I couldn’t wait to bring it back and share it with my wife. Back home, she was a little less excited than I about the book because her mind was on our first child that she was carrying.

What di dhe mean by at the right hour? She asked. I don’t know. We began to speculate. Maybe at noon on Good Friday. Maybe after the First Vigil. Maybe at the moment when we are in deep distress. Perhaps we should wait for God to reveal to ous the right hour. It might be even years from now.

We decided we`d better wait for a sign. Two weeks later my first son was born. How can I tell you what it was like. First the worry, then that child. I was a father. When I looked at that child I was so proud. I knew I was somebody. And yet humbled. I scarcely knew how to hold him, much less to bring him up. I used to think I had it all figured out, but that kid was bigger than I. That night the child appeared to me in a dream. What is God likeÉ he asked. That did it. I got up and reached for the book. I brought it to my wife and told her, this the right hour. We`ll open it now. “I opened it random. I read it. “It`s very simple. God is  a father.“ My wife opened it again. She  read, It“s very simple. God became a little child. Let`s open it together I exclaimed. I took heer hand. She opened it and we read.

“It`s very simple. Each breath you take is the breath of God.“
Happy Valentine`s Day!
Bonne St. Valentin!

Quebec
STM – $70
Laval -$78
Longueuil – $81
Quebec – $71.55
Gatineau – $77
Elsewhere in Canada
Ottawa – $84.75
Toronto – $121
Brampton – $102
Mississauga – $107
Oakville – $88
Hamilton – $87
Sudbury – $70
Windsor – $79
London – $81
Vancouver – $99
Calgary – $85.25
Edmonton – $81.50
Winnipeg – $74
Halifax – $85
Saint John – $65
St. John’s – $70
Regina – $59
United States (exchange rate $1 US = $1.07 CAD)
New York – $95.27
Chicago – $92.05
Philadelphia – $83.49
Dallas – $80.28
San Francisco – $74.53
Miami – $107.04
Portland – $92.05
Seattle – $86.70
Boston – $63.15
Los Angeles – $66.36 (limited zones)

Presently, the most suitable way to immigrate to Canada is to apply as a Skilled Worker. Skilled Workers in Canada are given permanent residence status in Canada, are able to accompany their spouse and children to Canada, are able to apply for any employment in Canada, are able to access all of the same social government programs as Canadian citizens, are given the same rights and freedoms as Canadian citizens (except for the right to vote), are able to acquire Canadian citizenship after three years of residence in Canada, and the list goes on…

The Federal Government of Canada has devised a reasonable point system for the acceptance of quality Skilled Workers to Canada. The point system focuses on characteristics of a skilled worker that will assist the skilled worker to become successfully established as a permanent resident of Canada. The three main characteristics of a skilled worker that this point system focuses on include education, work experience and knowledge of English and/or French.

EDUCATION

The minimal educational requirement of a skilled worker who is applying to migrate to Canada is the attainment of a Bachelor’s Degree at the post-secondary level. Skilled workers who have attained a Master’s Degree or Doctorate Degree will obviously awarded a higher score on the point system. Individuals who have not attainted a Bachelor’s Degree must not apply as a skilled worker to Canada.

WORK EXPERIENCE

The minimal requirement regarding work experience for a skilled worker who is applying to migrate to Canada is the completion of at least one year of full-time work experience. The more work experience a skilled worker possesses, the higher score the skilled worker will achieve on the point system. This work experience does not necessarily have to be directly related to the educational background of the skilled worker but has to be considered skilled work. Occupations that are considered skilled work include, but are not limited to, teachers, professors, lawyers, accountants, bookkeepers, administrative officers, human resource officers, secretaries, principals, teachers, professors, librarians, journalists, computer programmers, engineers, technicians, technologists, contractors, electricians, plumbers, welders, painters, mechanics, managers, supervisors, nurses, pharmacists, doctors, dentists, dental hygienists, physiotherapists, veterinarians, paramedics, police officers, firefighters, social workers, real estate agents, barbers, chefs, cooks, etc…

KNOWLEDGE OF ENGLISH AND / OR FRENCH

A skilled worker who is applying to migrate to Canada must possess a moderate to high proficiency level in either the English or French language. Skilled workers will be required to take an English or French examination from an approved organization to determine their exact proficiency level in either of the official languages of Canada. Skilled workers who have worked for at least two consecutive years in a country where English or French is the official language may be exempted from taking the English or French language. These countries include Canada, USA, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and France.

