₱15-Billion pocketed by former President Arroyo executive of ₱ 0.12 Trillion Bridge Scam Projects

₱ 0.12 Trillion unfinished Bridges during the Former President Arroyo Administration

Arroyo execs pocket ₱15-B from bridge scam

 

Philippines – Government officials from the past administration took an estimated ₱ 10 billion to ₱ 15 billion in kickbacks from the ₱ 111-billion "President's Bridges Program" that did not go through a bidding process, Senator Sergio Osmeña III said Monday after a hearing by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

 

"They could have made a kickback of ₱10 billion to ₱15 billion easy. The figure will be more accurate in the future," Osmeña told reporters after the hearing.

 

Osmeña, in a previous privilege speech, said that the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had entered into 14 anomalous contracts, estimated to have cost ₱ 111,942,110,000, for the construction of bridges that were not fully utilized.

 

Senator Panfilo Lacson had described the program, which were made up of contracts that spanned over a period of eleven years, as "bridges to nowhere."

 

Osmeña said that all the officials involved in the anomalous program such as "the secretaries, undersecretaries, associate secretaries, etc." have put the government in a "grossly disadvantageous contract" and they should be charged with violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

 

Among those he cited were the then officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), National Economic Development Authority, Department of Justice and the Department of Finance (DOF).

 

"It would have been fine if it was just one contract, but when you have 14 contracts, there's something wrong," he said.

 

Under the Office of the President

 

Osmeña questioned why the projects were managed under the Office of the President when it was just an infrastructure project.

 

Present DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson said that at the time, the PBP was under the office of the president and was being implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

 

"Why should the [office of the president] set up a different project office when there was already an office under the [DPWH]?" Osmeña said.

 

He also cited the significant difference in the costs of the projects allocated between the PBP office and regular DPWH bridges office.

 

Singson said that "projects under the PBP were initiated by the president, unlike the others which were initiated by the DPWH under the regular bridges program and all were on national roads."

 

The project was transferred to the DPWH sometime in 2003 because it was not being implemented as fast, Singson said.

 

Osmeña said that Arroyo could be held liable for the programs. He said that they will conduct further hearings in order to "nail down all the loose ends [because] they have put the government at a big disadvantage by going into these contracts."

 

When asked if Pampanga representative Arroyo will be called before the committee, he said he would want to but it was difficult given her health conditions.

 

Singson said that he has given specific instruction to stop using the PBP office, "since we do not report to the president [anymore] on this program."

 

One-third bridge

 

During the hearing, Osmeña showed pictures of one of the bridges in Banga, Aklan that only goes one-third of the way across a river. One end of the bridge goes directly down into the middle of the river.

 

In the summer, the bridge can be crossed and cars will have to go down to the dry river bed area and cross the remaining distance to get to the other side, Osmeña said.

 

But during the rainy season, the river fills up and leaves the remaining two-third of the way filled with mud.

 

"What happened? Did they run out of money?" Osmeña asked.

 

Singson said that the bridge in the picture was the 203-meter long Guadalupe Bridge. He said that DPWH had provided the construction materials to the Local Government Units (LGU) because it was their responsibility to conduct the actual construction.

 

He added that the construction materials, consisting of materials for modular steel bridges, from foreign contractor Mabey and Johnson were already provided to the LGU.

 

Mabey and Johnson conviction

 

Top officials of the British bridge-building firm Mabey and Johnson, along with director David Mabey, were previously convicted for paying kickbacks to officials of the regime of former Iraq president Saddam Hussein.

 

Mabey had been convicted to eight months for paying $420,000 to Iraqi officials. Other top officials include Managing director Charles Forsyth and Richard Gledhill.

 

They were convicted for the case of allegedly paying a 10 percent commission of the contact price of 13 steel bridges that were supplied to Iraq back in 2001.

 

The firm had also reportedly bribed officials from several countries such as Angola, Madagascar, Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Jamaica in exchange for bridge supply contracts.

