DOE’S ENERGY SAVING TIPS PAGE 6
FOREIGN
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NEW SUBIC IN PALAWAN PAGE 3
US UPGRADES PH AIRLINE STATUS PAGE 11
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FASHION BLOGGING FOR SUCCESS 16 We politicize economic issues & give an economic perspective to political issues APRIL 14-20, 2014 • VOL.4 NO.33
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By Ray L. Junia
Inflation rate goes bad every time there is an election. It is because liquidity in the economy is always at an all- time high when we elect our President. In the Philippines, money wins elections. It is for this reason MVP is always a viable candidate. But he is the wrong person to lead this country. Page 2
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Binay is aware of MVP’s anti-politics stance, but feels his much-vaunted technocracy is what the country needs in the face of a globalizing economy. Speculations are rife that business mogul Manuel V. Pangilinan (aka MVP) may yet throw his hat in the political arena come 2016. That depends though on the ongoing talk between the emissaries of Vice President Jojo Binay and MVP for their possible tandem in the next presidential elections. From the rumor mill, word leaked that Binay personally handpicked his emissaries, some of them MVP’s Ateneo classmates and business leaders, to persuade the tycoon to join politics. That was the same tact used by then presidential bet Richard Gordon in the last national elections when he wanted to rope in MVP as his running mate, but the tycoon begged off. Binay is aware of MVP’s anti-politics stance, but feels his much-vaunted technocracy is what the country needs in the face of a globalizing economy.
Capital Market
MVP, an IVY League-trained investment banker, has built a multi-billion peso corporate empire, spanning from Indonesia to Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines, under the umbrella of Indonesian conglomerate Salim Group. Their businesses cater to every human need – from womb to tomb. Some of the MVP-steered companies are among the biggest – in terms of assets and revenues -- not only in the Philippines, but even throughout Asia as well. They include the blue chips Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) and Meralco whose listed shares allow the public to own them via the Philippine bourse. In more ways than one, PLDT and Meralco help woo foreign investments in the capital market, an integral part of the economy. Being public utilities, their rising rates may drag down, however, MVP’s popularity come election time.
Campaign Weapon
Most likely, other contenders will associate MVP with a regime of high prices as a campaign weapon against him. But politics is a game of numbers which often fluctuate depending on prevailing risks and opportunities. Taking all things equal, MVP may yet emerge as a surprise package, given the rough-and-tumble nature of politics in a country long driven by partisanship. There’s another hitch to Binay’s likely choice of MVP for the nation’s second highest public office. The plunder cases notwithstanding, Senator Jinggoy Estrada minced no words in making himself available as Binay’s
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second in command for the 2016 polls. Jinggoy’s preference has caught Binay in a bind since they belong to the opposition party UNA along with Jinggoy’s father, Manila Mayor Erap Estrada, and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.
Why MVP?
Batangas Governor Vilma Santos, wife of Senator Ralph Recto, and Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto are also being bruited about as Binay’s possible running mate, but both have declined so far. Reckoned with the credentials of movie actress-cum-politician SantosRecto and low-cost housing builder Meloto, why MVP? So far, only Binay has openly declared he’s gunning for the presidency when Aquino’s six-year term ends by 2016. As if MVP is on top of the heap, so to speak, Binay somehow hinted his bias and preference for the tycoon as his running mate for VP. “If possible, the person should have a track record that will be of help to us in improving the country. Who can give that but of course an economist,” he said, apparently referring to MVP, himself an economics graduate cum laude from the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila.
No Formal Talk
Citing his experience as a local government executive, Binay recalled the days when he was mayor of Makati city, the country’s financial hub. “One of my guiding policies when I was a mayor was to run the city government of Makati as if it were a corporate entity, “he said. In wooing MVP into his fold, Binay believed he could prop up the values of efficiency and effectiveness in governance to get votes once the campaign in the run-up to 2016 heats up. He noted that MVP’s experience as an investment banker could be an advantage to the new government as funds would be needed to push projects that address poverty, unemployment and other socioeconomic ills plaguing the country. Binay clarified though that he has not had formal talk with MVP who began his career as an investment banker in Makati city in the early ‘60s.
Technocrat
Although they met on several occasions, Binay said, they did not discuss the 2016 polls. Once rumored eyeing the presidency, MVP stands out as one of the most powerful men in the country, being at the helm of companies that are leaders in industries considered crucial to the Philip-
pine economy. These include the infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp., biggest gold producer Philex, as well as Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., and Maynilad Water Services Inc. So far, MVP has kept mum on what may be described as a snowballing move to draw him to what could be his unchartered territory – politics. Last year, some political commentators believed that MVP evoked strong potentials for either as president or vice president, citing his impeccable credentials as a business leader and a technocrat. They noted how he turned around the once loss-making companies such as PLDT into highly profitable ones because of his management skills and expertise.
Outburst
But MVP, who has long shunned politics, said in a statement that “there is no political blood that runs through my veins… I believe I can serve our people better some other way.” To him, his role as a businessman is enough to help the country’s economy grow. Nonetheless, the tycoon agreed that elections ‘provide a rare opportunity to define the country’s long-term economic and social priorities, and form a broad consensus around them.” That sense of optimism is a far cry from what he uttered some two years ago – “kung ako lang,” he was quoted as saying, “I’d pack up and go back to Hong Kong,” headquarters of the Salim-owned flagship First Pacific Co. Ltd. “Ang gulogulo n’yo!” (You are troublesome) That infamous outburst, which has gone viral on the internet, was an angry reaction to how critics demonized him for kowtowing to Beijing in his bid to form a joint venture with a state-owned Chinese company to explore oil in the Spratlys, claimed by both the Philippines and China. Likening MVP’s move as “sleeping with enemy,” critics lashed out at him over his plan to allow the Chinese to explore part of the nation’s territory. MVP may cite one plausible explanation that business is business since his group holds a substantial stake in the exploration rights granted by the Aquino government to an oil field in the Spratlys, also referred to as west Philippine sea. Whatever it is, the torrent of criticisms could be a litmus test of MVP’s expected transition from a hassle-free corporate milieu to the abominable dog-eat-dog world of politics.
