Legarda Urges OFWs to Vote; Sees Need to Strengthen Their Welfare Fund

MANILA, April 12, 2013-Reelectionist Sen. Loren Legarda today expressed hope that the month-long voting for overseas Filipino workers will proceed smoothly in all the voting precincts worldwide as she called on OFWs to exercise their right to vote.

“Overseas Filipinos should take advantage of the opportunity to choose their next leaders, and to choose wisely,” Legarda, co-author of the Overseas Absentee Voting Law of 2003, said. "Hopefully this time, the 975,263 registered Filipino voters overseas will exercise their right to vote today up to May 13," she noted. 

Legarda said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should see to it that the  registered overseas Filipino voters  are adequately assisted as they cast their votes in Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide.

Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, made the call as she assured OFWs that their welfare would remain in her priority agenda in her next term. "Strengthening the OWWA Charter and ensuring that the OWWA fund which is built on the hard labor of our Filipino workers abroad is safely invested and plowed back for their needs is my promise. Also, I will create an information desk for their families here on entrepreneurial ventures that will multiply their earnings and allow our OFWs to retire comfortably," Legarda emphasized.

Legarda has been responsible for the passage of laws promoting the rights and welfare of OFWs and seafarers.   Through the Senator’s efforts, the Senate has concurred in the ratification of treaties and international agreements that promote the protection of the rights of overseas Filipinos, including the ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, the  Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006) for the protection of the rights of seafarers; the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) with the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and China, which establish a legal framework that obligates Contracting Parties to assist in the investigation, prosecution, and suppression of criminal offenses and proceedings related to criminal matters, the Consular Agreement with the People's Republic of China, which provides assistance to Filipino nationals in China, and the Convention on Social Security between the Philippines and Spain, which ensures that Filipinos in Spain are secured upon retirement.

Governor Yap to spearhead Wednesday’s Paggunita sa Capas

CAPAS, Tarlac, April 12, 2013-Tarlac Governor Victor Yap will spearhead on Wednesday the remembrance ceremony for the Filipino and American soldiers who were part of the 1942 Death March in Capas National Shrine, Tarlac.

Yap will offer a wreath then observe a moment of silence as a World War II veteran and a high school student lead the tolling of bell.

This will be followed by the awarding of recognitions to Belino Alumno (posthumous), Esteban Esco, Raymundo Gadgad, Alberto Bugtong, Robert Bellasi, and Santos Fianza.

According to historical accounts, around 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers were forcibly marched by the Japanese troops for five to six days with no food and a single sip of water.

An estimated 10,000 of these soldiers failed to reach their prison camp in Capas alive.

The camp was turned over by the Clark Air Base Military Reservation to the Philippine Government on April 9, 1982.

Former President Corazon Aquino proclaimed it as Capas National Shrine on December 7, 1991.

The shrine encompasses 54 hectares of parkland where the Bataan Death March ended.

35 hectares of land have been planted with rows of trees to represent each of the deceased at the camp and to promote environmental consciousness.

On April 9, 2003, a new memorial wall and obelisk was unveiled.

The 70-meter obelisk towers above the grounds of the former internment camp.

It is surrounded by a black marble wall engraved with the names of the Filipinos and Americans known to have died at the location.

On the three large wall segments that almost encircle the obelisk, there are statistics about the total numbers of prisoners and deaths together with poems for peace.

“Paggunita sa Capas” serves as one of the highlights of the annual commemoration of Philippine Veterans Week.

This year’s observance is guided by the theme “Ang Beterano: Sigla at Inspirasyon ng Kabataan Tungo sa Tuwid na Daan.”

Legarda Bats for “Bibingka Economics”

A job creation revolution in the provinces, especially in low-income class municipalities, has long been possible under existing laws that significantly enlarge the micro-enterprises base nationwide. This is according to reelectionist Senator Loren Legarda, principal author of the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Barangay Kabuhayan Act, and the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act.

 During the Inquirer Senate Forum, Legarda said that what is just needed is the full implementation of these laws and an extensive and sustained awareness campaign among the people. 

