Subic car rebuilders dispute Gordon’s allegations

By Marianne V. Go, The Philippine Star

The Motor Vehicle Rebuilding Industry of Subic (MVRIS) disputes the recent privilege speech of Sen. Richard Gordon regarding the importation of used vehicles into the Subic Freeport.

In a statement, the MVRIS answered point by point the issues raised by Sen. Gordon.

On the issue of the conversion of right hand drive (RHD) vehicles to left hand drive (LHD) within the freeport, the MVRIS pointed out that the issue is nothing new even though Sen. Gordon made it appear that he had discovered something new.

In fact, the MVRIS cited the fact that the issue has been the subject of public hearings in Congress for the past two years.

The House committee on transportation and the committee on trade and industry, the MVRIS said, had already concluded in committee report No. 2157 that: There is no pertinent and existing law being violated by the entry into the Subic Freeport of RHD vehicles; there is also no law prohibiting the conversion of RHD vehicles into LHD within the freeport and in a facility duly accredited by the SBMA; as long as proper taxes and duties are paid and all test requirements on roadworthiness, safety and environmental compliance are met, passed and certified, converted vehicles may leave the Subic Freeport for any part of the Philippines territory; and the importation of RHD and second-hand vehicles is not resulting in huge revenue losses for the government. On the contrary, it has caused an increase in tax collection and has created business and employment.

The MVRIS accused Sen. Gordon of having selective memory.

They said that it was during Sen. Gordon’s term that an international auctioneer, Ritchie Brothers, started importing used RHD vehicles from Japan to Subic.

The MVRIS challenged Sen. Gordon that if the importation of RHD vehicles into Subic is illegal, "why is it now being allowed into Port Irene inside the Cagayan Freeport and special economic zone?"

The MVRIS contends that the importation of RHD vehicles is legal that is why Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile is also allowing it in Cagayan, otherwise, Sen. Enrile would not allow it.

On Executive Order 156 which bans the importation of used vehicles, the MVRIS is citing the ruling of the Olongapo Regional Trial Court and which was upheld by the Court of Appeals that EO 156 is unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court, the MVRIS said, has not reversed the CA affirmation of the Olongapo RTC ruling.

On the issue of smuggling and underpayment of duties and taxes, the MVRIS argues that Gordon should not put the blame on the SBMA in determining the correctness of the duties and taxes paid since that is the job of the Bureau of Customs.

Instead, the MVRIS questioned Sen. Gordon on his own decision allowing the non-payment of ad valorem taxes on imported brand new luxury vehicles by the addition of jump seats that allowed them to be classified as 10-seaters and at the time be exempt from payment of the required taxes.

The MVRIS has documents showing that some 238 luxury vehicles were not properly taxed an estimated P335 million during Sen. Gordon’s term as SBMA head.

The MVRIS also took a potshot at the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) which has been against the motor vehicle rebuilding industry.

CAMPI, the MVRIS said, has not been doing its part in increasing the local value-added of locally manufactured vehicles in spite of government incentives and decades of pampering.

Instead, the MVRIS accused, "they are mostly assembling completely knocked down (CKD) units for cars and importing completely built-up (CBU) units for sport utility vehicles to which they only add tires and batteries.

On the roadworthiness and environmental compliance of imported used vehicles, the MVRIS replied that such vehicles are inspected and tested by two test centers which issue certificates of compliance which is required by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) before such vehicles can be registered.

Fired from Clark job, Angelo feels aggrieved

By Ding Cervantes, The Philippine Star

MEXICO, Pampanga — Angelo de la Cruz, the overseas Filipino worker who hogged international headlines when Iraqi militants seized — and subsequently freed — him in July last year, feels aggrieved these days.

With four children to support in school and P8,000 in loan payments to shell out monthly, De la Cruz is in a fighting mood after he was fired some two weeks ago from his job as a rockloader in Clark Field that paid him P14,400 every month.

"I will fight for my rights," De la Cruz told The STAR in an interview in the house given to him by real estate developer Benjamin Lim at Benjamin 9 Subdivision in Barangay Tangle here.

Now, he takes turns with his 24-year-old son Juliesis in plying a passenger jeepney, the only investment he was able to make from a loan from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) after his ordeal in Iraq.

But income from driving a passenger jeepney would not be enough for De la Cruz to ably support his family.

De la Cruz got a hero’s welcome upon his return from Iraq after President Arroyo agreed to the demands of his Iraqi captors to withdraw the Philippines’ 51-member military contingent engaged in civic work from the war-torn country.

His case hogged the headlines for weeks, even as the withdrawal of the Philippine contingent to save his life drew flak from United States leaders.

Five months after his arrival from Iraq, De la Cruz was employed as a rockloader with the Clark Pipeline and Depot Corp. (CPDC) at the Clark special economic zone, thanks to the help of Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas and former Clark Development Corp. president Emmanuel Angeles. He supervised the loading of fuel into tankers.

Some two weeks ago, however, his immediate superiors barred him from entering the company’s compound unless he signed his termination papers.

De la Cruz said the pressure on him to quit his job started after a tiff with a co-employee reportedly close to one of his bosses over the issue of changing a security guard whom he wanted replaced with a more efficient one.

"As a rockloader, I was made to understand that I was to assume the role of supervisor in the area where tankers were being filled with fuel, so I assumed the right to seek alternate personnel for better work efficiency. Because of that, I was accused of bypassing my immediate superiors," he said in Capampangan.

