Puerto Princesa Subterranean River // Photo: New7Wonders

The provisional results are based on the first count of vote which closed last Friday November 11 (Saturday, Sydney time).

The voting is now being checked according to the website of the organising New 7 Wonders, and is being validated and independently verified.

The confirmed winners will be announced early next year during the official inauguration ceremonies.

The Puerto Princesa subterranean River, also known as Puerto Princesa Underground River or PPUR, is described by the New 7 Wonders as:

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world’s longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water’s edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

The six other new wonders are the Amazon Rainforest in South America, Halong Bay in Vietnam, Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina, Jeju Island in Korea, Komodo National Park in Indonesia, and Table Mountain in South Africa.

The new seven wonders were elected by popular votes from a list of 21 candidates shortlisted from amongst 77 nominations as at December 31, 2008.

The campaign to nominate the new seven wonders of nature was started by New7Wonders Foundation in 1999 when its founder Canadian filmmaker-writer-adventurer Bernard Weber began to gather nominations for the new seven wonders of the world.

Four Philippine sites were nominated to a world vote in 2008. The four sites were Tubbataha Reef (Sulu Sea), the Chocolate Hills (Bohol), the Subterranean River of Puerto Princesa (Palawan) and Mayon Volcano (Albay).

The latest Filipino radio program, Radio Kawayan, will go to air at 7pm-8pm on community radio station 2SWR-FM 99.9 in the city of Blacktown.

Filipino Press Group of Sydney (Filpress) is a group of Sydney-based Filipino print, online, and broadcast media practitioners.

Pimentel said that Radio Kawayan will broadcast mainly in English with a sprinkling of Tagalog and other Filipino dialects.

“Radio Kawayan joins the daily SBS Radio Filipino program (nationwide), and the weekly Pinoy Radio (statewide), Radio Sandigan (inner west), Radio Tamaraw (Liverpool-Fairfield), and Radio Bandila (Parramatta-Hills) in the growing network of Filipino-Australian radio programs across the Sydney metropolitan area,” added Pimentel.

Amb. Harry K Thomas // US State Dept

The recommendation draws from a Forum held last October 10 on the recent controversy resulting from the remarks of Thomas that 40% of male visitors to the Philippines come for sexual gratification.

The Forum on “Ambassador Thomas – What Next?” was held at the Intramuros Restaurant, South San Francisco.

PAPC encompasses Filipino-American media and practitioners in the United States. GFN is an international organization of global Filipino leaders and organizations in 30 countries, including the United States and the Philippines, committed to “Building the Global Filipino Nation for Good Governance”.

The Forum participants acknowledged the role of Ambassador Thomas of reminding the country of the human trafficking issue.

GFN and PAPC noted that” “The country has uncontestable affliction with the social evils of prostitution and pedophile behavior. No society is immune from these ills that flesh is heir to.”

GFN and PAPC urged the government to take proactive steps in questioning and apprehending violators of the law. The groups recommended renewed instructions and training for agents of the law and citizens’ participation by way of reportorial action.

Forum participants noted that Ambassador Thomas committed grave blunders when he uttered two assertive falsehoods: the first was the baseless reference to the statistical incidence of sexual motivation among male foreign visitors, the second being his escape excuse of indicating that his source was the Dept. of Justice – which was officially denied.

GFN and PAPC noted that: “The percentage cited is inconsequential. What was unsettling and incomprehensible is the fact that, for a senior and highly educated diplomat, he had no informed basis for supporting his affirmation.”

There was grave concern on the impact on the image of the country, the self-esteem and self-image of Filipinos, especially the youth and children, GFN and PAPC added.

While Thomas informally texted his apology to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, GFN and PAPC noted that ceases to be an effective Ambassador to the Philippines. The groups said that; “An Ambassador must be credible, trustworthy and congenial.”

GFN and PAPC added that: “Ambassador Thomas remains unquestionably a competent diplomat. But given the environment now surrounding his office, his reassignment would best serve Philippine and US interests.”

INC District Minister for Australia-Oceania Emmanuel Era officially opening Appreciation Day to welcome residents of Minchinbury and other suburbs // Photo: TFA

What better way to start Spring than to demonstrate the spirit of GIVING!

Last weekend, September 3, the members of Iglesia Ni Cristo’s Minchinbury congregation celebrated the warm day by throwing away a Neighbourhood Appreciation Day.

Present were INC District Minister Emmanuel Era, who did the ribbon-cutting ceremony signalling the start of the open day festivities, and church officers and members who welcomed residents in Minchinbury and neighbouring suburbs.

The fast-growing Christian organisation thanked the local residents for their continuous support and hospitality by providing amazing FREE treats including Kids games, rides and crafts centre while the adults availed FREE services including health screenings and Wellness Education from licensed medical professionals, photo souvenir from the busy Photo Booth, and surprise gifts from Dad’s Corner.

We also couldn’t resist indulging in the Beauty & Nail Bar, Hair Bar, Massage Bar plus the FREE food, drinks and live entertainment.

As I know very little about the church, what I enjoyed the most was the chapel tour where we learned that this growing organisation that was started in 1914 by Brother Felix Y. Manalo in the Philippines is now present in over 90 countries and territories.

The church group has also been in Western Sydney for the last 24 years with over 700 active members promoting equality and brotherhood. Initially, the members used rented community halls for their worship services until August 1996 when they moved to the Minchinbury church building.

Apparently, last Saturday’s Neighbourhood Appreciation Day is the very first INC event of its kind staged in Australia.
It is part of the INC philanthropic program, launched in the United States last April, to help families and communities during challenging economic times by leveraging on the skills and expertise of Church members in implementing positive solutions and offering services focused on the basic needs of their neighbours.

