They don’t let foreigners do things here and for good reason. Mostly it is to protect the monopoly held by one of the ruling families but also it means that locals will always win over foreigners. Even in court and even if the foreigner is in the right. I have listened as a judge explains that although he has to find the case in favour of the foreigner, the defendant is a poor Pinoy who has been manipulated by the rich Kano (he borrowed money off the foreigner, promised to pay back or give him his farm, then never paid and won’t give the deeds to the farm to the Kano’s Filipina wife). He says it would hurt the farmer too much and besides the foreigner has lots of money and he can always go back to America and so on. Not fair or just but you have to accept he has an argument there.

In the Pinas you can still do pretty much what you want to, especially on your own property. People will rarely complain for fear of you having more clout than they do. If they feel they have more clout then they might complain and they might win but if you play by their rules, this is rare. First of all, don’t flaunt your wealth like the better off locals do. Be nice, acknowledge you are not in your own country. Never criticise no matter how messed up and incompetent they might be and never call a Filipino ‘stupid’, even if he or she is.

In return you can drive pretty much how you like, just as they do. Make sure you mirror tint your windscreen and windows and never make eye contact and use the horn incessantly. Treat your helper as a servant, not a member of the family and now and then get mad at them to keep them keen. Too nice and they will rip you off because they know you won’t do anything about it. Know your place in society and maintain it. You are higher than others but not all. Trying to be nice and friendly to everyone only embarrasses those below you and creates contempt among those above you and shame for those at your level. If you don’t understand what I mean, ask your Asawa. But don’t expect a straight answer, it is not their way.

4 killed while defusing bomb in Taguig
PhilstarPhilstar – Thu, Jan 26, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – At least four people died while nine others were wounded when a bomb they were trying to defuse at a welding shop exploded in Taguig City yesterday afternoon.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Alan Purisima identified to the victims as PO2 Elizalde Bisaya and PO3 Jose Torralba, both of the Special Action Force-Explosives Ordnance Division (SAF-EOD); welding shop owner Crisanto Daguio and bakery owner Riza Romualdo.

Another SAF member, Arnold Mayo, was among the injured.

Bobbyrondo Niuda, who witnessed the incident from the second floor of his house, said the SAF-EOD team brought the ammunition to the Chris Welding Shop along Daisy street in Barangay Lower Bicutan in Taguig City at around 2:45 p.m. He said the team first used a pipe wrench then a welder to defuse the bomb.

“I know it was wrong. I wanted to shout but I did not because I thought they knew what they were doing. They were in uniform and I find it embarrasing to correct them,” said Niuda, who claimed he underwent bomb training while working for a security agency.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome ordered an investigation into the accident.

“There is a lapse here. They should not have defused it using a welder,” said Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario, head of the Taguig police.

Meanwhile, in Caloocan City, Inspector Rolando Armendez, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) chief, said a blue bag left on the road in Barangay 172 yesterday morning was found to contain at least four World War II-vintage hand grenades.

Two MK2 high velocity fragmentation grenades and two M26 hand grenades were turned over to the bomb disposal squad for safekeeping. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jerry Botial – By Aie Balagtas See and Non Alquitran (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Following is information on a project several of us are working on.  This is an appeal for funds to provide daily vitamins with minerals to a specific group of children living in poverty.  A way you can make a real difference in the lives of each of them.

This is a one year Pilot program to determine the beneficial effects daily vitamins with minerals will have on the lives of these children.  Anticipated outcomes include reduced illness, better ability to concentrate in school and at home, better physical condition and more.

A monthly donation or a onetime gift will help begin this program.  Please give us your support.  I am available to answer any questions you have concerning this program. Thank you.

Jim Baumbach,
Bacoor Cavite, 4102 Philippines
(MagicJack  717-435-5284 free call in Lancaster, PA area)
09278274512 (cellphone)

MALNUTRITION

I am not a doctor but I see the effects the lack of proper nutrition has on children.  Without proper nutrition children are unable to develop physically and mentally.  Where I live in the Philippines children suffer from this condition in dramatic numbers.