De la Cruz said he was earlier made to sign a document stating that he was requesting for a three-week training in rockloading in the Subic Freeport so he could become a regular employee.

"I underwent the training, but I was not regularized. After the training in rockloading, I was instead reassigned to supervise the work of contractors such as those cutting grasses within the firm’s premises," he said.

The STAR attempted to get the side of the CPDC management but was referred to its sister company, the Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corp. (PCSP) based in Subic. A return call promised by a PCSP employee, however, was never made as of press time.

De la Cruz said he refused to sign the termination papers, which his supervisor presented to him. "I will not sign it nor will I resign because I have done nothing wrong," he said.

After being informed about his termination, De la Cruz said he sought the help of Sto. Tomas who later told him that his employers had complained that he had become "swell-headed."

"It is not true. It is not my fault that I have come to know some big people in government because of the hostage incident. I have remained a consultant of Sen. Lito Lapid on overseas workers’ issues, but I have not become swell-headed," he said.

He said his links with high-ranking government leaders might have triggered some resentment among some CPDC workers.

As Lapid’s consultant, De la Cruz said he often went to the senator’s office in the Senate during his Monday dayoff.

"What they did was to change my dayoff to Saturday when the Senate is closed," he said.

He said Sto. Tomas tried to negotiate his reinstatement with the CPDC management and even volunteered to be his guarantor.

"But I was barred by the security guard when I went (there) to get a set of uniform and a shirt that I left. I have not returned there since then," he said.

De la Cruz said former Bulacan Rep. Willie Villarama is helping him in his labor case.

Four of De la Cruz’s children are going to school. Jeric, 7, and Jerome, 10, are in elementary; Joanna Marie, 17, in high school; and Josephine, 20, in college.

Juliesis, his second eldest child, drives their passenger jeepney along the Magalang-Angeles City route during the day, while he plies it at night.

"I earn about P200 a night when there are many passengers," De la Cruz said, adding, though, that his and his son’s earnings are not enough to meet their family’s needs and pay the P8,000 monthly for the P250,000 OWWA loan which he used to buy the jeepney.

"I stood up for the rights of my fellow Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia. Now I will stand up for my rights," he said.

Gov’t phone bill surges to P3.7B

Inquirer News Service

THE communication bill of the government surged to P3.724 billion in 2004 due mainly to the increased use of mobile phones by various government agencies, government-owned and -controlled corporations and local government units.

Sen. Ralph Recto yesterday said this was 14 percent or P447 million higher than the P3.277 billion communication bill incurred in 2003.

Communication expenses include postage, landline, mobile phone, Internet, cable and telegraph use.

Last year, national agencies shelled out some P1.897 billion in communication expenses, up from P1.666 billion in 2003; GOCCs, P1.116 billion from P967 million, and LGUs, P710 million from P644 million.

Recto, chair of the Senate committee on ways and means, attributed the rise in communication expenses to the increase in mobile phone expenses of various government agencies.

The mobile phone bill of the national government agencies shot up from P168 million in 2003 to P251 million in 2004; while LGUs more than doubled their expense from P72.6 million in 2003 to P163 million in 2004.

The Commission on Audit’s report, which Recto used as a basis for his findings, however, did not contain a breakdown of the communication expenses of GOCCs.

“But it is safe to assume that more techno-savvy friends in the GOCC sector increased their mobile phone use,’’ Recto said in a statement.

While telephone bills were steadily rising, expenses for postage declined, with the national government shelling out P176 million in 2004, down from P199 million the previous year, and the LGUs disbursing P21 million last year, down from P25 million in 2003, for stamps, Recto said.

He also noted that a growing number of government offices were “hitting the information highway’’ to transmit communications.

The LGUs’ Internet subscription costs tripled to P19 million in 2004 from the previous year, while the national government agencies’ subscription expenses rose by 25 percent to P159 million in 2004.

TJ Burgonio

VoIP rivalry heats up after Globe joins rate-cutting war

Innove Communications Inc., the landline telecommunications unit of Ayala Corp., announced Friday that it has reduced its international direct dialing (IDD) rates for its residential and business subscribers.

This move comes on the heels a 75-percent cut in IDD rates made by rival Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. for its digital subscriber line service.

The rush to slash IDD rates comes after the National Telecommunications Commission allowed new players, including nontelcos, to offer voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), or long-distance calls over the Internet.

The regulator’s ruling is seen to give existing telcos a run for their money since Internet service providers would be allowed to offer VoIP.

"We want to provide the Filipino consumers with more choices on what communications or connectivity services they could avail of at prices that they are comfortable with," Ramon Antonio L. Pineda, Globelines head, said in a statement.

Subscribers who have activated their IDD can avail of the budget IDD rate when calling to Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and USA.

Cheaper rates can be had through the use of Globe1, Innove’s new PIN-based prepaid call card that gives consumers the flexibility and convenience to make calls from any Globelines payphone and landline.

While Globe 1 can be used in Globe Handyphone and Touch Mobile, the discounted IDD rate is applicable only when using a Globelines postpaid or prepaid landline and Globelines payphone. Globelines subscribers enjoy an IDD rate of only US$0.10 a minute when calling from any Globelines postpaid, prepaid or payphone using Globe1.

