Lack of skilled workforce

Top problem for second year

Lack of skilled workforce
slows business expansion

By Katrina Mennen A. Valdez, Reporter

BUSINESSMEN consider the lack of a skilled workforce as the biggest constraint to expansion, according to the annual International Business Report issued by Grant Thornton International Ltd.

For two consecutive years, the unavailability of a skilled workforce emerged as the most important constraint to business expansion among Filipinos. Similarly, skills lack emerged as the number one problem of privately held business around the world, displacing inhospitable regulations and red tape.

The report, which was released by Punongbayan & Araullo (P&A), is an annual survey of the attitudes and expectations of medium-sized businesses. This year, the report surveyed 7,800 respondents from 34 participating countries.

Of the Filipino business leaders polled, 58 percent said the growth of their enterprise is worst affected by the unavailability of a skilled workforce, up from last year’s 43 percent. Globally, the proportion of respondents who cited this constraint increased from 34 percent last year to 37 percent this year.

In terms of lack of a skilled workforce, the Philippines shared the third spot with Australia, while Thailand and New Zealand were the top two countries wherein this was also a problem.

“[We] are in a dire situation since [we] now belong to the top three countries whose business growth is limited mostly by this human resource problem,” Greg Navarro, P&A managing partner said.

Late last year, networking company Cisco reported that the Philippines was short of 1,300 information technology professionals, with this shortage expected to rise to 2,400 by next year.

A large Korean investor and many Middle East contractors also expressed concern about the lack of qualified welders and other skilled technicians, the report said.

“The business community has been experiencing the gradual and continuous deterioration of the quality of graduates in the past decade or so, and has organized itself to help the education sector improve the standard in the country,” Navarro said.

Besides the unavailability of a skilled workforce, the report also showed a notable increase in the percentage of Filipino respondents concerned about the reduced demand for their products or services. From 17 percent of respondents last year, this figure jumped to 46 percent this year.

This was followed by red tape, which had been on a downward track for the past four years. Last year, 26 percent of Filipino business leaders said it was a major roadblock to growth, down from 34 percent in 2006. This year, 49 percent consider it a major constraint.

“Besides being a major constraint to business, red tape also influences the flow of foreign investments into the country. So [we] have to take a serious look at how [we] can reduce bureaucracy and cut the costs of doing business in the Philippines if we want to catch up with [our] Asian neighbors,” Navarro said. Manila Times

Erring SBMA subcontractors face closure

THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) yesterday warned subcontractors working at various jobsites in the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. (HHIC-Phil) to adhere strictly to occupational safety requirements or face immediate closure.

The agency issued this stern warning as it probed two recent accidents where three workers hired by two Hanjin subcontractors died at the job site.

The first case involved two sling men who were pinned to death by a toppling 15-ton steel beam on March 10. The other incident involved a worker who fell off the roof the day after.

“We will be going after these companies who show utter disregard for safety,” SBMA officials said yesterday.

According to HHIC-Phil, the first accident occurred when two “sling men” were removing shackles atop a 15-ton beam. When an assisting worker signaled the crane operator to retract the cable, one of the shackles might have caught in one of the brackets beside the lifting lug.

This caused the overhead crane body to topple, the accident report indicated.

The two fatalities and the signalman were employed by subcontractor Globe Distribution Services, while the crane operator worked for Subic Shipbuilder Inc., another subcontractor.

The second case involved a worker who fell off a nine-meter roof after failing to notice that he was at the roof edge.

The worker, employed by subcontractor Bodahhm Inc., was reportedly working backward to mark places where screws had to be bolted on by another worker.

The third fatality was wearing a safety harness, but this was not properly secured, initial investigation showed.

SMBA officials said the ongoing investigation tend to show that some subcontractors and their workers “failed to observe even common-sense safety measures.”

“Every industrial jobsite is a potential safety hazard, that’s why there are clear-cut rules on safety that we require companies to implement strictly,” they said.

They added that HHIC-Phil president Jeong Sup Shim had assured him of Hanjin’s support to the investigation, with the end in view of identifying erring subcontractors and taking appropriate actions against them.
J. V. Antiporda - Journal online

http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com/2008/03/hanjin-to-form-body-on-shipyard-safety.html
http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com/2008/03/3-workers-killed-in-2-new-hanjin.html

Bill allots 10% IRA share for health care

A LAWMAKER from Mindanao has filed a measure mandating local government units to earmark 10 percent of their annual Internal Revenue Allotment for health programs and services.

Sultan Kudarat Rep. Arnulfo Go filed HB 3614 which seeks to improve the health programs and services provided by every local government units.

The bill provides integrated and comprehensive approach to health and other social services to make essential goods, health and other social services available at affordable prices.

The solon is pushing passage of the bill in view of the need for LGUs to prioritize health services especially for the poor, the sick, the elderly and disabled women and children.

“I believe that the health of the people should come first in the order of battle against poverty, malnutrition and hunger,” Go said.

The bill intends to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of health programs and services by the LGUs to aid in the development of a healthy and productive citizenry. Jester P. Manalastas - Journal online

Anti-corruption drive assured of P1-B fund

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has assured of allocating more funds of close to P1 billion to attain a graft-free regime in the Philippines.

In a letter to Ambassador John Danilovich, chief executive officer of the Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC), the President said that her administration will earmark additional funding to step up her anti-corruption campaign.

These include about P959 million funding from the P1.227 trillion national budget for 2008 for the Office of the Ombudsman which is twice the level in 2002.

The President further explained that revenue agencies of the government will set up computerized systems to better monitor economic activity and collect the right taxes and duties.

The President also bared that the Procurement Transparency Group which budget chief Rolando Andaya heads is working double time to ensure that all government transactions will be graft free.

“To further enhance integrity of public contract bidding, the Procurement Transparency Group is in full operation, harnessing both national agencies and civil society groups to monitor the procurement process.

I have already ordered all state agencies and corporations to submit spending plans and bidding information requested by the PTG,” Mrs. Arroyo said. Efren Montano

TMG member linked to ’Gapo massacre?

