Planet Philippines (Calgary Edition) May 16-31, 2012 issue

MAY 16-31, 2012 Calgary EditionPLANET PHILIPPINES18MAY 16-31, 2012Calgary Edition PLANET PHILIPPINES19

T’S very common in show business for celebrities to appear in so-called exclusive interviews and call for press conferences whenever there are extensively pub-licized intrigues or scandals plaguing their names and tarnishing their reputations. They will answer ques-tions from the press and from the fans, target the root of the intrigue with the hopes of putting an end to the rumors and controversy with an end goal to reinstating peace and positive publicity into their work. However,

there are still a few showbiz personalities whose plan of at-tack is to respond with silence instead, to ignore the issues until they either become forgotten or get buried under newer controversies.

CONFRONTS INTRIGUES WITH STONY SILENCE

By ChEriE m. del rio

To this day, Piolo still wouldn’t give a response that would

be conclusive enough to put the rumors and the

intrigues to rest. Instead of denying the nasty

insinuations, Piolo chose to keep silent.

PIOLO

‘Ayoko namang tumanda mag-isa.’

Piolo Pascual has taken this road. Amidst the intrigues thrown against him, he has chosen to keep mum about the issues.

Piolo’s breakup with KC Con-cepcion back in November of 2011 was definitely one that shocked the industry, and it was hot topic for quite some time. KC has indulged The Buzz with a tell-all interview where she spoke about her side of the story. She was quoted to have said the following about her break-up with Piolo:

“May mga hinahanap ako na ba-sic lang na hahanapin ng isang babae sa isang boyfriend, sa isang lalaki . . . May mga

bagay na hindi ko na kayang lunukin, hindi ko na kaya yun tanggapin . . . Naniniwala naman ako na pag sinasa-bi ni PJ na minahal niya ako . . . Pero, masakit man sabihin, hindi ako yung . . . siguro nag-fail din ako dahil hindi ako yung kailangan niya sa buhay niya. Or, hindi ako yung hinahanap niya sa buhay niya.”

Although she never complete-ly divulged the specifics of the breakup, there were implications which were interpreted by fans and observers in ways they pre-ferred: that Piolo could indeed be gay and that’s why he couldn’t

give KC what she needed, and that’s also why KC is not the one Piolo needs. KC was commended for sharing her story and exposing her emotions without really airing out dirty laundry on national tele-vision. It’s therefore not surprising that fans were hoping Piolo would do the same -- that he would also show up for an interview and re-veal his side.

Piolo, however, did no such thing.

He has kept quiet, only giving a short statement where he asked for the people’s understanding: “Hi-hilingin ko lang siguro, pag-iintindi sa mga tao. Hindi madali yung proseso. Hindi rin madali yung maraming na-kaabang, maraming naghihintay, at maraming nakikialam. So, ang akin lang, hayaan na lang muna kami, espe-cially si Kristina, na it’s not easy.”

To this day, he still wouldn’t give a response that would be conclusive enough to put the rumors and the intrigues to rest. Instead of denying the nasty insinuations, Piolo chose to keep silent. The question is, has this done him any good?

Some say yes, some say no -- but the outpour of projects for Piolo seem to be pointing more towards the positive. Struggling through the post-breakup issues and the malicious remarks about his sexual preference, Piolo con-tinues to steadily rise and reclaim his glorious place in showbiz. He has a new soap opera, entitled Da-hil Sa Pag-ibig, and topbills Star Cinema’s summer movie offering, Every Breath U Take. He continues his hosting gig in ASAP and main-tains his presence in the world of Tv commercials and product en-dorsements.

In a recent interview on Showbiz Inside Report, the 35-year-old hunk said he wants to get married and settle down before turning 40, and eventually have more children with his future spouse.

“Ayoko namang tumanda mag-isa. Gusto ko magkaroon ng maraming pang anak, two or more, pag nag-settle down ako,” he said. That’s why when he is in love, he said he gives it his all.

“Sweet akong tao. I’m very affec-tionate. ‘Pag ako nagmahal, binibigay ko naman eh,” he said, adding that he has done crazy things for love.

When asked how he is able to withstand all the spiteful remarks and rumors hurled at him, Piolo replied, “Nagpapasalamat po ako because hindi ako pinapabayaan ng Diyos. At lahat po ng nangyayari sa buhay ko, whether good or bad, ay itinataas ko lang po sa Kanya.” n

MAY 16-31, 2012 Calgary EditionPLANET PHILIPPINES20

MAY 16-31, 2012Calgary Edition PLANET PHILIPPINES21


N the middle of all the usual celebrity hoopla in Philippine showbiz is a debate that is slowly rising to the surface, buzzed with no less than the indus-try’s biggest names: from the Superstar to the King of Comedy to the legends and pillars of national cinema. But what is this National Artist Award, re-ally? What is so special about it that so many of the country’s brightest stars, despite the countless awards they have already received, still all yearn for

the flicker of that medallion?

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL...Who’s the most deserving

Artist of them all?Five names have been put forward as possible nominees for National Artist for Cinema. Their achievements are more than enough for them to qualify to stand before that magic mirror for scrutiny.

By CHERIE del rio

the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) de-fines the award as “the highest national recognition given to Fili-pino individuals who have made significant contributions to the de-velopment of Philippine arts...” It’s therefore no surprise that any artist who wishes to be recognized and remembered for his craft will, once in his lifetime, dream of earning the said medallion. But what does it take to be worthy of this award? the NCCA has a list of the criteria for selection:

Artists who…... through the content and form

of their works have contributed in building a Filipino sense of nation-hood;

… have pioneered in a mode of creative expression or style, thus, earning distinction and making an impact on succeeding generations of artists;

… have created a substantial and significant body of works and/or consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form thus enriching artistic expression or style;

… enjoy broad acceptance through: prestigious national and/or international recognition, criti-

cal acclaim and/or reviews of their works; respect and esteem from peers.

So far, there’s only been a total of five National Artists in the field of Cinema: Gerardo de Leon, ed-die Romero, Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal (all film directors), and Fer-nando Poe, Jr. (Ronald Allan Poe in real life).

this year, five names have been mentioned for nomination. Initially, it was only Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos who were shoved into the spotlight of the debate. Later on, however, other names were thrown into the arguments: showbiz leg-ends Dolphy, Joseph estrada and eddie Garcia they have, after all, redefined the acting craft itself and

they are names well known in every Filipino household, regardless of age and social status.

Nora, the original Superstar, has a long list of achievements and awards in the field of both movies and music, with trophies for Best Actress and hall of Fame awards here and there. In 2010, she was recognized as one of the “10 Asian

Best Actresses of the Decade” by the Green Planet Awards.

Vilma, dubbed “the Star for All Seasons”, holds the title of Grand Slam Queen for winning the Best Actress award from four major award-giving bodies in the same year and is hailed as the longest Box-Office Queen in the industry.

Comedy King Dolphy paved the road to excellence for the country’s comic films, setting a comedy act that will forever be tough to follow. In 2010, he was awarded with the “Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden heart”, is the highest presi-dential award to a private citizen.

Joseph estrada has 33 years worth of movies and tV work -- his charm and popularity spilling over the bounds of showbiz and later reaching the pinnacle of Philippine politics: the presidency.

eddie Garcia is recognized as the most nominated and most awarded actor in FAMAS awards history. his long list of awards and movies speak for his impact on the showbiz industry.

their achievements are more than enough for them to qualify to stand before that magic mirror for scrutiny. But the question of who is the most deserving of all lies not in the hands of the public or Congress. Behind the mirror, the voice that shall answer the controversial ques-tion is actually a triumvirate. the National Artist Award is adminis-tered jointly by the NCCA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines and is conferred by the President of the Philippines at the recommenda-tion of the two bodies. In the end, President Aquino will have the final say as to which star’s reflection is brightest of them all. n

DOLPHY NORA

EDDIE VILMA

JOSEPH

Any artist who wishes to be recognized will dream of earning the said medallion.


N the middle of all the usual celebrity hoopla in Philippine showbiz is a debate that is slowly rising to the surface, buzzed with no less than the indus-try’s biggest names: from the Superstar to the King of Comedy to the legends and pillars of national cinema. But what is this National Artist Award, re-ally? What is so special about it that so many of the country’s brightest stars, despite the countless awards they have already received, still all yearn for

the flicker of that medallion?

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL...Who’s the most deserving

Artist of them all?Five names have been put forward as possible nominees for National Artist for Cinema. Their achievements are more than enough for them to qualify to stand before that magic mirror for scrutiny.

By CHERIE del rio

the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) de-fines the award as “the highest national recognition given to Fili-pino individuals who have made significant contributions to the de-velopment of Philippine arts...” It’s therefore no surprise that any artist who wishes to be recognized and remembered for his craft will, once in his lifetime, dream of earning the said medallion. But what does it take to be worthy of this award? the NCCA has a list of the criteria for selection:

Artists who…... through the content and form

of their works have contributed in building a Filipino sense of nation-hood;

… have pioneered in a mode of creative expression or style, thus, earning distinction and making an impact on succeeding generations of artists;

… have created a substantial and significant body of works and/or consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form thus enriching artistic expression or style;

… enjoy broad acceptance through: prestigious national and/or international recognition, criti-

cal acclaim and/or reviews of their works; respect and esteem from peers.

So far, there’s only been a total of five National Artists in the field of Cinema: Gerardo de Leon, ed-die Romero, Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal (all film directors), and Fer-nando Poe, Jr. (Ronald Allan Poe in real life).

this year, five names have been mentioned for nomination. Initially, it was only Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos who were shoved into the spotlight of the debate. Later on, however, other names were thrown into the arguments: showbiz leg-ends Dolphy, Joseph estrada and eddie Garcia they have, after all, redefined the acting craft itself and

they are names well known in every Filipino household, regardless of age and social status.

Nora, the original Superstar, has a long list of achievements and awards in the field of both movies and music, with trophies for Best Actress and hall of Fame awards here and there. In 2010, she was recognized as one of the “10 Asian

Best Actresses of the Decade” by the Green Planet Awards.

Vilma, dubbed “the Star for All Seasons”, holds the title of Grand Slam Queen for winning the Best Actress award from four major award-giving bodies in the same year and is hailed as the longest Box-Office Queen in the industry.

Comedy King Dolphy paved the road to excellence for the country’s comic films, setting a comedy act that will forever be tough to follow. In 2010, he was awarded with the “Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden heart”, is the highest presi-dential award to a private citizen.

Joseph estrada has 33 years worth of movies and tV work -- his charm and popularity spilling over the bounds of showbiz and later reaching the pinnacle of Philippine politics: the presidency.

eddie Garcia is recognized as the most nominated and most awarded actor in FAMAS awards history. his long list of awards and movies speak for his impact on the showbiz industry.

their achievements are more than enough for them to qualify to stand before that magic mirror for scrutiny. But the question of who is the most deserving of all lies not in the hands of the public or Congress. Behind the mirror, the voice that shall answer the controversial ques-tion is actually a triumvirate. the National Artist Award is adminis-tered jointly by the NCCA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines and is conferred by the President of the Philippines at the recommenda-tion of the two bodies. In the end, President Aquino will have the final say as to which star’s reflection is brightest of them all. n

DOLPHY NORA

EDDIE VILMA

JOSEPH

Any artist who wishes to be recognized will dream of earning the said medallion.



TYLESLIFE+

INSTEAD of a military standoff, like what’s going on between the Philippines and China at the Scar-borough Shoal, private firms from both countries are pursuing busi-ness negotiations as a means to settle claims over another disputed area - Recto Bank.

In early May Philex Mining CEO Manny Pangilinan visited China upon invitation of the China National Offshore Oil Cor-

FILIPINOS, especially the youth, are turning to the Internet and mobile phones for sources of information, as shown by the number of users in recent years.

Lauren Denny, Philippine country director of the Oxford Busi-ness Group (OBG) said

Filipinos are “avid” users of computers and the Internet, with 36 percent of those aged 16 to 60 going online everyday through PCs, tablets and mobile phones.

Research firm Euromonitor found that 16- to 24-year old Fili-pinos spent the most time using computers among the world’s 15 fastest-growing youth markets last year.

Mobile phone penetration in the country is near saturation point, with 100 million subscriptions as of 2010, thus making this platform important for marketing.

Smart Communications Inc. is betting that web-enabled mobiles will soon be the most popular way of accessing the Internet, espe-cially for low-income consumers. Taking advantage of this, the telco is planning to offer smartphones ranging n

THE historic walled city of Intra-muros will soon become a night-time destination. In six months, Fort Santiago, which houses the Rizal Shrine, will open its gates to guests for nightly cultural shows.

Nothing for night visitors to fear, as the Walled City will no longer be dark at night. The plans

BELIEF in God is highest in the Philippines at 94 percent, accord-ing to a study by the University of Chicago.

Citing data from surveys performed in 1991, 1998 and 2008 in 30 countries, the university’s National Opinion Research Center found that, on average, 43 percent of those aged 68 and older were certain that God exists.

