Pacquiao pegged as Filipino Fashion Ambassador

Bataan 2nd district Rep. Albert Garcia, House Committee on Trade and Industry chairman, is pushing for boxing champ and Sarrangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao as garments ambassador to perk up the industry.

He said the ring icon could lobby American legislators for the passage of the Save Our Industries Act, a bill that would help revive not only the local garments business but the US textile industry as well.

The Save Act is expected to provide enough incentives for garments exporters to expand their operations through a grant of preferential treatment from the United States, according to Garcia.

He cited opportunities with Pacquiao, to discuss the state of the garment industry which has been in the doldrums since the end og the quota regime.

Garment manufacturers from Mexico, the Caribbean and Andean countries enjoy preferential treatment, ranging from lower duties to quota-free and duty-free entry into the United States.

Under Save Act’s 809 component, US-made yarn and fabrics cut and wholly assembled in the Philippines would qualify to reenter the US duty-free. But garments made of US-spun yarn or extruded yarn formed in the Philippines would be allowed to reenter the US at half the duty of a most favored nation.

By Butch Gunio

Same-sex couples plan nationwide "Gay Pride" road show

In a show of mutual love, eight “same sex” newly-weds will be touring around the country this year for a “road show” in a bid to goad others hiding in closets to come out in the open.

Flaunting their deed amid outcries from various Christian groups over Saturday’s mass wedding here, the “road show” is an effort “to encourage same-sex couples to come out in the open,” said Institution Leader Myke Sotero of the Metropolitan Community Church of Metro Baguio (MCCMB).

Sotero, Egay Constantino, Ceejay Agbayani and Regen Luna of the MCC solemnized the marriage vows of the eight couples—three are from Baguio, the rest from elsewhere.

The publicity caused by the strong opposition of the Catholic Church “gave us this opportunity to be recognized,” Sotero said.

MCC is “now flooded by request for holy unions around the country mainly coming from the Roman Catholic faithful.”

Sotero said they will solemnize same-sex unions across the nation starting from Luzon, Metro Manila, Cavite down to the Visayas and Mindanao.

Sotero said “we will not be cowed and bullied by a Goliath acting like God and Inquisitioner and who has no monopoly over religion, God and morality.”

The MCC pastor cited that “homosexuality” has been taken off the list of mental disorders by all leading international psychological associations since 1973.

Earlier, Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the Baguio-Benguet Vicariate tagged Saturday’s same-sex marriage as “an anomaly.”

The Roman Catholic bishop said that the participants in the wedding rites have “mental problems.”

By Thom F. Picaña

PNOY finds Grace Lee beautiful

In Naga City, Cebu President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III's behavior toward radio and television host Grace Lee made media and other observers wonder if the Korean-born Lee was the new apple of the President's eye.

Lee was one of the hosts at the inauguration of the 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant built by the Korean Electric Power Corp. (Kepco).

"I thought she's Pinay, but she is Korean. Even the Koreans here are beautiful," Aquino said about the 28-year-old Lee during his speech for the inauguration.

He also admired for Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia for "looking even more beautiful every time I visit Cebu."

"Kailangan buhayin na ang Malacañang de Sugbu. Baka dito na rin tayo magkatuluyan (Perhaps we should revive the Malacañang in Sugbu, we may just find love here)," he said, referring to the official presidential residence in the Central Philippines which was restored and made popular by former President and now Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Only after Aquino’s speech and photo opportunities with Cebu and Kepco officials were Aquino and Lee introduced to each other.

In an interview with GMA News’ “24 Oras," Lee said that she was flattered by the president’s comments. She added that he had also commended her on her ability to speak Filipino fluently.

“I was very flattered so I thank Mr. President for saying that about me," she said.

3 in 5 Pinoys unsure if Aquino would succeed or fail–SWS

Sixty-eight percent of Filipinos were unsure if President Benigno Aquino 3rd would succeed or would fail during his six-year term, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed on Monday.

The survey results, which were first published in BusinessWorld, showed that at least three in five Filipinos said that they were unsure when asked the question: “In the long run, do you think President Noynoy Aquino will be a successful or unsuccessful President, or do you think it is too early to tell?”

According to the survey results, 22 percent were convinced that the President will be successful while 10 percent of the respondents disagreed.

Areas, classes - The pollster said that 74 percent in Balance Luzon (Luzon without Metro Manila), 73 percent in Metro Manila, 63 percent in the Visayas and 57 percent in Mindanao said that it was too early to tell weather the President will succeed or fail during his term, which ends in 2016.

