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We politicize economic issues & give an economic perspective to political issues MARCH 10-16, 2014 • VOL.4 NO.28
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TOOTHLESS By Miguel Raymundo
We’ve heard hundreds of horror stories on how consumer rights are always trampled upon by business establishments, whose only concern is to fleece off consumer money. Filipino consumers are being treated like a joke, and the government watchdogs are just there to put up a front. Page 2
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CHANGING PARTIES, CHANGING LOYALTIES 3 3/7/14 11:12 PM
COVER STORY
Toothless By Miguel Raymundo
The Filipino consumer is an endangered lot. Straddled by a myriad of problems—from substandard and toxic products to exorbitant charges by telcos and utility companies—the government provides little or no protection from the abuses of corporate giants. We’ve heard hundreds of horror stories of how consumer rights are always trampled upon by business establishments whose only concern is to fleece off consumer money, in the fastest way possible. We know of the recent bus crashes involving Don Mariano Transit that killed several people and injured more. One can’t help but wonder why the LTFRB can still allow these bus companies to operate despite several incidents of fatal vehicle failure and complaints from concerned citizens. In 1992, the enactment of the Consumers Code of the Philippines in was supposed to provide a measure of defense. But the law is actually nothing but a toothless document for consumer protection with hardly enough guidelines for its implementation. Still, that same year 1992 marked the emergence of Coalition 349—or the Coalition for Consumer Protection & Welfare, Inc.—which took the role of consumer guardian. Organized from the ranks of individuals who filed a complaint against soda giant PepsiCo, the Coalition became the public champion against corporate abuse and greed. Representing its members in the celebrated Pepsi 349 case, the Coalition—led by freelance journalist Vic Del Fierro— defended consumer rights with a passion in the 90s. And the highlight of Del Fierro’s campaign was a 1995 campaign that exposed the predatory appetite of credit card companies. But after dodging libel charges filed against him by Pepsi in 2002, Del Fierro slowly vanished from the spotlight leaving the Filipino consumer vulnerable to exploitation and government neglect.
Fake and Toxic Products
The Philippines has gained the notoriety of being the dumping ground of counterfeit and toxic products. Flea markets
overflow with a variety of pirated products and knock-offs ranging from shoes, RTW, wrist watches, mobile phones and electronic products. Some of these ripoffs are even sold in the big malls so the unwary shopper ends up with nothing but class A counterfeits. The EcoWaste Coalition, meanwhile, has been busy for the last three years condemning the sale of mercury laden skin whitening and anti-aging products. In test buys conducted at drugstores located in the Binondo and Divisoria area of Manila, the environment watchgroup discovered 15 beauty products that were still on sale despite a ban issued by the local Food and Drug Authority. According to a United Nations study, the continued use of cosmetic products containing mercury in cosmetic products can cause skin rashes, contact dermatitis, acne, skin discoloration and scarring. And cosmetic products are not the only goods found laden with dangerous chemicals. Poisonous chemicals have also been found in food packaging, paints, toys, firecrackers and even school supplies and government seems to tolerate the sale of these products which are most likely to have been illegally shipped into the country.
Erring Telcos
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is supposed to keep watch on the telcos. With mobile phone users in the Philippines outnumbering most other countries including the United States, erring telcos can easily make profit a huge captive market. In an effort to protect consumers the NTC issued a memo requiring telcos to inform subscribers of surcharges imposed for additional services—such as mobile internet. But despite the memo, complaints continue to pour about sky-high
phone bills raising questions about the need to modify consumer protection laws to add special clauses to protect mobile phone users.
The Case vs Meralco
Meralco has had a long history of going against consumer interest. Since its acquisition by the Lopez family from its American back in 1962 to its present ownership under business tycoon MVP, the power and light company has repeatedly flogged the public with rate increases and a surfeit of hidden charges. With electricity rates in the Philippines already inside the Top 10 list of the most expensive in the world, Meralco announced its implementation of a historichigh rate increase of P4.15 per kilowatt hour back in December, MVP and company found themselves defending their case in court. Meralco said the rate hike was due to the shutdown of the Malampaya natural gas facility which raised the costs of electricity it purchased from power generators. Petitioners against Meralco accused the company of buying power from the Wholesale Spot Electricity Market (WESM) at “very high prices when it could have resorted to cheaper alternatives”. They accused Meralco of helping jack up prices at WESM through the generating company Therma Mobile of the Aboitiz group with whom it has an agreement of buying 100 megawatts of power at P8.65/kWh. The case is pending before the Supreme Court with the rate increase held at bay by virtue of an extended temporary restraining order (TRO). If the courts rule in favor of the petitioners, it would be a victory for millions of Meralco consumers. On the other hand, a Meralco win will line the pockets of MVP, but may very well spell the doom of the PNoy Presidency.
Cheap beauty products and cosmetics sold by sidewalk vendors and small stores in Metro Manila were inspected by the EcoWaste Coalition. They were found to contain toxic chemicals such as lead and mercury. Suppliers of these products manage to get these items under the Bureau of Food And Drug inspectors’ noses, and into the streets, into the hands of unsuspecting consumers.
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Protecting Your Rights
ACCORDING to the government, the key to better consumer protection is knowing the Consumer Act of the Philippines (R.A. 7394). Enacted in 1992, the Act promotes the State’s policy “to protect the interest of the consumer, promote his general welfare and establish the standards of conduct for business and industry.” The law also aims to protect consumers against deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts and practices. It also seeks to provide information and education to facilitate sound choice and the proper exercise of consumer rights and to provide adequate rights and means of redress. Lastly, the law also aims to involve consumer representatives in the formulation of social and economic policies related to consumer protection. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), for example, is among the government agencies that implement the Consumer Act. It concerns itself with consumer credit transactions extended by banks and other financial intermediaries. Aside from the BSP other government agencies implementing the Act include the following: Department of Trade and Industry (DTI): for consumer product quality and safety; deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts and practices; weights and measures (metrication); consumer products and service warranties; price tag; labeling and packaging; liability for products and services; service and repair shops; and advertising and sales promotion; Department of Agriculture (DA): for agricultural products (quality and safety, and labeling and packaging); Department of Education (DepEd): consumer education and information; Department of Health (DOH): food, drugs, cosmetics and devices and hazardous substances (quality and safety; labeling and packaging; advertising and sales promotion; and price tag); and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): credit facilities extended to consumers by financing companies. If you have a consumer issue to raise, there are basic steps you need to follow in filing a complaint. First, you should identify the problem and indicate what you believe would be a fair settlement. Do you want your money back—a refund—or would you like the product to be repaired or replaced? Gather documents. Gather documentation regarding your complaint. Sales receipts, repair orders, warranties, cancelled checks, or contract which will substantiate the complaint and help the company solve your problem. Return to the place where you made the purchase and contact the person who sold you the item or performed the service. Explain the problem to the sales representative and the course of action you wish to take. If the person fails to extend help, call his supervisor or manager. Write a formal letter of complaint. If you are not satisfied with the company’s response, write a formal letter of complaint to the consumer protection agency concerned enclosing supporting documents such as official receipts, deed of sale and the like. You should be prepared to make an appearance when called, especially during the mediation conference. If all this fails, take your case to court.