The minimal requirements for acceptance under the point system as a skilled worker for permanent residence status to Canada vary on a case-to-case basis. For more information on the point system and how to apply as a skilled worker for Canada, or for information on any other immigration matter, please call the writer, Mr. Don Collantes, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at toll free 1-877-882-6888.

The writer is a Certificate Canadian Immigration Consultant (CCIC) by the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC), which is a professional regulatory board immigration consultants as recognized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), a Department of Government Canada. The writer is also the Chief Operating Officer of CWSS Canada USA Immigration Services Inc., which is a multinational corporation that provides immigration services to Canada, with the Head Office located at Unit E – 66 Finch Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario, M2N 2H4, Canada. Toll Free No: 1 877-882-6888 Email Address: chitoc@cwss-canada.com

Her life story revolves around service to humanity and dedication to her family. Family unity and solidarity are very important to her. Being the youngest of thirteen children of Marcelo Villanueva and Asuncion Tugade, she helped her sisters, nieces and extended families to come and work here in Canada. She is very generous and guides the young members of her family to develop their potentials and skills.

She graduated in 1977 with the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Education major in Physical Education and minor in Library Science from the National Teachers College, Manila, Philippines. After graduation, she was employed at the Lake Shore High School, Biñan, Laguna and Tondo High School, Manila.

As early as 1968, she was already involved in her barangay in the Philippines. She was president of Kabataang Barangay in San Juan, Metro Manila. She also organized the Santa Cruzan, the PABASA and Junior Legion of Mary in San Juan where she lived.

Life brought her to distant shores and that feeling of humanism and benevolence prevailed in all the paths she took. She arrived in Moncton, New Brunswick in August 1986 and after eight months she moved to Montreal, where she has lived for twenty-four years. She has always reached out  and assisted the less fortunate members of the Filipino community. She provided transportations to Filipino seniors, visiting Filipino dignitaries in Montreal and drove her kababayans to renew their passports to Ottawa. Her home is always open to stranded Filipinos, providing them food and shelter while in transition.

Besides helping others, her main focus is the interest of the youth. She organized different sports such as basketball, tennis and volleyball. She has also promoted young celebrities in Montreal. She is a fundraiser and sponsor.

Being the founder and first president of the Philbecan Association and Manileño Association, she organized Miss Philbecan, Miss Teen Philbecan, Little Miss Philbecan, Mrs. Manileño, Miss Teen Manileño, Little and Queen Manileño, Hataw Na and Sayawit. She was also a member of various organizations such as FFCAQ, FAMAS director, QACFT vice-president and director, PBSSQ, Filipino Caregivers Association, FILGA secretary and Philippine Folk Art Society Vice president for Culture. She organized garage sales for St. Kevin’s Church since year 1992 up to the present.

For her acts of kindness, benevolence and service to the Filipino community, she was recognized and awarded by the Binibining Pilipinas of the World in Toronto on September 2001 as one of the ten outstanding Filipino Canadians. She was also given awards of recognition and appreciation by the following Quebec Association of Canadian Filipino Teachers (QACFT), certificate of Appreciation award by Philippine Benevolent and Scholarship Society of Quebec (PBSSQ) and Philippine Folk Art Society of Quebec (PFASQ). Being a vice president for culture of Philippine Folk Arts Society in culture, she was given a certificate of appreciation by the society.

Being a graduate of Early Childhood Education from Vanier College, Montreal. She is the owner and founder of Villacanas Family Daycare I & II since 1993 to present. Awards and accolades are not the driving force behind the story of her life. It was a relentless energy to be of service to others. It was a feeling of compassion that brings tears in her eyes whenever she sees them in need. She has to act on it and make a difference.