Also 32 percent in Mindanao, 30 percent in the Visayas, 16 percent in Balance Luzon and 15 percent in Metro Manila said Mr. Aquino will be successful while 11 percent in Metro Manila, 11 percent in Mindanao, 10 percent in Balance Luzon and 7 percent in the Visayas said that he will be unsuccessful.

By class, 81 percent in Class ABC, 70 percent in Class D and 58 percent in Class E said it was too early to tell. The survey said that in Class E, 31 percent; Class D, 21 percent; and Class ABC, 10 percent said that he will do well during his term while 11 percent in Class E and both 9 percent in Class D and Class ABC predicted that he will fail.

It added that for those in the “too early to tell” side, 62 percent said that they were satisfied, 20 percent were undecided and 18 percent were dissatisfied, resulting in a “good” net score of +44.

Among those who predicted success, 82 percent were satisfied and 13 percent dissatisfied, resulting in an “excellent” net rating of +70.

Also, for those who believed that the President will not succeed, 42 percent said they were satisfied with Mr. Aquino’s performance, 21 percent were undecided and 35 percent dissatisfied for a “neutral” net rating of +7.

SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings of +70 and above as “excellent;” +50 to +69, “very good;” +30 to +49, “good;” +10 to +29, “moderate;” +9 to -9, “neutral;” -10 to -29, “poor;” -30 to -49, “bad;” -50 to -69, “very bad;” -70 and below, “execrable.”

The pollster earlier showed that that overall, the net satisfaction rating of the President had fallen to a “good” +46 nationwide, with 64 percent of respondents indicating their approval and 18 percent said that they were not content.

It said that Mr. Aquino’s satisfaction rating dropped from March’s “very good” net score of +51 (69 percent satisfied, 18 percent dissatisfied), which was also a down from President’s best score of +64 — also “very good—recorded in November last year.

The SWS survey, which was conducted on June 3 to 6, 2011, used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults in Metro Manila, Balance of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and had a margins of error of plus or minus 3 percent for national percentages and plus or minus 6 percent for area percentages.

The agency said that the latest survey was non-commissioned and was conducted on SWS’ own initiative.

Lawmakers alarmed over ‘tuko’ hunting, trading

Lawmakers over the weekend expressed alarm over the prevalent hunting and trading of geckos in rural areas.

Reps. Mel Senen Sarmiento and Teodorico Haresco of Ang Kasangga party-list urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to look into the massive and indiscriminate trading of geckos—known in the country as “tuko.”

Sarmiento said such activity might lead to the extinction of the said reptile, which is known to feed on insects such as mosquitoes and flies, and cause irreversible effects on the environment.

According to Sarmiento, the Internet and even some of the country’s top buy-and-sell magazines are flooded with classified ads on gecko trading, some of which even claim to represent the World Health Organization.

The said advertisements claim that geckos have potent medicinal properties and are being bought by pharmaceutical companies who are developing medicines for cancer and even the dreaded Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

Sarmiento reported that the cited advertisements even offer to pay as much as P3 million for a single live gecko that weighs 400 grams and up. Because of the alleged value offered, gecko hunting has become prevalent in certain rural provinces.

However, there are no records yet of anyone becoming millionaires because of gecko trading, according to the lawmaker.

“Whether or not these ads are authentic or not, this indiscriminate poaching of geckos have very serious and long-term implications on our ecosystem. Our tukos are a key element in balancing our ecosystem,” Sarmiento said.

For his part, Haresco said that geckos were nature’s most effective weapons against insect overpopulation and their extinction would certainly offset the country’s biodiversity.

“There is a need for the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] to look into this gecko-hunting frenzy and possibly get into the bottom of these claims on the alleged medicinal properties of this lizard. The DENR should now move to save the tuko from total annihilation,” Haresco stressed.

He also noted that not a single pharmaceutical firm or official scientific and medicinal research organization have confirmed the medicinal values of geckos.

Haresco said that while the Philippine gecko was not included in the list of endangered animal species, the DENR could classify them as part of the “Other Threatened Species” because of the recent gecko-hunting frenzy.

He said that he would file a measure that would seek to re-classify the gecko as endangered to protect the lizard from total extinction.

Haresco cited that Paragraph E and F, Chapter IV of Republic Act 9147 provided that the trading of wildlife and collection, hunting or possessing wildlife, their by-products and derivatives are considered illegal acts.

