Friday, May 30, 2008

People’s right outweighs presidential privilege

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Friday, May 30, 2008

The entrepreneur in him makes Manny Villar see opportunity in crisis. The global cereal shortage and consequent surge in prices is the bane of consumers. But for the Senate President, it is a boon for Filipino farmers. Bright prospects await planters — what he calls “agricultural renaissance.”

Where farmers are coming from, rebirth may be hard to see. Decades of neglect of agriculture, food price controls, and consumer subsidies have debilitated farmlands. Low yield, depressed farm-gate prices and lack of wherewithal discouraged planters from plowing on. The best and irrigated lands have been converted into export zones and subdivisions. So, where to start?

Villar scans a roadmap out of the rut. Businesslike, he first lists down the strengths of the rural landscape. Rich soil, rain and rivers combine with hard-working rural folk, plus local and international rice research outfits. Villar then lists what more are needed. These have long been identified: more irrigation, better seed varieties, more potent fertilizers and pesticides, rural credit, far-to-market roads, grains dryers and silos, and technical info and training. What government has to do is put money into these.

Past administrations have tried to boost agriculture. Ramon Mitra Jr., as Speaker in 1987-1992, worked most of his time to “put more money in the pockets of farmers.” In 1995 President Fidel Ramos, Senate President Ed Angara and Speaker Joe de Venecia crafted an Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act. Their efforts didn’t go far because of fund shortage.

Reviewing his predecessors’ works, Villar plans an agricultural push where farmers already have a head start — in rice-producing Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Mindoro, Iloilo, and South Cotabato. Government’s meager resources will be poured into these provinces to boost harvests, cut waste, and teach new techniques. The rest of the country can follow their lessons.

The renaissance doesn’t end there. “When rice farmers begin to earn a comfortable profit margin, not only will their disposable income improve,” Villar forecasts. “They also will become entrepreneurial in outlook because of their success.”

* * *

Apr. 8, 2008, the Senate petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse its defense of Romy Neri’s executive privilege on the NBN-ZTE scam. It noted that the privilege, in giving executive officials an excuse to avoid legislative inquiries, has become a “refuge of scoundrels.”

Apr. 28, Neri commented that the Senate misread the Court’s original ruling and so had no basis for the motion for reconsideration.

May 5, the Senate replied to the comment. Lamenting Neri’s silence, the Senate cited the people’s right to be informed of their government’s acts. From jurisprudence, such right outweighs mere privilege of confidentiality of presidential conversations. The Constitution is replete with provisions guaranteeing the right to be told, not of secrecy. It also specifically compels the President to report to Congress all foreign loans, which the $330-million telecoms caper would have contracted.

Since the people elected the Senate (and House of Reps) to represent them, their right to information therefore extends to Congress. The Senate stressed that Neri’s refusal to answer three crucial questions on the ZTE deal curbed Congress’ duty to craft good laws. Among the works affected was a proposal to delete executive agreements as an exemption from the Procurement Reform Act.

Neri had put on record in the Senate (and in the Court) that Benjamin Abalos offered him P200 million to endorse ZTE Corp. But he avoided three questions: did President Arroyo follow up the ZTE project with him, did she tell him to prioritize it, and did she tell him to approve the project even after he reported to her the bribe offer?

The Senate stated that since Neri admitted the occurrence of crime, all the more he must be compelled to answer. The Constitution requires accountability from public officials and transparency in their dealings. Allowing Neri to clam up breached these principles.

The Senate also lamented Neri’s doubletalk. At one point, he had told the Court that the information he was withholding easily could be obtained from NEDA documents. And yet he knew that NEDA and Malacañang had also invoked executive privilege to hide the papers. (It is in fact the subject of another Court petition filed by Sen. Mar Roxas.) Then, he flip-flopped anew and said there were no records or transcripts of the President’s instructions about ZTE as chairman of the NEDA Board.

A week after the Senate replied to Neri’s comment, the Solicitor General too opined on the Senate motion, taking Neri’s side. All parties have submitted their arguments and are awaiting the Court’s final ruling. Will it continue to defend Neri’s suppression of information on the ZTE deal, or search for truth?

* * *

E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

P1 bilyon: 8 oras lang gastahin ng gobyerno

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Friday, May 30, 2008

KUNG hindi nabisto ang walang-silbi pero waldas na DOTC-ZTE deal, P17 bilyon sana ang pagbabayaran ng taumbayan. At P10 bilyon nu’n ay ibubulsa sana na kickback ng mga may-pakana.

Pero may mga nakalusot na katiwalian. Sa fertilizer scam, halos P1 bilyon ang halaga ng kunwari’y ipina­mahaging pataba sa mga kongresista at gobernador na maka-admin nu’ng mag-eeleksiyon ng 2004. At P1 bilyon din ang overprice sa isang delivery pa lang ng uling sa Napocor nu’ng Abril 2007.

Ang hirap para sa ordinaryong tao na imagine-in kung ano ang isang bilyon. Pero ang husay ng pag­kakapaliwanag nito kamakailan ng isang US ad agency. Wika nito:

“Nu’ng lumipas na 1 bilyong segundo ay 1959. Nu’ng lumipas na 1 bilyong minuto ay buhay si Hesukristo. Nu’ng lumipas na 1 bilyong oras ay nakatira sa kuweba at naka­bahag ang mga ninuno natin. Nu’ng lumipas na 1 bilyong araw, walang lumalakad sa mundo nang dalawang paa.”

At dagdag ko diyan:

Ang lumipas na 1 bilyong piso ay walong oras at 10 minuto lang — sa bilis ng paggastos ng gobyerno ng P1.12 trilyong budget para sa 2008, na galing sa ating ibinabayad na buwis.

Ang P1 bilyon ay halagang kikitain ng empleyadong sumusuweldo nang P10,000 kada buwan sa loob ng 100,000 buwan — o 8,333 taon.

Ang P1 bilyon ay sapat para ipang-patayo ng 2,250 silid-paaralan, 375 rural health clinics, o 7,500 balon sa barangay.

Ang P1 bilyon ay makakabili ng 500,000 sako ng bigas — sapat para pakainin ang isang probinsiya nang isang buwan.

Kung magnakaw ka ng P1 bilyon, at lalo na kung P10 bilyon tulad ng tinangka sa NBN-ZTE deal, hindi mo ‘yon mauubos sa buong buhay mo. Pero maluluklok ka sa puwesto sa apoy ng Impiyerno habambuhay.

* * *

Lumiham sa jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Neri’s comment seems to implicate The Boss

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Task Force RCBC, the posse hunting the killers of ten bank employees May 16 in Cabuyao, Laguna, is compromised. Its men were involved in the obvious rubout of four “suspects” days later in adjacent Batangas province. That means they silenced them in order to hide something. Shushing is no way to solve crime. The early foul-up only indicates that the massacre may never be fully explained and prosecuted.

From the start the crime was atypical. The robbers did not just take an amount they precisely knew to be that big on that day from the two bank managers who knew the vault combination. They also executed all nine employees and one depositor Nazi-style — with one bullet each in the head as they knelt in line on the floor. Why was everyone killed, when the only usual fatality in bank heists is the security guard who fought back? Did the gangsters feel they were totally identified?

Witnesses came forward to tell what they saw of the massacre. So detectives were able to pinpoint from mug files five gunmen — “two of them from the uniformed service”, most likely cops. Then suddenly, the rubouts.

The task force claimed that two shootouts occurred on May 21 and 22 in Tanauan, Batangas, as operatives were following up leads. In the first, in Barangay 4, a certain Pepito Magsino supposedly shot it out with policemen who had accosted him. Then, in Barrio Pagaspas, Vivencio Javier, Angelito Malabanan and Rolly Lachica did the same. All four allegedly were members of the Lucido-Javier-Galica holdup gang that operates in Southern Tagalog.

Human rights investigators quickly saw the lie in the police report. Ten eyewitnesses swore that Javier, Malabanan and Lachica were killed separately. Javier even shook hands with an officer he addressed as “Sir” before others shot him four times by his bedroom window. Arms raised, Malabanan was shot 14 times at the gate of the farm of Javier’s brother. Lachica was dragged out of bed in the farm hut, and then shot in the head. Presumably Magsino too summarily was executed the night before.

The rights lawyers see no link between the “suspects” and the bank robbery-murders. But they might turn up something on deeper look.

The Lucido-Javier-Galica Gang that the task force is talking about is long dead. Crime boss Armando Lucido was killed by lawmen in mid-2002; “Galica” and “Javier” have been unheard from, probably dead or retired.

The leaderless hoods reportedly have joined Fajardo brothers Rolando and Harold, long-wanted crime bosses in Tanauan’s Barrio Saplang. The Fajardo Gang has political and police connections in Batangas, and so is left untouched so long as it operates elsewhere. It was known to have pulled the PNCC payroll and Jollibee-Calamba heists in Laguna years back.

Did the Fajardos lead the RCBC-Cabuyao massacre? Was the silencing of the bank employees and then of the “suspects” done to prevent exposure of the gang’s protectors?

* * *

Back to the Supreme Court’s defense of Romy Neri’s silence over three questions from the Senate regarding the NBN-ZTE scam:

Neri, as petitioner for executive privilege, was allowed to comment on the Senate’s motion for reconsideration. It was his turn to defend the High Tribunal.

Through counsel, Neri twitted the Senate for “misreading” the original ruling: “As respondents would put it, the Decision emasculates the Senate, renders inutile its power to investigate, vests witnesses from the Executive Department with some kind of blanket immunity from Senate questioning, and made executive privilege a ‘refuge scoundrels’... [They] exaggerate and distort. Speaking less to this Court than to the crowd below, respondents hysterically proclaim that the Decision will pave the way for ‘autocracy in our government’.”

