Typhoon Nalgae - "Quiel local Name"

Bagyo na naman.. di pa nakakabawi kay Pedring :(
Ang pwede lang nating gawin ay manalangin na hindi tumama sa Luzon
ang bagyo..
Tulungan natin ang ating mga kababayan na nalubog sa baha at patuloy
na paghahanda at pag-iingat sa susunod na bagyo.

Pedring Aftermath

Hinagupit ng isang malupit na bagyo ang kaMaynilaan, 
Pero antindi rin ng iba nating mga kababayan, 
Di man lang nila inisip ang kanilang kaligtasan at kapakanan,
Tila tuwang tuwa pang naglalaro sa buhos ng ulan. 

Pinoy talaga oh!

 

 

Typhoon Pedring

Maghanda.. maging alerto at kaukulang pag-iingat sa mga kababayan nating nakatira sa tatamaan ng bagyo. Lalo na yung malapit sa dagat at ilog o nasa mabababang lugar.

Residents in low lying and mountainous areas under Public Storm Warning Signals are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by this tropical cyclone.

Estimated rainfall amount is from 15 - 25 mm per hour within the 650 km diameter of the typhoon.

Typhoon Pedring is expected to enhance the Southwest Monsoon and will bring scattered to widespread rains over Southern Luzon and Visayas.

http://www.maybagyo.com/

Corruption in the Philippines

Kaya hindi umunlad unlad ang Pilipinas.. andaming corrupt o gahaman sa gobyerno. Ang para sa tao ay napupunta sa mga pulitiko. Dapat dito hindi ikinukulong, dapat firing squad kung mapapatunayang may kasalanan!


P10B agri funds drained
Loans unpaid; execs paid 35% kickbacks
By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer

It was worse than the fertilizer scam.

A P10-billion fund meant to help small farmers, fisherfolk and agriculture entrepreneurs raise their skills and production was used as a cash cow of agriculture officials, politicians and businessmen “favored” by the Arroyo administration for almost a decade, officials said.

The discovery of irregularities in Acef (Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund) has led lawmakers and agriculture officials to suspend the program in January and to review its implementation.

What they saw, according to officials who checked the Acef records, was a long list of companies and beneficiaries who failed to pay back their loans.

The same officials also heard of complaints from borrowers who said that agriculture officials demanded kickbacks in exchange for loan approvals.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said his office had received complaints from beneficiaries and those who tried to apply for the fund that former agriculture officials had asked for kickbacks in exchange for approving their loans.

Legitimate projects were also set aside in favor of proponents who have questionable projects but are willing to provide kickbacks, officials said.

“As we investigated it, we found out that the majority of those who did not pay were the ones who were complaining about the kickbacks,” Alcala said. “It was as high as 20 to 35 percent,” he noted.

A senior agriculture official also noted that the Acef executive committee was lax in approving projects. Some proponents, who promised to give commissions, were not even required to appear at the Department of Agriculture to explain their projects, the official said.

Alcala said it was the Acef management that was accused of being the recipients of bribes. “They got money out of proceeds. After the funds are released, something goes to them,” he said.

Although the reports and complaints were numerous, Alcala said it was difficult to pin down the errant officials. “Of course, these had no receipts,” he said.

Some borrowers were also reluctant to say something on record because they knew that they got the deal out of bad faith, Alcala said.

The practice of asking for commissions in exchange for loan approval was confirmed by Gregorio San Diego, president of United Broilers Raisers Association (Ubra).

Four years ago, Ubra applied as a cooperative for the Acef to build a broiler breeder facility in Pampanga. San Diego said his group was encouraged by then Secretary Arthur Yap, but when the application reached the central office of the agriculture department, it was denied.

“They asked 10 percent from us,” he said, noting that it was considered a discount. “Others were told to give 35 percent,” he added.

In the end, Ubra decided not to push through with its application, San Diego said.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, cochair of the congressional oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization, and sources confirmed that some of those who applied for the fund were personalities and politicians “favored” by the past administration.

‘Lender of last resort’

An industry source and an agriculture official, who reviewed the project and requested anonymity because of lack of authority to discuss the matter, described the use of Acef in the last decade as “plunder.”