For illegal acts under paragraph E (trading), penalties/fines can be imprisonment of 10 days to one month, or a fine of not less than P200 or not more than P20,000, if inflicted or undertaken against other wildlife species.

For illegal acts under paragraph F (collection, hunting or possession), imprisonment of one month and one day to six months and a fine of not less than P5,000 to P50,000 will be imposed if inflicted or undertaken against species as other threatened species.


BY RUBEN D. MANAHAN 4TH

Shark that inflates with water and other strange creatures discovered in PHL deep

In the extreme deep of Philippine seas, a newly discovered shark species scares off its enemies with the sudden bulk created by filling its stomach with water.

This "inflatable" swell shark was only one of an estimated 300 new animal and plant species discovered by a historic scientific expedition in the Philippines organized by the California Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The other discoveries include a cicada with a “distinctive ‘laughing’ call," a starfish that only eats sunken driftwood, three lobster species that don’t carry shells on their backs and instead hide in sea crevices, a crab with needle-lined pincers and a worm-line pipefish that lives in colonies of soft coral.

The 42-day 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition took place from April to June. Early this month, they announced the discovery of 75 possible new species endemic to the country.

The collected specimens will be subject to DNA sequencing in the next few months before they can be confirmed and described, according to the CAS website.

Regardless of the results, Dr. Terrence Gosliner, Dean of Science and Research at the California Academy of Sciences and leader of the expedition, called the Philippines “the hottest of the hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth."

“We found new species during nearly every dive and hike as we surveyed the country’s reefs, rainforests, and the ocean floor," he added. The expedition is the biggest the CAS has conducted thus far, and is the most extensive in the Philippines.

“All of the new species add weight to the idea that the Philippines is a critically important haven for biodiversity, and that its waters likely house more species than any other marine environment on Earth," the statement read.

The expedition, which included scientists from the University of the Philippines, surveyed different areas in Luzon. While creating species lists and distribution maps for different plants, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish and marine invertebrates, the team discovered over 300 species that were previously unknown to man.

Some of the species, the report noted, may have been undiscovered in the past because of their small size and the remoteness of their habitats.

The goblin spiders, sea slugs and barnacles the scientists found were only a few millimeters long, said the report. The scientists also braved ocean depths to find a species of snake eel and the steep upper slopes of Mt. Isarog in Camarines Sur to find a species of spikemoss, a primitive plant.

An estimated 90 percent of the planet’s species have yet to be discovered, the report noted, and those unknown species might just be found in places like the Philippines.

“In order to make smart decisions about how to conserve what is left of our planet’s biodiversity, we must make a concerted effort to rapidly increase our knowledge about these life forms and their distribution," said the report.

Unlike most expeditions, the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition team unveiled every possible new discovery as they made it. The team will also be presenting the results of their expedition to the San Francisco public on Thursday, June 30 during the Academy’s NightLife event (Friday morning in the Philippines).

By BEA C. CUPIN

WHAT do you want for the automated election system in the May 2013 elections?

WHAT do you want for the automated election system in the May 2013 elections?

Please join me in the discussion below.

FERDINAND T. RAFANAN


1The election returns must contain the digital signatures of the teachers who administered the voting. What are election returns? These are the documents where the number of votes obtained by each candidate at the precinct level is recorded. They are printed in hard copies and they also exist as electronic data.

After printing, the same figures are transmitted electronically to the:

1 a) municipal or city board of canvassers, b) Comelec central server, and c) another server for the citizens arm, political parties, and mass media. These transmitted results should likewise carry the same digital signatures plus the identity of the sending machine.

What is a digital signature? In computing, it is the “electronic proof of a person’s identity involving the use of encryption; used to authenticate documents.” (Dictionary.com) When the election returns electronically reach the municipal or city board of canvassers and they are canvassed, the statement of votes where they now appear and the certificate of canvass where they are totalled should contain the digital signatures of the members of the board of canvassers. Republic Act 9369 provides that “the election return transmitted electronically and digitally signed shall be considered as official election results and shall be used as the basis for the canvassing of votes and the proclamation of a candidate.”

There were no digital signatures in the last elections. It is good that the authenticity of the election returns and statement of votes were not assailed, and we have a President who won overwhelmingly without question.