In the Philippines 30% of the population, based on Philippine statistics, live on less than a dollar a day.  Rice is the main food of the poor.  While rice provides calories and some nutrients, it is generally processed into white polished rice with few health benefits.  The children will eat whatever they can to satisfy their hunger.   This includes white bread, cheap candy and fortunately seasonal fruits.

Can you help the 4 – 5 million Filipino children suffering from malnutrition?  NO YOU CAN’T!  It is too overwhelming.  What you can do is help a group of the children in a squatter area “Slum” that I have come to know.  They range in age from 0 to 16, both boys and girls.  There is a total of 42 and here is what we can do together to help them.

VITAMINS FOR THE CHILDREN

Daily multivitamins and minerals for these children will provide missing nutrition in their diets.

A simple multi-vitamin with minerals each day will give the child these expected benefits: increased ability to concentrate in and out of school, stronger immune system leading to fewer illnesses, general improvement in bodily function and more.

Here is how it will work:  The total daily cost for a multi-vitamin for the 42 children is $3.15, for a monthly total of $133.  Please make checks payable to:  Bonnie Gantz, and send to, 24 Plank Ave, Willow Street, PA 17584 will receive the donations, deposit the funds in a PNC bank account of Jim Baubmach who can access them, for free, in the Philippines. In the Philippines please contact me directly, by text or call and we can make arrangements. The vitamins will be purchased locally and distributed by the local Health Department or government agency, again, without cost.  A full monthly accounting will be provided to Bonnie by Jim.  If more than the $133 is collected it will only be spent for approved purposes such as the addition of fluoride or protein supplements for the children.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM

You may have knowledge of the people involved in this project.  There are no administration fees deducted and there is accountability on a monthly base.  The height, weight and progress of each child will be maintained by the local Health Department or government agency.  Group photos will also be provided as well as individual photos on request.

The world’s symbolic 7 billionth baby was born on the weekend and brings the Filipino population to just over 94.9 million, officially. The delivery room was packed with reporters, relatives, UN officials and even the 6th billionth baby, now 12, not to mention the father, mother and a mid-wife. The child gets a scholarship and the parents a grant to start a sari sari store and of course, world wide fame. If the world increased by 1 billion in just 12 years from 6 to 7 billion, how long will it take to make it to 8 billion?

I can only begin to empathise with her over her treatment, it must have been horrendous. I wonder how anyman could carry out a sexual act with a woman who was obviously not a local and not a willing participant? Surely, even passive resistance and total non-participation by the woman would signal there is something horribly wrong here? It goes to the heart of the matter, what is the mindset of those men who would use her in such a way?

Many may claim the foreigners who travel to the Philippines and engage bargirls in prostitution are no different but I beg to differ. Those girls have not been forced by anything other than the poverty forced upon their country by the ruling elite ripping off the people in every way. bad enough that that is, it is a very different scenario to the one endured by the Kiwi woman.

The reality is that whatever your personal position, prostitution is the oldest profession and it will remain so while ever there are men and women and we have the attitude to sex that it is something special and can be used as a commodity or for gain. Whether that is on a date, in a marriage or a more obviously commercial transaction, so long as there is a ‘price’ put on sex there will be exploitation. That exploitation is bad enough when it is the person offering the sex exploiting the person accepting the offer, but when it is done via a third party it takes on a sinister mantle all of its own.

The origin of the invitation was Facebook. When will people learn? Facebook is a prime catchment area for the evil people of this world and they are very convincing and very good at what they do. If there is any country in S.E. Asia you don’t travel to alone, as a female, it has to the Philippines, probably followed by Indonesia, Cambodia and Thailand. I hope this lady can put this behind her and move on.

Thanks to Peter from PhilippineDreams1 for the link to this report.

Monday, September 5, 2011

(From the SunStar Cebu)

CEBU CITY (3rd update, 3:46 p.m.) — The number of fatalities in a shooting incident in Cebu City rose to five after the injured security guard died in a hospital.

The security escort of a bank teller who was brought to the Chong Hua Hospital died after he was shot by robbers, radio dyLA said.

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Another security escort identified as Leofer Itak died of gunshot wounds.

The three robbers, believed to be members of the Ozamiz robbery group, also died after policemen responded to the incident.

The suspects carted away P1.2 million from a China Bank teller, who was about to deliver the cash to a money changer outlet inside Robinsons Place Cebu past 9 a.m., a radio report said.

The amount was based on the inventory conducted by authorities.

The teller and his security escort were already inside the mall when the suspects grabbed the cash from the teller.

Itak, who acted as lookout, was about to respond to the commotion but another suspect who is the robbers’ lookout shot him dead.
A security guard died Monday morning while trying to stop a robbery inside Robinsons Place Cebu. (Alex Badayos)

A teller and a security escort suffer gunshot wounds during Monday’s robbery inside Robinsons Place Cebu. (Alex Badayos)

The two robbers inside the mall also shot the teller and his security escort, who was the latest fatality.

The robbers grabbed the bag and sped off.

The teller is still at the Chong Hua Hospital for treatment.

Two other policemen from Carbon Police Station, who just passed by at the area, were wounded after the robbers shot at them as well.

The two policemen identified as Police Officers 1 (PO1) Roy Ceniza and Jay Catacutan were brought to the nearby hospital.

All Cebu City policemen were immediately alerted and responded to the incident.

Responding policemen caught up with the three fleeing robbers, onboard a motorcycle and shooting happened.

Two of the robbers died on the spot while the other died at the Cebu City Medical Center.

The bag containing the cash was recovered.

At least 12 empty shells of .45 caliber pistol were also recovered.

Cebu City Mayor Micheal Rama lauded the policemen for their immediate response. He said he will extend assistance to those who were injured in the incident.

He also urged authorities to identify the robbery mastermind.

Investigation is ongoing. (Sunnex)

We have looked at the situation and decided to change our sales model from a ‘Membership Model’ to what we call the ‘Amazon Model’, as in selling them on Amazon.com as Kindle downloads. They are also available at Barnes&Noble and in the iTunes bookshop as well as at Smashwords.com and of course, as hard copy paperbacks at Lulu.com.

All of the books have been updated and in the case of the hard copy paperbacks, they are being released as A5 size volumes, about half the size they were before as an A4, just thicker. This is in keeping with making them more ‘book like’ and less like an information product. We have also dropped the price to be competitive, of course in doing so we no longer offer the half a dozen or so free value added items that made the $29.99 price tag such great value. Nor will we, officially, still offer online email support although I will always be here to reply to any questions  or emails and help where I can. We also used to offer free updates for the life of the title and while we will continue to do this for our ‘members’, we will no longer offer this with eBooks sold via the new model.

Basically, the updated for 2012 editions are selling for $13.99 with some locations (Amazon’s Kindle for example) offering them at just $9.99 for a limited time to generate some buzz. The hardcopy paperbacks are also re-priced with most, after 25% discount, being available for around $15 or so, plus postage and handling. For some titles for the US market this could mean free delivery depending on the promotions being run at the time of ordering by Lulu.com themselves.

We are hoping the price change and the new sales model will be a good thing for our customers. Those who bought from us in the past at the old price will still get full access and online email help as well as free updates for the life of the title and they get to keep the freebies they downloaded before. New customers get the great low price and we think a better mode of distribution and delivery of the product. Not only that it is far more widely available and easier to find. Let us know your thoughts and what you think of the new sales model.

Thousands of documents pertaining to United States officials’ views on the Philippines have been released by WikiLeaks, among them a fairly recent report — attributed to the embassy in Manila — describing the local investment climate as plagued by “legal restrictions, regulatory inconsistency and lack of transparency”.

The unclassified document dated January 25, 2010 identified the Philippine Economic Zone Authority as a “noteworthy strength” along with the country’s “well-educated and English-speaking labor pool,” but also noted that weak public institutions had repelled foreign businesses.

The report, in particular, states that “many foreign investors describe the inefficiency and uncertainty of the judicial system as a significant disincentive for investment”.

The legal system’s shortcomings were said to be the result of “…judges rarely [having] a background in, or thorough understanding of, market economics or business, and that their decisions stray from the interpretation of law into policymaking”.

The inability of the government to uphold the sanctity of contracts, it said, had led to a “clouded investment climate,” while the ineffectiveness of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines to restrict and seize pirated goods has gotten the country into the US Trade Representative Special 301 Report.

Corruption, meanwhile, was described as a “pervasive and longstanding problem” because “the enforcement of anti-corruption law has been weak and inconsistent”. The report also noted that the Philippines “is not a signatory of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Convention on Combating Bribery.”

Inefficiencies in agencies concerned with business registration, customs procedures, and immigration have also been “a source of frustration” for many US investors.

“To counter this, some agencies, such as the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), BoI (Board of Investments) and the Department of Foreign Affairs, have established express lanes or ‘one-stop shops’ to reduce bureaucratic delays, [but] with varying degrees of success,” the report states.

Officials from the US Embassy and the government were not immediately available for comment.

Passenger slams sunken ship’s crew, management

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By: Francis Allan L. Angelo
BRIAN Daly, 75, was born in England and lived for sometime in Canada but he later moved to Iloilo after falling in love with his Ilongga wife Jonnah.
Brian, now a permanent resident of the Philippines, was among the more than 160 passengers of the ill-fated MV Asia Malaysia of Trans Asia Shipping Corp. which sank off the coast of Ajuy, Iloilo early morning of July 31, 2011.
While the cause of the ship’s sinking remains a mystery until now, Brian has a mouthful against the ship crew and its management.
The Dalys boarded Asia Malaysia on the evening of July 30 from Cebu City where they celebrated their wedding anniversary. Brian also took the opportunity to pick up his residence card from the Bureau of Immigration in Cebu.
Brian, who teaches business English to prospective overseas workers, said Asia Malaysia is their favorite ship because of its great cabin accommodation and a very good restaurant aside from a karaoke bar on the upper deck.
“We’ve traveled on the ship 10 times over the past 7 years,” Brian said.
The trip from Cebu was just as pleasant as their vacation despite the gloomy skies due to a tropical storm battering Luzon island.
“We settled in our air conditioned cabin with TV and hot and cold shower. Later, we went for a nice meal in the restaurant and then to the upper open deck to enjoy the breeze and sing a few songs. We then returned to our cabin for an early sleep just before 10pm,” he said.
A light sleeper, Brian said he woke up when he felt slipping down to the bottom of the bunk bed. As he got up, he realized that the cabin floor was already tilting at a 30-degree angle.
“Having owned several boats including a 38-foot Ketch and having graduated the Canadian Coastguard Power Squadron Program, I knew that the ferry was almost at a critical stage of turning over. Waking up Jonnah, we quickly donned our life jackets and went to the muster area where other passengers were gathering and attempting to put on their life jackets,” Brian said.
Brian said not one of Asia Malaysia’s crew informed them that the ship was already listing to its starboard or right side.
“There had been no one knocking on cabin doors to alert the passengers, no announcements to go the mustering stations and no announcement to put on life jackets and no members of the crew in their white uniforms. This meant we were on our own at this point with no crew members to assist or guide us,” he added.

TAKING CONTROL
To avoid confusion and panic, Brian said he took control and instructed other passengers to move to the upper deck to avoid drowning in the lower decks.
Their situation looked like a scene from the movie Titanic “except the steep angle ran the full length of the ship and anything lose or not bolted down slipped down to the water’s edge.”
Brian said he saw some seamen drop the canisters of inflatable life boats from an angle of 30 degrees from the port or left side of the ship, thus they did not see if it popped open or not.
“Some of the able seamen were sliding down the steep slope only to be rescued from going into the sea by other able seamen trying to undo some of the stacked rafts which was an impossible task at the acute angle. At about 5:40am it was starting to get light and we could see a couple of rescue ships at a distance of about maybe 6 miles,” he added.
The group later decided to move to the ship’s stern or rear end “as we could not get off the ship to be rescued on either the port or starboard sides.”
Brian said some of the crew managed to put out two very narrow walkways of around 18 inches wide and 10 feet long. One plank was 8 feet above the waves on the starboard side, while the other was around 15 feet on the port side.
Using the walkways, the passengers gingerly crossed to the waiting lifeboats except for a 70-year-old woman and her daughter who leapt into the sea and swam to the nearest raft with help from the seamen.
Contrary to the accounts of Asia Malaysia skipper Romualdo Geraldizo that big waves overwhelmed the ship, Brian said the water was only choppy.
The high angle of the tilting ship and choppy waters made it dangerous for the passengers to cross the walkway. Jonnah was able to get on one of the rafters but Brian said he fell on the boat on the right side of his body after a water swell moved the boat to one side.
“No sooner had we carried out that difficult task, we moved to one side to allow others to also jump and join us. Then we had to maneuver ourselves into another wild bucking inflatable nearby to make room for others waiting to jump in,” he said.
Brian said they boarded oil tanker Phil-Visayas which helped rescue some of Asia Malaysia’s passengers. They then proceeded to Bacolod City, the tanker’s destination.

ASHAMED OR AFRAID?
On board the tanker, Brian said he saw another “despicable” actuation by some of Asia Malaysia’s crewmembers.
“A group of uniformed crew members took off their uniforms and placed them in a black plastic garbage bag and mingled among the survivors near the bow of the ship. Why? Were they ashamed?” he said.
Worse, Asia Malaysia crewmembers on board the tanker got bowls of rice and canned fish for themselves and ate their meal in front of the survivors.
“This I thought was despicable, as it showed no concern for their passengers’ well being, just their own.
Brian said his wife took pictures of the crew’s action which they later forwarded to Philippine Coast Guard investigators.

HEROES
Despite his disappointment, Brian said the kitchen crew of Asia Malaysia were among the real heroes in the accident.
“The restaurant crewmembers were the most concerned about the welfare of the survivors, checking to see if everyone was okay, ensuring that those who needed hot coffee were provided by members of the tanker crew. Later the restaurant crew cooked rice and canned fish for all the survivors. They were the real heroes of the Asia Malaysia disaster and should be recognized as such,” he said.
From Bacolod City, the Dalys and other survivors boarded another ferry bound for Iloilo City. Although he declined at first, Brian went to St. Paul’s Hospital to check if he suffered injuries from his bad fall on the rafter.
After three x-rays and two ultrasound examinations, seven blood tests and two units of blood transfusion, Brian went home on August 7. Trans Asia footed the P34,000 hospital bill.
“Now that is a wedding anniversary to remember. We had lost everything we had, including our personal possessions, passports, money, etc. and we only had the clothes we were wearing. But at least we survived. We are still alive, we have each other and everything else can be replaced,” Brian said while fingering the key to their cabin, his only reminder of the tragedy.

FINAL BLOW
Although happy to be alive and well, Brian said he was seething at the treatment they received from Trans Asia.
The firm promised the survivors P4,000 each as a sort of compensation aside from the small amount given to them so they can go home to their respective places.
On August 6, Brian said Trans Asia agents made them sign a form to prove that they have claimed the P4,000 compensation.
“I was disgusted to discover that the fare given to us right after the accident were deducted from the P4,000. Just how low can Trans Asia get? That is truly disgusting to treat their fellow Filipinos that way,” he said.
Worse, Brian said he got nothing as his P4,000 compensation was deducted from the hospital bills.
“To rub salt on the wound, they asked for my ID so they could get the seniors discount. Now that is despicable. And when my wife was given her P4,000 the taxi fare from the hospital to our home was also deducted,” he said.
Brian said they lost more than P30,000 worth of valuables after the accident, but he is not complaining for himself but for other passengers who might not have the opportunity to gripe about their plight.
“I told the company to do something about this or else I will come out in the media. As of Wednesday, I heard nothing from them. I can always replace what we lost, but what about the less fortunate survivors who may have lost their life’s savings aside from the trauma they will suffer for some time or even their entire lifetime? This has to change because it’s the most despicable way to treat a countryman,” Brian said.
TDG tried to get Trans Asia’s comment but no one was available to speak in the company’s behalf.