Maligayang Araw ng Kasarinlan!

As people, Filipinos do not only treasure but also are passionate about freedom. Our heroes, both the known and the nameless, gifted us with the national independence we now enjoy and cultivated in our character the uncompromising commitment to freedom which we now defines the true Filipino spirit.

The Philippine Independence Day celebration is a valuable reminder not only of the freedom that we have but also of our invidual and collective responsibilities as “free” Filipinos. Ours is a challenge to bring the concept of freedom beyond the context of being free from rule of non-Filipinos to being from things that make us unable to fully enjoy life. In our country, the biggest challenge is bring millions of our countrymen out of or enable them to be free from poverty.

We should all own the responsibility of winning for our country and people this kind of freedom. Let us also accept the challenge and call for us to be this kind of freedom heroes. Even if you live and/or work away from “home,” you can still do a lot and be one with other Filipinos in our guest for decent and better quality of life for ALL Filipinos.

Allow me to take this opportunity of congratulating all of your for successfully strengthening the Philippine and Filipino images in Canada. Through your individual successes, which result in a collective success for our country and people, you render a heroic service that we are all called to serve the Philippines with.

Let us join hand in preserving and nurturing our freedom and independence and let us move forward as one people in winning especially for the next generation of Filipinos the freedom from poverty!

Mabuhay and malayang Pilipinas at ang mapagmahal sa kalayaan na lahing Filipino!

ISIDRO T. UNGAB
Representative
3rd district, Davao City

Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives

My warmest greetings to the Montreal Pinoy Post as you embark on your mission to inform, entertain and educate.

Behind newspaper stories and articles are tremendous amounts of creative energy, dedication, hard work and sacrifice laid by people who have the passion to inspire or present life as they see it.

In this age of increasing global awareness, may you be able to inform the world that the Filipinos have the power to liberate himself from being a slave of the past; entertain it with stories of the feats of Filipinos who have excelled in every imaginable form of endeavor and service; and educate it about the Filipino values of hospitality, resilience in trying times, integrity and sipag at tiyaga that have helped build our nation.

As we therefore celebrate our 111th year of independence, may we be able to spread the news that our nation can be built strongly on the wings of the bayanihan spirit, on the shoulders of Filipinos who are passionate in their expression of love of country, and on unshakeable faith in the kindness of God.

Mabuhay po kayong lahatt

Manny Villar
Republic of the Philippines Senate

History has shown that the writings of Jose Rizai and other notable heroes inspired the people to finally stand up to slavery and bondage. These writings were the beacon that moved our forefathers to end our suppression.

Today, the tip of the pen is still as powerful as before in bringing to the people’s consciousness important national issues that are needed to be addressed.

It is laudable for The Montreal Pinoy Post to take the task of delivering to our Filipino community in Montreal, Canada, news and information about their homeland. May The Montreal Pinoy Post continue to instill among Pinoys their love for their country and be an instrument in fighting enemies of democracy and freedom.

MABUHAY!

NOLI “KABAYAN” DE CASTRO

Republic of the Philippines
Office of the Vice President

Manila, 15 May 2009

           
             The Philippines has had a long history of political, economic, and cultural colonization.  From three centuries of Spanish domination to decades of American control, Filipino history and culture have all adapted to “Philippinize” any and all foreign values and customs.  But our history is also marked by constant and persistent resistance to the various waves of foreign domination.  Indeed, for every era of domination and exploitation, whether it was at the hands of foreign or native-born agents, the Filipino masses have never bowed down to their fates without organized struggles. 

            The most pervasive era of colonial rule was that of the Spanish, which began in 1565, when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived on the Island of Cebu.  Spanish colonization was virtually uninterrupted, from 1565-1898.  During this time, the Spanish consolidated the various independent Muslim sultanates, Buddhist kingdoms, Rajahnates, and Barangays into one national unity named Filipinas, after King Felipe II de España.  With the construction of Intramuros (literally city “between walls”) in 1571, the Philippines became the capital of the Spanish East Indies.  For the next 257 years, the Philippines would be administered as a Spanish colony.

            Although there was consistent resistance to Spanish domination, it was only in 1896 that this revolt became officially organized.  Arguably, the trial and subsequent execution of Dr. Jose Rizal (1861-1896) sparked the formation of the Katipunan and the Revolution.  Rizal was considered a martyr for the cause of Philippine reforms.  His two novels, El Filibusterismo and Noli me Tangere, openly criticized the Spanish colonial government, as well as the Church, which was complicit in the oppression of the Filipino people.  Rather than violent revolution, Rizal pushed for legal reforms that would include more Filipinos in the governmental apparatus and would treat Filipinos and Spaniards equally before the eyes of the law.  This was his agenda when he formed La Liga Filipina, a moderate activist organization.  However, as a result of his connections with members of the Katipunan, he was tried and convicted of committing acts of rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy.  He was sentenced to death.  His last poem, “Mi Ultimo Adios,” written while in prison awaiting execution, continued to invoke patriotism and nationalism.

           The Philippine Revolution against the Spanish was mostly led by the Katipunan, founded by Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897).  The Katipunan can be called a violent militant group.  Its members believed, however, that legal reforms would not suffice in changing the fate of the Filipinos.  They believed that armed revolution was the only answer.  Bonifacio, although coming from very humble beginnings, taught himself to read and write.  Having been fluent enough in Spanish, Bonifacio avidly read Rizal’s works and other great European literature.  He even translated Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios” into Tagalog.