By comparison, an average of 23 percent of people aged 27 and younger were firm believers in God, according to the report, which gathered data from the International Social Survey Program, a consortium of the world’s leading opinion survey organizations.

Belief was lowest in Western Europe, with only 13 percent of former East Germans believers.

In the United States, 81 percent of people surveyed said they had always believed in God, and 68 percent support the con-cept that God is concerned with people in a personal way. n

Pinoys turning to Internet, mobile phones

Belief in God highest in PH

Let’s talk businessporation to discuss a partnership to explore the resource-rich Recto Bank, which is located 148 km off the coast of Palawan and 400 km south of the disputed Scarbor-ough Shoal.

The Philippine government has allowed Philex Mining to conduct drilling operations in the area, whose gas potential is bigger than the natural gas reserves at Malampaya. n

Intramuros by nightinclude installing lights on the cen-turies-old buildings and churches of Intramuros.

And the nearby Maestranza Park by the Pasig River will be-come a village of cafés, restaurants and shops, resembling Singapore’s Clarke Quay, a historic riverside wharf where old warehouses have

been restored and converted into restaurants and nightclubs.

Intramuros Administrator Jose Capistrano Jr. said they had opened discussions with the Philippine Edu-cational Theater Association (PETA) for the staging of performances in the open-air Rajah Sulaiman Theater in-side Fort Santiago. n


TYLESLIFE+

INSTEAD of a military standoff, like what’s going on between the Philippines and China at the Scar-borough Shoal, private firms from both countries are pursuing busi-ness negotiations as a means to settle claims over another disputed area - Recto Bank.

In early May Philex Mining CEO Manny Pangilinan visited China upon invitation of the China National Offshore Oil Cor-

FILIPINOS, especially the youth, are turning to the Internet and mobile phones for sources of information, as shown by the number of users in recent years.

Lauren Denny, Philippine country director of the Oxford Busi-ness Group (OBG) said

Filipinos are “avid” users of computers and the Internet, with 36 percent of those aged 16 to 60 going online everyday through PCs, tablets and mobile phones.

Research firm Euromonitor found that 16- to 24-year old Fili-pinos spent the most time using computers among the world’s 15 fastest-growing youth markets last year.

Mobile phone penetration in the country is near saturation point, with 100 million subscriptions as of 2010, thus making this platform important for marketing.

Smart Communications Inc. is betting that web-enabled mobiles will soon be the most popular way of accessing the Internet, espe-cially for low-income consumers. Taking advantage of this, the telco is planning to offer smartphones ranging n

THE historic walled city of Intra-muros will soon become a night-time destination. In six months, Fort Santiago, which houses the Rizal Shrine, will open its gates to guests for nightly cultural shows.

Nothing for night visitors to fear, as the Walled City will no longer be dark at night. The plans

BELIEF in God is highest in the Philippines at 94 percent, accord-ing to a study by the University of Chicago.

Citing data from surveys performed in 1991, 1998 and 2008 in 30 countries, the university’s National Opinion Research Center found that, on average, 43 percent of those aged 68 and older were certain that God exists.

By comparison, an average of 23 percent of people aged 27 and younger were firm believers in God, according to the report, which gathered data from the International Social Survey Program, a consortium of the world’s leading opinion survey organizations.

Belief was lowest in Western Europe, with only 13 percent of former East Germans believers.

In the United States, 81 percent of people surveyed said they had always believed in God, and 68 percent support the con-cept that God is concerned with people in a personal way. n

Pinoys turning to Internet, mobile phones

Belief in God highest in PH

Let’s talk businessporation to discuss a partnership to explore the resource-rich Recto Bank, which is located 148 km off the coast of Palawan and 400 km south of the disputed Scarbor-ough Shoal.

The Philippine government has allowed Philex Mining to conduct drilling operations in the area, whose gas potential is bigger than the natural gas reserves at Malampaya. n

Intramuros by nightinclude installing lights on the cen-turies-old buildings and churches of Intramuros.

And the nearby Maestranza Park by the Pasig River will be-come a village of cafés, restaurants and shops, resembling Singapore’s Clarke Quay, a historic riverside wharf where old warehouses have

been restored and converted into restaurants and nightclubs.

Intramuros Administrator Jose Capistrano Jr. said they had opened discussions with the Philippine Edu-cational Theater Association (PETA) for the staging of performances in the open-air Rajah Sulaiman Theater in-side Fort Santiago. n


TEEN pregnancy in the Philippines rose 70 percent in a span of 10 years from 1999 to 2009, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The UNFPA 2011 annual re-port showed the number of teenage pregnancies in the country rising 70 percent from 114,205 in 1999 to

THE Philippines emerged No. 1 in a global index measuring busi-ness English proficiency in the workplace.

In a study conducted by GlobalEnglish Corp., the Phil-ippines scored above 7.0 in the Business English Index, which

THE number of documented nat-ural disasters in the Philippines surged 50 percent last year, mak-

THREE prominent personali-ties – all politicians – are being hunted by authorities for serious offenses, including murder and kidnapping.

Retired Major General Jovi-to Palparan has gone into hid-ing since December 2011 when a warrant of arrest was issued against him and three other military personnel. Palparan is charged with two counts of

LIFE+STYLE

We’re tops in business Englishis “within range of a high profi-ciency that indicates an ability to take an active role in business discussions and perform relatively complex tasks.”

Joining the Philippines in the top five were Norway (6.54), Esto-nia (6.45), Serbia (6.38) and Slove-

nia (6.19)GlobalEnglish Corp.’s annual

Business English Index (BEI) showed that the lack of Business English proficiency was “threat-ening the productivity of compa-nies, industries and country-spe-cific economies.” n

Fugitives from justice

Palparan

Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention for the abduction of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño on June 26, 2006 in Hagonoy, Bulacan.

Former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes his brother Marjo Reyes, who is the mayor of Coron town are wanted for the Jan. 24, 2011 killing of broad-caster and environmentalist Ge-rardo “Gerry” Ortega in Puerto

Princesa City. A reward of P1.5 million has been put up for the brothers’ capture.

Representative Ruben Ecleo Jr. of Dinagat Island has not been seen since a Cebu City court on April 13 found him guilty of par-ricide and sentenced to at least 30 years’ imprisonment. Ecleo was found guilty of killing his wife, Alona Bacolod-Ecleo on June 5, 2002. n

Teen pregnancy ‘alarming’195,662 in 2009, the highest teen-age pregnancy rate among mem-ber countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The report said there are 53 births per 1,000 women aged between 15 and 19 in the Philip-pines. Officials said the trend is “alarming.” n

PH bore brunt of disasters in 2011ing it the world’s most disaster-hit country in 2011, according to the Citizens’ Disaster Response Cen-

ter (CDRC).CDRC said natural disasters

last year cost the Philippines P26 billion, displacing a record 15.3 million people - a huge jump from the 6.75 million people in 2010. A total of 33 of the 302 natural di-sasters worldwide occurred in the Philippines.

It said the 15.3 million people displaced by disasters last year exceeded the previous record of 14.5 million in 2006.

The big jump in the number of displaced people was due to a series of destructive tropical cyclones, such as typhoon Rem-ing in 2006 and tropical storms Ondoy in 2009 and Sendong in 2011. n


ETRO Manila is far from what could be called a walkable city.

in less than ten minutes of walking in the EDSa-Ortigas area, for instance, one realizes just how unpleasant it is. The sidewalk is narrow, the ground is uneven, there are few covered areas, the lighting is poor, and on top of everything, the air is very polluted. When it rains, mud puddles

only make things worse.at the recent Ortigas CBD new Mobility Mapping

Workshop, participants from various sectors put their heads together to come up with ideas to improve mobility around the area.

HOW TO MAKE MANILAA WALKABLE CITYEight out of 10 people in Metro Manila take public transportation, but pedestrians

are often the last priority on the roads. There is lack of safe pedestrian crossing, sidewalks and bridges, a predictable public transport and direct routes.

By CArMElA g. lapeña

With the objective of creating more efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly transportation for ev-eryone in Metro Manila, the work-shop gathered together representa-tives from the government, NGOs, big businesses, and the academe.

“This is a unique opportunity to be creative in shaping the future of our community,” said ADB Country Director Neeraj K. Jain in his wel-come remarks during the workshop.

Sustainable transport system

A better transport system may be as easy as following these Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) tips shared by Clean Air Initiative-Asia:

1. avoid • Reduce the need for travel • Avoid trips with integrated

land use planning and trans-port management

• Work closer to home, live near a supermarket or grocery store

2. Shift • Choose more environmentally-

friendly modes of transport, do away with energy consuming modes

• Move from gas-guzzling vehi-cles to non-motorized modes

• Promote and use public trans-port

• Low-carbon and low-emission transport

3. improve • Prefer clean technology, better

quality of fuels • Vehicles should be cleaner • Technologies that capture the

pollutants instead of spewing them out in the air

• Better fuel quality, alternative fuels with reduced emissions

According to Clean Air Initia-tive-Asia Policy and Partnership Manager Glynda Bathan-Baterina, we should do away with the obso-

lete paradigm that building more roads will deal successfully with the increased demand for mobility.

Instead, the workshop uses the new mobility paradigm to develop sustainable transport systems. This is done through Avoid-Shift-Im-prove measures, taken from a publi-cation of the German International Cooperation, and accepted by sev-eral organizations including CAI.

Measures consistent with the new paradigm can be seen in China,

where they have very wide pedes-trian facilities; Seoul, where they tore down a highway and revived a stream; and Jakarta, where they have a car-free day once a week.

Using color-coded stickers, participants marked maps of the Ortigas area, indicated connec-tion points between modes of transport, areas for improvement, opportunities for business, as well as for “moving minds” in order to get key people like leaders and big

organizations involved.

Pedestrian safety Common themes were revealed

during the workshop discussion. Eight out of ten people in Metro Manila take public transportation, but pedestrians are often the last priority on the roads. This was echoed during the workshop, with participants noting the lack of safe pedestrian crossing, sidewalks and bridges.

It was also noted that there are many redundant transport hubs, with public utility vehicles stop-ping before and after intersections. Participants also pointed out that a lack of predictable public transport and direct routes results in longer periods in transit, which costs time and money.

Several suggestions included a request to widen the sidewalk along ADB complex. “We have to improve sidewalks also, so people would like to walk. If that means more greenery, a covered area para hindi ka maulanan o kaya maarawan masyado, so be it,” said Tiklop Soci-ety’s Pio Fortuno Jr., representing one workshop group.

Bike lanes were high on the list, as well as a bike sharing program to encourage people to use private vehicles less, and a carless day.

A particularly ambitious idea envisioned a green space linking Ortigas Center to the Pasig River, as well as toward Greenhills and including the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, which was envi-sioned as a public park.

“The city is really starved for green spaces,” said ADB Senior Transport Specialist Lloyd Wright. The green way would have a cycle route, as well as outdoor galleries, street furniture, playgrounds and organic businesses.

While participants were excited about their ideas, they had to re-main realistic and consider the re-search that needs to be done, as well as possible barriers to their dream city. Current routes as well as land ownership would need to be plotted in a Geographic Information Sys-tem. Experts must conduct a gap analysis to identify the overlaps in the current routes. Some of the bar-riers were the need for legislation, and of course, funding.

More importantly, the question is whether pedestrians are willing to shift to green modes of trans-port. Participants agreed that there is a need to raise awareness on the health benefits of walking, and make it attractive for people. (GMA News) n

MRT passengers can hardly move when they get off at the Ortigas station.

Vendors clog the sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk in the middle of the street.


MAGINE an area bigger than the Philip-pines’ biggest island, Luzon, that poten-tially contains steel-producing minerals and natural gas for domestic consump-tion or exportation.

This is Benham Rise, a 13-mil-lion-hectare area off the coast of Aurora province, which the United Nations (UN) recently confirmed as part of the Philippines’ continental shelf and territory.

“We own Benham Rise now,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said in a media interview. “This is for future Filipinos.”

Unlike Scarborough Shoal and other portions of the South China Sea, no other country claims the area that is almost a quarter bigger than the 10.5-million-hectare Luzon.

The UN approval means Ben-ham Rise, an underwater plateau by definition, is an extension of the Philippines’ continental shelf, an area rich in living and non-living resources like minerals and gas.

Based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), the

BENRAM RISENo other country claims Benram Rise, an area almost a quarter bigger than Luzon that is rich in living and non-living resources like minerals and gas. The UN approval means the underwater plateau is an extension of the Philippines’ continental shelf.

Located near Aurora, the 13-million-hectare Benham

Rise has been declared by the United Nations as part

of Philippine territory.

By pAtErno esmaquel ii

continental shelf comprises the sea-bed and subsoil of the submarine areas 200 nautical miles (NM), or 370 kilometers, from a State’s base-lines or “edges.”

The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UN-CLCS) approved Benham Rise as the Philippines’ extended continen-tal shelf three years after the country filed a claim and defended it before the UN commission. (The UNCLCS was formed under Unclos.)

