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Sept. 19 - Sept. 26, 2011

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Two faces of Subic FreeportExpressExpress

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‘WE’RE IN DEEP,DEEP TROUBLE’

Vol. 1. No.15

ISSUE(S) OF THE WEEKBY ISMAEL “EL” AMIGO

‘I’m going through changes...’So goes the opening line of a famous song in the ‘80s by a rock

band rendering changes within and without.Indeed, rock band Black Sabbath saw it coming through their

famous song “Changes” even before the young generation of todaywere born and even to some ofus who are well into their 40’s orlate 40s now.

Indeed we are all goingthrough changes; great, greatchanges at home and abroad,especially on the front of UncleSam.

We don’t need check theveracity or authenticity of thequoted dates and figures of thisforwarded message in our emailinbox but indeed, whether we likeor not, changes are sweepinglyhappening at breakneck speedand are threatening to break ourvery own necks.

And whoever is the author ofthis email message that has beenforwarded here and there neverhad it so good when he/she saidthat “only memories can neverbe changed.”

Music, newspa-pers, the post of-

fice, landlinephones are dying.Change is killingthem. The anoni-mous writer/au-

thor of this piecesimply had it so

very good, bulls-eye in the truest

sense of the word.

Music, newspapers, the postoffice, landline phones are dyingand many others. Change is killingthem. The anonimous writer/authorof this piece simply had it so verygood, bulls-eye in the truest sense ofthe word.

Here goes:1. The Post Office. Get ready to

imagine a world without the postoffice. They are so deeply in financialtrouble that there is probably no wayto sustain it long term. Email, Fed Ex,and UPS have just about wiped outthe minimum revenue needed to keepthe post office alive. Most of your mail every day is junkmail and bills.

2. The Check. Britain is already laying the groundwork to do awaywith checks by 2018. It costs the financial system billions of dollars ayear to process checks. Plastic cards and online transactions willlead to the eventual demise of the check. This plays right into thedeath of the post office. If you never paid your bills by mail andnever received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go outof business.

3. The Newspaper. The younger generation simply doesn’t read thenewspaper. They certainly don’t subscribe to a daily delivered printedition. That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man. As

Cont’d on page 4

photo here....

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza (left) and SBMA Chairman RobertoGarcia (second from left), sign a Joint Management Agreement with PastolanAeta tribal chieftain Conrado Frenilla (right) and NCIP chairperson ZenaidaBrigida Hamada-Pawid for the development of parts of the Aeta ancestraldomain at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Accord on Aeta landsin Subic Freeport signed

(Full text/Story on page 2)

Budget and Management Secretary Flo-rencio B. Abad has announced that Presi-dent Benigno S. Aquino III has directed therelease of P4.95 billion to enhance the ArmedForces of the Philippines’ (AFP) capabilityto secure the territory of the Philippines.

“The P4.95 billion will fund necessarycapability requirements of AFP in its territo-rial defense operations, including providinga strong security perimeter for the Malam-paya Natural Gas and Power Project,” hesaid.

“We are ensuring that each and everypeso spent by the AFP will directly result inbetter equipment and other operational support for our men-and-women in uniform,” headded.

The amount is divided between the capability requirements of the Philippine Navy and

P-Noy orders release of P4.95 billion to beef up AFP territorial defense capabilityPhilippine Air Force. Of this amount, P2.65 billion will fund base support and logisticsystems, coast watch requirements; and the acquisition of a high-endurance cutter seavessel and three helicopters of the Philippine Navy. Meanwhile, the Air Force will be usingP2.30 billion to purchase three helicopters and develop a base-hangar.

The total amount of P4.95 billion is charged against the Special Account in the GeneralFund (Fund 151) being maintained by the Department of Energy for Malampaya Revenues.The use of the amount released to the AFP should be in compliance with budgeting,accounting, and auditing rules and regulations to curb discretion on the management andspending procedures and allocation.

Abad further stressed that pursuant to Section 97 of the General Appropriations Act of2011, the Chief of Staff was instructed to ensure that transparency and accountabilityprovisions are complied with and the that status of procurements and other financialoperations are posted on the AFP official websites and those of the major services.

In April this year, P423 million was released to the AFP-General Headquarters for theacquisition of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton, which will provide operational platformto secure the MNGPP and other service contract areas of the DOE, particularly the ReedBank, Kalayaan Island group, and Mapun, Sulu Sea.

Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup waves after finishing third runner-up in the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in Sao Paulo September 12, 2011...and in theevening gown segment of the beauty pageant that drew more than 80 participants from across the globe. Shamcey has been appointed by President Aquinoas Spokesperson of the Department of Tourism and Ambassador of Goodwill. It was also gathered she is being woed by the DOTC to design the new NAIAbeing a topnotch architect.

TWITTERIS NOTFOR

SARAHG

PSE chair Jose Pardo (2nd L) and Philex Petroleum chairman Manny Pangilinan(2nd R) ring the opening bell at the exchange recently while Philex PetroleumCorp. president Carlo Pablo (L) and exchange president Hans Sicat (R) lookon at the listing of Philex Petroleum, an energy company which is exploring foroil and gas in the disputed Reed Bank area in the South China Sea. PAGE 3

PRESIDENT NOY

FOR INDEED who will argue our place in the re-cent Ms. Universe pageant. Shamcey Supsup sim-ply possesses more what it takes to win it. A bet-ter place could have been more appropriate. Butheck, third runner-up is better that no place at all.

padedok na palakarir ko todits epadedoks na rawkc mga jaryo e... !

NEWS2 Sept. 19 - Sept 26, 2011Metro Express

LRT/MRT & THE METROPOLIS

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The long-awaited agreement for the jointdevelopment and management of Aeta ancestral lands in this free portwas forged at last at theAeta Pastolan village here over the weekend.

In a simple but historic event, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority(SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza, Pastolan Tribal Council (PTC)Chieftain Conrado Frenilla, and National Commission on IndigenousPeoples (NCIP) Chairperson Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid, signedthe Joint Management Agreement (JMA) in front of teary-eyed butjoyous residents of the Aeta community.

Witnessing the signing were SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, Rep.Herminia Roman, Hermosa Mayor Danny Malana, NCIP commission-ers, SBMA officials, and members of the Bethesda Spring of HopeHealing Ministry led by Maribi Garcia. Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santosstarted the day’s ceremonies with a mass attended by the whole com-munity.

The Aeta Ambala tribe of Subic Bay holds a Certificate of AncestralDomain Title (CADT) given on May 12, 2009, representing ownershipof the more than 4,280 hectares of land covering the Kalayaan andBinictican housing areas, and the Apaliin, Pamulaklakin and El Kabayotourism areas here, among others.

Under the JMA, the agencies represented by the signatories shallrespect the rights of the Aetas in their pursuit of economic, cultural andsocial development based on the IPRA law and programs implementedby the government. The JMA also provides for the systematic manage-ment and development of the ancestral lands as indicated in the Ances-tral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan, while en-sure the promotion of the Aetas human rights.

“The signing today of the JMA is really a historic event,” SBMAChairman Garcia commented, considering the JMA has taken almostthree years to complete and represents the first time that the indige-nous peoples of Subic are officially recognized and justly compensated

Accord on Aeta lands in Subic Freeport signedfor the use of their ancestral land.

Garcia also commended the efforts and dedication of AdministratorArreza in consulting and gathering consensus on the issues involved.The NCIP explained in detail to the Aeta residents all the provisions ofthe agreement, as was agreed upon by the parties, and validated thecommunity’s consent to the accord.

With the signing of the JMA, the Subic Aeta tribe will collect theequivalent of five percent of the gross income paid by investors forrent of the land. In addition, SBMA will provide each of the 300 Aetafamilies who are officially registered with the NCIP P5,000 every quarterof the year from the time the JMA was signed. This will be increased onthe 6th, 11th, 16th and 25th years of the JMA.

Moreover, Administrator Arreza said that with the JMA in effect, theSBMA will hire another 50 Aeta workers starting October this year, andcontinue the agency’s Community Development Assistance Programsat the Pastolan village.

He said the SBMA will also construct two schoolrooms for highschool and provide salaries for the four high school teachers; build acommunity clinic to be manned by medical personnel detailed from theSBMA Dispensary; and donate P200,000 every year to be used for theAeta village’s fiesta and Christmas celebration. The JMA will also bereviewed after implementation.

Arreza also stressed that no part of the Aeta ancestral land such asthe ancestral cemetery, the Pastolan community proper, and other sa-cred places, would be offered to investors.

For her part, NCIP chairperson Zenaida Brigida Hamada-Pawid laud-ed the SBMA, especially Administrator Arreza and Chairman Garcia, forfulfilling their promise to give the Aeta indigenous people all their due.

“Masyadong memorable ang okasyong ito para sa NCIP dahil nag-ing partner, at hindi lang beneficiary, ang mga katutubo sa isang usap-ing magpapa-unlad sa kanila,” she said.

