A Sleeping Chromite Giant?

Transcription

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NEWS AT THE SPEED OF LIFE
2005 SPECIAL EDITION
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2005
www.manilapost.com
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WORLD'S FIRST PHILIPPINE GLOBAL PRINT-ON-DEMAND DAILY NEWSPAPER
DINASIAR
INCORPORATED
NEW JERSEY, USA
PREZ GMA
THE PHILIPPINES
could become the fifth
largest mining power
in the world because
of the Supreme Court's
decision allowing
foreign investors
to exploit mineral
resources in the
country, says
SEE PAGE 2
Prez GMA .
Senator Ping Lacson
new opposition leader?
NAME ILLEGAL
SEE
LOGGERS PAGE
– DEFENSOR 9
MOTHERLAND
Phivolcs list
tsunami-prone
areas in R.P.
SEE PAGE 7
A Woman
Of
Substance
By Jose Ma. Montelibano
SUSAN ROCES
The proposed Dinasiar chromite stockpile and
loading area that can hold thousands of tons of
chromite ore for shipment abroad. Designed and
conceptualized by Dr. Marolo Alfaro, P. Eng. of the
Department of Civil Engineering University of
Manitoba in Canada. ART BY AMMA
SEE PAGE 20
PESO-DOLLAR RATE: P56.28 = $1.00
PAGE 8
DINASIAR
PHILIPPINE MINING SPECIAL REPORT
DINASIAR
formerly
LIWAT
CHROMITE MINES is reorganized
with American investments to develop
the 320 hectare 5 patentable mining
claim of the original locator Liborio
Liwat located in Loreto Surigao del
Norte, Philippines which was registered
and legally acquired under the provisions of the U.S. Act of Congress,
known as the Philippine Bill of 1902,
that has the status of an American Grant.
The Liwat mining claim was
acquired by the Liwat family before the
Philippines became a republic and has
almost absolute ownership on the surface rights and mineral rights of the said
property based on the Philippine Bill of
1902.
The area has vested rights and
patentable with the status of a private
property. It was segregated from the
public domain barring others would-be
locators from locating and appropriating
the minerals found underneath and
above it the reason why the Liwat family was granted Private Land Timber
License (PLTL) No.1 by the Bureau of
Forestry (now CENRO) under the directorship of Jose Viado in the year 19801986 during the presidency of President
Ferdinand Marcos.
A person who acquired ownership
over a parcel of private mineral land
pursuant to the laws then prevailing
could exclude other persons, even the
State, from exploiting minerals within
his property. Thus, earlier jurisprudence
held that: A valid and subsisting location
of mineral land, made and kept up in
accordance with the provisions of the
statutes of the United States, has the
effect of a grant by the United States of
the present and exclusive possession of
the lands located, and this exclusive
right of possession and enjoyment continues during the entire life of the location.
Under the American doctrine, mineral rights are included in a grant of land
by the government.
The discovery of minerals in the
ground by one who has a valid mineral
location, perfect his claim and his location, not only against third persons but
also against the Government.
Golden cat in the mining area
An old story told over and over by
the Liwat clans says that what prompted
320 HECTARES 5 PATENTABLE
LIWAT MINING CLAIM
2
by GABRIEL ALFIERO
Manila Post Correspondent
CIRCA 1960s: President Diosdado Macapagal (LEFT) administering an
oath to the original mining locator Liborio Liwat (RIGHT) as Liberal party
official. Witnessing the ceremony is Congressman Constantino "Oguing"
Navarro Sr. (CENTER) of Surigao del Norte.
With an estimated forecast of 50,000 tons
of high-grade chromite production per quarter
at the initial stage of mining, it could generate
about 5 million dollars per quarter
(275,000,000 millions in pesos per quarter).
A total of P1,100,000,000 per year, a big source
of revenues for the country and to the local
government where the mine is located
Mr. Liborio Liwat, the original locator to
file a mining claim over the area during
the American regime in the Philippines
was the old man's encounter of a golden cat roaming around the area long time
ago.
"Maybe it was just an ordinary
brownish, yellowish wild cat being hit
by intense sunlight that played a visual
trick on Lolo Boriong, an optical illusion", said one of the clans.
The golden cat is now becoming a
legend by which stories about it have
been told over and over, added and modified not only by members of the Liwat
clan but also by people living near the
area.
One member of the clan told a story
he saw the golden cat in an apple tree in
the middle of the forested section in one
of the 5 patentable mining claim area,
that lead him to speculate that the
motherload is in that area.
Coincidentally, engineers who
drilled on that claim area discovered a
big find 30 meters by 28 meters of solid
chromite deposit underneath waiting to
be extracted estimated thousands of
tons of chomite ores. "That find will
probably lead us to the main ore body",
CLAIM 1
CLAIM 2
CLAIM 3
CLAIM 4
CLAIM 5
64 hectares
64 hectares
64 hectares
64 hectares
64 hectares
said an engineer who was part of the
drilling team.
Others told a story of a giant king
and prince of Mt. Redondo where the
mining claim specifically located in
the town of Loreto. "King Tinduay, is
the guardian of the chromite ores
underneath the land. He will only give
the chromite to those people who has
no trace of greed in their hearts", the
medicine man (Arbulario) said.
A security guard claimed he saw a
giant shadow sitting on top of the
chromite stockpile one evening that
prompted him to fire his shotgun
towards the shadow believed to be
either King Tinduay or the prince. The
folowing morning the security guard's
arms were swollen which he attributed
it to his action of shooting the giant
shadow.
Superstitious mining officials
hired a medicine man to perform a ceremony in the place where the giant
shadow was shot at to appease King
Tinduay, the guardian of chromite.
The medicine man said that it was
the prince, the son of King Tinduay
whom the security guard shot the previous night.
"I saw the medicine man dancing
uttering spells holding a bamboo stick
that magically shortens and extends
that served as a negative or affirmative
answer from an imaginary person
believed to be King Tinduay whom the
medicine man directed the questions",
said Paul Gupana, a clan member who
witnessed the medicine man's ceremony when he was still a young boy. This
young boy now owns a big successful
health product company in Manila.
"Surprisingly days after the pig
and chickens were slaughtered during
the medicine man's ceremony at the
site, the guard's swollen arms were
healed", Paul added.
With the remoteness of the town
where the mining site is located, people are still believing on superstitions,
legends, dwarfs, giants, angels and
witches. Medicine men are still in big
business in the area.
U.S. Geological Survey
According U.S. Geological survey
records, Loreto (Dinagat Island) has
vast reserves of millions of tons of
high -grade lumpy metallurgical
Acquired under the provisions of the U.S. Act
of Congress, known as the Philippine Bill of 1902.
MANILA POST SPECIAL EDITION NEW YEAR 2005
chromite with assay sample description
Cr203% at 53.73 and sandy or fine
chromite at 38.53.
Based on initial scientific mining
explorations, analytical results yielded
high grade chromite contents with 0.03
percent of gold, not insignificant but
could add up the value of ore on every
loading says American lawyer and
investor John Howley.
in the production of stainless steel, a
bright, shiny steel that is strong and
resistant to oxidation (rust). Stainless
steel production consumes most of the
chromium
produced
annually.
Chromium is also used to make heatresisting steel. So-called "superalloys"
use chromium and have strategic military applications.
Chromium also has some use in the
manufacture of certain chemicals. For
example, chromium-bearing chemicals
are used in the process of tanning
leather. Chromium compounds are also
used in the textiles industries to produce
a yellow color.
Dinasiar Expeditionary Team
In August of 2004 Dinasiar sent a
prospecting expeditionary team to the
island of Dinagat to check and confirm
the report of the US Geological Survey
as well as to survey specifically the
320 Liwat Mining Claim area believed
to be heavily loaded with the mineral
chromite.
The team composed of Dinasiar
officials, foreign investors, mining
engineers and former scout rangers of
the Philippine Army securing the team.
Standing deposits
As elaborated by Dinasiar
Executive Vice President Felipe
"Keem" Espejon, based on mining
Engr. Esguerra's report.
On CLAIM NO. 1 & CLAIM NO. 5 of
the 5 patentable mining claims, based
on initial exploration on the half
hectare area on both claims, the area
has positive reserves of approximately
458,000 tons divided into three types,
metallurgical 29,725 tons, milling
grade 348,562 tons and refractory
grade 80,437 tons.
Computation of the chromite ore
reserves was based on actual measurement of the two exposed sides of outcrops along the strike length and using
tonnage factor 2.5% for this particular
deposit.
The new findings in Claim No 5.
is presumed to be a portion of the main
ore body. Probable ore reserves were
not yet computed including
those projected
extension
of
ore body until
such time that
exploration by
d i a m o n d
drilling will be
completed in
order that additional positive
and probable Felipe
ore reserves be "Keem"
Espejon,
included.
C L A I M Dinasiar Executive
NO. 2 contains Vice President
the mother load
possibly million of tons of chromite.
CLAIM NO. 3 and 4 have yet to be
explored.
Chromite outcrops
Mining Engineer Sam Capistrano,
a geologist who was part of the early
exploration team sent to the area in the
early 70s and also came back to the
island after 30 years with the Dinasiar
prospecting team, had positively confirmed in his report that the area is
indeed rich in minerals as to the presence of several chromite outcrops and
also
revealed scientifically by the
results of the diamond drillings done in
the area by the early exploration team.
"You don't have to dig deep for
chromite, you're standing right on top
of it, one of the largest chromite
reserves in the world or you can directly chip off chromite ores from the sides
of the mountain cliffs", Capistrano said.
Also, former Bureau of Mines
director Joel Muyco confirmed the rich
mineral reserves in the area during the
concluded 2004 Mining Summit held in
Surigao City Convention Center last
Dinasiar Whispering Mineral Resources mining company chairman
Corazon Liwat Moya (RIGHT) with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo (LEFT).
week of July 2004.
Chromite international prices
According to Arturo Cruz,
Dinasiar's Vice President on Planning
and Marketing, average price of
chromite in the international market is
$100.00 per ton on high grades and
between $60 to $80 per ton on lower
grades.
With an estimated forecast of
50,000 tons of high-grade chromite ores
production per quarter at the initial
stage of mining, it could generate about
5 million dollars per quarter
(275,000,000 millions in pesos). A total
of P1,100,000,000 per year, a big source
of revenues for the country and to the
local government where the mine is
located says Arturo Cruz.
"Production will surely be doubled
and triplicated
once all equipment, facilities
and personnel
are already in
placed in the
mining site. We
expect billions
of revenues for
the country and
company," Cruz
said.
"We have Arturo Cruz,
been receiving Dinasiar's Vice
inquiries
and President on
orders
of Planning and
chromite from Marketing
American, and
Chinese companies ranging from 5,000
tons per month up to 30, 000 tons per
month," Dinasiar Marketing Veep Cruz
said.
The mineral chromite
Chromium is a hard, bluish metallic
element (Cr) with an atomic number of
24. In the mid-1700's, chemical analysis
of a mineral from Siberia showed that it
contained lead. This mineral, crocoite
(PbCrO4, lead chromate), was known as
"red lead" because of the beautiful
orange-red color of its crystals. It also
contained another, then-unknown material. This material was identified as
chromium oxide (CrO3) by LouisNicholas Vauquelin. In 1797, he heated
this oxide with charcoal to remove the
oxygen (chemists call this reaction a
reducing process) which left the metal
chromium.
Shortly after Vauquelin's discovery,
a German chemist name Tassaert discovered chromium in an ore that geologists now call chromite (FeCr2O4, ferrous chromic oxide). Chromite forms in
an igneous environment. The name
chromium was derived from the Greek
word chroma which means color, in reference to the fact that chromium is
known to cause a number of colors in a
variety of materials. For example, the
green color of emerald is caused by the
presence of very small amounts of
chromium in the crystal.
The only ore of chromium is the
mineral chromite. United States
chromium consumption is equivalent to
about 14% of all the chromite ore
mined each year. In the western hemisphere, chromite ore is produced only in
Brazil and Cuba; the United States,
Mexico and Canada do not produce
chromite. (The Stillwater Complex in
Montana is the biggest chromium
deposit in the United States, however it
is not producing chromite ore at this
time.) By comparison, about 80% of
world production of chromite comes
from
the
Philippines,
India,
Kazakhstan, Turkey and southern
Africa. Southern Africa itself produces
about half of this.
Geologists estimate that there are
about 11 billion tons of chromium ore
(chromite) in the world that could be
mined. Most of these resources are
found in southern Africa and the
Philippines. This is enough chromium
ore to meet world demand for hundreds
of years into the future.
Chromium is alloyed (that is,
mixed with) steel to make it corrosion
resistant or harder. An example is its use
Dinasiar mining site
Loreto where Dinasiar's mining site
is located is in the northern side of the
mainland of Surigao del Norte. It is one
of the seven towns of Dinagat Island
which was dubbed by General Douglas
McArthur as one of the "three sentinel
islands guarding the Central Philippines
from the enemies in the Pacific". It is
endowed with rich mineral resources
like aluminous laterite ore, chromite,
gold, niceliferous laterite, sand and
gravel, guano, rock phosphate, limestone, and siliceous sand. It is also considered as an excellent fishing ground.
The municipality is blessed with
historical places and natural beauty
spots like white beaches, waterfalls, hot
springs and clusters of mountains.
These include Polo Beach, Black Beach
No. 2, Cambinliw Falls and River,
Loreto Desolation Point Light House,
Esperanza Natural Spring Resort and
Mega O Beach Resort and Snorkeling
Strips.
Dinasiar Mining Company
DINASIAR is set-up to develop,
extract, market and revive the mining
operation in the mining claims of the
heirs of Liborio Liwat located in Loreto,
Dinagat Island in the province of
Surigao del Norte.
Liwat Chromite Mines the predecessor of Dinasiar mining company
started in the mining business in the late
1930s.
The mining claim is composed of 5
patentable mineral claims of approxi-
Town of Loreto, Surigao del Norte,
Philippines, where the 320 hectare
patentable mining claim of the Liwat
family is located.
MAP OFDINAGAT ISLAND
3
mately 64 hectares each for a total of
320 hectares which the area is contained
inside the proposed Mineral Production
Sharing Agreement (MPSA) in conformity with the Philippine 1995
Mining Act.
The original Liborio Liwat Mining
Claim covering about 320 hectares was
acquired under the provisions of the Act
of the US Congress dated July 1, 1902
(PhilippineBill of 1902 for short).
The mining claim has confirmedstanding deposits of thousands of tons
of metallurgical high grade chromite
and other minerals such as gold, nickel
and platinum based on actual scientific
exploration.
Mining history
Liwat Mining Claim was originally
located by Liborio Liwat in 1934 based
on the Philippine Bill of 1902 during
the American regime. In the same year
chromite outcrops were discovered in
the area before the Philippines became a
republic..
Liwat Chromite Mines was operated by COMPANIA MARITIMA before
the Japanese war. According to reliable
sources this company employed purely
underground (tunneling) mining and
made several shipments of chromite ore.
In the latter part of 1976, another
company MIDAS RESOURCES INC.,
resumed the mining operation and made
shipments for Marc Rich estimated to
be 10,000 metric tons of metallurgical
grade (high grade) of chromite with an
assay of 53% Cr203.
Subsequent shipment of thousands
of tons, in 1981 by Asia Chrome Inc.
was made, also for Marc Rich.
Production stopped shortly after the second shipment due to declining chromite
market.
Mining operations resumed in 1987
in small-scale initiated by the claim
owner through Ms. Corazon Moya, who
has an operating agreement with the
claimant, Liborio Liwat, her father. The
small-scale production was locally sold
to Ferrochrome and other local buyers.
