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Clarification LETTER 04/19/2011

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Clarification

LETTER

04/19/2011
Dear Editor:
This refers to the story “Rice and Oil” published in the Daily Tribune dated April 13 under the column Frontline citing the warning of the “government spy agency” on the “shrinking rice supply that has become a national security concern.”

At the outset, we would like to emphasize that even the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) which is supposed to be the source of the report has reportedly denied coming out with the dire prediction on rice shortage. In any case, the supposed report was dated Feb. 20 this year, and a lot of actions have been done, both by DA and NFA since then. May we also point out that good weather conditions have augured well to an abundant summer crop rice production.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has said the country may even hit 7.6 million metric tons palay output for the summer harvest which is 15 percent more than last year’s 6.6 MMT palay output for the same period..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110419com6.html

Another dysfunctional economy? AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 04/19/2011

Another dysfunctional economy?

AN OUTSIDERS VIEW
Ken Fuller
04/19/2011
In a book I read a few months ago, the author complains of “rule by a small elite – never democratic, often autocratic, usually plutocratic, and lately kleptocratic — all working with a tribal-feudal mind-set, “in the name of the people” with democratic camouflage. This small elite comprises feudal barons, tribal warlords, and politicians of all hues… Elections…involve shifting coalitions of different clans or tribes, negotiated by tribal or clan leaders, rather than appeals to independent voters. The system lends itself to incompetence and corruption, leading to poor governance. It creates the illusion of democracy because we do have elections; but we forget that elections are but a tool of democracy, not an end in themselves.”

Sound familiar? Maybe, but it’s Perez Musharraf writing of Pakistan in his 2006 memoir, In the Line of Fire..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110419com4.html

Haitians turn to waste to combat cholera, deforestation FEATURE 04/19/2011

Haitians turn to waste to combat cholera, deforestation

FEATURE

04/19/2011
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Desperately poor Haiti is finding a cheap source of fuel in recycling human excrement, a move that could help put a dent in a cholera epidemic and slow the country’s pervasive deforestation.

The “biodigester,” which converts organic waste to biogas and a liquid fertilizer rich in nutrients, requires little infrastructure: Toilets linked to a sealed, brick-lined well connected to a basin. Seventy of these devices are up and running, while another 70 are in the works..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110419com7.html

Pitiful Pilipino Population (PPP) VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 04/19/2011

Pitiful Pilipino Population (PPP)

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
04/19/2011
For reason of short-sightedness, of hard-headedness or plain incompetence, on account of merely unwise advisories or downright selfish ulterior motives, Malacañang believes and wherefore accordingly acts on the assumption that the Filipino population is the problem and thus the culprit of national poverty, the cause of the present country-wide misery and socio-economic debacle.

Its simplistic thought and immediate option: Lessening the Filipino population automatically means national progress, equals development and prosperity. Reason: Big population is a curse. Small population is blessing. As far as the Filipinos are concerned, the more they are, the worse they become, the less they are, the better they emerge — specifically in terms of material abundance.

The following realities are thus conveniently ignored by Malacañang and cohorts: There are countries with less and less children, and wherefore with more and more aging people. Their recourse is to import more and more foreigners to man their trade and manage their industry. There are also countries that successfully led their citizens to have less and less population. Their governments are now doing everything for them to have more kids through different gimmicks and enticements. No wonder then that when certain individuals from such countries visit the Philippines, the mere sight of children is interestingly their big surprise and delight..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110419com5.html

Noy OK with Cito, Jocjoc as state witnesses 04/19/2011

Noy OK with Cito, Jocjoc as state witnesses

04/19/2011
Despite their being the principal accused, and deemed the most guilty, President Aquino, through his spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said former Agriculture Secretary Luis “Cito” Lorenzo and Undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante can become state witnesses but only if they can provide fresh evidence that can lead to the real perpetrators behind the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, evidently referring to their pointing to former president Gloria Arroyo as the brains in the scam.

Lacierda however said the decision is up to Lorenzo and Bolante if they want to consider the suggestion of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to turn themselves in and cooperate with the government in its bid to find out the truth behind this six-year old controversy..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110419hed2.html

Erap turns 74, kicks off birthday with gifts for the masses 04/19/2011

Erap turns 74, kicks off birthday with gifts for the masses

04/19/2011
Former President Joseph Estrada may no longer be in power, but he has not forgotten his natural constituents, the masses, who have never let him down.

Yesterday, the eve of his birthday, Estrada gave away 10,000 bags filled with canned goods, noodles and milk to indigent communities in Quezon City and Manila.

The gift giving ceremonies started in Payatas, followed by North Triangle in Quezon City then Baseco and Tondo in the afternoon.

At noontime the former President had lunch with the orphans at the Asociacion de Damas de Filipinas, an orphanage his late mother Mary Ejercito co-founded and which he helped rebuild when it burned down years ago. He has celebrated his birthdays and Christmases with orphans for the past 20 years..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110419hed5.html

GMA tells Noy: Start acting like a real president By Charlie V. Manalo and Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/19/2011

AS NOYNOY TWITS GLORIA FOR ‘SOURGRAPING’

GMA tells Noy: Start acting like a real president

By Charlie V. Manalo and Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/19/2011

President Aquino called her and the political opposition as “paranoid” and now sourgrapes, but it certainly looks like the former president is not about to take Aquino’s tirades against her sitting down.

Having finally broken her silence, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo yesterday followed up her charge of the existence of a “vacuum in leadership” in relation to the Aquino government and his “student council” government, calling on her successor to start acting like a real president and work hard in resolving the country’s worsening problems..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110419hed1.html

Malacañang passes on ‘pressure’ to judiciary in solving media killings By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/19/2011

Malacañang passes on ‘pressure’ to judiciary in solving media killings

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/19/2011

Malacañang yesterday passed on to the judiciary the “pressure” it is receiving from various media and other press-oriented organizations concerning the resolution of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre and other political killings involving journalists that happened during the Arroyo administration.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the blame for the apparent slow action of the courts as regards to the Ampatuan trial should not be put on the Executive branch, arguing that it is already beyond the President Aquino’s jurisdiction once cases have been filed before the respective legal courts.

“I would also like to ask the journalists not to focus solely on the Executive branch. The cases are being handled by the judiciary and I think that you should exert some pressure on the judges to make sure that the cases are heard on regular basis. The blame should not be laid on the Executive branch solely,” Lacierda told reporters at a news conference..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110419nat1.html

Requiem for veteran journalist Jose L. Pavia 04/19/2011

Requiem for veteran journalist Jose L. Pavia

04/19/2011
Never in my wildest dream as a newsman that I would write a requiem for the late Jose Leetai Pavia, a veteran journalist who was my mentor, adviser and confidant in my profession for the last 37 years.

I was devastated upon receiving a text message from Abel Ulanday, associate editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, that Joe Pavia, or JLP for short for his close friends, passed away at 5:25 a.m. Monday at the University of the East Medical Center in Quezon City. He was 72.

Pavia was the founding general manager in 1973 of the state-run Philippines News Agency (PNA), executive director of the Philippines Press Institute (PPI), and publisher-editor of the weekly Mabuhay..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110419met3.html

LFTRB may slap 30-day suspension on Partas bus company 04/19/2011

LFTRB may slap 30-day suspension on Partas bus company

04/19/2011
The operation of the bus company which was involved in the road accident involving a young actor from ABS-CBN may be suspended, the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board said yesterday.

Interviewed over dzIQ, LTFRB board member lawyer Manuel Iway said that the board was considering of slapping the Partas bus company with a 30-day suspension, after one of its buses figured in the accident that killed ABS-CBN talent Antonilo Joseph Perez better known as AJ Perez in Tarlac last Sunday..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110419met6.html

PNP receives tips thru text messages on Pilapil’s attackers By Gina Peralta-Elorde 04/19/2011

PNP receives tips thru text messages on Pilapil’s attackers

By Gina Peralta-Elorde 04/19/2011

The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday said that it received hundreds of text messages giving information that could led to the arrest of the suspects behind the abduction and attacking veteran actess Pilar Pilapil last week.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., said that they are verifying the text messages to determine if there are leads that could give vital information to Pilapil’s attackers.

