Burial and Wake of Cerge Remonde

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the wake of the late Press Secretary Cerge Remonde at 4:32 a.m. Wednesday at the chapel of Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City.

The President, who stayed for more than 30 minutes, condoled with Remonde's wife, Marit.

She recalled the numerous happy moments she had with the late head of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), especially his birthday party in Hong Kong last December which the Chief Executive attended.

President Arroyo said Remonde's death is a great loss to her Cabinet.

For their part, Senators Loren Legarda and Manuel Villar recognized Remonde's dedication and honesty in the performance of his job.

Legarda said she was saddened by the loss of a good person and friend.

She described Remonde as a true and hardworking public servant.

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal said the demise of Remonde is a big loss for the Cebuanos, especially to the local media.

Vidal cited Remonde's huge contributions to Cebu, foremost of which are government projects.

Militant groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis and Kabataan Party-List also condoled with the Remonde family.

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said they have no grudge against Remonde as a Malacanang official because he was just doing his job.

House Deputy Minority Leader Roilo Golez said Remonde is a great loss to President Arroyo as he noted that the late Press secretary had given his unconditional loyalty to the Chief Executive.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said President Arroyo has designated Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General Conrado A. Limcaoco Jr. as acting Press Secretary while she is looking for Remonde's replacement.

Ermita said he believed Secretary Limcaoco can effectively do his job as "he is not new to the media."

Remonde's remains are scheduled to be brought to Malacanang Thursday, and would be flown to Cebu City on Friday. Burial was set on January 24 in his hometown of Argao. 

Negros Oriental Media Mourns for Cerge Remonde

Members of the local media in Negros Oriental mourn the untimely death of Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

The late Secretary Remonde was declared dead 11:51 a.m. Tuesday at the Makati Medical Center after he succumbed to heart attack. He was 51.

The publisher of Metropost and local NBN chief Alex Pal said "Cerge" as he was fondly known to many was a very good and vital asset in the Arroyo administration. He was a friend to all journalists and he did a very good job as press secretary and in his previous other assignments.

Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP)-Negros Oriental chapter president Roy Bustillo said Remonde's death is a big loss to the industry as he is called the Big Bro of the KBP and the media.

"A very approachable and humble secretary. He is the best press secretary so far in the country. Journalists in the Philippines would surely miss him," he said.

"A big loss not just to government but to the media as well. He was somebody we in the media and Visayans should be proud of," said Dumaguete Bureau Chief of the Philippines News Agency, Mary Judaline Flores-Partlow.

Remonde traced his roots to Argao in nearby Cebu province.

A press statement released by the Dumaguete Press Club Inc. through the chairman emiritus and owner/publisher of Negros Chronicle and DYEM-FM Ely Dejaresco said the passing of Press Sec. Remonde, a true blue Cebuano, has never come so untimely as when he left at a time when he was most needed not only by the President but by the nation. He died with his boots on, during the thick of the election season.

Remonde was just seen in full attendance to Sunday's Sinulog de Cebu. Most mediamen in Cebu were surprised to see Remonde in almost all Sinulog activities in Cebu and even met with Cebuano media and gave them black t-shirts as souvenir from the Office of the Press Secretary, the statement said.

Known as the golden boy of Malacañang, Press Sec. Remonde was the trusted media propagator of Malacañang who precisely would know how and when to answer issues, which are raised for or against the administration.

He was the dream of any president as press secretary because Remonde was himself a practicing journalist and broadcaster who was easily able to blend into the media psyche.

His last great stand for the administration was when he stepped out of the gates of Malacañang to meet journalists who were protesting the Maguindanao massacre. Remonde was there both to defend the administration and empathized with the cause of media, the Dumaguete Press Club statement said.

He was long time president and chairman of the national KBP and that was how he was able to gain foothold and goodwill from the print and broadcast industry.

Admittedly, media is the hardest industry to organize. But for almost one decade as KBP chairman, Remonde was able to stand tall in upholding the tenets of a true broadcaster and journalist, the statement further said.

Remonde has virtually become an instant icon in the government and private media, both in upholding as well as maintaining a balanced press secretariat and even before as a private broadcaster and labor-oriented radio commentator who has given the journalism profession a mighty booster in gaining a high sense of moral duty and dedication to the service of the people, the statement added. (PNA) 

Pampanga Media Mourns for Cerge Remonde

Capampangan media practitioners on Wednesday expressed sadness over the sudden demise of Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, even as they inducted their incoming new set of officers.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, dressed in black, inducted the eight officers and seven directors of the Capampangan in Media Inc. (CAMI) at the Holiday Inn Hotel here this morning.

"We extend our condolences to the family of Cerge. We also condole with the President for the loss of one of her most devoted assistants," said Crispulo "Jun" Icban Jr., chief editor of the Manila Bulletin and chairman of CAMI.

"We will surely miss Cerge for his professionalism, industry and humility. We will miss him as friend and brother in the profession," said Philippine Star columnist and CAMI president Federico "Dick" Pascual Jr.

Aside from Icban and Pascual, the other inductees were DZXQ anchorman Ernesto "Ernie" Tolentino (CAMI vice president for Metro Manila); Manila Bulletin correspondent and Sunstar Pampanga columnist Fred Roxas (CAMI vice president for the provinces); Philippine Graphic senior writer Jose "Joe" Cortez (Secretary); Business Mirror chief news editor Dionisio "Nonnie" Pelayo (Treasurer); and LUB Banner chief editor Ashley Jay Manabat (Auditor).

Inducted as CAMI directors were Pilipino Star Ngayon editor-in-chief Al Pedroche; Philippine Broadcasting Service Radyo ng Bayan director John Manalili; Philippines News Agency (PNA) General Manager and News and Information Bureau Director III Vittorio "Vot" Vitug; Tony Lozano, in-charge of the Senate media; Virgilio "Vet" Vitug of North Luzon Railways Corp.; former PNA managing editor Jake Espino; and NOW columnist Willie Capulong.

Formed in 2005, Pascual said CAMI acts whenever press freedom is threatened, helps raise the competence and professionalism in the industry, and looks after the welfare of mediamen from Pampanga.

The President was accompanied by Acting Press Secretary Conrado "Dodie" Limcaoco Jr. and Press Undersecretary Romeo "Butch" Junia. (PNA) 

Media outlets in the Philippines

By Jose Carillo

Media outlets in the Philippines put such great store on poll surveys to predict electoral outcomes, often indiscriminately publicizing purported findings without looking into the objectivity or even the validity of the surveys themselves. One such survey—a recent one that predicts another "People Power" uprising in the event the 2010 national election fails—had foisted on respondents a survey instrument that, to my mind, is seriously defective in language, information content, and sentence construction. Of course, we can rely on well-designed, well-thought-out, and well-phrased survey questionnaires to accurately measure the public pulse on various issues, but I strongly doubt if questions that blatantly telegraph the desired responses to survey respondents can truly reflect the real sentiments of the population as a whole. 

My critique of poll surveys—and my words of caution against giving blind credence to them—leads off my Media English Watch in this week's edition of  Jose Carillo's English Forum. I then present an old essay of mine about the grammar of exceptional cases of reported speech—the better for us to cope with times like this when people's claims and utterances are increasingly being viewed with mutual suspicion—and provide a link to a talk given to international journalism students by William Zinsser, the best selling author of On Writing Well, who advises them to consider those long, pompous Latinate words in English as the enemy of good writing. I have also provided links to two highly provocative challenges to conventional wisdom—one debunking the growing notion that America has gone into an irreversible decline, and the other propounding the idea that Africa is the true birthplace of Western civilization.

job in the philippines php computer programmer

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Jobs in the Philippines: Hiring in Butuan City

We are hiring an advanced, experienced website developer with webmaster, wordpress, hosting/domain administrator, SEO, virtual assistant, internet marketing, joomla experience.

We would like to hire from Butuan first before we seek applicants from other parts of the Philippines. The employee will be located in Butuan.

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Scholarship in the Philippines: Jose Rizal University

For the past 2 years, 2GO has partnered with Jose Rizal University in training future Supply Chain professionals with the launch of its Supply Chain Management course for undergraduate students. In support of this, we have previously given scholarships to deserving students as well.

For 2010, we will once more give Supply Chain Scholarships to ten students. For those who are interested, the qualifying exam for graduating high school students will be on:

 

January 9, 2010 (Saturday) at the JRU Tower Lounge,

Jose Rizal College, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong.

 

For inquiries, please email Professor Ernie Roy Azarcon at Roy Azarcon or you may contact him at 5318031 local 29.

2GO together with Jose Rizal University will create future Supply Chain leaders. Together we can!

 

Susan V. Valdez

2GO CEO & President

Wedding Story in the Philippines

By Joe Espiritu

 In this crass and materialistic world, social mores had taken a beating. Methods in courting and trying to win a ladies heart had changed. Instead of declaring one's love after asking permission from the parents to visit, the declaration is delivered by texted message through cell phones. Love is going high tech. This of course is a cowards' way used by amateur swains. Sometimes to bolster ones courage, the chap takes a few drinks before attempting his declaration. The danger is that he might take one too many that he slurs his words. Results would be unpredictable.

 There as a quaint custom in Central Luzon, in the Tagalog regions. Maidens value their chastity so much that touching them is forbidden. A man is only allowed to touch his lady if he is intending to marry her. Once a woman is caressed, fondled or even touched in public, she has the right to demand marriage. Queer things resulted from that custom.