           The Revolution put forth by the Katipunan culminated on June 12, 1898, when General Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964), leader of the Philippine Revolution, declared the independence of the Philippines.  During this landmark event that took place in Aguinaldo’s residence in Cavite, the Act of Declaration of Independence was written and read by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista.  The Act explicitly named and denounced the Spanish as the oppressors of the Philippine people.  It explicitly criticized the consistent violations of the Rule of Law, and cited the execution of Rizal as the prime example of the colonists’ injustice.  At the same time, it extolled the virtues of the Revolutionary movement and declared the Philippines to be a sovereign, independent nation.  Having been signed by 94 Filipino revolutionaries and one American official, the Act stood as a symbol of a defiant people vying to control their own fates.

            As well, the modern Philippine flag was unfurled for the first time.  The flag as we know it now was designed by Aguinaldo while in exile in Hong Kong. It was made by Marcela de Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Josefina Herbosa de Natividad (niece of Jose Rizal).  The Philippine flag is rife with symbolism, all of which are tied to the country’s history of rebellion and pride: the three stars represent the three major islands wherein the Revolution first flared – Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao; the eight rays of the sun symbolize the eight original provinces that took up arms against the Spanish – Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas; the blue stripe stands for peace, the red stripe for war, and the white triangle for the Katipunan.  [The Filipino flag is the only one in the world that changes when the country is in a state of war.  When at war, the flag is rotated 180-degrees so that the red stripe is on top.]

            Additionally, the Philippine national anthem was played for the first time on June 12, 1898.  Composed by Julian Felipe, the anthem was originally an instrumental march, entitled Marcha Nacional Filipina (Philippine National March).  However, it was only in August 1899 that the march was given lyrics.  The words to the anthem were written by a young soldier, Jose Palma, in the form of a poem, written in Spanish, named Filipinas. [Interestingly, the anthem was translated in English in 1934, and in Tagalog only in 1956.]

            In December 1898, at the end of the Spanish-American War, Spain ceded the Philippines to the US, thus virtually ignoring Aguinaldo’s declaration of independence.   This transfer of power was not recognized by Aguinaldo and his new government, so by 1899, the Philippines declared independence from the US and declared war.  By 1905, the Philippines was under American colonization.  During this time, the singing of the national march and the flying of the national flag were expressly condemned and suppressed.

          In 1935, the Philippines was given Commonwealth Status, thereby once again denying the Philippines national sovereignty.  It was only on July 4, 1946 that the Philippines was granted full independence, after the Japanese were defeated at the end of World War II.  Manuel Roxas was the first elected President of the newly independent Philippine state.

            For the next decade and a half, the Philippine Independence Day had been celebrated on July 4.  Aguinaldo’s Declaration was commemorated by naming June 12 as Flag Day.  It was only under the leadership of President Diosdado Macapagal (1961-1965) that the official Independence Day celebration was moved to June 12.  This was done to reaffirm Philippine nationalism and pride.

            [Although military and political history often focuses only on the actions of the male revolutionaries, there were many women whose participation was pivotal to the success of the Revolution.  Teodora Alonzo (1827-1911) was the mother of Dr. Jose Rizal.  She is credited with having instilled in him the principles and values that he later stood for in his plight against colonization.  As a result of this, she was persecuted and even jailed by the Spanish for the majority of her life. Other women include: Gregoria de Jesus (1875-1943, wife of Andres Bonifacio), Teresa Magbanua (“Generala Isay”), Generale Agueda Kahabangan, and Trinidad Tecson – all of whom fought among and led the male warriors of the Revolution.  Women also played supportive roles, such as Melchora (“Tandang Sora”) Aquino (1812-1919), who selflessly tended to wounded and sick Katipunan fighters.  Without the involvement of both the men and the women, the Revolution of the 1890s would never have been successful.]

            Nowadays Philippine Independence Day is celebrated all throughout the world wherever Filipino communities exist.  Oftentimes the celebrations include a parade, a huge congregation of Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike, and large amounts of food.  As well, since we Filipinos are never short of talents, there is often a program featuring songs and dances performed by members of our community. 

           In Montreal alone, there are several different events that occur around the June 12 Independence Day.  The largest Independence Day celebration in Montreal is organized by the Federation of the Filipino-Canadian Associations of Quebec (FFCAQ).  Every year there is a parade, a Catholic mass, as well as a long program featuring the many talents of our community.  Also present are our various associations and organizations.  There are also several Filipino restaurants, serving up their delicious food and refreshments.

           Regardless of how we celebrate our national Independence Day, we must never forget the reasons for which we celebrate: our pride in our culture, our history, and our heritage.  We Filipinos come from a long history of colonization.  However, as a result, we come from a long history of resistance and revolt.  Mabuhay ang Pilipinas on our 111^th Independence Day celebrations!

“I die, without seeing the Day dawning on my country.
You who will see it, greet it and forget not those who fell during the night”
-Jose Rizal

We were introduced in the world of reading at an early age of our development and it stays with us in different forms throughout our life.

School is where our acquaintance with books and learning begin. Books become our companion a form of solace as well as a pathway towards knowledge, and our quest for meaning and purpose as human beings.

