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PHNO-BE: LOCAL STOCKS LIKELY TO BOUNCE BACK THIS WEEK

LOCAL STOCKS LIKELY TO BOUNCE BACK THIS WEEK

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (STAR) By Zinnia B. Dela Peña - Local stocks are likely to bounce off a week-long selloff as investors scamper for bargain issues.
Last week, the Philippine main composite index fell 114.2 points or three percent week-on-week to 3,737.04 with all sub-sectors except the mining-oil index in the red.

"After the long losing streak from the previous week, we could see the market make a technical rebound next week. The rebound could get a helping hand if the anxieties in Libya die down. Sentiments should improve once the worries of a long drawn Libyan civil war will not materialize as Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi's hold on power is growing weaker by the day," said AB Capital Securities Inc.

Jun Calaycay of Accord Capital Equities said a protracted crisis may keep world oil prices rising and even as the country's dependence on the commodity has been reduced, it continues to be significant to cause upward price pressures.

International pressures on Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi have intensified. French President Nikolai Sarkozy took the initiative as first leader of a global power to openly call for Qaddafi's resignation. The US, in turn, after having pulled out their personnel from Tripoli, have shifted to a more aggressive stance, vowing to impose sanctions, both unilaterally and in cooperation with other nations.

"The quicker the Middle East crisis is resolved, and its spread across other similarly situated nations, including North Korea is pre-empted, the earlier investors can re-focus on the improving economic numbers - the better for equities," Calaycay said.

"The immediate effect is already being felt with oil and commodity prices running north, threatening to go over the $100 per barrel mark. This has already "pushed" local oil companies to jack up pump prices of fuel," Calaycay said.

Calaycay said prices of basic commodities are going to rise as well as input and transportation costs adjust to the changes.

He said the government may be hard pressed to keep the budget deficit, set at P290 billion, in check.

"Over-all these will dampen domestic demand, ergo making firms think twice on revving up their capacities and increasing output. The net result will be slower economic activity. Government's seven to eight percent GDP growth targets is threatened," Calaycay said.

Calaycay noted that emerging economies are now reeling from the impact of aggressive investment flows over the last two years. "Thus, we are likely to see local equity investors hesitating to make early bets on listed firms forward earnings, at least until some clarity emerges on the resolution of the conflict, as well as a pre-emption of similarly- inspired uprisings in neighboring and peripheral countries.

Investors are also expected to track companies companies' earnings results and their outlook for this year. Among those scheduled to release their results this week are Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Aboitiz Power, Manila Electric Co. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPI).

BIZ COLUMN

Stale bureaucratic thinking delays PPP DEMAND AND SUPPLY By Boo Chanco (The Philippine Star) Updated February 28, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (0)

I have been talking to people familiar with the government's BOT/PPP programs and on how things happen or fail to happen at the ground level. These are people who are experts in their fields with experience in and out of government. The main impression I am getting is that stale bureaucratic thinking is causing the delay in launching P-Noy's PPP.

In fact, one expert is sure they will not be able to get anything ready for bidding this year. This is contrary to Sec. Purisima's bold promise to potential foreign investors that 10 PPP projects will be tendered in 2011. A time line chart based on past experience showed the earliest launch is April 2012.

But it is not hopeless if the folks in DOTC and DPWH had more sense of urgency and are willing to take new paths even if it means their prerogatives and potential tongpats may be sacrificed. I listened to a presentation on the status of the projects listed or being considered for PPP and apparently, there are two projects, possibly three that should have been ready for this year if only the bidding was opened last December. As it is, we are now moving into March and none of the line agencies have put out a bid bulletin.

So what's holding things up? Stale bureaucratic thinking.

For instance, the MRT2 East extension project from Santolan, Pasig to Masinag, Antipolo is ready. The four-km elevated rail extension with two stations had been extensively studied. In fact, I was told there had been three feasibility studies on it, the latest in March 2010.

There was a NEDA decision on June 9, 2009 to go PPP on this project but DOTC has sought a new feasibility study, this time with JICA. They now plan to schedule a tender by the 3Q2011 which makes it impossible to get this project up and going this year. The tendering phase takes nine to 12 months.

Incredible? Here are the gory details: Invitation to Bid (21 days); Response (45 days), Prequalification (60 days), Preparation of Bids (120-150), Evaluation & Award (30-60) for a total of 276 to 336 days (nine to 12 months). And that's only the tendering stage.

Next comes Contract Negotiation and Government Approvals and this takes 30 to 90 days or three months. Then there is Financial Closing which takes anywhere from three to 12 months. Sure, they can cut the process short but it isn't likely. Bureaucrats don't normally work that way.

The project cost is now estimated at P11,300 million ($251 million) but will definitely go up because bureaucrats want still another study on top of the three previous studies. I am beginning to suspect there is a mafia making big bucks on feasibility studies.

