Planet Philippines (Calgary Edition) March 16-31, 2012 Issue

MARCH 16-31, 2012

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By AMAndA lago

On Harrrison Road, you can ukay all night.

ITH THe proliferation of cheap airfare offers and free publicity from celebrities and other beautiful people who frequent the islands, the seduction of the sultry white sand beaches of the South has become much harder to resist, dimming the popularity of other vacation destinations, particularly those in the hard-to-reach North.

But there’s still nothing like the icy cool kiss of Baguio City to cool one down in the summer heat, and those who are tired of unwittingly bringing home bags of sand at summer’s end would do well to pay the city a visit. even with the more-or-less eight-hour bus ride and the complaints that the highlands are no longer what it used to be, there is still enough to see, smell, and taste in Baguio to make the tedious journey worth it.

Of course there are the usual haunts that everyone knows about: Mines View Park, Burnham Park, Camp John Hay, the Pink Sisters’ Convent, and then Good Shepherd for pasalubong. But there are other places as well, places that are perhaps out of the way and are easily missed, but are sure to make the summer vacation as memorable and enjoyable as one spent on the beach.

Ukay all night The Baguio ukay-ukay (used clothing stores) is nothing new.

The ukay experience in the city has become the stuff of legend, with shoppers claiming to have bought an original Louis Vuitton Speedy for P20, or a P50-Givenchy dress, or authentic Doc Martens in mint condition for only P100.

These ukay success stories have never been proved, but have fed the legend anyway, so much so that many ukays have now popped up along shopping hubs like Session Road and the Baguio City Market.

But the best (and cheapest) ones are those that have no permanent address, those ukays set up on the streets that you have no chance of finding again once you pass up on them.

Now one can even try their luck at finding dirt-cheap designer goods well into the night, as ukay vendors have taken to occupying Harrison Road in the evenings and even up to the wee hours of the morning—some vendors proudly claim that they don’t pack up until the last shopper leaves.

Mother’s Garden offers a sweeping view of Baguio City.

Calgary Edition

WHAT YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS IN BAGUIO THIS SUMMER More than just an art haven, Tamawan is also a place where people can experience living like a traditional Cordilleran. The owners have purchased the last few remaining huts from the Kalinga and Ifugao tribespeople, and are renting them out for P500/night.

Everything fresh at Mother’s Garden Of course, there is more to Baguio than the ukay-ukays. More than anything, the city is known for its general freshness—fresh air, fresh flowers, fresh produce.

For sure, this freshness can be had almost anywhere in Baguio, but they come in generous amounts at Mother’s Garden, a restaurant/garden/farm/crafts workshop along the city’s Upper Fairview Road.

The mother in question is Therese Jison, who says that the place is her “tribute to the city, to prove people wrong that Baguio has become ugly.” In that respect, Jison succeeds phenomenally because if there’s anything Mother’s Garden is, it’s beautiful.

Beautiful, not only because of the garden’s rustic charm, but also because of the garden’s sweeping view of Baguio City, lovely by day and breathtaking by night.

It can be tiring to go up and down the steep slope of the garden so those who are more inclined to lounge around all day might want to stay at the al fresco dining area, or try their hand at pottery and woodcarving at the workshop, but to do so would be to miss out on the bulk of the fun.

Further down, there is a lot to make the descent and subsequent tiring ascent worth it: a replica of a traditional Cordillera village, a hands-on planting garden where guests can try their hand at cultivating their own organic herbs, a garden filled with a rainbow of flowers, strawberry fields, and lots of charming animals that love to pose for the camera.

And anyway, when you come back up, you can feast on the freshest food: salad, pizza, sandwiches, and even hearty meals like Sicilian Chicken, all made with ingredients right out of the garden and all costing less than they appear.

Art adventure at Tam-awan Not far from Mother’s Garden is Tam-awan Artists’ Village. You’ll know when you’ve reached it because you’ll see a big wall painted with colorful doodles—the kind of wall you’ll only see where a group of artists are gathered.

Obviously, there is a lot of artwork to be seen at Tam-awan. Aside from a gallery that hosts exhibits from the village artists, and a café that displays wall-to-wall artwork, the village artists are also around to do live sketches for the guests who want their portraits done. even the signs on their restroom doors are paintings.

But more than just an art haven, Tam-awan is also a place where people can experience living like a traditional Cordilleran. Aside from the eco-trails that compel you to hike farther and farther up the mountainside for the best view of the city, the owners have also purchased the last few remaining huts

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At Tam-awan, you can live like the Cordillerans of old even just for a night. from the Kalinga and Ifugao tribespeople, and are renting them out for P500/night.

The Dukligan or fertility hut is particularly popular, and is even said to work for barren couples who wish to conceive.

The Kalinga hut, on the other hand, can house a sizable group of people, and even has provisions so you can light a bonfire inside

the hut, just like the tribespeople used to do.

The very same hut is said to still house the spirits of its former inhabitants.

Haunted or not, a night at the huts is an adventure waiting to happen, because really, how many people can say they’ve slept in the last remaining authentic Cordillera huts in the world? (GMA News) n

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CELEBR TY

CHARICE SPORTS ‘EDGY’ NEW LOOK

CHARICE has traded her long black hair for a blonde short hairdo.

The 19-year-old singing sensation is also sporting a tattoo that says “Love Eternally” on her left forearm. In between the two words is an Infinity sign.

She said she made these changes because she wants her image to be more like Avril Lavigne or Rihanna.

“I know some people are more used to the old Charice, sa ballad singer with the pigtails,” she told reporters. “For me, in my heart, I’ve always wanted to be more edgy, rock, more [on the] dark side. I’m really happy and this is a big deal for me ‘coz finally, nararating ko ang mga gusto ko.”

She admitted that some people might find it hard to accept the changes she embraced.

“I know some people think that this is very rebellious but it’s not.

It’s just me evolving.

It’s me transforming into another person that is totally me.”

She acknowledged that people expect her to be a role model for the young. “I know may mga tao na nagsasabing ako ang inspirasyon nila. Ang gusto ko lang sabihin, magbago man ang looks ko, yung attitude is still the same.”

Charice said her management team is split on what type of image she should project.

“Yung ibang people sa management, gusto nila yung look ko parang Selena Gomez. The other one, they want me to be more like Avril Lavigne, which is what I like.

Or more like Rihanna. That’s what I like. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

GRACE

CHARICE

SAM CHASES DOLPHY’S IN POOR HEALTH, HOLLYWOOD DREAM ZSA ZSA REVEALS SAM Milby has momentarily left his showbiz career in the Philippines and is now in New York to pursue his dream of landing a spot in the galaxy of Hollywood stars.

Sam has made New York City his temporary home so he could focus on auditioning for acting roles in US mainstream television being offered by numerous casting agents.

“All emotions wrapped into one, nervous, excitement, siyempre nami-miss ang Pilipinas, but most of all excited,” he said.

The 27-year-old heartthrob has had two pilot TV show auditions since he arrived in NY in late January. The first was the giant ABC network, makers of hit shows like Desperate Housewives, Grey›s Anatomy, and Lost. The other was for CW TV network, known for shows like Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl and 90210.

Sam says leaving temporarily his lucrative career in the Philippines was not an easy decision.

“Even if nothing happens, it’s still something good kasi, the experience,” he said. “This is something that will help me grow as a person talaga, no matter what I’ll come out of this a different person and that’s a good thing.”

