News update GMA, son Dato file Cha-cha resolution

MANILA, Philippines - Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo filed a resolution asking Congress to call a constitutional convention as she took her seat as representative of Pampanga’s second district at the House of Representatives yesterday.

The resolution was co-authored by her son, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo.

“Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Congress of the Philippines with a vote of two-thirds of all its members to call for a Constitutional Convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to or revision of the 1987 Constitution,” read proposed House Resolution No. 8.

Details relating to the specific apportionment and election of delegates as well as the date for holding the constitutional convention will require an implementing law, according to the resolution.

A constitutional convention entails the election of delegates who will draft changes in the Constitution.

Arroyo filed eight other bills yesterday:

• House Bill 172, an act establishing a framework of governance and development for the Philippine education system;

• HB 173, an act amending Republic Act 6734, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Act;

• HB 174, an act banning the catching, sale, purchase, possession, transportation and exportation of all sharks and rays in the country and for other purposes;

• HB 176, an act amending sections 91 and 97 of RA 8550 otherwise known as the Fisheries Code;

• HB 175, an act establishing and maintaining lactation stations in workplaces and for other purposes.

• A bill seeking to penalize persons driving under the influence of alcohol;

• A bill seeking to define cybercrime, providing for the prevention suppression and imposition of penalties; and

• A bill seeking to create the Department of Housing Planning and Urban Development.

Palace: It’s not a threat

Malacañang does not consider the resolution as a threat to President Aquino.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said it was “something we expect,” but whether it would be tackled and decided would all be “about numbers.”

“We are aware her heart has always been to amend the Constitution,” he said. “It’s always been clear to us.”

Lacierda said if Malacañang would be able to convince the Senate and the House that it was not time to amend the Constitution, the resolution would be “dead in the water.”

“Let the legislative process take its course, let the legislative department handle that,” he said.

Lacierda said Arroyo’s move was not surprising because she had made it known that she wanted to amend the Constitution through various means.

It was possible Mr. Aquino would talk to his allies regarding Arroyo’s resolution or they would be the ones to inform him, he added.

Mr. Aquino had asked his allies at the House to support Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to become speaker, Lacierda said.

4 senators slam GMA’s move

Four senators criticized yesterday Arroyo’s action to have the Constitution amended.

However, Senators Francis Escudero, Francis Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano and Franklin Drilon said Arroyo’s move was “not so surprising” because it has been her plan all along.

Escudero said Arroyo’s move could have also been triggered by the strong pronouncement of President Aquino that all corruption issues will be addressed squarely by his administration.

“It would seem and indicate that GMA is flexing her muscles and making her presence felt a day after leaving office... and I thought she would just quietly serve as a congressman,” he said.

“I think this is her reaction to the speech of P-Noy yesterday as if to say that she is no pushover and will fight it out.”

Pangilinan doubted whether Arroyo can succeed in her desire to change the Constitution.

“If as President she couldn’t get Charter change through despite having the entire machinery of the office at her disposal, I doubt very much if she can do it as a congresswoman,” he said.

Cayetano said, “I think it smacks of bad taste that Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has chosen to file a resolution calling for Charter change right on her very first day in office as a lawmaker.”

“When she was still in Malacañang, Mrs. Arroyo had always been viewed as supporting Charter change in order to perpetuate herself in power.

“Her first resolution appears to validate her real motive for seeking a House seat. But I am hopeful that the majority of House members will resist this proposal.

“I hope they have read the writing on the wall with the election of President Benigno Aquino III, and that message is ‘enough is enough’.”

Drilon said he was not surprised at all over Arroyo’s actions which manifested a hangover from power.

“Hindi na po ako nagugulat sa ganoong klaseng gawain ng ating congresswoman Arroyo,” he said. “Hanggang sa ngayon hindi niya matanggap na wala na siya sa Malacañang at gagawin niya ang lahat para i-destabilize ang pamahalaan ni Pangulong Noynoy.”

Pichay: Belmonte, Arroyo have good working relationship

Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who looms as the next Speaker, and Arroyo would have a good working relationship in the 15th Congress, according to her political adviser.

Prospero Pichay said Belmonte and Arroyo remain friends and respect each other.

“They have a good relationship and Manong Sonny is a very decent guy,” he said.

Pichay said he worked with Belmonte in the 11th Congress.

“His (Belmonte) approach is fatherly and he’s not dictatorial,” he said.

“He gets the consensus of the minority during that time (when he was Speaker). Even if your problems are personal, you can approach him.”

Pichay said he felt privileged when Belmonte called him up several weeks ago seeking his help in his bid to be speaker.

“I told him not to hesitate to confer with the (former) president,” he said.

“They had worked well together in the same party anyway.”

He told the Belmonte that he was already committed to the Lakas-Kampi-CMD and Arroyo, he added.

Pichay said Belmonte is not new to the speakership fight and had been a three-term lawmaker. “These things are not alien to him so I’m very sure it will be a good working Congress,” he said.

Pichay said Arroyo, being a former senator, vice-president, and president, would also be able to contribute a lot in the legislature.

“Her experience in the executive branch would really be a big advantage,” he said.

“She would play a big role and share her experience. Her leadership would be felt.”

Pichay said with Lakas-Kampi-CMD becoming a minority party, its members would not be given committee chairmanships. However, the minority should be represented in constitutional bodies like the Commission on Appointments, he added.

Pichay expects the House to be productive and harmonious under Belmonte’s leadership.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD is fielding Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman to challenge Belmonte.

Lagman, a Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwart, is expected to be the leader of the minority bloc in the House. -Paolo Romero, Aurea Calica, Christina Mendez - By Paolo Romero

News update Ombudsman asked: Probe Clark demolition anomalies

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga , Philippines – The board of directors of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) approved yesterday a resolution urging the Office of the Ombudsman to probe the demolition of 17 buildings in the Clark aviation complex.

