Planet Philippines (Calgary Edition) - May 1-15, 2012 issue by Pinoy News and Media

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MANILA’S

PHILIPPINES

The Quezon Memorial Park is nature’s heart in the middle of a concrete jungle.

GREEN

Luscious La Mesa

SANCTUARIES Dubbed as the “Lung of Manila”, the La Mesa Eco Park serves as the city’s “carbon dioxide sink”: providing the metropolis with clean air. Surrounding the shed is a well-developed nature preserve that is quickly becoming a favorite destination among the visiting city dwellers.

By ChERiE del rio

IVING IN the city and getting caught up in its fast paced lifestyle can eventually take a toll on one’s being. Your body craves for a much-needed respite from the draining physical work. Your mind desires even just a moment’s peace from the capital’s hustle and bustle. And while you normally don’t have the time and the extra effort to drive out to the countryside, you’d find that Manila actually has some remarkable nature parks that you can retreat to: an escape into the city’s green hideaways.

The La Mesa Eco Park provides environmental therapy to tired city residents.

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Nestled in Quezon City’s La Mesa Watershed is a 2000-hectare forest sanctuary. The watershed is made up of 2,700 hectares in all with its 700 hectares belonging to the reservoir. Dubbed as the “Lung of Manila”, the La Mesa Eco Park serves as the city’s “carbon dioxide sink”, providing the metropolis with clean air. Surrounding the shed is a well-developed nature preserve that is quickly becoming a favorite destination among the visiting city dwellers. What draws tourists to the forest, aptly named La Mesa Eco Park, is the variety in facilities and activities that it offers -- add to that its accessibility (it’s just right along Commonwealth Avenue). There are about five hectares of picnic sites in La Mesa Eco Park. Families gathering in the Lopez Picnic Grounds paint a quaint picture of idyllic life: a relaxing meal with blankets laid on the ground with a multitude of trees providing shade and a relaxing ambiance. Lovers are treated with the park’s own brand of romantic atmosphere: a delightful paddle boat ride at the Superferry Boating Lagoon or perhaps a tranquil bonding moment shared at the Fishing Lagoon after reveling in the beauty of the Shell Flower Terraces (The two-hectare floral terrace is incidentally the very wall of the La Mesa reservoir). The Eco Park, as part of its commitment to provide healthful activities to its visitors, has opened the Salt Water Swimming Pool to the public. Since the pool uses salt granules instead of chlorine, the water is deemed less toxic. Sports enthusiasts and athletes can also commune with nature at the La Mesa Eco Park whilst sticking with their energetic routines. The Petron Fitness and Mountain Bike Trail inside the park has 17 exercise stations. The mountain bike trail spans

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PHILIPPINES a total of 1.2 kilometers of the forest. Tired city residents aren’t the only ones yearning for the environmental therapy provided by the Eco Park. A number of schools and organizations have journeyed to La Mesa as part of educational trips. The Ecomuseum is an environmental education hub that focuses on “biodiversity conservation”, one of the Eco Park’s many visions. Those who have had the pleasure of meeting Mother Nature inside the borders of the Eco Park have raved about the Butterfly Trail and Hatchery. The trail leads visitors into a voyage towards one flamboyant show of the most colorful butterflies. Guests have also voiced out highly satisfactory reviews of the Eco Park, stating that the place is really ideal for outdoor activities. They have also noted that unlike other parks and conservatories, the Eco Park doesn’t require guests to pay exorbitant fees. Those who wish to stay overnight at the park can avail of private pavilions with overnight camping facilities. The La Mesa Eco Park is likewise home to the Adventure Zone Team Building Facility and a Mini-Golf Course.

