National (as of 1:28 AM)
Seafarers' vote confirms OAV failure
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
The last seafarers' vote conducted on May 12 in Rotterdam before the Overseas Absentee Voting closed for the tallying of results proved that the OAV failed, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau reported.
Four staff members of the Philippine embassy in the Netherlands drove to the Port of Rotterdam to personally deliver the seafarers’ ballots and to conduct personal voting for Filipinos who were on and off the vessels.
In the Netherlands, Filipino absentee voters sent their ballots by mail. The system implemented, however, was different for seafarers because they had limited time on land.
Thirty Filipinos who went to the International Seamen's Center to vote failed to do so because their names were not on the book of registered seafarers.
A similar incident took place previously when only four out of 80 crewmen from the Pride of Rotterdam were able to cast their ballots when Filipino seafarers first participated in the absentee vote because of the same reason.
The OAV system for seafarers proved to be inefficient because this was the second time that the casting of ballots for ships' crewmen flopped.
According to data sent by the Commission on Elections to the Philippine embassy, there is an estimated 1,400 registered Filipino seafarers in the Netherlands.
What happened was prior to the just concluded OAV was that most of the seafarers were in the Philippines when registration began and they decided to register in their local polling precincts.
Following registration in the Philippines, these seafarers went abroad for their six-month contracts and were aboard international vessels when the OAV started on April 14.
Furious, failure
On board the Danish-registered Maersk, four Filipino seafarers were furious because they were unable to vote even if they insisted that they registered in the Philippines.
“Alanganin naman sa schedule namin na magbakasyon kami eh anim na buwan lang kami. Eh dun kami sa Pilipinas nagparehistro. Nag-open dati noon na dapat magparehistro kami para sa eleksyon (It would be impossible to come home for a vacation because our contracts are only for six months. We registered in the Philippines because they opened up for registration there)," Lowello Sabay said.
Rey Cajiles, another seaman, suggested that since he and his fellow seafarers cannot be in the Philippines during the day of the elections, they might as well be allowed to vote as overseas absentee voters.
He added that there is a big difference between working on vessels and on land. He said overseas absentee voters on land will always be available to cast their ballots at polling centers while seafarers are only allowed a four-hour pass.
Relly Cayanan shared Cajiles's sentiments. “Dapat COMELEC ang mag-aayos nyan. Kasi sila ang humahawak sa lahat (The COMELEC should be the one ironing things out because it has the records).
"He said that the commission should issue permits allowing seafarers at Philippine posts abroad.
Relly Tabuena, meanwhile, suggested that the embassy and the COMELEC make an effort to reach out to seafarers.
“Dapat 'yung nagpapatupad n'yan, sila mismo ang lalapit sa seaman o sa barko, dahil hindi kami permanente sa isang puerto na 'yon. Pwedeng lumapit sila o umakyat sila sa barko (Those who implement the OAV should be the ones to approach seafarers on board vessels because we're not permanent residents at ports)."
Review needed
The seafarers said OAV procedures should be reviewed and improved for the next elections. They agreed that the most effective means of voting for seafarers is the Internet because they are on board ships most of the time.
They added that the Europe-wide restriction for the International Security of Port System makes it difficult for embassy personnel to reach them.Embassy officials, meanwhile, said they are disappointed with the present OAV system.
They, however, are not giving up.
They said that officials did everything possible for the seafarers. What happened was beyond their reach.
Ambassador Romeo Arguelles said that the system can still be improved and that lessons can be learned with a review of procedures in order to assure that the next OAV will be successful.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=77454
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Queen's Day in Holland
Front Page (as of 8:01 PM)
Queen's Day in Holland
Every year as the end of April approaches, the whole Holland turns into a lavish Carnival in recognition of the Dutch Queen Beatrix, ABS-CBN Balitang Europe reported.
It is one of the happiest day of the year because everyone is free to sell anything along the streets. Some of the things they sell are second-hand clothes, toys and antique materials.
Febe De Ruyter, a young Dutch participant of Queen’s Day, said "this summer we have this project. We are selling all our stuff. We collect them from people we know and we said we are going to the Philippines. We’re going to help build houses and contribute for the street children."
"We will go to Manila and Quezon, because we wanna work with street children," said Robert, another Queen’s Day participant.
Filipinos also took part in celebrating the colourful Queen’s Day.
"This event is an opportunity for Pinoys to have fun. Everyone is outside to take part in merrymaking. This occasion also becomes their day-off. They are given the freewill to socialize and to celebrate the Queen’s Day," said Luz Burgman, a Pinay who attended the Queen’s Day.
Burgman said "People everywhere are very happy especially in Amsterdam. When the night comes, the party will start in the streets. They even give away miscellaneous stuffs, so other people can make use of it.
"It’s beautiful! There are plenty of things to buy. It is really one-of-a-kind," said Lani Carino, a tourist.
