SMC US$10B AIRPORT NEEDED PAGE 6
FOREIGN
BUSINESS
NATION
Quit! PAGE 3
Ex-Im & DoE DEAL: TIES THAT BIND PAGE 11
Gregory & Vanessa Misaghi AFORTIVA’S TECH POWER COUPLE 16 Educational yet opinionated, informative yet persuasive MAY 5-11, 2014 • VOL.4 NO.36
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ECONOMIC
TREMORS By Al Labita Unmistakable signs point to what could be financial tremors shaking the country’s economy. The Bangko Sentral may have to reassess its policy and attune it to the imperatives of the times. Page 2
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COVER STORY
TREMORS IN THE ECONOMY By Al Labita
Foreign funds are dumping local stocks and shifting them to other emerging markets abroad. Unabated capital flight raises questions about the BSP’s role as the state’s financial watchdog Fleeing capital signals loss of investors’ trust in government and economy Foreign credit rating agencies stall investment upgrade due to perceptions of corruption plaguing the Aquino government Monetary authorities may not admit it, but unmistakable signs point to what could be fi nancial tremors shaking the country’s economy. At the stock market, share prices are plummeting, dragging down prices of listed companies -- and profits of investors. Now trading at precariously below 7,000 points, the Phisix – the stock market’s barometer – has come under siege as more foreign funds dump local counters and shift them to other emerging markets abroad. Also referred to as “hot money,” the funds come and go anytime as investors deem fit. Usually interest-bearing, they are parked in stocks, government securities and money market. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed that in this year’s fi rst quarter alone, investors pulled out a whopping US$2.1 billion from the market, sending stock prices tumbling to new lows. The seemingly unabated capital fl ight only showed how foreign traders had exploited to the hilt the BSP’s foreign exchange liberalization policy at the expense of a sagging economy.
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OpinYon
Loss Of Trust
Amid surging constraints hounding the fi nancial market, the BSP may have to reassess its policy and attune it to the imperatives of the times. Interestingly, the outflow of foreign currencies surpassed their inflow in the fi rst quarter as portfolio investors offloaded peso-denominated assets. At any given trading day, foreign funds account for over 60 percent of market liquidity, thus their adverse impact on stock prices when withdrawn. The withdrawal, an alarming indication of loss of confidence in the economy, meant that the Philippines has lost its luster as an investment haven. It came on the heels of reports that foreign credit rating agencies – Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor -- had become discriminating in backing sovereign debt issues, including those of the Philippines. But in the past and in exchange for the Aquino government’s three billion pesos service fee, they would readily upgrade the nation’s credit standing.
Investment Grade
A favorable rating affords the debt issuer low interest rates and other concessions from creditors. Previously, the Philippines was kept two notches below investment grade, despite reforms in the economy. This prompted the BSP to call the attention of the rating agencies to discrepancies between methodologies used by the agencies and the actual grades the country got. Last year, the Philippines earned an investment grade, an indication of the government’s capability to pay its loans. This was because the Philippine economy grew by 7.2 percent—the second fastest in Asia next to China. It was also better than 2012’s 6.8 percent growth rate. Though behind the curve in upgrading the Philippines, Moody’s is the only rating fi rm that has a “positive outlook” for the country. This implies possible upgrade in the next 12 to 18 months.
Credit Outlook
Fitch and Standard & Poor’s currently have “stable” outlooks for the Philippines, indicating that their ratings would stay the same for the next year and a half. Other upsides going for the Philippines are a sound banking system and a balance of payments surplus, leading to a continuous decline in the debt to GDP ratio -- from 68.5 percent in 2005 to 49.2 percent in 2013. For BSP, it feels confident that the three credit watchers would once again extend a favorable rating of the country’s planned slew of IOUs this year to plug any budgetary deficit, given a track record of 60 consecutive quarters of positive growth. This time, however, it’s a different story as the three credit watchdogs are overly cautious in stamping their seal of good housekeeping on sovereign debt issues, including those issued by the Aquino government. One underlying reason is the perception of corruption weighing down on the Aquino govern-
ment in the wake of the pork barrel scandal. Another is the deteriorating fi nances – the national government incurred a fiscal gap of P84.1 billion from January to March this year. The deficit, despite the government’s belt-tightening policy, was 27 percent more than the P66.5 billion in the same three months of last year. A Department of Finance report blamed the deficit on expenditures which climbed 12 percent year-on-year, faster than the nine percent increase in revenues. The multi-billion pesos rehab of typhoon-devastated Eastern Visayas proved costly.
Deficit
The government incurred nearly half of the first-quarter deficit in March when the fiscal gap reached P40.2 billion, 14 percent more than the P35.1 billion a year ago. Spending and revenue grew at the same pace last month, but the government raised only P129.3 billion whereas expenditures were higher at P169.5 billion, thus the deficit in March. Also in the red is the country’s balance of payments position (BOP) which, as of last February, showed a gaping deficit of US$4.14 billion, a far cry from the US $1.08 billion surplus booked in the same period last year. Contrary to expectations, two revenueraising agencies – bureaus of customs and internal revenue – had miserably failed to improve their collections due to unabated smuggling and tax evasion, in cahoots with corrupt officials.
