Pinoys seek justice for Filipina jailed in Spain

SPAIN – The Filipino community in Barcelona is rallying behind the family of a Filipina imprisoned for drug trafficking.

Emilia Dueñas was sentenced to three years and six months in prison in Barcelona for drug possession and trafficking.

In an interview with Balitang Global, Dueñas’ husband Meynardo Ramirez said that in 2013, police searched their flat for drugs while nobody was home. The police took their jewelry, passports, bank books, cellphones, 10,000 euros that they saved, and laptops including those of their bedspacers.

“May pinapanhik pa silang aso. Wala. Wala silang nakuha. Betsin po ang kinuha nila. Tapos may aso pa nga pong pinapanhik para sila’y makasigurado, lahat, wala, yun nga po, betsin ang kanilang dinala at sabi iyun daw,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez recounted that when they arrived home, he and his wife were immediately arrested. He was later on acquitted but his wife was sentenced last year.

They filed an appeal but it was denied and she was eventually sent to Wad-Ras prison in Barcelona last month.

Ramirez said he and his wife make an honest living. He works as chief cook in a restaurant while his wife works as a factory worker of a grocery chain.

He suspects that the police were wrongly informed about the address of the drug traffickers. Instead of searching a nearby building where there were alleged drug traffickers, the police raided their flat.

Their former lawyer also promised that there was an 80% chance that they would win the case but Ramirez thinks that the lawyer did not defend them well.

“Bakit siya (abogado) nagpabaya…komo kami ay extranjero (foreigner) at sila naman komo ay taga rito, bakit naman kami pinabayaan? Hindi naman ako maghahabol kung yun ay tunay. Naaawa ako sa asawa ko. Alam ng Diyos yan na wala kang kasalanan,” Ramirez said.

KABAYANS HELP

Meanwhile, Filipino associations, the Filipino Personal Parish, and companies have started to collect signatures in the hopes of shortening Dueñas’ prison sentence.

Centro Filipino-Tuluyan San Benito volunteers placed a small table outside the San Agustin church in Barcelona where they explain about the campaign and ask for signatures from Filipinos who attend the Sunday Mass at the Filipino Personal Parish.

Organization coordinator Miguel Doctama said signatures from Filipinos would definitely help.

“Para mapagaan ang sentensya. Una, signature campaign, sulat ng presidente ng Centro Filipino, sulat ng pari ng parokya natin dito (at) pirma ng asawa na nagpapatunay na siya’y walang kasalanan. Marami po yun, mga anim na pamamaraan,” Doctama said.

Doctama cited the case of Filipino-Spanish “Crisanto,” who was accused of setting a homeless indigent on fire years ago. He said the signature campaign organized by the Filipino community contributed in his acquittal.

Relatives of Dueñas also asked for signatures in places frequented by Filipinos like remittance centers.

Metrobank Remittance Center manager Vilma Grace Miguel also supports the signature drive.

“Kawawa naman ang isang tao napapagbintangan ng isang bagay na hindi mo naman talaga ginawa. Naniniwala tayo na dito sa Barcelona, meron na talagang nangyayaring hindi kanais-nais at nai-involve talaga sa droga. Pero sa parte ko, naniniwala ako at na sana siya’y mapababaan ng kanyang sentensya kaya kami’y nakikiisa,” said Miguel.

Ramirez is also asking President Benigno Aquino III or any Philippine government agency that can help them achieve justice. ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report aired on Balitang Global, TFC, ABS-CBN:

Hustisya mailap pa rin sa pamilya ng biktima ng hit and run sa Barcelona

 

 

Angelica Manongsong Dalisay

For English please visit the following link: Still no justice for teen Pinay hit-and-run victim in Spain

Ni Daniel Infante Tuaño

Nagpamisa si Ginang Siony Manongsong Dalisay sa Iglesia de San Agustin sa Barcelona para sa yumaong anak na si Angelica, biktima ng hit and run.

Isang taon na ang nakalipas pero sariwa pa rin sa ina ang trahedya.

Nasagaan habang tumatawid ang 17-taong-gulang na si Angelica sa pedestrian lane sa Munisipalidad ng Gava sa Barcelona.

Ligtas ang kasamang anak at nobyo niya pero nahagip siya at binawian ng buhay dahil sa matinding sugat na natamo.

