Canadian Embassy gears up for more VISA applicants

Canada is sending more immigration officers to its embassy in Manila in preparation for the expected huge volume of visa applications in the Philippines.

The embassy’s visa processing offices will also be renovated for expansion to accommodate more applicants, according to Canada’s Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration in a statement on Monday.

Canada has opened its labor market to Filipino workers, with the provinces of Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Manitoba signing agreements with the Philippines on the recruitment of Filipino workers. The province of Alberta is working out a similar agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment.

“Our government supports the Filipino community in Canada. There has been a longstanding concern that processing times needed to improve. Today, we are taking action and committing more resources to help applicants from the Philippines," said Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada will be reconfiguring existing offices and adding new space at the Canadian Embassy to accommodate Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) program needs.

Starting middle of this year, CIC will add three additional Canada-based immigration officers and four locally-engaged staff to work at the embassy. More CIC staff could be added the following year, the ministry advisory stated.

The increase in staff is also intended to address the increased volume of temporary foreign worker applications while at the same time ensuring that processing times for other lines of service are also improved.

The number of temporary workers coming to Canada from around the world has soared in recent years in an effort to meet this country’s labor market needs.

In 2006, Canada welcomed 8,529 temporary foreign workers from the Philippines. This number is expected to continue to grow in response to increasing demands from Canadian employers for temporary workers.

-via gma news

A Reality Show for UNEMPLOYED PINOYS

It has always been a known fact that one of our country’s greatest problems is unemployment.

To help our country in solving this challenge, Q-11 developed a new reality show called "Hired!" It’s the only reality show in the Philippines that gives job opportunities. Hosted by Paolo Abrera and Mariz Umali, "Hired!" aims to give deserving individuals a chance to finally land their dream job!

"Hired!" will feature several applicants vying for one job through a series of challenges that will test their skills, smarts and determination. The applicants who will be competing on-cam will be chosen from the hundreds of applications and auditions conducted by the show.

The program will also select judges who can assist the employer in deciding who should win the coveted position.

"These tasks were not only given just for the sake of putting up a contest but designed to test the skills and knowledge of these applicants with regards to the jobs up for grabs and which they are applying for," explains Mariz.

Aside from the challenges, "Hired!" viewers will also learn tips, strategies and techniques on how to get their dream jobs – how an employer usually thinks during a job screening, what to do during job interviews, etc.

"We’ll also share tips for job hunters on how to make themselves more marketable to potential employers and show them specific skills that they must develop for a particular field that they may be interested in," says Paolo.

"Hired!" begins on Q today, Feb. 10, 8 p.m. with its search for a florist for the largest flower retailer in the country.

via manila bulletin online

Beer with VITAMIN B!!!

Good news for beer lovers!

This could be the start of something big... and healthy.

A Filipino-made beer with vitamin B took center stage during the gathering of members of the International Federation of Inventors' Association in Bangkok, Thailand, recently.

Some of the inventors showcased by inventors from all over the world included chopsticks that double as a toothbrush and a hi-tech sandwich filling spreader.

The crowd, however, made a bee-line to the beer concocted by Filipino Inventor Billy Malang.

Unlike ordinary beer, Malang's beer has vitamin B.

"All clear beers have no vitamins. It just contain alcohol, which is converted to sugar which gives you a big tummy, called the beer belly. So I brought back the vitamin B to make beer a healthier habbit," said Malang.

Malang was among inventors from 27 countries who featured more than new 150 inventions in the gathering.

-via abs-cbn interactive

JDV-OUT, NOGRALES-IN as House Speaker

Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. was officially ousted from his seat and replaced by Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles as the new speaker of the House of Representatives shortly before 1 a.m Tuesday.

The voting to declare the speakership post vacant ended with 174 congressmen voting in the affirmative as opposed to 35 negative votes for the motion to declare the speakership as vacant. Sixteen were counted as abstentions.

The votes totaled 225. According to the House Website (www.congress.gov.ph), there are 240 sitting congressmen.

Shortly after the lengthy nominal voting, de Venecia resigned to his fate and recommended his replacement.

