Just Ask How to register a business in Philippine online ?

Hi Sue when you want to set up a business in Philippine nowadays you could apply online like Singapore ACRA . Some of the website for your reference

Simplified Steps in Securing Business License
WHERE TO REGISTER
Corporation Securities and Exchange 1/5 of 1% of the authorized capital stock
Commission (SEC) www.sec.gov.ph Within five (5) working days

Single Proprietorship Department of Trade and Industry (DTINCR)
www.dti.gov.ph Php 315.00 Within the day Incentives Availment
(optional)

Board of Investments (BOI) www.boi.gov.ph Philippine Economic
Zone Authority (PEZA) www.peza.gov.ph
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) www.clark.com.ph
Subic Bay Metropolitan Auhority (SBMA) www.sbma.com
Depends on company's project cost BOI - Within ten (10) working days (Board Action)

PEZA - Within two (2) weeks (Board Action)
Mayor's Permit (License to operate) Local Government Unit (Office of the Mayor)
where business is located Initial Fee - based on business activity Garbage Fee - based on
land/floor area License Fee – Php .25 for every Php 1,000 of company's capital Within two (2)
weeks

News Update Singapore is best city for Asian expats: survey

AFP - Thursday, March 25

People walk across the street at Singapore's business district in 2007. Singapore retained its number one spot as the best place to live for Asian expats followed by Sydney, a survey by human resources consultancy ECA International showed Wednesday.
Slideshow: Faces of Asia PH
SINGAPORE (AFP) - – Singapore retained its number one spot as the best place to live for Asian expats followed by Sydney, a survey by human resources consultancy ECA International showed Wednesday.

The survey showed Singapore's top ranking was due largely to its infrastructure, health services, low crime rates and better air quality.

Other Asian cities including Hong Kong, Beijing and New Delhi ranked behind Singapore largely because of the poor air quality found in these places, the survey said.

"Air pollution remains a significant problem in a number of Asian locations. New Delhi, Beijing and Hong Kong are amongst the worst locations studied in terms of air quality," ECA International said.

"Health facility provision is also a problem for many parts of the region," it said.

Hong Kong placed eighth in the list of the top 15 best locations, the survey said. Beijing took 100th spot and New Delhi ranked 185th.

Within the top 15 list, Kobe placed third followed by Yokohama, Tokyo, and Copenhagen with Australia's administrative capital Canberra taking the seventh spot.

Kopi Talk - Tourism bloom Progress is not an accident, but a necessity.

Hi Chaff agrees with you any country that give spontaneous and instinctive feeling of safety and ease is part and parcel for progress and conducive environment for tourism trade, when we decided to operating a business here majority of my business associates, relative and friends are concern and always asked the same age old question " Is it safe in Philippine ? ". In Philippine the three most popular are (in no particular order) those that deal with books, cars, and guns. Last year, I attended a show organized by the country’s Association of Firearms Dealers (AFAD) and after paying a PHP 60 fee, I gained admission to see what its the exhibition they had to offer all range of gun AK47, MP5K.  Whatever the reason, Filipinos in the Philippines  are fond of their guns, whether for sport or personal defense, to the consternation of many in the “politically correct” press. We can admiringly put it, the only way to truly confiscate firearms from hardy Filipinos is to rip out their very arms and the law seems to be murky on this one. In general, full-auto weapons sales are restricted to local government, police, and military organizations. There is, however, a very generous Estrada-era executive order that authorizes civilians to own any firearm of any caliber, semi auto or full, except for light machine guns, crew-served weapons, and similar small arm  As your  mentioned most tourism-oriented countries are gun less society which gives one a sense of safety and security. Dependable Civil service is also another factor. In Singapore if they is a crime or suspected crime in action,  so who do we call ? instinctively we were call the neighborhood policeman or 999 even to such an extend that the singapore gangster were smarter and more polite than anywhere else when in a brawl the smart one were contact the policeman for help before thing get ugly. So in Philippine, when you in trouble who do your call than ? Out of curiosity I random pick 30 person that I had dealing with from Supplier,contractor,friends and customer, So  if in trouble in Philippine who do we call and what  is the emergency police number ? Surprising out of 30 nobody had the idea what is the police emergency number, 30 told me they would contact their family members, barranggay captain the police seems is the least they want to deal with , the reason I gathered in Tagalog "Pulis patola " it means like  when they a brawl of fight the police is the last to arrive and investigate I heard they even produce a comedy show out of it. 