It is now up to the Philippines to enact a law or executive order establishing the boundaries of its continental shelf, marine law expert Jay Batongbacal told Rappler.

With this, he said, the Philip-pines can explore and exploit re-sources in a bigger area of seabed.

Batongbacal said based on two initial samplings in the area, Ben-ham Rise keeps a large amount of heavy metals like manganese, whose accumulation into manganese nod-

ules can help in the production of steel, among other things.

Considering the area is a sea-bed, which is known to contain gas hydrates, Benham Rise is also potentially a rich source of natural gas, he said.

He noted, however, that Ben-ham Rise – which is 2,000 to 5,000 meters deep – “has not really been explored.”

This is the Philippines’ first suc-cessful validation of a territorial claim under Unclos, according to a paper on Benham Rise prepared by parties privy to the claim.

Unclos, incidentally, is the same UN convention the Philippines is invoking in its ongoing dispute with China over Scarborough Shoal. Chi-na has repeatedly rejected the Phil-ippines’ invitation to bring the two countries’ dispute to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, an-other body formed under Unclos.

Batongbacal sees hope in the

recent UN approval. “In terms of demonstrating our country’s capa-bility to make and prove claims to areas under international law, this is positive proof that we can do it, given the right people, resources, and adequate preparation and time,” he said.

Dr Mahar Lagmay, professor at the University of the Philippines’ (UP) National Institute of Geologi-cal Sciences, said this victory “dem-onstrates our technical, scientific, financial, and political capabilities as well as resolve to claim seabed territory.”

Meanwhile, a Philippine oil com-pany says its gas field – in a section of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) also claimed by China – could be nearly twice as big as the Philippines’ largest known deposits.

According to Philex Petroleum, estimates of the Sampaguita field reserves had been upgraded to 4.66 trillion cubic feet (TCF), from a pre-

vious estimate of 3.4 TCF.Energy Secretary Rene Almen-

dras said he hoped “its big resources will help us face the need for energy in the future.”

But there is a minor hitch: the gas field is at Reed Bank, about 148 kilometers (92 miles) off the Philip-pine island of Palawan, where last year the Philippine government ac-cused Chinese vessels of harassing an exploration vessel.

The Philex announcement came amid a continuing standoff be-tween Philippine and Chinese ships around Scarborough Shoal, anoth-er West Philippine Sea outcropping that is subject to conflicting claims by both countries.

The Philippines maintains that both Reed Bank and Scarborough Shoal are well within its maritime territory but Beijing, which claims almost all of the West Philippine Sea, disputes this.

The Sampaguita field is near Royal Dutch Shell’s Malampaya, the Philippines’ largest gas field, which provides fuel to power Lu-zon and has estimated reserves of 2.7 TCF.

Philex said the total reserves at Reed Bank could be as high as 16.6 TCF of gas and 416 million barrels of oil. (Rappler.com) n

PH’S NEW TERRITORY OFF AURORA


ETRO Manila is far from what could be called a walkable city.

in less than ten minutes of walking in the EDSa-Ortigas area, for instance, one realizes just how unpleasant it is. The sidewalk is narrow, the ground is uneven, there are few covered areas, the lighting is poor, and on top of everything, the air is very polluted. When it rains, mud puddles

only make things worse.at the recent Ortigas CBD new Mobility Mapping

Workshop, participants from various sectors put their heads together to come up with ideas to improve mobility around the area.

HOW TO MAKE MANILAA WALKABLE CITYEight out of 10 people in Metro Manila take public transportation, but pedestrians

are often the last priority on the roads. There is lack of safe pedestrian crossing, sidewalks and bridges, a predictable public transport and direct routes.

By CArMElA g. lapeña

With the objective of creating more efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly transportation for ev-eryone in Metro Manila, the work-shop gathered together representa-tives from the government, NGOs, big businesses, and the academe.

“This is a unique opportunity to be creative in shaping the future of our community,” said ADB Country Director Neeraj K. Jain in his wel-come remarks during the workshop.

Sustainable transport system

A better transport system may be as easy as following these Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) tips shared by Clean Air Initiative-Asia:

1. avoid • Reduce the need for travel • Avoid trips with integrated

land use planning and trans-port management

• Work closer to home, live near a supermarket or grocery store

2. Shift • Choose more environmentally-

friendly modes of transport, do away with energy consuming modes

• Move from gas-guzzling vehi-cles to non-motorized modes

• Promote and use public trans-port

• Low-carbon and low-emission transport

3. improve • Prefer clean technology, better

quality of fuels • Vehicles should be cleaner • Technologies that capture the

pollutants instead of spewing them out in the air

• Better fuel quality, alternative fuels with reduced emissions

According to Clean Air Initia-tive-Asia Policy and Partnership Manager Glynda Bathan-Baterina, we should do away with the obso-

lete paradigm that building more roads will deal successfully with the increased demand for mobility.

Instead, the workshop uses the new mobility paradigm to develop sustainable transport systems. This is done through Avoid-Shift-Im-prove measures, taken from a publi-cation of the German International Cooperation, and accepted by sev-eral organizations including CAI.

Measures consistent with the new paradigm can be seen in China,

where they have very wide pedes-trian facilities; Seoul, where they tore down a highway and revived a stream; and Jakarta, where they have a car-free day once a week.

Using color-coded stickers, participants marked maps of the Ortigas area, indicated connec-tion points between modes of transport, areas for improvement, opportunities for business, as well as for “moving minds” in order to get key people like leaders and big

organizations involved.

Pedestrian safety Common themes were revealed

during the workshop discussion. Eight out of ten people in Metro Manila take public transportation, but pedestrians are often the last priority on the roads. This was echoed during the workshop, with participants noting the lack of safe pedestrian crossing, sidewalks and bridges.

It was also noted that there are many redundant transport hubs, with public utility vehicles stop-ping before and after intersections. Participants also pointed out that a lack of predictable public transport and direct routes results in longer periods in transit, which costs time and money.

Several suggestions included a request to widen the sidewalk along ADB complex. “We have to improve sidewalks also, so people would like to walk. If that means more greenery, a covered area para hindi ka maulanan o kaya maarawan masyado, so be it,” said Tiklop Soci-ety’s Pio Fortuno Jr., representing one workshop group.

Bike lanes were high on the list, as well as a bike sharing program to encourage people to use private vehicles less, and a carless day.

A particularly ambitious idea envisioned a green space linking Ortigas Center to the Pasig River, as well as toward Greenhills and including the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, which was envi-sioned as a public park.

“The city is really starved for green spaces,” said ADB Senior Transport Specialist Lloyd Wright. The green way would have a cycle route, as well as outdoor galleries, street furniture, playgrounds and organic businesses.

While participants were excited about their ideas, they had to re-main realistic and consider the re-search that needs to be done, as well as possible barriers to their dream city. Current routes as well as land ownership would need to be plotted in a Geographic Information Sys-tem. Experts must conduct a gap analysis to identify the overlaps in the current routes. Some of the bar-riers were the need for legislation, and of course, funding.

More importantly, the question is whether pedestrians are willing to shift to green modes of trans-port. Participants agreed that there is a need to raise awareness on the health benefits of walking, and make it attractive for people. (GMA News) n

MRT passengers can hardly move when they get off at the Ortigas station.

Vendors clog the sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk in the middle of the street.


MAGINE an area bigger than the Philip-pines’ biggest island, Luzon, that poten-tially contains steel-producing minerals and natural gas for domestic consump-tion or exportation.

This is Benham Rise, a 13-mil-lion-hectare area off the coast of Aurora province, which the United Nations (UN) recently confirmed as part of the Philippines’ continental shelf and territory.

“We own Benham Rise now,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said in a media interview. “This is for future Filipinos.”

Unlike Scarborough Shoal and other portions of the South China Sea, no other country claims the area that is almost a quarter bigger than the 10.5-million-hectare Luzon.

The UN approval means Ben-ham Rise, an underwater plateau by definition, is an extension of the Philippines’ continental shelf, an area rich in living and non-living resources like minerals and gas.

Based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), the

BENRAM RISENo other country claims Benram Rise, an area almost a quarter bigger than Luzon that is rich in living and non-living resources like minerals and gas. The UN approval means the underwater plateau is an extension of the Philippines’ continental shelf.

Located near Aurora, the 13-million-hectare Benham

Rise has been declared by the United Nations as part

of Philippine territory.

By pAtErno esmaquel ii

continental shelf comprises the sea-bed and subsoil of the submarine areas 200 nautical miles (NM), or 370 kilometers, from a State’s base-lines or “edges.”

The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UN-CLCS) approved Benham Rise as the Philippines’ extended continen-tal shelf three years after the country filed a claim and defended it before the UN commission. (The UNCLCS was formed under Unclos.)

It is now up to the Philippines to enact a law or executive order establishing the boundaries of its continental shelf, marine law expert Jay Batongbacal told Rappler.

With this, he said, the Philip-pines can explore and exploit re-sources in a bigger area of seabed.

Batongbacal said based on two initial samplings in the area, Ben-ham Rise keeps a large amount of heavy metals like manganese, whose accumulation into manganese nod-

ules can help in the production of steel, among other things.

Considering the area is a sea-bed, which is known to contain gas hydrates, Benham Rise is also potentially a rich source of natural gas, he said.

He noted, however, that Ben-ham Rise – which is 2,000 to 5,000 meters deep – “has not really been explored.”

This is the Philippines’ first suc-cessful validation of a territorial claim under Unclos, according to a paper on Benham Rise prepared by parties privy to the claim.

Unclos, incidentally, is the same UN convention the Philippines is invoking in its ongoing dispute with China over Scarborough Shoal. Chi-na has repeatedly rejected the Phil-ippines’ invitation to bring the two countries’ dispute to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, an-other body formed under Unclos.

Batongbacal sees hope in the

recent UN approval. “In terms of demonstrating our country’s capa-bility to make and prove claims to areas under international law, this is positive proof that we can do it, given the right people, resources, and adequate preparation and time,” he said.

Dr Mahar Lagmay, professor at the University of the Philippines’ (UP) National Institute of Geologi-cal Sciences, said this victory “dem-onstrates our technical, scientific, financial, and political capabilities as well as resolve to claim seabed territory.”

Meanwhile, a Philippine oil com-pany says its gas field – in a section of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) also claimed by China – could be nearly twice as big as the Philippines’ largest known deposits.

According to Philex Petroleum, estimates of the Sampaguita field reserves had been upgraded to 4.66 trillion cubic feet (TCF), from a pre-

vious estimate of 3.4 TCF.Energy Secretary Rene Almen-

dras said he hoped “its big resources will help us face the need for energy in the future.”

But there is a minor hitch: the gas field is at Reed Bank, about 148 kilometers (92 miles) off the Philip-pine island of Palawan, where last year the Philippine government ac-cused Chinese vessels of harassing an exploration vessel.

The Philex announcement came amid a continuing standoff be-tween Philippine and Chinese ships around Scarborough Shoal, anoth-er West Philippine Sea outcropping that is subject to conflicting claims by both countries.

The Philippines maintains that both Reed Bank and Scarborough Shoal are well within its maritime territory but Beijing, which claims almost all of the West Philippine Sea, disputes this.

The Sampaguita field is near Royal Dutch Shell’s Malampaya, the Philippines’ largest gas field, which provides fuel to power Lu-zon and has estimated reserves of 2.7 TCF.

Philex said the total reserves at Reed Bank could be as high as 16.6 TCF of gas and 416 million barrels of oil. (Rappler.com) n

PH’S NEW TERRITORY OFF AURORA


he Department of tourism has launched a national blueprint that seeks to address the key challenges in developing the tourism sector, in a bid to increase the sector’s share in the country’s total economic output.

Unveiled at a forum on may 3 during the 45th annual meeting of the Board of Gover-nors of the asian Development Bank in ma-nila, the national tourism Development plan

calls for the total investment of p265 billion over five years, from 2011-2016, for the country to be able to reach its target arrivals of some 10 million international and 35.5 million do-mestic tourists by 2016. the forum was attended by industry stakeholders including representatives from hotel and accom-modations, travel agencies, airline representatives, etc.

TOURISM PLAN TARGETS The slogan ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ “makes a compelling argument for

choosing the Philippines as one of the world’s top tourist destinations. . . It is rooted in our competitive advantage, a ‘deliverable’, where Filipinos put genuine

value in being able to participate to make their guests feel at home.”

By MA stEllA f. arnaldo

Philippine Ambassador to the UK Enrique A. Manalo (center) joins tourism officials, trade partners, media representatives and members of the Filipino community in launching the tourism campaign in London.

