DID YOU KNOW THAT ? The Mystery of Manila's Octagonal Cemetery in Philippine

While researching the Filipiniana archive (Archivo General de Indios) in Sevilla, Spain, Carmen Cano came across a plan for a cemetery. Dated 1898, the plan had laid hidden in the archive for nearly 100 years. What was unique about this cemetery, what caught Carmen's attention, was the plan's unusual shape -- an octagon. The cemetery plan also lacked the customary chapel or any reference to a nearby church.

Kopi Talk The wrong side of history

It all started with the self-immolation of an impoverished Tunisian, Mohamed Bouazizi, over his overturned vegetable cart on Dec. 17 last year. Less than a month later, massive street protests drove out his country’s president of 23 years, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Yesterday, in a decision that was rare in its unanimity and the speed by which it was reached, the 15-member United Nations Security Council voted to impose sweeping sanctions against the regime of Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi for his violent response to street protests. The sanctions include an arms embargo and a global freeze on the assets of Gadhafi, his relatives and key officials of his crumbling government. For the first time, Washington also directly called for his resignation.

Libya is the world’s largest producer of high-grade sweet crude and the biggest source of crude oil in North Africa, and for four decades, oil revenues propped up the despotic regime of Gadhafi. If he flees, he will be the third Arab strongman to be ousted in a span of just two months, after Ben Ali and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak.

Like the 1986 people power revolt in the Philippines, these dramatic manifestations of people power in the Arab world arose from long-simmering mass resentment over poverty, unemployment, corruption, social injustice, and the human rights abuses of despotic regimes that want to rule forever. President Aquino is right: Ferdinand Marcos would have turned the Philippines into another Libya if people power had not kicked him out.

It was the President’s response to a comment made by Marcos’ only son and namesake, now a senator, that if his father had not been ousted, the Philippines would now be like Singapore. President Aquino is right; among the reasons for the 1986 revolt was that Marcos, after 20 years, still did not have his fill of power and refused to step down. Marcos and his wife Imelda are not likened to Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew and his wife but to Tunisia’s ousted leader and his profligate first lady, with the Gadhafi clan seen as the worst of the lot.

The fate that befell Marcos and the Arab strongmen should serve as a stern warning to corrupt despots. As US President Barack Obama said at his inaugural, they are on the wrong side of history. As in the Philippines in 1986, the turmoil in the Arab world is showing once again that oppressed people can only take so much.

News Update Parade of flowers caps Panagbenga Festival

Baguio City, Philippines - Fairies sat among giant mushrooms and lush forests with every kind of Baguio bloom. Then came everlasting butterflies and carnation rabbits. A yellow chrysanthemum beehive with a bee mascot drew rounds of applause.

Huge strawberries made from densely packed roses glided by. Anthuriums, all in a row, served as the backdrop for red-winged angels. And at the tail end came a dragon poised for flight, bellowing and hissing amid a bed of multi-colored flowers.

These were the sights at the Grand Float Parade that concluded the Panagbenga Festival 2011 yesterday.

The Grand Float Parade kicked off with a series of marching bands, highlighted by pretty majorettes spinning their batons. This was followed by drum and lyre bands from various schools that showed off skills at dancing and playing instruments while marching on parade.

Interspersed among the drum and lyre bands were 26 floats that drew the oohs and aahs of the crowd. Sitting on the sidewalks of Baguio's landmark Session Road, spectators cheered for their favorite floats, as well as for entertainment celebrities like Sam Milby, Andi Manzano, Enchong Dee, and other personalities.

Tourism Secretary Albert Lim and other tourism leaders led the Department of Tourism (DoT) float.

The Panagbenga Festival is celebrated yearly in February. The name Panagbenga is derived from a word meaning ''a season of blooming'' in the ''kankanaeyy'' language spoken by the people from the Mountain Province.

Also called the Baguio Flower Festival, it pays tribute to the beautiful blooms that make Baguio so fragran

News Update Man jumps to his death from LRT

MANILA, Philippines - The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) confirmed reports that a 35-year-old man instantly died after jumping off a station of LRT line 2 in Quezon City last Saturday. Blotter reports from the Quezon City Police Department revealed that a certain Elino Sordilla, Jr. of Cembo, Makati City had committed suicide when he jumped off the overhead LRT 2 Betty Go Belmonte station and landed on a construction site along Aurora Boulevard. The incident happened at about 3:30 p.m and the victim was immediately brought to San Juan Medical Center. He was pronounced dead on arrival by 5:30 p.m. His remains were brought to St. Mark Memorial Chapel in Sampaloc, Manila. Police found a breakup letter in the victim's possession but said they are still conducting further investigations on his motive for committing suicide.

As of press time, the victim's ''legal'' family had not yet surfaced to claim his remains. LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera confirmed that before the incident, Sordilla bought a ticket for a trip to the Santolan Station. He said the teller who sold Sordilla his ticket remembered the victim as ''uneasy'' and ''disoriented.'' ''When he got inside the station platform, our guards said they saw him walking just like other passengers. But every thing went very fast. It took him seconds to climb the station fence and finally jump off. They had the chance to blow their whistles to get his attention but it was too late to keep the victim from falling,'' Cabrera said. Since the police ruled the incident as a suicide, the LRTA holds no liability for Sordilla's death. But on the facility administrators' part, Cabrera said they will devise mechanisms to help prevent passengers from committing suicide within the premises of the train stations. ''It's hard to read the minds of each of our passengers especially when they flock during rush hours. But we will have internal discussions to help curb incidents like this,'' he added.

News Update 3 soldiers on outreach mission killed in Ifugao NPA ambush

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Suspected communist guerrillas killed three soldiers and wounded four others on their way to assist a medical mission in a mountain village in Ifugao province Saturday, the military said.

The ambush came five days after the weeklong suspension of hostilities between government troops and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels lapsed to pave the way for the resumption of formal peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines (NDF-CPP).

Lt. Col. Miguel Puyao Jr., public relations officer of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, said the victims, all members of the 86th Infantry Battalion based in Ifugao’s Kiangan town, were hiking on their way to assist a medical mission when they were waylaid by the rebels led by one Casimiro Binayan in Caoayan village, Asipulo town Saturday morning.

In a text message, Puyao identified the slain soldiers only as Corporal Maravilla and Privates Cohena and Clemente, and the wounded as Pfc. Gorospe and Privates Canabang, Liclican and Liw-agan.

The Army could not say if the NPA suffered casualties, too, in the five-minute firefight that ensued after the ambush.

The 5th ID leadership led by Maj. Gen. Rommel Gomez denounced the ambush, saying though that it would not have any effect on the ongoing peace talks. 

“No matter whatever dastardly means the communist rebels will use to try to derail the peace initiatives of the national government under President Aquino, the officers and men of the 5th ID will continue to support the (peace process),” said Col. Loreto Magundayao, chief of the 5th ID’s civil-military relations operations battalion.

Meanwhile, an NPA rebel was killed in a clash with Army troops in Gubat, Sorsogon yesterday morning.

Maj. Harold Cabunoc, spokesman of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said a nine-man squad from the 49th Infantry Battalion was patrolling Barangay Villareal when they were ambushed by 10 rebels, triggering a firefight that lasted for about 10 minutes.

“A dead bandit was left behind by his comrades along with a bandolier loaded with 12 magazines with live ammo, approximately 100-meter detonating wire, one backpack, one improvised bomb and a handheld radio,” Cabunoc said.

Also recovered at the site were an improvised detonating device, two blasting caps, five batteries, one hammock, personal belongings and subversive documents.

Cabunoc said the body of the slain guerrilla was brought to the local police for identification. – With Raymund Catindig, Alexis Romero, Artemio Dumlao - By Charlie Lagasca

News Update Communal forest to rise in Cebu City

CEBU CITY, Cebu - A forest in a city where everyone can plant trees and monitor the growth of their plants - that's what the Cebu City government wants to create in its proposal to transform 150 hectares of timberland in the city's mountain barangays into a communal forest.

The Cebu City Council is set to meet with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 to discuss its proposal for the conversion of lands in upland barangays here into a protected forest.

A communal forest is a tract of forest land set aside by the DENR for the use of residents of a municipality or city. The community then makes the forest products for their use but harvesting of resources must be in accordance with existing pertinent laws and regulations and sustainable development. Per DENR regulations, communal forests of each LGU must not exceed 5,000 hectares

The DENR will help determine feasibility of identified sites, said Councilor Nida Cabrera who chairs the City Council's Committee on Environment. Being eyed by the Cebu City government are timberlands in the mountain barangays of Buhisan, Toong, and adjacent areas.

Cabrera said the purpose of the communal forest is to accommodate the different tree growing activities of various sectors in the city.

The City Council last July passed an ordinance mandating all establishments to submit their environment sustainability plan as part of requirements in applying for a business permit. The ordinance is applicable for two years after its passage.

Based on the survey that Cabrera's office has conducted, most of the establishments have committed to planting trees to contribute to the global effort in combating the ill effects of climate change.

The councilor said that since most of the establishments want to plant trees for environment sustainability, the city might as well establish a communal forest where all efforts to restore the natural biodiversity of forests will be rationalized.

''So if they want to plant trees, we will refer them to the communal forest. What is being done currently is the holding of tree planting activities in different areas,'' Cabrera said.

Through the communal forest, all sectors will be able to monitor their project effectively.

Cabrera said it is time to ''put the passion'' in planting trees. Instead of merely planting seedlings, she said tree seedlings should be grown, which means that extra effort should be exerted in monitoring the growth of seedlings planted.

