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Using Masungi slopes for prisons will destroy our homes, shops

Using Masungi slopes for prisons will destroy our homes, shops

by | May 10, 2023 | Gotcha

Before and after rewilding, documented by Masungi Georeserve Foundation

GOTCHA

Ongoing reforestation of Masungi in Marikina watershed has lessened floods in half of Metro Manila and Rizal. To use it for prison officials’ offices and manors will set off deadly deluges below.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources should be the first to oppose the Bureau of Corrections’ headquartering there. Its silence means consent to the ruinous consequences.

DENR is instead defaming Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGF) that’s rewilding hillsides by itself. What’s with DENR, which was also mum on the Mindoro oil spill, Romblon illegal mining and Zambales nickel ore smuggling?

Twenty armed BuCor officers in five vehicles swooped down on Masungi recently. Waving a newly-minted title, they scanned 270 hectares for National Bilibid Prison and office relocation.

Basic science shows unsuitability. Construction will necessitate levelling of slopes. Uprooting trees will erode soil that shield millions of lowland homes and shops from floods. It will disintegrate the spine of the 65 million-year-old limestone formation that earned Masungi Geopark worldwide renown.

Masungi Foundation protested. Justice Sec. Jesus Remulla, under whom BuCor is, blustered: “Relax lang kayo. Masungi will be preserved but government will use idle portions. You’re not the only ones who can protect nature.” Another science flunker?

BuCor’s “Lot 10” title stemmed from president Gloria Arroyo’s 2006 allocating 270 hectares for 29,200 convicts, plus 30 hectares for DENR regional office. Nearby communities howled. In 2009, then-Sec. Lito Atienza instructed DENR-Southern Luzon to look for other prison and office sites. That year superstorm Ondoy devastated Metro Manila-Rizal. Floods killed 464.

Two earlier proclamations by President Ferdinand E. Marcos preserved the mountains of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal and Quezon. Focal was Marikina watershed in Montalban, San Mateo, Antipolo, Tanay and Baras of Rizal. In 1993 DENR head Angel Alcala, a National Scientist, named Masungi a Strict Nature Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, banning quarries and other ecologically harmful activities.

Still, DENR crooks in 1999 granted three 25-year quarry permits on Masungi’s hilltop. In the Baras quarry area rose a dozen picnic resorts sans business permits. Culverts diverted rivers onto swimming pools. Protectors are a retired and an active-duty general.

Three years prior, in 1996, DENR contracted Blue Star Construction Development Corp. to build environmentally sustainable staff housing on 130 lower hectares. Reforestation began the following year. DENR in 2002 expanded the housing-cum-reforestation into Lot 10’s 300 hectares. There Blue Star’s Ben Dumaliang saw the degraded limestone ecosystem and restored it to its present state.

With daughters Ann and Billie and ecologists, Ben formed MGF. Wildlife returned within two decades of regreening the first 130 hectares. In 2017, Sec. Gina Lopez tasked MGF to rewild the upper 300 hectares, Lot 10. The illegal resort owners resisted, with goons shooting and mauling MGF park rangers.

Present DENR Sec. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga cancelled the three quarries a year before 2024 expiration. Yet she has not talked to MGF nor appointed a DENR manager for the oversight committee. Then came the BuCor title, which Remulla said he has discussed with her. The Land Registration Authority is also under him.

Yulo twitted the late Lopez’s memo for Masungi to be “a perpetual land trust for conservation… so long as there is no neglect or violation [by MGF].” Supposedly this negates the Constitution’s Article XII, National Economy and Patrimony, Section 2, which limits natural resource concessions to 25 years.

But natural resource preservation is not commercial use. A watershed is for perpetuity. So states the National Integrated Protected Areas System Law.

The National Museum defended MGF, awarded by United Nations and European conservationists. Karst (limestone ridges) need careful management, it said. Masungi’s limestone forest is habitat for unique species of plants, mollusk, crab, other crustacean, insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals.

Like flora and fauna, limestone formations can degenerate if unprotected. Woodcutting, agriculture, land clearance, quarrying, waste dumping or landfilling in the vicinity of Masungi geo-tourism park can ruin the karst. Water level and quality can drop.

Wanting quarries back, certain congressmen deride MGF in House hearings. DENR bureaucrats coach them to babble that natural resources must be given away to businessmen for infrastructure. Supposedly floods are inevitable in Marikina, Cainta, Taytay and other cities below. That’s why the valley never was inhabited in olden days.