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Quietude in Quezon Memorial Park Another green refuge that you can explore as you take a break from the stressful metropolis is the Quezon Memorial Park. Unlike the La Mesa Eco Park whose vastness is dominated by woodland and lagoons, Quezon Memorial Park offers a diverse mix of landscape sanctuaries and entrepreneurial corners. The park is both surrounded and converged on by national roads, making it an ecological center: nature’s heart in the middle of a concrete jungle. The kiosks (or bahay kubo stalls) where residents sell various products as a means to nurture the local businesses blend with the plants and trees that line the park. People come to the Quezon Memorial Park to enjoy a bit of fresh air and relish the emerging breeze and calming sounds from the rustling foliage. There are many locations wherein individuals, pairs, and groups can jog, brisk walk, bike, and exercise. The space leading to the Peace Bell is adorned by the now grown shrubs that were planted by volunteers several years ago. Other notable landmarks in the park include the Café Amadeo, the Serye Café,

THE RIGHT TO THE CITY

N a day like this, at the beginning of what threatens to be a long hot summer, Metro Manila’s residents search desperately for outdoor places where they can spread a mat, read a book, take a nap, or laze around with the children in the cool shade of big trees. alas, outside of the UP Diliman campus which becomes a public park when it closes its tree-lined oval to vehicular traffic on Sundays, there are hardly any other accessible green parks left. The green sheltering metropolis is long gone. Free time is nowadays inevitably captured by any of the gigantic air-conditioned shopping malls that dot the city. One is almost tempted to say that the natural environment has been deliberately degraded in order to force the city’s inhabitants to find refuge in the enclosed world of the shopping mall. There is no conspiracy here, I am sure. It is just what happens when space is indiscriminately privatized, public officials forget their responsibilities, and owners fail to see beyond the narrow prism of private profit. Nowhere is this stark reality more visible than in the ongoing struggle between Baguio residents who are trying to save the few remaining pine trees of their city and those who want to uproot them to make way for more parking space for SM shoppers. The political geographer, Edward Soja, sums it all up in the term “spatial injustice.” Soja argues that justice has a spatial dimension that is not as well recognized as legal justice or economic justice. Spatial injustice is evident in the way the geography of the city is configured to favor its wealthy residents, often to the detriment of its poor communities. While the city deteriorates as a result of mindless planning and neglect, its privi-

The La Mesa Eco Park provides environmental therapy to tired city residents. leged residents retreat into their gated enclaves where streets are safe and clean, sidewalks exist, and churches are less noisy and crowded. These exclusive villages have been carved out of city space as if they belonged to another country. In lieu of a visa, you must surrender a driver’s license to enter them if you are not a homeowner. Look around us and see what kind of city has resulted from the collusion between our public officials and private developers. It is a place that is patently inhospitable to open spaces. Instead of green parks, we have grey parking spaces. Instead of wooded walks, we have golf courses. Our landscape is a collage of billboards. We are choking in the fumes of motor vehicles. Behind the long shadows cast by high-rise condos are the squatter shanties put up by construction workers and their families. The city they inhabit exists as shared space only in a fictional sense. Barriers everywhere, maintained by ubiquitous security guards, set the rich and the poor apart. (Excepts from Randy David’s column in The Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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Enjoy a pleasant meal under the shade of the mango trees and afterwards, go and discover the Mango Farm’s expanse. and of course, the Quezon Memorial Shrine itself.

The Marvel of Mango Farm

Slowly rising into recognition and distinction (and registering on the traveler’s radar) is The Mango Farm, a two-and-a-half-hectare of breathtaking greenery that is somewhat hidden within Kingsville Court Village in Antipolo City. Bound by Filinvest to the south, Katarungan to the west, and Kingsville Court Village to the north, the Mango Farm is home to over 200 mango trees. Although relatively younger and lesser known compared to the green destinations of the La Mesa Eco Park and the Quezon Memorial Park, the Mango Farm still has its own claim to fame. Imagine mature mango trees, in their magnificence and glory, acting as nothing less than nature’s grandiose umbrellas. Enjoy a pleasant meal under the shade of the mango trees and afterwards, go and discover the farm’s expanse. Later, take in the lovely scenery as you pause for a break in the exquisite gazebos and patios. At the moment, the Mango Farm offers its pavilions as venues for various events and celebrations. Its Azotea Rojo is a quaint grass garden outlined by mango trees. The La Carmen is similar to the Azotea Rojo, except that it has a mini bar -- a small touch of modernity within the cradles of nature. Unlike the Azotea Rojo and the La Carmen which are both Vigan-paved, the Plaza Gat Tayaw is paved with bricks but nonetheless tucked in yet another grove of mango trees. Other venues inside the Mango Farm include the Glass Pavilion and the Sunken Garden -- which usually serves as the prime location for wedding ceremonies held at the farm. The Mango Farm is a welcome surprise