If he does not make it this time, he plans to return next year when pilot TV shows open its 2013 casting season.

ZSA Zsa Padilla said her long-time partner, Dolphy, is in poor health and might not be able to continue his show Pidol’s Wonderland on TV5 “Hindi ko alam... I don’t think so,” she said when asked if the 83-year-old Comedy King would eventually return to the show.

“He’s hanging in there. You know, he’s in good spirit. Kasi right now, he’s in good spirit and we do our best to take good care of him,” she added.

Zsa Zsa refused to give more details about Dolphy’s health condition “I think I’m not in the position to discuss

ZSA ZSA

DOLPHY it right now. Maybe in another time. If the whole family is ready. Kasi I don’t want to be the only one to say, you know, regarding his health.”

She said she and Dolphy shelved their marriage plans after some quarters insinuated that she was only after Dolphy’s money.

“Kahit papaano affected ako, aaminin ko, na ang iisipin ng tao ganun. Sa tagal ng pagsasama namin, kung mauwi man sa kasal ay mabibigyan pa rin ng malisya na pera lang ang habol ko. So I wanted to disprove that,” she said.

She continued: “Sa totoo lang, it should be between the two of us. Kaya lang, kasi nga, malaki rin yung pamilya niya at may mga complication na nangyayari. So we found it best na huwag na lang.”

PNOY’S DATE LEAVES RADIO SHOW PRESIDENT Aquino’s current date, Korean TV and radio personality Grace Lee, formally bade farewell to her morning radio show Good Times last March 8.

Grace stressed that her decision to leave the program has nothing to do with blossoming relationship with the President.

“Of course not. A lot of people have been asking me...the reason why it was difficult for me to break it, to tell the management that I was leaving...

But it has nothing to do with it,” she said.

She explained that she only told the President about her decision a day before she left her radio show.

“In fact, he doesn’t even know that I would be leaving the show up until yesterday (March 7). I didn’t even tell him up until yesterday. And it’s funny because I told him yesterday and he was like, ‘why are you leaving?’ He just asked why, and I explained,” she said.

The 29-year-old Korean beauty added that she had been planning to leave the show since last year.

“I realized that our show requires me to be who I am; but lately it’s been difficult when everyone wants to twist or put malice into things that I would normally say,” she said in a Twitter message to co-host Mo Twister.

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CELEBRITYFILES

BIR ASKS PACQUIAO TO EXPLAIN TAX RECORDS THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed contempt charges against world boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao for failing to present his tax records to the agency.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said Pacquiao is facing contempt charges but not tax evasion charges.

The BIR issued a Letter of Authority to the boxing icon requiring him to submit documents to the agency regarding his earnings and corresponding tax payments.

A Letter of Authority is an official document that empowers a revenue officer to examine and scrutinize a taxpayer’s books of accounts and other accounting records, in order to determine the taxpayer’s correct internal revenue tax liabilities.

Henares said the BIR has been asking Pacquiao to submit his tax records to the agency to check if there are deficiencies.

Apparently, Pacquiao snubbed the BIR’s request for documents.

The BIR wants to investigate 33 tax records, including Pacquiao’s annual income tax return in 2010, his book of accounts, list of assets, as well as his earnings from his fights against Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey. The agency also asked

MANNY Pacquiao to submit data on his product endorsements.

Pacquiao was supposed to submit the records on Feb. 7, but failed to do so, prompting the BIR to file contempt charges against the boxing champ.

JERICHO FINALLY NAMES GF

JERICHO Rosales finally relented and identified his current girlfriend. She is Kim Jones, 24, a model/TV host for a lifestyle show on ETC cable channel.

Kim’s father is British while her mother is half-Spanish, half-Filipina. She grew up in Australia.

Jericho admitted that he was swept off his feet when he first met Kim. “Sabi ko, oo... parang na-stunned ako... parang natameme ako! Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko,” he confessed. “At first, Australian... ‘tapos nakita ko agad, ‘Uy, ang ganda ng mata nito, a!’”

He said they hit it off immediately. “Yung vibes kagaad. Yung aura. Ako, napi-feel ko ang aura niya. Ako, napi-feel ko ang aura ng isang tao. Siya, light, relaxed siya.”

Before Kim, Jericho’s previous girlfriend was Cesca Litton, co-host of the TV show Entertainment Live.

BUT AI AI WON’T DIVULGE BF’S IDENTITY COMEDY Queen Ai-Ai delas Alas admitted that she is currently in a relationship with a 28-year-old car company executive.

But the 47-year-old comedienne isn’t a bit concerned about their 19-year age gap. What she is wary about now is the guy’s identity.

“Nirerespeto niya ako at nirerespeto ko siya,” she said.

According to Ai-Ai, she takes into account her children’s opinion on her love life and her suitors. She is a single parent to two sons, Sancho, 21, & Shaun Niccolo, 18, and a daughter, Sofia, 15.

“May rule kami. Kung sa’n ako masaya, dun ako,” she said. “Pero siyempre, iniintindi ko pa rin kung ano yung mga side comments nila. And yung pinakacrucial nun, yung babae, si Sofia, kasi yun yung medyo suplada. So, siya yung medyo nililigaw-ligawan ng mga manliligaw ko.

And in fairness naman itong si ano, nakapasa.”

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CELEBRITYFILES

TONI SAYS SHE’S NOT OVEREXPOSED TV host-actress-singer Toni Gonzaga insists she is not overexposed.

Despite her daily exposure on primetime television, including weekends, the 28-year-old “Big Brother” host believes that her daily air time has yet to reach the point of overexposure.

She said she trusts the management of ABS-CBN with “balancing” her daily engagements on television.

“Every year, ‘yan ang sinasagot ko, so hindi pa naman, hindi pa naman tayo dumadating sa ganun dahil nagtitiwala naman ako sa ABS-CBN na balanced naman ‘yung trabaho ko at saka ‘yung exposure na nabibigay sa akin,” she said.

At her busiest, Toni had daily hosting duties for defunct noontime variety show Happy Yippie Yehey and the talent search Pinoy Big Brother. At the time, she was also part of Sunday musical variety show ASAP and hosted alongside Boy Abunda and Charlene Gonzales the weekly gossip show The Buzz.

TONI She denies speculations that she is getting special treatment from ABS-CBN, citing hard work as the reason for her full pate of Tv projects.

“Wala namang special treatment sa akin. Ako? Naku po, wala. Na-experience ko naman yung pagtrabahuan yung mga proyekto na meron ako at kung ano ang meron tayo ngayon,” she said.

Toni has a new movie with Star Cinema and currently appears on the Sunday show Wansapantaym.

WHERE TO, DEREK? DEREK Ramsay has doused rumors that he is leaving ABS-CBN after his contract expired last Feb. 29.

He said he had a meeting with network executives to discuss his future as a Kapamilya talent. Derek said he was asked by ABS-CBN to lay down his wishes but he preferred that the network instead be the one to make an offer.

He said he would decide on his next step after studying the proposal from ABS-CBN. Notwithstanding his declaration of loyalty to the network, Derek said he is open to moving to another network if such move will enhance his career, He admitted that he has received an offer to transfer to TV5. Although he would not divulge details of the offer, he said he has not made up his mind.

