LA SOLIDARIDAD

Memories From the Past

2012-01-31T00:26:00.002+07:00

I was awaken by the sound of the engines of vehicles, glancing at the window, it is still dark. I know it is Saturday, January 28. My watch says 5:00 am. I tried to go back to sleep but could not. The Impeachment Court vs.Corona drama has the making of the Clash of the Titans in Philippine setting. I had been following the arguments of both sides and it seems familiar. It’s the clash between good and evil, between justice and injustice and the stake—the welfare of the people/nation vs. the welfare of the powerful rich few with its batteries of legal experts trying to make legal their arguments wearing the guise of legality, pleading for justice for the injustice committed on the people by the accused. . The last few days have somewhat stirred something in my mind. Yes, a déjà vu. I have been on a similar situation before but a personal experience on a lighter vein..

I remember my cousin, Kit, whose father is from Lemery, Batangas. We almost grew up together until his father was able to build a house in V. Mapa, Sta. Mesa. My pensioner lola was able to build up a house on the lot 300 meters from theirs. One afternoon in 1970, my grandma sent me on an errand to Mama Inday, my auntie, known in the neighborhood as Mestisa. Kit engaged me on a lively conversation. He was graduating in high school, he attended a seminar on the Law Aptitude Examination at UP and he has taken the UPCAT. He told me so many times that he would like to be a legend. At that time, at 17, standing 5’8” and still growing, a handsome mestizo, no doubt, he will be a legend.

After a few banterings and jokes, Kit started to present an argument. I forgot the topic but I remember he is defending something that appears to be right and proper based on his premise/s but I know that he is defending something wrong, logically seems right but morally, I have that instinct that it was wrong. I made my stand, he was not able to persuade me. There is a subtle fallacy in his argument bordering on the grey areas, cleverly construed and contrived, hindi halata. To the undiscerning, his argument is convincing and could pass muster. If it is wrong, it cannot be right. It was just a friendly argument, no shouting, no bullying. It dragged for almost 2 hours because he was persevering to the point of desperation but I stood my ground. Finally, he gave up, he cannot make progress, and I have to go home to Lola.

I forgot about it, then later on, I learned from Mama Inday that Kit took up Accountancy at BA UP. Then I realized that, perhaps by not able to persuade me, he thought, he will not be able to be a good lawyer. I really forgot the crux of the argument but I knew from the start of our tete-a-tete that a graduating high school student like Kit cannot concoct such a clever argument. It must have come from the LAE seminar as a test for prospective lawyers. I did not asked him, just an educated guess.

In the same vein, the Impeachment Court vs. Corona is analogous, the use of legalities and technicalities to aid the unjust, using the name of justice to abet and condone injustice. No wonder our country cannot be great because the leaders who should lead us to greatness are rapacious and would lead us to perdition for their own personal gains. That our justices would rather side with plunderers, scammers, and the wealthy rather than with masses who were the losers.

What would the outcome be? The outcome of this clash, would surely change the future of politics for the country. It is a good try, nevertheless, quien sabe?

‘If you can’t win a case, delay it’

2012-01-31T00:16:00.002+07:00

As I See It

‘If you can’t win a case, delay it’

By Neal H. Cruz

The impeachment trial is grinding too slowly because of legal technicalities that the defense keeps raising every inch of the way. The whole session last Tuesday was wasted on wranglings over legal technicalities such that not a shred of evidence was presented until the session was adjourned. The witnesses, including Commissioner Kim Henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, who were subpoenaed to testify, went home without being able to say a single word.

Lawyers have a saying: “If you can’t win a case, delay it.” I am not saying that Chief Justice Renato Corona’s defense team is doing just that, but if it is, it is certainly succeeding beautifully.

The defense team led by retired Supreme Court justice and law professor Serafin Cuevas, backstopped by a bevy of experienced trial lawyers, is taking advantage of the relative inexperience of the prosecution team composed of congressmen. The prosecutors are assisted by private lawyers, some of whom were students of Cuevas. But they are hampered by a ruling that only congressmen can be the main prosecutors and the private lawyers can only assist them.

Nevertheless, the prosecution was able to present the statements of assets, liabilities and networth (SALNs) of the Chief Justice and the titles to his and his family’s properties in Taguig, Quezon City and Marikina, despite vigorous attempts by the defense to block their presentation.

A comparison of the SALNs and the deeds of absolute sale readily shows that the values of theproperties listed in the SALNs are much lower than their acquisition costs. The implication is that Corona undervalued the properties in his SALNs to hide the fact that he could not afford them with his legitimate salaries in the government.

Commissioner Henares was subpoenaed to present the tax returns of Corona and family to determine if they, especially the Corona children, can afford to buy the real estate properties on theincome that they declared in their tax returns. The registers of deeds of other Metro Manila cities were subpoenaed to present more deeds of sale and transfer certificates of title. But as I said earlier, they were sent home because the impeachment court was adjourned before they could be called to testify.

Because of legal technicalities, too much time is wasted. The defense should be reminded that an impeachment court is not a criminal court that is ruled by the Rules of Court and the Rules of Evidence. The Senate has its own rules on impeachment trials and uses the Rules of Court and the Rules of Evidence only as supplements to its own rules. Therefore, these latter rules can be disregarded when they conflict with the Senate rules. Let us not forget that the purpose of an impeachment court is to find out the truth, not to show the public that the lawyers know the intricacies of legal proceedings.

That is the reason Senator-judge Franklin Drilon directed his controversial questions to the clerk ofcourt of the Supreme Court (if she had the SALNs with her; she answered in the affirmative). For that, the defense is now asking Drilon to inhibit himself from the trial. Why should he? A senator-judge is allowed to ask questions of witnesses just as judges of the regular trial courts and the justices of the appellate courts have the right to ask questions of witnesses. The reason is for them to determine the truth.

Another bone of contention is the amount of evidence necessary to convict. Is it preponderance of evidence or proof beyond reasonable doubt?

Cuevas says it should be guilt beyond reasonable doubt, which would make it very difficult to convict Corona. Presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile says since it is not a criminal trial, the evidence should be less than proof beyond reasonable doubt but a little more than preponderance of evidence.

The reason is that the guilty official will lose neither his freedom nor his property but only hisoffice. So a smaller amount of evidence is necessary to convict him. In the final analysis, the question that the senator-judges will have to answer is: Is Corona still fit to be the chief justice ofthe Supreme Court?

* * *

I received a rejoinder from SM Baguio on our Jan. 23 column about the impending massacre offully grown pine trees to give way to a parking lot or building. SM Baguio said the pine trees will not be cut but will be “balled” and transferred to another location.

In addition, SM said, instead of merely complying with the stipulation that 20 saplings be planted for every tree “balled,” “We decided to go beyond the requirement and have increased this to 50 saplings for every tree we will transfer.”

That is supposed to remove the opposition from environmentalists against removing their beloved pine trees.

I have a better suggestion: Why not hire an environmental architect who will incorporate the trees into his building plans? Imagine how much better the new SM mall would be if it has pine trees shooting up through the floors and roof. Then it can be the only mall in the Philippines where you can shop and dine under the pine trees, literally.

Modern architecture now incorporates nature into building plans. Remember Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous residence called “Falling Waters,” where he incorporated an existing waterfall into his residence? “Falling Waters” is now a classic in architecture being studied by students all over the world.

* * *

KAPIHAN NOTES: Guests for this morning’s Kapihan sa Manila at the Diamond Hotel are former President Joseph Estrada, Dean Amado Valdez of the UE College of Law, and the spokespersons of the prosecution and defense panels as well as of the impeachment court.

Sundry issues on impeachment

2012-01-31T00:06:00.001+07:00

Sounding Board

Sundry issues on impeachment

By Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas S.J.

When one examines the text of the Constitution on impeachment, one will find that it does not define the nature of impeachment and there is very little in it about the procedural aspects of impeachment. In the process of finding what rules to apply, both the House of Representatives and the Senate look largely toward practices in the past. But practices themselves do not yield a complete set of rules even if they might fill some gaps. For this reason, the current impeachment trial has been meeting some bumpy moments.

One key concept that can be a center of controversy is the matter of defining the nature of an impeachment trial. Is it administrative, civil or criminal? On the answer to this question will depend important matters of admissibility of evidence and the quantum of proof needed to convict. But there has been no clear and exclusive characterization of the proceeding. What is often said, almost in exasperation, is that it is sui generis, it has a character all its own. One might say that it has a character that partakes principally of both a civil or a criminal matter. On the basis of that vague characterization, the presiding officer of the impeachment court must determine which rules of procedure to follow. Thus, there can arise a conflict on whether the presiding officer is proceeding too strictly or too liberally. That is not easily resolved.

Last Tuesday, for instance, when a prosecutor asked Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to be more liberal, the latter found himself in a quandary and the prosecutor himself could not say what he meant. The prosecutor eventually retreated, saying that he placed matters at the discretion of the wisdom of the Senate president.

Another unclear matter is determining the quantum of proof that is needed to convict. In jurisprudence, there are three levels of proof—substantial evidence, preponderance of evidence and proof beyond reasonable doubt. Substantial evidence simply means evidence that a reasonable man can rely upon to make his decision. It calls for prudential judgment. Preponderance of evidence means a quantity and quality of evidence that is enough to outweigh the quantity and quality of the evidence for the other side even if neither side is persuasive. Proof beyond reasonable doubt is proof that convinces a judge or jury to exclude all other possibilities.

When in last Tuesday’s session, the presiding officer asked what quantum of evidence was needed to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona, the prosecution chose substantial evidence, the lightest of the proofs needed. The defense, for its part, chose proof beyond reasonable doubt. A senator-judge proposed instead proof somewhere in between preponderance of evidence and proof beyond reasonable doubt and called it overwhelming preponderance of evidence.

As can be seen, these are measures expressed not in exact mathematical or metaphysical terms. Overwhelming preponderance of evidence is also the term used by Charles L. Black Jr. in his “Impeachment Handbook.” But as Lawrence H. Tribe has noticed, “The Senate has not employed any uniform standard of proof, instead leaving each Senator to choose his or her standard.”

Last Tuesday the Senate decided to meet in caucus in the hope of deciding what quantum of proof to use. I believe, however, that whatever the caucus might decide will not make that much difference. When voting time comes, each senator will vote according to his or her lights.

Another issue is the matter of choosing the penalty to impose in case of conviction. The Constitution says “judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than the removal from office and disqualification from holding any other office under the Republic of the Philippines.” This would mean, for instance, that the Senate cannot impose the death penalty. But does the clause “shall not extend further than removal from office and disqualification from holding any other office” also mean that a less severe penalty than removal or disqualification may be imposed—such as censure?

The phrase “shall not extend further,” taken literally, can also mean that. However, conceivably the choice of penalties listed in the Constitution is of those which can protect the public from an officer who does not deserve to hold office or who can be a risk to the welfare of the nation. Is “censure” that kind of penalty?

The offenses for which an officer may be convicted on impeachment are “culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust.” The word “other” modifying “high crimes” indicates that every offense in the list must be a “high crime.” This meaning is dictated by the principle of legal construction that the word “other” makes the meaning of all those enumerated of the same level of gravity. In legal gobbledygook this is the eiusdem generis rule. It would seem to me, therefore, that if the offense proved is only worthy of censure, it would mean that the offense proved is not of the same gravity as the offenses enumerated by the Constitution and that, therefore, the accused, although shamed, must be acquitted.

Apply the same formula

2012-01-30T22:15:00.000+07:00

Counterpoint

Apply the same formula

By Alvin Capino

We wonder how many people will continue to condemn the controversial Political Affairs Adviser Secretary Ronald Llamas if we apply the biblical edict that he who has no fault should cast the first stone.

Llamas is once again media fodder after a newspaper report came out that he was caught on a cell phone camera buying pirated DVDs on a Quezon City mall.

The problem of condemning Llamas is that themajority of Filipinos, wrong as it may be because ofthe intellectual property rights issues, are patrons ofpirated DVDs and looking for somebody who will castthe first stone might be a very difficult task.

The problem with buying only original DVDs ofmovies or television series is, first, the cost. A pirated DVD sells only for P40 to P30 compared to the cost oforiginals which sells for 10 times more.

Another problem is availability. New and classic movies which are readily available from your friendly neighborhood DVD seller, an industry that is curiously dominated by our brother Muslims from Mindanao, are simply not available in stores selling original DVDs.

One lawyer friend has adopted a personal policy that takes into consideration the problem of the local entertainment industry. He makes it a point not to buy pirated DVDs of local movies. He buys only pirated DVDs of foreign films and TV shows.

