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BARGE RAMOS: Exponent of modern Barong Tagalog
Barge Ramos was an Atenean who wanted to pursue a career in mass communication, for which he had ample academic preparation. An initial foray into media was an engagement at ABS-CBN with its studio located on Roxas Boulevard, a few strides away from the Ramos home in the old, genteel part of Pasay. Fate, however, took him to a different path. As a college student, he encouraged his female gangmates to have their dresses made in the shop of the then young and mod designer Christian Espiritu. “We would patronize him because we admired his approach to fashion. We would save our allowance to be able to go to him and order our outfits.” From patron-client relationship, Christian and Barge would become friends, and the designer who was very busy designing the ternos and gowns of then First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, asked Barge if he was interested in joining his atelier as an apprentice. Barge accepted the offer and never looked back. A few weeks ago, Barge and I had dinner at Malate’s famed original Spanish restaurant, Casa Armas, where he gamely acquiesced to my unscheduled “interview” as I had realized that the Linggo ng Kasuotang Pilipino was forthcoming. This week then, as we celebrate Philippine costume, I am sharing with you my conversation with the gentleman couturier who dedicated his professional designing life to the preservation and continuous elevation of the Barong Tagalog as our national gentleman’s attire. Our conversation follows: DAILY TRIBUNE (DT): Coming from your apprenticeship with Christian Espiritu, tell me about how you got started on your own. BARGE RAMOS (BR): It was actually my friends who prodded me to open my first shop on Leon Guinto St. in Malate, several blocks away from Christian Espiritu’s atelier. Friends supported me as they were my first clients, plus a wedding job all at once. Being young and hopeful, I tried doing a few ready-to-wear lines for SM Makati and Cinderella, while maintaining a made-to-order client base. [caption id="attachment_190034" align="aligncenter" width="719"] BARGE Ramos[/caption] DT: What were your early projects involving indigenous Filipino costume? BR: In 1981, my fellow designers and I formed the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP), and for the two gala shows that year, we focused on Philippine-inspired fashion. I designed Barong-inspired tunics for women, photo silkscreened with t’nalak patterns and real t’nalak hip belts tied with gold like obi belts. Our honorary chairperson Imee Marcos bought a few of my pieces. Chairman of the board Ernest Santiago called me the next day, saying, “Barge, you’ve arrived.” DT: It’s interesting that you forged a creative path different from the other young designers. BR: That’s how I chose the path in my career, by finding new and newer ways of re-inventing the Barong Tagalog. As Joey Espino would tell in later years, “That’s your DNA.” I even did some cotton Barong Tunics for women, with matching loose cotton pants, an all-white collection, followed by a pastel-colored collection for SM Makati. DT: But you did not only focus on your designing. You also led some industry projects. You have done many things that other designers have not tried or even attempted to try. BR: The ‘80s and the ‘90s were my very active years in fashion. I became the third president of the FDAP and created “Bodyshots Modeling Competition,” originally an all-male competition in two levels, amateur and professional divisions. It was a big hit and it continued for several years with the FDAP at the helm. In 2008 I wrote a coffee table book, Pinoy Dressing Weaving Culture into Fashion, which was a condensed version of the fashion column I wrote for a Malaya newspaper, Pinoy Dressing, which ran for about three to four years. Anvil, the sister company of National Bookstore, published the book, which won a “Gintong Aklat” Award for the publisher. DT: How does one recognize a barong Tagalog by Barge Ramos? BR: I don’t have a signature Barge Ramos barong design, as my aesthetics have evolved through the years. A few years ago, Christian Espiritu told me, “You’re a good designer but you’re a late bloomer.” I really didn’t understand what he meant since Christian was always opinionated on everything. Perhaps he liked my later designs, comparing me to this and that designer. DT: Does designing run in your family? BR: There were two other designers among the Ramoses. One was Danilo Franco, whose father was a first cousin of my Dad. The second one was the late Boying Eustaquio, whose mother was my father’s sibling. DT: What has been your forte? What do you love creating? BR: We’ve made ternos and Barong tunics for women. As I’ve mentioned earlier, I did a line of ready-to-wear cotton Barong tunics and pants for SM Boutique Square in the ‘80s. DT: Any celebrity and VIP clients you are proud of? BR: We did several shirt jacks for the late President Ferdinand Marcos during the ‘80s. Imee Marcos, then an assemblywoman, bought a few of our barong tunics and skirts. We’ve done several barongs for Manny Pangilinan and former President Joseph Estrada, and then, when she was vice president, Gloria Arroyo. But most of our clients are very private persons, many of them businessmen, balikbayans and doctors. DT: How would you describe the evolution of the Filipiniana attire? BR: Filipiniana has always been there, but people mostly associated it with the rich and powerful in society. Nowadays, Filipiniana has seeped down to all levels of society and younger people are getting the hang of it and have interpreted it to fit their sub-culture. I’ve also observed that Filipinos living abroad appreciate it more, probably to assert their identity more in the face of other nationalities. DT: Finally, what can you say about the bolder, more imaginative interpretations of Filipiniana? BR: Fashion always has its quirks and oddities. Designers tend to push the limits and boundaries of Filipiniana in the attempt of creating contemporary looks and trends. One doesn’t have to “like” them but simply look at them and appreciate the designer’s creativity that went into them. Style is a matter of taste. But good taste can sometimes be difficult to ingrain in young minds. The post BARGE RAMOS: Exponent of modern Barong Tagalog appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting
The president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Nina Lim-Yuson, grew up in a family and home of Girl Scouts. Her grandmother, Pilar Hidalgo-Lim, was one of the co-founders of the GSP. “It was actually my Lola Pilar who suggested to Josefa Llanes Escoda, the GSP founder, to go to America to learn about girl scouting.” This tidbit of history, Nina shared in an online interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE. Pilar Hidalgo-Lim became GSP president, and so did Nina’s mother, Estefania Aldaba-Lim, who served as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Nina’s sister too, the eminent broadcast journalist, Cheche Lazaro, was a Girl Scout. Coming from a lineage of women achievers, Nina could not have chosen a different path. It was scouting that formally introduced the family to social responsibility, skills development and citizenship. Her brothers were also Boy Scouts. “I started when I was six years old and it was my Lola Pilar who inducted me as a Brownie. It used to be called Brownie because we were still using the American pattern,” she related. She belonged to Troop Number One, the first to be organized by the GSP national headquarters. In high school at the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School of the Philippine Women’s University, she became a junior and later a senior Girl Scout. College would briefly end her Girl Scouting as she focused on her studies. Along the way, she also danced with the Bayanihan Folk Dance Company. It was not unexpected that she would return to scouting, her first love, and her first extra-curricular activity. For the last 36 years, she has been active in various organizations and volunteer work. She founded the Museong Pambata. She is a recipient of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service and is active in its various social development efforts. What Nina brings to her post is the legacy of leadership that had been passed on to her through generations of women leaders in the family. “My Lola Pilar was my idol. She was such a nice person and I never knew her totally as a president. I knew her more as a loving lola from all the stories she related when we rode up to Baguio. “My mother, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was very career-minded. I learned naman from her a lot of things, like being thrifty and having a list of things to do. In terms of organization, she was like that. Because she was in government. And, you know, when we started Museo, while it was actually my concept, I learned a lot from her. She would call me up at 5 o’clock in the morning and she would rattle off what needed to be done, like ‘number one, number two and so on.’ That was her. And I’m glad that I worked with her for six years in Museo. She was the president and I was the executive director for six years. I took over in 2000 as president and chief executive officer. And then, I stepped down in 2017.” Girl Scouts who read and tell stories Nina was elected president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines for the term 2021-2024 during its 2021 national convention. From day one, she shared, “My purpose was to reach out to the community-based troops because we have always been school-based. Many young women now have social problems so we need to reach out to the communities through our community-based troops.” Also on top of her priorities is literacy development, a cause that she addressed even in the Museo Pambata. She explained, “My advocacy has always been education. So, I was very concerned because the Asian Development Bank reported in 2022 that the World Bank found out that our Filipino children at ages 9 and 10 cannot read. So, I felt that because girl scouting is all over the country, with 96 local councils, the organization could serve as a vehicle for improving literacy in our country. “We started the Girl Scout Storyteller project because storytelling affects the heart first before the mind. When young people start with storytelling, they will love the stories and then the written word. They would then want to read. “We now have storytelling in economically challenged communities and we have partners. We sent out 2,500 books throughout the country with the help of our partner couriers.” Initially, she sought the help of her family foundation “to give a donation. I also sought the help of Ging Montinola, who is into literacy development. Together, we founded the literacy program. We are building this fund to cover the cost of buying children’s books. We will have a storytelling contest next year.” Raising funds for Camp Escoda Nina then shifted the conversation to another major endeavor that she is spearheading as GSP president — fundraising for the 27-hectare Camp Josefa Llanes Escoda in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, which was donated by the provincial government during the term of Governor Amado Aleta, the father of consul and civic leader Fortune Ledesma. “Palayan is beautiful because it has rolling hills, but it doesn’t have electrical and water facilities and roadworks. It doesn’t have a swimming pool, and it’s so hot in Nueva Ecija. It also does not have a conference hall. This is a big one-time fundraising project because it’s for the future of the girls who are going to the camp. Because as of now, if you go camping there, you have to walk up the hills to get your drinking water. You have to make buhos to take a bath.” She recalled, “In my time as a young Girl Scout, which was of another era, we had to walk in the dark to fetch water to fill up two drums. I was so scared because there were tuko in Los Baños. That taught me to be courageous. Camps really build up your lifetime skills and attitude. Camping is very integral in girl scouting and boy scouting. So, this camp will serve a purpose. It just needs various basic facilities to make it world-class and convenient with the proper amenities, but the girls will continue to learn all those survival techniques and appreciate nature right on the camp.” She praised architect Pippo Carunungan, “who is an environmental planner. He surveyed the site and drew up everything. It will be a beautiful camp, he said, because it’s a gift of nature.” First Lady as Chief Girl Scout Nina recently led the Girl Scouts in a fundraising ball attended by the “First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, who is our Chief Girl Scout. It’s mandated in the GSP constitution that whoever is the female president of the country or the First Lady is the Chief Girl Scout. In the past, we had Imelda Marcos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. All the first ladies were all Chief Girl Scouts. “Mrs. Liza Marcos spoke before us and she promised to help. She said, ‘We will make it the best campsite.’ Everyone was excited to see her and she obliged everyone who asked to have selfie with her. She is very friendly. She is really a Girl Scout.” Nina shared, “A generous couple is sponsoring the swimming pool at P6 million, while a gentleman entrepreneur is sponsoring the perimeter fence at P1.5 million. Many other businessmen and leaders have pledged to help build this dream GSP project. “We really need to raise about 50 million to have a very good camp. But when the First Lady heard about it, she said, ‘It has to be P250 million.’ But, really, when we have the funds, we can have deep toilets that have running water instead of tabo-tabo. Since we have a little Pampanga river that runs across the camp, we can build a bridge that crosses it and then the girls can have white-water rafting there in the Pampanga river. “Camp Escoda will be a very important and significant venue for our Girl Scouts to gather, bond, learn new skills and develop as morally upright citizens of the country and the world. It is especially so because camping is integral in any Girl Scout’s life. If you don’t have camping, it’s like half of your scouting life is missing. Every Girl Scout remembers that time of her youth. And being the national camp, it will welcome Girl Scouts representing the 96 councils from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who will participate in various events and trainings.” Girl Scouts of all ages As GSP president, Nina travels to various parts of the country. “We have regional conferences aside from the meeting of the Central Board when regional heads and executives come to Manila. “I had just come from Baguio where I stayed for two-and-a-half days. I met our young Girl Scout representatives from ages 14 to 18. I enjoyed listening to them and exchanging ideas with them. I am so happy that we have a wealth of intelligent girls who want to serve the country. They are the ones who are going to take over. “It’s amazing that GSP is no longer limited to old people on the board. We finally have young ones on the board. Our Escoda committee is headed by Jade Delgado from Iloilo. Then we have Justine Bautista. She’s a psychometrician. She heads the Program Committee, which is a big committee because when we were in Baguio, we had 86 girls from all the councils throughout the country. Many of them are running for SK. “So, in my 70s now, which I don’t feel at all, I don’t take any medicines or something like that. Being with young people is what inspires me. Because at 15, 16 or 17, they already know that they have some kind of a mission.” Nina proudly shared that the venue of the Baguio conference, 'Ating Tahanan' on the South Drive was bought during the tenure of my Lola Pilar. We have four buildings there, including the houses of Senator and actor Rogelio de la Rosa and Carlos Valdes, the accountant. Lola Pilar, according to Carlos Valdes, twisted his arm to get a low price. I’m so thankful for all those who preceded me because they bought these places. It’s on South Drive which is so valuable. We even have a reserved forest behind us.” As she looks forward to the next camping and gets even busier raising funds for Camp Escoda, Nina feels elated that “every one of us in the Girl Scouts has been together in our various undertakings. The nice thing is we are now intergenerational because we try to bring in the old with experience, institutional memory and their wisdom born of their long life, and the young who are full of enthusiasm, energy and new ideas.” A star scout for a granddaughter While Nina does her part for the bright future of girl scouting in the country, her personal family too has not stopped contributing to the roster of members to this worldwide organization. Today, a granddaughter of hers, seven-year-old Rocio Yuson de Guzman, is a Star Scout. She is the daughter of Nina’s daughter, Nicky. No grandmother could have been prouder. Nina said, “Rufio loves being a star scout. When I arrived from the recent world conference in Cyprus, I came back with some badges and I gave some to Rufio who is very proud of the little badges that I got for her.” For sure, Nina will pass on not just the badges to Rufio. More importantly, she will give her granddaughter the once-in-one’s-childhood experience of being a Girl Scout and learning “the values that are identified in the Girl Scout Promise and Laws. I think that while there is so much to enjoy and learn, it is the inculcation of these values that would mold her into a well-rounded human being. As we all know, a Girl Scout’s honor is to be trusted. A Girl Scout is loyal, thrifty, courteous… and so on. It’s like a mantra -- the values that one lives by. “I have reached that point when it is not about success or what one accumulates in life, whether awards or accomplishments or material things. It is more about what I can share and scouting gives me that honor and privilege — to do my part in helping mold our young girls and making them aware even at an early age that they have a mission and worthy purpose in life. It is not just about being good and outstanding on your own but it is also about helping others to become better in what they’re doing and live better lives. “And I need not look far. As a grandmother, I dote on my Star Scout granddaughter, Rufio. There’s a world out there for her to discover and in which she has a role to play and use the skills and values she will learn from scouting.” The post Nina Lim-Yuson — A lifetime of girl scouting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