Ayon sa public attorney na ibinigay sa naulilang pamilya, kusang sumuko ang suspek dahil natunugan niyang mahuhuli na siya ng pulis base na rin sa nakuhang impormasyon sa mga testigo.

Nadistract umano ng celphone ang suspek habang nagmamaneho. Nadiskubri ring expired na ang driver’s license niya at hindi siya ang may-ari ng sasakyan.

Ang suspek ay kinasuhan ng homicide at failure to lend help to injured persons.

Kasalukuyan siyang nakalalaya, pero bawal siyang lumabas ng bansa at pinagrereport sa husgado kada lunes.

Naghihintay pa ng resolusyon mula sa husgado para makapagsampa ng “acusacion” o karampatang kaso laban sa suspek.

“Kung titingnan ko bilang optimista, makatwiran lang na sa loob ng isang taon, magkakaroon na ng hearing, dahil kontrolado na rin ang tema, alam na kung sino,” ani Atty. Ramon Ga Rojas Jaile sa Español.

Masama ang loob ni Ginang Siony sa mabagal na pag-usad ng kaso. Gusto na sana nilang makamit ang hustisya bago pa man iuwi ang abo ni Angelica sa Pilipinas.

“Hintay ka nang hintay, nakakasama ng loob. Gusto kong magalit pero kanino? Yun umiiyak na lang ako dahil habang nagsisindi ako ng kandila sa ceniza nya gabi-gabi gusto kong sabihin na ayan na may nangyari na sa kaso, may nanagot na sa gumawa sa iyo, pero wala, wala akong masabi dahil wala naman talaga. Sabi nga nila walang kasingsakit na mawalan ng isang anak,” ani Gng. Manongsong Dalisay

Nanawagan si Gng. Siony sa konsulado at mga asosasyong pilipino na tulungan siyang mapabilis ang resolusyon sa kaso.

Ang ulat na lumabas sa Balitang Global, TFC, ABS-CBN

PH artifacts part of newly-opened museum in Barcelona

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Bulul. 19th century figures believed by the Ifugaos to protect ricefields and bring abundant harvest. Part of the Filipino collection at Barcelona's newly opened Museum of World Culture. #culture #world #museum #Ifugao #Barcelona #Spain #Philippines #guardian #figures #rice #harvest #beliefs #sculpture #art #ancient #riceterraces #bulul

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SPAIN – Artifacts from the Philippines are included in the permanent collection of the newly opened Museum of World Cultures in Barcelona, Spain.

The Museu de les Cultures del Mon (in Catalan), which opened in February, holds a collection of artifacts from four continents—Africa, Oceania, the Americas, and Asia.

On display in the Philippine section are 19th century Bulul, figures believed by the Ifugaos to protect rice fields and bring abundant harvest, Kalinga’s war shield kalasag, objects of daily use such as spoons and accessories from Isabela and Bontoc, karaban or a bamboo quiver that holds darts from Palawan, mamaan or betel nut boxes from Lanao, and 6th century burial urns from Sultan Kudarat.

 

 

Burial urns from Sultan Kudarat

These are one of the oldest collections the City Council of Barcelona has according to the Museum’s technical director Quim Vicente.

A part of it was brought to Spain during the Barcelona Universal Exposition of 1888 and some were donated by Folch Archaeological Foundation.

Barcelona-based Filipino resident Joel Sibay was surprised to see a Filipino collection in the museum.

“Maganda yung mga koleksyon natin na tinatangkilik sa ibang bansa at malaking bagay sa atin yan,” Sibay said.

Neighboring country Indonesia also has their Wayang Kulit marionettes on display.

Masks of all shapes and sizes from Africa, towering spirit figures bisj from Papua New Guinea, one of the few remaining pieces of fasting Buddha Gandhara, and a figure from Mexico that represents sports and human sacrifice are among the museum pieces that can also be seen inside.

With the help of interactive maps, more can be learned about the traditions and beliefs behind the collections.

“I really like the museum. I didn’t know what I was going to find and I’m very impressed. It’s very well organized. The figures, the little sculptures I think are very, very nice. I’m learning a lot,” museum visitor Marta Perez said.

