First Ebola case in Madrid alarms Pinoys

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN — The news of a Spanish assistant nurse getting infected with the Ebola virus has caused fears among Filipinos based in Spain.

Spanish nurse aide Teresa Romero Ramos, who became the first case of Ebola transmission outside of Africa, was one of the health personnel who had attended to two Spanish missionaries with Ebola.

The missionaries, who were brought back to Spain from Africa, succumbed to the disease and died in Madrid’s Hospital Carlos III.

Spanish daily El Pais reported that Romero is in critical condition and about 16 people whom Romero came in contact with are quarantined and under observation in the same hospital.

The news of the contagion has been hogging the headlines in Spain for a week. It has alarmed about 20,000 Filipinos based in Madrid.

“I am worried..because Ebola virus is now in Europe and now it is happening in Madrid with one infected person,” Zoe Nadura said.

Eva de Luna Bardeloza reminded her fellow Filipinos to take extra precautions.

“Maging malinis sa kapaligiran, maging malinis sa sarili, maging maingat at disiplina, iyun lang para maiwasan ang sakit na Ebola,” de Luna said.

Travel fears

According to World Health Organization (WHO), transmission of Ebola virus is very low as one should have a direct contact with bodily fluids of an Ebola virus carrier.

Dr. Edwin Escala, who is also based in Madrid, further explained: “This is not an air borne virus…(It is) transmitted via contact with body fluids. Kasama po dito yung dugo, pawis, laway, semen or other body discharges.”

“Kung meron po tayong napapansin at nakikitang mga sintomas, huwag po mag-aatubiling pumunta sa pinakamalapit na health centers,” Escala said.

WHO said the symptoms of Ebola infection include ”sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools).”

”Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms,” the WHO Factsheet N°103 read.

Barcelona, another major city in Spain and home to more than 25,000 Filipinos, may be 619 kilometers away from Madrid, but the Filipinos there also expressed their concerns over the virus’ possible spread.

“Siyempre baka merong makapunta (dito sa Barcelona) na nagkaroon sa Madrid, natatakot din siyempre,” Yolanda Saulog said.

Sheryl Sia, meanwhile, is having second thoughts of traveling to Madrid.

“Pupunta ako ng Madrid pero ayoko nang tumuloy…Kasi magbakasyon ako sa Pilipinas. Hindi pupuwedeng madala ang virus na yan doon (sa Pilipinas) kawawa ang mga kababayan natin doon,” Sia said.

Budget cuts

The Spanish government has drawn flak for its handling of the health crisis. There are calls, especially from members of the medical community, for the health minister ro resign.

“I think she should resign and if she does not resign she should be fired definitely…Because she didn’t do her work properly…This person must be fired like any other person,” Montse Gil said.

Gil also shares the sentiments of Spain’s Federation of Associations for the Defence of Public Healthcare, blaming the decreased spending on health for the poor management of the situation.

The government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy continues to call for calm, even as the country’s tourism sector and stock market suffered from the Ebola threat.

More than 4,000 have died worldwide due to Ebola as of October 8. Until now there is no vaccine or proven treatment against the virus. – with reports from Neil dela Cruz Gadiano ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report in Filipino with reports and voice of Neil dela Cruz Gadiano:

 

Andorra honors Pinoys with a stamp

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

ANDORRA – Three Andorran-born children–named Veronica, Dylan and Von Mart–wearing traditional Filipino costumes, are featured in a colorful postage stamp which immortalizes the cultural and economic contribution of Filipinos to Andorra.

Ninety thousand copies of this stamp have been printed by the Spanish national postal service Correos.

Each stamp costs 92 cents or approximately P59 and can only be purchased in Andorra.

The children’s parents could not contain their happiness and pride upon hearing the good news from the Andorran government.