       “Mayroon na tayong mga polisiya at batas na syang tutugon sa kahirapan at magpapaunlad ng kabuhayan. Kailangan lang i-implement ng mabuti,” Legarda said.  

         Legarda said these laws would ensure that there is “bibingka economics” or economic growth from the grassroots.

          “Ibig sabihin mula sa ilalim ang paglago, na gaya ng pagluto ng bibingka, may apoy sa ilalim. Kailangan ang paglago ng kabuhayan, manggaling sa ilalim,” she stressed, referring to former President Fidel V. Ramos’s symbolism of the “bibingka” as the best path towards progress.

              Legarda said the MSME law was enacted to help build up micro, small and medium enterprises nationwide and increase the incomes of underprivileged families, especially those in the provinces.

         The law helps facilitate the access of micro, small and medium enterprises to sources of funds, requiring lending institutions to set aside for them at least 8 percent of their loan portfolio.

         Micro and small enterprises availing of financing programs and incentives are also not required to undergo burdensome collateral requirements. 

         On the other hand, the Barangay Kabuhayan Law seeks to empower would-be micro entrepreneurs through skills trainings offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in 4th, 5th and 6th class municipalities.

        Legarda said the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act requires banks to allocate 25 percent of their loanable funds to the agriculture sector to finance the acquisition of work animals, farm equipment or machinery, seeds, fertilizers, livestock, feeds or other similar items for farm production.

        A report from the Department of Trade and Industry shows that programs for MSMEs have generated a total employment of over 920,000 from July 2011 to June 2012 alone. New MSMEs assisted or created reached over 180,000. About 76,000 MSMEs expanded their operations.

        “We need to sustain these gains because aside from generating employment opportunities and better incomes, MSMEs are powerful platforms for promotion of viable rural livelihoods, cultural preservation, socio-economic empowerment of indigenous peoples, and environmental protection,” Legarda emphasized. 

Legarda: Mindanao power crisis needs long-term solutions

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, today reiterated that the Mindanao power situation is in dire need of long-term and sustainable solutions as the island can no longer rely solely on hydropower for its electricity needs.

            “Mindanao is heavily dependent on hydropower for its electricity requirements with 70% being sourced from hydro facilities, including the Agus and Pulangui hydropower plants. This cannot be sustained in the face of the worsening deforestation of watersheds, the siltation of river systems, and aging power facilities.  The summer heat can only worsen the situation,” Legarda said.

            She said the acquisition by the government of modular generator sets to offset the supply deficit is a short-term solution. The power deficit in Mindanao is at 300 megawatts, resulting in rotating brownouts.

            “We have to look at how we can best maximize the capacities of the government’s remaining assets in Mindanao, including Agus and Pulangi hydropower plants. We need to stop the intentional decay of these facilities only for government to sell them at a “give-away” rate to the private sector,” Legarda stressed.

            One long term solution, the senator said, is tapping renewable energy. “Mindanao has an agriculture-intensive economy. We need to be able to harness the agricultural wastes of Mindanao to fuel biomass facilities.  Hydropower, geothermal, biomass are now competitive with the cost of conventional energy sources.  They are undoubtedly cheaper than the diesel-fired power facilities and the power barges that the government will be mobilizing in the interim to address the power woes of Mindanao.”

Earlier, Legarda has pushed for the approval of her bill establishing an effective policy and regulatory administration over Lake Lanao through the proposed Lake Lanao Development Authority.

The proposed authority would ensure the promotion and development of Lake Lanao in a sustainable manner. Legarda said the worsening deforestation of watersheds, including those located in Lake Lanao, and the siltation of river systems are among the reasons the power supply in the island has become erratic.

She said the continued deterioration of Lake Lanao has affected the supply of water from the lake for six of Mindanao’s existing hydroelectric power plants, including Agus.

Legarda Calls For Vigilance in Guarding Philippine Waters

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today called on the Philippine Coast Guard to be more vigilant in guarding Philippine waters off Palawan after reports stated that a Chinese fishing vessel had struck another portion of Tubbataha Reef close to midnight Monday.