 

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Philippines – Russia $1.6 billion bilateral trade in 2011 push greater trade, investment

Philippines and Russia are seeking new ways to expand trade and investment, officials from both sides said, considering there is much room for improving the countries' $1.6 billion bilateral trade in 2011.

 

Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev, honorary chairman of the Philippine-Russia Business Assembly (PRBA), said in a speech at the business matching forum on the sidelines of the Manila FAME exhibition that travel, supply chain, food trade, education, and information technology were just some of the areas that could benefit from sustained bilateral meetings.

 

"Long awaited for the two of us are solutions for secure supply chains and establishing direct routes of communication between the Philippines and the Far East of the Russian Federation. They would not only enable Manila with the access to the riches of Russia but at the same time would equip it with alternative means of access to the markets of Central Asia and Western Europe involving Russia's transit potential," Kudashev said.

 

On food security, the envoy said that combining the Philippines' agricultural production and Russia's supply chain solutions as well as advanced space imaging for disaster risk management could be "mutually beneficial." Also "enchanting," he said, is the prospect of innovations from establishing linkages in education and technology.

 

"The recent establishment here in Manila of the regional office of the Russian NODA Software Company would prove that there is an ample space for cooperation," he said.

 

Consul to the Russian Federation Armi Garcia, honorary president of PRBA, said there was increased interest among Russian tourists to explore the Philippines, renewing bilateral talks on the possible expansion of an air services agreement to include direct Manila-Moscow flights.

 

There are presently chartered Moscow-Cebu City flights under the air deal signed in 2009.

 

"I am optimistic there will be increased bilateral cooperation through what I call the 'Movement 3.' It starts with tourism and culture exchange and when there is some familiarity with the Philippines and what it can offer, then comes trade development, and then investments," Garcia said.

 

Yevgenia Konkol, chair of the Russia-Philippine Business Council (RPBC), said there are 39 Russian enterprises cooperating with or at least in discussion with Philippine counterparts.

 

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Roman Catholic Pope Makes Philippines Teen Martyr a Saint

Depiction of Pedro Calungsod in the Heritage of Cebu Monument in Pari-an, Cebu City. (Photo: Nickrds09 / WikiMedia) 

VATICAN CITY—Pope Benedict XVI canonized the Philippines' second saint on Sunday, giving one of the church's top honors to the 17th century teen martyr Pedro Calungsod before throngs of Filipinos in St. Peter's Square.

 

Cheers went up in the crowd of about 80,000 when Benedict declared Calungsod a saint and worthy of veneration by the entire Catholic Church. Benedict named six other saints on Sunday, some of them missionaries like the devout boy from central Cebu province.

 

Many Filipino faithful are particularly devoted to Calungsod, who as a teenager went with some Spanish Jesuit missionaries to Guam in 1668 to convert the Chamorros people. He was killed when the natives resisted.

 

"May the example and courageous witness of Pedro Calungsod inspire the dear people of the Philippines to announce the kingdom bravely and to win souls for God!" Benedict said in his homily.

 

Rome's Filipino expat community came out in droves for the canonization, including Marianna Dieza, a 39-year-old housekeeper who said it was a day of pride for all Filipinos.

 

"We feel very happy and proud," Dieza said. "We are especially proud because he is so young."

 

Filipino Vice President Jejomar Binay arrived in the Italian capital last week to head the government delegation for the Mass, saying the canonization was particularly important to the Philippines, Asia's largest predominantly Roman Catholic country.

 

Thousands of Filipinos at home celebrated Calungsod's sainthood with masses, processions, stage plays, religious shows and the launching of postal stamps bearing his image and a map of his journey as a young Catholic missionary to the Pacific islands, where he was killed while spreading his faith.

 

"This is a day of great spiritual joy and national pride," Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's spokeswoman, Abigail Valte said. "We join the Catholic world on this day of solemn commemoration and celebration."