It is important that we develop the right reading habit from childhood. That is the reason why bedtime stories are memorable experiences for our children.  It is a world of language and colorful tools that make the world of imagination fertile and expansive. It allows the mind to soar to a world of ideas and shared realities that makes creation a manifested presence.

Make it a point to encourage your children to read and parents have to be participating guides to them.

Here are a few tips that can help you achieve this goal:
○ make it a habit to read to your child everyday, whether she is  one year old or twelve.
○ take turns in reading chapters
○ take a trip to your library and get your child a library card.
○ be sensitive and aware of your child’s interest and encourage her/ him.
○ provide the area at home where it is cozy and where lighting is excellent for that activity.
○ discuss the book with them
○ talk to your child’s teacher and get suggestions from her.
○ If your child is reluctant to read get books with simple vocabulary but interesting content.
○ appreciate their effort and be part of their creative flow.

Reading is a dynamic activity that keeps the mind nourished and healthy.

The perspective presented here are based on the words of Jesus: ‘’Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate ‘’ (Lk 6:36)

We must look in a radically different direction to understand the place of compassion in our lives and through compassion our humanity grows into its fullness.

The word compassion, generally evokes positive feelings. We like to think of ourselves as compassionate people who are gentle, good and understanding. So why then, are millions of human beings suffering from separation, loneliness, torture and kill each other?

What does it mean the word compassion?  It is derived rom the Latin words pati and cum, which together mean ‘’to suffer with’’. Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. It requires us   to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. To be also kind and gentle to those who get hurt by competition.

We do not aspire to suffer with others. On the contrary we develop methods and techniques that allow us to stay away from pain.

Must we simply recognize that we are more competitive than  compassionate, and try to make  the best of it with a ‘’healthy dose of skepticism’’? Is our greatest ideal a maximum of satisfaction with a minimum of pain?

This topic says NO to these questions and proposes that in order to understand the place of compassion in our lives , we must look radically  to different directions. And the perspective here is based on the words of Jesus: ’’Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate ‘’( Luke 6:36), and is offered in the deep conviction that through compassion our humanity grows into its fullness.

We shall speak about: The compassionate God who is revealed to us in Jesus Christ, because God’s own compassion constitutes the basis and source of our compassion.

The compassionate God: God is a compassion God, He has chosen to be God-with-us .But what counts is that moments of pain and suffering someone stays with us, it is just the simple presence of someone who cares .When someone says to you ,  to us in the midst of a crisis ,’’ I do not know what to say or what to do, but I want you to realize that I am with you, that I will not leave you alone .’’

We have lost the gift of being present to each other .We say why should I visit this person? I can’t do anything anyway. Or what use can I be? Because being simply with someone is difficult and it asks of us that we share in other’s  vulnerability.

When we say God is a God- with- us, means he came to share our lives in solidarity .He is willing to enter with us with our problems, confusions and questions.

We also call him our refuge, our stronghold, our wisdom, our helper, our shepherd, our love. And we will never really know God as a compassionate God if we do not understand with our heart and mind that ‘’he lived among us’’ (Jn 1:14).

When we look at ourselves, we have to recognize that competition, not compassion is our main motivation in life. Being compassionate   would require giving up differences and distinctions. Jesus invites us to be as close to each other as God is to us. And it allows us to say with Paul, ‘’ I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me ‘’ (Ga 2:20)

This new identity, free from greed and desire of power, allows us to enter so fully and unconditionally into the sufferings of others that it becomes for us to heal the sick and call the dead to life. Paul gives us a beautiful example in his letter to the Philippians, he writes : GOD IS MY WITNESS HOW MUCH I MISS YOU ALL WITH THE TENDER COMPASSION OF CHRIST JESUS .  (Ph 1:8)

La ville où je suis née s’appelle Cali. Elle est située au sud-ouest de la Colombie et à une altitude de 996 mètres au-dessus du niveau de la mer. C’est une ville que je trouve très chaleureuse non seulement par son climat (25 °C à moyen, toute l’année), mais aussi par ses gens. Cali est une ville heureuse, qui a l’air d’être au bord de la mer, car elle jouit d’un vent frais le soir et semble être tout le temps en fête.

C’est une des raisons que les caleños ont eues pour inventer la feria de Cali. C’est une célébration qui a lieu à la fin de décembre et grâce à laquelle cette ville est bien connue. C’est une époque où on peut se promener dans la ville en regardant les décorations de Noël et en même temps assister à différents spectacles. Parmi toutes les activités sur lesquelles les gens de Cali travaillent fort figurent : l’élection des meilleurs danseurs et la meilleure école de salsa, le festival d’orchestres, l’exposition gastronomique, entre autres.

Les femmes de Cali sont reconnues pour leur beauté et pour leur façon ouverte et spéciale de s’habiller et de parler. Il y a une chanson très populaire qui s’appelle « las caleñas sont comme les fleurs » et dans laquelle on décrit comment la femme est vue à Cali. Quelques-unes de ces femmes sont très préoccupées par leur apparence physique, cela leur donne un air superficiel, mais la plupart sont des femmes intelligentes, travailleuses et qui aiment faire la fête et danser la salsa.

