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PHNO-HL: NO U.S. OBJECTIONS TO REVIEW VFA

NO U.S. OBJECTIONS TO REVIEW VFA
MANILA, NOVEMBER 1, 2010 (STAR) The US government has no objections to a Philippine review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), according to Washington's top diplomat in Manila.

But once the Philippine government "comes to an opinion" on the VFA or some of its provisions, "we need to be consulted," US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. told The STAR last Friday night.

"The review and the comments point to the vitality of Philippine democracy. We have no objections to a review," Thomas said even as he stressed the importance of the VFA to bilateral cooperation.

The US embassy has not been notified by the Philippine government of any review, Thomas said.

Some 3,000 US troops are currently in Luzon for joint military exercises with a special focus on counterterrorism. Hundreds of US troops, mostly members of the Special Forces, are also posted in Zamboanga City, providing training and assistance in intelligence gathering to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against al-Qaeda-linked militants operating in Sulu, Basilan and other conflict areas in the south.

President Aquino has ordered a study of the VFA to determine which provisions need to be reviewed or amended. Some lawmakers want the VFA abrogated.

In an executive order dated Oct. 1, the President reorganized the Presidential Commission on the VFA and appointed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa as its chairman. Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin are co-chairmen.

Appointed as members of the commission were the secretaries of justice and social welfare as well as the executive director of the commission. A private sector representative will be appointed by the President.

The VFA was ratified by the Senate in 1999 during the administration of Joseph Estrada. It defines the treatment of US forces visiting the Philippines.

It served as the framework for the return of US troops to the Philippines in 2002, a decade after the shutdown of their bases here, at the height of a kidnapping spree by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

The VFA has not been ratified by the US Congress. US officials have explained that the VFA is patterned after similar agreements that the United States has with several other countries. Such accords are considered by Washington as executive agreements that do not require the nod of their legislature.

This point has been raised by VFA critics in the Philippines, who say the lack of reciprocal congressional ratification makes the agreement invalid and a ground for its abrogation.

Criticism of the VFA also intensified in the wake of the rape case against US Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, who was turned over by Manila to the custody of the US embassy during his trial.

Palace officials have said VFA provisions on jurisdiction over US soldiers facing criminal indictments in the Philippines need to be clarified.

Thomas said the VFA has allowed his government to respond quickly to Philippine requests for military assistance, such as for disaster mitigation during typhoons "Ondoy" and "Pepeng" and, recently, "Juan."

He emphasized that the Philippines is the largest recipient of US military assistance in Asia.

Thomas' predecessor Kristie Kenney, who was ambassador throughout the trial of Smith, had said the VFA was working fine and needed no amendment.

Smith was convicted by a lower court but cleared by an all-woman panel in the Court of Appeals. He stayed in US custody while his appeal was pending.

His victim, called "Nicole" in media reports, left for the United States shortly before his acquittal and reportedly settled there with an American boyfriend.

Before her departure, Nicole issued a statement saying she was no longer sure if Smith had indeed raped her after a night of drinking in Subic, where the Marine corporal was on shore leave from joint military exercises.

Smith had argued that the sex in the back of a moving van was consensual.

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PHNO-HL: NOY'S NEW APPOINTEES ANNOUNCED

NOY'S NEW APPOINTEES ANNOUNCED

MANILA, NOVEMBER 1, 2010 (STAR) By Aurea Calica - President Aquino has appointed the wife of House Deputy Speaker and Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza, a Liberal Party stalwart, as board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), Malacañang announced yesterday.
Teresita Daza, together with Francia Conrado, now belongs to the newly constituted board of the MTRCB now chaired by Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

Mrs. Daza was president of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. and a previous member of the MTRCB board from 1998 to 2004.

Mr. Aquino also removed former Iloilo congressman Oscar Garin as administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority and appointed him as board member of the same agency instead.

The President also appointed Ribonette Rodriguez-Aguilar, a lawyer, as Director IV in the legal services group of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

Aguilar served under the Office of the Solicitor General and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and was a former acting corporate secretary of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management.

