MANILA, Philippines—Dolphy, Kris Aquino and Willie Revillame will have to go on leave from their television shows if they continue to endorse candidates, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said Wednesday.

The PPCRV said the Fair Election Act made it mandatory for actors, columnists and other mass media personalities endorsing candidates to resign or take a leave from their TV shows or media outfits during the campaign period.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it was prepared to implement this provision of the law.

The Comelec will ask media personalities who are campaigning for a politician to take a leave from work, or compel their employers to make them take some time off, according to the poll body’s law department director, Ferdinand Rafanan.

Asked if being an endorser was equivalent to working for a candidate, Rafanan said “endorsing is campaigning.”

To read the rest of the article click:  Stars told to go on leave – 2_11_10 or here.

So, if that’s the case di dapat mawawalan ng team/network si Noynoy:  Aquino has longest list of show biz supporters!   Kawawa naman!

Click here to read the article or here: Aquino has longest list of show biz supporters – 2_11_10

Gibo may be Danding’s nephew, but apparently he’s been cut off by his Marcos-crony uncle for some time now. His drawback is that he’s  running under the incumbent administration’s banner; however, he’s been so “under the radar” that it is plausible that he is squeaky clean and may likely have the ability to remain so. And then there’s Noynoy — walking around with all that weight of responsibility of the Benigno Aquino and Corazaon Aquino name and legacies. It would be a shame to see all that go down the drain.

The Office of the President is an honor granted to the person elected to sit in that office by the shareholders of Philippines, Inc. Whoever assumes that title should do so with humility and understand that it is a position granted, entrusted to them by the people. It’s not collateral for a bank loan. It’s not a  back-door entry to loot the treasury.

Filipinos of all makes and sizes should also wake up and finally understand that their vote is not a ticket to a variety show. Their vote is the most sacred non-tangible weapon they possess over the next eight to nine months. It will help ensure the decrease in the numbers of ludicrous scandals and a decrease in the frequency of calls to the now ineffective street protests.  Filipinos have the right and the responsibility to question any perceived anomalies. However, let’s give us all a break by voting well in the next round.

With regard to the article below, it states that Erap decided to sideline as a stockbroker on the PLDT sale. There is most likely a conflict of interest issue with this set up, don’t you think?  In many other ‘developed’ countries, models of which the Philippines aspires to (or pretends to be modeled after) that may be considered a criminal offense. PLDT is also listed and traded in the United States as US Dollar denominated ADRs. They are registered in the US and, if this is correct, subject to US SEC disclosures as well. If so, are not the parties involved subject to US laws as welll? It would be great to know if this is the case with this matter.

Ex-SEC chief: Erap got P2.5 billion from PLDT sale

(The Philippine Star) Updated September 17, 2009 12:00 AM

(MANILA, Philippines – Former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman Perfecto Yasay reiterated yesterday his previous testimony that former President Joseph Estrada received a total of P2.5 billion in commissions for the sale of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) shares to Metro Pacific Co. in 1998.

Yasay told GMA News anchor Arnold Clavio in an interview via phone patch that Estrada used his influence so that the sequestered shares of PLDT would be sold to Metro Pacific.

“Information reaching my office as the SEC chair showed that the commission for the deal was P3 billion,” Yasay said.

“Ayon sa impormasyon na natanggap ko, nagalit pa raw si Erap kung bakit P1 billion lang ang natanggap niya na dapat ay P3 billion. Pero sinabi ni Mark Jimenez (businessman and former Manila congressman), ang broker sa deal, na hinati-hati sa tatlo ang pera: P1 billion para kay Ronnie Zamora (Estrada’s former executive secretary), P1 billion kay Jimenez and P1 billion kay Estrada (According to the information I received, Estrada was mad that he only got P1 billion when he should have received P3 billion. But Mark Jimenez, who brokered the deal, said the amount was divided into three: P1 billiob each for Ronnie Zamora, Jimenez and Estrada),” Yasay said.

Yasay said that Estrada complained about the sharing scheme and took Jimenez’s share and half of Zamora’s share.

Click here for full article.

Ping Lacson – YOU have failed miserably.

Related articles to gag at:

Twin murders seen behind Estrada-Lacson row (PDI)

The word war between Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and ousted president Joseph Estrada now all boils down to the case involving the murders of a publicist and his driver.

Yuchengco confirms being forced to sell shares (Phil Star)

Insurance and banking magnate Alfonso Yuchengco confirmed yesterday he was coerced to sell his stake in Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., bolstering Senator Panfilo Lacson’s claim that government pressure played a major role in the entry of a Hong Kong-based group into the country’s largest telecommunications firm in 1998.

Erap confirms rift with Lacson over jueteng (ABS-CBN)

Estrada also asked why Lacson is making these allegations with the elections just 8 months away. He said Lacson should have brought these out during his trial for plunder at the Sandiganbayan.