Former lawyer Mat Defensor found
In the 1990s Liwat Chromite Mines
partnered with Purr Marketing, owned
by Atty. Mat Defensor who was introduced by then DENR Secretary Victor
Ramos to Mrs. Corazon Liwat Moya.
Atty. Mat Defensor started as a
lawyer of the Liwat Chromite Mines
later on became an investor and partner
in buying, selling and mining chromite
ore in Dinagat Island servicing the local
chromite market in Cagayan de Oro
City particularly Horizon Mining Corp.
owned by Engr. Rolando de Guzman,
Ferrochrome smelters in the Philippines
and American company called Philipp
Brothers (Phibro), with Mr. Rolly de
Guzman as their R.P. representative.
Phibro now called Metallia USA, based
in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
In June 2004, Mrs. Corazon Liwat
Moya, the legal heir of the original
claimant Liborio Liwat legally entrusted the mining claim to a nephew at the
Philippine Consulate in New York City
witnessed by Consul Lourdes C.
Legaspi.
Presently, Liwat Chromite Mines
has evolved into a company called
DINASIAR under the stewardship of
US trained business managers headed
by Al Ompod, the president of the company and the nephew of the chairman
Corazon Liwat Moya.
In August of 2004, Al Ompod went
home to the the Philippines with
American investors interested to revive
the mining operation of the Liwat
Chromite Mines under a new company
called Dinasiar with an initial order of
20,000 tons from a Florida chromite
buyer, Mr. Zimmerman.
4
Two months before, Al Ompod
hired a Philippine lawyer, Atty. Tony
Inventado to do a research on the Liwat
mining claim at the Bureau of Mines
and the lawyer discovered that the mining license application of Mrs. Corazon
Liwat Moya was denied by the Bureau
of Mines on the ground that she was
nowhere to be found and so bureau officials assumed Mrs. Moya lack interest
to mine. "Mrs. Corazon Liwat Moya
was not given due process in this case"
said Atty. Harly Bajamunde.
An American lawyer recommended
to file a motion for reconsideration once
the team arrived in the Philippines only
to find out upon arrival that the Liwat
mining claim based on the Philippine
Bill of 1902 was overlapped by a claim
of another company called Rapid City
owned by a certain Veronica Lee.
Presented with a situation the president of Dinasiar called up via long distance Mrs. Corazon Liwat Moya in the
United States who in turn instructed Al
Ompod to find their former lawyer, Mat
Defensor whom Mrs. Moya said is very
familiar with the patentable mining
claim of the Liwat family based on the
Philippine Bill of 1902.
Dinasiar team composed of
Dinasiar president Al Ompod, John
Howley, the American lawyer and
investor, Atty. Tony Inventado, filipino
lawyer and Maj. Tom Alfaro, Dinasiar
security director met with Atty. Mat
Defensor in Congress. Defensor is now
a congressman in the third district of
Quezon City and the father of the present DENR secretary, Mike Defensor.
Representing lawyers
On the preparation of the necessary
legal permits and licences for the mining operation, Dinasiar's lead legal team
is represented by Atty. Harly
Bajamunde in Manila.
Other lawyers in coordination with
the lead legal team are namely: Atty.
Tony Inventado in Manila, Atty. Danny
Menor in Surigao City, Attorneys.
Salvador Ruiz and Ruben Curasa both
from Butuan City.
Area security
As per request by the American
investors on security of the area,
Dinasiar company delegated Major
Tomasito Alfaro, a former Scout Ranger
in the Philippine Army to organize a
special security force to secure the mining claim area from trespassers, illegal
mining operators and "ukay-ukay" miners (local term for small scale miners)
usually backed up by local politicians
and area warlords.
Liaison office had been set-up
by the army major in an old ancestral
house in the heart of the town of Loreto
in the island of Dinagat in preparation
of permits and licenses to be submitted
to the local authorities.
Dinasiar Administrative Director,
Cyrus Dalman, a former Philippine
army captain said, "We received communications from big mining companies Philippine
and
foreign
based expressing their intentions to join
Dinasiar company in developing the Liwat
chromite mining area in
Dinagat island,
also lots of
inquiries from
FilipinoAmericans pro- Major Tom Alfaro,
fessionals inter- Dinasiar Security
ested to invest Director and
with Dinasiar
Liaison Officer
venture".
MEETINGINCONGRESS: (Left to Right) Manila Post lawyer Atty. Tony Inventado,
American lawyer and investor John Howley, Congressman Mat Defensor and
Dinasiar president Al Ompod. MANPOSTPHOTO
DINASIAR FIELD OFFICE in Loreto in the island of Dinagat, Surigao del Norte.
Joel Requillo, Dinasiar Community
Affairs Director said that they have
already an action plan in placed for the
community and people who will be
affected by the mining operations. "We
are for the welfare of the community ",
Requillo said.
Dinasiar's Cyrus Dalman, wife
Carmen, Joel Requillo and wife Liza
were responsible in raising the major
fundings in New
Jersey
for
the
Dinasiar prospecting
expeditionary unit
sent last August to
the Philippines.
industrial base, economic planners said.
"China is a potentially huge investment. If the Philippines promulgates
proper policies, it has a great opportunity of attracting China, which has foreign
exchange reserves of more than 400 billion dollars," economic analysts said.
"We must take advantage of this
opportunity because other countries are
eager to attract China's
investment in their mining
sites."
Economic
analysts
added that "the growth of the
mining industry is a critical
ingredient in inducing
greater
economic growth,
China is interested
attracting
more investments,
Economic plancreating
more jobs and
ners said the mining
reducing
poverty
particularsector could emerge
ly
in
the
rural
areas."
as the main engine
Mining has a "multiof economic growth
plier
effect"
of six times on
in the country, now
the
economy,
analysts said.
that the Supreme Dinasiar Community
And at potential value-addiCourt allowed for- Affairs Director Joel
tion of 300 billion pesos
eign investors to tap Requillo and wife Liza.
annually,
mining can add an
its vast potential.
incremental economic activThe sector's "potential wealth" is placed at 840 billion dol- ity of 1.8 trillion pesos or 36 percent of
lars, or 10 times the country's annual GDP, economic planners said.
"We foresee the industry to generate
gross domestic product and 15 times its
employment
of about 10,000, excluding
total foreign debt.
multiplier
effect
like increased power
Philippine economic planners said,
foreign investments were badly needed consumption. Aside from the benefits of
to supplement the meager capital environmental and social expenditures
resources in the country, since the full arising from an improved investment
development of one large-scale mining climate in mining, we also foresee taxes
site alone would require funding of to increase by 50 percent of both the
between 850 million to 1.2 billion dol- national and local governments,"
lars, which cannot be possibly raised by Philippine economic planners added.
local investors.
Chinese investors have shown RP could be world's 5th mining power
The Philippines could become the
"great interest" in Philippines' mining
fifth
largest mining power in the world
industry to support China's growing
because of the Supreme Court's decision
allowing foreign investors to exploit
mineral resources in the country,
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
said.
"We are poised for a strong economic takeoff never seen in the recent
past," the President said in a speech
before local officials attending the 14th
general assembly of the League of
Municipalities of the Philippines at the
Manila Hotel. "We should not be poor."
Ms Arroyo mentioned the country's
ranking based on deposits of its precious
metals -- No. 3 in gold, No. 4 in copper,
No. 5 in nickel and No. 6 in chromite
deposits.
She got the numbers after an interaction with the prime ministers of mining countries -- Canada and Australia -whose companies have been waiting for
a favorable Supreme Court decision to
pursue their exploration projects in the
country.
"Our mining potential is ten times
our annual gross national product. It can
easily wipe out our foreign debts and yet
leave more for future generations," the
President said.
Sound mining practices
The President assured the public
that mining should not be feared but
embraced because it would "discourage
the poor from ravaging just to survive
and mitigate the deadliest disasters."
She said the government was committed to "fully enforce responsible and
environmentally sound mining practices" to ensure the safety of workers
and the preservation of natural
resources.
"We are now in the 21st century and
all these new mining technologies will
certainly make our mining sustainable,"
said the President.
She noted that host communities
would benefit from the entry of mining
firms that would pay taxes and duties to
the provincial government down to the
barangay (village) levels.
Mining is the only sector that could
generate investments and dollar exports
that would enable the government to
achieve an economic growth rate of at
least 7 percent in the medium term,
according to a foreign think tank associated with The Economist.
Now is the time
The Philippine Business Leaders
Forum also noted that the high court
reversal of its previous ruling limiting
mining to Filipinos could not have come
at a better time.
"Now is the time. Chromite, Copper
and gold prices are at the highest for
several years and India and China are
predicted to keep chromite and copper
prices high through the next decade,"
the Forum said.
Foreign business groups, local
mining companies and President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo hailed the Supreme
Court decision, saying this will help
boost the economy.
"The Supreme Court has rendered a
decision that firmly upholds the national interest. As the fifth mineralized
country in the world with a close proximity to the biggest market for minerals,
China, the Philippines is poised for a
strong economic takeoff based on reinvigorated mining industry," Ms Arroyo
said .
SC spoken with wisdom
"The high court has spoken with
wisdom and joins the other great powers
of government in doing what is best for
the nation and people at this time of
challenge and opportunity," said the
President.
The President said that as the billions of dollars in new investments
Metallia USA, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. of
Canada, Planalto Trading, Inc.,
chromite shipper to China, Samgang of
Korea and other international companies who are interested to buy chromites
ores by the thousands of tons on a
monthly basis, also these companies are
watching, monitoring and waiting for
the resolution of our licensing at the
Philippine Bureau of Mines", Mrs.
Moya said. " The market is now ready
for Dinasiar", and we are just a license
away from extracting the mineral
chromite underneath our property".
"We are interested and attracted to
Dinasiar's area chromite deposits
because of its high assay reading Cr203
–53%", Metallia USASr.Vice President
Rafe Safier said.
DINASIAR PROSPECTING EXPEDITIONARY TEAM: (Left to Right) Mining Engr. Sam
Capistrano, Dinasiar president Al Ompod and Dinasiar Security Director Major
Tom Alfaro at the mining site. Behind are the old stockpiles of lumpy and
sandy chromite ores. MANPOSTPHOTO
poured into the mining industry, "the
rural areas will experience a significant
boost in jobs and productivity, plus a
strong surge in infrastructure development."
She said the full development of the
mining industry would "come hand in
hand with the full protection of the environment and a sturdy umbrella of social
and economic returns for the communities especially the indigenous peoples."
"God bless the Supreme Court. A
negative decision would have been disastrous to the Philippine economy,"
Environment Secretary Michael T.
Defensor said.
Benjamin Philip Romualdez, president of Chamber of Mines of the
Philippines, said the mining industry's
growth and the country's mineral production would finally increase with the
landmark decision.
Questionable license denial
and mining claim overlapping
Dinasiar chairman, Mrs. Corazon
Liwat Moya, the legal and rightful heir
of the original locator Liborio Liwat had
been working for more than thirty years
trying to get sound investors and operators who could mine the area to its
maximum production.
So far, according to Mrs. Moya,
since the day she was heavily involved
on the 320 hectare mining claim based
on the Philippine Bill of 1902, an estimated 30,000 to 40, 000 tons of
chromite only had been extracted from
the site, small percentage compare to
the recorded confirmed deposit of
480,000 tons of lumpy and refractory
chromite on the one hectare area only,
not to mention the rest of the 320
hectare mining site which has yet to be
explored.
The Philippine Bureau of Mines
denied the MPSA application of Ms.
Moya on the basis that she was not able
to comply additional requirements for
her MPSA application denominated as
AMPSA No. SMR-013-96.
Bureau of Mines claimed Ms, Moya
was duly notified by series of registered
mails sent to her but returned to the
Bureau of Mines office marked
"addressee moved no forwarding
address", leading the Bureau of Mines
officials to presume that Ms. Moya
extremely lack interest to pursue the
said application
"I have already filed my legal
protest to the Bureau of Mines on the
overlapping and licensing denial to put
on record that I am still alive and well,
still very much interested to mine the
area through Dinasiar", said Mrs. Moya.
"The Bureau of Mines did not give me
due process in denying my MPSA
application. Why should I be punished
or otherwise burden for the transgression of a law of which I had no notice
whatsoever, it is an extreme injustice on
my part".
Ms. Moya explained, "I was able to
comply my application of the Mineral
Production Sharing Agreement prior to
the enactment of the Philippine Mining
Act of 1995 during the Directorship of
Joel Muyco, who gave me advice to
publish the MPSA application in the
newspaper of general circulation for
two consecutive months, fully paid publication",
"I inherited the mining rights from
my birth father, a native of Loreto who
acquired the mining claim before the
Philippine republic was born , I paid the
real estate taxes for the land since time
immemorial I have spent thousands of
pesos for the preparation of the Report
of the MPSA, and the Environmental
Impact, which to my regret, the engineers preparing it for the processing and
approval asked me five million pesos
(P5,000,000) and my pocket cannot
warrant the amount," Mrs. Moya said. "I
decided to go to the United States to
look for sound foreign investors. I was
introduced by one of my nephews to an
interested lawyer-financier, Mr. John
Howley, who came to the Philippines
together with Dinasiar president, my
nephew last August of 2004 to see the
legality of the said mining property".
Upon discovery of the mining claim
overlapping
problems, American
investor told Mrs. Moya to come home
to the Philippines to clear the mess of
Rapid City Realty and Development
Corp. overlapping the Liwat Mining
property.
"I agreed to go home and arrived in
the Philippines from the US, Sept. 1,
2004", Mrs. Moya said. "On September
3, 2004, I was able to talk personally to
our former mining claim lawyer, Matias
Defensor at his residence, asking him to
help me return the mining property from
Rapid City company".
"How come the Bureau of Mines
officials allowed such illegal overlapping on a solid legitimate mining claim
of which records are kept at the bureau
since the 1930s", Mrs. Moya added.
"Something is very wrong going on at
the Bureau".
According to Mrs. Moya, they have
now the American investment money,
heavy equipment ready to go, standing
by at an equipment yard somewhere in
Quezon City and most of all, they have
standing offers from American and
Chinese buyers willing to buy chromite
ores between 5,000 tons to 30,000 tons
per month.
"My nephew, the president of
Dinasiar had established contacts with
Meeting with Rapid City
According to Mrs. Moya , Bureau
of Mines Director Horacio Ramos
offered to set up a meeting between her
and Rapid City president, Mrs. Veronica
Lee and a certain Mr. Leon Roldan in
the hope to sort out the problems.
"The meeting was set on the 12th of
November but when our lawyer, Atty.
Bajamunde called up the Bureau of
Mines office to confirm of my attendance of the meeting, a secretary at the
bureau by the name of Mrs. Chat
Meneses told our lawyer that Rapid
City people could not be reached for
confirmation of the said meeting", Mrs.
Moya said.
Motion for Reconsideration
In December of 2004 Dinasiar president Al Ompod and his Vice President
on Marketing and Planning, Arturo
Cruz tapped Manila lawyer, Atty. Harly
Bajamunde to formally file a motion for
reconsideration to the Bureau of Mines
with regards to the questionable denial
of the licensing application of Mrs.
Corazon Liwat Moya.
The lawyer stated that the Bureau's
denial was anchored on the alleged
"extreme lack of interest" of Ms. Moya
to pursue the MPSA application and
non-compliance of Section 8 of DENR
Memoradum Order 93-34 resulting, as it
is, in the denial of Moya's MPSA application on February 26, 2001.