He explains that the local movie industry should be supported and one way to do this is not to buy pirated DVDs of Philippine movies. On the other hand the impact of pirated DVDs on Hollywood films is just a drop in the bucket of what they’ve already earned and he does not mind buying a pirated DVD especially when the titles are not available in stores selling originals.

But going back to Llamas, there are some people who because of that incident where he was seen buying pirated DVDs want him to resign his Cabinet post or if he refuses for President Aquino to fire him.

This is making a mountain out of a molehill. Llamas might be guilty of some indiscretion but it should also be clear that in buying pirated DVDs just like millions of Filipinos do every day he did not commit a crime or anything illegal under our laws.

Lawyer Coco Padilla, chief of the legal division of theOptical Media Board, the government agency with jurisdiction over the issue of pirated DVDs, in a media interview said that individuals who purchase copies ofpirated DVDs for their personal use have no legal liabilities.

He said there is no provision in Republic Act 9239 orthe Optical Media Act of 2003 penalizing buyers ofpirated DVDs.

His boss, OMB chief Ronnie Ricketts have explained that only those who buy five or more copies of one DVD title are liable under the law because in such a case the presumption is that the person is engaged in selling pirated DVDs.

It is unfortunate that Llamas who plays a major role in many issues involving the Aquino administration including the Corona impeachment, the peace process, the West Philippine Sea, disaster response, peace and order among others would be involved in a minor controversy like this pirated DVD issue.

It would seem that he enjoys the full trust and confidence of the President who apparently finds hisadvice and support for the administration’s various political initiatives very useful.

President Aquino’s critics would be happy to see Llamas go but apparently the President is not about to do that on a minor issue.

What Llamas can do right now is to acknowledge his lapse of judgment and for him to issue an apology. He is seen as one of the more effective officials in government right now and he should not hope the Aquino administration critics would stop asking for his resignation even after he does this. Even without this issue, they want him out of the administration.

***

Malacañang should respond to the mounting challenge that the President’s critics are making for the application of the same standards that his allies are using against Chief Justice Renato Corona. Corona’s impeachment, the critics believe, was instigated andis being pushed by no less than the President himself.

The Corona impeachment prosecutors have gone to town after President Aquino himself authorized the release to the impeachment court of the Income Tax Return of Corona and his wife Cristina to advance their mathematical formula that the Statement ofAssets, Liabilities and Net Worth minus ITR equals graft.

Some people are saying that in the interest of transparency and the “tuwid na daan” principle being advocated by the President, the same formula should be applied to Mr. Aquino who might have even more explaining to do than Corona.

The impeachment prosecutors have been making a big deal about the hefty increase in the net worth of, Corona which, based on his SALN, was only P14.96 million in 2002 when he was appointed as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court but has ballooned to P22.938 million in 2010 after he was appointed Chief Justice.

The prosecutors say that Corona’s increase in net worth cannot be justified by the gross income he has received based on his ITR and they concluded that thediscrepancy shows that he has illegally acquired millions of pesos worth of property.

Corona spokesmen said that the formula being bandied by the prosecutors is simplistic and wrong since the ITR only shows proof of income and not other financial resources.

President Aquino, based on his SALN, has an even more dramatic increase in his net worth. So that thepublic will not be misled into making wrong conclusions, his spokesmen should explain how thishas come about.

The records show that Mr. Aquino declared a net worth of P8.7 million in 1998 when he was a memberof the House of Representatives but his net worth has ballooned to P55 million in 2010 when he became President of the Philippines.

In fact in just one year’s time his net worth more than trebled. In 2009 his net worth was P15.4 million but in 2010 it has increased to P55 million.

We’re sure there is a valid and reasonable explanation for the increase in assets of the President. Some people are saying that it is because of the inheritance he got from the late President Cory Aquino as well as his divestment of his shares from Hacienda Luisita. Others say that the increase is partly because of unspent contributions.

Malacañang can clear up things by coming up with a detailed explanation of the reasons for the President’s net worth increase based on his SALN in the same way that Corona is being asked to justify his increased net worth.

Of course Malacañang should also come up with the details of the ITR of the President and explain the difference between the net worth in his SALN and the income he declared in his ITR.

We’re sure that again the explanation that isforthcoming would be valid and acceptable and would show that the ITR would only reflect income but notthe President’s other resources that would explain the difference.

GMA’s other ‘crime’

2012-01-30T19:56:00.003+07:00

Introspective

By Calixto V. Chikiamco

Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo stands accused of many crimes: electoral sabotage, masterminding the anomalous ZTE deal, complicity either with her husband or cronies in sweetheart deals or behest loans, and many others. She is said to have corrupted institutions, from the Catholic Church hierarchy (SUVishops), the Comelec (“Hello, Garci!), to the police (PNP chopper deal), the military (pabaon and pasalubong), and the judiciary (Corona, et. al).

However, she’s also guilty of one other crime: talking up the peso during her term. To score political points, she, who should have known better, having a doctorate in economics from the University of the Philippines, kept equating a strong peso with a strong economy. Not surprisingly, the peso was “overvalued” during her term, from January 2006 onwards, according to calculations on the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) by Dr. Vic Abola of the University of Asia and the Pacific, using 1980 as a base year. Not only did GMA talk up the peso, but her administration kept borrowing in dollars and keeping the peso strong even though peso funds were plentiful.

Why does praising the strong peso and “over-valuation” matter? Because it has strongly contributed to the weakness of the investment climate, the loss of manufacturing jobs, and the widening and persistence of poverty during her term. It’s also not true, contrary to her inflated claims, that she was responsible for the country’s above-average growth. Growth was consumption-driven, for Christ’s sake, and was madeon the backs of the sacrifices of our OFWs, and not because of, but despite, her policies. (And if we believe a former NEDA secretary, a statistical undercounting of imports could have artificially inflated GDP growth measurement.)

The fact is over-valuation is bad for growth, according to Dr. Raul Fabella, the only living national scientist in economic science and former dean of the UP School of Economics. Prior to 2007, the economic literature showed: 1) over-valuation is bad for economic growth using cross-country regressions, 2) exchange rate volatility is bad for growth, and 3) over-valuation is linked to macroeconomic instability and balance of payments crises.

According to Fabella, Harvard University economist Dani Rodrik went further in 2007 and 2008 and showed that undervaluation of the currency is good for growth, although the relationship between undervaluation and growth holds true only for poor countries. Rodrik argued for intervention because market distortions and institutional weakness harm tradables more than non-tradables, thus leading to less investment going to tradables than it should -- a market failure that can only be corrected through intervention.

We don’t have to delve deeply into the academic literature to know that undervaluation is good for growth. We just have to look at the experiences of China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, which all made strategic use of undervaluation to boost their respective economies. China brushed away criticisms from Western economists, used competitive devaluation at least twice and has deliberately controlled its undervalued currency to boost and sustain its growth engine.

If I may say so, a competitive exchange rate policy for the PNoy administration would even be better than just government infrastructure spending in stimulating the economy. The benefits of a competitive exchange rate policy would be across the board, not just in a specific sector. A competitive exchange rate policy would boost exports, protect local industries, boost agriculture, promote manufacturing and employment, and increase the spending power of OFWs, which will then go to education, real estate, and consumption goods.

The concern about intervening to undervalue the currency is misplaced. According to Dr. Vic Abola, there’s no evidence that money created through exchange rate intervention (creating pesos by buying dollars) boosts inflation. Furthermore, he said that money supply growth (M2) grew by 7.1% average per annum from 2000 to 2010, while M2 in other countries like China, Malaysia, and South Korea has grown by 15% or more without much inflation impact. There’s room for exchange rate intervention without sterilization, according to Abola.

Besides, according to Dr. Fabella, monetary policy should target variables other than inflation. He said that strict inflation targeting cannot target composition of output and could itself be problematic, especially when myopic and exclusive. The asset bubbles that led to the Great Recession resulted from a myopic fixation on price inflation alone, said Fabella.

The fact is that variables such as the weakness of manufacturing output, poor investment climate (why invest when importing is cheaper), high unemployment rate, and anemic export growth should be considered in setting monetary and exchange rate policy.

If PNoy wants to be the unArroyo, he would be well served to abandon the strong peso policy of his nefarious predecessor. A competitive exchange rate policy is the single most powerful stimulant to the economy. I have said this before and I will say this again: Archimedes said, “Give me a lever long enough and I will move the world.” For the Philippine economy at this time, that lever is a competitive exchange rate.

(Calixto V. Chikiamco is a Board Member of the Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis. For comments and inquiries, please email us atidea.introspective@gmail.com.)

Hunger continues to rise

2012-01-30T19:50:00.002+07:00

THE POOR may have become fewer but more of them went hungry, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in a new report that government officials admitted showed the need for increased intervention.

After recently reporting that self-rated poverty had plunged to 45% from 52% based on a Dec. 3-7 nationwide poll, the SWS said the same survey found 22.5% of the respondents claiming to have experienced having nothing to eat, up slightly from September’s 21.5%.

The one-point gain, it said, raised the number of families that experienced involuntary hunger to an estimated 4.5 million, from 4.1 million three months earlier.

Specifically, a 1.2-point rise in severe hunger -- experiencing it “often” or “always” -- to 4.7% (955,000 families), offset moderate hunger’s -- having nothing to eat “only once” or “a few times” -- 0.3-point fall to 17.7% (3.57 million families).

A Malacañang official said the higher hunger figure, while derived from “impressionistic, anecdotal evidence,” was a concern. Programs, the Socioeconomic planning chief said, are being fine-tuned.

Hunger among self-rated poor families, the SWS said, increased to 33.6% from 27.9%. Among households rating themselves as food-poor (down to 36% from 41%), hunger also rose to 38.1% from 31.1%.

Severe hunger among poor families was higher at 8% from 5.5% in September, and also rose to 9.1% from 6.9% among the food-poor. Moderate hunger, meanwhile, hit 25.6% from 22.4% previously among the poor, and gained to 29% from 24.2% among the food-poor.

“Some hunger also exists among families calling themselves Non-Poor or Borderline,” the SWS said, “but the proportion is much less than among those calling themselves poor.”

By region, overall hunger fell in Balance Luzon and in Metro Manila, but increased in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The Balance Luzon drop was 5.3 points to 23% from the record-high 28.3% hit in September, and was a lower single percentage point in Metro Manila to 22.0% from 23.0%. In the Visayas, it rose by 9.7 points to 25.0%, and by 6.7 points in Mindanao to 19.7%.

Moderate hunger fell by 7.3 points in Balance Luzon to 17%, was barely changed in Metro Manila at 17%, but increased by nine and five points, respectively, in the Visayas to 22% and in Mindanao to 16%.

The new moderate hunger rates are higher than their 13-year averages for all areas, the SWS said.

Severe hunger, meanwhile, rose in all areas except in Metro Manila, where it fell by 1.3 points to 5%.

It rose two points in Balance Luzon to 6%, just short of the record high. It also gained by 1.7 points in Mindanao to 3.7% and by almost a point in the Visayas to 3%.

The latest severe hunger rates were again higher than their 13-year averages in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon but were lower in the Visayas and in Mindanao, the SWS said.

Asked to comment on the report, Sec. Herminio B. Coloma, Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office said, “We are concerned about those figures. Hunger is an aspect of poverty and we would like to address it with equal effectiveness...”

“We would like to understand better the results. As these figures have been derived from impressionistic, anecdotal evidence, government should do more detailed hunger incidence studies,” he added.

Mr. Coloma claimed the government continued to place poverty reduction on top of its social welfareand development agenda.

“We are targeting to increase the CCT (conditional cash transfer) beneficiary base to three million families this year. Hopefully hunger incidence may be reduced, too, as government pursues various social development programs,” he said.

Mr. Coloma said tropical storm Sendong (international name Washi), which devastated parts of Mindanao, could have contributed to the hunger woes.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr., meanwhile, said President Benigno S.C. Aquino III had already instructed the human development and poverty reduction cluster to look into the situation.

“We are checking what policies can be done to address the hunger issue. In our initial findings, we found that if you improve employment generation then you can effectively address hunger -- so we are actively promoting tourism and agro-industrial processing, and we are looking for more industries for high labor content,” Mr. Paderanga said.

The SWS’ December poll utilized face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide. The sampling error margins used were ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages.

