Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Most Sought-After Pilipino Foods Part 1

 PANSIT LUGLOG. Fresh or dried bihon (thin noodles) cooked in a thick reddish sauce. Luglog means to cook by immersing in boiling water or broth with the use of (originally) a woven rattan ladle with a long handle. The noodles are immersed in the liquid (linuluglog). When lifted, the broth or water simply drips through. Also known as pansit palabok. Eaten with patis and kalamansi.

PALABOK is its thick red sauce that is poured on the noodles and garnished with hard boiled eggs and halved, boiled shrimps. (Palabok also means flowery flattering speech, meant to entice).

 PANSIT MALABON. Same as above but uses fat miki noodles. Poured on top, the palabok is topped with boiled (preferably duck) egg slices, halved shrimps, (originally) slices of kamias, kinchay and maybe a sprinkling of ground chicharon.

The best pansit Malabon is allegedly that of Rosy's. The eatery is located in the part of Malabon that floods during high tide, so that you have to sit on a stool with your feet in the water. Today it has many Manila branches.




 PANSIT LANGLANG is a soup consisting of sotanghon or glass noodles with bits of chicken and tasty tengang daga (rats' ears) mushrooms. May also be served dry.

PANSIT BIHON OR PANSIT MIKI GISADO. Normal pansit known to anyone who has sworn allegiance to the Philippine flag.

PANSIT HABHAB. Unadorned miki and sayote noodles sauteed in pork fat. It is served up on a small square of banana leaf to fit one's palm and is directly brought to the mouth (hence habhab). A Lukban snack.
 
PORK FAT and CHICHARON. Pork fat is revered by "wa-care" Filipino gourmands who insist that anything fried in it tastes better. These heathens are also adorers of pork chicharon (with a slab of fat) and chicharong bulaklak made of the intestines of the pig pulled inside-out to resemble wood roses. The inferior tito or small intestine are also made into just-as-deadly cracklings. All dipped in vinegar with garlic or sili (sarap!)


LECHON or LITSON. A good lechon should have meat that is evenly and fully cooked, tender and dry. The skin should be crisp from ears to tail (but is often not). The lechon preferred by party givers is lechon de leche, the month-old piglet mercilessly plucked from its mother's breast which socialites feast on without mercy.
The best weight for a good party lechon is allegedly 30 pounds. Its best diet is vegetarian-bran, kangkong or kamote leaves-not kitchen scraps or store-brought feeds with antibiotic. The simplest lechon stuffing is banana leaves, which keeps the inside moist so that the pig cooks thoroughly. Young sampalok or alibangbang leaves are also popular stuffing as they impart their sourness to the meat and neutralize the greasiness.
Some prefer to stuff the stomach cavity with brown upland rice or even malagkit rice, which swims in lard as the pig roasts. Others insist on a kind of turkey or chicken stuffing, therefore bread dough. The truly perverse fill their lechon with paella or stuff it with a whole chicken.
Warning: One of two people who split a baby lechon between them for dinner, died of high blood the same night.

LECHON SAUCE. The Batangas type is the most popular Tagalog version. It is pork liver boiled and pounded to a paste, mixed with vinegar, sugar and herbs and thickened with biscocho bread crumbs. Mang Tomas has grown rich from bottling this lechon sauce.
The Pampanga lechon sauce tends to be sweeter, the Bicol, sourer.
The Cebu-Leyte lechon has no sauce. Its stuffing is a lot of pepper, shallots, leeks and lemongrass, a stuffing that makes the animal tasty by itself. The Cebu lechon has made its presence felt in Manila where it is flown upon order.

RELYENO AND GALANTINA must not be confused. Both are deboned stuffed chickens. Relyeno is the whole chicken, drumsticks and wings showing, galantina is rolled, with deboned wings tucked inside. Relyeno is brown-roasted in the oven, galantina is boiled and more bland. Galantina filling includes, aside from ground pork and chicken, hard-boiled eggs, Vienna sausage, maybe ham, green olives stuffed with pimiento, and carrots. The basic filling of relyeno is spicier, with ham, pork sausage, chorizo de Bilbao and raisins (no eggs).

DINENGDENG or INABRAW, a salubrious soupy vegetable dish of Ilocos Norte made from fresh veggies picked from the backyard (one's own or the neighbor's). It may include any of the following: bamboo shoots, malunggay, himbabao, lima beans, patola, mashed kamote, squash leaves, string beans, eggplants and saluyot with broiled fish or shrimps put into the kettle before the greens.
An Ilocano teacher said: The Lord ascended into heaven in order to scatter the seeds of saluyot for the poor Ilocanos to eat.
Saluyot is a weed (slimy when cooked) which is never cultivated but grows wantonly when it rains. Its consumption was once regarded with amazement by botanists and other ethnic groups like Manilans.

Ampalaya. Why is the ampalaya wrinkled? Says artist Romeo Lee, because it is the only vegetable that was not included in Bahay Kubo! It is the signature vegetable of pinakbet. The miniature ampalaya is probably the best symbol for how the Ilocano turns a disadvantage into an advantage. Originally eaten by the farmer because it is a reject, the small aborted ampalaya is now the sought-after size, ideal for pinakbet.

PINAPAITAN. Early in the Spanish times, the ship of the English freebooter Thomas Cavendish was moored off Fuga Island. He had captured some Ilocanos to help him on board. From the shore came natives rowing bancas with foodstuffs to sell, including a goat.
The sailors decided to buy the goat and they slaughtered it on deck, throwing all the intestines into the sea. The Ilocano assistants were not about to let all that lovely laman-loob go down and dived for the treasure. This is followed by a description of the natives cooking the innards, including its bile, into what the poor chronicler could only describe as "a disgusting mess." This is the first mention in Blair and Robertson of pinapaitan.
Pinapaitan is a bitter dish of goat meat and offals or chopped intestines, mixed with papait which comes from digested grass in the stomach of the goat. Pinapaitan dishes include the half-cooked Ilocano kilawen and the almost-raw imbaliktad. With every purchase of meat specifically for pinapaitan, the vendor throws in the attendant bile for free.

KALDERETA is a goat stew with a rich red sauce consisting of canned tomato sauce, ground liver, red hot chilis, bell peppers, a grated ball of cheese and green olives simmered in the caldron for over an hour.

ITLOG NA PULA (red egg) or ITLOG NA MAALAT. We're probably the only nation that colors its salted egg red.
BIBINGKANG LALAKI. In the province, I stood in line behind a little girl who had ordered a "bibingkang lalaki." I soon find out that it was simply bibingka with eggs. (Logical.)

QUEK QUEK is a hard-boiled chicken egg dipped in bright-orange batter and fried. Sold on busy sidewalks.

BIKO; KALAMAY-HATI; SINUKMANI (Laguna) all refer to the same sticky rice delicacy.

KESONG PUTI; KESONG LAGUNA. Same-same

HOPIANG MONGO and HOPIANG BABOY. Hopiang mongo has black or yellow mung bean filling, sometimes mixed with kamote. Hopiang baboy has no baboy filling, only kundol, but it is fried in pork fat. Hopiang mongo hyped up with lots of nuts and salted egg becomes mooncake that has a box and sometimes costs as much as P500 each.

TURO-TURO, CARINDERIA, CAFETERIA, FAST FOOD are all the same.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Couple Stories: The Eye

My mom had only one eye. I hated her... She was such an embarrassment.. My mom ran a small shop
at a flea market. She collected little weeds and such to sell... Anything for the money we needed.

She was such an embarressment. There was this one day during elementary school.. It was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarressed. How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school... "your mom only has one eye?!?!" .. and they taunted me. I wished that my mom would just dissappear from this world so I said to my mom, "Mom.. why dont you have the other eye?! If you're only gonna make me a laughingstock, why dont you just die?!!!" My mom did not respond.. I guess i felt a little bad, but at the same time, it felt good to think that i had said what I'd wanted to say all this time.. Maybe it was because my mom hadn't punished me, but I didnt think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.

That night... I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My mom was crying there, so
quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I took a look at her, then turned away. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I hated my mother who was crying out of her one eye. So I told myself that i would grow up and become successful. Cause I hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty..

Then I studied real hard. I left my mother and came to Seoul and studied, and got accepted in the Seoul University with all the confidence I had. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too.. Now i'm living happily as a successful man.  I like it here because it's a place that doesn't remind me of my mom.

This happiness was getting bigger and bigger, when.. what?! who's this?! ...it was my mother... ..Still with her one eye. It felt as if the whole sky was falling apart on me. My little girl ran away, scared of my mom's eye. and I asked her, "who are you?!" "i dont know you!!!" as if trying to make that real. I screamed at her," how dare you come to my house and scare my daughter!" "GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!" and to this, my mother quietly answered, "oh, i'm so sorry. i may have gotten the wrong address," And she dissappeared out of sight. Thank goodness... she doesn't recognize me.. I was quite relieved. I told myself that i wasn't going to care, or think about this for the rest of my life. Then a wave of relief came upon me...

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. so, lying to my wife that I was going on a business trip, I went. After the reunion,  I went down to the old shack, that I used to call a house...Just out of curiosity there, I found my mother fallen on the cold ground. but I did not shed a single tear.

She had a piece of paper in her hand.... it was a letter to me. my son... I think my life has been long enough now.. and... I won't visit Seoul anymore... but would it be too much to ask if i wanted you to come visit me once in a while? I miss you so much.. And i was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. but I decided not to go to the school. ...for you... and I'm sorry that I only have one eye, and I was an embarressment for you. You see, when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mom, i couldnt stand watching you having to grow up with only one eye... so I gave you mine... I was so proud of my son that was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did.. the couple times that you were angry with me,.. I thought to myself, 'it's because he loves me..' my son... oh, my son... I dont want you to cry for me, because of my death. please don't cry.... my son, I love you so much..

Monday, September 19, 2011

Couple Stories: Her Last Request

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.
Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.
She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?
I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!
With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.

She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

Monday, September 12, 2011

5-Star Movie!: Every Child is Special

I have no words to express how i felt while watching this movie. I must have cried at least 5 times during the movie. Forgive me for being a cry-baby but it was so touching that anyone could easily burst out!

To start with, Taare Zameen Par is a must-watch movie. It just not told you that every child is special, it also leads you to think (and this is why I rate it as top-notch movie) the pressure building upon young generation by their so called parents, relatives, teachers and all.

The movie deals with a boy suffering from dyslexia. As a dyslexic child, the boy has difficulties in reading, writing and understanding letters, words and sentences. His world is fill with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate; colors & shapes that are just not important in the world of adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks and neatness. And the boy just cannot seem to get anything right in class. For that, he gets punished by his parents, teachers, and friends. Later in the movie, The parents being as traditional parents are not ready to accept his deformity. The boy is sent to a boarding school where all his hopes, passion & imagination died. When everything is down, ‘the angel’ show up to the screen, his art teacher. It is then that how his teacher bring back the boy’s lost creativity and the boy rises above all odds to face this ‘cruel’ world.

Watching this movie should be an eye opener to all parents about the kind of pressure the education system puts on young kids. Being a topper and doing extremely well in academics is not everything in life. It should also open the eye of schools to kids with learning problems and they should not be confused with kids who have psychological problems.

Hats off to the director too. The screenplay is very nice. Story flows naturally and audience can identify the characters easily. There is a beautiful portrayal of emotions. The child actor Darsheel Safari depicts any normal naughty kid. An immaculate acting by such a small kid is praiseworthy. Cinematography is excellent and songs are appropriate to the situations. A movie which has a social message, is a replica of the society and (again) a must watch for everyone. It comes second after Slumdog Millionaire!

So what is the best thing about this movie? Unlike most big-budget-glamorous Bollywood/Hollywood flicks, this movie entertains you, and still makes you think. It carries a message that life is really not about getting the top grades and competing with others, don’t try stretching all the fingers..they might break! Sometimes in life, it is healhty to be slow and dumb

Monday, July 25, 2011

PNOY FULL TRANSCRIPT OF SONA 2011

Full Transcript of President Benigno Noynoy Aquino III SONA


State of the Nation Address of His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
to the Congress of the Philippines
Session Hall of the House of Representatives
July 26, 2011

[Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon City]

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay; Chief Justice Renato Corona; Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps; my fellow workers in government;

Mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Sa bawat sandali po ng pamamahala ay nahaharap tayo sa isang sangandaan.
Sa isang banda po ay ang pagpili para sa ikabubuti ng taumbayan. Ang pagtanaw sa interes ng nakakarami; ang pagkapit sa prinsipyo; at ang pagiging tapat sa sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang lingkod-bayan. Ito po ang tuwid na daan.

Sa kabilang banda ay ang pag-una sa pansariling interes. Ang pagpapaalipin sa pulitikal na konsiderasyon, at pagsasakripisyo ng kapakanan ng taumbayan. Ito po ang baluktot na daan.
Matagal pong naligaw ang pamahalaan sa daang baluktot. Araw-araw po, lalong lumilinaw sa akin ang lawak ng problemang ating namana. Damang-dama ko ang bigat ng aking responsibilidad.

Sa unang tatlong linggo ng aming panunungkulan, marami po kaming natuklasan. Nais ko pong ipahayag sa inyo ang iilan lamang sa mga namana nating suliranin at ang ginagawa naming hakbang para lutasin ang mga ito.
Sulyap lamang po ito; hindi pa ito ang lahat ng problemang haharapin natin. Inilihim at sadyang iniligaw ang sambayanan sa totoong kalagayan ng ating bansa.

Sa unang anim na buwan ng taon, mas malaki ang ginastos ng gobyerno kaysa sa pumasok na kita. Lalong lumaki ang deficit natin, na umakyat na sa 196.7 billion pesos. Sa target na kuleksyon, kinapos tayo ng 23.8 billion pesos; ang tinataya namang gastos, nalagpasan natin ng 45.1 billion pesos.

Ang budget po sa 2010 ay 1.54 trillion pesos.

Nasa isandaang bilyong piso o anim at kalahating porsyento na lang ng kabuuan ang malaya nating magagamit para sa nalalabing anim na buwan ng taong ito.

Halos isang porsyento na lang po ng kabuuang budget ang natitira para sa bawat buwan.
Saan naman po dinala ang pera?

Naglaan ng dalawang bilyong piso na Calamity Fund bilang paghahanda para sa mga kalamidad na hindi pa nangyayari. Napakaliit na nga po ng pondong ito, ngunit kapapasok pa lang natin sa panahon ng baha at bagyo, 1.4 billion pesos o sitenta porsyento na ang nagastos.

Sa kabuuan ng 108 million pesos para sa lalawigan ng Pampanga, 105 million pesos nito ay napunta sa iisang distrito lamang. Samantala, ang lalawigan ng Pangasinan na sinalanta ng Pepeng ay nakatanggap ng limang milyong piso lamang para sa pinsalang idinulot ng bagyong Cosme, na nangyari noong 2008 pa.

Ibinigay po ang pondo ng Pampanga sa buwan ng eleksyon, pitong buwan pagkatapos ng Ondoy at Pepeng. Paano kung bumagyo bukas? Inubos na ang pondo nito para sa bagyong nangyari noong isang taon pa. Pagbabayaran ng kinabukasan ang kasakiman ng nakaraan.

Ganyan din po ang nangyari sa pondo ng MWSS. Kamakailan lamang, pumipila ang mga tao para lang makakuha ng tubig. Sa kabila nito, minabuti pa ng liderato ng MWSS na magbigay ng gantimpala sa sarili kahit hindi pa nababayaran ang pensyon ng mga retiradong empleyado.

Noong 2009, ang buong payroll ng MWSS ay 51.4 million pesos. Pero hindi lang naman po ito ang sahod nila; may mga additional allowances at benefits pa sila na aabot sa 160.1 million pesos. Sa madaling sabi, nakatanggap sila ng 211.5 million pesos noong nakaraang taon. Beinte-kuwatro porsyento lang nito ang normal na sahod, at sitenta’y sais porsyento ang dagdag.

Ang karaniwang manggagawa hanggang 13th month pay plus cash gift lang ang nakukuha. Sa MWSS, aabot sa katumbas ng mahigit sa tatlumpung buwan ang sahod kasama na ang lahat ng mga bonuses at allowances na nakuha nila.

Mas matindi po ang natuklasan natin sa pasahod ng kanilang Board of Trustees. Tingnan po natin ang mga allowances na tinatanggap nila:

Umupo ka lang sa Board of Trustees at Board Committee meeting, katorse mil na. Aabot ng nobenta’y otso mil ito kada buwan. May grocery incentive pa sila na otsenta mil kada taon.

Hindi lang iyon: may mid-year bonus, productivity bonus, anniversary bonus, year-end bonus, at Financial Assistance. May Christmas bonus na, may Additional Christmas Package pa. Kada isa sa mga ito, nobenta’y otso mil.

Sa suma total po, aabot ang lahat ng dalawa’t kalahating milyong piso kada taon sa bawat miyembro ng Board maliban sa pakotse, technical assistance, at pautang. Uulitin ko po. Lahat ng ito ay ibinibigay nila sa kanilang mga sarili habang hindi pa nababayaran ang mga pensyon ng kanilang mga retirees.

Pati po ang La Mesa Watershed ay hindi nila pinatawad. Para magkaroon ng tamang supply ng tubig, kailangang alagaan ang mga watershed. Sa watershed, puno ang kailangan. Pati po iyon na dapat puno ang nakatayo, tinayuan nila ng bahay para sa matataas na opisyal ng MWSS.

Hindi naman sila agad maaalis sa puwesto dahil kabilang sila sa mga Midnight Appointees ni dating Pangulong Arroyo. Iniimbestigahan na natin ang lahat nang ito. Kung mayroon pa silang kahit kaunting hiya na natitira – sana kusa na lang silang magbitiw sa puwesto.

Pag-usapan naman po natin ang pondo para sa imprastruktura. Tumukoy ang DPWH ng dalawandaan apatnapu’t anim na priority safety projects na popondohan ng Motor Vehicle Users Charge. Mangangailangan po ito ng budget na 425 million pesos.

Ang pinondohan po, dalawampu’t walong proyekto lang. Kinalimutan po ang dalawandaan at labing walong
proyekto at pinalitan ng pitumpung proyekto na wala naman sa plano. Ang hininging 425 million pesos, naging 480 million pesos pa, lumaki lalo dahil sa mga proyektong sa piling-piling mga benepisyaryo lang napunta.
Mga proyekto po itong walang saysay, hindi pinag-aralan at hindi pinaghandaan, kaya parang kabuteng sumusulpot.

Tapos na po ang panahon para dito. Sa administrasyon po natin, walang kota-kota, walang tongpats, ang pera ng taumbayan ay gagastusin para sa taumbayan lamang.

Meron pa po tayong natuklasan. Limang araw bago matapos ang termino ng nakaraang administrasyon, nagpautos silang maglabas ng 3.5 billion pesos para sa rehabilitasyon ng mga nasalanta nina Ondoy at Pepeng.
Walumpu’t anim na proyekto ang paglalaanan dapat nito na hindi na sana idadaan sa public bidding.

Labingsiyam sa mga ito na nagkakahalaga ng 981 million pesos ang muntik nang makalusot. Hindi pa nailalabas ang Special Allotment Release Order ay pirmado na ang mga kontrata.

Buti na lang po ay natuklasan at pinigilan ito ni Secretary Rogelio Singson ng DPWH. Ngayon po ay dadaan na ang kabuuan ng 3.5 billion pesos sa tapat na bidding, at magagamit na ang pondo na ito sa pagbibigay ng lingap sa mga nawalan ng tahanan dahil kina Ondoy at Pepeng.

Pag-usapan naman natin ang nangyari sa NAPOCOR. Noong 2001 hanggang 2004, pinilit ng gobyerno ang NAPOCOR na magbenta ng kuryente nang palugi para hindi tumaas ang presyo. Tila ang dahilan: pinaghahandaan na nila ang eleksyon.

Dahil dito, noong 2004, sumagad ang pagkakabaon sa utang ng NAPOCOR. Napilitan ang pambansang gobyerno na sagutin ang dalawandaang bilyong pisong utang nito.

Ang inakala ng taumbayan na natipid nila sa kuryente ay binabayaran din natin mula sa kaban ng bayan. May gastos na tayo sa kuryente, binabayaran pa natin ang dagdag na pagkakautang ng gobyerno.

Kung naging matino ang pag-utang, sana’y nadagdagan ang ating kasiguruhan sa supply ng kuryente. Pero ang desisyon ay ibinatay sa maling pulitika, at hindi sa pangangailangan ng taumbayan. Ang taumbayan, matapos pinagsakripisyo ay lalo pang pinahirapan.

Ganito rin po ang nangyari sa MRT. Sinubukan na namang bilhin ang ating pagmamahal. Pinilit ang operator na panatilihing mababa ang pamasahe.

Hindi tuloy nagampanan ang garantiyang ibinigay sa operator na mababawi nila ang kanilang puhunan. Dahil dito, inutusan ang Landbank at Development Bank of the Philippines na bilhin ang MRT.
Ang pera ng taumbayan, ipinagpalit sa isang naluluging operasyon.

Dumako naman po tayo sa pondo ng NFA.

Noong 2004: 117,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply ng Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 900,000 metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit pitong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra pa rin ang binili nila.

Noong 2007: 589,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply sa Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 1.827 million metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit tatlong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra na naman ang binili nila.
Ang masakit nito, dahil sobra-sobra ang binibili nila taun-taon, nabubulok lang pala sa mga kamalig ang bigas, kagaya ng nangyari noong 2008.

Hindi po ba krimen ito, na hinahayaan nilang mabulok ang bigas, sa kabila ng apat na milyong Pilipinong hindi kumakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw?

Ang resulta nito, umabot na sa 171.6 billion pesos ang utang ng NFA noong Mayo ng taong ito.
Ang tinapon na ito, halos puwede na sanang pondohan ang mga sumusunod:

Ang budget ng buong Hudikatura, na 12.7 billion pesos sa taong ito.

Ang Conditional Cash Transfers para sa susunod na taon, na nagkakahalaga ng 29.6 billion pesos.
Ang lahat ng classroom na kailangan ng ating bansa, na nagkakahalaga ng 130 billion pesos.

Kasuklam-suklam ang kalakarang ito. Pera na, naging bato pa.

Narinig po ninyo kung paano nilustay ang kaban ng bayan. Ang malinaw po sa ngayon: ang anumang pagbabago ay magmumula sa pagsiguro natin na magwawakas na ang pagiging maluho at pagwawaldas.
Kaya nga po mula ngayon: ititigil na natin ang paglulustay sa salapi ng bayan. Tatanggalin natin ang mga proyektong mali.

Ito po ang punto ng tinatawag nating zero-based approach sa ating budget. Ang naging kalakaran po, taun-taon ay inuulit lamang ang budget na puno ng tagas. Dadagdagan lang nang konti, puwede na.
Sa susunod na buwan ay maghahain tayo ng budget na kumikilala nang tama sa mga problema, at magtutuon din ng pansin sa tamang solusyon.

Ilan lang ito sa mga natuklasan nating problema. Heto naman po ang ilang halimbawa ng mga hakbang na ginagawa natin.

Nandiyan po ang kaso ng isang may-ari ng sanglaan. Bumili siya ng sasakyang tinatayang nasa dalawampu’t anim na milyong piso ang halaga.

Kung kaya mong bumili ng Lamborghini, bakit hindi mo kayang magbayad ng buwis?
Nasampahan na po ito ng kaso. Sa pangunguna nina Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares at Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez, bawat linggo po ay may bago tayong kasong isinasampa kontra sa mga smuggler at sa mga hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis.
Natukoy na rin po ang salarin sa mga kaso nina Francisco Baldomero, Jose Daguio at Miguel Belen, tatlo sa anim na insidente ng extralegal killings mula nang umupo tayo.

Singkuwenta porsyento po ng mga insidente ng extralegal killings ang patungo na sa kanilang resolusyon.

Ang natitira pong kalahati ay hindi natin tatantanan ang pag-usig hanggang makamit ang katarungan.
Pananagutin natin ang mga mamamatay-tao. Pananagutin din natin ang mga corrupt sa gobyerno.

Nagsimula nang mabuo ang ating Truth Commission, sa pangunguna ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide. Hahanapin natin ang katotohanan sa mga nangyari diumanong katiwalian noong nakaraang siyam na taon.
Sa loob ng linggong ito, pipirmahan ko ang kauna-unahang Executive Order na nagtatalaga sa pagbuo nitong Truth Commission.

Kung ang sagot sa kawalan ng katarungan ay pananagutan, ang sagot naman sa kakulangan natin sa pondo ay mga makabago at malikhaing paraan para tugunan ang mga pagkatagal-tagal nang problema.

Napakarami po ng ating pangangailangan: mula sa edukasyon, imprastruktura, pangkalusugan, pangangailangan ng militar at kapulisan, at marami pang iba. Hindi kakasya ang pondo para mapunan ang lahat ng ito.

Kahit gaano po kalaki ang kakulangan para mapunan ang mga listahan ng ating pangangailangan, ganado pa rin ako dahil marami nang nagpakita ng panibagong interes at kumpyansa sa Pilipinas.

Ito ang magiging solusyon: mga Public-Private Partnerships. Kahit wala pa pong pirmahang nangyayari dito, masasabi kong maganda ang magiging bunga ng maraming usapin ukol dito.

May mga nagpakita na po ng interes, gustong magtayo ng expressway na mula Maynila, tatahak ng Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, hanggang sa dulo ng Cagayan Valley nang hindi gugugol ang estado kahit na po piso.

Sa larangan ng ating Sandatahang Lakas:

Mayroon po tayong 36,000 nautical miles ng baybayin. Ang mayroon lamang tayo: tatlumpu’t dalawang barko. Itong mga barkong ito, panahon pa ni MacArthur.

May nagmungkahi sa atin, ito ang proposisyon: uupahan po nila ang headquarters ng Navy sa Roxas Boulevard at ang Naval Station sa Fort Bonifacio.

Sagot po nila ang paglipat ng Navy Headquarters sa Camp Aguinaldo. Agaran, bibigyan tayo ng isandaang milyong dolyar. At dagdag pa sa lahat nang iyan, magsusubi pa sila sa atin ng kita mula sa mga negosyong itatayo nila sa uupahan nilang lupa.

Sa madali pong sabi: Makukuha natin ang kailangan natin, hindi tatayo gagastos, kikita pa tayo.
Marami na pong nag-alok at nagmungkahi sa atin, mula lokal hanggang dayuhang negosyante, na magpuno ng iba’t ibang pangangailangan.

Mula sa mga public-private partnerships na ito, lalago ang ating ekonomiya, at bawat Pilipino makikinabang. Napakaraming sektor na matutulungan nito.

Maipapatayo na po ang imprastrukturang kailangan natin para palaguin ang turismo.
Sa agrikultura, makapagtatayo na tayo ng mga grains terminals, refrigeration facilities, maayos na road networks at post-harvest facilities.

Kung maisasaayos natin ang ating food supply chain sa tulong ng pribadong sektor, sa halip na mag-angkat tayo ay maari na sana tayong mangarap na mag-supply sa pandaigdigang merkado.

Kung maitatayo ang minumungkahi sa ating railway system, bababa ang presyo ng bilihin. Mas mura, mas mabilis, mas maginhawa, at makakaiwas pa sa kotong cops at mga kumokotong na rebelde ang mga bumibiyahe.

Paalala lang po: una sa ating plataporma ang paglikha ng mga trabaho, at nanggagaling ang trabaho sa paglago ng industriya. Lalago lamang ang industriya kung gagawin nating mas malinis, mas mabilis, at mas maginhawa ang proseso para sa mga gustong magnegosyo.

Pabibilisin natin ang proseso ng mga proyektong sumasailalim sa Build-Operate-Transfer. Sa tulong ng lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno at ng mga mamamayan, pabababain natin sa anim na buwan ang proseso na noon ay inaabot ng taon kung hindi dekada.

May mga hakbang na rin pong sinisimulan ang DTI, sa pamumuno ni Secretary Gregory Domingo:
Ang walang-katapusang pabalik-balik sa proseso ng pagrehistro ng pangalan ng kumpanya, na kada dalaw ay umaabot ng apat hanggang walong oras, ibababa na natin sa labinlimang minuto.

Ang dating listahan ng tatlumpu’t anim na dokumento, ibababa natin sa anim. Ang dating walong pahinang application form, ibababa natin sa isang pahina.

Nananawagan ako sa ating mga LGUs. Habang naghahanap tayo ng paraan para gawing mas mabilis ang pagbubukas ng mga negosyo, pag-aralan din sana nila ang kanilang mga proseso. Kailangan itong gawing mas mabilis, at kailangan itong itugma sa mga sinisumulan nating reporma.

Negosyante, sundalo, rebelde, at karaniwang Pilipino, lahat po makikinabang dito. Basta po hindi dehado ang Pilipino, papasukin po natin lahat iyan. Kailangan na po nating simulan ang pagtutulungan para makamit ito. Huwag nating pahirapan ang isa’t isa.

Parating na po ang panahon na hindi na natin kailangang mamili sa pagitan ng seguridad ng ating mamamayan o sa kinabukasan ng inyong mga anak.

Oras na maipatupad ang public-private partnerships na ito, mapopondohan ang mga serbisyong panlipunan, alinsunod sa ating plataporma.

Magkakapondo na po para maipatupad ang mga plano natin sa edukasyon.
Mapapalawak natin ang basic education cycle mula sa napakaikling sampung taon tungo sa global standard na labindalawang taon.

Madadagdagan natin ang mga classroom. Mapopondohan natin ang service contracting sa ilalim ng GASTPE.
Pati ang conditional cash transfers, na magbabawas ng pabigat sa bulsa ng mga pamilya, madadagdan na rin ng pondo.

Maipapatupad ang plano natin sa PhilHealth.

Una, tutukuyin natin ang tunay na bilang ng mga nangangailangan nito. Sa ngayon, hindi magkakatugma ang datos. Sabi ng PhilHealth sa isang bibig, walumpu’t pitong porsyento na raw ang merong coverage. Sa kabilang bibig naman, singkuwenta’y tres porsyento naman. Ayon naman sa National Statistics Office, tatlumpu’t walong porsyento ang may coverage.

Ngayon pa lang, kumikilos na si Secretary Dinky Soliman at ang DSWD upang ipatupad ang National Household Targetting System, na magtutukoy sa mga pamilyang higit na nagangailangan ng tulong. Tinatayang siyam na bilyon ang kailangan para mabigyan ng PhilHealth ang limang milyong pinakamaralitang pamilyang Pilipino.

Napakaganda po ng hinaharap natin. Kasama na po natin ang pribadong sektor, at kasama na rin natin ang League of Provinces, sa pangunguna nina Governor Alfonso Umali kasama sina Governor L-Ray Villafuerte at Governor Icot Petilla. Handa na pong makipagtulungan para makibahagi sa pagtustos ng mga gastusin. Alam ko rin pong hindi magpapahuli ang League of Cities sa pangunguna ni Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.

Kung ang mga gobyernong lokal ay nakikiramay na sa ating mga adhikain, ang Kongreso namang pinanggalingan ko, siguro naman maasahan ko din.

Nagpakitang-gilas na po ang gabinete sa pagtukoy ng ating mga problema at sa paglulunsad ng mga solusyon sa loob lamang ng tatlong linggo.

Nang bagyo pong Basyang, ang sabi sa atin ng mga may prangkisa sa kuryente, apat na araw na walang kuryente. Dahil sa mabilis na pagkilos ni Secretary Rene Almendras at ng Department of Energy, naibalik ang kuryente sa halos lahat sa loob lamang ng beinte-kwatro oras.

Ito pong sinasabing kakulangan sa tubig sa Metro Manila, kinilusan agad ni Secretary Rogelio Singson at ng DPWH. Hindi na siya naghintay ng utos, kaya nabawasan ang perwisyo.

Nakita na rin natin ang gilas ng mga hinirang nating makatulong sa Gabinete. Makatuwiran naman po sigurong umasa na hindi na sila padadaanin sa butas ng karayom para makumpirma ng Commission on Appointments. Kung mangyayari po ito, marami pa sa mga mahuhusay na Pilipino ang maeengganyong magsilbi sa gobyerno.
Sa lalong madaling panahon po, uupo na tayo sa LEDAC at pag-uusapan ang mga mahahalagang batas na kailangan nating ipasa. Makakaasa kayo na mananatiling bukas ang aking isipan, at ang ating ugnayan ay mananatiling tapat.

Isinusulong po natin ang Fiscal Responsibility Bill, kung saan hindi tayo magpapasa ng batas na mangangailangan ng pondo kung hindi pa natukoy ang panggagalingan nito. May 104.1 billion pesos tayong kailangan para pondohan ang mga batas na naipasa na, ngunit hindi maipatupad.

Kailangan din nating isaayos ang mga insentibong piskal na ibinigay noong nakaraan. Ngayong naghihigpit tayo ng sinturon, kailangang balikan kung alin sa mga ito ang dapat manatili at kung ano ang dapat nang itigil.
Huwag po tayong pumayag na magkaroon ng isa pang NBN-ZTE. Sa lokal man o dayuhan manggagaling ang pondo, dapat dumaan ito sa tamang proseso. Hinihingi ko po ang tulong ninyo upang amiyendahan ang ating Procurement Law.

Ayon po sa Saligang Batas, tungkulin ng estado ang siguruhing walang lamangan sa merkado. Bawal ang monopolya, bawal ang mga cartel na sasakal sa kumpetisyon. Kailangan po natin ng isang Anti-Trust Law na magbibigay-buhay sa mga prinsipyong ito. Ito ang magbibigay ng pagkakataon sa mga Small- at Medium-scale Enterprises na makilahok at tumulong sa paglago ng ating ekonomiya.

Ipasa na po natin ang National Land Use Bill.

Una rin pong naging batas ng Commonwealth ang National Defense Act, na ipinasa noon pang 1935. Kailangan nang palitan ito ng batas na tutugon sa pangangailangan ng pambansang seguridad sa kasalukuyan.
Nakikiusap po akong isulong ang Whistleblower’s Bill upang patuloy nang iwaksi ang kultura ng takot at pananahimik.

Palalakasin pa lalo ang Witness Protection Program. Alalahanin po natin na noong taong 2009 hanggang 2010, may nahatulan sa 95% ng mga kaso kung saan may witness na sumailalim sa programang ito.
Kailangang repasuhin ang ating mga batas. Nanawagan po akong umpisahan na ang rekodipikasyon ng ating mga batas, upang siguruhing magkakatugma sila at hindi salu-salungat.

Ito pong mga batas na ito ang batayan ng kaayusan, ngunit ang pundasyon ng lahat ng ginagawa natin ay ang prinsipyong wala tayong mararating kung walang kapayapaan at katahimikan.

Dalawa ang hinaharap nating suliranin sa usapin ng kapayapaan: ang situwasyon sa Mindanao, at ang patuloy na pag-aaklas ng CPP-NPA-NDF.

Tungkol sa situwasyon sa Mindanao: Hindi po nagbabago ang ating pananaw. Mararating lamang ang kapayapaan at katahimikan kung mag-uusap ang lahat ng apektado: Moro, Lumad, at Kristiyano. Inatasan na natin si Dean Marvic Leonen na mangasiwa sa ginagawa nating pakikipag-usap sa MILF.

Iiwasan natin ang mga pagkakamaling nangyari sa nakaraang administrasyon, kung saan binulaga na lang ang mga mamamayan ng Mindanao. Hindi tayo puwedeng magbulag-bulagan sa mga dudang may kulay ng pulitika ang proseso, at hindi ang kapakanan ng taumbayan ang tanging interes.

Kinikilala natin ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng MILF sa pamamagitan ng pagdidisplina sa kanilang hanay. Inaasahan natin na muling magsisimula ang negosasyon pagkatapos ng Ramadan.
Tungkol naman po sa CPP-NPA-NDF: handa na ba kayong maglaan ng kongkretong mungkahi, sa halip na pawang batikos lamang?

Kung kapayapaan din ang hangad ninyo, handa po kami sa malawakang tigil-putukan. Mag-usap tayo.
Mahirap magsimula ang usapan habang mayroon pang amoy ng pulbura sa hangin. Nananawagan ako: huwag po natin hayaang masayang ang napakagandang pagkakataong ito upang magtipon sa ilalim ng iisang adhikain.
Kapayapaan at katahimikan po ang pundasyon ng kaunlaran. Habang nagpapatuloy ang barilan, patuloy din ang pagkakagapos natin sa kahirapan.

Dapat din po nating mabatid: ito ay panahon ng sakripisyo. At ang sakripisyong ito ay magiging puhunan para sa ating kinabukasan. Kaakibat ng ating mga karapatan at kalayaan ay ang tungkulin natin sa kapwa at sa bayan.

Inaasahan ko po ang ating mga kaibigan sa media, lalo na sa radyo at sa print, sa mga nagbablock-time, at sa community newspapers, kayo na po mismo ang magbantay sa inyong hanay.

Mabigyang-buhay sana ang mga batayang prinsipyo ng inyong bokasyon: ang magbigay-linaw sa mahahalagang isyu; ang maging patas at makatotohanan, at ang itaas ang antas ng pampublikong diskurso.
Tungkulin po ng bawat Pilipino na tutukan ang mga pinunong tayo rin naman ang nagluklok sa puwesto. Humakbang mula sa pakikialam tungo sa pakikilahok. Dahil ang nakikialam, walang-hanggan ang reklamo. Ang nakikilahok, nakikibahagi sa solusyon.

Napakatagal na pong namamayani ang pananaw na ang susi sa asenso ay ang intindihin ang sarili kaysa intindihin ang kapwa. Malinaw po sa akin: paano tayo aasenso habang nilalamangan ang kapwa?
Ang hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataong mag-aral, paanong makakakuha ng trabaho? Kung walang trabaho, paanong magiging konsumer? Paanong mag-iimpok sa bangko?

Ngunit kung babaliktarin natin ang pananaw—kung iisipin nating “Dadagdagan ko ang kakayahan ng aking kapwa"—magbubunga po ito, at ang lahat ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataon.

Maganda na po ang nasimulan natin. At mas lalong maganda po ang mararating natin. Ngunit huwag nating kalimutan na mayroong mga nagnanasang hindi tayo magtagumpay. Dahil kapag hindi tayo nagtagumpay, makakabalik na naman sila sa kapangyarihan, at sa pagsasamantala sa taumbayan.

Akin pong paniwala na Diyos at taumbayan ang nagdala sa ating kinalalagyan ngayon. Habang nakatutok tayo sa kapakanan ng ating kapwa, bendisyon at patnubay ay tiyak na maaasahan natin sa Poong Maykapal. At kapag nanalig tayo na ang kasangga natin ay ang Diyos, mayroon ba tayong hindi kakayanin?

Ang mandato nating nakuha sa huling eleksyon ay patunay na umaasa pa rin ang Pilipino sa pagbabago. Iba na talaga ang situwasyon. Puwede na muling mangarap. Tayo nang tumungo sa katuparan ng ating mga pinangarap.

Maraming salamat po.

SONA Highlights from President Aquino's Speech

(a) In the first 6 months of the year, mas malaki ang ginastos ng gobyerno kaysa sa pumasok na kita. Lalong lumaki ang deficit natin, na umakyat na sa 196.7 billion pesos.
(b) Malaking calamity fund napunta sa Pampanga (P108 M at P103M nito sa isang distrito lamang).. sa Pangasinan maliit lang (P5M) sa kabila ng nasalanta ng matinding kalamidad..
(c) Noong 2009, ang buong payroll ng MWSS ay 51.4 million pesos. Pero hindi lang naman po ito ang sahod nila; may mga additional allowances at benefits pa sila na aabot sa 160.1 million pesos. Sa madaling sabi, nakatanggap sila ng 211.5 million pesos noong nakaraang taon. Beinte-kuwatro porsyento lang nito ang normal na sahod, at sitenta’y sais porsyento ang dagdag.
(d) Mga Anomalya sa MWSS iniimbestigahan
(e) Road users fund, iniimbestigahan din
(f) 5 days bago matapos termino ng nakaraang administrasyon, nagpalabas ng P3.5 B para sa Ondoy at Pepeng victims
(g) NAPOCOR pinilit umano na magbenta ng kuryente ng palugi
(h) MRT pinilit umano na panatilihin ang mababa na pamasahe
(i) Sobrang pag-angkat ng bigas ng NFA, iimbestigahin rin. Umabot ng P171.6 B ang utang ng NFA noong Mayo
(j) The government will run after tax evaders.
(k) Extra judicial killings tututukan.
(l) P-NOY will push Public -Private partnerships
(m) Will build infrastructures for tourism
(n) Speed up "build and operate transfer projects"
(o) Reduce red tapes
(p) Add classrooms through the help of Public -Private partnerships
(o) National Household Targetting System, will determine families in need
(q) Krisis sa tubig sa metro manila mabilis raw na inaksyunan..
(r) Pushes Fiscal Responsibility Bill
(s) Procurement law needs to be ammended
(t) P-NOY asks the congress to push the whistleblower's bill..
(u) Mindanao situations and CCP-NPA, challenges to peace talks..
(v) nanawagan sa malawakang cease fire..
(w) peace and order pundasyon ng kaunlaran..
(x) media ay dapat magbantay sa kanilang hanay..
(y) dapat makilahok at di makialam [ang nakikialam puro lang raw reklamo] sa mga hangarin ng gobyerno..
(z) pwede na raw muling mangarap..

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

WHAAAT!! Catholic Church has billions invested in BPI, Philex, San Miguel

       For most of us, it’s a given that the Catholic Church is rich. Proofs of that are their sprawling acres of land, large Church structures and buildings, and millions of pesos of cash collected from mass goers every week.
      What a lot of people do not know, though, is that part of the Church’s wealth is its investment in the stocks of several Philippine companies. In fact, reports submitted to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) show that the Church and affiliate Catholic groups are the top stockholders in companies such as the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Philex Mining Corporation (PX), San Miguel Corporation (SMC), Ayala Corporation (AC), and Phinma Corporation (PHN), among others.
       The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, for example, owns more than 300 million shares of BPI and is the bank’s 4th largest owner. How much are these shares worth? As of May 2011, this is valued at more than P17 billion. Yes, that’s seventeen billion pesos, with a B.
Aside from banking, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, together with its subsidiary hospitals and companies, is also invested in mining and construction.
       As of March 31, 2011, it is the top 15th shareholder of Philex Mining Corporation (PX), the country’s biggest mining firm. It owns 3.2 million shares of PX currently worth more than P66 million.
It is also a top investor of Concrete Aggregates Corp. (CA), a supplier of construction materials such as processed aggregates, ready mix concrete and crushed sand. Its investment in CA is currently valued at around P4.5 million.
       The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila is not the only diocese invested in Philippine stocks. Other dioceses with millions of pesos worth of stock investments include:
  • Roman Catholic Bishop of Tuguegarao, Cagayan – owns 856,639 shares of SMC worth P94 million
  • Roman Catholic Bishop of Nueva Segovia de Vigan – owns 428,067 shares of SMC worth P47 million
  • Roman Catholic Archbishop of Jaro, Iloilo – owns 491,385 shares of BPI worth a total of P28 million
  • Roman Catholic Bishop of Tuguegarao, Cagayan – owns 24,015 shares of Ayala Corp worth P9.3 million
       Several affiliate Catholic groups apparently also have huge investments in Philippine companies. More than P500 million pesos worth of San Miguel Corp (SMC)‘s shares, for example, are owned by three (3) Catholic groups:

  • El Superior de la Corporacion Filipina de Padres Agustinos Recoletos – 2.37 million shares worth P260.7 million
  • Superior de la Corporacion Archicofradia de N.P.J.N de Recoletos – 1.23 million shares worth P136 million
  • Carmel of the Divine Infant Jesus of Prague, Inc. – 957,000 shares worth P105 million
        All this talk of stock investments is merely the tip of the iceberg since the listing only includes the Church’s investments in PSE-traded firms. We do not know how much more it has invested in private corporations, in companies outside the Philippines, in bonds, in time deposit accounts or in real estate properties.
        Yes, we understand that the Church has to invest its money in various assets, including stocks. We do not contend that and we recognize its right to invest their money anywhere they want. Actually, this is good because this shows that the Church is financially-literate. What we just hope here at PinoyMoneyTalk is for them to share the same to members of the Catholic community.
        Apart from shaping the morality of the people, the Church should also do its part in providing financial education to its flock. The weekly Sunday sermons should, therefore, include not just lessons about being morally upright. The Church should also convince mass goers to work and pursue livelihood and to get rid of their sole dependence on God (“Bahala na ang Diyos sa amin”).
       The Church should educate its people about the value of earning, saving and investing money and not condone Catholics who are already contented in life even if they are penniless (“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”).
       More importantly, we believe the Catholic Church should play a more pivotal and proactive role in helping solve the ills of the country. The billions of pesos of investments (as seen in the table below) can go a long way in uplifting the lives of poor Filipino people who, admittedly, form the critical mass of supporters of the Catholic Church.
       Yes, the Church is already doing its share by running hospitals and orphanages, by providing assistance to those who come to them for help, and by offering moral guidance.
But they can do more and they should do more. They owe it to the millions of Filipinos who went to Church every Sunday and donated the billions of pesos that the Church now owns.

Table: Stock Investments of Catholic Church and affiliate Catholic Groups

  Company # Shares Owned Rank in Top 100 Total Investment Value
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 222,843,681 4th 12,724,374,185
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (REAL CASA DE MISERICORDIA) Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 41,408,841 8th 2,364,444,821
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA (HOSPITAL DE SAN JUAN DE DIOS) Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 22,072,182 13th 1,260,321,592
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (HOSPICIO DE SAN JOSE) Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 6,016,624 15th 343,549,230
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (HOSP DE SA JUAN DE DIOS) Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 4,285,572 17th 244,706,161
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (MAYORDOMIA DELA CATEDRAL) Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 2,664,266 21st 152,129,589
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (ST. PAUL`S HOSPITAL) Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 1,772,418 26th 101,205,068
CARMEL OF THE DIVINE INFANT JESUS OF PRAGUE, INC. Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 726,819 49th 41,501,365
EL SUPERIOR DE LA CORPORACION FILIPINA DE PADRES AGUSTINOS RECOLETOS Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 551,382 60th 31,483,912
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF JARO Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) 491,385 64th 28,058,084
EL SUPERIOR DE LA CORPORACION FILIPINA DE PADRES AGUSTINOS RECOLETOS San Miguel Corp (SMC) 2,370,000 31st 260,700,000
SUPERIOR DE LA CORPORACION ARCHICOFRADIA DE N.P.J.N DE RECOLETOS San Miguel Corp (SMC) 1,234,603 75th 135,806,330
CARMEL OF THE DIVINE INFANT JESUS OF PRAGUE, INC. San Miguel Corp (SMC) 957,516 79th 105,326,760
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF TUGUEGARAO San Miguel Corp (SMC) 856,639 81st 94,230,290
REAL MONASTERIO DE LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION DE NUESTRA MADRE SANTA CLARA DE MANILA San Miguel Corp (SMC) 809,834 83rd 89,081,740
SUPERIOR DE LA CORPORACION DE PADRES RECOLETOS POR BECAS Y VOCACIONES San Miguel Corp (SMC) 621,702 89th 68,387,220
CARMEL OF ST THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS San Miguel Corp (SMC) 592,956 91st 65,225,160
THE DISCALCED CARMELITE NUNS OF CEBU San Miguel Corp (SMC) 451,864 95th 49,705,040
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF NUEVA SEGOVIA DE VIGAN San Miguel Corp (SMC) 428,067 98th 47,087,370
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA Philex Mining Corp (PX) 3,221,135 15th 66,677,495
RELIGIOUS OF THE VIRGIN MARY - B Philex Mining Corp (PX) 3,125,777 16th 64,703,584
RELIGIOUS OF THE VIRGIN MARY-A Philex Mining Corp (PX) 1,091,027 69th 22,584,259
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF TUGUEGARAO Ayala Corporation (AC) 24,015 73rd 9,289,002
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILS, INC. Ayala Corporation Preferred Shares - A (ACPA) 60,000 2nd 31,800,000
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF TAGBILARAN Ayala Corporation Preferred Shares - B (ACPR) 10,000 64th 1,015,000
DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL PHINMA Corp. (PHN) 159,575 19th 2,122,348
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF JUAN DE DIOS PHINMA Corp. (PHN) 153,880 20th 2,046,604
RELIGIOUS OF THE VIRGIN MARY PHINMA Corp. (PHN) 58,975 52nd 784,368
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA Concrete Aggregates Corp (CA) 78,846 9th 3,469,224
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (REAL CASA DE MISERICORDIA) Concrete Aggregates Corp (CA) 13,067 18th 574,948
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA (HOSPITAL DE SAN JUAN DE DIOS) Concrete Aggregates Corp (CA) 8,317 24th 365,948
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (HOSPICIO DE SAN JOSE) Concrete Aggregates Corp (CA) 1,898 66th 83,512
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MLA (MAYORDOMIA DELA CATEDRAL) Concrete Aggregates Corp (CA) 841 97th 37,004
ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA ISM Communications (ISM) 38,399 48th 126,333
SOCIETY OF THE DIVINE WORD Filipino Fund Inc. (FFI) 6,000 24th 48,000
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF BANGUED Filipino Fund Inc. (FFI) 1,500 49th 12,000
CATHOLIC WOMENS LEAGUE Benguet Corp. - A (BC) 215 53rd 4,107
CORPORACION DE PADRES DOMINICOS EEI 75,000 75th 256,500
 

* Rank in Top 100 – rank in the Top 100 Stockholders of the Company, a report submitted by the company to the PSE
** Total Investment Value – peso value of total shares owned, as of May 27, 2011 closing prices
Source: Company reports submitted to the Philippine Stock Exchange

Saturday, May 21, 2011

To You Cebu Chief Inpector: Kudos! Wow!

CHRISTIAN, who used to beg for food, hit the streets again in Cebu City yesterday morning.

But the 12-year-old did not ask for barbecue from vendors in Larsian. He was with 12 other kids to jog with Chief Insp. Michael Bastes, the Fuente Police Station head.

“Nindot ni,” said Christian. “Pasingot ba (This is good exercise).”

Bastes and the kids jogged along B. Rodriguez St., turned left and entered the neighborhood of Sitio Kawayan, Barangay Sambag II.

They stopped at San Vicente Ferrer Church to pray before resuming their exercise. They crossed Osmeña Blvd. and went straight to the Ramos Public Market to have their breakfast.

Jogging, according to Bastes, has a positive effect on the children.

“Magpuyo na sila inig human ug makatug nag sayo (After this they sleep early),” Bastes said.

The children’s affair with jogging started last May 1 when Bastes joined a fun run.

He said when he reached a corner near the Fuente Police Station, the children joined him.

“Ila gyong kabubut-on nga moapil (It’s their decision to join),” Bastes, who was a sacristan of the Aglipayan Church in his teenage days, said.

That time the children ran in slippers. Yesterday, they were wearing shoes donated by a businessman last week.

Bastes said the children, some of whom were former rugby users, were forced to roam the streets because their parents neglected them.

Acting like a father, Bastes feeds them and teaches them proper hygiene.

The leftovers of his wife catering business are also given to them.