MVP Is The Wrong Leader
To MVP, abominable is not how he would describe Philippine politics even with his pretensions to be fed up with the dirty ways of our politicians. From all indications he has mastered the art of Philippine politics as he has turned out to be the master of many of the country’s political leaders. It is common suspicion that many of the country’s political leaders are in the payroll of big business. And MVP is one at the front of big business. This suspicion
“50 years ago, America’s biggest employer was General Motors, where workers made the modern equivalent of $50 dollars an hour. Today, America’s biggest employer is Walmart, where the average wage is $8 dollars an hour. Which means you can share a room in a transient hotel with a drifter who cuts his toenails with a machete. Walmart released their annual report this month, and in it was the fact that most of what Walmart sells is food. Most of their customers need food stamps to pay for it. Meanwhile, Walmart’s owners are so absurdly rich that one of them, Alice Walton, spent over a billion dollars building an art museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, 500 miles away from the nearest person who ever would want to look at art. She said about it, ‘For years I’ve been thinking about what we can do as a family that can really make a difference.’ How about giving your employees a raise, you deluded nitwit?” Bill Maher, comedian and political commentator has earned credence from the favored concessions big business get from the government. That MVP could be tempted to run for vice president or president is a perception created by MVP himself. That the thought sometimes flirts in his mind could be a product of his experience in making his principals’ money win candidates who don’t deserve to be in office. Should MVP take the dive into politics, preferring not to be simply the manipulator, there is strong reason he will win. He has command of billions of pesos in money machines and control over national media. Then we will have placed another wrong person to lead this country from poverty, for while he has been active in corporate social responsibilities and sports, the truth is, he is one of the major reasons the country is very poor and why millions are without jobs and penniless.
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Nation
News from Where You Stand
The Rise of a New Subic
Prostitution, which has gained notoriety at the height of US military presence in Subic and Clark, is likely to rise anew as the presence of American servicemen would serve as a magnet for the resurgence of girlie bars and other night spots. MANILA – Some 600 kms southwest of Manila, workers are building a 21-km access road linking mainland Luzon to Oyster Bay in Palawan province facing the internationally disputed west Philippine sea. Though Palawan is a major tourist destination, the project is not meant to woo more visitors, but to transform the bay into what officials described as a “mini Subic.” Like Subic, once the site of the United States’ biggest military facility in the Far East, the scenic cove boasts a deep natural harbor, capable of hosting large vessels, including warships. The groundwork has already cost the government some 500 million pesos and it is expected to rise as more facilities such as piers, dry-docks and ship repair yards are to be built. Construction of the new naval port, part of the military’s modernization drive, is slated to be completed by 2016 when President Aquino’s six-year term ends.
Subic: Too crowded
Aquino has launched a US$1.8-billion military modernization program and revived plans to build new air and naval bases at Subic Bay. The budget excludes the annual defense aid of the US. Use of the cove as a port loomed as the Philippines is beefi ng up its external defense capability in the face of unabated tensions with China over con-
fl icting territorial claims. Moreover, the Philippines is also readying itself to host an expected surge in the number of American security forces to be redeployed under the US’s pivot policy. Manila’s zeroing in on Oyster Bay as an alternative naval port has loomed as Subic has become “too crowded” as more and more American battleships drop anchors at its piers. Officials say that since last January, the number of visiting US battleships and other types of vessel at Subic has risen from 50 to nearly 90 and more are expected to make port calls as Manila and Washington ramp up their defense ties. Bilateral talks had been going on, both in Manila and Washington, for expanded defense cooperation in line with their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the 2001 Visiting Forces Agreement. Just recently the Philippines opened tenders for brand-new frigates worth 18 billion pesos (US$4439 million).
Where to park?
To be armed with missiles and torpedoes, both will reinforce the two second-hand warships the US had earlier turned over to the Philippines now patrolling the west Philippine Sea. Presided over by the defense department, the bidding has drawn interest of 11 prospective suppliers from Italy, France, South Korea and India. The Phil-
ippines is also buying five patrol boats from France for about 90 million Euros ($116 million) and some multi-role vessels from South Korea. They will be in addition to ten state-of-the-art patrol vessels, each weighing 1,000 tons, Japan has committed to bolster the Philippines’ maritime capability. In addition, the Philippines is keen in buying a submarine to enable its naval forces to patrol the country’s maritime territory undetected -- if funds permit. “When you have a submarine, we will be able to track those violating our maritime laws without them noticing us,” Philippine Navy spokesman Lt. Rommel Rodriguez said in a statement. Where to park the new naval assets has become a problem as Subic‘s maritime traffic has increased over the past months.
Toxic wastes
The rise of Oyster Bay as a new naval port is also likely spark tensions with China which has laid claims to the west Philippine Sea. Last year, U.S. and Philippine commandos staged a mock amphibious assault near Oyster Bay as part of their annual military exercises. Oyster Bay is about 160 km (100 miles) from the west Philippine Sea where Chinese naval vessels patrol. Environmentalists, however, opposed the rise of a naval port in mangrove-fringed Oyster Bay,
fearing pollution and destruction of its marine sanctuaries. Last year, US Navy minesweeper USS Guardian ran aground near Palawan’s Tubbataha Reef, a Unesco world heritage site, destroying 2,345.67 sq ms of 10-meter-high coral reefs. Until today, the US has yet to pay the 60 million pesos fi ne imposed by the Philippine government, an amount labeled by critics as just a pittance in that the incident caused least US$342 million in damage to coral reefs. “The impending construction of a base on Oyster Bay, which is within a marine protected area, seems to be the next crime the US is intent on pushing through with,” the Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment” says. It says the US has yet to clean up the toxic wastes and rehabilitate its former military bases Subic and Clark which were shuttered in 1992.
Constitutional ban
A leftist group also assailed the rise of a new Subic, saying it violates the Philippine Constitution banning foreign military installations in the country. In a statement, Pamalakaya says a US military base in Palawan is not only meant to check China’s aggressive expansion into the West Philippine Sea, but also to maintain the military hegemony of Washington in the region. “We will contest this grand mockery of Philippine sover-
eignty in the parliament of the streets, in any appropriate court or forum, and in the court of public opinion,” it says. Militants fear that the people of Palawan will wake up one day to fi nd that the entire island province is transformed into a virtual US military base similar to the one in Okinawa, Japan.
