Santa Rosa City Laguna Philippines -
attracting investors from all over Asia and the world.
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Click on the above graphic to see the video of President Obama's 2012 State Of The Union Address on this page or click here to watch it on YouTube.
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Come and meet your
favorite super heroes and mega robots brought to life by SM City Santa Rosa in the thrilling "Toy Fusion" event,
happening every day January 6-15, 2012 at the Activity Grounds near SM Supermarket!
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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO
THE PHILIPPINES FROM
AROUND THE WORLD!
LONDON'S MAGNIFICENTLY SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAY along the historic River Thames didn't make London Bridge fall down again, but brought out thousands of people of all nationalities into the cold winter weather, at least 50% of whom would have tied for the beauty title of My Fair Lady 2012. After all the dramas of 2011, it was a display designed to boost morale and raise the spirits not only of Londoners but of all people everywhere - including us - for the New Year.
Turn up your volume because the accompanying soundtrack is also good. Among other things you'll hear the chimes of Big Ben, Queen's "We Will Rock You", the Beatles' "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" and an original recording of the famous World War 2 news signal "London Calling", which was the only voice of freedom left in Europe after German troops had occupied one country after another in Hitler's bid to conquer and oppress the world under his ruthless dictatorship.
It was the UK and its then dominions Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, and other smaller nations, later reinforced by the welcome powerful entry of the USA, and with immense help from brave resistance fighters in all the occupied countries, that fought Hitler's Nazis to the end and finally defeated them. The world would be very different now if we were all enslaved under a heartlessly cruel Nazi dic-tatorship, tortured and exterminated if we ever dared to express a word of dissent.
Obviously London is now calling for visitors to this year's London Olympics, and it wins our vote for the best New Year 2012 Fireworks Display. Our vote is shared by millions of people around the world who have made this by far their most popular New Year's Eve download on YouTube. It was made by the BBC along with 5 others, each by a different but equally talented production crew, and all of which can be freely viewed on YouTube. Thanks London, thanks BBC, and thanks YouTube. Happy New Year to you all too!
Other New Year Displays that stood out from the crowd included Sydney - always one of the best in the world but spread around the city over such a wide area that it could only be fully appreciated if viewed from a helicopter, and Hong Kong - also perennially popular but suffering from being reminiscent of the display that's staged every night for tourists.
So our vote for second place (first runner-up) goes to Dubai, with its exceptionally clever and elegant display that was beautiful to watch but lacked the drama, emotion, and excitement of London's.
And our surprise vote for third place (second runner-up) is to Kuala Lumpur. Although its display did not match the originality of London's or Dubai's, what won us over was the joyful exuberance and excitement of the crowds of onlookers. They were wonderful! - Angel Tugado
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The final score of
Philippine Askals 1 and LA Galaxy 6 didn't reflect the closeness of this Friendly match. There were so many whisker-near misses from the Askals that would have produced a much closer result had they gone in. Our boys put on a good show and the game was still a win-win for Pinoys, because its global publicity was already a spectacular boost to Philippine football long before the kickoff and holders of the USA's 2011 Major League Soccer Cup and Championship were given a run for their money. The
star-studded Los Angeles team included David Beckham (second from right),
once a shy Londoner, whose soccer skills and work
ethic has helped teams to win national league titles
in England (Manchester United), Italy (AC Milan),
Spain (Real Madrid)
and now America (LA
Galaxy). Along the way he also married a Spice
Girl named Victoria Adams (Posh Spice), who now
runs her own very successful fashion
brand. Considering the LA Galaxy's advantage of massive financial backing and its strength in-depth of experienced multinational world-class players, we can be proud of the Philippine Askals who -- without such advantages -- are heroically raising the standard of football here.
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Join
IBM's search for the innovators and drivers of a better economy and a
better world at: facebook.com/midmarketibm.
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BIZ
PLAN CHAMPS TO
COMPETE WITH AFRICA
AND LATIN AMERICA
BUDDING
ENTREPRENEURS WITH A UNIQUE BUSINESS PLAN IN MIND
are
encouraged to participate in the Business in
Development (BiD) Challenge Philippines fifth season, where
the top winners may get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete with
their enterprising counterparts from Africa to Latin America.
Organized
by the Philippine
Business for Social Progress, the BiD Challenge Philippines
is the local search of an annual international online business plan
competition that has already awarded local winners in the Netherlands
since 2005, and has even sent two other participants in a BiD
exhibit in Colombia for the 2010-2011 season.
The
competition aims to promote poverty reduction through enterprise
development, primarily to generate new and innovative business ideas
combining poverty reduction and profit, where viable ideas are being
matched with potential investors.
PBSP said
the competition further aims to stimulate and support business ideas
that combine making profit with the improvement of living standards in
the country, as well as stimulate private sector development by
creating a platform where entrepreneurs, experts, networks, and
investors can meet.
Filipina
entrepreneurs can win big prizes at the annual 'Women in Business
Challenge'.
It said
entrepreneurs will get exposure to a network of investors, experts, and
business partners, plus a chance to win prize money.
In the
business matching sessions, investors can get exclusive access to
quality small and medium-sized business plans in need of financing,
while companies and non-government organizations get the opportunity to
share their competence and expertise with local entrepreneurs.
Interested
participants have until 31 October 2011 to submit their social
enterprise ideas.
In the
previous BiD Challenge season, Nathalie Arsonillo of Quezon, Bukidnon
won the top prize in the Women in Business Challenge category in the
Netherlands with her mobile cassava processing plant project, which won
over competitors from Peru and Uganda.
Also in the
recent BiD Challenge awarding, Kevin Hernandez of Cubao, Quezon City
and his cogon furniture innovations represented the Philippines in the
international BiD fair in Bogota, Colombia.
"The
competition struck me as very attractive because it is not restrictive
and welcomes anyone with any kind of business idea," Arsonillo said, as
she encouraged participants to the new season of the BiD Challenge
Philippines.
Arsonillo
added that she was able to have "the opportunity to talk to potential
investors," as well as make friends and meet future business contacts.
"I saw that
the future for my business was limitless. Even then, operating in the
rural areas, I felt satisfied, knowing that I am doing what I have set
out to do and accomplishing it in my own way," Arsonillo said.
She added:
"Everybody has a business idea, be it a crazy proposition or something
just very simple, but its bottom line is the same. We all want
progress, for ourselves, for others, and the BiD competition is one of
the best avenues to help us achieve that goal. Their assistance has
been invaluable and I am confident that they will continue to guide me
in my way to progress."
-
Mitch Confesor (Photo courtesy of PBSP). Also see our special PBSP Feature
section.
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PHILIPPINE
BUSINESSES UNITE
FOR TYPHOON RELIEF EFFORTS
PROVING
SHARED CORPORATE VALUES AT THE HEART OF THEIR BUSINESS
companies did their philanthropic part in contributing to
rehabilitation efforts and donating cash and relief goods primarily to
the recent flood victims in Central Luzon.
Year to
date, business groups fostering the essence of corporate citizenship
and social responsibility have been mobilizing resources and relief
efforts for victims of such devastating typhoons as Juan (Megi) in
October last year, to Juaning (Nock-Ten) early this year and Pedring
(Nesat) and Quiel (Nalgae) this October.
In relief
efforts the corporate-led Philippine
Business for Social Progress (PBSP) organized for victims
primarily in Calumpit, Bulacan, companies like Asalus
Corp. (Intellicare) and recently Monark Foundation
donated cash while Holcim
Philippines. Inc., M2.0 Communications
Inc., Associated
Broadcasting Company (TV5), AECOM
Phils., and recently Ayala
Southvale Village contributed in relief efforts. Citibank
Philippines and MEDICard
Philippines. Inc. both donated cash and gave out goods. Kraft
Foods Phils. Inc. gave 150 cases of cheddar cheese and CDO Foodsphere Inc.
contributed 50 cases of canned goods, while Oriental and Motolite
and Airlift
Asia Inc. provided two 10-wheeler trucks to transport these
items, which were distributed based on the international humanitarian
standard called the Sphere
relief package.
The
standard Sphere relief pack that is good for five days for a family of
six is usually composed of eight to 10 kilos of rice, three cans of
sardines, a half kilo of mongo beans, a pint of cooking oil, a kilo of
sugar, a quarter kilo of iodized salt, a bar of soap, a half kilo of
dried fish, and one non-food item such as a water container, a cooking
pot, or a blanket.
Over 600
Sphere relief packs benefited 505 households in Brgy. Gugo, Calumpit
and members of the town’s Eco-Boys, a group of young men who got their
source of livelihood as garbage collectors and segregators who were
themselves typhoon and flood victims.
Some goods
are now scheduled for distribution in nearby Hagonoy, also in Bulacan,
while some cash donations are still set for collection. Cathay
Pacific Airways Ltd. and East
West Seed Company Inc. also pledged to give cash donations.
As of
Tuesday morning (11 October), the latest disaster risk reduction update
showed that at least 30 road and bridge sections primarily in the
regions of Cagayan Valley (II), Central Luzon (III), and the
Cordilleras (CAR) remain impassable, more than two weeks after Pedring
and Quiel hit the country.
Earlier on
Monday (10 October), the National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
revealed that the death toll from both typhoons rose to 102, while
damage to property breached the P15-billion mark.
At least 84
people died after Pedring’s wrath, with 91 injured and 20 missing, and
affecting more than 650,000 families or at least 3 million people in
more than 3,500 villages in 312 towns and 42 cities within 35 provinces.
Meanwhile,
at least 18 died after Quiel’s onslaught, with 12 injured and seven
missing, and affecting more than 226,000 families or at least 1.11
million people in more than 1,700 villages in 138 towns and 10 cities
within 18 provinces.
Juan, Juaning, Pedring
With over 250 companies in its roster of membership, PBSP together with
its partners in the Corporate
Network for Disaster Response (CNDR) and the Philippine Disaster Recovery
Foundation (PDRF) have been channeling resources from the
private sector to provide immediate relief to the affected communities.
This
partnership was strengthened in the aftermath of disaster response
initiatives of PBSP member-companies involved in relief efforts two
years ago in the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng
(Parma) from late September to early October 2009.
From late
July to early August 2011, almost all 250 households comprising of
about 1,000 individuals in barangay Alimsog in Santo Domingo, Albay
province in the typhoon-prone Bicol region benefitted with a total of
more than P180,000 worth of relief goods, out of the overall total of
more than 195,000 families or 980,000 people affected in 983 villages
out of 103 towns and 12 cities in 21 provinces.
The Alimsog
relief effort was primarily through funding and logistical support from
PBSP through its Luzon regional operations team, with counterpart
contribution from the local government in the form of transportation
expenses for the relief goods based Sphere standards.
Based on
its August 3 update, the NDRRMC noted that the death toll from Juaning
reached 67 from the Bicol region to Northern Cordillera, with at least
53 injured and 15 missing.
According
to the NDRRMC, the effect of Juaning’s wrath in late July this year
went up to almost P2.2 billion, of which almost P1.6 billion was on
infrastructure and almost P630 million to agriculture, totally
destroying more than 7,000 houses and damaging 9,900 others.
Immediately
after Juan struck on October 18 last year, PBSP allotted initial
assistance worth P500,000 covering relief goods and transportation
expenses to benefit at least 400 families covering the three isolated
and devastated coastal towns of Palanan, Divilacan, and Maconacon in
Isabela province.
By the last
day of October 2010, the NDRRMC revealed that the total damage from
Juan’s havoc already reached around P10 billion, while the Department of Agriculture (DA)
disclosed that the damage had even amounted to P11.53 billion.
The NDRRMC
noted Juan’s damage to include rice fields at P8 billion, high-value
commercial crops like fruits and vegetables at P660 million, and corn
at P412 million, plus infrastructure at P466.198 million. It said the
provinces that suffered huge losses had included Pangasinan for Region
I at P2.36 billion, Nueva Ecija for Region III at P1.59 billion, and
Isabela for Region II at P1.28 billion.
Meanwhile,
the DA said total croplands affected in 21 provinces of four Northern
and Central Luzon regions covered an area of almost 450,000 hectares,
with the worst losses or damages in Pangasinan at P2.40 billion,
Isabela at P2.09 billion, and Nueva Ecija at P1.59 billion.
The DA data
included damages to rice at P8.93 billion, corn at P367.96 million, and
fisheries at P212.50 million, primarily fishponds and fish cages. Also
damaged were high-value crops like vegetables, mango, and banana, all
at P660 million, together with livestock including carabao, swine,
goat, and cattle, as well as poultry like duck, chicken, turkey, and
geese, amounting to P10.62 million.
For its
part, the NDRRMC said Juan had destroyed roads and facilities like
those for irrigation at P1.18 billion, farm-to-market roads and
irrigation projects at P90.1 million, and infrastructure for fishery,
livestock, and agricultural facilities at P54.4 million, plus more than
30,000 homes, while partially damaging at least 118,000 other houses.
Juan also
left in its wake at least 31 dead, 42 injured, and four missing,
affecting almost 428,000 families or more than 2 million people in six
regions including Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR).
Within days
of the devastating Ondoy flooding in 2009, PBSP allocated P5 million
from its funds for relief operations and raised an additional P7
million in cash and kind from corporate donors. By the last quarter of
2009, PBSP was able to mobilize nearly P13 million for rehabilitation
projects.
With
much of Calumpit still under water, the food relief was a godsend to
families who suffered so much in the typhoons.
PBSP
GIVES 5-DAY FOOD FOR
600 FAMILIES IN CALUMPIT
THE
CORPORATE LED PHILIPPINE BUSINESS FOR SOCIAL PROGRESS (PBSP)
recently handed over food for the 600 families
of Barangay Gugo in Calumpit, Bulacan. After more than a week since
typhoons Pedring and Quiel hit Central Luzon, many parts of Bulacan are
still underwater.
The food
relief package consists of 10 kilos of rice, assorted canned goods,
instant noodles, cooking oil, soap, and 5 liters of drinking water.
This pack follows the SPHERE standard for a 5-day food relief
assistance.
With the
support of Motolite and Airlift Asia, Inc., PBSP was able to reach the
marooned communities in need of support. Most
of the PBSP member companies donated cash utilized for the purchase of
the relief goods.
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reports by Joyce Franzly Racoma (Photo courtesy of PBSP.)
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SM Supermalls' Regional Operations
Manager for South 2 Jason Terrenal
(2nd from right) proudly holds the award for SM Prime Holdings Inc. as
one of the recipients of the Most Outstanding Tax Payer Award given by
Santa Rosa City during the awarding ceremony. Santa Rosa City Mayor
Arlene Arcillas (center) presented the awards.
SM PRIME HOLDINGS RECEIVES AWARD FOR
MOST OUTSTANDING BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT
THE
MOST OUTSTANDING BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA
were
honored and recognized in a formal awarding ceremony held on July 29,
2011 at The Bellevue Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The said
companies and corporations were also ranked according to the amount of
tax paid for 2010 as recorded by the Office of the City Treasurer.
There were
5 categories and the Top 20 businesses for each category received
recognition for their contribution to the City’s revenue. Mayor Arlene
Arcillas, along with City Assessor Mrs. Nelly Gomez and City Treasurer
Laura Sy, presented the awards.
SM Prime
Holdings Inc. ranked 6th in the Top Tax Payer category, 11th in the Top
20 Payers of Business Tax and 6th in the Top 20 Taxpayers of Realty Tax
for the year 2010.
SM
Supermalls’ affiliate stores also made it to the list of Top 20
Taxpayers of Business Tax with SM Department Store, SM Supermarket and
SM Appliance ranking 7th, 9th and 19th places respectively.
SM
Supermalls Regional Operations Manager for South 2 Jason Terrenal
received the award for SM Prime Holdings together with SM Santa Rosa’s
Assistant Mall Manager Evelyn Verzola. SM Department Store’s Regional
Manager Engr. Gerry Bacsid was also present together with SM Sta. Rosa
Department Store Manager Georgie Malabanan and SM Supermarket Store
Manager Ronnie Ragasa.
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Pamela Peters-Baun (photo courtesy of SM Prime Holdings)
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UPGRADES MAKE PHILIPPINES EVEN MORE
ATTRACTIVE TO FOREIGN INVESTORS
FOLLOWING MOODY'S CREDIT RATING
UPGRADE FOR THE PHILIPPINES ON JUNE 15, Moody's
Investors Service next day raised the foreign currency deposit rating
of the country's seven biggest banks.
The seven
comprise two government banks: Land Bank of the Philippines and
Development Bank of the Philippines, together with five owned by big
conglomerates: Banco de Oro Unibank, Bank of the Philippine Islands
(BPI), Metrobank Group, Philippine National Bank and Rizal Commercial
Banking Corp. Moody's also stated that two others, Allied Banking Corp
and United Coconut Planters Bank, were unaffected as none of their
ratings are constrained by the deposit or debt ceilings of the
Philippines.
Moody's is
an essential component of the global capital markets, providing credit
ratings, research, tools and analysis that contribute to transparent
and integrated financial markets. Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO) is
the parent company of Moody's Investors Service, which provides credit
ratings and research covering debt instruments and securities, and
Moody's Analytics, which offers leading-edge software, advisory
services and research for credit analysis, economic research and
financial risk management. The Corporation, which reported revenue of
$2 billion in 2010, employs approximately 4,500 people worldwide and
maintains a presence in 26 countries. Further information is available
at www.moodys.com.
Philippine
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the upgrades reflect President
Aquino's efforts to fight corruption and put fiscal reforms in place,
and also help the Philippines become a more favorable destination for
foreign investments.
Further Good News For Filipinos
Also in
June 2011 the International
Labour Organization passed a new treaty giving protection to
the 53 million domestic workers all over the world, many thousands of
whom are Philippine OFWs, giving them equal conditions to other workers
and equal support if they are personally abused or their
internationally agreed working conditions are not met. According to
government statistics, currently some 9 million Filipinos work overseas
and their monthly remittances from every corner of the globe form the
foundation of our country's strong and stable economy.
The same
week, it was announced by Cebu
Pacific's President and CEO Lance Gokongwei that the
Philippines' most successful airline had just placed the "biggest
aircraft order ever made by a Philippine carrier". Deliveries of 30
Airbus A321neos and 7 Airbus A320s will start in 2015, augmenting the
18 A320s already on order for delivery starting this year, and the
company has an option for 10 more A321neos which can carry more people
and fly further than the A320s. Mr. Gokongwei said: "The A320 Family
has played a key role in enabling us to build an efficient, profitable,
value-based business. The 220-seater A321neo will be a game changer for
Cebu Pacific. We will be able to serve cities in Australia, India and
northern Japan."
The A321neo
is the largest model in the A320neo series, incorporating new engines
and large wing tip devices called sharklets. The advances will deliver
fuel savings of 15 percent and additional range capability of over 500
nautical miles (950 kilometers), or the ability to carry two tonnes
more payload at a given range. For the environment, the fuel savings
translate into some 3,600 tonnes less CO2 per aircraft per year. In
addition, the aircraft will provide a double-digit reduction in NOx
emissions and reduced engine noise.
The aircraft livery of Cebu Pacific will
achieve
recognition farther afield than southeast Asia
Airbus is itself an
inspiring success story that began in 1967 when government ministers
from Britain, France and Germany met in London to launch a European
consortium for development of the A300 and compete with the Americans
who then held more than 80 per cent of the world market. Today it's a
large, complex, high-tech operation based at Toulouse, France, and it
now consistently captures about half of all commercial airliner orders.
John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer for Airbus Customers, said: "We are
pleased that Cebu Pacific has reaffirmed its commitment to the A320
Family and is now set to add the A321neo to its fleet. With the
A321neo, the airline will be able to fly more people further at
significantly lower cost per seat than any other competing aircraft,
and with less impact on the environment."
The fast
growing domestic and international network of Cebu Pacific already
covers 33 domestic and 16 international destinations, including Osaka,
Seoul (Incheon), Singapore, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai, Jakarta, Kuala
Lumpur, Brunei, and Taipei. "I expect Cebu Pacific to fly at least 12
million people in 2011, up from 10.5 million in 2010," Mr. Gokongwei
added. "We aim for domestic passenger numbers to grow 10-15 percent a
year, with 25 percent annual growth for the international division."
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WHY
ARE BILL AND MELINDA GATES
SALMAN KHAN'S GREATEST FANS?
(Because
they know his online tutorials make world-class math education free to
anyone anywhere.)
PHILIPPINE
STUDENTS CURRENTLY REBELLING AGAINST HIKES IN TUITION AND OTHER FEES
may take heart in the fact that rich and powerful people in other
countries are doing a lot to assist them. The Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org)
is a a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing FREE
WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION TO ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD VIA THE INTERNET. It started with math and over 30 million lessons
have been delivered to-date. More than 2000 free online video tutorials
cover everything from basic addition to advanced calculus, physics,
chemistry and biology. The founder, Salman Khan, holds an MBA from
Harvard Business School (www.hbs.edu),
an M.Eng and B.S. in electrical engineering and computer science from
MIT (web.mit.edu),
and a B.S. in mathematics from MIT. Bill Gates
in the above video describes what Salman Khan is doing as "the start of
a revolution". The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation (www.gatesfoundation.org)
is now helping to fund Khan Academy's expansion to embrace other
subjects than math, and to develop analytical software that will be an
enormous boon to students and teachers alike. The Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation is also helping to fund other empowering educational
work such as The Big History Project (www.bighistoryproject.com),
which has already proved to be of tremendous benefit to high school and
university students. Read and view more on our
special Education
Revolution page.
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"WHAT
WE HAVE IS A
PLANETARY EMERGENCY.
WHAT WE NEED IS A
GENERATION OF HEROES.
A
hero generation brought democracy to the planet. Another hero
generation ended slavery. Another hero generation brought women the
right to vote.
We
now need a generation of heroes with a generational mission to save our
planet. If we had just one week's worth of what the USA spends on the
Iraq war, we would be well on the way to doing this."
In the
above TED video,
Al
Gore presents evidence that the speed of climate change is much faster
than previously predicted, and he warns of the urgency to act NOW.
Once the
US Vice President, then star of "An Inconvenient Truth", now Nobel
Peace Prize winner, Gore found a way to focus the world's attention on
climate change. In doing so, he invented a new medium -- the Keynote
movie -- and reinvented himself. Unlike most people in public office,
Gore always intended to get things done and, since leaving Washington
in 2000, he's still at it. His campaign for alerting the world to the
dangers of climate change is gaining momentum. His Oscar-winning "An
Inconvenient Truth" is the third most successful documentary
ever released at the box office. It is being used by governments around
the world to inform the local public, and the UK government even sent a
copy of the film to every high school in England, Wales and Scotland.
Gore's famed PowerPoint presentation, with its meticulously researched
content and lucid style, has energized rapidly increasing numbers of
worldwide activists -- both young and old. Meanwhile, Gore has
transformed his image as a communicator. The once 'wooden' style has
given way to a warmth and humor that reveal the depth of his experience
as a soldier, congressman, senator, Vice President, TV executive,
teacher and author. Arguably, he is better positioned today than ever
before to affect the future of our environment and world. Along with
the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC), in 2007 he was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize "for efforts to build up and disseminate greater
knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for
the measures that are needed to counteract such change". Rolling Stone
magazine has commented: "The only Vice President ever to mock his own
stiff image by imitating a wax-museum figure, Gore turns out to be the
best professor that you never had -- easygoing, knowledgeable and
funny." To find out how you can get involved, visit The Climate Project
official website. Al Gore has written an article published in the June
22, 2011, issue of Rolling Stone that you may read
online. Also read the report in USA
Today's online edition of June 22 confirming that
"97
percent of scientific experts agree that climate change is very likely
caused mainly by human activity" based on Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, and USA Today includes
an excellent interactive
graphic that explains clearly how global warming occurs.
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THE UNITED KINGDOM BACKS THE
PHILIPPINES
ENGLAND IS THE HOME
OF MODERN FOOTBALL (AKA SOCCER), AND BRITISH AMBASSADOR
STEPHEN LILLIE, speaking from the Embassy of the
United Kingdom in Manila, gives a strong thumbs up to doing
business in the Philippines.
English people everywhere, including Mr Bean, are
enthusiastic about the developing popularity of Filipino football and
the inspiring progress of the Philippine
Askals. Football is England's national sport (second only to
being confused about who the English are) and they look forward to
seeing the Askals qualify for the 2018
World Cup. They also hope that before then, many Filipino
sports fans will join them in visiting the 2012 Olympics in
London. But when you get there, don't be surprised if they ask you
where London is.
In explanation to
avoid confusion: England is part of Britain which is part of Great
Britain which is part of the United Kingdom which is part of the
European Union. Are you as confused as they are? I am too, but don't
worry. Just think how bad it is for the English people themselves, who
are all totally bewildered by it and are compelled to live with this
confusion permanently. Some have even written books asking who they
really are. This is true! So it's no coincidence that Charlie Chaplin
and Mr Bean are both English. Nor that England is the only country on
planet earth without a national anthem. Why don't they have a national
anthem? Because none of them would know who they'd be singing about.
