Filipino Centre Toronto's 'Dirty Underwear' Takes Spotlight

Volume 2, Issue No. 41

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . .

 Our latest as of Monday, November 30, 2020 

~ The rotten smell would not go away easily and the people who feel offended by the stink, or what seems like a dreadful stench, would not give up either. Patience and determination are admirable qualities whistleblowers have and those are the only means, excepting a legal remedy, available to them to get to the bottom of Filipino Centre Toronto's obstinacy to submit to a public accounting of big chunks of money. FCT officials have a responsibility to fulfill to the community and to its funders and political supporters.

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DEAFENING SILENCE AMIDST COVID PANDEMIC

Is FCT Laundering or 'Wearing Dirty Underwear'?

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"You can't possibly conduct a proper affair without a lot of deliberating, scheming, speculating, and conniving. It's a delicate balance where the excitement must equal the guilt . . . " -  John Dufresne

TORONTO - "Baka nagtututong na yan, palitan na," my dear departed mother would tell the boys in the family whenever the time came to bathe. The meaning of her caustic remarks was not lost on our young mischievous selves then; she was actually commanding us to change for clean jockeys once done washing.

Nagtututong derives from the root word tutong (or scorched), the literal meaning of which is the burnt portion of the rice at the bottom of the pot. So, to say something is nagtututong, figuratively, is to say it's soiled, that dirt has accumulated and calcified. The word is a common metaphor in Cavite, the province from which my parents hailed.

I recall those trifling moments when we were in grade school many years ago. But now, the interaction my brothers and I have had with our mother finds currency in what I just read from two Filipino tabloids that carried the same commentary headlined "FCT Board Needs to Stop Wearing Dirty Underwear".

The big question that quickly came to mind was "how long have they been 'wearing dirty underwear'?" It sounds gross, but of course, I know the writer was making use of a figure of speech to get his message across. 

Towards the end of his essay, the meaning clearly emerges. Says the author: "The situation in FCT is like a well-dressed person who wears the same underwear for a week. Beauty shines on the outside, but anybody can imagine what's rancid underneath".

My gosh, I hate to visualize it in terms my mother would describe to us boys: "Baka nagtututong na yan . . . "  Well, in our youth we had the good sense of complying with her order. No question, no ifs, no buts. We would not wear dirty underwear a day longer, period.

The putrid smell of anything is repulsive. Briefs, underwear, boxer shorts, jockeys, undies, etc. could be washed clean. But to apply the phrase "wearing dirty underwear" to hint at skulduggery involving vast amounts of money is truly illustrative of an evolving scandal. 

I had this persistent hunch that the coronavirus has descended on FCT (Filipino Centre Toronto). To clarify, that suspicion is purely speculative, unscientific, and ineffectual. I hope it may turn out to be completely unfounded. (Related video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MDQoagXLlQ).

I tried to brush up a bit on the symptoms of the coronavirus infection. 

One is the loss of smell, which probably explains why the FCT Board does not notice that the underwear they're wearing is foul-smelling, or in the language of my mother, nagtututong na. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZFXKzvQqYY).

Another symptom is the loss of speech or movement. 

For the last three years predating the arrival of the coronavirus, the FCT Board has been mute and immobile. I don't know if this situation is feigned or a consequence of tardiness while enjoying life sitting on piles of money. It seems, however, that both speech and movement are impaired.

These could be the very plausible reason for the FCT Board's refusal/hesitance/inability to act on the petition of its members for transparency in the disbursement of funds. They demand - to no avail - an explanation on how four individuals and two establishments had been remunerated for their monetary claims totaling $678,000. 

Why would the FCT Board not identify officially the recipients of the money, preferring instead to assign them initials and nicknames only? Why the hush?

And the beneficiaries are, according to documents obtained by this reporter early on, "Vicki", "RCJ", "Felino", "CRA", "Wendy" and "S and J Mechanicals". The amounts paid to them are as follows: "Vicki" - $300,000; "RCJ" - $96,000; "Felino" - $122,000; "CRA" - $122,000; "Wendy" - $30,000; and "S and J Mechanicals" - $8,000.