Eduardo Gonzales and Constancio Maghanoy Jr. were named acting assistant regional directors of the Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Aquino also appointed Drusila Esther Bayate, Andres Bojos, Juan Albaladejo, Nerio Casil, Dennis del Socorro, and Ahadulla Sajili Al-Haj as acting regional directors of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

Josephine Regalado and Elizabeth Tortosa, on the other hand, were appointed as acting deputy administrators of the Fiber Industry Development Authority.

Felomino Mamuad was named as deputy executive director of Philippine Carabao Center, and lawyer Vicente Lasam as acting deputy administrator of National Tobacco Administration.

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PHNO-HL: ARE THERE GHOSTS AT MANILA CITY HALL?

ARE THERE GHOSTS AT MANILA CITY HALL?

MANILA, NOVEMBER 1, 2010 (BULLETIN) By CZARINA NICOLE O. ONG – Was it by merely coincidence or a carefully thought of building plan that the Manila City Hall, when viewed from above, is shaped like a coffin?
Some believe that it is because of this shape that ghosts are said to be haunting one of the most prominent historical structures in Manila.

Many paranormal believers think that the Manila City Hall, having stood there since 1939, is inevitably a place where spirits would dwell.

But for the thousands who visit the building week in and week out, there seems to be nothing peculiar about the place.

On a normal weekday, the City Hall is almost always teeming with people from morning till afternoon with the rush of people panning its cheery yellow walls.

Still, when government workers bid their desks goodbye for the day and all but silence sets in, there are some people who swear that ghosts roam its halls.

Take 33-year-old Jun Reloban's story, for example. One Saturday afternoon, while he and the rest of the government's maintenance group were doing the weekly general cleaning, he suddenly felt a chill that sent goose bumps all over his body.

"Walang tao sa ground floor, mag-isa lang ako naglilinis malapit sa Manila Health Office (Nobody was on the ground floor,I was cleaning alone the floor near the City Hall health office)," he recalled. "Wala naman ako nakita, pero bigla lumamig ang katawan ko, tapos tumaas ang mga balahibo ko (I did not see anybody but I felt cold)."

One week after, Reloban recalled, a roving security guard also sensed a "presence" in the same area. The guard was startled when he saw a white figure passed by, and he pulled out his gun and fired.

The bullet hit a trophy case, but the white lady he said he saw was gone.

Though the ground floor had people whispering of mysterious sightings, the mainstays at City Hall point their fingers at the fourth and fifth floors, as well as the clock tower, as the creepiest places in the building.

Clock Tower Technician Rogelio C. Botano Jr., 46, assures that there are no ghosts to be seen.

"Hindi ako natatakot, kasi wala naman, (I am not afraid, because there are no ghosts)," Botano said.

"Dati nga, gusto ako interviewhin ng taga-TV tungkol sa mga multo, pero wala naman ako makukuwentong nakakatakot. Ayaw ko din naman magsinungaling at magimbento ng storya. (There was someone from TV who wanted to interview me about ghosts before, but I have no scary experiences to share. I did not want to lie and make up stories)."

Botano guards the clock tower every day and, most of the time, he is alone up there. But since he started in 2004, he has never encountered a "supernatural presence."

However, his companions' experiences prove otherwise. "May janitor sa fourth floor sabi may nakikita siyang babaeng nakalutang 'tuwing madaling araw at hindi niya talaga makita ang paa ng babae, (There was a janitor in the fourth floor who said that he sees a floating lady every early morning, and he really cannot see her feet)," Botano said. "Sa Clock Tower naman, dati maraming paniki dito kaya siguro natatakot ang ibang tao, pero wala talagang multo rito. (As for the Clock Tower, there were many bats here before and that's probably why some people are scared, but there really are no ghosts)."

"Siguro imahinasyon lang nila 'yun, (Maybe it's just a product of their own imagination)," he said.

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PHNO-HL: GREAT DIVIDE AT FINAL RESTING PLACES

GREAT DIVIDE AT FINAL RESTING PLACES

MANILA, NOVEMBER 1, 2010 (BULLETIN) By ELLSON A. QUISMORIO — Death is the great equalizer. That is, until you reach your final resting place, which, depending on your family's purchasing power, could be simply pretty or pretty simple.
At the Immaculate Garden Memorial Park in San Jose, Navotas City, for instance, modest tombs and graves abound. One of those who afforded a humble grave for a loved one is 73-year-old widow Beatrice Dianzon.

