Inah Canlapan (center) won this year's Miss Manila title over 10 other candidates at the beauty competition on Saturday (May 29, 2010) in midtown Toronto. Toni Rose Jose (left) was first runnerup and Sheryll Venzon second runnerup.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The 2010 Miss Manila Toronto
PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 9
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Sunday, May 30, 2010
~ Judges refused to be swayed by the annoying and rambunctious youthful audience at the latest edition of the Miss Manila beauty pageant in midtown Toronto, choosing a candidate who her mother says "excelled in everything in school" that she's been named student of the year. Smart and articulate, Inah Canlapan, a grade 10 student in a Catholic school in a western Toronto suburb, might as well be the best representative for the Filipino community. She's in a position to dispel the stereotype mainstream Canada has about Filipinos.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
THE 2010 MISS MANILA TORONTO
A Rowdy Search for a Beauty & Brains Filipina
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - Smart, articulate, nubile -- eleven of them all gathered Saturday (May 29, 2010) in one boisterous contest of pulchritude and talent.
Undoubtedly, they were the best, the closest to being youth representatives for the Filipino Canadian community of more than 200,000 in the greater Toronto area alone.
In a city where every other Filipino woman, young and old, is mistaken for either a caregiver or a dentist, the eleven candidates were a living, breathing visual, if not a physical, antithesis of the mainstream stereotype.
Gifted, confident, proud of their heritage -- they all seemed imbued with a determination to succeed and make a difference.
The search was for a Miss Manila 2010 and her court. And, probably for lack of a venue that would reflect even a superficial Philippine setting, it was conducted at the Korean Cultural Centre in the Don Mills neighborhood.
When the ceremonies began at 7:30 p.m., three quarters of the seats of the half-occupied hall were taken by girls and boys, teenagers for sure, whose youthful exuberance, sad to say, exemplified the worst in social conduct.
Half an hour later, the cavernous chamber was filled to the last seat, a graphic testament to the magnetic power of beauty contests in general.
The adults who sat with the kids were presumably family -- the parents, sibilings, cousins, relatives. Then the organizers, their guests, their guests' guests and others who paid $25 to get in.
They never bothered how loud the youngsters shrieked and yelled at even the most inauspicious moments; their eyes glued, and their ears tuned, to what was unfolding at the stage several feet away.
The kids were having fun. Except that their fun was not funny at all. Their shrill was uncalled for, annoying and disrespectful.
They roared everytime their candidates' names were called. They cheered and jeered as each candidate approached the microphone.
Once the candidates opened their mouths to speak, the kids in the audience stomped their feet, shook their chairs, sat and stood, flashing banners and posters of their candidates.
They probably thought the loudest scream would find its way to the ears of the 13 judges who sat in front of the stage, transfixed at the parade of skimpy clad contestants.
There were more judges than candidates, yet none had the good sense to tell the young audience to stop making all kinds of noises that seemed to highlight an intolerance for the competition.
The adults, on the other hand, also had theirs safely ensconced in a shell of indifference. They were so wrapped in their little worlds, fantasizing perhaps the time royalty would descend on their family courtesy of this pageant.
It was all in the spirit of fun, as most people interviewed for this story explained. Understandably it was.
With so many young people finding ways to expend their energies, this beauty contest was a misguided target of their enthusiasm. They were venting, for sure.
The sad part was when one rowdy group tried to drown out the other in what might as well be a shouting match.
In truth, they have practically taken over the contest itself, their uproar reverberating throughout the entire selection process.
When the time of reckoning came, the group which boasted the loudest had its candidate won a minor award.
The judges redeemed themselves too.
As if to tell the rowdy groups that they were never affected by their rambunctious conduct, they voted for the one candidate who embodies the best and brightest in the new Filipino.
Inah Canlapan, a student of the year awardee for excelling in everything in her school, is the new Miss Manila 2010. Toni Rose Jose is first runnerup and Sheryll Venzon, second runnerup.
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 9, May 30, 2010).
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 9
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Sunday, May 30, 2010
~ Judges refused to be swayed by the annoying and rambunctious youthful audience at the latest edition of the Miss Manila beauty pageant in midtown Toronto, choosing a candidate who her mother says "excelled in everything in school" that she's been named student of the year. Smart and articulate, Inah Canlapan, a grade 10 student in a Catholic school in a western Toronto suburb, might as well be the best representative for the Filipino community. She's in a position to dispel the stereotype mainstream Canada has about Filipinos.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
THE 2010 MISS MANILA TORONTO
A Rowdy Search for a Beauty & Brains Filipina
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - Smart, articulate, nubile -- eleven of them all gathered Saturday (May 29, 2010) in one boisterous contest of pulchritude and talent.