WE TAKE A STAND
3/7/14 11:12 PM
Politics
News from Where You Stand
Changing Parties, Changing Loyalties
By ElCid Benedicto
The news about the formal severing of ties of Vice President Jejomar Binay from his party, Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), to put up his own political party obviously caused shockwaves to his potential rivals, even prompting one senator to admit his longtime presidential ambition. Although VP Binay has made known his intention to seek the presidency as early as last year, what apparently came as a surprise is his reported plan to come up with his own political party as he and former president, now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, had just made their merger party, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) official before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) shortly after the 2013 mid-term polls. Palace observers, sources said, have been keeping an eye on both Binay and Estrada, especially after their reported “tiff” over a development of a public market in Manila came out. The scenario of VP Binay eventually gunning for the presidency sans Mayor Estrada on his side was already anticipated, sources said, and this would help President Aquino’s camp map out possible contenders to the muchcoveted post. DILG Sec. Manuel Roxas II is believed to be a shoo-in as far as being the administration’s “bet”, being the Liberal Party’s (LP) president. But the Chief Executive is also said to be “open” to entertaining other options, sources said. This gave rise to speculations that Roxas allegedly had a hand in fuelling the controversies that some senators are currently embroiled in to frustrate their chances this early in the polls. With Sen. Jinggoy Estrada already deeply enmeshed
with the pork barrel scam alongside his close friend Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., the two are no longer considered “threats” to the vice presidential and presidential seats, an administration ally disclosed recently. The names of Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, Sen. Francis Escudero and Grace Poe were mentioned by a source privy to talks on the impending 2016 presidential race. Sen. Ralph Recto’s movie-star wife is widely being considered by both the camps of Pres. Aquino and Binay, the latter especially, sources said, adding he’s seriously wooing the Batangas governor
based on the information that reached Malacanang. This explains the reason why early this week, the actress’s name cropped up as a possible running-mate of VP Binay. Probably unknown to many, Sen. Recto’s inclusion in the senatorial line-up of Pres. Aquino in the 2010 polls allegedly did not sit well with then vice presidential candidate Roxas as the former had been identified with the Arroyo administration. Sen. Recto is also known to be close to former Sen. Manuel Villar, being a former member of the Nacionalista Party (NP) and part of the then so-called
“Wednesday group” in the Senate that included retired Senators Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan and Noli de Castro. His drafting in the Senate slate of LP in 2010 allegedly was a “package deal” which means the inclusion of Santos in LP. It should be noted that the governor was with Lakas-Kampi-CMD party. The Gov. Vi’s “masa” appeal is seen to draw the needed support to Sec. Roxas, the source said. Sen. Escudero, the source added, is also being considered as a possible vice presidential candidate of Sec. Roxas. The two may not be seeing eye-to-eye and belong to warring groups, the Samar group where Sen. Escudero is identified with, and Balay group of Sec. Roxas, but Pres. Aquino is willing to thresh out their differences, sources said. Sen. Poe may still be a neophyte, not only as a senator and politician, but sources said that this early, the business community are placing their bet on her, a crucial factor especially in terms of fi nancial support in a presidential campaign that is lacking in all of the names mentioned above, sources said. But Sen. Poe is yet to be convinced of her capacity in occupying a higher position in government, the source said. And where will this leave Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who last Wednesday admitted his plans of seeking the presidency and ruled out running as vice presidential candidate? Apparently, the senator already laid out his own plans even while he was seeking reelection last year immediately after the polls. He has acquired the services of a think-tank group to prepare him for his bid in 2016 and members of his party, NP, remain mum on their next move.
What’s Next For 2014-2016?
I
suppose if this question was asked of a cynic, the reply would be “Nothing, what did you expect?” Thank God that not all of us are cynics, or at least we try not to be. And so, one remains somewhat hopeful, but clearly it is time to tone down the expectations about PNoy and this administration. It would seem that significant reforms will not be realistic to expect in the remainder of his term and that we will be in for rougher days ahead. There are major issues confronting this Administration but there is little political will to pursue those reforms and it would probably be wrong to pursue them helter skelter. Some of these reforms concern significant constitutional issues as well as our current form of government. For example, the GRP-MILF agreement allowing the creation of what appears to be, if not in words, a de facto sub-state in the ARMM. The language is rather clear, though careful in its use of words in order not to be so blatant about it. In other words, it’s somewhat politically crafted and legally unclear as to fi nd some space to defend it in the event of a constitutional challenge. But the greater issue is that it calls for the creation of a parliamentary form of government in the Bangsamoro, where elec-
tions are not based on individual names but on parties active in the area. These are major changes and are not inherent in the creation of an autonomous region as there is no provision in the Constitution that allows for the creation of such a substate. In fact the Constitution allows only for the creation of an autonomous local government unit as was done in the Cordilleras and in the previous ARMM region. Moreover, there is no provision that allows a parliamentary system to evolve even if it is by agreement between the Administration and any other group of citizens located in a particular area. The Government is not free to pursue an agreement that goes beyond the Constitution and the Supreme Court was rather clear about this when the last Agreement was declared unconstitutional in rather strident terms. I am not against a parliamentary form of government. In fact, I prefer it to the present system we have, but it is presently unconstitutional. Aside from whether the present agreement is constitutional or not, the other issue is that the current agreement opens the door to the creation of other autonomous areas patterned after this agreement with the MILF. Is this the start of something new or as others have put it, the beginning of the end of our present form of government!