I am told that the cost of an ODA-funded study could range from $300,000 to $1 million. When they use local experts, the cost tends to go to the lower cost range. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) submitted a feasibility study on this Line 2 Extension to LRTA and DOTC in March 2010. The cost of that study was picked up by Marubeni. LRTA could have used the information from this study to proceed, but they did not. They asked JICA to conduct another one – whose recommendations, according to experts, won't be any different from the March 2010. And that's where we are now.

The new feasibility study was requested from JICA by our bureaucrats and JICA readily approved a grant. This would effectively buy time for the Japanese - so they can place the project on the ODA pipeline - on the argument that the interest rate is lower than domestic loan and the tenor is longer. That would however relegate Philippine contractors, consultants, and funders to 2nd class status and permit the Japanese contractors to jack up the project cost.

The Japanese are eager to keep the project under their wings possibly to prevent a project successfully implemented with local financing and ending up at a cost lower (P9 billion) than the one the Japanese pushed for in 2008 (P11.3 billion). The new study will not reduce the level of ignorance by government, nor affect the terms of the PPP tender. So why wait for some report that will not materially affect the tender?

The other project that could have been launched is the Cavite to Laguna expressway or CALA. It is a 27.5-km six-lane expressway, in two phases.The feasibility study was completed in 2006, with high focus on it being implemented via the BOT/PPP route. From what I understand, the alignment had been surveyed and talks initiated with affected landowners and local government officials and everything is already set.

But the DPWH changed the alignment of CALA, which justified a new feasibility study. The World Bank is financing the new study. That would place the project on the World Bank/IFC pipeline. They claim they will schedule a tender by 3Q2011, after end of WB study. A more realistic timetable for tender would be 3rd week 2012. Project Cost ~P10.5 million ($233.3 million) will probably end up higher too due to time delay and new talks for right of way.

I couldn't get a clear and justifiable reason for the realignment. I suspect, there are pressures from some politicians and businessmen with land along the new proposed alignment.

The third possible project that could be launched this year is the proposed elevated expressway that will link the North and the South expressways running on top of PNR's current railway line. It is actually an unsolicited bid from the Metro Pacific Group of Manny Pangilinan and as such not supposed to be in the PPP list.

It would be better to convert it into a solicited mode. It is a less risky path, aside from consistency with P-Noy's transparency policy. The bigger danger of proceeding on the unsolicited path is the opportunity it opens to opponents of the administration to say that P-Noy is favoring MVP because of previous links of Babes Singson with MVP.

This project also has a major problem involving "air rights". Apparently, PNR raised money in the past by mortgaging the "air rights" over its tracks and failed to pay so the "air rights" were foreclosed. Air rights are supposed to be the rights above one's real estate property which apparently can be bought and sold separate from one's right over the land.

There are various theories on how this concept is or is not legally tenable in this country. One view states it is a worthless piece of paper that has no legal basis. But that's neither here nor there. The important thing is, no lenders will be willing to extend credit to MetroPac on the Link Expressway, unless that air right issue is validated. In short, doubts about it would choke financing. So it would be safer to assume that it exists.

The latest report on this "air rights" is that it had fallen into the lap of the Home Guarantee Corporation (HGC), a government corporation. I understand HGC values these "air rights" over the PNR tracks at P2.4 billion! Until this issue is resolved, the Link expressway over the PNR tracks can't break ground this year either.

If you go down the list of all the other projects in their PPP list, the situation is even worse… bureaucrats are asking for new studies.

I hope Sec. Purisima does not think we have been over critical of PPP. In fact, we want his promised 10 projects this year to be realized by pointing out problems that are delaying things. There is nothing more I would like than to be proven wrong on my fears about PPP because that would give the best outcome for the country.

Unless they do something drastic with their processes and thinking, P-Noy won't be able to claim a single PPP project on-stream when he delivers his SONA in July 2011. The bureaucrats and their usual foreign partners in crime should be told to stop doing things the old, tired and ineffective way. Yes, stop studying and start shoveling.

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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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PHNO-SB: 'PILIPINAS GOT TALENT': PINOYS SHOW THE WORLD WHAT THEY'VE GOT, ANEW

'PILIPINAS GOT TALENT': PINOYS SHOW THE WORLD WHAT THEY'VE GOT, ANEW

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (MALAYA) Pinoys show the world what they've got – again A BLIND girl playing the piano, brothes tap dancing on regular leather shoes, a girl circling hoola hoops simultaneously around her body, and a brass band composed of 70 members altogether on one stage.

These are only some of the acts to watch as Pinoys once again show the world what they've got in the highly-anticipated second season of the biggest nationwide talent-reality show "Pilipinas Got Talent" (PGT) that premiered last Saturday (Feb. 26) on ABS-CBN.

The search is on once more for that world-class act worthy of winning the P2 million cash prize and getting that once-in-a-lifetime shot at stardom just like season one grand winner Jovit Baldivino, who is now living the dream and making a mark in the industry with his music.

