April 2013 1 JULY 13, 2013 YONGE-DUNDAS April 2013 SQUARE Vol. 2 No.4 FREE ADMISSION TO TALENT, TRADE, TOURISM AT ITS BEST April is Filipino Valor Month “I am like the water that was poured into a river. You cannot Community Champion, Unsung Hero change my direction and barriers cannot stop my flow” - Eugenia “Gene” Lara Gene Lara (September 6, 1938-April 1, 2013) By A.F.Soriano Juana Tejada There is no denying that in April 1.2013 at Mt.Sinai hos- nied after she failed a then- life and in death, Eugenia pital. required second medical ex- “Gene” Lara’s name will al- am. Tejada was suffering It was Gene who approached ways be intertwined with the from cancer and was also re- this writer in March 2007 on late caregiver Juana Tejada. fused medical benefits for the the plight of Tejada, whose disease which she contracted Gene, as she was fondly ad- application for permanent while serving as a caregiver dressed by friends and col- residency under the live-in here in Canada. leagues alike, died peacefully caregiver program was de- (Continued on page 21) TRUDEAU-MANIA The new Liberal Leader DEJA VU Statement by Outgoing Liberal Leader Bob Rae on the Election of Justin Trudeau as the New Liberal Leader OTTAWA– Outgoing Liberal with hope and hard work Leader Bob Rae made the we can make our Party and following statement today our country better. on the election of Justin Tru- I commend all candidates – deau as the new Leader of Justin, Joyce, Martha, Mar- the Liberal Party of Canada: tin, Karen and Deborah, as “It is with great pleasure well as former candidates that I offer my congratula- Marc, David and George – on tions to Justin Trudeau on their hard-fought cam- his election as Leader of the paigns. Each of their candi- Liberal Party of Canada. Jus- dacies has enhanced this tin’s victory is a testament race and helped to fuel a to his industriousness, per- vital debate on the direction Justin Trudeau is sweeping the Canadian political landscape with his charisma and vision in the same sonal appeal and the reso- (Continued on page 11) fashion as his late father (inset), former Prime Minister Pierre Eliot Trudeau. It could also mean the nance of his message that revival of the sagging political fortunes of the Liberal party. TFCKAT FilCan Winner Inside Pages Leads PGT Quarterfinals Boston marathon explosion Page 5 TFCkat Canada 2012 winner who auditioned, Figueroa Toronto lass wins Binibining Russel Figueroa inches clos- was one of two TFCkat win- Pilipinas International 2013 er to his Pilipinas Got Talent ners who made the cut. The Page 3 dream. other finalist was Cris Ber- Are you a BIMPO, a TRAPO nardo from Dubai. or BAGPOL Page 4 PGT 4 Judges Ai Ai Delas William “Billy” Esposo, 64 Alas, Kris Aquino and Fred- Page 3 die Garcia delivered the A Friend remembers Gene good news to Figueroa via Page 7 Skype. The Vancouver based Globe and Mail cites Hotdog singer was ecstatic as he re- Band guitarist ceived the news with his Page 12 wife. Tourism and Lifestyle Page 19 All judges had wonderful Music Stand Figueroa was selected as things to say about Russel’s Page 25 one of the season’s top 36 performance. According to finalists, allowing him to en- Kris, “yung pagkanta mo ay TFCkat Canada 2013 now accepting entries! ter the quarterfinals. Out of For further inquiries, please call the TFC Canada office at (Continued on page 23) 416 601 1886 ext 231 or email [email protected] 9 TFCkat global winners April 2013 2 April 2013 3 MANILA FEEDBACK Toronto lass wins Binibing Pilipinas International 2013 BEA ROSE SANTIAGO, a 20 Bea is a proud product of year old beauty queen from the International Profes- Toronto bagged the prestig- sional Entertainment Net- ious Bb. Pilipinas Interna- work (IPEN) headed by Ed- tional title in the recently gar Sulit. IPEN is the only concluded Bb. Pilipinas Uni- Filipino pageant organizer verse Pageant held at the in Toronto that sends its Smart Araneta Coliseum in winners to international Manila. Bea bested 49 other competitions. To date, IPEN candidates from all over the has sent twelve of its win- Philippines. She also won ners to international pag- the Miss Avon Award. Bea eants in a period of less than will represent the Philip- two years. Before joining pines in the Miss Interna- the Bb. Pilipinas tilt, Bea tional Pageant to be held represented the Philippines late this year. Her beauty, in the Miss Tourism Queen poise and personality played of the Year Pageant in China a big role in quest for the wherein she was judged as prestigious title. one of the 10 semi finalists. Bea is not new to beauty IPEN is planning to host a pageants. In 