“This was bigger than the fertilizer scam,” the industry source said, referring to the misuse of P728 million in agriculture funds under then Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante.

The fund, intended to benefit farmers, was said to have been diverted to the campaign kitty of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2004. Bolante and former Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo have been charged with plunder at the Sandiganbayan.

“This was supposed to be for agricultural enhancement but they have become the lender of last resort,” the source said, referring to Acef.

Acef, established in 1996 and funded by tariffs from agricultural products, is a funding mechanism aimed at providing financial support to the agriculture sector to increase their competitiveness in the global market.

Safety net

The money from the taxes was supposed to be used to establish “safety nets” for agriculture sectors affected by trade liberalization.

“That was the basic tenet of Acef, but it was not followed. If it was implemented properly, say the industries were given common services, it would have made Philippine agriculture competitive. But this was not followed. Even those projects that were not aimed at competitiveness were given funding,” the industry source noted.

The fund was set up to enable farmers, fisherfolk, and cooperatives to upgrade their skills and facilities so that they can compete in an increasingly globalized agriculture market.

Loans up to P30M

Under the program, agricultural workers, cooperatives, nongovernment organizations, and local government units may take out loans ranging from P500,000 to P30 million.

Acef was supposed to have a 10-year life-span, but the agriculture department, during the term of former Secretary Yap, issued several memoranda extending the program and its scope.

Collateral-, interest-free

The program was especially designed to encourage small and medium agricultural enterprises to borrow from it as it does not demand a collateral from them and is interest-free. The lack of these requirements opened the fund to abuse and was the main reason for the low-repayment rate, officials said.

Acef contained P10.73 billion accumulated from collected tariffs from 1990 to 2010, according to the Department of Agriculture’s preliminary report as of February 2011.

During that period, the fund used P8.85 billion, mostly for grants and loans.

As of February, the agriculture department said P2.57 billion went to grants, while P5.82 billion went to loans to 299 accounts. Included in the loan portfolio was a P1-billion grant to the bankrupt Quedancor, which was supposed to be used for the agency’s training program. At about P372.78 million was used to fund scholarship programs.

Quedancor did not remit a single centavo to Acef and even borrowers who failed to pay were allowed to borrow huge sums again, officials said.

As of early 2011, only about P1.8 billion remained in Acef coffers as many of the creditors failed to pay back their loans over the years, the Department of Agriculture said.

Failure

Despite the huge amounts of money that were funneled into the fund since its creation, the credit mechanism that was supposed to improve Philippine agriculture, provide employment in the countryside and raise the income of farmers and fisherfolk failed in its vision.

In March, the technical working group on Acef said: “Available data indicate that the Acef has not been able to provide loans to the marginalized farmers and fisherfolk; but mostly to small and medium enterprises.”

In a report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said Acef was a failure. “The purpose of the program to raise farm productivity by extending credit to small farmers, fisherfolk and agricultural entrepreneurs was not achieved as manifested by the low collection rate of amortization due from the proponents. The inability of the proponents to pay the amortization is an indication that their livelihood agricultural activities did not succeed,” the report said.

Yap’s friend

One of the borrowers who was not punctual in paying his loan was Lyndon Tan, owner of Basic Necessity, a vegetable farm in Cavite, and a friend of former Secretary Yap.

Yap, project head of the book, “The Art of Agribusiness: 111 and More Success Stories in Agri-Entrepreneurship,” cited Tan as an example of a successful Filipino farm entrepreneur.

Tan, according to a recent agriculture department audit, sells his greens to supermarkets and restaurants. He borrowed P38 million from the fund for his farm in the mid-2000s. He only paid P4 million of it.

The COA also noted that Acef was inefficient and questioned why certain companies that did not remit were still given a chance to borrow millions of pesos.

In its 2010 report, the COA said five proponents with Acef loans of P72.245 million were given additional loans of P35.659 million for the same project, even if previous loans were not yet paid.

Gemsum Marketing

The companies were identified by CAA as C and L Farms, Hi-Las Marketing Corp., Moraleda Farms, Queen’s Agro-Industrial Farms Inc. and Gemsum Marketing.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg. There were 46 proponents who got loans from 2000 to 2008 but “have not paid a single installment,” the agriculture department said. Their loans from Acef totaled P802.95 million.

Baler-Casiguran road

Senator Edgardo Angara, a former agriculture secretary who authored the law that established the Acef, has been identified as one of the beneficiaries.

Angara’s home province Aurora received P300 million from the fund, according to an audit by the agriculture department.

Angara was cited by two sources as the one who recommended projects to the Acef committee.

The audit by the agriculture department found out that Aurora, Angara’s home province, benefited from two grants.

In 2008, the local government of Aurora received P200 million for the concreting of the Baler-Casiguran Highway.

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas said the Baler-Casiguran Road was built to serve Angara’s Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport project.

In 2007, Aurora State University received P100 million for a project called Enhancement of Technology-Based Agribusiness Industry.

In a phone interview, Angara said he could not recall recommending the grant of P200 million for the concreting of the Baler-Casiguran road.

“Who is the source of that report? I do not recall … Why would they even use the word competitiveness for that? And why would I recommend it,” he told the Inquirer Tuesday night.

Angara said it was more likely that the P200 million came from his pork barrel.

“And if it indeed came from my pork barrel, that would not be considered irregular since it came from my (Priority Development Assistance Fund),” the senator added. With a report from Cathy Yamsuan

Lutong Macau Restaurant

Kalimitan ang salitang "Lutong Macau" ay sinasabi kapag sa isang paligsahan o tagisan ba bago pa man matapos ang laban ay alam na kung sino ang mananalo.. ibig sabihin dinaya o alam na yung resulta. Pero ibang Lutong Macau ito.. ito ay sari saring pagkaing Pilipino na siyempre may impluensiya ng mga Intsik.

Sa halagang P6,500 ay mapapakain mo na ang halos 12 katao hanggang sa sumabog ang kanilang tyan sa kakakain.. kasi naman, sobra sobra sa 12 na katao ang isserve sa inyo. May appetizer.. hmmm... soup... hmmmm sinangag at ang kasama nitong iba't ibang ulam.. tapos may panghimagas din. Yung pagkaka alam ko ay buttomless din ang iced tea dito (wag ka nga lang iinom ng madami para di kaagad mabusog).

Nagustuhan ko dito ang kanilang lechon manok na malasa kahit walang sarsa. At halos karamihang piniling ulam ay seafoods kaya panalo! Healthy kahit kinain mo ay sobrang dami.

Ang mga pagkaing ito ay handa ng isa naming kasama sa trabaho sa kanyang kaarawan. "Sana araw araw ay birthday nya!" :))

Miriam Santiago - My Kind of Senator

Kaya ko nga ito ibinoto.. kasi kahit na kakaiba siya mag-isip at least matapang siya sa alam niyang tama at para sa kapakinabangan ng nakakarami.

Patok na 'pick-up lines' at banat ni Sen. Miriam Santiago

http://www.gmanews.tv

Diligence + Technology + Honesty = Progressive Philippines

Sabihin nating masisipag ang mga Pilipino... may sapat at mataas na teknolohiya.. at matapat sa kaniyang ginagawa sa araw araw... yan lang siguro ang nakikita kong 3 bagay na pwedeng magpaunlad sa Pilipinas.

Napakadaling sabihin pero.. sa totoo lang ay malabo pa sa dura ng pusit na papasa tayo sa 3 bagay na ito.

Ito ang markang ibibigay ko para sa 3 bagay na ito:

Diligence = 45%, mas madami pa kasing kalahi si Juan Tamad dito sa Pilipinas. Mga taong tamad na ayaw magtrabaho at walang ginagawang produktibong gawain sa loob ng maghapon. Nakatanga sa langit at naghihintay sa biyaya na mahulog.

Technology = 60%, kahit papaano kasi ang Pilipinas ay nakaka angat na rin sa iba. Kaya lang kulang pa, sana magkaroon tayo ng sarili nating mga technology companies na maaaring makipagtagisan sa ibang bansa. Yung tipong nag-eexport na tayo ng technology na galing sa Pilipinas.

Honesty = 65%, sa dami ng dishonest na mga nakaupo sa gobyerno o mga pulitiko.. lalo tuloy nahatak ang marka pababa sa 65%. Di man lang umabot sa pasang awa..

Wag nating payagan na maging ganito na lang ang Pilipinas...

Tourism in the Philippines

Agree ako dyan 100% kay DOT chief Jimenez. Marami siyang punto tungkol sa kalagayan ng Tourism ng Pilipinas na dapat mabago sa kaisipan o pananaw ng bawat Pilipino.

Maniwala ka na kaya nating matagumpay sa larangan ng Turismo at maging parte ka bilang solusyon sa mga bagay na nakikita mong di maganda sa Pilipinas.

Panahon na rin para magtagumpay o umunlad ang Turismo dito sa Pilipinas at dapat kasama tayo upang ito ay matupad.

Ghost Employees = Corruption

Sana kayo ang multuhin sa ginagawa nyong pagnanakaw ng di nyo naman pera.

PNP ghost pensioners robbed govt of P1B, says Robredo
ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMA News
09/01/2011 | 08:42 PM
(Updated 11:18 p.m.) "Ghost" pensioners in the Philippine National Police (PNP) robbed the government of around P1 billion in the last five years, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said Thursday.

Since 2006, the PNP spent between P200 million and P250 million a year on dead employees and on persons who are not even in the police force, Robredo said.

"Napakarami nila. May mga pangalan diyan na sabi namin, kung sisiyasatin natin, hindi talaga sila dapat na binibigyan (ng pension)," he said at a press briefing at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which supervises the PNP, was able to identify 2,000 “ghost" pensioners in two weeks of investigation, he added.

Robredo also ordered that the release of monthly pensions be deferred so that the list of pensioners can be further cleansed.

“Ngayon po, pinagtutugma pa ‘yung pinaka-database ng kapulisan kung sino ho ‘yung dapat nagretiro na at sino ho binbibigyan ng retirement. Makikita kung sino ho ang hindi dapat bigyan," he said.

'Big syndicate' behind bogus employees

The DILG chief further said he suspects that a “big syndicate" was behind the bogus employees. He particularly identified one Marlon Reyes, a former policeman, as the supposed leader of the syndicate.

“Eto ho ang pinagdududahan na puno’t dulo nung kalakaran, subalit naniniwala kami na hindi ho pwede na siya lang. May iba pang kasama, kasi ito po napakalaking sindikato," Robredo said.

He refused to link any former PNP official in the anomaly, saying it is better to wait for the full report on the irregularities, which he said will be released in two weeks.

"Tingnan natin kung ano ‘yung datos na lalabas. Kung kailangan ihinto ulit (ang pension), ihihinto uli," he said.

'Anomalous' vehicle repairs

Meanwhile, the DILG on Thursday also named 30 more officers and personnel, including retired police comptroller Eliseo dela Paz, who will face a probe for alleged anomalies in the repair of light armored vehicles in 2007.

Robredo said he has ordered the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate and possibly charge at least 36 police officers and civilians who may have had a hand in the supposed anomaly.

“Ang kailangan imbestigahan, umpisa sa chief PNP hanggang doon sa logistics support services. Maliban po dito, syempre medyo malaki po ‘yung indication na mayroong collusion [with the bidders]," Robredo said.

The DILG secretary’s revelations come at a time when other PNP officials are involved in the allegedly anomalous sale of helicopters to the Philippines’ police force.

The CIDG last week said it will file criminal and administrative charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against PNP personnel involved in the chopper mess. — PE/KBK/VS, GMA News

Homeless Cat

Sa dami ng taong walang permanenteng tirahan dito sa Pilipinas lalo na sa Metro Manila.. mapagtutuunan pa ba ng pansin ang maliit na pusang ito? Sa tingin ko hindi na.
Habang papasok ako kanina sa trabaho ay nakita ko sa gitna ng Ayala MRT na may pamipamilyang natutulog.. ganun na ba talaga kahirap dito sa Pilipinas? Hindi naman siguro!

Kaya lang mas pinili nilang maging ganun ang kalagayan, walang pangarap at kasipagan para paunlarin ang sarili. Nakakalungkot isipin pero mas madaming ganun ang kaisipan sa mga kababayan natin. =(

Maging masipag.. maging malinis.. at higit sa lahat may pagkatakot sa Diyos upang gawin ang tama at tapat. ☺►