“Sa daming mga photo na (ipinadala) sa gobyerno, ang anak ko ang napili, yung silang tatlo. Kahit ako ay may photo pero hindi ako napili. Siyempre ako’y napakasaya bilang ina,” beamed Brenda Arida, mother of Veronica, the only girl in the stamp.

“Twenty years na ako dito sa Andorra. Proud na proud ako na napili sa isa sa kanila yung anak ko,” said Dylan’s mother, Rhoda Evangelista Perez.

Von Mart’s mother, Curita Gega Manalo, hopes that the stamps reach the Philippines. “Natutuwa ako dahil sabi ko makikita ito ng buong mundo kahit sa atin sa Pilipinas.”

Andorra, a small neighboring country to France and Spain, has a population of approximately 80,000 and has become a primary shopping, banking and ski destination.

The landlocked country surrounded by the Pyrenees is a principality as it is headed by two princes—the current president of France Francois Hollande and the Spanish Catholic Bishop of Urgell Joan Enric Vives i Sicilia.

It is home to approximately 700 Filipinos. They might be small in numbers but their active involvement in all activities of the country and their efforts to promote Filipino culture caught the attention of the Andorran government according to Bong Canlas, president of Asociacio de Residents Filipins a Andorra.

“Sabi ko nga sa kanila, magiging historya tayo dahil ang komunidad Pilipino ‘tong taon na ‘to, tayo ang napili para magkaroon ng selyo kaya talagang lahat kami rito tuwang-tuwa. I’m very proud as a Filipino,” Canlas added.

In an exclusive interview with Eduard Tarrés Ficapal, a representative of Andorran government’s Department of Cultural Heritage, he said that the stamp reflects the cultural diversity which has been brought by decades of migration to Andorra.

It also recognizes the active participation of the Filipino community and gives more visibility to different migrant communities in the country.

Last year, the Portuguese migrant community was the first to receive its own stamp.

“Personally, I think, a multicultural society is more tolerant because it becomes accustomed to different ways of life and we consider important that Andorra be a multicultural society and remains the same because this is what enriches our society,” said Tarrés in Spanish. ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report Filipino as aired on Balitang Global

Two Pinay-owned businesses lauded in Barcelona

The Oriental Jasmine
Carrer de Muntaner, 88, 08011 Barcelona http://www.orientaljasmine.com

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – Two Filipina-owned businesses were among the 12 small and medium enterprises recognized for excellence by the city council of Barcelona.

Asian-inspired day spa The Oriental Jasmine and New York-style manicure and pedicure salon The Pink Peony were chosen to be part of “Nou i Bo”, a local government initiative that compiles high-quality establishments owned by foreigners in Barcelona.

“Nou i Bo”, which is Catalan for “New and Good”, aims to highlight the good quality of businesses owned by new residents and demonstrate society’s gains from social, linguistic and commercial diversity.

A video clip in Catalan on “Nou i Bo” project:

The Oriental Jasmine, which offers hilot, manicure, pedicure and facial services, hasn’t celebrated yet its first year anniversary but it already got the nod of the selection committee.

That’s why co-owner Maya Khasmine Valencia was ecstatic upon getting the nomination and recognition from the government.

“I’d like to say, so this is how it feels to be Miss Universe. It’s overwhelming, kasi I did not expect it,” Valencia said.

The Pink Peony, meanwhile, is not new in the business. In fact, this six-year-old beauty salon has two branches and has already made its mark in the beauty scene in Barcelona catering to various clienteles from tourists to local and international models and actresses.

No wonder it was also selected.

The Pink Peony
Passeig de Gràcia, 100, 08008 Barcelona http://www.thepinkpeony.com

“I couldn’t believe that we actually achieved our objective. I always tell the girls that we want to be the best in the category that we are in and this recognition sort of confirmed that. So for me, it was an achievement of The Pink Peony girls, all the Filipinas that worked hard every day to give the best that we can,” said owner Peony Herrera Sy.

