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T R A N G E things inhabit the murky world of Philippine politics. Consider this: The president of a political party is temporarily leaving the coalition to which his party belongs to run as a “guest candidate” of a rival group because he cannot run on the same ticket alongside a candidate of the other party of the coalition. If you are confused it is because the whole thing is indeed perplexing even by local standards. Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has formally announced he was parting ways with the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) coalition formed by the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), headed by former President Joseph EsSen. Koko Pimentel (2nd from left) with (L-R) Joey de Venecia, Vice President Binay and ex-Sen. Nene Pimentel during the PDP-Laban’s 30th anniversary celebration in February.
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Strange
Bedfellows
The shaky UNA coalition of PMP and PDP-Laban betrays its real personality: a loose collection of personalities hoping to cash in on the presidential run of Binay in 2016.To be sure, the other parties and alliances are not any different.
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trada, and the PDP-Laban, chaired by Vice President Jejomar Binay. Koko Pimentel, son of former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., is the president of PDPLaban, which was co-founded by his father. Pimentel is seeking reelection after serving only two years in the Senate. Last year he took over the remaining term of Miguel Zubiri, who occupied the seat for four years until he resigned in August last year to give way to Pimentel. At that time, Pimentel’s electoral protest was nearing resolution and all indications pointed to his victory over Zubiri. In 2007 the two ran for senator; Zubiri was with the administration ticket of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo while Pimentel was with the opposition. The two fought for the 12th and final slot, which went Zubiri’s way. Pimentel filed an electoral protest charging massive fraud, specifically in Mindanao. Last June, Zubiri took his oath as member of the PMP. Months before Zubiri formalized his entry into PMP, Pimentel had made it known to his allies that Zubiri was not welcome in UNA, saying he could not run alongside Zubiri because the latter was the beneficiary of electoral fraud that deprived him of four years of his Senate term. But his plea fell on deaf ears. Erap took Zubiri under his wings and asked Pimentel to forget and forgive all for the sake of unity. Under the coalition agreement, UNA shall carry all the candidates
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Come 2016, President Aquino is expected to break ranks with Vice President Binay and endorse the Liberal Party standard bearer, who at this stage appears to be Mar Roxas, PNoy’s running mate in 2010.
“I am open for adoption by everybody,” Pimentel declared upon leaving UNA. endorsed by each party. This left Pimentel with very little options: bolt his party, bring PDP-Laban out of the UNA coalition (assuming he has the power and influence to do this as party president), join another party, remain with UNA but stay away from Zubiri during the campaign (as what was proposed
by UNA leaders), or simply throw away principles in favor of compromise and convenience. But alas, Pimentel has found a very creative way of wiggling out of his predicament. He made it clear he was not leaving PDP-Laban and was staying as party president. He said he was leaving the door open for his “adoption” by UNA and the administration Liberal Party (LP) in their senatorial slates to be fielded in the 2013 midterm elections next year. “I am open for
adoption by everybody,” Pimentel declared after he made his formal announcement to leave UNA. The LP said it would welcome Pimentel into its fold as a “guest candidate.” It is worth noting that the LP is headed by former senator and now Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas, who lost the vice presidential race in 2010 to Binay,
Pimentel’s ally and PDP-Laban chairman. An additional footnote: LP has announced it is forming an alliance with the Nacionalista Party and Nationalist People’s Coalition for the 2013 elections. NP is headed by Senator Manuel Villar, President Aquino’s rival in the last presidential polls. Such are the ways of Philippine politics. Who would ever think that Estrada, Binay, Juan Ponce Enrile and the young Pimentel would end up as political allies in UNA? Recall that the elder Pimentel charged Enrile of dagdag-bawas (vote padding-shaving) in the 1995 senatorial elections. Recall too that during the martial law years the elder Pimental and Binay were in the opposition while Enrile and Estrada were on the side of Marcos. The shaky UNA coalition of PMP and PDPLaban betrays its real personality: a loose collection of personalities hoping to cash in on the presidential run of Binay in 2016. To be sure, there is nothing new or surprising about these developments. Political parties and alliances in the country are characterized by a common thread of personalities, ambition, compromise and expediency. No ideology, only personal interest. n
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“We must remember the essentials to one’s success - be humble in victory, be gracious in defeat.”
By john rogelio e. austria
IFTEEN years after playing his last game in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), the man fondly called “The Big J” by basketball-crazy Filipinos, came back to the hardcourt, basking in the adulation of thousands of his fans. Robert Salazar Jaworski, 1978 PBA Most Valuable Player, many-time member of the National Team, PBA Hall-of-Famer, one of the 25 Greatest Filipino Basketball Players of All Time and first playing-coach of the pro league, finally saw his famous No. 7 jersey retire on July 8. Some 18,000 fans attended the ceremony at the Araneta Coliseum, site of many of Jaworski’s most memorable games. Love him or hate him, there is no denying the indelible mark the now 66-year-old has left on the basketball scene.
THE BIG J’ LEGACY
NEVER SAY DIE
The Big J was 51 years old on May 25, 1997 when he played his last official PBA game, where his Gordon’s Gin lost to Purefoods in Game Six of the All-Filipino Cup finals. To date, he owns the record as the oldest player ever to play in the PBA.
Jaworski of Toyota and Atoy Co of archrival Crispa battle for ball possession.
The Big J barrels through a phalanx of defenders during the prime of his career. “We must remember the essentials to one’s success – be humble in victory, be gracious in defeat. Defeat is temporary kahit ano ka man. The important [thing] is dare reach a goal. Sooner or later, you’ll get it. That’s never say die,” said Jaworski during his speech at the rites. “Never-say-die” has always been associated with Jaworski’s colorful career, that started at the University of the East, where he was a member of the UE team that copped the 1966 and 1967 Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) titles under the tutelage of another legend, coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan. It was during those years that he engaged another PBA great, Danny Florencio of the University of Sto. Tomas, in an epic rivalry in the UAAP.
In 1966, Jaworski played for the Philippine team that saw action in the Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand and later suited up anew for national team that topped the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) in Seoul, South Korea. The ABC win meant an Olympic slot for the country in the Mexico Summer Games. Another ABC win in the 1973 in Manila earned for the Philippines a stint in the 1974 World Championships held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In all those tournaments, Jaworski was a part of the national team. After UE, Jaworski joined Dalupan in the Crispa team that participated in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), an amateur league formed in 1938 and folded up in 1981 when it can no longer keep up with the PBA. In 1970 he transferred to the Meralco team, then Crispa’s archrival. In 1971, during a heated game, Jaworski and Meralco teammate Alberto “Big Boy” Reynoso assaulted the two referees, which earned them a lifetime ban from basketball. The ban on the two was lifted in 1973. That same year, Jaworski and Reynoso joined the newly formed Toyota team (then known as Komatsu Comets) which won the 1973 MICAA title. After more stints as a National player (1973 and 1974 in the ABC and 1974 World Basketball Championships), Jaworski became a member of the original Toyota team in the newly organized professional league, the PBA, in 1975. Among his original teammates were Reynoso, Francis Arnaiz, Ramon Fernandez, Cristino Reynoso, Rodolfo Segura, Oscar Rocha, Joaquin Rojas and Orlando Bauzon. Toyota won the first two PBA titles – All Filipino and Open -- but Crispa took the next six, including the league’s first Grand Slam in 1976 when the Redmanizers beat Toyota in all three conferences. Toyota and Jaworski won seven more titles until the team disbanded in 1983. Dur-
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The Living Legend passes on the never-say-die spirit to the current crop of Barangay Gnebra.
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May 25, 1997 when he played his last official PBA game, where his Gordon’s Gin lost to Purefoods in Game Six of the All-Filipino Cup finals. To date, he owns the record as the oldest player ever to play in the PBA. Jaworski also coached the National team that bagged silver behind China in the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing. Prior to his July 8 jersey retirement, Jaworski saw action during the 2003 CrispaToyota exhibition game. Toyota won, 65-61, with Jaworski scoring the last basket -- a three-point shot from an assist from Mon Fernandez. His other PBA achievements include inclusion in the Mythical First team six times, Mythical Second Team two times, AllDefensive team two times and PBA All-Star four times. He also coached the 1990 PBA All-Star Veterans, 1991 PBA All-Star Dark Team, 1992 PBA All-Star North Team, 1996 PBA All-Star Rookie/Sophomore/Juniors, and 1997 PBA All-Star Veterans. Overall as a pro, he issued 5,825 assists. Jaworski took a leave as Ginebra coach after he was elected as senator in 1998. The following year he resigned as Ginebra coach. n
“Never-saydie” has always been associated with Jaworski’s colorful career which started at the University of the East. ing his MVP year in 1978, Jaworski averaged 20 points, 12 assists and close to nine rebounds per game and led the Toyota Super Corollas to two titles -- the Open and All Filipino conferences. In 1984 the Super Corollas disbanded and sold its PBA franchise to new entrant Manila Beer Hausen. Jaworski and Arnaiz refused to join Beer Hausen and transferred to Gilbey’s Gin, which finished runner-up to Crispa that same year. Jaworski eventually took over the coaching reins from Arturo Valenzona, marking the start of his long stint as playingcoach, the first ever in the PBA. Jaworski’s first title as a playing coach came in the 1986 Open Conference with the Gins beating the Manila Beer, whose players included former Crispa players Abet Guidaben and Atoy Co. This was followed by three more championships -- 1988 All Filipino, 1991 Open and the 1997 Commissioner’s Cup.
The man dubbed “Living Legend” in his playing days also made the record books when he drafted his eldest son, Robert, Jr., in the second round of the 1995 rookie draft, marking the only time that a father and son were together in the same team. He was 51 years old on
Jaworski acknowledges the cheers of his fans during the jersey retirement ceremonies.
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WILL WE SCORE THIS TIME?
Philippine officials and athletes pose for a souvenir shot before departing for the London Olympics. By john rogelio e. austria
HE Philippines’ hopes of a first-ever Olympic gold medal -- or a first medal of any color since 1996 -- fall on the shoulders of 11 athletes. Boxing’s Mark Anthony Barriga, athletics’ Marestella Torres and Rene Herrera, swimming’s Jessie Khing Lacuna and Jasmine Alkhaldi, judo’s Tomohiko Hoshina, shooting’s Brian Rosario, cycling’s Daniel Caluag, weightlifting’s Hidilyn Diaz and archers’ Mark Javier and Rachel Anne Cabral will be among the estimated 100,00 athletes from 204 countries in the London Olympic Games set July 27 to Aug. 12. The Philippines has participated in the Olympiad since 1924, except in the 1980 Moscow edition which was boycotted by several nations because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. So far, the Philippines
Mark Anthony Barriga is the country’s best prospect for a medal in the London Olympics. The nineteen-year-old boxer first Filipino athlete to qualify for this year’s Olympics after making the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Azerbaijan last year.
Boxer Mark Anthony barriga is the country’s brightest medal hope in London. Will he replicate – even surpass – the silver finishes of two previous Pinoy boxers?
has bagged a total of two silver and nine bronze medals. The silver medalists were both boxers – Anthony Villanueva in Tokyo in 1964 and
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Marestella Torres, 32, is a four-time Southeast Asian Games winner and 2009 Asean Athletics long jump queen.
Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco in Atlanta in 1996. Boxing also produced bronze medals during the 1932 Los Angeles, 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Games. It was zero medals for the Philippines in the next three Olympics held in Sydney, Athens and Beijing. The 19-year-old Barriga is the country’s best prospect for a medal in this year’s Olympics. He was the first Filipino athlete to qualify for the London Olympics after making the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Azerbaijan last year. He also registered wins in the Sydney Jackson Memorial Tournament in Uzbekistan in 2011 and this year. “We think he (Bariga) has a decent chance of winning. That is why he is there. If we did not think he had a chance, we would not send him,” said Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director Ed
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Picson. Barriga plunges into action on July 31 in the light flyweight category (48 kg). Javier and Cabral will kick off the country’s London bid right on opening day. Lacuna makes his first dive on July 29 in the 200-meter freestyle while skeet shooter Rosario and Diaz, the flag-bearer, get their turn on July 30. Diaz is the world’s No. 9-ranked lifter in the women’s 58-kg category. She wound up 11th in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Alkhaldi starts her bid on Aug. 1 in the qualifying heat of the women’s 100-meter freestyle while Hoshina (men’s +100kg) competes on Aug. 3. Long jumper Torres, on her second Olympic appearance, begins her campaign on Aug. 7, followed by the Olympic debuts of runner Herrera (5,000m run) and BMX rider Caluag the following day. Rosario, 29, made it to the Games by virtue of a quota place (wild card) slot courtesy of the International Shooting Sport Federation. Just the same, he had to meet the minimum qualifying score for Olympic shooting six times since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Alkhaldi, 19, booked her Olympic ticket after turning in a personal
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“We will not be humiliated. I’m not saying we could win a medal, but they could give us a good showing,” says Cojuangco
Brian Rosario, 29, made it to the Olympic Games by virtue of a quota place (wild card) slot courtesy of the International Shooting Sport Federation. best time in the World Championships. She is also bringing with her the distinction of winning three gold medals in the 2011 Southeast Asian Age-group Championships. On the other hand, 18-year-old Lacuna is coming off a six-gold romp
in the Philippine National Games. Regular European campaigner Hoshina, 25, qualified in the men’s +100 kilogram category through a worldwide ranking by the International Judo Federation. Torres, 32, is a four-time South-
east Asian Games winner and 2009 Asean Athletics long jump queen. Herrera, the oldest Filipino entry at 33, is a five-time SEA champion, ranks 8th in the Asian field in the 5,000m run and placed 8th in the 2008 Doha Asiad in the 3,000m
steeplechase. Caluag, the only Asian in the BMX event, qualified through the recent BMX World Championships in Birmingham, England. The Philippine chances in London? “The way I look at things, we will not be humiliated,” said Philippine Olympic Committee chief Jose “Peping”’ Cojuangco Jr., citing Caluag, Javier, Cabral and Torres as the brightest prospects. “I’m not saying we could win a medal. It’s hard to say that because we don’t know what kind of opposition we’ll be facing. But they (BMX and archery) could give us a good showing as well as Marestella if she’s in good shape.” n
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While the country now has 15 billionaires, it also has some 11.2 million poor families.
Income Inequality ‘Obscene’
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F there’s anything that appears “obscene” about the wealth of businessmen in the Philippines, it is their capability to make themselves richer in a country where the majority of the population is getting poorer. This is the assessment of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) after Forbes magazine reported that the wealth of the 40 richest Filipinos grew by over $13 billion to $47.4 billion this year. “The net worth of these tycoons appears obscene, happening amid a sea of poverty and hunger in the Philippines,” Bayan said in a statement. Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. noted that while the country now has 15 billionaires, it also has some 11.2 million poor families. He said that the continuously widening gap between the rich and the poor “belies the Aquino regime’s claims of inclusive growth.”
‘The net worth of these tycoons appears obscene, happening amid a sea of poverty and hunger in the Philippines,’ Bayan notes. It adds that while the country now has 15 billionaires, it also has some 11.2 million poor families.
“And we can assume that whatever economic growth that happened during the first quarter of the year benefited only the mega-rich,” said Reyes. According to Bayan, the net income of the country’s top 1,000 corporations has grown over the first decade of the millennium. The combined net income of these companies in 2009 amounting to P756 billion is more than 600 percent of their combined net income in 2001 of P116 billion. In contrast, the basic pay of wage and salary workers over the same period has hardly risen, starting at P222 a day in 2001 and P291 per day in 2009. “Expect these personalities to get richer as government engages in profit-driven private-public partnerships. Meanwhile, the poor are left to fend for themselves and are merely given
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The highest income of the top 20 percent of the population accounted for over half of the total family income. CCT (conditional cash transfer) dole outs and pantawid measures,” Reyes said. Citing data from the National Statistics Office in 2009, Bayan said the highest income of the top 20 percent of the population already accounted for over half (51.9 percent) of the total family income leaving the poorest 80 percent to divide the remaining 48.1 percent among them. “The top ten in the latest Forbes list already control almost everything from energy, transportation, real-estate, mining, banking, toll ways and many others. They are part of the powerful 1% of Philippine society,” Reyes said.
Aquino’s “Conditional Cash Transfer“ Program is not an effective way to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, according to Bayan’s Reyes. A separate report from Ibon Foundation says that severe inequality in the country can be seen by comparing reports by Forbes on the wealthiest Filipinos with the results of the 2009 Family Income and Expenditure Survey. In 2009, the net worth of the 25 richest Filipinos of US$21.4 billion is equivalent to the combined annual income of the country’s poorest 11.1 million families, according to Ibon. n
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By kd suarez
INCE it was established in 1992, the BS Environmental Science course at the Ateneo de Manila University has rarely exceeded 20 freshmen. “Enrollment was fairly constant between 10-15 freshmen each school year,’ said Dr Emilyn Espiritu, chairperson of the Department of Environmental Science. This figure pales in comparison with other courses in the university, which enroll dozens, even hundreds, of CHED has imposed a moratorium on oversubscribed courses such as nursing. students.
‘UNPOPULAR’ COURSES: THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
This is most evident during the annual OrSem, the university’s freshman orientation seminar: programs such as management and communication are represented by several blocks, whereas ES freshmen barely form a block, much less fill a row of seats. (A block normally has 25-30 students). Environmental science is just one of dozens of ‘undersubscribed’ courses, or those college programs that have low enrollment and graduation rates, as opposed to ‘oversubscribed” courses such as nursing, business administration, and teacher education. Many of these programs are in the field of science, technology, and engineering - courses such as physics, chemistry, geology, and mining - as well as those in agriculture and fisheries. “This is a generally problematic situation in almost all universities in the country,” Espiritu said.
Academic institutions should also do their part in promoting these programs, says an education official. Colleges and universities should not focus too much on the “popular” programs, and should balance out their course offerings to also give way to the “unpopular” ones.
Impact on jobs Julito Vitriolo, executive director of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), said this has impact on the labor force. “Because of the dearth of graduates in certain fields, certain industries can have a hard time getting enough manpower,” he said. With only a few graduates trained in these specialized courses, Vitriolo said there are many hardto-fill jobs. “For example, in mining, it’s an engineering course, technologybased. But there are only a few students who enroll in the course. Add to that only around two schools offer the program [in Metro Manila],” he added.
CHED has also designated priority fields of study, such as Information Technology, that will be the focus for growth in the next few years. “In our case, if our manpower there is no strict definition, but the subscribed” programs identified by is depleted (in a certain field), it commission uses numerous indica- the CHED, is being offered by at will affect our competitiveness,” tors to distinguish these. least 490 schools nationwide. he said, citing eventual problems One indicator is the number of Other indicators include low enin the country’s research base and schools offering a certain program. rollment and graduation rates comscientific development. About 35 schools are offering envi- pared to other programs, with some Even non-science courses are ronmental science degree programs, courses even failing to form at least also affected by low enrollment and based on CHED monitoring data; one block or class. graduation figures, making them un- out of these, only 10 offer graduate dersubscribed, according to Vitriolo. programs. Consistently low How does one identify an “unOn the other end of the specData from CHED for school dersubscribed” course? Vitriolo said trum, nursing, one of the five “over- years 2001-2002 to 2012-2013
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showed that courses on disciplines such as Agriculture, Architectural and Town Planning, Natural Science, and Mathematics have consistently low enrollment figures, all consistently below 100,000 annually. The discipline group with the lowest enrollment figures during the past decade has been the Trade, Craft and Industrial disciplines, and Home Economics. Meanwhile, discipline areas such as Education and Teacher Training, and Medical and Allied Professions have six-figure enrollment rates. Business Administration and Related courses have the highest enrollment figures in the time period: its “worst” figure was 516,937 students for SY 2004-2005. It peaked at more than 724,000 students in SY 2009-2010. Graduation rates more or less mirror the enrollment figures. Undersubscribed programs also vary by region or area, he explained. “It is possible that in Metro Manila, a course is oversubscribed, while it is not popular in other regions,” he said.
Moratorium on some courses In 2010, CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan released CHED Memorandum Order Number 32, which placed a moratorium on establishing new programs on five “oversubscribed” courses starting school year 2011-2012 The memorandum stopped the creation of new undergraduate and graduate programs in the five major oversubscribed courses: business administration, nursing, teacher education, hotel and restaurant management, and information technology. These programs have been producing very large number of graduates, but the labor force can only absorb so much of them. It was part of the commission’s move to promote and grow the other courses, Vitriolo said, by encouraging students to enroll in undersubscribed programs. The moratorium still holds, he said, and the commission is evaluating if it is still needed. The CHED moratorium is by far the most evident push to entice students to take the less popular route and enroll in less “famous” degree programs. Government agencies and schools also try to entice enrollees by offering scholarships and special programs. The commission has also designated Priority Disciplines, or fields +17
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By edwin p. sallan
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PHILIPPINES VIC SOTTO aka BOSSING
HETHER or not he will still get the posthumous recognition he deserves as National Artist, Dolphy without question had already cemented his legacy as an entertainment icon without peer. There will never be another one like him. But there are younger talents who will carry on the comic tradition that he will always be remembered for. There could be a case made for each of our Top 5 in terms of who among them are the true heirs to the King of Comedy’s throne. Or at the very least, who will make us laugh the most in the years to come. The same can be said for those who did not quite make the cut but deserve special mention, including Joey De Leon and Willie Revillame, among a few more others. But even as none of them could ever come close to what Dolphy has achieved in over six decades of tickling the entire nation’s funnybone, we can be sure that at least each one will sustain the smile in our faces now that the legendary comedian has answered the call slip of his “Director, Writer and Producer” in heaven. Dolphy himself wouldn’t have it any other way. The show must indeed go on. 5. Vhong Navarro - Starting his career as a member of the allmale dance group The Streetboys, Vhong has since carved a niche as a comedian and through both his films and comedy recordings has created sketches of such unforgettable characters as Totoy Bibbo, Don Romantiko (from the movie D’ Anothers), Chickboy (from his film Agent X44) and Supah Pappalicious. Vhong remains a hot commodity of ABS-CBN as host of the noontime talent show It’s Showtime and as Justin Bibbo in the sitcom Toda Max. He last
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PRINCES OF COMEDY
5 TOP HEIRS APPARENT
MICHAEL V. aka BITOY
TO DOLPHY’S THRONE There could be a case made for each of our Top 5 in terms of who among them are the true heirs to the King of Comedy’s throne. Or at the very least, who will make us laugh the most in the years to come. starred in Star Cinema’s horrorcomedy Bulong opposite Angelica Panganiban. 4. Ogie Alcasid - Although primarily known as an award-winning singer-songwriter, Ogie has also been making us laugh for only the past 20 years as mainstay of the long-running gag show Bubble Gang on GMA-7 and before that ABC 5’s Tropang Trumpo. He doesn’t appear in movies as often as the others but he almost always do well in the box office when he does as in the case of this year’s Boy Pick-Up: The Movie and before that, Yaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie, both based on popular sketches from Bubble Gang. 3. Jose and Wally - Like Dolphy and Panchito before them, Jose Manalo and Wally
Bayola are emerging as the country’s top comedy duo. Although they probably look more like Pugo and Tugo, they certainly are the most sought-after tandem in the live circuit and almost stole the show from the talented OPM superstars that topbilled the recent Icons at the Mall of Asia A r e n a concert. In addition to their regular appearance on Eat Bulaga, they are also the stars of their own weekly sitcom on TV5, The Jose and Wally Show Star-
JOSE AND WALLY ring Vic Sotto, and will finally headline their own movie, Sa ‘Yo Ang Pritil, Akin Ang Bangkusay. Jose seems to be the Dolphy in the duo and Wally the Panchito. But until either of them proves his worth as a solo act, they will have to share this place in this Top 5.