10-M TOURISTS BY 2016

Of the amount, government’s share is p74 billion for the duration of the five-year master plan, with the largest chunk or p50 billion to build roads and airports, explained rolando Canizal, DOt Director

for the Office of tourism planning, research, and Information man-agement. For this year, p3 billion has been allotted for roads and air-ports construction, and p17 billion in 2013.

the plan also “cuts up” the country into 20 clusters, nine of which have been identified as pri-ority clusters for investment and development, based on the “iden-tification of secondary gateways as premier entry points” to these ar-eas, said Daniel Corpuz, DOt Un-dersecretary, tourism planning and promotions during his presentation of the plan.

these nine priority clusters in-clude Central Visayas, metro ma-nila and Calabarzon (Cavite, La-guna, Batangas, rizal, Quezon), Central Luzon, palawan, Western Visayas, Davao Gulf and Coast,

Investment of P265 billion over five years, from 2011-2016, are planned

in order to reach target arrivals of 10 million foreign and 35.5 million

domestic tourists by 2016.

+31


F only somebody could arrange for famed boxer Manny Pacquiao to fight a world championship bout everyday. or if only Good Friday could be made to happen every week. Then Metro Manila’s traffic prob-lems would be solved, with streets empty because peo-ple would either be indoors watching the fight, or out of town on holiday.

Absurd as they are, these “solutions” seem more likely to happen than the actual remedy that experts have long

sought: an integrated, unified approach to traffic management free of local government politics. Thanks to those very politics, that vision has remained unrealized for decades.

UNTANGLING METRO MANILA’S GRIDLOCK

By AlAn c. roBles

Efforts to arrive at long-term, lasting solutions to Metro Manila’s traffic woes have always ended up in a tangled mess due to four core problems: disorganized polity, indiscipline of many people, rampant corruption and lack of good public transport.

Mass transit system like the LRT/MRT, is key to addressing the traffic mess but it cannot cope with the huge ridership.

yves Gonzalez, head of the Traffic Discipline office of the Metro Manila Development Au-thority (MMDA) puts it this way: “Metro Manila has a population of 12 million at night and 15 million in the daytime, so there’s a migra-tion of about three million persons. All of them have to use the roads.” And so do millions who commute within the city.

According to Gonzalez, vehicu-lar speed may drop to five kilome-ters per hour during rush hours on the main artery Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).

The MMDA reports that “ma-jor roads are no longer sufficient to accommodate the rapidly rising traffic volume”. The situation is

made worse by outmoded traffic signals, poor road conditions and a lack of efficient public transport. A mere accident on an important in-tersection is likely to paralyze many streets for hours.

The national government esti-mates that Manila’s traffic conges-tion annually costs about US$3 billion in lost productivity, illness, wasted fuel and vehicle mainte-nance. The burden falls on those who can least afford it. A World Bank report noted that “pedestrians and commuters from lower income groups account for 75 % of all trips in Metro Manila”.

Metro Manila is a giant sprawl

of 16 cities and one municipal-ity. But while the metropolis has expanded, its roads have not kept pace with the increasing load. Ac-cording to the MMDA, 1.9 million vehicles were registered in Metro Manila, almost 15 % more than in 2008. Today, the MMDA’s Traffic Discipline office relies on 1,400 traffic enforcement staff. Its funds are limited. This year it can spend a mere P1.2 billion, only 20 % more than in 1995.

The MMDA is increasingly rely-ing on information and communi-cation technology (ICT). It set up a Twitter account in 2010, which cur-rently has 180,000 followers. It also

Vehicular speed may drop to five kilometers per hour

during rush hours on the main artery Epifanio de los

Santos Avenue.


he Department of tourism has launched a national blueprint that seeks to address the key challenges in developing the tourism sector, in a bid to increase the sector’s share in the country’s total economic output.

Unveiled at a forum on may 3 during the 45th annual meeting of the Board of Gover-nors of the asian Development Bank in ma-nila, the national tourism Development plan

calls for the total investment of p265 billion over five years, from 2011-2016, for the country to be able to reach its target arrivals of some 10 million international and 35.5 million do-mestic tourists by 2016. the forum was attended by industry stakeholders including representatives from hotel and accom-modations, travel agencies, airline representatives, etc.

TOURISM PLAN TARGETS The slogan ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ “makes a compelling argument for

choosing the Philippines as one of the world’s top tourist destinations. . . It is rooted in our competitive advantage, a ‘deliverable’, where Filipinos put genuine

value in being able to participate to make their guests feel at home.”

By MA stEllA f. arnaldo

Philippine Ambassador to the UK Enrique A. Manalo (center) joins tourism officials, trade partners, media representatives and members of the Filipino community in launching the tourism campaign in London.

10-M TOURISTS BY 2016

Of the amount, government’s share is p74 billion for the duration of the five-year master plan, with the largest chunk or p50 billion to build roads and airports, explained rolando Canizal, DOt Director

for the Office of tourism planning, research, and Information man-agement. For this year, p3 billion has been allotted for roads and air-ports construction, and p17 billion in 2013.

the plan also “cuts up” the country into 20 clusters, nine of which have been identified as pri-ority clusters for investment and development, based on the “iden-tification of secondary gateways as premier entry points” to these ar-eas, said Daniel Corpuz, DOt Un-dersecretary, tourism planning and promotions during his presentation of the plan.

these nine priority clusters in-clude Central Visayas, metro ma-nila and Calabarzon (Cavite, La-guna, Batangas, rizal, Quezon), Central Luzon, palawan, Western Visayas, Davao Gulf and Coast,

Investment of P265 billion over five years, from 2011-2016, are planned

in order to reach target arrivals of 10 million foreign and 35.5 million

domestic tourists by 2016.

+31


F only somebody could arrange for famed boxer Manny Pacquiao to fight a world championship bout everyday. or if only Good Friday could be made to happen every week. Then Metro Manila’s traffic prob-lems would be solved, with streets empty because peo-ple would either be indoors watching the fight, or out of town on holiday.

Absurd as they are, these “solutions” seem more likely to happen than the actual remedy that experts have long

sought: an integrated, unified approach to traffic management free of local government politics. Thanks to those very politics, that vision has remained unrealized for decades.

UNTANGLING METRO MANILA’S GRIDLOCK

By AlAn c. roBles

Efforts to arrive at long-term, lasting solutions to Metro Manila’s traffic woes have always ended up in a tangled mess due to four core problems: disorganized polity, indiscipline of many people, rampant corruption and lack of good public transport.

Mass transit system like the LRT/MRT, is key to addressing the traffic mess but it cannot cope with the huge ridership.

yves Gonzalez, head of the Traffic Discipline office of the Metro Manila Development Au-thority (MMDA) puts it this way: “Metro Manila has a population of 12 million at night and 15 million in the daytime, so there’s a migra-tion of about three million persons. All of them have to use the roads.” And so do millions who commute within the city.

According to Gonzalez, vehicu-lar speed may drop to five kilome-ters per hour during rush hours on the main artery Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).

The MMDA reports that “ma-jor roads are no longer sufficient to accommodate the rapidly rising traffic volume”. The situation is

made worse by outmoded traffic signals, poor road conditions and a lack of efficient public transport. A mere accident on an important in-tersection is likely to paralyze many streets for hours.

The national government esti-mates that Manila’s traffic conges-tion annually costs about US$3 billion in lost productivity, illness, wasted fuel and vehicle mainte-nance. The burden falls on those who can least afford it. A World Bank report noted that “pedestrians and commuters from lower income groups account for 75 % of all trips in Metro Manila”.

Metro Manila is a giant sprawl

of 16 cities and one municipal-ity. But while the metropolis has expanded, its roads have not kept pace with the increasing load. Ac-cording to the MMDA, 1.9 million vehicles were registered in Metro Manila, almost 15 % more than in 2008. Today, the MMDA’s Traffic Discipline office relies on 1,400 traffic enforcement staff. Its funds are limited. This year it can spend a mere P1.2 billion, only 20 % more than in 1995.

The MMDA is increasingly rely-ing on information and communi-cation technology (ICT). It set up a Twitter account in 2010, which cur-rently has 180,000 followers. It also

Vehicular speed may drop to five kilometers per hour

during rush hours on the main artery Epifanio de los

Santos Avenue.


NEWSR UNDUP

MAY 16-31, 2012Calgary Edition PLANET PHILIPPINES31started offering downloadable traf-fic apps for mobile devices last year and recently partnered with a radio station to air live traffic updates. It also uses street cameras, laser speed guns and digital display boards on EDSA. The goal is to make traffic itself smarter. Gonzalez says: “One of the biggest causes of jams is lack of information.” If people do not know there was an accident in a certain place, they keep driving there, adding to the problem.

Efforts to arrive at long-term, lasting solutions have always ended up looking like the traffic itself – gridlocked in a tangled mess. There are four core problems:

• the disorganized polity,• the indiscipline of many people,• rampant corruption and• the lack of good public transport.Metro Manila’s 17 local govern-

ment units are touchy about their rights. Moreover, they are not the only bodies with a say in traffic matters. A study prepared for the University of the Philippines states: “The road development program is still not linked to any particular land use scheme.”

The solution would be to set up an authority over the entire agglom-eration, but this issue is politically sensitive. The leader of this author-ity would be extremely powerful, perhaps second only to the national president.

Motorists’ discipline is poor.

People load, unload and park their cars and trucks pretty much any-where they please. They disregard traffic signals and sometimes cruise down the wrong side of streets. Mo-torcyclists often drive on sidewalks. The relaxed attitude to laws is not restricted to drivers – commuters unhesitatingly flag down public vehicles in the middle of the street, while pedestrians are prone to dash randomly across busy avenues.

MMDA official Gonzalez says the issue can be addressed by en-forcement and education, but he is not contemplating fast change: “The target should be the youth; they’re the ones who haven’t yet acquired bad habits.” The MMDA will therefore soon start an aware-ness campaign, including the use of “entertaining” videos on YouTube

and in the DVD format.The problem of corruption is

probably even more pervasive than indiscipline. Paying bribes is very common. There are probably very few Filipino drivers who have not paid off a traffic policeman at one time or another. It will take genera-tions to address this issue, but Gon-zalez says a promising start would be to pay traffic enforcers decent wages so that they’ll have less in-centive to accept bribes.

Corruption compounds Ma-nila’s traffic problems in another important way. Gonzalez says that “a bus operator with a franchise for 30 buses is actually likely to operate up to 45 buses”, and will get away with it by “bribing the right peo-ple”. The MMDA official estimates that a “surplus” of 30 to 40 % must

be added to the 200,000 officially registered public utility vehicles that ply Metro Manila’s streets. To tackle this challenge, the MMDA will soon require public buses to use RFID (radio frequency identifi-cation) chips that can be monitored via GPS and linked to a program that will expose rogue buses.

While the city’s streets are blan-keted by registered and unregistered buses, the fabled jeepneys and mo-torized tricycles, that coverage does not result in efficiency, but in chaos and discomfort.

Things could be different, as Gonzalez knows only too well. He says: “In Singapore you can get anywhere using public transport, it doesn’t matter if you’re a laborer or a lawyer, you can use public trans-portation, it’s efficient and it’s com-fortable.” Manila has an elevated light and medium train system which is a boon to commuters, but the network coverage is inadequate, the trains are always packed full,

their number insufficient to handle the volume of passengers.

Faced with these unpalatable public transport options, many resi-dents can’t be blamed for aspiring to buy their own cars. According to Gonzalez, “everyone wants to get out of the public transport situ-ation”. According to a 2007 study, the first transport preference of Manila commuters is the car, and if they have to take public transport, they prefer the train. The study ob-serves: “It is important for the gov-ernment to focus its attention to the provision of more mass transport systems in Metro Manila.”

Gonzalez agrees. He says: “We need to raise public transportation to a level such that people can ac-tually choose it as a viable alterna-tive.” Otherwise, he warns, Filipi-nos will just keep on buying cars “even if they have no place to park it, or don’t know how to drive it”.

Without coordination and plan-ning, the city faces the prospect of slowly choking on an increasing volume of vehicles jammed down an inadequate number of streets, and MMDA’s current efforts will be a rearguard battle at best.

(Published in D+C [Develop-ment and Cooperation], a monthly publication funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and commissioned by ENGAGE-MENT GLOBAL.) n

TOURISM PLAN TARGETS 10-M TOURISTS BY 2016Northern Mindanao, Bicol, Laoag-Vigan.

Corpuz noted that there were some obstacles to the attainment of the plan’s goals and targets among which are the “uncompetitive tourist destinations and products; limited flights and seat capacities including the poor quality and lim-ited capacity of international and domestic transportation and in-frastructure destination, as well as other restrictions that have limited market access; and weak public sec-tor tourism governance and human resources development policies and practices.”

To overcome these challenges, he stressed that strategic direc-tions and programs that will be undertaken in the plan are: the development and marketing of competitive tourist products and destinations; improvement of market access, connectivity, and destination infrastructure; and improvement of tourism institu-

tional, governance, and industry manpower capabilities.

In his keynote address at the fo-rum, Tourism Secretary Ramon Ji-menez Jr. said the plan is an “inven-tory of tourism attractions” in the country, the first time this has been done in the history of the agency.

