By Gian Carlo Vizcarra

No one raised an eyebrow when Anne Curtis declared that, Ako ang nagiisang Dyosa (I am the lone goddess), during the pre-pilot promo of the fantaserye Dyosa, which is set to close its fi e-month run! After all, Anne, undeniably, has one of the prettiest faces and se"iest bodies in local showbi#! $ en before the program premiered on primetime %&, fans ha e been fondly calling the pretty actress Dyosa, proof that the public agrees with A'(-C'N management)s decision to gi e her the pri#ed role! After the impressi e bo"-office performance of the mo ie, Anne too* on her most challenging %& pro+ect- playing multiple characters in Dyosa! %he pretty actress breathes life to the roles of ,yosa Agua (-ater), %ierra (.and), Cielo (Air), %a*da, 'lac* ,yosa, /gly ,yosa and the mortal 0osephine! Anne is proud that she was able to gi e +ustice to the demands of the role1s gi en to her and that the public selflessly supported Dyosa ma*ing it the most watched primetime series in A'(-C'N! In the run of the said series, Anne went through one of the most challenging times of her life dealing with her personal relationship with (am 2ilby, who plays Adonis, one of her three leading men, alongside 3an+oe 2arudo (2ars) and .uis 2an#ano (4ulas)! According to the Dyosa production staff, Anne and (am, during the most turbulent times in their relationship, had a hard time doing scenes together! %hough they remained professional by deli ering whate er the scenes re5uired, it was ery apparent that there was a problem! 'ecause of this heartache and her stint on Dyosa, Anne has e ol ed into one of the finest actresses of her generation by turning in an unforgettable performance in the mo ie Baler! 6er effecti e portrayal of 7eli#a 8eyes, a young 7ilipina in lo e with a (panish-7ilipino soldier during the 9:;: (eige of 'aler amidst her father)s strong opposition, made her clinch the 'est Actress award in the recentlyconcluded 2etro 2anila 7ilm 7esti al!

By: Mario E. Bautista

C./' <aradise is a beautiful island resort with white sand beaches in Coron, <alawan! %his is where 8ichard =utierre# and 4C Concepcion are shooting se eral important scenes for their new film, -hen I 2et /, directed by 0oel .amangan! .ast %uesday, we too* the one hour plane ride to 'usuanga and were met at the airport by Club <aradise)s pretty and accommodating mar*eting e"ec 'ambi Arle! -e then too* a +eepney (along with other -hen I 2et / stars Alfred &argas, Iya &illania, and <aolo and 'ubbles <araiso, and writer 0un .alin of Abante and 0erry ,onato of <hilippine (tar) that too* us to the pier at 2aricaban about >? minutes away ia a dusty and bumpy rough road! 7rom the pier, we too* a big boat that too* us all to Club <aradise, which is >@ minutes away! 0un .alin got seasic* because the huge wa es continually shoo* and tossed our boat! 'ut the trip was worth it! As 8ichard and 4C they sayA 2as maganda pa yung beaches dito *aysa sa (antorini, =reece where we shot our first mo ie! -e were bac* in 2anila on %hursday afternoon, full of stories about our stay there! .oo*s li*e the romantic ambiance of the place capti ated both 8ichard and 4C as they were so sweet to each other during our entire stay there that most of us in the group concluded they must really be on by now! -e ha e full inter iews with them and all the other stars, plus ,irector 0oel .amangan who himself says that he personally feels his two lead stars are already an item!

8AC6$..$ Ann =o wrote in her face boo* account that she)s now engaged, ma*ing the writers inter iewing her at the presscon of her 2usic 2useum concert, 7alling In .o e, as* her where her engagement ring is! %here)s no ring, she says, showing both hands! It)s not true! %hen why did she indicate in her account that she)s engagedB -ala lang, she laughs! (o what)s the status of her relationship with =ab &alencianoB -e go out on dates, li*e sa 8ihanna concert! -e)re ery close! C*ay *ami! %he press release for her concert says her special guests are e"-'7 Christian 'autista and newone =ab! -ould they dare turn her downB I don)t *now! 'ut if they)d agree to be my guests, I)d be than*ful! -hat happened to the diamond nec*lace that was Christian)s gift to her when they were still onB It)s still with me! %inago *o! Na*a*ahiya naman *asing ibali* as he ga e it to me in good faith! 6indi naman *ami nag-away when we bro*e up, so no need para magsaulian ng anumang gift naming to one other! ,oes Christian *now about her and =abB 6e)s the first one I informed about us being close ni =ab! 4asi nag*i*ita *ami sa A(A<! -ala namang problema dun *asi matagal na *aming wala! -hat about the story that Christian)s courting 4arylleB I ha en)t as*ed him about it! 4ung totoo, wala namang masama! I don)t *now the real score between them at di naman a*o Dyung tipong mauunang magtanong! 'ut it)s not surprising na maging close sila *asi they did a play together! <areho silang mabait, bagay sila! -on)t she be uncomfortable with both her e" and her current singing with her in her concertB Christian naman has remained to be a good friend e en if our relationship ended! -ala namang problem! 8achelle)s 7alling in .o e concert will be held for two nights! Cn 0anuary E?, her guests are =ab, 8ichard <oon and another surprise guest! Cn 0anuary E9, her guests will be Christian, Cgie Alcasid, =ary &, plus =ab again! %he concert coincides with the launching of her new album, also titled 7alling in .o e, a collection of unforgettable lo e songs perfect for &alentine! %he concert will be directed by ,ido Camara with 2arc .ope# as musical director!

0/,F Ann (antos is not so luc*y in her try with the Cscars as , <loning was not included in the short list of mo ies being considered in the best foreign language film category! 'ut she still has reason to re+oice since she and beau 8yan Agoncillo hit the +ac*pot last 2onday and won <9 million in A'(-C'N)s 4apamilya ,eal or No ,eal! %he two ga e in to the ban*er)s offer of <9 million in e"change for their chosen briefcase which contained only <G@! It was indeed a ery intense game for 0uday and 8yan as only two amounts were left in the gameH <G@ and the <> million +ac*pot! -ho will be the ne"t millionaire after 0uday and 8yanB 'igger pri#es are at sta*e until the end of 0anuary as the show gi es up to <> million +ac*pot money! %wo 4apamilya iewers can also get the chance to watch 4,CN, in A'(-C'N by +oining the <$< Insider)s ,ream featuring <analo 'awat 4apamilya promo! ,on)t miss the e"citement in 4apamilya ,eal or No ,eal, hosted by 4ris A5uino, wee*days after 2ischie ous <rincess on A'(-C'N!

By BRENDA PIQUERO TUAZON

7ormer <resident 0oseph $strada will lead his family today in bringing the remains of his mother, ,oIa 2ary $+ercito, to her final resting place to be buried beside her husband, engineer $milio $+ercito, (r!, in the family mausoleum at the (an 0uan City Cemetery! ,oIa 2ary, who died %uesday afternoon at age 9?E, will be laid to rest following the ; a!m! mass at the <inaglabanan Church in (an 0uan City! $strada)s deceased siblings are also buried in the mausoleum! %raffic authorities issued tra el and security notices to motorists and pedestrians to a oid all roads near the church and along the route leading to the (an 0uan Cemetery due to the e"pected bumper-to-bumper traffic arising from the big number of media ehicles and those of relati es, friends, and sympathi#ers that would +oin the funeral! JIf the traffic during the three-day wa*e of ,oIa 2ary is any indication along the street fronting the church, it will ta*e more than a miracle for the cortege to reach the family mausoleum on schedule,J a (an 0uan traffic enforcer said yesterday! .ocal =o ernment (ecretary 8onaldo <uno, who was at the wa*e %hursday night, has as*ed the <hilippine National <olice to assign additional officers to reinforce the traffic contingent of the (an 0uan City go ernment led by ,oIa 2ary)s grandson, 2ayor 0! &! $+ercito! Among the dignitaries and celebrities who came to the wa*e yesterday were former Comelec Chairwoman 6arriet ,emetriou and ,eputy National (ecurity Ad iser .uis JCha itJ (ingson, whose re elations and accusations against $strada, his erstwhile close friend, led to the former <resident)s ouster in K??9! Cthers who ha e personally con eyed their sympathies to $strada were 2anila 'ulletin Chairman ,on $milio %! Fap and former 8ep! Imee 2arcos! $n ironment and Natural 8esources (ecretary 0ose J.itoJ Atien#a and his wife 'eng, and %rade and Industry (ecretary <eter 7a ila were among the members of <resident Arroyo)s Cabinet who condoled with the $strada family last %hursday night! %hey arri ed after presidential son 8ep! 2i*ey Arroyo had left! Also seen at the wa*e last %hursday was (upreme Court Associate 0ustice Consuelo Fnares, while retired (upreme Court Associate 0ustice 'ernardo <ardo e"pressed his condolence to $strada last -ednesday and stayed late into the night!