DEREK

AFTER TV5, MVP SETS EYE ON GMA-7 BUSINESS mogul Manny V. Pangilinan, chair of PLDT, Smart Telecommunications and TV5, continues to express interest in rival studio GMA Network, Inc. Pangilinan said he has had ongoing “preliminary” talks with

GMA executives about buying into the network. “We’ve talked to them, you know, since 2002, and then maybe five years ago.”

GMA Network CEO and Chairman Atty. Felipe Gozon, denied the “very wild rumor” that Pangilinan had offered to buy the network for

P500 billion.

“Kung P500 billion, ibebenta ko right now,” he said. “Kung may mag-o-offer ng P500 billion, kahit tulog ako, gisingin n’yo ako, I will sell.”

He said the price quoted was “out of this world.”

Calgary Edition

OX office king John Lloyd Cruz recently sat down with Rated Korina host Korina Sanchez at the radio dzMM studio to talk about his life and the things he loves.

John Lloyd’s latest film was Unofficially Yours, opposite Angel Locsin. He is set to do a third film with Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo, which the actor said will hit theaters sometime in June of this year.

“Swerte ako dahil lahat ng nakakapareha ko, ‘di kayo mahihirapan talaga,” he said about his past and current leading ladies.

Asked why his films are always a hit, he said humbly, “Basta ako lagi ko lang ina-attribute ‘yung success ng teamup sa material.”

In his chat with Korina, the heartthrob shared the five things (which include one person) that he said he loves.

Shaina Actress Shaina Magdayao, the younger sister of singer-actress Vina Morales, is the woman who won the heart of John Lloyd. The two tried to hide their relationship for months until John Lloyd finally admitted that they were a couple.

Several controversies followed until they called it quits in October last year. They are now officially back together.

“Ako po ang maswerte,” he said when Korina told him that Shaina is lucky to have a boyfriend like him, who is admired by Filipinos across the globe.

The 28-year-old actor said he is hoping to get married in five to seven years so he can “enjoy being a father.”

But he was quick to add: “Pero katulad ng maraming mga bagay, pwede silang mangyari bukas, di mo masabi. Pwedeng later on na.”

His job John Lloyd is a man who takes pride in his job, which he says has greatly changed his and his family’s lives.

“Ngayon gusto ko lang i-share ‘yun, especially sa mga pamangkin ko,” he said about his success. “Tuloy ang pag-aaral, kung gusto nila mag-aral sa ibang bansa.“ But just like many things, his hit

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JOHN LLOYD LOVES

Shaina is back in the arms of John Lloyd after a brief split last year.

Ang mga artista sasabihin nila ‘hangga’t gusto ako ng mga tao, nandito ako.’ Pero hindi eh. Hindi naman tao ang may hawak ng trabahong ito eh. Ikaw ang may hawak niyan, so kailangan mong alagaan at pagyamanin. movies and television shows come at a price. «Sa aming mga artista, talagang sira ang body clock naming. . . Medyo toxic sa katawan talaga ang trabaho naming.”

He also acknowledges the fact that he is a “public property.”

“Ako ang thinking ko, the moment na lumabas ka ng bahay mo, part ‹yun ng trabaho mo eh. ‹Di naman ‹yun malaking abala,” he said.

Asked how long he is planning to stay in showbiz, he said: “Ang mga artista sasabihin nila ‹hangga›t gusto ako ng mga tao, nandito ako.› Pero hindi eh. Hindi naman tao ang may hawak ng trabahong ito eh. Ikaw ang may hawak niyan, so kailangan mong alagaan at pagyamanin.

Kaya siguro, hangga›t meron pa akong maibibigay, my passion for this craft, sana tangkilikin pa rin tayo.”

Television John Lloyd admits he is a couch potato, watching television when he cannot sleep, or simply to pass the time.

“Kalaban ko sa gabi, TV, kasi mahilig tayo manood ng TV at pelikula

‹pag di makatulog, o kahit kailangan na talaga matulog. TV talaga eh.”

His favorite shows include those aired in cable channels such as National Geographic, HBO, Star Movies and the History Channel.

Food

In the movie Unofficially Yours, John Lloyd plays the role of a dentist-turned-writer who cooks when he is in love. But in real life, he is more like an eater than a cook.

“Hindi ako nagluluto. Magaling lang ako kumain,” he confessed.

His passion for food shows, even in his dates with Shaina. “Shaina and I like to explore new restaurants. Mahilig kasi kaming kumain,” he said.

Simple luxuries

Notwithstanding the oodles of money he has earned, he maintains that money has not drastically changed his lifestyle.

“Maswerte rin ako sa mga magulang ko kasi sila ang epitome ng simple life.

Kahit gaano ‹yung success na tinamasa ko through the years, ‹di nagbago ‹yung buhay ko.”

But he admits indulging in simple luxuries whenever he has the time. One particular special treat is travel. He is also a car enthusiast.

“I enjoy quality travel. Kotse minsan,” he said. n

MARCH 16-31, 2012

Known for taking his shirt off most of the time, Derek now enjoys a spot on the pedestal of box-office leading men.

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HUNK

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THE

TAKES CENTER STAGE

Not so long ago Derek was content portraying secondary roles and displaying his chiseled body on the ramp. Today he is the object of a tug-of-war between two networks that see him as the next major male star.

The relationship between Derek and Angelica remains stronger than ever.

By pEppER marcelo

HO would have guessed that showbiz’s 2011 go-to leading man would not be such big, household names as Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz or Dingdong Dantes but…Derek Ramsay?

Shocking many, the Fil-Brit hunk, known more for taking his shirt off, has evolved to become a viable leading man, scoring back-to-back box-office hits – The Unkabogable Prabeyt Benjamin and No Other Woman - which are top two highest grossing local films of all time.

Derek, who for many years reliably played supporting roles on TV and film, got his first big break as the lead of 2007’s Ysabella, opposite Judy

Ann Santos. A ubiquitous presence on local billboards and commercials, the actor-model has ascended to become one of the industry’s most in-

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With his No Other Woman co-stars, Anne Curtis and Cristine Reyes demand product endorsers and spokesmodels, with his name and visage attached to such brands as Lucky Me, Nesvita, Century Tuna, Acer and San Miguel Beer.

Now showing his box-office mettle with a cinematic one-two punch, the 31-year-old is proving that he’s more than just a handsome face and chiseled body.

Derek made his biggest splash in No Other Woman, where he played the role of a furniture salesman married to Charmaine, played by Cristine Reyes, who ends up having an affair with a resort heiress, played by Anne Curtis. Some quarters cite two reasons for the film’s popularity – it showcased Derek’s formidable presence and acting abilities, and it displayed his to-die-for physique in the intimate scenes in the movie.

Derek recalls that he surprised even himself when he readily accepted to shed his clothes. “It’s not in my personality. Hindi ko alam na magagawa ko yun kasi ‘di naman planado eh. But it was in the theme. It seems like it’s needed. Napakaganda ng mga kinunan ni Direk Ruel (Bayani) na bed scenes namin ni Anne.”

On baring his lower posterior, he had to make a quick decision on how far exactly he would go.

“During the scene, they were requiring me to put it down a little lower kasi medyo sensual yung scene. On the spot I was like...

You know what, it doesn’t look malaswa. It was done really well.

Pumayag naman ako. Hindi naman buong buttocks. Siguro a quarter lang yung ipinakita ko.”

In addition, he had to be intimate in the scene with Anne, whom he admitted to having a crush on earlier in his career.