2. Michael V - More than just a bosom buddy of Ogie Alcasid, not a few people consider the comic also known as Bitoy as the funniest man in the country. Many in fact see him as the heart and soul of Bubble Gang where he has created such unforgettable characters as Yaya, Pepito Manaloto, Mr. Assimo, Bureche and M.C. Bits. His parody songs such as Sinaktan Mo Ang Puso Ko (You’ve Hurt My Heart), Hindi Ako Bakla (I’m Not Gay) and Sabog Sabog Tayo are worthy successors to the irreverent Tough Hits that Tito, Vic and Joey pioneered in the late ’70s. Although he continues to headline his own top-rated shows on GMA-7, much of Michael V’s success in films have come while playing sidekick to Ogie Alcasid and Vic Sotto. Which brings us now to . . . 1. Vic Sotto - Even at 57, Bossing continues to enjoy a ladies’ man reputation just like Dolphy before him as he continues to be linked with his co-stars, most recently with Pauleen Luna with whom he has reportedly broken up and TV5 princess Niña Jose, who continues to fondly refer to him as a close friend. Reps aside, there’s a reason why the Enteng Kabisote films rule the Metro Manila Film Festivals almost every year. Even with many pretenders to the throne, Vic Sotto is the only comedian today whose box-office appeal can compare to Dolphy’s. Bossing has not only been honored as Box Office King for a record eight times by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Entertainment Awards, he has also received recognition for his sitcoms and TV hosting stints, the most recent of which was as Most Trusted TV Host Presented during the recent Readers Digest Trusted Brand Consumer Survey for 2012. Oh, and it’s also worth mentioning that Dobol Trobol: Let’s Get Redi 2 Rambol!, his only movie with the Comedy King, was Dolphy’s last big hit at the box office, grossing over P90 million in its entire theatrical run. Maybe, a pass of the torch? In his endorsement of the Comedy King’s biography Dolphy: Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-isa in 2008, he said: “Sa dami ng pinagdaanan ng Dolphy, maraming bigas pa ang kakainin ng sino mang humahabol. E may rice shortage. Paanong maaabutan?” (Interaksyon.com) n
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DOLPHY 1928 - 2012 His power to make people laugh brought unmatched entertainment on stage and on screen. This is his legacy. He endured decades of career challenges and always emerged with a gift of laughter for his audiences. He remained humble despite countless awards and recognition.
By cherie del rio
E remains, without a doubt, one of the strongest pillars of Philippine showbiz: having built a class of his own in the field of comedy, recreated the very nature of the art itself, and established a standard of excellence that redefined the phrase “a tough act to follow”. Dolphy is the undisputed Comedy King in the Philippines, and he will continue to be one of the nation’s most respected cinema icons. He had faced probably every imaginable ordeal there is in the showbiz industry and always came out victorious and even more esteemed. Last July 10th, the whole country mourned the loss of the Comedy King. He had fought his battles with the same comic and jubilant disposition that he has epitomized over the years, but after almost seven decades in the showbiz industry, the curtains are now drawn closed, but the stage remains open to celebrate the greatness of the man who put ‘idol’ in Pidol. Born to a ship mechanic and a tailor, Rodolfo Vera Quizon Jr. was the second of 10 children who grew up doing odd jobs -- from arranging bottles to driving a horse and buggy to attaching buttons at a pants fac-
tory. Dolphy’s first brush with show business was during the Second World War, where he was hired as a chorus dancer by Benny Mack for Avenue Theater. Later, he landed a part in They Died to Live, a movie which Dolphy was so excited about that he brought his father with him to watch it only to find out that his part had been edited out. But Dolphy’s natural talent in comedy wasn’t his only definitive quality. He embodied determination as well. He never gave up and soon enough, he found himself starring in movies and TV shows. He did movies for several produc-
President Aquino confers the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart on the King of Comedy in recognition of his contributions to the country’s entertainment industry. Looking on is Dolphy’s partner, Zsa Zsa Padilla. tion companies and most notable of these early works were Captain Barbell and Daigdig in Fantasia. Dolphy’s talent, coupled with persistence, reaped its rewards and inevitably led to the Comedy King expanding his ventures, one of which is RVQ Productions. It was in 1965 when Dolphy established
RVQ Productions which brought to the screen some of that era’s most popular titles: Pepe en Pilar, Dolpinger, and Facifica Falayfay. It was in Facifica Falayfay that Dolphy first played a gay role. But it was in 1971 that Dolphy began to reinvent the comedy craft with the introduction of John
en Marsha to Pinoy television. The powerhouse cast included Dolphy himself as John Puruntong, Nida Blanca as Marsha, Dely Atay-Atayan as Doña Delilah, and with Rolly Quizon and Maricel Soriano as John and Marsha’s children. To this day, Filipino audiences – regardless of the generation – are familiar
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with the show’s famed catchphrase: “Kaya ikaw, John, magsumikap ka!” The history of Pinoy comedy sitcoms is rooted in John en Marsha. Dolphy is the idol and John en Marsha is the father of all other comedy shows that came in the later decades. Dolphy’s magic was unlike any other and, 20 years later, in 1992, he once again shared that onscreen sparkle with Home Along Da Riles. The show featured Dolphy with his real son, Vandolph, the lovechild with actress Alma Moreno. The sultry Alma Moreno wasn’t the only woman captivated by Dolphy’s good looks, spectacular talent, and unparalleled charms. His first six children were with actress Engracia Dominguez, whom he met at a stage show. Dolphy also had a love affair with another actress, Gloria Smith, and begot four children with her. He had four children later on with Pamela Ponti, another actress. He had one son with Evangeline Tugalao, a nurse he met while shooting at a hospital location in the 1960’s. Dolphy also had short-lived love affairs with actresses Lotis Key and Pilar Pilapil. In the authorized biography entitled Dolphy: Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-isa, both Lotis and Pilar shared insights as to what made them fall
Poster of the 1969 movie Facifica Falayfay where Dolphy first played a gay role.
The cast of John en Marsha: (seated L-R) Maricel Soriano, Dolphy, Nida Blanca and Rolly Quizon; (standing L-R) Metring David and Dely Atayatayan. for the Comedy King: Pilar had only good words for the gentleman and Lotis admitted that their story was one that attested to the old adage of opposites attract. Following his affair with Alma Moreno is his long-term relationship with singeractress Zsa Zsa Padilla, who bore him a daughter, Zia. They have an adopted daughter, Nicole.
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The legendary comic duo of Dolphy and Panchito starred in numerous films and in the top-rating TV show Buhay Artista in the 60s.
And his popularity was not confined within the four walls of the cinema -- he was likewise a renowned philanthropist and his charitable works were truly remarkable. Even at his old age, Dolphy continued to appear on TV and even star in box-office movies. He had proven that age is not a deterrent in providing great entertainment to the Filipino
Although Dolphy was quite well known for his string of love affairs, his talent in comedy overshadowed these side stories of relationships. He is the most celebrated comedian in Philippine history, with a focus on the seemingly endless number of movies and TV shows that he starred in and produced. His power to make people laugh brought unmatched entertainment on stage and on screen. This is his legacy. He endured decades of career challenges and always emerged with a gift of laughter for his audiences. He remained humble despite countless awards and recognition.
Maaari ring pumunta o tumawag sa mga sumusunod naming agents: Mang Isko Filipino Store 4959 Kingsway Burnaby (Near London Drugs in Kingsway, Burnaby) Tel. No. 1(604) 436-4529
Manila Barbeque New West. 628 12th St. New Westminster (Between 7th Ave. and Nanaimo) Tel. No. 1(604) 777-0770
Okey Oriental Food Store 463A East Columbia St., New Westminster (Near Royal Columbian Hospital) Tel.No.: 1 (604) 517-6658
Fiesta Filipino Grocery 151-153 East 3rd Street North Vancouver BC (Near Lonsdale Avenue) Tel.No.: 1 (604) 983-9111
LadyMarc Filipino Store 10200 152nd Avenue, Surrey (Near Guildford Mall) Tel.No.: 1 (778) 395-0078
Bayanihan Pinoy Food Mart 12153 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows Tel.No.: 1 (604) 465-0048
Big C Sari Sari Store 113-15277 100 Ave Surrey Tel.No.: 1 (778) 395-2626
Manila Foods Store 1005 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam Tel.No.: 1 (604) 777-7185
Jun Delivery 1940 Bay St., Nanaimo BC Tel.No.: 1 (250) 585-3472
Beatriz Boutique 188 E.41st Ave. cor Main St. Vancouver Tel.No.: 1 (604) 323-9030
Asiatica Groceries Inc. 117-22255 Dewdney Trunk Rd. Maple Ridge BC Tel.No.: 1 (604) 477-0780
Cebu De Oro Services 6850 Barnfield Place Whistler BC Tel.No.: 1 (604) 938-0398
Windsor Park Shop 2011 2552 Windsor Road, Victoria BC Tel.No.: 1 (250) 592-4475
Tatak Pinoy Filipino Store 5032 Joyce Street Vancouver (Near Joyce - Skytrain Station) Tel.No.: 1 (604) 568-1009
Real Liquidation Store 3287 Kingsway, Vancouver (Near Joyce St., besides CIBC) Tel.No.: 1 (604) 433-1484
Pinoy Supermarket Unit 50-10330 152 St., Surrey Tel.No.: 1 (778) 395-1139
Chinoy’s Supermart 120-1201 Ewen Ave. New Westminster (Queensborrough) Tel.No.: 1 (778) 397-7200
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spectators. Indeed, there is no one like Dolphy. And there will never be one like him. President Noynoy Aquino knew this fact as well. He awarded Dolphy in November of 2010 with the prestigious “Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart”. This award is the highest award that the president can confer to a private citizen. Calls for Dolphy to be hailed as National Artist have been buzzing even during the king’s final days, but the demand for the award to be given to him only became stronger after his death. PNoy acknowledged this when he said, “I agree that he should be declared a National Artist. But there is a process. In fact, my role here will be ministerial only. I respect the late King of Comedy. He has contributed a lot to the arts and we need to emphasize his contributions to the next generation of Filipinos.” In June, Dophy was rushed to the hospital after complaints of shortness of breath. Almost a month later, the Comedy King was reunited with his Creator at age 83. He laid in his final resting place at the Heritage Park in Taguig City on July 15th. n
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THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED From page 11
of study that will be the focus for growth in the next few years, and are seen as vital in the country’s development. These are: • Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Veterinary Medicine • Architectural and Town Planning • Education and Teacher Training • Engineering and Technology • Information Technology • Maritime • Mathematics • Medical and Allied Professions • Natural Sciences Except for Education and Teacher Training and Information Technology, most of these Priority Disciplines are also undersubscribed programs, and are seen to benefit from the additional push.
Challenge to schools Academic institutions should also do their part in promoting these programs, Vitriolo said. Colleges and universities should
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Vitriolo: Universities and colleges should balance out their offerings to give way to the “unpopular” ones. not focus too much on the “popular” programs, and should balance out their course offerings to also give way to the “unpopular” ones, he said. The educational institutions should also increase their advocacy of these programs, to heighten their importance in the current labor force and in society in general. In the case of Ateneo’s ES program, the increasing awareness about environmental issues is also rubbing off on students’ awareness of the program, Espiritu said. “Before, it was difficult for people to imagine what kinds of careers
Because of the shortage of graduates in certain fields, certain industries can have a hard time getting enough manpower they will have if they pursued a degree in environment, the options and possibilities became clearer as more and more awareness about the environment happened among the population,” she said. Last year, the program had 35 freshmen, finally being able to form one block of students. This year, the number is slightly down (25), but nonetheless higher than the average number of students in the previous years.
“We are seeing a steady and increasing interest in environment as a career of choice,” she said.
Matching graduates and jobs Even the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is echoing the call of the CHED for students to move toward undersubscribed programs. At the start of the new school year, the labor department emphasized the need for career guidance.
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In particular, she encouraged high school students to study and analyze labor market information to see which courses will be in demand in the future. “Instead of taking popular courses, those less considered courses may prove to be the best paying and the most productive ones. They may even venture into part-time careers and entrepreneurship opportunities that are usually overlooked,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz recently said. This could also help address shortages and mismatch in certain labor sectors, such as agriculture, mining, construction, and services. Vitriolo said that students should not just choose their college courses “because they are popular.” “They also have to explore other avenues… try other areas,” he said, and students just might discover their other skills and talents that will eventually be helpful to their personal as well as the nation’s development. “I hope they choose their courses well,” he said. (Rappler.com) n
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FILIPINO WORKING CHILDREN REACH 5.5-M Child labor is defined as any work or economic activity performed by a child that subjects him or her to any form of exploitation, or is harmful to health and safety, physical and mental, or psychosocial development.
