“Bad MNC has been known to force distributors to sell at a loss, just to meet quotas. Is that how a ‘partnership’ works?”

by Ducky Paredes

I had been a distributor of San Miguel Beer and, presently, of Coca-Cola, both of which treat their distributors as true business partners. It is not always that way between multi-national companies (MNC) and their dealers, Following is from a friend who had a bitter  experience with a big, bad MNC, which continues operating and continues to mistreat and even abuse treat its business partners in the worst way. I have written about several times. I find his contribution to this column interesting

Being familiar with the business model and the roles and expectations of both the multinational and the distributor, he wrote the following Ten Commandments of Fair Trade, as a guide to MNC on how not to treat their business partners:

Commandment One: Thou shall not use the bait of initial support. Bad MNC is notorious for promising marketing and promotional support to their distributors, as well as favorable in-house financing rates. A few months later, however, all support disappears into thin air. Furthermore, distributors are suddenly endorsed to a third-party bank for their financing (without prior notice), saddled with rates much higher than agreed upon.

Commandment Two: Thou shall not impose unreasonable quotas under the constant threat of termination. Bad MNC has been known to force distributors to sell at a loss, just to meet quotas. Is that how a “partnership” works?

Commandment Three: Thou shall not pull out thy products from the market without any explanation. One fine day, distributors of bad MNC were shocked to learn that batches of a certain milk product were being recalled. No explanation nor prior warning was given.

Commandment Four: Thou shall not instigate and fuel a price war. A near-scandal broke out among bad MNCs Central Luzon distributors when they found out that one dealer was being given ridiculously high discounts, and subsequently underselling counterpart distributors from Metro Manila. Obviously, Manila distributors were forced to lower their prices, but because the discounts were so unbelievable, many were forced to close. It turns out that the “discounts” was part of a scam perpetrated by bad MNC’s Regional Sales Manager, who has since fled with the money and gone into hiding. Oops.

Commandment Five: Thou shall share thy profit evenly. If distributors are working to the bone making the business earn, and yet are still at a net loss after five years of operation, something is wrong.

Commandment Six: Thou shall not condone tax evasion. Distributors of bad MNC pointed out that if they pay the local tax of one percent on gross sales imposed by cities, they would operate at a loss. Bad MNCs reply? Fine, don’t pay the tax.

Commandment Seven: Thou shall not deliberately delay lawful reimbursements. Bad MNC has a very effective — albeit crooked — way of dealing with the valid complaints of its distributors. They delay the reimbursements for months on end, thus crippling the distributor’s cash flow.

Commandment Eight: Thou shall not “hand over the empty bag”. Whenever bad MNC has a problem account, or a buyer whose payment habits are terrible, they just pass these on to their distributors. These problem accounts suddenly become the distributor’s dilemma. Nice, right?

Commandment Nine: Thou shall not tolerate any conflict of interest cases, under any circumstances. The DTI is currently investigating a situation wherein bad MNC allowed yet another one of their regional sales managers to have an elicit affair with the managing officer of one of its distributors. Despite numerous parties repeatedly calling their attention about the matter, bad MNC took a hands-off policy. In a way, they actually encouraged the affair, since the distributor was achieving record sales. It was soon discovered that the numbers were padded, ghost deliveries were being made, and the unfaithful couple were all behind it.

Commandment Ten: Thou shall not ignore nor disrespect the proper authorities. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has the power to enforce grave sanctions on a company for violating any of the commandments written above. They have full authority on the matter thanks to Ministry Order (MO) 69. MNCs cannot assume that they can get away with bullying Filipino entrepreneurs just because they are big.

The DTI does have the teeth with which to to bite the bad MNG back. Now, if only Jesli Lapus, the new DTI Head, would only do something about this.           

* * *

We have reactions: “Just my personal opinion regarding your article about Manny Villar & Noynoy Aquino not attending Quiboloy’s forum. Eh Sino nga ba sa akala nya si Quiboloy at kailangan pang kunin ang basbas nya para ma-indorso lang sa pagka-pangulo? Tama ka Mr. Paredes, anyone who claims that he is an “appointed son of God” or anything of that sort is surely a  NUT CASE!…Big time! – Pinoy Canucks (Paul Lara), Vancouver, Canada

* * *

“As usual, I read your columns and what floored me was your recent column mentioning a certain Pastor Apollo Quiboloy with an alleged followers of six million spread perhaps in places he only knows where scheduled a forum to be attended by presidentiables dubbed as “Sukatan 2010″ to be aired all over the world such as in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

“Most everyone thinks Quiboloy is out of track and living in his world of make believe specially when he claimed he is the son of God and was appointed by God himself on April 13, 2006 to save mankind. Isn’t this blasphemy? Maybe we should ask for his authenticated appointment.

“What perplexes me a bit is why politicians go to him for blessings more specially candidates for president of the Philippines. Are they or are they nuts like Quiboloy or they  are just simply opportunist. I think voters should now start thinking.”  – Mike M. Moreno, Richmond, BC, Canada

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hvp 03.11.10)

“If Gibo will have a chance at winning, we will begin to see this when the campaign for the local elections begins. This is where his party – Lakas-Kampi-CMD — has an advantage.” 

by Ducky Paredes

Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS) have the top two contenders for the presidency in a dead heat. What is interesting is what the surveys say about the next two contenders – Former President Joseph Estrada and former Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro.

Pulse Asia had Erap gaining six percentage points in February that brought him up to 18%, just 11 behind Villar who was seven behind Noynoy Aquino. Teodoro was at seven percent,

SWS also noted that Aquino and Villar lost in its just released February survey and “their lost votes appear to have gone to the third- and fourth-ranked candidates: former President Joseph ‘Erap’ M. Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, who picked up two points to score 15%, and administration bet Gilberto ‘Gibo’ C. Teodoro of the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD, who also gained by two to 6%.”
           