Geo-political interests
Plans are also afoot to station 50 to 60 US marines in Palawan as an advance detachment at the South China Sea. The US also wants to convert the 246-hectare Philippine Marine Corps reservation in Palawan, particularly the Brooke’s Point, and nearby areas into joint US-Philippines marine operational command posts. Part of the cooperation is the installation of high-powered radar systems in strategic areas from north to south of Palawan facing the potentially oil-rich West Philippine Sea. The new radars, meant to monitor China’s naval activities, form part of the Philippines’ plans to give American forces, ships and aircraft access to more of the country’s military camps and facilities. Although Philippine laws prohibit permanent foreign military bases in the country, the Americans have somehow found a loophole – embed themselves in the Philippines’ own camps and facilities to skirt the ban and advance their geo-political interests in the Asia-Pacific region.
The DAP and the Supreme Court
O
ne must wonder why the Supreme Court has chosen to sit on the DAP issue before it. Is the DAP not as serious an issue as the PDAF? When the Supreme Court ruled the PDAF unconstitutional, a very important part of the ruling was not the issue of corruption but the process, i.e., that funds subject to individual discretion were not allowed in the Constitution and therefore unconstitutional. Presumably part of the reason for that declaration is that the task of Congress is legislating and not constructing or giving away funds out of personal discretion for whatever purpose. This ruling seems to be upholding the fact that though Congress holds the power of the purse of this nation, the budgeting of expenditures has to
be through allocation for clearly identified projects to be undertaken by line departments as part of their budget, not buried in miscellaneous appropriations or catch all provisions that would make the budgeting process nothing more than a game of words and figures making a mockery of the process. In other words, no legislator can claim control over funds for their personal discretion. That the previous practice had become a scandalous and shameful means to divert funds to their pockets through fictitious foundations and NGOs seemed almost secondary but hopefully now stopped. Somebody pinch me because I may be dreaming! But in so ruling, the SC decision cut off a rich and historical source of graft and corruption though there have been some attempts to simply change the collar of the same dog!
RAY OF HOPE Ramon Orosa What we have now before the SC are the discretionary expenditures of the President through the DAP which stands at a scandalous percentage of the total budget. Now, should the law allowing the DAP be struck down for essentially the same reason, no expenditures subject to personal discretion? Once again, whether releases through DAP are attended by corruption becomes somewhat secondary. The trouble with
DAP is that even if expenditures are not attended by graft and corruption, which I truly doubt, the level might be somewhat or significantly lower than PDAF expenditures, the discretionary nature of the spending provides the President with the all important power to influence the politicians of this nation. In my view, that is the core issue and not fundamentally whether the process is attended with material graft and corruption. I would grant that the President needs some flexibility but the question is why does he need such a gargantuan allocation for the DAP except for the purpose of simply making him more influential. Such discretionary spending on the part of the President that in effect is not subject to Congressional review in the budgeting process weakens not just the process of budgeting but also makes Congress
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much more subservient to the President. So the issue of coequal branches of government becomes simply an illusion. Interestingly, that balance of power between the three coequal branches of government, in the minds of other political analysts, is an illusion anyway, because as history documents, it is a dynamic balance that swings back and forth though for the most part, the Executive Branch has evolved to be the most powerful branch of government. And so it is at the moment in our country. As a precedent, that is bothersome though every president seeks to be in total control of every branch of government largely due to their messianic tendencies and the kind of obeisance around him by his lackeys. Our own culture sort of encourages that kind of thinking considering the rather Turn to page 15
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OPINION
Setting new sails on RP-China relations
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MVP for 2016 VP MANNY V. Pangilinan has repeatedly said he is not running for President in 2016. But he could be running for Vice President, instead. That is, if Vice President Jejomar Binay got his way. Speaking to reporters, the former mayor of Makati City confi rmed he is considering MVP as his running mate in the 2016 polls—and with good reason. Considered as one of the most influential men in the country today, MVP is the perfect running mate for any presidential aspirant since he is at the helm of corporations and industries crucial to the Philippine economy: Philippine Long Distance Company, infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Manila Electric Company, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., Maynilad Water Services Inc., gold producer Philex Mining and the biggest local power player Manila Electric Company. And with vast holdings in media, health services and various other industries, MVP already wields enough power and fi nancial resources to propel his chosen political allies into the halls of power come 2016. But MVP is not the only person in Binay’s list of potential bets for VP. Last month he was mouthing off the name of another MP—that of Saragani Representative and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao—as running mate. Another potential mate for Binay is Ate Vi, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos Recto. But like MVP, Vilma has also repeatedly stated that she has no plans of seeking higher office in 2016. With 2016 just around the bend, the Liberal Party is said to have already begun to raise funds for the campaign kitty of its next presidential standard bearer be it Mar Roxas or Kris Aquino. The LP, too, would benefit immensely having a man of MVP’s stature in its corner. Let’s put ourselves in MVP’s shoes for a minute. Would it be wise to associate with any single political party in 2016? We think it’s not. And MVP knows it very well that for the sake of his business empire it is best to remain neutral and to stay out of politics. “There is no political blood that runs through my veins,” MVP said back in October. “I believe I can serve our people better some other way,” he said. Business and politics do not make good bedfellows. By staying neutral, MVP can play all sides of the fence and emerge a winner regardless of the outcome of the 2016 polls. All he has to do is to spread his bet—put money on the ruling party, on the opposition and the long shots, too. This way, MVP’s business empire is guaranteed to survive and thrive beyond 2016.
his is in the spirit of “Welcome” to the new Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianua. I’ll highlight the significant elements from the excellent 4,862 word article written by the Chinese Embassy in Manila’s spokesperson and deputy chief of the Political Section, Mr. Zhang Hwa, in response to the Philippine’s fi ling of its “memorial” to the Arbitral Tribunal.
China’s Position
The Chinese Embassy spokesman’s paper made ten essential points: 1) The Philippines’ push for international arbitration undermined China-Philippines relations as it disregards China’s position; 2) China does not accept the arbitration because “direct negotiations is the most common and preferred way to resolve such disputes... “ and China has successfully solved the boundary issues with 12 of its land neighbors.... 20,000 kms. Of boundary... In 2000, China and Vietnam equitably delineated the maritime boundary in the Beibu Gulf and …. signed the Agreement on Fishery Cooperation.... China sees no reason to abandon such successful practices....” Refusal of arbitration is a right under international law which many invoke, denying China this right is “double standard”; 3) China wishes disputes to be settled through bilateral negotiations … “Forcing the arbitration is not conducive to the settlement ... “; 4) China’s Basic Position on the South China Sea issue… “the Chinese side has always adhered to resolving relevant disputes with sovereign states directly concerned.... through consultations and negotiations. … and conforms to the consensus that China and ASEAN countries reached in the DOC (Declaration of Conduct)... “; 5) On “The Nature of ChinaPhilippines Disputes... China.... was the fi rst to discover, name, develop and operate on the Nansha Islands....exercised… sovereign jurisdiction….Philippines’ territory was determined by a series of international treaties,... (that) state that the border line of... .the Philippines is 118° East in longitude.… Nansha … and the Huangyan… do not lie within...”