Other Neighbourhood Appreciation Days are being planned in other congregations in Metro Sydney and in other Australian capital cities.

To the organizers – we thank you for a very enjoyable day where we felt part of the family. A true brotherhood at work indeed!

*** Bless Salonga is a freelance writer whose passion includes business management & coaching, choreography and music. She is also the co-founder and the Media & Community Coordinator for The MOB radio.

Photos: The Filipino Australian

L-R: Mayor Paul Lake, Rizal Park Movement Founding President Lourdes Kaiser, Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, and Rizal Park Movement PRO and Founding Member Max Lopez during their recent site inspection visit.

Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Paul Lake, said the redevelopment of Rizal Park in Campbelltown’s Anthony Drive, Rosemeadow is continuing and has now entered the next stage, the Campbelltown City Council reported in its website recently.

The city council also reported that the construction of electric barbecue facilities and landscaping had now been completed together with a new picnic shelter area, more than 500 plants and trees, and a new entrance sign with the words ‘Rizal Park’.

‘The latest works further reflect the passion and commitment of members of the Campbelltown and Region Filipino Community Council and the Rizal Park Movement of Campbelltown, who have worked tirelessly to bring this transformation to fruition, and I commend their efforts,’ Mayor Lake was quoted.

Rizal Park is a 2.6 hectare reserve off Anthony Drive, Rosemeadow within the Campbelltown district.

It was in 1987 when the park was named after the Philippine national hero, Dr Jose Rizal, after lobbying by the Philippine-Australian Friendship Association.

In 2009, the master plan to redevelop the park was finalised by the city council. The key features of the plan included a playground facility, a bust / statue of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, shade structures, BBQ facilities, toilet facilities, an informal kickabout area, landscaped areas, and carpark with entry structure.

The plan also envisaged pathways and cycleways to connect the various elements of the park and “to reflect the structure of the original Rizal Park in Manila”.

Following the completion of the master plan, the first major redevelopment work delivered was a children’s playground.

In another reporting, The Filipino Australian learned that through the efforts of Rizal Park Movement and the Philippine Consulate General’s Office in Sydney, the Department of Foreign of Foreign Affairs through the initiative of Philippine Ambassador to Australia Belen Anota and DFA Assistant Secretary for Asia Pacific Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro, was able to secure a donation of a statue from renowned Filipino Sculptor Eduardo Castrillo for installation in Rizal Park Campbelltown.

The statue will be about five metres tall, made of hollow bronze, and weigh about 500 kilograms.

Once completed, the statue will be donated by the artist to the Philippine Government for turn over to the City of Campbelltown.

The statue is scheduled for installation in June 2012 in time for the conclusion of the national hero’s sesquicentennial birth anniversary.

Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, Rizal Park Movement Founding President Lourdes Kaiser and PRO and Founding Member Max Lopez, along with the other founding members of RPM, are the Filipino community’s liaison with the Campbelltown City Council on the park enhancement program.

Crowd in one of the shows in last year's Fiesta Kultura

Exhibit organiser Menchie Maneze said that the exhibit aims to showcase the works of Filipino visual artists and craftspeople in Sydney, especially the “new and emerging artists whom we haven’t heard much about”.

Visual and literary arts to be displayed will include drawings, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, film, multimedia, and books and print materials authored by Filipino writers in Australia, said Maneze.

Fiesta Kultura is staged by the Philippine Australia Sports and Culture, Inc. every October usually coinciding with a long week-end in New South Wales.

The event, previously called Philippine Fiesta, features trade exhibits, food festival, entertainment, children’s games and amusement rides, and a beauty pageant.

This year’s Fiesta Kultura will be held on Sunday, October 2 at Fairfield Showground, Smithfield Road, Bossley Park.

INC evangelist Emmanuel Era discusses biblical passages on marriage and family relationships

Highlights of the celebration included a presentation of biblical bases of marriage and family relationships.

This was followed by a fellowship hour with light dinner and video presentations of recent INC events in Metro Sydney.

Established in August 1987, the Minchinbury congregation is one of INC’s first two congregations in Metro Sydney. It draws membership from residents in other western suburbs including Colyton, Erskine Park, St Marys, Rooty Hill, Eastern Creek, Mt Druitt, Plumpton, Glendenning, Oakhurst, Woodcroft, Doonside, Blacktown, Seven Hills, Wenthworthville and Fairfield.

The Minchinbury congregation is based at 27 Eskdale Street, Minchinbury.

Sent by: Roseann Paraan

Iglesia Ni Cristo Executive Minister Bro Eduardo Manalo (left) and Hanwha E&C vice chairman Kim Hyun-chung shake hands after the groundbreaking ceremony near Manila August 17. Photo: Hanwha E&C / Korea Herald

A Korean construction company started work last Thursday (August 18) to build in Bocaue, Bulacan a domed arena fitted with 50,000 seats and nearly 36,000 square metres domed roof, reported online news Korea Herald. Video – Ground breaking ceremony

The Korea Herald report, written by Choi He-suk, said the company, Hanwha Engineering and Construction Corp., signed last August 4 an agreement with project owner, Iglesia Ni Cristo. Representing their respective organisations were Hanwha E&C vice chairman Kim Hyun-chung and chief of Iglesia Ni Cristo Bro Eduardo Manalo.

The contract value of the project is placed at US$175 million, and work will be carried out over 30 months, Korea Herald said, adding that with its size, Hanwha E&C considers the structure, named Philippine Arena, to be the world’s largest domed arena.

The new domed arena’s 50,000 seating capacity will eclipse Araneta Coliseum’s 16,500 seats and Acer Arena’s (formerly Sydney SuperDome) 17,500 seats.

To date, Araneta Coliseum is considered the largest domed arena in Southeast Asia.