Nights in the Philippines will start to grow longer in September as the Sun approaches the celestial equator, state astronomers said Thursday.
In its astronomical diary for September, PAGASA also said the autumnal equinox will take place September 22, "when day and night will have equal length on Earth."
Aside from the longer nights, PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando also said the fainter constellations will be visible this month, with many stars along the Milky Way giving way to them.
"The rich band of constellations and stars along the Milky Way from the constellations Cygnus, the Swan, in the north to Sagittarius and Scorpius in the south, begin to give way this month to fainter constellations, many of them with watery associations such as the constellations of Capricornus, the Sea Goat, Aquarius, the Water Bearer and Pisces the Fish," he said.
Servando also said the famous asterism Teapot in Sagittarius can be observed at about 40 to 47 degrees above the southern horizon, an hour after sunset.
Planets visible on September 1
At around 1 a.m. of Saturday, September 1, Jupiter will be found at about 25 degrees above the east northeastern horizon, glowing at magnitude -2.3.
It will lie among the background stars of the constellation Taurus, the Bull, he said.
"Jupiter will be visible in the morning twilight throughout the month," he added.
On the other hand, at 4 a.m. of September 1, Venus will be found at about 21 degrees above the east northeastern horizon, "shining brilliantly at magnitude -4.1."
At 7 p.m., Saturn and Mars will be found at about 23 and 29 degrees above the west southwestern horizon.
The two planets will lie among the background stars of the constellation Virgo, the Virgin and Libra, the Scale, respectively.
"They will be fine targets for telescoping sessions after sunset until it will no longer be visible in the sky for observation on the last week of the month," he said.
Meanwhile, at 8 p.m., Uranus will be found at about 15 degrees above the eastern horizon with the background stars of the constellation Pisces, the Fish.
Neptune will be found at about 43 degrees above the east southeastern horizon and will lie among the background stars of the constellation Aquarius, the Water-Bearer.
"Uranus will glow at magnitude +5.7 while Neptune will be faint at magnitude +7.8. A binocular or a telescope and a star map will be needed to observe these icy planets," Servando said.
He added both planets will be visible in the evening sky throughout the month.
On the other hand, Mercury will start to climb up the western horizon after sunset on the middle of the month and onward.
It will be difficult to observe due to its proximity to the horizon and to the Sun, Servando said. — TJD,
Friday, August 31, 2012
Cops eyeing ‘inside job’ in robbery
..OPERATIVES of Puerto Police Station are verifying a possible “inside job” in Wednesday’s robbery inside the bunker of a construction site in Alae, Upper Puerto in Cagayan de Oro that wounded a Korean national.
Senior Police Officer 1 Efren Ellevera of Puerto Police Station said Wednesday they are trying to see how at least two robbers riding in tandem directly managed to determine the area where Kang Shin Am, 49, is sleeping.
Kang is residing at Barangay Baliwagan in Balingasag town, Misamis Oriental.
Kang, said Ellevera, is connected at MR Global Logistic located along Greymar Street in Barangay Bugo.
Police initial investigation showed that around 4 a.m., a robber entered the bunker of the construction site owned by a Korean national by cutting the window screen.
“Gikuot dayon niya ang lock nga kahoy ug diretso sa gikatulgan sa Korean national,” Ellevera said.
The robber immediately declared a holdup at gunpoint and demanded money from Kang. The Korean national said he had no money and voluntarily gave his two expensive cellular phones worth P54,000.
The robber fired once in the direction of Kang’s side for him to give money.
“The victim refused because he said he has no money and held his two hands up to surrender but it was when the gun went off,” Ellevera added.
Kang was hit at his left thumb. The suspect later fled bringing with him the victim’s two cellphones while firing his gun outside the area.
Policemen recovered four empty shells of caliber .45 pistols at the crime scene.
“Based on the witness, a blue XRM motorcycle was waiting a few meters from the area, which the suspect used as getaway,” police said.
Ellevera said there’s a possibility that the suspects may be among the workers at the construction site.
It was learned that workers at the said construction were accepted without checking the background and were not required any credentials such as police clearance and other identification.
“It is possible that the suspect is a worker because he seems to have known the area, especially the place where the Korean national was sleeping,” Ellevera said.
Authorities are still doing their investigation on the incident.
..
Senior Police Officer 1 Efren Ellevera of Puerto Police Station said Wednesday they are trying to see how at least two robbers riding in tandem directly managed to determine the area where Kang Shin Am, 49, is sleeping.
Kang is residing at Barangay Baliwagan in Balingasag town, Misamis Oriental.
Kang, said Ellevera, is connected at MR Global Logistic located along Greymar Street in Barangay Bugo.
Police initial investigation showed that around 4 a.m., a robber entered the bunker of the construction site owned by a Korean national by cutting the window screen.
“Gikuot dayon niya ang lock nga kahoy ug diretso sa gikatulgan sa Korean national,” Ellevera said.
The robber immediately declared a holdup at gunpoint and demanded money from Kang. The Korean national said he had no money and voluntarily gave his two expensive cellular phones worth P54,000.
The robber fired once in the direction of Kang’s side for him to give money.
“The victim refused because he said he has no money and held his two hands up to surrender but it was when the gun went off,” Ellevera added.
Kang was hit at his left thumb. The suspect later fled bringing with him the victim’s two cellphones while firing his gun outside the area.
Policemen recovered four empty shells of caliber .45 pistols at the crime scene.
“Based on the witness, a blue XRM motorcycle was waiting a few meters from the area, which the suspect used as getaway,” police said.
Ellevera said there’s a possibility that the suspects may be among the workers at the construction site.
It was learned that workers at the said construction were accepted without checking the background and were not required any credentials such as police clearance and other identification.
“It is possible that the suspect is a worker because he seems to have known the area, especially the place where the Korean national was sleeping,” Ellevera said.
Authorities are still doing their investigation on the incident.
..
300 players expected in Mindanao livestock poultry, agri confab
SOME 300 players from across the country are expected to participate in the Mindanao Livestock Poultry and Agriculture Congress in Davao City from October 25 to 27.
The three-day congress is one of the events that will highlight the Davao Trade Expo (Date) to be held also on the same date at the 4,000-seater SMX Convention Center of the SM Lanang Premier, which will open late next month.
Kathy Klye Tupas, media relations officer of the organizing Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), said the congress will include technical seminar for continued capability building for producers and backyard hog raisers of Mindanao.
Tupas said an agri-trade fair will also highlight the symposium with a total of 90 industry players in Mindanao who will participate in the exhibit that is already 70 percent occupied. The gathering will also discuss the current condition of the industry in Mindanao.
DCCCII vice president for Agriculture Wilfred Teves earlier said that Mindanao is a net exporter of food, especially hogs, poultry and aqua products to Metro Manila, Samar, Leyte and Cebu City.
Teves said local markets have a strong demand for these products and that there's a huge potential of sustaining this demand further.
He also suggested exporting local products to reach more prospect international markets, considering the vast market demand outside the country.
During the congress, local suppliers of poultry, hogs, and aqua products can also expect a business matching opportunity in a buyers and sellers exchange where several prospect buyers will participate to look at those products viable for export.
..
The three-day congress is one of the events that will highlight the Davao Trade Expo (Date) to be held also on the same date at the 4,000-seater SMX Convention Center of the SM Lanang Premier, which will open late next month.