PHILIPPINES
The number of Filipino working children rose by 35 percent in 10 years - from four million in 2001 to 5.5 million in 2011.
By ariel c. sebellino
EVENTEEN-year-old B-Jay has not attended school for the last two years. Instead, B-Jay helps his father David in occasional carpentry works in some subdivisions in Cavite to augment the family’s income. He dreams though of becoming a seafarer Hazardous work, like scavenging in dumpsites, is considered as one of the someday. “Wala man akong choice,” his father said. “Bi- worst forms of child labor. Working children refers to those psycho-social development. lang panganay kailangan talaga niyang tumulong The International Labour Orgawho are allowed to work, but not para mabuhay pamilya namin.” For his part, B-Jay said: “Okey lang naman sa akin mag-work to help my parents basta lang makapasok pa rin ako [sa eskwela].” B-Jay is among today’s 5.5 million Filipino working children under 18 years of age, documented in the latest survey on children of the
National Statistics Office (NSO), which showed a 35 per cent increase from four million in 2001. The NSO 2011 survey was presented during the recent World Day Against Child Labor, “Batang Malaya: Child Labour Free Philippines” campaign launch.
in child labor or in any hazardous economic activity. According to the survey, almost three million of the 5.5 million working children are in hazardous child labor, a 25 per cent increase from 2.4 million in 2001. Hazardous child labor was higher among boys with 66.8 per cent as compared to girls with 33.2 per cent. Under the law, child labor is defined as any work or economic activity performed by a child that subjects him or her to any form of exploitation, or is harmful to health and safety, physical and mental, or
nization (ILO) further defines the term child labor as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity. “We have to get to the root of child labor which is linked with poverty and lack of decent and productive work,” Lawrence Jeff Johnson, director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines, said. “While we strive to keep children in school and away from child labor, we need to ensure decent and productive work for parents and basic social protection for families.” The NSO survey, funded by the ILO, is the first one that utilized its framework for statistical identification of working children, or children in employment, child labor, and hazardous child labor. The last surveys were in 1995 and 2001. “It took us a decade to come up with the latest statistics because surveys are really very expensive,” NSO Administrator Carmelita Ericta said.
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The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) welcomed the results of the survey as it will provide the government a more accurate and more comprehensive picture of the child labor situation in the country, which the previous surveys failed to do. It vowed to make every barangay of the country’s over 1,500 municipalities child labor-free to achieve the country’s goal of reducing by 75 percent all worst forms of child labor by 2015. “We at the DOLE reiterate our pledge to do our utmost in making every barangay in the country with high child labor incidence child labor-free,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said. “We will meet the challenge head-on.” Central Luzon (10.6 per cent), Bicol (10.2 per cent), Western Visayas (8.5 per cent), Northern Mindanao (8.2 per cent) and Central Visayas (7.3 per cent) are the regions that posted the highest incidence of hazardous child labor. Hazardous child labor is defined as being likely to harm children’s health, safety or morals by its nature or circumstances. Children may be directly exposed to obvious work hazards such as sharp tools or poisonous chemicals. Other hazards for child laborers may be less apparent, such as the risk of abuse or problems resulting from long hours of work. Hazardous work is considered as one of the worst forms of child labor. Republic Act No. 9231, an act providing for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor and affording stronger protection for the working children, gives four broad categories of the worst forms of child labor, as follows: 1.All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery such as sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forces or compulsory labor, including recruitment of children for use in armed conflict; 2. Using, procuring, offering or exposing of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography, or for pornographic performances; 3. Using, procuring or offering of a child for illegal or illicit activities, including the production and trafficking of dangerous drugs and volatile substances prohibited under existing laws; and 4. Work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is hazardous or likely to be harmful to the health, safety or morals of children. The same Act provides penalties for violations such as imprisonment and fines. (Vera Files) n
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“It’s ironic that an agency for OFWs can’t be fair to its own employees overseas.”
By casiano mayor jr.
EDDAH—In October 2009, a Filipino migrant worker suffered a stroke and was confined at the Shumesy Hospital in Riyadh. He later developed complications, including kidney failure, and needed dialysis. Because he had no medical insurance and the family did not have enough savings to spend for the rising hospital bills, his co-workers had to pitch in whatever amount they could spare to help defray the cost of his expensive treatment. He died at the hospital a month later in what the family felt was a humiliating death. His son, who is still in Riyadh, has requested that his late father not be named “in respect to the memory of his father who is already in his resting place.” His father was not your typical overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was neglected by a private employer. Ironically, he was locally hired by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) in Riyadh.
PH gov’t employees “However you look at it, he was an employee of the Philippine government,” says Joseph Espiritu of the Riyadh-based advocacy group Patnubay. “But he was locally hired and did not have the same privileges as the regular staff.” Patnubay, which has been helping distressed OFWs in Saudi Arabia, has taken up the cudgels for the locally hired Polo employees who are working under the umbrella of the Philippine diplomatic missions across the kingdom. The group, which is run by OFW volunteers, decided to help them because the workers themselves are afraid to lose their jobs if they complain openly. Many of them have been with Polo for more than 10 years.
Patnubay volunteer Joseph Espiritu speaks before Muslim Filipinos at the Dawa Center in Riyadh where he was invited to talk on the rights and obligations of OFWs in Saudi Arabia.
PH LABOR AGENCY NEGLECTS ITS OWN OVERSEAS WORKERS If the Philippine government cannot protect—or at least be fair—to its own employees abroad, how can it protect OFWs working in the private sector in other countries, particularly in the Middle East?
Funds needed In 2009, Patnubay took their plight to the attention of several government agencies, including the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa). Last year, the Manila-based Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) headed by Ellene Sana referred the case to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which has asked Congress to approve a P130-million fund for the medical insurance and benefits of the “local-hire” Polo workers overseas because it allegedly did not have funds for that purpose. The case has been in limbo
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the Saudi labor law: Medical insurance of at least SR100,000, overtime pay and end-of-service benefits equivalent to one-half month every year for the first five years and one month for every year thereafter. “If our government cannot treat the locally-hired workers as its own, then it must treat them as OFWs working in Saudi Arabia,” said Patnubay in its letter sent to government agencies in 2009. “It should give them the benefits imposed by the Saudi labor law on the private sector.” Last year, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ezzedin Tago, who was then charge d’affairs, commented in the Patnubay website that the plight of the locally-hired Polo employees was an old problem which the agency should have resolved a long time ago.
Unresolved issues
“This is such an old issue and I personally do not understand why it has not been resolved … The Polo LHEs (locally-hired employees) should be accorded the same rights (as the OFWs) under the Saudi Labor Law,” he said in his comment. Patnubay reported recently another locally-hired Polo employee has been confined at the King Khalid Hospital in Riyadh. Like other workers locally hired by the agency, the employee, identified only by his first name Abdulrahman, the one who handles OFWs’ complaints against their employers, has no medical insurance.
Rights and dignity
Most OFWs have no adequate medical insurance, exposing them to serious medical risks abroad. since then.
What irony “It is ironic that a government agency created to help OFWs cannot even be fair to its own employees overseas. This is akin to a private employer exploiting its workers,” laments Espiritu, who believes that the same situation prevails in other Middle East countries where
Polo has offices. “So the question arises: If the Philippine government cannot protect—or at least be fair—to its own employees abroad, how can it protect OFWs working in the private sector in other countries, particularly in the Middle East?” Patnubay has no figure on how many Polo employees are hired locally, but Espiritu calculates that it
is more than half of the total Polo work force. “And they are more experienced than the regular staff who are changed every now and then,” he added.
Polo violating labor laws? Patnubay proposes benefits for the locally-hired Polo workers similar to those given by employers in Saudi Arabia’s private sector under
This brings back the memory of the Polo worker mentioned above whose family felt that he had suffered such injustice and humiliation in his death bed after working at the Polo office in Riyadh for more than 15 years. A few days before he died,Polo officials reportedly registered him as an Owwa member, meaning they made him appear like a regular OFW and paid the $25 mandatory OFW contribution to OWWA for that year so that his family could get benefits of at least P100,000—after his death. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n
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COMMUNITYNEWS
VANCOUVER Impressions By Mel Tobias
VANCOUVER LOSING TOP “LIVABILITY” STATUS?
A
few years ago, Vancouver topped the most liveable city status in the world for several years. This year, The Economist from London did not even mention Vancouver at all, like it never existed. It suddenly disappeared on the radar. There are some valid reasons, like the Stanley Cup riot, non-affordable housing, increased gang wars, high cost of living, too many immigrants and ethnic enclaves, non-English speaking immigrants from Mainland China and Taiwan, more road rage. Here are other reasons for Vancouver’s decline and non-presence on the list. Vancouver is the most congested city in Canada and the second most congested in North America behind Los Angeles, according to a research company that produces vehicle-navigation systems. The report said that vehicle commutes in Vancouver take 65% longer during the most congested hour of the evening rush period and 51% longer during the most congested hour of the morning rush period. Toronto and Ottawa also made the top 10 most congested list. Luxury home sales was dominated by the Mainland Chinese but is slowing down due to the faltering real estate market in China, economic uncertainty in Europe and extremely current high prices. Sadly, Vancouver’s housing market has followed China’s growth. There is a strong correlation between Chinese immigrants and local real estate activity. Another factor is that offshore Chinese investors do not need to live in Canada to own a property in Vancouver which is something that Canadian lawmakers are thinking of changing. Less sophisticated shopping areas disappear due to high rent and profile change of consumers. Toronto still has Bloor Street, New York has Fifth Avenue, London has Bond Street and Paris has Champs Elysee. Vancouver’s Robson Street was once upon a time a vibrant shopping street for discriminating shoppers. Today, it looks like a third world shopping mall. Robson Street is no longer posh or upscale because it is appealing to tourists and locals with bargains in mind. It is no longer eclectic or couture with shops selling exclusive merchandise. Robson is mainly populated by chain stores that have outlets in suburban malls. You cannot help but notice the huge “sale” signs in all the window displays. It is a fact that most Vancouverites are looking for sports clothes or discounted cheap fashion from China, not name brands. The people of Vancouver have been often described as one of the worst dressed people in North America. There are no more art galleries, book and music stores but many shops selling junk souvenirs. And the sidewalks are too narrow for outdoor cafes. Shoppers seeking originality to avoid looking like a Banana Republic and Gap clone wearers will venture out to West Fourth, Gastown, Main Street, Yaletown and Commercial Street. Today’s mainstream shoppers are following the march of fashion conformity, sameness, casual attire for men and short, tight dresses for women like they are working in a cheap bar.
Death of “live” legitimate theater due to decreasing patrons. Vancouver Playhouse closed while many independent theater companies are trying to stay afloat. The cultural taste of the younger generation has gone really low, along with Lady Gaga and premature singing idols. They all want their music, movies and entertainment for free, thanks to modern technology and the concept of freeloading. It is the world of downloading. Vancouver recently got a slap on the face recently when Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared Calgary as “the greatest city” in Canada. Mr. Harper was born in Toronto but moved to Calgary in his 20s and now resides in Ottawa. Critics commented that as Prime Minister, he should work hard for all Canadian cities and not favor just one. And that he should have said that Canada is the best country in the world instead of declaring the best city. But it is summer and it is barbecue season and Canadian politicians will be saying wonderful things to please the home crowd. We will wait and see what Mr. Harper will say when he visits Vancouver to campaign. Vancouver Sun reported that Metro Vancouver said that it has no money to replace its aging stock of apartment buildings, which provide affordable housing for thousands of people throughout the region.