An ordinance intended to give incentives to private sector groups contributing to environmental preservation is now being drafted.

News Update Island town implements plastic reduction program

SAN FRANCISCO, Camotes Island, Cebu, Philippines - To continue its strong advocacy on environment consciousness, this island-town has recently implemented a program that will reduce the use of plastics, with establishments prohibited to provide free plastics to its consumers and clients.

Town mayor, Aly Arquillano, in an exclusive interview with Manila Bulletin, said they started the year right by implementing a no-free plastic campaign where different establishments, resorts and public markets are urged to stop providing free plastics so that people will be forced to use re-usable bags or 'bayong.'

''As our population continues to grow we notice that non-biodegradable products like plastic packages have also increased, with these material comprising 30 percent of our waste,'' he said.

Arquillano pointed out that since the town has been a good model in the implementation of provisions of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, ''we want to come up with a strong program that will complement what we have already started.''

It can be recalled that of the 52 municipalities in the province of Cebu, this town has, in the recent past, been named Grand Champion of the 1st Expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (e-GWEN).

E-GWEN is a project of the provincial government under the Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia recognizing local government units (LGUs) with strong environment programs. The e-GWEN program aims to make Cebu an ideal place to live, work, play, invest and do business.

Meanwhile, Arquillano also disclosed that the implementation of the Purok System has also greatly helped them in implementing solid waste management (SWM) as the community, down to the barangay level, has a committee that checks on garbage disposal.

News Update ASEAN names Dapitan City as 'cultural hub'

DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines - The Shrine City of Dapitan, where Dr. Jose Rizal was exiled for four years by the Spanish government before he was killed by musketry at the Luneta, has been declared the ''cultural capital'' of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), it was learned here recently.

City Vice Mayor Patri Bajamunde-Chan said the declaration was issued by authorities during the launching of the sesquicentennial or 150th birth anniversary here of the national hero who spent some 1,440 days of his life in this coastal city when it was still a Subano-inhabited village.

Chan said the ceremony, held in Barangay Talisay where Rizal built a ''nipa house'' and sojourned from 1892 to 1896, was led by Philippine International Theater Institute president Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, City Mayor Dominador Jalosjos Jr., Executive Director Frank Rivera of the National Council for Children's Television, provincial tourism officer Lawyer Ivan Patrick Ang, former Rep. Romeo Jalosjos, city officials, and members of the Knights of Rizal.

Alvarez said the significant event will help ''spruce up the tourism industry of both Dapitan, which was pronounced as the Philippine's Shrine City by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos, and the province.

Chan said that during the occasion, the life and sacrifices of Rizal were highlighted through appropriate dances and songs performed by students of the Dapitan City-based Jose Rizal Memorial State University, and Dapitan National High School.

News Update Floats steal show in Panagbenga festival

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - The thousands of spectators had witnessed the traditional grand street dancing parade Saturday doubled Sunday morning as they flocked to the city's streets to witness the multi-million floats that were decorated with multi-colored flowers and attractions that stole this show during the grand float parade, marching bands competition and drum and lyre contest, the second highlight of the 16th edition of the Panagbenga.

Local residents and visitors were amused over the well-decorated and colorful floats that paraded for over 3 hours along the city's streets just to reach the Baguio Athletic Bowl where people were allowed to have pictures with the floats that were displayed for public viewing.

Twenty five floats from government agencies, private corporations and other major sponsors were used to spice up the famous flower festival as they were escorted by three marching bands, particularly the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), University of Luzon and University of Cavite as well as the sixteen drum and lyre contingents from the different elementary and secondary schools in the city. The floats that were paraded and displayed have an accumulated cost of over P150 million considering that each float costs at least P300,000 to P500,000 because of the expensive flowers used to decorate the said attractions.

Various flowers such as roses, anthurium, chrysantemum, everlasting, sunflowers, and other cut flowers among others in different colors were used to spruce up the floats that served as a major crowd drawer doubling the spectators of the street dancing parade.

All the floats depicted the need to preserve and protect the environment which is in consonance with the festival's theme ''The Environment and Community in Harmony'' as their decorations were fresh flowers which is a big improvement over the past festival float where artificial flowers were used.

Because of the huge expenses incurred in the making of floats for the competition that offers a relatively descent prize for adjudged winners, companies that put up a float for the Panagbenga take a chance to promote their respective products and services considering the huge attendance of local residents and visitors wanting to see the annual innovations to the theme of the floats of the companies.

Unfortunately, one float which is owned by the Young Artists Para sa Kalikasan was not able to join the float parade after the vehicle that was decorated with fresh flowers met an accident while on its way to the starting line along Upper Session road. Luckily, no one was injured in the accident.

While the floats were displayed at the Baguio Athletic Bowl, thousands of people flocked to the area to have their pictures taken beside their favorite floats making the environment in the city lively with local businessmen wrecking havoc in terms of their sales and income.

Organizers predicted tourists who visited the city over the past two days reached over 1.5 million which is much bigger than the tourist arrivals over the previous years.

Aside from the week-long Session Road in Bloom that opens on Monday, February 28, tourists will also be treated to a horse show during the Pony Boys Day on March 5 at the Baguio Athletic Bowl where they will be treated to a spectacular show with attractive prizes to be offered for those interested to witness their performances.

News Update PNP: Car thefts down by half

MANILA, Philippines – Car theft syndicates have been stealing an average of two cars daily nationwide during the first two months of 2011, and this is an improvement compared to the same period last year, a Highway Patrol Group (HPG) official said yesterday.

“For the period of January to February 2010, there was an average of 5.9 vehicles stolen a day. For the same period this year, there were only 2.1 vehicles stolen daily,” HPG director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina told The STAR.

He added that an average of 4.7 vehicles were stolen daily for the whole of 2010.

Espina said HPG operatives continue their effort to validate cases of car theft in close coordination with territorial units of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo said the PNP-HPG has submitted short-term and long-term recommendations to a joint Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Justice (DOJ) committee to eradicate the problem on car theft and carjacking.

He said the short-term recommendations focus on law enforcement to support police stations.

“We’ve seen the result of the intensified campaign… with the number of recovered stolen vehicles and arrest of suspected car thieves,” Bacalzo said.

In the long term, Bacalzo said the DILG and the PNP have been pushing to make car theft and carjacking non-bailable offenses.

“We also have recommended a review on the insurance law, particularly on the sale of totally wrecked vehicles, and we have recommended to President Aquino the revival of the clearance system on the seaports, prevent the shipping out of (stolen) vehicles,” he said.

The PNP chief also suggested a review and possible regulation of the trade in second-hand cars so car theft syndicates would not be able to use the dealers in their activities.

Bacalzo said the HPG has filed criminal and administrative charges against police and Land Transportation Office personnel who allegedly work with criminal syndicates to effect the registration of stolen cars. Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo earlier said the names of 13 PNP and LTO officials and personnel have cropped up in the initial stage of the investigation.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, director of the Special Investigation Task Group, said brothers Roger and Raymond Dominguez – alleged carjack gang leaders – and their reported cohorts were formally indicted for the murder of car traders Emerson Lozano and Venson Evangelista and Lozano’s co-employee, Ernani Sensil.

Estipona told The STAR even the girlfriends of the Dominguez brothers – sexy actress Katrina Paula (Angeline Samonte in real life) and Julliane Allysa Crisostomo were included in the charges due to their alleged participation in the crime. - By Cecille Suerte Felipe

News Update Norwegian expert studying feasibility of Kennon Road rehab

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, one of the sister companies of the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), recently commissioned the services of a Norwegian expert on infrastructure to conduct a feasibility study on the appropriate technology which will be used to rehabilitate and upgrade the scenic and historic Kennon road to convert it into an ''all-weather road'' which will boost accessibility to this mountain resort city, especially during the rainy season where landslides and soil erosion usually happen.

Ramoncito Fernandez, president of the Metro Pacific Tollways corporation, said the conduct of the feasibility study on Kennon road will be their contribution to help improve accessibility to Baguio City, the country's undisputed Summer Capital, that will result to the enhancement of the tourism industry not only in the city but also the whole region.

The Norwegian expert already conducted the necessary pre-feasibility activities along the 34-kilometer road which is characterized by its zigzag features and ascending condition carved along the mountain slope from the lowlands to the city.

Fernandez revealed the feasibility study on Kennon road will be completed on or before the end of this year and will be submitted to concerned government agencies for consideration in their future plans to convert the zigzag road into an ''all-weather road'' and provide convenience to the motoring public who want to frequent the city and enjoy its cool and romantic weather.

One of the major improvements to be introduced along Kennon road, especially in identified landslide-prone areas is the construction of rock sheds and viaducts which will serve as the catchment of the debris falling from the mountain slopes and will dump them on to the banks of the Bued River.

While the development of Kennon road is considered to be politically sensitive because of the presence of communities along the road, the MPTC official admitted the feasibility of its rehabilitation must be ascertained to allow the private sector to be involved pursuant to the government's public-private partnership scheme.

The involvement of MPTC in the conduct of the feasibility study on the proposed upgrading of Kennon road will compliment the efforts being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) pursuant to the directive of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III after consultations with Bishop Carlito Cenzon when he visited the city last December.

News Update Pinoy quake victims in New Zealand: No sign of life

MANILA, Philippines - There is no sign of life at the Canterbury Television (CTV) building in Christchurch, New Zealand where 11 Filipinos were reportedly trapped when it collapsed on Wednesday last week.