            “The grounding of the USS Guardian of the US Navy and now this Chinese fishing vessel on Tubbataha Reef which is within Philippine territorial waters requires a serious review of how our Navy and Coast Guard patrol our maritime boundaries,” Legarda said.

            The senator said while she recognizes the Navy’s and Coast Guard’s limited capabilities, additional resources, including patrol boats and personnel, must be thrown at Tubbataha Reef in view of the recent incidents.

            “We cannot afford that every now and then Tubbataha Reef is damaged by straying of foreign vessels, big or small, into the area,” she said.

            Earlier, Legarda had called for the full disclosure and accounting of the total damages arising from the grounding of the USS Guardian to help strengthen existing mechanisms to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

            She said the owner and crew of the Chinese fishing vessel should be put to task for encroaching on Philippine waters and damaging the reef, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

According to Legarda, Republic Act 10067, or the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act, clearly states that any damage to the reef shall subject the responsible person or entity to the payment of administrative fines set by the board based on current valuation standards, as well as the cost of restoration.

She said it is alarming that this jewel in our crown on biodiversity conservation efforts can be so easily accessed and damaged this way.

“Not all may be aware of the implications of coral reef degradation in our daily lives. Beyond aesthetics, corals serve a greater purpose in our marine ecosystems, because without them, marine species would practically be homeless. This incident should raise awareness about the status of our reefs and what else we can do to conserve them,” Legarda was earlier quoted as saying.

Initial reports from the Tubbataha Management Office identified the vessel as “being of Chinese origin,” a fishing boat with the marking 63168 and a crew of 12 Chinese nationals. It was not clear from the report if the vessel had authority to enter Philippine waters. The vessel got stuck at Tubbataha’s north islet where the Ranger Station is located.

‘NO WORK, NO VOTE’, A BETTER SOLUTION TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IN CONGRESS -- ANGARA

MANILA, April 8, 2013-Instead of the proposed “no work, no pay”, Team PNoy senatorial candidate Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Tuesday/Apr. 9 advocated a “no work, no vote’ policy as a better solution to the chronic absenteeism of lawmakers in Congress.

In a media briefing at the administration coalition’s headquarters in Makati City, the three-term congressman from the lone district of Aurora urged voters to junk candidates with a record of repeated absences in legislative sessions “thereby neglecting their sworn duties and responsibilities to the people.”

“Huwag nating iboto ang bulakbol. Huwag nating iboto ang mga kandidatong hindi nagtratrabaho,” said Angara, who is now popularly known as Senador Solusyon for the many bills that he authored while in the House of Representatives.

Calls for a “no work, no pay” policy mounted after the House of Representatives released the list of absences of congressmen during the 15^th Congress.

Angara reminded voters to be more vigilant and look into the record of the candidates who are mostly incumbent or former members of Congress.  For those who have yet to be members of Congress, Angara said voters could look at their achievements and credentials.

“If they were achievers in their past professional lives, most likely they will be achievers in the Senate. Kung sila ay non-performing asset (NPA) sa dating propesyunal na buhay, malamang magiging NPA din sila sa Senado,” he said.

Angara called for a more transparent use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or more popularly known as “pork barrel” to make sure that these are spent wisely and judiciously.

“We should make sure that the PDAF goes to the programs and projects that would benefit the constituents and not for their personal gain. Politicians who abuse their position for corruption do not deserve the people’s vote,” he said.

7th Infantry caps Army anniversary with 'Concert for Peace'

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija - The 7th Infantry Division (7ID) recently capped the Philippine Army’s 116th anniversary with a “Concert for Peace” featuring popular rock bands Kamikazee and Soapdish.

“The activity aims to boost the morale of our uniformed men and women in Central Luzon and establish a good rapport with the community showing that we are always ready to lend a helping hand,” said Commander Major General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.

“We want to instill into the minds of our brothers and sisters in Region 3 that our division is a good neighbor,” Catapang added.