In a related development, Globe announced that Filipinos traveling abroad can now enjoy 3G (third-generation) technology in Asia-Pacific countries with 3G networks. Globe is the first to introduce 3G roaming capabilities to its subscribers.

"3G technology provides international roaming subscribers with increased convenience and more options for communicating. Globe subscribers traveling abroad can now enjoy the enhanced communication experience of 3G, with the benefits of faster data access for work or entertainment and soon advanced connectivity with video calling," Nikko Acosta, Globe’s head for International Services Division, said.

3G is the next level of mobile technology which enables rapid internet connection, video conferencing, video sharing, video streaming and mobile entertainment.

Globe is the only Philippine telco to have successfully tested 3G, and is also the first to conduct trial video calls and to open 3G services to international roaming subscribers. Globe international roaming subscribers can now roam in 3G networks with three countries using the following telco networks and select mobile phone models NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone in Japan, Sunday in Hong Kong, and SingTel in Singapore.

Paul Anthony A. Isla, ABS-CBN

World mobile subscribers top 2 billion - study

HELSINKI - The number of mobile phone subscribers in the world has surpassed the 2 billion milestone Wireless Intelligence, an information service set up by industry body GSM Association and consulting firm Ovum, said on Sunday.

"The bulk of the new growth now is coming from large, less well-developed markets such as China, India, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa," Wireless Intelligence said in a statement.

The largest mobile phone maker, Finnish Nokia, said last month it expects the 2 billion mark to be reached in the October-to-December quarter and 3 billion by 2010.

"The total number of mobile connections is now equivalent to nearly a third of the estimated world population of 6.5 billion," Martin Garner, director at Wireless Intelligence, said in a statement.

"Although total connections are higher than the real number of users due to multiple connections, or inactive pre-paid connections, this is still a significant landmark for the industry," he added.

Nokia, which sold 31.9 percent of all phones in the second quarter, according to researchers Gartner, is followed by US Motorola with 17.9 percent of the market and Korean Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. with 12.8 percent.

NTC to issue competition policy framework in Oct

By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes, The Philippine Star

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will release next month a draft policy framework that will govern competition in the local telecommunications and broadcasting sectors, The STAR learned.

The comprehensive competition policy is NTC’s first step towards proposing amendments to Republic Act 7925 or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act that has guided the industry since 1995.

"RA 7925 is a 10-year old law and it’s about time there be some modifications to it. Many of its provisions need to be amended to reflect changes in technology that have also changed the way business is done in the country and most of the industry believes an overhaul of the law is already delayed," NTC commissioner Ronald Solis said in an interview.

He added: "Hopefully, we can have the policy in place by early next year. It will apply not only to public telecommunications entities but to other players, including broadcasting.

He said that some competition rules will have to be put in place, especially with the emergence of new technologies that have made the old notions of competition no longer applicable.

The proposed competition policy framework will also include a review of the present fixed and mobile phone service rates, which have become complicated with the trend towards unlimited offerings.

"We are in the process of discussing with economic experts and academicians on what competition policy framework to adopt, including just rates. We are looking at the best practices abroad," Solis said.

With the policy framework, Solis said the NTC will be implementing the constitutional prohibitions against monopolies and combinations in restraint of trade.

The NTC chief pointed out that while there is indeed a prohibition against these practices in the 1987 Constitution, there are no rules at present that would really determine whether a practice constitutes monopoly or not.

"Even the concept of predatory pricing needs a clear definition," Solis said.

The confusion on what indeed constitutes predatory pricing, according to Solis, was highlighted by the recent war between Sun Cellular and its rival operators over the former’s unlimited call and text promo.

The NTC has not ruled on the complaint filed by Globe and Smart against Sun Cellular until the competition policy framework is issued, which the industry expects will favor Sun.

Under guidelines earlier issued by the commission, the cellular operators were allowed to set their quality standards for their unlimited pricing promos during off-peak hours provided the standards are disclosed to the NTC and the public.

While the regulatory body would not exactly call it an "anti-monopoly" guideline, NTC deputy commissioner Jorge Sarmiento earlier acknowledged that it would introduce policies against monopolistic practices like predatory pricing and encourage the unbundling of the cost of services along with more deregulation of telecommunications services.

There had been attempts in the past [to come up with a similar comprehensive policy], but the recent issue with Sun’s 24/7 service has brought [this issue] to fore. The end-game here is that we want to have proactive, tech-neutral and consistent rules and guidelines to promote a fair environment that would eventually bring down the cost of telecommunications," the NTC official said

 

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Pinoys worth $19,351 each, says World Bank paper

By Roderick T. dela Cruz, Manila Standard 

Each Filipino has a total wealth of $19,351, according to a newly released World Bank publication that has made a bold attempt to measure wealth of each man in the planet by nationality.

This puts the national wealth of the Philippines at $1.483 trillion, based on a population of 76.627 million as of 2000.

In its report titled “Where is the Wealth of Nations” released at the start of the World Summit this week, the World Bank said the amount includes the total actual value of produced capital, natural resources and intangible capital.

Intangible capital refers to the value of human skills and capabilities. It also includes social capital or the trust among people in a society and their ability to work together for a common purpose. The residual also includes all those governance elements that boost the productivity of labor.

“Worldwide, natural capital accounts for 5 percent of total wealth, produced capital accounts for 18 percent, and intangible capital accounts for 77 percent,” the report said.

The publication said Switzerland has the highest per capita wealth while Ethiopia has the lowest level of per capita wealth.

Data show that the per capita wealth in the Philippines is 32 times less than that of Switzerland, the richest nation, but eight times more than that of Ethiopia, the poorest nation.

Among its Asian neighbors, the per capita wealth in the Philippines is higher than in Indonesia and China but lower than in Malaysia and Thailand.

Worldwide, the $19,351 per capita wealth of the Philippines is below the world average per capita wealth of $90,000.

“The average world citizen owns a total wealth of $90,000,” the World Bank publication said. “Most of the wealth comes from intangible capital. Tangible assets include produced capital, for an amount of $16,000, and natural capital, $5,000.”

The World Bank said it released the report to provide new measures of wealth to capture the social and environmental costs of development decisions.

“Including the value of natural resources and our social capital in national accounting is a vital step to achieve economic growth that is equitable and sustainable,” said Achim Steiner, director general of the World Conservation Union.

DoF cracks down on oil smuggling

P10-B losses annually DoF cracks down on oil smuggling

By LEE C. CHIPONGIAN, MB

The Department of Finance said the government is losing almost P10 billion a year in potential revenues due to petroleum smuggling.

DoF Secretary Margarito B. Teves said that based on industry estimates, the government could collect P7 billion more in excise taxes and about P2.5 billion in import duties every year if oil smuggling is stopped. "It is something we need to correct (because) we need the revenues," Teves said.

On Monday the DoF announced that tax collection agencies, the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs have signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Institute of Petroleum to jointly combat oil smuggling.

According to Teves, this MoA "is particularly significant in light of the escalating prices of diesel and other fuels in the world market." Last month crude oil price in the world market soared to an all-time high of past $70 a barrel. This prompted the Department of Energy to issue a warning that gasoline prices could increase by as much as R3 per liter in the coming months.

In the meantime, Teves added that the MoA would effectively prevent smuggling of fuel products, which have become more prone to smuggling because of the rising prices.

The agreement between the agencies will make smuggling more difficult because it will help in producing the evidences to prosecute smugglers, said Teves. "While the BoC has apprehended suspected fuel smugglers, the lack of incontrovertible evidence has made it difficult for them to confiscate the products or prosecute the offers."

The DoF said other proposed measures to combat fuel smuggling are the deployment of fuel marking technology that will help authorities trace illegally sourced petroleum.

To discourage oil smuggling, the DoE is also considering the establishment of a common oil depot, which can import directly from abroad. The proposals are now with the DoF. A common oil depot will make it easier for the BIR and BoC to monitor imported fuel.

The MoA signatories were BoC officer in charge Alexander Arevalo III, BIR officer in charge Jose Bunag and PIP Chairman Edgar Chua. Witnesses to the MoA signing were representatives of Petron Corp., Caltex Philippines Inc., Total (Philippines) Corp. and Subic Bay Distribution Inc.

Teves said the main objective of the DoF is to improve tax collection and to crack down on all smuggling activities, which rob the country of precious revenues.

Again the DoF chief reiterated that once the expanded value added tax law is implemented, this would improve revenues by P15 billion by the end of the year. "The government is committed to the implementation of the VAT law upon the lifting of the temporary restraining order," said Teves.

The government has lined up several measures to mitigate the effects of the surging oil prices and the new VAT law on domestic prices since implementation of VAT will hit energy and petroleum products.

To lessen the impact of the new VAT on prices, the DoF will implement the following:

The removal of excise taxes on diesel, kerosene and bunker fuel oil. This will translate to a reduction in price for diesel by as much as P1.63/liter.

The sale of power by non-oil generating plants like geothermal, hydro, and solar has been zerorated. This effectively reduces the cost of electricity and encourages the use of renewable energy sources.

The import tariff on petroleum products will be reduced from 5 to 3 percent except for LPG, which will remain at zero. This will translate to a reduction in price by as much as P0.50/liter

Grandparents' Day

Grandparents’ Day

GRANDPARENTS’ Day is celebrated every year to honor grandparents, to give them an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of the strength, information, and guidance grandparents can offer.

The annual tribute to grandparents was begun by Mrs. Marian McQuade, 76year-old mother of 15, grandmother of 40, and great grandmother of 3. At her initiative and persistence, the State of West Virginia, USA, began in 1973 the celebration honoring grandparents. Five years later, the US Congress passed a law proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents’ Day. Later, September was designated the month to celebrate this special day for it signifies the "autumn years’’ of life.

About 6.4 percent of the 80 million population in the Philippines are elderly Filipinos 60 years old and above. By year 2020, they are estimated to increase to 9.5 percent of our population.

Grandparents in the Philippines continue to play many vital roles in the family and the community. In many instances, they are the breadwinners in the family or caregivers for their grandchildren as their children go to work and are away the whole day. They are also a fountain of wisdom and counsel for the yet inexperienced members of the family.

Let us shower our lolos and lolas with affection during this special day designated for them. "Araw ni Lolo at ni Lola’’ is one way of recognizing or acknowledging the many good things they have done to improve our lives, especially during the years when we were youngsters.

Celebrating "Araw ni Lolo at ni Lola’’ could be made meaningful by helping them meet their many special needs, such as health care, housing, income security, social services. The government has been responsive to their needs. The passage of Republic Act No. 9257 (Senior Citizens Act of 2003) gives Filipino senior citizens free medical and dental services, exempts them from paying diagnostic and laboratory fees in governmental health facilities, in addition to the privileges granted them under Republic Act 7432, the old Senior Citizens Act.

Our lolos and lolas – they are our living links with our past.

Happy Grandparents’ Day!

Gordon's claim on ownership of Subic motor company disputed by executive

By JONAS REYES, MB

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE — Subic Bay Motors Corp. (SBMC) is not owned by the Magsaysays but by a group of local and foreign businessmen," SBMC General Manager Ben Perez said yesterday, disputing a claim of Sen. Richard Gordon.

Perez was reacting to the senator’s claim that he allegedly saw a document in Malacañang that would revoke Executive Order 156 banning the importation of secondhand vehicles.

Gordon had also claimed that the Magsaysays are lobbying for the lifting of the ban in exchange for the clan’s joining the majority in dismissing the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo in the House of Representatives.

He had said the recommendation to allow the entry of secondhand cars in Subic Freeport was the real reason why AVE party-list Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay withdrew his signature from the impeachment complaint. He said Governor Magsaysay is the cousin of the congressman.

Perez said that SBMC is a legitimate business operating in the Freeport zone and that all its importations have valid import permits and proper documents from concerned agencies, particularly the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Bureau of Customs.

"SBMC is into the transshipment of vehicles and we vehemently deny that our company is involved in any smuggling activity inside the Freeport," Perez said.

He also said the lifting of Executive Order No. 156 (ban on imported secondhand cars) is based on a Court of Appeals decision that the EO is unconstitutional.

"Since the implementation of Executive Order No. 418, we have been in constant communication and coordination with the SBMA in getting the proper permits for our re-export program after shifting our business focus to the export market rather than the local market," Perez said.

Through partnership with Apple International Co. Ltd., a publicly listed company in Tokyo Stock Exchange, and Azumaya Tohin Seisakusho Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan, SBMC has exported more reconditioned vehicles to the international market.

Recently, SBMC shipped out 130 reconditioned vehicles to Dubai and South Africa. Of the 130 units, 50 units, which were sold to Trust Co. Ltd., were shipped to Durban, South Africa. The remaining 80 units were shipped to Al Moin Motors in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Earlier, SBMC shipped out 181 reconditioned vehicles to Carlyna Trading Co., Ltd. in Bangkok, Thailand. Carlyna Trading is the trading partner of Apple International Co. that distributes both brand-new and used vehicles in South East Asia and neighboring countries

LIVE WEBCAM sa INTERNET CAFE

edpiano: its a nice way for parents to monitor their kids. nice job

jal_internetcafe: who u

edpiano: olongapo telecom board, councilor edwin piano

jal_internetcafe: paano po ninyo nalaman ung email add po dito sa manila at ano po ibig sabihin ung msg nung una! gud pm kagawad

edpiano: Oooops, sori, akala ko sa Olongapo kayo. 

edpiano: isa po kasi sa topic ng discussion ay concerns sa mga estudyante

edpiano: kaya nakita ko, isa nga pala sa magandang solution para hindi na kami nagtutungo sa mga internet cafe pag may complains ay bisita na lang kami thru webcams

jal_internetcafe: ganun nga po ung aking purpose kaya naka share ung aming cam! para po nakikita kung ano po ang nangyayari sa loob! by the way taga olongapo po ako brother po ni Carlos andres

=====================

erick santiago: sir starting tomorrow i'll take the risk..di ako  mag sasara...wala pa naman sigurong manghuhuli..

edpiano: tama desisyon mo, napakaliit ng chance na may mangyaring raid sa olongapo bukas

erick santiago: ok sir thank you.. siguro naman sa susunod na mga araw kung sakaling mayroong mag re raid.. is meron na akong software... malabo mo kc na gumamit ng linux eh.. baka dun lang pumunta mga customer ko sa gumagamit ng microsoft..

edpiano: its a fair assessment of the current situation, better safe than sorry ika nga.  mas maganda rin pag may peace of mind at hindi palaging nag aalala

erick santiago: tama sir. kaya sir ang magandang pag focuse nyo na langis yung pricing kailangan itaas kahit 5 pesos lang para naman makabawi tayo..un na lang po.. salamat po.

edpiano: okay.... bye

 

Sept 15 DISCUSSION

einc dormagen: sir gud morning po.. end na po ba ng suspension ng C.O 14.. bukas?

edpiano: hindi pa, pag uusapan pa lang sa session ung ord. 14 tungkol sa pagpasol ng mga students during class hours.

edpiano: kung ang tinatanong mo ay anti piracy

edpiano: bukas ang crackdown pero naiparating na natin na wag muna sa gapo

einc dormagen: sa city ordinance po sir.. magpapasok pa rin po ba kami ng mga bata bukas.. kahit na class hours..? iikot na ba ang mga taga business permit?

edpiano: wala pa sagot ang BSA pero palagay ko di nila tayo uunahin sa raid

einc dormagen: tnx po sir.. basta lagi lng muna kami online para sa mga announcements nyo po..

edpiano: nakausap ko na head ng business permit, usapan namin, wag muna maghigpit sa internet cafe, pero kung may complain, doon lang nila puntahan para mapagsabihan lang

einc dormagen: tnx po ng marami sir sa tulong..

einc dormagen: more power po..

edpiano: okay, may nag kakalat nanaman nga na may raid daw sa gordon avenue ngayon pero d naman totoo

edpiano: sige balitaan na lang tayo

einc dormagen: sabi nga po nila sir.. meron daw sa harap ng jackson..

einc dormagen: kanina lang po..

einc dormagen: cge sir.. stand by lang kami dito..

Jhecs Jem: for info sir, trace ko yung report na raid. galing daw pla sa studyante na nag internet sa star windows, sbi daw ng studyante may raid sa jackson. tinawagan k n yung mga sinasbi nla na involve di nmn confirm na may raid.

 

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Yahoo! Messenger (BETA): edpiano has joined the conference.

dolly vibar: thank u 4 joining sir

edpiano: hello sa lahat

dolly vibar: medyo pa po covered ang ibang areas

erdickies187: hello sir

jerks03: hello din po

dolly vibar: marami kami from magsaysay

erdickies187: sir ano.. totoo ba na may nag re raid na?

edpiano: ano na balita?  may nagpapakalat na may raid today pero wala namang confirmed raid

erdickies187: sir dito sa area ko clear naman eh.. wala naman sa may jackson sabi nila meron

dolly vibar: negative po ung 2 balita, gordon av ang jackson

edpiano: Jhecs Jem: for info sir, trace ko yung report na raid. galing daw pla sa studyante na nag internet sa star windows, sbi daw ng studyante may raid sa jackson. tinawagan k n yung mga sinasbi nla na involve di nmn confirm na may raid.

erdickies187: kanina may hinuli yung mga police na estudyante.. kasi nag yoyosi sila mga bata pa

erdickies187: un lang un kanina

edpiano: ayon siguro ang pinagmulan ng balita

edpiano: may umattend ba sa inyo sa meeting sa convention center kahapon?

dolly vibar: opo

dolly vibar: medyo konti po

erdickies187: sir paano po yung succeding days or weeks.. sure po ba na safe ang mga shop namin?

edpiano: mga coregroup lang naman yata expected na darating sa meeting

erdickies187: oo nga

erdickies187: kc di din naman kami nasabihan

edpiano: hindi natin pede sabihin sa sure tayo, pero at least may system tayo na nakahanda kung ano man mangyari

demented_soul5: ok...

edpiano: actually d naman kaya mag implement ng pilipinas anti piracy nang sabay sabay nationwide

dolly vibar: corek po

edpiano: nangyari na yan sa vcd dvd at sa cellphone shops

erdickies187: sabagay.. kaso lang baka kc mauna tayo masita

dolly vibar: pero po medyo microsoft is serious at this time particularly sa internet cafe

erdickies187: sir bigyan nyo kami ng posible ideas para bukas sept. 16

dolly vibar: pinag aralan po nila maigi yung internet cafe rental agreement

erdickies187: kc wala pa kami kahit isang original OS eh

edpiano: sandali kausap ako ni mayor sa phone

wheai_29 has joined the conference.

erdickies187: I would not
recommend closing down your business as of this time. Continue with
your business as you would normally do, just be sure to keep yourself
informed on what is going on in order to be able to act accordingly.<<< sir piano yan ung isa sa message nyo last week eh.

dolly vibar: pchan po c wheat

dolly vibar: hirap naman kung ganito situation natin for the rest of the days na wala tayo license

wheai_29: yep

erdickies187: oo nga gusto ko sana marinig kay sir ed.. kung binigyan nya tayo ng protection sa mga kapulisan dito sa gapo kc baka mamaya bigla na lang mag raid

ahvic_sison has joined the conference.

dolly vibar: from features c mavic

erdickies187: kc sabi nya continue lang ang bussiness as normally do.. hanggang pinapasa pa nila yung resolution

jerks03: gusto ko po malaman kung extend ba tyo hangang dec. 31?

erdickies187: so continue lang..???without doubt?

ahvic_sison: eh di maganda po

jerks03: approved na po ba un?

dolly vibar: meron naman po tayo contigency plan kaya ok lang continue...may sacrificial lamb nga lang po

demented_soul5: nyek

dolly vibar: pag may nahuling isa, na confirmed, pass d message to close po sa iba

erdickies187: un lang

dolly vibar: yun lang po ang ating kayang gawin at this time

erdickies187: di ka din palagay sa mga ganyan situation

dolly vibar: opo, talaga pong may risk tayo ngayon

dolly vibar: the least we can do is hwag mahuli lahat ng shop sa olongapo

ahvic_sison: k po

ahvic_sison: cge po kain muna po kami

ahvic_sison: thanks po

dolly vibar: cge po

ahvic_sison: salamat po sa infor

ahvic_sison: info

ahvic_sison has left the conference.

edpiano: pcensya napahaba kausap ko sa phone

edpiano: pcensya na napahaba kausap ko sa phone

erdickies187: excuse me tanong ko lang po di ko ba naipasa ung extension until dec. 31?

dolly vibar: antayin po natin c kagawad to answer the question

edpiano: nagpasa ang telecom board sa bsa, at local nbi, pnp.  pinasabihan ko si gary na magpadala sa NBI, PNP at OMB thru DHL

dolly vibar: d po ba pwede tayo magwork sa local muna?

dolly vibar: kasi po baka pag nakarating sa national, medyo mainit ang olongapo

dolly vibar: ano po sa palagay nyo kagawad?