Undoubtedly, they were the best, the closest to being youth representatives for the Filipino Canadian community of more than 200,000 in the greater Toronto area alone.
In a city where every other Filipino woman, young and old, is mistaken for either a caregiver or a dentist, the eleven candidates were a living, breathing visual, if not a physical, antithesis of the mainstream stereotype.
Gifted, confident, proud of their heritage -- they all seemed imbued with a determination to succeed and make a difference.
The search was for a Miss Manila 2010 and her court. And, probably for lack of a venue that would reflect even a superficial Philippine setting, it was conducted at the Korean Cultural Centre in the Don Mills neighborhood.
When the ceremonies began at 7:30 p.m., three quarters of the seats of the half-occupied hall were taken by girls and boys, teenagers for sure, whose youthful exuberance, sad to say, exemplified the worst in social conduct.
Half an hour later, the cavernous chamber was filled to the last seat, a graphic testament to the magnetic power of beauty contests in general.
The adults who sat with the kids were presumably family -- the parents, sibilings, cousins, relatives. Then the organizers, their guests, their guests' guests and others who paid $25 to get in.
They never bothered how loud the youngsters shrieked and yelled at even the most inauspicious moments; their eyes glued, and their ears tuned, to what was unfolding at the stage several feet away.
The kids were having fun. Except that their fun was not funny at all. Their shrill was uncalled for, annoying and disrespectful.
They roared everytime their candidates' names were called. They cheered and jeered as each candidate approached the microphone.
Once the candidates opened their mouths to speak, the kids in the audience stomped their feet, shook their chairs, sat and stood, flashing banners and posters of their candidates.
They probably thought the loudest scream would find its way to the ears of the 13 judges who sat in front of the stage, transfixed at the parade of skimpy clad contestants.
There were more judges than candidates, yet none had the good sense to tell the young audience to stop making all kinds of noises that seemed to highlight an intolerance for the competition.
The adults, on the other hand, also had theirs safely ensconced in a shell of indifference. They were so wrapped in their little worlds, fantasizing perhaps the time royalty would descend on their family courtesy of this pageant.
It was all in the spirit of fun, as most people interviewed for this story explained. Understandably it was.
With so many young people finding ways to expend their energies, this beauty contest was a misguided target of their enthusiasm. They were venting, for sure.
The sad part was when one rowdy group tried to drown out the other in what might as well be a shouting match.
In truth, they have practically taken over the contest itself, their uproar reverberating throughout the entire selection process.
When the time of reckoning came, the group which boasted the loudest had its candidate won a minor award.
The judges redeemed themselves too.
As if to tell the rowdy groups that they were never affected by their rambunctious conduct, they voted for the one candidate who embodies the best and brightest in the new Filipino.
Inah Canlapan, a student of the year awardee for excelling in everything in her school, is the new Miss Manila 2010. Toni Rose Jose is first runnerup and Sheryll Venzon, second runnerup.
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 9, May 30, 2010).
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
'Mabagal' (Slow), They Said of the Murder Trial
Filipino murder victim Jocelyn Dulnuan's aunt (right) and cousin chat while waiting for the resumption of Tuesday's trial of two Ecuadorian suspects at the Superior Court in Brampton. They complained about the slow progress in the proceedings.
Murder Suspect's Grin Enrages Family of Slain Filipina Housekeeper
PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 8
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Tuesday, May 25, 2010
~ One of two Ecuadorian immigrants accused of murdering Filipino housekeeper Jocelyn Dulnuan managed a grin during a police investigation, enraging the victim's family and prompting a police warning. While he denies having a hand in the gruesome slaying, his testimony points to his countrymate as the killer. Dulnuan's family is furious and so are the townspeople in Ifugao province in the Philippines where the Dulnuans come from.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Murder Suspect's Grin Enrages
Family of Filipina Housekeeper at Trial
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - A briefly-smiling accused in the brutal killing of a Filipino housekeeper drew anger from the victim's anguished family on Tuesday (May 25, 2010) at the resumption of the trial in the suburb of Brampton.
