A6 OPINION PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY December 1 - 15 , 2016
Reyfort Publishing & Entertainment
Office Add : 9955 -149th Street , Surrey , B . C . V3R 7N2 Email : info @ philippinenewstoday . ca Website : www . philippineasiannewstoday . com http :// www . reyfortmediagroup . com Tel : ( 604 ) 588-news ( 6397 ) Fax : ( 604 ) 588-6387 Now available : Alberta Province
Efren Saylon Tel : ( 780 ) 707-1477
Photograhers- Charles De Jesus / Christian Cunanan
Copyright of letters and other materials submitted and accepted for publication remains with the author , but the Publisher may freely reproduce them in any other forms . Opinions and views expressed are of the author ’ s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY . E-mail : info @ philippinenewstoday . ca
12th and Cambie
By Geoff Meggs
Breaking Point
By Rosette Correa
Great things come in three , they say , and because Christmas is drawing near , now that we ’ re in the third week of Advent , there are three mandates awaiting the Filipino people this season . As to them being great , we can safely say one certainly is good , while the other two may be the stuff that unwanted Christmas gifts are made of .
Senator Paolo Benigno “ Bam ” Aquino IV filed a bill aiming to prevent food from going to waste in the Philippines . Senate Bill No . 357 , or the Zero Food Waste Act , seeks to end the “ cycle of having food end up in the trash instead of stomachs .” Aquino ’ s measure aims to have food establishments donate their excess food to charities such as food banks and other agencies that are in the business of distributing food to the needy . With the high cost of food in the country , in which a family of five need about $ 10 a day to be able to eat adequately , to throw away food is an injustice . While the bill seeks to encourage business and food distributors to reconsider throwing away their food in the garbage where
Early in December I attended two events , just 24 hours apart , that defined for me what makes a city great : it ’ s a sense of safety , inclusion and opportunity for all .
That was the key message of a group of Syrian refugees , now one year in the country , who told of their experiences in a news conference at Welcome House , the new reception centre for newcomers operated by Immigrant Services Society of BC on land donated by the City of Vancouver .
Nearly one in five of the 3,000 Syrians who came to Vancouver have found work and half report that their children are doing well in school , although too many are still waiting for admission to English language programs .
But 21-year-old Eslam
the hungry rummage through daily , there is certainly more to the food wastage problem in the Philippines and around the world which one senate bill cannot possibly cover , such as greed and corruption . It is , however , necessary to take small steps , and make policies happen that will further enhance a law such as this , to eliminate hunger and disease , and alleviate poverty in some sense . This is the good . The Department of Health recently began distributing condoms to schools as part of its mandatory sex education that aims to promote “ safe-sex ” among the young people , The DOH claims that because of the alarming rate of HIV / AIDS among the youth , as well as early pregnancies , the distribution of condoms can reduce the number of cases of the transmittable disease , as well as avoid having unwanted children .
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines cried foul , as did Buhay Partylist representative Lito Atienza . Both parties said that proper education in reproduction , as an inalienable right and
Al Abbas , who is working to become a pharmacist set the tone with her heartfelt thanks for the new feeling of security and opportunity she has discovered since arriving in Vancouver .
“ Thanks from the bottom of my heart ,” she said , “ for giving us a new hope – and a new life .”
Adburahman Saeed said Vancouver and Canadians helped him relearn a word he had nearly forgotten in wartorn Syria : “ love .” Wherever he went , he reported , Canadians were ready to help and assist him find his feet in this new country . He is still incredulous that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among those who welcomed his plane . He ’ s now back to using “ love .”