 

Posted By Chaff

Progress is not an accident, but a necessity.” — Herbert Spencer The official campaign period for local officials starts this week with Good Friday and Easter Sunday to follow next weekend which means that candidates and ward leaders will be busy visiting churches looking for undecided voters, or trekking to remote barangays that they have not visited since the last election. In the meantime, the frantic exodus to the provinces starts tomorrow if it has not already started. Airline flights are fully booked, the buses are full, resort hotels are enjoying full occupancy, and the expressways are jammed with private motor vehicles. Thus, this is a good time for us who are not candidates to take a break from politics, and look at the Philippines’ tourism potentials and problems. For openers, notwithstanding the global economic and financial dislocation in 2009, tourism worldwide marches on despite oscillating fuel prices, escalating costs, natural disasters, political instability, and continuing tension in the Middle East. First, with reference specifically to the Philippines, it is not enough to highlight beautiful Filipina poster girls, postcard perfect tourist sites, and traditional fiestas and street dancing. While these promotions are enticing what differentiates one country from another, or one tourist haven or destination from another are: (1) spontaneous and instinctive feeling of safety and ease; (2) hospitality for which Filipinos are world renowned; (3) infrastructure and access to efficient communications; (4) accessibility of medical facilities; (5) huge and modern airports, and presence of many airlines and flight frequencies; (6) credible Customs, helpful police, and honest taxi drivers; and (7) consistent tourism-related policies. Second, tourism officials will instantly insist that these are all available or being worked on to provide comfort and pleasure to visitors. Moreover, no country or city has a monopoly of bad elements, swindlers, crooks, pickpockets, rude waiters, discourteous salespeople, and uncooperative government satraps. For example, the Paris metro trains are notorious for pickpockets not by Frenchmen but by gypsies and migrants from Bulgaria, Romania and neighboring Balkan countries as well as from North Africa. In Hong kong, pickpocket artists are mainly from the Philippines. On the one hand, while the Philippines is a tropical paradise waiting to be developed, the constraints are manageable but irritating and discouraging. To start with, most tourism-oriented countries are gun less society which gives one a sense of safety and security. Next, airports are grand and getting bigger. It is futile to promote Manila with only one runway, and accessing the airport and traffic is bad for the blood pressure. Outside Manila, signage are few and far apart, and roads leading to private resorts leave much to be desired which are reflective of the lack of appreciation by local officials of the importance of tourism. Finally, policies must be consistent and applied equitably, such as, sanitation, hotel rates, taxi fares, and quality standards. When all is said and done, Philippine tourism is enjoying a boomlet, and the potentials and future of the tourism industry are unstoppable. At the end of the day, the difference will be one’s sense of ease, safety, and security with good roads, frequent flights, dependable police, and honest taxi drivers, and good food. While the government is looking at the tourism big picture, the tourists and backpackers are looking at their comfort, safety, and budget. You be the judge.

For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph

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News Update TMilitants rally vs ‘Arroyo-backed’ party-list groups

Militant groups on Monday picketed in front of the main office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila to urge the poll body to immediately disqualify nominees of party-list groups allegedly associated with the Arroyo administration.

The rally was led by poll watchdog Kontra Daya, which said that under Section 6 of Republic Act 7941 or the Party-List Law, the Comelec on its own can cancel "at any time" the registration of any group "who seeks to abuse and violate" the party-list system.