 

Celebrations across the Philippines were centered in Manila, the capital, and in Cebu's town of Ginatilan. Large screens were installed in church compounds to allow Filipinos to watch Calungsod's canonization at the Vatican. Calungsod's portraits were displayed in churches and many bought and carried his statues.

 

At a public gymnasium in the Manila suburb of San Juan, more than 1,000 Catholics applauded and waved Philippine flags with Calungsod's image after he was declared a saint. Victoria Radovan, a 66-year-old devotee, said she prayed to the new Filipino saint to cure her of polio. She said she hoped Calungsod's impressive faith would inspire young Filipinos away from dangerous vices like illegal drugs.

 

"Some of our young need to learn from his touching life," Radovan said. "They curse nowadays, they answer back at their parents and go astray like they have no fear of God."

 

Philippine TV networks ran documentaries about Calungsod's life and sainthood, and the country's leading newspapers ran stories of his canonization, portraying him as a model for young Filipinos.

 

Details of Calungsod's life are scarce, but according to legend, when he and the mission superior, the Rev. Diego Luis de San Vitores, tried to baptize a baby in 1672, the child's father angrily refused and, with the help of other natives, began throwing spears at them both.

 

They were both killed and their bodies thrown into the ocean.

 

The first Filipino saint was St. Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila, who was canonized in 1987.

 

20,000 Celebrate flock to Toledo's Calungsod Parish Church

 

The rainy morning didn't stop devotees from packing the Pedro Calungsod Parish Church in barangay Cantabaco, Toledo City, where four masses were celebrated on their patron's day of canonization.

 

Many brought their own chairs or stood outside with umbrellas as the 1,500-capacity church was full.

 

Toledo city police estimated 20,000 to 25,000 came throughout the day.

 

Even the roads leading to the hilltop church   were crammed with vehicles because the church compound couldn't park any more cars, said SPO2 Socrates Aparicio.

 

A group of graduating law students from Negros Oriental State University arrived after six hours of travel.

 

"We heard about the miracles that Calungsod made possible for those who believe and come to him. We are here to pray that we can pass the bar exam next year," said Ritchie Diamano.

 

A family from Bacayan, Cebu city came for the healing Mass at 12 noon. Ailene Arcilla brought her son Winzel. She said Calungsod answered her prayers 12 years ago when her sickly baby was healed.

 

A group of teachers from Cebu and Mandaue cities brought their own food.

 

"We all agreed to take part in the celebration because this is a once in a lifetime experience," said Leo Daculan.

 

In his homily, Fr. Russel Sungcad, the long-haired parish priest of the first Calungsod parish in Cebu, said that God answers all our prayers but only grants something when it is intended for one's good and will develop one's faith.  He said Calungsod's sainthood is an example of answered prayer.

 

Out of thousands of martyrs who died for the faith, only seven have been elevated into sainthood, he said, "because it is already their time."

 

Calungsod's canonization means "it is time for our country to have a new saint to further boost our faith," Sungcad said in Binisaya.

 

After every Mass, devotees shouted "Viva San Pedro Calungsod!" and raise their hands in celebration.

 

Calungod's statue by the altar drew devotees who touched their palms to the glass case. Some wiped their handkerchief on the surface, and then touched parts of their body.

 

In midafternoon, the live TV broadcast of the Vatican rites were was shown inside  the church in two 40-inch flat screen TV sets loaned  by Asturias town mayor Allan Adlawan.

 

While most people watched the screen,   Sungcad continued with his prayers for those unable to attend the 12 noon "healing Mass".

 

The modest concrete church, built in 2003, occupies a one-hectare lot donated by Architect Servillano Mapeso and his wife Josephine.

 

Donations are being received to finish adding a convent and belfry.

 

The large crowd overwhelmed the parish priest.

 

"I was used to celebrating Mass with less than 20 people. I am glad that Calungsod brought in many devotees," said Sungcad.

 

Sungcad said he hopes donations will be enough to finish the church by December next year.

 

During his homily, he revealed that he wore his hair long and vowed not to cut it until the church construction is finished.

