By a staff reporter

HALIFAX RECENTLY HAD THE HONOUR of being the host city for the 2006 Global Microcredit Summit. These events,which took place November 12-15, 2006 at the Trade and Convention Centre, attracted high calibre guests from around the world. As host country, Canada had a key presence in the proceedings and has backed this up with substantial sums of money for micro lending. Representing the Philippines were His Excellency, Ambassador  Jose S. Brillantes and Mr. Joseph Gerard B. Angeles, Minister and Consul General, Embassy of the Philippines. The Ambassador and the Consul-General met with experts , diplomats, government officials and non-governmental organizations. Of particular inerest to them, however, were the NGO’s from the Philippines.

Microcredit refers to very small loans made to poor people who would not otherwise qualify for a bank loan. It is typically based on the concept of group lending where defaults are discouraged by both peer pressure and the promise of future loans contingent on repayment of a current one. Over 30 years ago, an economist by the name of Muhammed Yunis was speaking to a weaver in rural Bangladesh. Yunis was surprised to discover that though the woman was a talented artisan, she was unable to get ahead. He then discovered that the reason was simple- all her profits were going to loan sharks. As a result, the seeds of both discontent and intellectual resolve led Yunis to create a revolutionary system of small loans to those who could never dream of having access to credit- the poorest of the poor. Decades later, Yunis would win a Nobel Prize for this idea and for the monumental progress apparently advanced by his micro lending organization known as Grameen Bank. Interestingly, Yunis is an old acquaintance of Ambassador Brillantes since the latter's stint as RP's Ambassador to Malaysia. Purportedly, microloans or microcredit not only allowed poor people to improve their finances, it changed the way that poor villagers, in particular women, viewed themselves. In their own eyes, they were no longer on the bottom rung of society. Microcredit had apparently given them back their self-respect.

In recent years, the Philippine government has embraced microlending (though such approaches go back over 20 years in RP) and has invested moderate sums in promoting the approach across the country. Critics argue, however, that micro credit, at least at practised in Bangladesh, is partly based on undue and harsh peer pressure largely by men on borrowers (mainly women). There are also concerns that evaluations on the effectiveness of micro credit are not objective because the information is usually derived from those directly involved in micro lending activities. Regardless of such concerns, however, micro credit now has widespread support in the Philippines from key areas of society- governments, industry, the Church and of course, the poor themselves. In October 2006, the government announced that a First Micro-Finance Bank, purportedly modelled after the Grameen Bank, would be set up in Pangasinan, north of Manila. The Bank is to be run by a prominent Catholic leader and would have starting capital of 17.5 million pesos. This funding would come primarily from the Dagupan Catholic Church, local government, community groups and individuals.

Nova Scotia Filipino Community Welcomes the Philippine Ambassador
By a staff reporter

IN OCTOBER 2006, the Filipino Association of Nova Scotia and the Filipino Canadian Heritage Society of Nova Scotia held an informal social for the Philippine Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency, Ambassador Jose S. Brillantes and Mr. Joseph Gerard B. Angeles, Minister and Consul General, Embassy of the Philippines, at St. John the Baptist Parish Hall (SJB). The Ambassador and the Minister and Consul-General were in Halifax for the 2006 Global Microcredit Summit.

Prior to this reception the same day, the Ambassador and the Minister and Consul-General were welcomed into the home of FANS Second Vice-President Mrs. Remy Suarez-Jamieson and her husband Fred. The newly-inaugurated President of the Filipino Canadian Heritage Society of Nova Scotia (FCHSNS), Mrs. Gloria Hussain, greeted His Excellency and the Minister and Consul-General. Mrs. Nora Ramos, First Vice-President of FANS, extended a warm greeting to the Ambassador and the Minister and Consul-General on behalf of FANS.