%he ,inagyang is a religious and cultural festi al in Iloilo City held on the fourth (unday of 0anuary in honor of the (to! NiIo and to celebrate the arri al of 2alay settlers in <anay, who e entually bought the island by the Atis! %he festi al began after 8e ! 7r! Ambrosio =alinde# introduced the de otion to the (to! NiIo in his local parish in 9;LG! In 9;L:, 7r! (ulpicio $ndere# brought a replica of the original image of the (to! NiIo de Cebu to Iloilo as a gift to the <arish of (an 0ose! %he faithful, led by the members of the (to! NiIo de Cebu, Iloilo chapter, wor*ed to gi e the image a fitting reception starting at the airport to the streets of Iloilo! %oday, the ,inagyang is an iconic festi al, and has been +udged the 'est %ourism $ ent of the <hilippines by the Association of %ourism Cfficers of the <hilippines (A%C<)! Iloilo s*ies will light up in the second Dinagyang Pyrolimpics on 0an! KE and K>! (i"teen competing teams from the -estern &isayas as well as Cebu and 2anila will ie for the 'est .uces in the (*y award as the 'loomfields performs at the (2 Carpar* on 0an! K> at 99 p!m! (er ices such as local tours, airline boo*ings, assistance on places to stay and dine, an rentals and boat or roro boo*ings will be a ailable in the area! A <asalubong Center will ma*e shopping for local sou enirs and delicacies easier for them! %he ,inagyang K??; acti ities at (2 City Iloilo are in partnership with the Iloilo City %ourism Cffice, the Iloilo ,inagyang 7oundation, the (2 ,epartment (tore, <hilippine Airlines, 'ennch %ransport, =lobelines, and the News today, the Daily Guardian, Iloilo Premiere, $ddie2ar News and 2aga#ine Center, (pa 8i iera and 2erriam %ransport!

By Lester Gopela Hallig

It is totally safe! .ocated at the EGth floor of the Crown 8egency 6otel M %owers in Cebu, the (*y -al* $"treme lets thrill-see*ers wal* around the edge of the building, incidentally the tallest hotel structure in the <hilippines! 6e said, %his is the first in the country and the EL?-degree iew is +ust awesome! It passed international safety standards, so don)t fear! %he platform where (*y wal*ers would step on loo*ed intimidating, but 4illgore immediately, well, *illed any more morbid thoughts that could arise! 'efore we *new it, we were already in an orange +umpsuit and white snea*ers being strapped to safety! %he guides ga e us a little briefing on safety and an added encouragement! Apparently, the deer-caught-in-the-headlights loo* in our faces had become embarrassingly e ident! -hen we finally stepped out on the platform and began our wal*, we were instantly sei#ed with a little H +ust a little H sense of panic! 8emember, you ha e someone here suffering from acrophobia! Cur guides humored us during our first few steps and ery efficiently distracted this moment of agitation by pointing out the breathta*ing iew that was set before us! Cur +aws dropped at the magnificent scenery! -e could see not +ust the whole of Cebu but e en its neighboring islands and beyond! Fou want something as far as the eyes could seeB %he (*y -al* $"treme made sure ours did! -e got too busy ta*ing in the e"perience that we absolutely forgot about our fear! %he ad enture stroll turned out to be both comforting and e"citing! %he wal* around the building too* around 9@ minutes to finish, and our stunts included sitting on the edge of the platform while our feet dangled in the air, dancing on the ledge (yes, ledge dancing to the highest le el), and being dared to loo* EG floors down! -ho *new that wal*ing would gi e such an adrenalin rushB Another *ind of adrenalin rush was waiting in the form of the $dge Coaster! 7ound at the E:th floor directly abo e the (*y -al*, the interacti e ride called $dge Coaster is the stuff man-on-the-street darede ils would instantly consider! It is the first ride of its *ind in the world! 0ust li*e the (*y -al* $"treme, the $dge Coaster is ery safe! It was done by Interacti e 8ides Inc!, *nown for building the safest and most e"treme thrill rides in the world! %heir most famous wor* is the (tratosphere in .as &egas,

4illgore said! %he ride is securely held together by double-redundant restraint systems! %hin* about itA the $dge Coaster mo es around the edge of the building and tilts @@ degrees! =i e it a try and feel li*e you)re hanging or in some instances, about to literally fall off your seat! Cf course, the riders are pro ided with +oystic*s, so they could control the tilt le el! 8ichard 4ing, chairman and C$C of 0! 4ing M (ons, is proud of his brainchild! %he (*y $"perience Ad enture is the latest attraction in the world)s amusement industry! Nowhere else can you find an amusement center li*e this at the top of a hotel building! 4ing declared, -e are definitely ta*ing the hospitality industry to e"citing new tangents! Cur future hotel pro+ects will also ha e rides and thrills similar to this! %he rides at Crown 8egency Cebu are not stopping with the (*y -al* $"treme and $dge Coaster! In K?9?, the Insanity Crbit will ta*e a bow! %he Insanity Crbit, which is being installed at the >?th floor of the building, is an in erted centrifuge that will ta*e passengers on a spin at up to three =s! It will pull riders out in escape-proof seats to an angle of G? degrees, tilting passenger)s facedown from the top floor! %he Insanity Crbit will be the second ride of its *ind in the world, following the (tratosphere! 4illgore said, %he (*y is the total e"perience! -e ha e the rides, the restaurants, the li e bands, and the hotel! It is a one-stop shop! %here is nothing li*e it in the <hilippines! <eople interested in rollercoaster must ha e thought that they only e"isted in other countries! 6ere in Cebu, it is accessible and reasonably priced! All this is our humble contribution to our tourism industry! -e are proud to say that Cebu is the only spot in the world where you can find this *ind of e"citement, 4ing concluded!

By Lester Gopela Hallig

.ocated in 2arigondon, 2actan Island in Cebu, <lantation 'ay is 99 hectares of non-stop e"citement! <lantation 'ay is that *ind of place! -ith acti ities for land- and water-, indoor- and outdoor-lo ers, the possibilities are endless! %he resort is famous for its pri ate lagoons and internal beaches! %he massi e pool has areas that couples could find shelter in andN wellO let)s say the rest is their choice, really! %he place, built in the style of a Caribbean plantation illage, has secluded ga#ebos, hushed cornersO lagoon islands, rooftops, ele ated pools, and screening foliage that pro ide pri acy, spectacular iews, and e en more spectacular pri ate moments for coo some twosomes! %hat doesn)t mean that they ha e counted out the singletons that come in groups loo*ing for ad enture and rela"ation of the highest order! $ en couples who may want to ta*e a brea* from being too pri ate together would +ump at the chance to grab some fun in the sun! ConsiderA s*iing, parasailing, 6obie cats, *aya*s and paddle boats, island-hopping, scuba di ing, wall climbing, archery, fishing and fish feeding, firing and putting ranges, tennis, gym training, billiards, air hoc*ey, -ii, <(K, *arao*e, and, yes, swimming and wading to your heart)s content! <lantation 'ay has four restaurants for the foodie in e eryoneA 7i+i, 4iliman+aro 4afP, <alermo, and (a annah =rill! 7i+i ser es seafood, 0apanese, 4orean, and other Asian cuisines while the K>-hour 4iliman+aro 4afP offers international fare! -e had a most splendid Italian dinner at <alermo and en+oyed spectacular stea*s and burgers at (a annah =rill! A new feather was recently added to the <lantation 'ay cap! CondP Nast %ra eler, for its K9st Annual 8eaders) Choice Awards K??:, listed <lantation 'ay as one of the top Asian resorts! <lantation 'ay was ran*ed 9Lth out of K@ in the %op Asian 8esorts category and emerged as the only <hilippine resort in the chart!

<lantation 'ay also ended up as the highest-rated hotel of any *ind, city or resort, in the <hilippines!

By: Jane Eleda-Mahia

7ond of night outsB <eople fra##led from wor* and stress see the wee*end as a temporary refuge! %hey go out with friends for a drin*, sometimes too many, and the ne"t day they wa*e up feeling awful! Cf course, if you drin* too much, you)ll end up ha ing a hango er! $"perts say when you drin* alcohol to e"cessO your body is unable to brea* it down fast enough so it accumulates in a harmful by product called acetaldehyde! %he li er whose function is to deto"ify the body is beleaguered by dealing with alcohol and that creates a terrible feeling! ,ehydration is the main cause of a hango er! Alcohol robs the body of water, itamins and minerals! 6ere are some tips before you go on a drin*ing spreeA QEat a fatty meal and drink a glass of milk before you venture for a party. $"perts say this will slow down the absorption of alcohol! QDo not drink in excess. %a*e it slow when drin*ing! QAvoid mixing of drinks QAlternate water with alcohol. -ater pre ents dehydration and helps in slowing down alcohol absorption! If you still end up with a hango er, here are some steps of copingA R%ry homemade soup According to health e"perts, homemade soup will help replace potassium and salt your body loses when you drin*! RDrink fruit juices 7ruit +uice contains fructose which helps the body burn alcohol faster! 7ructose or le ulose is a crystalline sugar, the sweetest of the sugars! It increases the rate at which the body metaboli#es and eliminates alcohol!