edpiano: papunta si gary sa opis ngayon para mai fax sa bsa yong reso natin, tapos to follow na lang yong original

edpiano: on the contrary, palagay ko hindi magiging dahilan ang actions natin para lalo silang uminit sa olongapo

dolly vibar: well, the bottomline naman po talaga is gawing legal ang negosyo

edpiano: sa tingin ko, they will respect our actions. mas mainam na nakikipag usap tayo sa kanila

dolly vibar: opo

dolly vibar: kumakain na yata ang iba nating mga kasama

dolly vibar: hellooooo sa lahat

rhem27: hi po

edpiano: its true, nag iisip at gumagawa naman tayo ng action para maging legal

erdickies187: dapat bagu sila mag raid may cooperation muna sila coming from the local government here.. di yung basta basta lang. at dpat malaman din namin kung dapat ba magsara...

demented_soul5: kumakain po sa harap ng monitor

dolly vibar: ok alive pa!

dolly vibar: yung pagsasara ng shop po ay option nyo....ako po i'll take the risk para po di maulit yung nakaraan

edpiano: its okay, yan ang kagandahan ng on line, we can do others things like eat, and be with our love ones habang nagtatrabaho

dolly vibar: nagsarado ako sa maling balita

erdickies187: bukas magsisimula na ang mga kaba sa atin....

edpiano: cge kakain din muna ako, tawag na ako ni misis

dolly vibar: salamat councilor

dolly vibar: off muna tayo

dolly vibar: gutom na rin ako

dolly vibar: baka pumayat ako

dolly vibar: hehehe

erdickies187: salamat po

demented_soul5: hehehehe

demented_soul5: salamat po...

erdickies187: sigi

erdickies187 has left the conference.

dolly vibar: bye na muna mga kapamilya's kapuso!!! monitor po tayo ulit!!! pass the message po para ma confirm ng org.

dolly vibar: salamat

 

 

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Bush all praises for Pinoy chef

The Philippine Star

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — US President George W. Bush had nothing but praises for the new Philippine-born White House chef when he ran into President Arroyo outside the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

Bush asked Mrs. Arroyo if he had heard about Cristeta Comerford, who had been an assistant chef at the White House for 10 years and was chosen last month from hundreds of applicants to head the executive kitchen.

"Yes, we celebrated that because she’s the most famous" Filipino chef, President Arroyo replied as they walked together, not knowing that their conversation was being picked up by UN microphones.

"She’s fantastic," Bush said of Comerford, who is a naturalized American.

Bush ran into Mrs. Arroyo after a nearly hour-long meeting with Secretary-General Kofi Annan that focused on global issues ranging from Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan’s conflict-wracked Darfur region and African peacekeeping missions. The presidents are here for the opening of a UN summit on Wednesday.

When Bush arrived at UN headquarters with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, he greeted Annan with a friendly gesture, putting his arms around the secretary-general’s back. He then kissed Rice three times on the cheek.

"It was very friendly meeting," Annan told reporters afterwards at a press conference which focused on the last-minute agreement by member states on a document to be approved by world leaders at the three-day summit which starts Wednesday.

Annan added that the new US ambassador, John Belton, had been "very constructive" during the lengthy negotiations.

During their meeting, Bush expressed his support for the United Nations, according to a statement from the UN spokesman.

 

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Customs misses goal by P7B

By Ding Cervantes, The Philippine Star

 

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga – Customs Commissioner Alexander Arevalo said yesterday that his agency was P7-billion short of its target collections as of last August, but expressed confidence that it would even be able to surpass its P151-billion target for this year.

Arevalo said he has initiated measures to curb "technical smuggling" of petroleum products from which the bureau derives about 15 to 20 percent of its revenues. He has also ordered the adoption of a six-day work week for units dealing with importers.

"January was the only month this year when we were able to even go beyond our target of P100 million. The August deficit was the highest since last February," Arevalo said in an interview with newsmen here during the inauguration of the new Bureau of Customs (BOC) building donated here by SM Prime Holdings Inc.

He attributed low revenue collections primarily to the low peso-dollar exchange rate last July. "There were business decisions that we cannot influence," he said.

Still, Arevalo expressed confidence that he would be able to surpass this year’s target of P151 billion.

Arevalo said shipping associations have committed to support the BOC proposal for tankers delivering oil products to the country to declare their shipment 48 hours before arrival. "This will prevent them from retouching their import information," he said.

He added that the BOC has signed a memorandum of agreement with petroleum importers for them to use special "chemical markers" in fuel products. "Then we will go to gas stations to monitor whether what they’re selling have these chemical markers. If there is none, then they’re selling smuggled fuel," he said.

Arevalo also cited plans to extend working days up to Saturday not only in the BOC but also in banks in various ports and special economic zones nationwide, among port operators, customs brokers, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry which encodes customs transactions, transporters, and even tricycle drivers who provide transport to port personnel during Saturdays.

Six-day work scheme, he said, would enable more time for business transactions and thus increase customs revenues.

"Going to work on Saturday requires culture change because we have to change the way banks do business. We have signed an agreement with bankers for their banks (at ports) to be opened from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Saturday. Then we have to arrange it with the Clark Development Corp., Subic Freeport and other economic zones because they are not into six-day work scheme," he said.

Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president and chief executive officer Antonio Ng said the personnel of one department dealing with importation concerns of investors at Clark have started working on Saturdays.

Arevalo said the P151-billion target this year is about 22-percent higher than last year’s. He noted that while his agency fell short by P7 billion last August, collections for that month were still higher by 21.5 percent than in August last year.

 

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Transactional leadership

SO this is what that historic and glorious, to borrow Malacañang’s triumphalist description of the impeachment vote, really was – transactional. No, we are not only talking of the scuttlebutt about the alleged but largely unproven QPQs (quid pro quos) between detained President Estrada, the Marcoses and their congressional allies, on the one hand, and President Arroyo, on the other, which have sent a thousand tongues a-wagging. We would much rather focus on the proven, documented and, yes, brazenly undertaken ones featuring, among others, the Magsaysays, Zambales Rep. Antonio Magsaysay-Diaz and his nephew, AVE Partylist Rep. Eulogio "Amang" Magsaysay, whose QPQs, as it were, the PCIJ and Senator Richard Gordon have already verified and the last-minute withdrawal of the appointment of Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin as Southcom chief which is now turning out to be part of a QPQ arrangement with the so-called "Garci Generals" and their backers, in and out of the AFP.

Too, the same should now also be applied to the misuse of the Departments of Agriculture, Public Works and Highways and Agrarian Reform, to name the more prominent agencies, all over again as conduits or laundry machines for the release of Malacañang’s reported "goodwill" bonanzas to favored congressmen on the eve of the crucial impeachment vote. These discoveries are not only disgusting and condemnable. They also serve to reinforce the one charge of the Hyatt 10 against PGMA that really carried a lot of bite which is that since the "Gloriagate" expose more than three months ago the Chief Executive was no longer governing in accordance with her oath but has been misusing all the resources and powers of the presidency just to hang on to power.

Once fully documented, these offenses can also buttress the effort of some congressmen to have the killed impeachment complaint recommitted to the Committee on Justice for full hearing on the merits. I am made to understand that there are a number of solid legal and definitely ethical grounds upon which such an initiative can be founded. Or, if such a move fails to prosper at all, to be aired in the proposed "People’s Tribunal" or in the various forums being organized by the broad anti-PGMA coalition. Indeed, there is need to highlight yet again the reality of this administration’s governance since it took over more than four years ago. That way, our people will be better informed and, hopefully, better conditioned to finally make that fateful decision whether to keep these guys in power a minute longer than necessary or boot them out altogether.

As reported by the PCIJ’s Yvonne Chua, the Magsaysays got a total of P25 million from Malacañang and its allies under questionable circumstances on the eve of the impeachment vote. "Amang" was supposed to have gotten a P5 million check from Speaker Joe de Venecia’s wife, Gina, which was reportedly deposited in his account at the Bank of Commerce, Eisenhower-San Juan branch. Mrs. De Venecia has since denied this as a canard but not after one of her husband’s senior aides sneeringly told reporters that they should be more "circumspect and decent" and, more importantly, should advise the critics to "accept defeat gracefully". That was a non-sequitur, of course, from guys who should be the last to lecture the public about circumspection and decency. These have become so hide bound after four years of almost daily practice in the art of lying without really trying, On the other hand, Congressman Tony Diaz reportedly got P20 million in three tranches from the President’s Social Fund (PSF) all issued through the Department of Education for the "A.M Diaz-PGMA scholarship fund."

To make matters worse, Senator Gordon has come out swinging against the alleged pressure emanating from the Magsaysay camp for the revocation of the executive order imposing a hefty P500,000 duty for every second hand car being imported through SBMA. Again, the Magsaysays have denied they were exerting any kind of pressure on the Chief Executive but like all other presidential initiatives which are now being exposed these smack of out and out transactions done beyond the pale of the law and generally acceptable practices.

To be fair, the Magsaysays can always claim that they never asked anything from President Arroyo and that any such "gifts", if any, were purely on Malacañang’s initiative. And since these monies will be used for poor but deserving students anyway why should people begrudge them. Well, they should tell that story to their fellows in Congress many of whom are still struggling to have their allocated "pork barrel" released as well as the rank-and-file of the agencies they used as laundry machines and be ready for the expected backlash, tongue lashing and maybe even a punch or two if they don’t watch out. That is how crude and sickening these cavalier transactions have come to be known and increasingly challenged that it will be near-impossible for Malacañang and its allies to hide their grisly misdeeds.

But what takes the cake in terms of brazenness and irregularity among these initially reported transactional initiatives was the withdrawal of General Bagasin’s appointment as Soutcom chief. t As early as three weeks ago right after General Generoso Senga took over as AFP chief it was widely known that Bagasin (PMA Class ‘73), a well rounded combat officer and the most senior among the two star generals, was already it. Contrary to all the disinformation now being floated around, Bagasin the one and only choice of the Board of Generals (BOG), was promptly endorsed by DND chief Avelino Cruz Jr. and was already as good as appointed by Malacañang. As a matter of fact, he was already asked by his superiors to prepare for the turn over as evidenced even by the speech prepared by the outgoing chief, Lt. Gen. Boysie Braganza

That is how crude and sickening these cavalier transactions have come to be known and increasingly challenged that it will be near-impossible for Malacañang and its allies to hide their grisly misdeeds.’  

By J.A. Dela Cruz, Malaya online