The museum, housed by renovated medieval mansions Palau Nadal I del Marquès de Llió, can be found at the city’s Gothic Quarter right in front of the popular Picasso Museum. It used to be the location of Barbier-Mueller Pre-Columbian Art and Design museums. Daniel Infante Tuaño, ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report aired on Balitang Global, TFC, ABS-CBN:

 

How Pinoys in Europe are affected by weakening euro

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – Filipinos in Europe are already complaining of the continuous depreciation of euro.

They can’t help but compare the euro-peso exchange rate 10 years ago, when a euro was pegged at P70. But in March, the euro plummeted to almost P46, making it almost equivalent to one US dollar.

Some Filipinos have to send more euros so their families in the Philippines can receive the same amount they have been receiving every month.

Barcelona resident Bryan Avila sends monthly remittance to his parents in the Philippines.

Avila, married and has two kids, needs to further tighten his belt as he also allots a budget for his family in Barcelona.

“Kontrol ngayon dahil mababa ang rate, sa mga bilihin dito, sa mga gamit ng bata, mga pagkain, mga pambayad ng bahay. Budget na budget talaga,” Avila added.

Other Filipinos resort to reducing their remittance or doing extra jobs like Leonilyn Jabon Noche.

“Hindi na talaga kaya yung gastusin dito, yung bahay natin dito na tinitirahan, hindi katulad sa ibang bansa na Saudi, Hong Kong mas libre yung pagkain, libre yung tinirahan, so parang pareho na rin lang kung iko-compare mo sa ibang bansa,” Noche said.

Roger Rafanan is fully aware of his fellow Filipinos’ plight every time he talks to them in his remittance agency.

Rafanan said usually Filipinos send 50 percent of their salary. But due to the depreciation of the euro, some of them are forced to send more than that even though they are not earning more.

“Dahil instead na budget nila dati, dadagdagan pa nila…Hindi naman tumataas yung sahod,” Rafanan said.

Carrer de Joaquin Costa in Barcelona, Spain

According to economist and financial expert Dr. Ricardo Barcelona of Barcino Capitas Limited, the European Central Bank has implemented a policy that intentionally weakens the euro called quantitative easing, which means the Bank buys more US dollars to depreciate the value of euro against the US dollar.

If the euro becomes weak, exports from Europe will become cheaper, sales will increase, and this will eventually bring economic growth to Europe.

“Dito naman sa Pilipinas, ang policy naman ng Central Bank natin, ang tinitingnan nilang exchange rate is Peso-US dollar. Magpadala ka ng euro, ang ginagawa ng mga bangko papalitan yung euro mo to US dollar, ang US dollar mo ipapalit ng peso. Kapag exchange mo ng euro (equivalent to) 1.05 (dollars) na lang, konti yung dollar na makuha mo, ‘pag palit sa peso konti ang makuha mo,” Barcelona explained.

Filipinos in Europe, he added, should pay more attention at the prevailing euro-US dollar exchange rates.

Nonetheless, Barcelona has a positive forecast for Europe.

In 2015, the value of euro and US dollar will be equal, but in 2016, euro will become stronger again against the dollar and European economy will grow especially the Spanish economy.

Barcelona, on the other hand, reminded that Filipino families should not be dependent on exchange rates but rather learn how to manage the remittances.

He also stressed the positive aspect of “malasakit”, however, in the long run it could be detrimental as some families take advantage of this and can become overly dependent on the remittance.

“Yung isa may malasakit sa familia so positive yun. Ang negative side nyan, aasa na lang tayo. Aasa kay ate. Aasa kay kuya. Yung pangalawa, yung mga remittance natin sa isang period yun na pwede tayong magtrabaho, malakas, healthy pa tayo so gawin natin yang opportunity na mag-ipon. Finally, self-reliance talaga ang importante. The beginning and the end of everything is the initiative from the individual,” Barcelona advised. ABS-CBN

Watch the related TV report aired on Balitang Global, TFC, ABS-CBN:

 

‘Kinilaw’ steals spotlight at food festival in Madrid

SPAIN – The Philippines’ very own raw dish in vinegar captivated food lovers and the world’s top chefs who participated in Spain’s important international gastronomy summit, Madrid Fusion.

It is a culinary milestone for the Philippines as this is the first time the country has been invited to showcase Filipino cuisine in an event considered as world’s most important chef’s congress, and a dream come true for superstar Filipino chefs Margarita “Gaita” Fores and Myrna Segismundo to put the country in the world’s culinary map.