These eco parks and farms offer an escape, the interlude to life’s demands... they are sanctuaries that need to be guarded and taken care of. in the city, an unexpected hideaway from the skyscrapers, the noisy vehicles, and the polluted city air. Guests find the Mango Farm as easy to reach, being merely a 20-minute drive from points such as Ateneo in Katipunan and Eastwood in Libis.

Endangered Escapes

These green sanctuaries in Manila offer not only a reprieve from the busy city lifestyle but also a chance to reconnect with nature and ultimately aid in its sustainability. In the La Mesa Eco Park, for example, guests already help the watershed just by the mere act of visiting. Whatever revenue is earned from the park goes to its maintenance and conservation. These eco parks and farms offer an escape, the interlude to life’s demands. But that is not their only reason for existence. They are truly sanctuaries that need to be guarded and taken care of. As more and more high-rise buildings are constructed and the threats of environmental evils loom around the corner, one can only hope that more green sanctuaries are developed in Manila. After all, this is our home. You need to replenish not just yourself but also Mother Nature. n

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Lance Gokongwei is in charge of the Gokongwei Empire, serving as president and COO while his father serves as Chairman Emeritus.

10 COMMANDMENTS OF RUNNING A FAMILY BUSINESS

THE GOKONGWEI

WAY By MArY Ann L. reyes

O in-laws. This is the first of 10 unwritten commandments which John Gokongwei Jr., founder of the Gokongwei group of companies, followed in running the family business “the Gokongwei way.” Lance Gokongwei, president of JG Summit Group, shared his and his father’s secrets in running a successful conglomerate and in effectively transitioning from a company that is basically family-owned to one publiclyowned and listed. At the Ateneo de Manila Family Business Forum held recently, the young Gokongwei said that during his father’s generation, his aunts (married to his dad’s brothers) and his mother were involved in the business, but the elder Gokongwei soon discovered that this was not always ideal. “There were situations where some of the

‘If you work for the company, you must be either fully in the business or completely out. In running the business, you must be actively involved, with full-time commitment and focus.’ marriages did not work. Loyalties change. Sometimes relationships between the different in-laws from the second generation become strained. Feelings get hurt. It is tricky deciding which in-law is more deserving, which is smarter, which would do a better job,” he said. And so for the second generation, led by Lance, the rule of no in-laws was instituted – with some exceptions. The second commandment is no moonlighting. Lance said the family rule is that if one is working for JG Summit, one can only own passive assets that do not require their attention such as property, shares, bonds and the like. “If you work for the company, you must be either fully in the business or completely out. In running the business, you must be actively involved, with full-time commitment

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GETTING TO KNOW LANCE

The following are excerpts from an interview of Lance Gokongwei by Mary Ann Ll. Reyes of The Philippine Star in December 2011:

ance Y. Gokongwei, president of JG Summit Holdings and its subsidiary Cebu Pacific, is probably one of the nicest persons in Philippine business that I had the privilege of knowing. Totally oblivious of his fame and fortune, Lance, who just turned 45 and celebrated his birthday at the office going through his firm’s 2012 budget after which he had a simple dinner with his wife and kids. He remains down-to-earth and approachable. Employees of the group simply adore him.