Cruz added that the text messages flocked following the release of a computerized artist sketch of one of the suspects..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110419met1.html

No choice but to reduce VAT EDITORIAL 04/18/2011

Monday, April 18, 2011

No choice but to reduce VAT

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
04/18/2011
“VAT-man” Sen. Ralph Recto came up with some intriguing computations regarding the tax bonanza that Noynoy is currently reaping from the rising price of crude oil in the world market.

Recto said that from the value added tax (VAT) tacked on fuel alone, the government must have earned already P9 billion in extra revenues from the time crude oil prices rose from $90 per barrel to $110 per barrel on a thumb rule of P1.56 million in extra earnings a day whenever the world market price of oil climbs by $1 per barrel..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110418com1.html

The day may come FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 04/18/2011

The day may come

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
04/18/2011
Noynoy and his supporters, during the 2010 presidential elections, peddled hope, along with change, which could prove to be a dangerous thing for one who can’t deliver on his campaign promises.

That hopes were raised when Noynoy came into power and position, can hardly be denied, but as he has shown, in the past 10 months of his presidency, that he has no leadership quality, and has not done anything to bring about change, with the country and the nation at a standstill and directionless, that hope Noynoy sold to the voters during the elections is rapidly vanishing.

Filipinos today are said in a March survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), that they are less optimistic today, with optimism having diminished greatly. Optimism and hope are synonymous..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110418com2.html

Want to save fuel? Go fly a kite FEATURE 04/18/2011

Want to save fuel? Go fly a kite

FEATURE

04/18/2011
THE NORTH SEA — The blue-hulled vessel would slip by unnoticed on most seas if not for the white kite, high above her prow, towing her to what its creators hope will be a bright, wind-efficient future.

The enormous kite, which looks like a paraglider, works in tandem with the ship’s engines, cutting back on fuel consumption, costs, and carbon footprint.

“Using kites you can harness more energy than with any other type of wind-powered equipment,” said German inventor Stephan Wrage, whose company SkySails is looking for lift-off on the back of worldwide efforts to boost renewable energy..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110418com3.html

Malacañang defends Marcos C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 04/18/2011

Malacañang defends Marcos

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S
Jonathan De la Cruz
04/18/2011
Now, this is what being right and factual is all about. For all that P-Noy, his family and their advocates have said about former President Marcos and the martial law years, Malacañang has come out in defense of the inclusion of the former Chief Executive in the Armed Forces’ Hall of Heroes featuring the country’s 39 Medal of Valor awardees. All the awardees have been appropriately recognized in accordance with the rules and regimen of the military establishment. In Marcos’ case, his Medal of Valor was awarded on Oct. 16, 1958 by the late President Carlos Garcia for his exploits as a soldier and guerrilla commander in World War II. Thus, until the same is recalled or rescinded, no amount of shrill denunciations or revisionist interpretation from the usual suspects can pull him out of the elite roster. That the Palace recognized this practice and proceeded to so defend it at a time when it is being accused of being vindictive and self-righteous, is most welcome. It shows it can make the right decisions when the occasion warrants..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110418com4.html

Hope and renewal HE SAYS Aldrin Cardon 04/18/2011

Hope and renewal

HE SAYS
Aldrin Cardon
04/18/2011
Last I checked, Lent meant new hopes and the renewal of body, soul and spirit. Or at least achieving something closer to all these.

I always look forward to Easter, with the image of the Risen Christ always on top of my list of anything associated with religion of whatever kind.

A second life is always nice to look forward to, even for sinners who renew their faith, or even least for those who simply want to change for the better.