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT —Tourism establishments in theSubic Bay Freeport, led by theSubic Bay MetropolitanAuthority (SBMA) TourismDepartment, again joined thisyear’s Philippine Travel Mart,giving a taste of what touristscould expect when visiting thispopular port and tourismdestination.

The travel exhibit, held at theSMX Convention Center, Mall ofAsia Complex in Pasay City, ranfrom September 2 to 4 andshowcased colorful booths ofthe different regions in thecountry.

Hundreds of exhibitorsparticipated in the exhibit andoffered various tour packagescatering to the different travelpreferences of companies andindividuals.

SBMA’s booth likewiseprovided information about tourpackages and hotelaccommodations in the SubicBay Freeport during the three-day event.

Meanwhile, Subic tourismstakeholders like TreetopAdventure, Ocean Adventure,and Subic Bay Yacht Club, alsomanned booths during theexhibit to answer inquiries ontheir facilities and tour packages.

Philippine Tour OperatorsAssociation (PHILTOA)president Cesar Cruz said the22nd Philippine Travel Martseeks to create a bigger impact inthe local travel market.

“We’re always looking tomake the experience at thePhilippine Travel Mart better andmore engaging,” said Cruz. “Wewant to offer somethingdifferent.”

Aside from the exhibit, therecently-concluded PhilippineTravel Mart also lined upattractions like a cultural dancecompetition, Eco-Choralecompetition, Tourism Quiz Bee,and a kundiman singing contest.

Educational seminars werealso made available during theexhibition.

The annual event is organizedby PHILTOA in cooperation withthe Department of Tourism.

Prospective tourists inquire on travel destinations at the Subic Bay Freeportduring the 22nd Travel Mart at the SMX Convention Center.

Subic Freeportjoins 22nd PhTravel Mart

‘Oh, watatrash!’MMDA collects 7,383 cubic meters of waste from 45 ‘esteros’

The Metropolitan Manila De-velopment Authority (MMDA)collected more than 7,000 cubicmeters of garbage and silt from 45“esteros” or waterways in MetroManila during the 30-day strate-gic and relentless cleanup cam-paign dubbed as the “August Es-tero Blitz.”

According to MMDA ChairmanFrancis Tolentino, the program thatended last Sept. 8 resulted in thecollection and disposal by theagency of 7,383 cubic meters ofwaste, enough to fill up three Olym-pic-size swimming pools.

An Olympic-size swimming poolis capable of holding about 2,500cubic meters of water.

“In a month’s time, we collected1,150 truckloads of waste from 45esteros, diversion channels andother waterways. Although this isjust one-tenth of the siltation there,you can imagine the dire effect ifthis huge volume of garbage con-tinued to clog our drainage sys-tems,” Tolentino said.

The “August Estero Blitz” start-ed on August 8 with the objectiveof cleaning up and dredging 69,766meters of major creeks in MetroManila that perennially causedflooding during the rainy season.

An offshoot of the MMDA’s“480 Minutes” cleanup activity on

eight flood-prone areas in MetroManila on July 24, the “AugustEstero Blitz” targeted two esterosa day in 16 cities and one munici-pality in the National Capital Re-gion.

The MMDA-Flood Control andSewerage Management Office andMetro Parkway Clearing Group hadthe most number of cleanup oper-ations, successfully cleaning upeight creeks in four days.

These included Estero de Quia-po, Estero De Vitas and the Manilaportion of Tripa de Gallina and Sta.Clara creek.

MMDA workers also cleaned upand dredged San Juan River and

its tributaries in San Juan and Qu-ezon City, including Talayan creeknear Araneta Avenue, whose wa-ters easily swell and cause flood-ing during heavy rains.

“We’re hoping that local gov-ernment units, including baran-gays, will regularly clean their wa-terways on their own. Householdsshould likewise adopt properwaste disposal practices,” Tolen-tino said.

The MMDA and other agencieswere required by the SupremeCourt in the Manila Bay case toprotect and preserve the country’sinternal waters, rivers, shores, andseas polluted by human activities.

BFAR targets helping local gov’tunits better fight illegal fishing

This kind of fishing (photo below) may not be illegal afterall. These fishermenshoot only big size fishes with their air guns.

The Bureau of Fisheries andAquatic Resources (BFAR) aims tohelp local government units (LGUs)nationwide boost respective capa-bilities to monitor and address ille-gal fishing which continues dam-aging the country’s marine envi-ronment.

BFAR Director Asis Perez raisedurgency for boosting such capa-bilities, noting LGUs can help pre-vent further recurrence and prolif-eration of the illegal activity.

“Illegal fishing is rampant na-tionwide,” he said.

In 2011 alone, several reportssurfaced covering various illegalfishing-related incidents acrossthe country.

These include this week’s re-ported Manila seizure of fish to-taling an estimated 1.5 tons andshowing signs of having beencaught through blast or dynamitefishing, an illegal method of sourc-ing fishery species.

BFAR and other fishery expertsare promoting sustainable fishingto help protect the marine environ-ment from further destruction.

Experts cited blast fishing ascontributing to destruction of thecountry’s coral reefs, a foragingground for various fishery species.

Asis said BFAR continues co-ordinating with accredited publicand charitable institutions in thecountry so these can avail of the

blasted fish stocks for free.“We donate the confiscated pro-

duce to such institutions,” he said.He noted BFAR maintains a list

covering accredited potential re-cipients of confiscated but stilledible illegal fish.

Such recipients include govern-ment hospitals and penal institu-tions, he said.

“If there are really many confis-cated fish, we encourage orphan-ages to avail of these as well,” headded.

Asis assured no irregularities inBFAR’s fish donations.

He also clarified BFAR employ-ees won’t be able to secure suchdonations and financially gain from

selling these.“I guarantee that won’t happen

under my watch,” he noted.

DILG citesTaguig

The city government of Taguigunder the leadership of MayorLani Cayetano has received anoth-er honor by being cited by theDepartment of Interior and LocalGovernment (DILG) as among thetop performing local governmentunits for 2010 in the latest LocalGovernance Performance Manage-ment Systems (LGPMS).

Cayetano felt very much elatedwith this development as her ad-ministration’s effort to render all thepublic services for the Taguigue-nos are commensurate to the P3.8billion budget of the city govern-ment for 2011 which focuses onsocial services enhancement likeeducation, health care, and peaceand order.

“Our budget allocation for so-cial services was increased to P900million in order for the city gov-ernment to fully implement pro-grams that would benefit the Tagu-ig residents like the Taguig CityIntegrated Survey System (TCISS)and the Taguig Tracking DeviceSystem (TTDS), Free College Edu-cation, 100 Million Pesos in Schol-arships, Upgrading of the City’sUniversity and Hospitals,” the 29-year-old city chief executive said.

Philippine police officers stand at attention during a gathering at the Philippine National Police headquarters in suburban Manila on September 7, 2011. An April1, 2005 US embassy cable leaked to anti-secrecy website Wikileaks described the Filipino police force to be as corrupt as Chicago cops in the Al Capone era,and accused them of routinely torturing or murdering criminal suspects, as well as planting evidence against them. Philippine President Benigno Aquinoresponded on September 5 saying the United States needs to get better sources of information after another leaked US secret cable described him as ‘diffidentand unassertive’.

BUSINESS 3Sept. 19 - Sept. 26, 2011METRO EXPRESS

Philippine Stock Exchange chairman Jose Pardo (2nd L) and Philex Petroleum chairman Manny Pangilinan (2nd R) ring the opening bell at the exchange inManila’s financial district on September 12, 2011, while Philex Petroleum Corp. president Carlo Pablo (L) and exchange president Hans Sicat (R) look on at thelisting of Philex Petroleum, an energy company which is exploring for oil and gas in the disputed Reed Bank area in the South China Sea. Philex PetroleumCorp. listed about 1.7 billion common shares at an initial price of 1.20 pesos (three cents) per share which closed at 8.60 pesos. The company has concededthat its exploration in the Reed Bank faces risks from territorial disputes.

PHL, ROK sign loan arrangement forLaguindingan Airport navigation system

The Philippines and the Republic of Korea (ROK) signed on Wednes-day a loan arrangement for the Laguindingan Airport Air NavigationSystem and Support Facilities Supply Project in ceremonies held at theDepartment of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Signing for both countries were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. delRosario and ROK Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Hye-min.

The agreement will enable the Philippines to secure a loan of up toUS$ 13,293,000 under Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund(EDCF), for the airport’s Air Navigation System (ANS) and Support Fa-cilities.

These would include the acquisition of instrument landing system,Doppler VHF omni-directional radio system, airfield lighting system, air

traffic control communication system and automated weather observa-tion system, among others.

The project will be implemented by the Department of Transportationand Communications (DOTC).