Sometime after this visit, His Excellency and the Minister and Consul-General returned the favour when FANS President Mike Asuncion visited the Embassy in Ottawa. Asuncion received the red carpet treatment and was entertained by His Excellency and the Minister and Consul-General. His Excellency even gave the President a lift to his car which was parked several blocks away from the Embassy. Afterwards, His Excellency introduced Asuncion to staff at the local Filipino grocery store in Ottawa. Later on, the FANS President was invited for lunch and dinner by His Excellency and the Minister and Consul-General.

Filipinos Celebrate Pasko 2006
By a staff reporter

IT WAS WALL-TO-WALL PINOYS when Filipinos and members of the Filipino community gathered at St. John the Baptist Parish Hall on December 16 for the annual Kid‘s Christmas Party.  This event was perhaps the most well-attended event of 2006. There were so many attendees that there was barely enough room to move around and when it came time to eat, it became obvious that just getting your turn at the buffet would be challenging. As a result, FANS First Vice-President Nora Ramos requested that parents allow their children to eat first. The children were quite hungry after spending about an hour trying to smash open the snowman pinata (generously donated by FANS Business Manager, Mrs. Andrea Garcia).

The Ocampo Family
By a staff reporter

LIKE MANY NEW ARRIVALS to Canada from the Philippines, the Ocampo family arrived with a wealth of experience, education and enthusiasm. Pete Ocampo, a seasoned banker from the Philippines, has had both local and international banking experience. Before he arrived in Canada, he was an executive at Bankard, a big credit card company in the Philippines. He is now working as a consultant to Nova Scotia firms who wish to be mentor companies for newly landed immigrants under the Nova Scotia Nominee Program. Pete's wife Yollie is likewise a seasoned banker and was a senior executive at Bank of the Philippine Islands, the oldest and one of the biggest universal banks in the Philippines. At present, she is the Managing Director of Atlantic Overseas Recruiting (AOR), based at Spring Garden Road, Halifax. AOR is an international resource and recruiting firm that has established strategic partnerships to assist government, associations, industries and organizations in addressing the current and future skilled labour shortage in the Atlantic Provinces.

Pete and Yollie have three daughters. Maureen, is a Computer Science graduate who was once a consultant at Coca Cola Exports International and will be joining the family in Nova Scotia come April. Kristine is a Hotel and Restaurant graduate and is now working at the Lord Nelson Hotel. The youngest, Patricia, is presently pursuing her Pre-Med Course in Neuroscience at Dalhousie and hopes to be a doctor someday

The Ocampo family came from the metropolitan area of Paranaque, Philippines. They applied to come to Canada through the Economic Stream of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program. The family wished to expand their horizons here in Canada and enjoy the balanced, comfortable and peaceful lifestyle here.  Thus far, the Ocampos have found the experience to be quite rewarding. As Yollie Ocampo put it, " We have had the chance to visit some of the beautiful places in Nova Scotia and have enjoyed the hospitality and camaraderie afforded us by the Filipinos and
Canadians here in Nova Scotia. The adjustment phase for us was a breeze because Filipino friends have extended their welcoming arms since day one. Their hospitality is second to none."

The winter months have not really bothered the family because the weather has been relatively mild so far. And though they enjoy the four seasons (as opposed to one in RP- warm and hot), the extra wardrobe required can prove to be very costly as one needs to change wardrobe every season to keep up with the latest style. Though it is never easy to leave one's homeland, for families such as the Ocampos, the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages. "All told, our family believes that moving to Nova Scotia was one of the best decisions we ever made. In fact, we are moving to our new house this March, which means we are making NS our home! We continue to look forward to more parties and dancing not to mention the tons of food the Filipino community provides."

To the Ocampo family and other new members of the Filipino community, welcome aboard and a very, very warm Mabuhay !

The Filipina Live-In Caregiver in Canada
By Mike Asuncion, FANS President

FOR MANY NEW ARRIVALS from the Pinas, their first two years in Canada will be spent with a Canadian family, mainly caring for the kids. Under the federal government's live-in caregiver program, employees/caregivers can apply for permanent residence status after working for two years as a caregiver. In addition, caregivers can also sponsor family members when they apply for permanent residence status.

