April 16 - 30, 2017
HEADLINES
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
$55,000 raised for family of slain Filipino
chiropractor in Ontario
Through a fundraising
campaign,
thousands of
dollars have been raised for
the family of Ferdinand “Fred”
Mejilla, a Filipino chiropractor
who was killed in Ontario last
March.
A total of $55,017 was
donated, and the fundraising
campa ign is over.
Mejilla was a Burlington
chiropractor who died after a
shooting at his clinic. He left
behind five children.
Mejilla is remembered
by patients and colleagues
as a warm and loving person,
whose generosity shone
through in his practice.
Mejilla, 50, died in
hospital on March 17, a day
after he was shot.
The shooter — 44-year-
old David Williamson — shot
himself in an apparent murder-
suicide case. Williamson died
in hospital on March 20.
Williamson, a one-time
patient of the chiropractor,
suffered what is believed to
be a self-inflicted gunshot
wound, police said.
Williamson’s
wife,
Shawna Williamson, worked
as one of two office staff at
the Mejilla Family Chiropractic
Clinic.
Pete Angerilli, another
Burlington chiropractor, first
met Mejilla when he delivered
an inspiring guest lecture
to his class at the Canadian
Memorial
Chiropractic
College.
The two reconnected
when both had clinics in the
area and, for a time, would
offer each other adjustments.
Angerilli recalled how
inspiring it was to hear Mejilla’s
excitement as he relayed
stories from his practice to
the students about how they
would be able to help people
one day.
“For some chiropractors,
it’s a job,” he said. “But for a
lot of us, helping people is
really a passion.
While
Mejilla’s
dedication to his work was
unwavering, his commitment
to his family was his top
priority, said Mike Schultz,
a Burlington chiropractor
whose Plains Road East office
Mejilla started working in
seven years ago.
He recalled Mejilla, a
man of faith, telling him about
the time he cancelled all of
his afternoon appointments
to take his five children out to
a movie.
“I thought it was just
crazy, but it’s family first,”
Schultz said.
Ferdinand Mejilla left behind five children
Police
have
not
commented on a possible people feel and be at their of Chiropractors of Ontario,
motive for the shooting.
best.” He added that one of Mejilla was in good standing
A blog post written by his “greatest joys” was seeing and had no disciplinary
Mejilla prior to his death said his patients’ quality of life proceedings, suspensions or
he had a passion for healthy improve from his treatment.
negligence and malpractice
living and “wanted to help
According to the College findings to his name.
Travelers cancel Philippine bookings following warnings
from Canada and other countries
Amid the numerous
travel
advisories
issued
by Canada and other
countries,
tourists
have
started canceling trips to the
Philippines particularly in
Central Visayas.
The U.S., Australia,
Canada and Korea have
already
issued
travel
advisories for its citizens to be
extra cautious when traveling
to Central Visayas because
of the reported presence of
terrorist groups.
Presidential
Adviser
on the Peace Process Jesus
Dureza has said foreigners
have nothing to worry about
with regard to their security in
the Philippines.
Dureza gave assurance
that security forces are
on top of the situation
and are prepared for any
contingency.
Among those who
canceled were 500 travelers
from Japan, who made
reservations at a five-star
hotel in Cebu and would
have spent about P30 million
in the country during their
visit, according to Alejandra
Clemente, chair of Rajah
Tours Philippines.
Clemente wrote to
Tourism Secretary Wanda
Teo, saying the advisories “are
starting to take their toll” on
the Philippine travel industry.
Clmente said the recent
clashes between
government troops
and the Abu Sayyaf
in Bohol have led
to the cancellation
of bookings from
major
markets
in Japan, the
United States and
Europe.
“If
this
deteriorating
situation
is
not
addressed
immediately,
it
may
adversely
affect the flow of
tourism
arrivals
into the country,”
Clemente told Teo
in a letter.
Clemente expressed her
apprehension on behalf of the
private sector concerning the
tourism industry.
She said the Philippines
appears to be a dangerous
place for tourists because of
the recent situation in Central
Visayas and has put the
country in a negative light as
a tourism destination.
Clemente
suggested
to Teo that she invite
stakeholders for a dialogue to
determine the actual situation
in Central Visayas and how to
counteract the adverse effect
of the travel advisories.
“(The) government and
private sector need to act fast
to arrest this very alarming
situation. I will be more than
happy to help organize the
private sector to meet with
you,” Clemente said.
Assistant Secretary Ricky
Alegre said the Department
of Tourism (DOT) is taking
the letter from Clemente
seriously.
He said they are now
closely coordinating with
the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the Philippine
National Police to address the
issue.
Alegre added the DOT
is sensitive to the travel
advisories issued by different
countries as it might affect
the tourism industry in the
country.
“The DOT assures
(travel agencies) that we are
coordinating with the proper
authorities that these (travel
advisories) will not happen
again,” Alegre said.
But he cried foul over
the advisories being issued by
other countries on travel to
the Philippines.
“It is unfair to declare
travel advisory in the country
because it affects the entire
country. We want to remind
the other countries that we
are an archipelago, which
means we have lots of other
areas where their citizens can
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
visit,” he said.
Alegre stressed other
areas in the Philippines are
affected every time a travel
advisory is issued.
“You
can
choose
another area that is readily
available for your citizens. It
is safe in the Philippines,” he
said.
Budget
Secretary
Benjamin Diokno told the
DOT not to worry about the
travel advisories of other
countries as these won’t hurt
the Philippine economy.
Diokno
said
the
advisories would not generate
any losses in the economy.