"I am sure that our dear friend and colleague, one of the outstanding leaders of this country and of this house… I propose him to become our next speaker: Speaker [Prospero] Boy Nograles," said de Venecia.

The proposal was sealed when the lawmakers agreed to close the nomination of Nograles.

-abs-cbn interactive

After 8 years: Jessa, Ruffa Mae Still fighting over Dingdong

Every tell-all interview deserves more telling from those being told about, it seems. After publishing a no-holds barred interview with singer Pops Fernandez (wherein she details how she was dumped by then hubby singer Martin Nievera, and notes the effects of post-coital urinary tract infection on one's marriage), YES! magazine seems to have another hit in the making.

This time around, it's bosomy comedian-actress-singer Rufa Mae Quinto getting the ire of singer and former politician Dingdong Avanzado and his wife, singer Jessa Zaragosa.

The couple moved residence to the United States a few years ago.

Zaragosa, who was a popular singer with a string of monster hits in the 1990s, vented her disappointment and called Quinto a liar on ABS-CBN's "The Buzz" on Sunday through a phone interview from her home in California.

The whole fracas arose from statements made by Quinto in the YES! interview, where she revealed the depths of the heartache she felt after her then-boyfriend Avanzado was "stolen" by Zaragosa.

Zaragosa denied Quinto's claims.

"Unang-una, nung mga panahon po na yon, wala pong inagaw, wala pong inagawan at wala rin po akong sinira na relasyon nila ni Dingdong noon... hindi po siya girlfriend ni Dingdong Avanzado," said Zaragosa.

(First of all, at the time, no one was "stolen", nobody was stolen from anyone, and I never ruined her relationship with Dingdong then... she was not the girlfriend of Dingdong Avanzado.)

-full story

MAROON 5 is ready to rock Manila!

Their latest album is titled "It Won’t Be Soon Before Long"—and guess what, Pinoy fans of Maroon 5 won’t have long to wait before the band behind hits like "She Will Be Loved" and "This Love" comes to Manila for the first time for a show on March 5 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Composed of Adam Levine, James Valentine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Matt Flynn, Maroon 5 debuted in 2002 with their first album, Songs About Jane. The album, which contained a number of songs about Levine’s tumultuous relationship with his ex-girlfriend Jane, enjoyed major chart success, harvesting up to triple platinum awards across the globe. The group spent two years touring and riding on the album’s success, then followed that up with their latest release. "It Won’t Be Soon Before Long" proved that at least in Maroon 5’s case, lightning can—and does—strike twice. The album became just as big as its predecessor, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart with first week sales of nearly half a million copies.

In 2005, Maroon 5 formally joined the ranks of music heavies when the Los Angeles-based band received a Grammy for Best New Artist. The following year, they received a second Grammy award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for This Love, which also became a big hit in the Philippines.

That being the case, it was only a matter of time before Viva Concerts and tapped Maroon 5 to do a show in Manila.

Maroon 5 Live in Manila is a project of Viva Concerts and Events and is presented by SMART Buddy in cooperation with San Miguel Beer with No Curfew, Tommy Hilfiger, MTV, PBO and ABS-CBN as sponsors.

For tickets, call the Ticketnet at 911-5555. Tickets are priced at P10,500 (VIP), P7,875 (Patron A and B), P5,250 (Lower Box), P3,938 (Upper Box A), P2,625 (Upper Box B) and P1,575 (General Admission).

-manila bulletin online

The Healing Priest

MANILA, Philippines -- Close to 10,000 people have converged early Thursday at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy in Mandaluyong City to get a glimpse of and be blessed by healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez, a radio report said.

As early as 10 p.m. Wednesday, devotees have been turning up in droves for a chance to attend the 9 a.m. healing Mass of the world renowned Catholic priest, a radio dzMM report said.

Organizers of the event have given priority to wheelchair-bound and gravely ill patients who were ushered inside the church, the report said.

Others who were not as seriously sick were issued tickets -- on a first come-first served basis -- and led into the nearby gym in the City Hall compound on Maysilo Circle where they will await their turn to enter the church, the report added.

Batches of only 500 persons will be allowed to enter the church.