With reports from Loui Galicia
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
S. Korea Calls on Pinoy Teachers With American Twang
National (as of 11:52 PM)
S. Korea Calls on Pinoy Teachers With American Twang
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
South Korea is considering opening its market to Filipino English-language teachers. But first, applicants need to pass a pronunciation test, with an American accent.
Congressman Chung Bong-Ju, a member of the education committee of South Korea’s National Assembly, said there is a huge shortage of English teachers in South Korea as Koreans have become increasingly interested in learning the language. He added that more parents now want their children to learn English.
Chung said he has been pushing for the hiring of English-language teachers from the Philippines for about one year now.
“These days, Filipinos can’t get a visa to go to Korea as English instructor. But your country has university graduate people. They can speak English well and they are well educated. I think the person who graduated from the university in the Philippines have lots of ability to teach English, so you deserve to get a visa from Korea,” Chung, who was in The Hague recently, told ABS-CBN.
Presently, there are around 10,000 English teachers in South Korea mainly from the US, Canada and Australia. They earn an equivalent of US$3,000 a month, Chung said.
He added that competition has become stiff that some educational institutions have been paying as much as $5,000 dollars per month.
The idea of importing Filipino teachers came from former South Korean Ambassador to the UN Wonil Cho who visited a call center in Tagaytay City in the Philippines last year.
He said that at the call center, he thought that he was in America because the call-center agents all spoke in American English.
“If you think about it, why should we look far for English teachers. The Philippines is only four hours away [from South Korean] and Filipinos speak good English,” Wonil said.
"I think we can facilitate Philippine English teachers to go to Korea for certain period of three years to teach Korean children.”
However, some Koreans who went to the Philippines to learn English found out that their teachers did not have the "right" pronunciations.
“Lots of Korean parents don’t like Filipino English instructors because their English pronunciation is so different from Americans and Canadians. But I have an idea. You can teach Filipinos to change pronunciation to American style. Before we give them a visa, we will give (the applicants) a pronunciation test. If pronunciation is very similar to American style I think we can issue them a visa,” Chung said.
Chung is confident that it will only take two months to train Filipinos to learn the American accent since English is widely spoken in the country and the Filipinos already have the grammatical structure and reading comprehension.
Chung promises to work on the issue soon because it will be beneficial for both countries. “It will be good for Korean students and it will be provide employment to more Filipinos,” he said.
Chung plans to visit the Philippines within the year to discuss the matter with authorities.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=75787
S. Korea Calls on Pinoy Teachers With American Twang
By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
South Korea is considering opening its market to Filipino English-language teachers. But first, applicants need to pass a pronunciation test, with an American accent.
Congressman Chung Bong-Ju, a member of the education committee of South Korea’s National Assembly, said there is a huge shortage of English teachers in South Korea as Koreans have become increasingly interested in learning the language. He added that more parents now want their children to learn English.
Chung said he has been pushing for the hiring of English-language teachers from the Philippines for about one year now.
“These days, Filipinos can’t get a visa to go to Korea as English instructor. But your country has university graduate people. They can speak English well and they are well educated. I think the person who graduated from the university in the Philippines have lots of ability to teach English, so you deserve to get a visa from Korea,” Chung, who was in The Hague recently, told ABS-CBN.
Presently, there are around 10,000 English teachers in South Korea mainly from the US, Canada and Australia. They earn an equivalent of US$3,000 a month, Chung said.
He added that competition has become stiff that some educational institutions have been paying as much as $5,000 dollars per month.
The idea of importing Filipino teachers came from former South Korean Ambassador to the UN Wonil Cho who visited a call center in Tagaytay City in the Philippines last year.
He said that at the call center, he thought that he was in America because the call-center agents all spoke in American English.
“If you think about it, why should we look far for English teachers. The Philippines is only four hours away [from South Korean] and Filipinos speak good English,” Wonil said.
"I think we can facilitate Philippine English teachers to go to Korea for certain period of three years to teach Korean children.”
However, some Koreans who went to the Philippines to learn English found out that their teachers did not have the "right" pronunciations.
“Lots of Korean parents don’t like Filipino English instructors because their English pronunciation is so different from Americans and Canadians. But I have an idea. You can teach Filipinos to change pronunciation to American style. Before we give them a visa, we will give (the applicants) a pronunciation test. If pronunciation is very similar to American style I think we can issue them a visa,” Chung said.
Chung is confident that it will only take two months to train Filipinos to learn the American accent since English is widely spoken in the country and the Filipinos already have the grammatical structure and reading comprehension.
Chung promises to work on the issue soon because it will be beneficial for both countries. “It will be good for Korean students and it will be provide employment to more Filipinos,” he said.
Chung plans to visit the Philippines within the year to discuss the matter with authorities.
SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=75787
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