 We noted that our grand uncle had a beautiful wife. Her looks are still evident despite her age. We wondered how the old rogue was able to catch a beauty. He was moderately well off, tall, well built, with guts of a Nippon hetai and an unfailing sense of humor Sir Charlie Chaplin but was horribly disfigured by small pox. And she was a town beauty queen.

 The story was that he courted her, formally visiting her to declare his honorable intention. However, she refused to come out of her room despite the urging of her parents. This went after month and our grand uncle realizing the futility of his mission; decided to change tactics. Kong di makuha sa santong dasalan, kunin sa santong paspasan.

 When she was coming home from washing clothes in the stream with other girls he ambushed her while she was steadying with both hands the batya carried on her head. He embraced her. A struggle followed with laundered clothes, batya and palopalo flying in all directions. Her companions joined the fight and our hero fled but not after accomplishing his mission. Her reputation supposedly shattered, she complained to her parents and a shotgun wedding followed. We forgot who was holding the shotgun.

 Last week we were one of the sponsors to a wedding. The story behind this wedding is diametrically opposite to that of our great grand uncle.  The principals were childhood sweethearts. One, Renato, was a son of a marginal fisherman while the other, Liway, was a daughter of a calamadera. Their ways parted after graduation, each had to seek their own fortune. We thought they decided to part permanently. Their paths were not rosy; he studied to be a seaman while she went abroad after her studies. Then after more than a decade, they announced that they will marry.

 He is now a crew member of a ship plying an international route. She is now working in Alberta the province of Canada. Meantime the fisherman had retired while the calamadera is now managing a thriving business producing quality calamay well known in local and foreign markets. They and their parents had accomplished these by themselves. Needless to say, their future is well planned.

 What stood out prominently like a cockroach on a wedding cake was when Merlino, the Master of Ceremonies asked us, a confirmed cynic, to speak a few words in the reception. In the memory of his father, a dear friend and namesake, we could not refuse. The admonition given? Emulate the gabaseros. When one pulls the other pushes. We forgot to add that if there must be a fight, who ever wins cannot recover the belt before one year or longer.

Ban Aerial Spraying on Bananas in the Philippines

As you know, the farmer representatives of the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (MAAS) have been in Manila for five (5) months waging a campaign to bring to the attention of the national government and the general public the need to ban aerial spraying.  Up against MAAS is the billion dollar banana export industry led by the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA), which counts among its members Dole, Del Monte, Anflocor, Lapanday, Dizon, Sumifru and other multinational corporations.  Also blocking the ban is the pesticide industry led by Croplife (members include Dow Agro Chemical Science, Bayer, Syngenta, etc).

Through this time, the campaign (including the local struggles since 2005), was able to push the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to support a ban position.  This is significant since after over 30-years of practice in the Philippines, with little or no government intervention, now, the three key government agencies involved in the issue have spoken.  The ball is now in the hands of Malacanang, to issue or direct to be issued, the order banning aerial spraying.  The campaign has likewise generated broad multi-sectoral support for the issue including the church, academe, youth and other sectors.

This coming Thursday, Dec. 17, Thursday, 9:30am, there will be a very important dialogue in Malacanang with Sec. Ermita, concerned agencies, farmers and support groups and representatives of the banana industry.  Attending the dialogue on the side of the ban aerial spray position are: 2 MAAS farmer reps; Atty Christian Monsod, Bishop Rick Pabillo, Bishop Deogracias Iniguez and 2 NTFAAS partners.

The industry is expected to make a last-ditch attempt to push for mere regulations on aerial spraying.  Malacanang is expected to still find a way out in order accommodate their political allies.

We put out a paid ad in the Inquirer today to establish that the debate is finished, with the DOH, DA and DENR positions out and Malacanang has nothing to do but issue the order.  The ad would also show the broad support for the issue.  Please find attached the paid ad and please help circulate to all your contacts.

Also, please do join the MAAS farmers in the following activities:

·    Prayer Vigil to End Poison Rain with Fr. Robert Reyes

Dec. 16, Wednesday, 5:00pm, Mendiola – until morning of Dec. 17 during the Malacanang dialogue         

·    Solidarity Mass and Gathering and fold up camp, with Campaign Partners and Support Groups (potluck po J)

Dec. 17, Thursday, 4:00pm, MAAS Camp at DA, Elliptical Road

·    Send-off Mass/Prayer Session with Bishop Pabillo

Dec. 17, Thursday, 7:30pm, ASILO, UN Avenue, Manila

The farmers would go home to Mindanao morning of the 18th. 

Tatay Leon, the oldest in the group at 68 year-old, said "hindi pa tapos ang laban hanggang may eroplanong nagsasaboy ng pestisidyo".

Hoping to see you.

Let's all pray for a poison rain-free Christmas for the farmers.  Thank you.

Mabuhay,

Lia J

LIA JASMIN M. ESQUILLO

Executive Director

Interface Development Interventions (IDIS)

082-2994552

liajasmin@prime.net.ph

www.dirtybananas.org