Beatrice said the remains of her daughter Josephine, who died of cancer at the age of 36 only last April, lies in a small lot that she bought for P100,000. "Hinulugan ko lang yan, syempre (I paid through instalment of course)," she said on Saturday.

Finding comfort in a complete stranger, Beatrice also revealed to this reporter that the bones of her late husband Rafael – who died way back in 1987 – were taken from its old grave and buried together with Josephine's remains.

"Naisip ko na iyon ang praktikal na gawin para hindi na ako mahirapan sa pagdalaw sa kanila (I thought it was the practical thing to do, to make it easier for me to visit them)."

The septuagenarian, a vegetable vendor, shared that her daughter's passing was still fresh on her mind. "Araw-araw akong pumupunta dito, nagdadala ako ng kahit isang bulaklak lang. Sa Lunes babalik ako na may dalang mas magagandang bulaklak, yung halagang P300." (I come here daily. I make it a point to bring flowers even if it's just one stem. On Monday, I'll come back and bring a bouquet of flowers, the one that cost P300.)

Flowers just make up one of many gifts that Filipino-Chinese families offer to their departed kin. At the Manila Chinese Cemetery, the tombs of the dead are adorned with food (must be seven kinds), red or white dragon-emblazoned candles (P100 to P260 per pair, depending on size), prayer sticks (P10 per bundle) and small red banners (P7 apiece), among others.

"Sometimes we don't even know what these things mean. But they're traditions and we follow them anyway," said CBS News reporter Barnaby Lo, 29, who on Saturday visited his grandparents enshrined in a mausoleum – a familiar sight in the Chinese cemetery.

To end their visit, Barnaby and his family burned paper money referred to as "kim" (P12 per "lapad"), another ritual intended to pay respects to the family's dead.

"The silver (colored) money is for our grandmother, who just died recently. For our grandfather, who died in 1967, we burn gold money for him. We can burn as much paper money as we want," he explained.

Over in a public burial ground like the Navotas City Cemetery, it's the bare essentials that matter for its visitors, as sepulchers there end up looking quite bare.

Two pints of white paint (P17 each), two slender candles (P10 each) and a prayer was all the "offering" that 42-year-old Josephine Javier brought for her departed father and mother-in-law, both buried – rather renting – in the particular cemetery.

This is because the remains are temporarily housed within apartment-style capsule tombs, which cost P1,000 for a five-year usage. These "apartments for the dead" can reach seven levels or more.

Josephine said she planned to repaint her late relatives' epitaphs herself to save money. "Yung mga squatter dito sa loob ng sementeryo, pwede sila magpinta para sa iyo for P60. Pero gusto maka-menos kaya ako na lang (The squatters living inside the cemetery can do the painting for you for P60. But I wanted to save so I did it myself)."

The woman said that she would have been able to pinch more pennies had the candles been sold at regular price. "Dino-doble kasi nila ang presyo kapag Undas (They double the price when it's All Saints' Day)."

Apparently, buying even a single flower didn't cross Josephine's mind on Saturday. But she did bring over her two children, who may be too young to even remember the persons inside the tombs there were visiting.

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PHNO-HL: RAINY DAY: ALL ROADS LEAD TO CEMETERIES TODAY

RAINY DAY: ALL ROADS LEAD TO CEMETERIES TODAY

MANILA, NOVEMBER 1, 2010 (BULLETIN) By BRENDA PIQUERO - The nation comes together in moments of prayer today in observance of All Saints' Day in keeping with a centuries-old tradition of paying homage to departed loved ones by offering candles and flowers at their graves.
Millions of Filipinos will rise at the crack of dawn to inch their way to the cemeteries.

Around the country, Monday's celebration is another moment in time when superstition blends with religion as dishes of food are left on family tables and candles are lighted at doorsteps to welcome departed loved ones believed to visit the homes they once shared with those whom they left behind.