"Kung nandito sila, sugod sila sa korte," (if they were here, they would storm the courthouse), says Jocelyn Dulnuan's aunt Juana, referring to her townmates in Hingyon, Ifugao in the Philippines, indicating they would exact revenge on Ecuadorian immigrants Fabian Loayza-Penaloza and Cristian Figueroa who stand accused in the murder of the 27-year-old housekeeper.
"Nang makita nila ang bangkay ni Jocelyn, walang umiiyak, puro sila galit," (when they saw her body, nobody cried, all of them are furious), claims Juana, whose two daughters -- Jocelyn and Fe -- are also attending the hearing. They refused to give their last names.
The family is complaining about the slow progress in the trial at the chamber of Mr. Justice John Sproat of the Superior Court in Brampton.
"Mabagal ang trial," (the trial is slow) says the victim's namesake and cousin Jocelyn. "Makikita naman na sila ang pumatay" (we can see that they're the ones who killed her), she added.
It was Loayza-Penaloza's smirk that also elicited a warning from the police investigator. He had asked him: "Did you kill Jocelyn?" Instead of responding, he managed a grin, prompting the investigator to say ""it's not funny".
"That's absolutely ludicrous," the investigator added as Loayza-Penaloza continued to deny any hand in the slaying of Jocelyn in October 2007. The Filipina was housekeeper of a huge mansion for the Indian couple Vasdev and Jaya Chanchlani in the nearby city of Mississauga, which the two Ecuadorians had planned to rob.
Jocelyn was bound, then strangled with a copper wire.
From his testimony, preserved in several DVDs and played in court, Loayza-Penaloza impliedly pointed to his countrymate, Cristian Figueroa, as Jocelyn's killer. He claimed he wasn't present when he slew her.
"I don't know how she died. Cristian never mentioned that to me," Loayza-Penaloza explained.
As the DVD played out, Jocelyn's mother Godeliva Dulnuan, and a younger sister, Joyce Dulnuan glued their eyes on the closed-circuit television. Sisters Joyce and Fe bowed their heads, suppressing tears. Their mother, Godeliva's sister, stared at the TV.
Whenever Loayza-Penaloza answered the investigator, the family would swing their heads in disbelief. They didn't realize early on that the two men in black coat seated just in front of them in a caged glass and guarded by two policemen were the suspects.
The trial is expected to last during the entire week.
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 8, May 25, 2010).
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 8
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Tuesday, May 25, 2010
~ One of two Ecuadorian immigrants accused of murdering Filipino housekeeper Jocelyn Dulnuan managed a grin during a police investigation, enraging the victim's family and prompting a police warning. While he denies having a hand in the gruesome slaying, his testimony points to his countrymate as the killer. Dulnuan's family is furious and so are the townspeople in Ifugao province in the Philippines where the Dulnuans come from.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Murder Suspect's Grin Enrages
Family of Filipina Housekeeper at Trial
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - A briefly-smiling accused in the brutal killing of a Filipino housekeeper drew anger from the victim's anguished family on Tuesday (May 25, 2010) at the resumption of the trial in the suburb of Brampton.
"Kung nandito sila, sugod sila sa korte," (if they were here, they would storm the courthouse), says Jocelyn Dulnuan's aunt Juana, referring to her townmates in Hingyon, Ifugao in the Philippines, indicating they would exact revenge on Ecuadorian immigrants Fabian Loayza-Penaloza and Cristian Figueroa who stand accused in the murder of the 27-year-old housekeeper.
"Nang makita nila ang bangkay ni Jocelyn, walang umiiyak, puro sila galit," (when they saw her body, nobody cried, all of them are furious), claims Juana, whose two daughters -- Jocelyn and Fe -- are also attending the hearing. They refused to give their last names.
The family is complaining about the slow progress in the trial at the chamber of Mr. Justice John Sproat of the Superior Court in Brampton.
"Mabagal ang trial," (the trial is slow) says the victim's namesake and cousin Jocelyn. "Makikita naman na sila ang pumatay" (we can see that they're the ones who killed her), she added.
It was Loayza-Penaloza's smirk that also elicited a warning from the police investigator. He had asked him: "Did you kill Jocelyn?" Instead of responding, he managed a grin, prompting the investigator to say ""it's not funny".