"The Comelec on its own may act to preserve the integrity of the party list system if it finds, even if no complaints are filed, that either the party-list organization or the nominee lacks the qualifications required by law and has abused the party list system in violation of the law," the group said.

The groups were also questioning the nominees of these party-list groups, noting that some of them were obvious allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. File complaints

The Comelec, for its part, said it would act on the case as long as complaints are filed, noting that it could not just disqualify nominees without giving the aggrieved parties a chance to explain themselves.

"Instead of wasting time complaining about it, just get on with it. I mean too much time is wasted on scenario building. Too much time is wasted on complaining [and] whining. Just do it. If you have a beef against someone, file a case," said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez.

The deadline for the filing of complaints is on Thursday.

Arroyo allies as nominees

Other groups who joined Monday's protest action were Migrante, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Gabriela, and Kadamay.

Kontra Daya convener Ferdinand Gaite said that based on the initial list of nominees they obtained last Friday, a number of administration allies and former Cabinet officials would be fielded as party-list nominees.

Among those he mentioned were presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo; Dennis Pineda, the outgoing mayor of Lubao, Pampanga, and son of Lilia and Bong Pineda.

Last Friday, Malacañang confirmed the resignation of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, who will represent transport group 1-Utak in the party-list elections.

Abusing the system

"This is a farce and obvious circumvention of the party-list system. Pambabalasubas ang ginagawa nang rehimeng GMA dito sa halalaan para masigurado na madodomina niya ang House of Representatives," Gaite told GMANews.TV.

(The government of President Arroyo is abusing the elections to ensure she would dominate the House of Representatives.)

President Arroyo, who is seeking a congressional seat in her home province of Pampanga, is rumored to be eyeing the House speakership, which would allow her to initiate moves to rewrite the 1987 Constitution.

Critics have said that once the form of government is changed from the current presidential system to a parliamentary, Mrs. Arroyo can aspire to become prime minister and become head of the country again.

In a statement, Kontra Daya said it is “discouraged" to file complaints against some 30 party-list groups with questionable nominees as the Comelec charges P5,000 for every disqualification case against a nominee.

Jimenez dismissed the arguments that filing fees are expensive, saying the poll body can always "brush aside technicalities in the interest of substantive justice." - KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV

News Update Child rights group to file torture raps vs military

A child rights advocacy group is set to file cases before the Commission on Human Rights against the military for arresting three minors whom they allegedly tortured into admitting they are communist rebels.

SALINLAHI Alliance for Children’s Concerns said three children, including two 15-year-old girls and a 17-year-old boy, were arrested by elements of the Philippine Army in separate incidents in Compostela Valley and North Cotabato.

According to SALINLAHI, the17-year-old boy was arrested on March 15 in North Cotabato for his alleged involvement in a landmine attack in Makilala town. The group, however, said Allen was mistaken for another suspect who was reported to have been wearing a similar orange-colored short.

The boy turned out to be a child laborer in a local rubber plantation and was on his way home for lunch when the incident happened, the group added. He was released on March 16

In earlier reports, 602nd Brigade Commander Col. Alejandro Estomo said the boy was apprehended for being among those who detonated a landmine on a military vehicle carrying troops of the 57th Infantry Battalion morning of March 15. The attack was blamed on the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

Meanwhile, two other 15-year-old were arrested in Moncayo town in Compostela Valley who were likewise tagged as “amazonas" (woman warriors) of the NPA. The two were arrested on March 7 and were released three days after.

“These false claims are proof that military has not stopped their tact of branding children victims of human rights violations as child soldiers. We have fact sheets to prove that these children were arbitrarily arrested and subjected to torture to force them to admit that they are members of the NPA," said SALINLAHI spokesperson Sophia Garduce.

She said Allen was detained and tortured to force him to admit that he was one of those who set up the landmines.

“The military tied the boy like a pig and poked a knife into his neck and struck him on his back with the rifle butt," Garduce disclosed.

