famegate

2 AUGUST 2010 www.famegatemagazine.com

www.famegatemagazine.com AUGUST 2010 3WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP

Shared by Paul Villar

My brethren, count it all joy whenyou fall into various trials, knowingthat the testing of your faith producespatience. But let patience have itsperfect work, that you may be perfectand complete, lacing nothing. James1:1-4

God is in control of all the thingsthat are happening in this world andany situations or circumstances thatsurround the believer. The devil cando nothing in the life of the believerwithout the approval of God. But why

Motivational Thought of the MonthLessons from Job’s Uncompromising Faith

would God allow trials and sufferings onthe believer’s life? Because Satan’sattacks will reveal the believer’s faith.

God will always shake the believer’scurrent situation so that his faith willremain unshaken. Faith that cannot beshaken is faith that has been shaken.And if your faith is real, it will endurethrough the worst of circumstances,because character is not made in crisis;it is revealed. For example, when trialscame to Job’s life, instead of cursingGod, we found him worshiping God, butwe found his wife saying, “Are you stilltrying to maintain your integrity? Curse

God and die” (Job 2:9). Trials,temptations, and crises separate thewheat from the chaff, the true from thefalse, and the real from the unreal.

Suffering helps us grow spirituallyand makes our faith stronger. Jamesreminds us, “For you know that whenyour faith is tested, your endurance hasa chance to grow. So let it grow, for whenyour endurance is fully developed, youwill be perfect and complete, needingnothing” (James 1:3–4).

Suffering takes our faith from therealm of theory to reality, and sufferingbrings glory to God. Anyone can be

happy when the sky is blue and thesun is shining. But when a storm ishitting, it is a different matter. Satanclaimed that Job only worshiped Godbecause God was blessing him. ButJob proved that he really did loveGod, because he worshipped Himbefore, during, and after the crisis.

God allowed the tragedy in Job’slife to strengthen his faith and toprove Satan was wrong—and Jobpassed the test with flying colors.What a rebuke to the enemy. Andwhat a powerful example for ustoday.

PARIS – PresidentNicolas Sarkozy said that hewants to revoke the Frenchcitizenship of immigrantswho put the lives of policeofficers in danger as part ofa “national war” ondelinquency.

Associated Pressreported that in a speech inGrenoble, the site of recenturban unrest, Sarkozy saidthat the current list of causesfor revoking Frenchnationality would bereevaluated and “rights andbenefits” accorded to illegalimmigrants would bereviewed.

Meanwhile, a videoposted on the Internetshowing riot police roughlyrousting African immigrantsquatters, including onevisibly pregnant woman,from an encampment at ahousing project promptedshocked reactions aroundthe country.

The video shot by amember of a housing-rightsorganization shows policewearing leg protection pullingwomen, some with babies ontheir backs, and in one casedragging a woman across theground with her infanttrailing behind in the dirt.

AP reported that no onewas injured in the July 21

Sarkozy threatensimmigrants who target police

SAO PAULO –Brazilian PresidentLuiz Inacio Lula daSilva over theweekend offered toprovide refuge to awoman who has beensentenced to death inIran following herconviction forcommitting adultery.

The case created aninternational outcrywhen SakinehMohammadi Ashtianiinitially was sentencedto death by stoning. Iranwithdrew that part ofthe sentence earlier thismonth, but the motherof two could still faceexecution by hanging.

Associated Press in its newsreport said Silva, during acampaign rally for his party’spresidential candidate,appealed to Iran’s president,Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, “toallow Brazil to grant politicalasylum to this woman.”

“If she is causing problemsthere, we will welcome herhere,” AP quoted Silva assaying.

Silva’s government has builtcloser relations with Tehran inrecent years. Brazil worked withTurkey earlier this year to workout a proposal aimed atresolving Iran’s dispute with theWest over its nuclear program,AP reported.

The plan called for Iran to

Brazil offers haven to Iranwoman in adultery case

exchange uranium for nuclearreactor fuel rods, but theproposal didn’t meet U.N.Security Council demands thatIran halt its uraniumenrichment. The SecurityCouncil approved a fourthround of sanctions on Iran inthe dispute, and the UnitedStates and European Unionlater imposed their ownadditional sanctions.

The U.S. and its allies accuseIran of using its civilian nuclearprogram as a cover fordeveloping atomic weapons.Iran denies doing that, sayingits program is intended forpeaceful purposes such aselectricity production, thenews report added.

operation in La Courneuve, asuburb northeast of Paris, localofficials said, but human rightsadvocates denounced the“brutal evacuation” of some200 people.

