PHNO-OPINION: MANILA STANDARD EDITORIAL: THE LEADER HE COULD BE


 



MANILA STANDARD EDITORIAL: THE LEADER HE COULD BE


MANILA, DECEMBER 31, 2010 (STANDARD) Half a year ago, Benigno Aquino III was sworn in as president of the country, swept into office by a resounding mandate. Despite the relative weakness of his track record in public governance, Filipinos put their trust in him because of his sainted parents and of his promise to bring about genuine change.

Aquino's inaugural address did not disappoint, either. Its down-to-earth, rallying tone persuaded even those who did not vote for him to give the new President the benefit of the doubt. His pronouncements on recognizing the people as his bosses and doing away with the culture of privilege—best illustrated by politicians' use of vehicle sirens to exempt them from traffic rules—were received well by the public, who chose not to make a big deal out of the new President's snub of the Supreme Court Chief Justice that day.

Six months later, Mr. Aquino enjoys nearly the same level of popularity—not because of the stellar way he has conducted his duties, but despite the numerous blunders he and his people have been committing and have been getting away with.

The President, for instance, has failed as a navigator. Filipinos still do not know where he intends to take us by the end of his administration. His first State-of-the-Nation Address was criticized for being glaringly bereft of a blueprint. All we know is that this administration nurses great contempt for the one it replaced. This is not much of a consolation.

And yet, despite the disdain for his immediate predecessor, Mr. Aquino finds himself falling into the same trap. Revenue collection targets remain unmet. The conditional cash transfer or dole program, reviled when it was being implemented by the previous administration, has been doubled in next year's budget. Officials are appointed not so much on their competence but on their affiliation. The President also has no trouble rewarding his allies with more public funds at their disposal. Where is the change?

Mr. Aquino also appears helpless in containing the tension between the warring factions in his camp. The perception is that these groups' demands cloud the President's judgment. His desire to please them, or at least to avoid favoring one over the other, overrides the concern for the good of the nation. Their conflicting agenda have compromised the Chief Executive in several instances.

When officials make a mistake, they find excuses and then offer to resign. The offer is never accepted. Aquino takes the fall and lets the erring officials off with a slap on the wrist.

The President also tends to act like a brat when things do not go his way. Adverse rulings by the Supreme Court embolden him to denigrate this co-equal branch of government. We wonder how he would react to a ruling, adverse or not, on Hacienda Luisita.

Finally, the President says he does not like micro-managing his government. This is good; effective leaders know how to delegate their tasks. What seems to escape Mr. Aquino, however, is that finding the right people to delegate to is crucial to success. By right, we mean those who are competent, independent and honorable —not those who come from the right camp, wherever that may be.

Mr. Aquino's popularity is unsustainable if he does not make sound and firm decisions. He was, first and foremost, a captivator, inspiring the public to care about their country again. If he does not make serious changes to his leadership, however, all that optimism will go unrealized.

Mr. Aquino has five-and-a-half years to get some real work done. He should begin today.

STANDARD OPINION BY 'TO THE POINT' EMIL JURADO

Aquino's challenge are his people

Is anybody really listening to the warning of the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police against the use of firecrackers for the New Year celebrations? Just look at the increasing number of injuries and even the loss of lives. Look at the long line of vehicles going to Bocaue, Bulacan. Don't the authorities realize that only the peddlers of these firecrackers—most of them smuggled from China—seem to be having a grand time?

***

The New Year's Eve madness reminds me of my boyhood days in Abra. Yes, we also enjoyed making noises to greet the New Year in those days, but we did not need the deadly toys that young people nowadays think are necessary for the celebration. I remember making canons out of bamboo and buying petroleum for that distinct booming sound. We had fun—no injuries, no deaths. I also remember my toys made of empty cans of condensed milk, with wheels made of bottle crown (tanzan). How enjoyed pulling my toy around! Now I watch my grandson play with his toys and I have to ask him to teach me how to operate them. I do not believe I missed out on anything.