Rather than igniting a real-life relationship, Derek says that their romantic scenes actually made their friendship grow stronger.

“We were friends before, but we became better friends now. Because in every scene naghahalikan kami.

We always laugh and joke about it with people on the set. Grabe, ibang level na ang friendship namin.”

Besides, Derek is deeply involved with Angelica Panganiban, whom he’s been seeing for more than five years. Being one of the industry’s most eligible bachelors, he has had to fend off constant rumors of being linked to an assortment of women, both in and out of the industry.

Derek acknowledges his admiration for the beautiful women he encounters, but he confides there’s a limit in how far he’s willing to take his interest. “I can’t deny na ‘pag nakakakita ako ng magandang babae I appreciate them. But I know that hanggang tingin lang yun, no touch, keep my hands to myself. That’s where I make the decision where I will get in

trouble or where I’m safe.”

He adds, “Kung may babaeng lumalandi sa akin, I just smile it off. Hindi mo naman pwedeng bastusin kasi babae. It’s the same way with Angel. ‘Pag may naglalanding lalaki sa kanya, hindi ko aawayin ang mga lalake. Hindi ko siya pipigilan. Gusto ko, she can handle it.

That makes me feel better.”

He admits that, like many couples, he and Angelica have their ups and downs. “I’m very happy,” he says. “Do we have problems?

Yes. Do we fight? Yes. But am I happy? Yes I am.”

Despite rumors to the contrary, Derek’s family is very fond of Angelica, who regularly spends holidays with his brood. “My family is a loving family. In the beginning ‘di ba ang daming nagsasabing hindi siya tanggap? That wasn’t true. My mom and my dad and my family wanted to get to know her. And now that they do, she’s part of the family.”

After doing heavy drama, Derek showing his playful side in Praybeyt Benkamin was a welcome treat.

“It was great that I was able to do heavy drama for No Other Woman, and jump into something light and fun. It was hard work when we did No Other Woman, and when we did Prabeyt Benjamin, mahirap siya pero para kaming naglalaro. Masaya siya, sobrang masaya.”

Co-star Vice Ganda is all praises for Derek. “Walang kaartearte si Derek. Lalo na sa mga eksena namin na daring, ako ang nahihiya,” said Vice.

Would Derek ever consider doing a gay role? “I’d love to. I think that would be a challenging role for me. I’d have to do a lot of preparation and research, but actually, one of my dream roles would be to portray a gay character.”

With the surprising success of his two most recent films, many have already anointed Derek as 2011’s Box-Office King. But the actor downplays the accolade, crediting his co-stars and the production teams of both projects.

“I’m just really happy that they’re doing so well. Kung mabigay ‘yon bonus but I’m not doing a project to be a Box-Office King. We work together as a team.”

Now that he has emerged as a bankable talent, Derek has become the object of a network war of sorts.

Even before his contract with ABSCBN had expired at the end of February, rival studio TV5 offered him a tempting package. Professing loyalty to the Kapamilya network, Derek says he’d wait for his mother studio’s offer before contemplating his next move. n

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Internet is No.2 source of news of urbanites

The notoriously unhealthy Pinoy lechon.

3 of 5 Pinoys die from unhealthy lifestyle SIXTY-THREE percent of Filipinos die from non-infectious diseases like heart attack, stroke, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and diabetes. These ailments, he said, are mostly acquired from an unhealthy lifestyle.

An unhealthy lifestyle is a main contributor to the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases, or NCD, in the country, Dr. Tony Leachon, an official of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCD).

“For every five Filipinos [who die], three die yearly from NDC. Or we could put it this way, for every

500,000 deaths, 300,000 Filipinos die from NDC” Leachon said.

Doctors cite tobacco use, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol consumption as the major causes of ill health.

The doctors’ group is calling on Congress to pass legislation that would discourage people from smoking and drinking by charging higher taxes on tobacco and liquor products. A proposed “sin tax reform”

by Malacañang could generate P60 billion in additional revenue, which could be used to expand the government’s universal healthcare program.

Pinoys content with little luxuries MANNY Pacquiao and Willie Revillame can indulge in their multimillion mansions, luxury yachts, and flashy cars. For most Filipinos, small pleasures like hair and nail treatments or drinking sessions with friends can make their day.

A study on consumer trends in the Philippines by international marketing communications company JWT showed that more Filipinos are content with little luxuries and will continue to look for ways to “let loose” once in a while by indulging in “sinful things.”

The report said lower-income women may find contentment in the form of an in-home beauty treatment, while men from the same social class may find pleasure in cigarettes or alcohol.

Children, meanwhile, may get satisfaction from a scoop of ice cream, a slice of cake or any other sweet treat.

Other little indulgences of those from the lower-income class include a weekend movie with a discounted DVD, home-cooked snacks, and a street drinking session among neighbors.

For those in the middle class, small indulgences may mean discounted travel packages, new eats at food bazaars, wireless Internet, and small gadgets such as mobile phones and tablet computers.

TELEVISION remains the dominant medium of news and information of Filipinos in urban areas. But the Internet is in second spot, besting radio and newspapers which have been the traditional sources of news.

A study by TNS, a global research company, showed that 89 percent of Filipino respondents said television is their major source of news and information. Forty-five percent of the respondents get their news from the Internet, 36 percent rely on radio, 12 percent read newspapers, and 4 percent prefer magazines, The study, conducted among 1,000 Filipinos from the ABCD socio-economic classes in urban areas from November 2011 to January 2012, showed that the majority of Filipinos accessing the Internet were teens and young adults.

Up to 81 percent of families of OFWs in the Philippines used the Internet as the primary communication medium. Seventy-seven percent of OFW families relied on mobile phones, and 24 percent on landline telephones.

Facebook is the primary social networking site used by 90 percent of families of OFWs to keep in contact with their relatives abroad, the study showed.

A group of friends enjoying a meal in a cozy joint.

Calgary Edition

Why marry, be happy THERE is a growing number of Filipinos who consider marriage as an option rather than a requirement, a study showed.

International marketing communications company JWT said there is a “growing acceptance of happily single mothers or single by choice professional women in their workplaces” among low- to middle-income segments.

“They loathe to publicly declare it being in a predominantly Catholic country. But it has been a long accepted reality that... women have been thinking of deferring marriage to avoid a potentially emotionally traumatizing mistake. They turn to their professional development which is something more under their control,” said the report.

The report also cited 2004 figures from the National Statistics Office, which showed that the number of Filipino marriages is declining and more marriages are being annulled. The Philippines is the only country in Asia that does not acknowledge legal divorce.

A mound of garbage primarily out of plastic.

Metrowide plastic ban in place by 2013 ALL local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila have less than a year to comply fully with a metrowide ban on the use of plastics and Styrofoam in the packaging and handling of items and food products in all establishments, markets and sari-sari stores.

“I expect next year all the 17 LGUs (16 cities and the lone municipality of Pateros) would implement a similar ban. Right now, after Muntinlupa, Las Pinas followed suit in imposing the ban on plastics. Makati made a similar announcement, though the city’s total ban takes effect next

year yet. Similar moves are under way in Taguig and Quezon City,” Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino said.

Outside Metro Manila, similar bans against plastic and Styrofoam wrappers and bags are in effect in Antipolo, Rizal, Los Banos and Binan in Laguna, Carmona and Imus in Cavite, Lucban and Infanta in Quezon, Sta. Barbara in Iloilo, Batangas City and Burgos, Pangasinan.