An interesting survey done  not by a professional group but by  The Campaigns And Images Group, made up of volunteers of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) has also documented the same  shift but with a vastly different result

The gist of the survey results was that among young voters,  those in the 18-28 year old bracket and those 29 to 39 years old and is in the No. 3 slot, the PPCRV survey found that Gibo had the support of voters with ages of 18-29 and of those from the age of 29-39. Aquino and Villar are more competitive with the older voters, those with ages from 40 to 51 and those from 52 to 62 years old.

The second PPCRV/Campaign and Images survey, done in February clearly shows Villar ahead  of Noynoy Aquino 32 percent to 23 percent, the reverse of the Pulse Asia survey with Gibo (not Erap) at got 18 percent and Erap down to only 5.75 percent.

The survey was done by volunteers from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responnsible Voting (PPRCV) in Luzon (4,947 respondents), Visayas (1,533) and Mindanao 2,819).

* * *

 Gibo scores heavily with the younger set which make up the majority of the voters.

In fact, he tops most mock elections in schools. E ven in Ateneo where Noynoy is an alumnus and Gibo a La Sallian. He also bested Villar, a UP graduate, in the University of the Philippines. And, of course, Gibo took the mock polls in La Salle.

At the Holy Angel University, Gibo beat Noynoy 2-1, even as Gibo speaks only Ilokano while Noynoy is fluent in Pampango.

 The online presidential polls—philippinepolls.com, philippinedailybrew.com and philippineselection.com—and those conducted over the leading social networking sites has Gibo leading. Again, this is driven by youth power and youth enthusiasm over a presidential candidate who placed No. 1 in the 1989 bar exam, was a youth leader at 15 years old  and the youngest presidential candidate but the most serious student of public policy. Gibo is also the  greatest articulator of cogent and coherent policy prescriptions for the  21^st century issues  at that—as proven in the presidential debates and other public forums this campaign season.

***

 If Gibo will have a chance at winning, we will begin to see this when the campaign for the local elections begins. This is where his party – Lakas-Kampi-CMD has an advantage.

Across Central Luzon, Lakas-Kampi-CMD leaders have pledged the victory for Gibo.

In the Visayas, Gibo has he support of more than 30 governors and mayors, led by Gov. Gwen  Garcia of Cebu. These local executives belonging to “One Visayas”—a joint project of the respective Regional Development Councils (RDCs) in the three Visayan regions—have signed separate manifestos of support for Gibo during the recent “Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbu” festival. 

Gov. Ben  Evardone of Eastern Samar, himself a former  youth leader,  forecasts that Gibo would win overwhelmingly, given the broad and across-the-board support for his candidacy.

In Mindanao, the youthful enthusiasm of Gibo supporters, such as Rep. Anton Lagdameo and wife Dawn Zulueta ,  is expected to make Gibo a runaway winner. Gibo also  has the most viable and detailed “Mindanao Agenda,” which covers the areas of securing lasting peace and development initiatives for the region.  The mock poll result  at UP Mindanao also had Gibo winning.

***

  “The youth are out-of-the-box thinkers,” explains lawyer Mike Toledo, the former press secretary who is now Gibo’s spokesman and director of the G1BO Media Bureau.

 He notes that the youth are apparently attracted to Gibo’s master plan for sustained growth and lasting peace as laid out in his ‘Sulong Pilipinas’ platform, that comprises education reform, health care, food security, environmental protection, continuation of the public infrastructure build-up, and a tough stance versus crime and terrorism.

  “Because of the youth support, Gibo’s ratings have broken through the double-digit level, and this poll bounce will be complemented by  a minimum 15 percent of votes that will be delivered by the formidable political machinery of Lakas-Kampi-CMD down to the grassroots,” he says.

 Toledo points out that the ruling party has candidates for 170 or 73.9 percent of all House seats, 64 or 80 percent of the 86 gubernatorial posts, 86 or 71 percent of 126 city mayoralty slots, and 1,043 or 69 percent of all seats for municipal mayors.

  “Once the official campaign period for local candidates kicks in later this month, the full weight of the ruling party machinery will kick in – to deliver the decisive number of votes for Gibo in the May 10 presidential polls,” Toledo adds.

If Gilbert Teodoro will pull any surprises, he will have to begin making his move at the end of this month. 

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hvp 03.08.10)

Deretsahan

ni Horacio Paredes

Hindi siniputan nina Manny Villar at Noynoy Aquino ang as Sukatan 2010 ni Pastor Apollo Qujiboloy ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ The Name Above Every Name.  Dahil sa hindi sila dumating, sinabi ni Qujiboloy (na nagpapakilalang “appointed son of God”) na nagpakita raw ang dalawang nangunguna sa mga survey ng kakulangan ng respeto sa lungsod ng Davao.

Bakit, ano ba si Qjuiboloy sa Davao? Siya na rin ba ang appointed na kung anuman sa lungsod ng Davao?

Para sa akin, tama lamang na hindi siputan ang imbitasyon ni Qujiboloy. Unang-una, siya’y tinatawag na spiritual adviser ni Gloria Arroyo at kaniyang pinupuri si Gloria bilang magaling na Pangulo. Sa akin ngang pananaw, kung sino ang gustong itulak ni Gloria sa pagka-pangulo natin, ito ang pipiliin ni Quiboloy na kaniyang ipoproklama na pinili ng Diyos sa mga kandidato sa pagka-Pangulona susunod na pangulo ng bansa.

Kapag si Villa ang piliin ni Quiboloy and pati na rin kung si Noynoy, tiyak na pagdududahan ito na landidato ni Gloria. Sa ngayon, parang si Gibo Teodoro na nga ang pipiliin ni Quiboloy dahil ito naman ang official candidate ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD ni Glorioa Arroyo. Ang mga iba pang dumalo sa Sukatan ay tiyak na hindi mapipili ng “appointed son of God” – Jamby, Gordon, Brother Eddie, Erap, Nicky Perlas. Malamang na si Gibo na ang mapipili ni Qujiboloy.

