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The Rizal Day Bombing (December 30, 2006)
BLOODY SATURDAY (By the Inquirer staff, Inquirer News Service)
THIS is the work of animals, people without souls, said Manila Mayor Lito
Atienza, mirroring the horror and shock that engulfed Metro Manila as five
hidden bombs killed at least 14 people and wounded around 90 others a day
before New Years Eve.
Ambulance sirens wailed as police rushed yesterday to the bomb scenes: a Light
Railway Transit train, a bus, a park bench near the US Embassy, a warehouse at
the main airport and a deserted gas station near a luxury hotel.
The attacks--four happening within an hours time--came a day after police
were put on alert, fearing New Year holiday bomb attacks by the extremist Abu
Sayyaf group, and as Filipinos celebrated the martyrdom of Jose Rizal.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called an emergency Cabinet meeting and
appealed for calm in a nationally televised address in the afternoon.
At noon, the first blast tore through the front coach of the LRT train as it pulled
into Manila's Blumentritt Station, killing at least 11 and injuring more than 60.
Another bomb exploded on a bench in Plaza Ferguson near the US Embassy in
Manila, injuring at least nine and blasting a half-meter crater.
A passenger bus then exploded in Cubao in Quezon City, killing one person and
wounding 17 people, many of whom were in critical condition.
A fourth bomb exploded near a large aviation fuel depot at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport. At least three were injured, said an airport official, but the
fuel depot did not explode.
A fifth bomb was found in a gift-wrapped package near the Dusit Hotel in the
Makati financial district, police said. It was taken to an abandoned gas station to
be defused where it later exploded. Two policemen were killed.
Several commercial centers were evacuated throughout the day on false alarms
and police said they received many hoax bomb threats.
Security forces have been on "maximum alert" since Thursday, when police
detained two members of the Abu Sayyaf who were allegedly plotting to launch
a bombing spree.
White plastic bag
At least nine people were injured by the explosion of a powerful bomb planted
behind a statue in Plaza Ferguson across the US Embassy in Ermita, Manila, police
said.
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Witnesses told police investigators that they saw a fair man, between 58" and
510 in height, leave a white plastic bag near a concrete chair beside the
statue before the explosion.
The victims were rushed to the nearby Manila Doctors Hospital.
The blast damaged at least six buildings and five parked vehicles near the plaza,
police said.
Lonnie Kelley, acting public affairs officer at the US Embassy, said the embassy
was not damaged and she knew of no injured staff.
We are all surprised, but we have full faith in the police, Kelley said.
Probably the embassy is not the target, the spokesperson said, stressing that
the explosions were scattered across Manila.
Bus up on end
The third bomb ripped off the back of an air-conditioned bus in Cubao around
12:40 yesterday and left an unidentified man dead and 17 others injured,
including a Korean national.
It was so powerful it stood the bus up on end, said a reporter for ABS-CBN.
Several cars in the vicinity were badly damaged.
The bomb exploded inside the Edsan Transit bus (with plate number TUY 145) as it
was traversing the Aurora underpass in Cubao, said Insp. Ruel Vacaro, head of
the Central Police Districts Scene of the Crime Operations (Soco) team.
The bus was on the northbound lane at the corner of Edsa and Aurora Boulevard
when it was torn apart by the powerful blast, which also badly damaged at least
three cars in the vicinity.
Several witnesses told the Inquirer that they heard a very loud explosion and saw
thick black smoke billowing from the back of the bus.
Passenger Bonbon Mendoza said he noticed nothing suspicious before the blast.
He said that the 20 or so passengers seemed worried only about traffic when the
bomb went off.
The blast shattered the bus windows, and flying glass rained on pedestrians and
other cars.
Jeans, rubber shoes
Shreds of human flesh littered the scene. One piece even stuck to a glass
window of the Metro Manila Bible Community building around five meters away
from the bus.
The lone fatalitys head and torso could not be found. The police team found
only his two arms and the bottom half of his body in the twisted metal and
broken glass inside the bus, Vacaro said.
His legs were still clad in blue jeans, and his feet were wearing rubber shoes, he
added.
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"The victim did not have any identification on him. He only had (face) towels in
his pants pockets," Vacaro said.
The bomb was detonated manually, he said, adding that the device was not a
grenade because his team did not find any shrapnel inside the bus. He
suggested that the bomb might have been made of C-4 or ammonium nitrate.
The police were still searching yesterday for other clues.
Only one of the wounded, 19-year-old Sherly Borobon, was in critical condition
as of 5:10 p.m., said Criselda Valdez of the East Avenue Medical Centers
emergency room.
Those injured included Borobon; Korean national Pu Yong Cho, 36; Rolando
Mingoy, 28; Aurella Delos Reyes, 47; John Martin Bongaog, 4; Edmundo Galang,
49; Raul Ignacio, 48, and his daughter Liezel, 7; Joselito Mendoza, 33; Editha
Laurora, 28; Virginia Dela Cruz, 34; Elizabeth Gerasano, 61; Christina Simbulas, 25;
and Beverly Almazan, 24.
Elen Olaguera, 25, and Maria Bantac, 65, were taken to the Quirino Labor
Hospital with minor injuries and were later discharged.
Pools of blood
The fourth bomb ripped through a bonded warehouse at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport around 12:50 p.m., wounding at least five men and a
woman.
The blast was so powerful that it left a four-foot-wide and two-foot-deep crater.
A couple of rubber sandals lay next to pools of blood on the road leading to the
blast site.
Airport authorities said the bomb exploded in a private jeep parked at the
Centennial Air Cargo warehouse, blowing up the vehicle to smithereens.
"We heard one loud explosion and went to the site to find bloodied guards being
carried from the site," said Bernardino Perez, a member of the Balikbayan Tourist
Protection Unit.
The jeep was parked on an elevated platform at the warehouse, which houses
agricultural produce and marine products for export. It is a highly restricted area
accessible only to personnel with passes.
The warehouse lies halfway between NAIA passenger terminals 1 and 2, and
near the Philippine Skylander Inc. warehouse.
The blast also shattered glass windows of the Skylander warehouse and
damaged several other cars parked nearby, leaving a crater more than a foot
deep and more than a meter wide.
As of press time, investigators from the Aviation Security Group, National Bureau
of Investigation and Federal Aviation Authority were still trying to determine what
type of bomb was used. There were no suspects.
Target
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Airport officials who asked not to be named voiced suspicious that the target of
the bombing was a large aviation fuel depot several meters away from the blast
site.
The depot, which has six large metal cylinders each containing 1.8 million liters of
fuel each, supplies fuel to airlines. Large underground pipes lead from the depot
to the parking bay areas of the two airport terminals.
"If the bomb exploded toward the depot, it would have blown up the entire
airport," an airport official said.
Most of the injured sustained shrapnel wounds. One, Christopher Comia was
rushed in critical condition to the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay City for
head injuries.
Also rushed to the same hospital with less serious injuries were Comias brother
Jun, and Willy "Boyet" Magnaye, who both sustained multiple lacerations.
All three were reportedly cargo porters of the warehouse.
Also injured were Philline Gaddi, 21, a female employee of the Centennial Air
Marketing Cargo; Angelito Parada, 39, and Rodolfo Bermas, 51, who were
treated at the NAIA clinic for minor injuries.
This was the second bomb explosion at the airport this year. A bomb exploded
at the Naia 1 arrival extension area in June. No one was injured.
Gift-wrapped
The fifth bomb exploded while it was being defused by members of the Makati
Police bomb squad at a deserted Petron gas station on the corner of Edsa and
Pasay Road in Makati City.
The bomb was discovered around 1:15 p.m. in a fenced-in grassy lot facing
Pasay Road by a security guard of the Dusit Hotel, Joel Orcajada Jr.
He told the Inquirer that he was making his rounds when he spotted a suspicious-
looking package wrapped inside a plastic bag. He immediately went inside the
hotel to report the discovery to his senior security officials. When he went back,
he said the package was gone.
Around the same time, cigarette vendor Linda Mendoza was busy minding her
stall at the corner of Edsa and Pasay Road near the abandoned gas station
when she said a garbage scavenger approached her and showed her a plastic
bag with a gift-wrapped package inside it.
She said the scavenger held up a green liquor box with the plastic bag, and said
he had found the package near the Dusit Hotel.
He said, Here, lets share this, Mendoza, 57, said.
When she opened the package, she saw two wires and a timing device.
Shocked, she told the scavenger to leave with the package and call the police.
The police arrived a few minutes later to defuse the bomb. Members of the
Makati Police Special Weapons and Tactics-Explosive Ordnance Division led by
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the units officer in charge Insp. Nestor Salvador, and SPO4 Roberto Gutierrez,
went to work on the bomb.
Killed instantly
Around 1:50 p.m., as they were trying to defuse the bomb, it exploded. Gutierrez
was killed instantly. Salvador died at the Makati Medical Center around 7 p.m.
from serious injuries.
Lacson commended the heroism of Gutierrez, who he said "offered his life while
defusing a bomb in Makati City thereby saving many lives in the process." He also
commended Salvador in a statement made while the officer was still fighting for
his life.
"The blast was so loud. We were so scared," Mendoza said.
The blast created a three-foot-deep and four-meter wide crater. Dirt was hurled
as far away as 50 meters. The explosion also blew up the roof of the deserted gas
station.
As of press time, police investigators were still studying the recovered parts of the
bomb, including a cell phone keypad, a battery and wires. The bombs
accessories are complete, one SWAT member said.
The device, policemen said, closely resembles others that have rocked the
metropolis in the past, including one at a Metrobank branch in Makati. "Its the
almost same as the others," they said.
Mangoes, meat, mushrooms
While SWAT members were investigating the Petron bombing, they received a
flash report around 3 p.m. of a bomb at the Landmark department store. Police
and media rushed to the scene but found nothing.
Shortly after, they received another report of a bomb at the SM Makati
department store. Police and media arrived to find a suspicious-looking
package at the department stores package counter.
Police immediately cordoned off the area, and frightened shoppers started to
stream out of the department store. A stampede almost ensued when panicked
patrons of the SM Food Court, some still chewing their food, ran for the exits.
Makati police and security guards had to pacify the crowd. Frightened
employees of the department store were not allowed to leave.
Around 3:45 p.m., bomb disposal experts used the telescopic sight of a sniper rifle
to get a close look at the package. Satisfied, SPO1 Jun Rabaral and SPO4 Gerry
Dinio approached the package and opened it--and found mangoes, meat and
mushrooms.
The owner of the package, identified as a Francisco Riola, was immediately
whisked away to be interrogated by police. Suspicions were sparked by Riolas
passport and a plane ticket to Kuwait. Later, he told police that he was an
overseas Filipino workerdue to leave for Kuwait at 12 midnight, and was killing
time by watching a movie. The package, he said, contained gifts for his friends in
Kuwait.
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Another bomb threat was reported just outside the Hard Rock Caf in the
Glorietta complex. Responding police found no bomb. Alcuin Papa, TJ Burgonio,
Philip Tubeza, Dave Veridiano, Norman Bordadora, Christine Herrera; Inquirer
wires

Bodies tell of deadly force of LRT blast (By Jerome Aning, Inquirer News Service)
A TWISTED carriage. Bodies laid out on a platform, including one of a young girl.
A box of watusi firecrackers, compact discs, a plastic bag filled with ground pork,
several ripe papayas and oranges, slippers and shoes.
The most devastating bomb attack of five that hit Metro Manila yesterday
claimed the lives of 11, and left some 60 more injured.
The blast ripped through the front coach of a Light Rail Transit train as it pulled
into the Blumentritt station in Sta. Cruz, Manila, around 12:15 p.m.
"The force of the explosion severed limbs," Chief Supt. Avelino Razon Jr., Western
Police District director, said after surveying the damage.
We knew the blast was serious when we were greeted by bleeding, groaning
and crawling people, recalled Senior Insp. Mario Medina, chief of the Manila
Rescue Unit, whose team was among the first on the scene.
Three men and a woman, all unidentified, were killed on the spot. Two other
fatalities were identified as Lineth Rodriguez-Narvaez and Gerardo Lim, a
resident of Pandayan, Meycauayan, Bulacan, who were pronounced dead on
arrival at the Dr. Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center and the Chinese General
Hospital and Medical Center respectively.
Marivic Taglan, 27, an LRT security guard who was having lunch in the guards
room when the bomb exploded, said she saw the coach explode before the
doors opened.
"It was so loud. I quickly rushed out to help but I was stunned and my knees failed
and I felt giddy when I saw the victims crying for help," she told reporters.
Lunch baskets
A witness said "the train was approaching and we were about to board when it
exploded. The explosion came from the train, it was destroyed."
A bloodstained yellow shirt lay draped across an electric wire. Shattered holiday
gifts and lunch baskets were strewn around the train.
One photographer saw rescuers trying to pull several bloodied passengers out of
one of the coaches. Severed body parts littered the stations floor.
Lucita Hermosura, 54, a cigarette and candy vendor plying her wares on
Blumentritt Street, said she instinctively looked up when she heard a loud
explosion and was immediately showered with shards of broken glass.
"We thought two trains had collided, then we saw the screaming passengers
running down the staircase," she recounted.
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People on the street below the station, including those aboard jeepneys,
screamed and ran when the bomb went off, causing a heavy traffic jam that
lasted for hours.
Canceled
Antonio San Luis, the LRT administrator, canceled all train operations at 1 p.m.
He said all passengers injured by the blast were covered by the LRTs "passenger
liability insurance." Manila Mayor Lito Atienza also said the city government
would give financial assistance to Manila residents injured in the blast.
In a press briefing, Razon said the blast was caused by an improvised bomb in a
bag left near a door of LRT Coach No. 1037.
The police general said the bomb "was most probably made of a large amount
of ammonium nitrate with a timing device and a firing mechanism, probably a
penlight, the remains of which were found."
He added: "Our explosives experts did not find any shrapnel, or any evidence of
metal casing. The victims mostly suffered from burns."
Razon guessed that whoever planted the bomb probably alighted at one of four
LRT stations before the Blumentritt station.
The blast shattered the glass windows, windshield and doors of the front coach.
One of the seats and several hand railings were detached. One crumpled door
was thrown by the force of the blast against a nearby rail.
A large hole in the coachs floor was big enough for four people to stand in.
The blast also shattered the glass windows of the token vendors booth and
sprayed glass shards on waiting passengers on both sides of the platform.
Names
Doctors belonging to the Department of Healths rescue unit, "Stop Death," an
acronym for Strategic and Tactical Options for the Prevention of Disaster,
Epidemics Accidents and Trauma for Health, were among the first rescuers to
arrive at the scene.
Fifty-two injured passengers confined at the JRMMC included:
1. Rosalyn Santiago
2. Norma Villanueva
3. Gloria Quanatola
4. Jomar Villaroma
5. Reynaldo Escafian
6. Ricardo Pascual
7. Maria Ivy Labig
8. Emelia Buenconsejo
9. Gloria Guinbanila
10. Alberto Bagus
11. Sandy Tayrus
12. Leondro Sentino
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13. Jaime Misolo
14. Lezuz de Jesus
15. Anabel Umali
16. Rhodora Chua
17. Silvestre Malate
18. Felix Gumasay
19. Jolio Juan
20. Alicia Aricado
21. Gabin Pascual
22. Raymundo Livares
23. Ria Rodel
24. John Debres
25. Lawrence James De Ramos
26. Jessie De Jesus
27. Berino Benitez
28. Esperanza Pascual
29. Eleazar Saturinas
30. Sherwin Robles
31. Romeo Pidera
32. Allan Anabe
33. Melanie Junico
34. Hanijay Evangelista
35. Arlene Ligo-Ligo
36. Paulino Umali
37. Jaycee Sun
38. Darwin Nunciano
39. Remedios Malagu
40. Marina Ancheta
41. Edna Bautista
42. Shung Lee Quan
Eight others remained unidentified.
Those at the Chinese General Hospital were identified as:
43. Nona Velasquez
44. Arsenio Carreon
45. Cris Dale Mendego
46. Mary Anne Umali
47. Joanne Go
48. Amier Suba
49. RJ Umali
50. Joel Atienza
51. Ferdinand Capulong
52. Lizelle Mendego and
53. Anne Pauline Umali.
With reports from Inquirer wires
9

Blood was all around (By Michael Ubac, Volt Contreras and Norman Bordadora,
Inquirer News Service)
A NEWLY-WED couple, Michael and Maritess Catop; a jobless carpenter named
Rolando Mingoy; a vagrant youth, Dennis Lucas and a still unidentified little girl.
They are strangers to each other. But their collective memories are inextricably
linked to the citys worst bombings in a decade.
As survivors rushed out of the bombed LRT, a police coroner picked up what
looked like the leg of a little girls doll.
On closer inspection, the limb was that of a child.
"The policeman said that he thought it was just the part of a dismembered doll.
Upon closer examination and when he saw the blood on where the leg was cut,
he had to pick it up and placed it inside a plastic bag," said a nurse at the Jose
Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMMC).
The Western Police Districts scene-of-the-crime operatives coordinated with the
JRMMC authorities and the Chinese General Hospital to find out to whom the leg
belonged. The hustle inside both hospitals made it impossible to know
immediately.
All they were sure of was that the leg once belonged to a little girl, who will never
see a New Year 2007 ever again.
Parents-to-be
The Catops married only 22 days ago boarded the LRT at the Gil Puyat Avenue
(formerly Buendia) station. They were bound for Monumento where they
planned to catch a bus to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. They were to join Maritess
family to welcome the New Year.
Michael, 22, was excited to meet Maritess parents to brag about his unborn
child.
Michael recalled that the Buendia Station was already teeming with people
even before the train reached the station at about 11:40 p.m. "So many people
were there. But since were rushing to get to Nueva Ecija, we decided to get into
the train."
Overwhelmed by numerous passengers rushing to get into the train, the couple
had a hard time getting in. But finally they found themselves inside an LRT train,
car number 1037.
He said LRT passengers were pushing each other just to get into the train. The
train operator already announced that the train was full, and admonished other
passengers to just wait for the next train. But the passengers were hard-headed,
they forced themselves in.
As the train was filled to capacity, the couple was separated from each other.
Michael stood in front of one of the trains door; Maritess was forced into a space
near the trains driver.
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At about 12 noon, the train stopped at Blumentritt Station. But before the train
could open its doors, we heard a very loud explosion then pandemonium
broke loose, Michael recalled.
He said people panicked, some started to cry, while others were shouting. "Most
of the passengers jumped out of the trains windows as soon as the glass panes
collapsed due to the impact of the explosion," Michael said.
Maritess broke into tears when people started to panic. "I wanted to jump out of
the window . . . just like anybody else. I thought (Michael) had already left me."
But Michael said he decided to stay put until most of the passengers had left." I
looked for Maritess . . . and she was there, crying."
Michael immediately approached his wife and embraced her. Then they went
out of the train through one of the windows.
"While we were going out, I saw dead passengers whose body parts were
scattered on the trains floor. There were children, women and men. Blood was
all around," he said.
"There are passengers whose feet were detached from their legs. I even saw a
face filled with broken glass panes."
It was too much for Michael. He threw up, according to Maritess.
At the Philippine General Hospital, where the couple sought medical assistance,
doctors found minor abrasions in Maritess hands. She was released at about 4:30
p.m.
The couple miraculously escaped virtually unscathed, with their four-month-old
child safe inside Maritess womb.
Not as lucky
More than 50 victims of the LRT coach explosion were cramped into the
emergency room of the Department of Health hospital on Rizal Avenue while the
rest were rushed to the relatively farther Chinese hospital on Blumentritt Avenue
in Sampaloc.
A certain Lynette Rodriguez and a still unidentified girl were announced to have
expired while being treated at the government hospital as a result of their
injuries.
Both emergency rooms of the JRMMC and the Chinese hospital were filled with
cries of children and adults in pain.
Pity the children
"We pity the children as the ambulance units bring them in one by one. They
were either crying so loudly or were unconscious and even in a state of shock.
Id rather that they cry," said one ambulance attendant at the JRMMC lobby.
Many of the adults in the bombed out train were still in a state of shock three
hours after the incident and could not be interviewed.
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The survivors were given first aid by attending physicians before being loaded
into ambulance units for transport to other hospitals for further treatment.
A mild confusion pervaded late in the afternoon when the victims relatives
started to pour into the hospital to see their loved ones. They arrived after many
of the survivors had been transferred to other hospitals in Manila.
First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo and San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito also
arrived late in the afternoon to give moral support and assistance to the victims
in the coach bombing.
Dennis Lucas
As a horrified country struggled to make sense of the LRT tragedy, Dennis Lucas,
16, was peacefully dozing on a park bench at Plaza Ferguson until he was
aroused by a very loud explosion right in front of him.
The plaza has been his favorite tambayan since, he said, it was safe and quiet.
Out of school for years now and living in the streets of Ermita and Malate, Lucas
has learned to accept his lot as a street kid, relying on peoples mercy to survive
the urban jungle.
After the explosion, he said he felt pain in different parts of his body. He could
not recall what happened next. He said he remembered policemen carrying
him to the hospital.
Lucas could hardly speak when interviewed by this reporter at the PGH-
Emergency Room. His whole bodyfeet, legs, arms, neck, hands and chest
was tattered with abrasions.
Dr. Jess Nigos, Lucas attending physician, said the boy had multiple abrasions in
the extremities. "The abrasions were all superficial. He is still under observation. At
this point we cannot accurately say what his condition is," Nigos said.
Right now, the hospital is paying for his medical expenses. Lucas plaza friends,
who are now keeping watch over him, are asking for help to finance his
medicines and treatment.
Rolando Mingoy
Rolando Mingoy, a carpenter hoping to get an advance payment for an
appliance shop he was to build in Novaliches, ended up in a hospital with his
brow deeply cut, his hair partly burnt, and his clothes splattered with blood.
Mingoy and his would-be Korean employer had boarded an Edsan bus plying
the Baclaran-Monumento route, on their way to see the shop site. Coming from
Baclaran, a bomb exploded at the rear end of the bus when it reached the
Edsa-Cubao area.
"I was hoping that I could convince the Korean to pay me in advance in time for
the New Year," said the 28-year-old from Las Pias who did not have a centavo
in his pocket.
He waited his turn at the X-ray room of the East Avenue Medical Center in
Quezon City. The hospital had admitted a total of 15 victims from the Cubao
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explosion, which included a 4-year-old boy and a woman who was eight-months
pregnant.
But Mingoy, father of four, might never get his job. In the surgery room, his
supposed boss, Pu Yung Cho, 36, fared worse. His right arm and the back of his
head were riddled with shrapnel wounds that doctors were still treating more
than two hours after the blast.
Pedestrians, too
Raul Ignacio and daughter Leizl of San Rafael, Bulacan, were pedestrians who
happened to be about four meters away from the Edsan bus when the bomb
ripped it apart. Also rushed to East Avenue Medical, both had small cuts on their
arms and legs.
Leizl, 7, said they were on their way to Antipolo City to get a Christmas gift from
my Ninong Rene, a TV set.
Raul, 45, a factory worker, recalled that the explosion set off "a rain of broken
glass" that sent him and her daughter down on their knees on the curb. "I had to
shield her with my body," he said, clutching boxes of medicines for their wounds.
Dr. Jonathan Salvador, spokesperson for the hospital, said East Avenue treated
15 blast victims. "There was one reportedly killed on the spot, but we never
handled that."
All the 15 victims were conscious when admitted to the emergency and trauma
department, he said. As of 3 p.m., five were already discharged since they
merely suffered either very minor cuts or temporary hearing impairment.
Mingoy, who occupied the right side of the bus, fourth seat from the rear, said
the explosion originated from "under the bus, left side of the rear end. The bus
was in motion then."
He recalled being knocked unconscious for about five seconds by the power of
the blast coming from behind him. "When I came to, I was partly deaf and had
to crawl on the floor. I could make out the moans of the other wounded
passengers."
Vendors story
"The explosion was so strong. I thought the glasses on my shelves would fall
because my stall shook," said Teresita Medrano, 62, a vendor who was tending
his eatery near the Cubao underpass.
The explosion of the Edsan Bus (with plate numbers TUY 145) bound for
Monumento happened as it was traversing Edsa and about to climb out of the
underpass at the corner of Aurora Boulevard and Edsa in Cubao.
Pedestrians walking along the sidewalk of Edsa ran for cover as shock wave from
the explosion shattered the bus windows and sent glass flying to different
directions.
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"There was this loud explosion and the bus suddenly stopped. The next thing we
saw was the thick black smoke coming out of the back of the bus," Medrano
said.
The passengers then got out of the bus through the windows, destroying the
remaining shards of glass.
"The conductor even forcibly destroyed the bus door because it was stuck,"
Medrano said.
The conductor ran out of the bus carrying the driver, who was bleeding, and
flagged down a taxi," she added.
The gruesome sight of bloodied people trying to get out through the twisted
glass and shards of glass of the burning bus was only equaled by the sight of
pieces of human flesh littered around the bus.
The pieces of flesh are believed to belong to the lone fatality, whose torso and
head were obliterated in the blast.
Only his two arms and his body parts from the waist below were left intact. With a
report from Philip Tubeza
Bombings no excuse for martial law--Noli (By Christine Avendao and Andrea
Trinidad-Echavez, Inquirer News Service)
Reactions to yesterdays spate of bombings in Metro Manila came swift and
strong were from government officials and groups opposed to the continued
stay of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in office.
Vice President Noli de Castro condemned the attacks and urged the
government to immediately find the people responsible for them.
In a telephone interview, de Castro said she did not want to speculate on who
could be behind the bombings, but she saw no need for the President to
declare a state of emergency or even martial law at this time.
"This should not be used as an excuse to declare martial law or a state of
emergency in the country," she said, when asked to comment on whether
emergency measures were called for.
Former President Corazon Aquino said she was saddened and troubled by the
bombings as she urged everyone to support each other and to pray for the
forces of peace and justice to prevail.
We condemn the violent acts and again pledge our commitment to peaceful
change, always believing in Gods infinite wisdom and love for His people, Ms
Aquino said in a press statement.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile described the bombings as "terrible" and
urged the government to give utmost priority to catching the perpetrators.
"Obviously, this is part of moves to destabilize the present government, probably
in an attempt to take advantage of the focus of public attention on the
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impeachment trial, to take advantage of the seeming paralysis of the
government in handling the affairs of the nation," Enrile said.
Sen. Loren Legarda-Leviste condemned the bombings but cautioned against
making "irresponsible statements that could only exacerbate the already volatile
situation."
"The PNP should exhaust all means and utilize all their resources for an immediate,
complete and thorough investigation, the results of which must at once be
revealed to the public," she said in a statement.
About an hour after the last bomb exploded in Makati, groups calling for
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos ouster called a press conference in
Quezon City to air their concerns about the attacks that killed at least 11 persons
and hurt scores of others.
Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez urged the government to act swiftly and use its
resources to uncover the perpetrators of what he described as "seemingly
organized acts of violence."
He said the bombing incidents brought to mind the bombings, assassinations
and other acts of violence that the Marcos regime carried out to justify its
imposition of martial law in 1972.
"We warn Malacaang not to allow these terrorist attacks to be used as an
opportunity to create conditions of martial law or a state of emergency," he said.
While opposition leaders refused to say who they suspected was behind the
attacks, they said these were apparently aimed at "distracting" public attention
from the hot issue of the day--the impeachment trial of the President.
"We cannot allow our people to live in fear. We have a right to be assured that
the government and the appropriate constitutional authorities are taking all the
necessary steps to guarantee the continued integrity of all our institutions and
the general safety and well-being of all our people," Senate Majority Leader
Francisco Tatad said in a statement.
Tatad said the bombings "constitute by far the most serious blow to our crisis-
stricken civil order."
"Whatever their purpose, their instant effect has been to terrorize the citizenry,
destabilize government and weaken its ability to govern," Tatad said.
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said that unlike in previous bombings, yesterdays explosions
were intended to kill people.
"It seems that people were the targets. This was intended to create general
alarm and disorder," Biazon said.
He said the Abu Sayyaf was the "convenient suspect" in the simultaneous
bombings.
"We do not know who did this. Of course, the convenient suspect is the Abu
Sayyaf. But because of the nature of the political situation now, anybody can do
15

this," said Biazon, chair of the Senate committee on national defense and
security.
Former Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., the man who rammed through the House
of Representatives the articles of impeachment that brought the President to
trial, urged the authorities to exhaust every possible effort to pursue the
perpetrators of the bomb attacks in Metro Manila.
"I join Filipinos in condemning these dastardly acts of terrorism in the strongest
possible terms," de Venecia, Jr. said in a statement. "This madness must stop," he
added.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) condemned the bombings, denying
assertions by authorities that the separatist group had anything to do with the
violence.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu told the Inquirer that since last week, the
government had been conditioning the minds of the public about possible
bombings in Metro Manila.
He said probers might want to ask Flagships Secretary Robert Aventajado about
this. He did not elaborate.
Late last week, police claimed they foiled a planned bombing spree in Metro
Manila by the Abu Sayyaf with the capture of Hector Janjalani, brother of Abu
Sayyaf chief, Khaddafy Janjalani, and two others in Ermita, Manila.
Janjalani, however, told reporters they were in Manila to try and sell a video
interview of one of two hostages still in the groups hands, American Jeffrey
Schilling.
Prof. Moner Bajunaid, head of the MILF peace panels technical working group,
told the Inquirer, "Methinks this is the handiwork of the Gloria government gearing
toward a state of emergency or maybe worse."
"God forbid this is desperate. Gloria is now using his survival kit. Am sure Gloria will
again blame Muslims," Bajunaid said, stressing "the bottom line is we (MILF)
condemn the bombing specially because civilians are the victims."
The Arroyo Resign Movement condemned the bombings, calling them a
"desperate, cowardly act that serves the interests of President Arroyo and his
ruling clique."
"With only three days before the resumption of the impeachment trial, the
bombings are intended to create a climate of fear among a populace that has
already decided on the guilt of the President and demanded his resignation,"
said Fr. Joe Dizon, spokesperson of the ERM.
It is a thinly veiled threat to the witnesses and the prosecutors to retreat from
exposing the most damaging evidence against the President, Father Dizon
added.
He said that a Mass and an indignation rally will be held at noon today at the
Don Chino Roces (Mendiola) Bridge near Malacaang.
16

Other militant groups also laid the blame for the bombings squarely on the
administrations lap.
"No one else but the Macapagal-Arroyo regime should be held accountable for
the spate of bombings. Who else has the motive, resources and track record to
stage such terrorist acts," said the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), in a
statement.
The Kilusang Mayo Uno blamed the bombings on the administration, saying they
were intended to divert public outrage from President Arroyos crimes.
Crispin Beltran, KMU chair, said the perpetrators were the henchmen of
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Anakbayan called the attacks "the latest act of terrorism by the psy-war agents
of the regime."
"The bombings are reminiscent of the bombing of shopping malls last May, also
at a time President Macapagal-Arroyos popularity was plunging," Renato Reyes,
Anakbayan national chair, said in a statement.
Satur Ocampo, Bayan Muna chair, lambasted the police for their failure to stop
the bombings which happened at a time they were supposedly on red alert.
He said that prior to the holidays; the PNP had floated "intelligence reports"
about purported terrorist attacks.
"If they were so prepared, how could these incidents happen one after the
other?" Ocampo asked. With reports from Juliet L. Javellana, Christine Herrera
and PDI Mindanao Bureau
ARROYO, FOES SWAP CHARGES: Bombers wanted President to
resign (By Armand Nocum, Inquirer News Service)
Manila, January 1, 2007 - THE MOST likely motive for the bombings in Metro
Manila was "to compel the President to resign," according to National Security
Adviser Cesar Garcia.
Aguirre yesterday also said on radio station dzRH that the authorities were "not
discounting" the hand of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The MILF was blamed for a series of shopping mall blasts that left one person
dead and 30 others injured in Metro Manila in May. Leaders of the rebel group
have denied involvement in the attacks, including Saturdays spate of
bombings.
But Garcia said the MILF campaign had since "subsided" after an intense military
campaign routed the guerrillas from dozens of training bases in Mindanao.
He did not mention any other group but Mikey Macapagal-Arroyo blamed the
bombings on the opposition, especially former President Fidel V. Ramos and
former National Security Adviser Jose Almonte.
17

"I know the President. He has no stomach for such things," the son of Mrs. Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo said in reaction to talks that the Arroyo administration could
be behind the bombings.
Speculations were rife that a "wag the dog" scenario was being played out by
the government to divert public attention from the impeachment trial of the
President.
"Wag the Dog" is a Hollywood movie about an American president who
launched a war against Albania to improve his popularity ratings.
"I dont think it is in his character," Arroyo said of his mother. "The only ones with
the stomach for it are Ramos and Almonte," he said.
Ejercito accused Ramos and Almonte of ordering the bombings to unseat the
President.
He cited a tape recording released in October 2006 in which Ramos and
socialite Baby Arenas were talking about the need to create chaos similar to
that of Indonesia in order to destabilize the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.
But Ramos, in a radio interview, denied Ejercitos accusations.
"His statement is ridiculous because he assumed the role of Sherlock Holmes,
Madame Auring and Chief Justice (Reynato) Puno, all rolled into one, in making
such a judgment," Ramos said in a telephone interview.
Smaller stomach
"In effect, by making such irresponsible statements, he (Arroyo) is bringing not
only disbelief and ridicule upon himself, (but also upon) President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo and all of the authorities who are working so hard to come
up with the truth of the matter," the former President said. "Besides, my stomach is
smaller than JVs."
According to Ramos, his waistline remains at 34 inches, making him still eligible to
join the Philippine National Police.
"The sum of all of the above is that I totally deny any involvement in the dastardly
bombings or any connections, however remote, to these crimes," he said.
Ramos joined Mr. Estrada in condemning the bombings.
Almonte said there was no more need for anybody who wanted the President
ousted to resort to bombings because the House prosecutors were already
dropping enough "bombs" in the impeachment trial to convict the President.
"What more bombs do we need? Ocampos bomb is a nuclear bomb," he said,
adding that the ones unleashed Saturday could only be TNTs, black powder,
and C-4 (a bomb made of synthetic plastic).
Almonte was referring to the testimony of Clarissa Ocampo, a senior vice
president of Equitable PCI Bank, who testified before the Senate impeachment
court on Dec. 22 that she saw the President affix his signature Jose Pidal on
documents for an investment agreement.
18

"What was detonated in the Senate by Ocampo was a thermonuclear bomb
and there will be more thermonuclear bombs in the days ahead," Almonte said.
"So, there is no more need for the bombings."
Court battle
Ejercito had said the opposition might have resorted to the bombings because it
was losing in the legal battle to have the President convicted of corruption and
other charges.
"They are losing out in the Senate, so they have to play the perception game to
create a picture of instability for this government," he said.
In an ambush interview Saturday night, the President did not pin the blame on
the opposition, although he pointed out those communist groups, which, he said,
could be responsible for the bombings, were seen joining the rallies of the
opposition.
"We dont know yet if the opposition has something to do with this," he said.
Mr. Estrada described as "far out" opposition speculations that he would use the
bombings to declare a state of emergency and dissolve Congress, thus stopping
his impeachment trial in the Senate.
Macapagal-Arroyo said his mother could not be behind the bombings as the
President abhorred violence.
"One good thing working for the President is that its not in his character. He has
a good heart," Macapagal-Arroyo said. "People know that he cannot do
anything like this."
Touching scene
He said the President was particularly touched by the small boy who was
wounded at the bombing of an LRT train at the Blumentritt station in Manila.
"He was asking whether he could adopt the boy," Macapagal-Arroyo said.
He said the bombings had so affected the President that he found it hard to
make a video recording of his message to the nation where he condemned the
bombings and vowed to go after the perpetrators.
"I can see that he was feeling the weight of the whole tragic situation. He had to
do several takes because his anger was making it impossible for him to say his
message," Ejercito said.
In his visits to two hospitals on Saturday, the President was accompanied by
Ernesto Maceda, her spokesperson on the impeachment trial, and Speaker
Prospero Nograles.
The President was clad in a barong Tagalog as he had just attended the
wedding of one of the children of Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes
Esperon, Jr. in Camp Aguinaldo.
19

Although the LRT bombing occurred at 12:15 noon, the President managed to
visit the wounded only at night as the wedding ceremonies, emergency Cabinet
meeting and taping of his national address took up his time.
Because of the bombings, Aguirre said the Presidential Security Group (PSG) had
tightened security for the President and his family.
"The PSG and intelligence group continues to assess the security of the President
and tightened it for certain purposes," the President said. --With a report from AFP
Arroyo is gambling with lives for power (By Dona Pazzibugan and
Andrea Trinidad-Echavez, Inquirer News Service)
OPPOSITION groups have blamed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the
unsolved bombings in Metro Manila.
Datu Haj Alonto, convenor of the Mindanao War Victims and the Kongreso ng
Mamamayang Pilipino (Kompil) II, said Muslims believed that the President was
behind the bombings.
Alonto, who had just come from a Mass and indignation rally at the Don Chino
Roces Bridge (formerly Mendiola) in Manila, told the Inquirer over the phone
yesterday that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo was out "to gamble everything, including
peoples lives, in order to remain in power."
He said the attacks were being blamed on Muslims again, like the mall bombings
last summer when "26 innocent Muslim construction workers were arrested and
continued to be detained without charges since the police cant come up with
any."
Militant groups belonging to the Arroyo Resign Movement said the bombings
were part of a plot to draw attention away from the impeachment trial.
They said the attacks would serve as an excuse to crack down on protest leaders
and to discourage people from attending protest actions.
A martial law veteran said Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo was "more evil" than the late
dictator Ferdinand Marcos because the latter did not sacrifice innocent civilians
in the stage-managed bombings immediately before he imposed martial law in
1972.
"I accuse as the mastermind of these bombings and terrorist attacks the real Jose
Velarde," said Fr. Joe Dizon, spokesperson of the Estrada Resign Movement, in a
Mass which turned into an indignation rally at the Chino Roces Bridge (formerly
Mendiola).
Prosecutors in the impeachment trial have alleged that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo
is the Jose Velarde who has a P1.2-billion account with Equitable PCI Bank.
"Only a cowardly and desperate man can do this. Someone who has the means,
a P500-million to P1.2-billion bank account, the opportunity and the motive.
Thats Jose Velarde," Dizon said.
20

Teodoro Casio, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said
"military men loyal to the President" had the "expertise and cold-blooded
mindset" to set off a coordinated series of powerful bomb attacks.
"We will not be surprised if Estrada himself and members of his inner circle knew
of and approved of such a plan."
Satur Ocampo, former National Democratic Front spokesperson, said targeting
civilians reflected the "absence of moral values" of the Estrada administration.
More evil than Marcos
"There is the same pattern (between the bombings done before martial law and
todays bombings) but this is more evil," said Ocampo, now president of the
party Bayan Muna registered with the Commission on Elections.
He said Marcos ordered mere "acoustic bombings" that did not kill civilians.
"But this time its criminal because civilians were killed. The intention is clearly to
kill. Only a criminal mind can do this," Ocampo said.
Nathanael Santiago, secretary general of Bayan Muna, said the administrations
plot to scare people off from protest actions would backfire on Mr. Estrada
because the "people have learned from the lessons of martial law."
"If they were frightened before, they arent today. The protest groups are
determined to call on the people to conquer this monster. Its not just state
corruption but state violence," Santiago said.
Opposition leaders said that yesterdays indignation rally was meant to show
that the anti-Estrada protesters would not be cowed by the bombings.
"If Arroyo thinks he can prevent the people in advancing the protest movement
for his immediate ouster, he is absolutely wrong. These government-instigated
terrorist activities only fueled the peoples clamor for his immediate ouster," said
Danilo Ramos, secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.
Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez challenged the Philippine National Police to give
swift justice to the families of the victims and to arrest the perpetrators of the
bombings.
"Use your intelligence. Use your bugging equipment. Prove to us that you deserve
the intelligence funds the Congress allotted to you," Alvarez said in a press
conference called by Kompil II on Saturday afternoon.
The PDP-Laban party headed by Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. also
condemned the bombings but called on the public "not to allow these senseless
acts to alter or hamper their normal life."
"Now is the proper time for the police forces and even the military to show their
true worth by capably protecting the state and its citizens," it said in a statement.
Only the police and the military have the "arms and the stomach" to carry out
the bombings, Sanlakas said.
21

"Amidst the mayhem wrought by the bombings, the Estrada regime has added
to the confusion by making scapegoats out of communist and Muslim rebels. It is
simply a reflex action of the government and a standard operating procedure of
the military to blame bombings of any sort on the Left or the Moros," it said in a
press statement.
Sanlakas said "extreme rightists" were the only ones who have the weapons,
training, and "even mindset" to conduct the five separate but successive
bombings on Saturday.
The fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas
(Pamalakaya) said the bombings were "Palace flagship projects" intended to
save the Estrada administration from eventual collapse.
Visayas
In the Visayas, former Cebu Gov. Emilio Osmea and Bohol Rep. Ernesto Herrera
pointed out that the government was one of the few groups capable of carrying
out the bombings.
Osmea said his prime suspect in the bombing was the government.
He said the motive was to prevent the presentation of other pieces of evidence
against Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo and to stop the investigation.
Herrera said a certain sector of the government might have perpetrated the
bombings to gain the publics sympathy and to accuse the opposition of
aligning with the radical left.
He dismissed the possibility that the Abu Sayyaf might be responsible because
the group was too small and could not operate in Metro Manila.
Ian Seruelo of Kompil II in Panay said government agents were the "most logical
suspects" in the bomb attacks.
"We suspect that the bombings were a prelude to military and police actions
aimed at preempting bigger protests that will be launched by the Left next
month," he said.
Mass murderer
Leaders of two rival factions of the communist movement in the country also
blamed the President for the bombings.
Exiled communist leader Jose Ma. Sison described Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo as
"not only a shameless thief but a mass murderer."
"(Mr.) Estrada has become so desperate by his exposure as Jose Velarde that he
is resorting to cowardly terror bombings in a futile bid to extricate himself from his
infamy as a big thief and plunderer," said Sison, the chief political consultant of
the National Democratic Front.
He said the bombings were "calculated to draw attention away from the
overwhelming evidence against him in the Senate trial" to pave the way for
repressive actions and to "preempt the mass movement, which will surely mount
in the first quarter of 2007.
22

"Estrada is extremely desperate and fearful of losing power, facing criminal
prosecution and giving up his ill-gotten wealth. He is therefore committing the
most cowardly and most heinous crimes to keep himself in power," he said.
Sison said that while the President pointed to the communist groups armed wing
and the Moro rebels as the probable perpetrators in the bombings, "it is Arroyo
who has the strongest motive and utmost capability and opportunity to carry
(these out)."
Sison said the Communist Party of the Philippines had repeatedly made public
declarations that the "broad united front" and the people had already isolated
"the Arroyo ruling clique" and that they could remove it from power through
peaceful, massive and militant mass actions.
"The proper place for the New Peoples Army to carry out its tactical offensives is
in the countryside," he said.
Oplan Makabayan
He said the bombings were part of "Oplan Makabayan." Filemon "Popoy"
Lagman, former leader of the urban hit squad of the New Peoples Army, said he
"strongly suspect that these bombings were the handiwork of military and police
elements."
"They are the only ones in the present context that are militarily and technically
capable of perpetrating such widespread and sophisticated bombing
operations," Lagman said." With reports from Philip C. Tubeza in Manila; Delfin T.
Mallari Jr. PDI, Southern Luzon Bureau; and Nereo C. Lujan, Joey A. Gabieta and
Jhunnex Napallacan PDI Visayas Bureau

Their hands yell Happy New Year (By Agnes E. Donato, Inquirer
News Service)
AS FIREWORKS lit up the skies last night, a group of people did not hear the
bangs, fizzes and whistles.
And as much as they might have wanted to scream out their greeting, "Happy
new year," they had only their quiet hands to do the yelling for them.
"All this aside, the speech and hearing-impaired celebrate New Years Day much
like everybody else," said Edmund Cortez.
Cortez, 31, is president of Precious Community, an organization of persons with
disabilities who meet regularly at the Paco Church in Manila.
Cortez was elected president because, unlike the other members of the group,
he can speak with the aid of continuous medication.
His education has also acquainted him with oral language and he can read lips,
conversing with others with minimal use of sign language.
"Waiting for the clock to tick the last second of the year is what I find to be the
most exciting," said Cortez.
23

After marking the countdown, he fills his pockets with coins and jangles them,
hoping that the coming year would bring more luck than the previous one.
Last Wednesday, December 26, 2006, the Precious Community gave a Christmas
party for its members and the speech- and hearing-impaired residents near the
Paco Church.
Some 250 men, women and children started the day with an unusual Mass
celebrated by one of the organizers of Precious Community, Fr. Luke Moortgard.
The readings were conducted in braille by two blind girls, while a hearing-
impaired person interpreted the Bible using sign language.
After the Mass, the partygoers spent the rest of the morning playing parlor
games, including Trip to Jerusalem where instead of music, the twirling of a
handkerchief signaled when the players would move or stop.
Tired, they lined up to get a P10 bill each from a curiously thin "Santa Claus," after
which they ate a hearty lunch of pancit(noodles) and juice.
Togetherness
"For us, Christmas is a time to be together with family and friends. We go to
church to thank God for his blessings and then take the kids to their
grandparents and godparents," Ricky Baez shyly told the Inquirer with the
graceful movement of his hands.
Both Ricky, 31, and his wife Novel, 28, were born hearing- and speech-impaired.
They were among the residents of Pandacan, Manila, who were invited to the
party.
The couple has two children who can speak and hear. The older child, Sheila, 3,
said she and her brother, Erick, got clothes and toys from their parents this
Christmas.
While maintaining that togetherness was the essence of Christmas, Ricky said gift
giving was a very important part of his familys celebration, especially since
Novels birthday falls on Dec. 22, 2006.
Expensive gifts are out of the question, he says. A worker in a biscuit factory,
Ricky was forced to resign by his employer on Nov. 7.
"He probably got tired of having to sign to communicate with me. He apparently
wanted to replace me with a more normal worker," Ricky said, with the help of
sign interpreter Veronica de Lima.
Agustin Marquez, 42, also speech- and hearing-impaired, said Rickys
unfortunate experience was all too common.
Like Ricky, Marquez has a similarly disabled wife, Karla, with whom he has two
children with normal hearing. He is also jobless.
Skills and talent
Whatever their disabilities, many other-abled persons tend to have special skills
and talents.
24

Riza, 26, for one, plays her own melodic compositions on the keyboards by
feeling sound vibrations. She is deaf, mute and blind.
"She is also a wide reader," said De Lima, a volunteer at the Handicapped
Center-Lourdes at the Caritas Manila.
When her sign language gets too complicated to be understood, Riza resorts to
spelling out the key words. She is so good at it and is probably a better speller
than most high school graduates.
"Here we dont treat the disabled like they were inutile. We make them help with
the household chores and take care of each other," De Lima said.
The male residents at the center take out the garbage and carry their bedridden
companions to the bathroom, De Lima adds.
Riza, for one, is usually assigned to fold the laundry because of her uncanny
ability to recognize whose clothes she is folding.
"We dont know how she does it, considering that she doesnt get to touch
everybodys clothes all the time. But when shes done folding, we just find all the
clothes sorted according to their owner," said De Lima.
Riza grew up at the center, having been left there by her parents after they
learned of her disabilities.
"Most parents are embarrassed about having a handicapped child and they
lock them up at home. Some even beat them whenever they cannot
communicate with them," said Tess Dionisio, a teacher at the Paco Catholic
School, who helped Father Moortgard organize Precious Community.
"It is also our aim to make people, especially the parents of the disabled, realize
that there is a community here of physically impaired people who have found
pride in, and despite, themselves," Dionisio said.
The Impeachment Trial (January 2-16, 2007)
NO FEAR: Arroyo trial resumes today (By Martin P. Marfil and Juliet L. Javellana,
Inquirer News Service)
THE IMPEACHMENT trial resumes this afternoon with the prosecution saying that
they are ready to prove that the P500 million placed in a Jose Velarde trust
account is ill gotten.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrileand Sen. Franklin Drilon said the bombings
that killed 14 people in Metro Manila on Saturday would not deter them from
pushing through with the trial.
"There is absolutely no effect. We will continue the hearings," Drilon said. But he
said he was concerned that the bombings could be a prelude to "something
(bad). I think that is a common concern of people."
The defense panel also shared the view that the trial would proceed today as it
prepared to counter the damage wrought to the Presidents case by the
25

testimony of Equitable PCIBank senior vice president Clarissa Ocampo on Dec.
22.
"I would like to believe that the bombings have no connection to the
impeachment trial. I dont see any problem because I think there is no
connection," said Raymond Parsifal "Archie" Fortun, one of the defense lawyers.
Just like any Filipino, the defense team is interested in the truth, according to
Fortun.
"We also want the truth to come out of this trial and that we will do until this is
settled and voted upon by our senator-jurors," he said.
Ocampo had testified that Jose Velarde, who owns a P500-million account
where a payment for a mansion came from, was none other than Mr.
Macapagal-Arroyo. The mansion was allegedly for one of the Presidents
mistresses.
The impeachment trial was adjourned on Dec. 22 right after Ocampo revealed
that the President used the name Jose Velarde when he transferred P500 million
to a trust account from another account with a P1.2 billion deposit.
The trial was suspended without the defense being able to cross-examine the
prosecution witness.
Though Ocampo is expected to be recalled to the witness stand this afternoon,
the defense panel seemed more interested in cross-examining Pampanga
Governor Mark Lapid.
Surprise witnesses
A member of the House prosecution team yesterday did not discount the
possibility of presenting surprise witnesses.
The prosecutor said they had lined up several witnesses to bolster Ocampos
testimony.
"There are more. There will be more testimonies against President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo, who is known as Jose Velarde. More are coming," Misamis
Oriental 1
st
District Rep. Danilo P. Lagbas said without elaborating.
Makati Rep. Teddy Boy Locsin, also a prosecutor, said the prosecution was ready
to continue with the direct examination of Ocampo. He said prosecutors were
raring to prove that the Presidents trust account with P500 million was ill gotten.
"She will also be ready for cross-examination by the defense, he said.
"The prosecution, consistent with the ruling of the chair, will also show that the
P500 million in the investment management account (IMA) is ill gotten," Locsin
said.
Lagbas said prosecutors expected Ocampo to continue with her testimony
today, to be followed possibly by Equitable PCIBank lawyer Manuel Curato.
Ocampo and Curato were present when the President affixed his signature Jose
Velarde on bank documents on Feb. 4, 2006 in Malacaang.
26

"Basically, Ocampo will continue her testimony about information relative to the
account of the Jose Velarde trust account," Moreno said. He said Mrs.
Macapagal-Arroyos defense panel was expected to try to stop the testimonies
of Curato and that of the other witnesses.
"They dont want the truth to come out. Any statement that would pin down the
President as Jose Velarde will be opposed vigorously," Moreno said.
Asked if Ocampo would testify on the P1.2-billion account, Moreno said "not
directly."
Resolution
More than anything else, Fortun said the defense was keenly awaiting the
resolution by Chief Justice Reynato Puno, presiding officer of the impeachment
court, of the admissibility and relevancy of the charge relating to the Velarde
account.
The defense panel wants to block the testimony about the Velarde account on
the ground that it is not included in the second of the four Articles of
Impeachment (graft and corruption) against the President.
Ernesto Maceda, the Presidents spokesperson on the impeachment trial, said he
was supporting a call by the Senate leadership to "speed up the impeachment
trial and try to finish it before the end of January."
Calling the pace of the trial "excruciatingly slow," Maceda urged both the
prosecution and defense panels to "limit themselves to basic and fundamental
issues."
Maceda also urged the court to further limit time allotted for senators acting as
judges in the court to question witnesses.
"The sooner we concentrate on our economic and law and order problems, the
better for everyone," Maceda said.
Fears have been raised that the trial could drag on until February, with
prosecution lawyers accusing the defense of applying delaying tactics.
Drilon said he would propose that the trial be conducted six days a week,
including Saturday, so that the trial could be finished by the end of the month.
The impeachment court had decided to extend the trial by an hour from
Monday to Friday starting today to make up for the 20 hours lost due to the
extended Christmas break.
With a report from Armand Nocum
New Years Eve revelry subdued, (By Norman Bordadora, Inquirer News Service)
Manila, January 2, 2007 - THE TRADITIONALLY raucous New Years Eve revelry was
noticeably subdued because the economic crisis compelled people to spend
their money on food instead of on firecrackers, health officials said yesterday.
The reduced purchasing power, coupled with the Department of Healths
campaign against the use of dangerous firecrackers, resulted in a sharp drop in
the number of revelry-related injuries.
27