Apart from Kamikazee and Soapdish, other performers were the 7th Civil Military Operations Peace Jammer, 24th Infantry Battalion, 48th Infantry Battalion “Guardians,” 703rd Infantry Brigade “Agila,” Special Operations Command, and local bands in Nueva Ecija.

Four big banks authorized to accommodate tax payments

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga--With less than two weeks before the deadline of filing of the income tax return, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) District No. 4 announced that
taxpayers could file their tax payments through four big banks.

BIR Regional Director Araceli Francisco disclosed that Banco De Oro, Landbank of the Philippines, Metrobank, and the Philippine National Bank are accepting tax payments until the deadline on April 15.

“These authorized banks will be able to accommodate more taxpayers filing their income tax returns or ITRs,” Francisco said.

“Paying taxes is an obligation of every Filipino and one should pay it correctly,” Francisco emphasized.

The annual income tax return filing is for the self-employed, individuals earning purely compensation income, professionals, estates, trusts, businesses, corporations, and partnerships.

BIR Region No.4 which covers six out of the seven provinces of Central Luzon, targets P18 billion in revenue collection this 2013.

The goal is spread out in its 10 district offices in Tarlac City; Paniqui town, Tarlac; Olongapo City; Subic Bay Freeport; Bataan; North Pampanga; South Pampanga; Aurora; North Nueva Ecija; and South Nueva Ecija which has 1,463,688 taxpayers as of December 2012.

HIGH FOREX RESERVES, BOON FOR PHL ECONOMY, SAYS MAGSAYSAY

Team PNoy senatorial candidate former Sen. Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr. on Saturday /April 6 lauded the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the continued rise of the country’s foreign gross international reserves, pointing out that this is another powerful tool which the government can use to further boost the economy.

“Such reserves can impact on the exchange rates and on the import-export economy as well,” said Magsaysay. “This is another indication that the country is finally taking off under the Aquino administration.

The Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) climbed to $84.1 billion last month from P83.6 billion in February, according to the BSP. The central bank expects it to hit P86 billion this year. 

The March reserves, explained BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. is enough to cover 11.9 months worth of import goods and payments of services and income. It is also equivalent to 9.9 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 6.3 times based on residual maturity.

“Higher reserves mean a country is rather powerful from the economical and financial point of view,” Magsaysay said. “Having a strong back up, a country can provide negotiations concerning reduced interest rates on its debt and close negotiations with huge international partners on much better terms.”

Magsaysay explained that with higher reserves, the Philippines can choose whatever strategy it wants to further improve its economic footing.

“To attract more foreign potential customers and investors, the Philippines , with its strong market reserve, can weaken the peso on purpose as what the BSP is now doing, keeping it at the P40 to the US dollar level,” Magsaysay said.

Drilon: We'll not pass on problem to next administration; Pimentel offers lasting solutions to Mindanao power crisis

Team PNoy senatorial candidate Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Thursday /Apr. 4 called for immediate and lasting solutions to the Mindanao power shortage, saying this is crucial in propelling economic growth and social progress in the region.

“We should move decisively to meet both the current and future electricity needs of Mindanao,” Pimentel told a media briefing at the administration coalition headquarters in Makati City. “With peace in the horizon, it should be so much easier to propel economic growth and social progress with the construction of more power generation facilities."

Team PNoy campaign manager, Sen. Franklin Drilon, in the same media briefing, said the government has allocated P4.4 billion for the purchase of generator sets to alleviate the problem while the coal-fired power plants are being built.

“The Mindanao power crisis is a problem we inherited," Drilon said. "But rest assured that we will not pass it on to the next administration. We will work on it and solve it during the term of President Aquino."

As Mindanao continues to reel with up to eight-hour brownouts daily, Pimentel offered short-, medium- and long-term solutions to address the power crisis.

Idle power plants should be brought back online to maximize their use while allowing privately-owned generators to participate, added Pimentel, who shot up to fifth place in the latest Pulse Asia survey among senatorial candidates in next month's mid-term elections. 

He also batted for the use of small, hydro-powered generators. 

