Why would anyone take a battle contained on one front and spread it to another? Without knowing the enemy’s weapons?

hat was the first thing that came to mind as the defense counsels of Chief Justice Renato Corona tried to stop Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales from presenting a Powerpoint report on the alleged the dollar accounts of the Chief Magistrate.

As the defense lawyers in the Corona impeachment trial have repeatedly told us, this was their turn to present witnesses. It was supposedly their day. They were going to skewer the Chief Justice’s detractors.

Corona’s counsels are not greenhorns. They’re among the country’s highest paid lawyers. A couple of them are grudgingly admired by colleagues (even on the prosecution side) for being “sharks” – which makes you wonder about their admirers.

So why did they call in the Ombudsman?

Did they bite the bait? Did the case filed by activists with the Ombudsman provoke the Batangeno’s macho pride? Or did the initial bumbling by prosecution lawyers in the impeachment trial make the defense overconfident?

Perhaps a combination of both is at the root of the defense’s current troubles. And then there’s hubris. Impunity will do that, see. Getting away once, twice, thrice… can lull one into believing it can be forever.

Blame game

The funny thing is, there is no way you can blame this on the administration. The defense’s effort to play the conspiracy game fell flat this time.

“A member of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s defense team on Monday said he was surprised that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) had already issued a report onCorona’s dollar accounts to the Office of the Ombudsman.

‘Yun ang nakakagulat. Meron na pala yung dokumento na yan. Dapat inilabas na yung dokumento bago pinasagot si Chief Justice sapagkat parang gusto talagang igisa sa sariling mantika. Bakit hindi ordinaryo yung proseso,’ defense lawyer Rico Quicho said.

Quicho said Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ‘went the extra mile’ in trying to ferret out the truth aboutCorona’s alleged dollar deposits.”

So addled was the defense that Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile had to read them the constitutional provision that allows the Office of the Ombudsman to seek help from any government agency in the pursuit of its functions. Carpio-Morales sought help from the AMLC and the Commission on Audit (CoA).

What the AMLC can’t do is to leak the results of its investigation. That was the reason, I guess, for the legend of the little lady and for the limited data presented to the Senate.

Waiting for CJ

BUT the defense’s move to have Carpio-Morales as a hostile witness gave the perfect excuse for a legitimate means of baring the results of the AMLC’s probe.

$12 million in fresh accounts that haven’t moved.

$10 million that flowed in and out of various shelters much like the way those circus guys shuffle shells.

And that’s for starters. I’m not even going to comment on the Ombudsman’s speculation that the moves coincided with key elections under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

I’m not saying everything is correct and true. I’m saying, the numbers are just too much to shrug off. I’m saying, this is something the Chief Justice will have a hard time living down even if, as I write this, he is calling the Ombdusman’s numbers bloated. Even if he says her Powerpoint is “a lantern of lies.”

Notice, he doesn’t dispute the bank accounts. Only the numbers.

There are always battles to lose. But as they say in basketball, the loudest jeers are reserved for those who dunk into the opponent’s goal.

One should still give the Chief Justice the benefit of the doubt. But he must really stop with the press conferences and hustle off to face the music. He must appear to explain all those transactions. He can either deny and show proof (and sue everyone to hell and back) or explain. IF he can.

Inday Espina-Varona is blogging at http://indayvarona.wordpress.com/

The winning photo showing fish wardens doing under water survey and the guardhouse constructed with the help of Chevron Philippines Inc.

A photo taken of the Minantaw Marine Park and Sanctuary (MMPS), a Caltex Energy for Learning project by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI) in partnership with Project Seahorse Foundation in Danajon Bank, won the Blue Ribbon Award for best photo in “Ensuring a Clean and Safe Environment” category in the recent AmCham Face of CSR awards photo exhibit.

The award is the latest for CPI in a string of local and international honors the MMPS won.