***

If credit must be given on the passage of the P1.6-trillion national budget for 2011 in record time, it must be to Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad. He worked hard to have both chambers of Congress pass next year's budget before the end of 2010. Credit must also be given to House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile who pushed the budget's approval in record time, together with their respective chairmen on appropriations and finance. President Aquino claims the budget would go a long way in the administration's anti-poverty initiatives, with special mention of the conditional cash transfer program.

Aquino, however, should see to it that the dole program is not abused given its many loopholes. Even former President Gloria Arroyo, who originated the program under her administration, is skeptical. I think the program encourages mendicancy. It originated from the states of Latin America, which are socialists.

***

The President considers the Judiciary his greatest challenge to his program to eradicate graft and corruption. He must be referring to the Supreme Court ruling saying that Executive Order No. 1 creating the Truth Commission was unconstitutional. The Court said it was in violation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution. The President is barking up the wrong tree. Who crafted the executive order in the first place, anyway? It was not the Supreme Court; it was his own legal team. Senator Joker Arroyo said that these were of "lesser legal minds."

These are you challenges, Mr. President. You have utterly incompetent people who draft questionable documents that have put your credibility on the line. The same goes for the proclamation on the amnesty of the soldiers who mounted mutinies against Mrs. Arroyo. The President should replace his lawyers with more competent ones. Otherwise, his current legal team will create more problems for him.

***

Another challenge for the President is maintaining the trust and confidence he now enjoys from the public. Leadership is not like a beauty contest. It is the ability to make decisions for the greater good of the greatest number. By this I mean that a President must show political will by doing what must be done even at the risk of being unpopular. It's lonely up there on the top.

***

Philippine Airlines is now paying 50 percent of the first five months of the long-delayed 16 months overtime, meal and transportation charges of over 400 Customs personnel assigned to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Hopefully, foreign airlines will also do the same. PAL has shown that airlines do have to pay in accordance with two specific provisions of Tariff Customs Code of the Philippine.

These provisions specify that when people or agencies require Customs to work overtime, the latter must be paid with rates mutually agreed upon. That's the law, and they must be observed.

However, there's one aspect of this issue that must be looked into by Congress. It's the fact that foreign airlines had earlier joined in the protest against overtime, an issue which has been elevated before the Supreme Court.

We need a law to settle this issue once and for all. That's what congressional investigations "in aid of legislation" are for. When foreign airlines join a protest against a specific law, an investigation is in order. Santa Banana, it's an affront against Philippine laws!

***

I think these are the performers in the Cabinet: Foreign Affairs Secretary Bert Romulo, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Budget Secretary Butch Abad, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro.

The non-performers are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Undersecretary Rico Puno, presidential legal counsel Ed de Mesa and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman. They will never make it before the Commission on Appointments anyway.

There are also presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, Ricky Carandang and Sonny Coloma of that three-legged hydra called Communications Group.

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PHNO-OPINION: MALAYA EDITORIAL: HONG KONG IS OVER-REACHING


 



MALAYA EDITORIAL: HONG KONG IS OVER-REACHING


MANILA, DECEMBER 31, 2010 (MALAYA) 'The HK government now wants to second-guess the IIRC and the President? Any self-respecting sovereign nation would have none of such nonsense.'

WE know where the Hong Kong government is coming from. It is under intense pressure from residents to determine "what really happened" on that fateful day last August when eight tourists held hostage by a crazed police officer died in a botched rescue attempt. This is the reason the Hong Kong government decided to hold a coroner's inquest a long four months after the incident.

But what additional facts does the HK government seek to find that has not been established by local investigators, primarily the Incident Investigation and Review Committee headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima? The eight fatalities were killed by bullets fired from the M16 of hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza, who himself was shot dead by policemen who had assaulted the hijacked bus.

The identities of the fatalities are known. How they died has been established. The killer has been identified. His alleged accomplice, the killer's brother who was a serving policeman, has been charged. That's how things now stand. There is no need for a coroner's inquest whose closest equivalent in the local criminal justice system is a combination of forensic examination by the police and determination of probable cause by the prosecution service.

What else do HK authorities want to know and to be done?

Do they also want to look into the bungled rescue attempt? The IIRC has already established that the unit that was tasked to rescue the hostages was ill-prepared and ill-trained. It has also been established that there was a failure of leadership by both senior police officials and local government officials. The IIRC, in fact, has recommended that some of them be criminally and administratively charged. Upon review, however, President Aquino downgraded the recommendation to administrative charges.