Instead they sing about the Royal Family, and even this doesn't
exclusively belong to them!
Therefore
with reference to the 2011
Royal Wedding, Prince William and Princess Catherine are now
second in line to be King and Queen of the United Kingdom - but not of
the European Union, although millions of Europeans have publicly
expressed the opinion that 'Will & Kate' also belong to them,
as Will's ancestors came to Britain from from Germany and they have
branches all over Europe. More surpising is that the most numerous and
most avid viewers of the Royal Wedding on live TV were the Americans -
who rebelled against and renounced allegiance to the English monarchy
in 1776 to gain their independence as the USA. How confusing is that?
Luckily for us,
Stephen Lillie is a diplomat with a great sense of humor, which is
unusual for diplomats - even English ones, and he's a brilliant public
speaker. He loves the Philippines, speaks tagalog, and gets as excited
as any Filipino when Pacman wins another fight or the Askals win
another football match.
In the
above video, Lillie states that the Philippine population of 92 million
makes us the 3rd English-speaking country of the world. He goes on to
praise the international success of Philippine
call-centers, whose clients include British blue-chip
companies such as Shell,
HKBC,
and the Financial
Times. He says the Aquino administration is winning the
battle against corruption, and the presence of more than 200 major
British companies here signifies clearly that now is an excellent time
for British and other European companies to invest in the Philippines. -
Story by Angel Tugado (Video courtesy of the UK Foreign Office)
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WORLD BANK APPLAUDS STEADY
PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC GROWTH
THE LATEST QUARTERLY UPDATE ISSUED BY
THE WORLD BANK refers to this country's recent credit
upgrades and praises its steady economic growth which is expected to be
maintained at the annual rate of around 5 percent this year.
Mention is
given to improvements resulting from the government's programme of
reforms, and it states that growth will continue to be led by
manufacturing, outsourcing, mining, construction and tourism. Eric Le
Borgne, senior World
Bank economist, anticipated further gains for the Philippines
after reconstruction of Japan's economy following its recent earthquake
and tsumami disasters. And Bert Hofman, World
Bank country director, said that Philippine growth was now
robust and steady after the world financial crisis.
Special
praise went to President Benigno Aquino for reducing corruption,
upgrading infrastructure, and opening up aviation to foreign
competition. In response, the President's office issued a statement
that the World Bank's update confirmed the Philippine economic
improvements and the soundness of the President's policies.
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Epson Precision (Philippines) Inc.
president Osamu Koshiishi shares a story of the legendary Japanese dog
Hachiko
to Grade 4 pupils during the turnover ceremony for a learning resource
corner at Lodlod Elementary School in Lipa City.
LAGUNA-BASED Epson
Precision (Philippines) Inc. is one of more than 240 member
companies of the Philippine
Business for
Social Progress working together to fight poverty in the
country. Through the Balik Baterya recycling program of Motolite and
PBSP, Epson donated textbooks, chairs, and tables to beneficiary
schools in Lipa, with the generated funds from Epson’s
used lead-acid batteries (ULABs) and additional financial assistance
used to sponsor learning resource packages to 12
schools in the city. The Motolite-PBSP
Balik Baterya Program, launched in 2006, involves the
collection of ULABs for the
recycling and production of new automotive and industrial batteries.
Premium value of ULABs are given to donors who opt to
support Project
LEAP, an initiative to improve the quality of basic education
through provision of textbooks, workbooks,
teacher training, remedial reading camps, and supplemental feeding. -
by Amy Melissa Malaluan (Photo courtesy of PBSP.)
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Mr.
Manuel V Pangilinan, PLDT and PBSP Chairman, Mr. Klaas Oreel, PBSP
Chief Executive Advisor, Ms. Mitzi Tronqued, Cathay Pacific Airways,
Ltd. Customer Services Manager, and Mr. Ed Higgs, Cathay Pacific
Airways Ltd. Country Manager
CATHAY
PACIFIC TAKES OFF TO NEW HEIGHTS
IN PHILIPPINE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Welcome
to Santa
Rosa Magazine - the accessible
open e-magazine of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines. No payment, no registration, no
login required.
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Support the stand of Wikipedia, US President Obama, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Boing Boing, Reddit, Flickr, Cheezburger network, and others against the draconian bid by computer-illiterate American lawmakers to destroy the international freedom of the internet. Voting on the offensive proposed bills has now been postponed pending further consultation, but to combat the continuous lobbying and bribing of congressmen and senators by lawless corporations we will need to maintain our global pressure. To find out more and to stay updated on this issue just click anywhere on the above graphic. See also Angel Tugado's comments on our Opinion page.
If you are an American citizen, even if you are traveling outside the country on business or vacation and even if you are currently living overseas, you can help immediately by signing Google's petition to the US Congress. Please note the great urgency. Time is of the essence, because voting starts January 24, 2012.
Forget the negative attitudes of stick-in-the-mud critics and do a Google search to see the creativity of Filipinos who have posted on the internet their own versions of DOT's inspiring
new tourism slogan. Who cares what the Swiss did in 1951? They didn't invent the English
language and they didn't coin the "it's more fun" phrase. Positive-thinking Filipinos like the
new slogan and are having lots of fun proving the truth in it. DOT deserves congratulations!
(See Angel Tugado's comments on our Opinion page.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO GWENDOLINE RUAIS FROM MUNTINLUPA!
Her second place at the Miss World beauty pageant in London has only ever been achieved
once before by a Filipina. Read the story
and see more photos on our Opinion
page.
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"Let us end the culture of
negativism; let us uplift our fellow Filipinos at every opportunity.
Why are there people who enjoy finding fault in our country, who find
it so hard - as though it were a sin - to say something nice? Can we
even remember the last time we praised a fellow Filipino?"
"Let us stop pulling our fellow man
down. Let us put an end to our crab mentality. Let us make the effort
to recognize the good that is being done."
"If you see something right, do not
think twice - praise it. If you see a policeman directing traffic,
coatless beneath the rain - go to him and say, "Thank you.""
"If you fall sick, and you see your
nurse caring for you, when she could easily be treating foreigners for
a higher salary - say, "Thank you.""
"Before you leave school for home,
approach your teacher who chose to invest in your future - say, "Thank
you.""
"If you chance upon your local
leader on a road that was once riddled with holes, but is now smooth
and sturdy - go to him and say, "Thank you, for the change you have
brought.""
Thank you PNoy for winning against
all robber politicians and giving our nation back to its lawful owners:
the Filipino people.
"Do you want the corrupt held
accountable? So do I. Do you want to see the end of wang-wang, both on
the streets and in the sense of entitlement that has led to the abuse
that we have lived with for so long? So do I. Do you want to give
everyone a fair chance to improve their lot in life? So do I."
"I say to those who would lead us
astray: if you will further disadvantage the poor, do not even think
about it. If all you would do is to fill your own pockets, do not even
think about it. If it is not for the benefit of the Filipino people, do
not even think about it."
"If we ignore the crimes of the past,
they will continue to haunt us. And if we do not hold people
accountable, then they will do it again and again."
"To those of you who would turn back
the tide of reform: you will not succeed."
During
the turnover ceremony, Ma. Alicia Bonoan, NCR director for the
Department of Social
Welfare and Development, expressed her gratitude to the project’s
donors and implementers,
emphasizing the great help of PPP (public-private partnership) programs
in creating a better
society for the marginalized ones.
PUBLIC
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
COMMENDED FOR ASSISTING THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
WITH
SWEET AND GENUINE SMILES, the children of Elsie
Gaches Village welcomed their guests from The Hershey Company-ROHQ
and the Philippine
Business for Social Progress for the turnover of a unique
simulation room especially built for them.
Elsie
Gaches Village is the only government residential care facility in the
Philippines which houses more than 600 mentally-challenged individuals
aging from five to 65 years old.
Recently,
The Hershey
Company-ROHQ teamed up with United Way Worldwide
and PBSP to kick off the Life
Skills Enhancement Project for people with special needs.
This
long-term project is to benefit 100 upper and lower trainable clients
of EGV that will equip them with adaptive skills and behavior in the
mainstream life. This training will also enable them to effectively
deal with the demands of a standard routine.
The
simulation room is a specialized area where the trainees are assigned
to do functions that can boost their morale in doing possible tasks in
the workplace. It has complete tools used in the kitchen, dining and
living rooms, bathroom, bedroom, and garden.
Monisha
Raut, The Hershey Company HR business partner, is very optimistic with
the project which will run for almost three years. "It is our
responsibility to share our blessings," she added, referring to The
Hershey Company’s commitment to community and children welfare.
EGV
believes that mentally-challenged people still have abilities and
strength. Provided with the proper training and care, they can be less
dependent and become more productive. With the ongoing project, they
can experience real-life functions and eventually be reunited with
their families or even get a job.
For the
past five years, The Hershey Company-ROHQ has been supporting EGV
through employee volunteerism and gift-giving activities.
During the
turnover ceremony, Ma. Alicia Bonoan, NCR director for the Department of Social Welfare
and Development, expressed her gratitude to the project’s
donors and implementers, emphasizing the great help of PPP
(public-private partnership) programs in creating a better society for
the marginalized ones.
Moreover,
PBSP Executive Director Rafael Lopa asserted this promising project,
putting value to partnerships as a way to improve lives.
The Life
Skills Enhancement Training will have four batches covered by the
grant. Each batch will enroll 25 participants into a two-hour session
for three days a week in 6 months. It includes a classroom-type
exercise, laboratory, and on-the-job training.
The
existing module to be used will be enhanced by the EGV Rehabilitation
Team composed of social workers, psychologists, therapists, and staff.
There would be less use of writing and more on drawing, role play,
scenario building, and simulation exercises.
EGV was
established in 1964 with the assistance of UNICEF.
Aside from caring for people with mental retardation, the center also
attends to children with autism, Down Syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
One out of
100 babies born in the country is with mental retardation (PopCen
2007). This has become more alarming today due to poor access to basic
services and maternal healthcare.
-
Grace Muncada (Photo courtesy of PBSP.)
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TAKE A TIP FROM THE EXPERT:
SUPER WATER MAN AQUABUZZ
AQUABUZZ (AQUABEST'S SUPER WATER MAN) IS FAMOUS FOR WISDOM, ACTION, AND HIS LOVE OF OUR PLANET AND ITS PEOPLE. "Water is one of the most versatile substances known to man with more than a hundred uses," he says. "Among other things we we drink it, cook with it, wash with it, play with it, create art with it, and use it to produce innumerable substances of benefit to people. In fact it is so vital to humans in its own right that everyone, without exception, needs it."
He continues: "However, Aquabest has managed not only to provide the best quality water it has also managed to improve on it by developing structured water."
"Using an advanced process known as Grander Technology from Austria (where the hills are alive with the sound of music because Austrians are so happy with their good health), the water molecules are restructured by Aquabest to produce structured water."
"To get an idea of how Grander technology works picture this. Imagine your cells are doors with the water molecules as people trying to get inside. With ordinary water, these people are disorganized making entry slow laborious and inefficient. With structured water, picture these people lining up in neat lines causing entry to be faster and more efficient. This allows structured water to offer superior hydration by penetrating each cell to its core. Being more efficient than ordinary water in hydrating the body, structured water is perfect for athletes who are looking for quick hydration on the go."
According to Aquabest's mascot Aquabuzz, the super water man, structured water is more than just for drinking. It can not only do what normal water can, but can do it better. Also It can be used for other purposes. Among the many uses of Aquabest structured water are:
1) Food preparation: Due to its modified molecular structure, structured water brings out the full flavor of food and drinks by bringing out the subtle tastes and textures of food. The effects of structured water are particularly pronounced in food items that require good water quality like coffee and tea.
2) Grooming and personal care: Ordinary tap water often contains minerals and other residues that may affect your skin. Structured water on the other hand contains no impurities that can harm your skin. Also it penetrates deep down your pores to hydrate and maintain the youth of your skin.
3) Pet care: Your pets are very sensitive creatures can be adversely affected by poor water quality structured water will not only hydrate them it would also keep them healthy. This is particularly true for fishes that are highly dependent on water quality for their very survival.
4) Gardening: Plants are very sensitive with regards to water, more than just watering the plants the water used to water them is also very important. Structured water allows plants to better absorb nutrients into their system allowing them to thrive. Sprinkle structured water to your houseplants and watch them bloom.
Tips from AQUABUZZ, Aquabest’s Super Water Man, are brought to you by Almira Antiporda. LIKE Aquabest on Facebook and visit the Aquabest website.
Aquabest's
4th Annual Tree Planting Activity in partnership with
Haribon
and WQAP
took place in Nuvali this October 15, 2011. (More...)
-
Almira Antiporda (Graphic courtesy of Aquabest)
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Globe continues to lead the way in
Sta. Rosa with its innovative customizable
broadband plans.
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Globe's Tonino
Lamborghini provides the fastest USB broadband connection in
Sta. Rosa.
President
Aquino praises
Business Matrix Program launched
by Philippine Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
Businesses
urged to become proactive in
foreign investment promotion efforts
Giving
the keynote speech at the 36th Philippine Business Conference and Expo
held at the Manila Hotel, the President enthused: “With a computerized
networking system that bridges the gap between producers and sellers
with their potential buyers and financial resources, you have shown
once again your commitment to empower our people through partnership of
the private sector with the community.”
“The achievement of our social goals is dependent upon our capacity to
put in place an environment where private enterprises thrive. And the
government you have now, in just over a hundred days, is doing exactly
that. We are all aware of the enormous problems we inherited, but we
continue to work to improve the overall business climate.”
“Our fiscal measures have borne fruit. We have controlled our budget
deficit. From P34.6 billion in June 2010, it went down to P32.7 billion
in July and even had a surplus of P1.3 billion in August. The
Philippine Stock Exchange Index rallied to new heights, making it one
of the best performing stock markets in Asia. The Philippines’
first-ever peso-denominated global bonds sale raised $1 billion, or
P44.1 billion, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development has removed the Philippines from its list of tax havens.”
The President continued with results of his September meetings in the
USA with executives from global companies such as Coca-Cola, Pfizer,
AES, Hewlett-Packard, JP Morgan Chase, Sutherland Global Services Inc.,
General Electric, Headstrong Corp. and Affinity Express. “They have all
expressed strong interest in investing in our country. We secured over
$2.4-billion worth of investments, covering a wide range of investment
areas, from power generation to garments and leather goods,” he said.
“The $2.4 billion in new investments would create at least 43,600 new
jobs and 200,000 indirect jobs owing to multiplier effects in the next
three years. The global AES Corp. is poised to expand the capacity of
the Masinloc Power Plant 2 by up to 660 megawatts. Aside from filling
the capacity gap for the energy requirements of Luzon by 2015, this
venture will also generate 1,500 jobs during its three- to four-year
construction period.”
He added: “More jobs shall come our way as we implement projects under
the public-private partnership system. The PPP Center will assist in
advisory services, technical assistance, training and capacity
development in the preparation of such ventures. We are simplifying the
process of establishing a business and in stamping out red tape, as
well as in improving infrastructure and relaxing regulations on air
travel to and from the country. All of these reforms are being
undertaken in order to create a business-friendly atmosphere that will
benefit you and the entire nation in the long run.”
The President further encouraged businesses to participate in the
building of airport, roads and rail projects, transport terminals,
water supply and agriculture support facilities: “As the rest of the
world competes for increased foreign direct investments, I urge you to
become more proactive in investment promotion efforts.”
He concluded: “We must ride on the positive outlook for our economy in
general, as well as the proliferation of international investment
agreements in bilateral, regional and inter-regional levels. The
business and economic prospects are bright and promising. With this on
hand, I call on all of you to work with us in enhancing the business
climate in the country. Cooperation between the private and public
sector would ensure that the Philippines remains to be a country that
is open for business.”
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Message
of
His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
On The First Hundred Days
of his Administration
La
Consolacion College, Manila
October
7, 2010
Maraming
salamat po. Maupo po tayong lahat.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, members of the Cabinet, our host led by
Sister Imelda, honored guests, fellow workers in government, mga
minamahal ko pong kababayan, magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat.
Ang basehan po ng demokrasya ay mayroon po tayong mga politiko na
naglalahad ng kanilang plataporma. Ang nanalo po ay obligadong ipatupad
ang platapormang ipinangako.
Isandaang araw po ang nakalipas, nagpanata ako sa taumbayan: Hindi ko
tatalikuran ang tiwalang kaloob ninyo sa akin. Ang nakalipas na
isandaang araw ang magsisilbing tanda ng ating pong paninindigan.
Malalim at malawak po ang mga problemang minana natin. Nag-ugat ito sa
isang gobyernong parang tatlong matsing na nagbingi-bingihan,
nagbulag-bulagan, at gumawa ng sariling katotohanan.
Mali po ito. Ngayon, mayroon na po kayong gobyernong handang
makipag-usap at magsabi ng totoo; handang makinig sa makabuluhang
usapan; handang iangat ang antas ng pampublikong diskurso ukol sa mga
isyung makaaapekto sa ating lahat, at maging sa mga darating na
henerasyon.
Ang natamasa po natin ngayong unang isandaang araw ng ating
panunungkulan: Mayroon na po kayong gobyernong hindi kayo binabalewala
o inaapi.
Bumalik na po ang kumpyansa sa ating bansa. Tumatatag ang ating
ekonomiya, at dahil dito, lumalago ang kaban ng ating bayan. Ang lahat
ng inani at aanihin pa natin mula sa pinatibay na ekonomiya ng ating
bansa, ibinabalik naman natin sa taumbayan upang tuluyan na tayong
makaahon sa kahirapan. Binibigyan natin ng katuturan ang paggastos.
Walang pisong dapat nasasayang.
Halimbawa po ang mga itinalagang opisyal sa mga GOCC. Naroon po dapat
sila para pangalagaan ang interes ng taumbayan. Noon pong nakaupo sila
doon, nilabag nila ang Memorandum Order 20, na pinirmahan noon pang
Hunyo 2001. Inatupag po nila ang sariling interes na nagdulot ng
pinsala sa interes ng taumbayan: nakakuha sila ng kung anu-anong mga
bonus at allowance.
Ipinatutupad naman po natin ang Executive Order No. 7 na nagsususpinde
sa lahat ng pribilehiyong iyon. Idiniin lamang po natin ang dapat
naipatupad pa noong 2001. Sa isang kumpanya lang po tulad ng MWSS, ang
napigil nating mahulog sa bulsa ng bawat opisyal ay umaabot na sa
dalawa’t kalahating milyong piso kada taon. Siyam po ang miyembro ng
Board nila, at sa MWSS lamang po iyan. At ilan po ang mga GOCCs, GFIs,
at mga ahensyang sakop ng EO No. 7? Isandaan, dalawampu’t dalawa (122)
mga ahensya at kumpanya.
Nariyan din po ang nangyayari sa mga kontrata tulad sa NAIA 3. Isipin
lang po natin, tatlong administrasyon na ang dinaanan nito. Pang-apat
na kami. Tumagal na po nang husto ang kasong ito, may mga pinaslang pa
dahil dito. Kundi dahil sa mga tapat na nagmamahal sa bansa tulad nina
Justice Florentino Feliciano at Justice Meilou Sereno, baka wala na
ring pinatunguhan ang kasong ito. Sila po ang mga tunay na bida sa
kaso, ngunit death threats pa po ang ibinayad sa kanila. Tila ba
nagkulang sa aruga ang nakaraang gobyerno. Ngayon pong alam nilang
suportado sila ng mga kapwa nila nasa tuwid na landas, naresolba na po
nila ang kontrata. Kung natalo po ang gobyerno natin rito, 990 million
dollars ang nalagas sa ating mga pondo. 43.5 bilyong piso ang perang
nailigtas nila at natin. Higit pa rito, mapapakinabangan na natin ang
airport sa lalong madaling panahon.
Kung naaalala po ninyo, pinahinto natin itong negotiated contracts ng
DPWH; pinarebid natin ito. Ginawa lang po natin kung ano ang tama,
napigil na po natin ang paglustay ng 934.1 million pesos, at lumalabas
na kung susunod tayo sa tamang proseso ay nasa 600 million pesos lang
ang dapat gastusin sa mga proyektong ito. Nabalik po ang pera sa kaban
ng bayan na kung pinahintulutan natin ang maling sistema ay natapon na
naman sanang muli. Hindi lang po sa mga kalsada: sa DOTC, pinigil natin
ang pagwaldas ng isang bilyong piso. Sa Department of Agriculture, 30
million at least ang natipid sa isang proyekto lang na bibili tayo ng
spectrometer na gusto sanang doblehin ang presyo.
Doon po sa Department of National Defense, ang dinefend po ang
pag-purchase ng mga helicopter na tila overspecified para paburan ang
isang kumpanya lang. Sinisiyat ito. Itinabi na muna natin. Ang gastos
na 3.6 billion ay hindi pa po nangyari.
Lahat po iyan naibalik natin sa kaban ng bayan.
Mayroon pa po. May proyektong inaprubahan ang dating administrasyon,
huhukayin daw nila ang Laguna de Bay para palalimin ito. Ang sabi raw
dadami ang isda. Mas makakaiwas daw sa baha. Mas madali daw makakaikot
ang mga bangka at mga ferry service. Tatanggalin din ang pollutants
doon sa Laguna de Bay. Ang tanong ko, saan ililipat ang lupang hinukay?
Ang tatanggalin sa Laguna de Bay ay itatambak lang din pala sa ibang
bahagi ng Laguna de Bay. At magkano naman po ang uutangin ng gobyerno
para sa prebilihiyong ito? Konti lang daw po : 18.5 billion pesos lang
naman po. At pareho rin ang kuwento: Tila hindi na naman dumaan sa
tamang proseso ang pag-aapruba sa kontrata. Hindi natin dadaanin sa
madaliang hokus-pokus ang proyektong ito. Pag-aaralan natin ito nang
husto at sisiguraduhing hindi masasayang ang pondong gagamitin para
rito.
Idadagdag ko lang po: ito po ay ni-review natin last week. Isipin po
ninyo: hanggang ngayon, mayroon pa rin humihirit.
Napansin n’yo po ba, pati ‘yung weather forecasting gumanda? Napansin
n’yo po ba na hindi na paulit-ulit ang mga mensahe ng PAGASA? Ngayon
po, nakatutok na at mas malaman ang mga weather bulletin natin. Ang
dating intermittent rainshowers across the country, ngayon, sasabihin
na uulan sa ganitong lugar nang mga ganitong oras, delikadong lumabas
para sa mangingisda at iba pa.
Tama po na hindi pa kumpleto ang equipment natin. Pero ngayong
nagsimula na po tayong magtrabaho, kakaunti na lang ang kulang na
kagamitan. Maling sistema at maling palakad ang nanligaw sa pagtataya
ng panahon. Ang mga update dati na dumarating kada anim na oras, kada
oras na ngayon kung dumating. Marami po tayong binago sa PAGASA, at
kasama na po rito ang bulok na sistema.
Nakita naman po natin ang katakut-takot na problemang minana natin,
pero hindi po tayo natinag. Naisaayos at naisasaayos na natin sa loob
ng isandaang araw ang hindi nagawa ng dating administrasyon sa loob ng
tatlong libo, apat na raan, apatnapu’t walong (3,448) araw.
Hininto na po natin ang pagkatagal-tagal na sistema kung saan itinuloy
nang itinuloy ang mga proyekto na walang sumisiyasat kung angkop ba o
kung may katuwiran ba ang mga ito. Isinulong po natin ang zero-based
budgeting. Ang sabi po namin, isa-isahin natin iyan. Kung hindi po
mapatunayang may saysay ka pa, tigil na ang ginugugol ng bansa sa iyo.
Ang mga Agriculture Input Subsidies na lalo lamang nagpapayaman sa
mayayaman na habang binalewala ang mga mahihirap; ang mga programa
tulad ng Kalayaang Barangay at Kilos-Asenso na hindi naman inilatag
nang malinaw kung ano ang prosesong dinaanan, at kung saan napunta ang
pera-inilipat po natin ang kanilang mga pondo tungo sa mga programang
napatunayan nang makakatulong sa taumbayan.
Humigit-kumulang na 11 bilyong piso pa po ito na magagamit at
mapapakinabangan nating lahat.
Sa edukasyon, kalusugan, at pag-ahon sa kahirapan po natin itinutok ang
pondong natipid natin. Mula 175 billion pesos, umangat ang budget ng
DepEd sa 207.3 billion pesos. Gugugulin po ito upang makabuo ng 13,147
na bagong classroom, at ng sampung libong bagong teaching positions. Sa
DoH, umangat mula sa 29.3 billion pesos ang budget papuntang 33.3
billion, upang mapatatag ang unang-una, ang National Health Insurance
Program. Sa DSWD, lagpas doble na po ang budget, galing 15.4 billion
pesos papuntang 34.3 billion pesos.
Ang punto po natin dito: Walang maiiwan. Hindi po tayo papayag na
yayaman ang iilan habang nalulunod sa kahirapan ang karamihan.
Kaya nga po natin pinatatag ang Conditional Cash Transfer Program.
Salbabida po ito para sa mga nalulunod nating kababayan upang makapunta
na sila sa pampang ng pagkakataon at pag-unlad. Lampas doble po ang
bilang ng mga pamilyang matutulungan ng conditional cash transfers,
mula isang milyong pamilya sa ngayon, tungo sa kabuuang 2.3 million na
pamilya sa 2011.
Patuloy po ang ating tema ng pagbibigay ng lakas sa taumbayan. Dahil na
rin po sa panunumbalik ng tiwala sa gobyerno, nabiyayaan ang
KALAHI-CIDSS program ng dagdag na 59.1 million dollars-halos tatlong
bilyong piso-mula sa World Bank. Sa programa pong ito, dadami pa ang
komunidad na magkakaroon ng kuryente, kalsada, at malinis na tubig-mga
proyektong ang taumbayan mismo ang nagpaplano at nagpapalakas.
Paulit-ulit po nating ididiin: trabaho ang pangunahing agenda ng ating
administrasyon. At marami pong magandang balita ukol dito.
Ang papasok na pera sa ating bansa mula sa mga foreign investors ay
aabot sa 2.4 billion dollars, at iyon ay pang-umpisa pa lamang. Direkta
po itong magbibigay ng 43,600 na trabaho sa mga Pilipino. Simula pa
lamang po iyan: Kung hindi natin sila padadaanin sa butas ng karayom,
makukumbinsi pa po silang magnegosyo rito, at madadagdagan pa ang mga
trabahong nalikha.
At manganganak pa po ng manganganak ang mga trabahong ito. Halimbawa,
sa call center, kailangang panggabi ang trabaho. Kailangang magbukas ng
kapihan, ng fastfood, ng mga convenience store. Hindi bababa sa
dalawandaang libong bagong trabaho ang malilikha pa-kahit hindi ka
marunong mag-computer, may pagkakataon ka sa dagdag na mga trabahong
ito.
Trabaho din po ang idudulot ng mga Public-Private Partnerships na
patuloy nating isinusulong. Nagtayo na po tayo ng PPP Center, kung saan
ang mga gustong makilahok sa pagbabago ay mapapasailalim sa tapat,
malinaw, at mabilis na proseso. Mula sa pagpapahaba ng mga LRT Lines,
hanggang sa pagpapatayo ng bagong paliparan na tutulong sa turismo,
hanggang sa mga eskuwelahan na itatayo sa buong sambayanan, magsisimula
na po ang bidding para sa mga ito sa loob ng mga susunod na buwan.
Kinikilala na ng pandaigdigang merkado ang pagtatag ng piso. All-time
high po ang ating Gross International Reserves na umabot na sa 52.3
billion dollars noong ika-dalawampu ng Setyembre. Ang dati-rati ay
parang imposibleng maabot ng Philippine Stock Exchange Index na 4,000,
nalampasan na po. Kahapon lamang po, all-time high na naman ang inabot
ng ating Philippine Stock Exchange Index na umabot sa 4,196.73 points.
Ipinapakita nito ang kumpiyansa sa ating ekonomiya sa ating mamamayan
at sa atin pong pamahalaan. Kabilang na po ang ating PSE sa mga
best-performing stock market sa buong Asya. At habang lumalakas ang
piso at lumalago ang ekonomiya, steady lang naman po ang mga presyo ng
ating mga bilihin. Handang-handa na po tayo talaga sa pag-unlad.
Lahat po ito nagawa natin dahil nakasandal ang gobyerno sa inyong
tiwala. At umaapaw na rin po ang tiwalang iyan sa buong daigdig.
Dalawang ulit na pong nag-apply ang Pilipinas para sa Millenium
Challenge Corporation Grant. Sa unang tatlong buwan lang po ng
administrasyon natin napaaprubahan ito. Ang sa kanila lamang po,
aminado silang hindi natin maiwawasto agad ang lahat ng problema, pero
naniniwala silang patungo na tayo roon. Sabi nila, gusto namin kayong
matulungan para maabot ang inyong mga pinapangarap, heto ang 430
million dollars.
Ididiin ko lang po: dalawang beses nag-apply, ni-reject sa loob nang
hindi bababa sa siyam na taon, tayo po sa tatlong buwan, inaprubahan.
Pati po ang mga international organization tulad ng OECD, tinanggal na
tayo sa listahan ng mga bansang kumukupkop ng mga tax evader. Maaari na
tayong makakuha ng impormasyon na makakatulong sa paghuhuli sa mga tax
evader na isinasagawa ng BIR.
Dahil na rin po sa panibagong tiwalang nangingibabaw sa pamahalaan,
dumadami ang mga tumutulong sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng mga tip
tungkol sa katiwalian. Sumasaksi sila sa maling pangyayari, para
makatulong sa ating paghahabol ng demanda. Halimbawa, sa bagong-tayo na
Pera ng Bayan website, isa-isa nang lumilitaw ang mga taong
makatutulong sa atin upang tugisin ang mga smuggler at tax evader.
Ibinabalik ng mga hakbang na ito ang kumpiyansa ng daigdig sa
Pilipinas. Nagkakaisa nang muli ang ating lipunan, at ang nanatili na
lang na parang sirang-plaka na paulit-ulit ang reklamo ay ang mga
gustong manumbalik sa poder upang ituloy ang kanilang ligaya na
nagmumula sa ating pagkakaapi.
Sila na nga ang nagdulot sa atin ng mga problemang pinapasan natin
ngayon, sila pa ang may ganang bumanat nang bumanat sa atin. Papansinin
ba ninyo sila? Magpapalinlang ba kayong muli?
Hindi po kami nagbibiro sa pagtahak sa tuwid na landas. Kayong mga mali
ang palakad at pinipinsala ang mga kababayan natin, ginagarantiya ko sa
inyo: may taning kayong lahat.
Ito pong mga problemang pinangako nating solusyonan, tatlong buwan pa
lang nakikita na ninyong nabubuo ang solusyon. At ang inyong tiwala po
ang pundasyon ng lahat ng ating naabot sa loob lamang nitong tatlong
buwan ng ating panunungkulan.
Mula pa noong kampanya, ibinato na po sa atin ang lahat ng puwedeng
ibato sa loob at labas ng Revised Penal Code. Pati po ang buhok ko
ginawa nilang isyu. Palagay ko ho dahil siguro binata pa tayo, hindi na
tayo binigyan ng honeymoon. Payag po si Sister Imelda diyan. Gusto
talaga tayong gibain ng mga taong nais mapanatili ang lumang sistema,
kung saan para silang mga dambuhalang buwayang nagpapakasasa sa kaban
ng bayan.
Binabatikos lang naman po tayo dahil may iilan na naghahanap ng paraan
para magpatuloy ang siklo ng mali. Alam din naman po nila ang tama,
hindi pa nila maatim gawin. Mayroon po talagang mga nag-aambisyon na
makabalik sa poder, nag-aambisyon na panatilihin ang sistemang sila
lang ang nakikinabang, mga kapit-tuko sa puwesto na nakikinabang sa
lumang sistema-mga taong gusto lamang ituloy ang kanilang ligaya,
habang binabalewala naman ang sakripisyo ng taumbayan.
At tayo naman po: tuloy na tuloy ang laban. Hindi po tayo titigil.
Kung mayroon po tayong pagkukulang, ito marahil ay ang hindi nating
naging kaugalian na ipamalita ang mga tagumpay na atin pong nakamit.
Mas binigyan nating halaga ang paghahanap ng mga paraan na makatutulong
sa ating mga kababayan. Kitang-kita naman po ng taumbayan ang resulta
ng ating pagtatrabaho. Talagang nakagagalak ng puso itong satisfaction
rating na seventy one percent. Natural po, sa inyo ang tagumpay na
ito-sa bawat Pilipinong nagtitiwala at nakikilahok sa ating agenda ng
pagbabago.
Ang patuloy ko pong panata: Hindi tayo titigil. Habang dumarami tayo sa
tuwid na landas, dumadali naman po ang tungkulin nating itama ang mali.
