After scurrying back and forth to the kitchen – slicing, cooking and at the same time watching several morning shows culminating with The Jerry Springer Show,   it’s finally time for my creation to be taken out of the oven.

I’m about to puncture my food with a fork when I noticed an overcast light coming through the window.  Hmmm….might as well take out my camera and snap a few photos of my food before I regret not taking any.  Ah, the so-called “decisive moment”.

Of course, why will I end taking pictures without a snapshot of the garlic bread…

I just felt compelled to take photos of this baked mac.  It gives me a reason as well to update my almost long-gone blog.  I’ll do my siesta for a bit, do some homework, wake up, skip dinner then maybe pig out again in my midnight snack.

~~~***~~~

I’m pretty sure that these old  lenses will be my camera’s workhorse lenses until I would be able to afford the newer ones.  As far as glass quality is concerned, IMHO these lenses can deliver at the fraction of the price of its modern counterparts.

As fall enters its early phase, I took my Nikkor 18mm f/3.5 attached to my Canon EOS 40d to several trails in York Region for a hike.

All pictures were post-processed with Cinepaint, showfoto & Digikam.  Adjustments made were mostly sharpening and tinkering with levels/curves.

Note:  It appears that the pics posted on this blog is not as sharp as the one on my flickr account.

Shot at wide open f3.5.

Since no EXIF data is recorded, I can't recall what exact f-stop I used. It has to be between f/8-f/11 and mounted on a tripod.

Fall’s not yet on the “99 steps” of Thornton Bales Conservation Area:

I wonder how much wider would the angle of view would be for this shot if this lens were mounted on a 5d or any full frame DSLR.

It's not Multi-coated but IMHO, flare is manageable esp. for backlit subjects (is it?)

Another shot of a backlit park desaturated during PP

Further Observations:

Ever since owning this lens, I kept my other wideangle, a lesser-known 24mm Ensinor f2.8 macro in the backburner for the simple reason that this is a Nikon glass!

One thing I noticed is that I always get an error on my LCD screen saying that I have to clean the lens mount contacts.  This may be attributed to a loose fit (it’s a cheap adapter, what can you expect?).  I have an AF confirm adapter.  Whether things will turn around for the best if I use a non-AF one, I have no idea.

Since the 1.6x crop factor of the 40D diminishes the lens’ ultra wide-angle capability making it a measly 28mm, I envy the owners of this lens who us it on full frame sensors such as the 5d. Hopefully in the future, this lens will find a home in the body of a full frame camera.

Comparing it to the highly regarded Nikon Nikkor 20mm f/4 AI which is the favorite of legendary outdoor/landscape photographer Galen Rowell,  I dunno which is more superior as far as image quality is concerned.  Maybe a bit of tweaking during PP will settle the debate (if ever there’s one brewing).

Ha! I never thought I would be able to buy a Macro lens because of the hefty price. Thanks to the inventor of the m42 to EOS adapter, Pentax M42 screw mount lenses from the forgotten era can now be used on modern Canon DSLRs. Whew, I was already on the verge of buying a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM for $600+ when I found that old lenses are slowly coming out of their graves because of these cheap adapters. I got the lens from a garage sale for $100. Adapters with focus confirmation are all over ebay for $20. The downside is the lens body had ugly markings and the insides of the lens needs thorough cleaning. And since this is a manual focus lens, there’s no Auto focus (AF). No EXIF data on the aperture will be recorded as well but heck, do you really need this if you know what you’re doing with your camera?. The only solution to the absence of AF? Try to work within this limitation. As long as I can shoot macro, end of story.

After this “revelation” I’ve already ditched my ugly, inherited Tamron AF 28-200 F3.8-5.6 XR Aspherical IF. The only Auto Focus lens that I have is the EF 50mm f1.8 Mk II. From now on, I’m shooting with prime lenses (until I can afford the more expensive AF lenses)

So one day, I took this lens mounted on my Canon EOS Rebel Xti  for a walk in the Whitchurch Conservation Area

I love how the lens gives a smooth background blur “bokeh”.