“Let us find a way to bring them online at the soonest possible time so at least mas kokonti at bababa ang shortfall,” Pimentel said. “Definitely by next summer, it will not be as bad because I’m anticipating that 'yung offline plants ngayon will be online by next summer.”

The medium-term thrust, according to Pimentel, should be the rehabilitation of the Angus-Pulangi hydro power complex while the long-term goal  should be the construction of more base-load power plants that can handle the increased requirements of Mindanao  and the exploration of alternative sources of energy like solar, bio mass, wave energy, wind and geothermal, among others.

“By end of 2014 or early 2015, the shortfall will be met by the plants being built now, which will come online at that time,” Pimentel said.

Edita Burgos’ quest for justice, hailed Risa urges SC, CA to revisit Jonas case

 From one mother to another, Risa Hontiveros has expressed admiration for Edita Burgos’ quiet fortitude—and unshakable faith—in the search for her son Jonas, missing since 2007 and believed abducted by certain operatives of the military.

“She has been so faithful in this struggle. Hindi siya bumitiw sa paghahanap sa kanyang mahal na anak,” Hontiveros, a mother of four and a widow, said.

“As women, some of us as mothers, you just have to give her the highest admiration,” added Hontiveros.

Since he went missing in April 2007 after being abducted at a Quezon City mall by men believed to belong to two units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, no evidence has emerged to show Jonas is still alive. On March 18, 2013, almost six years later, the Court of Appeals recognized his abduction as an enforced disappearance and held Maj. Harry Baliaga Jr. as one of those responsible for it.

However painful and seemingly futile her search, and in the absence of proof of life, Mrs. Burgos, wife of the late press freedom icon Jose Burgos Jr. has persisted “without hatred in her heart. Napakahirap gawin nun, to maintain this fight until now,” Hontiveros said.

After being dashed for so long, Mrs. Burgos’ hopes rose last month with the appearance of new evidence apparently leading her search to the abductors. Hontiveros said that the courts should not ignore the evidence, urging “highest court in the land as well as the Court of Appeals to revisit the Burgos case.”

        Being a mother to a young family, whose oldest child, a boy, is 20 years old, she has empathized with the Burgos matriarch.

        "The latest development is encouraging," she said.  “Due process will and must continue at all times. I trust the President to continue to exercise his best judgment in ensuring that justice will be served regardless of whoever is involved.”

        At a press briefing of Team PNoy in Makati on Tuesday, Hontiveros and fellow administration senatorial candidate Bam Aquino said the government must apply the law equally and treat none of the suspected abductors as “sacred cows.”

“Kung sino man ang mapatunayang may kasalanan, nasa posisyon pa iyan o wala, dapat lang parusahan. We should immediately file the necessary charges against those responsible for the disappearance of Jonas Burgos,” Hontiveros said. 

Investments in agriculture key to Phl’s rice self-sufficiency -- Enrile

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 3, 2013-The Philippines won’t be able to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2014 unless the government put more investments in agriculture and further increase the number of hectares of irrigated lands.

          United Nationalist Alliance senatorial candidate Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile stressed this point as he suggested that the Aquino administration follow the Thailand example in providing irrigation to farmlands to increase rice production and eventually rice self-sufficiency.

          Enrile, a member of the House committee on agriculture, said he has serious doubts that the country can achieve its Rice Self-Sufficiency Program (RSSP), originally set this 2013 to 2014.

          “Not with this present set-up because of the lack of investments in agriculture,” he said.

          He cited the case of Thailand who, he said, had considerably less population than the Philippines and practically the same land area but has almost 10 times the number of hectares of irrigated lands compared with the country.

          “Thailand has 65 million people and we have 90 million. But they made massive investments in agriculture. They have 10 million hectares of irrigated lands while we only have 1.4 million hectares. It’s no wonder they have left us behind, we have so many undeveloped and underdeveloped lands,” he said.

          Enrile recalled that in the 80s, the country used to be a rice exporter, something which the Department of Agriculture said the government could achieve by 2013.