Kathleen Lopena Ortega, The Pink Peony’s spokesperson, emphasized the “winning formula” of the salon namely “Asian hospitality, American customer service and the European elegance.”

Asian hospitality comes from none other than its Filipino staff.

The Pink Peony, which currently has 35 employees mainly Filipinas, aims to provide more labor opportunities to Filipinos in Barcelona said staff Anna Felipe.

The Oriental Jasmine and The Pink Peony showed the exemplary attribute of Filipino women to put up and manage high-quality businesses and their concern and solidarity to create jobs for fellow Filipinos amidst the difficult employment situation in Spain. ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report in Filipino as aired on Balitang Global:

Young Pinays opt for abortion in Barcelona – study

Barcelona midwife Silvia Vera

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – A local midwife is alarmed by the high cases of abortion among Filipina youth in Barcelona.

Her preoccupations were reflected in a research entitled “La Comunidad Silenciosa, Migraciones Filipinas y Capital Social en El Raval,” conducted by Barcelona-based medical anthropologist Dr. Eva Maria Marxen.

This research on Filipino migrants in Raval, a neighborhood in Barcelona where there is a large concentration of Filipino migrants, identified the strengths as well as the challenges facing one of the most organized migrant communities in Barcelona.

Marxen identified the health problems based on the interviews she had with the local health center’s midwife.

“There are a lot of cases of abortion. She very often found these adolescents as she herself said very much alone or lonely, their parents would really work, work a lot, and don’t have really somebody in order to talk about sex education. There’s a lot of mythmaking of how to get pregnant or not to get,” she said.

ABS-CBN Europe was able to interview the midwife Silvia Vera.

Vera said that 80 percent of the patients of the health center are Filipinos, but still, she considered the percentage of Filipina who aborted, from 30-35 percent, “escandaloso”.

They were very young, from 14 to 18 years old and she even had cases of 12 years of age.

Barcelona midwife Silvia Vera showing a female condom

 

Vera further said that some Filipinas wanted to abort when they were in their 6th month lest their families, “who are very Catholic, very Christian” found out their pregnancies.

However, such is prohibited under Spanish law, she said, as abortion is only allowed until 22nd week of pregnancy.

Vera stressed that these teens should have not resorted to abortion if only they had used contraceptives or if they had been given more quality time and properly guided by their parents.

Filipino community leader and Centro Filipino-Tuluyan San Benito director Paulita Astillero was equally alarmed with the said research and acknowledged the parents’ sacrifices in raising their children in Barcelona.

“Matagal na ako rito sa community ng Barcelona. Kilala ko ang karamihan ng mga magulang na talaga namang ginawa ang kanilang lahat ng energy, lahat ng panahon nila para mabigyan ng kaligayahan ang kanilang mga anak. Pero, masabi nating mayroon pang ibang factors na I think nagco-contribute din na maganap ang mga pangyayaring yan na hindi naman siguro inaasahan ng mga magulang.”

“They don’t fight for their rights!”

Vera considered Filipinas very hardworking and nice persons but she criticized their attitude towards reproductive health and health in general.

She complained that they did not give time to their medical consultations or sometimes they arrived really late.

Marxen further said in an interview that “Filipina pregnant women… very often do not get the permission from their employers to see a physician during pregnancy.”

Vera said in Spanish, “Filipinas, although they have working permit, are submissive. They don’t fight for their rights.”

Vera insisted that pregnant women have the right to regular check-up and it is the obligation of their employers to give them free time to go to the doctor.

“If they (employers) can take their pets to veterinarians, why can’t they let their maids go to the doctor?” Vera said in Spanish.

Not having a regular check-up during pregnancies can lead to another common problem in the Filipino community: cases of obesity and hypertension among newborn babies.

Despite her criticisms, midwife Vera reminded Filipinos, whom she admires and cares for, the importance of prevention and fighting for one’s right to health care. ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report in Filipino as aired on Balitang Europe:

Pinoy indie films premiere in Spain

 

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – The success of Filipino independent films has finally reached Spain. Seven selected Filipino movies are now being screened at a local movie house in Barcelona.