TOP GAN — JGFP’s dynamic chief steers jungolf to new heights
There’s a big room in Oliver Gan’s office building in Quezon City dedicated to the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines. It has two office staff, golf sets, boxes, trophies, shirts and two large white boards filled up with schedules and marginal notes. That particular afternoon, Gan was charting the interschool championships which is JGFP’s major event of the year. He was going through the logistics of the competitions as well as the events JGFP is staging leading up the interschool. Hectic day in the office for the 40-year-old Gan. Except that his real office was in the adjacent room where he runs the family business. “Running our family business and running the JGFP is easy for me. As long as there are no parents complaining,” Gan said jokingly. “But that is impossible. Between the two, it seems like running the family business is easier.” Yet despite that, Gan has been hands-on in JGFP. And for good reasons. One of them is the fact that Gan is himself a national jungolf champion. The other is because he has two daughters, Nicole and Stephanie, who happen to be two of the most promising jungolfers in the country. Gan said he’s playing golf at least once a week. But his downtime is not entirely for golf. “I used to play baseball and volleyball back in high school but concentrated on golf when my teammates outgrew me,” Gan said. Lately, his evenings are spent on the basketball court. “I used to play in the Xavier Alumni Basketball League,” said Gan, who acts as the team “owner,” being both the manager and playing coach of their batch. He is also chairman for sports in the alumni association of Xavier School. On the national level, Gan is former program officer of the Philippine Sports Institute for the National Capital Region and adviser for golf at the Games and Amusements Board. Clearly, his heart belongs to golf. And it shows in his work at JGFP. “We parents invest so much time and effort in our kids’ golf. We now know that our efforts are not wasted,” Gan said. “Before, golf was very exclusive. Not everyone can play it. Especially the children. Now our efforts to give golf a wider talent pool is gaining traction. Everyone is taking notice and is starting to cooperate.” That’s why JGFP is working on “giving it back to the kids, especially the under-privileged,” supporting several scholars. Through Gan’s initiatives, JGFP has been gaining the support of the private sector which is crucial in every grassroots program. JGFP, too, has reached Mindanao where there are a lot of untapped talents. And just recently, it announced that former Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo as JGFP’s “godfather.” “I think we are doing well. People know junior golf is in good hands. Businessmen are supporting the foundation. We are staging tournaments left and right. Golf courses offer to hold our events. We are getting invitations and accreditations from all over the world,” Gan said. But what Gan is counting as his biggest moment was when JGFP managed to span to Visayas and Mindanao which will soon have their own inter-school meets. “All the regional winners, we will pit them against each other in a truly national inter-school championships,” Gan said. “And from there we get the players to represent the country in international meets.” Such ambitious plans for JGFP. But nothing far-fetched with Gan at the helm. The post TOP GAN — JGFP’s dynamic chief steers jungolf to new heights appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teodoro pushes for protection of Phl sovereignty, sovereign rights over EEZ
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday stressed the need to upgrade efforts to protect the country’s sovereignty and its sovereign rights in the exclusive economic zone. Teodoro also mentioned the pressing need to back up the use of politics and diplomacy with a strategic defense posture. “The intensity of the need to focus on protecting our sovereignty and sovereign rights is paramount in the global race for resources and influence,” he said, during the deliberation of his ad interim appointment by the Committee on National Defense of the Commission on Appointments. Under his helm, Teodoro expressed the Department of National Defense’s desire to modernize the entire defense organization and leverage the country’s security partnerships in promoting the Philippines’ national interests. “There is a need for cognizance of sovereignty and sovereign rights. We need to principally use politics and diplomacy, backed up by a strong backbone of a strategic defense posture,” he said. Part of his policy direction he said was to put a premium on the DND Proper and its civilian bureaus “to better manage resources and services”—on top of the continuing modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. "We need managerial solutions to managerial problems, not military solutions to managerial problems,” Teodoro said. He also stressed the need to set up a Trust Fund when reforming the pension system of the military and uniformed personnel. Teodoro likewise assured that the men and women of the AFP are “cognizant of the consideration given by Congress for their welfare.” “Matagal na proseso po ito, dahil matagal din po namang nahinog ang sitwasyon na ito. Sa ngayon po kailangan nating balansehin ang morale and welfare ng ating kasundaluhan (This is a long process, because there was a long need to ripen the situation. For now, we need to balance the morale and welfare of our soldiers),” he said. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. appointed Teodoro as DND chief on 5 June, after Carlito Galvez Jr.’s stint as the defense department’s officer-in-charge. Marcos administered Teodoro’s oath to the office on 6 June at the Malacañan Palace. Teodoro was the DND chief from 2007 to 2009 under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He was the youngest to hold the position at the age of 43 at that time. Teodoro, a bar exam top-notcher in 1989, also assumed the role of Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council during his tenure in the DND. The post Teodoro pushes for protection of Phl sovereignty, sovereign rights over EEZ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service
If life were a train, then Michael Ted Macapagal’s has been quite a ride. Raised by a labor leader and human rights lawyer father who served the people of Olongapo, including the workers of the US American Base in Subic, Michael Ted Macapagal had always wanted to become a public servant. It took Ted, though, a long journey to reach his goal, first achieving success in the insurance field in the United States where he lived for 20 years starting in 1991. Today, he is the chairman of the Philippine National Railways, a position “that allows me to make a difference in the lives of my countrymen,” he shared during his recent visit to the Daily Tribune office in Makati. Ted, good-looking and affable, proudly spoke of a father, his namesake, Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal who, early on, exposed his son to a firsthand view of a gentleman who looked beyond himself and his personal interests, and instead dedicated his career to protecting the common man and bettering their lot. The elder Ted served as a city councilor for 10 years. In 1984, he ran for the Batasang Pambansa, and in the late 1980s, for city mayor. “In all these electoral processes, I was involved and saw for myself how my father related to the people. He was a sincere man who helped them in the best way he could. He provided free legal services to those in need,” Ted recounted. Ted grew up in Olongapo, his place of birth. It was in the neighboring province of Pampanga, though, at the Don Bosco Institute in Bacolor town, where he first studied, but he eventually returned home to Olongapo, where he finished high school at