Besides reducing the garbage volume, the ban could ease flooding because plastics clog drainage systems and waterways.

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33 PHILIPPINES

MARCH 16-31, 2012

LIFE+STYLE

Monitoring metro traffic on Blackberry TRAFFIC in Metro Manila is still bad. But at least motorists can now monitor the traffic situation in selected parts of the metropolis using their Blackberry smart phones.

The navigation app for Blackberry smart phones developed for Metro Manila Development Authority is now available at the Blackberry App World free of charge.

Congested Metro Manila during rush hour.

Not all politicians are crooks - solon A congressman has complained that the media, particularly the movies, are unfairly projecting a negative image of politicians resulting in the people’s lack of respect for their elected leaders.

Pampanga Representative Aurelio Gonzales, Jr. has filed a resolution in the House of Representatives appealing to the film industry to stop portraying politicians as villainous characters in movies and TV shows.

“We are portrayed as drug lords, murderers, warlords, bakit ganoon?” he lamented in a TV interview. “Kaya ‘nung may mga nakausap akong mga bata sabi sa akin, ganyan pala ‘yang mga congressmen, masasama.”

Coincidentally, not long after Gonzales’ lament, a photo of Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson partying with a bevy of beautiful women in his private jet circulated on the Internet.

Last year, the governor’s son, Ronald, was stripped of his congressional post after he was arrested in Hong Kong for drug possession. He was released in January after spending nearly a year in a Hong Kong jail.

With the MMDA application, users can view the traffic situation along EDSA, C5, South Luzon Express Way, Roxas Boulevard, Ortigas, Commonwealth, Marcos Highway, Katipunan, España, and Quezon Avenue in Map or Line View.

Traffic bottlenecks can also be viewed as well as the MMDA directory for any traffic concerns.

Transgender heads UP student body

2nd Filipino saint proclaimed in October BLESSED Pedro Calungsod, a Cebuano missionary who was martyred in Guam in 1672, will be proclaimed as saint ion Oct. 21 at the Vatican.

Calungsod, who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000, will be the second Filipino saint after St. Lorenzo Ruiz, who was canonized on Oct. 18, 1987 Last October, the Filipino martyr passed the third and final stage towards sainthood after the Vatican verified a second miracle attributed to him—the healing of a businesswoman from the Visayas who fell into a coma in 2003.

Born in Visayas in 1654, Calungsod accompanied Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores to Guam, then the Mariana Islands, and led a number of locals to convert to the Catholic faith.

A tale of 2 airlines: flying high, lying low BUDGET carrier Cebu Pacific Air set to conquer the skies of Australia, Middle East, and parts of Europe and the US by mid-2013.

“Our primary beneficiary will be the OFWs. With cheaper fares they will be able to come home more often,” Cebu Pacific Air president

and CEO Lance Gokongwei said.

Gokongwei said Cebu Pacific plans to offer fares 35% lower than those currently offered by other airlines, and as much as 80% lower for its promo fares. He said Cebu Pacific will charge an average fare of $350 for a one-way ticket to any

UPSC’s HEART DIÑO

SOON-TO-BE-SAINT PEDRO CALUNGSOD

long-haul destination, compared to $500 that other airlines are charging.

Meanwhile, the nation’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, is encountering financial turbulence on the ground. PAL is reportedly in negotiations for San Miguel Corporation to infuse money and take over management of the ailing airline.

Reports say the food and beverage giant will acquire a 49% stake in PAL for $500 million. The deal will give San Miguel management control of the airline, the reports added.

THE country’s premier university made history with the election of the first openly transgender chairperson to head the student council.

Heart Diño bested three other candidates for the chairmanship of the University of the Philippines Student Council. Diño, 22, recently completed a bachelor of science degree in mathematics, magna cum laude, and is currently an MS Applied Mathematics major.

Alex Castro, a bisexual woman, was elected vice chair while another openly transgender student, film major Pat Bringas, won a council seat.

Born Gabriel Paolo Diño, Heart said that as a five-yearold, she already knew she was “a girl trapped in a boy’s body.”

In the end, acceptance of her transgender nature came. “I tried (being masculine), but it’s not who I am.”

Diño has always identified herself as female. She was often seen wearing jeans and a blouse to class. She was always known as Heart, no one called her Gabriel Paolo.

Remittances hit record high in 2011 OVERSEAS Filipino keep ‘em coming and the cash register just keeps ringing.

Remittances from overseas Filipinos – OFWs and immigrants -- reached a new record $20.117 billion last year, up $1.254 billion from $18.763 billion in 2010.

It represents an increase of 7.2

percent, eclipsing the 7 percent growth target.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said money transfers from Filipinos abroad accounted for about 9 percent of gross domestic product. With more money inflow, the recipients in the country have more funds to

spend for goods and services, resulting in increased economic activity and creating more jobs in the country.

The leading sources of remittances are the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Italy, Germany and Norway.

MARCH 16-31, 2012

The proposed elevated highway will be similar to the Skyway on South Luzon Expressway from Makati to Alabang.

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IMAGINE: IMAGINE: MAKATI TO QC MAKATI IN SIX SIX MINUTES! MINUTES! IN A six-lane elevated Skyway-style project is being proposed to be built from Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly Buendia) in Makati to Balintawak in Quezon City through the heart of the metropolis.

Designed to ease congestion on EDSA, it will significantly cut travel time along major streets.

MAGINE driving home at the end of a long working day during rush hour and traveling from Makati to certain parts of Quezon City in only six minutes. From Buendia to Balintawak, it will just be 10 minutes.

Motorists may soon be able to enjoy these drastically shortened travel times if the Aquino administration gives the go-ahead for the building of a six-lane elevated highway from Buendia (now called Gil Puyat Avenue) in Makati to Balintawak in Quezon City through the heart of the metropolis.

Documents obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer showed that a Skyway-style project is being proposed by Citra-PNCC (Philippine National Construction Corp.) as part of the concession awarded to it when it built the overhead Skyway system along South Superhighway from Buendia to Bicutan in Parañaque City. The group finished the second leg from Bicutan to Alabang, Muntinlupa, early last year.

P99 toll Dubbed the Citra-PNCC Alignment, or “CPA,” the elevated highway from Buendia to Balintawak will be built at no cost to the government, while the toll to be charged motorists will be capped at P99 for the entire 14kilometer stretch.

The project is expected to cost P24 billion,

which is significantly lower than the P35-billion price tag, including government subsidies, of a rival proposal named the connector road project.

The CPA’s proponents have promised to complete the entire project in 30 months from groundbreaking, well within the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

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Designed primarily as a means of decongesting EDSA, the CPA will be beneficial to everyone, not just motorists and commuters.

Decongesting EDSA The company said the project was designed primarily as a means of decongesting EDSA, where motorists usually would take an average of one-and-a-half hours to traverse in morning and evening rushhour traffic.

The CPA project was confirmed

by Citra-PNCC president and CEO Shadik Wahono, who said that his firm had conveyed the proposal to the government and was awaiting its response.

“Given the traffic situation around Metro Manila, we believe that everyone, not just motorists and commuters, will benefit from this project,” he said, when contacted by the Inquirer.

Wahono explained that the elevated highway was part of the original concession award by the government to Citra in the 1990s which resulted in the building of stages one and two of the Skyway system.