The HK government now wants to second-guess the IIRC and the President? And possibly hold the officials named in the IIRC report responsible for criminal negligence if there is such an offense in the criminal code of the HK special administrative region?

Any self-respecting sovereign nation would have none of such nonsense. The hostage-taking and the killings took place here. Hong Kong is over-reaching. It's time to tell the island's leaders to stuff their coroner's inquest up their behind.

MALAYA OPINION

My thoughts for the coming year DUCKY PAREDES

"Let us hope for a more prosperous Philippines in the coming year, which is easily achieved if only everyone does whatever he is supposed to be doing, as best as he can. "

A SENATOR accuses the President of plagiarizing the budgets prepared by the previous president. Actually, the Senator, who will be ending his lackluster Senate stint before the next elections, only shows his lack of understanding.

Our national budgets, no matter who the president may be, have always been (and will always be) about the same. It is pushing to suggest that a new president, rushed into office, as Noynoy Aquino was, would have a novel approach to budgeting. Perhaps, next year -- for 2012?

The problem is that, once the mandatory expenses have been programmed, there is very little left to budget for special programs. For instance, for 2011, P'noy wants to build 14,000 new classrooms. While that seems like something good, when we input the fact that we actually need 153,000 classrooms to be built, one realizes that there really is nothing to budgeting since there will never be enough money even for all the things that need doing today.

The new classrooms to be built by the Department of Education (DepEd) represent roughly 11 percent of the current shortage in public schools nationwide.

Already, even when the 2011 budget just meets the barest minimum required, the P12.04-billion fund for the construction of schools in the coming year is four times the P3-billion allocation for 2010.

There is really not much that can be done as long as our population keeps growing much, much faster than our economy and the amounts that the government can collect in taxes.

***

We end 2010 and begin 2011, on a note of mandatory optimism. Ever since the 1986 People Power Revolt, the idea that we could find peace with the Communist rebels has been foisted upon us.

Perhaps, President Joseph Estrada was right in that the only way we would have peace in our country would be when one side has prevailed in a civil war that began as a debate between Communism and Capitalism but which has deteriorated into meaningless blood-letting. The combatants – both the once-vaunted New People's Army and our military -- are no more than savages looking for someone to kill.

When we go into peace talk mode, the game deteriorates into a propaganda campaign where each side tries to paint the other side the darker of the two combatants. Thus, hours are spent trading insults and charges – none of which are taken with any seriousness. As with all peace talks, the present one will also end without any resolution since the only acceptable one to either side is a surrender by one side to the other.

Why are we wasting everyone's time? There can never be peace between Them and Us, no matter where one is situated. Yet, we continue to talk, pointlessly. There are really no points on which there can be agreement. Can one negotiate with the Devil himself or with a wild animal?

Then, even if one had a written agreement, would it be worth the paper on which the agreement is written? So what is the point of talking? The only reasonable way to go is to win on the chosen battlefield. Once total victory has been achieved, we would be in the class of Malaysia and Indonesia or Vietnam and China where the ideological debate was finally won on the battlefield and not in any negotiating table during peace talks.

Stretching out the moment of the final denouement is punishing on both sides. Let's get that over with and move on. We are the only country in our part of the world where this question is still being debated and not with wordy statements but with bullets and bombs. Enough already!

Too many of us have already died in this never-ending war, many of them not even combatants but just ordinary folk. To what end?

***

There is no need to talk about the revolutionary taxes that the Communists collect from businesses in their areas of operation. Will we negotiate a sharing of revenues? They have no business collecting taxes because they are not the government. It would also be pointless to tell businesses that do so that they should not pay taxes to these rebels. The truth is that when they feel that the military and the government cannot protect them, it makes sense for them to deal with the rebels by paying the revolutionary tax rather than fighting a war in which the businessmen have no business being involved. The government ought to assure them the security they need. Then, there will be no need for them to pay those revolutionary taxes.

Businessmen will pay those taxes for the same reason why they will pay to do their business without any trouble. Is there any better reason for paying taxes?