He also defended the agency’s slogan “It’s more fun in the Philip-pines” against critics who said that the problems of the sector can’t be solved with just a tag line.

“Those who say that have lim-ited knowledge of the persuasive power of words, of communica-tions.”

The slogan, he said, “makes a compelling argument for choos-ing the Philippines as one of the world’s top tourist destinations. It is rooted in our competitive advan-tage, a ‘deliverable’, where Filipi-nos put genuine value in being able to participate to make their guests feel at home.”

It is second nature to Filipinos, he said, to be hospitable and seize

every opportunity to make guests’ every visit to his home successful.

He added that the slogan has “energized” the system and “con-tains one thing that works so well in an open competition … it is the truth. It is about Filipinos and their infectious love of things the world tends to forget -- fam-ily, friends, and communion with

God and nature.”Jimenez stressed that initial ef-

forts of the department has already started bearing fruit. In the first quarter of 2012, inbound tourism has jumped by 16 percent to 1.15 million. This, he said, brings the agency closer to its 4.6 million ar-rivals target for the year.

The increase is the market’s

“quick response to promotion ini-tiatives” -- arrivals from China, he said, grew by 77 percent, Korea 16 percent, Taiwan 37 percent, Australia 18 percent, the United Kingdom 2 1 percent, and Ger-many 18 percent.

The DOT has just undertaken its initial international tourism campaign by advertising the new country brand and slogan in CNN.

Funding for the advertising cam-paign -- estimated at P63 million -- will be shouldered by the DOT, and the Departments of Budget and Management, Finance, Trade and Industry, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The DOT said the 30-second spots on CNN cost about P19,000 each.

With close to 4 million tourist ar-rivals in 2011, the country still ranks way behind its neighbors - Malaysia (25 million), Thailand (19 million), Singapore (13.2 million), Indonesia (7.6 million), and Vietnam (6 mil-lion). (InterAksyon.com) n

Lack of discipline on both drivers and pedestrrians makes matters worse.

The country is divided into different priority turism areas for more efficient marketing.

From page 28

“The government should focus its attention on the provision of more mass transport systems in Metro Manila.”

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NEWSR UNDUP

MAY 16-31, 2012Calgary Edition PLANET PHILIPPINES31started offering downloadable traf-fic apps for mobile devices last year and recently partnered with a radio station to air live traffic updates. It also uses street cameras, laser speed guns and digital display boards on EDSA. The goal is to make traffic itself smarter. Gonzalez says: “One of the biggest causes of jams is lack of information.” If people do not know there was an accident in a certain place, they keep driving there, adding to the problem.

Efforts to arrive at long-term, lasting solutions have always ended up looking like the traffic itself – gridlocked in a tangled mess. There are four core problems:

• the disorganized polity,• the indiscipline of many people,• rampant corruption and• the lack of good public transport.Metro Manila’s 17 local govern-

ment units are touchy about their rights. Moreover, they are not the only bodies with a say in traffic matters. A study prepared for the University of the Philippines states: “The road development program is still not linked to any particular land use scheme.”

The solution would be to set up an authority over the entire agglom-eration, but this issue is politically sensitive. The leader of this author-ity would be extremely powerful, perhaps second only to the national president.

Motorists’ discipline is poor.

People load, unload and park their cars and trucks pretty much any-where they please. They disregard traffic signals and sometimes cruise down the wrong side of streets. Mo-torcyclists often drive on sidewalks. The relaxed attitude to laws is not restricted to drivers – commuters unhesitatingly flag down public vehicles in the middle of the street, while pedestrians are prone to dash randomly across busy avenues.

MMDA official Gonzalez says the issue can be addressed by en-forcement and education, but he is not contemplating fast change: “The target should be the youth; they’re the ones who haven’t yet acquired bad habits.” The MMDA will therefore soon start an aware-ness campaign, including the use of “entertaining” videos on YouTube

and in the DVD format.The problem of corruption is

probably even more pervasive than indiscipline. Paying bribes is very common. There are probably very few Filipino drivers who have not paid off a traffic policeman at one time or another. It will take genera-tions to address this issue, but Gon-zalez says a promising start would be to pay traffic enforcers decent wages so that they’ll have less in-centive to accept bribes.

Corruption compounds Ma-nila’s traffic problems in another important way. Gonzalez says that “a bus operator with a franchise for 30 buses is actually likely to operate up to 45 buses”, and will get away with it by “bribing the right peo-ple”. The MMDA official estimates that a “surplus” of 30 to 40 % must

be added to the 200,000 officially registered public utility vehicles that ply Metro Manila’s streets. To tackle this challenge, the MMDA will soon require public buses to use RFID (radio frequency identifi-cation) chips that can be monitored via GPS and linked to a program that will expose rogue buses.

While the city’s streets are blan-keted by registered and unregistered buses, the fabled jeepneys and mo-torized tricycles, that coverage does not result in efficiency, but in chaos and discomfort.

Things could be different, as Gonzalez knows only too well. He says: “In Singapore you can get anywhere using public transport, it doesn’t matter if you’re a laborer or a lawyer, you can use public trans-portation, it’s efficient and it’s com-fortable.” Manila has an elevated light and medium train system which is a boon to commuters, but the network coverage is inadequate, the trains are always packed full,

their number insufficient to handle the volume of passengers.

Faced with these unpalatable public transport options, many resi-dents can’t be blamed for aspiring to buy their own cars. According to Gonzalez, “everyone wants to get out of the public transport situ-ation”. According to a 2007 study, the first transport preference of Manila commuters is the car, and if they have to take public transport, they prefer the train. The study ob-serves: “It is important for the gov-ernment to focus its attention to the provision of more mass transport systems in Metro Manila.”

Gonzalez agrees. He says: “We need to raise public transportation to a level such that people can ac-tually choose it as a viable alterna-tive.” Otherwise, he warns, Filipi-nos will just keep on buying cars “even if they have no place to park it, or don’t know how to drive it”.

Without coordination and plan-ning, the city faces the prospect of slowly choking on an increasing volume of vehicles jammed down an inadequate number of streets, and MMDA’s current efforts will be a rearguard battle at best.

(Published in D+C [Develop-ment and Cooperation], a monthly publication funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and commissioned by ENGAGE-MENT GLOBAL.) n

TOURISM PLAN TARGETS 10-M TOURISTS BY 2016Northern Mindanao, Bicol, Laoag-Vigan.

Corpuz noted that there were some obstacles to the attainment of the plan’s goals and targets among which are the “uncompetitive tourist destinations and products; limited flights and seat capacities including the poor quality and lim-ited capacity of international and domestic transportation and in-frastructure destination, as well as other restrictions that have limited market access; and weak public sec-tor tourism governance and human resources development policies and practices.”

To overcome these challenges, he stressed that strategic direc-tions and programs that will be undertaken in the plan are: the development and marketing of competitive tourist products and destinations; improvement of market access, connectivity, and destination infrastructure; and improvement of tourism institu-

tional, governance, and industry manpower capabilities.

In his keynote address at the fo-rum, Tourism Secretary Ramon Ji-menez Jr. said the plan is an “inven-tory of tourism attractions” in the country, the first time this has been done in the history of the agency.

He also defended the agency’s slogan “It’s more fun in the Philip-pines” against critics who said that the problems of the sector can’t be solved with just a tag line.

“Those who say that have lim-ited knowledge of the persuasive power of words, of communica-tions.”

The slogan, he said, “makes a compelling argument for choos-ing the Philippines as one of the world’s top tourist destinations. It is rooted in our competitive advan-tage, a ‘deliverable’, where Filipi-nos put genuine value in being able to participate to make their guests feel at home.”

It is second nature to Filipinos, he said, to be hospitable and seize

every opportunity to make guests’ every visit to his home successful.

He added that the slogan has “energized” the system and “con-tains one thing that works so well in an open competition … it is the truth. It is about Filipinos and their infectious love of things the world tends to forget -- fam-ily, friends, and communion with

God and nature.”Jimenez stressed that initial ef-

forts of the department has already started bearing fruit. In the first quarter of 2012, inbound tourism has jumped by 16 percent to 1.15 million. This, he said, brings the agency closer to its 4.6 million ar-rivals target for the year.

The increase is the market’s

“quick response to promotion ini-tiatives” -- arrivals from China, he said, grew by 77 percent, Korea 16 percent, Taiwan 37 percent, Australia 18 percent, the United Kingdom 2 1 percent, and Ger-many 18 percent.

The DOT has just undertaken its initial international tourism campaign by advertising the new country brand and slogan in CNN.

Funding for the advertising cam-paign -- estimated at P63 million -- will be shouldered by the DOT, and the Departments of Budget and Management, Finance, Trade and Industry, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The DOT said the 30-second spots on CNN cost about P19,000 each.

With close to 4 million tourist ar-rivals in 2011, the country still ranks way behind its neighbors - Malaysia (25 million), Thailand (19 million), Singapore (13.2 million), Indonesia (7.6 million), and Vietnam (6 mil-lion). (InterAksyon.com) n

Lack of discipline on both drivers and pedestrrians makes matters worse.

The country is divided into different priority turism areas for more efficient marketing.

From page 28

“The government should focus its attention on the provision of more mass transport systems in Metro Manila.”


DEFENSE lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona announced during the impeachment trial on May 8 that their client would testify if the Senate tribunal subpoenaed Om-budsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and 11 others in connection with the purported dollar and euro de-posits.

The presiding judge, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile agreed to issue the subpoenas. Morales promptly said she would obey the Senate and appear at the trial..

The defense lawyers said the de-cision to testify was reached after Corona saw copies of documents submitted to the Senate court by Harvey Keh, leader of a good-gov-ernance advocacy group and a sup-porter of President Aquino. The pa-pers purportedly showed that Coro-na had amassed $10 million in his bank accounts, the lawyers said.

Corona has denied the existence of the supposed accounts and was

CORONA AGREES TO TESTIFY

incensed when he got hold of the Keh documents, the lawyers said.

Also a factor in the decision to testify was the scolding the de-fense got from Enrile last May 7 for presenting what he said were wit-nesses whose testimonies he con-sidered irrelevant to the issue that

Corona had fudged entries in his state-ment of assets and liabilities (SALN).

Enrile wants to wrap up the pro-ceedings by the end of the month. A two-thirds vote, or 16, is needed to convict Corona.

Defense lawyer Ramon Es-guerra played down media reports that Corona may opt to resign if the Senate acquitted him or if

he finds that the evidence against him is strong to warrant a convic-tion.

Esguerra said that Keh’s allega-tion was the “last straw.”

“Everything changed when the Chief Justice learned about this new fabricated bank documents. He was

more than mad. He was fuming mad when he ex-amined the docu-ments,” he said.

“This is too much. This has to end,” Esguer-ra quoted the Chief Justice as saying.

Asked if chief counsel Serafin Cuevas and the other lawyers who had op-posed Corona’s taking the stand had opposed the decision to testi-fy, Esguerra said: “No. We saw that he realized the importance of him testifying to address the clamor.”

“After what happened (on May 7), we real-ized that it was the end for us. We need to con-clude sooner or later. So we realized that we should confront the issues and try not to dodge them anymore,” he said. n

IT’S up to the courts to decide whether former President Glo-ria Macapagal-Arroyo, report-edly stricken by a life-threatening condition, should be allowed to seek medical treatment abroad, Malacañang said.

The government doctor and jail custodian of Arroyo confirmed on May 11 that Arroyo had been experiencing choking episodes whose cause was detected in the quantum electrochemistry exami-nation (like a CT scan but more thorough) that she underwent last May 10.

But Dr. Nona Legaspi, the di-rector of the VMMC where Arroyo is detained, refused to issue an official statement on what an un-named ally of the former Presi-dent had said was “a life-threat-ening condition” that may require immediate surgery abroad.

Occidental Mindoro Rep. Ma. Amelita Villarosa, a political ally and close friend of Arroyo, said the former President and now Pampanga Representative was facing a “life and death” situa-tion.

“She needs medical treat-ment. She cannot eat because there is a metal blocking her food. She can speak but with great dif-ficulty,” she said.

Asked if an appeal should be made to President Aquino to al-low Arroyo to go abroad for medi-cal treatment, Villarosa said “let’s wait for her doctors to make a for-mal announcement.”

This was also the stance of Arroyo’s sons, Camarines Sur

PALACE: LET COURT DECIDE ON GMA’S TREATMENT ABROAD

Life and death situation?

Rep. Dato Arroyo and party-list member Juan Miguel Arroyo (Ang Galing Pinoy).

“That has not been confirmed officially, or at least by the medi-cal doctors… The case is now pending before the courts,” said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

As far as Malacañang or gov-ernment doctors are concerned, they have yet to receive any in-formation on the reported “life-threatening” condition of the for-mer President, Lacierda said.

He noted that Arroyo was in detention for a nonbailable of-fense. “It is now within the courts to decide. If they should decide to seek medical attention (abroad), that would be left to the judg-ment of the judge, the courts to do so,” he said.