 

Sungcad's curly hair hangs about   five inches below his shoulders. The diocesan priest started growing it when he was assigned in barangay Cantabaco last 2004.

 

With more visitors in the barangay, vendors are gaining business.

 

Stalls lined outside the church sell souvenirs with Calungsod's face on  T-shirts, fans, statues, prayer booklets, and other items.

 

Now that Calungsod is officially a saint, Sungcad said they would ask the Archdiocese of Cebu to change the date of their annual fiesta from March 5 to October 21.

 

The church will also be renamed San Pedro Calungsod Parish Church.

 

Irrawaddy, Inquirer 

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Philippines start emitting magnetic-force to Expats around Earth – Alluring paradise to live

Paradise of "El Nido Palawan" - Photo from: MULTIWHAT? SEISMIC ON THE OTHER SIDE!

Seeing "The Philippines" From an Expat's Eyes

A recent study conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce revealed that most expats of multinational companies working in the Asia Pacific region prefer to be assigned to the Philippines over any other nation. Conversely, expats already working in the country have expressed unwillingness to be transferred elsewhere.

The results of the study come as a pleasant surprise given that the Philippines is placed in direct comparison with countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. The survey shows that foreigners still prefer to live and work in the Philippines despite our lagging infrastructure and the inconveniences stemming from our densely populated cities.

The AmCham study piqued my curiosity. As a proud Pinoy, I wanted to know what made the Philippines so attractive to foreigners. I needed to get firsthand information from an expat who's spent a significant time in the country, as well as other parts of the world. I found just the guy in Pierre Marmonier.

Pierre is a Frenchman from the southern region of León. He graduated from the prestigious Aix de Provence Business School before earning his MBA at Harford University in Connecticut. He built his career as a corporate man initially working for Swedish Match before moving on to British American Tobacco. As a marketing and export executive, Pierre spent several years working in the U.K., France, Switzerland, Algeria and the Philippines, while constantly traveling around Asia.

Not only did Pierre ask to be stationed in the Philippines twice, he also decided to settle here after his stint with the multinationals. The man from León is now happily entrenched in Philippine life, both as a family man and a thriving entrepreneur.

Why The Philippines?

Over glasses of wine, Pierre and I talked about what made him decide to raise his family and start a business in the Philippines. He is a citizen of the EU, after all, and could settle in most parts of the western world where standards of living are higher.

Pierre told me that among all the races he's interacted with from all over the world, no one is more open and welcoming of foreigners than the Filipino. The Philippines is perhaps one among a handful of nations in the world where the locals have the compunction to make foreigners feel special. He observes how we Filipinos have it in our nature to make strangers feel welcome if he or she happens to be in our personal space. He cites how we would naturally include a stranger in a conversation if he happened to be within earshot of a chat. How we would offer a part of our meal to a stranger if he were to walk by while we were eating. How we would make the effort to speak in English if we were talking to a white person. These are traits uncommon in other nationalities, but natural to the Filipino, Pierre says.

He also finds the Pinoy to be both open-minded and tolerant of other people's life choices. Being different in the Philippines is no big deal, he asserts. It is a welcome change from his native France, where people can be close-minded on many issues.

Here, people are not hung up on religion, skin color, cultural idiosyncrasies or even gender, he says. He was surprised to discover that women are just as respected (sometimes, even more feared) than the men folk. He is amazed that the Muslims, Buddhists and Agnostics among a predominantly Catholic populace are looked upon with curiosity rather than resentment. He is amused that gay people are regarded as creative and "fun" rather than an object of hate. Above all, he notes how we Filipinos manage to smile even in the midst of the most dire circumstances.

