Shedding light on issues LETTER 10/04/2010 Dear Editor:

Shedding light on issues

LETTER

10/04/2010
Dear Editor:
This is to shed light on the issues raised by your opinion columnist Jonathan de la Cruz in his column Crossroads, published in your respected newspaper on Sept. 27.

Secretary Robredo has said nothing against Undersecretary Rico E. Puno especially in public. Much more, he never has encouraged his supporters “to muddle” the situation, he has good working relationship with his undersecretary.

Secretary Robredo is not absolving himself from any responsibility. President Aquino himself clarified that Secretary Robredo did not have direct role in the crisis management committee tasked to handle the Quirino Hostage Crisis..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com8.html

Noy not fit to prevail EDITORIAL 10/04/2010

Noy not fit to prevail

EDITORIAL

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10/04/2010
Without the Church and the Palace accepting it, Noynoy and the bishops appear definitely headed for a collision course over the Reproductive Health (RH) bill issue.

Noynoy and the leaders of the Church are both saying that it was media that were blowing the issue out of proportion while both sides at the same time are insisting on being firm on their respective stands.

Noynoy appears to have raised its level of commitment to the use of contraceptives to control the runaway population growth after his working visit to the United States where he received a $434-million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC). The grant, however, requires the meeting of criteria for his administration to draw down the huge amount and the government’s commitment to limit population growth should be one of these.

The Church, on the other hand, has been consistent in its antiquated view on birth control..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com4.html

Who will blink first? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 10/04/2010

Who will blink first?

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

10/04/2010
With two opposing positions, the planned dialog between Noynoy Aquino and the Catholic bishops are hardly expected to get anywhere — unless compromises are made.

But it is certain that no compromise on their position will come from the bishops, who hew the Vatican line.

It stands to reason therefore, that if a compromise is reached, it will have to be Noynoy who will be giving in.

And the way for him to give in, and not lose face with the public, is to ensure that the Reproductive Health (RH) bill that is supported by both senators and congressmen, as well as the majority of Filipinos, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, will never be enacted into law — at least during his term as president.

What the bishops are against really is the RH bill, since they do not make such noise and raise the specter of hellfire when local executives announce that they are giving their constituents contraceptives for their use — and for free..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com5.html

Entrepreneurship vs mendicancy DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 10/04/2010

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DR Congo children turn to acrobatics to survive FEATURE 10/04/2010

DR Congo children turn to acrobatics to survive

FEATURE

10/04/2010
KINSHASA — Jonas, 12, finishes his performance balancing on a tall tower of large jam tins, his arms stretched out and his feet wrapped over his head.

“This pose is called ‘the end of the evening,’” announces his assistant, 11-year-old Richard, moving into the crowd of amazed onlookers on a shabby Kinshasa street to collect a few Congolese francs.

In the hustle of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, these boys are among about 10 groups of child contortionists who support themselves and their families through a startling routine of twists and tricks.

“They are athletes of a top level,” said Guy Nkita, technical director of the Congolese Federation of Athletics.
Several days a week, Jonas and Richard set out after school with their tin cans under their arms and trawl the bustling city of 10 million people looking for a willing audience at open-air restaurants and other relaxed places..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com9.html

Common sense HE SAYS Aldrin Cardon 10/04/2010

Common sense

HE SAYS

Aldrin Cardon

10/04/2010
When a policy becomes a suggestion, it becomes a laughing matter.

That’s what became of the DepEd’s (Department of Education) Memorandum 392 when Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Yolanda Quijano clarified it was merely a suggestion — not an order — when they sought to ease the workload off our students on weekends to give them quality time with their families.

I expressed kudos to it when I first heard the announcement. Being a father myself, whose job limits his quality times with his kids, I must admit the clarification came like a jolt, making the memorandum just another of those useless papers flying around various government offices as they serve no purpose.

Yet, if there is a like button in what seems to be a renewed attention to education in general and our students in particular, I would gladly press it a hundred times for an approval.

Government, at least, is looking at our students’ welfare. And it’s a good start..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com10.html

An eye on the youth and family life SHE SAYS Dinah S. Ventura 10/04/2010

An eye on the youth and family life

SHE SAYS

Dinah S. Ventura

10/04/2010
The latest “homework ban” memorandum by the Department of Education (DepEd), which prohibits public elementary school teachers from giving their pupils homework to do over the weekend caused a minor furor among parent and teachers not too long ago.

As DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Yolanda Quijano explained in the media soon after the announcement, the “Memorandum No. 392 was issued due to various complaints to the department that school children have been receiving too many assignments,” to quote a GMA 7 online report.

There are two schools of thought arising from this issue. There are those who believe that having homework to do on weekends is beneficial not only to the pupils, but also their parents. In fact, some such parents were quoted in TV reports complaining that they would lose the only bonding opportunity they have with their kids if they do not have weekend homework to do together.

What’s interesting about this argument is the reason behind the memorandum to give the students more quality time to spend with their family..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com11.html

Civil disobedience an option — CBCP By Gerry Baldo 10/04/2010

Civil disobedience an option — CBCP

By Gerry Baldo 10/04/2010

After an implied threat from the head of the Catholic bishops’ group of excom-municating President Aquino over his support to the use of artificial contraceptives, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said yesterday that civil disobedience is an option that the Church can consider should Aquino make good his promise to hand out artificial birth control devices.

Church leaders, in separate interviews, said bishops and priests have the moral authority to teach and lead the faithful based on Church teachings. Aquino had said during a small town meeting in the United States that he might consider contraceptive methods to curb population even though it runs counter to the natural methods that is the only option allowed by the Catholic Church.

“The Catholic Church in the Philippines can do that if it decides to do that because for one thing civil disobedience is a moral option, one of the moral options,” CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura said on the CBCP Web site.

Figura added Church leaders have notreceived any call or letter from the Office of the President for a dialogue on the controversial issue although it was published in the papers that an audience with the Catholic bishops is being prepared..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed1.html

‘Exasperated’ PAL divulges crew pays By Charlie V. Manalo 10/04/2010

‘Exasperated’ PAL divulges crew pays

By Charlie V. Manalo 10/04/2010

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) divulged yesterday the average payscale of its cabin crew to show that they are not underpaid amid a looming strike threat by the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (Fasap) claiming unfair labor practice.

PAL said in a statement that it was exasperated by its cabin crew union’s propaganda, adding its flight attendants are well paid and receive some of the best benefits that are the envy of other Filipino workers.
PAL spokesman Cielo Villaluna said officers of the (Fasap) have not been forthright in informing the public of the real salaries and benefits that the PAL cabin crew receives.

“Fasap claims their basic pay is below the government set minimum wage, but this is just a portion of their salary. The truth is they receive much, much more,” she said.

The actual gross monthly pay of a PAL cabin crew, Villaluna said, ranges from P33,000 to P75,000, inclusive of productivity pay and other allowances..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed2.html

Comelec official slain in Basilan By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

Comelec official slain in Basilan

By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

Barely 21 days before the synchronized barangay and Sangguiniang Kabataan (SK) polls, an election officer in Basilan province was shot dead by unidentified armed men last Saturday night, a ranking police official yesterday said.

Chief Supt. Bienvenido Latag, director of the Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM), identified the victim as Entong Musa, election officer of Tuburan town.
Latag said Musa was in Calle Posporo in Barangay San Rafael in Isabela City, Basilan around 7:30 p.m. when unidentified armed men, aboard a motorcycle, killed him.

A special investigation task group (SITG) was immediately created by Latag to address the shooting incident.
Also, dragnet operations and checkpoints were immediately established to track down the perpetrators..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed3.html

Senate resumption of hostage probe still uncertain — Honasan 10/04/2010

Senate resumption of hostage probe still uncertain — Honasan

10/04/2010
The resumption of the Senate’s inquiry into the Aug. 23 hostage crisis is being hampered by the Palace’s non-submission of a copy of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) report to the upper chamber, Sen. Gregorio Honasan yesterday said.

The senator and overall lead in the probe of the hostage incident could not answer queries as to the date of the continuation of the proceedings of his committee on public order together with the justice panel chaired by Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

“What we want is to wait first for the submission of the report so we can see which areas will be needing legislative intervention, if coordinating relation among agencies involved is lacking,” Honasan said in an interview over dzBB.

Up to now, Malacañang or the IIRC has yet to furnish them with a copy despite formal requests made by the Senate..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed4.html

Gov’t can now demand help in recovering money abroad 10/04/2010

Gov’t can now demand help in recovering money abroad

10/04/2010
The government can now compel foreign countries to assist in the recovery of money acquired from illegal and corrupt practices and stashed away abroad under an international convention signed last Friday, Sen. Edgardo Angara said yesterday.

The Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) and South East Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC) meeting concluded with member countries agreeing to implement new policies in the fight against corruption, Angara said.

Angara, founding member of SEAPAC and host of the conference, said the country now has an objective scorecard to judge whether a country has achieved progress in the reduction or elimination of corruption.
Under the agreement signed during the two-day convention, member countries were mandated to assist country victimized by corrupt or illegal activities, particularly in the area of asset-recovery, where money-laundering activities are concerned..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed5.html

China closes door on Pinoy domestic helpers — envoy 10/04/2010

China closes door on Pinoy domestic helpers — envoy

10/04/2010
The Chinese government has reiterated that there is no current demand for Filipino household service workers in China, saying opening this market to foreigners would endanger employment opportunities for locals.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao cited the skills and competence of Filipino domestic helpers, but said there is no immediate plan for Beijing to allow their entry into mainland China.

“I haven’t heard of any confirmation that such an optionis feasible at this stage,” Liu said in a weekend press briefing. “(Filipino domestic helpers) are very diligent workers. They are professionals but… China is under tremendous pressure to provide jobs for the Chinese.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101004hed6.html

AFP captures 11 NPA camps in Visayas By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

AFP captures 11 NPA camps in Visayas

By Mario J. Mallari 10/04/2010

The Army leadership yesterday announced the capture of 11 camps of the communist New People’s Army in the Visayas region, one of which was maintained by Wilma Tiamzon, wife of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA top leader Alberto Silva.

Army 8th Infantry Division (ID) Chief Maj. Gen. Mario Chan said one of the significant accomplishments of this command was the capture of Tiamzon’s National Organization Department of the CPP-NPA Central Committee headed by Silva, alias Ka Perry.

“The camp was seized by troops of the Task Group Panther of the Scout Ranger,” Chan said.
Chan said that another major NPA camp which served as the headquarters of the communist’s Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee was also captured.

Last Saturday, another NPA camp felled into the hands of the operating troops of Army’s 63rd Infantry Battalion (IB) at the hinterland of Barangay Cagmanaba, Jipapad, Eastern Samar at about 11:30 a.m.
.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101004nat5.html

Not a priority EDITORIAL 10/03/2010

Not a priority

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

10/03/2010
Malacañang says a lot whenever it states that a certain issue is not a priority of Noynoy.

It used the line the other day on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill as the Church stepped up the pressure against it, even raising a possible ecumenical action against the President.

The RH bill, which will actively engage the government in the promotion of contraceptives to control the exploding population, has been languishing in Congress for the past few years mainly because of the Church’s vehement opposition against it and the reluctance of legislators to rile prelates who remain influential on the pulpit, despite the fast receding number of Church goers on Sunday.

The last time the Palace used the not a priority line was on jueteng when then newly-appointed Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo indicated that he is ready to wage an all-out war against the illegal numbers game, as directed by Noynoy, so he said then..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com1.html

Above average performance? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 10/03/2010

Above average performance?

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

10/03/2010
Malacañang, as well as Noynoy, gave themselves a pat on the back for having “achieved” much by way of reforms in his government in the first 100 days, which achievements Noynoy said he will be unveiling to the public four days from today.

His mouthpiece claimed that they have given themselves a mark of “above average,” pointing out that the Aquino administration is on the right track as its first 100 days winds down, with Edwin Lacierda saying that they are on track on two levels — the eradication of corruption and poverty alleviation, but also insisted that “the fruits of these things that we are doing will go beyond 100 days (and) you will see what the Aquino administration has been doing for the poor, toward promotion of services for the public at large.”

But it looks like Noynoy, despite his and his mouthpieces crowing about the “reforms” he has started in his administration, is aware that whatever he unveils on Oct. 8, his 100th day in office, will be either ridiculed or criticized, as much of whatever he will unveil certainly can’t be categorized as “achievements” in the reform area..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com2.html

Raissa C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 10/03/2010

Raissa

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S

Jonathan De la Cruz

10/03/2010
Raissa Laurel, the second year San Sebastian College of Law student who lost both legs below the knee in that dastardly bomb blast near the De La Salle University campus as bar examinees and their supporters jammed the streets just after the last examination ended last Sunday, deserves our prayers and commendation. She is such a courageous and gritty lady. Despite her loss of limbs she has remained as hopeful as can be and even advised one and all she will fight on and hope to be a lawyer someday. She will be a very good addition to the profession.