In his remarks, Del Rosario highlighted the importance of the Lagu-indingan Airport in Misamis Oriental, which will serve as a major trunkline airport for the booming Cagayan-Iligan Corridor. The airport is ex-pected to be completed by 2012.

“Laguindingan Airport will meet the region’s growing air transporta-tion demand, and boost economic activity not only for Region 10, butindeed, for the entire Northern Mindanao,” he said.

“Significantly, this project was one of the first to be approved during

the very first NEDA Board Meeting held under the Aquino Administra-tion, in 2010. The project is therefore symbolic of the President’s com-mitment to achieving inclusive growth, as well as to his Administra-tion’s desire to spur development in Mindanao to greater heights,” DelRosario added.

The DFA secretary stated that the loan is emblematic of the increas-ingly strategic partnership that the Philippine and Korean governmentshave embarked on, particularly in the economic field.

“Sixty years since we established ties and paid the ultimate sacrificein the battlegrounds of the Korean War, it is our hope that our twonations will continue to harness their extensive complementarities andsynergies,” he said. (PNA)

Gov’t awaits approval,timing for RTB issuance

Treasury officials are still waiting for the President’s approval on theproposed issuance of retail treasury bond (RTB) in the last quarter thisyear.

National Treasurer Roberto Tan also said they are still determiningthe right timing for the possible RTB issuance given the current volatil-ity in the market.

“The plan is there but the timing depends on the market,” he said.Earlier, Deputy Treasurer Eduardo Mendiola said they are planning to

issue a minimum of P35-40 billion worth of RTB in the last quarter thisyear, stressing that the volume “always depend on the demand.”

He said tenor of the debt paper can be 20-year as investors are nowlooking for longer-term securities to invest in.

The last time the government sold RTBs was last March wherein itgained P79 billion from the sale of five and 10-year bond.

RTBs are named as such because it is intended for small investors asminimum placement is P5,000.

Mendiola said they only tested the issuance of 10-year RTB last Marchand “it turned out we got more on the 10-year than the seven-year.”

“It seems that they are a little bit more educated now. They know thatit’s not like the deposits where they need to pre-terminate. You canactually hold it and sell it the next day if you want. And they know thatif they get the 10 they get a higher yield than the 7. We’ll still discuss thetenor,” he said

Mendiola explained that a 15-year RTB is “an awkward tenor” andcited that he has not seen any market issuing a 15-year retail bond.

“Next tenor will be 20-year but I don’t know whether the market, espe-cially the retail investors, would be ready for that. If they are alreadyready we can make a market sounding then probably we will have a 20-year,” he added.

Galoc consortium preparesfor second phase dev’t

The Galoc Production Co. (GPC),operator of the Galoc oil field off-shore Palawan in the Philippines,announced on Monday the ap-proval of the Galoc consortiumcommencement of Front End En-gineering and Design (FEED) thatwill support the planned Phase IIdevelopment of the field.

The Galoc oil field commencedproduction in October 2008 andrecently produced its eight mil-lionth barrel of oil, delivering its23rd cargo.

The Galoc joint venture, led byGPC, supports planning for a PhaseII development of the field, drillingbetween 1 and 3 additional wellstargeting 3 million to 10 million bar-rels of additional reserves.

The Galoc consortium approvedthe commencement of FEED workto determine the exact locationsand number of additional wells tobe drilled, with drilling likely to takeplace in 2013.

GPC said the Galoc field perfor-mance continues to reinforce thejoint venture’s confidence in thefield reserves with current produc-tion being approximately 6,700 bar-rels per day.

The conversion of the FPSO Ru-

bicon Intrepid to install a bowmounted turret mooring system isa crucial component of infrastruc-ture to enable the Galoc Joint Ven-ture to move ahead with the PhaseII development.

The conversion is planned tocommence in the fourth quarter of2011. It is planned to undertake twomore cargo deliveries prior to theFPSO departing the field for theconversion.

This upgraded system is expect-ed to substantially increase theFPSO operating uptime to in excessof 95% due to the enhanced andsimplified single point mooringsystem.

GPC meanwhile said the scopeof FEED work, to be undertakenprior to a Final Investment Deci-sion, includes subsurface model-ing of the reservoir, drilling andcompletion design, subsea engi-neering and tie-back design for thenew wells and joint venture financ-ing considerations.

In addition to FEED work, theGaloc consortium approved theacquisition of 184 km2 of new 3Dseismic covering the Galoc fieldand adjacent Galoc North explora-tion prospect.

The seismic will be acquired inOctober, subject to relevant ap-provals being received, and theresulting data interpretation will becompleted by mid-Q2 2012.

“The Joint Venture has under-taken a market survey to determinesuitable vessels to acquire the 3Dseismic and is currently finalizingcontracting to secure a vessel,” itsaid.

The Final Investment Decisionfor the Galoc Phase II developmentis targeted for mid-2012. The Ga-loc Joint Venture will consider pre-investment in required infrastruc-ture, including wellheads, flow-lines and umbilical lines during theFEED stage.

The Galoc oil field is located inService Contract SC14C (GalocSub Block) in 290m of water ap-proximately 65km north west ofPalawan.

Most likely oil reserves estimat-ed at time of commitment to thedevelopment in 2006, were approx-imately 10 million barrels. The esti-mated ultimate recovery has re-cently been increased followingsuccessful results from the initial2.5 yrs of production and now atapproximately 15 million barrels.

MGI taps EEI, Fuji Electric to put up 20-MW geothermal plant in BatangasMaibarara Geothermal Inc. (MGI) signed last Friday two agreements

for its Maibarara geothermal power project in Sto Tomas, Batangas.MGI is a joint-venture firm composed of Trans-Asia Oil and Energy

Development Corp. (25percent), PNOC Renewables Corp. (10 percent),and PetroGreen Energy Corp. (65 percent), a wholly-owned subsidiaryof publicly-listed PetroEnergy Resources Corp.

MGI signed an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC)contract for the 20-megawatt (MW) geothermal power plant with EEICorp., one of the country’s top engineering and construction firms whichhas extensive and long experience in construction of geothermal facili-ties in the country.

EEI has provided various engineering design and construction ser-vices to companies like PNOC EDC, National Power Corp. (NPC), Philip-pine Geothermal Inc. (PGI) and Energy Development Corp. (EDC) datingback to 1982 when it built the geothermal brine pipeline for PNOC EDC’sTongonan geothermal field.

For the Maibarara EPC contract, EEI has tapped Tokyo’s Fuji Electricfor the design, manufacture, delivery, and testing of the main equipmentfor the 20 MW Maibarara geothermal power plant while EEI itself willundertake the civil works, erection, balance of plant requirements, andover-all project management.

MGI also signed with Fuji Electric an agreement for services related tothe operations and maintenance of the geothermal plant.

The contract provides for real-time remote monitoring from Fuji To-kyo of the Maibarara power plant performance commencing from thedate of actual commercial operation.

The agreement also covers technical advisory services to MGI for thedispatch of Fuji power plant personnel to handle regular and emergencyplant check-up to begin after the lapse of the EPC one-year warrantyperiod.

“The signing of the two contracts mark another significant milestonein MGI’s timely and substantive compliance to our DOE service con-

tract commitments,” MGI President Francisco Delfin Jr. said.Delfin said that the high quality and reliability of services for which

both EEI Corp. and Fuji Electric were known in the industry shouldserve the project well.

He welcomed the two private firms in the Maibarara project’s growingnetwork of partners that include several national government agenciesand local government units whose on-going support have ensured thesteady progress of the venture towards eventual commercial operation.

Roberto Jose Castillo, EEI Corp. president and chief executive as-sured MGI that EEI would render the highest quality of engineeringdesign, construction, and management for the EPC contract.

“EEI, along with our sub-contractors, will bring nearly 30 years ofgeothermal construction experience in this venture to give MGI signifi-cant value for its money,” Castillo said.

Fuji Electric Sales Manager Kazushige Yokoyama said that the selec-tion of Fuji Electric as the main equipment supplier and technical.

Globe Telecom announces the completion of its core data network upgrade to ROADM (Reconfig-urable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer) to support the increasing bandwidth demand of its enterprisecustomers.

This makes Globe the first carrier in the Philippines to deploy ROADM as well as 40G optical linksover its Broadband Access Service Network (BAX).

ROADM is the latest technology adopted by Globe, which enables its network to be flexible andcost-efficient when delivering ultra-high bandwidths such as 2.5G, 10G and 40G. With ROADM, Globeis able to respond faster to unpredictable customer demands that require quick turnaround times forprovisioning and upgrade.

It also assures customers of scalability, as well as enhanced manageability and monitoring of cir-cuits. Furthermore, since ROADM uses optical switching, end-users will benefit from lower latencyand higher availability as it bypasses the optical to electrical to optical conversion used in today’snetworks.