He claimed the contrary: “Properly read, the Decision adds more stringent requirements than Ermita v Senate before executive privilege can be invoked. It requires that the communication relate to a ‘quintessential and (sic) non-delegatable presidential power’, and that advisor be in ‘operational proximity’ to the President. Fortunately, both these two additional requirements were met in [my] case.”

At one point, Neri seemed to implicate Ben Abalos alone to sleaze: “[I am] not covering up or hiding anything illegal. No law on foreign laws or on the NEDA has been violated. The bribe offer was rejected, and both the offer and its rejection were disclosed to respondents.”

In the next, he indicated more culpability: “Respondents speculate that the President’s conversations with [me] ‘may reveal the extent of the President’s participation in the NBN Project despite her knowledge of a bribe offer’... There is actually even no need for respondents to speculate because it is of judicial notice that the President even witnessed the signing if the NBN contract with ZTE after [my] disclosure to her of the Abalos bribe offer. Whatever [I] and the President discussed cannot alter that fact.”

In closing, Neri said he “did not (sic) outrightly refuse to attend the Senate hearings” after invoking executive privilege. He will attend if other matters need to be clarified, provided the Senate submits a questionnaire.

* * *

E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Habang 40% nagugutom, yumayaman ang Arroyos

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Tuesday, May 27, 2008

MAPAIT sa dila. Habang kapos sa pagkain ang 40% ng Pilipino, may yamang P500 milyon ang kanilang Pre­sidente at pamilya nito.

Hindi natin sinisisi ang mga Arroyo dahil mayaman sila. Pero kinakatawan nila ang naghaharing-uring pulitika — at hindi ginagamit ng uri nila ang poder para iahon ang masa mula sa kahirapan.

Dalawa sa bawat limang Pilipino ay tinuturing ang sarili na hikahos sa pagkain, ayon sa 1st-quarter 2008 survey ng Social Weather Stations. Aba’y 7.1 milyon pamilya sila, o 35.5 milyong indibidwal. Ang dami!

Samantala, lumago ng P11 milyon ang yaman ni Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa isang taon, mula P88.6 milyon nu’ng 2006 tungong P99.6 milyon nu’ng 2007. Matindi rin ang assets ng dalawang anak na kongresista: Mikey, P155 milyon; Dato, P86 milyon. Ang kongresistang-bayaw na Iggy ay may P153 milyon.

Ang kabuuang yaman na kalahating-bilyong piso ay sa mga Arroyo lang sa national government, hindi kabilang ang nasa ahensiya o lokal na puwesto. Binubuo ang yaman ng mga bahay at lupain, alahas, furniture, pera sa banko, at stock certificates na panaginip lang ng karaniwang tao.

Samantala, itinataya ng mga ekonomista na P8,000 ang dapat na buwanang kita ng bawat pamilya para kumain man lang nang dalawang beses isang araw at may matirang konting pang-damit at gamot. ’Yun nga lang, karamihan sa kanila ay kalahati lang nun ang kinikita.

Katumbas ng yaman ng mga Arroyo ang inuuwi ng 125,000 pamilya na P4,000 lang kada buwan.

Bulok ang sistema natin. Habang naghahari ang mga pulitiko sa ekonomiya, umaasa na lang sa kanila ang mahi­hirap para sa lunas na hindi naman dumarating. Meron lang paminsan-minsang pabuya sa mahihirap: rice subsidy dito o katiting na wage increase diyan. Pero ang kadalasang inaatupag lang ay ang pagpapanatili sa puwesto — sa paraang legal o ilegal. Aba’y pork barrel at kickback ang kalakaran ng mga pulitiko, imbis na baguhin ang sistema upang magsilbi para sa masa.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Neri's own counsel debunks his claims

Gotcha by Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Monday, May 26, 2008

Under questioning by Justice Carpio, Atty. Lentejas admitted that the three questions Neri is afraid to answer are innocuous after all. The Senate uses it in pleading for reversal of ruling.

People ask, whatever happened to the Senate investigation of the DOTC-ZTE scam? I can only say, well, the Supreme Court ruling stalled it. That ruling states that Romy Neri's talks with Gloria Arroyo about the deal, even if crooked, enjoy secrecy of presidential communications.
But the Senate also motioned for reconsideration. The plea cites legal precepts and precedents, and uses the very words of his counsel to debunk Neri. For one, executive privilege can be invoked when diplomatic ties and state security are at stake. But Atty. Paul Lentejas admitted in that the contract was never submitted to either the foreign or defense department for review anyway.
The Senate also recounted the exchange between Justice Antonio Carpio and Lentejas. This, to show that the three questions that Neri claims to be covered by confidentiality rights are not really so, to wit:
Carpio: Going to the first question ... whether the President followed up the NBN project, is there anything wrong if the President follows up with NEDA the status of projects in government ... is there anything morally and legally wrong with that?
Lentejas: There is nothing wrong, Your Honor, because...
Carpio: That's normal.
Lentejas: That's normal, because the President is the Chairman of the NEDA Board, Your Honor.
Carpio: Yes, so there is nothing wrong. So why is Mr. Neri afraid to be asked this question?
Lentejas: I just cannot...
Carpio: You cannot fathom?
Lentejas: Yes, Your Honor.
Carpio: You cannot fathom. The second question, were you dictated to prioritize the ZTE [contact], is it the function of NEDA to prioritize specific contract[s] with private parties? No, yes?
Lentejas: the prioritization, Your Honor, is in the...
Carpio: Project?
Lentejas: In the procurement of financing from abroad, Your Honor.
Carpio: Yes. The NEDA will prioritize a project, housing project, NBN project, the dam project, but never a specific contract, correct?
Lentejas: Not a contract, Your Honor.
Carpio: This question that Secretary Neri is afraid to be asked by the Senate, he can easily answer this, that NEDA does not prioritize contract[s], is that correct?
Lentejas: It is the project, Your Honor.
Carpio: So why is he afraid to be asked this question?
Lentejas: I cannot, I cannot fathom, Your Honor.
Carpio: You cannot fathom also?
Lentejas: Yes, You Honor.
Carpio: But is there anything wrong if the President will tell the NEDA Director General, you prioritize this project, us there anything legally or morally wrong with that?
Lentejas: There is nothing wrong with that, Your Honor.
Carpio: There is nothing [wrong]. It happens all the time?
Lentejas: The NEDA Board, the Chairman of the NEDA Board, yes she can.
Carpio: [S]he can always tell that?
Lentejas: Yes, Your Honor.
Carpio: Okay. Let's go to the third question, whether the President said to go ahead and approve the project after being told about the alleged bribe. Now ... it is not the NEDA Director General that approves the project, correct?
Lentejas: No, no, Your Honor.
Carpio: It is the...
Lentejas: It is the NEDA Board, Your Honor.
Carpio: The NEDA Board headed by the President.
Lentejas: Yes, Your Honor.
Carpio: So this question is not correct also ... whether the President said to Secretary Neri to go ahead and approve the project? Secretary Neri does not approve the project, correct?
Lentejas: He's just the Vice Chairman, Your Honor.
Carpio: So why is he afraid to be asked this question?
Lentejas: I cannot tell you, Your Honor.
Carpio: You cannot fathom also.
Lentejas: Yes, Your Honor.
The Senate echoes Carpio's commonsensical conclusion that deflates the nonsensical claims:
Counsel admits he "cannot fathom" Neri's refusal to answer the three questions. He also admits that the three questions, even if answered, will not disclose confidential presidential discussions or diplomatic secrets. Invoking executive privilege is thus unjustified.
Of course, it is possible that follow-ups to the three questions may call for disclosure of confidential presidential talks. But still, executive privilege cannot be invoked on possible questions that have not been asked by the Senate. It may be invoked only after the question is asked. For, what if the Senate does not even ask the question at all? And executive privilege can never be invoked to cover up a crime.
* * *
What's taking Arroyo so long to fill up the two Comelec vacancies? New commissioners need to get a taste of actual balloting. And what better way for it than the one coming up for governor and assemblymen in wild Muslim Mindanao? Spotting and fixing flaws early on would prepare them for the wilder presidential-congressional-local polls of 2010.
Incidentally, a nominee is Wilhelm Soriano, who has just ended a five-year term as commissioner for human rights. In that last post, he displayed independence from interloping executive, legislative and military officials -- a trait needed in the electoral body. He also comes from a political family in Pangasinan, and so understands how the politicos he will referee think. Soriano also twice headed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
* * *
E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Friday, May 23, 2008

As 40% of Filipinos starve, Arroyos become richer

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Friday, May 23, 2008

There’s something terribly wrong when 40% of Filipinos go hungry while their President and her family stride P500-million rich.

This is not to say it’s the Arroyos’ fault that they’re rich. Still, they signify the political class, and that privileged segment of society has not used its clout to pull the people out of poverty.

Two of every five respondents rated themselves poor because lacking food, in the Social Weather Station’s first-quarter 2008 survey. That’s 7.1 million families or 35.5 million individuals, spread out all over.

Simultaneously, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s assets grew P11 million in one year, from P88.6 million in 2006 to P99.6 million in 2007. Her two congressmen-sons also notched huge assets: Mikey, P155 million; Dato, P86 million. A third kin in Congress, brother-in-law Iggy, held P153 million in 2007.

The total wealth of half-a-billion pesos is only of Arroyos in national office, excluding relatives in other agencies or local positions. It consists of real property, jewelry, vehicles and furniture, stock certificates and cash in bank that most Filipinos can only dream of.

Meanwhile, economists peg at P8,000 the minimum monthly income a family needs to make ends meet. Meaning, eat thrice a day and have cash left for clothing and medicines.

