Paraiso’ awakens interest of Pinoys to Gawad Kalinga

Celebrity (as of 1:27 AM)

‘Paraiso’ awakens interest of Pinoys to Gawad Kalinga

By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

The film "Paraiso: Tatlong Kwento ng Pag-asa" lifted the consciousness of the Pinoys in the Netherlands about the essence of Gawad Kalinga.

Pinoys from different parts of the country flocked to the Museon in The Hague, on June 23 to watch the showing of the trilogy that stars Maricel Soriano, Carmi Martin and Cesar Montano.

The event was a huge success because the organizers achieved their goal of promoting Gawad Kalinga to the Pinoys.

In fact, since the main purpose was to show the work of Gawad Kalinga, the ticket price was set at seven euros or 450 pesos, which is cheaper compared to the normal cinema rate of 8.75 euros.
Event organizer Ben Bernabe says the reason is that they are not asking for a donation or contribution for building a house.

"We just want to show to the people in Europe and Holland that there is something happening in the Philippines at the moment and that is a miracle being done to improve the quality of living of the people below the poverty line," Bernabe told ABS-CBN’s Balitang Europe.

Targeting Pinoys was a very precise move by the organizers because in the Netherlands, Gawad Kalinga is better known by non-Filipinos.

A Dutch who only wants to be identified as Mr.Zuidwijk is a supporter of Gawad Kalinga.

"I like the whole idea about the village building. People working for their own village, building the house themselves, the hardwork for that and the way they put everything from ideas into real facts," Zuidwijk said.

In his speech before the screening of Paraiso, Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands Romeo Arguelles informed the Filipino Community about the achievements of the English-speaking Parish of the Hague in raising funds for Gawad Kalinga projects.

In fact, its members already flew to the Philippines in April, bringing the raised money to commence the building of houses in Escalante, Negros Occidental.

"Gawad Kalinga was adopted by our English-speaking parish in the Hague as a project for the Lenten campaign in the year 2007 to 2008. Because many people were very active in this fund raising, the parish was able to raise 54,000 euros (3.5 million pesos)," Arguelles told an applauding crowd.

That amount will be doubled by a counter fund from a non-governmental organization and the Dutch government so that the project will be able to build more than one hundred houses in Escalante.

Arguelles has a weakness towards the Gawad Kalinga projects that are being undertaken right now in Escalante since he had a first-hand experience at building houses.

"We went on the site, we had a ground-breaking ceremony and many of us were part of the house-building. We were doing carpentry work, masonry work to build these villages. We talked to the people who were going to live there, because you can’t own a Gawad Kalinga house unless you yourself help in building your own house and building your neighbors house. You call it sweat equity," Arguelles said.

"Another beautiful thing about Gawad Kalinga is it’s not just giving you a home. It’s giving you your dignity and your honor because if you are no longer living in the slums, if you are no longer in the squatters area and you have the pride of owning a home, you have the pride of becoming a good citizen of that community," Arguelles added to inspire the crowd.

A strong believer in Gawad Kalinga, Arguelles did not waste any minute and endorsed the organization that has evolved from a daring initiative into a major movement for nation-building.

"I think we who are overseas, Filipinos overseas, our friends overseas can help in their own way whether its one euro or ten euros or one-thousand euros in building this Gawad Kalinga community, so I would like to encourage all of us, all of you to help this project. This is the most effective non-governmental housing project that I know of," Arguelles said, to the applause of the now supportive crowd.

Of the three stories of hope, the Pinoys were moved to tears by "Umiyak Man Ang Langit" where Soriano plays the role of a mother who lost a daughter and sister to the landslide in Liloan, Southern Leyte.

A Pinay domestic helper, Ludivina Paras was deeply touched by the story.

"Nakakaiyak. Naawa ako sa mga kababayan natin kaya handa akong tumulong," Paras said.

She also said that she easily identified with Soriano’s character being a victim herself of the

Mount Pinatubo disaster which wreaked havoc in her hometown in Porac, Pampanga.

It took a simple movie borne out of the "bayanihan" spirit to remind Filipinos working overseas that no matter how miserable they may feel in this corner of the world, they are still luckier than the three types of Pinoys in the Philippines…the landless, the homeless and the hungry.

SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=82610

Pinoy Painters Wow Art Buffs in Holland

Pinoy painters wow art buffs in Holland


By LOUI GALICIA

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau


Filipino painters have made a mark among the art aficionados in the Netherlands, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau reported.