One of the richest Filipinos, the 86-year-old John Gokongwei’s net worth in 2011 was put at $2.4 billion by Forbes magazine. and focus,” he explained. No conflict of interest is the third commandment. As a family member, one cannot set up a business involved in supplying or transacting with the JG Group of Companies. “Around 20 years ago, my family learned this lesson. In one of the family manufacturing companies we acquired, one sibling was involved in an outside business supplying the company. Another was involved in a business that sold the final product for commission, and another was involved in a business that sold the scrap. As each party was concerned with his own interests, nobody was thinking of the interest of the family business,” Lance said. The fourth commandment is “no work, no pay from the company.” “The family member must work to receive a salary. There should be no fake pay. You must have a real, full-time position in the company. In my family, we do not receive allowances after graduating from college. If as a parent you want to give your child money from your own salary or dividends, that’s your pre-

“The amount you will receive is based on merit and not who you are in the family totem pole,” Lance said. rogative. But the family is not going to pay for this,” he pointed out. Fifth is that personal assets should be kept separate from company assets. Lance said that personal expenses should be paid from one’s own pocket – including personal travels via the family-controlled Cebu Pacific and personal hotel stay at the family-owned RLC hotels, and even shopping at the Robinsons retail stores. Sixth is pay must be based on contribution to the business. He said that in order for the family member to live and think independently, the family business must pay the right salary for the right job, but the pay must be adequate enough so that the family member will not

I hope Lance will forgive me for sharing these anecdotes. One time, after having lunch with him at one of the restaurants inside Robinson’s Galleria, he asked the lady server if they have a discount for Robinson’s group employees. She said yes but asked Lance to show an ID. The unassuming person that he is, Lance did not introduce himself, and because he did not have an ID, he no longer asked for the discount. There was this other time we had lunch in Pasig. There was so much left over so we decided to have it wrapped. It was contained in a ordinary white plastic bag which he did not mind carrying around Metrowalk. How was it for you growing up? Did you feel you were different from the other kids? We were just like any other family. I was doing what other kids were doing. What made us different though is probably because the opportunities we had were different. We were able to travel early in life and get the best education. But growing up in the ‘70s, people were less concerned about fame. There was after all no Internet at that time. Why did you marry late? (He married at the age of 34) I wasn’t actively looking for someone to marry although I was being introduced to a number of women. You only know that it is time to marry when you

meet the right person. How did it feel being the only thorn among the roses? (Lance is the only boy in the brood). Did they ever gang up on you? Where you treated any differently by your parents? I think it was while growing up with five strong-willed sisters (Lisa, Robina, Faith, Marcia and Hope) that I learned early on to have good people skills. I had very early training. No, they never ganged up on me. I’m sure there was some expectation from my parents, that I was expected to handle the family business in the future. But I was treated no differently from my sisters. Were you always studious? (He has a degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s college of engineering and another in finance from its Wharton School, completed at the same time in less than four years and with perfect grades. Lance was awarded summa cum laude honors for both degrees) You can say I have always been a hard worker. Okay, I have always been a nerd, that is why I married at the age of 34. Most of the students (at Xavier) were nerds and there were not a lot of jocks. Was I the teacher’s pet? Maybe, a favorite but not a teacher’s pet. Because I was an obedient student. How did you discover running? I started running in early 2009 when I was asked by a group of close friends to join them. I ran my first and last 42k New York Marathon in November 2009. How did I fare? Let’s say I

just finished the race. I did not run to lose weight but I did and I felt much better after that. I still run 10ks twice a week, Saturdays and Sundays. On weekdays, just the treadmill. How many girlfriends did you have before you got married? Too few to count. And I had girlfriends when I was already working. As I said, I was a nerd in school. Are you a bookworm? Yes, you can call me that. I like to read biographies and magazines. I am currently reading Steve Jobs’ biography. Any pet peeves? I don’t like name-droppers as well as people who think that the rules do not apply to them. Being mayabang is a big no-no for me. Do you have any dream car? I am not particular about the brand or make of the car I use. So long as it is bullet-proof, it has reading lights (because I like reading while inside the car), the airconditioning works, and someone else drives it for me. Are you a sports aficionado? I like watching basketball – the NBA or UAAP games. I sometimes watch the Azkals games. Given the chance, I would like to relearn how to play golf. The last time I played the game was four years ago. What is your management style? To what extent has your dad influenced the way you run the company? My dad (he calls him Mr. John in the office) has always been my mentor, so you can say he has a big influence on me. He taught me how to work hard and not to follow a crowd. You can say that in business, I am a risk taker.