A comprehensive, informative, entertaining book that gives the reader the easiest and most efficient method to read body language. You will be more sensitive to the messages and emotions that people are really sending, whether they know it or not. Body language knowledge is useful when applied to business and our personal life. The authors developed a system called R.E.A.D., for scanning and interpreting anyone’s body language, enabling the reader to analyze what people are really saying and feeling without words. FIELD GUIDE TO GESTURES – How to identify and interpret virtually every gesture known to man – (Nancy Armstrong and Melissa Wagner) This book is a practical guide that includes over 100 fullcolor photographs of the world’s most common gestures, including Canada. It will be useful for those who love to travel and roam the world. Field Guide tells you when and where to avoid using particular gestures, where you have the most success using each gesture and how each gesture came to be. When you think about it, human gestures are fascinating. The flick of the wrist, the wave of a finger, or movement of an eyelid can say more than a word, and sometimes a gentle gesture can express more than a speech. For example, Filipinos who cover their mouth while telling a story to a friend is not acceptable in Canada. It looks vicious, parochial, malicious and a negative hand gesture.
BODY LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION FOR NEWCOMERS Newcomers to Canada should not only be proficient in verbal communication but also physical communication. Here are two excellent books on the subject.
I CAN READ YOU LIKE A BOOK – How to spot the messages and emotions people are really sending with their body language –(Gregory Hartlet and Maryann Karinch)
Peterson Masigan sings “No Day but Today”.
PETERSON MASIGAN – NO DAY BUT TODAY
In the last Vancouver Impressions column, we briefly mentioned about Peterson Masigan, a hard working Filipino Canadian who made his stage debut in the Vancouver revival of “ RENT” by Fighting Chance Productions. Planet Philippines attended the opening night of “Rent” at Waterfront Theater, Granville Island and was amazed by the immense talents of Jennifer Suratos and Peterson Masigan. Peterson is the understudy for the role of Angel and can be seen in the role on special performances. We were so impressed with Peterson so we decided to know more about this multi-talented Filipino Canadian who has a bright future in Vancouver’s legitimate theater. V.I. – How did you get an unusual first name?
Peterson Masigan in the revival of “Rent”. Was it after jazz legend Oscar Peterson? P.M. – No, the family wanted to name me after my father who is Peter. But they did not want a junior running around the house. Since I am Peter’s son, they simply coined the name Peterson. V.I. – Tell us about your family and how you ended in Vancouver. Also, about your initial impressions of Vancouver. P.M. – I was born in Pasay City. Both my parents are accountants. Our family moved to Vancouver in 1993 when I was a young boy. My uncles and cousins who are living in Winnipeg were instrumental in our family moving to Canada. I distinctly remember when we landed in Vancouver, March 1993. It was cold and we were wearing jackets as we greeted our extended family. I particularly remember even today, the clean, crisp and wonderful air of Vancouver. I did not have difficulty in adjusting here and made new friends easily. I finished my high school in Queen Elizabeth Secondary School in Surrey then went to UBC to take up nursing. It was a 4-year program and I am now a R.N. (registered nurse). Initially, I wanted to be an opera signer but I am pragmatic and chose nursing as my profession. V.I. We had a difficult time arranging for an interview. Are you very busy at the moment? P.M. – I am really a hard working Filipino Canadian. I currently have four jobs. My main job is at Langara College where I am a nursing instructor, teaching 2nd year college students. Job 2 is at the Vancouver General Hospital in the Emergency Department. Job 3 is at Mount St. Joseph’s Hospital, also in the Emergency Department (ER). Job 4 is as consultant to a short or weekend course for emergency nurses called PNCC. During my spare time it to live out a lifelong long dream of being in the theater. V.I. – Now that you experienced performing on the legitimate stage, what other roles would you like to play, besides “Angel”, if given the right opportunities. P.M. – Maybe Tony or Bernardo (West Side Story), any of the male lead roles of Les Mis. But I consider myself lucky because I recently turned 30 and it is now or never. So I auditioned for Titanic and Music Man then Rent came along. 2012 is my year. It is no day but today. I have now been 8 years with VGH and now a full pledged faculty member at Langara. I am very moved by the song “Seasons of Love” and my solo number “ Life Support”. The latter captures the essence of the show. V.I.- What would you advise new Filipino immigrants to Canada? P.M. – Filipino immigrants should look for opportunities that will allow them to nourish Canadian culture without forgetting Philippine culture and values. Don’t like the old culture shelter you. Don’t live like you still live in the Philippines. Enjoy what Canada and Vancouver have to offer. Integrate and assimilate and connect with people, not just Filipinos. n
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COMMUNITYNEWS
MHHS Board Induction: the Members of the Board of the Multicultural Helping House Society take their oath of office. L-R: Roberto Montes, Demetrio Avendano, Rebecca de los Reyes, Myra Pablo, Patricia Diamzon, Ching Colobong, Limbania Deza Lau, Tom Avendano, Marius Alparaque, Pocholo Insua, Carlito Valle, and Roy Ricarse. Not in the picture are Dr. Gloria Samosa and Michael Cayetano. Photo by Grace Cuenca.
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here’s always something going on at the Multicultural Helping House Society, from nine in the morning until ten at night. Seniors, livein caregivers, young people, tenants and all those who come in to avail of the Society’s services seem to be around at all hours of the day in its offices. July 19 was busier than most days, however, for a very special reason. It was induction day for the newly-minted members of the MHHS Board, and a big lunch party was being prepared from as early at 9 in the morning. Not your kind of shiny, catered and formal affair though, but a big family undertaking. It’s potluck and every member of the board was pitching in. Mr. Tom Avendano, (Tatay Tom) president and CEO of the MHHS himself, proudly announced that he spent half the night cooking his famous recipes in the Helping House kitchens: two big simmering pots of beef caldereta and bulalo. The Helping House’s industrial-size rice cooker was on duty for the day. A lechon was ordered, and soon other dishes came piling in: laing, fried fish in gravy, pancit, fruit platters and many others, including a variety of Filipino desserts. Tess Rodriguez, Tatay Tom’s trusty executive, marshalled members of the staff to help get the big basement garage ready early. Chairs were dusted, balloons were blown, and flowers were cut from the Helping House side yard to decorate the dining tables. A sound system was set up and by 11, the board and the invited guests and supporters were all seated, and the induction ceremony started on time. Roy Ricarse, member of the MHHS
Atty. Anthony Mandap, (extreme right) Vice Consul General of the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, officiated the induction ceremony for the new Members of the MHHS Board last July 19, 2012. Others in picture are board members L-R: Patricia Diamzon, Ching Colobong and Tomas Avendano, Board President and CEO of the Multicultural Helping House Society. Grace Cuenca photo.
A New Board, New Blood and A New Era Dawns for the MHHS Board, offered a prayer for the Society. Atty. Anthony Mandap, Deputy Consul General of the Philippine Consulate in Vancouver, was the guest speaker. He congratulated the MHHS Board, past and present, for all the achievements and status that the Helping House enjoys today. He also expressed his confidence regarding its future, in the hands of the incoming board. Atty Mandap led the Board Induction ceremony, and Limbay Deza Lau, another member of the board, emceed the event. There was some light banter and laughter among them as each member was introduced, and people were trying to sign their papers while standing in line. Tatay Tom, when his turn to speak came, welcomed the inductees and expressed his faith in the future, and in the new blood on board. “This is a new era of changing the focus of the Society from merely being a service provider relying on public funding into a sustainable program, by embracing the social enterprise concept”, Tatay Tom told the gathering. To implement this, he said that the MHHS is actively pursuing a plan to start a Health and Home Care Service to the elderly still living in their own homes. It is a non-for-profit business venture that would compliment the vision of the Society, by helping to create jobs for its members and by
profit sharing, after which, whatever money left over will be used to fund the MHHS operations. Once the social enterprise is set up and going, an MHHS Foundation will be formed to handle the Society’s finances. He cited VanCity Savings Coop as a great example of a social enterprise, a business model with a conscience. VanCity is a bank run by a board representing the coop’s membership and known for funding various social projects all over the city. A big part of the MHHS preparation for this transition, according to Tatay Tom, is creating a partnership with the Academy of Learning, to encourage live-in caregivers and new immigrants to upgrade their education and skills to qualify for jobs within the Society’s Health and Home Care Service. The Academy will offer, at the behest of the MHHS, a
flexible study schedule towards a diploma course; the Home Care Assistance Program, for example. Interest free loans can be availed of, and a live-in caregiver will be allowed to finish a nine-month course in two years. This is good opportunity for caregivers who want to pursue other careers after receiving their landing papers. This social enterprise project, added Tatay Tom, has the full support of the Multicultural Helping House Society. A new era indeed. Applause and a
big lunch followed Tatay Tom’s speech, then the bonding-and-meet-everyone party. Other guests included Scot Friskey and Tara Barazandehpay of the Academy of Learning, Gigi Astudillo of Times Telecom; Christine Faron Chan of the Vancouver Foundation, Real Estate Developer Henry Mayuga; Atty Art Alafriz, and George Chow, to mention a few. The full complement of the MHHS Board were also present: Concepcion (Ching) Colobong, vice-president; Pocholo Insua , Secretary; Michael Cayetano, Treasurer; Limbania Deza Lau, Internal auditor; and Marius Alparaque, Demetrio Avendano, Rebecca de los Reyes, Patricia Diamzon, Roberto Montes, Myra Pablo, Roy Ricarse, Dr. Gloria Samosa, and Carlito (Charlie) Valle. n
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THE NEW SEXY:
Vancouver Edition
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
By pia i. ranada
E want to make social entrepreneurship sexy,” says Karl Satinitigan, the 24-year-old director of Gawad Kalinga’s Center for Social Innovation or CSI, a program that trains aspiring social entrepreneurs. During CSI Night, held every Tuesday at the GK Enchanted Cafe, something seems to be cooking: something big, exciting and unstoppable. It’s called social entrepreneurship. One entrepreneur has quit his executive position from a multinational company, another used to be a public counsel. Apparently, compassion is fast becoming the new sexy. According to Tony Meloto, founder of Gawad Kalinga and trailblazer of social entrepreneurship in the Philippines, social entrepreneurship is social innovation. It is people who are committed to change coming together to make it happen. Social entrepreneurship is also change in how people do business. “The faults of old capitalism are cut-throat competition, excessive consumerism and unbridled greed wherein you want maximum profit. Social enterprise is enlightened capitalism that believes that doing good makes good business,” he says.
and maximized, allowing farmers to have a greater share in the profit. To this end, Castillo has been teaching farmers how to develop coconut water which is different from buko juice because it comes from mature coconuts and contains more nutrients. In fact, Castillo says, “It contains more nutrients than Gatorade.” Drinking coconut water has become popular for Hollywood celebrities who want to stay fit yet Filipino coconut farmers throw away 4 billion liters of coconut water every year. If
‘Our generation is so restless, always looking for meaning, says Noreen Bautista, one of the founders of Jacinto & Lirio. ‘They’re clamoring for careers that have an impact on society. Young people don’t want the cubicle career. They’re looking for work they’re really passionate about.’
Jacinto & Lirio
J & L helps turn the water hyacinth into a source of income for the villagers by buying the leatherette made from the stalks of the water hyacinth and transforming them into gorgeous bags.
Coconut House A prime example is Jun Castillo’s Coconut House, a restaurant business that embodies his advocacy to transform the coconut industry and help Filipino coconut farmers. According to Castillo, the 3.5 million coconut farmers in the Philippines are some of the most impoverished in the country despite the coconut industry making up 20% of the country’s agriculture. This is because, according to him, “only the big businessmen benefit from the industry.” In what Castillo calls the “old industry,” only one part of the coconut is developed – copra, which is used to make soaps, detergents and explosives. The remaining three-fourths of the valuable parts of the coconut are thrown away. Castillo’s advocacy is to put an end to this “old industry” to give way to the new in which all elements of the coconut are developed
coconut farmers could only maximize this part of the coconut, Castillo says, “It could earn them higher than copra at P20 billion a year!” In Coconut House, a charming restaurant surrounded by the lush verdure of Quezon Memorial Circle, all dishes and desserts served have some form or part of coconut in them. There’s coconut milk-based ice cream, gatadobo, pancit buko, coco okoy made of coconut flour and many more. It’s now helping create a market for all parts of the coconut for the benefit of coconut farmers who simply aren’t getting enough from the old, copracentric industry. Though many established social entrepreneurs are veterans, more and more social entrepreneurs are starting their enterprises in their early 20s-30s.
