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BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.
Her family once considered show business a “weird” choice -- especially for someone with a medical degree.
HE IS the calm center in the eye of a storm. Every inch a delicate Dresden doll, she is cool and collected as a team of stylists fuss and fret over her hair, makeup, clothes, and jewelry. Dolled up with smoky eyes and pouty lips, Maricar Reyes—ABS-CBN actress, model, and doctor of medicine—looks like a glamorous ice queen in front of the camera. “Think Angelina Jolie,” the crew of fashion and style experts motivate her with every snap and pose. Looking closely, however, one would notice that she has proudly matched her designer gowns with flip-flops. Comfort is evidently Maricar’s priority when at work.
MARICAR REYES,
AS BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE
She’s not about to bare all, but Maricar Reyes, one of showbiz’s most enigmatic actresses, can be prevailed upon to lift her veil of mystery—and reveals she’s more of a regular girl than people think. Once the dust has settled and the stylists have packed up and left, Maricar explains that she’s not easily ruffled by the fuss and frenzy of a high-fashion pictorial. “I don’t mind shoots at all. But I easily get stage fright when I have to speak or perform in front of a live audience,” she confesses. “The pressure is different onstage.” On the set of a TV show or a movie, “I can get lost in a role and pretend no one is watching.” But in front of a crowd, she can’t hide in the comfort of a fictional character, she relates. “You have to take the audience into consideration. I get self-conscious. I sometimes feel like I’m no good.” And she doesn’t want to disappoint. After two years in the business, she has staunchly and willfully re-
On the set of a TV show or a movie, Maricar “can get lost in a role and pretend no one is watching.” mained enigmatic—the real Maricar Reyes, shrouded in a seemingly impenetrable veil of mystery. If she and her handlers seem fiercely protective of her privacy, it’s largely out of necessity rather than choice. After all, she had un-
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wittingly figured in a stunning controversy that could’ve forced lesser souls to quit and go into exile. Still, she persevered, and was able to pursue a showbiz career while refusing to give in to inevitable pressures to grant unnecessarily lugubrious tell-alls in TV chat shows. Now, that took commitment. Until now, she remains admirably tight-lipped about that distressing issue. If she were to give advice to aspiring actresses on how to best handle career- and life-altering intrigues, it seems Maricar wouldn’t have it any other way. She counsels young stars: “There are a lot of lessons, but it’s best to know who you are, stick to it—and listen to your manager.” Again, the mystery is undeniable. Will the real Maricar Reyes please stand up? Asked to describe herself, she jokes that it may “shatter the packaging and persona” that her handlers have so meticulously created, crafted, and cultivated for the past two years. One big misconception about her is that she’s a hothouse flower, she insists. “I’m not sosyal.” She sighs that, since joining the
biz, she has had to give up eating fishballs and riding the FX and MRT. “If it’s not rush hour, commuting can be fun.” She can also be jolly and makulit, she admits. “I have no idea what the real me is like,” she says, laughing. She finds it “sad” that the public has yet to see her cheery and lighthearted side, having done mostly dramatic roles onscreen. “I can be shy, but among people I know and trust, I can loosen up a bit and be giggly.” She admits to having bouts of insecurity, like any ordinary girl. “But you just have to get over it. When I was a kid, I went through a big-shirt, big-pants phase, wearing sandals with high heels.” That was her one and only “awkward” moment as a teenager before transforming into the graceful swan that she is now. When she’s not working, she reads and runs, she says. “I read anything and everything—from Michael Crichton to Milan Kundera,” she says. “I want to go back to running again, but I’ve been swamped with work lately.” When she’s not busy with a telenovela or a movie, she relishes nights out with her friends, as well. She maintains ties with pals she
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“There are a lot of lessons, but it’s best to know who you are, stick to it—and listen to your manager.” met long before showbiz beckoned, she says. “They have normal jobs. They work in offices and call centers. Some are teachers.” The constant push-and-pull between normalcy and showbiz is a challenge that comes with the territory, she reveals. “I hope to balance everything,” she says. “I believe that if you put your mind to it, you can do it.” Her family, she acknowledges, once considered show business a “weird” choice—especially for someone with a medical degree— but she says that she has matured a lot in the last two years. “I used to be rigid and uncompromising. I had to learn to adjust,” she discloses. “The business has taught me patience and flexibility.” She has gotten used to the highs and lows of her work, as well— even the long lulls between takes. “I used to complain about waiting
“I have a fun job. I love the work, and if the industry still has room for me, I’d gladly be an actress all my life.” for hours. But in retrospect, I’ve realized that I am blessed. I have a fun job. I love the work, and if the industry still has room for me, I’d gladly be an actress all my life.” One perk of the job is the opportunity to juggle different roles and inhabit diverse worlds. “I love change and trying new things. On the set, I can play different kinds of women: from a vampire (Imortal) to a taong grasa
JANUARY 16-31, 2012
(a homeless bum in May Bukas Pa) and a teacher (in the new youth show Growing Up).” Although she straddles two very divergent worlds, Maricar has chosen to focus on acting over medicine in the meantime. “I find it funny when people ask for medical advice,” she asserts. She says she’d rather be known as a working actress and hopes to be in the cast of an independent film soon. “I like trying different things. I’m attracted to quirky, intelligent scripts.” It can be a long, bumpy drive ahead, but it seems Maricar has a road map on her lap. “I have a plan, but I don’t have details yet,” she clarifies. “When I’m 70 or 80, I want to support several charities and live in a nice home, sipping tea while surrounded by my children and grandchildren. That’s the big dream.” She has already visualized it, but has yet to finalize the nitty-gritty, she declares. In a nutshell, she elaborates on her life’s goal in very general terms: “That everything will be in place. That I accomplished what I’m supposed to do. That I will have done my work well and provided for the people who need my help.” (Look Magazine) n
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CELEBR TY
ALL’S NOT WELL BETWEEN VICE & AI AI ALL’S not well between the country’s top two comedians. In an interview with the gossip show, The Buzz, on Jan. 1, Vice Ganda was cautious with his words in confirming reports that he snubbed Ai Ai de las Alas when they crossed paths at a fivestar hotel recently. “Gusto ko pong linawin na meron po kaming problemang pinagdadaanan ni Ms Ai Ai; ’yun ang dahilan kung bakit naganap ang sitwasyon na ’yun,” he said. “Mayroon kaming problema at ina-acknowledge ko po ’yun.” While he declined to give details, Vice apologized to those who considered his action illmannered. The 35-year-old comedian/TV host admitted that he was hurt by the resulting flak thrown at him. He said the incident doesn’t make him a disrespectful person,
VALENZUELA City Councilor and TV host Shalani Soledad and Pasig Congressman Roman Romulo are set to wed in “simple and private” ceremony in St. Benedict Church Silang, Cavite on Jan. 22. The couple, who got engaged last September after a whirlwind romance, decided to “downgrade” their celebration and funnel the savings to help the flood victims in Northern Mindanao. Noted fashion designer Inno Sotto designed “a simple wedding dress” for the former girlfriend of President Noynoy Aquino. “Shalani’s wedding gown will be soft, delicate and simple with minimal beadingsuggestive of her personality,” Sotto said. “Very feminine, she didn’t want anything fussy--it’s her!” The couple is considering Rome as their honeymoon
AI AI and that people shouldn’t be quick to judge him. Vice hopes to patch things up with Ai Ai at the right time. “Sa takdang panahon,” he said.