Citing a report of the Philippine embassy team in Christchurch, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said 11, not 12, Filipinos are among about 200 people still missing in the aftermath of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch a week ago and left 146 people dead.

The DFA said a certain Elisa Torres, earlier thought to be Filipino, was determined to be of another nationality.

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said on Friday that the search and rescue team deployed by New Zealand decided to cease operations as there was no longer any sign of life in the collapsed building.

But Conejos said a Japanese search and rescue team also arrived in Christchurch to try to extricate victims from the rubble.

The Philippine embassy team arrived in Christchurch on Feb. 23 to coordinate with authorities as well as to look after the welfare of around 2,000 Filipinos in the area.

The team repeatedly asked and prodded rescue officials to continue with the search, given the text messages that were sent by a number of missing Filipinos immediately after the quake to their families here regarding their conditions and locations.

Through the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs and the Regional Consular Office in Cebu, Charge d’Affaires in Wellington Giovanni Palec conducted a telephone conference on Saturday with the Cebu-based families of five of the missing Filipinos believed trapped in the rubble of the CTV building.

During the phone patch, Palec apprised the relatives on the latest updates from New Zealand authorities and the initiatives undertaken by his team.

The missing Filipinos are Jesse Lloyd Redoble, John Christopher Chua, Ezea Mae Medalle, Emmabel Anova, Jewel Francisco, Ivy Jane Cabunillas, Mary Louise Anne Amantillo, Valquin Bensurto, Rhea Mae Sumalpong, Erica Nora, and Lalaine Agatep.

Arrangements are also underway to have the relatives of the 11 missing Filipinos go to New Zealand to assist in the identification of the fatalities.

Police authorities have yet to release a consolidated list of missing persons with their nationalities, despite repeated requests by New Zealanders and other families searching for definitive answers as to the status of their missing loved ones.

Authorities are now on the recovery phase of their operations, including in the CTV area which has received intense international attention due to a large number of missing students, including Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese and Thais.

The remains of those recovered are transported to a military camp in Christchurch, where the identification and processing take three weeks.

The DFA said on Friday that two Filipinos, Rita Estrella and Hayley Concepcion, who were previously reported among 14 Filipinos missing after the quake in Christchurch, are safe. - With Rainier Allan Ronda - By Pia Lee-Brago

Kopi Talk Biotechnology in agriculture

At the apex of the hierarchy of national goals is the imperative to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger among Filipinos. Sadly, about 27 percent of our population is mired below the poverty threshold.

Poverty is more severe among the rural population than among the people in the bigger towns and cities. In fact, the mass of the poor crowding the urban slums are rural people who flee the countryside to seek employment in the cities. Thus until such time that the services and industry sectors create sufficient jobs and livelihoods, the burden of raising our people from abject want rests on agriculture.

However, the harsh reality on the ground is that we are running out of arable land and irrigation water to produce enough food for our people. With our current population of about 95 million and available arable land of 10 million hectares, every Filipino has only 1,050 square meters of land with which to produce his/her food needs. With the continuing rapid growth of the population in the absence of a national consensus to moderate growth through family planning, and the rising inordinate conversion of arable land into industrial parks and settlements, per capita availability of land can only grow worse. The same is true for fresh water for irrigation.

The only solution, other than sending our people away as overseas workers, is the modernization and further intensification of agriculture.

We simply have to produce more and make more efficient use of scarce land and water resources without destroying these natural resources.

On the other hand, the two major threats to the environment - the loss of habitat and thereby, of biodiversity, and soil erosion - are associated with the conversion into arable cropping of the fragile forestlands.

Ironically, contrary to common wisdom, in order to conserve the environment, we must intensify agriculture on existing farmlands to diminish the need for conversion of what is left of our natural forests and wetlands.

Thus we have to avail of all technologies to modernize and further enhance productivity in agriculture without causing additional harm to the environment.

Much had been achieved with traditional and conventional modes of production, i.e., with proper cultural practices, with use of high yielding varieties including hybrids, various modes of pest and disease control (integrated pest management), proper postharvest handling, processing, storage, and transport. Higher planes of productivity have been achieved over time as new knowledge and modern technologies were made to bear on the challenge of higher productivity. The potential of conventional technologies has not been exhausted by all means and more can be expected in the future.

Among the means at our disposal to intensify agriculture are the so-called "biotechnologies." Biotechnology is broadly defined as "any technique that uses living organisms to modify a product, to improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific use." However this encompassing definition is not very meaningful because this includes practically all agricultural practices except those which are obviously engineering like land preparation, drying, and transport.

More meaningful is the distinction between conventional biotechnologies which do not require artificial manipulation of DNA versus the more modern biotechnologies which require manipulation of inheritance at the molecular level. This dichotomy is significant because conventional biotechnologies are by and large largely acceptable but there is some controversy, resistance, and uneasiness with molecular biotechnologies.

A large part of the agriculture we know today has to do with the manipulation of the genes or units of genetic inheritance of crops, livestock, and fish. They are manipulated by the conventional processes of sexual hybridization of parents of contrasting characters followed by selection among the progenies of succeeding generations which combine the best features of the parents.

However, new knowledge in biology and chemistry has made possible the identification of genes, their location in the chromosome, and the elucidation of their functions. With the New Biology, sections of DNA (the genes) can be isolated, characterized, reassembled into appropriate constructs, and then precisely and willfully transferred from one organism to another, across the sterility barriers which divide plants, animals, and microorganisms into orders, tribes and families - genetic divides which had been inviolate until recent years.

These new methods are called genetic transformations and their products, transgenics, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

This transfer and expression of genes from one organism to another remotely related species provided additional unequivocal proof of the unity of life and its common origin in the very distant past. However this novelty has made some people uneasy and fearful of its unknown consequences. Thus there is lobbying among naturalists to ban the applications of the New Biology in agriculture although there seems to be little hesitation in their use for production of drugs and other applications in human health such as gene therapy.

Because of the interrelatedness of living organisms with one another and their environment (the ecosystems), changes in any part of the ecosystem have potential consequences, both good and bad, to the rest. This has been the history of technologies in human civilization. Technologies invariably have consequences - beneficial ones, which is why they were developed in the first place and adverse ones, which are unintended and unplanned.

It is, therefore, a matter of assessing and anticipating the positive and adverse consequences of technologies and weighing their relative benefits and costs to society and the whole of humanity. Since individuals vary a lot in terms of their genetic constitution, personal circumstances, culture, and preferences, the ultimate choice is left to the individual.

It is in this sense that we should appreciate the potential of the new methods of molecular biology. It takes more than good seeds to raise productivity in agriculture and create meaningful livelihoods for the poor in the countryside. This novel class of modern biotechnologies could be useful when conventional technologies fail, when conventional methods take too long and are too expensive to develop. On the other hand, modern biotechnologies by themselves are not always useful enough. Almost invariably, these genetic transformation technologies are most beneficial when taken as adjuncts/supplements to conventional means. All of the 950 million hectares of GMO crops planted globally since 1996 have been conventional hybrids and high yielding varieties (HYVs) with one or two alien genes added.

DNA marker-assisted plant breeding is another good example. In conventional plant breeding, the tens of thousands of genes from each of the parents are combined in the hybrid. Six to eight generations of backcrossing are needed to recover the desired essential gene combinations of the recurrent parent plus one or a few new genes from the other parent. With a life cycle of 3-4 months for most arable crops, and in the tropics, where one can grow two generations a year, this means easily five years of development. With genetic transformation techniques, the 6-8 generations of backcrossing are not necessary because only one or two novel genes are transferred, not the whole genome. Thus the desired product can be developed in two generations. Moreover since selection is conducted at the genetic level, a few hundreds would suffice; there is no need to grow hundreds of thousands of the progenies.

However, the original preparatory work can be protracted and costly. The genome of the species must be fully mapped and the transformation and regeneration techniques perfected before GMO technology can be routinely applied.

The developed countries and the huge multinational corporations in the vanguard of modern transgenic technology commercialization naturally will have little interest in minor crops and minor traits (the so-called "orphan" crops/traits) of unique interest to us. Therefore, we must master the new science ourselves to advance and protect our national interest. We must develop national capability to generate the technology ourselves and install the system to regulate the new technologies to assure our people that these products are safe to eat and not harmful to the environment.

However, unlike in high-energy physics and the new engineering sciences, the required molecular biology infrastructure is relatively affordable for a developing country like the Philippines with a fair scientific and higher education system.

Thus the present enlightened national policy of safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology, including and, specifically, transgenic technology, is appropriate, timely, and affordable.

Therefore, we must express in no uncertain terms our objection to the well-meaning but misdirected efforts of some sectors to ban research and deployment of transgenic crops, livestock, and fish in our country. We must not deny our farmers and ourselves as consumers the benefits of new science which are properly vetted and regulated.

Moreover, let us go slow responding to the siren call of organic agriculture. We should adopt sustainable practices by all means but we must at the same time bring down the cost of food to make them accessible to the poor. It is debatable whether organic produce is more nutritious and tastes better than conventional food but for sure, organic produce is more expensive. Let the farmers who can profitably grow organic produce exercise the option. But organic agriculture should not crowd out mainstream conventional agriculture in our modernization efforts.

News Update Philippine President takes another swipe at Marcos son

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - A day after the 25th anniversary of the People Power revolution, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III still found it necessary to again address Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.�s recent remark that the Philippines could have been a prosperous state like Singapore if his father had not been deposed in 1986.