Took these shots at a park near the house:

Conclusion: For around CAD$120  (including adapter) I’ll definitely keep it. Last time I checked on ebay, this lens can get high as USD$250 or even more.

Quite shockingly, after 3 weeks, the package was returned to the sender. I quickly emailed the seller telling him of the status and he apologized for the inconvenience though given the tracking status, I’m convinced it wasn’t his fault.

He just sent me an email with a picture attached of the package indicating why it was returned to the sender. Just see attached picture to see what I’m talking about.

Now I keep on wondering given the reason mentioned on the sticker above, why should someone be penalized for having Arabic or Roman Numerals attached to their names be penalized? I’m quite sure that only U.K.’s Royal Mail is the sole culprit in my ordeal as I’ve dealt with Ebay sellers from around the world who managed to get my package right on my doorstep safe and sound – all delivered by Canada Post. Neither once did I change my name and address in any of these transactions. Besides, the remarks on the tracking never said that it left the United Kingdom at all! (For the past 3 weeks prior to it being returned to the sender, the tracking status says: “We have received your item, posted on 18/08/09 and it is being processed for delivery abroad to CANADA.”). So isn’t it obvious who’s holding the mail?

Isn’t it that the present queen of England, uses “Elizabeth II” rather than “2″?. As for Arabic names, isn’t it that the U.K. has a significant number of its population of Arabic descent? How are they able to get their mail?

The Ebay seller finds the reason quite stupid. He has given me two options. Either I get a full refund or send it to an address of a friend or a relative whose name doesn’t sound Arabic. I chose the latter but I suggested that he send it using my nickname “Mel” (which is not actually my real nickname) but at least it sounds “neutral”. The address stays the same.

This is just a total inconvenience with racist undertones. I hope I can just enjoy my lens without undergoing such bullshit.

Last April 29, Phil Fontaine, chief of the Assembly of First Nations went to the Vatican to have an audience with the Pope. He paid a visit to the leader of a 1 billion strong (and counting) Catholic constituency to demand an apology for the Church’s role in subjugating Native Americans in the guise of “assimilating” them to Canadian Society through the Residential School system. After Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a formal apology on behalf of the Canadian Government last fall in the House of Commons, Fontaine capitalized on this momentum and went for the big fish – the Pope. A few days later, with head held up high, he got this well-deserved apology that his people have been seeking for generations.

The Residential School system has been a stigma for this country that tries to place itself in the eyes of the world as a land of opportunity, a melting pot where human rights and multiculturalism, though intangible, are highly coveted possessions. It tries every means possible to refine its present image by polishing the unpleasant chapters of its history books dealing with its past mistakes. The formal apology by the PM puts an icing on the cake and effectively sets Canada’s history books straight.

It’s amazing to see how Native-Americans, relegated to being a minority ever since immigrants started pouring in to this country, were able to take to its cudgels to lobby (for generations) for the Canadian government to make concessions and recently, to take to the steps of the Vatican to demand an apology. Though Residential Schools have long been gone, Native-Americans never gave up and started picking up the pieces of their history and resume building whatever has been left of it.

————

On the contrary, the Philippines with the vast majority of its population belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, has totally forgotten that we too have been victims of the Christian faith – the same institution that sowed terror in Residential Schools. More than three hundred years ago, colonizers prioritized the Cross over the sword to instill fear among the country’s inhabitants that eventually led to the latter’s colonization. The Spaniards used Christianity as a pragmatic tool to establish a foothold on every square inch of land that they can set foot on. Conversion to the Catholic faith was an easier means to subjugate than spilling blood with the sword. Spirituality has a receptive facade to the vulnerable than imminent bloodshed.

Three centuries later, after Spain’s defeat in the Spanish-American War at the turn of the 20th century, the Philippines was handed to the Americans as war reparation. With the Spaniards gone, one legacy of their conquest remains – Christianity. However, this legacy too, brings out to light the abuses by those who propagated the faith. Philippine History tells of of friar abuses and so do excerpts from Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Individuals like former First Lady Imelda Marcos can trace her Romualdez roots to a Spanish friar (talk of vow of celibacy). Need I say more?