the St. Columban. Aiming to become a lawyer, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where he majored in History, which he intended as his pre-law course. Not unexpectedly, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi, his father’s fraternity. He also joined rallies where he stood with those who wanted the retention of US bases in the Philippines, in keeping with the sentiments of his townsmen. “It was the one concern where the whole of Olongapo was united,” he recalled, “because the people’s livelihood was connected to the base and the American presence in the community.” As a lawyer who specialized in labor, his father himself handled cases for the base employees. In 1988, his father lost his mayoralty bid in Olongapo. He fought against his fraternity brother, Richard Gordon. Actually, the two had been fighting it out for decades. “Olongapo became too small for them,” shared Ted. “A vivid memory to me to this day was the night I cried after my father lost. I was heartbroken because, for the most part of my life, I saw him give his all to the people. Throughout all those years, I just loved assisting my father. I followed him whenever he visited his constituents. I was a witness to everything that happened to him, his conflict with his political adversary and the loyalty of the people who believed in him and saw in him the man who would change the face of politics in our city.” The elder Macapagal became OIC-Mayor in 1986, but only two months after he received his appointment from the new president because the incumbent mayor did not easily give up his post which he was required to vacate under the new revolutionary government. “The next local election was the most expensive political exercise that our family ever waged,” Ted recounted. “It was then that my father decided that I pursue a new life in the United States, away from politics back home. “All the while, my heart never left the Philippines. Even before I left, I promised myself I would return to continue what my father started.” First non-white president Ted stayed in San Francisco for 20 long years. He had a tough time at the beginning of his new life. “I started off doing odd jobs. I worked as a security guard, janitor and waiter in a pizza parlor. “I also guarded the heavy equipment in a construction site in San Francisco. Thievery was a problem in that kind of situation. We would sleep in a trailer. “I transferred to a construction firm because I found out it offered a bigger salary. But I didn’t know the technical aspects of construction. Once, I made a portable ladder, but it fell apart, for which I was scolded by the owner of the company. I was fired on my third day on the job. Too bad because it paid high.” Ted then decided to pursue another degree, one that would be more useful in the United States. He took up Human Resource Management, a four-year course at the University of California in Berkeley. When he finally entered the corporate world, his first job was as a clerk. It wasn’t long before he became Division President of Stewart Title Company, one of the largest underwriters in the world, with offices across the United States, and in some 80 countries around the globe. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I may have been the first non-white president,” he said. “And I was a division president for the whole of North America. I was the first Filipino to reach that level.” Of his trailblazing accomplishments, he shared, “I was able to bring cultural diversity to the company, which enhanced its value. I got the top post because I asked for a meeting with the president. I told him we were not diverse enough to appeal to the non-white clients, and there were many of them who were first-time home buyers. Then, I told him to make the rounds. He would see that none of the home buyers was white. They were of different ethnic groups. I told him that if he appointed me as vice president, I would give him multi-cultural buyers because I would appeal to them and they would be our first-time buyers. So, he appointed me, and one month later, he made me president.” As an adjunct, he lectured on the topic of title insurance and escrow procedures in several community colleges in and around the San Franciso Bay Area. Through it all, he chose to keep his Filipino citizenship. The ‘Railway President’ For all the successes he was enjoying, the Philippines beckoned. He felt he still had a mission to accomplish. “My father was surprised. He asked me why I would still want to go home when I was doing well in the States. I insisted, so I came back and I plunged into political life. I worked on difficult campaigns, like the one for Rodrigo Duterte.” Back to his first love and passion, the political arena, he was in his element and served as president of PDP LABAN in Olongapo City from 2016 to 2021. In 2022, he joined LAKAS-CMD as its local chairman. This engagement led to his original target, as his father had achieved in his lifetime — serving the people. This time, he would be appointed to key posts in the government. He became director of the Clark Board and Gulf Oil Philippines. He took his oath of office as chairman of the Philippine National Railways on 28 April 2023. It is a job in a government agency where he is confident “I could make a difference because I can see that President Bongbong Marcos is really intent on improving the railway system of the country. “On my part, I want to make a difference. I want to be able to contribute whatever I can to help the president to achieve that objective. I call him now the ‘Railway President’ because I consider him the father of the railway system in our country.” Of course, he noted that many plans have been formulated during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte. Moreover, he recognized that President Gloria Arroyo “navigated our country through the global crisis. I was in the United States when the global economic crisis happened, and the Philippines was one of the countries spared, and I give credit to her. The economic fundamentals were very strong during her time. Being an economist, she was there at the right time when the country needed her the most.” With President BBM at the helm, he is confident “we will be able to push through with our development plan and finish the projects we have started, like the North-South Commuter Railway, which is a 147-kilometer stretch from Clark to Laguna. We hope to have the dry run in 2026 and it will be fully operational in 2027.” He also looks forward to the completion of the Bicol South Long Haul project. He is equally hopeful for the North Long Haul, the Subic-Clark and the Mindanao railways. He clarified that “we are now talking with the proponents, while some negotiations are being undertaken.” Working boots and a hard hat It would seem that this successful insurance executive was out of place in the railway sector. He pointed out, though, that “coming from the outside, I have the technical advantage of being able to look outside the box. So, I’m looking at it from outside the box, looking in. I am able to see the problems that need to be fixed. Stoppage is one of the problems so we have a bus augmentation program. We will also deploy UV Express units. We are closely coordinating with the LTFRB to provide emergency alternative transportation.” On the other hand, his exposure to people of all backgrounds from his youth, being his father’s son, has given him the advantage of “knowing how it is to be one of the boys. Something that I also experienced in the United States. “When people ask me what my management style is, I tell them straight I like to go down to the ground. I like hands-on supervision. I want my hands to be dirty. If you open the trunk of my car, you will find my working boots and my hard hat. I enjoy going to the construction sites and seeing for myself the progress, the problems, whatever it is that needs to be attended to. “Finally I want those working in the field doing the most difficult tasks to be satisfied and never to be hungry. Gusto ko, busog sila lagi. I am not happy when I get invited by the constructors and I am honored with a feast-like lunch or dinner, and not knowing what the workers are eating. I am on a diet anyway, so I make sure that my hosts bring the food to where the workers are eating. I can only eat so much and I would rather that the workers and the staff are full and happy. I am vocal about my displeasure when the construction workers are not eating the same food that is served to me. I may not be able to invite them to where I am eating but I can have the food brought to them.” Smiling from heaven Without a doubt, the old man Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal is smiling happily from his heavenly perch. He had served his fellowmen well, but he had done right as well by raising a son who took after his heart, to whom service to the people and compassion for the less fortunate matter more than any personal gain. His father, according to Ted, “died a broken man at the young age of 63. But whatever he lacked in longevity and riches, he made up for it with his compassion for others, for the free legal services that he gave to the people of Olongapo. “If you didn’t have money, you went to him because he was generous with his time and expertise. He would even give you some cash to use for your transportation fare to go home. That was my father. “The people whom he helped in turn would come to our home and bring him gifts like eggs, fruits, fish, vegetables and native chickens that they raised in their backyards. My father accepted them all. When I came home and saw all this, I teased him and said that he should probably open a sari-sari store so he could resell them. “Of course, we had a good laugh. But beyond the laughter, we both knew in our hearts that doing good to one’s fellowmen is its own reward and nothing in this world can take the place of personal fulfillment for having put a smile on people’s faces because you somehow made their lives better. “I am grateful that I have been raised by such a great father.” The post Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘SoNA all’
Hello again my dear readers. Have you ever caught yourself staring at beautiful couples holding hands, happily enjoying their lives, worry-free, as if the world was spinning round and round just for them, and you simply said to yourself: “Sana all.” Or maybe you recently saw your old friend who lost so much weight after moving on and going through so much in life and you whispered to yourself: “Sana all.” Well, you’re not alone. Oftentimes we crave something we want but which we cannot have (yet), or maybe we’re just really optimistic that someday, somehow, we will also have our time to enjoy these things that we crave, because these are things that we cannot buy and have to work hard for to get. It will require time and patience and, most of all, hard work. Things worth having are really worth waiting for. Speaking of worth having, well, I’m pretty sure you will not be deprived of our topic for today because, hey, it is Thirstday again and that means we get to talk about the latest State of the Nation Address or SoNA of PBBM. With all the updates and exciting plans this administration has in store for our beloved country, I say with all high hopes: “SoNA all” Well, that is the beauty of democracy you can express your opinions freely. But before that, did you know that the longest SoNA was delivered by former President Rodrigo Duterte which clocked two hours and 45 minutes? The shortest SoNA was delivered by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, now the Pampanga 2nd District representative, which took only 25 minutes; while former President Noynoy Aquino delivered the first SoNA in Filipino, “Kayo ang Boss ko,” if you may recall. Going back to the SoNA of President BBM, comments abound in different news outlets and on social media. Well, that is the beauty of democracy — you can express your opinions freely. Foremost in the President’s SoNA was the food security program aimed at putting food on the table of every household. This is a much-needed program if we are to protect our young population from malnutrition, as hunger threatens not only our country but is currently a worldwide problem. With no less than the President at the helm of the Department of Agriculture or DA, the public expects DA officials to fully live up to the aims set by PBBM. Education as a long-term tool and solution for almost all of the challenges we face found its way into the SoNA and was much emphasized by PBBM. With VP Sara piloting the Department of Education, all DepEd officials as co-pilots must steer the department to achieve the progressive education we all aspire for our youth. Infrastructure development, particularly focusing on the transport system with emphasis on seaports, airports, and road networks, is on the priority list of the President. This will provide easy access for every Juan as they work and travel or for every Nena and Pilar as they buy their daily needs nearby or shop elsewhere. Tourism will also get a boost as many destinations open and become accessible to local and foreign travelers and, yes, such movement of people will spur economic activity that will spell renewed income for local folk and added revenue for the government. Disaster preparedness and resilience is the cornerstone of a sound program to mitigate the effects of disasters. The President outlined fully the desire to achieve resilience and be totally prepared against disasters, whether man-made or natural. An average of twenty typhoons a year visit our country, which is in the “ring of fire,” an imaginary global ring of islands and land masses where volcanoes abound and earthquakes frequently emanate. Well, better watch National Geographic or read books! Nose bleed. Well, it is not only typhoons and the “ring of fire” that we should worry about, hence, the President underlined the plan for a new amnesty program for former rebels who returned to the fold of the law and to encourage the remnants of the armed communist group to embrace peace and be productive citizens of mainstream society. The priority legislative agenda of the President was laid out precisely. Foremost are the essential tax measures under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, such as: An excise tax on single-use plastics; VAT on digital services; rationalization of mining fiscal regime; motor vehicle user’s charge/road user tax, and the Military and Uniformed Personnel pension. The President enjoined Congress to act on the following: Amendment of the Fisheries Code; amendment of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act; Amendment of the Cooperative Code; New Government Procurement Law; New Government Auditing Code; Anti-financial accounts scamming; Tatak-Pinoy law; The Blue Economy law; Ease of paying taxes; LGU income classification; and the Philippine Immigration Act. Congress is expected to act on these and make them more responsive to the current fortunes of time, especially with the fast pace of technology. Looking back and then focusing our eyes on the immediate future, we should all be hopeful for the plans the President laid out, especially on food security, education, infrastructure development, disaster preparedness, and all others which directly affect our daily lives, and be part of it, not because we are red, green, blue, yellow or whatever color of the rainbow or even a Power Ranger. Just as Master Rapper Francis M. said in his famous song: “Every color, every hue is represented by me and you, take a slide on the slope, take a look at the kaleidoscope..,” but because the current skipper needs all hands on deck and most importantly... we are all in the same boat. The post ‘SoNA all’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bongbong’s foreign policy: More like ‘Macoy’ than ‘Digong’
Despite being dismissed as a spoiled brat and a weakling by both his father and the man he succeeded, Rodrigo Duterte, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his first year in office, stood up to China and showed he is more like the older Marcos than Duterte. Always underestimated, Marcos Jr., observers noted, spent much of his political career surrounded by powerful women, including former First Lady Imelda Marcos and his sister, Senator Imee Marcos. But this shouldn’t fool one into thinking that he is not his own man. Only days after winning last year’s presidential elections, he asserted his independence by denying top allies, including running mate Sara Duterte, key cabinet positions. He also showed his own distinct approach on the foreign policy front by holding cordial meetings with diplomats from both traditional and regional partners. While emphasizing his preference for a diplomatic engagement with China, Marcos Jr., notes the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, reiterated the finality of the arbitral tribunal ruling in the South China Sea, and made clear he “will not compromise it in any way,” calling the country’s sovereignty “sacred.” “Taking into consideration the widespread skepticism towards Beijing among Filipinos and within the country’s defense establishment, Marcos Jr. adopted a calibrated assertiveness towards China while welcoming pragmatic cooperation on the economic front,” AMTI said. The perceived wisdom on the younger Marcos’s foreign policy, according to AMTI, is that he is nothing but a mild-mannered version of Duterte. In fact, he was the only candidate during the elections who publicly backed full continuity in the country’s Beijing-friendly policies. He barely mentioned the treaty alliance with the United States, emphasizing his preference for a diplomatic engagement. “Whatever