Coconut House, a restaurant inside the Quezon Memorial Circle Park, embodies the owner’s advocacy to transform the coconut industry and help Filipino coconut farmers.
In the case of Noreen Bautista and the four others who created the eco-fashion brand Jacinto & Lirio, they started even before graduating from college. J & L, as their brand is also known, creates beautifully-designed
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and elegantly-crafted bags and notebooks for the high-end market out of water hyacinth leatherette. Water hyacinth is one of the most invasive plants in the world, clogging lakes and rivers in the Philippines, aggravating floods and causing much grief to nearby villages. J & L helps turn this nuisance of a plant into a source of income for the villagers by buying the leatherette made from the stalks of the water hyacinth and transforming them into gorgeous bags. After winning P350,000 to turn their business idea into a reality, they partnered with designer Cora Jacobs who helped them come up with their first collection. Now they’ve expanded to include a line of notebooks called Kwaderno which they are branding as the Philippine version of Moleskin. Noreen hopes to build J & L as an international brand, part of a scheme to uplift the quality and reputation of Filipino brands. But more than that, the driving force behind J & L are the communities in Pampanga, Laguna, Rizal and Pasig they are supporting. Noreen fondly recalls getting a text message from one nanay telling her that J & L enabled her to pay for her goiter operation. Another nanay
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“It’s the mood of the times. It’s the Asian age. Hope lies in Third World economies,” says GK’s Meloto
Young professionals and students share ideas and experiences during a CSI Night at GK Enchanted café. said it helped her pay for hospital expenses when she gave birth to her child. This is the kind of impact social enterprises hope to make, bit by bit, one community member at a time. J & L is riding on the eco-fashion trend along with such brands as Toms, Human Nature and Rags2Riches. Noreen explains the rise of this trend by pointing out that more and more consumers are becoming aware of the impact of consumerism on the environment and society. Because of social media and the Internet, there are more avenues for people to inform others about “socially-responsible” brands and products. But Noreen says social
enterprises shouldn’t just bank on compassion tactics to get sales. In the end, whether or not they help build a village, products being sold should live up to standards of quality and excellence.
A Bright Future Noreen shares the optimism for the future that Tony Meloto, Karl Satinitigan and many other social entrepreneurs have. “Now is the perfect time to start a social enterprise,” she says. That’s why one of her pet projects is a website devoted to social entrepreneurship. Entrepsbuild.ph which is short for “Entrepreneurs Build Society” is a website that aims to spread so-
cial enterprise success stories and inform promising social entrepreneurs about events and opportunities that could lead them to the right direction. The website is still in the works but she says it’s slated to come out very soon. Tony Meloto echoes her optimism when he says, “It’s the mood of the times. Former colonies have found their soul. It’s the Asian age. Hope lies in Third World economies and capital is flowing.” Noreen is not surprised that many of those infected by the “mood of the times” are her fellow Filipino youth. “Our generation is so restless, always looking for meaning. They’re clamoring for careers that have an impact on society. Young people don’t want the cubicle career. They’re looking for work they’re really passionate about.”
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This seems to jibe with the fact that many social entrepreneurs being trained by the GK CSI program come from corporate jobs. According to Karl, who is director of the program and has heard so many of these stories, “They leave their corporate life because they’re not happy. And they realize that now is the perfect time in your life to take risks. You don’t have bills or car loans to pay.” But Karl is quick to stress that this career is not for everybody. “We don’t guarantee success, but it’s fulfilling.” During one CSI Night, the room was buzzing with ideas and the tension of ill-disguised excitement. On one side of the room is a young man who owns a business that makes bicycles out of bamboo. On the other side is a 20-something woman who is helping coffee bean farmers in Cebu distribute their products in Metro Manila. Standing in this room, who wouldn’t believe that social enterprise is the hippest party in town? When asked how he would make social entrepreneurship sound sexy, Karl says, “I think it’s about time that we make businesses that leave no one behind. Everyone’s invited.” (Rappler.com) n
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Vancouver Edition
OFW GUIDE: PRACTICAL TIPS FOR JOBSEEKERS Try changing the way you do things. Instead of solely relying on online job searches, try to do a walk-in interview. Having different approaches will most often than not produce positive results.
Don’t waste your time applying for jobs that you don’t really want or aren’t qualified for. Focus on jobs that are potential future careers.
S the economic situation in many countries remains unstable, finding a good job is not easy. To get a headstart, jobseekers must undertake smart moves in searching for a job. Here are 20 practical job search tips — ranging from improving your resume to choosing what you post on social networking sites — to help you start your path to a fruitful career.
In an interview, make sure that you highlight how your strengths would be an asset to the company.
The first 11 tips were adapted from the news site CNN while the rest were culled from another news site, Business Week. (1) Narrow your search. More isn’t always better. Don’t waste your time applying for jobs
that you don’t really want or aren’t qualified for. Focus on jobs that are potential future careers. (2) Know exactly what you want. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? These are just
some questions to ask yourself to identify the field you want to work in. (3) Reevaluate your skill set. Are your current skills relevant for the job that you are applying for? If not, take a step back and
consider studying what’s new in the field that you are eyeing to enter. (4) Set goals. Setting goals is always a smart thing to do. Plan short-term goals that will help you accomplish your long-term goal of having a good,
solid career. (5) Try something new. Are you not getting any invitations for interviews? Try changing the way you do things. Instead of solely relying on online job searches, try to do a walk-in interview. Having different approaches will most often than not produce positive results. (6) Get a leg up on the competition. This is one of the things that define winners not just in job searching. Whether it’s dressing up properly, coming on time for an interview or just being polite to your interviewer, do whatever it takes within reason to stand out from the others. (7) Get a hold of your online reputation. With the growth of social media sites such as Facebook, learning how to control what people see about you online is a must. Make sure that recruiters see your professional side and not pictures of you puking while being dead-drunk in a party. (8) Start a website. You can showcase some of
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your best talents while making you look professional by starting a website. There are domain names there up for grabs for only $10. You could also start a blog if you don’t want to spend money on a website. (9) Stay current. Being out of work doesn’t excuse you for being ignorant. Always make sure that you know the news in your field and you will be rewarded. This also makes a good conversation starter with the interviewer while giving you that professional edge. (10) Sell yourself. In an interview, your skill set is the product and you are the brand. Make sure that you highlight how your strengths would be an asset to the company. (11) Keep that glass half-full approach, all year. There will always be those moments when you will just want to quit job searching due to disappointments. The thing is, quitters never win so convert these disappointments as lessons and keep your motivation up and you’ll get that job in due time. (12) Consider contractual jobs. Having a regular job is what we all want but if the opportunity
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Each day, doors open for you. Learn to make the best out of each day by grabbing those opportunities.
What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? These are just some questions to ask yourself to identify the field you want to work in. does not present itself today or tomorrow then going for contractual jobs is the next best thing. It’s much better than being a bum with no income and you also get that much needed work experience. (13) Own your choices and behavior. Always be prepared to explain your blunders truthfully with your previous employer if asked during the interview. A little honesty will take you a long way. (14) Don’t show up when you’re sick. Reschedule your interview appointment if you are sick for this
may affect your overall image. If you explain the situation properly to the recruiter, he will probably cut you some slack. (15) Be empathic. Nobody likes a self-centered person. Try to empathize and connect with your interviewer to develop rapport. Don’t just focus on your a c h i e ve m e n t s and how you did something so perfectly. Make sure to credit other people and the company. (16) Use
role-playing to prepare for an interview. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Make sure that you don’t get caught off guard with questions by asking a friend to help you practice your answers and give feedback on how you deliver them. (17) Think of a job as a whole new ball game. Never generalize jobs in the same field or two jobs belonging to competing companies. They’re always different. Knowing that difference during a job interview will
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give you a great advantage from other jobseekers. (18) Forget about what’s in it for you. Refrain from asking what the company benefits are or how much you could bargain an increase with your salary. Focus instead on what you can give to the company, as an asset. (19) Be proactive. Answer the questions of the interviewer directly. Don’t try to derail the subject of the question even if you have to admit making a mistake with your previous employer. Just be casual about it and politely explain, but don’t dodge your shortcomings. (20) Seize the day every day. Each day, doors open for you. Some of these doors are open all the time while some will only open once in your life. Learn to make the best out of each day by grabbing the best opportunities open to you each day. (GMA News) n
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BEAUTIFUL P
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ILIPPINES
By yolanda l. punsalan
HERE is nothing excessive about Guimaras, except of course the world renowned sweetness of its mangoes. Being one of the Philippines’ smallest island provinces, many things about Guimaras seem to be reduced to bonsai proportions. It has earned the reputation in the Guinness World Record of having the world’s smallest plaza -- an area with an elevation of five small steps, a mini monument of Jose Rizal in his boyhood, and a mini stage. To all first-time tourists to Guimaras, this is the most likely first stop, since it is closest to Jordan Wharf, where pumpboat passengers from Iloilo disembark. Beside the world’s smallest plaza, are small houses, but ironically with architectural designs befitting mansions. They built a generic monument for their local heroes -- their farmers and fisherfolk, a single statue almost just the size of a big doll atop an obelisk, situated near the Museo ng Guimaras. To a traveler whose daily city diet consists of the nerve-shattering noise of the railroad tracks and the million vehicles honking the highways, the silent, blissful gem of Guimaras island reveals itself in the wee small hours of dawn. Darkness enveloping the island can be scary as one is used to bright metropolitan street lights, but the friendly calls of nature’s creatures -- every insect, every toad, gecko (tuko), maya and all species of birds only expert bird watchers can identify, burst into an incessant, consistent orchestra of sounds, each animal crescendoing in the darkness, seeming to speak up its name in an attendance roll call, “I am here, ready to seize the day.” The beautiful sounds do not echo; they are each distinct from one another, and naturally amplified without any need of elec-
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BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH THE WONDERS OF GUIMARAS
Being mango country, all products and events in Guimaras are conceptualized and concocted with the mango in mind.
To a traveler whose daily city diet consists of the nerve-shattering noise of the railroad tracks and the million vehicles honking the highways, the silent, blissful gem of Guimaras island reveals itself in the wee small hours of dawn. The good fortune of Guimaras lies in its location -- between Iloilo and Negros, hence it is not on the typhoon path.