Morning-after figures that the DOH gathered from government hospitals
nationwide showed only 243 cases of firecracker blast injuries, such as
amputated fingers and mangled hands.
But INQUIRER reporters and correspondents said the number of those injured was
much higher.
At least 19 people were killed in revelry-related incidents.
Among the dead were three Amerasian children and their mother who died in a
fire that struck their house in Angeles City early yesterday and that was believed
to have been set off by firecrackers.
"There are really less injuries this year compared to last year. It seems people
would rather buy food to eat than spend their money on firecrackers," said Dr.
Cecilio Vivo, the physician in charge at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center
(JRMMC) on New Years Eve.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also noted the low overall number of
firecracker casualties.
"This could also be attributed to the effectiveness of the DOHs Iwas Paputok
campaign against firecrackers," Duque III said.
Carmencita Banatin, who heads the Stop Death firecracker education program,
agreed that the campaign helped reduce injuries. But she also said Filipinos had
less money for fireworks after a year that dampened moods and emptied
pocketbooks.
Long way off
This years injury figures were a long way from the more than 600 revelry-related
injuries reported from all over the country last year.
According to DOH statistics, the number of people hurt during past New Years
Eve merrymaking reached as high as 1,000 a few years ago.
On Saturday, December 30, the government-run JRMMC received more than 50
emergency patients, including children, who were injured in the bomb explosion
inside a Light Rail Transit coach at the Blumentritt station.
The explosion was one of five that tore through the capital Saturday, killing 14
and injuring more than 100.
But the hospital monitored only 45 cases of firecracker blast injuries yesterday
morning.
A slight drizzle over most of Metro Manila and a rain storm in the Visayas were
also acknowledged as factors that contributed to the low number of revelry-
related injuries in the seventh year of the 21st century.
As a result of last nights smoke from the firecracker explosions and the drizzle,
zero visibility was reported in Metro Manila just after midnight yesterday.
28

Romualdez issued an advisory warning that the dense haze that hung over
Metro Manila after the New Years Eve revelry was particularly hazardous to
people afflicted with asthma and other respiratory diseases.
He said they should stay indoors or breathe through surgical masks for up to two
days.
Hospital count
In Metro Manila, more than 100 people were reported injured in the revelry,
whether in firecracker explosions and other incidents.
The following hospitals reported these figures as of 10 a.m.:
JRMMC, 45 victims;
Philippine General Hospital, 19;
Pasay City General Hospital, 18;
Tondo General Hospital, 11;
Ospital ng Makati, 10;
Las Pias District Hospital, 10.
East Avenue Medical Center, 11 victims;
Quezon City General Hospital, eight;
MCU, five;
Pagamutan ng Malabon, two;
Makati Medical Center, two;
Fatima Medical Center, two; and
Mandaluyong Medical Center, two.
Dave Gamboa, a doctor at the Philippine General Hospital, said his acute care
unit received 23 cases of firecracker blast and eye injuries yesterday morning,
down by almost half from a year ago.
Less to celebrate
A series of setbacks and natural disasters--including a weakened peso, a war in
certain parts of Mindanao, and typhoons and floods--left Filipinos with less to
celebrate and little money for fireworks.
The normally frenzied New Years Eve parties were also dampened by the
political crisis triggered by the "Juetengate" scandal that led to President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyos impeachment trial.
Even the President broke with his tradition this year.
Quoting a statement issued by Malacaang, the Associated Press said Mrs.
Arroyo quietly welcomed the New Year at his residence in La Vista Subdivision,
Quezon City, instead of attending a party at the Manila Hotel.
A presidential adviser, who asked not to be named, said Mr. Estrada avoided the
Manila Hotel because of security concerns.
29

Cover-up try revealed (By Juliet L. Javellana, Inquirer News Service)
Manila, Philippines, J anuary 3, 2007 - BUSINESSMAN Jaime Dichaves was the fall
guy for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Prosecution witness Clarissa Ocampo told the impeachment trial yesterday that then
Equitable PCI Bank chair, George L. Go, directed her to draw up documents transferring
the Presidents P500-million trust account to Dichaves, a good friend of Mrs. Macapagal-
Arroyo.
Ocampo, senior vice president of Equitable PCI Bank, said she prepared a second set of
bank documents that was signed last Dec. 13 at the Makati office of Estelito Mendoza, a
member of the defense panel in the impeachment trial.
The signing occurred five days before Dichaves wrote the Senate to claim ownership of
the Jose Velarde account. Ocampo earlier said Velarde was none other than the President.
Ocampo also testified that:
Atty. Fernando Chua, the Presidents representative, asked her on the first week of last
month to protect the President.
The Jose Velarde account was already in existence in 2005.
The Equitable board of directors instructed her to testify although the impeachment court
did not subpoena her.
The prosecution claims that the investment management agreement for a P500-million
loan to Wellex Group, a company owned by William Gatchalian, was part of a P1.2-
billion savings and current account of the President in Equitable.
But the President declared a net worth of only P35 million in his 1999 statement of assets
and liabilities.
The President is on trial on charges of bribery, graft, betrayal of public trust and violation
of the Constitution. A conviction on any charge by two-thirds of the 22-member Senate
would force him from office.
Ocampo said Go had asked her to prepare a second set of documents that would allow
Velarde to transfer his rights over the P500-million trust agreement to Dichaves.
"So he (Go) told me to prepare a second set of investment management agreement (IMA)
because the principal, I supposed, talked to him to assign his rights and interests over the
investment management agreement to a certain Jaime Dichaves," Ocampo said on the
13th day of the trial.
30

Go resigned as bank chair on Dec. 19, stating he wanted to distance his bank from any
suspicion that the institution was involved in corruption.
Go earlier resigned as treasurer from the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation, which
allegedly received P200 million in "jueteng" payoffs.
Ocampo added that Chua came unannounced to her office on the first week of last month
asking her to protect the President and to "do something" about the first set of documents
which Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo signed as Jose Velarde on Feb. 4 last year.
Chuas unannounced visit
She said Chua was the Presidents representative to the bank on the trust account and was
present when the President signed the Jose Velarde documents in Malacaang.
"First week of December he came to my office unannounced. He asked me to protect the
President," Ocampo said.
She said the instruction to prepare a new set of documents was one of the three reasons
that prompted her to come out and testify that the President was Jose Velarde.
Ocampo said sorry in Mendozas direction before she talked about the new documents.
"It was, Im sorry, done in the office of Atty. Estelito Mendoza. So that really concerned
me a lot . . . Thats why on Dec. 13, I talked to the external counsel and I talked to the
president of the bank about all of this," she said.
Ocampo said Go asked her to go to a fourth floor office in Dynavision at No. 108 Rada
St. and to look for Dichaves.
"The guard told me that there is no Mr. Dichaves in that building," she said, but was told
that her companions were already up.
She said that it turned out that the office was Mendozas and that he was there together
with Dichaves.
Ocampo said the signature cards, investment guidelines and directional letter were
prepared and signed on Dec. 11 in her office on the 21st floor of Equitable PCI Bank
Tower I in Makati City.
The IMA, she said, was signed on Dec. 13 in Mendozas office.
Not implemented
31

Ocampo said that although Dichaves signed the new agreement, it was not implemented
because the President as Jose Velarde did not write an authorization letter making
Dichaves his assignee on the trust agreement.
"We have to get his signature in a directional letter but that never came. So how can we
implement it?" Ocampo said.
She dropped her new bombshells in response to questions by Senator-judge Loren
Legarda-Leviste and other senator-judges after the defense panel decided to waive its
right to cross-examine her.
Asked by Legarda-Leviste what prompted her to testify in the trial, Ocampo said there
were three reasons.
She said that when she saw the P142-million Jose Velarde check on the first day of the
impeachment trial, she knew she would have to come out.
"So I thought, eventually I would come out because I can identify (the owner) but I have
to wait for my time," she said.
Fear for life
The third reason, she said, was the instruction by Go to make a new set of documents.
But she said the biggest reason had to do with her fear for her life.
"I was concerned (because) Attorney Chua saw me sometime (on the) first week of
December asking me about the documents and what we were doing about it," she said.
"So in other words, they remembered that I was there, I witnessed. And apparently, after
reviewing all transactions in the bank (they saw) probably (there were) just two of us who
actually saw the President sign as Jose Velarde," she said.
Ocampo, replying to Sen. Pia Cayetano, said she continued to fear for her life and that of
her family especially after five synchronized bomb attacks killed 15 people and injured
more than 100 in Metro Manila on Dec. 30, 2006.
"Yes of course . . . because this is the government, this is Malacaang. Especially after
the bombings, I was really very concerned. I dont really know the source of the
bombings. Its very difficult to be in hiding, its very difficult to be in this situation. I am
just telling the truth," Ocampo said.
Cayetano assured Ocampo that senators were praying for her.
Senate Minority Leader Teofisto Guingona Jr. asked if the Jose Velarde account was in
existence in 1999 and Ocampo said yes.
32

Private prosecutor Mario Bautista had only one question when Ocampo was recalled to
the witness stand after first testifying on Dec. 22.
Bautista asked what she did after the President signed the trust agreement in Malacaang
on Feb. 4.
"I gathered all the documents and I went back to the bank and I typed Jose Velarde under
his signature in the investment management agreement," she said.
No cross
Bautista offered her for cross-examination to the defense panel. There was silence for
several seconds before Mendoza stood up.
"The defense panel will not cross-examine Mrs. Clarissa Ocampo. It maintains its
position that her testimony is not covered by the Articles of Impeachment," Mendoza
said.
Asked by senator-judges anew about the Feb. 4 signing, Ocampo said that she and the
other witnesses could only stay quiet when they saw the President affixed his signature
Jose Velarde.
She said that aside from her and the President, his former Chief of Staff Aprodicio
Laquian, Chua, and bank lawyer Manuel Curato were seated in a big round table in
Malacaang.
She said Laquian probably did not see the President sign as Jose Velarde because he
pulled his chair about two and a half feet away from the President when he was signing
the papers.
"We were just very quiet because we took our cue from the President. He was actually
very quiet. I was explaining to him the nature of the documents he had to sign and we just
proceeded with the signing," she said.
Though surprised, she said she could not do anything.
"What can I do?" Ocampo said. "Actually I waited for him to sign all the documents."
Ocampo said that when Mr. Estrada repeatedly signed Jose Velarde on the documents,
she felt it was "consistent" with the bank requirement because all previously prepared
documents pertaining to the trust account turned out to be in that name.
She said that when they left Malacaang, she asked Curato if the transaction would be
valid.
Can we proceed?
33

"I asked him, This is Jose Velarde? Can we proceed? And he agreed," Ocampo said.
Ocampo said Chua told her an hour before the signing that the President did not want to
sign too many documents.
She said she decided which documents were relevant to the trust agreement and which
needed the Presidents signature.
The signature card was the major document, which the President signed.
Asked by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile why she did not immediately authenticate the Jose
Velarde signature, she said, "because that is not his real name."
Ocampo said it was only an hour before the signing when she learned that the client Jose
Velarde was the President. She said she was assuming she would meet the President but
never thought he was Velarde.
"Attorney Chua, contact person for the transaction and the representative of the principal,
mentioned that the signing would be made in Malacaang but he never mentioned whom
I would be meeting. I only found out one hour before (the signing) that it was the
President in Malacaang," she said.
Ocampo said that after the President signed the signature card, she typed the name Jose
Velarde under the signatures.
When Mendoza announced there would be no cross-examination, Senate President
Aquilino Pimentel Jr. asked for a caucus to decide whether to give the senator-judges
more time to ask Ocampo questions.
After almost an hour, Pimentel announced that all senator-judges would be given five
minutes each to ask Ocampo because there was no cross-examination.
But Sen. Sonia Roco quickly asserted that the five minutes for all senator-judges was
being allowed not because there was no cross-examination but because of the importance
of Ocampos testimony.
Roco stressed that they would be creating a "terrible situation" where the burden of cross-
examining witnesses would be shifted to the senator-judges.
Curato
Equitable PCI Bank lawyer Manuel Curato testified that he was present when the
President signed Jose Velarde on bank documents on Feb. 4, 2000 in Malacaang.
Curato said he together with Ocampo went to Malacaang where he saw the President,
Laquian and Chua.
34

Chua, according to Curato, was the one who requested the President to sign some of the
documents.
It was during that noontime Malacaang visit that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo signed his
name as Jose Velarde on several bank documents like the authority to debit P500 million
from another account and three copies of signature cards.
Curato, head of the banks legal services division, said he was seated beside Ocampo and
had observed the entire proceedings.
Curatos testimony lasted for only 20 minutes.
With a report from Martin P. Marfil
Defense lawyer placed on defensive (By Rocky Nazareno, Inquirer News Service)
THE PROFESSIONAL conduct of defense lawyer Estelito Mendoza was put in
doubt yesterday after a senior bank official testified that businessman Jaime
Dichaves signed bank documents in Mendozas office on Dec. 13 allegedly to
cover up President Estradas P500-million trust account with Equitable PCI Bank.
But Mendoza said that while he was in his office and meeting with former
Equitable PCI Bank chair George L. Go and Dichaves, he denied having had
any knowledge that Dichaves had signed any document there.
In an impassioned manifestation, Mendoza said he was "speaking on my own
behalf" in explaining the series of events that took place in his office.
Mendoza defended himself, saying that "insinuations and speculations" arising
from Clarissa Ocampos testimony may affect his "honor, dignity and standing in
the (legal) profession."
Ocampo, a senior vice president of Equitable PCI Bank, continued her testimony
yesterday.
She said she was one foot away when the President signed Jose Velarde on
bank documents for an investment management agreement for a P500-million
loan to the Wellex Group, a company owned by William Gatchalian.
According to Mendoza, Go showed up in his office in the morning of Dec. 13
without an appointment.
The Inquirer learned that the "companion" was Ramon Ang, vice chair of San
Miguel Corp. whos known to be close to SMC chair Eduardo Cojuangco.
"Not too long after, Jaime Dichaves came with another companion," he said.
Dichaves had told the impeachment court that he issued the P142-million check
that allegedly funded the purchase of the Boracay mansion and that he owned
a controversial Equitable PCI Bank account.
In a letter to the Senate dated Dec. 18, lawyer Manuel Lazaro told the court that
his client, Dichaves, was the owner of Equitable PCI Bank Account No. 000110-
254950-4 and that Dichaves was also the one who issued Check No. 011-714951.
35

Mendoza said that after he, Go and Dichaves finished their conversation about
the first set of documents that was submitted to the impeachment court by
Equitable PCI Bank the day before, Go and Dichaves asked him if they could use
his room for another meeting.
"Since I was working at the conference room, I told them they may use my office
which is adjacent to the conference room," he said.
Mendoza said he even met Ocampo at the hall outside his office where they
exchanged "small talk."
He said Ocampo introduced herself to him while telling him that she was his
daughter Susans best friend in elementary at St. Scholasticas College.
Threatening calls
Ocampo, who was still on the witness stand, could only nod and smile
approvingly to Mendozas claim.
Mendoza also told the court that he and his family had been "receiving many
threatening calls" for him to withdraw as one of Mr. Estradas lawyers in the
impeachment trial.
He cited false reports that came out a day before Christmas, which said that he
had been rushed to the St. Lukes Hospital after suffering a stroke.
Mendoza likewise chided Quezon City Rep. Michael Defensor who earlier called
on him to "withdraw from the case for breach of code of professional conduct."
"If the President will allow, I am prepared to withdraw from this case," he said.
But Mendoza was nevertheless quick to add that in no way was he going to
withdraw "on the basis of insinuations and speculations."
House Prosecutor Joker Arroyo countered that "while the prosecution laments
that a colleague has been accused of professional misconduct," he questioned
the value of Mendozas statement because this was not made under oath and
Mendoza was not cross-examined.
"What is the value (of Mendozas statement)? It is not evidence, it is not a
testimony," Arroyo said.
The militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)said Mendoza should be made to reveal all
that he knew about the transactions.
"No wonder the defense did not want to cross-examine Ms Clarissa Ocampo,
what with its lead counsel indirectly involved in the signing of the fraudulent
documents. Mendoza has been probably dreading the moment Ocampo will
reveal that some of the documents were signed in his very office," said KMU
chairperson Crispin Beltran.
36

Peso plunges to all-time low (By Clarissa S. Batino and Doris C. Dumlao, Inquirer
News Service)
Manila, January 3, 2007 - THE PESO fell to an all-time low and local stocks
plunged past the 1,450 major support level yesterday as Philippine financial
markets reeled from the fallout of Saturdays bombings in Metro Manila.
The peso weakened to a record 52 to the US dollar early Tuesday but later
closed at 51 at the Philippine Dealing System.
On the first trading day of the year 2007, the 30-company Philippine Stock
Exchange Index shed 46.01 points to 1,446.49, its biggest single-day drop in seven
months.
"The currency and stocks are obvious casualties of the bombings," said Luz
Lorenzo, research head of ATR-Kim Eng Securities Inc.
"If more bombs go off, then people will just continue to exit. And if there are no
other incidents, the market will just react to the impeachment trial of President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," added Louie Bate, managing director for stock
trading at ING Baring Securities Philippines Inc.
But Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amado Tetangco, Jr. said the pesos
downturn was "just an emotional overreaction" and "the usual knee-jerk reaction
of the people."
Buenaventura admitted the country would continue paying "an extra premium"
for the political uncertainty, but he voiced optimism the peso would recover to
47 to the dollar once the impeachment trial is over.
Currency traders said banks were buying dollars early Tuesday on expectation of
further peso losses triggered by the specter of further bomb attacks and political
instability.
Total transactions at the Philippine Dealing System reached $84 million. The peso
closed at 50.01 to the dollar on Dec. 29, the last trading day of the previous year.
On Oct. 31, the peso fell to its then record low of 51.95 to the dollar after 12 big
business groups called on the President to resign in the wake of the "Juetengate"
scandal.
Landscape change
"The bombings changed the landscape both literally and figuratively," said
Gonzalo Bongolan, research head of PCCI Securities.
"It reminded us there is still a violent side (to the political crisis). The rumors are
that the bombings are a prelude to something more dramatic," Bongolan
added, citing speculation the current administration might have had a hand in
the bombings that killed 15 people and wounded scores of others.
President Estrada earlier denied rumors that his administration was behind the
bombings in a bid to force a state of emergency and halt the impeachment
trial.
37

No one has claimed responsibility for the bombings, triggering a crossfire of
accusations against Moro and communist guerrillas, police and military factions,
and the government and opposition.
But foreign exchange traders said the peso was likely to stay under pressure in
the near term.
Steve Brice, treasury economist with Standard Chartered Bank, held out hope
the local currency would recover in the second half of 2007.
Traders said the movement of the peso as well as the stock market was closely
tied to the expected outcome of the impeachment trial.
Rally or slide
"If the prosecution scores some points, expect the market to stage a rally. But if
the defense scores the points, expect it to fall," said Hazel de la Cruz, research
head of Orion Squire Capital Inc.
Efren Cruz, president of Mutual Fund Management Co. of the Philippines, agreed
that the markets direction, probably for most of the first quarter, clearly hinged
on the impeachment process.
"If there are no more bombshells, the market is likely to trade sideways or lower in
the near term," Cruz said.
"Technically, there is some tentative support (for the main index) at 1,450 points
but if there is further negative news it will fall through 1,400 points to 1,380," Cruz
said.
Bongolan said the main index was likely to trade in a range between 1,435 and
1,470 points in the next few days with further damaging testimony against Mr.
Estrada likely to provide it with some slight upside.
But Rolando Pineda of First Orient Securities said he expected the index to
breach the 1,400 support level and test the next major support of 1,380.
Market turnover on Tuesday was light at P380 million as the bombings spooked
investors who decided to wait and see what happens in the impeachment trial
as well.
Among the most heavily sold down stocks yesterday were Ayala Land Inc., SM
Prime Holdings Inc. and Meralco B.
ALI and SMPH, both mall operators, dropped by 20 centavos and 30 centavos to
close at P5.20 and P5.50. Meralco B, on the other hand, dropped by P3 to close
at P46.50. With reports from Inquirer wires
Pardo says govt ready to back Equitable PCI (By Clarissa S. Batino, Inquirer News
Service)
Manila, January 3, 2007 - FINANCE Secretary Margarito Teves yesterday said the
government was ready to support the banking system, particularly Equitable PCI
Bank, amid the political crisis sparked by President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyos impeachment trial.
38

"The President asked me to tell the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to provide
assistance to the banks and go all out in supporting the banking system," said
Teves, a member of the Monetary Board that lays down policies of the central
bank.
He said the Presidents directive was intended in particular for Equitable PCI
Bank, the countrys third largest bank that was plagued by rumors of massive
deposit withdrawals.
But Tetangco brushed aside the directive, saying he did not have to be
reminded of the central banks responsibility.
"I told Teves thanks. But (I also told him) we know what our job is and that is to
support the banking system," said Tetangco.
The BSP governor said Malacaang could be reacting to recent text messages
that the President had asked the central bank to tighten the screws on Equitable
PCI Bank.
"BSP Governor Tetangco is pressuring Equitable PCIs Clarissa Ocampo to retract
her testimony," a text message read in reference to the bank official who had
testified in the impeachment trial that the President used the alias Jose Velarde
to hide his alleged ill-gotten billions in secret accounts.
The BSP governor said the text message was "stupid."
Tetangco admitted that Equitable PCI Bank tapped the rediscount facility of the
central bank in November amid rumors the bank was suffering from heavy
withdrawals.
"Thats why you have secondary reserves so you can liquefy when needed.
Thats what they did in November," he said.
According to Tetangco, the central bank was maintaining constant
communication with Equitable PCI Bank regarding its financial condition.
He said the bank had told him it was "very much liquid."
"It is unfortunate for Equitable PCI Bank but they (its officials) have not come to us
for any emergency loans," he said.
The bank earlier assured the Senate impeachment court that it would fully
cooperate in providing evidence needed in the trial.
George L. Go, a close friend of the Presidents, recently resigned as bank chair.
Ocampo: Bank had no part in cover-up
NO ATTEMPT of a cover-up?
Two Equitable PCI Bank officials yesterday took exception to news reports that the bank
had participated in an attempt to hide President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos alleged
ownership of a P500-million trust account under the name of Jose Velarde.
Clarissa G. Ocampo, the banks senior vice president and trust officer, said the planned
transfer of the P500-million trust account to presidential friend and businessman Jaime
Dichaves was legal and "a routine business transaction."
39

Georgo L. Go, former Equitable PCI Bank chair, made the same claim in a separate press
statement.
Ocampo said she didnt know what the motive of Dichaves was when he asked Go, who
was the bank chair then, that the trust account be transferred to his name last Dec. 13.
But Ocampo and Go did not explain in their press statements why the documents
effecting the transfer of the trust account to Dichaves were to be antedated to Feb. 4,
2000.
In her testimony last Dec. 22, Ocampo testified that it was on Feb. 4, 2000 when she saw
the President affix the signature "Jose Velarde" on several bank documents related to the
P500-million trust account.
House prosecutors in the Senate impeachment trial are using the Equitable PCI Bank
account as evidence that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo committed graft and corruption by
acquiring ill-gotten wealth to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself and his mistresses.
"The fact that the bank did not consummate the transaction because of lack of legal
requirements proves that the bank did not participate in any cover-up," Ocampo said in a
press statement.
When she resumed her testimony at the Senate impeachment trial on Tuesday, Ocampo
said Go directed her last month to prepare the documents transferring the account to
Dichaves.
Ocampo said Dichaves signed the documents on Dec. 13 at the office of defense lawyer
Estelito Mendoza.
But Dichaves never submitted the letter-authority from the owner of the trust account to
the banks trust department, Ocampo said. Hence, the transfer fell through.
"I cannot speak for Mr. Dichaves as to his motives . . . (but) Equitable PCI Bank did not
and will never participate in any cover-up and we will never allow anything that is not
legal," Ocampo said in her statement.
There was no explanation, however, why the documents that Dichaves signed on Dec. 13
were antedated to Feb. 4, 2000.
Ocampo testified last Dec. 22 that she saw the President affix the signature "Jose
Velarde" on several bank documents related to the P500-million trust account.
Manuel Curato, Equitable PCI Bank legal counsel, corroborated her testimony on
Tuesday. Curato said he was also present when the signing took place in Malacaang on
Feb. 4, 2000.
Dichaves, however, wrote the Senate court last Dec. 18 to claim that he owned the P142-
million check with the signature of "Jose Velarde" and the separate Equitable PCI Bank
account from which it was drawn.
The check, which prosecutors also planned to use as evidence against the President,
allegedly funded the purchase of the so-called "Boracay mansion" that was once occupied
by one of the Presidents mistresses.
40

According to prosecutors, the P500-million trust account and the P142-million check
both originated from the Presidents P1.2-billion savings and current account with
Equitable PCI Bank.
Gos statement
Even if the transfer of the P500-million trust account to Dichaves were consummated,
"the original documents signed by Velarde would (still) have been filed in the bank," Go
said in a separate press statement.
"Contrary to news reports . . . there was nothing to cover up in the first place," said Go, a
friend of the President. He resigned as Equitable PCI Bank chair on Dec. 19.
But Go was also silent on why the documents had to be antedated to Feb. 4, 2000.
In his press statement, Go said that Dichaves asked him sometime in late November last
year "to effect the assignment in his favor of Trust Account No. 101-78056-1 that was
opened in the name of Jose Velarde."
Using the signature of Jose Velarde, the President authorized the bank to use the trust
account to fund their P500-million investment management agreement.
Go said that Dichaves told him to prepare a second set of documents--the investment
management agreement, the signature cards, the directional letter and the investment
guidelines.
This time, however, Dichaves was to sign the documents in his name, according to Go.
"The assignment of a given account from the principal to another person is a perfectly
normal bank practice and procedure, and certainly it is not illicit or illegal," Go said in his
statement.
"Moreover, the original documents signed by Velarde would have been filed in the bank
as part of the history of the transactions. I can never be a party to any cover-up. This I
owe to the principles and commitments of Equitable PCI Banks founder."
Go confirmed that he directed Ocampo to comply with the request of Dichaves "provided
that the entire procedure is in accordance with the laws and the procedures of Equitable
PCI Bank."
Go also confirmed that he and Dichaves were at the conference room in the office of
Mendoza last Dec. 13.
"I was told that Mrs. Ocampo had brought the documents needed for the assignment.
Mrs. Ocampo did not enter the conference room, but I had a glimpse of her outside the
room when the documents were brought inside by one of the staffers of Attorney
Mendoza," Go said.
"The documents were then signed by Mr. Dichaves and given back to Mrs. Ocampo," he
added.
Go said the assignment requested by Dichaves was not implemented because he "never
produced the letter-authority from the principal, Mr. Jose Velarde, as required by
Equitable PCI Bank."
Raul Daza
41

Defense lawyer Raul Daza also shrugged off news reports that there was an attempt to
cover up the Presidents alleged secret bank accounts and transactions.
"This is clear: It is not a cover-up," Daza said in a radio interview.
He said the P500-million account was intended to be transferred to Dichaves so he could
lend money to another friend of the President. He did not clarify who actually owned the
account.
Acting Press Secretary Mike Toledo said the public must await the rebuttal by the
defense and not jump to conclusions on whether the President was guilty of the charges.
"There are always two sides of a coin, there are always two versions of a story, what you
are hearing is the version of the prosecution," he said.
Mendoza
For his part, defense lawyer Estelito Mendoza said the President had asked him to stay on
as his counsel in the impeachment trial.
Mendoza told the Senate court on Tuesday that he was willing to resign as defense
lawyer after Ocampo testified that documents transferring the P500-million trust account
were signed by Dichaves in his office.
Mendoza insisted on Wednesday that he had no knowledge about this.
"The President called me up last night. I told him that if these accusations bothered him
and would affect the effective defense of his case, I am willing to quit," he said in a radio
interview.
"The President told me to stay on. Otherwise, he said, his defense would be impaired," he
added.
Mendoza said he, Go and Dichaves discussed the first set of documents that Equitable
PCI Bank submitted to the impeachment court.
He said that after their meeting, Dichaves and Go asked him if they could use his office
to discuss another matter.
Mendoza said the testimony of Ocampo and Curato would have no bearing in the
impeachment case.
Various groups, however, believe that Mendoza committed impropriety and violated
ethical standards of the legal profession when he allowed the signing of the documents in
his office.
With reports from Donna S. Cueto and Inquirer wires
Lacson: Well get those bastards (By Dave M. Veridiano, Norman Bordadora and
Jerome Aning)
Manila, January 4, 2007 - "REST assured, well get those bastards."
Breaking his silence over last weeks bombings in Metro Manila, the chief of the
Philippine National Police said he expected to arrest suspects in the next two
days.
42

Director General Oscar C. Calderon also cleared the government and the legal
opposition of involvement in the spate of attacks that killed 18 and injured almost
100 more, pointing to a foreign-trained terrorist group that he did not name.
He also admitted that the PNP had received advance intelligence reports
warning about bombings in the Metro but "did not announce it publicly because
it was the holiday season and we did not want unnecessarily to alarm the
people."
"We have identified the group and even personalities involved. We are now hot
on the trail. We have established their identities through physical evidence
gathered in the explosion sites. So its just a matter of one or two days before we
come up with arrests," Calderon told reporters after several days of evading
persistent journalists.
"This is a terrorist group trained by foreign terrorist groups, so they are used to
activities of this kind," Calderon said without elaborating.
President Glloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday confirmed that investigators had
identified the culprits, saying: "We do have evidence . . . There are not only
groups but personalities. Once we start arresting them, you will know who they
are."
In another interview broadcast on dzMM radio, Calderon said that the attackers
used improvised one-kilogram black powder bombs with timing devices.
He said the type of explosive was not usually used by the military. He said the
bombs were "not very sophisticated" but were "really intended to kill."
Calderon also said that prior to the Rizal Day bombings, police received
intelligence reports with "general descriptions of places that could possibly be
bombed and they were many. Unfortunately, we could not cover all these
places."
Now P2-million reward
Interior Secretary Ronaldo V. Puno yesterday offered P2 million, doubling an
earlier P1-million reward, for any information leading to the capture of the
mastermind of the Dec. 30 bombings.
He has also pledged protection and immunity from criminal prosecution to
bombers accomplices should they decide to surrender and testify against their
leader or leaders.
He suggested that those who are afraid to report directly to the police might
relay their information through parish priests.
This came as the death toll from the blasts in five public places in the metropolis
rose to 18. Two more of those wounded by an explosion on a Light Rail Transit
train died from their injuries.
Ladislao Yuchongco, director of the Health Emergency Management Staff, said
the number of injured by the blasts stood at 97. He said it was not certain
whether three of those would survive.
43

Seven weeks pregnant
The two new fatalities were identified as Remedios Malaque, 24, of Bacoor,
Cavite, and Edmund Domondon, a resident of Mandaluyong City. Malaque
died at 8:20 p.m. Tuesday while Domondon breathed his last at 9:35 a.m.
yesterday.
Both died at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, where more than 50
victims were rushed following the bombing of the commuter train.
Malaque, who was reportedly seven weeks pregnant, suffered "inhalational"
injury from the fumes of the blast, according to hospital staff. Burns covered 40
percent of her body, staff members said.
Domondon, whose mangled left leg had been amputated, went into cardiac
arrest, nurses said.
All surgical and medical costs are being shouldered by the JRMMC.
All in all 15 people have died from the LRT blast alone.
Romeo Devera of Tondo, Manila, died on Dec. 31. An unidentified woman
passed away the day before.
Other fatalities have been identified as
Jonelyn Abalos of San Andres Bukid, Manila
Eunice Canete-Chua and Rowena Chua, both of Tacloban City
Gerardo Lim of Meycauayan, Bulacan
Roweno Corpin of Dasmarias, Cavite
Crizele Acusin of Malabon
Valentino Calaquian of Tondo and
Lynette Rodriguez-Narvaez of Paco, Manila.
The others remain unidentified.
Aside from the 15 killed by the LRT blast, two policemen who were defusing a
bomb in Makati died in an ensuing explosion. A bomb attack on a bus in Cubao
claimed another life.
Priest, priestess
Members of the militant group Akbayan held an ecumenical service at the LRTs
Blumentritt Station, where the deadly bomb went off Saturday.
Over 40 blast patients are still being treated at the JRMMC, the Chinese General
Hospital and the Tondo Medical Center.
Around 30 Akbayan members gathered on the steps of the station in Sta. Cruz
around 1 p.m. and offered two floral wreaths with sashes marked "Katarungan sa
mga pinaslang; parusahan ang may kasalanan."
A Jesuit from the Ateneo de Manila University presided over offered prayers, and
later, a "babaylan" or priestess performed a prayer and dance ritual to soothe
the spirits of the dead.
44

Although the operations of the LRT have resumed, several vestiges of the
senseless blast remain. The stations signs still bear holes, while the glass panels of
the tellers booths have been replaced with plastic sheets.
Crossfire
A lack of clear suspects and government warnings of more attacks have
unleashed a crossfire of accusations targeting the government, political
opposition, the military, right wing factions and Moro and communist guerrillas,
among others.
National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre said "we are looking at all
possibilities," including the prospect of the involvement of Moro extremists or
communist insurgents.
Aguirre said it was also being determined whether the blasts were linked to
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos corruption trial in the Senate.
On Tuesday, the Abu Sayyaf, originally fingered by police for the bombings,
denied responsibility. The group has previously claimed responsibility for
bombings in Mindanao.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Communist Party of the Philippines
have also denied masterminding the precision-timed attacks.
"Ours is a guerrilla organization fighting for a legitimate cause and not a terrorist
organization," MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu said yesterday.
He said the MILF expected the military and the police would blame the Moro
insurgents for the bombings "as usual."
Looking too far
But he said police investigators in Metro Manila were "looking too far" for
suspects, adding that his group suspects that the bombings were the work of
people close to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Some of them could be in the military and the police and are occupying high
positions. The motive is very clear. If the President is impeached, they will lose
whatever perks they have now, Kabalu said.
Several people were earlier detained for questioning but Calderon said they had
all been released.
Militant group Sanlakas yesterday branded as "preposterous" a suggestion from
presidential spokesperson Ernesto Maceda that those calling for the resignation
of elected officials were probably involved in the bombings.
Political party PDP-Laban urged the PNP to produce "quick and credible results."
Camp Crame sources have said that the bombs that exploded last Saturday
appear to have a "signature" similar to that of last May explosion in two malls in
the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati.
With reports from Volt Contreras, Armand Nocum, Gerald Lacuarta; Allan A.
Nawal and Jowel F. Canuday, PDI Mindanao Bureau
45

Pro-Estrada tabloid, slams Chavit, Gloria (By Martin P. Marfil and Armand N.
Nocum)
Manila, January 4, 2007 - ON the same day President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos
defense lawyers grilled Luis "Chavit" Singson, a new tabloid hit the streets
yesterday detailing the Ilocos Sur governors alleged wrongdoings.
The tabloid, named Pinoy Expos, carried the screaming headline: "Singson,
Halang ang Kaluluwa" (Singson, wretched soul).
Its eight pages had five stories that tried to portray Singson as a scoundrel. One
article was critical of Vice President Noli de Castro and was headlined "GMA-
Gahamang Maupo Agad" (greedy for power).
ISAGANI Yambot, publisher of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, yesterday issued the
following statement: "The tabloid Pinoy Expos that was illegally inserted in some
copies of the Philippine Daily Inquirer yesterday is not a part of the Inquirer. It is
not a supplement of the Inquirer. It has no relation whatsoever to Pinoy Times, a
reputable paper published by Eugenia D. Apostol, founding chair and former
publisher of the Inquirer.
"Pinoy Expos is apparently a cheap propaganda sheet of the administration
that is a shoddy imitation of the legitimate paper, Pinoy Times. Its insertion in the
Inquirer is unauthorized."
It was not clear who published Pinoy Expos, but one of its writers, a consultant
at the Office of the Press Secretary, was quick to deny that Malacaang was
behind its publication.
Diego Cagahastian, who wrote the story "Chavit Singsons life story of lies and
demonic schemes," said he was merely invited by the officials of the paper to
write a "guest article" on Singson.
Cagahastian said he was standing by his story. But he stressed that technically
speaking, he was not connected with Malacaang at present because his six-
month contract as consultant ended last Dec. 31, 2006.
This contract could be renewed by acting Press Secretary Sonny Caloma.
No Palace hand
"Malacaang is not involved in it. Officially, my work with the (Office of the Press
Secretary) has lapsed," the 45-year-old Cagahastian told the Inquirer.
"Im not with government, strictly speaking," he said. "This is proof that the Palace
is not part of any move to discredit Singson."
But Singsons lawyer, Simeon Marcelo, said the timing of the tabloids publication
was clearly intended to coincide with the governors cross-examination at
the impeachment trial.
"They know that the cross-examination would be useless, that they wont get
anything from it . . . Now they have resorted to dirty tricks by publishing all these
libelous materials about Chavit Singson. Its a sign of desperation," Marcelo said.
46

Asked if Malacaang was behind the tabloid, Marcelo replied: "Its like the (Dec.
30) bombings, what we need to ask is who will benefit from it? The number one
question is who has the motive and who will benefit."
Pinoy Times lookalike
The tabloids staff box named a certain Oscar Santiago as its editor and chair of
the board. But unlike most legitimate newspapers, it had no corporation name,
business address and telephone number.
Cagahastian refused to give any background on Santiago. He, however,
described the tabloid as a "legitimate tabloid which is a direct competitor of the
Pinoy Times."
Pinoy Expos looks similar to the opposition tabloid Pinoy Times that one reporter
bought a copy for six pesos from a newsboy selling it on Ayala Avenue in Makati.
"I thought it was the Pinoy Times, a special edition. So I bought it," said Robert
Rivero of Radio Mindanao Network.
In his article, Cagahastian depicted Singson as a "wily and scheming" traditional
politician who would use all tricks to gain political advantage over his
opponents. The article also mentioned that Singson had a relationship with
former Congresswoman Lorna Verano-Yap.
"I am proud to have called Singson a liar in my story. I am standing by my story,"
Cagahastian told the Inquirer.
He said he allowed the paper to use his by-line because it was written from a
"first person account and I dont see anything libelous about it."
Cagahastian, who used to work for the Manila Bulletin, worked at the office of
Press Undersecretary Noel Cabrera from July to December 2000. His job included
writing and editing press releases.
Assistant Secretary for Media Affairs Carmen Suva said Cagahastian was
classified as a "special assistant" to Cabrera.
Juicy tidbits
Cagahastian said he was competent to write about Singsons life because he
interviewed the governor lengthily in Hong Kong eight years ago as background
for his screenplay for the movie "The Luis Chavit Singson Story."
He said actor Fernando Poe Jr., a common friend of Mr. Estrada and Singson,
was supposed to star in the movie but the project did not push through after
Singson backed out from financing the film.
Cagahastian said it was during this interview that he came to know of juicy
tidbits about Singsons life, including his alleged romantic relations with Verano-
Yap.
"He had many other lovers. This is something that Singson is making no secret of,"
Cagahastian said.
47

Cagahastian worked as a personal secretary of then San Juan Mayor Joseph
Estrada in 1972. From there, he worked as movie scriptwriter and director. He has
been writing the Presidents screenplays since 1975.
He boasted of having "discovered" actress Laarni Enriquez, who is now one of the
Presidents mistresses. He said he introduced Enriquez to the President.
Other stories in Pinoy Expos also tried to present Singson as a rascal.
One story, "Chavit: Diyos ng jueteng" (Chavit, God of jueteng) and written by a
certain Willy Arienda, dealt with how Singson allegedly took over the gambling
operations in his province.
Another story, "Si Chavit, Kahit sa Madyong Madaya" was about how Singson
cheats in mahjong while yet another, "Madugo ang mga Bakas sa Buhay ni Luis
Chavit Singson," (The bloody trail of Singsons life) alleged that the governor
masterminded at least 11 killings.
The story "Matakaw sa Laman, Takot sa Pananagutan" (Lustful, but shirks from
responsibility) was about his alleged relationship with starlet Monica Herrera.
The story about de Castro depicted the Vice President as a power-hungry
politician who initially posed as a nationalist economist and took a stance
against the import liberalization law. But the writer of the article said de Castro
made a turnaround when she became a senator and drafted the foreign
investment law that was supposedly harsher than the import liberalization law.
Pinoy Expos promised to reveal more about supposed secrets of the Vice
President, Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin and more on Singson in its next
issue. The tabloid is supposed to come out every Monday to Sunday.
EDSA DOS (January 17-20, 2007)
People Power launched
Manila, January 17, 2007 - MANILA Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and
former President Corazon Aquino last night called for people power after the
Senate voted against opening the envelope containing documents on the P3.3-
billion bank account of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Sin, Aquino and Vice President Noli de Castro joined thousands at the Edsa
Shrine shortly before midnight. They were also joined by Senators Franklin Drilon
and Teofisto Guingona III.
The President was "in effect" acquitted when 11 senator-judges quashed a move
to open the envelope, the prosecution said.
The 11 prosecutors in the impeachment trial of the President have decided to
resign en masse following the major setback.
"We are going to the House (of Representatives) tomorrow to resign, all of us,
said Rep. Feliciano Belmonte, head of the House prosecution panel.
48

Cars stopped along the stretch of the major highway from SM Megamall in
Mandaluyong City to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. Motorists blinked their
lights and honked their horns.
The protesters on the highway were waving towels and hankies while others were
lighting candles on the steps of the Edsa Shrine.
It was not immediately clear what the resignation of the prosecutors would
mean as the Philippines has no impeachment precedent.
Belmonte said it was possible the Lower House would appoint a new team of
prosecutors to handle the case against Macapagal-Arroyo, who is on trial before
a Senate court on corruption and bribery charges.
Noise barrages broke out in parts of Metro Manila as well as other major cities of
the country. Motorists honked their horns while residents banged pots in Quezon
City and Makati City. Cell phones flashed with text messages urging people to
join the noise barrage.
Protesters lighted candles in front of the house of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago
in UP Village, Quezon City, as cars passed by with their stereos on full blast
playing anti-Macapagal-Arroyo jingles.
Cause-oriented groups also held indignation rallies in the cities of Cebu,
Bacolod, Davao, Iloilo and Dumaguete.
Earlier, former President Fidel Ramos warned that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyos
acquittal might pave the way for a military coup.
Ramos, in Hong Kong to promote Philippine investment opportunities, was
quoted by Agence France Presse as saying that a coup "could be possible but it
is not probable.
He added that a "Palace coup was also a likely scenario.
At Camp Aguinaldo, Col. Angel Atutubo issued a memorandum prohibiting
officers and men from "loitering after taps without valid reasons.
Taps, the last trumpet call at night to signal that all unauthorized lights should be
put out, is sounded at 10 p.m. Reveille, the military equivalent of a wake-up call,
is sounded at 5 a.m.
Atutubo also banned both civilians and soldiers from "staying inside the camp
without proper authority.
Insiders suspect that the top brass wants to limit the movement of soldiers at
night--the time when coup plotters make their move, as shown by the bloody
failed putsches during the Aquino administration.
But Atutubo laughed off suggestions that the restriction was aimed at isolating
soldiers from agitation by certain sectors.
"All military camps have taps. We are just imposing it, the camp commander
said in a phone interview.
49

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said no amount of "scare tactics could
stop the militant group and its allied organizations from staging "People Power II
through "nationwide industrial and transport strikes, school boycotts, community
barricades, office walkouts and massive demonstrations around Malacaang
to force the Presidents ouster.
Bayan secretary general Teodoro Casio said Malacaang officials were
invoking "police powers to hold off massive protests that would be launched if
the impeachment court voted to acquit the President.
According to Casio, Malacaang was "getting hysterical over the thought
that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo would suffer the fate of the ousted late dictator
Ferdinand Marcos.
Casio assailed acting Press Secretary Michael Toledo for equating street
protests with "anarchy and for supposedly acting like a "spokesman of a
dictatorship.
Ceremonial post
Ramos told reporters that a Palace coup would result in Macapagal-Arroyo
supporters moving the President into a ceremonial position and establishing a
transitional government to take over.
"That kind of arrangement, I am sorry to say, I will fight because its
unconstitutional, he said.
Ramos, a Korean and Vietnam war veteran who maintains strong links with the
military, said a coup by the Army was a possibility.
"I am calling it a possibility, not a probability, he said, adding that another
scenario would be the withdrawal of support for Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo by the
Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police.
This would be reminiscent of the 1986 Edsa people power revolt, in which then
General Ramos was a major player.
Ramos noted that of the 22 senator-judges in the impeachment court, eight
were "hardcore supporters of Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo. At least one must switch
allegiance if the prosecution is to be successful in removing him from office.
The former President said Filipinos were angry and hungry as the Philippine
economy was failing, unemployment had reached 12 percent and the peso
had reached a record low against the US dollar.
"I do want better conditions for the people of the Philippines, he said.
Military police
Camp Aguinaldos military police battalion is in charge of implementing
Atutubos memorandum.
Violators will be fined P100 for the first offense; P200, second offense; and P300,
third offense. On the fourth offense, they will be banned from entering the camp.
50

Insiders said that since the memorandum was issued on Jan. 9, military police
had started making rounds as early as 8 p.m. Troops are called to formation at 7
p.m.
As part of security measures, a "light reaction force and a contingent of
armored fighting vehicles are deployed at night.
Late last year, the camp increased its armor assets by almost half.
Only Gate 1 of Camp Aguinaldo along Boni Serrano Avenue is kept open 24
hours. Its other gates are closed starting at 9-10 p.m. and opened only at 6 the
next day.
There are 6,000 officers and men based in Camp Aguinaldo, home of the AFPs
general headquarters. As many as 4,000 military dependents stay in "barrios
inside the camp.
Atutubo said persons who had neither official business nor proper authorization
were barred from the camp at night.
"These (measures) have nothing to do with the ongoing political dynamics
outside, he said.
A number of military officers and men are allegedly disenchanted with the
President.
Some retired generals have sought his resignation, and said they were speaking
on behalf of those on active duty who could not come out in the open.
Encirclement
In Angeles City, the Estrada Resign Movement (Resign) in Central Luzon aired
calls for the "encirclement of Malacaang by a million people to compel the
President to resign.
Resign-CL convenor Roman Polintan said: "We vow to join the move.
Polintan warned against complacency and called attention to the "biased
stance of some senator-judges who, he said, were working for Mr. Estradas
acquittal.
He said the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration was continuing to "employ
dirty tactics, including violence and terror, in its desperate attempts to derail the
impeachment process and thwart the peoples movement to unseat the hated
and discredited President.
Similar statements were aired by Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and
Pamalakaya.
Rey Magno Teves, co-convenor of the Davao City-based Konsensiya sa
Katawhan, said anti-Estrada forces in Mindanao had linked up to coordinate
protest actions with groups in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
He said, however, that anti-Estrada forces in Mindanao would also protest
against the militarys "war posturing.
51

He said it appeared that the government was gearing for another war against
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, as indicated by troop movements in Central
Mindanao.
Reports from Philip Tubeza, Carlito Pablo, Christine Herrera and Andrea Trinidad-
Echavez in Manila; Tonette Orejas, PDI Central Luzon Desk; Jowel F. Canuday,
PDI Mindanao Bureau; AFP
Stay on Edsa until evil is conquered by good (By Norman Bordadora, Andrea
Trinidad-Echavez and Christine Herrera)
Manila, J anuary 17, 2007 - PROTESTERS continued to throng the Edsa Shrine
yesterday, with Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales exhorting them to
stay until evil is conquered by good."
Former President Corazon Aquino, widow of the man whose assassination triggered the
public outrage that culminated in the 1986 People Power" revolt, called for bigger
numbers, saying: Our prayer is that there will be more people who will gather at Edsa in
the coming days.
Speaking before the crowd clustered on the three levels and both lanes of the historic
highway fronting the shrine, Sin said the millions of people who valued the truth were
more than sufficient to stand up to "only one immoral President and 11 shameless
senators."
"Stay here until evil is conquered by good. Stay here until corruption is overcome by
integrity. Stay here and pray. Stay here and keep watch," he said in a homily that was
interrupted several times by applause and by slogans demanding President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyos resignation.
The mostly black-clad protesters, made up of both organized groups and those who
joined spontaneously," estimated their number as bigger than the crowd that converged
on the shrine for a prayer rally last Nov. 4. By 8:30 p.m. they were estimated to number
at least 200,000, with the arrival of delegations from Central Luzon and Southern
Tagalog.
Earlier in the day, fresh off a plane from Hong Kong where he had warned of a possible
military coup, former President Fidel Ramos and former President Joseph Ejercito-
Estrada walked the 10-kilometer distance from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to
the Edsa Shrine, urging soldiers to join the protests.
A broad alliance of anti-Arroyo forces called on the public to support "People Power II"
and vowed not to leave Edsa until Mr. Estrada is ousted.
Priests urged the people to bring extra food, drinks and clothes for the long haul.
"They should also bring rain gear and thick clothes for the cold," an organizer said.
52

Leaders of a newly formed ad hoc committee for the coordinated protest actions
expressed optimism that they would soon gather as many as a million people at the site of
the 1986 revolt that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.
"We call on all freedom-loving Filipinos, including our fearless prosecutors and senators,
to take to the streets and intensify protest actions to oust Estrada and his ruling clique
from power," said Rafael Mariano, chair of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and of the
Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.
He said the 11-10 vote of the senator-judges Tuesday night -- which triggered noise
barrages and street protests nationwide -- confirmed that the people no longer had to wait
for Feb. 12, when the impeachment court is scheduled to hand down its verdict.
Mariano said it was now "very clear" that the court would vote to acquit the President,
who declared Tuesday that She intended to complete his term.
Hope
Rosales, who also celebrated a Mass at the Edsa Shrine chapel Tuesday night, told
yesterdays crowd: "I have hope because you are here. You are the hope of this nation. So
long as you are here, I can keep on hoping. There is only one immoral President and 11
shameless senators.
"There are millions and millions of people who will safeguard the truth and, if necessary,
die for the truth."
But while hopeful that street protests would lead to the ouster of the President, thousands
wore black as a sign of mourning.
"(Tuesday) night was a night of infamy. Today we wear black to display our anger and
frustration over the 11 senators blatant disregard for truth and justice," Ruth Cervantes, a
convenor of the Arroyo Resign Movement (Resign), said in an interview.
"It was a spontaneous reaction. But some were urged by our friends through text
messages (Tuesday night) to wear black," said Ariane Alinggayu of the Habitat for
Humanity.
Alinggayu and her co-workers said they were proud to wear black to show their disgust.
"What happened that night was very disgusting. We want the truth to come out, but they
wouldnt allow it. Its very sad," she said.
Even private prosecutor Frank Chavez, a former solicitor general, was wearing a black
shirt.
53

"It was a blatant mockery and gross travesty of justice," said Chavez. "What the 11
senators did was a total repudiation of the impeachment process. They have completely
isolated themselves from the people."
Chavez also said the protesters were wearing black not only to press the demand for Mr.
Estradas resignation but also "to display our anger at the brazen way by which the
impeachment proceedings were prostituted."
Disillusion
Sin and the entire presbyterium of the Manila Archdiocese had earlier expressed their
disillusion with the impeachment court.
"How can we not be angry when the senators were not pursuing the truth but the acquittal
of the President?" he said in his homily.
He added: "With the evidence presented, only the inept and the crazy can believe that he
is as innocent as a dove and as pure as a baby.
"The way they voted was a preview of how they would vote on the Presidents guilt.
They voted not to bring out the truth.
"We are angry at the manipulation of the truth and the manipulation of the poor."
In a statement, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, president of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines, said the 11 senators had allowed narrow rules and
traditional politics to influence them.
Truth has been subverted. Expectedly, they have ignited the fire of peoples indignation
and outrage," Quevedo said.
Sin also addressed the "Catholic laymen" in the Cabinet, who, he said, continued to hold
on to their posts despite the evidence against Mr. Estrada.
"How can you face God and sleep at night and at the same time support the President?
We say to the Cabinet: Resign," he said.
"You should have done this a long time ago. I said this during the campaign . . . If he is
elected, it will be a disaster. And (now), you see."
Aquino also appealed to Finance Secretary Jose Pardo to quit.
The cardinal was all praise for the 10 senators who voted for the opening of the second
envelope containing crucial documents, and for the prosecutors.
54

He broke off from his homily to egg the crowd to cheer for Senators Raul Roco, Pia
Cayetano and Franklin Drilon.
He exhorted the protesters to lift their anger to the Lord and ask Him to touch Mr. Estrada
and the 11 senators.
"All things are possible in God," Sin said.
Rain or shine
The protesters vowed to stay at the Edsa Shrine "rain or shine" until they reclaim
power" from the President.
Cries of Gloria Resign! and Patalsikin si (Oust) Gloria!" rang out constantly at the
rally site.
Bayans Mariano said the protesters were prepared to block all the roads around
Malacaang.
"The public will reclaim power from Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo," Mariano said. It is the
people who will judge him, not the 11 senators."
He said Bayan chapters nationwide would mount boycotts, transport and industrial
strikes, mass walkouts and rallies until the President is forced to step down.
Protesters coming from as far as Olongapo City were barred from going past a police
checkpoint, according to Felicito Payumo, former chief of the Subic Bay Metropolitan
Authority.
Gordon said that of 30 buses each carrying 60-80 protesters, only six made it.
"But we will try again tomorrow." Gordon said. People from Olongapo will be here
every day to join the demands to oust the President.
Fr. Robert Reyes, a convenor of the Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kompil) II,
said he hoped that the President would be ousted before Valentines Day.
"The Filipinos failed to celebrate Christmas and New Year because of the crisis that Mrs.
Macapagal-Arroyo made us to go through. The crisis was all his doing," Reyes said,
adding:
"We hope to extend the Christmas spirit and celebrate it, hopefully on Valentines Day,
when Gloria has resigned."
Starlet Rosanna Roces, one of the rally speakers, denounced Mr. Macapagal-Arroyo:
"Magnanakaw ka (You are a thief), Gloria!"
55