In Canada, the majority of live-in caregivers are Filipino. Most are women and many are university-educated. Employees are covered under the health or workers' compensation plan of the province in which they are residing. One issue, however, facing caregivers is completion of the two years of caregiver employment within three years of entry into Canada, which is a requirement of the Canadian government's Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP). This tends to put a lot of pressure on caregivers to put up with mistreatment or contract issues rather than spend time seeking another employer.

Any issues between the employee and employer may be exacerbated by the live-in aspect. In addition, Filipinos tend to be very " mabait" or kind-hearted and polite (as well as extremely hard-working) and prefer to avoid conflict. However, the key factor is whether the caregiver finds a good employer or not. A good employer will make the caregiver feel like part of the family and allow the caregiver a certain amount of privacy and ample respect. A bad employer will do the opposite- he/she will make the caregiver work excessively long hours without adequate time off and not take steps to allow the employee to feel at ease and appreciated. There are, however, many good employers of local Filipino caregivers in Nova Scotia.

Live-in caregivers are very pragmatic. By coming to Canada as caregivers, they partake of an excellent opportunity to earn relatively high income (compared to comparable employment in the Philippines) while accelerating the process of becoming a Canadian citizen. Of course, they realize that living with a family and caring for children is not always easy and there is likely going to be some give and take on both sides. In addition, for most caregivers or " nannies ", such employment is their first time in Canada and besides the winter weather, they may need to adjust to other differences compared to life back in RP. For many, however, they have already left home a long time ago and have lived and worked overseas in places such as Hong Kong, Vancouver or Saudi Arabia. Thanks to modern technology, they are able to keep in contact with loved ones back home, in real time. This is however tempered by the fact that in Canada and in particular in places like Nova Scotia, where there is not a great deal of competition in terms of numbers of wireless providers, service charges for wireless and text messaging services are relatively high compared to those in southeast Asia.

Filipino live-in caregivers are extremely fascinating individuals. They are typically young and enthusiastic and provide the Filipino community with a snapshot of today's Filipino youth. They also epitomize the strong work ethics and kindness of Filipinos in general. Many have referred to them as the unsung heroes, and perhaps rightly so.

Philippines is a Major Producer of One of the World's Most Expensive and Sought After Coffees

It is known in RP as kape alamid (coffee alamid). To the rest of the world, it is civet coffee. This type of coffee is considered one of the highest quality coffees in the world. Its origins, however, are rather less glamorous. Kape alamid comes from the droppings of the palm civet, an animal related to the mongoose and much detested in the Philippines. However, it is not loathed by those who gather the fragrant treasure it leaves behind- digested red coffee cherries. The fermentation which occurs in the civet's stomach somehow ends up creating a gourmet coffee bean which demands a high price in coffee markets ($ 115 per kilogram) and is considered extremely tasty by coffee experts and roast masters.

Update on the Pinoy Cutlery Saga

Many Pinoys may recall the case of 7 year-old Luc Cagadoc, a Filipino-Canadian boy and Quebec resident who was disciplined at school after using a fork and spoon to eat his lunch. The story made international headlines, caused great anger in the Philippines and in the Filipino diaspora and evoked a profoundly robust response from the Philippine Ambassador to Canada.
The incident occurred at École Lalande in Roxboro on April 12, 2006. According to Luc's mother, Maria Theresa Gallardo, her son was disciplined for pushing food into his spoon with a fork, a common Filipino custom. The boy was separated from his classmates and had to eat by himself. Gallardo was greatly offended by the response she received from the school's principal. The school board claims that the issue was not how Luc was using the utensils but rather the manner in which he was ingesting the food. The Philippine Embassy, the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations, the Federation of Filipino Canadian Associations of Quebec and the Canadian and Philippine media soon became involved in the issue which is currently before the Quebec Human Rights Commission.