RAY OF HOPE Ramon Orosa After all if it is good for Muslim Filipinos, it could be good as well for the Ilocanos, the Bicolanos, the Cebuanos and other Visayan groupings and so on. Supporting this agreement is meaningless unless these Constitutional issues are fi rst tackled. There are other issues that can create complex conditions such as the sharing of revenues from natural resources with the national government and effectively “sovereignty” over land and seas and revenues derived from them. It is one thing for the national government to allocate from the national budget part of those revenues for use in certain regions, it is another question to have the autonomous region share it with the national government so miserly. There are other issues that need to be threshed out not to speak of the fact that there are significant dissenting Muslim groups that are a threat to the agreement and in fact hostile to it; and what about indigenous tribes that have not been prop-
erly represented but are rather numerous in fact, numbering in excess of 5 million, the Ibalois and others. There are other challenges to the nation as well. China is a major one and there are no easy answers. China seems to be behaving based on their assumption that America is a spent force at this time and for the next decade at least, so that its policy of creeping annexation of the seas is being pursued with vigor if without basis in history, in law, and in fact. China seems to believe it is her manifest destiny because she is now sufficiently prosperous and militarily strong. She is crafting a thoroughly, internally determined course to take advantage of the weak foreign policy of the United States as the it pursues pacifistic postures and token military declarations: defending Japan on one hand and on the other, the US military seeking closer communications and coordination with China. Further, it does not add to our confidence that the US seeks to reduce their forces to pre-war levels. Maybe they see Obama as a lame duck President, and they see that the time is ripe for asserting China’s new economic, political and military might. All these confl icting and confusing pronouncements can only embolden China, as she realizes the US is in no position to engage in what could be
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a protracted confl ict in Asia. It is mostly due to her rather distressing fi nancial condition, with China being her biggest creditor. Add to that the fact that the US has been impoverished by almost two decades of gargantuan expenditures in the Middle East, only to buckle in at the end with no clear victories in sight or to be expected in the near future. In other words, there is no true appetite for confl ict except through press releases. Will the US really defend us in the Scarborough Shoals and other islets within our national territory? I truly doubt it. There are challenges to our economy, and while the Administration is crowing about the GNP growth rate, we lag behind leading South Asian neighbors, who attract multiples of foreign direct investments compared to us. Government seems incapable of understanding that the biggest bar is the fact that every succeeding administration changes the rules of the game. It does not see that these investments do not like to be suckered in and then have the rug pulled out from under them, not to mention the difficulty of doing business here. This is also not to consider the limitations imbedded in our Constitution about what foreign direct investments can do in the country, and so forth, etc. Turn to page 11
OpinYon
MARCH 10-16, 2014
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OPINION
From the Chairman
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More Bark Than Bite If you are going to read Republic Act 7394 otherwise known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines which took effect on 15 July 1992, and you haven’t gone to a mall in the last 15 years to buy your sachet of shampoo or haven’t seen your recent water or electric bill, then maybe you are going to shout to the whole world how you are being protected by this law. The law says that it is the policy of the State to protect the interest of the consumer, promote his general welfare, etc. It also protects the consumer against hazards to health and safety, protects the consumer against deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts and practices. Ironically, the consumer is not protected against unabated increases in prices of prime commodities, transportation fares, and water or electricity bills. It is not protected against unscrupulous businessmen who smuggle goods into the country without paying customs duties and taxes that practically sabotage the country’s economy. Consumer products or services mean goods, service and credits, debts or obligations which are primarily for personal, family, household or agricultural purpose, which shall include, but not limited to food, drugs, cosmetics and devices. The Department of Trade and Industry has a price watch bureau for this. It is very powerful when it swoops down on small market vendors like fish and meat dealers. But like any regulating agency of the government it is “toothless” or otherwise inutile when faced by big business. Do you see the ERC cowering in fear when confronted by Meralco? You haven’t seen anything with them thrashing any of Meralco’s application for rate increases. The best it can do is stagger the rate increase. Disapproving it is an act so hard to follow, what with the dagger of influence atop its head. The cost of medicine is staggering, too. (Even with the price watch!) Are the regulators doing something to protect the consumers? The law has been reduced to PR stunts, more bark than bite.
HERMAN TIU-LAUREL Publisher TONYPET J. ROSALES Managing Editor
OpinYon is published by Digitek Publishing House, Inc., with editorial and business offices at No. 10 Pacita Avenue, Pacita Complex I, San Pedro, Laguna. TELEPHONE NUMBER
San Pedro: 214-0766 Email: opinyon.2010@ gmail.com website: www.opinyon.com.ph ISSN 2094-7372
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DAVE DIWA Opinion Editor FREDERICK FABIAN Social Media Director CARLOS RAJAMIRA Creative Director
When talks about consumerism are raised, the fi rst thing that goes into mind centers on issues about consumer products from soft drinks to vanity products. Not much noticed are abuses by banks. When banks abuse their economic influence, the whole economy shakes, all prices go up, and the poor borrowers lose their shirts. Banking in the Philippines is one of the lucrative destinations of hot money, mostly products of corruption and other crimes. This easily is the case because the Anti-Money Laundering law in the country favors bankers’ protection than the intention to arrest global corruption. One interesting observation is that our claim to high economic growth is anchored on hot money coming in and distorting the real economic worth of the country. When the value of the peso against the dollar took a dive lately, it was reported to be caused by spike in the withdrawal of hot money from the country. So there is the reason the banks have too much money to lend to short term loans like in credit cards. These credit privileges have lately been strongly pushed in the market because of over-
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fter the 24-25th February 2014 U.S.-E.U coup d’etat in Ukraine using thugs like the anti-Semite, neo-Nazi Svoboda party and the right-wing Right Sector to instigate bloodletting and lay the excuse of the physical ouster of the democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovych, the global fi nance mafia, in the face of the IMF, walks into Ukraine’s corridors of power on the carpet of red blood from U.S. paid snipers shooting at massed, innocent Ukrainian protesters. All this while riot police are attempting to restore order, putting out fi res set off by protesters and cleaning up buildings forcibly occupied in the weeks of organized, violent mayhem in Kiev. While EDSA I of February 2225, 1986, was not as violent as the coup in Kiev, it was nevertheless the same kind of coup using internal schisms in society, massive disinformation and agents provocateurs to create the impression of huge unpopularity of the government in place and justify the final military or police use of force upon the incumbent leaders to vacate their positions. If Marcos had shown serious effort to disperse the Edsa I crowd in 1986 I have no doubt that mercenary snipers of the opposition would have created “sacrificial lambs” to justify a military attack and physical removal of Marcos. Of course, the U.S. did eventually kidnap Marcos and brought him to Hawaii to die a quiet death.
IMF’s Yats to “Yape” Ukraine
Pro-U.S. Filipinos, either historical ignoramuses or parasites
Editorial Consultants DIEGO CAGAHASTIAN LINGGOY ALCUAZ ERICK SAN JUAN RODRIGO CORNEJO
OpinYon
flowing cash in our bank vaults. Decades back, getting a credit card was a tough task as it was then some kind of status symbol. Today everybody has a credit card, from the lowly messenger to the higher-ups in the employment organization. So the credit card has become an instrument in improving consumer spending and consequently contributing to a more active and vibrant economy. It has been proven good for the economy and of course is best for the banks. Why has the card served the bank best? The answer is the interest rates and penalties have become major source of income for the lending groups. Interest rates on card ran from 3 percent a month up while penalties imposed for late payment meant doubling the regular monthly interest rate. A 3 percent monthly interest means 39 percent per annum. This means banks double their money in two years and a half at the longest. This is almost usury but no one is stopping the banks. Depositors and borrowers have nowhere to run to seek help against abuses by banks. Are consumers protected? Try checking if bank clients are protected from banks.
Like Edsa I, IMF takes Ukraine
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PEOPLE’S STRUGGLE Mentong Laurel living off U.S. dominance, continue in denial of the murderous history of the U.S. against innocents and legitimate governments, from Korea to Vietnam, Chile to Grenada and Haiti, Iraq to Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and now Ukraine. In Ukraine,
tion is between the EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and Estonian foreign affairs minister, Urmas Paet who said “There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers, it was not Yanukovich, but it was somebody from the new coalition (opposition),” To which Ashton replied, “I think we do want to investigate. I mean, I didn’t pick that up, that’s interesting. Gosh.” But the new Kiev government doesn’t want the investigation. The tape was uploaded to the web by officers of Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) loyal to ousted Yanukovich who. Around 11 riot policemen were shot and
Yats served as economic and foreign minister, and parliamentary speaker for corrupt billionaire Yulie Tymoshenko. two leaked taped conversations exposed the U.S. funding of subversion and murderers. U.S. Asst. State Secretary Victoria Nuland, irked at U.S. Amb. to Kiev Geoffrey Pyatt for being soft on negotiations with the E.U. on who to enthrone after the coup said “F**k the E.U....the U.S. has invested $ 5-Billion... to promote Ukraine to the future that it deserves.” Ukraine’s putschists have dutifully installed Arseniy Yatsenyuk as prime minister. Yats, as the U.S. calls him, is a former banker who served as economic and foreign minister, and parliamentary speaker for corrupt billionaire Yulie Tymoshenko just sprung from jail after the coup. Yatsenyuk has promised to implement “very unpopular measures” such as “tax increases, interest rate hikes, further currency devaluation, cut in pensions and salaries, privatization of the national oil and gas industries” - in other words: economic “rape”. Filipinos now suffering the murderous price gouging of privatized power, water, and other utilities after Edsa I knows what it is all about.