CIAC chairman Nestor Mangio also said in an interview here that the resolution also asked for a probe on the P20 million allegedly missing from the sale of scrap materials from the demolished buildings purportedly earmarked as donation to Aeta folk.

The board also issued a resolution asking CIAC president and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano to go on leave pending the investigation to be conducted by the Ombudsman.

“He told me, however, that he had already filed his resignation addressed to President Aquino,” said Mangio, adding though that Luciano’s resignation would not affect the Ombudsman’s probe.

Mangio said the Ombudsman could file a case before the Sandiganbayan should its fact-finding team confirm alleged anomalies in the demolitions.

Luciano gave the go-signal for the demolitions, after Malacañang approved the requests of three Aeta groups for donation of scrap materials from the demolished buildings.

Earlier, the CIAC board’s fact-finding committee came out with a recommendation of “at the very least a reprimand” for Luciano over the controversial demolitions.

Mangio cited contractors’ estimate that the scrap materials from the demolished buildings were worth some P33.5 million. This, as an “intermediary” of the Aetas said that only P13 million went to the tribal folk.

Luciano, who authorized the demolition of 17 unused buildings here, said the fact-finding committee “did not follow due process” before it came out with its final report to the CIAC board.

Earlier, scrap dealer Josie Gomez, who acted as an intermediary between the Aetas led by chieftain Oscar Dizon and buyers of the scrap materials, said she raised P9.5 million from the sale of scrap materials from only 11 buildings.

She claimed to have used P4.5 million of this amount for a day care center and jetmatic pumps for Aeta villages in Bamban, Tarlac, and that the rest was given in cash to the Aetas on installment basis since the demolitions started last year.

Gomez said that even earlier, she sold scrap materials worth P3.5 million from two other buildings for the benefit of the Bamban Aeta Tribal Association headed by Oscar Rivera.

Rivera, however, insisted he got only P15,000 and 100 sacks of rice from Gomez.

Another supposed beneficiary was Aeta Catalino Saplala who requested Malacañang for the use of two of the unused buildings.

Saplala, however, said he was surprised when a certain Roger from the CIAC told him that the two buildings he requested for was already demolished and had a buyer of scrap materials. He said he got only P50,000 from the deal.

The CIAC committee report also noted that Luciano failed to give a “complete accounting of all the proceeds of the sale of the 17 buildings demolished.”

It also noted that the demolished buildings still had “commercial value” and were “economically repairable.”

Despite this, however, the CIAC board admitted that the state-run firm’s “matrix” on Luciano’s authority to make donations is silent on limitations for such acts.

Luciano insisted he did not violate the circular of the Department of Budget and Management on donations which he said covers only government agencies with funds from general appropriations.

He, however, admitted that rulings of the Commission on Audit might have been violated.

He said the fact-finding team’s estimate of the value of the scrap materials was largely “guesswork” and that he did not have any idea of their worth when he approved the demolitions. - By Ding Cervantes

News Update CPP to Aquino: Are you interested in peace talks?

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Thursday raised doubts about President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III's seriousness in resuming peace talks with communist rebels.

In an article posted on its website, the CPP said Aquino "completely failed" to address the issue in his inaugural speech Wednesday.
Armed Conflicts Report
"Neither has Aquino declared in any of his previous policy statements and speeches any intention of resuming the peace negotiations. The only thing the new reactionary president has done related to the peace talks is to appoint as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Teresita Deles, a pseudo-progressive who once held the same position in the previous regime before parting ways with (former President Gloria) Arroyo," it said.

It added Deles was no help at all to the peace process, as her government peace panel merely tried to convince the revolutionary movement to disarm and surrender.

Also, the CPP said Filipinos would have wanted Aquino to reverse his predecessor's policy of fooling around with and eventually abandoning the peace negotiations.

"With the US-designed Oplan Bantay Laya spanning the entire nine and half years of its rule, the puppet Arroyo regime relied on fascist brutal force and vicious psywar to suppress the revolutionary armed movement, wage a campaign of impunity against social activists and critics, and terrorize the masses," it said.

The CPP said it would appear that the "new puppet regime" is under the direction of its US imperialist master to adhere more closely to the US Counterinsurgency Guide, belittle peace negotiations and use it only as a tactic to inveigle the revolutionary movement to surrender.

"The US government is more interested in seeing the new US-Aquino regime intensify its counterrevolutionary war of suppression, coupled with deceiving the people through psywar and shallow political gimmickry," it said.

Start of talks

Peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) started during the incumbency of Aquino's mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, in 1986. Talks broke down following the January 1987 Mendiola massacre.

It was during the time of President Fidel Ramos (1992-1998) that talks progressed, with both sides signing The Hague Joint Declaration in 1992 and the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) in 1995.

During the short-lived presidency of Joseph Estrada, both sides completed the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

Talks have stalled since August 2004.

But the communist group said that the NDF maintains a policy of remaining open to peace negotiations "with the reactionary Philippine government as long as the latter reciprocates such openness, commits to upholding all previous agreements in the peace process, and engages without preconditions in negotiation to address the problems which are at the root of the ongoing armed conflict." — RSJ/KBK

News Update Fund for Muslim war victims

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

News Update Personal Computers for Public Schools (PCPS benefits 426 public schools

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte (PNA) - A total of 426 schools in Mindanao will benefit from the Personal Computers for Public Schools (PCPS) Project-Phase 4 this year.