Fraud, tax experts to face off in impeachment trial

2012-01-30T14:27:00.000+07:00

By Christina Mendez

The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines – As the impeachment trial enters its third week today, the prosecution will present a certified fraud examiner (CFE) in its list of witnesses to bolster further their allegations in Article 2 of the Articles of Impeachment against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The defense would also present an expert witness in a bid to weaken the prosecution’s case against the chief magistrate in Article 2 on Corona’s alleged non-disclosure of assets and failure to include properties.

Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, a spokesman for the prosecution, said the CFE will render expert opinion on the true or correct net worth of Corona and his incapacity to acquire the properties registered under his name and that of his wife and children based on his declared income.

Quimbo, however, refused to elaborate further on the CFE’s testimony so as not to preempt the strategy of the prosecution panel.

He said the House prosecution is ready to wind up its offer of documents and witnesses on Article 2 of the impeachment complaint.

“We hope to wrap up Article 2 this Wednesday or Thursday so we can go to Article 1,” Quimbo said.

Under Article 1 of the impeachment complaint, Corona is accused of betrayal of public trust due to his “partiality and subservience in cases involving the Arroyo administration from the time of his appointment as Supreme Court justice until his dubious appointment as midnight chief justice to the present.”

Apart from Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, the prosecution has lined up this week the representatives from the National Statistics Office; director of the corporate registration and monitoring department of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Housing officials, and representatives of real property developers where the Corona couple bought their alleged properties.

The prosecution mentioned about the CFE in their list submitted to the Senate body last Friday.

“This list presumes that the defense will not be willing to stipulate on the documents subject matter of the witnesses’ testimonies,” the prosecution said in their compliance memorandum.

The defense, on the other hand, said they would present an expert witness in a bid to weaken the prosecution’s case dealing on Corona’s alleged non-disclosure of assets and failure to include properties.

Former justice undersecretary Ramon Esguerra said the defense is also lining up experts from the Bureau Internal Revenue (BIR) and possibly from a tax auditing firm to “walk the Senate through the statements of assets, liabilities, and networth (SALNs) and financial capacities” of Corona.

“(The witness has knowledge) in auditing, taxation, all told in one to amplify, qualify (their defense in Article 2),” Esguerra said.

Apart from the tax/auditing expert, Esguerra said the resident auditor and finance management officer of the Supreme Court would be recalled to the witness stand in relation to Article 8 on the issue of the use of judiciary funds.

The defense is submitting today their own list of witnesses and documentary evidence to match the prosecution’s. Esguerra said about 15 witnesses will be presented by the defense.

Moving to Article 3

The House prosecution led by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., said they would also prove Corona and his wife Cristina accepted special privileges from the management of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) while cases involving the country’s flag carrier are still pending with the Supreme Court (SC).

Tupas said they would present witnesses and documentary evidence, particularly the travel records of the Corona couple, to prove one of their allegations in Article 3 of the impeachment case.

Article 2 of the impeachment complaint accuses Corona of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for his “failure to meet and observe the stringent standards of the Constitution that a member of the judiciary must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence in allowing the Supreme Court to act on mere letters filed by a counsel which caused the issuance of flip-flopping decisions in final and executory cases,” among others.

House prosecutors cited a recent resolution of the Supreme Court recalling its earlier final decision on the illegal retrenchment case filed by the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) against PAL by acting on a mere letter from the air carrier’s lawyer Estelito Mendoza.

The prosecution said they would present five witnesses in connection with the PAL case, which include representatives from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), PAL, Supreme Court, Prestige Travel Agency, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The House prosecutors issued a statement saying the BI representative will produce and testify on the travel records of the Corona couple.

The PAL representative, they said, will testify on the travel dates of the Coronas via PAL and the corresponding seats occupied.

They will also call to the witness stand an employee of the Supreme Court who handles the official travels of the magistrates to testify on the chief justice’s trips via PAL and the type of airline tickets he purchased.

Prosecutors noted that the Supreme Court often tapped the services of Prestige Travel Agency, which according to SEC records, is owned by the family of PAL legal counsel Mendoza.

Among the witnesses that the prosecution lined up for Article 3 are lawyer Gorgonio Elarmo Jr., Michelle Mangubat, and Corazon Ferrer-Flores.

Elarmo will identify and authenticate the original and certified true copy of the Authorization Letter dated Nov. 23, 2010 authorizing Mangubat to hold a cash advance in the amount of P100,000 to be used to purchase Christmas gifts of the Chief Justice and all other requests, authorizations, approvals and such other documents pertaining to cash advances given to Corona.

Mangubat, as Special Disbursing Officer and/or the SC Resident COA Auditor, will testify on the official receipts/disbursement vouchers of meals, gifts, personal expenses of Corona charged to the Supreme Court.

Flores will identify and authenticate the memorandum regarding gasoline allowances of the Chief Justice.

The prosecution panel would also present as witness the authorized officer of EDSA Shangri-La Plaza that will identify and authenticate the receipts on the purchase purported authorized by Corona regarding several wedding gifts.

The owner/manager or the authorized representative of Design Exchange Inc. will authenticate the sales invoices of the purchase made by Mrs. Corona amounting to P20,400 and P25,000 on June 10, 2010 and June 29, 2010, respectively.

The Corporate Secretary or Assistant Corporate Secretary of John Hay Management Corp. will provide a short corporate background of JHMC and the election of Mrs. Corona as president and chair of JHMC.

He or she is expected to produce the subpoenaed documents such as the Minutes of the Board Meeting held on April 3, 2007 during which Mrs. Corona was elected chair and president, and the letters of then Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to BCDA chair Aloysius Santos with the desire letters from then President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo.

Lyssa GS Pagano Calde, former vice president and COO of JHMC will testify to prove the alleged abuses of Mrs. Corona and her dismal performance at JHMC.

Retired Court of Appeals justice Teodoro Regino will testify to prove that the Board of Directors withdrew the election of Mrs. Corona as chairman and president and declared the positions vacant due to irregularities/anomalies committed by her. He will further testify and prove that Arroyo had ordered all members of the Board to submit instead their resignations and he will testify regarding his letter of resignation dated June 20, 2007.

Commission on Audit (COA) Director Ma. Cristina Dizon-Dimagiba will testify to show the questionable/irregular expenditures incurred by Mrs. Corona for the year ending 2007 and to prove that she was “untouchable.”

COA Director Rosemarie Lacson-Lerio will testify to show the questionable/irregular expenditures incurred by Mrs. Corona continued for the years 2008 and 2009 proving further that the wife of the chief magistrate was truly untouchable.

COA supervising auditor Arlyn Encarnacion will testify to show that, after Mrs. Corona resigned on July 10, 2012, and a new President took over, the questionable/irregular expenditures heretofore committed by Mrs. Corona had stopped.

The secretary of Judicial Bar and Council will testify to prove that during the interview of Corona by the JBC on April 21, 2010, relative to his application for Chief Justice, Mrs. Corona’s employment was questioned. He/she will also testify on the other objections submitted against the nomination/appointment of respondent as Associate Justice and Chief Justice.

Frank Daytec who filed a criminal case against Mrs. Corona will testify to prove that she was complicit in the misuse of funds of the JHMC.

Lauro Vizconde will testify to prove Corona met him with anti-crime crusader Dante Jimenez sometime in September 2010. It was during that meeting that Corona supposedly divulged some information regarding his pending case against the accused in the killing of his family.

Jimenez, on the other hand, will corroborate Vizconde’s allegations that Corona met them sometime in September 2010.

Professor Rosario Maria Juan-Bautista will testify on what are the nature, scope and rationale behind the constitutional provision, code of judicial conduct, and code of judicial ethics, which mandate that justices and judges of courts must be of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence.

She will also testify on what are considered violations of the Constitution, code of judicial conduct, and code of judicial ethics.

Roberto Anduiza, president of the Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (FASAP) will testify on the status of their case, and the two SC decisions that were in their favor. He will also testify on the circumstances concerning the recall of the SC decision.

SC administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez will testify regarding his statements before the media on the recall of the FASAP decision as well as the source/s of his information on the reasons for the recall of the ruling.

Enriquetta Esguerra-Vidal, SC Clerk of Court, will testify on the circumstances of the transfer of the FASAP case from one division to another. Vidal will also identify the Memorandum dated Sept. 26, 2011, prepared by her office, through deputy Clerk of Court Felipa Anama, explaining the transfer of the case from one division to another.

Anama, on the other hand, would corroborate Vidal’s testimony.

The magistrates present on Oct. 4, 2011 during the SC session that decided to recall the FASAP ruling, will testify on the circumstances of the transfer of the FASAP case from one division to another.

Another front

The 188 lawmakers who signed the Articles of Impeachment against Corona yesterday vowed to continue their fight and file another impeachment complaint in the event the chief magistrate is acquitted on a technicality.

The members of the so-called “Movement 188” also bared plans to mobilize their constituents to campaign for the relaxation of the rules of the Senate impeachment court and allow prosecutors “flexibility” and presenting evidence and witnesses.

They said “nothing would prevent legislators or ordinary taxpayers from initiating another impeachment case against Corona at the end of the one-year ban.”

Under the Constitution, only one impeachment proceeding can be initiated each year against impeachable public officials like the chief justice.

“The first order of business of Movement 188 in its nationwide information campaign is to explain to the public the need for flexibility in Senate court rules to enable the prosecution to present evidence on the Chief Justice’s crimes-as spelled out in the eight Articles of Impeachment-that warrant his immediate eviction from the Supreme Court,” the group said in a statement.

The lawmakers noted the concern made by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano during the trial that because the principle of “double jeopardy” does not apply in an impeachment trial, a second impeachment case can be filed against Corona a year from now, even on the same charges enumerated in the eight Articles of Impeachment.

This is in case Corona is acquitted on a mere technicality because vital evidence was not admitted in the Senate court, they said.

The group also said the prosecution panel was only taking its cue from no other than Corona, who wrote the Supreme Court’s 2003 decision on the state’s seizure of the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses stashed in Swiss banks.

“Corona’s hotshot lawyers have been hiding behind the veil of due process and the constitutional right of the accused to be informed of the specific charges against him-via the strict enforcement of court rules on evidence,” it said, “in a desperate bid to hold back the presentation of evidence pinning down the Chief Justice on the prosecution’s charges of ill-gotten wealth and other crimes that make him unfit to remain at the helm of the Supreme Court.” -With Paolo Romero

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=772586&publicationSubCategoryId=63

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Prosecutors to prove Coronas special privileges from PAL

By Ryan Ponce Pacpaco

Journal Online

THE House prosecution panel will prove that impeached Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona and his wife allegedly accepted special privileges from the management of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) while cases involving the country’s flag carrier are still pending with the Higher Court.

The panel, led by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., said it will present witnesses and documentary evidence, particularly the travel records of the Corona couple, to prove one of their allegations in Article III of the impeachment case filed against the chief magistrate.

Article III accuses Corona of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for his “failure to meet and observe the stringent standards of the Constitution that a member of the judiciary must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence in allowing the Supreme Court to act on mere letters filed by a counsel which caused the issuance of flip-flopping decisions in final and executory cases,” among others.

House prosecutors cited a recent resolution of the SC recalling its earlier final decision on the illegal retrenchment case filed by the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) against PAL by acting on a mere letter from the air carrier’s lawyer Estelito Mendoza.

They said it will present five witnesses in connection with the PAL case, which include representatives from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), PAL, Supreme Court, Prestige Travel Agency, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Prosecutors said the BI representative will produce and testify on the travel records of Corona and wife, Cristina, “to show that he accepted special privileges from PAL management while PAL cases are pending before the Supreme Court.”

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/national/22836-prosecutors-to-prove-coronas-special-privileges-from-pal

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House prosecution to examine Corona’s travel records

By Lilybeth G. Ison

Zambo Times

MANILA — The House of Representatives’ prosecution panel on Sunday said it will present in next week’s impeachment trial at the Senate witnesses and documentary evidence, particularly the travel records of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona and wife Cristina, to prove one of their allegations in Article 3 of the impeachment case filed against the chief magistrate.

Prosecution said they will prove that the Corona couple “accepted special privileges” from the management of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) while cases involving the country’s flag carrier are still pending with the Supreme Court.

Article 3 of the Impeachment accuses the chief justice of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for his alleged “failure to meet and observe the stringent standards of the Constitution that a member of the Judiciary must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence in allowing the Supreme Court to act on mere letters filed by a counsel which caused the issuance of flip-flopping decisions in final and executory cases,” among others.

Congressmen-prosecutors cited a recent resolution of the High Tribunal recalling its earlier final decision on the illegal retrenchment case filed by the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) against PAL allegedly “by acting on a mere letter from the air carrier’s lawyer Estelito Mendoza.”