It’s a historical fact but why do we Filipinos turn a blind eye is a big question. The acceptance of these heinous acts is openly acknowledged in history but the pursuit of justice is like sending a corpse of an ignoble to be buried in haste and forever be forgotten.

It would be impossible to have the Vatican acknowledge the atrocities done by the Spanish friars during the colonial era for the simple reason that our country, unlike Canada, is still struggling to enforce the doctrine of separation of Church and State. It will be generations before Catholicism loosens its grip from the Philippines therefore, we are still in the clutches of this institution responsible for such atrocities. Unlike the province of Quebec, it may be centuries before we reach such secular society where church spires, though imposing in stature amidst the skyline of its cities such as Montreal, merely serve as artifacts of long gone religious influence.

Christianity has already seeped into every available crevice of the Filipino consciousness – culture, education, society and politics. Sadly, it is the Church’s involvement in the latter that is bringing our country closer to ruin. Needless to say, it is acknowledged that without the Church, EDSA I & EDSA II would not have materialized. However, do we have to accept this as a perpetual phenomenon? If so, we might as well abolish the doctrine of separation of church and state which appeared as early as the 1899 Philippine constitution!

Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales made an impressive statement on the eve of his appointment as successor of Jaime Cardinal Sin. He clearly stated that the Catholic Church will not meddle in the affairs of the State. This turns out to be a dud. Ever since replacing Cardinal Sin to head the “Only Catholic Nation in Asia”, influential members of the Church seem to pledge allegiance to the ideas of the more politically astute Jaime Cardinal Sin.

As a clear cut example, the Reproductive Health Bill which should have been an effective means to curtail the ever growing population has been stonewalled. Lawmakers have to cave in to the Church and its allies’ whims lest they want to be forever condemned in the fires of hell. This despite of the fact that population explosion has already put a strain on our country’s social services. This stand is consistent with Pope Benedict XVI’s statement that condoms will only “aggravate” the fight against HIV/AIDS during his visit to Angola, a predominantly Catholic country in Africa where this disease continues to decimate the continent.

During the 2004 elections, a year after Rosales took the reins of the Church, the House of Representatives welcomed several winning Party List Groups that are clearly offshoots of Religious Congregations – BUHAY Party List (El Shaddai) & CIBAC (Jesus Is Lord Movement) to name a few. It may not be established that the Church has a role in these party lists’ victories but it clearly shows the power that religion wields to the followers of such congregations in their voting decisions.

Let’s not forget that very election year, Presidential candidates enter the race track and flock to every large religious organization (mostly Christian) thinkable to seek its blessing and endorsement. If this presidentiable does not utilize this well-oiled, vote-rich machinery, then his defeat is imminent.

Post-Spanish Christianity in the Philippines used to be a de facto political body – its role is to put pressure on politicians by staying on the sides and let their proxies do the talking in the name of “preserving morality”. However as time went by, especially right after EDSA I, it has successfully transformed itself into a well-oiled political machinery with different candidates to boot. Their entrance to the Party-list system was a start. What’s next?

Either way, the die has been cast. The Church, once again, and in modern times, has joined the fray and dove into the murky waters of Philippine politics.

Now back to the main question: When will we get our apology?

]]> http://thirdworlder.wordpress.com/2009/05/06/filipinos-deserve-an-apology-from-the-vatican-too/feed/ 0 maqx http://thirdworlder.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/juana-tejada-1969-2009/ http://thirdworlder.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/juana-tejada-1969-2009/#comments Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:15:13 +0000 maqx http://thirdworlder.wordpress.com/?p=96 ]]>

Juana Tejada: Babae, Migrante, Palaban, Militante (1969-2009): A mourner pays her last respects to caregiver Juana Tejada who passed away last month due to cancer.

Her memory lives on.  The fight continues.

As mourners gathered around Juana Tejada to pay their final respects, the ambiance at the DiMarco Funeral Home in North York  was somber.  But as the eulogies were delivered, every spoken word became a beacon of hope echoing the caregiver’s final wish prior to her passing.