Sa hindi pagdating nina Manny at Noynoy, baka naman nabasa nila ang sinulat ko sa Malaya noong Lunes: “If someone told me that he was the “appointed son of God,” that would be the end of our conversation. To me, there can be no meeting of the minds between a sane person (me) and someone apparently delusional and a certified nut case.

“So, why are the majority of the Presidentiables attending the presidential forum dubbed as Sukatan 2010 scheduled  for tomorrow at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ The Name Above Every Name main headquarters?”

* * *

Sa laban ni Manny Pacquiao sa Linggo, kahit na ganoon ka dehado si Joshua Clottey ng Ghana at nakakalamang si Pacqujiao sa pustahan at sinasabi ng kaniyang trainer na babagsak si Clottey sa loob ng siyam na round, hindi tayo dapat na sobrang naniniguro.

Unang-una, hindi ba napapatulog si Clottey ng kahit na sino pang boxer, kahit na ang ilang mas mabigat ang timbang kesa kay Pacman. Pangalawa, maruming maglaro si Clottey. Sa laban nila ni Miguel Cotto, nakakalamang na si Clottey nang kaniyang binigyan ng head-butt si Cotto kung kaya na-disqualify si Clottey at si Cotto ang nanalo sa kanilang laban.

Pangatlo, ang dati nating world champion na si Flash Elorde’y pinahirapan ng isa ring taga-Aftrica, si Love Allotey na tiknalo si Elorde.

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hvp (03.10.10) 

 Malaya (03.10.10)

“By wildly lashing out at the three, Villar puts his credibility on the line against that of Gordon. Enrile and Erap.”

by Ducky Paredes 

            Manny Villar’s problem has always been that the image of himself that he has been projecting has always been too good to be true – a slum kid who swam in a sea of garbage whose parents were so poor that a brother died because they had no money for medicine, gets to be a multi-billionaire and now wants to be President so he can get the poor out of poverty.

Now, with rumors and open accusations of attempted bribery, Villar says his opponents are ganging up on him in a supreme effort to destroy his public image, the better to diminish his chances in the presidential derby.

Villar charged conspiracy after Senator Richard Gordon publicly accused him with this offer: Gordon withdraws as a presidentiable and helps to unseat Enrile as Senate President. In exchange, Gordon gets back all of his campaign expenses and has a reserved cabinet post in the Villar government. Who talked to Gordon for Villar? An emissary but not a senator, according to Gordon..

Was Gordon telling the truth? He dared Villar to join him in taking a lie detector test.

Gordon’s blast came on the heels of a similar accusation aired earlier by former President Joseph Estrada. Erap disclosed that there were feelers from another presidential candidate whom he did not name, to stand down from his presidential campaign. There was also the offer of reimbursement of his expenses.

Then, there was Enrile’s story about Villar himself asking Enrile to desist from continuing the investigation into the accusations against Villar on the C-5. According to Enrile, Villar told him, you help me now and maybe I can do you a favor when you need it.

Are all of the three (and anyone else who might come up with a similar storyline) lying? That is what Villar wants us to believe. They are ganging up on him because he is leading in the run for the presidency. They are all lying, according to Villar.           

This has always been Villar’s line: That anyone who comes up with anything against him is only out to destroy him. All accusations are false and we must believe only Manny Villar.

The accusations of malfeasance in the C-5 road project may have prompted Villar to ditch his wonderful slogan of “Sipag At Tiyaga.” Cruel inventive minds converted this into a malicious “C-5 At Taga.”

In all these developments, there is a similarity and uniformity of the charges hurled against Villar. The common thread is  the offer of substantial financial inducements.

In fact, Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas pointed to a set pattern in the bribery attempts and reflects that “it seems to be a modus operandi.”

Expectedly, Villar denies any wrongdoing on his part and says that all these charges are part of a conspiracy to derail his presidential candidacy. Villar sees an ongoing demolition job on him and expacts that this will be sustained by his political enemies all throughout the campaign period.

Gordon’s tirade, he said, is nothing but “recycled” accusations concocted by his opponents in the Senate. He pointed out that three of his accusers – Erap, Gordon and Senator Jamby Madrigal – are all running for the presidency and would like nothing better than to see him totally discredited before the voting public.

In a recent interview, DZBB’s Mike Enriquez asked Villat if he had really tried to bribe Gordon and Villar gave a circuitous reply. Here is the transcript:

Mike: Wala kayong inaalok?

Villar: Ako nagkakampanya. Ako eto na meron na kaming plano, may plataporma na kami, may programa na kami at wala na kaming iniisip kung may aatras pa, may hindi aatras, hindi na kami nakiki-alam sa iba. ang sa akin lang assumption, lahat sila tatakbo na, at hindi naman ako yung bayad ng bayad ng ganyan. (I am campaigning. I have here my own plan. We have our own platform, our own program, and we don’t think of whether someone is backing out or not. We don’t interfere in the affairs of others.”)

He also said that he is not in the habit of buying off rivals and critics. But one wonders why he did not simply give a direct and categorical “No!” to the question.

Clearly, the critical element in all these is the credibility of the parties involved.

Vjllar’s problem is that his intro to the voter’s consciousness is a fairy tale. Did he actually swim in a sea of garbage? Did his brother die because they were too poor to afford his medication? His father was a government employee. (According to a source, Manuel Montalban Villar, Sr. was with the Bureau of Fisheries.) His mother had a thriving fish business. They had a private jeep and all the nine children never went to the public schools but instead went to parochial and private schools.

And, considering that he continued to do business (with the government and others) even when he was already house speaker and senate president, how different was he from others in government that had private businesses that their helped to grow using their government posts?

These are elements in the Villar image that need proving, now that he has been accused of unsavory behavior. For him to simply accuse Gordon, Enrile and Erap of engaging in a cabal to demonize him would be stretching credulity a little too far. Instead of helping Villar, his wild blanket accusation actually hurts Villar himself.

Remember the Buddhist saying that when you point a finger at someone, three fingers are pointing at yourself.