The government sees an elevated highway as the solution to ease traffic in Manila’s major streets. also veers away from the connector road’s design which calls for the building of a four-lane elevated highway on the Philippine National Railways (PNR) line snaking through Metro Manila.

Wahono said that because of

the 30-meter clearance requirement on either side of the PNR tracks, the connector road was limited to a width of four lanes, increasing the risk of traffic congestion in case of vehicular accidents.

“With the CPA, we will build

the support columns in the median of existing wide avenues, resulting in minimal disruption,” he said.

In addition to potentially becoming one of the flagship infrastructure projects of the Aquino administration, the construction of

8 entrances, exits Wahono pointed out that the CPA was superior to the rival 22kilometer connector-road proposal which also sought to connect South Luzon Expressway to North Luzon Expressway, only at a higher cost to government and motorists.

The CPA will have eight entrances and exits that motorists can use: Buendia, Quirino Avenue, Plaza Dilao, Aurora Boulevard, E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Sgt. Rivera Street and Balintawak.

“The connector-road proposal, meanwhile, only has three -- in Quirino, España and 5th Avenue,” Wahono said.

The CPA has provisions for eventual expansion from the initial six lanes to a full-fledged 10 lanes with the addition of a third-level, four-lane roadway, said the CitraPNCC chief.

Along wide avenues The

infrastructure

proposal

To address traffic, other cities put up mass transit systems while we prefer to build more roads and interchanges.

the CPA will have a strong multiplier effect on the economy, given the workers it will employ, the raw materials that will be used, and the eventual increase in land values that the completed highway will indirectly cause, Wahono said. n

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36 PHILIPPINES

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TOO LATE FOR DEFENSE TO QUESTION IMPEACH RAPS

T

HE impeachment court on March 12 dismissed the defense team’s plan to question the validity of the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona filed by the House of Representatives.

The defense team was planning to present witnesses who could help strengthen their point that the House of Representatives railroaded the filing of the impeachment complaint against Corona.

Presiding Officer and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said that the court has already assumed jurisdiction over the case, pointing out that the prosecution has even rested its case.

It’s the defense panel’s turn to present its own evidence, Enrile said.

“It is the opinion of this court [that] it is too late to question [the] verification [of the complaint] at this point,” according to Enrile.

The ruling triggered a prolonged and heated debate.

Lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas insisted that the court has not established probable cause to charge Corona. Thus, the defense

has the right to question the basis of the complaint, he added.

He said that if the impeachment court is unable to establish probable cause against Corona, then the court has “no jurisdiction” over the case.

At this point, Enrile warned Cuevas that pursuing the matter would cause a clash between the High Tribunal and the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.

But senator-judges Alan Peter Cayetano, Franklin Drilon, and Joker Arroyo took turns in telling Cuevas that he was way out of line.

They said he was in effect asking the impeachment court to dismiss the complaint filed by the House, 8 weeks into the trial.

Cayetano stressed that the Constitution grants the House not only the sole power to impeach officials but also to, on a vote of one-thirds of its total members, pass, verify and

file an impeachment complaint with the Senate.

But Cuevas insisted that continuing the trial on the basis of a flawed complaint violates his client’s constitutional right. “Where do we go?

Where do we appeal?” asked Cuevas.

Sen Arroyo said: “In this case the Senate has already acquired jurisdiction…you could have brought that to the Supreme Court before the Senate acted on it.”

Cuevas said they had no time in December, after the impeachment complaint was filed. “It was a blitzkrieg action...it’s like being by thunder.”

Sen Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III also raised the fact that the defense already has a pending motion with the Supreme Court, asking it precisely to nullify the complaint.

In the end, Enrile ruled that since the Senate has the sole jurisdiction over the case and has adhered to due process, the defense should drop its motion and just proceed with presenting its evidence.

The Senate President asserted that the impeachment court would not relinquish its authority to try and decide impeachment cases to the Supreme Court should Cuevas decide to go to the high tribunal.

“What this court wishes to avoid is a clash between the Senate and the Supreme Court,” Enrile said. “With most regret and with due respect to the Supreme Court, we will deny any interference in this impeachment court.”

Enrile explained that when the Senate received the impeachment complaint, it issued the “proper processes to notify and inform” Corona of the existence of the charges against him. He recalled

that Corona was ordered to file his answer 10 days after its receipt.

“So that at least this court has followed the principle of due process demanded in a case like this

… As much as we want to accommodate the desires of the defense, the presiding officer regrets to deny (them),” Enrile said and banged the gavel. n

Enrile presides over trial

ENRILE: CORONA MUST TESTIFY ON DOLLAR ACCOUNT

SENATE President Juan Ponce Enrile said Chief Justice Renato Corona should testify in his impeachment trial and explain the existence of his dollar account.

Enrile was reacting to the defense panel’s announcement that it would be the chief justice’s wife, Cristina Corona, who will explain the dollar account.

Enrile also raised the possibility that relatives of Corona’s wife engaged in a running family feud over inheritance could be summoned to testify and elaborate on their version of the issue.

The Senate earlier denied the defense motion to suppress evidence pertaining to Corona’s bank records, despite the finding that they had been leaked to prosecutors, who later submitted them to the impeachment court.

Enrile said the prosecution could present additional evidence on the dollar deposits later as “rebuttal evidence” but would need to seek permission from the impeachment court first.

Corona’s defense lawyers are still undecided whether they would present ask the chief justice to testify in the trial.

Enrile warned fellow senatorjudges that he would not tolerate any show of disrespect to Corona, pointing out that he heads a coequal branch of government and is “presumed innocent until he is

pronounced guilty.”

“I will not allow him to be disrespected. I would resign (if they do so). I will tell my colleagues that we will judge him but we should not disrespect him,” he warned.

But Enrile said the impeachment court would not be just as “deferential” to Corona’s wife Cristina, who is set to testify on her husband’s bank deposits and their properties. He said she would be treated as an ordinary witness.

Enrile also did not close the door on the possibility of prosecutors presenting relatives of Corona’s wife in connection with the family feud over Basa-Guidote Enterprises Inc. (BGEI), later in the trial.

The defense panel is opposing the presentation of Mrs. Corona’s aunt and cousin to the witness stand, saying the family feud over the assets of BGEI was not mentioned in the articles of impeachment.

But Drilon argued that Sister Flory and Ana Basa, Mrs. Corona’s aunt and cousin, respectively, may be called to testify to shed light on Corona’s entry in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth that he got a loan of P11 million from BGEI through his wife.

In media interviews, Sister Flory and Ana Basa disputed Mrs. Corona’s claim that she is the legal representative of the defunct BGEI and questioned her authority to manage the assets of the company. n

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NEWSROUND-UP

AQUINO SURE OF CORONA’S CONVICTION PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is confident of a conviction, saying he finds it “hard to imagine” how else the process can conclude.

He expressed satisfaction and even some sense of fulfillment over how the impeachment process has so far shown the Philippine democratic institutions at work.

“I think it’s there. I think part of the aim is also to educate the people.

And also to have the check and balance,” the President said.

Asked, however, how happy about the process he would remain “should it not end with the result (he) wants,”

2 JAPANESE FIRMS KEEN ON MONORAIL PROJECT

JAPANESE giants Mitsubishi Corp. and Hitachi Global have expressed interest in pursuing the P25-billion Phase 1 of the planned monorail way system that will link all the central business districts in Metro Manila, according to the Bases Conversion and Development Administration (BCDA).

