Japanese-Filipino woman to meet Japanese father after 66 years 日裔菲女尋父66年終團聚

MANILA (Kyodo) -- A Japanese-Filipino woman said Wednesday she will meet her Japanese father in Okinawa on Friday for the first time in 66 years.

"I am immensely happy that I will see my father again," Pacita Okuma, 69, told reporters at a news conference one day before flying to Japan.

Okuma will be reunited with her 95-year-old father, Manzo Okuma, at Izena Island near Okinawa, according to the Philippine Nikkei-Jin Legal Support Center, a nonprofit group that is organizing the reunion.

Okuma, who lives in Negros Occidental province in the central Philippines, was separated from her father when she was almost 3 years old because he was repatriated to Japan at the end of World War II along with other members of the Imperial Japanese Army, said Norihiro Inomata of the center.

The older Okuma was among many Japanese immigrants in the Philippines before the war. He was engaged in the fisheries sector in Negros Occidental until he married Pacita's mother. The couple had two children. During the war, he joined the Japanese Army.

"I really want to see my father because I miss him so much. It has been many years already. I could not even recall his face any more," an emotional, teary-eyed Okuma told Kyodo News in an interview.

Okuma will be flying to Japan along with six other Filipinos of Japanese descent who will be meeting their Japanese relatives.

While in Japan, all seven will make personal appearances at the Tokyo Family Court as part of their petition to acquire Japanese citizenship.

The center, together with the Nippon Foundation, has been supporting second-generation Japanese left in the Philippines whose Japanese fathers are not identified.

It has successfully helped 63 individuals gain Japanese citizenship.

"Even if they wanted to live with their fathers, they had no choice because it was wartime, the circumstances did not permit it. And, aside from being stateless, they grew up being discriminated against, they have to hide their identities," Inomata said.

Economically, getting recognized as Japanese citizens will also benefit them because it will allow their children to work in Japan, said Inomata.

DOJ to place GMA under watch list 前總統艾若育被限制出境

MANILA- The Department of Justice (DOJ) will place former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under the immigration watch list, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Monday.

De Lima said the order will be issued anytime this week.

She explained that the order was put on hold "for humanitarian reasons," as Arroyo recently underwent a surgical operation for a pinched nerve.

De Lima said the former President is currently facing several graft and plunder complaints for alleged anomalies under her nearly 10-year administration.

Plunder is a non-bailable offense.

De Lima also said the DOJ has the authority to have people placed under the immigration watch list. Those on the list cannot leave the country without permission from the DOJ.

"That should be within the powers and prerogative of DOJ because we investigate and prosecute and lalo na, you know, sa bagal ng wheels of justice sa court, kung wala kami ganiyan, almost always natatakasan tayo," she said.

"One consideration for issuance of watch list order is the possible flight risk, being a possible flight risk of the subject, that's why I issued against (former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio) Garcillano because he had a history of hiding," the DOJ chief added.

She also cited the case involving the former President's husband, Mike Arroyo. "Because there is a formal request from the Senate, lalo na when he was named in the hearing last Tuesday," de Lima explained.

"Nandiyan na iyan, sinusunod ko lang. That should be within the powers and prerogative of DOJ because we investigate and prosecute and lalo na you know sa bagal ng wheels of justice sa court, kung wala kami ganyan almost always natatakasan tayo."

"Watch list order is just a watch list order. If wala ka intensyon to evade the law, hindi ka dapat na matakot ... because all you have to do is go through the prescribed administrative procedure of getting clearance from the DOJ by convincing us of the legitimacy of the travel," said De Lima.

'Trial by publicity'

The former President's legal spokesman lashed out at the Aquino administration for the looming watch list order.

"We've heard about such plan of Malacañang a long time ago in order to put the Arroyos in a shameful situation and in a bad light for public consumption," Atty. Raul Lambino said Monday.

"It is part of the Aquino administration's overall production carnival to keep the trial and conviction by publicity against the Arroyo," he claimed.

"It's another political stunt to cover the incompetence and dismal performance of Malacañang and to divert public attention from closely scrutinizing the more massive anomalies committed by close associates of PNoy," he added.- Reports from Ina Reformina and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Binay: Marcos family agrees to bury former president in Ilocos Norte 菲副總統：馬可仕將葬於家鄉

By Cristina Arzadon

LAOAG CITY, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay said the Marcos family has agreed to have the remains of strongman Ferdinand Marcos buried in his home province of Ilocos Norte.