If no one can assure them a safe environment, most businesses will fold up their tents and move elsewhere – in this case, probably to another country which can assure them of their relative safety.

***

The normal progression of those who start off as revolutionaries in a spirit of idealistic adventurism all too often is to end as brigands. The different revolutionary movements that the government is facing are no different. They are no better of and no different from outright bandits such as the Abu Sayyaf. They ought to be treated with the same disrespect.

***

Let us hope for a more prosperous Philippines in the coming year, which is easily achieved if only everyone does whatever he is supposed to be doing, as best as he can.

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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

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PHNO-OPINION: STAR EDITORIAL: A YEAR OF POSITIVE CHANGE / NEW YEAR: REBIRTH, RESOLUTIONS


 



STAR EDITORIAL: A YEAR OF POSITIVE CHANGE / NEW YEAR: REBIRTH, RESOLUTIONS


MANILA, DECEMBER 31, 2010 (STAR) The year closes with surveys showing unusually high optimism about better times ahead. The year that is passing gave many reasons to be hopeful.

There was no lack of bad news throughout the year, from the usual typhoons and floods to the hostage crisis on Aug. 23 and the many roadblocks along the way as a new government tried to lay the foundations for reforms. The hostage crisis showed the weaknesses of several of the country's institutions, and there are only vague indications that the weaknesses are being addressed.

Problems old and new lie ahead. Experts have warned that an energy crisis looms in the coming year, and the problem has no immediate solution in sight. The goodwill enjoyed by a new administration tends to dissipate after a year, and political sniping tends to increase as the popularity of the chief executive ebbs, further derailing the implementation of reform programs.

Overall, however, the year has been a good one for the nation. The first fully automated election was a success, despite glitches that must be addressed if the next major electoral exercise will be automated. A new president is in place with a decisive mandate. He closes the year with performance and trust ratings high enough to implement difficult reforms and lure job-generating investment. The transfer of power after nine years was orderly and peaceful. A new government always offers a fresh chance for peace with insurgent groups, and the current one is pursuing peace initiatives.

Even nature generally cooperated, with no typhoons or floods as devastating as the ones that struck the country last year. With no major natural disasters to worry about, the Aquino administration has been able to focus on addressing the birth pains of a new government. There have been some hits, such as the ban on the use of sirens and the display of politicians' names and faces on billboards, and some misses, particularly the visible lack of coordination within the President's team.

But the year generally bode well for new ways of doing business in this country. A good New Year's resolution is to make sure the positive changes are sustained.

PHILIPPINE STAR OPINION

New Year: Rebirth and resolutions GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) Updated December 31, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (1) View comments

New Year's Day is every man's birthday, Charles Lamb said. It gives us the chance to start anew. Resolving to be better in the New Year is as old as civilization. The Babylonians 4000 years ago found occasion to return borrowed farm implements. The ancient Chinese repaid debts, and mended broken relations with friends and relatives.

Aptly the New Year symbol is a baby carrying a banner of the year. It supposedly began in Greece in 600 BC as part of celebrating the god of wine, Dionysus. The Greeks would parade a babe in a basket, depicting the god's annual rebirth as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used infants as the symbol of rebirth.

January 1 became the start of the year in 46 BC, when Julius Caesar made a calendar that better reflected the seasons than previous ones had. The Romans named the first month after Janus, the mythical king with two faces, one in front and the other back of the head. Janus could look to both the past and the future, and so was the Roman symbol for resolution. On New Year's they sought forgiveness from enemies and exchanged gifts with friends. Coins imprinted with Janus' double face were favorite gifts.

Early Christians frowned upon New Year's festivities as paganism. In the Middle Ages they changed New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of the Christ Child. Then, it was moved to March 25, the day of the Annunciation by Archangel Gabriel to Mary that she would bear the Son of God. Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar on Feb. 24, 1582, and restored January 1 as the beginning of the New Year.

Modern Filipinos resolve to lose weight, spend less or stop smoking. But the way they boom firecrackers and booze all Eve's night, it's more like the New Year being a fresh start on their old habits.