All Saints' Day remains one of the most beloved and enduring Philippine traditions dating back to ancestral times that continue to cross generations and reunite families in the burial grounds of loved ones against a background of a million lighted candles, an observance that continues to strike a welcome chord of celebration, especially among the nation's youth.

Before Vatican II, All Saints' Day today, Nov. 1, and All Souls' Day Tuesday, Nov. 2, used to be holy days of obligation, requiring Catholics to attend mass on those two days.

Today, the church offers continued masses for the dead for the rest of the month starting Nov. 1 but without obliging attendance among Catholics except on years when November 1 falls on a Sunday.

In the provinces, many families continue to visit their departed loved ones on November 2, All Souls' Day, in rites that continue to carry a more solemn note, miles away from the prevailing All Saints' Day hysteria in the cities.

Somehow, it cannot be refuted that in the aftermath of Vatican II the somber mood of the All Saints' Day celebration started to fade, with a carnival atmosphere emerging in the midst of picnics held on memorial grounds.

Rain or shine, bumper-to-bumper traffic is the main highlight of Monday's celebration in all roads leading to cemeteries starting in the early morning hours while E. De los Santos Avenue (EDSA), Metro Manila's principal highway and other main arteries will be almost empty of vehicular traffic.

All Saints' Day pandemonium that made its appearance in the late 1960s began to force families in the early 1980s to visit their departed loved ones before Nov. 1, aimed at steering clear of both vehicular and human traffic inside and outside cemeteries, and the emerging memorial parks.

Fainting pregnant women and missing little children are among the notable occurrences of Monday's celebration, but government health workers, doctors, nurses, ambulance, wheelchair watert stations, and Boy Scout volunteers are there to extend immediate support.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) for many years has continued to keep an outstanding and consistent role of maintaining peace and order in airport and bus terminals, days leading to Monday's celebration to ensure the safety of families travelling outside of Metro Manila.

Police visibility is keenly palpable not only in every street corner in all streets approaching memorial grounds in the cities not only to keep traffic flowing, but inside the cities of the dead to make sure that nobody is allowed to bring alcohol, guns, and other weapons to guarantee the safety of the expected huge crowds.

When the crowds begin to gather in memorial parks before the long week-end, they had left behind huge profits in the hands of giant supermarkets and public markets during the shopping binge families indulged in to make Monday's sort-of-family reunion another sweet time to remember.

Not to be left behind, candle and flower shops whose inventories nearly went dry early in the day in the past two weeks leading to Monday's celebration, likewise collected their just profits from the mad scramble of early bird shoppers.

All Saints' Day shopping has become a prelude to the shopping festival of the Christmas season when wallets begin to thin, fortunately before the rush of the Christmas bonuses and perks.

There is an element of optimism that despite the uncertain economy, this year's All Saints' Day shopping indicators would lead to an upbeat Christmas buying spree.

In the meantime, if getting inside may appear to be the toughest task to hurdle, getting out of cemeteries and memorial parks always remains to be on the other side of the traffic equation.

At the end of the day for millions of Filipino families, Monday's rough-and tumble of vehicular and human traffic cannot hold a candle to the shared moments spent in silent prayers by the gravesites of loved ones who have gone to reap what they have sown in a place where there is no more space for tears.

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PHNO-PESO CURRENCY EXCHANGE October 28, 2010 Thursday

PHNO-PESO CURRENCY EXCHANGE
October 28, 2010 Thursday 7:01 p.m.
www.yahoo.com/finance

P1=US43.01, Can42.14, UK68.57, SA11.46, YEN 0.53, HK5.54, EUR59.91

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PHNO-TL: THE ESSENCE OF WELLNESS

[PHNO Note: To view photos on all news items, pls. scroll down and click the Philippine Headline News Online hyperlink]

THE ESSENCE OF WELLNESS

[PHOTO AT LEFT - Photo is loading... The Gold Capsule provides an effective complete metabolic solution, enhances inner circadian rhythm and holistic balance for rejuvenation and health weight loss results.]

MANILA, OCTOBER 29, 2010 (STAR) By Serena Ordoveza - For Dr. Emma Guerrero, president and CEO of Bioessence Philippines, wellness is definitely not skin deep. After 16 years in the business, Bioessence has gone beyond skincare services and focuses on spreading the benefits of total wellness.