Hinding-hindi po tayo titigil sa tuwid na landas. Unti-unti na pong
natutupad ang ating mga pangarap.
Maraming salamat po. Magandang umaga sa lahat.
*********
*********
*********
TRANSCRIPT
OF
PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO'S
SPEECH TO THE UNITED NATIONS
What the
world needs now is Philippine-Style
GLOBAL PEOPLE POWER
Allow me
to convey the greetings of the Filipino people to you and the delegates
gathered for the 65th session of the UN General Assembly.
The United Nations was founded on the belief that in collective action
lies collective security.
It is when nations reach across their borders that the immense problems
of our age begin to be manageable.
In a world that has become increasingly globalized, the challenges that
we face have become globalized as well:
Climate change; pandemics; terrorism and weapons of mass destruction;
transnational organized crime such as human trafficking and the illicit
drug trade;
the continuing vulnerability of migrants, women, persons with
disabilities, and the poor;
and the challenges posed by increasingly interconnected economies all
call for a further strengthening of international cooperation.
All of us here, representing our respective nations, are stewards
entrusted with the well-being of our respective peoples. We are also
called to be responsible and responsive members of the community of
nations. Clearly, we are already aware that the problem of one poses a
problem for all. Any solution, then, depends on us recognizing that
each of our nations does not exist in a vacuum, but rather, in an
increasingly interdependent global milieu.
The central revelation here is that for humanity to progress, all
nations must progress as one. The quest for universal human dignity
should not be defined by geographical, racial, or cultural boundaries,
nor should it be set back by our desires to move our own nations
forward. Global progress means equitable progress.
The industrialized nations of the world can look with pride on the
living standards their peoples enjoy. But, as one of my distinguished
predecessors once said, "Those who have less in life should have more
in law."
This basic principle of social justice is also the most basic
humanitarian challenge of our times. The wealth of nations must become
an instrument to move the world further along the straight and
righteous path of compassion and communal responsibility.
The message is clear: there are those who need help, and acting with
compassion toward those who need help is a response that is both humane
and necessary.
This idea has been trumpeted for decades, and yet, combating inequality
remains one of the greatest challenges of our times. The chasm between
the powerful and powerless, the haves and the have-nots, remains to be
bridged. The past century has demonstrated, in terms so stark that it
inspired the creation of this organization, that when the mighty clash,
those who have less end up trampled. This is true where conflict
exists, and true where markets exist; true in our nation, and true in
an international context.
The concept of vulnerability and inequality is all too clear in the
global effort to address climate change. Those who stand to lose much,
if not everything, from the effects of man-induced climatic conditions
are those who did little to cause it. There is an enormous need to
ensure, as a matter of justice, that countries, particularly the
vulnerable, are assisted in their adaptation and disaster
risk-reduction efforts and are provided the necessary resources to
build climate-resilient communities. This should go hand-in-hand with
ambitious commitments by major economies to significantly reduce global
greenhouse gas emissions.
Many of you may say you have already given mightily of your resources.
But surely we do not need flood and famine to remind ourselves that
there is so much more that must be given, because there are so many
more who deserve the hope of a better life.
The most immediate focus of cooperation demanded of us today is to
collectively ensure that the eight Millennium Development Goals will be
achieved by all in the remaining five years. This is a daunting task;
and we are all aware that national resolve has to be complemented by
bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation.
Rising to the challenges of our era requires, within each of our
countries, a strengthened regulatory system. This does not mean a
cumbersome, intrusive government, but rather a government that allows
private enterprise to thrive, while ensuring that they remain cognizant
of their social responsibilities, and empowers them, in turn, toward
fulfilling these responsibilities. Many governments are tackling this
challenge, including the government of the Philippines. Our
administration’s pledge: To channel the gains we might reap from Public
Private Partnerships into social services, like those in health,
education, and poverty alleviation.
Across boundaries, the battle against inequality requires a balanced
approach from those in authority: to be conscious of our
responsibilities to our own people, and of our duties to regions and
the globe. Already we are witnessing a rethinking of traditional
paradigms, a shifting of our focus towards ensuring that the global
system does not leave anyone behind.
And while my nation continues to benefit from the compassion of those
who are more able to help, this does not mean that we, or our friends
in the developing world, will be entirely dependent on the largesse of
the developed world. We will not be passive players in our quest for
development. My nation remains active in the G77 and other efforts
toward enhancing South-South cooperation, and articulating and
promoting our collective economic interests.
This is what our people put us in power for. This is what the world
expects of us as leaders—to be exemplars of what it is to be
compassionate human beings, and vanguards of hope for our common
humanity.
For is not this hope also the hope that unites us as human beings? It
is the same hope that allows us to break down walls of mistrust, which
may take the form of intolerance, fear, or violence. It is the same
hope that leads us to gather in this hall as our predecessors did.
It is the same hope that will give our generation of leaders the
strength to elevate this global assembly to a place where,
collectively, the nations of the world could find ways to make a better
life possible for all.
For so many times in our history, my people have shown that, united,
nothing is impossible. We called it People Power. It is my earnest
hope—and in the greatest interest of humanity——that we harness the
energies of dialogue, solidarity, and communal responsibility, so that
a global People Power toward equitable progress may be achieved.
Thank you.
-
Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Philippine Republic,
addressing
the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, USA,
September 2010.
*********
*********
*********
EDITORIAL
Led by
the amazing and accelerating economic progress of China, Japan, India,
Taiwan and Korea the whole of Asia is now rapidly overhauling and
superseding the previously dominant West. As Western economies and
currencies decline, Eastern economies and currencies are consistently
achieving record-shattering growth.
It's no exaggeration to say that business investors, industrial
magnates and land developers all around the globe have recognised that
The Philippine Republic is in the right place at the right time. We are
the nation whose time has come. Every Filipino and Filipina has the
unique opportunity to benefit from this unique unrepeatable situation.
Santa Rosa City Laguna is already the fastest growing area in the
Philippines and will very soon be the fastest growing area in the
world. No need to take SRM's word for it - we're in the same boat as
you. Just take a look instead at the facts, the action, the reality.
Just invest in a piece of what's going on here to overflow your bank
account and literally take your breath away. Check currency exchange
rates to see for yourself how much the Philippine Peso has increased in
value against the United States Dollar, the British Pound and the
European Union Euro. You'll find it's around 20% in the past year
alone, so the longer you delay the more you'll miss out.
The leading global players are here: Microsoft, Google, Hewlett
Packard, Sage, Ford, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Kia, Coca-Cola,
Boots, Virgin, Marks & Spencer, Body Shop, Nivea, McDonalds,
Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Shakey's, Kelloggs, Nestlé,
Cadburys, Wyeth, Johnson Meade, Anchor, Pilsbury, and many more
household name companies.
Come on - think of more household names yourself, and you'll find that
most are already in the Philippines. Why? Because they're making money
in a country with a population of over 90 million transforming itself
from third to first world economy in record time. This is the
recognized stage of highest return on investment.
Business and residential developments are mushrooming in unison. Every
announcement of new foreign investment represents further progress and
higher standards. So don't be put off when your local media focus only
on political corruption and killings. Those who perpetrate such crimes
in the Philippines are a very small minority. They also will realize
they can make more money by going legitimate - just as the Mafia did in
the USA.
Previous Philippine success stories are only the tip of the iceberg,
and with newly elected President Noynoy Aquino vowing to root out the
corruption that has long held our country back, we can at last look
forward to the promised social volcano of people power and voter power
to support him. The resurgence of Pinoy achievement and pride is
already in evidence and once we get going there will be no stopping us.
Sooner than you think we will be on a par with Japan, Korea, Singapore
and Hong Kong, and business will lead the way forward.
Congratulations to Miss Universe 2011 above, Leila Lopes from Angola,
and to our own Shamcey Supsup, who was placed 3rd Runner Up,
one position higher than Venus Raj last year. Editorial photo courtesy of Miss
Universe Organization. (More...)
Forget the negative attitudes of stick-in-the-mud critics and do a Google search to see the creativity of Filipinos who have posted on the internet their own versions of DOT's inspiring
new tourism slogan. Who cares what the Swiss did in 1951? They didn't invent the English
language and they didn't coin the "it's more fun" phrase. Positive-thinking Filipinos like the
new slogan and are having lots of fun proving the truth in it. DOT deserves congratulations!
(See Angel Tugado's comments on our Opinion page.