I applauded Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s long silence after she stepped down from the presidency, albeit hesitantly, after an extended reign of nine years, which from the start was marred by anomalies and controversies which would put the most evil film villains to shame..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110418com6.html

Reflection SHE SAYS Dinah S. Ventura 04/18/2011

Reflection

SHE SAYS
Dinah S. Ventura
04/18/2011
As the Catholic population observes the Holy Week this year, which culminates the religious season of Lent, we, Christians, will observe the traditions, including fasting, alms-giving and more than the usual amount of prayer this week.

This somber season, however, is also marked by some form of celebration even though “fasting” per se also means inhibiting ourselves from festivities. This is because family members get to go out of town together and have a summer break as many are given time off from work at this time.

For me, the Lenten season has a deeper meaning this year. Events of the recent past have forced me to reckon with faith and mortality. It seems death, indeed, can come too soon, and unexpectedly. Not only have I felt grief for the loss of some people within my sphere, but the disasters and tragedies that have taken so many lives have also affected me somehow..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110418com7.html

Jesus’ bane: Money changers DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 04/18/2011

Jesus’ bane: Money changers

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
04/18/2011
This week the nation remembers the suffering and death of the historic Jesus Christ under the Roman Empire and the money changers of the temples of his time. It reminds me of the present era of Imperia Americana, with its retinue of money masters, under which many nations have experienced untold suffering and slow death.

Globally and nationally, we are witnessing this continuing passion play of the yoke of imperial tyranny with the US’ 800 military bases across the globe, its Nato sidekicks, the IMF, and even social networks conjuring Twitter revolutions left and right, while the New Imperium refurbishes old puppet regimes with new versions. Undoubtedly, one such case is Egypt .

On infowars.com, Kurt Nimmo’s “Banksters Cook Up Economic Snake Oil for Egypt” describes Egypt in the aftermath of its so-called “people power” revolution (with “banksters” denoting the Shylocks of these times, the banker-gangsters). The writer cites an Agence France Presse report detailing that “the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the African Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank are pledging to have an ‘action plan’ outlined by the end of May… an effort that will lock the victims of the so-called Arab Spring into perpetual debt…”

Further, “The international bankers have agreed ‘to develop a joint action plan for aligning their investments toward a new vision to support the aspirations of citizens for inclusive and sustained growth,’” with the IMF at the forefront. However, according to Nimmo, what the reports do not say is that “prior to the so-called revolution, the globalists considered Egypt an ‘economic miracle’… in other words (it) followed orders and privatized…”

Back in the 1990s, Egypt privatized its state-owned industries and held fire sales that sank it into poverty. Such precedent, coupled with US food policies that pushed hunger massively higher everywhere beginning in the 2000s, accounts for why “The uprisings in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and elsewhere in the Arab world are due in large part to escalating food prices — prices jacked up by bankster speculation.”

Explaining his view on why Mubarak was destabilized, Nimmo says, “In May of 2010, the Egyptian government (Mubarak) announced that the sale of state assets to investors had effectively ended.” A year later, the “Twitter revolution” transpired. “Soon after the CIA orchestrated revolution,” Nimmo adds, “the people of Egypt were subjected to military rule little different than the rule of the brutal dictator Mubarak.” This was exactly what I saw when I wrote “From US frying pan to US fire” months ago. Everyone would thus be better off to know that another kind of menace corollary to US imperialism, but one that goes largely unnoticed, is these banksters’ imperialism.

In several forums, analysts such as Robert Wenzel, Alex Newman, and Ellen Brown of the Economic Policy Journal, New American, and Global Research, respectively, expound on the first act of the Libyan rebel “Transitional Council” of organizing a new Central Bank. Newman notes “…the rebels’ seemingly odd decision to establish a new central bank to replace dictator Muammar Kadhafi’s state-owned monetary authority (as) possibly the first time in history that revolutionaries have taken time out from an ongoing life-and-death battle to create such an institution.”

Brown, meanwhile, cites a Russian source which I looked up that said, “Mummar Khaddafi became the main initiator of (the) idea of refusing (the) dollar and euro. He called (the) Arabian and African world to start (using) one new currency — golden dinar… (backed by a population of around 200 million)… uniting African countries into one powerful federative state… strongly approved by many Arabian countries and almost all African countries… last year (2010).”

