Volume XXVII No. 1 January 2009 www.filipinostar.org RP Optimistic about Obama MANILA, Philippines—Faced among [Filipino] health workers with heavy job losses in export- because [the United States] needs oriented industries, especially them.” electronics and garments, the Improving health care along Philippines can find hope in labor with expanding renewable energy is policies to be set by new US President among the initiatives that Obama is Barack Obama that may give Filipinos pushing as he seeks to build public a chance of working in the United support for an $825-billion economic States, according to the Overseas recovery plan. Workers Welfare Administration In his weekly radio address on (OWWA). Saturday, he pledged to use the fund “We are hoping that there to create jobs. would be new policies that would help Saying more people filed for hasten migration, particularly for unemployment this week than at any [professionals in the] health sector, time in the past 26 years, Obama because the Philippines has a bigger warned joblessness could hit double chance [of finding] employment in this digits and the economy could fall $1 sector,” OWWA Administrator trillion short of its full capacity if Carmelita Dimzon told reporters in nothing was done. Baguio City on Friday. Obama said the economic Dimzon said the United States, January 20, 2009 at 12 noon, the 44th president of the United States, recovery plan would save or create 3 where about two million Filipinos live Barack Obama, put his hand on the Bible that Abraham Lincoln used on million to 4 million jobs while investing March 4, 1861, and took his oath of office in front of the Chief Justice of and work, was still the top destination in clean energy development, the US Supreme Court, John Roberts, while Michele and their two for nurses and Filipino migrants. education and improving health care daughters looked on amidst an approximate crowd of 2 million people at efficiency. “The United States has a great the National Mall in Washington, DC. need for health care because of [its] Jobs lost daily aging population. [It needs] more United States was carrying out belt- million jobs last year, the highest yearly In the Philippines, hundreds of nurses and the Philippines has tightening measures, she had yet to job loss since 1945. One bright spot workers are losing their jobs daily, become a good source of manpower,” hear about the displacement of Filipino was the health care sector, which mostly in the electronics industry, she said. migrants. added 372,000 jobs. which has suffered from plunging Manuela Peña, OWWA Suffering from a shrinking Peña expressed confidence See Page 4 Obama Cordillera director, noted that while the economy, the United States shed 2.6 “that there will be no retrenchment Stephen Harper meets the ethnic media Montreal, January 9, 2009 - A Contents round table conference with the ethnic media was one of the pre-budget Cooperative News . .p. 3 consultations that the Prime Minister made during his visit to Montreal. Tourism . p. 6 Earlier in the day, he met with CEOs of major businesses. The business Global Perspectives . p. 10 executives who met with Harper included Pierre Beaudoin of Philippine Cuisine . p. 11 Bombardier Inc. and Power Corp's Paul Demarais. Sources inside the meeting Filstar Photo Gallery . p. 12,13 say Bombardier pushed for high speed train service between several Quebec and Ontario cities, while other leaders Home Business . p. 14 urged the government to reinvest in the Employment Insurance program. Showbiz Gossip . p. 18 A random selection of questions from the ethnic press was Classified Ads . p. 21 conducted by a moderator. and they were mostly informational. Many of the journalists’ questions were about the Prime Minister Stephen Harper flanked by Senator Leo Housakos, and Federal Minister for increasing unemployment. The Prime Public Works Christian Paradis, listens intently to a question during the press conference See Page 4 Ethnic Press held with the ethnic media, January 9, 2009 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. 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E-Mail: [email protected] Until now, after over three research, we could also find solutions Come and visit us for our months, the Obama story is still the to our economic crisis by working topic of conversations, and all kinds of together. IN STORE SPECIALS people are expressing their great It may be a controversial move admiration, enthusiasm and optimism when President Obama allowed himself Gift baskets, gift certificates about the future. The economy may be to be interviewed by Moslem media but in a dire strait but it has not dampened this certainly shows how sincere he is available for all occasions. the spirit of people who believe in in his desire to open the channels of change. Yes, we can, and now we will. communication with those who have It just proves once more that Barack grudges against the United States. He Obama’s incredible rise to power from has said that he wants to be president humble beginnings has inspired many, of all, and he wants to know what is even those who are not from the black causing the great divide between community. His inauguration was countries and among people. watched around the world, attended by It is said that the only constant more than two million people, and his thing is change itself, but we still do not speech surely was heard loud and seem to feel it happening until a clear. He recognized the many historical event has transpired like challenges he and the nation face but Barack Obama’s election as the first he is not daunted by the size of the African-American president of the problems before him. He sounded United States. He made the word strong, confident, and true to his belief “change” a powerful slogan for his that by working together, America can campaign, and it is now the same be great once more and lead the world slogan that may lead us all to be pro- into prosperity and freedom. He calls active in our daily life. Mr. Obama this period of history the new era of conducted himself, not as a black responsibility. person but as a man with vision. He It is too early to know if inspired young people to go out and President Obama will achieve all that vote. Because of his experience as a he wants to achieve, But from what he community organizer he knew how to has said and done, the world seems to mobilize people in the grassroots level have a lot of reasons to hope for a to act. Hopefully, he will continue to better world, one that will be governed carry the same idea into the other wisely and justly, If leaders both in things he must do to make people America and anywhere else around the follow him specially those who have world will take a lead from his example, been against the ideals of democracy. we will all be encouraged to choose not President Obama also has the easiest path but the right one to get shown decisiveness and determination to where we want to go. If we in his leadership role. He did not waste follow the news closely and listen to all any time at all. A day after his kinds of people, both in favor or against inauguration, he signed executive the policies of the new administration, orders that he believes will be the we can detect that there is a vibrant starting point - to make sure that there move to find solutions to all the are strong guidelines to be followed in problems we all face. There is a feeling the White House. He calls it of goodwill, even though politics still “transparency”, and a high standard seem to play a role in the debates in the code of ethics. How we wish that this legislative bodies. It is not easy to was done, too, by our Philippine capture the essence of the moment in a president when she first assumed few words but we seem to feel that power in Malacanang Palace. It could there is a real change going on that will have been a significant step in the dramatically result in a “paradigm eradication of corruption in the We sell fresh vegetables weekly. shift”. Taking the example from the top, government. Order lechon for Saturday pick up but we need at least we no longer have to do things the old It has been only a week since fashion way, Instead, we have to see President Obama came into power but a minimum order of 15 lbs by Thursday. the world under a new light. New it seems that many things have been Call us at 514-733-8915 to place your orders. sources of energy must be found in done.