AP quoted a statementissued Family Planning, aninternational women’s healthgroup that denounced thepolice’s activity and said it was“scandalized, shocked,outraged and even sickened bythe conditions” of the massevacuation of women andchildren.

MRAP, a leading humanrights group, said people in thevideo had all been expelledfrom previous housing andprovided with no long-termsolutions, AP added in its newsreport.

The French president, aformer interior minister, hasprojected a law-and-orderimage, and named a formerpolice official as prefect, thehighest state authority, forthe region around Grenobleafter youths and policeclashed this month at ahousing project that is hometo many immigrants.

Earlier, Sarkozy orderedthe expulsion of Gypsiesliving in France illegally,saying their camps shouldbe “systematicallyevacuated.” That order cameafter police clashed thismonth with Gypsies, knownas Roma, in the Loire Valleyfollowing the shooting deathof a youth fleeing police.

The pronouncementcaused special outragebecause Sarkozy singled outa particular ethnic group ina country official that’sofficial blind to ethnicorigins.

Associated Press quotedSarkozy as saying that hewants immigration lawschanged to make it easier toexpel people “for reasons ofpublic order.”

Human rightsorganizations joinedpolitical rivals to denounceSarkozy’s decision to targetFrench of immigrant origin.

Pres. NICOLAS SARKOZY

Brazilian PresidentLUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA

LATIN AMERICA EUROPE

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK


VIEWFINDER’S PICKBY JIM HERNANDEZ (PPP-USA)

“Fort Santiago”, Manila, Philippines taken on November 2007 – one ofPPP-USA photo exhibits last July 24th, 2010 under the sponsorship ofBrand Library, a division of Glendale Public Library and the Associatesof Brand Library and Art Center, held at ARKO Food Market located at1425 E. Colorado Street, Glendale 91205.

Achievers AreA Joy Forever

By Thelma P. CalabioCEO/Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

We are in full preparationfor the FamegateMagazine / Famegate

Global News Annual CelebrityHonors Award.

In this retrospective event that weare proudly preparing,we hope you’ll enjoysome of the memorablepeople, pleasures, andevents we have sharedthroughout the years.

Celebrating this eventis not just aboutFamegate Magazine /Famegate GlobalNews but rather asalute to all theexemplary men andwomen of the changingtimes. We haveaccustomed to seeingthem at the glittering and glamorizedgatherings that have been so muchpart of California’s familiar mode of ,specially among its greatest achievers- philanthropic leaders of our times,whether they are saving lives,building schools, elevating the arts,easing pain and sufferings, or feedingand helping the downtrodden. Theseindividuals are out there making thedifference in this world whilecelebrating their lives withachievements, always inexhaustible.

Their ability to captivate remindsus of who we are and who we havebeen. They reflect the guiding spiritof our magazine, as well as the greatspirit of our country.

For the past years, FamegateMagazine / Famegate GlobalNews have stood for the endlesscelebration of humanity. In theteeming period since the launching ofthe mother Famegate Magazine inMarina del Rey, these publicationsheld a mirror to each times;reflecting a nexus of generosity,power, wealth, glamour, and talentthroughout its years. They havebecome a testament to the spirit thatachievers are a joy forever.

In this issue, we have the privilege

again of inviting two of the mostintrepid reporters who have gracedour pages; Rene Villaroman andDiony Grava take us full circle as theyshared their personal commentarycoverage for the Famegate GlobalNews, both as reporters and as avidreaders. We thank them and the restof our talented contributing writers

and staff.We would also like to thank those

who are supporting or whosupported Famegate Magazine /

Famegate Global News in thepast, especially our valuedadvertisers.

In this issue, however, anunprecedented opportunity to featureand quite frankly, we were thrilled bythe live coverage, something we havenever done before - a full coverage ofthe post election, plus the SONA with

one of our reporters rightat the scene.

This issue is the usualeclectic mix of people whoare doing good and greatwork; some heavyweights,some lightweights, yet allunited in their drive to dothe best they can,whatever theircircumstances.

In the meantime, thenext issue is a chockful ofgreat things to do.

Go, do, enjoy the rest ofthe happy, summer’s full.

And may you enjoy this issue asmuch as we have enjoyed putting ittogether.

Love, lots of love.

www.famegatemagazine.com AUGUST 2010 5WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP

OTTAWA– Canadianarcheologists havediscovered the wreckage ofthe ship that has beencredited with discoveringthe fabled NorthwestPassage, saying the vesselremains in good conditionafter being abandoned morethan 150 years ago in theArctic ice, Reuters reportedrecently.