Guerrero knew from the start that the business she chose to be in is where her heart truly is. In 1994, she opened her very first clinic in Davao offering basic skincare and slimming treatments. She relied on her own expertise and did most of the procedures herself. She did this with confidence. But things were never too easy for Guerrero because she also had to attend to the business operations, marketing and product development. She was, however, lucky to have been backed by efficient and highly capable therapists whose skills reflected her own standard for quality.

Satisfied clients grew in number and subsequently became regulars of the clinic. As expected, the clients had to wait a little longer for their turn to be attended to. To ease boredom, some would inquire about other services like hair and spa treatment and some wanted manicure or pedicure. The subtle hints and suggestions from the clients paved the way for Guerrero to design something that would benefit not only the "waiting clients" from Davao but every one in the country — "Total Wellness."

People development and consistency

Bioessence is strong on people development both with its company employees and clients. She opened her very first Metro Manila branch at the Sta. Lucia Mall and although Bioessence was already a strong brand in Davao, its first branch in Metro Manila went through birth pains. But she immediately brought her skillful therapists from Davao to Manila. This effort resulted not only in consistency in terms of quality and service, it also proved to be its key to success and popularity. Now with 48 Bioessence branches nationwide, Guerrero is quite satisfied with where they are right now. "I do not aspire to have hundreds of branches, it is enough for me that the brand is strong, " she said.

"Keeping the brand strong is another challenge that Bioessence needs especially at this time when skincare clinics are everywhere in sight! The once minimally-staffed clinic in Davao now has over 700 employees nationwide who are all subjected to rigid training and seminars." Bioessence has opened branches in Sucat and SM Taytay, SM San Pablo and Calamba. For branch expansion, the company has renovated Shoppesville, Binondo, West Avenue and Davao branches. "We are getting bigger and better," Guerrero added. Jessa Zaragosa graces the grand opening of Bioessence Slimzone at SM Tarlac with Dr. Emma Guerrero and Shiela dela Pena.

Bigger and definitely better

[PHOTO AT LEFT - Jessa Zaragosa graces the grand opening of Bioessence Slimzone at SM Tarlac with Dr. Emma Guerrero and Shiela dela Pena.]

To ensure that all market segments get the best of Bioessence, the company established Bioessence Gold, the middle market Bioessence, and the affordably-priced Facial Plus and Suay Thai. Though targeting different sectors in the society, Guerrero proudly emphasized that all these are doing well. "We cover all the markets as we offer all services — facial, slimming, spa and dermatological services," she said.

Guerrero never stops learning. She regularly goes out of the country and keenly observes modern procedure so she herself can improve her craft. It is very enlightening to know that during the early years of Bioessence, she even went to the US simply to learn the professional methods as basic as a facial. Guerrero formulates her own products using local and foreign technology. All products that Bioessence recommends to its clients are tried and tested by her.

The life coach

Bioessence, in its 16 years of business, has gone beyond skincare services. With its beautifully designed interiors and dramatic lighting, the clinic treats every client to serene luxury that seems to take away all the pressures and tensions caused by today's fast-paced lifestyle. "Stress is the primary enemy of wellness," Guerrero shared.

Regular guests swear that visiting the clinic is like a habit that is quite hard to break. "Not being able to share their problems with anyone else can also be stressful and we have a lot of clients who come to the clinic not only for the treatment but also for small talk with our therapists," Guerrero said.

Community service programs

As a way of repaying the trust and confidence the clients have given them, Bioessence is active in community service programs. Recently, they held free aerobics at Marquee Mall where the public can join the fitness activity even if they are not enrolled in any of Bioessence's program. The "Bioessence Beyond Beauty" event held last September also delighted the guests as it was a whole day of spa and beauty treatments readily given to the attendees totally free of charge!

Guerrero actively plays her role. Despite the evident success of Bioessence, she is continuously learning and shares what she learns. Her advocacy of educating people on total wellness never stops. She is still very much part of her people's training and continuous development, participates in community service programs and she does all this with only one purpose in mind — to spread the beauty of wellness.