In a briefing, BCDA president and CEO Arnel Paciano Casanova said the two Japanese firms were looking at forging a partnership to pursue the monorail way project.

The project is expected to address the growing need for a more efficient mass transportation system in Mega Manila.

Under preliminary plans, the project will initially connect the Metro Rail Transit Guadalupe station to the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

According to Casanova, a feasibility study, which is being targeted for completion by next year, will also help determine whether the BCDA will pursue the project with funding assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency or if it will bid out the monorail project under the Public-Private Partnership program of the government.

BCDA chairman Felicito Payumo said it was practically a “no risk” project given that the whole project, when completed, would connect the whole Mega Manila in a loop.

Specifically, the project will link central business districts, the Metro Rail Transit (Taft to North Avenue), the Light Rail Transit line 1 (Baclaran to Roosevelt) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) system, which cuts across Metro Manila toward Southern Luzon.

He said the BCDA hopes to complete the entire project during the term of President Aquino. n

Aquino replied: “I find it hard to imagine not to get the result, that as you said, I would want.”

The President laid out his basis for seeing a guilty verdict at the end of whole trial. “Perhaps I am not tutored in the Law but I think I have very good grades in English. The copy of the Constitution I have is in English.

I was also supposed to be good in Tagalog, and I read the same in Tagalog, very, very clear.”

“How about (his) cash position na lang? Three (million pesos) versus 30 (million pesos),” the President said, referring to what prosecutors have submitted to illustrate a discrepancy in what Corona had declared as cash in his end-2010 SALN, and what bank

records suggest he actually had as of that date. “You swear under oath as to the truthfulness of the statement.

Then you’re gonna tell me he gets acquitted? I think you can imagine how difficult it is for me to imagine such a situation.”

He dismissed criticism that his and his allies’ dogged campaign to impeach the Chief Justice betrayed a “dictatorial” streak in him. T he President stressed that he had patiently gone through every legal step in the country’s democratic processes in order to get this far with Corona, and for that matter, in the government’s attempt to prosecute former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. n

SANDIGANBAYAN ORDERS ARREST OF ARROYOS, ET AL

THE Sandiganbayan on March 13 issued an arrest warrant against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband Mike in connection with the junked National Broadband Network deal. Mr. Arroy’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, confirmed the news.

Arrest warrants were also issued to former Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos.

Topacio said the former First Gentleman, “is ready to turn himself to the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.” He said they will post the necessary bail.

In separate motions filed earlier, both Arroyo and Mendoza said there is no basis for the arrest because the deal was already rescinded.

They said the case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman was based, therefore, on a non-existent contract.

They added the deal was a government-to-government transaction.

Thus, it was insulated from direct or indirect influence from private parties.

Meanwhile, government security forces are now closely watching the activities of two retired generals for their reported direct involvement in the destabilization plot against the Aquino administration, a source said.

The retired generals are considered close associates of Mrs. Arroyo.

“The two were former senior ranking military officers under the Arroyo regime and were the ones who were identified in an intelligence report that Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV received,” a source said. n

GMA in pensive mood.

OMBUDSMAN AFFIRMS GRAFT RAPS VS GMA

THE Ombudsman has affirmed its earlier decision to file graft charges against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, former elections chief Benjamin Abalos Sr., and former transportation secretary Leandro Mendoza for their alleged role in the botched $329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal anomaly.

Junking the appeals filed by two of the respondents and one from the complainants, the Office of the Ombudsman has informed the Sandiganbayan that it is standing by its earlier decision to indict the respondents.

Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales approved the 19-page resolution based on the recommendations of Assistant Special Prosecutors Louella Mae Oco Pesquera, Jacinto de la Cruz Jr. and Marlon Ramos, which was submitted to the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division chaired by Associate Justice Gregory Ong. The Office of the Ombudsman filed two graft complaints against

the former president and a graft complaint against Mr. Arroyo, Abalos, and Mendoza three months ago but the Sandiganbayan, after raffling the cases, directed the anti-graft agency to first resolve the motions for reconsideration of the respondents.

Of the four respondents, only Mr. Arroyo and Mendoza appealed the Office of the Ombudsman’s finding of probable cause based on the argument that the NBN deal between the Philippine government and China’s’’ ZTE Corp. was actually scrapped.

The former first gentleman argued that the anti-graft agency’s findings have no basis because the NBN deal did not even push through and that he should have not been charged because he was not a government official and that the project was a government-togovernment undertaking.

Mendoza, for his part, claimed that he had no direct participation in the NBN deal negotiations since the accusations of bribery, kickbacks, and commissions came out before the DOTC entered the picture.

But the Office of the Ombudsman said the cancellation of the contract appeared to have been a mere afterthought and an attempt by the defendants to avoid criminal liability.

“The rescission of the contract on Oct. 2, 2007 after its perfection and prior to the filing of the Information before the Sandiganbayan was made in bad faith and cannot be used by the accused to their advantage,” the Office of the Ombudsman said.

The Office of the Ombudsman also junked a motion for reconsideration filed by complainants Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño, former Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, and Carol Araullo of the group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), which sought the upgrading of the graft case to plunder. n

JAPANESE CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FINISH NAIA 3

Unfinished NAIA 3 terminal MORE than three years after it was partially opened to the public, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3 should be well on its way to being completed and used to its full potential.

Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II on March 12 announced the

signing of a deal between the government and Japanese industrial giant Takenaka Corp. for the completion of the work still needed at Naia 3.

The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Tokyo is considered the first legal step to making Naia 3 100-percent operational.

Takenaka was the original contractor for Naia 3. Its work at the facility was never finished because the airport was expropriated after the concessionaire, Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco), was declared to be a dummy firm for its partner Fraport AG from Germany.

Roxas said the signing of the MOU signified an agreement between the government and Takenaka on the price at which the remaining work at Naia would be completed.

About 23 different areas of construction still need to be completed at Naia 3, including its baggage handling, fire alarm, flight information and closed circuit television systems.

Because these systems were not installed, Naia 3 is currently running at half of its capacity.

Once completed, the 182,500square-meter terminal would be able to serve up to 33,000 passengers daily at peak or 6,000 passengers per hour. It would have 34 air bridges and 20 contact gates which would allow it to service 28 planes simultaneously.

Some of the operations at Terminal 1 would be transferred to Terminal 3 once the 23 systems are delivered. This would decongest the three-decade-old Terminal 1 and make it more passenger-friendly. This would hopefully erase the worst airport in the world tag the terminal has earned from travellers. n

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PALACE WANTS TOUGHER LAWS VS MONEY LAUNDERING MALACANANG is hoping that bills meant to toughen laws against money laundering and terrorist financing would be passed before the next Financial Action Task Force plenary.

“We are hoping that they would be acted upon,” Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte said in reaction to reports that the Philippines faces the risk of being blacklisted if Congress does not pass these by the May 2012 deadline.

President Aquino has warned Congress to outlaw terrorist financing and toughen an anti-money laundering law by May or risk getting the country blacklisted.

The House of Representatives has passed the bills required, but some senators have expressed reservations and indicated they want to

TOP U.S. BANK SETS UP BPO IN PH DESPITE moves by US President Barack Obama and the United States Congress to discourage outsourcing, one of the biggest US banks has decided to locate some of its non-core business support activities in the Philippines.