À Cali, on peut trouver des collations différentes dont on a besoin pour satisfaire la faim et pour continuer à s’amuser.  Ainsi, on peut manger la mangue verte (viche) avec du sel, des pandebonos avec du chocolat chaud, des empanadas avec de la lime et accompagnés de bière ou de jus de lulo, mais si aucun de ces repas ne satisfait votre palais, je vous invite à déguster un verre de champus, ou une lulada, ou peut-être des fruits exotiques comme le chontaduro avec du sel et miel, le borojó, la guama, entre autres.

Étant donné que les gens de Cali sont aussi hédonistes que les Québécois, ils adorent faire des activités à l’extérieur pour avoir le plaisir, par exemple ils aiment prendre un bain dans la rivière et après manger un sancocho qui a été fait in situ avec du bois.

Toutes ces choses dont j’ai parlé ici font partie des coutumes d’un peuple, d’une ville qui essaye de fuir ses problèmes et un contexte social difficile. C’est ce bonheur à l’aide duquel les caleños réussissaient à bien vivre.

             
            Can fiction come true? In the annals of ocean disasters throughout the centuries none is more perplexing than the saga of the “unthinkable” luxury liner the RMS Titanic in her maiden voyage to America in 1912.

            Few are still alive who remember this tragic episode. However, the story and events surrounding this fatal disaster was preempted some 14 years earlier in a book titled “Futility” written by a novelist Morgan Robertson.

            Robertson’s story concerned a floating palace which sailed from South Hampton, England in 1898. She was the biggest and grandest liner ever built and the wealthy elite basked in her luxury as she crossed the Atlantic. However, the fictional ship never reached her destination as her hull was ripped open in a collision with a giant iceberg and sank with a heavy loss of life.

            The fictional name of the ship was Titan and both the fiction and fact converged 14 years later in 1912 when a real luxury ocean liner set out on the same maiden voyage. The Titanic was also laden with rich passengers and she too rammed an iceberg and sank. Prophetically the loss of life was enormous because of the lack of life boats.

            In many ways the similarities between the Titan of Robertson’s novel and the Titanic are almost identical. They were roughly the same nautical speed and carried approximately 3000 passengers. Both were considered to be unsinkable. And both  sank  in exactly the same spot in the North Atlantic.

            But the remarkable coincidence does not end there. The famous journalist W.T. Stead published in 1892, a short story which also proved to be an uncanny, preview of the “Titanic” disaster.  Stead was a Spiritualist and failed to help his own psychic intuitions as he was one of the 1,513 people who perished when the Titanic went down to its watery grave at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean.

Do time portals exist that permit us to glimpse into the future through our imagination or was this a “Jungian” example of “intuitive convergence” of a short or just coincidence? 

Write and let us know what you think!

Everyday we pollute our atmosphere by doing simple things such as driving our cars, traveling in airplanes and lots of other stuff that produces carbonic acid gas. We ignore the fact that our actions intensify the greenhouse effect.

I will now explain briefly the impact on human health, the sea level that increases and finally, the climatic changes.

The central issue is how this has great impact in human beings and how it affects personal lives. Let us consider the consequences on our health. Our health suffers because of the rising heat and the presence of numerous sicknesses that are spread by insects (malaria, Nile virus, etc.), not to mention: asthma, skin disease and epidemic.

Second of all, the melting ice and the expansion of the sea water caused by the climatic rise is the reason why the sea level increases. It rises at 15 to 95 centimeters causing people to lose their home. Because several people live in coastal regions of lowlands, the ground risks getting flooded seriously or permanently. This incident happened to 600 villagers from Alaska and thousands of habitants from the north of Quebec.

Finally, unexpected climatic changes are coming our way. Forest  fires are more frequent and will damage big areas. Farmers will take advantage of long vegetative seasons but long cycles of dryness and floods will make crops more difficult. In short, global warming causes several problems. 

Conclusively, I would like to propose certain suggestions that would help our planet. We should often use renewable products so we can re-use them instead of wasting them. We should also start recycling habitually. These little actions can make big differences in the world that will satisfy us and our planet. So, please… the planet’s begging you to use your every effort to SAVE THE PLANET.

El Québec… la primera vez que yo conocí esta provincia fue durante el verano 2003. Yo llegué a Montréal al final de la tarde, pero aún todavía había mucha luz, lo cual me permitió tener una muy bella imagen de esta ciudad. Desde el avión pude ver las construcciones que se levantaban orgullosas sobre la isla y pude ver el fin de un lindo día soleado, aún se podían ver los rayos del sol reflejados sobre el río San Lorenzo. Yo estaba verdaderamente encantada de tener ante mis ojos una imagen tan especial de esta tierra, la cual ha quedado en mi memoria como un bello recuerdo. Tuve la oportunidad de regresar de visita a esta provincia en 2004 y finalmente en 2006 tomé la más grande decisión de mi vida que fue inmigrar a Canadá.

Debo confesar que si hace siete años alguien me hubiera preguntado si yo pensaba vivir en Canadá, yo hubiera respondido un rotundo “no”, pues la posibilidad de vivir en un país frío como éste no estaba entre mis planes. Después del año 2001 esta percepción cambió, pues conocí al que hoy es mi esposo y el amor que nació en Acapulco, México creció y se hizo fuerte; entonces empecé a pensar en la posibilidad de vivir en Québec.