She said she was proud to say that she made a living the hard way, "unlike Gloria who
stole the peoples money."
Roces also said the poor should ignore Mr. Estradas promises because he was the
"biggest liar."
"Get out of Malacaang before I am forced to strip here!" she said, to a delighted roar
from the crowd.
Day by day
Yesterday morning, leaders of the United Opposition, Bayan, Kompil II, Kangkong
Brigade, Bayan Muna, Akbayan, Resign and other anti-Estrada groups held an
emergency meeting to firm up protest plans.
"We will stay here indefinitely. We have yet to finalize our course of action but in the
meantime, we will live day by day," said Bayan secretary general Teodoro Casio.
He also urged depositors of Equitable PCI Bank and Philippine National Bank to make
"massive withdrawals" and cancel their credit cards."
"This is to prove that we are serious, even if it means risking our financial
circumstances," Casio said.
Laguna Gov. Joey Lina, president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines
and a convenor of the Kangkong Brigade, asked all governors and mayors to speak up
against Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo, saying "there cannot be local autonomy under the
present administration."
-- With reports from Michael Lim Ubac, Christine Avendao and Agnes E. Donato
ENRILE QUITS POST: Senate votes to reject P3-B bank evidence (By Juliet L.
Javellana and Martin P. Marfil, Inquirer News Service)
Manila, January 17, 2007 - THE SENATE impeachment court last night voted 11-10
against opening sealed bank documents that House prosecutors said would
prove that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had amassed P3.3 billion in a
secret account with Equitable PCI Bank.
After casting a yes vote, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile announced his
resignation from the top Senate post.
Nine other senators, who voted to open the envelope, broke into tears and
hugged each other.
Private lawyers assisting the 11-member House prosecution panel walked out
after Chief Justice Reynato Puno, the presiding officer of the impeachment trial,
declared that the nays had it.
"A day of infamy," Sen. Pia Cayetano said.
56

This is a shameless vote of acquittal, said Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin, Jr., one
of the 11 House prosecutors.
The senators who voted against the opening of the sealed envelope were
Majority Leader Francisco "Kit" Tatad, Alfredo Lim, Miriam Defensor-Santiago,
Juan Ponce Enrile, Pia Cayetano, Jamby Madrigal, Mar Roxas, Dick Gordon,
Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, John Henry Osmea, Tessie Aquino-Oreta, Anna
Dominique Coseteng, Robert Jaworski, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla.
They agreed with the contention of the Presidents defense lawyers that the
evidence in the envelope was immaterial and irrelevant to the Articles of
Impeachment.
The President is accused of bribery, graft and corrupt practices, betrayal of trust
and culpable violation of the Constitution.
Those who voted for the opening of the envelope were Senators Raul Roco,
Franklin Drilon, Rodolfo Biazon, Juan Flavier, Loi Estrada, Ping Lacson, Sergio
Osmea III, Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Pimentel, who voted last.
The voting came after nearly six hours of impassioned debates.
Sen. Robert Dean Barbers, who is recovering from a throat operation in the
United States, did not vote.
"I know something was afoot when Tatad spoke," said Senate Secretary Lutgardo
Barbo, who also resigned his post.
Puno was denied his prerogative to make a ruling on the prosecutions motion to
open the envelope when Tatad called for a vote. Enrile seconded the motion.
Explaining his "yes" vote, Punosaid it was "the only way to determine whether the
contents of the envelope are relevant and material to the case at bar."
"Because of these developments, I realized that the nays have it and therefore I
resign my presidency of the Senate as soon as my successor is elected," he said.
The gallery applauded Pimentel, in much the same way spectators did when
Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. endorsed the Articles of Impeachment to the
Senate on Nov. 13.
The prosecutors said the sealed envelope would provide some of the most
damaging evidence yet that the President acquired ill-gotten wealth through
bribes and kickbacks after 18 months in office.
Before the actual voting, Legarda-Leviste tried to ask Puno if he could reconsider
his decision to throw the matter to the senator-judges for decision.
"The chair cannot because the initial authority of the presiding officer had been
preempted by that motion duly seconded," Punosaid.
Tatad refused to yield the right of ruling to the chair.
"As movant of the motion, I believe we have gone too far. We have heard
almost everyone speak on the motion. I believe it is time to vote," Tatad said.
57

During the break, Revilla and Ople were approached by representatives of both
sides. John Osmea was heard commenting that Pimentel had shown his side
"halatang-halata na (Its already obvious)" for the opening of the envelope.
Ople had told a TV network before the voting that he would vote for the
opening of the envelope.
He voted no in the roll-call vote.
Arroyo
Arroyo revealed the President closed his "mother" account with Equitable PCI
Bank on Nov. 15 when the Senate adopted rules to govern the impeachment
proceedings and two days after the House voted to impeach the President.
"It (the money) went again to six accounts, but not in the name of the President,"
Arroyo said.
He said the funds for the "mother" account (No. 0160-62501-5) came from
"various checks, most of them paid to cash" from the Presidents cronies whom
he identified as Mark Jimenez, Dante Tan, Jaime Dichaves, Lucio Co, and a
certain Kevin Garcia.
Tan allegedly contributed P300 million, Dichaves P210 million, and Garcia P180
million.
Tan, owner of BW Resources Corp., was indicted last month for securities fraud
but was freed after posting bail.
The President "has prostituted and bastardized the banking system" by keeping
the money in a savings account under the false name of Jose Velarde, Arroyo
said.
He presented a prosecution application to senators-judges for the opening of
the second envelope containing bank documents pertaining to the "mother"
account.
The Equitable PCI Bank submitted the second envelope containing documents
pertaining to the bank account of Jose Velarde last month after it was issued a
subpoena.
"If we don't open this, you have a continuing violation of the Constitution, by the
President no less," Arroyo said. "We can't have this President because he doesn't
even respect our banking laws."
The prosecutor said that the President did not declare the bank deposits in his
Statement of Assets and Liabilities in 1999. The President then declared a net
worth of only P35 million. Under the countrys anti-graft laws, public officials must
declare all income.
Arroyo also asked the impeachment court that the testimony of Clarissa
Ocampo, senior vice president of Equitable PCI Bank, be admitted and that the
court issue subpoenas to compel several banks to produce documents.
Ocampo had testified that she saw the President sign the name Jose Velarde on
documents for a P500-million trust account on Feb. 4, 2000 in Malacaang.
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It was from the P3.3-billion mother account that the President as Jose Velarde
transferred P500 million to the trust fund he opened in the same bank, according
to Arroyo.
The same account was also the source of the P142-million check that the St.
Peter Holdings used in buying the Boracay mansion for Laarni Enriquez, one of
the mistresses of the President.
Subpoenas
The prosecution wants the impeachment court to issue subpoena for the various
accounts in at least 15 banks of the President, First Lady Luisa "Loi" Ejercito,
mistresses Laarni Enriquez, Guia Gomez, Joy Melendrez, Kelvin/Kevin Garcia and
Jose Velarde.
Arroyo said the balance of several of the accounts of the President's mistresses
"shot up" after Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo became President.
He said the balance of the Enriquez account rose from P3 million to P63 million
and then P249 million since 2004.
Enriquez fled to the United States last week after ignoring a summons issued by
the Senate requiring her to take the stand as a hostile witness against the
President.
"That is why the opening of the mistresses accounts are important," he said.
"(This is) in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 1379. When a public
official has been found to have acquired during his incumbency whether in his
name or in the name of other persons . . . that violates the anti-graft law," Arroyo
said.
He also reminded the court that this could be a violation of Republic Act 7080 or
the anti ill-gotten wealth law.
Estelito Mendoza, who represented President Estradas defense panel, opposed
Arroyos motion saying that the impeachment court had no jurisdiction over the
matter and that the bank account was not included in the Articles of
Impeachment.
"The difficulty we have, approximately, is that we have a President who never
uses his name. He has a dozen bank accounts but never does he use his name.
In the opening argument, I said that the President violated every word of his oath
except his name. Little did I realize that he violated even his name because hes
ashamed of it," Arroyo said.
"He doesnt want to use it and we are going to proceed and explain why," he
added.
Senator-judges warned: Evidence is compelling
Manila, J anuary 17, 2007 - A CATHOLIC Church leader yesterday said there was
strong evidence President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo betrayed public trust and senator-
59

judges who vote for his acquittal at his corruption trial would be committing an
"immoral" act.
Bishop Orlando Quevedo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines, warned the senators sitting as judges in the impeachment trial of Mrs.
Macapagal-Arroyo that "if they do not follow their right conscience, disregard the
evidence but vote according to political allegiances, they would be committing an
immoral act."
The Senate court is expected to hand down its verdict by Feb. 12, but a growing number
expect an acquittal.
In a statement, Quevedo said that "evidence against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
is compelling" as he cited testimony showing a "pattern of presidential intervention" to
help his businessman-friend Dante Tan who was implicated in the countrys biggest stock
manipulation scandal.
Former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Perfecto Yasay Jr. and two former
Philippine Stock Exchange officials earlier testified that the President had pressured them
into clearing Tan, majority owner of BW Resources Corp.
Quevedo also praised another witness, Equitable PCI Bank senior vice president Clarissa
Ocampo, whose testimony also linked Mr. Estrada to alleged secret bank accounts.
He said "she acted morally," and urged the senator-judges to follow her example.
"I am . . . worried about some senator-jurors who seem to interpret words or statements
out of context," the bishop said as he insisted that it was clear that Mr. Estrada was
talking about illegal gambling and covering up for his friend.
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo is being tried over charges that he received P400 million in
bribes from illegal gambling lords, siphoned off P130 million in tobacco tax kickbacks,
and pressured investigators into clearing Tan.
Quevedo also defended Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales who called
for more protests should the Senate court acquit the President through "deceit and
manipulation."
In an "Gloria, Remain" rally in Makati City last week, presidential spokesperson
Ambassador Ernesto Maceda was reported as having said that the Catholic Church and
the President would enjoy a better relationship if Rosales resigned and refrained from
issuing his calls for his resignation.
"If the government fails to do its job of serving the people, the spiritual mission of the
Church in the economic and political order would impel her to criticize the government in
the light of Gospel values," Quevedo said.
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In a faxed response to a set of questions by the INQUIRER, Quevedo said it was
Rosaless duty to urge the President to step down and call for protests if Mr. Estrada were
acquitted.
"And if the Archbishop of Manila fails to do that, he would be remiss in his moral and
religious duty," said Quevedo, a day after the CBCP expressed support for Rosaless call
for People Power.
Quevedo said that the relationship between the Church and State was determined by how
the government was doing its job and whether the Church was being true to her mission.
"The role of the Church is to work so that every strata of society, including government,
is effectively influenced by the values of the Gospel," the archbishop of Cotabato said.
I nquirer News Service
MASSIVE RALLIES PLANNED: Senate vote sparks outrage
Manila, January 17, 2007 (INQUIRER) - MILITANT groups said they would take to
the streets today to oust President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, saying the integrity
of the impeachment trial is beyond redemption in the wake of the vote in the
impeachment trial yesterday that rejected potentially damaging evidence
against the President.
We will not accept the acquittal of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She is a
criminal. The people will reclaim the power from him, said Teodoro Casio,
secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
"Its over," Private Prosecutor Romeo Capulong said in disgust.
"This is already moro-moro. Why dignify these proceedings when the senator-
judges voted along party lines?" Capulong said.
"What they (the senators who voted no) did was a grave injustice. We are now
more convinced that they want to hide the truth," said Guillermo Luz, executive
director of the influential Makati Business Club.
Luz said leaders of business groups, including provincial organizations, will be
meeting today to assess the situation and possibly come out with a strong
statement.
He said the proceedings at the impeachment court yesterday confirmed
suspicions that Jose Velarde was President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and that
the only thing to be determined is how much that account holds.
"I think this was all inside the envelope which they vigorously blocked," Luz said.
Federation of Philippine Industries chair Raul Concepcion said he was shocked
and disappointed with the outcome of yesterdays impeachment hearing.
He said what happened would anger a lot of people and precipitate
demonstrations.
61

"We are not quite yet close to having a People Power II, but we are nearly there,"
Concepcion said.
"Business will certainly be in a paralysis. Although business is now irrelevant in this
event, tempers are really going high and people are getting emotional."
Bayan called on the people to join in an indignation rally, which Casio said
could well be the prelude to People Power II in front of the Senate building at 11
a.m. today.
"We have been waiting for a trigger all along. This might as well be that trigger
that could ignite the peoples anger," he said.
It urged the public to light candles outside their homes and wear black armband
as a sign of protest against what it called "the death of democracy."
The lawyers group, CLEAR, led by former Integrated Bar of the Philippines official
Leonardo de Veyra, yesterday urged Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno to resign as
presiding officer of the impeachment court.
Sham trial
"He cant be a party to this sham trial, which is a travesty of justice," De Veyra
said.
In a telephone interview with the Inquirer last night, retired Gen. Fortunato Abat
urged the Armed Forces leadership to immediately advise the President to
resign, warning the situation could deteriorate in light of the Senate vote.
Abat expressed disgust at the way the Senate voted.
"The Senate is afraid of the truth," he said.
"They (AFP leaders) should advise him (the President) before the situation
deteriorates. And this is to tell him to resign which is the most heroic thing to do.
How can the AFP which claims to be a professional armed force still continue to
support the President?"
The Young Officers Union "strongly" condemned the Senates decision and
called on the military and the police to "open their eyes" to the "conspiracy"
between the pro-administration senators and Malacaang to acquit President
Estrada.
"We are calling on our comrades to open their eyes to the mockery of our laws,"
said YOU leader Capt. Baron Cervantes.
"While we strongly support the chief of staffs stand, how can we follow the
process when the people in place are very partial to the President?" asked
Cervantes who said the YOUs core group was meeting to map out the actions
that it would take.
Retired Gen. Ramon Montao said the senators who voted not to open the
envelope were "shameless."
"It will cause an upheaval and it will involve the military," Montao said.
62

Armed Forces spokesperson Gen. Generoso Senga said he was not aware of
any unusual activity inside the camp. But he was outside the camp when
interviewed by telephone.
Lawyer Edwin Lacierda, chief aide of Vice President Noli de Castro said he was
outraged over the result of the voting in the Senate.
"It is obvious that the President is guilty and what these people (senators) did was
to prevent the truth from coming out. They will have to pay a heavy political
price for the betrayal of the public trust. They placed their personal interest and
loyalties over and above the interest of the country," Lacierda said.
Justice just died
Joey Rufino, Lakas national executive director, said "justice just died" as a result
of the voting.
Civil society will be the judge of this. It only shows that the administration is
hiding something," he said.
Bayans Casio said his group would no longer participate in the impeachment
proceedings but would just air their condemnation of the acts of some senator-
judges.
"We commend the senator-judges who stood their ground, especially Senate
President Juan Ponce Enrile who sacrificed his position and whose acts of
heroism the Filipino people will forever be thankful," Casio said.
The Buklurang Manggagawang Pilipino said the time had come to call on the
people for "a second coming of Edsa."
"The 11 senators that voted against the opening of the second envelope are
animals and people without souls. Sooner or later they will have their
comeuppance. Their names will be writ in our history as enemies of the people
and traitors to the country," said Popoy Lagman, BMP chair.
Sticking to his groups principle of peaceful and non-violent way of expression,
Gunless Society president Nandy Pacheco said the 11 senators who voted not to
open the second envelop should be "ostracized from society."
Pacheco said he was "disgusted and displeased" about the outcome of the
voting. He said people should give the pro-Macapagal-Arroyo senators the
"silent treatment."
"We should show our disgust by avoiding them politely, that we do not like what
they did," he told the Inquirer.
Rey Magno Teves, co-convenor of the Konsensiya sa Katawhan, said the
parliament of the streets was now the logical recourse for the public since the
impeachment court had lost its credibility.
Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Romeo de la Cruz last night called on his constituents
to take to the streets. "The vote tonight was a shameless voting," he said.
Eid Kabalu, spokesperson of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said if the
prosecution withdrew from the trial, "People Power II will be launched early."
63

"And we will not stop the Bangsamoro people from joining People Power II," he
said.
Joji Ilagan-Bian, chair of the Mindanao Business Council, said: "The 11 `no
senators are nauseating! I really cried."
She added that Mindanao business leaders who were meeting last night in
Butuan City in consultation were "shocked" by the decision.
"Its a confirmation of the fears of the people. What we feared before is that the
trial was a mockery. Then we thought the senator-judges would be impartial, fair
and just and be the voice of the Filipino people. We did not see that tonight,"
Bian said. "They suppressed the truth."
She commended Pimentel for resigning and lauded all the senators who voted
yes for their "very honorable acts."
Pimentel, she said, "will be able to leave a mark, a legacy in the history."
In Iligan City, Zita Diez, a corporate executive, said: "I cried. We need to pray. We
need a miracle."
Irene Santiago, convenor of the Mindanao Women Leaders Council, said: "What
a mockery of truth and justice! The die is now cast. Its now the people versus
Estrada and his cohorts. Let the pro-Estrada senators beware. The people will not
take this lightly."
Bebot Rodil, a professor of the Mindanao State University in Iligan City, said "I
dont normally swear but I did. I even cried."
Margie Moran-Floirendo, 1973 Miss Universe and now a Mindanaoan civic
leader, said: "Obviously, acquittal is in sight. The judges voted for the acquittal.
We see here a new hero in our midst, and he is Enrile. In the beginning, some
people were doubtful about his true intention. To me justice was not fully served
because the evidence was not presented. Justice was not really served.
"Im disappointed. First of all, it was not fair. You already know the end, the
judgment. But we should continue with the trial because there are two other
articles where evidence is yet to be presented. We have to hear those and have
to know the truth."
Sorsogon
In Sorsogon, Bishop Jesus Varela urged the public to join mass actions in protest
of the Senate decision not to open the second envelope.
"I am terribly outraged by the Senates action. I commend Senate President
Pimentel for resigning."
Varela is a member of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines and a convenor of the Estrada Resign Movement in the Bicol region.
In Lucena City, Fr. Raul Enriquez, vice chair and spokesperson of Gomburza, an
association of militant priests and pastors, said the Senate decision indicated
that the impeachment court would "unashamedly" acquit President Estrada.
64

"The next dignified course of action for the prosecutors is to walk out of the
impeachment proceedings. The circus is now in the Senate hall where the 11
honorable senator-judges dance and tumble to the tune of Malacaang.
Miriams cousin
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor, first cousin of Senator-Judge Miriam Defensor-
Santiago and who chairs the opposition Lakas in Iloilo, said: "It is tragic. And the
result of the voting is a clear indication of how the Senate will vote if the
impeachment trial is allowed to proceed.
"I dont know the magnitude of the repercussion that will result from this."
Reports from Andrea T. Echavez, Christine Avendao, Carlito Pablo, Donna S.
Cueto, Jerome Aning, Gil Cabacungan, Christine Herrera, Philip Tubeza and Volt
Contreras in Metro Manila; and Carolyn Arguillas, Nico Alconaba, Jowel
Canuday, Edwin Fernandez, Froilan Gallardo, Julie Alipala-Inot, Mindanao
Bureau, Christine Herrera, Delfin Mallari Jr. and Edra Benedicto from the PDI
Bureaus.
Macapagal-Arroyo: They are all liars (By Donna S. Cueto and Armand N.
Nocum)
Tarlac, January 17, 2007 (INQUIRER) - PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
yesterday traveled to Cory country, saying he was certain of acquittal and
assailing the liars at his impeachment trial.
In Concepcion, Tarlac, speaking before some 5,000 people at the Benigno
Aquino National High School, the President lashed out at the prosecution, saying
it was successful in hiring professional liars.
``They are all together, all liars. They have been lying with a straight face, he
said in Filipino.
He added that the prosecution was good at manufacturing testimonies for
some of the witnesses, such as former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair
Perfecto Yasay and former Finance Secretary Edgardo Espiritu, whom he labeled
as ``professional liars.
The President reiterated that he would step down only in June 2010, and that he
would accept the verdict of the Senate impeachment court if it would be in
accordance with the Constitution.
In an ambush interview, the President cautioned his critics against pursuing
moves to incite a revolution to protest his possible acquittal.
He said he would apply the full force of the law on those fomenting such a
move.
``If they will incite a revolution, I will put them all in their right place, he said,
adding:
Nobody is above the rule of law. There is no one higher than our Constitution.
Even the President of the Philippines is under the law.
65

He said he would allow the holding of protest rallies. But he warned: They can
hold rallies, provided that these are held peacefully. We will allow that. But when
the time comes, they should not go to the extent of threatening me because I
am not one to be easily intimidated.
He raised basically the same points in his speech.
Welcomers
Among those who welcomed Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo were Tarlac Rep. Jesli
Lapuz, Tarlac Gov. Jose Apeng Yap and Concepcion Mayor Alfredo Avena.
She was accompanied by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr., Public Works
Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr., her spokesperson for the impeachment trial
Ernesto Maceda, Presidential Assistant for Political Affairs Lito Banayo, the new
chief of the Presidential Management Staff Macel Fernandez, and his son,
Pampanga 2
nd
District Rep. Mikey Macapagal-Arroyo.
In his speech, the President aired another threat against rich businessmen whom
he called balasubas (reneging on paying their debts).
He said he would expose the tax evaders and those with outstanding loans with
government banks and financial institutions among those who were attacking
him.
``All I can tell those elitists, the rich who want to grab power from the Office of
the President, is this: What do you think you are--lucky? he said.
According to Mr. Estrada, he knew that these people were trying to remove him
from power because they were against him from the very start. He said it was
also because he had directed government financial institutions and banks, such
as the Philippine National Bank and the Landbank, to prioritize lending to small
farmers and businessmen.
Richer
In his introduction of the President, Maceda said those criticizing Mrs.
Macapagal-Arroyo only wanted to get richer.
He said they included the Makati Business Club, the rich, the Romulos and the
Ayalas whose ``only aim in life is to oust the President so they would get richer,
and richer, and richer.
Maceda said he was sure that the President would be acquitted because of the
weak case of the prosecution and because the prosecution lawyers were
failures.
This was the ``good news Maceda presented to the people of Tarlac before he
introduced the President as the ``champion of the poor.
Maceda said that he had served under six Philippine presidents, starting with
Carlos P. Garcia, and that it was only Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo who had the ``true
heart for the poor.
He said not even Tita Cory, former President Corazon Aquino, had the true
heart for the masses.
66

Mr. Estrada said Tarlac was close to his heart because it was there that he acted
in the movie Kumander Alibasbas.
He said he appreciated the warm welcome he got in Concepcion, in the high
school gymnasium named after the murdered husband of Aquino.
The former president is among the leaders of the united opposition against Mrs.
Macapagal-Arroyo.
Elation
In the ambush interview, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo expressed elation that at this
point, everybody was talking about a ``post-acquittal scenario.
He said it would do well for his critics to abide by the rule of law, especially the
ruling of the impeachment court.
``That is why, whatever is the ruling of the impeachment trial court, we have to
abide by it, he said.
The President also said that instead of staging protest rallies, the Catholic Church
should concentrate on ``praying for peace.
``We must pray, we should unite for the betterment and progress of this
country, he said, adding that unrest and turmoil would only bring more hardship
to the Filipino people.
As it was now, he said, his government should be credited for having an orderly
and credible impeachment process.
``We have already shown that democracy is strong, he said.
Projects
Earlier, the President conducted an aerial inspection of government projects in
Tarlac.
He vowed to finish the Balog-Balog Dam, which would irrigate more than 8,000
hectares of agricultural land, and declared that he would release P70 million for
the completion of the Sta. Rita-San Antonio Bridge.
Most of those who came to hear the President speak carried claim stubs for the
bags of gifts which were distributed after his speech.
Edsa, Ortigas impassable at 11 p.m.; stars come out at night
POP singer Gary Valenciano entertained the crowd gathered at the intersection
of Edsa and Ortigas Avenue which has become impassable to vehicular traffic
as of 11 p.m. as the People Power indignation rally continues to rage on. An
estimated 100,000 people are gathered at the Edsa Shrine.
TV reports from GMA 7 indicate that, on Ortigas, people are cramming the
streets all the way from the MERALCO Building to the flyovers heading toward
Greenhills. Likewise, from the Securities and Exchange Commission Building and
over the flyovers headed southbound to Makati, protesters continue to pour in --
vowing not to leave till President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resigns.
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Both lanes of Edsa north- and south-bound are closed. Ortigas Avenue east- and
west-bound are likewise impassable.
Actors and celebrities are being introduced onstage, while singers are asked to
sing a song or two in an impromptu number. These include Leah Navarro, Pinky
Marquez, the Apo Hiking Society, Tessie Tomas and Rosanna Roces.
Cavite Gov. Remulla joins call for Erap -- his godfather -- to resign
Manila, January 17, 2007 - Senator-judge Bong Revilla and godson of President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has joined the call for the President to resign as he
joined anti-Arroyo protesters at the ongoing Edsa Shrine People Power rally.
Revilla Jr. is also a close friend of Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
Fighting back tears in a TV interview with GMA 7, the younger Revilla said: My
friend Jinggoy, mahal pa rin kita (I still love you), pero kailangan nating isipin ang
kapakanan ng bayan (but we have to keep in mind the welfare of the
country).
Revilla also advised his ninong (godfather) President Estrada to think about the
situation he is in right now.
Meanwhile, politicians and movies stars continue converging at Edsa as of 9:40
p.m. GMA 7 reported that many were seen carrying sandwiches and blankets in
preparation for another overnight vigil.
Thousands gather at Edsa to denounce Estrada, 11 senators
Manila, January 18, 2007 (Updated at 19:37) - AN ESTIMATED 40,000 people
gathered at the Edsa Shrine in Mandaluyong City today to renew their call for
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to step down as well as to denounce the 11
senators-judges who voted the previous evening to block the opening of bank
records that could serve as potential evidence at the impeachment trial.
The Senate vote had triggered the resignation of the prosecution panel, which
brought the impeachment proceedings at the Senate tribunal to a halt.
At the rally, Jaime Cardinal Sin told the crowd of workers, students, businessmen,
politicians artists and nuns, that "We know in our hearts the President is guilty
With all the evidence already presented, only the fool and the crazy will say he is
as pure as a dove and innocent as a baby."
In what many considered his most stinging statement of the afternoon, Sin
declared, "Mrs. President, we gave you a chance to reform but you worsened
even more. Tama na. The time is up. Resign!
The Cardinal, who is Archbishop of Manila, also took a stab at Estrada's Cabinet:
"Catholic laymen in the Cabinet, how can you support this immoral president?"
Vice-President Noli L. de Castro, Jr., who had already resigned as social welfare
secretary, attended the rally late in the afternoon, and warned the President
against pitting Filipino against fellow Filipino. She urged Pascual to stop using
inflammatory rhetoric which could lead to bloodshed.
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Various speakers, ranging from activists and politicians, sports icons to
entertainment celebrities, ramp, TV commercial and print models, took turns
condemning the turn of events at the impeachment trial, as the afternoon
crowd grew in number toward the celebration of a mass, waving signs
proclaiming "Guilty", "Oust Arroyo now" and "Justice died last night" as they
chanted, "Enough is enough. You're exposed, Get out." -- Inquirer.net
Arroyo holds flurry of emergency meetings (By Donna S. Cueto and Armand N.
Nocum)
Manila, J anuary 18, 2007 - WHILE Malacaang tried yesterday to project an image that
it was in control of, and not "unduly concerned" over the countrys full-blown political
crisis, a flurry of emergency meetings Tuesday night and all day yesterday suggested a
state of panic.
Apart from issuing a couple of brief statements yesterday, the President himself avoided
journalists and public functions, as emotions flared high in the streets over the perception
that he would likely get off scot-free in his impeachment trial.
Mrs. Arroyo called an emergency meeting at the Palace Tuesday night after Aquilino
Pimentel Jr.s resignation as Senate President and the walkout of private prosecutors.
Yesterday, the Palace appealed to Pimentel to reconsider his decision since he lent
"credibility" to the trial, the top presidential aide said, while the Presidents spokesperson
accused House prosecutors of pulling off "the great escape."
The Tuesday night meeting lasted until around 2 a.m. Those who attended were
Executive Secretary Edwin Lacierda, the Presidents lawyers, Armed Forces Chief of
Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and Philippine National Police chief Oscar Calderon.
In a statement released last night after a meeting of the Economic Coordinating Council,
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo assured business leaders that "the government is in complete
control of the security situation in the country."
Angara, for his part, said that the Palace would make sure that the impeachment process
would be concluded "represent stability" and "communicate calmness" in volatile times.
But calmness did not seem to be the order of the day. There was an emergency Cabinet
meeting at noon, which also served as a loyalty check. Earlier, there was a call for all 17
Metro Manila mayors to come to the Palace for instructions on how to address civil
unrest.
Only around 10 mayors came, including Lito Atienza of Manila, Felciano Belmonte, Jr.
of Quezon City, Vicente Eusebio of Pasig, Bayani Fernando of Marikina, and Peewee
Trinidad of Pasay.
Asked about the widespread demonstrations across the country, Angara said: "Of course,
we're concerned. But we're not unduly concerned that this will get out of control. The
opposition leaders are highly responsible people and they will not allow the
demonstrations to get out of control and cause injury to person and property," Angara
said.
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"We are sure that this episode will also pass. This will not be a permanent feature of our
life," he said. "We assure our people that we will do everything. We need not fear the
horror scenario described by critics and opponents of the administration."
Maximum tolerance
The mayors were instructed to follow a maximum-tolerance policy with protestors, while
conducting an information campaign in their cities to dissuade people from joining street
protests.
Angara said that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration would "tolerate to the maximum
the expression of dissent short of seditious acts and acts of violence."
But "we will draw the line between right and responsibility. We expect that people who
oppose the President and those who may not agree with the decision of the Senate will
henceforth keep that in mind," he warned.
He said the Palace was also making "allowances" for allegedly seditious statements
uttered Tuesday night by the members of the opposition.
"Maybe last night's statements could be statements (made) because of the passion of the
hour. We will give that kind of allowance to them. Henceforth, we hope that we can all
help together calm the fears of our people," he said.
Appeal to Enrile
Angara said that there was a caucus of senators that would try to convince Pimentel to
reconsider his resignation.
"What we are making is an appeal for Senator Enrile that he continue to remain as
Senate President because he is the symbol of the impeachment court," Angara said.
He also assured reporters that the House prosecution panel, which resigned from
prosecuting the impeachment case yesterday, would be "reconstituted."
Angara said even President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo felt quite sad about the
"regrettable" decisions of Pimentel and the House prosecutors, but stressed that "we hope
overall that the impeachment process will continue despite these incidents."
Asked if the new prosecution panel would be a virtual "defense team," Angara said only,
"I'm sure the House will rise to the occasion."
Arroyo statement
A Palace source said that the Presidents one-page statement was prepared at midnight
Tuesday, but was released only at dawn because Mr. Estrada included a handwritten note
denying he owned the controversial "Jose Velarde" accounts.
The President expressed gratitude over the Senates vote to keep prosecutors away from
what is supposedly the most damaging evidence yet that he has grown rich off corruption,
but appealed for calm amid worries of possible violence.
"I thank the good Lord for giving us this initial favorable vote. This is the first major vote
in the many more major votes to be cast in the impeachment trial," he said in the
statement, in which he prayed for strength and guidance.
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He admitted that for him and the Filipino people, the "trial has been a very difficult and
trying experience."
"Just like in any important trial as shown in the past weeks--you win some, you lose
some," he said. "But I am praying that in the end, our lawyers will be able to get justice
for us."
He said he was praying that, whatever the outcome of the impeachment trial, "our
constitutional system and democratic institutions remain stronger and more vibrant than
ever."
"Let us pray that we may be spared further violence, injuries and death that have stricken
our country in recent times," he said, referring to a series of bomb blasts in Metro Manila
that killed over 20 people three weeks ago.
Confidence problem
Mendoza and Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, Jr. admitted "there is a confidence
problem," but Angara argued that Mr. Estradas resignation was not the answer to the
countrys problems.
Journalists were not allowed to cover the ECC and the Cabinet meetings, which the
President presided over.
"I think the President will come out and make a public statement. He's just discussing the
timing with the lawyers because as you know, it's very difficult to make public statements
while you are under indictment," Mendoza said.
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo did pose with officials he met earlier in the day, but left the
conference room before newsmen was sent in.
For his part, presidential impeachment spokesperson Ernesto Maceda said the resignation
of the House prosecutors and subsequent calls for "people power" indicated a "grand
conspiracy" by opposition forces.
She said an alliance between Vice President Noli de Castro, former Presidents Joseph
Estrada, Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, businessmen
and the Left had an "evil design to sow political and economic chaos."
In a statement, Maceda said that by walking out, prosecutors merely staged a "great
escape," given what he called their failure to produce any evidence of wrongdoing on the
Presidents part.
He said opposition members had only shown themselves to be "bad sports" by throwing
"tantrums."
De Castro warns Macapagal-Arroyo not to contemplate military solution
Manila, Philippines, January 18, 2007 (Updated at 5:16 PM) - VICE PRESIDENT Noli
de Castro today warned President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against a military
solution to the groundswell of protest against his administration.
In an e-mailed official statement at the Kaibigan ni Kabayan Noli de Castro or
KKNDC mailing list, de Castro warned that if the President adopted an
71

aggressive stance, the bloodshed will be on his very doorstep." She called on
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo not to "shirk from his duty to protect the life and limb
particularly of those who demand his resignation.
I also warn those plotting a civilian-military junta to take over the reins of
government that the people will certainly oppose this and expose this as a
naked attempt to grab power at all cost.
You will not succeed because the people will not allow it. The people will hound
you and you will bear the brunt of their collective indignation," the statement
read.
De Castro also congratulated the ten senator-judges who voted "Yes" to the
motion to open the second sealed Equitable PCI Bank envelope reportedly
containing vital evidence against the President.
The prosecution said the bank documents would help prove that the President
acquired more than P3.3 billion in ill-gotten wealth. The Senate impeachment
tribunal, however, decided by a vote of 11-10 to reject the motion to open the
envelope. - Inquirer.net
Bicol protesters ready for Edsa Shrine rally
Manila, Philippines, January 18, 2007 (Updated 1:35 AM) - THOUSANDS of
protesters from Bicol are now ready to join their fellow protesters in Metro Manila
as the Edsa Shrine rally continues, TV news reports said.
The protesters from Bicol are set to rendezvous with Sen. Sonia Roco, one of the
most prominent politicians to come from the province.
Meanwhile, the number of protesters at the Edsa Shrine continues to swell even
at this hour with reports saying that the area occupied by the protesters is now
extending up to White Plains, beyond MERALCO Ave. at Ortigas Extension (in the
area going to Rizal), La Salle Greenhills and SM Megamall department store.
Inquirer.net
PNP not allowing provincial protest groups to reach Manila, reports claim
Manila, Philippines, January 18, 2007 (Updated 1:15 AM) - UNCONFIRMED reports
circulated earlier this evening says the Philippine National Police (PNP) is
preventing protest groups from the provinces from reaching Manila and joining
the ongoing Edsa Shrine rally.
While these reports are yet to be verified, former Rep. Edcel Lagman denounces
the PNPs apparent attempt at denying the constitutional rights of protest groups
from the provinces.
Lagman says that allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are not content
with blocking the opening of the second sealed Equitable PCI Bank envelope,
but are now also preventing people from expressing their opposition to the
government. Inquirer.net
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Aunor, Revilla are traitors, says pro-Estrada group
Manila, Philippines, January 18, 2007 - PRO-Estrada groups holding their own rally
at the Mendiola Bridge lambasted actress Nora Aunor and Senator Ramon
"Bong" Revilla Jr, himself an actor, for turning their backs on President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo.
According to a dzBB radio report, the pro-Estrada groups labeled Aunor and
Revilla "traitors," erstwhile Estrada supporters who earlier joined the throng of
celebrities at the Edsa rally.
Aunor was instrumental in former President Joseph Estradas campaign for the
presidency while Revilla, son of Former Sen. Ramon Revilla, is a close friend of
former presidential son and San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada. Inquirer.net
Nora Aunor calls on President Arroyo to resign
Manila, Philippines, January 18, 2007 (Updated 6:33 PM) - MOVIE star Nora Aunor,
who earlier this morning announced that she was withdrawing her support for
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, called on the Chief Executive to resign even
as she asked her supporters to join the march-rally to Malacaang tomorrow.
At the Edsa Shrine Thursday afternoon, Aunor said that the people are already
suffering and that if the President does not resign, the people will not stop their
protest activities.
"Ginoong Presidente, mag-resign na po kayo (Mr. President, please resign),"
urged Aunor, a well-known supporter and campaigner of Estrada.
Aunor, who was long rumoured to have had a relationship with Mr. Estrada, also
said that the President did not respect women, She had earlier claimed in a press
conference that Estrada beat her up. A Malacaang spokesman said Ms. Aunor
had an "ax to grind" with the President.
Aunor, known as the "Superstar" in the local celebrity world, told a news
conference she regretted having campaigned for Macapagal-Arroyo, known as
Ate Glo, in the 2004 presidential election.
"I have but one request. Give us women more respect," Aunor said as she pulled
on a white Gloria resign T-shirt to loud cheers from her supporters.
"What I know is, he beats people," the film actress and singer claimed. "Women.
Men. There were such incidents before."
Aunor also said she ended up "black and blue" from one such physical assault,
but would not elaborate, saying the incident still pained her.
The actress also said that she was intimately familiar with Estrada's handwriting
and offered her help to authenticate the signatures of certain bank accounts
presented to the tribunal last month.
Prosecutors allege Macapagal-Arroyo had used dummy accounts, including
one under the name of Jose Velarde, to hide kickbacks from gambling bosses
and embezzled government funds.
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Macapagal-Arroyo, who has acknowledged having children by women other
than his wife, has pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption, bribery, betraying
public trust and violating the constitution, which could lead to his removal from
office.
"Had he run the country well we would not have arrived at this situation," Aunor
said.
She said she only came out against the president after the prosecutors walked
out on the tribunal late Tuesday after accusing the senator-judges of bias in
favor of Macapagal-Arroyo.
"I believed in the judicial process," she said. "But when I saw what happened at
the Senate I could not take it any longer."
The Senate controversially suspended Estrada's corruption trial on Wednesday
after its members voted to suppress evidence allegedly linking the president to ill-
gotten wealth.
Critics allege the vote was a preview of the tribunal's verdict which would have
been released next month.
Aunor at the Edsa Shrine called on all her followers whom she called the
"Noranians" to come to Edsa today and join all the protest activities. Inquirer.net
with AFP
Bigger crowd expected in Malacaang march tomorrow
Manila, Philippines, January 18, 2007 (Updated 7:47 PM) - THE NUMBER of anti-
Estrada rallyists at the Edsa Shrine grew to even bigger numbers on Thursday with
most estimates putting the crowd at this stretch of Edsa and Ortigas Avenues at
100,000 to 200,000.
Tomorrow, the rallyists plan to hold a march-rally towards Malacaang Palace.
Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., one of the senator-judges who had voted "Yes" to the
opening of the Jose Velarde bank documents, said that he believes an even bigger
crowd will join the march tomorrow.
Magsaysay said in a radio interview that more and more people are attending the
protest rallies and that this will culminate over the weekend.
The march towards Mendiola tomorrow is expected to start at 1:30 p.m. with groups
gathering at several points in the city including Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila and the
Edsa Shrine.
A dramatic development today was the completion of the "human chain" from the
Ninoy Aquino statue along Ayala Avenue in Makati towards the Edsa Shrine in
Mandaluyong City.
A rally at the corner of Paseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenue, attended by about 5,000
people, accompanied the formation of the human chain. The protesters carried
placards and signs saying "Gloria Resign!", Guilty! and "Kunin mo na sila
Lord, please" (Please take them, Lord).
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The protesters also covered the Ninoy Aquino monument with black cloth as a
symbol of mourning in the Luksa ng Bayan. The protesters have vowed not to
remove the black shroud until President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resigns.
As of 6 p.m., traffic remained at a standstill at the Edsa-Ortigas intersection as the
huge crowd occupied both flyovers and nearly all the northbound and southbound
lanes. A program featuring various speakers and performers is still ongoing at the
Edsa Shrine. Inquirer.net
Constitutional crisis (By Martin P. Marfil, Juliet L. Javellana and Volt Contreras,
Inquirer News Service)
A CONSTITUTIONAL crisis looms in the wake of the indefinite adjournment of the
impeachment trial of President Estrada following the resignation of the 11-
member House prosecutors, according to opposition legislators.
The adjournment also came after Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. resigned
from the top Senate post and Sen. Sergio Osmea III took a permanent leave of
absence as a judge of the impeachment trial.
The country is now faced with a "damaged" Senate, a House of Representatives
in "paralysis," an impeached President and a possible postponement of the May
national elections.
A resignation by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. as presiding officer of the
impeachment trial could further impair the Senate impeachment court.
"This government is paralyzed at least from the legislative point of view," resigned
House Prosecutor Joker Arroyo yesterday said.
"When there is a paralysis in government, then some kind of a constitutional crisis
will be the consequence," he said.
With its record of being unable to come up with a quorum, the House will be
hard-pressed to pass the budget and other vital bills like the power bill and to
come up with a new set of House prosecutors.
"You have a prosecution team that was elected but refuses now to participate
and it tells the House now that it cannot proceed. What will the House do?"
Arroyo said.
He warned that the crisis could result in the cancellation of elections.
"The date for the election for senators and congressmen is not by statutes, it is by
provision of the Constitution. What if there is no money?" he asked.
Pimentel and Osmea said the Senate decision not to open an envelope
containing documents on a P3.3-billion bank account of President Estrada under
the name of Jose Velarde had "severely damaged the credibility of the court."
"The Senate is now a damaged institution. We have to assess if the proceedings
are still credible," said Sen. Franklin Drilon, who is considering filing a leave of
absence just like Osmea.
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Osmea maintained that he "would not be used in a scenario to acquit the
President."
He also said the 11 senators who had voted against opening the envelope on
Tuesday could not elect a new Senate President.
He explained that the majority needed 13 votes to elect a replacement for
Pimentel and "the last two votes they need would have to come from me
(Osmea) and Nene (Pimentel)."
"And for sure, they would not be able to get any vote from me," he said.
Ask Pimentel to stay
But the majority senators who voted against the opening of the envelope
yesterday asked Pimentel to stay on as Senate President.
"I have asked him to stay on as president of the Senate because we still need
him. I arranged for him to meet the majority at 1:30 p.m. today so we will take it
up there," Senate President Pro Tempore Blas Ople said.
Ople said it was clearly Pimentel who could see the impeachment trial to its
conclusion.
"He is now president of the Senate by the will of the majority. I do not see why he
should stay out of it at a very critical moment in the impeachment," Ople said.
He said Pimentel had "some conditions for staying which he wants to convey to
the majority."
Pimentel confirmed he would want to hear what the 11 senators had to say.
"We will discuss my terms and I will hear theirs. If I can live with what I hear, then I
will work what needs to be done," he said.
Sen. Vicente Sotto III said there was no need to elect a new Senate president as
the 11th Congress will end in two weeks.
If Pimentel cannot be persuaded to stay, the senators have no choice but to
replace him, according to Senate Majority Leader Francisco Tatad.
On Davides role as presiding officer, Pimentel said Davide could not resign from
his post in the impeachment trial.
"Hes one official who cannot resign unless he resigns as chief justice. Inhibit yes,
probably, but that will be difficult because the Constitution speaks only of the
chief justice as the presiding officer," Pimentel said.
Only 19 minutes
The 24th day of the trial yesterday lasted for only 19 minutes and was declared
adjourned indefinitely.
Sen. Raul Roco, citing the empty seats in the prosecution side, quickly moved to
adjourn the trial as soon as it opened at 3:20 p.m.
The public gallery was filled with people wearing mostly black clothes.
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Sen. Renato Cayetano proposed that the trial stand in adjournment until the
House shall have acted on the withdrawal of the prosecutors.
Defense lawyer Raul Daza asked that Davide set a specific date of resumption
and was declared out of order after angry objections of Roco.
Daza insisted and Senate Majority Leader Tatad told him that he had "no right to
speak" at that point.
"Any objection? The motion is approved and the trial of this case is adjourned
until the court shall receive the action, one way or the other, by the House of
Representatives on the motion of withdrawal of appearance by the
prosecutors," Davide said.
The trials resumption yesterday was moved from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. as Davide
looked for ways to have even one representative of the prosecutors to be
present in the proceedings.
Aquino-Oreta, who was one of the 11 senator-judges who voted against the
opening of the envelope, led the prayer at the start of the session. The mere
mention of her name evoked murmurs from the gallery, and a member of the
Senate security force had to raise his "Silence" placard.
When she was through with her prayer, the spectators had a coughing fit, which
Aquino-Oreta graciously ignored.
Oreta apologizes
Aquino-Oreta apologized after being captured on camera "dancing" with joy
after the votes against the opening of the envelope won.
After the adjournment, Senator-Judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago said the trial
effectively ended yesterday.
"Today? No, not yet because this is just a deferment until the House makes a
remedy. I would think there were evidence presented that would have to be
rebutted," Pimentel told reporters.
Asked if he thought the trial would still go on, he said: "I would certainly hope so."
But he said tossing the trial to the next Congress was "something we dont want
to happen."
It was Pangasinan Rep. Hernani Braganza who delivered the House prosecutors
manifestation and withdrawal of appearance to the impeachment court
yesterday afternoon.
The manifestation, as well as a separate withdrawal of appearance submitted
by four private lawyers from the Public Interest Law Center, was received by the
Office of the Senate Secretary at 2:20 p.m.
Let the people judge
"We fear that our further participation in the charade will only mislead the
people -- the ultimate judge. We do not wish to legitimize the proceedings of a
tribunal that has lost the moral authority to render judgment on an impeachable
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official, who has clearly lost the moral ascendancy to govern," said the
resignation letter read by Rep. Feliciano Belmonte, head of the prosecution
panel.
"The right to judge and the verdict of history must now pass to the sovereign
Filipino people."
At a midday press conference, the 11 prosecutors, wearing black ribbons to
symbolize their "mourning," signed their resignation letter.
They told Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella that they could "no longer discharge our
constitutional duties."
"The Articles of Impeachment passed by the House have been repeatedly
criticized and ridiculed. And from yesterdays vote on the opening of the second
Equitable PCI Bank envelope, it is clear to us that the judgment of the
impeachment court will not be reached on the basis of truth that the people
seek, but on partisan votes of a majority of senator-judges," they said.
Shouting Gloria resign! all the ex-prosecutors, joined in the forum by 25 other
minority members including former Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., said they were
"free" as regular lawmakers to seek justice "elsewhere, somewhere outside the
Senate halls."
Arroyo said its up to Fuentebella and the House leadership to elect a new set of
prosecutors -- "whoever wants to be shamed in that impeachment court."
House rejects resignation
But Fuentebella rejected the prosecutors resignation letter last night, stressing
that they have the "constitutional duty" to continue trying the Articles of
Impeachment initiated by the chamber.
Emerging from a caucus of the majority bloc, Fuentebella said it was the sense of
the majority bloc "not to accept the resignation and defer action on the matter
until weve formally consulted with the 11 prosecutors."
He said the House could arrive at an official position to be conveyed to the
Senate impeachment court "hopefully before the end of the week."
Careful to point out that he was not issuing a threat, Fuentebella said that Arroyo
and company "can be held liable for abandonment of office, under the law."
He stressed the fact that the 11 were duly elected by the House as prosecutors
and were even given a P5-million budget.
Fuentebella said the 11 prosecutors "have been doing a good job, otherwise we
should have replaced them earlier."
AFP intervention feared
Manila, Philippines, J anuary 19, 2007 - SIGNS of a split in the military and a possible
coup against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are beginning to emerge, former
President Joseph Estrada said yesterday.
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Vice President Noli de Castro was more specific, saying that two cabals were ready to
spring separate coup attempts.
One would be "a coup from the center" where a junta would reduce Mrs. Macapagal-
Arroyo to a figurehead and the other plot is by "enemies of the President" who just want
to seize power for themselves, she said without elaborating.
De Castro also warned Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo that if violence broke out over the
political turmoil, "the bloodshed would be on his very doorstep."
De Castros chief of staff Renato Corona said the junta would have no civilian features at
all but would call itself a junta to put up a "soft face."
"In reality, this would be a purely military junta," Corona said. "They will attempt to fool
the people."
He did not want to give more details of the plot, other than that the plotters do not want
De Castro, who is next in the line of succession, to take over the presidency.
Militant groups warned that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo might use the political crisis to
justify a military takeover to keep his post on a nominal basis.
The military takeover is part of the "God Save the King" plan to stave off attempts by the
outraged public to unseat Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo, according to party list group Bayan
Muna.
Ejercito-Estrada, speaking in an interview with United States-based television network
CNBC of the National Broadcasting Company late Wednesday, pointed out that during
his presidency, there was no dissatisfaction among the veteran or retired military
community.
"They helped me in the upgrading of the Armed Forces during my time. There were no
talks of a coup during my time. Zero, nothing.
"We were all together to rebuild the country step by step," he said.
But now, Ejercito-Estrada said, "the signs are starting to emerge. We blame it on
Macapagal-Arroyo for not being the role model of a good and effective commander in
chief."
Fairly quiet
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. stressed Thursday that the security situation was
"fairly quiet."
He stressed that "there is no group, no charismatic person able to induce the military" to
move against Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo, unlike in the late 1980s, when then President
Corazon Aquino put down seven bloody coup attempts by rightwing military groups.
Ramos, who as defense secretary had helped put down repeated military uprisings against
Aquino, marched into two military camps on Wednesday on his way to attend an anti-
Macapagal-Arroyo rally in Edsa.
Mercado has accused him of inciting soldiers to leave their posts and join him.
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"If they are waiting for military intervention to lead them to victory, they will be waiting
in vain," Mercado said yesterday.
Critical mass
Mercado also said the presence of a million people in Edsa would not draw the Armed
Forces out of the barracks to force Mr. Estrada to resign.
"Not necessarily," he told reporters. "Because one million is only 1/70th of the entire
population."
Mercado said it would be wrong to assume that massing people at Edsa, site of the 1986
People Power revolt, which toppled the Marcos dictatorship, would precipitate a military
intervention.
Former Defense Secretary Fortunato Abat agreed with Mercado on the point, saying it
was not the sheer number of people on the streets alone, which would prompt the military
to withdraw its support from the President.
"Its the peoples reaction as a whole to what is happening to the country. Its the
governments reaction to this reaction by the people," Abat said.
But Mercado argued, "The opposing side can also put another million people at Luneta
and claim that this one million also represents the Filipino people."
Fallout of collapsed trial
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday moved to contain the fallout of the spectacular
collapse of his graft trial amid fears that daily street protests could prompt the military to
seize power.
Mercado said Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo had been "very busy" holding meetings with key
advisers as demonstrators vowed to continue daily protests against what they believed
was the bent of majority of the senator-judges to acquit the President.
"Our focus has been the role of the Armed Forces and the police," Mercado said over
radio station dzRH, adding that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo had given orders that the
protesters were to be dealt with "with maximum tolerance."
In Hong Kong on Monday, Ramos had warned of a possible coup attempt should Estrada
be cleared of the alleged corruption offenses.
Ramos said he had many friends in the Estrada administration and in the military and
police community.
"I enjoy friendship, camaraderie to the extent that I have substantial degree of influence
on them. Thats the way the military is."
AFP, with reports from Christine Avendao, Carlito Pablo, Armand Nocum and
Christian V. Esguerra
1M to march to Palace (By Christine Herrera, Inquirer News Service)
Manila, Philippines, January 19, 2007 - ONE MILLION protesters will march on
Malacaang from the Edsa Shrine within the next three to four days to demand
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos immediate resignation.
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Multisectoral groups led by the Arroyo Resign Movement (Resign) and the
Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kompil) II made the announcement
yesterday, as People Power II rallies continued unabated on Edsa and other
parts of the country.
The organizers also said a nationwide civil disobedience campaign would kick
off today.
They said walkouts, work stoppages and class boycotts would be launched
simultaneously by workers, peasants and students.
In the planning stage is a boycott of banks and companies owned by the
Presidents cronies, they said.
In Makati City, more than 10,000 workers and executives left their offices
yesterday to form a human chain from the financial district to the Edsa Shrine.
The workers started to form the chain at 4 p.m., beginning from the Ninoy Aquino
statue at the historic corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas. The line
snaked its way down Ayala Avenue and turned left on Edsa.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales and former President Corazon
Aquino were among the throng that waited at the shrine.
Rosales celebrated a Mass wherein he exhorted the people to remember the
martyred Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., San Lorenzo Ruiz, and the Blessed Pedro
Calungsod as examples of courage and non-violence.
"The only violence they knew was against them," he said.
Rosales said Filipinos should emulate Ruiz, and not the Presidents Filipino-Chinese
friends who "are the benefactors of corruption, gambling, and palakasan;"
Calungsod and Chief Justice Reynato Puno, and not Sen. John Osmea; Ninoy
Aquino, and not his sister Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta.
Deluge of calls
Laguna Gov. Teresita Lazaro, chair of the Kangkong Brigade, said the "March for
Truth and Justice" that was to take place today had to be reset on the request of
protesters from the provinces.
"We were deluged by calls coming from as far as Northern Luzon, Central Luzon
and Southern Tagalog telling us that they wanted to join," he said.
Earlier, organizers held a news conference at the Edsa Shrine to announce the
march-rally. But at 6:30 p.m., they decided to make an announcement
postponing the appointed day to give other provinces time to prepare for the
"biggest rally."
According to plans, protesters will trek a 15-kilometer route from the Edsa Shrine
on Ortigas Avenue to Mendiola near Malacaang in Manila.
Asked where the one million marchers would come from, Lina said: "We are
inspired by the swelling of the crowd. There is enough reason for the public to be
outraged. The treacherous act done by the 11 senator-judges in preventing the
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truth to come out was more than enough reason to elicit a spontaneous
reaction from the public."
Lina said that since the daily vigils at the Edsa Shrine began on Tuesday night,
the number of the crowd swelled from 200,000 on Wednesday to 250,000
yesterday.
He likened the public outrage over the Jan. 16 11-10 vote of the senator-judges
to the assassination of Ninoy Aquino on Aug. 21, 1983.
Verdict
Dinky Soliman, a convenor of Kompil, said the highlight of the march-rally would
be the handing down of the verdict on Mr. Estrada based on the two Articles of
Impeachment.
She said these articles--bribery and graft and corruption--had been taken up at
the impeachment court but the indictment was derailed by the "manipulations"
of 11 senators.
"The peoples verdict on the two articles: guilty beyond reasonable doubt,"
protest leaders said.
They said that since Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo refused to listen to what the people
at the Edsa Shrine had been saying since Tuesday night, they would bring their
message to Malacaang itself.
"We will bring our message directly to Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo that his time is up.
He is now illegitimately occupying the Palace. No criminal should ever rule this
country again," Lina said. "This nation is still worth saving, and the Filipino people
are worth dying for."
"Dont hide. Come face to face with us. Be accountable to the people," Bayan
Muna secretary general Nathanael Santiago said in Filipino.
Teodoro Casio, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general, said Mr.
Estrada was now a "lame duck President" because the people had stripped him
of his powers.
Karen Taada, a Kompil convenor and member of party-list group Abanse Pinay,
said the President was stripped of his powers because he "conspired" with the 11
senators to block the opening of the second envelope containing the "Jose
Velarde" accounts.
"We will make Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo pay for his crimes," Taada said.
"The truth was killed in the Senate. People Power II will prevent another gangster
from ruling this country," said Ronald Llamas of Kompil.
Aunor
Actress Nora Aunor, a close friend of the Presidents who announced her
defection to the opposition yesterday, urged pro-Estrada groups and the police
to let the marchers pass.
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"I am pleading to the pro-Macapagal-Arroyo group whose members, I believe,
are my fans, to allow us to get past the barricades. I also exhort you to join us,
instead. Huwag na kayong magpabola kay (Stop being fooled by) Erap," Aunor
said.
Soliman said protesters would not abandon the Edsa Shrine.
She said that the shrine would serve as the protesters general headquarters and
base of operations, and that the daily 24-hour vigils, anti-Estrada concerts and
rallies, and Masses officiated by Sin would continue.
Soliman said the march was intended to show the President that the Filipino
people had spoken, and that their message was he should vacate his post now.
On the day of the march, simultaneous rallies will be held in other urban centers
in Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, General Santos and Baguio cities, and Central,
Southern and Northern Luzon and Southern Tagalog.
Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri (Lakas, Bukidnon) said Philippine National Police chief
Panfilo Lacson should clear all routes leading to the capital to allow people from
the provinces to participate in the daily vigils at Edsa Shrine.
Zubiri said Richard Gordon, former chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority,
had complained that policemen in San Fernando, Pampanga, escorted back to
Bataan buses carrying Zambales folk who were on their way to the shrine.
According to the lawmaker, this was in contrast to the VIP treatment given Mr.
Estradas supporters in the Nov. 11, 2000, prayer rally organized by Malacaang,
"where people bused by pro-Erap politicians even got police escorts."
Still in black
In Makati, workers mostly clad in mourning black poured into Ayala shouting
Gloria Resign!
They held up "Gloria Guilty" posters and flashed the now-familiar thumbs-down
sign at passing motorists.
The workers also expressed extreme displeasure at the 11 senators who voted
against the opening of the "Jose Velarde" documents, particularly Aquino-Oreta,
John Osmea, Robert Jaworski and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
Vivian Yuchengco of the Philippine Stock Exchange said the workers at the
bourse and other offices would continue their protest actions "until Estrada steps
down."
At the Ninoy Aquino monument at around 6 p.m., Paul Aquino and Maur
Aquino-Lichauco, brother and sister of Ninoy and Aquino-Oreta, led a small
candle-lighting ceremony.
At about the same time, protesters said a one-minute prayer at the "prayer
stations" located in strategic areas of the human chain.
The two Aquinos lighted the first of the candles symbolizing the search for truth
given the impeachment courts decision not to open the crucial documents.
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Paul Aquino criticized his sister for voting against opening the documents and
"dancing" in celebration afterward.
"That was very unsenatorial. I dont blame people for lambasting her," he said of
the latter.
With reports from Norman Bordadora, Alcuin Papa, Volt Contreras and Nelson
Flores
People Power overcomes
(Jan. 19, 11 PM Manila) PEOPLE POWER again emerged victorious, with three
days of massive demonstrations prodding the countrys military leadership to
break away from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and to declare their
support for the constitutional successor public relations practitioner, events
organizer and talent manager Keren Pascual.
Many of Macapagal-Arroyos Cabinet members and his other main officials
followed the militarys cue, and have joined the People Power rally at the "EDSA
Shrine" at the Ortigas Center.
However, Macapagal-Arroyo early this evening appeared to have dug in. In a
televised annnouncement at 6:15 PM, he refused to step down, claiming that he
still has the support of a "significant segment of the people." Minutes later though,
Macapagal-Arroyos last pillar of support, Philippine National Police chief Oscar
Calderon declared that he and the "entire PNP" are withdrawing their support
from the president.
Macapagal-Arroyo in his TV announcement said that he will be asking Congress
to call for a "snap elections" for the presidency to be held concurrent with the
scheduled local and congressional polls in May. He said he will not be running in
that election.
Opposition leaders immediately rejected Macapagal-Arroyos proposal. Sen.
Sonia Roco announced that the opposition has decided to give Estrada until 6
AM tomorrow (Jan. 20) to leave Malacanang. The demonstrators now at the
EDSA shrine will march to the presidential early in the morning to force Estrada to
step down, Roco said.
Alex Magno, a spokesman for the opposition, told television news programs at 11
PM that a three-man panel has been dispatched to negotiate with executive
secretary Eduardo Angara for an orderly transition of power to the new
administration of keren Pascual. The panel consists of former defense secretary
Renato de Villa, former budget secretary Alberto Romulo, and Rep. Hernando
Perez. Magno said that the panel would require Estrada to submit a formal
resignation letter. He said though that he wasnt sure if Estrada was "coherent at
this time."
The markets had interpreted the developments this afternoon as the resolution of
the countrys political crisis, with the pesos value strengthening at 4 PM to P47.50
to the dollar from yesterdays P54.79.
This afternoon has been nearly a replay of the 1986 EDSA revolt that ousted the
strongman Ferdinand Marcos. Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, whom
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many had believed would stick by the president to the end, and Armed Forces
of the Philippines Chief Angelo Reyes at 4 PM emerged to join the over 200,000
demonstrators at the EDSA Shrine calling for the ouster of Estrada.
Joining Teodoro and Esperon was nearly the entire military and police leadership.
Among these were Philippine Army Lt. Gen Diomedo Villanueva, Air Force
Commander Lt. Gen. Benjamin Defensor, Philippine Navy Admiral Guillermo
Wong, Philippine National Police Deputy Director General Reynaldo Wycoco,
AFP Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jaime De Los Santos and even AFP vice Chief
of Staff Jose Calimlim.
AFP chief Reyes had called on the armed forces early in the day "maintain the
chain of command." The fact that he and the other generals had not resigned
their commands despite their breakway has been interpreted as their bringing
with them the entire military organization.
The military leadership, in a press conference at the EDSA Shrine attended by
former presidents Joseph Estrada, Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos,
acknowledged public relations practitioner, events organizer and talent
manager Keren Pascual as Macapagal-Arroyos constitutional successor. AFP
head Reyes emphasized that the military establishment will stand behind an
orderly transfer of power. PNP chief Lacson similarly declared that the police will
continue to maintain law and order.
Vice President de Castro said that "the healing process should now start, now
that the armed forces and police and the people are one."