RAMGEN & JANELLE
ANOTHER SEX VIDEO SCANDAL GENELYN Magsaysay, mother of murdered actor Ramgen Revilla, admitted that her late son’s laptop is in their possession but claimed she nor her children know the password to access the files. Genelyn made the statement in a TV interview after a purported sex video of Ramgen and his girlfriend, Janelle Manahan, was uploaded on the Internet by still unknown person(s). She denied accusations by Janelle that she and her children were responsible for
SHALANI WEDS SOLON ON JAN. 22
uploading the private video that showed a couple in intimate acts inside a bathroom. “Ang kahihiyan po ng anak kong si Ramgen ay kahihiyan po ng buong pamilya,” said Genelyn. Their family lawyer said they were prepared to face any suits that Janelle would file. “Wala silang ebidensiya except for the bare allegation na sila Genelyn ang may kasalanan niyan, na sila magkakapatid ang may kasalanan niyan,” said one of the lawyers of the family. “Ano lang ‘yon, e, bintang lang ‘yon, walang matibay na ebidensiya.“
The lawyer acknowledged that the video was “very damaging” to Janelle and the Bautista/Revilla family. Ramgen was shot to death by a still unidentified gunman inside his bedroom on Oct. 28. Janelle suffered gunshot wounds but survived the attack. Ramgen’s younger brother, Ramon Joseph Bautista, is being held in jail without bail for the murder. A younger sister, Ramona, is in Istanbul with her Turkish husband after she fled the country days after the incident. Janelle has filed a supplemental complaint against another Ramgen’s sister, Gail Bautista Furuyama, and her husband for their alleged involvement in the planning of the murder.
ROMAN & SHALANI destination. Principal sponsors include Senator Panfilo Lacson (who was once Shalani’s boss), Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, former Congresswoman Cynthia Villar, and PLDT and TV5 boss Manny V. Pangilinan.
CHARICE, JINKEE MAG COVERS ‘PHOTOSHOPPED’? “CHARICE for Preview or Jinkee Pacquiao for Mega? Sino mas maganda pagkakaedit?” asked one netizen who posted on Twitter a side-by-side comparison of magazine covers featuring Charice and Jinkee, wife of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao. The two celebrities are featured on the covers of the January 2012 issues of fashion magazines Preview and Mega, and reactions online vary from admiration to outright disbelief. The debate has been so hot that Jinkee Pacquiao and MEGA Magazine trended locally on Twitter today, as has Charice
Pempengco. “EPIC editing>> EPIC #fail… Unrealisticly done.. Just my crunch,” said @chinito_antonio. “Sina charice ba talaga at jinkee yung nasa preview at mega?” asked @OhMyArkiBoi. “Nakakabwiset na yung garapalang Photoshop sa mga magazine covers ngayon. Una, Charice on Preview. Ngayon, Jinkee Pacquiao on Mega,” said @nikowl. Preview said in a statement: “The use of Photoshop is a common practice in the industry. We don’t deny that we did use Photoshop to enhance Charice’s photo, but nothing too major as to dramatically alter her features.” Jinkee chose to personally reply to the negative comments. In a text message, she said: “Wat I can say is, I’ll just pray for them. i fully understand them everybody is entitled to their own opinion… im just doing the pictorial, im happy w the result. Sometimes people will react on it, sometimes people if u’re up they try to put u down but its ok, it doesnt matter to me.”
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CELEBRITYFILES
OYO’S TWEETS IRK PAULEEN THE deafening silence of rumored lovers Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna about their reported May-December affair, has only served to whet the public’s appetite for more juicy details of the subject. As a result, it’s the tabloids, fans and kibitzers that fill up the news vacuum with their own gossip, commentary and allusions. Media reports alleged that the 57-year-old Vic won the heart of his 23-year-old Eat Bulaga! co-host by showering her with expensive gifts. Fuelling the fire of controversy,
PAULEEN & VIC
MARTIN DROPS ‘CONCERT KING’ TITLE
MARTIN Nievera has decided to drop the tag “Concert King”, a title he held on for over 2o years. The 50-year-old singer said that he will finally let go of his old title and give way to a new one. When asked what his new label is, he said, “A new calling in the business, they wanted me to be the ‘Leading Man of Concerts.’” He said he likes the new title better. “It’s a lot easier to live that one than ‘Concert King.’” As for other career possibilities, Martin said he is open to the idea of staging a movie comeback. “Maybe there’s a role for me as the father of John Lloyd or something. Don’t
MARTIN
we look alike sometimes?” He admitted that he recently received a tempting offer from TV5 but he decided to stay with ABS-CBN. “Believe it or not, I’m the most unfaithful person in the world, but when it comes to Channel 2 and the artists that [I] have [worked with] and those who have made my career, I have a hard time leaving them,” he said. Next month, he will team up with Sharon Cuneta for a Valentine’s concert at the Araneta Coliseum, dubbed “Once in a Lifetime.” Martin will also be a part of the upcoming television program X-Factor, a talent reality show hosted by KC Concepcion.
Vic’s son, Oyo, on Dec. 4 tweeted a message that raised eyebrows. Out of the blue, Oyo posted a message in his Twitter account: “Ang dami talagang mukang pera... ang daming lumalandi! Nakakalungkot (hindi sa akin) Haay nako....” He followed it with another tweet: “Respeto lang.” The rumor mill quickly went to work and many interpreted Oyo’s tweet as a direct reference to Pauleen. Feeling alluded to, the young actress said she was hurt by in-
sinuations of her being “materialistic”, adding she received only one gift from Vic during her birthday. To which Oyo responded with another tweet: “Kung nasaktan ka, ikaw yun.“ Pauleen’s mother immediately came to her daughter’s defense. In a statement to the gossip show Startalk, Chat Luna said “it pains her [Pauleen] and us as well to hear that she is using someone else for financial gains. Just so everything is clear, Pauleen is not the breadwinner of the family.”