“We are grateful for the courage and bravery you’ve shown, for the inspirations you’ve given us. We will forever remember you for that and we are committed to fight for the Juana Tejada Law to get passed so that other caregivers who are in that limbo right now would share the benefit that you had.” says Connie Sorio, interim spokesperson for iWorkers, a collaborative effort of the United Steelworkers union (USW) and community-based Migrante-Ontario in which Tejada was a member.

Upon being granted permanent residence after a long and arduous legal battle following the denial of being granted permanent residence and eventual threat of being deported due to her illness, Tejada continued to advocate for the changes to the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP), specifically for The Juana Tejada Law.

Spearheaded by NDP MP Olivia Chow in Parliament, the Juana Tejada Law proposes to make amendments on section 38(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) which will include members of the Live-in Caregivers Class on the list of foreign nationals exempted from the “excessive demand” ground of inadmissibility.

If passed, caregivers seeking permanent resident status after completing the minimum 2 years will not anymore undergo the mandatory second medical testing.

“The Juana Tejada Law is not just for Juana. It is for the fundamental reform of the program which is attacking the most vulnerable members of our community- the caregivers.” says Migrante-Ontario’s Marco Luciano during his eulogy.

“The Juana Tejada law is for other caregivers who are at the very moment are suffering what she just went through last year”  Sorio added referring to the plight of several caregivers who are currently  more or less in the same predicament as Juana Tejada back then.  Sorio mentioned Celia Vinasoy Mansibang, who is suffering from stage IV stomach cancer.  Like Tejada, she was  given a couple of months to live.

As one community

Olivia Chow was not at the wake but her fellow Parliamentarian, Joe Oliver  was in attendance.

“It only shows that people can make a difference, but if you band together more people can make a greater difference… and this group and your friends and associates…you can make a difference. You can together, create a strength which will be heard and ought to be heard.  But this government listens. And it not only listens because people here showed determination.  It listens because there is a fundamental compassion here at work.” says the MP for Eglinton-Lawrence referring to the effort made by the Filipino community to rally behind Juana Tejada.

“I can’t speak for the government but I personally believe strongly in the cause. It’s right, It’s just. It doesn’t even need to be explained. It’s so clearly the right thing.  She and others who have contributed to the country is something for which of us who have been born here should be grateful. And I am.” Oliver, a member of the Conservative party added  alluding to the plight of Tejada to gain permanent residence last year.

Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) president Jun Enverga,  said in his eulogy that “Juana Tejada is an example of what we can do as one community”.

The organization is responsible for the annual Independence Day celebration.  Last year’s theme honored the contribution of modern-day heroes specifically the caregivers.  It is in this celebration that the issue of Juana Tejada fully came out in the open.

Final Vigil

During Tejada’s admission to the Toronto General Hospital, members of Migrante-Ontario and its affiliate organizations held a vigil.  It turned out to be the last.

“As we gather today to be one with Juana in the final stages of her battle with cancer, I cannot help but situate this battle in the context of the larger struggle against the cancer plaguing Philippine society – the cancer that is slowly killing our compatriots in the Philippines – the social cancer of poverty, landlessness, the absence or lack of jobs that pushed Juana Tejada to leave the Philippines in the first place,” said Ricky Esguerra of the Filipino Migrant Workers Movement, an affiliate organization.

An average of 3,000 Filipinos leave the Philippines everyday to seek greener pastures abroad.  From domestic helpers in Hong Kong to oil workers in the Middle East,  remittances sent by these overseas workers have been the backbone of the Philippine economy for generations effectively bringing in an average of $12 billion annually to the country.
Finally Home

“At the airport, Migrante conducted a short tribute while draping a Migrante banner on the coffin as a symbol of their homage to Tejada” said Migrante Chairperson Gary Martinez in a statement. The caregiver’s remains will be brought all the way to her home province of Abra

As her remains are prepared to be finally laid to rest, work has already started to honor her contributions to the migrant workers’ cause.

Jojo Geronimo, Executive Director of the Labour Education Center in Toronto has posthumously nominated Tejada for the Bromley Armstrong Award.  The award is conferred on a person who has contributed significantly for the advancement of racial justice.  It would be presented at the Aboriginal Workers & Workers of Colour conference on May 2.

