Canada

By Mariquita Pangilinan
Pasay City - Philtag, a nonprofit organization that recognizes the tattoo industry in the Philippines, celebrates the success of its member, Daenee Bartolome.

Bartolome, more popularly known as Daenee Chukchuk, has been a Philtag member for three years. She is the first Filipina tattoo artist to have been invited to join the Vancouver Tattoo and Culture Show on April 20 to 22 at 999 At Vancouver Convention Centre.

“Our organization is training her more for this event. I might come to join her as her coach,” says the president of Philtag, veteran tattoo artist Ricky Sta. Ana.

Another honorary member, Mayo Landicho, from San Pablo, Laguna who is now based in Vancouver, Canada, will hold his Painting Collection Auction and Tattoo Exhibit on March 24 at Birthmark Tattoos in Vancouver.

“We support all our members, in terms of their needs, documents, moral support, social media support and prayers. We give them a hero’s welcome, win or lose,” adds Sta. Ana.

Philtag supports its more than 3000 active members by providing training, development, and education programs so that the tattoo artists can earn for their families. The organization also gives its members the opportunity to work abroad.

“If they have no proper guidance, they can be led to the wrong path, bad imagery, and irresponsible tattooing. Like some artists without proper training do tattoos to under age people and they can spread sickness from one person to another. We conduct seminar for sanitation and proper hygiene in partnership with DOH. We also conduct pocket seminars like basic sterilization,” says

Philtag was established in 1995 and is fully certified by the Department of Health. Its objective is to help tattoo artists who have no formal education to earn an income and be responsible tattoo artists. Members enjoy the benefits of having the right knowledge, proper guidance, and protection when they establish their own tattoo business.

“Our biggest concern is that Philtag is a nonprofit organization, so we have no funds. If we have projects, then we share the blessing. We find it hard to get sponsors because corporations and government do not thinks they could benefit from it,” says Sta. Ana.

To become a member of Philtag, applicants must have a experience in tattooing, passion, undergo skill screening, and attend a seminar. Membership fee is P1,000 inclusive of ID and certification.

by Robbie Pangilinan
Veteran tattoo artist Ricky Sta. Ana, one of the most popular and versatile tattoo artists in the Philippines, dreams of having Filipino artists tattoo people from all around the world.

by Mariquita Pangilinan
A Filipina who took a short vacation to visit family in the Philippines suffered a heart attack and is now seeking help to go back to Canada for medical care.

Crisanta Sampang was brought to a specialized cardiac hospital in Manila and was scheduled for surgery to implant a stent. Further evaluation revealed that she actually needs open-heart surgery, a far more serious procedure.

By Robbie Pangilinan

Vancouver, Canada -  Cariss Abigail Salas or Abi wears many hats. She is first and foremost a certified Zumba fitness instructor, active co-partner and entrepreneur at Diamond Zumba Fitness and Nutrition Club Canada, a singer, a telemedicine coordinator, and now a travel investor.

Busy as a bee, Abi says she never ever gets bored in a day. 

The White House confirmed on Wednesday that Trump will exempt Canada and Mexico when he signs a proclamation on Thursday imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

By Robbie Pangilinan

Vancouver - He knew from the start that he wanted to travel the world with her. It was her whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Jeffrey J. Seitz and Mary O Sea met in a bar in Calgary, Alberta in 2003. A mutual friend, who was Jeffrey’s massage therapist at the time and had a crush on him, brought Mary with her that night.