In your face!

Talk of doublespeak.

The Arroyo administration has just thrown out the window its austerity program. In proposing a P1.4 Trillion budget for next year, it has likewise renege on its promise to balance the budget.

Liar, liar, liar!

The current economic crisis is the convenient excuse of Malacanang to ask for a 15 percent increase in its budget in 2009. My suspicion is shared by many. The increase in the budget next year is meant – not to prop up the economy – but to fatten the war chest of the administration in the 2010 elections.

Oh, I can hear the trapos (traditional politicians) singing “the good times are here again!” ironically at a time when the number of poor families are rising.

The call of the government to tighten our belts and live simply in these times of difficulties is pure hogwash.

At the Senate, there is also a disturbing change of tune. Where before Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was batting for a side agreement on the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Pact (JPEPA), now she is about to lead the second surrender of the Philippines to Japan. Her beef – hard to educate people who are afraid of the unknown. The feisty lady, staunch defender of the Constitution and candidate for the International Court of Justice, is giving up! This is harakiri!

In your face! Liar, liar, liar!

(Sorry I lost the URL for the proper attribution, and I am not lying)

6:01 a.m.

City Council OKs Ayala Mall

The City Council finally approved the application for reclassification of the Floirendo property, site for the Ayala Center Davao project.

Local media reported the voting as unanimous. Actually here are the tallies – Approval of the Committee Report – 23-0; Approval of the Resolution – 24-0; Approval of the Ordinance on Second Reading – 25-0. Only Councilor Angging Librado-Trinidad was not present. She just gave birth to her second child, a son, last Sunday.

Councilors who expressed concerns about the drainage and traffic issues were convinced to support our committee’s favorable report after no less than Ricky Floirendo presented the following plans:

Drainage measures would include tapping and expanding existing drainage systems inside the property as well as those leading to the Bacaca, Dacudao Ave. and Veloso St. outlets.

Traffic plans include three private and public utility entrance/exit points from JP Laurel with plenty of loading/unloading bays inside the property; no public utility vehicle loading and unloading infront of Redemptorist Church, and opening of N. Torres St. Extension as new ingress/engress point leading to Bo. Obrero and Agdao.

The measure will go for a final Third Reading next session. However, I noticed ground prep work is now going on at the site. The Ayala-Foirendo Group must really be in a hurry.

Goodluck!

See related posts and comments at – Ayala Center Davao; and Ayala Center Davao fotos

5:52 a.m.

Unsolicited counsel

Rey Ann, a 4th-year high school student sent a comment about the SONA and believed it was a “lie.” Like every Filipino consumer, he complained about the continuing rise in prices.

New Yorker Rudy Guiliani, the “Mayor of America” is in town and counseled Filipinos to have leaders who are transparent and they can trust. The current Palace occupant is simply way off these standards.

In her SONA, GMA bragged, for instance, about the reduction of the cost of text messages. Matter of fact, it was the most applauded statement in her 1-hour speech from a largely rich audience. Proves to be a big lie, however. As in the case of most of her narration of self congratulations.

GMA failed to provide us a roadmap in her SONA on how to confront the current economic crisis.

Here’s an 8-point memo from our friends from the Focus on the Global South – Philippines.

I hope the Malacanang resident would heed this unsolicited advice.

5:13 a.m.

Blog anniversary

It’s our blog anniversary today. We’re 1 year old! Horrayyyy!

Thank you so much for your visits, your comments and your links to our blog and posts. Without you, this blog is nothing. Here are our milestones:

Incidentally, here are fitting gifts for our anniversary. We reached the following highs yesterday – No. 2 in Top Blogs Philippines and No. 5 in Top Blogs (US), both in Political Categories:

Salamat! Big thanks to all of you!

4:03 p.m.

Davao-Bangkok airlink

The timing is bad given the dim prospects of the travel industry due to rising cost of fuel.

However, I believe local tourism industry players should strike the iron while it is hot.

The recent air agreements signed by the country has finally included Davao as a new gateway. I have been batting for this during the past five years and finally the Civil Aviation Board has acceded.

Short of our desired “open skies” policy for Davao, these new air agreements gave flight entitlements for the city from Thailand, Netherlands and Hong Kong.

My particular interest is Bangkok. As one of Asia’s main regional hubs, I have been proposing for air links between Davao and the Thai capital since 2003. Bangkok receives more than 1 million tourists a month. If we can lure even just 1 percent of that throng, Davao could easily double its foreign tourist arrivals annually! And that is not counting Thai tourists yet just to show how huge this market is.

Amsterdam is too far to make any plans for now. While flights to Hong Kong are now available.

So, local tourism industry players should not let this opportunity pass by. They should immediately work with either local air carriers or Thai airlines to mount direct air links between the city and Bangkok. This would give Davao a foothold in the booming Mekong Delta region that includes rising tourist destinations such as Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

I am confident we can develop a good market for the Davao-Bangkok sector not only for tourism but for trade and the overseas Filipino market as well.

See related posts at our Open Skies category at the left sidebar.

5:09 a.m.

July 29 City Council Agenda

Calendar of business for today’s regular session of the City Council:

Invocation by Councilor Louie Villafuerte (3rd District);

National Anthem; Davao City March – Tayo as Dabawenyo

Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Session

Privilege Hour

First Reading – 22 items, e.g. Item No. 1284 – Application for Development Permit (DP) of White Rock, a family subdivision of the Quintos at Shrine Hills, Matina; Item No. 1288 Letter of Pedro Godinez, Jr. seeking the assistance of the City Council to extend the licenses of security guards from 2 to 3 years and provision for a study-now-pay-later program; Item No. 1296 – Request of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry for exemption from the Sinage Ordinance to set up promotional banners for the Davao Trade Expo 2008; Item No. 1300 – Application for Preliminary Approval & Locational Clearance for Hacienda, a 9 hectare subdivision of DMC-Urban Property Developers at Catalunan Grande; Item 1301 – Application for PALC by Villa Monte Maria Subdivision for a 9 hectare property also in Catalunan Grande;

Unfinished Business – 2 items, Item No. 1208 – Ayala Center Davao and Item No. 1184-B on the World Bank – International Finance Corporation Report on Doing Business. The drainage and traffic plan for the proposed Floirendo-Ayala development will be presented by Floirendo Group Exec VP Ricky Floirendo today.

Deferred Committee Reports – 6 items, e.g. Item No. 875-B – Tax exemption request by the Samaham ng mga Musikero sa Davao, Inc. (SAMADHI); Item No. 165 – Restructured schedule of accounts for awardees, buyers and undocumented occupants of the city’s Slum Improvement & Rehabilitation (SIR) Projects;

New Committee Reports – 6 items, e.g. Item No. 893 – Legislative authorization for the expansion of cable television services by Panabo Satellite Television Network to Lasang and Bunawan; Item No. 1156 – Letter from Purok Leaders requesting the relief and transfer of the Sasa Police Station commander;

Items under Suspended Rules

4:24 a.m.

SONA rating – GMA 99%

A number of opposition solons boycotted the SONA. I am truly sorry for them. They missed the grandest show, err … fashion show, of the year in the Strange Republic!

Ok, as promised, here’s my SONA rating:

GMA’s hair – Oh my, it was short, and she, therefore, must have used less gel! – 99%

Her make-up – Well, just about the right touch. Enough to cover her thick skin! – 99%

Her earrings – Aba … she’s a lot better than Imelda! – 99%

Her attire – fits her right in coral pink. Although I doubt if either Senator Pia or Rep Risa, both genuine environmentalists, would don such terno – 99%

Her walk – truly outstanding entrance – everyone was asked to stand as if the national anthem was being played! Hmmm … again 99%

Her audience – wow! a superb cast of the nation’s beso-beso elite (in her own words – those with privileged lives) who like robots clapped their hands in unison many times, the loudest about the lowering of text messages by 50 cents. Ha ha ha! – 99%

Her speech – hmmm … sounds to me as the longest list of thank yous amongst members of a mutual fans club! – 99% pa rin!

Well, after the big show, she truly deserves to be called ninety-nine! She likewise merits the title of President of the Strange Republic!

Lights off, the show is now over!

5:06 p.m.

SONA form and content

The Malacanang occupant has been bitten by the pink bug of Bayani Fernando, Metro Manila’s czar who has painted the metropolis with pink colors for his beautification drive.

Short on good things to say on her State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) today, GMA would highlight the event instead by what she would be wearing for the joint opening of Congress.

The SONA has long been a fashion show for the rich, the famous and the mighty. But this time it would be more than just a cat walk on the corridors of power. The pink gown of the Palace resident would appear to be the main feature of the SONA – State of the Nation, A dress. Philippine media is abuzz with it noticeably turning broadsheets into fashion mags.

This is how my friend Jess Dureza, now the Press Secretary, justified why GMA is wearing such a pink gown:

The President wants to capture the theme of her SONA—the Filipino’s self reliance, care for the environment, concern for the poor and vulnerable as well as the country’s stability as a nation to become a First-World country.

Har har har har!

On Second thought, bar her height I believe GMA could indeed be a fashion star. In fact, in the league of Naomi Campbell – famous models with attitude. (Foto credits – kaypoh.com and born-today.com)

GMA’s address is reported by the Philippine Star “to offer hope” to the suffering Filipino people. Did I correctly read it right, HOPE?

More

H – hunger

More

O – oppression

More

P – patronage, and

More

E – ecological disasters?

Tsk tsk! Same Old Nonsense from the Administration (SONA)!

Almost every SONA, colleagues in the media ask for my assessment. Here’s a preview: for Jess Dureza – I give 100 %; for Speaker Prospero Nograles, who will introduce GMA along with the Senate President – for such a simple ceremonial task – 95%; finally for GMA – hmmm … Abangan!

5:43 a.m.

INC 94th anniversary

I noticed many visitors reached my blog by searching the “94th anniversary” of the Iglesia ni Cristo. I mentioned it in passing in listing events during the last week of July.

In fairness to those visitors, here’s the City Council Resolution which I sponsored on July 15 for their information.

It was approved unanimously with almost all members of the City Council co-sponsoring the measure.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

TO EXTEND THE CITY COUNCIL’S GREETINGS TO THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO (INC) ON THE CELEBRATION OF ITS 94^TH FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY ON JULY 27 AND THE 55^TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS PRESENCE IN THE CITY OF DAVAO THIS YEAR

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Introduced by Hon. Peter T. Lavina

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

WHEREAS, the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) marks its 94^th Founding Anniversary on July 27, and the 55^th Anniversary of its presence in the City of Davao this year;

WHEREAS, the evangelizing guidance of its great spiritual leader, the late Ka Felix Y. Manalo, to the present leadership of its Executive Minister, Ka Eraño G. Manalo, the INC has provided spiritual nourishment and support to millions of its faithful here in the city, throughout the country and in many places in the world;

WHEREAS, it has contributed immensely to the growth of Philippine society, in general, and Davao City, in particular, by instilling among our people the values of being good, active, law-abiding and God-fearing citizens;

WHEREAS, the INC has likewise served the material needs of not only of its flock but also of many others in need through such outreach programs on education, youth development, family counseling, health, disaster relief and socio-economic community extension services;

WHEREFORE, premises considered, be it resolved, as it is hereby resolved, to extend the City Council’s greetings to the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) on the celebration of its 94^th founding anniversary on July 27, and the 55^th anniversary of its presence in the City of Davao this year;

RESOLVED further that copies of this Resolution be furnished the City Mayor, the Executive Minister of INC, the District Minister in Davao City, and all others for their information and support.

5:07 a.m.

Medium as message

Congress would be in the microscope tomorrow as the Malacanang occupant delivers her State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).

From where I sit, I see the House of Representatives depicting the real state of our nation.

Amidst the many crises facing the country, a number of which where caused by erroneous policies of this administration, the House is spending a huge sum for a facelift.

Starting with over P9 million for renovating the damage by a bomb blast last year, the House, under the new leadership of my district Rep, Speaker Prospero Nograles, would be spending P200 million for the makeover. It aims to polish its image post the Jose de Venecia era.

Ha ha ha! Unfortunately for the House. In spite of this cosmetic make up and more projects to cost a total of P1 billion, its image would not change a bit. To me, it remains to be the house of wasteful trapos (traditional politicians) and abode of lackeys of the Palace.

I just hope no eager beaver staff of the Speaker would place any marker in the House that would claim such and such renovation is a “Project of” you know who.

Speaker Nogie has proven to be Mr. Project for nothing. In our district in Davao City, the name and picture of the Speaker is plastered in all his projects. We all know that these projects are funded by taxpayer money, but the billboards portray as if these were his own. The name plates are of no ordinary make. In basketball courts, they are made of steel; in pavements, they are made of concrete. But in most cases, they are either tarpaulin or plywoods complete with his smiling face.

Not a few eyebrows were raised in Davao in the case of Nogie’s projects such as a high school and a mini park which were named after a relative. Who is that person?, many wondered. Former governors, mayors and other prominent leaders of Davao were not as lucky to have a school or a park named after them.

I believe profligate is just about the right word to describe spending P1 billion for a makeover when hunger stares a third of our people in their faces.

SONA? Oh, well …

S – something

O – only

N – Nogie can

A – answer

7:57 a.m.

Sunday quiz 3

What weather are you?

I tool this quiz and I got the same answer as a fourth of those who did the same (25%):

Downpour Donnie

The rain is the perfect place for you. Whether the rain is giving you an excuse to stay inside or it’s cooling you off outside, wet is nice and water is your friend. Downpour or drizzle, rain is the weather for you!

Take the quiz. Its fun!

6:54 a.m.