RDrink plenty of water $"perts ad ise to drin* water before you go to bed and again when you get up in the morning! %his will relie e discomfort caused by dehydration! RHave a balanced meal %a*ing a balanced meal will replace essential nutrients! 'ut remember to *eep the meal light! RTake !complex &itamin '-comple" refers to all of the *nown essential water-soluble itamins e"cept for itamin C! %hese include thiamine ( itamin '9), ribofla in ( itamin 'K), niacin ( itamin 'E), pantothenic acid ( itamin '@), pyrido"ine ( itamin 'L), biotin, folic acid and the cobalamins ( itamin '9K)! According to health e"perts, your system uses up more ' itamins when it is under stress! -hen you drin* too much alcohol your body gets stressed! RTake pain reliever <ain relie ers can ease your headache! R"est According to e"perts, the best cure for a hango er is ta*ing a K>-hour rest! 6a e a good night sleep so that the ne"t day you)ll be ready again for another day)s wor*! RDrink in moderation %oo much alcohol can gi e you unpleasant symptoms such as headache, thirst, muscle ache, nausea, omiting, stomach pain, rapid heart beat, sensiti ity to light and sound, di##iness, sha*iness, mood disturbance, depression, irritation or an"iety and fatigue! (o, in drin*ing as in eating, the *ey is always moderation! 8esearch says that around G@ percent of people who drin* to into"ication will end up with a hango er! It depends on how much you drin* and what you drin*! %o a oid the awful pain of a hango er, the best ad ice is not to drin* at all or drin* in moderation!

By: Jane Eleda-Mahia

#tart with your bed 2a*e your bed in the morning! %he room loo*s chaotic if the bed is not fi"ed! An unmade bed is unin iting and depressing! $ever leave dishes in the sink Aside from the fact that you)re in iting insects, pests and bacteria, dishes that are not washed are an eyesore! Fou should ne er lea e your dishes in the sin* especially before you go to bed at night or when you lea e the house for the day! It is nice to start your day with an in iting atmosphere waiting for you in your home and not ha ing the feeling of guilt because of an unfinished tas*! %lean the house regularly It is important to schedule household chores and honor the commitment such as dusting, acuuming, wa"ing, rubbing, etc! A home that is tended to regularly is ne er hard to maintain! Cn the other hand, a neglected one will ma*e you feel tired though you ha e not yet started cleaning it! Take trash out everyday Cleaning your house means ta*ing out all the garbage e eryday! ,o not allow trash to accumulate! <ests such as rats, coc*roaches and ants won)t party in your house if it is clean! Toss excess packaging -ith products that you buy e erydayO it will loo* tidier if you put plastic bags or any pac*aging that comes with your product in the trash or put it inside your drawer for future use! Dirty clothes belong in laundry basket After changing clothes, don)t lea e them scattered in your room because it can be isually depressing with so much clutter! <ut them in their proper place H the laundry bas*et! &et rid of old papers' maga(ines that are not important to you If you)re fond of buying newspapers e eryday or if you subscribe to maga#ines, toss the oldest issue when the latest issue arri es! Fou can gi e them away to students for their school use or fund raising dri e! )ut some plants inside your house <lants gi e off o"ygen and are pleasing to the eye! And from the point of feng shui, plants are auspicious! 7eng shui says it is always good to grow plants in the house! urn an energi(ing aromatherapy candle 7or a calmer spirit, burn an energi#ing aromatherapy candle while you)re getting dressed in the morning and a calming aroma for a 5uiet night! Teach your kids to create an organi(ed environment Fou) e done your part in creating a calmer home! %he last thing to do is to teach your

children how to create one! =i e them the gift of an organi#ed en ironment! An organi#ed home is a soothing place to li e in!

By Perseus Echeminada

0ustice (ecretary 8aul =on#ale# warned that allegations of irregularities being hurled at the ,epartment of 0ustice and the (upreme Court could be aimed at destroying the +udiciary and the national prosecution ser ice! (pea*ing to reporters at the wee*ly /sapang ,aungan sa ,anarra hotel in Sue#on City, =on#ale# said once the +udiciary and the prosecution ser ice ha e been destroyed, the go ernment)s destruction would follow! Fou destroy the +udiciary, you destroy the go ernment, he said! =on#ale# said the series of e ents triggered by allegations of a <@?-million bribe to go ernment prosecutors lea*ed by the <hilippine ,rug $nforcement Agency (<,$A) has now reached the (upreme Court! Chief 0ustice 8eynato <uno is now under threat of impeachment for allegedly sitting on the dis5ualification case of Negros Criental 8ep! 0ocelyn .im*aichong, he added! (ome unseen forces are manipulating the e ents to place the +udiciary and prosecution ser ice in a bad light, he added! =on#ale# said he is standing firm on his claim that the detail of 2arine 2a+! 7erdinand 2arcelino to the <,$A had iolated the constitutional pro ision that acti e military personnel are banned from holding posts in go ernment agencies and go ernment-controlled corporations!

%he <,$A)( militari#ation might ha e contributed to lapses in the antidrug operations because military officers often disregard standard police operating procedures when arresting suspected drug traffic*ers, =on#ale# said!

By Craig Snyder

I am a lobbyist! <art of my +ob is see*ing appropriations Jearmar*sJ for clients! I ha e the e"pertise and networ* to do this effecti ely, ha ing passed through the Jre ol ing doorJ from Capitol 6ill to J4 (treet,J as a (enate chief of staff! According to the emergent iew, I am part of a Jculture of corruptionJ and my wor* has about it, at least, Jan appearance of impropriety!J According to the agenda of the self-appointed reformers, the mainstream press (which has apparently bought this world iew without critical thin*ing) and e en the 8epublican leadership (ha ing re i ed the 9;@?s Jduc* and co erJ drill for this issue), lobbying should be further regulated or simply terminated! %he problem is that this new con entional wisdom is false and threatens fundamental constitutional alues! %he JreformersJ ha e re i ed the tactic of guilt by association! ,irty lobbyists and congressmen should be punished! 'ut their crimes donTt ma*e the entire profession dirty anymore than, as one friend put it, we need Jban*ing reformJ because we ha enTt eliminated ban* robbery! .obbying is +ust the pe+orati e word for free e"pression, for petitioning our go ernment for the redress of grie ances! 'ut people shouldnTt ma*e money from the e"ercise of their 7irst Amendment rights, itTs said! C4, then e eryone who ma*es money from %& news or maga#ines is dirty too! %he argument continues - lobbyists and their rich clients ha e special access, purchased through campaign contributions, which gi e an unfair ad antage to the free e"pression of some! Nonsense! Cf course not e ery American can e5ually e"ercise the right to petition the go ernment, +ust li*e not e eryone can e5ually e"ercise the right of free speech by owning a newspaper! 'ut the genius of our democracy allows, e en encourages, the oice of the entire nation, in its full

di ersity, to be heard in the halls of power - in other words, to be lobbied for! (ome of ,CTs biggest and most winning lobbies - AA8<, the (ierra Club, the ChildrenTs ,efense 7und, etc! -proclaim themsel es as oices of the J oiceless!J 6ow ama#ing is it that in recent Jin estigati e newsJ articles about lobbying and earmar*s, reporters donTt mention that the JCenter for 8esponsi e <oliticsJ and similar groups, are lobbyists themsel es, paid to ad ocate for certain policy outcomesB (o what about these earmar*sB %he 5uestion shouldnTt be the moti es of those who as* for earmar*s or of those who champion them in Congress, but about the merits of this type of federal spending! %he entire federal budget, e ery penny of it, is an earmar*! ItTs all congressionally directed spending! %hatTs what the Constitution re5uires! (o why are some of CongressT uses of its power of the purse sub+ect to such scrutiny and scornB (urely itTs not because these budget items ha e been shown to be, as a group, any more wasteful or wrongly directed than other items within the great bul* of federal spending which Congress has, de facto, turned o er to the bureaucracy! $ en if you accept the (inflated) numbers on earmar* spending put out by opponents of the process, it amounts to 9 percent of federal spending specifically directed by elected representati es in Congress! %he rest is controlled by unelected bureaucrats! I often see earmar*s that are CongressT e"ercise, not only of its rightful constitutional power, but of its obligation of o ersight with respect to the manifold failures, political influences and pre+udices that systematically warp the e"ecuti eTs spending decisions - from the <entagon to the NI6, 66(, the ,epartment of $ducation, and so on! 2aybe pro+ects I lobby for are worthwhile, in the national interest and necessary to redress flaws in e"ecuti e agency decision-ma*ing! 2aybe not! 'ut thatTs what the debate should be about, not an ad hominem attac* on the legitimacy of citi#ens ad ocating their own iews and interests with their own elected officials! 2y own earmar* practice has included funds for an awareness campaign to promote early diagnosis of autism, e5uipment which helped the military dramatically reduce Jfriendly fireJ casualties in the Ira5 in asion, and college scholarships for poor, rural high schoolers!

If the public becomes con inced that funding these and countless meritorious pro+ects around the nation is corrupt - by a media consciously or unconsciously supporti e of efforts by the ,emocrats to regain power by destroying public trust in Congress - the country will regret it and a future Congress will doubtlessly ha e to reform the JreformsJ of K??L!

