A New Cabinet Revamp by Pres. GMA

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo already confirmed the Cabinet revamp. It was reported that the revamp would take place this week or next week.

The following are the possible new appointees for the cabinet positions:

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro - Department of Justice
DILG Sec. Ronaldo Puno - Executive Secretary
Executive Sec. Ermita - Ambassador to Washington

Payback Time for defeated Team Unity Candidates:
Michael Defensor - Press Secretary
Former Sen. Tessie Aquino Oreta - DEpt of Education
Former Sen. Vicente Sotto - Political Adviser
Former Sen. Ralph Recto - Finance Secretary\

Presidential Anti Smuggling Group Chief Antonio Villar - Customs Commisioner
Gariel Claudio - PCSO Chairman


What would be the implication of this revamp? Since the prohibition in the constitution of appointing defeated candidates would already expire, the President can now appoint these defeated candidates in Malacanang.

She would again build a new team. A new group of think tank. Is this a preparation for her extension of office come May 2010? Filipinos should think again and observe.

Headlines for Health Care Scams for US Retirees in the Philippines:

The following are some of the stories and information that are in the headlines of broadsheets in the Philipines. The health benefits and claims of US retirees in the Philippines were used to scam Tricare:

- A federal judge orders an RP firm to pay $100 million for health scam.

- Health Visions Corp. which pleaded guilty has inflated claims by nore than 230%, operated aphony insurance program, billed for medical services never deliveredm and it totaled to almost $100 M from 1998 to 2004.

- Thomas Lutz, Health Vision former President could face up to 5 years in prison plus forfeiture of $910,000 plu $500,000 fines.

- Dr Alberto Marzan, afilipino doctor who played a big role in $100M swindle of the US Military Health Insurance Program recruited dozens of military retirees in the Philippines to falsely claim they and their relatives were confined at his clinic and recieve expensive medical services. He made $1.5M fraudulent claims.

- Health Scam continues in the Philippines according to some US retirees. Some blacklisted clinics just change their names and some clinics in Olongapo City still continue to overprice their services.

- Some beneficiaries already reported this scheme to Tricare but still the scam continues.

- Tricare spokesperson, Austin Camacho said the program had already adopted new controls to combat fraud in the Philippines. In 2001 to 2007, they refused to pay $288 M in fraudulent or excessive claims.

Again the Philippines is in the spotlight with this news. When can we stop hearing news of scams from the Philippines.

GMO Rice is being sold in the Philippines.

What is GMR

GMR is genetically modified rice. It is developed through the use of gene technology, a process where the genes of the rice variety is altered to increase yield, nutritional value, or its resiliency.

Examples of these GMR are the Liberty Link Variety (LL601) and the Golden Rice Variety. LL601 is genetically altered to survive the powerful herbicide glufosinate while the Golden Rice Variety with turned off genes that lead to the production and accumulation of beta-carotene in the grains. It is recognizable thru its yellow to orange color.

These GMR have not been subjected to rigorous testing. Some of the noted effects of genetically manipulations in rice and other foods is it may produce allergens and cause allergic reactions.

GMO is being sold in the Philippines.

According to Greenpeace, the government imported rice contaminated with an unauthorized genetically modified organism or (GMO rice LL601) has already reached the tables of the Filipino households. It was the Blue Ribbon Texas long grain which is tested positive for GMO rice strain LL601 from Texas and Arkansas, USA. It is the 44,000 MT of long grains rice imported from the US. Although, the National Food Authority or NFA already cleared the rice shipment and denied that it was contaminated with GMO. This rice variety is sold at the public markets at P25.00 per kilo.

Another Broadband Scandal at NTC!

Neal Cruz wrote in his column, As I See It, (Inquirer) that the NTC secretly allocated Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) frequencies to a bankrupt company, Liberty Network Inc. (LBNI). Court records shows that LBNI currently has no financial capacity to provide the service. LBNI has since effectively ceased operations. According to Cruz, NTC conducted the allocation of frequency without any hearing and publication and service of notice as required by law and NTC Rules.

Again the question here is how much. Is it worth a million or billion of pesos.

The Congress Vows to Pass 17 Food Bills to Address Food Shortage?

As usual our congress is again late in taking necessary action to avert the effects of food crisis in the philippines. With so much politicking, they were caught unguarded on what to do to protect food security. They allocated much of their time doing investigations such as the ZTE Deal but forgot to address a much bigger problem that our country is facing right now.