we do, we can’t go to war… we don’t want to go to war with China,” he was quoted to have said. A year into office, however, it is obvious the younger Marcos was advocating a centrist position in the territorial dispute. It was, according to one analyst, a middle-of-the-road decision aimed at appeasing both superpowers, China and the United States. Indeed, it was a balancing act complicated by both internal and external factors. While Duterte was reluctant to confront China over the South China Sea, Marcos Jr. has adopted tougher rhetoric, showing a better appreciation of how the Philippines should position itself given the very uncertain strategic environment it is facing. He is said to have been able to forge closer relations with Washington because his family already has long-standing ties with Beijing which affords him a degree of capital. A year into office, however, it was obvious the younger Marcos was advocating a centrist position in the territorial dispute As AMTI related, the Marcos connection to Beijing goes deep, stretching back to the height of the Cold War period when his father formalized bilateral relations with Maoist China. As the then-announced successor, Bongbong even personally met Chairman Mao, who warmly welcomed the princeling and his family to Zhongnanhai. The Marcoses maintained those linkages even after their ouster from power in Malacañang, albeit on a sub-national level. As overlords of the northern province of Ilocos Norte, the Marcos dynasty continued to welcome trade and diplomatic relations with their Chinese counterparts under the emerging Maritime Silk Road Initiative. Despite the growing Chinese coercive actions against the Philippine Coast Guard and Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, Marcos Jr. welcomed continued economic engagement with China under his “Friend to all, enemy to none” policy first espoused by Duterte during his pivot to Beijing. Balancing act Compared to former presidents before him, Marcos Jr.’s foreign policy is truly a balancing act not much different from his father’s. Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (1965-1986), during his presidency, pursued a foreign policy that sought to balance relations with both the United States and other countries, including those in the Soviet Bloc. He declared martial law in 1972, and this had implications for the country’s foreign relations. The Philippines’ relationship with the US was close, but during his time, Marcos also sought to strengthen ties with our Asian neighbors. Corazon Aquino (1986-1992) focused on restoring democracy and human rights in the Philippines after the end of the Marcos dictatorship. She sought to rebuild relations with other countries that had been strained during Marcos’s rule. Her administration also emphasized diplomatic engagement with ASEAN countries and the international community. Fidel V. Ramos (1992-1998) prioritized economic diplomacy and focused on attracting foreign investment to boost the Philippine economy. He worked to strengthen relationships with ASEAN and APEC countries and fostered ties with the US, Japan, and other regional partners. Joseph Estrada (1998-2001) emphasized national sovereignty and non-interference in domestic affairs. He pursued good relations with ASEAN nations but was criticized for a more inward-looking approach to foreign affairs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001-2010) focused on economic diplomacy and sought to improve the Philippines’ standing in the international community. She maintained strong ties with the US and also expanded engagement with China. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III (2010-2016) emphasized upholding the rule of law in the region and advocating for the Philippines’ territorial claims in the South China Sea. He strengthened relations with traditional allies like the US and worked to foster closer ties with other Asian countries. While Bongbong Marcos is not his father, the legacy of the former Filipino strongman hangs over his administration. This legacy of pragmatism is also reinforced in the sentiments of the defense establishment and the broader Filipino public who want the government to take a tougher stance against China. Unlike Duterte, the younger Marcos has shown in his first year in office that he is adopting a more calibrated foreign policy combining elements of pragmatism and assertiveness towards a major power like China while seeking to leverage Philippine ties with the United States. The post Bongbong’s foreign policy: More like ‘Macoy’ than ‘Digong’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Avel: A Book, A Fashion Show, A Filipino Designer
BY JOJO G. SILVESTRE Whether one refers to the book, the fashion show or the Filipino designer who takes center stage on the first two, there is no mistaking the message — Philippine textile, woven and embroidered, at their best. In all three, there is another common denominator — the support and patronage of the First Lady, Liza Araneta Marcos. [caption id="attachment_147815" align="aligncenter" width="525"] FIRST Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos with designer Avel Bacudio.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147821" align="aligncenter" width="525"] First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos with the author.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147818" align="aligncenter" width="525"] BIANCA Zobel and Dina Arroyo-Tantoco of the Office of the Social Secretary with Avel Bacudio.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147824" align="aligncenter" width="525"] THE designer with Grace Bernardo Chan.[/caption] The fashion show that was recently held at the Goldenberg Museum, under the auspices of the Office of the First Lady, with the Office of the Social Secretary providing a multi-faceted back-up, was a spectacle in black and white as interpreted by Avel Bacudio whose creations paid tribute to the handiwork of Filipino artisans all over the country. Each piece of clothing modeled by legislators and cabinet secretaries, their wives, key officials of the executive branch, and scions of political families, all clients of Avel, manifested the virtuosity of the iconic designer who chose to downplay extravagance and over-the-top ornamentation by focusing on well-defined structure, casual elegance, comfortability and versatility, the last allowing the wearers to mix and match to suit the occasion. [caption id="attachment_147820" align="aligncenter" width="525"] DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147816" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ACTOR-MODEL Jerome Ponce and Cong. Linabelle Villarica, 4th District of Bulacan.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147822" align="aligncenter" width="525"] KATRINA Ponce Enrile, Administrator, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.[/caption] Goldenberg Mansion, in all its splendor, served as a fitting yet contrasting backdrop to Avel’s functionality, simplicity and orderly geometric configurations. The book, Avel, Ladies in the Palace, quotes the Bicolano designer who laments, “The local weavers and their craft are dying out and they are unable to pass it on to the next generation. This is where I found the passion to do what I can, as a designer, to help this craft alive.” His intention looks beyond the communities where these beautiful fabrics originate and reveals his deep longing to present the best of Filipino craftsmanship to the international community. He admits to being “challenged to bring their weaves into the modern world but going beyond the ordinary. I turned my focus towards elevating them into pieces worthy of the global stage while still paying tribute to their stories and the craft.” On his part, Ilocos Norte Representative Sandro Marcos, who supported the book project, describes Avel as “a highly accomplished and extraordinary fashion designer.” He enumerates his distinctions, namely, “more than 20 years of successful career; extensive and impressive client list; and numerous awards including Metro Magazine’s 2012 Breakthrough Designer and Asia’s Most Influential Designer in 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Style Fashion Week in Malaysia.” [caption id="attachment_147825" align="aligncenter" width="452"] Yeye Vivas, Chief of Staff of Congressman Sandro Marcos.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147814" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PCOO Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147823" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Marga Montemayor Nograles, COO, Tourism Promotions Board.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147819" align="aligncenter" width="377"] CONGRESSMAN Migz Villafuerte, 5th District of Camarines Sur.[/caption] On these pages are Avel’s creations as modeled by dazzling personalities in government and society, as well as the personal choices of guests, celebrities and achievers too, and Malacanang insiders from their respective closets. Fittingly, everyone arrived in their black and white outfits, eager and ready to be impressed by what the designer had been up to in the past months. Avel Bacudio did not disappoint them. [caption id="attachment_147826" align="aligncenter" width="525"] XAVIER Tengco[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147835" align="aligncenter" width="525"] DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. and Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_147817" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Atty. Joeie Domingo, Undersecretary, Special Assistant to the President.[/caption] The post Avel: A Book, A Fashion Show, A Filipino Designer appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teodoro and Teodoro