Mi esposo, un Quebecois de souche, me ha enseñado a querer esta provincia y su amor ha sido mi gran apoyo en el proceso de integración a éste que es mi nuevo hogar. No ha sido una tarea fácil vivir aquí, pues tuve que aprender el francés y mejorar mucho el inglés para poder comunicarme con las personas. Además, existen grandes diferencias entre mi país de origen y el Québec, pero soy consciente que si yo quiero ser feliz en esta tierra debo adaptarme e integrarme a esta nueva cultura que me ha abierto las puertas. Yo creo que la mejor manera de hacer raíces en el país donde una inmigra es conocerlo, aprender a vivirlo e integrarse con su cultura, respetando las constumbres y tradiciones del nuevo país, pero sin olvidar nuestros orígenes y nuestro pasado.

Pienso que mi adaptación a esta nueva vida aquí en Québec ha sido de altibajos, lenta pero agradable, ahora solo me falta encontrar un trabajo para poder hablar de una integración total en Canadá. Ahora estoy contenta de estar aquí, a pesar que ha sido difícil vivir lejos de mi familia colombiana, y confío en que muy pronto pueda encontrar un trabajo interesante que me premita hacer parte activa del sector productivo de esta Provincia.

A mi me gusta el Québec, su cultura, su idioma, su historia, su gente y sus orígenes. Me gustan sus colores que cambian durante el año en cada una de las estaciones. Disfruto mucho los días con sol, cielo azul y una temperatura agradable, pues las personas parecen más felices, se visten con ropa ligera, de colores vivos y una puede encontrar el calor en su sonrisa. Hay muchas experiencias que una puede disfrutar en esta tierra, lo importante es tener la actitud positiva y siempre abierta para aprender. No importa el lugar donde una esté el objetivo es encontrar la felicidad dentro de uno mismo pues para mi “la felicidad es un camino no un destino”.  

From May 1^st to June 6, 2009 the city of Montreal was wrapped around the colors of spring and the energy of the Festival Acces Asie‘s  celebration of Asian Heritage month. The Festival was a response to a need for a visibility of Asian presence in the Quebec cultural milieu.  The Asian Heritage Month was officially declared by the City of Montreal in May 2004.

Janet Lumb a dynamic and effervescent personality is the director and the driving force behind Acces Asie.

 The roots of the organization goes way back to 14 years ago when Beranrd Nguyen started a festival promoting artist of Asian decent. He met Janet and a shared vision was conceived. The journey continued with Janet’s leadership and her total admirable loyalty to its goals.  That in   2002 she was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for her dedication to the community through the festival.

 The vision of Acces Asie are to provide an environment conducive to the promotion of the history, culture and art of Canadians of Asian origin and to facilitate the expression of the diversity and exchange of   culture richness towards the mainstream of Canadian society.

This year’s May festival pays tribute to the Tibetan community with events that showcased the rich culture in exile. The program and presentations through photographs, songs, music, dance, culinary arts, documentary films and lectures became a gateway to this nation’s diverse culture.

The festival VIVA CONFUSION , a unique stage presentation and a documentary film featuring world renowned Indian actor and psychiatrist Dr. Mohan Agashe, sought out remedies to a certain affliction called’ cultural confusion ‘.  Cecil Cristobal a Filipina Canadian actress shared the stage with Dr. Mohan Agashe with her laudable acting abilities.

Festival Acces Asie office staff members: Khosro Barahmandi a genial  visual artist is the general manager, Emile Hudon , coordinator and Malorie Hubert assistant media relations will welcome you all in their cozy office were the spirit of cultural diversity warms the place for everyone.

It was my pleasure to have attended the official launch of the Montreal Pinoy Post last April 19. An enthusiastic audience indicated that it found the Post’s format aimed at promoting community news to be what many readers are seeking.

At the behest of those present, including a most eloquent entreaty by Dr. Gene Santander, I have agreed to provide a column for this issue of the paper that will provide a summary of the dossiers of the Cote des Neiges – Notre Dame (CDN-NDG) Borough Council. After all, CDN-NDG is home to about 11,000 persons of Filipino origin and represents the heart of the Filipino community in Quebec.

Victoria Avenue – City Council voted to improve Victoria Avenue at its April 27 meeting. Councillor Saulie Zajdel and I announced the details at a press conference held at the Sariling Atin Restaurant in Victoria Avenue on April 30.

The Victoria improvements have already commenced with water pipe repairs. Once the pipe work is completed, the City will strip off the old asphalt between Edouard Montpetit and Jean-Talon and repave. The repaving will be accompanied by sidewalk reconstruction. This work represents about $2,750,000.

To this will be added another $150,000 from the Borough to plant about 40 trees and add benches and garbage cans. Some of the Borough’s work may only be completed in the spring of 2010.

As well, the street has been added to the list of commercial arteries eligible for building renovation subsidies. Commercial proprietors may apply for grants to cover up top one third the cost of up to $100,000 in renovations.

I want to note the exceptional support of the merchants of Filipino origin in helping move this dossier forward. In November 2007, Sariling Atin Restaurant allowed us to use its facility to host a meeting with the City planners. Representatives of the Philippine National Bank, Fiesta Filipino and other businesses have been at the various meetings.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the support of Mayor Gerald Tremblay who assured that the Victoria improvements would receive the approval of City Council. All in all, the Victoria revitalization is good news for the entire neighbourhood.