2. The machine to be used should have the capability to distinguish genuine ballots from the fake ones. For this purpose, it should be able to read ultra-violet markings, bar codes, and/or other distinguishing signs. In the May 10, 2010 elections, the machines failed to read the BEGIN BOLDultra-violet markingsEND BOLD on the ballots reportedly due to some ink-related problems. It is very important to know who was responsible for the machine’s failure because Comelec advanced the expenses amounting to about P30 million to remedy the failure.

3. Since the names of candidates in an automated election have to be printed on the ballots, it is required that candidates file their certificates early. However, the law allows substitution of candidates until midday of election. Hence, the name of the original candidate appearing on the printed ballot cannot be removed and replaced with the name of the substitute candidate anymore if the substitution takes place after printing. Republic Act 9006 provides:

“Sec. 12. Substitution of Candidates.— In case of valid substitutions after the official ballots have been printed, the votes cast for the substituted candidates shall be considered as stray votes but shall not invalidate the whole ballot. For this purpose, the official ballots shall provide spaces where the voters may write the name of the substitute candidates if they are voting for the latter: Provided, however, That if the substitute candidate is of the same family name, this provision shall not apply.”

It has been very difficult to comply with this legal provision. One proposed solution that must be studied is that for every position to be voted for, there must be in the ballot extra three numbers with ovals and corresponding blank lines reserved for substitutes, so that even without their names printed they can campaign for the number assigned to them. Another solution is to disallow substitution altogether.

4. The voter in the May 10, 2010 elections shaded the ovals corresponding to the candidate of his choice but the shade he made would not be counted if it covered less than half of the oval. This rule embodied in Rule 20, Section 6(h) of the Rules of Procedure for the RTC promulgated by the Supreme Court has become the paramount rule. This overrides another rule which delares: “the votes are presumed to have been made by the voter.” It also overrides the following rule: “In looking at the shades or marks used to register votes the revision committee shall bear in mind that the will of the voters reflected as votes in the ballots shall as much as possible be given effect, setting technicalities aside.”

This is triumph of technical rules over the voter’s intent, a victory of procedure over substance, unnecessarily brought about by automation. It appears to collide with established jurisprudence and law on the matter. The 1939 doctrine of the Supreme Court in the case of Moya v Del Fierro expressed it so well: “Republicanism, in so far as it implies the adoption of a representative type of government, necessarily points to the enfranchised citizen as a particle of popular sovereignty and as the ultimate source of the established authority. He has a voice in his Government and whenever called upon to act in justifiable cases, to give it efficacy and not to stifle it . . . . no technical rule or rules should be permitted to defeat the intention of the voter, if that intention is discoverable from the ballot itself, not from evidence aliunde [Editor’s note: From a source extrinsic to the matter, document, or instrument under consideration. Latin “from elsewhere.”]

Maybe, we should consider as valid all markings inside, touching or beside the oval no matter how small, provided it is of the same ink as all other unquestioned vote marks, unless there is a bigger mark on another oval for the same position in which case the latter alone shall be counted, provided there are only two such marks. If there are more than two such marks for a single position, no vote shall be counted, as in all other cases of over vote, because then the voter’s intent cannot be determined.

Explosions rock Ampatuan mansion

Two suspects threw grenades at a mansion owned by a relative of a powerful clan in Maguindanao province whose members are suspects in the killing of 57 people.

The provincial police reported the grenades were lobbed early morning Saturday at a mansion owned by Datu Unsay town councilor Datu Pandag Ampatuan in Barangay Poblacion, Sharif Aguak town.

One of the grenades exploded at the mansion's kitchen and another went off at the concrete fence of the house.

No one was hurt in the blast but the mansions occupants were terrified, police said.

The explosion had affected the power lines of the Maguindanao Electric Cooperative, leaving Sharif Aguak town without power for several hours.

Explosive ordnance disposal team of the Philippine Army discovered two safety pins of hand grenades. A grenade was recovered in one of the windows, which failed to detonate.

Police report said the suspects allegedly fled onboard a motorcycle towards an unknown destination.

Authorities said the Ampatuans have been receiving death threats from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, the group created by former Moro Islamic Liberation Front leader Ameril Ombra Kato.

Ampatuan family members, including clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr., are among the hundreds of suspects in the November 23, 2009 massacre of 57 people, mostly media workers, in the town of Ampatuan.

The Maguindanao massacre was dubbed as deadliest event for journalist in history.

By Edgardo Fuerzas

Survey says: Filipino Men most narcissistic

Much is made about the loveliness of the Filipino female. But you wouldn't know it by talking to the Filipino men -- they're too busy gazing lustfully into the mirror.