          “Well and good. Actually, it’s easy to say we are a rice exporter. We can simply accumulate our rice produce in a warehouse then ship them out and say we have exported. But the question is : are we a net rice exporter?” he asked.

          He said only last week, the government came out with an announcement that it would be exporting 180,000 metric tons of rice which is proof that it is far from reaching the level of self-sufficiency as far as rice is concerned.

          Enrile also noted that the country does not have a national food requirement plan. He said that 150 years ago, human species come from 10,000 different varieties of food.

          “After World War 2, when he industrialized, there are now only 150 different varieties of food,” he said.

Enrile, whose campaign pitch is “Maraming Pagkain, Murang Pagkain (Plenty of Food, Cheap Food),” said he has filed in May 2011 House Bill 4626, also known as Food for Filipinos First (FFFF), which intends to make the agriculture sector a key mover in providing food for the poor and middle class.  (Manny Galvez)

Umali airs concern over flawed PCOS machines, says they are “scary”

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 3, 2013 – Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali has expressed grave concern over reports that precinct count optical scanner (PCOS) machines to be used in the May 13 elections in the province are defective and might not reflect the true will of majority of Novo Ecijanos.

          “It’s really a concern. If there is a question over the PCOS functionality, then we’ll gonna have a problem,” he said in reaction to reports that some of the PCOS machines bogged down during a training demonstration to teachers sitting as board of election inspectors (BEIs).

          A total of 5,610 BEIs in the province will undergo training on the operations of these PCOS machines in the run-up to the May polls.

          According to reports, at least six of these machines malfunctioned and encountered glitches when used for demonstration by officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

          Reporters tried to get the side of acting provincial election supervisor lawyer Lydia Florentino-Pangilinan but she was unavailable. But a Comelec insider who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the issue said the six PCOS machines that conked out may have been overused.

          Umali said in 2010, glitches were encountered in the use of these PCOS machines in the province. He said a particular candidate for mayor in a city got zero vote in his own barangay.

          He said a former congressman also encountered the same problem in two northern Nueva Ecija towns.

          Aside from glitches, the Comelec is also under fire because it does not have the source code to run the PCOS machines.

          The source code is the all-important set of computer commands to make the PCOS recognize and count the vote marks, reject fake ballots, and transmit tallies to canvassing centers.

          The Automated Election Code of 2008 and the initial lease contract of 2009 require the Comelec and its dealer Smartmatic of Venezuela to require the showing of the source code to the public through IT (information technology) experts and to political parties and to a reputable independent tester for accuracy and security.

          Canada-based Dominion is the real and sole owner of the technology offered by Smartmatic for the Philippine elections, a fact it did not disclose before the 2010 polls.

          A citizens’ election monitor alliance said the 2010 PCOS machines which will also be used in the May 2013 polls are “fatally flawed” and have bugs that are “unacceptable in IT standards” and therefore should never be used again.

          Umali said these PCOS machines are not 100% reliable. “It’s scary. I hope the Comelec can do something about it,” he said.

          Umali said that while glitches were not that rampant in the 2010 elections, this is something every Novo Ecijano voter should be worried about.

          “Unless this is addressed, the people would have doubts about the results,” he said. (Manny Galvez)     

SWS POLL SHOWS PINOYS APPRECIATE GOOD GOVERNANCE--MADRIGAL

Things are looking up for the Filipino under the Aquino administration.

The recent Social Weather Stations survey showing that majority of Filipinos are satisfied with their lives proves that, according to former Sen. Jamby Madrigal.

“If four out of five Filipinos are satisfied with their lives, then it only shows that the majority of Filipinos feel that the government is working for them,” said Madrigal, senatorial candidate of the administration coalition Team PNoy.

Dissatisfaction, she pointed out, would indicate that Filipinos do not approve of what the Aquino administration is doing, “or is not doing enough to address their needs and concerns.”

The SWS poll, conducted from Dec. 8 to 11 last year, found four of five Filipinos or 81 percent saying they were satisfied with their lives.

Of the 81 percent, 33 percent were “very satisfied” and 48 percent, “fairly satisfied.”