Supporting Filipino Community Events – It is truly an honour for me to attend events hosted by various social, recreational, cultural and fraternal organizations representing Montreal’s Filipino community.

These organizations accomplish excellent work and they deserve the Borough’s support. Indeed with the close collaboration of my colleague Borough Mayor Michael Applebaum, the Borough has forged close relationship with many of these organizations.

I am proud to say that partner organizations of the Borough include FAMAS, PBAM, Marquis Basketball Club, Philippine Folk Art Society, PAMANA ng LuzViMinda and others.

Last autumn the Borough worked closely with the Knights of Rizal to beautify the Jose Rizal monument in Mackenzie King Park. Many thanks to Rey Balansi for his leadership in working with the Borough and my office to have the work quickly completed.  I am looking forward to participating in this year’s June 19 event to honour Jose Rizal’s contribution to Philippine Independence, anti-colonialism and the promoting of human rights and democracy.

My Candidacy – After some reflection, I have decided to seek an 8^th term of office. I will be presenting my name as a candidate to the Union Party nominating convention in the Cote des Neiges – Notre Dame de Grace Borough which is slated for June 29. I again hope to have the support of the members in view of the November 1 municipal election in which our team will include for re-election Mayor Gerald Tremblay for City Mayor, Michael Applebaum for Borough Mayor.

Pinoy Post readers wishing to become members or who wish to volunteer for the campaign can contact me at 514-489-8899 or marvinrotrand@hotmail.com

General – Pinoy Post readers who would enjoy books in Tagalog should note that there is a Tagalog book collection at the Borough’s Intercultural Library at 6767 Cote des Neiges.

Finally, in 2005, Manila and Montreal accepted my proposal of a declaration of friendship. Council declarations were adopted by both municipalities. However, I would like to take this work farther. Should anyone have ideas as to areas where Manila and Montreal could cooperate, please send your written proposal to me at: Marvin Rotrand, City Councillor, 5160 Decarie #710, Montreal, QC. H3X 2H9.

                                                                                                    Report on the
                                                                “Everybody Pitch In!” Clean-up Day in CDN—NDG
              MONTRÉAL, May 29, 2009–The Côte-des-Neiges & Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (CDN-NDG) borough and its two Eco-quartier offices wish to thank and congratulate everyone who took part in the 2009 cleanliness campaign, on the theme of “Everybody Pitch In!”
              All in all, nearly 150 people lent a hand on Saturday, May 16. They started out by signing up on the borough website and explaining what they planned to do for the cleanup drive. They all chose a place that deserved a good spring cleaning, organized a team and set themselves a goal.
             “This shows that cleanliness remains a priority for our borough and that people care about their environment. I want to thank them all for taking part,” said Marcel Tremblay, Councillor for the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce district, who helped out a team cleaning up Mackenzie King Park.

The sites that were cleaned up were:
        Côte-des-Neiges:
1. Mackenzie King Park
2. Around 3751 avenue Linton, near chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges
3. Avenue Decelles, between Kent Park and chemin Queen-Mary
4. In front of the CDN Black Community Association, at 6999 chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges
5. Around the Plamondon housing co-operative, at 4645 and 4655 avenue Plamondon 

        Notre-Dame-de-Grâce:
1. Lane between Wilson and Melrose streets, Monkland and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce avenues
2. Royale Vale School, on avenue Somerled
3. Benny Farm, including the Benny residential projects, Project Chance, Les Maisons transitionelles O3, Co-op 
     Zoo and Co-op Benny Farm 
4. Walkley Centre, at avenue Walkley and chemin de la Côte Saint-Luc

              Representatives from the borough’s two Eco-quartier offices made the rounds to see how the clean-up teams were doing and offer encouragement. Two winners were chosen:
Côte-des-Neiges- Arnold Rortiz, for the Montréal Filipino Alpha Phi Omega Association (Mackenzie King Park); Notre-Dame-de-Grâce: Michelle Ohnona, for the Benny Complex.
                The winners will receive prizes from the borough’s Green Fund, to be presented at the Borough Council meeting on June 22.

Source:                 CDN—NDG borough
Information:      Magdalena Bober: 514 868-4231 
                                 Communication Co-ordinator

                                                                                              PRESS RELEASE
                                                                            Reminder: Green Waste Pick-Up
MONTRÉAL, May 11, 2009–The Côte-des-Neiges & Notre Dame de Grâce borough reminds all residents that they will once again be able to put their green waste out for pick-up this spring. It must be left at the curb, in an easy-to-handle container such as a garbage can, orange or transparent garbage bag, bin or cardboard box.
                  Pick-up dates are Wednesday, May 6, 13, 20 and 27, and June 3, 10 and 17. For more details, see the borough Website, ville.montreal.qc.ca/cdn-ndg.

Source:          CDN—NDG borough
Information:  Magdalena Bober: 514 868-4231
                      Lyne Des Trois Maisons: 514 868-4018
                      François Puchin: 514 868-3483
                      Communications Co-ordinators

Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life. That’s the first phrase you see when you enter the website.  A university student’s little idea turned into the most popular site on the World Wide Web. With over 200 million active users around the globe, Facebook is one of the biggest social-networking sites. People from all walks of life have created a profile for various reasons, mainly to get in touch with their families and friends – not a bad idea! Now on its fifth year, it is worthwhile to review its pros and cons especially among us, the youth.