But most families earn only half that. The Arroyo fortune is what 125,000 families earning P4,000 made do with in a month.

The political economy works unfairly. As the political elite also rules the economy, the poor depends on it for relief that never comes. This has been going on and will go on for a long time.

As the highest representative of the political elite, Ms Arroyo’s assets have zoomed 50% since she took the Presidency in 2001 with P66.7 million. Now 61, she became senator in 1992 and vice president in 1998. Her father Diosdado was also VP in 1957, and President in 1961-1965.

The sons’ riches too grew since 2001. Mikey, 39, entered politics that year as vice governor of Pampanga, then became congressman of its 2nd district in 2004 and 2007. Dato, 33, took up residence in 2006 in his wife’s province of Camarines Sur, and became congressman of its 1st district a year later. Uncle Iggy, 57, is serving his second term as congressman of Negros Occidental’s 5th district. His present wealth is half his P280 million in 2006, probably due to a separation, but the P153-million remainder still makes him one of Congress’ richest members.

By contrast, the Filipinos who rate themselves poor in terms of food have been suffering thinning incomes. Marking its 20-year-long quarterly surveys to the consumer price index, SWS notes: “The monthly food budget that poor households need in order not to consider themselves poor has remained sluggish for several years despite considerable inflation.” Meaning, the poor actually are lowering their living standards. They make do with no viand on rice more often than before.

Comparing the Arroyo wealth and SWS survey results, the old gripe about Philippine society echoes: the rich become richer, the poor poorer.

The system is kind to the political class, cruel to the ruled. Today’s Macapagals and Arroyos would not have gained political capital if not for their elders. Most of the clans that rule the provinces as governors or congressmen have been in power since the Spanish regime. Few new names ever enter the select circle. The rules are such that they’d need tons of cash and armies of goons to dream to dislodge the old elite in election. The poor take sides not as zealots but beggars for morsels that may be thrown their way if their candidate wins.

While in power the dynasts amass more wealth, oftentimes illegally, to enhance political clout. Kickbacks are routine. They also strive to buff their image a bit with populist gigs: a subsidy here, or wage increase there. But look, they’ve managed to make the pork barrel acceptable although it is the source of all evil in public office.

No matter how hoarse the ruled shout for change, the elite only pays lip service. There’s need for true representation by breaking up dynasties, for instance, but Congress has not passed any enabling law in spite of the Constitutional requirement since 1987. There’s need to improve the election system to end cheating and vote buying, yet no senator or congressman is moving for such. In 2010 the poor will vote the same politicos or scions into power. The only difference is that, based on the trend of SWS surveys, there will be more millions of them lacking food by then.

* * *

Dig Pinoy rock? Check out the link, http://yeba2008.blogspot.com, and relive the heady, hippie, happy days of the ’60s and ’70s.

* * *

E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Epekto ng dagdag-sahod

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Friday, May 23, 2008

GAANO kaya kasandali tayo magbubunyi sa dagdag-sahod mula sa regional wage boards, bago tayo lumuha dahil sa maramihang layoffs?

Itinatanong ko ito dahil sa nakababahalang statistics tungkol sa paggawa. Dalawampung beses nang nagtaas ng minimum wage sa loob ng 22 taon mula 1986. Umaangal ang mga negosyante na isa sa pinaka-mataas na sa East Asia ang halaga sa dolyar ng daily minimum wage sa Pilipinas. Heto ang listahan: Vietnam, $1.44-$1.77; Cambodia, $1.75; Indonesia, $3.70; China, $3.71; Thailand, $6.01; Pilipinas, $9.15. Ang mas mataas na lang kaysa atin ay ang mauunlad na Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan at Hong Kong.

Ayon sa labor department, mula 2003 hanggang 2007 nabawasan ang dami ng manggagawa sa pormal na sektor — mga pabrika at opisina — mula 6.3 milyon hang­gang 4.7 milyon. Samantala, lumaki ang impormal na sektor — trabahador sa bahay, bukid, maliliit na tinda­han o negosyo — mula 21 milyon hanggang 27 milyon. Ibig sabihin nito, anang mga eksperto, nagbabawas ang mala­laking kompanya, opisina at pabrika ng empleyado. Napu­punta ito sa mga hindi rehistradong operasyon. Sanhi raw ito ng mataas na minimum wage, na hindi kayang bayaran ng mga negosyante.

Siyam na porsiyento lang ng 44 milyong work force ang may unyon. Naipaglalaban ng mga samahan nila ang kapakanan ng manggagawa. Samantala, maraming kompanya ang lantarang sumusuway sa minimum-wage orders. Kuwento nga sa akin ng isang labor official, may mga empleyado na nakikiusap sa kanila na huwag nang kasuhan ang amo nilang balasubas dahil baka magsara lang daw ang munting kompanya at mawalan pa sila ng pinagkakakitaan. Saklap!

Hindi ko sinasabing huwag dapat taasan ang mini- mum wage. Aba’y konti lang ang angat natin sa pan­daigdigang kahirapan. Sinukat ito ng United Nations sa pagkita ng $2 (P82-P84) lang kada araw bawat pamilya. Pero sana malunasan ang patuloy na layoffs mula sa formal sector, at ang paglabag sa minimum-wage orders. Kasi kung hindi, walang saysay ang 20 beses na increase sa 22 taon.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

A billion pesos — what gov’t spends in 8 hours

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Wednesday, May 21, 2008

One crucial item went missing from my “Timeline of NBN scam” last Monday. It must be inserted:

Dec. 5, 2006 — DOTC receives Joey de Venecia’s B-O-T unsolicited proposal, “Orion Network”, $240m. From his testimony, he is called by Abalos to several meetings in succeeding days. In the second, mid-month at Wack-Wack, Abalos offers $10m to withdraw from NBN project.

The Senate Blue-Ribbon might add more items to the linear diagram. Its analysis of the crime and the culpable could include:

Oct. 11, 2007 — Malacañang invites 200 congressmen to breakfast and governors to lunch with PGMA to deflect impeachment rap for ZTE scam. They are handed gift bags containing P500,000 each.

Feb. 5, 2008 — Whistleblower Jun Lozada abducted by airport and police officers upon arrival from Hong Kong, where he was earlier sent by DENR Sec. Atienza to avoid testifying at Senate. While abroad, Lozada receives P500,000 from Palace Usec. Gaite to stay away. Gaite would later claim it was his personal money, and lent it out because he took pity on Lozada, whom he had met only casually twice before. The lawyer cannot produce any loan document.

Feb. 28 — Interviewed by DZRH manager Joe Taruc, PGMA admits fraud in ZTE deal, but that she found out only on eve of signing, and so couldn’t back out lest she offend China. Incidentally in that signing on Apr. 21, 2007 by Sec. Mendoza and ZTE veep Yu Yong, there is no Chinese counterpart of PGMA as witness.

And if the latest photographer-witness codenamed Alex no longer surfaces because taken care of by Palace firefighters, then it will merit still another timeline item:

May 2nd week, 2008 — Shrouded witness tells print and TV news he saw PGMA, FG, then-Speaker JDV and Abalos golfing with ZTE execs in Shenzhen on Nov. 2, 2006. Palace at first denies it, but confronted with photos later admits that First Couple even toured ZTE-HQ. Abalos lawyer and JDV wife separately confirm the Shenzhen trip, made four months after ZTE began negotiating supply of NBN and five months before signing. So there’s no more need to prove it. The order of the day is to ensure Alex’s safety.

* * *

Had it not been exposed and forcibly stopped, the needless yet overpriced DOTC-ZTE deal would have cost taxpayers P17 billion. And the patrons would have earned P10-billion kickback.

Other sleazy deals pushed through. Just one “emergency” purchase of coal by Napocor in Apr. 2007 was overpriced by P1 billion.

It’s hard for laymen to imagine what a billion is. But a US ad agency recently did a good job of putting the figure in perspective:

“A billion seconds ago it was 1959. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age. A billion days ago no one walked on the earth on two feet.”

To that I add:

A billion pesos ago was only eight hours and ten minutes — at the rate government is spending taxpayer money. That’s how fast it depletes the P1.12-trillion budget for 2008.

A billion pesos is what a salary man earning P10,000 would make in 100,000 months — or 8,333 years.

A billion pesos is what it would take to build 2,250 classrooms, 375 rural health clinics, and 7,500 barangay wells.

If you steal a billion pesos, much worse ten like in NBN-ZTE, you won’t be able to use it up in your lifetime. But it will earn you a place in the eternal fires of hell.

* * *

Just wondering:

How can priests be acceptable as homosexual, as Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales prescribes, so long as they don’t practice it? Aren’t priests supposed to be asexual as celibates? Isn’t being homosexual, as in being bisexual, already, to use the prelate’s term, “acting out your tendencies”?

Will not their massacring of ten bank employees appall the kith and kin of the Cabuyao bank robbers to turn them in, more so since there’s a P2-million reward?

It’s okay for pollsters to ask Filipinos to rate themselves poor or rich, but can they ask respondents to rate if their English proficiency improved? Isn’t proficiency in language or math or science something for teachers to test? Can I really say my English improved because I now use terms like “comfort room” for washroom, “rubber shoes” for sneakers, or “next-next week” for week after next?

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Admin itinatago pa rin ang katotohanan sa NBN

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon,Tuesday, May 20, 2008

PARANG binubunot na ngipin ang pagpiga ng katotoha-nan mula sa admin tungkol sa ZTE deal. Pilit tinatakpan nina Gloria at Mike Arroyo, Romy Neri, Gabinete, kaal­yadong mambabatas, at mga alipores ang mga kaga­napan. Halata tuloy na may itinatagong anomalya.