Kathy Klye Tupas, media relations officer of the organizing Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), said the congress will include technical seminar for continued capability building for producers and backyard hog raisers of Mindanao.
Tupas said an agri-trade fair will also highlight the symposium with a total of 90 industry players in Mindanao who will participate in the exhibit that is already 70 percent occupied. The gathering will also discuss the current condition of the industry in Mindanao.
DCCCII vice president for Agriculture Wilfred Teves earlier said that Mindanao is a net exporter of food, especially hogs, poultry and aqua products to Metro Manila, Samar, Leyte and Cebu City.
Teves said local markets have a strong demand for these products and that there's a huge potential of sustaining this demand further.
He also suggested exporting local products to reach more prospect international markets, considering the vast market demand outside the country.
During the congress, local suppliers of poultry, hogs, and aqua products can also expect a business matching opportunity in a buyers and sellers exchange where several prospect buyers will participate to look at those products viable for export.
..
PH outperforms Asian neighbors, but not China
..Philippines is among the fastest-growing Asian economies for the first half of the year, so far topped only by China and Indonesia, the country's chief state economist claimed Thursday.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the announced gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 5.9 percent from April to June showed the Philippines' "continued resurgence in economic activities from a moderate growth of 3.6 percent in the same period in 2011."
With its strong second quarter result, the Philippine economy posted growth of 6.1 percent January to June, outperforming most its neighbors, Balisacan said.
"Within the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the Philippine economic growth performance was above the preliminary average growth (4.7%) of the region..." he noted.
The Philippine economy grew faster compared to Malaysia, which posted an expansion of 5.4 percent in the first half; Thailand, 4.2 percent; Vietnam, 4.4 percent; and Singapore, 2 percent.
However, its GDP growth was lower than that of China at 7.8 percent and Indonesia at 6.4 percent.
Bulk of the country's economic growth in the second quarter was due to expansion in the services sector, including the continuously growing business process outsourcing industry, official data showed.
The sector grew by 7.6 percent from April to June, and contributed 4.3 percentage points to the 5.9-percent total GDP growth.
The top contributors to growth in this sector were increased economic activities in transportation, storage and communication; real estate and renting; as well as trade and financial services, among others.
Industry, meanwhile, contributed 1.5 percentage points to the total, growing by 4.6 percent.
This was due to a boom in construction; electricity, gas and water supply; as well as manufacturing. These offset a contraction in mining and quarrying.
Agriculture posted the slowest growth of 0.7 percent in the three-month period, contributing only 0.1 percentage points to the GDP growth.
Balisacan noted that the government expects the Philippine economy to continue growing over the next two quarters.
"We are optimistic that the resiliency of our economy, as reflected by the strong real GDP performance in the two quarters of 2012, will not dissipate in the succeeding quarters despite the uncertainties," the Cabinet official said.
He added that the government is maintaining its full-year growth target of 5 to 6 percent.
This, as he noted that external and internal risks continue to pose threats to the local economy.
"Further weakness of a struggling global economic recovery will remain a strong challenge in the near-term, with the slowdown of China reining in on global growth," Balisacan said.
He also cited the potential impact of an intensification of the euro area problem.
"Another downside risk is the El Niño phenomenon, which, according to experts, will commence on the third quarter of the current year until the first quarter of 2013," Balisacan said.
He added, however, that its impact onthe GDP will be weak to moderate.
Recent weather disturbances which hit the country will also have very small impact, which Balisacan estimated at only 0.5 percent of GDP.
..
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the announced gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 5.9 percent from April to June showed the Philippines' "continued resurgence in economic activities from a moderate growth of 3.6 percent in the same period in 2011."
With its strong second quarter result, the Philippine economy posted growth of 6.1 percent January to June, outperforming most its neighbors, Balisacan said.
"Within the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the Philippine economic growth performance was above the preliminary average growth (4.7%) of the region..." he noted.
The Philippine economy grew faster compared to Malaysia, which posted an expansion of 5.4 percent in the first half; Thailand, 4.2 percent; Vietnam, 4.4 percent; and Singapore, 2 percent.
However, its GDP growth was lower than that of China at 7.8 percent and Indonesia at 6.4 percent.
Bulk of the country's economic growth in the second quarter was due to expansion in the services sector, including the continuously growing business process outsourcing industry, official data showed.
The sector grew by 7.6 percent from April to June, and contributed 4.3 percentage points to the 5.9-percent total GDP growth.
The top contributors to growth in this sector were increased economic activities in transportation, storage and communication; real estate and renting; as well as trade and financial services, among others.
Industry, meanwhile, contributed 1.5 percentage points to the total, growing by 4.6 percent.
This was due to a boom in construction; electricity, gas and water supply; as well as manufacturing. These offset a contraction in mining and quarrying.
Agriculture posted the slowest growth of 0.7 percent in the three-month period, contributing only 0.1 percentage points to the GDP growth.
Balisacan noted that the government expects the Philippine economy to continue growing over the next two quarters.
"We are optimistic that the resiliency of our economy, as reflected by the strong real GDP performance in the two quarters of 2012, will not dissipate in the succeeding quarters despite the uncertainties," the Cabinet official said.
He added that the government is maintaining its full-year growth target of 5 to 6 percent.
This, as he noted that external and internal risks continue to pose threats to the local economy.
"Further weakness of a struggling global economic recovery will remain a strong challenge in the near-term, with the slowdown of China reining in on global growth," Balisacan said.
He also cited the potential impact of an intensification of the euro area problem.
"Another downside risk is the El Niño phenomenon, which, according to experts, will commence on the third quarter of the current year until the first quarter of 2013," Balisacan said.
He added, however, that its impact onthe GDP will be weak to moderate.
Recent weather disturbances which hit the country will also have very small impact, which Balisacan estimated at only 0.5 percent of GDP.
..
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Human Security And Ticking Bombs
MANILA, Philippines - "The recent onslaught of massive Bahagat (monsoon) downpours... underscored the deadly double-edged nature of water. Too much water during the rainy season and too little water during summer has become our sad fate of yearly cycles of inundation and drought... THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR SCARCE FUNDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES IS TO 'KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE."' - FVR, Manila Bulletin, 19 August
In our column entitled "Eco-Productivity, Natural Calamities, and Easter" (Manila Bulletin, 24 April 2011), we underscored a new development dimension termed "Human Security" advocated by Sadako Ogata, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and Dr. Amartya Sen, 1998 Nobel Prize awardee for development economics - as co-chairs of the independent Commission on Human Security launched at the 2000 UN Millennium Summit - whose report was adopted by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2003, and eventually approved by the UN General Assembly.
Human Security Is Human Development Plus
As implemented by the member-nations within the UNGA, "Human Security" (more than just "Human Development") is concerned with safeguarding lives and expanding people's fundamental freedoms.
It partakes both of protecting persons at risk or under threat, and of empowering people to take charge of their own lives. "Protection" refers to the rules and institutions essential to shield people from physical danger or harm - mainly from natural calamities, man-made disasters, starvation, thirst, disease, drowning, impunity, and weapons of mass destruction - and requires Government's "top-down" vigilance, especially in insuring the rule of law and democratic, accountable governance.
"People empowerment" underscores the civil/political/human rights of individuals as stakeholders, and necessitates their "bottom-up" contribution through self-help and self-reliance.
"Development" - if it is to mean anything - must increase the effective participation of citizens in Government's decision-making that affects their daily lives.