House prosecutors said they will present five witnesses in connection with the PAL case, which include representatives from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), PAL, Supreme Court, Prestige Travel Agency, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

They said the BI representative will produce and testify on the travel records of Corona and his wife “to show that he accepted special privileges from PAL management while PAL cases are pending before the Supreme Court.”

The PAL representative, they said, will testify on the travel dates of the Corona couple via PAL and the corresponding seats occupied.

The prosecution will also call to the witness stand an employee of the Supreme Court who handles the official travels of the magistrates to testify on the chief justice’s trips via PAL and the type of airline tickets he purchased.

They noted that the Supreme Court often tapped the services of Prestige Travel Agency, which, according to SEC records, is owned by the family of lawyer Estelito Mendoza.

The House prosecution panel earlier said it will present over a hundred more witnesses against the chief justice in his ongoing impeachment trial in the Senate.

In its compliance with the Jan. 24 order of the Senate impeachment court, the prosecution submitted last Friday a list of witnesses and documentary evidence to be presented in the course of the trial.

The list includes Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Lauro Vizconde, members of the media, magistrates and other officers of the Supreme Court, Commission on Audit (CoA) officials, a representative of the World Bank, and doctors of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The prosecution said these witnesses will be presented to prove each and every article of impeachment filed against the chief magistrate.

Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III said the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of the chief justice and his wife, compared with the identified Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) documents, which were presented to the Senate impeachment court last week, clearly showed that the fair market value of land and condominiums the couple bought were declared “far below their acquisition cost.”

Tanada, one of the spokesmen of the prosecution panel, said there were also properties worth millions which were never declared in the SALN of Corona and his wife until more than three years after.

“With all the evidence together, the prosecution has already made great strides in tackling Article 2 of the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Corona,” he said. (PNA)

DCT/LGI/jsd

http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/42537-House-prosecution-to-examine-Corona146;s-travel-records.html

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SALN ‘expert’ to testify for Corona — lawyers

Source: GMA News

The counsel of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona is planning to present as witness an “expert” to testify that the chief magistrate did not violate the Constitution and pertinent laws in the submission of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

“We will present an expert who can tell the Senate that CJ Corona did not violate the Constitution and pertinent laws on SALN, and that his assets listed came from sources that are legitimate and that the values he used have legal basis,” said Atty. Ramon Esguerra, one of the spokespersons of the defense counsel, Sunday.

Esguerra, however, refused to identify the so-called expert, only saying that the witness would disprove the claims of the House prosecutors that Corona obtained properties and assets beyond his means. He also said the witness is not an employee of the Supreme Court, but an independent resource person with a reputation and credibility to protect.

Corona’s counsel met Sunday afternoon to finalize the list of witnesses that they would submit when the trial in the Senate, which is sitting as the impeachment court, resumes on Monday afternoon.

Second appearance

The defense panel said it intends to recall as its own witness SC clerk of court Atty. Enriqueta Vidal, who had earlier been called to the witness stand by the prosecution.

Esguerra said Vidal’s testimony as defense witness will be relative to the submission of Corona’s SALN, as well as on the issue of disclosure to the public of the SALN of justices and judges.

He noted that when the prosecution called Vidal as its witness, it did not delve much on the resolutions and guidelines prescribed by the Supreme Court in the submission of the justices’ SALN. He alleged that this was to mislead the public into believing that there was intent on the part of the high court to hide Corona’s true income and assets.

In her first appearance before the Senate impeachment court, Vidal initially refused to release Corona’s SALN, saying she is bound by the high court’s rules on the disclosure of SALNs. She was, however, compelled to release Corona’s SALNs fromn 2002 to 2011 upon questioning by Sen. Franklin Drilon.

Substance, not numbers

Meanwhile, the defense said their list of witnesses will be “lean” compared to the 93 the House prosecutors are planning to present, but Esguerra said they are not bothered.

“Number alone does not amount to substance,” he said. “Again, sheer number of witnesses is unassuring of conviction. We cannot equate a hundred and even truthful witnesses to relevance, materiality, connection or admissibility.”

For his part, Atty. Tranquil Salvador III said the list of witnesses for the defense may be lean, but their testimonies will be substantial on the case.

“We are to decide based on importance, relevancy and quality of witnesses to be presented, meaning, they should only testify on matters which have a direct relation to the fact in issue. We do not want to overburden the impeachment court with unnecessary witnesses who will only prolong the trial,” he said.

Mediamen as witnesses?

Defense lawyers, however, objected to the prosecution’s plan to subpoena some members of the media to testify during the impeachment trial.

“Media has not always been for us but we are fine with that and we learn as we go along on how best we can bring our messages to the people so they can understand the Chief Justice. The media has a role to play in a democracy, no matter how the Defense feels about it and even if the Defense has been in the short end of it in getting favorable coverage. But we take exception to the proposed plan of the Prosecution,” said Atty. Rico Quicho, another spokesman of the defense panel. — KBK, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/246160/news/nation/saln-expert-to-testify-for-corona-mdash-lawyers?ref=secitem

Unexplained or ill-gotten wealth?

2012-01-30T14:24:00.000+07:00

By Ellen Tordesillas

Malaya

‘“What is the difference between “unexplained wealth” and “ill-gotten wealth”? A lot, if you read RA 3019 and RA 7080.’

THE prosecution’s clumsy preparation of the Articles of Impeachment against Chief Justice Renato Corona has caught up with them.

Last Wednesday, the impeachment court trying Chief Justice Renato Corona decided to reject the prosecution’s request to present evidence in relation to the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, acting as the impeachment court’s presiding officer, said: “This impeachment court has arrived at a decision in that caucus that this court will allow the introduction of evidence and impeachment on article 2 paragraph 2.2 and 2.3 but not the introduction of evidence of paragraph 2.4. And so parties must be guided accordingly,” Enrile said.

Paragraph 2.4 states: “Respondent is likewise suspected and accused of having accumulated ill-gotten wealth, acquiring assets of high values and keeping bank accounts with huge deposits.”

Article of Impeachment No. 2 deals with Corona’s non-disclosure of his statement of assets liabilities and net worth.

The impeachment court allowed the presentation of evidence related to paragraph 2.2 of Article 2, dealing with Corona’s failure to publicly disclose his SALN, and paragraph 2.3, regarding the allegation he did not declare a number of his alleged properties in his SALN.

Senator Francis Escudero has pointed out what was wrong with the jumbled issues raised by Article 2.

The prosecution, as expected, was dismayed. That means that all the evidence they claim to have gathered to prove that Corona has ill-gotten wealth would just be presented in press conferences, as they have been doing the past week.

Prosecution panel spokesman Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo said based on what they have presented in the impeachment court, Corona has amassed wealth of at least P10 million which reported income from 2006 to 2010 could not support.

“There is a variance of P10 million. This means that there is an unexplained increase in Corona’s wealth based on what he reported in his SALN, which is also not supported by his salary and that of his wife,” he said in a press conference.

Wait a minute. Quimbo used the world “unexplained”. Have they abandoned “ill-gotten”?

SaxnViolins, who has patiently illuminated visitors in my blog on the legal intricacies in the impeachment trial has this to say:

“What a difference a phrase makes.”

“What is the difference between “unexplained wealth” and “ill-gotten wealth”? A lot, if you read RA 3019 and RA 7080.

“RA 3019 is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act while RA 7080 is An Act Defining and Penalizing Plunder.

“Unexplained wealth is defined as:

Section 8. Dismissal due to unexplained wealth. If in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act Numbered One thousand three hundred seventy-nine, a public official has been found to have acquired during his incumbency, whether in his name or in the name of other persons, an amount of property and/or money manifestly out of proportion to his salary and to his other lawful income, that fact shall be a ground for dismissal or removal. Properties in the name of the spouse and unmarried children of such public official may be taken into consideration, when their acquisition through legitimate means cannot be satisfactorily shown. Bank deposits shall be taken into consideration in the enforcement of this section, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary.

“So unexplained wealth, as stated in the above-cited case of Simplicio Berdon, enjoys a legal presumption. The burden shifts to the Defendant, to prove that he acquired the property legally.

“But “ill-gotten wealth” is defined as follows:

Section 1 d) Ill-gotten wealth means any asset, property, business enterprise or material possession of any person within the purview of Section Two (2) hereof, acquired by him directly or indirectly through dummies, nominees, agents, subordinates and/or business associates by any combination or series of the following means or similar schemes:

1) Through misappropriation, conversion, misuse, or malversation of public funds or raids on the public treasury;

2) By receiving, directly or indirectly, any commission, gift, share, percentage, kickbacks or any other form of pecuniary benefit from any person and/or entity in connection with any government contract or project or by reason of the office or position of the public officer concerned;

3) By the illegal or fraudulent conveyance or disposition of assets belonging to the National Government or any of its subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities or government-owned or -controlled corporations and their subsidiaries;

4) By obtaining, receiving or accepting directly or indirectly any shares of stock, equity or any other form of interest or participation including promise of future employment in any business enterprise or undertaking;

5) By establishing agricultural, industrial or commercial monopolies or other combinations and/ or implementation of decrees and orders intended to benefit particular persons or special interests; or

6) By taking undue advantage of official position, authority, relationship, connection or influence to unjustly enrich himself or themselves at the expense and to the damage and prejudice of the Filipino people and the Republic of the Philippines.

“There is no presumption here. By definition, “ill-gotten wealth” is by the means with which it has been acquired, such as:

1) Misappropriating public funds

2) Receiving a commission or kickback

3) Illegal or fraudulent conversion of assets belonging to the National government, etc.

“The prosecution has to prove that property was acquired by the means stated in the definition.

“Article 2.4 of the Articles of Impeachment states:

“2.4. Respondent is likewise suspected and accused of having accumulated ill-gotten wealth, acquiring assets of high values and keeping bank accounts with huge deposits. ”

SNV further said, “Diyos ko po. Pinahirapan mo naman ang sarili mo Niel Tupas. Had you stated “accumulating unexplained wealth” home free ka na. But now, you need evidence to prove the means of acquisition stated in RA 7080.”

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Blog:www.ellentordesillas.com

E-mail:ellentordesillas@gmail.com

Senate to convict Corona

2012-01-30T14:18:00.001+07:00

BY JAIME PILAPIL
THE MANILA TIMES

Verdict aims to spare Aquino from embarrassment — senator

Out of respect for the Office of the President, particularly for a popular leader, majority if not all of the current 23 senator-judges will vote to convict impeached Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, a respectable senator, who asked not to be identified, recently told a select group of reporters covering the Malacañang beat.The male senator, who is not a member of the ruling Liberal Party, said that only Sen. Joker Arroyo is the remaining senator-judge who is not inclined to vote for the conviction of Corona.He added that the rest, including Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, would accede to the call of President Benigno Aquino 3rd to vote for the expulsion of Corona from the Supreme Court.“I’m sure the senators would heed the call of the President and they would vote for the conviction of the Chief Justice,” the senator told reporters over dinner somewhere in Manila near Malacañang, official residence of President Aquino.

In a bid to give credence to his analysis, he gave a rundown of the voting inclination of the senator-judges.

Corona needs seven votes to acquit and 16 votes to convict.

The four senators from the Liberal Party—Franklin Drilon, Teofisto Guingona 3rd, Ralph Recto and Francis Pangilinan—would vote for conviction, according to the source of The Manila Times.

Of the current 23 senators, six are eligible for reelection in the 2013 polls.

The six senators would be forced to vote for Corona’s conviction so as not to suffer the public wrath since Mr. Aquino is largely popular in the countryside.

They are Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes 4th and Aquilino Pimentel 3rd.

The remaining six votes needed to convict the Chief Justice would be easily attainable from Ramon Revilla Jr., Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile, Pia Cayetano, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vicente Sotto 3rd, Sergio Osmena 2nd and Lito Lapid.

All of them were winners in the 2010 elections.

Only four are not eligible for reelection in 2013—Joker Arroyo, Pangilinan, Panfilo Lacson and Manuel Villar.

If the President wants to play safe, he could easily get the votes of Pangilinan and Lacson, who, according to The Times source, are salivating for Cabinet posts anyway.

After two weeks, the impeachment court headed by Senate President Enrile was yet to finish presentation of evidence.

Although the impeachment court ruled against the Corona family members taking the witness stand, the prosecution was successful in having the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of the Chief Justice shown to the senators-judges, including his income-tax returns.

Meanwhile, Malacañang deputy spokesman Abigail Valte on Sunday said that it was still premature to find out the voting inclination of the senator-judges.