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Mentong Laurel countries. .…” 6) Focuses on previous “Consensus” reached in agreements between China and the Philippines … the Joint Statement-PRC-RP Consultations on the South China Sea …. in August 1995 …. The Joint Statement between China and the Philippines on the Framework of Bilateral Cooperation... in May 2000… In 2002, China and the ASEAN... signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties.... (DOC),... adhering to negotiations as the mode and not arbitration.
Territories Lost In R.P. Maps
The 7th, on the Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) issue, the paper states “The Philippines once clearly stated that the island is not within its territory. First, a series of international treaties defi ning the domain of the Philippine territory provide that the Huangyan Island is outside the territory of the Philippines. The then Philippine ambassador to Germany explicitly stated in 1990 in his letter to German radio amateurs that the Huangyan Island is not within the territory of the Philippines. The documents issued in 1994 by the Philippine National Mapping and Resources Authority …. all confi rmed …. The Philippine official map issued in 2011 also marked the Huangyan Island outside the Philippine territorial border limits.” The 8th point on “The Issue of Ren’ai Reef (Second Thomas Shoal)” recalls the commitments of previous Philippine government administrations to “tow away” the stranded Philippine navy derelict there. But the DFA, China states, “on March 14 openly stated the vessel ‘grounded’ 15 years ago was actually meant to occupy the reef, which proves that the Philippine side has been lying for 15 years....The sitting Philippine government was not the one 15 years ago, but as a country, the Philippines is obliged to honor its commitment. A public denial …. will make it lose credibility to the international community.” The 9th point, “Freedom and Safety of Navigation”, states that the “...South China Sea is the main sealane for China’s trade and transportation .… actions taken by China in safeguarding its sovereignty and maritime interests …. do not affect other countries’ freedom of navigation and overfl ight....”
South China Sea Peace
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“Some people believe that these islands and reefs are closer to the Philippines, and therefore they belong to the Philippines. This has no basis in international law. Geographical proximity has never been a criterion that determines the ownership of territory. Many countries in the world possess territories far away from their mainland or closer to other
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The paper ends with a Commitment of China to “a South China Sea of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation”, highlighting a measure it proposes to the harmonious climate over the shared waters: China setting up US $ 500-Million maritime cooperation fund to promote maritime cooperation, science, navigation, safety, connectivity, and combating transnational crime; and establishment of a maritime emergency hotline. It concludes:
“So long as all parties earnestly implement relevant consensus, adhere to consultations and negotiations, promote practical maritime cooperation and joint development, the South China Sea will become a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation. “ The winds of change in the China-Philippines relations seem to be rallying on change not only in theory but in reality. The surest sign of this was revealed in the April 2 AIM forum “Understanding 21st Century China: All Under Heaven?” sponsored by such big-named institutions as Asia Society, Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of the Philippines, Tufts Fletcher School Alumni Association-Philippines, the hangers-on Ramos Peace and Development Foundation Inc. (where did FVR get the money?), and Former Senior Government Officials (hangers-on to hangers-on-governments dragged along by Uncle Sam). Three speakers highlighted the forum: Prof. Marwyn Samuels of Syracuse University ; Dr. Liping Zheng of the Asian Development Bank; and Chito Sta. Romana , the fountainhead of wisdom on China for Filipinos. Puzzled Patriots Public reactions at the forum were emailed to us by Internet journalist Jerry Quibilan: from Alex to Jerry : “I noticed something very different from the forum today compared to the forum of anti-China activist Raffy Alunan, Roilo Golez and President Ramos also at the AIM in December … They got ex-commodores and ex-commanders of the US 7th Fleet to tell us Filipinos we have to prepare for war with China and shed our blood …We got videos on recycled airplanes and ships to buy for the coming war with China… videos on the Korean war where 10,000 Filipinos allegedly killed 40,000 Chinese. Today President Ramos laughed at the Philippines’ decision to buy 12 new jet planes …. That shook me up. My impression is that Raffy Alunan and President Ramos have noticeably lost their belligerence … They were as nice to China as apple pie. Both said Filipinos should try to understand China and restore normal relations soonest. I am quite puzzled to say the least.” I suggested an answer to Puzzled Alex: The P20-billion deal to buy the used FA-50 from South Korea has already been signed and sealed; and so the syndicate can now relax the propaganda scare-mongering. Then came this quip from one reactor in the forum, Wilson Lee Flores: “We were colonized four times-the Spanish, the British, the Americans, and the Japanese … Filipinos were killed and …. plundered. On the other hand, what have the Chinese done in over a thousand years here? They just traded and gave us siopao, siomai, mami, and lomi.” (Tune in to “Sulo ng Pilipino” on 1098 AM, dwAD, Tuesday to Friday, 5 p.m.; catch GNN’s Talk News TV with HTL on Destiny Cable Channel 8, SkyCable Channel 213, and www.gnntv-asia. com, Saturday, 8:00 p.m. and replay Sunday, 8 a.m., this week on “Meralco siphoning capital out of the country” with Butch Junia and “Consumer protection groups: Unite!”; visit http://newsulongpilipino.blogspot.com; text your reactions to 0917-8658664)
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Opinion
The Viewpoints and outlook of the well-informed
Angel and Demon
U
nder the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreement, signed on April 4, 1949, the “Parties” agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and may take action necessary, including the use of armed forces. NATO’s headquarter is in Brussels in Belgium, one of the 28 member-states across North America and Europe. NATO is just one of the many treaties the United States had entered into with other countries. To put it blatantly, there are about 54 countries that the US is legally obligated to militarily protect and defend if they get into their own confl icts. And here we are where PNoy administration is so eager to push through another agreement with Uncle Sam for enhanced military cooperation’ for signing in time for US President Barack Obama’s visit late this month. Thanks to so many American patriots like Patrick Buchanan, among others who have been sending us a lot of information and giving the other side of the truth on how
