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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

Plundering pols begrudge soldiers their pensions

Plundering pols begrudge soldiers their pensions

by | Apr 19, 2023 | Gotcha

PNA photo of Meralco linemen inspecting residential electricity meters

GOTCHA

Government released P14-billion first quarter pensions for 137,649 veterans. The “entitlements are the least we can do to show gratitude and respect,” it said.

“Ridiculous!” Finance Sec. Ben Diokno countered. He alleged that military men outlive most Filipinos. Recruited at 20, they retire at 40 then collect pension till 90. On Diokno’s advice, President Marcos Jr. will slash retirees’ pensions and even deduct those from their active-duty pay. The admin’s Senate and House supermajorities will enact it.

Diokno’s wrong. Mandatory AFP retirement is age 56 or 30 years service, whichever is longer, under PDs 1638 and 1650. Highest authorities approve earlier retirements at pro rata pension. AFP was removed from GSIS in 1997. Before that, crooks in the AFP Retirement and Separation Benefits System dissipated soldiers’ contributions.

Soldiers risk lives 24/7 for the country. They accept hardship posts far away from families. Physiques, minds, emotions can degrade faster than other public employees’.

Diokno, government’s highest paid official in 2021, received P41.81 million from multiple positions as BSP governor, Monetary Board chairman, etc. It will take ex-PNP chief Panfilo Lacson, who retired as four-star general, 18 pension years to match Diokno’s one-year take. In 2020, Diokno got P19.79 million.

A year’s pensions for 137,649 veterans is P56 billion. Merely 30 percent of the P183-billion 2023 flood-control budget. Lawmakers plunder flood funds through ghost projects. They expect soldiers to defend the dynastic status quo. They even corrupt servicemen to be bodyguards and hitmen.

In 2019, House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya accused then-budget chief Diokno of inserting P332 billion for flood controls in three years’ national budgets. Of that total, P385 million went to a town in Bicol that, state engineers swore, doesn’t even flood. That town’s mayor is stepfather of Diokno’s son-in-law.

The mayor used to be a public works contractor with Diokno’s son-in-law as stockholder. The company is 49 percent partner of another contractor in P551-million roadworks. Denying all those in a press release, Diokno dared Andaya, now dead, to sue him (links to The STAR reports below).

Veteran pensions ballooned when soldiers’ salaries were doubled in 2017. For Diokno, whose job is to raise money for pensions, it’s “the elephant in the room.”

Diokno shouldn’t begrudge soldiers their higher pay. They deserve global compensation rates like he did at BSP. Before the hikes, a Filipino four-star general’s monthly salary was lower than that of a US Army private. (Links to my researches below.)

Besides, the Constitution guarantees soldiers’ benefits. Article XVI, General Provisions, Section 7 declares: “The State shall provide immediate and adequate care, benefits and other forms of assistance to war veterans and veterans of military campaigns, their surviving spouses and orphans.”

Their pensions are a gift from the Filipino people, retired admiral Ariston delos Reyes said. Government cannot take it back. The law frowns on diminution of compensation. Demoralization may set in.

The real elephant in the room is the past admin’s over-borrowing, Akbayan leader and former Malacañang official Ronald Llamas said. Government debts in 1946-2016 totaled P5.9 trillion. Then the Duterte presidency, where Diokno was among the top economic managers, borrowed P7.3 trillion.

That admin cannot claim to have needed money for the pandemic. Among the pre-pandemic loans was from China, for an unwanted 72-meter high dam when a seven-meter Japanese weir would have sufficed. Worse, that admin squandered borrowings, including P42-billion pricey medical supplies from Chinese fly-by-nights like Pharmally.

Another elephant in the room is unabated tax evasion and smuggling, Llamas said. Marcos Jr.’s family owes P203 billion in overdue estate taxes. His appointees abet onion and sugar smuggling cartels to which government loses multitrillion-peso revenues. BIR and Customs are under Diokno as finance secretary.

Read also:

https://tinyurl.com/Military-pension-woes

https://tinyurl.com/DoubIe-servicemen-pay

https://tinyurl.com/P332-B-flood-scam-uncovered

https://tinyurl.com/Diokno-so-sue-me

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

Keep your hands off our SSS, GSIS money

Keep your hands off our SSS, GSIS money

by | Apr 15, 2023 | Gotcha

PNA photo

GOTCHA

written on December 2, 2022

 

There they go again – treating our SSS and GSIS pension money as theirs. Admin appointees are plunking our contributions into a “Maharlika sovereign wealth fund.” The Congress supermajority is steamrolling its passage.

Copied from wealthy, disciplined states, the Maharlika Wealth Fund will supposedly secure future generations of Filipinos. Our SSS and GSIS money purportedly will be invested in A1 portfolios. So will deposits in Land Bank and Development Bank of the Philippines. But the way they’re rushing things and with our history of kleptocracy, it can only end in disaster.

The wording is flowery, if vague. Initially amounting to P250 billion, the MWF will be placed “on a strategic and commercial basis in a manner designed to promote fiscal stability for economic development, and strengthen the top-performing GFIs [government financial institutions] through additional investment platforms that will help attain the national government’s priority plans.”

Based on that, appointee-chiefs will put in P125 billion from GSIS, P50 billion each from SSS and Land Bank, and P25 billion from DBP.

SSS and GSIS were mislabeled as GFIs, as if they’re government-owned. Wrong. They’re our private mutual provident funds owned by us members and merely administered by government for us.

The MWF will impose on SSS and GSIS a duplicate set of appointees, without consulting us.

What we SSS and GSIS contributors want is genuine representation. For accountability, members elect the officers of California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the world’s richest and stablest. In SSS and GSIS, Malacañang puts in cronies. Thieving presidents and spouses have bankrupted our pension funds. Despite actuarial longevity computations, the funds’ lifespans were shortened. We have had to increase contributions.

SSS and GSIS appointees are mandated to invest the funds in solid domestic and foreign assets. Many times, however, they have only bailed out losing crony companies at Malacañang’s behest. In 1999 they buoyed up faltering shares of a presidential mahjong-mate.

 

Malacañang will also appoint the MWF trustees and managers. Corruption will multiply. Woe to us 40.49 million SSS and 2.53 million GSIS members.

Speaker Martin Romualdez sponsors the MWF bill. Co-authors are his wife Tingog partylist Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez and nephew Rep. Sandro Marcos, son of President Bongbong Romualdez Marcos. Plus Reps. Jude Acidre (Tingog), Manuel Dalipe and Stella Quimbo (Liberal Party).

The House committee on banks and financial intermediaries chairman Irwin Tieng will present it to the plenary this week. Ways and means committee chairman Joey Salceda interposed no objection to the MWF’s tax-free status.

Speaker Romualdez likens his MWF to Singapore and Indonesia’s investment authorities. Both have been well-managed so far. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is worth over a trillion dollars, the world’s biggest. Main source of the wealth is publicly-run and owned Statoil.

The Philippines has puny petroleum assets. Graft raps mark the sale of its natural gas operation, Malampaya, to the biggest campaign contributor of former president Rody Duterte.

What the Philippines has lots of is debt. Public sector borrowings of P6 trillion from 1975 to 2016 more than doubled to P13 trillion in 2017 to 2022. Most loans supposedly went to infrastructure and Covid-19 vaccines. Yet only 12 of 119 of Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” projects were completed. And 63 million of 110 million Filipinos were fully vaccinated for Covid-19. The World Bank is to investigate Philippine borrowings for overpriced, inefficacious Chinese inoculants.

Sovereign wealth funds are prone to sleaze. At least $145 billion vanished from Venezuela’s Fonden. Former prime minister Najib Razak is in prison for embezzling $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s 1MDB.

Admin economic managers endorse Maharlika. Finance Sec. Ben Diokno intends to put in P25 billion in state royalties from mining and telecom frequencies. He suggests funneling dollar remittances of overseas workers and call centers. Rules of the Bangko Sentral, of which he was former head, disallow that.

MWF is untimely, former BSP deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo wrote in three newspaper columns. Global instability and inflation are eroding the domestic economy. Scarce public funds could be better used for skills training, education and health.

The 7.6 percent Philippine economic growth in July-October excites Speaker Romualdez about MWF. He says it should be operational within six months of enactment. The Philippines came from double-digit recession however, the worst since World War II. International experts counsel belt-tightening in the next year or two.

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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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.