A strange creature called PPP EDITORIAL 05/11/2011

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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The 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

Source:  The Daily Tribune

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

Noy resurrects abolished office to make room for Mar By Aytch S. de la Cruz 05/10/2011

.Noy resurrects abolished office to make room for Mar
By Aytch S. de la Cruz 05/10/2011
To accommodate his defeated running mate in last year’s presidential elections, President Aquino will revive the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff that he earlier had abolished himself to place Liberal Party (LP) president Manuel Roxas II as head in time for the expiry in June of a one-year appointment ban under the Constitution for losing poll candidates.

Malacañang Administrative Order (AO) signed by Aquino is being prepared that would legalize and define the functions of Roxas’ new office pending his looming appointment as Presidential Chief of Staff (PCS).

While the creation of the office was within Aquino’s prerogative, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano underscored the need for Aquino to clarify the hierarchy of power structure within the Palace for the benefit of better understanding by the public.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110510hed2.html

Senate ethics case vs Ping to proceed, says Cayetano By Angie M. Rosales 05/10/2011

Senate ethics case vs Ping to proceed, says Cayetano

By Angie M. Rosales 05/10/2011

The ethics complaint against Sen. Panfilo Lacson is still on, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said yesterday although he was conspi-cuously cautious in saying that he will be fair in hearing the case.

The senator, in an interview with reporters, explained that his committee on ethics and privileges where a complaint lodged by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) against Lacson for evading the arrest warrant issued against him last year, is yet to draw until now the rules that will govern the panel in hearing issues concerning supposed unethical conducts of their peers.

But Cayetano said he will push the adoption of the rules the soonest time possible, if other members wish to revise.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110510hed4.html

Solon asks Noy gov’t to spare Pacquiao from politicking By Charlie V. Manalo

Solon asks Noy gov’t to spare Pacquiao from politicking

By Charlie V. Manalo 05/10/2011
A member of the House of Representatives yesterday asked the Aquino administration to spare eight-time world boxing champion, Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao from too much politicking as what Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares is doing by bullying the boxer-lawmaker with her “inquisition style” of her tax drive for BIR.

While echoing popular sentiment, Pacquiao had once again caused a unifying effect on the nation as Filipinos rooted and prayed for him, and ultimately celebrated his victory over African-American boxer Sugar Shane Mosley last Sunday, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla lamented that prior to the bout, while every Filipino was fervently hoping Pacquiao would win it, it seemed President Aquino’s people did not wish him well because of the announcement to probe him on payment of taxes..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110510nat2.html

Faculty unions endorse bill upgrading college professors pay N E W S B R I E F S 05/10/2011

Faculty unions endorse bill upgrading college professors pay

N E W S B R I E F S

05/10/2011
Faculty associations and unions from various State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in Luzon expressed their support for a bill upgrading the salaries of teaching personnel in public higher education institutions.

The Philippine National Confederation of Faculty Associations of SUCs (PNCFASUC)-Luzon endorsed House Bill 4523, filed by ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, during its recently-concluded consultative training conference held in Subic, Zambales on May 2-4, 2011. Tinio held a dialogue with the faculty associations on the first day of the conference.

Fifty-three delegates from 27 participating faculty unions and associations attended the conference. They came from SUCs in Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Kalinga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bataan, Cavite, Rizal, Mindoro, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and the National Capital Region. The conference was led by PNCFASUC-Luzon President Evelyn Tria of Bataan Peninsula State University..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110510nat5.html

Solons push gov’t plan giving free farmlands to squatters in provinces By Gerry Baldo 05/10/2011

Solons push gov’t plan giving free farmlands to squatters in provinces

By Gerry Baldo 05/10/2011
Lawmakers yesterday sought the approval of a government plan that would resettle informal settlers to the provinces by giving them free farmlands and other supporting agricultural implements.

San Juan City Rep. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) Rep. Sherwin Tugna and Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said the proposal of President Aquino will surely not only decongest Metro Manila but also provide decent living conditions to many poor families.

Ejercito said the important thing in the proposal is that people who live in extreme poverty will now have the opportunity to have access to better life.

“I think it’s a good idea because not only will it decongest Manila but more importantly give chance to the informal settlers to have a better life in the provinces,” Ejercito added..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110510met3.html

Lim calls anew for closure to ‘Hello Garci’ controversy By Mario J. Mallari 05/10/2011

Lim calls anew for closure to ‘Hello Garci’ controversy

By Mario J. Mallari 05/10/2011

Former Scout Ranger chief Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim yesterday renewed his call to put closure to the “Hello Garci” controversy which he branded as one of the root causes of military uprisings against the administration of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo.

Taking his oath of allegiance after being granted amnesty by the administration of President Aquino, Lim said he is thanking the President for the amnesty but the “original sin” should be addressed to dissuade idealistic men in uniform from uprising.

Lim expressed disbelief why until now there is still no closure to the infamous “Hello Garci” recordings which revealed the alleged massive fraud involving the military during the 2004 presidential elections when Arroyo ran and won the race against the late Fernando Poe Jr..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110510met1.html

What subsidy? Public utility drivers still demand for an oil price rollback

There are 214,596 registered public utility jeepneys in the country, but when the Aquino Government’s Pantawid Pasada program was finally begun first week of May, only 3,000 fuel cards loaded with P1,050 ($34.95) each had been prepared for distribution by the government.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

MANILA –Do the math. There are 214,596 registered public utility jeepneys in the country, but when the Aquino Government’s Pantawid Pasada program was finally begun first week of May, only 3,000 fuel cards loaded with P1,050 ($34.95) each had been prepared for distribution by the government, and it has also prepared only one distribution center which is at Camp Crame in Quezon City. How could the rest of the country’s jeepney drivers be able to avail of that so-called Pantawid Pasada? asked George San Mateo, secretary-general of Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Drivers at Operators Nationwide (PISTON).

San Mateo also pointed out as “highly irregular” the government’s decision to directly involve in the distribution of said fuel cards some transport organizations and federations. The distribution of the so-called subsidy should have been a straightforward transaction between individual franchise holders and the government, San Mateo explained. But the Department of Energy (DoE) decided in a meeting that the list of franchisees availing of the subsidy would have to be brought to the distribution centers by its associations.

(Photo by Marya Salamat / bulatlat.com)

Other drivers’ associations have reportedly complied with the DOE stipulations, but Piston did not. Aside from seeing the process as “highly irregular,” Piston still has not yet forgotten the government’s oft-repeated threats against the franchise of its allies and members every time they would conduct a transport protest action. Why is the DOE requiring that, asked Piston, when the Land Transportations Franchising and Regulatory Board already has a master list of the jeepney franchise holders?

Pantawid Pasada as “trickery”

Last month Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Teddy Casiño had described Pantawid Pasada as “nothing but a drop in the fuel tanks of our country’s public transport drivers,” because the amount cannot even buy a full tank of diesel. He added that the initial P450 million ( $10.48 million) allotted for the fuel subsidy program that “will last for two months will not make a dent in the incomes of our jeepney and tricycle drivers and operators since the 11 oil price hikes so far this year have negated whatever subsidizing effect government purports this program will have.”.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/05/06/what-subsidy-public-utility-drivers-still-demand-for-an-oil-price-rollback/