Binay issued the statement in a press conference Tuesday in the presence of Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos, the strongman’s widow, who joined the vice president in a forum launching the government’s housing caravan in the Ilocos region.

“The [Marcos] family has already agreed that Ilocos Norte is the burial place. The issue of a hero’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani has become moot and academic,” he said.

Imelda, who was seated beside Binay, was silent when he issued the statement on Marcos’ burial.

Binay was tasked by President Benigno Aquino III to recommend the best way to resolve the issue of Marcos’ burial.

Marcos’ relatives and supporters insisted on a hero’s burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani while other groups opposed the move, saying Marcos, who ruled the country for 20 years, did not deserve the honor.

Marcos was ousted by a civilian-backed military uprising in 1986 and died in exile in Hawaii in 1989. His body was flown back to the country in 1993 and has since been preserved in a glass case inside a temperature-controlled mausoleum in the family’s compound in Batac City.

Binay said an official statement on Marcos’ burial will be released soon.

The official itinerary of Binay, who is also guest during the celebrations honoring the late Governor Roque Ablan Sr. in the province on Tuesday, did not include a visit to Marcos’ remains in Batac.

Anti-’No Permit, No Exam’ Bill, Ipinasa Ng Kongreso 議會通過考試免付費法案

By Pinoy Weekly staff

  Ipinasa ng House of Representatives sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang Anti-”No Permit, No Exam” Bill, o panukalang batas na naglalayong ipagbawal sa mga pribadong eskuwelahan ang pagpigil sa mga estudyante na kumuha ng exam kapag may hindi pa nababayarang utang.

  “Magandang balita ito para sa mga magulang at estudyante. Ngayon pa lamang, mapipilitan na ang mga eskuwelahan na itigil ang polisiyang ‘no permit, no exam,’” ayon kay Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino, isa sa mga pangunahing nagtulak ng panukalang batas.

  Kailangan na lamang maipasa ng Senado ang sarili nitong bersiyon ng panukalang batas na ngayo’y nasa ikalawang pagbasa, at pagkatapos ay mapirmahan ng pangulo.

“Ang malaking tagumpay na ito sa kampanyang anti-‘no permit, no exam’ ay nakamit dahil sa pagkakaisa ng mga magulang at mag-aaral, at sa mabilis na akisyon ng Kongreso,” ayon pa kay Palatino.

  Talamak ang pagpigil sa mga estudyanteng kumuha ng exam kapag may utang pa sa eskuwelahan, na nagdudulot ng kanilang pagbagsak sa klase at labis na kahihiyan. Sa kabila ito ng Section 99 Article 20 ng Manual of Private Schools na nagbabawal sa nasabing polisiya.

  Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, magmumulta ng hanggang P50,000 ang mga eskuwelahang mahuhuling nagpapatupad ng “no permit, no exam.” 

OFWs, gusto mo ba ng sariling negosyo? 移工們，你們想創業嗎？

MANILA – Ito ang good news para sa mga OFWs! Nag-aalok ngayon ng magandang negosyo ang Department of Energy (DOE) sa lahat ng mga overseas Filipino workers na nais magkaroon ng sariling gasoline station o kaya ay LPG sa bansa.

Sa ilalim ng Gasoline Station Lending and Financial Assistance Program ng DOE ay maaari ng makapag-loan ang sinumang OFW ng hanggang P10 milyon o 80% ng kabuuang halaga ng negosyo.

At ang maganda pa sa naturang programa ay 20% lamang ng kabuuang negosyo o kapital, kasama na lupa ng pagtatayuan ng gasolinahan ay maaring gawin equity contribution ng OFW. 

May fixed annual interest rate lamang na 6% ang nasabing pautang at maaaring bayaran ng hanggang 10 taon at ang unang bayad ng OFW ay magsisimula 6 buwan matapos na ma-release ang loan o pautang.

Sinabi naman ni Congressman Arnel Ty, ng party-list Petroleum Gas Marketer Association (LPG/MA), na open rin ang naturang programa sa mga kooperatiba at non-government organizations.

 “Itinatag sa pamamagitan ng Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Law, ang programa ay nilalayong forcefully drive free at makatarungang tingian  sa competition in the fuel markets,”ani Ty, na miyembro rin ng Energy Committee sa kongreso.

Ang mga pautang ay maaaring gamitin upang bumuo ng isang site bilang gasoline outlet o auto LPG station, pagbili at install ng mga kinakailangang pasilidad at kagamitan, at pagbayad hanggang sa 2 milyong halaga ng mga natapos na mga ptoduktong petrolyo bilang paunang imbentaryo,” dagdag pa ni ty.