The news agency quotedMarc-Andre Bernier ofParks Canada as saying thatarcheologists were able tosnap sonar images of HMSInvestigator on the weekendnot long after they arrived atthe remote Mercy Bay site in

CANADA

Canadian Archeologists Find Lost Ship In Arcticthe Northwest Territories.

The Investigator was theBritish ship that was sent tosearch for two lost vessels thatwere part of Sir JohnFranklin’s ill-fated 1845 RoyalNavy expedition to discoverthe Northwest Passage linkingthe Atlantic to the Pacificthrough Canada’s Arcticarchipelago.

“This is definitely of theutmost importance,” saidBernier, chief of theunderwater archeology servicewith Parks Canada, the federalbody conducting the Arcticsurvey. “This was the ship thatconfirmed and nailed thediscovery of that passage.”

The icy waters have helpedpreserve the ship, which issitting upright on the sea floorin about 11 meters (36 feet) ofwater and not far from thelocation where it was lastdocumented in 1854,according to Reuters.

The wreck had been difficultto find because of its remotelocation off Bank’s Island andalso because the waters areusually very icy.

According to the report,archeologists plan to take moreimages this week from a smallinflatable boat they areworking with. They hope to usea robot equipped withcameras, similar to equipment

now being used in the Gulf ofMexico oil spill, to learn aboutthe ship.

The graves of three RoyalNavy sailors, who died in 1853of scurvy, were also discovered,the report added. The Britishgovernment has been notifiedof the find, CanadianEnvironment Minister JimPrentice told Reuters fromMercy Bay.

The Investigator wasdeployed in 1850 with a 66-man crew, but was eventuallyabandoned after being lockedin the grip of Arctic ice for twowinters. The crew, led byCaptain Robert JohnLeMesurier McClure, left

behind a cache ofequipment and provisionson the shore of what is nowpart of Aulavik NationalPark.

Prentice, who wasscheduled to stay at the sitefor several more days, saidthe discovery of the ship andthe artifacts on shoreformed an “incredibly richtreasure trove.”

“This really knitstogether the history of thatreally early exploration —this history of the Inuitpeople ... who have beenhere thousands of years, andour modern attempts herein Canada,” said Prentice.

PHOENIX, Arizona- A U.S.court denied a request for anexpedited hearing Friday andinstead set a November datefor Arizona’s appeal to afederal court ruling thatblocked key parts of a state lawcracking down on illegalimmigration, news agencyReuters reported over theweekend.

According to the newsagency report, lawyers forArizona and Governor JanBrewer had asked the 9th U.S.Circuit Court of Appeals in SanFrancisco last week to lift aninjunction blocking the mostintrusive parts of the law,known as SB 1070, asking forthe appeal to be handledquickly.

But the court denied thestate’s request to expedite theappeal and set a hearing for theweek of November 1.

Tensions over the law haveinflamed a decades-longnational debate overimmigration, which promisesto play into the elections inNovember, when PresidentBarack Obama’s Democratsare fighting to retain control ofCongress.

Reuters reported that U.S.District Court judge SusanBolton on Wednesday blockedthe law’s most controversialelements, arguing thatimmigration matters are the

UNITED STATES

federal government’sresponsibility.

The appeals court on Fridayset an August 26 date forArizona’s opening brief, withthe government’s response onSeptember 23. The court saidit would not grant anyextensions of time to file briefs“absent extraordinary andcompelling circumstances.”

A spokesman for GovernorBrewer did not immediatelyrespond to a request for

SYDNEY – Australia’sopposition leader TonyAbbott vowed to slash thenation’s migrant intake ifelected prime minister, butsaid he wanted citizens tohave more babies to boost thebirth rate.

According to a report byAgence France Presse (AFP),Abbott, who is standingagainst the country’s firstwoman leader, Labor PrimeMinister Julia Gillard, inAugust 21 polls, said hewanted to cut annualimmigration to about170,000 people — down fromsome 300,000 two years ago.

“Let’s have an immigration

AUSTRALIA

Australian Opposition Promises Fewer Migrants

TONY ABBOTT

Arizona Immigration Law Appeal Set For Novembercomment. The case was widelyexpected to go all the way to theU.S. Supreme Court.

The state’s Republican-controlled legislature passedthe law three months ago to tryto drive nearly half a millionillegal immigrants out ofArizona and stem the flow ofhuman and drug smugglersover the border from Mexico.