TASK Force Scarlet is investigating the involvement of an official of the Traffic Management Group based in Camp Crame in the massacre of FHM magazine cover girl Scarlet May Garcia and three others in Olongapo City last Thursday.

Philippine National Police Spokesman Senior Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said the task force will look into several motives in the killing, including business rivalry, love triangle, robbery and revenge. One of the victims allegedly received several death threats from a mysterious influential woman.

“Everybody’s a suspect, we are investigating all angles to solve the gruesome killing,” Bartolome said.

He said Task Force Scarlet is headed by Olongapo City Police chief Supt. Abelardo Villacorta.

Probers recovered inside the Toyota Vios of one of the victims an ATM card, police jacket, badge and insignia of SPO1 Leopoldo Vitug, Jr., of the TMG Camp Crame.

“The investigation is still ongoing. Since some of his items were recovered inside the vehicle, he will be investigated to shed light on the incident,” he said.

Bartolome made it clear that Vitug is not directly implicated in the massacre. Vitug is reportedly a cousin of one of the victims, George Vitug Castro, 28.

Scarlet, 21, her boyfriend George and their friends Rachel Estacio, 20, and her boyfriend Van Mark Bandejas alias Wacky, 22, were found brutally murdered inside the condo of George at 53-B Acacia St., Barangay Gordon Heights, Olongapo City. Journal online

MALALIM NA IMBESTIGASYON INIATAS NI MAYOR BONG
Updates on Scarlet Garcia's murder

Cops form Task Force Scarlet
CRIME OF PASSION

Cops eye 'scorned' love behind Olongapo killings
Cops find indications of sexual molestation on mod...

FHM model, three others killed in Olongapo City

Crane operations at Hanjin jSubic suspended after accident

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said crane operations at the Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp (HHIC) shipyard in Subic had been suspended after a crane fell on two of its employees Tuesday night, killing them instantly.

Ermita said a report submitted by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to Malacañang said investigations are now on going and crane operations had been suspended while the probe is on going.

He stressed that the incident does not warrant a termination of Hanjin’s contract as the accident involved their local supplier, the Globe Distribution Philippines, and not South Korean company directly.

He said that based on the report they received, two workers were removing the shackles of a 20-ton beam that they were moving when the crane fell from its trestle and pinned them down.

It was followed by another accident Wednesday morning when another employee fell from the roof that he was fixing.

Reports said relatives of the three employees are now seeking assistance from HHIC.

Last January, two more Filipino employees were also killed after the shipyard caught fire, which government inspectors said maybe caused by some safety violations. - GMANews.TV

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW

SEN DICK GORDON
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW



ON LEO SAN MIGUEL "LYING" AT ZTE HEARING

SEN. GORDON: There are lessons to be learned. Dapat bago tayo
tumanggap ng testigo, katulad ng pino-propose ko, ay dapat magkaroon
sila ng sworn statement o kaya ma-depose yung witnesses. At ang
matagal ko nang sinasabi ay kailangang maibigay sa aming mga Senador
yung mga affidavit ng mga testigong iyan para sa ganoon within one
week mababasa namin at mapag-aralan para kapag humarap sila sa amin ay
maganda ang tanungan at hindi yung paulit-ulit. Malalim ang tanungan
at hindi yung lumalayag.

Kahit sino ang dalhin dyan ay wala kaming alam. Kung ano ang
background, nagsu-surprise witness kami. Yung surprise witness dapat
under extreme circumstances lang iyan. Sapagkat hindi dapat basta
pinapapasok dahil ang nangyayari ay nawi-waste ang time ng senado.

Yung mga affivadit –that is in the interest of fair play. It protects
the witness, it protects the prosecution para sa ganoon ay malinaw
kung ano ang sasabihin at makikita ang theory ng mga lumalabas na
nag-aatake, lumalabas na nagbubunyag at yung mga dumi-depensa ay
makikita. Hindi lamang po iyan para sa mga testigo laban sa gobyerno
kundi para din doon sa mga humaharap, katulad ng mga cabinet members,
pwede silang gumawa ng mga statement nila para malaman ang buong
istorya. Hindi nagbabago ang istorya o humahaba ang istorya as we go
along. Ito ay para sa mabilis, malinaw, masinop at logical na
imbestigasyon.



Q: Ginapang daw po ng Malacanang si San Miguel para magdalawang-isip?

SEN.GORDON: Hindi naman ako taga-Malacanang kaya tanungin nyo na
lang ang mga taga-Malacanang. That was the first time I saw Mr. San
Miguel. In fact, if we have been given yung kanyang affivadit dapat
seguro natanong siya ng mas maayos. Mas madali kase kung may affidavit
ka.


Q: Ang haba-habang na nang imbestigasyon ito?

Sen GORDON: Kaya humaba dahil nga wala yung rules na dapat
naka-affivadit bago dumating yung witness. Tingnnan ninyo sa America,
bago mag-imbestiga, kukunin muna ang deposition ng lahat ng testigo at
kapag nakuha na yung affivadit ng testigo, nabibigyan ng one hour
yung administration at one hour yung minority para sa pagtatanong. At
dahil hawak na nila ito one week before, napag-aaralan lahat yung
kanilang statement. Samakatuwid, hindi naglulubid ng buhangin,
nagsisinungaling o gumagawa ng istorya.


Q: Sir, sa tingin nyo ba nagsasabi ng totoo si San Miguel?

Sen. Gordon: I can not kase unang-una nang dini-deny niya. Ang sabi
nga ni Sen. Lacson, siya ang magiging surprise witness at mako-
corroborate niya lahat yung mga testigo pero bigla niyang sinabing
HINDI. So ano ang panghahaweakan namin? Pero kung meron siyang sworn
statement na kinuha na kaagad sana ni Sen. Lacson eh di may hawak na
siya kaagad. Hindi na siya( San Miguel) makakatakbo doon. Hindi na
siya makapagsisinungalin. At kung may sworn statement doon – "affiant
sayeth naught" wala na akong idadagdag sa statement ko, nasabi ko
nalahat. Hindi na pwedeng magdagdag ng anumang kalokohan yung mga
testigo. Kaya napakaahalaga ng sworn statement. Yan ang pino-propose
ko palagi.


Q: Pero agree ba kayo sa mga obserbasyon kahit nagulat yung mga
senador napatunayan parin that Abalos was all over the place?

Sen. Gordon: That is correct. August pa lang gusto ko nang i-file yung
kaso kay Abalos. Noong inimbestiga natin ito last year, sinabi ko na
sa kanya na nandito ka palagi. Hindi mo(Abalos) trabaho iyan. Kaya nga
sinabi ko na barko ng mga hudas ito. Bakit kamo, hindi dapat makialam
si Abalos na pupunta siya sa China tuwing may meeting ang ZTE doon.
Hindi niya teritoryo yung broadband, ang teritoryo niya ay Comelec. At
ang election na matino ay hindi niya inaaatupag. At pagkatapos ito
namang si Joey De Venecia, hindi siya dapat nakikialam dyan. Anak siya
ng speaker. Biruin mo kapipirma pa lang memorandum of understanding
meron na agad siyang unsolicited bid. Ni walang amount, walang terms
of reference kung magkano ang amount na ibibigay kaya ang hirap
tanungin. Ano ba talaga,130 M ba o 320M ba? Hindi malaman. Yun nga ang
tinatanong ko kahapon kina Sales – "Wala ba kayong papel na
nagpapakita na meron kayong agency estimate kung magkano iyan para
malaman kung nag-overprice o nag underprice o yung tinatawag nilang
tong-pats."



Q: Sir, ano po ang epekto nito doon sa credibility ng senado
considering na parang sumabog yun witness kahapon?

Sen. Gordon: It only tells us that we must be careful. Kaya noong
isang araw nga ay nag-file ako ng resolution na kailangang i-depose
yung witness. Ibig sabihin noon, bago dumating ang isang testigo dapat
may written statement, under oath at ibibigay sa amin ang mga
statement na iyan one week before the investigation. Makikita ninyo
bibilis yan. In two or three days tapos kaagad ang imbestigasyon na
iyan.


Q: Sir, pwede bang ma-contempt…?

Sen. Gordon: Sino?


Q: Yun witness kahapon?

Sen. Gordon: You can not cite him for contempt if he says "Hindi ko
alam kung ano ang nangyari." You cannot even cite him for contempt if
he says "I have no knowledge" unless you can prove that he was lying.
Pero kung kinuha ni Sen. Lacson yung kanyang(San Miguel) affivadit,
hindi siya makapagsisinungaling.


ON LIE DETECTOR TEST


Q: Sir, yung lie detector..importante ba yun?

Sen. Gordon: Well hindi naman admissible as evidence iyan. Walang
probative value ito.


Q: So, may need for that?

Sen. Gordon: No. I don't think so. Makikita naman kase hindi naman
admissible as evidence iyan saka kung ayaw ng testigo hindi mo
mapipilit.


Q: Sir, pumayag sila.

Sen. Gordon: Kung papayag sila, di pakuha sila ng lie detector test
pero it can not be used on a court of law.


Q: What is it, waste of time?

Sen. Gordon: No it's not a waste of time. It is an indication kung
gusto nila at kung pumasa sila eh di hindi sila nagsisinungaling. It
is only an indication but can not be used sa prosecution sa Ombudsman.


Q: Sir, ano ang reaksyon ninyo sa sinabi ng Palasyo na bumaba ang
rating ng tele-novela ng senado dahil sumablay ito sa testigo?

Sen. Gordon: Mangyayari't mangyayari iyan. Kaya nga to protect the
Senate and to protect the truth and justice kailangan may prepared
statement ang witnesses. Without that, truth and justice is in peril.
Delikado.


ON WIRE TAPPING

Q: Sir, pabor ba kayo sa paglalabas ng mga phone conversation na wire
tap..?

Sen. Gordon: No. That is against the law. Any wiretap should not be
encouraged. Wire tapping is against the law. Can you imagine kung
wina-wire tap tayo, lahat dito ay pwedeng ilabas? Kaya nga iyan ang
wisdom ng batas na yan. Hindi pwedeng ilabas yung wiretap. Kaya itong
mga ito, pwede silang parusahan d'yan.


Q: Yun playing?

Sen. Gordon: Kapag ginawa iyan lalabas ako.


Q: Pero si Sen Enrile plan to…?

Sen. Gordon: Si Sen. Enrile and Sen. Lacson, ilalabas nila?
Napaka-delikado niyan. Under the law they can be hauled to court.


Q: Sir, yun nag-wire tap ba ang…?

Sen. Gordon: The wire tapping at saka yung nagpi-present ng tape na
wiretap illegally obtained.


Q: Si Lozada sir, medyo kinumpirma niya na maaring may ganoon nga
siyang conversation, pwede ba yun?

Sen. Gordon: Maaaring may ganoon pero walang permiso siya na
i-wiretap. Hindi pwedeng gamitin sa kanya iyan.


Q: Sir, paki-ulit lang yung inyong rejection of airing ng mga wire tap
materials.

Sen. Gordon: Masamang precedent iyan kapag papayagan natin ang mga
awtoridad o sinumang tao na iwa-wire tap kahit senador pa, kahit na
siya ay presidente o general. Hindi siya dapat mag-wire tap nang
walang pahintulot ang korte. Kapag pinayagan natin iyan na pwedeng
gumawa ng wire-tapping sa bawat tao, para na tayong nasa panahon ni
Hitler na hihilahin ka na lang.


Q: Pero sir, kung titingnan yung korte suprema diba nagpalabas sila
ng desisyon, ina-allow na nila yung airing ng garci tape?

Sen. Gordon: Dahil nagging public knowledge na talaga iyan.


Q: So dapat I-air muna para maging public knowledge?

Sen. Gordon: Hindi naman. Hindi ko masyadong nakita yung desisyon ng
Korte Suprema pero sa tingin ko masyado nang naging public ang
nangyari. Pero remember, dumaan muna sa Korte Suprema para payagang
i-air. Hindi pwedeng payagan mo basta-basta nang walang pahintulot ng
husgado.


Q: Pero sir, hindi ho ba lumalabas na very prevalent na kahit sino na
lang…?

Sen. Gordon: Kaya nga dapat parusahan. Kaya nga sinasabi ko, Sen.
Enrile and Sen. Lacson would be liable for suits if they present
illegally wire tapped conversations. Saka it is very bad for our
country to have that. Kakabahan na ang lahat na gumamit ng telepono.
Tingnan ninyo yung nangyari sa Governor of New York (Eliot Spitzer),
may wiretap iyan pero may court order kay napilitan siyang mag-resign.


Q: Who's going to file suit against these two?

Sen. Gordon: Any of the people involved. And that is a crime so people
of the Philippines iyan.


Q: Sir, will you file?

Sen. Gordon: Well, we will see how it goes. I think we should file a
case against anybody who presents illegally wiretapped testimonies.
Iyan ang batas. I will object to it. I already objected before, di ba
sa Garci. Hindi tama yan kahit ano pa ang pagkakamali, kaya may batas
iyun ang nagpo-proteksyon sa tao.


Q: Sir, kung wala ka namang tinatago bakit ka matatakot na i-air nila
yun?

Sen. Gordon: Because it sets a precedent. Kung pumapayag ka, walang
problema iyun. Payag lahat sila, payag si Lozada, payag si President
Arroyo, payag silang ilabas nila iyan - Fine. But still hindi
pinapayagan na iyan nag-wiretap ay libre na i-air o gumawa siya ng
wire tapping. It is still illegal.

Korean mafia thriving in RP

By: Renato Gomba Quilicol - Journal Online

THE Philippines has now become a “haven” of the leaders and members of the “Kuan Jupang,” also known as the Korean mafia.

This was revealed by legitimate Korean businessmen in Metro Manila who has become victims to the dreaded group, which seems untouchable to local police authorities.

The victims requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, adding that the number of “Kuan Jupang” members in the Philippines has grown bigger and could have already outnumbered their foreign counterparts, including the triad and bamboo gangs of China and the Yakuza of Japan.

The businessmen talked about their horrifying ordeal from the day they first encountered the members of the group.

They recounted how they were harassed and intimidated by the group, who demanded monthly “protection money” amounting to millions of pesos.

They were also threatened with physical harm or death should they fail to comply with the criminals’ demands.

A Seoul businesswoman admitted giving the syndicate P2 million in exchange for the safety of her family, knowing the fact that the Korean mafia uses local assassins in dealing with those who say “no.”

“That is why many of us were forced to hire local bodyguards because we knew they could kill us anytime they want in case we did not give them money,” another businessman said.

It was learned most members of this Korean crime ring are either undesirable aliens or wanted criminals in their country.

How they were able to enter the country using spurious travel documents remains a big question mark.

“It is interesting to know why these criminals managed to slip into despite being included in the Bureau of Immigration’s blacklist,” the Korean businessmen said.

Apparently the Korean mafia has already established vast connections among key government agencies such as the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine National Police, being unhampered in extortion and money-laundering activities, they claimed.

They also believed the mafia is responsible for kidnappings and murders of Koreans in the Philippines, many of which were not reported to police authorities.

A particular incident took place in Porac, Pampanga, in December last year, where a Korean couple operating a language school was shot dead by masked men in front of their terrified children.

Rustans kakasuhan ng PASG

NAKATAKDANG kasu-han ng Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) ang Rustan’s sa sandaling makumpleto nila ang im-bestigasyon kaugnay sa pagpapasok nito ng mga ‘undervalued’ na ‘imported products’ kabilang ang mga ‘signature shirts.’

Ayon kay PASG chief Un-dersecretary Antonio Villar Jr., bilyong piso ang nawawala sa kaban ng gobyerno dahil sa technical smuggling na ito ng Rustan Marketing, Rustan Commercian, Store Specialist at Rustan Coffee Corporation.

Sinabi ni Usec. Villar, nag-tataka siya kung bakit pina-yagan ng Bureau of Customs (BoC) na magbayad lamang ng humigit kumulang sa P20 milyon ang Rustans gayung dapat ay daang milyon ang babayaring taxes at penalties.

“The four companies do not declare their shipment specifically, enabling them to dictate what value to declare in their imports,” ani Villar.

Ipinaliwanag naman ni PASG intelligence chief Jaih Francia, sa nakuha nilang mga invoices sa Rustan’s trading firms na hindi nito idinedek-larang ang totoong value ng kanilang mga inaangkat na produkto upang mabawasan ang kanilang bayaring taxes and duties.

“Take the case of Global trading International which is based in U.S. In the invoice you would see that for the item ladies skirt, it cost only $11.4 per dozen which means one skirt cost only less than a dollar. And these are US brands such as Polo and La-coste that Rustan’s carries,” wika pa ni Francia.

Bukod dito, dagdag pa ni Francia, may mga wallet, handbags, make-ups, at skin care products na idineklara ng Rustan’s na undervalued sa totoong halaga nito gayung mga kilalang brands na galing Europe pa ang mga ito.

Nang padalhan ng BoC Post Entry Audit Group ang Rustan’s noong Abril para sa importation nito mula 2004 hanggang 2007 ay biglang nag-avail ito ng Voluntary Disclosure Program.

Ang Rustan’s group ay pinamumunuan ni dating Ambassador Bienvenido Tan-toco na kilalang crony ni yu-maong Pangulong Marcos habang ang anak nitong si Rico Tantoco na pangulo ng Rustan’s ay biyenan naman ng anak ni Rep. Ignacio Arroyo na bayaw naman ni Pangu-long Arroyo. Journal online

Husay sa Math at English makikita sa sukat ng daliri

By: Bhaby See - Guhit Ng Palad

NAPAPANSIN n’yo ba na may mga batang mag-aaral na mahusay sa math habang ang iba naman ay hindi? May ibang bata naman ay mahusay sa English at ang iba naman ay nag-e-excel sa math?

Malalaman mo agad mga giliw kong magulang kung Math-inik ang iyong anak o mahusay sa English sa pamama-gitan ng di kanilang mga daliri.

Sang-ayon sa pagsasaliksik ng mga psychologists, ang husay sa English at math ng bata ay nakikita sa sukat ng kanilang daliring hintuturo at palasingsingan.

Ang mga mag-aaral na mas mahaba ang palasingsingan o ring finger ay sinasabing mahusay sa math habang ang may maiikli naman nito ay mas interesado sa English o sa literacy.

Ito’y dahil, ayon sa paniniwala ng mga scientists, sa level ng testosterone at oestrogen habang nasa sinapupunan pa ang bata.

Ayon kay Mark Brosnan, na nagpasimula ng pag-aaral na ito sa University of Bath sa United Kingdom , ang testosterone ay tumutulong sa development ng ilangbahagi sa utak ng tao na sinasa-bing associated sa mathematical skills.

May kinalaman ang hormones na ito sa haba ng palasingsingan at hintuturo natin. Malalaman natin sa sukat ng dalawang daliri na ito ang exposure ng bata sa hormones habang nasa sina-pupunan pa. Sa pagkakataong ito, agad na mahuhulaan sa sukat ng kanilang daliri kung saan sila mahusay -- sa Math kaya o sa English.

Sa isang research project na inilathala sa British Journal of Psychology, 75 mga pitong-taong gulang na bata ang sinukatan ng daliring mga scientists, partikular na kinuha ang sukat ng hintuturo at palasingsingan.

Hinati nila ang pagsukat sa hintuturo sa sukat ng palasingsingan para makuha ang ‘digit ratio’ sa bata.

Ang mga adult na kababaihan ay karaniwang may ratio na 1 -- kung saan ang hintuturo at palasingsi-ngan ay magkapareho ng haba. Ang sa kalalakihan naman ay mas mababa na nasa 0.98, dahil maraming lalaki na mas mahaba ang ring finger kaysa sa index finger.

Nakita sa mga batang sinuri na may mababang digit ratio -- mas mahaba ang ring finger at mataas ang pre-natal exposure sa testosterone -- ay mas mahusay sa math kaysa sa English.

Ganun din sa mga mag-aaral na mataas naman ang digit ratio -- mas maikli ang ring finger at mataas ang pre-natal exposure sa oestrogen -- ay mas mahusay naman sa English tests at nahihirapan sa math. Ang mga batang lalaki na mas mahaba ang palasingsi-ngan ay napatunayan din na mahusay at nakakuha ng mataas na marka sa Math.

Pinay raped by US soldier

40,000 American troops stationed in Japan.

The alleged assault on the Filipino victim is the second rape incident involving an American serviceman in Okinawa this year.

It is also the second reported rape of a Filipino woman by a US serviceman. In 2007, a US Marine, who was participating in a joint military exercise with Filipino troops, was convicted of raping a 23-year-old woman in Subic Bay, Olongapo in the province of Zambales .

Last week, police detained a U.S. Marine for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl on Okinawa, a case that has stirred outrage across Japan .

The US military said it is investigating the alleged rape incident, which was revealed a day after it imposed a curfew on troops and their family members to stem public anger in Japan .

Anti-US sentiments in Okinawa are high following the 1995 sexual molestation of a 12-year-old Okinawan schoolgirl who was gang-raped by three American servicemen.

In a related development, the US military said Thursday it was investigating new allegations of rape by a US serviceman in Japan amid an uproar after a string of criminal cases.

The case was revealed one day after the US military imposed a sweeping curfew on troops and their family members in a bid to stem public anger in Japan, a close US ally.

A Filipino woman said she was raped by a member of the US Army on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, which is home to half of the more than 40,000 US troops in the country, officials said.

“The US Army takes this matter very seriously,” Army spokeswoman Dottie Vick said. “Army authorities are investigating and will continue to fully cooperate with the Okinawa prefectural police.”

She declined further details, saying the case was under investigation.

Kyodo News, quoting unnamed sources, said police planned soon to seek an arrest warrant for the soldier over the alleged rape, which was said to have taken place in mid-February in the central part of Okinawa.

US troops are stationed in Japan under a security treaty with the country, which has been constitutionally pacifist since World War II. Okinawa, which was under US occupation until 1972, is a key hub due to its proximity to the Taiwan Strait.

The alleged rape was the latest case this month to damage the image of US forces in Japan.

Okinawa police on Feb. 11 arrested a US Marine on allegations he raped a 14-year-old local girl in his car. Staff Sergeant Tyrone Luther Hadnott, 38, has admitted trying to forcibly kiss the teenager but denied raping her.

“We are so fed up,” Mieko Hokama, a member of a group that opposes US bases, told reporters after a meeting in Tokyo with members of parliament. “We have already had more than enough.”

An Australian woman, who was recognized by a Japanese court as having been raped by a US navy serviceman in 2002 in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, said Japan has been like a “combat zone” even after World War II.

“Even since the war, there have been so many rape cases by US servicemen in Japan,” said the woman, who only identified herself as Jane.

“I speak about my case because I don’t think the 14-year-old girl could talk about her’s right here,” she said outside of parliament.

Three US Marines gang-raped a 12-year-old girl in Okinawa in 1995, leading to major protests that set in motion a process under which Washington agreed to withdraw some 8,000 troops from the small island.

Okinawa police said they have investigated 14 cases of rape allegedly committed by US servicemen since the 1995 incident.

However, protests in Okinawa have been relatively small since the latest case. Okinawa voters in 2006 rejected a candidate for governor running against the US bases, which contribute about five percent to the island’s economy.

Thomas Schieffer, the US ambassador to Japan, quickly flew to Okinawa last week after the rape case arrest to offer a personal apology and to pledge new training for the troops. With AFP


A Filipino woman was allegedly raped by a member of the US Army in Okinawa Japan last week, reports yesterday said.

While investigators in Japan are looking into allegations of sexual assault on the Filipino victim, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Japan maintained silence over the incident.

Reports said investigators are still determining if the alleged rapist is a soldier or a civilian employee working for the US Army in Okinawa.

Okinawa is home to half of more than
By Michaela P. del Callar - Daily tribune

Abolishing amusement tax not a smart move

The Cebu CIty government would forego around P50 million a year if it eliminates the collection of amusement taxes, Councilor Jose Daluz III said.

He discouraged scrapping the 30 percent amusement tax, which is the city’s third biggest source of income.

Daluz gave his comment on the pending proposal of Councilor Hilario Davide III to amend the Omnibus Tax Ordinance and scrap the collection of 30 percent of the gross admission fees from places of amusement like cinemas, concert halls, boxing stadiums and entertainment activities.

Daluz, head of the committee on budget and finance of the city council, said the city could just continue its practice of granting discounts to event organizers on a case to case basis.

Exemptions are granted subject to the approval of the City Council provided the event organizer donates P10,000 to a charitable institution, foundation or non-government organizations duly recognized by the city government, he said.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña in an earlier interview was inclined to abolish amusement taxes to encourage producers to organize concerts and other entertainment activities here.

Osmeña said the city government could make up from the lost revenue by improving their collection on real estate property and business taxes and other charges collected from the delivery of government services.

Daluz, however, said the Local Government Code empowers local government units to collect taxes, a mandate that it should exercise.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama told the council on Wednesday that abolishing the collection of amusement taxes may be beyond the power of the council. Reporter Doris C. Bongcac - Cebu Daily News

Parental respect opens doors for diligent youth

In most scholarship programs, few are chosen.

A good number of the academic scholarships offered by the government, private firms and foundations are limited to “poor and deserving” students who belong to the top five percent of their classes.

The Thailand-based conglomerate Siam Cement Group (SCG) says it believes everybody deserves an education, even the “average” ones, and has launched its Philippine corporate social responsibility program with high school scholarships accessible to most students.

Called “SCG Sharing the Dream,” the scholarship program to be conducted in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress, will assist 200 high school students in and around Bulacan, Batangas and Metro Manila where SCG has its paper and ceramic tile manufacturing facilities.

To qualify, students need to record a general average of only 70 percent. This is a failing mark in private schools, but still a grade to aspire for in most public schools, considering that the national average in the achievement tests is 57 percent.

The SCG assistance, at around P7,800 a year for each scholar, will cover uniforms, school supplies, miscellaneous expenses for school projects as well as allowance.

“SCG believes that our most important asset is the individual. When we talk of sustainability, we not only refer to the company’s growth or profits but to people and values as well,” says SCG president and chief executive Kan Trakulhoon. “The scholarship program is one of the ways for us to extend that sustainability to the communities where we operate.”

The scholarship will be initially extended to public high school students who have finished their first year in high school to give SCG a better idea of the quality of the high school students.

Uncommon criterion

SCG may have set a low hurdle as far as the average goes, but it has come up with another criterion for selecting the potential scholars: They must be grateful for their parents’ sacrifice.

SCG country director Chartchai Leukulwatanachai says in an interview that SCG wants to benefit students who are grateful to their parents, because the company believes that it is such students that will most likely finish school.

There are no hard and fast rules to measure gratitude, as nebulous a concept as it is. SCG and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a nongovernmental organization supported by large corporations, will look for clues in interviews and application papers to get the type of scholars they seek.

Leukulwatanachai says SCG feels strongly about the requirement for “smart and grateful” students because of the belief that students who are not grateful do not have as much of a future as those who look up to and respect their parents.

“If you cannot love your parents, how can you love others?” he says.

Leukulwatanachai adds that SCG applies the same principle in its own offices across Southeast Asia because it believes that it is not enough for people to be smart.

They have to show respect for their fellow man in order to foster harmonious relationships, not just in the office, but at home and in the general community.

SCG and PBSP will accept scholarship applications until March 7 and the 200 scholars will be announced on April 11, 2008.

The scholars will then go to a scholarship camp -- where their leadership skills and family values will be enhanced -- after which the grant will be turned over.

Leukulwatanachai says the “SCG Share a Dream” is just the first of a series of projects that the Siam Cement Group wants to implement in the Philippines, the first country that the group expanded to outside Thailand.

SCG operates four businesses in the Philippines -- United Pulp and Paper Co. Inc., Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, CPAC Monier Philippines Inc., and SCT (Philippines) Inc.

“We will definitely do more because we are in the Philippines for the long haul,” Leukulwatanachai says.

One project SCG is exploring is the grant of scholarships specifically to children of overseas Filipino workers.

SCG just thought of starting with education and getting the scholarship program off the ground because it believes that much still needs to be done in the public education system.

Aside from the scholarship program, the group will also extend master’s degree scholarships for Filipino students to study in leading Thai universities, such as Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

SCG has also partnered with the Knowledge Channel to allow elementary schools to gain access to the cable TV station’s programs. By Tina Arceo-Dumlao - Philippine Daily Inquirer

OFWs welcome suspension of POEA rules on direct hiring

Migrant workers Saturday welcomed the indefinite suspension of new government guidelines on direct hiring of overseas Filipino workers.

The leftist group Migrante International attributed to “OFW Power” the indefinite suspension by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration's of its Memorandum Circular 4 (MC-04), which, among others, required foreign employers to post up to $8,000 in repatriation and performance bonds for each Filipino worker they hired.

“This is the result of the united protest of OFWs around the world and that of our families in the Philippines. We sustained the campaign and were not deceived by the promise of protection of MC-04 nor of the tricky exemption,” said Samahan Laban sa Katiwalian ng mga Recruitment Agencies at Patakarang MC-04, a coalition against the POEA rule.

“Filipino migrant workers claim victory over the POEA’s MC-04. This is the result of the united protest of OFWs around the world and that of our families in the Philippines,” said Dolores Balladares, chair of Migrante's Hong Kong chapter, the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil)..

In Manila, the Center for Migrant Advocacy said it hoped the government had “learned its lesson” in the need to consult the OFW sector before imposing a “burdensome” regulation such as MC-04.

“MC-04 did not look good to OFWs not only because of its being tedious, drastic, and costly but also it seemed to them that the government does not want to have the responsibility of bailing out OFWs in distress,” CMA executive director Ellene Sana told the INQUIRER.

Sana said the OFW groups would be willing to sit down with the POEA to craft regulations that would "really" extend protection to OFWs, particularly the directly-hired.

“The process of making rules should be transparent and participatory. If we keep on promoting a labor-export policy, we should be ready for distressed migrants. So the government must touch base with OFWs communities and hear from them how their welfare may be best protected,” she said.

POEA suspended the guidelines on February 14, “until further orders,” less than a month after they were implemented. In suspending the guidelines, the POEA cited President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's directives to relax rules on hiring white-collar OFWs and the need to deliberate further on the matter. By Jerome Aning - Philippine Daily Inquirer

Talented Filipino animators go big time

TWO top-notch Filipino animation films will soon make their debut in Philippine cinemas.

Filipino animators, many of whom have been employed by the Disney, Cartoon Network and Warner studios for the last 20 years, are producing the full-length animated films. And both productions commissioned major talents to lend their voices for the lead parts.

"Urduja," produced by Tony Tuviera's APT Entertainment, has a star-studded voice cast. Regine Velasquez stars as Princess Urduja; Cesar Montano as her lover Lim Hang; Johnny Delgado as Wang; Eddie Garcia as Lakanpati; Allan K as Tarsir; and Michael V as Kukut.

Watch the Urduja trailer -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRFIFMWCRVs

"Dayo," by Cutting Edge Productions Inc., features the voices of child stars Nash Aguas as Bubuy and Katrina "Hopia" Legaspi as Anna Manananggal. Peque Gallaga is the voice behind the character Nano, Michael V is Narsi, Johnny Delgado is Anna's father and Laurice Guillen plays a diwata.

Watch the Dayo trailer - www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe1QzhNrSEc

"These are ambitious projects," said Artemio Abad Jr., "Dayo" supervising producer. "We hope to erase the image of Pinoy animators as mere subcontractors of big animation companies. We want the world to know that we are also capable of producing our own animated content."

"Urduja" tells the story of the legendary warrior princess and ruler of the Kingdom of Tawalisi in Pangasinan from 1350 to 1400. Urduja was famous for leading a group of women warriors, called Kinalakian or Amazons, who were skilled fighters and equestriennes. These women, having developed a high art of warfare, fought alongside male warriors to protect their land from invaders.

"Dayo" follows the adventure of 11-year-old Bubuy as he tries to save his grandparents who have been abducted and brought to Elementalia, a mysterious and magical land that is home to popular creatures of Philippine mythology.

The local theater run of "Urduja" is tentatively set for the middle of the year. The makers of "Dayo" plan to make their project an entry in the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival in December.

"Urduja" and "Dayo" are only the second and third locally produced full-length animated movies.

An animated version of "Ibong Adarna," co-produced by FLT Films and Guiding Light Productions, was shown in 1997. It was the brainchild of animator Gerry Garcia, winner of the 1995 Star Awards for Best Visual Effects.

In 2002, local production studio Top Peg ran an animation TV series, "Tutubi Patrol," a values-oriented show for children.

Abad, who co-wrote "Dayo" with Eric Cabahug, said work on the film began as early as October 2006, about the time Cutting Edge Productions started investing in digital animation.

Cutting Edge is a four-year-old post-production company specializing in TV commercials and audio-visual presentations. Its owner, Jessie Lazaten, is a musical director of several TV series and films.

"While 'Urduja' is done in the traditional animation process (hand-drawn), 'Dayo' is all-digital, which is a combination of 2D and 3D technologies," explained Abad. "We are hoping to get Lea Salonga to record the movie's theme song with a 30-piece orchestra. This will be a first in Philippine cinema." goodnewspilipinas.com

US scientists pinpoint 14 top technological challenges

The US National Academy of Engineering has announced the grand challenges for engineering in the 21st century that, if met, would improve people's lives.

The list of 14 tasks was unveiled Friday by a diverse committee of experts from around the world, convened at the request of the US National Science Foundation.

"Tremendous advances in quality of life have come from improved technology in areas such as farming and manufacturing," said committee member and Google co-founder Larry Page. "If we focus our effort on the important grand challenges of our age, we can hugely improve the future."

The panel, some of the most accomplished engineers and scientists of their generation, was established in 2006 and met several times to discuss and develop the list of challenges.

Through an interactive Web site, the effort received worldwide input from prominent engineers and scientists, as well as from the general public, over a one-year period.

The panel's conclusions were reviewed by more than 50 subject-matter experts.

The final choices fall into four themes that are essential for humanity to flourish: sustainability, health, reducing vulnerability, and joy of living.

The committee did not attempt to include every important challenge, members said, nor did it endorse particular approaches to meeting those selected. Rather than focusing on predictions or gadgets, the goal was to identify what needs to be done to help people and the planet thrive.

"We chose engineering challenges that we feel can, through creativity and commitment, be realistically met, most of them early in this century," said committee chair and former US secretary of defense William Perry.

"Some can be, and should be, achieved as soon as possible," he added.

The committee decided not to rank the challenges. But their list includes making solar energy affordable, providing energy from fusion, managing the nitrogen cycle, providing access to clean water around the world, reverse-engineering the human brain, preventing nuclear terror and securing cyberspace among others.

NAE is offering the public an opportunity to vote on which one they think is most important and to provide comments at the project Web site: www.engineeringchallenges.org.

"Meeting these challenges would be 'game changing,'" said NAE president Charles Vest. "Success with any one of them could dramatically improve life for everyone." Agence France-Presse

Study counts worker supply in 20 ‘next-wave’ cities

An ongoing study by the government and an outsourcing advisory firm Tholons aims to measure BPO skills in 20 second-tier cities using a standard deployed in India.

The DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and Tholons began the study last year, which looks at these "next-wave cities" and is intended to provide insights on how each can improve as BPO (business process outsourcing) sites.

The initial phase of the project involves gathering basic quantitative and qualitative data on second-tier cities, such as business environment, quality of life and infrastructure.

Phase two, which begins this year, will quantify the number of potential BPO workers in these cities based on skills, according to the DTI.

"Aside from offering a comparison of sites in terms of infrastructure and business environment, our next phase looks further into the skills level of people who, at the end of the day, are the ones that drive the industry," said Paul Santos, Tholons president for Asia Pacific.