“We are proud to say that Globe is the first Philippine telco to implement this latest technology onour network, making us globally competitive with world-class carriers,” said Jesus C. Romero, Head ofGlobe Business.

“This breakthrough will provide our customers with increased flexibility and improved performance.Now, our clients can readily expand their network, to run more bandwidth-hungry and highly-sensitiveapplications combining voice, data, and video,” Romero said. Grace-Jarin-Castillo, Globe’s head ofEnterprise Segment said the company’s goal is to meet the ever-growing needs of businesses throughthe latest technologies and ensure that we are well-prepared to deliver the capacity and service qualitythey require, when and where they need it.

“We know that a fast, scalable and reliable data connection is vital to a company’s day-to-dayoperations, and this latest enhancement allows us to be more flexible to tailor-fit our connectivitysolutions to the needs of our enterprise customers,” Castillo said.

This major upgrade further supports the increasing international connectivity and capacity needs ofmultinational companies, especially the expanding industry of business process outsourcing.

With this technology, Globe’s data network can expand to as much as 80 wavelengths x 40G capacityat the core. In addition, Globe ensures resiliency by providing redundant protective data paths to itsbusiness clients, enabling more efficient routing of data traffic over the newly upgraded network.

Globe unveils PH’s firstROADM, 40G network

OPINIONVIEWS, COMMENTARIES, OPEN FORUM

4 Sept. 19 - Sept. 26, 2011

Ismael ‘El’ AmigoEditor

Fitzgerald Cecil ioAsst. Editor

A.Z. KalArt Director

Eugene LabadanPR, Marketing & Circulation Manager

Benjie Alejandro, Ana Cheza Montana, Noel DolorEditorial Contributors

EDITOR’S NOTE: All commentaries and or opinions submitted by columnists and hereinpublished shall remain as personal opinion of Metro Express’ column writers. As such,these cannot and never be construed nor considered as similar to that of this publica-tion (Metro Express)’s stand on issues discussed. Be that as it may, Metro Expressshall not be held liable on any legal issues related/pertaining to, or any column/commentaries that may appear herein.

el amigo media solutionsPublisher

EDITORIAL

The Metro Express is published and distributed weekly by el amigo media solutions atPhilippine Economic Zones, LRT Lines 1 & 2, MRT, Congress, the Senate and othergovernment offices. For press, photo releases and advertising inquiries, text or callHotlines Globe 0915-5517486 and Smart 0949-1661022. Emails:2011metroexpress@gmail.com and esns03@yahoo.com.

Metro Express

A tear for derelicts

ISMAEL A. AMIGO

1ST-APLUMA

BETTER LATETHAN NEVER

JUST HOW DO WESOLVE THE PROBLEMOF HOMELESSNESS?

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FROM THEeMAIL

We’re in deep, deep trouble...for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it. The rise in mobileInternet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper andmagazine publishers to form an alliance. They have met with Apple,Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model forpaid subscription services.

4. The Book. You say you will never give up the physical book thatyou hold in your hand and turn the literal pages.. I said the samething about downloading music from iTunes. I wanted my hard copyCD. But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I couldget albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get thelatest music. The same thing will happen with books. You can browsea bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy.And the price is less than half that of a real book. And think of theconvenience! Once you start flicking your fingers on the screeninstead of the book, you find that you are lost in the story, can’t waitto see what happens next, and you forget that you’re holding agadget instead of a book.

5. The Land Line Telephone. Unless you have a large family andmake a lot of local calls, you don’t need it anymore. Most peoplekeep it simply because they’ve always had it. But you are payingdouble charges for that extra service. All the cell phone companieswill let you call customers using the same cell provider for no chargeagainst your minutes.

6. Music. This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. Themusic industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegaldownloading. It’s the lack of innovative new music being given achance to get to the people who would like to hear it. Greed and

corruption is the problem. Therecord labels and the radioconglomerates are simply self-destructing. Over 40% of themusic purchased today is“catalog items,” meaningtraditional music that the publicis familiar with. Older establishedartists. This is also true on the

live concert circuit. To explore this fascinating and disturbing topicfurther, check out the book, “Appetite for Self-Destruction” by SteveKnopper, and the video documentary, “Before the Music Dies.”

7. Television. Revenues to the networks are down dramatically. Notjust because of the economy. People are watching TV and moviesstreamed from their computers. And they’re playing games and doinglots of other things that take up the time that used to be spentwatching TV. Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower thanthe lowest common denominator. Cable rates are skyrocketing andcommercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I say goodriddance to most of it. It’s time for the cable companies to be put outof our misery. Let the people choose what they want to watch onlineand through Netflix.

8. The “Things” That You Own. Many of the very possessionsthat we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actuallyown them in the future. They may simply reside in “the cloud.”Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures,music, movies, and documents. Your software is on a CD or DVD,and you can always re-install it if need be. But all of that is changing.Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest “cloudservices.” That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internetwill be built into the operating system. So, Windows, Google, and theMac OS will be tied straight into the Internet. If you click an icon, itwill open something in the Internet cloud. If you save something, itwill be saved to the cloud. And you may pay a monthly subscriptionfee to the cloud provider.

In this virtual world, you can access your music or your books, oryour whatever from any laptop or handheld device. That’s the goodnews. But, will you actually own any of this “stuff” or will it all beable to disappear at any moment in a big “Poof?” Will most of thethings in our lives be disposable and whimsical? It makes you wantto run to the closet and pull out that photo album, grab a book fromthe shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.

9.  Privacy.  If there ever was a concept that we can look back onnostalgically, it would be privacy. That’s gone. It’s been gone for along time anyway. There are cameras on the street, in most of thebuildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. But youcan be sure that 24/7, “They” know who you are and where you are,right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google Street View. If youbuy something, your habit is put into a zillion profiles, and your adswill change to reflect those habits. And “They” will try to get you tobuy something else.. Again and again.

All we will have that can’t be changed are Memories.10. Facts About The Deindustrialization Of America That Will

Blow Your MindThe United States is rapidly becoming the very first “post-

industrial” nation on the globe. All great economic empires eventual-ly become fat and lazy and squander the great wealth that theirforefathers have left them, but the pace at which America is accom-plishing this is absolutely amazing. It was America that was at theforefront of the industrial revolution. It was America that showed theworld how to mass produce everything from automobiles to televi-sions to airplanes. It was the great American manufacturing basethat crushed Germany and Japan in World War II.

But now we are witnessing the deindustrialization of America .. Tens of thousands of factories have left the United States in the past

decade alone. Millions uponmillions of manufacturing jobshave been lost in the same timeperiod. The United States hasbecome a nation that consumeseverything in sight and yetproduces increasingly little. Doyou know what our biggestexport is today? Waste paper. Yes, trash is the number onething that we ship out to the restof the world as we voraciouslyblow our money on whatever therest of the world wants to sell tous. The United States hasbecome bloated and spoiled andour economy is now just ashadow of what it once was. Once upon a time America couldliterally out produce the rest ofthe world combined. Today thatis no longer true, but Americans sure do consume more than anyoneelse in the world. If the de-industrialization of America continues atthis current pace, what possible kind of a future are we going to beleaving to our children?

Any great nation throughout history has been great at makingthings. So if the United States continues to allow its manufacturingbase to erode at a staggering pace how in the world can the U.S.continue to consider itself to be a great nation? We have created thebiggest debt bubble in the history of the world in an effort tomaintain a very high standard of living, but the current state ofaffairs is not anywhere close to sustainable. Every single monthAmerica goes into more debt and every single month America getspoorer.

So what happens when the debt bubble pops?The de-industrialization of the United States should be a top

concern for every man, woman and child in the country. Butsadly,most Americansdo not have any ideawhat is going onaround them.

For people like that,take this article andprint it out and hand itto them. Perhaps whatthey will read below willshock them badlyenough to awaken themfrom their slumber.

The following are 19facts about the de-industrialization ofAmerica that will blowyour mind....

#1 The UnitedStates has lost approxi-mately 42,400 factoriessince 2001. About 75percent of thosefactories employed over500 people when theywere still in operation.

#2 Dell Inc., one ofAmericas largestmanufacturers ofcomputers,has announced plans todramatically expand itsoperations in Chinawith an investment ofover $100 billion overthe next decade.

#3 Dell hasannounced that it willbe closing its last large

U.S. manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem , North Carolina inNovember. Approximately 900 jobs will be lost.

#4 In 2008, 1.2 billion cell phones were sold worldwide. So howmany of them were manufactured inside the United States ? Zero.

#5 According to a new study conducted by the Economic PolicyInstitute, if the U.S. trade deficit with China continues to increase atits current rate, the U.S. economy will lose over half a million jobsthis year alone.

#6 As of the end of July, the U. S. Trade deficit with China hasrisen 18 percent compared to the same time period a year ago.

#7 The United States has lost a total of about 5.5 million manufac-turing jobs since October 2000.