"That's absolutely ludicrous," the investigator added as Loayza-Penaloza continued to deny any hand in the slaying of Jocelyn in October 2007. The Filipina was housekeeper of a huge mansion for the Indian couple Vasdev and Jaya Chanchlani in the nearby city of Mississauga, which the two Ecuadorians had planned to rob.
Jocelyn was bound, then strangled with a copper wire.
From his testimony, preserved in several DVDs and played in court, Loayza-Penaloza impliedly pointed to his countrymate, Cristian Figueroa, as Jocelyn's killer. He claimed he wasn't present when he slew her.
"I don't know how she died. Cristian never mentioned that to me," Loayza-Penaloza explained.
As the DVD played out, Jocelyn's mother Godeliva Dulnuan, and a younger sister, Joyce Dulnuan glued their eyes on the closed-circuit television. Sisters Joyce and Fe bowed their heads, suppressing tears. Their mother, Godeliva's sister, stared at the TV.
Whenever Loayza-Penaloza answered the investigator, the family would swing their heads in disbelief. They didn't realize early on that the two men in black coat seated just in front of them in a caged glass and guarded by two policemen were the suspects.
The trial is expected to last during the entire week.
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 8, May 25, 2010).
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Advocates for Filipino Caregivers in Toronto
Filipino caregiver advocates Imie Belanger (left) and Coco Diaz emerge from the courtroom of Mr. Justice John Sproat at the Superior Court in Brampton after a luncheon recess on Thursday (May 20, 2010). At right is John Readino of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto who keeps tabs of the developments in the trial.
Finger-Pointing by Suspects in Slaying of Filipina Housekeeper
PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 7
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Thursday, May 20, 2010
~ The finger-pointing has begun in the trial of two Ecuadorian immigrants accused of murdering Filipino housekeeper Jocelyn Dulnuan. The police, meanwhile, disclosed that DNA of one of the two accused had been found under the fingernails of the victim. Dulnuan's mother planed in from Hong Kong Thursday and was promptly shielded from the media. At least two Filipino caregiver advocates have shown support for the aggrieved family. Dulnuan's death by strangulation has galvanized the Filipino community in Toronto.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MURDER BY STRANGULATION
Finger-Pointing by Suspects in Slaying of Filipina Housekeeper
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - A second accused in the grisly slaying of a Filipino housekeeper denied responsibility for her death but refused to say who did it, saying he was afraid for his family, the Superior Court in suburban Brampton heard on Thursday (May 20, 2010).
The testimony followed a police revelation that the DNA of the other accused, Cristian Figueroa, had been found in the victim's fingernails.
Ecuadorian immigrants Fabian Loayza-Penaloza and Cristian Figueroa are held in jail on murder charges for the killing in October 2007 of Jocelyn Dulnuan, a 27-year-old native of Hingyon, Ifugao in the Philippines, who worked as housekeeper for an Indian couple in the nearby city of Mississauga.
Dulnuan's mother, Godeliva Dulnuan, and a younger sister, Joyce Dulnuan, arrived at the courthouse early in the afternoon, shortly after the trial at the sala of Mr. Justice John Sproat went on a luncheon recess.
Government officials shielded the older Dulnuan, who planed in from Hong Kong, from the media. A request for an interview by this reporter had been firmly denied.
Loayza-Penaloza has repeatedly professed his innocence during the police interrogation but would not name who between him and Figueroa slew Dulnuan by strangling her with copper wire.
Figueroa, meanwhile, said "it was impossible" that his DNA would be found on Dulnuan, in effect denying he had a hand in her murder.
CD copies of the interrogation was played on three closed circuit television inside the courtroom as part of the trial that began early this week.
Dulnuan apparently stood in the way of the two Ecuadorians who robbed the huge 30,000-square-foot mansion that she had been hired to keep for the couple Vasdev and Jaya Chanchlani. Her employers were out at the time of the robbery-slaying.
Both men knew the mansion quite well, having worked there for some time. They also knew that there were no security cameras. The alarm system was not working either.
"Who's reponsible for her death?" the police interrogator hammered him. In between questions, Loayza-Penaloza would remain pensive, then sneezed and sobbed, his head bowed.
"I am innocent," he barked. "Everybody makes mistakes. I made mistakes. I want to make sure my family will be okay," he said, insisting he wanted to talk to a lawyer before answering all the questions
The interrogator then asked him again and again: "Who's responsible for her death? Was it Cristian (Figueroa)?".