U.S. funds for snipers?
The second leaked conversa-
killed by snipers, and 80 civilians and protesters. It would be illogical to think that none of the $ 5-Billlion U.S. funds (as well as billions from non-U.S. sources such as Soros’ Open Society fund, etc.) went to the Maidan leaders, whom Estonian FM Paet suspects hired the snipers, and are shown on YouTube leading the pack at the Maidan Independence Square that carried guns and rifles, Molotov bombs and iron bars to fi re at police and burn down government buildings, and especially after U.S. right-wing senators like John McCain posed with the neo-Nazi leaders of the Svoboda party in recent pictures from Ukraine. As the Washington Blog reports, U.S. black ops use of snipers is among the “... tactic to discredit opponents or to create momentum for ‘regime change’” which has been used in Venezuela again, Iran in 2009, ad nausea. (Tune to 1098AM, DWAD, Tues. To Fri. “Sulo ng Pilipino” program; watch GNN Sat. 8pm and Sun. 8am “Manila: Sunshine in the City”, Destiny Cable ch. 8 or SkyCable ch. 213, or www.gnntv-asia. com. Log on to www.newkatipunero.blogspot.com)
WE TAKE A STAND
3/7/14 11:12 PM
Opinion
The Viewpoints and outlook of the well-informed
Machiavellianism
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amed after Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (1469--1527), Italian statesman and political philosopher, Machiavellianism is the practice of using unethical, immoral or unlawful methods to right a wrong, or otherwise to gain an advantage, as exemplified in the case of the west-leaning Ukrainian people who are currently embroiled in a new turmoil after having just ousted their president, Viktor Yanukovich, a fervid Moscow ally, for corruption and economic mismanagement.
Russia’s invasion of Crimea
Last March 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin obtained from his parliament overwhelming support for his military invasion of Ukraine, putting the latter’s newly installed leaders and troops on high alert, and getting them to appeal to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for help. Specifically, it was the peninsula of Crimea, located off the Black Sea in the eastern area of Ukraine, which Russian soldiers occupied in order to protect Crimean inhabitants, most of whom are Russian nationals. From Moscow’s point of view, therefore, Russian occupation of Crimea is not imperialistic or aggressive, but an exercise of a natural duty and right to protect
all Russians living therein. However, this position has raised the hackles of Washington officials, with no less than US Pres. Barrack Obama directly telling Putin by phone that his soldiers had violated international law when they entered Crimea, a Ukrainian territory, without fi rst obtaining a GO signal from the UN Security Council. Parenthetically, let us recall that on the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1991, Ukraine and each of the other 14 republics gained the international status of statehood.
America losing clout?
The trouble with America’s reaction here is that it had likewise ignored the council’s priorconsent requirement when US Pres. George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in 2003, so there is just no way Obama can persuasively lecture down former KGB toughie Putin, notwithstanding the former’s threat to economically isolate Russia. The Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and America) has condemned the cited Russian intervention and suspended preparations for the G8 Summit (which includes Russia) that had been calendared to take place in June in Sochi. Analysts however feel that G7’s opposition is weak without the
the attainment of peace among “warring” Slavs. Hmmm...isn’t it somewhat like the water-and-oil conundrums between Moros and Christians who are all Filipinos?!
MUSINGS Ronald Roy support of some European countries that are in great need of Russia’s petrol resources --- and how well Mr. Putin knows this! In fact, European Union officials, showing scant interest in joining Obama’s call for sanctions against Russia, have instead proposed mediation between Moscow and Kiev. It is therefore easy to see why Putin post-haste organized in the central and western main streets of Russia a military exercise that showcased a mindboggling array of 150,000 marching soldiers and over a hundred tanks, aircraft, and what have you. Lamang na, nanakot pa! So you see, Texter #1178, I disagree that Putin has been Machiavellian in the premises. He has been behaving in a clever, fearless and patriotic way designed to safeguard the interests of fellow Russians living in Crimea, Ukraine. So far his troops have been behaving rather defensively, not aggressively, though it’s still too early in the day to say how the status quo will play out in
Kim Henares, a Machiavelli?
However, with respect to BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, yes, Texter # 1178, I agree that she can be a “Machiavellian collector of taxes and revenues, an unethical, heartless and robotic bureaucrat committed to following the orders of Pres. Noynoy, not to serving the interests of honest taxpayers, big or small.” Her idea of “successful collection performance” is the size of total collection with nary a regard for those taxed individuals and business entities, especially the small ones, who will remain unprogressive, or will even deteriorate, in a very ailing economy. The Tax Code arms the Bureau of Internal Revenue with a generous amount of discretion which
can be exercised in favor of taxpayers, but Henares appears to delight in “going for the kill” at every opportunity. No, she is incapable of realizing that reasonable and compassionate tax assessments can be utilized by small taxpayers as tools for, say, energizing jobcreation possibilities. Her only concern is to meet the collection targets identified by P-Noy and that, dear Readers, is at least UNETHICAL, and therefore Machiavellian. For instance, it has been mindlessly unproductive, if not ruthless or “treasonous”, of her to tax such ambassadors of goodwill as Filipino beauty pageant winners, songfest winners and athletes who compete abroad to bring honor to the country. To this day, I am outraged that the cash prize of a lowly Filipino OFW caregiver was taxed by Henares after unexpectedly winning first place in a recent singing contest in Israel. €#£%¥@$& !!!
From Moscow’s point of view, therefore, Russian occupation of Crimea is not imperialistic or aggressive, but an exercise of a natural duty and right to protect all Russians living therein.
Ukraine: What Went Wrong?