By wildly lashing out at the three, Villar puts his credibility on the line against that of Gordon. Enrile and Erap. Then, there is also Villar’s propensity to use money to achieve his objectives, as witness the almost indecent flaunting of his enormous wealth as an instrument to enhance his chances for the presidency. That can even be a turn-off because it shows a lack of respect for the voter – that one thinks he can buy the vote.

There are also those in the business community who say that Manny could not have brought his real estate business to such a high level of success without engaging in some kind of underhanded deals in such areas as securing permits, licenses, and approval of plans to convert agricultural lands to subdivisions. Add to that the common belief that people in government use their offices for their own interests.

Villar’s candidacy has taken a wrong turn. Now, he has us all wondering if it is true that where there’s smoke, there’s fire.           

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hvp 03.09.10)

“Seized goods must be covered by receipts and properly documented  and there is no need to withdraw items in bulk from a warehouse since only one of each item is needed to file charges against the shipper.” 

by Ducky Paredes 

Here’s the story at the BOC (Bureau of Customs): 50-inch plasma TV sets; several boxes of Nikon single reflex (SLR) cameras JVC car stereos and G-shock Casio watches; Sony Portable Play Stations; Panasonic wireless phones and DKNY and Bulgari perfume were all part of an illegal shipment seized by the Customs Investigation and Intelligence Service (CIIS) under the jurisdiction of Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Jairus Panguntalan in the Port of Manila Warehouse 159.

So far, a welcome development. However, according to a source from the BoC Enforcement and Security Service, someone from the CIIS, alleged to be Mitchel Verdeflor, CIIS Assistant Chief for Operations, took the items, allegedly as “samples” in the case that the BoC would file against the consignee.

            When Customs Commissioner Napoleon ”Boy” Morales heard about this development, he vowed that heads would roll at the CIIS. Seized goods must be covered by receipts and properly documented  and there is no need to withdraw items in bulk from a warehouse since only one of each item is needed to file charges against the shipper.  Memorandum No.7-90 issued by then Commissioner Salvador M. Mison in 1990 states that “samples shall be limited to one of a kind and that immediately after the examination of the sample, the same shall be returned to the importer/consignee by the requesting/receiving party”.

Besides, CIIS agents are not authorized to get samples because it is not their duty to conduct examination and valuation of goods. That is the job of the examiner and even they are  allowed only to get brochures, not the items themselves. Additionally, the claim of CIIS that what they took were for viewing purposes by media, is still wrong since such viewing should be done only in Warehouse 159, definitely not in Paguntalan’s office.

Coming to his department’s defense, CIIS chief of operations Eric Albano claims that the items are still in their office and are covered with official receipts. Paguntalan stated that the goods are secured as long as they are under CIIS custody. The question now is, are they actually still in his custody?

Albano and Verdeflor are already under investigation. Both have been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman by the Department of Finance Revenue and Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) for violation of the Anti-Graft Law. Both have failed lifestyle checks  and  have not yet been suspended only because of Paguntalan’s alleged connection with Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro.

  If the pilferage is true and Paguntalan denies it, then that would be strange considering that his office can be reached only by passing through that of Albano’s where, according to reports, the goods were brought prior to being taken out of the CIIS. And, according to the latest information, four 50-inch plasma television sets were carted away, but only three were indicated in the receipts, belying Albano’s claim  that all were documented.

             Paguntalan has much to answer for, and being a top dog in an office  tasked to run after illegal shipments, there ought to be a thorough investigation. Is Finance Secretary Gary Teves even  aware of this matter?  Has he heard reports that Paguntalan lives in lavish style, that he is rumored to own a yacht and speedboats moored in Antique? If Secretary Teves wants to follow the principle of command responsibility, he ought to bring this all the way to the attention of President Arroyo who is hard put at trying to refurbish her administration’s image of corruption.

* * *.

Marcelo Tecson sent me his comment on the Norzagaray land that was mortgaged to and acquired by the BSP from the Villars:

“It seems the point overlooked here is whether or not the 485-hectare Norzagaray land is subject to compulsory land reform coverage under existing laws. Based on area, classification, use, and slope of the land, it may be wholly or partly subject to compulsory land reform–whether it is tenanted or not, and regardless of who its owner is. If it is partly tenanted, or not tenanted at all, DAR is required under the law to look for qualified farmer beneficiaries within the community (or outside the community if necessary) and award the land to them.     

“In the case of the Norzagaray land, its apparent past and present owners–Puyat family, Capitol Bank in behalf of the Villars, and now BSP–should have determined first whether or not such vast tract of land is subject to compulsory land reform coverage. If it is covered, the past and present owners have, at each one’s time of ownership, shown apathy to the farmer-tillers’ plight and rights over the land.

“In the case of Senator Manny Villar, as owner of Capitol Bank– the then owner of the Norzagaray land–he would have known as part of due diligence prior to land acquisition, that it has long standing actual tillers. After acquiring the land, his seeming disregard of the POOR farmer-tillers’ rights and welfare even on a voluntary basis contradicts his now professed pro-poor stance in his expensive TV ads.     

“On the other hand, on the part of bangko sentral,  it might have entered into a contract disadvantageous to the government when it accepted the Norzagaray land as (part?) payment of its P1.5 billion (loan) to Villar-owned Capitol Bank under a dacion en pago arrangement, because of the following:

 “(1) It circumvented the restriction on sales of lands which are currently tenanted or with farmer-tillers (as prerequisite to transfer of agri lands, the Registry of Deeds requires seller’s affidavit that the land object of sale is not tenanted);

“(2) It accepted a large tract of land that, if eventually covered by compulsory land reform, will be subject to payment of just compensation to its owner–Bangko Sentral–at a price probably lower than the owner’s acquisition cost (thereby causing financial loss to the owner)–because calculation of just compensation is governed by guidelines prescribed by land reform laws, not by the owner’s actual cost.         

 “(3) Bangko Sentral failed to protect itself (or the government) from potential problems on the Norzagaray land–which potential problems became actual when farmers actually filed a court case against the central bank on the issue of ownership, which problem will become more acute once the farmers invoke the legal requirement to have the land subjected to compulsory land reform coverage.

“Bangko Sentral should have required–but did not–Capitol Bank’s owners (or the Villars) to sign a surety agreement on the p1.5 billion cash advance in their personal capacity, as is required by private banks dealing with similar bad-loan problems, which should include the provision that the stockholders will replace the ceded land–or pay the corresponding obligation in cash–if the land ownership and possession are attacked by third parties, something that Senator Villar is very much in a position to currently do. In the absence of such iron-clad guaranty that could have kept Bangko Sentral free and harmless from any problems that might arise on the Norzagaray land, the central bank has to fight it out with the farmers in the present court litigation in Malolos, Bulacan.

“If indeed Bangko Sentral entered into a contract disadvantageous to the government, then its responsible officials (whether they personally profited or not from the transaction) as well as the contracting private parties may be held liable under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”

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hvp 03.08.10)

Deretsahan

ni Horacio Paredes

Maganda sana ang kwento ng buhay ni Manny Villar; kaya lamang parang sumobra ang ganda. Namatay nga kaya ang kapatid dahil wala silang pambili ng gamot? Lumangoy nga kaya sila sa dagat ng basura? Hindi nga mayaman ang pamilyang Villar noong bata pa si Manny; empleyadio ng gobiyerno ang ama – sa Bureau of Fisheries, ayon sa isang nakilala ang ama. Meron itong nikeladong jeep at ang asawa’y merong negosyo na nagbebenta ng isda.

Lahat ng siyam na magkakapatid ay hindi dumaan sa public school kundi pumasok lahat sa pribadong eskwelahan, Papaano natin matatanggap na sila’y napakamahihirap?

Ayon rin kay Villar, kung gusto niyang magpayaman, dapat na harapin na lamang niya ang kaniyang mga negosyo. Ngunit, ang nakakaduda sa kaniya ay baka naman ginamit niya ang kaniyang puwesto upang lalong paunlarin ang kaniyang mga negosyo, gaya sa maraming taga-gobiyernong merong sariling negosyo.

Wala namang matinding pruweba na ganito na nga ang nangyari. Ngunit, napakadali sa isang kongresista (at lalo na ang Speaker mismo) o senador na kausapin ang  mga sangay ng gobiyerno na pagbigyan ang kaniyang mga kumpaniya. Dahil sa mga natural na hinalang ganito ng mga Pinoy, mas magaling sana para kay Villar na sinagot niya ang mga bintang sa kaniya tungkol sa C-5. Imbes, hindi siya nagpa-imbestiga at ayaw humarap sa mga katanungan ng mga ibang senador tungkol sa tunay na nangyari.

Sa pananaw ng iba, kung walang pagkakasala, bakit ayaw humarap?

Ano ang pagkakaiba ni Villar at sa mga Arroyo na hindi rin sumasagot sa kahit anong pinupukol sa kanila at pinagbawalan ang mga taga-gabineteng  sumagot sa mga imbestigasyon ng Senado at Kongreso? Ganoon rin kaya ang iuutos ni Villar sa kaniyang gabinete kapag siya na ang Pangulo”

Kaya dapat na sumagot si Villar at hindi nagtatago sa mga katanungan upang maliwanangan tayo sa ating pagpili kung sino ang nararapat nating maging Pangulo.

Hindi dahil yumaman ka sa Pinas ay magaling kang magdala ng negosyo; marami kasing mga negosyante ang ginagamit ang mga nakapuwesto sa gobiyerno upang magpayaman. Lalo na kung ang negosyante mismo ay mataas ang puwesto sa pamahalaan, napakadaling makakuha kahit na anuman ang gusto mula sa anumang sangay ng pamahalaan.

Wala naman akong kinakampihan sa halalang parating, kaya lamang  napapansin kong bumababa ang mga survey ni Villar at ang aking nakikita’y dapat sa Senador ay magpaliwanag sa mga botante. Kung inaakala niyang dapat lang natin siyang panmiwalaan kung anuman ang kaniyang sinasabi, nagkakamali siya. Ang problema ngayon ni Manny Villar ay ang pinagdududahan na ang kaniyang kuwento tungkol sa kung sino siya.  Dapat na magpakilala siyang muli at hindi sa pamamagitan ng mga infomercial niya na pinagdududahan na nang karamihan.

Halimbawa, sino naman ang maniniwala sa pahayag nang aktor na hindi binayaran si Dolphy sa ginawa nitong pag-endorso sa kandidatura ni Villar.

Huwag maniwala sa matandang sinungaling.

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hvp (03.08.10) 

“Religious sects have been a huge part of the political equation ever since one can remember.”

by Ducky Paredes

If someone told me that he was the “appointed son of God,” that would be the end of our conversation. To me, there can be no meeting of the minds between a sane person (me) and someone apparently delusional and a certified nut case.

So, why are the majority of the Presidentiables attending the presidential forum dubbed as Sukatan 2010 scheduled  for tomorrow at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ The Name Above Every Name main headquarters?

This will be beamed live all over the world to be watched by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s six million followers. Quiboloy’s Sonshine Media Network International says that the presidential forum will “not be a debate, not a competition, not about grandstanding nor sweet talk. The contenders for the country’s top spot will sketch their blueprint, bring real solutions, outline their plan for building this nation.”

The event will be aired in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In the Philippines, it will be aired on cable TV, on Sonshine TV 39 Manila, Sonshine TV 43 Davao, and on 17 Sonshine radio stations, Sonshineradio.com and Sonshine TV.com.

This is the first ever presidential forum Quiboloy’s congregation will be doing in its 25 years of existence. But, Quiboloy has been part of the political scene for sometime now, Recently, the Feast of the Peace of Tabernacle was celebrated  former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, former president Joseph Estrada, senator Richard Gordon, three vice presidentiables and 20 senatoriables.

Quiboloy says (on his website and to anyone who will listen) that he is the son of God, appointed to this position on April 13, 2005.