According to World Bank Managing Director Mahmoud Mohieldin, "this presupposes a worldview that considers people's well-being not only in terms of income, but also in terms of human security and opportunities for every person to thrive. It would be a world in which people live free from conflict over land, water, and space, and that ensures food security for millions of people..." (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 23 August).
Malacañang Solutions
In the wake of Bahagat floods, various media reports have emerged regarding PNoy's cancellation of the Php 18.7-billion Laguna de Bay Rehabilitation Project by the Belgian company Baggerwerken Decloedt En Zoon (BDC) - whose contract was "approved one month before the end of the Arroyo Presidency" (Business Mirror, 27 November 2010).
In his article "Aquino Axed Key Flood-Control Project in 2010," Ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao reveals: "As a result of Mr. Aquino's reckless, unilateral cancellation of the project, Php 6 billion of taxpayers' money could be lost. Firstly, government has to pay by end of this month the Php 420-million penalty for the cancellation of bank loans. The gigantic cost though would be the Php 4 billion that would be paid to the Belgian company if it wins the suit it filed at the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. Government's legal expenses would amount, going by its Fraport case in the same venue, to at least Php 2 billion," (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 16 August).
On the other hand, Malacañang contended that the suit filed by BDC is premature as "there was no notice to proceed with the project," (Journal Online, 27 April 2011).
UNFORTUNATELY, NO OTHER STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR RAIN-HARVESTING OR THE LONG-DELAYED DREDGING OF LAGUNA DE BAY, MARIKINA RIVER, PASIG RIVER, AND ELSEWHERE HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY THE AQUINO III ADMINISTRATION (thus, valuable time has been lost and the same flood victims and inundated communities face the same risks as in Ondoy-Pepeng 2009, Sendong 2011, Bahagat 2012, and again in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, ad infinitum).
In addition to all the above, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson "cancelled 19 projects totaling R934 million which involved repair of numerous seawalls, flood control systems, bridges, bank protections, and dikes" in July 2010 (The Daily Tribune, 22 August).
Humanitarian Crisis In Towns Around Laguna Lake
"Thousands of families are still housed in evacuation centers, yet the assistance provided by concerned Government agencies is just 10 percent of the required aid...
"Anakpawis lamented 'the snail-paced' relief and rehabilitation efforts, adding that they were ineffective, extremely lacking and unresponsive. The Government has yet to conduct relief operations in fishing villages in Talim Island where some 1,103 families were affected," (The Philippine Star, 21 August).
On top of the misery of hundreds of thousands of poor, flooded Filipinos in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, British risk consultancy Maplecroft said six Asian countries were among the 10 countries whose economies were most vulnerable to catastrophes: "The Philippines and Bangladesh, which along with Myanmar, lead a list of countries considered to be at 'extreme risk' from earthquakes, floods, storms, and other natural hazards, according to research published on 15 August in an assessment of 197 countries," (The Manila Bulletin, 16 August).
So, boys and girls, what else is new?
The Philippine Bridge Program
Pertinent to urgent issues of flooding is the Philippine Bridge Program. Following up on Cory's 1986 Medium Term Development Plan which was based on a generational time frame (25 years) that called for 200,000 lineal meters, FVR launched the President's Bridge Program in 1992.
The PBD actualized the long-range Cory plan by the innovative combination of foreign development assistance, low-interest borrowings, LGU counterpart funds, and voluntary labor from beneficiary communities - all under the engineering supervision of then DPWH Secretary Gregorio Vigilar - with then Executive Secretary Teofisto Guingona as the overall "PBP Czar."
Although the implementation of the PBP involved inputs from international, national, provincial/district, and community sources, the materialization of needed bridges was simple enough, but effective and timely. The UK provided development assistance by way of modular, prefabricated steel bridge spans, DPWH district engineers insured technical/construction oversight, and LGUs/communities contributed right-of-way facilitation and voluntary labor.
The end result was that everybody worked harder, sturdy bridges were constructed faster, and ordinary people at the grassroots became stakeholders by protecting bridge approaches from deterioration, landslides, flooding or collapse thru "greening" efforts.
Ticking Time-Bombs
The Philippine road to human security is still loaded with ticking time-bombs that take time to detonate but which would explode eventually and devastatingly - if unaddressed. However, these socio-economic-security "time-bombs" can still be defused, neutralized, or somehow mitigated by genuine reforms and positive executive action.
Over the past ten years, these death-dealing issues have largely been ignored by complacent leaders and people, notably:
1.) Mass poverty due to overpopulation, rising prices, and the deepening rich-poor gap.
2.) Environmental degradation resulting in less potable water, reduced natural resources, more land use conflicts, and massive flooding.
3.) Reputation for official corruption and bureaucratic red tape leading to higher costs.
4.) Disputatious and flip-flopping decision-making culture.
5.) A divided society with vestiges of feudal paternalism still predominating.
6.) Lack of durable peace in Mindanao and other areas.
7.) Unlevel playing field favoring monopolists, dynasties and oligarchs.
These are self-explanatory to a Filipino, or even a foreigner who genuinely aspires to contribute to our national well-being. The only thing that remains to be done is the DOING THE DAANG TAMA (RIGHT PATH).
MARILAQUE And Laiban Dam
In 1994, under the leadership of SND Renato de Villa as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD), the Metro Manila-Rizal-Laguna-Quezon Growth Corridor was launched.
Laiban Dam, as MARILAQUE's major component, would probably have taken 5 to 7 years to construct, assuming dedicated financial planning, engineering design, infrastructure building, and program evaluation/review.
Nevertheless, some positive action is happening - after years of Estrada-Arroyo inaction. Reported the Manila Bulletin (29 July 2011): "Abacus, Chinese Partner Make Offer To Develop Laiban Dam For Php 60 Billion... Abacus Consolidated has teamed up with China's Sinohydro Corporation to submit an unsolicited proposal for a joint venture with the Government to build the Laiban Dam for Php 60 billion. Its proposal involves dam construction to provide 1.9 billion liters of water daily and irrigation requirements of nearby agricultural areas. It will also provide affordable housing for affected families, plus a 30-MW hydropower plant for the Luzon Grid which has a projected deficit of 3,000 MW by 2013...
"San Miguel Corporation is also renewing its bid to build the Laiban Dam. Its proposal to develop the dam in Tanay, Rizal (costing about Php 65 billion), would provide 1.9 billion liters of raw water daily, enough to supply Metro Manila for the next 30-40 years."
In our column entitled "Eco-Productivity, Natural Calamities, and Easter" (Manila Bulletin, 24 April 2011), we underscored a new development dimension termed "Human Security" advocated by Sadako Ogata, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and Dr. Amartya Sen, 1998 Nobel Prize awardee for development economics - as co-chairs of the independent Commission on Human Security launched at the 2000 UN Millennium Summit - whose report was adopted by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2003, and eventually approved by the UN General Assembly.
Human Security Is Human Development Plus
As implemented by the member-nations within the UNGA, "Human Security" (more than just "Human Development") is concerned with safeguarding lives and expanding people's fundamental freedoms.
It partakes both of protecting persons at risk or under threat, and of empowering people to take charge of their own lives. "Protection" refers to the rules and institutions essential to shield people from physical danger or harm - mainly from natural calamities, man-made disasters, starvation, thirst, disease, drowning, impunity, and weapons of mass destruction - and requires Government's "top-down" vigilance, especially in insuring the rule of law and democratic, accountable governance.