From 6 a.m. up to 1 p.m., the street leading to the city hall -- San Francisco Street -- will remain closed to accommodate the more than 50,000 people expected to attend the healing event, the report said.

About 500 policemen were deployed to maintain peace and order.

-inquirer.net

ABS-CBN to appeal SC ruling on WOWOWEE CASE

ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation's chief legal officer said the media giant will file a motion for reconsideration, after the Supreme Court dismissed the network's petition requesting a dismissal of an investigation conducted by the Department of Justice on the "Wowowee" stampede that killed 71 people.

The deadly stampede on February 4, 2006 happened as a crowd of 'Wowowee' fans (estimates run as high as 30,000 people) tried to get into the show's first year anniversary bash inside the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

ABS-CBN earlier questioned the DOJ probe before the Supreme Court, claiming that the speedy investigation as well as certain statements by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez proved that the agency is biased against the network.

The 22-page decision penned by Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales said that the high court found nothing defective in the DOJ's complaint and resolution despite having no signed affidavit from the victims. The Supreme Court said that the facts of the case as stated on record are sufficient.

The high court also said that remarks made by Gonzalez to the media do not indicate that he has already pre-judged the case. It added that any fear on the part of the network regarding possible bias is just "speculation."

The Supreme Court also disagreed with ABS-CBN's contention that the DOJ violated lawful procedure by conducting both the criminal as well as preliminary investigation on the Wowowee stampede.

The high court said that records show that it was the National Bureau of Investigation, not the DOJ, that conducted the criminal investigation.

Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez said that the high court's decision paves the way for the continuation of legal proceedings, although the network still has 15 days to file a motion for reconsideration.

ABS-CBN's official statement on the Supreme Court ruling is as follows:

"ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation will file a motion for reconsideration with the Supreme Court.

"We want to emphasize that this is not a ruling on the merits of the case. There is no finding of any liability on the part of any officers or staff of ABS-CBN.

"We maintain our position that ABS-CBN was not remiss in taking the necessary precautions in undertaking the event. While we believe that there was no negligence on the part of the network’s officials, ABS-CBN has taken the lead in helping the victims’ families through the 71 Dreams Foundation."




-abs-cbn news

Body Talk with Riza Santos

Aside from new friends, guess what Riza Santos, 2006 Miss Earth-Canada, gained inside Big Brother’s house? Seven pounds, would you believe?

“It was because I ate a lot of peanut butter inside; in fact, I ate a lot maybe because we had so much down time and I was stressed-out,” laughed Riza who was among the 15 housemates of the ABS-CBN reality-TV Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition 2 (won by Ruben Gonzaga of Davao) who spent 84 days together. “Now, I have to work out double time to shed those excess poundage.”

Asked what was the best lesson that she learned “inside,” Riza gave a famously “beauty contest” answer.

“Dealing with people from all walks of life in different situations. Remember, I had to live with these people 24/7. And that’s a lot of time! Also, I learned more about myself more than anything.”

Before winning the Miss Earth-Canada crown (after competing in three other contests, one of which declared her Miss Teen Philippines-Canada), Riza was in school finishing Biological Sciences, preparatory to a medical course. She also served as a soldier in the Canadian Army.

A pure Filipino (her father, Ruel Santos, is from Bulacan; her mom, Dina Buenaventura, from Bataan) born in Alberta, west of Canada, Riza said she’s 100 percent Filipino and 100 percent Canadian as well.

“I grew up in a huge Filipino community where there are around 40,000 Filipinos. There are more than 111 Filipino associations in my city and that’s how I learned how to speak Tagalog. I was brought up the Filipino way. I know a lot of Filipino dances; I know how to dance the Tinikling and Singkil. I come from a conservative family but I won’t say that my parents are strict.”

A Virgo, Riza stands 5’7", weighs 120 lbs. (from 125 when she came out of Big Brother’s house) and measures 35-25-35. A contract artist of Viva Records, Riza aspires to be an over-all performer.

“I have experience in hosting but my forte is singing and dancing. I’m into acting now.”

-Philippine Star -full story

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pictures from jojie alcantara of www.witerary.com