Pagbubulaan ang otomatikong tugon nila sa balitang may bagong witness sa ZTE scam. Kesyo hindi raw nakipag-golf sina Arroyo sa ZTE execs sa Shenzhen nu’ng Nob. 2, 2006. Pero nang lumabas ang retrato ng First Couple sa Shenzhen golf club, bigla nila naalala na nand’un nga sila, at pumasyal pa sa karatig na ZTE headquarters.

Bago ‘yan, sinuhulan nila si Jun Lozada para umalis nang Pilipinas at iwasang tumestigo sa Senado. Nang hindi na matiis ng “probinsiyanong Intsik” ang lamig sa Hong Kong at umuwi sa Maynila, ipinakidnap siya sa airport officials at pulis, at pinapirma ng kung anu-anong panlilinlang tungkol sa “bukol” na $130 milyon. At nang tumestigo na nga, siniraan nila nang husto si Lozada.

Matinding paninira rin ang ginawa kina Joey de Venecia at Dante Madriaga. Pinagtangkaan pang patayin si Joey at ama na dating Speaker. Puros daldal lang sa media ang spokesman ni Mike Arroyo, pero hindi sumumpa sa Sena­do ang First Gentleman tungkol sa bersiyon sa “back off”.

Inisnab nu’ng una ng mga taga-Gabinete ang hearings. Tapos full-force na dumating sa isang hearing. Tapos, inisnab muli ang Senado.

Si Neri idiniin lang si noo’y Comelec chief Ben Abalos sa tangkang panunuhol ng P200 milyon. Pero nang usisain kung inutusan pa rin siya ng Presidente na aprubahan ang ZTE deal miski iniulat niya ang suhol, ayaw nang sumagot. Pati Korte Suprema ginawa pangkubli sa ka­totohanan.

Simula pa lang, itinago ng DOTC ang kontrata sa publiko. Nang igiit ko na dapat ilabas ito dahil taumbayan ang pi­ nagbabayad nila ng $330 milyon, nagpalusot sila na kesyo ninakaw daw ang dadalawang kopya ng RP at China ilang oras lang matapos pirmahan. Nang tina­wa­nan ko ang kuwento, aba’y tinangka nilang palabasin na ako ang nagnakaw.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Timeline of NBN scam shows who’s culpable

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Monday, May 19, 2008

Here’s a timeline of events enfolding the needless yet overpriced DOTC-ZTE deal. The linear exhibit can help investigators analyze the crime and the culpable.

Jan. 10, 2006 DILG endorses “CommNet” to NEDA, to interlink LGUs. Idea is from Arescom of USA with Wireless Facilities Inc., funding by US Eximbank.

May 9 — ZTE takes interest in “CommNet”, asks Alvarion Ltd. to quote fixed WiMAX, an infant technology DOTC later adopts for NBN. DOTC-ZTE contract would jack up Alvarion unit prices three to four times.

June 2 — NEDA refers “CommNet” to CICT, to meld with other government telecom projects.

June 5 — NEDA Sec. Neri and Trade Sec. Favila sign MOU with China Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, including telecoms and police housing.

June 30 — DILG tells NEDA: “CommNet” no longer a priority.

July 12 — Favila, authorized by PGMA, signs MOU with ZTE veep Yu Yong (president, ZTE International) on various projects, including NBN. Witnesses: ZTE chair Hou Weigui, presidential chief of staff Mike Defensor.

Sept. 14 — Joey de Venecia’s Amsterdam Holdings Inc. expresses to NEDA interest in NBN thru “Orion Network”.

Sept. 18 — NEDA compares Arescom’s $135m with two ZTE unofficial NBN proposals, for $273m and $304.9m. Signing ZTE papers are Howard Xue, and consultants Leo San Miguel and Dante Madriaga. “Aug. 6, 2006” is scribbled beside San Miguel’s signature; “Aug. 28, 2006” beside Madriaga’s.

Oct. 10 — Joey submits “Orion” as $240m B-O-T investment.

Oct. 3rd week — “Greedy Group ++” receives $1m down payment.

Nov. 1 — PGMA arrives Hong Kong after five-day trip to Mainland China; Malacañang press corps dismissed from further coverage.

Nov. 2 — PGMA, with FG, Speaker JDV and Comelec’s Abalos motor to Shenzhen, breakfast and golf with ZTE execs, tour ZTE headquarters and lunch with more execs.

Nov. 21 — CICT chief Sales presents NBN concept to PGMA, Cabinet. PGMA insists to Neri it should be B-O-T, privately funded, no government subsidy or outlay.

Dec. 2 — Chinese Amb. Li Jinjun informs Defensor: China Eximbank will provide credit for NBN; Ministry of Commerce designates ZTE as prime contractor.

Dec. 27 — Abalos invites Joey to meet ZTE execs at Kempinski Hotel-Shenzhen to show their “partnership”. Joey incensed by mention of dad’s name and seeing $130m commission in $262m proposal. In attendance: Yu Yong, Fan Yang, ZTE execs; Ruben Reyes, San Miguel, Quirino dela Torre, Jimmy Paz. More meetings of Joey, Abalos and ZTE would take place in next two months.

Jan. 13, 2007 In meeting of NEDA Board and Cabinet, DOTC told to sort out within four weeks NBN overlaps with other telecom projects.

Jan. 14 — Election Period begins, government banned from awarding contracts till June 13, 2007.

Feb. 2007 — Abalos calls Joey and Jun Lozada separately, says he had wiretapped their conversations and knows what they’re saying about him.

Feb. 28 — DOTC technical working group completes study of ZTE and AHI proposals.

Feb. 2007 — Over breakfast at Wack-Wack (with Abalos, Reyes, San Miguel, dela Torre, Paz) FG tells Joey to “back off” NBN deal.

Mar. 2007 — During golf game at Wack-Wack, Abalos tells Neri, “Sec, may 200 ka rito,” which he interprets as P200m bribe to approve NBN as NEDA sec-gen. “Greedy Group” receives $10m from ZTE.

Mar. 6 — Mendoza, Sales give Neri DOTC bids-awards committee study for single NBN.

Mar. 29 — In joint meeting, NEDA-ICC approves and NEDA Board (PGMA presiding) confirms ZTE deal of P16.474b ($329.48m @ $1:P50). Neri informs Amb. Li Jinjun.

Apr. 16 — Neri asks Amb. Li: expedite NBN loan, for DOTC-ZTE signing during PGMA trip to Boao, Hainan. Police housing scratched from list of projects for funding, as NBN cost increase eats up its budget.

Apr. 19 — Neri endorses NBN to Bo Xilai and Eximbank chair Li Ruogu, plus DOTC’s need for loan of $343m (P16.474b @ $1:P48).

Apr. 20 — Neri writes again to Bo and Li Ruogu stating amount for financing. Only difference is he mentions Dec. 2 letter of Amb. Li to Defensor. Amb. Kristie Kenney questions “undue haste” in awarding NBN, to detriment of U.S. firms.

Apr. 21 — PGMA leaves bedside of very sick FG to witness DOTC-ZTE signing by Mendoza, Yu Yong. Malacañang news release, datelined Boao, states PGMA “came and went like a thief in the night, bringing with her an avalanche of Chinese investments.” It did not state that $329.5m for NBN was loan, not investment.

May 2007 — “Greedy Group” receives $30m from ZTE.

June 20 — Under pressure to produce contract, Mendoza and Asec Lorenzo Formoso claim that the only two copies of RP and China were stolen from hotel room hours after signing. No one prosecuted for theft.

July 26 — DOJ defends DOTC-ZTE contract. By law, DOJ opinion should have come before contract signing, when B-O-T was dropped in favor of negotiated deal with G-to-G loan.

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Hindi ba nagtaka si GMA kay Abalos?

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Monday, May 19, 2008

NABULABOG ang Malacañang sa balitang may bagong witness na naman sa ZTE scam. Nu’ng una, ngatog na pina­bulaanan ng mga tagapagsalita ng Palasyo na nakipag-golf sa ZTE executives sina Gloria at Mike Arro­yo sa Shenzhen nu’ng Nob. 2, 2006. Pero nang iharap ang retrato sa diyaryo, naalala nila bigla na naroon nga pala ang First Couple nu’ng naturang petsa. Hindi lang ‘yon, tumungo rin sila sa karatig na ZTE headquarters.

Nagpapalusot na ang admin sa masagwang pasyal ng Presidente sa supplier na noo’y sinusungkit ang broadband project niya. Kesyo raw sosyalan lang ang pagbisita sa ZTE, kesyo kasama ru’n si noo’y Speaker Joe de Venecia, kesyo limang buwan pa ang lumipas bago pirmahan ang telecoms deal. Nag-witch-hunt pa kung sino ang retratistang codenamed “Alex”. (Ani admin Sen. Miriam Santiago si opposition lawyer Alex Avisado ‘yon; pero teka, kung kaaway nila si Avisado, e bakit siya nasa presidential entourage?) Sabat ni bayaw Rep. Iggy Arroyo, tuta ng Lopez family si oppositionist Rolex Suplico dahil namigay ng mga retratong kuha ni “Alex” kaya nata­bunan ang mainit na isyu ng mahal na presyo ng kuryente ng Meralco. (Aha, e di tama pala ang hinala na biglang nila­bas ang Meralco issue para ilihis ng admin ang atensiyon mula sa ZTE scam.)

Iniiwasan ng Malacañang ang maseselang tanong: Bakit sinikreto nila sa press ang umano’y inosenteng sosyalan? Mas mahalaga, hindi ba nagduda ang Presi­dente kung bakit kasa-kasama ng ZTE execs si noo’y Comelec chairman Ben Abalos?