But best of all the tragedy that befall her and 50 others, many of whom are aspiring lawyers, has only reinforced her faith in the Good Lord. While many of her age and circumstance would have been overtaken with grief and self-pity, she has remained steadfast and, as evidenced by her demeanor, even grown closer to the Creator. She has, in the words of her friends, taken her fate with such equanimity and grace she has become a kind of guiding light to the many going through similar, maybe even less, challenging circumstances in their lives. She has become a heroine in more ways than one..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com4.html

Secretary Carandang up for a roast BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 10/03/2010

Secretary Carandang up for a roast

BLURBAL THRUSTS

Louie Logarta

10/03/2010
Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno as well as several members of the city council are now being severely criticized for choosing to do battle in court with the giant International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) for alleged illegal reclamation activities in Manila Bay covering some 12 hectares immediately beside their sprawling compound in Isla Puting Bato, Tondo.

This is to be expected, Moreno said, because a favorable ruling could really jeopardize the reclamation project, designed to expand the ICTSI complex by over 60 percent, for which approximately P3 billion had already been spent during the past two years. “Malaking pera ang mawawala sa kanila kapag nakuha natin ito.”

Shooting the breeze with some city hall reporters, the youthful vice mayor said the reclaimed land, located in the murky waters sandwiched by ICTSI and the Manila North Harbor, could be put to better use as an ideal relocation site for hundreds of thousands of squatters living throughout Manila.

The multi-billion ICTSI reclamation project was accidentally discovered by Moreno while campaigning during the last elections during a house-to-house sortie in Isla Puting Bato which is home to several thousand informal settlers. It was the drone of the payloaders, bulldozers, backhoes, graders and other huge earthmoving equipment that betrayed the existence of the frenzied construction work inside the fenced-off area and got him intrigued..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com5.html

‘Excommunicated’ TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 10/03/2010

‘Excommunicated’

TABLETS OF STONE

Larry Faraon, OP

10/03/2010
“You don’t know what you are up against” — the Catholic Church is a monolithic and mono-synchronistic organization that prides a global membership of 1.6 billion under the most powerful and influential head, the prime resident in Vatican City, the Pope.

Its hierarchical organization is not a corporate set up of managers and subalterns, with less complex system for hiring and firing its workers and members. Its policies are not hewed from board rooms but from biblical principles of times past with a founding “chairman” all drenched in divinity and impeccability, not to mention eternity. With two thousand year existence of thesis-antithesis syndrome, it thrives on an eschatological conclusion with finality, not only for itself but for the entire global and human existence, toward which it feels commissioned and obligated to drag along to that celestial end. Armed with a divine guarantee that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” the dominant culture of the Church is its bias for its own authority to insist on what is right and righteous to the point of paying the cost of humiliation and even shedding its own blood.

The “remote possibility of excommunication” should not be seen by President Aquino and by his choral rah-rahs as a threat. CBCP president Bishop Nereo Odchimar clarified that he never threatened President Noynoy with excommunication. True enough, the Church is in no position to threaten anybody. But an “indication” of incurring the highest disciplinary measure for some moral turpitude, especially coming from a bishop, betrays more than just a deliberate threat or official disciplinary action of an erring member..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com6.html

The right man for the right place VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 10/03/2010

The right man for the right place

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

10/03/2010
To have the right man at the wrong place or to have the right place for the wrong man — this is a certain and certified disaster in the sphere of management. This is empirical calamity in the world of organization. In other words, it is an elementary dictate of prudence, a basic mandate of logic that the right person should be elected to the right office, appointed to the right position or given the right task. In the event of any dissonant move or errant option patently contrary to the fundamental administrative or executive principle that the right person should have the right job — everybody concerned therein eventually becomes a loser.

Loser is the man unworthily elected to an office he is in reality unfit to have and to hold — a factual unfitness for whatever objective reason and/or personality liability.

In the same way: Loser is the person for having been given an assignment the same is incapacitated from bringing to expected completion on account of any adverse causal factor.

Loser is the individual assigned to a task for which the same does not have the required competence and/or lacks the demanded stability and/or wanting in character — normally exacted by given agenda..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101003com7.html