* * *

The Top 10 New Year's Resolutions, according to a recent survey, are:

1. Spend more time with family and friends.

2. Exercise regularly and stay physically fit.

3. Diet and keep trim.

4. Quit smoking.

5. Enjoy life more, not necessarily by living it up, but being happy and healthy in body, mind and soul.

6. Quit drinking.

7. Get out of debt; spend wisely; stick to a budget.

8. Learn something new: change careers, reenroll in school, take up a hobby, read more.

9. Help others; do volunteer work.

10. Get organized — at home or work.

* * *

A separate survey shows that most people forget their New Year's promises by the first two weeks of the New Year. Almost everybody would have forgotten by midyear.

* * *

Psychologists suggest five ways to keep your New Year's pledges:

1. Aim low. Resolutions are easier said than done; so don't shoot for the moon. Like, instead of declaring to yourself to shed off 30 pounds, be happy with ten or 15.

2. Don't overload yourself. It's hard enough to keep one promise; you don't have to take on more. Like, if your pledge is to find a girlfriend or beau, maybe just losing weight would do the trick.

3. Tell everyone you know. Keeping your resolution(s) to yourself leaves you with only one person to egg you to strive on. There's no shame in seeking help.

4. Reward yourself. Try Pavlovian conditioning. If you vowed to spend less and so shunned the shoe sale, buy yourself a steaming cup of cappuccino.

5. Start at the best time. Sometimes it's impossible to fulfill your pledge right on New Year's Day. Try other early days of the year, like Valentine's on February 14, or the Chinese New Year on February 3.

* * *

The toughest but worthiest self-improvements are of character. The Toastmaster's Treasury Chest features this New Year's verse, author unknown:

A little less impatient with those we deem too low;

A littler less of arrogance because of all we know;

A little more humility, seeing our worth is slight;

We are such trivial candles compared to stars at night!

A little more forgiving and swifter to be kind;

A little more desirous the word of praise to find;

The word of praise to utter and make a heart rejoice;

A little bit more careful to speak with gentle voice;

A little more true eagerness to understand each other;

A little more real striving to help a shipwrecked brother;

A little more high courage to each task that must be done;

These be our resolutions — and God help everyone!

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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

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PHNO-BE: FOREIGN DEBT SWELLED TO $59.8 BILLION IN SEPTEMBER


 



FOREIGN DEBT SWELLED TO $59.8 BILLION IN SEPTEMBER


MANILA, DECEMBER 31, 2010 (MANILA STANDARD TODAY) by Roderick T. dela Cruz - The country's foreign debt swelled 9.2 percent year-on-year to $59.8 billion at the end of September, but the good news is that the Philippines has enough foreign exchange hoard to fully cover the foreign obligations, Bangko Sentral said Wednesday.
Bangko Sentral Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. said the gross international reserves of nearly $61 billion as of November "can already fully cover total outstanding external debt of $59.8 billion that have been approved or registered by Bangko Sentral as of the end of the third quarter of 2010."

Bangko Sentral earlier reported that its gross international reserves hit a record high of $61.3 billion at the end of November as a result of a strong balance of payments surplus of $13.2 billion in the first 11 months of the year.

External debt refers to all types of borrowings by the government and the private sector from other countries.

Tetangco noted that the external debt level as of end-September was up $2.5 billion or 4.4 percent from $57.3 billion at the end of the second quarter.

Public sector external debt rose $2.2 billion to $46.4 billion in the third quarter from $44.2 billion in the second quarter while private sector external debt grew $344 million to $13.4 billion.

About 44.9 percent of the debt came from official creditors that include multilateral institutions and bilateral creditors while 36 percent represented debt to foreign holders of bonds and notes. Other lenders were foreign banks and other financial institutions, as well as foreign suppliers or exporters.

US dollar-denominated accounts comprised 48.5 percent of the total foreign debt; yen, 29.1 percent; multi-currency loans from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, 10.6 percent; and the rest in 18 other international currencies.

The growth of external debt on a quarterly basis was traced to the weakening of the US dollar against major currencies in which the country's debt stock is denominated, such as the Japanese yen. This increased the outstanding debt in US dollar terms by more than $1.5 billion.