A fact-finding mission by KABIBA Alliance for Children’s Concerns, SALIHLAHI’s counterpart in Mindanao, found out that the two were among the 13 upland farmers who were tending to their farms when they were accosted by elements of the 25th Infantry Battalion.

The group said the two were presented to the court only on March 11, 2010, a violation of Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Welfare Law.

“They were illegally detained for more than 36 hours and subjected to mental torture. The military even made up a story that one of the minors is pregnant," Garduce said, adding that it was not the first time that the military has targeted children in its counter-insurgency program.

She cited the case of nine-year-old Grecil Buya, who was killed in an encounter between government troops and the NPA on March 31, 2007. The military claimed Buya was a “child soldier".

SALINLAHI and KABIBA filed cases on March 26 before the Joint Monitoring Committee, which monitors the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

The agreement was signed by the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front in 1998.

Calls to Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos went unanswered. - KBK, GMANews.TV

News Update 'Get back service culture'

By Cai Haoxiang

Singaporeans have achieved much academically, but a side effect of that is that they now think service sector jobs are beneath them, says the manager of a top international luxury hotel. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

SINGAPOREANS have achieved much academically, but a side effect of that is that they now think service sector jobs are beneath them, says the manager of a top international luxury hotel.
Mr Amadeo Zarzosa, general manager of the St Regis Hotel, said yesterday that with tourism being a key economic contributor, it was important to 'get back into a culture of service'.
'It's very important to continue to differentiate yourselves from other Asian countries and other parts of the world,' he said at a panel discussion, where he also cautioned against letting service standards drop, as has happened in parts of Europe and in North and South America.
'You have a beautiful country, beautiful hotels and it's key to really focus and educate our younger people to get back into the service industry and show them that there is a career there.'
Mr Zarzosa, 52, comes from Spain. He recalled his first visit to Singapore in 1978, saying it was fascinating for a Westerner to see the type of service, hotels and 'the service excellence, the care, the warmth you received when you went into a hotel'.
'Over the years it has been somewhat maintained,' he said. But he warned against letting services deteriorate.

News Update CCTV to bust crimes

Mar 29, 2010
But they're not a magic bullet; growing use also raises issues of privacy

By Teh Joo Lin & Kimberly Spykerman

These cameras at Toa Payoh MRT are not police cameras, but the two major transport providers SBS Transit and SMRT do supply camera footage to the police to aid investigations into cases such as molest on buses or falls onto train tracks. -- ST PHOTOS: CHEW SENG KIM

FOOTAGE recorded by electronic eyes, in addition to witness testimony, enabled the police to piece together a hit-and-run accident that happened last December.
Cameras captured the alleged driver, then Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu, at the Shangri-La Hotel and a karaoke lounge off Selegie Road.
Another camera showed the Romanian embassy car hitting a pedestrian along Bukit Panjang Road later.
These recordings were among those screened at this month's coroner's inquiry into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai, a 30-year-old who was one of three victims in the Dec 15 accident.
The findings are expected on Wednesday.
The role played by closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage is a growing one in criminal investigations.

News Update 1st made-in-S'pore satellite Fridge-sized satellite, called X-Sat, will collect environmental data

By Jermyn Chow

Scientists and engineers from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and DSO National Laboratories (above)- Singapore's national defence research outfit - are putting the finishing touches on the satellite. -- PHOTO: NEWPAPER

SINGAPORE is ready to head to space with the country's first satellite built from scratch here.
The Straits Times understands that the X-Sat, a micro-satellite about the size of a refrigerator, will be launched in June or July from India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh, 100km north of Chennai.
With the launch of the 120kg satellite, Singapore is believed to be the first Southeast Asian country that will have its own locally built satellite in space.
Scientists and engineers from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and DSO National Laboratories - Singapore's national defence research outfit - are putting the finishing touches on the X-Sat.
Work began as early as nine years ago, with a reported plan to launch it in 2007. That deadline came and went without any launches, but no reasons were given for the delay.
The Defence Ministry's permanent secretary for defence development, Dr Tan Kim Siew, revealed at a scholarship tea session earlier this month, that the satellite 'will be launched later this year'. Dr Tan is also chairman of the Defence Science and Technology Agency and DSO.