This is from his website: “So when He (Jesus) was there on the cross, He finished the work which was given to Him, which was to bring about the spiritual component of salvation, which was rejected by the Jewish people. But now, the continuation has come upon us. A body has accepted the spiritual component of salvation.

“The work that the Father sent the Son of God in the Jewish setting to do was to defeat, dislodge and take away from Lucifer what had been taken from our first parents-the kingship and the sonship. He did that, and that’s why after the resurrection, all power in heaven and on earth was given to the Son of God.

“The Son of God in the Gentile setting is now the completion of the Father’s work of salvation. Without the fallen Adamic race receiving the highest honor of being the Appointed Son, there would be no salvation.”

“Salvation has finally come to its focus, which is the fallen Adamic race. And I am your model for that, being the Appointed Son.”

Was Jesus talking about Quiboloy when he said: “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.” –Matthew 24:4-5

I leave others to judge him as a blasphemer. For me, he is simply a nut case and so is the person who would call him her spiritual adviser and those who believe that God will tell Quiboloy on the morning of May 10, 2010, before the polls open, who will be our next President.

* * *

Religious sects have been a huge part of the political equation ever since one can remember. I would think that the Aglipayans (Philippine Independent Church) had their day when their Supreme Bishop, Gregorio Aglipay ran for President and lost to Manuel Quezon.

The Roman Catholic Church had Cardinal Jaime Sin who was instrumental in getting People Power at Edsa going in 1986 and getting Cory Aquino the presidency. Sin had a lot of clout in those days and, while never officially appointed as a presidential spiritual adviser (as Quiboloy is), had easy access to Malacanang, Still, the Church, despite the constant temptation to match the perceived clout of the various sects has not been much of a political force.

The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), registered as a corporation sole with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with Felix Manalo as Executive Minister in 1914, has been a political force for sometime, mostly in local elections, where their members vote as one as dictated by their pastor, the local minister. His grandson, Eduardo, is now executive minister.

The local minister dictates who his members must elect. Although the INC also has chosen candidates for national offices (Senator, Vice President and President), they have not been as potent nationally. Still, the fact that a million or more command votes are available from the INC  makes the Iglesia ni Cristo a factor in every politico’s campaign planning.

El Shaddai started from a radio program hosted by Mike Velarde and has provided a forum for politicos who are invited to its gatherings which bring in thousand and which are also televised nationwide. The followers are not instructed to vote one way or the other but the claim that they provided the winning margin for Eddie Ramos in his closely-contested win over Miriam Santiago and Danding Cojuangco in 1992 has been made.

Jesus is Lord’s stated mission is “to bring all peoples to the Kingdom of the Living God regardless of race, color, nationality, and religious affiliation through the saving, healing, and delivering knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Eddie Villanueva, its founder, is a presidentiable (a Pinoy word). Thus, while it has a following, this has not been available to any other politician since brother Eddie has himself been a candidate for the presidency in 2004 and today and has his own slate of senators.

This year, it seems that Quibooloy’s is the sect that our politicians think can deliver. He is, after all, the spiritual adviser of Gloria Arroyo, the politico who has defeated all of her enemies and survived every crisis. Quiboloy claims six million followers world-wide and 1.2 million in the Philippines.

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The 8th FPI Golf Classic Tournament tees off on Monday, March 22, 2010 at the Tagaytay Midlands Golf Course in Tagaytay City. It is sponsored by most of the members of the Federation of Philippine Industries led by San Miguel Corporation and Asahi Glass. The registration fee is Four Thousand Pesos (P4,000.00) and covers the cost of the green fee, golf cart for two people, caddie fee, buffet lunch, raffle ticket and giveaway items. To arrange for reservations, please get in touch with Caren Manzenares or Jojit Yap of the FPI Secretariat at tel. nos. 722-3409, 584-9642 & 727-4359; or through the following e-mails: fpi@fpi.ph, fpi@philonline.com, fpi@pldtdsl.net and fpi.secretariat@gmail.com.

On Friday, March 12, the Federation of Philippine Amateur Senior Golfers, Inc. (FPASGI) will host a Directors’ Cup for its newly elected board at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Course. And on Friday, March 22. FPASGI has scheduled the First Leg of the San Mig Coffee Sugar Free Senior Golf Tour for 2010 at Eastridge Golf and Country Club.

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hvp 04.07.10)

“Having a nuclear plant is not the same as having a nuclear bomb in our neighborhood. And, a nuclear power plant will give us cheaper electricity.”

by Ducky Paredes    

According to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the entire Philippine grid – not just Mindanao – is unstable, with power plants bogging down one after another and hydroelectric power plants  running at limited capacities due to the lack of water.

Clearly, the haphazardly put-up Independent Power  Plans or  IPPs during the Ramos years gave  only temporary respite from the need of a large power source that the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) was supposed to deliver.

We never finished the BNPP; thus, we  had a power shortage. This was already apparent during the 20^th century. Yet, what did we do? We allowed a lot of small power plants to be built on the promise that we would pay for them in installments over several decades. We would have paid for all of the IPPs in a few more years and – what do you know? – now we are finding out the IPPs did not really solve the problem.

The Energy Secretary says that we must boost the existing capacity across the country by 16,550 MW between 2010 and 2030.

How can we do this?

The best solution may be to put up nuclear power plants in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Pangasinan fifth district Representative Mark Cojuangco is pushing for nuclear plants. He reasons that if other countries using nuclear power, such as Japan and the US had not met any accidents, the Philippines does not have a reason to be so fearful of  nuclear power.

In fact, he wants the BNPP rehabilitated and a nuclear plant to be put up by Koreans in his province.

Mark says: “It is my firm belief that the BNPP, if rehabilitated to its original specification is a safe plan according to the current international standards of the atomic energy generating industry in the world today.”

The proposed revival of the mothballed power plant is contained in House Bill (HB) 4631. The measure also calls for the appropriation of funds in re-commissioning the plant. It has been signed by 130 congressmen.

