The goal of education for sustainable development is employment for all

The Philippine Star

(Part 2 of a series on How UNESCO is reviewing ESD Programs)
As an official member of the thirty-man Guidelines Review Team for the UNESCO-IUCN (World Conservation Union) CEC (Commission on Education and Communication) DESD (Decade of Education for Sustainable Development) Indicators Project of UNESCO Bangkok Regional Office, I hope that the regular correspondences I send to my colleagues will be persuasive enough to clarify the true definition of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Is man capable of educating himself for sustainable development?

"Is man capable of educating himself for sustainable development?" My answer is YES.

Let us trace the human capacity to heed the "call to independence" from birth. It is not true that the child is born tabularasa (empty slate). This is a myth. Upon birth, Mother Nature makes sure that each child is programmed to acquire a unique personality. Thus, during the first six months, the baby’s Absorbent Mind through his eyes, mouth, hands and feet teaches him to babble, sit up and crawl. The baby keeps exploring, touching everything within his reach. Between 10 months to one year, the syllables become clear and the first word is spoken with meaning. At this point, the toddler walks about supporting himself from chair to table until he makes his first independent step.

A one-year old baby born in Paris will be able to say "Oui, Mama" or "No, Papa" and identify in French, all objects (nouns) around him. Soon, he fuses some words like "mupper" for "mother, supper". During the next six months until the age of two, his French communication will be filled with verbs and prepositions. When he turns one, not only will he speak French in sentences, but he will be running around and can be helped to eat, bathe and dress up by himself. This is the core principle of the Montessori system of education for life — "the child is in the process of becoming whereas the adult has reached the norm of the species."

"Man Makes Himself". With the proper guidance of a trained adult, a Prepared Environment, the child who is still in the process of becoming will become the adult who will eventually contribute to his society. The Montessori philosophy carries the very basic goals of ESD which is to make man self-sufficient and independent.

Maria Montessori observed that in each child is a "secret teacher". She further studied how the "Absorbent Mind" of the child (of 0-6 years old) is transformed into an "Enormous Reasoning Mind" with moral sensitivity when the child reaches childhood (6 - 12 years old). She used the Cosmic Curriculum for the grade school children and understood that just as preschoolers need the Prepared Environment of sensorial and practical materials, the grade school students require hands-on materials for Language, Mathematics, Geometry, Geography, History, Botany, Zoology, etc.

Upon reaching adolescence, the intelligence wanes, giving way to creative activities for economic independence, as well as patriotic ideals for citizenship. European, Americans and Australian schools have proven that given additional two years in high school for technical training, the young adults generally can be employed. An example is Ecole Culinaire de Paris where students take two-year courses in Continental cooking, baking, butchery or bartending. After two years, they are readily employed. If observed to be specially competent, they are sent back to school for managerial courses by their employers. DESD priorities in the Philippines

The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD) 2005-2015 has provided an opportunity for the Philippines to integrate ESD in Basic Education from preschool to adolescence in either formal or non-formal education.

The Philippine strategy should be based on accessing the Four Pillars of the 21st Century Education that UNESCO put together for the New Millennium. Written by Jacques Delors and 12 educational experts, its reference book, The Treasures Within, explains WHAT education for sustainable development (ESD) is about, while Dr. Maria Montessori explained HOW Man "constructs himself": Pillar I, Learning to Be (birth to six years old); Pillar II, Learning to Learn (childhood 6-12); Pillar III, Learning to Work (adolescence 12-18); Pillar IV, Learning to Live together harmoniously (adulthood 18-24). It is also good to note that Montessori had written the first Rights of the Child for UNESCO as early as its establishment in 1946.

Through Executive Order 483, the Philippine government has issued a national policy on DESD "Establishing the UNESCO Lifelong Learning Center for Sustainable Development of the Philippines (UNESCO-LLCSD)". This is part of the Philippine UNESCO proposal to UNESCO Paris to be the Asian Center for Lifelong Education for Sustainable Development stated by UNESCO National Commission Chairman DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Its purpose is to defend and popularize the mission of Education For All (EFA) for Sustainable Development; to protect and promote the rights of all citizens to quality education at all levels with a corresponding teacher training programs; to produce scientific hands-on apparata which are universally tested as effective tools for Education For All (instead of using traditional books); and, to share these effective quality educational programs as the launching pad for human development with the rest of the Asian countries. DESD laboratory in the Philippines designated by E.O. 483

The Executive Order 483 "designates the Operation Brotherhood Montessori Center, Inc. as the national laboratory of the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as well as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)" to address the life skills educational requirements toward building a knowledge society. In addition, the Center shall open its doors to the Asia Pacific region for sharing of facilities, experiences and technical assistance.

Initially funded by Operation Brotherhood International in 1966, the 40-year old OBMCI became financially self-sufficient by 1973. It has been advocating activities to make Filipinos economically independent.

The OB Montessori Child and Community Foundation is the implementing arm of OBMCI that reaches out to "help people help themselves", setting up alternative non-formal education referred to as the OB Montessori Pagsasarili Mothercraft Literacy Twin program. The Foundation office with full time directors and staff provides yearly teacher training and regular monitoring for the seven OB Montessori Pagsasarili preschools in Metro Manila, five in the Ifugao World Heritage Site, and 30 in Lipa City, Batangas. The Pagsasarili system is also currently being used in the EFA-DAKAR Pilot Project in Angeles Elementary School to initiate UNESCO’s framework of action for quality education in the public schools. The above are all self-sustained with the partnership of local government and parents.

The OB Montessori Mothercraft Literacy training course for village mothers, was developed to fulfill UNESCO’s vision of "Teach a Mother, Teach the Nation". From 1986 to 1990, it established 14 Mothercraft literacy houses in Cadiz and Sagay, Negros Occidental which aimed to elevate the status of village mothers by developing their potentials to the fullest, thus, making them economically self-sufficient.

This Literacy Twin Project won the 1993 UNESCO International Literacy Award in New Delhi, India. The Lifelong Learning Programs: A Directory and Resource Guide
In its bid to be the UNESCO Lifelong Learning Center for Sustainable Development, the UNESCO Education Committee for the past two years did a survey of old and new ESD projects in the Philippines. These ESD programs will be presented in the book, The Lifelong Learning Programs: A Directory and Resource Guide authored by Dr. Ethel Agnes Valenzuela. Here are sample cases of ESD livelihood training and distance learning for community rehab projects I picked out from the book.

Saint Louis University trains the people in the community and provides them with technical assistance in order to cultivate backyard business. An example is honey production for commercial purposes. Certificate programs are given to develop small business and to handle entrepreneurship, management, technical training, consultancy, research and information. They also provide Mobile Nursing Clinic, as well as Health Education for parents and adults to address and arrest the dismal health situation such as lack of health manpower, poor facilities and services in the underserved as well as far-flung areas of the Benguet province. Faculty and students visit barangays and provide lectures and classes on health education.

La Consolacion College Bacolod, through its programs of building capacity, especially of the indigents and those who have less opportunities, seeks to respond to the challenges of the Third Millennium. This program has helped hundreds of poor but deserving students to be given opportunity to improve their lives through education. Most of the indigent beneficiaries of the program are working during daytime as household helpers and then go to school after working hours.

University of St. La Salle Bacolod has a program that aims to provide continuing formation to the street children and their parents, equips them with basic numeracy and literacy skills to become functional and productive members of the community, as well as develop livelihood skills to help them generate additional and alternative sources of livelihood. Through the Fisherfolk Project, USL also provides coastal-marine environmental education, capability building seminars, environmental issues advocacy, economic self-sufficiency and environmental monitoring and enhancement for fishermen in Balayan, Negros Oriental. RESEARCH ON ITS EFFECTIVENESS IS NEEDED IF IT IS TO BECOME A FLAGSHIP MODEL.

University of Negros Occidental, Recoletos started the "Handumanan" (A Place to Remember) project, adopting the poor community — Purok Katilingban of Barangay 39 in Bacolod City. It offers the poor families with instructions on health care fully equipped with medical facilities, as well as automotive, electrical and computer aided courses, technical and vocational courses, early childhood day care facilities for out of school kids and housing projects. MONITORING AND EVALUATION IS ESSENTIAL.

The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) provides quality higher and continuing education to Filipinos through distance education. Its mission is to give its students formal qualification, as well as to develop in them the discipline and capability to become lifelong learners who are at home in today’s knowledge society. Certificate programs are also offered for barangay officials and local government officials. STUDENTS MUST BE MET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS TO ACQUIRE TERTIARY QUALIFICATIONS AS IS DONE IN AUSTRALIA.

Miriam College promotes Public Education and Awareness Campaign for the Environment (PEACE) to support environmental concern for the 21st century in the school community as well as in communities around the school. Miriam College is home to the Environmental Education Center, which gives seminars and workshops on environmental themes and studies. THIS SHOULD BE MATCHED WITH HORTICULTURE PROJECTS.

Philippine Women’s University, through the youth organization, Children and Peace Philippines, has been working to spread a culture of peace in their schools and their communities. They have been involved in peace education and advocacy for more than ten years now, conducting workshops with children and other young people, in efforts to replace prevailing culture of violence with a culture of peace and hope. IT MUST INPUT SPECIFIC ACTION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OVER AND ABOVE ADVOCACY WORKSHOPS.

Marikina Institute of Science and Technology conducts Non-Formal Skills for Life Education for skills development, which includes training adults on basket weaving, meat processing and other income generating training programs. THIS IS DEPENDENT ON SUSTAINED WORK LABORATORY.

Concrete Hollow Blocks Making in North Luzon trains CHB makers in values formation program, leadership program, entrepreneurial development, health management and cooperative development training in partnership with various organizations. THE MONITORING MECHANISM IS IMPORTANT.

Zambales Dairy Development in Zambales City includes lectures and training on milk production utilizing the rural technology level to develop marginal land for grass/legume production, as well as to improve the economic conditions of the farmers. THIS REQUIRES MONITORING SINCE DAIRY INDUSTRY DEPENDS ON RICH GRASSLAND.

Part of the objectives of the UNESCO Lifelong Learning Center for Sustainable Development is to standardize, update and enhance the basic principles of training and educational approaches to strengthen the ESD programs in the country. How can we have ESD when Filipinos are dependent?
The Philippines has acquired its independence over half a century ago. Unfortunately, more than two generations have passed and many Filipinos have not been made capable of educating themselves to achieve self- sufficiency. Both child rearing practices and schooling, even government policies, have weakened the goal of making Filipinos independent.

Education begins at home, continues in the schools and in the workplace. The goal of ESD is to transform men into self-developing individuals through establishing the right relationship between the child and the adult by providing him with sustainable environment for learning, as well as the skills necessary for him to become independent. ESD aims to achieve gainful employment in the urban and rural areas so that each citizen can be a productive member of his society.

(For more information or reaction, please e-mail at exec@obmontessori.edu.phor pssoliven@yahoo.com)

Poll: RP is 17th happiest country

The Philippine Star
LONDON — The Philippines is the 17th happiest country in the world, according to a study measuring people’s well being and their impact on the environment that was published yesterday.