It drew wide popularsupport in Arizona and acrossthe United States but was

opposed by Obama and humanrights groups.

Several hundred Hispanicand labor activists blockedstreets and access to a jail inPhoenix on Thursday, after aweakened version of the lawcame into effect, and policearrested 71 people, Reutersadded in its report.

Protests against the lawcontinued on Friday, whenseveral activists were arrestedin Maricopa County, according

to local news reports.Among blocked provisions

of the law was one requiring apolice officer to check theimmigration status of anyonestopped or detained if theofficer believed they were notin the country legally.

Immigrants would also havebeen required to carry theirdocuments at all times andundocumented workers wouldhave been forbidden to solicitwork in public.

programme that people cansupport, that they don’t think isout of control, that they don’tthink is subcontracted to peoplesmugglers,” Liberal Party leaderAbbott speaking to reporters inCanberra was quoted by AFP .

The report added that Abbott,who was born in Britain,acknowledged Australia was animmigrant society and said ifelected prime minister he wouldnot cut employer-nominatedimmigration categoriesdesigned to plug skill shortagesin the economy.

However, t he said that whilehe supported foreign studentscoming to Australia, he gave noguarantees on the number of

student migrants.“What I don’t want us to be

doing is selling immigrationoutcomes in the guise of sellingeducation,” he said.

Abbott also said he was eagerfor Australians to have morebabies.

The news report added thatthe government accused Abbottof playing with immigrationfigures, saying his promises werein line with current projectionswhich showed net overseasmigration set to drop to between230,000 and 250,000 people byJuly 2010.

Population growth and theseparate problem of boatloads ofasylum seekers arriving off

northern Australia are keyelection issues for Gillard,who herself was born inWales and moved to Australiaas a young child.


By Dionesio C. Grava Some say that GOLF stands

for Gentlemen Only LadiesForbidden — admittedly amyth as evidenced by thesmattering of lady participantsaround. Most were mentrickling in even before the 11a.m. start of registration, somelugging telltale elongated bagsthat contain the irons orwoods, balls, and accessories

Asian Friendship Weekend AtSanta Clarita’s Robinson’s Ranch Golf Club

that are the essentials of thesport. A few were alreadytrying their strokes on aputting green fronting theclubhouse while otherscrowded an area behind thereception table, savoring alight repast.

Mid-morning of July 31 wasa balmy, sun-drenchedSaturday, the tail end of LACounty’s driest month so farthis year. A little farther north

water-dropping helicoptersand a supertanker werereported trying to finish offseveral wildfires that prompteda compulsory evacuation thenight before. Health officialsalso advised children andadults to cancel outdoorrecreational activities.Meanwhile, the USGS madeknown that a 2.1 magnitudetemblor was detected withepicenter 17 miles south of the

golf venue.No matter, the carts were all

occupied when Maridy Salle,overall projectmanager, signaled the shotgunstart of the 5th AsianFriendship Golf Tournamentat 1 p.m. It took theparticipants the wholeafternoon and past thescheduled 6 p.m. Reception,Dinner & Awards Night tonavigate the over 400 acres of

Robinson’s Ranch Golf Clubgolf courses set amid stands ofsage and chaparral, sycamoresand native evergreen oakswithin sight of the spectacularAngeles National Forest inSanta Clarita, CA. Ms. Sallelater placed the total numberof golf registrants at 100 while180 attended the eveningevent.

See ‘Golf Club’ on page 7

www.famegatemagazine.com AUGUST 2010 7

Golf Club... Continued from page 6

Noel Omega, a formerpresident and co-founder ofthe host Filipino AmericanChamber of Commerce-SanFernando Valley intimatedthat it will be ten years laterwhen the FACC-SFV will againhave a turn on the hosting ofthe game. AACA is composedof the chamber associations ofChina, Hongkong, Japan,Korean, Thailand, Singapore,Mongolia, Pakistan,Cambodia, Bangladesh,Malaysia and Philippines.Famegate Magazine/ GlobalNews was among thetournament sponsors.

Thus, the daytimeprecision club-and-ball sportmelded with the dinner eventheld at the ranch’s banquethall where the names oftournament winners wereannounced and awards given.Men’s Division: EmileGardner, Outstanding Player;Yoshiro Kawahara, ExcellentPlayer; and John Harris, BestPlayer. Women’s Division:Jenny Yee, OutstandingPlayer; Candy Baracusa,Excellent Player; and WarridaSrewaroon, Best Player. Otherwinners: Jake Cisneros,Accurate Drive; Atty.Ramoncito Ocampo, Closestto Pin 3; Choi Polin, Closest toPin 11; and Yushiro Kawahara,Longest Drive. Some officersand members of AACA alsoreceived awards.