America was manipulated and controlled by a ‘chosen’ few. Now America’s foreign policy is in shambles. HM, a patriot friend, believed that ‘Reptilians’ disguised as bumbling Americans are buffoons and are becoming incompetent in leading everyone to war. And it sounds like if our decrepit navy gets into a shooting war with China, we are on our own. Like Cuba, the Philippines will realize all too soon, the envisioned US bases are not here to protect us, but to enslave us. When are we going to wake up and realize that we are being taken for a ride again (translation – ‘chubibo’) by the big brother in the guise that they are really against China and using us as its cannon fodder? Uncle Sam’s corporate and war business complex has the luxury of fighting so many fronts because there are fools like us who will kowtow to its whims of staging a war where peace and interdependence is very much the trend instead of confl ict and prejudice towards neighboring countries. That is why even the former US Senator Mike Gravel said, “you are going to fi nd that the back draft on what we’re doing is going to create more terror, put
WHISTLE BLOWER Erick San Juan more Americans at risk than if we paid attention to our own defense, rather than being around the world with our 700 plus bases, that we feel threatened by people who dislike us.” Press TV reports that the former US senator says the United States plays “policeman of the world”, a role that will drag America into its greatest problem. “All you have got to do is just to travel around the world and you realize the amount of hatred that Americans are incurring as a result of wantonly feeling that we’re the policeman of the world and we can go kill, subjugate and intimidate anybody in the world,” said former US Senator Mike Gravel. As what America is doing in the Crimean crisis. From the viewpoint of Pat Buchanan – “Yet, the immediate problem is
how to avoid a military confrontation or clash with Vladimir Putin’s Russia over Crimea, which almost no American wants.” “Apparently, the West has decided to start down the sanctions road.” “But where does that road lead?” “While sanctions may cripple the Russian economy, will they break Putin? Did they break Castro? Did they break Kim Il Sung or Kim Jong Il? Did they break the Ayatollah? Does Putin look like someone who will respond to an economic squeeze by crying uncle?” “Moreover, in this age of interdependence that America did so much to launch, sanctions are a two-edged sword.” “If Ukraine cuts off oil, gas, water and electricity into a seceded Crimea, whose tourist trade is drying up, this could provoke Putin into invading Eastern Ukraine and seizing the lone land bridge onto the peninsula.” “It could provoke Russia into cutting off imports from Ukraine, turning off the oil and gas, and calling in Ukraine’s debts. This would precipitate a default by Ukraine, without more Western aid than the US$35 billion it is now estimated Kiev will need by
Reds Condemn China And US Bullying The CPP claims that it has long supported the demand of the Filipino people to assert Philippine sovereignty over the small islands and land formations in the South China Sea within the country’s 200mile economic zone.
In a statement released by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the insurgent group condemns both the US and Chinese governments for “acting like bullies in their effort to fortify their military foothold in the South China Sea to the detriment of the Filipino people’s sovereignty claims over the islands and land formations and territorial waters within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.” The CPP denounced both the Chinese and US governments for carrying out maneuvers and counter-maneuvers last March 29, while a Philippine boat delivered supplies to the Philippine outpost ship BRP Sierra Madre, stationed at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. News reports indicate that the Chinese Coast Guard attempted to prevent the
Philippine supply boat from reaching the Ayungin shoal. The group also criticized the US military for reportedly carrying out fly-bys to project and assert its power and control of the area. The CPP further denounced the Aquino regime for playing to the US hegemonist plan to establish its permanent presence in the South China Sea by invoking US military support, seeking increased US military fi nancing and protection. The group says that the fly-by of US jets over the Ayungin shoals last March 29 was carried out with the permission of the Philippine armed forces, although AFP officials feigned ignorance. Malacañang also pretended to be unaware of the US fly-bys when it declared that the Philippine supply boat just “somehow managed” to reach the outpost ship despite the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard ship. The CPP claims that it has long supported the demand of the Filipino people to assert Philippine sovereignty over the small islands and land formations in the South China Sea within the country’s 200-mile economic zone. It also asserted that the group has long called for a peaceful resolution of the confl icts through diplomatic negotiations and international arbitration. “The US imperialists have long been the biggest violators of Philippine sovereignty,” the group insists in their public statement. They said that the United States’ historical record of aggression and colonization of the Philippines is “incomparable to that of China, which has never deployed its military in the Philippines, prior to sailing its coast guard boats in Philippine territorial waters.” The CPP notes, “The US has further entrenched itself in the Philippines. It has further strengthened its foothold by maintaining a permanent military presence in the Philippines.” The CPP contends that further strengthening the US’ military foothold in the Philippines does not help the Philippine cause to advance sovereign claims over the South China Sea islands, formations and territorial waters. Heightening US military presence, according to them, counters the Philippines’ efforts to strengthen its sovereignty claims as it puts the Philippines under the dominance of the US military. The group further adds, “In asserting Philippine claims while invoking US military support, the Aquino regime is actually seeking to become a protectorate of the US government, subjecting the entire country, including the international trade routes in the South China Sea, to US control. To be ‘protected’ by a bigger bully who claims to be a friend to fend off another bully is to forever be under the sway of that bigger bully.”
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2016.” “Are House Republicans willing to vote America’s share of that vast sum and make Ukraine a recipient of U.S. foreign aid roughly equal to what we provide annually to Israel and Egypt?” “And if we severely sanction Russia, she could cut off oil and gas to Europe, cause a recession in the eurozone, and move closer to China.” “Nixon’s great achievement was to split China off from Moscow. President Reagan’s great achievement was to preside over the conversion of the “evil empire” into a country where he was cheered in Red Square.” “What our Greatest Generation presidents accomplished, our Baby Boomer presidents appear to have booted away.” Remember that there are still a lot of good guys in America, the problem is some top people there are playing the angel and demon operation and dragging the whole American populace as the bad guy. Here at home, we have our own bungling inept fools in the government kowtowing to western pressure, while our money continues to go into wide open pockets - for nothing. God help us all.