As far as standards of living goes, Pierre has seen it improve considerably from the first time he stepped foot in the country in 1994. Back then, he relates, brownouts were the norm, proper housing for expats were few and far between, and recreational facilities like parks, malls and country clubs were rare. Things have changed today. While infrastructure is still a problem, albeit to a lesser degree, Manila can now rival any other world cities in terms of quality of life, especially in the realm of education where numerous international schools are now in operation for the expat community. He notes, however, that there is still a lack of facilities to feed the humanities. He misses the museums, theater scene and art scene of Europe and more advanced countries in Asia. This is something not in the priority list of government, but should be.

Paradise of "El Nido Palawan" - Photo from: MULTIWHAT? SEISMIC ON THE OTHER SIDE!

Doing Business In The Philippines

 

Pierre started his business some three years ago, just when the economy started to gain traction. His timing could not have been better and he is now reaping the fruits of our favorable economic environment.

Pierre's company manufactures artisanal jams made in the old-fashioned French manner. His products go by the name of "The Fruit Garden" and can be found in most hotels like the Dusit and Hyatt. It is also the house jam of most luxury hotel chains including the Shangri-La Group, The Peninsula, The Mandarin, The Hyatt, Discovery Shores and Oakwood, among others. Pierre is riding the tourism boom as more hotels are set to open in the next few years. He is already positioned to be part of the Raffles and Fairmont Hotels when they open next year, and he looks forward to the mammoth resorts on the rise at the Pagcor Entertainment City.

My wife and I have been fans of The Fruit Garden jams for years, especially their Mango-Ginger, Strawberry-Banana and Pine-Cocorum flavors. As Pinoys, we're not big jam eaters but this one is different. It's light, not too sweet, and has more fruit than water and pectin. It's become our morning fix and a regular fixture in our condiment rack.

Pierre is also supplier to some of the country's top 500 companies for their giveaways during Christmas and special events. His luxury packaging and French heritage recipes speak of class and stature, which makes it a hot seller in corporate circles.

Amidst all his success, he cites his Filipino workforce as one of his true assets. They are loyal, hardworking and have good work ethics, he says. In the manufacturing line, he finds his workers easy to train and able to retain knowledge without need for constant reminders (apparently, this is not the case with other workers in the region). In fact, he boasts of nearly zero production mistakes leading to a product reject ratio of less than one percent. He also appreciates the Filipino's willingness to multi-task, even if not in their job description. This speaks volumes of their concern for the company.

Irritants

Still, there are irritants in doing business in the Philippines. He complains about the excessive cost of electricity and high cost of agricultural produce. For a country blessed with so much arable land, fruits are unreasonably expensive, he laments. For instance, a kilo of strawberries from Baguio can cost up to P200 while its imported equivalent from China costs less than P100. The country loses out because of its inefficient agricultural sector. Government would do good by giving it the focus it deserves, he opines.

Another issue he grapples with is the Filipino's lack of "hunger" in generating new business. He finds it strange that companies he intends to buy from fail to act with urgency when filling his orders. They act as if they don't need the business. Shouldn't they be hustling to generate sales? Pierre cannot understand the laxity. In Europe, suppliers treat their clients like partners as their (the client's) success naturally redounds to the supplier's success. Pierre does not feel that kind of symbiotic relationships with his suppliers. If anything, their view is only up to next month's purchase order.

But perhaps the biggest drawback in Pierre's experience is dealing with dishonest people or people who are not forthright in their business dealings. Unfortunately, there are many of them in these parts. Pierre told me how his landlord, a Filipino, presented his property as being suitable for commercial or industrial use, knowing full well that it was earmarked as a non-commercial zone. As a result, Pierre was unable to secure his business permits for months even after investing millions on improving the property. His landlord duped him and left him to fix the mess. Pierre was able to sort it out eventually, but not without massive setbacks on his business and personal trauma. It is unfortunate that our justice system does not provide quick recourse to address situations like this.

The Philippines Wins

In the next few months, The Fruit Garden will begin tapping the export market of Japan, Korea and China. He believes there is a demand for artisan French-made jams using the best tropical fruits from the Philippines. His closest competitor, Hero Jams, is made in Egypt and cannot compete with the wide spectrum of flavors The Fruit Garden offers.