Arnel Pineda, a Filipino lead singer of  the famous American rock band Journey. Clarice Pempengco was invited by Ellen 
Degeneres on her show when Ellen saw her Star King performance on YouTube.

In fact, Pempengco made minor appearances in local television shows and TV commercials, but essentially had fallen off the radar after her stint at Little Big Star. It was not until 2007 that Pempengco gained worldwide recognition after an avid supporter, started posting videos of her live performances on YouTube under the username FalseVoice. The videos garnered millions of hits making Pempengco very famous.

Also nobody could have missed the famous performances of the CPDRC inmates in Cebu that made millions of hits on YouTube, dancing to the different tunes, music and marches, making it one of the “must see” tours in the Philippines.

What is YouTube? It is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. It was created by three former PayPal employees, namely Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim, after having difficulty sending videos to their friends on the internet.

The company is based in San Bruno, California and uses Adobe Flash Player technology to display a wide variety of user generated video content including movies, TV and music videos. Most of the content on YouTube has been uploaded by individuals, although some companies and organization use them as part of the YouTube partnership program.

Unregistered users can watch the videos, while registered users are permitted to upload an unlimited number of videos. Videos that are considered to contain potentially offensive content are available only to registered users over the age of 18. The uploading of videos containing pornography, defamation, copyright violations, and clips that promote hatred and criminal activity is prohibited by YouTube’s terms of service.

Uploading videos to YouTube by standard account holders are limited to 10 minutes. It accepts most common formats including AVI, MOV, MKV, MP4, FLV, DivX and OGG. These include video codec’s such as MPEG, MPEG 4 and WMV.  It also supports 3GP allowing videos to be uploaded from legacy mobile phones.

YouTube started with one quality level but now it has a range of quality levels and formats for viewing in mobile phones. You can upload High Quality (HQ) 480×380 and High Definition 1280×720.
Now is the time to show your work and your creativity. Remember, it does not cost you anything to post on YouTube but the outcome of your clips may reward you.

It all started with the French colonies and la Nouvelle-France… but that was about 500 years ago. Between that time and now, the Canadiens Français have gone through a lot to keep their language and their beliefs, surviving attacks from the English and even from their homeland. This language held a whole population together through thick and thin. The reality is that it is rooted into the soil of this province and everybody who wants to live here needs to get accustomed to the language.

At the last Census in 2006, Statistics Canada estimated that more than 91% of Montrealers speak French and more than half speak French and English. Even if it is a cosmopolitan city, French is spoken by almost everybody. It makes us different from other multi-ethnic cities in Canada and even in the world. We should be proud of this.

Not everybody can balance two or even three languages like we, youth of Montreal, do. Most Filipino-Canadian youth in Montreal only use French at school, which brings up the question of the utility of learning an extra language. Outside of Quebec, everything is English. A lot of you probably wish that everything would be English here too. But what would Montreal be like without French?

There is no other place in North America that uses much of the French language like we do. It would be just another province with nothing special. It would, in a way, resemble other Canadian cities, like Toronto or Vancouver, not that it would be a bad thing. But a major piece of the landscape would be gone. No awkward translations on the billboards. No dépanneurs. No arrêt signs!

It just goes to show that Montreal wouldn’t be what it is without its French language. Even if it’s hard to learn, it surely comes in handy. Parlez-vous français? Oui, nous parlons français.

My first blessing that I count with gratitude is that Montreal Pinoy Post has successfully reached a year in print and circulation. We are happy to see that our publication has contributed humbly to the community’s needs and interests.

The staff and I have decided that for our first anniversary we will be paying tribute to members of our Filipino community as well as other communities who have shared their skills, talents, ideas and time for the growth of our society. This special night of recognition will take place annually. We will celebrate the Montreal Pinoy Post and our award recipients on April 24, 2010.

Thank you very much for your patronage to our publication.

Here is wishing you all the best for this New Year.

Jayjay T. Villanueva
Founder/ Publisher

-  Combine the first 4 ingredients. Let stand for 10 minutes.
-  Add pork and stir to coat well.
-  Fry and drain well.
-  Reheat the oil and refry the pork until crisp, then drain.
-  Leave 1 tbsp of oil and fry green pepper and pineapple for 3 min.
-  Add stock, honey, soy sauce and vinegar. Bring to boil.
-  Add corn flour and pork.
-  Heat thoroughly…until thickened.