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APRIL 14-20, 2014
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Food Security & Sustainability
Agriculture
Ancient Answers to Biodiversity Questions By Philipp Gassner ONE hot summer day in ancient Sicily thousands of years ago, Noble Damocles is guest at a banquet of his tyrant king Dionysius. Surrounded by magnificence, power and authority, Damocles envies the ruler and exclaims: ‘My king, you are truly extremely fortunate’. Promptly, Dionysius offers to switch chairs with Damocles, so that Damocles can taste that very fortune. When Damocles accepts the proposal and sits down in the throne surrounded by every extravagance, Dionysius had arranged a huge, razor-sharp sword hanging above the throne, held only by a single hair of a horse’s tail. Whereas the ‘Sword of Damocles’ has become a byword for a happy situation overshadowed by danger, risks to our health don’t always have to be as extreme. Of course, there might always be a meteorite on its way to – very improbably – wipe all the life from our green Earth. Yet, everyday life health risks are much more tangible.
Pollution from Pandora’s Box
And air pollution ‘is the single biggest environmental health risk’ with around seven million deaths a year, according to a report the World Health Organization (WHO) issued last month. However, much worse affected than New York is Southeast Asia – now the most polluted region in the world with more than five million deaths from air pollution. Does this pollution stink from Pandora’s box we have opened? As such evil, the health risk of air pollution can be seen: once freed, it can have persistent and ubiquitous consequences.
Climate Change Oracles
Thousands of years after their creation, people in Greece are often in doubt about important questions in their lives. On such hesitations, the blind seer-
ess Pythia can shed light. She is the most famous oracle and lives in the city of Delphi. One day, a weary king comes to the temple and asks the oracle if he would win the battle. She smiles and tells him a great king would win the battle. That was exactly what he had wanted to hear and he goes away happily. However, when he leads his men into battle, they lose and he is killed by the other king – the great king. Pythia’s prophecies are enigmatic and ambiguous. They might reveal that a major danger is impending, but they won’t tell how high its probability, severity or distribution might be. The oracle is characteristic for many environmental health risks nowadays, which have high uncertainty with regard to both risk dimensions. Take climate change, already causing an estimated 150,000 deaths annually. These occur, for instance, from more frequent extreme weather conditions, like Typhoon Haiyan, or from affected patterns of food production, impacting on malnutrition. The same is true for biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystems: for many of the world’s poor, one of the greatest environmental threats to health remains lack of access to safe water and sanitation, says the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. Water resources are replenished and purified by water ecosystems. When they are lost, human health and well-being is undoubtedly put at risk, while exact probabilities, the severity or distribution remain yet unclear.
Cyclops Diseases
While sailing home from the Trojan War, the hero Odysseus and his men come ashore to restock their food and water. They are thrilled to fi nd a cave full of sheep, build a fi re in the cave, and cook some sheep on a sharpened stick. ‘Uaaagh’, suddenly echoes through the cave and a one-eyed giant appears at the mouth of the cave, swinging
a club. Swiftly, Odysseus grabs a sharpened stick and blinds the Cyclops, who is restricted by his one eye. Odysseus and his men get safely away by pretending to be sheep making bah-bah sounds until they crawled to safety. The Cyclops’ limitation to perceive only one part of reality with his one eye describes also many health risks. When viewing them, only one side can be ascertained while the other remains unsure. It is often the case that risks are greatly underestimated whose magnitude can be grasped but whose probability of occurrence is uncertain or continuously changes. Prominent examples are vector-borne diseases. Mankind has always co-habited with innumerable other living forms. While many of them support us, some few can transmit infectious diseases between humans or from animals to humans. Such vectors are, for instance, mosquitoes, ticks, fl ies, or fleas. These benefit from tropical climate, inefficient water management, low priority for health impact in development activities, unplanned urbanization and widespread poverty, but also factors of a changing environment. ‘Vectorborne diseases have significant impact on socioeconomic status of communities, and they vigorously fuel the vicious circle of poverty,’ says Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of the WHO Southeast Asia, indicating the severe effects of such environmental health risks. Nevertheless, cyclops-like, we can’t fully grasp the probabilities of environmental impact. But there is no need to turn to stone.
How to Kill the Beast
In ancient Greece, the world was full of dangers. Some novel phenomena affect people today with the same fear and dread. Instead of turning into stone, however, there are solutions at hand. Remember, Medusa was defeated in the myth with
a smart strategy, using a mirror, rather than looking directly in her eyes. Such strategies are emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is reinforcing the linkages between health and environment. An example is ‘Integrated Vector Management’, promoting greatest disease control benefit, while minimizing negative impacts on ecosystems, e.g., from the excessive use of chemicals. The WHO works with partners to provide education and improve awareness so that people know how to protect themselves and their communities. But even more important are the conservation of a healthy environment and the mitigation of climate change to minimize the environmental health risks in the fi rst place. On this focuses the ‘Health and Environment Linkages Initiative’ by the WHO and the UN Environment Programme, as does the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity in the region.The Philippinebased Center, supported by the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) since 2010, coordinating sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity. After all, the best risk management is prevention:
Healthy ecosystems for healthy people. Let’s take this wakeup call seriously and avoid Cassandras’ destiny: Cassandra was a beautiful young priestess at Apollo’s temple, with great ambition. One day, the mighty god Apollo swings by and is delighted by Cassandra. He is fond of making a deal. If Cassandra kisses him, he would give her the gift of prophecy so she could see into the future. Cassandra does not hesitate. As soon as she is able, she looks eagerly into the future. But she does not like what she sees: Apollo is helping to destroy her beloved city of Troy. She spits in his face. Apollo is furious, and since he could not take away his gift, he adds to it. From that time on, Cassandra could see the future, but no one believed a thing she said. Later, when Cassandra warned her people that the Trojan horse was a trap, nobody paid the slightest attention. They laughed at her and widely opened the doors … Philipp Gassner is a consultant for science and sustainability communication at the GIZ-assisted Biodiversity and Climate Change Project, implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, Philippines.
