A SALUTE TO LESLIE SOLE FOR A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN HIS WORK ON DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURALISM

(Manila Media Monitor Photo)

TORONTO, ONTARIO — Until again Friday evening, June 17, 2011, the last time I saw Leslie Sole — the former President of Rogers Television, was two years ago at a private function. It was good to see him tonight when some 200 members from the diverse media crowd of Metro Toronto from print, radio, television and the new media from various cultural backgrounds feted him for his outstanding contribution to diversity and multiculturalism. In photo, circa 1999, Leslie and I were among those recognized by the journalists’ and writers’ group for our contributions to Canada’s multiculturalism policy. In photo from left are print and broadcast multiculturalism journalism champion Ben Viccari (now deceased); Frank Alvarez — president of radio station CIRV; Leslie Sole — at the time, the Executive Vice President and Station Manager of CFMT (now OMNI television); Wendy Johnson — Reporter of the Oliver Chronicle; Ace Alvarez — Managing Editor of Manila Media Monitor, and later to become the producer of Front Page Philippines TV; and, Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament Gerry Phillips (Scarborough-Agincourt), who is a steadfast supporter of diversity and multiculturalism. CONGRATULATIONS, LESLIE! You helped made Canada a better world to everybody who calls this part of the world “Home”. It is said that there is no other tribute than paid by your own peers in the industry. Also present during the ceremonies, held at the 100-year old castle, Casa Loma here, were politicians from all parties in all three levels of the Canadian government.

A Banter on Gloria Rafanan, Press Relations Officer of the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation, on my not-so-busy Friday

TORONTO, ONTARIO — Gloria Rafanan, the Press Relations Officer of the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation (PCCF) sent the following message at 4:27 p.m. today to the media (myself included) as follows: 
***

Dear All,

On behalf of the Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation (PCCF),  it is our pleasure to invite you and  join us in the celebration of  our first major event themed as the “Pinoy Fiesta and Trade Show sa Toronto” to be held on Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.  The venue is at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Tower, Hall C, 255 Front Street W., Toronto, Ontario.  Attached is a Poster of the Trade Show and a brief organizational overview of  the PCCF.

GREAT JOB, ST. BARNABAS PARISH (ON SHEPPARD AV. E, SCARBOROUGH, ON) ON GOOD FRIDAY’S STATIONS OF THE CROSS!

By Ace Alvarez

TORONTO, ONTARIO — My wife, Gie, and I attended the meditation service on the Stations of the Cross at St. Barnabas Parish, #10 Washburn Way, this afternoon. The parish administration, under Fr. Edwin Gonsalves,  did a very good job, through its various ministries, led by the youth group and choir, by presenting a tableau of the fourteen stations.

Those who role played the characters did a very good job; the choir was great; transition from one scene to another was smooth; lighting was well-executed. The service was very solemn and the mass of people, we believe, felt the passion of our Lord tingling their bones; very effective than just reading and reciting the stations the old way as done at most churches before.

St. Barnabas Parish is also where my good friend, Filipino Deacon Bob Rosales, is assigned at.

The night before, on Holy Thursday, Gie and I attended the services at St. Maria Goretti Parish on Kennedy Road and Eglinton Avenue East in Scarborough. The choir was great, too.  Officiating priests were led by the parish’s Pastor, Fr. Edwin Galea.

St. Maria Goretti Parish is home for Filipino Deacon Ramon Villardo.

HEY, NOWHERE MAN! THE WORLD IS AT YOUR COMMAND!

By Ace Alvarez

TORONTO, ONTARIO –  Driving sometime last week somewhere in this city, I was listening to one of my favorite FM radio stations, Vinyl 95.3 FM Radio, when the disc jockey on board narrated where Beatle John Lennon got the inspiration to write “Nowhere Man”.

He said that, John, sitting in his living room one day in October 1965 — and thinking he wasn’t good enough, thought that he wasn’t going anywhere.

With such thought, John picked up a piece of paper and wrote a few lines:

STRENGTH-N-U NOW OPEN FOR YOUR FITNESS AND NUTRITION GOALS

By Ace Alvarez

Strength-N-U is now open and offers innovative body conditioning. (Manila Media Monitor Photo)

TORONTO, ONTARIO — After almost four months when my son, 27-year old Christian Alvarez, started priming and painting with his own hands Unit 10 at 80 Milner Avenue in Scarborough, Ontario — and later joined in by his fellow, CanFit Pro Certified Personal Trainer Specialist (PTS) Carlo Balagasay, Strength-N-U Programs and Facility (on fitness and nutrition) is finally open to serve its clients.