"People empowerment" underscores the civil/political/human rights of individuals as stakeholders, and necessitates their "bottom-up" contribution through self-help and self-reliance.
"Development" - if it is to mean anything - must increase the effective participation of citizens in Government's decision-making that affects their daily lives.
According to World Bank Managing Director Mahmoud Mohieldin, "this presupposes a worldview that considers people's well-being not only in terms of income, but also in terms of human security and opportunities for every person to thrive. It would be a world in which people live free from conflict over land, water, and space, and that ensures food security for millions of people..." (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 23 August).
Malacañang Solutions
In the wake of Bahagat floods, various media reports have emerged regarding PNoy's cancellation of the Php 18.7-billion Laguna de Bay Rehabilitation Project by the Belgian company Baggerwerken Decloedt En Zoon (BDC) - whose contract was "approved one month before the end of the Arroyo Presidency" (Business Mirror, 27 November 2010).
In his article "Aquino Axed Key Flood-Control Project in 2010," Ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao reveals: "As a result of Mr. Aquino's reckless, unilateral cancellation of the project, Php 6 billion of taxpayers' money could be lost. Firstly, government has to pay by end of this month the Php 420-million penalty for the cancellation of bank loans. The gigantic cost though would be the Php 4 billion that would be paid to the Belgian company if it wins the suit it filed at the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. Government's legal expenses would amount, going by its Fraport case in the same venue, to at least Php 2 billion," (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 16 August).
On the other hand, Malacañang contended that the suit filed by BDC is premature as "there was no notice to proceed with the project," (Journal Online, 27 April 2011).
UNFORTUNATELY, NO OTHER STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR RAIN-HARVESTING OR THE LONG-DELAYED DREDGING OF LAGUNA DE BAY, MARIKINA RIVER, PASIG RIVER, AND ELSEWHERE HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY THE AQUINO III ADMINISTRATION (thus, valuable time has been lost and the same flood victims and inundated communities face the same risks as in Ondoy-Pepeng 2009, Sendong 2011, Bahagat 2012, and again in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, ad infinitum).
In addition to all the above, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson "cancelled 19 projects totaling R934 million which involved repair of numerous seawalls, flood control systems, bridges, bank protections, and dikes" in July 2010 (The Daily Tribune, 22 August).
Humanitarian Crisis In Towns Around Laguna Lake
"Thousands of families are still housed in evacuation centers, yet the assistance provided by concerned Government agencies is just 10 percent of the required aid...
"Anakpawis lamented 'the snail-paced' relief and rehabilitation efforts, adding that they were ineffective, extremely lacking and unresponsive. The Government has yet to conduct relief operations in fishing villages in Talim Island where some 1,103 families were affected," (The Philippine Star, 21 August).
On top of the misery of hundreds of thousands of poor, flooded Filipinos in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, British risk consultancy Maplecroft said six Asian countries were among the 10 countries whose economies were most vulnerable to catastrophes: "The Philippines and Bangladesh, which along with Myanmar, lead a list of countries considered to be at 'extreme risk' from earthquakes, floods, storms, and other natural hazards, according to research published on 15 August in an assessment of 197 countries," (The Manila Bulletin, 16 August).
So, boys and girls, what else is new?
The Philippine Bridge Program
Pertinent to urgent issues of flooding is the Philippine Bridge Program. Following up on Cory's 1986 Medium Term Development Plan which was based on a generational time frame (25 years) that called for 200,000 lineal meters, FVR launched the President's Bridge Program in 1992.
The PBD actualized the long-range Cory plan by the innovative combination of foreign development assistance, low-interest borrowings, LGU counterpart funds, and voluntary labor from beneficiary communities - all under the engineering supervision of then DPWH Secretary Gregorio Vigilar - with then Executive Secretary Teofisto Guingona as the overall "PBP Czar."
Although the implementation of the PBP involved inputs from international, national, provincial/district, and community sources, the materialization of needed bridges was simple enough, but effective and timely. The UK provided development assistance by way of modular, prefabricated steel bridge spans, DPWH district engineers insured technical/construction oversight, and LGUs/communities contributed right-of-way facilitation and voluntary labor.
The end result was that everybody worked harder, sturdy bridges were constructed faster, and ordinary people at the grassroots became stakeholders by protecting bridge approaches from deterioration, landslides, flooding or collapse thru "greening" efforts.
Ticking Time-Bombs
The Philippine road to human security is still loaded with ticking time-bombs that take time to detonate but which would explode eventually and devastatingly - if unaddressed. However, these socio-economic-security "time-bombs" can still be defused, neutralized, or somehow mitigated by genuine reforms and positive executive action.
Over the past ten years, these death-dealing issues have largely been ignored by complacent leaders and people, notably:
1.) Mass poverty due to overpopulation, rising prices, and the deepening rich-poor gap.
2.) Environmental degradation resulting in less potable water, reduced natural resources, more land use conflicts, and massive flooding.
3.) Reputation for official corruption and bureaucratic red tape leading to higher costs.
4.) Disputatious and flip-flopping decision-making culture.
5.) A divided society with vestiges of feudal paternalism still predominating.
6.) Lack of durable peace in Mindanao and other areas.
7.) Unlevel playing field favoring monopolists, dynasties and oligarchs.
These are self-explanatory to a Filipino, or even a foreigner who genuinely aspires to contribute to our national well-being. The only thing that remains to be done is the DOING THE DAANG TAMA (RIGHT PATH).
MARILAQUE And Laiban Dam
In 1994, under the leadership of SND Renato de Villa as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development (CORD), the Metro Manila-Rizal-Laguna-Quezon Growth Corridor was launched.
Laiban Dam, as MARILAQUE's major component, would probably have taken 5 to 7 years to construct, assuming dedicated financial planning, engineering design, infrastructure building, and program evaluation/review.
Nevertheless, some positive action is happening - after years of Estrada-Arroyo inaction. Reported the Manila Bulletin (29 July 2011): "Abacus, Chinese Partner Make Offer To Develop Laiban Dam For Php 60 Billion... Abacus Consolidated has teamed up with China's Sinohydro Corporation to submit an unsolicited proposal for a joint venture with the Government to build the Laiban Dam for Php 60 billion. Its proposal involves dam construction to provide 1.9 billion liters of water daily and irrigation requirements of nearby agricultural areas. It will also provide affordable housing for affected families, plus a 30-MW hydropower plant for the Luzon Grid which has a projected deficit of 3,000 MW by 2013...
"San Miguel Corporation is also renewing its bid to build the Laiban Dam. Its proposal to develop the dam in Tanay, Rizal (costing about Php 65 billion), would provide 1.9 billion liters of raw water daily, enough to supply Metro Manila for the next 30-40 years."
Filipino baritone debuts in Jakarta
By Pablo A. Tariman,VERA Files
Indonesian music lovers got another taste of Filipino talents when Filipino baritone Noel Azcona and soprano Rachelle Gerodias proved their worth as star soloists in a recent weekend performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at the Aula Simfonia concert hall in Central Jakarta August 25 and 26.
The concert was another shot in the arm for classical music not yet widely appreciated in Indonesia.
The Filipino soloists were one in saying that the acoustic of the hall was fantastic. "The design of the hall is a combination of modern architecture mixed with Baroque and Romantic designs. It is impressive!" Azcona enthuses.
The concert was mounted by the Jakarta Oratorio Society along with the Great Wall String Quartet and the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra under the baton of Dr. Stephen Tong.