“Bakit ngayon lang siniwalat yan? Nag-iimbento ng ganitong paratang sa akin. Kung totoo yan, noon pa siniwalat yan nung nakulong ako (Why did he only expose these revelations now? He is making up allegations against me. If those were true, he would have said those when I was still incarcerated),” he said.

Jinggoy hits back at Ping Lacson

SENATE President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada hit back at Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday, debunking as “innuendoes and half-truths” Lacson’s charges in a privileged speech Monday linking his father, former President Joseph Estrada, to alleged smuggling, illegal gambling and other mischief.

Ruling party open to ties with Villar

By TJ Burgonio, Philip Tubeza
Source Link: Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Lakas-Kampi-CMD will not forge an alliance with Sen. Manuel Villar’s Nacionalista Party (NP) for now, but is not entirely averse to the idea.“We won’t initiate it,” Gabriel Claudio, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s political adviser, said Friday in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer when asked if the administration was now ruling out an alliance with the NP for the eventual adoption of Villar as standard-bearer.

And if Villar makes the first move?

Replied Claudio: “The integrity of Lakas-Kampi-CMD as the dominant major party is primordial. After the administration names its standard-bearer, any coalition or alliance can be entered into only with his consent or imprimatur.”

Click on the PDI source link above for the full article.

Here’s an interesting piece that popped up today. It should get more attention and inspection focused towards it…

By Solita Collas-Monsod
Source Link: (Philippine Daily Inquirer,  September 12, 2009)

Catalino Aldea Generillo Jr., who broke into the public’s consciousness as a special counsel of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), got fired for doing a good job. But he is fighting on. Earlier this week he wrote a letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in the belief that it is his sacred duty to call her attention to the “appalling conduct of the PCGG and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in Civil Case No. 005.” Civil Case No. 005 is entitled “Republic of the Philippines vs Estate of Ferdinand Marcos et al.” It was filed at the Sandiganbayan in 1987 and, by its number, it is one of the first cases of unexplained wealth filed after the People Power Revolt. There are 29 individual defendants and 40 corporate defendants in this case, which is probably why it took almost 17 years to reach the pre-trial stage, and another two years to start its actual trial.

The case made the headlines, not least because Lucio Tan and Imelda Marcos are among the defendants, and Tan’s corporations are among the corporate defendants (e.g., Allied Bank, Fortune Tobacco, Asia Brewery). What made it even more conspicuous is that Ms Marcos filed a cross-complaint against her co-defendant Tan, claiming among others that the Marcos heirs owned 60 percent of Tan’s corporate assets, and she presented documentary evidence to that effect. The Sandiganbayan did not give due course to the cross-complaint, nor did the Supreme Court.

So what is Generillo’s beef? What does he consider “appalling” conduct by the PCGG and the OSG? He is outraged that these agencies have been sitting on the offer of Mariano Tanenglian, one of the defendants in the case and the brother of Tan, to be a government witness in exchange for immunity. Apparently, there had been meetings earlier this year, and on July 18, 2009, Tanenglian’s lawyers formally discussed with PCGG officials his offer to testify for the government.

One would think that the PCGG and OSG would have grabbed the chance to have as witness for the prosecution somebody who figuratively knew exactly where all the bodies were buried. After all, Tanenglian, until he was booted out of the Lucio Tan group this year, was treasurer or held the equivalent position in all of its companies. But nothing happened. So one month later, on Aug. 19, the lawyers of Tanenglian reiterated their offer, only to be met by another blank wall of silence. Thus Generillo’s Sept. 8 letter to the President.

Is Generillo just a case of sour grapes because he was fired from the PCGG? Or more accurately, because his deputation as special counsel was not renewed late last year? (The deputation is done every six months.) Therein lies an interesting tale.

First, let’s look at Generillo’s background. He was with the Philippine National Bank (PNB) since 1973, when he passed its entrance exams—one of 200 who qualified out of 6,000 applicants. Starting as bank examiner, he worked his way up to vice president, at the same time, studying law (graduating magna cum laude from Lyceum) and passing the bar in 1983. He left PNB in 1999, taking advantage of an early retirement package, and started his private practice.

In 2001, he heard Haydee Yorac, newly-appointed chair of the PCGG, over the radio, bemoaning its lack of good lawyers, and sounding the call for public service. He immediately wrote her. She must have been impressed with his qualifications and interview, because she promptly hired him. He stayed on after she left, and was assigned to Civil Case 005 in January 2001, when the lawyer handling it resigned.

And that’s where he started getting into trouble. He apparently did more homework than most on the case, because he uncovered more evidence and interviewed more possible witnesses—a fact which obviously did not sit well with the Tan side, and less obviously with the PCGG and the OSG. A news report has Generillo claiming that he had to overcome the reluctance of both the PCGG and Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera before he could present Bongbong Marcos as a hostile witness to help confirm the alleged “special concessions” obtained by Tan from Marcos.