By Paul A. Miller,

I read with great interest your recent editorial 'ogus 8eform and found it to be another in a stream of attempts to paint this issue in the wrong light! As a lobbyist who has wor*ed ery hard this year to ensure that any reforms are real and ma*e a difference, I ha e to sha*e my head when I read that the 6ouse somehow failed in its lobbying reform efforts! I totally disagree! I am actually disappointed in both the 6ouse and (enate for attempting to pass any 8eforms! It)s not because I don)t want to follow the rules, or because I am afraid to comply with any new rules, but rather because there is no e idence the current (ystem is bro*en! .et)s be honest about thisA %he system caught 0ac* Abramoff and he is going to prison! %his is not a widespread lobbying scandal! %his is about the actions of one lobbyist who, no matter what the rules, would ha e decided to brea* them! Congress can)t legislate morality! Any attempt to portray this as anything more is either a *nee-+er* reaction or pure grandstanding for the upcoming elections! If the American people truly are clamoring for reform, then the prudent things to do are, first and foremost, let the 0ustice ,epartment complete its in estigation! Cnly then can we fully understand the scope of this case! (econd, before we pass legislation, it would be prudent for us to re iew the current .obbying ,isclosure Act to see what wor*s and what doesn)t! %hirdly, if you want real reform that is going to ha e meaning, you should allow those of us who li e this +ob e ery day an opportunity to help you draft a bill that ma*es a difference! And finally, before we can e en get to this point, we need to figure out how we plan to enforce any new rules H a pro ision missing from all current lobbying reform legislation! If you want any legislation that will be effecti e, you want 2embers of Congress to rely on e"perts in those fields to help! %here is nothing wrong with saying it, or for

2embers to utili#e us to craft a bill that will be meaningful for e eryone! .obbyists aren)t loo*ing for loopholes! -e want a fair bill that allows us to do our +obs honestly and ethically, but which doesn)t place unfair burdens on what we do +ust because people don)t fully understand the alue we offer the legislati e process! I thin* e eryone can agree that the abuses in the current case are e"treme, but let)s not place the burden on an entire profession for the actions of a small number of people! -e don)t do it for any other professionO why do it hereB I am +ust as*ing that we place the blame where it belongs and not punish those of us who practice our profession honorably each and e ery day!

By Alejandro R. Roces

*t is good news that the %hief Executive of the land has designated herself as anti!drug c(ar after issues of corruption and bribery among the responsible sectors in the anti!drug campaign cropped up. This development came up when officers of the )hilippine Drug Enforcement Agency +)DEA, who arrested the so called Alabang oys for drug pushing are being censured for having no legal basis in doing so. This is not the first time that )DEA-s drug busting efforts were ridiculed and put to naught when those arrested were released because of .lack of evidence/' despite the presence of clear and incriminating proof' i.e.' the drug laboratories and its facilities and e0uipment used in drug production and testimonies of witnesses. This time' no less than state prosecutors of the Department of 1ustice +D21, are allegedly involved in facilitating the release of the three arrested individuals. *t seems these people' including the reported 34 big!time drug syndicates in the country are well!protected by a solid network of officials entrenched in key agencies of the government. Hence' )resident &loria 5acapagal!Arroyo-s decision to take over the leadership of the drug campaign' even for a brief period while the case of the Alabang oys is being investigated' is definitely strategic. Hopefully' this approach will ensure transparency and truthfulness in the investigation that will lead government!wide efforts to make the country drug! free in the right direction. The allegations of bribery in the highest tribunal of the land that is supposed to uphold justice endangers the very foundations of the government. *t is ironic that the )hilippines is known to be the predominantly "oman %atholic country in the 6ar East and yet is considered one of the most corrupt based on the 3778 &lobal %orruption "eport released by Transparency *nternational +T*,. The same report indicates that our country has become more corrupt in the past ten years. T*-s %orruption )erception *ndex +%)*, scores the )hilippines with a 9.7' where a score of :7signifies a highly corrupt system and a score of :97/ signifies a highly .clean/ country. ;hen this survey was launched in 9<<=' we were rated with a >.> %)*? in 377@' 3.> and now with a 9.7. This only means that the government-s effort to fight corruption is not making headway and is even becoming worse. This high!profile case involving some state prosecutors is expected to worsen the already besmirched perception of the country as corrupt. This is not good especially that under a Anited $ations +A$, 5emorandum of Agreement' T*-s &lobal %orruption *ndex is now used as a main tool by A$E#%2 in measuring the attainment of various governments- objectives under the 5illennium Development &oals +5D&s,. This development came after T* released a report showing that unchecked corruption adds B=7 billion to the cost of achieving the 5D&s on water and sanitation alone. 2ther global development and donor agencies have followed suit? in fact' last month' a large!scale grant from the Anited #tates 5illennium %hallenge %orporation +5%%, was

not given to us after 5%% released a report that the )hilippines failed to pass a scorecard it uses to assess a country-s eligibility for assistance. 5%%-s aim is' through selected threshold eligible countries' to reduce global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth. 5%%-s oard called upon the )hilippine government to intensify its efforts to fight corruption' saying that its performance will be closely monitored. %learly' financial assistance for countries is now tied up to a government-s efficiency in the use of resources. ;e call on our government agencies to get their acts together and rid their ranks of corrupt administrators. This calls for exemplary behavior from the top leaders of the land. ;e call on each individual to seek what is good and to avoid all forms of corruption and dishonesty and to be more responsible in the practice of their faith. Cet us all help our country live up to being the predominant "oman %atholic country in this part of the world.

.C( AN=$.$( +A), D 7ugiti e director 8oman <olans*i has no right to a hearing on a motion to dismiss his E9-year-old se" case because he refuses to appear in court, a prosecutor asserted 7riday! <rosecutor ,a id -algren said in newly filed documents that <olans*i flouted the law when he fled to 7rance to a oid sentencing for the statutory rape of a 9E-year-old girl! 6e said the director has no right to a hearing until he submits to the courtTs +urisdiction! 6e added that the now->@-year-old ictim, who wants to spea* at the hearing -ednesday to urge dismissal, should not be heard unless he appears! <olans*iTs lawyer says he has no plans to e er return to the /nited (tates but claims the case can be heard without him! If <olans*i chose to attend the hearing, he would be immediately arrested! -algren said little has changed legally since the day in 9;G: when <olans*i failed to appear in a (anta 2onica courtroom for sentencing! J%he defendant ignored a lawful and alid court order to appear in court and instead chose to flee to the comforts of 7rance,J he said!

JIt would be a farce for this court to re iew the case when it has no +urisdiction o er the defendant,J the prosecutor said! -algren argued that allowing such a hearing would iolate the basic principle of the fugiti e disentitlement doctrine, that Ja fugiti e from +ustice has no right to as* the court to re iew the ery +udgment that the fugiti e flouts!J As for the ictimTs right to spea*, -algren concludedA J/ntil such time that the defendant submits to this courtTs +urisdiction and the court holds a hearing, the time is not ripe for the ictim, either personally or through her attorney, to be heard in court!J

By Donnabelle L. Gatdula

%he National =rid Corp! of the <hilippines (N=C<), the new operator of the country)s power grid formerly run by National %ransmission Corp! (%ransCo), e"pects to pour in <9? billion in capitals yearly to fund the transmission pro+ects! -e need to in est <9? billion a year! Although in K??; and K?9?, we may need to in est more because there ha e been bac*logs, N=C< president and C$C -alter 'rown told reporters, pointing out they would ha e to catch up with some pro+ects that %ransCo has left behind! It would be noted that some pro+ects were temporarily deferred pending the entry of the new concessionaire! At this point, we need short-term funds! -e are currently tal*ing with se eral ban*s for this financing, he said! 6e noted there are se eral pro+ects that ha e been halted due to the transition to a new operator! 6e added the <9? billion capitals they would spend e ery year for %ransCo is part of their commitment under the country)s %ransmission ,e elopment <lan! /nder the pri ati#ation terms, the concessionaire, upon assumption of the operations of %ransCo, would need to infuse a certain le el of capital a year to finance the company)s upgrading and e"pansion programs! 'ased on the %,< appro ed by the $nergy 8egulatory Commission for the period K??L-K?9?, %ransCo would need U:@? million to maintain the reliable ser ices of the country)s transmission highway! %he Asian ,e elopment 'an* and the International 7inance Corp! earlier e"pressed interest to pro ide assistance of up to UK?? million to the winning concessionaire of %ransCo!

%he concession agreement allows N=C< to pay an upfront payment of K@ percent or U9 billion of the UE!;-billion winning bid! %he remaining G@ percent will be paid within K? years with annual fi"ed interest of nine percent at an e"change rate of <>K to a dollar! %he N=C< chief said they would gi e priority to pro+ects that impro e the efficiency of the company li*e the uprating and upgrading of lines and moderni#ation of the systems operation of %ransCo! N=C< is a consortium made up of 2onte Cro =rid 8esources Corp!, Calaca 6igh <ower Corp! and (tate =rid Corporation of 6ong 4ong .td! %he consortium won the concession to operate and manage the system run by %ransCo in a public bidding conducted by the go ernment in ,ecember K??G! %he consortium offered UE!;@ billion for the concession contract!