CLAUDINE, RAYMART MOVE ON CLAUDINE Barretto admits that 2011 was not a good year for her. “2011 wasn’t such a good year for me. Honestly, hindi ako masyadong masaya sa 2011. I only had one show for 2011,” she said. She added: “Ang daming mga intriga, ang daming pinagdaanan.” While Claudine did not say or explain the intrigues she went through last year, observers believed she was referring to her reported split from husband Raymart Santiago. It will be recalled that in October the couple was fighting for possession of their joint bank account. Claudine and her lawyer told a reporter that the funds in the bank account had been withdrawn minutes before she was able to do so. While she did not name the person who allegedly withdrew the money, it was surmised that she was referring to Raymart. But everything seems rosy now for the couple. Claudine said she and Raymart are going on a European trip this month. “Pupunta kami ng France, UK, sa London, Italy, ni Raymart itong January,” she said. “Kasi, wala talaga kaming honeymoon talaga. . . Naisip namin, we should do this every year, part of yung counselling namin yun, na kailangan talaga naming mag-spend time together.”
SUDOKU RULES: Place a number from 1-9 in each empty cell. Each row, column and 3x3 block bounded by bold line (9 blocks) contains all the numbers from 1-9
SOLUTION ON PAGE 37
CLAUDINE
JANUARY 16-31, 2012
STILL GLORIOUS PLANET
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AT
78
BY BUTCH FRANCISCO
TEP BACK, Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes, Vilma Santos, Nora Aunor and Sharon Cuneta. You, too, Judy Ann Santos! We respect your lofty positions in the entertainment kingdom and love each one of you, but make way for the truest of movie queens amongst you: Ms. Gloria Romero, who just turned 78. She commands respect, forever beloved and with her name remaining untarnished after more than 60 years in the profession.
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She is a true actress. She must be the most versatile, along with the late Nida Blanca. No other actress can match Gloria’s legendary career. Even the movie queens after her will take the backseat for her because they all love, admire and respect her.
I’m happy that GMA 7 where she appears in a very important role in the consistently top-rating Munting Heredera gave her a party during her birthday last Dec. 16. Oh, how she blushed like she was the 16-year-old Mabini, Pangasinan fresh high school graduate who tried her luck in show business and ended up a movie queen. What is most impressive is the fact that way after her official reign, she had remained the most durable among showbiz royalties.
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Even when she was made to play an unglamorous aswang with an “also starring” billing, her colleagues never heard anything from her.
so dirty!” That served as an example to the two younger stars on how it is to be a pro. She was never billing-conscious. Showbiz old-timers called it billingitis. Gloria never had that. A memorable star quote came from her: “Sometimes my name was up there. Sometimes it was down there. There were times when it wasn’t even there.” Even in the ‘70s when every other director was turning her into an unglamorous aswang with an “also starring” billing, they never heard anything from her. She is a true actress. She must be the most versatile, along with the late Nida Blanca. Although widely recognized for her dramatic prowess, critic Nestor Torre swears Gloria does the meanest impressions of everyone around her. She is brilliant at both drama and comedy. No other actress can match Gloria’s legendary career. (Rosa Rosal is in another category all by herself.) Even the movie queens after her will take the backseat for her because they all love, admire and respect her. We will accord each one of them the same tribute when they reach 78. And only if their respective careers remain as luminous as Gloria Romero’s at that age. (The Philippine Star) n
Before Susan Roces, Vilma Santos and Sharon Cuneta, there was Gloria Romero.
She commands respect, forever beloved and with her name remaining untarnished after more than 60 years in the profession. May her soul rest in peace, but even legendary Yankee actress Bette Davis was already a caricature toward her remaining years on earth. But Philippine showbiz’s Gloria Romero continues to be held in high esteem by a very finicky public that treats entertainment people like disposable diapers. So what is her secret to showbiz longevity? Read on: She has patience. Gloria was not an instant star. Before she became a Sampaguita [Pictures] property, Premiere Productions had already turned her away. At Sampaguita where she even had an uncle working for the company and therefore had what is called today as “connect,” she still languished for quite some time as an extra, a mere face in the crowd. Before she could even figure out if, indeed, she really had a future as an actress, Sampaguita was razed to the ground along with the film outfit’s already in the can releases. Those had to be re-shot with everyone in the company willing to redo everything for nothing. Gloria was among them. She is professional. In one dance sequence where a big toenail got caught on the slats of the wooden floor and flew off (ouch!), she had the exposed toe wrapped in adhesives and asked that it be painted red to match the rest of her pedicure and went on with the scene. Film sequences may look brief on screen, but those take long to shoot. Gloria just kept dancing complete with a wide smile. Never mind if the pain was killing her - imagine a whole toenail pulled off! But as soon as the director shouted wrap, she passed out. That experience obviously was excruciatingly painful. However, she went on and finished the chore. Even at a later age when she was doing Palibhasa Lalake, she never made demands. Never mind if Joanna Gomez (now Mrs. Alex Santos, the respected broadcaster) was then the most accommodating among ABSCBN’s executive producers.
Gloria Romero continues to be held in high esteem by a very finicky public that treats entertainment people like disposable diapers. Although Palibhasa Lalake had a very effective script by Joey Reyes, the show’s success was due to the ad-libs and unplanned antics the cast members played on each other. There were instances, unfortunately, when the situation went too riotous for comfort. To bring order to the set, one time, director Johnny Manahan connived with Gloria and instructed her that if the scenario had gone uncontrollable, all she had to do was collapse on the floor to shut everyone up. That’s a walk in the park for any actress worth her salt. But given the condition of the studio floors of ABS-CBN in 1988 when the company was still operating like a cottage industry with filthy surroundings, a diva would have called first for the entire janitorial team of Mila del Sol before making contact with the surface beneath. But Gloria will always be a trouper. On the floor she threw herself. After the scene, Amy Perez and Cynthia Patag told her: “Ano ba kayo, Tita Glo, that floor is
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PHILIPPINES STILL TOP CHRISTIAN COUNTRY IN ASIA, 5TH IN WORLD
Catholic faithful attend simbang gabi at the St. Joseph Church in Las Pinas City.
Of the Filipino Christians, 81 percent are Catholic, 11 percent Protestant and one percent belong to other Christian groups. The remaining seven percent of the Philippine population are non-Christian.
T
HE Philippines remains to be the bastion of Christianity in Asia with 86.8 million Filipinos—or 93 percent of a total population of 93.3 million—adhering to the teachings of Jesus Christ, a recent study by the USbased Pew Research Center has found. Using the 2010 population figures of over 200 countries, the nonpartisan data center conducted its “Global Christianity” study produced by its Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life unit to determine the size and breadth of the world’s Christian population.
The study put the total number of Christians worldwide at 2.18 billion—almost a third—of the estimated global population of 6.9 billion. Apart from being number one in Asia, the Philippines ranks fifth in the world, hosting four percent of those 2.18-billion Christians, the report said. Of the Filipino Christians, 81 percent are Catholic, 11 percent
The crucifixion ritual in Pampanga has become a tourist attraction during the Holy Week.