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One rule states that personal expenses of family members should be paid from one’s own pocket such as personal travels via the family-controlled Cebu Pacific. be dependent on the parents for support. “The amount you will receive is based on merit and not who you are in the family totem pole,” Lance said. The seventh commandment of the Gokongwei group is that being family is no guarantee of employment. “There comes a time when there is not enough jobs for everyone in the family. Oftentimes, professionals may even be better in running the day-to-day operations,” he said. Eighth is avoiding working directly under one’s parents, specifically at the start of a career. “When I first started, I did not report to my father. I worked for my uncle and another manager. If you are too close to the person, you usually won’t get good feedback. The parent might spoil the child or he may be too harsh. There is also danger of bringing issues and arguments home,” he noted.

SOLUTION ON PAGE 36

Ninth is “give the next generation wings.” Also part of this rule is “have a fixed retirement age” for the business. “I have seen many families where the patriarch passed on the responsibilities to the next generation successfully and some passed it on too late,” he said. . The tenth and the most important rule is that “there can only be one boss.” He explained that this rule is related to succession. The role of the family and owners is to prepare a board to appoint a successor. “You must establish a process to appoint the leaders. My dad and his brothers established a clear process on who can decide who the next leaders will be. They created an outside board whose role is to appoint and fire the CEO. This is critical so that a business can smoothly pass on from generation to generation, and achieve longevity,” Lance stressed. (The Philippine Star) n

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THE PHILIPPINES’ CLAIM OVER SCARBOROUGH SHOAL

When one considers the vastness of the disputed Scarborough Shoal and the riches that lie within it, it is understandable why states should quarrel over its control. This is where we are today in relation to China. How will the quarrel be resolved? By fr. joAquin g. Bernas s.j. The Philippines and China have been engaged in an off-and-on word war over the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Four other neighboring countries are laying claim to the islands. Farther to the northeast of Spratlys is Scarborough Shoal, a triangle-shaped reef with a circumference of 46 kilometers off the coast of Zambales, which is claimed by the Philippines and China. Several rock formations jut out on the reef but only one – the South Rock – remains above water at high tide. On April 8 a naval standoff between the Philippines and China occurred when two Chinese ships prevented the crew of a Philippine Navy ship from boarding eight Chinese fishing vessels in Scarborough Shoal. The following article presents a historical and geographical background of the conflict and how the quarrel can be resolved peacefully.

T would be foolhardy for the Philippines to think that it can maintain its claim to the Scarborough Shoal by force of arms. And our people know it. Thus the Philippines has made the only rational choice, namely to seek a resolution of the controversy with China through peaceful means. But what is the bone of contention? It is about a group of islands, reefs, rocks and waters possibly rich in natural resources.

Jurisdiction over waters is necessarily dependent on jurisdiction over land to which the waters adjoin. This is governed by the 1982 united Nations Convention on the law of the Seas (unclos). Although the Scarborough Shoal is outside the limits set by the Treaty

A Philippine flag flies proudly on a deserted rock in the Scarborough Shoal to assert the country’s claim over the area.

of Paris for Philippine territory, the Philippines has had a long history of activities related to the area. The area’s official Philippine name is Bajo de Masinloc, which in English means “below Masinloc,” Masinloc being a town in Zambales. The waters have been treated as a

BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the Philippines biggest warship was locked in a standoff last month with two Chinese surveillance ships that were blocking the arrest of Chinese fishermen in the disputed area. fishing area of Filipino fishermen. The Philippine Air Force, together with united States planes when the united States still had bases in the Philippines, used the area for target practice. It has been the practice of the Philippine Navy to chase away foreign fishing vessels intruding

into the area. our Constitution declares that Philippine territory consists of the archipelago and “and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its

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territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas,” that is, other territories which, depending on available evidence, might belong to the Philippines. The 1973 Constitution referred to these as “other territories belonging to the Philippines by historic right or legal title.” The extent of the archipelago can be verified by reference to the lines drawn by the Treaty of Paris. But the Constitution does not specify where the “other territories” over which the Philippines has jurisdiction are. Scarborough Shoal lies outside the limits of the Treaty of Paris. The latest move of the Philippines to assert its claim over Scarborough Shoal, among other areas, was the enactment of Republic Act 9522, the new baseline law. Baselines are lines drawn along the low water mark of an island or group of islands which mark the end of the internal waters and the beginning of the territorial sea. Each country must draw its own baselines following the provisions of the Law of the Sea. RA 9522 provides for one baseline around the archipelago and separate baselines for a “regime of islands,” that is, islands other than those within the archipelago. Like the archipelago, islands within a

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When one considers the vastness of the territory and the riches that lie within it, it is understandable why states should quarrel over its control. “regime of islands” outside the archipelago have their own “territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.” RA 9522 places Scarborough Shoal within a Philippine regime of islands. The enactment of RA 9522 was immediately met with protest from China and Vietnam, both of which also claim historic title over the area. At the moment, national interest is focused on the activities of Chinese fishing vessels and patrol planes in the area of Scarborough Shoal. Although the land area may be relatively insignificant, the waters

Six countries are claiming the Spratly Islands -- Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei. are not. From the baseline are measured the territorial sea (12 nautical miles outward), the contiguous zone (24 miles from the outward edge of the territorial sea), and the exclusive economic zone (200 miles from the outward edge of the territorial sea). A coastal state has control over fishing, mining, oil exploration and other economic resources within the exclusive economic zone. These

are what the Philippines wants to protect. When one considers the vastness of the territory and the riches that lie within it, it is understandable why states should quarrel over its control. This is where we are today in relation to China. How will the quarrel be resolved? The Philippines has invited China to submit the case to the International Tribunal for the Law of

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the Sea (Itlos). The tribunal is an independent judicial body established by the Unclos. It can adjudicate disputes arising from the Law of the Sea. So far it seems that China has rejected the submission to the Itlos. All is not lost, however. Part XV of the Unclos provides for a comprehensive system for the settlement of disputes. It requires parties to settle their disputes by peaceful means. They have a choice of four alternatives. The submission to the Itlos, which seemingly has been rejected by China, is just one of them. The remaining three are: the International Court of Justice, an arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with Annex VII to the convention, and a special arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with Annex VIII to the convention. But the parties must agree on the choice of the method of settlement to be used. This is a major challenge to the legal and diplomatic skills of the Aquino administration. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) (The author is Dean Emeritus of Ateneo Law School and a renowned expert in the Philippine Constitution. He was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission which drafted the present Philippine Constitution.) n