“At this point in the proceedings, it is still premature to gauge the senator-judges. The senators are very judicious and comporting as to their behavior,” Valte added.

She said that the voting inclination of the senator-judges would be evident when proceedings at the Senate impeachment court are about to wind up or when the voting on the fate of Corona is fast approaching.

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/top-stories/16097-senate-to-convict-corona

Overpopulated na ba ang Pinas ng mga bobong tanga? Umaapaw na!

2012-01-30T10:05:00.000+07:00

The Bourne Legacy

Nasa bansa natin ang cast and crew ng The Bourne Legacy. Sa Manila sila nag location shoot. Maganda ito para sa bansa natin. Maganda rin itong paraan para ipromote ang bansa natin. Pero balita ko ay naaasar na daw ang cast & crew nito dahil sa lagi silang iniistorbo ng mga putanginang kababayan natin na mga ulupongis at tatanga-tanga!

Sino ang mga tinutukoy ko? Ay yung mga batugan na hindi naman nagbabayad ng buwis, malakas kumunsumo ng koryente pero nagnanakaw ng koryente kaya tayo ang nagbabayad para sa kanila, mga kawawa mga mahal ng Diyos, inaalagaan ng mga politiko para sa mga boto nila - mga iskwater!

Naka display ngayon sa harap nila Rachel Weisss, Edward Norton, Stacey Keach, at director Tony Gilroy ang mga tambay at mga starstruck ignoramuses, na buong araw naka-tanga sa kanila. "Ano ba at buong araw nandito itong mga ulupong na ito?", tanong ng ating mga bisita. "Wala ba silang mga trabaho?", dagdag nila. "WALA! Mga walang kwentang mga tao po sila, mga nanununtok po yan ng kapitbahay dahil walang pambili ng pulutan, po", sagot natin habang tayo ay nanliliit (pwera ang mga balat-sibuyas, na proud na proud at bulag na bulag sa mga kagaguhang nangyayari).

Ohh lala, ang bagong leading lady ng mga
manyakols sa Pilipinas!

At may isang eksena pa daw na nanigaw na si Rachel Weiss dahil habang sinasabi niya ang kanyang mga linya, ay iniimitate daw siya ng isang portion ng crowd. May mga jejemons sa crowd na ginagaya or parang mina-mock siya kaya kumulo ang dugo nito, nagdilim ang paningin at nagaapoy na sinigawan ang mga tarantadong bobong Pinoys, na nag hiwayan naman sa tuwa! Ganyan kabobo at kaimmature mga tao sa atin. Putanginang bansa ng mga troll tayo! Nakakahiya ito! Hindi na nga daw maka-concentrate sa kanyang mga linya dahil sa mga putanginang mga jejemons na ito na nakikibasa din daw sa kanya. Masisisi mo ba sila kung magalit sila?

Ayon kay Julius Babaw, nandito daw sila sa bansa natin kaya dapat lang daw na makisama sila!

Putangina kang Julius Babaw ka naaasar ako sa pagmumukha mo na parisukat! Gusto kong hampasin yang bao ng ulo mo ng sagwan putangina ka! Sasampalin kita ng lahat ng lakas ko at lahat ng bigat ng kamay ko, hanggang tumalsik ang mga dugo at ngipin mo sa pader putangina ka! Ikaw ay myembro ng media kaya dapat matuto kang maging impartial, hindi yung palagi mo na lang kakampihan ang mga tarantadong putangina mga ulupong na mga skwater. Putanginang puro panloloko lang ginagawa niyo sa mga taong ulupong kaya tayo naging bansa ng mga ulupong! Tangina kang hayop na Julius Babaw ka sana madulas ka sa balat ng saging at mabagok na yang malaking ulo mo puki ng ina ka! At mamatay ka na kaagad bwisit!

Ano gusto mo mangyari ha, Julius? Persona non grata sila sa bansa natin ha? Banned na sila, hindi na sila pwedeng bumalik sa bansa natin na malinis, mabango, mayaman, mababait ang mga tao, disiplinado at advanced! Kagaya ng ginawa ng mga Cebuano kay Gloria Diaz ng sabihin niya na ang mga Bisaya ay mahina sa english kaya dapat managalog na lang, at hindi ito matanggap ng mga Cebuano kaya ginawa nilang persona non grata itong si Gloria Diaz sa kanila. Eh di nabawasan na ng maganda ang probinsya nila, ngayon puro na lang mga longky ang kababaihan doon.

Location shooting. Its more fun in the Philippines!

So, ano Julius? Persona non grata na ba? Kelan ba huling nag shooting ng hollywood movie sa bansa natin ha? Ang huling naaalala ko ay yung Platoon na nag location shooting sa Palawan. At bago pa niyan ay Apocalypse Now. May mga B movies din na nag location shoot sa Pinas noong mga early at mid 2000s. Matagal nang iniiwasan ng mga dayuhan ang Pinas dahil sa security threat, daming kaartehan, communist groups etc. Ngayon, may gana ka pang magsabi na "nandito sila sa atin kaya makisama sila?" Anong klase yan Julius Baboy? Anong klaseng tao ka? Baboy? Putangina kang baboy ka talaga. Matutong maging impartial gago! Isasama mo pa kami sa kagaguhan mo putangina ka, hindi ka mouthpiece namin putangina mo at putangama mo rin. Ulol!

Dapat tayo pa ang magpasalamat at napili nilang mag shooting sa bansa natin! Dapat siguruhin natin ang kanilang security, at maging maayos at maginhawa ang karanasan nila sa bansa natin. Para masabi nila na talagang "Its more fun in the Philippines", totoong totoo ang ad! Its more fun talaga!

Nakita ko nga nung isang araw sa ABS CBN Bandila nakapost ang schedule ng shooting ng Bourne Identity. Nandoon kung anong street, at anong oras. Ang information na yan ay galing pa sa security team na naka assign sa cast and crew, live pa na ininterview ng mga gagong Julius Babaw ang gagong head ng security team. Putanginang yan parang tumitiling binabaeng kambing ang gago! Excited na excited at para siyang star iniinterview sa ABS CBN Bandila, feeling niya very important person siya, ang taas ng position niya at pinagkatiwala sa kanya ang schedule ng shooting ng The Bourne Ultimatum!

Makisama sila!

Anong klaseng abnormal ba ito may bakla ba sa security team na yan? Wala bang sentido kumon yang mga tarantadong yan at hindi nila magawa ng maayos yung trabaho nila? Common sense yan mga bobong Pinoy! Parang inimbitahan mo na mga terorista na bombahin sila, may schedule pa at kung saang location mapapagplanuhan ng mabuti ang pag terrorise sa mga yan. Bobo! Putanginang baka DOT pa ang may pakana niyan idivulge sa publiko ang information na yan para maging tourist spot pa! Kung may nanonood na leader ng Abu Sayaf at gustong pahiyain ang bansa natin, makakapagplano sila ng mabuti dahil alam nila kung saan itatanim ang homemade bomb nila at anong oras idedetonate ito! Bobo putangina ka! At matatawa na lang sa atin ang mga taga Hong Kong pag lumabas na naman sa media ang The Smiling Dog President natin, putangina maawa naman kayo! Nasaan ang utak niyo mga hayop kayo?

Kaya ang dapat na gawin ng producers ng Bourne Legacy na yan, mag pull out na sila sa Manila na napakainit, napakadumi, napakabaho, at saksakan ng dami ng mga tambay na walang magawa sa buhay at lumipat na lang sila sa Indonesia or Malaysia. Doon matatapos nila ang trabaho nila at walang mga unnecessary distractions dahil ang security team na assigned sa kanila ay disiplinado at competent. Hindi kagaya sa Pinas puro mga gunggong at ogag lang. Nasa peligro ang buhay nila sa atin! Sa ibang bansa, seguridad nila ang primary concern.

Sa Pinas baka yung cameraman nila eh dinudukutan na pala ng mga tambay doon at kasabwat pa yung local police na naka-assign na security nila, at mga female members ng cast and crew ay hinihipuan pa at sinisupalan ng mga putanginang mga manyakols na sabik sa puki at hayok sa laman. Dami pa namang mga manyakol diyan baka may nagtitikol na pala na mga amoy baktol na may tattoo pa ng sigue sigue sputnik gang habang nakasilip sa bintana at nakalaylay pa ang dila. Putanginang bansa ng mga manyakol yang PiliPUNAS, na minsan lang makatikim ng magagandang babae. Baka mamaya yung mga lead actor nila at direktor ay pinagpaplanuhan na ang pagkidnap sa kanila ng mga kidnap for ransom gangs na hawak ng mga…. You guessed it! Mga pulis patola - Manila's Finest!

On location

At paano din makapag concentrate ang cast and crew kung may mga nagtitinda pa ng fishballs sa tabi-tabi parang akala mo kung anong fiesta nangyayari doon? At lahat ng mga unggoy sa bansa nagdagsaan diyan sa location shoot nila para makakita ng artista, baka pakana din ito ng DOT (Department of Tourism) biglang sinama sa advertising campaign nila ang shooting ng The Bourne Legacy at ginawang tourist destination sa walang kwentang bansa na yan. Lahat ng mga epal at konyo at douche bag na Pinoys sa facebook at twitter pinag edit na ang online photo or poster ng The Bourne Legacy, nilagyan ng sariling spin katulad nito - Location shooting. Its more fun in the Philippines. At may thumbs up pa ng gagong DOT para mapromote ang walang kakwenta-kwentang bansa nila!

Balita ko pa nga nagkaroon pa ng commotion kaya nahinto ng panandalian ang shooting nila. Meron daw sumabog sa may fishball stand, akala tuloy ng cast and crew mga terorista. Yun pala may isang bata na galing sa birthday party. May dala siyang lobo. Bumili daw ng fishball, eh marami din bumibili. May isang babae din na naglagay ng napakaraming spray net sa buhok na nagpunta doon ng naka-ayos para mapansin siya ni Ed Norton or kahit na sinong crew member basta puti at may pera. Nandoon siya kasama ng mga nagkukumpulan sa fishball stand, nagtutusok-tusok ng fishballs at squidball kasama ng mga tambay na may tato ng sawa na parang tungkod ni Satanas. At umentra ang bata, nakikitusok-tusok din, at yung lobo niya ay pumasok sa fishball stand, natrap sa bubong nito at mga ulo ng mga tambay. Eh ang lakas ng apoy at ang init nito ay umaakyat at nakatutok sa lobo na puno ng helium na alam nating mga scientist na ito ay highly flammable! Eh hindi ito alam ng bata, at lalong hindi alam ng mga tambay na alam lang nila ay kalaswaan at mga bagay na walang katuturan, at hindi rin ito alam ng pobreng nagtitinda ng fishballs na hindi nakatapos ng grade 6 at hanggang ngayon walang alam na maski isang bansa sa Europa at ang alam lang niyang bansa ay Japan, kung saan ang kapatid niya ay dating nagjapayuki, pero hindi na nakabalik ng Japan dahil pinagbawal na ng Japan ang pagpupunta ng mga surplus puta natin doon. At lalong hindi ito alam ng bobang babae, nanaligo sa spraynet, na highly flammable din! Bigla na lang sumabog ang lobo! Ayon sa mga witnesses, akala nila kasama ito sa pelikula, pero hindi ito pyrotechnics! Nakita na lang nila na biglang sumiklab ang apoy doon sa may fishballs, at ang mga patay gutom na nagkukumpol-kumpol doon ay nabuwag! Nagtinginan sila sa isat-isa at sila ay nagtawanan, dahil namuti ang mga buhok at kilay nila. Ang babaeng putachini naman, dahil punong-puno ng spraynet ang buhok niya ay nasunog ang ulo niya, nagpink daw ang bao ng ulo niya nagmukha siyang titing supot na binurat (Binurat - pag tinupi mo ang balat ng titing supot para lumabas ang ulo nito. Amoy rugby ito para sa mga shokla). Tumakbo daw siya papalayo, umiiyak daw parang baklang binugbog ng ama niya, siguro nagpakamatay na. Kaya napilitan silang itigil muna ang shooting para masiguro ang kanilang kaligtasan.

Napatunayan na naman talaga na tayo ang "The Most Annoying Country"! Ito ba ang sinasabi ng DOT na "Its more fun in the Philippines?" Nako po. Babalik ito sa mukha nating mga Pilipino na parang tae na hinagis sa electric fan! Malaking SPLAT at napakasangsang na amoy! Kaya hindi ako sangayon sa slogan na yan, dahil naranasan lang ng mga cast and crew ng Bourne Legacy na hindi fun in the Philippines. Kung hindi "Its more annoying in the Philippines!"