The copy of the ORDER OF
DENIAL from the Bureau of Mines
signed by Director Horacio Ramos was
personally and officially received by the
applicant, Ms. Moya only last
December 6, 2004.
Lawyer Bajamunde, noted that the
non- receipt of the Bureau's 3 letter
notices to Mrs. Moya is not a valid and
strong ground for the denial of license.
The lawyer stated that the requirements
in sending these notices in pursuant to
the Bureau's Memorandum Order No.
99-34 were not properly complied substantialy to constitute as ground for
denial.
"We have dissected laboriously the
records of Moya's application with the
Bureau of Mines and Geosciences and
came out with incomplete detail and
made to understand that there is another
record available with other sections of
the Bureau but not available to us",
Atty. Bajamunde said in his letter.
"We have observed, however, in the
course of our examinations of Moya's
MPSA record, that the Bureau do not
have a definitive mode of mailing letters
with clients, mails were sent by ordinary
According U.S. Geological
survey records, Loreto
(Dinagat Island) in the
Philippines has vast
reserve of millions of tons
of high -grade
metallurgical chromite.
5
mail and some instances by registered
mail. In both cases, proof of mailing of
mail matter were not shown on record.
In one instance, letter sent purportedly
to Ms. Moya showed an attached registry return card but did not indicate the
name of addressee or the name of Moya
as addressee", Atty. Bajamunde said. "In
the absence of internal rules on the matter, we can only invoke the 1997 Rules
of Civil Procedure in suppletory
nature", the lawyer added.
The lawyer also reproduced and
sent the pertinent provisions of Rules 13
of the Rules of Court to the Bureau of
Mines and requested that the Moya's
MPSA application deserves a second
look.
"Ms. Moya's interest to the MPSA
application is manifested unequivocably
by her attendance to the seminar on
Environmental Impact sponsored by the
Bureau in 1995 as shown by the
attached certificate of attendance, "
Atty. Bajamunde argued.
"I just hope that some Bureau of
Mines officials did not manipulate the
sending of Letter of Notices to Mrs
Moya causing it not to be received by
her, and I hope also there is no external
influence or fraud on the denial and illegal overlapping of claim by Rapid City
over the legal Liwat mining claim,
because, if these factors are present,
these officials are liable within the
bounds of the law", Dinasiar president
said. "We will know the truth after our
due deligence legal and media investigation on this matter".
President Diosdado Macapagal
and the original locator Liborio Liwat
"I am seeking an audience with
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Presiden GMA's father the late
President Diosdado Macapagal was a
political friend of my father, Liborio
Liwat, Sr.", Mrs. Moya told this publication. "During the visit of President
Diosdado Macapagal in our small town
of Loreto, Surigao del Norte in the
1960s, President Diosdado Macapagal
with Congressman Constantino Navarro
convinced my father to switch party
from Nacionalista Party to Liberal
Party, and and my father was inducted
by the president himself of which proofs
and old photos I furnished to this publication".
"Because of the long delay of the
Bureau of Mines to resolve such simple
legal matters on our mining claim, I
have no other recourse but to ask
President Arroyo to intervene for the
good of the community and country
who will be most benefited on our mining operations," said Mrs. Moya.
"If given an audience with
President GMA, I will tell her everything about our patentable mining claim
including my sad plight with our Bureau
of Mines", Mrs. Moya added.
"I am sure the president will listen
to an old woman in the mining industry,
I believe the strong leadership of
President GMA will have an urgent
positive action particularly in cleaning
up the Bureau of Mines to save the comatose and beleaguered mining industry",
Mrs. Moya said. "We are trying our best
to resolve this problem right at the
Bureau of Mines level as well as we are
also willing to go the long way, perhaps,
congressional investigation, senate
investigation or maybe to the court system up to the highest court of the land.
According to Mr. Corazon Liwat
Moya she had already signed legal
papers for the president of the company
to continue the fight just in case something happens to her in the future.
Gateway to Mining in R.P.
Considered the gateway to mining
in R.P. is the Bureau of Mines and
6
Geosciences presently headed by
Director Horacio Ramos, a Career
Executive Service Officer III, was
appointed Director of the Bureau of
Mines and Geosciences in 1996, and has
since held the post. An advocate of sustainable development through responsible mineral resources development,
Ramos was among those who supported
the enactment of the Mining Act of 1995
and was part of the crafting of its implementing rules and regulations, which
has also undergone a series of improvement under his watch.
Major Manila newspaper reports
(Philippine Star, Manila Standard,
Manila Bulletin) quoted mining executives Isagani Aguinaldo of Tandem
Mining Corporation and Manuel
Pasetes of Aegis Mining Corporation as
saying that the minerals industry has not
contributed significantly to the economy due to unabated corruption in the
Bureau of Mines.
Employees of the Bureau of Mines
and Geosciences defended their chief,
Director Horacio C. Ramos, saying the
issues against him were unfair, irresponsible and apparently mere orchestration
of certain quarters.
"Perceived or imagined corruption
at the Bureau of Mines should be completely erased so as to give assurance to
the prospective foreign investors to
come and invest their millions in R.P.
mining industry", said one player in the
mining industry. "With the new government of President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo, investors are hopeful that the
president will step up on the total cleanup of the Mining Bureau to attract
more foreign investments".
"We have been inviting investors
after the Supreme Court ruling (which
upheld the Mining Act), but it would be
a turn-off for them if they come to the
Philippines and they will encounter corrupt officials and employees right at the
gateway of mining in RP," a Filipino
American mining observer said.
"It would be also dissapointing for
foreign investors when they come to the
Philippines and suddenly mining rules
are changed midstream", Chamber of
Mines executive director, Nelia C.
Halcon said. "Stable mining rules and
regulations are very important clinchers
for investors who are choosing whether
to invest in the Philippines or in other
countries".
Presidential
intervention
When asked
what will wake
Dinasiar
up
from its deep
s l u m b e r,
Dinasiar president Al Ompod
was quick to
a n s w e r ,
"Presidential
ALOMPOD,
intervention".
"We hope it Dinasiar president
would be the
present president of the country if not
the next president", Al Ompod said.
Dinasiar president Al Ompod is a
U.S. based businessman and a fine artist
by profession, graduated Most
Outstanding Fine Arts student from the
University of the Philippines in 1979.
When asked what made him interested in going into mining, he answered
and explained jokingly , "CHROMITE
derived its name from the Greek word
CHROMA which means COLOR" Al
explained. "Maybe, God is telling me to
paint a new landscape using chromite as
a new medium instead of oil".
"Seriously, I want my Aunt to taste
the fruits of her labor on perfecting our
320 hectares patentable mining claim. I
hope and pray the time is ripe for the
LORETO HISTORY
by ODON C. GALIDO
O
n the northern water of the Surigao del Norte mainland lies Dinagat
Island dubbed by Gen. Douglas MacArthur as one of the "three sentinelislands guarding the Central Philippines from the enemies in the Pacific."
Together with Dinagat as the first class established municipality in this
island were four other towns, among which was Loreto, originally called
"Mabua" because of the ever-foaming river that runs right into the heart of
the community. Boholano settlers first established Loreto as early as 1847.
In 1881, its name metamorphosed into its present name, Loreto, in honor of
the wife of the governor at that time.
Created as a municipality in 1898, Loreto was reduced to a barrio in
1902 after the American soldiers razed it to the ground. However, it regained
its township in 1919 through the untiring efforts of its civic-spirited leaders.
The municipality were populated by Boholanos who were the original
settlers; Leyteños, Cebuanos, Samareños and other immigrants followed
suit.
Copra had been most important export and lumbering an important
industry. Loreto is situated along a coastal plain, and fish abound in its
waters.
In the lowlands grow the tikug grasses utilized then and now by the
womenfolk as materials in making mats which are in great demand because
of the fine workmanship and durability. The local weavers have learned the
embroidery designs of the well-known Basey mat-makers. On the rocky
mountains from as far as Omasdang near the Desolation point, to the southern hills of Sinaongag, now Navarro, are found such rich minerals as
chromite, manganese, copper, coal and the like.
Other sources of income then were the hard wood exported to different
places in the country and the well-known species of orchids, the so- called
"aristocrats of the woodland" such as the mariposa or butterfly orchids, the
tiger, dendrubium anespum, dendrobium superbum, which were abundantly
found in the forests of the municipality.
Source: 1970 Souvenir Program of Philippine Public Schools
Inter-scholastic Athletic Association Meet (PPSIAA)
LORETO is a 5th class municipality with an annual budget of only
P16 million, P14 million of which comes from its Internal Revenue
Allotment (IRA) and P2 million from local taxes.
Some 12,277 hectares (has.) or 57 percent of its total area of
21,587 hectares are covered by fifteen mining claims to exploit its
rich deposits of gold, chromite and aluminum.
It lies 40 nautical miles or three to six hours by motorized
ferryboat from Surigao City.
It is the northernmost of seven municipalities in Dinagat Island,
itself a part of Surigao del Norte, the north-easternmost province
in Mindanao. PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE GUMATO FAMILY
family, for the community and for the
country to be the beneficiary of this
mineral called chromite underneath our
land", Al added.
An elderly man who lives near the
mining site uttered profound words to
the expeditionary unit during the
prospecting trip, "Many people tried to
land grab the area from the Liwat family, politicians, lawyer, doctor, businessmen, influential people, but they were
all unsuccesful", the old man said.
"Companies mined the area but nothing
significant deposits were extracted from
the site and previous mining operations
were stopped because of legal problems
and family squabbles".
"Perhaps God only wants the person who has the pure heart and clean
hands could mine the wealth of this
land", the old man added. "For so many
years, we have been waiting for that
person who will distribute the wealth of
this land to the family, to the community, to the country and most of all honor
and thank God for the treasure under-
neath the land".
Dinasiar still sleeping
A geologist, who actually participated in the exploration during Midas
Resources operations in the Liwat mining claim area in the 1970s, recalls he
had the chance to read the geological
and evaluation report of the previous
mining operator. He said, on condition
of anonymity, "MOTHERLOAD is in
the area".
Until the Bureau of Mines resolves
the licensing and overlapping problem
of the Liwat mining claim, Dinasiar will
remain A SLEEPING CHROMITE
GIANT says mining Engineer Sam
Capistrano.
When asked what will wake
Dinasiar up , company
president was quick
to answer,
"PRESIDENTIAL INTERVENTION".
TOP STORIES
Senator Ping Lacson
new opposition leader?
NEW YORK–Based on informal random e-mail surveys among Filipinos
abroad, they unanimously chose Sen.
Ping Lacson as the logical new opposition leader. Susan Roces and Loren
Legarda were also considered.
The two women, Susan Roces and
Loren Legarda eyed to replace the action
king Fernado Poe Jr. are said possible
candidates to carry on the electoral
protest filed by the late Poe, and eventually even win the presidency.
In the suit, Poe, Prez Gloria
Arroyo's closest rival in the May elections, claimed that the opposition was
cheated of victory and that the elections
were marred by massive fraud and
cheating.
Opinion, however, was divided on
whether Roces and Legarda could pick
up where Poe left off, or if the electoral
protest itself was moot and academic in
the view of FPJ's death.
Lawyer Demares Raval said the
action star's electoral protest against
Prez GMA is "non transferrable" to
Susan Roces and would be possible only
through "extra judicial measures."
With actor Fernando Poe Jr. dead
and buried, the political opposition is
moving to unite its ranks, at least in the
Senate
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino
Pimentel Jr.,
called on Senators
Edgardo Angara and Panfilo Lacson,
Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson
DINNERINTERVIEW: Opposition Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson with Manila Post staff at Mario's Restaurant in Quezon City.
Beside Sen. Lacson on the right row are Manila Post president Al Ompod and Manila Post lawyer Atty. Tony Inventado.
Manpost Photo
both members of the minority and bitter
rivals since the last election, to work
together."
I am asking Edong (Angara) and
Ping (Lacson)-they may not love one
another-to please stay put with the
minority and vote for the interests and
rights of the people," Pimentel said in a
phone interview.
The minority bloc in the Senate has
nine members; the majority has 14.
He said he made the appeal in view
of the death of Poe, a popular movie
actor and presidential candidate in the
May election, after a stroke. Poe was
buried at the Manila North Cemetery.
Pimentel was responding to the
query on what would happen to the
opposition with the death of Poe, who
ran under the opposition Koalisyon ng
Nagkakaisang Pilipino but lost eventu-
ally to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Pimentel stressed that the opposition would continue "with its advocacy
to protect the rights of the people.""We
would also try to go about our duties as
best as we can," he said.Poe's defeat in
the polls has been blamed on the split in
the opposition after Lacson ran for
president as an independent candidate
and Angara's group supported Poe.
Lacson had been a member of the
opposition Laban ng Demokratikong
Pilipino which Angara heads.It was not
the first time that Pimentel sought a
reconciliation between Angara and
Lacson.
Several months ago, the minority
leader asked them to stop their tirades
against one another. The animosity
intensified after a minority meeting that
saw Angara seeking Lacson's ouster
from the bloc.
Angara, president of Laban ng
Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) was
one of the figures who convinced Poe
to run as the opposition standard-bearer
in the May 10 elections.
Poe's deciding to run shove out lacson as the united opposition candidate.
Lacson went on his own and managed to finish a respectable third place.
Lacson said his conflict with
Fernando Poe is now "water under the
bridge," saying he was saddened and
surprised by the actor's demise.
Opposition leaders are presently in
negotiations to find a new strong leader.
Filipinos abroad says it is Sen.
Panfilo "Ping" Lacson.
The masses in the Philippines says
it is Susan Roces, the widow of presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr.
FPJ election protest to continue
MANILA–A staunch supporter of the
late Fernando Poe Jr. is determined to
pursue the actor ’s protest while gathering two to three million signatures to
urge the Supreme Court to speed up the
case.
Food, Peace, Justice and Progress
Movement (FPJPM) president Boots
Cadsawan vowed “to seek justice and
truth for Poe.” Cadsawan was the first
person to convince Poe to seek presidency in 2003.
“We are bent on pursuing the
protest despite the lack of interest of
Ms. Susan Roces on the absence of a
petitioner. We will take the steps in
February,” he said.
He claimed Poe gave him the con-
sent to gather two to three million signatures in November to pressure SC to
speed up the resolution of Poe’s petition.
“We will be presenting the signatures in February. We are hoping that
we may be able to convince justices
and request a conference with them,”
he said.
Cadsawan said FPJPM has already
gathered over 500,000 signatures.
He added Poe posted a bond of P50
million to P60 million before SC, and
promised to solicit financial support if
the amount is not enough.
“We can again ask P1 from each
supporter just like what we did when
we tried to convince Poe to run,”
Cadsawan said.
He said the group has a “burning
desire” to seek the truth.
“It does not matter if Poe is already
dead. We just want to let history know
the truth,” he said.
He denied lobbying for former senator and vice presidential bet Loren
Legarda to replace Poe.
“We really don’t care about the
welfare of any vice presidential bets.
We have placed on our top priority the
truth behind the alleged defeat of Poe,”
he said.
He said he finds it very difficult to
accept that Poe was already gone.
“I am greatly affected by Poe’s
untimely and sudden death,” he said.
FPJ: Winner or loser?
7
TOP STORIES
Phivolcs list
tsunami-prone
areas in R.P.
Tsunami death toll could top 200,000 says Red Cross
MANILA–The public was warned to be
ready and watchful for any unusual
occurrences in coastal areas for an
incoming tsunami.
The country has many areas prone
to tsunami disasters, said Raymundo
Punongbayan, former head of the
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (Phivolcs) and a consultant
of National Disaster Coordinating
Council (NDCC).