During this low season from January 2010 to May 23, 2010, it seems that all the airlines have implemented certain “Seat Sales” with varying rates and dates of fare validity. The prices are good, if your plans are final.

For some background however, let us remember that once upon a time the “Scheduled Airlines” sold rather expensive tickets on what is called a full “Y” Fare Basis for economy seats. This was the official full fare price and almost everyone in the economy section paid the same price. The advantages were that you could cancel anytime with a full refund, change your dates as often as you needed to, request assistance, and order special meals. You could also bring as much baggage as you could carry. The higher fare represented the costs of all the extra services available, whether you used them or not.

Then, along came the “Charter Airlines” approved by the government on certain routes, in order to put some competition into the marketplace. The Charter Carriers were protected however by a different set of rules & laws.

A “Scheduled Airline” obtains permission from the government to provide service under certain rules and conditions, including for example, that a “scheduled” flight must operate even if the amount of passengers is not sufficient to make that flight profitable. “Charter Airlines” operate under different rules. They also have policies that includes no cancellations, no changes, and again for example, if the amount of passengers would not be sufficient to make the flight profitable, they can simply delay the departure until the next day without compensation to the passengers, all within the law, as those clauses are included in the terms & conditions of the air transportation document.

To remain competitive, the “Scheduled Carriers” initiated new classes of fares. While travel agents remained the distribution system for the full fare market and sold inventory on a commission basis, in my mind this is when “wholesalers” first became a factor for the airlines to distribute these new and lower alternative fares particularly in markets not served by Charter Carriers – but of course also on the basis of the lower fare provides less service, less privileges. Travel agents soon found it more profitable to sell wholesaler allocations and fares as an alternative to the scheduled carriers full fare tickets. One in particular of these new classes of fares which has become popular for quite a few years now is the “Seat Sale” fare.

As soon as a Seat Sale is announced, these seats sell out rather quickly, and do not believe for a moment that all seats on a flight are available at the seat sale price. There are only a limited amount of seats at this particular fare available per flight. The reason for the “Seat Sale” is to improve the load factor of the flights for the benefit of the airline. They will fill what would otherwise be empty seats with reduced fare passengers. Therefore, when coming across an opportunity to purchase a “Seat Sale” fare, you must move quickly and be sure you will be able to travel on the dates selected, to avoid any nasty surprises later on. We affectionately call them “Use it or Lose it Airfares”.

Lets quickly jump back to the beginning. When you call an agent stating your full and proper name as in your passport and intended date of travel – we go into an inventory system and determine if your dates do have seats available, and what classes of fares are available. We will confirm your dates, and offer you a price, which should be considered an “indication” not a “quotation”. The offer is made subject to immediate acceptance and payment. The availability and price indicated is only valid as long as the inventory system allows it, and the seats remain available.  Of course you may wish to shop around, but be ready to do that promptly, not the following week, and then wait until the week after that to confirm your booking. Often, you will find the seats are no longer available, or the fare has changed due to increased “taxes”, which includes the currency adjustment factor, fuel surcharge factor, etc. You should be ready to confirm your purchase within 2, maximum 3 days after your initial enquiry. Upon confirming, remember to determine the fare basis of the fare offered, and if it is a “Seat Sale” fare, because:

“Seat Sale Tickets” require full payment upon booking and are Not Refundable.  Once purchased, use it, or lose it. For changes of date of departure and/or return, it might be possible with a change penalty charged, but more often you will find that if your new date has moved outside of the Seat Sale dates you must now pay the regular full fare, or even inside the dates there might be no Seat Sale seats available for the new flight date. Again, change penalty plus additional costs to regular full fare, it can make quite a difference from your original purchase.

Remember that there is nothing really given or free in this world including discounts. There are always conditions attached. If you contemplate the purchase of a Seat Sale Ticket, be sure you will be able to travel on those dates as those tickets have conditions. If you cannot travel, you will loose your money. If you need to make changes, penalty charges and a higher fare may apply – your discount may be lost. Finally, you should consider including cancellation insurance with your purchase – just in case.