Protestant and one percent belong to other Christian groups. The remaining seven percent of the Philippine population are non-Christian, Pew noted. The largest number of Christians resides in the United States with 246.8 million or 11.3
Cardinal Ricardo Vidal (second from left) officiates Mass in Cebu City. Christians around the world has nearly quadrupled in the last 100 years, from 600 million in 1910,” Pew noted. “But the world’s overall population also has risen rapidly from an estimated 1.8 billion in 1910 to 6.9 billion in 2010. As a result, Christians make up about the same proportion of the world population to-
percent of the total Christian population of the world. It is followed by Brazil (175.8 million), Mexico (107.8 million) and Russia (105.2 million). Following the Philippines are Nigeria (80.5 million), China (67 million), Democratic Republic of Congo (63.2 m i l lion), Germany (58.2 million) and Ethiopia (52.6 million). “ T h e number of
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day (32 percent) as they did a century ago (35 percent),” Pew noted. In Asia, following the Philippines are China (67.1 million), India (31.9 million), Indonesia (21.2 million) and Australia (16 million). By region, the bulk of Christians reside in the Americas (36.8 percent), followed by Europe (25.9 percent), sub-Saharan Africa (23.6 percent), Asia Pacific (13.1 percent) and Middle East-North Africa (0.6 percent). Highlighting a “momentous shift” in the world’s Christian population, Pew noted that although Europe and the Americas still held a majority of the world’s Christians (63 percent), the 1910 figure was much higher (93 percent). Pew noted that Christianity had “grown enormously” in sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, as their Christian populations climbed from nine percent in 1910 to 63 percent in 2010 in the former, and from three percent to seven percent in the latter. “Christianity today, unlike a century ago, is truly a global faith,” Pew said. n
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31 PHILIPPINES
JANUARY 16-31, 2012
PATRIO-TOURISM:
‘ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES’
Where else can you find a land as beautiful as its people, a people as warm as its climate? BY WILLY E. ARCILLA
HILE THE potential is boundless for the tourism industry to become a growth engine for the Philippines as it provides valuable foreign exchange earnings and employment opportunities, and acts as a catalyst for direct income redistribution to the countryside, it remains sadly underoptimized. We salute the accomplishments of all past Tourism Czars and support the Honorable Secretary Ramon Jimenez and his dedicated team in their ambitious aspirations to attract as many as 10 million tourists by 2016 and generate billions in revenues, but we lament the fact that present statistics continue to lag far behind Asian neighbors. China has long surpassed 50 million while Malaysia has drawn more than 20 million. What can we all do to dramatically improve our travel and tourism industry? The answer does not lie in foreigners, but in us. We will never achieve a quantum leap of growth
in foreign tourists or dollar receipts without first achieving a quantum leap in our patriotism and love for our countrymen. We cannot expect to attract foreign visitors to our country if we ourselves continue to leave our country in droves. Before we expect others to fall in
Before we expect others to fall in love with our country, we must first rekindle our love for her. This is a must to the success of any human endeavor. No one can sell what he or she does not love.
love with our country, we must first rekindle our love for her. This is a must to the success of any human endeavor. No one can sell what he or she does not love. We need to engender a sense of patriotism among our ourselves, our families and our own countrymen. Patriotism will motivate us to invest in the “HEARTS” of successful tourism – Hospitality and Hotels + Enjoyable Experiences + Airports and Airplanes + Roads and RORO Bridges + Tour Packages and clean Toilets + Safety and Security.
‘Only in the Philippines’ “Only in Palawan – Only in the Philippines” do you find world-renowned Tubbataha Reef and the world’s longest Subterranean River.
It is a familiar line often quoted by locals and foreigners alike to
JANUARY 16-31, 2012
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capture the unbelievable sense of exasperation and frustration over a country that has been blessed with abundant beauty and a people imbued with nobility, yet shamelessly exploited by dynasties of trapos and greedy oligarchs. Yet perhaps it is also the best line to use to at once drive local and foreign tourism, rekindle patriotism and unify a divided nation. It can be argued and it cannot be denied there is also so much natural beauty and goodness that can be found “Only in the Philippines.” The same line arouses curiosity among new prospects (there are one billion tourists globally) most of whom have never been to our shores. “What can be found ‘Only in the Philippines’”? It reinforces the experience of past visitors who can attest to our uniqueness, while presenting new, varied experiences. It is simple and memorable, specific and unique. It is already a popular throwaway line among Filipinos and foreigners alike who are both delighted at our hospitality and aghast at our idiosyncrasies. It is colloquial “tourist expression” that can be adapted in foreign languages for marketing. Importantly, it is “campaignable” even for domestic tourism because the normal course of tourism development is for locals to explore domestic travel destinations before venturing overseas.
Unique destinations “Only in the Philippines” lends itself to widespread adoption by all regions and provinces offering unique travel destinations and tourist attractions. The line creates synergy where the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. The international and local campaigns will be seamlessly integrated as one, and shall mutually reinforce each other to attract both foreign and domestic tourists. “Only in Ilocos-Only in the Philippines” showcases Vigan, in Ilocos Sur, Pagudpud Beach and Fort Ilocandia in Laoag. The Banaue Rice Terraces, Mt. Pulag and La Trinidad Valley beckon with “Only in Benguet-Only in the Philippines.” In promoting the majestic Mayon Volcano, CamSur wakeboarding, pristine Caramoan, Pacific Ocean surfing in Daet’s Bagasbas Beach, we promote “Only in Bicol-Only in the Philippines.” “Only in Panay” can you experience the “Ati-Atihan” and indulge on the paradise island of Boracay. “Only in Palawan” do you find world-renowned Tubbataha Reef and the world’s longest Subterranean River. “Only in Mindanao” can you find Mt. Apo, domicile of the majes-
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The famed Manila Bay sunset: Only a king can wear a golden crown, but many can share a golden sunset. tic Philippine eagle. All local government units can now leverage on the national and international tourism campaigns in promoting their respective local destinations. In the process, we recognize and celebrate the uniqueness of each region, but within the context of one country. “Only in the Philippines” also dovetails into the “One Town-One Product” (OTOP) program created by the Office of the President to promote entrepreneurship, identifying products which small towns can produce at a comparative advantage vs other neighboring towns. “Christmas Lanterns-Only in Pampanga.” “Strawberries-Only in Benguet.”
colorful as her transport (vintas and jeepneys)? Only in the Philippines. Where else can you find a workforce as talented as her artists, an economy as vibrant as her freedoms? Only in the Philippines. Where else can you find fruits as delicious as her hillsides (Bohol Chocolate Hills), a nightlife as breathtaking as her sunset? Only in the Philippines. Finally, where else can you find a people with pride in her past, a passion for her present, and faith in her future? All these and more “Only in the Philippines.”
