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Migrants need to keep their hearts at home

General

Nov 302013

Migrants need to keep their hearts at home

LIM MOORE (center) with her mother Lenore and husband Alex. Marie Claire Lim Moore, a Filipino-Canadian-American mother and bank executive, is back in Manila, and she has definitely not forgotten the soap, so to speak—this time beautifully wrapped in a 220-page book full of remembrances, photographs and useful tips. Claire’s book shares tips on how to keep one’s balance in a globalized world. Many helpful tips were passed on to her by her mother, teacher and artist Lenore Lim. The book hit No. 1 on Amazon’s Parenting and Adult-Child Relationships category when it was released in September 2013. Claire, 37, enjoys juggling her career as a top banking exec, as mother to two growing children, and as fund-raiser for Filipino community events, among others. After spending the early part of her childhood in Vancouver, Canada, Claire moved to New York City when she was 12 and attended the United Nations International School where she sang on stage with singer Debbie Gibson and received her high school diploma from former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. She went on to study at Yale and eventually climbed the corporate ladder at Citi. Her job has taken her to many parts of the world. She met her husband, Alex Moore, while working in Sao Paulo, Brazil. They married in Manila shortly before moving to Singapore. Now mom to Carlos and Isabel, Claire also manages the Global Client business for Citi in Asia. From someone who is probably among the highest-ranking Filipino-Americans in global finance, Read More …

Cops seize P182M shabu from Chinese man

News

Nov 292013

By Tonette T. OrejasInquirer Northern Luzon 11:45 pm | Friday, November 29th, 2013 CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines—The police in Pampanga on Friday seized some 36.5 kilograms of shabu (metamphetamine hydrochloride) worth P182 million from a Chinese who lived and conducted his trade in an upscale village in nearby Mexico town. Supt. Raymund Louie Baloyo, head of the provincial anti-illegal drugs operation task force, said around 16.5 kg of shabu were stacked in a luggage while another 20 kg were stored in a box in a house on Lakeshore. Ding Wenkun, 30, was arrested together with his aide, Roel Cabag, during a buy bust past 5 p.m. The suspect, from Jiangxi province, entered the Philippines last Oct. 29. Both are held at the Pampanga police camp in this capital as charges are being prepared against them, Senior Supt. Oscar Albayalde, provincial police director, said. “The intensified campaign against illegal drugs in Pampanga is upon the guidance of Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta,” Albayalde said. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: buy-bust , Illegal Drugs , Philippines – Regions , shabu Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Read More …

Oldest Fil-Am World War II veteran dies

News

Nov 082013

By Nimfa U. RuedaINQUIRER.net US Bureau 2:05 pm | Friday, November 8th, 2013 Retired US Army General Antonio Taguba presented to Bacani the first US government equity check amounting to $15,000, on behalf of the Secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, during an event commemorating theBataan Day of Valor at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. Photo by Eric Lachica LOS ANGELES–As the nation prepares to honor war veterans on Nov. 11, the Filipino-American community mourns the loss of Maj. Alberto C. Bacani, the oldest Fil-Am World War II veteran. Bacani, who was from Isabela, died on Tuesday in Alexandria, Virginia. He was 102. He was the first Fil-Am veteran to be recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under the 2009 Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation law. After the war, Bacani worked as a teacher and school principal, and later as a registrar at the University of the East. He retired in 1976 and migrated to the US. Bacani worked as a librarian at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Crystal City, Virginia. The EPA library reading room was named after him when he retired after 34 years of service at the age of 98. Bacani, even in his nineties, continued to actively advocate for the rights and welfare of WWII veterans. As a member of the Washington DC-based American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, he frequently lobbied senators, members of congress and US presidents for support of Filipino veterans equity bills. He died Read More …