These include -- among others -coastal areas inside Manila Bay, Infanta
and other towns in Quezon as well as
the provinces of Ilocos, Palawan, ,
Surigao, La Union and Negros,
Punongbayan said.
He advised the public, especially
those living in the coastlines, to be
watchful for signs of an incoming tsunami.
The signs that tsunamis are coming
include the fast withdrawal of the sea,
exposing the sea floor. "These are definite signs of tsunami," Punongbayan
said.
Based on NDCC records, the country experienced tsunamis in the past, as
in the Moro Gulf earthquake in 1976
that generated a tsunami which killed
about 8,000 people. In 1994, a tsunami
also hit Mindoro island, killing hundreds.
"Historically, we had many
tsunamis," Punongbayan said, citing
plenty of local trenches under the sea -like the Cotabato trench and Manila
trench -- that created tsunamis in the
past.
Manila Bay, La Union and Ilocos
will be affected by any earthquakes that
originate from the Manila trench, he
said, adding Palawan and Negros
islands could be affected by movements
in the Manila-Negros trench.
Any movement in the Cotabato
trench can affect Surigao as well as
other areas in Mindanao, Punongbayan
said.
He said that in the 9 magnitude
earthquake that struck Southeast Asia,
the country was spared because the
island of Sumatra in Indonesia and the
peninsulas of Malaysia and Thailand
absorbed the destructive seismic waves.
Meanwhile, an earthquake that registered Intensity 3 shook Bataan a day
after the tsunami in Indonesia with the
epicenter believed in the area around
Olongapo City. The earthquake was
triggered in the Manila trench.
An Intensity 5 quake with the epicenter located in Mati, Davao Oriental,
also shook Davao City. The source was
likely the Philippine trench off eastern
Mindanao.
8
TIDAL WAVE!: This amateur video footage taken Sunday, Dec. 26, shows a tidal wave
several meters high smashing a seawall in Penang, Malaysia. Tidal waves starting
from west of Sumatra, Indonesia, caused by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake, raced
across the Indian Ocean to slam the coasts of the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and India in
the west and Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia in the east. (Reuters)
Romy Tabanlar, Phivolcs earthquake scientist, said the earthquakes
were not connected with the massive
underwater quake that caused tsunamis
in Southeast Asia that claimed over
165,000 lives and still rising as of
presstime .
Deputy Majority House Leader Del
de Guzman, Representatives Prospero
Pichay of Surigao del Sur and
Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado of Bulacan
called on authorities to concentrate on
tsunami-prone coastal areas.
In a statement, they called for continued public vigilance and for authori-
ties to take all necessary precautions to
ensure the safety of coastal residents,
adding "the public should remain
watchful for aftershocks of the earthquake and signs of a tsunami." (PNS)
YOUR HELP BRINGS HOPE!
Donate to the Tsunami Victims.
You may send check payable to:
MANILA POST WORLDWIDE INC.
P.O. Box 179, Millburn, NJ 07041
Attn: Tsunami Relief Effort
Tel: (908) 265-6290
RP is new
tourist
haven
MANILA–FOREIGN tourists have
begun to set their sights on the
Philippines as the new tourist destination in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in South Asian region which killed
about 150,000.
This was bared by Department of
Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ace Durano.
Durano said that prime hotels in
tourist destinations as Boracay have
noted marked increase of bookings following the catastrophic tsunami that
killed many foreign tourists in prime
tourist spots in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri
Lanka, Sumatra and neighboring Asian
countries.
The DOTchief noted that at the end
of 2004, tourist arrivals reached about
2.3 million mark.
Compared to other Asian countries
which spent up to $1 billion budget for
marketing and promotions generating
about 10 million tourists or double our
number of tourist arrivals, Durano said
that the Philippines still has the edge
with its rich tourist destination and costefficient strategy wherein a leaner
budget of about $2 per tourist could
generate more tourists spending about
$98 per day.
Durano said that apart from
Boracay, the tourist operators are bullish of gaining increased tourist arrivals
in such spots as Subic, Palawan, Cebu,
Samal Island, Bohol and Negros
Oriental.
THE Department of Tourism (DoT)
has reported a remarkable growth of
24.3 percent in visitor arrivals from
January 1 to October 31, 2004 with the
US market continuing to supply the
biggest number of visitors to the
Philippines despite the negative travel
advisories warning US citizens against
visiting the country.
American tourists accounted for
20.9 percent of the 1.861 million visitor
traffic last year, according to DOT. Last
year's total tourist arrival was posted at
more than 1.5 million.
DOT Annual Accomplishment
Report was submitted to Malacanang,
More Filipinos feared dead in Thailand
Philippines not giving up on missing Pinoys
MANILA–The Philippine government
is not giving up on the missing Filipinos
in Phuket even as the Thai government
has called off its rescue operations.
"The Secretary (Alberto Romulo)
said that the Department and the
Philippine Embassy (in Bangkok) will
put in high gear the efforts in accounting
for all Filipinos affected by tsunami as
well as in assisting the biggest global
relief ever in the recent history,"
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
spokesman Gilbert Asuque yesterday
told reporters in a press briefing.
Meanwhile the DFA said 15
Filipino survivors have been repatriated
while 23 others chose to stay in
Thailand.
The 15 were identified as Roselyn
Carpio Asuncion, Catherine Prieto, Pilar
Marbella Prieto, Marco Sangil, Virginia
Pasamonte Cruz, Charlie M. Caringal,
Rosemarie Phi King Ang Tan, Beverly
Tan, Jean Caringal, Gelver A. Barranta,
Novie Navarette, Rolando Lagao,
Florante Encarnacion, Jay William
Decayco, and Maria Mediatri Manding.
Of the said number four were earlier
repatriated while 11 are scheduled to be
sent back home.
The 23, on the other hand, were
identified as Margaret Ang Choi, Dario
Banua Maniago, Jovito Masaga, Cherry
Panahon, Celeste Panahon, Celeste
Panahon, Joselito A. Balbutin, Jerwin
Sedillo, Erwin Raagas, Lorena M.
Burlaza, Reginaldo Recibio, Marlena
Baardsen, Jenny Rose Bagoyo, Mary
Ann Bagoyo, Theresa Joy Roxas,
Rachel Escoton, Lea Reyes, Emily
Balao, Marian Pasag, Flordeliza
(Dianne) Isla, Allan Ortega, Darryl Gay
S. Juarez, Alvin H. Bay, and Michelle
Faustino.
Asuque said Noel Faustino, husband of Michelle Faustino, who had earlier been reported missing, called up the
department to report that his wife had
been found alive.
The DFA maintained that as of last
report only five Filipinos were confirmed dead in the tsunami tragedy.
They are Sharleen May Ang Tan, Ivy
Catherine Romeio-Terasaka, Ria Jane
M. Tuzara, Estelita C. Sales, and
Kathryn Joy B. Lomadilla. PNS
TOP STORIES
Name illegal loggers– Defensor
There are no sacred cows or untouchables
MANILA–Secretary Michael
Defensor has ordered all officials
nationwide to submit a list of the top
five suspected illegal loggers in their
respective jurisdictions.
Defensor issued a special order even
as he warned the officials that they
would face sanctions if they showed
lack of cooperation on the agency's massive campaign against illegal logging
activities.
The order was issued during a meeting with all DENR regional executive
directors, provincial environment officers (PENROs) and other ranking officials of the DENR at Camp Aguinaldo.
It would be recalled that Defensor
has imposed preventive suspension to at
least three community environment and
natural resources officers (CENROs)
and five PENROs for their alleged
involvement in illegal logging activities.
"Too many people have died or have
suffered as a direct result of the greed of
illegal loggers. We risk meeting the full
wrath of the people if we continue to
condone their activities," Defensor
stressed.
Defensor was referring to the series
of typhoons early this month that killed
hundreds and caused millions of pesos
worth of losses in properties in the
provinces of Aurora and Quezon and in
some parts of Nueva Ecija.
He had earlier said that the landslides and floods spawned by Typhoons
Violeta, Winnie and Yoyong had been
caused primarily by the unusual amount
of rainfall and geographic factors, but
that illegal logging was also to blame as
it obviously is still going on in the
stricken provinces and in almost all parts
of the country.
Defensor, who led series of raids on
several sawmills in Quezon and Agusan
del Sur after the tragedy, stressed that
regional directors should be strict with
regards to paperworks to prevent illegal
loggers from creating a semblance of
legality in their operations.
The DENR head revealed that there
were many cases in Quezon wherein
DENR officials issued permits and later
recycled many times by the illegal loggers.
"Above all, if you know anyone
engaged in illegal logging, who boasts
of connections in government, report the
matter at once to me. There are no
sacred cows or untouchables in the war
against illegal loggers," he added.
Canadian mining magnate
keen to mine in the Philippines
By BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT
MANILA–Canadian billionaire and
mining magnate Robert Friedland has
expressed keen interest to explore the
country’s mineral resources.
This was revealed by Trade and
Industry Secretary Cesar V. Purisima
after a recent conversation with
Friedland.
According to Purisima, Friedland,
who is founder and chairman of Ivanhoe
Mines Ltd., was encouraged to invest in
the country following the Supreme
Court’s decision lifting a ban against full
foreign ownership in a mining project.
Friedland will be flying into the country
early January next year to meet with
industry players regarding possible business ventures.
Purisima quoted Friedland as saying
that he believed that only one percent of
Philippines potential in the mining sector has been harnessed.
Ivanhoe is an international mining
company developing a major new discovery of gold and copper at the
Turquoise Hill (Oyu Tolgoi) Project in
Southern Magnolia.
Ivanhoe has a $1 billion gold and
copper resources exploration program in
other Asia Pacific countries such as
Australia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar,
Vietnam, and South Korea, targetting
copper, gold and iron ore from various
mining sites.
“Friedland’s interest in the
Philippines mining sector is a testament
to the wisdom of the SC’s decision. It
also heralds the renewed interest of foreign investors to grab a chunk of the
country’s mining industry,” Purisima
said.
“This early, several big ticket mining projects, which are expected to
infuse huge capital to the country’s
economy, are already lined up to register
with the Board of Investment,” Purisima
said.
Purisima cited how important is the
mining sector to the Philippine econo-
my.
In the 1980’s he recalled, the
Philippines was ranked as 5th biggest
producer of gold and 9th biggest producer of copper in the world.
With the SC affirming the constitutionality of Republic Act 7942 or the
Mining Act, expect the mining industry
to overtake some sectors in the country’s
top 10 exports and take the number three
slot,” Purisima said.
In the SC decision, the high court
noted that the Constitution expressly
allows services contracts in the large
scale exploration, development and uti-
lization of minerals, petroleum and mineral oils.
The basic law also expressly states
that the State may undertake these activities via “agreements with foreign
owned corporations involving either
technical or financial assistance” as provided by law.
The landmark decision lifted an
important barrier to foreign investments
and has opened the gates for overseas
capital to pour into the country’s big
mining projects.(BCM) (Copyright
2005) With permission from The Manila
Bulletin. All Rights Reserved.
Gov’t vows to work
doubly hard on
economy in 2005
MANILA–Malacañang assured the
Filipino people that the Arroyo administration will doubly work hard in 2005
particularly in advancing significant
reforms needed to bring back the country’s ailing economy to growth path.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, also
presidential spokesman, made the assurance to assuage growing public sentiments that hardships were felt by majority of the Filipinos during the Christmas
season.
"We accept and understand the prevailing sentiments on economy. We consider this a challenge to work harder on
all fronts to shore up confidence,
increase investments, create jobs, and
improve lives," he said.
In a recent survey conducted by the
Social Welfare Station, majority of the
Filipinos said they expect harder times
ahead in 2005.
Bunye said the administration will bank
on its modest successes in pushing for
fiscal reforms and the cooperation of the
government and private sectors in
implementing austerity and other costcutting measures.
"We are gaining grounds on
reforms, increase revenues, integrity and
efficiency. Inculcating governance will
entail teamwork among institutions and
solidarity of all Filipinos which we
believe will be sustained with the advent
of New Year," he said.
In a related development, Budget
Secretary Emilia Boncodin said the government will release the incentive pay of
all government workers not later than
February next year. She, however, did
not give the exact figures for the incentive pay.(Copyright 2005) With permis sion from The Manila Bulletin. All
Rights Reserved.
DENR Sec. Michael Defensor
North Korea
sold arms
to RP rebels
TOKYO - North Korea sold some
10,000 rifles to the largest Muslim
rebel group in the Philippines from
1999 to 2000 and also tried to export
small submarine vessels, a Japanese
newspaper said on Monday.
The arms deal between North
Korea and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) came to
light after security authorities seized
documents from the MILF in
November, the Yomiuri Shimbun
daily said, quoting a southeast Asian
security source.
Such arms sales are an important
source of foreign currency income for
isolated North Korea, which is on the
United States' list of countries sponsoring terrorism, the paper said.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu
told Reuters the report was old and
"totally untrue."
A spokesman for the Philippine
military said he was unable to confirm the story.
The paper said the transaction
was conducted mainly in Malaysia,
with a North Korean arms dealer
signing a deal with a senior MILF
member around mid-1999 to sell
small arms to the Muslim rebels.
The contract was for North Korea
to sell weapons such as 10,000 M16
rifles, hand grenades and spare parts
to the MILF for about $2.2 million,
the Yomiuri said.
The weapons were shipped by
the end of 2000 -- probably via
Malaysia -- to MILF-controlled areas
on Mindanao island in the southern
Philippines, the Yomiuri said.
That was a time of heavy fighting
between MILF guerrillas and government forces, but a ceasefire has held
for 18 months as both sides edge
towards formal peace talks.
The MILF also agreed around
2002 to buy a small submarine from
North Korea but the deal was suspended after security authorities got
wind of the arms sales, the paper said.
(Reuters)
9
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President / Publisher / Executive Editor
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MARITER GO
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10
The parable
of the tourist
THE Caucasian tourist hailed the taxi
from the curb of the airport arrival
area. He was the outgoing type who
loved conversations and meeting all
kinds of people so he seated himself in
front beside the driver.
"Where to, sir?" asked the airport
taxi driver courteously.
"Manila Hotel, please," said the
tourist as he positioned his camera.
"But let us pass through the heart of
the city so I can get an impression of
the place."
The vehicle proceeded on until it
passed a guarded area. "What is this
place?" asked the tourist.
"That is Malacañang Palace. It is
the official residence and office of our
President," answered the taxi driver
casually but with pride. "It took many
years to complete it," he added to
impress the visitor.
"Oh, where I come from we could
build that compound in just a few
months," offered the man as they
drove on.
"How about that structure to the
right?"
"That is our old congress. That,
too, took many years to construct
because of its elaborate architecture."
Again the tourist remarked, "That
is nice. But it should not take such a
long time to build something like
that."
Soon, they reached the boulevard
BARRIO BREEZE
by Juan M. Flavier
by the bay.
"Now, that is
really something," commented the
tourist as he
pointed his
camera at the Cultural Center of the
Philippines. "It looks really grand. What
is it?"
The taxi driver glanced to the left and
simply replied, "Oh, I do not know what
that is, sir. You see, it was not there last
week. By the way, from where are you,
sir?"
"I am from the great city of New York
- also known as the Big Apple of the
United States," answered the beaming
tourist.
"I see. In the States, New York must
be considered a big city," commented the
driver as he fixed his attention on the
road. "But here in the Philippines, New
York is only a street in Cubao."
Puzzled but still wanting to keep up
the conversation, the tourist asked, "And
what is the most popular sport in the
Philippines?"
"Cockfighting," answered the driver
without thinking.
"That is revolting," exclaimed the
tourist.
"No. Revolting is only the second
most popular."
(Copyright 2003) With permission from
The Manila Bulletin. All Rights Reserved.
EDITORIAL
No warning
Filipinos can only thank the heavens for keeping away
from this country the deadly tsunamis that swept through Asia
last week. Otherwise we would be joining the other
tsunami-stricken nations in wringing hands over the lack
of effective early warning systems for natural disasters.
President Arroyo admitted that the country lacked
forecasting capability for giant waves and other natural
catastrophes. Even before the tsunamis unleashed
by a powerful earthquake off the Indonesian coast killed
tens of thousands across Asia, the disaster preparedness
of the Philippines was already under question. Victims
of recent weather disturbances in Luzon complained that they
lacked sufficient warning about the strength of the typhoons,
which triggered flashfloods and mudslides that killed
over a thousand people in several towns.
Philippine experts at least have some success in
predicting a volcanic eruption and can alert residents
to evacuate danger zones. Still, no one predicted the fury
of Mt. Pinatubo when it awakened from 600 years of slumber.
The eruption of Pinatubo, which was not even in the
international list of volcanoes, altered global weather
patterns and spewed ash all the way to Vietnam.
Geologists said the magnitude 9.0 quake that triggered
the recent Asian tsunamis knocked the Earth off its axis and
permanently altered the regional map. Experts in Japan,
where a rapid alert system for tsunamis following temblors
has been in place since the Kobe earthquake a decade ago,
said thousands of lives could have been saved if a similar
warning system was in place in the stricken countries.
It took up to two hours for the massive walls of water to
roar into the coastlines of South and Southeast Asia, the
experts noted, but there was little or no warning of the
approaching danger.
The Philippines is no stranger to tsunamis. In August
1976, a tsunami killed thousands in Mindanao. Since then,
however, nothing has been done to upgrade the nation’s early
warning capability. The nation cannot predict the strength
of typhoons with reliable accuracy, much less the approach of
killer tsunamis. This deficiency must be addressed before
the nation faces massive catastrophe.
WITH PERMISSION FROM PHILSTAR
OPINION
Mining
good
for the
country
by PETER WALLACE
President
The Wallace Business Forum
THE RECENT Supreme Court ruling on
mining could yet be one of its most
important decisions.The Philippines has
one of the highest levels of poverty in
Asia, with some 58 percent of its people
admitting they are poor. A disturbingly
high 34 percent are officially listed as
poverty-stricken. A great bulk of these
people live in the provinces, so far away
from any help that could uplift their lives.
But there is a savior, and the Supreme
Court has recognized it-mining.Mining
brings vast wealth and economic progress
to a nation-look at Australia. It can do as
much for the Philippines now that the
Supreme Court has allowed foreigners to
help develop this rich resource.
Those previously opposed to mining
must now accept the fact that a starving
child is a greater concern than a temporary, limited damage to the environment.
The key in mining these days is to do
it in a responsible fashion, with minimal
harm to the environment so that the land
is restored once the mining operation is
finished. Mining provides local people
with jobs and other income-producing
activities. It also generates more
resources for community development.
It is not mining itself but mining done
irresponsibly which is the problem. We
need to ensure that mining companies
operate with the welfare of the community in mind.
Too often in the past, well-meaning
people stopped or disrupted mining operations without fully weighing the benefits
of mining against its disadvantages.
I appeal to the mayors and governors:
act in the national interest. I've heard too
many stories of local officials making it
difficult, if not impossible, to operate a
mine.
Congress has spoken, the administration has reinforced it, the Supreme Court
has agreed: mining is good for the country. It's time to raise the poor out of the
morass they've sank into.
I appeal to the mayors
and governors:
act in the
national interest.
I've heard too many
stories of local
officials making
it difficult,
if not impossible,
to operate a mine.
11
TOP STORIES
Rosebud turn
against FG Mike
MANILA–After lying low for some time, whistleblower Mary Ong alias Rosebud surfaced yesterday to make yet another round of startling revelations.
In an interview at the Department of Justice,
Ong claimed that First Gentleman Miguel "Mike"
Arroyo was behind the expose made by businesswoman Blanquita Pelaez against Sen. Panfilo
Lacson.
According to Ong, Arroyo gave Pelaez P12
million to pursue her case against Lacson. Pelaez
sued Lacson when he refused to honor a P15.6 million handcuffs deal because the PNP, which he
then headed, would have paid the Customs duties
and taxes on the handcuffs, not Pelaez.
Ong claimed she has proof of the payoff"
between Pelaez and Arroyo that took place in
2003. "I'll tell everything when the right time
comes," she added.
Arroyo reportedly wanted Pelaez to continue
her expose to further taint Lacson who was then
hogging the headlines for his alleged involvement
in kidnappings and drugs, she said.
Recently, Arroyo's publicist, Nemesio
Antonio, phoned to warn her of a plot to kill her by
the 14-K drug syndicate.
"That is impossible. Maybe it is Mike Arroyo
who wants me dead," she said. PNA
Meningococemia
is spreading
MANILA–Contrary to public perception, the
deadly meningococcemia disease is not isolated in
Baguio City as cases have been reported in different parts of the country, including Metro Manila,
according to the Department of Health.
Health authorities said meningococcemia
cases have been reported in places as far as
Polomoloc, South Cotabato.
About 200 or so cases of meningococcemia
were reported in the 1990s; 76 cases were reported in 2002 and 83 in 2003. In 2004, 27 confirmed
cases were reported, excluding 25 suspected ones
in Baguio reported in December, including five
which were later confirmed. Ten persons in
Baguio died of the disease last month.
Meningococcemia, caused by bacteria, is
characterized by headache, vomiting, body ache,
stiff neck, convulsion, irritability. Rashes and
severe hemorrhage are noted in some cases. It is
transmitted from person to person through
droplets exhaled while sneezing or coughing.
Cases of meningococcemia are sporadic as in
some barangays in Baguio City. At least 15,000
people in 27 Baguio barangays have been give
preventive antibiotics by the DOH and the City
Health Office to prevent the possible spread of the
ailment.
The DOH has reported 43 meningococcemia
cases in Baguio City, including 21 deaths.
DOH officials in Baguio City have confirmed
that meningococcocemia cases are rampant in the
Cordillera Automomous Region, except in the
province of Abra, with 24 fatalities since the bacterial disease was reported in March last year.
Since Jan. 1, four fatalities were reported
while nine infected individuals are still confined at
the Baguio City General Hospital, Dr. Antonio
Bautista, head of the DOH Disease Prevention
Cluster, said.
Six of the infected individuals are from
remote barangays of Baguio City, five from
Bauko, Mt. Province, and one each from Itogon
and Tublay, Benguet.
Baguio City health officer Dr. Florence Reyes
admitted that there is an unusual occurrence of the
disease recently compared to 2003. There are five
confirmed cases this month alone, with one death
reported. PNA
12
Estrada’s knee
operation
‘successful’
Erap to form government in excile in HK?
MANILA–Airport
authorities
expressed alarm over the departure
to Hong Kong last Friday of
deposed
President
Joseph
Estrada's several Cabinet secretaries, but appeared helpless to
prevent any of them from leaving
the country as they are not in the
government's hold order list.
Reliable ources told newsmen
that Malacañang aides had earlier
been tipped off by Palace airline
“moles” on the scheduled departure of the former leader's Cabinet
officials, all of whom stayed with
him up till the time he left
Malacañang in 2001.
Palace aides reportedly raised
the suspicion that the former
leader had started the put his “plan
in operation” with the move to
form a “shadow government”
although airport officials were said
to have speculated on Estrada
forming a government in exile in
the former Crown Colony.
A Palace insider, however,
informed the media that orders
coming from the National Security
Adviser, Ret. Gen. Hermogenes
Ebdane were for the Philippine
National Police chief Gen.
Edgardo Aglipay to ensure that
Estrada is not left alone without a
security guard in his room while
he meets with his former Cabinet
secretaries.
Estrada never made any bones
about the opposition forming a
shadow government, long before
he departed to China for his knee
replacement surgery. He had
announced this move before he
declared a revolution against
hunger, putting in place his program to feed the hungry and the
poor, through a backyard vegetable
planting and fish-raising program.
He has, of late, been criticizing
the Arroyo government and vowed
to lead a fight against the “corrupt
government of Mrs. Arroyo.”
The former aides of Estrada
left aboard separate Philippine
Airlines flights bound for Hong
Kong .
Those who gathered briefly to
talk over coffee and breakfast at the
PAL Mabuhay Lounge before leaving at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. respectively were former Finance
Secretary Jose Pardo, Budget
Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Public
Works and Highways Secretary
Virgilio Vigilar, Health Secretary
Alberto Romualdez, Ararian
Reform
Secretary
Horacio
Morales,
Labor
Secretary
Benjamin Laguesma and National
Economic and Development
Planning Secretary, Philip Medalla.
Taking an early flight aboard PR300 were former Sen. Francisco
Tatad, Congressman Luis “Baby”
Asistio and Nueva Ecija Gov.
Edgar Joson.
Asked by newsmen to confirm
whether a government in exile was
to be formed with this visit, Diokno
replied that “there is no political
agenda involved in our visit,”
adding that they are simply concerned about the health of the
deposed leader following his knee
replacement surgery at the Hong
Kong Adventist Hospital last
December 31. (Tribune News)
RP can't
appeal
Marcos
deal says
US court
By Adam Tanner
SAN FRANCISCO - The government of the Philippines cannot
appeal a victims' class-action settlement against the estate of former
ruler Ferdinand Marcos, the U.S.
federal appeals court ruled on
Tuesday.
The decision by a three-judge
panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court
of Appeals is the latest episode of a
long-running legal battle dating
back nearly two decades against
the dictator who fled to Hawaii in
1986 and died three years later.
In 1994, a U.S. federal jury in
a class-action suit in Hawaii
awarded $1.96 billion to nearly
10,000 victims after finding the
Marcos estate liable for the torture,
murder and disappearances of
Filipinos during Marcos' rule.
Because of a tangled legal battle that followed the ruling, the
claimants agreed in 1998 to a $150
million payout to end all claims.
The money was not paid, however, as litigation continued. The
money was to be drawn from
Marcos deposits in Swiss banks,
including Credit Suisse, worth
about $590 million, which the government also claims on grounds
they were part of assets Marcos
illegally amassed while in office.
(Reuters)
JI plot to
bomb Quiapo
procession
thwarted
MANILA–Security forces foiled
Friday an alleged plot of the alQaeda linked Jemaah Islamiyah
terror group to bomb the feast of
the Black Nazarene in Quiapo,
Manila with the arrest of 16 suspected militants.
Police said the plot was thwarted after policemen raided the
Islamic Foundation Center on the
third floor of the Agoncillo
Building on Pedro Gil street and
Taft Avenue in Manila.
The lawmen said the suspects
were assembling bombs intended
for suicide attacks, to be detonated
during the Black Nazarene procession.
Initial reports said a finished
bomb was found during the raid,
prompting the police to cordon off
the area as they defused the explosive.
A still undetermined amount of
TNT in boxes was also recovered,
"ISHALLRETURN": Detained former Philippine President Joseph Estrada Bulaong said.
"The scenario is, there would
waves beside his wife, Sen. Loi Estrada, right, before boarding a flight to
be
suicide
bombers in the feast of
Hong Kong at Manila's international airport Monday, Dec. 27, 2004. Estrada the Black Nazarene,"
Jamias said.
promised to return to the Philippines after knee surgery in Hong Kong to
Among the most prominent
continue the fight against alleged tyranny and government mismanage- regular participants is Vice
ment. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
President Noli de Castro. (STAR)
May the magic of this holiday season...
Bring you great joy and happiness.
Happy Holidays!
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2004
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GREETINGS!
I am overwhelmed by the display
of support and unity of all Tagbilaranons
of the Eastern seaboard of U.S. A.
to make this Inaugural Ball and dinner
a very successful celebration. I thank you
all for your unselfish support for our project
of helping the day care program in our
beloved City of Tagbilaran. This is a noble
project for our children to provide them
with good foundation in their pursuit
for higher education.
Rick Borja assisted by Nitz Borja handing awards
for the children of Tagbilaranons who excel in
their scholastic performance.
Former Mayor Robert Rivas enjoyed
watching the performance of
"The Friends and Music".
We are on a mission to ameliorate the youth
of Tagbilaran and offering prosperity
to our communities as well.
We thank all our guests who responded
our invitations and those who placed
ads in our journal. Your generosity
and good spirit will never fade away
from our thoughts of the Tagbilaranons.
Thank you all so much.
God bless us all in our endeavors.
Dr. Rudy Penalosa singing
a spiritual song for
the invocation.
Drs. Ramie Cadag, Pepe Recitas and their ladies
discussing about the huge attendance of the Inaugural Ball.
MABUHI ANG TAGBILARAN
UG ANG TAGBILARANON!
Ricardo F. Borja
President
The famous "Friends and Music" of the Tagbilaranons.
PAGE
Fr. Sim Manigqui seated extreme left who jetted from the Philippines just to attend the Inaugural
Ball. Fr. Sim Manigqui seated extreme left who jetted from the Philippines just to attend the
Inaugural Ball. Bobong & Maggie Dejaresco are excited the antics of the emcees.
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Senate
MANILA
MESSAGE
Warmest greetings to all!
Atty. Manny Baluyot and wife Fancy came all the way from the Philippines.
I take pride in the fact that there does not
exist a community with closer ties than
the Filipino. But as we are painfully aware of,
most migrants, in their bid to assimilate
themselves to the culture of their adopted land,
inadvertently forget their roots and their
heritage as a people. I wish to commend
the Tagbilaranons in the eastern seaboard
for perpetuating our tradition
of close community ties.
I also wish to commend the organization
for laboring hard to make the Filipinos
always united, a force to reckon in America.
Jowelie Ballista singing "Tell Him"
of Barbara Streisand
and Celine Dion.
It is my fervent hope that you will forge
on into the future with the same zeal
and enthusiasm that you have
always displayed.
MABUHAY KAYONG LAHAT
AT ANG TAGBILARAN!
President Ric Borja receiving recognition award from the
state of New Jersey from Ludy Hughes assisted
by Betty Garcia.
Milvian Ann Borja dishing out
Lea Salonga song , "Still"
Panfilo "Ping" Lacson
Senator
The ever supportive Sandugo family club members pose for posterity during the Inaugural Ball.
Senate of the Philippines, Room 523, GSIS Financial Center
CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard., Pasay City, Philippines
Tel: 552-6601 loc. 5534, 5535 Fax: 552-6743
Rose De Castr o
120 Eagle Rock Avenue, Suite 210, East Hanover NJ 07936
Tel: (973) 560-4000 ext. 7116 Fax: (973)515-0431
Cell: (201) 532-6686
Incoming 2005 will be
the Year of the Rooster
By ILUMINADO VERALA JR.
2005
is the year of the
flamboyant Rooster, the Don
Quixote of the 12-year Chinese
Lunar cycle represented by a dozen
animals.
As the Chinese say: "This is
the animal that hides in your
heart."
The years of the rooster in the
20th century are 1909, 1921, 1933,
1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, and 1993.
"This year (2005) we may have to
expend maximum effort for minimum gain," according to Asiatic
astrology. This dampens optimism
that the year of the rooster will be a
better year than the exiting year of
the Monkey.
Old fashioned Filipinos associate the chicken with hand-tomouth existence or "isang kahig,
isang tuka."
But the Chinese expect this
year to be buoyant in spite of the
rooster’s knack for making simple
things complicated.
"One thing is for sure: the
rooster seldom comes up emptyhanded. This is the year of one
very selfsufficient bird that will
never go hungry," say the Chinese
astrologists.
The advice is to keep our eyes
open and the mouth shut and check
fact and figures before making
unprecedented moves.
"Our pockets will not be
empty although our nerves may be
2005: Year of the Rooster
Still it will
be a good year.
The world will
get by without
too much
hardship.
a bit frayed," it is promised,
The rooster will find success
and money in the most common
places. The Chinese says that the
"Rooster can find food even in the
hardest ground with its sturdy beak
and claws."
A writer of Asiatic horoscope
reports: "Many millionaires were
born in the year of the rooster and
they all have one other thing in
common besides money – they
CLASS '79 - VELEZ COLLEGE OF NURSING
REUNION: Velez College of Nursing Class 1979 on board Voyager
of the Seas Royal Caribbean on their 25th Anniversary celebration.
MORE PICTURES ONNEXT MANILA POST ISSUE.
were all eccentric."
The rooster is a reputable
worker. His sharp intellect and efficiency impress people. With his
many administrative abilities and
natural passion for work, the rooster will be successful early in life.
What he needs most in everything he undertakes is restraint,
moderation, and a firm hand to
direct his energies.
Theodora Lau, a Shanghaiborn Chinese horoscope expert,
says that the rooster has many outstanding qualities to crow about.
"He is sharp, neat, precise, organized, decisive, upright, alert, and
most direct. He loves to argue and
debate, showing how knowledgeable and smart he is, sometimes
with little regard for the feelings of
others."
"The rooster can be practical
about difficult matter. But he can
also be very unreasonable and difficult over simple things. If the rooster’s dreams are too far-fetched and
overambitious, he will suffer disappointments. He must learn to stop
reaching for the sky."
For the people of the East,
especially
the
Chinese,
Vietnamese, and Japanese, this year
means much work for less gain.
"Be cautious. Do not aim to high.
One is liable to get shot down."
This is how the Oriental soothsayers look at the world during the
year of the rooster:
"Politics will adhere to hardline policies. The diplomatic scene
will be dominated by philosophical
orators who have a lot about nothing. Governments will be found
flexing their muscles at each other,
but just for show. Dissensions and
debates on all fronts will signify the
rooster’s penchant for argumentative exercises and will not be likely
to do permanent damage to anyone
when taken in the right context."
Still it will be a good year. The
world will get by without too much
hardship.
The Oriental lore about the animal sign has it that one New Year’s
Day, the dying Buddha called all
beasts, promising rewards if they
came.
Only 12 turned up: the rat, the
buffalo, the tiger, the cat (or rabbit),
the dragon, the snake, the horse, the
goat, the monkey, the rooster, the
dog, and the pig, arriving in that
order.
To each, the Buddha gave a
year to bear its name. The 12 animals, according to the story, would
have influence upon the life, destiny, and character of the people
born in its year, and on the year
itself.
Unlike the Westerners who rely
on the sun and the zodiac sign
(Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer,
Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio,
Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius,
Pisces), many Easterners depend on
the influence of the moon and these
dozen animals in their lives,
whether in business, politics, or
personal relationships.
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13
PHILIPPINE FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES RELIEF EFFORT
Donations for RP flood victims continue to pour in
Philippine New York Consulate releases list of donors
NEW YORK–Almost a month to the
day rampaging flood waters destroyed
lives and property in parts of Quezon
and Bicol provinces in Luzon, help in
the form of cash and relief goods for the
flood victims continues to pour in.
Philippine Consul General to New York,
Cecilia Rebong, said this in a report
dated 6 January 2005 to Foreign Affairs
Secretary Alberto Romulo.
In the report, Rebong said that "as
of 6 January 2005, the Consulate has
received a total cash donation of more
than $29,000.00 from the community,
with more pledges of cash and in-kind
donations coming in." Of this amount,
Rebong said "the Consulate has turned
over $3,465.00 to the Philippines
through the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) and
the National Disaster Coordinating
Council (NDCC)." "The Consulate will
turn over the rest of the cash donations
(and any additional amounts it will
receive) to the NDCC," she added.
The Consulate also shipped earlier
ten (10) boxes of relief goods to the
Philippines. An additional 40 boxes
await shipment. Several cargo-forwarding companies, namely, Port Jersey,
Johnny Air, LBC, St. Joseph Fast Cargo,
Manila Express, Magcor International
Forwarder, Macro and Forex have
pledged to help in shipping the remaining boxes to the Philippines.
Consul General Rebong described
the outpouring of help from the Filipino
community in Northeastern USA as
"phenomenal." "It shows our readiness
and willingness, as a community, to
come together for a common great
cause," she added.
FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF CASH AND
IN-KIND DONORS FROM THE
FILIPINO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY
IN NORTHEASTERN USA
IN THE ORDER THAT THEIR DONATIONS
WERE RECEIVED BY THE CONSULATE
(N.B. Some donors requested
anonymity; others merely dropped
their donations at the designated
drop-off center without revealing
their identity.)
LIST OF CASH DONORS FOR
RP FLOOD TYPHOON VICTIMS
(As of 6 January 2005)
PMAAFoundation, Inc. (Cadag)
$ 3,000.00
Dr. Benjamin Ileto–$ 500.00
Kevin Mondron–$100.00
Filipino Social Club of NY
$ 500.00
Ogie Del Mundo–$100.00
PACEC–$ 100.00
Manolo/Abbelane Mempin
$ 25.00
Lamberto/Lina Santos
$ 100.00
Cecilia R. Viray
$ 25.00
Carlos/Brenda Talisaysay
$ 100.00
Judith Belonia
$ 25.00
Dr. Micky/Grace Yu –$ 500.00
Holistic Health Options, Inc.
$100.00
Anonymous
$ 25.00
Dr. Fabian Sy–$ 500.00
William Brown–$100.00
SGVAlumni Association of
Eastern America–$ 500.00
Anonymous–$100.00
Assn. of Phil. Physicians in
NY–$ 500.00
Dr. Agerico/ Mrs.Linglingay
Lacanlale –$ 500.00
Benito Gonzales – $500.00
Luzviminda Kastury–$ 100.00
Rudell and Associates
Personnel–$400.00
Consul General Cecilia
Rebong–$ 350.00
Delta Dental (Maria Salamat)
$ 310.00
Performing Arts of the Phils.
$ 300.00
Order of the Knights of Rizal,
NJ–$300.00
Filipino American Association
of W. CT (FAAWC)–$ 300.00
Lolita/Michael Aguila
$ 300.00
Filipino American Assoc. of Bucks
County Inc.
$ 1,000.00
Engr. Rudy and Dra. Connie Quiambao
(sent thru Ayala Foundation USA)
$ 1,000.00
Phil. Consulate General Staff
$ 502.00
14
Dr. Mars and Cora Custodio
$100.00
Moncadenians of N. America
Inc. –$100.00
Reynaldo/Gloria Balatbat
–$50.00
Santa Cruz, Laguna Assoc. EC
Chapter
$ 300.00
Josefina Maquiling
$ 50.00
PA Fil-Am Lions Club D-14A
$ 300.00
Eleanor Read
$ 50.00
Corazon Gemil–$ 250.00
Dr. Murillo/ Ofelia
Mangubat
$ 50.00
Philippine Senior Citizens
International , Inc. –$ 250.00
Erlinda Velasco–$ 20.00
Ruby Santos
$ 25.00
Valintino/Florence Asuncion
$ 10.00
Armando/Minda
Magundayao
$ 25.00
Marie Dizon–$ 10.00
Maligaya Garcia–$ 10.00
Cecilia Bones
$ 25.00
Isidoro/Benita Samonte
$ 10.00
Filemon/Violeta Trias
$ 25.00
Jovito/Merced Omana
$10.00
S. Bacayo Branzuela
$ 25.00
Alvaro Correo–$ 10.00
Roger/Shirley Espino
$ 25.00
Vicente/Aurora Grana
$ 25.00
Dr. Baby Bleza /Mr. Roy
Guinto–$ 25.00
Mildred N. Lombardi
$ 25.00
Luningning Gunnefelt
$ 60.00
Dr. and Mrs. Enrico Khu
$ 250.00
Avelina Pimo
$ 60.00
PhilAm Communities
Executive Council (PACEC)
$ 200.00
Anonymous
$ 48.00
Roger Sy
$ 40.00
Patrick and Andre de Luna
$ 25.00
Jesselie P. Moneva–$10.00
Sean/Cielo Lane
$ 30.00
Lisa Consolacion–$ 20.00
Shu-Ju Chang–$ 200.00
Robert/Kimberley La Brie
$ 30.00
First Filipino Baptist Church
$ 150.00
Maria Inez Herrero–$ 140.00
Millicent Paredes–$ 120.00
Raymond G. Cruz–$100.00
Jaime Peralta–$ 20.00
Obdulia/Edgardo Ramas
$ 30.00
Juanita/Benedicto Bancaflor
$ 25.00
Felix/Virginia Vergara
$ 25.00
Carolyn/George Bennett III
$ 10.00
Robert/Rosalinda Kraus
$ 10.00
Federation. of Filipino
Associations in Connecticut
$ 200.00
Anthony/Maria Carmina Yu
$ 150.00
Richard/Helen Pearse
10.00
Amada Martin–$ 25.00
Eden and Clifford Paredes
$ 25.00
Ricardo
Victoria Kwiatkowski
$ 10.00
Robert/Remedios Strickland
$ 10.00
Matthew and Andre Olfindo
$ 25.00
Mrs.
Christina Oconnor–$ 10.00
Rogelio/Josefina Tizon
$ 25.00
Maximo/Otelia Godoy
$ 30.00
Mr. and
Rogayan
$ 30.00
Manuel/Mila Ramil–$ 10.00
Robert/Virginia Kuehn
$ 10.00
Francis Villamater–$ 25.00
Padilla & Company, LLP
$ 150.00
Elvira Po–$ 10.00
Peter/Ana Diller–$ 25.00
Lisa/John Mitchell, Jr.
$ 40.00
LL Alimov–$ 200.00
Filoteo/Consuelo Garcia
$ 10.00
Filomena B. Rubio
$25.00
Feliciano/Violeta Lopez
$ 25.00
PhilAm Veterans Org. Inc.
$ 250.00
Kayumanggi Society of PA
$ 200.00
John A/Nanette S. Wright
$ 1,000.00
Dr. Raul/Mayette Sala
$ 100.00
Jesus C. Moneva –$100.00
Phil-Am Trading, Inc.
$ 1,500.00
Dr. Alice Francisco
$ 1,000.00
Amor/Thomas McGuinnes
$100.00
Rick/Fiona Guevara–$ 300.00
Enrique/Annabel Nakpil
$ 200.00
Neo-Filipino Association, Inc.
$ 1,000.00
Verne Pineda—$100.00
Cecilia Rebong
RP Consul General to NY
Isabelita Palasol
$ 25.00
Jorge Ortoll–$ 100.00
Leonida M. Cortez—$100.00
Collection from Simbang Gabi Masses
$ 1,662.05
New England FilAm, Inc.
(NEFAI)Chelsea
$ 1,325.00
Rinaldo/Joy Bacordo
$ 25.00
Lydia/Malka Stern–$ 20.00
Filomena Rubio –$ 20.00
Cecilia R. Viray–$ 20.00
Alex Omana–$ 20.00
Deborah Stino–$20.00
Charles/Elizabeth Sibicky
$ 20.00
Luisa/Herminigildo
Masilang –$20.00
Raquel Gomez–$ 10.00
Mila Apostol–$ 10.00
Charles/Airen Sherrill
$ 10.00
Patti Gabasa–$ 10.00
Elizabeth C. Grant–$ 10.00
Edith/Raymond Soriano
$ 10.00
Zenaida and George
Mangonon–$ 10.00
Juli Belle Quintos–$ 8.00
Godofredo/Pilar Aguilar
$ 5.00
Walter Hager–$ 5.00
Total Collections
as of 06 January 2005–
$29,210.05
Food Take-out and Catering Services
Filipino/Oriental Food Store
Money Transfer & Remittance to RP
Balikbayan Boxes & Air Cargoes to RP
Video/Audio Tapes Sales and Rentals
ORIGINAL OIL PAINTINGS by FILIPINO ARTISTS
Noli & Rose Chavez
80 Franklin Street
Belleville, New Jersey 07109
Tel. : (973) 759-1449
Fax: (973) 759-1778
15
MOTHERLAND
A Woman Of Substance
F
or a moment, she had it in the palm
of her hand to play, not queen, but the
king himself. For a moment, she could
have turned mourning into frenzied rage
and, perhaps, satisfy an urge for revenge.
It is not often that such a moment comes,
and even more rare for such a moment to
be made available to one person. One
moment, and Susan Roces had it.
How ironic, then, that a woman that
had gained fame and fortune from an
illustrious movie career and had married,
not an ordinary actor, but Da King himself, could with ease smile and deny herself a chance of a lifetime. She was given
power by fate, but her simplicity gave her
even greater power to rise above such a
temptation that few can resist.
Susan was a public figure who chose,
together with her husband, to have a quiet
private life. She was a wife who witnessed her mate in deep pain and frustration over an unthinkable loss of a contest
where personal popularity normally
would be an insurmountable advantage.
She was a political supporter who must
have believed, like his other allies, that
FPJ was cheated out of a presidency. Yet,
when an opportunity to indulge in
vengeance was placed on her lap, she
showed only disdain at what many others
would have given a leg and an arm to
have.
While the moment was with Susan,
another woman was calling on her armed
troops to be loyal to her. And as an additional insurance, all sorts of blockades
ringed a Palace that exuded more fear
than power. It would have been a once in
a lifetime face-off between two women,
both of whom had power in their hands,
but one with the more intense motive to
use it for vengeance simply turned her
back on it.
Convicts are not necessarily evil people. Many are considered, in fact, good
Unfortunately, one weak moment, one
wrong decision and a whole good life can
suddenly turn very bad. That is what
defines convicts, that is
woman who had
what makes criminals
experienced
great
out of otherwise good
challenges herself,
people. In Muntinglupa,
especially about losone can find many of
ing one’s illustrious
these individuals.
mate, that made Cory
On the other hand,
reach out to someone
heroes are not necessariwho was not that
ly the best of people.
close to her. FPJ’s
Many are considered, in
death, and the politifact, quite ordinary.
cal circumstance that
However, one special
is today’s context,
moment, one chance at By Jose Ma. Montelibano will
make
two
bravery and nobility,
women have more
and an ordinary life beomes extraordi- things in common in very special ways.
nary. That is what defines heroes, that is It will not be strange for these two spewhat makes supermen of otherwise cial women to establish a special relasimple people. In a country hungry for tionship.
heroes, in a moment and circumstance
To rise above partisanship in a
that may never come again, Susan country that is retching from too much
proved to be a woman of substance.
bad politics will be a challenge that
They say that the wake of FPJ will confront Cory Aquino and Susan
rivaled that of Ninoy Aquino, maybe Roces,
even surpassed it in a number of ways. elections or no elections. Around FPJ
Just like in 1983, there was no presi- in the last year of his life was an array
dential election in near sight, but Cory of politicians that must have made him
the future president made her debut as a very uneasy. Simple people, especially
political personality. There is no presi- those with strong and unwavering loydential election in near sight today, but alties, invariably feel uncomfortable in
Susan has also beome a political per- the midst of greedy and ambitious
sonality. She can resist the temptation to politicians. In the end, FPJ chose to
go political, and she probably will. But fraternize with only a handful, the spelike Cory, life may force Susan to con- cial handful who made him comfortfront a situation that gives her no other able.
respectable choice.