In his speech during the awarding rites for six individuals that figured in the struggle against Marcos dictatorship, Aquino said the Philippines wouldn�t have become a country like Singapore under the Marcos regime.

�Were it not for Edsa (the name of the avenue that was used during the people power revolution that toppled the dictator Marcos in 1986), we probably could have become another Libya,� Aquino said.

People are now moving to overthrow longtime Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi but the recent developments in the Arab state are proving to be far from peaceful.

COPYRIGHT: ASIA NEWS NETWORK

News Update Philippine President trumpets record of young government

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Saturday (February 26) trumpeted the initial �achievements� of his relatively young administration before foreign donors and creditors whose support the government is tapping to help it achieve its development agenda.

In a speech at the 2011 Philippines Development Forum (PDF) at Sofitel Hotel on Saturday, Aquino said foreign agencies should find it worthwhile to help finance the projects and programs of the government aimed at sustaining economic growth.

This is because his administration�s early accomplishments indicate the government is serious about its reform and development agenda, Aquino said.

�In the roughly eight months that I and my team have been in office, we have witnessed an upsurge of optimism in our economy. In a short span of time, we are fulfilling our promise to curb corruption and to reduce poverty,� he said.

In his speech, the President said the actions and programmes carried out during the first months of his administration included the rebidding of overpriced contracts, the adoption of the zero-based budgeting approach and the increase in the budget for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme, among others.

He said there were about 1-billion-peso (US$22.8 million) worth of contracts for projects administered by the department of public works and highways (DPWH) that were bid out again because they were found to have been overpriced.

�In our first month in office, we stopped and then renegotiated and rebid some overpriced contracts of the DPWH amounting to 1 billion pesos, saving our taxpayers 300 million pesos ($6.8 million) as a result of implementing a transparent and a truly competitive process,� Aquino said.

The President said zero-based budgeting was used in planning the 2011 national budget, which he said was the opposite of the �incremental budgeting system� of the past.

Under zero-based budgeting, the department of budget and management requires each government agency to defend each expenditure item, whether it be a project or a program, every time a new national budget is prepared in order for that item to get funding.

To �defend� an expenditure item means to explain why it is necessary and to present an evaluation of how budget allocations for it in the past were used, Aquino explained.

Under the incremental budgeting system, most projects and programs of government agencies are assumed to be ongoing, and so the budget department would automatically allot funds for those, he said.

The PDF is a mechanism that brings together the Philippines� development partner organisations with government officials and other stakeholders to discuss the country�s overall development agenda and priorities. The forum serves as a venue for generating commitments and support for specific items in the administration�s development plan.

This year�s PDF, the first under the Aquino administration, carried the theme �Implementing President Aquino�s Social Contract to Achieve Inclusive Growth,� and was chaired by the Philippine government and cochaired by the World Bank.

The event drew representatives from various foreign funding agencies like the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the aid agencies of other foreign governments.

They were joined by participants from national government agencies, local government units, private sector, civil society and the academe.

The one-day forum heard presentations from high-level government officials, led by the President, on the priorities and key items of the administration�s development plan that could be supported by the country�s development partners.

Subsidy, more jobs

Aquino also cited his administration has allotted more funds to the CCT program, under which the government grants a monthly money and food subsidy to selected poorest families. From the one million families assisted last year, he said the government has increased the number of target beneficiaries to 2.3 million by the end of 2011.

Aquino�s economic managers have vowed to reverse the �jobless growth�, which economists have used to gauge economic development in the country through the years.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told a press briefing after the PDF that the economic team�s focus is to reverse the jobless growth.

�The economic team is emphatic about reversing the jobless growth. We want to solicit more investments in sectors like tourism, agriculture, etc.,� Abad said.

Although the Philippines has consistently posted growth, even at the height of the global economic recession in 2009, poverty incidence in the country has not declined, economists said.

In fact, latest government data showed that poverty incidence rose to 26.5 per cent in 2009 from 26.4 per cent in 2006 (poverty surveys are done once every three years).

Investments are needed to create jobs and increase overall incomes, economists said.

They said more people should be educated so they will meet the labor requirements of investors.

Social welfare secretary Corazon Soliman told the same briefing that the administration is still bent on hitting the targets under the Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty incidence by 2015 from the 1990s level, or to about 22 per cent.

�The target remains the same,� she said.

COPYRIGHT: ASIA NEWS NETWORK

News Update vardone cousin's police escort killed, 4 hurt in NPA Samar ambush

A police escort of Arteche town mayor Rolando Evardone – Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone's cousin – was killed while four other people were hurt in an ambush allegedly staged by communist-led New People’s Army rebels on Saturday.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz, Philippine National Police spokesman, said in a text message that a group of NPA rebels attacked the mayor’s convoy at about 11:20 a.m. while it was at Sitio Subok in Barangay Tangbo, Arteche town.

Authorities identified the lone fatality as Police Inspector Al Lianza Tantiado, while the other police escorts injured in the attack included PO1 Kenneth Tapalla and PO1 Sherwen Tajado.

A civilian motorist, Noe Opepario, was also hurt after being caught in the crossfire. The fourth wounded victim was not identified.

The rebels carted away three long and loaded firearms belonging to the escorts.

The mayor and other civilian escorts were unharmed, the PNP spokesman said.

Rep. Evardone condemned the "barbaric" attack in a text message to reporters, insisting that "[t]he mayor and the police were just doing their duty to stop illegal gambling."

Members of the Army's 14th and 18th Infantry Battalion, as well as local PNP forces have already launched manhunt operations.—Mark D. Merueñas/JV,

News Update IBP in Cebu welcomes new leaders

CEBU CITY -- Low turnout plagued the bi-annual elections of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu and Cebu City chapters.

Only 260 lawyers joined the exercise for the provincial chapter at the IBP building, while 447 lawyers voted in the city polls at the Palace of Justice.

Atty. Ferdinand Pepito edged out Atty. Rex Fernandez in the province, while Atty. Earl Bonachita defeated Atty. Ian Anthony Sapayan in Cebu City.

“It’s probably because we have a long holiday,” said outgoing IBP Cebu City chapter president Michael Yu, when asked about the turnout.

Voting opened at 8 a.m. and closed at noon.

The mood overall was festive, as food and drinks that were equally shouldered by competing candidates were laid out outside the IBP building and at the justice palace courtyard.

Black propaganda

Candidates from Sapayan’s slate, however, lamented that despite Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes’s instruction, there were some who resorted to black propaganda.

Paredes, in a meeting with contending camps and Yu two weeks ago, warned against using methods of traditional politicians or “trapos.”

But yesterday, a group of yet to be identified individuals handed out leaflets listing the “qualifications” of the presidential contenders and included data “that were no longer relevant to the polls.”

“If you are a lawyer, you are qualified to run for positions of the IBP. It doesn’t matter if you took the bar twice,” said candidate Emmanuel Jude Bernido. He eventually won a seat in the city chapter’s board of directors.

“At least we now know what kind of people they are,” he said.

Question of propriety

“We also have information that is negative to the other side, but we did not make use of it precisely to keep the atmosphere of amity,” said candidate Fillmore Gomos. He, too, won a seat in the city chapter’s board of directors.

Yu, after seeing the circulated paper, said parties always have the option of lodging a formal complaint. But, he said, there was nothing illegal about it “because people have the right to know.”

Atty. Carlos Cavada, however, clarified that it was not a question of legality, but one of propriety.

Cavada is a past president of the Young Lawyers Association of Cebu, whose members include Bonachita and Sapayan.

News Update Kidapawan City gov’t OKs Mt. Apo geothermal project

KIDAPAWAN CITY – The city’s chief executive here has given the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) the “go signal" to construct another 50-megawatt power plant in Mount Apo, after the firm assured the city government that it will pay some P48 million in unpaid taxes.

Part of the amount, according to the city government, will be used to pay for the salaries of 189 locally hired teachers for three years.

City Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco said the salaries of the teachers, paid under the city’s Special Education Fund, were affected when EDC, the country’s biggest producer of renewable energy, was granted an exemption from paying real property taxes to the local government.

Gantuangco said he has already given the EDC “first priority endorsement", in an apparent softening of his earlier stance supposedly following talks with EDC officials that resulted in “positive results."

Of the P48 million, at least P19 million is allotted for payment of salaries of affected teachers.

“While it’s true the EDC was given an exemption from paying real property taxes, we requested the company that they shoulder for 3 years the honoraria of 189 SEF teachers. When that was assured, I gave them a first priority endorsement," said Gantuangco.

The endorsement, however, has yet to reach the EDC.

Vice Mayor Joseph Evangelista also said the issue is still being studied by the Committee on Energy.

“Before we give the EDC a ‘go signal’, there are still so many important issues and concerns that must be addressed, one of which is the reliability of power supply to the city as host of the geothermal project," said Evangelista.

Evangelista has already asked the Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Cotelco), the electric service provider in North Cotabato, to discuss with EDC the possibility of providing the power co-op a steady supply of power from the geothermal plant through the direct purchase power agreement (PPA).

“Are we assured that if there’s energy crisis, we won’t experience [a] series of blackouts just like what we went through last year because of the Mt. Apo geothermal project?" Evangelista asked.

At present, EDC is operating two 50-MW power plants within the Mount Apo reservation.

The additional 50-MW geothermal field and power plant will be located within the borders of Barangay Ilomavis here on the northwest summit of Mount Apo, which comprises an area of 112 hectares.