As part of the “Drift to the World of Master: A Journey of Filipino Artists” European tour, nine seasoned artists from the Philippines and one from the Netherlands traveled to major cities such as London, Germany, Brussels, Luxembourg, Rome, Vienna and Paris, bringing with them their artworks.


In the Netherlands, the Pinoy artists hit the city as part of the 109th Philippine Independence Day celebrations, showcasing their paintings in an exhibit entitled: "Contemporary Art of the Philippines in the Netherlands: Journey of Filipino Visual Artists."


Ambassador Romeo Arguelles and Philippine Honorary Consul General in Amsterdam Eppo Horlings led the opening rites at the Jan van der Togt Museum in the city of Amstelveen on June 12.


Around 500 Pinoys and Europeans flocked to the museum during the first day of exhibition, which featured fifty-two artworks from Aris Bagtas, Rafael Cusi, Camille dela Rosa, Robert Deniega, Marissa “Marigonz” Gonzales, Janice Liuson-Young, Rene Robles, Fred Ramirez, Fidel Sarmiento as well as the Philippine embassy’s in-house artist, Edwin Joseph Edralin.


Edralin, who is also the cultural attaché at the embassy, became an instant celebrity when he sold two of his paintings at 700 euros apiece, during the first hour of exhibition.


“This is my first exhibition outside the Philippines. It’s a passion actually. I wanted to be a fine artist but I ended up in the Foreign Service,” Edralin told ABS-CBN’s "Balitang Europe."


A Dutch art lover said Edralin will be a potential Vincent Van Gogh, who is a renowned Dutch painter.


“He makes special paintings. You never see it anywhere,” Arnold Van Dijk said.


Van Dijk added that the Pinoy paintings are special and different from Dutch paintings.


Among the important guests coming from the diplomatic and consular corps, the Brazilian ambassador to the Netherlands was particularly overwhelmed by the intensity of the paintings.


“I was very interested by a great variety of styles and the colorful and creative kinds of styles that the artists show. I think they are a big success… so I was really impressed,” Ambassador Gilberto Vergne Saboia said.


The striking and colorful work of Bagtas also caught a lot of curiosity.


Bagtas said that he uses a lot of color because he usually paints about the colorful festivals in the Philippines.


Explaining the meaning of one of his works, he said, “Ito po ay folkloric talaga. Pinakikita dito yung kulay ng Pilipino. At ang painting na ito ay nagpapakita ng kultura at pananampalataya ng mga nakatira sa Pilipinas.”


The youngest artist from the group, who is no stranger to the world of art being the daughter of the famous painter and colorist Ibarra dela Rosa, collected a lot of Dutch fans who even asked for her autograph.


Camille dela Rosa, who’s only 24 years old said, “Sobrang masaya and honored. Kasi kahit sa ganitong age naka-exhibit ako. Masaya po ako pag nag-painting.”


The opening night also featured a clarinet performance by Bea Robles, daughter of painter Rene, a rendition of Filipino songs by Netherlands-based Filipino celebrity Nhelly de la Rosa and dance numbers by the Fil-Dutch dance troupe of choreographer Ricky Tuazon.


Arguelles highlighted the achievements of each of the participating artist and also expressed his appreciation to all who attended the opening.


“I think all the guests that we have had this evening have enjoyed this exhibition showing the different talents of our Filipino painters and I think it’s a fitting celebration to commemorate the 109th anniversary of our Philippine independence by showing the best of the Philippines, the best in Filipino and the best in our country,” Arguelles said.


The exhibition was supposed to close on June 19, but due to popular demand, the museum requested an extension to June 27.



SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/



http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=82217

Media in Philippines, Asia slammed For Narrow-Mindedness

Media in Philippines, Asia slammed For Narrow-Mindedness

By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

Asian media has failed in delivering news about the region, mainly because it is narrow-minded and limited in scope, reports ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

The weakness of Asian media is just one of the topics debated at the 4th Asia-Europe Foundation’s Asia Europe Journalists’ Seminar on May 27 in Hamburg, Germany.

“We fail. We fail because media in Asia is very parochial”, Kavi Chongkittavorn said in his speech as a panelist representing Thailand.