Cojuangco, the bill’s principal author, says that, with the current source of  energy the Philippines is using, eventually, electricity will be unaffordable for most Pinoys. The Philippines is sliding back in terms of per capita electrical consumption compared to its neighbors.

Mark notes that  of the 4000 defects found in the Bataan plant, none were safety defects.

Having a nuclear plant is not the same as having a nuclear bomb in our neighborhood. And, a nuclear power plant will give us cheaper electricity. We ought to at least give this a proper hearing instead of reacting out of unfounded fears.

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How truly smart are we?

Noynoy Aquino said about GMA that she  has been in power for almost nine years, and yet here we are facing brownouts during a crucial election season.

“They knew that Mindanao was going to have a power supply problem. They should have mapped out a plan earlier on.”

This was the President’s answer: “The brownouts are not caused by El Niño but by mechanical troubles in Sual and Masinloc. We just want to stress again that the brownouts we are experiencing now are not caused by the El Niño but by technical problems in the power plants.”

And, where in Mindanao might Sual and Masinloc be?

As for her Energy Secretary, Angelo Reyes is on record as saying that we should blame God and not his department for the dry spell, which has put out of service hydroelectric plants in Mindanao.

Perhaps realizing that He could be listening, Angelo later clarified that he was only kidding. Our energy secretary kids about energy problems?  How truly dumb are we?           

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I find it amazing that ninety percent of examinees flunked the Civil Service Examinations (CSE).  Only 6,334 out of 62,389 individuals passed the tests that were conducted nationwide last November. Does this mean that the test this year was extra-tough or that the quality of the examinees has fallen sharply?

To work in government (unless one is elected or appointed to a an exempt position) one needs to have passed a civil service exam. The tests include questions on vocabulary, grammar and correct usage, paragraph organization, reading comprehension, analogy, logic, and numerical reasoning, general information questions on the Philippine Constitution; the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; peace and human rights issues and concepts, and environment management and protection.

Of the 6,334 who passed, the CSC said 4,681 passed the Professional level test while 1,653 passed the Sub Professional level.

If you find yourself talking to an idiot in a government office, chances are that you could be  speaking with a political appointee, who are mostly also the abusive ones. These guys can fail the CSE and stil get better jobs than those who are civil service  eligibles.

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The call of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for a ban on condom advertisements in public places, in print, and broadcast media points to a severe generational gap between the Church and the youth.

Do our bishops think that the youth get their information only from these ads.

The CPCP says hat the  “multi-million dollar condom business… heavily targets the adolescent market, at the expense of morality and family life.”

 “Condom advertisements should be banned on television, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, and public places, as they desensitize the youth’s delicate conscience and weaken their moral fiber as future parents,” CBCP president Bishop Nereo Odchimar said in the same statement.

Don’t our bishops realize that even if there are no billboards, the young can go into any internet shop and get all the porn and sex instructions they want for a few pesos per session?

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hvp 04.02.10)

“(W)hy would Villar need Gloria? On the other hand, to steal victory away from Noynoy, GMA surely needs someone like Manny Villar. She does not want a President Noynoy hounding her for her sins against the Republic.”

by Ducky Paredes

Nacionalista Party presidential standard bearer Manny Villar may not be aware of it, but the suspicion that he is President GMA’s secret bet seems to have gained a lot of ground. (In fairness to Villar, he has denied that he has met with either Mike or Gloria Arroyo.)

A friend from Bicol reports that in certain areas, this is not just a suspicion; it is steadily becoming the perception. And it is gaining currency not just among the ordinary voters, but even among candidates and elective officials.

He reports talking to a number of voters, some barangay level political leaders in a town in Sorsogon, an incumbent member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and a candidate for the municipal council in another town who is running under one of the major political parties. These people interact with political personalities from other provinces; hence the impression is not just parochial. In fact, even in Metro Manila, this belief has taken root.

This rumor (unfounded., according to Villar’s camp) has resulted in confusion. Some actually believe that whether this is true or not, Villar’s camp is, for some reason, deliberately encouraging the spread of this rumor. (But, what would Villar gain from doing this?)

What “proves” the supposed alliance between Villar and the Arroyo administration is the belief that the election is now a two-horse race between the Liberal Party’s Noynoy Aquino and Manny Villar.

Skeptics ask this very logical question: Even assuming a tight race, what can Arroyo give Villar that he does not already possess?

The NP bet already has all the financial and logistical resources that any candidate can possibly wish for. He has a strong political organization, thanks to the tireless revitalization effort that he has pursued since becoming the NP president. His advertising and political propaganda materials are doing wonders for his bid. And, he could well be on the way to overhauling the lead of Noynoy Aquino that, a few months ago, seemed insurmountable.

Thus, why would Villar need Gloria? On the other hand, to steal victory away from Noynoy, GMA surely needs someone like Manny Villar. She does not want a President Noynoy hounding her for her sins against the Republic.

Of course, there is the possibility that Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s Gibo Teodoro could still spring a surprise, the way former President Fidel Ramos snatched victory “in the last two minutes” from the then front-running Miriam Defensor Santiago. However, political wisdom says that the race is now practically deadlocked between Villar and Aquino. And from all indications, it will be a very tight battle between the two until election day. In addition, one has to wonder why the party in power has left Gibo and Edu unfunded with just 65 days to election day.

In a photo finish, Manny will need the push from those sectors that may be in control of what is usually called the “swing vote.” And the party that controls what may concededly be considered as the biggest block of swing votes is Lakas-Kampi CMD, or at least the GMA loyalists in the party.

Now, in the event the Lakas-Kampi CMD, or the GMA loyalists, switch their support, the beneficiary in a two-horse rwace will surely enjoy a big edge over his rival.

So, would it be unthinkable for Villar to strike up a deal with GMA and her people? Of course not. Not if it can be kept a secret!

This theory (or rumor) was even fanned by the recent reports quoting Presidential spokesman Gary Olivar as saying that the Arroyo administration is thankful that Villar has not been lambasting the President. There was also the rumor of the supposed secret meeting between key personalities of the two sides, purportedly to fine tune the details of a deal, which has been vehemently denied by Villar.