Every Saturday, at 8 p.m., from July to September, award-winning Filipino independent films can be seen at Barcelona’s Cinemes Girona as part of the second “Cinema de Cine Independiente de Filipinas”

The first movie shown was “The Red Shoes”, a romance-comedy that revolves around the infamous pairs of shoes amassed by former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

The film, which stars Nikki Gil and Marvin Agustin, almost drove a Catalan woman moviegoer to tears.

“I really like it. The movie is very well-made and it’s very heart-warming. And the guy is very handsome, and the girl too. Very nice,” she said in Spanish.

More films tackling student activism, poverty, migration, feminism, homosexuality and a critique on indie film industry itself will be shown in the following Saturdays — Joel Lamangan’s “Sigwa”, Remton Zuasola’s “Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria”, Chito Roño’s “Emir”, Sheron Dayoc’s “Halaw”, Marlon Rivera’s “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” and Alvin Yapan’s “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa”.

Last year, Filipino classics such as Lino Brocka’s “Maynila Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” and Mike De Leon’s “Itim”, “Kakabakaba ka ba?”, “Kisapmata” and “Sister Estella L” were also shown in Casa Asia.

This film showing has been organized by Casa Asia and Cinemes Girona in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Madrid and Film Development Council of the Philippines. ABS-CBNnews.com

TV report in Filipino as aired on Balitang Global:

Why Filipino students excel in Barcelona

Raval, a neighborhood where many migrants, including Filipinos, reside. Photo courtesy of Rodel Juacalla

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – Fourteen-year-old Lara Mercado almost got a 100 point average grade in all subjects. She’s also one of the best students in her class and used to be a class valedictorian in the Philippines.

High school student Jasper Villena Cordero received consistent high grades along with commendations from her professors.

Mercado and Cordero are two of many Filipino students who excel in schools abroad.

In Barcelona alone, Filipino students have already earned a good reputation either in academics or in sports.

The reason behind this has been explained in a study entitled “La comunidad silenciosa”. Migraciones Filipinas y capital social en el Raval (Barcelona)” (The silent community: Filipino migrations and social capital in Raval, Barcelona) by German medical anthropologist Eva Maria Marxen.

The study focused on Filipino high school students in Raval, a neighborhood in Barcelona where many Filipinos reside.

Interviews conducted by Marxen with high school teachers say that Filipino students are generally respectful, well-disciplined and hard-working.

Such values can be attributed to strictness and putting a premium on education on the part of the parents and the Filipino community.

“First of all, some of the adolescents already had parents who themselves had been to college, so they would very know the performance at school. Then the parents were very strict in these cases, and some cases, severely strict. The value of education was very much transmitted from parents to children and also within the community,” Marxen explained.

Cordero’s mother, Emmalyn Cordero Manalo admits that she has to be strict with her daughter.

“Kasi nga yun sinasabi sa akin ng teacher nya, na masyado akong mahigpit sa anak ko pero para sa akin hindi higpit yun eh, kasi sa kinabukasan rin naman kasi nya yun,” Cordero said.

Jay Aragones Mercado, Lara’s father, stresses the importance of education in escaping poverty.

“Kung may sapat kang edukasyon, diyan ka uunlad at siyempre pag mahirap ka yun lang talaga ang susi mo para medyo umangat ng konti ang buhay natin,” he said.

Marxen also pointed out the shared responsibility and objectives among parents, teachers and the Filipino community which have also helped the students do well in school.

“I also want to stress the subject of co-responsibility, which I observed among the high school, themselves, their teacher, the parents and the community. They have the same motivation, they have the same goals that children would finish at least finish high school, (and) also (to be) successful.”  ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the TV report in Filipino as aired on Balitang Global: