PolitEkon

Justice For Ma'am Loida, Justice for Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:56:00 +0000

It is not fun in the Philippines when grade school students see their teacher gunned down in front of them inside the classroom. This is what actually happened when 59-year old public school teacher Loida Pagatpat was brutally shot in front of her grade school class in Palanas, Masbate last 3 February 2012.

Worse, investigators still does not have any lead on the identification of the killer despite the PhP 100,000.00 reward offered by the victim's family. According to Pagatpat's relatives and friends, there is lack of progress in the investigation of the case.

The family also added that the investigators are taking their time even if another teacher was stabbed dead also inside a classroom earlier this year in the same province.

"Namatay ang mama ko nang walang kalaban-laban at ayaw na naming na maulit pa ito. Marami nang pinatay sa probinsiya ng Masbate na hindi naresolba ang kaso. Ganito kabulok ang sistema ng hustisya sa probinsiyang ito," son Norman Pagatpat said to the media.

The family is calling on the police and DepEd authorities to assist them in seeking justice for their dear mother, who according to them was good and loyal teacher and a very loving mother.

A group called the Teachers' Dignity Coalition is likewise urging the government to provide better protection for educators particularly in areas with a history of armed conflict and violent crime like Masbate.

Public school teachers in the country were not given enough importance for several decades despite the long hours of work and the modest pay that they received in carrying out their noble duties. They have been at the forefront of promoting countryside development but most of them received only a monthly pay of PhP 15,649 (US$ 348), an amount that is obviously barely enough.

If the country cannot uplift the standard of living of teachers everywhere, it should at least try its best to give them the protection that they need and the justice that they deserve. The killer of Loida Pagatpat must be caught and made to account for their crime.

Four Ilonggo Tales in the Impeachment Trial

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:20:00 +0000

On 12 December 2011, 188 members of the House of Representatives signed an impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato C. Corona. As only 95 signatures were necessary for the impeachment of Corona by the House of Representatives under the Constitution, the impeachment complaint was to be transmitted to the Senate for trial.

The Senate formally began on 16 January 2012 the impeachment trial with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile as the presiding officer. He banged the gavel past 2:00 P.M. on that day to signal the start of the proceedings.

However, after almost a month into what had been billed as the impeachment trial to watch has turned out to be more like a daytime soap opera with entertaining cast of Ilonggo characters. Here are some impressions of the four Ilonggo personalities involved in this ongoing spectacle.

Senator Franklin M. Drilon

Senator Franklin M. Drilon's career in government earned him the distinction of having been appointed to several Cabinet posts under two Administrations. It is, therefore, safe to conclude that his previous government positions have prepared him well enough to face and answer questions about his character.

However, the move of Chief Justice Renator Corona's defense panel lawyer to charge him for the prosecution, which later escalated to a call for his inhibition in the impeachment trial may have been unexpected challenge. Of course, his allies in the Senate quickly debunked the defense panel's assertion and reiterated the right of Senator-Judges to seek information and clarification at any time during the trial.

"The rules of the Senate is that the rules of inhibition is addressed to the person… the senator, and I will not inhibit because there is no basis for the motion to inhibit me," Sen. Drilon said.

In a motion filed before the Senate as an impeachment court, the defense claimed that Drilon showed his partiality at least twice during the impeachment proceedings. The first one was when he compelled Supreme Court clerk of court Enriqueta Esguerra-Vidal on 18 January 2012 to admit she was in possession of Corona's Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

The defense panel also claimed that Sen Drilon was also responsible for getting Taguig-Pateros Register of Deeds Randy Rutaquio on 19 January 2012 to tell the impeachment court that Corona was the attorney-in-fact of his daughter, Charina, when his Taguig property was transferred to her.

It appears that in the quest to keep Sen. Drilon off the trial, the defense conveniently forgets that the objective of the Senator-Judge is to simply ferret the truth.

Se. Drilon reminded his critics and the public that the EDSA Dos revolt happened after majority of the senator-judges voted to block the opening of the second envelope in the impeachment trial of then President Joseph Estrada.

"That is the purpose of the impeachment trial – to find out what is the truth," he said.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has definitely provided the most interest and drama to the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. Despite her temper, she was very articulate in expressing her “terminal boredom” on the court after watching it on television for several days because of hypertension.

She did not minced words in expressing her disappointment and irritation at the way the prosecution panel present and marked their exhibits. As a former Regional Trial Court judge, Senator Santiago told the prosecution panel and in not so diplomatic tone that they should have been conscious in processing the documentary evidence one day before they are presented in court.

Who can forget her expression in the television when somebody asked for her reaction when a prosecutor cited a ruling from the late Associate Justice Joseph Story of the US Supreme Court during the time she was resting at home.

"The moment I heard that, I turned it (the TV) off. I said my act of contrition, got down on my knees, and almost shot myself," the irrepressible lady senator said straight-faced.

"Justice Story, one of the famous legal authors, lived centuries ago. Whatever he said no longer applies. So that is sometimes the problem with law — when people quote a referendum to the past without connecting it to the present circumstances," she added.

During the trial proper, her virtual lecture to fellow Ilonggo, Rep. Neil Tupas, Jr., was the break many viewers needed after listening for hours about endless and monotonous marking of documents. She chastised Rep. Tupas for coming to the trial seemingly unprepared and unaware about the number of witnesses they were planning to present.

"At first I think some people in Congress thought that this is going to be a display of legal brilliance. They have only visibly established their legal ignorance," she contended.

However, the one that topped the icing of the cake is her contention that the trial would have moved faster if not for the live coverage by television.

"If you shut down all the television cameras, this trial will be over in one week," she contended. "We all want to finish because of the principle that justice delayed is justice denied. But people want more than 15-minutes of fame to stand there and say abstruse legal terms nobody uses anymore."

Annabelle Tiongson

Annabelle Tiongson, PSBank Katipunan branch manager, remained steadfast in her statements made under oath that the bank documents indicating allegedly dollar and peso accounts of Corona are "spurious" and showed "discrepancies" if compared to the supposed original copy.

Her testimony had bannered the headline of several dailies for days now and she had stood by her claim despite efforts by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada to tarnish her credibility.

In the course of interrogating Ms. Tiongson, Sen. Estrada tried to trace the apparent political links of Tiongson to Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., lead of the prosecution panel and one of the two signatories in effecting the documents and witnesses summoned by the impeachment court.

Ms. Tiongson had told the impeachment court several times already that she has never met Rep. Tupas in the past, but it seems that Sen. Estrada does not want to believe this.

Despite the claim by Sen. Estrada that Tiongson’s first cousin Roberto “Obet” Buenaflor Armada was vice governor at the time when Tupas’ father and namesake Niel Sr. was the incumbent governor, Ms. Tiongson stood by her, earlier pronouncement. She did not wavered in her claims and vehemently denied any closeness to her first cousin even if she gave out PhP 3,000 in 2004 to fund the campaign.

Sen. Estrada might find the claim absurd, but he still failed to prove that it is not the truth.

In another twist, Ms. Tiongson also revealed that House Deputy Majority Leader Jorge Banal had shown her Corona's alleged client signature cards as early as 31 January 2012. She said Rep. Banal had approached her for help in verifying the authenticity of the signature cards supposedly filled up by Corona to open a foreign currency account at PSBank.

The document in question has been the center of controversy for more than a week, after prosecutors used it to request for a subpoena of other bank documents of Corona with PSBank.

Representative Niel Tupas Jr.

Representative Niel Tupas Jr. was designated as the House panel's lead prosecutor in the on-going impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. As the head the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Tupas is obliged to take the offensive reign and transform himself as the face of the prosecution panel.

However, he may have all the necessary qualifications to lead the team, but it seems he does not have the eloquence to win the case. For starters, his looks, hairstyle and demeanor all scream "law school undergraduate who needs to take the bar three times just to become worthy to serve coffee to a cantankerous old man, like former Justice Secretary Serafin Cuevas".

Whenever Rep. Tupas speaks in his tiny, weak and acquiescing voice, his team squirmed silently knowing that further damage is being done to their case. This inherent characteristic encourages further drubbing not just from the senator-judges, but also from fellow lawmakers and the viewing public. It is just too obvious to ignore the it appears that anybody from the defense panel can walk all over Rep. Tupas and his team with impunity and elicit barely a pip of protest from them.

A good example of this happened a few days ago when Rep. Tupas got the dressing-down from the senator-judges for failing to substantiate his request for the court to be more liberal to the prosecutors. Rep. Tupas made such request, but failed miserably in explaining why he wanted it.

It is no surprise, therefore, to learn that Rep. Tupas became a trending topic in social network, Twitter, with less humorous twits such as:

"Hooboy, Tupas, you have to be much clearer if you want to take on Enrile. #CoronaTrial."

"if Corona somehow ended up being convicted, it would certainly be in spite of the Iloilo legislator, not because of him"

"Dear Niel Tupas, we know you are doing your best but your best is not good enough for us. Get it? Get out."

Rep. Tupas is currently the Representative of the 5th District of Iloilo and a member of the Philippine Judicial and Bar Council(JBC) after taking the bar exam three times. He is also member of Liberal Party under the leadership of the President Benigno Simeon Aquino.

The Genuine AFP Modernization Program

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:05:00 +0000

True to his word, President Benigno Aquino III has started to acquire modern equipment and vehicles for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program.

"Mulat po tayong kailangan pang palakasin ang inyong hanay kaya naman makakaasa kayo sa tuloy tuloy na modernisasyon ng inyong hanay upang mapabuti pa ang inyong serbisyo publiko," Aquino said in his speech during the Philippine Air Force (PAF) ceremonies last January 2012.

He, however, did not specify the equipment or facilities to be procured for PAF but acknowledged that the country only has one C-130 which was used to transport relief goods to the areas affected by tropical storm "Sendong" (Washi) late last year.

"Mantakin po ninyo: Sa ngayon, isa lang po ang ating C-130 na may kakayahang maghatid ng tulong sa mga sinalanta ng bagyo, at maipaabot ang mga kagamitan ng mga sundalo para sa kanilang mga operasyon sa kanayunan," he said.

That commitment to the Filipino soldier's technological requirement bore fruit this month when the crew of a giant cargo plane unloaded four Augusta Falcon Combat Utility Helicopters for the PHL Air Force after it arrived at Clark Air Base in Pampanga (pictured above). The choppers have night vision capability and can accommodate 10 passengers.

It can be recalled that the country had earlier acquired its first Hamilton-class vessel from the US Coast Guard to upgrade the military’s external defense capabilities. The ship, which was renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar, was deployed to the West Philippine Sea to secure oil exploration projects in the area.

The Gregorio del Pilar is classified as a cutter, a high-speed vessel that could cut through waves. The ship is now the Navy’s largest vessel. It was acquired under the US Foreign Military Sales program using proceeds from the Malampaya natural gas project that is located at the West Philippine Sea off Palawan.

The military also sent Navy officers to the U.S. to determine the requirements for the acquisition of a second Hamilton-class patrol ship.

Now, when was the last time anybody heard a Philippine President took the modernization of the AFP this seriously? The only thing closest to AFP modernization during the time of former Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the procurement of two second-hand Robinson R44 Raven 1 helicopters that was allegedly made to appear as brand new and used by the Arroyos during the campaign period.

Freedom of Religion in Hospitals

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:41:00 +0000

There are several Catholic hospitals in the Philippines and they have been critical in delivering services in areas where private interest are not viable. However, in the light of public debates related to the possible passage of the Reproductive Health Bill, there is a question on whether these hospitals should be allowed to restrict doctors from performing common and legal medical practices? Do such restrictions unfairly impinge on the rights of non-Catholic patients and doctors, particularly those in rural or underserved areas where alternative hospitals are not readily available?

Well, I tend to believe that freedom of religion is a cherished ideal in the Philippines, even though at times it has not been provided to those whose beliefs run counter to mainstream or politically correct thinking. Nevertheless, it is a goal we should continually strive for and support as much as possible. With that in mind, hospitals that are owned and run by the Catholic Church, or by any other religious organization, should definitely be able to restrict doctors and other health care professionals in their employment from performing those procedures that go against their stated religious beliefs and doctrine. At the same time, there must also be certain conditions and caveats, because nothing exists in a vacuum.

First, it should be made clear to all potential patients, doctors and staff at such hospitals that certain procedures will not be performed. Second, the hospitals should not receive or be limited in their ability to receive federal funding available to hospitals. Third, religion run hospitals in areas where they are the only such medical facility serving the community must take this fact into consideration and not be allowed to turn away someone who needs immediate life-saving treatment, whatever it is. Non-life-aaving procedures that run counter to their religious beliefs, such as tubal ligation (tube-tying), should not be forced upon such hospitals.

It is true that medical facilities have a responsibility toward the communities in which they exist, but this should not mean they can't be faithful to their belief systems as well. For those who claim to be adamant that the health of women should trump every other consideration, their words are often more rhetoric than substance. If they actually believed it, then they would seek to mandate that all women eat only healthy, whole grain, organic, vegetarian food, that they exercise regularly,do yoga and get sufficient sleep every night, and that they not be allowed to consume alcohol, tobacco products, refined sugars, etc., Who is ready, willing, or even desirous of making such mandates? We should all be concerned about the health of everyone, not just women, but we should not become so narrowly obsessed that we force our views on others in every situation.

Whenever people of different beliefs systems live together in a society, there often needs to be give and take. People should be allowed to follow their own belief systems provided these do not justify or include the harming of others. There are many Catholic hospitals in poor communities where they serve a vital function. In most situations, they should be allowed to do so within the context of their own beliefs and should not be forced to go against them for the convenience of others. Again, if a serious and life threatening situation arises, then such hospitals must be able to bend their doctrines to save that life. In all other situations, they should be granted freedom of religion and appreciated for the service they provide.

Warning Issued Against U.P.'s Isaw

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:14:00 +0000

Everyone who studied in University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman knows that the school not only provide stellar education to its students, but also affordable street food near the Kalayaan dormitory and Shopping Center. Street food usually refers to an array of grilled meats, juice drinks, and others.

One of the most sought-after among these street delicacies in U.P. Diliman is the grilled isaw (intestines), which is available at around 3:00 PM. After the isaw is cooked, the vendor will allow the consumer to dip it in vinegar seasoned with garlic and onions. The crunchy exterior of the intestines, the chewy texture of the meat and the aroma of barbecued food are some of the reasons why isaw in U.P. Diliman was considered as one of the most crave delicacies by many iskolar ng bayan.

The problem is that, aside from high in cholesterol, street food in the country did not pass the quality standards of the government. According to the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) and the Center for International Migration and Development (CIMD), food samples from Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, Laguna, and U.P. Diliman did not pass the same process as certified food establishments.

In a report on the same subject, Inquirer.net quoted CIMD food consultant Dietmar Speckmaier, who said, "Initial results of the study showed significant amounts of pathogens like salmonella and E. coli [present in the food items examined]." Speckmaier pointed out: "The amount is significant enough to make people sick."

For the record, the DOST-CIMD study did not specifically identify the vendors who were selling "unsafe" street food. Perhaps, street food fans in the areas identified should just be more discerning about where they get their fix.

Kidnapping and Murder Capital of PHL?

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:35:00 +0000

Do you know that Cotabato City was known as the "kidnapping capital" of Mindanao in the 1990s? Well, the moniker might further change following a report released to the press showing that 85 murders were committed in the city last year.

Trying to avert the shameful label of being the "kidnapping and murder capital of the Philippines", a dozen peace activists from various foreign-assisted peace advocacy outfits are now contemplating to embark on a roundtable forum to discuss the city’s security woes.

It was only after the January 10 near-fatal ambush of Cotabato Vice-Mayor Muslimin Sema that the city’s mixed Muslim and Christian sectors learned that 85 local residents have been killed in 2011.

An incumbent member of the city council, Froilan Melendrez, told reporters that only a small fraction of the murder cases have been solved by the local police.

"When they say solve, they mean corresponding cases have been filed in court," Melendrez told the Philippine Star.

He said the city council is now in possession of documents detailing how many people were killed here the past 12 months.

City police director Danny Reyes, in an interview with Catholic station dxMS here, did not refute the facts Melendrez revealed.

Reyes, however, assured the public that they are doing everything to prevent escalation of crimes in the city.

Along with the 85 killings in 2011 were more than a dozen bombings, more than a dozen supposed bomb attacks were foiled by members of the Army’s 6th Ordnance and Explosive Detachment with their prompt deactivation of powerful improvised explosive devices in different spots here.

Sources from the city's media community, among them officials of the local chapters of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas and the National Union of Journalists, said most of the unsolved murders were perpetrated by notorious guns-for-hire, virtually unfazed by the heavy presence of policemen and battle-ready combatants of the 7th Marine Battalion in the city’s key entry and exit routes.

Two popular hosts of a public affairs program of the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation here, Jeff Mendez and Marychill Faunillan-Hawtay, took turn in asking why the city police office has been reluctant to provide journalists with data on the crimes and other peace and security issues besetting the 37 barangays here.

Chua Yu Beng, a senior official of the city’s Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, earlier said there is an impression now among some of them that ordinary city residents are no longer safe because even the city’s supposedly influential and powerful vice mayor almost got killed in a daring attack last January 10.

Measures to Protect Women and Children

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:48:00 +0000

Women and children are vulnerable segments of the population in almost all parts of the world. Incidences of violence committed against these sectors of the population impede the achievement of objectives of development and peace. Violations committed against women and children both infringe the enjoyment of basic human rights and fundamental freedom. The most pervasive form of gender-based violence against women is reported to be abuse by husbands or intimate partners. Sexual assault is also common, but only a small fraction of rapes are reported to the police.

Based on police records physical abuse is the most common violation committed against women. Incidences of sexual abuse and emotional abuse likewise are increasing. Statistics also showed that sexual abuse, specifically attempted rape, constituted the bulk of cases of violence against children that were reported to the PNP. Physical injuries came in second.

Meanwhile, children in especially difficult circumstances or those needing special protection are estimated at 2.9 million. Children in this situation are either physically, sexually or emotionally abused; exploited sexually and in hazardous labour conditions; in conflict with the law; and victims of other forms of abuse like drug abuse, drug sales, child trafficking and abduction. A total of 5,692 incidents were reported to the WCCD categorized as crimes committed against children in 2004.

Countermeasures

The Philippine government is a signatory to all United Nations declarations and conventions that pertain to women, particularly violence against women, and has gone much ahead of other countries in coming up with very specific measures to address it. Since 1986, it has been actively and consciously promoting issues concerning women including gender equality, a policy that aims to eradicate gender-based inequalities and enable women and men to equally contribute to and benefit from development.

On the legislative front, the passage of laws relating to violence against women, the Anti-Rape Law of 1997 or R. A. No. 8353, and the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 or R. A. No. 7877, and most recently, the law against violence inflicted on women in intimate relations, constitute some of the landmark achievements in the advancement of women rights in the Philippines. To some extent, this legislation redefined the view of the justice system on gender-based violence thereby freeing women and children from the fear of injustice. There are still other pending bills in Congress against trafficking in human beings, particularly women and children, domestic violence and prostitution.

In addition to legal reforms, institutional reforms and new programmes were undertaken by the government to prevent violence against women and children. An Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) on Violence against Women has been organized by the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) to better protect the rights of women especially the most vulnerable, such as women in detention, women in situations of trafficking and prostitution, women workers, as well as victims and survivors of violent incidences. Aside from the NCRFW, agencies included in the IAC are the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Budget Management (DBM), Department of Education (DepEd), DILG, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), NAPOLCOM, PNP, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of National Defence (DND), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), National Statistics Coordinating Board (NSCB), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

The PNP has also established the Women and Children Concerns Desks in police stations nationwide to provide specialized services to victims of Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC). The Department of Health has 44 hospitals with Women’s and Children’s Protection Units. The DSWD created Crisis Intervention Units and implemented regular programmes for women and children in especially difficult circumstances in all regions in the country. The NBI has set up one-stop-shop VAW desks. Community-based programs have been strengthened to respond to the needs of the victims and their families. These include providing psychosocial interventions and various forms of educational, legal, and medical assistance, as well as extending support services including livelihood programmes to families, and strengthening the family system and values education.

Despite these initiatives, violence against women and children continues unabated because of the weakness in addressing the root causes, as well as lapses in the response mechanism. A more concerted effort and a sustained campaign and advocacy programme on women and children’s rights should be organized. There is a need to exercise more political will to enforce and implement existing laws on women and children and for the government to build up stronger cases against their abusers. Likewise, there is the urgency of training law enforcers, judges, prosecutors and media practitioners in handling cases of women and children.

About Time to Privatize MRT

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:47:00 +0000

Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan has made an offer to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to invest between PhP 4.5 billion to PhP 8 billion for the purchase of brand-new trains and rehabilitate the facilities of the EDSA-based Metro Rail Transit (MRT).

It is about time that the public transport system gets the support to overhaul the depreciating capacity of the MRT. It was estimated that the daily capacity of the MRT line is about 360,000 passengers but it is currently serving a ridership of 488,000 passengers a day.

DOTC sources said Pangilinan made the "unofficial offer" to pour much needed funds and then assume the operation and management of the rail line over a 25-year period, and that this was given initial consideration by the department.

Included in the proposed investment are the procurement of rolling stock or light rail vehicles (LRVs) or trains, the upgrade of the signalling and other systems of the line, operational expenses, and the payment of the necessary government fees.

In exchange for the investment, Pangilinan's Group, most likely under listed infrastructure and real estate asset holding company Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), upon takeover of the rail line, will set a fare rate of about PhP 28 a passenger.

"Under the proposal, there will be a charge of PhP 28 per passenger. It will be implemented on a staggered basis over a period of 25 years," the source said.

DOTC Secretary Manuel Roxas II earlier said that the department was planning to set aside PhP 6 billion from the PhP 72-billion stimulus fund set up by the Aquino administration to fund the upgrade and rehabilitation of the MRT's light rail vehicles or train coaches, which he said was getting tremendous wear-and-tear from the daily overcapacity ridership.

"The trains are battered every day," Roxas said.

In order to decongest the trains, they are planning to acquire new LRVs or the coaches which will greatly address the daily breakdown and service interruption problems at the MRT.

"We're studying the purchase of LRVs. MRT's design capacity is only for 360,000 passengers a day, but its actual load is at 488,000 passengers, so it's really overloaded. That's why there's a breakdown almost every day," Roxas said.

Collectively, the MRT and LRT 1 line (from Caloocan to EDSA through Taft Ave.) and LRT 2 (from Santolan to Recto) ferry around one million people daily.

Why Wait? Let's Reform PHL Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:22:00 +0000

The Philippines team in the 2011 South East Asian Games (SEA GAMES) finished sixth in the biennial meet, amassing 36 gold medals. The haul was two shy of the country’s output two years ago in Laos and the worst in 10 years.

And what was the reaction from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)?They were one in saying that they are satisfied with how the athletes showed their determination and will during the competition. They also conveniently blamed the limited funding for the debacle.

"These are factors that only additional budget can help," said POC president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr. in his first public statement after the SEA Games. "This is not only a POC or a PSC decision but a government decision as well."

Why is it so hard to admit that the country's governing body are too incompetent to handle the situation. With or without funding, Filipino athletes were able to defy the odds in previous tourney to place a respectable finish in the games. Funding woes is a given problem. It has been there ever since the country tried to compete with its ASEAN neighbours. It is not an excuse, but an assumption that all national sports associations should accept.

Instead of thinking that the contingent will receive the funding it requires, the organizers and sports bodies should come-up with alternative ways of tapping private sources and international donors. Everyone should use their feet and mouth to sell the opportunities of sponsoring our athletes abroad instead of having a rah-rah moment where politicians-turned sports organizers paint a rosy forecast of wining 70 gold medals and landing second place in the overall standings.

Among the most disappointing finishes involved the much-hyped Under-23 national men’s football team, which only won one game out of five. They finished tenth in the 11-team competition.

So what do we do now? Most probably the officials will try to weather the storm of public opinion and act as if nothing happened. They will try to go on with their daily business and hope that the criticism against their capability will slowly die down and flush in the deep recesses of memory.

Two years from now, in the 2013 SEA GAMES in Myanmar, these same set of officials that the country has right now, will do the same thing all over again. Harp about the impossible medal haul and blame the dwindling financial support as the reason for their dismal failure. They will do this routine for several years until everyone is replaced. So, why wait for that time to happen? How about replace the incompetent heads of all sports bodies right now or before the year ends to give a visionary leader a chance to reform the Philippine sports.

Another Foreigner Abducted in Mindanao

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:47:00 +0000

Is anyone else getting tired of the repeated kidnappings by suspected Muslim extremist in Mindanao? These lawless elements in Southern Philippines have been using the same traditional formula for 35 years now and it's still going strong. So even though they still repeat the same routine, as long as it is profitable, atmospheric and adventurous the crime situation in the strife-torn region will always be a pain in anybody’s administration.

This time, the rebels seized Warren Rodwell, an Australian, from his home in the southern town of Ipil last 5 December 2011. Initial reports said that the Australian ex-serviceman may have injured his hand after fighting off his abductors in his home he shared with his Filipina wife.

The Australian embassy in Manila issued a statement saying that "the Australian government has not sent a negotiating team to the Philippines. Philippine authorities are taking the lead on responding to Mr. Rodwell's kidnapping. Our embassy in Manila is working closely with Philippine authorities."

Major General Noel Coballes, the local army commander, said it was possible Rodwell was being held by the Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic extremist group founded in the 1990s with seed money from Al-Qaeda. After all the intelligence funds spent, this is all the information that the public get – a ‘possible’ and ‘unconfirmed’ abduction by Abu Sayyaf.

The problem with the way the military tries to get Rodwell back is that after almost a month of pursuit operation, they cannot offer any genuine proof that he is alive. A photographed was sent to family members of the victims with a ransom note, but this is not sufficient evidence that Rodwell has been kept alive.

Everyone familiar with the botched operations by both the military and police authorities will not be surprised to learn later on that Rodwell was killed by friendly fire. Hence, for family members, it might be better to hire a professional negotiator and pay the amount necessary to save the life of Rodwell.

Top Absentees in the House of Reps

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:37:00 +0000

What made you vote for your legislator in the last national election? The most common answer to this question is that they appear to have the most visible and intrinsic link to the citizens of their district.

As John Stuart Mill wrote in 1862, in a representative democracy the legislature acts as the eyes, ears, and voice of the people:

"[T]he proper office of a representative assembly is to watch and control the government: to throw the light of publicity on its acts, to compel a full exposition and justification of all of them which any one considers questionable; to censure them if found condemnable....In addition to this, the Parliament has an office...to be at once the nation's Committee of Grievances, and its Congress of Opinions."

In addition to gaining their legitimacy by representing the public will, the legislatures adopt policies and make laws through the process of deliberation. While usually based on some broad set of principles contained in written and unwritten constitutions, decisions need not proceed from the rule of law or specific legal precedents. In this way legislatures differ from the courts.

Aside from lawmaking, most legislatures perform a unique educational role. Individual legislators simplify complicated issues and define policy choices. They use their resources and expertise to filter information from many sources and to resolve conflicting ideological positions, ultimately presenting their constituents with clear-cut options.

So what happens if those you elected as legislators are not present in floor deliberation or Congressional functions? The answer is really simple. They simply failed to fulfil their duty to represent the interest of their individual constituencies. This failure to perform their legislative function has become increasingly important as societies have become more complex, as the scope of government activity has become more extensive, and as the public has gained increased access to legislative proceedings, particularly via television.

With this in mind, let us check who among the 285 elected and party-list legislators in the lower House had the most number of absences during the 59 Congressional session days from 17 January to 14 December 2011:

Ruben Ecleo (Dinagat island) – 45 days
Anthony del Rosario (Davao del Norte) – 34days
Ignacio Arroyo (Negros Occidental) – 33 days
Manny Pacquiao (Saranggani) – 32 days
Julio Ledesma IV (Negros Occidental) – 29 days
Juan “Jack” Ponce-Enrile Jr. (Cagayan) – 29 days
Ma. Valentina Plaza (Agusan del Sur) – 29 days
Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo (Galing Pilipino Party-List) – 26 days
Augusto Syjuco (Iloilo) – 25 days
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Pampanga) – 24 days
Benjamin Asilo (Manila) – 24 days
Ferjenel Biron (Iloilo) – 22 days

To see your representatives' attendance record, click here.

UN: Protection Needed for 'Sendong' Victims

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:24:00 +0000

According to a UN Report, there is a lack of protection mechanisms for vulnerable sub-groups, such as pregnant and lactating women (PLW’s), female heads of households, single women, people with disabilities and the elderly in areas ravaged by Tropical Storm Sendong.

The report also added that there are no community-based child protection networks in the evacuation centers (ECs). Some children have been separated from their parents or are unaccompanied. There are currently no recreation activities available for children in the centres. However, the Iligan City DRRMCC has set up a counselling committee with faith-based groups and NGOs. There is a lack of clothing and footwear in children's sizes. Around 87,500 children require registration and camp coordination to protect them from abuse, exploitation and trafficking in evacuation centers. Aside from school buildings, some child development centers remain totally damaged or destroyed.

In response, UNICEF is mobilizing the Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) partners to conduct
assessment in ECs. UNICEF with Plan International are working with the government of Iligan on protection of children from any exploitation, abuse and trafficking. UNICEF will conduct. UNICEF also works with DSWD for the formation of community-based child protection networks in ECs.

Gender-based Violence (GBV) sub-cluster is set to be convened. A GBV Adviser will be deployed in the affected areas to coordinate prevention and mainstreaming in all humanitarian clusters. The GBV Safety Audit is being done in ECs to determine protection gaps. DOH is leading a group on psycho-social protection. Advocacy with DSWD on ensuring rights of women under the family access card was pushed and guaranteed.

However, there are still gaps and constraints. For instance, camp management committees are still being established and made functional. Number of evacuees in ECs has ballooned due to the inability of residents from identified hazard prone areas to return to their villages and the fact that smaller ECs were combined.

Education Opportunities for Muslim Youths

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:18:00 +0000

South African activist and later President Nelson Mandela once said in a public forum that "Education is the great engine to personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that the child of a farm worker can become the president of a great nation."

The truth in the statement of Mandela is not lost among the country’s new leaders and it could have been those words that inspired the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) to create a new committee on scholarship program. The body was tasked to provide the Muslim youth opportunities to study in major schools and universities in the National Capital Region (NCR).

NCMF Secretary Bai Omera Dianalan-Lucman and Executive Director Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman signed the order creating the committee composed of key NCMF officials, instructing the committee to immediately convene, review and study the NCMF scholarship program.

Among the major schools that responded to the program is Ateneo de Manila University, one of the top schools in the country with no less than President Aquino as one of its alumni. President Aquino spoke during one of the commencement exercises of ADMU.

Despite the limited budget and meager resources, Lucman pursued the scholarship program believing that education is one of the keys for Muslim communities to develop.

"Social mobility and career growth is dependent upon the education of the youth, hence the NCMF will aggressively promote and widen the beneficiaries of the program," Hataman said.

"I am calling on all Muslim professionals to support this scholarship program and help in making it one of the institutional programs of the NCMF for years to come," Director Datu-Ramos added.

The initiative is consistent with the existing Road Map for Upgrading Muslim Basic Education, a comprehensive program for the educational development of Filipino Muslims. The Road map specifically espouses the following principles:

That Muslims, like all other Filipino citizens, shall have intellectual and educational capacity to participate actively in the social, economic and political endeavors of the country. A progressive Muslim will be a peace-loving and patriotic Filipino citizen who is able to compete in the job market locally and globally to upgrade his/her quality of life.
That Muslims as Filipino citizens shall advance their educational status, from which the Philippine nation shall obtain political and economic gains and benefits that will ensure a steady flow of investment, not only in Mindanao but in the whole country.
That Muslims as Filipino citizens shall ensure sustained and permanent peace through access to Islamic-friendly educational curriculum and quality basic education comparable to the rest of the Filipino people.
That there shall be a strengthening of the present Madrasah educational system as vital component of the national education system.
That the peace process shall be enhanced when Filipino Muslims are educated in Islamic-friendly quality basic education which will contribute to the eradication of separatist sentiments in the minds of present and future generations of Filipino Muslims.

Beware of Fraudulent Solicitors for Typhoon Victims

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Whenever disaster strikes, development efforts to help the victims always encounter problems and issues that were not created by the event that took hundreds of lives, but by human intervention. One of these frustrating and perennial thorns that keep on cropping up are fraudulent solicitors.

Instead of helping make the distribution of relief goods efficiently reach thousands of flood victims in Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City, questionable solicitors either call, e-mail, text or knock on doors asking for donations to support initiatives in the two cities. However, everyone should be reminded that according to Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman, door-to-door fund solicitation without a permit from the DSWD is not allowed.

The public may report illegal solicitation activities to the Office of the DSWD Regional Director at the Field Office nearest their area or text to mobile hotline 700-3793 (700-DSWD).

Secretary Soliman added in the DSWD site that while it has become traditional for different organizations to conduct various civic activities and projects for the causes they support, the Solicitation Permit Law must be observed. Presidential Decree No. 1564 or the Solicitation Permit Law signed on 11 June1978 provides the DSWD with exclusive authority to regulate the solicitation, acceptance of donations or contributions for charitable or public welfare purposes.

"Under the Solicitation Permit Law, any person, corporation, organization, or association desiring to solicit or receive contributions for charitable or public welfare purposes must secure a permit from the DSWD," Secretary Soliman explained.

If the solicitation activity will be conducted in one local government unit such as the city or municipality, the application shall be directly filed at the office of the concerned city or municipal mayor.

Meanwhile, if the solicitation activity will be done in two or more cities or municipalities within the region, application for permit can be filed at the DSWD Field Office where the solicitation will be conducted.

For nationwide solicitation activity, application for permit can be filed at the Standards Bureau, DSWD Central Office, Constitution Hills, Quezon City, but must be coursed through to the concerned DSWD Field Office.

A DSWD solicitation permit is valid only in the Philippines. A permit for a national fund drive is valid for one (1) year. A regional fund drive permit, on the other hand, is valid for three (3) months.

The Solicitation Permit Law provides the penalty of imprisonment of not more than one (1) year or a fine of not more than one thousand pesos (PhP 1,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court for soliciting donations or conducting fund drives without the proper permits.

'Sendong' Flood Kills Hundreds in Mindanao

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:22:00 +0000

As we try to celebrate the Holiday Season, I would like to appeal to everyone to try to do what they can in helping the victims of the worst flooding to hit Mindanao in recent memory. According to the Philippine Red Cross on 17 December 2011, the death toll at this time has already reached 440.

The government has already mobilized about 20,000 soldiers in a huge rescue and relief operation across the stricken north coast of the island of Mindanao, but we all know that this not enough. Residents of surviving families in needs our help. Many are still searching for their lost relatives. It was estimated that about 215 are still missing in Cagayan de Oro city and 144 residents in nearby Iligan city.

The photo you above hopes to explain the gravity of the situation. It was posted by blogger and Twitter user "Mindanaoan." It was a TwitPic photo of an unidentified man in Consolacion, Cagayan de Oro, weeping as he clutched the muddied body of his drowned daughter to his chest.

Among those that needs critical and immediate care at this time are the children. Aid worker Crislyn Felisilda informed the media that there is a need to care of the children who had became separated from their families or lost their parents. "Many children are looking for their loved ones... (and children were) crying and staring into space."

Rosal Agacac, a 40-year-old mother, was begging authorities to help find her two children after their shanty was swept to the sea. "Please President Noynoy, help me," she cried, holding a candle at a spot where their house stood before the floods, referring to President Benigno Aquino.

Let's not wait for the situation to get worse. We all know, based on our experience, that the suffering is just beginning. Diseases could soon set in if not enough effort is made to secure potable water and healthy food. Let us celebrate Christmas by helping those who badly need our help.

Funding Innovations to Save Women's Lives

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000

One good news for women worldwide. Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, awarded a grant to PATH, a global health nonprofit, to identify game-changing technologies with potential to save the lives of women during pregnancy and childbirth in low-resource settings.

Spearheaded by top scientists from Merck for Mothers and PATH, this unique alliance will evaluate more than 30 promising technologies at various stages of development that address the two leading causes of maternal mortality—postpartum hemorrhage and preeclampsia—as well as family planning. The partnership, valued at $2.5 million and extending through Fall 2012, will integrate private- and public-sector expertise to help evaluate affordable and easy-to-use maternal health technologies that work in resource-poor settings.

"PATH is excited to collaborate with Merck to make measurable reductions in maternal mortality," said Dr. Michael J. Free, vice president and senior advisor for technologies, PATH. "Combining our capabilities will allow the most effective technologies to enter the market, without the usual barriers that come from the lack of private-sector incentives. This is an opportunity to advance needed technologies and make a great impact on maternal health around the world."

"There are many promising, lifesaving maternal health innovations that, left to current market forces, would not reach the mothers who need them, when they need them, at a price they can afford," said Dr. Naveen Rao, who is leading Merck for Mothers. "By collaborating with PATH, which has deep expertise in developing solutions for the world’s greatest health problems, we will help bring important technologies to countries where women are dying at some of the highest rates. By doing so, we will fulfill a key part of the commitment of Merck for Mothers to advance product development in postpartum hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and family planning toward achieving United Nations' Millennium Development Goal 5."

Merck for Mothers is a new ten-year, half-billion-dollar initiative to create a world where no woman has to die from preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth (merckformothers.com). Drawing on the company's history of discovering innovative, lifesaving medicines and vaccines, Merck for Mothers will apply Merck's scientific and business expertise—as well as its financial resources and experience in taking on tough global health care challenges—to reduce maternal mortality around the world.

As part of its focus, the program will seek to accelerate access to proven solutions; develop game-changing prevention, diagnostic, and treatment technologies; and support public awareness, improved policies, and broader private-sector engagement in the area of maternal health. The collaboration with PATH is a key step in Merck for Mothers' rapid development of game-changing technologies in maternal health, and the company will leverage the learnings to build an investment strategy for accelerating the development of these technologies.

Researchers at Merck's Development Center in Oss, Netherlands, and PATH’s Technology Solutions Global Program in Seattle will work together to advance promising technologies in different stages of development, with an initial goal of identifying three to five maternal health breakthroughs in the next 12 to 18 months. The collaboration will evaluate technologies in the prevention, diagnostic, and treatment areas for the different stages of pregnancy and childbirth and compare them across multiple parameters, such as commercialization potential, user and stakeholder acceptability, and time to impact.

Potential technologies for assessment include:

Treatments for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage to assist women in the third stage of labor.

Prenatal preeclampsia screening tool to identify high-risk women and significantly increase survival rates.

Effective family planning interventions that are relatively easy to use to encourage higher adherence.

Ex-Gov on the Run?

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:02:00 +0000

There are strong indications that a former Governor of Camarines Sur is on the run following the issuance of an arrest warrant on graft charges filed by the Sandiganbayan. Former governor, Jesus Typoco Jr., and the provincial treasurer, Lorna A. Corese, have suddenly disappeared after policemen serving the warrants issued by the third division of the antigraft court went to their houses.

Aside from Typoco and Coreses also charged was schools division superintendent Ariston M. Villareal. All three are facing charges arising from an alleged “ghost” project at Daet Elementary School and no bail was recommended for Typoco and Coreses, but the Sandiganbayan allowed Villareal to post a PhP 30,000 bail.

It was learnt that some 20 policemen tried to serve the arrest warrant on 30 November 2011 at the beachfront house of Typoco in Barangay Basgasbas, but could not locate the ex-Governor. Coreses was also could not be found since last weekend and it was suspected that she has left the province.

The case against Typoco will test the resolve of the country’s police force in running after powerful people in the government. This will also determine if the authorities are following President Benigno Simeon Aquino appeal for everyone to follow "tuwid na daan" (righteous path).

Last year, in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Aquino said, "Ang pagtanaw sa interes ng nakakarami; ang pagkapit sa prinsipyo; at ang pagiging tapat sa sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang lingkod-bayan. Ito po ang tuwid na daan."

Prior to his foray into the political arena, ypoco was at the helm of his businesses which include the Federal Agricultural Corp. (FAC Foods Inc.), Federal Trade Development Center Corp., Federal Cattle Ranch Corporation, Federal Travel Corporation and Tycoon Development Corporation.

He likewise served as director of the Asia World Group of Companies and was consultant for business development of the Clark Development Corporation.

Typoco is married and has two sons and two daughters.

Does SC have "Utang na Loob" to GMA?

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:45:00 +0000

The present conflict between the executive and legislative branches of government is of great interest to social bloggers and constitutionalists. The verbal and very public exchanges reflect the frame of mind, values, hopes and fears, and even resignation to fate by both branches of government. What they do in the midst of criticisms hurled against them also tells a lot about the level of their political maturity.

Observing the tirades of both Chief Justice Renato Corona and President Benigno Aquino III against each other is both exciting and frustrating. Exciting because, by and at large, the accusations and manner by which they were delivered are run like a circus, but frustrating, too, because it was observed how painfully slow the government moves towards clean, honest, credible, and enlightened justice system.

The judiciary is sizzling hot at this time, what with the credibility of Justice Corona and the 11 of 15 former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) appointed Justices being questioned left and right. The Executive Branch defended its offensive as an "attempt to remind the Chief Justice and the other members of the justice apparatus of the people's agenda and the obligation of public officers in responding to this (accountability)."

The administration of President Aquino is reportedly raising the issue of the Justices' "Utang na Loob" to GMA, who was allegedly favoured by the Supreme Court in several legal issues she found herself defending against. One characteristic of true "Utang na Loob" is that it can never be fully repaid, not by all gold bars in the world, which made it a good investment for somebody who can foresee what could possibly happen to them in the future.

GMA's legal investment reportedly paid off when all the 19 cases against the former President brought before the Supreme Court, Corona never once voted against her. One columnist labelled this as "The score is all for Gloria, none for glory. The score is all for one, none for all."

This concept of "Utang na Loob", is a deeply rooted Filipino value. A person who is "walang utang na loob" is "walang kuwentang tao." It is however, a double-edged sword. They can be good or bad, depending on the circumstances by which they are manifested.

"Utang na Loob" may be invoked by some people to demand favours from someone, for the right or wrong reasons. One is free to return the favour or not, but must take the risk of "burning his bridges". Social conformity in Filipino culture is valued (the term "pakikisama" captures this virtue), and one has to face the possibility of being ostracized for not being loyal. This is the immediate drawback.

The negative impact can be best summarized by an entry in one of the blog entries I read I few months ago:

"Utang na Loob" when used in the context of blind loyalty has negative ramifications. This includes blind loyalty to one's family ("lood is thicker than water", "my family, right or wrong"), friends ("he is my best friend", "he is my son’s ninong"), political leaders ("he has done so much for my family", "he gave us money when we needed it"). Often this blind loyalty is invoked by those who have the power” and material resources to sustain a dependent relationship, and by those who have not been empowered to break from these ties or relationships. Thus, one finds many poor and uneducated people in the Philippines in this kind of dependent relationship, and "Utang na Loob" is a tie that binds them for a long while.

Activism Against Gender Violence

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:54:00 +0000

Twenty-fifth of November was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. That day was celebrated in different ways in Metro Manila and in different parts of the globe. It was also the start of the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence."

Here is some background information about the event from the Facebook site of "International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women":

Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day to fight violence against women since 1981. On 17 December 1999, the United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Resolution 54/134). The UN invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on this day as an international observance. Women around the world are subject to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence, and the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.

This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960 of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo (1930–1961).

There is more information about the history of this day, and UN publications relating to violence against women, at the UN's Dag Hammarskjöld Library. The UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) also has a regular observance of the day, and offers suggestions for others to observe it.

PUV Tagging on 12 December 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:24:00 +0000

It was just announced by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that they will be implementing the tagging scheme on public utility vehicles (PUVs) starting 12 December 2011.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino has announced to the media that they start apprehending PUVs without the color-coded license number on the roof, back and side of the vehicles. Violators will be initially be slapped with a PhP 500.00 fine.

However, on the second infraction, drivers will still shell out PhP 500.00 or the MMDA has the option to recommend the cancellation or suspension of the franchise to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Although there are several groups who are against this move, most drivers and operators, who were members of transport group ACTO, support the tagging scheme. They even recommend to Chairman Tolentino that a more hi-tech electronic tagging be implemented instead.

"Gusto rin namin yung RFID (radio frequency identification) para kahit mabura ang tag ay may paraan pa rin para malaman kung kolorom o out of line ang sasakyan," a driver said.

Horrific Punishment for Child-Killers Needed

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 09:43:00 +0000

The third week of November 2011 will not be remembered by the residents of Laguna and Batangas as the week that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was charged in court for election sabotage nor a week when the beneficiary farmers of Hacienda Luisita will finally get the land that they hungered for years.

The third week of November 2011 will be remembered as the week when three innocent children were hacked to death by still unknown assailants in two separate cases. The mothers of those children were also brutally murdered in a clear case of robbery.

The first case happened in Lumban, Sta. Cruz, Laguna where the bodies of Dolor Olarte, 39, and her two sons Kemp, 13, and Arvie, 9, were found at around 9:00 A.M. on 21 November at the first floor of their two-storey home. The murder was so brutal that Kemp sustained a hack wound in the neck that almost beheaded the boy. There were also hack wounds on his left arm meaning he tried to thwart the attacks.

The suspects were believed to be the errand boy and distant relative of the family, Alex Pereja, between 18 to 19 years old, who was nowhere to be found after the incident. The father of the murdered boys was working abroad and has yet to learn the fate that befell his family.

The second incident happened on 25 November before dawn when Marialyn Sangalang, 25, and her daughter Kim, 5, were discovered dead inside their residence in Bagong Calatagan town in Batangas. Both victims were found hacked to death and sustained multiple hack wounds in their bodies.

Unlike the first case, the police have not found and suspects yet in the murder of Marialyn and Kim. However, witnesses believed that robbery seems to be the motive for the attack.

In the two cases above, it appears that the public need to get their opinion taken on how the government should deal with those who commit heinous crimes against children and women. Maybe it is time for the public’s views on whether death penalty should be revived or not.

When people already know about it and have established views then it is quite simple. The hard ones [opinion polls] are when people need to have an issue explained to them. Historically opinion polls on capital punishment have been commissioned by newspapers when there has been a heinous crime.

Some avid human-right guru may argue that death penalty is not a long term solution, and it doesn’t address the root cause of crime which is poverty. I don’t think there is any debate on this. However, death penalty was not meant to be the solution, but to serve justice.

All human beings deserved to live in a world or a place where proven child-killers are meticulously punished and killed. There may be no effect on the overall crime rate in the country, but it sure as hell will reduce, if not totally, eradicate the population of sick individuals who take advantage of a child's weakness.

DepEd's DEAR Program

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:20:00 +0000

One of the biggest differences between reading a book and reading from a social networking site is the scope to unleash one's own creativity. In Facebook or Twitter, the concept is conceived by the writer or poster and presented before in a specific form. On the other hand, the writer does conceive the concept of the book, but the reader is also given ample freedom to unleash their creative thinking and power of imagination.

Reading a book is in itself an exercise to sharpen one's creative thinking skills, whilst it broadens their horizons. An individual not so keen on learning history is bound to take some interest in the subject after reading how World Wars were started and fought and how civilization developed through years of colonization and conquest.

To rekindle the interest in reading a book among the young minds of schoolchildren, the Department of Education (DepEd) has declared November as the National Reading Month and has urged schools and learning institutions to conduct a month-long reading program to revive the youth’s interest in the printed word.

One of the major programs to promote reading and literacy among the pupils and students, Education Secretary Armin Luistro asked various schools to adopt the "Drop Everything and Read (DEAR)" concept, a 15- to 20-minute daily activity devoted to reading a book or any reading materials available in the school.

In other countries, whenever the principal would announce "DEAR" at different times each day, everyone would stop whatever they were doing and just read. Everyone took it seriously and the students were fiercely proud of their ability to produce the book they wanted to read at a moment's notice. DEAR promoters are encouraging families to follow suit.

"DepEd is initiating programs that would promote reading and literacy among the pupils and students, motivate our youth to learn from the lives and works of eminent Filipinos, uphold one's own heritage and values and make reading a shared physical experience," said Luistro in his memo.

He said the program was meant to make reading relevant again to the youth "amidst the growing reliance on the Internet and inclination to online activities."

Other activities DepEd lined up for November are the Read-a-Thon, which aims to discover outstanding readers in class and "A Paragraph A Day" sessions, where students learn one new word a day and read aloud one or two paragraphs every day to boost their speaking skills.

Dubious Cargo Forwarders

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:48:00 +0000

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) can already smell the "Spirit of Christmas" this early and many will feel homesick just by thinking about how Filipinos celebrate the Holiday season. And even if it is hard to earn money abroad, OFW will still continue to entertain request for gifts from their families back home.

However, sending precious gifts using their hard-earned money will not be as smooth a process as OFW would like it to be. There are several reports about an increasing number of delinquent sea freight forwarding companies responsible in causing delivery delay and non-delivery of Balikbayan boxes and pilferage, over-charging, and loss and damaged cargoes.

The Consulate General in San Francisco, California received notification from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to caution OFWs not to utilize the services of the following companies which have derogatory records at the Philippine Shipper’s Bureau (PSB):

Ford Cargo International of Hong Kong

Associated Consolidations Express (ACE Cargo) of Northern and Southern California and local counterpart Associated Consolidation Express (ACE) Cargo of Parañaque City

Smooth Express of Dubai

Express Link Cargo Services of United Arab Emirates (UAE)

SCRL Cargo of Ireland

NACA Logistics of California and Illinois

Shipping Express of Chicago

Dagupan Cargo Packaging Services of UAE

Items that are not allowed to be sent through Balikbayan boxes include currencies, checks, money orders, traveler's checks, jewelries, firearms, ammunitions, explosives, prohibited drugs and other substances, pornographic materials, gambling cards, toy guns, and pirated products (i.e. DVDs, CDs, tapes, etc.)

The following are a few tips to ensure that Balikbayan boxes reach their destination.

Organize all the things you to send
This would give you an idea on the size of box you would need to use. Check out how much shipping would cost per box size (door-to-door charges, other fees, if any).

Book your boxes only with DTI-PSB-accredited sea cargo consolidator/freight forwarder companies
These companies normally have Philippines counterparts who must have accreditation from DTI-PSB if by sea or from the Civil Aeronautics Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) if by air. Senders may verify the company name of the Philippine sea freight forwarder counterpart at www.dti.gov.ph under the Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation section.

Beware of exceptionally very low rates
Most complaints for non-delivery involve cargo shipments that usually charge very low door-to-door rates. In these cases, the foreign principals do not have enough funds to bear the cost of transporting the cargo, which is compounded by their failure to remit releasing and delivery funds to their Philippine break-bulk agent, causing the shipments to be abandoned at the ports.

Declare your shipment
Accomplish a detailed packing list stating all the contents of your box and value of shipment, per item if possible, as well as your preferred shipping date. Inquire about proper or standard (or extraordinary, if needed) packing, wrapping, strapping, sealing, and labelling requirements of your box.

Secure transport documents
These documents may include cargo receipt (or Official Receipt) for fees paid and Bill of Lading, a document issued by a transportation carrier to the shipper of proof that they have received the cargo shipment and have placed them on board a particular vessel for delivery cargo shipments are to be carried and delivered.

Get the name and contact details of the fowarder's agent in the Philippines
Be sure that the information are clearly indicated in the transport document and/or receipt.

Monitor the movement of your cargo
Monitoring can start from origin to destination to make sure it is being shipped and delivered. You may inquire about a tracking scheme or continuously contact the forwarding company. You may ask them to provide you details such as the name of shipping line, vessel's name, voyage number, container number, and expected time of departure and arrival of your cargo/package.

Inform your consignee to check your cargo
This can be done with the Philippine freight forwarding agent even before it arrives. When it does, make sure to inspect the seal and wrapping of the box before signing the delivery receipt. If you observe that the box has been tampered with, do not receive the cargo/package and ask the delivery agent to have it double-checked.