The Asian Friendship GolfTournament is annually heldto promote lifelong businessrelationships and to createnew ones through networking

WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP

opportunities within the AsianAmerican communities inSouthern California. Amongthe dignitaries in attendancewere Philippine ConsulGeneral Mary Jo BernardoAragon who delivered specialremarks and ArchimedesGomez, trade representativeof the Philippine Trade andInvestment Center-LA. A

silent auction was alsofeatured under thesupervision of GlendaleCommissioner Grace Llana-Walker.

The program started withthe singing of the US andPhilippine national anthemsled by Alethea Rolda andVangie Crowther,respectively, and includedthe reciting of the Pledge ofAllegiance led by Leo

Maranan, FACC-SFV pastp r e s i d e n t / c o - f o u n d e r ;Invocation led by NoelOmega; and welcomeremarks by Chestor Chong,AACA chairman, and RickRolda, FACC-SFV president.Song portions were byMichelle Andria, MichaelWalker, and the couple Boband Vangie Crowther whorendered “The Prayer.”Maria Amor Torres’

ExotiAngels wowed theaudience with their heart-stopping workout regimenaka Balliwood and Africandances while the FilipinoFolk Dance Likas and theFilipinas Folk Arts Dancersgave splendid insight on therichness and splendor of ourculture. Gala awards hostsJesse Jam Miranda andMichelle Andria werelikewise impressive.


Breathing has becomeoverrated. And forthose who actually

remember what it was likebefore cellphones anddeadlines became the centerof the universe, a yearning togo back to a much simpler,less harried life is very muchevident.

And at Zambales, that’sexactly what you’ll get. Amuch-deserved breather. Abreak from the urban chaos.Nothing like lots of fresh air,driving on a good road along173 kilometers of coastlines,a dive into a refreshing azurepool and loads of ripe, juicy,sweet mangoes and freshseafood to revive a city-weary spirit.

Surf, Sand, Sun andSubic Wrecks

Somebody once said that abeach is a beach. If you’ve seenone, you’ve seen them all.Obviously, he has not been toZambales.

From the popular HermanaMayor Island and HermanaMenor Island in Sta. Cruz, thePotipot Island in Candelaria tothe exciting diving resorts thatmake up the province’scoastline, Zambales is a beachhabitué’s dream. For the realbeach lover, the shores ofZambales is it.

There are a lot of activitiesto engage in here. Snorkeling,scuba diving, surfing to justsimple swimming or wading,Zambales has the ideal

beachin’ place for you.San Salvador Island in

Masinloc offers a wide array ofmarine resources that hasmade the island a veritablediver’s paradise in the whole ofCentral Luzon. There’s alsoSilaguin Bay in San Antonio,with its wealth of aquatic floraand fauna, that is nothing shortof breathtaking. In this sametown lies treasures of privatecoves like that of TalisayinCove with pine trees growingon hillsides overlooking theSouth China Sea. The shellsalong the white-sand beachcrawl like moving pearls in thecrisp morning sun.

If you’re more North Shoreand bent on conquering somecool pipelines, then Barangay

La Paz at San Narciso is theplace for you. Colorfulsurfboards, washboard abs andawe-inspiring wavesconstantly fight for attention inthis surfers’ haven.

But nothing beats diving afew feet and exploring somehistorical wreckage in theirunderwater resting place. Thewaters of Subic Bay inOlongapo City has been knownfor its treasure trove of sunkenwrecks. A quick survey revealsthat the best of the lot is theUSS New York, a battleshipscuttled during the SecondWorld War to keep her 17inmain guns from falling into thehands of the Japanese. She stilllies on her port side withcannons intact.

Another Subic wreck youshould not miss checking outis The San Quentin.Considered the oldest, it is awooden gunboat sunkduring the Spanish-American War in 1898 toprevent the US Navy fromentering the channelbetween the Grande andChiquita Islands.

Some On-ground FunIf you have yet to master

that backstroke or you stillhave not figured out how tobreathe through a tube,Zambales still has a varietyof land-based activities toenjoy.