To compare, after the 1986 Edsa I “People Power” revolt in the Philippines, one of the first acts of the Cory Aquino regime was to convene a handpicked constitutional commission that added — as one its first revisions — the word “independent” to qualify the Central Monetary Authority, which, contrary to present claims, was never in the 1973 Constitution — Section 14, Article XV of which read: “The National Assembly shall establish a central monetary authority…”

The Aquino regime then tampered with the Monetary Board and increased private sector representation to the detriment of government. Those two acts insulated the central bank, now known as Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), from accountability to and audit of government, making it subservient to private banking interests.

After 25 years, the Philippines only became poorer and poorer until it reached a new nadir under the present regime. Just imagine: “Gov’t stockpiling fuel,” a headline designed to save government’s face, trumpeting Aquino III’s declaration of building up a “strategic oil” reserve of (get this)… 50 liters, amid government’s recent oil subsidy embarrassment. But look how pitiful it is.

A 50-million liter fuel stockpile for 6.6-million registered vehicles won’t even last three hours of a given day with only a 5-liter ration per vehicle. That’s the “strategic” breath of PeNoy?! In Marcos’ time the fuel stocks were kept at 45-day levels.

Consider this other one: “5 soldiers hurt as chopper makes emergency landing in Rizal.” The report mentions “PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Okol in a dzBB interview (claiming that) the incident will not cripple the AFP’s fleet of Huey-type helicopters, saying it has ‘seven airworthy helicopters of different types.’” What?! Only seven? During Marcos’ time, it was over a hundred! Truly, everyone has gotten worse off under the world’s money masters.

Jesus was tried, suffered and died essentially under the hands of the money changers. They were the ones who took vengeance and called for his death after he chastised them at the temple. While they now go by the name of IMF-WB, with their enforcers — the Pontius Pilates of yore — today’s Barack Obama, the world is still very much under the power of these money masters. Let us reflect and be mindful of this throughout the Lenten Season and beyond.

(Tune in to 1098AM, Monday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m., and Sulo ng Pilipino, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 to 7 p.m.; TNT with HTL, Tuesday, 8 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11 p.m., on GNN, Destiny Cable Channel 8, on “Money Masters and the Death of the Body?”; visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com for our articles plus select radio and GNN shows)
 
(Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel).


Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110418com5.html

Door still open for Joc-joc, Cito to turn state witnesses By Angie M. Rosales 04/18/2011

ONLY REQUIREMENT FOR THEM IS TO TELL TRUTH — SANTIAGO

Door still open for Joc-joc, Cito to turn state witnesses

By Angie M. Rosales 04/18/2011

Forrmer Agriculture Secretary Luis “Cito” Lorenzo and his undersecretary, Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante, can still turn themselves as state witnesses despite the filing of plunder charges against them in connection with the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago yesterday said, adding that the two will only “have to tell the truth” should they opt to turn themselves state witnesses.

“They can still apply as state witnesses so that the charges against them can be dropped on condition that they will testify against their co-accused. We don’t observe any deadline in the application for a state witness. They only have to pinpoint among their colleagues the real culprit,” she said.

President Aquino, meanwhile, urged both Lorenzo and Bolante to exercise their best judgment on their current predicament. “It has been a long time since the event that led to the accusations against them but they can still reflect on what they ought to do,” Aquino added..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110418hed1.html

Citing lack of gov’t interest, Bernas gives up Piatco case By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/18/2011

Citing lack of gov’t interest, Bernas gives up Piatco case

By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/18/2011

A public interest lawyer will no longer pursue the case he filed against the officers of the German firm Fraport and its local partner the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco) in connection with the anomalous construction of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) 3 Terminal, citing the reluctance of the government to prosecute the case.

Lawyer Jose Bernas told the Court of Appeals said it will be up to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) to litigate the anti-trust case following the appellate court’s ruling that he has no legal standing to pursue the case without the conformity of public prosecutors.

Bernas complained that the government did not show the same interest it manifested in pursuing the same case before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Singapore and the Washington-based International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110418hed2.html

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