As "Pilipinas Got Talent" returns on air, so are its wacky hosts Luis Manzano and Billy Crawford (photo), who are both very excited to get back on stage and do the show all over again.

"I am extremely happy. We all know how much people supported the first season so it's a good feeling doing the same thing all over with Billy Boy," said Luis.

Judges Kris Aquino, Ai Ai De las Alas and Freddie M. Garcia a.k.a. FMG are also back to decide who makes the cut and who among the acts deserve to be in the grand finals.

When asked what advice they can give to season two hopefuls, Kris said, "This is a God-given chance. It's a chance to perform for the entire nation. Ibigay mo na ang lahat dahil minsan lang dumadating ang ganito kalaking oportunidad."

"Mataas ang pressure ngayon dahil dapat kabugin niya ang season one. Kung dati binuhay niyo ang katawang lupa ko, ngayon mas buhayin ninyo pa ang kaluluwa ko," added Ai Ai.

FMG also encouraged hopefuls to be braver and bolder than ever and prove that they are truly the best as he expects the competition to be on the next level this time around. "Mas technical ang judging ngayon. It's a totally different show because it's a variety show. You really don't know what to expect. I think that is the beauty of PGT."

"Pilipinas Got Talent" is indeed one of the most successful and most watched talent-reality shows on Philippine TV.

Since Baldivino won last year in June, Jovit already released two albums under Star Records, the first one hitting the Platinum record mark, and he was able to stage his first major concert at the Music Museum.

More doors also opened for other PGT season one grand finalists who are also doing well on their respective fields.

"Pilipinas Got Talent" airs Saturday and Sunday, 8:45 p.m. on ABS-CBN.

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PHNO-SB: WHERE DO OSCAR WINNERS STORE THEIR TROPHIES?

WHERE DO OSCAR WINNERS STORE THEIR TROPHIES?

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (STAR) DIRECTLINE By Boy Abunda - Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Jodie Foster and Timothy Hutton | Zoom Its Oscars time! One of the most highly watched programs in this country aside from the Miss Universe pageant and Manny Pacquaio's fights, the Academy will once again declare who among the hottest Hollywood celebrities will get the much-coveted Oscar trophies. The highest award-giving body in the American movie industry, the Oscar awards has been copied and imitated by almost all film industries in the world. But, where do winners store their Oscar trophies? Is the bathroom the most popular display area for the Oscar statuettes? We have read an article from the Oscar's website as to where they stash their trophies and we are printing it:

In honor of the 83rd annual Academy Awards (taking place Feb. 27), The Hollywood Reporter (THR) takes a look at the surprising places stars store their statues:

Susan Sarandon (Best Actress, Dead Man Walking, 1995): For years she kept it in the guest bathroom of her home - along with all of her other award hardware. Now, she tells THR it's on tour with the Gold exhibit organized by The Museum of Natural History. Says Sarandon, "I haven't seen it in a few years."

Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor, Good Will Hunting, 1997): He keeps his Oscar in his home in Tiburon, Calif. - sandwiched between two Screen Actor Guild awards. "They stand on either side," he tells THR. "So they have security."

Timothy Hutton (Best Supporting Actor, Ordinary People, 1980): He once told USA Today his sister thought it would be a good idea to keep his Oscar in the refrigerator. "She thought that would be kind of funny to put the Oscar in the refrigerator when people would go grab a beer or something … It's still there."

Reese Witherspoon (Best Actress, Walk the Line, 2005): After winning her Oscar, she told People magazine she considered making it into a door knocker or a necklace, "but neither one of those options was very practical. I just keep it in my living room."

Jodie Foster (Best Actress, The Accused [1988], The Silence of the Lambs [1991]): She used to keep hers in the bathroom "because they looked good with the faucets," she said. "But when they started getting corroded on the bottom, I had to move them to a trophy case in my den."

Catherine Zeta Jones (Best Supporting Actress, Chicago, 2002): She has kept her Oscar in a hot spot. "He's in our home in Bermuda," she once told InStyle. "I figured that not many Oscars have lived there. Of course, everyone who visits wants a photograph with him."

Holly Hunter (Best Actress, The Piano, 1994): She told Oprah Winfrey earlier this year that she keeps her award at filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen's office in New York - along with actress Frances McDormand's Oscar for her Best Actress role in Fargo. "It's all just one big happy family," Hunter said.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Best Supporting Actor, Jerry Maguire, 1996): "For six years it was in our old house in Coldwater Canyon," he has said. "We had a wine cabinet, and it sat behind the glass on one of the shelves. People would say, 'Is that it?' The cabinet was temperature controlled because of the wine, so the Oscar stayed beaming new. Now that I keep it out in the open in my screening room, it has become tarnished—which is kind of cool. It's starting to age and get character. Like me."

Anna Paquin Cate Blanchett (Best Supporting Actress, The Aviator, 2005): She doesn't keep her statue in one place. She once told InStyle, "It's been in the study recently. It moves around a bit like my family and I do. I don't look at it every day though. Life goes on."