An earlier study by Tholons ranked Cebu, Pasig and Baguio among the top 50 emerging cities worldwide suited for BPO.

The study is also intended to help formulate a national competitiveness standard for BPO similar to that of India's National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM).

Tholons is working with Merittrac, the skills assessment company that helped NASSCOM come up with its own competency standard in India.

According to BPAP, the country's BPO industry currently employs around 300,000 workers, two-thirds of which are from the call center sector, followed by back-office (non-voice) and software development. Cebu Daily News

Senate OKs on third reading bill decriminalizing vagrancy

The Senate has approved on third and final reading the bill decriminalizing vagrancy.

Senate Bill 1965, submitted jointly by the committees on justice and human rights, and constitutional amendments, revision of codes and laws was approved by the body for transmittal to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Vagrants are people who stay out on the streets at night. The existing anti-vagrancy law contained in Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code usually causes the arrests of prostituted women, street children, and homeless people.

The bill removes vagrants in the law, but prostitution remains a crime.

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, chairman of the justice committee and author of the bill, together with Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, Richard Gordon, and Loren Legarda, said that the existing law on vagrancy failed to see that vagrants were victims of poverty, who don't have the opportunities for employment or access to decent standards of living and quality of life.

"Vagrancy inflicts no harm to society, but if at all, very minimal compared to those grave offenses which cause damage to person, community, and property. This should be addressed with treatment rather than with punishment," Escudero said Wednesday.

The bill, he said, provides equal protection to women, children and men as authorities cannot anymore recklessly and conveniently use vagrancy in arbitrary arrests.

"We see it all the time in the news, when authorities round up people and no definite charges can be made, vagrancy comes in handy. Cases of this nature have already piled up in our justice system,” he said.

Escudero said that with SB 1965, two issues were addressed: A more humane justice system, which prioritizes the rehabilitation of the offender and acknowledges the value of every human life; and the decongestion of the load of the justice system.

By decriminalizing vagrancy, Escudero said law enforcement officers could pay more attention to graver offenses and improve the administration of justice in the country.

The neophyte senator said the Senate was optimistic that their counterparts in the House would approve the same bill once transmitted there. By Veronica Uy - INQUIRER.net

Batas na kokontra sa appointment habang halal na opisyal inihain

Batas na kokontra sa appointment habang halal na opisyal inihain

INIHAIN ng isang kongresista ang isang panukalang batas na naglalayong pagbawalan ang mga halal na opisyal na magbitiw sa tungkulin para lamang tumanggap ng ibang posisyon sa gobyerno.

Isinumite ni Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III ang House Bill (HB) 319 na tatawaging “An act prohibiting an elective official from resigning his elective
office to accept an appointment to any government office and providing penalties thereof.”

Sa nakalipas na 13th Congress, kabilang sa mga kongresistang naitalaga sa Gabinete sina Tourism Sec. Joseph Ace Durano, Budget Sec. Rolando Andaya, Jr., Education Sec. Jesli Lapus, Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Ronaldo Puno at dating Presidential Chief of Staff Joey Salceda na gobernador ngayon ng Albay.

Layunin ng panukala na pagbawalan ang mga halal na opisyal na makakuha ng ibang posisyon sa kabila ng kanilang na-kabimbing termino.

Nanindigan si Tañada na dapat tuparin ng pampublikong opsiyal ang kanyang kontrata sa mga tao nang hingin ang suporta ng mga ito noong nakalipas na halalan.

“The severance of the relation occurs only in extraordinary situations where there
is a severe breach of the obligations due from each party.

Where there is breach of trust and confidence by the elected public official, he may be subject to removal or recall,” ani Tañada.

Gayunpaman, sinabi ni Tañada na maaari namang magbitiw ang mga pampublikong opisyal kung nagkasakit ito.

“On the other hand, an elected public official having voluntarily sought the elective post could only resign upon valid grounds like sickness or physical disabilities in the performance of public functions,” ani Tañada. RPP - Journal online

town cannot collect fees from garbage haulers

DoJ says Rizal town cannot collect fees from garbage haulers

RODRIGUEZ, Rizal — The municipal government here cannot collect trucking fees from haulers who are dumping garbage at the 19-hectare sanitary landfill of the Rizal provincial government, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said.


A seven-page communcation, signed by Gonzalez last Jan. 29, was sent to the Rodrigo Berenguer and Guno Law Office, counsel for petitioner Lilibeth Vicente. Copies of the communication were furnished the sangguniang bayan of Rodriguez, and the sangguniang panlalawigan of Rizal.

The secretary’s letter stated that the Rizal provincial board has the power to review ordinances enacted by the Rodriguez municipal government and to declare these null and void because the town cannot invoke the provision of the 1987 Constitution on local autonomy or decentralization. This "does not make local governments sovereign within the state," the letter said.

Earlier, the Rodriguez municipal council filed with the Department of Justice (DoJ) a pettion asking to annul the ruling issued by the Rizal provincial board that the fees charged by Rodriguez municipal government on Metro Manila garbage haulers are considered "ultra vires" or beyond the scope of its power.

The ruling was issued on the complaints aired by haulers Solid Waste Contractors Association of the Philippines (SWACAP), S.M. Coronado Service Corp., and Leonel Waste Management Corp., Metro Manila garbage haulers, who said that they are being "exorbitantly charged" by the Rodriguez municipal government with fees that were increased from R225 to R425 per trip.

In collecting the questioned fees, the sangguniang bayan of the Rodriguez "contravened the common limitations on its taxing powers as a local government unit under the Local Government Code," Gonzalez’s letter-opinion stated.

It also stated that the imposition of the so-called "development exaction fees" by the municipal government on Metro Manila garbage haulers result in the indirect imposition insofar as not only the local government units but also the national government.

Gonzalez said that the law unequivocally provides that taxes, fees or charges of any kind on the national government, its instrumentalities, and local government units cannot be imposed by municipalities.

Rodriguez town, in effect, is imposing indirect taxes because the burden of the fees it is charging from Metro Manila garbage haulers will ultimately be passed on to the different towns and cities in Metro Manila, he said.

By DANNY JUNCO - Manila Bulletin