The executive editor of Bangkok’s The Nation newspaper said, “When we report, we report our self, we report what is linked to us and then this self- censorship is based on non-interference.”

He added that this kind of reporting in Asia is an unwritten rule. “So you don’t write about sensitivity, about leadership. Let alone other more sensitive issues like racial or religious issue.”

He also said that Asian journalists have a mindset, which is fixed on a certain issue. “Media in Asia mainly pick up topics on community building in Asia from America and less from Europe, because Europe has so many to write about its integration,” Chongkittavorn said.

Even the Filipino media was not spared from harsh criticism. The Singaporean panelist found that there is a trend in news reporting in the Philippines that is focused on high politics.

“There’s a tremendous amount to what I will call high politics. You know. Who’s going to become the president? What will the president do? What will the congress do, what will the senator do? What background does he or she have,” Asad-ul Iqbal Latif told ABS-CBN’s Balitang Europe.

The visiting Research Fellow at ISEAS said that as a reader, he really wants to find out about the real Philippines. He wants to read the news about the country that is a collection of so many people and so many languages.

“If the Filipino media as in media in other countries… if they have to become closer to the people then they should put the unseen, the unheard and the unthought-of in the limelight and not to be so fixated with high politics, high economics, scandals, “ Latif said.

Latif added, “I think the Philippines, if I may so as a friend of the Philippines, is a complex country. It is not as simple as the news headlines make it out to be. It’s not always a question of the fight between good and evil.”

He also denounced the spate of journalist killings in the country. “Terrible not because they’re journalists but because they’re citizens. And to the extent that a journalist gets killed while trying to do his or her job is a reflection on the entire system.”

17 senior journalists from ASEF-member countries were invited to the seminar to discuss the theme “Strategic Issues in Asia-Europe Relations: Perspectives from the Media.”

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau represented the Philippines. The other Asian participants are from: Khemara Times, Cambodia; Wenhui Daily, China; The Times of India, India; Deccan Herald, India; Gatra Weekly News Magazine, Indonesia; Al Jazeera International, Malaysia; UB Post, Mongolia; The News, Pakistan and Tienphong Newspaper, Vietnam.

The European participants are from: Standart News Daily, Bulgaria; Danish Broadcasting Corp., Denmark; Der Tagesspiegel, Germany; Kathimerini, Greece; The Irish Times, Ireland; Lrytas, Lithuania and Radio Romania, Romania.

The Asia-Europe Journalists’ Seminar series serves to enhance the flow of information and exchange of perspectives among policy makers and eminent senior journalists from Asia and Europe on strategic issues facing the two regions.

It is a forum for the journalists to be updated on current world developments and concerns being addressed by the ASEM process, and the joint approaches being taken to deal with them.

“Media people are very, very important simply because they play a key role in connecting and bridging civil societies in Asia and Europe and also connecting people in Asia and Europe. That is why we believe that media programs for Asians and Europeans will continue to be priority for ASEF,” Ambassador Wonil Cho said.

ASEF’s executive director also lauded the work of the media.

“The media people have done a lot of good work and made big contributions in propagating the importance of the Asia-Europe cooperation,” Cho said.

On the European side, the Asian journalists got a very clear view of the progress of the European Union integration which has become a very unique model that the ASEAN countries had been closely watching.

The EU now has 27 member countries, with Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey still awaiting future membership.

German panelist Matthias Nass voices a strong opinion on Turkey’s future and inclusion of Russia in the EU.

“People should be careful about Turkey. I don’t see that happening anytime soon. America is against it. [French President] Sarkozy is against it. The whole development seems to be running against it,” the deputy editor-in-chief of German newspaper Die Zeit said.

“And then somebody mentioned Russia. If you want to kill the process of EU integration then you try to bring Russia. This is nothing we should really aspire for. Russia is a world power in itself. It will be too much for Europe to integrate Russia. It will not be wise to do that,” he said.

Guest of honor during the seminar was EU Director General for Asian and Pacific Affairs Andreas Michaelis who assured the Asians that the European Union will play a vital role in Asia.

“ASEM countries from Asia represent sixty percent of the world population, sixty percent of world trade and sixty percent of economic output…an importance that should be reflected in the political approach to the region. But also at the same time as a consequence of importance of economic needs, certainly security becomes important,” Michaelis said.