Global application
Man-made warmth
The real excitement is in its global application across multiple languages beyond English-speaking nations like the US and Canada, the UK and Australia. In Mandarin Chinese, the line is “Jin Zai Fei Lu Bin.” In Cantonese, “Gan Zoi Fei Lud Ban.” In Japanese, it’s “Filipin Dah-Keh.” And in Korean, “Filipin Esoman.” The Russians would say, “Tolko V Filipine”. In Spain, our slogan is “Sola en las Filipinas,” which can also be used for most of South America. The French will say, “Seulement dans le Philippines” while the Germans will say, “Nur in der Philippinen” and the Italians, “Soltanto nelle Filipine.” A land as beautiful as her people; a people as warm as her climate. Where else can you find a land as beautiful as its people, a people as warm as its climate? Only in the Philippines. Where else can you find a nation as rich as its history, a culture as
In promoting the Philippines overseas, we must remain humble and avoid boasting that we are better than other countries (because we are not), — but rather that we are different. In what area are we unique and different? Not in manmade, but in God-made wonders. While the whole world marvels at all forms of manmade memorials and mausoleums, arches and statues, towers
and walls, recreation and amusement parks, monuments and skyscrapers, the Philippines remains endowed with natural beauty we can boast as God-made, not manmade wonders. And while we have no major manmade structures, we do have man-made warmth, manifested in our world-renowned hospitality and friendship.
JANUARY 16-31, 2012
Visualize a campaign that juxtaposes Egypt’s manmade pyramids vis-à-vis our own Mayon Volcano crowned with a headline, “While man can shape pyramids, only God can shape volcanoes.” Travelers who have gone to Egypt and admired the pyramids of Gaza can now train their sights on the “natural pyramid” of Mayon shaped by God like a perfect cone. Another billboard or print ad execution can compare the Arc de Triomphe in Champs Elysees with our very own Nakabuang Arch in Sabtang, Batanes. To project the nobility of our people, we can show killer whales kept in captivity to perform tricks in San Diego’s Seaworld compared with the world-renowned whale sharks (butanding) which swim freely and watch us swim alongside them in Donsol, Sorsogon. Finally, imagine an ad comparing the golden crown jewels with our golden sunset in Manila Bay, captioned, “Only a king can wear a golden crown, but many can share a golden sunset.” What makes the Philippines unique? It must be the beauty of our land and the nobility of our people – a land simply beautiful; a people beautifully simple—Only in the Philippines! (Philippine Daily Inquirer) n
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BEAUTIFUL P
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ITH THE Puerto Princesa Underground River named as one of the world’s new 7 Wonders of Nature, the capital city of Palawan expects tourist arrivals to increase by a conservative estimate of 25 percent to around 40 percent in the medium term. In a presentation during the recently concluded Philippine Economic Briefing in the province, Puerto Princesa Tourism Officer Rebecca Labit said the province expects tourist arrivals this year to increase to 521,991; they are expected to spend around P9.7 billion. “We have not yet completed our data from October up to this moment but when we got our data from the time we were announced as the winner in the new 7 Wonders of Nature, I would safely say that the occupancy rate of all tourist accommodations in Puerto Princesa is almost 60 percent,” Labit said. Tourist arrivals are expected to increase further by 25 percent in 2012 and 2013 to around 625,489 and 815,611, respectively. The province expects to breach the 1-million mark by 2014 when it will see a 30percent growth in tourist arrivals to around 1.060 million. By 2015, the province hopes to see a 35-percent increase in tourist arrivals to around 1.431 million, before breaching the 2-million mark by 2016. By the end of President Aquino’s term, the province believes it will have a 40-percent increase in tourist arrivals to 2.004 million.
23 new hotels The optimism behind the numbers stem from official data from the Department of Tourism (DOT), which showed that Puerto Princesa City was the seventh top-tourist destination in the Philippines in 2010 when 405,430 tourists visited the province. “In 2009, Puerto Princesa was in the No. 10 position in terms of the tourism arrivals for the entire country and maybe it will be safe to say now that we envision to be in the top circle of 5 in the next two to three years. It is not impossible. In 2010, we registered more than 50percent increase in tourist arrivals,”
The Subterranean River is the single biggest reason for the tourist surge in Palawan.
PALAWAN’S UNDERGROUND RIVER SPARKS TOURISM BOOM The inclusion of Puerto Princesa’s Underground River in the 7 Wonders of Nature list has is expected to spark a tourism boom in Palawan. Already, 23 new hotels are under construction and the airport is set for expansion to accommodate the influx of tourists. Labit said. With the increase in tourist arrivals and the projected growth in the coming years, Labit said there are 23 new hotels being constructed in Puerto Princesa. Four have already been opened and another two set to open in mid-December.
Tourist profile Puerto Princesa’s tourists are composed of young people who are either traveling with their families, friends or co-workers. They are always in groups and never travel alone. The bulk of the city’s tourists is within the age of 25 to 34 as well as those within 35 to 44 years old. Around 68 percent of these tourists travel for pleasure or vacation and some 15 percent go to the city for business, professional
The other attractions are the province’s pristine islands and beaches and rich marine resources. work or investment. Labit also said the length of stay of the tourists is getting longer. Most tourists stay for two to three days but there are those who stay longer. It can be noted that the number of tourists who stay for five days up to 60 days are the same. Most of the local tourists come
Environmentalists are collecting 10 million signatures to stop illegal mining in the province. from Metro Manila, as well as other parts of Palawan, Laguna, and Cavite. In terms of foreign tourists, the bulk comes from the United States, Canada, Taiwan, New Zealand, Germany, and Japan.
Airport expansion Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) is pushing its project to up-
grade and expand the Puerto Princesa airport and have it approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) board by January so the project can begin construction by end-2012 or early 2013. DOTC Director for Infrastructure Projects Jaime Raphael C. Feliciano said the upgrading and expansion of the airport have already been submitted for approval by the Investment Coordination Committee Cabinet Committee and may already be scheduled for evaluation by the Neda board. The board, which is chaired by the President, is the country’s premier social and economic development planning and policy coordinating body. “Right now, you can see that it’s a very nice airport but it does not have enough facilities to process all the passengers. The terminal was built for 500,000 passengers per year. But as of November 2011, we processed about 800,000 passengers and the year has not ended yet. So you can imagine the overcrowding that’s happening,” Feliciano said. “The amount of cargo that it has processed in 2010 was about 7.7 tons so we have to have more facilities for the cargo also.”