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PHNO-SP: 2010 BOXING STORY: FIGHT THAT NEVER WAS


 



2010 BOXING STORY: FIGHT THAT NEVER WAS


MANILA, DECEMBER 31, 2010 (STAR) By Abac Cordero - [PHOTO AT LEFT . Manny Pacquiao (right) vs Floyd Mayweather Jr.: The fight that never was]

MANILA, Philippines - Still boxing's biggest news in 2010 is all about the biggest fight that never happened.

For so many reasons, from drug-testing, purse sharing, court cases and other legal disputes, boxing fans have been deprived of Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather.

It's a fight that came close to happening twice. Only if it did, it would have broken all existing records in boxing, from fight revenues to pay-per-view sales.

Even bigger than Ali vs Frazier. Or Dela Hoya vs Mayweather.

But it may or may never happen at all. The world is waiting.

Pacquiao and Mayweather, the pound-for-pound champions depending on who's side you're on, stand to receive around $50 million each if the fight ever takes place.

One of Pacquiao's advisers, former governor Luis "Chavit" Singson, said Pacquiao can make as much as $70 million (almost P3 billion) in a fight against Mayweather.

But certainly it won't happen in the next couple of months because Pacquiao is already set to face Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

If it would take place next year, then it comes in the latter part, in the last quarter.

After Pacquiao beat up Joshua Clottey last March and Mayweather crushed Mosley last May, talks for the superfight resumed between Top Rank, representing the Filipino icon, and Golden Boy, for the undefeated American.

Last June, Oscar dela Hoya openly said on video that the fight was very close to happening. A date, in fact, had been set, Nov. 13, as well as the venue, the MGM Grand.

But Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy's CEO, stepped in, saying his boss was just misquoted.

Both parties just can't put their act together, and on all issues they agreed to disagree.

Mayweather wanted an Olympic-style, random blood-testing. Pacquiao refused. Mayweather wanted a bigger share of the revenue. Pacquiao said no.

Pacquiao ended up facing Antonio Margarito last November, and Mayweather said he's taking a leave from boxing, considering that he made a lot of money against Mosley.

Then all the troubles came. Mayweather was arrested by police last September due to domestic violence involving Josie Harris, the mother of his three children, leading to grand larceny and felony charges.

After Pacquiao beat Margarito to a pulp, Bob Arum said he'd work on the Mayweather fight soon, but even before the first phone call was made, the flamboyant American ran into trouble anew.

Mayweather allegedly tried to force another driver, who happens to be Quincey Williams, his former acquaintance, off the road somewhere in Las Vegas.

Williams is the same man whose BMW was shot at six times in 2009, also in Las Vegas, by a former Mayweather bodyguard, apparently because the former texted the American boxer that he hoped Mayweather would lose to Juan Manuel Marquez in their 2009 encounter.

Mayweather had also allegedly poked a security guard in the face outside his home, and more than a week ago came another incident as he tried to enter the subdivision he was staying at.

"It's really too hard to explain why someone with that high visibility can do things like that. It's almost like a bad movie," Arum told The STAR.

Pacquiao, on the other side, is being hailed as a box-office hit. Sports Illustrated has chosen him as its top boxing story for 2010, and recently news icon CNN has hailed the fighting congressman for public service.

Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, said it's too bad the fight that the whole world wants to see can't be made.

"It's a devastating blow," Greenburg told USA Today.

"I feel like we're up against the ropes and we're being pounded in the corner, and it hurts. Where would the NFL be without the Super Bowl, or baseball without the World Series? It makes no sense. And in all of our years covering the sport, I can't remember a time when a fight of that magnitude didn't materialize.

"So I'm dumbfounded. And I think HBO Sports is dumbfounded as to why it's not happening. It's very frustrating, and something's got to give," he said.

Yes, it's too bad that the biggest fight, ever, may never happen, at all.

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PHNO-SB: THE COCA-COLA CHRISTMAS CARAVAN LIGHTS UP MAGIC AND HAPPINESS


 



THE COCA-COLA CHRISTMAS CARAVAN LIGHTS UP MAGIC AND HAPPINESS

MANILA, DECEMBER 31, 2010 (MANILA STANDARD) Shake up the happiness. Wake it up, wake up the happiness. It's Christmas time!