According to a study from Synovate, Filipino men are the most narcissistic in Asia. A whopping 48 percent consider themselves sexually attractive.

And if the ladies reading this think the guys' encounters with the brow tweazers are for your benefit, sorry -- nine out of 10 Filipino men polled said they liked to look good for themselves, not anyone else.

By way of comparison, just 25 percent of men in Singapore considered themselves sexually attractive, 17 percent in China and Taiwan and a measly 12 percent of Hong Kong guys think the same.

President Aquino expects 14M tourists by 2014

President Benigno Aquino 3rd said Saturday he expects tourist arrivals in the country to hit 14 million by 2014 as the country reaps the benefits of modernized airports and other infrastructures through the government’s private-public partnership (PPP) program.

Aquino led the inauguration of the rehabilitation of the Caticlan Airport—also known as Go–dofredo P. Ramos Airport—considered as one of the PPP projects that would bring long-term benefits for the country by creating more jobs for people in the tourism sector.

“Ang bagong terminal na ito ay maituturing natin na isang malaking trangkahan na magbubukas ng maraming oportunidad. Hindi lamang para sa labas-masok na mga banyagang negosyante at turista ngunit higit sa lahat para sa patuloy na pagyabong ng turismo sa bansa,” Aquino said.

With 3.5 million tourists last year, the Philippines still lags behind its neighbors such as Malaysia and Thailand, which boast of 22 million and 14 million visitors, respectively.

“Three and half million is still a far cry from 14 [million], which we hope to achieve sooner rather than later. Perhaps as early as 2014,” Aquino said.

The government intends to hold bidding for PPP projects to establish international airports in Panglao in Bohol, Daraga in Albay, Puerto Princesa in Palawan and Cagayan de Oro City.

San Miguel Corp. through its affiliate TransAire Development Holdings Corp. developed the Caticlan airport under a build-operate-transfer scheme. TransAire will operate the airport for 25 years based on the agreement with the government.

The country’s biggest food and beverage maker modernized the airport by putting two X-ray machines, additional luggage area, provided ambulance and fire trucks as well as a computerized check-in counter. State-of-the-art scanners also strengthened security at the airport.

SMC installed new airport navigation and runway lighting systems, allowing the terminal to accommodate night-time flights like big airports in the country.

Around 700,000 tourists arrive in Caticlan Airport every year and with the planned widening and development of the airstrip, the government expects annual tourist arrival in the island to pick up to three million, Aquino said.

The President added that the economy of the province of Aklan stands to gain a minimum of P322.50 billion from the expansion should every tourist spend $1,000, for food, transportation and souvenir items excluding lodging and hotel.

Among the added features of the airport will be a jetty port that will allow easy transfer from the airport to Caticlan. It can also serve up to two international cruise liners at a time.

To complement the airport expansion, a 5,000-room budget hotel will rise within the airport as well as world-class convention center with a seating capacity of 25,000.

A shopping mall will also be built housing entertainment facilities, souvenir shops, night clubs and seafood restaurants, which will all be managed by local operators and associations.

BY KRISTA ANGELA M. MONTEALEGRE

PAGCOR sues its own former chief

The present, Aquino administration, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) last week filed a criminal case against former chairman and CEO Efraim Genuino and ex-officials of the agency for graft and corruption related to PAGCOR’s questionable direct funding assistance of more than P34 million to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association, Inc. (PASA) beginning 2007.

In a separate complaint, sports advocates led by former Senator Nikki Coseteng and Philippine Swim League President Susan Papa, with other swimming notables, also filed on Tuesday charges of graft and corruption, and violations of the Forfeiture law and Anti-Money Laundering Act against Genuino, former Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, PASA President Mark Joseph and several others.

Commenting on the issue, Joseph told the Manila Times that he has already answered all accusations on the matter a long time ago.

An official press statement from PAGCOR states the Commission on Audit’s findings on the case. It reads, “After a review of the submitted documents, COA wrote PAGCOR on January 18, 2010 stating the following: 1) There is no basis of authority for PAGCOR to release the funds directly to PASA instead of releasing to PSC as mandated by law; 2) The liquidation report submitted by PAGCOR is not signed/approved by the authorized PASA official; and 3) disbursements stated in the liquidation report in the total amount of P31,858,616.85 were not properly supported by documents.”