As to its social endorsement, the EDC has already secured free and prior informed consent from the tribal communities in the area, as well as an endorsement from the local government of Barangay Ilomavis and the Protected Area Management Bureau, according to EDC Mindanao geothermal production field manager Alejandro Catacutan.

The firm has already complied with various requirements by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), such as the environmental compliance certificate, Forest Land Use Agreement, DENR authority for slope stabilization, and special land use permit, he added.

Still ongoing, he said, is the process leading to the endorsement of the city government and the North Cotabato provincial government.

“We’re trying everything to get the endorsements. There’s nothing wrong in this project. From there, the project will take off," said Catacutan.

He said the commercial operation of the Mount Apo geothermal project 3 will start in December 2014.

“This project will address, in part, the power shortage. This offers a cleaner with low carbon emissions, reliable, and secured power supply; generates local employment; and provide economic benefits to the host community," said Catacutan.—Malu Cadelina Manar/JMA/JV

News Update Japanese firm to plant 5 million mangrove trees

OLANGO ISLAND, Cebu - In its effort to help save the environment from the harmful effects of climate change, the Kanepackage Group of Companies, a Japanese-owned packing firm that has three branches in the country, has committed to plant five million mangrove trees. It also recently launched a day-care school in this island to help children get a better education. The day-care classroom, which will benefit some 32 pre-school students in Barangay San Vicente, is an added project of the Kanepackage Green Earth which targets to plant five million mangrove trees in a span of five years. The group launched its program in 2009 and has already planted thousands of mangroves in this island. Kanepackage President Yoshikasu Kanesaka personally attended the ground-breaking of the classroom together with some local officials headed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7. Kanesaka in his speech said the new program is their way of thanking the community for helping them in their advocacy which is very crucial for the environment. "We decided to help in making this project possible because in this way we can help our little children achieve their dreams by learning at a very young age," he said. Kanesaka, who hails from a poor family in Japan, shared his experience to the parents and children who attended the event to inspire them in reaching for their dreams like what he did. "When I was young I dreamed of going to the US and luckily I did, and I want these kids to also reach theirs," he added.

The Kanepackage top official also expressed his interest in putting up a fund for a scholarship program where students will be sent to school for free plus the chance to get employed by the company right after graduation. Meanwhile, Rodney Maguyon, Cebu Plant supervisor, said the school building is estimated to cost R300,000 and is expected to be completed by April this year. "Aside from donating this building, we are also going to give books and school supplies to the students of the day-care center," he said. Moreover, the 30 square-meter lot in which the day-care school building will be put up was donated by Ma. Therese Serat. On the same occasion, the company has also conducted an aerial survey to look and check on the current status of their mangrove- planting activities as they prepare for the next event slated this March 19 and 20.

News Update Customs bureau exec to expose anomalies at Davao port

A RANKING official of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is set to divulge details of the alleged corruption inside the agency, specifically those committed at the Port of Davao, the People's Action Against Corruption (Paac) said on Wednesday.

In a press conference at the Ateneo de Davao University, Paac convenor Mussolini Lidasan said they are now coordinating with the BOC official who agreed to turn state witness once the Senate conducts its inquiry on the alleged anomalies at the BOC in Davao City.

Lidasan said the Customs official allegedly decided to testify after learning that he will be made as "a sacrificial lamb" by higher officials of the BOC over the discovery of the 40 container vans that contained smuggled rice, which were declared as construction materials.

The discovery was made by businessman Rodolfo Reta who owns and operates the Acquarius Container Yard (ACY), utilized as the designated examination area (DEA) by the BOC thru a 25-year Container Yard Outside Custom's Zone (CYOCZ) agreement.

It was learned the Customs official is now on a floating status. The official is reportedly filing a case against Port of Davao Customs Collector Anju Nereo Castigador in retaliation.

Customized corruption

In Wednesday's press conference dubbed as "Customized Corruption," Paac members denied insinuations that they are after the head of the Customs officials involved in the alleged anomaly or are they defending Reta.

Oliver Autor of the Centrist Democratic Movement (CDM) said their coalition is not concerned with the personalities involved in the issue but on the corrupt system not just in the BOC but in all other government agencies.

"Rodolfo Reta is just a case. He is just one person who is so bold enough to come out in the open and talk about corruption," Autor said.

Benjie Lizada of the People Power Volunteers Reform (PPVR) said the operation of DEA inside the ACY was an experiment of the Customs officials in Manila. He said the Davao operation was the first test case of the Customs' effort to rid their agency of corruption.

He said that the contract Reta entered with the BOC mandates him to report any anomalies he could observe in the operation of the DEA, as stipulated in the Customs Administrative Order 594, otherwise his contract will be cancelled.

Lizada said that when Reta complied with the agreement and reported the misdeclaration of the smuggled rice, the BOC abruptly closed the DEA operation instead of lauding Reta for his compliance with the CAO 594.

"They started an experiment but after nine months of operation they have to stop it kasi nga naging very efficient na yung check and balance," Lizada said.

Higher collection

Lizada said all the Paac wanted is for the DEA operation at the private container yard of the ACY to continue to maintain check and balance in the Customs operations. He said the private partnership program of the DEA operation in Davao is doing so well that the Port of Davao surpassed its collection target in 2009 and 2010.

Professor Adrian Tamayo, Paac member, said had the operation of DEA inside ACY not been halted last February 26, 2010 the BOC collection would have been much greater than their actual collection last year.

He said this is because there will no longer be misdeclaration of goods and the government will get the right payment of the importers and exporters.

"It will dismantle the layer of corruption thus transparency will prevail. And there will be accountability," said Tamayo.

Lizada said that if ever the ACY is again allowed to operate the DEA, a non-government organization must now be invited to participate in the monitoring and observation of the DEA operation so as ensure that corruption is really decreased if not totally eliminated in the Bureau of Customs.

"We are not after any heads here, the last thing we want is another Angie Reyes to happen. Just allow the experiment to continue but this time have a non-government organization be involved to monitor and observe the DEA operation," Lizada said.

"We are focused on correcting the system. I am sure that Castigador and other officials are also just caught in a very dishonest system," he added. (Ben O. Tesiorna)

News Update 3 babies suffer burns at Cebu hospital

CEBU CITY -- Three newborn babies suffered burns after a bulb of a gooseneck lamp used to keep them warm, exploded at the pediatric ward of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) last Sunday.

The accident has revived calls from a former mayor to close and sell the public hospital.

But CCMC managers said the bulb’s explosion, which happened at 3 a.m. Sunday, was “purely accidental.”

CCMC chief Dr. Eduaro Sedoripa said the three babies were on nasal cannula when the accident happened.

Nasal cannula is a device that delivers supplemental oxygen to a patient with breathing difficulties.

“When the gooseneck lamp exploded, the tube of the nasal cannula caught fire that’s why the babies got burned,” Sedoripa said.

The babies, whose parents’ names are withheld, are all less than a month old and are from barangays Talamban, Adlaon and Buhisan.

The baby who got the worst burns is from Talamban. The 19-day-old baby suffered third-degree burns on his face and is on “guarded condition.”

The baby from Buhisan suffered second-degree burn on his face while the infant from Adlaon has burns on her left extremities. Both are now stable.

Dr. Lee James Maratas, head of CCMC’s pediatric ward, said the babies were confined at the hospital due to sepsis nenatorum.

Sepsis is an infection that spreads throughout the baby’s body and occurs during the first 28 days of life.

In a news conference yesterday, Sedoripa said what happened was an “accident” and unprecedented.

“We cannot do anything about it except address the present situation,” he said.

Asked what caused the bulb to explode, Sedoripa said it could have been over-usage of the lamp.

Maratas said the bulbs of the lamps at the pediatrics ward should only be used for a maximum of 13 hours.

Edgardo Borinaga, engineer III of the CCMC’s maintenance division, said the 100-watt bulb could explode if used for long periods.

But Sedoripa said they are not dismissing the likelihood that the bulb was defective.

Mayor Michael Rama, who visited the victims on Thursday after the Charter Day celebration, instructed Sedoripa to immediately transfer the babies to Chong Hua Hospital.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, the babies from Talamban and Buhisan were already at Chong Hua Hospital, while the baby from Adlaon was discharged.

Sedoripa said he told the mayor about the accident last Monday.

“I only brought up the matter with him a day after the accident because the mayor is busy during the Charter Day and at our end here at CCMC, we were still investigating. I didn’t want to provide information to the mayor without proper investigation,” he said.

On learning about the incident, former mayor now Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) reiterated calls for CCMC’s closure.

“This is not an isolated kind of situation. There’s a pattern of blunder in CCMC. There a lot of cases like this, which you will never even hear about. It’s hopeless, we should close CCMC. They do not have a sense of public service,” he said.

Osmeña said he would prefer that the City’s yearly budget for CCMC be used to provide Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) cards to residents and pay private hospitals every time they get to be admitted.

“That’s more efficient and cost-effective,” he said.

Sedoripa, for his part, said they will be taking precautions and will recommend the replacement of old equipment at CCMC.

He also said they will submit to the mayor the results of their investigation.

News Update Suspected NPA leader killed in CamSur clash

A suspected ranking leader of the New People's Army in the Bicol Region was killed following a clash with government security forces in Camarines Sur early Friday morning, the chief of the Philippine Army said.

Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz identified the rebel fatality as Elmer Estrillado alias Ted/Poldo, reportedly the commanding officer of the regional headquarters of the Bicol Regional Party Committee.