Kate Winslet (Best Actress, The Reader, 2009): It's in her bathroom so guests "can sneakily have a little [hold] and put it back down again," she said last year on the UK TV show GMTV. "…Basically everybody wants to touch it, everybody wants to hold it and go 'Oh, my gosh,' and 'How heavy is it?' So I figured if I put it [in there], then people can avoid the whole, 'Where's your Oscar?' thing."

Tom Hanks (Best Actor, Philadelphia [1993], Forrest Gump [1994]): "Where are they now? They are on the family trophy shelf, next to the soccer trophies," he has said. "I think the World's Greatest Mom trophy from Mother's Day is up there as well."

Hilary Swank (Best Actress, Boys Don't Cry [1999], Million Dollar Baby [2004]): "They're in the family room – on a great shelf, next to my books," she once said.

Emma Thompson (Best Actress, Howard's End, 1992): Yup, she stores her statue in the bathroom too. "They look far too outré anywhere else," she has told Time. "They're great big, gold, shiny things. They're up there tarnishing quietly along with everything else I own, including my body."

Anna Paquin (photo at right) (Best Supporting Actress, The Piano, 1994): Asked where she stores her statue, she told Playboy in 1999, "In the bottom of my closet, gathering dust."

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PHNO-SB: GMA NEWS TV GOES ON THE AIR TODAY

GMA NEWS TV GOES ON THE AIR TODAY

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (STAR) (PHOTO FROM LEFT- Jessica Soho , Mel Tiangco, Arnold Clavio and Vicky Morales]

For the past six months, the men and women of GMA News and Public Affairs have been busy working on an idea - that the country is ready for an all-news and documentary channel on free TV.

That idea - and their effort - will come to fruition today, Feb. 28, as GMA News TV goes on the air, providing the Filipino viewer with a compelling viewing alternative.

Hourly newscasts, live coverage, in-depth documentaries, never-before-seen reality formats, and hard-hitting investigative programs – all on easily accessible free TV Channel 11 – make GMA News TV worth the long wait.

"Importante sa amin na alam ninyo," states GMA News TV's station ID. And the free to air news and public affairs channel – from the only broadcast news organization in the Philippines to have won the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award – stays true to that commitment by expanding the Kapuso brand of serbisyong totoo.

For GMA News TV, an informed Filipino audience is an empowered Filipino audience. With this in mind, the channel will provide substantial airtime for live events, important hearings and in-depth discussions of current issues.

Its newscasts kick off bright and early with Dobol B Sa News TV, the simulcast from the network's flagship radio station DZBB, hosted by GMA News pillar Mike Enriquez. GMA News Online's Editor-in-Chief Howie Severino and Peabody winner Kara David soon follow with the morning program News to Go.

Jessica Soho, also a Peabody winner and widely regarded as the country's most awarded broadcast journalist, anchors GMA News TV's flagship evening newscast, State Of The Nation With Jessica Soho. She is also at the forefront of Brigada – from the highly successful 1990s program that launched the careers of many broadcast journalists – as mentor to today's generation of reporters.

Arnold Clavio anchors Balita Pilipinas, which features the week's biggest headlines from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Vicky Morales brings the audience Good News, a one of a kind newscast that celebrates positive news about the country. Mel Tiangco, in turn, hosts Powerhouse, a show that gives viewers a rare glimpse into the private lives of the country's most powerful individuals.

Much-admired economist and professor Winnie Monsod banners Bawal Ang Pasaway Kay Mareng Winnie!, a program that acts as a government watchdog on the air.

Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) Executive Director Malou Mangahas hosts Investigative Documentaries. Joining her as members of the program's board of advisers are veteran journalists Sheila Coronel of Columbia University, Marites Vitug of Newsbreak, Ed Lingao of the PCIJ, Grace dela Peña-Reyes, Head of GMA News Operations and Florian Tarcelo-Balmes of GMA News Research.

Concerns, grievances and complaints against government agencies are addressed by the daily afternoon program On Call hosted by Ivan Mayrina and Connie Sison. On Call will provide on the spot assistance to those seeking help by helping them get in touch with the proper agency or authority.

Reporters Susan Enriquez and Cesar Apolinario host I Juander, a myth-busting program that reintroduces Filipinos to interesting aspects of Pinoy culture. Jun Veneracion, RJ Ledesma and Jace Flores host Best Men, a program that acquaints viewers with a guy's point of view. Tonipet Gaba delivers Pop Talk, a review show that gives a thumbs up to certain movies, gadgets, food, events and happening places.

"It" girl Solenn Heussaff empowers viewers with Fashbook, a makeover show that also focuses on inner beauty. Weekend Getaway, hosted by Drew Arellano, is a reality-travel show for real weekend warriors. Game!, hosted by Chino Trinidad, is the ultimate source of information on Pinoy sports. Daily showbiz newscast In The Limelight, with Rhian Ramos, offers more than just showbiz gossip.