Even if they pass these 17 bills, it would be too late.. Millions of Filipinos are now suffering from the food crisis. If these politicians would only experience falling in line for a 1 kilo NFA rice and suffer from the long ques and scourging heat of the sun, they would probably act earlier. Anyway these politicians are eating 3 complete meals a day, why bother for others.

What are these Food related Bills?

- Affordable Quality Medicine Act
- Income Tax Exemption for Minimum Wage Earners
- Credit Information System
- Personal Equity Retirement Account
- Amendments to the Customs Brokers Act
- Strict Regualation and Stiffer Penalties for Illegal Importation
- Manufacture and Disposition of Explosives
- Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act
- Renewable energy
- National Tourism Policy
- Amnesty Proclamation
- Extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian reform program
- Consumer Protection
- Amendments to the Ombudsman Act
- Anti Smuggling Act
- Witness protection
- Fire Protection Modernization
- Magna Carta for Women

It will be a long way to go for these bills. It will take months and even years before it will be approved. What will happen to the poor filipinos.

Suffer...

Who is to Blame for the Rice Shortage in the Philippines

Who is to blame for the rice shortage in the Philippines?

the Traders?
the Government?

Pointing of fingers to who is to blame for this problem continues. The rice traders accuses the government for harassment. Raids conducted on their warehouses seems to b a form of harassment according to some rice millers. It is of course normal for this businessmen to store stocks of palay or rice for the lean season. But how can we determine if what they are doing is not a form of rice hoarding? What is the guideline of our government agencies especially the NFA and DA in determining that a particualr trader is committing an illegal act? If they will prevent these traders to at least maintain an inventory for the lean season, we will be suffering a bigger problem. There will be scarcity of this item comes the lean season.

As a result of this fear by rice traders that they will be accused of hoarding, some already stop buying palay from the farmers just like what happened in Nueva Ecija and other neighboring provinces. There are some farmers who are already complaining that their produce are already affected because some rice traders would not buy their harvest. Again who is the losser in this situation. The Poor farmers, the masa.

I hope the government can think of a better solution to solve this crisis. Most of our government official would always assure the public that the price of rice would become stable. But when?

Still the government should be blamed for this rice shortage in our country. It should not be the traders, it should not be the farmers and it should be the people who are relying on this commodity as their staple food.

Rice Shortage in the Philippines

The government keeps on telling the filipino people that there is no rice shortage. That there is no problem with the current inventory of rice in the country. That it can still feed millions of filipinos for several months. That they are doing something to solve this problem. That they are giving millions of fund to help farmers.

Do we have to believe them? If there is no rice shortage, why is it that a kilo of rice now would cost a consumer as high as P60/kilo. And there are hundreds of poor filipino families staying under the scourge of the heat of summer just to be able to get a kilo or 3 kilos of rice. They have to wait for hours before they can purchase NFA rice.

The government shell out fund to solve this situation. They give millions of pesos to the Agriculture department to support farmers through farm inputs and technical support. The government of President MaCaPaGal ARRoyo is too late the hero in confronting this problem. Can this fund generate an automatic supply of rice?

It seems that the think tank of the president is not doing their jobs effectively. Maybe they are just busy looking for new sources of "kickbacks". Anyway, they are not feeling this situation. Only poor filipinos. Our government officials can still eat three complete meals a day. The poor filipino would just be contented with a kilo of NFA rice to feed his family.

Government official would also say that the shortage is due to the rice cartel and hoarders. This would just imply that they are not doing their jobs. Why let this cartels exists if you know that they are doing illegal acts?

updates:
Some facts and causes why there is a rice shortage in the Philippines:
1. Department of Agriculture recieves an average of 2% of annual budget for the past 6 years.
2. NFA failed to purchase at least 10% of harvest every year that would at least influence pricing movements. NFA only purchase a total of 1% every harvest season.
The Philippines consumes about 33,000 tons a day. We import as much as 2.2 million MT a year.
3. Rice accounts for 25% of the food expenses of the poorest of the poor which consist 30% of the Filipino population.
4. Corruption. Rice importation is a very good business for some people who are connected with the concerned agencies.
5. Poor support of the government to agricultural development.

updates:
A 58 year old man from Cagayan de Oro died of heathstroke because of long queues from an NFA rolling store in one of the Public markets in the said province. He started waiting to be served from 9 am to 1 pm. After going home, the man collapsed. He was still brought to the hospital but after a few days he died. According to the doctors it was heathstroke. Its now a common scenario in the public markets to see the long pile of poor filipinos trying to at least get 2 to 3 kilos of rice. This may get worst if the rice shortage in the Philippines will not be addressed by the government.

update:
GMO(Genetically Modified Organism) rice is being sold in the Philippines

Conspiracy Theories: The Malacanang Strategy in 2010

I have read this nice article from a blog:

If I were Gloria, and I wanted to hold on to power absolutely until 2010 and shield me from the suits that will come my way in 2010, . . .