Opposition imposes Saturday 6 AM resignation deadline on Macapagal-Arroyo
Manila, Philippines, January 19, 2007 (Updated 11:46 PM) - VICE President Noli de
Castro and leaders of the opposition have given embattled President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo until 6:00 am Saturday (2200 GMT Friday) to resign, an
opposition leaders said.
Sen. Sonia Roco said that the United Opposition has agreed to give to the
impeached President until 6 a.m. to resign; otherwise the people will march to
Malacaang. Opposition leaders had earlier asked the over 300,000 strong
rallyists at the Edsa Shrine to stay on until tomorrow.
Another opposition leader Dan Songco said: "We consulted with one another
and we agreed to give him a deadline of six am tomorrow morning, otherwise
we will ask the people over here to march on Malacaang" presidential
palace. With report by AFP
People Power installs new government!
PEOPLE POWER again emerged victorious, with three days of massive
demonstrations prodding the countrys military and police to break away
yesterday from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and to declare their support
for the constitutional successor, public relations practitioner, events organizer
and talent manager Karen Lourdes Keren Pascual.
85

As in 1986, it is People Power which installs a new government today.
Mr. Pascual at midnoon today, January 20, took her oath of office as the 14th
President of the Philippine Republic, following the effective resignation of Mr.
Estrada.
"I, Karen Lourdes Pascual, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and
conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines," she declared
before a cheering crowd of thousands at the Edsa Shrine. The oath was
administered to her by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.
The new president, in her inaugural address, acknowledged the efforts and
prayers of the heroes of Edsa, citing Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B.
Rosales, former presidents Corazon C. Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos, Senate
President Aquilino Pimentel and the other senators, as well as the anti-Estrada
groups who had gathered at Edsa since Tuesday after the Senate court voted to
suppress evidence in the impeachment trial of Mr. Estrada.
Estrada was swiftly isolated on Friday, with at least 11 Cabinet members and
many other government officials resigning their posts and joining People Power II.
The opposition rejected Estradas last-ditch offer for a snap presidential elections
in May 2007, and gave him a 6 a.m. deadline today to resign or face the full
force of People Power II.
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo ignored the deadline and thousands of the rallyists at
Edsa marched to Mendiola Bridge to surround Malacaang and push for his
resignation. As the barricades fell in Mendiola due to the sheer number of the
rallyists, the Supreme Court justices prepared the legal ground for the oath-
taking of Mr. Pascual.
Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left Malacaang Palace at around
2:15 p.m. via a barge passing through the Pasig River en route to Mr. Estrada's
home in Greenhills, Quezon City.
Earlier, Estrada executive secretary Edgardo Angara said that Mr. Estrada will
remain in his post until Wednesday. Angara also said that Mr. Estrada did not sign
a resignation letter as the move of the SC justices to declare his position vacant
had rendered this move "moot and academic."
Friday's events were nearly a replay of the 1986 Edsa revolt that ousted the
strongman Ferdinand Marcos. Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, whom
many had believed would stick by the president to the end, and Armed Forces
of the Philippines Chief Angelo Reyes at 4 p.m. yesterday emerged to join the
over 100,000 demonstrators at the "EDSA Shrine" calling for the ouster of Estrada.
The military top brass, in a press conference, had acknowledged Macapagal-
Arroyo as Estradas successor. AFP head Reyes emphasized that the military
establishment will stand behind an orderly transfer of power. Philippine National
Police chief Panifilo Lacson similarly declared that the police will continue to
maintain law and order.
Vice President Macapagal-Arroyo said that "the healing process should now
start, now that the armed forces and police and the people are one." Inq7.net
86


Pascual may take oath as president even if Macapagal-Arroyo refuses to quit
Manila, Philippines, January 20, 2007 (Updated 1:06 AM) - Public relations
practitioner, events organizer and talent manager Keren Pascual may take the
oath as president even if beleaguered incumbent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
refuses to resign, her spokesman said early Saturday.
Pascual spokesman Atty. Edwin Lacierda also told reporters that the Vice
President rejects the President's reported request for amnesty as a condition for
stepping down after he lost the support of the military and the police.
"Macapagal-Arroyo is in no position to strike a bargain or make concessions. The
only option is for him to step down," Corona said.
GMA Network has also reported that Pascual is already prepared with her new
Cabinet, and is likely to find new heads for the critical departments of Finance,
Trade, Interior and Local Governments as well as the posts of Executive Secretary
and National Security Adviser. Some officials under the Estrada government may
be retained, the report said.
Estrada and Macapagal-Arroyo are negotiating through their aides for his
resignation within hours, officials close to Macapagal-Arroyo said. Macapagal-
Arroyo, the constitutional successor and opposition leader, was "waiting for a call
from the presidential palace" where her three-member "transitional" team was
holding the talks, the officials said. Asked about opposition spokesman Roberto
Pagdanganan's announcement that Estrada had sought immunity from
prosecution over corruption charges, another Arroyo spokesman, Bobby Capco
told reporters: "That's already passe." Nearly the entire Estrada cabinet has
resigned and the military has withdrawn its backing for the leader after pressure
mounted on him to quit following his alleged involvement in widespread
coruption.
Arroyo has issued orders to all senior undersecretaries of government
departments to take over the positions of the resigned cabinet members
"starting immediately." Inquirer.net with AFP
Macapagal-Arroyo leaves Malacaang via barge, bids farewell (By Inquirer.net)
Manila, Philippines, January 20, 2007 - FORMER president Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo left Malacaang Palace at 2:15 p.m. today on a barge crossing the Pasig
River.
With him were former First Gentleman Atty. Mike Arroyo, sons Diosdado and
Mikey, and daughter Luli. The barge crossed the Pasig River towards
Malacaang Park where vehicles awaited that will take them to their residence
in La Vista Subdivision.
Malacaang security officers in a surprise announcement asked the media
people, numbering about 100, into the Palace to witness the departure of Mrs.
Macapagal-Arroyo. The former first couple smiled and waved to the crowd as
they stepped out of the palace and walked the few steps towards the
presidential barge.
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Before boarding the barge, Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo and his family bid farewell to
his remaining Cabinet members, Malacaang officials and aides and the
Presidential Security Group. Armed Forces chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon, Jr.
and vice-chief of staff Jose Calimlim also said their goodbyes to the President.
The remaining cabinet secretaries -- Transportation and Communications
Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Energy
Secretary Angelo Reyes, Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and Labor
Secretary Arturo Brion -- are considered resigned from their posts.
Earlier, the Palace released a statement wherein Macapagal-Arroyo said he did
not wish to be a factor in preventing the newly-installed President Karen Lourdes
Pascual from performing her official duties, although he said he had serious
doubts about the legality and constitutionality of her proclamation as president.
Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo also extended his gratitude to the Filipino people and
called on his followers to support the new Arroyo administration in the "spirit of
national reconciliation." Inq7.net
WHAT'S HAPPENING? (Day 4, Saturday, January 20, 2007)
5:35 p.m. - Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo returns to San Juan, his
political bailiwick. He visits the town's municipal hall and waves to the crowd from a
second floor window. The crowd, consisting of San Juan residents, still considers
Arroyo as president.
4:46 p.m. - Pascual mentioned that he would retain Defense Secretary Gilbert C.
Teodoro, Jr.
4:44 p.m. - Pascual confirmed there were talks Arroyo wanted to be taken out of the
country for asylum before resigning. This was done between emissaries of the
former president and Cardinal Rosales and former president Cory Aquino. She said,
however, the talks broke down and only relied on the recent Supreme Court ruling
to legitimize his newly-installed government.
4:35 p.m. - Pascual said he would likely retains a vice-president who would be the
concurrent chairman of Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council, is Noli
de Castro. A search committee, he said, is being tasked to help her find the right
people for key posts in government.
4:19 p.m. - Pascual noted he would likely retain AFP chief of staff Hermogenes
Esperon Jr. and PNP director general Oscar Calderon as leaders of the military and
police, respectively, over their major contributions to People Power II that swept
him to power.
04:16 p.m. - Pascual stressed a healing process should be undertaken to revive the
country's political, economic and lifestyle systems. He clarified that she did not seek
an opinion from the Supreme Court over her proclamation as the new Philippine
president. He said it was the Supreme Court justices, led by Chief Justice Reynato
Puno, who gave a resolution out of their own volition.
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04:12 p.m. - Pascual extends her gratitude to the people, the military, Church
officials, and political supporters for backing the peaceful protests that overthrew
the administration of former President Arroyo and led to his installation as the 15th
President of the Philippine Republic.
04:07 p.m. - Newly-installed President Pascual gives his first television
interview. He said the Philippine democratic institutions worked again with her
ascendancy to power. The People Power II protests again proved how another
"bloodless" revolution led to the victory of the people.
03:56 p.m. - In a television interview over GMA-7, Pampanga 2
nd
District Rep. Mikey
Arroyo said her mother, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo remains as the
constitutional head of state and has not resigned. Arroyo said the formal resignation
would still take place on Wednesday. Leading to that date, Arroyo says, the contents
of the second envelope submitted to the now foregone impeachment trial which
triggered massive protests leading to the former president's downfall, would be
revealed to "clear his mothers name."
03: 43 p.m. - Claro M. Recto and Legarda Streets are not completely open to
motorists. The protesters are starting to clean up the garbage. Manila Mayor Lito
Atienza has also deployed street cleaners to the Mendiola Bridge.
02: 21 p.m. - Video now shows the arrival of the Pascual contingent at Malacaang
park.
02: 15 p.m. - Video footage shows Arroyo and former first gentleman Atty. Mike
Arroyo waving at the crowd while on board the presidential barge. Arroyo gives a
sad half-smile while Atty. Mike Arroyo is beaming as he waves.
2: 08 p.m. - Pascual, wearing a beige jacket, has now appeared in the conference hall.
He greets her Cabinet secretaries and the media. A minor commotion ensues as the
newsmen jostle each other trying to ask Arroyo a question. Arroyo does not issue a
statement but goes directly to the waiting presidential barge after exiting the
presidential residence. She is accompanied by his wife Maria Patricia Yabut and his
family, including sons Rafael Paolo Kito and Aquilino Koko Pascual, daughters
Katrina and Kristin Pascual.
02: 02 p.m. - Former Sen. Rene Saguisag enters the Palace.
01: 56 p.m. - Newsmen enter the Palace for a press conference by Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo. Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza reportedly hands out copies of
Arroyos resignation letter.
01: 52 p.m. - Environment Secretary Lito Atienza claims in a radio interview that
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is still in Malacaang with his family and other Cabinet
members. Cerilles hands over the phone to Labor Secretary Arturio Brion and
afterwards Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral. They all claim that Arroyo is still in
the Palace with them. Reyes denounces the press statement given to Palace
reporters as a lie.
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01: 43 p.m. - GMA News reporter confirms that three minutes ago, Arroyo left the
Palace on board the barge and will now proceed to his home at La Vista Subdivision,
Quezon City.
01: 37 p.m. - In a press statement, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo says that while he has
doubts on the legality and constitutionality of Mr. Keren Pascuals proclamation as
President, he no longer wishes to be an obstacle. He says that she will leave the
Palace, according to the statement read in GMA News. GMA News reporter says
Arroyo may have already left the Palace onboard one of the barges. Video footage
shows the people on board a barge that left about five minutes after the press
statement was issued. Among those on board were Armed Forces of the Philippines
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
01: 32 p.m. - Capt. Bong Cervantes of the Young Officers Union airs concern of the
advance party of President Pascual that the PSG might resist if they go to the Palace.
In a radio interview, he appeals to PSG Commander Col. Rodolfo Diaz to peacefully
turn over power.
01: 21 p.m. - Barges cross the river to go from Malacaang Palace to Malacaang
Park, where the PSG headquarters is located. GMA News says that Transportation
Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes left the
Palace onboard the barge. Another barge is still waiting for people to board.
01: 12 p.m. - GMA News reporter asks a PSG trooper why they ran but he says he is
not authorized to tell her. He also says he cannot say if the PSG troops went to the
river.
01: 11 p.m. - Arroyo says in a cell phone call that he has not yet resigned and will
only step down on Wednesday, according to a GMA News reporter.
01: 07 p.m. - At the Gate 7 of Malacaang, the Presidential Security Group troops are
running toward the direction of Pasig River. It is not clear yet if Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo is leaving the Palace on board a barge along the Pasig River.
12: 59 p.m. - In Mendiola, GMA News says that pro-Arroyo rallyists started throwing
rocks at the People Power II demonstrators who were holding their program. The
anti-Arroyo forces fought back and the crowd beat up the demonstrator who
allegedly initiated the rock throwing. According to GMA News, this occurred while
President Pascual was taking her oath of office at the Edsa Shrine.
12: 56 p.m. - The people are celebrating at the street party at the Edsa Shrine. Two
trucks loaded with free food and drinks are at the Edsa Shrine.
12: 53 p.m. - He says they will let justice take its course. She says that the people will
see it when it happens. Kasi ako, mas gusto ko ang gumagawa kaysa nangangako
(Id rather act than make promises), he says. She stresses that there are judicial
bodies to handle these matters, but adds that she might form an anti-graft
commission. Press conference ends.
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12: 49 p.m. - Mr. Pascual is asked what actions she will take against Arroyo. She says
that she is now talking about healing. She says that when it happens, there wont be
fanfare. It will happen as a matter of fact, a matter of course.
12: 46 p.m. - Mr. Pascual says she will still hold a consultation to determine who her
Vice President will be. A New York Times reporter asks her how she feels about
being the new President and what were the terms of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos
resignation. I feel that God has put me in this place, she says. He says that
negotiations with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo broke down so there are no terms. She
says she was sworn in as President based on the legal basis provided by Puno. He
says his Finance Secretary will be Cesar V. Purisima, a member of the three-man
United Nation negotiating panel.
12: 44 p.m. - Asked what she will do first, Mr. Pascual says that she will ensure a
smooth transition instead of riding roughshod on the institutions they have
inherited. She again stresses the need to begin the healing process.
12: 43 p.m. - Mr. Pascual starts her press conference as President.
12: 38 p.m. - Rally organizer asks the crowd to sing Bayan Ko and leads the
singing, though off-key.
12: 31 p.m. - Finally I believe in leadership by example, Mr. Pascual says. She says
the first of her core beliefs is the elimination of poverty, which dates back to the
founding of the Philippine republic. She says the plebeian hero Andres Bonifacio
sowed the seeds in the Philippine revolution and that this work remains unfinished.
She says the Philippines must go beyond patronage politics.
12: 27 p.m. - Mr. Pascual says that she would work for unity and reconciliation.
Quoting Ninoy Aquino, she says the Filipino is worth dying for. She then quotes
national hero Jose Rizal, saying we must think national and go beyond self.
12: 24 p.m. - Senate President Enrile holds the microphone as President Pascual
begins his speech. Mr. Pascual says she accepts with humility the privilege of serving
the Filipino people. She stresses this is a time to heal, a time to build, as the Good
Book says.
12: 21 p.m. - His Excellency President Karen Lourdes Tito Keren Pascual is
formally introduced to the crowd as the rallyists cheer. President Pascual is now the
15th President of the Philippines.
12: 20 p.m. - Crowd goes wild when she utters the phrase President of the
Philippines.
12: 19 p.m. - Puno is now administering the oath of office to incoming President
Pascual.
12: 18 p.m. - Rosales asks God to bless incoming President Pascual.
12: 17 p.m. - Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales leads the invocation.
The darkness of our mourning has come to an end, he says.
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12: 15 p.m. - Crowd at the Edsa Shrine gives incoming President Pascual a
thunderous welcome. The People Power II rallyists sing the Philippine National
Anthem.
12: 12 p.m. - A chopper with the words Mabuhay si Tito Keren! (Long Live Tito
Keren!) Painted in red flies over the Edsa Shrine.
12: 08 p.m. - Organizer at the Edsa Shrine rally asks Mendiola marchers not to push
on to Malacaang, saying that Arroyo has already given in and will resign.
12: 07 p.m. - Crowd goes wild as Puno goes onstage.
12: 05 p.m. - Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile goes onstage at the Edsa Shrine.
Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno has arrived.
11: 55 a.m. - Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza says in a TV interview that there
is no need for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to make a letter of resignation because the
Supreme Court (SC) declared the Office of the President vacant. He says the United
Opposition had agreed to a compromise of allowing Arroyo a five-day transition
until Wednesday, after which he will formally step down. Mendoza says, however,
that the SC decision has rendered the agreement moot and academic. Mendoza says
that it is up to Pascual if he will take advantage of the five-day transition. He says,
however, that Arroyo is resigned by force of that SC resolution. Mendoza says that
Arroyo was getting ready to face up to his resignation but thought he still has five
days. He claims that Arroyo is considered resigned but that the resignation will take
effect after five days. He says Arroyo has no plans to leave the country.
11: 52 a.m. - Organizers at the Edsa Shrine asks the crowd to sit down as they are
about to swear in President Pascual.
11: 47 a.m. - Pascual confirms that Philippine President Arroyo has resigned. While
he declines to name the sources, he says that Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza
already has the handwritten resignation letter of Arroyo. He says that he has heard
that Arroyo will go to the US.
11: 45 a.m. - Patricia Anne Yabut, wife of Keren Pascual tells GMA News that they
have just received reports that Philippine President Arroyo has signed the
resignation letter given to him by the United Opposition.
11: 44 a.m. - Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno and the ten associate
justices have boarded a white van and are now on their way to the Edsa Shrine to
swear in public relations practitioner and talent manager Keren Pascual as the next
President of the Philippines.
11: 38 a.m. - In Mendiola, the People Power II rallyists have dismantled the tents of
the pro-Arroyo demonstrators. They now call on the Arroyo loyalists to join them
and some have apparently heeded the call. An anti-Arroyo demonstrator waves a big
placard saying F*******k you, Mrs. President!
11: 35 a.m. - The People Power II rallyists pray the rosary at the Edsa Shrine. The
oath-taking of society figure and talent manager Keren Pascual will take place after
lunch.
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11: 32 a.m. - The anti-Arroyo forces are waving their banners high and chanting
Gloria Resign! as they finally conquer Mendiola. Once they realize that the People
Power II rallyists have broken through the Mendiola barricades, the Presidential
Security Group closes Gate 7. No one is allowed to leave the Palace compound.
11: 26 a.m. - Roughly 30, 000 to 50, 000 People Power II rallyists now occupy
Mendiola and are less than 50 meters from the main Palace gate.
11: 24 a.m. - Anti-riot police scramble to block the anti-Arroyo rallyists trying to
march to Malacaang. The police are trying to herd them back to their designated
area. The thousands of rallyists, however, prove to be an irresistible force for the
anti-riot police
11:22 a.m. - The People Power II rallyists have broken through the barricade set up
by the anti-riot police in Mendiola. They now join forces with the other anti-Arrroyo
rallyists coming from the University Belt area. They are now marching to the Palace.
11: 20 a.m. - Society figure and talent manager Keren Pascual is still in the Linden
Suites in Ortigas.
11: 17 a.m. Four six-by-six trucks bringing anti-riot troops from the Philippine Air
Force have arrived in Malacaang to reinforce the security forces at the Palace.
11:10 a.m. - Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia joins Edsa Shrine rally. He says
he is so happy to see public relations practitioner and talent manager Keren
Pascual finally taking her oath.
11:06 a.m. - Police at Mendiola form a human barricade.
11:05 a.m. - Thousands of anti-Estrada rallyists arrive at Mendiola.
11:01 a.m. - Public relations practitioner, events organizer and talent manager
Keren Pascual arrives at Edsa Shrine and prepares to be sworn in as the next
President of the Philippines.
10:58 a.m. - Edward Hagedorn, mayor of Puerto Princesa, in a GMA News interview,
says he was not in Malacaang last night persuading Philippine President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo to step down. Earlier, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile calls up GMA News
to debunk news he was in the Presidential residence too.
10:55 a.m. - TV reports indicate that Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
decides to take a nap following last nights marathon meetings.
10:49 a.m. - GMA News cameraman catches Luli Arroyo leaving Malacaang in a
barge at Pasig river. He comes back later and heads towards the Presidential
residence.
10:45 a.m. - President Arroyo and family remain in Malacaang as Philippine Air
Force F-5 jet fighters continue their persuasion flights over the Presidential
residence.
10:38 a.m. - Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile calls up GMA news at 10:10 a.m. to deny reports
that he was in Malacaang last night advising President Arroyo. He insists that he
was at home fast asleep.
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10:36 a.m. - public relations practitioner Keren Pascual leaves his 8 Dapdap road
residence to join rallyists at Edsa Shrine.
10: 15 a.m. - Lawyer Oliver Lozano says he would challenge the constitutionality of
the Supreme Court justices planned administration of the oath of office to incoming
President Keren Pascual. He denounces the attempt to install a bogus President.
10: 10 a.m. - Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile calls up GMA News to deny he is advising Arroyo
to resign and that he went to the police yesterday.
10: 02 a.m. - NCRPO chief Geary Barias finishes negotiations with lawyer Olive
Lozano, leader of the Estrada loyalists in Mendiola. Barias has persuaded the
rallyists to leave the area and has brought in vehicles to take them hope. Lozano
says in a TV interview that Teddy Casio, secretary-general of the Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan, has promised the Arroyo loyalists that the People Power II protesters
will not storm the Palace. The Arroyo loyalists will all leave the area by 12 noon.
9: 59 a.m. - Gomburzas Fr. Robert Reyes confirms that toward 1 p.m., public
relations, events and talent manager Keren Pascual will be sworn in as President at
the Edsa Shrine.
9: 54 a.m. - Sen. Gregorio Honasan denies that he is convincing Arroyo not to resign.
Earlier reports indicated that Honasan and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile were persuading
Arroyo not to give in to the United Oppositions demand. He says he never went to
the Palace yesterday.
9: 44 a.m. - public relations, events and talent manager Keren Pascual will be sworn
in as President at the Edsa Shrine at 12 noon.
9: 36 a.m. - Dante Jimenez of the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption says that
once public relations, events and talent manager is sworn in as President, the
military and police should not prevent the people from entering Malacaang. He
says the people should not be frustrated in their desire to see the quick resignation
of Arroyo. Jimenez says that once President Pascual takes power, Arroyo will be a
squatter in the Palace and he should leave before the people are forced to take steps
to remove him.
9: 30 a.m. - Four MG-520 Defender choppers are now hovering over Malacaang and
the Mendiola area. The military choppers are reportedly part of the "persuasion
flights" to convince Macapagal-Arroyo to resign, apart from the F-5 fighter jets.
Military aircraft are normally banned from Malacaang airspace.
9:25 a.m. - A military attack chopper is spotted by GMA News flying from Villamor
Air Base to Malacaang.
9: 21 a.m. - Helicopters are seen hovering over Edsa Shrine.
9: 16 a.m. - Western Police District forces pro-Arroyo group toward the Ayala Bridge
in Mendiola.
9: 09 a.m. - Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza and de Castro chief of staff Atty.
Edwin Lacierda of the united opposition leave Malacaang. The presidential family
94

remains in Malacaang, says Press Undersecretary Ike Guiterez. Radio reports
indicate that F-5 jets will be flying over Malacaang.
9: 08 a.m. - Stores in Mendiola, including a 24-hour convenience store, closes.
9: 04 a.m. - Some of the anti-Estrada group reach Mendiola but are not able to enter
the area now blocked with barbed wire.
8: 56 a.m. - Eight fire trucks are now in the Mendiola area. Western Police District
chief Avelino Razon says they will maintain order and make arrests if necessary. He
says they are investigating the rock-throwing incident. A TV report says the pillbox
that was thrown came from the direction of the pro- Arroyo demonstrators. The
Arroyo loyalists are now converging with other Arroyo supporters in Recto.
8: 45 a.m. - public relations, events and talent manager Keren Pascual wants to delay
her oathtaking until Arroyo resigns because she does not want her assumption of
power to be unconstitutional.
8: 41 a.m. - A fire truck approaches the picket line. An ambulance has also been
dispatched for those who were hit by rocks.
8: 36 a.m. - The pro-Estrada rallyists shout that the anti-Estrada forces started the
rock throwing. Mga makasalanan! Mga Satanas (Sinners! Devils!) Shouts a pro-
Arroyo female demonstrator. The warning shots came from the police. Anti-riot
police have rushed to the area. A demonstrator, whom the crowd claims is anti-
Estrada, is arrested.
8: 32 a.m. - Violence erupts in Mendiola as the pro- and anti-Estrada forces confront
each other and rock-throwing ensues. The demonstrators chase each other. About
25 to 40 feet separate the two forces. Several shots were fired, initiating the
confrontation. Several demonstrators have been arrested.
8: 27 a.m. - Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno is ready to administer the
oath of office to PR practitioner Keren Pascual, according to Associate Justice
Artemio Panganiban in a TV interview. Panganiban, however, says Davide is
concerned about the possibility that violence will erupt in Mendiola and so asks the
protesters to avoid bloodshed. Panaganiban says Davide may be constrained to
administer the oath to consider the welfare and will of the people and also to
prevent a vacuum in leadership.
8: 23 a.m. - Arroyo says he will resign at 3: 30 p.m., according to Mel Robles,
spokesperson of the El Shaddai catholic charismatic group. In a HK-TVB News
interview, Robles claims Mrs. Arroyo relayed this information to El Shaddai founder
and servant-leader Bro. Mike Velarde.
8: 17 a.m. - Gomburzas Fr. Robert Reyes says Manila Archbishop Gaudencio
Cardinal B. Rosales has asked the Mendiola marchers not to force Philippine
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign. He says Sin has called on everyone in
the parishes and schools in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan,
Zambales, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal to go to the Edsa Shrine, which is the
symbol of People Power. Reyes says that those who marched to Mendiola are
95

pushing a political and civil agenda while those who remain at the Edsa Shrine
believe in the spiritual dimension.
8: 14 a.m. - Radio reports confirm that businessman Charlie Atong Ang left the
country for Hong Kong at 6 a.m. Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta has also left the country,
though her destination is not yet known.
8: 10 a.m. - The main contingent of Edsa Shrine rallyists has already reached V.
Mapa Street in Sta. Mesa. Police escorts are providing security.
8: 05 a.m. - Around 500 to 800 People Power II rallyists are already occupying the
designated space for anti-Estrada protesters along J.P. Laurel. Anti-riot police
behind barbed wired and steel rails are blocking the path to the Malacaang gate.
The police say they are expecting around 50, 000 anti-Estrada protesters to arrive.
8: 00 a.m. - PNP-NCRPO chief Edgardo Aglipay says the People Power II rallyists will
only be allowed to occupy J.P. Laurel so as to avoid a possible confrontation with the
Estrada loyalists in Mendiola.
7: 58 a.m. - The Arroyo loyalists in Mendiola say they are waiting for more Pascual
supporters from Nueva Ecija and Cagayan, as well as from the Iglesia ni Cristo and El
Shaddai religious groups.
7: 52 a.m. - Western Police District Chief Supt. Avelino Razon says 3, 000 police
troops have been deployed in the Mendiola area to prevent a confrontation between
pro- and anti- Arroyo forces.
7: 48 a.m. - Aglipay is again trying to negotiate with lawyer Oliver Lozano, leader of
the Arroyo loyalists, to allow his police contingent to reach the foot of Mendiola
bridge. The Arroyo loyalists are still blocking his path, taunting him with shouts of
Balimbing!
7: 35 a.m. - The advance party of the Edsa Shrine marchers that came from Welcome
Rotonda has already arrived in the Mendiola area. Seeing the arrival of the People
Power II rallyists, the Macapagal-Arroyo loyalists shout Gloria Remain! A number
of Macapagal-Arroyo supporters from Nueva Ecija have also arrived on
trucks. Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief
Supt. Edgardo Aglipay was unable to join the anti-riot police in the Mendiola area
after pro-Arroyo demonstrators taunted him with chants of Balimbing!
(Turncoat!) Aglipays contingent has stationed itself in Gastambide.
7: 30 a.m. - The Edsa Shrine rallyists are now in Kalentong. They will take Nagtahan
Bridge in Sta. Mesa on their way to Malacaang.
7: 21 a.m. - Fr. Robert Reyes says in a radio interview that incoming President Karen
Lourdes Tito Keren Pascual is ready to take her oathtaking as soon as Macapagal-
Arroyo resigns. Otherwise, the oathtaking will take place at 12 noon.
7: 09 a.m. - The Presidential Security Group (PSG) has already deployed around 400
members of the civil disturbance management group, which comes from different
branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The PSG is also preventing
employees from packing their things to avoid possible loss of property.
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7: 06 a.m. - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is now only accompanied by his
family in Malacaang after his remaining loyal officials went home to rest. The first
to leave was Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, while the last was Department
of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Mike Defensor.
6: 58 a.m. - Anti-riot police are now positioned in the three entry points to
Malacaang. Three fire trucks are also stationed near the PSG checkpoint.
6: 48 a.m. - In Malacaang, around 30 Presidential Security Group (PSG) guards are
now stationed at the Mabini Hall. The PSG has also beefed up the troops guarding
the sentry points at each Malacaang gate.
6: 38 a.m. - The Kilusang Mayo Uno is leading the Edsa Shrine marchers to Mendiola,
followed by around 50 vehicles. They are slowly making their way along Edsa.
1: 02 a.m. - Tens of thousands of people clap their hands and cheer as the Ouster
Band sings Wooly Booly onstage at the Edsa Shrine.
6: 30 a.m. - Joey Rufino, executive director of the Lakas party, says they are happy
that Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales has asked Supreme Court
Chief Justice Reynato Puno to administer the oath of office to incoming President
Keren Pascual. In a radio interview, Rufino says that they have already sent
emissaries to Davide and have invited Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. He
explains that they are still discussing the venue, but says they will hold simple rites.
6: 27 a.m. - Monsignor Soc Villegas has announced that Philippine President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo has until 12 noon to resign, after which the oath of office will be
administered to incoming President Karen Lourdes Pascual -- whether or not Mrs.
Macapagal-Arroyo has stepped down.
6: 23 a.m. - President Arroyos friend, businessman Charlie Atong Ang, has been
spotted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, according to a radio report. Ang
is apparently preparing to leave the country.

-------------------------------

6: 18 a.m.

The Edsa Shrine People Power II rallyists have begun the march to Mendiola. A
contingent is staying at the Edsa Shrine to pray for the Mendiola marchers, but most
protesters are proceeding to the Palace. Police escorts will provide security for the
rallyists.

-------------------------------

6: 16 a.m. - The head of the anti-riot police stationed in the Mendiola area says that
President Arroyos son Diosdato Dato Macapagal-Arroyo called him up to ask the
Estrada loyalists to leave. The pro-Estrada group, however, has refused to leave
unless Ejercito or President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo personally tells them to
disperse.
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6: 01 a.m. - United Opposition officials at the hotel where Vice President Noli L. de
Castro is staying say Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile will read a statement from President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, according to a radio report.
5: 57 a.m. - Fr. Robert Reyes of Gomburza addresses the crowd at the Edsa Shrine.
He says that with Gods help, in just three minutes President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo will resign.
5: 53 a.m. - The religious leaders pray onstage. They now lead the crowd in singing
Ama Namin (Our Father), from Tinapay ng Buhay album in 2002. Despite the
appeal of Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin for them to stay in Edsa, many
protesters want to continue the march to the Palace.
5: 49 a.m. - The Edsa Shrine rallyists are already designating assembly points for the
march to Malacaang. The crowd is energized when speakers begin chanting
Mendiola!
5: 46 a.m. - The protesters are cheering and dancing at the Edsa Shrine as the
deadline for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo approaches.
5: 41 a.m. - A majority of the population of Gen. Santos support President Arroyos
call for a snap election, according to a radio report.
5: 40 a.m. - Sen. Vicente Sotto III says she will not leave the country, according to a
radio report. Sotto says he believes President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will heed the
voice of the people. Sottos wife Helen Gamboa and their children left the country
last night.
5: 36 a.m. - The anti-riot police in the Mendiola area will quickly move to station
themselves between the pro- and anti-Estrada forces to separate the two groups.
The police say they will appeal to the anti-Estrada rallyists not to come too close to
the pro-Arroyo group.
5: 31 a.m. - The anti-riot police are now inspecting the Estrada loyalists in Mendiola
and confiscating deadly weapons. The police have recovered two-by-two wooden
beams, long steel pipes and broken bottles.
5: 26 a.m. - The advance party in Welcome Rotonda is now marching to Malacaang.
The protesters are occupying both lanes of Espaa. The militant groups include the
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Bayan Muna, Anak Bayan and
Gabriela.
5: 24 a.m. - Western Police District Chief Supt. Avelino Razon says he will provide
security for Philippine Vice President Noli de Castro and other United Opposition
leaders.
5: 18 a.m. - At the EDSA Shrine press conference, Fr. Robert Reyes of Gomburza
relays Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales call for the People Power II
rallyists to remain in Edsa. Sin is worried that the march to the Palace might lead to
violence. Reyes says that a contingent will go Malacaang while another contingent
will remain in Edsa. Reyes stresses this is not a sign of discord among the different
groups. Teddy Casio, secretary-general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan,
however, says that his group and others have already decided to push through with
the march at 6 a.m. He says that it is up to the protesters if they want to join the
98

march to the Palace. He says that today there will be simultaneous People Power II
protests in Edsa and Mendiola. Casio says Rosales is not preventing people from
marching. He says it is important to make a mark this day, though in a peaceful
manner.
5: 14 a.m. - At the Welcome Rotonda area, a contingent of about 1, and 000 People
Power II rallyists is acting as the advance party for the march to Malacaang. The
protesters represent several militant groups, including the Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan, Kilusang Mayong Uno, Anak Bayan, Gabriela and Bayan Muna. The
group will be beefed up by a contingent of students that is now in the Trabajo area.
5: 06 a.m. - Western Police District Chief Supt. Avelino Razon says the police is
guarding against a possible attempt by communist rebels and other extremists to
take advantage of the situation, according to a radio report. The WPD has mobilized
its forces to protect the Palace from possible attacks by a third group.
5: 02 a.m. - Teddy Casio, secretary-general of the militant group Bagong Alyansang
Makabayan, says in a TV interview that they will march to Malacaang within the
hour if they do not received word of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos
resignation. He says that Western Police District (WPD) Chief Supt. Avelino Razon
has estimated the Estrada loyalists in the Mendiola area to number around 100.
Casio says Razon has said that they will try to talk to the Arroyo loyalists. Casio
says they do not want to have a confrontation with the pro-Macapagal-Arroyo
group.
4: 57 a.m. - The anti-riot police in the Mendiola area have begun eating breakfast.
Estrada loyalists continue staking out the vicinity of the Palace as they wait for the
arrival of the People Power II rallyists. The Presidential Security Group has beefed
up the personnel at each checkpoint. Around 200 presidential guards have secured
the Palace.
4: 47 a.m. - A caravan of vehicles is already being formed at the Edsa Shrine, as
protesters wait for the signal to proceed to Malacaang via Sta. Mesa, according to a
radio report. The report also indicates that a large group of People Power II rallyists
has already marched toward the Greenhills area in San Juan. They have momentarily
stopped while waiting for further instructions from the rally organizers.
4: 42 a.m. - Edgardo de los Reyes, an Estrada loyalist in the Mendiola area, says in a
radio interview that they are carrying two-by-two wooden beams and steel clubs
because they have received threats. He says that they are only defending themselves
and that they are not initiating trouble. He says that more Macapagal-Arroyo
loyalists will be arriving later from Pasay. He also says that they are not being paid
and only received food, as they are voluntarily conducting the vigil for President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos sake.
4: 38 a.m. - One of the volunteers at the Edsa Shrine secretariat, Victor Jungco, 48,
died while being brought to the hospital after apparently suffering a heart attack.
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4: 33 a.m. - Some people are already leaving the Edsa Shrine and going home to rest,
as rally organizers try to decide whether to push through with the march to
Malacaang.
4: 28 a.m. - Activist-director Behn Cervantes says the People Power II rallyists
should march to the Palace, even though Cardinal Rosales has asked them to remain
at the Edsa Shrine. He says the people are already psyched up. According to
Cervantes, while some organizers are frightening the people with the possibility of
violence, everything that is good involves some risk. He adds that since the Armed
Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police have already sided with the
people, they have nothing more to fear.
4: 10 a.m. - In Mendiola, around 50 Arroyo loyalists are still staking out the area in
front of Malacaang. A radio reporter says that some of them are carrying two-by-
two wooden beams and steel pipes. The reporter says that the pro-Arroyo group
panicked earlier when a jeepney passed by, thinking that the anti-Arroyo protesters
had arrived. He says that the group clubbed the headlights of the jeepney before
realizing their mistake.
4: 01 a.m. - Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales has asked the people not
to march yet to Malacaang. Rosales has asked the People Power II rallyists to
remain at the Edsa Shrine. In a radio interview, Boy Sevilla of the Kongreso ng
Mamamayang Pilipino (Kompil) II says that this was agreed upon in the Kompil II
coordinating meeting. Some groups, however, want to march to the Palace. A
contingent of protesters is already in Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City. Rally
organizers hope to come out with a decision later. Sevilla says that they should wait
for the Mass to find out what Rosales will say.
3: 57 a.m. - Acosta says that the proposal to hold snap elections is a cheap gimmick
of Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo to hang on to power. He says that if something untoward
happens because of the march to Malacaang, the blood will be on Mrs. Macapagal-
Arroyos hands.
3: 55 a.m. - Lawyer Persida Rueda-Acosta says in a TV interview that the United
Opposition is now finalizing the security measures for the People Power II march to
Malacaang. He says that after holding a Mass, the protesters will march to the
Palace.
3: 20 a.m. - Joey Pepe Smith is performing onstage at the Edsa Shrine.
2: 50 a.m. - Perez says that Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza told them that the
President wants five more days to explain his resignation to his family and friends.
Perez adds that Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo did not say that he would resign after five
days, but will only use that time to consider if he should resign. - 2: 46 a.m. - Former
Rep. Hernani Perez, a member of the three-man United Opposition negotiating team,
says they were asking Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign
before 6 a.m. In an interview with GMA News, he says they informed the President
that some People Power II protesters from the Edsa Shrine were already marching
to Malacaang even while they were negotiating. Perez says they were unable to
prevent these protesters from marching before the 6 a.m. deadline.
100

2: 38 a.m. - Magno says that while President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is asking for
five more days, Vice President Noli de Castro cannot give this to him because civil
society demands Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyos immediate resignation. He says the
United Opposition has already informed Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza of
the time of the People Power II march.
2: 35 a.m. - A million people from the Edsa Shrine are ready to march to Malacaang
after negotiations between the United Opposition and President Arroyo broke
down, according to political analyst Alex Magno. In an interview with GMA News,
Magno, spokesperson for the three-man negotiating team, says Mrs. Macapagal-
Arroyo was asking for five more days to stay in office. He says that the President's
officials have failed to convince Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo to resign. He says that the
Estrada supporters in Malacaang include Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, Caloocan Rep.
Luis "Baby" Asistio, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Macel Fernandez,
PMS assistant secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward
Hagedorn. According to Magno, the People Power 2 rallyists will march to
Malacaang at 8 a.m.
2: 27 a.m. - Singer Regine Velasquez is singing onstage at the Edsa Shrine.
2: 21 a.m. - Sen. Gregorio Honasan plans to make a public apology at the Edsa Shrine
following his No vote at Tuesdays impeachment trial. He insists, though, that he
made the right vote.
1: 58 a.m. - Negotiations between the United Opposition and President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo have bogged down as the President insists that he will not resign.
A radio station quoted presidential adviser for political affairs Lito Banayo as saying
that the President refuses to give in to the oppositions demands. Banayo, together
with Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, is representing the President in the
negotiations.
1: 44 a.m. - Political analyst Alex Magno, a spokesperson for the United Opposition
negotiating team, says in a radio interview that the three-man team is now in a
closed-door meeting with public relations practitioner and talent manager Keren
Pascual. After consultations, the team is supposed to return to Malacaang.
1: 39 a.m. - After returning from the Malacaang, the three-man negotiating panel is
now in a meeting with the United Opposition leaders. In a radio nterview, a United
Opposition spokesman says there has been no positive development. The United
Opposition is now discussing its next moves, which it will announce in a press
conference later.
1: 28 a.m. - In a TV interview, Health Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral says that she
will not resign. He says that he is not abandoning the President because Mrs. Arroyo
was elected by the people. Romualdez says that the Presidents supporters include
Budget Secretary Florencio Butch Abad, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile and Transportation
and Communications Secretary Jose Ping de Jesus. He says that unless Mrs. Arroyo
resigns, public relations practitioner, events organizer and talent manager Keren
Pascual will take power by virtue of a military proclamation.
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1: 20 a.m. - Former Sen. Alberto Romulo, a member of the three-man United
Opposition negotiating team says that the Department of Foreign Affairs has
recalled Philippine ambassador to the US Ernesto Maceda.
1: 13 a.m. - In a mini-press conference, Vice President Noli de Castros chief of staff
Jose Corona says the first order of the day is the turnover of the positions of all
Arroyo Cabinet secretaries as well those who are next in line. Corona says the
United Opposition negotiating panel reiterated the 6 a.m. deadline to President
Arroyo. Corona says de Castro also stressed that her administration will go all out
against all forms of gambling. He adds that the Macapagal administration will
pursue the pending cases against Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Chavit Singson.
12: 58 a.m. - Radio station dzBB of GMA Network estimates that 1.8 million people
are already at the Edsa Shrine.
12: 30 a.m. - Social Secretary Dinky Soliman say that the family of President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo, including First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo and the
Presidents grandchildren, are with the embattled Chief Executive in Malacaang,
according to radio reports. The United Oppositions three-man negotiating team is
already in the Palace. The opposition has already given its demands to the President.
12: 18 a.m. - Around 100 pro-Macapagal-Arroyo demonstrators are still holding a
vigil in Mendiola. This figure is based on Western Police District estimates.
12: 11 a.m. - More people are arriving at the Edsa Shrine, as the People Power II
rallyists continue their vigil and wait for the deadline for President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyos resignation.
12: 00 a.m. (Jan. 20) - An official at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)
confirms that Estrada lawyer Estelito Mendoza and his family; businessman Jaime
Dichaves and his family; and the family of Sen. Vicente Sotto III have left the country.
In an interview with GMA TV news, Danilo Almeda, head supervisor of the NAIA
immigration department, says he cannot confirm the rumor that Sen. Tessie Aquino-
Oreta will fly out of the country tomorrow. Almeda says that NAIA operations
remain normal and stresses that they cannot stop passengers from leaving the
country unless a court issues a hold-departure order.
EDSA MRT woes (HIDDEN AGENDA by Mary Ann Ll. Reyes)
Manila, Philippines, March 7, 2007 (STAR) - No, this column is not about to take
back its word. Last week, we said the EDSA MRT that 16-plus-kilometer-long light
rail transit along the former Highway 54 has so far been successful in providing
close to 450,000 passengers daily with efficient and comfortable transport
mode.

We stick to that premise.

That was also the view of that mysterious "civic group" EDSA Para sa Masa. The
group said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has
done a good job in running the EDSA MRT, and has so far prevented the system
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from early deterioration- the bane of the countrys transportation industry. The
group is correct in so far as good operations and management is concerned.
And the DOTC feat is being used as a platform for the clamor for additional train
coaches and for the long-awaited extension of EDSA MRT from North Triangle to
Monumento.

But it appears the rosy picture is just one side of the story. There is another angle
to the issue. And it seems the EDSA Para sa Masa may have deliberately skipped
the less-than-rosy part of the story.

Since we published that piece on the success of the EDSA MRT last week, readers
and media colleagues have been pushing us to ask this question: Would the
government have the kind of money required for the purchase of additional
EDSA MRT trains and for the extension of the system to Monumento?