He also found previously undiscovered documents from the Malacañang Museum with the help of its director, Jeremy Barnes, who he also put on the witness stand—documents like a letter written to Marcos (signed by Tanenglian) in 1984, asking him to approve a deposit of $50 million by the Central Bank to Allied Bank, and another letter requesting tax exemption for 100 million bottles for Asia Brewery—both approved by marginal notation. It took three days for the court to mark all the new documents.

Moreover, he impleaded as witness a former PNB executive who testified that Tan was given special treatment, both by the PNB (a P300-million line of credit when P200 million was the single-borrower’s limit), and the CB.

This burst of activity from a heretofore lackadaisical PCGG may have prompted Estelito Mendoza, Tan’s defense lawyer, to write a letter to the PCGG, pointing out that while the OSG is supposed to be representing the PCGG in all cases, yet it was Generillo prosecuting, “indeed, apparently controlling the prosecution of the case.” He then asked for a copy of Generillo’s designation as special counsel and his authority to prosecute the case.

That letter was written on Nov. 17, 2008. Generillo’s deputation as special counsel was not renewed as of the end of November 2008. Draw your own conclusions.

Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star), September 11, 2009

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Noli de Castro, one of the frontrunners in surveys of presidential aspirants for the 2010 elections, is no longer on the “radar screen” of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD in its search for a standard-bearer, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita disclosed yesterday.

… then, we’ve got  the other guy playing safe to make sure he gets one seat closer to Malacanan Palace…

Tandem with Noynoy can wait

By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star), September 11, 2009

MANILA, Philippines – Despite being openly endorsed by Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III as his choice for running mate, Sen. Manuel Roxas II said he would rather let the newest presidential contender and personal friend work on drumming up support first before considering the offer.

…then you’ve got headlines like this formulated to just get you to hopefully buy the paper, but not offering much other than someone else’s opinion – we need the facts illustrated clearly and succintly. Not another ‘article’ compiled from primarily cut-and-paste quotes from the interviewee.

Pichay picks Kris over Noynoy

First Posted 21:41:00 09/10/2009

MANILA, Philippines — The still candidate-less administration coalition on Thursday sneered at the presidential bid of Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, all but saying he could offer nothing besides the name of his illustrious parents.

“His greatest accomplishment is he’s the son of Ninoy and Cory. Now, he’s the brother of Kris Aquino, who is actually more of a leader than him,” Prospero Pichay, a vice president of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.”

09.09.09 The day torrential monsoon rains brought about by “Maring” poured on most of Central Luzon leaving behind a swathe of landslides and basins of floods.

09.09.09 The day Ombudsman Merceditas Guttierez’s Memorandum Circular #1  is announced wherein access to Statements of Assets, Liabilities  &  Net Worth (SALNs) becomes stricter.

09.09.09 The day McDonald’s loses a trademark battle to McCurry.

09.09.09 The day Kris A wishes for a makeover?

]]> http://time4change2010.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/09-09-09/feed/ 0 time4change2010 http://time4change2010.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/apo-cement-to-sell-excess-power-to-veco/ http://time4change2010.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/apo-cement-to-sell-excess-power-to-veco/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:55:47 +0000 time4change2010 http://time4change2010.wordpress.com/?p=60 ]]> This is good. Apo Cement, a unit of CEMEX Philippines, is able to generate power in an efficient manner. How? No details are given in the short article below, but it can only be imagined that it is “green” and environmentally-friendly. These kinds of activities by the private sector/corporates should be encouraged and fully supported by government.

Full article link: Cement factory selling excess power to Cebu power utility (Business World)

“AFTER experiencing declines in nine out of 10 indicators, the Philippine ranking dropped three notches to 144 out of 183 economies in the International Finance Corp. (IFC) Doing Business 2010 Report….The Philippines slipped in all indicators except in the area of closing a business, where the country maintained its previous-year ranking of 153.”

The full article is here: “Doing Business Is Now Harder”, Business Mirror

*****

Related Links:
Corruption Pulls Down Philippines in Global Competitiveness

RP Competitiveness Score Dips

As per “Jay” as Tordesillas calls him ““Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo is the son of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines. After his mother took power, he ran for a seat in the Filipino House of Representatives. His salary is less than $12,000 US Dollars per year. In 2006 he acquired a $1.32 million property at 1655 Beach Park Blvd. in Foster City CA. There was a $900,000 mortgage on the property through IndyMac Bank, which was taken over last year by the FDIC when it failed. To qualify for a “stated income” or “liar loan”, he would’ve fraudently claimed an income of at least $275,000 to be able to pay the mortgage, and probably provided fraudulent documents as proof of income. (His salary does not even cover the $14,000 in property taxes due each year) They also would have falsely claimed to be Permanent Residents or US Citizens on the mortgage.”

Here’s the link to Tordesillas’ blog entry on this matter.