For one, you can go hikingto Mt. Pinatubo in San

Text & Photos by Ma. Cristina Pecson-Garcia


Marcelino and actually go up an activevolcano and check out its crater. Itdefinitely feels like Hawaii up there.Should you feel the itch for a dip, Mt.Pinatubo can very much accommodatethat impulse. A lot of tourists come hereto experience the volcano’s warm pool.

Trekking is quite a popular activityin Zambales. Proof of this is the manytrek sites available to both tourists andlocals. There’s Mt. Mabanban in SanAntonio, which is perfect for summercamping and mountaineeringexpeditions. And Mt.Tapulao inPalauig, the highest peak of theZambales mountain range is more than2000m above sea level, also one of thehighest peaks of the Philippines. Onehas to go through grasslands, densetropical forest of trees covered withmoss, pine tree forest ( ummm…theunforgettable fragrant aroma of pines)to reach the peak of cloud forest whereone can see the clouds embracing thepanoramic beauty of the virgin forestsof this province. Here at the peak, onecan internalize the sights and soundsof the unspoiled flora and fauna he hasexperienced on his way to the top andmarvel at God’s creation at its best! Nowonder the birds here are as colorful asthe forest orchids and other flowers inbloom.

Another attraction is the Sto. NinoCave in Candelaria. The cavern, carvedout of a fissure on the earth’s crust,measures about 50x75 meters. At itscentral wall is an altar where images ofthe Holy Family can be seen. A popularHoly Week pilgrimage trekking site isthe Sagrada Familia Cave in Sta. Cruz.This one is known for a mysteriousformation that resembles the image ofthe Holy Family. Also in this town wefind the Baloc-Baloc Cave, which is oneof the more popular trekking sites in thearea. Anybody who will patiently gothrough its brief but quite challengingrocky path will find themselvesrewarded with a wonderful sight— aglorious waterfall right inside the cave.

Culture/HeritageThe earliest towns of Zambales were

established sometime in 1607. To thisday lots old massive churches andancestral homes (come stay at ours nearthe town plaza of Sta.Cruz) still adornthe 13 towns of the province.

Castillejos town has produced the7th president of the Philippines, RamonMagsaysay (a relative of this magazine’sphoto editor, my mentor, VicsMagsaysay.) President Magsaysay’sancestral home serves as a museumthese days. The presidential car is

showcased in the glass-walled garage atthe rear entrance of the house.

Casa San Miguel Center for the Artsin Pundakit, San Antonio is a great,relaxing place to visit or stay in. Locatedin a mango orchard of the Bolipatafamily, Casa San Miguel offers facilitiessuch as an artist’s residence with sevenbedrooms and a sunken terracedgarden perfect for meditation andcommuning with nature. There’s also aconvenience store where books,postcards and community crafts areavailable. You can also catch a show ora performance in its mini concert hallas the center is a venue for recitals ofrural children that violinist CokeBolipata has mentored under thecenter’s scholarship program. World-renowned Filipino artists in paintingand sculpture also stage exhibits in thisparadise.

There’s also the BotolanResettlement Sites where hundreds ofAeta families displaced by the eruptionof Mt. Pinatubo now reside. A trip toany of the modern resettlement villagesfound in the barangays of Baquilan,Loob-bunga and Taugtug offer visitorsan eye-opening social and culturalexperience with the natives.

And since you’re already in Botolan,you may want to check out Fort

Paynawen in Barangay Parel. Onceconsidered the most formidablegarrison in Central Luzon, FortPaynawen offers visitors a glimpse intothe past. Its walls, extending to the bankof the Bancal River, had seen historyunfold and happen. They seemed toencompass the years, not only of its veryown existence, but an entire town.

In this town you will also find the”Inang Poong Bato” Shrine whereCatholics go for pilgrimages andspiritual revival. The church is made ofstones from the nearby river and the“Bahay Pari” at the back is worthvisiting as well. Trinitas Foundationconstructed the 2-storey complex in45days and donated it to thecommunity for visiting priests andbishops who would like to rest fromtheir usual parish duties and immersethemselves with the locals.

So, the next time you feel likeescaping from city life, try driving outnorth and find yourself lost in thewonders of a zesty yet laidbackZambales that simultaneously relaxesand invigorates the spirit.

And oh, did we mention theZambales “Sweet Elena” mango varietywhich the 1995 World Guinness Bookof Record listed as the sweetestmangoes?


By Thelma Calabio

The story of our kinship is a trip

down memory lane. We moved

from youth through middle-

age between 40 years with the

requisite accumulation of both

wisdom and caution - when shared

made each other stronger than we

would have been by ourselves.