#8 According to Tax Notes, between 1999 and 2008employment atthe foreign affiliates of U.S. parent companies increased an astound-ing 30 percent to 10.1 million. During that exact same time period,U..S. employment at American multinational corporations declined 8percent to 21.1 million.

(From page 1)

(Cont’d on page 5)

The U.S.Census

Bureau saysthat 43.6 mil-lion Ameri-

cans are nowliving in pov-erty and ac-cording to

them that isthe highestnumber of

poor Ameri-cans in the 51

years thatrecords have

been kept.

The Metro Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA)drive of clearing the streets of “street urchins” or home-less derelicts is a welcome move from a governmentagency.

Pretty sure they’ll cram MMDA’s pre-determined hold-ing areas because of their number that is seemingly grow-

ing each passing day.Last week the sight on

national television ofMMDA agents going afterthem was like watching city

pound operatives going after stray dogs scampering forsafety or beyond the reach of MMDA agents’ hands whowill eventually haul them in to a waiting vehicle for theirtransport to a holding area, a safer place for them to livewe hope.

For sure, these derelicts, a.k.a., “Taong Grasa,” whooftentimes are publicly seen sniffing solvents on openstreets, under flyovers, or anywhere else they may fan-cy, would breach the first thousand in sheer number.

They are just too many. Too many to ignore.Step out of the metropolis into Manila’s suburbs and

they are likely to greet you too, begging, walking aim-lessly in tattered or no clothing at all, sniffing rugby,whatever.

A pity indeed because they are our lesser xerox cop-ies.

Watching them from inside an airconditioned car, youcan’t help but think: “Where in heaven really is humancivilization headed?”

What’s really upsetting most is the sight of of themyoung little children barefoot as they are, exposed toelements, begging for alms even on busy dangerous thor-oughfares.

Well, it’s a good sign at least for now an agency likethe MMDA under the able leadership of a friend of MetroExpress in chairman Francis Tolentino is doing its jobof getting rid the streets of our less fortunate brothersand sisters and their forsaken children and bringing theminto safer areas where we hope a kind of place livableenough for them.

We could a shed a tear or two seeing them get soakedon driving rains but crying alone wouldn’t help whilst itwould only blind us of the better things that we couldpossibly extend to them just like what the MMDA is doingnow.

Take a bow chairman!

The Supreme Court (SC) has released more than 6,000 prisoners since thelaunching of its Enhanced Justice on Wheels (EJOW) program in 2008.

As a result, the government was able to save almost P500,000 a day in thelast three years in terms of cost of food and other accommodations for thereleased inmates.

SC Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo, EJOW chairman, said exactly6,251 inmates have been released because of the program.

Del Castillo, along with Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJA) Chancellorformer SC Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna and Pasay City Mayor AntonioCalixto, visited the Pasay Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) and Metropolitan TrialCourts (MeTCs) recently as these courts implemented their EJOW program.

Del Castillo said the EJOW program is being implemented in Luzon, Visayasand Mindanao.

The EJOW program is not limited to legal aids alone but also for mediationto unclog the dockets of the courts as well as medical and dental projects.

Del Castillo said that from 2008 to present, there were 3,432 persons whobenefitted from their legal aid program.

In addition, there were 6,946 who underwent mediation and 12,287 re-ceived medical and dental assistance, Del Castillo said.

Over 6,000 prisoners releasedby SC under EJOW program

LEGIS/EXEC NEWSHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE SENATE & EXECUTIVE BEATS

5

OBEYTRAFFICRULES!

So that others may live.

Sept. 12 - Sept. 19, 2011 ExpressMetro

We’re in deep, deep...#9 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28 percent of U.S. economic

output. In 2008, it represented 11.5 percent.#10 Ford Motor Company recently announced the closure of a

factory that produces the Ford Ranger in St. Paul , Minnesota .Approximately 750 good paying middle class jobs are going to belost because making Ford Rangers in Minnesota does not fit in withFord’s new “global” manufacturing strategy.

#11 As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million Americans worked inmanufacturing. The last time less than 12 million Americans wereemployed in manufacturing was in 1941.

#12 In the United States today, consumption accounts for 70percent of GDP. Of this 70 percent, over half is spent on services.

#13 The United States has lost a whopping 32 percent of itsmanufacturing jobs since the year 2000.

#14 In 2001, the United States ranked fourth in the world in percapita broadband Internet use. Today it ranks 15th.

#15 Manufacturing employment in the U.S. computer industry isactually lower in 2010 than it was in 1975.

#16 Printed circuit boards are used in tens of thousands ofdifferent products. Asia now produces 84 percent of them world-wide.

#17 The United States spends approximately $3.90 on Chinesegoods for every $1 that the Chinese spend on goods from the UnitedStates .

#18 One prominent economist is projecting that the Chineseeconomy will be three times larger than the U.S. economy by the year2040.

#19 The U.S. Census Bureau says that 43.6 million Americans arenow living in poverty and according to them that is the highestnumber of poor Americans in the 51 years that records have beenkept.

So how many tens of thousands more factories do we need to losebefore we do something about it? How many millions more Ameri-cans are going to become unemployed before we all admit that wehave a very, very serious problem on our hands?

How many more trillions of dollars are going to leave the countrybefore we realize that we are losing wealth at a pace that is killing oureconomy?

How many once great manufacturing cities are going to becomerotting war zones like Detroit before we understand that we arecommitting national economic suicide?

The de-industrialization of America is a national crisis. It needs tobe treated like one.

If you disagree with thisarticle, I have a direct challengefor you. If anyone can explainhow a de-industrialized Americahas any kind of viable economicfuture, please do so.

America is in deep, deeptrouble folks. It is time to wakeup!!

(From page 4)

TRUSTGOD.

Father Almighty. +

SEOUL — Kia Motors Corp. South Korea’s second largest carmaker, unveiled its all-new Pride subcompact on Tuesday that is expected to reach the market later in the month.

The carmaker said the new Pride represents a “full model change” from the existingvehicle launched in April 2005, and has been developed to meet the needs of both domesticand overseas markets.

There will be four-door and five-door models powered by either a 1.4-liter gasoline or 1.6-liter gasoline direct injection (GDi) engine.

The 1.4-liter engine can generate 108 horsepower and 13.9 kilogram-meters of torque witha fuel efficiency reaching 16.1 kilometers on a liter of fuel. The larger 1.6-liter engine has beenrated at 140 horsepower and is capable of generating 17.0 kilogram-meters of torque whilegetting 16.7 kilometers per liter. The fuel economy on the GDi engine can be raised to 17.7kilometers per liter of fuel if the idle stop and go system is used.

“The new Pride uses Kia’s distinct radiator and has a sporty head lamp assembly andexterior,” the company said in a press release.

Business group wants Clarkas premiere ICT hub in Ph

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — A business group is pushing Clark to be the nextpremier information and communications technology (ICT) hub in the country.

Engineer George D. Sorio, chairman of the Metro Clark Information and CommunicationsTechnology Council (MCICTC), said the Freeport has an airport and other facilities that willsupport the operation of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms.

“We are all for Clark. It should be the next premiere information and communicationstechnology (ICT) hub in the country,” Sorio said as he announced the staging of the ClarkConEx 2011 at the Fontana Leisure Parks from October 13-15.

Sorio said the international conference and exposition next month is designed to promotethis Freeport as an ideal ICT hub at par with the top centers in the country of the same industry–Cebu and Metro Manila.

Sorio, also senior executive vice president of Cyber City Teleservices Inc., said thepresence of the Clark International Airport and the good condition of the infrastructure at the

some 4,400-hectare Freeport are the advantages of the former U.S. military base.He added their group also want to promote communities around Clark as ICT hubs.The MCICTC, in a statement, said the Clark Conex aims to institutionalize Metro Clark’s

reputation as the most viable investment and development destination in the global ICTindustry; showcase Metro Clark and it constituents’ technical and competitive advantages ina global downstream market and solidify its niche as a credible technology and expodestinations in Asia, capable of hosting the top players and investors in this multi-billion dollarindustry.

Ervyn Rivera, MCICTC secretary general, said they want to make this Freeport as the“center of operations and not just extension offices” of IT businesses and related investmentsin the country.

He said out of the 60,000 workers in Clark that there are 13,000 working in the BPO, callcenters and ICT firms.

Motor vehicle industry postsmarginal growth in August

Motor vehicle sales slightly improved in August over July but the January-Augustperformance still remained in the negative versus the same period last year, the Chamber ofAutomotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) reported.

In the report, CAMPI said sales in August reached 11,558 units or 0.1 percent improve-ment over 11,550 in July. The overall January-August sales performance reach 93,108 unitsor 4.1 percent down from 97,122 units in the same period last year.

CAMPI attributed the slight increase in sales in August to the continuing supply improve-ment coupled with relentless marketing efforts. However, sales of some models werehampered since deliveries are still catching up with the demand.