Wrong! Up to the 1500s, Cainta was in fact a kingdom beside the Pasig River. It was surrounded by bamboo thickets and fortified with logs and lantaka (Malay bronze cannons). Just that, when Gat Maitan refused to pay tribute to Spain, Juan de Salcedo pillaged it in August 1571 on orders of uncle Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

Today’s leaders petition to protect Masungi and Upper Marikina Watershed. Signatories are Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Angono Vice Mayor Gerardo Calderon, Pasig City Administrator Jeronimo Manzanero and Malabon City Administrator Voltaire dela Cruz.

As well, Marikina barangay chairmen Bernard Bernardo of Sta. Elena, Segundo Cruz of Calumpang, Randy Leal of Nangka, Miguel Punzalan Jr. of Marikina Heights, Rizalina Teope of Fortune, Ronnie Tiburcio of Barangka and Mary Jane Zubiri-dela Rosa of Concepcion are signatories.

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Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Suspended PNB staff decry prying into spouses’ accounts

Suspended PNB staff decry prying into spouses’ accounts

by | May 5, 2023 | Gotcha

–

GOTCHA

Time for Bangko Sentral, Labor Department, and Stock Exchange to step in?

The mass suspension of Philippine National Bank employees has been extended anew for a third month, Apr. 28–May 27.

The action is to prevent 18 PNB administrative officers and staff from tampering records. But they still have not been told of specifics on their investigation.

Their second- and third-months suspension are with pay. Still, other benefits were withheld, foremost of which is quarterly bonus of one month’s pay. Labor issues are at play.

The suspended employees complained that superiors pried into not only their but also spouses’ bank accounts without informed consent. Allegedly they were questioned about deposits to their accounts up to several years back. They are consulting lawyers about bank secrecy and data privacy laws.

Citing a pseudonymous whistleblower, some said their suspension was retaliation for their review of a bank executive jet’s overpriced repair. While the directors board rejected the overprice, the insider-attempters have not been probed, they averred.

Others know nothing about the $2.96-million (P160 million) aircraft overprice. Still, they said their suspension was reprisal for other dutiful acts. “Our job is to examine procurements and expenses, and present alternatives,” one explained. “Oftentimes our studies foil some in top management.” At play too are banking rules and interests of depositors and small stockholders.

President Florido Casuela assured that all actions are within lawful banking regulations. He has been hurrying up the probe of the 18, but said each one has to undergo a half-day grilling. “Normal, regular, legal,” he stressed.

The second- and third-months preventive suspensions are “procedural”, Casuela said. He did not explain why those sessions were unconcluded in ten working days, leaving 12 more days within the first month’s suspension to render judgement. Nineteen employees initially were suspended, but one has been exonerated.

Casuela confirmed an earlier column that the 18 are being probed for improper uniform, habitual tardiness, sharing of passwords, missing furniture, and collusion with scrap buyers. These were detailed by another whistleblower against the admin unit. Protecting all identities, Casuela declined to name the 18 or show the white paper.

Admin staffers who were not suspended are also being probed. One said: “We don’t understand claims about attendance, uniform and passwords. We underwent internal audit only recently and there were no adverse findings.”

Some were told to present evidence in their defense. But they alleged to be uninformed of what their infractions are, when and where. “We don’t know what to refute,” they said.

Others were questioned about acts many months back. But because barred access to records, they are unable to defend themselves.

When suspended the first month, they received similar memos on Feb. 27. No detailed complaints:

“This is to inform you that there is an ongoing investigation in connection with alleged irregularities pertaining to your duties and actions of Admin Group. There were purported acts of omission constituting dishonesty and gross violation of bank existing policies and rules.

“After careful evaluation/deliberation, it has been determined that your continued presence poses a serious or imminent threat to the property of the bank.

“For which reason you are hereby placed under preventive suspension in accordance with the bank code of conduct for a period of 30 calendar days without pay commencing from Feb. 27, 2023 to March 28, 2023.

“Accordingly you are hereby relieved from your duties and responsibilities on the specified period pending completion of investigation and barred from entering the bank/branch premises for the period of preventive suspension.”

The second and third memos, extending the suspensions for the second and third months, likewise had no specific infractions. Only the inclusive dates: Mar. 29-Apr. 27 and Apr. 28-May 27 (see photo below). All were signed by Human Resource Group officer-in-charge Socorro Corpus, coursed through Executive VP Aida Padilla.