The clash erupted 6:30 a.m. when government forces conducted strike operations in Barangay Bulwang in Bato town, Ortiz said.

The body of Estrillado was left behind by his comrades who fled at the height of the firefight, Ortiz added.

The Camarines Sur clash was the latest of a series of incidents involving communist insurgents after the week-long ceasefire between government and rebel forces ended midnight of February 21.

Other incidents involved a previous encounter also in Camarines Sur on Wednesday where a wounded female NPA fighter was captured by Army soldiers and separate attacks on civilians in Bukidnon and Davao City. — RSJ

News Update PNoy to Bongbong: PHL could have been another Libya under Marcos

This year’s anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power revolt may not have only imparted the spirit of People Power to a new generation of Filipinos, but may have revived as well the battle between a new generation of two influential clans, the Marcoses and Aquinos.

On Saturday, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III took another swipe at the Marcoses, this time at Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who claimed that the Philippines could have become another Singapore had it stayed the course with Marcos’ late father Ferdinand Sr. “We were far from becoming another Singapore. Were it not for EDSA [People Power uprising], we probably could have become another Libya," Aquino said to applause, during his speech at the awarding ceremonies of the Philippine Legion of Honor in Malacañang. Aquino also said that while it is “not my intention to reopen old wounds" with the Marcoses, he was “obliged to set the record straight with my own opinion." He was referring to Sen. Marcos’ claim last Tuesday that had the Philippines remained under Marcos’ rule, the it would have become another Singapore. “My father had done so much and helped so many. The country progressed under him. Had he not been ousted the Philippines would have become another Singapore," Sen. Bongbong Marco said. One generation ago in 1986, the elder Marcos was ousted in a four-day peaceful revolt, widely known as the EDSA 1 People Power uprising.

The revolt ended his 21 years of power, including nine years of Martial Law. The popular uprising also installed Aquino’s late mother Corazon “Cory" to the presidency. Also in his speech, President Aquino took potshots against Bongbong for talking about the unfulfilled promises of the EDSA revolt. “It has recently become fashionable in some circles to talk about the unfulfilled promises of EDSA. Some have even dared to say that maybe one-man rule was not such a bad idea. Never mind the oppression and never mind the lack of liberties. By now some say we could already have become another Singapore. That some is just one," he said. “It is true that much remains to be resolved but at the same time, who could deny what we have already achieved? Are we not better off today than we were a generation ago? Have we not finally regained the respect of the global community as a beacon of democracy? Are we not on the way to becoming a more equitable society?" he added. Second swipe Aquino's speech at Malacañang on Saturday was the second swipe against the Marcoses during this year's commemoration activities of EDSA 1. Last Friday, Aquino vowed to sustain the unity of Filipinos by showing good governance and fighting graft, but took potshots at the Marcos and Arroyo administrations. Before this week’s “word war," the children of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Corazon Aquino had been civil with each other. While still on campaign trail for the presidency, Aquino had said he had no problem with Marcos’ children, including then senatorial bet Bongbong Marcos. Aquino on Friday took a dig at former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who was ousted for betraying the nation’s trust. He said Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972 supposedly to quell a rebellion, but ended up ruling with an iron fist while his family and cronies enriched themselves. “Ang dating tagasunod ni G. Marcos unti-unti namulat sa katotohanang hindi ang kinabukasan nila ang tinataguyod niya kundi ang makasariling interest lamang ng kanyang pamilya. Unti-unting napansin ng Pilipino habang nabawasan ang pagkain sa mesa parami nang parami ang mga sapatos sa Cabinet ni Gng. Imelda Marcos," Aquino said.

(Even Marcos’ followers woke up to the truth that Marcos was promoting not their interest but his family’s. Hungry Filipinos noticed that while they had less food on the table, then First Lady Imelda Marcos’ cabinet was filling up with new shoes.) In the Arroyo administration's case, Aquino said many officials in the past decade betrayed the public trust by spiriting away the nation’s money. “Sa kasamaang palad, ayaw man aminin ng ilan, hinddi nangyari sa nakalipas na dekada ang dalawang bagay na ito. May naging taksil sa kanilang katungkulan. May mga naglimas sa kaban ng bayan. Kaya naman todo kayod ang inyong pamahalaan sa pagpapatupad ng reporma upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng taumbayan," he said

(Unfortunately, while no one will admit it, responsible governance and proper spending did not take place in the past decade. Some officials betrayed their duty and robbed the nation’s coffers. This is why our administration will institute reforms to meet the people’s needs.) Aquino’s predecessor Gloria Arroyo, now Pampanga congresswoman, had ruled the nation from 2001 to 2010. Aquino ran for president in May 2010 polls on a platform attacking graft in the past administration. No Singapore

Aquino said he does not think the Philippines would have become another Singapore had Filipinos stayed the course with Marcos. “Singapore is one of the richest countries in Southeast Asia. It is a place where poverty has become an exception and where there is growing room for artistic expression, which was not the case during Martial Law. During those dark years, inequality worsened and free expression was stifled. We were far from becoming another Singapore. Were it not for EDSA, we probably could have become another Libya," he said. He said Saturday’s awardees could attest to the dark days under Martial Law. Fr. James Reuter, SJ, was tried for 12 days in Camp Aguinaldo for editing and publishing “The Communicator," a full-page paper on Martial Law. He was put under house arrest for two years, Aquino said. He added Napoleon Rama shared a prison cell with his father, the late former Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., for sponsoring the “Ban Marcos" resolution, which would have prevented the Marcoses from running for the top post under a new Constitution. The late publisher Joaquin Roces, former Sen. Ninoy’s mentor in journalism, was also detained in Fort Bonifacio during Martial Law for “bravely publicizing the unsanitized truth about the Marcos regime," President Aquino said. According to him, the late Teodoro Benigno Jr. (a leading Filipino journalist) had established the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines to help balance the Marcos-controlled media. Aquino feted the late US Rep. Stephen Solarz for helping change US policy towards the Marcos regime from collaboration to distancing itself from Marcos. “They, along with millions of Filipinos acted in 1986 to take back and win back our democracy. I thank the awardees for the sacrifices they undertook to restore democracy in the Philippines. It is those sacrifices that we owe today. The revolution did not end in 1986 nor will it end after this 25th anniversary," he said. Real challenge Aquino said that after the EDSA revolt, much of what needs to be done will be difficult and will be met with some opposition. “It will not be achieved merely by marching in the streets," he said. But he said he has taken steps towards doing what needs to be done. He said he already issued Executive Order 23 imposing comprehensive restrictions on commercial logging in an effort to preserve our environment. Also, he said he ordered reduced perks for those in government-owned and controlled corporations “to remind everyone they are mere stewards of the people’s money." The administration also sought to intervene in what he called the “unjust plea bargain" in the case of former military comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia “because this (if) allowed would have made a mockery of our justice system." “All of these will be resisted by certain quarters that will be affected adversely by these actions. But these are the things that will eventually fulfill the promise of EDSA. And it is imperative we like those that flooded the streets in February 1986 persevere so that these things are achieved at the soonest time possible. We owe it to those who sacrificed for our freedom. Most of we owe it to those who would come after us to make a freer, fairer and more prosperous society. With your help we will succeed," he said. — LBG

DID YOU KNOW THAT ? Avocados are found growing all over the Philippine

At the end of the nineteenth century, several plant species were introduced into the Philippines. These came from different parts of the world and included fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. Some proved to be valuable and easily adapted to the Philippine conditions while others were less promising and did not gain a wide acceptance among the populace. One of the introductions which proved to be suitable to the Philippine soil and climatic conditions was the avocado.

Known as 'aguacate' in Spanish and 'alligator pear', 'Palta pear', 'Midshipman’s butter' and 'avocado' in English, it is called as 'abokado' in the Philippine vernacular. It was introduced into the Philippines in 1890 by the Spaniards through seeds coming from Mexico. However, it was only from 1902 to 1907 that avocado was introduced successfully into the Philippines by the Americans. Through the Bureau of Agriculture (now the Bureau of Plant Industry which is under the Department of Agriculture), planting materials were received from Hawaii, Costa Rica and the United States. In 1913, the Bureau of Agriculture, together with the College of Agriculture of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, started the countrywide spreading of avocado trees. Now, avocados are found growing all over the country, most of which are cultivated in backyards.

DID YOU KNOW THAT ? Fully paid: Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was the biggest white elephant project in the country, costing about $2.3 billion but never generated a single watt of electricity. However, when President Corazon Aquino assumed power in 1986, she still vowed to pay all the BNPP-related loans despite the corruption that accompanied this deal between the government of Marcos and American firm White Westinghouse. Filipinos would be haunted by this massive loans for 32 years as over half of the government’s revenues were allotted to pay the BNPP loans as other pressing needs, such as education, health, housing, security, and others, had to be paid with whatever was left in the budget. In 2007, windfall from the passage of the VAT law allowed the Arroyo government to fully pay the useless BNPP loans.

Kopi Talk Energy Mindanao 2011

MANILA, Philippines - Governor Moreno of Misamis Oriental pointed out at the Department of Energy consultation in Cagayan de Oro that the first need of the country is peace and order and the second is power or energy. Peace is of primary importance but like a bandage, it is only a hygiene factor. Without a bandage, a wound would get infected but by itself it does little to heal the wound. On the other hand energy is a requisite positive factor in promoting our economy. (Most of this column is an echo of what Sec. Almendras had to say in Cagayan de Oro last Monday, an excellent effort for transparency.) His clear objectives are availability and affordability of power. We need reliable power at affordable prices.