Sales of passenger cars in August improved by 6.8 percent to 4,026 units from 3,768units of the previous month and 3.9 percent higher than July 2010 sales of 3,874 units.

But, overall passenger car sales for the January-August period still remained in thenegative 3.2 percent to 31,290 units from 32,328 units in the same period last year.

The commercial vehicle segment did not also contribute as sales declined by 3.2 percentin August to 7,532 units from 7,782 units in July this year.

On a year-to-date, commercial vehicle sales remained negative at 4.6 percent down to61,818 units from 64,794 units in the same period last year.

Sales of Asian Utility Vehicles improved by 3.3 percent in August to 3,118 units from3,019 units in July but ended up in the negative year to date with overall sales hitting only23,046 units from 24,093 units in the first eight months last year.

Light commercial vehicle sales posted the biggest decline of 9.1 percent to 4,146 unitsonly in August from 4,561 units in July. Its year-to-date sales also dropped 5.4 percent to36,899 units from 39,010 units in the same period last year.

The light trucks and trucks and buses categories registered solid growths in both month onsales and year to date sales.

Trucks and buses was the most improved category with 58 percent increase to 100 unitssold in August from 63 units only in July.

On a year-to-date basis, this category posted a 20.5-percent increase to 652 units soldfrom 541 in the same first eight month period of 2010.

Light trucks sales jumped 19.1 percent in August with 168 units sold in August from 141in July. It posted a 6.2-percent improvement year to date to 1,221 units from 1,150 units in thesame period last year.

CAMPI attributed the significant growth in these two categories to stock availability andfleet deliveries.

In terms of ranking, industry leader Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. posted a 6.6-percentdecline in growth with year to date sales of 34,190 units from 36,594 units same period lastyear. Its sales in August grew by 10.5 percent to 4,832 units sold from 4,374 units in Julythis year.

Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. posted a significant decline of 25.8 percent in itsAugust after selling only 2,107 units from 2,840 in the previous month.

On a year to date, however, the company managed to keep a positive growth of 2.8percent from 21,812 units to 21,212 units in the same January-August period in 2010.

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. sold 1,070 units or 6.91 percent higher from 1,001 units inJuly. It, however, posted a negative growth in the January-August period of 23 percent to9,062 units from 11,776 units sold in the same period last year.

Ford Motor Company Philippines Inc. posted an impressive 12.7-percent growth inAugust with sales hitting 942 units from 836 units in July. Its year-to-date sales also improvedby 29.9 percent to 8,200 units from 6,311 units in the January-August last year.

In the fifth place was Isuzu Philippines Corp. with 6,259 units or 9.4 percent decreasefrom 6,907 units in the January-August period last year. Its August sales improved to 852units from 829 units in July this year.

Export volume in Clark reaches US $ 1B in Jan-JuneCLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga — Officials of Clark Development Corporation

(CDC) announced that total exports volume of the Freeport zone in the first semester of theyear has already exceeded the US$ 1 billion level.

The reports reaching the office of CDC President Felipe Antonio B. Remollo said the trendis expected to accelerate in the last two quarters thus, the likelihood that last year’s US$1.453 billion export figure will be surpassed.

In comparison, the exports volume recorded $ 862 million in July 2010 while the samemonth this year, the exports in Clark has already reached the $ 1.07 billion.

CDC’s Corporate Planning Department said in the reports that electronics, tires, garmentsand other industrial goods continue to be the zone’s top exporters as of July 30.

This export figure may even be understated since it is exclusive of the value of servicesrendered by the number of business process outsourcing (BPOs) operating in Clark, thereports said.

Nanox remained Clark’s top exporter which account to the 34.3 percent of the more than$ 1 billion export volume as of July 30.

Newly opened Korean’s Phoenix Semiconductor of the Philippines Corporation (PSPC)ranked second with 23.7 percent of the volume.

Also in the top 20 list among top exporters are Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc. with 14.3percent while Lhuen Thai (L&T) with four percent of the total exports volume this first semesterof the year.

Other top exporters in Clark are HLD Clark Steel Pipe Co. Inc., SMK Electronics (Phils)Corporation, Amertron, Inc., Smart Shirt (Phils.),Inc., Keygold Manufacturing, Inc., Poong-san Microtec Phils., Inc., Multi-Tek Fasteners Inc., O&G Leather Manufacturing Corp.,Golden Stone Garments, Inc., L&K Industries Phils. Inc., S Next Phils., Inc., H3 Technol-ogy Phils. Inc., Aderans Philippines, Inc., Lewis and Saunders-Asia Inc., and OutbackFive Star Clark Philippines.

Mercedes-Benz car sales shore up in AugustBERLIN — The world leading luxury automobile producer Daimler got a strong boost in

demand from domestic market in August, with its sales volume of Mercedes-Benz carskeeping on rise.

The sales of Mercedes-Benz cars totaled up to 87,384 in numbers in August, 2011, up by7.9 percent year-on-year.

In its most important home market of Germany, the honor brand witnessed a domesticsales leap up by 23.2 percent to reach at 19,412 units in August alone.

“Our sales continued to develop very well in August. Germany, as our largest market,was an important growth driver, as well as many other markets in which we increased oursales considerably,” said Joachim Schmidt, head of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-BenzCars, who is also responsible for sales companies around the world.

Kia unveils new Pride subcompact

Budget and Management Sec-retary Florencio B. Abad said theAquino administration has in-creased the aggregate budget forState Universities and Colleges(SUCs) by 10.1 percent to P26.1billion in 2012, from P23.7 billion in2011.

This amount is composed ofP23.6 billion, inclusive of automat-ic appropriations, which are item-ized per SUC; a standby fund ofmore than P2 billion under the Mis-cellaneous and Personnel BenefitFunds (MPBF) for unfilled posi-tions in SUCs; as well as an addi-tional P500 million under the Com-mission on Higher Education(CHED) for SUC development.

SUC budget increased by 10.1% in ‘12

“Clearly, the state subsidy forSUCs is higher next year. But moreimportant than the increase, thisproposed budget supports thedevelopment of SUCs as respon-sive to the government’s five pri-

ority areas for growth and employ-ment, which are agriculture andfisheries, tourism, general infra-structure, semiconductor and elec-tronics, and business process out-sourcing (BPO),” Abad said.

“President Benigno S. Aquino IIIhas directed CHED to work togeth-er with SUCs as well as the Tech-nical Education and Skills Devel-opment Authority (TESDA) andDepartment of Labor and Employ-ment (DOLE) and with industry toalign their curricula to these prior-ity areas. There is an immense op-portunity in these areas but theyare lacking in qualified manpow-er,” he said.

He said the additional P500 mil-

lion under CHED—P250 millioneach for Maintenance and OtherOperating Expenses and for Capi-tal Outlay—will be provided forSUCs as additional funding foractivities in line with the govern-ment’s priority areas for growth. “Ifthis effort succeeds, the govern-ment intends to invest more inSUCs,” he said.

In the BPO industry, for instance,Abad said the Business Process-ing Association of the Philippines(BPAP) is proposing to train 58,000potential BPO applicants, ofwhich, they can commit to employ37,000. TESDA will train applicantsfrom SUCs on BPO expansion ar-eas. Government is asked to pro-

vide P500 million, of which P350million is allocated to train stu-dents, while P150 million is ear-marked to hire or train faculties.

“That’s the kind of partnershipand support that the governmentis pursuing now in 2011, and forthe remaining years of the Aquinoadministration. The same govern-ment-SUC-industry partnership isgoing to be entered into the fiveprimary industries identified by theAquino administration as driversof employment and growth,” hesaid. “This way, SUCs’ curriculacan be made more relevant, moreSUC students can find certain em-ployment, and gov’t funds are bet-ter put to use,” he added.

Sen. Villar opposes4-day workweek

Senator Manny Villar, whosefamily owns one of the country’sbig real estate companies, is not infavor of the proposed four-dayworkweek, saying it would hurt theproductivity of both the businesssector and the government.

”I think it cannot be done. Thebusiness sector and government

can’t af-ford toh a v ethis kindof sys-t e m , ”V i l l a rsaid.

Villarsaid thateven ift h e

working hours per day will be in-creased from eight to 10 hours, theproposal would still have to bestudied carefully.

”Let’s see if there are countriesthat adopted it. If there is countrythat adopted it, perhaps we haveto see if it became successful or ifthey stopped it,” Villar, chairmanof the Senate committee on eco-nomic affairs, said.

The Employers Confederation ofthe Philippines (ECOP) has alreadyrejected the proposal of QuezonCity Rep. Winston Castelo, sayingit is counter-productive.

The proposal drew mixed reac-tions with the Department of La-bor and Employment (DOLE) say-ing it is open to a proposed mea-sure compressing the work weekto four 10-hour days.

However, DOLE Secretary Ro-salinda Baldoz clarified that itshould be approved by both theemployers and employees.