It seems clear that that Genuino’s PAGCOR did enter into a transaction of directly funding an NSA contrary to law. But can the complainants against Genuino et al. prove that the money intended for our swimming athletes went to Genuino’s and his family’s Trace school?

Being stupid is its own reward...

Being stupid is its own reward...

“It’s not the first time Ca-randang was caught with his foot in his mouth… Hicap added: “Please allow us to set the record straight. The Left has rebuked China’s arrogance in dealing with the Spratlys… On both points, Carandang turned out to be wrong and his network bosses compelled him to issue an apology. “

BY DAN MARIANO

“Another Palace official who seems determined to make more enemies than friends for his boss is Secretary Ramon Carandang, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office.

Better known as Ricky in his previous career as a TV news reader, Carandang reportedly scored leftist groups for what he described as their “silence” on the Spratlys dispute with China.

In a report posted on a TV news website, Carandang was quoted telling reporters last Monday: “May mga grupo d’yan na, you know, mabilis mag-reklamo. Bahagi naman talaga ng demokrasya natin ‘yon, ang pagrereklamo. Pero dito sa isyu ng West Philippine Sea, parang wala kang marinig na hinaing sa kanila.” Here’s a rough translation: “There are those groups that, you know, are quick to complain. That’s really a part of democracy, complaining. But on the issue of the West Philippine Sea, it seems like you don’t hear any protest from them.”

A leader of one of “those groups” Carandang took a dig at has come out to accuse the Palace official of ignorance.

Fernando Hicap of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said so-called “leftist” groups have already made clear their stand on the territorial dispute.

Hicap reportedly said, “Either Mr. Carandang is not reading the newspapers handed to him every day or he is not browsing the Internet regarding the Left’s position on the Spratlys dispute.”

Hicap added: “Please allow us to set the record straight. The Left has rebuked China’s arrogance in dealing with the Spratlys.”

It’s not the first time Ca-randang was caught with his foot in his mouth.

At the height of the presidential campaign last year, while he was still a TV news reader, Carandang erroneously described newspaper columnist Dick Pas-cual as an appointee of then-President Gloria M. Arroyo to the board of a government-owned corporation—a misidentification that Carandang nonetheless invoked to “explain” Pascual’s alleged pro-GMA stance.

On both points, Carandang turned out to be wrong and his network bosses compelled him to issue an apology. Observers wonder if he was already part of the Aquino campaign while was still reading network news.”

The Philippines' 25 richest people

The Philippines’ economy grew only 4.9 percent in the first quarter of the year in part because of a drop in trade and lower infrastructure spending by government, off from 8.4 percent in 2010, but the country’s stock market is booming.

The stock exchange’s composite index is up 27 percent since last year, surpassing its 2007 benchmark. This lifted the fortunes of the country’s richest to an all-time high. They’re collectively worth $34 billion, up from last year’s $22.8 billion.

Thirty-two tycoons are richer. For the fourth year in a row, mall magnate Henry Sy holds the top with a net worth of $7.2 billion, up from $5 billion last year. The biggest gainer in percentage terms is former trade minister Roberto Ongpin, whose fortune soared more than fourfold to $1.3 billion.

Overall, the number of billionaires has more than doubled this year to 11 – a record haul. Among the newly minted billionaires is port operator Enrique Razon Jr., who saw his net worth jump to $1.6 billion from $975 million last year.

Among the four newcomers in the top 40 list are Jose Antonio, founder of high-end property developer Century Properties; Jacinto Ng Sr., founder of biscuit-maker Rebisco; and 34-year-old Edgar Sia II, the youngest on the list, who sold his barbecue chain to Tony Tan Caktiong’s Jollibee Foods.

The Philippines’ top 25 richest are:

1. Henry Sy, $7.2 billion/diversified

2. Lucio Tan, $2.8 billion/diversified

3. John Gokongwei Jr., $2.4 billion/diversified

4. Andrew Tan, $2 billion/diversified

5. David Consunji, $1.9 billion/construction

6. Jaime Zobel de Ayala $1.7 billion/diversified

7. Enrique Razon Jr., $1.6 billion/ports

8. Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., $1.4 billion/food & drinks