Once again, the country's one and only partner in opening up the true spirit of the holiday season, Coca-Cola, rolled down the highly anticipated Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan and the annual Araneta Center Giant Tree Lighting on Nov. 12 at the Araneta Coliseum parking lot. The well-loved beverage brand treated guests to an experience like no other when it painted the town red and led all the festivities, keeping true to fulfilling its tradition of bringing everybody together to usher in a magical Christmas.

Kicking off the day's funfair was a grand parade led by a convoy of Coca-Cola Christmas trucks carrying two of the hottest youth icons of today and Coca-Cola ambassadors Kim Chiu and Enchong Dee with teen celebrities Empress Schuck, Joseph Marco, Matt Evans and the Pinoy Big Brother Teen Clash of 2010 housemates Ivan Dorschner, James Reid, Ryan Bang, Bret Jackson, Tricia Santos, Jenny Sol, Devon Seron and Fretzie Bercede, StarStruck idols Kris Bernal, Steven Silva, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda and Diva Montelaba along with the Philippine Navy Band which marched along and rocked out the Araneta Center with lively renditions of popular Christmas jingles.

Right after the caravan spread cheers across the upbeat hub, more and more surprises were opened up as the energetic duo of Nicole Hyala and Chris Tsuper welcomed guests to the various game, activity and photo booths lined up by Coca-Cola just before the official tree lighting ceremony started. The renowned Love Radio tandem DJ's bonded and shared an early Noche Buena feast with the celebrity guests, granted some of the guests' heartfelt wishes and gave away raffle prizes to lucky folks all through out the afternoon.

In no time, all the rush and thrill finally led to the much-awaited lighting of the Giant Christmas Tree situated at the heart of Araneta Center, a celebrated custom since 1981. The exciting countdown to the "it-moment" was joined in by officials from the local government, Araneta Center and The Coca-Cola Company along with Kim Chiu and Enchong Dee along with other personalities and celebrity guests. Standing at almost 100ft. this year's tree is bedecked with more than 10, 000 lights and hundreds of stars and Coca-Cola Christmas balls, with huge ribbons and colorful gift boxes as accents. Through the years, it has been a beacon of hope among the Filipinos; a most cherished icon that signals the beginning of the holiday season and reminds us to always believe in the magic and happiness it brings, the same way Coca-Cola inspires.

"We are so happy that we are part of this very momentous affair—to light up happiness and open up a magical Christmas season with our favorite drink, Coca-Cola! That's what this occasion is all about—for us to remember that we would always have Coca-Cola to energize our bodies with its delicious taste and fizz as we celebrate with the ones closest to our hearts and to refresh our spirits so we can all enjoy life's goodness," says Coca-Cola ambassador Enchong Dee.

Unlike in the previous years, Coca-Cola gave the amazed partakers more reasons to light up happiness among themselves and others around them as it held the first-ever simulated lights and sounds show. The magical harmony of lively Christmas anthems and dazzling beams that sparkled among the Coca-Cola caravan up to the giant tree culminated to a fireworks display, which left guests in high spirits.

Indeed it was a day of wonderful surprises, moreover when Coca-Cola also launched the Coca-Cola Contour Glass promo. "The Coca-Cola contour glass is one of this season's fun, ultimate merry must-haves that will surely complete our Noche Buena bonding and allow us to keep refreshing ourselves with the deliciously fizzy cola drink we all love. It's available in five perky colors such as red, yellow, violet and green and the latest addition to the bunch, the aquamarine contour glass. Let's make moments count this Christmas by sharing them together. Let's make it more colorful with an ice-cold Coke and these cool contours," says Coca-Cola ambassador Kim Chiu.

It's so easy to take home all five Coca-Cola Christmas Contour Glasses: Buy Coca-Cola, Coke Light, Coke Zero, Sprite or Royal Tru Orange in any of the 500ml, 750ml, 1L, 1.5L and 2L packs. Look under the Santa cap for the "Coke Glass" text and collect two more regular Coca-Cola Santa caps and exchange these caps for one Coca-Cola Christmas Contour Glass from any 7 Eleven store, selected sari-sari stores or public markets and Coca-Cola Sales offices nationwide. You may redeem from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31 only.

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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

© Copyright, 2010 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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PHNO-SB: DING-DONG & MARIAN PREDICTED TO WED; OGIE-REGINE, KRIS-JAMES FORTUNES REVEALED


 



DING-DONG & MARIAN PREDICTED TO WED; OGIE-REGINE, KRIS-JAMES FORTUNES REVEALED


MANILA, DECEMBER 31, 2010 (MANILA BULLETIN) By JULIEN MERCED C. MATABUENA - If the recent reading of a psychic proves itself true, then Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes are meant to tie the knot.

"Nakikita ko na magkakatuluyan sila definitely. Not yet this year, but eventually they will," Bro. Robert Andal, a feng shui expert, said on "Unang Hirit" on Dec. 30.

He added that while the couple have clashing signs (Marian's a Wood Rat while Dingdong is a Metal Monkey), their match is still a "very good combination."

Individually, Andal predicted that Marian is bound for more intrigues in the Year of the Rabbit whilst still enjoying success in showbiz.

"Kasi sa sign ni Marian this year, medyo lapitin pa rin ng mga intriga, hindi pa rin mawawala. Nasa kanya kasi 'yung sinasabi nating 'intrigue star'… medyo magiging masalimuot, magulo ang kanyang showbiz saka love life.

"Pero definitely, 'yung kanyang career this year magiging maganda pa rin naman. Especially 'yung nakikita kong next teleserye niya, which is an epic teleserye ['Amaya'], magiging maganda 'yun. So maganda ang magiging feedback ng ating televiewers do'n, so gaganda ulit 'yung kanyang career," he disclosed.

Dingdong will be as lucky, according to Andal.

"Maswerte siya this year kasi monkey siya. Yung 'romance star,' 'scholastic star' nasa kanya. Nakikita ko sa kanya napaka-pasensyoso niya pagdating sa pag-ibig," said he.

Meanwhile, newlyweds Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez's fortunes were also revealed. Another psychic, Sir Zid, predicts that the Sheep and Dog couple will become closer than they already are and that they can already have a baby if they want to.

"When it comes to my predictions to them, since ang mga elements nila and kanilang signs is dog and sheep, we all know that sheep and dog [are]compatible. Or sabihin na nating in the herd, dog herds the sheep. So ibig sabihin niyan, when it comes to 2011, magkakaroon sila ng bonding pa. 'Yung closeness nila ngayon... they can be closer.

"When it comes to [a] baby kasi, like what I said, 2011 is the year of fertility and love. So if they really wanted it, they can without fail," said Zid.

Andal also looked at the fortunes of exes Kris Aquino and James Yap, whose match would've been one that's "made in heaven."

"When it comes to their combination, actually kung titingnan natin, they're supposed to be 'made in heaven.' Pero ang nakikita ko lang, 'yung element nilang dalawa. Si Kris kasi is metal and then James is water. So when you put metal in water, it rusts. So therefore sa kanilang relationship, sino 'yung nagsa-suffer? Si Kris. Kung nangyari ay si James 'yung naging metal at si Kris yung naging water, magandang-maganda 'yung kombinasyon na 'yun.

"May nakikita akong chance [na magkakabalikan sila]. Pero nakikita ko na hindi pa [ngayon]. A slim chance at this point. Nakikita ko may mga bago silang love life this year, pero temporary lang," said Andal.

Still pertaining to showbiz but on a more general note, Zid predicted that 2011 is the "year of love and fertility." Among other things, there would be unexpected pregnancies and "tukso" for the males. He said that the coming year will be right for those who've always wanted to have either a child or a partner.

Zid cautioned those who want to shift from one career to another, saying that doing so would be tricky. Comparing it to the movements of the "swift" rabbit, he said that those who would attempt to shift might just move around in circles, only to end back where they started.

"Babalik pa rin [sila] dun sa gusto ng puso nila. Kumbaga 'yung shift mo from one idea to another, since mabilis nga ang movement ng rabbit, still you will go back. Negative man pero still [nandun pa rin] 'yung aspect ng coming back home," he explained.

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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

© Copyright, 2009 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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