Gibo and Ted, as they are often referred to by many, are the two newest officials to join the Marcos Jr. Cabinet. That it took almost a year to fill the key positions at Defense and Health may be taken in either a positive or negative light, with people likely to veer either way depending on their political colors. Gilbert Teodoro and Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, upstanding men they may be to their friends and family, may just as easily be criticized for past actions, devotions, or decisions. Who are we to know, really, what they can do unless we look at their track record and reputation? Still, the most critical (or cynical) may argue that these are no guarantee that they can “do the job.” We will know in the end, won’t we, but there is never a bottom in the well of hope. The real question, as we may simply put it, never mind the whispers and whines, is this: are they the right men for the job? These are transformative times, as we often say. Experienced and capable as they may be, Gibo and Ted are coming in at a time when many factors have changed for the departments they are set to lead. Or, indeed, for the world. Teodoro has headed the Department of National Defense before. Yet in then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s time, the DND did not experience the level of aggression now being felt from China over territorial disputes. Dr. Herbosa is also not new to the Department of Health, having served as undersecretary during Noynoy Aquino’s presidency. He was also part of the Duterte government’s Covid-19 task force. The post-pandemic realities in the health sector will present him with fresh challenges, to be sure. It gets more interesting when one examines either man’s roots or affiliations, especially if looking into “why” they were given the government position. Teodoro’s ties to the Cojuangco clan and its “yellow” connotation, some say, could make it a little difficult for him this time around. However, his Marcos ties are also clear: his mother, Mercedes Cojuangco, was a member of the Batasang Pambansa during the Marcos Sr. presidency. Danding Cojuangco, his late uncle, was an ally of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. As DND secretary under Arroyo, he was a popular figure, touted as “the youngest person ever to hold the post” at age 43. He had a brilliant run until, some say, the president’s unpopularity at the time rubbed off on his chances to win elections. Some allege that he was “burned out” by the politics of the time — but that is all conjecture, as Teodoro practically went off the political grid for a decade, resurfacing to travel to Davao City and see than possible presidential bet Sara Duterte. Herbosa, medical trauma expert regarded as “a controversial figure during the pandemic,” has all the qualifications for the job, and likely both the strength and humility to handle problems when they arise. Joey Concepcion said Herbosa would help the government keep Covid-19 under control and keep public health in good standing, a must to have the national economy running at full capacity, a report says. So, back to the question: Are they the right men for the job? If they are to prove this, we have to set aside doubt and the tendency to speculate and just give them the chance they deserve. The post Teodoro and Teodoro appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Political thunderbolt (3)
A blistering and unexpected backlash of the hasty, rude and ruthless ouster of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Senior Deputy Speaker engineered by the House leadership was the lightning departure of the enigmatic and charismatic iron sweet lady of politics, VP Sara Duterte, as chairperson and member of the Lakas-CMD, the present dominant political party, which is allied with Partido Federal Ng Pilipinas, that both launched the formidable tandem of Marcos-Duterte culminating in their landslide victory. It is beyond cavil that VP Inday Sara’s irrevocable resignation accompanied by a biting condemnation of the “political toxicity” and the “execrable political power play” that characterized the removal of FPGMA is the overriding consideration for her abrupt exit from her political party she chaired with the Speaker as its president. Evidently, she could not stomach the poisonous and malodorous betrayal inflicted on her perceived close political ally and confidant. The act was a brazen stab in the back between allies. The brain who plunged the dagger has not been educated that respect exists and is bestowed even among thieves and the worst of political enemies. She would not allow people to wrongly speculate that she gave her imprimatur to the distasteful treasonous act by keeping quiet. She must raise her voice and show her utmost displeasure and outrage — and she did — with a bang! It was a political statement and a political thunderbolt that reverberated in the entire archipelago. Following that biting condemnation and reproach to the politician behind the ouster of FPGMA, Inday Sara, who can never mask her righteous indignation, and who expresses her honest conviction and slam anyone whom she feels to have gone beyond decency and ethical conduct regardless of the stature and power of the person she alludes to, tweeted in her Instagram the ultimate indictment: “Sa imong ambisyon (In your ambition), do not be tambaloslos.” As we all know by now, a tambaloslos is a grotesque demon-like mythical creature. It is used as an insult to an inept person. In a video message to VP Sara on the occasion of her birthday last 31 May, PBBM made the following remarks with an added reference to the tweet of the former: “Inday Sara, Happy Birthday, I hope you enjoy yourself and take a break from work. I hope you make time for yourself and ignore those tambaloslos around you,” PBBM said laughing. Without meaning to, PBBM may appear to have agreed to Inday Sara’s tambaloslos tweet. Of course, the Chief Executive was trying to make light of Inday Sara’s tweet but his reference to it specifically advising her to ignore the tambaloslos around her gives significance to it with the unintended implied acknowledgment that there are indeed tambaloslos around VP Sara. The person behind the stenchy removal of FPGMA may have not anticipated the thunderous reaction from the younger Duterte, who like her father, is loved by the Filipino people. If the objective of the removal is to clip the wings of future adversaries in the 2028 presidential elections, it achieved the opposite result. Not even PBBM’s attempt at diffusing the heightened tension between the key players could douse cold water to the smoldering schism between former allies. Even assuming that there was a plot to remove the Speaker from his position by FPGMA, it was wrong to remove the latter with reckless and disrespectful abandon. He could have politely confronted her with the planned coup and if she admitted to it, then being political allies, colleagues, officials of their party Lakas-CMD, and constant traveling companions of the President in the latter’s travel abroad, and both being advisers to the President, the Speaker should have quietly settled the Speakership issue between themselves. If they failed to iron out their differences, then he could have requested his first cousin to mediate, the way he did when he was vying for the Speakership in the 18th Congress against his two political allies-rivals. The three of them sought the intercession of FPRRD, who obligingly acceded and ended the rivalry. It is hoped that the evolving political drama is not in keeping with the saying: “Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.” The post Political thunderbolt (3) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fried in own lard