9. Roberto Ongpin, $1.3 billion/diversified

10. George Ty, $1.1 billion/banking

11. Tony Tan Caktiong, $1 billion/fast food

12. Inigo & Mercedes Zobel, $980 million/diversified

13. Emilio T. Yap, $930 million/diversified

14. Andrew Gotianun, $795 million/real estate

15. Jon Ramon Aboitiz, $760 million/diversified

16. Beatrice Campos, $685 million/pharma

17. Manuel Villar, $620 million/real estate

18. Vivian Que Azcona, $555 million/retail

19. Robert Coyiuto Jr., $400 million/power

20. Mariano Tan, $375 million/pharma

21. Alfonso Yuchengco, $370 million/diversified

22. Enrique Aboitiz, $310 million/diversified

23. Oscar Lopez, $280 million/media

24. Jose Antonio, $245 million/real estate

25. Eric Recto, $200 million/diversified

BY FORBES ASIA

Food chemical may shrink sex organs

To further secure the health and safety of the students, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday ordered all school canteens to rid of products from their stocks contaminated with the chemical di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or DEHP.

DEHP is suspected to cause damage in the kidneys, liver and lungs, and cause reproductive and developmental disorders such as underdeveloped penises and testicles in boys and early puberty in girls.

DepEd points to a DOH-FDA directive (2011-008), “products whether registered or not with the FDA but identified in the tentative list of DEHP-contaminated products shall be recalled and disposed of properly.”

Some of the items under the list include fruit juices, fruit juice powders, fruit concentrates, fruit candies, fruit tablets, fruit powders, sports drinks, teas, jelly and yoghurt.

In Memorandum Order No. 140, Education Secretary Armin Luistro directed school canteens to “dispose of or return products in your stocks and ensure that they are not consumed by students and school personnel.”

School heads were also mandated to monitor the inventory of food items sold in school cafeterias, and to relay the department’s concern with the local government so food stalls outside of schools maybe examined.

Those in-charge of school canteens are likewise encouraged to follow the directive from the Department of Health-Food and Drug Administration (DOH-FDA) on how to deal with DEHP-contaminated products to prevent school children from buying it.

Under the said DOH-FDA directive (2011-008), “products whether registered or not with the FDA but identified in the tentative list of DEHP-contaminated products shall be recalled and disposed of properly.”

Some of the items under the list include fruit juices, fruit juice powders, fruit concentrates, fruit candies, fruit tablets, fruit powders, sports drinks, teas, jelly and yoghurt.

Products not identified in the list but are unregistered with the FDA shall also be recalled and disposed of, and lastly that those products that are registered but not identified in the list shall be withdrawn from the market to be subjected to a laboratory analysis to confirm the presence or absence of DEHP.

The toxic watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition earlier urged DepEd to act on rolling out a food safety awareness and action campaign with school administrators, teachers, non-teaching personnel, students, parents and food service providers to educate them on the gravity of the issue.

The Taiwan’s FDA has also ordered a stop to the selling of products made by the Yu Shen Chemical Company that used DEHP as substitute for palm oil.

BY MARIA NIKKA U. GARRIGA

Critics harp on Aquino’s ‘poor work ethic’

Opposition congressmen on Tuesday blamed President Benigno Aquino III’s poor leadership and work ethic for the decline in his popularity.

“This is a wake-up call,” said Deputy Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, referring to the latest Social Weather Stations survey that showed Mr. Aquino’s net approval rating fell to +46 from +51 in March and +64 in November 2010.

“Half the population is not satisfied with the way you’re handling the government.”

The survey, which interviewed 1,200 respondents nationwide, subtracted the percentage of respondents who disapproved of Mr. Aquino (18 percent) from those who approved of his performance (64 percent) to reach his net approval rating.

The percentage of respondents who approved of Mr. Aquino also fell from a peak of 71 percent in November 2010 to 64 percent in June 2011.

The President played down the results Tuesday.

“I am not really that concerned. Ratings will go up or down,” he said.

“What is more important to us is that we can face anybody and say with conviction that we are truly working and we are not after brownie points for our popularity.”

But Suarez said the survey results bolstered the call by Palace critics for a congressional probe of the President’s allies and cronies, who they said were getting special treatment.

“If there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear,” Suarez said.

Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay, also of the opposition, advised Mr. Aquino to improve his work ethic and practice being a “fast-paced” leader.

“More and more people are getting disappointed with this administration as they are either too slow or not addressing at all the needs of the people,” Magsaysay said.

“If this situation persists, this will have a downward spiral in the coming months.”

Gabriela Party-list Rep. Emmy de Jesus agreed.

“His non-action on people’s economic issues will really bring down his credibility. Soaring prices are affecting more and more people,” she said.