By Ted P. Torres

%he <hilippine (a ings 'an* (<('an*) is loo*ing to grow by another eight branches to hit 9GK for its networ* by end K??;! 'y ,ecember last year, it was already operating 9L> branches! -e will continue with our commitment to ma*e ban*ing more con enient to the public, <('an* president <ascual =arcia III said! %he planned new branches will be located in <uerto <rincesa, <alawanO 'alanga, 'ataanO 'utuan CityO <arang, 2ari*inaO %aguigO .ipa City, 'atangasO and two more! %hree branch applications ha e already been gi en appro al by the 'ang*o (entral ng <ilipinas ('(<), three more ha e already been submitted for appro als! After lifting the branch e"pansion moratorium, monetary authorities ha e allowed ban*s to open fi e new branches at a time before it will entertain fi e new applications! (o far, K??: was a good year for <('an*, especially in the consumer mar*et! 'ut li*e most ban*s, the thrift ban* of the 2etroban* =roup of Companies e"perienced lower trading opportunities due to the global credit crisis that did not spare the <hilippines, as well as the rest of the region!

.ast year, <('an* also tapped the capital mar*ets to ensure a strong li5uidity position as Asia including the <hilippines is e"pected to remain in the negati e to sluggish state in K??;! Cur strong capital le els will allow us to pursue strategic in estment and business growth opportunities to supplement our organic growth, <('an* is a *ey player in consumer ban*ing with its <:!K billion in capital and <L; billion in assets, end (eptember K??:! Aside from its current 9L> branches, it also operates 9L: A%2s nationwide!

%he <hilippine ,eposit Insurance Corp! (<,IC) said that the proposed doubling of the ma"imum deposit insurance co erage, from <K@?,??? to <@??,???, which has recently passed second reading in the (enate, is a preempti e response to the deepening global financial crunch! <,IC <resident 0ose C! Nograles said that the proposed doubling of the ma"imum deposit insurance co erage should confidence in the stability of the ban*ing system! 6e said that it is consistent with current global initiati es that stri e to address the financial crisis currently unsettling economies around the world! Sueried on whether the 9@ ban*s placed under <,IC recei ership by the 2onetary 'oard of the 'ang*o (entral ng <ilipinas ('(<) including the 9E ban*s recently identified with the .egacy =roup will be co ered by the increase in deposit insurance co erage, Nograles clarified that those ban*s as well as others which ha e already been closed to date, will not be co ered by the increase! Nograles admitted that the <hilippine ban*ing system remains strong! %he initiati e shows go ernment)s foresight to plan ahead! %his is needed at a time li*e this when the world faces a borderless crisis of confidence! %he <,IC is also proposing corollary measures to support the increase in deposit insurance co erage! Among these are institutional strengthening measures such as the grant of authority for the <,IC to conduct complementary e"amination

of ban*s! %his will gi e <,IC the fle"ibility for first-hand assessment of ris*s at any time! %hese measures, along with se eral others being proposed, will enable the <,IC to safeguard the ,eposit Insurance 7und (,I7), which is the source of insurance payouts! %hey will help mitigate moral ha#ard that may accompany an increase in deposit insurance co erage! 6owe er, the '(< and se eral pri ate ban*s e"pressed their apprehension o er increasing the deposit insurance le el! .arger amounts in deposit insurance would only encourage depositors to be rec*less in their choice of ban*s, and that unscrupulous ban*ers may e"ploit such state guarantees that could lead to a wea*er ban*ing! <ri ate 'an*s said that increasing the le el of deposit insurance was not the answer to irresponsible ban*ing!

By Zinnia De La Pe a

%he stoc* mar*et shuddered yesterday from crumbling share prices across Asia, plunging more than 9K percent V the steepest di e in four years V in raucous sell-offs that forced a 9@-minute suspension of trading! %he inde" lost KE;!LL points to close at 9,G9EO it)s lowest in more than four years! %urno er was thin at 9!9 billion shares worth <9!L billion with 9KE issues down, 9E unchanged and fi e up! It was the first time the bourse had enforced a 9@-minute trading halt since it instituted the safety measure V called the circuit brea*er rule V last month as shoc* wa es from the /( sub-prime mortgage crisis began to spread around the world! %he main inde" plunged 9;>!EE points to 9,G@;!9L when trading was stopped from 99AKE a!m! to 99AE: a!m! to dampen the selling fren#y! %he day)s biggest losers up to that time were $"port and Industry 'an*, a small lender that is down nearly E; percent, and the <hilippine (toc* $"change, which saw shares down E?!> percent! (hares of 'anco de Cro di ed K> percent after the country)s second largest ban* by assets reported a third 5uarter net loss of <9!E billion primarily due to pro isions for its e"posure to ban*rupt .ehman 'rothers!

%he problem with panic selling is that in estors are selling out of pure emotion rather than based on fundamentals! Almost e ery mar*et crash is a result of panic selling, .im said! Among the stoc*mar*et)s sub indices, the ser ices sector was the hardest hit plummeting 9E!K@ percent followed by the holding firms, which lost 9?!L; percent and financials, 9?!@K percent! Cther Asian mar*ets e"tended their losses amid s*epticism that mo es by policy ma*ers will be enough in the short-term to sta e off erosion of economies or sharp drops in corporate earnings! .ocal stoc* in estors are e"pected to continue getting hints from de elopments o erseas, and more are li*ely to see* safer in estment ha ens! A slew of economic indicators and corporate results are due this wee* in the /(, $urope and 0apan!

7ranc(wiss In estment has been alarmed lately, as authorities ha e foiled its acti ities! %o placate them, 7ranc(wiss sent them a te"t message, telling their in estors that the ser er will be up anytime, and that 4orina (anche# will clear up any bad press regarding the issue! 'ut how does 4orina (anche# fit into the whole schemeB According to $li Castillo, chief financial ad iser of 7ranc(wiss, who was captured recently by authorities, 4orina (anche# in ested in the said website! According to him, 4orina in ested roughly 9@ million, and was recruited by a certain 0ay 6eredia, who was supposedly in the showbi# industry as well! I categorically deny ma*ing any in estment in 7ranc(wiss, 4orina (anche# says, in her press statement! (he further says that her name is +ust being used by scam artists to attract more in estors! It was irresponsible for the National 'ureau of In estigation to ma*e the rec*less allegation and destroy my

reputation as a broadcast +ournalist, which I carefully built and protected through the years, 4orina adds! Apparently, Claudine 'arretto and husband, 8aymart (antiago ha e also in ested in 7ranc(wiss, and held meetings at their home with 7ranc(wiss, together with $li Castillo himselfW 7ormer Isabela =o ernor 'en+amin ,y and his brother, &ictor ,y were said to ha e in ested in the said company, which he denies! As such, authorities decide to dig deeper in the issue and tal* with the people concerned, so as to clear e erything, and once and for all declare whether 7ranc(wiss is a swindler or not!

%he <hilippines lost a net U9!> billion in foreign portfolio in estments as funds pulled out of stoc*s, securities and ban* deposits in K??:, the central ban*! %his was a sharp re ersal from a net foreign portfolio in estment of UE!@ billion in K??G, it said in a statement! %he global financial turmoil, which was precipitated by the /( subprime mortgage crisis, has led to recession in many countries across the globe and heightened ris* a ersion among in estors, central ban* go ernor Amando %etangco said! %he deficit came as gross capital outflows fell 9; percent from a year earlier to U;!G billion while gross inflows plunged >L percent to U:!E billion last year, including U@!G billion ploughed into stoc*s, %etangco said!

A first &awad Ealinga +=4) eco!village will soon be built in

arangay

)andan here, the home of 'olo 'each-one of the alternati e and beautiful ecotourist destinations in the city! &E %ommunity Development 6oundation *nc. national president Antonio 5eloto, Alaminos City 5ayor Hernani A. ragan(a and Cyndon on(on, =4 regional coordinator recently in*ed the 5emorandum of Agreement on Asufruct at the city fiesta)s opening day ceremonies held at <la#a 2arcelo Ccha e! %he city will also gi e =4 7oundation free access of titles and land documents to the properties for the full and effecti e implementation of the =4 programs! =awad 4alinga will be preparing the site de elopment plan, feasibility study as well the legal, technical, financial and architectural and engineering plans!

=4 is also in charge in organi#ing a =awad 4alinga 4apitbahayan and its residents to plan for sustainable li elihood pro+ects for income generation! %his community association will soon ser e as an instrument of change, renewal and transformation of indi idual, families and whole community! %he foundation is also e"pected to establish ma+or components of the =4 programs! %hese include TATA&' #* 2C' &EA ' #A&*)' #*EA), and CA#2&, which readily address the important concerns of the beneficiaries on shelter, education, health, nutrition and li elihood!

Abbott .aboratories recently +oined the roster of A'(-C'N 7oundationTs 'antay 'ata 9LE partners! In a meeting with 'antay 'ata 9LE representati es on Cctober 9, company officials led by $dwin 7eist, Abbott .aboratories president and general manager, pledged their support for the foundationTs pro+ects! 7eist said that they chose 'antay 'ata 9LE because they belie e in the foundationTs mission of touching young peopleTs li es and protecting them from harm! 6e hoped that this act would inspire other companies and indi iduals to acti ely participate not only in health-related underta*ings but in humanitarian causes as well! Abbott .aboratories is e"tending financial assistance to 'antay 'ata 9LE, which is now in its se enth year! 'antay 'ata 9LE representati e Net-Net %orres e"pressed appreciation to Abbott for re-cogni#ing 'antay 'ata 9LETs efforts and ta*ing part in its acti ities!