The concert was another eye-opener for the Filipino baritone who was last heard in the last CCP performances of Barber of Seville and La Traviata.
"Yes, this is my first time in Jakarta and my third performance as baritone soloist in Beethoven's Ninth," says Azcona who is also soloist of the world-acclaimed UST Singers.
He will be singing the part again on December 10 in Hong Kong with the Hong Kong Bach Choir under Jerome Hobermann."
Regarded as one of Beethoven's greatest works, and considered by many as the greatest piece of music ever written, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 was a classic example of a symphony using human voices.
Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, in a letter written April 20, 1878, praised the first three movements of the symphony but noted that the parts for voices in the last movement were badly written.
9th symphony JakartaAzcona regards the part as one of the most difficult and the most challenging for a singer: "The tricky part about the Ninth Symphony is that soloist vocal lines are written in such a way like it was written for instruments with high tessituras and big leaps. Even my lines have an Alberti bass line which is difficult for a singer."
He scores his opening recitative of O Freunde as "quite manageable" and the well known melody of the ninth as "very singable."
" I could go on about the ensemble singing which is quite challenging. Each singer much know each other's temperament and note how they sing their lines. We must have cohesion," Azcona elaborates.
Azcona said the most difficult of the ensemble parts is the Alle Menschen werden Brüder section: "Each soloist displays each vocal line without any aid from the instruments. So you are left to your wits on how you should go together as ensemble."
The Filipino baritone got the part through the recommendation of another Filipino baritone, Dr. Joel Navarro, now based in USA.
Azcona says his participation in several productions staged at CCP made him realize that singing opera is not just about familiarizing with the music. "In the last ten years, I think I have grown a lot doing those operas staged at the CCP. I have worked with brilliant directors such as Floy Quintos whose imagination has given me a lot of inspiration to dig deeper into the character I am portraying."
Azcona shares a few pointers which he takes to heart every performance: always leave something for the audience during the actual performance; research your character, how he came to be, his purpose, some subtext.
"In the end, it's not just learning your notes or your music. You have to convince your audience that you are that character. It will reflect in your singing if you do it right,"
An acclaimed soloist of the UST Singers for 12 years, Azcona has just earned a bachelor's degree in music and will pursue a master's degree abroad.
He gives the UST Singers credit for teaching him teamwork while not losing focus. "Differences in interpretations and temperaments are bound to arise. So you have to be patient in both music and in life. Music is the best medium to win the hearts of different people. You just have to work hard for it."
He says his stints as soloist and choral member enabled him to travel and be exposed to world music first-hand. "All these travelling and singing exposures all over the world I think honed me into the singer that I am today. It changed my whole life! It changed me into a better musician."
Indonesian music lovers got another taste of Filipino talents when Filipino baritone Noel Azcona and soprano Rachelle Gerodias proved their worth as star soloists in a recent weekend performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at the Aula Simfonia concert hall in Central Jakarta August 25 and 26.
The concert was another shot in the arm for classical music not yet widely appreciated in Indonesia.
The Filipino soloists were one in saying that the acoustic of the hall was fantastic. "The design of the hall is a combination of modern architecture mixed with Baroque and Romantic designs. It is impressive!" Azcona enthuses.
The concert was mounted by the Jakarta Oratorio Society along with the Great Wall String Quartet and the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra under the baton of Dr. Stephen Tong.
The concert was another eye-opener for the Filipino baritone who was last heard in the last CCP performances of Barber of Seville and La Traviata.
"Yes, this is my first time in Jakarta and my third performance as baritone soloist in Beethoven's Ninth," says Azcona who is also soloist of the world-acclaimed UST Singers.
He will be singing the part again on December 10 in Hong Kong with the Hong Kong Bach Choir under Jerome Hobermann."
Regarded as one of Beethoven's greatest works, and considered by many as the greatest piece of music ever written, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 was a classic example of a symphony using human voices.
Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, in a letter written April 20, 1878, praised the first three movements of the symphony but noted that the parts for voices in the last movement were badly written.
9th symphony JakartaAzcona regards the part as one of the most difficult and the most challenging for a singer: "The tricky part about the Ninth Symphony is that soloist vocal lines are written in such a way like it was written for instruments with high tessituras and big leaps. Even my lines have an Alberti bass line which is difficult for a singer."
He scores his opening recitative of O Freunde as "quite manageable" and the well known melody of the ninth as "very singable."
" I could go on about the ensemble singing which is quite challenging. Each singer much know each other's temperament and note how they sing their lines. We must have cohesion," Azcona elaborates.
Azcona said the most difficult of the ensemble parts is the Alle Menschen werden Brüder section: "Each soloist displays each vocal line without any aid from the instruments. So you are left to your wits on how you should go together as ensemble."
The Filipino baritone got the part through the recommendation of another Filipino baritone, Dr. Joel Navarro, now based in USA.
Azcona says his participation in several productions staged at CCP made him realize that singing opera is not just about familiarizing with the music. "In the last ten years, I think I have grown a lot doing those operas staged at the CCP. I have worked with brilliant directors such as Floy Quintos whose imagination has given me a lot of inspiration to dig deeper into the character I am portraying."
Azcona shares a few pointers which he takes to heart every performance: always leave something for the audience during the actual performance; research your character, how he came to be, his purpose, some subtext.
"In the end, it's not just learning your notes or your music. You have to convince your audience that you are that character. It will reflect in your singing if you do it right,"
An acclaimed soloist of the UST Singers for 12 years, Azcona has just earned a bachelor's degree in music and will pursue a master's degree abroad.
He gives the UST Singers credit for teaching him teamwork while not losing focus. "Differences in interpretations and temperaments are bound to arise. So you have to be patient in both music and in life. Music is the best medium to win the hearts of different people. You just have to work hard for it."
He says his stints as soloist and choral member enabled him to travel and be exposed to world music first-hand. "All these travelling and singing exposures all over the world I think honed me into the singer that I am today. It changed my whole life! It changed me into a better musician."
Philippine economy seen cooling but Southeast Asia resilient for now
..MANILA, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The Philippine economy likely
slowed in the second quarter as exports slumped, but strong
domestic demand and investment growth are still expected to
cushion much of Southeast Asia from the worst of the global
downturn in coming months.
Data on Thursday is expected to show the economy expanded by
1.1 percent in April-June from the first three months of the
year, down from first-quarter growth of 2.5 percent, which was a
two-year high, according to a Reuters poll of economists.
From a year earlier, the Philippines economy probably grew
5.7 percent, weaker than the first quarter's 6.4 percent surge
but still far stronger than most developed countries and some
much larger emerging economies such as Brazil and Russia.
Riding a wave of strong domestic consumption, higher public
spending and investment inflows, much of Southeast Asia was
strikingly buoyant in the second quarter, with Indonesia,
Malaysia and Thailand all posting stronger-than-expected
economic expansions. Tiny, trade-reliant Singapore has been the
only outlier, struggling to avoid slipping back into recession.
While export data may not be pretty in coming months,
economists say longer-term fundamentals remain strong enough in
the region to continue attracting foreign investors.
"There is a re-rating going on in Indonesia and the
Philippines, with Indonesia recently upgraded to
investment-grade (credit) status and the Philippines right
behind. Things have really clicked in those economies," said ING
economist Tim Condon in Singapore.
"Unless you get a September 2008-style global panic, there
is enough resilience in these countries' domestic demand to
offset export weakness," Condon said, noting he expected
external demand would stagnate for the rest of the year before
stabilising in 2013.