Whatever it is, only reinforces my gut-feel that the FCT Board is COVID-afflicted. Board members could also be drowning in the hailstorm of millions of monies that poured from the $5.9-million sale of its old building on Parliament Street in downtown Toronto. (Full story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/06/fct-members-renew-demand-for.html).

Still another symptom is difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. 

I am not a physician nor somebody with a questionable "Dr." affixed to my name, but I could sense the FCT Board's difficulty breathing when confronted face to face. Based on my personal experience, board members are frightened by the prospect of being exposed in public. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5YUCP0xqlQ).

So, what's left of the community to do? Do FCT funders and political supporters know what's going on? 

Obscene as it is, the hyperbolic use of "dirty underwear" being worn by the FCT Board is an all-encompassing description to show how egregious the state of affairs is in that organization. It's more graphic and pointed than dirty laundry. (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).

Philippines Relaxes Travel Rules

Volume 2, Issue No. 40

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . .

Our latest as of Saturday, November 28, 2020 

~ Starting December 7, Filipino citizens, their foreign spouses, and their children regardless of age can now visit the Philippines even without a visa on condition they comply with certain regulations related to controlling the spread of the coronavirus. The easing of travel restrictions is expected to facilitate family reunions especially during the Christmas season.

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MANILA EASES TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

Pinoys, Their Foreign Spouses Can Now Visit the Philippines

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

TORONTO - The Philippine government is easing travel restrictions to the country to allow former Filipino citizens, including their spouses and children visa-free entry under certain health conditions, starting December 7, 2020, the presidential press office has announced in Manila.

Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens are also permitted to come in, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), which is overseeing the program in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since March, foreign nationals, with few exceptions, are banned from traveling to the Philippines.

Under the agency's guidelines, travelers are required a pre-booked quarantine facility and a pre-booked COVID-19 testing at a laboratory operating at the airport. They, too, must be subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.

The Philippines has currently 428,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Deaths from the disease it brings (COVID-19) are listed at 8,333. Among countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the second-highest (after Indonesia) number of COVID-19 cases.

The IATF has directed the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Tourism to formulate and issue guidelines to ensure the smooth implementation of the policy. 

In a press statement to the government-owned news agency, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the IATF move was a welcome development for the travel industry, which was among the industries hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic following suspensions in international flights.

“This not only bodes well for our ailing industry but is good tidings for our kababayans who have been clamoring to be reunited with their loved ones from abroad, especially this yuletide season,” she said.

Balikbayans or former Filipino citizens are considered as a viable source market to the country's tourism sector, particularly the second and third generation dependents who have yet to discover their parents’ roots.

"The Filipino diaspora to date has reached about 10 million. That is why we deem important the Filipino communities abroad as staunch partners in driving visitors to the Philippines,” she explained. (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).

Ten Years of Free and Unencumbered Journalism in Toronto

Volume 2, Issue No. 39

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . .

Our latest as of Sunday, November 15, 2020 

~ A decade of service to the community is not to be passed without remembering the hard work and struggle to keep the flame of journalism alive. On this day 10 years ago, The Filipino Web Channel came to be in Toronto as an advocate for transparency and change. Quite disappointingly, very little has changed, if at all. The stories of fraudulent conduct, ripoffs, manipulation, etcetera, are very much unconquered by the light of knowledge and bare facts. Still, the commitment is unaltered.

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JOURNALISM MEANS WINNING FRIENDS AND LOSING SOME

A Decade of Service to the Filipino Community

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

“Better a good journalist than a poor assassin.” ― Jean-Paul Sartre

TORONTO - One thousand two hundred fifty-one videos, 2,718,590 views, and a base of 4.76K subscribers ensure bragging rights for this web-based news channel I created 10 years ago on Monday, the 15th of November 2010. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT74cbxq6ak).

Had not for the pandemic, I would have celebrated this tenth anniversary today (Sunday, November 15, 2020) with the eight people who had congratulated me on the birth of The Filipino Web Channel and who, over the most challenging times in presenting the good and bad news, have remained steadfast friends.

It's a tribute to their enduring friendship that I doff my hat to them, namely: Chubby Fojas, Toronto; Jesse Jose, Seattle; Merfa Bataclan, Toronto; Tenny and Myrna Soriano, Scarborough; Eddie Calderon, Ph.D., Minneapolis; Don Azarias, Chicago; and Frank Luna, Toronto.