The PCPS Project, which started in 2001, has completed three batches of computerization programs benefiting about 4,000 public high schools nationwide.
Learning & Understanding Personal Computers - CD-Rom
It is the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI's) response to the growing challenges by the fast-emerging knowledge economy.

The project is funded by the Non-Project Grant Aid-Counter Value Fund of the Japanese Government.

The PCPS 4 is special since only the public schools in Mindanao (from Regions 9 to 13 and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) have been identified as the recipients.

In the Davao Region, there are 51 recipient-schools.

These are 10 for Compostela Valley (ComVal) Province; 11 for Davao del Norte; 10 for Davao Oriental; four for Davao del Sur, and 16 for Davao City.

Each recipient school will receive computer packages consisting of 11 units of desktop computers, 11 units of uninterruptible power supply (UPS), one printer, and one router.

During the recent PCPS 4 launching at the F. Bangoy National High School in Sasa, Trade and Industry Secretary Jesli A. Lapus said the fourth phase of PCPS is another significant step toward arming the Filipino youth for the challenges of the knowledge economy.

"Our youth are facing more challenges than ever before. Information and knowledge are replacing capital and energy as the primary wealth-creating assets, just as capital and energy replaced land and labor two centuries ago. Technology and knowledge are now the key factors of production. We are now an information society in a knowledge economy where knowledge management is a necessity," he said.

Lapus cited the Philippines' competitive advantage in the information technology (IT) services sector.

He said the country is the second largest producer of computer services in Asia, coming close at the heels of India.

The country also ranked fourth worldwide in the category "Knowledge Jobs" in the 2002 Global New Economy Index by the United States-based Meta Group Research.

"The PCPS project was designed to maintain this competitive advantage. It incorporates IT in the basic levels of education by providing computers to public high schools," he said.

Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura said Japan has been funding the PCPS because of its strong stance to help the Philippines' realize and maximize its IT potential

Just Ask Hi from korea I read an article that they also have korean retirement club in Philippine also ?

Hi Sungonne thanks for dropping by my blog when I was in Baguio I meet quite a number of korean some was there for holiday and visit their relatives who had stay there for years.

In Philippine the United Korean Community Association (UKCA) is a non-stock/non-profit association in the Philippines organized in 1969 and registered to SEC since 2001. The organization covering all Korean organizations in the Philippines. It currently comprises 17 functional associations and 20 regional communities throughout the country. The main purposes are to encompass the different members/sectors in the above various Korean communities and cater to their needs in terms of information, social welfare and protection, and compatriotic familiarity.

UKCA is currently representing Korean retirees to PRA to enable them to propose and discuss all matters related to SRRV and PRA, and for further closer support to the retirees, is organizing 'Korean Retiree' Association in the Philippines (KRA)'.
The information as follows
Location - Suite 1104, Antel Corporate Centre
#121 Valero Street, Salcedo Village
Makati City 1127 Philippines
Telephone Numbers - +632.886.4848
+632.886.3839
+632.886.4898
Fax Number - +632.886.7997
Email - ukcaphils@gmail.com
Website - http://www.korea.com.ph

News update Record levels of SAF abroad

By Jermyn Chow

Major (Dr) Koh Choong Hou and 2nd Warrant Officer Mazlan Mohd Khalid (second from left) transferring a casualty flown in by helicopter to an ambulance in Oruzgan. Next month, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will send a 52-strong crew to Oruzgan for three months in what will be the largest single SAF deployment to Afghanistan. -- PHOTO: MINDEF

THE number of Singapore troops heading to war-torn Afghanistan will hit record levels over the next few months, as the Republic steps up its efforts to rebuild the war-torn country.

Next month, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will send a 52-strong crew to Oruzgan, a province south-west of the Afghan capital Kabul, for three months to operate a pilotless surveillance plane and to support coalition forces led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato). It will be the largest single SAF deployment to Afghanistan.

In September, up to 10 servicemen will be despatched to Kabul or Kandahar to teach local security forces to fire artillery guns. In addition, the deployment of 21 servicemen who are manning a battlefield radar that can detect enemy artillery and rocket launches in Tarin Kowt, the provincial capital of Oruzgan, will be extended till the end of this year. The men had been scheduled to return last month.

In all, the SAF will deploy about 162 servicemen and women to Afghanistan this year, up from 97 last year. Though deployments in Bamiyan will be wound down later this year, the number is the highest since Singapore began helping with Afghan reconstruction efforts in 2007.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who gave details of the deployments in an interview, said the SAF had reassessed its peace support missions in Afghanistan as part of a 'significant increase in deployments' by Nato and the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) over the past year. The increased deployments - the so-called 'surge' - are part of a new strategy aimed at building up the capabilities of the Afghan National Security Forces, who are preparing to take over the responsibility of protecting their citizens, said Mr Teo, who is also the Defence Minister.

News update CEO 'spy' with S'pore link

By Bryan Huang

Donald Heathfield's (inset) Future Map firm's website lists an office at Tan Quee Lan Street in the Bugis area. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
HE RAN a management company which claimed to have offices in Paris, Jakarta and Singapore. He was classmates with Mexican president Felipe Calderon.

Donald Heathfield, CEO and inventor of Future Map, is also accused of being a Russian spy, and using the false identity of a dead Canadian infant.
Gambia Foreign Policy and Government Guide (World Spy Guide Library)
His company, Future Map, said its goal was to develop 'strategic proactivity'.
Japan: Foreign Policy & Government Guide (World Spy Guide Library)
'Our mission is to help governments, enterprises and international organisations better prepare for the future and make better strategic decisions,' the company said on its website. 'We strive to establish Future Map as a global repository of information about anticipated events and a platform for collaboration in this emerging domain'.
The Pueblo Incident: A Spy Ship and the Failure of American Foreign Policy.(Book Review): An article from: The Historian
A man at Future Map's Singapore headquarters, which the website lists at Heritage Place along Tan Quee Lan Street, said he was 'stunned' by the news, Bloomberg News reported. The man, who declined to give his name, said he was 'extremely surprised' and didn't 'know what to make of it'.
Finland: A Spy Guide (World Foreign Policy and Government Library)
Heathfield studied for his masters on public administration in 2000 at Harvard University, which he used to cultivate ties, The New York Times reported.

Mark Podlasly, a classmate of Heathfield's, told NYT that the accused spy 'kept in touch with almost all of our international classmates'.
Bulgaria Foreign Policy and Government Guide (World Spy Guide Library)
'In Singapore, in Jakarta - he knew what everyone was doing. If you wanted to know where anybody was at, Don would know,' Mr Podlasly was quoted as saying.
Singapore: A Spy Guide (World Foreign Policy and Government Library)
Prosecutors said Heathfield met a high-ranking US government official in 2004 'with regard to nuclear weapons research'.

Heathfield, one of 10 suspected Russian spies held in the US, had ties to organisations involved in forecasting emerging technologies.
Guinea Bissau: A Spy Guide (World Foreign Policy and Government Library)
A Canadian man, David Heathfield, said the accused spy had assumed the identity of his brother, who died in Montreal in 1963 at six weeks of age.

The AP reported that David Heathfield said he did not know how his brother's name turned up in the US court files, but believed the Russians singled out his brother's death notice in a Montreal newspaper.

Just Ask Do foreigner allow to own land in Philippine ?

Hi Seraphina from Poland like every country only Filipino citizens and corporations and associations at least 60% of whose capital is owned by Filipinos may acquire private lands.

Foreigners are allowed to purchase a condominium unit, provided that total foreign ownership of the condominium corporation does not exceed 40%. They may also inherit real property from their deceased Filipino spouses or parents.

American birthright on trial: Why Filipinos are still citizens or nationals of the United States of America

Children born to a Filipino parent, whether legitimate or illegitimate, may inherit the property o the Filipino parent, even if the child is not a Filipino citizen.

José Rizal, the ideal Filipino citizen

Filipinos who lost their Filipino citizenship will remain the owners of any property they have acquired before changing nationalities. On the other hand, a natural-born Filipino citizen who has lost his Philippine citizenship may be a transferee of private land, subject to the following limitations and conditions..

The Filipino woman: Wife, mother, worker and citizen 

How the Filipino veteran of World War II can become a U.S. citizen: (according to the Immigration Act of 1990) 

Filipino Activists: Loren Legarda, Wilson Lee Flores, Nicanor Perlas, Jose Ricardo L. Manapat, Satur Ocampo, Akbayan Citizens' Action Party 

Just Ask Hi I from japan want to retire in Philippine any club in ?

Hi Ichiro many Japanese had retired in Philippine, however I yet heard of any Singaporean retirement club in Philippine, probably I will Start to register A Singapore Retiree Association. By the way, coming back to your question there a Japanese Club which is a nonprofit organization formed by the Japanese Special Retiree Visitors Visa (SRRV) holders in the Philippines to foster cooperation and friendship among Japanese retirees who have chosen the country as their second home.

It is duly registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in June 2002. The PRA Japanese Club provides support such as language assistance and cultural orientation to ensure convenient and comfortable standard of living for the Japanese retiree. It is also the only national organization recognized by the Japan Embassy in the Philippines as a contact centre in cases of emergency. The PRA Japanese Club welcomes those who are interested to join the organization. You might like to check out their website and take it from there.

PRA JAPANESE CLUB
Tel/Fax.(63-2)897-5660
e-mail 1: pra_jclub@yahoo.co.jp
e-mail 2: prajclub@mozocom.com
website: http://pra.jpn.ph

News update S'pore school for Guangzhou

By Kor Kian Beng

The new partnership will see the HCI partnering a top Guangzhou school - to be picked by the Guangzhou Knowledge City's Education Department - for exchange and mutual learning programmes. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
GUANGZHOU - IT WAS the first Singapore school to set up a campus in Beijing and now it's first again in Guangzhou.

On Wednesday, Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) inked a memorandum-of-understanding with Guangzhou authorities and Temasek-owned SingBridge International Singapore to develop a school in the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City.

The MOU signing was witnessed by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who also officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Knowledge City.

The new partnership will see the HCI partnering a top Guangzhou school - to be picked by the Guangzhou Knowledge City's Education Department - for exchange and mutual learning programmes.

Guangzhou will also use HCI's Integrated Programme as a benchmark to prepare its own students and learn from the Singapore school's best practices in academic programme, administration, teacher training and course management. Mr Desmond Ong, chairman of HCI's board of governors, said the collaboration is an endorsement of the school's Integrated Programme and that it will allow Singapore students to better understand China's current and future economic development.

 

News update Aquino orders non-career appointees to vacate posts

The Aquino administration made the first step to undo the midnight appointments of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, right on its first day of governance, by ordering non-career presidential appointees to vacate their posts immediately.

All top government positions now occupied by Arroyo appointees who are not career executive service officers (CESO) were declared vacant by Memorandum Circular 1, which was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and announced by presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda in a press briefing Wednesday.

The vacated positions will be taken over by the most senior CESO in each affected agency, who will act as officer in charge until July 31, 2010 or until a replacement has been appointed, according to the memo-circular as explained by Lacierda.

Asked however whether the order covers those Arroyo-appointed officials tagged as midnight appointments, Lacierda clarified: "That is yet to be decided. We are tackling the matter and treating that as a different issue."

Meanwhile, the same memo-circular extended the services of contractual employees whose contracts expire on June 30, 2010. Their contractual status was extended up to July 31, 2010 unless otherwise terminated or renewed by the heads of their hiring agencies.

Among those whose services were extended were the employees at the Internal House Affairs Office which include chefs, cooks, housekeeping and maintenance personnel.

Lacierda said the memorandum was issued "to prevent the unnecessary disruption of government operations and the impairment of all processes and transactions as well as delivery of services to the people."

The memorandum-circular also directed officials and personnel who will vacate their positions to ensure an orderly turnover of records, books, documents, and properties.

Co-terminus officials

Malacañang had earlier said it is leaving to the incoming administration the fate of some 50,000 government employees, including co-terminus and contractual workers, whose terms will end on June 30. (See: Palace asks Aquino to decide on fate of 50K govt workers before June 30)

Former Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head Elena Bautista-Horn had asked the Aquino transition team to issue the appropriate directive before that date.

According to Bautista-Horn, of the 4,301 executive and managerial positions, 4,244 are considered vacated as the officials in those posts have retired or resigned.

She said there are only 67 co-terminus managerial officials left in the government, including Cabinet members, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries.

Expected EO on midnight appointments

In a VERA Files article posted Wednesday, former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) member Lito Banayo and former Civil Service Commission chair Karina Constantino-David said Arroyo was bequeathing Aquino with a bureaucracy littered with "landmines" in the form of hundreds of "midnight appointments" that could weaken the new President's control.

At least 58 people were appointed after the March 10 appointments ban and at least 20 after the May 10 elections, the VERA Files story reported.

In the same report, Banayo said there was at first a debate on whether Aquino should release an executive order (EO) declaring all midnight appointments null and void, or deal with the appointments on a case-to-case basis.

The move to come up with separate EOs seems to be more effective, he added.—JV

Kopi talk Restoring public trust

Hi ManilaB thanks for the article after the euphoria, sense of hope and thoughts  as Filipino welcome the 15th President yesterday. Like my previous boss used to say after taking over, "now we can expect that here onward, the public will be analyzing every Word, Action, Policy, Plan.  For the Civil servant, you need to have just 3 column reporting exercise. AIM, STRATEGY AND RESULT". I guess the rest is history as a judge.

Results-Based Leadership: How Leaders Build the Business and Improve the Bottom Line.(Brief Article): An article from: Human Resource Planning

Posted by ManilaB

The weather cooperated and yellow confetti, not rain, poured at the inaugural yesterday of the 15th president of the Philippine Republic. Over and over, Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III vowed to deliver on his main campaign promise, which is to reduce corruption. He promised to lead by example and provide a better life for all through good governance. The people are his boss, he said, and his parents his inspiration as he vowed to carry their torch forward.
Results-Based Leadership
In the second Aquino administration, the President vowed, people could expect “walang lamangan, walang padrino, at walang pagnanakaw. Walang wang-wang, walang counter-flow, walang tong” — no undue advantage, patronage, thievery, sirens or traffic counter-flow for VIPs, and no police extortion. It was reminiscent of an inaugural promise by another president, to give no special favors to relatives or friends: walang kama-kamag-anak, walang kai-kaibigan.

The opposite of that earlier promise happened, leading to a president’s ouster. Other inaugural promises, with similar themes about good governance, have also been made and broken. Benigno Aquino III vowed yesterday that he would be true to his word. His biggest challenge would be to overcome skepticism and win back public trust in government. It is the same challenge in his promise to make the government an enabler rather than a hindrance to business: investor confidence, shaken in the past years by whimsical policies and a weak regulatory environment, must be restored.

What would make him different from his predecessors? He owes it to his parents, Ninoy and Cory Aquino, the new President said. And he owes it to the millions who dared to dream and voted for him. This brings us to another part of the new President’s speech, which is that he can’t do this alone. The nation is in this journey together, and Benigno Aquino III can use all the help he can get.

News update Inaugural Speech of President Benigno S. Aquino III English version

A mandate of change

His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and members of the House, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the foreign delegations,Your Excellencies of the diplomatic corps, fellow colleagues in government, aking mga kababayan. My presence here today is proof that you are my true strength. I never expected that I will be here taking my oath of office before you, as your president.
Mandate for Change
I never imagined that I would be tasked with continuing the mission of my parents. I never entertained the ambition to be the symbol of hope, and to inherit the problems of our nation. I had a simple goal in life: to be true to my parents and our country as an honorable son, a caring brother, and a good citizen. My father offered his life so our democracy could live. My mother devoted her life to nurturing that democracy. I will dedicate my life to making our democracy reach its fullest potential: that of ensuring equality for all. My family has sacrificed much and I am willing to do this again if necessary. Although I was born to famous parents, I know and feel the problems of ordinary citizens. We all know what it is like to have a government that plays deaf and dumb.
Congressional Oversight of National Security: A Mandate for Change : The Final Report of the Csis Project on Congressional Oversight of Defense
We know what it is like to be denied justice, to be ignored by those in whom we placed our trust and tasked to become our advocates. Have you ever been ignored by the very government you helped put in power? I have. Have you had to endure being rudely shoved aside by the siren-blaring escorts of those who love to display their position and power over you? I have, too.
Mandate for change: The impact of law on educational innovation
Have you experienced exasperation and anger at a government that instead of serving you, needs to be endured by you? So have I. I am like you. Many of our countrymen have already voted with their feet - migrating to other countries in search of change or tranquility. They have endured hardship, risked their lives because they believe that compared to their current state here, there is more hope for them in another country, no matter how bleak it may be. In moments when I thought of only my own welfare, I also wondered - is it possible that I can find the peace and quiet that I crave in another country? Is our government beyond redemption? Has it been written that the Filipino's lot is merely to suffer?
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Today marks the end of a regime indifferent to the appeals of the people. It is not Noynoy who found a way. You are the reason why the silent suffering of the nation is about to end. This is the beginning of my burden, but if many of us will bear the cross we will lift it, no matter how heavy it is. Through good governance in the coming years, we will lessen our problems. The destiny of the Filipino will return to its rightful place, and as each year passes, the Filipino's problems will continue to lessen with the assurance of progress in their lives. We are here to serve and not to lord over you. The mandate given to me was one of change. I accept your marching orders to transform our government from one that is self-serving to one that works for the welfare of the nation.
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This mandate is the social contract that we agreed upon. It is the promise I made during the campaign, which you accepted on election day. During the campaign we said, "If no one is corrupt, no one will be poor." That is no mere slogan for posters -- it is the defining principle that will serve as the foundation of our administration. Our foremost duty is to lift the nation from poverty through honest and effective governance. The first step is to have leaders who are ethical, honest, and true public servants. I will set the example. I will strive to be a good model. I will not break the trust you have placed in me. I will ensure that this, too, will be the advocacy of my Cabinet and those who will join our government. I do not believe that all of those who serve in our government are corrupt. In truth, the majority of them are honest. They joined government to serve and do good. Starting today, they will have the opportunity to show that they have what it takes. I am counting on them to help fight corruption within the bureaucracy.

To those who have been put in positions by unlawful means, this is my warning: we will begin earning back the trust of our people by reviewing midnight appointments. Let this serve as a warning to those who intend to continue the crooked ways that have become the norm for too long. To our impoverished countrymen, starting today, your government will be your champion. We will not disregard the needs of our students. We will begin by addressing the glaring shortage in classrooms and educational facilities. Gradually, we will lessen the lack of infrastructures for transportation, tourism and trade.
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From now on, mediocre work will not be good enough when it comes to roads, bridges, and buildings because we will hold contractors responsible for maintaining their projects in good condition. We will revive the emergency employment program established by former President Corazon Aquino. This will provide jobs for local communities and will help in the development of their and our economy. We will not be the cause of your suffering or hardship.
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We will strengthen collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and we will fight corruption in the Bureau of Customs in order to fund our objectives for the public welfare, such as: · Quality education, including vocational education, so that those who choose not to attend college or those who cannot afford it can find dignified livelihood; · Improved public health services such as PhilHealth for all within three years; · A home for every family, within safe communities. We will strengthen the armed forces and the police, not to serve the interests of those who want to wield power with impunity, but to give added protection for ordinary folk. The armed forces and the police risk their lives daily so that the nation can live in peace and security.

The population has doubled and yet their numbers remain unchanged. It is not right that those who make sacrifices are treated pitifully. If there was a fertilizer scam in the past, today there will be security for farmers. We will help them with irrigation, extension services, and marketing their products at the best possible prices. We are directing Secretary Alcala to set up trading centers that will directly link farmers and consumers thereby eliminating middlemen and opportunities for corruption. In this way, funds can be shared by farmers and consumers. We will make our country attractive to investors. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance to business. This is the only means by which we can provide jobs for our people.

Our goal is to create jobs at home so that there will be no need to look for employment abroad. However, as we work towards that end, I am ordering the DFA, POEA, OWWA, and other relevant agencies to be even more responsive to the needs and welfare of our overseas Filipino workers. We will strengthen the process of consultation and feedback. We will strive to uphold the constitutional right of citizens to information on matters of public concern. We relived the spirit of people power during the campaign.

Let it take us to good and effective governance. Those who believe in people power put the welfare of others before their own. I can forgive those who did me wrong but I have no right to forgive those who abused our people. To those who talk about reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. When we allow crimes to go unpunished, we give consent to their occurring over and over again. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all. We are also happy to inform you the acceptance of Chief Justice Hilario Davide of the challenge of strengthening and heading a Truth Commission that will shed light on many unanswered issues that continue to haunt our country. My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of Mindanao. We are committed to a peaceful and just settlement of conflict, inclusive of the interests of all -- may they be Lumads, Bangsamoro or Christian.

We shall defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform, and equitable governance leading to a better life. With proper governance life will improve for all. When we are all living well, who will want to go back to living under oppression? If I have all of you by my side, we will be able to build a nation in which there will be equality of opportunity, because each of us fulfilled our duties and responsibilities equally. After the elections, you proved that it is the people who wield power in this country. This is what democracy means. It is the foundation of our unity. We campaigned for change. Because of this, the Filipino stands tall once more. We are all part of a nation that can begin to dream again. To our friends and neighbors around the world, we are ready to take our place as a reliable member of the community of nations, a nation serious about its commitments and which harmonizes its national interests with its international responsibilities.
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We will be a predictable and consistent place for investment, a nation where everyone will say, "it all works." Today, I am inviting you to pledge to yourselves and to our people. No one shall be left behind. No more junkets, no more senseless spending. No more turning back on pledges made during the campaign, whether today or in the coming challenges that will confront us over the next six years. No more influence-peddling, no more patronage politics, no more stealing. No more sirens, no more short cuts, no more bribes. It is time for us to work together once more. We are here today because we stood together and believed in hope. We had no resources to campaign other than our common faith in the inherent goodness of the Filipino. The people who are behind us dared to dream.

Today, the dream starts to become a reality. To those among you who are still undecided about sharing the common burden I have only one question: Are you going to quit now that we have won? You are the boss so I cannot ignore your orders. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to your needs and aspirations. You are the ones who brought me here - our volunteers - old, young, celebrity, ordinary folks who went around the country to campaign for change; my household help who provided for all my personal needs; my family, friends, colleagues at work, who shared, cared, and gave their support; my lawyers who stayed all hours to guard my votes and make sure they were counted; and the millions of Filipinos who prevailed, kept faith, and never lost hope - I offer my heartfelt gratitude. I will not be able to face my parents and you who have brought me here if do not fulfill the promises I made. My parents sought nothing less, died for nothing less, than democracy and peace.

I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward. My hope is that when I leave office, everyone can say that we have traveled far on the right path, and that we are able to bequeath a better future to the next generation. Join me in continuing this fight for change. Thank you and long live the Filipino people!

News update Noynoy pleases crowd with ‘unrehearsed’ songs in post-inaugural concert

He thinks being gunned down in a coup d’etat attempt is easier than singing on stage. Nevertheless, Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III showed another kind of bravery by giving in to the crowd’s request for him to sing, as he ended his first day as President with a post-inaugural concert on Wednesday night.

To the cheers of an estimated 120,000 people who attended the free concert and “street party" at the Quezon Memorial Circle, Aquino performed two songs: Michel Legrand’s 1960s hit “Watch What Happens" and Freddie Aguilar’s 1970s favorite “Estudyante Blues." A bit of awkwardness showing in his voice, Aquino chose to cut short his first song. But the crowd demanded another performance, to which the new president obliged. “Yung talumpati ko ho kanina, hindi ko na ho na-practice. Pati ho itong kanta ho, hindi ko na na-practice. Mas madali pa ho noong na-coup d’etat ako noong 1987. Pero kung pinipilit niyo po talaga ako, pababalikin ko po sila (his back-up singers)," he said. (I wasn’t able to practice the speech I gave earlier today. Even this song, I was unable to practice. It was easier when I experienced the 1987 coup d’etat. But if you’re really pushing me, I can call on my back-up singers to come back.)

Aquino — who sustained gunshot wounds during a coup attempt in 1987 to oust his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino — said he still performed during the concert despite not being comfortable with singing, to thank the crowd who braved the rains just to attend the event. “Para ho sa bayan, bilang pasasalamat sa mga taong pumunta rito kahit maulan para lang makisaya sa ating pagkapanalo (For the people, as my thanksgiving to the people who came to attend despite the rains just to share our victory celebration)," he said in an interview after his performance.

Shortly before 10 p.m., wearing his trademark yellow collared shirt imprinted with a Philippine map, Aquino arrived at the Quezon Memorial Circle — a landmark monument to the country’s first President, Manuel L. Quezon, in the center of the city also named after him. Aquino joined his nephews Josh and Baby James, children of sister Kris, at the front row. Aquino sisters Ballsy, Pinky and Viel were also present. A few minutes after, the president’s girlfriend and Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad, wearing the same shirt as Aquino’s, joined him. Also at the concert were Quezon City congressman Feliciano Belmonte, Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri and former Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel

Aquino’s close-in team, which included Liberal Party senatorial candidates Nereus Acosta and Martin Bautista, performed a surprise song number for the president during the concert. Other musical performers included Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, Gabby Concepcion, Zsa-zsa Padilla and Arnel Pineda. Kyla, Jay-R, Nina, Jed Madela, Coco Martin, Jake Cuenca, Gerald Anderson, Kim Chiu, Pooh, Pokwang and Kamikazee also performed during the concert. The concert ended shortly before midnight with a 10-minute fireworks display.—JV

News update Tupi group exports organic bananas

TUPI, South Cotabato (PIA) - Having officials and members trained on good agricultural practices, the Tupi Balangon Farmers' Association (TUBAGA) in this town has managed to become a "world-class" organic bananas exporter, shipping at least 16 metric tons of bananas to Japan weekly.
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The Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program disclosed that TUBAGA has also expanded production areas in Southern Mindanao.

With the assistance and training provided by USAID-GEM on Good Agricultural Practices under its Targeted Commodity Expansion Project (TCEP), TUBAGA has learned the ins and outs of operating the business on banana production to the extent of engaging into exports.

GEM said that is has also sponsored the cooperative's participation in the International Food Exhibit (IFEX), a major trade event in Manila.

News update Restaurants to serve halal meals

DAVAO CITY - Muslims will soon find it convenient to dine out in this city as local legislators passed an ordinance requiring restaurants to serve what is fit to their religious dietary laws.

The ordinance, penned by outgoing Councilor Maria Belen S. Acosta and passed with finality recently, will require all food establishments here to seek accreditation from a Muslim Ulama Halal certifying and monitoring agency.

Once it becomes a law, restaurants found guilty of committing forbidden procedures, such as preparing halal food using kitchen wares previously used in preparing pork-based food, would face penalties of P500 for the first offense and revocation of business permit for the third and final offense.

Muslim communities here are elated with this development as they admit looking for restaurants that adhere to halal can be frustrating.

"Looking for restaurants serving halal meals is really hard for us. Sometimes we would just go to restaurants and order food that has no haram (opposite of halal) ingredient," Moselemen Ayo-Malambut Macarambon Jr., told the Manila Bulletin Wednesday.

"One time, I ordered for a bowl of seafood meal, I got appalled learning there was pork in it," he lamented.

News update New Defense chief to expedite AFP modernization

Fast-tracking the long delayed modernization of the Philippine military will be among the priorities of new Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.
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“I would look at the modernization program. Why it is taking so much time. We will speed it up and make sure that all the equipment necessary to modernize our Armed Forces will be delivered soonest," Gazmin said on Wednesday.
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Gazmin, a retired Army chief, said he is going to look into the problems regarding the implementation of the 15-year-old program, which started in 1995 with the passage of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Act.

The P350-billion modernization program, funded mainly through government appropriations, was divided into three stages: the procurement of equipment needed to address internal security threats, the procurement of armaments as the military transition to external defense, and the external defense proper.
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The first stage was to be implemented from 2004 up to this year, the second from 2010 to 2016, and the third from 2016 to 2022.

“We really have to sit down with the planners of this [modernization program] and see what we can do. I guess we should go beyond the program itself and involve other sectors so that we can get the resources much needed to modernize our Armed Forces," Gazmin said.

Gazmin said President Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III, who took his oath of office Wednesday, has instructed him to “put things in order" at the department within his first 100 days in office.
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“We will have to sit down and assess our problems and get into the bottom of all the problems so we can find solutions to all the problems," he said.
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Gazmin also said he is supporting peace negotiations with communist and secessionist rebels.

“First thing is to sit down and talk, thresh out the problems see what we can do, what are doable so that there will be peaceful negotiations and peaceful solutions...Everything will be based on our law and our Constitution," he said. - KBK

News update Dy takes oath of office as Isabela governor

ILAGAN, Isabela — Faustino “Bojie" Dy III on Wednesday took his oath of office as governor of the province, formalizing the return of the Dy political clan in the provincial capitol.

Dy’s closest rival in the May 10 elections, former Isabela governor Grace Padaca, did not attend the oath-taking. She was reportedly in Manila attending the inauguration of President Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III.

Dy and Vice Governor Rodolfo Albano III took their oaths of office before Regional Trial Court-Cauayan City executive judge Raymundo Aumentado.

Dy later presided the induction into office of three out of the province’s four congressmen: Rodolfo Albano Jr. (1st District), Ana Cristina Go (2nd District) and Napoleon Dy (3rd District).

Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao (4th District) was a no-show at the oath-taking as he was reportedly also in Manila for Aquino’s inauguration.

The new governor also administered the oath of the elected mayors and board members while the new vice governor presided the oath-taking of vice mayors and town councilors in the province.

Dy said that just like Padaca, his administration will go after big time illegal loggers in the province. His marching order to the provincial board was to review the existing logging concessionaires in Dinapigue town where illegal logging activities are allegedly rampant.

He also said he will adopt a “no chainsaw" policy to prevent illegal tree-cutting activities, earning applause from about 5,000 government leaders and residents who attended the program.

Dumping plans for carbon mining, the new governor vowed to push for a renewable energy program with solar and wind energies as possible sources of electricity. He also promised to form a task force for mini-hydro projects in towns in need of the facilities.

In education, he pushed for at least a one-college-graduate-per-family scheme with the scholarship program of the provincial government and pledged to release funds for construction of more classrooms.

He said he will create a Bantay Ani task force to monitor and address the urgent problems of farmers in the province.

“We must be prepared to face and resolve the problems long before they come. We must be willing to accept new innovations that could accelerate our agricultural productivity," he said. - KBK

News update Japan not buying World War II soldiers' remains - embassy

MABALACAT, Pampanga, Philippines – The Japanese embassy has debunked reports that skeletal remains of Filipinos dug up from local graves are being passed off as those of Japanese soldiers who died in the country during World War II.

In a letter to The STAR, Motohiko Kato, minister and deputy chief of mission of the Japanese embassy, also said the Japanese government is not paying for the remains of the Japanese soldiers, contrary to reports that an alleged Tokyo-based syndicate has been shelling out P1,000 per set of bones.

“For the collected remains of Japanese soldiers in the Philippines, we respect the legal procedure in the Philippines,” Kato said.

Kato said officials of the National Museum have been actively participating in locating and identifying the remains of Japanese soldiers.

Kato was reacting to an allegation of Japanese businessman Koji Nakamura who informed Mabalacat, Pampanga tourism officer Guy Hilbero that a group that he identified as “Ken Tai” has allegedly been buying skeletal remains, including those supposedly belonging to deceased Filipinos, for P1,000 per set of bones.

Hilbero was one of the founders of the Kamikaze shrine in Mabalacat town where the Kamikaze suicide squad of the Japanese imperial forces was founded during World War II.

Nakamura expressed doubts on the authenticity of the skeletal remains reportedly forwarded by the group to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Kato, however, said, “In our understanding, Kuentai, whose activities are under the guidance of the Japanese government, has never bought the collected bones.”

Kato said Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has requested Kuentai, a non-profit organization, to assist in the retrieval of the skeletal remains of Japanese soldiers in the Philippines “in the Japanese fiscal year 2009 and 2010, from April 2009 to March 2010.”

“The Japanese government has undertaken the verification of bones in the most careful manner in close cooperation with the Philippine government,” Kato said.

“Please note that the procedures have been developed as a result of various collected remains from collectors or informants duly notarized. Comments or advices are requested as necessary from local residents living in the area for a long time,” Kato added.

After such procedures, Kato said authorized representatives of the National Museum, which is under the Office of the President, and representatives of Japanese government missions “review and examine the remains.”

“Thereafter, the National Museum representative issues a certification recognizing the collected remains as the Japanese soldiers’ remains. Finally we send the said remains back to Japan with the certification,” Kato said.

“The Japanese government has never bought the collected remains from anyone,” Kato said.

“It should be recognized by the Filipino public that the Japanese government received the cooperation of the National Museum in searching for the remains of Japanese soldiers in the country,” he added.

At this time of the year, the Japanese people are preparing for their annual ancestral ceremony called Bon held either in July or August, which, along with the New Year’s celebration, is considered to be one of the two most important observances in Japan.

During the Bon ceremony, family members go back to their parental homes to honor their dead who are believed to return there at this time. - By Ding Cervantes