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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

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PHNO-HT & OPINION: BULLETIN: FOCUS ON REFORMS

BULLETIN: FOCUS ON REFORMS

MANILA, OCTOBER 29, 2010 (BULLETIN) Chaff from the Grain, By HECTOR R.R. VILLANUEVA Former Press Secretary - ("My people and I have come to an agreement. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please." — Frederick the Great)

Overall, the Filipino people are happy with President Benigno S. Aquino III, and understanding of the start-up problems that every new administration encounters as it moves up the learning curve.

What is important for the President is to get his priorities fixed, but not cast in stone, and the roadmap of his administration drawn up soonest for the appreciation of the nation.

Priorities and plans are always subject to change according to political, social, and economic exigencies. As Syrus of Antiquity admonished, "Any plan is bad if it cannot be changed."

Todate, while President Benigno Aquino talks of transformational changes in society which can only be construed as fundamental and radical makeover of attitude, habits, and culture, such as the minimization of graft and corruption, restoration of moral and family values, and the straight path of righteousness, the mechanics and dynamics of these sea changes have yet to be fleshed out and understood.

There's the rub.

On one hand, this administration can be fast on the draw, such as, giving priority to the Truth Commission to go after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – who else?, wholesale abolition of government non-career positions and "midnight appointees," "jueteng," and grandstanding show of going after smugglers, tax evaders, and entertainment personalities which are not really difficult to dig and compile. The files were always there but they were untouchable then.

The excavation of the anomalies and probes of the past are not only welcome and apropos but also hold the key to the pandora's box of reforms.

For these reasons, the trust and satisfaction ratings of President Aquino have remained exceptionally high as the people remain convinced of his sincerity, honesty, and mission. We do not see the popularity trend spiraling downwards anytime soon as long as President Aquino himself is not associated directly or indirectly with corruption or scandal.

On the other hand, the Aquino administration from day one appears accident-prone, tentative, halting, lacking in legal profundity and moral-suasive expertise.

Hence, most of its promulgations and fiats are being challenged before the Supreme Court where, incidentally, there is no love lost between the Aquino administration and the High Court justices.

And, there is the continuing semantics and saga over the landmark Reproductive Health bill (RH) which can be President Benigno Aquino's lasting legacy to future generations by establishing firmly the secularization of the State from the Church.

When all is said and done, President Benigno Aquino should focus on his pet reforms, whether it be the RH bill, or agricultural modernization, graft and corruption, poverty alleviation, or the scalawags embedded in the "midnight appointees."

Since he is averse to any constitutional revision, six years is a short time with which to make a lasting impact.

What is it that the President would like to be remembered for?

The fact is five months have elapsed and no fundamental breakthrough in dramatic reforms have come out.

As George Bernard Shaw so aptly put it, "Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get."

You be the judge. (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)

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PHNO-HT & OPINION: TIMES: LAGUNA DE BAY REHAB SHOULD PROCEED

TIMES: LAGUNA DE BAY REHAB SHOULD PROCEED

MANILA, OCTOBER 29, 2010 (MANILA TIMES) BY DAN MARIANO - Like President Benigno S. Aquino 3rd, certain quarters have their misgivings about a pending proposal to rehabilitate what is described as the biggest body of fresh—brackish, actually—water in Luzon.

For one thing, the so-called Laguna Lake Rehabilitation Project (LLRP) perpetuates a grammatical abomination that has gained currency, thanks to constant repetition by officials, the private sector and the news media, which ought to know better.

"Laguna" is Spanish—which, in turn, is derived from the Latin "lacuna"—for "lake." Thus, "Laguna Lake" is a laughable redundancy.

Blame it on the steep decline in the quality of education in this country—which, for instance, jettisoned one of its cultural legacies by abolishing Español from its school curriculum decades ago. Most Filipinos can no longer communicate with other nations that have held on to their ability to speak Spanish despite the fact that many of us have retained names like Corazon, Gloria and Benigno.

We have also lost touch with our history, a large part of which was written in Spanish. Many of the 19th and 20th century leaders who helped develop our unique national identity were fluent in Spanish; they spoke and wrote their most stirring messages to their compatriots in that language.