Just ask - How is the quality of life in Philippine ?

Hi Alvin Wang There is no doubt, like everything in life, there are pros and cons whether retiring or doing business in the Philippines is no different. One of hardest areas to manage is hidden business cost in the Philippines because lack of transparency however it much better now than years ago mostly driven by internet initiative to provide online transaction for some business permit and licensing. However, if they know that the company or individual is a foreigner or partner they will immediately label as rich and getting thing done can triple the cost irrespective whether in the area of setting up , operation or dealing with the supplier, contractors, Therefore, do your sum, do some intelligent market research before committing, The Filipino people are among the most friendly in the world. They are giving and so very relaxed. For a country and people that is so poor, they are rich in their happiness and joy. Life is what it is and a smile is always readily given. As in many other international surveys in various categories, Manila has since fallen behind its neighbors in living standards. In the latest survey conducted by another group, human resources consultancy ECA International, Metro Manila was ranked 25th in Asia, down one notch from the previous year, and 142nd worldwide.

Although in Singapore was rated the best place in the world to live, with the respondents citing the low crime rate and overall quality of life. I realized size of the country do matter even in Singapore low crime rate do not mean zero crime rate like they say "shit still happen" if you in the wrong place and time. In some area or certain sector is not an advisory to visit but most of the area in province is quite safe
In Singapore almost the whole island is internet connected especially In the era of globalization, quality of life and internet connectivity provide a conducive environment for business to operate and it is a very important decisive factor if we intend to invest or expand our business. For the least , we can see more e-service in the government sector in term providing e civil service, imagine travel 8 to 10 hour for a permit renewable and endless loop of providing old receipt as a proof which I believed computer storage is good at.
As the quality of life in this country needs to improve, the same factors that are driving foreign visitors and investors to other countries are contributing to the continuing exodus of Filipinos, apart from the principal reason, which is the lack of decent jobs in the Philippines. In fact when we established our restaurant here in Gamu we got more peoples coming to seek employment to work in Singapore then customer coming for a cup of coffee. Unless Filipinos see their own country as a good place to live and invest, neither will foreigners or company. Like any country if they put their mind to it nothing is impossible with their natural abundant of resources. 

What Happen before 0859 Hrs in Gamu, Isabela.

A pawn shop is a great place to find a deal or get a fast loan, is a way of life in the province if you in dire need of emergency cash

Kopi Talk -Lai Lai Casual Dining - Taiwan Lite

 Hi Gabriel thanks for the article 

Although Lai Lai Casual Dining isn’t as new in Singapore as the egg tarts (the outlet I went to opened with the new extension of Jurong Point several months back), it was the first time I had eaten there and also the first time I had lu rou fan, or stewed (some websites say braised and I totally can’t tell the difference) pork rice, in Singapore.

Alas, while the dish wasn’t bad, it definitely did not live up to the standard of the ones I had in Taiwan. I don’t know if which is supposed to be the original way of cooking it but the meal I had here had, as you can see in the photo, pretty large pork chunks. While not larger than the kind you can get from coffeeshops with your chicken rice, they were pretty different from the minced variety I had those years ago, which I prefer. Also, while the dish wasn’t bland or anything, it definitely wasn’t as straight-out tasty as its Taiwanese counterpart.
The serving was pretty decent sized and definitely enough for a full meal for one person. At $6.90, it wasn’t too expensive (although the Taiwanese version, which was about 70% of the same serving size, only cost about S$1). I did feel a bit cheated, though, because the picture of the dish in the menu had the egg included but I only found out when I was paying the bill that it cost an additional S$1.