Madrigal believes that the satisfaction rating would get even higher if the survey is conducted now, citing the recent Fitch Ratings upgrade of the Philippines’ investment status and the increasing number of foreign tourist arrivals as well as the continued strengthening of the peso as contributory factors.

She cautioned, however, that even if most Filipinos are satisfied with their lives, the government would need to focus on the remaining 20 percent who feel dissatisfied.

“The Aquino administration, I believe, is on the right track as far as addressing the source of dissatisfaction is concerned, and steps are now being undertaken to further improve the quality of their lives,” Madrigal said.

Hagedorn declines Erap’s UNA invite, says he’s no political butterfly

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 2, 2013-Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn said on Tuesday he has been lured by deposed former President Joseph Estrada to join the United Nationalist Alliance which the latter headed together with Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile but declined the offer and remained an independent senatorial candidate so he won’t emerge a political butterfly.

          “Erap (Estrada’s nickname) is my friend and he’s been calling me to join the UNA senatorial slate. But I didn’t accept the offer so I won’t turn out as a political butterfly,” Hagedorn told reporters here on the sidelines of a pro-women rally arranged by businesswoman Rianne Cuevas.

          Hagedorn said that while he is an independent candidate, he will rely on the support of three big groups : the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and the Liga ng mga Barangay.

“I count on their solid support and with this, I hope to get elected in the Senate in May,” he said. He said he has no problem with mobility and logistics, unlike other independent senatoriables.

          Hagedorn said his advocacies will focus primarily on environment, local governance, tourism and agriculture. He said only two percent of environmental laws are being implemented in the country.

          He said he would move for a revision of the Local Government Code and make it attuned to present realities as well as craft legislations that would widen the tax base for local government units by including the value added tax in the computation of internal revenue allotments (IRA).

          “We should base it on the previous year and not on the last three years,” he said, adding he favored the inclusion of coastal areas in the computation of the IRA of coastal LGUs.

          Hagedorn said he is for the return of the four to five-year terms of office of local and national officials without any term limits or restrictions and for the strengthening of safeguards in the enforcement of the recall petition.

          He said he would apply the Puerto Princesa experience in helping spur tourism and agricultural development in the country.

          Hagedorn stressed the need for the government to come up with a national land use plan which will be attuned to the comprehensive land use plan of LGUs.

          He said this was necessitated by a recent development in Puerto Princesa wherein certain quarters wanted to undertake mining activities at the world-famous Underground River which the city government opposed.

          “This proposal to undertake mining at the river was approved in the national level which was made because there is no national land use plan. The thing is, they have to coordinate with local government units. The mere fact it was accepted in the national level means they were raising false hopes among the interested mining companies,” he said. (Manny Galvez)     

Jack to JPE, Miriam : ‘kiss and make up’

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 2, 2013 – United Nationalist Alliance senatorial candidate Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile has this one fervent wish: that his father, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and the latter’s nemesis, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago would end their bitter word war, kiss and make up and be friends just like the old times.

          “I hope both sides will stop their personal attacks and look back at the times they worked together. That they would remember their harmonious relationship for the sake of the country,” he said at a press conference here following a provincial sortie.

          The younger Enrile graced a gathering of women at Plaza Concepcion here on the invitation of businesswoman Rianne Cuevas.

          The word war between Enrile and Santiago broke out over the additional P2.2 million in maintenance and other operating expenses (MOEE) that Enrile gave 18 senators last Christmas.

          Santiago and three other senators – Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter cayetano, Pia Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV – got only P600,000 each  

          Congressman Enrile said he holds no grudges against Santiago in spite of her tirades against his father who, he recalled have spent quite a good time with Santiago as friends. He said that during the lady senator’s silver wedding anniversary, he even represented his father in the event.

          Short of saying the Senate President be spared from scathing criticisms, the younger Enrile said his father is an elderly statesman who is already 84 years old and has served the nation for 50 years already.

“I think he has served well yet this late stage in his political career, it seems he is being targeted,” he said.

He said though that his father understands the game of politics and is very much capable of answering the allegations against him.