"If he's responsible, I don't know what happens to me," Loayza-Penaloza replied. He had been expressing fears which he refused to explain.
Dulnuan's murder has galvanized the Filipino community in Toronto where there is a large presence of Filipino caregivers and nannies.
Among those who have been religiously attending the hearings were Imie Belanger, a cousin-in-law of Dulnuan and an advocate for caregivers, and Coco Diaz, a volunteer counsellor at Intercede, who also does her advocacy. The Philippine Consulate General has also a represenative, John Reandino, to monitor the developments.
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no.7, May 20, 2010).
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 7
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Thursday, May 20, 2010
~ The finger-pointing has begun in the trial of two Ecuadorian immigrants accused of murdering Filipino housekeeper Jocelyn Dulnuan. The police, meanwhile, disclosed that DNA of one of the two accused had been found under the fingernails of the victim. Dulnuan's mother planed in from Hong Kong Thursday and was promptly shielded from the media. At least two Filipino caregiver advocates have shown support for the aggrieved family. Dulnuan's death by strangulation has galvanized the Filipino community in Toronto.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MURDER BY STRANGULATION
Finger-Pointing by Suspects in Slaying of Filipina Housekeeper
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - A second accused in the grisly slaying of a Filipino housekeeper denied responsibility for her death but refused to say who did it, saying he was afraid for his family, the Superior Court in suburban Brampton heard on Thursday (May 20, 2010).
The testimony followed a police revelation that the DNA of the other accused, Cristian Figueroa, had been found in the victim's fingernails.
Ecuadorian immigrants Fabian Loayza-Penaloza and Cristian Figueroa are held in jail on murder charges for the killing in October 2007 of Jocelyn Dulnuan, a 27-year-old native of Hingyon, Ifugao in the Philippines, who worked as housekeeper for an Indian couple in the nearby city of Mississauga.
Dulnuan's mother, Godeliva Dulnuan, and a younger sister, Joyce Dulnuan, arrived at the courthouse early in the afternoon, shortly after the trial at the sala of Mr. Justice John Sproat went on a luncheon recess.
Government officials shielded the older Dulnuan, who planed in from Hong Kong, from the media. A request for an interview by this reporter had been firmly denied.
Loayza-Penaloza has repeatedly professed his innocence during the police interrogation but would not name who between him and Figueroa slew Dulnuan by strangling her with copper wire.
Figueroa, meanwhile, said "it was impossible" that his DNA would be found on Dulnuan, in effect denying he had a hand in her murder.
CD copies of the interrogation was played on three closed circuit television inside the courtroom as part of the trial that began early this week.
Dulnuan apparently stood in the way of the two Ecuadorians who robbed the huge 30,000-square-foot mansion that she had been hired to keep for the couple Vasdev and Jaya Chanchlani. Her employers were out at the time of the robbery-slaying.
Both men knew the mansion quite well, having worked there for some time. They also knew that there were no security cameras. The alarm system was not working either.
"Who's reponsible for her death?" the police interrogator hammered him. In between questions, Loayza-Penaloza would remain pensive, then sneezed and sobbed, his head bowed.
"I am innocent," he barked. "Everybody makes mistakes. I made mistakes. I want to make sure my family will be okay," he said, insisting he wanted to talk to a lawyer before answering all the questions
The interrogator then asked him again and again: "Who's responsible for her death? Was it Cristian (Figueroa)?".
"If he's responsible, I don't know what happens to me," Loayza-Penaloza replied. He had been expressing fears which he refused to explain.
Dulnuan's murder has galvanized the Filipino community in Toronto where there is a large presence of Filipino caregivers and nannies.
Among those who have been religiously attending the hearings were Imie Belanger, a cousin-in-law of Dulnuan and an advocate for caregivers, and Coco Diaz, a volunteer counsellor at Intercede, who also does her advocacy. The Philippine Consulate General has also a represenative, John Reandino, to monitor the developments.
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no.7, May 20, 2010).
Monday, May 17, 2010
New Officers of Philippine Press Club Ontario
Elections chair Rosemer Enverga (right, foreground) inducts the new officers of the Philippine Press Club Ontario shortly after the elections on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at the Quiapo Quiapo Restaurant in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough.