Department of Agriculture Ready for El Niño The Department of Agriculture is ready to carry out cloud seeding operations to induce rain over areas that have not received a rainfall for at least one week as part of its proactive strategy against a feared protracted dry spell, even as the country’s weather bureau said it’s too early to tell the occurrence of El Niño phenomenon this year. With the country now within the summer season, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said he has instructed all the Department’s regional field offices nationwide to monitor and immediately coordinate with the Bureau of Soils and Management (BSWM) any lack of rainfall for seven to ten days in areas under their respective jurisdiction so the Bureau could mobilize its cloud seeding team in a
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timely manner. In fact, as early as mid-March, BSWM has completed 15 sorties equivalent to 17 flying hours across the rain-deprived municipalities of Aglipay, Maddela and Nagtipunan, as well as over Magat Watershed areas. The DA Regional Field Unit II reported said sorties helped induce rain showers and prevented damage on some 4,155 hectares of corn farms around the province, of which 3,490 hectares are in reproductive stage and 665 hectares in vegetative stage. BSWM is an attached agency of DA tasked to undertake cloud seeding sorties to induce rain above drought-affected farming communities. “We are taking a proactive stance against the threat of a long dry spell even as PAGASA
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(Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) is saying El Niño is not yet in sight,” said Secretary Alcala in an interview on a local television program in General Santos City on Friday. Apart from cloud seeding operations, the Department also readies other interventions such as the provision of with shallow tube wells and drought-tolerant crop varieties to farmers in any part of the country that will be affected by dry spell episodes. As part of long-term measures, DA has likewise increased its investments in the repair, rehabilitation and construction of new irrigation systems, as well as in the establishment of small water impounding facilities, to help guarantee agricultural water even during dry months.
From 2011 to end-December 2013, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said it has generated 128,242 hectares of new areas, restored 90,851 hectares and rehabilitated 453,636 hectares. NIA aims to expand total irrigated lands to 1.9 million hectares by 2016, from current 1.67 million hectares. PAGASA has yet to issue a formal advisory on the occurrence of El Niño except for precautionary verbal warnings, as quoted in several media reports. Global weather authorities are likewise cautious at this point in time to declare such a phenomenon happening this year. In its latest monthly advisory released in March, the National Prediction Service of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NPS-NOAA)
said there is “50% chance of El Niño developing during the summer or fall (July, August, and September).” NPS-NOAA is expected to issue its April update anytime soon. “ENSO-neutral is expected to continue through the Northern Hemisphere spring 2014, with about a 50% chance of El Niño developing during the summer or fall,” the agency said in its website. ENSO-neutral refers to those periods when neither El Niño nor La Niña or the “cold” equivalent of El Niño is present. El Niño is a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific that occurs every four to 12 years.The worst El Niño episode the country ever experienced was in 1997-1998, when more than P8 billion worth of crops was destroyed.
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OPINION
Jokowi, Jojo and Erap (Happy Birthday!)
M
uch sooner than most of us know or are aware of, our neighbour, Indonesia (with a population of 250 million) will hold its National Elections for President and Vice President. These were preceded by Legislative (including the Lower House of Parliament) Elections last Wednesday, April 9, 2014. 186 million voters were eligible to vote for 230,000 candidates for 20,000 seats in National (560) and Regional or Local Legislatures (2,137 seats in 33 Provincial Assemblies {DPRD}: 17,560 seats in 497 District Assemblies.). The most important of these three levels was the election for the 560 seats in the Lower House of the National Parliament (DPR). The results have to be tallied and completed by law within 30 days. Under Clause 9, Law 42 of 2008, only parties that won at least 20 % of the DPR seats or 25 % of the popular vote in the Legislative elections can nominate a candidate for President and VP. If a party failed to achieve these criteria, then it has to combine with another party or a combination of other parties if it wants to field a candidate (s). The nominations have to be completed within seven days of the above results. The Presidential and Vice
Presidential Elections will be held on July 9. The campaign will be in May and June. Then another two months of campaigning in June and July for the Run-off elections which will be held in September. The new President will take office on October 20. 2014, when the incumbent President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, steps down. The latter was elected in 2004 and 2009 in the first and second direct elections for President. He is barred from seeking a third term. The main opposition party, the Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle (Megawati Sukarnoputri), will nominate the Governor of Jakarta (since Oct 15, 2012; defeated the incumbent in the September 20, 2012 Run-off elections.), Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, age 52, born June 21, 1961, in Surakarta (Solo), Central Java. He was the Mayor there from July 28, 2005 to Oct 1, 2012. In most of the Opinion Polls, Jokowi is now leading the race. His Party got the highest number of MP’s as well as popular votes. Both Suharto’s Golkar, the Gerindra Party and the Incumbent’s Democratic Party are trailing behind both in the polls as well as in the elections. Meanwhile five Islamic parties increase their combined total dramatically from 26 % in 2009 to the present 32 %. Jokowi was educated in pub-
YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW Linggoy Alcuaz lic schools in Surakarta at the Primary (Grade School) and Junior and Senior Secondary (High Schools) Levels. He took up Engineering at the Gadjah Mada University and graduated in 1985. He was a property and furniture businessman before he entered politics. In both positions, as Mayor of Surakarta and as Governor of Jakarta, he adopted an interactive approach and relationship with his constituents. At the same time he adopted the development framework of European cities. He gained the trust of his constituents and was recognized for his achievements both at the National and International levels. Jokowi reminds me of both President/Mayor Joseph “Erap” Marcelo Ejercito Estrada of Manila and the Philippines and Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Cabauatan Binay, Mayor of Makati from 1986 to 1988 and 2001 to 2010. Jokowi became
Fashion Blogging For Success
The DAP
From page 16
From page 3
At a young age of 18, despite lack of formal training in photography, Tricia started taking photos related to her interest in fashion, beauty and culture. She knew that there are professional photographers who are more experienced in the field, but that did not stop her. Tricia took and posted fashion photos simply because she is passionate about them. A newspaper hired her to do street fashion photography. In contrast to fashion designed by famous name designers in studios, street fashion is any style of clothing design that emerged from youth culture. A photographer usually goes exploring places in an urban center where young people congregate, such as parks, rock concert stadiums, music festivals, malls, and university campuses. The photographer then proceeds to spot people in the crowd who stand out based on their sense of fashion, and asks them if they do not mind having their pictures taken. It was during her stint with the newspaper when Tricia decided to upload her photography work to her blog site. She shares, “Eventually, I wasn’t able to sustain it due to my busy schedule back in college, so I decided to just take my own personal style photos. And the rest just followed.” Tricia admits that she has always been a very active internet user ever since she was in high school. She was not expecting that her hobby will turn into a full-time business venture. Being a fashionista who loves to collect clothes, Tricia thought of putting her clothes into good use. Her idea was to make a photo documentation of herself wearing the clothes that she loves. Essentially, she became her own photographer and model. Until now, she still posts photos of herself on her blog. Her sense of style and individuality has caught the imagination of young Filipinas all over the country, who look up to her for fashion ideas. “I never really thought it could grow to something much bigger. I’ve always had a penchant for graphic design so I remember enjoying creating layouts for all my friends’ blogs and for my own blog. Photography came into my life some time back then, when I suddenly grew obsessed with deviantART and sharing my work in this wonderful art community, ” she says. Tricia works with publications and brands who see her as the icon of youth fashion. It isn’t far from the truth, as the blog regularly features photos of Tricia in her latest fashion getups. She believes that she has a lot of creativity to share throughout Asia and the rest of the world. She calls her style as ‘sophisti-cute’, her own mix of her two influences, Japanese fashion and Western high street fashion. Tricia fi nds unique sources for inspiration, beyond the realm of traditional fashion design. “In terms of fashion and photography, I was mostly influenced by Japanese magazines. I wanted to recreate that kind of soft lighting they always had in their photos, so I decided to pick up my own camera and try to produce the same results. Fashion-wise, I don’t strictly follow Western trends, but I do follow Japanese fashion religiously. Coincidentally, Japanese fashion also takes its roots from Western trends,” she observes. Asked what important traits one must have to be successful, she answers, “Positivity breeds positivity. Nothing good can ever come out of surrounding yourself with negative people who say negative things all the time. Focusing on the positive things can help you look at life in a different, more meaningful way.” As to her defi nition of success, Tricia replies, “Success is relative! My defi nition of success doesn’t really have much to do with fame or money, but a lot with being able to carry out my dreams with the presence and support of my loved ones.”