At the House of Congress in the Philippines, Rep. Luz Ilagan of Gabriela Women’s Party filed House Resolution No. 1062, which “expressed the profound condolences of the House of Representatives on the demise of Juana Tejada and seeking recognition for her heroic deeds.”

The opposition lawmaker stated that “Juana Tejada is the embodiment of the term ‘modern-day hero’. Her courage and persistence in fighting for the better treatment of her fellow Filipino caregivers in Canada deserve the highest praise, admiration and gratitude,”

“Despite her personal battle with terminal illness, she unselfishly worked to bring to improve the lives of caregivers. The Arroyo government can learn from her example,” Ilagan said alluding to the  negative performance of the country’s President when it comes to uplifting the lives of migrant workers.

Back in Canada, Tejada is not only remembered solely as the caregiver who fought for her right to stay in Canada.   Luciano remembers her as the “small woman with a big heart”.

Peter Leibovitch of the United Steelworkers who also campaigned for her cause remembers:  “It’s her quietness and determination that makes her a hero”

***

Say Cheese!: Participants at the State of Filipino Union (SOFU) huddle for a souvenir photo following a successful event at the William Doo Auditorium, University of Toronto. (Photo by Julius Manalo)

As far as I can recall, it has been ages since I’ve spoken in front of a multitude.  In addition of not being a natural born public speaker,  it takes me some time to brush off the jitters, organize thoughts, gain momentum and get a hold of myself before taking to the rostrum and speak.  Despite these worries, I couldn’t just say NO to the invitation as a panelist for a gathering of prominent members of the Filipino community.  With the blessing of this paper’s publisher, off I went to represent the Filipino Bulletin at the State of the Filipino Union (SOFU) held at the University of Toronto’s William Doo Auditorium last February 26.

SOFU was sponsored by the Kapisanan Filipino Center, Filipino Students Assocation of Toronto (FSAT) and Migrante-Ontario Youth.  I really wasn’t sure why I was chosen as a panelist considering that I’m not an “immigrant” by Canadian government definition, nor do I consider myself to have fully assimilated to Canadian culture (having only been here for less than 2 years).  The night’s event centered on the theme: “Building a Bridge, Defining and Encouraging the Community” didn’t give me assurance either.  I felt that I wasn’t qualified to share my thoughts on this topic given my circumstances.

On the other hand, I was told that I was chosen due to my attendance at a previous FSAT-sponsored event last spring which also became the topic for my debut column.  I was flattered at this and feel very honored to be a panelist at the event.  And so fast forward to February 26,   I’m now seated on center stage alongside respected Filipino personalities ranging from entertainers, entertainment moguls, journalists, politicians, community organizers/activists and officers of different Filipino student organizations in Toronto.  To top it off, the event was covered by the Toronto Star.

SOFU’s  4 hour program was well attended by an audience numbering to about a hundred.  The William Doo Auditorium was packed by mostly university students of Filipino descent.  The panel discussion was divided into two groups – the youth panelists, which comprises Filipinos who were either born or raised here in Canada.  The other group (where I belong) is composed of individuals who have migrated here as adults.  Our group was teasingly referred to as the “panel of elders”.

However specific was the theme of the discussion, there have been numerous yet valid opportunities to digress from it.  The youth panelists recounted hardships of growing up in a country where they are the visible minority.  The “panel of elders” also had their stories to tell dealing with assimilation, teaching their children Tagalog and racism.

When it was my turn to speak and was only allotted two and a half minutes to give my take on the matter, I stuck to my conviction that indeed, the Filipino community here is fragmented. We are still a small group yet already divisive.  As an example, I recounted during my first days covering for this paper that an average of three major Filipino occasions were happening on the same day!  This divisiveness is considered a challenge for our community and I firmly believe that it will certainly take a lot of maturity on our part to act as one entity.