When realized, the country stands to gain export revenues, not to mention the local taxes and employment from Pierre's venture. In fact, even now, the country already benefits from his work on many levels. For this, he deserves our gratitude. 

We should all continue to do what we naturally do best—make our expat friends feel special. As in Pierre's case, it pays dividends a hundred-fold.

Check out Pierre's many jam varieties at http://goo.gl/OfDMn

 

Andrew is an economist, political analyst and businessman. He is a 20-year veteran in the hospitality and tourism industry. For comments and reactions, e-mail andrew_rs6@yahoo.com. Follow Andrew on Twitter @aj_masigan.

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Philippines, Australia Hold 5 Days LUMBAS Maritime Exercise

Philippine Coast Guard & Australian Royal Navy - 5 day LUMBAS Maritime Training Exercises October 22 - October 27, 2012 

 

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is gearing up for a five-day LUMBAS maritime training exercise with the Philippine Navy and the Royal Australian Navy that begins tomorrow, Oct. 22.

 

Members of the PCG-Special Operations Group (SOG) as well as the Coast Guard's search and rescue vessel BRP Pampanga and helicopter will be deployed to the joint maritime exercise.

 

Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo, said the SOG personnel are scheduled to participate in the joint training to improve their knowledge, skills and tactics in maritime operations.

The main objective of this year's LUMBAS exercise is to provide training on selected personnel of PCG, Filipino and Australian sailors on vessel boarding, border protection, gas and oil security, and law enforcement.

Balilo said the PCG personnel will be interacting with their foreign counterparts to further hone their interoperability skills.

 

"Interoperability starts from the grassroot level and through the nurturing of friendly relations with training participants," he said.

 

Balilo emphasized that the maritime joint exercise will allow PCG personnel to have the opportunity to know their counterparts better and establish a good working relationship.

During the LUMBAS, participants will be able to undergo lectures and harbor training to be held in the headquarters of PCG and Philippine Navy in Manila, while the vessel boarding would be conducted in the Manila Bay.

The PCG is regarded as one of the most challenged coast guards in the world. The Philippines has the fourth longest coastline in the world, next to Indonesia, Russia and Canada.

 

Because of this, the Coast Guard carries many responsibilities on its shoulders that require extensive training.

Apart from LUMBAS, there are members of PCG-SOG being trained to detect weapons of mass destruction under the United States maritime law enforcement course.

On its second week, they are taking up the advance boarding course as well as exercise on radio encryption using the recently donated encrypted radio by the US Export Control and Boarder Security (EXB).

The US Regional EXB handles all the programs and training, which are being given to their Filipino counterparts.

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Philippines donates ₱8.2 Million to China

 

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying receives $200,000 donation from Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. Photo from the Department of Foreign Affairs

Despite a simmering territorial row in the South China Sea, the Philippine government is donating US$200,000 (over ₱8.2 Million) to the Chinese government after recent earthquakes hit China's southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou.

 

A Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) statement said the donation is "a gesture of support and friendship" to the people of China.

 

The ceremonial handover of the donation was held during the courtesy call of Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying on Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario on Friday, October 19.

 

On September 7, two major earthquakes measuring 5.6 and 5.7 and several aftershocks hit Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces in southwestern China, causing the death of 80 and injuring more than 800 others.

 

Thousands of people were evacuated and were in need of relocation. Direct economic losses from the tremors were estimated at more than half a billion dollars, as reported by China's state media Xinhua

 

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October 2012: Singapore keen on expanding investments in Philippines—DFA

Singapore Foreign Minister K Shanmugam: "Impressed"

Singapore, one of Asia's most robust economies, is taking notice of the Philippines' recent economic gains and is looking to expand its investments in the Philippines, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

 

A DFA statement said that Singapore Foreign Minister K Shanmugam took note of the country's rosy economic performance in a meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, during the latter's official visit to the city state on October 11.

 

"The Philippines has been a quiet economic story," the DFA quoted Shanmugam as saying during the meeting.