Calls and texts to Padilla for interviews remain unanswered. Same wist those to Clive Kian, aviation fleet VP and executive assistant to chairman emeritus Lucio K. Tan.

In the care of first wife and family, Mr. Tan reportedly is frail and forgetful at age 88. He bought PNB from the government in 2005 and grew it to P1.15-trillion assets, P11.4-billion profit (first three quarters, 2022), 8,550 personnel, and 670 branches. Forbes ranks it the Philippines’ second-best bank.

In the 15-member board aside from Mr. Tan are wife Carmen, daughters Sheila and Vivienne, grandson Lucio III and son Michael (by second wife Letty, deceased). Bangko Sentral has strict “fit and proper” standards.

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FEEDBACK: Romy Macalintal, election lawyer of 55 years, texted about my May 3 article “Are Fake Voters Invading Your Barangay Like This One?”: “How can Comelec act on your exposé? It has not even resolved a client’s 2018 complaint against more than 200 voters registering LRT station as their address; 300 voters used a call center as address; a vacant lot had 300 registrants.”

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Are fake voters invading your barangay like this one?

Are fake voters invading your barangay like this one?

by | May 3, 2023 | Gotcha

Fake I.D. card of a fake voter attempting to register at Makati Comelec office (watch video here)

GOTCHA

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Did the number of voters in your barangay balloon like in this one? Were there so many new registrants at your Comelec district office?

If so, expect fraud on Barangay Election Day, Oct. 30, 2023. You’ll likely end up with barangay officials you don’t want and never elected. They will not serve but only steal from you.

This happened in Barangay Carmona, Makati City. On new voter registration days, Dec. 12, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023, 3,697 fake voters signed up with the Comelec. It was an incredible 78-percent increase to 8,415. Last presidential-congressional-local election, May 9, 2022, the barangay had only 4,718 legitimate voters.

The jump in new voters defied the Philippine Statistics Authority’s forecast for Barangay Carmona of only 500 population growth in 2023. There was no mass migration of new residents nor increase in the barangay’s territory, chairman Joselito M. Salvador attested.

Salvador and other longtime voters challenged before the Comelec 497 new registrants. Scrutinizing the applications, they noticed fictitious addresses in their barangay. Names were deliberately misspelled. Identity documents were falsified.

Workplaces and employers were unregistered with the Dept. of Trade and Industry. “There is no business name registration filed,” DTI said of Alpha Work Force, Golden Star Learning Cleaning Service, Astra Resources, MAB Commercial Learning & Janitorial Services, Fastwork Manpower Services, Lotus System Manpower & Service Provider, Lucky Red Services, Sunlight Human Resources, Wbs Manpower Solution, Moderna Systems Employment Services, and JBN Manpower Services.

The 497 “new voters” have executed affidavits to withdraw their Comelec applications. They must have realized that their offense carries a penalty of six years’ imprisonment, disqualification from public office and loss of suffrage rights.

In individual affidavits they swore by their genuine names and identification papers: PhilHealth, vaccination, voter, school, postal, national I.D. card; taxpayer identification number; birth certificate; NBI clearance; driving license; passport. True addresses range from as close as other Makati barangays; adjacent Pasig, Taguig, and Manila cities; to faraway Bulacan, Zambales, Laguna, and Mindoro Occidental provinces.

The mob-for-hire was hauled from a Metro Manila slum. They said that neediness drove them into the racket. Their virtual admission of fakery casts serious doubt on the other “new voters”.

Each was paid P1,000 to register with the Comelec unit at Makati City Hall. Payor allegedly was an aspiring barangay candidate whose brother is a DPWH contractor-supplier classified as “AAA”. Capable of contracting at least P100 million, the latter is suspected to have bankrolled the payoffs.

This could be happening elsewhere. Big businessmen might be taking an interest in barangay polls.

Probable reason? The Supreme Court’s recent Mandanas ruling will transfer to local governments 27-percent more Internal Revenue Allotment starting 2023. Not only provincial, city or municipal IRA shares are to rise but also that of barangays. Barangays in rich cities have higher IRAs.

Can Comelec weed out fake voters in your barangay between now and October? Once flying voters are bused to your polling precinct on Election Day, it will be too late. Thereafter, ghost infrastructures will rise in your barangay — with contractors fully paid and officials receiving kickbacks.