As darkness falls, the friendly calls of nature’s creatures -- every insect, every toad, gecko (tuko), maya and all species of birds burst into an incessant, consistent orchestra of sounds. tronic help. They emanate from man readies his watercraft to bring every leaf, every nook of the the- guests island hopping. Old men and ater of the forest in wild wonder- women sit close to the shore simply ful symphony. It is an incredible watching the horizon and enjoying experience to be audience to this the breeze. Guimaras temporarily lost enchantment. The low-tide beach at dawn is its beauty right after the Petronhome to playful boys getting en- contracted 998-ton tanker of the ergy from the water as the boat- Sunshine Maritime Development
Corporation named Solar I sank two million liters or 13,000 barrels of industrial oil on August 11, 2006 and damaged Tablong Island, one of Guimaras’ outlying islands, and its National Marine Reserve. But the spirit of the Guimaraoans pulled through this tragedy, though environmental scientists said that the effect of the oil spill of this magnitude would still be felt by the succeeding two generations. Paranoid Metro Manilans, who have become instinctively securityconscious with their personal belongings, will welcome the whiff of refreshing change in this province. Here, one can leave their stuff in wide-open vehicles without worry. Nobody will steal them anyway. The good fortune of Guimaras lies in its location -- between Iloilo and Negros, hence it is not on the typhoon path. Their mangoes, the
sweetest in the world, are said to be the only variety served in the White House and Buckingham Palace. Being mango country, all products and events are conceptualized and concocted with the mango in mind. The mango pizza at Pitstop Restaurant should be on everyone’s bucket list. The taste is deliciously unique and is worth the almost one-hour wait. This restaurant also serves mango-inspired Pasta Romeo. The Trappist monks, whose lives are dedicated to these verbs -- eat, pray, love humanity and work with their hands and bodies, and also run a school, have expansive mango plantations. Guimaras is in the same league as Camarines Sur and Subic as they are now the centers of triathlons. In Guimaras though, they call the winner of such events as the Mango Man. The island hosts extreme wild mountain bike races, on undulating slopes, narrow trails and terrain that go downhill with curves so steep, bikers would have to fly high and do their daredevil mid-air stunts before landing flat again. In Guimaras, one can be up close to an 18th century decommissioned rusty steel lighthouse and ascend its spiral staircase. Its new replacement is a shiny white solar lighthouse, the beacon to ships that ply the Iloilo Strait in the dead of the night. To get to savor the simple island life, taste the freshness of their soups and kanlay fish and cashews, and just surrender oneself to rusticity and the island heat. Guimaras can be reached via pumpboat that loads up to 52 passengers, at P14 each from Parola, Iloilo. From the Negros side, the passengers alight at San Lorenzo Port, paying P50 for the boat ride. (Vera Files) n
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AQUINO: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE
HE Philippines has achieved change, and the Filipinos themselves have made it happen. President Benigno Aquino III faced a joint session of Congress last July 23 to deliver his third State of the Nation Address (Sona). He did not claim credit for the improvements in national life in the past year. All credit he gave to the Filipinos. He thanked them for the achievements. He said that in the 25 months that he has been President, he learned that “nothing is impossible because if the Filipino people see that they are the only Bosses of their government, they will carry, they will guide you, they themselves will lead you to meaningful change.” “Nothing is impossible to a united nation,” Mr. Aquino said. “It was change we dreamed of, and change we achieved.” Toward the end of his one-hourand-a-half-long speech, he said: “Isn’t it a great time to be Filipino?” “Reforms were established as we cut wasteful spending, held offenders accountable for their actions, and showed the world that the Philippines is now open for business under new management,” the President said. He reported eight credit rating upgrades, 44 stock market record highs, and a first-quarter 2012 gross domestic product growth rate of 6.4 percent, “much higher than projected, the highest growth in the Southeast Asian region, and second only to China in the whole of Asia.” On his social, health, education, employment and infrastructure programs, Mr. Aquino reported achievements and announced progress on plans: • The conditional cash transfer program for the poorest poor has been extended to 3.1 million house-
holds as of February from 760,357 when he took office in June 2010. For next year, the program will cover 3.8 million households, five times bigger than the program he inherited from the Arroyo administration. Under the program, the beneficiaries get P1,400 a month on the condition that pregnant women get regular prenatal checkups, mothers bring their children to clinics for immunization and parents keep their children in school. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the President said, 1,672,977 mothers are now getting regular checkups; 1,672, 814 children have been vaccinated against diarrhea, polio, measles and other diseases; and 4.57 million children no longer miss classes because of poverty. • Eighty-five percent of all Filipi-
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nos have been enrolled in PhilHealth, compared to 62 percent in 2010. This means 23.31 percent more Filipinos have gained access to health insurance in the past two years. Better news: 5.2 million poorest households will benefit from PhilHealth programs. “The process,” Mr. Aquino said, “is this: Go to any government hospital, show your PhilHealth card, get treatment, and you will go home without shelling out a single centavo.” • By year-end, the government will have built the 66,800 classrooms needed to solve the classroom shortage in public schools, acquired the 2,573,212 chairs needed to solve the furniture shortage, and done away with the 61.7-million-book shortage to achieve the 1:1 textbook-to-student ratio. “We are ending the backlogs in the education sector, but the potential for shortages remains as our student population continues to increase,” Mr. Aquino said. Then he suggested a solution: “Perhaps the responsible parenthood bill can help address this.” That drew the loudest of the 100 bursts of applause that interrupted Mr. Aquino’s speech.
• A proposed 43.61-percent increase in the budget of state universities and colleges next year. • A steady decline in the unemployment rate from 8 percent in 2010 to 7.2 percent in 2011 to 6.9 percent this year. • The completion by 2016 of airports in Panglao, Bohol; Daraga, Albay; Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental; and the upgrading of the international airports in Mactan, Cebu; Tacloban, Leyte; and Puerto Princesa, Palawan. • Full repair of the flaws of Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before the next Sona in July next year. • Completion by 2015 of the extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 to Cavite, which would ease traffic in Las Piñas, Parañaque and Cavite, and the addition of two elevated expressways that will connect the North Luzon and South Luzon expressways, and reduce travel time between Clark in Pampanga and Calamba in Laguna to 1 hour and 40 minutes. • Drawing 2.1 million tourists in the past two years, compared to 1.3 million during the nine years of the Arroyo administration. The goal for this year: 4.6 million tourists.
ENRILE, BELMONTE CALL FOR CHA-CHA THE leaders of the two chambers of Congress have urged lawmakers to begin the work of reviewing and amending the economic provisions of the Constitution. “We believe that is needed by the country. We must adopt a flexible (economic) policy than a very rigid one,” Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said last July 23. He added that the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives have agreed not to tinker with the other provisions of the Constitution, particularly the extension of terms of elective officials. “It will not happen because the two House agreed and we will pass the resolution. You will see whether we are going to tinker with other provisions of the Constitution,” he said. However, Vice President Jejomar Binay wants the amendments to the Con-
stitution to include the extension of the terms of local government officials. “We should extend the terms of the local government units. Masyadong maikli ang tatlong taon ,” Binay said. Enrile did not give a time frame for tackling Charter change but he said he and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. will seek an audience with President Benigno Aquino III to discuss the matter. Belmonte, on the other hand, said in his speech to open the House’s third regular session: “It is high time that we revisit the economic provisions of the Constitution which, to my mind, restrict our economic progress and growth.” “Countries are like living creatures. They have to adapt to changing conditions to survive and develop,” Belmonte said. “We are witnessing rapid and radical developments in digital and information technology. We
cannot afford to lag far behind. Dramatic economic, political, and social upheavals all over the world have altered and redefined territorial boundaries and diplomatic relations.” “I am not proposing to change the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution overnight,” he added. “What I am suggesting is for us to take the first step towards relaxing the restrictive economic provisions of our Constitution to allow Congress to enact the laws that would define foreign participation and nationality requirements in strategic sectors of our economy.” Meanwhile, a Palace spokesman said President Aquino III is firmly against making any amendments in the Constitution but is willing to hold discussions with congressional leaders who may want to change his mind, a Palace spokesperson said.
Belmonte “It’s always good to hear the side of others who would hold a different view from the President,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said when asked if it Enrile and Belmonte’s bid to convince President Aquino about the need for constitutional amendments would prove useless. “[It’s] never futile for allies to speak and discuss things,” he added. “As to what will be the outcome of that discussion is something that
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• Reduction of rice imports from 1.3 million metric tons in 2010 to 500,000 metric tons this year. Weather permitting, the Philippines may start exporting rice next year. Turning to national defense, the President said the government allocated P28 billion for the modernization of the military. “This will soon match the P33 billion set aside for the program in the past 15 years,” Mr. Aquino said. Saying the country cannot just give its territory away, Mr. Aquino called on the nation to unite behind his government’s efforts to resolve the Philippines’ dispute with China over Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. “If someone enters your yard and tells you he owns it, will you allow that?” he said. “It’s not right to give away what is rightfully ours. And so I ask for solidarity from our people regarding this issue. Let us speak with one voice.” Mr. Aquino also asked Congress to pass crucial legislation, including the sin tax reform bill, the third amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act that would increase the number of predicate crimes covered by the law, his administration’s version of the military modernization bill, the responsible parenthood bill, and the amendment to the mining law that would increase the government’s share in mining revenues. “This is my third Sona; only three remain,” Mr. Aquino said. “We are entering the midpoint of our administration. Last year, I challenged you to fully turn your back on the culture of negativism; to take every chance to uplift your fellow Filipinos. From what we are experiencing today, it is clear: You succeeded.” He said that whenever people came to him to thank him, he says: “You made this happen.” n we’ll have to wait and see. It hasn’t happened yet.” Asked what would make President Aquino change his mind, Lacierda said, “It’s hard to say. The President has been firm in his belief that the Constitution as it stands needs no amendment.” In a news briefing, Lacierda said Mr. Aquino believes the Constitution doesn’t need any tweak even if it’s only meant to improve the country’s economy. “The President has already mentioned that he has not seen any argument saying that economic prosperity will not be achieved without amending the Constitution. But, again, [Enrile] likewise firmly believes that we need to amend the Constitution,” Lacierda said. Mr. Aquino has also expressed concern over the possibility that even the political provisions of the Charter would be tackled for revision once the process of amending the Constitution gets underway. n
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COURT ALLOWS GMA TO POST BAIL
ARROYO, 9 OTHERS CHARGED WITH PLUNDER THE Ombudsman on July 16 filed a P366-M plunder suit against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds during the latter years of her administration. The case, signed by Assistant Ombudsman Weomark Ryan Layson, was filed against Mrs Arroyo and 9 other former government officials with the Sandiganbayan. The filing of the suit was approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales last July 12. This is the first plunder case against the former president and incumbent Pampanga Representative. It is a non-bailable offense, and was filed a week before President Benigno Aquino III is scheduled to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA). Arroyo slammed the suit, saying it is “devoid of merit.” Nine former PCSO and Commission on Audit officials were likewise charged with plunder. They are Sergio Valencia, former PCSO chairman of the board; Rosario Uriarte, former PCSO general manager; Manuel Morato, Jose Taruc V, Raymundo Roquero, and Ma Fatima Valdes, former members of the PCSO board; Benigno Aguas, former PCSO budget officer; Reynaldo Villar, former chairman of the Commission on Audit; and Nilda Plaras, former COA officer. A statement from the Office of the Ombudsman said the case was based on two separate complaints – one dated Jul 25, 2011 filed by Jaime Regalario, Risa HontiverosBaraquel and Danilo Lim, for plunder, malversation and violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 3019; and another complaint dated Nov 29, 2011 by the PCSO itself represented by Eduardo Araullo, for plunder and violation of RA 3019. The Ombudsman’s suit alleged
that Mrs Arroyo approved the alleged diversion of PCSO’s intelligence funds for purposes not related to the core work of the agency, which is to help indigents and sectors working with them. It noted that the PCSO’s intelligence fund ballooned from P10M in 2000 to P103-M in 2008. And then it continued to request for more CIF in 2009 (P90-M) and 2010 (P150-M). According to the suit, the repeated identically-worded one-page requests for additional CIF did not have a specific plan, project, program or undertaking of intelligence activity, and that the requests made for 2008 and 2010 even preceded the approval of PCSO’s corporate operating budget. The Ombudsman, however, cleared former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who was charged in the original complaints lodged with the Ombudsman. In clearing Ermita, the Ombudsman said “he simply performed a duty to implement a presidential directive when he wrote the letter and even added the notation ‘subject to pertinent budgetary, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.’” In 2011, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigated allegations that Malacañang diverted PCSO funds for election purposes. In January 2012, it recommended plunder and technical malversation charges against Mrs Arroyo and Uriarte for the disbursement of P325-M in confidential intelligence funds from 2008 until the months leading to the 2010 elections. In its 124-page report, the committee said Uriarte approached Arroyo directly in Malacañang to ask for the release of “special funds” to help the agency conduct intelligence operations related to “bomb threat, kidnapping, destabilization and terrorism.” n