The mock newscast makes a triumphant – and wacky! – return to television with (May) Tamang Balita, hosted by comedian and internet sensation Ramon Bautista. All Sports, the Sunday sports event program, features the most exciting lineup of both current and classic sporting events.

Pinoy rock icon Pepe Smith, with his equally engaging children, rock the house on the reality program The Smiths. Providing cinematic and family-friendly documentaries every weekend are Front Row and Reel Time.

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PHNO-HL: P-NOY FINALLY HOLDS 1st LEDAC MEETING / COMMENTARY: IN A FIX AGAIN

P-NOY FINALLY HOLDS 1st LEDAC MEETING / COMMENTARY: IN A FIX AGAIN

[PHOTO W/ CAPTION COURTESY OF DAYLIFE - Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, center, Vice-President Jejomar Binay, left, and former President Fidel Ramos, right, link arms as they sing a patriotic song to celebrate the 25th People Power Anniversary Friday Feb. 25, 2011, at the People Power Monument along EDSA highway at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. Ramos was one of the leaders of the near bloodless four-day people power revolution 25 years ago that ousted the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos from 20-year-rule and helped install Aquino's mother Corazon "Cory" Aquino to the presidency.]

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (STAR) By Delon Porcalla - Eight months since he assumed office in June 2010, President Aquino will finally be holding today his first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting at 10 a.m. in Malacañang.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. will be at the Aguinaldo State Hall, along with several leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Members of the Cabinet of President Aquino will also be there, to be led by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., as they will be seeking the lawmakers' support for the 23 priority bills they deem urgent to the government's platform of good governance.

"We hope to be able to show our 23 priority bills and that there would be a consensus between the leaders of our team and leaders of Congress as to what measures will be taken up," Valte told government-run radio dzRB.

She said the list grew to 23 from 17 because six measures have been added to the previous list, two of which are twin bills regarding measures that could strengthen and put more teeth to the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

The Reproductive Health (RH) bill and the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill have unfortunately been excluded from the LEDAC list, the former because a responsible parenthood bill has yet to be issued while the latter is still undergoing thorough review.

Among the added priority bills were the proposed anti-trust law, protection and security to whistle-blowers, amendments to the Witness Protection Program, creation of a water regulatory body, government procurement reforms, and defining the powers and functions of the Department of National Defense.

The list of administration-backed proposals also includes Aquino's commitments in July 2010, during his first State of the Nation Address, such as giving flesh to the constitutional provisions that prohibit monopolies and penalizing anti-competitive deals, strengthening the law on witness protection and providing security and benefits to whistle-blowers.

"All the 23 proposals went through benchmarking, goal-setting, and prioritization process during various Cabinet workshops and the succeeding meetings of the Cabinet clusters," Ochoa said.

"In determining the measures to be included in our priorities, we reckoned with four parameters: people, resources, legal basis and political objectives," the executive secretary added.

The original LEDAC list of priority bills contained 32 pieces of legislation, but this was reduced to 17. Before the LEDAC was to convene, however, the Palace added another six to the list, making it a total of 23.

"The bills that the President will present to the LEDAC are in the final stages of preparation. We are not just submitting a list of measures, but the bills themselves, which have been studied by the lead agencies involved," Ochoa said.

He said the shortlist was finalized in late January, and that the measures were selected from at least 180 proposed bills received by the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office from various departments and joint foreign chambers of commerce.

Aquino wanted to convene the LEDAC in late January, but failed.

Members of the opposition bloc in the House of Representatives, led by House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, have been complaining about the delay in the meeting.

Ochoa said the priority measures were critical to achieve the concerns of the Aquino administration outlined in the 16-point agenda of the government.

The priority bills to be submitted to the LEDAC will not cover new taxes or Charter change, in keeping with the President's previous pronouncements.

The proposals instead assure citizens of human development, infrastructure development, economic development, sovereignty and security, and good governance.

COMMENTARY FROM THE TRIBUNE

In a fix again FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 02/28/2011

Noynoy is likely to do repeat of a washed down Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) report on the Aug. 23 botched hostage rescue, where he absolved his close buddy and his allies from any criminal and administrative charges.

This time around, the repeat will come in the form of the probe on the 14 Taiwanese fraudsters who were deported, not to Taiwan, but to Mainland China.

Noynoy and his government refuse to apologize to Taiwan — and there are reasons to take such a position, owing to the One-China policy, since a formal apology from the Philippine government would outrage the Mainland Chinese government, as this would be a recognition of Taiwan, which would be a breach of the One-China policy, although this matter could have been handled much better than the botched up job Noynoy and Malacañang did on this deportation issue.

To this day, Noynoy insists that there is nothing to apologize for, claiming that to apologize would mean that the Philippine government committed such a huge mistake, which he insists his government did not commit, which is not quite true.