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Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Want cheaper cost of goods? Unburden domestic shippers

Want cheaper cost of goods? Unburden domestic shippers

by | Apr 28, 2023 | Gotcha

Aerial view of Manila North Harbor – Wikipedia photo

GOTCHA

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Food, clothing, shelter materials and other goods are so costly. Blame special groups who make archipelagic shipping expensive.

A vessel recently docked in Batangas to unload wheat from Cagayan de Oro. Being small, less than 1,000 gross tons, it was supposed to be exempted from harbor pilot fees. Yet it was charged ₱24,794. The shipowner naturally passed on that cost to the shipper, who in turn passed it on to customers.

Another ship berthed in Batangas to haul steel rods to Tagbilaran. Also small and exempted, the owner protested the ₱24,794-pilotage. It was barred from departing for five days until paying up, plus ten-percent penalty. Again, that amount was passed on to the shipper; end-users bore the costlier merchandise.

A private group of pilots controls most harbors. The Philippine Ports Authority accredits them to steer and park vessels to and from piers. That’s to avoid ship collisions and port damage.

In some cases, harbor pilots do not even board the entering or exiting vessel, but just charge pilotage. When they do board, they don’t touch the helm but merely direct the shipmaster. They’re not liable for wrong instructions that lead to accidents. It’s the shipowner or insurer that pays.

Pilots are expected to know every square inch of the harbor. Yet recently in the Visayas the harbor pilot caused the ship to scrape a sunken vessel. The owner spent multimillion pesos to drydock and repair the hull.

Harbor pilot fees vary port to port, ₱2,500-₱5,000 per vessel. But Tacloban, Subic, General Santos, Batangas and Manila are extraordinary, with ₱10,000-₱25,000 rates.

In Sep. 2021 Batangas Harbor Pilot Co. imposed ₱24,794 flat rate for all vessel sizes in the province’s nine government and private ports. It was a three-percent yearly increase from the 2014 rate of ₱20,160. Supposedly the old rate was “inconsistent with the passage of time and changes in economic condition.”

PA general manager Jay Santiago is striving to bring down logistics costs. In international shipping he enforced a Container Registry and Monitoring System to swiftly ship out empty 20- and 40-footers and decongest ports.

Informed of the high pilot fees, Santiago sent the authorized rates:

Note: Highest pilotage charge for domestic vessels is ₱300, a fraction of the ₱2,500 to ₱24,794 that ships actually pay. Lowest charge for huge international vessels is $110, or ₱5,940 at $1:₱54.

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) listed 3,623 cargo vessels in 2021. There are no figures on how much pilotage companies earn and pay in taxes per year. One hundred-ten million Filipino consumers suffer costly commodities.

Though private, pilotage firms can be officious. Cargo handler Avega Bros. Integrated Shipping Corp. recently complained to PPA’s Santiago about the situation at Manila North Harbor (MNH).

The Manila Bay Harbor Pilot’s Partnership (MBHPP) suddenly banned Avega’s two tugboats from berthing and undocking its vessels there. Allegedly, Avega’s tug captains were unknowledgeable. This, despite their 15 years’ experience traversing MNH, for which Marina duly licensed them.

A six-hour impasse ensued between Avega and MBHPP. Avega hired two other tugboats from Tugmaster. But MBHPP rejected the replacements, claiming that those too, despite their Marina licenses, “lacked experience and knowledge.”

Avega was forced to hire MBHPP’s two tugs – for ₱28,000. Domestic ships previously were allowed to go in and out unassisted by tugs and harbor pilots. Then, MNH required tug and pilot assists. And this year MBHPP mandated the use only of its tugboats. Goods are priciest in the national capital.

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

PNB suspensions spark restiveness; unrelated to overprice probe, says prez

PNB suspensions spark restiveness; unrelated to overprice probe, says prez

by | Apr 26, 2023 | Gotcha

Photo from PNB Facebook page

GOTCHA

The seemingly arbitrary, vindictive suspension of 19 employees has caused unease at the Philippine National Bank.

One long-timer at the head office said his fellows “were suspended without being told why, unprecedented in our bank’s history.” Another added: “First they were suspended for one month, then the suspension was extended a second month.”

Employees reacted to this column, “Suspended for doing duty? Bank staff decry maltreatment,” April 12. They requested anonymity to avoid reprisal.

Acting president Florido Casuela confirmed the suspensions but said it was preventive, not punitive. “Preventive, so they can’t tamper with records.”

He affirmed this column that the 19 are being investigated for habitual tardiness, improper uniform, sharing of passwords, missing furniture and kickbacks from scrap buyers.

The suspended personnel are with the head office administration department. Casuela denied that it was in retaliation against the admin-staff probe of the overpriced repair of an executive jet’s engines. Two are high-level, one is managerial, the rest rank-and-file and one exonerated.

Casuela said Tuesday, April 18, he’s hurrying up the probe. Last Monday he squelched head office murmurs that the two suspended officers quietly have been offered to retire with full benefits.

A retiree-officer noted: “Collusion with scrap buyers can only be committed by higher-ups, not the lowly staff. They should’ve suspended only the top two or three. In involving the 16 others, they had to come up with petty offenses on uniforms, attendance and passwords. How many of the 8,500 other PNB workforce commit the same but aren’t investigated or disciplined?”

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas asked Casuela Monday, April 17, about the suspensions. He recounted to officials a whistle-blowing on the misconducts, and the PNB board’s earlier rejection of the  $3-million overpriced aircraft repair. He dissociated the two issues.

The BSP meeting was set two weeks prior. “Main issue was my officer-in-charge status as president,” said Casuela, 80. “We’ve long been recruiting a permanent president and I’m with the interview panel.”

Summoned as well by BSP were Chairman Emeritus Lucio Tan and directors Carmen Tan, Sheila Tan-Pascual, Vivienne Tan, Lucio Tan III and Michael Tan. The first three were abroad; the last three joined Casuela. BSP routinely meets with bank presidents and directors on matters of compliance, corporate good governance and succession.

PNB’s annual stockholders meeting yesterday was to elect the new set of directors. After which, the latter was to appoint the president.

Ranked by Forbes as the Philippines’ second best bank, PNB encourages whistle-blowing as part of sustainability and compliance with BSP rules. The president and Human Resources must act swiftly on reported misconduct and protect whistle-blowers’ identities.

But a high executive cajoled the admin-staff several times to name the whistle-blower, they alleged. The exec was protecting a suspended protégé.

A second pseudonymous whistle-blower came out March 8 addressing the directors. The 19 purportedly were suspended after reporting the aircraft overprice. One director was named as causing the suspensions “on prodding of the person who requested for reimbursement” of the $3 million. Some of them have been with PNB for decades, and the black mark might curtail their retirement benefits or transfer to other financial institutions.

Calls and text-requests for interviews were unanswered by executive VP Aida Padilla and Mr. Tan’s executive assistant Clive Kian, also VP of affiliate Basic Holdings Aviation.

Mr. Tan in October 2020 had approved the overhaul of PNB’s King Air jet twin engines for $230,000. Offeror was Manila Aerospace Products Trading for overhauler Pratt & Whitney of Canada.

June 18, 2021 MAPTRA billed PNB $2,958,800.30 including 12-percent VAT. Next day Kian, on a Basic Holdings form, signed the purchase order and payment request. Kian signed for the same on PNB stock requisition form.

PNB’s admin-staff sought the help of Philippine Airlines, part of the Lucio Tan Group, to check the technicals and haggle down the price.

Oct. 25, 2021 PAL specialist officers wrote Kian: “We cannot help but raise our earnest concern about the costly repair to MAPTRA.” Their online check showed that a brand-new King Air engine costs only $845,169, or $1,690,338 for two.

P&W’s quote for brand-new swelled to more than $3 million when MAPTRA added a non-negotiable 15-percent administrative charge, plus import costs, VAT and supposed “work in progress.”

The entire deal fell through. P&W returned the dismantled engines in four crates, with a $300,000 bill. Cargo acceptance cost P5 million. The jet is now for sale as is-where is.

The Lucio Tan Group and PNB together is the country’s biggest taxpayer. Casuela said corporate good governance is primary to protect PNB’s small stockholders and depositors.

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Albert del Rosario: patriot, family man

Albert del Rosario: patriot, family man

by | Apr 21, 2023 | Gotcha

Albert in 1982 when he was 41 years old

GOTCHA

Albert del Rosario stood tall among world leaders. Yet there he sat on my old couch that afternoon in 1984, cradling and goo-gooing my newborn.

Tito Albert and Tita Gretchen visited us days after Marissa birthed their first grandniece, and were delighted to hear that we’d christened her after her grand-aunt. Albert was our wedding sponsor two years prior. Three-and-a-half decades later, despite his busy schedule and advancing age, he spent a good part of the day at the ceremony and reception when Margarita and Luke wedded.

That’s typical Albert. Although running many businesses, family was priority. He doted on his six apo, accompanying them to arcades, sports competitions and haircuts.

On five offspring, whom he raised in Makati’s posh Dasma village, he inculcated frugality and diligence. In aprons launching a fast-food outlet in the 1980s, Albert and Gretchen took orders while Buddy, Hans, Inge, Meg and Steffi served and bused dishes. All bubbly, they enjoyed their roles and the family bonding.

Marissa fondly recalls Albert picking her up at freshman college dorm for weekend sleep-ins with cousins, then driving her back Sunday afternoons. Mine were of quarterly weekend family picnic lunches at Inge’s novitiate, after which he’d drop me off at the newsroom then proceed to work himself.

We shared similar passions. He wrote a column on risk management for Business Day, later renamed BusinessWorld, of which he became chairman. He couldn’t convince me to do political satire like his fave Art Buchwald, as I was hopelessly humorless. Still, twice recently he sat at the head table and winked as I received journo awards on stage.

It was Albert who saw humor even in grim situations. As the fatigued foreign secretary evacuating Filipino workers from Libya’s 2011 civil strife, he tripped and fell on his face on the ship’s steel deck. Forehead black and blue, he wished he could say it was due to something more dramatic, like eluding rocket fire.

Hopping to another troubled land despite a newly-repaired knee, power was out and he climbed up then down 12 flights of stairs for a vital meeting because “I needed exercise.”

In 2019 China Immigration held Albert at the Hong Kong airport. He was to attend a board meeting. Weeks prior, he had urged the International Criminal Court to prosecute Xi Jinping for crimes against humanity in menacing 350,000 Filipinos from traditional fishing grounds. His stomach growled from the hours-long detention, he recalled.

In 2006 he resigned as ambassador to Washington after refusing to justify to US officials Gloria Arroyo’s plot to suspend the writ of habeas corpus. Still he deferred to the president, “I got fired from my job.”

Retired by 2021, he disclosed Beijing’s frequent brag of having influenced Rody Duterte’s 2016 election. Threatening to pour coffee on his face, the enraged president demanded to know where he hung out. A taekwondo black belt and descendant of Gregorio del Pilar, Albert retorted, “I don’t even drink coffee.”

Albert gave away his government official’s monthly salary to needy subordinates. He headed the Philippine Cancer Society’s fund drive, and shoveled for Gawad Kalinga. He chaired us trustees of Free Rural Eye Clinics which operated on thousands of indigents in Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac and La Union. Gretchen’s kuya, Dr. Guillermo de Venecia, had initiated FREC.

Filipinos are indebted to Albert for winning, with Justice Tony Carpio, Manila’s maritime case at The Hague arbitration. That 2016 victory set international precedents:

(1) No “historical claim,” like China’s “nine-dash line,” can supersede a state’s exclusive economic zone. China’s “ownership” of the entire South China Sea is invalid.

(2) China’s concreted reefs, being artificial islands with no natural freshwater source, do not generate any EEZ that overlaps with Manila’s.

(3) China violated international law in harassing Filipino fishing and exploration vessels in the Philippine EEZ.

(4) China ruined the environment with its fortification of the Philippines’ Panganiban, Kagitingan and Zamora Reefs, and pillage of Panatag Shoal.

(5) China aggravated the dispute with its island-building.

Tragedy struck Albert’s extended brood in March 2020. A great-grandniece suddenly passed away at 16. Albert, pushing 80 and unable to lean back on the chapel couch due to spinal injury, attended the wake every night, lending the bereaved parents his quiet comforting presence.

Now Albert too has gone ahead. The family lost a spouse, dad, brother, uncle, lolo, ninong. The Philippines lost a national treasure.

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

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Our website contains links that lead to other websites. If you click on these links jariusbondoc.com is not held responsible for your data and privacy protection. Visiting those websites is not governed by this privacy policy agreement. Make sure to read the privacy policy documentation of the website you go to from our website.

 

Restricting the Collection of your Personal Data

At some point, you might wish to restrict the use and collection of your personal data. You can achieve this by doing the following:

 

  • When you are filling the forms on the website, make sure to check if there is a box which you can leave unchecked, if you don’t want to disclose your personal information.
  • If you have already agreed to share your information with us, feel free to contact us via email and we will be more than happy to change this for you.

 

jariusbondoc.com will not lease, sell or distribute your personal information to any third parties, unless we have your permission. We might do so if the law forces us. Your personal information will be used when we need to send you promotional materials if you agree to this privacy policy.

 

II. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All materials contained on this site are protected by the Republic of the Phlippines copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of jariusbondoc.com or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.

However, you may download material from jariusbondoc.com on the Web (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal, noncommercial use only.

If you wish to use jariusbondoc.com content for commercial purposes, such as for content syndication etc., please contact us at jariusbondoconline@gmail.com.

Links to Websites other than those owned by jariusbondoc.com are offered as a service to readers. The editorial staff of jariusbondoc.com was not involved in their production and is not responsible for their content.

 

III. TERMS OF SERVICE

 

  1. GENERAL RULES AND DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 If you choose to use the jariusbondoc.com service (the “Service”), you will be agreeing to abide by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement between you and jariusbondoc.com (“jariusbondoc.com “).

 

1.2 jariusbondoc.com may change, add or remove portions of this Agreement at any time, but if it does so, it will post such changes on the Service, or send them to you via e-mail. It is your responsibility to review this Agreement prior to each use of the Site and by continuing to use this Site, you agree to any changes.

 

1.3 If any of these rules or any future changes are unacceptable to you, you may cancel your membership by sending e-mail to jariusbondoconline.com (see section 10.1 regarding termination of service). Your continued use of the service now, or following the posting of notice of any changes in these operating rules, will indicate acceptance by you of such rules, changes, or modifications.

 

1.4 jariusbondoc.com may change, suspend or discontinue any aspect of the Service at any time, including the availability of any Service feature, database, or content. jariusbondoc.com may also impose limits on certain features and services or restrict your access to parts or all of the Service without notice or liability.

 

  1. JARIUSBONDOC.COM CONTENT AND MEMBER SUBMISSIONS

 

2.1 The contents of the jariusbondoc.com are intended for your personal, noncommercial use. All materials published on jariusbondoc.com (including, but not limited to news articles, photographs, images, illustrations, audio clips and video clips, also known as the “Content”) are protected by copyright, and owned or controlled by jariusbondoc.com or the party credited as the provider of the Content. You shall abide by all additional copyright notices, information, or restrictions contained in any Content accessed through the Service.

 

2.2 The Service and its Contents are protected by copyright pursuant to the Republic of the Philippines and international copyright laws. You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, reproduce (except as provided in Section 2.3 of this Agreement), create new works from, distribute, perform, display, or in any way exploit, any of the Content or the Service (including software) in whole or in part.

 

2.3 You may download or copy the Content and other downloadable items displayed on the Service for personal use only, provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein. Copying or storing of any Content for other than personal use is expressly prohibited without prior written permission from jariusbondoc.com or the copyright holder identified in the copyright notice contained in the Content.

 

  1. FORUMS, DISCUSSIONS AND USER GENERATED CONTENT

 

3.1 You shall not upload to, or distribute or otherwise publish on the message boards (the “Feedback Section”) any libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise illegal material.

 

3.2 (a)Be courteous. You agree that you will not threaten or verbally abuse jariusbondoc.com columnists and other jariusbondoc.com community Members, use defamatory language, or deliberately disrupt discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or “spam.”

 

3.2 (b) Use respectful language. Like any community, the Feedback Sections will flourish only when our Members feel welcome and safe. You agree not to use language that abuses or discriminates on the basis of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual preference, age, region, disability, etc. Hate speech of any kind is grounds for immediate and permanent suspension of access to all or part of the Service.

 

3.2 (c) Debate, but don’t attack. In a community full of opinions and preferences, people always disagree. jariusbondoc.com encourages active discussions and welcomes heated debate in our Feedback Sections. But personal attacks are a direct violation of this Agreement and are grounds for immediate and permanent suspension of access to all or part of the Service.

 

3.3 The Feedback Sections shall be used only in a noncommercial manner. You shall not, without the express approval of jariusbondoc.com, distribute or otherwise publish any material containing any solicitation of funds, advertising or solicitation for goods or services.

 

3.4 You are solely responsible for the content of your messages. However, while jariusbondoc.com does not and cannot review every message posted by you on the Forums and is not responsible for the content of these messages, jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to delete, move, or edit messages that it, in its sole discretion, deems abusive, defamatory, obscene, in violation of copyright or trademark laws, or otherwise unacceptable.

 

3.5 You acknowledge that any submissions you make to the Service (i.e., user-generated content including but not limited to: text, video, audio and photographs) (each, a “Submission”) may be edited, removed, modified, published, transmitted, and displayed by jariusbondoc.com and you waive any moral rights you may have in having the material altered or changed in a manner not agreeable to you. You grant jariusbondoc.com a perpetual, nonexclusive, world-wide, royalty free, sub-licensable license to the Submissions, which includes without limitation the right for jariusbondoc.com or any third party it designates, to use, copy, transmit, excerpt, publish, distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, create derivative works of, host, index, cache, tag, encode, modify and adapt (including without limitation the right to adapt to streaming, downloading, broadcast, mobile, digital, thumbnail, scanning or other technologies) in any form or media now known or hereinafter developed, any Submission posted by you on or to jariusbondoc.com or any other website owned by it, including any Submission posted on jariusbondoc.com through a third party.

 

3.6 By submitting an entry to jariusbondoc.com’s Readers’ Corner, you are consenting to its display on the site and for related online and offline promotional uses.

 

  1. ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE AND LINKS

 

4.1 jariusbondoc.com contains links to other related World Wide Web Internet sites, resources, and sponsors of jariusbondoc.com. Since jariusbondoc.com is not responsible for the availability of these outside resources, or their contents, you should direct any concerns regarding any external link to the site administrator or Webmaster of such site.

 

  1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

5.1 You represent, warrant and covenant (a) that no materials of any kind submitted through your account will (i) violate, plagiarize, or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights; or (ii) contain libelous or otherwise unlawful material; and (b) that you are at least thirteen years old. You hereby indemnify, defend and hold harmless jariusbondoc.com, and all officers, directors, owners, agents, information providers, affiliates, licensors and licensees (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all liability and costs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Indemnified Parties in connection with any claim arising out of any breach by you or any user of your account of this Agreement or the foregoing representations, warranties and covenants. You shall cooperate as fully as reasonably required in the defense of any such claim. jariusbondoc.com reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you.

 

5.2 jariusbondoc.com does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, or other information displayed, uploaded, or distributed through the Service by any user, information provider or any other person or entity. You acknowledge that any reliance upon any such opinion, advice, statement, memorandum, or information shall be at your sole risk. THE SERVICE AND ALL DOWNLOADABLE SOFTWARE ARE DISTRIBUTED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT USE OF THE SERVICE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

 

  1. COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN JARIUSBONDOC.COM AND MEMBERS

 

6.1 If you indicate on your registration form that you want to receive such information, jariusbondoc.com, its owners and assigns, will allow certain third party vendors to provide you with information about products and services.

 

6.2 jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to send electronic mail to you for the purpose of informing you of changes or additions to the Service.

 

6.3 jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to disclose information about your usage and demographics, provided that it will not reveal your personal identity in connection with the disclosure of such information. Advertisers and/or Licensees on our Web site may collect and share information about you only if you indicate your acceptance. For more information please read the Privacy Policy of jariusbondoc.com.

 

6.4 jariusbondoc.com may contact you via e-mail regarding your participation in user surveys, asking for feedback on the Website and existing or prospective products and services. This information will be used to improve our Website and better understand our users, and any information we obtain in such surveys will not be shared with third parties, except in aggregate form.

 

  1. TERMINATION

 

 

7.1 jariusbondoc.com may, in its sole discretion, terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Service for any reason, including, without limitation, breach or assignment of this Agreement.

 

  1. MISCELLANEOUS

 

8.1 This Agreement has been made in and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the Republic of the Philippines law. Any action to enforce this agreement shall be brought in the courts located in Manila, Philippines.

 

8.2 Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, nothing in this Terms of Service will serve to preempt the promises made in jariusbondoc.com Privacy Policy.

 

8.3 Correspondence should be sent to jariusbondoconline.com.

 

8.4 You agree to report any copyright violations of the Terms of Service to jariusbondoc.com as soon as you become aware of them. In the event you have a claim of copyright infringement with respect to material that is contained in the jariusbondoc.com service, please notify jariusbondoconline.com. This Terms of Service was last updated on November 7, 2020.