2011, Bea was The winners of the Binibining Pilipinas 2013 beauty pageant are (L-R): Pia Wurtzbach - First runner grand victory and home- crowned as Metro Toronto’s up, Joanna Cindy Miranda - Bb Pilipinas-Tourism, Ariella Arida - Bb Pilipinas Universe, Bea Rose San- coming party for Bea in the Prettiest Filipina. The same tiago - Bb Pilipinas-International, Mutya Johanna Datul - Bb Pilipinas-Supranational next few weeks. year, she was crowned a and represented the Filipino Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant won the Mutya ng Pilipinas Mutya ng Pilipinas Canada Community in Canada in the held in Manila where she Overseas Community title. Esposo a true Filipino in word and deed – Palace MANILA, Philippines - He is Communications Operations his mighty pen, literally an exemplar and a role Office Secretary Herminio ‘wrecking chairs’ by demol- model of what it is to be a Coloma said with the skillful ishing myths, falsehoods Filipino in thought, word use of his journalistic and and infirm ideas – and re- and deed. literary talents, Esposo “had lentlessly espousing truth, explained the issues of the reason and justice,” Coloma Malacan ang yesterday paid day with outstanding clarity said. tribute and bid goodbye to and given his legions of STAR columnist (As I Wreck readers a strategic perspec- With Esposo’s death, Co- This Chair) and Philippine tive on how daily events af- loma said the country lost Legion of Honor awardee fect and transform the life of an ardent advocate of peo- William “Billy” Esposo with a nation and its people.” ple power and a full- these words. blooded Filipino patriot. “Most of all, he has inspired Esposo died of heart failure Filipinos to chart their fu- “Before his death, he pur- on Sunday at the Makati ture with the unique blend sued with great fervor a Medical Center. He was 64. special project: the writing The remains of William Esposo lie at the Santuario de San Antonio’s of courage and determina- Capilla San Francisco in Forbes Park, Makati City. MANNY MARCELO tion with which he wielded In a statement, Presidential (Continued on page 5) Young man’s graduation photo by Manila offers US its parents’ grave moves netizens military bases in case of By Marcicar Cinco N.Korea war “shared” at least 15,900 Agence France-Presse times as of Friday morning. MANILA - The US would be The 21-year-old Infor- allowed to station forces at mation Technology gradu- military bases in the Philip- ate said the picture was tak- pines if it went to war with en on March 31, five days North Korea, Foreign Secre- after his graduation from tary Albert del Rosario said the Colegio de San Juan de Saturday citing a treaty be- Letran in Manila. tween the allies. He, with his two cousins, "Our mutual defense treaty went to the San Pedro Me- calls for joint action if either morial Park where his par- the Philippines or the Unit- ents are buried. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario ed States is attacked," del to a question about whether “My cousins and I regularly Rosario said in comments the archipelago, a former US visit the cemetery because sent to AFP at a time of colony, would allow the sta- “Akala nyu kayo lang ang may picture kasama parents nyu ha :)) pero our grandmother is also heightened tensions on the tioning of American troops ma pa this is for the both of you i hope that you are proud of me :))” buried there. But they did- Korean peninsula. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/KEVIN VILLANUEVA n’t know I packed my grad- on its soil in case war broke "It would then be logical to uation toga with me during out between the US and assume that in the event of SAN PEDRO, Laguna, Philip- taken seated next to his our last visit,” he said in a North Korea. pines—Kevin Villanueva’s parents’ grave. an attack on the Philippines telephone interview on The Korean peninsula has graduation photo would not or on our treaty ally, the US The picture, showing Vil- Thursday. been engulfed by escalating have been any different would be allowed to use our lanueva in his graduation military tensions and dire from those of other fresh Villanueva donned the toga bases," he added. toga, immediately went vi- threats of nuclear war since graduates surrounded by while his cousin, Sarah ral on the Internet, with at Del Rosario was responding family — had he not had his (Continued on page 24) least 232,000 “likes” and (Continued on page 19) April 2013 4 EDITORIAL WILL YOU VOTE FOR A “TRAPO, BIM- COUNTERPOINT PO OR BAGPOL”? A.F. Soriano THE “EPALS “ IN THE COMMUNITY The May 13 general (or mid- and beneficial to the country.