Me speaking as a member of the "panel of elders":. Ugh. What a grave injustice. (Photo by Julius Manalo)

If given ample time, I would have expounded that it is a fact that the stability of our nation of origin rests on the notion of “unity in diversity”.  It has taken us several generations to be at this point where we could say that the Philippines of 7,100 islands is worthy of being called as such – united.  It entails undergoing tribal/regional wars and colonialism to be where our country is today.  Putting this into the context of the situation of Filipino-Canadians, the latter group is also in the process of  undergoing its own transformation for it to be where it wants to be.  And good leadership will be the catalyst in this desired transformation.

The next question was about  my experience with racism.   I told the audience without expounding that migrant workers and newcomers are very much vulnerable to this bigotry (this doesn’t need further expounding).  I shared with them my story that happened right in downtown when I refused to hand out a penny (because I had none in the first place) to a panhandler.  When I had my back on him, this homeless man suddenly uttered the ching-chong slur.  In response, I told this smelly bum to get a job and gave him the finger.   The audience reacted with a sympathetic howl and laughed at what I did.  This reaction was good gesture enough to know that they  were all ears while I was speaking.

Again, if I may be allowed to expound, it was quite disturbing to hear the the youth panelists as they recounted their insecurities for “looking very different” from their  counterparts of  mostly European descendants.  As a consequence, they have effectively denounced their ethnic background to cover this “shame”.    Upon hearing each of their experiences, I find too much insecurity and too much “white is might” mentality in this experience.   This mindset has to change.

Filipino-Canadians growing up here should never forget to appreciate the fact that their descendants, as members of Canada’s new wave of immigrants, came here highly educated.

On the bright side, these youth having been born or raised in a land of opportunity such as Canada have the chance to reverse the tide.  Getting educated is one.  Being in a gathering to learn more and eventually appreciate where they come from is another.   It may be a long tedious process and may even take several generations to shed off these insecurities, but definitely attendance to this event was a good start.

It was alleged that on December 26, the mayor of Masiu, Lanao del Sur Nasser Pangandaman Jr,  who happens to be the son of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Nasser Pangandaman,  along with his brother and three bodyguards ganged up on golfers Delfin de la Paz and his 14 year old son Bino, a member of the Philippine Junior Golf team,  following an altercation at the Valley Golf Club in Antipolo City.  According to local news, the altercation occurred when the Pangandamans “breached golfing protocol by moving on to the next hole ahead of them (de la Paz)”.  An argument ensued and fists started flying afterwards.

Whatever the defense of both parties to proclaim their innocence on who instigated the fight will have to be left in the courts. One thing is sure though.  The sympathies of the people even those who just read or watched the news about the incident once, are in favor of the de la Paz family.   After all, who trusts our politicians nowadays?

The town of Masiu has been an “area of concern” in the past three elections or nearly close to a decade,  (the last one being held in 2007) according to GMA News Research, the research arm of GMA Network, one of the leading and respected networks in the Philippines.

I’ve never been to the hometown of the Pangandamans in Masiu, Lanao del Sur but I’ve been to Marawi City, the provincial capital a mere 40 kilometers away.   It was during the 2004 campaign where I accompanied someone whose fraternity had an election-related gathering in the city.  Being such gathering,  politican-members all around the periphery of Lanao del Sur came to the event.  The elections, being weeks away and the official campaign  period hasn’t started yet, I can attest that given the sight of the politician’s bodyguards with assault rifles on the ready, the air is rife with tension in connection with the upcoming elections.   Reminiscing this event, I know that is a normal scenario in election hotspots such as Masiu.

The sight is in stark contrast with the pleasant description of Marawi, as the “summer capital of the south” or more fittingly, the “Baguio of the south”.  The cool weather is attributed  to its elevation and the breeze coming from the expanse of Lake Lanao whose shores serve as sanctuaries for  the towns of Marawi and Masiu  – similar to the Batangas and Cavite towns that encircle the more well-known Lake Taal.

During my visit, it was the first time I felt I was in a different place if it weren’t for the people understanding Tagalog. Being a predominantly Muslim province, religious sanctuaries that I’ve been accustomed seeing specifically the cross on churches have been replaced by turrets of mosques.  The Islamic Center Mosque which is a landmark of the city was remarkable in addition to its well-manicured lawns.  Some of the establishments have Arabic inscriptions on them and so do the campaign posters of politicians.  Most of the men and women wear the tradional Muslim dress, in particular the women with their headdress known colloquially as kumbong.    It was really an opportunity to snap a few photos as mementos of this particular visit.  Too bad, I only spent a day there failing to explore the place in its entirety.

