The election in Manitoba of two Members of the Legislature (MLA) last Oct. 4 puts Filipinos in the province firmly in the political map, ahead of any other province including British Columbia. A total of seven Filipinos run for office – the largest of any provincial election with three Filipino candidates in one riding alone. Incumbent NDP MLA Flor Marcelino, who has the distinction of being the first woman of colour to have a cabinet post, was reelected in the Logan riding in Winnipeg. His brother-in-law, Ted Marcelino won the seat for Tyndall Park also for the NDP. Ted defeated Liberal Roldan Sevillano and Conservative Chris Aglugub. Four other Filipinos are members of Winnipeg School Boards and one sits as a City Councilor eclipsing any other city in Canada in terms of civic officials. Two women candidates in the Ontario election last Oct. 6 were unsuccessful in their first bid for office.
Next month (Nov. 19), we will see if our own British Columbia will elect its first Councilor for Vancouver – Rafael ‘RJ” Aquino (COPE) and Parks Board Commissioner Gabby Kalaw (NPA) and Rod Belleza for School Trustee in Richmond.
Sex Tourism - Pang-distract lang
The latest distraction that Philippine officials are having is the ‘furour’ over U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas’ remarks that 40% of U. S. tourists go to the Philippines for ‘sex’
Immediately, the self-righteous guardians of Philippine decency and morals, the likes of Senators Enrile and Miriam Defensor came to the defense of the country’s honour. Even DOJ chief Leila de Lima succumbed to the urge to ‘untarnish’ the image of the country.
Why quibble about the source of the stats that the Ambassador used? Everybody in the Philippines knows how the country’s sex tourism abounds. Nobody has to armed oneself with documents to prove it’s happening. I remember years ago when our family first returned to the country after 12 years.
My daughters were only in their teens then and it was hard to explain to them what was happening in the bus from Baguio to Manila. Sitting beside us was a Filipina ‘cavorting’ with a Japanese tourist. Wherever you are - Boracay or Bohol, you see them everywhere.
Instead of looking at the problem and trying to solve it, Philippine officials try to discredit the messenger and cover-up the truth. I also recall being in the receiving end when I spoke at our church about the work of Development & Peace and mentioned the plight of Filipinos leaving the country as maids in Hong Kong, prostitutes in Japan, nannies in Canada, etc. and challenged my listeners to the cause of these migration.
After my talk, a Filipino family accosted me right inside the church for my remarks about prostitution and was on the verge of assaulting me if not for the timely intervention of another parishioner.
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