Arroyo was ordered arrested last year by Pasay City Judge Je-sus Mupas on the nonbailable charge of electoral fraud and is confined under hospital arrest at the state-owned Veterans Memo-rial Medical Center (VMMC). She has since been indicted in con-nection with the aborted $329-million National Broadband Net-work contract with Chinese tele-communications giant ZTE Corp.

“I can confirm a positive yield during the examination based on the report of our medical team who observed the procedure, but it was a wet reading, we are still waiting for the official writ-ten medical report from Dr. Rob-ert Anastacio,” Legaspi said in a phone interview. n


DEFENSE lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona announced during the impeachment trial on May 8 that their client would testify if the Senate tribunal subpoenaed Om-budsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and 11 others in connection with the purported dollar and euro de-posits.

The presiding judge, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile agreed to issue the subpoenas. Morales promptly said she would obey the Senate and appear at the trial..

The defense lawyers said the de-cision to testify was reached after Corona saw copies of documents submitted to the Senate court by Harvey Keh, leader of a good-gov-ernance advocacy group and a sup-porter of President Aquino. The pa-pers purportedly showed that Coro-na had amassed $10 million in his bank accounts, the lawyers said.

Corona has denied the existence of the supposed accounts and was

CORONA AGREES TO TESTIFY

incensed when he got hold of the Keh documents, the lawyers said.

Also a factor in the decision to testify was the scolding the de-fense got from Enrile last May 7 for presenting what he said were wit-nesses whose testimonies he con-sidered irrelevant to the issue that

Corona had fudged entries in his state-ment of assets and liabilities (SALN).

Enrile wants to wrap up the pro-ceedings by the end of the month. A two-thirds vote, or 16, is needed to convict Corona.

Defense lawyer Ramon Es-guerra played down media reports that Corona may opt to resign if the Senate acquitted him or if

he finds that the evidence against him is strong to warrant a convic-tion.

Esguerra said that Keh’s allega-tion was the “last straw.”

“Everything changed when the Chief Justice learned about this new fabricated bank documents. He was

more than mad. He was fuming mad when he ex-amined the docu-ments,” he said.

“This is too much. This has to end,” Esguer-ra quoted the Chief Justice as saying.

Asked if chief counsel Serafin Cuevas and the other lawyers who had op-posed Corona’s taking the stand had opposed the decision to testi-fy, Esguerra said: “No. We saw that he realized the importance of him testifying to address the clamor.”

“After what happened (on May 7), we real-ized that it was the end for us. We need to con-clude sooner or later. So we realized that we should confront the issues and try not to dodge them anymore,” he said. n

IT’S up to the courts to decide whether former President Glo-ria Macapagal-Arroyo, report-edly stricken by a life-threatening condition, should be allowed to seek medical treatment abroad, Malacañang said.

The government doctor and jail custodian of Arroyo confirmed on May 11 that Arroyo had been experiencing choking episodes whose cause was detected in the quantum electrochemistry exami-nation (like a CT scan but more thorough) that she underwent last May 10.

But Dr. Nona Legaspi, the di-rector of the VMMC where Arroyo is detained, refused to issue an official statement on what an un-named ally of the former Presi-dent had said was “a life-threat-ening condition” that may require immediate surgery abroad.

Occidental Mindoro Rep. Ma. Amelita Villarosa, a political ally and close friend of Arroyo, said the former President and now Pampanga Representative was facing a “life and death” situa-tion.

“She needs medical treat-ment. She cannot eat because there is a metal blocking her food. She can speak but with great dif-ficulty,” she said.

Asked if an appeal should be made to President Aquino to al-low Arroyo to go abroad for medi-cal treatment, Villarosa said “let’s wait for her doctors to make a for-mal announcement.”

This was also the stance of Arroyo’s sons, Camarines Sur

PALACE: LET COURT DECIDE ON GMA’S TREATMENT ABROAD

Life and death situation?

Rep. Dato Arroyo and party-list member Juan Miguel Arroyo (Ang Galing Pinoy).

“That has not been confirmed officially, or at least by the medi-cal doctors… The case is now pending before the courts,” said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

As far as Malacañang or gov-ernment doctors are concerned, they have yet to receive any in-formation on the reported “life-threatening” condition of the for-mer President, Lacierda said.

He noted that Arroyo was in detention for a nonbailable of-fense. “It is now within the courts to decide. If they should decide to seek medical attention (abroad), that would be left to the judg-ment of the judge, the courts to do so,” he said.

Arroyo was ordered arrested last year by Pasay City Judge Je-sus Mupas on the nonbailable charge of electoral fraud and is confined under hospital arrest at the state-owned Veterans Memo-rial Medical Center (VMMC). She has since been indicted in con-nection with the aborted $329-million National Broadband Net-work contract with Chinese tele-communications giant ZTE Corp.

“I can confirm a positive yield during the examination based on the report of our medical team who observed the procedure, but it was a wet reading, we are still waiting for the official writ-ten medical report from Dr. Rob-ert Anastacio,” Legaspi said in a phone interview. n

MAY 16-31, 2012Calgary Edition PLANET PHILIPPINES33NEWSROUND-UP

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario belied reports of a trav-el ban imposed by the Chinese gov-ernment against the Philippines.

“We understand it is not a ban, but it is a travel advisory to avoid, for example, areas where protests are taking place,” Del Rosario told GMA News Online in a text message last May 11.

Filipinos, led by civil society groups, staged a protest in front of the Chinese consulate in Makati City on May 11, denouncing what they call China’s aggression toward the Philippines involving the Panatag Shoal in West Philippine Sea over which the two countries remain in a geopolitical deadlock.

Manila and Beijing are both as-serting territorial sovereignty over the shoal the Chinese call Huang-yan Island.

Del Rosario noted the rally was a peaceful democratic exercise by Filipinos–similar to the three-day protest actions staged earlier by Chinese groups in front of the Phil-ippine Consulate in New York City.

Amid the protests, he said the Philippines remains a “safe and welcoming country.”

Del Rosario pointed out that Manila and Beijing are working on

NO CHINA BAN ON TRAVEL TO PH, ONLY ADVISORY

easing visa requirements for Chi-nese nationals, the fourth largest foreign visitors to the Philippines, next to South Korea, United States and Japan.

During the China state visit of President Aquino Beijing last year, Del Rosario said China vowed to increase inward tourism to the Phil-ippines to about three million Chi-nese visitors.

China and the Philippines like-wise agreed to increase bilateral trade to $30 billion in a few years time, he added.

“We don’t see that these com-mitments are off track. We think that the commitments can very well be met,” Del Rosario said.

The Philippines and China have both deployed non-military vessels to the disputed shoal.

Both sides have resumed nego-tiations in Manila in a bid to diffuse tensions in the area and end the four-week-old impasse.

Tensions started last April 10 when Philippine authorities spotted several Chinese fishermen in the shoal, located within its 200-nautical

mile exclusive economic zone as out-lined by the United Nations Conven-tion on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Manila said such rule, which gives maritime nations the right to explore, exploit and develop areas within its EEZ, bolsters its claim over the shoal.

China rejected Manila’s territo-rial claim, citing ancient maps and records to prove its ownership of the area and refusing to take on Manila’s challenge to seek arbitra-tion under the International Tribu-nal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

The shoal lies 124 nautical miles from Zambales province in north-western Luzon and 472 nautical miles from China’s nearest coast in Hainan province.

China virtually claims the resource-rich South China Sea in its entirety, in-cluding the Spartly Islands and other areas within Philippine waters.

Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam are also claiming parts of South China Sea–now regarded as a potential regional flashpoint for geopolitical conflict.

China International Travel Ser-vice, one of the country’s largest, said it was suspending trips from May 10 based on safety consider-ations. Nationwide online agency

Ctrip.com has also suspended trips, an agent said, citing “anti-China sentiments in that country right now.” She said the company acted on its own without official orders.

The Shanghai Tourism Bureau had also ordered a suspension, ac-cording to staff with the Yiyou and Guojikuaixian travel agencies in the eastern financial hub.

The suspensions came as Chi-na’s embassy in Manila issued a safety warning to its nationals in the Philippines over protests planned on May 12. Chinese tourists also make up about 9 percent of total arrivals to the Philippines, according to the Department of Tourism. n

Rallyists protest China’s ‘bullying’ outside Chinese Embassy in Manila.

SUDOKUANSWER FROM PAGE 13

MAY 16-31, 2012 Calgary EditionPLANET PHILIPPINES34NEWSROUND-UP

SAYING the days of corruption that flourished under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were over, President Aquino gave his word to international lend-ers that he would put to good use the money they would lend to the Philippines—and they could check this out later.

“You will continue to see results. You will continue to see a Philip-pines that is finally living up to its potential,” Mr. Aquino said in his speech on May 4 that capped the annual meeting of the Asian Devel-opment Bank (ADB) board of gover-nors.

“We are prepared to follow through on our commitments, and you are by all means welcome to see if we’re living up to our word,” he declared.

“Investors and Filipinos alike see what is happening: Here is a country determined to turn the corner by insti-tuting genuine, wide-ranging, mean-ingful reform, and acting on its belief that good governance is the bedrock of equitable progress,” the President said.

“We have had six positive rat-ings actions since we took over government a little less than two years ago—a stark contrast to the single upgrade and six downgrades

in the nine years of the previous administration,”

PNoy: Days of corruption are over.

AQUINO: CORRUPTION IS OVER

he added.He said the country’s stock mar-

ket also experienced 27 all-time highs in his 22 months in office.

The President noted that the ADB’s official development as-sistance (ODA) to the Philippines amounts to $761.97 million.

This includes $643.85 mil-lion for projects concerning social protection and support, agrarian reform, rural infrastructure, better health care and irrigation in the southern Philippines.

“You have helped out in our public-private partnership program, in our efforts to reform the justice

system, and our energy-efficient electric tricycle project. We are get-ting to where we want to be faster because of your assistance,” Mr. Aquino said.

He said the ADB meeting in Ma-nila “reaffirms the newfound confi-dence the international community has exhibited towards my nation.”

“For this, you have the gratitude of our people, and a commitment from my administration. Gone are the days when the funds you funnel to our country will end up like water leaking through a broken pail,” the President said.

Secretary Ricky Carandang, head of the Presidential Communi-cations Development and Strategic Planning Office, said the $761.97 million ODA had been programmed for projects from 2011 to 2016.

“The President was referring in general to how borrowed money was misused in the past and not specifically to any loan program,” Carandang said.

Mr. Aquino spoke of how his administration, through good gov-ernance, had improved the govern-ment’s financial health and gener-ated confidence from investors.

As in some of his previous speeches, he cited the difficulties his administration faced after the alleged excesses of the past Arroyo administration. n

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has ruled out any pardon for former President Glo-ria Macapagal-Arroyo if she is found guilty of the corruption and other charges filed against her. Aquino made the declaration in an interview with CNN correspondent Anna Coren.

“I think my constituents would not agree with my pardoning her, and I act only on their wishes,” the President answered when he was asked if he would pardon Arroyo in the same manner that she par-doned her predecessor, Joseph Estrada.

Arroyo is facing the non-bailable charge of electoral sabotage before a Pasay City court and corruption charges in the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan. The electoral sabotage charge is in connection with the alleged rigging of the elections in 2007 to favor her senatorial candidates while the corruption charges stem from the bribery and overpricing scandal surrounding the P16-billion NBN-ZTE deal that was subse-quently rescinded.

“We believe the cases we filed are prop-er and are well-evidenced,” Aquino said. He said the administration went to court expecting a conviction.

Aquino also touched on his views on the administration’s responsible parent-hood bill now pending in Congress and the issue of the Marcoses. Asked if the dictator Marcos ruined the Philippines, Aquino said, “Yes,” and said he would not allow Marcos

AQUNO RULES OUT PARDON FOR ARROYOto be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani even if cases are filed against him or even if he’s impeached in connection with the decision.

Meanwhile, eight members of the “Mo-rong 43” on May 3 charged Arroyo and 18 others in the Department of Justice (DOJ) with torture and other human rights viola-tions the health workers suffered when they were arrested and detained in 2010. Edre Olalia, counsel of the health workers, said the case against Arroyo was the first criminal charge filed against a former Philippine presi-dent for human rights violations. He noted that the human rights cases filed against Marcos were civil cases.

“The complaint serves as an eloquent reminder to GMA (Arroyo) that she will not get away with the inhumane acts that her administration fostered or tolerated. This will put to test the application of the dictum on command responsibility. It will also be an acid test for the antitorture law, which ironically was signed by Arroyo into law in 2009,” Olalia said at a press briefing at the DOJ.

In a 25-page complaint, eight health workers said Arroyo, former Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Victor Ibrado and for-mer Army chief General Delfin Bangit, “by virtue of their offices, had actual knowledge of the commission of the torture against us, and are criminally liable … under the prin-ciple of command responsibility.” n

ABOUT P700 million worth of Cavendish bananas from the Philip-pines have been rotting in the major Chinese ports after they were denied entry because of Beijing’s territorial dispute with Manila over the Scarborough Shoal, the president of the Kidapawan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ramon Floresta, said.