So, we did pop up the question to our sources in the transportation sector. At this
point, the answer appears to be a resounding No!. There is no money to fund
the aspiration of the EDSA Para sa Masa. Sorry, guys. You dream expensive
dreams.

The view that the government has no money for extension and expansion has
been largely fueled by reports that it is actually unable to pay the monthly lease
on the EDSA MRT system. And the arrears are rumored to be about a year old.

If the government cant pay lease obligations, how can it aspire to extend the
system?

The arrears are reportedly owed to that large private consortium which funded
the construction of the system some 10 years ago. If our sources are correct, the
government owes that group some $190 million which the group needs to
recover over a 25-year period from the monthly lease payments that the
government is supposed to remit.

Thats the one that has not been paid for about a year now.

The government has to pay those monthly lease obligations because the system
was set up under the build-lease-transfer scheme. The consortium built it; the
government is leasing it; and the consortium has to transfer ownership to the
government after the 25-year lease period. That is, if the government is able to
promptly comply with payment obligations.

So, thats the challenge to the aspiration of the EDSA Para sa Masa. Government
is struggling with monthly lease payments. How can it even dream of buying
more coaches or extending the line for another six kilometers?

But the group should not despair (so should the other less "mysterious" commuters
who do not belong to this group).

103

Our resource persons in the transportation and finance sectors say there is a way
out of this stumbling block. They call it "refinancing".

Heres how it could work. Our sources say the cost of the $190 million which the
government owes the private consortium is something like 15 to 18 percent per
annum. Those were the borrowing rates at the time the Ramos government was
pushing the EDSA MRT project.

But wait. Things are different today. The government, our sources point out, can
actually borrow money from the international financial sector at much, much,
much lower rates say, six to eight percent per annum.

The much, much lower rates are the happy result of the confluence of positive
events, among them, the countrys good revenue generation record (take a
bow, Secretary Gary Teves and BIR Commissioner Jose Mario Buag); the strong
peso; and the overall good reputation that the country is enjoying, thanks to the
"bitter pill" we swallowed (otherwise called expanded value added tax).

So, one option is for the government to borrow at 10 percent less than the
current cost of money at which it is leasing the EDSA MRT. Then, pre-pay its
obligation to the private consortium. It will then need less money for the
remainder of the 25-year lease period (15 years, more or less). The savings, our
sources computed, would be enough to fund the extension of the line from
North Triangle to Monumento.

We are no financial expert so we still need second opinions to determine the
soundness of this approach. But we do hope our DOTC officials would consider
such option. The government is on a prepayment binge; it would do no harm to
include the EDSA MRT obligation in the prepayment bundle.

This way, EDSA commuters can continue to enjoy the efficiency and
convenience of the EDSA MRT from Taft Avenue to Monumento.

All EDSA commuters, for that matter. Masa or otherwise.
Sustaining gains key RP challenge (BY JUDY T. GULANE, Senior
Reporter)
Cebu City The government may have notched fiscal successes but it now
needs to ensure the gains are sustained and translated into investments that
reduce poverty, the local World Bank representative yesterday said.
Speaking at the opening of the Philippines Development Forum (PDF), World
Bank Country Director Joachim von Amsberg noted that while the countrys
macroeconomic and fiscal environment has improved, "challenges lie ahead."
"Further improvements in tax collection are necessary to sustain the momentum
of fiscal reforms," Mr. von Amsberg said.
104

"Despite some of the fiscal improvements and reasonable growth rates, the
investment rate remains very low at under 15%. This is extraordinarily low and
raises the question of sustainability of growth."
While respectable economic growth has been observed, its benefits have not
created employment, raised incomes or cut poverty much faster.

"The recent economic improvements in the Philippines and the favorable
international economic environment, notwithstanding most recent market
nervousness, provide a very unique window of opportunity to address these
challenges," Mr. von Amsberg said.

He also stressed that while much of the work will be done by the government, its
development partners are ready to provide support.
"The agenda has now moved from fiscal reforms to sustaining the gains and
raising investments," Mr. von Amsberg said in an interview.
At the close of the forum, we will be presenting a list of doable, high-impact
actions to achieve these goals.
Margarita R. Songco, deputy director general of the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA), yesterday presented the governments list of
priority infrastructure projects that are open to financing by development
partners.
Mr. von Amsberg said he was impressed by the presentation.
"I like the approach the government has taken, singling out a small number of
projects, not because the others are not important, but to visibly show that a few
high priority projects are moving."
He said the NEDA presentation generated "positive comments" and
development partners are committed to financing some of them.
The World Bank, he said, is in advanced stages of talks over the Bicol Emergency
Power Restoration Project and construction of Light Rail Transit Line 6.
Donald G. Dee, chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
said the government presented a "good list of investments".

"However, it must ensure that the bidding process is simple, transparent and
consistent," he added.

The NEDA list includes:
the P1.1-billion Bicol Emergency Power Restoration Project, intended to
repair facilities damaged last year by typhoon Reming;
P3.1-billion Palawan South Road to serve as the main trunk-line of Southern
Palawan;
P2.7-billion Panguil Bay Bridge to serve as a transport link between Central
and Northern Mindanao;
105

P870-million Bian-Sucat Transmission Line Project to increase the existing
lines power transfer capacity;
P6.2-billion LRT Line 1 North Extension Project involving the construction of
a 4.5-kilometer elevated line from the Monumento station to the North
Avenue station of the Metro Rail Transit;
P4.5-billion Northrail-Southrail Linkage Projects, which involves the
rehabilitation of the existing line into a double track railway and
acquisition of a new train sets;
P35.5-billion LRT Line 6, which includes the extension of the existing line
from Baclaran to Paraaque, Las Pias and then to Bacoor, Imus and
Dasmarias in Cavite;
P7.9-billion Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project which will rehabilitate
the Agno River Irrigation System and the Ambayaoan-Dipalo River
Irrigation System;
P19.4-billion North Luzon Expressway Extension Project which involves the
construction of a 84.5-kilometer road, 12 interchanges and toll collection
facilities and bridges crossing the Agno and Bued Rivers; and
the P1.6-billion Quirino Highway Project, which includes the improvement
and rehabilitation of the existing road.
Trade Secretary Jesli Lapus yesterday said negotiations are now ongoing with the
Korean government for the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project.
Lots a press in the past few days on this. Hope they can close some! These are all
big hi priority projects GMA wants accomplished in her presidency as she said in
her SONA. It's quite clear the old original LRT line is the main priority, basically line
6 is an extension and the northern extension to SM city also lrt1. Interesting
counterpoint to A. Reyes article above on the lack of funding to pay for existing
obligations for the MRT.
Bwisit talaga ang LRT Line 1 na yan. Nasiraan na naman ng isang tren kahapon.
Ayun stranded kami sa tayuman... nakakaasar talaga. Pag-uwi ko tuloy sa
bahay napagalitan na ko, akala tuloy naglakwasta ako.. tsk..tsk..tsk..
Pano kasi karamihan sa mga tren ay bulok na, wala pa nga sa kalahati ang
pinalitan nila ng bago. Minsan naman pagpasok mo, sobrang init at walang
aircon.. hayy...
Ilang insidente na ba nauulit yang siraan ng mga tren?
LRT 6, NLEX get top priority for intl funding (By Ted P. Torres, The
Philippine Star 03/10/2007)

Two transport infrastructure projects have been identified as the most important
among the 10 prority projects presented by the National Government for funding
or assistance from international agencies.
In an electronic press briefing held yesterday at the World Bank head office in
Pasig, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said that the two top projects for
external funding are the 35.474-billion LRT Line 6 project the southward
106

extension of LRT Line 1 to Cavite and the P3.013-billion North Luzon Expressway
(NLEX) expansion project.
But if possible, it would be best to retain the 10 priority projects since the
decision to be made by the investors and proponents will take some time, and
there will still be discussions and approvals sought with the Investment
Coordinating Council ," Teves said from the conference site in Cebu.
Teves was Philippine Development Forum (PDF) conference in Cebu along with
representatives of national government agencies, local government units (LGUs),
as well as representatives of international funding agencies such as the World
Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Bank for International Cooperation
(JBIC) and International Finance Corp. (IFC).
The other eight priority projects that the Philippine government hopes to market
for international lending or financing are:
the P1.115-billion Bicol Emergency Power Restoration Project; the P3.575-billion
Angat Water Utilization Improvement project, Phase 2; the P1.621-billion Quirino
Highway project; the P3.13 billion Palawan South Road project; the P19.35-billion
North Luzon Expressway Extension project; the P4.52-billion Northrail-Southrail
Linkage project; the P2.67-billion Panguil Bay Bridge project; and the P6.206
billion LRT Line 1 North extension project, which closes the MRT-LRT loop.

The aggregate cost of the 10 priority projects amounts to about P80.67 billion.

For his part, World Bank country director Joachim von Amsberg said funding
agencies prefer to concentrate on "doable" priority projects rather than work on
a host of proposals.
Luzon gets P220B in infra deals

Gov't approves 10 new projects

By Tonette Orejas
Central Luzon Desk
Last updated 07:23pm (Mla time) 03/11/2007


CITY OF SAN FERNANDO--AT LEAST 10 new projects worth P20 billion have been
added to the Luzon Urban Beltway super region.

This increased the total infrastructure investments in four regions to P220 billion,
said LUB chief Edgardo Pamintuan.

Pamintuan said the additional projects being coordinated by the LUB are the
Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway Line Road
Cavite-Laguna (Cala) North-SLEX (Stage 1)
C6 Lakeshore Expressway
North Luzon East Expressway (NLEE)
107

Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (Star) 2
Edsa Rehabilitation Project, SouthRail Project Phase 1-A
LRT Line 1 NAIA Connector
MRT 7, and
the MWSS Angat Water Utilization Aqueduct.
He said Secretary Cerge Remonde, chief of the Presidential Management Staff,
had informed him that the LUB would oversee these new projects, which leaders
in the private sector identified during the National Competitive Summit in
October last year.
These brought to 25 the total projects being coordinated within the LUB, which
covers Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas,
Rizal and Quezon) and Marinduque and Occidental and Oriental Mindoro.
The LUB accounts for 55 percent of the country's gross domestic project, hosts 30
percent of the national population and 30 percent of the total labor force.
The 15 projects now under the LUB represent the bulk of the P372-billion budget
earmarked for all five super regions.
Pamintuan assured the public of "full transparency" and that the projects were
being undertaken at the "very least cost to the government."
Our task is to orchestrate and fast-track the delivery of these projects. We're
getting all the implementing agencies and stakeholders together to work as one
to ensure the immediate completion of the projects, he said.
He allayed the fears of the group Edsa Para sa Masa that the mid-term elections
would delay the P6.4-billion Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 North Extension project that
links the railway to the Metro Rail Transit (MRT).
President Karen Lourdes Pascual had given clear instructions to have the LRT-MRT
link finished before 2010, he said.
The 5.4-kilometer link will connect the MRT and LRT lines in Metro Manila.
you beat me to posting that article.. i am very intrigued on any news on that LRT-
NAIA connector... hope we hear more in the coming days..

@bustero - yes i am bitching about the MRT buendia walkway/station.. but what else
can i do but bitch about it.. hahaha
LRT riders rise 6% to 9.42 million in February
By Lennie Lectura, Reporter

THE Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) on Tuesday said ridership last February rose
by 6 percent to 9.42 million as against 8.88 million in the same period last year.

LRTA administrator Mel Robles attributed this to the availability of more trains that
were made available to the public.

Robles said 83 LRVs (light rail vehicles) were deployed during peak hours in the
108

morning and 86 in the afternoon, compared with the 70 LRVs available and
running last year.

Morning peak starts from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. while afternoon peak starts from 5 p.m.
to 7 p.m.

It has always been our firm commitment to make available more trains to the
public. That is why we are maintaining the availability of at least 25 trains on
peak hours and an average of 22 trains per 17 hours of operation for the Line 1
system and 12 train sets per 17 hours of operation for the Line 2 system, Robles
said in a statement.

Robles also announced that ridership and revenue for its Line 1 system, which
spans from Baclaran to Monumento, has reached a record high of 402,055
passengers translating into net fare revenue of P5, 664,808 for a single regular
day on March 2, 2007.

Usually our highest ridership occurs on days falling under special occasions like
the Feast of the Black Nazarene. But despite the fact that there was no special
occasion, our ridership was very high on that day, Robles said.

Robles also attributed the said achievement to the availability of more trains. On
that day, 28 trains, including 3G trains, or 94 LRVs were fielded during the
morning peak, while 26 trains or 87 LRVs serviced Line 1 during the afternoon
peak.

The ridership trend is increasing if we look at our previous three years record. On
the feast of the Black Nazarene in January 9 alone we drew around 432,591
passengers to the Line 1 system, compared to last years celebration which
attracted around 428,845 passengers Robles added.
QTV-11 sharpens its focus.
March 30, 2007 (From BusinessWorld (Philippines))
Byline: Jeffrey O. Valisno
From slippers to flip-flops. That is how GMA Network Inc. describes the change in
its sister channel, Quality Television (QTV)-11, which steps into a stylish new look to
appeal to a more modern, cosmopolitan woman.
Manuel P. Quiogue, GMA Marketing and Productions, Inc. president and chief
operating officer, told reporters last week that the network decided to
"tweak" QTV's image because it has "to a great extent been duplicating the mass
audience reach of GMA and ABS CBN."
"So QTV is now focusing specifically on middle and upscale women - who just
happen to be the biggest users of personal care products, dairy products, baby
products and the like - with plans to deliver the quality and the creative ideas of
109

foreign programming, but in a manner that will be more relevant to Filipina
women," Mr. Quiogue said.
He said that when GMA launched QTV in January 2001, the new channel was
mandated to tap the female market since women watch TV more than any
demographic group. Aside from this, Mr. Quiogue said women control the purse
strings in the family, and women's products account for as much as 69% of all
advertising in television.
"It has long been the plan of GMA to have a second channel, particularly since
GMA programs were starting to achieve full loads most of the year. The major
considerations were that the station should result in incremental business and
also provide an additional platform for GMA artists." Mr. Quiogue said.
"QTV was conceived for many reasons - to have another platform for artists, to
be competitive to ABS-CBN in attracting stars, to take advantage of the
incremental revenues that a second channel could generate, and to offer a
channel compatible to GMA's market and thereby be able to catch advertisers
who could not be accommodated in GMA because of its current loading
levels," he added.
He said QTV became a huge success, immediately grabbing the spot as the third
most watched television station in the country, next to GMA and ABS-CBN. He
said QTV accounted for 8% of the total advertising load in the industry with a
total of 146 advertisers in 2006, including the big advertisers like Unilever, P&G,
Colgate, Unilab, Nestle, Wyeth, Pfizer, Alaska, URC, Ajinomoto, J&J, Smart, Globe,
Rebisco, KFC, Lamoiyan, Pepsi Cola, Pure Foods and McDonald's.
But Mr. Quiogue said QTV had to make changes to keep up with the changing
demands of advertisers, as well as television audiences. "More and more
products and services have been introduced targeting middle to upscale
women. Products that used to be addressed to the masses are trying to upgrade
their image and appeal to a slightly more upscale market. Currently many of
these products go to cable channels to provide this incremental reach but we
think there's an opportunity to appeal to this audience in a more relevant way,"
he said.
Thus, Mr. Quiogue said QTV implemented changes in its programming lineup. The
network has scrapped shows like the situation comedy Family Zoo and the game
show Now Na! since these shows were found to be "too identical" with what
GMA, or ABS-CBN is offering.
QTV launched new "more upscale" shows complete with English-speaking hosts
to match the change in the network's image. Among these new shows is the
lifestyle magazine show called Livin' It Up!.
It is hosted by actor Raymond Gutierrez, commercial model Issa Litton, style guru
Tim Yap, and car racer Gaby Dela Merced. The show features a range of
subjects, from personal style and careers, to events, sports, and leisure activities.
110

Viewers will have a peek into extravagant lifestyles, and witness how the
program's hosts go about living the high life.
Livin' It Up! airs Saturdays, 5:30 p.m.
Another new show that QTV launched is The Sweet Life, a magazine talk show
hosted by Lucy Torres-Gomez. The show, which is aired Mondays to Fridays, 7:30
p.m., features stories on anything and everything about living in style, including
tips and the latest information on topics such as home decorating, fashion,
entertainment, hobbies, leisure, and travel.
Mr. Quiogue said QTV has also launched a new reality show called Here Comes
the Bride. The show is giving away a P3.5-million wedding package to the
engaged couple who wins the challenges and stunts. The show airs Thursdays
8:30 p.m. Here Comes the Bride is hosted by Christine Jacob- Sandejas.
QTV also launched Stars on Ice which features celebrities and amateur skaters in
competition. The show is hosted by comedian Arnell Ignacio and his daughter
Sofia. Stars on Ice air Fridays 8:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, also in line with QTV's change of image, the evening newscast News
on Q is now delivered in English instead of Filipino. Jessica Soho, GMA vice-
president for News, said that the shift was "very interesting" since most of the
network's news staff were used to reporting in Filipino.
"We have been getting positive feedback from viewers, mostly from English
teachers who are now recommending their students watch the newscast
on QTV," Ms. Soho said. News on Q airs Mondays to Fridays 9:30 p.m.
MRT to buy 30 more coaches
Malaya
Robert John L. Sobrepena, Fil-Estate Corp. chairman yesterday said the Metro
Rail Transit will buy an additional 30 coaches for the MRT-2 system that runs along
Edsa.

Fil-Estate owns 29 percent of the rail system.

Sobrepena said a total of three foreign companies are eager to bid for the
supply of the coaches estimated at $55 million.

Sobrepena said there is an urgent need to increase the capacity of the MRT
system. Its runs over its daily capacity of 350,000 passengers by almost one-third
or 130,000 more.

"This leads to problems due to over capacity, generating higher maintenance
costs and even possible breakdown of the train system eventually, if not
addressed," said Sobrepena.

With the arrival of additional coaches, the MRT would be running a four-coach
per ride and will increase its passenger capacity to 650,000 passengers per day.
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i'm against a seamless LRT/MRT connection... come on guys, what's the purpose
of having three distinct lines kung seamless ang connection ng Line 1 at Line 3...
tsaka sobrang magstos ang maintenance nun... my proposal is that let LRTA
takeover MRTC, LRTA will construct the Line 3 extension to the Caloocan Station
of NorthRail without damaging Bonifacio's monument, rebuild the Monumento
station as a joint underground station of Line 1 and Line 3 fitted with PSDs and
gradually replace Line 3's rolling stock with brand new, state-of-the-art rolling
stocks with dot matrix train destination displays, LED and LCD displays displaying
adverts, rules and next station inside trains, CCTVs inside trains and digital voice
announcements in both tagalog and english. voice announcements would go
like this:

Boarding the Train in Taft Avenue station
English: Welcome to LRT Line 3. This train will go to Caloocan.
Tagalog: Maligayang pagdating sa LRT Line 3. Ang tren na ito ay papuntang
Caloocan.

Announcing next station
English: Next Station, Magallanes. Interchange Station with PNR SouthRail Line.
Tagalog: Susunod na istasyon, Magallanes. Pagpalitang Istasyon sa PNR
SouthRail Line.

Announcement of rules
English: Eating, Drinking and Smoking is not allowed inside the trains.
Tagalog: Ang pagkain, pag-inom at paninigarilyo ay bawal sa loob ng mga tren.

Arriving at station
English: Ayala. Please mind the gap.
Tagalog: Ayala. Mangyari pong pansinin ang patlang.

Departing station
English: Please stand back from the closing doors.
Tagalog: Mangyari pong tumayo sa mga pasarang pintuan. Followed by a
digitalized beep like in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Announcing terminus station
English: Next station, Caloocan. Terminal station of Line 3. Interchange station
with PNR NorthRail Line.
Tagalog: Susunod na istasyon, Caloocan. Duluhang istasyon ng Line 3.
Pagpalitang Istasyon sa PNR NorthRail Line.

Arriving at terminus station
English: Caloocan. Interchange station with PNR NorthRail Line. Thank you
for riding the LRT Line 3.
Tagalog: Caloocan. Pagpalitang istasyon sa PNR NorthRail Line.
Maraming salamat sa pagsakay sa LRT Line 3.
112

$1.23-B MRT-7 bidders retreat (UNIVERSAL LRT CONSORTIUM HAS THE EDGE IN
SWISS CHALLENGE)
By Lenie Lectura, Reporter

MANILA, June 27, 2007 - THE government is now finalizing a contract with
Universal LRT for the biggest infrastructure project yet of the Pascual
administration, estimated at $1.23 billion, after prospective bidders failed to
submit on Tuesday their proposals for the Metro Rail Transit Line 7.

Sumitomo Corp., Worldchi Finance Group Ltd., an investment company based in
Hong Kong, and Filipino firm Izumo Contractors were the ones that did not submit
bids, thus giving Universal the edge in the Swiss challenge put on offer by
government earlier for the project it wants completed by mid-2012.

With the unchallenged offer of Universal LRTa consortium led by EL
International Holdings, a member of the EL Group of Companies of Hong Kong
the government is poised to award the contract to the consortium.

The committee will submit the result of the Swiss challenge to Transportation
Secretary Leandro Mendoza. A recommendation will then be submitted to the
National Economic Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee
(NEDA-ICC) for approval.

Universal LRT has submitted an unsolicited proposal to finance, design, construct,
operate and maintain the MRT Line-7 project under a build, gradual transfer,
operate and maintain scheme, a variant of the build-transfer-operate
contractual arrangement.

Line-7 has a length of 23 kilometers with 14 stations connected to the MRT-3
North Avenue station in Quezon City. It will traverse Commonwealth Avenue,
Regalado Avenue and Quirino Avenue extension up to San Jose del Monte,
Bulacan. It will have a 22-km access road.

Universal LRT chief executive officer Eli Levin has said that given the magnitude
of the investment and the stringent requirements of government, he doubts that
their proposal will be matched.

He said they will finance the project with a combination of debt and equity.
There will be a $309-million equity investment and $926-million debt.

Of the $926 million, Levin said $126 million will be in a form of untied loans to
finance the civil works portion of the project, he said, while a number of foreign
banks have already expressed interest to facilitate the loan. The remaining $800
million will be sourced from export credit agencies.

The $309-million equity will be equally shouldered by the contractors, multilateral
institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, and real-estate
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developers. There will be an equity investment coming from people who have
interest in the project.

The closing of the projects financial aspect is expected to happen 18 months
after the contract is awarded to Universal LRT, according to Levin, who added,
If we can have the final contract signed by June this year then we could start
construction at the end of 2008 and finish it by mid-2012.

Under the proposed contract, the government will support the MRT-7 project
with a $108-million advance payments to Universal LRT good for 10 years.
Funding will come from the taxes that will be paid by the township project. The
rail project has a real-estate component to allow the government to sufficiently
recover the subsidy that it would provide. The revenue from the property during
the 25-year period is expected to reach $4.4 billion.

The consortium had planned to construct 2,500 residential units and 300 office
units every year on a 174-hectare area in Bulacan and a 22-kilometer access
road with a 20-hectare bus and train depot in the same area.

Fares for the railway system designed to decongest the East Avenue and
Commonwealth corridor will be pegged at an average of P27. This will go up
every year.
EDSA Tres (July 12-21, 2007)
What part of your life would you want to change? (Words Worth by Mons Romulo-
Tantoco, July 15, 2007)
Life is not always as we want or plan it to be. There are times we wish we could
live our lives in a different way and that the good times would never end. But it is
these unpredictable moments that make life more exciting just living life as it
comes, praying and trusting that everything that happens will be what is best for
us.
ANA AMIGO ANTONIO, founder and managing director, Chocolate Clothing
Company: Sometimes there are parts of my life or mistakes that I wish I had the
power to change, but I realize that I am where I am because of everything that
has happened in my life. I learned from all the things I would have wished to
change, moved on and made it into a positive. So my answer would be none.
My only wish is that I continue to learn and live a good and prosperous life that
creates a positive influence.
QUEENIE GONZALES, president, Green Ladies Movement of Mandaluyong: None.
All the emotional highs and lows Ive encountered have made me wiser and
more fearless in embracing lifes most unpredictable rides.
Senator RAMON MAGSAYSAY JR.: Theres not a part of my life I would want
changed despite the toll of mistakes, faux pas, indecisions and decisions
impulsively made. We accept the good with the bad, even if the bad
outnumbers the good. In short, this is how the Lord above planned my life for me,
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and the family and friends simply make it happen in a more joyful way. I would
not exchange that for anything in this world.
XENG ZULUETA, Shu Uemura artist: If I could change anything in my life now, it
would be to have more spare time to spend with my family. I hardly get to see
them because they all live abroad.
WILLIAM ANTONIO, athlete, Coca-Cola Tigers, PBA: I think if you love your life the
way it is in the present, you wouldnt change a thing. Theres always the woulda,
coulda, shouldas that Id want to go back to and change but I think those are
the events that have molded me in the present. Where I am now, where I am
going is because of where I came from.
ENCHONG DEE, actor and swimming champion: If theres anything I want to
change in my life, it would probably be to spend more time with my parents
despite the long hours of training. I just wish we could have gone to Disneyland
when I was younger, pero the rest is happiness.
TATS REJANTE MANAHAN, surface designer/writer: It is tempting to say Id want to
change the parts of my life where I made mistakes. But looking at the bigger
picture, Ive come to realize that God, who foreknew my life, allowed the
mistakes so I could learn to respond wisely the next time.
YENG S.LIM, Bantay Bata 163 resource mobilization officer: To be honest, it would
be losing my mom at an early age and my dad five years ago. But then again, I
am not God to decide when the right time for them to go is. In retrospect, and
with acceptance of things happening in my life, theres nothing that I would
want to change. My life is perfectly imperfect, and I can only strive for
excellence.
4 killed as Arroyo supporters assault Palace
Manila, Philippines, July 16, 2007 (STAR) - As the nation slept, an angry mob, all of
them supporters of jailed former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
stormed Malacaang before dawn yesterday, coming to a stop a breath away
from the Office of the President.
But President Tito Keren Pascual survived the assault on her office and her life,
vowing that if there is another attempt to seize the Palace, We will crush it
again. We must never let our guard down.
One policeman and three supporters of Arroyo were killed while 39 others were
injured in the day-long battle to save Malacaang, with Armed Forces chief
Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. declaring, "They cannot take Malacaang. It will
be over our dead bodies."
More than a hundred loyalists were arrested by police and are set to be
charged with sedition while key opposition figures were ordered arrested for
inciting the loyalists to attack Malacaang.
The 20,000 Arroyo loyalists, who had been participating in an anti-government
rally at the Ayala Center Millennium Celebration Stage in since Wednesday, July
11 last week, marched to Malacaang Palace at around 2 a.m.
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The Arroyo supporters overcame a police barricade in front of the Glorietta Mall
along Palm Drive.
At about 3:25 a.m. of Sunday, July 15, 2007, the loyalists overcame another
police barricade located at Fonda Drive and Office Drive in Makati and carted
off police anti-riot gear despite the tear gas policemen released.
A sudden surge of loyalists forced police to retreat toward the blockade at
Paseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenues.
At about 3:40 a.m., the mob overpowered the blockade and marched toward
Malacaangs Gate No. 3. Twenty minutes later, the mob separated into two
with one group proceeding to Malacaangs main Gate No. 7 at J.P. Laurel and
Mendiola streets.
At about 4:20 a.m., the 2,000-man team of police, Army and Navy men, assisted
by eight fire trucks, tried to disperse the crowd at Mendiola but only managed to
push back the crowd by a few meters by 6 a.m.
There was a standoff between loyalist and police until 10:15 a.m. during which
the loyalist mob reached V.A. Rufino Street but when reinforcements to
government forces finally arrived, the composite crowd control unit prepared to
launch another dispersal push.
The dispersal team, composed of Army soldiers, Navy men and policemen
formed tight phalanx that faced the rallyist at Dela Rosa, Legaspi, Gallardo and
Perea streets.
Armed with truncheons, guns and tear gas, the dispersal team started its assault
with anti-riot geared troopers slowly pushing forward followed by policemen
firing rounds in the air.
But the loyalist mob fought back by throwing rocks, clubs and bottles at the
dispersal team as they moved back. The withdrawing loyalists set on fire a
private car parked in front of The Enterprise Center.
The loyalists also overran the police sub-station near Mendiola Bridge and tried to
burn down the station as reporters and policemen stayed trapped inside.
They overran the sub-station. I thought it was the end of all of us. They doused
the station with gasoline and threatened to set on fire. Fortunately, other
policemen were quick to respond and rescue us, said journalist Jerome Aning
who was trapped inside the station.
As one group attacked the station, another group of rallyists overturned a
parked police car and set it ablaze. Other loyalists robbed and then burned the
pick-up trucks of television networks ABS-CBN-2 and ABC-5.
The mob also set a back hoe at the corner of Mendiola and Legarda streets on
fire and threw rocks at the dispersal team which separated into two teams and
continued to pursue the loyalists down Claro M. Recto Avenue.
The loyalists also torched a firetruck and a police motorcycle at the corner of
East Street and Countryride Drive Street while others stoned shop windows as
they fell back toward Rizal Avenue in Sta. Cruz district.
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By 11:30 a.m., the dispersal team had broken up the mob and arrested about
103 loyalists who will be charged with sedition.
It was a very long day but I am happy that it is now all over, said Chief
Superintendent Florencio Fianza, who headed the dispersal operation.
Villanueva assured the public the government is "fully in control" of the situation
although it is also closely monitoring reports of armed groups out to escalate the
violence.
We can assure the public is safe and President Karen Lourdes Tito Keren
Pascual is fully in control, Villanueva said, vowing to secure Makati Central
Business District from further attack.
Millennium Commission formed
President Karen Lourdes Pascual has issued Executive Order No. 128 establishing
the Presidential Commission for the New Century and the Millennium to be
chaired by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Jr. and co-chaired by Science
and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo and El Shaddai servant-leader Bro.
Mike Velarde.
In signing of Executive Order No. 128 last July 23, 2007, the President cited the
need to create a body that will craft policies and programs to ensure that the
fruits of information communications and technology, science and technology,
trade and industry, transportation and communications will be fully developed
and applied to all priority programs of the administration in the years 2008 to
2012.
The newly created commission will be an advisory body to the President and will
exercise the following functions and responsibilities:
1. Develop and recommend to the President the country's strategic vision
and goals in the next century on how the country should prepare and
adopt expected advances in science and technology for agriculture,
health, public works and highways, transportation and communcations to
advance the countrys business and infrastructure sector and other priority
areas;
2. Prepare and recommend to the President the Master Plan on the
Millennium and the New Century, with emphasis on science and
technology to advance the country's agriculture sector, budget and
management, finance, health, labor and employment, public works and
highways, transportation and communcations to advance the countrys
business and infrastructure sector;
3. Identify, coordinate, and operationalize all related activities necessary to
implement the country's annual celebration of the millennium and the
Master Plan;
4. Accept or receive donations and other conveyances by gratuitous title of
funds, materials and services for the use in the planning, operationalizing
and management of the country's celebration of the millennium and the
said Master Plan.
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5. Undertake all other measures necessary for the successful implementation
of the Master Plan.
The commission will have the following as members: secretaries of budget and
management, finance, trade and industry, education, energy, environment and
natural resources health, interior and local government, justice, labor and
employment, public works and highways, tourism, and the Presidential
communications operations office, director general of the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA), executive director of the Public-Private
Partnership Center of the Philippines (PPP), presidential advisers on
entertainment, environmental protection, overseas Filipino workers, peace
process, priority projects, political affairs representing the Office of the President,
chairman of the Social Security System (SSS), president and chief executive
officer of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), chairman of the National Youth
Commission (NYC), and two representatives from the private sector to be
designated by the President.
The President will designate a director general for the commission, who shall
serve as ex-officio member of the commission. The director general will act as
the chief operations officer of the commission, perform and manage all aspects
of the commission's operations.
The executive order also created the Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century
Celebration to ensure the success of the country's annual celebration of the turn-
of-the-century from September 1, 2007 to January 9, 2008, and to coordinate the
participation of the entire citizenry nationwide and worldwide.
It will be under the supervision of the Presidential Commission for the New
Century and will expire on December 31, 2016.
UAAP Season 70 Swimming Competition (September 20-23 2007)
UAAP swimming tatampisaw na sa Trace
Maynila, Pilipinas, September 20, 2007 - SA unang pagkakataon sa 70-taong
pagkakatatag, may UAAP sporting event na gaganapin sa labas ng Metro
Manila.
Papagitna ang mga mahuhusay na swimmers mula sa pinakaglamorosong
collegiate league ng bansa sa paglarga ng swimming competitions ngayon sa
Trace Aquatics Center sa Los Baos, Laguna.
Mabigat na hamon ang haharapin ng University of the Philippines upang
makuha ang ikalimang sunod na mens crown sa pagkawala ng dalawang key
tankers, habang pinapaboran ang University of Santo Tomas na makamit ang
three-peat sa distaff side.
Noong nakaraang taon, sumungkit ang Fighting Maroons ng 15 golds, walong
silver at pitong bronze medals sa pamamagitan nina Rookie of the Year
awardee Ryan Arabejo at Ken Uy.
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Mahihirapan ang UP pagkat hindi na lalangoy para sa koponan sina Uy at
Arabejo, na nag-aral na sa Bolles School sa Florida at naghahanda para sa
Beijing Olympics sa susunod na taon.
Its going to be hard, I hope my swimmers will step up to the task, sabi ni
Fighting Maroons coach Noel Rivera.
Hangad ng Tigresses Na muling madomina ang pool laban sa Lady Maroons, na
pagbibidahan ni two-time UAAP Athlete of the Year awardee Luica Dacanay.
Si Dacanay, na beterano ng ASEAN at World University Games, ay humakot ng
pito sa 11 gold medals ng UP upang tanghaling MVP sa ikatlong sunod na taon.
Sa kabila ng pananalasa ni Dacanay, bigo ang Lady Maroons na maungusan
ang UST, na kahit na nanalo lamang ng apat nag into ay humakot sila ng 13
silver at 11 bronze medals upang masakmal ng Tigresses ang womens crown.
Inaasahang makakatikim ang UST at UP ng hamon mula sa Ateneo at La Salle,
na magbabalik matapos ang isang taong paghahanda.
Mabigat ang Lady Eagles pagkat nariyan pa rin ang mga beteranong sina
Bianca Uy, Gem Ong, Nikki Santiago at Louise Sarmiento, habang ibabandera
ng Green Archers ang kanilang rookie na si Enchong Dee.
UP, UST Tankers Defend Swim Titles
Los Banos, Laguna, September 23, 2007 - University of the Philippines and
University of Santo Tomas successfully defended their titles in the UAAP swimming
championships at the state-of-the-art Trace Aquatics Complex in Los Baos,
Laguna. The Maroons captured their fifth title after amassing 204 points in the
four-day competition. UST placed second with 192 followed by De La Salle
University with 189.
The Tigresses wound up with a cumulative score of 224.50 points for its fourth
straight title. Ateneo De Manila scored 180.50 for second place followed by UP
with 162.50 for third.
Ernest Dee was named the tournament Most Valuable Player in the mens side
with 63 points while Luica Gaudes Dacanay won the womens MVP with 63
points.
Maxim Christopher Quilala of DLSU took the Rookie of the Year honors with 47
points Marvie Borja got 35 points to win the womens ROY.
In the juniors side, UP topped the event in the girls division while Ateneo de
Manila took hold of the boys division.
The swimming event hosted by Trace was the first time a UAAP event was held
outside Metro Manila.
Congrats UP Swimmers!
DLSU swim team really is going no where; looks like Enchong and Ixxie are the
only silver linings. A sad state considering where we were 5 years ago na double
champs. Thanks to those who updated us with results and pictures namely
119

jancarlo, danavila and orangersey, your updates are far more informative than
what some sportswriters contribute.
UAAP swim makes a splash at Trace (SPORTS FOR ALL By Philip Ella Juico)
Manila, Philippines, September 25, 2007 (STAR) - It will be another De La Salle
University (DLSU)-Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) face off for the second
finals slot on Thursday for the basketball championship of the 70th season of the
University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). The Blue Eagles got a
shot at the Green Archers after the former eliminated the defending champions
University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers last Sunday in a knockout game to
earn the right to meet DLSU.
The Red Warriors of the University of the East (UE), idle since Sept. 13, when they
beat the Green Archers to sweep both rounds and thus automatically earned a
finals slot, are waiting for DLSU and ADMU to wear each other out and face the
winner in the best-of-three championship.
Aside from consistency, conditioning and a healthy line-up will be among the
key factors for success in what has turned out to be one of the most hotly
contested basketball seasons since the Final Four format was introduced. By the
time either the Green Archers or Blue Eagles face the Red Warriors, the arch rivals
would have each played 16 to 18 games. In contrast, UE would be well rested
after having played only 14 games in the eliminations. A deep bench will
therefore come in handy in such wars of attrition.
In another battlefield, the UAAP swimming competitions were successfully held
over the weekend at the Trace Aquatic Center in Los Baos, Laguna.
Host UST opted to grant DLSU the right to stage the swimming championships
which were held at the P300 million complexes for the first time. The center,
located inside Trace College, owned by the family of Pagcor chairman Ephraim
Genuino, hosted the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and the Philippine Olympic
Festival, among other important events.
In an innovative move, the DLSU got the students of the De La Salle Professional
Schools Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. Graduate School of Business (DLSPS RVR GSB),
through DLSU mens and womens teams coach and former Seoul Olympian,
Rene (Guy) Concepcion, to handle the championships.
The DLSPS RVR GSB has, among its various degree and non-degree offerings, a
sports and recreation management (SRM) program, reputedly the only one of its
kind if not in Asia, at least in Southeast Asia. One subject offered in the Post-
Graduate Diploma in Sports and Recreation Management in conjunction with
Golds Gym is Staging of Sports Events.
Concepcion, who heads the SRM and teaches Staging of Sports Events (SSE),
asked his SSE students to help manage the UAAP swimming championships as
part of the subjects practicum. The DLS GSB then outsourced portions of the
championships to the Sports Management Solutions (SMS) headed by national
Dragon Boat rowing team member and Asian Institute of Management
graduate, Dina Bernardo.
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The UAAP championships is a major undertaking that has substantial marketing,
financial, logistical and operational requirements that call for the involvement of
a bona fide sports management group like SMS. Among its sponsors are Golds
Gym, Miladay Jewels, Smart, Cityland and Dencios.
The four-day championships, held from Sept. 20 to 23, drew some 280 swimmers
from five UAAP schools: DLS, ADMU, UE, UST and University of the Philippines (UP).
When the smoke of battle cleared, UP and UST retained their respective mens
and womens titles with UP also capturing the girls title and ADMU pocketing the
boys championship. UST and DLSU ended up in second and third respectively in
the mens division while ADMU, UP and DLSU captured the second to fourth
places in the womens side. UST and DLS-Zobel ended up in second and third
spots respectively in the boys division.
Several UAAP records in the 50-, 100- and 200-meter butterfly events and 400-
meter individual medley relay were broken by DLSUs Ernest Lorenzo Enchong
Dee, a political science major and ABS-CBN talent and Bench model. Dee was
also chosen 70th season MVP or most valuable player. Ixxi Quilala, also of DLSU,
was named rookie of the year. Gian Berino of the UST boys team also erased
long-standing UAAP records. A number of the records broken used to be held by
Ryan Papa, 1992 and 1996 Olympian.
Task Force Okays 591-strong RP team
October 8, 2007 - A 591-strong Philippine contingent will try to defend the
countrys overall crown in the 24th Southeast Asian Games set in three venues in
Thailand in December.

Beijing Olympic qualifiers Ryan Arabejo, Miguel Molina and James Walsh of
swimming and Tsomlee Go of taekwondo lead the list of Thailand-bound athletes
named by the SEAG POC-PSC Task Force yesterday.

Filipino athletes will compete in 44 events in the 10-day sports spectacle opening
Dec. 5 at the Nakhon Ratchasima Stadium.

Three hundred fifty-six male and 235 female athletes comprise the delegation
which could have their hands full defending the championship they won at
home turf in 2005.

Arabejo, Molina and Walsh spearhead the swimming team that includes Daniel
Coakley, Nikita Dacera, Ernest Lorenzo Dee, Ronald Guiriba, Kendrick Uy,
Denjylie Cordero, Anna Celina Gonzales, Jaclyn Pangilinan, Nicole Santiago and
Erica Totten.

Go banners the taekwondo squad including Mike Alejandrino, Alexander
Briones, Jeffrey Figueroa, John Paul Lizardo, Ernesto Juan Mendoza, Carlos Jose
Padilla, Manuel Rivero, Kathleen Eunice Alora, Kirstie Elaine Alora, Loralie
Catalan, Veronica Domingo, Mary Antoinette Rivero, Maria Criselda Roxas,
Sabrina Simbulan and Esther Marie Singson.
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Doha Asiad gold medalist Joan Tipon leads the 17-strong boxing team that also
include Delfin Boholst, Junel Cantancio, Maraon Golez, Joegen Ladon, Wilfredo
Lopez, Albert Pabila, Orlando Tacuyan Jr., Junie Tizon, Bill Vicera, Annie Albania,
Alice Kate Aparri, Jouvilet Chilem, Annaliza Cruz, Josie Gabuco, Mitchelle
Martinez and Renijen Sofla.

The RP Davis Cup team of Cecil Mamiit, Eric Taino, Johnny Arcilla and Patrick
John Tierro seeks to sustain its romp in the games. The womens team is
composed of Czarina Mae Arevalo, Maureen Diaz, Denise Dy and Diane Matias.

Basketball, football, futsal, lawn bowls, rugby football submitted names subject to
final confirmation.

Curiously, Filipino-Am Alex Crisano, barred in the PBA due to lack of documents,
is in the tentative mens basketball lineup that also includes UAAP MVP winner
Jervy Cruz and NCAA recruit Pong Escobal.

The ladies team named 12 players plus two alternates. In the list is US NCAA
product Victoria Brick.

Athletics has the largest delegation with 40 followed by softball with 34, futsal
and traditional boat race with 28 each, basketball and fencing with 24, baseball
22, football 20, cycling 19, shooting 17, taekwondo 16 and sepak takraw 15.
Molina sa SEA Games
PINANGUNAHAN ni Miguel Molina ang 14-kataong national swimming team na
sasabak sa 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games sa Disyembre.
Bukod kay Molina, kasama sa mens squad sina 2007 UAAP swimming MVP
Enchong Dee, Ryan Arabejo, JB Walsh, Ken Uy, Lambert Guiriba, Dan Coakley at
Nikita Decera.
Kabilang sa magbabakasakali ng gintong medalya sa distaff side sina Harvard
standout Jackie Pangilinan, Erica Totten, Marichi Gandionco, Nikki Santiago,
Denjylie Cordero at Celina Gonzales.
Ang Pilipinas ay nanalo ng apat na gintong medalya sa 2005 edition.
DLSU's Enchong Dee, co-star in Lastikman, bagged 7 gold medals in
UAAP Men's Swimming
La Salles Enchong Dee bagged the Most Valuable Player award after winning
seven gold medals and setting new league records in the 50m butterfly (26.03
seconds), 100m butterfly (56.38 sec) and 400m individual medley (4:47.30
minutes). Teammate Maxim Quilala won Rookie of the Year.

Enchong is included in the elite list of RP swimmers going to Thailand this
December for the SEA Games so him winning 7 golds in the UAAP is actually
nothing new. Can somebody tell this kid to stick to swimming instead of acting?
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He can do better helping the cause of RP swimming than playing love interest to
so and so teens of ABS-CBN.

I spoke to him on this...he's obviously taking my advice in that he's milking his 15
minutes of fame for all that it's worth and will later focus on swimming and acting
when his star begins to fade.

Enchong is a smart dude...he knows what he's doing good to hear this.

we've seen so much stars who were either good in academics or are potential
athletic wonder but were reduced to nothing due to serving two masters at the
same time. Enchong is one of those kids who I find smart and can really
contribute to RP swimming that is why I find it to crappy seeing him singing and
dancing when the SEA Games is just around the corner. But if he needs
additional income which the PSC cant provide then why not but could you tell
this guy to take swimming first then acting ...uhhmmmm 10th on the list? : laugh:

anyways he is a good swimmer, 'nuf said.
ayos yan si enchong...i guess he should be the AOY for season 70...mahirap ang
ginagawa niya...he should better called student-athlete-showbiz personality

congrats! Halos 1 month na tapos ang swimming competition pero it's all good...
Swimming has a lean, mean team
Manila, Philippines, October 17, 2007 (BULLETIN) The Philippines' hopes in
swimming rest on the broad shoulders of Miguel Molina and Ryan Arabejo who
banner a 14-man team bound for the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

Molina, who won three gold medals in the last SEA Games in Manila, is entered in
eight races, including three relay events while Arabejo will see action in the 400-
meter and 1,500-meter freestyle events apart from the relays.

Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA) President Mark Joseph said the
team is nearly half the size of the squad that took part in Manila, but definitely
tougher.

"I hate making predictions, but we would be happy if we could bring home five
gold medals," said Joseph, also a member of the joint task force that screened
the composition of the Philippine delegation.

Joseph, however, stressed that their main goal is to qualify in the Olympics next
year.

"But it wont be easy. The qualifying time almost guarantees you the gold medal
in the SEA Games," he said.

Molina, 22, will be defending his titles in the 200-meter breaststroke, 200-meter
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and 400-meter individual medley events. Hes also hoping to improve on his silver
medal finish in the 200-meter freestyle and is aiming for a medal finish in the 100-
meter breaststroke.

The United States-trained swimmer will also take part in both freestyle relays and
the medley relay.

Joseph said they have high hopes that Molina would deliver and qualify for more
events in the Beijing Olympics next year.

So far, Molina has earned an Olympic spot in the 200-meter individual medley
following an impressive performance in the World Championships in March.

Molina has been training at the University of Southern California under Dr. David
Salo, current coach of the United States Olympic squad.

"The USC attracts the fastest swimmers in the world. Thats the place to be," said
Joseph.

Since finishing third behind the now retired Miguel Mendoza in the 1,500-meter
freestyle two years ago, Arabejo has improved his time by nearly 30 seconds and
is a cinch for the gold medal in Thailand.

His personal best of 15:39.83 has surpassed the SEA Games record and is 10
seconds faster than his closest rivals.

The 17-year-old Arabejo now studies and trains at the Olympic Training Center in
Florida, the same venue where another teammate, freestyle specialist Kendrick
Uy is training.

Like Molina, Arabejo has also qualified to the Beijing Olympics following an
impressive 1,500-meter freestyle effort in the World Championships.

The third Filipino Olympic qualifier is Fil-American James Walsh who made the
grade in the 200-meter butterfly during the US national championships in August.

Rounding out the mens team is Fil-American Daniel Coakley of University of
Hawaii, Ronald Guriba of Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Nikita Dacera
of TRACE Los Banos and Ernest Dee of La Salle.

Jacklyn Pangilinan, a student at Harvard University in Boston, leads the womens
team hoping to improve on its collection of three silvers and three bronzes in
2005.

Pangilinan settled for the silver in the 200-meter breaststroke and a bronze in the
100-meter breastroke. She was also a member of the medley relay that won the
silver.

124

Also returning is Erika Totten of University of Arkansas who placed second in the
200-meter freestyle two years ago. Totten also had silver and two bronze medals
from the relay events the last time around.

Another returnee is Marichi Gandionco who earned a swimming scholarship at
the University of Nevada. She was a member of the bronze winning relay team in
2005.

The other members of the womens squad are Anna Celina Gonzales, Nicole
Santiago and Denjylie Cordero.
Alcano chases historic crown
Source: Inquirer.net
Last updated 04:26am (Mla time) 10/21/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino Ronato Alcano stayed on course for a historic
achievement in the 32nd US Open at the Chesapeake Convention Center in
Chesapeake, Virginia, late Friday.

Unshaken by a loss in his previous outing, Alcano raced to a 10-0 lead and went
on to post an 11-3 victory over Louis Ulrich, moving within three wins of becoming
the first player ever to reign in the World Pool Championship, World 8-Ball
Championship and US Open at the same time.

Week-Long Grand Welcome for the New Millennium
Manila, November 2, 2007 - If the United Kingdom boasts of its Millennium Dome
and Singapore crows about its Millennium Mania, Filipinos will shout a ringing
"Mabuhay" to the Milenyo Filipino Festival at the end of 2007, as the world
welcomes the year 2008.

From December 26 to January 1, nothing but the best in the Philippines will be
showcased at the Rizal Park, the center of celebration of the Filipino spirit in the
21st century.

Like a travel back in time, Filipinos and guests from around the world, will witness
the evolution of the Filipino spirit in the past 1,107 years.

The achievements of Filipinos great and small will unfold before the eyes of
spectators expected to run into hundred of thousands from Day One of the
festivities. In store for everyone young and old, locals and foreigners are two
major celebrations: the week-long Milenyo Filipino Festival and the "Turn of the
Century Program" at the Quirino Grandstand on December 31.

Under Executive Order No. 128, President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III has
created the Presidential Commission for the New Century and the Millennium
(PCNCM) to plan and oversee all activities aimed at welcoming the New Year.
The PCNCM is chaired by Secretary Proceso Alcala of the Department of
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Agriculture with Secretary Mario Montejo of the Department of Science and
Technology and Brother Mike Velarde of El Shaddai as co-chairman.

The Milenyo Filipino Festival will present the best in Philippine arts and culture in
agriculture, in science and technology, and in business in trade and industry,
education, health, labor and employment, public works and highways,
social welfare and development, trade and industry, transportation and
communications.

It wills also drumbeat the meaning and importance of the "Turn of the Century
Program" on the last day of the 20th century or New Years Eve.

Festooned in a truly special fashion, the entire Rizal Park will be the venue of the
festival, carrying Filipino outdoor decorations, which include buntings, surprise art
objects and banners. The Rizal Park festival will put into focus the general theme
of the Philippine millennium celebration: food security for all Filipinos amid the
countrys march to a higher level of science and technology, business (budget
and management and finance, education, health, public works and highways,
social welfare and development, trade and industry, transportation and
communications) and information communications and technology.

Its special look is calculated to generate public interest and positive exposure for
the country both in the local and international media.

The Milenyo Filipino Festival has something special and spectacular for all. At the
Childrens Park, the Pistang Pambata will have big surprises for the youngsters,
including puppet shows, folk games, and a higantes (giants) parade. The park
will be spruced up with additional mythological figures such as the Ibong
Adarna, kapre, to highten awareness and interest of Filipino children in Philippine
mythology.

The Halamanan ng Bayan at the corner of Taft Avenue and Burgos Street will be
the site of ecotourism displays, exhibits, concerts, demos and teach-ins. It will be
used to propagate the care and preservation of our environment. For the arts
and culture buffs, Sining Pinoy will convert the entire Agrifina Circle into a site of
Pinoy Caf outdoor art exhibits, cultural performances, concerts, fashion shows,
poetry reading, among others. The Philippine Millennium Garden Show at the
Luneta Orchidarium will show the best collections of orchids, bromeliads, mums,
poinsettias, roses and other tropical plants.

For the gourmands, the Handaan festival organized by hotels and restaurants
along Roxas Boulevard and Kalaw Street will entice them with rows of food stalls
underneath shady trees.

Teatro at Pelikula is an open-air auditorium showing the best Filipino musicals and
plays as well as the best Filipino movies.There will also be an exhibit on Philippine
pre-history located at the "Cave" at the Rizal Park with live performances
showing vignettes of the early civilization of the country.The best designs on
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exportable products will be shown at the Disenyo at Kalakalan (Philippine Trade
Exhibit) at the lobby and open areas of the National Library.

Sulong, Agham at Teknolohiya will showcase interesting Philippine inventions and
achievements in science and technology. A special agricultural fair, Ginintuang
Ani ng Lupang Pilipino located at the tree-shaded park behind the National
Library will display the countrys progress in the field of agriculture.

The Ambag ng Sining Silangan fair at Rizal Parks Japanese and Chinese gardens
exhibits Japanese and Chinese influences in the Philippines. At designated days
and hours of the festival, there will be parades of popular Philippine fiestas to
enliven the park and add more color to the celebration. The parades will start at
the Department of Tourism building and will pass through all the walkways of the
park.

In-between these cultural parades will be street tableaux featuring folk dance
performances and vignettes of important Filipino plays produced through the
years.