The EmployersConfederation of thePhilippines (ECOP)has already rejected

the proposal ofQuezon City Rep.Winston Castelo,

saying it is counter-productive.

VILLAR

The Bureau of Immigration(BI)stepped up Saturday securitymeasures in all ports nationwideas it placed its personnel underheightened alert to deter any threatto national security.

The directive is in view of theforthcoming 10th anniversary ofthe September 11 terrorist attackin the United States.

BI Commissioner Ricardo DavidJr. directed all immigration officersand intelligence personnel to exertextra precautions in conducting aprofile of all arriving internationalpassengers.

He said those passengers thatdeemed as potential threats to thenational security shall be closelymonitored, and if possible, subject-ed to secondary inspection.

Immigrationsteps up security

Trillanes eyes use of incinerators to address garbage problem

Senator Antonio “Sonny” Tril-lanes IV is pushing for the amend-ment of the Clean Air Act to allowthe use of incinerators in address-ing the worsening problem ofwaste disposal in the country.

Trillanes filed Senate Bill No. 225to revise the law signed in 1999 inlight of the “trashslide” set off byheavy rains in Baguio City thatkilled six people and buried homesbelow the mountain of garbage inIrisan dumpsite last month.

“Waste management has be-come an issue and has posed seri-ous problems in the country,” Tril-

lanes said. “This means that wastemust be properly disposed in man-ner that it will not become a signif-icant environmental burden.”

The senator said one way ofdealing with the perennial trashwoes is to allow the operation ofincinerators in the country as henoted that existing technology hasmade it safer while at the same timeproduce the much needed electricpower.

Although there are serious en-vironmental concerns about incin-eration, advances in emission con-trol designs, along with strict stan-

dards and monitoring system,have caused large reduction ofpollution in the atmosphere, theyoung senator explained.

In Japan, Trillanes said expertshave made headway in emissioncontrol designs and coupled withvery stringent governmental reg-ulations, have substantially cutdown the amount of dioxins andfurans emissions using this tech-nology.

“This is suitable for use in thecountry since it is difficult to se-cure final disposal sites due to ourbecoming limited land space. It is

estimated that when incinerated,waste shall be reduced to approxi-mately one-tenth of its weight andone-twentieth of its volume,” hepointed out.

According to Trillanes, this is anopportune time to repeal Section20 of the Clean Air Act (RepublicAct 8749) and tap incinerators as aviable waste disposal method andpromote it to generate power.

“This way, SUCs’curricula can bemade more relevant,more SUC studentscan find certain em-ployment, and gov’tfunds are better put touse” -- Abad

SHOWBIZ6Sept.12 - Sept. 19, 2011

Metro Express

Did youknow that...

NOON NGAYON

Raliyesta Kongresista

No. 02 What A.Z. Kal says on “weather, weather”!COMICS

History

A.Z. Kal A.Z. Kal

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TWITTER is not for me!Negative comments and criticisms prompted singer Sarah Geronimo

to stop using the microblogging site “Twitter.”“Hindi na ako nagti-Twitter, medyo matagal na. Nadi-depress kasi

ako. Noong umpisa kasi kapag may nababasa akong below the belt natweet, yung masyado,” said Geronimo, whose last entry on her Twitteraccount was dated last October 25.

When asked if last year’s controversy involving her and Cristine Reyeswas the reason she stopped tweeting, Geronimo replied: “Hindi namanpo. Hindi naman po. Saka OK naman kami. Ok kami ni Cristine.”

“Natatakot kasi ako na may mabasang hindi maganda. Hindi talagapara sa akin ang Twitter eh,” she added.

In December, Geronimo and sultry actress Cristine Reyes figured in acontroversy after the latter hurled negative comments using Twitter.

Twitter notfor Sarah G

THREE of the country’s bright-est stars today will team up inABS-CBN’s upcoming situationcomedy “Toda Max”.

Comedians Vhong Navarro andPokwang and Bad Boy of Philip-pine movies Robin Padilla, they areset to give pure entertainment toviewers from all ages.

“I’m sure marami sa ating mgaKapamilya ang nananabik na bu-

Pokwang,Robin, Vhongstar in 1 project

malik sa sitcom at ito na nga yun,”Pokwang said in a television inter-view.

The “Happy, Yipee, Yehey!”host will play the role of a richwoman who falls deeply in lovewith Robin’s character, but willshare a hate relationship withVhong, a carinderia chef.

Pokwang said she’s excited withthis project because it would be areunion of sort for the three of them

after she worked with Robin in “Pil-ipinas Win na Win” and “AgentX44” in 2007 with Vhong.

“Matagal na kaming nag-uusapna sana one day may pelikula tayoor sitcom and ngayon ito na talagasiya,” she added.

On his part, Vhong is thrilled tobe working with Binoe after thesuccessful television ventures ofthe latter in ABS-CBN.

Young actress Kim Chiu is already excited to start shooting he moviewith Star for all Seasons Vilma Santos.

Chiu said she will surely learn a lot from Santos in their upcomingmovie “The Healing.”

“Ito na naman ako, wala akong masabi kanina pa. Masaya and excitedako. It’s something new for me to do a horror movie under Star Cinemaand to work with Ate Vi. Nahihiya ako sa kanya,” she said.

Chiu admitted she still gets overwhelmed by the fact that she is goingto work with Santos and veteran director Chito Roño.

Kim excited to start movie with Ate Vi

“First time ko din makakatrabaho si Direk Chito Roño. Magaling siyasa mga suspense and horror movies so excited ako. Nakakatuwa andnakaka-touch na ako ang napili para sa movie na ito,” the actress added.

Chiu said she is already excited to start shooting their movie, addingthat she will surely learn a lot from Santos.

Meanwhile, Chiu revealed she is not sure as to when she will beteamed up with a new leading man. According to her, she would ratherfocus on her movie with Santos and her television series, “My BinondoGirl.”

SARAH G

VILMA SANTOS

KIM CHIU

POKWANG

ROBIN

VHONG

FILIPINO Grandmaster (GM) Julio “Ino” Sadorra topped therecently-concluded 77th Annual Southwest Open ChessChampionships held last September 2 to 5 at the Sheraton DallasNorth Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

The 26-year-old Sadorra, who is now a sophomore student takingup applied math at the University of Texas-Dallas, finished thetournament undefeated with five wins, two draws for a total of 6.0points.

The Cavite province native Sadorra, playing under the banner ofNational Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President/Chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. took home $1,000 to grabanother major title this year in the US soil.

GM ‘INO’ SADORRA WINS SOUTHWEST OPEN CHESSRussian Valentin Votov placed second with a superior tie break

points against fellow five pointers that includes Conrad Holt, DenesBoros, Milos Pavlovic, Andre Diamant, Puchen Wang, PatrycjaLabedz and Tyler Hughes.

It shall be recalled that Sadorra failed to win the 112th Annual USOpen crown held in Orlando, Florida last July to 30 to August 7.

He lost to GM Alejandro Ramirez of Costa Rica in the ninth andfinal round. Ramirez joint first place with eventual champion GMHikaru Nakamura of the United States along with five others whonotch 7.5 points each.

Sadorra remains at 6.5 points and was dropped into share of 14thplace along with 21 others. MARLON BERNARDINO

• The world’s youngest parentswere 8 and 9 and lived in China in1910.

• The Los Angeles Rams were thefirst U.S. football team tointroduce emblems on theirhelmets.

• Our eyes are always the same size from birth, butour nose and ears never stop growing.

• Hershey’s Kisses are called that because themachine that makes them looks like it’s kissingthe conveyor belt.

• Chop-suey does not come from China. It wascreated by Chinese immigrants in California

• Chocolate is the number one food stuff flavor inthe world, beating vanilla and banana by 3-to-1.

• Valentine’s Day originates from the ancientRoman festival of fertility, which was held annuallyon 15 February.

• Americans eat twice as much meat asEuropeans, gobbling up some 50kg (110 lb) percapita.

• Every day 200 million couples make love, 400,000babies are born, and 140,000 people die.

• The word “Checkmate” in chess comes from thePersian phrase “Shah Mat”, which means “theking is dead”.

• More movies are being produced in India than inHollywood. About 800 movies are releasedannually.

• There are more than 600 million telephone linestoday, yet almost half the world’s population hasnever made a phone call.

Metro Express

A Filipino woman (photo below) passes by imitation and used watches whichare being sold at a makeshift repair shop in Manila. The used watches arepriced from 300 pesos to 3,000 pesos (about US $7 to US $70).

In the Philippines, Filipinoswere introduced to theEnglish language in 1762 byBritish invaders, notAmericans.

What is the world’s 3rdlargest English-speakingnation, next to the USA and theUK? The Philippines.

The USA bought thePhilippines, Puerto Rico andGuam from Spain in 1898.