My dear media colleague Tenny Soriano, the only person I knew when I moved here in 2010 from San Diego, California, had passed in July 2018. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdBI9EelyKE). I didn't know until now that my chatmate I fondly called Dr. Eddie (Calderon) had also passed away in November 2017. Rest in peace, my friends.

The sharp-tongued Jesse Jose retired from the US Navy as chief journalist, and now enjoys writing books in his hometown of Seattle, Washington to add to his stinging "A Cup of Kapeng Barako" collections where I had the privilege of penning the main foreword.

Don Azarias, formerly a banker who now lives in Chicago, Illinois, is equally vicious when challenged. He is unsparing in his thoughts and would not hesitate to engage in a brawl if need be. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3myEF-hauo).

The low-profile Philippine Bar topnotcher Frank Luna, formerly the Philippine Labor Attache in Toronto, wanders around like a tireless traveler in North America and Asia but calls Toronto and Manila home. His sarcasm is infectious and biting as when he let off a remark that had triggered a demand from sensitive media souls for him to be declared persona non grata. It didn't work, however.

I specifically mention their names here because these people believe in gritty journalism, not "praise journalism" many people are familiar with, and practiced by so-called media entities in the Greater Toronto Area. 

I digress a little bit there, I know, but it's important for me to acknowledge them on this milestone. They inspired me to continue with The Filipino Web Channel when no one seemed to care whether or not the community gets to know the news and the hidden stories behind the news.

Nobody was doing video news reporting in the Filipino community at that time. Everyone in the local press was into print, either as tabloid or magazine, devoted to entertainment and socials. The nitty-gritty of journalism was practically neglected, evaded even, so as not to disturb the status quo.

I've tried my best to change that. I was intent on practicing what I knew from being a foreign correspondent, reporter, and editor for decades. When covering the news, I played the role of a skeptic and took an adversarial attitude - a fact mistaken for arrogance. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik0AXXyPXaE).

In my mind, however, that was the best way to get at the bottom of the news. I still subscribe to the idea that for journalists to be objective, they should stay independent, remove from their social, political, or religious milieus, and friendships of convenience.

That sounds like a utopian dream which is impossible to keep in a community so close and personal as the Filipino community of Toronto. Well, it's a choice one has to make - to be friends with who matters and keep "praise journalism" intact, or to be an uncompromising journalist for all people.

A community performer named Manny Bade sums it up in a message posted on the channel a year ago. He says: "Romy, hayaan mo na yang naninira sayo. Basta trabaho lang. At peace tayo!"

Indeed, practicing adversarial journalism and/or investigative journalism comes with a price. Some people take umbrage at being exposed, yet they continue with their questionable activities. Others hate being written about in an unflattering light. The overly-sensitive resort to legal means to put a stop to the coverage.

Through these past 10 years, The Filipino Web Channel has effectively chronicled the unfolding history of Filipinos in the Greater Toronto Area and in the larger parts of the multicultural communities. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/user/FilipinoWebChannel#g/u).

Six months prior, or on June 12, 2010, I put up The Gotcha Journalist vlog, also known as Currents & Breaking News Channel, on YouTube to keep a tab on mainstream events. I had intended it as the go-to outlet for non-Filipino news but recently I also use it for all news coverage. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGotchaJournalist#g/u).

From that time on, the channel has racked up 1.82K subscribers and 1,596,969 views from 511 videos of my coverage in the United States (New York, Washington, DC, and San Diego); Europe (Berlin, Germany; Brighton, Oxford, London, Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK; Barcelona, Madrid, and Toledo in Spain; Venezia, Taormina, Rome, Savona, and Sicily in Italy; Marseilles and Paris in France; and Dubrovnik in Croatia.

The Filipino Web Channel and Currents & Breaking News Channel are my flagship channels. Together, they have accumulated 4,315,559 views from videos totaling 1,762. That's not counting my other channel - Filipino Web Entertainment - which has already amassed 1,562,379 views and 2.4K subscribers from 542 videos since I created it on September 6, 2011.

The whole point of all of these is that I'm marking a decade of journalism in Toronto. I've won friends and lost some. And those who remain friends are my friends forever. With them, my journalism grows free and unencumbered. (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).