The other awards are the AmCham CSR Excellence Awards ( Most Promising CSR Project), Anvil Awards (Excellence), ASEAN Champions Biodiversity Awards (3rd place), Gold Standard Awards (Commendation), and the recently concluded Global CSR Summit Awards (Merit).

MMPS encloses the mid-section of Danajon Bank, one of only six double barrier reefs in the world and source of marine biodiversity in the country.

Headquartered in San Ramon, California, USA, Chevron (www.chevron.com) is a global integrated energy company with subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide.

The company is involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry including the exploration, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas. The company also refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and lubricants.

Chevron also ventures in manufacturing and selling of petrochemical products, generating power and producing geothermal energy, providing energy efficiency solutions, and developing energy resources of the future including biofuels.

Caltex is Chevron’s marketing brand in Asia Pacific and parts of the Middle East and Africa.

Caltex (www.caltex.com) products and associated brands are sold in approximately 60 countries across these regions.

In a country with a mobile penetration rate of around 97% based on operator data, the study also reveals that subscribers have flagged the following as areas for improvement: network accessibility, quality of coverage and service, and stability as well as speed for internet service.

While it is primarily the youth segment (mobile consumers aged 18-25) that appears to be most familiar with the internet and with the benefits that connectivity can bring, Vishnu Singh, Regional Head of ConsumerLab for Ericsson in the Southeast Asia and Oceania region, stated in a recent press breifing that “from the data we have gathered in our study, it seems there is a strong demand for internet connectivity in the Philippines, particularly for mobile phone.”

Data from mobile operators indicate that there are currently around 4.7 million broadband subscribers, or a broadband penetration rate of only 5% for a population of 94 million citizens.

Despite this low broadband penetration rate, however, the study respondents were particularly aware of the income opportunities using the internet could bring.

Singh highlighted one case study where a resident of Southern Philippines was able to earn additional income through online selling.

“We’ve seen a lot of creativity in internet users. While we see that our respondents from the survey are aware of the benefits of broadband connectivity, there is still a need to educate consumers on the positive effects of broadband access,” Singh said.

On the operator side, Singh said that “based on our interviews, we believe that operators should leverage on their policy control features in their network to develop more innovative and segmented offerings – for example, to create smarter prepaid mobile broadband packages. Consumers are willing to pay more, but for different things depending on how they use broadband access and on their particular circumstances.”

The study also points to video as a service that will continue to be in demand in the next few years, with 70% of the study respondents signifying that they had done video calls on their PC in the last 12 months.

“The demand will continue to grow, especially as the Philippines continue to deploy overseas workers. For their families, video calls are an important means to keep in touch. For operators, this means they need to ensure that their networks can keep up with the demand for video services,” Singh said.

The study showed that user demands are growing more sophisticated and that there is strong consumer willingness to pay for better voice and SMS services, as wells as for better quality of service for internet access.

“Service providers need to have a deeper understanding of their customers’ changing demands, and to deliver on those expectations. As always, customers will impulsively react to poor experience, so the key is too solve their problems and improve the experience at the various touch points that impact the customer journey,” Singh said.

Balisacan will take over the post vacated by Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr., who resigned due to personal reasons.

With a vow to focus on addressing poverty and build on Paderanga’s achievements, Balisacan said, “secretary Paderanga has led in instituting changes in the planning, investment programming and M&E (monitoring and evaluation) processes within NEDA and the government. We will build on these reforms as we focus on reducing poverty and attaining inclusive growth that leaves no one behind.”

As Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director-General, Balisacan will concurrently chair the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), and Philippine Center for Economic Development (PCED).

Balisacan will also be the vice-chair of the NEDA Board, the country’s highest development planning and policy coordinating body chaired by the President, as well as head of several interagency committees under the NEDA Board.