But, what is more telling is the lukewarm support that the Arroyo administration has been giving the Teodoro-Manzano team, particularly Edu who, this late in the campaign, does not even have a single TV infomercial to trumpet his vice presidential bid.

There is talk going around that Gibo is spending his own money. On the other hand, Edu Manzano has reportedly admitted that he has no “K” – walang kuwarta.           

But what about the widespread belief that GMA’s support would mean a “kiss of death” for any candidate that she endorses? That’s a no-brainer, of course – the instructions to switch support to Villar can be relayed to the party workers in “the last two minutes.”           

And what will be the quid-pro-quo for GMA? Guarantee from prosecution for graft and other serious charges. Plus the Villar administration’s backing for her to become the Speaker of the House, since her victory in the second congressional district of Pampanga is already a sure thing over unknown Adonis Simpao.

The thing to remember is that Villar is deadset on becoming President. This is something that he has worked and prepared for, all through the years. He will not brook any opposition and will do anything to attain his ambition.

Former President Joseph Estrada disclosed that for sometime now, one of the presidential candidates (unnamed) has been asking him to withdraw his candidacy, and for Erap to endorse him instead. In exchange, Erap would reportedly be reimbursed all the expenses that he has incurred. And plus-plus, I suppose.

Obviously, this candidate would like to secure for himself the support of the poor, which compose the major part of Erap’s constituency. (The Villar camp says that Erap is not interesting to them since Erap and Manny are both already competing for the masa vote and Erap’s withdrawal would force Erap’s masa vote to go to  Manny, not to anyone else, no matter who Erap endorses.)

Recently, Dick  Gordon told Mike Enriquez of DZBB that Villar offered him any cabinet position if he withdrew from the presidential race, a claim that Villar flatly denies. Gordon says that his children were witnesses but has refused to name the Villar emissary who made the offer.

Villar has already spent an estimated P2 billion-plus in pursuit of his consuming ambition. What’s an additional billion or two to fulfill his dream? But wouldn’t that amount to buying his way to the presidency? An indecency, or the only way for Villar to go?

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hvp 03.03.10)

Deretsahan

ni Horacio Paredes 

Ngayong Kuwaresma na panahon din ng lalong umiinit na pangagampanya, dapat lang marahil na ating ipaalaala sa mga kandidato ang sinabi ng Panginoong Hesukristo:

“Sinoman  sa inyo ang walang kasalanan ay siya ang unang bumato.”

Nabanggit natin ang istoryang ito dahil laganap ang ganitong eksena ngayong eleksyon. Siraan ang laro ng ilang mga kandidato. Diyan natin napupuri ang kandidato sa pagka-bise presidente na si Edu Manzano na ayaw pumukol ng putik sa kahit sinong kandidato dahil tamaan man daw niya o hindi ang kanyang pupukulin, tiyak putikan na ang kanyang mga kamay.

Kaiba naman ang paniniwala ng isang kandidato sa Caloocan. Ang taong ito ay dating artista at kilala bilang “Karate Kid.” Dati na siyang alkalde at ngayon ay tumatakbong Vice Mayor. Ngunit sa halip na ilahad ang kanyang plataporma, wala itong inaatupag kundi ang pag-banat araw-araw sa kanyang palatuntunan sa radyo  sa ilang kasalukuyang opisyal ng Caloocan na kanilang kakontra-partido.

Ratsada kung bumirada itong dating Meyor, lalo na sa isyu ng moralidad. Ngunit kung susuriin ang kanyang pagkatao, lilitaw na siya’y walang “K” na magsalita ukol sa maayos na pagpatakbo ng lungsod, lalo na sa punto ng moralidad.

Bukod sa pagiging karatista, lantad sa buong lungsod kung paano niya initsa-puwera ang kanyang dating misis matapos makabingwit ng iba.

Nang matapos nga ang kanyang ikatlong termino bilang alkalde, pinatakbo pa nito bilang kapalit niya sa puwesto ang kaniyang nabingwit  ngunit nabigo ang kanilang ambisyon dahil tinalo sila ng kasalukuyang meyor.

Dahil nga sa hilig nitong mamingwit, dumikit na raw sa kanya ang amoy ng isda. Kaya ito nabansagang “Mayor Malansa.”

Ayon naman sa mga residente ng siyudad, wala nang dating ang mga isyung tinatalakay nito sa kanyang radio program, lalo na kung tungkol sa moralidad. Marahil daw, ginagawa niya ito bilang isang diversionary tactic — para ilihis ang atensyon ng mga botante sa umanong kontrobersiya at mga kalokohan niya habang alkalde.

Halimbawa, may lupa ng gobyerno na ibinenta nito sa mga may-ari ng Gotesco sa halangang mas mababa kaysa sa presyong nararapat. Hanggang ngayon daw, di malaman kung saan napunta ang pera at wala umanong record na pumasok ang kwarta sa kaban ng pamahalaang lungsod.

At, di lang iyon, sa loob umano ng ilang taon, ‘ika nila na hindi rin ibinayad sa GSIS ang kinolektang premium contribution ng mga empleyado, kaya hanggang ngayon ay naghahabol pa rin ang GSIS.

At totoo bang umabot din sa P28 milyon ang hindi niya nabayarang konsumo ng koryente sa panahon ng kanyang pagiging alkalde? Ayon pa rin sa mga taga-City Hall, 27 kilometro lang ng kalsada ang naipagawa nito, 32 classrooms, 11 covered courts at nakapagbigay din ng dalawang police car sa loob ng siyam na taon.

Kumpara umano ito sa 197 kilometro ng kalsada, 300 classrooms, 214 covered courts, 42 police cars, 17 police vans at 20 motorsiklo ng pulis ng kasalukuyang administrasyon sa loob lang ng limang taon.

Bahala na ang mga taga-Caloocan kung ipabibingwit pa rin nila ang kanilang mga boto kay Karate Kid.

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hvp (03.03.10)