Proud to be Pinoy!

Source: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1625658718409263251

Sensing borders and beauties

2012-01-30T08:13:00.000+07:00

By Tito Genova Valiente

THE transnational is alive today. Those elements that defy the colors of national boundaries, those transient events that escape cultural categorizations are well around us. Ideologies about merchandising try to smother any signs about countries whose workers produce affluent products, the shelf life of which has to do more with the brand than with the source.

Imagine getting a nice, soft fleece sweater from the heartland of America. You run your fingers on the beige and comfy surface of the textile and dream of a territory that is free from survival problems. But your exercise does not end there: you pull the sweater from inside out and investigate its origin. That act is never part of receiving a gift that is cushiony and, well, imported. But there is that other world in us that has got to know.

So there we are, examining the thing when we should be trying it on first. Our wishes granted, our fears answered, for from the layers of markings we soon discover the secret of this fashion artifact—this clothing that smells of surplus and warm kitchen in soft grays, where dairies and fruits are plentiful—rise hidden the label: Made in the Philippines.

We are amazed, of course; we should be, naturally. We have heard stories like this. They are no urban legends; they are folk tales that are true. We have again proved one fact—that we are, indeed, good manufacturers. World-class, to be sure. It is soon forgotten, however, that the product, while made in our country, indeed, is not really of our country. Our poor workers happen to be just that, workers satisfying the desires and designs of those who sell fashion as if they were selling fate. We are the factory but we are not the world.

This is the tale of globalization.

A world is made smaller or bigger, depending on the lens you use to view developments like globalization. The down blanket that looks like it has been produced in some medieval knitting corners of Eastern Europe turns out to be Made in China. The lamps that grace our streets with their candies-and-crowns designs, inversely, are not inspired from discarded sets of Walt Disney but from, perhaps, Taiwan. Why they look like that is another cautionary tale to be examined.

What is being laid out by this turn of events in design and production is that aesthetics are no more tied to geography than to state that, say, the Mona Lisa is Italian.

The world has grown bigger, indeed, and it is time to claim uniqueness, exotica, or even oddity as the mark of a country that can be best remembered.

How do we sell the Philippines? What trigger in recognition can we tap so that the world can imagine us quickly among the many other countries that have the same wellspring of natural beauties to tap?

We cannot even sit on titles that we used to claim as ours. I have come across brochures of countries declaring that their islands are the pearl of this and that sea. There are nations that are claiming rice terraces and mountains and their perfect cones, the last understandable because certain volcanoes do form lovely, near-perfect cones.

Is it true that there are also countries that have patented flowers like sampaguita and ylang-ylang? I am not surprised at all. A few years back, a t-shirt manufacturer tried to claim patent over the Philippines’s map as design. I have not followed it up but it makes sense: the map that we know to be the composite of our 7,000 islands, give and take the onset and retreat of the tides, does make a good design. True, we live on these islands but the design is something else: it is not God-given and God knows if, indeed, our country looks like that from above.

In transit and in-between two countries and two cultures, the Filipinos from the Philippines (yes, we need this qualification) have to work real hard so they could claim that their act, their end-products, their byproducts are of the Philippines, and uniquely Wow Philippines.

Which brings us back to tourism and slogans. The new tourism campaign and the brickbats and viral responses it gets are coming from the same problem or question, the problem of uniqueness. In a discussion I had with colleagues over late lunch of a late New Year’s party, two of them raised the issue of grammar with regard to the slogans. The claim that “it is more fun in the Philippines” begs a qualifier, a comparison. More fun in the Philippines than in where? If we so claim, we need to present proofs and to do so would incur the ire of other nations who, in the name of tourism, always believe that their country offers more fun than other countries.

We are in a difficult situation now. In the last bastion of our lovely patrimony, we rush to our beaches to claim that they are, indeed, beautiful, and more beautiful than those of our neighboring countries. The cable TV disproves that as we are given images of breathtaking lagoons and coves in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

There is one element left that we are still in control of: the people, the Filipinos. Sadly, they, too, are moving out in droves and proving to be lovelier creatures when displaced as gentle workers and helpers in foreign land.

The author can be reached at titovaliente@yahoo.com

On oral sex, oral cancer, early detection

2012-01-30T00:05:00.002+07:00

Medical Files

On oral sex, oral cancer, early detection

By Rafael Castillo

This week, a patient seemed worried when he asked me if what he read in the papers is true that oral sex could lead to oral cancer. The newspaper reports were based on a joint symposium of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and Philippine Dental Association (PDA) as part of this year’s celebration of National Cancer Consciousness Week.

Under PMA president Dr. Oscar Tinio’s term, and with Dr. Ramon Abarquez Jr. chairing PMA’s continuing medical education (CME) committee, the association has been active in organizing informative symposiums like this to draw awareness to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) which are now plaguing the country and the global community, too. NCDs include cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

I didn’t pry into my patient’s reason for such a concern, but I seemed to have increased his anxiety when I told him that there’s good scientific evidence to believe that indeed, performing frequently oral sex on women with genital warts caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) could increase one’s risk to develop cancers of the oral cavity—specifically the base of the tongue and tonsils—later on.

Reported in 2007

We reported this in H&L (Health & Lifestyle) magazine sometime in 2007, months after the study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. H&L summarizes recently published researches in major international journals and present them in a simple easy-to-understand format.

For obvious reasons, the increased risk was noted more in men than in women, but in both genders, it showed that those who reported having six or more oral-sex partners during their lifetime had a nearly ninefold, repeat, nine-fold increased risk of developing cancer of the tonsils or at the base of the tongue. Subjects enrolled in the study who were infected with HPV also had 32 times higher risk to develop this type of oral cancer than those who did not have the virus.

Previously, it was well established that smoking (three-fold increase) and drinking alcohol (2.5 times) increased the risk for oral cancer, but even if you combine them, the risk is no match compared to that seen in those who frequently engage in oral sex. So, HPV infection is not only a plague to women who could develop cervical cancer with it, but to men as well. Just as we’re overconcerned with HIV, we should also be extra wary of HPV infection.

Alarm sounded

In the United States, they’ve literally sounded the alarm that relatively young men and women in their 30s and 40s are developing oral cancer. Experts attribute this to a “change in sexual behavior over the last decade.”

We don’t have statistics on the prevalence of oral cancer in young Filipinos, but there’s good reason to start worrying about it. In the same PMA-PDA symposium, Dr. Tinio and the other speakers reported a University of the Philippines Population Institute study showing that more than four million teens and young Filipinos are already engaged in sexual practices.

Citing findings from the third Young Adult Fertility Survey, a total of 4.32 million Filipinos aged 15 to 24 are already sexually active. Another finding is that oral sex has become a common practice “among most sexually adventurous teens.”

Doing simple math, if the expected prevalence of oral cancer in the general population is 1.5 percent, and with a nine-fold increase in risk, that means that we have approximately 583,000 young Filipinos aged 15-24 who are likely candidates to develop oral cancer.

So, how do we tackle a problem like oral sex leading to oral cancer? Tough question! It should be a combined approach of public education to generate increased awareness particularly in high-risk individuals, strengthening of values and morals, especially in the youth, preventive strategies including vaccination against HPV in women and immediate check-up of the oral cavity if any lesion is detected.

Not all oral lesions are cancerous, so one should not panic when a lesion is noted, but it’s good to be checked by an expert. Many of these cancers—if caught early enough—could be curable. There’s a precancerous stage which has a very good chance of absolute cure. It’s truly bad to be found to have oral cancer, but it’s not so bad when you catch it early and undergo the necessary treatment that can remove it permanently.

Incidentally, my patient who asked me the question requested to be referred to a throat specialist.

Corona case an attack on judiciary

2012-01-29T23:12:00.002+07:00

By Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon (The Freeman) Updated January 29, 2012 12:00 AM

CEBU, Philippines - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile yesterday said the impeachment case filed against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona is clearly an attack on the judiciary as an institution.

"You cannot divorce Corona from being the chief justice and as the head of the judiciary. He is being charged as the chief justice. The charges against Corona are not personal crimes. It is an attack on the judiciary. He leads the judiciary," Enrile said in a press conference yesterday morning.

Saying the impeachment complaint against Corona is not just a personal attack on the chief justice, Enrile foresees a constitutional crisis in the event Corona is removed from office.

"A constitutional crisis will happen if the Supreme Court Chief Justice is taken out without preparing the ground," said Enrile without elaborating.

Corona’s critics said the impeachment case against him is not an attack on the judiciary since only the chief justice is being tar geted, not the institution itself.

Enrile, who was in Cebu as guest speaker during the First Leadership Lecture Series of the Gullas Institute of Leadership of the University of the Visayas held at the Cebu Country Club, said that the Senate impeachment tribunal, which he presides, has no timetable as to when the trial will end.

Enrile further said that the betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, among others, that Corona is accused of are closer to a criminal offense, thus the Rules on Criminal Procedure and the Rules on Evidence are suppletory to the Rules of Impeachment.

"An impeachment is neither a criminal case, nor a civil nor a special proceeding. But the allegations raised in the Articles of Impeachment is closer to a criminal case," the Senate president said.

He explained that to convict the chief justice needs "clear and convincing evidence," not preponderance of evidence that is only applicable to civil cases.

He said that the evidence to prove that the chief justice is guilty beyond reasonable doubt should be noted.

Enrile said it is up to the people to observe whether the senator-judges are biased for the prosecution or defense, adding that the senators are required to exercise political neutrality.

Lawyer Aristotle Batuhan, one of the lawyers in the prosecution panel, had said that five of the 23 senators are allies of the Aquino administration.

They are senators Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III, Antonio Trillanes IV, Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel, Jr. and Francis Joseph "Chiz" Escudero.

Four senators from the Liberal Party, the political party of President Aquino, are accused by Corona’s allies as behind the impeachment move.

They are Senators Francisco Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon and Teofisto "TG" Guingona.

There are five senators from the Nacionalista Party: Allan Peter Cayetano, Pilar Juliana "Pia" Cayetano, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Manuel Villar and Loren Legarda.

Aside from Enrile, considered independent are Senators Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, Gringo Honasan, Jinggoy Estrada, Edgardo Angara and Miram Defensor-Santiago.

The three senators from the Lakas are senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., Manuel "Lito" Lapid and Joker Arroyo.

Batuhan said that they have idea as to how these senators will vote considering that the impeachment is a political process.

He added that what they can do is substantiate the Articles of Impeachment for senator-judges to appreciate. — /LPM - (THE FREEMAN)

Balat Sibuyas

2012-01-29T22:26:00.002+07:00

Ang mga egoy ay kilala sa pagiging balat sibuyas. Hindi mo pwedeng biruin tungkol sa kulay nila dahil matatawag kang racist. Sabihan mo ng negro or nigger at siguradong babalatan ka ng buhay. Ok lang pag nanggaling sa kapwa nila egoy. "Why do I call myself a nigga you ask me? 'Cause my momma's so muthafuckin' nasty", yan ang sabi ng N.W.A. sa mga kritiko nila na hindi nasisiyahan sa mga kanta nila na may word na "nigger" sa lyrics.

Sa mga movies na egoy ang direktor, natural na ang mga egoy na characters ay magtawagan ng "nigger" sa isa't-isa. Ok lang sa kanila dahil egoy naman ang direktor, egoy din mga actors. Pero nagalit si Spike Lee kay Quentin Tarantino dahil sa paggamit niya ng salitang "nigger" sa pelikulang Pulp Fiction. Ayaw niya na nakikita ang mga white actors sa movie niya, na gumagamit ng salitang nigger. Pinepersonal ba nila ito? Pelikula lang ito, at ang mga actors sa movie ni Quentin Tarantino ay kadalasang mga halang ang bituka, mga rednecks na naaayon naman sa kanilang character ang mag refer sa isang African-American na "nigger". Nahawa ang buong America, lalo na ang Hollywood sa pagiging politically correct. Reklamo nga si Clint Eastwood na aminadong hindi siya nasisiyahan sa political correctness dahil ang mga tao ngayon ay natatakot nang magbiro tungkol sa ibang lahi dahil baka matawag silang racist.