Each day heroes were born and lives were saved giving the survivors a new life or a taste of death. The horrific experience made everyone value life and significantly realized that each breath meant seeing a new dawn or seeing a final end.

The survivors were waiting for food and medicine and help came from all corners of the globe. However, it was challenging to get to the people because of airport facilities and road blockages. It was human resourcefulness that played a major role to bringing the city back to the pulse of life. The locals took to the nearby villages and gathered fruits and vegetation. They started cooking their food and selling their produce. They rose from the ruins and moved on to a life born from a new day.

Funds have been pouring in from the donations all over the world and diverse ways of getting financial aid to rebuild the country were bustling from different continents and countries. Cleaning the city from its dust and rumbles were tasks that were benevolently executed by an international crew of humanitarians. Thousands of dead people were buried along the hilly lands, nameless, yet each one had a story, a life once lived.

Life’s constant is CHANGE…..

The people of Haiti are resilient. They move with total acceptance to what change is in their lives. It is well written in their history as a people. The filial feeling of family and their deep faith in God are the powerful pillars that shape them to rise from every fall. This natural disaster makes them more resourceful and stronger as a people.

First of all, despite how comfortable it can be, curling up while sleeping isn’t the best way to position yourself when falling asleep. Sleeping all curled up can result to back pain. The most ideal way to sleep is flat out on your back. It may not be everyone’s favorite sleeping position, but it’s the most advantageous one when it comes to your body. Sleeping in a straight position on your back will give your internal organs more space to breathe. By giving your organs more time to “breathe” while you’re in your sleeping state, you’ll feel way better when waking up. Putting a pillow under your knees can maintain the natural curve of your body, making the position possibly more comfortable.

Second of all, this one is generally addressed to the females. Falling asleep with makeup on can cause dark circles around your eyes. Not only that, but it may cause irritation to your eyes while you’re asleep. Even the friendliest makeup isn’t made to be worn on a 24 hour day. Having makeup on for a long period of time can cause dermatitis, an inflammation of the skin. So, despite how tired or lazy you are at night, force yourself to remove your facial cosmetics. Make a simple effort to avoid further consequences.

Lastly, the most common one of them all is having an inadequate amount of sleep. Sleeping too much is as insufficient as not sleeping enough. We undoubtedly all love to sleep and whenever we have the chance, we sleep as long as we want leaving us a feeling of exhaustion. We tend to feel drowsy or sluggish when we don’t get the good quantity of sleep. It’s best to avoid afternoon naps. Generally, the amount of sleep varies on your age. The smart thing to do would be to consult your doctor and get the required number of hours of sleep you need to wake up at your best!

Now, here are some facts about sleep to enhance your knowledge! Did you know that:

- We naturally feel tired at two different times of the day: about 2:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
– Scientists still don’t know if animals dream during REM sleep, as humans do.
– Exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep yet exercising at irregular times or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult.
– A desert snail can sleep for 3 years.
– People who don’t get enough sleep are most likely to have bigger appetites.
– Experts say one of the most alluring sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the internet.
– Divorced, widowed and separated people report more insomnia.
– A woman needs more sleep than a man does.
– The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, slurred speech and memory, paranoia, blurred vision and concentration lapses.

Dear Ate V.,
           What is the best way to introduce my girlfriend to my parents for the first time?
           From personal experience and observation, I find there are a couple of ways to gently introduce your girlfriend (or in some cases your boyfriend) to your parents: Invite your significant other home to study. It may be easier to have other friends too at the time to help ease any kind of awkwardness. This can help your parents understand that your “friend” is part of your circle of friends. There are some parents who always want to know how you met each other and can get suspicious if she is not from school. Another other way, is taking her to any upcoming family gatherings or special events. This would be an easy way to tell your parents that she is very special; so special that you’ve brought her with you to take part in family functions. And if I were you, I would avoid any intimate contact (hugging, holding hands or kissing) for the first few parent encounters. You do not want to appear over confident with your new relationship in front of your parents.