If you encounter pilferage or lost item, or nondelivery, file an immediate claim or complaint with the freight forwarder's customer service. You may also lodge your complaint directly to the Philippine Shippers' Bureau at 2nd Floor, DTI Bldg., 361 Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City, or call DTI Direct at +632 751-3330 for assistance. The PSB may impose monetary fines, suspension, or cancellation of accreditation on freight forwarders violating PSB policies on balikbayan boxes pursuant to A.O. No. 6 series of 2005.

Watch Out for Lead Content in Toys

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:15:00 +0000

Christmas is just around the corner and if you try visit department stores and hobby shops, you will see discounted and on-sale toys for children. It's understandable since children are always the recipient during toys and they expect one to be provided for them each December. It’s a common sight wherever you are to see kids rattling their gifts under the Christmas tree and counting the days until they finally get to open their gifts and play with their new toys.

But here's a BIG warning to parents: some toys, no matter how harmless they appear to be, can be dangerous to their children. In 2009, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) fined toy giant Mattel Inc. for US$ 2.3 million for its dangerous, lead-tainted toys which were made in China. More than 95 types of toys and up to 2 million units were recalled by Mattel as there was excessive lead content in paint.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as much as 890,000 US children aged 1-5 years old were found to have high levels of lead in their blood. Lead-poisoning with children is a serious concern because it can affect nearly every system in the body. It can cause damage to a child’s brain and nervous system and even slow the growth and development of a child as well as cause or hearing problems. At its worse, large amounts of lead can cause kidney damage, put a child in a coma, or even cause death.

Although there is a new consumer product safety law that took effect in the U.S. that makes it illegal to sell toys and other children's products if the lead content exceeds 300 parts per million – excessive lead content in toys remain to be a problem. Manufacturers, particularly of products from China are not that compliant with the law. So while parents can later on sue companies and their manufacturers for product liability – the damage has already been done to their child.

Here's a brief guide on how to avoid or watch out for lead in children's toys:

Aside from the presence of lead in the paint of toys, lead can also be found in plastic toys. Be careful with handling your child’s plastic toy as exposure to sunlight, air, and detergents can release lead dust.

Do not rely on do-it-yourself kits available to test your child’s toy for lead. It is not very reliable and only a certified laboratory can accurately test a toy for lead.

Be wary of toy jewelry as it often contains massive amounts of lead. Do not allow your child to put toy jewelry in its mouth to avoid lead poisoning.

If you suspect your child is exposed to lead – take away the toy suspected of being tainted with lead and see a doctor immediately.

Toys are supposed to bring joy, not tears and pain especially during Christmas. So be vigilant about the toys you buy for your child and immediately report any product which you suspect to contain excessive lead.

Declaration on the Action of Contraceptives

noreply@blogger.com (Kirhat) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:25:00 +0000

On Monday, 8 August 2011, 21 experts from diverse scientific fields including biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, obstetrics and gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, internal medicine, demography, and public health gathered to examine the raging questions on pregnancy and contraception applying scientific and evidence-based analysis.

The group include, among others, Department of Health (DOH) present and former Secretaries Dr. Enrique Ona, Dr. Esperanza Cabral, Dr. Alberto Romualdez, Jr.; Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, WHO Representative, Dr. Ernesto Domingo, UP Manila National Scientist; Dr. Suzette Lazo, FDA Director; Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Asian Institute of Management (AIM); Dr. Eileen Habawel, Philippine Medical Association (PMA); Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez, Midwife E Philippines.

These are their conclusions:

Conception is not an exact scientific term. For some it means implantation; for others it is an event that occurs at some time after fertilization. No one at the meeting equates conception with fertilization.

Fertilization encompasses the process of penetration of the egg cell by the sperm cell and the combination of their genetic material to form the fertilized egg or the zygote. The process is estimated to take about 24 hours. At present, there is no accepted laboratory or clinical method of determining if and exactly when natural fertilization has taken place, but they accept that it has occurred after pregnancy has been detected. Natural losses occur all the time; 33-50 percent of all fertilized eggs never implant without the woman doing or taking anything.

All contraceptives, including hormonal contraceptives and IUDs, have been demonstrated by laboratory and clinical studies, to act primarily prior to fertilization. Hormonal contraceptives prevent ovulation and make cervical mucus impenetrable to sperm. Medicated IUDs act like hormonal contraceptives, Copper T IUDs incapacitate sperm and prevent fertilization.

The thickening or thinning of the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus) associated with the use of hormonal contraceptives have not been demonstrated to exert contraceptive action, i.e. if ovulation happens and there is fertilization, the developing fertilized egg (blastocyst) will implant and result in a pregnancy (contraceptive failure). In fact, blastocysts have been shown to implant in inhospitable sites without an endometrium, such as in Fallopian tubes.

Pregnancy can be detected and established using currently available laboratory and clinical tests – e.g. blood and urine levels of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) and ultrasound – only after implantation of the blastocyst. While there are efforts to study chemical factors associated with fertilization, currently there is no test establishing if and when it occurs.

Abortion is the termination of an established pregnancy before fetal viability (the fetus' ability to exist independently of the mother). Aside from the 50 percent of zygotes that are naturally unable to implant, an additional wastage of about 20 percent of all fertilized egg occurs due to spontaneous abortions (miscarriages).

Abortifacient drugs have different chemical properties and actions from contraceptives. Abortifacients terminate an established pregnancy, while contraceptives prevent pregnancy by preventing fertilization.

Like all medical products and interventions, contraceptives must first be approved for safety and effectiveness by drug regulatory agencies. Like all approved drugs, contraceptives have "side-effects" and adverse reactions, which warrant their use based on risk-benefit balance and the principles of Rational Drug Use. Risk-benefit balance also applies when doing nothing or not providing medicines, which can result in greater morbidities and death.

In the case of contraceptives, which are 50-year old medicines, the Medical Eligibility Criteria (MEC) developed by the WHO is the comprehensive clinicians’ reference guiding the advisability of contraceptives for particular medical conditions.

The benefits of the rational use of contraceptives far outweigh the risks. The risk of dying from pregnancy and childbirth complications is high (1 to 2 per 1000 live births, repeated with every pregnancy). Compared to women non-smokers aged below 35 who use contraceptive pills, the risk of dying from pregnancy and delivery complications is about 2,700 times higher.

The risk of cardiovascular complications from the appropriate use of hormonal contraceptives is low. While the risk for venous thromboembolism (blood clotting in the veins) among oral contraceptives users is increased, the risk of dying is low, 900 times lower than the risk of dying from pregnancy and childbirth complications. Heart attack and stroke are also rare in women of reproductive age and occur in women using hormonal contraceptives only in the presence of risk factors – like smoking, hypertension and diabetes. The MEC will guide providers in handling patients with cardiovascular conditions.

The risk of breast cancer from the use of combined hormonal pills (exogenous estrogen or estrogen from external sources) is lower than the risk from prolonged exposure to endogenous estrogens (hormones naturally present in the body). Current users of oral contraceptives have a risk of 1.2 compared to 1.9 among women who had early menarche (first menstruation) and late menopause, and 3.0 among women who had their first child after age 35. The risk of breast cancer from oral contraceptive use also completely disappears after 10 years of discontinuing use.

Combines hormonal pills are known to have protective effects against ovarian, endometrial and colorectal cancer.

The safety and efficacy of contraceptives which passed the scientific scrutiny of the most stringent drug regulatory agencies, including the US FDA, warranted their inclusion in the WHO's "core list" of Essential medicines since 1977. The core list enumerates "minimum medicine needs for a basic health care system listing the most efficacious, safe and cost-effective medicines for priority conditions."

Contraceptives are included in the Universal Health package of the Department of Health (DOH). The use of contraceptives in Family Planning programs are known to reduce maternal mortality by 35 percent through the elimination of unintended pregnancy and unsafe induced abortions.