Wells Fargo & Co., the second largest US bank in deposits, home mortgage servicing and debit cards with $1.3 trillion in assets, is setting up a business support center in Manila as the country’s booming business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is projected to produce more than 120,000 new jobs this year.

“We selected the Philippines to be part of Wells Fargo’s international footprint based on the country’s reputation for strong customer service, a large English-speaking population and a cultural affinity to the United States,” said David Caldwell, managing director of Wells Fargo Philippines Solutions, the local subsidiary of the US banking giant.

The new investment is also good news for property developer Megaworld Corp. on whose McKinley Hill Cyberpark project will rise a new building to serve the outsourcing needs of the US banking giant.

Wells Fargo joins other high-profile BPO locators at the 14-hectare McKinley Hill Cyberpark, including Accenture, HP and Thomson Reuters.

The US bank’s launch of an inhouse business support center in Manila was welcomed by labor leader and former Sen. Ernesto Herrera, saying it has reinforced the Philippines’ reputation as “an exceptional global hub for labor-intensive and information technology-enabled outsourcing services.”

“We are counting on Wells Fargo’s new center to help provide gainful employment to our college-educated, fluent English-speaking professionals,” said Herrera. n

amend them.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa urged the senators to pass the bills that would boost the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s powers to look into and stop suspect transactions.

“The Philippines has been given until May 2012 or before the next FATF Plenary in June 2012 to enact the said two bills, otherwise the country will be blacklisted,” Ochoa said in a letter to the senators.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a multilateral body set up in 1989 to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The group of 35 includes the Philippines as well as western countries such as the United States.

The FATF warned the Philippines and three other countries to make terrorist funding and money laundering

criminal acts, set up adequate steps to tag and freeze terrorist assets, and seize laundered funds.

It said that countries that fall into its blacklist of “non-cooperative countries and territories” could face financial sanctions from individual FATF member countries.

Ochoa said in his letter that a blacklisting would subject transactions, such as vital remittances by its nine-million-strong overseas workforce, to delays and higher charges.

The Philippines passed an antimoney laundering law in 2001, but the FATF considered it inadequate.

Aquino asked Congress last year to urgently amend the statute, as well as to pass a second law that would make terrorist financing a stand-alone criminal offence. n

2 AZKAL PLAYERS FACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT RAPS THE Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is investigating the sexual harassment charge filed by match commissioner Cristy Ramos against two members of the national football team.

Ramos, a daughter of former President Fidel Ramos, filed a sexual harassment charge with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary Committee against Azkals players Lexton Moy and Angel Guirado. She alleged that the players disrespected her by making sexual innuendoes while she was conducting a pre-match check.

PFF president Mariano Araneta said the PFF Disciplinary Committee is now looking into the case.

“If she (Ramos) felt aggrieved, if she felt she was abused, then she has the right to complain.

Hindi ko pwedeng sabihin na pwede bang pag-usapan ito,” Araneta said.

But he emphasized that there are two sides to the story. “It is just unfortunate that the players are not here, they are in Nepal,”

Araneta said of the Azkals, who are currently preparing for the AFC Challenge Cup. Araneta said the PFF had apologized to Ramos for the hurt the incident caused her. “It’s her feelings.

Whatever she feels, we apologize for that. But you have to hear the other party also,” he said.

In her complaint, Ramos accused the two players for “disrespecting” her during a pre-game check before the team’s match against the Malaysian Tigers last Feb. 29 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Ramos said Moy “stood by my right side and said in a loud voice, ‘Must be a B Cup,’ to which the players laughed loudly.” Ramos surmised Moy was referring to her bra size.

She also cited Guirado for “[standing] in front of me purposely just wearing his briefs and made no attempts to wear shorts or cover his underwear.”

Azkals team captain Aly Borromeo defended his teammates, saying their behavior during the alleged locker room incident was completely normal. n

US warship visits Philippines.

U.S. MILITARY FOCUSES SHIFT ON ASIA-PACIFIC DEEP budgetary cuts are forcing the US military to slash its military personnel in favor of sophisticated and technologically advanced weaponry. This shift in strategy will see a substantial decrease in the number of troops and increased reliance on the latest military equipment and hardware, which is less costly and allows for greater flexibility.

At the same time, in view of the growing economic and political muscle of China in the Asian region, the US is shifting its focus from Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region.

The increased US presence in the region will necessarily have a direct impact on the Philippines, the country being a traditional ally of America. Philippine officials have welcomed the return of US troops in the country, although not on a permanent basis, amid rising tension in the disputed Spratly Islands which are being claimed by the Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. The Philippines has complained numerous times about incursions of Chinese military ships and fishing vessels inside Philippine waters.

Filipino and American officials have begun discussion on how to accommodate US military presence in the country without violating the provision in the Philippine Constitution banning foreign military bases, troops, or facilities in the country.

The two countries have signed a Visiting Forces Agreement allowing American troops to enter the country only in connection with the

ROBREDO BARES OVERPRICING AT PNP INTERIOR Secretary Jesse Robredo revealed what he said was the overpriced construction of police stations and acquisition of boots and shirts.

Robredo said reports reaching him indicated that the Philippine National Police entered a P15,363,000 budget for the construction of three police stations when the project was bid out to contractors for only P10,618,249.68.

The PNP’s current budget estimate for the construction of type B

and C police stations is P5.153 million each. However, the actual construction cost for the police stations in San Jose and Tinambac, Camarines Sur, and San Andres in Catanduanes, was only P3.54 million.

Robredo also asked PNP officials to review the agency budget estimates for the acquisition of patrol boots and shirts after the Department of Budget and Management disallowed certain amounts which, after evaluation and actual canvassing, were found to be

overpriced.

The DBM, in its own computation, reduced to P180 million the PNP’s original request of P241.2 million for patrol boots and shirts.

The PNP’s original request for 90,000 pair of boots was placed at P1,980 per pair but the DBM reduced the price to P1,450 per pair, or savings of P530 per pair, while the P700 pegged for 90,000 patrol shirts was reduced to only P550, or P150 less per shirt. n

joint military exercises provided by the US-RP mutual defense treaty. It does not provide for the stationing of US troops in the country on a permanent basis.

A Bloomberg News report said the US plans to send 4,500 Marines currently stationed in Japan to Guam and to rotate an additional 4,000 troops “through Australia, Hawaii, Subic Bay, and perhaps a smaller base in the Philippines.”

Quoting unnamed sources, Bloomberg said that US President Barack Obama “plans to curtail a plan costing as much as $21.1 billion to expand the US military’s presence in Guam and instead will rotate some of the Marines through the Asia-Pacific region.”

“The US is realigning forces in the Asia-Pacific as the Obama administration refocuses attention on the region after more than a decade of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the same time, the Pentagon is seeking to cut about $490 billion from projected defense spending over a decade,” the news agency said.

It said that “some of the Marines going to Guam under the administration’s revised plan will be based in the US territory in the Pacific temporarily—known as on rotation—instead of being permanently stationed there.”

Despite the Philippines’ desire for closer security cooperation, any large-scale presence of US troops would be politically sensitive in the country which voted to close down US bases in 1992. n

SUDOKU ANSWER FROM PAGE 11

Calgary Edition

PLANET

39

PHILIPPINES

MARCH 16-31, 2012

MARCH 16-31, 2012

PLANET

40 PHILIPPINES

Calgary Edition