My friend had Taiwan vermicelli with pig intestine and, again, while it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t a knock out of the park either. The taste was of a decent standard and the meal was perfunctorily filling.
The service at that outlet wasn’t much to rave about neither. The service staff (of which there was a reasonably large number for an outlet of this size) were inattentive and it took us a while to even get to place our orders.
Dining at Lai Lai Casual Dining certainly won’t count as a gastronomical highlight. Still, if you’re looking for a quick bite at prices slightly lower than the fastfood outlets (assuming you’re the upsizing, combo meal sort) or cafes, this would be an adequate lunchtime quickie.

News Update Abu Sayyaf camp seized

MANILA - PHILIPPINE soldiers have seized a camp operated by Al-Qaeda-linked Muslim extremists in the restive south of the country, killing one militant, the military said on Sunday.
Troops backed by artillery and helicopter gunships overran a camp run by a top Abu Sayyaf commander Radullan Sahiron on the island of Jolo on Friday, a military statement said.
Two soldiers were wounded in the protracted gunbattle while one Abu Sayyaf gunmen was killed and an undetermined number wounded, it said, adding that a cache of shells, ammunition and an improvised explosive device were seized.
However, the military made no mention of the fate of Sahiron, one of the most senior commanders in the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group blamed for the worst terror attacks in Philippine history.
The US government is offering a million dollar reward for the capture of Sahiron, a one-armed veteran of Muslim guerrilla wars in the south.
Founded in the early 1990s with money from Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the Abu Sayyaf is blamed for a series of bombings and kidnappings that have targeted foreign missionaries, Christians and US military advisers. -- AFP

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Kopi Talk - A Mockery of electoral process

Thanks Chaff for the Insight  (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)

"You can't adopt politics as a profession and remain honest." - L. McHenry Howe, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt adviser

If Philippine democracy survives this bizarre 2010 election for the next six years, there is a bunch of great kids who will mature and assume national leadership after 2016, and bring the country to a higher level of economic development and democracy.

In the meantime, this 2010 election is getting to be more confusing, anti-climactic, and a mockery of the electoral process. In the next 66 days, the nation is asea and effectively deprived of direction and leadership as political leaders prepare for their own elections and survival.

On the one hand, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would also rather stay out of Manila, and out of harm's way of contrived controversies while campaigning for a House seat in her native province of Pampanga.

On the other hand, whom have we got to lead us out of the wilderness from among the Presidentiables, except former defense secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro who is the more qualified from among them, but remains outside the winning circle that is being contested at present by Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino and Sen. Manny Villar?

From among the senatorial contenders, the next Congress will probably end up with the same bunch of "characters," entertainers, and "NPS" (non-performing senators) as in the last two Congresses.

The saving grace is the emergence of young leaders who have the qualifications and intellect to make a difference, such senatorial aspirants as, Gwendolyn Pimentel, Ruffy Biazon, Gilbert Remulla, Adel Tamano, Raul Lambino, Ramon Mitra, Apolinario "Jun" Lozada, Jr. of Negros, Silvestre "Bebot" Bello, Jose de Venecia, III, and Teofisto Guingona III, with the advance party, so to speak, of incumbents Sen. Chiz Escudero and Sen. Allan Cayetano, and value-added when Serge Osmeña, Pia Cayetano, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Frank Drilon, and Ralph Recto find their way back to the Senate.

On the other hand, what messes up the electoral process is the proliferation of party-list political groupings when logic and common sense dictate that the Philippines should retrace itself back towards the two-party system of yesteryears.

It now appears that born-again evangelists, socialites, farmers, religious leaders, frustrated professionals, civil society advocates, entertainers, environmentalists, and shopkeepers, who ordinarily cannot get themselves elected as representatives to Congress or barangay captains for reasons of lack of funding, or inexperience, or personality flaws, opt instead to take the short-cut by means of the party-list which tends to prostitute the electoral process. As Alexander Pope noted with the politics of 18th century England, "political party is the madness of many for the gain of a few."