I take this opportunity for the very good media that Strength-N-U got from those the firm invited to its Grand Opening on Saturday, January 22 this year.

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 3,400 times in 2010. That’s about 8 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 24 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 60 posts. There were 52 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 18mb. That’s about 4 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was January 9th with 94 views. The most popular post that day was HE WHO HAS NO CONTROL OF THE KEYBOARD IS THE GRANDPA.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, en.wordpress.com, mail.yahoo.com, milamagno.com, and ripple.ca.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for iza calzado, jun enverga, “nelson galvez jr.”, ace alvarez, and manila media monitor/toronto.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

HE WHO HAS NO CONTROL OF THE KEYBOARD IS THE GRANDPA January 2010

2

TOBIAS ‘JUN’ ENVERGA – ONE SCARBOROUGH ‘JUGGLER’ October 2010
4 comments

3

MY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS HANGOVER … January 2010
23 comments

4

RENATO ZANE’S SKETCH BRINGS BACK MEMORIES January 2010
7 comments

5

LESSON: WHATEVER WE DO, LET’S DO IT WELL AND EVERYTHING FOLLOWS July 2009
5 comments

YES, ANGELS DO ROAM IN THIS WORLD

By Ace Alvarez

TORONTO, C A N A D A – A WOMAN in her mid-40s told the 22-year old male with whom she was having a conversation at a corner table in one Tim Horton’s coffee shop outlet in Pickering, Ontario: “When you came to our life and have been frequenting visits to our family, everything seems to be peaceful around us now.”

The woman continued, “Not a single day would pass for the last 23 years that there would be no quarrel between myself and my husband, and later as my own 22-year old son and myself, or my 23-year old daughter and myself, or simply one among them against the other, or one another. Our home was just like a zoo.

PUSH FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: JUDGE COROZA

By Ace Alvarez

Filipino Canadian Judge Steve Coroza keynotes the Capizeno Association of Ontario Gala Night at the Novotel Hotel in Mississauga, Ontario.

TORONTO, CANADA — Judge Steve Coroza of the Ontario Court of Justice has underscored two important items for organizations to focus on, namely, to push the youth towards academic excellence and to actively contribute to race relations.

Coroza made the call as he keynoted the Capizeno Association of Ontario at the Novotel in Mississauga during the group’s gala night.

In his speech, Coroza stressed that parents, grandparents and extended relatives – who are the first teachers of their respective wards, must set high expectations from them and push them towards academic excellence.

PRESS HERE for complete story …

TOBIAS ‘JUN’ ENVERGA – ONE SCARBOROUGH ‘JUGGLER’

By Ace Alvarez 

Tobias 'Jun' Enverga announces his candidacy as Trustee for the Toronto Catholic School Board (Ward 8 in Scarborough, Ontario) -- Manila Media Monitor Photo

 TORONTO, CANADA – The filing for candidacy for the office of a Trustee in the Catholic School Board’s Ward 8 of Scarborough of  Tobias “Jun” Enverga reminded me of the story of “Our Lady’s Juggler”, a very simple story about being a Christian; that each of us has a talent that if used can light up the life of many people.

I was reminded of the story while in the audience at the fundraising party of the Lucena City Association of Ontario last September 11, and where Jun officially announced his candidacy for the office mentioned. Jun has been a longtime president of the organization, where, among many projects he spearheaded were sending out over $500,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies for poor families in the province of Quezon, Philippines; led medical and dental missions to support poor families in the Philippines and initiated various group efforts in building houses (todate total is 33) for the poor through Canadian registered charity, ANCOP Canada.

STRENGTH-N-U: A VISIT AT THIS HEALTH & FITNESS GYM

By Ace Alvarez

Gie Alvarez

TORONTO, CANADA — My wife, Gie, and I got an invitation one recent afternoon to drop by a location on Milner Avenue in Scarborough, Ontario so that our host could show us around.

When we got to the place, our host toured us around, briefing us where the reception area would be located, our host’s office, a huge floor area and what would we see there in the next three or four weeks.

The location is the personal training gym and nutrition center that, already, two hockey teams from Toronto local leagues have signed in and are waiting for their routine physical training sessions in time for the hockey season come September.