Jose Rizal, for instance, gave Filipinos reason to be proud and hopeful about themselves through his writings, such as Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Hispanophiles insist that English and Tagalog translations of these novels, though helpful, fail to capture the depth of Rizal's passion for the Motherland.

One can only imagine how Don Pepe would have reacted upon hearing "Laguna Lake."

Properly called Laguna de Bay, the lake figured prominently in the life of our National Hero. With roads that were only a little better than mountain trails connecting the colonial-era settlements in Southern Tagalog, Laguna de Bay—along with the Pasig River—functioned as the highway that connected Rizal's birthplace of Calamba and other lakeshore towns to Manila.

Without the lake, Rizal would probably have grown up in rural isolation, a country bumpkin whose native intelligence was denied a proper education in such schools as the Ateneo and UST in the nation's capital.

Transportation may no longer be Laguna de Bay's main function; still it continues to play an important role in the lives of the tens of millions of Filipinos who live in its immediate periphery—and beyond.

Government neglect and haphazard development, however, have diminished the ability of Laguna de Bay to improve the quality of life of the communities around it.

Pollution has severely limited the lake's economic potential while heavy silting has aggravated the floods that regularly visit the region. Unfortunately, a foreign-funded proposal to reverse the ecological degradation of Laguna de Bay has been shelved—thanks to evidently baseless allegations that the project is a "midnight deal" masterminded by crooks in the previous administration.

Proponents of the lake rehab project insist, however, that it is not tainted with corruption. They point out that the LLRP contract has gone through the required process.

On October 26, 2009 the LLRP was approved by the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee of the National and Economic Development Authority (NEDA). The project was subsequently endorsed by the Regional Development Council Region IVA.

On December 10, 2009 the project was issued the required environmental compliance certificate by then-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza. Consultations were subsequently held with various Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils in the provinces of Rizal and Laguna.

On February 5, 2010 the LLRP supply contract was signed by the DENR, represented by then-Secretary Eleazar Quinto who succeeded Atienza, and the Belgian firm, Baggerwerken DeCloedt en Zoon (BDC) for the dredging of the lake.

Thereafter, the Department of Budget and Management issued a "forward obligational authority," or FOA for the NEDA Board to approve the LLRP.

On April 26, 2010 an amended supply contract was signed by then-DENR Secretary Horacio Ramos who had taken over from Quinto and BDC due to a change in the funding scheme for the project from a mixed Belgian super subsidy and export credit facility to an Export Credit Agency facility, which Belgium has committed to support 100 percent.

The next day the Office National Du Ducroire (ONDD), a Belgian public credit insurer that promotes international economic relations, informed the Department of Finance (DOF) that it was confirming its issuance of a committing offer of cover.

On April 30, 2010 an ONDD buyer credit agreement was signed by the Philippine government through the DOF as borrower and Fortis Bank as lender. The validity of the credit agreement was later confirmed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in a legal opinion dated May 31, 2010.

The Belgian ambassador to Manila then sent a letter to Ramos informing him that Fortis Bank had made available an ONDD-covered export credit facility for project financing. He also confirmed that ONDD is a Belgian public export credit agency founded in 1921 and acts as an autonomous government institution enjoying Belgian state guarantee.

Project proponents also point out there are no legal infirmities in the LLRP contract.

On June 9, 2010, upon Ramos's request, the DOJ issued a legal opinion confirming that the ONDD buyer credit agreement between the Philippine government and Fortis Bank is an executive agreement and an international instrument that is binding under international law.

The DOJ also opined that the supply contract between DENR and BDC is excluded from the public bidding requirement under Republic Act No. 9184 since it is considered an executive agreement. The DOJ affirmed as much in two separate legal opinions on June 23 and August 26.

With these and other details as background, project proponents have sought to assure the P-Noy administration that the LLRP, far from being an "anomalous transaction," has undergone thorough scrutiny by various government agencies.

The proponents have been urging Malacañang to grant the P18.7-billion LLRP its notice to proceed.

Dredging would make Laguna de Bay better serve its function as the catch basin of floodwaters that could keep not just the lakeshore communities but also the entire Metro Manila free from floods.

The authorities ought to give the lake this chance to be saved from further degradation.

dansoy26@yahoo.com

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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

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