While the National Transmission Corp. or TransCo concessionaire National Grid Corp. of the Philippines has been awash with cash as reflected in its billions of pesos of early dividends, it has not paid the government P3 billion plus interest on transmission fees before 2009 when the private firm took over operations of the power grid. The amount represents collections from power plants to which TransCo is entitled but remains unremitted. Under a privatization program, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approved a plan to privatize TransCo through a 25-year Operation and Management Concession Agreement. The bidding for the license to run the Philippine power grid was won by the NGCP in 2007, while Congress approved the bicameral resolution granting its franchise in 2008, and PGMA signed RA8511 into law, granting NGCP its franchise. On 15 January 2009, TransCo turned over the management of the country’s power grid to NGCP. TransCo, owner of the electricity network, and energy assets holding firm Power Sector and Liabilities Management Corp. have been demanding the payment of the amount. An energy official said the government can use the money to reduce power rates by deducting this from the monthly bills under the item universal charges. Universal charges include the so-called stranded costs or payables to Independent Power Producers that PSALM assumed from state firm National Power Corp. Instead, the energy official suspects NGCP used the withheld payments for its benefit to consistently pay fat dividends to its shareholders. In the recent Senate inquiry on the power industry, NGCP said of its P20.3 billion net income in 2019, P15 billion, or around 74 percent, went to dividends. In 2017, around 90 percent of its P20.6 billion net income went to dividends. For 2015, the NGCP distributed around 93 percent of its P22.5 billion profit as payouts to shareholders. The company particularly made its investors happy in 2014, when it said dividends exceeded its net income or P24 billion handed to stockholders against P22 billion in profit. Counting the potential interest, an energy source said the receivables from NGCP have now ballooned to more than P6 billion. NGCP’s rampant violation of the provisions of the concession agreement had resulted in a serious financial drain on the government. The provisions of the 2009 deal, which included the settling of all arrears such as the TransCo collectibles, also provided separate audited accounts for each related business and the need for NGCP to hold an initial public offering that it skirted through the back door listing of a holding company. TransCo’s financial claim from NGCP was upheld by an opinion on 18 April 2012 by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel. “TransCo has already acquired immutable vested rights over the contested revenues,” the OGCC decision indicated. “Public policy considerations and the public nature of the receivables impose upon TransCo the obligation to recover the disputed amount for its benefit,” it added. NGCP holds a renewable 25-year concession contract and a 50-year franchise to operate the power transmission network in the country. Since the agreement was signed in 2009, the contract will run until 2034 and from then, the government has the option to renew it for another 25 years. An audit that has long been blocked by NGCP should happen and from there, the government should muster the will to take the necessary steps if abuse is found in the performance of the provisions of the concession agreement. The post Fried in own lard appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Arroyo bill: 4 years of high school, 2 more years to get into college
As a response to senior high school graduates’ difficulty finding employment, Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Pampanga) has filed a bill making grades 11 and 12 mandatory only for students entering college, effectively returning secondary education back to four years in basic education......»»
A fitting legacy
Every regime, from as far back as I know, has had its own share of disasters to deal with. The late President Cory Aquino had the Ormoc tragedy and the Pinatubo eruption, former President Fidel V. Ramos had Typhoon Rosing, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had Ondoy, the late President Noynoy Aquino had Yolanda and a couple of other strong typhoons. President Rodrigo Duterte has the Taal Volcano eruption and of course, this pandemic......»»
Gloria Arroyo named as Duterte adviser
Former President and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is back in the national government, this time as one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s advisers.....»»
Moderating oligarchs’ greed
Last July 13, President Rodrigo Duterte spoke before soldiers in Jolo, Sulu and triumphantly declared he “dismantled the oligarchy that controlled the country’s economy without the need to declare martial law.” This came a few days after a committee in the House of Representatives rejected ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bill. During his penultimate State of the Nation Address on July 27, Duterte took another swipe at the oligarchs whose great wealth has enabled them “to influence public policy to their advantage.” He cited as an example the Lopezes “who used their media outlets in their battles with political figures” including himself during the 2016 elections. People seem to forget that Duterte’s avowed mission to put oligarchs in their proper place was part of his 2016 campaign promise to stamp out corruption. At that time, he said the corruption in the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue was “small change in comparison to the high-level corruption that runs in the billions among the economic elite.” Oligarchy means the rule of the few, but its meaning has evolved to refer to powerful individuals or groups outside of government who are able to benefit from political connections to amass vast amounts of wealth and gain control of major industries. The term “oligarch” started popping up recently in mainstream and social media but its context in relation to what is happening in our society has become warped and obfuscated. To be fair, the President has given credit where credit is due, even to the so-called oligarchs when they helped the government in this COVID-19 crisis, but he said it is their abuses that he abhors. On several occasions, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano pointed out how oligarchs use their wealth to gain power, while the political elite used their power to amass wealth. He expressed full support to Duterte’s advocacy in changing the current system where he believes the people “willingly consent to being held back by the few who control the economy and through that, the running of the nation.” According to Cayetano, the real threat to the stability of our socio-political and economic systems are those backroom deals that make exploitation legal – “the quiet acquiescing to a system that naturally favors the ultra-rich and very powerful.” He believes that not all oligarchs are bad, saying in a media interview: “Just like every entrepreneur wanting to expand their business, these would-be oligarchs might very well have started off with the most benign or even benevolent intentions. But the malignant DNA of unabated, uncontrolled capitalism, especially corporate capitalism, eventually comes to play, leading to people and systems being abused and exploited.” Cayetano clarified, though, that capitalism and democracy work as we have seen in other economies. He thinks the situation in the Philippines is not hopeless, and we can begin to change this corrupt system by acknowledging there is a problem and we are part of it. “This is a battle between those who are willing to fight their self-interest and change with the system, versus those who deny that there is anything wrong with the status quo, specifically as it relates to themselves, and instead simply choose to blame the politicians and officials in government,” he said. This brings to mind the statement attributed to a Cabinet member of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who advised another top official to “moderate your greed.” Another cautionary tale is found in the recently re-launched book of Ricardo Manapat, who served as National Archives Director during the Arroyo and Ramos administrations. Manapat’s book is titled “Some Are Smarter Than Others: The History of Marcos’ Crony Capitalism” which is a classic work on anti-cronyism exposing the ill-gotten wealth of former President Ferdinand Marcos. Oligarchs may not be totally wiped out in the Philippines, since developed economies even have to contend with their presence. But Duterte’s relentless campaign against them could very well result in moderating their greed and freeing the country from their tight grip. nextgenmedia@gmail.com.....»»
DMK criticises Election Commission for being biassed in allocating symbols to political parties
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