Tumutugma ang kuwento ni “Alex” kay Suplico sa mga testimonya sa Senado. Sinabi ni Joey de Venecia na nagku­wento noon ang tatay niya mula Shenzhen na sinabihan ni GMA si Abalos na gayahin ang build-operate-transfer proposal niya (Joey). Sabi naman ni Jun Lozada na gusto ni GMA nu’ng una ng malinis na B-O-T deal pero pumirma rin ng maa­nomalyang utang. At dagdag ni Dante Madriaga na kumubra ang grupo nila ni Abalos ng $1 milyon down payment mula sa ZTE nu’ng ikatlong linggo ng Oktubre 2006.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Palace clearly worried about new ZTE photos

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Friday, May 16, 2008

At first, Malacañang factotums fumbled for denials. But confronted with newspaper photos of Gloria and Mike Arroyo at the Shenzhen Golf Club, they had to admit it. The First Couple indeed was there on Nov. 2, 2006, and even called on the headquarters of ZTE Corp. nearby.

Then came the spin to explain away the President’s improper visit to a supplier that was then angling for her broadband project. Gofers babbled that it was a social visit, the telecom deal was signed five long months later, and Speaker Joe de Venecia was with them. A witch-hunt ensued for the new ZTE scam photographer-witness code-named “Alex”, whom admin Sen. Miriam Santiago claimed is opposition lawyer Alex Avisado. (But if he were with the enemy, why would he be in the presidential entourage?) Brother-in-law Rep. Iggy Arroyo butted in that oppositionist Rolex Suplico must be a Lopez hit man for diverting public attention from Meralco’s high electricity rates by giving out the Shenzhen photos. (Ah so, the power issue really was an admin diversionary tactic after all.)

But Malacañang has been avoiding the real questions: What was so secret about the “social visit” that Palace officials kept the press away and uninformed? More important, did not the President smell something fishy that then-Comelec chairman Ben Abalos was with the ZTE execs?

Whatever the spin-doctors retort, Suplico’s new revelations jibe with sworn, un-refuted testimonies at the Senate. Joey de Venecia has stated that his dad phoned him from Shenzhen after golf to narrate that Arroyo just told Abalos to go by his (Joey’s) build-operate-transfer bid. Jun Lozada averred that Arroyo initially had wanted a clean B-O-T scheme but later went for a questionable negotiated loan. Dante Madriaga said that Abalos’s cabal had received a $1-million downpayment from ZTE on the third week of Oct. 2006.

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A five-time Gold Cross medalist for gallantry in battle, a nurse who treats wounded fighters airborne, two bomb experts, and technicians who saved the Armed Forces millions of pesos in maintenance-repair costs lead this year’s Ten Outstanding Philippine Soldiers. I’ve interviewed them:

From the Army: Scout Ranger S/Sgt. Rodel Bonifacio, who earned five Gold Crosses leading his squad hunt down Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu-Basilan in 2000-2004. M/Sgt. Reynaldo Garcia, explosive disposal specialist, who at one time defused a War-vintage 1,000-lb bomb unearthed in Tanay, Rizal. Col. Joselito Kakilala, distinguished in battle against armed communist in Surigao, in HQ work as media and legislative liaison, and in civic missions heading medical-dental teams to the barrio.

From the Air Force: T/Sgt. Sandy Terania, awardee of the Military Merit and Bronze Cross medals for action against Moro separatists and the Abu Sayyaf, who also retrofitted trainer into attack planes. T/Sgt. Jesus Fabian, explosives expert who once safely blew up a phosphorous bomb dug up in Pampanga, and invented an explosion disruptor and detonation-muffling trailer worth P2 million. Capt. Randy Bance, a combat pilot who got the Gold and Bronze Crosses in campaigns in Sulu, Cotabato and Abra, flying 42 attack missions over 690 flight hours and firing 7,176 .50-caliber rounds without a single accident.

From the Navy: Radarman 1st Class Rosimalu Galgao, who has nabbed smuggling ships, joined naval exercises with other nations, and charted patrol routes to the Kalayaan Island Group. Chief Petty Officer Edwin Palacios, who for 31 years in the service has been maintaining 33-year-old aircraft, and led airborne rescue operations during sea disasters. Capt. Jose Renan Suarez, who participated in naval pursuit and blockades of Abu Sayyaf kidnappers, specializes in surface warfare, and now oversees the Navy’s modernization.

From the Technical Services: Capt. Ana Lisa J. Morata, a registered nurse who cares for wounded infantrymen onboard evacuation choppers; also upgraded the First Aid and Life Support training, and the recruitment of military doctors, dentists and nurses.

Metrobank Foundation awarded each officer a trophy and P250,000. Now on its 14th year, the search began in 1994 as the Rotary Club of Makati-Metro’s recognition of the zeal and skill of fighting men. This year’s judges were: Sen. Noynoy Aquino, Sandigan Justice Edilberto Sandoval, Amb. Francis Chua, Marikina City Mayor Marides Fernando, University of the Philippines president Emerlinda Roman, and DZMM station manager Angelo Palmones.

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Deeply merited are posthumous promotions of Manila police officers Jose Ysmael Santos and Francisco Neri, for heroism beyond the call of duty. A hail of bullets felled the valiant cops as, though off-duty, they responded to emergency. Robbers had shot a businessman outside a bank, prompting Santos and Neri to rush to the rescue. Apart from the promotions, the national police brass must ensure the capture of the killers.

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Oops, I slipped Wednesday in stating the e-mail address of Sir Edward Artis’s Knightsbridge International. Donors of hospital equipment, medical supplies or other health provisions may reach Sir Ed thru this correct addie: Knightsbrg@aol.com. Several Philippine hospitals have received surgical, x-ray and orthopedic facilities.

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Maitim na balak sa China Sea

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Friday, May 16, 2008

NABABAHALA ang mundo. Sekretong nagtatayo ang China ng higanteng naval base sa Sanya, sa timog ng Hainan island-province. Strategic ang lokasyon ng base, kaya pakiwari ng military analysts ay igigiit ng China sa dahas ang claim nito sa Paracels at Spratlys, na buo o bahaging inaangkin din ng Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, at Pilipinas. Palalawakin din ng China ang saklaw sa South China Sea ng kanyang pinalalaking navy, na dati’y nakasiksik lang sa mainland base sa Yulin.

Natuklasan ng US at European spy satellites ang itinatayong base. Sa lawak ng pasilidad na nabatid sa malalakas na telescopes, kakasya sa Sanya ang hang­gang tatlong aircraft carriers, at siyempre mas maliliit na warships. Inamin ng People’s Liberation Army nu’ng 2004 na maari nga sila magtayo ng base sa Sanya, pero hindi akalain ng analysts na gan’un kalaki. Hindi lang ‘yun. Dahil sa lalim ng tubig, may underground facilities din para sa pagbuo, pag-ayos at pagtago ng submarines. Ginagamit ang war subs para sa mga lihim at biglaang pagkilos ng navy. Hanggang walong subs ang kakasya sa Sanya, at namataan ng spy lenses ang apat na patungo kamakailan sa ginagawang base.

Ibinunyag ng Jane’s Information Group ang satellite reports; inulat ito nu’ng Huwebes sa Wall Street Journal. Ipina­alala sa ulat na nu’ng 1974, 1988, 1995 ay marahas na sina­kop ng China ang ilang isla sa Spratlys na pag-aari ng Vietnam at Pilipinas. ‘Yung pinakahuli, tinayuan ng China ng naval facilities ang Mischief Reef, 200 km mula Palawan; hangga ngayo’y may nakatanod du’n na Chinese warship. Nu’ng 2007 nag-naval exercise ang China sa gitna ng Hainan at Paracels, bagay na ikinagalit ng Vietnam.

Ang Spratlys ay nasa gilid ng mahahalagang daan ng mga barkong komersiyal mula Europe, Africa, Australia at America. Mahina ang air force at navy ng Pilipinas, kaya hindi ito napapatrulya nang lubos. Mahigit 350 milyong tonelada ng krudo ang dumadaan sa South China Sea kada taon, bukod sa iba pang kalakal at pagkain. Manganganib ang mundo kung pairalin ng China ang dahas imbis na diplomasya sa rehiyon.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Congress inquiry won’t lower electricity rates

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Wednesday, May 14, 2008

After Congress’ daylong hearing Monday on electricity, Malacañang officials twittered that power rates would go down thence. But why do we get the feeling it won’t?

Maybe it’s because the Arroyo admin’s motive was too obvious. For one, the inquisition co-chaired by a presidential ally and a son bashed only Meralco. The private distributor may well have deserved the thumping — for self-dealing with subsidiaries and excessive executive perks — but it was lacking. Sparing state-owned Napocor from scrutiny, probers ensured they would only dig shallow. Untouched were Napocor’s frequent emergency coal purchases — overpriced by billions of pesos — from suppliers linked to the admin. To avoid exposure of this awkward cause of soaring electricity rates, the inquiry expectedly will end soon.

Too, politicking marks the admin “fight” to lower rates. This shows in the Solicitor General’s belated opposition to the 2003 write-off by Napocor of Meralco’s P37.4-billion debt. The Sol-Gen brands the deal “contrary to law”, meaning criminal; and “grossly disadvantageous to the government”, meaning corrupt. Yet no charges are made against the Napocor directors, mostly cabinet members then and now, who approved the write-off. There are no lawsuits too against the eleven Meralco directors — four of whom were presidential appointees to state-administered funds and banks that own 33 percent. The Sol-Gen’s stand looks more like calibrated pressure on the Lopez clan that controls 33.4 percent of Meralco. Could it be why two ex-bankers close to a Palace biggie are now angling to sit in the Meralco board in case the Lopezes are cut down?