The first surprise for me from his talk was that nuclear power was the cheapest power available for us. Then why not go nuclear? Its drawback is that nuclear technology at the present stage requires large vessel technology and a minimal size would be a 1,400-megawatt installation. Although we could use that volume of electricity, it might be better for us to wait for the technology to progress to the point where the ideal size would be about 300 to 400 megawatts.

The second surprise was that the solution according to the secretary to our energy needs is natural gas. What makes natural gas attractive is that its price does not go up with that of oil and it is the fastest and easiest to install. Although we have not identified our own sources of natural gas, two of our neighbors, Australia and Indonesia, produce large quantities of natural gas. The need is to build depots and distribution facilities.

We have an abundance of renewable energy sources and what discriminates them for us is available technology. Solar or photovoltaic is in the midst of huge technology advances. While it costs at present P22 to produce a kilowatt-hour, it may take only another five years before this cost drops to half of that. On the other hand, hydro-electric technology is mature and its production cost will probably be about the same for the next 20 years. To set a price for solar for the Fit in Tariff would then be difficult but not for hydro electric sources. A decade ago to put up hydro power would be cost $1 million per megawatt. It is at least double that now. Solar is about the same cost per megawatt except that a solar facility can be used only eight hours on a sunny day. The problem with hydro is that it is subject to climate conditions not within human control. Mindanao, however, has complementing weather patterns. It is wet in the east when it is dry in the west. With so many volcanoes in our land we have an abundance of geothermal resources. The drawback in geothermal is the quality of water available to produce the steam. Corrosive water will shorten the life of the pipes that bring up the steam.

So far we have no oil resources of any size except west of Palawan. Both the Nido and the Galoc wells have produced oil. Both the South China Sea and Sulu Sea have tantalizing potentials. The three faults that cross our country from north to south must have burned off any petroleum in our islands east of Palawan but, on the other hand, brought minerals like gold, copper, nickel, and other mineral to the surface from the depths of the earth. These are the gifts the Lord has given us to use responsibly.

News Update Foreign trade group seeks fair regulation on frozen meat

CEBU CITY, Cebu - The Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CanCham) is strongly urging the Philippine government to implement an effective regulatory framework on the Department of Agriculture (DA)'s Administrative Order (AO)-22 regarding frozen meat, as this affects the sales of frozen meat importers. The CanCham recently issued a statement in relation to concerns raised by local meat producers in Cebu and other provinces, where the latter alleged that frozen meat in wet markets are believed to be unhealthy "because when thawed, moisture in the frozen meat encourages quicker growth of bacteria." The chamber said there has been no confirmation that AO-22 responds to a science-based conclusion that frozen meat poses a health risk to consumers. "We strongly support essential and effective measures ensuring the production, transportation, packaging and wholesale/retail selling of both frozen and warm meat in the Philippines, regardless of whether this is imported or local, so that the health of consumers is protected," the CanCham's position paper read. Last December 12, 2010, the DA issued AO-22, imposing stricter sanitary measures on frozen meat products, and ordering the setting up of more cold chain systems for quality control.

In an interview, CanCham President Julian Payne said that while members of the chamber strongly support effective measures on frozen meat sales, they believe it is important for Cebu consumers, meat importers and restaurants that the same health standards apply to warm meat. "Such health standards should not increase the prices for consumers; and government authorities and the amended AO should ensure these two objectives are met," said Payne who was in Cebu recently for the opening of the chamber's first regional office outside Manila. According to the CanCham statement, Canada's health regulation of the meat it exports is among the most stringent in the world and is highly regarded globally. The Philippines is reported to be one of the major importers of Canadian frozen pork because of its high health safety standards and compliance with export regulations for frozen meat. The country is also reported to prefer the quality and nutritional value of Canadian meat for consumers as well as its competitive prices.

News Update Garcia cites Bataan economic gains

BALANGA CITY, Bataan - Citing the continued economic development of the province, Governor Enrique "Tet" Garcia appealed Thursday to his political opponents not to destroy and sabotage the economic gains Bataan has achieved for the betterment of all Bataenos. Speaking during flag ceremony yesterday in front of the Capitol building, Gov. Garcia lamented that despite the economic benefits the province had gained for the past several years, their losing political detractors continued to resort to black propaganda in their bid perhaps to boost their political stocks at the expense of the public. "Patuloy pong sinisira ng mga detractors natin ang ating mga magagandang ginagawa at programa para sa Bataan; nagsalita na ang mga taga Bataan na ayaw nila sa mga pulitikong ito ngunit patuloy pa rin silang naninira upang mapalakas siguro ang kanilang political stock," pointed out Garcia. But not matter how good the accomplishments of the Garcias are, this has no effect to the political opposition since the economic gains achieved by the Garcias will be a setback to the political career of their opponents. Gov. Garcia won in a landslide victory, posting a wide margin of votes that was never equaled before any gubernatorial fights in Bataan.

News Update Forensics expert shows how Ampatuan victims appeared 'beheaded'

An expert witness on Thursday gave a testimony in the Ampatuan multiple murder trial that could finally explain why authorities initially concluded that some victims were beheaded – which was later proven untrue.

Dr. Ricardo Rodaje, a medico-legal expert from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), told Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) that almost the entire skull of victim Concepcion "Connie" Brizuela was already missing when he autopsied her remains.

Brizuela was a human rights lawyer who was with the electoral convoy of the Mangudadatu group that was on its way to Shariff Aguak, capital town of Maguindanao province, to file the certificate of candidacy of then Buluan vice mayor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu.

Rodaje said Brizuela's skull was blown off due to the impact of the bullet that hit her right ear and exited the back of her head. As a result, all that was left of the victim's head was her "facial skin," he said.

"I could no longer measure the exit wound because there was no definite border because it was shattered," Rodaje said.

Private prosecutor Prima Jesusa Quinsayas, legal counsel for the families of some of the massacre victims, told reporters after the hearing that the appearance of Brizuela's corpse could have led authorities who responded to the crime site to conclude that some of the victims were beheaded.

"Kaya akala siguro ng mga nag-recover ng katawan ay pinugutan daw, kasi wala na silang nakitang bungo. Hair na lang," she said. (That probably explains why the retrieval team thought some bodies were beheaded, because they didn't see any skull, just hair.)

Authorities and even families of the victims later clarified that no victim was beheaded in the gruesome November 23, 2009 killing that left 57 people dead and one missing body, also presumed dead.

Aside from the fatal gunshot wound on her head, Brizuela also sustained three other wounds.

Rodaje said he could tell that the wounds were caused by a high-powered firearm because of the "devastating effects of the wounds."

He said the bullets that hit Brizuela's torso "perforated her right lung and damaged her fourth rib," causing massive bleeding.

Rodaje also autopsied the body of Mamutabay Mangudadatu, aunt of Esmael, who also lost his wife and sisters in the massacre.

Mamutabay sustained nine gunshot wounds grouped together on her torso. Measured together, the cluster of gunshot wounds measures 12 cm by 11 cm and are the size of a "big serving plate."

Rodaje had already testified in a previous hearing early last year, when he told Solis-Reyes that Esmael's wife Genalin Mangudadatu, the remains of whom he also autopsied, could have suffered "the most painful death" because of the multiple gunshot wounds she sustained.—JV

News Update Evacuation of Pinoys from Libya underway

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino gave assurance yesterday that measures are underway for the immediate evacuation of thousands of Filipinos trapped in the violent political upheaval in Libya.

Aquino said the government had made transport arrangements and identified exit points for the safe evacuation of some 13,000 Filipinos in Libya should the political situation escalate.

He said most of the 26,000 Filipinos in Libya are professionals working for multinational corporations that have their own evacuation plans.

“Those that will not be taken by their employers, those are the ones that we are preparing for,” Aquino said.

The President said the government is negotiating with Philippine Airlines and Qatar Airways for charter flights to evacuate the Filipino workers trapped in widening chaos.

He said the transport cost would roughly be P13 million per flight that could handle 200 to 300 people.

Aquino also said a standby fund of at least P100 million had been released to the Philippine embassy in Tripoli, with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to finance the travel back home.

He said additional funds would be released if the need arises for prompt evacuation.

“The problem with actual evacuation is that as you all know, there has been a lot of killings in Libya – close to 300 according to media reports – and the question of safety of moving our people from wherever to their destination also has to take in mind whether it increases their risk… you have to be very, very cautious that you do not increase their danger by unnecessarily moving them from point A to point B,” Aquino said.

Aquino learned that 96 Filipinos made their way out from Libya on their way to France while 13 others crossed the border to Egypt.

The DFA said Judith Tuvera, an engineer working for a multinational firm in Libya, was the first Filipino to cross the border to Egypt.

The DFA said Tuvera was helped across the border by her employer.

Aquino told a news conference that the Philippines was not prepared to break relations with Libya at this time amid the violence being employed against protesters by the government of Libyan President Muammar Gadhafi.

Aquino stressed the main concern of the government are the Filipino workers in Libya and how they could be protected.

Aquino explained he did not want to risk the lives of the Filipinos by making any political pronouncements.

“We still have to deal with the government in place to safeguard our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers). This is not the time to break relations with them or increase the tension that is already ongoing. We might end up being retaliated. The first duty of the government is to protect its citizens,” he said.