Taiwan is putting the squeeze on the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there and Noynoy simply "solves" this problem by ordering his Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) secretary to create jobs for the returning Filipino workers from Taiwan.

Gee. Noynoy truly is much too simple-minded. An order to create jobs for these returning OFWs and generate jobs in this country is not as easy as directing the DoLE chief to "go forth and multiply jobs," Noynoy. The climate for job generation must first be created, something which he has not been able to do, despite his propaganda of investors coming in with $2.8 billion.

Still, there was that "fact sheet" of a seven-point agreement inked between Noynoy's special envoy and Taiwanese foreign minister, chief of which was that the Philippine government would be conducting a probe and make those who erred in deporting the 14 Taiwanese nationals to China be held accountable with possible sanctions.

Noynoy and his aides, whether in Customs, Immigration and even the Justice department will have to be held accountable, with others sanctioned, or meted certain penalties, because it was pretty clear early on, that the Philippine government not only erred, but deliberately lied and even refused to obey the appellate court's order to on a habeas corpus issue regarding the 14 Taiwanese, who moreover, certainly had their Taiwanese passports and visas — something that can hardly be denied, since these are documentary evidences.

These deportees were certainly well documented as Taiwanese nationals, and there was that deliberate act of the authorities to confiscate the passports, in order to make it look as though they were not documented, even when there were valid visas issued to them by the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) in Taiwan. Also, even worse, there was that claim from Malacañang earlier on that there was a request for extradition, when there was no such extradition request.

And worst, even as the Taiwan offices hired a lawyer and sought a court order for a habeas corpus, in a legal bid not to have these 14 Taiwanese deported to their motherland, Malacañang and the authorities disregarded that order, and promptly put them on a plane to Mainland China.

Since it is the Philippine authorities who are clearly at fault, and deliberately lied, what is Noynoy now to do, by way of a probe?

And just who is to lead the probe, his Department of Justice secretary, who is herself involved in ensuring that these 14 Taiwanese would not be sent back to Taiwan, but to China?

And just how would Noynoy water down an already probable watered down report, while trying to smoothen the frayed ties with Taiwan?

The way it looks, Noynoy doesn't seem to care to fix up ties with Taiwan. Apparently, from his order to the DoLE chief, he thinks creating jobs for the jobless OFWs — who have multiplied in number, owing to the unrest in the Middle East — is easy and all that is to be done is to say "Create jobs" and jobs are created.

Gee, eight months into the presidency and Noynoy already thinks he is God?

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PHNO-HL: AFP: CONTINUE FUND RELEASE AMID RAPS / $400 M W'DRAWN BY GMA FROM CAAP

AFP: CONTINUE FUND RELEASE AMID RAPS / $400 M W'DRAWN BY GMA FROM CAAP

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (STAR) By Alexis Romero - Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Ricardo David Jr. appealed to lawmakers yesterday to continue the release of funds for the military modernization program to improve the morale of soldiers despite allegations of corruption in the AFP.

David said efforts are underway to investigate the officers allegedly involved in previous malpractices and to ensure that resources are used properly.

"We should investigate reports that there are anomalies in the handling of the budget. (But) that is not the reason for our planners, for our Congress to stop the modernization of the armed forces," he told radio dzBB.

David said better equipment would mitigate the dangers being encountered by soldiers in the field.

"If they have enough equipment, the risks faced by soldiers are reduced. The casualties in combat would be lessened. This is the best way to ensure that soldiers' morale is high because lives are at stake," he said in Filipino.

The AFP chief said the defense department has implemented reforms to ensure transparency in the purchase of military equipment.

"The transactions of the defense department and the procurement are open even to the media and to non-government organizations. Corruption is being addressed not only by the defense department but also the armed forces," David said.

"The President does not (tolerate) anomalies in the purchase of military equipment," he added.

The Armed Forces Modernization Act, which took effect on Feb. 23, 1995, has given the military the opportunity to modernize in 15 years with a total fund of P331 billion. The program, however, has been delayed due to lack of financial resources.

More than 16 years have passed since the law took effect but critics claim the AFP is not even close to a modern battle force

The government has allotted P5 billion for the AFP modernization program this year. Of this, P2.05 billion has been allocated to the Army, P1.45 billion to the Air Force and P1.5 billion to the Navy.

The AFP needs at least P42.13 billion in the next five years to upgrade its capability and to implement its security programs.

Calls to tighten the monitoring of the AFP's budget mounted after former military budget officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa revealed that former military chiefs were given millions in pabaon or sendoff money upon retirement.

He said former AFP chief Angelo Reyes got P50 million in pabaon while former military chiefs Diomedio Villanueva and Roy Cimatu got P160 million and P80 million, respectively.

Rabusa also claimed that the AFP lost some $2 million in the purchase of an aerial vehicle from an Israeli firm that did not deliver the aircraft. Rabusa said some military officials got commissions from the transaction.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara has said he would recommend to the House leadership that the next AFP budget be closely examined for loopholes in the use of funds.