“Europeans themselves do not live up to U.S.-style hardware of security but it will characterize, it will flavor the kind of role of Europe and I think that is essential. If Europe wants to play a role in Asia, it has to become part of the Asian agenda. And it is not part of the Asian agenda if it lacks one of the fundamental characteristics of the main actor in the region and that is why security is important,” Michaelis said.

Michaelis, however cautions that Europe will not force itself in Asia.

“I think we are well advised of our own limitations and not make the mistake that out of reasons of vanity or whatever reason is involved, we are trying to squeeze our chair at the table in order to say that we are present wherever we can be present. I think it’s much more important to see that we are present where we can give added value to a certain political process,” he said.

SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=81818

Akyat Barko Helps Homesick and Seafarers in Distress

Special Features (as of 2:26 AM)

Akyat Barko Helps Homesick and Seafarers in Distress

By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

Here in Rotterdam, 3,000 to 4,000 ships pass every year at Europe’s largest port and fifty percent of these carry Filipino crew members on board.

It is very fortunate for the Pinoy seafarers in distress or are homesick to find a volunteer group called the Community Advocacy for Seafarers Concerns or CASCO, that exists just for them.

CASCO was founded four years ago by a group of Filipinos, German, Dutch and Vietnamese volunteers with the goals of helping and entertaining seamen, particularly the Pinoys, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau reported.

It’s biggest program called “Akyat Barko” has been a tremendous success. Akyat Barko was launched on the context that seafarers live a lonely life at sea.

Seaman Robert Sanchez recounts his life on board the ship. “Trabaho namin is always Monday palagi. Gigising kami ng five o’clock. Five, six, seven hanggang one, trabaho yan. Pahinga ka ng minsan one and a half hours. Minsan isang oras nalang pahinga mo sa hapon, start ka naman hanggang seven minsan. Aabutin ka pa ng hanggang alas otso. Di ka naman makatulog kasi isip mo nasa malayo, nasa pamilya. Pagtapos sa umaga, gising ka naman. Parang ganon, rewind lang ginagawa mo. Almost seven months kaming nandun. Hindi kami bumababa.” Sanchez told ABS-CBN’s Balitang Europe.

Twice a month, CASCO volunteers of the Akyat Barko program, literally go up the ships, knock at the doors and fetch Pinoy seamen and others in order to drive them to the International Seamen’s Center, where they can pass their free time.

The seamen can find everything they need to unwind or relax at the center. There’s an entertainment corner with a giant TV screen and karaoke which is very popular for the typically karaoke-loving Pinoy.

The seamen can also do sports at the center which is equipped with a basketball court, a gym and pool, billiards and table-tennis tables. Even the rubber shoes and basketball uniforms are provided.

And for the homesick Pinoys, there is a cyber and telecom corner where they can surf the Internet or chat with their loved ones in the Philippines over the phone.

Through the leadership of Dr. Eddie Cruz, a Pinoy doctor at the Erasmus University Hospital in Rotterdam, the Akyat Barko program of CASCO has already served thousands of Pinoy seamen.

“So far up to now, successful na successful ang CASCO. Lalo na itong karaoke evening. Sinusundo at hinahatid namin ang mga seamen sa kanilang bapor. Kung sino ang nakadaong dito at the time na meron kaming karoke evening sinusundo at hinahatid. Dito sa seafarers center. Nakaka-basketball sila, nakakapag-pool, meron ding konting bar at naka-karaoke. At least they can use their time safely instead of going to other places,” Cruz said.

He added that CASCO also provides for the other needs of seamen such as warm clothing, DVDs, pocket books and English-language magazines.

CASCO also has volunteers that provide support for seamen who fall ill on the ship or who are hospitalized.

“Pag naospital sila binibisita namin sila sa ospital lalo na kasi wala silang kamaganak dito. Masaya na sila pag nakakita sila ng Filipino na nanggaling sa Holland,” Cruz said.

Eda Liauw-Sinajon is a Filipina who is a “ship and hospital visitor” at CASCO. She has been helping seamen for twenty years now. “Ngayon me binisit kami this afternoon na yung kanyang sakit ay internal. I think intestinal…so hindi siya pinabalik ng barko kasi kailangan i-examine siya dahil gusto ma-sure ng doctor na hindi siya grabe. Etong kababayan nating seaman gusto niyang bumalik ng barko. Kaya pinayuhan ko na mas maganda na dito sa hospital dahil covered naman siya ng insurance,” Liauw-Sinajon said.

For her Vietnamese husband who is a driver on the Akyat Barko program, it is a labor of love to drive the seamen to and from the ships. “Dahil dati siyang seaman. Influence siguro ako sa kanya. Dahil seaman, he knows the seaman’s life,” Liauw-Sinajon says of her husband.

SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=81067

National (as of 11:49 PM)

ASEM meet to benefit RP, others

By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

The 8th Asia-Europe Meeting of Foreign Ministers Meeting closed in Hamburg last month with encouraging and meaningful discussions for all member countries, the Philippines included.

At the two-day meeting chaired by the EU Presidency, German Federal Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier on May 28-29, the foreign ministers discussed a broad range of issues of common interest.

These issues included energy and climate change, counter terrorism, non-proliferation, world trade and the United Nations, issues on Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and the Korean peninsula, the Middle East, recent developments in Asia and Europe. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the meetings were interesting.

“Very interesting, you learn. You don’t know with this kind but you learn something. You abandon this meeting thinking that you’ve completed what you talked. Now this is one of those meetings.

The atmosphere has been splendid. With 46 countries, this year we have had a lot of discussions on difficult issues,” Solana said.

The ministers agreed to continue to make the utmost use of the ASEM dialogue and cooperation, being a unique, practical, flexible and comprehensive platform for the Asia-Europe partnership in view of finding joint responses to global challenges.

Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri was happy that one of the topics discussed is the situation in Afghanistan.

“I think it’s a good idea that we’re meeting with common friends. Most of the countries represented in the G-8 have a fundamental interest in peace and stability in that area (Afghanistan) and nobody could have a greater interest in that than we have, so I think it’s a good forum,” Kasuri said.

Steinmeier said that ASEM. which is only on its 11th year, is still very young but it becomes a very big venue for EU and Asia to hold 60 bilateral meetings. He said that it's very important that Asia and Europe can speak with one voice.

Steinmeier also said that globalization has both a good and bad side but that it offers an opportunity for all because a fair structure is needed in the world.

One of the biggest discussions is between the EU and China on climate change.

Steinmeier said that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s deadline of 15 years to put their act together remains a very big challenge otherwise it will be catastrophic for the world.

China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that it appreciates the efforts of the EU, particularly Germany, in its part to respond to climate change issues.

But he passed on to the developed countries with sophisticated and advanced technology the responsibility to cut emissions and help the underdeveloped countries fight climate change.

“With regard to the efforts in terms of dealing with climate change and environmental protection, our view is that we should work together to make sure that the development needs of countries will be met and this is one of the key ways to improve the people’s living standards,” Yang said.

“On the other hand the environment is very important and for sustainable development one has to give up those efforts to environmental protection and to cope with climate change to handle the issue," Yang said.

He added: "All countries should work together in terms of exploring new sources of energy or alternative energy or clean energy. In this respect, perhaps the developed countries can do more.”

He said that between 2006 and 2010, the per unit gdp will be down by about 20 percent and that there will be a reduction on the total amount of pollutants by about 10 percent.

The Philippines was represented by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio.

She reported on the positive outcome of the 2nd East Asia Summit which was held in Cebu where the Cebu Declaration of East Asian Energy Security was signed.

The Cebu declaration recognizes the urgent need to address global warming and climate change, the need to strengthen renewable energy development such as the sustainable development of bio-fuels as well as goals and measures as spelt out in the declaration.

The Cebu summit had agreed to initiate concrete projects in priority areas of cooperation, namely energy, education, finance, avian flu, national disaster mitigation and poverty reduction.

ASEAN secretary-general Ong Keng Yong gave a very concise view to ABS-CBN Europe, on the progress of the Association of South East Asian Nations. “We have been doing quite a lot of things and I hope all these things can be done effectively and give us the result that we wanted,” Ong said.

Cho Won-il, Asia Europe Foundation executive director, presented to the foreign ministers, ASEF’s achievements in the last ten years where it has played an active role in promoting dialogue on major issues such as human rights, interfaith, youth exchanges, art, culture and media cooperation.

China, seeing ASEF’s significant role, announced an increase by 20 percent of its contribution to the foundation beginning this year.

China said it recognizes the need to fund the organization which puts together the 45 ASEM partners representing 50 percnt of the world GDP, 58 percent of the world's population and 60 or world trade.

SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM


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