“The Mindanao plantation owners and farmers urge President Benigno Aquino III to immediately intervene and fast-track the settle-ment of the dispute,” Floresta told the Manila Standard. “Chinese traders have stopped buying bananas and pineapples from us. With firm resolve, the standoff can be settled diplomatically.”

Floresta said 1,000 containers full of bananas landed in Beijing and Shanghai last week, and that 800 more containers were in tran-sit. The last shipment for the month had been harvested and were being packed, but Mindanao’s businessmen had found there were no more buyers, he said.

Floresta says the Philippines exports 30 percent of its banana production three times a month to China, a voyage that takes seven days.

The Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association said the more stringent quarantine measures in China could jeopardize the country’s P4.75-billion banana industry.

“This will greatly affect the local banana industry. Not just export-ers like us but people on the ground, those who work in the farm and their families,” group president Steve Antig said.

Floresta said the Chinese traders had been told that the tougher restrictions on Philippine fruit exports was in retaliation for Manila’s strict restrictions on pork and chicken imports.

But Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon said China accounted for very little of the country’s pork and chicken imports, most of which were coming from the US, Canada and Europe. n

CHINA HOLDS PHILIPPINE BANANAS


SAYING the days of corruption that flourished under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were over, President Aquino gave his word to international lend-ers that he would put to good use the money they would lend to the Philippines—and they could check this out later.

“You will continue to see results. You will continue to see a Philip-pines that is finally living up to its potential,” Mr. Aquino said in his speech on May 4 that capped the annual meeting of the Asian Devel-opment Bank (ADB) board of gover-nors.

“We are prepared to follow through on our commitments, and you are by all means welcome to see if we’re living up to our word,” he declared.

“Investors and Filipinos alike see what is happening: Here is a country determined to turn the corner by insti-tuting genuine, wide-ranging, mean-ingful reform, and acting on its belief that good governance is the bedrock of equitable progress,” the President said.

“We have had six positive rat-ings actions since we took over government a little less than two years ago—a stark contrast to the single upgrade and six downgrades

in the nine years of the previous administration,”

PNoy: Days of corruption are over.

AQUINO: CORRUPTION IS OVER

he added.He said the country’s stock mar-

ket also experienced 27 all-time highs in his 22 months in office.

The President noted that the ADB’s official development as-sistance (ODA) to the Philippines amounts to $761.97 million.

This includes $643.85 mil-lion for projects concerning social protection and support, agrarian reform, rural infrastructure, better health care and irrigation in the southern Philippines.

“You have helped out in our public-private partnership program, in our efforts to reform the justice

system, and our energy-efficient electric tricycle project. We are get-ting to where we want to be faster because of your assistance,” Mr. Aquino said.

He said the ADB meeting in Ma-nila “reaffirms the newfound confi-dence the international community has exhibited towards my nation.”

“For this, you have the gratitude of our people, and a commitment from my administration. Gone are the days when the funds you funnel to our country will end up like water leaking through a broken pail,” the President said.

Secretary Ricky Carandang, head of the Presidential Communi-cations Development and Strategic Planning Office, said the $761.97 million ODA had been programmed for projects from 2011 to 2016.

“The President was referring in general to how borrowed money was misused in the past and not specifically to any loan program,” Carandang said.

Mr. Aquino spoke of how his administration, through good gov-ernance, had improved the govern-ment’s financial health and gener-ated confidence from investors.

As in some of his previous speeches, he cited the difficulties his administration faced after the alleged excesses of the past Arroyo administration. n

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has ruled out any pardon for former President Glo-ria Macapagal-Arroyo if she is found guilty of the corruption and other charges filed against her. Aquino made the declaration in an interview with CNN correspondent Anna Coren.

“I think my constituents would not agree with my pardoning her, and I act only on their wishes,” the President answered when he was asked if he would pardon Arroyo in the same manner that she par-doned her predecessor, Joseph Estrada.

Arroyo is facing the non-bailable charge of electoral sabotage before a Pasay City court and corruption charges in the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan. The electoral sabotage charge is in connection with the alleged rigging of the elections in 2007 to favor her senatorial candidates while the corruption charges stem from the bribery and overpricing scandal surrounding the P16-billion NBN-ZTE deal that was subse-quently rescinded.

“We believe the cases we filed are prop-er and are well-evidenced,” Aquino said. He said the administration went to court expecting a conviction.

Aquino also touched on his views on the administration’s responsible parent-hood bill now pending in Congress and the issue of the Marcoses. Asked if the dictator Marcos ruined the Philippines, Aquino said, “Yes,” and said he would not allow Marcos

AQUNO RULES OUT PARDON FOR ARROYOto be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani even if cases are filed against him or even if he’s impeached in connection with the decision.

Meanwhile, eight members of the “Mo-rong 43” on May 3 charged Arroyo and 18 others in the Department of Justice (DOJ) with torture and other human rights viola-tions the health workers suffered when they were arrested and detained in 2010. Edre Olalia, counsel of the health workers, said the case against Arroyo was the first criminal charge filed against a former Philippine presi-dent for human rights violations. He noted that the human rights cases filed against Marcos were civil cases.

“The complaint serves as an eloquent reminder to GMA (Arroyo) that she will not get away with the inhumane acts that her administration fostered or tolerated. This will put to test the application of the dictum on command responsibility. It will also be an acid test for the antitorture law, which ironically was signed by Arroyo into law in 2009,” Olalia said at a press briefing at the DOJ.

In a 25-page complaint, eight health workers said Arroyo, former Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Victor Ibrado and for-mer Army chief General Delfin Bangit, “by virtue of their offices, had actual knowledge of the commission of the torture against us, and are criminally liable … under the prin-ciple of command responsibility.” n

ABOUT P700 million worth of Cavendish bananas from the Philip-pines have been rotting in the major Chinese ports after they were denied entry because of Beijing’s territorial dispute with Manila over the Scarborough Shoal, the president of the Kidapawan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ramon Floresta, said.

“The Mindanao plantation owners and farmers urge President Benigno Aquino III to immediately intervene and fast-track the settle-ment of the dispute,” Floresta told the Manila Standard. “Chinese traders have stopped buying bananas and pineapples from us. With firm resolve, the standoff can be settled diplomatically.”

Floresta said 1,000 containers full of bananas landed in Beijing and Shanghai last week, and that 800 more containers were in tran-sit. The last shipment for the month had been harvested and were being packed, but Mindanao’s businessmen had found there were no more buyers, he said.

Floresta says the Philippines exports 30 percent of its banana production three times a month to China, a voyage that takes seven days.

The Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association said the more stringent quarantine measures in China could jeopardize the country’s P4.75-billion banana industry.

“This will greatly affect the local banana industry. Not just export-ers like us but people on the ground, those who work in the farm and their families,” group president Steve Antig said.

Floresta said the Chinese traders had been told that the tougher restrictions on Philippine fruit exports was in retaliation for Manila’s strict restrictions on pork and chicken imports.

But Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon said China accounted for very little of the country’s pork and chicken imports, most of which were coming from the US, Canada and Europe. n

CHINA HOLDS PHILIPPINE BANANAS


ECONOMY TO GROW BY 5-6% - OFFICIALS

NEWSROUND-UP

ADMINISTRATION officials are optimistic that the Philippine economy will expand by 5 to 6 percent in 2012, higher than the 3.7-percent growth posted in 2011.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of the 45th Asian Devel-opment Bank governors’ annual meeting in Manila on May 2 that the government’s expenditures program was getting on track and economic indicators were look-ing “good.”

ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda said the Philippines and its neighbors were poised to weather the effects of a mild recession in the Euro zone this year, but stressed the urgent need for member-countries to address the wide income in-equality in their jurisdictions.

Kuroda said the crisis in the Euro zone was not expected to cause a significant drag on growth rates of Asian economies and on remittances that countries like the Philippines receive.

“We expect a rosier 5 to 6 percent GDP growth for 2012” not only because of “strong spending” but also because of the government’s “strong resolve on good gov-ernance,” Public Works Secretary Rogelio L. Singson said.

GDP or gross domestic product is the value of goods produced and services ren-dered in the country in a given period. It excludes remittances by overseas Filipino workers and earnings of Philippine firms abroad.

Singson enumerated other signs of economic improvement:

• Good performance of the Philippine Stock Exchange which had seen more than

Economic indicators are looking good.

17 record closing highs since January.• A banking system that is “one of the

healthiest in Southeast Asia.”• Rating upgrades from international

rating agencies.• Strong foreign exchange reserves

and overseas remittances.• Growing domestic consumption.• Business confidenceThese strengthen business confidence

in and provide “strong international sup-port” for the Philippines, especially for its public-private partnership (PPP) program, said Paderanga and Singson.

Cosette V. Canilao, PPP Center execu-tive director, said four projects were re-cently submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority for review and more projects were in the pipeline.

She said the Australian Agency for In-ternational Development had committed additional funding, bigger than the $7 mil-lion allotted last year, to support the PPPs through a grant administered by ADB.

An additional $9 million will augment the PPP Center’s Project Development and Monitoring Fund, a revolving fund to finance pre-investment studies of selected project proposals, Canilao said.

Optimism in the first quarter came from accelerated public works and signs of ex-ports recovery, Paderanga said. He said the GDP growth of 5.5 percent in the first three months was within range.

The country’s top economist said this level of growth may be sustainable through-out the year if government spending, the main growth driver this year, continued on an accelerated pace as in the first few months. n


PH NOT SICK MAN OF ASIA ANYMORETHE Philippines, which has lately seen new record highs in stock mar-ket trading, is making good prog-ress in creating a more favorable image in the international commu-nity, according to the Filipino chief executive officer of the Bank of Sin-gapore.

“The image is improving a lot… It’s not the sick man of Asia any-more. There’s less corruption,” said Renato de Guzman, CEO of the global private bank, who was inter-viewed on the sidelines of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) annual meetings.

According to De Guzman, the Philippines has learned well the les-

sons of the previous Asian financial crisis (of 1997), following which lo-cal banking regulators introduced an array of reforms that have kept the banking system “quite insulat-ed” from the subsequent US finan-cial crisis in 2008 and the lingering crisis in Europe.

“I think confidence is high,” said De Guzman who served as one of the panelists at a business forum within the ADB meetings sponsored by BNY Mellon. The forum discussed the impact of the US financial crisis three years after.

The banker is hoping the Philip-pines would merit a sovereign in-vestment grade rating but does not

think this would necessarily happen within the year.

“It’s the revenue that’s still the weak spot,” De Guzman said.

According to some analysts, the international credit-rating agencies are waiting for the Philippines to pass new revenue-generating mea-sures in Congress before giving the much-coveted investment grade rating.

But even without such a rating, financial markets have priced Phil-ippine debt as if it were investment grade, they said. For instance, they have allowed the Philippines to sell offshore bonds at a lower cost than investment-graded Indonesia. n

A FIRE at a three-story clothing store in Butuan City in the early hours of May 9 killed 18 employees, most of whom were women who were asleep and trapped on the top floor.

The fire broke out at 3:55 a.m. and raged for five hours. Fire-fighters and police scouring the gutted building found 17 bodies, city police chief Pedro Ubaldo said.

Store employee Mylene Tulo, who escaped with two coworkers, said she was roused from sleep as the fire spread rapidly in the third-floor office where they slept.

Vice Mayor Lawrence Fortun said based on the account of the surviving employees, the steel door of the establishment was locked from the outside, making it difficult for anyone to escape if disaster struck.

Factory owners reportedly lock up the premises to foil any plans of stay-in workers from taking off with the merchandise.

Fortun said the investigation was also trying to determine the responsibility of the store’s owners, who faced charges.

“It could be negligence resulting in multiple homicide against the store owners,” Fortun said.

Amid the inferno and yells for help, Tulo managed to dash out with her colleagues. They sustained minor burns on their arms.

“We wanted to rouse others from sleep, but the fire was already too strong,” a stunned Tulo said.

At least 20 employees, mostly women, were sleeping at the store when the fire broke out, Ubaldo said.

Relatives and friends, most of them in shock and tears, gath-ered in search of loved ones in front of the building, where police stood with body bags of the victims’ remains.

Tulo said she used images from her memory of the location of the fire exit as she led coworkers Grace Canoy and Vickly Celes out of the burning building.

Tulo, Canoy and Celes were the only survivors out of the 21 stay-in workers of dry-goods and apparel store Novo Jeans and Shirts on Montilla Boulevard here.

Fire Inspector Alrick Gomez, Butuan fire marshal, said 17 bod-ies, mostly of women, were found by firefighters and volunteers. The body of an 18th victim had not been found, Gomez said. n

THE United States will this year double military aid to its ally the Philippines, which is engaged in a prolonged maritime standoff with China.

The ramping-up of Washing-ton’s defense assistance will see military aid in 2012 jump to $30 million as well as “real-time in-formation sharing” on the Philip-pines’ maritime territory, Depart-ment of Foreign Affairs spokes-man Raul Hernandez said.

