuomo said the workers arrived in the U.S. on federal H2B visas. Star One transported them to New York from Florida, promising fair wages and a decent place to stay. The workers were sent to various country clubs and banquet halls around Long Island where they worked as waiters and bus staff. However, the contractor deducted huge amount of money
every month, sometimes outstripping the workers’ earnings for the entire month. “These workers were invited into our country on the promise that they’d be treated fairly and compensated fully. Instead, they were taken advantage of. My office will continue its fight against greedy employers who try to undermine the protections this state guarantees its workforce,” Cuomo says. Furthermore, Star One also failed to pay the workers for shifts worked, for days worked during training and for overtime. Employees were also placed in over-
crowded houses with small rooms, inadequate sleeping spaces and unsanitary facilities. The settlement provides restitution for aggrieved workers, damages and a period of monitoring of the company. The Filipino workers sought assistance from Father Brian Jordan of the Church and Friary of Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan. “These workers had done everything right and were here legally. But this company took advantage of the fact that their legal status depended upon their continued employment with Star One,
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
Dinamagmo kaniak no mabutengak nga agmaymaysa “Saan” ti sungbatko tau ray awanka amok a sumoblika Sursurutennak dagita mata ta isudat aladko Panangingigir a balikas talged iti papanak uray sadino Nasurok nga innem a pulo (60) naunday a tawen Nainit, matutudo nagbaybayanta a tinalenten Nagdumaduma a kolor, gasat inted ti panawen Sinarangetta maitungpal laeng nagkinarianta a gagem Naranga a pinuon, nakataltalged a salinong Siam a bukel bin-I ti nagtubo a sarikedked Nangparagsak, nangpatalged namnama panagtalek Duapulo a saringit, natibker a tandodo ti kamaan Pito a sagisip a makalinglingay Inkeddeng ti langit inta naitungpal
squeezing money out of them to make a profit. I applaud Attorney General Cuomo for stepping up on their behalf,” Father Jordan says. Cecilia Rebong from the Consulate General of the Philippines in New York also lauded the attorney general. “We commend Attorney General Cuomo for prosecuting unscrupulous employers who undermine the most basic right to receive wages for one’s work. Like other hard-working people in America, the Filipinos employed by Star One merely sought an opportunity to support themselves and their families,” she said. (abscbnNEWS.com)
Western Union® Gives the Perfect Gift he hardest part of the holidays is finding the perfect gift for your loved ones, especially those who are not close by. Western Union strives to continuously provide excellent service so that you can send them the perfect gift: cash. For the hard-working Filipino immigrants that are sending the perfect gift home, Western Union is giving back to them by supporting community organizations that provide services that will support their efforts and enable them to be successful Filipino Americans. With numerous involvements all around the United States with different Filipino community organizations, this worldwide leader in money transfer services demonstrates the perfect example of giving back to the community. Two particular ongoing projects that Western Union has been working on is their support
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of the Bayanihan Filipino Community Center of Queens, New York and the national Philippines Nurses Association of America. The term bayanihan, literally translated as the spirit of camaraderie, was chosen as the name of the community center to portray the idea of helping each other out, working “shoulder-toshoulder”. The center was created to provide a place for the growing Filipino community in Queens where children and adults could have access to free programs, information, and other helpful services. Western Union has been sponsoring several of the center’s programs, including the Palaro SportsFest, the computer literacy program, and the community newspaper. The Palaro SportsFest, an eight-week program, kicked off with a basketball tournament. The purpose of the SportsFest