Super busy Saturday

Here is my sked for today:

9 a.m. – Regular Board Meeting of the Alternate Forum for Research in Mindanao (AFRIM), one of the oldest NGO here where I have served as Trustee and Treasurer since the early 90s;

1:00 p.m. – Forum on Federalism with Senator Aquilino Pimentel at CAP Auditorium. This issue has gained more importance in the light of the forthcoming signing of the peace agreement between the government and the MILF.

2:00 p.m. – Guest speaker at the Student Leadership training seminar of the Supreme Student Government of the University of Immaculate Conception (UIC) at Villa Cristina Inland Resort, Los Amigos. I updated a lecture I gave last year at the graduate students of the University of Southeastern Philippines on stories on leadership.

4:00 p.m. – Mass for former City Councilor and Vice Mayor Boy Zuno at their residence in Matina.

6:00 p.m. – Anniversary and Induction of officers of the political science society SMP of the University of Mindanao, which I co-founded 31 years ago;

7:00 p.m. – Dinner and Induction of officers of BAKAS, the cooperative of barangay officials where I am also a member.

I’m now on my way.

8:34 a.m.

Boy Zuño, 62

A premonition? After last Tuesday night’s So Kim Cheng Sports Awards, I and three other councilors had a nightcap at the lobby bar of Grand Regal Hotel. Councilors Danilo Dayanghirang, Nilo Abellera, Leo Avila III and myself reminisced how we all started in politics.

We also recollected many other politicians in Davao and one prominently mentioned during our discussion was Dominador “Boy” Zuño, Jr. He served our city as City Councilor and Vice Mayor. Councilors Dayanghirang and Abellera both started their political careers under the tutelage of Boy.

We asked ourselves how he was doing. Councilor Avila volunteered that he saw Boy lately at SM Mall. So, we all thought that he was doing OK. We all know he was sick but it was a shocker to learn that he passed away just two days later.

Boy succumbed to illness Thursday morning and was interred yesterday. He was 62.

Boy (3rd right) circa 2001 with (from right) businessman Botoy de los Reyes, Councilor Avila, former City Mayor Ben de Guzman, myself, and Councilor Diosdado Mahipus.

We learned of his ailment about four years ago. Almost all councilors were flying to Manila for the Philippine Councilors League convention when Boy was with us on the same flight. He had an appointment with doctors in Manila to check on his stomach ailment. He has since stayed mostly in their house in Matina in the company of Nanay Tinay Zuño, one of the most influential women in Davao society and politics. She wrote her column These I Know for many decades at the Mindanao Times.

Boy followed the footsteps of his father, Dominador Sr., who was also a lawyer and a City Councilor during the 1950s.

Boy first ran and won a City Council seat in 1971, just after law school. He was one of the topnotchers in the Council race. Unlike today when we elect councilors by districts, during his time, campaigning for the city council meant going from one end to the other from Marilog to Lasang. He was aligned with the opposition during the martial law era and was the leader of UNIDO in Davao, which was headed by fellow Batangueno and former Vice President Salvador “Doy” Laurel.

He served as Vice Mayor from 1988-92 and lost in a congressional race pitting him with Jesus Dureza, now Press Secretary, and Prospero Nograles, now the Speaker of the House. Yes, Boy was in their league.

Boy was a close personal friend of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They played golf several times and danced together in parties in Davao. Arroyo appointed Boy as one of her presidential consultants with a rank of undersecretary. Boy, for instance, was tasked by Arroyo to handle the Southern Philippines Development Authority for some time.

Many old people would remember Boy as a political neophyte before martial law who could orate, sing and cry on stage. Yup, Boy can dazzle the crowd at political rallies with sad tales, tall tales, and romantic tunes. His favorite were Cliff Richard songs.

Our families were very close. Nanay Tinay and my father both worked for the Mindanao Times. My eldest sister Lea worked as executive assistant of Nanay Tinay when she managed a courier firm in the city. And I was a fixture as a young journalist at numerous political meetings at the Zuño residence.

When I ran for City Councilor, I also visited Boy and Nanay Tinay for their help. I remember becoming one of the favorite candidates at Cristina Village in Matina Aplaya. This is one of the bailiwicks of the Zuños named after Nanay Tinay.

I and many Davaoenos owe many things to Boy. I can only repay him with the thought that I never betrayed his trust. I remember him saying suloguon lang kita sa katawhan “we are mere servants of the people.”

Indeed, he was, and so am I.

5:51 a.m.

Ayala Center Davao fotos

Here are more photos of the proposed Ayala Center Davao:

Soya and sperm

This is one scientific study that I cannot simply agree with.

Soya reduces sperm count.

Ha ha ha! Many of the world’s most populous countries are bean curd-eating nations in Asia.

This clearly disproves that Oriental males are less fertile.

8:44 a.m.