Eagle-Eyed Watchers in Toronto Press Election
PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
Currents & Breaking News Commentary
Volume 4, Issue No. 6
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Monday, May 17, 2010
~ The robust Filipino media in Toronto took to their own polls on Saturday intent to make themselves visible in Canada's largest city. The well attended change-over was smooth. As he bowed out as president, journalist Tenny Soriano can lay claim to having instigated a proactive approach to what ethnic media can do in a city as big as Toronto. Soriano had transformed Filipino media from mere passive observer and chronicler of events. The new leadership promises to match, if not better, that legacy.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
COMMENTARY
Eagle-Eyed Watchers in Toronto Press Election
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - One might laugh at this but it's true. One might say it's unbelievable but then again it's true. I'm talking about the election on Saturday (May 15, 2010) of the new officers of the Philippine Press Club of Ontario.
PPCO houses Filipino media practitioners in one compact organization that has a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and three directors.
Its 50-plus members represent the journalists, editors, publishers, writers, photographers, videographers and all those associated with print, broadcast, digital and web media in the province of Ontario, whose capital, Toronto, is Canada's largest city.
In the Greater Toronto Area alone, there are at least 15 Filipino fortnightly and monthly newspapers and magazines catering to a booming market of an estimated 250,000 Filipinos. The number is bigger than in San Diego, California where I published my own monthly newspaper, the Philippine Village Voice.
So with that robust media scene, it's not surprising that an election would be fully watched if not hotly contested. The presidency was a three-way fight. The positions of vice president, secretary and treasurer had two nominees each. Membership in the board of directors was contested by five.
What caught my interest was the number of eagle-eyed poll watchers. There were four looking over the shoulders of a five-member adhoc commission on elections as the counting started. Another watcher was on the floor, her eyes glued to the tally board.
For such a relatively small organization with such a few candidates and members voting, the number of poll watchers, to me personally, spoke of mutual distrust. It was as if one or the other party was poised to cheat, or that the volunteer tabulators would engage in miscount. But of course, I know that having poll watchers was part of the whole process.
Elections are always contentious. Everyone in that banquet hall in Quiapo Quiapo Restaurant in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough where the election took place knew that very well. In fact, the look of hostility was in the eyes of some candidates and supporters in the early hours of the day.
To the credit, however, of outgoing PPCO president Tenny Soriano, he defused the tension by asking the presidential contestants -- Paul de la Cruz, Tony Sicat and Ricky Caluen -- to come forward.
The three gentlemen gleefully obliged and then joined hands in a show of solidarity. For one fleeting moment captured by videos and still photos, unity was back where it proved to be elusive. At least on that Saturday in Quiapo Quiapo.
The new PPCO officers are: Paul de la Cruz, president; Rose Tijam, vice president; Risa Camal, secretary, and Mogi Mogado, treasurer. Members of the board of directors are Hermie Garcia, Jess Cabrias and Joy Sarmiento.
(This Currents & Breaking News commentary may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 6, May 17, 2010).
Currents & Breaking News Commentary
Volume 4, Issue No. 6
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Monday, May 17, 2010
~ The robust Filipino media in Toronto took to their own polls on Saturday intent to make themselves visible in Canada's largest city. The well attended change-over was smooth. As he bowed out as president, journalist Tenny Soriano can lay claim to having instigated a proactive approach to what ethnic media can do in a city as big as Toronto. Soriano had transformed Filipino media from mere passive observer and chronicler of events. The new leadership promises to match, if not better, that legacy.
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COMMENTARY
Eagle-Eyed Watchers in Toronto Press Election
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO - One might laugh at this but it's true. One might say it's unbelievable but then again it's true. I'm talking about the election on Saturday (May 15, 2010) of the new officers of the Philippine Press Club of Ontario.
PPCO houses Filipino media practitioners in one compact organization that has a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and three directors.
Its 50-plus members represent the journalists, editors, publishers, writers, photographers, videographers and all those associated with print, broadcast, digital and web media in the province of Ontario, whose capital, Toronto, is Canada's largest city.
In the Greater Toronto Area alone, there are at least 15 Filipino fortnightly and monthly newspapers and magazines catering to a booming market of an estimated 250,000 Filipinos. The number is bigger than in San Diego, California where I published my own monthly newspaper, the Philippine Village Voice.