(he saidA J%he foundation started se en years ago only as a K>-hour hotline for cases of child abuse, child abandonment, and emergency cases of child rescue!J It has gone a long way since then and has been able to attract local and international companies and organi#ations to help its cause! ,uring the meeting, 7eist also re iewed AbbotTs performance and achie ements o er the years and presented a glimpse of its K??@ plans! 6e highlighted the companyTs strengths!

%omputers for )ublic Cearning *nstitution 2ctober 3774 #an 1ose Elementary #chool ! 5auban Fue(on %ity 5etro 5anila A computer set was donated to the (AN 0C($ $.$2$N%A8F (C6CC. in 2A/'AN,S/$3CN CI%F! (tudents will now benefit from a brand-new unit with printer from 6andog Natin! %hese were done in coordination with principal, ,r!8obert 2acasieb and 2rs!-ilma Casas! -e hope that the pupils from this urban area will somehow boost their interest and *nowledge in computer and become competiti e in the future! alasan %entral Elementary #chool- Iloilo City %his public elementary school in 'alasan Iloilo in the &isayas region of the <hilippines, comprises of E?? to >?? pupils in different grades has been chosen by 6N as the recipient of a brand new computer unit with printer which will help in the childrenTs computer literacy programs enabling them to be confident and competiti e in their early school years!

Tuguegarao %ity' %agayan %he beaureu of Alternati e .earning (ystem under the ,ept of $ducation Culture M (ports through the coordination with the head of the Cut-of-(chool Fouth .earning ,i ision,2r! 2ateo 2acababbad has sought the assistance of 6andog Natin in order to meet their mandate of helping eradicate the twin problems of illiteracy and po erty in this area by introducing and implementing literacy program for identified indi iduals and would-be-learners and their Accreditations and $5ui alency (ystem for the school drop-outs in the elementary and secondary le els! %he new computer unit will play a ma+or role in carrying out these ob+ecti es and boost the morale of our youths ta*ing part of this pro+ect!

A program which integrates the four pillars of the A'( C'N 7oundation Inc! (A7I) V 'antay 'ata, $-2edia 1 $ducational %!&!, 'antay 4ali*asan and 'ayan 2icrofinance V 'ayani0uan (%he 6eroes of 0uan) aims to rehabilitate the most impo erished and disad antaged regions in the <hilippines! .aunched in K??G, this comprehensi e campaign came to be following A7I)s years of in ol ement in arious rehabilitation efforts across the country! -ith each of these hard-hit regions re5uiring assistance and aide in numerous aspects, it was but natural that A7I combines the efforts of its *ey programs into one giant pro+ect! Among the areas named as *ey target sites for K??: is the pro ince of 'icol, in (outhern .u#on! (ituated along the <acific seaboard, 'icol was battered by two powerful typhoons in ,ecember K??L and the whole pro ince has been slow to reco er since! A7I belie es that with the initiation of an all-embracing program that pro ides childcare and nutrition, education, en ironmental rehabilitation and

microfinance, 'icol and other *ey target sites of 'ayani0uan could e entually raise again!

%he year K??> saw a lot of de astation across the <hilippines brought on by powerful storms and typhoons! 7our of the most destructi e typhoons (/nding, &ioleta, -innie and Foyong) struc* towards the end of the year and left damages in central and southern .u#on (north <hilippines) amounting to more than <6< @!G billion (appr"! U9K? million) while lea ing thousands of casualties and fatalities in their wa*es! Confronted with such ruin and destruction, the A'( C'N 7oundation Inc! (A7I) +oined hands with its parent company, the A'( C'N 'roadcasting Corporation, and put together a wee*-long, nationwide telethon to aide the ictims of these iolent storms! %he result was a resounding response from more than 9?,??? donors gi ing gifts totaling <6< 9!@; billion (appr"! U E@!> million)! %he telethon helped more than :L,L?? families with the distribution of relief goods and medical supplies and the rehabilitation of infrastructure! -ith the success of this campaign, the (agip 4apamilya program was born! (ince then, (agip 4apamilya has forged partnerships with *ey go ernment and pri ate

institutions in the <hilippines and around the world to pro ide immediate aide and assistance in emergency situations! In North America, the (agip 4apamilya program has helped solicit help for the ictims of the K??> typhoons, the K??L .eyte mudslide, the K??L -owowee stampede, and the K??G (outhern California -ildfires, among others!

By Katherine Adraneda

%he Commission on 6uman 8ights (C68) e"pressed support in principle for the go ernment)s anti-illegal drugs campaign but warned officials to pro ide additional layers of protection for 7ilipino students! %he C68 said that without the necessary guidelines to implement the antidrug campaign, particularly random drug testing on studentsO it can potentially put the child)s human rights in danger of being iolated! C68 chairperson .eila de .ima in a statement said that anti-drug measures should be fully compliant with international and constitutional standards upholding, promoting, and protecting the rights of the child! %he commission fears that in the absence of guidelines formulated in a democratic, consultati e manner, this random drug testing focused on the youth of this land, especially in the hands of o er#ealous law enforcement officers, can potentially put the child)s human rights in danger of being iolated, she added! ,e .ima said that the random drug testing li*ewise has the capacity to ma*e the 7ilipino child insecure in his or her own person, which is completely antithetical to the ideals and protecti e stance of the Con ention, which this go ernment is duty-bound to implement! %he C68 recommended that the go ernment ha e a more thoughtful, comprehensi e, child-sensiti e approach in dealing with the issue through a series of dialogues and consultations with all agencies and sta*eholders concerned! 2eanwhile, (enate 2inority .eader A5uilino <imentel 0r! raised the point of constitutionality regarding the mandatory drug testing, while (en! <anfilo .acson challenged those who want to 5uestion the order by raising the issue before the courts!

I now ha e my doubts about its constitutionality, this (random drug test) might need testing in the (upreme Court, <imentel said!

By Iris Gonzales

%he =o ernment (er ice Insurance (ystem (=(I() will compete with the pri ate sector in biding for the 7ood %erminal Inc! (7%I) in %aguig City! -inston =arcia, =(I( president and general manager, said the state pension fund will construct an interchange to lin* the 7%I to the C-@ 8oad, which stretches from %aguig to Sue#on City! %he interchange would conse5uently lin* the 7%I to the Ninoy A5uino International Airport to attract in estors, he added! =arcia said the =(I( plans to ac5uire the 9K?-hectare 7%I for <G billion or below the finance department)s initial estimate of <9? billion! =arcia said the 7%I would be an in estment for =(I(! 6e is the only long-term player who can afford to honor the long-term lease contracts of the go ernment with agricultural companies, he added! 6e plans to bring in real estate companies that would help =(I( de elop the property, =arcia said! %he 7%I, an agro-industrial commercial estate in %aguig, was originally built to be a food processing and consolidation center for agricultural products! It houses more than E?? small-to-medium scale companies engaged in different industries such as manufacturing, garments and electronics! %he go ernment is planning to sell the 7%I this year to help raise re enues! Aside from =(I( and the Ayala =roup, other 7ilipino de elopers are interested in ac5uiring 7%I! 6owe er, the go ernment has still to formally announce the pri ati#ation of 7%I!

Ac5uiring the 7%I would be strategic for the Ayala =roup as the area is near 'onifacio =lobal City in %aguig operated by Ayala .and, Inc! and other companies! In K??E Ayala .and, along with $ ergreen 6oldings Inc! of the Campos =roup, purchased a controlling sta*e in 'onifacio .and ,e elopment Corp! from 6ong 4ong)s 2etro <acific Corp! 'onifacio =lobal City is home to upscale condominiums li*e $ssensa, (erendra, <acific <la#a and 8egent <ar*way and office buildings such as Net Cne and 'onifacio %echnology Center, and lu"ury car dealer .e"us 2anila recently inaugurated its showroom! It is also the site of a ma+or shopping center, Ayala .and)s 2ar*etW 2ar*etW

(tudents of the /ni ersity of the <hilippines would often run to 2ang 2eliton for help! %he lowly +anitor was a regular employee of the state uni ersity and can thus stand as guarantor to those see*ing student loans! 2ang 2eliton ne er hesitated in assisting students in need! .ittle did he reali#e that not all of them would settle their debt! /pon retirement, 2ang 2eliton would learn the bitter truth! A significant chun* would be deducted from his retirement pay because of unpaid student loans! %hough already unemployed, 2ang 2eliton still toils e eryday to *eep his family afloat!

A blog about 2ang 2eliton by one of the students he helped recently found its way to -ish 4o .angW -atch how &ic*y 2orales and her team honors the former +anitor)s unli*ely heroism! %une in this (aturday on -ish 4o .ang, >!E? pm!

