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A strange creature called PPP EDITORIAL 05/11/2011

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A strange creature called PPP

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
05/11/2011
The flagship projects of Noynoy under the so-called private-public partnership (PPP) scheme have not started and yet controversy is already hounding those that have been lined for bidding.

The problem is basic. Noynoy’s administration has failed to define how to implement these projects such as what really is a PPP scheme.

Many are led to believe that the PPP is patterned after the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme that was conceptualized to reduce costs for government in putting up infrastructure projects. Now it appears that this is totally not the case.

.Even Sen. Ralph Recto, a Noynoy ally and a former Socio-economic Planning secretary, appears astounded to learn that the PPP scheme for the pioneer projects involving the mass transit lines would involve the government paying an operator of the railways lines P15 billion.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110511com1.html

Control freak FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 05/11/2011

Control freak

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
05/11/2011
The Sandiganbayan’s approval of the plea bargain agreement between the prosecutors and retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia was a given. There really was no other choice, with Garcia having admitted guilt to the lesser charge of bribery and graft, instead of plunder.

But the Palace and Noynoy’s aides aren’t giving up — even when they know it is a lost cause. They make all the noises of appealing the case before the Supreme Court to get that plea bargain overturned, mainly to keep up with the Noynoy posture of going after all the crooks.

No one knows just how the high court will rule on this appeal — if it does get to decide on the case, but it would be fairly difficult to overturn the anti-graft court’s ruling, owing to the fact that this would be a case of double jeopardy, which has to be upheld — else, the Garcia plea bargain, once overturned, will screw up once again the laws of the land — or the interpretation of double jeopardy, not to mention the fact that if overturned by a higher court, no plea bargain agreement entered into by the courts can ever be taken seriously, since such an agreement can still be overturned by the high court..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110511com2.html

Letter from Rep. Peping C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 05/11/2011

Letter from Rep. Peping

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S
Jonathan De la Cruz
05/11/2011
Rep. “Peping” is, of course, former Tarlac congressman and POC Chairman Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., younger brother of the departed President Cory Aquino and uncle to P-Noy.

We got hold of an open letter purportedly written by Cojuangco detailing what may be considered critical observations of a keen political observer whose experience and participation in the country’s political life has spanned decades. While we do not have independent verification of the provenance or even authenticity of this letter, we deemed it proper to give it space if only to serve as a backgrounder on the current state of affairs as well as a glimpse of what the country and our people can expect as P-Noy enters the second year of his six-year term. Here goes:

“Corrupt nila o corrupt ninyo, pare pareho ba lahat kayo?”

“It is dangerous if not fatal to believe that winning an election or even more especially — losing one — also bestows a monopoly on virtue and good intentions..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110511com4.html

Tunis museum flourishes after Ben Ali fall focus 05/11/2011

Tunis museum flourishes after Ben Ali fall

focus

05/11/2011
TUNIS — Sitting in his vast office, crammed full of relics and curiosities, museum curator Taher Ghalia has good reason to welcome the downfall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Just as a fresh breeze now blows through the country’s politics and press, Tunisia’s cultural institutions too have the chance to flourish.

Instead of protecting the nation’s treasures from the hands of former ruler Ben Ali and his wife, Ghalia is heading up a major renovation project to bring them to the people.

“They weren’t interested in culture. There was a trade in antiquities, but fortunately the Bardo wasn’t touched,” said Ghalia who clashed with the couple earlier in his career..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110511com5.html

On the run HE SAYS Aldrin Cardon 05/11/2011

On the run

HE SAYS
Aldrin Cardon
05/11/2011
Now, there is no doubt the highly covert Navy SEALs May Day siege on a million-dollar mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan had netted Osama bin Laden, the former top figure in the terrorist group al-Qaeda, long wanted by the West for masterminding the 9/11 attacks on strategic US landmarks, aside from other deadly attacks in various parts of the free world.