GLOBAL RISKS, REGIONAL RESILIENCE...FOR NOW
While not immune to a sharp or prolonged global downdraft
-- Indonesian exports in June fell 16 percent from a year
earlier -- many Asian economies have two considerable advantages
over their developed counterparts in the West in the current
downturn: growing ranks of more affluent consumers and
governments with healthy finances which are willing and able to
spend.
The Philippines, where money sent home by citizens working
abroad fuels domestic consumption, in June received the biggest
amount for any month, $1.81 billion. That took remittances in
the first half of 2012 to $10.1 billion, up more than 5 percent
from last year.
Government spending in the first seven month of 2012 --
excluding interest payments -- surged 15.2 percent from a year
earlier, also helping offset the impact of faltering exports and
weaker farm output.
In Indonesia and Malaysia, the story is much the same: there
are jumps in consumption as well as surging public and private
investment.
Condon at ING expects Indonesia's economy to grow by around
6 percent this year and the Philippines by 4.5 to 5 percent,
with solid outlooks for 2013, but added that Malaysia's
trajectory may be more uncertain if the government ratchets back
spending after coming elections, which are due by April.
Indonesia's growth has been so robust, in fact, that the
central bank recently publicly rejected concerns among some
market watchers that the economy is overheating.
The central bank forecasts full-year loan growth at 25-26
percent this year, and investors have been pouring into its
equity and debt markets.
Some economists say the central bank will need to tighten
policy by the end of the year to dampen surging demand for
imports that created a record trade deficit in June. But most
see pro-growth Bank Indonesia keeping record low interest rates
into 2013, to allow local consumption to keep the economy
buoyant.
The government expects spending by a burgeoning middle class
and foreign investment interest to keep growth at between 6.3
percent and 6.5 percent this year and to drive it higher to 6.8
percent next year.
Thailand is more of an enigma, with weak global demand
biting deeper just as industry looks to fully recover from
devastating floods in late 2011. Still, the local stock market
is the best performer in Asia, having surged more than
20 percent so far this year.
The government reported on Wednesday that exports fell 4.46
percent in July from a year before as Europe's debt crisis
stifles demand.
Even so, unless there is a sharp deterioration in the euro
zone, Thai GDP is likely to see solid growth of 5.7 percent this
year, according to the central bank.
In part, that reflects a return to normality after a series
of unnatural events that buffeted the economy in 2011, starting
with the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March and the
disastrous flooding at home that closed seven huge industrial
estates from October.
Exports account for more than 60 percent of Thailand's gross
domestic product each year, compared with around 20 percent for
Indonesia, where domestic consumption accounts for about 55
percent of GDP.
slowed in the second quarter as exports slumped, but strong
domestic demand and investment growth are still expected to
cushion much of Southeast Asia from the worst of the global
downturn in coming months.
Data on Thursday is expected to show the economy expanded by
1.1 percent in April-June from the first three months of the
year, down from first-quarter growth of 2.5 percent, which was a
two-year high, according to a Reuters poll of economists.
From a year earlier, the Philippines economy probably grew
5.7 percent, weaker than the first quarter's 6.4 percent surge
but still far stronger than most developed countries and some
much larger emerging economies such as Brazil and Russia.
Riding a wave of strong domestic consumption, higher public
spending and investment inflows, much of Southeast Asia was
strikingly buoyant in the second quarter, with Indonesia,
Malaysia and Thailand all posting stronger-than-expected
economic expansions. Tiny, trade-reliant Singapore has been the
only outlier, struggling to avoid slipping back into recession.
While export data may not be pretty in coming months,
economists say longer-term fundamentals remain strong enough in
the region to continue attracting foreign investors.
"There is a re-rating going on in Indonesia and the
Philippines, with Indonesia recently upgraded to
investment-grade (credit) status and the Philippines right
behind. Things have really clicked in those economies," said ING
economist Tim Condon in Singapore.
"Unless you get a September 2008-style global panic, there
is enough resilience in these countries' domestic demand to
offset export weakness," Condon said, noting he expected
external demand would stagnate for the rest of the year before
stabilising in 2013.
GLOBAL RISKS, REGIONAL RESILIENCE...FOR NOW
While not immune to a sharp or prolonged global downdraft
-- Indonesian exports in June fell 16 percent from a year
earlier -- many Asian economies have two considerable advantages
over their developed counterparts in the West in the current
downturn: growing ranks of more affluent consumers and
governments with healthy finances which are willing and able to
spend.
The Philippines, where money sent home by citizens working
abroad fuels domestic consumption, in June received the biggest
amount for any month, $1.81 billion. That took remittances in
the first half of 2012 to $10.1 billion, up more than 5 percent
from last year.
Government spending in the first seven month of 2012 --
excluding interest payments -- surged 15.2 percent from a year
earlier, also helping offset the impact of faltering exports and
weaker farm output.
In Indonesia and Malaysia, the story is much the same: there
are jumps in consumption as well as surging public and private
investment.
Condon at ING expects Indonesia's economy to grow by around
6 percent this year and the Philippines by 4.5 to 5 percent,
with solid outlooks for 2013, but added that Malaysia's
trajectory may be more uncertain if the government ratchets back
spending after coming elections, which are due by April.
Indonesia's growth has been so robust, in fact, that the
central bank recently publicly rejected concerns among some
market watchers that the economy is overheating.
The central bank forecasts full-year loan growth at 25-26
percent this year, and investors have been pouring into its
equity and debt markets.
Some economists say the central bank will need to tighten
policy by the end of the year to dampen surging demand for
imports that created a record trade deficit in June. But most
see pro-growth Bank Indonesia keeping record low interest rates
into 2013, to allow local consumption to keep the economy
buoyant.
The government expects spending by a burgeoning middle class
and foreign investment interest to keep growth at between 6.3
percent and 6.5 percent this year and to drive it higher to 6.8
percent next year.
Thailand is more of an enigma, with weak global demand
biting deeper just as industry looks to fully recover from
devastating floods in late 2011. Still, the local stock market
is the best performer in Asia, having surged more than
20 percent so far this year.
The government reported on Wednesday that exports fell 4.46
percent in July from a year before as Europe's debt crisis
stifles demand.
Even so, unless there is a sharp deterioration in the euro
zone, Thai GDP is likely to see solid growth of 5.7 percent this
year, according to the central bank.
In part, that reflects a return to normality after a series
of unnatural events that buffeted the economy in 2011, starting
with the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March and the
disastrous flooding at home that closed seven huge industrial
estates from October.
Exports account for more than 60 percent of Thailand's gross
domestic product each year, compared with around 20 percent for
Indonesia, where domestic consumption accounts for about 55
percent of GDP.
BLAST FROM THE PAST They caught a Snake in Guibang
Rowel Zse 33, said he was earning more as a snake hunter than
a hawker of selling vegetables or gocery
''I used to earn P200 a day. Now I earn more than that--as much
as P1,000 daily,'' he said.
He was quick to add that as a snake hunter, he was no longer at
the mercy of loan sharks to whom much of his earnings from
selling vegetables went.
''I don't need to loan money to grow (in) my business. I only
bank on sheer guts and talent,'' he said.
Like most snake hunter they are either former farmers or street vendors who found their new means of livelihood more lucrative.
Philippine spitting cobras (Naja-naja philippinensis).
The Philippine spitting cobra is classified by the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources as an endangered species.