Meanwhile, President Gloria Arroyo is ordering Napocor to halve its pass-on price of generated electricity to Meralco. It sounds pro-poor, but not when recalling a similar directive to Napocor in 2002 to cut its Luzon price by 80¢ per kilowatt-hour and then cap it at 40¢. Napocor lost P1.2 trillion in the three years to 2004, necessitating the levying of the hated 12-percent value-added tax to cover the fiscal gap. Even taxpayers in Visayas-Mindanao, who never felt the cutbacks, had to help save Napocor from ruin. Industry insiders aver that the recent Napocor price rigging at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market was also to offset the losses.

The admin benefits too much from power pricing that real reforms cannot be expected.

One such benefit comes from debatable taxes. During the Congress hearing, admin hit men flayed Meralco for passing onto customers systems losses (due to electricity theft) of 9.65 percent, when the legal cap is only 9.5. They were silent, however, on the admin’s exaction of 12-percent VAT on the same systems loss. So the higher the systems loss Meralco bills, the better for the admin?

Then there’s the tax on natural gas, which fuels 23 percent of power produced in Luzon. Gas from Malampaya well in Palawan is taxed ten times more than imported coal; that is, effectively P1.70 gas royalty versus P0.17 coal tax per kilowatt-hour. Not only is it ridiculous for the admin to tax relatively cleaner indigenous gas more than imported dirty coal, it also defies common practice. Other countries impose royalty on gas or oil only when exported, never when consumed domestically. Even RP minerals when exported are levied only 2-3 percent.

Where do the taxes go? Theoretically, to basic services for the poor. But in the electricity sector, half of Meralco’s four million customers enjoy admin-imposed lifeline rates. Meaning, the other half subsidizes the urban-poor in behalf of the admin, while promoting city migration and squatting.

Of course, taxes go to admin projects and loans. But with the way Malacañang conceals the details of such projects and loans, as in the NBN-ZTE deal, there’s bound to be “tong-pats” (kickbacks).

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My recent pieces on the lack of x-ray machines at Philippine General Hospital touched a kind heart. Sir Edward Artis of Makati-based non-profit Knightsbridge International swiftly hooked up with PGH Medical Foundation to donate two units from America. Pending the shipment’s arrival, Artis gave hospital equipment he has on hand: two rolling gurneys, two ceiling-mounted surgical lights, two wheelchairs, and several boxes of medical supplies. Dr. Gregorio Alvior, foundation president, along with Dr. Rodney Dofitas and Joselito Tetangco, received the donations last week.

Alvior says “at least 640,000 charity patients walk into PGH each year for badly needed medical help.” But the country’s premier tertiary hospital sorely lacks funds. It needs P1 million a month to meet the ever-increasing demand for medical services. The Foundation helps raise the shortage that the government cannot provide. Donors to PGH may reach him at pghmedfoundation@yahoo.com.ph. They may also call Dr. Michael Tee, 0917-8336398; Office of the Director, PGH, (02) 5252584, (02) 5242221 fax.

Donors to other hospitals and causes may contact Sir Edward Artis at P.O. Box 2354 Makati Central 1263, or KnightsBdg@aol.com.

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Monday, May 12, 2008

Malacañang now wants Meralco to pay up P55B

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Monday, May 12, 2008

Malacañang has turned around on its old stand. In a move that could bankrupt RP’s biggest electric distributor, it is now opposing a P55-bilion write-off of Meralco’s debts to state-owned Napocor.

The admin’s new stand formally was manifested Thursday by Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera at the Energy Regulatory Commission. Invoking public interest, the government lawyer asked ERC to trash a July 2003 settlement that frees Meralco of a P27-billion obligation to Napocor and collect instead from consumers.

If ERC accedes, Meralco would have to pay Napocor not only the P27-billion principal but also P28 billion in interest and surcharge, for a total of P55 billion. The power firm grossed P150 billion last year. But a Napocor source admits that squeezing Meralco of the P55 billion might sink it to insolvency.

Ironically the government also owns stakes in Meralco, through Land Bank. With state-run provident funds GSIS, SSS, Philhealth and Pag-IBIG, it holds 33-percent shares. The Lopez clan controls operations with 33.4 percent.

GSIS chief Winston Garcia, representing the government bloc in the Meralco board, has been seeking transparency from the Lopezes. His men said last week that Lopez-owned power producers have been charging Meralco up to P150 billion a year for generated electricity. Malacañang alternately has been distancing itself from and avidly backing Garcia’s demand for open books.

Devanadera’s unexpected intervention to collect the P55 billion is viewed as Malacañang’s way of strengthening Garcia’s position. A Palace source said that Commission on Higher Education head Romulo Neri, once economic planning secretary, has been advising President Gloria Arroyo on moves against the Lopezes. Devanadera’s opposition to the Napocor-Meralco settlement supposedly was made on Neri’s prodding.

The Napocor-Meralco settlement came after a two year-dispute starting 2002. That year Meralco unilaterally rescinded its 10-year contract to buy a minimum amount of electricity from Napocor from 1995 to 2004. Napocor cried bad faith. Consumerists said Meralco reneged because in 2002 and 2003 it began buying electricity from new plants owned by the Lopezes — Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo in Batangas.

At first Napocor insisted that Meralco pay just the same P37.4 billion in electricity it had committed but failed to buy in the last three years, 2002 to 2004. Meralco counterclaimed that the unconsumed electricity amounted to only P27.5 billion. It also asked that Napocor recompense it P5.9 billion for delays in setting up transmission lines to the new Lopez plants. Plus, it demanded another P1.6 billion in income lost when Napocor directly connected factories that should have been Meralco customers in its franchise area.

Napocor and Meralco both wanted to avoid costly court proceedings. In 2003 the parties tapped two negotiators, former justice secretary Sedfrey Ordoñez and Antonio del Rosario. Three major points were made:

• Meralco would pay Napocor only P27.5 billion in unused power, but minus the P7.5 billion in Napocor’s transmission delays and direct connections;

• Meralco is to pay the net of P20 billion over five years; and

• Meralco is to collect the P20 billion from its customers, so Napocor must join it in petitioning ERC for a rate hike.

Napocor and Meralco filed the joint petition in March 2004. The National Association of Electric Consumers for Reforms (Nasecore) and Freedom from Debt Coalition opposed them.

Nasecore head Pete Ilagan said that the rate hike, if granted, would burden Meralco’s four million customers with additional 21 centavos per kilowatt-hour over five years. Napocor under the ten-year supply contract was under no obligation from Meralco to connect the Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo plants, he contended. Too, the settlement meant multibillion-peso losses for the state-owned power firm, so Meralco should pay the entire unconsumed commitment of P37.4 billion.

A high Napocor source placed Meralco’s debt at P55.13 billion, including P13.8 billion in interest and P4 billion in foregone transmission revenues.

Apart from a few hearings, ERC has not acted on the Napocor-Meralco petition since 2004. But things started to speed up upon Devanadera’s intervention on May 8. A hearing immediately was set for tomorrow afternoon.

Devanadera stated four reasons for opposing the settlement:

(1) Napocor did not submit it for review by the Office of the Solicitor General. She cited the laws that created the OSG, which represents the legal interests of the government and citizens, and Napocor, which must let the OSG handle its litigations.

(2) The Napocor board overstepped its authority in waiving claims, in prejudice of government interest. She said the board (which incidentally included Neri at the time) had no authority to grant a compromise.

(3) The provision to pass on the Meralco debt to consumers is “contrary to law, morals, public interest, and public policy.” (There was no recommendation for criminal prosecution, however.)

(4) The settlement is “grossly disadvantageous and prejudicial to the government.” (This is one of the legal definitions of graft, but no charges were recommended against any Napocor director, who are mostly Cabinet members.

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Napocor mafia sanhi ng mahal na kuryente

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Monday, May 12, 2008

INUUTO ng Napocor mafia ang Kongreso at Malaca- ñang. Pinapapaniwala ang mga mambabatas na dapat kuno baguhin ang Electric Power Industry Reform Act para magmura ang kuryente. Ipinatitira naman sa ehekutibo ang pribadong Meralco na nagtataas umano ng singil. Naitatago ng mafia ang bilyong-pisong pagnanakaw nila — na tunay na sanhi ng pagmahal.

Naisahan na ng Napocor mafia ang madla nu’ng 2007. Pinalabas na kapos sa coal ang apat na planta sa Luzon, kaya kailangan ng emergency imports para maiwasan ang blackouts. Animo’y scripted, bigla pang nag-trip ang kuryente sa buong rehiyon. Gipit sa oras ang “bidding” kaya wala halos nakasali. Dineklarang “failure of bid” kaya nakipag-negotiate na lang ang Napocor. Pumirma ng deal sa Hunter Valley Coal Corp. ng Australia, sa pamamagitan ng Glencore Far East Philippines AG, para sa paunang barko ng uling na 65,000 tonelada. Ang presyo ay $84 kada tonelada, sa palitang P50:$1. Pero ang bentahan noon sa Australia ay $30 lang kada tonelada. Sama­katuwid, may overprice na $54 kada tonelada, o $3.51 milyon (P175.5 milyon) para sa unang barko pa lang nu’ng Abril 2007.

Aba’y umorder muli ang Napocor ng apat pang barko ng uling nu’ng Hulyo at Agosto. Kaya ang overprice ay pumalo sa $17.55 milyon (P877.5 milyon). Hinabla ng consumerists si Napocor president Cyril del Callar ng graft sa Ombudsman. Bukod sa lantaran ang pakana, sinuway din ang matagal nang utos ng Department of Energy na mag-imbak ng murang coal. Idinawit din sina Napocor VP-Logistics Eduardo Eroy, VP-Bidding Carlos Guadarra­ma, at Mancom secretariat head Urbano Mendiola Jr.