LIKE the rest of the country, Malacañang was taken aback by the decision of Judge Jesus Mupas of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) granting the petition for bail of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria MacapagalArroyo. However, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda lost no time in passing the buck to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which filed the case for electoral sabotage against the former President on Nov. 18, 2011. “It’s Comelec that filed the case, not us,” Lacierda said in a briefing at the Palace. The Comelec said it would ask Mupas to overturn his ruling. “We will file a motion for reconsideration if it’s not too late because we know that the order is immediate and executory,” said Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. He acknowledged that he was not expecting the decision of the court but expressed confidence that the case would prosper. He said the “setback” was merely on the bail petition and not on the main case. “It’s OK. The fight is not over yet. There is still a trial on the merits of the case,” said the Comelec chief. Also caught off-guard by Mupas’ ruling, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she would meet with Brillantes and the panel of the Comelec and Department of Justice (DOJ) to discuss the government’s next move. “I’m going to discuss that with
Chairman Brillantes and we will see what remedy we can do. Of course we did not expect it. If the bail was granted there’s only one meaning: the judge was not convinced that the evidence was strong. But of course, we disagree. We will look at the basis of his decision and we will take the appropriate remedy,” De Lima told reporters. “We are of the different view that even if there’s only one witness who pointed at the former President, for us it’s enough. Because when Unas [the government’s lone witness] testified, he really stood pat on his testimony that he himself heard the instruction of the former President to former Governor Ampatuan to rig the 2007 elections,” she said. Lacierda also invoked the separation of powers between the executive and judiciary to explain the unfortunate turn of events for the 2-yearold Aquino administration, which has made the prosecution of Arroyo the centerpiece of its anticorruption drive. Lacierda said the executive branch had no control over the workings of the judiciary. Although its most prominent detainee is now out on bail, the Aquino administration still vowed that the “fight against corruption continues.” Lacierda cited the plunder case recently filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against Arroyo in the Sandiganbayan in connection with the misuse of P366 million in funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
“And that’s the reason why there is a PCSO case still in the Sandiganbayan. This will not dampen our resolve to file and to continue to institute corruption cases against responsible officials,” he said. He said the election body could not understand why Mupas of the Pasay RTC Branch 112 granted Arroyo’s petition for bail on the electoral sabotage filed against her involving the senatorial elections in Maguindanao in 2007. “I really don’t get it why Judge Mupas granted the petition when no evidence whatsoever was presented. [Arroyo’s] camp also didn’t even reply or rebut the statements of our witnesses during the bail hearing,” Brillantes said. While maintaining that the Comelec has a strong case against Arroyo, allowing her to walk out of hospital detention would somehow “imperil” its bid to make the former President accountable for the allegedly rigged 2007 balloting. “The judge might be saying that the evidence is weak and so we need to get more,” Brillantes said. Norie Unas, the election supervisor of Maguindanao during Arroyo’s term, is the Comelec’s main witness. During a hearing on Arroyo’s petition for bail last month, Unas claimed that Arroyo had instructed then Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. to deliver a 12-0 vote in Maguindanao in favor of Team Unity senatorial candidates during a meeting in Malacañang two weeks before the elections. n
FORMER PAGCOR EXECS FACE PLUNDER RAPS THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) on July 17 filed a plunder case against former officials of Pagcor and a coffee concessionaire in connection with the overpriced coffee products sold in five Casino Filipino branches. Facing a complaint for plunder and violation of the AntiGraft Law are former Pagcor chairman Efraim Genuino, former Pagcor president Rafael Francisco, former Pagcor senior vice president and senior managing head of research development department Rene Figueroa and Promolabels owner Carlota Cristi Manalo-Tan. The complaint was filed a week before the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Benigno Aquino III. The overpriced coffee was revealed by Aquino in his 2011 Sona. In a 25 page complaint, Genuino, Francisco and Figueroa, in their capacities as officials
and/or employees of Pagcor allegedly directed Casino Filipino branches “to enter into concession agreements with Promolabels with a view towards enriching themselves and coffee concessionaire Manalo-Tan through the sale and purchase of overpriced Figaro coffee products, to the damage and prejudice of the Filipino people.” Investigation showed that on May 16 2001, then Pagcor board headed by Genuino granted the proposal of Figaro Coffee Company to set up coffee kiosks in its Casino Filipino branches wherein the prices of beverages “will be similar to the prices in the malls.” Due to the resolution, Figaro franchisee Promolabels was able to acquire concession agreements in seven Casino Filipino branches. Manalo-Tan signed the agreements on behalf of Promolabels while Genuino and Francisco signed/cosigned most of these contracts on behalf of the casino branches. Initially, Promolabels given
three to five-year contracts which were renewed following the expiration of their original terms without the benefit of public bidding. The complaint also stated that five Casino Filipino branches paid at least P258 million to Promolabels for the coffee products from 2005 to 2008 and the prices charged were higher than its prices at Figaro coffee shops outside Casino Filipino. Complainant led by Pagcor head Cristino Naguiat said they had to work back on all the documents pertaining to Promolabels transactions. The agency’s Auditors had to validate and verify every invoice and receipt of Promolabels, particularly for the period covering 2005 to 2008. Currently, Pagcor said casinos serve free coffee to all its customers at prices ranging from P9.36 for a cup of brewed coffee to P14.99 for a cup of premium flavored coffee. n
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ENRILE: JBC SELECTION PROCESS UNLAWFUL SENATE President Juan Ponce Enrile said that President Benigno Aquino III can appoint the next chief justice even without waiting for the JBC to submit its shortlist of candidates because the selection process being conducted by the council is “unlawful.” Enrile maintained that the current composition of the JBC is “unconstitutional” because its ex-officio chairman is not the chief justice. “So if this issue can’t be resolved, the President as a matter of necessity will have to appoint [a new chief justice],” Enrile said in a radio interview aired over DZBB. Enrile said that the 1987 Constitution was “very clear” that the chief justice, and not any justice, “not even the acting chief justice,” can be the ex-officio JBC chairman. He pointed out that since there is no chief justice at present, there should also be no JBC, which means that it is up to the president to appoint the next chief justice. The Senate president also dismissed accusations that Congress resorted to blackmail after the Supreme Court ruled that the representative of Congress at the JBC has only one vote. “Hindi kami nang ba-blackmail. Ewan ko kung ano ang grado ng nagsasabi na yan sa bar examination. I’m not belittling him but I think I know my
law, I understand what I’m doing,” Enrile said. Former solicitor general Francisco Chavez earlier said that Congress’ refusal to send its representative to the JBC “is tantamount to a clear blackmail to bend the will of the Supreme Court. It is also a defiance to the resolution that says Congress should have one representative to the JBC,” Chavez said. He also warned the two ex-officio members of Congress—Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo province— that they may be violating the Constitution for their decision to boycott the JBC proceedings. The former solicitor general issued the statement after the leaders of Congress decided to pull out their representatives in the council’s ongoing selection process for the next chief magistrate saying the process is unlawful. Enrile said that they are not boycotting JBC proceedings. He explained that they don’t want to participate in what they consider to be a flawed process. Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, also said that the most qualified candidate should be chosen as chief justice. “I don’t think it’s a matter of choosing an insider or outsider. It’s re-
CHINA TO DEPLOY GARRISON IN DISPUTED AREA
THE People’s Liberation Army, China’s central military authority, has approved the deployment of a military garrison in the newly declared Sansha City in the sparsely populaterd West Philippine Sea, said a report posted on China’s Ministry of National Defense website. China’s announcement is just the latest in a series of recent actions that have expanded its physical presence in the vast disputed waters and defied condemnation around the region. The report said that the military garrison will be “responsible for managing the city’s national defense mobilization, military reserves and military operations.” The Chinese defense ministry likewise said that military troops to be sent to the newly established garrison will be under the dual leadership of Hainan province’s military sub-command and Sansha City’s civilian leaders. China had envisioned Sansha City as administering the West Philippine Sea including the Spratly Islands. The announcement came despite a diplomatic protest lodged by the Philippines against China over the establishment of Sansha City. The Philippine protest said that “the extent of the jurisdiction of the city violates Philippine territorial sovereignty over the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc and infringes on Philippine sovereign rights over the waters and continental shelf of the West Philippine Sea.” Aside from the Spratly Islands, Sansha City—which was established by the Chinese Cabinet last June 21—also claims political sovereignty over the Paracel Islands and Macclesfield Bank. Portions of these territories are also being claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines. A separate Reuters report meanwhile said that China is also planning to build structures such as buoy tenders, supply bases, light stations and radio stations in Sansha City. “We are also planning to cruise regularly in Sansha in the future and set up a daily cruising mechanism when conditions are ready in order to safeguard China’s sovereignty and maritime interests,” Zhang Wei, head of the ship supervision division of China’s Hainan Maritime Safety Administration, said in the report. n
PALACE KEEPS OUT OF U.S. CRITICISM OF CHINA
ally a matter of who’s best for the job. It’s more of who’s the perfect man or woman for the job,” he said. “For the insiders, they already have the experience. They know the people and the process. For the outsiders, they can bring in fresh perspective.” n
MALACANANG is not going to give comment on the United States’ reported criticism of China’s plan for a military garrison on an island in the disputed Spratly Islands. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said “the Philippines has its own position on the matter and will not enter the picture.” “We do not know how our friends in China will face that, we will not comment on the statements of the US in reference to China’s he plans...’ she said on government-run dzRB radio. Besides, she said the “diplomacy” between the Philippines and China appeared to be working, saying “good results” have been coming out. She added the disputes the Philippines has with China over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and the Kalayaan Islands in the Spratlys are just one aspect of Philippine-China ties. The Philippines and China had been locked in a standoff off Panatag since April, after Philippine forces saw Chinese fishermen gathering species from the area but were blocked by Chinese ships when they tried to make arrests. China has already named the municipal and military officials of its new city in the Spratlys – in an area administered by a 34-year-old Philippine town in Palawan province. “As we have consistently said the past, the dispute over (the) Kalayaan Island Group and the incident in Bajo de Masinloc [Panatag Shoal] are just one of the facets of multifaceted relations with China,” Valte said. n
PH NOT GIVING UP VS CHINA
MALACANANG said the Philippines would continue to press for a multilateral solution to territorial disputes in the region before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and other international fora. A close adviser to President Benigno Aquino III, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, acknowledged that the absence of a joint statement by the Asean on the ongoing dispute between the Philippines and China over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal was “a momentary setback.” However, Secretary Ronald Llamas, the President’s adviser on political affairs, said it was “too early to say that the Asean efforts have failed.” “We will continue to bring the issue up to Asean as well as at other international fora. It’s an issue that involves not just the Philippines but every country that has shorelines in the South China Sea,” added Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang. Carandang said that in the drafting of a joint communiqué following the meeting of the foreign ministers, there was already a consensus to simply mention that there were discussions on disputes over shoals and similar outcrops in the contested waters. However, “Cambodia blocked the consensus,” he said. The Philippines is pushing for a code of conduct in what it calls the West Philippine Sea that would be binding to all claimant states, including China. “Perhaps the recent tensions are still too fresh and the leadership transition in China is still in flux to allow the desired consensus on this initiative at this time,” Abad said in a text message. “The prudent recourse is not to give up on the idea and continue to
pursue the advocacy within the Asean and other fora through creative ways. It may well be a question of timing,” he added. China has dismissed accusations that it was responsible for the lack of a joint statement at the end of the 45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Cambodia. China earlier said that it is willing to discuss the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea with the Asean countries when conditions mature, Liu said in a separate article posted on the Chinese government web portal. Explaining the controversy about the Asean joint statement, Del Rosario said: “We simply wanted the fact that we discussed the issue reflected in the joint communiqué, no more, no less. It would have just been a simple sentence or paragraph in the communiqué. We just want a recognition that the Scarborough Shoal was in fact discussed.” Del Rosario said several Asean states and the Asean secretariat supported the Philippine position that the
Scarborough Shoal discussion should be reflected on the joint statement. “However, the chair [Cambodia] has consistently opposed any mention of the Scarborough Shoal at all in the joint communiqué…he said he doesn’t want to mention bilateral issues.” The South China Sea has become Asia’s biggest potential military flashpoint as Beijing’s sovereignty claim over a huge, looping area has set it against Vietnam and the Philippines as the three countries race to tap possibly huge oil reserves. The stakes have risen as the US military shifts its attention and resources back to Asia, emboldening its longtime ally the Philippines and former foe Vietnam to take a bolder stance against Beijing. Asean’s divisions are an ominous sign for a bloc that wants to create a regional economic community by 2015 that would bring down barriers in trade, labor and financial markets—partly to compete with China for investment. On the other hand, China is emerging as the biggest market and investor for Asian nations as markets in the West begin to shrink. n
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