T
he brewing tension in Central Asia, particularly in Ukraine, has put Washington in the limelight again with NATO. Not far behind in this another ‘neo-Nazi’ operation, as what Mike Billington of the Executive Intelligence Review shared, was the statement of the Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in connection with statements made by the U.S. Secretary of State about the situation in Ukraine : “We consider the threats against Russia , made in a series of public statements by Secretary of State John Kerry in connection with the latest events in Ukraine and Crimea , to be unacceptable. Without bothering to study and comprehend the complex processes taking place in Ukrainian society and make an objective evaluation of the situation, which continues to deteriorate after the forcible seizure of power in Kiev by radical extremists, the Secretary of State is using Cold War cliches, proposing to ‘punish’ the Russian Federation rather than those who organized the coup d’etat.” “At the same time, nothing is said about the fact that it was the USA and its allies, who closed their eyes to the rampages of the Maidan guerrillas, their abuses against their political opponents and ordinary citizens, their militant Russophobia and anti-Semitism, and their desecration of the memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Washington has likewise ignored the fact
that the newly emerged Kiev regime has flouted the February 21 agreement, to which the foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland had affixed their signatures, and has formed a ‘government of the victors,’ in effect declaring war on the Russian language and everything associated with Russia. Now the West has overt neo-Nazis, who have smashed up Orthodox churches and synagogues, as its allies.” “Russia’s position has been and remains consistent and open. While for some Western politicians, Ukraine is merely a geopolitical playing field. For us this is a fraternal nation, with which we are bound together by our centuries-long common history.” “Russia is interested in a stable and strong Ukraine, where the legitimate rights and interests of Ukrainians, of our compatriots, and of all citizens are ensured. In the extraordinary situation that has come about, though no fault of ours, when the life and safety of the residents of Crimea and the southeast regions are under a real threat because of the irresponsible and provocational actions of the followers of Bandera and other ultra-nationalist elements, the measures we are taking are appropriate and absolutely legal. We advocate the speediest possible return of the situation in Ukraine to normalcy, based on the Feb. 21 agreement, including the formation of a legitimate government of national unity, taking into account
WHISTLE BLOWER Erick San Juan the interests of all political forces and regions of the country.” But it depends on who is meddling. Brendan O’Neill in his blog said-”The word ‘meddling’ is used to describe Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intervention in Ukraine, but never to describe Germany’s Angela Merkel or State Sec. John Kerry’s cultivation of the oppositional forces-that is ‘mediation’. Jim Willie-a popular American economic analyst in his latest report: ‘Consequences of Ukraine Episode’ explained that Russian President Putin will slam the west by demanding gold payment instead of cash currency for Gazprom gas supplied to Europe. Russian Gazprom has been attacked in Cyprus, in Syria and now in Ukraine. The Russian currency Rubble is allegedly been attacked by the Wall Street. The Global Network (3/3/14) narrated that the ‘oil’-igarchy wants to get hold of the natural gas (the world’s largest supply) that sits on Russian territory. It also wants full control of the Arctic region to drill oil. Russia
reportedly has a huge northern coastal border with the arctic and thus stands in the way of western oil control. Global Network cautioned the US-NATO that they might be messing with a country that has the capability to fight back. It concluded that this is how world wars get started. The ongoing crisis in Ukraine, if not handled well, can actually escalate into another regional war. It might lead to a global war using thermonuclear weapons. Some might say that this will not reach the other side of the continent, in Asia-Pacific. That’s where they are wrong. The mere fact that Uncle Sam has recently re-established its presence in the region in its ‘famous pivot to Asia’, countries here should expect more than friendly persuasion in the guise of several rhetoric and doublespeak to win the hearts of the Asian leaders. We are actually part of the virtual coalition of the willing through Washington’s soft touch operation, by helping nation-states in modernizing its armed forces, but at the proper time we could possibly all be dragged to their choice of war arena, which in this case will be Central Asia. On the other hand, since the so-called return to Asia-Pacific by the US, we have observed a lot of word wars and saber-rattling between Washington and Beijing. As we watch the developments on what could be another brewing conflict in the China Sea (both South and East), our nation is being groomed as its
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possible pawn in Uncle Sam’s grand war game. The forthcoming visit of President Obama in the country will actually seal the ‘access agreement’, which was not been signed yet, because of the provision on the right of our government to enter the ‘US premises’ (where they will install their military personnel and hardware) from time to time for inspection. Could it be possible that this ‘hurdle’ in finalizing the said agreement can be resolved only by US Pres. Obama in his visit next month? Then presto, the ghost of the past American bases will once again haunt us, and in the process, we will be used as cannon fodders again. We really never learn. History has given us the lessons and proved that in the end, if we’re not vigilant, we will be shortchanged because of our colonial mentality. May it be in Central Asia and/ or in Asia Pacific, some pundits believe that Obama’s foreign policy may deem international politics to be a “space open for dialogue”, but the rest of the world still considers international politics to be a “struggle for power” and reacts sensitively to the US’ “non-exercise” of its power. No matter how much it advocates for “active involvement”, the Obama administration will be unable to dispel this image of a “non-involved America”, as long as this perception gap exists. We are now witnessing the creation of a type of power vacuum in international politics as well as an increase in instability as a result.
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Environment Save the Trees with
Wood Alternatives By Erick A. Fabian
There used to be a time when woodworking meant using heavy solid wood materials and not much else. As excessive use of wood products now means more trees to cut, and more trees being cut means more damage to the environment, the necessity to come up with ways to supplement the usage of lumber in construction needs such as doors and windows is very much an immediate one. If possible, the less wood we get to use, the better, while still maintaining the same construction integrity when making things that are not just functional but aesthetically satisfying as well. The following are considered better alternatives to traditional solid wood materials.
Recycled wood - discarded parts of old furniture and leftovers from a renovation can be used to build your door. Not only is it environmentfriendly, it’s also good for your wallet. Most people have the impression that using recycled material for your construction makes it low quality. The truth is that you get to pick the materials to recycle, especially if you’re making the product yourself, and mixing materials can reinforce the durability of your project especially if they complement each other well.
Composite wood - materials created from a combination of soft non-structural wood such as poplar, mixed with hardwoods, sawmill scraps and wood waste, items such as plywood, fiberboards and strandboards have the same durability offered by solid wood, which makes them widely used in the construction industry, whether it be doors, walls, or furnitures.
Bamboo - Technically
speaking, bamboo is part of the grass family of plants, but that does not have anything to do with its capability to withstand extreme environments and its all-around usefulness
as a building material. It can match its wooden counterparts well because it can simulate wood-like qualities, especially when treated with heat or chemicals. Bamboo has a long history of being the preferred material to build practically everything amongst Asian and Pacific cultures. It is also easier to grow than trees, easier to propagate and can be harvested in a shorter time period without having to kill the plant.
Rattan - Another member of the palm family, heat-treated rattan makes for durable building material and has been used by people in South East Asia as house-building material for centuries. A well-weaved rattan sheet can make for great doors and walls, with only a considerable amount of chemical coating applied on it to prevent moisture from being absorbed. Make sure that you source your rattan materials from companies that support ecological sustainability, because some suppliers sell rattan made from immature harvesting that causes forest degradation.
Coconut lumber - A
member of the palm family of plants, the coconut produces what is known as a versatile building material, coconut lumber, also known as cocolumber, coco-timber or coconut trunk, has been used to build everything from houses to doors and bridges. It is a very strong material that can withstand a lot of stress and is resistant to damage from saltwater. Its excellent construction properties have been well demonstrated in structures around South East Asia, as in the case of The Coconut Palace in Manila. The whole structure is made mostly from materials derived from the coconut palm.
Using even a little solid wood material as part of your construction project is unavoidable. Still, it would be worth your time to check and make sure that building materials made from government-regulated trees, like mahogany, are certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) through SGS Philippines. The trick is to use less of traditional wood materials and supplement it with the materials enumerated above. Keep yourself updated as well on new research and development on materials that can simulate wood properties.