1. I would appoint Mercy Gutierrez, the gatekeeper, to the Supreme Court anytime before 2010 and appoint another equally loyal and inept classmate/friend/crony to be Ombudsman in her place; that way, I would have another vote in the Supreme Court and an Ombudsman with a 7-year term that would last beyond 2010.

2. I would do everything to cure/heal Cory Aquino of her cancer because I do not need another loooooong funeral march, in the event that Cory Aquino passes away, and I do not need another martyr that would create another genuine EDSA.

3. I would find a way to convince Chief Justice Reynato Puno to step down before May 2010--through gentle reminders, if possible, but through forceful assertion, if gentle reminders do not succeeed--and then bypass Tony Carpio, who would be the most senior Associate Justice by 2010. That way, the entire Court would be Gloria's.

4. I would make sure that the Opposition would be hopelessly divided by allowing Erap to run for President, before going to the Supreme Court to question his entitlement on the ground that the pardon extended to him is conditional and that the condition is that he does not run for election ever again. Before that, I would make sure that none of those seeking election as President would ever be united--by enticing JDV to run as President perhaps.

5. I would keep Dinky Soliman and her singing of "If we hold on together" as far away from my cabinet as possible.

6. I would make sure that I have another Arroyo in Congress, but this time in the Senate; Luli, are you there?

For more articles you can visit the site:

THE GRAND MANNER: Conspiracy theories and others

News on the Swine Scam at Quedancor

This is a news report from GMA News for the latest scam at Quedancor.


For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Formulation of Local Laws: The Legazpi City's Ordinance

I just would like to tackle for moment the issues of formulating and implementing local laws in Legazpi City, Albay. It seems that those people in the local government is using their power to impose laws which are considered onerous and unjust. The controversy came from the ordinance passed by the city government imposing a fine or penalty for owners of motorcycle who are not wearing the "prescribed helmet". A fine or penalty of P1000 for first offense and up to P3000 for succeeding offenses plus imprisonment. The funny thing about this is the content of the ordinance which requires the motorcycle riders to wear half-faced helmet which according to experts is posing a greater risk to the rider than using the full faced helmet.

Im just wondering why this local offical formulated such an ordinance. Actually we already have existing laws on wearing helmets for motorsycle riders.A friend told me that the reson behind this ordinance is the inability of the city government to fund the PSPO (Public Safety Personnel) of the city. To let tthis office contnue its ineffective service to the people, (yes, ineffective)they to look for other sources of funds. and unfortunately this ordinace came out.

Why do I say that PS Office is ineffective? Everybody knows it. If you are a resident of Legazpi City, you will definitely agree with me. They are not even effective in controlling traffic. ( An example of this is the intersection near Aquinas University). And where can you find these Public Safety Officers? Dont look farther. You can find them sitting at waiting sheds during rush hours. What do they do to jeepneey drivers loading and unloading passengers on undesignated areas.

Why continue to compensate these people if they are not doing thier functions properly. And now that the ordinance is in full implementation. They are there busy finding their PREY. The helpless motorists. For every P1000 fine that they will be able to generate, almost half will be given to them as incentives. Just imagine if they can apprehend at least twenty people a day. Wow, they will be earning more than a manager or an executive is earning a day. Indeed this is a very good source of income. Im sure there are a lot of people here who would want to become a Public Safety Officer.

I know some people in the council. Some are lawyers. I would like to ask them these questions if they still know these terms. What is just and unjust and onerous? What do we mean by welfare of the people. Do you think that imposing this ordinance would prevent crimes? If your people are not doing their jobs efficiently, can we prevent crimes? Why should people shoulder the burden of funding the expenses of the local government?

Maybe its time for every Bicolano or Legazpeño to let your voices be heard. Maybe its time for us to look at these people in the LGU. Who are them? What are the things that they are doing? Maybe we have chosen the wrong people.

The Mother of All Scams: Swine Scam at Quedancor

This is very alarming.It involves billions of pesos. The funds cant be traced anymore where and when it was used or distributed to its beneficiaries. If this is true, we can say that this is the mother of all scams in the Philippines. Quedancor has yet to give their side on this issue. Moreover, the head of this GOCC cant be contacted for comments.

Although I have little information on this issue, other bloggers or readers may give some inputs on this. If you have some information on this scam, feel free to share or make a comment on this blog.