Balat ng Pinoy

Katarantaduhan talaga itong pagkabalat sibuyas. Baket itong mga Irish recipient itong mga gagong ito ng mga nakakatawa at nakakainsultong mga jokes galing sa mga Brits, pero may narinig ka bang mga reklamo galing sa kanila? Marunong silang sumalo ng insulto, na dahil sa pagiging good sports nila ang mga insultong ito ay walang talab at sa katagalan nagkaroon ng panibagong spin ito at naging "fond jokes". Kagaya ng mga jokes tungkol sa potatoes. Ganto yun eh, baket ang Africans may diamonds, pero ang Irish may patatas lang? Dahil naunang pumili ang mga Irish. Pag sinabi mo sa Irish man ito siguradong magtatatawa ito, at dadagdagan pa niya ng mga self deprecating jokes kaya nga naman nagiging life of the party itong mga Irish.

Eh ang mga putanginang Pinoy? Masayahin daw ang mga Pinoy. Mga kalog, at mga palabiro. Pero hindi makatanggap ng biro, mga pikon at balat sibuyas. Ang lalakas mangasar at mag stereotype ng mga ibang lahi pero pag sila na ang tinira, magagalit na at iiyak putanginang mga hipokrito talaga. May mga rhymes pa nga na naiimbento tungkol sa mga bumbay - titing matibay daw. Pero nung kantyawan ng bumbay sa titing pisot kaya hindi sineseryoso ng mga chicks, nagalit na agad at nag hamon ng away.

Ito namang mga Pinoy parang mga egoy din ito. Gusto lang palagi nakakarinig ng mga papuri, at magagandang bagay tungkol sa bansa nila. Yes, Boracay is a very popular tourist destination in Asia! Ulol! Putanginang Boracay yan sirang-sira na yan! Gagong bobo ka! Yung mga resort diyan pag aari na ng mga dayuhan. Nasaan na ang mga totoong mayari ng Boracay? Tinapon na sila sa Aklan namamalimos sila doon! Gago! Bago kayo magsalita sa kagandahan ng Boracay, alamin niyo muna ang totoong nangyayari diyan! Pinalayas ang mga native ng Boracay, para ang mga lupa nila ibenta ng gagong gobyerno ninyo sa mga dayuhan na nagpatayo ng mga hotel at resto diyan. Pinapatrabaho na lang sila doon bilang mga slaves - waiter, security guards, receptionist, taga masahe at mga pokpok. At susweldohan ng mani!

Mga puki ng ina kayong mga ignorante kayo! Putangina niyo sa kabobohan ninyo! Paano nangyari yan na napalayas kayo sa sarili niyong isla? Imbes na kayo ang mag may ari ng mga hotel at restorant diyan, kayo pa ang naging mga alipin! Nasa dugo niyo talaga ang pagiging mga alipin mga anak kayo ng libreng puta! Naging mga alapin ng mga dayuhan at mga konyong taga Manila. Imperial Manila! Pweh!

Mga estupidong Manilenos sa Boracay!

Yan ang napapala ng mga balat sibuyas. Dahil gusto na lang marinig mga kasinungalingan, mga pambobola. Yan mga Pinoy hindi lang sa Boracay, buong Pilipinas, na araw-araw binobola ng mga politiko at mga dayuhan. Puro mga mabulaklaking salita, sugarcoated lies, sarap sa tenga kaya dahan-dahan ding napupwetan ang mga tanga! Pag gising na lang kinabukasan, puro dugo-dugo ang brip ninyo pinuwetan kayo ng mga taong magaling manloko! Squatter na sa Boracay kawawang mga tao yan na kick out ng mga dayuhan sa sarili nilang isla dahil lang na hypnotize sa mabulaklaking mga salita at sales pitch ng mga dayuhan at mga manggagamit na mga politiko.

Matuto kasi kayong tumanggap ng kritisismo mga buwaka ng ina kayo. Wag magagalit pag may pumuna ng mga kalat niyo. Dapat na mag isip at humanap ng solution para hindi na maulit at hindi na mapahiya. Eh mga sensitive kayo biglang nagiging defensive at emotional, kaya yung mga baho ninyo hindi na nagagawan ng solution. Endless cycle of shit at fuck up kayo tingnan nyo bansa ninyo walang kakwenta-kwenta. Tibayin ang inyong mga sarili! Umamin sa pagkakamali, at tigilan ang turuan. Wag ninyong tutularan yung istilo ng gagong presidente ninyo na mukhang abnoy at may kapatid na puta.

Source: http://philippinesthesickmanofasia.blogspot.com

Remittances: How Filipino abroad keep the Philippines's economy alive

2012-01-29T21:11:00.000+07:00

By Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter

LET us imagine the Philippines without its overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and assume there are no temporary and permanent migrants and millions of Filipino families do not receive any remittance from abroad.

This would mean that the 5 million to 10 million Filipinos who currently make up our OFWs (temporary, permanent and illegal migrants) are included in the country’s labor force, sharing in the roller-coaster ride of queuing in job fairs, crowding the Metro Rail Transit every morning, and joining the country’s largest-growing industry, the business-process outsourcing sector.

Their sheer number would undoubtedly expand to unimaginable proportions in the coming years—especially with more than a million newbies joining the labor force yearly. With the current severe lack of employment opportunities, Secretary General Romulo A. Virola of the National Statistical Coordination Board said there would be a high possibility that the informal sector would take up the slack, creating a thriving and robust informal economy.

But, Virola said, without the remittances, poverty would be higher than the 2009 figure of 26.5 percent encompassing 23.14 million Filipinos. It is widely known that while many OFW families are not poor, their remittances impact greatly on their lives and in the communities where they belong, through some form of assistance or employment-generating activity, like building new houses.

Director General Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr. of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said overseas Filipino remittances used for constructing homes for their families do not only benefit these families but create employment in the community and feed its retail trade through the purchase of construction materials, new home appliances and other items.

Further, for those OFWs who are quite comfortable with their salaries, they also share their blessings with their neighbors by donating part of their hard-earned salaries to projects like the construction of churches, assistance to families in mourning and other contributions to the community.

“Our economy will not collapse without remittances but we would be faced with a difficult situation. Remittance is already a feature of the Philippine economic situation. This is why we are focusing on the right policies to help our OFWs. We really owe a lot to our kababayans who venture out,” Paderanga said in an interview conducted over the telephone.

Challenges and opportunities

LIFE without remittances would be difficult to imagine. So much so that former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said zero remittances was unlikely. The only likely scenario is a 10-percent contraction in such remittances, which would mean the return of 1 million OFWs and a cut in the remittances by about $2 billion.

Diokno said this would certainly worsen unemployment in the country and reduce the remittances by close to P88 billion or 0.9 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). This does not include the “multiplier effect,” meaning, “a significant contraction as a result of lower consumer spending and private investment.”

Because of the multitude of ways OFWs can contribute to the economy, the exact multiplier effect of their remittances has not even been determined to date. The mere act of sending their children to school creates ripples upon ripples of spillovers.

Remittances for the education of children contribute to the salaries of schoolteachers, pay for books and school supplies, apparel, transportation and food, among other things. Some OFWs even go beyond these usual avenues, like the purchase of education plans and homes or condo units near schools.

Indeed, it would be a nightmare without our OFWs and their remittances. The economic resiliency that remittances have provided the Philippines is something that can no longer be dismissed; time and again, these billions saved the economy, to the surprise of many local and international experts.

At the height of the 2009 global financial crisis, for instance, multilateral agencies like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) were saying the Philippines would be ending the year with a contraction in its economic growth like most countries in the region. The country’s heavy reliance on export earnings was a dead giveaway.

But, owing to the family-oriented outlook of Filipinos, those abroad sent more remittances to help their families weather the loss of jobs and livelihoods at the time. Of course, the government also did its part by extending loans and setting up an emergency employment program but every dollar sent over by temporary and permanent migrants eventually bailed out the economy by keeping consumption alive and well.

Again, last year, migrant remittances saved the economy. Amid the economic difficulties in Europe and the United States, the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) crisis, the implementation of indigenization programs in major OFW destinations like Saudi Arabia, and even the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in the first quarter of the year, families of Filipinos abroad continued to receive their regular financial support.

Data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that the Philippines received cumulative remittances from January to October 2011 of $16.53 billion or a 6.9-percent growth from the $15.46 billion for the same period in 2010. This, however, was a far cry from the double-digit growth seen in the pre-2009 crisis period when remittance growth was above 10 percent.

Regardless of the slowdown in remittances, amid various external shocks, their impact on the Philippine economy will always be significant because consumption forms 70 percent of the economy. This is why remittances have been able to keep the economy afloat amid various crises.

Jeremiah M. Opiniano, OFW Journalism Consortium president, told the BusinessMirror that studies have shown that if the Philippine economy were to absorb all Filipinos abroad, the national government would have to create 13 million to 15 million jobs a year.

Last year the Aquino administration said it was only able to create close to 2 million jobs.

“Unfortunately, the Philippine economy cannot do without OFWs. One, the Philippines has not been able to create enough jobs, and two, if you pull the plug, it will be more difficult for us, especially in a consumption-driven economy,” Opiniano said. “Labor migration is irreversible now.”

While it is true that migration could not be taken out of the equation, other challenges and threats that are as real as night and day abound. Among these, Diokno said, are the indigenization programs being implemented by OFW host countries.

Saudi Arabia is among the countries posing a real threat because most of OFWs there work as domestic help, laborers, professionals like accountants, engineers and architects.

Indigenization—Saudization as it was initially called because Saudi Arabia was one of the first to implement it—is a national policy designed to encourage the employment of more Saudi nationals in the private sector to make them less reliant on expatriate workers.

The 2010 Survey on Overseas Filipinos released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in July last year showed that the bulk of overseas workers or around 22.1 percent of all Filipinos working abroad were based in Saudi Arabia. The survey was done from April to September 2010. In 2009 only 21.6 percent of OFWs were working in Saudi Arabia.

These indigenization programs, coupled by a weak economy in host countries, Diokno said, will result in cutbacks in job opportunities abroad. With labor-exporting countries like China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Cambodia becoming increasingly viable sources of workers, the competition for jobs abroad gets stiffer as each day passes.

“The normalization process in the Mena area cannot be expected to happen overnight. Of course, Filipinos will continue to have the comparative advantage in seamen jobs, although the demand for them is affected by weaker trade among nations and low normal growth in advanced economies,” Diokno noted.

The way things are going, the current pace of events, Opiniano said the government must prepare for a massive return migration. With many overseas Filipinos only possessing low-end or zero skills, indigenization and stiffer competition from workers from other countries will cause them their positions.

The NSO data showed that 32 percent of all OFWs in 2010 worked as laborers and unskilled workers and they also sent majority of the total remittance received by the country in that year. The remittance sent by laborers and unskilled workers comprised the biggest share with P20.6 billion or an average remittance of P39,000 per OFW.

Data also showed that those who worked as service workers and shop and market sales workers made up 15.1 percent while trade and related workers accounted for 14.9 percent. Plant and machine operators and assemblers accounted for 14.3 percent.

But measures to be undertaken to prepare for return migration must not be focused on entrepreneurship but on the creation of real, actual jobs in the Philippines. “Kaya nga naging OFW ang mga ’yan kasi hindi naman sila marunong mag-negosyo,” Opiniano remarked.

It has also been repeated by the Neda that human-capital development programs will benefit OFWs. The country’s main socioeconomic planning agency said that spending for the training and skills enhancement of returning and aspiring OFWs will not only enhance their skills but make them more resilient to shocks, such as crises or stiffer competition compared to workers from other labor-exporting countries.

In the early part of 2009, the Neda said that the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) was offering skills-enhancement and re-training programs particularly for returning OFWs. In March 2011, due to the Mena crisis, Tesda has been giving priority to repatriated OFWs to avail themselves of their training programs.

Moving forward

IN every queue they form, every contract they sign, the hours they spend taking care of children that are not their own, the many homes they helped build but cannot afford, and every dollar they save, all they have in mind is the future of their families. It is in this way that overseas Filipinos are changing the lives of their families and the nation, as well.

While there are those that have succeeded and became immigrants in various parts of the globe or returned home to their families to live better lives, more continue to struggle with temporary work permits, abusive employers, and second-class citizen statuses in every country they work in.

Given the challenges they now face, the national government must come through for them, in the way overseas Filipinos has, time and again, come through for the Philippine economy. The government’s entrepreneurship programs for overseas Filipinos who want to own businesses is laudable but some overseas Filipinos would prefer to be hired by better companies abroad or here in the country. The government should give them that opportunity.

Time and again, president after president, it has been a dream to make migration an option. And education and other employment programs are the only way for the country to make migration an alternative means of livelihood, not the only means of livelihood of millions.