In two separate incidents last (eptember, operati es of the <hilippine ,rug $nforcement Agency (<,$A) arrested three alleged drug pushers! %agged as the JAlabang 'oys,J 8ichard 'rodett, 0oseph %ecson, and 0orge 0oseph come from rich and influential families! .ast ,ecember, the ,epartment of 0usticeTs Chief (tate <rosecutor signed a resolution dismissing the case against the Alabang 'oys for lac* of probable cause! %his later led to the drafting of a Jrelease orderJ which would ha e discharged the three suspects! %he <,$A resisted maintaining that their case is strong and that the agency has not released the suspects! At present, the scandal is being in estigated by the 6ouse of 8epresentati es! Is there truth to the allegations of power play in the case in ol ing the Alabang 'oysB

*n light of the controversy surrounding the arrest of the .Alabang oys/ in #eptember 3778' the Dangerous Drugs oard will meet with various law enforcement groups to come out with clearer guidelines on buy!bust and entrapment operations against illegal drugs. *n a statement' the DD said it will conduct a meeting with officials from the )hilippine Drug Enforcement Agency +)DEA,' $ational ureau of *nvestigation +$ *,' and the $ational )olice-s Anti!*llegal Drugs #pecial 2peration Task 6orce +A*D!#2T6, on 5onday. The statement said the outlining of more clear!cut procedures is part of DD chair Gicente .Tito/ #otto ***-s proposal to )resident &loria 5acapagal Arroyo to avoid another .Alabang oys/ controversy. The mess broke out last month when )DEA officials alleged that Department of 1ustice +D21, prosecutors took bribes to recommend the dismissal of the drug case against "ichard rodett' 1orge 1ordana 1oseph' and 1oseph Tecson' all scions of affluent families. Those implicated in the controversy have since denied receiving bribes. rodett' 1oseph' and Tecson were arrested during )DEA-s buy!bust and subse0uent follow!up operations in 5untinlupa %ity and Fue(on %ity last #ept. 37. ut in a resolution dated Dec. 3' the D21 junked the case because the )DEA supposedly committed irregularities in the arrest of the three suspects. The 1ustice department also 0uestioned the evidence presented by the )DEA and whether the anti!drug enforcers conducted a legitimate buy!bust operation. 5eanwhile' a party!list representative has proposed a measure seeking to reduce the demand for illegal drugs. According to Alliance for "ural %oncerns +A"%, party!list "ep. $arciso #antiago ***' recent released national surveys show that drug use among the youth remains at alarmingly high levels. He said that the government should exhaust all means possible to safeguard the youth from the spiking incidence of drug abuse.

.*t is a constitutional mandate to recogni(e the vital role of the youth in nation! building and promote their physical' moral' spiritual' intellectual and social well!being. *t shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism' and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs'H #antiago said. *n filing House ill $o. ==88 or the Drug "eduction Act of 3778' #antiago said the measure aims to mobili(e the sector of the society to Hsupport the implementation of comprehensive' sustainable' and effective programs to reduce drug abuse in the country.H ! with Aie alagtas #ee' &5A$ews.TG

9. 2GE"G*E; This document describes the process the #5A"T project will follow to manage project issues. 6or the purposes of this project' issues are defined as something in dispute or something to be decided. The resolution of issues may have an impact on the projectIs scope or schedule during development' implementation' or maintenance. The *ssue 5anagement process will bring visibility to issues' accountability' and timely resolution of issues. Analysis of the issue will provide data and understanding for a more informed decision. "ecording and reviewing issues will prevent the team from forgetting about issues that could adversely impact the project. 3. *##AE )"2%E## The project will use two tools in the process of managing issues. The two tools are the issue form and the issue log. The *ssue 6orm is used to document and communicate issues to the project manager. The form also serves to record the potential impact' recommendation' estimated effort' and the related management actions. The *ssues Cog is used by the project team to track issue status. >. *##AE 5A$A&E5E$T A$D "2CE# Issue Originator Documents the issue as clearly and completely as possible on the *ssue 6orm #ubmits issue form to project manager Project Manager Tracks status of issue in the *ssue Cog Transcribes issue onto *ssue 6orm if necessary %larifies issue if necessary #ends issue for impact analysis to analyst 6orwards issue' impact analysis and recommendation to project sponsor and appropriate *#D management 5akes necessary updates to project plan Eeeps issue originator apprised of issue status Approves low impact resolution recommendations Analyst "esearches and clarifies issue as needed *dentifies alternative resolutions 5akes recommendation Estimates time and resources re0uired to resolve the issue *dentifies where added tasks fit into project plan Apdates *ssue 6orm with impact analysis

#ends updated *ssue 6orm to project manager Apdates 6unctional and Application #pecifications as necessary Project Sponsor "eviews issue' impact analysis and recommendation Either approves the resolution' denies the resolution or places the resolution on hold Ensures any re0uired additional resources are available >! *ssue 5anagement Templates The project will use the following form and log for documenting issues and tracking their status.

In a beautiful mountain alley in western Colorado, nestled at the base of the looming 2t! $mmons, lays the community of Crested 'utte! %he town was a thri ing coal mining community in years past, but had lapsed into a period of irtual inacti ity, as the mines closed one by one! /n*nown to the coal miners, under the massif of 2t! $mmons was a different mineral that has the potential of renewing mining acti ity in the alley - molybdenum, a gray material used in the hardening of steel! It is a hidden treasure that holds the potential for change! A large company, in ol ed in the mining and milling of J2oly,J disco ered the body of ore under the mountain, and set forth the processes to claim, mine, mill and transport the mineral! %he company had done it before in Colorado - not once, but twice - and already had two large operating mines in the state! Q %he resource and mar*et were assessed! Q %he legal constraints and opportunities were determined! Q %he fiscal re5uirements were defined! Q %he necessary technology was e aluated! %he amassed data was carefully analy#ed and the decision to proceed was made! Company officials came to Crested 'utte with their proposal, eager to inform the residents of their JgoodJ news of opportunities for economic renewal, community growth and prosperity! Instead of being welcomed, howe er, the officials were surprised to find s*epticism, doubt and resistance! %he company had assumed that since the town had its roots in mining, the townspeople would understand, accept, and support the mine! %he assumption was false! /n*nown to the company, the community had changed! Crested 'utte, in its period of J5uiet,J had attracted a new generation of citi#en! %he JnewJ citi#ens were highly educated, tired of the Jrat raceJ in large metropolitan areas,

and were drawn to Crested 'utte by the beautiful scenery, clean air, rela"ed life style, and 5uiet, slow pace! %he company had made a tragic and costly miscalculation! In the years that ensued, citi#ensT resistance became organi#ed, and it intensified to the point where some of the residents had direct access to the -hite 6ouse and the national media to plead their case! %he resultB 2illions of dollars spent, the pro+ect postponed, opportunities lost, and future options foreclosed! (hortly after the companyTs announcement to postpone the de elopment, the citi#ens of Crested 'utte ascended the slopes of 2t! $mmons and held a ictory party on its summit, signaling to the world a new era of citi#en in ol ement in determining pro+ect outcomes!

In -yoming, a logging company was planning to har est mature timber off the west side of a mountain! %imber had been har ested in the same area numerous times in the past! Company e"ecuti es didnTt anticipate any problems in being able to complete the har esting pro+ect! %o their surprise, the residents of the community on the east side of the mountain began to oppose the har esting operation! 6ad the company accepted the position statement, %he townspeople are opposed to the timber har esting operation, as the real issue, the company would ne er ha e been able to respond appropriately, because the only action that could be ta*en to respond to the position statement was to cancel the pro+ect! In order to probe the issues, the company in ited the public to respond to the pro+ect, gi ing the reasons for their positions! A public meeting was held (*nown in the business as the gladiator arena) and the persons in attendance claimed they were opposed to the pro+ect becauseA Q %he har est would cause soil erosion! Q 8emo ing the trees would damage the habitat for the el* and deer! Q %he soil erosion would cause siltation in the streams and se erely damage the water 5uality! Q %he aesthetics of the area would be ruined! %he company too* the issues and addressed them technically! 9! %imber would be har ested on areas with no more than a 9?X slope! K! %he area would be selecti ely cut, lea ing plenty of egetation to protect the soil!

E! %he har est would open up the stand of trees, allowing more sunlight to reach the forest floor causing more grass and shrubs to grow, impro ing the deer and el* habitat! >! 'ecause the soil erosion would be near #ero, there would be no siltation of the stream! @! %he har est would be designed by a landscape architectO edges of the har est area would be feathered to reduce isual contrastO the har est area boundaries would follow the natural fall line of the mountain so there would be no straight lines on the landscape! -hen the company went bac* to the public, they found that the people were still opposed to the har est! Not only were they still opposed, but their reasons were now different! %he har est would disrupt recreation and the tourist trade! Q %he noise would disturb the wildlife! Q etc! %he company reali#ed it had not yet identified the real - or grounded - issue behind the opposition! %o probe further, the company sent a person s*illed at identifying and wor*ing with informal networ*s to find out what the real issue(s) was and who owned it, so they could respond effecti ely! %he person, within one wee*, identified three networ*s that shared the same issueA Q 2others of small children li ing along a certain street! Q 2erchants along that same street! Q City officials! All three networ*s shared the issue that the logging truc*s rolling through town wouldA Q $ndanger childrenTs li es! Q (tir up dust! Q ,iscourage customer par*ing along the street in front of the businesses! Q Increase street maintenance costs! Although the issue of the logging truc*s had ne er surfaced formally, indi iduals within three *ey networ*s held it! %he company responded by changing the designated haul routes of the truc*s! Although the new haul route would be 9@ miles further, it would a oid the town altogether! %he information of the change in the haul route was fed directly into the three networ*s informally by a respected company official and within a few days the opposition to the proposed har est totally melted away and the company was able to proceed! %he formal opposition who had wanted to stop the cutting for their own narrow and ested reasons lost their grass roots support and were unable to o ercome the companyTs technical arguments once emotionalism was remo ed by finding the real issues and their owners!

%he success of the management of the issue was due toA Q Not accepting the stated position of the erbal few as the issue! Q <robing the what, where, why, and whoTs of the issues, formally and informally! Q Identifying who owned the issues and whether they had shared geography! Q Identifying the sub+ects of interest upon which actions could be ta*en! Q &erifying the issues directly with the networ*s! Q 7eeding the issue response directly bac* to the issue owners! <robing the issue for the -6C, -6A%, and -6F is itally important to successful strategic issues management!

-indfarms .imited in 9;:? sought appro al, through the federal impact statement process and County and (tate permitting, for the construction of twenty wind turbines near 4ahu*u <oint, on the northeast coast of Cahu, 6awaii! At a pro+ect cost of UE@? million, it in ol ed the proponent, the general contractor, the local public utility company, the turbine assembly company, the large landowner and the public! %he de elopment situation on Cahu in recent years had been characteri#ed as chaotic and uncertain! <ro+ects had been recei ing greater scrutiny than e er before and contro ersy seemed to be the norm for any pro+ect re iew! Into this conte"t, the proponent brought an attitude that design from a technical point of iew only and public contact through the formal re iew process would be sufficient! 2oreo er, the proponent felt that since wind is a clean energy source, it would be acceptable to e eryone! %hese attitudes were not sensiti e to local conditions! %he local communities of 4ahu*u, .aie, 6auula, 4ahana, <unaluu, and 4aawa, which would be affected by the decision, were highly di erse in bac*ground and interests! In addition, past pro+ects in the area had created unresol ed negati e issues that were being carried informally and with hostility in the communities! $arly on, the proponents, unarmed with an issue-dri en assessment process, were caught off guard by demands from the people concerning impacts that they,

the -indfarms de elopers, didnTt create! %he people had carried their negati e e"perience with another de eloper into this e"perience with the new *id on the bloc*! %he de elopers were faced with the crisis of how to deal with issue loading! 'y shifting to an issue-dri en assessment process that included a commitment to wor* with the informal community networ*s in resol ing issues as they emerged, management was able to separate their pro+ect from past pro+ects and, therefore, focus on their impacts! 7or instance, a planned early announcement of the impending impact assessment (pro+ect start-up) would ha e angered traditional informal community leaders, and the announcement was postponed until these contacts were made! %his was a critical strategic decision since a negati e start would ha e been difficult to o ercome gi en the emotions of the people! It was important to gain control of issue management at the local le el since outsiders often try to push their hostility for a pro+ect into local networ*s! 7or instance, some island en ironmentalists told local residents that low hums and ibrations of the wind machines would be intrusi e health-wise and would foul up their %&s! =ood information about this issue in the local networ* setting deused the issue! %he proposed flashing aircraft warning lights on the wind towers caused consternation in the community-JCur 2ountains loo* li*e Christmas trees alreadyWJ %his was resol ed by shielding the lights from ground iew! Cne early contro ersy was created by the use of out-of-area high school students to fly meteorological *ites! 4ite flying is a traditional and highly-honored sport among 6awaiians, who were outraged when their e"pertise was bypassed! 7inally and most seriously, the plans of the proponent to transport assembled towers by highway would not ha e been acceptable to the communities, and they wisely wor*ed out a barging-by-water solution! Cther issues and impacts were addressed through mitigation agreements contained in the permit! %hese includedA Q %he hiring of local labor who agreed, as a condition of the assessment process, to +oin the unionO Q an agreement that local residents would operate and maintain the isitorTs centerO and Q an agreement, in principle, to support secondary business de elopment and the transfer of lease lands to fee simple! 4ahu*u -ind 7arms was the first de elopment appro ed in eight years on Cahu with full citi#en support!

%o celebrate the Chinese New Fear, Island Co e 6otel and .eisure <ar* is offering irresistible pac*ages and offerings for the whole family! 7rom 0an! K> to K:, a ail yourself of the Chinese New Fear 6otel C" <ac*age for only <E,?;;! %he pac*age includes a superior room accommodation, brea*fast for two, Chinese gift pac*age, free consultation with a feng shui e"pert, free ti*oy, free entrance to the Cceania -ater <ar*, use of the hotel pool and 0acu##i, free entrance to the Animal Island, a sou enir photo, complimentary bottled water, and free and unlimited -i-7i access! <repare to ha e a big feast as Island Co e ushers in the Fear of the C"! (angley <oint 8estaurant will be featuring mouth-watering Chinese delicacies that will surely *eep diners wanting more! -atch out for the dragon dance and feng shui e"perts for the complete Chinese New Fear e"perience! Island Co e has been *nown to be the pioneer in the tourism industry with respect to the introduction of a multitude of attractions that lure both local and foreign isitors!

Its e"isting facilities are the Cceania -ater <ar*, Animal Island, Island (ongs 4%&, Ad enture Acti ity 3one, 7ishing &illage, and Island (pa! Its other well-lo ed trademar*s include the outdoor giant chess set, the playground, and Concert <ar*, +ust to name a few! Island Co e 6otel and .eisure <ar* is an I(C ;??9AK???-certified and a triple A accredited resort by the ,epartment of %ourism! .ocated in the historic town of 4awit, Ca ite, this EL-hectare 2editerranean-inspired island is only >@ minutes away from 2etro 2anila!

(tarting today (tarbuc*s will be offering free -i-7i connecti ity to Canadians, something that has been sorely lac*ing north of border! In the /nited (tates, American coffee aficionados ha e been able to sit, sip a &ente .atte and surf the web from any (tarbuc*s! (o, Canadians can now sit bac*, en+oy their coffee and surf to their heartTs content at more than L@? (tarbuc*s across Canada!!!! finallyW %he feature is sure to come in handy for new owners of the i<hone, who can use the phoneTs -i-7i capabilities to surf the -eb, without it counting towards their monthly data charges!

8<)s (e"iest 2an of K??:, )iolo )ascual, has +ust launched his personal scent called <ure <assion and his own clothing line called It 0ust =ets 'etter courtesy of 'ench Apparel! In time for his contract renewal as a ma+or endorser for 'ench, <iolo also launched his <ure <assion perfume and It 0ust =ets 'etter clothing line at the 2usic 2useum last wee*end! <iolo was o erwhelmed with the support of en %han, the owner of the <hilippine international apparel brand! 7or his <ure <assion perfume, the 'ench people ordered arious oils from 7rance! And for his clothing line, <iolo ga e them his swatches and the designs that he li*es! If you isit the nearest 'ench store, you will notice <iolo)s giant tarpaulin and you can now test the so called <ure <assion perfume! It)s now a ailable in all 'ench branches nationwide! Advertisement Details Ad ertisement A ;:;K?: I, Ads A 7or (ale Classification < K,E??!?? /(, >:!GL$/8 EL!:?='< EK!LL0<F >,>99!9GCA, <rice A L?!KLA/, G9!;;IN8 K,E@;!99N3, ::!G:C67 @>!@93A8 >:E!KE Condition A 'rand New -arranty A (hop 1 7actory -arranty

' lgari A5 a 2en 9?? ml $au de %oilette spray ' lgari A5 a Cologne for men was created by designer ' lgari! It is an e"cellent gift idea for men! ' lgari ' lgari A5 a is recommended for e eryday wear! -e don)t sell 7a*es

#ony Ericson will be introducing two new %yber!shot mobile phones known as ;49# and ;43# which will be released by EDD* in 1apan. The features offered by #ony Ericsson ;49# includeJ A 3.78 inches ;G&A #creen A =.9 mega!pixel camera with >x optical (oom with %52# #ensor Auto 6ocus' Auto Cens %over' Anti!shake The camera has a #mile #hutter Cite i.e. auto adjusts brightness upon face detection for best possible facial tones A micro#D card slot which can be extended up to 3& &)#' 5usic' Gideos #upports luetooth The features offered by #ony Ericsson ;43# includeJ A 3.@ inches C%D screen *t has 3K7 x K>3 pixels display A micro#D card slot which can be extended up to 3& A 3.7 mega!pixel camera *t offers 3K7 minutes of talktime The #ony Ericsson ;49# will be made available in three colors like pink' black and white and the #ony Ericsson ;43# is also available in three colors schemes like silver x leather' black x rose and white x lime. There is no word on the price as yet of the #ony Ericsson ;49# and ;43# mobile phones. The ;49# is expected to enter the 1apanese market by April 3778. However' the #ony Ericsson ;43# is expected to roll out by 5arch 3778 in to the markets.