authoritative nature of families and society. We really have not come out of the medieval nature of the misuse of power, aided and abetted by religious sentiments of wanting total mind control. So perhaps some of these considerations perplex the SC not to speak of the Palace attempts, which they will of course deny, to influence the decision of he SC. In fact, this long delay is likely a part of that secret lobby. For, so long as the SC has not decided one way or the other, then the Palace can carry on merrily! Maybe they are waiting for public anger at the malfeasance of so many members of Congress on the PDAF issue, to settle down before releasing
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a Mayor at the age of 44 and a Governor at the age of 51. Erap was born on April 19, 1937 in Tondo, Manila. He was elected Mayor of San Juan in 1967 (However, he was cheated and lost the elections but won an electoral protest and assumed office in 1969.) at 30, Senator in 1987 at 51, Vice President in 1992 at 55, President in 1998 at 61 and again Mayor of Manila in 2013 at 76. Jojo was born on November 11, 1942 in Paco, Manila. He was appointed OIC Mayor of Makati in 1986 at 43. He was elected Mayor in 1988, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2004 and 2007. He was elected VP in 2010 at 67. In May 2016, he will be 73. The three of them, Jokowi, Erap and Jojo share the same populist style. The big difference is that unlike Erap, neither Jokowi nor Jojo were actors or showbiz personalities before they became Mayors. The other difference is that Erap had to go through serving five years as a Senator before he ran for President and then slid down to Vice President in 1992. The third difference is that undoubtedly, Jokowi as opposed to all the other strong candidates or candidates of the big parties, represents the new politics in Indonesia. On the other hand, will both Jojo and Erap be identified with the old politics in the Philippines? Or their decision. That is also part of the politicking that we would like to think the SC is above. But maybe they are considering a careful balancing act because though co-equal with Congress and the Executive, their budgets could be significantly reduced. +Political horse trading infecting the SC would be such a tragedy. The concept of lady justice being blind is replaced by lady justice being naked! The other issue, of course, is whether the public will be able to see and review these expenditures to determine whether the ugly head of politics prevailed depending on which legislator benefited from the expenditure. The DAP is now more important because supposedly, there is no more PDAF!
The rationale of whatever decision comes out of the SC will make rather interesting reading and enable us to determine whether the SC has remained true to their independence, relying solely on the constitutional language or the law or whether they are simply political tools and play politics just like every other player in this country. Their past renditions and fl ip-flops on quite a number of issues are not encouraging . But let us hope this decision will be worthy of admiration as an example of true constitutional and legal wisdom, and not just that the decision framers are admirable word smiths available to whomever if the price is right, as some individual justices unfortunately have come to be suspected to be!
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can they reinvent themselves into something new but proven. The difference between the Philippines and Indonesia is that the latter had a little taste of the new politics a decade and a half ago. The former has just had a big taste of the failed new politics in the incumbent President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino. The question is whether the revulsion with Pork, Corruption and Plunder will make the majority of voters gamble with the new and the young again or will they choose to stay with the old but proven leaders. If the former becomes true, then we will have a myriad of possible – Grace Poe, Alan Peter Cayetano, Vilma Santos, Sonny Trillanes and maybe even Bongbong Marcos. If the latter remains true, then we will have Binay and Estrada to choose from. They will have Mar Roxas and Chiz Escudero and others to choose from. Meanwhile, Erap will be celebrating his 77th Birthday this coming Sabado de Gloria. Meanwhile, he will have to think and ponder whether to retire in 2016 after one term as Mayor or go on and run again for President in 2016. Will he be forced to run and win at the National level to vindicate his family just as Dra. Loi and Jinggoy ran and won as Senators in 2001 and 2004 and served to vindicate Erap then. Happy Birthday!
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APRIL 14-20, 2014
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APRIL 14-20, 2014 • VOL.4 NO.33
GameChanger
SECTIONS NATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AGRICULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 FOREIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
TRICIA GOSINGTIAN
Fashion Blogging for Success
U
nlike other young entrepreneurs with a specific brand or product, Tricia Gosingtian does not have a physical product or merchandise to sell. The twenty-four-year-old calls herself a creative entrepreneur. Her success stems from the fact that she simply pursued her passions: freelance photography, modelling, styling, and blogging, alongside a string of other skills. These hobbies helped her develop her skills as an entrepreneur and a fashion trendsetter. She is now one of country’s highest paid bloggers. A successful high-traffic lifestyle blog can generate up to seven figures from an accumulation of advertising, product placements, reviews and other sources of online revenues. A graduate of Ateneo de Manila with a degree in Fine Arts and a major in Information Design, Gosingtian built her company from her blog, Tricia Will Go Places. The reknowned fashion blogger modestly claims that the blog, and the business that followed, was born accidentally. Turn to page 15
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OpinYon
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