 

The Singaporean foreign minister called the Philippines' economic achievements "fairly impressive" and that Singaporean businessmen have started to take notice.

 

"He admitted that some Singaporean investors experienced ups and downs in the country in the past, but added that more are likely to come in once they see the Philippines on a steady path," the DFA said in a statement.

 

Singapore is the country's fifth-biggest investor, with some $357.74 million worth of investments into the Philippines in 2011.

 

The city state is the Philippines' fourth-largest trading partner, with total trade volume amounting to $9.17 billion. This accounts for 8.5 percent of the country's total international trade.

 

Del Rosario credited the country's economic performance, rated one of the best in Asia this year, to the Aquino administration's campaign for good governance, a reform initiative seen as the key in improving investor confidence and easing business transactions in general.

 

"I come with head held high, proud of what is happening in my country," Del Rosario told his Singaporean counterpart.

 

The officials also talked about moving bilateral air talks forward to further expand people traffic both ways to boost both business and tourism ties, the DFA said.

 

There are already 167 weekly flights connecting the Philippines and Singapore. Singapore tourist arrivals in the Philippines have also increased by almost 50 percent between 2007 and 2011, the DFA said.

 

The two diplomats also discussed the establishment of a bilateral mechanism for regular discussions on areas of cooperation.

 

Del Rosario also paid a courtesy call on acting Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, the DFA said.

 

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New Zealand surprised: Why the Rich English Country Philippines surge exodus to Kiwi Land

Philippines President Benigno Aquino III waves as he arrives for the Leaders Meeting at the APEC summit in Vladivostok, Russia, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Murray Horton: Filipinos deserve real democracy

 

Prime Minister Key must raise human rights during the Philippines President's visit, writes Murray Horton

 

Some of the most harrowing stories to come out of the February 22 Christchurch earthquake involved people trapped alive in the collapsed CTV Building desperately ringing their families, but dying before they could be rescued. A number of them were among the Filipinos who died in that building.

 

They were a group of nurses attending an English language school. More and more Filipinos are coming to New Zealand to work, either by themselves or with their families. Unlike Kiwis who go overseas to travel and work, Filipinos are not here on their OE.

 

They leave their homeland because there are no jobs for them, there is no welfare system, and unless you can support your family by sending money back from overseas, they will starve. That is why we are seeing an ever growing influx of Filipinos.

 

By and large they do the sorts of low-paid menial jobs (such as retirement home nurse aids) that Kiwis aren't keen on and they live very humbly. I doubt that any of them live in the circumstances of their Coatesville compatriot Mrs. Dotcom.

 

 

People are the Philippines' biggest export; they have become the Irish of Asia.

 

President Benigno Aquino is visiting New Zealand this month to drum up business and trade ties. But the fact is that New Zealanders know very little about this English-speaking Asian neighbor. There are no direct flights; it is off the tourism radar. Why is it that millions of Filipinos have to go overseas to find work, including in New Zealand? It is not a poor country; quite the opposite, it is blessed with a wealth of natural resources. But the vast majority of the people of this rich country are very poor indeed, and not because of any fault of their own.

 

The Philippines' biggest problem is that land and wealth (still very much the same thing) and power are concentrated in the hands of a tiny number of extremely rich families who are not disposed to share it, let alone give it up.

 

There has never been any genuine land reform. Aquino himself is from a major land-owning family, and these dynasties are the ones who control political power, with elected offices handed down from one generation to the next. The Philippines has the formal trappings of democracy but, in reality, it is still very much a semi-feudal society.

 

Three things reinforce the ruling dynasties' stranglehold on wealth and power. One is institutionalized corruption on a truly staggering scale. New Zealanders have heard of Imelda Marcos and her shoes. The Marcos' conjugal dictatorship of the 70s and 80s personified the word "kleptocracy" - massive theft from their own people.

 

More recently, another President was tried for corruption on a comparably breathtaking scale; and President Aquino's immediate predecessor has also been charged with corruption and electoral fraud offences.