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By rAndY david

he InquIrer editorial got it right: “Same old, same old,” referring to the familiar names that are expected to adorn the 2013 senatorial slate of the newly-registered United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). UNA’s list includes Loren Legarda, Francis escudero, Cynthia Villar, Alan Cayetano, Jackie Ponce enrile, Gringo honasan, JV ejercito, Joey De Venecia, Jamby Madrigal, ernesto Maceda, etc. But, it must be said, in fairness, that the ruling coalition’s list cannot be so different. Our dominant political parties simply do not choose candidates on the basis of shared convictions. They look at what aspirants can offer in resources, bailiwicks, tradeoffs, and popularity. The main idea is to win, not to govern or change a society according to a vision. Our parties have little use for a steady set of leaders nurtured from their youth in party beliefs and principles. That is why the ones who rule our country are the same people who cannot rise above family interest and personal ambition. every now and then, a nation might be lucky to have someone squeak through the old system who doesn’t think like the rest. he or she might be gifted with a charisma and a bold and clear vision of the nation’s future. But this rare individual may not have the perseverance and the organizing ability required of anyone who is called upon to blaze a new path. This person has to gather a critical mass of likeminded leaders around a common program. Together, they must reach out to the masses and get them to change the way they think and act. This is never easy. Many promising young leaders with solid ideals have all too often found themselves sucked into the same system they seek to shake up. They find themselves entering into compromises with those who control the system in the hope of using its resources to raise a new breed of leaders. It is a gamble that seldom yields enduring results. The ideals that fired these young visionaries are often conveniently set aside if not forgotten; the next generation of leaders they

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WITH OUR POLITICS?

Philippine elections are more an entertainment spectacle than a serious political exercise.

Our dominant political parties simply do not choose candidates on the basis of shared convictions. They look at what aspirants can offer in resources, bailiwicks, trade-offs, and popularity. The main idea is to win, not to govern or change a society according to a vision.

The people are mere spectators as the same old faces take turns at the helm of political power. nurture are hijacked by conventional politics along the way. The talent scouts of traditional politics never sleep. They are the first to spot political stars on the rise, the icons of the youth, and the idols of the poor. They put them in touch with the movers and shakers of business, the media, and the grizzled impresarios of the political system. Public relations outfits sub-

ject them to a make-over, arrange radio and TV guestings for them, and plant their names in every survey of potential candidates. That is how the system reproduces itself. This part of the story tells us how the system recruits new leaders who will do its bidding, but it doesn’t tell us how it gets them elected in supposedly free elections. That part takes us into an exami-

nation of the political culture in which most of our people are mired because of poverty. This culture of patronage preys upon the dependence and vulnerability of ordinary people, offering them security in an uncertain world. I have often wondered why our people keep electing politicians who either know little about governance or too much about the private uses

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of governmental power, or both. The answer that keeps ringing in my ears does not come from some grand political theory but from the people themselves. “Mabait” (generous), “madaling lapitan” (approachable), “malapit sa mahihirap” (pro-poor), “magaling” (intelligent), “matapang” (brave) -these are the most common words one hears when Filipino voters talk about the politicians they like. They all proceed from the standpoint of the subjugated in a sharply hierarchical society. Where gross inequality among citizens exists, it is impossible for politics to function as an instrument of the common good. It is bound to be misused as a tool of private wealth and power. And this is exactly what has happened to politics in our society: it has become the plaything of the few who make decisions that shape the lives of the rest that are shackled to the basic economic need of keeping body and soul together. This state of affairs however cannot last forever. even slaves and the serfs yearn to free themselves, and sooner or later they learn how to do this. The old order increasingly has to defend itself by force as well as by ideology. I personally think we have already come to the limit of the legitimate use of force, as we may note from the fact that we have one of the largest private security contingents in the world. What remains is the illusion of an inclusive political system that is renewed by elections. But this gets harder to sell every election year, simply because our major political parties, saddled by the “same old, same old” characters, have become incapable of generating new ideas. At no other time is the birth of new political forces more awaited. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n

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PLANET

PHILIPPINES

MAY 1-15, 2012

PLANET

MAY 1-15, 2012

PHILIPPINES

Entertainment City is being developed as a Las Vegasstyle gaming hub aimed at capturing 10 percent of the global gambling market.