“Kon putong ka, maglabad gyod ang imong ulo,” he said. “Mga bulingit na sila sa una karon hinlo na (If you don’t have patience, these children will give you headache. Unlike before, they look clean now).”

Nurturing the children properly will keep them from going back to the streets, Bastes said.

The police chief plans to clean the police station’s stockroom and convert it into a sleeping pad for the children, who usually sleep on the police station’s cold floor at night.

He said his move gained support from Cebu City Police Office Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe.

Rescuing the children without doing anything won’t change their lives, Bastes said. One day, he approached his priest friends and asked help from them.

“Ang pagluwas sa mga bata nag-serve na ka sa Ginoo (You are serving God by saving these children).”

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 22, 2011.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Nerd's Top 50 Pick-Up Lines

Warning: some content are quite extraordinary/ ADULT content. [you know what I mean.]

1. You’re like an exothermic reaction, you spread your hotness everywhere.
2. I wish I was your derivative so I could lie tangent to your curves.
3. You’re like a dictionary, you add meaning to my life.
4. If I was an enzyme, I’d be helicase so I could unzip your genes.
5. I’m attracted to you so strongly, scientists will have to develop a fifth fundamental force.
6. Baby, you overclock my processor.
7. Be my queen and mate me with your knight moves.
8. Baby, you make my floppy disk turn into a hard drive.
9. You make me want to calibrate my joystick without the latest drivers.
10. You defragment my life.
11. Do you think we can make it a step more serious and disable network sharing?
12. You must be auxin, cause you are causing me to have rapid stem elongation.
13. Baby, let me find your nth term.
14. I don’t have a library card, but do you mind if I check you out?
15. Baby I’ll treat you like my homework — I’ll slam you on the table and do you all night long.
16. Hey baby, can I see what’s under your radical?
17. If I were an integral, I’d fill you up.
18. I’m a fermata… hold me
19. I think my heart just lagged.
20. I wish I were your second derivative so I could fill your concavities.
21. Did you just combust? Because you’re HOT.
22. By looking at you I can tell you’re 36-25-36, which by the way are all perfect squares.
23. It doesn’t take a genius to see how gorgeous you are, but if it did, I would be overqualified.
24. Baby, if you were words on a page, you’d be what they call FINE PRINT.
25. What do you say we go back to my room and do some math: Add a bed, subtract our clothes, divide your legs, and multiply.
26. Baby, you’re a 9.999999999, but you’d be a 10 if you were with me.
27. Baby, every time I see you, my cardiovascular system gets all worked up.
28. I wish I were adenine because then I could get paired with U.
29. What’s your sine? It must be pi/2 because you’re the 1.
30. If my right leg was Christmas and my left was Easter, would you like to spend some time between the holidays?
31. You have nicer legs than an Isosceles right triangle.
32. You’re so cute you make my zygomaticus muscles contract. (Muscles that make you smile.)
33. When you and me get together it’s like superposition of 2 waves in phase.
34. Want to meet up so I can excite your natural frequency?
35. If I was sin^2 and you were cos^2 together we would be 1.
36. You know, it’s not the length of the vector that counts. It’s how you apply the force.
37. If I move my lips half the distance to yours, and then half again… and again… etc; would they ever meet? No? Well in this specific case I am going to disprove your assumption.
38. Your name is Leslie? Look, I can spell your name on my calculator!
39. If I was an endoplasmic reticulum, how would you want me: smooth or rough?
40. I wish I was an Ion so I could form an exothermic bond with you.
41. If my right leg is the cell wall and my left the membrane, do you want to be the cytoplasm?
42. Our love is like dividing by zero… you cannot define it.
43. Let’s meet somewhere… you bring your beaker and I’ll bring my stirring rod.
44. Baby let me be your integral so I can be the area under your curves.
45. Hey baby, what’s your tanx cosx?
46. Let’s get together and test the spring potential of my mattress.
47. Let’s discover our coefficient of friction.
48. Baby, you’re so gneiss I’ll never take you for granite.
49. I less than three you.
50. I heard you’re sin because you’re always on top when we make tangent.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Wrath of Tsunami: Philippines, Are You Ready?

With a magnitude of 9, the earthquake that struck Japan on Friday, March 11, 2011, was the strongest and the most destructive ever recorded in the country. It is also the third strongest quake in the history of the world.

What's more unbelievable is the havoc it caused after a tsunami relentlessly wiped out an entire city - properties, infrastructure, vehicles and lives.

To date, more than a thousand people are confirmed dead, but the figures could reach 10,000.

Would our country, the Philippines, ever be prepared for a disaster of such magnitude?

Sunday, February 27, 2011

3 Infants Burned at Cebu Public Hospital

CEBU, Philippines - Three infants suffered burn injuries when a lamp at the pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) accidentally exploded Sunday morning.
It was only yesterday morning that the hospital authorities transferred the three infants, one of whom was seriously injured, to Chong Hua Hospital upon the instruction of Mayor Michael Rama, who visited the victims yesterday.
The three victims were placed at the ICU for sepsis neonatorum.
CCMC director Eduardo Sedoripa said that there are about 20 infants placed at the pediatric ICU for treatment.
But at around 2:30 to 3:00 a.m. last Sunday February 20, a goose neck lamp exploded accidentally, seriously injuring 19-day-old Baby Boy Villarico, who suffered third-degree burns around his body.
Two other infants also suffered burn injuries but are now out of danger. Baby Boy Ibañez has 13 percent of his body injured while Baby Girl Maglasang only sustained injury to her left hand.
“The incident last Sunday seems that the bulb exploded was the reason behind the incident. It was purely an accident,” said Sedoripa, who assumed as the hospital’s officer-in-charge last January 3.
According to Sedoripa, Baby boy Villarico has been closely monitored because of his serious injuries.
A woman who just gave birth at the pediatric ward told The FREEMAN that the incident broke out when everybody was resting.
“Nagkaguliyang ug nagkagubot gyud ang ospital. Kalit ra man kaayo ang hitabo kay naa man mibuto unya miaso gyud dayon,” she said.
Sedoripa said they did not immediately transfer the babies to the private hospital since CCMC has doctors who immediately attended to the babies.
He downplayed reports that they wanted to cover up the incident by not reporting it immediately to the mayor.
Sedoripa suspected that the lamp at the ward was overused, saying that it has been used for almost a day when it should only be used for a maximum of 13 hours.
The accident prompted south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña to renew his calls to close down the city-run hospital.
When he was still the mayor, Osmeña had announced his plan to shut down or sell the CCMC, claiming that he was fed up with criticisms over poor performance of its personnel.
Osmeña said the incident was no longer an isolated case.
He recalled an incident in which their driver died at the hospital due to what he claimed as negligence of its personnel.
The congressman said critics accused him of being anti-poor for wanting to close down the hospital.
“It’s not an isolated case. I’ve been accused that I’m not caring for the poor. Now, you will see more things here. Remember, my driver died at CCMC,” Osmeña said.
Rama said the city will shoulder all expenses of the victims. He asked CCMC officials to submit to him details of their investigation into the incident.
Visiting the victims at the hospital, City Councilor Margot Osmeña and north district Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar said they were sad over the incident.
“We visited along with Councilor Alvin Dizon the babies immediately after we found out about the incident,” Margot said.
She said they already requested Sedoripa to furnish them a report on the incident.
The City Council also wants to know why the parents of the babies were asked to sign a waiver.
“After the report, we will decide what to do,” Margot said.
Del Mar, for her part, said her office is willing to extend financial and medical assistance to the victims.

(Source: Freeman)