Prior to his UPSE deanship, Balisacan was Director-Chief Executive of the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) from 2003 to 2009, and Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

While serving as Agriculture Undersecretary, he was the country’s chief negotiator in the Agriculture Negotiations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in various bilateral agriculture negotiations. Prior to joining the University of the Philippines, he was a research fellow at the East West Center in Honolulu, and an economist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Author and co-author of several books on the Philippine economy, poverty, and rural development, Balisacan has served as President of various professional organizations, including Philippine Economic Society, Human Development Network, and Asian Society of Agricultural Economists.

Balisacan holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Hawaii, a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from UP Los Baños, and a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture (magna cum laude) from the Mariano Marcos State University.

Acknowledged in Asia as a leading expert on poverty and known as a leading development economist in Southeast Asia, Balisacan, who leaves his academic post for this new appointment, said he would build on the achievements and reforms paved by Paderanga.

“I am grateful to the President not only for giving me the opportunity to serve the Cabinet for the second time, but also for understanding the reasons why I decided to leave,” said Paderanga, who will be turning 64 years old this year.

Paderanga was also appointed to the same position from 1990 to 1992 during the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino, the mother of the current President.

“NEDA will be in good hands with Dean Balisacan,” said Paderanga, who is also Balisacan’s colleague at the UPSE.

coWaste Coalition found chemicals above levels of concern in nine out of 25 school supplies bought from street vendors and bargain stalls in Divisoria, Manila and from a major bookstore chain. (Photo: Ecowastecoalition.org)

With school reopening just around the corner, a toxics watchdog urged consumers to be watchful and alert against harmful chemicals lurking in common school supplies.

The EcoWaste Coalition pressed for consumer vigilance after finding chemicals above levels of concern in nine out of 25 school supplies bought from street vendors and bargain stalls in Divisoria, Manila and from a major bookstore chain.

The EcoWaste Coalition screened the samples for heavy metals such as antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury using a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device.

According to the latest toxics screening conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition:

A. The amount of lead detected in 8 out of nine tainted samples, including a water canteen, exceeds the 90 parts per million (ppm) limit for lead in children’s products under the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008;

B. The levels of lead found in the samples range from 229 ppm to as high as 3,863 ppm.

C. The presence of cadmium, a known human carcinogen, in one sample at 443 ppm is an added hazard.

Health authorities have stated that there are no safe levels for lead exposure among children even in very low doses, the group emphasized.

Lead is classified as a neurotoxin or a substance that is capable of damaging the central nervous system, including the brain, causing behavioural, body movement, emotional and intellectual disorders.

Childhood exposure to lead, among other effects, may lower a child’s intelligence quotient (IQ) and decrease her/his school performance and educational accomplishment.

“All of the lead-containing products are clearly designed and marketed for kids as we can see from the attractive and colourful patterns featuring cartoon characters popular among children. This is bad news for our children and their future,” observed Aileen Lucero of the EcoWaste Coalition’s Project Protect.

“Lead in school supplies is a real threat to our children’s health as lead can be released as toxic flake, chip or dust as the products age and deteriorate,” she emphasized.

“The good news is we found non-detectable levels of lead in 16 products, indicating the availability of products with low or no lead in the market. However, it will be extremely difficult for consumers to determine which products are really okay because of inadequate product safety certification and labeling,” she said.

The nine school supplies containing toxic metals above levels of concern include:

1. A yellow Dora the Explorer water canteen (price P219.75) with 3,863 ppm of lead, 2,514 ppm of chromium, 605 ppm of arsenic and 17 ppm of mercury

2. A blue Naruto backpack (P100) with 1,361 ppm of lead

3. A yellow and blue Ben 10 backpack (P100) with 711 ppm of lead and 520 ppm of antimony

4. A green and yellow child raincoat (price P100) with 579 ppm of lead and 443 ppm of cadmium

5. A pink backpack with shiny printed design (P150) with 538 ppm of lead

6. An Adventurer Music to the Earts plastic envelope (P65) with 356 ppm of lead

7. A red Mickey Mouse pencil case with magnetic lid (P50) with 274 ppm of lead

8. A black girl school shoes with Angry Birds design (P150) with 229 ppm of lead

9. A red Xpower sports car pencil case (P20) with 1,559 ppm of chromium

Pacquiao’s June 6 fight against Timothy Bradley is more of a fight to defy a physiological reality that sets in on athletes.

At 33, Manny Pacquiao’s at the pinnacle of his career.

But given his near loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last November, one of two 2011 bouts in which cramps set him in, is father time getting the best of Pacquiao nowadays?

Father time’s normal for every athlete: Michael “Air” Jordan as the dazzling NBA scoring champion in the 1990s differed from the Jordan who made a miracle looper at the closing moments of his last NBA All-Star in 2003.

Pacquiao’s June 6 fight against Timothy Bradley is more of a fight to defy a physiological reality that sets in on athletes.

But father time may have some exceptions: Kobe Bryant, also aged 33 like Pacquiao, remains a hoop marvel with his jump shots and Jordanesque moves for the Los Angeles Lakers. And of course, there’s Floyd Mayweather: at age 35, the guy who continues to dock Pacquiao’s challenges remains a strong boxer pound-for-pound (ask Mayweather’s latest victim, young and then undefeated Victor Ortiz).

But this reality facing, or about to face, Pacquiao’s human body hasn’t been boldly written in the local media. Some 353 professional fights spanning 17 years later, is wear and tear setting in on Pacquiao?

“The old” Pacquiao, not “an old” Pacquiao, will be seen this June 9 when the world’s only eight-division world champion fights undefeated Timothy Bradley. At least that’s the last word of conditioning coach Alex Ariza before he unexpectedly bolted out of Pacquiao’s training camp weeks ago to coach another boxer.

“The old” Pacquiao Filipinos are accustomed to seeing can throw four-to-six combination punches, a handspeed that’s coupled with punching power. The fighting congressman is the little fighter who can pummel down the bulkier fighters —Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, and Shane Mosley— with heavier blows.

But it was fighting these same heavier opponents that could have revealed Pacquiao’s wear and tear, especially last November in that narrow, controversial split-decision win over Marquez. Even though the Pacman landed more power punches against Margarito than against Clottey (signaling that his speed and power remain), cramps-filled fights in 2011 saw a dip in his power punches— especially against Marquez.

And boy was an entire nation oh-so scared before Michael Buffer announced Pacquiao’s split decision win over Marquez. A global debate ensued: some felt Marquez, surprisingly at 38, took the fight and the rhythm out of

Pacquiao for a third time. For others, Pacquiao had the power punches but didn’t land the knockout punch over Marquez compared to their two previous fights.

Win or lose against Marquez, it was evident that Pacquiao had an off-night and wasn’t as dominant.

That day arrives, HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant told the Los Angeles Times September last year, “when (fighters) wake up and find out something they believed was written in stone as unchanging has changed.”

Former 1980s world lightweight champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini offered a similar view: “Your body starts to shut down, you start settling down,” Mancini was quoted as saying in that same Los Angeles Times article. “We change mentally, emotionally, physically. The piss-and-vinegar attitude goes away. The reflexes aren’t the same. In training camp, you do seven repetitions instead of ten, and think, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ But you’re no pushing yourself the same, and you pay for it.”

Take it also from another Pacquaio victim, the legendary Oscar de La Hoya, whom the little Pacquiao pummeled in 2008, and who also lost to Mayweather in 2007 —a time, de la Hoya said, is “past his prime”.

De la Hoya felt these signs: The muscle mass isn’t the same. While one can easily make the weight, the boxer might have lesser muscles. And yes, the opponent’s punches can wear one old guard down.

But physiology and human science have their own mysteries. How on earth can heavyweight George Foreman regain the world heavyweight title at 45 after returning to boxing at age 38 from a ten-year respite? And even if World Wrestling Entertainment is a scripted affair, the 45-year-old phenom Undertaker can still survive a steel cage match and go 20-and-0 at Wrestlemania.

The hype of another Pacquiao fight is up in the air, thanks to an obviously pro-Pacquiao media. As he’s winding up initial training in Baguio City before heading to the US, even a radio commentator took sides and planted a scripted Pacquiao answer to how age has set unto him.

“Is Pacquiao laos (done)?” the commentator asked. “I wouldn’t care what other people think,” the Pacman replied.

Then comes the distractions as of late, excluding Pacquiao’s congressional duties and his activities revealing his newfound faith in God: the alleged underpayment of taxes, his US-based foundation’s woes with a supplier of t–shirts, and even battling through reported snubs from President Aquino for not signing the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

But this is where Filipinos and many boxing aficionados worldwide have come to love the Pacman: Rising to the occasion when the odds are stacked against him, be those coming from heavier, undefeated or known opponents, or from distractions.

Yet except for his 2009 knockout wins over Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto, the knockout sting hasn’t come afterward. And Bradley? “To the fans of Manny Pacquiao who await a knockout” against Timothy Bradley, said legendary trainer and coach Freddie Roach, “this will be it.”

From fighting Clottey to Marquez the past two years, people wonder if the old fiery and flamboyant Pacuiao showed up. Like American boxing analyst Frank Cooney, of the Mississippi Fight Sports Examiner. “(Pacquiao) gets some flak for fighting bigger and slower guys, but guess what? Fighting guys like Margarito is no walk in the park. Margarito may be slower, but he hits like a mule. Pacman actually hurt Margarito’s ribs pretty badly in that fight. He was sore for days after that fight.”

As a nation prays that the physiological force called father time exempts Manny Pacquiao in his last few fights, only Pacquiao himself will tell if the muscles shrink during his training or his cramps will not go back anymore, or his hands won’t sore much from punching heavier opponents.

But the future Hall of Famer doesn’t plan to end his career on a sour note, like his ongoing six-year, 13-match winning streak. Against the undefeated and young Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao’s new mission might be to prove to the world that he can, and will, defy father time and show what he’s made of —at 33.

Batangas locals recently launched The Filipino Connection weekly newspaper about community life in the Philippines’ Batangas Local Growth Corridor.

Batangas Growth Corridor Area covers Batangas City, Bauan, Lipa City, LIMA Technology Center, San Pascual, Sto. Tomas, Tanauan City. Emerging Growth Area covers Balayan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lemery, Mabini, Nasugbu, Rosario, and San Jose, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

DOLE Growth Areas are determined based on wage rates and employment statistics.

In a statement sent to Dateline.ph, Marlon Alexander Luistro and Walter Lingon, editorial directors of The Filipino Connection said the Batangas-based newspaper “will create connections through credible, independent, neatly-packaged journalism that Filipinos everywhere can relate to. This newspaper also hopes to celebrate improved journalistic writing by Filipinos, while letting readers be the voices of the socio-economic realities they face.”

“The Filipino Connection will publish stories not only on cities and municipalities of the Batangas Local Growth Corridor area but also will try to relate these stories to a larger national context. While the focus of The Filipino Connection’s reportage spans Batangas province and three cities and five municipalities there, the reportage will be packaged in a way that developments in these communities are relevant to an entire nation,” Luistro and Lingon said.

The publication’s online presence is at http://www.thefilipinoconnection.net.

Based on performance and excellence, the notable award is presented to a standout organization that has demonstrated the highest level of achievement in its respective market.

Judging criteria involves Frost & Sullivan analysts measuring market penetration, leadership in customer value, growth strategy and implementation, in addition to product and service innovation.

APC by Schneider Electric was selected for the award based on its continuing efforts in leading market share and demonstrating innovative approaches.

The company’s sophisticated product and service offerings enable energy savings in not only data centres, but also in homes, and commercial and industrial sectors.

“In the Asia Pacific market, APC has proven its mettle by exhibiting a revenue growth that was significantly higher than the market growth amidst stiff competition from some of the leading multinational companies in 2011. The company extensively leveraged its strengths in its rich product portfolio including green solutions, which is the need of the hour in ever growing carbon footprint in the region,” said Amit Singh, senior research analyst, Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Energy & Power Systems Practic.

“APC has been in the forefront to develop high efficiency power quality products and services to address the major challenges in the market and helped customers realize the ‘Return on Investment’ faster,” Singh said.

In a statement sent to Dateline.ph, Schneider Electric ASEAN vice president Khoo Teng Seen, who will be presented with the award, shared the company’s continued and dedicated innovative environmental efforts.

“The South East Asian region promises strong growth in the UPS market, and we are aligned to capitalize on the growth opportunities in this region. We understand that IT decisions today are strategic business decisions that impact our customers’ business budget, performance and growth. We are poised for leadership in customer value: creating responsible infrastructure that can adapt easily and efficiently, encouraging business growth and accommodating a company’s future plans,” Khoo said.

“Furthermore, as part of Schneider Electric, we are in a unique position to offer not only intelligent and energy efficient solutions in data centers but beyond: not just complete portfolio of “rack to row” solutions but “room to building” solutions,” Khoo said.

The award will be presented at the 2012 Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards banquet on July 19, 2012.

Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practice Awards identify exemplary achievements, best practices and world-class performances in a multitude of industries and disciplines.

An advocate for zero waste resource management urged the government and the citizenry to rally behind a proven solution to society’s chronic problem with stinking garbage, toxic gases and depleted soils: decentralized composting.

The EcoWaste Coalition gave a big push to the biological breaking down of organic discards as the International Composting Awareness Week is observed from May 6 to 12.

“The intensive composting of biodegradable discards at all areas and levels of waste generation can dramatically reduce the volume of discards assigned for disposal by at least 50 per cent in most cities and municipalities,” said Christina Vergara, Zero Waste Project Officer, EcoWaste Coalition.

According to the National Solid Waste Management Commission, the entire country generates some 35,430 tons of waste per day, of which some 8,000 tons come from Metro Manila.

Of these, 50% are food and other organic discards, 25% plastics, 12% paper, 5% metals, 3% glass, 1% hazardous waste and 4% residual waste.

“Decentralized composting will translate to millions of savings for our cash-strapped local government units (LGUs) due to avoided disposal costs,” Vergara said.

“By separating organic discards at source, we reduce the risk of contaminating recyclable materials and, as a result, increase the value of recyclables and make them safer for waste workers to handle and recycle,” Vergara said.

“Composting further reduces the emission of greenhouse gases such as methane, which is about 70 times stronger than carbon dioxide in terms of trapping heat, by keeping food, garden, farm and other organic discards out of dumpsites and landfills,” Vergara said.

The country has over a thousand waste disposal facilities, including 1,027 open and controlled dumpsites long forbidden by Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, as well as “sanitary” landfills, cement kilns and incinerators, the EcoWaste Coalition noted.NG

Citing information from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized the benefits of applying compost as fertilizer in agriculture.

According to the UNESCAP’s Sustainable Urban Development Section, compost:

1. Lightens heavy soils, allowing better infiltration of both air and water.
2. Enhances and improves the soil’s structure, so that it becomes less subject to erosion by either water or wind.
3. Adds nutrients and trace materials to the soil, stimulating biological activity and encouraging vigorous plant rooting systems.
4. Enables soil to retain nutrients and moisture, preventing them from being leached out of the soil and into the ground water.

“With composting, we lessen our dependence to chemical farming and agriculture, while producing safe organic food for our people,” Vergara said.

“It will surely boost the implementation of the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010, especially in rural areas, provided the compost is clean and free of toxics,” Vergara said.

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III expresses his thoughts on various issues directed on him by the Palace media during the pocket interview in Commemoration of the World Press Freedom at the President’s Hall, Malacañan Palace Thursday May 03, 2012 (Photo by: Jay Morales / Malacañang Photo Bureau).