Personnel from the DENR swooped down on a snake specialty
restaurant in Manila's Malate District last week and confiscated
more than 70 live Philippine cobras.
The seizure, reports said, was the biggest haul of the DENR in
its campaign to stop poaching of Philippine cobras.
Owners of snake shops in Concepcion buy live cobras, known
locally as camulalu or camamalu, at P200 a kilo but sell these at
more than twice their buying price, mostly to Chinese and
Korean restaurant owners in Manila.
Larry Bulanadi, a snake hunter who has been known as ''Cobra
King of the Philippines'' years ago when he won in a noontime
game show's ''Super Pinoy'' contest, owns a snake shop in
Concepcion.
His wife Emily has been managing the shop since Bulanadi
started working at the Serpentanum Anti-Venom and Vaccine
Production Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
He was so famous as a snake hunter that Saudi Arabia's King
Fahd himself sent for him, shopkeeper Mercy Santos told the
24 foreign acts invade PH in September By Tony Maghirang
The disastrous rains of August did not dampen the spirit of the Smashing Pumpkins, Snow Patrol, and Tears for Fears as they soldiered on to deliver memorable performances in Manila. In the process, they earned the goodwill of Filipino music fans.
In September, it’s business as usual in the live music scene as Manila welcomes an influx of foreign acts. From Maroon 5 to the Idols Tour (10 acts in total) to a slew of punk and emo bands, we counted 24 acts in all invading our shores.
On Sept. 14, current U.K. pop sensation The Wanted will perform live at the NBC Tent in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. The five-man crew is best known for their more recent hits "Glad You Came" and "Chasing The Sun."
Maroon 5 sold out
Maroon 5 will be taking their Overexposed Tour on Sept. 18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The American pop-rock band fronted by the irrepressible Adam Levine will draw from their latest album which has been described to be a collection of anthemic songs with passionate melodies. Alternative rock band The Cab will open. Tickets are now sold out.
The well-loved Christian band Starfield will return to spread the good news. They will be performing in Cebu on Sept. 18, Iolilo on Sept. 20 and Pampanga on Sept. 22.
Idols Live Tour 2012 will make its Manila stop on Sept. 21, 8 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The extravaganza will feature current Idol winner, Phillip Phillips, and 9 other finalists to the show’s 11th season, including first runner-up Jessica Sanchez.
Tonight Alive will unleash their pop-punk magic on September 22, 6 p.m. at the SM North Sky Dome. The 5-piece band from Sydney, Australia played the entire stretch of the Vans Warped Tour 2012 so they’ve got some serious cred going for them.
Blues, punk and emo
Bluesman Joe Bonnassa is presenting the Guitar Event of the Year on Sept. 22 at One Esplanade in SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. Bonamassa’s playing bears the strong influence of Steve Ray Vaughn and B. B. King. Guitar Player Magazine named him Best Blues Guitarist in 2007 and 2008, while Blues Wax magazine honored him with its Artist of the Year award for an unprecedented three times.
Under the banner of Bazooka Rocks!, a bevy of punk-pop and emo bands from the U.S. of A will descend at the SMX Convention Center on Sept. 30. Dubbed the country’s first indoor rock festival, the show will feature The Pretty Reckless, Mayday Parade, Marianas Trench, A Skylit Drive, Forever the Sickest Kids, The Maine, Avastera, and The Wonder Years. Local rock warriors Robin Nievera, Penguin, and Salamin will open.
It should be a September to remember and, hopefully, nothing in the order of Ondoy’s fury back in 2009—except in a musical sense, of course.
In September, it’s business as usual in the live music scene as Manila welcomes an influx of foreign acts. From Maroon 5 to the Idols Tour (10 acts in total) to a slew of punk and emo bands, we counted 24 acts in all invading our shores.
On Sept. 14, current U.K. pop sensation The Wanted will perform live at the NBC Tent in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. The five-man crew is best known for their more recent hits "Glad You Came" and "Chasing The Sun."
Maroon 5 sold out
Maroon 5 will be taking their Overexposed Tour on Sept. 18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The American pop-rock band fronted by the irrepressible Adam Levine will draw from their latest album which has been described to be a collection of anthemic songs with passionate melodies. Alternative rock band The Cab will open. Tickets are now sold out.
The well-loved Christian band Starfield will return to spread the good news. They will be performing in Cebu on Sept. 18, Iolilo on Sept. 20 and Pampanga on Sept. 22.
Idols Live Tour 2012 will make its Manila stop on Sept. 21, 8 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The extravaganza will feature current Idol winner, Phillip Phillips, and 9 other finalists to the show’s 11th season, including first runner-up Jessica Sanchez.
Tonight Alive will unleash their pop-punk magic on September 22, 6 p.m. at the SM North Sky Dome. The 5-piece band from Sydney, Australia played the entire stretch of the Vans Warped Tour 2012 so they’ve got some serious cred going for them.
Blues, punk and emo
Bluesman Joe Bonnassa is presenting the Guitar Event of the Year on Sept. 22 at One Esplanade in SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. Bonamassa’s playing bears the strong influence of Steve Ray Vaughn and B. B. King. Guitar Player Magazine named him Best Blues Guitarist in 2007 and 2008, while Blues Wax magazine honored him with its Artist of the Year award for an unprecedented three times.
Under the banner of Bazooka Rocks!, a bevy of punk-pop and emo bands from the U.S. of A will descend at the SMX Convention Center on Sept. 30. Dubbed the country’s first indoor rock festival, the show will feature The Pretty Reckless, Mayday Parade, Marianas Trench, A Skylit Drive, Forever the Sickest Kids, The Maine, Avastera, and The Wonder Years. Local rock warriors Robin Nievera, Penguin, and Salamin will open.
It should be a September to remember and, hopefully, nothing in the order of Ondoy’s fury back in 2009—except in a musical sense, of course.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
DID YOU KNOW THAT ? PINIKPIKAN live chicken dish
PINIKPIKAN is a chicken dish extremely popular in the Cordilleras and amongst Igorots. It is served on special occassions. The recipe below was copied over from my existing sagada-igorot.com website. I wrote the recipe down, around 12 years ago, with the help of Lakay Badu. Needs: - A live Chicken - Sayote (Quantity is variable) - a head of Chinese cabbage/pechay - one half to one kilo of innasin/etag - enough knowledge in butchering fowls - wood for fire - a clean, flat surface, preferably smooth - a piece of stick for beating. (Note: The common Barn Chicken is preferred to Broilers, and Cobbs preferred to other broiler chickens. The Igorots use a species that produces the best of this dish. The meat, when cooked, is dark in color. After the introduction of broilers in the Philippines, it became increasingly known as "nitib" for "native".)
Ways: DO NOT DRESS THE CHICKEN (or should I say, undress? :-) ). Start a fire. Put one wing of the chicken on the flat surface. Using the stick, beat the wing from the inside, not to soft, but not to hard that it will break the bones and the skin of the chicken. (Of course, the chicken will squawk and fight back, so you have to hold the head, the other wing, and the legs in the other hand.) Beat it from the tip of the wing to the side, then back. Do it again. Now do the same to the other wing. After beating the wings, lay the neck of the chicken sideways on the flat surface. Beat the neck from end to end.