But the administration’s allies said the drop in the President’s rating was normal and to be expected.

“That is a very normal rating for a President who has an awesome rating because of the overwhelming mandate and trust given by the people to him,” House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said.

External factors such as rising oil prices might have hurt Mr. Aquino’s ratings, he said.

Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, another Aquino ally, said the 5-point drop in the President’s approval rating was “insignificant” given the problems that the administration faced.

Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, predicted President Aquino’s rating would bounce back once his infrastructure and social development projects got started with Joyce Pangco Pañares.

By Maricel Cruz

Maguindanao massacre trial live online

Chief Justice Renato C. Corona has ordered the live video webcast of the Maguindanao massacre trial through the Supreme Court’s (SC) website, www.sc.judiciary.gov.ph.

The directive that would make the court trial accessible to viewers worldwide, continuously and without interruption, was issued to Court Administrator and SC spokesman Jose Midas P. Marquez.

Responding to the directive, Marquez said: “We will try to do a test webcast by next week.” Trials are conducted by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) every Wednesday and Thursday.

Marquez said the SC’s Public Information Office (PIO) will now restructure the website and acquire the technical requirements to comply with the order of the Chief Justice.

With the directive, the Maguindanao massacre may now be viewed using computers or mobile Internet services and even cellular telephones.

Earlier, the SC allowed the live television and radio coverage of the trial of the cases involving the 2009 Maguindanao massacre where 57 persons died, 32 of them journalists.

But the SC said its ruling cannot be used as precedent in other cases since it was adopted only after considering the peculiar circumstances of the trial.

It said that the present courtroom being used at the Quezon City RTC cannot accommodate the numerous parties involved in the trial of the cases – family members of the victims and the accused and the accused themselves, witnesses, prosecutors, and members of the media.

The decision granted the petitions of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and television networks ABS-CBN and GMA-7, and the letter of President Aquino sent to Chief Justice Corona.

Foremost of the guidelines was that any television or radio station operator who would desire to air live coverage of the trial must first file an application with the office of Quezon City RTC Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes who conducts the trial.

According to Marquez, only one television camera will be allowed inside the courtroom and will be under the control of the court from where all other television and radio stations could hook up.

He pointed out that any television or radio station allowed to air live coverage of the trial should air the day’s proceedings from start to finish without any interruptions like a commercial break or commentaries or voice annotations, except to describe certain actions inside the court like the turning over to the judge of certain documents by any of the parties.

Primary suspects in the Maguindanao massacre are members of the Ampatuan clan. Its patriarch, Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr., pleaded not guilty to the multiple murder charges filed against him and his family members by the Department of Justice.

The full text of the coverage guidelines:

(a) An audio-visual recording of the Maguindanao massacre cases may be made both for documentary purposes and for transmittal to live broadcasting;

(b) Media entities must file with the trial court a letter of application, manifesting that they intend to broadcast the audio-visual recording (AVR) of the proceedings; no selective or partial coverage shall be allowed and no media entity shall be allowed to broadcast the proceedings without an application duly approved by the trial court;

(c) A single fixed compact camera shall be installed inconspicuously inside the courtroom to provide a single wide-angle full-view of the sala of the trial court; no panning and zooming shall be allowed to avoid unduly highlighting or downplaying incidents in the proceedings; The SC Public Information Office and the Office of the Court Administrator shall coordinate and assist the trial court on the physical set-up of the camera and equipment;

(d) The transmittal of the AVR from inside the courtroom to the media entities shall be conducted in such a way that the least physical disturbance shall be ensured;

(e) The broadcasting of the proceedings for a particular day must be continuous and in its entirety;

(f) No commercial break or any other gap shall be allowed until the day’s proceedings are adjourned, except during the period of recess call by the trial court and during portions of the proceedings wherein the public is ordered excluded;

(g) The proceedings shall be broadcast without any voice-overs, except brief annotations of scenes depicted therein as may be necessary to explain them at the start or at the end of the scene;

(h) No repeat airing of the AVR shall be allowed until after the finality of judgment, except brief footages and still images derived from or cartographic sketches of scenes based on the recording, only for news purposes, which shall likewise observe the sub judice rule and be subject to the contempt power of the court;

(i) The original AVR shall be deposited in the National Museum and the Records Management and Archives Office for preservation and exhibition; and

(j) The AVR of the proceedings shall be made under the supervision and control of the trial court.

By REY G. PANALIGAN