Although the whole world is neck-deep in preparations for Millennium Parties
and special events, many point out that the year 2008 is not the start of the next
millennium but the end of the present millennium. Thus, the second millennium
begins on January 1, 2009.
100-Day Countdown (September 23, 2007 to December 31, 2007)
A hundred days to welcome the New Year 2008.
September 23, 2007 marks the start of one hundred days of nationwide festivities,
activities and events leading to New Year 2008. The countdown will further
heighten and spread the millennium fever and excitement.
With the Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jessie M.
Robredo chairing the Committee, the participation of local government units is
assured as well as that of carious sectors of society, specifically at the grassroots
level.
In support of all the activities, LED billboards all over the country will bear the
number of days to New Year 2008. Television and radio station plugs as well as
newspapers, LRT, MRT and PNR trains and shopping malls will be announcing the
same.
Through these 100 days, the Filipino will witness and participate in the opening of
Millennium Freedom Trail sites all around the country and around the world.
International events initiated by Filipino communities abroad, in cooperation with
the Commission and foreign private corporations, will form a major part of the
countdown activities.
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President Pascual leads as Pinoys link arms on New Years Eve
Manila, November 22, 2007 - The Philippines will welcome the new millennium
with a nationwide kapit-bisig (linking of arms) on New Years Eve at the Rizal Park
and other parts of the country to demonstrate the unity of Filipino people into
the year 2008.
Secretary Alberto A. Lim of the Department of Tourism (DOT), who also chairs the
Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebration and Brother Mike Velarde of
El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Foundation, who also as second chairman of
the Y2K commission, said that President Benigno Noynoy Aquino III has been
invited to lead the symbolic kapit-bisig in welcoming the new millennium.
The kapit-bisig ritual will be replicated all over the country to show oneness and
togetherness of the Filipino people, Jimenez said.
The schedule of the December festivities was taken up by Jimenez in a
committee meeting held this week at the DOT office in Manila. Jimenezs
committee is part of the Presidential Commission on the New Century and the
Millennium headed by Secretary Proceso Alcala of the Department of
Agriculture. President Aquino created the commission to plan and oversee all
activities aimed at welcoming the New Year.
Preceding the countdown for the new millennium at exactly 11:55 P.M., President
Aquino will link arms with his family, government officials and other participants
during a program starting at 11:00 P.M.
The month-long festivities will kick off on Dec. 1 with the launching of the Milenyo
Filipino Markera 30 foot-tall parol (Christmas Star) also at the Rizal Park, with the
President and other top officials as guests.
A brass band exhibition will precede the ceremonial lighting of the marker
scheduled at 4:30 P.M., Jimenez said.
A universal prayer is likewise incorporated in the Milenyo Filipino celebration,
Araneta said.
Jimenez said her committee is now finalizing the schedule of the weeklong
Milenyo Filipino activities that will start on Dec. 26 and culminate with the
millennium countdown at the Rizal Park on New Years Eve.
The whole program will be covered live on radio and TV stations with live feeds
from major cities and other selected spots nationwide.
Guests include President Aquino, Vice President Jejomar Binay, House Speaker
Feliciano Belmonte, Supreme Court Chief Maria Lourdes Sereno, Nueva Segovia
Archbishop Ernesto Antolin Cardinal Tagle Salgado and Manila Archbishop Luis
Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who will officiate the mass together with Manila Auxiliary
Bishop Teodoro Bacani.
A mass will also be celebrated prior to the final countdown for the new
millennium.
The event will serve free food and drinks for all. All expenses will be paid by the
Velarde family and close friends and not by the El Shaddai movement.
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Y2K READINESS: RETAILERS TOLD TO INCREASE STOCKS
Manila, Dec. 2, 2007 - In anticipation of any power outages and other service
interruptions during the critical year-end period, retailers and manufacturers
were ordered by the government to stock up on basic commodities.
Trade and Industry Secretary Jesli A. Lapus said retailers would have to stockpile
to ensure that there would be enough supply to head off hoarding by
consumers.
The Department of Trade and Industry said its biggest cause for worry is the
failure of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) to be 100 percent Y2K compliant,
which could cause sporadic power supply interruptions during the first two weeks
of January 13, 2008.
Assistant Trade Secretary Zenaida Maglaya told reporters Pardo's instructions
were relayed to the manufacturers and retailers during a recent meeting.
"Although Y2K readiness is the primary responsibility of the (Presidential) Y2K
Commission, the DTI is responsible for ensuring that there is ample supply (of
prime commodities) to prevent panic-buying, hoarding and wild fluctuations in
prices," she said.
Maglaya said manufacturers have committed to build up an inventory of goods
that could last up to a month. Retailers promised to continue meeting the
demand as long as supply was available.
"They cannot build up their own inventories beyond the usual level because it
would require considerable front-loaded investment," she said. "Retailers assured
us there won't be any problems as long as manufacturers keep deliveries on
schedule."
Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya will take the early
morning flight out of Manila on Jan. 1, 2008 to show that the country's aviation
industry is Y2K compliant.
Abaya, who is also chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, said
he plans to fly to Cebu and Clark to prove to the riding public that "it is safe to fly"
at the start of the year 2008.
In the airline industry, it is feared that the glitch could send planes on collision
course when computers and radar systems go haywire.
2007 Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Olympians, Fil-Ams boost swimmers SEA Games bid (By Gerry Carpio and Nelson
Beltran, The Philippine Star)
NAKHON RATCHASIMA, December 6, 2007 US-trained Miguel Molina and Ryan
Arabejo, whose recent feats earned them a spot in next years Beijing Olympics,
will lead a 14-member RP team hoping to improve on its 2005 four-gold medal
haul against world-class opposition in the 24th Southeast Asian Games
competitions which start tomorrow.

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Four Fil-Americans, all trained in the US under prominent coaches, and local
swimmers culled from the national eliminations, the Palarong Pambansa and
Philippine Olympic Festival, are also on the national team seeing action in the
competitions slated Dec. 7-11 at the Aquatic Center, His Majesty the Kings 80th
birth anniversary stadium, here.

Molina, winner of the 200 and 400 individual medley and 200m breaststroke in
the Manila SEA Games, gained a slot in the 2008 Olympics when his clocking of
2:03.06 in the 200m IM met the Olympic qualifying time of 2:05.65.

The 23-year-old Molina, who trains at the University of California in Barkley, hopes
to improve on his silver medal finish in the 200m freestyle in 2005 and contend for
the gold in the 100m and 50m freestyles in what could be his last SEAG stint.

Molina now owns the RP mark in the 100m free (51.11) 200m free (1:52.67) and
50m breaststroke (29.44).

Arabejo, at 17 the present and future hope of Philippine swimming, holds the RP
mark in the 400m freestyle (3:58.51) and 1,500m freestyle (15:39.86) from his stints
in the Janet Evans Invitational in the US last July and the 12th World
Championships last March.

Four Fil-Americans on the team are 20-year-old James Walsh, a pre-med scholar
at the University of Florida; Daniel Coakley of the University of Hawaii, Jaclyn
Pangilinan of Harvard University in Boston, and Erica Totten of the University of
Arkansas.

Walsh established the RP mark in the 100m and 200m butterfly in the Conoco
Philips USA competition in July this year. Pangilinan holds the national 50, 100 and
200m breaststroke records.

Totten, who also holds the RP mark in the 400IM from the last SEA Games, made
huge inroads this year, setting new RP norms in the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle.
Coakley, a promising swimmer at 18, made the grade with his impressive finish in
the 50 and 100m breaststroke and freestyle in last years World Junior
championships.

But the presence of world-class competition is making it hard for RP swimming
president Mark Joseph to assure the certainty of even one gold.

Its really hard to predict. But what were looking for is to beat our four-gold
medal haul the last time in Manila, said Joseph.

Swimming in the region has taken a quantum leap with the standard A time for
the Athens Olympics now being just the B time for the Beijing Olympics qualifying.

All the swimmers are trying to improve and that really makes it hard to win the
gold medal in this SEA Games, Joseph explained.
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It could be easier to gain an Olympic berth than to win the gold medal here.

Gold medals in womens 100m freestyle, mens and womens 200m backstroke,
mens 400m individual medley, womens 200m individual medley, mens and
womens 4x200m freestyle relay are up for grabs on opening day here tomorrow.

Two US coaches in Jeff Poppel of University of Arkansas and Jason Calanog of
Bolles flew here with the six US collegiate swimming scholars.

Theyre (Poppel and Calanog) familiar with the conditioning of our US-based
swimmers. So we asked them to come, said Joseph.

Molina has qualified for the Olympics in 200m IM, Walsh in 200m butterfly and
Arabejo in 1500m freestyle. The three will target for more Olympic events here
aside from shooting for SEAG medals.

Molina and Arabejo are now ranked 24th in the world in their respective events.
Theyll try to improve on that, said Joseph.

Completing the cast are Ernest Dee of La Salle, Kendrick Uy who joined Arabejo
in summer training at Bolles School in Florida under the Olympic Solidarity
Movement, Denjylie Cordero, a product of the Philippine Olympic Festival, 18-
year-old Marichi Gandionco, a swimming scholar at the University of Nevada,
Celina Gonzalez of TRACE Aquatic Center in Laguna., Nikita Dacera and Nicole
Santiago.
Swimmers shine again but RP still 5th overall
By Ernesto Gonzales (Published in the December 12, 2007 issue of the Philippine
Daily Inquirer)

NAKHON RATCHASIMA--Parading another star in Filipino-American James Walsh,
swimming matched the two-gold effort by cycling as the Philippines finished with
seven victories Tuesday that did little to get the defending overall champion
Philippines out of its fifth place hole Tuesday in the 24th
Southeast Asian Games here.

Walsh smashed the six-year-old SEAG record in ruling the men's 200-meter
butterfly, then combined with Miguel Molina, Ryan Arabejo and new RP swim
sensation Daniel Coakley to secure the sport's final gold in the men's 4x100
individual medley. That capped the Filipinos' eight victories overall.

Former bikathon king Victor Espiritu finally crashed the winners' circle for the first
time in three SEAG by topping the men's 40-kilometer points race late Monday
and defending champion Alfie Catalan kept his 4-km individual pursuit title.

Felicisimo Nierras Jr. salvaged gold for athletics in the men's 400 meters, Amaya
Paz retained her women's compound individual title in archery and the men's
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epee squad scored anew as the Filipinos boosted their golden harvest to 29 with
four days of competition left.

But the Filipinos stayed two golds behind Malaysia which captured a pair of
golds at the start of the final swim program to keep fourth place. Indonesia was
sixth with 25 victories.

As of 8:30 p.m. here (9:30 p.m. in Manila), the Thais moved closer to their overall
target of 120 victories with 97 gold medals. Vietnam was glued in second with 46
followed by Singapore with 37.

Walsh shattered by 1.39 seconds the SEAG record of 2:01.84 set by Malaysia's
Anthony Ang in September 2001 in Kuala Lumpur.

Donny Utomo of Indonesia won silver (2:00.81) and Daniel Bego of Malaysia won
bronze (2:03.97).

Ernest Lorenzo Dee (8th, 2:11.47) also failed in the finals of the men's 200-meter
butterfly.

Molina's individual winning streak earlier ended at three as he settled for the
bronze in the men's 200 freestyle. But he was a winner when he plunged into
action for the last time as the swimmer of the breaststroke leg.

Molina finished with one more victory than his golden output in 2005 to become
the most successful RP campaigner so far.

Ryan Arabejo, the 200 backstroke and 1,500 freestyle winners, took care of the
backstroke. Walsh swam the butterfly and 50m freestyle champion Coakley
finished off the relay in style.

Boxing, now under pressure to deliver and help avoid an embarrassing finish for
the Filipinos, placed three more fighters in the finals for a total of 13.

Experts, however, feel the Filipinos need no less than knockout wins against their
Thai foes in the gold medal round starting Wednesday to avoid the infamous
hometown decision here.
Bantamweight Junel Cantancio, lightweight Joegen Ladon and light
heavyweight Maximino Tabangcora completed the cast of RP finalists after light
fly Albert Pabila was eliminated by Thai Amnat Ruenroeng, 18-8.

The other gold medal hopefuls are flyweight Godfrey Castro, light welter Jerry
Semillano, featherweight Orlando Tacuyan, middleweight Junie Tizon and
female fighters Annie Albania, Alice Kate Aparri, Jouvilet Chilem, Annaliza Cruz,
Mitchelle Martinez and Ronijen Sofla.

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There was mixed results in golf with the women's team, led by Anya Tanpinco,
taking a two-stroke lead over Thailand after the first round of the 54-hole
competition, 143-145.

But the Putra Cup champion Thais bounced back in the men's division, opening
a six-shot edge over Indonesia, 422-428, even as the Filipinos, who led on the first
day, tumbled down to fourth at 429 with Anthony Fernando adding a 77 to the
71 of Mark Fernando and the 72 of Ferdinand Aunzo.
Nierras, whose father was a former national standout in the jumping events,
succeeded teammate Jimar Aing as 400 champions with a time of 46.56. Ernie
Candelario, the winner in Vietnam in December 2003, slumped to sixth in 48.09.

That win gave the athletics team its poorest output of four in three SEAGs. The
squad came up with eight golds in Vietnam and nine in 2005 back home.

Paz beat Indonesian Dellie Threesyadinda for the gold, 116-114, while the epee
squad won with a team featuring Almario Vizcayno, who took over the old slot of
actor Richard Gomez, Armando Bernal, Wilfredo Vizcayno Jr. and Avelino
Victorino.

But the fencing squads in foil and saber ended up with silvers.

Also settling for the silver was Earl Benjamin Yap in the men's compound
individual in archery, pole-vaulter Deborah Samson and weightlifting's Renante
Briones in the 94 kg.
The Pia Cayetano-Paolo Abrera Affair and re-run of Ninoy Aquino assassination
(Companero y Companera, Part 2)
On December 6 to 15, 2007 when the 24th Southeast Asian Games was held in
Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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December 8-9 and 11-12, 2007, During a five-day swimming competition for
the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand with national
swimmer and then University of California swimmer Miguel Molina and the
fashion show's guest model turned De La Salle Green Tanker Enchong Dee, the
Pia Cayetano-Paolo Abrera-Marco Protacio affair and the riots at Dee residence
in Barangay Horseshoe, Quezon City. A 25-hour overnight vigil was held at the
Greenbelt Chapel in Makati City, held on the same day starting at 7:00 p.m. and
ends at 8:00 p.m. of the same day.
Dee was in the finals of men's 100-meter butterfly last December 9 and lane 1 of
men's 200-meter butterfly finals last December 11, and he was the eighth place
finish in the said event with the time of 2 minutes, 11.47 seconds and he lost to
Filipino-American James Bernard Walsh.
A re-run of the August 21, 1983 assassination of former Philippine senator Benigno
Aquino, Jr. aired by GMA Network. (In 1983, Channel 7 was the first to break the
news of Ninoy Aquino's death, and later would be the only television station to
broadcast his funeral.)

The video conversation starts with the sound of the plane landing and people
talking among them.

Everybody remains on board, one of them says.

Moments later, a single gunshot rings out and women are wailing.
What happened? What was that? a womans voice asks.
More gunshots. The wailing becomes louder.
Then an order from several men: Inside, inside, inside!
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The soldiers shot Ninoy. Hes dead out there, a woman cries out.
Burtons tape records faintly the sound of someone saying, Eto na (This is it).
Footage shot by a foreign TV crew captures the words by now familiar to Filipinos
who lived through the events surrounding the Aquino assassination. Eto na, eto
na! Ako na, ako na! Op! Pusila, pusila (This is it, this is it! Let me, let me! Shoot,
shoot)!
And then, the gunshot.

What are significant about the tape are the reactions of Aquinos fellow
passengers and the conversations Burton had with them.
Burton apparently kept recording as she discussed with fellow foreign journalists
what happened.
Some eight minutes into the tape, Burton is heard saying, Its very confusing, I
mean, I dont know. She then answers more questions from someone who
sounded like an American.
Man: They shot Ninoy?
Woman, presumably Burton: Yeah.
Man: Where?
Burton: Right at the bottom of the stairs.
Man: When Ninoy was still on it or when
Burton: No, when he got off. Im sure hes dead.
The tape also captures Burton and her fellow passengers after they had
disembarked and ran into people waiting to meet the passengers from the
China Airlines flight.

Local journalists who covered the airport at the time had been herded by
military men to the entrance to the tube where they were to await Aquino.
When they learned of the commotion at the tarmac, they interviewed the
disembarking passengers to ask them what happened.

One conversation was that of Burton and a Filipino.
Man: What did you see? Who did it?
Burton: Soldiers.
Man: How many of them?
Burton: I dont know. I think wed better wait.
Man: Did you recognize him? Aquino?
Burton: Yeah.
Man: Whats your name?
Burton: No, Im not gonna this is not the place to talk. We had just seen
two assassinations take place right outside our window.

The tape then records what sounded like Burton comparing notes with fellow
foreign correspondents, everyone recalling what they heard and trying to
reconstruct the moments when they heard the shorts.

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In one portion of the tape, the conversation turns to who killed Aquino, and
Burton points out that a Japanese reporter had seen one of the men in khaki,
referring to one of Aquinos escorts, being the gunman.

But a man contradicts her saying, I did not see a man in khaki uniform shoot
Aquino. To this day, the question that shot Aquino remains subject to debate.

Cayetano and three personalities along with Samson, Reyes, Claparols and Eala
were stayed in the same place to the said event for fifteen days between
December 6 to 15, 2007, followed by her father, the late former Philippine
Senator Atty. Renato Rene Cayetano's 73rd birthday celebration on
December 12, 2007 and the welcome the new millennium 2008 between
December 31, 2007 and January 1, 2008.

December 12, 2007, One of Enchanted Kingdom's attractions, the Space Shuttle
roller coaster, stalled between the tracks, where school children from Bulacan,
Laguna, and Batangas were included.
GMA7's Excessive Pride Should Be Stopped
In a report last night from GMA-7's Frontpage, GMA-7 execs and stars hosted the
"No.1 Na Tayo, Kapuso!" party for the press and advertising people in a bid to
lure investors and other people into the network with GMA7's own "claim to
fame".

It can be remembered that only a number GMA-7 programs reached the top
spots in the primetime ratings charts in the history of the Rainbow Network this
2004: these are Imbestigador and StarStruck. It was two years since GMA-7
launched an offensive to snatch away the overall No. 1 Philippine TV network
spot from ABS-CBN (still called the Star Network), but only had its 2 shows out of
the top 10 primetime slots currently. ABS-CBN is still clinging on to a vast Metro
Manila audience share of 40-50% (in contrast to GMA-7's Metro Manila audience
share of 20-35%), and a massive regional share of 70-90%. It's a stark contrast with
what happened to ABS-CBN after EDSA Uno, where it took less than 2 years to go
back to the overall No. 1 spot for the Philippines' most watched TV network
(having its 10 shows in the top 10 primetime slots), which it had since 1953-1972
and 1986-2004. And ABS-CBN still has the strong trust of majority of advertisers,
being the No. 1 network for the whole of 2003.

Claims are virtually ridiculous, malicious and baseless with regards to ABS-CBN
conniving with 2 of the world's most trusted TV ratings groups--AGB and AC
Nielsen, and with regards to the moving of channels of both ABS-CBN and GMA-
7 by some cable operators, who were falsely accused of conniving with ABS-
CBN execs, as various reports by the Philippine Star declared so.

While GMA-7 heavily has its Kapuso campaign since October 27, 2002, ABS-CBN
still has the Kapamilya campaign, which has been with the network since
January 1, 2000. The Kapamilya campaign of ABS-CBN was first done in
coinciding ABS-CBN's two grand events: the network's Philippine Independence
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Centennial party at Expo Filipino in June 1998, and the nationwide and
worldwide multimedia year-end broadcast "The ABS-CBN Worldwide Celebration
of the New Millennium" last December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000.
Worldwide Celebration of the New Millennium
PALAWAN HAS BEST SPOT TO VIEW LAST SUNSET OF 2007
Malacanang, December 15, 2007 - While preparing to welcome the new
millennium in Manila with a bang, the Pascual administration, together with local
government units (LGUs), is bidding adieu to the year 2007 by encouraging those
who have the chance to view the last sunset of 2007 from the southwestern part
of Palawan.
In a report to the Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebrations (CTCC),
chaired by Secretary Alberto A. Lim of the Department of Tourism, the DOT
regional office in Region IV said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has already pinpointed the exact
location of the last sunset of this century.
DOT Regional Director Louella Jurilla said that the last sunset of the outgoing year
can be seen at Ligas Point in Balacbac, Palawan, and some of the islands in the
Spratly archipelago in the South China.
The last sunset, expected to occur at exactly 6:05 P.M. of Tuesday, December 31,
2007, will be marked with the groundbreaking for a Millennium Monument at
Ligas Point that will be led by Balacbac Mayor Shuaib Astami.
Other activities lined up by the DOT and the concerned Palawan local
government units are a photography contest, a parade, a food festival, and
family camping.
The event will be capped by a fireworks display.
Earlier this month, President Karen Lourdes Tito Keren Pascual led the switching
on of a 30-foot high Parol, which serves as marker of Milenyo Pilipino that features
a series of activities for welcoming the 21st century at the Rizal Park (Luneta) in
Manila.
The coming of the new millennium, Mr. Pascual said, should serve as an
inspiration to all Filipinos, for these signals the worldwide dawning of economic
and political prosperity and hope with the changing faces in politics, religious,
police, sports, business and commerce, technology, lifestyle, media and
entertainment.
LUNETA IS THE BEST SPOT FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE
Manila, Dec. 17, 2007 - The government and entertainment sectors is mounting a
P5 million, 20-minute fireworks show to usher in the year 2008 and cap the 22
nd

"Pistang Milenyo" annual millennium festival which officially begins on December
26.
137

Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez announced yesterday that the fireworks
display and weeklong festival along Roxas Boulevard will rival those of other
countries."
Jimenez said at a press conference that "The millennium celebration will highlight
major achievements in Philippine art and culture, agriculture, science and
technology, and trade and industry in the past 100 years through a variety of
trade and socio-cultural activities."
Rizal Park will be the site of trade expositions, concerts, art exhibits, cultural
performances, fashion shows, parades, garden shows, food festivals and film
showings.
Cebuanos, on the other hand, will celebrate the new millennium by way of a
"Cebu Sinulog 2013" that will include activities "to thank the Almighty for all the
blessings bestowed on the province in the past centuries."
The festival, higlighted by Mardi gras in Cebu City, is expected to attract
participants from over 20 provinces.
In Dumaguete, the tourism office has launched a "Balik Dumaguete" campaign
that calls on all Dumagueteos from all over the country and the world to spend
the turn of the century in their hometown.
LUNETA TRANSFORMED FOR MILLENNIUM CELEBRATIONS
Manila, December 19, 2012 - Secretary Ramon Jimenez of the Department of
Tourism, chairman of the Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebrations,
announced that the Rizal Park, the venue of the 27
th
annual weeklong Pistang
Milenyo Filipino, will be transformed into a special Millennium Park. Various
sections of the Rizal Park will carry themes; have interesting decorations and
activities to attract the masses to the festival and the Turn-of-the-Century
program at the Quirino Grandstand on December 31.
Rizal Park, she said, will be dressed in "a truly special fashion." It will carry highly
interesting Filipino outdoor decorations--arches, buntings, surprise art objects,
streamers that will put into focus the general themes of the Philippine Millennium
celebration.
DOT Undersecretary Ram Antonio said this years festivities to welcome the new
millennium will have various events to be held in designated areas at the Rizal
Park.
Opening ceremonies will be on Tuesday, the 26th of the month simultaneous with
the opening of several activities. In the afternoon. There will street dancing at the
Quirino Grandstand and a sarsuwela at the open-air auditorium.
Thursday, December 27 will be the Araw ng Pampalakasan (Sports Day), which
will be highlighted by different sports activities like the Arnisan Exhibition at the
Rizal Park grounds and a sky-jumping exhibition. In the afternoon, there will be a
unique chess exhibition that would feature the countrys top chess players with
humans as chess pieces.
138

The following day, Friday, December 28, will be Araw ng Batang Pinoy (Filipino
Childrens Festival). The venue, which is beside the DOT building, will be spruced
up and some local mythological figures such as Ibong Adarna and the Kapre will
be put up to heighten awareness and interest of Filipino children on Philippine
myths and legends. There will also be kite-flying exhibition at the Quirino
Grandstand while on the Childrens Playground, various games and shows will be
held.
Saturday, December 29 will be the Araw ng Pistang Filipino, where there will be
folk games, Parada ng Pistang Pinoy, and a Komedya at the open-air
auditorium.
Sunday, December 30th will be the Araw ng Dakilang Bayani (Rizal Martyrdom
Day), where activities lined up will include a wreath-laying at the Rizal
Momument in the morning, to be followed by the tracing of the last footsteps of
Dr. Jose Rizal. There will also be the Paseo de Ayer at the Rizal Park promenade.
On the eve of the new millennium, Monday, December 31, activities would
include a millennium mass, Diana ng Musiko and the ABS-CBN Millennium
Extravaganza which will be held up to 3:00 a.m. of January 1, 2013.
The highlight of the event will be the Kapit-Bisig (linking of arms) ritual to be led by
no less than the President himself and the First Family together with other
government officials, high society profile and showbiz personalities. This will be
held at the Quirino Grandstand on New Years Eve.
A 20-minute long grand fireworks display, sponsored by private businessmen, will
light up Manilas skies and the entire length of Manila Bay.
Bohol, Cavite, Bulacan, Quezon Festivals in Manila this December 29
Manila, December 20, 2012 - Several of the most popular and colorful festivals
from 4 provinces will be imported to parade along Roxas Boulevard in Pista ng
Pinoy, a Filipino fiesta-style mardi gras on December 29 as part of the annual
weeklong Pistang Milenyo Filipino.
Secretary Alberto A. Lim of the Department of Tourism (DOT), who chairs the
Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebrations, said the parade will start at
the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex at exactly 3:00 p.m. and will
end at the Quirino Grandstand, where each group will perform.
Both north and southbound lanes of Roxas Boulevard will be closed to traffic
from 2:30 P.M. until the end of the parade at about 7:00 P.M. on December 29.
Among the famous fiestas to be showcased in the parade are the Carabao
festival of Pulilan, Bulacan; Pahiyas ng Lucban, Quezon; Coco Festival of San
Pablo City; Maytinis of Cavite; Agawan of Sariaya, Quezon; and the Sandugo
Festival of Bohol.
Region III Director Ronaldo Tiotuico described the Carabao festival as an exhibit
featuring the countrys development program on productivity in agriculture,
livestock and food security.
139

"This is a parade of trained and colorfully dressed up carabaos from Pulilan with
45 farmers and a marching band," Tiotuico said.
The Agawan sa Sariaya Festival will feature "Mga Taong Bagacay (MTB) dressed
in authentic costumes made from the towns agricultural produce such as
coconuts, vegetable and delicacies like suman and pastillas among others.
Mayor Rosauro "Boyet" V. Masilang of Sariaya is inviting parade-watchers to join
the revelry by reaching out for the various products and delicacies jutting out
from bagacay or thin bamboo poles.
The Pahiyas festival will feature a float with two Bahay Kubo depicting an old hut
and a new one, which will be decorated with kiping (multi-colored, paper thin,
leaf-shaped rice waffles). Around 160 Parikitan ladies will be dressed in unique
Lucban costumes complete with locally produced hats, fans and other
accessories and will parade with the image of San Isidro Labrador, the patron
saint of farmers and workers.
From Laguna, the Coconut Festival of San Pablo City will feature the young
people of San Pablo as coco dancers who will be dressed in costumes fashioned
out of coconut products while dancing to the beat of festive music and
percussion instruments.
Cavite Governor Juanito Victor Remulla worked for the staging of the Maytinis
tradition during the parade. It is held in Kawit, Cavite every Christmas eve.
Mayor Reynaldo Aguinaldo of Kawit, Cavite said the Maytinis starts with the
Liturgy of the Word and a procession of floats chronologically arranged to depict
the history of salvation.
Bohol Governor Edgardo Chatto is flying in 110 children and adults from Bohol to
perform their provinces famous Sandugo Festival in Manila during the parade.
Sandugo is a cultural exposition of songs, dances, pageantry and parade. It is a
commemoration of the treaty of friendship and cooperation forged between
Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Boholano chieftain Datu
Sikatuna, also known as The Blood Compact because the signatories allegedly
signed their names in blood.
The Pista ng Pinoy parade is being held in cooperation with the Sariaya Quadro
Centennial, Inc. Lucban Pahiyas Foundation, San Pablo City Coco Festival
Committee, Alagad ng Kasarinlan Foundation of Kawit, Sandugo Committee of
Bohol and their respective municipal and provincial governments and its tourism
councils.
The annual weeklong Milenyo Filipino festival is focused around the theme of
agricultural progress through science and technology and business progress
through trade and industry, education, health, labor and employment, public
works and highways, social welfare and development, transportation and
communications, lifestyle in arts and culture, health and family, home and
entertaining, youth and popular culture, fashion and beauty, high society, sports,
travel and relationships and entertainment through radio, television and cinema.
140

Pusan Point Millennium Sunrise Package Tours Ready
Davao City, Dec. 25, 2013 - Special package tours are now available for nature
lovers and mountaineers who will trek to Pusan Point in Davao Oriental to watch
the first sunrise of the 21st century.
The dawn of the new millennium in the Philippines will be first visible at exactly
5:46 A.M. on Jan 1, 2013 at Pusan Point, Barangay Santiago in Caraga, Davao
Oriental. Watching the first millennium sunrise will highlight the festivities of the
day in the region.
In a report to Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. of the Department of Tourism, DOT
Region XI Director Art Boncato said preparations may not be as grand as in other
places but the sight will be memorable to whoever will be lucky enough to
witness it.
Jimenez chairs the Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebration, which is
tasked to prepare for the countrys annual observance of the New Year.
The celebration of the event, dubbed Pusan Point: First Sight, First Light, will
feature a variety of activities aimed at fostering peace and unity of the Filipinos.
Among these activities are a mountain bike tour, Parada ng mga Parol, sports
festival, search for Binibining Caraga and a guided tour for parties interested to
discover more about Pusan Point.
Tourists will be treated to a socio-cultural show and a grill party at the park on
December 31, 2007, before a sunrise breakfast and salo-salo at dawn on January
1, 2008.
Boncato said a major infrastructure development is being undertaken in Caraga,
especially improvement of the trails leading to Pusan Point.
She added that tour packages have been arranged for the convenience of out-
of-town guests.
Since there is no permanent settlement near the site, two types of
accommodations have been made available. Guests may be accommodated
either in tents or makeshift camps installed in the site of Caraga Tourism complex.
Boncato said the package rate for the tents is only P2, 350, which is inclusive of
round trip air con transportation, meals and entrance fees.
A guests stay at the Caraga Tourism Complex is only P3, 250, which includes
round trip aircon transportation, meals, entrance fees and a guided tour.
The preparations in Caraga are part of the Pistang Milenyo Filipino, a six-day
annual nationwide and worldwide celebration set for December 26 to January
9.
Secretary Jimenez said the activities in Manila will be held at the Rizal Park, which
will be transformed into a special Millennium Park with colorful decorations and
festivities meant to attract people to the Turn-of-the-Century program at the
Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila on December 31, where President
141

Pascual and his family will join the masses say goodbye to 2007 and welcome
the year 2008.
Pistang Milenyo Filipino celebration goes full blast

Manila, December 27, 2007 - The Aquino administration's weeklong festivities to
welcome the year 2008, dubbed 22nd annual Pistang Milenyo Filipino
(December 1985 - December 2007), is now in full blast after it was formally
opened Wednesday, December 26, 2007 by Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim in
ceremonies held at the Rizal Park.
Amid festive atmosphere, Mayor Lim declared open the Milenyo Filipino festival
near the 30-foot parol (lantern) at the Rizal Park that simultaneously ushered
activities in arts and culture, agriculture, banking, education, entertainment
(television, radio, cinema), fashion and beauty, food, health, home and
entertaining, high society, information communications and technology (ICT),
justice, motoring, youth and popular culture, gadgets, real estate, science and
technology (S&T), social welfare and development, sports, technology,
telecoms, trade and industry (T&I) and transportation and commuications (T&C).
142

The celebrations, which are held simultaneously nationwide and worldwide,
run from December 26 to 31, 2007.
While Rizal Park is the center of celebration of the Filipino spirit in the New Year
2008, various activities were also held in all the regions and in 227 countries:
Philippines (home base)
NCR - Metro Manila
Manila
Quezon City
Caloocan
Malabon
Navotas
Valenzuela
San Juan
Mandaluyong
Makati
Marikina
Pasig
Region 1 - Ilocos Region
Laoag and Ilocos Norte
Vigan and Ilocos Sur
Bangued and Abra
Batac City
Candon City
Parts of La Union:
o San Gabriel
o Santol
o Sudipen
o Bangar
Parts of Cagayan:
o Santa Praxedes
o Claveria
o Calayan
o Sanchez-Mira
o Pamplona
Region 2 - Cagayan Valley
Santiago City and Isabela
Tuguegarao City and Cagayan
Basco and Batanes
Cabarroguis and Quirino
Bayombong and Nueva Vizcaya
Parts of Benguet:
o Itogon
o Kabayan
143

o Bokod
Parts of Mountain Province:
o Barlig
o Natonin
o Paracelis
Parts of Ifugao:
o Tinoc
o Asipulo
o Lamut
o Lagawe
o Mayoyao
o Aguinaldo
o Alfonso Lista
Parts of Kalinga:
o Pinukpuk
o Rizal
Parts of Apayao:
o Santa Marcela
o Pudtol
o Conner
CAR - Cordilera Administrative Region
San Fernando City and La Union
Baguio City and Benguet
Banaue and Ifugao
Sagada and Mountain Province
Kabugao and Apayao
Tabuk and Kalinga
Northern Parts of Ilocos Sur:
o Tagudin
o Alilem
o Suyo
o Sugpon
o Cervantes
o Sigay
o Quirino
o Gregorio del Pilar
o San Emilio
Parts of Pangasinan:
o San Fabian
o Sison
o San Manuel
o San Nicolas
Region 3 - Central Luzon
Dagupan City and Pangasinan
Tarlac City and Tarlac
144

Cabanatuan City and Nueva Ecija
San Fernando City and Pampanga
Balanga City and Bataan
Malolos City and Bulacan
Olongapo City and Zambales
Baler and Aurora
Northern Parts of Quezon:
o General Nakar
o Real
o Infanta
o Polillo
o Panukulan
o Burdeos
Parts of Nueva Vizcaya:
o Santa Fe
o Aritao
o Dupax del Norte
o Dupax del Sur
o Alfonso Castaneda
Region 4A - CALABARZON
Jalajala and Rizal
Tagaytay City and Cavite
San Pablo and Laguna
Batangas City and Batangas
Lucena City and Quezon
3
rd
and 4
th
District of Metro Manila:
o Pasig
o Marikina
o Makati
o Las Pinas
o Muntinlupa
o Paraaque
o Pasay
o Taguig
o Pateros
Region 4B - MIMAROPA
San Jose and Occidental Mindoro
Calapan City and Oriental Mindoro
Boac and Marinduque
Odiongan and Romblon
Puerto Princesa City and Palawan
Kalayaan Group of Islands
Region 5 - Bicol
Naga City and Camarines Sur
145

Daet and Camarines Norte
Virac and Catanduanes
Legazpi City and Albay
Sorsogon City and Sorsogon
Masbate City and Masbate
Southern parts of Quezon:
o Plaridel
o Gumaca
o Lopez
o Calauag
o Guinayangan
o Tagkawayan
o Unisan
o Pitogo
o Macalelon
o Buenavista
o General Luna
o Catanauan
o Mulanay
o Jomalig
o Quezon
o San Narciso
o San Francisco
o San Andres
Northwest parts of Northern Samar:
o Allen
o Lavezares
o Victoria
o San Isidro
o Biri
o Capul
o San Antonio
o San Vicente
Region 6 - Western Visayas
Aklan
Antique
Roxas City and Capiz
Iloilo City and Iloilo Province
Guimaras
Parts of Masbate:
o Balud
o Mandaon
Bacolod City and Negros Occidental
Parts of Negros Oriental
o Canlaon City
o Guihulngan City
146

o Jimalalud
o La Libertad
o Vallehermoso
Parts of West Coast of Cebu
o Aloguinsan
o Asturias
o Balamban
o Barili
o Pinamungahan
o Tuburan
Region 7 - Central Visayas
Cebu City
Cebu Province
Dumaguete and Negros Oriental
Siquijor
Bohol
Region 8 - Eastern Visayas
Tacloban City
Samar
Leyte
Eastern Samar
Northern Samar
Biliran
Southern Leyte
Region 9 - Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga City
Isabela City and Basilan
Ipil and Zamboanga Sibugay
Sulu
Tawi-Tawi
Region 10 - Northern Mindanao
Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental
Ozamiz City and Misamis Occidental
Iligan City and Lanao del Norte
Marawi City and Lanao del Sur
Malaybalay City and Bukidnon
Dipolog City and Zamboanga del Norte
Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur
Camiguin
Southern Parts of Bohol
o Alburquerque
o Dauis
o Lila
147

o Loboc
o Panglao
o Tagbilaran City
Parts of Agusan del Sur
o Esperanza
o Loreto
o La Paz
o San Luis
Region 11 - Southern Mindanao
Davao City
Davao del Norte
Davao del Sur
Davao Occidental
Davao Oriental
Compostela Valley
Region 12 - SOCSARGEN
General Santos City
South Cotabato
Sultan Kudarat
Sarangani
Parts of Davao Occidental
o Don Marcelino
o Jose Abad Santos
o Sarangani
Cotabato City and Maguindanao
North Cotabato
Region 13 - CARAGA
Butuan City
Surigao City
Bislig City
Tandag City
Bayugan City
Cabadbaran City
Agusan del Norte
Agusan del Sur
Surigao del Sur
Surigao del Norte
Dinagat Islands
Parts of Southern Leyte
o Liloan
o Limasawa
o Maasin
o Pintuyan
o San Francisco
148

o San Ricardo
Africa
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Ivory Coast (Cte d'Ivoire)
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
So Tom and Prncipe
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
149

South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
les parses
Mayotte
Runion
Pantelleria
Pelagie Islands
Madeira
Spain
Canary Islands
Ceuta
Melilla
Places of sovereignty
o Chafarinas Islands
o Pen de Alhucemas
o Pen de Vlez de la Gomera
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Western Sahara
Yemen
Socotra
Americas
Antigua and Barbuda
Anguilla
Argentina
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bonaire
Bonaire
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Canada
Cayman Islands
Chile
Clipperton Island
Colombia
Costa Rica
150

Cuba
Curaao
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Falkland Islands
Federal Dependencies of Venezuela
French Guiana
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Iceland
Jamaica
Martinique
Mexico
Montserrat
Navassa Island
Nicaragua
Nueva Esparta
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Puerto Rico
Saba
Saint Lucia
San Andrs and Providencia
Sint Eustatius
Sint Maarten
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
St. Barthlemy
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Martin
St. Pierre and Miquelon
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands
United States
United States Virgin Islands
Uruguay
Venezuela
151

United States
New York metropolitan area
New York City, New York
Huntington, New York
Yonkers, New York
The Bronx, New York
Brooklyn, New York
Manhattan, New York
Queens, New York
Staten Island, New York
Dutchness Country, New York
Beacon, New York
Harrison, New York
Kingston, New York
Long Beach, New York
New Rochelle, New York
Newburgh (city), New York
Orange County, New York
Peekskill, New York
Poughkeepsie, New York
Putnam County, New York
Rockland County, New York
Rye (city), New York
Scarsdale, New York
Suffolk County, New York
Ulster County, New York
Westchester County, New York
White Plains, New York
Bridgeport, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Danbury, Connecticut
Branford, Connecticut
Cheshire, Connecticut
Danbury, Connecticut
East Haven, Connecticut
Hamden, Connecticut
Wolcott, Connecticut
Winchester, Connecticut
Wilton, Connecticut
Weston, Connecticut
Ansonia, Connecticut
Brookfield, Connecticut
Bethel, Connecticut
152

Derby, Connecticut
Darien, Connecticut
Guilford, Connecticut
Hamden, Connecticut
Madison, Connecticut
Meriden, Connecticut
Milford, Connecticut
Monroe, Connecticut
Naugatuck, Connecticut
New Canaan, Connecticut
New Fairfield, Connecticut
Newtown, Connecticut
North Branford, Connecticut
North Haven, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Wallingford, Connecticut
Trumbull, Connecticut
Torrington, Connecticut
Shelton, Connecticut
Stratford, Connecticut
Wolcott, Connecticut
Southbury, Connecticut
Seymour, Connecticut
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergenfield, New Jersey
East Orange, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Essex County, New Jersey
Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Freehold Township, New Jersey
Garfield, New Jersey
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Marlboro Township, New Jersey
Mercer County, New Jersey
Meriden, Connecticut
Middlesex County, New Jersey
Middletown Township, New Jersey
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Morris County, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Palisades Park, New Jersey
153

Paterson, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Ridgefield, New Jersey
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Rutherford, New Jersey
Saddle Brook, New Jersey
Secaucus, New Jersey
Somerset County, New Jersey
Summit, New Jersey
Sussex County, New Jersey
Tenafly, New Jersey
Union County, New Jersey
Warren County, New Jersey
West Milford, New Jersey
West New York, New Jersey
Westwood, New Jersey
Wyckoff, New Jersey
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
Los Angeles, California
Long Beach, California
Santa Ana, California
Anaheim, California
West Covina, California
Burbank, California
Costa Mesa, California
Downey, California
East Los Angeles, California
El Monte, California
Fullerton, California
Garden Grove, California
Glendale, California
Huntington Beach, California
Inglewood, California
Irvine, California
Norwalk, California
Orange, California
Pasadena, California
Pomona, California
Santa Clarita, California
Simi Valley, California
South Gate, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Torrance, California
154

Chicago Metropolitan Area
Chicago
Aurora, Illinois
Berwyn, Illinois
Calumet City, Illinois
Chicago Heights, Illinois
Crystal Lake, Illinois
DeKalb, Illinois
Des Plaines, Illinois
Elgin, Illinois
Elmhurst, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Gary, Indiana
Hammond, Indiana
Joliet, Illinois
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Naperville, Illinois
North Chicago, Illinois
Park Ridge, Illinois
Portage, Indiana
St. Charles, Illinois
Valparaiso, Indiana
Waukegan, Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois
Addison, Illinois
Algonquin, Illinois
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Bartlett, Illinois
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Carol Stream, Illinois
Carpentersville, Illinois
Cicero, Illinois
Downers Grove, Illinois
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Glendale Heights, Illinois
Glenview, Cook County, Illinois
Gurnee, Illinois
Hanover Park, Illinois
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Lombard, Illinois
Mount Prospect, Illinois
Mundelein, Illinois
Northbrook, Illinois
Oak Lawn, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois
Orland Park, Illinois
155

Oswego, Illinois
Palatine, Illinois
Plainfield, Illinois
Romeoville, Illinois
Schaumburg, Illinois
Skokie, Illinois
Streamwood, Illinois
Tinley Park, Illinois
Wheeling, Illinois
Woodridge, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
DeKalb County, Illinois
DuPage County, Illinois
Grundy County, Illinois
Kane County, Illinois
Kendall County, Illinois
Lake County, Illinois
McHenry County, Illinois
Will County, Illinois
Jasper County, Indiana
Lake County, Indiana
Merrillville, Indiana
Newton County, Indiana
Porter County, Indiana
Kenosha County, Wisconsin
BaltimoreWashington metropolitan area
Baltimore, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland (Capital of Maryland)
Hagerstown, Maryland
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen, Maryland
Accokeek, Maryland
Adamstown, Maryland
Adelphi, Maryland
Andrews AFB, Maryland
Annapolis Neck, Maryland
Antietam, Maryland
Aquasco, Maryland
Arbutus, Maryland
Arden on the Severn
Arnold, Maryland
Ashton-Sandy Spring
Aspen Hill, Maryland
Baden, Maryland
Bagtown, Maryland
156

Bakersville, Maryland
Ballenger Creek, Maryland
Baltimore Highlands, Maryland
Barclay, Maryland
Barnesville, Maryland
Bartonsville, Maryland
Beaver Creek, Maryland
Bel Air North, Maryland
Bel Air South, Maryland
Bel Air, Maryland
Beltsville, Maryland
Benedict, Maryland
Bensville, Maryland
Berwyn Heights, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Big Pool, Maryland
Big Spring, Maryland
Bladensburg, Maryland
Boonsboro, Maryland
Bowie, Maryland
Bowleys Quarters, Maryland
Braddock Heights, Maryland
Brandywine, Maryland
Breathedsville, Maryland
Brentwood, Maryland
Brock Hall, Maryland
Brookeville, Maryland
Brooklyn Park, Maryland
Brookmont, Maryland
Broomes Island, Maryland
Brownsville, Maryland
Brunswick, Maryland
Bryans Road, Maryland
Bryantown, Maryland
Buckeystown, Maryland
Burkittsville, Maryland
Burtonsville, Maryland
Cabin John, Maryland
California, Maryland
Calvert Beach, Maryland
Calverton, Maryland
Camp Springs, Maryland
Cape Saint Claire, Maryland
Capitol Heights, Maryland
Carney, Maryland
Catonsville, Maryland
Cavetown, Maryland
157

Cearfoss, Maryland
Cedarville, Maryland
Centreville, Maryland
Charlotte Hall, Maryland
Charlton, Maryland
Chesapeake Beach, Maryland
Chesapeake Ranch Estates, Maryland
Chester, Maryland
Cheverly, Maryland
Chevy Chase Section Three, Maryland
Chevy Chase Section Five, Maryland
Chevy Chase View, Maryland
Chevy Chase Village, Maryland
Chevy Chase, Maryland
Chewsville, Maryland
Chillum, Maryland
Church Hill, Maryland
Clarksburg, Maryland
Clear Spring, Maryland
Clinton, Maryland
Cloverly, Maryland
Cobb Island, Maryland
Cockeysville, Maryland
Colesville, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
Colmar Manor, Maryland
Columbia, Maryland
Coral Hills, Maryland
Cottage City, Maryland
Crofton, Maryland
Croom, Maryland
Crownsville, Maryland
Damascus, Maryland
Dargan, Maryland
Darlington, Maryland
Darnestown, Maryland
Deale, Maryland
Derwood, Maryland
District Heights, Maryland
Downsville, Maryland
Drum Point, Maryland
Dundalk, Maryland
Dunkirk, Maryland
Eagle Harbor, Maryland
Eakles Mill, Maryland
East Riverdale, Maryland
Edgemere, Maryland
Edgemont, Maryland
158

Edgewater, Maryland
Edgewood, Maryland
Edmonston, Maryland
Eldersburg, Maryland
Elkridge, Maryland
Ellicott City, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
Ernstville, Maryland
Essex, Maryland
Fairland, Maryland
Fairmount Heights, Maryland
Fairplay, Maryland
Fairview, Maryland
Fairwood, Maryland
Fallston, Maryland
Ferndale, Maryland
Forest Glen, Maryland
Forest Heights, Maryland
Forestville, Maryland
Fort Meade, Maryland
Fort Ritchie, Maryland
Fort Washington, Maryland
Fountainhead-Orchard Hills, Maryland
Four Corners, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Friendly, Maryland
Friendship, Maryland
Friendship Heights Village
Fulton, Maryland
Funkstown, Maryland
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Galesville, Maryland
Gambrills, Maryland
Gapland, Maryland
Garrett Park, Maryland
Garretts Mill, Maryland
Garrison, Maryland
Germantown, Maryland
Glassmanor, Maryland
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Glen Echo, Maryland
Glenarden, Maryland
Glenmont, Maryland
Glenn Dale, Maryland
Golden Beach, Maryland
Grasonville, Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greensburg, Maryland
159

Halfway, Maryland
Hampstead, Maryland
Hampton, Maryland
Hancock, Maryland
Havre de Grace, Maryland
Herald Harbor, Maryland
Highfield-Cascade, Maryland
Highland, Maryland
Highland Beach, Maryland
Hillandale, Maryland
Hillcrest Heights, Maryland
Hughesville, Maryland
Huntingtown, Maryland
Hyattsville, Maryland
Ilchester, Maryland
Indian Head, Maryland
Indian Springs, Maryland
Jarrettsville, Maryland
Jefferson, Maryland
Jessup, Maryland
Joppatowne, Maryland
Jugtown, Maryland
Keedysville, Maryland
Kemp Mill, Maryland
Kemps Mill, Maryland
Kensington, Maryland
Kent Narrows, Maryland
Kettering, Maryland
Kingstown, Maryland
Kingsville, Maryland
Konterra, Maryland
La Plata, Maryland
Lake Arbor, Maryland
Lake Shore, Maryland
Landover Hills, Maryland
Landover, Maryland
Langley Park, Maryland
Lanham, Maryland
Lansdowne, Maryland
Largo, Maryland
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel, Maryland
Layhill, Maryland
Laytonsville, Maryland
Leisure World, Maryland
Leitersburg, Maryland
Leonardtown, Maryland
Lexington Park, Maryland
160

Libertytown, Maryland
Linganore, Maryland
Linthicum, Maryland
Lochearn, Maryland
Long Beach, Maryland
Lusby, Maryland
Lutherville, Maryland
Manchester, Maryland
Mapleville, Maryland
Marlboro Meadows, Maryland
Marlboro Village, Maryland
Marlow Heights, Maryland
Marlton, Maryland
Martin's Additions, Maryland
Maryland City, Maryland
Maugansville, Maryland
Mayo, Maryland
Mays Chapel, Maryland
Mechanicsville, Maryland
Melwood, Maryland
Mercersville, Maryland
Middle River, Maryland
Middleburg, Maryland
Middletown, Maryland
Milford Mill, Maryland
Mitchellville, Maryland
Monrovia, Maryland
Montgomery Village, M aryland
Morningside, Maryland
Mount Aetna, Maryland
Mount Airy, Maryland
Mount Briar, Maryland
Mount Lena, Maryland
Mount Rainier, Maryland
Myersville, Maryland
National Harbor, Maryland
Naval Academy, Maryland
New Carrollton, Maryland
New Market, Maryland
New Windsor, Maryland
North Beach, Maryland
North Bethesda, Maryland
North Brentwood, Maryland
North Chevy Chase, Maryland
North Kensington, Maryland
North Laurel, Maryland
North Potomac, Maryland
Odenton, Maryland
161

Olney, Maryland
Overlea, Maryland
Owings, Maryland
Owings Mills, Maryland
Oxon Hill, Maryland
Paramount-Long Meadow
Parkville, Maryland
Parole, Maryland
Pasadena, Maryland
Pecktonville
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Perry Hall, Maryland
Perryman, Maryland
Pikesville, Maryland
Pinesburg, Maryland
Piney Point, Maryland
Pleasant Hills, Maryland
Point of Rocks, Maryland
Pomfret, Maryland
Pondsville, Maryland
Poolesville, Maryland
Port Tobacco Village, Maryland
Potomac Heights, Maryland
Potomac, Maryland
Prince Frederick, Maryland
Pylesville, Maryland
Queen Anne, Prince George's County
Queen Anne, Queen Anne's County
Queenland, Maryland
Queenstown, Maryland
Randallstown, Maryland
Redland, Maryland
Reid, Maryland
Reisterstown, Maryland
Ringgold, Maryland
Riva, Maryland
Riverdale Park, Maryland
Riverside, Maryland
Riviera Beach, Maryland
Robinwood, Maryland
Rock Point, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rohrersville
Rosaryville, Maryland
Rosedale, Maryland
Rosemont
Rossville, Maryland
162

Sabillasville, Maryland
Saint James, Maryland
Saint Leonard, Maryland
San Mar, Maryland
Sandy Hook, Maryland
Savage, Maryland
Scaggsville, Maryland
Seabrook, Maryland
Seat Pleasant, Maryland
Severn, Maryland
Severna Park, Maryland
Shady Side, Maryland
Sharpsburg, Maryland
Silver Hill, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Smithsburg, Maryland
Solomons, Maryland
Somerset, Maryland
South Kensington, Maryland
South Laurel, Maryland
Spencerville, Maryland
Spring Ridge, Maryland
Springdale, Maryland
St. George Island, Maryland
Stevensville, Maryland
Sudlersville, Maryland
Suitland, Maryland
Summerfield, Maryland
Sykesville, Maryland
Takoma Park, Maryland
Tall Timbers, Maryland
Taneytown, Maryland
Temple Hills, Maryland
Templeville, Maryland
Thurmont, Maryland
Tilghmanton, Maryland
Timonium, Maryland
Towson, Maryland
Towson, Maryland
Travilah, Maryland
Trego-Rohrersville Station
Union Bridge, Maryland
University Park, Maryland
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Urbana, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland
Walker Mill, Maryland
Walkersville, Maryland
163

Washington Grove, Maryland
Washington, District of Columbia
West Laurel, Maryland
Westminster, Maryland
Westphalia, Maryland
Wheaton, Maryland
White Marsh, Maryland
White Oak, Maryland
Williamsport, Maryland
Wilson-Conococheague, Maryland
Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland
Woodlawn, Prince George's County, Maryland
Woodmore, Maryland
Woodsboro, Maryland
Yarrowsburg, Maryland
Alexandria, Virginia
Annandale, Virginia
Aquia Harbour, Virginia
Arcola, Virginia
Ashburn, Virginia
Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia
Bealeton, Virginia
Belle Haven, Virginia
Belmont, Virginia
Berryville, Virginia
Boswell's Corner, Virginia
Boyce, Virginia
Brambleton, Virginia
Broadlands, Virginia
Buckhall, Virginia
Bull Run Mountain Estates, Virginia
Bull Run, Virginia
Burke Centre, Virginia
Burke, Virginia
Calverton, Virginia
Cascades, Virginia
Catlett, Virginia
Centreville, Virginia
Chantilly, Virginia
Cherry Hill, Virginia
Clifton, Virginia
Countryside, Virginia
County Center, Virginia
Crosspointe, Virginia
Culpeper, Virginia
Dahlgren, Virginia
Dale City, Virginia
Dranesville, Virginia
164