COVID Assessment Test Yields Negative Result

Volume 2, Issue No. 38

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . .

 Our latest as of Friday, November 13, 2020 

~ How calming it is to know one's situation in the face of misery and death all over, in the city, province, country, and across the globe brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Despite denials by non-believers in the south, the True North sets an example: to believe in the science and abide by the protocols. A more restrictive measure is being put in place in the city soon for everybody's well-being.

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FOLLOW THE PROTOCOLS, IT'S GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH

Subduing COVID-19 Without the Vaccine

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

“If we do what is required of us, we shall live in safety.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita

TORONTO - An overused phrase it might be, but I'm inclined to avail myself of it just the same. "Out of an abundance of caution" is the responsible way to describe what we, and I, did this week.

As citizens and residents of Toronto, Canada's largest city (population: 2.9 million), we have an obligation to the government and the general population to follow measures that ensure the health and safety of everyone, particularly in this time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wearing a mask or face shield, washing hands frequently, staying six feet apart, avoiding crowds, self-quarantining when unwell, etc. - are among the basic protocols that help mitigate the spread of the virus while the global search for an antidote is underway. (Related video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40FrmoIf8sA) 

Unlike in some parts of our neighbor to the south, we're not going to politicize any of those protocols. Our health is still our only wealth immeasurable by money. We follow the rules not so much for our individual selves as for the many others, to contain the disease. 

We trust the science, the medical doctors, the public health experts - not the people, particularly the "macho man" who blabbered ignorantly against it and, because of his distrust, had fallen victim to it. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/09/trump-downplays-but-he-knew-coronavirus.html).

The rising numbers of confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in the city are worrisome. The arrival of winter in the next 37 days might complicate the situation further worst. So it is incumbent upon us to stick to a code of health conduct issued by the authorities.

In fact, starting Saturday, November 14, 2020, Toronto Public Health is implementing additional health measures to reduce the spread. The restrictions are "most severe" available before widescale lockdowns, authorities said. (Full details are available at: https://www.toronto.ca/news/public-health-measures-for-red-control-level-and-toronto-public-health-specific-enhanced-measures/).

"To combat the resurgence of the virus in the city, all people in Toronto should be staying home whenever possible, only going out for essential activities like work that cannot be done from home, attending school and getting fresh air and exercise," the city said in an announcement.

As of this writing (Friday, Nov. 13), Toronto, with a population of 2,956,024, reported 33,322 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,432 deaths due to the disease (COVID-19) it brings. Perhaps it's a tribute to the robust health measures in place that the situation here is not as bad as in the US. Besides, Canadians are compliant.

For example, the City of Chicago with a population of 2,670,406 (or nearly as close to Toronto's), has 125,549 confirmed cases and 3,163 deaths. The huge difference in Toronto and Chicago is stark-naked: 92,227 in confirmed cases, and 1,731 in deaths. 

With all those things in mind, we set out on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, for the 15-minute drive to North York General Hospital's Branson Ambulatory Care Centre on Finch Ave. West for the COVID assessment test. Two days earlier, a schoolboy in the family recounted over dinner that one of his classmates had tested positive for the virus.

That set off the alarm bells, prompting us to seek immediate evaluation. So we bundled up in the car and went. About a dozen people, all masked up and physically-distant, were already queueing by the door. As it turned out, waiting in line was far longer than the test itself. 

Once you've been through step 1 (identifying oneself and explaining one's reason for the test); step 2 (confirming personal information); and step 3 (where a health worker directs one to any of the six makeshift rooms the hospital had erected on the ground floor), the test was a breeze. 

A health worker comes in and explains the procedure, which involves inserting a Q-tips-like cotton swab into the nose. The process called "Nasopharyngeal Swab" lasted no more than 10 seconds and was more annoying than painful. It almost triggered a sneeze. And then, it's done, one's free to go.

So, we went home confident. The paper (handed during step 2) containing all the personal information states: "The results of your COVID-19 test are available in most cases within 2-3 days". 

Well, it wasn't that long actually. On Thursday, November 12, 2020, or the day after, the information on the personal web link they provided says: "Result Negative". 

Isn't that a salve that soothes? You bet it is! (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).

Tossing the Racial Slur: It's Friendly Little Island People (FLIP)

Volume 2, Issue No. 37

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . .

 Our latest as of Tuesday, November 10, 2020 

~ For the last 120 years, Filipinos have endured the disparaging word that Americans have heaped on us - flip, the acronym for fucking little island people (or persons) - as a means to downgrade Filipinos. At the turn of the 20th century, American soldiers had a hard time conquering the Philippines. Filipinos did prove equal to the task of fighting for their country. However, they surrendered to their might which eventually led to the American colonization of the islands for 50 years. The Americans have ill-defined and mocked us. In the midst of the global recognition of people of color, now is the time to change the narrative. FLIP shouldn't be a slur, it should be a word that identifies Filipinos, their race, their hospitality, and culture. FLIP should read, as it now reads, friendly little island people. That's what we are from the beginning.

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FRIENDLY LITTLE ISLAND PEOPLE  

Let's Have a 'Flip Chat' in the Community

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

“The best kind of conversation is that which may be called thinking aloud.” ― William Hazlitt

TORONTO - Some of our good friends in the local broadcast media have apparently discontinued their talk show after the demise of one of its pioneers in the Greater Toronto Area.

It just occurred to me that those of us who are in the communications (verbal and written) industry should pick up from there and fill the void that social media can easily do for us, like having a podcast, or live stream video on YouTube, Facebook or Vimeo.

While reflecting on this, an idea hit me that goes back to the time in San Diego, my former home town in California. At a meeting with community leaders and responsible county and city officials which I was covering for my newspaper, the issue came up.

A Navy guy was complaining that the moderator should not refer to the flip chart - which the dictionary defines as "a set of sheets, as of cardboard or paper, hinged at the top so that they can be flipped over to show information or illustrations in sequence" - flip chart. Call it any other name, but not flip chart.

He was offended, he admitted and explained why. He said a flip chart is derogatory for Filipinos, flip being an acronym for a racial slur used by American soldiers during the Philippine-American war of 1899-1902 to mean "Fucking Little Island People". (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War).

The guy had a point, although most of the participants in that meeting, while sympathetic, did not subscribe to his idea. They reasoned that he was being too sensitive because a flip chart has always been a flip chart. The historical background is another issue. Flip has always been flip without its pejorative connotation since the 1590s.

Actually, I'm just trying to provide context to my idea. I thought I'd put an end to that small debate by changing the meaning of flip for something more reflective of Filipinos, their culture, and everything that represents them. 

So, from here on, I'd say flip or FLIP, would mean Friendly Little Island People. Yes, friendly as in affectionate, amiable, affable, cordial, genial, helpful, hospitable, neighborly, peaceable, warm. All those adjectives describe us, whether or not we've attached another country to our citizenship.

I don't care if that runs counter to the American-invented slur; anyway, it was their way of defeating Filipinos in their struggle to remain free just months after they had declared independence from colonial ruler Spain. I was quite surprised when the Navy guy made a big issue of it. But at least, he knew his history.

As Filipinos, we should not let racism diminish and devalue our worth as people. 

Before Spain, we were the brave and proud inhabitants of 7,100 islands that were a paradise of wealth and nourishment for the invaders. Then came the Americans who lived off the fat of the land like their Spanish predecessors. Neither had made any sincere attempt to accord us the status we deserve.

Now, one of my ideas is to organize an interactive forum I will now call FLIP CHAT. Yes, FLIP CHAT in the Greater Toronto Area initially, and then onward to other communities in Ontario.

Obviously, it's a take from flip chart, only this one is a talk show that I plan to air over my channels on YouTube.

My idea is to have a discussion of outstanding issues in the community that we don't see in print. 

One segment I envision is a look back at our rich history, and promote the culture and traditions, and, of course, the food. Another is a feature highlighting Filipino trailblazers and achievers, and those individuals or associations that make us proud with their work.

I'm thinking of inviting members of the community who can articulate their thoughts without fear, and be prepared to stand up against wrongdoing by people in influential positions, be they friends, acquaintances or favor-seekers.

FLIP CHAT could be a devil's advocate in some instances and take the role of an adversary. In most cases, however, it'll put a positive spin on delicate issues and try to be friendly. It'll treat politicians of any color basically as politicians, knowing their inclination to patronize us for our votes.

Let's have a FLIP chat guys! (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).