The younger Enrile, who graced a pro-women event here said he would gladly accept the title of “Honorary Woman of the Senate” if he gets elected in May.

The titular role once belonged to the late former senator Raul Roco owing to his advocacy of women’s causes during his Senate stint.

Enrile said that as a father of two daughters, issues involving women are closest to his heart.

He said women should be treated equally with men who at times they even beat in certain fields, including politics. (Manny Galvez)      

Ecija congressional bet sets face-off with disqualification petitioners before Comelec

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April2, 2013–A 32-year-old congressional candidate who is facing a disqualification petition before the Commission on Elections  for allegedly being a US citizen is facing off the two petitioners in a conference set tomorrow at the poll body’s office in Intramuros, Manila.

Magnolia Rosa C. Antonino-Nadres is set to appear before the Comelec’s First Division to answer the petition seeking to disqualify her in the congressional race in southern Nueva Ecija.

Earlier, Clerk of Commission Ma. Josefina dela Cruz, in a summons with notice of conference directed Antonino-Nadres to appear in the Wednesday conference, effectively giving due course to the petition.

          Dela Cruz warned Antonino-Nadres that failure to appear before the scheduled conference shall be considered as a waiver and render the petition deemed submitted for resolution.

          A separate notice of conference has been sent to lawyer Tyrone Contado, counsel for petitioners Pedro Fajardo and Desita Garcia.

          Both parties have been given 10 days after the date of conference within which to file their respective memorandum.

          Antonino-Nadres, of San Francisco St., Barangay Langla, Jaen, Nueva Ecija, is the daughter of outgoing three-term fourth district Rep. Rodolfo Antonino.

          More popularly known as Megan, Antonino-Nadres is seeking to succeed her father in the district which covers Gapan City and the southern Nueva Ecija towns of Cabiao, Gen. Tinio, Jaen, Penaranda, San Isidro, San Leonardo and San Antonio.

She is running under the National Unity Party founded by the elder Antonino against two-time San Leonardo Mayor Froilan Nagano, comebacking former two-term Rep. Julita Lorenzo-Villareal and Villareal’s sister-in-law, former San Isidro mayor and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) executive director Sonia Lorenzo.

          The five-page petition filed by Fajardo and Desita Garcia said respondent Antonino-Nadres is disqualified to run for Congress in the fourth district based on Article 6 of the 1987 Constitution which provides that no person shall be a member of the House of Representatives unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines.

          The petition added that pursuant to Section 2, Article 4 of the same Constitution, it is stipulated that natural-born citizens are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Filipino citizenship.

          Antonino-Nadres’ camp has dismissed the petition as politically motivated and is allegedly meant to sow confusion among the people.

          But Nagano dismissed Antonino-Nadres’ claims, saying the fact that the petition was given due course by the Comelec means there must be some merit on the said petition. He said the conference affords Antonino-Nadres the chance to deny the claims contained in the petition.

“The conference is the proper forum for Antonino-Nadres to deny the allegations that she is a US citizen. There, she is given her day in court,” he said.  

          The petitioners cited some grounds on why Antonino-Nadres should be disqualified among which are that she is a US citizen, she is not registered with the National Statistics Office and she holds an American passport.   

          It cited that in her certificate of candidacy filed on October 2,2012, Antonino-Nadres wrote that she was born in San Mateo County, California which, pursuant to the doctrine of “jus soli” is a citizen of the US.

          NSO administrator and civil registrar general Carmelita Ericta, in a certification issued last February 19 said Antonino-Nadres is not registered with the NSO. Antonino-Nadres only registered as a voter in Jaen in 2006.

The petitioners also claimed the respondent is a holder of an American passport which she had consistently used in entering and leaving the Philippines as gleaned from a certification issued last February 22 by the Bureau of Immigration confirming that she used the foreign passport in her numerous travels since 1996.

          They added that being a citizen of the United States of America or at least having dual allegiance, Antonino-Nadres is disqualified to run for the position of Member of the House of Representatives which requires a natural born citizen of the Philippines. (Manny Galvez)