No less than the al-Qaeda had acknowledged the obvious about Osama’s death when it released a statement it called “You lived as a good man, you died as a martyr,” that was used freely in militant Web sites, confirming its source.

It said: “The blood of the holy warrior sheik, Osama bin Laden, God bless him, is too precious to us and to all Muslims to go in vain... We will remain, God willing, a curse chasing the Americans and their agents, following them outside and inside their countries.

“Soon, God willing, their happiness will turn to sadness... their blood will be mingled with their tears.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110511com6.html

More paranoia SHE SAYS Dinah S. Ventura 05/11/2011

More paranoia

SHE SAYS
Dinah S. Ventura
05/11/2011
The world does not feel like a better place even after the world’s most wanted terrorist was annihilated by US Navy SEALs over a week ago.

The elation that erupted in parts of America at the announcement of Osama bin Laden’s death did not usher in an era of peace, but rather gave the world just another off-putting display of hate and fanaticism — exactly the kind of things for which superpowers fight wars to erase or subdue.

Instead of a feeling of relief, what many felt was more paranoia, because history shows that one terrorist’s death only means the rise of another.

This is why the Philippine military, heeding warnings of a possible backlash from fans of Osama, stepped up its vigilance against terror or rebel groups, even though they have said that the military is never relaxed when it comes to security threats..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110511com7.html

Life pauses on rumbling Taal Volcano focus 05/11/2011

Life pauses on rumbling Taal Volcano

focus

05/11/2011
TAAL VOLCANO — Boats lay idle on the shores of a lake surrounding the rumbling Taal Volcano as village elder Violy Seda retold her dramatic escape from death a generation ago.

The 65-year-old woman was a young mother during Taal’s last major eruption in 1977, which covered the island with deadly ash, violently shook the ground and sent villagers rushing through the night to their boats to escape.

“Throughout the day there were powerful earthquakes that sent us falling over ourselves,” said Seda, who now has seven children and 32 grandchildren.

“By nightfall we had packed everything and jumped on our boats just as a loud bang erupted. The night sky glowed and we would have died if we stayed behind.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110511com3.html

P423M funds for RH-type projects missing — Sotto By Gerry Baldo 05/11/2011

P423M funds for RH-type projects missing — Sotto

By Gerry Baldo 05/11/2011

Some P423 million in government funds intended for the implementation of family planning programs during the previous administration similar to those proposed under the Reproductive Health (RH) bill has gone missing, raising the spectre of the possible misappropriations being repeated under the controversial measure pending in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said yesterday.

He added that millions of pesos intended for similar programs sought by the RH bill are already being appropriated to the Department of Health (DoH) through its Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition program but have not reached their intended targets..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110511hed2.html

Jinggoy not satisfied, wants actual wage hike for workers 05/11/2011

Jinggoy not satisfied, wants actual wage hike for workers

05/11/2011
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada yesterday said the P22 increase in the cost of living allowance (COLA) for minimum wage earners in Metro Manila ap-proved by the National Capital Region wage board was not enough even as he stressed that deliberations on the proposed actual wage increase should continue.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) announced the approval of the COLA adjustment after deliberations by the wage board, saying some two million minimum wage earners
in Metro Manila would benefit from the increase, bringing the daily compensation of non-agricultural workers to P426 a day.

“I share the workers’ sentiment that this COLA is very measly, especially in the face of the unabated jacking up of prices of petroleum as well as food products and basic commodities,” Estrada, also the concurrent chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development and the joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment, noted..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110511hed5.html

Typhoon ‘Bebeng’ leaves 2 more dead, 3 missing By Mario J. Mallari 05/11/2011

Typhoon ‘Bebeng’ leaves 2 more dead, 3 missing

By Mario J. Mallari 05/11/2011

Two more people were confirmed dead, bringing to 15 the total number of fatalities, while three others remained missing and more than 170,000 were affected by tropical storm “Bebeng” which battered Bicol regions with heavy rains and strong winds since last Sunday.

Reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) identified the latest fatalities as Rolando Balandia, who was previously listed as missing, and Mario Nunez, both of Nabua town, Camarines Sur who died of drowning.

Earlier, 13 people were confirmed dead by the NDRRMC after tropical storm “Bebeng” battered Bicol and Leyte areas with continued heavy rains since last Sunday.

The NDRRMC also reported three people remained missing, namely, Agmeti Condat, of Tiwi, Albay; Dodoy Ronan and a certain Mister Abagat, both of Bula, Camarines Sur..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110511nat2.html

Two more ‘chainsaw murders’ uncovered in Maguindanao By Benjamin B. Pulta 05/11/2011

Two more ‘chainsaw murders’ uncovered in Maguindanao

By Benjamin B. Pulta 05/11/2011

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday announced that investigators have uncovered at least two more incidents of “chainsaw killings” in Barangay Satan, Shariff Aguak, five kilometers away from the palatial homes of the controversial Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao province .

De Lima said the cadavers were uncovered by field investigators of the police and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and could be the remains of Murad Badjunaid and Harod Abdullah, both supporters of the Ampatuan family’s political rival, former Maguindanao Gov. Zacaria Candao who were reported missing in 2003.

“One of the skeletal remains was placed inside a sack and the body was apparently chopped, while the other one was outside the sack,” the DoJ chief said. “The remains have been turned over to the NBI medico legal officer at General Santos City and that would be transmitted to the NBI main office for forensic exam.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110511nat1.html

Warden told to produce 40 accused in massacre 05/11/2011

Warden told to produce 40 accused in massacre

05/11/2011
A Quezon City trial court judge yesterday ordered a jail warden to produce the 36 police officers and four civilians accused in the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre in today’s pre-trial conference at Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

RTC’s Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes issued the order through clerk of court Jimmy Cardines to city’s Jail Annex warden Chief Insp. Glenford Valdepeñas.

Ordered to be present are Insp. Sukarno Dicay; PO1s Henry Amaba, Esprielito Legarso, Narhouk Mascud, Arnulfo Soriano, Badjun Panegas, Michael Macarongon, Mohammad Balading, Datu Jerry Utto, Abdulbaran Mundas, Bersedick Alonso, Jimmy Kadtong, Abdulrahman Bataran, Marjul Ulkadi, Abdulmanan Saavedra, Pendatun Dima, Ebara Bebot, Amir Solaiman, Jamano Sahibal Hadv and Marsman Nilong; PO3s Rashid Anton, Felix Enate Jr., Gibrail Alano, Felix Daquilos and Ricky Balanuevo; PO2s Henanie Decipulo Jr., Saudian Pasulan, Henry Amaba, Rexson Guiama and Kendatu Rakim; SPO1s Eduardo Ong, Samad Magundra, Ali Soriano, Alimola Guianaton and Elizer Rendaje, and SPO2 George Labayan..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110511met3.html

Reinstate OPSF to counter unabated oil price hikes — ‘JV’ By Charlie V. Manalo 05/11/2011

Reinstate OPSF to counter unabated oil price hikes — ‘JV’

By Charlie V. Manalo 05/11/2011
San Juan City Rep. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito yesterday reiterated his proposal to reinstate the controversial Oil Price Stabilization Fund (OPSF) implemented during the Marcos time to ease the effects of the unabated oil price increases.

This even as the solon expressed regrets that the Department of Energy (DoE) settled on providing temporary solutions to ease the burden of motorists from the continuing oil price hike with the ongoing distribution of the Pantawid Pasada Card.

“As we have warned before, coupon rationing is not enough and will not resolve the skyrocketing oil prices nor alleviate the condition of consumers,” the lawmaker said.

Ejercito added the agency should instead propose and act on sustainable solutions that would enable the local oil industry to withstand the price hikes in the world market while reiterating his proposal to abolish the Oil Deregulation Law and to recall the OPSF,” Ejercito said, adding “the most plausible solution to mitigate the people’s distressed condition over the price hike is to reestablish the OPSF.”.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110511met1.html

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