Landmark pact offers 40M people hope

News

Nov 022013

At least 40 million people depend on the sea in areas bounded by three countries—the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia—that have entered into an agreement to protect and jointly manage the rich marine resources that these areas hold. ORLANDO MALIWANAG DAVAO CITY—On the map, the Sulu and Celebes Seas look like semi-enclosed twin basins separated only by a chain of islands called the Sulu archipelago. Experts from the Sulu-Celebes Sea Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SCS-SFMP), however, noted that the marine life in these two water basins is not separate: The Pacific Ocean flows into Sulu Sea in Northern Mindanao and between the Sangihe-Talaud archipelago in North Sulawesi. “Surface waters from one basin overflow to the other every two weeks,” SCS-SFMP said. Bounded by the Philippines’ southwest coast, Malaysia’s Sabah island on north Borneo and Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, the Sulu and Celebes seas form the Sulu Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME), a large marine ecosystem now considered one of the world’s 200 most critical, which over 40 million people depend on for food and livelihood. Food security On Wednesday, Oct. 30, a three-country commitment to protect and manage this common marine area was signed with the hope of ensuring food security for over 40 million people, said Romeo Trono, regional project manager of the SCS-SFMP of the United Nations Office for Special Services. The landmark agreement, which environment and fisheries officials from the three countries signed, called for the implementation of a strategic action plan to deal with the impact of declining resources Read More …

Trial of 27 Filipinos in Sabah standoff to start January

News

Nov 022013

Trial of 27 Filipinos in Sabah standoff to start January

By Julliane Love de JesusINQUIRER.net 5:31 pm | Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 In this March 14, 2013 photo released by Malaysia’s Ministry of Defense, Malaysian soldiers discuss strategies at Sungai Nyamuk where a stand-off with Filipino gunmen took place, near Tanduo village in Lahad Datu, Borneo’s Sabah state, Malaysia. File photo MANILA, Philippines—The Malaysian high court will start hearing in January the case of 27 Filipino armed followers of the late Sultan Jamalul Kiram III involved in a bloody clash with Malaysian forces in Sabah in February. In a Malaysian news agency report on Friday, the high court of Malaysia allotted 17 days starting January 6 until February next year to hear the case of the Filipinos and three Malaysian nationals for allegedly being involved with terrorist groups against Malaysia’s head of state Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Justice Stephen Chung set the trial on the following dates: January 6 to10, 15 to17, 27 to 30 and February 10 to14 in 2014. But starting next month, the prosecution and defense will have to file before the court the agreed facts and issues of the case. The report said the hearing, which will be in open court, will be held at the Sabah Prisons Department in Malaysia. The court could have attended to the case last September 17 in a supposed 11-day trial but the counsel sought more time to go through “voluminous documents and recordings as well as satellite imaging in relation to the case.” Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said Read More …

US urged to probe death of OFW who fell off oil rig

News

Nov 022013

US urged to probe death of OFW who fell off oil rig

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:53 pm | Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Cuisia Jr. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine Embassy in the United States has called on American authorities to investigate the death of a Filipino worker who fell off an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico a week ago, expressing concern over the safety of Philippine citizens employed in off-shore facilities in the US. Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. made the appeal to the US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) following the death of 38-year-old welder Peter Jorge Voces. “The Philippines expresses its deep concern over the safety of Filipinos working in offshore oil facilities in the US,” Cuisia said through the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C.’s Twitter account. “Although we hope Mr Voces’ death was not the result of platform safety issues, we expect the BSEE to thoroughly investigate the incident,” he said. Voces was killed Sunday night after an empty storage tank fell and pushed him overboard as he worked with a crew to dismantle a platform in an area called Vermillion Block 200 located some 88.5 kms south of Freshwater Bayou in Louisiana. It was not clear how the tank fell on Voces. US Coast Guard search and rescue crews found him on Tuesday morning pinned underwater just below the platform. Cuisia on Friday also phoned Voces’ widow in the Philippines and assured him of the Philippine government’s assistance Read More …

Malaysian national held for alleged link to MNLF attack on Zamboanga

News

Nov 022013

Malaysian national held for alleged link to MNLF attack on Zamboanga

By Frances MangosingINQUIRER.net 4:37 pm | Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 Philippine Army soldiers fire a 60mm mortar towards the position of MNLF loyal to Misuari where they camp out with their hostages in Barangay Sta. Barbara in Zamboanga City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/EDWIN BACASMAS MANILA, Philippines–A Malaysian national was arrested last month by Philippine authorities in Zamboanga City for suspected involvement with the Moro National Liberation Front, Malaysia and Philippine authorities confirmed. “The arrest of the Malaysian man followed the action taken by the Philippine security forces against individuals suspected of being involved in the armed attacks launched by MNLF rebels in Zamboanga City on Sept 9,” the Malaysian state news agency Bernama reported, on Wednesday quoting Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) director-general, Datuk Mohammad Mantek. The Bernama report said Mantek refused to give further details as the matter is still under investigation by Philippines authorities. Mantek also declined to comment if the arrested 55-year-old man was involved with the three-week Zamboanga siege last September which killed at least 200 people. In the gunbattle that lasted for almost a month, MNLF forces attacked the city to build their independent “Bangsamoro Republik”. Malaysian Foreign Minister Wisma Putra said he was told by Philippine authorities that the man admitted he was a member of the MNLF, a separate report from Bernama said. Zamboanga Peninsula police information officer Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca confirmed to INQUIRER.net on Saturday that they arrested a Malaysian national last month during the house raid of MNLF founding chairman Nur Read More …

