Philippine Media People

Jose Carillo:

Why is it that many Philippine media people don't see anything wrong with using the adjective "presidential" to describe everything that pertains to the Philippine president? They are having a field day designating as "presidential" anybody or anything that relates to the President by blood, affinity, proximity, or fleeting special circumstance. We thus read about "the presidential mother," "the presidential sisters," "a presidential reporter," "the presidential squeeze," and even "the presidential stylist." Unless they have the potential of becoming the president herself or himself, though, they certainly are not "presidential" and shouldn't be described as such. 

In My Media English Watch for this week, I therefore enjoin reporters and editors in the Philippine media to cease and desist from misusing "presidential" and its kindred semantic spoiler "presidentiable" to set a good example for good English usage. Then, elsewhere in Jose Carillo's English Forum, I take up some strategies for avoiding semantic trouble when using the word "only" and offer advice to two students facing a tough situation in school—the first a badly written English-usage book coauthored by his professor, and the other a compulsory speak-English-only rule in the classroom.

Tagbilaran City Bohol Philippines

Putting a premium on people rather than on projects still highlights city Mayor Dan Lim's plan for the city in his last three years. 
Lim, who spoke before a huge crowd during his inauguration said "obviously, we will have more of the cornerstone programs that form the nucleus of our development thrust. More than ever, we put premium on people over projects.

He stressed that people should be the beneficiaries of all efforts, not mere collatilla to any grandstand project.

Considering however the difficult times engulfing the country, he argued that putting up health and education subsidies would be the city's provision when people are forced to prioritize food clothing and shelter.

Pioneering multiple intelligence for pre-school children and now hoping to adopt it in elementary education, Lim said Tagbilaran would continue implementing the novel teaching approach which redefines the way people understand intelligence.

Since school year 2005-2006, we have reached 3,540 children, he said, hinting that the program would still mold city preschool mindsets in the next three more years at least.

Convinced that the program works even if "its too early to see the results", he presented Philippine Jaycees awardee in 2009 for implementing the novel approach to stress his point.

He also said the city follows on its schoolchildren assistance program for elementary school pupils, one it has done in its seventh year.

The City school children assistance program gives free uniforms and school supplies to elementary kids in an effort to help parents send their kids to schools.

"A total of 57,012 pupils have availed of our freebies. Hopefully, from here on, the succeeding administrations will see to it that every public elementary school pupil in the city will be a beneficiary of this program," the mayor who will have used up his full term said.

Admitting the city's limited resources, he promised to continue giving tuition fee subsidy of P5,000.00 per semester to college scholars.

This subsidy program is available for students whose gross family income is not more than P120,000.00 annually.

Ubay Bohol Sea Port

Forty-eight hours away from walking out of the palace, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo still had her hands full.

In a brief visit to Bohol after leap-frogging from Manila to Ilo-ilo and then to Ubay, Bohol, the working president still needs to let people know that the government is not just coasting to a stop until the next administration picks up the speed. 

With time running short and still instilling the government's dream for Bohol, PGMA used two persons' help.

Instead of speaking the benefits of the rehabilitated Ubay Roll-On Roll Off (RORO) Port in Bohol's northeastern side, a construction worker and a businessman did it for her.

William Tadle, a heavy equipment operator of the construction company rehabilitating the P364M port said he had fed his family and found the work he needed to get through life decently.

Ubay port construction phase 1 was done when the country suffered from fiscal scrimp brought about by collapsing world economies in early 2009. 

The project, contributed immensely to the government's comprehensive livelihood and emergency employment program by allowing local employment, said Ubay town information Officer Virginia Dupa. 

Tadle and many other workers constructed the port back up area, reinforced concrete pier, roll on roll off ramp, dredging and disposal, port mooring and fendering systems installation and port lighting facilities installation.

In fact, even after phase I, Tadle was still hired to lend heavy equipment support for the construction of additional back up area and thus make a 1.7 hectares more of port working area, according to Marra Builders, the winning bidder for the mega infrastructure project.

On the other hand, Ruben Hamili, a Cebu based agri food supplier said the port helped in getting their hog-lines and poultry feeds supply in time to their outlets in Bohol.

Then, the shipment of stocks from Cebu to their outlets in Bohol takes about four to five days, now its two days or even overnight, assuring their customers of the freshest products, he said in Cebuano in front of the President and some crowd of 3,000.

With the construction of a wider back-up cargo storage areas, businessmen like Ruben Hamili now have the option to transport goods right at their customers doorsteps or have them stocked at the port storage areas to cut on transport costs, says a project media briefer. 

The Philippine Ports Authority funds Ubay Port, a component of the country's Strong Republic Nautical Highways and makes travel by goods and people across the islands fast and affordable while allowing the growth of local tourism.

Ubay Port serves RoRo vessels plying the Ubay-Hilongos, Ubay-Maasin and Ubay-Bato routes, while it opens the possibility of Ubay-Dinagat, Ubay-Nasipit and Ubay-Baybay.

The President, who was not expected to speak in Ubay engagement, gamely took the microphone and asked the two guys to tell the people their stories. 

Going out of the palace on Wednesday bearing a stain of criticism for corruption, records would show that the Arroyo Administration has built more that two pervious administrations combined, states Ganito Tayo Noon material printed in major national dailies late last year. 

Gloria Arroyo: Good or Bad?

As a gesture of gratitude and appreciation to outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Northern Luzon leaders on Monday gathered in full force to witness the inauguration of the reconstructed Bued Bridge in Sison, Pangasinan. 

President Arroyo gave priority to the repair of the Bued Bridge since it is vital in the transport of goods and passenger to and from provinces in Northern Luzon. 

Led by Rep. Cojuangco of the province's 5th district, the leaders expressed their gratitude to President Arroyo as she reopened the bridge to traffic. 

Manifesting his utmost gratitude to President Arroyo for projects in Pangsinan, Cojuangco described her "a very good President." 

"We owe the President a lot," Cojuangco told many constitutentswho trooped to bid farewell to outgoing President Arroyo. 

Cojuangco, a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) said although he and Pres. Arroyo were not political allies, she continued to help his district. 

Rebuilt at a cost of P120-million under the President's Bridge Program, repair of Bued Bridge began in January 4 and completed on June 13.

Cebu Pacific Air Fare Promo 2010

Cebu Pacific Air Promo 2010 We are further strengthening our Cebu and Davao hubs by adding more frequencies and encouraging every Juan to travel with our P699 'Go Lite' seat sale starting now until June 18, 2010, for travel this July 1 to August 31, 2010.

Direct flights from Cebu to 18 domestic destinations are selling for as low as the 'Go Lite' seat sale fare of P699. These destinations are Bacolod, Boracay, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Siargao, Surigao, Tacloban and Zamboanga.

Travel from Davao to Cebu, Iloilo, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro for the same P699 'Go Lite' fare!

Flights from Manila to Pagadian, Surigao and Ozamiz are selling for only P999 'Go Lite', while our Manila to Macau and Clark to Macau flights are also up for grabs for P1,499 and P999, respectively.

Philippine Politics Still Belongs to Lakas Party?

Despite its election setbacks, the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD remains the dominant party in Philippine politics and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who recently re-assumed party leadership, hopes to further improve the party's position in the future. 

In a news conference in Malacañang, Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo said while few deserted the party during the campaign period, Lakas-Kampi-CMD still has the most number of members in the House of Representatives which, he said, gives the party the status of being a major force in legislation.

"It (Lakas) continues to be dominant. It is the largest party in the Lower House. We still have governors and mayors all over the country," Saludo said, counting about 109 Lakas members who won seats in the House of Representatives during the May 10 polls.

He said that as party head, President Arroyo wants to see the party maintain its political dominance and has vowed to focus on rebuilding the party.

Filipino Economy to Grow

The Goldman Sachs sees remittance and IT service exports to continue powering the Philippine economy this year. 

In a report, dated May 27, 2010, the investment banking and securities firm said the recovery of the domestic economy "is firmly underway" as shown by the higher-than- expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 7.3 percent in the first quarter of this year, as reported by the National Statistical and Coordination Board (NSCB) Thursday.

The domestic economy grew by 0.5 percent in January to March of last year.

The government's 2010 first quarter growth target is between a range of 2.9-3.9 percent while the market expects it to grow by 4.4 percent.

Domestic demand jumped 10 percent year-on-year compared to the 5.9 percent in the last quarter of 2009, due to the increases both in the private and government consumption.

"Robust overseas remittances are likely to result in further upticks in private consumption over the next few quarters," Goldman Sachs said.

Remittances grew seven percent year-on-year in the first three months this year as demand for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) continue to be high along with the global economic recovery.

Relatively, government consumption was strong due to relief and rehabilitation disbursements as a result of the typhoons that ravaged most of the Luzon area in the second half of last year.

"The 2010 first quarter GDP print confirms the recovery process is firmly underway, and we expect it to continue to get support from the two engines of flows – stable remittances and growing IT service exports," it said.

The investment firm projects a 4.2 percent growth for the Philippines this year, higher than the 1.1 percent last year, the consensus forecast of 3.9 percent, and the 2.6-3.6 percent target of the government.

Battle of Political Parties in House of Speaker Election

It's a battle between President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who won as representative of Pampanga under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD party and Liberal Party (LP) Quezon City Mayor Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte, who won as representative of Quezon City, for the Speakership in the House of Representative for the 15th Congress. 

Lakas-Kampi-CMD political adviser Prospero "Butch" Pichay, in a radio interview, said that majority of members want President Arroyo to run as House Speaker.

"We have also the process to field only one candidate for the Speakership. As of now, we still have the number to win the Speaker. Everybody is clamoring that President Arroyo should run as Speaker of the House," he said.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte earlier said that in the fight for Speakership, a candidate should get at least 170 votes to have stability on the leadership of the House of Representatives.

"Dalawa ang lumalabas na pangalan -- si Sonny Belmonte at Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and I think they are beginning to gather potential supporters," he said.

Quezon Rep. Erin Tanada said the LP has only Sonny Belmonte to run for Speakership of the Lower House.

"Rep. Belmonte has the advantage for having been a former Speaker of the House," he said.

As of now, Tanada said the LP has 40-50 congressmen. "We have to have alliance with other parties to win the Speakership."

For his part, Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales Jr. said that a Speaker always has the blessing of the President-elect.

"Si Sonny Belmonte ang napipintong makakatuwang ni Noynoy (who is leading in this year's presidential race) to take care of the legislative agenda of this incoming President so I'm pretty sure na eventually Belmonte will be the next Speaker," he said.

Political Parties Don't Complaing of Cheating

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) here has not received even a single complaint of poll cheating during the conduct of the May 10 polls. 

However, the Comelec is investigating the use of transparencies even if they have yet to receive a formal complaint.

The massive use of transparencies was observed to be massive in Makato town.

The transparencies, which are of the same size as ballots, reportedly were used by voters as guides despite impressions that they were used as a form of vote buying.

The voter could just attach the transparencies to the ballot and manually shade the oval nearer the name of the candidate that they have voted for. The shaded portion will also be reflected in the transparencies.

"As to its legality I have to ask the opinion of the regional attorney.

"It might still be considered a case to case basis where the used of transparencies if used by an illiterate possibly legal as an aid," Comelec provincial supervisor, Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria Ananoria said.

Transparencies were allegedly distributed by a local political party here to their supporters.

Congressman Manny Pacquiao

World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao officially won the "biggest fight of his life" Thursday night, adding an eighth title that won't be at stake until the next mandatory fight after three years. 

Sarangani's Provincial Board of Canvassers (BOC) formally accorded Pacquiao the title congressman-elect at past 11:40 p.m. here Thursday after scoring a "landslide" win last May 10 in the highly-anticipated fight for the province's lone congressional seat.

Based on the final and official tally released by the BOC, the boxing champion garnered a record 120,052 votes to finish off the congressional hopes of his lone rival, businessman Roy Chiongbian, who only mustered 60,899 votes.

Pacquiao ran under his own political party People's Champ Movement (PCM) and losing presidential bet Manny Villar's Nacionalista Party (NP) while Chiongbian bannered administration coalition Sarangani Reconciliation and Reformation Organization-Lakas-Kampi-CMD (Sarro-Lakas).

"I'm very happy with this win because it's from one of the biggest fights of my life. I thank God and all the people of Sarangani for supporting me all the way," he told reporters following his proclamation at the provincial capitol's Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall.

The BOC, which was presided by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Region 12 Director Michael Abas, proceeded with the proclamation of the winning provincial candidates after completing the provincial canvassing at around 10 p.m. Thursday.

Abas said the delay was caused by the faulty configuration of the accompanying compact flash (CF) or memory cards of several precinct count optical scan of PCOS machines that were deployed in the vote-rich municipalities of Glan, Kiamba and Malungon.

He said election automation firm Smartmatic-TIM's main office in Manila was only able to deliver the CF card replacements Thursday morning.