Having relatives on the other side of the world, Facebook can make us feel closer to our families–without having to wait for the mail or the next vacation to the Philippines, we share each others pictures, making funny comments and even chat once in a while. As for the issue of privacy, well, we just have to be careful not to post anything that we consider personal knowing that other people could use it against us.

Facebook is one of the many sites that steal the time among the teens. Even with all the bad media hype, Facebook has a lot of young users who have given the internet a big share of their lives. Some comment that computer has brought “socializing” out of the real world and on to the internet. In a way, it does influence the way we connect but nothing can replace a good time with friends at a movie theater or at the mall.

Spending countless hours in front of the computer, teens are often criticized as being addicted to technology. But among the teens on Facebook, only a few say that they could never live without it. Can Facebook do more harm to the youth than good? Well, it’s really up to the individual … So, let’s head out, put the computer aside for a while, breath the fresh spring air and enjoy the summer!

In our world today, our planet is going through many difficult situations. The problems that I would be concentrating on this essay are environmental problems such as pollution, global warming, deforestation and more. I will also mention suggestions on how we can help our planet.

Global warming has a big impact in human lives and also those of  animals. I have gathered information that illustrates the melting of the ice in various parts of our planet because of global warming. Many animals like the polar bear need an ice capped environment to live and survive.  The melting of the ice makes the water level rise and can result in flooding. When this situation happens, the death of innocent human lives become the effect.

Where does global warming come from? In my opinion, the main cause of global warming is human beings who do as they please without thinking of the impact it does to our planet. We are creating what we call a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is when it traps some atmospheric gases in the earth and heats it up. We are creating it by producing a lot of carbon dioxide.

So how do humans make carbon dioxide? Well, we can create some by exhaling. But that doesn’t really count as polluting because breathing is a necessity. Driving a vehicle is a human activity that contributes to the greenhouse effect because it releases air pollution. Deforestation is also another human activity because trees absorb CO₂ and if trees disappear  it can have less CO₂ absorption.

So in order to help our planet, we should drive less and go for carpooling or take the public transport more often. As for reforestation, we should recycle our papers that way not many trees will be cut.

 Another thing that I want people to do is save our energy and water. We can save a big amount of energy just by doing little things. Here are some suggestions, turn off the lights when you leave the room, unplug any electronic device that are not used.  We can also save water by closing the faucet while brushing your teeth and limit your shower time.

We should also stop littering because it also harms the environment. It can end up in the sewers or water canals and pollute the water, or if we litter close to an animal habitat that animal can be poisoned by the trash we throw.

The message of my essay is that we should all start caring for the Earth because we will never know what will happen in the future.

By: Elenita Belgica 

           The word community can be very misleading if we define it as a location or a distinct space in our geography. But it is more succinct when we describe it as a group of people sharing common goals and sentiments.

           At the very core, a community is a breathing organism populated by people who seek each other out for the sole purpose of working together towards a common mission.

          The beauty of community bonding is that most of the members get together because of a shared interest emanating from the community’s objectives. But they are totally different from each other. That is where both the challenge and beauty of community building come to play.

          The diversity of interest, values, origins, background and points of views are fertile grounds where communication and expansive thinking can be explored. They are the dynamic process where great action are undertaken through the open exchange of thoughts and ideas. These are the colorful fabric that are tightly woven into a massive tapestry of human development and evolution.

           The challenges and learning curves within the growing pains of community life are marked by dialogues, disputes, factions, inertia and impulsive actions. They are also necessary in clearing and pasturing of paths towards the pursuit of its objectives.

            When we are building communities we must not lose sight of our common objectives for they are the very reasons why we are together. Personal differences are manifestations of our diversity as a people. After all a sense of community is conceived in the womb of diversity.

Question: I’m dealing with a friend who is falling for someone for all the wrong reasons and with someone who I know for a fact will hurt her. How do I deal with this?
Answer: As a friend, you need to do two things – 1) Tell her how you feel about the person he/she is falling for. But make sure your intentions are valid and your reasons are legitimate. It is great that you are looking out for your friend but you don’t want him/her to think that you are jealous of their new relationship. 2) Respect whatever decision he/she makes. If they don’t listen to what you have to say, do not get upset. If that friend really means a lot to you, then you will have to understand their decision, even it is not what you had hoped for. As their friend, you’ve done your part and can only support their decision and be there for them if something bad does happen.

Question: What do I do if I have to move out of the country but I have a girlfriend?
Answer: First, ask yourself the question: Where do I see this relationship going? Do I want to take this relationship seriously or cut loose ends? Long distance relationships are possible and can have a happily ever after ending, but only if the both sides work at it. If you really care about your girlfriend and she is serious about the relationship, then the long distance relationship should work out. But if you really don’t care how the relationship will roll out when you are away from her, then you might as well save yourself the trouble and break up with her before you move out of the country. Long distance relationships always work out if your heart is in it. It may sound cheesy, but when you put time and effort on something you like or want to keep, that means it the right thing to from the very beginning.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the successful launching of Montreal Pinoy Post last April. Thank ou all for your support. I prepared for a gathering for the newspaper’s presentation for a small group of people. To my surprise, two hundred people assembled in a gesture of encouragement and community spirit.