On the downside, conflicts between warring political families, short of being called “tribal wars” dominate the political landscape of the province and this does not exempt the Pangandamans.   The family name has been in the political landscape of the province for generations.

Being associated with a political family or just being plain politicians in the Philippine context, it is no wonder that the public rallied behind the seemingly much aggrieved party – the de la Paz family.  Television footage (widely available on Youtube) shows a 56 year old Delfin de la Paz and his 14 year old son,  sustained physical injuries.  The latter had fresh scars on his facial area.  It was alleged that his attackers continued to maul him despite his pleas and apologies at the same time for them to stop.

Bambee de la Paz, the 18 year old daughter who was also with them at the time of the incident posted on her blog the details of that fateful day and almost immediately bloggers rallied behind her while cursing the Pangandamans.  Comments on videos related to the incident (particularly on Youtube) also did the same thing.  The Filipino cyber community in effect established an anti-Pangandaman status quo. Columnists and editorials from respected newspapers collectively sum up their opinions – plain abuse of power by this political family.

If it were a wrestling “anything goes” themed match, where the de la Paz team is composed of a 56 year old man, a 14 year old adolescent and an 18 year old teenage girl going against six fully grown men whose lineup includes two prominent politicans, a member of the family and three armed bodyguards.  It is obvious who will win this obvious “mismatch” even if you exclude the three Pangandamans.

The elder Pangandaman apologized to those “that have been hurt’ in the incident but cut short of saying that their group started the melee.   He appealed to bloggers on television to cease posting blogs.  However no one seems be listening and support on Bambee’s blog is growing by the day.

In a seemingly gentle game of golf, it is quite unimaginable to transform its serene landscape into a wild-wild-west, brawl-for-all contest.  What makes it “ideal” for such gung ho setting is the involvement of politicians coming from a wild-wild-west corner of the Philippines where guns, goons and gold abound.  No wonder it’s a slim chance that public sympathy will go to the Pangandamans.  Despite their claim of innocence, the burden of proof falls on them and attempts to rally the public in their favor is just not working.

Filipino singer Jed Madela delivers one of his powerful performances at the recently held Pasko sa Toronto event

Prior to this inevitable winter season, many of us have enjoyed the beauty of the Fall season. The usual boring shades of green turning into bright, attractive colors is revealing its full glory for our viewing pleasure. But looking beyond this attraction lies the fact that once the leaves come down, colder temperatures set in and snow begins to fall. And when there is snow, there are freezing rain, slush and mud. Though officially it is still the Fall season, the weather outside says otherwise.

In a few days it will be Christmas sans the usual Filipino fanfare for me here in the rural part of York Region waiting to be “ethnically diversified”. Nevertheless, I had a glimpse of a traditional Filipino Christmas setup – or at least close to it through “Pasko sa Toronto” held last November 23 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. A life-sized, living and breathing diorama of the traditional belen was on display and people had a feast of having their pictures taken with it.

I met several of my colleagues from Migrante-Ontario who turns out to be kapamilya fanatics as Ystillo Inc, one of the organizers brought talents from Philippine network giant ABS-CBN, whose subsidiary TFCko is the co-organizer of the show. They brought along some of their friends who traveled all the way from Montreal to watch Jericho “Echo” Rosales.

For those of you not familiar with the “network war” in the Philippines, The kapuso and kapamilya networks of GMA 7 and ABS-CBN respectively, have been at each other’s throats for quite some time now and this rivalry has literally gone overseas as both networks try to outdo each other in the market share of its services (including paid subscription service like TFCko among others) to overseas Filipinos. Talent piracy has also been a method employed by both networks. If this was a war between two armed groups, both would literally be at each other’s sights as their corporate headquarters are a few blocks from each other.

Filipino heartthrob Jericho "Echo" Rosales serenades the crowd.