The Philippines bested more than 160 countries in the "Happy Planet Index" including Indonesia, at No. 23, China (31), Thailand (87), Malaysia (44), India (62), Iceland (64), The Netherlands (70), Spain (87), Hong Kong (88), Denmark (99), Norway (115), Sweden (119), Finland (123) and Australia (129).

The index, compiled by the British think-tank New Economics Foundation (NEF), combines life satisfaction, life expectancy and environmental footprint — the amount of land required to sustain the population and absorb its energy consumption.

The index chose the tiny South Pacific Ocean archipelago of Vanuatu as the happiest country on Earth. Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica and Panama complete the top five.

Zimbabwe came bottom of the 178 countries ranked, below second-worst performer Swaziland, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ukraine.

The Group of Eight industrial powers meet in Saint Petersburg this weekend but have not much to smile about, according to the index.

Italy came out best in 66th place, ahead of Germany (81), Japan (95), Britain (108), Canada (111), France (129), The United States (150) and Russia, in lowly 172nd place.

Andrew Simms, NEF’s policy director, said the index "addresses the relative success or failure of countries in giving their citizens a good life while respecting the environmental resource limits on which all our lives depend."

Nic Marks, the head of NEF’s center for well being, added: "It is clear that no single nation listed in the Happy Planet Index has got everything right.

"But the index does reveal patterns that show how we might better achieve long and happy lives for all, whilst living within our environmental means," he said, according to British daily The Guardian.

"The challenge is: can we learn the lessons and apply them?"

Island nations performed particularly well in the rankings. But Vanuatu, with a population of around 200,000, topped them all.

"Don’t tell too many people, please," said Marke Lowen of Vanuatu Online, the republic’s online newspaper.

"People are generally happy here because they are very satisfied with very little," he told The Guardian.

"This is not a consumer—driven society. Life here is about community and family and goodwill to other people. It’s a place where you don’t worry too much,"

"The only things we fear are cyclones or earthquakes." - AFP

Panghuhuli ng MMDA sa roof ads sa PUVs pinatitigil

Ang Pilipino STAR Ngayon

Ipinahihinto ng Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) ang paghuli ng kanilang mga enforcers sa mga roof ads ng iba’t ibang kumpanya na nakalagay sa mga pampasaherong sasakyan.

Sa isang panayam, sinabi ni MMDA General Manager Robert Nacianceno na wala silang kautusan o anumang direktiba na nag-uutos na manghuli ng mga sasakyan na may roof ads.

Binanggit ni Nacianceno na inaalam nga nila kung sino sa hanay ng MMDA enforcers ang nanghuhuli nito o ang mga taong gumagamit sa MMDA na wala namang otorisasyon sa ahensiya.

Iniimbestigahan na rin anya ng MMDA ang ilang indibidwal na gumagamit sa ahensiya para lamang makapanghuli ng mga motorista.

"Wala kaming ginagawang pagkilos laban diyan at wala din kaming memorandum tungkol diyan kaya ‘di kami nanghuhuli sa roof ads," pahayag ni Nacianceno.

Sa kanyang panig, sinabi naman ni Boardmember Gerardo Pinili ng Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) na isinasapinal na ng ahensiya ang IRR o Internal Rules and Regulations ng ahensiya para sa roof ads placement.

"Inaayos pa sa ngayon ng LTFRB ang IRR diyan para malaman kung gaano kalaki ang ads at tamang size niyan," pahayag ni Pinili.

Layunin ng hakbang na maitama ang sinisingil na bayarin ng LTFRB sa mga kumpanyang maglalagay ng kanilang anunsiyo sa mga pampasaherong sasakyan sa bansa. (Angie dela Cruz)

Mirant to sell RP, Caribbean assets

By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
The Philippine Star

Atlanta-based Mirant Corp. will sell all of its remaining assets in the Philippines and in the Caribbean as part of the company’s overall financial restructuring coming off its recent emergence from bankruptcy.

Mirant Philippines Corp., the local subsidiary of Mirant Corp., is the country’s largest privately-owned power producer. The sale of its assets would raise approximately $2 billion for the parent firm.

A well-placed industry source said among the possible foreign buyers of Mirant assets in the Philippines are AIG, One Energy, Mitsubishi, China Light & Power, Korea Electric Co., Tokyo Electric, and Kyushu Electric. Potential local investors, on the other hand, include the Ayalas, the Lopezes, the Aboitizes, and telecom tycoon Manuel Pangilinan.

"Mirant is commencing auction processes to sell its Philippines and Caribbean businesses," the US energy firm said in a disclosure to the New York Stock Exchange.

Mirant said the sale, to be carried out through "an auction process", will still have to undergo regulatory and other approvals and consents.

Industry observers said the auction of Mirant ‘s assets will be far more attractive than the sale of the National Power Corp.’s power generating assets and could affect the ongoing privatization of the state-owned power facilities. "Competition for potential buyers will be tough as Napocor and Mirant assets would be put on the auction block at the same time."

With the sale of its assets, Mirant said these businesses will be regarded as "discontinued operations" starting the third quarter of 2006.

Mirant has tapped Credit Suisse as its financial advisor for the sale of the Philippine businesses while JPMorgan will serve as financial advisor for the sale of the Caribbean businesses.

Mirant has ownership interests in three power generating facilities in the Philippines: 1,218-megawatt Sual, the 735-MW Pagbilao and a 20-percent stake in the 1,500-MW Ilijan. The Philippine businesses contributed $370 million to the parent firm’s adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) in 2005.

With its decision to sell its Philippine businesses, Mirant has likewise adjusted its plan to recapitalize. The new recapitalization scheme will now consist of a $700-million term loan for which Mirant has obtained a commitment from Credit Suisse. The term loan will be prepayable at par.

Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said Mirant’s decision to sell its prime assets was not entirely unexpected given the financial condition of the mother company in the US, which has prompted the latter to come up with a strategic plan to enhance shareholder value after emerging from bankruptcy protection in the US in January.

A few months ago, Mirant Philippines had already started divesting its assets by selling its entire Visayas-based power plants to Metrobank Group’s Global Business Holdings Inc. Prior to the sale, Mirant Philippines owned 50 percent of Mirant Global Corp., a joint venture company, with the balance held by Global Business Holdings and First Metro Investment. Mirant Global operates the Toledo coal and diesel-fired plants in Cebu, the Panay diesel power plant in Iloilo City, and a Mindoro diesel plant.

Lotilla said the Philippine government, for its part, is ensuring that the buyers of these assets are qualified to perform the obligations of Mirant Philippines to Napocor, which include the buyer’s maintenance of the IPP (independent power producers) contracts attached to the assets on sale.

The energy official added that the government still believes that operations in these plants remain profitable and looks forward to keen interest among investors.

Lotilla also pointed out that the pull-out of Mirant’s businesses will not affect the country’s economic condition.

"Higher expected economic growth supported by rising foreign direct investments demonstrates that investor confidence remains intact and will help sustain the profitability of these plants," Lotilla said.

"Investors remain upbeat on the country’s investment climate following an improved fiscal position arising from the surplus registered in April, strong macroeconomic fundamentals and better-than-expected first quarter performance of corporations," he said.

It could not be determined though if the buyers of Mirant’s assets will continue the commitment to help the government in its rural electrification program. Late last week, Mirant and the Department of Energy signed an electrification project which aims to energize 55 barangays in Mindanao. Mirant has committed to energize 500 barangays nationwide up to 2009.

On the sale of Mirant‘s plants in the Visayas, Lotilla said the entry of new investors unsaddled by Mirant’s financial woes has helped make prospects for expansion of generating capacity in the Visayas more realizable.

"There is a sense of excitement in the power sector generated by Mirant’s decision to sell its businesses in the Philippines. Beyond acquiring Mirant’s Philippine assets, major international and domestic players see new opportunities for expansion. The announcement has ended the uncertainty hanging over Mirant’s participation in new power projects. Hobbled by financial challenges, the US mother company of Mirant is not in a position to finance expansion projects in the Philippines. But other major players who are not suffering from such a handicap see their possible acquisition of Mirant’s Philippine assets as a take-off point for acquiring additional generation capacity either through new or expansion projects or the acquisition of existing plants and assets of Napocor," Lotilla said.

Lotilla noted that the most recent proof that ownership changes like this have an overall positive effect is Mirant’s sale of its assets in Panay and Cebu in the Visayas. The new owners led by Metro Global are looking at additional projects which would support the economic and power demand growth in these two major islands, he said.

He added that the transfer of the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) generation plant by its operators which included Argentine firm IMPSA, to two very reputable Japanese companies Sumitomo and J-Power also provides a good example. "The CBK joint venture is now well-positioned to build additional capacity and to acquire Napocor assets."

In the same disclosure, Mirant said it will also undertake a "Dutch auction" tender offer for up to 43 million shares of Mirant’s common stock for an aggregate purchase price of up to $1.25 billion.

Mirant’s shareholders will be given the opportunity, subject to certain conditions, to sell all or a portion of their shares of Mirant common stock to the company at a price not less than $25.75 and not more than $29 per share. The tender offer will commence tomorrow and will be funded through a combination of cash on hand and cash distributed to Mirant upon completion of a term loan to be entered into by Mirant’s Philippine businesses.

Proceeds for the tender offer will come from available cash on hand of $885 million and cash to be distributed to Mirant upon completion of the $700-million term loan to be entered into by Mirant’s Philippine businesses. The remainder of the term loan will be used to pay off existing debt in the Philippines.

Aside from the Philippine businesses, Mirant will also be selling its net ownership interest in the Caribbean which comprises an aggregate 1,050 MW. The ownership includes controlling interests in two vertically-integrated utilities: 80-percent interest in Jamaica Public Service Co. Ltd. and 55-percent interest in Grand Bahama Power Co. Mirant also owns a 39-percent interest in the Power Generation Co. of Trinidad and Tobago (PowerGen), and a 25.5-percent interest in Curacao Utilities Co. In 2005, the Caribbean businesses contributed $156 million in adjusted EBITDA.

"Our strategic plan reflects our continued commitment to enhance shareholder value, both through the return of cash to our shareholders and through our continuing US business," Mirant chairman and chief executive officer Edward R. Muller said.

More young Pinays into premarital sex

By Sheila Crisostomo
The Philippine Star

Young Filipino women are slowly catching up with men when it comes to premarital sex, a survey conducted by the University of the Philippines-Population Institute (UPPI) showed yesterday.

According to the Young Adult Fertility Survey 3 (YAFS-3), more Filipino males engage in premarital sex, compared to females. But over the years, the gap has been narrowing.

YAFS project director and UPPI professor Corazon Raymundo said that in 1994, young Filipino males’ premarital experiences were 2.25 times more than that of young females.

In 2002, however, the males’ premarital sexual activities were only double that of the females’.

Raymundo surmised that this development was caused by the females’ increased exposure to the Internet.

"The media plays an important role here. I think the females now are more exposed to the Internet and even the chat rooms," she said.

YAFS-3 covered a total of 20,000 Filipino youths aged 15 to 24 years old across the country.

Raymundo noted that the prevalence rate of premarital sex for both males and females in this age bracket is on the rise.

In 1994, the prevalence rate was pegged at 18 percent. But in 2002, this increased to 23 percent, representing 3.7 million of the 16.5 million Filipino youths.

"Majority of first sex experiences were not planned and wanted, with girls more prone to unwanted and unplanned sex," Raymundo added.

In many instances of premarital sex, the partners were unprotected. However, boys were found to use contraceptives in more instances than girls.

"Casual sex is practiced more by males than females. Fifty-four percent of sexually active adolescents had sex with the same partner. Males tend to have more than one sexual partner than females," Raymundo said.

The survey showed that of those engaged in premarital sex, only one-fourth use contraceptives. The rest practice unprotected sex and are more likely to get pregnant and contract sexually transmitted infections.

It is estimated that 238,500 or 12 percent of babies born every year are by mothers aged 15 to 19 years.

Raymundo observed that "young pregnancy is more common among the less educated." She underscored the importance of integrating sex education into the school curriculum as the survey revealed that the students who did not have sex education in schools have an increased tendency to become sexually active.

The survey showed that in schools where sex education is not taught, 12.9 percent of students tend to engage in sex but in schools that integrated the topic into their curriculum, the incidence rate is 8.7 percent.

Raymundo maintained that through sex education, students are able to know the consequences of engaging in sexual intercourse.

"The youth are naturally curious and adventurous. They want to know everything. But if we give them the right information or if we teach them the consequences of their acts, they will back off," she said.

P40-M training center sa SBMA binuksan

Ang Pilipino STAR Ngayon

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Aabot sa P40-milyong modernong training center ang pormal na binuksan sa Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) para sa100 manggagawa na kabilang sa kinontrata ng isang Korean shipbuilding company sa pag-a-assemble ng mga barko mula sa iba’t ibang bansa.

Ayon kay SBMA Administrator Armand C. Arreza, ang training facility na sakop ng bayan ng Subic, Zambales ay bahagi ng proyekto sa Subic Bay Freeport sa loob ng anim na buwan.

Bukod kay Arreza, kabilang sa sumaksi sa pagbubukas ng modern training center ay sina TESDA Region III Director Conrado Barres, Zambales Gov. Vicente "Govic" Magsaysay, Olongapo City Vice-Mayor Rolen Paulino at HHIC-Philippines President Jeong Sip Shim.

Sinabi naman ni Gov. Magsaysay na ang nasabing shipyard ay isa lamang na bahagi sa ten-point economic agenda ng gobyerno kung saan hindi lamang nagbibigay ng libu-libong trabaho kundi maging ang pagkakaroon ng mas malawak pa na karanasan sa larangan ng shipbuilding.

Layunin ng pamunuan ng SBMA at ng Hanjin na mabigyan pa ng mas malawak na kasanayan ang mga manggagawa sa paghawak ng modernong kagamitan sa paggawa at pag-assemble ng malalaking barko sa ilalim ng mga Korean instructors.

Matatagpuan ang naturang shipbuilding facility ng Hanjin sa bahagi ng baybaying dagat ng Redondo Peninsula sa Sitio Agusuhin, Barangay Cawag, Subic, Zambales. (Jeff Tombado)

Call center industry buoys up RP employment

The growth of call center industry remains to be an important factor in the significant improvement of the country's employment sector, with a projected sustained growth of 1.083 million in 2010.

In its latest report, the Labor Force Survey (LFS) noted a 2.5 percent or 803,000 growth in April 2006, up from the 32.2 million recorded during the same period last year.

Though not the biggest employers to date, call centers will remain to be the most important sector in the next five years, accounting for 431,000 jobs out of the total 1.2 million for the BPO sector.

Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) chairman Raneiro M. Borja said around 120,000 slots are expected to be filled by end-2006, up from the 70,000 that the industry generated in 2005.

Call centers account for 80 percent of the Business Process Outsourcing sector (BPO), touted as the country's sunshine industry in 2000s. In 2005, it raked in US$ 1.7 billion in revenues.

With Filipinos' innate familiarity with the western culture, being highly adaptable with accents and US places, brands and establishments come easy for call center workers. American firms are comfortable with Filipino's adaptability and knowledge with accents and the concept of western culture, Borja said.

Filipinos are likewise in demand in other BPO subsectors such as back office, medical transcription and digital content trailing with 342,000, 69,000 and 46,000 jobs, respectively.

The lure of call center primarily springs from the attractive compensation packages for customer service representatives (CSRs). To date, these professionals are among the top earners in the junior executive bracket, with income range of around P15,000 to P25,000 a month.

Call center operations are also steadily expanding as several hubs are built outside Metro Manila -- in Subic, Cebu and Davao.

The services sector, where the category of call center falls, earned a growth of 3.8 percent or 90,000 to 2.479 million from 2.389 million during the same period last year.

This development directs the country to becoming the Asia's BPO hub.

One of the impediments, though, is the low absorption rate among job applicants. Borja noted that in every 100 applicants, only three to five will be hired, ironically due to the workers' so-called degeneration in English skills.

Acknowledging this concern, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the release of P500 million to facilitate English proficiency training for "near-hires, or those applicants who missed but are near the 2 percent hiring rate of the industry."

PGMA Training for Work Coupon will give near-hires the opportunity to level up their skills by undergoing English proficiency trainings in partner schools. (PNAFeatures)

Call center industry buoys up RP employment

The growth of call center industry remains to be an important factor in the significant improvement of the country's employment sector, with a projected sustained growth of 1.083 million in 2010.

In its latest report, the Labor Force Survey (LFS) noted a 2.5 percent or 803,000 growth in April 2006, up from the 32.2 million recorded during the same period last year.

Though not the biggest employers to date, call centers will remain to be the most important sector in the next five years, accounting for 431,000 jobs out of the total 1.2 million for the BPO sector.

Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) chairman Raneiro M. Borja said around 120,000 slots are expected to be filled by end-2006, up from the 70,000 that the industry generated in 2005.

Call centers account for 80 percent of the Business Process Outsourcing sector (BPO), touted as the country's sunshine industry in 2000s. In 2005, it raked in US$ 1.7 billion in revenues.

With Filipinos' innate familiarity with the western culture, being highly adaptable with accents and US places, brands and establishments come easy for call center workers. American firms are comfortable with Filipino's adaptability and knowledge with accents and the concept of western culture, Borja said.

Filipinos are likewise in demand in other BPO subsectors such as back office, medical transcription and digital content trailing with 342,000, 69,000 and 46,000 jobs, respectively.

The lure of call center primarily springs from the attractive compensation packages for customer service representatives (CSRs). To date, these professionals are among the top earners in the junior executive bracket, with income range of around P15,000 to P25,000 a month.

Call center operations are also steadily expanding as several hubs are built outside Metro Manila -- in Subic, Cebu and Davao.

The services sector, where the category of call center falls, earned a growth of 3.8 percent or 90,000 to 2.479 million from 2.389 million during the same period last year.

This development directs the country to becoming the Asia's BPO hub.

One of the impediments, though, is the low absorption rate among job applicants. Borja noted that in every 100 applicants, only three to five will be hired, ironically due to the workers' so-called degeneration in English skills.

Acknowledging this concern, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the release of P500 million to facilitate English proficiency training for "near-hires, or those applicants who missed but are near the 2 percent hiring rate of the industry."

PGMA Training for Work Coupon will give near-hires the opportunity to level up their skills by undergoing English proficiency trainings in partner schools. (PNAFeatures)

Spanish firms set sights on rail projects

By NIEL V. MUGAS - The Manila Times Reporter

A number of Spanish firms have expressed interest in the construction of major railway projects in the Philippines, including the extension of the country’s first overhead railway, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Their interest was expressed during the recent visit of Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila to Spain.

The firms include Isoluz-Corsan, Pro-Intec and Dimetronics, which the DTI said, are eyeing the proposed extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 from Baclaran to Cavite.

Pro-Intec, for one, is said to have committed securing from the Spanish government some 800,000 euros (approximately $1.025 million) for a technical grant for the LRT I and LRT Line 2 expansion projects.

Dimetronics is said to be interested in the supply contracts for signaling equipment for the same two projects, while Spain’s national railway operator Red Nacional de los Ferro-carriles Españoles (RENFE), expressed interest in the Iligan-Cagayan de Oro railway project, for which it is ready to spend 100,000 euros for the feasibility study alone.

RENFE is also interested in the NorthRail project.

Soluziona is eyeing the NorthRail project, and is exploring a partnership with the SM Group of Companies for an integrated property development complex.

Spanish railroad construction firm Construccion Y Auxilliar De Ferrocarles (CAF), meantime, is looking at 33 million euros worth of funds for the Philippines’ railway systems.

Pro-Intec is also interested in build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects, such as the Laguindingan Airport and Mindanao Airport Development Project in Cagayan de Oro. The Spanish firm will provide a technical study grant for an agricultural and industrial project in the Cagayan Export Zone Authority. It is also proposing a technical study grant for the fabrication of oil drilling equipment in Subic.

Burgundy Global Asset Management Corp., meantime, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Spain’s second-largest bank, for a 250 million euro credit line for BOT projects it is planning in the Philippines such as hotels and resort development projects, and the development of Port Irene in Cagayan.

The company also has oil and gas interests in the Northeast and Southeast Palawan. It also participated in the bidding for the Camago-Malampaya Oil Leg.

Lastly, Winace Holdings Philippines Inc. signed a joint declaration with BBVA for the conclusion of an agreement for a credit line of 280 million euros for infrastructure and energy projects.

GOV’S SON FACES RAPS FOR MANHANDLING VICE GOV

By Tonnette Orejas, PDI Central Luzon Desk

CAMP OLIVAS, PAMPANGA – Zambales Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain II on Wednesday confirmed that a complaint was being readied against the son of Gov. Vicente Magsaysay who allegedly manhandled and threatened him during a public event in Masinloc, Zabmales, on June 27.

Lacbain said he had the incident recorded in the police blotter on July 2 in preparation for the filing of a case against Jesus Vicente Magsaysay, a director of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authroity.

Magsaysay, also known as JV, said “no such incident” happended during the town fiesta program at Sitio Balogo in Barangay Inhobol at about 11 p.m. on June 27.

“If he’s filing a case against me, I’m filing a case against him too for making up stories,” Magsaysay told the INQUIRER by phone.

Based on the vice governor’s statement, the Masinloc police report said Magsaysay sat beside Lacbain after the latter made his speech in which he said he could not match the P12,000 that the governor’s son gave as prize money that night.

Lacbain went on to say that he could not do that because the elder Magsaysay transferred the P3.5-million budget of the vice governor’s office to the governor’s office.

Just as Lacbain returned to his seat at the table reserved for the guests on stage, Magsaysay was said to have commented in Filipino: “You don’t know how to work along with the provincial board members. That’s the reason you don’t have funds. It’s not the fault of the governor.”

Magsaysay then sat beside the vice governor.

According to the report, Magsaysay used his left arm to clasp the neck of Lacbain. With his fist under the table, he also punched the vice governor several times in the stomach, the report said.

Lacbain told police that the governor’s son was drunk.

The report quoted Magsaysay as saying in Filipino: “Don’t put me on the spot. You’re causing me shame. I’m spending my own money and not the capitol’s money. You better be careful with your statements. Remember your loved ones.”

The report further said that Magsaysay did these “as if nothing was happening.” It added that he went on “squeezing “ the neck of Lacbain and “pressing [it] hard.” He also pressed hard the right arm of the vice governor, the report said.

Four companions of Magsaysay, identified as Dick Manikan, Larry Edano, Jason Malong and Julius Villamin, stood behind the two officials. The report did not say if the four men tried to intervene.

Magsaysay, according to the report, offered to give Lacbain P10,000 and challenged him to announce to the audience that it was the vice governor’s money. Lacbain did not take the money.

Billboards sa pampublikong sasakyan bawal na

Ang Pilipino STAR Ngayon

Wala ring ligtas sa kamandag ng Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) ang mga nakakabit na mga billboards sa Metro Rail Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT) at lahat ng pampublikong sasakyan kasabay ng pagdakip sa mga tsuper nito dahil lubha umanong mapanganib na nagiging sanhi ng aksidente.

Ayon kay MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando, aarestuhin ng kanyang mga traffic enforcers ang lahat ng mga tsuper ng pampublikong sasakyan na lalabag sa nasabing ordinansa at babaklasin din ang mga billboards sa kanilang mga sasakyan. Maging ang MRT at LRT na lalabag dito ay hindi rin umano palalampasin ng MMDA.

Sinabi pa ni BF na seryoso sa naturang hakbang ang kanyang ahensiya lalo pa’t inaprubahan na ang nasabing ordinansa ng Metro Manila Council. (Lordeth Bonilla)

YNN can still save its Masinloc contract, but not its $14-M bond

By Donnabelle L. Gatdula
The Philippine Star

The government will not deduct the $14.14-million performance bond from the $561-million purchase price of 600-megawatt Masinloc power plant in case the YNN Pacific Consortium Inc. and its partner Ranhill Berhad will decide to deliver the downpayment before Aug. 6, Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said over the weekend.

"That would not be part of the $561 million," Lotilla said. The energy chief did not elaborate.

In a related development, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) served the notice of contract termination to YNN Pacific Consortium last Friday, July 7.

"In accordance with the (asset purchase) agreement, since YNN was not able to pay the upfront payment, rentals and option price to (PSALM) on or before June 30, 2006, we are hereby notifying YNN that PSALM is terminating the agreement," PSALM president Nieves L. Osorio said in a letter to YNN.

The effective date of the termination of the asset purchase agreement with YNN, Osorio said, will be on Aug. 6, 2006.

Osorio said there is no provision in the APA that prohibits YNN consortium from paying the downpayment before the notice of termination takes effect which is 30 days after it was served.

After collecting the $14.14-million performance bond from YNN Pacific, the PSALM board decided to issue the notice of termination of the contract for the sale of the Zambales-based coal-fired power plant.

Osorio said PSALM had adopted the necessary measures to ensure that the government’s interests and credibility were protected by requiring a performance bond and then forfeiting on it when YNN did not meet its deadline.

PSALM forfeited the $14.14-million performance bond after YNN failed to meet the June 30 deadline to deliver the $227.54-million upfront payment.

YNN submitted the highest bid of $561.74 million for the Masinloc thermal plant in Zambales.

The only other bidder, First Gen Corp., submitted a bid of $274.85 million, which was 30 percent below the government’s reserve price of $388 million and less than half of YNN’s bid.

Korean shipbuilder opens P40-M training center

By Bebot Sison Jr.
The Philippine Star

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. (HHIC), which is building a shipyard in Zambales’ Redondo peninsula, recently opened what is considered the country’s most modern training center built at a cost of P40 million in Subic town.

"The training center is one of the many good things that are happening in the Subic Freeport in the past six months," Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator and chief executive officer Armand Arreza told The STAR.

Hanjin will operate the country’s biggest shipyard with a committed investment of more than $1 billion, said Arreza, who assured HHIC-Phils. officials of the SBMA’s full support.

Aside from Arreza, other officials who graced the training center’s opening were TESDA Region 3 director Conrado Barres, Zambales Gov. Vicente Magsaysay, Olongapo City Vice Mayor Rolen Paulino, and HHIC-Phils. president Jeong Sip Shim and managing director Myung Goo Kwon.

Myung expressed his company’s gratitude to Subic Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun for hosting the construction of the HHIC-Phils. shipyard project in the municipality’s coastal area in the Redondo peninsula, and allowing the use of a multi-purpose building as a temporary training center.

Myung stressed that part of the success of the international shipbuilding industry is the pool of qualified and competent manpower.

"Equipped with the most modern training facilities and qualified Korean instructors, the training center will be the cornerstone in developing and honing the skills of the Filipino trainees. It will transform regular, ordinary workers into qualified, skilled workers eligible to work in our shipyard," he said.

The training center has three classrooms, 70 welding booths, one pipefitting room, four painting rooms and a large working area that could accommodate a maximum of 200 trainees and instructors.

It is also fully equipped with 80 carbon dioxide welding machines, two TIG welding machines, two gouging machines, 40 automatic and 80 manual cutting machines, one hydraulic shearing machine, a compressor, a forklift, 13 airless pumps, 60 air grinders and other modern machineries.

During the three-month training period, the 100 trainees, mostly from Zambales, Bataan and Olongapo City, will be taught the necessary skills to qualify for shipbuilding jobs.

Meanwhile, Magsaysay said the HHIC-Phils. shipyard, which is part of the 10-point economic agenda of President Arroyo, is expected to generate more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and "put the Philippines in the map of (the global) shipbuilding industry."

Palace behind deadline extension of payment by firm in Masinloc deal

A MILITANT lawmaker yesterday raised the possibility that Malacañang itself is behind the extension of the deadline for a Filipino-Chinese-Malysian consortium to produce the $227-million upfront payment in the sale of the Masinloc power plant in Zambales.

In a text message, Rep. Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna said the decision of Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) to extend, for the third time, the deadline for YNN Pacific/Ranhill-Berhad to pay up could have not been arrive at without Malacañang’s knowledge and intervention.

Bayan Muna, headed by Casiño, has long been seeking to void the contract entered into between YNN Pacific and Ranhill-Berhad of Malaysia to purchase the 600-megawatt coal-fired energy plant as part of the government’s privatization program.

“Malacañang’s hands are showing,” he said.

“We see an orchestrated effort by Malacañang to consummate this corrupt deal with YNN Pacific-Ranhill-Berhad at the expense of our sovereignty and integrity of the privatization process,” the lawmaker said.

Casiño said the Palace’s purported involvement in the extension was proven when Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor admitted that the Malaysian government “lobbied” to allow the consortium to produce the money.

“The Palace succumbed to the lobby by the Malaysian government and it gave the go-ahead for PSALM to extend the deadline. Malacañang’s hands in the Masinloc caper are definitely there,” he said.

On Dec. 1, 2004, YNN Pacific consortium was awarded the Masinloc power plant based on its having submitted the highest bid price of $562 million.

But it reneged on its commitment to pay the upfront fee equivalent of its bid price on Dec. 2, 2005, prompting PSALM, which conducted the sale, to extend the deadline until Mar. 31, 2006.

After YNN again defaulted, PSALM gave it another deadline until June 30, 2006 but the firm still failed to produce the upfront payment, prompting the government to forfeit its $14-million performance bond.

YNN Pacific entered into a share sale agreement with Ranhill-Berhad last June 15, selling all its share to the Malaysian energy firm.

Raul S. Beltran - Journal Group

$3-M bribe lost at YNN

THE almost $-million (P150 million) bribe money which Ranhill gave to YNN has been lost allegedly after the hesitant decision of the Department of Finance and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation.

This was revealed in the Senate and the House of Representatives following reports that the $3 million remitted by Ranhill-Berhad to YNN was allegedly being used to finance the consummation of the contract. The money was supposed to be used allegedly to bribe government officials who are willing to gamble just to close the deal.

Earlier, Ranhill had said that they were willing to pay $8 million (P425 million) to buy YNN and the P3 million was just a down payment to YNN.

The $5 million would follow after YNN succeeded in having Transition Supply Contract and Meralco signed the deal.

It could be recalled that YNN Pacific Consortium was put up in the amount of P625,000 only but was able to get the Masinloc sale deal.

The source said the $3 million which Ranhill had remitted to YNN could not be found and was believed to have been taken out of the said company.

The lawmakers, who believed that it would be used to pay for the contract, are now trying to know who got the money or where it went.

Aside from Sunny Sun, the name of another packager broker known in the business circle as “Mr. Front” and “Mr. Guy” was revealed.

According to the source, this man has a negative reputation as a packager or front of a company for a large sum of money just like what he did to YNN.

The lawmakers had earlier stated that they would file a case of graft against the government officials who will be found to have links to the extension of the deadline of Masinloc after the announcement of Finance Secretary Margarito Teves that YNN/Ranhill has 30 days more or until July 30, 2006 to pay the $227 million down payment upfront for the deal.

Senators Joker Arroyo and Aquilino Pimentel Jr. had earlier revealed the anomaly in the bidding of Masinloc after the Joint Congressional Power Commission unveiled that the winning bidder YNN Pacific Consortium was undercapitalized.

The local shareholder of YNN was YNN Holdings Corp., which was owned by Filipino-Chinese businessman Sunny T. Sun, a distributor of Duraflex Wires and Cables who sells electric wires to power holders like Meralco.


People's Tonight

Greenpeace: Shun coal power projects

By Katherine Adraneda
The Philippine Star

The international environment group Greenpeace has called on the government and various international funding institutions to tap the country’s vast renewable energy sources in place of coal.

Jasper Inventor, climate and energy campaigner of Greenpeace-Southeast Asia, said the government should include "clear and real intentions to a massive shift towards clean, renewable energy in the power sector" to achieve a "Green Philippines" in the next five years.

"The government should stop the construction and expansion of more coal plants in the country and initiate a massive shift to clean, renewable energy with a clear target of 10 percent of our total energy needs generated from sun, wind, and modern biomass by theyear 2010," he said.

Inventor said coal is the dirtiest and most pollutive fossil fuel because "from extraction to combustion, coal pollutes every step of the way."

"The acute and long-term environmental and social costs associated with coal usage make it an expensive and unacceptable option," he said.

"From acid drainage from coal mines, polluting rivers and streams, to the release of mercury and other toxins when it is burned, as well as climate-destroying gases and fine particulates that wreak havoc on human health, coal is unquestionably a dirty business," Inventor said.

Greenpeace said while President Arroyo has announced intentions for an energy efficient nation, "free from reliance on costly and exhaust-spewing cars and smokestacks," the government continues to back expansion and construction of coal-fired power plants.

The government is undertaking the privatization of the Masinloc coal-fired power plant.

Pollution caused by coal plants is also being blamed for the worsening climate change worldwide.

Dr. Leoncio Amadore, a former weather bureau director, said that most of the signals of climate change are already being felt in the Philippines.

These include the massive flooding and warming of the weather conditions, he added.

Fifty percent of the greenhouses gases contributing to the climate change come from the energy sector, Amadore said.

Citing studies abroad, Greenpeace International said the Philippines has a total of nearly 80,000-megawatt wind, biomass, and mini-hydro energy, as it likewise has a solar energy potential of 1,500 hours of power annually at five kilowatt-hour per square meter per day.

However, the Department of Energy (DOE) said the Philippines has a renewable energy potential of 40,000 megawatts.

Abigail Jabines, another climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace-Southeast Asia, said the Philippines is second in installed capacity of geothermal energy worldwide.

Quoting the DOE data, Jabines said that the country has a 4,790-MW potential reserve of geothermal energy.

She also said that 1,931 MW is installed out of the 2,047-MW proven geothermal energy.

"But the rest remain underdeveloped because of the absence of enabling policy and regulatory mechanisms to allow for the massive use of other renewable (energy)," she said. "Also, because of the DOE’s addiction to dirty energy sources such as coal."

Jabines said 26 percent of the existing installed energy capacity in the country is from coal with 3,967 MW.

The total existing installed capacity is at 15,547 MW, she added.

Jabines said oil energy sources comprise 24 percent or 3,669 MW of the existing installed energy capacity; hydrothermal with 21 percent or 3,217 MW; natural gas with 18 percent or 2,763 MW; and geothermal with 12 percent or 1,931 MW.

The country’s peak demand is 8,500 MW, she added.

Greenpeace said despite the country’s great renewable energy potential, the government and certain international funding institutions, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), continue to support coal-fired power projects.

During its annual governors’ meeting last May, the ADB announced a $1-billion clean energy fund by 2008.

However, Greenpeace is unconvinced whether the funds would solely be dedicated to new renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, as the bank is also yet to prove that the amount is "new and additional" that it is going to displace future fossil fuel lending.

The total amount invested by ADB in fossil fuel projects between 2000 and 2006 was $1.54 billion or almost 26 percent of its energy portfolio, which amounts to $5.95 billion, Greenpeace added.

It also cited the ADB’s intention to fund the 400-megawatt expansion of the 600-megawatt Masinloc coal plant in Zambales.

Athena Ballesteros, Greenpeace international energy campaigner, has said the ADB defines renewable energy as "clean coal," geothermal and hydroelectric.

"Our challenge is for the ADB to put money where its mouth is," she said.

Gringo’s world shrinking

by : Fernando M. Cariaso

THE arrest of the six Magdalo leaders tagged in the destabilization plot against the Arroyo administration may lead to the arrest of fugitive former senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, military officials said yesterday.

Senior Armed Forces officials said the former senator may still be in Negros and just slipped out from the hands of the Criminal Investigation and Detection agents who raided his property in Toboso last Wednesday.

The AFP intelligence community reported that Honasan was either in Negros or Iloilo. The two provinces are under heavy watch, including the province of Zambales, where Honasan has many friends and relatives.

The AFP said it got information of Honasan’s alleged visit to Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra, who denied seeing the former renegade senator.

AFP spokesman Col. Tristan Kison, meanwhile, said the administration is also relentlessly pursuing “the renegade group” of other coup plotters led by Gen. Danny Lim.

According to Kison, Honasan kept eluding the authorities because of his closeness to the military, many of whom belong to the Guardians which he founded. But he is optimistic the wanted senator would be arrested soon.

”We are confident (of Honasan’s capture) especially with the all-out-war of the President. The arrest of the six Magdalo men proved our strengthened capability to arrest him,” he said.
Peoples Journal

CHED nursing panel quits, cites lack of will

MEMBERS of the Technical Committee on Nursing Education of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) yesterday resigned en masse to protest what they said was the CHED’s inability to implement measures to ensure quality nursing education.

Committee members Amelia Rosales, Carmelita Divinagracia, Glenda Vargas, Zylma Sanchez and Marilyn Lorenzo, committee chair, said that instead of implementing past memoranda and acting on their recommendations, CHED has failed to do its mandated duty and has caved in to political and economic interests, resulting in what they said was the decline in the quality of nursing education.

The country has 460 nursing schools, of which only 12 are considered by CHED as outstanding due to their 90 percent passing rate in national licensure examinations. Forty of the schools have zero passing rate even though they are required by law to ensure a minimum of 5 percent passing rate.

Annual enrolment at nursing schools stands at 100,000 with 15,000 to 25,000 graduates yearly.

The TCNE blamed this predicament on the sub-standard programs offered by many nursing schools as well as the lack of basic facilities and the large number of enrollees.

Among the issues the group said CHED failed to address were the commission’s insistence to utilize secondary hospitals as base hospitals, problem in the selection process for members of the technical committee, lack of support and trust for the TCNE assessment on nursing programs, and inconsistent interpretation and implementation of policies and standards by the CHED central office and the regional offices.

The inconsistent interpretation, the committee said, resulted in confusion among nursing deans, students, the DOH and the Professional Regulatory Commission.

The panel members said CHED lacked the political will to close schools in the "very poor" category or those that have failed to meet the minimum 5 percent passing rate requirement.

Last year, CHED announced it would crack down on nursing schools that failed to meet the standards as it raised the passing rate requirement to 8 percent. It said it will also refuse to grant permits to applicants that lack basic facilities such as base hospital, a one to eight faculty-student ratio, affiliation with an active hospital and a qualified dean and faculty.

CHED Resolution 475 also set the guidelines for the phase-out of nursing schools that have performed poorly in the licensure examinations.

With the new measure, 23 nursing schools failed to meet the requirement and are now facing the possibility of being shut down.

The Commission and the TCNE have identified the areas where most nursing schools failed and these were the faculty-student ratio, hospital affiliation and a qualified dean and faculty.

Reached for comment, CHED deputy director Julito Vitriolo said that what the TCNE members were protesting was the appointment of Jorge Cordero, Philippine Nurses Association president, to the technical committee since he is also the owner of the Philippine College of Health Sciences.

"They are protesting his appointment but the fact is that his appointment is not yet final. It is still pending and they have nothing to fear even if for example Cordero’s views differ with them since they can overrule him," Vitriolo said.

He likewise said that the appointment of school owners to the TCNE does not violate CHED rules as he maintained that they, the school owners, are also education stakeholders and that their views are also important in determining programs and standards for nursing schools. He said that such practice was done in past and no protest was registered.

"I think they have just overreacted," the official said while adding that CHED will always work for attaining quality higher education in the country.

Nursing schools have sprouted in the country due to high demand overseas, particularly in the United States, United Kingdom and the Middle East. Records showed that since 1994 more than 100,000 nurses have left the country with 50,000 leaving from 2000 to 2004. Of the total, 57 percent went to Saudi Arabia, 14 percent to the US and 12 percent to UK.

This predicament has alarmed health experts who said that the exodus of qualified nurses who seek greener pastures could severely affect the country’s capability to adequately provide for the medical needs of its growing population. They cited the case of the state-run Philippine General Hospital which is losing 300 to 500 nurses out of the 2,000 every year.

Smith tinukoy ni 'Nicole': Pumatong s'ya...hinalikan nya 'ko

Michelle Arroyo ABANTE

Matapang na hinarap ng 22-anyos na Subic rape case complainant na si ‘Nicole’ ang pinakahihintay na unang araw ng pagsalang nito kahapon sa witness stand at idinetalye ang naging mapait na bakasyon sa Subic Bay, Pampanga noong nakalipas na taon kung saan mangiyak-ngiyak nitong tinukoy ang akusadong si U.S. Navy Lance Corporal Daniel Smith na siya umanong gumahasa sa kanya noong gabi ng Nobyembre 1, 2005.

"Naalala ko na lang na may nakapatong na po sa akin, nakahiga na po ako at na-feel ko ‘yung weight niya. Hinalikan niya po ako," ang nanginginig na boses ni Nicole kasunod ang pagtukoy na si Smith ito, na kanyang kinumpirma sa pamamagitan ng paglalarawan ng hitsura nito at ito’y nasa loob ng courtroom. Si Smith ay nakasuot ng black suit at puting undershirt kahapon sa hearing.

Matatandaang nauna nang inamin ni Smith na nagkaroon ito ng sexual relationship kay Nicole noong gabing iyon subalit pinanindigang ito’y isang consensual sex o ginusto ni Nicole at mapatutunayan pa umano ito ng tatlong kabaro na sina Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier, L/Cpls. Keith Silkwood at Dominic Duplantis.

Bagama’t naging madalas ang pagpapatahan kay Nicole ng kanyang ina at psychiatrist sa loob sa sa tuwing iiyak sa pagkukwento, kinaya pa rin ni Nicole ang tatlong oras na direct examination sa kanya ng kanyang abogadang si Atty. Evalyn Ursua na mahinahon at naging organisado naman sa pagbato ng mga katanungan kabilang ang ilang personal information kay Nicole.

Pagturo kay Smith kinontra

Hindi nagawang pisikal na ituro ni Nicole si Smith sa courtroom nang atasan ito ni Atty. Ursua na tukuyin ang sinasabing lalaking pumatong at nagsamantala sa kanya dahil agad na kinontra ito ng defense panel sa dahilang ‘identified’ na o kilala naman na anila ng mga taong nasa loob ng court kung sino ang tinutukoy ni Nicole dahil sa paglalarawan ng physical image ni Smith.

Dahil dito’y sinabi ni Ursua na sa ginawang ito ng depensa ay tila umamin na rin mismo ang mga ito na si Smith nga ang lalaking inaakusahan ni Nicole at marahil ay ayaw lamang aniya nilang mapahiya ang kanilang kliyente sa courtroom.

Kinuwestiyon naman ng depensa ang kredibilidad ni Nicole sa puntong iyon dahil ni wala umano itong emosyon o patak ng luha nang aktuwal na ilarawan si Smith. Kinontra naman ito ni Ursua nang sabihing mangilang beses na aniyang nag-’broke down’ si Nicole at pinaghandaan na ito ng kanyang kliyente.

Tila naging manhid naman o hindi na nagpakita ng pagkairita o kakaibang reaksyon ang mga akusado maliban kay Smith na panay ang inom ng softdrink sa tuwing matatapos na banggitin ang pangalan nito ni Nicole.

Hagulgol sa korte

Umabot naman sa punto na humagulgol si Nicole nang isalaysay ang ‘first encounter’ o meeting nila ni Smith at ito’y nang pilit umanong hilahin ni Smith ang kanyang kamay sa Neptune bar dance floor habang nagsasayaw ito at ang kapatid na si Annaliza at family-friend na si US Navy Christopher Mills.

"Tiningnan ko ng masama noon si Mills dahil natatakot ako na may gustong sumayaw sa akin na hindi ko kilala pero sinabi ni Mills na ‘It’s Ok, go on, enjoy’," dagdag pa ni Nicole.

Dahil sa matindi na umano ang pagkahilo ni Nicole noong mga oras na iyon sa dami ng nainom na hard liquors, hindi na umano nito halos narinig ang naging pag-uusap nila ni Smith na noo’y unang nagpakilala sa kanya sa hindi klarong pangalan na Gerald o Genard.

Blackout sa lasing

Sinabi pa ni Nicole na huli na lamang nitong natatandaan na nakakita pa ito ng isang I.D. subalit hindi klaro kung saan at kung kanino ito. Doon na umano nagsimula ang kanyang ‘blackout’ at sinabing nakita na lamang nitong may nakapatong na sa kanya.

Kinuwestiyon naman ng depensa ang anila’y memory gap na ito ni Nicole sapagkat isa umano itong crucial point o kritikal para sa prosekusyon para linawin.

Sinabi naman ni Ursua na normal na magkaroon ng ‘fragmented recall’ ang isang rape victim. Inaasahan naman ng psychiatrist ni Nicole na si Dr. Jun Lopez na mas mabigat pa ang pagbaha ng emosyon ni Nicole sa pagpapatuloy ng pagdinig ng kaso ngayong araw kung saan nakatakda nang isalaysay ni Nicole ang aktuwal na panggagahasa sa kanya sa loob ng Starex van.

Another American charged with rape

While the marathon hearing on the alleged rape of a Zamboangeña by four American servicemen is still being heard at a Makati City regional trial court, a 24-year-old American was arrested in Barangay San Isidro, Cainta, Rizal, after he allegedly conspired with two other Filipinos to illegally detain and gang-rape a 17-year-old girl for four days.

Supt. Gilbert Cruz, Cainta police chief, identified the suspect as Kenneth Olin Saunders Jr., of East Bridge-port Avenue, Washington, D.C.

He was arrested on Friday at his temporary residence at Block 55, Lot 5, Kayumanggi Street, Karangalan Village, Cainta.

Cruz said the police were looking for the two Filipino suspects known only by their nicknames "Bobong" and "Wek-wek," also residents of Barangay San Isidro.

Saunders, during initial investigation, denied raping the victim identified only as "Grace."

"He told us that the rape charge was fabricated because the girl’s parents wanted him to marry their daughter. We’re still getting into the bottom of this," investigators said.

In a statement, the complainant, who is from Barangay Santolan, Pasig City, said that she was detained and repeatedly raped in the house rented by Saunders.

She claimed that she came to know Saunders through two residents who invited her to visit the American.

She said that she escapes while the suspects were having a chat. She immediately reported her ordeal to the police.

Saunders is detained at the Cainta jail while the police are preparing charges of illegal detention and rape.

Four American servicemen are currently facing rape charges in Makati after a 22-year-old, identified only as "Nicole," accused them of raping her on November 1 last year in Subic. Francis Earl A. Cueto with Ruben Manahan IV ABS CBN NEWS

Will lessons be learned from Masinloc hijacking?

POSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual, Jr.
The Philippine Star

WE NEVER LEARN: One of the reasons why we Filipinos do not seem to rise from where we had fallen is that we have no follow-through. We do not seem to learn from our mistakes.

The stinking Masinloc deal has just been put to a rightful closure with the decision of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) to forfeit the $14-million performance bond of winning bidder YNN Pacific Consortium for failing to deliver the down payment with the lapse of three deadlines.

The $227-million down payment is 40 percent of YNN’s winning bid of $561 million for the 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Masinloc, Zambales, bid out by Psalm. It is the most valuable among generating assets being privatized by the National Power Corp.

In painful slow-mo, Psalm is expected to proceed to schedule another bidding – after which the YNN chapter of Masinloc would likely be forgotten like a bad ream? * * *
TEKA MUNA: Before we step into another pit, let us be sure where we made mistakes and what we can do to avoid the same missteps.

Let us also file charges against those in the government and in private business who plotted the near hijacking that was foiled only because a wide-awake public was watching the thieves every step of the way.

The problem started when Psalm allowed itself to be taken by

YNN’s $561-million bid price. Either in awe or in cahoots, Psalm neglected its mandate to screen thoroughly and objectively the qualifications of the bidders.

The result as we all now know is regrettable – the process was dominated by a contract peddler whose game plan turned out to be to grab the contract then sell it at a huge profit. It never intended and could never operate Masinloc.

It did not have the expertise or the money, yet Psalm allowed it to bid. I wonder if Psalm President Nieves L. Osorio will agree that somebody should go to jail for that. * * *
NO CHICKENJOY: It might lighten the load of Ms Osorio if she went through her own mea culpa’s. But having found her taciturn, we will continue tossing around what we see are the lessons of Masinloc.

We have a saying in the native language admonishing us never to count the chicks before they are hatched.

Osorio and her gang of optimists in Psalm not only counted the chicks but even had fried chicken served. They granted themselves a P10-million bonus for the "successful" sale of the five-year-old Masinloc plant for the fantastic price of $561 million.

The problem was that a killjoy at the Commission on Audit did not relish chickenjoy. The CoA disallowed the granting of bonuses worth P10 million to Psalm officials before a single cent from the deal had trickled into the coffers.

Being a non-lawyer, I do not know if there is a law against premature salivating. But surely it was bad form to lust after that P10 million before it could be rightfully earned and when the rest of the bureaucracy was complaining of fund shortage. * * *
VALUE-ADDED: Before inviting investors for the next bidding, Psalm might want to negotiate long-term power supply contracts with the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and other big distributors/users to boost the value of Masinloc and other plants on sale.

This was the same value-added that Malaysian firm Ranhill Berhad was eyeing when it agreed with YNN boss Sunny T. Sun to buy out YNN and take over its winning bid.

Adding such a supply side contract to Masinloc could allay the fearful question asked earlier by Psalm people if anybody aside from Ranhill would dare to bid next time after the YNN bid is cancelled.

They had reason to be worried, because in that last bidding - without a power supply contract with Meralco – only two bidders, both with close relations to the Lopezes, participated. * * *
MERALCO LESSONS: It is interesting that before the bidding, Psalm dashed hopes that a supply contract could be attached to Masinloc when it said talks between Napocor and Meralco for such an agreement were "going nowhere."

Why did Meralco change its mind over the last few weeks when it confirmed before the Philippine Stock Exchange that it was negotiating a supply contract?

The answer may be found in the reported offer by the government to condone Meralco’s P20-billion debt to Napocor and at the same time grant its rate increase application.

Meralco and the Energy Regulatory Commission may also learn a lesson or two from this experience.

For Meralco, it should be more circumspect in choosing its business partners. It should stay away from known slick operators. It is already suffering from credibility problems and its involvement in this kind of controversy has further tainted its image. * * *
RANHILL CARD: If Meralco, however, is deeply involved with Sunny Sun, as is the common impression, then we could expect more similar stealthy deals in the future.

During the last few months when everyone was speculating on whether a supply contract was being negotiated by YNN with the power distribution firm, Meralco kept its silence until it was forced to say something by the PSE.

The speculation was raised by the sudden entry of Ranhill Berhad into YNN in the early part of April 2006 demanding that a supply contract be first attached to the Masinloc deal.

A few days later, the ERC issued Resolution No. 21 which suspended the need for a public bidding for all supply contracts entered into. Eyebrows were raised when it was discovered that ERC Commissioner Jesus Alcordo, a close business partner of Sunny Sun, was one of the signatories of the resolution.

Sources have claimed that the resolution was issued to enable Meralco and YNN to enter into a sweetheart deal for a supply contract. But it would be made at the expense of Meralco consumers because it would result in increases in electricity rates.

Paradise along the coast

The presence of marine turtles or pawikan and the variety of marine life resurging in the underwater landscapes are strong indicators of Anvaya Cove’s inherent natural attractions. Both indicate that the coastal and marine life in this portion of the Bataan shoreline have remained unspoiled despite the fact that it is only a two-and-a-half hour drive from Metro Manila.

According to Chen Mencias, a consultant on sustainable tourism planning & environmental management, marine turtles will not breed in areas that have lost their natural integrity. In Anvaya Cove turtles still come ashore to lay their eggs.

Divers, according to Marly Laraya, Business Development manager of Ayala Land Premier’s Leisure and Lifestyle Communities Group, are altogether different species but they nevertheless are also naturally attracted to places where they are free to observe marine life. “Walls and crevices, lobster ledges and other very interesting coral-encrusted rock formations are some of the attractions offered by dive sites just off the headlands of Anvaya Cove,” Marly says.

Laraya recalls that in their search for the site for an ideal leisure community, Anvaya Cove officials sought out properties no more than 150 minutes from Metro Manila. She explains that property owners in leisure communities will generally not drive more than that stretch of time for a weekend out of town.

The team visited beaches south of Metro Manila as well but realized that few other coastal areas that close to the metropolis matched the beauty and quality of the Anvaya Cove beach. In addition, its proximity to Subic Bay Freeport assures residents and guests access to high-end amenities and services.

Mencias observed that the Anvaya Cove beach is endowed with coral gardens that may one day be declared a marine protected area. These coral havens will be enhanced for activities such as snorkeling, diving and glass bottom boat tours.

Just five minutes from the Anvaya shoreline, divers report the presence of large coral formations. During the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, these reefs like any other reefs in Luzon, were covered by ash. A recent exploratory dive, however, revealed that the coral reef had bounced back to life. Soft and hard corals are more abundant and creatures such as shells, reef fishes, starfish and even the multi-colored nudibranchs are present. Mencias said to hasten the recovery of the reef, enhancement activities such as coral transplantation and giant clam restocking may be done. These methods had been proven to help restore damaged reef areas.

The coral gardens of Anvaya Cove with the protection from destructive human activities and the implementation of reef enhancement have great potentials to increase fishery in the area and enhance tourism. Mencias, who is pursuing a master’s in environmental education and who taught scuba diving for 13 years, notes that this would be more feasible if stakeholders of the area will develop a sustainable tourism approach. “This simply means that the present needs of tourists and visitors would be addressed without compromising the needs of future generations of tourists. This results to destinations that last for generations,” she says.

Development plans for Anvaya Cove’s residential area and Beach and Nature Club would be low-impact and respectful of the natural terrain and ecosystems.

For more information about Anvaya Cove, please call 728-7000 or 892-3333 or visit www.anvayacove.com. Interested parties may also visit Anvaya Cove’s marketing showroom located at Greenbelt 2 Park (near Italianni’s and Segafredo), Ayala Center, Makati City.

Ayala Land Premier, the new name for the top-end developments of Ayala Land providing security, ultimate comfort, and privacy. It embodies Ayala Land’s trademark legacy of enhancing the residents’ quality of life with its portfolio of prime locations and trophy addresses. With its superior customer care and property management, ALP ensures exclusivity and value over time.

Missing opportunities in outsourcing

DEMAND AND SUPPLY By Boo Chanco
The Philippine Star

PALO ALTO, California – Got to the heart of Silicon Valley over the last weekend. On my way home now, I am visiting my son who is working for one of the largest makers of video games near here. A classmate from UP Prep, I had not seen in years, took me on a tour of this city. He pointed out the many high tech operations here, at the heart of which is Stanford University and its very wide expanse of real estate.

I am told that just about the most respected Filipino in Silicon Valley’s high tech community is Dado Banatao, a native of Cagayan province who has done extremely well here but has remained low key. There are other kababayans here too who are taking advantage of the outsourcing boom, marketing such services as medical transcription, medical billing and other forms of business processes outsourcing for Manila-based operations.

Our government has made a big deal about how these outsourced services would spur the economy and cut unemployment. But I am told here that unless we get really organized and do our homework well, it is entirely possible that this may yet turn out to be another missed opportunity. Our problem is, we talk a lot about profiting from the outsourcing boom but have done little by way of organizing our efforts in marketing and other basic things that would carry us through.

For instance, I found out here that in the case of medical transcription, there are very serious problems that could make it more difficult to even keep existing clients. For one thing, as in the case of call centers, there is simply a dearth of qualified manpower. One of the pioneers in the business told me they had to give up a couple of major accounts because they can’t get enough manpower to do the work.

True, there are now training centers back home that offer courses in medical transcription, but they are unable to produce enough people to support even the level of business we now have. And because there is now some degree of cut throat competition too, as more local entrepreneurs get into the business, the churn rate for the trained manpower has become rather high due to piracy of personnel.

The margins have also become razor thin. And the demands of the business are high. A 98 percent accuracy is expected within a turn around period of 24 hours or less. Other than the stiff competition among Pinoys in the business, there is also the competition with other countries like India and Pakistan, among others.

Subcontracting in the business is also one factor that cuts profits to the bone and poses serious operational problems that threaten the industry’s survival. I remember a celebrated case here when someone from Rawalpindi threatened to publish the cases assigned to him, a violation of the medical secrecy law, unless he was paid for the work already done. It turned out that this person was a subcontractor and the threat was serious enough to merit a proposal to be filed in the California legislature to ban the foreign outsourcing of medical records. This could result in a rush of similar proposals in other states or even in Congress, effectively killing the business for foreign entities like those now in this business back home.

Secrecy of medical records is a big deal here. It would certainly help if our own Congress would pass a law that would also declare it a criminal offense to violate the secrecy of the foreign medical records entrusted to our medical transcription companies and require those in the business to guarantee that under pain of substantial fines and imprisonment. While that may not stop a foreign ban here, passing such a law would provide a level of confidence that we can point out, to keep the business.

Of course the most basic thing we should do to keep and even expand our market share of the medical transcription business is to vastly improve the quality of our educational system. Those in the business told me facility with the English language is the most basic problem they face in recruitment, even before facility with medical terminology and concepts is taken into account. This is the one big problem that would make us miss the boat, so to speak.

Actually, I am told that language facility is also the biggest problem of Filipino nurses. This shows up in the examinations they are given before they can practice here. The tests are multiple choices, and all the choices enumerated are correct and choosing the "most correct" answer requires mastery of the nuances of the language.

Back to medical transcription, I am also told that it would also help if our trade attaches could help in high level marketing. Connections to top decision makers in prospective client firms are important in delivering results. A marketing program worked out with the private sector should be more efficient in delivering results rather than the divided approach we now have. A system of assigning overloads to other Filipinos in the business could also be devised to help protect the market share and quality reputation of the Filipino brand.

Anyway, if we are serious about this business, it is time to get organized. Right now, it seems to be going the way of the hot pan de sal phenomenon. Everyone and his uncle are getting into it, even making it a cottage industry of sorts. Nothing wrong with that, except that the way the business is handled now exposes everyone in it to one serious failure, something along the lines of the Rawalpindi experience, and that could result in our losing out on this outsourcing opportunity for good.

Sayang naman. Medical education
I got another letter reacting to previous column items on medical education back home. This time, it is from someone who identified himself as a student of my late father at the UST College of Medicine. He wrote that one reason there is a deterioration in the quality of medical education is the increased attention being given to profit generation.

According to the letter writer, he is worried about the future of the college because of recent developments. It seems that the Dominican priests running the university decided to form a new corporation that took over the ownership and operations of the UST Hospital. In other words, the UST College of Medicine has lost its teaching hospital. If this is true, that is a violation of the law requiring a medical school to have its own teaching hospital.

That sounds strange to me. UST has two hospitals on campus, the charity hospital and the pay hospital, neither of which is attached to the medical school. I realize that the lack of hospital beds to take care of Metro Manila’s needs makes running a hospital a money spinner. But an educational institution like UST should have higher motives than purely monetary.

I have to get to the bottom of this story when I get back. Because my Dad spent most of his professional life at the UST College of Medicine, I am always interested in its reputation as a respected institution for training our doctors. I know my Dad has always complained about how money sometimes got in the way of doing the right thing there, but if this new report is true, this will have to be a new low. That would also be rather sad.
Reason why Reader Lai Chatlani sent this contribution for today.

A Sunday school teacher asked the children why it is necessary for everyone to be quiet during church services.

A bright little girl from the back of the room raised her hand and replied: because people are sleeping.

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com

Morong mayor in a shooting frenzy

BALANGA City, Bataan - Mayor Norberto "Burt" Linao Jr. of Morong, Bataan, reportedly fired his M-16 rifle and UZI submachine gun indiscriminately up in the air about 10 p.m. Thursday in front of his residence across the town hall and the police station.

Some residents allegedly scampered in fear after hearing the bursts of fire in the dead of the night.

Sources said the mayor allegedly felt aggrieved and disappointed after his deputy police chief, Inspector Ricardo Santiago, turned down his request to take under his custody a suspect in a rape case.

Linao allegedly failed to convince the deputy police chief that the suspect, Allan Villaluna, be turned over to the mayor’s office for custody. Villaluna reportedly went into hiding for three years and has decided to turn himself in to the local police authorities. He was allegedly involved in raping a 15-year-old girl from the mountain town.

Linao allegedly threatened Santiago of relief from his position. After the incident, Linao allegedly had the computer set and air-conditioning unit he donated to the police station confiscated. Even the water and power supplies were reportedly cut off.

Santiago confirmed on Tuesday to a local reporter that he did not give in to the request of the mayor saying "the wheels of justice have to take its course."

Local reporters said Linao could not be reached. Ernie B. Esconde - ABS CBN NEWS

Govt told to go slow on privatization

An advocacy group has asked the government to go slow on the sale of public utilities days after a foreign buyer defaulted on the upfront payment for a state-owned power plant.

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) said the government should take the payment default as a sign to reverse its privatization program because it cannot guarantee lower power rates and quality service for local consumers.

FDC vice-president Wilson Fortaleza has demanded that the government stop its privatization effort, contending “it cannot even sell one of its best plants without under-the-table arrangements, without unethical acts.”

Fortaleza pressed on, saying “PSALM itself admits that the government continues to earn from the income generated by Masinloc these days,” and questioned “why it should sell one of its most profitable plants and make the consumers suffer in the process.”

He pointed out that the decision of Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) to forfeit the $14-million performance bond of Malaysian consortium YNN “was long overdue.”

The FDC also chastised the government for catering to “dubious investors” who had no prior experience in the power sector and were mostly investment groups looking for a quick buck to the detriment of consumers.

As expected, the group said, “Berhad has not shown any indication of interest in running the plant as it has no track record in the power industry.”

YNN Pacific, which won the bid for the Masinloc plant in December 2004, was required under the asset purchase agreement it signed with PSALM to deliver the upfront payment in end-March this year; however, failed to make the payment after its Australian stakeholders left the consortium. The company sought an extension until end-June, which the government granted after Ranhill, a Malaysian engineering firm, began negotiations for the Australians’ stake in the consortium.

“This only proves that YNN has no financial capability at all to acquire Masinloc power plant,” Fortaleza said.

Ranhill Berhad, the would-be partner in YNN consortium, wants a power sales agreement between YNN and MERALCO. It reportedly set the power supply contract with MERALCO as a condition for the release of its first tranche for its acquisition of YNN.

The FDC has decried the conditions set by Ranhill-Berhad as a tool for a possible hiking of power rates: “This will in effect bind the consumers to a new power contract, which could lead to higher power rates in the offing as YNN will recover through the contract its $561-million bid of Masinloc including the 12 percent interest it will have to pay for the balance after the $227-million initial payment is made. This is a clear manifestation of the obvious interest of Berhad in coming in as a partner of YNN.” ABS CBN NEWS

Gerry’s Grill, Mangoes, and the Boys (Subic 2)

BY JEREMY C. MALCAMPO - Manila Bulletin

woke up on the right side of the bed on the morning of my second day in Subic, after an overload of a fine, Mediterranean multi-course dinner at Aresi Restaurant. With all the Filipino male foodies I was with, everybody opted for the heartiest of cuisines: Pinoy comfort food. And everyone agreed that Gerry’s Grill Restaurant along the Waterfront Road was, indeed, the best hub for Filipino cuisine in Subic.


Our companion, Jerome Ngo, who’s a true-blue foodie took the lead and ordered appetizers for the group. Everybody agreed on having a platter of nilasing na hipon, oriental tuna sashimi from Gen-San, lumpiang shanghai, and crispy crablets for hors-d-oeuvres.


Gerry’s Grill along the Waterfront Road is the best hub for Filipino cuisine in Subic.

The lumpiang shanghai and crispy crablets stood out with the vinegar-chili-pepper dip and started everyone’s appetite. The same goes with the oriental sashimi, and though it had a strong Japanese influence, the herbs, tuna meat and spices mixed with the Japanese mayo yielded some distinct Filipino aftertastes.

Famous culinary marketing specialist Francis Villaluz insisted on having gambas so as to maximize our taste for fine Pinoy food before we could even settle on what entrées to have. Besides, it was difficult for everyone to decide on what main course to order due to the vast expanse of natural sea-grandeur, and the countless female jet skiers in our view.

Sir Tony, who’s also a food connoisseur, and an expert on Visayan cuisine, thought it would be better to decide with fresh buko juice. Then, our group ordered exactly that and had an ultimate tropical relaxation, knowing that we would be going back to Manila later in the afternoon.

"Okay why don’t we try char-grilled Pinoy style seafood this time, since we are on the beach by the sea," said Christian Cheng.

Again, everybody agreed that it was a great idea. Ivan Sy—businessman and potato fries distributor to the country’s top fast food chains—signaled a waiter and requested home groomed grilled marlin steak with a side order of ginataang kuhol with finger chilies. Francis and Sir Tony asked for sizzling pla-pla, tuna belly, and sizzling lumot squid doused with soy-lime pepper sauce. However, I ordered a Davao-style specialty of sugba-kilaw, which was a combination of kinilaw na tanigue with char-grilled liempo with a lime-pepper marinade on a sizzling plate.

When everyone’s orders were served on the table with a cup of rice each, there was momentary silence. I fancied how everybody really had his own affinities for simple, honest and straightforward fares. My sugba-kilaw was indeed, in a sense, haute cuisine as I enjoyed it with steamed rice and side-sauced with soy-vinegar. The perfect infusion of the light coconut milk’s richness in the kinilaw na tanigue gave the liempo’s rustic taste profile another dimension. And everything went well with my buko juice. The good thing about it was when everybody started sharing their food with everyone else on the table: the festivity began, and the talks started to rule the afternoon under the Subic sun.

Francis shared his squid lumot, and I had it with my dipping sauce. The pla-pla and tuna belly were also good and had very aromatic marinades that weren’t meant to destroy the appetite but to encourage it.

And though I find it common to sample kuhol (escargot) in a Westernized restaurant in Metro Manila, the one in Gerry’s Grill was superb not just because of its rich concoction but also because of its authentic Filipino profile. I tried the ginataang kuhol, and dipped it in vinegar—it was indeed heaven.

After just a few minutes, everyone talked about the game of golf everyone just played earlier in the morning at the Subic Country Club. Ivan Sy was teasing the person who lost the game and it was followed by a big burst of laughter from the gang. Then Jerome abruptly asked, "Oh, who wants dessert?"