The newspaper’s objective is to serve this multicultural community, motivate an interest to know each other, collaborate with one another toward a common goal of friendship in the community. We have sections available open for other cultural groups. We welcome their contributions.

The growth of a newspaper as a process is augmenting as we learn from each publication. Everyone is important in this project. I am blessed to have a great working staff to share my ideas and enthusiasm to produce its content.

I thank all our local politicians here and the government officials in the Philippines. To all different organizations, religious groups, families, advertisers, supporters, entrepreneurs and especially all the volunteers for their support

Harana is a genre of Philippine music dating back to the country’s Spanish era.  Its lyrics portray a romantic theme with some sub categories depicting a love story.  Harana is also traditionally known as a serenade to woman outside her bedroom window at night. Florante Aguilar is well known amongst today’s Filipino-Americans. He plays traditional western classics, contemporary music and other genres, but he cannot deny his true love for harana.

 Florante, born in Manila and raised in Cavite, learned to play the octavina in a rondalla group led by his neighbour’s gardener; a fond memory from his childhood. Thanks to rock and roll, he learned to play the guitar and later, by the age of 16, was enrolled in the University of the Philippines College of Music. In 1985, he toured for 6 and half months, around Europe, the US and Asia, playing in major cities as a soloist and ensemble player. After seeing the world at a young age, Florante moved to New York with a scholarship studying at the Manhattan School of Music with Grammy award winner Sharon Isbin, also a classical guitarist and founder of the guitar department in Julliard.

In 1996, Florante received a Bachelor of Music degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 1996 mentored by David Tenenbaum. He is the half of the Barbary Coast Guitar Duo along with guitarist Micheal Walsh .

In 1997, Montreal was fortunate to have Florante serenade his audience at a benefit concert called “Tipanan” at Lower Canada College through Voice Productions and Pinoy Post’s very own Chief Editor Elenita Belgica. Florante’s recent works are hailed in a stage production in San Francisco. “Lalawigan: A Contempoary Tagalog Song Cycle.  Lalawigan, means province in Tagalog. Florante’s credit as writer, composer and guitarist was created through a grant by the San Francisco Arts Commission.

The story takes places in 1898 in Cavite during the uprising against Spain. The characters are inspired by the unsung heroes of this era in Philippine history, including the legendary rebel of the revolution Macario Sakay played by award-winning Philippine actor Raymond Bagatsing. Remaining loyal to the musical genre of this era, Florante composed harana and kundiman music.

Up next, Florante will be performing on July 1^st at Intramuros Restaurant in San Francisco. And for the first time in nearly 20 years, he will be performing with his teacher from New York Michael Dadap. Proceeds of the event will go towards the completion of a documentary by award winning Benito Bautista called “Harana”, a film that romanticizes the culture of Harana through the eyes of Florante himself.  The documentary reveals a long lost tradition that once was part of Philippine custom that only survives through a very few and hopefully has a chance to blossom once more.

 By: Elenita Belgica

Father Francisco Alvarez PME (Father’s of Foreign Mission of Quebec) is the parish priest and chairman of the Filipino Catholic Mission of Montreal on St. Laurent Blvd. He was born in Baybay, Leyte and grew up in Davao City where his vocation as a priest came with a distinct calling as early as his first communion rites in his childhood. It was like a flowing chapter in a well written and edited book for Providence had provided specific religious personalities along his path, paving the way to his vocation like the smooth and placid summer waves in tranquil waters.

He was installed in the church in Montreal last September 8, 1996 after his reflection led him to a decision to leave his post in Hong Kong in favor of Montreal. His leadership in a growing mobile parish at Notre- Dame de Neiges that moved on to St. Denis were marked with a quest to venture into securing a church for the Filipino community. It was a desire shared with enthusiasm by the parishioners who devoted time, effort, skills and talents in the formation and stability of a growing Filipino church community with Father Alvarez.  

The process of that project did not come as a paved road in a rose garden. In the contrary, it came with thorns that challenged the way towards the fragrance of the aspired rose garden. However, the vision was clear from a distance and with guided negotiation, calculated risk, fundraising activities and prayers, the church became a reality.

To write about the details would be mote and academic for the purpose of my visit with Father Alvarez and to pay my due respect to our Filipino church in a borough away from the center where majority of Filipinos reside. I felt so flawed to be one of those few who made tons of excuses to attend my Sunday masses there using as a trite reason “it is too far”. It dwarfed me when I realized that most of the Filipino church goers where from the West Island and other boroughs in Montreal. 

The Filipino Catholic Mission of Montreal and the church in St. Laurent Blvd. is a gift to us Filipinos. Why do we call it a gift? Because there are only three churches that were given to us Filipinos to own abroad. The first one is in Rome and the second in Texas and the third one is in Montreal. It is our home, a haven where we are invited to enjoy the rites and rituals with no parishioner limitation or guidelines. Many of us have our parishes and that is excellent. But it would be a joy to visit our very own church and bond with others in a tradition of unity and community.

What struck me with awe and admiration was the “bayanihan” spirit that defines us and distinctly separates us from other cultures; a quality that springs from the heart of selfless and loving groups of people. The Filipinos in the Filipino Mission gave their all to fix, move, renovate, decorate and prepare the church for everyone. It has become a haven where hearts meet, spirits bond and people hold hands in prayer and loving communion.

The gift is there for all of us; Let us enjoy it, embrace it and make time to join each other.