David said all officers who know something about the previous anomalies would be allowed to testify before investigating bodies.

"Since I assumed my post, I advocated wise and judicious use of resources, how to improve the logistics and funding of the armed forces, to dispel talks about the misuse of military resources," he said.

P400 million withdrawn from CAAP funds by Arroyo government - union By Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star) Updated February 28, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (1)

MANILA, Philippines - More than P400 million in massive withdrawals by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in the last months of the previous administration could have been patterned after the "pabaon" system of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The CAAP Employees Union (CAAP-EU) urged the Senate to investigate several withdrawals made by former CAAP director general Ruben Ciron.

The union claimed Ciron made massive withdrawals, assisted by his chief of staff Ronaldo Manlapig, in March 2010.

The withdrawals were made before Ciron was replaced by Alfonso Cusi, then general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

Cusi's appointment to the CAAP was among the many midnight appointments made by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the last months of her administration, the union pointed out.

It was learned that Ciron was a former Air Force general who served in various posts at the Department of National Defense, before he was appointed by Arroyo to head the then newly created CAAP in 2008.

Ciron is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1968.

The CAAP-EU reportedly obtained a copy of the CAAP's account with the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) and the Land Bank of the Philippines that showed five huge cash withdrawals shortly before Ciron's departure as head of CAAP in March 2010.

From the data seen in CAAP's passbook with the UCPB, which figured in the AFP "conversion" scandal, the CAAP withdrew P150 million on Jan. 7 and P80 million on March 2, last year.

The Landbank passbook, on the other hand, showed there were four huge US dollar withdrawals made by the CAAP in a two-week period last year from the government bank – US$1 million on Feb. 23, another US$1 million on Feb. 26, and US$2 million, also on March 2.

"These withdrawals are highly questionable since it was made when he was known to be on the way out due to the CAAP's failures such as the issuance of the SSC (significance safety concerns) findings on Philippine civil aviation by the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) in December 2009 and the Category II downgrade of the Philippines by the US FAA (United States Federal Aviation Authority," a CAAP-EU official said.

Apart from the huge bank withdrawals, the CAAP-EU said another anomaly in the CAAP that seemed similar to the AFP "conversion" controversy was the disbursements of United Nations fund, noting the ICAO was a specialized agency of the UN on international civil aviation matters.

It was learned that the Commission on Audit (COA), in their 2009 audit of the agency, had discovered that the CAAP's ICAO trust fund which was deposited with up to US$12 million from its establishment in 1996, had been depleted to a degree that it has a standing balance of only US$3 million as of end 2009.

The spending of the US$9 million would be hard to justify, considering the SSC finding on the Philippines in 2009 by the ICAO USOAP audit, the union said.

The union earlier exposed the issuance of the SSC by the ICAO during their call for the ouster of Ciron from the agency.

The CAAP-EU revealed in January 2010 of the ICAO's inclusion of the Philippines in a list of countries they found with "significant safety concern" on its civil aviation systems after their conduct of inspections under their Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP) in 2009.

In an electronic bulletin issued by the ICAO on Dec. 18, 2009 the ICAO listed the countries with SSC findings as Angola, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Congo, Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Philippines, Rwanda, and Zambia.

"The safety oversight audit of the Philippines under the comprehensive systems approach revealed a Significant Safety Concern which remains unresolved by the State," the ICAO said.

The SSC finding for the Philippines was a double whammy for the country's local civil aviation industry after the US Federal Aviation Authority downgraded the country from a Category I to a Category II rating due to deficiencies in its civil aviation systems in December 2007.

The FAA downgrade caused the Arroyo government to rush legislation of Republic Act 9497 which created the CAAP from its forerunner, the Air Transportation Office (ATO), since it turned it into an "authority" with autonomy, empowering it to keep the billions in income it raises from the collection of landing and navigation fees to buy vital equipment and hire qualified technical personnel by raising salaries to international standards.

The CAAP-EU, through its vice-president Cesar Lucero, laid the blame for the failures of CAAP on Ciron, who he claimed had mainly attended to the hiring of his fellow retired military officers and members in the Reform the Armed Forces of the Philippines (RAM) into vital and highly technical positions at the CAAP as "consultants" even without having civil aviation experience and expertise.

Worse, Lucero said, these consultants were being appointed by Ciron to head plantilla positions that were not allowed by civil service laws.

The union stressed that under RA 9497, the CAAP was supposed to absorb the regular employees of the agency's forerunner, the ATO, in order to retain the experienced air traffic controllers and other crucial technical employees of the agency.

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PHNO-HL: SUPREME COURT REJECTS ORAL ARGUMENT FOR PALACE APPEAL ON EO 1

SUPREME COURT REJECTS ORAL ARGUMENT FOR PALACE APPEAL ON EO 1

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (STAR) By Edu Punay - The Supreme Court (SC) turned down Malacañang's bid for an oral argument on its appeal over the decision nullifying the executive order creating the Truth Commission.