BMB signs internship accord with two universities
The Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has forged a partnership with two universities to create an internship program that would allow students to gain practical skills and valuable experience in wildlife rehabilitation. The BMB signed two separate agreements with the Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) and the Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) during a celebration of the World Wildlife Day on March 3 at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (NAPWC) in Quezon City. BMB Director Theresa Mundita Lim said the agreement allows students of veterinary medicine, biology and other related disciplines to hold their internship at the Wildlife Rescue Center inside NAPWC. Lim said the partnership is a “win-win situation” for the BMB and the two schools. She said students of OLFU and NVSU are assured they will be easily accommodated at the WRC and at the same time, they will help boost the BMB’s manpower in caring for the animals in its custody and in maintaining the facility. “It also enriches the students’ personal experience and knowledge in caring for and managing captive wildlife,” Lim added. Under the agreement, the students are also required to write down their observations and experiences in journals, as a form of feedback mechanism for the BMB. The WRC provides facilities for animals that have been confiscated or rescued, which are then rehabilitated before being returned, if possible, to their original habitat. The MOA has a term of three years, but is renewable subject to the requirements of both the BMB and the two universities.
PH joins global celebration of World Wildlife Day Conservation education and raising awareness about the plight of threatened species take center stage today as the country joins the rest of the world in celebrating the first ever World Wildlife Day (WWD). The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), had lined up several activities at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (NAPWC) in Quezon City for the local celebration of WWD. “This celebration is to remind us that wildlife is an important support system for our existence, and that they are not meant for us to enjoy by extraction [from their habitat], but they are there to co-exist with us,” said DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje. Paje noted that the Philippines had been earning praise
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from the international community for efforts to curb illegal wildlife trade, such as when it destroyed the country’s stock of confiscated elephant tusks in June last year. But at the same time, he urged Filipinos not to rest on their laurels, as “a hundred per cent success in enforcement also means a hundred per cent in failure, because it means illegal extraction does not stop.” “It is our thinking we must change. We should not treat any wildlife as our property, but part of God’s creation, too,” he said. The Philippines’ participation in the global celebration was part of the country’s commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement adopted in 1973 to regulate worldwide commercial trade in wild animal and plant species. Paje
had earlier said that as a signatory to CITES, the celebration would be an opportunity to further raise public awareness on the important role of regulating the trade, whether locally or internationally, of wildlife species and ensuring that their survival is not threatened. During its 68th session on Dec. 20, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly decided to proclaim March 3 – the day of the adoption of CITES – as WWD to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora. One of the highlights of the local celebration was the groundbreaking of the site for a sculpture that would be a monument to the country’s part in the battle against illegal ivory trade. Part of the sculpture would be constructed using incinerated ashes of tusks crushed by the DENR in June last year.
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Agriculture Legarda Celebrates Talent, Artistry of Women Weavers
Senator Loren Legarda today highlights the talent and artistry of women weavers as the country celebrates National Women’s Month. Legarda, in partnership with the National Museum, launches the “Abel Ilokana: Celebrating Women Weavers from Ilocos Sur, La Union, Ilocos Norte and Abra” at the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Gallery. It is a month-long exhibition of the Abel Iloko and lecture-demonstration of the Ilokanos’ weaving traditions. “Today, we celebrate the strength of women and the enduring weaving culture in our country as we have aptly placed the spotlight on our women weavers from the North in time for the National Women’s Month and the International Women’s Day, which is celebrated every 8th of March,” said Legarda, patron of the Hibla Gallery, the country’s first permanent textile gallery. “Among the tropical fabrics in the Philippines, the Abel of the Ilokanos is one of the famous pieces. Tradition has made it part of an Ilokano’s life—at childbirth, in marriage, and even in death. It is also as mundane as a blanket or a tablecloth or a purse. But behind every Abel is a great synergy of a weaver’s mind, heart and soul. Behind every cloth spun from threads of various origin and colors is a story of a weaver’s relationship with her loom. It is her craft, her passion, her life,” Legarda stressed. The Abel Ilokana exhibit is a special exhibition within the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Gallery that aims to showcase the artistic handmade textiles of the Ilokana weavers and how the abel can be turned into fashionable clothes. Legarda noted that while she knows of many communities that continue to practice weaving, it is quite a challenge to keep weaving traditions in the coming decades and centuries especially against a backdrop of a fast-changing globalized world. The Senator has been engaged in efforts to revive the age-old tradition of weaving. Among her initiatives are the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Gallery; the Hibla Pavilion of Textiles and Weaves of the Philippines, which displayed the different weaving products made by various indigenous communities whose members also demonstrated their different weaving traditions; and the Lecture Series on Philippine Traditional Textiles and Indigenous Knowledge, which enriches citizens’ knowledge on tropical fabrics and the culture of weaving. Legarda is the author of Republic Act 9242, the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law of 2004, which aims to promote and strengthen the local fabric industry as it mandates the use of indigenous fibers for the official uniforms of government officials and employees. “The task before us is to help our people value and continue our heritage. We must open doors of opportunities for weaving communities. We must promote greater support for cultural enterprises and creative industries of our indigenous peoples. As we do this, we also empower our weavers, many of whom are indigenous women,” said Legarda.
Smuggling as a Supply Game By VL Domingo 2nd of a 3-part Series
AN entry in Wikipedia reports that while the Philippines produced only 18 million metric tons (MMT) of rice in 2010 (which is only 50% that of Thailand since it has almost 2 times the size of rice land) it consumed only 17 MMT in 2009—showing a surplus of 1 MMT which may show that relatively, production exceeds consumption. But then Filipino farmers remain unhappy because while they may profit they do not have the income needed to keep their body and soul together (since the average size of their land is declining by selling to send their children to school). And the traders still lack the supply needed to deliver to their clients on a weekly basis at the volumes that they need at the time.
Economics of Rice
Ninety percent (90 %) of our farmers get advances from rice traders and PAY AFTER HARVEST at only 50% of the prevailing market price. When the trader resells his palay to volume buyers it is already half the current price of P39per kilo to the consumer, so that the unit cost of the rice to the trader is now more expensive than importing the rice even at 40% tariff. This becomes part of their profits in rice smuggling. Worsee, the trader must have the volume to profit from rice trading which no group of farmers can now supply. Since there is no volume supply from the farms except from traders with warehousing who sell at exorbitant prices, the Manila trader that supplies Metro Manila must get his supply somewhere else. And so they resort to smuggling. It has been reported that at least 50,000 metric tons a week or practically 500,000 metric tons of rice is smuggled in 10 weeks or 1.5 months or during the “lean months”. This is the shortfall that could easily be supplied by a farmer’s federation with cluster farms of 1,000 hectares module giving jobs to 1,000 farmers and making their farms produce rice more efficiently and at lower cost through a government investment on farm mechanization and “electrigation” (to increase the supply of land and yield per hectare). In recent years, their number one supplier of “damaged rice” mixed with newly harvested rice could no longer supply them. The practice is the traders buys “damaged rice” from a government agency at less than half the price when it was imported, goes to the mill and orders it well milled thus
throwing away to the pigs a substantial percentage then mixes it with newly harvested rice and can easily make PhP300 net profit per bag. It is then expedient that to stop smuggled rice into our shores, we must supply the traders with enough palay. Supply of palay therefore is the name of the game. But then it has become a HUNGER GAME which could be the theme of movie with the same title. The movie starts with a city under siege where everybody is fighting over a sack of rice and killing each other. And this happens because government lied when it claimed that there is enough supply of rice, but there is no supply of palay. This is because the farmer planting palay has no supply of quality seeds which limits his productivity to only 50% of his capacity to produce. And so the hunger game because of lies and statistics becomes a SUPPLY GAME. However, if the government supplies the following, there will be no HUNGER GAME or RICE SMUGGLING.