 

The second and third things go together - institutionalized violence towards all opposition, and a culture of impunity that sees both corrupt politicians and the members of official death squads (soldiers, police, and paramilitaries) go completely unpunished. Aquino was elected in June 2010 but, despite his own father having been the most high profile victim of Marcos' many political murders, nothing has changed.

 

As of this September there had been 113 political murders during his Presidency. There are more than 400 political prisoners (who are charged with concocted "criminal" offences); torture is routine and was only very recently criminalized; "disappearing" someone has still not been and is widely practiced.

 

The military and the ruling dynasties they serve have a very broad definition of "enemies" - the world's worst ever massacre of journalists (32, out of 58 people killed) took place in the Philippines only three years ago. Nobody has been convicted for this and witnesses have since been murdered.

 

Philippines is a Model of the World for "People Power"

 

The people power in Tunisia that ousted their dictator, the Ousted dictator in Egypt, Libya and the continues Arab Spring is copied from the "people power" which was introduce by the Philippines to the world that that the people if united is more powerful than the most wicked but powerful man in a country.

 

When the previous President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, came to New Zealand in 2007, Helen Clark raised the human rights issue with her.

 

We challenge John Key to do the same with President Aquino.

 

The long-suffering Philippine people deserve all the international support they can get (the US backs the status quo there, as it always has, because the Philippines has always been a loyal satellite). Filipinos don't take this lying down - they gave the world People Power when they peacefully overthrew Marcos in 1986; opposition to the system ranges from a vibrant popular movement representing many sectors of society, right through to the decades of armed struggle waged by Communist and Muslim guerrillas.

 

We owe it to our Filipino workmates and neighbors to urge our Government to demand of President Aquino what he intends to do to make the Philippines an actual democracy and a fair society for all of its people.

 

* Murray Horton is the secretary of the Philippines Solidarity Network of Aotearoa.

Read more here http://goo.gl/sZ7CX

The New Zealand Herald

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GLOBAL OUTLOOK ON PHILIPPINE ECONOMY

 

The Philippines enjoys positive assessments and forecasts by global rating agencies and financial services firms, most of them citing governance reforms and their impact on attracting investments and doing business in the country. The latest, a special report by Dow Jones subsidiary, Market Watch, said the Philippines is emerging as one of "New Tigers" or economies that are "poised to drive future growth and grab more economic power" in Southeast Asia. 

The four Asian Tigers are: 

1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore
3. South Korea
4. Taiwan

The Chief of Emerging Markets Equity Team at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM), Ruchir Sharma, said in his book, "Breakout Nations: In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles," that the Philippines may soon join the world's "tiger economies" as a result of reforms and strong leadership of the Aquino Administration. An economic surge may happen if the Philippines "rightfully manages its vast resources – being the world's fifth-richest in natural resources such as oil, copper, nickel, gold, and silver," he said.

Two foreign economists – Dr. Tyler Cowen and Dr. John Nye – both professors at George Mason University in Washington, DC, said the Philippines has the "best chance" of becoming a tiger economy in Asia. "The Philippines has strong economic fundamentals," said Dr. Cowen, citing the gains of the Aquino Administration, English proficiency, and Filipinos' belief in education as key ingredients for economic liberation. Dr. Nye advised that to achieve long-range changes, the Philippines should focus on two areas: Simplify the rules and further open up to the market.

Deutsche Bank AG, a German global banking and financial services company, noted the Philippines has become the strongest economy in Asia, citing its 6.4 percent growth in the first half of 2012, the fastest in the region. Growth is being driven by improved exports, it said, noting its resiliency despite the global conditions. A Wall Street Journal supplement, "Asia's Euro Risk: How Will Asia Fare if Europe Cracks?" said that "only four economies – Australia, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines – were projected to weather a European situation, assessing that "the Philippines is better prepared to withstand a downturn with a stronger government balance sheet and a robust domestic economy."

Manila Bulletin 

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