Susan need not go partisan, and
One rare moment may have passed she need not even go political. But her
for Susan, and she responded with rare spoken word that she will pursue the
maturity as well. That does not mean, cause that her husband was engaged in
however, that other moments just as will draw her to that political landscape
special, just as pregnant with possibili- which will make her also feel uneasy.
ties, will not be coming her way any- How, then, can a non-political and very
more. In fact, those who refuse what private person honor not only her word
many hunger for are often and repeat- but her fallen mate’s cause without
edly tempted – if not to raise the level of going to the eye of the storm?
purity on the person involved, then to Obviously, she cannot stay away.
use the person as a shining example to Hopefully, though, she will not lose her
many.
substance as she does so.
Cory Aquino went to the hospital
Rising beyond politics will allow
when FPJ was in coma to give Susan a Susan to keep her substance yet serve
rosary It might have been her being a the special purpose of inspiring a discouraged and fearful people. Society
has few high profile models of honesty,
propriety, and statesmanship yet needs
these models so acutely. If corruption is
at an all-time high, if poverty is at an
all-time high, it can only be because
there has been a severe lack of societal
leaders with integrity and compassion.
Better late than never. Susan is not
in the prime of her youth, but she may
be in the prime of her life. If she takes
the challenge to be public role model,
then she will need the courage, not so
much to remain honest and sincere, but
to weed out the undeserving who will
surely try to surround and influence
her. This is an often underestimated
temptation and one that hardly ever
fails to achieve its purpose.
Women of substance are a boon to
any society, but specially needed by
Philippine society. Men of substance,
too, of course, are needed as well, but
this moment belongs to Susan and her
ilk. It is the choice of life to make us
focus our eyes today on the woman
who survives the loss of her man, on
the queen without her king. From the
movies to real life, Susan can become a
star. Simply by staying a woman of
substance.
Susan Roces, widow of former Philippine presidential candidate and action movie
star Fernando Poe Jr., places flowers on his grave at Manila's North Cemetery during his funeral Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
16
[email protected]
Opposition
bloc not
keen on
Poe widow
as leader
MANILA–To help the opposition
bloc, yes, but not as its leader.
This was how two opposition
members reacted to the one-million
signature campaign being launched
by supporters of actor Fernando Poe
Jr. to convince his widow, Susan
Roces, to lead the opposition group.
"If she (Roces) would only help
the opposition, that's fine. But to
lead the opposition, that would
require more thought," said Makati
Representative Agapito "Butz"
Aquino in a telephone interview.
Aquino, who supported another
oppositionist, Senator Panfilo
Lacson, over Poe in the last presidential election, said they should be
consulted first if there were moves
to install Poe's wife as the new
opposition leader.
Negros Oriental Representative
Jacinto Paras, a staunch ally of Poe,
said he would support Roces "not as
a candidate" but as a "rallying point
to unite the opposition."
"She could be the rallying point
of the opposition as we have to
unite within the legal bound," Paras
said.
But Paras said there was no talk
within the group to push Poe's wife
as the next candidate of the opposition bloc.
Paras' remarks confirmed a previous statement by former Senator
Vicente “Tito” Sotto that Roces was
not being considered as the next
leader of the opposition.
Senator Edgarda Angara floated the idea of having Roces as a
replacement for Poe, who died after
suffering from stroke in December.
INS
Imee predicts
worst times
for Prez GMA
MANILA–- THE worst is yet to
come for the Arroyo administration.
This is how Ilocos Norte Rep.
Imee Marcos foresees the year
ahead, noting the ripening public
unrest fueled by rising prices of fuel
and basic commodities, growing
joblessness, low wages and excesses
of people placed in positions of
power and influence as payment for
political debts.
"The long-suffering masses
have seen enough of the empty
promises of this government in the
past year, and they are prepared to
force reforms that the administration
has denied them," the opposition
lawmaker said.
"If President Macapagal-Arroyo
still harbors fantasies about her government's credibility, she only has to
look at her abysmal performance rating to disabuse her mind," Marcos
said.
Mrs. Arroyo's popularity rating
has dropped to its lowest of `5 percent shortly before Christmas.
THE HIGH GROUND
Could that be the Christmas
before the political storm?
I
waited for the Christmas and New
Year holidays to be over before writing
this. I did not want to add to the already
bleak outlook painted by the SWS survey released last December 23 that
depicted Filipinos as having the worst
ever pessimistic feelings towards having a happy Christmas.
The SWS reports that this pessimism is felt by one out of three
Filipinos. Taken from a social and historical perspective, the numbers reveal
a more chilling reality - the fact that this
is hardly the season and time when
Christian Filipinos are expected to feel
cynical. "Dominance of pessimism is
rare, and previously occurred only in
March 2003 (the Iraq War),
September/October 2000 (Juetenggate)
and in 1984 (post-Aquino assassination)", says the SWS report.
Public pessimism during the height
of the Iraq War, an external event with
devastating international consequences,
is expected and cannot be helped. The
two other local events were forerunners
of People Power upheavals that marked
historical turning points. But today's
public pessimism is set against the
backdrop of a presidency regarded as
illegitimate by 55% of Filipinos (per
another SWS survey) coupled by a people misery index that far exceeds conditions that prevailed in the period preceding the first and second People
Power events. This leaves us with but
one logical conclusion - a more turbulent turnover of power is in the horizon.
One must understand that among
Filipinos, Christmas is a very special
event unlike no other. It is a time when
class divides are blurred by the spirit of
giving and sharing. Filipino homes celebrate Christmas as best as they can
afford, from the humblest shanty to the
most opulent of mansions. It is a time to
be happy and a time to be together with
kith and kin. For a Filipino, Christmas
provides a catharsis for the pains and
aches of the past 12 months.
The SWS findings which reveal
that one of three Filipinos does not even
see this Christmas as a much-awaited
respite from the drudgery of his impoverished existence is certainly cause for
alarm. They do not see any 'joy to the
world' nor find reason to raise their
hearts up in this 'season of hope'. This
is even made worse by the fact that
such people tend to blame it all on the
greed and callousness of their public
officials. This can only mean one thing:
left with precious little to rejoice about,
there is also precious little to lose for
people stuck in the pits. Surely, preserving the oppressive status quo would
be the least in these people's minds!
A Filipino who pictures himself
having a sad Christmas is like a child
feeling dysfunctionally depressed amid
all the glitter and sounds of Disneyland.
One of three Filipinos, around 28 million of the 84 million or so, is now
shrouded with a pall of gloom - what
Shakespeare described in the opening
line of Richard III as the 'winter of our
discontent'.
The collective negative energy of
28 million desolate Filipinos should be
enough cause for panic for the
By: William M. Esposo
Steal all you want
but make sure that the people
are properly fed. When one
man's desperation reaches
starvation level, reason is
sidelined and instinct takes
over. But when whole families
and communities go hungry,
collective instinct takes over.
The desperation of those who
have nothing and those others
who have little to lose
is a tsunami waiting to be
activated by the slightest jolt
of a singular act of injustice
or inhumanity.
Macapagal-Arroyo regime. This is even
more than ten times the multitude that
made up the funeral entourage at the burial of Fernando Poe, Jr. Furthermore, the
remaining two-thirds of Filipinos who
did not share the pessimism of the onethird over enjoying Christmas do not
even approve of the Macapagal-Arroyo
regime. The earlier SWS survey released
last December 17 showed MacapagalArroyo sliding even further in net satisfaction ratings - the only incumbent president polled by SWS to have slid into
negative net satisfaction ratings.
The -5% net satisfaction ratings of
Macapagal-Arroyo last December 17,
immediately followed by the projection
of a "sad Christmas" five days later, do
not make good ingredients for happy
days ahead, specially for one who is
blamed for messing up the economy and
whose regime is largely-perceived as
illegitimate. Quite unsettling when one
also considers that our two People Power
events have both occurred during the
first quarter of 1986 and 2001.
Sometime in the late 70's when I was
having lunch at the MOPC (Manila
Overseas Press Club), then located near
my office in Makati City, one of the
members brought sad news about somebody who committed suicide. Most of us
did not know the suicide, but the news
was very disturbing, more so because it
happened a few days before Christmas.
Nobody knew what prodded the person
to do it and there was no evidence of a
severe financial or romantic setback common causes of suicides - to suggest
why it happened. That it happened days
before Christmas made it a conversation
piece for the next two hours around the
MOPC round table.
Who would feel like ending one's life
during a happy time like Christmas?
I think it was former President
Diosdado Macapagal's press secretary
and now Philippine ambassador to
Palau Leo Parungao who gave the most
plausible explanation why there is a
high incidence of suicides during the
Christmas season: Christmas is a season of love and happy times so that
when an individual finds himself unduly depressed at this time, the discrepancy drives a painful contrast that can
only exacerbate despair and self-pity.
I tend to believe that it is in the context of this dark sense of despair and
foreboding that one-third of Filipinos
see only a sad Christmas in the offing.
And it is going to be illogical to think
that so many Filipinos will commit suicide either. A few of them might and
that has been a common scene these
days - desperate parents opting to end
their lives with their children in tow.
Many of us saw some of these on
primetime television news.
The extent of desperation and cynicism that now stalks the Philippine
landscape is not new. There was a time
when the people of France during the
18th century and the people of Tsarist
Russia in the early 20th century underwent the same desperation and the
hunger that found their people competing with rats in scavenging for food in
trash bins. Those social conditions
caused two of the greatest and bloodiest
political upheavals in history. The
French and the Russian revolutions
proved that extreme hunger awakens
the primal instinct of people to embrace
the law of the jungle, driving them to
take a last ditch gamble to safeguard
their survival.
Steal all you want but make sure
that the people are properly fed. When
one man's desperation reaches starvation level, reason is sidelined and
instinct takes over. But when whole
families and communities go hungry,
collective instinct takes over. The desperation of those who have nothing and
those others who have little to lose is a
tsunami waiting to be activated by the
slightest jolt of a singular act of injustice or inhumanity.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should
not delude herself that her co-opted and
pampered military and police generals
can protect and preserve her regime
when the equation reaches this level of
desperation. The deposed French and
Russian monarchies commanded better
respect, fealty and loyalty from their
generals but to no avail. Their generals,
like ours, commanded soldiers and junior officers whose families lived under
the same pitiful social conditions. In the
end, the French and Russian armies
joined the ranks of the people and we
all know what happened to the families
of the Bourbon and Romanov royal
houses.
I wish you all a Happy New Year.
Under the circumstances that we are in,
I hope that is not wishful thinking.
Military
orders
manhunt
for colonel
linked to
coup plot
THE MILITARY has ordered a
manhunt for an army colonel who
was allegedly involved in the latest
destabilization attempt against the
government.
Lieutenant
Colonel
Buenaventura Pascual, Armed
Forces spokesman, identified the
suspected putschist as Lieutenant
Colonel Orscarlito Mapalo.
Mapalo has been restricted to
military
headquarters
since
September after he publicly criticized the military's promotion system.
Pascual said Mapalo eluded his
guards and left the camp on
December 21. “[Camp Aguinaldo
commander] General Aleo has
ordered his [Mapalo] rearrest,”
Pascual told reporters.
“Before he [Mapalo] went
missing, we had an intelligence
report of destabilization moves and
this was further bolstered with his
escape,” Pascual said.
Mapalo escaped a day before
the burial of movie actor and
defeated presidential candidate
Fernando Poe Jr.
Justice
Secretary
Raul
Gonzalez said groups had planned
to agitate the mamoth crowd that
joined Poe's funeral march into
overthrowing the Arroyo administration. The march, however, was
peaceful.
The military is also investigating the involvement of Colonel
Jose Gamus in the destabilization
plot.
Gamus campaigned for Poe in
the May election in violation of
military regulations and is confined
to quarters. (INC)
YOUR FRIENDLY
DOCTOR
RAFAEL R. V. LUCILA
MD., FAAFP
Family Medicine
You may email
William M. Esposo at:
[email protected]
Call For Appointment
Tel: (973) 249-6202
Fax: (973) 249-6203
(Reprinted in Manpost with the per mission of INQ7.NET, website of the
Philippine Daily Inquirer and the
GMA-7 Broadcasting Network)
780 Allwood Road
Clifton, NJ 07012
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BUSINESS
Mining execs: bauxite deposit big in E. Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY- Eastern Visayas
would greatly benefit from the Supreme
Court’s recent decision to open up mining operations in the country to foreign
companies, say regional officials of the
Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
Loreto Alburo, regional MGB
chief, said Eastern Visayas is one of the
country's richest regions in terms of
mineral resources. He added that the
region's huge bauxite deposit alone
would be more than enough to help
improve the country's financial condition.
"Based on our study, in Samar
province alone, there is a big bauxite
deposit that is worth P24 billion, a big
amount that is more than enough for the
government to get out itself of its present fiscal problem and even pay some of
our debts," Alburo told the media.
Alburo said that there are
408,240,634 tons of bauxite deposits
that are spread in 194,900 hectares of
land on Samar Island waiting to be
explored.
Aside from bauxite, which is used
in the production of aluminum, Eastern
Visayas is also rich in other mineral
resources like gold, copper, chromite
and silver.
But the Freedom from Debt
Coalition (FDC)-Eastern Visayas
decried this move to open up mining
operations in the country even to foreign
mining companies.
Rey Enales, regional secretary general of the FDC, said that mining operations would only result in environmental destruction.
"Just like logging activity, mining
... is also one of the reasons for the
destruction of our environment. If the
government would indeed push (for) the
revitalization of the mining industry, at
least it must be regulated and all proper
measures should be put into place to
PHILIPPINE FLOODS
AND LANDSLIDES
RELIEF EFFORT
ALPHA PHI OMEGA
(New Jersey)
& MANILA POST
are accepting donations
of clothings, food, canned
goods, blankets and money
for victims of floods and
landslides brought on
by TYPHOON WINNIE
in the Philippines
APO/ MANILA POST
can be reached at the
following e-mail addresses:
[email protected]
[email protected]
For further infos
and pick-up CALL:
(908) 265-6290
Send your donations at:
MANILA POST
P.O. Box 179
Millburn, NJ 07041
Attn: RP Typhoon Relief Effort
avoid destruction of our environment,"
Enales said.
There are at least 32 pending applications for the exploration of bauxite
and other mineral resources in the
region, Alburo revealed.
At present, there are two existing
mining operations in the region. One is
in Homonhon Island, in Guiuan, Eastern
Samar and the other in Palompon,
Leyte.
The Heritage Mining Corp. is
engaged in chromite mining in
Homonhon while the Phechem Industry
Corp. is quarrying limestone in
Palompon.
Aware of the opposition to mining
operations by environmentalist and
Catholic-backed groups in Samar,
Alburo said that while he respected their
opinion, these mineral resources must
be explored and used for the benefit of
the greater number of people.
"We really have to consider other
options. (Preserving) the environment
and conducting a mining operation
could co-exist," he said. INS
Corruption bloats cost of doing business in RP
By MAX ESTAYO
T
he cost of doing business in the
Philippines is one of the highest in Asia.
In countries such as the Philippines
where corruption is pervasive, the cost
can amount to more than 25 percent of a
firm's sales, according to the World
Development Report 2005.
As a result, the report said,
investors are not inclined to open shop
in the Philippines.
The cost of registering a property in
the country amounts to more than 5 percent of the value of the property, as in
Indonesia.
Bribes alone costs firms more than
4 percent of their total sales, again the
same level as in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, electricity expenses
amount to 10 percent of firm's sales, a
level comparable to India and Kenya.
In a recent World Bank study, 35
percent of respondents cited corruption
as a key problem in the Philippines.
Compounding this problem is the
country's poor infrastructure. Public
investment in building roads and related
infrastructure accounts for less than 3
percent of the gross national product,
one of the lowest in Asia.
As a result, the World Economic
Forum ranked the Philippines 68th out
of 75 countries in overall quality and
sufficiency of infrastructure.
The country also ranks very low in
service delivery. With respect to its
Asian neighbors, the Philippines is 8th
out of 11 in the quality of electric supply, 6th out of 12 in telephone sub-
scribers per 100 people, and 6th out of
12 in total road network.
All this has resulted in the decline
of the country's competitive ranking,
from 35 in 2000 to 52 in 2004, according to WEF.
This affects the country's ability to
attract investors.
The World Bank said the country
has one of the lowest foreign direct
investments (FDI) in the region. FDIs to
the country in terms of percentage
points slipped from 2.2 percent of gross
domestic product in 1997-2001 to 1.3
percent in 2002-2003.
The WB said a reduction in corruption in the country to the low levels in
Singapore would raise the ratio of
investments to GDP by 6.6 percent and
rate of annual per capita GDPgrowth by
1.65 percent. (Copyright 2005) With
permission from Malaya. All Rights
Reserved
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OFW remittances
in 2004
expected to hit
8 Billion dollars
MORE than US$8 billion in remittances
from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
is being projected by the government for
2004.
Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas
said the latest remittances recorded by
the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
reached nearly US$6.937 billion during
the third quarter.
"If the trend is maintained for the
months of November and December,
OFW remittances for the entire year of
2004 would exceed US$8.3 billion," said
Sto. Tomas.
Citing a report of the BSP, Sto.
Tomas said the increase in remittances of
OFWs was mainly because of the
increase in deployment of skilled and
professional workers like nurses, health
workers, office, food service staff and
production workers. (MSN)
321 Millburn Ave.,Suite 1
Millburn, New Jersey, USA
P.O. Box 179
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(973) 376-4880
19
ENTERTAINMENT
Filipinos Pay Tribute to "Da King"
MANILA, Philippines - Tens of thousands of Filipinos filled Manila's streets
Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004, for the funeral of Fernando Poe Jr., the actor-turnedpresidential candidate who came to symbolize the aspirations of this country's
poor.
Security was tight as a horse-drawn
hearse with Poe's coffin led a massive
burial procession from the Santo
Domingo Church to Manila's North
Cemetery. Crowds shouted the actor's
name and waved his posters as the
marchers made their way along major
thoroughfares closed to traffic.
There were no incidents reported
after Poe's widow, actress Susan Roces,
asked mourners not to turn the funeral
into a political event.
Poe, 65, died of a stroke last week
without conceding May's presidential
election. His supporters still contend
they were cheated by President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo. Arroyo's camp
denied any wrongdoing.
Hours earlier, a long line of mourners - some who waited longer than 12
hours - filed past Poe's glass-covered
coffin at the church.
Felomena Sadullo, 70, from Poe's
northern province of Pangasinan,
clutched a worn-out scrap book of the
actor's pictures and magazine clippings, titled ``You are my world.'' She
said she had rescued the book from the
numerous storms that batter the impoverished archipelago.
``Each time a storm comes this is
the first thing I save,'' she said.
One of Poe's best-remembered
screen roles was in the true story of a
teacher who became a rebel leader,
fighting greedy landlords in the 1920s,
when the Philippines was still a U.S.
colony.
A veteran of 200 action films, Poe's
forte was the fist-swinging underdog
hero. He was a five-time winner in the
Philippine version of the Oscars.
But he may be remembered even more
for his brief foray into politics. The
political novice and high school
dropout said he believed he could unite
the nation because ``I am not a politician.'' (AP)
Dolphy and Zsa Zsa may now marry
The coast is clear for singer-actress
Zsa Zsa Padilla and long-time lover, comedy king Dolphy, to finally walk down the
aisle. That is, if they still want to.
The Court of Appeals recently upheld
a lower court decision more than a year
ago, granting annulment of Padilla's marriage of more than two decades to dentist
Modesto Tatlonghari.
Padilla, 40, and Dolphy, 76, have
been together for nearly 16 years, nearly
the same period that Padilla had been trying to get her marriage annulled. Padilla,
a veteran singer and television personality, has a daughter by Tatlonghari, 20year-old Karylle, who herself is a singer
and actress.
Dolphy, whose real name is Rodolfo
Vera Quizon, has 17 children by four different women. He has never married. This
could change with Padilla's marriage now
annulled, although rumors have it that
their relationship is on the rocks.
Sources said Padilla wants out as she
is in a "dilemma" trying to find a life of
her own possibly amid the complexities
of having a lover with a large family. It
has likewise been rumored that Padilla is
not getting along too well with Vandolph,
Quizon's son by actress Alma Moreno.
But definitely there's no third party
involved, according to sources. When
asked of these rumors, Padilla replies that
she and Quizon still sleep on the same bed
and would neither confirm nor deny they
Dolphy ans SzaSza
20
are calling it quits.
Quizon and Padilla have been planning to get married for the longest time
- since 2003, in fact. It was supposed to
happen in December of that year after
the Parañaque City regional trial court
dissolved the marriage of Padilla and
Tatlonghari in August. This, however,
never took place after a restraining
order from the Office of the Solicitor
General (OSG) came out while the case
was pending at the CA.
And in a latest development, the
CAgranted Padilla's motion to consider
the government's withdrawal of its
opposition to the annulment case. In a
one-page resolution penned by Justice
Delilah Vidallon-Magtolis, the CA
Special Fourth Division said the appeal
filed by the OSG against the annulment
"is declared withdrawn and terminated."
This was after Padilla informed the
CA that the OSG already withdrew its
opposition before the Parañaque RTC
hearing the case.
In seeking the annulment of her
marriage, Padilla cited Tatlonghari's
psychological incapacity. But a city
counsel filed a motion urging the court
to reconsider its decision on grounds
that Padilla was not the victim of "matrimonial tragedy" because she got
involved in an "adulterous relationship"
with Quizon.
Padilla,
Esperanza
PadillaTatlonghari in real life, has been with
Quizon since 1990. The couple now
have two children.
The government counsel said
Padilla violated public policy and the
moral code when she entered into a
relationship with Quizon while she was
still legally married to Tatlonghari.
The counsel alleged that Padilla's
adulterous relationship made her psychologically incapacitated, not her husband.
In appealing the decision, the counsel said the RTC judge merely considered the psychological findings favorable to Padilla, and not the fact that psychologist also stated that the singeractress also needed counseling.
The counsel said annulling the
marriage of Padilla to Tatlonghari could
serve as a precedent to unrestricted and
indiscriminate filing of annulment
cases and destroy the image of family
cherished and protected by the government.
Under the circumstances in Padilla
and Quizon's supposedly rocky relationship even with the decision of the
CA, will the couple still push through
with their long-delayed plan to get married? STAR
Ousted Philippine President Joseph Estrada strokes the hair of his best friend and
former Presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. as he attends his wake Tuesday
evening Dec. 21, 2004 at Santo Domingo Church. Estrada was allowed by an antigraft court briefly from detention to attend Poe Jr.'s wake. Poe Jr. died Dec.14 following a massive stroke. He was 65. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Millions of FPJ mourners march along Espana St in Quezon City during the funeral march for the movie icon towards the North Cemetary in Manila. JOE GALVEZ/ PNS
Rica, no to ‘all the way’
Going bold is now erased from the
mind of Rica Peralejo. No matter what,
she doesn’t want to bare in a movie
anymore. Not that she has anything
against it, but because, she feels, she
has had enough of it.
As it is, she was in nine (9) bold
flicks. And she said, “When you've
done almost 10 bold pictures, how
many parts of your body have you not
shown yet?” Naturally, she won’t go all
the way.
Rica told in a presscon of her new
show at ABS-CBN 2, Ek! Channel with
Marvin Agustin, Dominic Ochoa and
Angelika dela Cruz, that her being a
bold star was actually by accident.
When she was offered by Viva
Films her first bold outing, Balahibong
Pusa (Cat’s Fur), she immediately
turned it down after reading the script.
She simply could not imagine herself
baring her body on the big screen.
But, after persistent persuasions,
etc., she decided to give bold flicks a
try.
She admits that, at any rate, her
entry into the bold scene has created an
impact on her showbiz career.
Rica Peralejo
21
SPORTS
Reyes named to coach RP 5
MANILA–As expected, Chot Reyes,
the dynamic, young mentor who guided
Coca-Cola to a historic championship
in the pro league two years ago, was
officially chosen yesterday to coach the
national basketball team.
From the very start since the PBA
assumed commitment of handling the
preparation and training of the team
in all ABC-sanctioned tournaments,
Reyes was the overwhelming pick to
make it over three other reliable bench
tacticians.
Saying that Reyes has a better allaround vision for the national quintet
and a superior detailed program in the
next two years, PBA commissioner
Noli Eala announced Chot's appointment yesterday after a two-and-a-halfhour meeting with the league's Board of
Governors at the Chateau 1771
Restaurant in Pasig.
There were no objections from the
10-man Board the moment Eala presented his 9-page recommendation, a
decision derived at after a long three-
SPORTING CHANCE
By Joaquin M. Henson
First Gentleman’s wishes
F
irst Gentleman Foundation
executive director Teresa Mangahas
sent word that President Arroyo’s
husband, also known as Attorney
Mike, is sharing his wishes for the
holiday season.
In his own words, here are the
First Gentleman’s New Year wishes:
"Unity that all those involved in
sports move and act in one direction
for the Filipino athlete and the country".
"Overall championship in the
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games
2005. If Vietnam could do it (in
2003), why can’t we? We’ve got the
raw talent and the corporate sector
has been awakened to help out. With
the government all-out in its support, we should be able to achieve
our goal."
"A Filipino Olympic gold
medal in Beijing (in 2008)."
For her part, Mangahas said her
personal wish is "the successful
staging of the 2005 SEAGames and
the emergence of more sports heroes
for kids to emulate."
More wishes:
Talk "N’ Text team owner
Manny Pangilinan–"My three wishes for Christmas? First, Asi
(Taulava) back to Talk ‘N’ Text.
Second, a UAAP championship for
Ateneo. Third, an NCAA championship for San Beda."
Sportsman and promoter Carlos
(Bobong) Velez–"For myself, family and friends, good health and
peace of mind. For our country,
peace and economic prosperity
which will have to start with a transformation of our hearts and a determination to do something positive
no matter how seemingly insignificant to move our country forward.
We can begin within our own surroundings and community like not
littering or by just being kinder to
everyone we meet."
Mixed martial arts Hall of
Famer Alvin Aguilar–"More international recognition for Filipino
athletes. A bigger and even better
URCC (Universal Reality Combat
Championships). More training
materials for MMA (mixed martial
arts)."
Multi-awarded broadcast journalist and diehard La Salle alumnus
Mike Enriquez–"Harmony, unity
and prosperity for all Filipinos. A
Christmas wish and a dream."
22
Quezon City councilor Franz
Pumaren, recently signed to a threeyear renewal as La Salle coach–"My
First Gentleman MIKEARROYO
"Unity
that all those
involved
in sports move
and act in
one direction
for the
Filipino
athlete
and the
country"
– ATTORNEY MIKE
three wishes: That there will be better
opportunities for my children and all
of the youth of our land. Good health
for my family and loved ones. That
there be better performance on all
levels so that our country can recover
economically and that we may truly
have a peaceful country that all of us
can be proud of. And may the victims
of different typhoons find solace in
concerned hands that will reach out
to them. A blessed and meaningful
Christmas to all."
Cebuana Lhuillier team manager
Danny Francisco–"That our national
athletes in all sports be given proper
support in local and international
training and competition. That they
be given true recognition as our
national athletes now and in the years
ahead. That private entities support
our National Sports Associations for
the continued growth of our national
athletes and programs. That peace,
sincerity and good health continue
upon us and our loved ones by the
grace of our Lord."
Coach E basketball camp director and San Miguel All-Stars project
director Eric Altamirano–"I just wish
that in the midst of the gift-buying
and parties, we do not forget the real
essence of Christmas which is the
birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. My
personal wish is for my kids and even
the next generation to have a safe and
peaceful place to live in. I wish that
our country will finally have a longterm basketball program that will
address the need to develop the grassroots level."
Former Philippine Basketball
Association commissioner Jun
Bernardino–"My three wishes: Less
politics, more governance. Less corruption, more job opportunities. Less
animosity, more unity among our
sports leaders. May the New Year
bring us all new hopes and better
tomorrows."
Sports
agent
Danny
Espiritu–"My first wish is that God
continues to protect my family from
harm and spare them of sickness and
pain in life. Second, I hope that the
sport that I love, basketball, will be
successful in terms of harmony
among the heads of all associations
that have a stake in the game. Third,
I hope that our nation moves up economically." With permission from
The
Philippine
Star
and
www.philstar.com.
month process that studied the four
aspirants through print questionnaires
and interviews while drawing inputs
from former commissioners Rudy
Salud and Jun Bernardino.
"What was most significant by the
decision to name Reyes as head coach
is his international experience that
would be useful in future competitions," said Eala of Reyes, who acted as
chief assistant and scout to Cone in the
1998 Asian Games.
"Chot presented a complete and indepth vision for the national team. He
was the more prepared. He was fully
expressive with the completeness of his
long-term vision," Eala added. "He is
more knowledgeable when it comes to
international play."
In assuming the post, Reyes beat
out Cone, Joel Banal of Talk 'N Text
and Red Bull's Yeng Guiao.
Reyes will be the fourth man since
Robert Jaworksi, Sr., Norman Black,
Cone and Jong Uichico to handle an allpro national team since the Philippines
decided to bring PBAplayers into international competition in the 1990
Beijing Asian Games.
No one succeeded in dethroning
China as Asia'a powerhouse, however.
Jaworski, Sr., with Black as his assistant, managed a silver medal in 1990 ,
the best showing so far by the Filipinos
since we started sending pro players.
Reyes, though, has other things in
mind.
"We will do this like this was never
done before," said the 41-year-old
Reyes, who admitted at first to be
dumbfounded by Eala's decision. "We'll
try to win it in 2007. It's either we will
have a spectacular success or a spectacular failure. It's either we get it or we
die trying."
Reyes acknowledged the recommendation of the PBA and the vote of
confidence he received from the board,
adding he would consult with all parties
involved regarding the preparation of
the Philippine team that includes,
among others, the PBA as a league, the
PBA
coaches,
the
Basketball
Association of the Philippines or even
Malacañang.
By February, Reyes hopes the
national team's buildup will already
be in full blast. The Philippines will go
into a series of pocket tournaments here
against invited international teams and
will be played only on weekends so as
not to disrupt the PBA schedule. PNA
The
Voice
of
Filipinos
in America
www.RadioPinoyUSA.com
MUSTARD SEED
MAINTAINED BY: NESBEC
Mark 11:25
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you
have a grievance, so that your
heavenly Father may in turn
forgive you your transgressions."
NAB Commentary - Mark 11:25
+Mat 6:14; 18:35
Matthew 6:14
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly
Father will forgive you.
Matthew 18:35
So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each
of you forgives his brother
from his heart."
About the Mustard Seed
The Mustard Seed consists of Scripture verses that aim to break the monotony of daily routine. It is hoped to serve as a reminder of God's presence in our lives,
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Scripture verses are quoted verbatim from the New American Bible including commentaries, if any. As such, it is intended to be a non-discussion medium.
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