When all is said and done, the party-list system is unnecessary, not cost effective, redundant, unrepresentative of the will of the voters, and as an unnecessary appendix of the 1987 Constitution.

Truth to tell, with election automation far from perfect, preparations for the voting being touch-and-go, teachers and watchers in a state of near total unpreparedness, this election will go through but its repercussions and fallout cannot be predicted. The party-list candidates tend to complicate
the process and the counting.

As noted, this is an expensive election in the midst of scarcity of funds; too many candidates of doubtful quality, and automation that is far from perfect and fraud-free.

Hence, we need to look beyond this immediate exercise to quantify the political and economic consequences that await the results of the election.

You be the judge.

News Update Davao's Duterte mum on backing Noynoy, but it’s ‘an open secret’

DAVAO CITY—Incumbent Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Friday declined to confirm talks that he was supporting Liberal Party standard bearer Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

"That remains to be announced," Duterte told GMANews.TV when asked whose presidential bid he was backing.

However, his campaign paraphernalia suggest otherwise. At the proclamation rally of the Dutertes' party, Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, Aquino's posters were plastered alongside the posters of the Duterte father-and-daughter tandem.

Duterte is running for vice mayor, a post currently held by his daughter Sara, who in turn is hoping to assume her father's current post.

The Liberal Party also held a motorcade to promote Aquino and running mate, Senator Manuel Roxas II, although the two candidates were not in Davao City.

No less than Sara Duterte's rival for the mayoralty post, House Speaker Prospero Nograles Sr., revealed that the elder Duterte was supporting Aquino.

"I am supporting Gibo [Gilberto Teodoro Jr. of Lakas-Kampi-CMD] because we are partymates. Duterte is supporting Noynoy," Nograles told GMANews.TV earlier in the day.

Locals interviewed by GMANews.TV said it was an open secret that Duterte was backing the son of the late President Corazon Aquino, whom the mayor supported during her long fight against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. "Hindi naman tago na si Noynoy (It's not a secret Duterte is supporting Noynoy)," said a market vendor.

Davao City is the fourth-largest Philippine city in terms of population, with registered voters reaching to more than 940,000. Winning the clear support of its feisty mayor is considered a prize plum for any national-level candidate.—JV, GMANews.TV

Just ask - What are the day tour package ?

Hi Loh the price estimate for day tour as above for you reference
Tagaytay Ridge Tour Php3,050 nett
Taal Volcano Island Trekking Php6,250 nett
Pagsanjan George Falls Php5,980 nett
Villa Escudero Plantations Php5,500 nett
Hidden Valley Springs Php5,900 nett
Sail to Corregidor Php5,300 nett
Subic Free Port Base Tour Php6,550 nett

Tagaytay: Town on the ridge

Kopi Talk - Politics for fun, gain or service?

Hi Roming thanks for the Article I remembered a speech by the PM he said an election candidate should be judged not by his academic ability but what he can do for Singapore and he asked Singaporeans to scrutinise opposition candidates as closely as they do People’s Action Party candidates.  He was responding to a question at the Singapore Perspectives Forum, on recent reports about ex-government scholars joining the opposition.

PM Lee said: “For the opposition it’s a change – one scholar or two you think “wow” this is a luminous transformation. Well it is a significant development we will look, but finally let’s look at the person. Not what degrees he has, but what he is able to do for Singapore.
“I can tell you we interview many scholars and each time we field a few of them. And we interview other people too and we often field people who are not scholars. It is good to see it in perspective.
“We hope that anybody who enters politics is somebody of not just ability but integrity and commitment. These are young people who have got good records academically and been in the civil service. We wish them well but we hope Singaporeans will judge individuals like that as rigorously as they would judge individuals who join the PAP side. “In other words, it’s not just what degree you have but what sort of person are you and what can you do. That is a matter you can scrutinise before they come in and the PAP scrutinise very hard before they can come in. But it has to be scrutinised by the voters after they have come in and make a wise choice whom to commit.