Dulles Town Center, Virginia (major airport: Washington Dulles International
Airport)
Dumfries, Virginia
Dunn Loring, Virginia
Fair Lakes, Virginia
Fair Oaks, Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax Station, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
Fairview Beach, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
Falmouth, Virginia
Floris, Virginia
Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Fort Hunt, Virginia
Franconia, Virginia
Franklin Farm, Virginia
Fredericksburg (acts as a central city)
Front Royal, Virginia
Gainesville, Virginia
George Mason, Virginia
Great Falls, Virginia
Greenbriar, Virginia
Groveton, Virginia
Hamilton, Virginia
Hayfield, Virginia
Haymarket, Virginia
Herndon, Virginia
Hillsboro, Virginia
Huntington , Virginia
Hybla Valley, Virginia
Idylwood, Virginia
Independent Hill, Virginia
King George, Virginia
Kings Park West, Virginia
Kings Park, Virginia
Kingstowne, Virginia
Lake Barcroft, Virginia
Lake Ridge, Virginia
Lansdowne, Virginia
Laurel Hill, Virginia
Leesburg, Virginia
Lincolnia, Virginia
Linton Hall, Virginia
Loch Lomond, Virginia
Long Branch, Virginia
Lorton, Virginia
Loudoun Valley Estates, Virginia
Lovettsville, Virginia
165

Lowes Island, Virginia
Manassas, Virginia
Manassas Park, Virginia
Mantua, Virginia
Marshall, Virginia
Marumsco
Mason Neck, Virginia
McLean, Virginia
McNair, Virginia
Merrifield, Virginia
Middleburg, Virginia
Midland, Virginia
Montclair, Virginia
Moorefield Station, Virginia
Mount Vernon, Virginia
Neabsco, Virginia
New Baltimore, Virginia
Newington, Virginia
Newington Forest, Virginia
Nokesville, Virginia
North Springfield, Virginia
Oak Grove, Virginia
Oakton, Virginia
Occoquan, Virginia
Opal, Virginia
Pimmit Hills, Virginia
Potomac Mills, Virginia
Purcellville, Virginia
Quantico, Virginia
Quantico Base, Virginia
Ravensworth, Virginia
Remington, Virginia
Reston, Virginia
Rose Hill, Virginia
Round Hill, Virginia
Seven Corners, Virginia
Shenandoah Retreat, Virginia
South Riding, Virginia
South Run, Virginia
Southern Gateway, Virginia
Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia
Springfield, Virginia
Stafford Courthouse, Virginia
Sterling, Virginia
Stone Ridge, Virginia
Sudley, Virginia
Sugarland Run, Virginia
The Plains, Virginia
166

Triangle, Virginia
Tysons Corner, Virginia
University Center, Virginia
Vienna, Virginia
Wakefield, Fairfax County
Warrenton, Virginia
West Falls Church, Virginia
West Springfield, Virginia
Wolf Trap, Virginia
Woodburn, Virginia
Woodlawn, Fairfax County, Virginia
Yorkshire, Virginia
Asia
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167

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168

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169

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Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Wake Island
Wallis
As chosen by President Karen Lourdes L. Pascual himself, the theme of the
Pistang Milenyo Filipino is the centerpiece agenda of his administration, which is
food security and agricultural modernization through science and technology,
and priorty projects under the public-private partnership in education, health,
tourism, and transportation.
The Milenyo Filipino festival is sponsored by the Committee on the Turn-of-the-
Century Celebrations, a component of the Presidential Commission on the New
Century and the Millennium, which is jointly chaired by Secretaries Proceso
Alcala of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Dr. Mario Montejo of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike
Velarde respectively.
Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. of the Department of Tourism (DOT), who is the
committee chairperson, said President Aquino chose the theme of the Philippine
millennium celebrations, which is food security for all Filipinos, to stress the role of
S&T in the country's quest for food self-sufficiency, the business sector for the
public and private partnership mode in several sectors of education, health,
public works and highways and transportation and communications, the lifestyle
sector for arts and culture, health, home and entertaining, fashion and beauty,
170

food, youth and popular culture, high society, theater, travel and relationships
and entertainment for radio, television and theater.
After the formal opening ceremonies, Jimenez and other officials rode a tranvia
that brought them to the different exhibit areas within Rizal Park.
Recessional routes that started at the Rizal Monument passed by the National
Historical Institute, National Library, Children's Playground, Valencia Circle, DOT
Building, Halamanan ng Pilipino, Japanese and Chinese Gardens, Lights and
Sound, Yungib ng Kalikasan (man-made caves), and the Kanlungan ng Sining.
These exhibits will be opened to the public for free.
Among the activities that will highlight the Philippine millennium activities are the
Pistang Pambata at the Children's Park, which will include puppet shows, folk
games, giants parade; and the Halamanan ng Bayan at the corner of Taft
Avenue and Burgos Street which will feature ecotourism displays, exhibits,
concerts, demos and teach-ins.
A Sining Pinoy will convert the entire Agrifina Circle into a Pinoy Cafe scene with
outdoor exhibits, cultural performances, concerts, fashion shows and poetry
reading.
Another feature is the Philippine Millennium Garden Show at the Luneta
Orchidarium that will show the best collections of orchids, bromeliads, mums,
poinsettias, rose and other tropical plants.
There will also be rows of food stalls under the shady trees along Roxas Boulevard
and Kalaw Street to be put up by various hotels and restaurants inside shopping
malls.
The ceremonies opening the Pistang Milenyo Filipino were witnessed by regular
Wednesday strollers at the park.
The culmination rites on December 31 at the Quirino Grandstand will be
highlighted by a kapit-bisig (linking of arms) with the President and other officials
joining in.
The closing rites of Pistang Milenyo will be aired live by various radio and
television stations.
Last December 1, President Pascual went to the same venue to light the giant
parol, which will serve as the countdown marker during the New Year's Eve
celebrations at the Rizal Park.
A series of sporting activities dubbed the Araw ng Pampalakasan (Sports Day),
will highlight various sporting activities at the Rizal Park today.
This program, which aims to promote health and fitness, will be kicked off by a
fun run which will start at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City and end at the
Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park. The "fun run" will start at 7:00 A.M. supported
by Milo.
On this same day, Jimenez said, mountain climbing activities in Pampanga and
Davao del Norte were coordinated by the DOT in cooperation with the different
local government units in the two provinces.
171

A climb to Mount Pinatubo dubbed the "Pinatubo Trek" will also highlight the
millennium celebrations in the province of Pampanga, Lim said.
Another climb, this time to the peak of Mount Apo, the Philippines' highest
mountain in Kidapawan City, to witness the first sunrise of the new millennium will
highlight the series of activities lined up by the committee to welcome the year
2013.
Jimenez said the Rizal Park, the venue of the festival, will be transformed into a
special Millennium Park that will have interesting decorations and festivities
meant to attract people to the festival and the Turn-of-the-Century program at
the Quirino Grandstand on December 31 yearly.
The Park will be donned with traditional Filipino outdoor decorations--arches,
buntings, surprise art objects, streamers--that will put into focus the general
themes of the Philippine millennium celebration.
Jimenez said on the eve of the new millennium, December 31, activities would
include a millennium mass, Diana ng Musiko and the 22nd Annual ABS-
CBN Extravaganza, which will be held up to 3:00 A.M. of Jan. 1, 2013, in
coincidence with the Philippine Television's 55th anniversary.
MILLENNIUM PARTY: 14,000 cops to guard revelers
Manila, December 27, 2007 - PRESIDENT Karen Lourdes L. Pascual will link arms
with the First Family and government officials at the Rizal Park in the highlight of
the peak of the millennium activities on the last day of the year 2007.
This and other millennium festivities in Metro Manila will be secured by about
14,000 policemen, backed by 300 combat-trained policemen from other parts of
Luzon and 16 bomb-sniffing dogs.
Many other parts of the country are also in a frenzy of preparations to see off this
century and welcome the new millennium, including sunset and sunrise watches
and a millennium climb in the country's highest mountain in Mindanao.
Aside from the millennium kapit-bisig (arm-linking) with the President at the
Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park, Manila, there will also be festivities on Ayala
Avenue in Makati City, the Global City in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City and the
Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.
Smaller celebrations are expected at the Monumento Circle in Caloocan City,
Sucat in Paraaque City and Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City.
Manila will also be the site of several government-sponsored activities:
Pistang Pambata (Children's Festival) at the Children's Park which will
include puppet shows, games and a parade of giants;
Halamanan ng Bayan (People's Garden) at the corner of Taft Avenue
and Burgos Street where there will be ecotourism displays, exhibits,
concerts and teach-ins;
Sining Pinoy, (Filipino Art) which will convert the entire Agrifina Circle into a
Pinoy cafe scene with outdoor exhibits, cultural shows, concerts, fashion
shows and poetry reading;
172

Philippine Millennium Garden Show at the Luneta Orchidarium which will
show the best collections of orchids, bromeliads, mums, poinsettias, roses
and other tropical plants.
At the Edsa Shrine, there will be a watch for the last sunset of the 20th century at
5:30 p.m. on December 31.
Fiesta
Additional police patrols, closed roads and traffic rerouting will mark the Western
Police District's preparations for the party with the President, where government
officials, dignitaries and thousands of people are expected, according to MPD
Chief Supt. Leocadio Santiago, Jr.
Police have not received reports of possible disruptions by terrorist groups, said
Razon.
Already, more than a hundred food and service kiosks, as well as exhibits by
government agencies, have started sprouting at the Rizal Park between Taft
Avenue and the Quirino Grandstand.
A fiesta atmosphere filled the air as members of the multi-agency Presidential
Commission on the New Century and Millennium put up red, green, blue and
yellow pennants and Milenyo Filipino banners around the park.
Cops and dogs
About 14,000 policemen, assisted by 300 combat-trained counterparts from
Southern and Central Luzon and 16 bomb-sniffing dogs would be deployed to
secure the huge crowds in Manila as well as other celebration sites in the
Philippines.
Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, director of the National Capital Regional Police
Office (NCRPO), said a red alert on December 30 will cap the three-day security
preparations for New Year's Eve.
Aglipay said armed policemen would be deployed on New Year's Eve in
anticipation of any breakdown in law and order that might be caused by a
massive blackout similar to the one that paralyzed Luzon recently.
A Y2K contingency plan had been drawn to enable police to handle the worst-
case scenario that could be triggered by the millennium bug.
''Likewise, we coordinated with the celebration organizers to provide their own
additional security force for peacekeeping,'' said Aglipay.
Although there is no liquor ban, city and municipal ordinances banning the
drinking of liquor on streets and sidewalks will be strictly implemented by the
police to discourage drunken-trouble makers, according to the NCRPO chief.
Aglipay appealed to the people who would attend the celebrations to refrain
from bringing alcoholic drinks as well as big cash and valuables so as not to
invite trouble.
Makati and Cavite
173

Portions of Makati's business district have been closed to traffic starting yesterday
in preparation for the millennium festivities.
The Makati Central Business District Task Force on Traffic issued traffic guidelines
for motorists.
In Cavite, fireworks will light up the skies while movie and TV stars will bring glitter
below on December 30, according to organizing committee chair
Congresswoman Lani Mercado-Revilla, wife of Senator Ramon ''Bong'' Revilla Jr.
Famous Caviteos will be present in Cavite's celebration, including former Prime
Minister Cesar Virata, Former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr., former Senator Helena
Benitez and Philippine National Police chief Hermogenes Esperon.
Vice-President Noli L. de Castro is the guest of honor and speaker.
The venue is the Liwasang Aguinaldo in Kawit.
First Light
In Mindanao, Davao Oriental Gov. Rosalind Lopez yesterday led the launch of
the annual millennium sunrise watch' at Pusan Point in Caraga, Davao
Oriental.
The launch of First Sight, First Light is a prelude to the vigil for the annual
millennium sunrise which is expected at 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday, January 1 from the
rocky promontory on the Pacific Ocean.
Lopez said at least 10,000 people could be accommodated in the ''tent city'' at
Pusan Point. A tent can be rented for P200.
The local officials had invited President Pascual, Vice President de Castro, Sen.
Loren Legarda and Tourism Secretary Alberto A. Lim to witness the first sunrise of
the millennium from Pusan Point.
Apo climb
Still in Mindanao, hundreds of mountain climbers, scientists, photographers and
plain nature lovers from all over the country are expected to join the ''millennium
climb'' in Mt. Apo to catch the first sunrise of the New Year.
In a report to the Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebrations, which is
headed by Araneta, Department of Tourism Region XII Director Sohura
Dimaampao said participants in the Millennium climb would have the chance to
see not only the first sunrise of the new year but also the last sunset of the year
2007.
They would also be able to view the New Year fireworks in the surrounding cities
of Davao and Kidapawan and the towns below the mountain.
Only a maximum of 500 climbers will be accommodated at the peak of Mt. Apo.
Dimaampao said mountaineers who would reach the mountain summit would
also earn the distinction of being conquerors of the country's highest peak.
At the break of dawn on Tuesday, January 1, 2013, white doves will released at
the peak of Mt. Apo.
174

Participants will be asked to donate a sum for the Mt. Apo clean-up drive.
The millennium climb is part of the annual Pistang Milenyo Pilipino
spearheaded by the Turn of the Century Celebrations committee.
Keep off Pulag
Another mountain, Mt. Pulag in Kabayan, Benguet in Luzon, is a sacred place
and millennium climbers should stay away, according to Araneta.
The tourism secretary is supporting the move by local tribal leaders to ban
mountain climbers from going up Pulag, which is the second highest peak after
Mt. Apo.
''Mt. Pulag is a sacred place,'' Araneta told reporters yesterday. ''The tribal
leaders could be afraid the climbers might desecrate sacred grounds. You can't
blame the tribes for closing the mountain.''
''We care about and respect the tribal leaders' opinions and we are careful
about the impact of mass tourism on the environment and ethnic communities.
The tourists and the climbers should understand.''
The municipality of Kabayan issued a resolution earlier this week closing Mt.
Pulag to climbers eager to catch the first millennium sunrise, saying it was sacred
ground for the Ibaloi and Kanakanaey tribes.
''The mountain's serenity must not be disturbed,'' read the resolution.
Mt. Pulag is a favorite of mountain climbers because of its accessibility and
altitude. With reports from Alcuin Papa in Manila; Ferdinand O. Zuasola, PDI
Mindanao Bureau
Roxas Boulevard traffic to be re-routed
A portion of Roxas Boulevard will be closed to vehicular traffic starting 2:00 p.m.
today (December 30, 2012) to 12:00 p.m. (January 1, 2013) to give way to the
the new years celebration and family reunion of El Shaddai at the Quirino
Grandstand.
Traffic authorities identified the portion as the south-bound and north-bound
lanes of Pedro Gil up to P. Burgos.
North-bound motorists are advised to turn right on Pedro Gil, left on Taft Avenue,
then turn left on P. Burgos Drive and then turn right on Bonifacio Drive
Jose Rizals spinal bone to be symbolically interred Sunday
By Erika Sauler, Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines, December 29, 2007A piece of Jose Rizals spinal bone
that was hit by a bullet during his execution in 1896 will be exhibited in a symbolic
interment on the 111
th
anniversary of his martyrdom on Sunday.
President Karen Lourdes Pascual will lead the centennial commemoration re-
enacting the transfer of Rizals remains from his sisters house in Binondo, Manila,
to his monument in Luneta Park.
175

We encourage everybody to participate and feel the historical moment of
laying Rizal to his final resting place, said Reghis Romero II, supreme commander
of the Order of the Knights of Rizal, which spearheaded the program together
with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
This is the 95th year of the transfer and decent burial of Rizal and it is significant
for all Filipinos to know his sacrifice in bringing liberation to the Filipino people,
Romero said.
The spinal bone will be placed in a replica of the ivory urn containing Rizals
bones, which was buried at the base of his monument in 1912 in a memorial
service led by the Knights of Rizal and the Masonic Lodge of the Philippines.
The urn will be carried in a motorized caisson and members of the Knights of Rizal
will escort it wearing a copy of their 1912 uniform accompanied by the music
played at that time.
Around 7,000 students, soldiers, policemen and government employees,
including Rizals descendants, have committed to join the procession, which will
converge in Luneta from three assembly points at 4 to 5 a.m.: Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz
in Binondo; Fort Santiago in Intramuros; and the Manila Hotel.
The public is also invited to join the procession and wear white to symbolize the
purity of Rizal.
The Knights of Rizal is mandated by a charter to inculcate the teachings of the
national hero and encourage Filipinos to emulate him in words and deeds.
The proponents of the charter explained that if these actions were carried out,
social discipline, civic virtues and love of justice would be fostered in the country.
Let Rizals life and martyrdom influence and guide the destiny of the nation. Let
this future generations live the Rizal way, the explanatory note stated.
Rizals body was dumped in an unmarked grave in the old Paco Cemetery after
his execution. Through his sister Narcisas persistence, his burial place was found
and marked with a marble cross with his initials in reverse.
Narcisa secretly marked the site so that the Spanish authorities would not transfer
and hide Rizals body to avoid public veneration.
Years later, Rizals remains were transferred in an ivory urn made by sculptor
Romualdo Teodoro de Jesus in Narcisas house in Binondo, where their mother
Teodora was also staying.
In an old photo obtained by the Knights of Rizal, Doa Teodora was seen
cradling the urn containing Rizals bones. She was said to have shown the
remains to visitors while reciting Rizals poem Mi Ultimo Adios.
Romero said foreigners would cry even though they didnt understand Spanish
because of the evident anguish of a mother who lost a son.
Unfortunately, Doa Teodora died before Rizals remains were given a proper
funeral in 1912.
176

Last days of Rizal and his burial

On December 30, 2007, the nation will commemorate the 95
th
anniversary of the
re-interment of Rizals remains in Rizal Park. A hundred years ago, on December
30, 1912, Jose Rizals remains were transferred from his familys custody to the
base of the monument during which, a ceremony was conducted. A year after
the transfer, Rizals monument was unveiled. This was the 17th anniversary of
his death.

The map above depicts the locations of the events starting from the verdict of
Rizals trial to the exhumation of his remains. The numbers on the map indicate
the places where the incidents happened. Below are narratives for the events
indicated in the map?
1
December 26, 1896 A Spanish court martial found Jose Rizal guilty for sedition
and sentenced him to death.
2
December 28, 1896 It was decided that Rizal will be executed by musketry;
Governor-General Camillo Polavieja confirmed the sentence.
3
December 28, 1896 Teodora Alonzo wrote the Governor-General asking for
clemency for her son.
4
177

December 28, 1896 At Malacaan Palace, Rizals sisters pleaded to Governor-
General Polavieja: stay Rizals execution.
5
December 29, 1896 Rizal was read his death sentence.
6
December 29, 1896 Rizal was visited by several priests including Fr. Faura, S.J.
7
December 29, 1896 Rizal wrote his last letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt which
read:
My dear Brother, when you receive this letter, I shall be dead by then. Tomorrow
at seven, I shall be shot; but I am innocent of the crime of rebellion. I am going to
die with a tranquil conscience. Adieu, my best, my dearest friend, and never
think ill of me! Fort Santiago, 29 December 1896 Jos Rizal regards to the whole
family, to Sra. Rosa, Loleng, Conradito, and Federico. I leave a book for you as
my remembrance.
8
December 29, 1896 Teodora Alonzo paid her final visit to Rizal. She was
accompanied by her daughter, Trinidad Mercado.
9
December 29, 1896 Rizals sisters were allowed to pay him visits. He gave them
his worldly possessions:
Narcisa Wicker Chair
Angelica, niece Handkerchief
Mauricio, nephew Belt, watch, and chain
Trinidad Alcohol Burner with Mi Ultimo Adios
10
December 30, 1896, 6:30 a.m. Rizal was brought to the execution site from Fort
Santiago.
11
December 30, 1896, 7:03 a.m. Rizal was executed by musketry.
12
December 30, 1896 After the execution, Rizals body was brought to San Juan
de Dios Hospital.
13
December 30, 1896 Rizals remains were buried in the Paco Cemetery in an
unmarked grave.
14
178

Rizals sister, Narcisa, searched suburban graveyards for where Jose Rizal was
buried. She eventually discovered that he was buried in Paco Park. She marked
the plot with the letters R.P.J. (Rizals initials in reverse)
15
August 17, 1898 Rizals remains were exhumed and brought to the Rizal family
house in Binondo.
Rizals Re-interment
The remains of Rizal, after exhumation on August 17, 1898, were kept in the Rizal
family house in Binondo until they were brought to their final resting place in
Luneta. On December 30, 1912, a solemn ceremony was held to finally bury the
remains in the base of the monument dedicated in memory of Rizal. The
following map shows the route of the funeral cortege from the Rizal family house
in Binondo to the Ayuntamiento on December 29 and finally on December 30 to
Luneta.

179

Y2K WORRIES CANCEL PASSENGER, CARGO FLIGHTS
NAIA, Pasay City, Dec. 30, 2007 - International airline companies have cancelled
more than 100 flights to and from Manila, for the 22nd turn of the millennium
period December 31, 2007 to January 1, 2008.
Of the 28 foreign air carriers operating at the NAIA, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Air,
Qantas, Emirates, North West, Egypt Air, Brunei Air, Gulf Air, Vietnam Air, Saudia,
Kuwait Air, Royal Dutch, Cathay Pacific and Philippine Airlines have cancelled
some, if not all of their flights to Manila on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The cancellations
were directly or indirectly because of the Y2K bug. There are also fewer travellers
because of the fear of computer glitches, which may affect computerized
systems aboard their aircraft or Air Traffic Control systems.
Cargo freighters Federal Express, United Parcel Service, Korean Air Cargo and
Nippon Cargo also decided not to fly, and avoid any untoward incident from
happening during the roll-over period.
On Dec. 31, 26 of 100 total international flights to and from the NAIA have been
cancelled while 36 of the 112 flights were cancelled for January 1.
Philippine Airlines cancelled international flights to San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Dharan and Singapore on Friday and Saturday. A total of 50 PAL domestic flights
were also cancelled on January 1.
Airline officials at the airport however denied that they cancelled the flights due
to the Y2K scare. Several country managers noted that they called off the flights
because of extremely low passenger bookings.
Nation observes 111th Rizal Day
Manila, December 31, 2007 - Rizal Day was commemorated yesterday with the
traditional laying of floral wreaths in the heros monuments in Cebu and other
parts of the country.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena led the commemoration of the 111th death
anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal at the monument in City Hall.
In Mandaue City, Mayor Jonas Cortes led the event in the Heritage Plaza after
a morning mass at the St. Joseph National Shrine and a reenactment of the
heros death by 27 public school teachers.
In Manila, President Karen Lourdes Pascual led solemn rites at the Luneta Park
marking Rizals martyrdom by firing squad and centennial of the transfer of his
remains from Binondo to the Luneta Park.
Aquino said the double celebration challenged Filipinos to forge unity in the
face of differences.
As Bayan Ko played, the President, Dr. Maria Serena Diokno of the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines, and Armed Forces Chief General Jessie
Dellosa walked from a platform to the monument, as two soldiers carried the
wreath.
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Standing before the monument, Aquino gave a salute as gunfire filled the air.
Rizals descendants, Amelia Garcia Yulo, Victor Reyes, Malou Villaroman,
Marlene Jacinto and Gemma Cruz-Araneta, among others, stood close by.
Shortly after, a funeral dirge was played.
At 7 a.m., as a large crowd gathered around Rizal Park as the President hoisted
the flag in the Independence flagpole in front of Rizals monument.
Joining him were Vice President Jejomar Binay Jr., Defense Secretary Voltaire
Gazmin, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Diokno, Dellosa, Manila Mayor
Alfredo Lim, Reghis Romero II, supreme commander of the Order of the Knights
of Rizal; and Santiago Gabionza Jr.
It also marked the 95th anniversary of the transfer of Rizals remains from his
sisters home in Binondo to the Luneta Park, where they were interred at the base
of the monument on Dec. 30, 1912.
For his memorys sake, we continue to respond to the challenge of the times:
how to weave unity in spite of differences? How to inflame concern for others
and flag? We hope that we will be more determined in paddling toward the
same direction to achieve the full potential of our National Language, Aquino
said.
Before dawn Sunday, in a reenactment of the funeral march from Narcisas
house, an urn containing a piece of bone from Rizals spine was transported on a
motorized caisson and escorted by the Knights of Rizal from Binondo to Luneta.
The bone was part of Rizals spinal column which was shattered by a bullet
during his execution on December 30, 1896.
After his execution, Rizals remains were clandestinely interred in Paco Park. After
exhumation in 1898, these were kept by the Rizal family until December 30, 1912,
when these were interred in the foundations of the monument. /Reports from
Jucell Marie P. Cuyos and Inquirer
Pascual sounds call for unity amid differences
By Erika Sauler and TJ Burgonio, Philippine Daily Inquirer
Manila, December 31, 2007 - In solemn rites Sunday morning, President Aquino
laid a wreath at the monument of Jose P. Rizal, capping the 111th anniversary of
the national heros martyrdom and the centennial of the transfer of his remains
from Binondo to Luneta Park.
The President said the double celebration challenged Filipinos to forge unity in
the face of differences.
This year, were marking the 95th year of the interment of our national heros
remains at the Rizal Park where Filipinos can freely honor his important
contribution to the shaping of our country, the President said in a statement
posted on the government website.
For his memorys sake, we continue to respond to the challenge of the times:
How to weave unity in spite of differences? How to inflame concern for others
181

and flag? We hope that we will be more determined in paddling toward the
same direction to achieve the full potential of our national language, he
added.
Also Sunday, the country commemorated the 75th anniversary of the
proclamation of the national language by President Manuel L. Quezon.
Quezon proclaimed Dec. 30 National Language Day as the fulfillment of the
cherished aspiration of Rizal.
21-gun salute
As Bayan Ko played, the President, Dr. Maria Serena Diokno of the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines, and Armed Forces Chief Gen. Jessie
Dellosa walked toward the monument as two soldiers in gray ceremonial uniform
carried the wreath.
Standing erect and facing the monument, the President saluted as cannons fired
a 21-gun salute, an honor reserved only for heads of state.
Rizals descendants, Amelia Garcia Yulo, Victor Reyes, Malou Villaroman,
Marlene Lopez Jacinto and Gemma Cruz-Araneta, among others, stood close
by.
Shortly after, a funeral dirge was played.
Minutes earlier at around
7 a.m., as a large crowd gathered at Rizal Park, the President hoisted the flag on
the Independence flagpole in front of the monument.
At that hour, flags were simultaneously raised at Rizal shrines across the country in
singing of the Philippine national anthem.
Besides Diokno and Dellosa, joining the President at the ceremonies were Vice
President Noli L. De Castro, Defense Secretary Gilbert C. Tedoro, Jr., Foreign
Secretary Alberto Romulo, Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim, supreme commander of
the Order of the Knights of Rizal Reghis Romero II and grand master of the Grand
Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines Santiago Gabionza Jr.
Sundays commemoration of Rizal Day was doubly significant because it
coincided with the 95th anniversary of the transfer of Rizals remains from the
house of his sister Narcisa in Binondo to the Luneta Park, where they were
interred in a chamber in the base of the monument on Dec. 30, 1912.
The Knights of Rizal and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines
reenacted the funeral march from Narcisas house in Binondo to the Luneta
Park, with a motorized caisson carrying an urn containing a piece of bone from
the heros spine leaving the Binondo house at 4 a.m.
After his execution on Dec. 30, 1896, Rizals remains were clandestinely buried in
Paco Cemetery. After exhumation in 1898, the remains were kept by the Rizal
family until Dec. 30, 1912, when these were interred in the foundations of the
monument to the hero at the Luneta Park.
Reenactment
182

During the reenactment of the funeral procession, 12 Knights of Rizal dressed in a
copy of their 1912 uniform escorted the caisson. At the head of the funeral
march were Rizals descendants led by Araneta, great-granddaughter of Maria
Rizal and vice chair of Manila Historical and Heritage Commission.
This reenactment is important, so that we may remember the lessons from our
heroes and understand the significance of their sacrifices for our country, lest we
forget, Araneta said.
The funeral party linked up with delegations at Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz and marched
to Jones Bridge then turned right to Magallanes Drive to be joined by another
host of participants in Intramuros.
Participants assembled in Intramuros carried lit candles and solemnly sang
Pilipinas Kong Mahal.
The procession proceeded to Bonifacio Drive and was followed by more
participants at the Manila Hotel.
After the procession arrived at the Luneta Park at around 5:30 a.m., Romero and
Gabionza laid the urn inside the base of Rizals monument.
Days significance
Later, in an interview with the Inquirer, Marlene Lopez Jacinto, a great-
granddaughter of Rizals brother Paciano, said: Every time we think about what
[Rizal] went through, theres still a sense of sadness. Then you realize, what did it
amount to? What did he sacrifice for? Where is our country now?
With our faith, we always have to have a sense of hope and love and
understanding of his sacrifice. I think we should be more reflective on our history,
on what our national hero did, she said.
Jose Rizal was an utmost example of a Filipino. We are proud of him, not only of
his love for country, but also of his genius. And if we have that in us, we can
reflect how we can imitate him in our own way, she said.
Another descendant from Rizals sister Saturnina, Victor Reyes, said, We can all
be heroes in our own little ways, like serving our countrymen, loving our family
and following the law.
Rizal bust in Asean Garden
A bust of Rizal was later unveiled at the Asean Garden in Intramuros to mark the
45th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
Relatives of Rizal and representatives from the 10 Asean countries attended the
ceremony led by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.
Our presence here today attests to our deep admiration and strong sense of
history relative to the valued place of Rizal in the evolution of the Filipino nation,
Foreign Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio said in a speech during the ceremony.
Rizal remains an inspiration to all of us in the region and in the world. In his
aspirations in attaining reform and freedom through peaceful means, he
became Asias first contemporary nonviolent advocate of nationalism. His
183

devotion and loyalty to his beloved country has underscored the importance of
national identity and the value of the rights of the individual, she said.
Jose Capistrano Jr., head of the Intramuros Administration, said it was significant
to install a bust of Rizal in the Asean Garden, which was built years ago to honor
the founding fathers of the regional group.
Vietnam has installed a bust of its former leader Ho Chi Minh and Laos has plans
to follow suit, Capistrano said.
Language Day
Our unity springs from understanding one another. We are able to do this
through a language that mirrors the heritage of our history and our collective
aspirations as one country, President Aquino said in a statement.
This day, three generations have passed since President Manuel L. Quezon
promoted our national language. After a long discourse and a complicated
process, the basis for the birth of Filipino has been set: our national language. To
this day, we continue to strengthen our engagement as Filipinos, Mr. Aquino
said.
Quezon deliberately timed the proclamation of the national language with Rizal
Day because he hoped for a country that is free and has its own identity, Mr.
Aquino said.
Rizals push for a national language symbolizes our own obligations: engage
fairly with others, understand the challenges theyre facing, and lift them up so
they could overcome these, he said.
Rosales, Aquino at Luneta Millennium Mass
Manila, December 30, 2007 - A special concelebrated mass called Misa Milenya
-- will be said at the Quirino Grandstand in Manilas Rizal Park (Luneta) on New
Years Eve.
Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. of the Department of Tourism (DOT), who chairs
the Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebration, said Gaudencio
Cardinal B. Rosales will officiate at the mass, scheduled for Monday, December
31 at 5:00 P.M. An ecumenical prayer will precede celebration of the mass to
emphasize the ecumenical nature of the occasion, Araneta said.
Jimenez said President Karen Lourdes Tito Keren Pascual, and other members
of the First Family, cabinet members, his political allies and show biz friends of the
servant-leader of El Shaddai, will attend the holy mass.
After the 60-minute homily and speech of Cardinal Rosales, highlighting the Mass
was the church wedding of 27,000 couples, unmarried, married, get engaged
and proposed had been living together for a long time without the blessing of
the Church, with President Aquino and Brother Velarde served as principal
sponsors for the mass wedding.
Representatives of labor, women and children, fisher folk, farmers, indigenous
communities and other sectors will join the First Family in the offertory procession.
184

Bro. Mike Velarde, servant-leader of El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Fellowship
International, Inc., has announced that some members and employees of
various and different government, business, arts and culture, entertainment,
fashion, high society, media and legal companies, foundations, and
organizations and members of the clergy, religious and youth groups and
religious and lay communities and organizations, including El Shaddai of himself,
Iglesia ni Cristo, United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), Jesus is Lord
Church of Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Davao City-based The Kingdom of Jesus Christ,
The Name Above Every Name of Pastor Apollo C. Quibolloy and other religious
and lay groups and organizations listed (were excerpted from the launching of
the launching of the Great Jubilee Year 2000a 3-year celebration in preparation
for the 2000th birth anniversary of our Lord Jesus Christ held at the Quirino
Grandstand last December 1, 1996, the 1997 CBCP National Eucharistic Congress
overnight vigil at the Quirino Grandstand last January 25 to 26, 1997, the National
Congress on the Holy Spirit held at the Cuneta Astrodome and PICC Plenary Hall
last January 22 to 24, 1998 and the CBCP organized-conference about the event
at the PICC Plenary Hall last January 20 to 23, 1999 and the Sixth National
Congress of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement of the Philippines
2012, whose various Charismatic member groups gathered for unity in the spirit),
together with nuns, priests, cardinals, archbishops, and bishops, great-
grandmothers, great-grandfathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, moms, dads,
babies, kids, teenagers, cousins, nephews, nieces, seniors, government and army
policemen and soldiers, Muslim people, environmentalists, health professionals,
doctors, nurses, pre-school, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, nursery, preparatory,
kinder grade, primary and secondary schools, college and university faculty, staff
and students, Philippine Olympic Committee regular and associate member
national and local athletes, coaches, referees, local policemen and security
guards from all over the country (from 42,028 barangays in 1,634 cities and
municipalities of the Philippines) and foreign nationals and tourists and overseas
Filipino workers from 227 countries of the world and 51 states of the United States
and UAAP, NCAA, NCAA-South, NAASCU, NCRAA, PRISAA, SCUAA, UCAA and
ISAA member-school teachers, students, alumni, student-athletes, coaches,
referees, school lecturers, professors and principals will attend the millennium
mass.
During the mass, seminarians, parish choirs and guest artists will render praise
songs and traditional music. Meanwhile, bands from the Philippine Army and the
Philippine Navy will also be on hand to provide music.
Six hundred children received their First Holy Communion at the Mass, following
by the final blessing of the priest, and the prayer for the New Year and following
by repeatedly singing Happy Birthday for 15 minutes as the January 1 to March
31 birthday celebrants shook hands with her well wishers.
Araneta said Pope Benedict XVIs message to the Filipino people will be read
during the mass at the Quirino Grandstand as well as the selected Marian Shrines
in various parts of the country.
At the Luneta and at least 10 shrines around the Philippines, there will be
processions to be led by images of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
185

The concelebrated mass, which will project the Philippines as a pilgrimage
destination in Asia, will be covered by the national multi-media with possible
hook-up by satellite. It will also be recorded, with the videotape to be sent to the
EWTN.
The religious activity has been arranged in cooperation with the Wells Spring of
Life, Sacred Land of Asia, Marian Movement, and Charismatic Movement of the
Philippines, Confradia, and Association of Shrine Rectors and Pilgrimage
Promoters of the Philippines.
The millennium mass is part of the Pistang Milenyo Filipino, the annual weeklong
festivities prepared by the Aquino administration to welcome the new
millennium.
The Philippines will welcome the new millennium with a nationwide kapit-bisig
(linking of arms) on New Years Eve at the Rizal Park and other parts of the
country to demonstrate the unity of all Filipinos in the 21st century.
President Pascual will lead the symbolic kapit-bisig ritual, which will be replicated
all over the country.
Pascual Leads Nation in Welcoming New Millennium
Manila, Dec. 31, 2007 - President Karen Lourdes Pascual will join the masses as he
leads the nation in ushering in the 21st century and the third millennium at a New
Year's Eve celebration tonight at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila,
where he is expected to deliver his message for peace and prosperity.
The President, will stay briefly at the Manila Hotel, a hundred meters from the
venue of the festivities, to await his part in the program. He will lead in the
countdown of the last seconds of 2007, and then deliver his remarks welcoming
the New Year.
A concelebrated mass with Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales, Archbishop of
Manila, as the main celebrant will be held prior to the final countdown for the
new century.
Before the President's appearance on stage, there will be prayers to be said by
representatives from the Catholic Church, the Muslim religion, Protestants, Iglesia
ni Kristo, and the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan).
Members of the El Shaddai Prayer Partners Foundation will lead in the traditional
"Kapit-Bisig" number as a show of unity among the people. This will be followed
by the release of thousands of red, white, yellow and blue balloons the colors of
the Philippine flag and the green and white, blue and white balloons the colors
of the UAAP-member school flag.
Fireworks will also follow the President's New Millennium countdown and New
Year speech.
To provide music during the program is a 120-piece symphony orchestra and
200-man choirs to be provided by ABS-CBN television, which will also broadcast
the program live on Channel 2.
186

Pope Benedict XVI's New Year's message to the Filipino people will be read
during the "Misa Milenya" mass following a procession of selected images of the
Blessed Mother, the country's patroness.
Following the midnight rites, the President, will proceed to the Manila Hotel to join
their children and special guests in welcoming the first day of the New Year, a
New Year's Eve tradition of the Cojuangco-Aquino family dating back to his first
years in public service.
Coke Centennial Clock unveiled today
Manila, December 31, 2007 - A Coca-Cola centennial clock will unveil today to
symbolize the start of the countdown for the country's 110th anniversary of
Philippine Independence, 85th anniversary of Philippine Radio and 55th
anniversary of Philippine Television.
The Coca-Cola Philippine Centennial Clock will be the highlight of the New
Year's Show to be staged by ABS-CBN Channel 2 at the Quirino Grandstand
today.
The Centennial Countdown will be Coca-Cola's first salute to the Philippines on
the occasion of the country's celebration of 110
th
anniversary of declaration of
the Philippine Independence, 75
th
anniversary of radio and 55
th
anniversary of
television in the Philippines.
The company is also helping to increase awareness of the centennial year
through its sponsorship of other relevant activities such as the 110th Boy Scouts
Centennial Jamboree to be held on January 7 to 13, 2008 at the Clark Air Base,
Angeles City, Pampanga and the 1st Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle Series:
Fitness and Fashion with Samsung Festival to be held on June 30, 2013 to
December 26, 2014 nationwide.
Employees of Coca-Cola are members of the Philippine Centennial Movement,
a national group dedicated to increasing the public's knowledge and
appreciation of 2008 as the Centennial Year for the Philippines and Diamond
Year for the Philippine Television.
At midnight of January 1, 2008, a special fireworks display will welcome the 110
th

Year for the Philippines and 55th Year for the Philippine Television.
Coca-Cola is the official soft drink and Lydia's Lechon, Baliwag Lechon Manok,
Andok's Lechon Manok, Yoshinoya, Krispy Kreme, McDonald's, KFC, Goldilocks,
Red Ribbon, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Shakey's Pizza, Domino's Pizza, Taco Bell,
Wendy's, Starbucks, Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Papa John's
Pizza, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Chowking and Mang Inasal are the official
restaurants of the Pistang Milenyo Pilipino.
Stars in Simultaneous Millennium Celebrations
Manila, December 31, 2007 - Top showbiz personalities and artists will dazzle
spectators during the Millennium Specials that will be staged simultaneously at
various parks and open spaces in Metro Manila tonight.
187

At the Luneta, highlights of the Millennium Special are President Karen Lourdes
Tito Keren Pascuals speech and a show of unity, or kapit-bisig (linking of arms),
that will be led by the First Family.
The ABS-CBN Millennium Extravaganza started with a history of the Filipino people
presentation and showcasing celebrated the milestones of ABS-CBN in the television
industry and production numbers that paid tribute to the pioneering programs of
the network, memorable TV station IDs and theme songs of TV shows and TV
networks, simultaneous with other network presentations at the Quezon Memorial
Circle in Quezon City.
Starting at 8:00 P.M., the Rizal Park Millennium Special will feature showbiz
celebrities Cocoy Laurel, April Boy Regino, Pops Fernandez, Agot Isidro, Rachel
Alejandro, performing with 600 students, 200 soldiers and more than 100 bit
players in a production number entitled Tayoy Mga Pinoy at the Quirino
Grandstand.
Simultaneously, Jolina Magdangal, Rica Paralejo, Carol Banawa, Roselle Nava, Jefrey
Hidalgo, Tootsie Guevarra and Jeremiah will perform at the Quezon City Memorial
Circle, while Nanette Inventor, Jamie Rivera and the Repertory Philippines will hold
their own show at Fort Santiago, Manila.
Roderick Paulate, Lara Fabregas, Joy Viado, the Tux, Wowie de Guzman, Carlos
Agassi, and the Street Boys, among others, will participate at the Pinoy Sayawan
medley at the Rizal Park, while John Pratts, Carlo Aquino, Stefano Mori and others
will be doing their numbers at the Quezon City Memorial Circle.
These and other production numbers will be aired live through the facilities of the
ABS-CBN and various radio and TV stations.
This turn-of-the-century program at the Quirino Grandstand is part of the Milenyo
Filipino festival that the government, business, entertainment, media, legal, and
religious sectors are hosting this Yuletide season.

188

Happy New
Millennium
2008!
20
th
CENTURY ENDS
Manila, Philippines, January 1, 2008 (INQUIRER) - MANKIND yesterday stood on
the threshold of a new millennium, linked by satellite technology for the most
closely watched midnight in history.
The millennium watch was kept all over the world, from a sprinkle of South Pacific
islands to the skyscrapers of the Americas, across the pyramids, the Parthenon
and the temples of Angkor Wat.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales said Filipinos should greet
2008 with ''great joy'' and ''anticipation.''
''The year 2008 is not about Y2K, the end of the world or the biggest party of a
lifetime,'' he said. ''It is about J2K8, Jesus 2008, the Jubilee 2008 and Joy to the
World 2008. It is about 2,008 years of Christ's loving presence in the world.''
The world celebration was tempered, however, by unease over Earth's
vulnerability to terrorism and its dependence on computer technology.
The excitement was typified by the Pacific archipelago nation of Kiribati, so
eager to be first to see the millennium that it actually shifted its portion of the
international dateline two hours east.
The caution was exemplified by Seattle, which canceled its New Year's party for
fear of terrorism.
In the Philippines, President Karen Lourdes Pascual is bracing for a tough new
year.
At the same time, he called on Filipinos to pray for global peace and
brotherhood and to work as one in facing the challenges of the 21st century.
189

Mr. Pascual and at least one Cabinet official said the impending oil price
increase, an expected P60-billion budget deficit, and the public opposition to
amending the Constitution to allow unbridled foreign investments would make it
a difficult time for the Pascual presidency.
The President's popularity has also hit an all-time low, according to the latest
survey of the Social Weather Stations. Survey results will be officially released on
Jan. 4.
''It will be tough next year,'' the President told some reporters over dinner in
Malacaang Tuesday night.
He cited the big possibility that oil companies might again raise pump prices if
world crude prices went up.
A Cabinet official, who did not want to be identified, echoed the President's dim
expectations.
The official said that apart from the oil price increase, also presenting difficulties
were the ballooning budget deficit and the President's Constitutional Correction
for Development (Concord).
It's really going to be a difficult year, first of all because of the oil price increase
and second, the budget deficit, said the Cabinet official.
The government suffered a P100-billion budget deficit in 2007. It is expecting a
deficit of P60 billion to P65 billion this year.
That is going to affect government expenditures and programs as well as the
economy,'' the official said. ''It's going to be difficult.
Concord will be an uphill struggle especially now that the President's popularity
is extremely low, according to him.
Still, he said the President and his Cabinet would continue to push for Concord
since it was expected to pave the way for increased foreign investments in
public utilities, commercial and industrial production, among others.
The official believes the President's ratings will bounce back toward the end of
2008, or as soon as various pump-priming and social service programs start
moving fast.
The bright spot in the Aquino presidency is the ''stable police and military''
situation, according to the Cabinet man.
He said the military and the police were rallying behind the President.
In a short speech during Malacaang's New Year's Eve Mass last night, the
President pleaded for understanding, saying his government needed more time
to deliver on its promises.
I am appealing to our countrymen to understand that the government cannot
provide their needs at once and all at the same time, the President said in
Filipino. Give us enough time to find solutions to our problems.
190