Cousin Nini Calabio Howarth from

Australia was here on her first visit to

sunny California to meet with

youngest daughter Laura, a former

Gulf Air flight attendant, married to

New Orleans based U.S. Navy, Derick

Yee which randomly got together the

Calabio family into a mini-reunion in

Los Angeles. Our meeting for the first

time after almost four decades

without communication was a big

production. Meeting Laura and

Derick was a summer respite. We

were heaving from the blasting

summer heat but every moment

shared was filled with sparkling

conversations that ranged from

serious or funny, painful or

exuberant, intense or joyous as we

went laughing, complaining, playing,

poking fun at each others, actually

having fun.

It was a grand time to catch up on

everything about grandparents, aunts,

uncles, and cousins, the whole kit and

kaboodle while dining, driving around

the city, enjoying craved Filipino

delicacies, especially favorite “halo-

halo” dessert, and all the crazy things

that Los Angeles , San Diego , Palm

Springs , and Las Vegas had in a

basket; the meetings and greetings

over the phone, across a room, the

welcomes and goodbyes, newly-met

ones while the cameras never blinked

for a moment. Run down family

anecdotes milked to the limits in

connecting the Calabio/Balmaceda

clan - on the Facebook, photo albums,

shared excursions into life’s glorious

journey at the initiative of Laura.

Indeed, it was a visit to Los Angeles

that has remarkably restored our

family links around the world.

Cousin Nini’s Drop-by at LARestored Family Links


By Dionesio C. Grava

The spectacle of a sitting president stuck in traffic is instructive ofthe inherent obstinacy in the man about things he perceives as decentand upright. It is also a microcosm of the enormity of the problemsand obstacles the new administration faces.

That P-Noy opted for time management instead of the easier wayout — that is, to start early for appointments instead of just installinga “wang-wang,” which he is legally entitled anyway — to bully throughManila’s chaotic streets is emblematic of the thrust that the newadministration is geared for. It signals the determination to do awaynot only with this symbol of urban excess but of the engrainedpalakasan system. “Kayo ang boss!” becomes not just a populist battlecry but of how things are to be henceforth. Hopefully.

To be sure Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III was installed as15th President of the Philippines at an auspicious time when 88 percent of adult Filipinos are giving him an all-time trust rating,according to a pre-inauguration survey conducted by pollster SocialWeather Stations. It also capped an election that had him securingover 15 million votes, nearly 42 per cent of the total number cast.The nearly six million edge over the closest rival made it the mostemphatic voters’ endorsement ever in our history as a nation. Tothink that the bachelor, low-key legislator was not even a contenderfor the presidency months before the May elections.

Having said that, the peoples’ euphoria at finally having someoneat the helm of government who they believe will make immediatedifference in their lives and retrieve the sorry mess of a country fromthe bottom pit may experience the jolt of a rude awakening. Thesobriety of the morning after confronts us with the reality that unlikefairy tales, the chief executive is not fitted with a magic wand to banishbad vibes in a breath.

We heaved a sigh of relief that the prospect of GMA extendingher term by means fair or foul didn’t occur. We jubilate that nineagonizing years of corrupt and illegitimate rein had finally come toan end. We are flooded with optimism that a new dawn has come toameliorate a long suffering Philippines and the Filipinos.

The fact is that in our form of government the presidency is justone of coequal branches that have power of oversight on each other.For P-Noy to succeed in furthering his promised reforms and rescuethe suffering madla, the legislative and judiciary need to be in syncwith his goals. More than political skills and partisan compromises,the new president needs the continued support and vigilance of thepeople if only to remind miscreant office holders that it would not bea good idea to continue obstructionism; that in a democracy thepeople hold the key to power.

It has only been weeks since the new President assumed office,inheriting a nation grappling with poverty, rampant violation ofhuman rights, decades-long Muslim and NPA insurgencies, andnumerous shenanigans intended to sabotage smooth succession. Intaking his oath, P-Noy acknowledges the difficulties of the task andthe problems to be resolved. These are responsibilities he has toshoulder on behalf of his constituencies because it is a legacy passedon to him by Democratic icons who happened to be his parents. Ashe stated in his inaugural speech, “Saan ba nakasulat na kailangangpuro pagtitiis ang tadhana ng Pilipino?” (Where is it written that allthere is in the fate of Filipinos are sufferings?). In this seeminglyHerculean job ahead he looks upon us, the people, to lend a hand.