Posted BY Roming
(Editor's note: The voters' familiarity with party-list parties, on a scale of 1 to 10, is about 1.5 as noted by the author.)
The 79-page constitution (my copy) devotes only a few lines to the party-list system of national, regional, and sectoral parties. The Comelec has a list of 11,980 national/local positions at stake on May 10. Of this number 57 are party-list representatives and full-fledged members of the House of Representatives.
Selection only
One-half of the party-list seats shall be filled "by selection or election" from the labor, peasant, urban poor, cultural communities, etc., except the religious sector.
The space on the ballot provided for the party-list parties has made this document longer (25 inches) and wider (8.5 inches) or more than twice the size of a lined-yellow pad paper. To this hour most voters (of the 50 million plus) don't know the exact number of party-list parties printed on the ballot.
Who are the candidates
Worse, voters have no idea if the organizers are men and women of honest design and intention.
And the very word "one-half" of the party-list seats will definitely welcome some religious leaders who are not covered by "except the religious sector," a device of no known purpose except to invite religious "leaders" to the realm of politics.
Dubious sectors
The word one-half also favors Filipinos who may choose to speak freely in the House, though coming from dubious sectors (not necessarily gambling and other minor/major vices in various localities).
Can 57 party-list seats overcome or defeat purposes not fit for legislation?
They are only 57 members in the House of 287 representatives or one-fifth to cause any bother, problem or trouble. And not all 57 party-list representatives would honestly support the minority or majority course of action in the event of a showdown at unholy hours.
Jobs for jobless?
There are murmurs that the party-list system, as we know it now, has been converted into a recruitment agency. They offer, for a cause (or cost?), names deleted from the roster of active public servants: Retired generals, Cabinet members, senior officials of doubtful achievement, politicians of no known merit and achievement. Yes, it's like a gesture of accommodation or insult.
Disabled banned
The Disabled Pinoy Party (DPP) was disqualified, probably for a known reason: They cannot walk or move about fast enough to vote "yes or no" in the House, if called upon by the majority leadership.
Can the disabled think? Yes, they can! Franklin Delano Roosevelt was disabled by polio in 1921, but was elected New York governor twice, 1928 and 1930. FDR won four elections for president (November, 1932, 1936, 1940, and 1944) and chosen by historians as second greatest president (after Lincoln) of the 44 who served since 1789 (Washington).
About the long/wide ballot
Writing on the mabilog na hugis itlog is not as hazardous as reading the huge ballot. Reading the names of candidates, president down to town councilors, is like a Marine obstacle course to the old, 65 years and up, and to the young without any practice in reading newspapers at least once a month.
In the countryside near the plain farms, on mountaintops, hillsides, and coastal villages voters use their ears, mostly to listen to news and events on AM (amplitude-modulation) radio stations in Manila.
They seldom read or write. Inside a hot and crowded voting booth they would feel dizzy and hungry, after forming a long line and passing the formalities before voting.
Test in distant villages
The size of the ballot alone cannot rest easily on a school desk to be read and filled. A time and motion study, probably conducted in Manila, has noted at least 10 minutes per voter to complete the act of voting.
Has the same study been tested by voters in the distant barangays, villages or small towns?
Old eyeglasses
Those with old eyeglasses, expected of old voters, may just delay the whole proceedings. Even retired teachers will have difficulty reading every word on the large ballot.
In the old system both young and elderly relied on their codigo, about one-fourth the size of a short bond, which they copied or memorized. Is this faster than shading an itlog after scrutinizing the giant ballot? We can decide this test after May 10.
If there's no pork
Meanwhile, of the 50 million plus voters how many millions of us are familiar with the party-list system without known candidates to be trusted? There's the rub!
If there's no pork fund to think about would the organizers still bother to devote time/money to uphold the party-list intent? (Comments are welcome at roming@pefianco.com).