New terminal building
The construction of a new passenger terminal building, a cargo terminal building, the rehabilitation and expansion of the runway, and the installation of a new navigational system will cost P4.485 billion. Feliciano said the system, called Instrument Landing System, will enable the pilots to land and take off even when it is raining or the visibility is limited. Feliciano said the right-of-way acquisition for the expansion of the airport is already 96-percent complete. The remaining 4 percent of the area needed for the project involves two lots, which will be used as the location for the new terminal. Earlier, the Korean Export-Import Bank agreed to extend some $71.61 million for the Puerto Princesa airport development project through an agreement it signed recently with the national government. (BusinessMirror) n
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JANUARY 16-31, 2012
MILLIONS OF DEVOTEES DEFY TERROR ALERT T
HE CROWD seems to get bigger and bolder each year. But as Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle explained: “To understand it, you need to be a devotee. Outsiders do not understand.”
No barrier, no threat to life and limb, not even a terror alert raised by Malacañang could stem the crushing tide of devotees who jammed the streets in adoration of the iconic Black Nazarene of Quiapo, whose traditional procession on Jan. 9 was one of the biggest, longest and most guarded in memory. The procession lasted well past midnight. Before Tagle could even give his final blessing during a Mass held at Quirino Grandstand in Manila, barefoot men and women made a mad dash to the stage and toppled security railings to be among the first to
touch the image. Scores were already hurt in this initial commotion before marshals were able to move the image to a carriage for the procession. Police estimated up to 8 million people crammed into the historic quarters of Manila seeking to touch the centuries-old and life-size icon of Jesus Christ that is believed to hold miraculous powers. The human sea of Catholic pilgrims once again flooded the capital in a show of religious frenzy, despite warnings that Islamic militants may be planning to bomb the spectacular
HEADS TO ROLL FOR LANDSLIDE TRAGEDY OFFICIALS who were negligent in ensuring the safety of the people in mining areas would be held accountable for the January 5 deadly tragedy in Compostela Valley to avoid a repeat of similar incidents, Malacañang said. The death toll in the mining site in Pantukan, Compostela Valley reached 31 as rescuers from the Army’s 10th Infantry Division retrieved four more bodies. Up to 29 people are still missing. Asked whether local authorities should be punished if investigation would show they allowed the landslide victims to stay in the danger zones, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said, “It was really needed because we could not allow these things to happen repeatedly.” “Landslides are no joke and we see that until now, the search and rescue operations were continuing,” Valte said. The law must be strictly implemented this time so that no residents will stay in danger areas, she said, adding that allowing the people to go back to their dangerous dwelling places will be unacceptable. Valte also said the relocation of the residents would be ensured and authorities would have to make sure that people are prohibited from building houses in danger areas. She said Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo had made his initial report to President Aquino after conducting an assessment in the area. She added Robredo already
ordered the forced evacuation of residents in danger spots and mandated local officials to strictly guard these places so that residents would not go back to their houses. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Department of the Interior and Local Government was looking into the lapses that resulted in the deadly incident that killed scores of people. Military officials said some 100 individuals were still missing due to the landslide. Valte said most of the landslide victims were not residents but were working in the small-scale mining site. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), meanwhile, is batting for the declaration of a “no man’s land” in all small-scale mining sites in Compostela Valley found by Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) experts to be disaster-prone areas. “Based on the findings of the MGB, we are recommending to our top political leaders that all small-scale mining operations in these mining hazard areas - illegal or those licensed - be completely stopped and to declare these disaster-prone places as ‘no man’s land,’” NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said. Ramos said that since April 11, 2011, the MGB has already declared several mine sites around Pantukan and Monkayo towns as landslide-prone largely due to years of unabated large-scale and smallscale mining operations. n
Police estimate that up to 8 million devotees joined the January 9 Black Nazarene procession that lasted well past midnight. annual event. Many among the heaving, roaring crowd risked injury by clambering over others in a bid to touch the icon and win its healing favor, while most people traipsed through the dirty streets barefoot as a sign of devotion. Millions of devotees are attracted to the event every year, more so this year even after President Benigno Aquino III warned on Jan. 8 that authorities had uncovered a plot to attack the event, potentially with a mobile phone-triggered bomb. A raid on three houses that failed to capture a small group from Mindanao believed to be planning to bomb the procession was what prompted Aquino to raise a terror alert. “There is a threat and the President deemed it necessary to handle it himself to make sure all preparations
are in place. It is better to be prepared than sorry,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said. Two of the alleged safe houses were in Metro Manila, one was in the Baseco compound in Tondo, Manila, while another was in Rizal province, Gazmin said after he convened a meeting to go over the security and crowd-assistance plans for the daylong procession. Maximo Graciano, a 44-year-old warehouseman and a Black Nazarene procession participant for the past 15 years, said the terrorism warning was not enough to keep him away. “If we allow ourselves to be cowed by terrorism, it means we do not really believe in Him,” said Graciano, who insisted the icon had helped him regain the full use of his right arm after it was severely injured in a car
accident. “We’re in His hands. If it’s our time to die, then that’s it. People die even in their sleep, but since we are here, we might as well join the procession,” said Danilo Santos, 59, an electrician who had been attending the procession since he was in the fourth grade. “Maybe the President himself announced it so we would be more vigilant and careful. But we will not be stopped,” said Jude Secong, 30, of Pasay City. The predominantly male and maroon-shirted pilgrims struggled to touch the image as it inched its way from Quirino Grandstand down its traditional route leading to Quiapo Church. The more determined devotees jostled to get hold of the rope pulling the carriage, while others formed a handkerchief-waving mass around the image hailed as “Señor Nazareno.” The usual chants of “Viva! Viva!” occasionally became “Bawas! Bawas! (Out of the way)” as some devotees grew impatient and asked those who had already touched the image or had their towels dabbed on the statue to make way for the thousands still awaiting their turn. But instead of a terrorist attack, a mechanical problem marred the procession—delaying it by several hours—when the carriage bearing the image was stalled because the wheels broke. The devotees managed to resume the procession by lifting the carriage off the ground. For Tagle, the faith-fueled rush could be considered an act of “approaching the divine.” n
CANADA SENDS AID TO FLOOD VICTIMS
THE Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, has announced that Canada is providing immediate humanitarian assistance, such as food, clean water, shelter and non-food relief items, to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by Tropical Storm Washi (local name “Sendong”) in the Philippines. “Canada extends its condolences to those who have lost friends and family with the onset of the storm and sudden floods in the Philippines,” said Minister Oda. “We commend the local communities, non-governmental organizations, and the Government of the Philippines for their rapid response. Today (Jan. 4), Canada is responding to calls for needed supplies and further assistance to help those affected restore their strength and livelihoods.” Recent reports indicate the storm