Aquino seen to bring home $1.7B in investments

General

Oct 182013

Aquino seen to bring home $1.7B in investments

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, front left, receives a plaque of appreciation posthumously presented to his father, Sen. Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., from Hong Won-ki, president of the Korea Journalists Society, at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Oct. 18, 2013. AP/Ahn Young-joon SEOUL—President Benigno Aquino III is expected to bring home at least $1.7 billion in investments from Korean firms as a result of his state visit to South Korea. At a meeting with Korean businessmen on Friday, Mr. Aquino also took a jab at the previous Arroyo administration, stressing that corruption during the Arroyo presidency was to blame for Philippine economic problems. Mr. Aquino capped his visit by meeting with executives of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd., Korea Electric Power Corp. (Kepco), National Pension Service, Hyundai Group and Hotel Lotte. Lotte affirmed its commitment to build a 350-room hotel and set up other investments in retail, real estate and food worth $1 billion, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said. “President Aquino urged Lotte to look into the feasibility of investing in new tourist facilities in Palawan,” Coloma told Filipino reporters. He said Kepco also pledged to put up two 150-megawatt power plants in Bataan province and two 200-megawatt plants in Bislig, Surigao del Sur province, and Cadiz, Negros Occidental province, worth $700 million. Stamp out corruption Mr. Aquino encouraged Korean businessmen to invest in his country. Addressing the members of the Korea International Trade Association, Mr. Aquino said his administration’s efforts to eliminate corruption Read More …

Swiss grants await Filipino grads, doctors

News

Oct 122013

Swiss grants await Filipino grads, doctors

By Dona Z. PazzibuganPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:53 am | Sunday, October 13th, 2013 Education Secretary Armin Luistro. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Swiss government is offering scholarships to those currently taking up doctorate studies in the Philippines and to medical doctors wishing to undertake specializations in select universities in Switzerland, according to Education Secretary Armin Luistro. Luistro said the research scholarships were open to those studying for a doctorate degree who wish to conduct a 12-month research with a professor in a Swiss university. The scholarship is also open to medical doctors undertaking specializations. Scholarships are also available to those wishing to go through a Ph.D. program in a Swiss university for a maximum of three years. The Swiss government is also offering a grant for researchers with a doctorate degree wishing to conduct post-doctoral research at a Swiss university for 12 months. The deadline for applications for academic year 2014-15 is Nov. 15. “We welcome this offer which is part of the continuing promotion of understanding and cooperation between our country and the Swiss Confederation,” Luistro said. The scholarship and research grants offered by the Swiss government are almost similar to those offered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) through the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) that was organized only last year. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Read More …

Filipino Muslims fly to Mecca for Hajj on Saudi tab

News

Oct 122013

Filipino Muslims fly to Mecca for Hajj on Saudi tab

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:19 am | Sunday, October 13th, 2013 The sun sets behind the minarets of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Everybody flies for the Hajj, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Going on a pilgrimage to Mecca has been a lifelong dream for lawyer Samina Macabando but the hefty price of the journey—up to P200,000—was always a barrier. This year, the Marawi City native is finally making the sojourn that Muslims around the world make their life’s mission. The 31-year-old lawyer is among 47 Filipinos the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is flying to and billeting for free in Mecca this month for the Hajj, in Islam a defining expression of devotion to the faith. “I’ve been dreaming of this ever since I was young,” said Macabando. “It’s very important. It’s one of the five pillars of Islam. If you go on the pilgrimage, your faith is complete,” she told the Inquirer. Officials of the Saudi Embassy in Manila and the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) feted the pilgrims at the embassy in Makati City on Saturday where they were handed their plane tickets, the Ihraam (the sacred white clothing that Muslims wear for the Hajj) and other gifts. The group, selected from around the Philippines through a stringent process, will be provided “luxurious accommodations and other services that befit them as guests” during their 10-day trip, said the embassy’s chargé d’affaires, Abdullelah Aljebreen, in remarks Read More …

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