The Filipino-AmericanIndependence War from 1898to 1902 ensued, killing 4,234Americans and killing howmany Filipinos? 16,000 werekilled in action and 200,000died from famine andpestilence. (The Philippineslost and was colonized until1946.)

Filipino InterestingFacts and History

SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES Sept. 12 - Sept. 19, 2011

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UnsolvedMYSTERIES

OF THE WORLD

F HEALTH &

ALEXANDERTHE GREAT

MYSTERIES

AITH,

Alexander III of Macedon (20/21 July 356 – 10/11 June 323 BC),commonly known as Alexanderthe Great (Greek: ÌÝãáòëÝîáíäñïò, Mégas Aléxandros),was a king of Macedon, a statein the north eastern region ofGreece, and by the age of thirtywas the creator of one of thelargest empires in ancienthistory, stretching from theIonian Sea to the Himalaya. Hewas undefeated in battle and isconsidered one of the mostsuccessful commanders of alltime.[1] Born in Pella in 356 BC,Alexander was tutored by thefamed philosopher Aristotle. In336 BC he succeeded his fatherPhilip II of Macedon to thethrone after Philip was assassi-nated. Philip had brought mostof the city-states of mainlandGreece under Macedonianhegemony, using both militaryand diplomatic means. UponPhilip’s death, Alexanderinherited a strong kingdom andan experienced army. He suc-ceeded in being awarded thegeneralship of Greece and, withhis authority firmly established,launched the military plans forexpansion left by his father. In334 BC he invaded Persian-ruledAsia Minor and began a seriesof campaigns lasting ten years.Alexander broke the power ofPersia in a series of decisivebattles, most notably the battlesof Issus and Gaugamela.Subsequently he overthrew thePersian king Darius III andconquered the entirety of thePersian Empire.i[›] The Mace-donian Empire now stretchedfrom the Adriatic Sea to theIndus River. Following his desireto reach the “ends of the worldand the Great Outer Sea”, heinvaded India in 326 BC, but was

eventually forced to turn back bythe near-mutiny of his troops.Alexander died in Babylon in323 BC, without realizing a seriesof planned campaigns that wouldhave begun with an invasion ofArabia. In the years followingAlexander’s death a series of civilwars tore his empire apart whichresulted in the formation of anumber of states ruled by theDiadochi – Alexander’s survivinggenerals. Although he is mostlyremembered for his vast con-quests, Alexander’s lastinglegacy was not his reign, but thecultural diffusion his conquestsengendered. Alexander foundedsome twenty cities that bore hisname. His settlement of Greekcolonists and the resultingspread of Greek culture in theeast resulted in a new Hellenisticcivilization, aspects of whichwere still evident in the traditionsof the Byzantine Empire until themid-15th century. Alexanderbecame legendary as a classicalhero in the mold of Achilles, andfeatures prominently in thehistory and myth of Greek andnon-Greek cultures. He becamethe measure against whichgenerals, even to this day,compare themselves and militaryacademies throughout the worldstill teach his tactical exploits.

If someone asked you, “Are you a Christian?”, what would you say? Prob-ably “Yes.” But what if they asked, “Why?”

That’s where a lot of us have problems. I could be stumped if someone askedme that and tempted to say something like, “Well, my parents raised me as aChristian” or even, “Because I believe in God.” But lots of people believe inGod, and what if my parents had raised me wrong? No, that is not the reasonI am a Christian. When it really comes down to it, what would I say? Whatwould you say?

The True Definition of a Christian. The reason you are a Christian is notbecause you do good things like go to church or read the Bible. It is notbecause you were raised in a “Christian” home or nation. It’s not even be-cause you believe in the concept of God. It is because you believe that JesusChrist is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the King that will reign foreternity. Your faith in Jesus is what makes you a Christian—pure and simple.

The Proof. Look at this contrast of two men as proof. Jesus was hanging on the

cross between two criminals. Can you picture them? Neither of these men were“good” people, but they had very different attitudes toward Jesus. The onemade fun of Jesus, saying, “Aren’t you supposed to be the Messiah? Prove it!”But the other one was deeply humble and replied, “We deserve to die; this mandoesn’t.” Then he turned and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come intoyour kingdom” (Luke 23:42). That’s the clincher: He truly believed that Jesuswas the Son of God. And Jesus’ response is the proof that salvation is by faithalone: “I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise’" (Luke 23:43).

Let It Sink In. Your salvation—eternal life when you die and the complete for-giveness of your sins—is not a matter of good deeds, family heritage, or generalbelief in God. It is founded on your belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and thatHe will come back to bring you into His great kingdom. Let this simple fact be theanswer to those who ask you why you are a Christian and give you greatpeace.

Apply It: Explain to someone this week the true definition of a Christian. Let usknow if you did it by responding to this e-mail!

Subic Bay looms as nextcruise ship playground

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT –Visiting officials from variouscruise terminals in Asiapredicted that Subic will havea key role in making the

region the next cruise shipplayground, citing the facilitiesin this free port, as well as thetourism destinations in thesurrounding areas.

“It’s marvelous! It’s great tobe able to disembarkpassengers and have a shortwalk to the shore. I think(Subic) would make a greatdestination,” said ChristinaSiaw, chief executive officer ofSingapore Cruise Center.

“When it comes to cruising,it’s not just what the terminalhas to offer, but what thedestination has to offer interms of tourism, and I thinkSubic and all of thePhilippines have a lot to offer,”she added.

Siaw led a delegation ofofficials from various ports inMalaysia, Kobe, andShanghai last week for thesecond Pro-Tem committeemeeting here of the AsiaCruise Terminals Association(ACTA), which will be formallylaunched in November thisyear.

The meeting was held toratify the previous agreementsthat were made during the firstPro-Tem meeting in Singaporelast March 26. The Pro-Temcommittee acts as an interimgroup to oversee preparationsfor the ACTA launch.

Upon arriving in Subic lastweek, Siaw said sheimmediately recognized Subic

as a perfect cruise shipdestination, pointing out thisport’s infrastructure, as wellas its deep harbor.

The visiting port officialswere warmly received byofficials of the Subic BayMetropolitan Authority(SBMA), headed by SBMAdeputy administrator forbusiness Raul Marcelo,SBMA deputy administratorfor corporate communicationsKnette Fernando, SBMAseaport manager Capt.Perfecto Pascual, and SBMAmaritime and manufacturingbusiness developmentmanager Ronnie Yambao.

“I’m very impressed with thewarm hospitality of the peoplehere, and how clean, greenand wonderful everything is,”said Siaw, who was on herfirst visit to Subic.

Siaw also noted the naturalattractions, the warm weather,the people and the localculture as Subic’s majorassets to attract cruise liners.

In the meeting with SBMAofficials, Siaw also explained

the reason why Asian portshave decided to create ACTA,which is an association forcruise terminal operators.

“The whole purpose of theassociation is to promotecruising in Asia. What we aretrying to do is to tell cruiselines to bring their ships toAsia and give them goodreasons why they shouldbring those ships in,” shesaid.

Siaw added that Asia needsto be developed into a cruiseship destination, since thecruise ship markets in theUnited States and Europe arealready saturated.

“In five to ten years, therewould be about 70 millioncruise passengers between

India and Asia, and that’s avery big potential market,” shesaid.

When asked about Subic’srole in the association, Siawsaid that this free port will be akey contributor because of itsinitiative, its pro-businessenvironment, and its smartmarketing.

Siaw also noted that Subic’slocation complements thecruise-ship route, thusenabling Subic to receivecruise ships from the west.

During their Subic visit, Siawand the other Asian portofficials toured Alava Pier, theproposed cruise-ship terminalhere, and some of the toptourist spots in Subic.

“It’s marvelous! It’sgreat to be able to

disembarkpassengers and

have a short walk tothe shore. I think

(Subic) would makea great destination,”said Christina Siaw,

chief executiveofficer of Singapore

Cruise Center.“When it comes to

cruising, it’s not justwhat the terminalhas to offer, but

what the destinationhas to offer in terms

of tourism, and Ithink Subic and all ofthe Philippines have

a lot to offer,” sheadded.

(SBMA PR OFFICE)

Top view of Subic Bay.

HANJIN SHIPYARD one of SBMA’s many possibilities.

Class 38 of Immanuel Series poses with elders and Ecclesial Team lead by Fr. Jess Fernandez in this souvenir photo taken during their Marriage EncounterWeekend Seminar last Sept. 9, 10 & 11, 2011 at La Verna Retreat House, Tagaytay City. Immanuel Series is a member of M.E. Tuklasan Sector.

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email: 2011metroexpress@gmail.com

Full story on page 7Singapore Cruise Center CEO Christina Siaw (seated, right) and other Asian cruise terminal operators meet withSBMA officials led by SBMA deputy administrator for corporate communications Knette Fernando (seated, left) andSBMA deputy administrator for business Raul Marcelo (standing, fifth from left).

Subic is nextcruise shipplayground