As far as this network war here in Canada and particularly in the Greater Toronto Area is concerned, ABS-CBN seems to be in the lead as far as bringing talents here is concerned. To name a few – Ai-ai de las Alas and recently Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Jed Madela and Jericho Rosales. GMA has yet to show its talents in the flesh here in the GTA.

As expected, given the lineup of performers, most of the attendees were mostly females ranging from the young and the old and the battle cries that night were either, “Gerald, Marry me!” or “Echo, Marry me!”. All I could wish for at this point that I be transported somewhere else and I know that if this wish comes to fruition, someone would be begging to take my place a la legitimate paparazzi. And to my surprise those uttering these screams were from fans either born or raised here judging from their accents. Thanks to modern technology, even those who haven’t set foot in the Philippines can form a fan’s club of their idols. In a deeper context, this is also a perfect way to get in touch with someone’s roots.

Despite the overwhelming kapamilya crowd waiting for their kapamilya idols to perform, a particular performer was overlooked. Fe de los Reyes, a veteran actress-performer based in the US broke the ice that night with her self-deprecating yet clean humor. She should be commended as a genuine thespian worthy of being applauded by the mere caliber of her performance. As far as all the performers on stage made an attempt at humor, who made the crowd laugh the hardest aside from Fe de los Reyes? No one.

As far as professionalism is concerned, de los Reyes can hold the title. Despite being distracted when the main performer for the night, Jericho Rosales inadvertently came in through the main entrance (as there was no other choice) diverting the attention of the audience from her, Fe maintained her composure and just did a funny ad lib to turn back the crowd’s attention to her. On the part of the audience, it is apparent that this action was plain disrespect to a fellow kababayan . Maybe they can’t be blamed altogether since they bought tickets to see a matinee idol above all else. But they could’ve waited nevertheless.

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Fe de los Reyes, Fiilipina comedian currently based in the US, delivers one of her antics on a hand-picked member of the audience.

Another early Christmas treat for every Filipino and boxing aficionado regardless of nationality is the victory of Manny Pacquiao over heavily favored Oscar de la Hoya. Oscar “Golden Boy” de la Hoya as this paper’s publisher put it, was reduced to a tanso following an 8th round T.K.O.

On my way home shortly after the fight, I saw an impromptu motorcade led by 3 cars honking their horns and waving Filipino flags along Bathurst Street in the middle of the night and under a freezing temperature. Now that only shows that nothing can dampen the Filipino spirit to celebrate even under such conditions. I’m sure that many of our GTA kababayans held a celebration of their own in their respective homes. With the drastic punches Pacquiao rained on de la Hoya starting in the first round, many Pacquiao fans are already celebrating from the onset of the fight. There may not be the traditional San Miguel Beer to savor while watching the match but there is Budweiser as alternative. As for me, I had Stella Artois and manggang hilaw and alamang as pulutan which to my surprise are a perfect beer match.

Majority of Filipinos will agree with me that one thing that can spoil watching Pacquiao’s victory are the sudden appearance of our politicians in the ring – too ubiquitous and frequent that it has already been a de facto landmark in every match of “the People’s champ”. It messes up the spirit of celebrating the victory of forgetting the problems of our country, albeit temporary which they are indisputably these politicians are a part of. Conrado de Quiros, columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer even went far in his column by saying “The only sour note in every victory by Manny Pacquiao is Malacañang rushing to take credit for it. Indeed, not just rushing to take credit for it but rushing to identify with it, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo specifically appropriating

Loveteam Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson entertains the crowd

Pacquiao’s persona and posturing as the Pacquiao of Philippine politics, or even of the world. It’s almost a cinch, or at least it has far better odds than Pacquiao got as “dejado” in his fight against Oscar de la Hoya, that she will use Pacquiao’s latest, and most glorious, fight to push for Charter change more strenuously, drawing parallels between the two.”

With all the network rivalry and dirty politics being part of the day to day lives of our fellow Filipinos back home, I hope partisanship and bickering be aside at least for the sake of Christmas. Otherwise, let’s just hope and pray that a similar miracle would be bestowed upon our fellow kababayans this Holiday season like what happened on the day of Manny Pacquiao’s fight – peace in the otherwise dangerous turfs of our country.