To leave one’s home and change one’s destiny in a foreign land is a dream for many but it should not be the only dream—Filipinos should dream bigger and that is to change their destiny without having to leave their home and loved ones.

If you abandon your green card, you will abandon your family's petition

2012-01-29T19:03:00.001+07:00

IMMIGRATION CORNER

If you abandon your green card, you will abandon your family's petition

By Michael J. Gurfinkel

Dear Attorney Gurfinkel:

I am a green card holder, and have petitioned my wife and children. I know that it will take a few years until the priority date on their petition becomes “current”, enabling them to be processed for their immigrant visas.

Would there be a problem if I go back to the Philippines to live, while waiting for the priority date tobecome current?

Very truly yours,

K.M.

Dear K.M:

If an immigrant (green card holder) stays outside the US for more than one year, it could be considered that the green card holder “abandoned” his or her green card. This means that he could lose his status as a green card holder. Then, any petitions that he filed that are still pending could also be abandoned.

I had one case where a father had petitioned his adult single son (F-2B), but the father liked to stay in the Philippines. Although he got a “re-entry permit” (a document allowing an immigrant to stay outside the US for just under two years), he overstayed the re-entry permit by a few days. When he tried to return to the US, he was not allowed to board the plane.

The problem was that the priority date on his son’s petition was almost current, but if the father abandoned his green card (by staying outside the US) then the son’s petition would no longer be valid as well.

I had to fight the case all the way to Washington D.C. to enable the father to return to the US, to keep his green card alive, and, we were then able to process the son for his green card. But imagine the stress and trauma the son was going through, thinking that after he had waited so many years for his green card, because his father had almost abandoned his green card, the son’s petition may have also been abandoned.

Another problem with a petitioner living outside the US for too long (whether the petitioner is a US citizen or a green card holder) is that the petitioner must be“domiciled” in the US, meaning that they are living permanently in the US. If the petitioner is living in the Philippines (and thus not domiciled in the US), the petitioner would not be able to give an affidavit of support, which the petitioner is required to do inevery single case, even if there is a co-sponsor.

So as you can see, it is very important for a green card holder to maintain his green card status in order to protect any family petitions he may have filed. If you must travel, at least get a re-entry permit, and make sure you come back before it expires.

I strongly advise, however, that you seek the advice of a reputable attorney, who can analyze your situation, and advise you on the best course of action.

* * *

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com

Four offices to serve you: PHILIPPINES: 8940258 or 8940239; LOS ANGELES; SAN FRANCISCO; NEW YORK: TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1-866-GURFINKEL ( 1-866-487-3465 )

If you abandon your green card, you will abandon your family's petition

2012-01-29T19:03:00.000+07:00

IMMIGRATION CORNER

If you abandon your green card, you will abandon your family's petition

By Michael J. Gurfinkel

Dear Attorney Gurfinkel:

Would there be a problem if I go back to the Philippines to live, while waiting for the priority date tobecome current?

Very truly yours,

K.M.

Dear K.M:

So as you can see, it is very important for a greencard holder to maintain his green card status in order to protect any family petitions he may have filed. If you must travel, at least get a re-entry permit, and make sure you come back before it expires.

I strongly advise, however, that you seek the advice of a reputable attorney, who can analyze your situation, and advise you on the best course of action.

* * *

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com

Four offices to serve you: PHILIPPINES: 8940258 or 8940239; LOS ANGELES; SAN FRANCISCO; NEW YORK: TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1-866-GURFINKEL ( 1-866-487-3465 )

Hepatocyte-like cells give hope for tissue therapy

2012-01-29T19:00:00.000+07:00

YOUR DOSE OF MEDICINE

Hepatocyte-like cells give hope for tissue therapy

By Charles C. Chante, MD

Hepatocyte-like cells can be reliably produced from human skin cells in culture, an innovative study has shown.

Such cells could soon be used to study hepatocellular disease or as a drug-screening platform. Investigators reported in Hepatology online.

In the same paper, the researchers also reported on the successful transfer of the human hepatocyte-like cells into animal livers, where the cells integrated into the parenchyma and maintained their function. These results bode well for the eventual use of cultured cells in tissue replacement therapy for liver disease.

The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and the University of Georgia, Athens, established a protocol that uses human foreskin fibroblasts to generate induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which in turn are podded into forming hepatocyte-like cells. Also established was another protocol that uses undifferentiated human embryonic (ES) cells, rather than foreskin cells, to make hepatocyte-like cells.

The findings showed that the hepatocyte-like cells were similar to primary hepatocytes, both morphologically and in terms of marker expression.

In the animal experiments, the investigators injected human hepatocyte-like cells into the livers of newborn mice and found that the cells grew and expressed hepatic markers. “Unlike most other organs, the introduction of exogenous hepatocytes into the liver parenchyma is a relatively simple undertaking, suggesting that the liver is highly amenable to tissue therapy.”

Despite these achievements, the cultured hepatocyte-like cells “do not entirely recapitulate mature liver function,” the investigators noted. “While the efficiency of generating cells [in culture] that exhibit most hepatocyte characteristics is high, we noted that the repertoire of mRNAs [messenger RNAs] encoding phase I and phase II enzymes, which have important roles in controlling drug metabolism and xenobiotic responses, is incomplete when compared with cadaveric livers.”

Nevertheless, these results “demonstrates the feasibility of generating cells with hepatic characteristics from skin cells through an iPS cell intermediate and that such cells can engraft into the mammalian liver parenchyma.” “The use of inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPS) that can be differentiated into hepatocytes holds out the prospect of patient with liver disease generating his own hepatocytes for cell therapy.”

“This study represents the first step in this direction. We will need to see how well these cells can fulfill hepatocyte function and to establish safety profile of these cells,” the vice chancellor for health sciences and dean, UCSD School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego said.

Upgrade and update yourself

2012-01-28T14:22:00.004+07:00

BUSINESS MATTERS (BEYOND THE BOTTOM LINE)

Upgrade and update yourself

By Francis J. Kong

You cannot upgrade yourself unless you update yourself. Without new information, change will never happen.

You know the worst kind of employees? Those who are not bad enough to fire, yet not good enough to keep – they are the worst kind.

Some wounds are self-inflicted. You cannot put a gun to your head, fire, and then press charges. You may not be able to go backand make a new beginning, but you can certainly go forward and make a new ending.

We made reports when we were younger; we should make decisions now that we’re older. Choose to update and upgrade yourself.

Some people never update themselves.

You know why pres-chool chairs and tables are so small? Because they’re for tiny tots, not grown-ups. Yet many who have grown old insist on staying there. You cannot expect to increase your price unless you increase your value. Take for example cars. They come with all sorts of options. The more options a car has, the greater the price it can command. It’s the same thing with people. The more you know, the more value you can contribute to your organization, the more you can raise your price.

Updating and upgrading are keys to pursuing success in life.

I took up a business course in college and graduated at the top of my class. But had I applied what I learned in business school tomy businesses, my ventures would have closed down a long timeago. Because everything changes continuously. Thus, information needs regular updating, skills need frequent upgrading, and we need constant training. We should never stop learning!

These days, you don’t walk around wearing your “bell bottoms”from the 60s. You would simply look ridiculous. Yet there are many people today who still walk around with their 60s to 90s mindset. They are not a pretty sight.

But people who continue learning – who update and upgrade themselves – do not grow old. They are always relevant.

We should always update and upgrade ourselves. Because anything can happen.

I was speaking in front of 250 doctors in a beautiful hotel. The room temperature was perfect; the sound system, great. I waxed eloquently for almost an hour. At the conclusion of my talk, I gavea most dramatic presentation. It held every single doctor captive. Every eye was on me. Some of the lady doctors held back tears; others could no longer keep theirs from falling. But no one spoke. You could hear a pin drop in that place. I knew I had them.

And just before I gave the final sentence that would awe my audience, the clear, unrestrained, recognizable sound “schzzzzzz” of snoring stole the moment! One of the technical guys was sleeping behind the stage, and the microphone picked up his snoring!

You never know what to expect. You and I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen in the world this year. But what we know is that we should do what we ought to and can do to make ourselves better.

I want to be the best I can ever be. Not that I may be better than others, but because I do not want to waste God’s purpose for my life.

My philosophy in life is very simple. Every good thing comes from God. And when He opens a crack, I barge in and pursue what He wants me to do. If He presents an opportunity, it is my responsibility to be a good steward of that opportunity, to give it the best I’ve got.

Perhaps you have been blessed with immense talent, and you’ve developed it into a great skill. That talent and skill of yours is not meant to be kept to yourself. You are supposed to be a channel of blessing to others as well. As you upgrade and update yourself, make sure you are becoming more selfless as you are becoming more successful. This is your purpose in life. Live it well.

(Attend “Winning Disciplines for Success” on Feb. 24, 2012 at the SMX Convention Center. Learn best practices on business, creative, physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual disciplines from the industry’s best: Butch Jimenez, Dyan Castillejo, Jeric Soriano, Paul Soriano and Francis Kong. For further inquiries, contact Inspire Leadership Consultancy Inc. at 632-6872614 or 09178511115.)

Rich country acting poor

2012-01-28T14:16:00.001+07:00

Editorial

A recent UN Environment Program (UNEP) report reminded us about the vast wealth of this country that is either wasted or ignored. The UN report, which was released in Manila, noted that green investments in the marine sector offer huge economic payoffs. For instance, the global fishing industry could boost earnings by $50 billion by restoring depleted fish stocks and by reducing fishing capacity to “optimal levels.” The report added that small-scale producers and traders in developing countries—presumably including those in the Philippines—make up a majorityof the 530 million people worldwide who depend offishing.

At current prices, fisheries contributed 2.2 percent to the GDP in 2009 in the Philippines, which is roughly a P10-trillion economy. The Philippines is still a predominantly agriculture country, and according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), fishery accounts for 24.4 percent of the agriculture sector. Fishery employs more than 1.6 million operators nationwide, including more than 1.3 million at the municipal level. Fish is also a major export commodity for the Philippines, which exported 196,521 metric tons in 2009 valued at $675 million.

The UNEP report suggests that the Philippines could do better. The fisheries bureau’s statistics bear this out. Fish exports in 2009 were lower than the previous year – 205,274 metric tons valued at $768 million. Apparently, people are to blame for the unrealized potential.

The UN report says that the inefficient use offertilizers, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, degrades groundwater and marine ecosystems, even contributing to the formation of oxygen-poor “dead zones.” In a related story, Agence France-Presse quoted a Filipino marine specialist who said that 49 percent of fertilizers used in the Philippines were washed into the sea. What a double whammy.

In the Philippines, fertilizers are not the only sourceof marine or water pollution, which is estimated to cost P67 billion annually, according to the Water Environment Partnership in Asia (WEPA), a project ofthe Japanese government. According to the WEPA website, the cost of pollution includes P3 billion spent on health services and an opportunity loss of P17 billion for fisheries and P47 billion for tourism. WEPA added that some 2.2 million metric tons of organic pollution are produced in the Philippines yearly, but agriculture was not the biggest contributor, even though it accounted for 37 percent. Residential homes produced 48 percent of the water pollution, while the industrial sector accounted for 15 percent.

Time for new department

For a developing country, the Philippines is throwing away or mismanaging its natural resources. Being an archipelago, this country can tap coastal resources for fishing, transportation and tourism. The Philippine coastline is more than 36,200 kilometers long, far more than the US despite its much larger land area.

Of course, changes at every level and sector of society need to happen if Filipinos are to enjoy the full bounty of the sea and other water bodies. For one, Filipinos need to stop treating the sea, lakes and rivers as a toilet or garbage dump. Congress and policymakers should also look into developing sewerage treatment plants and similar infrastructure. Plus, we need better coordination between government officials and stakeholders, particularly those in agriculture and fisheries with regard to the use of fertilizers.

More than those things, however, the country needs a new government body dedicated to lead the preservation and rehabilitation of marine resources – a Department of Oceans, Rivers and Lakes. Another option would be to spin off the BFAR from an agencyof the Department of Agriculture to a full-fledged Cabinet department equipped with more resources, personnel and powers. The bottom line is that we need an accountable body dedicated to the administration of our seas, rivers and lakes.

Admittedly, creating a new department for marine and other water resources is easier said than done. Some may question where the funding will come from, for instance. There are no easy solutions, no easy answers. But that should not stop people from trying.

The Philippines is endowed with abundant natural resources, and yet more than a third of Filipinos are poor. The people here are blessed with oceans, rivers and lakes – but many of them are dying. And worse, most of us see the problems, and yet we pretend to be blind.