Nominee Program Economic Stream Changes

In December 2006, the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration announced that currently it was not accepting applications to the Economic Stream of its Nominee Program until the stream was redesigned. This means that only applications to the Economic Stream initiated or received on or before June 30, 2006 will be processed. 

The Filipino Dance Group Wants You !

The Filipino Dance Group is looking for individuals interested in joining the Dance Team. No experience is required. Costumes are provided as is training. The group, led by Mr. Hector Mantolino Jr., a Dalhousie University student, has a long tradition in the Filipino community. The annual Multifest at the Alderney Gate waterfront, Asian Heritage Week celebrations
and FANS social events are among the venues at which the group has performed. The " Pinoy Pioneers " who arrived here over thirty years ago first danced the tinikling in Nova Scotia in the 1970's (when they weren't dancing disco) and thanks to Mr. Mantolino and his group, this extraordinary tradition has been revived and is stronger than ever. For more information, contact Hector at 489-2749 or email at Hectorm@accesswave.ca.

Recent Decisions by the FANS Board of Directors

• Membership cards will be issued to all paid members. This will be used for voting purposes at general meetings.
• New costumes for the Filipino Dance Group will be purchased. Old costumes in storage will be re-used, if possible.
• FANS will formally invite all members of the Filipino Canadian Heritage Society of Nova Scotia to the June 12, 2007 Independence Day Celebrations to be held at St. John the Baptist Parish Hall.
• The new format of the FANS website was approved.

 

Proverbs from the Phils
By a staff reporter

Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo ?
What good is grass when the horse is already dead ?

Habang maikli ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot.
Learn to fit in, even when the blanket is still too short.

Madali ang maging tao, mahirap magpakatao.
It is easy to be human. It is hard to be humane.

Tagalog Translations of Commonly Used
Canadian Slang

By a staff reporter

Anong sinabi nila ? Maraming mga slang pagdating sa Canada. Meron mga masama at merong mabuti. Karamihan walang meaning. Mabuti malaman ninyo ang ibig sabihin.

“ It’s raining cats and dogs “ Masamang panahon

“ Newfie.” Mga nakatira sa Newfoundland.

“ That’s brutal.” Naku. Terrible.

“ Who knew ? “ Hindi ko alam iyon.

“ Sucks to be you. ” Terrible ang nangyari saiyo

“ That’s huge. “ Ang ganda ang nangyari saiyo.

“ That’s a stretch.” Hindi nakakaniwala.

“ No clue.” Hindi ko alam.

The Pinoy Test

MANY PINOY BLOGS AND SITES tend to focus, in a light-hearted manner, on how Filipinos differ from people of other ethnic origins. One such topic is how we Filipinos (or those whose significant other is Filipino) have certain distinct characteristics. `Scientists’ have now come up with a test. Ask yourself whether the following is true for you. Chances are, many are not unfamiliar.

Are you a Pinoy ?

• You have a stash of frozen lumpia in your freezer.
• You have an uncle named Boy.
• At the airport, you are the only one with six suitcases.
• You have a large supply of Vienna sausages, corned beef and/or spam in your cupboard (all known as “carne norte “)
• Your mom or sister is a nurse.
• Your parents call one another “ mommy” and “ daddy”.
• Your parents tried to make you dance at every social gathering when you were a kid.
• You eat with one leg up on a chair and one elbow on your knee.
• You have a portrait of the Last Supper on your dining room wall.
• You point with your lips.

Join Us at Balitang Bayan  !

Balitang Bayan © is a publication of the Filipino Association of Nova Scotia (FANS). An electronic version of this newsletter is also available at the FANS Website. Our website address is http://www.filipinons.org.

If you would like to become involved with Balitang Bayan, please contact us by telephone at 452-7695 or by email at fans_apns@yahoo.ca. We accept submissions of all sorts whether photos, articles, announcements, recipes, etc. Written submissions can be in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilongo, etc or English.