NEWPORT BEACH, California –In 1980, when the companywhere he was working for in Los

Angeles offered him to relocate to NewYork and continue working at the firm’shead office, 77-year-old retireeAbelardo “Abby” Estacion declined. Hehad worked at Rim Manufacturing Co.in Culver City for twenty years, andwhen he decided to quit some twentyyears ago, he was already the plantcontroller. He was also married to anAmerican woman who he met whileattending Pepperdine College, and hadthree grown sons. Abby hadaccumulated a lot of money through thecompany’s savings account program,donating a portion of his salary everypayday, with the company matchingthat amount. “I was putting $200 eachpayday, $400 a month,” he revealed.

When he retired from Rim, themanagement gave him back all themoney that he had donated, plusmatching funds, incentive bonuses and

Abelardo EstacionHis Grand Legacy of Education

profit sharing. “Needless to say, I had alot of money,” Abby said matter-of-factly.What he did with that huge amount ofmoney is what makes Abelardo Estaciona rarity. He had decided to give some ofthem back to poor but deserving studentsin the form of a scholarship program inthe Philippines.

“When I received all that moneyfrom Rim, I gave my cousin ManuelEstacion the equivalent of 200,000pesos. I told him it was his, and that hecould do whatever he wanted to do withit. “I said you can marry again andspend it on your wedding or whatever.He never did.” Instead, Manuelsuggested Abby invested the amount ina money market account with HongKong and Shanghai Bank and to use theinterest earnings to establish afoundation and begin a scholarshipprogram. Abby’s gift to his cousin was,in part, to compensate his family forhelping him and his family during theirdifficult times in the past. Abby had

come from a very poor family. “Therewere six of us; four boys and two girls,”Abby recounts. “As far as I canremember, at seven or eight years old,I was already working, trying to makewhatever little money I could make tohelp the family.”

Instead of spending the 200,000 pesos,Manuel, a retired Hong Kong and ShanghaiBank (HSBC) financial consultant, investedit, and he made at least 10 per cent returnon investment for 22 years. Abby felt he didnot need all that money, and so he agreed tohave the interest turned into seed money forfunding a scholarship program. “I know howhard it was to live the way I did,” Abby said.

He is funding the scholarships alone.He does not fund-raise in thePhilippines or in the United States. “I’mdoing it alone because I figure mycousin made all that money, and it’s notreally mine, so I am giving it back.”

Abby and his cousin, Manuel,established the Estacion Foundationand had been sending poor but

Text by Rene Villaroman Photographs by Benny Uy

deserving high school graduates tocollege. At present the foundation isfunding the scholarships of 40 studentsin the Philippines and four inCalifornia. The continuing devaluationof the US dollar has prevented thefoundation from adding more scholars.“We are at a point where we say, tomake sure that all the kids get their fouryears of college, that we will stop addingmore until we get to a point when wecould say, ‘oh, yes, we still have someleft.’”

His foundation only helps secondtier high school students go to collegebecause the top tier students – thevaledictorians – already automaticallyget government scholarships. “We donot accept scholars unless they havebeen recommended by counselors inthe high school they are attending,”Abby clarifies. “We give scholarships todeserving students. All the scholars thatwe have are really not the best studentsfrom high school. We get the secondtier, which, maybe, are B or B+ average,not the A’s and top 98 per cent scale,”he explains. He said that these kidsbelong to families that are involved insmall business, and they help theirfamilies after school. “They are workingstudents, so they don’t get the chanceto really concentrate on going to schoolto study.”

“Now their scholarships are paidfor—tuition, all the books, all the livingexpenses—I pay all that, so they don’thave to worry, and they canconcentrate,” Abby added. “I tell mychildren, while you are attendingcollege, take advantage of everythingthat they offer; if it will cost extra justtell Loribel Flores—my trustedvolunteer, who is also one of thescholars—that you would like to attenda particular activity.” Abby wires $1000to Loribel every month to cover thesetypes of expenses. Abby said thatLoribel will be graduating summa cumlaude at St. Joseph College in CaviteCity, where most of the foundation’sscholars go. “I told the kids that forevery line of A’s they achieve, I will givethem 1000 pesos each. Last year, I gaveaway a total of 167,000 pesos for all theA’s that the students got,” Abby said.

As for Manuel, Abby said he trustshim completely. “He is the Presidentand Chief Executive Officer of EstacionFoundation, Abby announced.“Without him this whole project is notgoing to go anywhere. And let’s notforget the foundation’s lawyer, AttyOrville Marlet for helping thefoundation keep out of trouble.”

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