So with that robust media scene, it's not surprising that an election would be fully watched if not hotly contested. The presidency was a three-way fight. The positions of vice president, secretary and treasurer had two nominees each. Membership in the board of directors was contested by five.
What caught my interest was the number of eagle-eyed poll watchers. There were four looking over the shoulders of a five-member adhoc commission on elections as the counting started. Another watcher was on the floor, her eyes glued to the tally board.
For such a relatively small organization with such a few candidates and members voting, the number of poll watchers, to me personally, spoke of mutual distrust. It was as if one or the other party was poised to cheat, or that the volunteer tabulators would engage in miscount. But of course, I know that having poll watchers was part of the whole process.
Elections are always contentious. Everyone in that banquet hall in Quiapo Quiapo Restaurant in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough where the election took place knew that very well. In fact, the look of hostility was in the eyes of some candidates and supporters in the early hours of the day.
To the credit, however, of outgoing PPCO president Tenny Soriano, he defused the tension by asking the presidential contestants -- Paul de la Cruz, Tony Sicat and Ricky Caluen -- to come forward.
The three gentlemen gleefully obliged and then joined hands in a show of solidarity. For one fleeting moment captured by videos and still photos, unity was back where it proved to be elusive. At least on that Saturday in Quiapo Quiapo.
The new PPCO officers are: Paul de la Cruz, president; Rose Tijam, vice president; Risa Camal, secretary, and Mogi Mogado, treasurer. Members of the board of directors are Hermie Garcia, Jess Cabrias and Joy Sarmiento.
(This Currents & Breaking News commentary may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no. 6, May 17, 2010).
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Slain Filipina Housekeeper Hailed for Fighting Off Burglars in Toronto
PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
Currents & Breaking News
Volume 4, Issue No. 5
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Tuesday, May 11, 2010
~ A tiny 27-year-old Filipina housekeeper had been strangled to death fighting off burglars in an upscale Toronto suburb where she kept watch over a huge mansion for her employers. On Tuesday, the widely-circulated Toronto Sun bannered her story that happened in 2007 and carried an account of the trial of two Ecuadorian immigrants that had begun the day before. "Maid Died a Hero," the newspaper headline screamed, instantly calling attention to the thousands of Filipinos who work as caregivers and nannies in Canada.
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Slain Filipina Housekeeper Hailed
as a Hero for Fighting Off Burglars
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
TORONTO, Canada - A 27-year-old Filipina housekeeper who was killed fighting off burglars is being hailed here as a "hero," her tragic story bannered Tuesday (May 11, 2010) by the widely-circulated Toronto Sun.
The brutal slaying of Jocelyn Dulnuan, a native of Cagayan province in northern Philippines, in her employers mansion in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga in 2007, has highlighted the risks and dangers facing Filipino caregivers.
Toronto, capital of Ontario province, has the biggest Filipino population in all of Canada, running into over 250,000. A significant chunk of that number works as caregivers and nannies.
Government prosecutor (referred here as Crown Attorney) Steve Sherriff said Dulnuan tried to protect her employer's property by valiantly putting up a fight, and managed to scratch one of the suspect's arm and chest.
Authorities have identified and arrested two suspects -- Cristian Figueroa, 37, and Fabian Loayza-Penaloza, 39 -- who are both immigrants from Ecuador.
Members of the jury of 12 trying the suspects had scheduled a visit on Tuesday (May 11) to the scene of the crime, a huge mansion occupying 30,000 square foot in an upscale neighborhood in Mississauga.
Members of the media, including this reporter, had been advised by court authorities against joining the jurors during the tour of the mansion owing to concerns expressed by its owners.
At the trial's opening on Monday (May 11, 2010), Sherriff laid out the case against the suspects. He recalled the gruesome events leading to Dulnuan's death, which he said was caused by a copper wire, doubly wrapped tightly around her neck.
"The wire around her neck was knotted and pulled very tight," he said. "The Crown's case is that the wire was a murder weapon of opportunity".
The Toronto Sun said Dulnuan "was murdered for trying to be a hero".
In his account, Sherriff said Dulnuan appeared to be in the way of the planned burglary. "As long as she was conscious, she posed a problem" for the burglars, he explained.
(This Currents & Breaking News may be posted online, broadcast or reprinted, on condition that the author and the publication be properly credited. By Romeo P. Marquez, Editor, Philippine Village Voice, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Volume 4, Issue no.5, May 11, 2010).
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