“We have been making rep-resentations for this since last year,” he said, stressing this was before the outbreak in April of the tensions with China.

The increased aid was con-firmed during the recent US visit of Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin for talks with their US counterparts Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta.

They discussed the almost

18 WORKERS KILLED IN BUTUAN FIRE

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington DC.

US DOUBLES MILITARY AID TO PHmonth-long face-off with China over a shoal in the South China Sea that is claimed by both coun-tries.

The Philippines also asked the US for ships, planes and ra-dars to help modernise its poorly equipped military.

Hernandez said the “foreign-military financing” aid could be used to buy new equipment or maintain existing military re-sources.

The US State Department also said “it will explore addition-al creative funding streams for the Philippines”, he told Agence France-Presse.

“The Philippines and the United States would also inten-sify cooperation in real-time in-formation sharing to enable the Philippines to know what is hap-pening in its maritime territory and enforce its laws,” Hernandez added. n

THE Philippines and China are talking again, and they are trying to work out a temporary solution to their dispute over Scarborough Shoal, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on May 11.

The good news from Del Rosa-rio came as Malacañang reiterated that the government had no hand in the anti-China protests in Manila and other capital cities around the world.

The Department of Foreign Af-fairs said Filipino and Chinese dip-lomats in Manila had resumed talks to break the deadlock over Scarbor-ough Shoal.

The department did not disclose the negotiation points but going by China’s “requirements,” as Hong mentioned in his talk with journal-ists in Beijing, the consultations would lead to, at best, temporary agreements that would allow the two sides to disengage without los-ing face.

Stressing the need to “pursue a peaceful resolution” of the conflict with China, he said the DFA would follow a three-track approach: po-litical, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; legal, through United Nations Conven-tion on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) settlement; and diplomatic, through continuing consultations.

Meanwhile, Filipino-Americans brought their “anti-bullying” protest against China to Washington DC. It was part of other protests mounted against Chinese consular offices in New York , San Francisco , Chicago , Los Angeles and Seattle .

The nationwide protests were or-ganized by the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), a group closely identified with President Aquino. But the DFA stressed this was a purely private enterprise with-out the blessings or support of the government. n

PH, CHINA TALKING AGAIN

SANTIAGOS SEEK PROTECTION FROM TULFO BROTHERSSHOWBIZ couple Raymart Santia-go and Claudine Barreto are now seeking protection from a Quezon City court against threats the Tulfo brothers allegedly made against them on their public affairs show T3 on TV5 last May 7.

The couple filed a petition for a writ of amparo—from a Span-ish term for protection—against T3 hosts Raffy, Ben and Erwin Tulfo in which they appealed for a special protection order (SPO) against the brothers.

The Santiagos are asking for a SPO barring the Tulfos from coming within 500 meters of either of them and the assignment to the couple of police escorts.

The couple lodged the petition last May 11, four days after the T3 hosts threatened the Santiagos on the air following a brawl at NAIA 3 last May 6 involving the Santiagos and their friends, on one hand, and the Tulfos’ older brother, Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo.

The request for protection against the Tulfo brothers is sepa-rate from a criminal complaint that the Santiago couple filed against them for grave threats and slander.

Both the civil and criminal cases stemmed from the May 7 episode of T3, hosted by the three brothers on TV5. The Tulfo brothers later is-sued an apology and have been suspended by their network, TV5, for the utterances.

The Movie and Television Rat-ings and Classification Board also imposed a 20-day suspension on the program.

Meanwhile, Tulfo added grave oral defamation charges to his initial complaint of grave coer-cion and physical injuries against the Santiagos.

Tulfo’s lawyer cited three “rel-evant aggravating circumstances, saying the attack had been carried out “with insult to, or in disregard of, the respect due his client on ac-count of his age.” Tulfo is 65. n


PH NOT SICK MAN OF ASIA ANYMORETHE Philippines, which has lately seen new record highs in stock mar-ket trading, is making good prog-ress in creating a more favorable image in the international commu-nity, according to the Filipino chief executive officer of the Bank of Sin-gapore.

“The image is improving a lot… It’s not the sick man of Asia any-more. There’s less corruption,” said Renato de Guzman, CEO of the global private bank, who was inter-viewed on the sidelines of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) annual meetings.

According to De Guzman, the Philippines has learned well the les-

sons of the previous Asian financial crisis (of 1997), following which lo-cal banking regulators introduced an array of reforms that have kept the banking system “quite insulat-ed” from the subsequent US finan-cial crisis in 2008 and the lingering crisis in Europe.

“I think confidence is high,” said De Guzman who served as one of the panelists at a business forum within the ADB meetings sponsored by BNY Mellon. The forum discussed the impact of the US financial crisis three years after.

The banker is hoping the Philip-pines would merit a sovereign in-vestment grade rating but does not

think this would necessarily happen within the year.

“It’s the revenue that’s still the weak spot,” De Guzman said.

According to some analysts, the international credit-rating agencies are waiting for the Philippines to pass new revenue-generating mea-sures in Congress before giving the much-coveted investment grade rating.

But even without such a rating, financial markets have priced Phil-ippine debt as if it were investment grade, they said. For instance, they have allowed the Philippines to sell offshore bonds at a lower cost than investment-graded Indonesia. n

A FIRE at a three-story clothing store in Butuan City in the early hours of May 9 killed 18 employees, most of whom were women who were asleep and trapped on the top floor.

The fire broke out at 3:55 a.m. and raged for five hours. Fire-fighters and police scouring the gutted building found 17 bodies, city police chief Pedro Ubaldo said.

Store employee Mylene Tulo, who escaped with two coworkers, said she was roused from sleep as the fire spread rapidly in the third-floor office where they slept.

Vice Mayor Lawrence Fortun said based on the account of the surviving employees, the steel door of the establishment was locked from the outside, making it difficult for anyone to escape if disaster struck.

Factory owners reportedly lock up the premises to foil any plans of stay-in workers from taking off with the merchandise.

Fortun said the investigation was also trying to determine the responsibility of the store’s owners, who faced charges.

“It could be negligence resulting in multiple homicide against the store owners,” Fortun said.

Amid the inferno and yells for help, Tulo managed to dash out with her colleagues. They sustained minor burns on their arms.

“We wanted to rouse others from sleep, but the fire was already too strong,” a stunned Tulo said.

At least 20 employees, mostly women, were sleeping at the store when the fire broke out, Ubaldo said.

Relatives and friends, most of them in shock and tears, gath-ered in search of loved ones in front of the building, where police stood with body bags of the victims’ remains.

Tulo said she used images from her memory of the location of the fire exit as she led coworkers Grace Canoy and Vickly Celes out of the burning building.

Tulo, Canoy and Celes were the only survivors out of the 21 stay-in workers of dry-goods and apparel store Novo Jeans and Shirts on Montilla Boulevard here.

Fire Inspector Alrick Gomez, Butuan fire marshal, said 17 bod-ies, mostly of women, were found by firefighters and volunteers. The body of an 18th victim had not been found, Gomez said. n

THE United States will this year double military aid to its ally the Philippines, which is engaged in a prolonged maritime standoff with China.

The ramping-up of Washing-ton’s defense assistance will see military aid in 2012 jump to $30 million as well as “real-time in-formation sharing” on the Philip-pines’ maritime territory, Depart-ment of Foreign Affairs spokes-man Raul Hernandez said.

“We have been making rep-resentations for this since last year,” he said, stressing this was before the outbreak in April of the tensions with China.

The increased aid was con-firmed during the recent US visit of Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin for talks with their US counterparts Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta.

They discussed the almost

18 WORKERS KILLED IN BUTUAN FIRE

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington DC.

US DOUBLES MILITARY AID TO PHmonth-long face-off with China over a shoal in the South China Sea that is claimed by both coun-tries.

The Philippines also asked the US for ships, planes and ra-dars to help modernise its poorly equipped military.

Hernandez said the “foreign-military financing” aid could be used to buy new equipment or maintain existing military re-sources.

The US State Department also said “it will explore addition-al creative funding streams for the Philippines”, he told Agence France-Presse.

“The Philippines and the United States would also inten-sify cooperation in real-time in-formation sharing to enable the Philippines to know what is hap-pening in its maritime territory and enforce its laws,” Hernandez added. n

THE Philippines and China are talking again, and they are trying to work out a temporary solution to their dispute over Scarborough Shoal, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on May 11.

The good news from Del Rosa-rio came as Malacañang reiterated that the government had no hand in the anti-China protests in Manila and other capital cities around the world.

The Department of Foreign Af-fairs said Filipino and Chinese dip-lomats in Manila had resumed talks to break the deadlock over Scarbor-ough Shoal.

The department did not disclose the negotiation points but going by China’s “requirements,” as Hong mentioned in his talk with journal-ists in Beijing, the consultations would lead to, at best, temporary agreements that would allow the two sides to disengage without los-ing face.

Stressing the need to “pursue a peaceful resolution” of the conflict with China, he said the DFA would follow a three-track approach: po-litical, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; legal, through United Nations Conven-tion on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) settlement; and diplomatic, through continuing consultations.

Meanwhile, Filipino-Americans brought their “anti-bullying” protest against China to Washington DC. It was part of other protests mounted against Chinese consular offices in New York , San Francisco , Chicago , Los Angeles and Seattle .

The nationwide protests were or-ganized by the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), a group closely identified with President Aquino. But the DFA stressed this was a purely private enterprise with-out the blessings or support of the government. n

PH, CHINA TALKING AGAIN

SANTIAGOS SEEK PROTECTION FROM TULFO BROTHERSSHOWBIZ couple Raymart Santia-go and Claudine Barreto are now seeking protection from a Quezon City court against threats the Tulfo brothers allegedly made against them on their public affairs show T3 on TV5 last May 7.

The couple filed a petition for a writ of amparo—from a Span-ish term for protection—against T3 hosts Raffy, Ben and Erwin Tulfo in which they appealed for a special protection order (SPO) against the brothers.

The Santiagos are asking for a SPO barring the Tulfos from coming within 500 meters of either of them and the assignment to the couple of police escorts.

The couple lodged the petition last May 11, four days after the T3 hosts threatened the Santiagos on the air following a brawl at NAIA 3 last May 6 involving the Santiagos and their friends, on one hand, and the Tulfos’ older brother, Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo.

The request for protection against the Tulfo brothers is sepa-rate from a criminal complaint that the Santiago couple filed against them for grave threats and slander.

Both the civil and criminal cases stemmed from the May 7 episode of T3, hosted by the three brothers on TV5. The Tulfo brothers later is-sued an apology and have been suspended by their network, TV5, for the utterances.

The Movie and Television Rat-ings and Classification Board also imposed a 20-day suspension on the program.

Meanwhile, Tulfo added grave oral defamation charges to his initial complaint of grave coer-cion and physical injuries against the Santiagos.

Tulfo’s lawyer cited three “rel-evant aggravating circumstances, saying the attack had been carried out “with insult to, or in disregard of, the respect due his client on ac-count of his age.” Tulfo is 65. n


NEWSROUND-UP

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) economics dean Arsenio Balisacan, newly appointed secretary of eco-nomic planning and director-gen-eral of the National Economic and Development Auuthoroty (Neda) said his focus in his new job is on “inclusive growth.”

“I told the President earlier I’ll do my own share,” Balisacan said when news of his appointment as acting chief of Neda was announced.

Balisacan added, “He (Aquino) already knows my work on poverty alleviation and rural development,”

NEW NEDA CHIEF TO FOCUS ON ‘INCLUSIVE GROWTH’

Growth should trickle down to the poor.

which fits the requirement of a per-son who will head the government’s economic planning agency.

Balisacan is low-key but is well-regarded among groups of develop-ment economists, policy makers, academe, and funding agencies here and in the region.

He said he hopes to tap on his poverty alleviation expertise as he steers Neda towards more rural de-velopment-related efforts.

“I hope I can help on the poverty alleviation efforts of the govern-ment because that’s really close to

my heart,” he said.“My interest is really is getting

the growth process to be more in-clusive because our experience is, we have [economic] growth but it

does not spread to the poor,” said the author of several books and academic papers on poverty and development.

“Even the President understands that we are so Manila-centric. You’ve seen some of my numbers, the pov-erty is in the countryside. If we tackle that, even urban problems will be mitigated,” he added.

He said the much touted and big ticket items under the banner public-private partnership (PPP) program is not enough to address poverty since these projects, too, are concentrated

on the country’s capital.“PPP is just one of the many

tools to get people work, but it can’t be the one-for-all solution for our problems. These projects are very attractive [to investors] for urban ar-eas because there is market growth here,” he stressed.

Projects that involve “highways in the provinces or irrigation for small farmers,” among others, are infrastructure projects that “ad-dress rural problems but are not re-ally attractive for PPP investors,” he explained. n


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Planet Philippines (Calgary Edition) May 16-31, 2012 issue