At bago masimulan ang negosyo ay bibigyan rin ang mga interesadong magkaroon ng gasoline station sa DOE management at skills training program para sa maayos at mahusay na pagpapatakbo ng naturang negosyo.

Ang mga may-ari o kinatawan ng mga korporasyon, mga samahan, kooperatiba, asosasyon, NGO, joint ventures, consortia, single proprietorship at katulad ng mga partido ay apat ding kumpletuhin ang parehas na pamamahala at mga kasanayan sa programa ng pagsasanay upang maging kuwalipikado para sa mga pautang,” wika pa ng kongresista.

Reklamo ng mga OFW vs Pinoy welfare officer sa Jordan, dapat daw maging leksiyon 菲駐約旦官員辱罵移工 輿論要求懲處

MANILA – Umaasa si Senador Manny Villar na mabilis na aaksyunan ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ang reklamo ng limang overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) laban sa umano’y abusadong Filipino welfare officer na nakabase sa Amman, Jordan.

Ang pahayag ay ginawa ni Villar matapos niyang makausap ang limang OFWs at marinig ang reklamo ng mga ito laban kay Welfare Officer Carmelita Mag-uyon.

Isinumbong nina Raquel Aragon, Lolita Wadia, Noraida Guiamilil, Jhona Mortel at Genevieve Quibedo kay Villar ang paninigaw umano sa kanila ni Mag-uyon sa tuwing ay nagtatanong tungkol sa kanilang kaso at sitwasyon.

Sa kabila ng kanilang reklamo na nakatatanggap sila ng pagmamalupit sa kanilang amo, pinapayuhan pa umano sila ni Mag-uyon na bumalik sa kanilang trabaho.

Sinabi ng senador na dapat magsilbing leksiyon sa pamahalaan ang karanasan ng limang OFWs na umano’y hindi nakakuha ng inaasahang suporta kay Mag-uyon at nakatikim pa ng masakit na salita.

Payo ni Villar, dapat piliing mabuti ang mga opisyal na itinatalagang humarap sa mga magigipit na OFWs sa iba’t ibang bansa.

Giit niya, ang mga itinatalagang welfare officer ay kailangang mahaba ang pasensiya, sanay makipag-ugnayan at tunay na may malasakit sa kapwa Filipino.

Katuwang ang Blas F. Ople Policy Center na pinamumunuan ni dating Labor Undersecretary Susan Ople, inatasan ni Villar ang kanyang mga abogado na tulungan ang mga OFWs kaugnay sa isinampang reklamo laban kay Mag-uyon.

“Ang limang babaeng ito ay nagpunta sa Bahay Kalinga ng ating embahada sa Jordan dahil sila ay mga biktima ng pang-aabuso at pagmamaltrato ng kanilang mga amo. Sa halip na tulungan, nakatikim pa sila ng dagdag na verbal abuse mula sa isang welfare officer na Pinoy pa man din," pagkadismaya ni Villar.

Sinabi naman ni Ople na may lulutang pang mga OFW mula sa Jordan at magsasampa rin ng reklamo laban kay Mag-uyon.

Una rito, tiniyak ni Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Carmelita Dimzon, na magsasagawa sila ng kaukulang imbestigasyon tungkol sa reklamo laban kay Mag-uyon.

$50,000 pinag-iipunan ni Nora Aunor para sa operasyon sa U.S 諾拉奧諾在美重建聲帶 手術費五萬美金

Hangad umano ni Superstar Nora Aunor na makaipon ng $50,000 para sa kinakailangang operasyon sa kanyang vocal chords.

Kung maaalala, tatlong buwan lamang mananatili sa Pilipinas si Nora dahil desidido raw itong muling maisaayos ang kanyang boses sa pamamagitan ng isang operasyon sa labas ng bansa.

Sinasabing naapektuhan ang vocal chords ng singer/actress kasunod ng kanyang huling operasyon sa abroad.

Kasabay nito, itinanggi ni "Ate Guy" na P7 million ang kanyang talent fee sa Kapatid network subalit ayaw ding sabihin kung magkano.

Samantala, bakas pa rin sa mukha ng Superstar ang kasiyahan matapos makita ang mga guwapong apo nito.

Aniya, "mama guy" ang tawag sa kanya ng mga ito dahil ayaw niyang magpatawag ng "lola."

Nabatid na nagkita-kita na kamakalawa si Aunor at ang mga anak niyang sina Ian, Lotlot, Matet, Kenneth, at Kiko sa isang five-star hotel sa Ortigas.