Fores and Segismundo’s demonstration on how to prepare kinilaw received enthusiastic reception and praises from the public at the Palacio de Congresos Municipal in Madrid where the event was held.

Fores presented Negrense seabass kinilaw while Segismundo showed how to prepare Batangueño seafood kinilaw. They also prepared grilled pork and fish kinilaw called ‘sinuglaw’ and introduced some of the ingredients that can only be found in the Philippines such as tabon-tabon fruit, calamansi, and salt with coconut called ‘duldul’.

 

 

“Very innovative, I like it a lot. It has a mixture of new flavors, lot of spices, very spicy. It’s new for me,” Amanda Iglesias, a chef at Madrid five-star Hotel Orfila, said in Spanish after tasting kinilaw.

“I never knew that you could create this kind of acidity with this fruit that you have, so it’s amazing to me on how can you avoid to use lime or lemon and use this kind of fruit vinegar,” said Texas-based chef Juan Gomez.

Why kinilaw?

“When the Madrid Fusion people came to Manila, of course we were entertaining them and during the MOA signing, which was happening in Restaurant 9501, we had lechon, adobo, all other things, but it was particularly the kinilaw that caught their attention,” said Segismundo.

She stressed that kinilaw is a Filipino dish that doesn’t have any Spanish, Chinese, or foreign influence on it.

“Kinilaw is pure 100 percent Filipino (pero) international ang appeal,” she said.

Aside from kinilaw, attendees flocked to the Philippine booth strategically located at the venue entrance to have a try of Filipino delicacies such as pili and cashew nuts, chicharon, dried mangoes, and cocktails.

The Philippine delegation, headed by Department of Tourism director for Europe Verna Buensuceso with Agriculture undersecretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, introduced five different Filipino flavors—maalat (salty) matamis (sweet), mapait (bitter), maasim (sour), and malinamnam (tasty).

Taking Madrid Fusion to Manila

Philippine cuisine will be further introduced to the world in the upcoming Madrid Fusion Manila, which will be held on April 24-26 at MOA SMX Convention Center in Pasay.

The country has been chosen to host the event to rekindle cultural and gastronomic ties with Spain, which has strong influence on many Filipino dishes.

“They realized also that for European chefs, for Western chefs, their inspiration now comes from Asia, and our cuisine is so rich, the ingredients are unique,” added Fores.

Eight Spanish Michelin-starred chefs and top Asian chefs will travel to the Philippines to demonstrate and discuss with top Filipino chefs latest techniques and innovations that are transforming the global culinary scene.

“It will be a fusion of chefs of all over the world but also with the Philippines, and I’m looking forward [to it]. I’ve never been to the Philippines. I really want to go for many many years,” said chef Elena Arzak of three-starred Michelin and three-starred Repsol restaurant Arzak in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN.

Fores could not contain her excitement and believes that this will further boost Philippine tourism.

“To come to the Philippines and discover all these new things. I think that they’re really looking at not only our food but at our beaches, our hospitality,” Forés said.

“Alam nyo mga kapamilya, bihirang mangyari ito sa atin sa Pilipinas, sa kasaysayan ng ating kulinarya, ika nga,” said Segismundo. Daniel Infante Tuaño, ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report aired on The World Tonight, ABS-CBN:

Why Pinoy food was served at top Madrid hotels

MADRID, Spain — For two consecutive nights, all-time Filipino favorites such as sinigang, adobo, ginisang munggo, kinilaw were served for dinner at two 5-star hotels in Madrid.

The two-night Filipino banquet was part of the city’s Gastrofestival 2015’s “Dinner with the Stars”.

Star chefs from around the world including top Filipino chefs converged to prepare dinner at the Spanish capital’s most important hotels and restaurants, where residents and tourists can have a taste of diverse gastronomic experience for a special price.

The elegant 1886 mansion Relais & Chauteaux Hotel Orfila was the first to play host to an equally elegant Filipino dinner held on the evening of February 3.

ABS-CBN Restaurant 9501’s Chef Myrna Segismundo with the assistance of Bale Datung’s Chef Claude Tayag took over Jardin de Orfila’s kitchen.