Seed Supply
Only 3 out of 10 farmers now can avail of certified or even good quality seeds. It is not there when needed and where needed and exchanges his old seeds with new certified seeds. KaMMMPi (Kapisanan ng Magsasaka, Mangingisda at Manggagawa ng Pilipinas Inc.)—the organization I head— started this 10 years ago with our own network of warehouses, but the program was sabotaged by the same government agency that granted a seed fund. Now, they could not continue with it since it requires a big sum of money to operate the SeedBankS (Seed Banking and Exchange Systems). Government no longer provides certified seeds subsidy and came up with just supplying 5 kg of registered seed asking the farmer to plant and share it with his neighbors which most often do not happen. At the moment the lack of seed supply has gotten worse.
Supply of ‘Electrigation’
“Electrigation” is electric irrigation. This is providing cheap electricity in the countryside to run water pumps to irrigate 100-hectare modules. Cheap electricity can be obtained by converting agro-forest waste and wood chips from tree farms around the target area for this project. The government can invest funds for farmers to buy their own GASIFIERS to light their barangays and irrigate the farms. Such gasifiers can now be fabricated in the Philippines by foreign renewable energy
experts for this purpose. Electrigation can also start a robust island economy which has always been left out in the development planning strategies of NEDA. Island economy is entirely different from the national economy.
Farm Credits and Inputs
The Agri-Agra Law (P.D. 717) was designed to supply credit to agriculture and agrarian reform. Instead, the credit went to the government through the T-Bills as compliance so that even the banks without borrowers are earning billions of pesos by lending to the government through T-Bills. And so the farmers go to the traders and usurers to borrow money for planting and economize on buying inputs that are also short of supply. In the end there is no countryside credit and supply of inputs. Both have no substitutes for the farmers and so they suffer from lower yields, thus there is less palay supply, Furthermore, it is easier for the trader just to smuggle in cheaper rice (subsidizing foreign farmers) to get the volume that he wants instead of suffering sleepless nights fearing that the typhoons will come in and the farmer cannot pay him back. (The same is true with the onions industry.)
Transplanting Blues
When the farmers transplant, they could not get hold of farm labor. They have all gone to the city to work as construction workers because “planting rice is never fun, bent from morn till the set of sun”. Besides rice farming is high risk and not a good livelihood to support a family. It takes 20 laborers to plant one hectare. And so when a barangay with 500 hectares starts planting at the same time to catch with the irrigation schedule of only 10 days, at least 50 hectares need to be planted per day. This means 1,000 laborers are needed to transplant 50 hectares per day. Since planting is seasonal they end up with a group contracting to plant their fields but plants “por lata” and finish it in just a few hours to get another contract. “Por lata” means that the transplanting is very sparse and far like the distance between the four corners of a kerosene can. This will then reduce the plant population by 30% thus immediately reducing your prospective yields by the same percentage. The farmers then need to be supplied with common service facilities for plowing, transplanting and harvesting to be operated by farmer federations. (To be concluded)
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CUSTOMS officials led by Gen. Danilo Lim inspect an intercepted shipment of rice.
OpinYon
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OPINION What’s Next...? From page 3
We also have to consider revamping our economic landscape in order to make the economy more inclusive over time. We have to do this while reigning in and reducing the influence over the economy, if not the nation, of over-large economic units by breaking up our economic equivalent of Japan’s zaibatsus. We also have to limit cross investments in different forms of media and other perception management outlets. Other domestic issues remain, such as revamping the Dept. of Agriculture because it is clearly underperforming. There is a need to revamp our electric power governing laws and allow proper representation of the public interest in the regulatory commissions. We also need to undo what a previous administration has done to create the avaricious power producers and distributors under the guise of privatization. There is an urgency to create a tiger which has remained infantile after close to 15 years. There is need to work on the DOTC and the DPWH to hasten the work on creating a livable metropolis in the face of incredible and complex traffic problems. That includes the dispersal of economic growth through much more than building malls by the rich and famous. This involves the rationalization of our transport facilities, and sorting out the MRT3 problems. As far as integration is concerned, there is so much that can be said about that as well. We have not even touched on the problems at the airports and the seeming incompetence with which those problems are being handled. The problem of graft and corruption at almost every level of government will not be solved in three years, maybe not even in 10 years. But we welcome that in this area some headway seems to have been done, but in so obviously a partisan way which only undermines the anti-corruption stance of government and lowers the esteem for the President. The disclosure of so much malfeasance in the House and the Senate is its own justification for abolishing both bodies; the crude and thick skinned defense of those seemingly caught in this shameful scandal can only make one shake one’s head and bow down in shame at the brazen, calloused and shameful travesty to the Filipino nation and people. Having started out like a house on fi re, it is sad to see the partisan nature of the Administration.While in all likelihood justified in its pursuit of political opponents and wannabes because they are likely very guilty, many allies are as well. Maybe even the very Administration also as new disclosures show. More so in the face of the stone walling by the head of DBM who, in open testimony before the Supreme Court, said it was the President who instructed him to set up the DAP, which by law can be signed and approved only by the President and he signed the very fi rst one himself! So, people are so disappointed. It seems like the pot calling the kettle black! It raised hope but fi nally the political and moral will was not there to pursue this issue to its bitter but better end. But all of us know the risks involved and maybe it was more braggadocio than true courage and grit not to speak of being as guilty as those being charged! Maybe just political expediency believing that a good offense is the best defense! No wonder the FOI bill is being put in the very back burner! But then so what? Well, we do need real heroes at this time. Can we really expect it to be him? What can one say except that we need lots of them and if not him, then who?
Big Pizza... From page 12
El Buono’s loyal clientele consists of television crews and local celebrities. The three friends chose to open their flagship branch in the Tomas Morato area as a strategic move so that it will be closer to the local TV networks. “Our 36-inch pizza is an all-time favorite of several television crews, celebrities and staff of local government offices in the vicinity,”Sarvida proudly says. “By moving to Tomas Morato, we hope to be more accessible to our regular customers and at the same time serve them better.” GMA-7’s “Pinoy Records” awarded El Buono with the title Asia’s Biggest Pizza in 2009. The restaurant also attracted a lot of public attention through several local television shows and publications for their unique international-oriented menu. El Buono serves reasonably-prized, appetizing and generous entrees that meets the demands of large groups of students, young professionals, call center employees, and office buddies who make the store their favorite stop for quick bites and friendly nightcaps. Sarvida advises that more than being competitive, it’s all about the customer. “We want to give what the customer is paying for. We bring joy to people, we broke a record, we want to make people happy,” says Sarvida. Sarvida, or Lance as he likes to be called, was given recognition by Go Negosyo in 2010 for being one of the three Inspiring Young Filipino Entrepreneurs in the 2010 Youth Entrepreneurship Summit at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. The award was presented by Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion alongside other Go Negosyo trustees. In collaboration with his business partners Maruyama and Calaca, Lance makes it a point that El Buono appeals to people from various walks of life. By daytime, the restaurant serves families who love to have pizza and snacks together. During the night, it is a party place for the college crowd, as they serve beer Php8 per cup, and the place is popular for its beer pong games from Wednesday to Friday nights. As several Manila food critics have observed, whether one is with their family or their friends, El Buono is the place to go to for sharing and celebration. Lance applies his passion for good food into his business, making sure that everything is in the right place and the food served is of high quality. Lance puts his passion for large pizzas and unique business concepts into his work, and looking at the way he is involved in his business, down to the utmost detail, you can tell that this young man is poised for success, and always ready for the next big idea in pizza innovation. El Buono may not be as big as their franchised counterparts, but they have the ‘think big’ x-factor that makes them a formidable player in the local pizza industry.
New Paradigms for Sustainable Development
F
or so many decades now, our education officials have been complaining that our public education system needs more classrooms, more teachers and more textbooks. This is actually a problem of resources that has caused other problems in the congestion of public schools and the decline of education quality. Without any doubt, this has also caused problems in the personal competitiveness of our graduates and the global competitiveness of our country. Also for several decades now, our agriculture officials have been complaining that our farmers need more farm-to-market roads, more irrigation and more post-harvest facilities. According to them, these are the root problems that are causing the derivative problems of increasing poverty, low productivity and weak food security. For sure, this has also caused problems in the global competitiveness of our country. On the subject of roads, our transport officials have also been complaining for several decades that our traffic problems are caused by the increase of vehicles that has no corresponding increase in road space, a problem that is compounded by the lack of discipline among bus drivers, according to them. This has led to some well meaning solutions such as color coding and dedicated bus lanes, among others. As a supplement to the conventional public schools, the Department of Education (DEPED) has been implementing a separate Alternative Learning System (ALS) that is aimed mainly at out of school youth (OSY). Unlike the conventional schools, ALS does not depend on the availability of teachers and classrooms, and it does not depend too much on the supplies of textbooks. Under ALS, teachers could be supplemented by proctors who could be the parents of the students or by community volunteers and classrooms could be anywhere, even a house. Sandiwaan Center is an ALS school that was established by Fr. Ben Beltran in Tondo, Manila. Fr. Beltran is an SVD priest who has served the longest term in Smokey Mountain. Because of its success, Sandiwaan was visited by DEPED Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and after that, Bro. Lu-
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SCIENCE WORKS Ike Señeres istro declared Sandiwaan as an ALS model for the whole country. Thereafter, he asked Fr. Beltran to establish more Sandiwaan Centers all over the Philippines, to target at least a million OSY. There is no doubt that our farmers need more farm-tomarket roads, more irrigation and more post-harvest facilities. These do not seem to be the root problems however, if we would only take a closer look at the situation. Since the issue here is farm productivity, we should look at all the other problems that would affect production. It seems that the bigger problem in this case is farm management, along with the need to utilize farm technologies that would increase productivity. The conventional concept of a “farmer” is akin to the character of a “peasant” who tills the land with his bare hands and nothing more than simple tools. Even if I am against the idea of having large scale plantations with mono-cropping, I would still go for medium size corporate style farms with a bio-diverse product mix. It is now time I think to change the concept of a “farmer” to that of an “entrepreneur”, one who would also be the “manager” of his own production facility. Since most of our farmers own only small farm lots and since they have very little capital, they should pool their resources together and form a cooperative that could in turn own all the common service facilities that each of them would need. For example, the cooperative could build the farm-to-market roads that could be operated as tollways, thus giving an additional source of income for all of them. They could also own the post harvest facilities for drying and milling, all of which are income generating activities for them. The National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) are not one and the
same, even if their acronyms sound the same. As their corporate charters would show, the NEA is responsible for rural electricity, and the NIA is responsible for irrigation water. From the technical viewpoint however, electricity could be used to pump irrigation water, and water flows could be used to generate electricity. As new roads are being built, it would make a lot of sense to already build along it all of the other infrastructure that are needed by the local communities. This would right away solve all the other right-of-way problems that could emerge. This could include pipes for irrigation water, drinking water, electricity, telephony, internet and telemetry, among others. First things fi rst, we should all understand that the term “traffic” refers to the flow of vehicles, and not to the congestion of our roads. What that means is that there is always “traffic” as long as there are vehicles on the road, regardless of whether there is congestion or not. That said, we should all understand that the slow flow of traffic is caused by the congestion of our roads. The objective therefore, is to reduce the congestion, so that the flow of traffic could go faster. In the same way that the NEA and the NIA should work together in coordinating their electricity and irrigation goals, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) should also do the same in coordinating their anti-pollution and anti-congestion goals. Very simple logic would tell us that if only all of our anti-pollution laws would be enforced strictly, at least one third of the vehicles on the roads would be eliminated. By now, we should learn the lesson that we could not go on complaining about our problems without looking for new solutions that would not only meet our present needs, but would also be sustainable for the sake of our future generations. We need big minds to solve our big problems, considering that this is the fate of our country that we are talking about. For feedback, email iseneres@ yahoo.com or text +639083159262
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MARCH 10-16, 2014 • VOL.4 NO.28
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Millionaires Club
SECTIONS POLITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 AGRICULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 FOREIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P1 LIFESTYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P4
TIMOTHY LANCE SARVIDA
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Big Pizza, Big Passion
imothy Sarvida, a young entrepreneur and aspiring singer, had one dream: to make the world’s largest pizza. He relates, “I’m just a simple type of person who manages my self and my own company at the same time.” Sarvida says that the reason of his success is because ‘On The Go’ is his middle name, and the secret to business success lies in having passion for what you are doing. With these things in mind, he co-founded El Buono, the only pizza restaurant in the country that serves a 65-inches diameter pizza. Their selling byline is ‘Asia’s Finest and World’s Biggest Pizza’. It is one thing to break the world record by making the world’s largest pizza. It is a much harder feat to make the world’s largest deliverable pizza, and El Buono has achieved that. Founded in 2008 with friends Laura Murayama and Sam Faj Calaca, El Buono started as a small pizza store in Mandaluyong City. Timothy and his friends worked together to market the unique concept of supersizing classic culinary favorites like pizza, burger, iced tea and ice cream. They came to a point where they were able to expand in 2009, with four other branches in the Metro Manila and Greater Manila areas: Makati Cinema Square; BF Homes Paranaque; Dasmarinas, Cavite; and Morayta, Manila. Sadly, in 2011, El Buono decided to close its other branches to give room for the brand’s flagship branch in Tomas Morato. Timothy confessed that since the supersized pizza concept has become popular since they opened their restaurant, other imitators jumped into the bandwagon and served their own versions of supersized pizzas. That was why they decided to close down the other branches, believing that quality is better than quantity. Sarvida feels very proud of his hard-earned accomplishments. “Before, our stores were really small. ‘Di talaga nagabala for the interior and everything. But here, eto ‘yung pinakamaayos na branch namin,” says Sarvida, referring to the spacious Tomas Morato restaurant. The place is decorated in red and black, with comfortable couches and a carpeted platform for friends to hang out in. Turn to page 11
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