displaced more than 500,000 people in 13 provinces of the country. The Government of the Philippines undertook a major emergency rescue, evacuation and relief response operation in southern Philippines. Canada’s response, through the Canadian International Development Agency, will support the efforts of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Oxfam Canada in the affected area. The IFRC will provide safe water, food and non-food relief items to 5,000 families currently in emergency evacuation centres. WFP will provide immediate lifesaving food assistance to approximately 220,000 people and targeted distribution of high-energy
food to 15,000 children under five. IOM will provide emergency shelter repair kits, which include items such as tarps, lumber and ropes, for as many as 23,550 families and non-food relief items, including essential household items, for 47,000 affected families. Oxfam Canada will improve access to safe water for approximately 8,000 families, as well as set up latrines and shower blocks in evacuation centres and in communities hosting evacuees. Canada will provide up to $1.25 million to carry out this work. Canada will also continue to monitor the situation closely and will respond to further humanitarian needs as appropriate. Earlier the Province of Manitoba announced that it is contributing CAD$ 100,000 (about P4.3 million) as assistance to the flood victims. n
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PLUNDER RAPS VS 6 EX-GENERALS, 5 OTHERS SIX retired generals, including two former chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces, face plunder charges over allegations by their former budget officer that they misused military funds. Five others are in the plunder charge recommended by the Department of Justice (DOJ), including a longtime aide de camp of the late Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes. It is now up the the Office of the Ombudsman to determine whether this would be filed immediately in court. The 11 retired and active-duty military officers and civilian officials recommended to be charged with plunder are: retired AFP chiefs Diomedio Villanueva and Roy Cimatu; retired military comptrollers Carlos Garcia and Jacinto Ligot; retired Maj Gen Hilario Atendido; former Brig Gen Benito de Leon; retired Lt Col Ernesto Paranis; active-duty officers Col Cirilo Tomas Donato, Col Roy de Vesa (a longtime Reyes aide); former civilian auditor of Divina Cabrera; and former accountant Generoso del Castillo. The DOJ found insufficient evidence to charge 11 others. Those spared the plunder suit are: former AFP chief Efren Abu; current Bureau of Corrections director and retired Lt Gen Gaudencio Pangilinan; retired Maj Gen Epineto Logico; Capt Kenneth Paglinawan; Col Gilbert Gapay; Maj Emerson Angulo; Col. Robert Are-
valo; retired Maj Gen Ernesto Boac, who is now the Assistant Secretary for Comptrollership, Department of National Defense; and Commission on Audit auditors Arturo Besana, Crisanto Gabriel and Manuel Warren. In April 2011, whistle-blower ex-Army Lt Col George Rabusa filed a plunder complaint against all these officers and civilians over charges they pocketed military funds. The 87-page complaint, amended later to include more respondents, detailed the alleged conversion of some P1.5 billion in AFP funds into the generals’ pool of discretionary resources. Rabusa claimed the funds were unaudited. Before this, Rabusa appeared at a Senate hearing to expose the massive conversion in the military, or the practice of diverting funds into undbugeted programs. He accused former AFP and defense chief Angelo Reyes of using millions for his personal use. Days after Rabusa’s expose, Reyes shot himself to death in front of the grave of his mother in Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina. Rabusa and Reyes went a long way, from the time both were assigned to the office of the deputy chief of staff for intelligence, or J2, in the 1990s. Rabusa served for a long time as a budget officer first of the Army and then the entire AFP. n
REWARD FOR PALPARAN ARREST UP TO P1M JUSTICE Secretary Leila De Lima announced last Dec. 5 that the government was increasing the reward money for information that would lead to the arrest of retired Major General Jovito Palparan from P500,000 to P1million. “[DILG] Secretary Jess Robredo and I just agreed that we increase the informants’ reward money for any significant information that will lead to the arrest of retired Major General Jovito Palparan,” De Lima announced at a press conference. She said they have good leads for Palparan’s arrest but were increasing the reward money as a supplement. “We want this over and done with the soonest possible time because if this will take longer, chances of arresting him might get slimmer,” De Lima said. Palparan, together with Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario who is also at large and Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, is facing a case for kidnapping and serious illegal detention for the abduction of still missing UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. Earlier, Deputy Customs Commissioner Danilo Lim urged Palparan to surrender or “be hunted down like vermin.” Lim, a former Army officer who led several coups against the government, said Palparan should learn from the fate suffered by former Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi. “Despite calls for Gaddafi to surrender and despite a ‘people’s manhunt’ mounted against him, he refused to heed the call of justice. As a result, Gaddafi was hunted down like a rat when he was finally cornered in a sewer, pleading in vain for his life,” Lim said.
Where in the world is Palparan? “Does Palparan want to suffer the same fate as Gaddafi? He is surely courting it with his continued defiance of the law,” Lim said. “Face the music or be hunted down like a vermin,” Lim told Palparan. Palparan who went into hiding after a court ordered his arrest for his alleged involvement in the abduction of two University of the Philippines students in 2006. “History is not kind to people who were responsible for the death of many innocent lives. I hope Palparan has read enough history books to know the common fate suffered by dictators and butchers. I hope he surrenders soon or face the people’s wrath,” Lim said. Palparan had tried to leave the country late last year on a Singapore Airlines flight but was stopped by immigration personnel. n
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NEWSROUND-UP
SOLONS BARE CORONA’S REAL ESTATE ASSETS
FIRST, the House of Representatives prosecution panel in the impeachment case against Chief Justice Renato Corona released documents showing that Corona and his wife purchased in December 2009 a P14.51million, 303.5-sq-m unit with three parking slots at Megaworld Corp.’s The Bellagio in December 2009. Then a source in the House panel who did want to be identified said another condominium unit, this time at the plush Bonifacio Ridge in Taguig City, also belongs to the embattled justice. The two-bedroom unit has a floor area of 113.02 square meters, a parking slot, and is worth about P5-8 million. It is covered under Certificate of Title No. 5582. Bonifacio Global City is home to such upscale residential condominium buildings as Essensa, Serendra, Pacific Plaza Towers, Bonifacio Ridge, The Bellagio and Regent Parkway. The panel said there are four prime properties under the name of the Corona couple. They will form part of the evidence of graft and corruption at the
impeachment trial of Corona. The third property to be presented by the prosecution team is another condominium unit in Makati, and the fourth, recent acquisitions, are a house and lot in Quezon City, according to the source in the panel. The source described the four properties as “two big, one medium and one small” in terms of space, not necessarily in terms of the amount involved. Serafin Cuevas, Corona’s lead counsel, declined to comment on the latest allegation of graft against the Chief Justice. “We’re not yet in trial. They have yet to prove that Corona owns [those properties],” he said. In a related development, public satisfaction for Corona has dropped further and is now in negative territory, a new Social Weather Stations survey revealed. The survey, conducted last December 3-7, 2011, showed that net satisfaction for Corona has dipped from 0 in the past 2 quarterly surveys
SENATORS SCOLD HOUSE PANEL OVER EXPOSES