HE sprawling gambling and entertainment complex currently being built by the gover nment in the heart of Metro Manila is envisioned to bring in one million tourists a year. The first facilities at pagcor’s Entertainment City are scheduled to open in 2013. The tourism department’s goal is 10 million tourists a year by 2016. The optimistic scenario for 2012 is over four million tourists. a total of 3.9 million visited the country in 2011, but a record-setting 400,000 arrived in January 2012 alone. Once fully operational in 2016, revenues at Entertainment City could rise to a third of Macau’s record haul of $33.5 billion last year, and exceed the las Vegas strip’s performance of $5.8 billion in 2010, according to estimates made by state-run philippine amusement and gaming Corp. (pagcor). “right now it’s more than $2 billion in revenue and $10 billion is easy by 2016,” Cristino naguiat, pagcor chairman and president said. The complex is projected to generate 40,000 jobs. naguiat said each proponent of Bagong nayong pilipino Entertainment City is required to invest an initial $650 million out of the $1 billion commitment for each casino. Each proponent should also construct a minimum of 800 hotel rooms. The locators include port operator Enrique razon Jr.’s Bloomberry investments Holdings inc., the consortium of Malaysia’s genting group and andrew Tan’s alliance global group inc., sM investment Corp., and Japan’s Universal Entertainment Corp. “Our target market is anywhere that could be reached in two to three hours by airplane. it’s the family that we are after, not only gamers. and right now, our biggest tourist arrivals are from south Korea. China may just add in this market with over 100 million outbound tourists,” naguiat said. The complex will have plenty to do for non-gambling members of the family, stressed Tourism secretary ramon Jimenez, who added it will make the country “more fun” to visit. Entertainment City is being developed as a las Vegas-style gaming hub aimed at capturing 10 percent of

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will be beneficial to philippine tourism,” he said. The mixed-use Entertainment City is expected to attract at least one million tourists yearly, generate new jobs and capture at least 10 percent in the global gaming market, which is estimated at $115 billion annually. “The Entertainment City will have a big impact on our tourism industry,” Jimenez stressed. An artist’s rendering of the $2-billion Manila Bay Resorts casino-hotel complex scheduled to start operations in 2014.

TOURISM OR GAMBLING?

The mixed-use Entertainment City is expected to attract at least one million tourists yearly, generate new jobs and capture at least 10 percent in the global gaming market, which is estimated at $115 billion annually the global gambling market.

Gaming only a part “gaming is only one part of Entertainment City,” said Jimenez. “it will also attract the families of players. There will be a comprehensive package, which includes tourist sites in the City of Manila and other nearby environs.” The emphasis on the non-gambling aspects of the project appears designed to pacify the Catholic Church-led opposition to Entertainment City. aside from gaming facilities, the 120-hectare Entertainment City will feature luxury hotels, malls, museums, cultural centers, sports arenas, residential villages and theme parks. Jimenez also said the facility

Manny Pacquiao, who says he has now renounced his gambling habit, tries out a gaming machine in a Pagcor casino. will help the Department of Tour“any development that involves ism (DOT) achieve its targeted attracting tourists is beneficial to 10 million annual tourist visits by our program to boost the tourism sector. pagcor’s Entertainment City 2016.

More fun with gambling? The project, however, is not without its critics, with the Catholic Church leading the charge as it fears that the complex would promote gambling. “Ang mga casino, as we see it now, ay nagiging pagkakataon talaga ng something that really influences negatively,” said Bishop Deogracias iniguez, head of the Commission on public affairs of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the philippines (CBCp). in his blog, retired archbishop Oscar Cruz said gambling addiction causes ethical deterioration and moral debasement in terms of personal degradation and social deterioration. “and to think that the philippine government plus pagCOr are looking forward to some kind of a ‘las Vegas philippines,’ the aquino claim of following the ‘Matuwid na Daan’ is the JOKE of the decade!” observed Cruz, an anti-gambling crusader. “it would not be surprising if the said complex is perceived by the government as a major reason of the slogan ‘it’s more fun in the philippines!’ More fun with the multiplication of local gambling addicts? More fun with the degradation of individuals plus the ruin of their families? More fun with the coming of gambling moguls? More fun with the invasion of foreign gangsters with their standard criminal minds and pursuant errant facts?” Cruz wrote. n