was to provide a productive activity for youth during the summer while they are out of school and to encourage development and empowerment. Although the center only had manpower for one tournament this year, they hope to expand by next year to include additional sports tournaments. For adults, the most popular program has been the computer literacy program, which offers an opportunity to learn basic Word programs and Internet browsing. Many have found it beneficial to learn how to use the Internet in particular, because they can communicate with their families in the Philippines via web cameras and emails, which is a cheaper alternative to phone calls. In addition, the center publishes a monthly newspaper called the Sanlahi, to inform the (continued on page 15)
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
CLASSIFIED ADS
2 HOUSES-OHANA STYLE 3/1 w/full basement, 2/1 w/lrg lanai, Kalihi Vly, $609,000, call 847-6613
HELP WANTED NOODLE MAKER. PART- TIME
NEED EXPERIENCED BABY SITTER
Health Benefits. Island Noodle Apply in Person at 841-8664
for infant in my Ewa Beach home, 4 days/week, Call 554-7444
NEED EXPERIENCED BABY SITTER for infant in my Ewa Beach home. 4 days/week. Call 554-7444
SALES REPRESENTATIVE Outside Sales Service estab'd accounts in textile industry. Must have general office and computer skills. Offer full benefits Call 486-7772 ext 21 or info@printexfabrics.com
FOR RENT Rooms for rent in Pearl City. $500 and $750 share bath and kitchen. Utilities and cable included female preferred. 295-5232. Call Lynn Chang at 295-1351
NEED EXPERIENCED BABY SITTER 2 Houses, 3/1, 2/1, Kalihi Vly Full basement, $609000(847-6613)
I NEED HELP Elder care/domestic, in exchange for room in my Ewa home.Must be reliable /female. Please contact Lynn at 271-0885
HANDIRIDE HAWAII TRANSPORTATION, looking for a full time Driver, must be pleasant and reliable. Call 486-7433
NEED SALESPERSON w/ Real Estate, Mortgage, Insurance Background for Mortgage Reduction Sales. Salary + Comm. Call: 227-7181
JEWELRY COMPANY BUYING GOLD AND OLD JEWELRY Top dollar for gold, old jewelry and Rolex watches. Call: 225-7637
SUPER CLEAN Residential and Commercial Part time cleaners on call: $10/hr Call 741-4244 or e-mail info@superclean.us
NON-MEDICAL CAREGIVERS WANTED In-house training program for non-certified candidates. CNA & HHA welcomed. Part time and full time positions available. Contact: Lynn at Aloha Home Care Services Phone: 271-0885
Western Union®... (cont. from page 14)
local Filipino community with news and upcoming events. Another organization that Western Union has diligently supported is the Philippine Nurses Association of America. The PNAA was formed in response to address the issues and concerns of Filipino nurses in the United States. “Western Union has helped us through the years as a major sponsor of our annual national conventions. We look forward to a continued Western Union collaborative relationship with our ethnic professional association,” stated Leo Jurado, President of PNAA. Recently, Western Union has also worked with the PNAA to launch an educational and mentorship program, which was designed to empower Filipino nurses with medical knowledge and information, allowing them to advance their careers and make a significant impact on the lives of the people they care for. Western Union’s continuous support is crucial to the continuation of the Bayanihan Filipino Community Center and the PNAA’s programs, and the company plans to continue support to provide these services to the Fil-
ipino community. Western Union continues to look for various ways to support the Filipino community. While supporting the community with these endeavors, the corporation also strives to provide their customers with the best service possible. Consumers can send money home in minutes* and enjoy the benefits of choice -- selecting from U.S. Dollar** or Philippine Peso Payout; and added value -- accruing reward points and benefits from the Western Union® Gold Card Program for Senders in the U.S. Within the U.S., there are over 45,000 Western Union Agent locations ready to serve and help consumers with their money transfer service needs. In addition, there are over 7,300 Western Union Agent locations in the Philippines, including the provinces of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao where receivers can collect the money. For Tagaloglanguage customer support or to send money using a credit card over the phone call Western Union at 1-877-PERA-ITO. For more information, please visit www.westernunion.com.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
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ATTENTION: FILIPINO ORGANIZATIONS & NON-PROFITS Have your Community Event Published in our Calendar!
FAX YOUR PRESS RELEASE TO 678-1829 E-MAIL YOUR NEWS RELEASES, ORGANIZATION NEWS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS TO
filipinochronicle@gmail.com.
HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE - NEWS EDITION
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COMMUNITY PARADE
JULY 12, 2008