The Poor
Government data showed the country’s budget shortfall in the fi rst two months of the year rose 40 percent to P43.9 billion as the government increased spending for the highly politicized reconstruction efforts in disaster-stricken Visayas region. Another gray area of the economy is that investment pledges approved by the Board of Investments slumped by 52 percent to P47 billion in this year’s fi rst quarter, year-on-year. Amid signs that the days of cheap money are over, market talk is that not too soon, banks will likely raise lending rates, currently ranging from 16 to 22 percent per annum. Expected to get hurt are small businesses. The move, largely viewed as anti-poor and pro-rich, forms part of BSP’s policy tools requiring banks to tighten their lending windows to stave off any inflation rate uptick. What also alarmed foreign credit watchers is the banking sector’s runaway loans to real estate companies amid fears of a property bubble. In 2013, real estate credit to GDP ratio rose by 6.1 percent from 5.5 percent in the previous year. However, learning bitter lessons in the past, the BSP has identified several monetary policy measures it can implement once signs of asset bubble crop up. These include increase in banks’ reserve requirement, adjustment of the key policy rates, and adjustments in the interest rate of the special deposit accounts. While big businesses are expected to breeze through the unfolding tough times, it’s a contrasting story for the poor, the stakeholders often largely forgotten by BSP.
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Nation
News from Where You Stand
QUIT! The die is cast
“These fresh allegations that I tutored Napoles in designing the PDAF scam are simply not true,” Abad said. He has been used to being called names since he served the Aquino administration starting in 2010.
The more the pork scam drags on, the more its money trail leads to the centers of power. From President Aquino, the collateral damage has spilled over to his inner sanctum led by Budget czar Butch Abad. Abad, who wields the enviable power of the purse, is believed to be the hidden hand pulling the strings behind the pork barrel drama. The self-confessed architect of the infamous Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) inexplicably made himself scarce since the scam hogged headlines over the past months. While his peers turned themselves into Pnoy’s own bunch of apologists, the former solon from typhoon-battered Batanes Island kept himself away from public view – and scrutiny. His silence on the controversy is not only deafening, but also intriguing.
Finally, he turned gutsy last week, apparently bugged by insinuations that he’s the “pork king” alluded to by reports quoting sources close to Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged pork barrel queen. “These fresh allegations that I tutored Napoles in designing the PDAF scam are simply not true,” Abad said. He has been used to being called names since he served the Aquino administration starting in 2010. But ‘‘pork king?” Certainly not, he said, describing it as the “most ridiculous” he ever heard. “It would in fact be funny if it weren’t such a blatant lie.” Inescapably with Aquino and Abad in the eye of the pork scam, dyed-in-thewool political allies House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and Senate President Franklin Drilon can’t be far behind and turn deaf and blind to mounting calls for them to call it quits.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK “Our commitment to defend the Philippines is iron-clad and the US will keep that commitment because allies never stand alone “ – visiting US President Barack Obama following the signing of the 10-year US-PH enhanced defense cooperation agreement on April 29. “These fresh allegations that I ‘tutored’ Janet Lim Napoles in designing the PDAF scam are simply not true. I’ve been called several
names… but ‘Pork King’ is certainly the most ridiculous. It would in fact be funny if it weren’t such a blatant lie” – Budget Secretary Florencio Abad “It’s highly unlikely that the ASEAN will achieve its targets to have a fully integrated regional economy by 2015” –Jayant Menon, lead economist at the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB)
“Prices of most food commodities rose owing to tightness in supply coupled with higher electricity rates and petroleum prices” – Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Jayant Menon
“Manufacturing generates the most number of stable and secure employment opportunities” – Trade Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal Jr., citing the need for an industry roadmap “We are in for a political bloodbath that would last until 2016, and the Senate will not only be the institution affected” – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, reacting to reports that more senators had skimmed off their pork barrel allocations
“In case of armed conflict with China, the US will come to the defense of the Philippines only if it serves the interest of the US” – Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, downplaying the newly signed bilateral defense accord during US President Obama’s two-day visit in Manila “2013 was a cleanup year for PAL as we go through the costly yet necessary fleet renewal process but we are on track with our goals and we
remain committed to improving your airline’s financial and operational performance” – PAL president and COO Ramon S. Ang “Given the integration of SM Group’s property units, SMDC is looking to build condominium projects near shopping malls… at places where we have malls, inside and outside Metro Manila, to see where we can develop residential projects” – SMDC executive vice
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president Jose Mari Banzon “It was not my intention to hurt or insult anyone, and I did not curse at anyone either” – Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas, after the “Wack Wack Golf and Country Club suspended his membership for two months for berating its employees
OpinYon
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OPINION
Publisher’s Notes
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Wrong Move We understand that handling the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam case could never have been bigger than any exposé written in Philippine history. But Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila De Lima’s performance is quite overly done to the point that she has lost her credibility. More than six months of twist and turns of revelation fi lled up the stories every day, from “I don’t know anything” statements to the “tell-all” situation. Two weeks ago, Janet Napoles, the alleged pork barrel queen decided to spit out everything she knows—names all dropped. This is due to De Lima’s careless actions over the media, being too obvious in her desire for Napoles to confess. And just like that, Napoles became the hero who saved the day and is now closer to becoming a ‘state witness’. We will no longer debate about whether she is qualified for or should be denied of the immunity. But De Lima’s urge had shown that the Napoles “tell-all” is not far similar to begging off like a kid. We can’t see any logical reason why a powerful justice secretary would ask a suspect to tell their own lies when the evidence against them are strong enough to get a conviction. Making an accessory of a crime confess makes a case more competent. However, we cannot use this as a pattern for the PDAF scam because Napoles is similarly guilty, alongside the politicians involved. The PDAF case could stand alone with the whistleblower’s affidavit. Should Napoles decide to talk, it should came from her own sincerity, not just because it was offered in front of her doorstep. We are not trying to suggest that Napoles should have not confessed to De Lima at all. The point is, DOJ should be the fi rst to impose authority, to be begged for sympathy. We thought the behavior of skilled justices ought to be predominant while playing the game and not the other way around. Some expert lawyers predicted that the case will take around 10-15 years with 30 respondents tagged in the case. In addition, trials without solid evidence makes justice delayed. Obviously, convenience for De Lima and for the case is the mere purpose of De Lima’s actions. Yet, after all, will we be able to fully achieve justice in such a convenient way? Committing a crime is something Filipinos should be afraid of. Thus, De Lima being the face of Philippine justice system should have shown that she has unbending principles. But even her actions of courting a ‘pork barrel queen’ makes the justice system comedic and easy to deceive.
OpinYon is published by Opinyon Media Services, with business office at Rm 202, Barangka Drive cor Talumpong, Mandaluyong City.
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CARLOS RAJAMIRA Creative Director
website: www.opinyon.com.ph
JOJO VALENCIA Layout Artist
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DOLE is partnering with SM to have job fairs all over the country. That does not negate SM’s deplorable contractualization practice. And DOLE should step in. Miam Tan-Fabian I never shop in SM.
RAY L. JUNIA President GETULIO MARAYA Vice President for Admin
Sonny de los Santos
Kung start up company puede na muna 6 months. But big company should not be tolerated to exploits laborers/ workers. Govt. should stop SM Group. Labor department asan kayo? VJ A. Barcinal I’m so ashamed that our company used to work with SM Group. Arvin Jay Milana Biaga Nakakasakit ng damdamin na malaman ang mga bagay na ito, sana magising na ang sambayanang pilipino lalo na ang mga mahihirap na niloloko ng mga mayayaman at politikong walanghiya. T Deleon Dean Nasaan yun mga mahilig mag rally sa US Embassy? Eto dapat ang pinagtutuunan ng mga rallies nyo...itong mga ganitong employers.....where are u Rene Reyes and Bayan? And remind you, not only SM, even the other malls do this practice of contractualization. Antonio Escio end of contract is a very clear and so stupid system of employment. kaya yumayaman si henry sy, dahil sa style na every 6 months na ENDO.pero bulag ang gobyerno natin dahil nasasapakan ang mga bulsa nila. Bobby E. Aban Sr. It is a sad fact that we are ruled by capitalists
ATTY. SALVADOR PANELO Ombudsman
ATTY. RICKY RIBO Legal Counsel
OpinYon
Alam ba ninyo na according sa mga contractual workers sa mga mega malls, ay bawal umupo. makakaupo ka lang pag lunch o dinner. Is this not oppressive working condition? tapos EndoEndo? Lito B. Soriano
FREDERICK FABIAN Acting Managing Editor
Email: opinyon.2010@ gmail.com
ISSN 2094-7372
On cover story KING OF ‘ENDO’ (Vol. 4 No. 35, April 28-May 4, 2014)
ALFONSO LABITA Executive Editor
DAVE DIWA Opinion Editor
And there, we challenge those who wish to silence us as we reach out to the world. This decision was reached after some small business groups offered OpinYon help in putting up its multi-platform network. What followed were a flurry of commitments from the labor front and businesses that have been victims of these mall giants. Let me extend my thanks to Lito Soriano and friends who pledged every support needed for OpinYon to reach the OFWs all over the world and their families in the country. OpinYon will serve to frustrate abuses of ruthless big business, believing that heartless big business is the reason there is massive corruption in the country. Remember, when there are no buyers, there will be no sellers. Corrupt big business buys people in government to sell public interest. This is the reason poverty is widespread and seven out of ten Filipinos are poor.
PUBLIC PULSE
RAY L. JUNIA Publisher
TELEPHONE NUMBER San Pedro: 214-0766
DISCLAIMER Letters to the Editor and unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, editors and staff of Opinyon. We reserve the right to edit articles based on our editorial standards.
In the face of changes in accessing information, it has been proven lately that even the mightiest of nations fi nd it most impossible to hide the truth. We have “fugitives” from imperialist justice to serve as testimony to this reality. It takes raw guts though, to fight a system that uses money, if not fear of being hailed to court of justice, to censor media. Censorship is the tool of the mighty. But technology has proven that even money cannot forever hide the truth. Changing technology has fueled the growth of social media, now the new norm in information management and education. And social media is the worst and most dreaded enemy of those behind the biggest crimes against humanity, mostly economic crimes against the poor. OpinYon is moving towards social media , being confronted with the latest attempt in censorship by big business, who are frightened that the truth shall put to risk the massive economic crimes that have made several families very very rich. OpinYon is now going to go multi-platform.
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Anton Japorms
Naubos ang isyung ito sa mga National Bookstore, SM outlets at iba pang establishemento na kung saan naka display at binibenta ang opinyon.... ano ... natakot na malaman ang katotohanan.... kung matatandaan ninyo noong 1980 nakibaka ang mga kababaihang manggagawa sa Kontraktuwalisasyon... partikular and SM North noon ...ipinagiba ang hanay ng mga nag welda... ang hanay ng mga sales ladies na nag welda...martial law noon... ako kasama ang mga lider studyante ... maging ang kanilang abogado na si Atty. Arellano ay nakakulong...noon pa man ay sila ang pasimuno ng kontraktuwalisasyon, endo at kung ano ano pa ang terminolohiyang ginagamit nila... ito ang pumapatay sa mga kababaihang manggawa. Archie Almeida
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Opinion
The Viewpoints and outlook of the well-informed
Diplomacy
P During Obama’s state visit, they burned effigies of Uncle Sam. In fact, they have never denounced China’s bullying tactics!! AGD syndrome?! Incidentally, many seriously question the quality of the United States’ commitment to defend the Philippines under the terms of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, as modified by EDCA.
olitical Science sophomore Billy Chang rose from his seat while putting on his back pack and thanking me for the hour-long tête-àtête we had shared. The young Chinese national strode out of the burger restaurant to catch his class, happily looking forward to sharing with his teacher and classmates some ideas he had just acquired. I had of course made him promise not to identify me as the source of those ideas, and to describe them as mere opinions from a lawyer. Hereunder is a discussion of those opinions. I fi nd it a bit unfortunate, though not unexpected, that Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has assailed the EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) as having been forged in “bad faith” by and between US Pres. Barack Obama and PH Pres. BS Aquino lll. Well, make no mistake about this: The lady who is the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is among the sharpest lawyers in the upper chamber, but she’s still human, given as she is to AGD (attention getting device) antics at moments least expected. With all due respect, I differ from her opinion for the following reasons. 1) The two EDCA signatories, National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, were no ornery “subalterns”, or subordinates who were unclothed with authority as suggested by MDS, but “alter egos”
(other selves) who had been authorized by their respective presidents to act on the document in their behalf; 2) A sensitive examination of the two presidents’ demeanor, their words and manner of speaking and body language, particularly Obama’s, demonstrates a level of diplomacy that is associated with good faith; and 3) In the absence of any palpable indicia of bad faith --- and there appears to be none in the premises --- the universal principle of “presumption of good faith” shall prevail. EDCA is an agreement that partakes of the nature of a treaty and, as such, should have been brought to the senate for approval, consistent with the upper house’s constitutional role in treaty making. It isn’t too late, and there should be no problem in that regard because a comfortable majority of the senators are P-Noy’s allies. Until then, EDCA remains open to question before the Supreme Court, although I believe the treaty will ultimately hold sway under its scrutiny. And as for other EDCA-related issues that have loomed as grounds for attacking the agreement as unconstitutional, the high tribunal will hopefully see those anti-EDCA petitions as exercises in futility, given our people’s widespread proAmerican culture and an exigent imperative for a counterbalance against saber-rattling China.
The Court may well take judicial notice of our people’s ingrained stars-and-stripes second nature, and recognize it as its wellspring of vitality and direction in the discharge of its office. After all, the judiciary is ordained to serve, like the rest of government, the interests of its creator: the sovereign citizens. With respect to those Maoists and other Communist-leaning militants who made a lot of infernal racket during Obama’s two-day-one-night state visit, my comment on Billy’s worry is: these Reds mouth nationalism and patriotism, but power is all they want. There is no way they can win the hearts and minds of nearly a hundred million compatriots who oppose them. Let us recall that when Martial Law enforcers hunted them down, many fled the country for Uncle Sam’s protection. During Obama’s state visit, they burned effigies of Uncle Sam. In fact, they have never denounced China’s bullying tactics!! AGD syndrome?! Incidentally, many seriously question the quality of the United States’ commitment to defend the Philippines under the terms of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, as modified by EDCA. In this respect, I hold the view that because at that time we had not yet officially defi ned our West Philippine Sea territory, much less declared an adverse claim to it against the whole world, the “vagueness” of Obama’s commitment to lend us military support in case of external aggression is understandable. However, this vagueness shouldn’t discourage us from believing that the black US Presi-
MUSINGS Ronald Roy dent, whose great rhetoric twice brought him to the White House, used the same verbal fi nesse not to hoodwink us but to pledge --in the most diplomatic manner possible --- America’s willingness to shed her blood in defense of her Filipino brothers in times of war. ••••• Let Mr. Barack Obama's ironclad pledge continue to peal in the air, in which are couched his delicate reassurances --- "...Our goal is not to conquer China; our goal is not to contain China... (but) to make sure that international rules and norms are respected, and that includes in the area of maritime disputes. We don't go around sending ships and threatening folks." ••••• If "actions speak louder than words", diplomacy may again prove more forceful than bullets. ••••• (http://musingsbyroy.wordpress. com | 09186449517 | @rqonald8roy | #musingsbyroy)
“Na-Edca-Han Na Naman Tayo”
M
any Filipinos are wondering, why is it that the signing of a very important pact as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) which is actually the centerpiece of US President Barack Obama’s visit was not signed by the US and PH presidents? Instead was signed by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and US Ambassador Phillip Goldberg hours before the arrival of Pres. Barack Obama. To think, the signing was not even witnessed by the two presidents. Some pundits believe that the EDCA was not signed by the two heads of state, because US does not want to hurt China in the process. So it is quite obvious that every time the issue of how far Uncle Sam will help the country in times of trouble with China (and/or other aggressor) the safe answer of the big brother – “We are not doing this because of China. We are doing this because we have a longstanding alliance partner [the Philippines]. They are interested in stepping up our military-to-military,” and “we (US) just want a peaceful and safe navigation in the South
China Sea”. All rhetoric, but can we fault them in protecting their interests! We really never learned from the past agreements that we had with the US, always lopsided, favoring the US more and in the end we are shortchanged (again). So the doublespeak of PNoy’s people of not allowing the Filipinos to be shortchanged in the latest pact are all double talk. Like what the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and other organizations observed - they have been unimpressed, seeing the EDCA as an open invitation to a molester to offer protection against a touted bully. “The oft repeated rationale,” explained Bayan’s secretary Renato M. Reyes, Jr. is that we need this agreement with the US to protect ourselves from Chinese incursions. So what Aquino is basically saying is, to protect Filipinos from the neighborhood bully, we’re inviting a rapist inside our house to do as he pleases.” (by Binoy Kampmark) Just like what I have been saying for so long now in my writings and daily radio program – this is rape with consent. Again, no thanks to our leaders. Furthermore, in this EDCA, the so-called camp sharing operation will make the whole country as Uncle Sam’s mili-
WHISTLE BLOWER Erick San Juan tary base. So the ‘chubibo’ of not going to build new US military bases here is true because through camp sharing scheme, US will not pay any rent and all the AFP’s camps from north to south of the archipelago will be the US ‘military base’, free of charge, translation – ‘rape with consent’. Need we say more? And remember, back in August 2009, in her affidavit, Navy officer Nancy Gadian accused the US military of building permanent structures in different military camps in the country. She said US forces have established “permanent” and “continuous” presence in Zamboanga, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in the south. She added that the Philippine military has no access to the camps built by the US soldiers in these areas since they are “fenced off by barbed wires and guarded by US Marines.” Gadian likewise said these
structures are indications the US troops had no intention of leaving the country, which is a violation of the Philippine Constitution. For over a decade now, we are actually being ‘screwed’ with the willingness of past and present administrations in the guise of being part of the coalition of the willing to fight the global war on terror of then President George ‘Dubya” Bush Jr. And like what former senator Joker Arroyo said “What did the Philippines get out of the Obama visit? Zero.” Especially on the part of our Filipino war veterans that was tackled by a former ambassador Jose Zaide, a pro- American historian turned patriot in his article (April 28 at the Manila Bulletin) “the more than 250,000 Filipinos who fought for USA in WW2 and shared the same foxholes with US troops were promised equal treatment. But the US Congress 1946 Rescission Act denied Filipino war vets, making a dishonest man of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Filipino WW2 vets were only collateral damage (add-on) to the Recission Act, which was passed principally for the purpose of controlling excessive claims of US war supplies providers.
In 2009, US Congress threw small bones granting one-time payments of $15,000 to Filipino vets in the USA and $9,000 to those in PH. More crumbs promised to Filipino vets helped swing trusting Pinoys in USA to vote for re-election of Barack Obama. Our problem is that the GPH representing the Filipino WW2 vets has one eye cocked at its own shopping list (for handme-down armaments and surplus and other USAID). US Congress, which passed the Recission law, would not reverse itself. (No constituency in support of granting monies to historical allies.) On hindsight, Filipino WW2 vets should do their own pleading, i.e., sue the US government at the US Supreme Court, which will be no less noble than the French Court de Cessation and the British High Court.” As a whole, all the excitement and fanfare that the Obama visit has created in the country are all ‘chubibo’ and sadly, the current administration welcomed the EDCA with open legs. Carol P. Araullo of Businessworld said the EDCA is a negotiated surrender of our sovereignty. “Na-EDCA-han na naman tayo”
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Food Security & Sustainability
Agriculture Cacao Industry Bids for ‘Sweet Success’
CACAO TRIVIA For the Aztecs, cacao chocolate was a luxury and the cacao beans were like gold, a rare commodity that served as both currency and gifts for kinds and gods.
e rebirth of a Philippine world-class product
The Aztecs used to prepare a drink for the gods made up of ground cacao bean paste mixed with spices and corn. The Imperial torte, a square chocolate cake with five thin layers of almond paste, was created by a master pastry chef at the court of Emperor Franz Joseph (1830 - 1916). In 1900, Queen Victoria sent her New Year’s greetings to the British troops stationed in South Africa during the Boer War in the form of a specially molded chocolate bar. The end of the Second World War marked a new era in chocolate advertising and image-making, which henceforth would be based on photography rather than the graphic arts. On April 4, 1828, Coenraad Johannes Van Houten took out a patent for his newly invented cocoa press, which extracted the cocoa butter from the chocolate liquor, leaving behind powdered cocoa. The fruits of the cacao tree, which take the form of pods, are very colorful - from bright red to lemon yellow. (Chocolatesource.com)
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By Allysa Faye Greganda y 2020, the world’s need for cacao beans is projected to increase by 30%, yet the country’s production has yet to meet the demand. If our cacao industry can do so, then there is hope for the Philippine agricultural sector. While Filipinos crave for imported chocolates, better think again: first-rate quality cocoa can be grown in your backyard. It is the same reason why the Department of Agriculture keeps an eye on this delectable opportunity for the country’s agri-production. This month, DA just handed an initial P14M for cacao agri-business zones (CABZs) in Davao City. Being endowed with such perfect soil composition and sun temperature, the Philippine’s cacao industry is a potential big exporter—only if more farmers would invest into it. The truth is, cacao seeds do not grow in the western countries known to produce these mouth-watering chocolates, including Japan. Raising cacao trees have climatic requirements.
Land capability
Rainfall should range from 1250 to 3000 mm per annum while 1500-2000 mm during dry season of not more than 3 months. Maximum temperature is 32°C and the minimum is 18°C. Altitude of the area must lie between 300-1200 meters above sea level. Cacao thrives best in areas with evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year. As of now, cacao plantations can be found in the areas of Mindanao specially Davao and CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) in Luzon. The cacao industry has never grown into its full potential. Moreover, we even import 20,000 metric tons of cocoa beans from Africa last 2008 up to this date, costing $42 million a year. During 1980s, Philippines has shared 20% of the world’s need for cocoa. The industry declined altogether with the rise of
CARP. Discovering these lost chances, the DA and Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) made partnerships with different companies to help boost cacao farming in the country. BAR also collaborated with Cocoaphil for the Sustainable Cacao Program. The target now is to be able to produce 100,000 metric tons by 2020 from our usual production of 25,000 metric tons yearly. As for the initial funding, P1.75 million has been allotted for the distribution of seedlings. P2.5 million goes for production equipment’s and machinery. Post-harvest facilities and other infrastructure costs P6.22 million, marketing development services amounts to P200,000, while P615,000 budget allotted in training for new and current cacao industry players.
Made in the Philippines
“Dry like a full bodied well-aged red wine,” these were the words Shawn Askinosie of the world’s famous Zingerman’s Deli said to describe the Philippine Tablea (chocolate). So far, there had been few who attempts in making it into the exporting world—all by themselves. Rob Crisostomo started as a simple farmer then eventually founded the Seed Core Enterprises in Davao. He now exports container load of Philippine cacao to Barry Callebaut, the
world’s largest supplier of high quality chocolate and cacao products. It just proves that cacao made in the Philippines is globally competitive. This will not only give glory to the country but also provide livelihood for many families. The secret of Philippine cacao beans is in how our farmers carefully process the seedlings from planting, harvesting and even in quality control phase. Filipino women are the usual laborers in cacao plantations. DA said that this type of farming is gender-sensitive, that is why women are the preferred laborers. As of now, there are 20,000 hectares of cacao trees in Davao, and 70% of the annual production of the crop come from the same province. The industry has helped 16,000 farmers and 340 cooperatives, according to Cocoa Foundation of the Philippines. Indeed, this industry has becoming a good source of livelihood for most Filipinos in the South.
Harvesting Hope
It is a wise decision for DA to fi nally revive the cacao industry. This can even lift the country into poverty. We should focus more into utilizing our lands because the Philippines’ climate and environment has the perfect set up for growing such crops. Our true wealth is our agriculture because not all countries are capable of producing crops such as cacao beans. Our government has to realize that prosperity in our country does not merely rely on just ICT, business empires and technology. It will be beneficial for the country’s economy if the budget allocation for this industry is increased. (Ms. Greganda is a graduating student of AB Communication in the University of Perpetual Help System Laguna. She is currently working in OpinYon as an intern. She also loves sweets, including chocolate.)
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OPINION Afortiva’s... From page 16
fi les, screening calls, and answering e-mails. A virtual assistant can save you time because you’ll be spending less time doing that work and more time growing your business, having quality time with the family, or just plain relaxing.” Afortiva’s service is all about helping their clients, mostly business owners and managers, to concentrate on what they do best. Their clients have realized the importance of having someone outside the office handle all routine office tasks. Gregory, or Greg as he’d like to be called, acknowledges that the VA concept is not that new. What makes their services different is that they have created their unique spin on what a VA can do for their clients. He emphasizes that it is all about knowing what your clients need on a personal level. He shares, “Afortiva is more of a ‘Mom and Pop’ shop. A small business for small businesses. In this model, we don’t want you to keep ‘returning products to the store’ if unhappy. We don’t want you to waste the time. Time that we have promised to give you. Have a business problem and need consulting? You need a service that you don’t see on our list? Let us solve that for you by fi nding solutions for your problems as if it were ours. We will constantly update you and call you instead of sending a generic email. Unlike big fi rms, we won’t
let bureaucratic or arbitrary procedures limit us from helping you. You won’t have to talk to five people to solve one simple task. You don’t have to take two steps forward and one step back. These value added services are free and are included with the rate we charge you.”