They prepared chicken inasal, tinapa, and sisig for appetizer. Fish and seafood kinilaw were served for the second course, ginisang munggo for third course, pork ribs adobo with papaya and green mango atchara and steamed rice for main course.

For dessert, they served ginataang bilo bilo and turon with chocolate tablea.

 

Kapeng barako, salabat, and calamansi liquor were also offered to the guests after the meal.

On the following night, Cibo’s chef Margarita Forés with the help of an all-Filipino crew made food artistry and special treats for the Goya Restaurant of the chandelier-clad Ritz Hotel.

Forés prepared fish kinilaw, barquillos, Negrense kadyos, and chicharon for appetizer.

Sinigang na hipon at isda sa batwan was served for the second course, pancit guisado with mushroom and chorizo for third course, sugpo sa taba ng talangka with adlai and calamansi ice cream for fourth course, before ending with beef short ribs adobo with atchara, gata, and Cordillera rice.

Dessert featured mango with latik, maja blanca, and melted pastillas de leche with chocolate.

 

Segismundo and Forés also also introduced ingredients that can only be found in the Philippines such as calamansi, chocolate tablea, kapeng barako, adlai, and heirloom rice from the Cordilleras.

“It has been a very excellent opportunity to be able to promote Philippine cuisine, Philippine gastronomy… We are trying to promote more Spanish tourists to go to the Philippines and gastronomy is one of the ways to do it,” said Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos Salinas, who was present in the dinner together with his wife Isabelita, agriculture and tourism officials, and Spanish and Filipino press.

It was first time for Spanish Alfredo Garcia Reyes, food writer for El Mundo’s YoDona magazine, to try Filipino cuisine.

“The quality of the product, the flavors, (it’s) very different from the Spanish food but (there) are similarities between Spanish cooking and Filipino cooking,” said Garcia.

The Gastrofestival 2015 coincided with international food summit Madrid Fusión where Segismundo and Forés also made history with their participation as presenters of Filipino cuisine “kinilaw”.

The two are looking forward to further promoting Philippine gastronomy in the holding of Madrid Fusión in Manila, which is slated on April 24-26 at Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center. Daniel Infante Tuaño, ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report aired on Balitang Global, TFC, ABS-CBN:

 

 

2 Pinoy boys join one of Europe’s oldest choirs

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

BARCELONA – Two Filipino boys in Spain successfully passed the auditions of the prestigious and oldest boys’ choir in Europe.

Jomari Chavez and Kevin Marquez, both 10, are now part of the l’escolania de Montserrat or the Montserrat Boys’ Choir.

Jomari Chavez Edan Galino, one of two members of Filipino descent of Montserrat Boys’ Choir

Kevin Marquez Lilagan singing at a benefit concert with the Montserrat Boys’ Choir.

They were part of the recently concluded benefit concert held at the Iglesia de San Agustin.

Aside from singing and learning to play musical instruments, they must also study elementary and high school at the Montserrat monastery.

The monthly tuition is more than 500 euros or about P27,000, but the two were granted financial support. They won’t have to spend education, food, uniform, fares, as well as expenses related to overseas concerts.

They will live in Montserrat and would be allowed to go home every weekend to their parents.

This kind of arrangement first made Malou Chavez hesitate to enroll her only son there. But the school’s security, quality of education and the disciple they instill in children put her at ease.

“Natutuwa yung amo ko kasi ang sabi niya kung pera ang batayan, maraming mayayaman ang mag-aaral doon. Ang batayan doon talaga ay boses,” said Mrs. Chavez.

For her part, Dolores Marquez fully trusted the institution as her eldest son, Mark Kenjie, had been a part of the boys’ choir.

Mark Kenjie was the first-ever Filipino member of the l’escolania de Montserrat.

“Maganda naman ang buhay nila doon pero talagang mahirap. Pero talagang maganda, para sa kanila, para sa kinabukasan nila. Sacrifice lang dahil mahihiwalay,” said Marquez.

Mark Kenjie is now a member of a popular Catalan choir, the Orfeo Catala.

“Alam na po nilang magbasa ng music, isang instrumento po kung mas maganda pag mayroon silang alam, tapos yung boses po pinaka-importante,” Mark Kenjie said to Pinoys aspiring to become choir members.