In a two-page resolution released last Friday, the SC said there is no need for oral argument since the motion for reconsideration filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the corresponding comment of petitioners – House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and businessman Louis Biraogo - would suffice.

The high court dismissed the motion of the Office of the Solicitor General for oral argument and appointment of an amici curiae (friend of the court) to assist the justices in resolving the earlier motion seeking reconsideration of its Dec. 7, 2010 ruling declaring Executive Order 1 unconstitutional.

Among the respondents in the case were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and members of the Truth Commission led by former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr.

Malacañang, through the OSG, insisted that the oral argument and the appointment of amici curiae are necessary to "ensure that the parties' positions are fully elucidated" before the Court makes its final ruling on the case.

The motion for reconsideration filed by Solicitor General Joel Cadiz last Dec. 23 contested the SC ruling that declared EO 1 was violative of the constitutional clause of equal protection.

Cadiz argued the executive order does not distinguish or discriminate anyone from being subject of its probe.

The SC said EO 1 violated the equal protection clause because the government failed to justify why it singled out the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the scope of its probe.

President Aquino signed EO 1 creating the Truth Commission, which he said would put "closure" to the allegations of graft and corruption against Arroyo and her officials during her nine-year administration.

The EO created the five-man commission led by Davide that will "investigate allegations of anomalies during the last nine years" of the Arroyo administration.

Lagman led the petition in questioning the legality of the EO, which the SC eventually granted.

"Not to include past administrations similarly situated constitutes arbitrariness which the equal protection clause cannot sanction. Such discriminating differentiation clearly reverberates to label the commission as a vehicle for vindictiveness and selective retribution," the SC said in its ruling last Dec. 7.

Malacañang argued that it limited the scope of EO 1 so as to prevent overburdening the commission that might result in losing its effectiveness.

"The reason given is specious. It is without doubt irrelevant to the legitimate and noble objective of the PTC to stamp out or "end corruption and the evil it breeds."

SC said the commission must have the authority to investigate all past administrations, not only Arroyo's.

"While reasonable prioritization is permitted, it should not be arbitrary lest it be struck down for being unconstitutional," the court said.

The SC had clarified in the 49-page decision the possibility of allowing the Truth Commission if the Palace revised the executive order that created it by adopting the points raised by the high court in its Dec. 7 decision.

"Perhaps a revision of the executive issuance so as to include the earlier past administrations would allow it to pass the test of reasonableness," the SC said.

Palace officials earlier said they are mulling to comply with the SC order by issuing another EO to comply with the requirement should the ruling become final.

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PHNO-HL: NEW DFA CHIEF WANTS FEWER POLITICAL APPOINTEES

NEW DFA CHIEF WANTS FEWER POLITICAL APPOINTEES

MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (STAR) By Pia Lee-Brago - Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has declared his policy direction and advocacy of having only a "few" political appointees while recruiting the "best and the brightest" under his leadership.

"I have thought about what policy directions in some areas I may like to take. I think I'd like to make a declaration that I'm an advocate of recruiting the best and brightest especially since this is a reform-oriented government," Del Rosario said at his first press conference on Friday at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Del Rosario was a political appointee of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when he served as Philippine ambassador to Washington from 2001 to 2006.

He was recalled for opposing Arroyo's declaration of a state of emergency in 2006 after an alleged coup plot was foiled and for objecting to the government contract with Washington-based lobby firm Venable LLP, which the Arroyo government hired to secure support from the US Congress on the proposed Charter change.

The Arroyo administration acknowledged Del Rosario's accomplishments, including his contributions to the overall improvement of relations between the Philippines and the US.

Del Rosario promoted security cooperation involving defense, counterterrorism and law enforcement.

He also exerted efforts in getting US financial aid for Mindanao and support for the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

His economic diplomacy and his success in convincing the California Public Employees Retirement System to keep the Philippines in its list of investment destinations were also acknowledged.

"My advocacy is to appoint as few political appointees as possible," he said, but made it clear that the replacement and appointments to key positions at the DFA might not immediately come.

Del Rosario assumed office as the country's top diplomat when the DFA was under fire for the slow repatriation efforts in Libya.

Only on his second day in office, he flew to Tunisia Friday night to look personally after the welfare of the overseas Filipino workers and lead efforts to bring them out of that country as quickly as possible.

He will be assuming the DFA post in an "acting capacity" while Congress is in session but will have his "ad interim appointment" once the legislature goes on recess in late March.

Del Rosario admitted that President Aquino has given "full" powers on the assignment, transfer, recall and promotion of officers in the Foreign Service.

However, he kept mum if he would recommend to the President the appointment of former Foreign Affairs secretary Alberto Romulo as next Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

"I don't know just yet," he said.

Career diplomats protested the practice of appointing political ambassadors. Appointing a substantial number of political ambassadors disrupt the regular rotation in the Foreign Service, they said.

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