‘Biblical exodus’

The escalating violence forced governments worldwide to exert full efforts to get their nationals out of Libya.

Fears of a full-scale civil war in the North African country prompted countries from Canada to China to charter ferries and planes to get their citizens to safety despite poor communication and violent clashes.

Thousands of foreigners packed Tripoli’s airport hoping to leave the widening chaos behind, with those who managed to flee describing anarchic scenes with food and water supplies running low.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva has also deployed medical teams to Libya.

As Libya’s defiant leader clung to power,

China ramped up a massive air, sea and land operation to evacuate more than 30,000 of its citizens, with over 4,000 transferred to the Greek island of Crete yesterday.

Thailand, which has more than 23,000 workers in Libya, said it was making preparations to get its citizens to Malta, but warned it may be safer for them to stay in their compounds than to travel to a port.

Hundreds of Americans and other foreigners have boarded a US-chartered ferry in Tripoli but high seas delayed their departure for Malta.

Turkey evacuated upwards of 6,000 of its nationals over three days by air, sea and land in a massive operation, but thousands were still waiting to leave with an estimated 25,000 Turks based in Libya.

The logistical challenges were especially acute for Asian countries with over 150,000 low-paid workers trapped -- including some 60,000 Bangladeshis and 30,000 Filipinos.

According to Migrante International, Filipinos had been left to fend for themselves, as Vice President Jejomar Binay planned to fly to the region to review emergency plans.

Migrante chairman Gary Martinez complained that the government had “really messed up.”

“When we spoke to one group of construction workers last night, they said they will try to make it across the border to Egypt by bus (yesterday), because they haven’t heard from any government official,” he said.

Martinez said reports reaching the Migrante office in Manila from their partner organizations in Libya said many of the nearly 30,000 Filipinos living there were stranded.

He said a group of 100 workers in Al Kufrah district in southeastern Libya bordering Egypt had been abandoned by their local supervisors to fend for themselves inside their camps.

“We’ve lost contact with them. But the last time we spoke to them yesterday, they said they’d run out of food and were not being helped by their local counterparts,” he said.

“They reported they could hear heavy gunfire in surrounding areas, making it dangerous for them to move. They want to be rescued.”

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) also urged the government to take immediate action in assisting the Filipino workers trapped in Libya.

“If the Filipinos in these countries are in danger, then the government should take action. It is our obligation, especially the government, to give protection to our OFWs,” Iniguez said.

Aquino, on the other hand, explained what he called “limitations” for the immediate evacuation of the Filipino workers trapped in Libya.

“There has been criticism that we have not been handling to attending to them. That is not correct. There are severe limitations on what we can do. I would like to emphasize, perhaps if we were as rich a country as America then we could have consulates anywhere and everywhere,” he said.

Aquino said the government sent a team from the DFA and DOLE to assist the Filipino workers in Libya.

“The way it works is that it’s not the embassy that goes out to each and every citizen we have in the country. We work with civic associations, various other NGOs, the firms that have employed them to be able to collect our people and put them in areas of lesser risk,” he said.

Aquino stressed the mandatory evacuation would be done only if necessary. He added it might not be safe to move the Filipinos out of their relocation sites at this time.

“We don’t have a consulate in Benghazi. That’s the first difficulty. If we move them, get them out of troubled area, where exactly do we bring them to. Malta is the nearest. Malta you will have to go by ship. The port of Tobruk has also been closed. The airports have also been closed, meaning the airport in Tripoli, the airport in Benghazi has been closed,” he pointed out.

Overseer

Vice President Jejomar Binay said he was tasked to oversee and monitor the evacuation plans of the Filipinos trapped in Libya.

Binay, presidential adviser on the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) concerns, said he might extend for more than a week his visit to the Middle East because he will have to fly to other destinations.

“I have received instructions from the President to closely monitor and if needed, give guidance to the team overseeing the evacuation of Filipinos from Libya. Since I am already in the region, I will be doing what needs to be done to ensure the safety of our kababayans,” Binay said.

Binay said the DFA had already identified the places in Libya where the distressed Filipino workers can take refuge.

He also assured the Filipinos in Libya that the government is exerting all efforts to ensure their safe return home should they decide to leave.

Binay added the government of Tunisia had agreed to serve as an exit point for OFWs departing from Libya.

“Representations will also be made with other neighboring countries to allow safe passage for OFWs. We will also ask other neighboring countries near the Middle East to be the OFWs safe haven,” Binay said.

Migrante, on the other hand, expressed hopes that Binay would help resolve the problems affecting workers in the region.

Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said they are planning to discuss with Binay possible programs for the protection of OFWs including domestic helpers and construction workers.

“DH (domestic helpers) and construction workers are the most vulnerable to abuses, maltreatment, and labor malpractices,” Monterona said.

Monterona said they would also discuss the cases of mysterious deaths of Filipino workers as well as the cases of those who are “overstaying” in jails.

There are about 48 OFWs who claimed they already completed their respective jail terms but are still languishing in jail, Migrante said.

No immediate effect

Amid the escalating political unrest in Libya, DOLE sees no massive displacement of OFWs in the country.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the prevailing hostilities in Libya are expected to be temporary and thus unlikely to have major impact on employment of Filipino workers.

Baldoz noted Libyan employers have already signified their intention to retain the employment of Filipino workers, including those who are seeking immediate repatriation.

“We expect the situation in Libya to be temporary and the employers there said they will keep the services of their Filipino workers and they expect them to return after the situation normalizes,” Baldoz disclosed.

The government has already allocated some P100 million for the repatriation of Filipino workers in Libya.

The government, through the Department of Science and Technology’s Technology Resource Center (DOST-TRC) has launched the “Tulong-Kababayan” program to provide free livelihood training to Filipino workers displaced by the deepening political unrest in Libya.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, for his part, suggested to Congress to pass a law authorizing a supplemental budget of P750 million to finance the immediate repatriation of OFWs in the region.

“We have to do something fast while there’s still time instead of members of Congress and DOLE blaming each other,” Salceda said.

“The present P50 million budget of the DOLE is simply not enough to repatriate the present number of OFWs in those countries,” he added. With Pia Lee-Brago, Mayen Jaymalin, Helen Flores, Evelyn Macairan, Sheila Crisostomo, Cet Dematera, Celso Amo - By Aurea Calica

News Update Lamp explodes, burns 3 babies

CEBU CITY -- Three babies suffer burns after a bulb of a gooseneck lamp used to give warmth to the children exploded at the pediatric ward of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

The babies, who are from Barangay Talamban, Adlaon, and Buhisan, are less than a month old.

The baby who got the worst burn is only 19 days old and is currently "on guarded condition."

The two others are already in stable condition.

CCMC Chief Eduardo Sedoripa said it was an accident. However, he said the lamp might have been overused.

Officials at the CCMC said the lamp was used for almost 24 hours when it should only be used for a maximum of 13 hours.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama ordered the immediate transfer of the babies to Chong Hua Hospital, a private hospital.

The City Government will shoulder all the medical and hospital expenses of the babies.

Rama asked the CCMC to submit an investigation report.

Representative Tomas Osmeña, former city mayor, again called to close the CCMC, saying the hospital does not have a sense of public service.

News Update Robredo: LTO chief lacked due diligence

MANILA, Philippines – Land Transportation Office chief Virginia Torres may have failed to exercise due diligence when she reportedly signed tampered documents for a stolen vehicle during her stint as LTO head in Tarlac City in 2009, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said yesterday.

“Maybe she did not exercise due diligence,” he told Palace reporters in a chance interview at Malacañang when asked about his take on the charges against Torres and 25 others before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the alleged questionable registration of a stolen Mitsubishi Pajero.

The charges are based on a report prepared by Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group head Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina.

Robredo said while “it is ministerial, I guess the staff should explain they did not do due diligence” in this matter. He believes the “appropriate action is to ask people under her to explain what happened.”

He could not categorically state whether Torres – who was handpicked for the LTO’s highest post by President Aquino, her shooting buddy – was culpable or negligent, since she has to sign so many papers. “Very likely she presumed that all the documents were regular, in as much as I don’t think she’s in a position to really examine all the numbers,” Robredo said.

He said Torres still has to explain all the circumstances to the DOJ, such as the Pajero’s serial number actually belonging to a motorcycle.

“In fact, I think she has to explain that this was registered during the time of Lia Nilos, the LTO director she replaced. This was only flagged when they transferred the vehicle from one owner to another owner,” he said, adding that the Pajero was registered three or four years before the transfer of ownership “and she was not yet LTO chief” of Tarlac at the time.

Robredo said “what is clear is that the document has problems” and there has to be someone criminally charged for the anomaly, whether it would be Torres, her staff, or her predecessor.

“I suggest they do an internal investigation insofar as LTO is concerned. Right now, there are 17 LTO personnel with pending cases, three of them have retired already, 14 of them are still with LTO,” he said. “And some of them have not even been relieved from their posts. This (anomaly) will continue.”

Malacañang is unfazed by reports that Torres is facing charges before the DOJ.

“We’re not bothered, we only inquired and (Justice Secretary Leila) de lima confirmed (the charges). It was a long time ago, and it involved a registration case. Right now, we just inquired about the case,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

He said Torres enjoys the presumption of regularity in the performance of her functions as LTO chief. “There is a constitutional due process and presumption of regularity. She is innocent until proven guilty, there is that presumption of innocence,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda said while Torres was Aquino’s personal choice, he will ask the Palace search committee why it failed to look into the cases against Torres. - By Delon Porcalla