Everybody got a tall margara-glass of ube leche flan shake. As I savored the coldness of ube ice cream and ice milk, I realized that I certainly woke up pretty well that morning; I wanted to go home.

Ivan and Francis noted what places to visit first for pasalubong along the way. We dropped by a road-side kiosk for sweet mangoes in Zambales, and buko pandan torte in San Fernando, Pampanga.

However, Jerome again invited everyone to eat an early dinner. Everyone had dimsum. Then someone from the group asked, "Do you know what’s the best thing about having an all-boys food adventure?" Then someone answered: it’s the idea that you always go home to your family. It’s like Pinoy food, its best with people you love. Then there was another comment, "Oh, for those who are thinking of problems right now, stop worrying, your girlfriend will love the mangoes."

"I know," I answered.

EDITORYAL – Mega problema ng Comelec

Ang Pilipino STAR Ngayon

KAKATWA ang nangyayari sa maanomalyang kontrata na inaprubahan ng mga commissioners ng Commission on Election noong 2003. Iisa lang ang lumabas na may kasalanan gayong anim na iba pa ang nag-apruba ng P1.2 bilyong kontrata sa MegaPacific para ma-computerized ang 2004 elections. Inirekomenda ng Office of the Ombudsman na ma-impeached si Commissioner Resureccion Borra dahil sa anomalya ng pag-aaward ng kontrata sa MegaPacific. Bukod sa impeachment, kakasuhan na rin ng katiwalian si Borra. Si Borra ang namuno sa agency para sa modernization ng election. Hindi raw nahadlangan ni Borra ang maanomalyang kontrata kaya nabili ang may 200 ballot counting machines noong 2003. Gagamitin sana ang mga counting machines noong May 2004 elections. Pero nang testingin ang mga machines, hindi umubra sapagkat mali ang mga data.

Ang nakapagtataka lamang ay kung bakit si Borra lamang ang nakita ng Ombudsman gayong ang mga kasamahan niyang commissioners kabilang si Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos ay kabilang din sa mga nag-apruba. Bakit si Borra lamang ang nadiin nang husto gayong anim na tao pa ang kasangkot?

Marami ang umasa na ang 2004 Presidential elections ay magiging mabilis na dahil nga sa modernisasyon na isinulong ng Comelec. Hindi na manu-mano ang bilangan at mababawasan na ang dayaan. Pero hindi ito nangyari sapagkat palpak nga ang nakuhang MegaPacific. Nang testingin ay maraming mali ang lumabas na data. Isipin na lamang kung gaano kamahal ang mga counting machines na ito at pagkatapos ay hindi pala mapapakinabangan. Pera ng taumbayan ang ipinambayad sa MegaPacific at nawalan lamang ng saysay.

Lahat ng mga nag-apruba sa maanomalyang kontrata ang dapat managot. Hindi lamang isang tao ang dapat kasuhan o maimpeached. Kung sama-sama silang nag-apruba sa kontrata ng MegaPacific, sama-sama rin silang kasuhan.

Masyado nang nabahiran ng putik ang Comelec at panahon na para magkaroon ng pagbabago. Hindi lamang tungkol sa kontrobersiya sa computerization kundi pati na rin sa pagkakasangkot ni Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano na pinaniniwalaang nakausap ni President Arroyo noong panahon ng 2004 election.

Kung hindi magkakaroon ng pagbabago sa Comelec, ano na ang mangyayari sa susunod pang mga elections sa bansang ito.

Embattled CDC to face raps before ICJ

SPY BIZ By S.A. Maguire
The Philippine Star

It looks like the officials of Clark Development Corp. (CDC) will have their hands full dodging lawsuits from disgruntled creditors of Mondragon Leisure and Resorts Corp., former operator of the Mimosa Leisure Estate. Spybiz insiders reported that CCA Holdings B.V., with a claim amounting to $1.68 million as of 1999 for managing the Monte Vista Hotel and the Mimosa Golf and Country Club, is set to file a lawsuit before the International Court of Justice to seek satisfaction and redress for its claim. CDC director Benigno Ricafort has previously claimed that only the four creditor banks were regarded as secured creditors whose claims were considered in the P1.65-billion minimum bid submitted by NTM Jin Hung Corp., a Filipino-Korean joint venture set to take over management of the 215-hectare Mimosa estate.

Ricafort’s actuation runs counter to the acknowledgement made by former CDC president Emmanuel Angeles in 2004 that gave merit and validity to CCA Holdings’ claim. Spybiz sources disclosed that the creditor will be hiring top international lawyers for the suit against CDC. This whole mess could once again tarnish the country’s reputation similar to the Piatco fiasco and the Amari bulgari.

EDITORIAL — No more VIP escorts

The Philippine Star

The Department of National Defense did it first, recalling thousands of military personnel detailed as security escorts of government officials and VIPs in the private sector. The soldiers were needed in the field and the VIP security service, the DND said, could be handled by the Philippine National Police.

Instead of replacing the recalled military bodyguards with PNP personnel, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which has jurisdiction over the police, has followed suit by recalling 3,000 cops detailed as VIP escorts. Like the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the PNP is also undermanned, having only 118,000 cops to maintain peace and order in a country of 80 million people.

The DILG advised people who think they are in serious danger and needing special security to seek assistance from the PNP Private Security and Protection Office, which will assess if the reported threat truly warrants special police protection. The DILG is also studying the possibility of setting up a special office that will train civilians to become licensed security escorts.

The move is commendable; too many people in this country think one of the perks of public office is having a security escort. Some people in the private sector also consider it a status symbol to have bodyguards. Sustaining this move, however, is another story. This is not the first time that military and police security escorts have been recalled. But politicians and influential people in the private sector always found a way to get back their bodyguards.

Then there is the genuine security problem faced by too many individuals in this lawless country. Will people who have received kidnapping or death threats warrant security escorts? The recall of police bodyguards will have to be accompanied by an intensified effort to promote public safety. People will be ready to do away with bodyguards if they feel that the state is doing a good job of keeping them safe.

Ashley gets wet

Ashley gets wet a la Gloria Diaz in digifilm
A LITTLE BIT
by : Remy Umerez

JOURNEY Pictures is an independent film company headed by Rei Diaz Yumul, who is into micro-financing business (RDY Moneylink Finance Corporation) and has produced concerts for Sarah Geronimo, Mark Bautista and Rachelle Ann Go.


He loves movies so much and his desire to discover talents and make their dreams come true led him to movie production.


For its first venture, the outfit is presenting Sikil, a digifilm with six relative tyros in the acting field completing the cast.


The story of Sikil can be told in one sentence, as brief as the title. It is about a closet gay prostitute obsessed with a childhood pal who, like him, is a call boy with a girlfriend. A love triangle with a twist. It is written by Romualdo Avellanosa and directed by Ronaldo Bertudin.


It is like a movie targeting the pink market.


The gay prostitute is played by Ken Escudero, who holds the title Ginoong Filipinas 2006. He used to be known as Alvin Asuncion.


Will Sandejas, a ramp model from Laguna and ex-vocalist of Replay Band, is the object of the affection of Enzo (Ken).


Ethan Javier, who enacts the bisexual pimp, was a member of Star Circle Batch 9.


Marty Mendoza portrays a regular bathhouse customer. He was voted Ginoong Nueva Ecija 2003 and 1st runner-up in Ginoong Filipinas 2003.


Corrine Concepcion was an Eat Bulaga Little Ms. Philippines finalist on 1998. She is a student at the Our Lady Grace Montessori. She plays a sampaguita vendor/pickpocket.


Last but not least is Ashley Silverio, who we met at ABS-CBN recently. She was one of the May birthday celebrants Rikka Dilim presented to the press. This Amgirl from Olongapo has had brief appearances in ABS-CBN’s Panday and Close To You. Her life story is unbelievably horrifying, and thank heaven she was just one year old when tragedy hit her family. It has been retold so many times by her relatives and she cannot help but shed tears when reminded ot it. Her wish up to now is to see her mother even in her dreams.


Sikil is definitely the biggest break as far as the acting career of Ashley is concerned. She was willing to bare in the movie, agreeing to get wet a la Gloria Diaz in Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop Sa Balat Ng Lupa. The wet look may be out of fashion, but you still get to see what every male is eyeing for.

Abogado nagbenta ng ‘di niya bahay, 3-taon suspindido

Pilipino STAR Ngayon

Dahil sa pagbebenta ng ‘di sariling lupa't bahay sinuspinde ng Supreme Court (SC) ang isang abogado.

Sa desisyon ng SC, sinuspinde nito si Atty. Homobono Cezar ng tatlong taon dahil sa pagbebenta ng hindi naman niya bahay sa isang Marili Ronquillo, isang overseas contract worker.

Ibinenta umano ni Cezar ang isang townhouse unit nito sa Granwood Villas Subd. sa BF Homes, Quezon City sa halagang P1.5 milyon kay Ronquillo.

Hindi na umano madiskubre ni Ronquillo na hindi pa pala pag-aari ni Cezar ang nasabing townhouse matapos na makapagbayad ito sa huli ng halagang P937,500.

Makailang ulit umanong binigyan ng pagkakataon ni Ronquillo si Cezar na maibigay ang contract to sell o di kaya’y deed of absolute sale subalit lagi itong bigo kaya iminungkahi nito sa abogado na ibalik na lamang ang halagang naibigay nito.

Ipinaliwanag ng SC na isang kasuklam-suklam na gawain ang ginawang panloloko ni Cezar nang magsinungaling ito na siya ang may-ari ng townhouse unit.

Tumanggi rin si Cezar na ibalik ang pera kay Ronquillo kung saan ito umano ay malinaw na paglabag sa Rule 1. 01 Canon 1 ng Code of Professional Responsibility, na nagbabawal sa mga abogado na gumawa ng anumang illegal at imoral.

Ipinaalala pa ng SC na ang pagiging isang abogado ay hindi ‘karapatan’ kundi pribilehiyo na iginagawad lamang sa may mabuting karakter at moral. (Grace dela Cruz)

SolCen, TUCP to discuss anti-trafficking

by Fryan E. Abkilan

SURIGAO DEL NORTE -– The American Center for International Labor Solidarity (Solidarity Center) and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and its various partners under its special project entitled “Improving Community Response Against Trafficking in Persons Project (Anti-Trafficking Project 2)” will conduct the Consultation/Coordination Meeting with Anti-Trafficking Partners on July 5, 2006.

This follow up initiative, funded from a grant provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a community-focused project aimed at strengthening earlier efforts and responses against persons’ trafficking. Proposed project interventions are particularly focused in the province of Surigao del Norte and other eleven priority areas identified as sending, training, transit or destination areas for trafficking victims. This program include: NCR, Laguna, Cavite, Bataan, Subic, Samar/Leyte, Cebu, Davao, General Santos City, Zamboanga City, plus Negros and Bohol.

The activity also aims to present and discuss the terms of reference of the Anti-Trafficking Project 2 and examine developments on anti-trafficking interventions of the different local anti-trafficking partners involved in the campaign. It also seeks to develop preliminary action plans for accelerating response against trafficking in persons.

Some 30 participants composed of government advocates, women’s groups, youth partners and partners including labor/workers representatives in the province are expected to attend the said forum. (PIA Surigao del Norte)