Mark Kenjie Marquez, the first Filipino member in the history of L’Escolania de Montserrat with his brother Kevin.

School prefect Fr. Sergi d’Assis Gelpi is happy with his Filipino students and urged more Pinoys to join the choir.

“We would love to have more Philippine boys because the experience we have with these families is so nice. They are very nice people, very catholic people. They love music. So if there’s any Philippine boy who has a good voice, it would be great to join our choir and to share with us the experience at Montserrat,” he said. ABS-CBNnews.com

Watch the related TV report aired on Balitang Global, TFC, ABS-CBN:

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:

 

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:

Why Spain filmfest picked tarsier ‘Gwapo’ as mascot

Poster boy of Asian Summer Film Festival in Spain

By Daniel Infante Tuaño

SPAIN – The tarsier from Boho was chosen as the mascot for this year’s Asian Summer Film Festival which will be held from July 15 to July 20 in the Catalan city of Vic.

The cute and tiny primate, aptly named “Gwapo”, will be gracing the event’s posters to represent the focus country of this year’s Festival–the Philippines.

According to the Festival website cinemaoriental.com, the mascot was conceived in honor of the country and named “Gwapo” to demonstrate the Spanish legacy in the Southeast nation–Filipino word “gwapo” came from the Spanish word “guapo” which both mean handsome.

One of the organizers of the Festival, Eva Clota, said that they always look for a typical animal or a symbol from the focus country to be the mascot. The mascot was drawn by Estudi Xevidom and designed by Valdrada.

“The consul (of the Philippines) from Barcelona proposed the tarsier because of his popularity in the Philippines and because they’re endangered. We thought they are really cute; also they have night habits, as (we have) our nights of dinner and cinema. And because of his big eyes, (which will help us not to) miss anything from the festival,” Clota added.

Philippine Honorary Consul to Barcelona Jordi Puig Roches said that they had had to choose among three animals: the butanding (whale shark), the Philippine eagle and the tarsier.

“Tarsier’s big eyes are good to observe Philippine filmography. The mascot also represents well the Philippine cinema–it might be small but it has big potential and great quality,” Puig said in Spanish.

Remember Weng Weng?

One of the Filipino movies to be shown is a documentary about Weng Weng dubbed as midget James Bond of the Philippines.

“The Search for Weng Weng” is written and directed by Australian Andrew Leavold who went to Manila to find out what have happened to the “For Y’ur Height Only” star.

In the course of his research and interviews about the 80’s blockbuster action star, Leavold discovered and unraveled the history of Pinoy B-movies, which he will be presenting in the Festival.

Also in the Festival is the action movie “Kabisera” directed by Alfonso “Borgy” Torre III and the country’s entry in the Official Section competing against 15 other films from India, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. The winner will be voted by moviegoers attending the screenings.

“Currently, the Philippines has a great reputation in international film festivals due to its auteur, risky, experimental and profoundly artistic works that have won important awards. Directors like Raya Martin, Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz and Pepe Diokno have exported their personal stamp all over the world,” Clota said.

Likewise, the Philippines has produced movies which are more accessible to the public, and these are what the Festival is for.

The Festival, locally known as Festival Nits de Cinema Oriental de Vic, caters to mainstream and blockbuster movies from Asia and also line up activities that showcase Asia’s popular culture and traditional cuisine.

The star of Filipino fiestas ‘lechon’ will be served along with other Filipino dishes in the benefit dinner and inauguration night of the Festival. The dinner is organized in coordination with the Philippines Club de Catalunya and the Consulate General of the Philippines. Proceeds will be donated to the survivors of supertyphoon Haiyan.

Filipino residents in Vic are happy about the Philippines being the featured country of the 11th edition of the Festival.

“Excited kaming mga taga Vic! Magde-day off ako para dyan!” said Severina Galang who has been living and working with her family for may years in Vic.

“Syempre super proud tayong mga Pilipino lalo na kaming mga taga Vic. Mapi-feature ang Pilipinas. Kilala ang mga Pilipino bilang masisipag at magagalang na trabahador dito at sa pamamagitan naman ng proyektong ito ay makikilala rin ang bansa natin,” added Vic resident Nida Dimaano Lasig Octot. ABS-CBNnews.com

 Watch the related TV report in Filipino on Balitang Global: