January 2009 Archives

By Anna Valmero INQUIRER.net Last December, blogger Mike Garcia posted on Multiply an entry about a retired janitor from the University of the Philippines Diliman. People then re-posted the story in their own blogs, while some forwarded it to various mailing lists. This story eventually got the attention of the Filipino cyberspace community, in particular the university’s alumni. Meliton Zamora or “Mang Mel” has been the university’s janitor for four decades. But after he retired, he was informed that he would only get about 90 centavos as retirement pay for 171 days. He also revealed that he has been guarantor for several UP student loans. UP students apply for loans at the Student Loan Board of the University to pay tuition fees. But to get that, they would need a UP employee as guarantor. The guarantor pays for the loans if the students fail to do so. Filipino blogger Garcia was among the students who benefited from Mang Mel’s kindness. Last December, Garcia visited Mang Mel's house near UP Diliman and was surprised to find the sad plight of the retired janitor. Garcia learned that some students were not able to pay their loans, which Mang Mel was guarantor. Thus those debts were deducted from his retirement pay. Garcia eventually called on other students who failed to pay their loan to help Mang Mel. This call later turned into a concert, where proceeds were given to Mang Mel. “Hindi naman ako nagsisi na tumulong ako noon, basta sa akin ang mahalaga makatulong ako sa mga estudyante [I do not regret that I've helped students by being guarantor. What's important is that I've helped them],” said Mang Mel with glimmer of hope in his eyes. credits, a bulk of also affected his retirement pay. But the story doesn't end there. Mang Mel said there are discrepancies in the computation of his leave. In this video, Mang Mel recounts his predicament:

By Marjorie Gorospe INQUIRER.net WHAT is it like being a bangkero or a boatman dealing with local and foreign tourist everyday? Alter Larawan has been a local bangkero for six years. Everyday, he wakes up early to prepare his boat. Like fisherman who gets up early to catch more fish, Larawan is driven by the need to “catch” tourists wanting to do some island hopping in Bohol. Larawan does not earn much from this job. So he admitted that he would rather go back to construction work and earn more. “Ang problema lang, hindi sa akin yung Bangka [The problem is I don’t own the boat],” laments Larawan, as he explains why he is not fully enjoying his job if he thinks about what he gets in return. Larawan works with Armando de Aser, his assistant who joins him in the daily tourist cruise. If Larawan was the captain, De Aser is the navigator who makes sure they’re safe. Unlike Larawan, De Aser is new to this job. He was born in Mindanao but has been staying in Bohol for a year. De Aser longs for his family but is still uncertain when he can go back home. “Either way, I want to take them here,” says De Aser while looking at the serene view of the Panglao. Meanwhile, Larawan longs for that day when he can finally own his boat. But he will need around P95,000 to get one. As I talked to these two gentlemen, I was told that honesty is a very important trait to keep customers coming back. Apart from taking people to different islands, Larawan and De Aser also look after their costumers’ personal things when they’re off island hopping. “We always ask them to double check their things before they leave, and if something falls into the sea, we dive for it,” Larawan says. No wonder, honest people like Larawan and De Aser are attracting tourist to visit Bohol. Not only that places like Bohol offer magnificent sites, but also people with big hearts like Larawan and De Aser.

By Anna Valmero INQUIRER.net LOCAL filings for trademark registration in the country rose by 7 percent in the first half of 2008, up from last year, a government executive says. “This increase is good. Five years ago, about 65 percent of foreign trademarks are registered in the country versus the local ones but this year, the proportion is reversed,” says lawyer Adrian Cristobal, who is also director general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines). Driving the increase in local filings is the growing awareness of Filipinos on intellectual property (IP) protection and the increased activities of small and medium enterprises. “Intellectual property is anything produced by the human mind; it is an asset that any person can own, sell, license or donate and requires protection,” adds Cristobal. Cristobal said although IP is intangible, it requires protection from theft or unauthorized use. Types of IP such as patents, designs, trademarks and copyrights offer protection to the creator, thus giving them incentives to further create and innovate. By registering an IP, creators can get: economic incentives, through royalties and moral incentives, through creative motivation. To promote awareness on IP rights and the benefits of registering works, IP Philippines opened the “Art Spectrum” exhibit at the Alab Art Space and Innovation Area. The first exhibit showcases works of 16 faculty members of the University of Sto. Tomas College of Fine Arts. Production designer Noel Flores has an exhibit of futuristic pieces of wardrobes, masks and costumes used in local sci-fi TV programs. “Art represents its creator and thus, artists should be given proper due,” says Cristobal. In the Philippines, the IP system can be categorized into two: industrial property and copyright and related arts, said Cristobal. Persons can register IP rights for innovations with industrial and commercial use under industrial property as patents, trademarks, utility models and industrial design. Copyright refers to IP rights given to creators or authors of artistic works, which include literature, music, fine art and technology-based works, says Cristobal.

INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines--Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda has been awarded the first Iqbal Masih award for the elimination of exploitative child labor, according to the United States Department of Labor. Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Charlotte M. Ponticelli said the US agency is giving this award to acknowledge Flores-Oebanda’s lifetime battle against the use of child domestic workers and the trafficking of women and children for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation in the Philippines and internationally. Flores-Oebanda is currently the president and executive director of the Visayan Forum Foundation Inc. (VFF) based in Quezon City. "This award recognizes a true champion in the fight to end exploitive child labor," said Ponticelli in a statement. "Through her work, Ms. Flores-Oebanda has brought real change to the lives of thousands of children." The Iqbal Masih Award was established by the US Congress to recognize the work of an individual, company, organization or national government to end the worst forms of child labor. The award reflects the spirit of Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani child enslaved at the age of four who escaped his servitude and became an outspoken advocate against child slavery. In 1995 at the age of 13 and a year after receiving the Reebok Human Rights Award, Iqbal was killed in Pakistan. His dedication to ending child slavery, however, continues to inspire individuals around the world. Like Iqbal Masih, Flores-Oebanda was born into poverty. As a child, she helped to support her family by scavenging. Later as a teenager, she advocated for the rights of youth and farm laborers. Flores-Oebanda later founded and now leads the VFF, a nongovernmental organization that has rescued and provided assistance to more than 32,000 victims and potential victims of trafficking. According to the US agency, the VFF has helped to file more than 65 trafficking cases on behalf of more than 165 victims. Flores-Oebanda serves as the Southeast Asia coordinator for the Global March Against Child Labor and is active with other significant events to support work against child and exploitive labor. Since 1995, the US Department of Labor  has supported efforts to combat exploitive child labor internationally. The agency has succeeded in rescuing more than 1.25 million children from exploitive child labor.

By Anna Valmero INQUIRER.net IN one of my trips to Anilao in Mabini, Batangas, I met a pearl diver whom I think outshines the luster of any pearl I’ve seen. Tande Solare or “Mang Tande” as he was called by the locals is one of the first Badjaos who traveled to Batangas from Zamboanga. In 1972, he sailed the Sulu Sea and South China Sea until he reached the coast of Batangas, where his family now lives. “Umalis ako noon sa Mindanao, kasi [ma]gulo doon noong nag-Martial Law; maraming naghoholdap [I left Mindanao due to the peace conflicts in the area when Martial Law was declared; there were also lot of hold-up incidents],” Mang Tande says. According to local Batangueños at Anilao, he is the first Badjao pearl diver who arrived in the area and has been a regular visitor to the Anilao beaches over the years. Some resort owners even await the arrival of Mang Tande to buy pearls. As member of an indigenous tribe known to live on the water, Mang Tande says he has lived all his life relying on the water to survive and brings meals to his family. “Naninisid ako ng perlas, sapul maliit pa ako. Ito ang hanapbuhay ng magulang ko rin [I have been a pearl diver since I was young. This has also been the way my parents earned their living],” says Mang Tande. While I was talking to him, his youngest son, a 5-year-old boy, inspects some shells nearby along with his older cousin. At a tender age, he ventures into the sea with his father. Mang Tande dives underwater without breathing equipment. Only a rope tied around his waist serves as his lifeline to get back to the banca or small boat. It takes about a week or two before Mang Tande can go back to his family. He catches fish or buys sweet crop (kamoteng kahoy) to feed himself and his companions throughout that two weeks, while sleeping on the sandy shore. When it rains, a tree canopy serves as their shelter. He says he braves living on the shores without roof above his head all for his family. He dreams of giving his four children the gift of education, which he was unable to have. Watch my video report of Mang Tande:

By Anna Valmero INQUIRER.net HOW can one achieve immortality? Traditionally, people preserve their beauty and peak of status through portraits, as we in our time today, preserve important moments through photographs. Over time, these portraits or photographs preserve in time the sitter's life and is passed on to future relatives. In popular culture, stories with fantasy or horror themes play up the idea that having portraits or taking photographs can capture the soul and even possess someone's spirit. This is true of Japanese manga or anime and is also found in the classic novel Dorian Gray. Curator of Yuchengco Museum Jeannie Javelosa said regardless of time and culture, portraits capture the soul of a period or society. In China, murals of paintings with portraits root back to the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to 220 A.D.) In Chinese culture, portraits are part of declarations of status or used for religious rituals of commemoration, said Javelosa. The Chinese have a unique ritual of worshiping ancestors, in which portraits of the dead were hung on tombs or home altars. According to Javelosa, Chinese culture had the “xie zhen” (true to life portrayal) image. She said attention to details of the person's face is important in Chinese portraits because living relatives pray to their ancestors for guidance or good luck. If the portrait does not look like the ancestor, it is believed the prayer will not reach the right ancestor and will not be granted, said Javelosa. At the same time, rituals are also done to have the deceased ancestors be guided in the afterlife, she added. In Chinese portraits, the sitter's character and social status are revealed through clothing and jewelry, pose and inscriptions, said Javelosa. She added the pose or jewelry reveals the sitter's status in society while facial expressions like a stern smile or goatee discloses something about the sitter's personality. As I walked through the different parts of the exhibit, I noticed that in all paintings, the sitters have a detached facial expression since they seem to look at you. She says this is prescribed to depict the deceased ancestor's otherworldly status. The tradition was carried over by early Chinese who settled in our country. When they married locals, Filipino-Chinese or "Tsinoys" continue to preserve the tradition. It is the stories, culture and expressions of the rich tradition that is shared by the art exhibit "Mukhang Tsinoy," said Javelosa. “It was like a treasure hunt of seven months for us to collect the paintings for the exhibit,” Javelosa said. Most of the paintings in the exhibit are shown for the first time, she said. The exhibit is divided into two parts: one is part of the seven-museum Fernando Amorsolo Retrospective showcase and the other one called “Mukhang Tsinoy, Artistang Pinoy” made by contemporary artists like Ang Kiukok. One part of the Amorsolo Mukhang Tssinoy exhibit was dedicated to a portrait of a nurse done by Amorsolo during the war. Sadly, the restoration of the portrait was not handled with care. The alley was done to remind people how proper preservation is required so as not to lose treasures like Amorsolo's paintings, said Carla Martinez, information associate, Yuchengco Museum. Other paintings at the exhibit include Imelda Ongsiako-Cojuangco, Mr and Mrs. Manuel Lopa Sr., Mrs. Henry Uy Cho Yee, Don Mariano and Dona Maria Limjap as well as Corazon Aquino. From the exhibit, one can learn how Tsinoys have transplanted themselves and flourished in the country by adapting to changes, while still preserving their traditions, as such creating a richer culture borne out of great respect for and strong bond with their roots. Hopefully, as one exits the exhibit hall one can learn how to value and preserve our rich culture and tradition.

COMFORTABLE shoes and sturdy umbrellas are essential things you need when you’re out job-hunting. But have you seen someone who is out hunting for worn-out shoes and broken umbrellas? One morning, I saw this man with curly long hair carrying a backpack and some umbrellas, walking alone in Kalaw Avenue. What caught my attention was a square tarpaulin attached to his backpack that says: "Repair shoes payong tahi sandals bumabasa ng kapalaran." In English, that roughly translates to, “I repair shoes, umbrellas, sandals, and I can also read your fortune.” His name is Felix Cerbito, 59 years old, a native of Northern Samar. Cerbito said he lives and works in the roadsides and walkways of Metro Manila. For him, work means waking up at five o' clock in the morning, walking and searching for worn-out shoes and umbrellas that needed some fixing. He had been doing this since 1998. "Nag-aral ako ng paggawa ng sapatos sa Luneta. Nanonood lang ako sa mga nagagawa tapos natuto na rin ako [I studied shoe repair in Luneta. I just watched those who were repairing then I learned aftewards.]," said Cerbito. Prior to being a walking repair man, he was a carpenter. "'Yung kaalaman ko sa karpintero, napakinabangan ko ng kaunting panahon kasi wala ng ma-aplayan, wala namang tumatanggap.[I benefited from doing carpentry briefly until no one wanted to employ me anymore]," Cerbito added. In a week, Cerbito earns P200 from sewing umbrellas, which costs P20; repairing shoes for P80; and shining shoes for P40. But he admitted that he used to earn P400 a week. "Ngayon mahina na. Bihira lang maka-200. Kapag wala akong kita, P50 dalawa ng sapatos. Kapag mahirap ung nagpapagawa, minsan P25. [I now earn less. I rarely earn P200 these days. If I don’t have any income at all, I charge P50 for a pair of shoes. If the customer can’t pay that much, I charge them P25]," said Cerbito. Fixing worn-out shoes takes two hours and a half. But if the soles of the shoes need replacement, it would usually take him five hours to finish one. This is so since he would often buy the soles from a store. It takes him 30 minutes to fix umbrellas. During our interview, he admitted that walking gives him blisters. But he’s not complaining. He earns an honest income this way. "Sa paglalakad, nagsugat paa ko, paltos sa kalalakad. Minsan, 'yung kinita kong P50, pinambili ko nalang ng tinapay. [My foot gets blisters from walking. Sometimes, I use my P50 to buy bread]," said Cerbito. Cerbito hopes to spend his remaining years in a real home, not in the streets. "Ang gusto kong gawin sa buhay ay may matirhan ako. [I want to live in a home someday]," said Cerbito.

By Marjorie Gorospe INQUIRER.net ROAMING around a historical place like Intramuros can be more nostalgic if you take a ride on a “kalesa” or a horse-drawn carriage. No need to hire a tour guide because your English-speaking kutsero or coachman can definitely give you background of this historic place. In my recent tour of the Intramuros, I met Emiliano Ortaleza, a coachman for 40 years. Always ready with a smile and a warm greeting to potential customers, Ortaleza has been doing this job to earn enough money to get by every day. Ortaleza goes around Intramuros using a borrowed kalesa and a horse named Alasan. As I found out later, there is no specific season when tourists would be around to ride his Kalesa. But during these slow seasons, Ortaleza has to give the kalesa’s owner his share of the daily revenues. Through the years, Ortaleza who is a father to eight children, has learned more about the history of Intramuros and English. Although he never finished a formal education, Ortaleza admitted that the Department of Tourism’s seminars has helped him become more confident in dealing with foreign tourists. “Mahirap lang kapag iba iyong accent nila minsan pero kaya naman [I sometimes have difficulty understanding them especially if they have an accent],” Ortaleza added. In my conversations with him, Ortaleza showed me a scar on his leg that was a reminder of accidental fall from his Kalesa. Ortaleza cherises times when people remembered him. “Minsan kahit nasa ibang bansa na ‘yong naging pasahero ko natatandaan pa rin ako, pinapadalhan pa nga ako [Some of my passengers still remember me even if they’re abroad. They sometimes send me gifts],” Ortaleza added. After four decades of doing this job, Ortaleza admitted he never gets tired smiling and accommodating local and foreign tourists. Ortaleza also shared another secret – and it’s not about the fastest route around Intramuros. He said that as long as you are honest and you don’t take advantage to your customers, you will always be on the right direction in life.

YouTube singing sensation turned international star Charice Pempengco returns to Manila for a one-night concert for Filipino fans. An up-and-coming international artist, Pempengco has performed with foreign artists like David Foster, Celine Dion, Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli. She has appeared in popular television shows including Oprah. In this video, INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Anna Valmero talks to Pempengco about her plans.

VICE President Noli De Castro, a Black Nazarene devotee, shares his thoughts on the annual feast and on this year's preparations. As in previous years, De Castro says he offers a prayer to the image. Video taken by INQUIRER.net reporter Thea Alberto.
Thousands of devotees of the Black Nazarene attend mass at the Quirino grandstand. Mostly dressed in maroon and yellow, throngs of young and old devotees join the procession, blocking the path of the Black Nazarene as it inches its way to the Quiapo Church. Photos taken by INQUIRER.net reporters Thea Alberto, Izah Morales, Lawrence Casiraya and Marjorie Gorospe.

SEEING artworks in museums and galleries is often perceived as an activity only for the elite when in fact anyone can go and visit them. This was what the Neo-Angono Artists Collective (NAAC) hoped to address when they opened the fifth Public Art Festival. “Kino-consider lang na art ang isang bagay kapag nasa loob ng museum [A piece of work is considered art only when it is inside a museum]. The Neo-Angono artists found the need to explore art outside the gallery. So, we are utilizing public spaces like Angono River, public market, and the freedom park,” said Richard Gappi, festival coordinator and past president of NAAC. Last year’s festival, which carried the theme “Bringing Arts and Culture to Public Space and Closer to the People,” hopes to address this misconception about art. The NAAC’s public arts included installations near the Angono river and poetry posted in restaurants and public utility vehicles and graffiti. Gappi believed that NAAC’s decision to make art accessible also raised art appreciation in Angono. The NAAC, composed of about 60 young independent artists, is a non-government organization and a movement that aims to promote contemporary art in the form of visual, literary and performance arts. According to Gappi, the United Nations International Labor Organization has listed about 600 artists in Angono, Rizal. Hence, the place has been dubbed an artist’s haven in the Philippines. It is currently the hometown of national artists Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Maestro Lucio San Pedro. The Cultural Center of the Philippines’website noted that Francisco is a “muralist who [has] single-handedly revived the forgotten art of mural and remained its most distinguished practitioner for nearly three decades.” San Pedro, on the other hand, is known for his “creative nationalism” in music. Up to this day, the number of artists in Angono keeps on increasing, said Gappi. “Nakakahawa ang art dito [Art is infectious here in Angono].”

HOW did Vietnam turn into the second largest rice-exporting country from being the world’s top importer of rice? Through the Contract 100 policy and Land Law, farmers were liberated from a collective and one-price policy, according to Dr. Vo-Tong Xuan, the first Dioscoro Lopez Umali (DLU) awardee for agricultural development. “They have higher yield and have incentives to grow more rice and to sell at a higher price,” Xuan added. Xuan played a key role in Vietnam’s transformation, as he convinced both local and central government to adopt new agricultural policies. But before Xuan achieved a critical mass of participants in the national effort in agricultural and rural development (ARD), he went through several stages. But first he advised that one should have the "heart and head" for ARD and nation-building. "I reckoned it would take first our own people to help themselves before other people would come to help us," said Xuan. Xuan said governments should not only be competent technically but also possess a strong political will to come up with incentive policies for farmers and agribusinesses. However, challenges to the rice-exporting countries like Vietnam remain, he said. “It is easy to boost rice production but very difficult to increase farm income. We need further political will to take rice farmers out of the poverty trap,” said Xuan. Currently, Xuan is advocating a movement to raise farmers’ income through the “value chain” approach. He is planning to form a farmer’s cooperative to create a permanent link to marketing enterprises. As a DLU Awardee, Xuan who is an Agricultural Chemistry alumnus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, received a plaque and a cash prize of $10,000. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), and the DLU Foundation give the DLU award every year to individuals who shows excellence, leadership and service in the field of agricultural development, environment, natural resource management, technology development, food security, poverty reduction, economics, business policy and governance.

For every plate of steamed rice on the table, cups of sweat were poured to plant, care for, harvest and process these golden grains. The true heroes who put rice on our tables can be found in Nueva Ecija, the rice capital of the Philippines. INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Anna Valmero asks farmers in the rice fields of Sta. Rosa about their concerns and humble wishes. Video taken by INQUIRER.net production specialists Janie Christine Octia and Rastle Lozano with Lawrence Casiraya and Leo Magno. Royalty-free music courtesy of Kevin MacLeod.

HOW did the economic crunch affect Filipinos'celebration of the coming of the new year? INQUIRER.net VDO went to different places to ask what adjustments Filipinos made to maintain a festive mood while tightening their belts. As expected, fireworks were still aplenty, and injuries were still reported. Video and photos taken by Janie Christine Octia, Izah Morales, Anna Valmero, Marjorie Gorospe, Lawrence Casiraya, Erwin Oliva and Leo Magno.
Also, hundreds fill up the plaza of Eastwood City in Libis with their eyes on the clock tower for the countdown to 2009. Meanwhile, the sleepy town of Mangaldan in Pangasinan wakes up when a Judas Belt firecracker combination worth P20,000 was set off, lasting for a little more than a minute. In Imus, Cavite, residents welcome the new year and turn the streets into a virtual war zone. Video taken by Leo Magno, Erwin Oliva and Alex Villafania of INQUIRER.net VDO.