Now KILL THE CHICKEN! Of course... But to kill the chicken, hold the chicken by the feet and wings in one hand. Hit the back of the head with the stick, just below the comb. Not too hard, or the chicken will bleed, and not too soft either, or the chicken will get mad, and may peck at you. One well placed blow will do it without breaking the skin. Afterwards, burn all of the feathers off the chicken on the fire you made. You can use your gas range, but it will be very messy afterwards. Better burn the feathers off using an outside fire. After the feathers are removed, remove excess charred feathers from the chicken. Chances are, the chicken has also started to look like roast chicken. Now, butcher the chicken, slice it, and put the slices into a cooking container. Cut the innasin/etag into pieces as large as the chicken pieces. Put them into the cooking container. Do not put the sayote if there is very little innasin/etag. On the other hand, if you think it will be very salty, add sayote to minimize the salty taste. Clean the vegetables and separate the leaves. It is better to cook this over heavy heat. When the meat is done, Put the vegetables into the container, remove from the fire/heat, and cover. Leave for two minutes. Stir, and serve.
Kopi Talk Adventure right in Manila: Shopping in Divisoria! By Gael Hilotin, Contributor
Rebel attack ‘stunts Misamis Oriental growth’
Rebels torch heavy equipment
Philippine Airlines orders 54 Airbuses worth $7 bn
Freddie Aguilar Loses Nearly Half A Million To Robbers
Girls Generation To Visit Manila In January 2013
PH-Made Vessel Delivered To London
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Filipinos seen staying in Philippines as economy grows
Monday, August 27, 2012
Provincial Chorale
Philippine weather bureau warns of more monsoon rains
4 Firms Eyeing Wind Installations
Aquino To Lead Heroes Day Rite
Zac Efron to visit Manila in September
Saturday, August 25, 2012
'Igme' likely to make a comeback as 'Julian' approaches Fujiwhara effect seen
Philippines likely to expel China, Taiwan scammers
Support and warning as Sereno gets appointed
Friday, August 24, 2012
Rebuilding damaged ties with China
By Ellen Tordesillas
Chito Sta RomanaChito Sta. Romana, considered a China expert having lived in China for more than 30 years and worked as Beijing Bureau chief of ABC News, said Philippines-China relations are now at their lowest ebb since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975.
Sta. Romana, together with Brig. Gen. (ret.) Jose Almonte, former National Security Adviser, were the speakers in last Wednesday's general membership meeting of the Makati Business Club at Hotel Intercon in Makati.
The unfortunate deterioration of relations with a global superpower and an Asian neighbor started last April 8 when the Philippine Navy's pride, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a hand-me down from the United States, arrested Chinese fishermen in Panatag shoal, also known as Scarborough shoal, 124 nautical miles off Zambales.
A mishandling of the situation characterized by rhetorics from the Philippines' high officials led to a standoff that lasted almost two months. The territorial dispute spilled over to economic relations with China rejecting banana exports from the Philippines and Chinese tourists cancelling their scheduled trips to the Philippines.
The Philippines brought the issue to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. But instead of the tension easing with the help of the regional grouping, it worsened resulting in the souring of relations between the Philippines and Asean meet host Cambodia.
Jose AlmonteBoth Almonte and Sta. Romana underscored the need for the Philippines to engage China, one of the world's biggest economies. But as Almonte said, "To deal with China, we have to deal with ourselves."
"We have to be a worthy friend but if there's anyone who wants to make an enemy of us, we should be a worthy enemy," said Almonte, who was the national security adviser when China was discovered to have built structures in Mischief Reef in Spratlys in 1994 during the Ramos administration.
Almonte cited four conditions for the Philippines to grow and develop. First is "we must come to terms with ourselves."
He said Filipinos should deal with questions on core values such as dignity, freedom, justice, compassion, discipline.
Second, internal wars must end. Third, land and non-land reforms must be completed. Fourth, power must be transferred from the few to the citizens.
In dealing with China, Sta. Romana advised to "proceed with caution and restraint but without fear."
The key, he said, is to seek a peaceful, diplomatic solution that will be mutually beneficial to both parties. "Brinkmanship can only lead to a dead-end, if not a disaster,' he said.
Sta. Romana quoted from Chinese strategist Sun Tzu's "The Art of War": "Know your opponent and know yourself, and then you will be able to attain victory."
He said the three major pillars of support of the Chinese regime are economic prosperity, nationalism, and the People's Liberation Army.
He said China is in the midst of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition and a new set of leaders is expected to emerge in the upcoming Communist party Congress.
"Under these circumstances, the top leaders cannot afford to look weak on the issue of national sovereignty. As a result, the hardline position becomes the default situation," he said.
He likened the behemoth Asian country to a wounded dragon who, "when challenged on the issue of national sovereignty, this dragon responds by breathing fire to its challengers."
Chinese vessel with giant clams taken from Panatag shoal watersSta. Romana revealed that during the Panatag shoal standoff, the Chinese leadership weighed on teaching the Philippines a lesson.
But he said although the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty is "leaky", the presence of the US 7th fleet in Pacific deterred China from taking military action.
He said the basic approach "should be to engage China while at the same time hedging our bets and preparing for any eventuality."
"To hedge and prepare for any eventuality means to build a minimum credible defense and to line up support from the US and other allies and friends," he advised.
But he cautioned: "We should be clear that while we have shared values and interests with the US, we cannot expect it to fight a war on our behalf, much less fight a war with China, given the extensive economic interests between the US and China."
Philippine police arrest 350 in China phone scam
Sugar Group Supports HB 6113
The Korean bus that Pinoys made
By Monico D. Mekaniko
PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA – Daewoo Bus Corp. is one of South Korea’s largest bus companies and for the last three years, a Philippine company has been exclusively making Daewoo buses.
The Columbian Manufacturing Corporation (CMANC), located in Sta. Rosa, Laguna is the exclusive manufacturer of Daewoo buses and in the last three years, the company has assembled and manufactured about 700 units for various customers.
These buses have been purchased by a number of provincial bus operators, some as far as Mindanao. In all, the combined mileage has reached over 120 million kilometers.
To provide more jobs for Filipino engineers and technicians, CMANC supports completely knocked down (CKD) operations, which also allows the development of products used for local and export markets. Daewoo executives during the 2012 Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) stressed that because of their partnership with CMANC, other players in the transportation industry have taken interest in the CKD business in the Philippines.
Already plans are underway to introduce other eco-friendly bus models to serve both the local market and the export business. Alternative fuel variants that could be brought to the Philippines include compressed natural gas (CNG), hybrid, and electric engine buses.
CMANC General Manager Mario Regis said that their partnership with Daewoo has allowed the company to grow both in terms of operations as well as technical skills. “We see our participation in PIMS this year as a celebration of our accomplishments, we assembled and produced more than 700 units in just three years, and now these buses serve our commuters from Northern Luzon to Southern Mindanao.”
At the 2012 PIMS, CMANC introduced two new models the BV115 and the BS106. The former is one of the most fuel-efficient models from Daewoo, powered by a 340 PS Euro II certified engine. It also has a 6-speed Allison Torqmatic transmission with retarder.
The BV115 Daewoo Bus model provides great performance, fuel-efficiency, safety, and comfort to both driver and passengers alike. It has elegant styled exteriors and a comfortable, modern interior. It's also rugged and tough, made specifically for the Philippines' tropical climate and the roughest road conditions in the Philippines. Meanwhile, BS106 is powered by a 240 engine and its hollow steel frame is more lightweight but is still structurally durable.
Till next time, this is Monico D. Mekaniko, Va-va-vroom!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
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