Nu’ng una, nangako ang Joint Congressional Power Commission na imbestigahan ang anomalya. Pero nag-abroad ang co-chairpersons, sina Sen. Miriam Santiago at Rep. Mikey Arroyo. Kinalimutan nila ang lahat.

Samantala, inudyukan ng Napocor ang Malacañang na upakan ang Meralco. Mas mahal daw kasi ang singil nito kaysa distributors sa Visayas at Mindanao. E kasi naman, waterfalls kalimitan ang sanhi ng kuryente sa Vis-Min, samantalang sa Luzon 30% ng presyo ay dahil sa coal.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Coal bribes driving up electricity rates

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Friday, May 9, 2008

Naghalo ang balat sa tinalupan, they’d say in Tagalog. Everyone every which way is joining the electricity fray. Sen. Miriam Santiago is to lead a joint Senate-House probe of Meralco’s “antitrust breaches.” Co-chair Rep. Mikey Arroyo rushes back from extended American holiday in time to summon the power distributor’s execs for Monday. Ally Sen. Joker Arroyo (not related) cautions Malacañang against seizing Meralco from the Lopez clan. Executive Sec. Ed Ermita and Presidential Counsel Sergio Apostol deny any such takeover. It’s only GSIS boss Winston Garcia with 33-percent shares who’s squeezing transparency out of Meralco, they chorus, and the Palace has nothing to do with it. Yet Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye butts in that the Palace is backing Garcia all the way. Sensing business unease with the admin harassing a private firm, Gov. Joey Salceda as Gloria Arroyo’s economic guru assures that the President intends no Meralco capture. But party mates led by Rep. Danny Suarez sneer that the Lopezes deserve whatever is about to hit them.

Mrs. Arroyo adds to the din with baffling, baseless remarks. First, she incites industrialists to help her force Meralco to match electricity rates in Visayas-Mindanao. Then she orders state-owned Napocor to cut by half its pass-on charge of generated electricity to Meralco. She also wonders aloud why electricity rates are soaring in Luzon, where Meralco is the biggest retailer, when oil comprises only one percent of overall generating costs.

Mrs. Arroyo’s statements only frighten the businessmen she hoped to enlist. A President-led attack on the country’s biggest power firm means it’s open season on all other private enterprises. It also could hurt the bloc held by Garcia, consisting of mutual funds GSIS, SSS, Philhealth, and Pag-IBIG. Cutting Napocor rates would repeat the fiasco of 2002-2004, when Mrs. Arroyo similarly capped its rates. Napocor’s losses then ballooned to P1.2 trillion, a third of which came from the heady years, pulling down the peso and frazzling the fiscal situation. It had to take a hated 12-percent value-added tax to avert crisis. As for oil for generators being only a percent of Luzon costs, industry monitors fret over where the President gets her figures. Before world crude prices breached $100 a barrel, oil already formed four, not one, percent of generating costs.

And that leads to Napocor’s main generator fuel: coal. Luzon’s four coal-fired power plants produce 35 percent of kilowatt-hours. The dirty fuel accounts for 30 percent of generating costs. And since generation forms on average over 60 percent of consumers’ monthly electricity bill, coal is the real cause of high electricity prices.

Yet, not one of the admin pols now ranting against power costs is about to look at the coal mess. It would be too embarrassing for the Palace. For, presidential appointees at Napocor routinely have been buying coal at overprice, for billion-peso kickbacks. Worse, the Napocor crooks appear to be reporting to a lawmaker closely tied to Malacañang.

In 2007 they filched P877.5 million from five 65,000-ton shipments from April to August. The modus operandi employed top-level deceit. Napocor simply declared a coal shortage and the need for emergency imports to avert blackouts. It tripped the Luzon grid to prove its point, and then called for bids on too short notice so no supplier could conform. To repair the bidding failure, Napocor was “forced” to negotiate directly with Australia’s Hunter Valley Coal Corp., thru local agent Glencore Far East Philippines AG. The agreed price was $84 a ton (at P50:$1), when the going rate in Australia then was $30.

Consumerists sued Napocor president Cyril del Callar for graft. Implicated were VP-Bidding Carlos Guadarrama and two other bigwigs.

The Ombudsman had yet to act on the charges when Napocor again invoked coal shortage early this year. It rushed to buy three 65,000-ton shiploads from Indonesia’s PT Marsitero Marloan, thru skeleton company TransPacific Consolidated Resources Inc. in Manila. Guadarrama faxed TCRI an invitation to bid on Feb. 12 to Danarra Hotel Business Center, which the Quezon City hotel staff says had been shut since December. TCRI was formed only five months prior with P1 million capital, P62,500 paid up. Yet Del Callar awarded it a P956-million contract. TCRI’s price was $109.50 per ton (at P40.718:$1), when the going rate in Indonesia was $77. Total overprice: P258 million.

To pull the trick, Napocor always buys coal on emergency instead of storing up as told by the energy department. Notably, private generators Quezon Gas in Luzon and STEAG in Mindanao stockpiled recently for only P60 to P80 a ton. The hearing on Monday predictably will gloss over this. It will focus on Meralco’s electricity purchases from Lopez-owned generators. Napocor sleaze will be exempted from scrutiny, lest the powerful patron be exposed right there and then.

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Solusyon sa trapik

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Friday, May 9, 2008

TRAFFIC engineer pero asiwa sa traffic signs si Hans Monderman. Um, okey sa Dutch na ito ang karatulang speed limit o kaya papalapit na kurbada. Pero karamihan ng nakapaskel sa daan ay, sa isip niya, walang silbi. “Tanggalin lahat ng road signs,” aniya. “Gumawa tayo ng mga kalsadang tila peligroso, at titino ang pagma­maneho ng mga motorista.”

Ipinagmamalaki ni Monderman, isang civil engineer at traffic expert na animo’y psychologist at social engineer din, ang isang dati’y magulo’t maaksidenteng kanto sa bayan ng Drachten, population 40,000. Araw-araw, 20,000 kotse at libu-libo pang motorsiklo at bisikleta ang dumadaan sa naturang intersection, bukod pa sa mas maraming pedestrians. Nu’ng 2007 binunot ni Monder­man ang mga walang-silbing babala sa kalye, ilaw-trapiko, at pedestrian lanes; pati bangketa binakbak. Ipinalit niya rito ang isang napaka-simpleng rotonda.

Walang road signs o speed limits, sidewalks o pedestrian lanes sa rotonda. Walang karatula ng kung sino’ng driver ang may right-of-way. Nakalilito ang porma, at ‘yon ang pakay ni Monderman. Aba’y natutong magbigayan ang mga motorista, at mag-ingat sa pagsagi sa nagla­lakad. Sa sulyapan lang ng mga mata, nagkaka­sundo na sila kung sino ang mauuna. Walang biglang preno o busina o bastos na senyas sa daliri.

Ani Monderman, hindi kayang ipatupad ng mga kara­tula ang gan’ung pag-uugali sa kalsada. Kailangan daw ipilit ‘yon sa disenyo o engineering ng kalsada. Ginagaya na ang tagumpay niya sa Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France, Spain, Britain at America.

Sa Christianfield, Denmark, inalis ang traffic signs at ilaw sa lahat nang malalaking kanto; bumaba sa isa mula tatlo kada taon ang namamatay sa aksidente. Sa Suffolk at Wilshire, England, binura ang lane markings sa gitna at gilid ng highways; bumagal ang takbo ng mga sasak­yan. Sa West Palm Beach, Florida, ginawang one-way ang makikitid na two-lane streets; naging pasyalan ito ng pedestrians dahil hindi na kabado maglakad. Balik sa Holland, ipinalit ni Monderman ang magagandang fountain rotundas ang iba pang magugulong intersections. Mas mataas ang talsik ng fountain sa mas matrapik na pook. Kumalma ang mga tsuper at nagbigayan.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Focus being diverted from Napocor sleaze

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The mafia at the state-owned Napocor has done it again. It succeeded diverting attention from its billion-peso thievery as the real cause of soaring electricity rates. Congress was made busy reviewing the power sector law. Malacañang was sicced on private retailer Meralco. Meanwhile the Mafiosi are laughing their way to the bank.

They had pulled a fast one in April 2007. Claiming acute shortage of coal in four Napocor plants across Luzon, they contrived emergency imports to avert blackouts. On cue power tripped island-wide supposedly because the coal generators couldn’t run full capacity, straining two oil-fired ones. “Bidding” was held on too short a notice so no supplier could meet the deadline to submit quotations. This paved the way for a “failure of bid” and the opportunity for negotiated purchase. A deal was signed with Hunter Valley Coal Corp. of Australia, thru Glencore Far East Philippines AG, for an initial shipload of 65,000 metric tons. The contract price was $84 per ton (at P50:$1 exchange rate). Yet, the going rate in Australia then was only $30. It was overpriced by $54 per ton, or $3.51 million (P175.5 million) for the first shipment in April 2007. Napocor ordered four more similar shipments in July and August. Total overprice thus hit $17.55 million (P877.5 million).

Irate consumerists sued Napocor president Cyril del Callar before the Ombudsman for graft. Not only was machination obvious, the state firm’s managers also disobeyed the energy department’s long-standing order to stockpile on cheap coal. Also charged were Napocor VP-Logistics Eduardo Eroy, VP-Bidding Juan Carlos Guadarrama, and Mancom secretariat head Urbano Mendiola Jr.

The Joint Congressional Power Commission promised to investigate. Somewhere along the way it got distracted, though. Napocor management talked legislators into scrutinizing instead the rising cost of electricity for burdened homes and industries. Blame was put on lack of “open access” for factories and subdivisions to buy electricity from retailers of their choice. To date Napocor has privatized only a third of its plants, instead of all as obliged by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act. The act programs open access to commence when Napocor sells off 70 percent. But Napocor now wants Congress to amend it to begin open access even at only 50 percent. Napocor Mafiosi scored double. Forestalled was the probe that could have exposed how much they’ve filched so far and who the patron is. Impending approval of a 50-percent threshold for open access also means they won’t have to speed up the sale of coal plants from which they make a killing.

Malacañang too was fooled to ignore the coal kickbacks. No less than Gloria Arroyo led the deceived. Pointing to Meralco as culprit, she asked businessmen to help her force Luzon’s biggest power distributor to match the lower charges in Visayas-Mindanao. Forgotten was that mostly cheap waterfalls run Visayas-Mindanao turbines. By contrast, coal makes up a third of Luzon’s electricity costs, so overpricing drives up Napocor’s pass-on rate to Meralco and other retailers. Overlooked too was that state-run mutual funds and a bank — GSIS, SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, Land Bank — own 33 percent of Meralco. A President-led attack on Meralco would hurt the agencies. (GSIS boss Winston Garcia, leading that bloc in the Meralco board, is sharper in urging open books from the controlling Lopez clan.)

While nobody was looking, the Napocor mafia struck again early this year. Under the old modus operandi, it declared need for rush purchase of coal — a shipload of 65,000 metric tons for Pagbilao plant. One of the firms Guadarrama invited on February 12 to bid was PT Marsitero Marloan of Indonesia, represented in Manila by TransPacific Consolidated Resources Inc. Notably, TCRI was incorporated only in October 2007 with paltry P1-million authorized capital — P250,000 subscribed, P62,500 paid up. Listed address was Danarra Business Center, which the Quezon City hotel staff says has been closed since December.

Three days later PT Marsitero Marloan-TCRI won the “bidding” and was awarded the contract on February 19. Price: $109.50 per ton. Though bogus, TCRI was in for more good luck. On March 5 del Callar awarded it triple the original volume. The contract rose to $23,487,750 (P956,374,204.50) for three shiploads in March, April and June. Indonesian coal was selling then at $77 per ton. There was clear overpricing of $32.50 per ton, or a total of $6,337,500 (P258,050,325). Consumers are now paying for that sleaze, among many others.

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As co-chair of congressional oversight, Rep. Mikey Arroyo should lead in investigating Napocor. But he’s been in America for the past two months. There, Ramon Tulfo wrote, he has four bodyguards and three housemaids each on $300 government per diem. That’s P88,200 a day, P5,292,000 in 60 days, for all seven.

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Ospital sa Thailand abante kaysa Pinas

SAPOL Ni Jarius Bondoc , Pilipino Star Ngayon, Tuesday, May 6, 2008

NAG-E-MAIL si Francisco mula Thailand. Nabasa niya ang kolum ko nu’ng nakaraang linggo tungkol sa kakula­ngan ng x-rays sa Philippine General Hospital. Ikinum­para niya ang sitwasyon ng pangunahing tertiary hospital ng gobyernong Pilipinas sa naranasan niya sa Thun­buri Public Hospital sa Bangkok.

Nagtatrabaho si Francisco sa Qatar at Thai ang misis. Nagkasakit siya sa trabaho at binigyang lunas ng isang linggo. Pero umuwi siya sa Bangkok kung saan mas tiwala siya sa mga doktor. Hindi siya nabigo.

Inasikaso agad ng doktor si Francisco. Sa loob lang ng isang oras, sa tulong ng nurses, na-check up siya nang husto kasama ang ultrasound at binigyan ng dalawang klaseng gamot. Maraming matatanda at ilang batang pasyente; lahat sila inasikaso agad ng mga nakangiting staff. Bago lumubog ang araw, nakaalis na silang mag-asawa para maghapunan. Malinis ang ospital, ani Francisco at moderno ang kagamitan.

Naalala ko tuloy nang mag-masters ang kamag-anak ko sa London. Nagkatigdas siya at itinakbo sa ospital. Inasikaso agad siya na animo’y British citizen. Pinauwi siya kinabukasan, pero binibisita sa bahay ng isang nurse tuwing makalawa nang sumunod na dalawang linggo. Libre lahat.

Dedicated at masipag ang doctors at nurses sa PGH. Kaso, hindi ito sinusuklian ng gobyerno ng tamang sahod at kumpletong kagamitan. Tulad ng sinulat ko, nasira ang x-ray machines dahil sa init (nang bumigay ang air-con dalawang buwan na ang nakalilipas). Iisa na lang ang natira sa Central Block, kaya nangailangang i-share ito ng emergency at inpatients.

Mahigit 640,000 pasyente ang dumudulog sa PGH kada taon. Isang milyong piso kada buwan ang kailangan para sa medical social services. Dalawampu hanggang isandaang taon na ang mga gusali at pasilidad. Kailangan nang palitan, kumpunihin at i-refurbish. Pero parating kulang sa pondo ang PGH. Umaasa sa donasyon ng priba­dong sektor. Inaatupag ng pamahalaan ang pagna­nakaw imbes na kalusugan ng madla. Kaya tuloy napag-iwanan na tayo ng Thailand na dati’y backward kaysa Pinas.


Monday, May 5, 2008

Cenizal nominated for National Artist

GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc, The Philippine Star, Monday, May 5, 2008

Google-search “Josefino Cenizal” and onscreen will pop up 717 entries, a third of which have nothing to do with the musician. Type in “Hindi Kita Malimot,” a love song he wrote in 1939, and 8,500 articles will appear, including reviews and fond adaptations as concert or ad titles. “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit” has 11,200 items, showing that the Christmas carol he composed (lyrics by Levi Celerio) is more known than him. But Cenizal doesn’t mind. Weightier for this prolific songwriter-arranger is that Filipinos enjoy the songs as their own. For his dozens of creations that reflect the Filipino character apart from entertaining the Pinoy soul, the Film Academy has nominated him for National Artist.

Cenizal’s works span seven decades. He began arranging and composing music for the movies at age 23 in 1937. He has served as pianist and music teacher, bandleader and musical director. To this day, at age 94, he is active in the music and movie industries, and sits as trustee in the Mowelfund (Movie Workers Welfare Fund), Filscap (Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the United Film Music Directors of the Philippines.

Cenizal best describes his music: “romantic, folksy.” Most are love songs, like “Pagsamo”, “Bakit Mo Nilimot”, “Agam-Agam”, “Wala Kang Kapantay”, “Silayan Mo Ako”, and “Tanging Pag-Ibig”. His balitaw is catchy, as in “Ang Paglalaba”, “Masaganang Kabukiran”, and “Amihan sa Bukid”. Daughter Moppet, herself into music and the arts, categorizes Cenizal’s works into two periods: the early movie era from 1936 to the 1960s, and the “modern ’60s” to the present. The first consists mostly of classic Filipino love songs, usually themes for the early movies. It was during the period that he wrote the music for “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit”, which Celerio converted into a Christmas song. Cenizal’s first stint was making up the music for Malayan Films’ Nasaan Ka, Irog. Two years later he accepted the lead role with Raymunda Guidote in the movie Rosa Birhen, for which he wrote the theme “Hindi Kita Malimot”. Three directors took turns handling the shootings, but Cenizal ended up seeing to its completion and arranging the scoring. The dimpled, dashing young Cenizal became a star; his song, an instant hit.

The second period mirrors the pop beat and themes of the new era. This includes unpublished inspirations for Cenizal’s wife Olivia, the cinema star of the ’50s-’60s (recently deceased), and Moppet. He also wrote marches for the Rotary and Lions Clubs and top universities, and hymns to St. Paul and the St. Augustine Church in his hometown of Tanza, Cavite. Cenizal rehashed two earlier movie themes into Christmas tunes, “Simbang Gabi” and “Noche Buena”, favorites of the Mabuhay Singers in the ’70s and ’80s. Going strong in 1993, he wrote new pieces and jazzed up old ones into two albums produced by Dr. Demetrio Quirino. Among the interpreters of his songs were Olivia, Ruth Abao Espinosa, and Ayen Munji. Then there was “Nasaan Ka”, another carol in 1995, rendered by Diomedes Maturan. It was distinctive of the day, of two lovers separated at Yuletide by overseas work like millions of Filipinos.

Cenizal still composes on the piano. Sit him by his ebonies and ivories a few inspired moments with his grandchildren, and he’ll come up with ditties about Filipino life and times. Cenizal’s is a national treasure; his songs form part of cultural heritage.

* * *

Caloocan City Rep. Oscar Malapitan retorts to my piece last Friday:

“I will let justice take its course in the complaint against my son and others for the incident involving two minors. But info I received indicates that the minors did not complain of rape. They were apprehended for two curfew violations on two separate dates, but both were not touched. Then, a political rival of my son induced them to file a rape complaint. The father of one of the complainants gave that info to my son and sought help. The rival offered him (father) money to pursue an inexistent case. Even before any complaint reached the police, the Public Information Office of my political rival fed the news to tabloids on Apr. 25. The complaint with the police was lodged only on Apr. 26. That my rival has blown the incident out of proportion is plain from the fact that it was entered into the police blotter twice, the first at 12:38 a.m. and another at 8 p.m. of the same day. A formal complaint was lodged with the prosecutor only Apr. 30. I did not name my rival but surprisingly he made statements refuting his complicity thereof.”

* * *

It would be interesting to read what that father has to say, in case he swears by the alleged bribe for his young daughter to file a rape case. Until then, the word of the two girls stand, along with the medical report on their sexual injuries. Late complaining is not fraud. Meantime, the congressman’s son, brother and co-accused are presumed innocent.

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E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com