PATIENCE is running low among some members of the Senate impeachment court as prosecutors from the House of Representatives defy the rules by presenting before the media evidence against Chief Justice Renato Corona. Senator Gregorio Honasan warned that senators might impose disciplinary action if the prosecutors led by Representative Niel Tupas Jr. would not abide by the impeachment rule against disclosing in public “the merits of a pending impeachment trial.” “If some senator-judges lose their patience, the prosecution [could be disciplined],” he said. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III was similarly incensed, especially after the House prosecutors came out with a report on another condominium unit supposedly owned by Corona. This time, the story cited a source from the 11-member prosecuting panel. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile urged Tupas to study the rules of the impeachment court. “Does Tupas not understand he signed the impeachment complaint? Tupas should study the rules. He is a complainant! (House prosecutors) should study the process if they are gentleman lawyers!” said Enrile, who will sit as presiding officer of the impeachment court. Tupas earlier explained that he could not be accused of preempting the trial when he revealed Corona’s
ownership of the penthouse unit at The Bellagio’s Tower I since he had yet to enter his appearance as lead prosecutor in the impeachment. Enrile said it was “inevitable” that the senator-judges would raise whether sanctions would be imposed on Tupas and other House prosecutors involved in the news conference where the condo unit was revealed. “What will we do with that (premature disclosure)? We will discuss how to deal with (Tupas). He cannot say the impeachment court does not have jurisdiction on him since he has no entry of appearance,” the Senate President said. Responding to the senators’ admonition, the House prosecution panel decided to stop revealing more evidence of Corona’s alleged unexplained wealth. Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, the panel’s deputy spokesperson, said the panel did not want to antagonize the Senate. “I don’t think there will be anymore release officially of documents. We do not want to incur the ire not of the Senate but of some senators,” Angara said. “We will respect the Senate rules with respect to the parties who are barred from speaking on the merits of the impeachment case,” he added. Angara, however, said that the panel would continue to inform the public about the purpose and progress of the case. n
PALACE: ‘CORONA CAN’T AFFORD CONDOS’
Corona: Under the hot seat to -14 in the past month. The latest net satisfaction for Corona is only 4 percentage points higher than his previous all-time low of -18 in the June 2010 survey of SWS. Corona has received the lowest net satisfaction rating among chief justices since the SWS started doing surveys on government officials’ ratings in October 1986. He has yet to receive positive net satisfaction ratings since being appointed the country’s top magistrate in 2010. n
AQUINO PUSHES FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is pushing for the speedy passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill — legislation designed to lift the shroud of secrecy over government dealings and data. Aquino told administration officials to “push ahead” with the much-delayed FOI bill during at a recent meeting with some members of the Cabinet. The FOI bill pending in Congress will get a “new look” now that Malacañang has finally come out with its version of the measure. To be called the People’s Ownership of Government Information bill, Sen. Gregorio Honasan, chairman of the committee on public information and mass media, said: “What will now emerge from our committee is the ‘POGI’ bill.” “We are coining a new acronym in reference to one core component I would like to push,” he said. Honasan said the new name, which is Filipino slang for handsome, would promote the idea that in a democratic setting “all government information actually belongs to the people.” The new measure “reverses” the main requirement of the FOI bill which is that a private entity would have to show in court why he or she needs a particular piece of information from a government agency in the event that that agency denies their request, the senator said. Under the POGI bill, it is the government agency that should explain before the court why it did not release the information, Honasan said. n
MALACANANG stepped up the pressure on Chief Justice Renato Corona to disclose his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), claiming that Corona’s salary as a government official would not have been enough for him to pay for the purchase of a luxury condominium unit worth more than P14 million. By Budget Secretary Florencio Abad’s reckoning, if an official does not earn enough to buy a multimillion-peso property—plus a few others, as alleged by the House prosecution panel in Corona’s impeachment trial—then the properties may have been acquired through other means. “If it’s true that he owns not just the Bellagio penthouse but possibly other real properties in pricy locations and knowing that the income alone from government service will not afford the Chief Justice the ability to acquire those assets, a reasonable mind can only conclude that the Chief Justice may have other sources of income outside of government or that those properties may have been acquired some other way,” Abad said in a text message. “That is why it becomes even more compelling for the Chief Justice to publicly disclose his SALN. Otherwise, inquiring minds will begin to speculate,” he said. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said a government official’s salary would really not be enough to buy a premium piece of property unless he has received a sizeable inheritance or has returns on investments made before entering government. The Palace officials made the remarks after the publication of Corona’s SALNs from the years that he served in Malacañang, which placed his net worth at almost P15 million in 1992 and at P14 million in 2002. The Inquirer obtained the data from a source privy to the House prosecution panel’s evidence in Corona’s impeachment trial. Abad said he has yet to see Corona SALNs for 1992 and 2002 while Valte said the declarations should be in the records of the Office of the President. She said she would look into the records to see if the Palace had the same figures. Aquino administration officials and anti-Corona partisans have been harping on Corona’s failure to make public his SALN since joining the Supreme Court. Since the outcry for Corona to disclose his SALN, two Supreme Court justices have released details of their SALNs. Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Maria Lourdes Sereno furnished the Kaya Natin,
one of the groups demanding that Corona produce his SALNs to show proof that he can afford to buy a pricy condominium, summaries of their SALNs. House prosecutors are aiming to present Corona’s alleged ownership of expensive real estate as evidence of corruption in his impeachment trial to start a week from now in the Senate. According to Valte, it would not be possible to afford a P14-million luxury condominum unit—let alone a few other pieces of premium property—while living on a government salary for roughly 20 years. “Not unless it could be shown there was an inheritance while in service,” Valte told state-run radio dzRB. Valte also said having the means to buy a property like Corona’s alleged 300-square meter unit at the Bellagio development in Bonifacio Global City would depend on the pieces of property that he already owned upon entering government service. “If only on a government salary, it really wouldn’t be enough,” she said. A civic group has challenged Corona to produce his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) to show proof that he could afford to buy the pricey condominium that impeachment prosecutors claim he owned. “We’re disappointed primarily because this is an opportunity that we’re giving him to show to the public that ‘Hey, I’m not hiding anything from you. I’m willing to show everything I have, and I’m innocent of the charges by my detractors’,” said Kaya Natin lead convenor Harvey Keh. The disclosure of the SALNs by the high court justices is very important because this would “send a strong signal to the public that they have nothing to hide, and are willing to be held accountable as public officials,” Keh said. If the President down to the lowest government official is required to disclose their SALN, why can’t the justices? he said. n
SUDOKU ANSWER FROM PAGE 27
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