It ’ s moving to hear these stories and hear , too , of the deep desire for many of these refugees
WWW . PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY . COM
Rey Fortaleza - Publisher Carlito Pablo - Editorial Consultant Rosette Correa - Senior Editor Jun Cordero - Associate Editor Writers - Crisanta Sampang ; Columnists - Geoff Meggs , Ben Berto , Editha Corrales , Mon Datol , Fr . Jerry Orbos SVD , DeeDee Sytangco , Alan Samuel , Erie Maestro , Sandee M . Ed Malay , Jayne Anastacio , JJAtencio and Willie J . Uy ( Manila Bureau Chief ) Alvin Barrera - Graphics and Layout ; Rolly Fortaleza - Graphics Design / JoelCastro . com - Website ; Julian Fortaleza - Sports Editor ; Photography Editor : Dean Guzman ; Assistant to Photography Editor : David Gabriele
The Good , the Bad and the Ugly
responsibility of the parents , should be encouraged , not the distribution of condoms , which promotes promiscuity in young people . Unfortunately , DOH Paulyn Ubial does not read newspapers , as global reports of the spread of HIV / AIDS and early pregnancies are actually caused by faulty , ineffective and substandard produced condoms shipped to Third World countries . Atienza also says that this scare tactic regarding the spread of HIV / AIDS through “ unsafe ” sex is part of a world population control strategy , not really an answer to prevent the fatal disease . We have Planned Parenthood and UNICEF to thank for that . This is the bad . As an early Christmas gift , the House of Representatives came out with the passing of the reimposition of the Death Penalty , which has been dormant since 1987 . According to the House , because of the increasing number of criminality due to the distribution of illegal drugs , there is also an increase in the incidence of other crimes connected to , therefore , necessitating the death penalty . Albay Representative Edcel Lagman and Senator Leila de Lima , in a recent forum at the University of the Philippines , both reiterated that the reimposition of the death penalty is simply to hide the President ’ s incompetence , noting that the administration would “ rather kill than protect ” its citizens . Lagman also said that the revival of the law will continue a cycle of violence that has already spread in the country in the last six months since Duterte took over . Recent reports have revealed that the PNP can no longer account for 4,000 of the 6,000 deaths as lawful and judicial .
The death penalty is an obvious measure to conceal the ineptitude of the government to maintain the law of the land , and killing people has been its only solution , the way an exterminator would get rid of pests .
This is the ugly . Really ugly .
As we Filipinos here in Canada peacefully prepare for the coming of the child Jesus , our kababayans continue to receive its share of the good , the bad and the ugly , even in this season of hope , faith , joy and love . While we pray that the bad and the ugly go away , we know that the true and the good shall always prevail .
What Makes Vancouver a Welcoming and Inclusive City
to reunite their extended families here in the safety of Canada .
But that sense of inclusion can ’ t be taken for granted . Since the US election , Richmond has seen two incidents of racist posters distributed around the city .
Other unacceptable acts of intolerance and racial hatred have occurred elsewhere in Canada .
That ’ s why Mayor Gregor Robertson gathered the next day with a wide range of community leaders to pledge 101 Days of Action against Racism . This campaign will stretch from International Human Rights Day , which is celebrated Dec . 10 , to March 21 , the International Day for the Elimination of Racism .
You can see the pledge and sign it yourself at www . 101days . ca .
It calls upon signatories
to speak out against hate and discrimination in any form . in the period leading up to the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21 , 2017 .
“ One of Vancouver ’ s greatest strengths is our diversity , “ Robertson said . “ Over the course of the last year we have welcomed refugees from around the world , passed an Access Without Fear policy , and recommitted our efforts to being a City of Reconciliation , but there is more work to be done to ensure Vancouver is a safe and compassionate city for everyone .”
“ The 101 Days of Action pledge demonstrates that we believe in shared values of equality , anti-racism , and freedom from injustice . Recent events around the world and close to home have left many of our loved ones feeling vulnerable , and hate can only be overcome when we stand in solidarity and empower each other to speak out — and call out — discrimination when we see it .”
I signed the pledge , along with four other councillors representatives of Al Jamia Masjid mosque , Battered Women ’ s Support Services , Gordon Neighbourhood House , Immigrant Services Society of B . C ., Migrante B . C ., Multifaith Action Society , Khalsa Diwan Society , and Out On Screen .
I hope you will sign , too . It ’ s a practical Christmas present to our community of a safer , more inclusive city .
In that spirit , I ’ d like to wish Season ’ s Greetings and a Happy New Year to all my friends in the Filipino community .