Humble Beginnings
In a Facebook conversation with Vanessa, she shares that just like a lot of businesses, they went through several transitions before becoming successful. “I was into business development for six years. Greg was into training for three years. We met at a call center. When we became a couple, we realized our tandem is a good combo to start something out. I was contacted by one of my former clients from the US, and he asked if I can do projects for him. I took the job as a parttime thing. Greg became interested in it. And we both agreed, why not do this for good?”, she said. At fi rst, Vanessa made contact with all of the people she networked with from the US and found a way to secure clients. Most of the jobs they received were telemarketing-oriented. She recalls, “We have only had two computers at home then. We did it ourselves. And we were able to hire one young person to help us out. All of a sudden the number of clients increased instantly. They mostly came from referrals by my other contacts and current clients. Soon we had to move operations to Bacolod to accommodate those clients. Greg’s dad has an office there with six desktop computers. We borrowed their office at night.” Sadly, the Bacolod move did not work out well for the couple’s first venture together. Vanessa admits that labor costs are cheaper there but they had a hard time finding competent people to work for them. The telemarketing accounts also demanded too much from them and became too difficult to work with. The couple flew back to Manila and resolved to reshape
their business model and we discarded their telemarketing accounts. They eventually decided to focus more on the ‘virtual assistant’ market. This decision positively shaped Afortiva into what it is now. One thing they learned from their previous work experiences is to identify what made both of them leave in the fi rst place. “When we put up Afortiva, we made sure to recall whatever things we didn’t like from our previous companies, and ensure that we won’t do those things in our own company. We now operate in a culture and work atmosphere that our employees enjoy. They have the freedom to be creative. They have discipline, and most importantly, they can learn a lot from the online marketing industry, ” remarks Vanessa.
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Gregory, or Greg as he’d like to be called, acknowledges that the VA concept is not that new. What makes their services different is that they have created their unique spin on what a VA can do for their clients. He emphasizes that it is all about knowing what your clients need on a personal level.
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Politics Sen. Grace Poe
Sen. Chiz Escudero
Sen. Mirriam Santiago
DILG Sec. Mar Roxas
The Voices of Change
VP Jejomar Binay
VP Jojo Binay Still Way Ahead!
A
in 2012, PNoy learned his politics. He bribed the members of the Lower House to Impeach Chief Justice Renato Corona. He bribed the majority of Senators to convict him. Despite his sliding popularity, he was able to cobble together an opportunistic coalition for the 2013 mid elections. He made bilateral alliances with the Nacionalista Party, the LDP and even the Magdalo. He neutralized the Lakas and GMA’s allies and stalwarts.
year after the May 13, 2013 elections, Vice President Jejomar Cabauatan Binay is still way ahead in the race for President in 2016. Pulse Asia conducted its regular Ulat ng Bayan Nationwide (1,200 respondents with a + or – 3 % margin of error.) Public Opinion Survey from March 19 to 26, 2014. If the national elections for President, Vice President and twelve Senators had been held then, the following would have been the results (Assuming that the candidates were the same ones on the list chosen by Pulse Asia below.): For President (% of a hundred.): Binay 40, Poe 20, Santiago 10, Escudero 9, Roxas 6, Marcos 5, Cayetano 4, Kris Aquino 4, Revilla 3 and Lacson 2. For Vice President (% of a hundred.): Poe 24, Escudero 20, Roxas 8, Trillanes 7, Cayetano 6, Marcos 5, Kris Aquino 5, Lacson 5 , Vilma Santos 5, Jinggoy Estrada 4, Bam Aquino 3, Revilla 3, J V Ejercito 2 and Leni Robredo 1. For Senators: Sotto, Drilon, Roxas, Recto, Pangilinan, Lacson, Zubiri, Gordon, Marcos, Osmena, Madrigal, Pacquiao (12th), Hontiveros, de Lima, Kris Aquino (15th), Lino Cayetano, Herbert Bautista, Jackie Enrile, Tootsie Guingona, Mitos Magsaysay (20th), Lani Mercado, Ruffy Biazon, Gwen Pimentel, Ed Hagedorn, Leni Robredo (25th), Shalani, Dingdong Dantes, Gina de Venecia, Dinky Soliman and Teddy Casino (30th). The above results belong to the portion of the survey for public release. These are the subject matter and answers to questions that are regularly formulated and included by Pulse Asia in their regular surveys. However, there are subject matter and questions that are included and initiated and therefore paid for by individuals or organizations for their own purposes. These are not released to the mass media and to the public for a certain period of time. In the said private portion of the above survey was the same question regarding who the respondent would vote for for President if the elections were held during the period of the survey. However, the list of candidates included former President and present Manila Mayor Joseph “ERAP” Ejercito Estrada. ERAP made it to second place, behind Binay but ahead of Poe. As a matter of public disclo-
sure, I would like to put on record my campaign preference and voting record for all the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections since I was born on October 12, 1948. 1948 - No memory of any political consciousness, preference or activity on my part. 1953 – Ramon Magsaysay for President. Contempt and hatred for Elpidio Quirino. No consciousness or preference for Vice President. 1957 – PPP*. Manuel Manahan for President, Uncle Vicente Araneta for Vice President. 1961 – United Opposition Party (LP/PPP/GA). Vice President Diosdado Macapagal for President, Emmanuel Pelaez for Vice President. Raul Manglapus and Manuel Manahan for Senators. 1965 – PPP*. Raul Manglapus for President, Manuel Manahan for Vice President. 1969 – I turned twenty one in October 1969. I must have registered and voted but cannot remember for whom – the NP Marcos/Lopez or the LP Osmena/Magsaysay. I volunteered for CNEA with Jimmy Ferrer, Chino Roces, Charito Planas and my classmate Edgar Jopson. I remember operating in the Quirino Ave, area of Quezon City. As early as November 1969, I already felt and foresaw that Marcos’s reelection and victory would lead to a pressure cooker effect in our society. 1973 – We were for consolidating the Moderate and Reformist Political and Protest Movement with the active and organized sectors like the farmers and labor (We did so under the Kapisanan ng mga Anakpawis ng Pilipinas.). We were united under the KAP with the FFF, FFW, PAFLU, PHILCONTU and YCW. We intended to coalesce with the LP under the Presidency of Senator Gerardo “Gerry” Roxas. We were pushing for a South North tandem of Roxas (Capiz) and Manglapus
YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW Linggoy Alcuaz (Candon, Ilocos Sur). 1986 – LABAN/UNIDO. Cory Aquino and Doy Laurel. 1992 – PRP. Miriam Santiago and Jun Magsaysay. 1998 – Kakampi ni ... . ERAP and GMA. 2004 – FPJ and Loren Legarda. After Binay took over the campaign from the ASO (Angara, Sotto and Oreta.) during the Holy Week of 2004 and after he and ERAP led the UNO and together with the NP’s Senate President Manny Villar won a majority of the Senate seats in the 2007 Senatorial elections, I believed that Binay should run for Senator in 2010. My biggest ever mistake in political analysis was believing that Binay had no chance at all of winning as Vice President in 2010. 2010 – Noynoy for President. Balimbing (sometimes Binay, sometimes Mar.) for Vice President. Binay won, beating Noynoy’s LP running mate, Mar Roxas, as well as long time leading Vice Presidentiable Loren Legarda. Loren and Chiz Escudero had led in Vice Presidential surveys for the past three years since 2007 until 2009. After his unexpected victory in the 2010 elections, Binay was way ahead of everybody else for President in 2016. There was nobody else tall enough to challenge him on the horizon. For three years, he even led President Pnoy in popularity and satisfaction ratings in the two major survey outfits: SWS and Pulse Asia. However, in 2012, PNoy learned his politics. He bribed the members of the Lower House to Impeach Chief Justice Renato Corona. He bribed the majority of Senators to convict him. Despite his sliding popularity, he was able to cobble together an opportunistic coalition
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for the 2013 mid elections. He made bilateral alliances with the Nacionalista Party, the LDP and even the Magdalo. He neutralized the Lakas and GMA’s allies and stalwarts. He won nine out of twelve Senate seats: Poe, Legarda, Cayetano, Escudero, Angara, Bam Aquino, Trillanes and Cynthia Villar.The UNA got only three seats: Nancy Binay in fi fth place, JV Ejercito in eleventh and Greg Honasan in twelfth place. For the past year, he has managed to stifle most of the Truth in the Pork (PDAF) Scam and Scandal. A year ago, Ben Luy had already been rescued from Janet Lim Napoles’ benevolent detention. The MOST connection was at work to control the NBI investigation. However, the information was leaked to the PDI, which came out with a series of exposes on or about July 20, 2013. The Administration still managed to manipulate the evidence (including COA investigations and reports) and the witnesses to focus on those in the opposition: Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla. Meanwhile, information implicating Senators, Congressmen and Executive officials belonging to the Administration have been kept from the Mass Media. The NBI, DOJ and the Ombudsman have pussyfooted on the investigation and prosecution of the guilty who belong to the LP and the Administration. Pinoy has given Mar Roxas and his cohorts all the budget, exposure and power to help the LP position its favourite but weak Presidentiable for the 2016 race. On the other hand, they have done everything to deprive Binay of the budget, exposure and power that he deserves as the President’s appointee as HUDCC Chairman and Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipinos. Four years on since the May 2010 National Elections, Binay has maintained his lead. The lead is so big that even if Binay, Erap, Grace Poe, Bongbong Marcos and Bong Revilla were too all run together with all the LP and Administration candidates that can be put up, Binay would still win. If you were to total all the percentages of the Administration candidates for President, this would come out to 43 – 45 %. On the other hand, Binay, Miriam, Bongbong and Bong would total 55 – 58 %.
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SECTIONS NATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AGRICULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 FOREIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
GameChanger
GREGORY AND VANESSA MISAGHI
Afortiva’s Tech Power Couple
A
dvances in information technology changed not only the way we think of businesses, but also of the way we run them. With the rise of companies run by minimal office staff, there is a need for assistance in doing the nitty-gritty aspects of the business. The challenge is to do it without garnering additional costs and manpower. This is where Afortiva Virtual Solutions comes in.
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Virtual Assistants
Afortiva supplies ‘virtual assistants’, people who can do the kind of work that office secretaries and personal assistants used to do. The only difference is that you can access your VA anytime and anywhere there is an Internet connection. Founded by Gregory and Vanessa Misaghi, the company uses a very simple but highly beneficial concept. While Gregory handles CEO duties, Vanessa, as Operations Director, oversees the daily operations and manages their working teams. Their VA teams provide administrative support and other specialized services to businesses, entrepreneurs, executives, business professionals, and others who have more work to do than the time to do it. Vanessa explains, “Many clients realize that they are spending too much time taking care of busy-work that they can’t bill clients for, but still needs to be done, such as scheduling trips, planning meetings, researching the Internet for information, tracking expenses, paying bills and taxes, balancing the books, maintaining Turn to page 14
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