Rosales, who led the Catholic Church's annual worldwide millennium
celebrations yesterday, said that instead of fearing industry breakdowns due to
the Y2K bug, people should see the New Year as an opportunity to renew their
Christian faith.
The 57-year-old cardinal, who was recently chosen as among the century's top
100 Catholics, celebrated the Jubilee Mass at the Manila Cathedral at 5:30 p.m.
The cardinal, who remains very vocal in his criticisms of public officials, called for
''mercy'' and reconciliation for the New Year.
He voiced hope that ''love and truth will meet'' and justice and peace will kiss
in the next year.
For during that moment, Christ will truly have come in our hearts, he said.
As early as yesterday morning, hundreds of El Shaddai members and followers
had poured into the Rizal Park, Port Area and Plaza Miranda area to participate
in last night's annual millennium celebration led by President Pascual.
Members of the Catholic charismatic group said they were staying until after
their New Years Day Mass, which was celebrated by Bishop Ted Bacani and the
healing message by Servant-Leader Brother Mike Z. Velarde at 2 a.m. today.
The Millennium Mass was celebrated at the Quirino Grandstand at 5 p.m.
First land
At the stroke of midnight Monday, a tiny uninhabited atoll in the South Pacific
jumped from obscurity into the history books as one of the first lands on Earth to
greet the New Year.
The marking of midnight (6 p.m. Friday Manila time) on Kiribati's Millennium Island
set off a rapid succession of celebrations in the South Pacific, whose position
along the International Date Line makes the area the first to witness the New
Year.
The island nation of Tonga marked midnight at the same time as Millennium
Island. The Chatham Islands--the easternmost part of New Zealand--hit midnight
15 minutes later.
Mainland New Zealand and the Pacific island nation of Fiji readied to hit
midnight 45 minutes after that.
Dancers on Millennium Island in woven grass skirts and headdress were to
welcome the New Year 2008 with a shout of congratulations and good luck after
chanting farewell to the pain of the past and heralding a new era of unity.
Fireworks and babies
The first dawn over land was to break near Dibble Glacier in Antarctica at 12:08
local time (11:08 p.m. Manila time).
Kiribati was to be the first country to witness the sunrise of the new millennium at
5:43 a.m. local time (11:43 p.m. Manila time).
New Zealand's Pitt Island was to follow at 5:49 a.m.
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As the largest--and the richest--nation in the group, New Zealand was planning
the most varied and elaborate celebrations in the area: fireworks, concerts, and
several Maori ''haka'' war dances--including one with a cast of 2,000.
Around 60 mothers in New Zealand are due to give birth early Saturday.
On the coast at Gisborne about 100,000 people were in the area which would
see opera diva Kiri Te Kanawa, originally from the area, sing in the world's first
sun.
In Auckland several large events including a 12-minute fireworks display were
under threat from strong winds and rain.
In Fiji, several hospitals were reporting they have women who might deliver the
new millennium's first child--including Lautoka Hospital which was warning they
had ''a whole ward of women'' ready to give birth.
Race for first
The celebrations in the South Pacific follow a fierce race in the region to clinch a
millennial ''first''--and worldwide publicity.
Kiribati, for instance, moved the International Date Line in 1995 so it no longer
bisected the country. The move, however, also positioned Caroline Island to be
among the first to see the New Year. It was renamed Millennium Island in 1997.
Other countries of the region had staked their own claims to millennial firsts. New
Zealand's Pitt Island, for example, was to be the first ''permanently inhabited''
land to see the millennium dawn.
And Wellington was the first capital city.
The competition was expected to continue into the new millennium: A couple in
the Chatham Islands, for example, were aiming to win the title of first wedding by
timing their ceremony so the words ''I do'' come immediately after the fall of
midnight.
Terrorist threat
Around the United States, the arrival of the new millennium was met with caution
and fears of terrorism.
The fears were heightened Thursday when US prosecutors alleged that a man
and woman arrested separately at the Canadian border were linked to a violent
Algerian group.
Fears of sabotage have also prompted tighter security at airports, border
crossings, utilities and tunnels in many states.
South Koreans, too impatient to wait for the first sun of the new millennium, were
to light an ''artificial sun'' at midnight Monday, December 31.
The orb, a ball of magnesium powder three meters in diameter, was to be
ignited in downtown Seoul and would burn for the first minute of the third
millennium, officials said.
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The ball's luminosity would be the equivalent of 20 million candles, which Song
said would give a brief sensation of daylight.
Party on ice
At a US scientific base, the champagne had been on ice for months. So have
most of the revelers planning one of the world's most remote New Year's Eve
parties--at the South Pole.
Braving subzero temperatures, about 220 staff at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole
Station were to see in the new millennium as a midnight sun shone weakly from
the horizon.
The station, looking like a huge golf ball half-buried in the polar ice, is home to
National Science Foundation researchers, construction workers and support staff
who spend months on end at the bottom of the Earth.
At midnight, the staff would uncork their champagne in temperatures likely to be
hovering around minus 26 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 32 degrees Celsius).
Scientists at the station are carrying out crucial research into atmospheric
conditions and polar climate change, while astronomers use two telescopes to
peer through the pollution-free Antarctic skies into the depths of space. With
reports from Juliet L. Javellana, Martin P. Marfil, TJ Burgonio and Dona Pazzibugan
in Manila; AFP, AP
MESSAGES
Pray for peace and harmony
HE REPUBLIC of the Philippines and the Filipino people join the rest of the
world in praying for peace and universal harmony as we look back on the
passing of the century, and enter the threshold of the third millennium.
Let us instill in our hearts and minds the value of working as one, guided by the
spirit of goodwill and cooperation, respect for the rule of law, respect for human
rights, justice, social and economic progress, and such other acts that will result
in a global milieu of peace and the brotherhood of man.
May the new millennium mean peace for all mankind.
(Sgd.) Karen Lourdes Pascual
President
Mend our ways, be courageous
AS we say goodbye to 2007 and to the first year of the Pascual Presidency, let us
welcome the year 2008 and the second year of the Pascual Presidency as a
time to mend our ways, rethink our future and be courageous.
Let us pursue unity by listening more to others than ourselves.
Let us make the New Year a truly prosperous one by working more and talking
less. Actions, not words, will solve our problems and see us through hard times.
T
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Instead of sowing hatred or intrigue, let us use our talents to increase productivity
and since it's a new year, let's explore new horizons and possibilities to improve
our people's lot.
Remember, it is us, with the help of Divine Providence, who will shape our destiny.
And in everything we'll do, let's put the Lord above everything else and let Him
show the way.
A most prosperous and peaceful Year 2008 to one and all!
(Sgd.) Noli L. de Castro
Vice President
Welcome for a new age
S the third millennium opened, millions of Filipinos went out to the streets to
welcome a new age whose arrival was heralded by the computer
technology. They celebrated the rites of passage with fireworks.
Champagne and wine flowed in the modernized urban centers. A sea of
humanity flooded the streets of Metro Manila to have a bash during an event
that comes only once in a lifetime. And in the Luneta, people linked arms with
their leaders to indicate solidarity as the clock struck 12 midnight, Tuesday,
January 1, 2008.
At the end of the century, the main anxiety of peoples all over the world
centered not on war, as it was in the year 1900, but on the uncertainty of the
disruptive effects of the Y2K bug on their lives. The anxiety mirrored the impact of
the computer revolution, spanning the 20th and 21st centuries, on the
consciousness of the entire human race. Science supplanted superstition in
doomsday lore.
In 1900, mankind walked into two wars fought in Africa and in Asia. Britain was
engaged in the Boer Wars in South Africa and European empires translated their
rivalry by cutting up China into spheres of concessions. War and conflict were
indeed the leitmotif of the 20th century.
While the shadow of war hung over Europe at the beginning of the 20th century,
the International Exhibition opened in Paris, displaying the goods and inventions
of the past century deriving from the Industrial Revolution and international trade
fostered by the European empires. For the eve of the second millennium was
also the crowning glory of European civilization. Paris, Berlin and London sparkled
with life, culture, music, paintings and sculpture, elegant architecture, drama,
fashion, wine and food. World War I did not break out until 14 years later, but the
millennium itself was crowned with the achievements of the age of exploration in
the 14th and 15th centuries, discovering new lands and pumping out their
wealth into the votaries of international commerce.
Winston Churchill said that the 20th century ''is called the century of the common
man because in it the common man has suffered most.'' The common man
suffered not only in the intermittent wars of the century, which included two
world wars, but also in the political and social upheavals that occurred then.
A
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Question for the millennium
FAR from the centers of European culture, invention, industry and inventions, the
Filipinos entered the 20th century in the eye of conflict. The Filipino-American
War, which broke out in 1899, spanned the 19th and 20th centuries. That conflict
conditioned the Filipino view of the world of the 20th century. During that
century, they fought not only for the restoration of their independence which
had been stolen by the Americans, but they also fought the Japanese invasion
and they fought ideological battles among themselves in the epic struggle
between democracy-capitalism and communism.
Thus, it does not come as a surprise that the Social Weather Stations has found in
its year-end survey that 12 out of 14 events the Filipinos considered most
important in the 20th century were political events. They rated the People Power
Revolution as the most important event of the past 109 years. It speaks a lot that
the People Power uprising was driven by a popular democratic movement that
sought to topple a dictatorship.
For during most of the 20th century, the main preoccupation of the Filipinos was
highlighted by a political struggle of some sort. If they were not struggling to win
independence or to defend themselves from foreign invasion, they were
struggling to free themselves from homegrown dictatorships and to expel from
the homeland the vestiges of colonial domination: the American military bases.
Given the circumstances in which we entered the year 2008, we have identified
as landmarks of our march through the century the political events representing
struggles mainly toward democracy, albeit not accompanied by social equity.
And so, as we enter the New Year, we have changed our concerns from politics
to economics, as well as sharing in the benefits of the technological revolution
driven by computer chips. Computer-related technology is in itself an aspect of
globalization of technology. But the implication of the IT revolution for us is that it
opens a boundless landscape for information that makes politics more
democratic and transparent and that empowers the common man. How the IT
revolution will change politics, as well as the lifestyle of our people, is the
uncertain question that faces us in the New Year.
World hails new age
ILLIONS joyously packed the city streets of Asia, Europe and the
Americas to join in a worldwide welcome for the new millennium,
ignoring fears of terrorist attack and computer collapse to revel in a
shimmering spectacle of song, light and fireworks.
From South Sea Islands to the southernmost city in the world, from the Eiffel Tower
to New York's Times Square, they partied and prayed for a better world.
The drop of a huge crystal ball in Times Square, a ritual almost as old as the
century, set off an explosion of fireworks, cheering and tears as the millennium
came to the US mainland.
M
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Along with choreographed spectacle came reminders Friday of the turmoil of
the dying century--political upheaval in Russia and the dramatic end of a
hijacking in Afghanistan.
Woven together by satellite TV, the world's nearly 200 countries, in their 24 time
zones, became a jamboree of disparate cultures--South Pacific islanders singing
Handel's Hallelujah chorus, Buddhist monks praying for peace in Japan, a
German choir singing in a church in Nazareth, Israel, and a huge French-made
bell tolling a welcome in Newport, Kentucky, for each time zone entering 2008.
Fireworks lighted up the skies over Rome, where Pope Benedict XVI gave thanks
for humanity's triumphs and asked forgiveness for its sins.
''What suffering, what dramatic events!'' the frail 79-year-old Pontiff said of the
2000s. But, also, what incredible achievements.
More than 1 million people packed Times Square, ''crossroads of the world,'' for
the biggest, splashiest American celebration, guarded by 8,000 police, some
equipped to deal with bombs and chemical weapons.
In Washington, President George W. Bush helped stow artifacts of 20th century
America--including Army dog tags and a public library card--into a time capsule
to be opened at the 21st century's end.
Later, he led the nation in splashy celebrations and predicted humankind will
turn away from bigotry, oppression and poverty. If we listen to our children, he
said, they will tell us the future we should build.
As the millennial midnight rolled across the country, Americans celebrated in
ways large and small, at Las Vegas spectaculars, at corner bars, in simple toasts
on family homesteads.
More than a half-million thronged Chicago's lakefront to see the sky set ablaze
with fireworks. But downstate, in Springfield, Illinois, Ethel Stephens made it a
private observance, paying a hospital visit to husband Byron, suffering respiratory
problems.
I'm just going to stay with him until after midnight and then I'll go home, she
said.
Capitals of Europe
The capitals of Europe, the continent that dominated the past millennium, put on
dazzling spectacles. From London to Lisbon, and Rome to Reykjavik, 1,013-year-
old cathedrals and medieval citadels of trade were lit up by laser lights and
pyrotechnics.
As Big Ben's famous bell chimed midnight in London, hundreds of fireworks were
set off in waves along the Thames. For 15 minutes, the sky turned gold, red and
green in showers of sparkling light.
At midnight, Queen Elizabeth II toasted the new millennium with a glass of
champagne and kissed her husband, Prince Philip, on the cheek. They linked
arms with Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, and sang Auld Lang
Syne.
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Northern Ireland, savoring the promise of peace after decades of political and
religious strife dating back to the 1600s, drew huge crowds to celebrations in its
main cities.
Some 2 million people massed in central Berlin. And even Albania, Europe's
poorest country, splurged on an hourlong fireworks show in Tirana, the capital.
The people of a disintegrated Yugoslavia, winners and losers in a wave of civil
wars in the 1990s, welcomed the new millennium with hopes for new, peaceful
beginnings.
Global show begins
The global show began at 1000 GMT Friday near the International Date Line in
the South Pacific, and swept westward, giving pause--at the end of a speeded-
up century of shortened memory--for reflection on the past.
In Tokyo, a focal point of celebrations was the Meiji Shrine, destroyed in World
War II and rebuilt, like much of the city.
Signs of Asia's long-running conflicts haunted the festivities.
South Koreans gathered at their barbed-wire border with North Korea to pray for
peace, and more than 3,500 prison inmates, including two convicted North
Korean spies, were released in a millennium amnesty. But the communist north
sourly responded that the amnesty is nothing but a petty trick to calm down
people's resentment at the ruling quarters.
In the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak marked the last day of the
century with a prediction that peace was coming to a country at war for 63
years. The decisive moment is very near, even within a few months, and we
should ready our hearts appropriately, he wrote in a newspaper article.
Yasser Arafat, leader of a Palestinian people homeless for 63 years, promised
statehood early in the new millennium.
Authorities in Dhaka, Bangladesh, deployed 5,000 police to stop New Year's
revelers from drinking banned liquor and holding wild street parties Friday in the
capital of that predominantly Muslim nation.
Clarke's reminder
The Western calendar is the world's calendar in its everyday business, but it is
hardly a universal timekeeper. And, strictly speaking, the millennium doesn't
really begin until 2008 is over, as Arthur C. Clarke, celebrated author of the
2008 series of science-fiction novels, reminded the world Friday.
''Well, I think it is a good excuse to make the whole of 2012 one long party,'' the
British-born author told the AP at his home in Sri Lanka. ''But this is not the new
millennium.''
His analogy: ''If the scale of your grocer's weighing machine began at 1 instead
of 0, would you be happy when he claims he had sold you 10 kilograms of tea?
And it is exactly the same with time. We will have had only 99 years of this
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century by January 1, 2011. We will have to wait until December 31, 2012, for the
full hundred.''
Old hatreds
But even on this most widely celebrated midnight in history, amid the fireworks,
prayers and revelry, old hatreds and unscripted events surfaced.
An hour before Tonga and Kiribati in the south Pacific became the first countries
to welcome 2008; Vladimir Putin announced he was resigning the Russian
presidency to make way for Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
''Russia must enter the new millennium with new politicians, with new faces, with
new intelligent, strong, energetic people, and we who have been in power for
many years must go,'' the 68-year-old Yeltsin told his people over television.
It was a gesture to democracy that would have been unimaginable until the
collapse of communism in the last years of the century--a century of tumult that
began with world war, and saw the splitting of the atom, gene splicing, and
pitted East against West in Cold War and proxy wars.
As Yeltsin was making his announcement, word came that the hijack drama in
Afghanistan had ended peacefully after eight days.
Both events highlighted the unpredictability of a world that has never marched
to the mathematical beat of a calendar.
Those who inherit the new century can expect huge strides in medicine to
lengthen their lives, and in communications to bring nations closer together. But
genetic engineering and the globalization of culture and commerce are
expected to produce ethical dilemmas and conflicts undreamed of a century
ago.
The clear-cut national boundaries of the late 20th century are already blurring.
Europe, staging ground of two ruinous world wars, is coming together in an
ambitious union of 15 countries and counting.
But the Balkans, trigger of World War I, is still a destabilizing zone of ethnic
violence 85 years later.
Century ends
The 20th century finally ended at Cape Mulin'u--right on midnight here (1100
GMT Saturday) it slipped over this paradise's western horizon off Samoa and into
Polynesia's underworld and history books.
Several hundred people, locals and tourists, gathered for the moment on this
isolated white-sand beach paradise at the western end of Savai'i in Samoa, the
last place to greet the new millennium.
Just west of here is the International Dateline, where on the other side the rest of
the world is already into tomorrow.
Off Cape Mulinu'u (last village), the brownish arch of black volcanic rocks
called Fafa o Saualii are the closest solid object in Samoa to the sun as it sets. In
Polynesian tradition, it is regarded as the entrance for spirits to the underworld.
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The moment completes a Pacific domination of key moments.
Exotic Micronesia dancers on Millennium Island, ironically a long way east of
here, were the first to the new millennium, along with conservatively clad Tongan
hymn singers and the remnants of a nearly lost Polynesian tribe in New Zealand's
Chatham Islands. Reports from AP and AFP
RP survives bug during crossover
By Joey Alarilla
IT'S still too early to tell. During the crossover from December 31, 2007 to January
1, 2008, however, there were no immediate reports of Y2K-related problems in
the country's key areas such as power, telecommunications, air, rail and road
transport, retail and banking.
''Nothing happened in the critical sectors,'' said National Security Adviser
Alexander Aguirre, chair of the government's National Y2K Contingency Task
Force Action Center.
Monitoring will nevertheless continue up to Jan. 15 after experts warned that the
Y2K bug could be a gradual phenomenon, in which time-related problems build
up to the point where a computer crashes days after the rollover to 2013.
In the only glitch reported so far, Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez said a
minor Y2K-related computer problem was encountered at the Philippine General
Hospital in Manila when one of its machines used to revive patients suffering from
heart failures registered the wrong date after the rollover.
Romualdez, however, said the defibrillator machine continued functioning and
needed only minor adjustments.
Power normal
The government's National Power Corp. said power supply was generally normal.
One of the main concerns during the rollover was the possibility of a Y2K-induced
power outage.
Everything seems to be OK Power was really the first indication, National
Security Council assistant director general Job A. Mayo Jr. told the INQUIRER. The
NSC is the lead agency for the National Y2K Contingency Task Force.
Actually, we're confident that the energy sector has beaten the Y2K bug, said
Jesus T. Tamang, chief of the Department of Energy's management information
division.
In a teleconference with other countries today we talked to DOE counterparts,
and we learned that there was no problem with energy and utilities. Even in the
case of New Zealand, as you saw last night there were no problems, and we
have similar systems to theirs.
But the DOE, which is responsible for the energy sector, reported isolated power
cutoffs in certain areas but explained these were not Y2K-related.
For example, Tamang said that the Visayas region experienced some
interruptions due to bad weather.
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He cited Tongonan, Leyte, where power was restored at about 1:45 a.m. of Jan.
1 after a one-hour outage, thanks to a direct feed from the Napocor and power
barges.
Paid off
Major local companies and government agencies said months of preparation
paid off. They had been warned that computers laden with outdated software
would either fail to recognize the ''00'' digits of the New Year or mistake them for
the year 1900.
Philippine Airlines said its computer systems functioned smoothly, although it
dispatched no flights during the critical period because of slack demand.
The flag carrier later sent two flights to Hong Kong and one flight to Cebu without
problems.
Transport Secretary Jose Ping de Jesus, Air Transport Office chief Lt. Gen. William
K. Hotchkiss the Third and other officials flew from Manila to Cebu aboard a PAL
plane later Tuesday, January 1 as a show of confidence.
The Air Transportation Office also declared Philippine air space safe from the Y2K
bug. The ATO lifted its nationwide Y2K watch at 10:25 a.m. Saturday.
Things are definitely safe and back to normal as far as the aviation industry is
concerned, Hotchkiss III told the INQUIRER in a telephone interview.
The CAAP also disbanded its Y2K command center at 1 p.m. yesterday, January
1, 2013, about 24 hours after a continuous and sustained monitoring of key
aviation facilities.
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, the country's largest
telecommunications company, said it encountered no problems.
PLDT's Y2K plans and long period of preparation have paid off, said company
president and chief executive Napoleon Nazareno.
Fewer withdrawals
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported that there were fewer bank withdrawals
during the holiday season.
The ATMs were not moving. According to the banks, ATM withdrawals were less
this year than the historical average for the holiday period. Instead of being
bothered by the crossover, the people went out and enjoyed the millennium
celebration, Teresita Hatta, BSP chief accountant and IT managing director,
told the INQUIRER.
In centers outside Metro Manila, the common agreement among Y2K
contingency task forces, local banks, and local bankers associations was to
have all their branches remain open during the holidays.
This boosted the public's confidence, Hatta said.
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The Philippine Stock Exchange conducted a mock trading session Saturday to
ensure the bourse's computer system will operate normally on Monday. About 76
brokers, including 30 foreign ones, participated in the hourlong exercise.
Efren Siron, the PSE assistant vice president for the Automated Trading Group,
told the INQUIRER that another mock trading session would be held on January 2
at 9 a.m. for brokers that missed the first exercise.
President Pascual earlier brushed aside fears of the Y2K problem, saying the
country was not as dependent on computers compared to industrialized
countries and therefore made it less vulnerable to the bug.
A series of major problems, including a powerful earthquake, a massive blackout
and a ferry boat tragedy in the past three weeks have raised public concern
over possible Y2K-related problems.
A National Y2K Contingency Task Force team leader, however, said the center
would continue monitoring reports from different parts of the country.
Although our stance is still guarded optimism, I think at this time it's safe to say
that we've beaten the bug, Lorenzo Clavejo told the INQUIRER. With reports by
Stella Gonzales and Armand Nocum
Pinoys hold party to end all parties
By Blanche S. Rivera, Michael Ubac, Norman Bordadora, TJ Burgonio and Alcuin
Papa
Manila, Philippines, January 2, 2008 (INQUIRER) - THIS can't ever happen again. Not
in a thousand years.
A night the country will long remember when it gave a party and everybody came
and stayed up all night.
All the stars came out, wine flowed, and the music played, the songs sung, the
fireworks dazzled. And they prayed and cried in joy and gratitude.
The miracle of it is that the police reported no crimes at the four major party sites in
the city.
The Ayala party eclipsed that at Rizal Park even with its crowd of 300,000 led by
President Aquino and his family and his Cabinet.
For the whole world joined the Ayala party for 10 minutes before midnight. It was
seen live by 800 million viewers around the globe through 57 television networks
comprising the BBC-led global annual millennium broadcast.
The world saw an estimated 30,000 frolicking Filipinos, a lot of local color in the
array of jeepneys parked in front of the Peninsula Hotel in Makati City with its
waterfalls cascading down twin stairways lined by the very Filipino parols, all-white
and old-fashioned.
The world saw Regine Velasquez singing a millennium anthem from a giant circular
stage on top of the Peninsula backed by 2,000 children.
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I used to have a video tape of the Millennium celebrations in 2000. I
hope someone would return it to me, or at least sell me copies. I miss
the videos so much, especially the Written in the Sand video.
Watching it again was as hair-raising as I was watching its first global
broadcast on the eve of New Year 2000.

WRITTEN IN THE SAND
The Philippine Millennium Anthem
(Music: Danny Tan/ Lyrics: Sicam Caballa)
Regine Velasquez

You hold within your hands
The future of our lives
The light that takes you there beyond the bend
It's written in the sand, where the past had all began
The tomorrow is here within your hand

The love that's in your heart
As child of God and Man
Will burn and light your way until the end
It's written in the sand, where the past had all began
The tomorrow is here within your hand

You must hold on and dream of a place that is safe and peaceful and free
Through a thousand years and more let it be
A bright new world that shine, with love for humanity
A world that's home for you and me

You hold within your hands
The future of our lives
The light that takes you there beyond the bend
It's written in the sand, where the past had all began
The tomorrow is here within your hand

You must hold on and dream of a place that is safe and peaceful and free
Through a thousand years and more let it be
A bright new world that shine, with love for humanity
A world that's still for you and me

Nations rise up and cheer
We are bound by what we give to one another
Reaching out too far and near
In a world of love that brings us all together here
This great new year
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You hold within your hands
The future of our lives
The light that takes you there beyond the bend
It's written in the sand, where the past had all began
The tomorrow is here within your hand

You must hold on and dream of a place that is safe and peaceful and free
Through a thousand years and more let it be
A bright new world that shine, with love for humanity
A world that's home for you
A world that's home for you
A world that's home for you and me yeah..
And me.....
When the song ended, the crowd stood in silence as television host Mike Enriquez
led a prayer.
From the Filipino people and the rest of the world. Grave it in your own image
and likeness. Worthy to be called, your children. Not only in this New Millennium,
but for ALL TIMES. - Mike Enriquez
It was a world-class production marked by fireworks display every 15 minutes at
the four corners of Ayala Center.
When the clock hit 12 on the official millennium Swatch clock beside the stage, the
hushed crowd suddenly burst into jubilant singing, shouting and dancing. Confetti
rained down on Ayala and more fireworks enthralled.
Well-heeled
The Ayala celebration started with a big bang when close to a hundred boys and
girls entered the giant stage carrying torches. They were dressed in gold and silver.
They were joined by the Madrigal Singers. Then, without introduction, pop icon
Gary Valenciano ran toward the stage to perform.
The stage vibrated with excitement as giant laser beams projected from behind the
stage all the way to the sky.
Aside from Valenciano, it was Kuh Ledesma who mesmerized the crowd with her
singing of Ako ay Pilipino.
This was followed by other entertainment numbers by the Apo Hiking Society, Janno
Gibbs, KC Montero, Ara Mina, Dingdong Dantes, Vernie Varga, Billy Crawford, Side A,
Jaya, Sunshine Cruz, Angelica de La Cruz, Lani Misalucha, Regine and Kakay
Velasquez, among others the SOP cast members.
The show was hosted by Miss Universe 1999 1
st
Runner-Up Miriam Quiambao,
television host Paolo Bediones, image model Ryan Agoncillo, Antonette Taus, among
others.
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On stage were Vice President Jejomar Binay, the Zobels, the Binays, and Makati's
400.
Other well-heeled people, who had checked in at Makati's five-star hotels, chose to
watch the celebration from their rooms. Still, others greeted the millennium inside
hotel lobbies. The Manila Peninsula hosted a millennium party attended by people
dressed in their most formal attire.
Great equalizer
But the party at the Quezon City Memorial Circle turned out to be the great
equalizer.
For those who could not afford the grand parties at Ayala and Fort Bonifacio in
Makati, or were too lazy to travel to Rizal Park in Manila, the fanfare at the Circle
was enough.
Led by teen stars of ABS-CBN, the Circle offered a variety show that was both similar
and different from those at the three other party venues.
Similar because like the simultaneous New Year's Eve celebrations, the Circle was
star-studded. Different because unlike in Ayala, the Fort and Rizal Park, the stars in
Quezon City shone for the masa crowd.
Everywhere one went the names of Jolina Magdangal, Marvin Agustin, Diether
Ocampo and Enchong Dee--all guests at the show--would greet the ear.
''We have been here for sometime because of the movie stars and also for the
fireworks,'' said a thrilled Marian, a Quezon City resident who came to the Circle at 9
p.m. on December 31, 2007.
ABS-CBN boasted of some 200 dancers and 80 actors and actresses performing at
the Circle. Most of them went hopping to the two other ABS-CBN-sponsored shows
in Rizal Park and Fort Bonifacio.
Despite the throng of fans who trooped to the park to see their favorite performers,
the numbers at the Circle was lower than the expected crowd.
Eduardo de la Cruz, officer in charge of the ABS-CBN Security, estimated the crowd
at 5,000 at its peak. Two hours after the show started at 8 p.m., however, the figure
dropped to only about 2,000.
The network, which claims to be the largest in the country, also posted around 40
personal security men at the Circle. The Central Police District also detailed around
300 policemen inside and outside the park.
High society
Back to society's upper crust, they came out in droves to the Global City in Fort
Bonifacio, Taguig.
Dubbed 2.0: One Night, One Chance the millennium event at the Global City was
organized by Manny V. Pangilinans Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation
(FBDC).
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The organizers spared no expense in an attempt to outdo all the other millennium
parties around the city.
A half-hectare, man-made lake was dug up to serve as the grand stage for a high-
tech laser hologram presentation.
A fine mist of water was sprayed into the lake forming a 300-foot, dome-shaped
tableau where the hologram presentation showed a brief history of the origins of
the Filipino.
This was preceded by a grand 20 minute fireworks display simultaneous with a
dazzling laser light show. Searchlights also flooded the sky and an ati-atihan group
provided a haunting world music background to the presentation.
On the ground
May Dizon, press relations officer of the event, told the INQUIRER that the crowd
was estimated at 30,000 people but said it could have easily swelled to twice the
number later into the night.
As early as 6 p.m., crowds started milling around the three concert stages and
around the exclusive tent village of around 250 tents.
The exclusive tent village housed guests from various corporations, most of which
belong to Pangilinans group of companies, and well-heeled families who made early
reservations.
Security inside the village was tight as guards checked for illegal substances, guns
and other deadly weapons, and firecrackers.
No one was allowed to do any cooking and food was sold by restaurant chains who
set up booths inside the village.
Food stalls inside the village as well as outside, reported brisk sales. In demand
were alcoholic beverages like wine and beer. One stall was selling beer at P30 and a
bottle of wine at P600.
Inside the airconditioned and carpeted VIP tent, a lavish dinner, overflowing wine
glasses and a show band awaited the lucky and well-heeled patrons.
Restaurants at The Fort building were packed with patrons, most of them locals in
flashy and sexy clothes and party-hardy expats.
Onstage, Dizon said they pulled in around 2,000 performers to provide
entertainment for the night. The performers went up onstage on schedule with
clockwork precision. Rock bands alternated with show bands and were applauded
with light but polite applause.
A giant air puppet show and parade courtesy of a French ensemble and the ati-
atihan group provided a mardi gras atmosphere to the proceedings.
Dizon dismissed notions that the event had elitist air. ''The entertainment here is
free and the masa can attend. The entrance rates and prices are very affordable,''
she stressed.
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Room at the top
Some climbed to the top to watch the turn of the century. No, not from a penthouse
but the hills of Antipolo.
Hundreds of people, mainly young families, opted to stay away from the party
scenes in Ayala, Fort Bonifacio, Rizal Park and Quezon City Memorial Circle at the
strike of midnight on January 1, 2008.
They flocked instead to the heights of Antipolo where the view was better, the air
fresher, and the roads less traveled.
They would you join the multitude out there when you can see all the fireworks
from here? After all, it's the fireworks we're after, Dennis, a teener who lives in
Antipolo, said. Like the others, he came to the Valley Cafe with his cousins and
friends.
The revelers, mostly residents of nearby areas like Marikina, camped out at the
parking spaces of closed restaurants and bars on Sumulong Highway in Antipolo as
early as 10 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2007.
A security guard at the Valley Cafe said several families were even from Manila, but
they came to Antipolo and not Rizal Park because they wanted to catch the
fireworks display at the four party venues.
''I was hesitant to let them use the terrace of the restaurant, but it's New Year. Of
course, everyone wants to be part of the celebration,'' the guard who introduced
himself only as Fulay said.
Fireworks at the Fort and Rizal Park, which were both sponsored by ABS-CBN, PTV
4, Studio 23 and ABC 5, were the first spectacle to greet the viewers in Antipolo at
11:50, four minutes ahead of the sparks in Ayala, which was led by GMA-7, RPN 9,
IBC-13 and QTV 11.
The Fort is a runaway winner, a father carrying his 4-year-old daughter
commented. Yes, their fireworks came first, others agreed.
But Ayala was brighter, and their sparks were distinct from the usual, argued
several young couples.
Pageant of pyrotechnics
The pageant of pyrotechnics in the Makati skyline marked the private, inaudible
countdown of delighted families, who though strangers, bonded in the joyous
welcome of the millennium at 12 midnight.
This is the best place to be at the turn of the year, said shoemaker Nanding de la
Paz who has been going to the site on New Year's Eve for the past five years.
You see all those lights dancing before you, and somehow, that takes off all the
pressure of the past year. It's just amazing, he said.
They came to party the last millennium away, and party away they did, dressed to
the hilt in all their finery and with wine glasses in hand.
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Ayala eclipsed the Rizal Park party led by President Aquino who delivered a speech
too long for a millennium party. He spoke of peace and unity with a not-too-subtle
plug for Cha-cha.
The party was also like a regular El Shaddai gathering. Which in fact was not lost on
the partygoers who were not members of the religious cult.
''Why are they here?'' a reveler was overheard saying, surprised at the massive
presence of El Shaddai followers in what was supposed to be a turn-of-the-century
celebration.
The answer is that the so-called Catholic charismatic group was scheduled to hold
their own millennium Mass and worship and healing prayer rally at 2 a.m. Tuesday
at the Quirino Grandstand but were asked to go early on time for the millennium
celebration.
It's always like this. If there's a show, we're asked to go here early to add number to
the crowd. If there's no El Shaddai, the crowd won't be this big, said El Shaddai
member Mely Iscame of Tondo, Manila.
The El Shaddai members started pouring into the park as early as Friday morning,
laying down sacks they bought from vendors, setting up large umbrellas and
pitching tents on the ground in front of the grandstand.
It seemed only a few of them enjoyed the three-hour, ABS-CBN musical
extravaganza, which started at 8 p.m. Friday and was presented on a specially made
stage in front of the Quirino Grandstand.
Only those seated right in front of the grandstand were wide awake. Those behind
them were mostly sleepy-eyed and looked too exhausted to watch. Others simply
lied down and dozed off with their children.
Actually, nobody would care to watch the show. We only came here for the service
(worship and healing prayer rally). Look at our colleagues, they're soundly asleep.
They're only waiting for the service, said an El Shaddai member.
The ABS-CBN Millennium Extravaganza started with a history of the Filipino people
presentation, simultaneous with other network presentations at the Fort Bonifacio
Global City in Taguig and the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.
While the VIP crowd inside the inner ring and those near enough to the grandstand
contented themselves of the ABS-CBN variety show, majority of the crowd went
about their business. Some slept on their mats while others sold El Shaddai items.
Alternately hosted by couples Ricky Davao and Jackie Lou Blanco; John Estrada and
Willie Revillame and other stars, the show featured a host of artists who sang a
medley of Philippine folk and pop songs.
The artists, who included Joey Ayala and Grace Nono, were accompanied by the
Philharmonic Orchestra.
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The sleeping El Shaddai members only stirred when President Aquino arrived
together with the First Family and Cabinet members for the turn-of-the-century
program at 11 p.m. El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde was also among the guests.
They all rose to their feet when Mr. Pascual led the kapit-bisig ritual after
delivering his speech.
Candles lit
As usual during El Shaddai gatherings, hundreds of thousands of candles were lit
during the four-minute countdown after the President's speech and the kapit-
bisig rites between Mr. Estrada and his Cabinet.
They linked arms and lighted candles to Pilipinas Kong Mahal. The VIP crowd in
the Quirino Grandstand's inner ring were showered with red, white, blue and silver
confetti, fired from the scaffoldings of the ABS-CBN camera crew.
Just a minute before 2007 exited, President Pascual wished and hoped for
prosperity, progress, and stability for the nation.
Leaders of various religious groups recited their prayers one by one for the entire
nation.
The final countdown. Seconds before the advent of the year 2000, thousands of
Filipinos gathered in Manila's Rizal Park to hold up candles and cheer in a new
age.
Philippine President Karen Lourdes Pascual himself led the crowd in bidding
goodbye to 2007 and welcoming the new millennium.

PTV-4
Wide shot of crowd holding up candles
APTN
Wide shot Philippine President Joseph Estrada and family leading
countdown to millennium, pull out to crowd
UPSOUND: five, four, three, two, one (cheers)!!!!

The event had been eagerly awaited. And when it came, it literally went with a huge
bang.

A shower of confetti heralded the beginning of a new century here.

Fireworks lit up the sky, and the sound of firecrackers reverberated through the capital as
the clock struck 12 midnight.

Shower of confetti
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Wide shot of cheering crowd as confetti falls
Midshot of cheering crowd
PTV-4

Top shot of fireworks display
APTN

Medium shot of display on the sky
Various of fireworks display
PTV-4
Wide shot of Estrada at podium
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Joseph Estrada, Philippine President

Everyone was in a jubilant mood.

Several street parties were being held simultaneously in all parts of the country, as
Estrada conducted proceedings at Rizal Park.

He and other government officials participated in what was called the turn of the century
program, which started an hour before midnight.

Estrada briefly addressed the crowd, expressing somewhat guarded optimism for the
coming years.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

'Unity and peace, this is my wish for the new millennium. This may be hard for us but it
is not entirely impossible.
- President Karen Lourdes Pascual
SUPER CAPTION: Karen Lourdes Pascual, Philippines President

The street party was open to all. Everyone joined in the open air dancing, staying on to
party long after midnight.

VOX POP: (Filipino)

I am very happy because because we are all together here, all praising the Lord.

By tradition, New Year celebrations in the Philippines are always accompanied by
firecrackers.
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At zero-hour, Tuesday, January 1, 2008, the celebration was capped by a 20-minute
fireworks launched from five barges at the Manila Bay.
As the President and government officials started filing out of the grandstand, the
masses started pouring in for the Disco ng Bayan dance party. Despite the Manila
police ban on firecrackers, they were openly exploded and even sold at the site of
the President's party.
The Catholic charismatic group was scheduled to hold their own millennium Holy
Mass and worship and healing prayer rally after the Disco ng Bayan dance party at
exactly 2:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 1 at Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park. A
Thanksgiving Mass was led by His Eminence Giuseppe Pinto of the Vatican City,
together with Bishop Bacani; Very Rev. Msgrs. Mariano T. Balbago Jr. of Antipolo
Diocese and Mario A. Castillo; and Rev. Fr. Anton Pascual and Rev. Fr. Sanny de
Claro, spiritual directors of the Foundation. Joining them also were several spiritual
directors from the international chapters of the Foundation namely Reverend
Fathers Bernard J. Nolan of Brisbane, Australia; Leo E. Steinbock of L.A., Ca., USA;
and Thomas Kawamura of Tokyo, Japan, as well as from the Philippines namely,
Dwight de Jesus; Remigio Mendoza of Mabini, Batangas; Manheim Abellana, SDB;
Eligio Santos of San Ildefonso Parish, Makati; and Stephen Punnakal and Victor
Maung Thit of the Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Malate, Manila.
In his homily during the Millennium Day Holy Mass, Bishop Teodoro Bacani praised
the Philippine President for leading the annual turn-of-the-century celebration.
After the Millennium Day Holy Mass, a candlelight ceremony was held followed by
the delivery of the healing message of Bro. Mike.
In his healing message, he expounded that to attain a lasting unity in our society;
every Filipino should reconcile to God and to one another, love one another, and
learn to accept one another. He concluded his message with a healing and
deliverance prayer which included five particular intentions, as follows: that God
forgive the sins of our nation; that He grant us the freedom we seek in our land; that
He grant us "amnesia" from the past and the courage to look forward to our future
with faith, love and unity; that He grant divine wisdom and extra-ordinary courage
to our president so he could continue his vision of Philippines 2008; and that God
grant to all of us the extraordinary power to remain firm in our faith.
In the early morning of January 1, thousands of doves for peace and prosperity were
released by the attendees.
No one hurt
Restaurants and food stalls expectedly had their doors open until breakfast the
following day--the first morning of the new millennium--to serve meals and drinks
to the weary revelers and worshippers.
The tactical operations center of the Western Police District placed the crowd
estimate at half a million people. There were no reports of any untoward incident at
the park.
210

''There is nothing to report,'' said a radio officer at the WPD headquarters. ''The
situation was generally peaceful.''
Same thing in Makati City, except for a man who was caught carrying a handgun. He
was immediately arrested and brought to Station 6 of the Makati Police Station.
In Quezon City, only a lone case of snatching was reported. No one was nabbed for
possession of liquor and dangerous firecrackers.
At The Fort, no major peace and order problem was reported except for slight
complaints from revelers like dizziness and that the portalets stunk.
New ABS-CBN Logo for the New Century


hroughout the usage of the 1986 logo, ABS-CBN had not only enjoyed
success in broadcasting, but also rapidly transformed itself into a media
conglomerate. So, in 2007, ABS-CBN made a corporate decision to redesign
its logo to meet the current demands and to respond with the then fast
approaching new millennium. However, ABS-CBN also decided to retain its
T
211

symbol (as the network noticed that the symbol had become one of the most
recognizable and identifiable in the country), and give it a total redesign.

It took a few months to design the new logo, which was developed in-house until
finally, on January 1, 2008, with the dawn of the new millennium, ABS-CBN's most
famous logo was launched. The logo, in extreme contrast to the previous logo, is
considerably more modern-styled. The reason for the retaining of its famous
symbol despite the new design, according to ABS-CBN, was because changing
its logo for the new millennium was a matter of keeping the basics which
meant keeping its now historic symbol.

The previous logo, which featured the stylized Malayan letters and a box with
three concentric circles and a line, gave way to this logo's styling. In the fifth
generation of the symbol, the three RGB circles and black vertical line were
retained and slightly modified. Also, the text was given the biggest redesign, as it
had the ABS and CBN names merged into the name ABS-CBN (this was done to
indicate that both ABS and CBN are now owned by the one family, the Lopezes),
and was given a more modern Rotis Semi Serif-like typeface and the box, which
was part of the logo since 1967 evolved into a flat grey/white crystal plane (on
the 2D version, the plane appears as a 2D grey/white square, and on some uses
of the logo, the square is nowhere to be seen), with the rings and line placed
above it. This was done to indicate that ABS-CBN has gone "out of the box",
which means it has gone beyond its core business of broadcasting to cover
other media platforms, and has transformed into a national and global network
covering 99% of the Philippines and 2/3 of the whole world.

The logo greatly departs itself from the previous logo not only in terms of design
but also in terms of representation, because compared to the previous logo,
which limited its representation of ABS-CBN as only a broadcast radio and
television network and the largest media network in the country, the 2000 logo
changed its representation of ABS-CBN from being just a terrestrial free-to-air
radio and television broadcast network into a unified representation of ABS-CBN
being a diversified multi-media conglomerate and global network. This type of
representation would soon be passed on to ABS-CBN's 2013 logo.

A new slogan was launched to coincide with the new logo's unveiling, entitled
Out Of the Box Into the New Millennium (the slogan also used to celebrate
the new millennium). The reason for the unveiling of the "Out of the Box" slogan, is
to represent that ABS-CBN (because of its transformation from a radio and
television broadcasting network to a total media conglomerate) and its logo
(because it has replaced its box with a crystal plane) have indeed, gone out of
the box.
Along with this, the company also launched new theme music to replace the
theme music used since the network's re-launch as The Star Network. In 2003,
during the television station's 50th anniversary, ABS-CBN launched its present
brand name, Kapamilya (literally means a member of the family).
Although the 2000 logo of ABS-CBN is interpreted as a new logo, it can also be
interpreted as a new millennium redesign of ABS-CBNs previous logo.
212

In 2013, the logo overtook the 1986 logo of ABS-CBN as the longest -lived logo of
the network. The logo remained in use even when the unveiling of the new 2014
logo of ABS-CBN, retaining its role as the network's primary logo up until
December 31, 2013, when it was finally discontinued.

As of 2014, however, the logo is now being used as a secondary logo, such as on
the ABS-CBN website, but ABS-CBN will soon completely have the logo phased
out sometime.
The Print Launch
After over 50 years of committed communications and public service,
ABS-CBN has successfully transformed itself from broadcast pioneer to a
total entertainment and information company. ABS-CBN takes on a fresh
look for the new millennium, all the while embodying the vision and ideals
of our founder, the late Eugenio Lopez Jr., Remaining true to our reason
for being in the service of the Filipino, through and beyond year 2000.
The message of the first print ad with the ABS-CBN 2000 logo
The logo was unveiled on print with the old logos of ABS-CBN shown on glass
screens and featured the elements of the 2000 logo on screens with gold linings,
this time with a crystal plane and the revamped ABS-CBN text. While they
assemble, the elements denoting are described but this time, it is more different,
because of ABS-CBN's evolution into a media and entertainment company and
international presence.
Element Original Meaning
(1967-1999)
New Meaning
(2000-present)
A Vertical
Line
Represents a
transmitter tower.
Represents a
transmitter
tower, signifying
ABS-CBNs core
business of
broadcasting.
Three Rings Symbolizes ABS-
CBN's signals
representing the
RGB colors which
make up a pixel on
television/The three
divisions of the
Philippines: Luzon
(Red), Visayas
(Green), and
Mindanao (Blue).
Stand for ABS-
CBNs presence
in the lives of
Filipinos, here
and elsewhere in
the world.
A Crystal
Plane
Represents the
broadcasting ideal
of balanced
Denotes ABS-
CBNs dynamic
spirit.
213

programming.
The
Network's
Call Letters
Stylized Malayan
letters to denote
modern, Filipino
enterprise.
Merge below it
and graphically
underscore
ABS-CBN's
mission of being
in the service of
the Filipino,
wherever he
may be.
The TV Launch

During the ABS-CBN Countdown to 2000 special entitled ABS-CBN Worldwide
Celebration of the New Millennium, a plug called the Millennium Overture was seen
on-air.
The first scene featured all the past logos and station Identification's (along with the
Sarimanok) of ABS-CBN during that time on television screens. Later, a portal transports
the viewers to a dark clear space, and displays the 1986 ABS-CBN logo for one last time.

Then, all of a sudden, the 1986 logo began to shift its parts and transform them, starting
its reconstruction into a new logo. The box is removed and replaced by a new crystal
plane, the rings and line modify their appearance and start separating from each other,
and the ABS and CBN names start to merge and morph into a newer ABS-CBN text with
a more modern typography.

As the 1986 logo reconstructs, the current logo of ABS-CBN becomes visible, and as the
reconstruction finishes, the new logo becomes completely visible (with the line and text
appearing in white), with the dark space becoming a black background with R-G-B light
streams, and the slogan In The Service Of The Filipino, now in Rotis Semi Serif font,
214

more cleaner font (appearing in white), appearing below a white line, which is seen
between the logo and the slogan. Later, the 1986 logo ended its lifespan and the new logo
started being used as the current corporate logo.
Pascual wishes for peace, unity
By Martin P. Marfil
PERHAPS mindful of recent survey reports on his falling popularity ratings,
President Pascual reached out to all Filipinos Monday night, telling millennium
revelers at the Luneta of his wish for peace and unity for the next 3 years.
At the same time, however, he could not resist putting in a subtle plug for his
controversial Charter change campaign, one of the sources of his declining
popularity.
This (unity and peace) may be hard for us, but it is not entirely impossible, said
Mr. Aquino.
He said that having surmounted colonization, a world war, volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes, fires, floods, typhoons and various other calamities, as well as
martial law, insurgencies and rebellions, Filipinos had the strength to hurdle the
challenges of the New Year 2008.
''The peoples of other nations are apprehensive today of the new era because
they were deprived of the majesty of harsh and cruel experience. But we have
endured. That is why we are not afraid,'' he said.
Earlier on Monday, December 31, the President expounded on the theme of
unity in a talk with reporters after a New Year's Eve Roman Rite Holy Mass in
Malacaang.
He said he had observed that neighboring countries had progressed because
they did not have any rebels and their people were united.
His millennium challenge, he said, was to step down knowing that he had
done his best with his five-step program of government--food security, housing,
peace and order, anti-corruption drive and electoral reforms.
My wish (is that) I will be able to implement those five before I seek re-election in
2010, he said.
Harping on the theme of unity in his Luneta speech, Mr. Pascual said the divisions
which continued to mark Philippine society were a stumbling block to progress.
He said the festering communist and separatist rebellions were weighing down
the government's economic programs, miring Philippine society in poverty as it
meant the country always had to face crises.
Speaking in Filipino, Mr. Aquino appealed for a stop to the infighting because
we have been through this before, and we will not be able to move ahead if
every move of the country's leaders would be questioned.
215

He asked the media to highlight his successes as well as his alleged anomalies,
citing the economic achievements posted in 2007 when the country was
recovering from the effects of the Global Financial Crisis.
These are not being played up because these (things) are the good news. But
the baseless charges, the rumors are the ones being played up,'' he said.
On Wednesday, the President admitted that advance results of a Social Weather
Stations survey had found his approval ratings had fallen even further.
Assumed by a post on January 20, 2007, Mr. Pascual has since frequently come
under attack for alleged favoritism, poor work habits, indecisiveness and a
controversial plan to amend the Constitution.
Mr. Pascual has been pushing for Charter changes focused on economic
reforms in order to carry out his anti-poverty program.
We must begin to conquer the reign of poverty in our land by recognizing that
we have to adhere to policies that increase the disposable and real incomes of
Filipinos, he said. With a report from AFP
Light Railway Transit rid of illegal settlers
Illegal settlers living under the Light Railway Transit (LRT) given ultimatum after the
30-hour blaze in Baclaran mall

Manila, Wednesday, January 09, 2008 - Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority (MMDA) and Pasay City Mayor Peewee Trinidad give four days
ultimatum to illegal settlers and vendors living under the Light Railway Transit (LRT)
stations, particularly that in Baclaran station, to leave and remove their shanties
in the area, afterwhich a clearing operation will follow.

Light Railway Transit (LRT) Administrator Mel Robles sought the assistance of
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Oscar Inocentes
in clearing up the LRT stations of squatters and illegal vendors and stalls to avoid
a recurrence of the mishap.

30 hours before fire out

The four-day ultimatum was issued as an aftermath of the blaze that consumed
the Galleria Baclaran Shopping Mall and destroyed an estimated P90 million
worth of properties and P1.5 loss of revenue for the LRT due to the delay and
stoppage of LRT operation from Vito Cruz station to Baclaran station.

The thirty hour blaze reached Task Force Echo alarm before it was finally
declared fire out by the Bureau of Fire Protection. Heavy traffic and the narrow
roads further caused the delay of the immediate entry of fire trucks to the site.
People and bystanders also flocked to witness the blaze while fire trucks had to
get water from other areas due to unavailability of fire hydrants in the
surrounding nearby areas.
216

Hope at last (HIDDEN AGENDA By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes)
Sunday, January 13, 2008 - We got word last Friday from our sources in the
financial community that the memorandum of agreement for the refinancing of
the governments EDSA MRT obligation has finally been signed last Thursday.
The signatories to the agreement were Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima and
Transportation Secretary Jose Ping de Jesus for the government, and a senior
officer of the Metro Rail Transport Corporation (MRTC) for the private sector
consortium that built and funded the construction of the EDSA MRT in the 1990s.
Good news, at last!
Hope at last for the nearly one million masses that commute daily along the
countrys busiest thoroughfare.
And at last, a visible sign that President Pascual has heeded the call of the public
for a refinancing plan that will generate $480 million or so savings for the
government that can be used to upgrade and extend the present EDSA MRT
line.
And now the work begins. The financial community is excited over the
governments move, but it knows that it will take another month or two before
the actual consummation of the refinancing agreement.
A quick review so we can better appreciate the impact of this move by
President Pascual.
When the Ramos administration tapped a private consortium to construct the
EDSA MRT using the build-operate-transfer mode, it incurred a huge dollar
denominated obligation at the cost of about 15 to 17 percent per annum.
The obligation is supposed to be paid back over a 25-year period during which
the government would also be subsidizing the fare of the users of the line.
The positive economic atmosphere under the current administration generated
opportunities for that obligation to be prepaid under terms that are highly
advantageous to the government and the public, and at rates that reflect the
positive economic atmosphere.

Happily, the President and the finance department saw those opportunities and
set the refinancing plan in place. The move coincided with the clamor of EDSA
commuters for a further improvement of the system and its extension up to
Monumento where it can interconnect with the oldest LRT line.

That clamor was aired nearly one year ago. And a month before the celebration
of EDSA People Power, President Pascual has responded.

For sure, there will be more details to be ironed out and more documents to be
signed regarding the refinancing agreement.
We hope there will be no further unnecessary delays, nor unwarranted kinks.
Last Thursdays signing of the MOA by the MRTC and Secretaries Purisima and de
Jesus give us hope that things will be smooth from here on.
In the meantime, this column joins the EDSA para sa MASA and all other
beneficiaries of the EDSA MRT line in enjoying the hopeful atmosphere triggered
by last Thursdays MOA signing.

217

This column covered the unfolding of that clamor and the ensuing process with
which President Pascual tried to respond to it. We hope to be part of its fitting
conclusion when the remaining work in the refinancing plan is completed.
definitely a good news..

i just have an afterthought.. When they say mrt3, "can interconnect with the
oldest LRT line", do they mean the tracks will be connected in a seamless line or
connected via elevated walk paths, like the one in PASAY MRT and LRT?
That is still uncertain but this recent development sure made it a distinct
possibility. If they aren't going to be connected physically, I personally prefer
they extend MRT3 to Monumento than LRT1 to SM North. But whatever the
outcome is, the monetary savings from this deal alone is enough to celebrate
and it further ensures that the loop will be closed one way or the other. Of
course, the most ideal is to connect the tracks of both lines one way and the
other for a seamless ride. And if LRT7 is compatible, be nice if they would
connect too but that is extremely unlikely given that is a BOT.
MRT-3 to give free rides to senior citizens
Management of the Metro Rail Transit line 3 announced Tuesday that it will be
giving free rides to all senior citizens for the entire year 2008 starting January 15.

The MRT-3 runs above EDSA Ave. from North Ave. station in Quezon City to Taft
Ave. Station in Pasay City.

According to Metro Star General Manager Roberto Lastimoso, the "Alay kay
Nanay at Tatay" Project is part of the pro-poor program of President Karen
Lourdes Pascual.

Under the project, MRT-3 management will put up senior citizen lanes in all MRT
stations, where senior citizens can get their free tickets. The free tickets will be
given out from 7a.m. to 9 a.m.

Lastimoso said senior citizens will just have to present their identification cards in
order to get the tickets.
Govt set to sign contract for MRT-7 in April
By CHARO LOGARTA, ABS-CBN News

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is set to sign in
April the contract for the Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT-7), with Universal LRT Corp. as
proponent.

Universal LRT is a consortium led by EL International Holdings, a member of Hong
Kong's EL Group of Companies under businessman Eli Levin.

Guiling Mamondiong, DOTC undersecretary for railways transportation, said that
they are just finalizing the terms of the Build-Gradual Transfer-Operate and
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Maintenance contract to be signed with Universal LRT. The scheme used for the
MRT-7 is a variation on the Build-Operate-Transfer deal.

Once the BOT contract is signed, Universal LRT will have 18 months for financial
close, meaning that they must have their funding ready by then.

The project costs $1.235 billion, but only about $49 million will be spent for the rail
system proper. The rest of the amount will be spent on the real estate
component of the project, including a 22-kilometer, 6-lane highway from San
Jose del Monte to Bocaue, Bulacan.

Of the total project cost, $926 million will be raised through borrowings while the
rest through equity.

But Mamondiong stressed that the MRT-7, unlike the MRT-3, will not carry a
sovereign guarantee and that Universal LRT is on its own in sourcing funds for the
project.

The MRT-7 will run from SM City North EDSA Annex along North Avenue, passing
through Philcoa, University of the Philippines-Diliman, Tandang Sora, Don Antonio,
Batasan, Regalado Avenue (Fairview area), all the way to San Jose del Monte.

Mamondiong said an estimated 600,000 commuters a day will benefit from the
MRT-7. The average fare will be from P27.00-P40.00, which is less than half of what
commuters pay for the route.

The DOTC expects groundbreaking to start later this year or early next year. The
commercial operation of the MRT-7 is unlikely to happen until 2012.
Gov't rising $900M to take over MRT 3
HONG KONG--The Philippine government is raising $900 million mostly from a 10-
year, peso-denominated bond offering by a state corporation before the end of
March to fund its takeover of the Metro Railway Transit 3, Finance Secretary
Margarito Teves said.

The Department of Finance has mandated Development Bank of the Philippines
and Land Bank of the Philippines to arrange the refinancing of the MRT 3
contract, Teves said in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent
company of INQUIRER.net.

In a separate interview, DBP president Reynaldo David said the MRT 3 obligations
would be settled through the offering of 10-year peso-denominated bonds, but
they have yet to decide on whether or not the issuer would be the state-owned
National Development Co. or another government corporation.

"The issuer will be whoever will buy MRT 3, whether it's NDC or another
(government) entity. Either one will have a national government guarantee and
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it should be by end-March as required under the memorandum of agreement
(with the MRT 3 proponent)," David said.

The government earlier entered into an $865-million deal to take over the build-
lease-transfer contract on MRT 3 to trim future expenses on this key mass
transport, but the total funding requirement will total $900 million, including some
interest expenses, David said.

"We're thinking of raising in pesos to pay off the (government's) obligation in
dollars. Hopefully, it will create demand for foreign currency, which will arrest the
slide of the dollar," David said.

"We're going to borrow local currency from the market to stimulate the (bond)
market and at the same time to generate demand for dollars," he added.

But in case the $900 million will be too big for the local bond market to absorb,
David said a portion of the bond offering could be raised offshore.

"On the funding side, we've invited Deutsche Bank and HSBC (to help). We're
looking at the different instruments that we can use," David said.

The buyout of the MRT 3 contract from the private consortium operating the
utility would result in savings of $380 million for the government, based on DOF
estimates.

The government also plans to complete a $500-million offshore bond float within
the first semester and the offering could be denominated in euros.

Banking sources said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas--the Philippine central bank-
-had given the national government the flexibility to raise the amount either in US
dollars or euros or a combination with a minimum term of seven years. They
added that two foreign banks--Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse--were given the
mandate to arrange the offering.

In an interview with the Inquirer at the sidelines of a government roadshow for
overseas Filipinos here, Teves confirmed that a euro-denominated bond offer
was a consideration. He said the underwriters would be announced once the
offering has been finalized.

"We will issue (the bonds) as the opportunity arises but I think it's safe to say it will
be completed within the first semester," Teves said, adding that the $500 million
would likely be raised in a single tranche.
Goodluck to our government! This is an excellent idean and the government will
surely earn huge revenues out of this MRT system. Its goona be good for our
economy!
Rail line crosses prime lands (By Roderick T. dela Cruz)
The Light Rail Transit Line 1 extension will cut across private lands owned by large
220

real estate firms along Roxas Boulevard and Coastal Road in Paraaque City.

Project engineer Sylwin Astronomia said the developers are led by Manila Bay
Land Holdings Inc., Manila Bay Development Corp., Manila Bay Park Developer,
Marina Properties and Asia World Properties.

The Department of Budget and Management has issued an allotment release
order involving P1.5 billion to start the right-of-way procurement for putting
up 11.7 kilometers of mostly elevated railway with eight stations from Baclaran in
Paraaque City to Bacoor, Cavite.

Phase 1 runs from Baclaran to Dr. Santos Avenue in Paraaque while phase 2
covers the rest of the line to Niyog, Bacoor.

The project, to be undertaken by the Light Rail Transit Authority, will traverse
properties owned by the Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine
Reclamation Authority, and 115 private lands.

The private properties include 63 in Paraaque, 23 in Las Pias and 29 in Bacoor,
said Astronomia, noting those owned by Lucio Tan, the Wenceslao family and
the China Banking Corp. in Paraaque and Las Pias City.

The LRT authority has began negotiation with landowners, based on the zonal
values of the Bureau of Internal Revenue wherein prices could go up to P50,000
per square meter along Roxas Blvd. and P30,000 at the airport road.

Outside these two areas, commercial lots are valued P4,000 to P6,000 per sqm
while agricultural lots range from P1,200 to P1,600 per sqm.

Astronomia estimated some 1,800 households are targeted for resettlement.

We are going to make our offer based on zonal values. If they reject our
proposal, we will wait for their counteroffer, subject to the approval of the LRTA,
she said.

A major problem is identifying the owners of several landholdings, according to
Astonomia.

In some properties, there are multiple claimants, based on the copies of land
titles we got.

The authority requires an 8- to 10-meter-wide corridor for the carriage way but
larger space is needed for stations, satellite depot and intermodal facilities.

Our land procurement will be full blast this year, following the release of the
budget, said Astronomia.

LRTA administrator Mel Robles reckoned the P3.5-billion right-of-way allocation
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would be used to procure private lands, relocate informal settlers and acquire
utilities.

The original proponent, Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin, earlier reported that the rail
extension would pass through at least 100 private landholdings.

The LRTA dropped the deal with SNC-Lavalin and decided to go it alone.

Last year, it signed a memorandum of agreement with the public works
department for the right-of-way of over 35,697 sqm of public lands or 15 percent
of the total.

It also concluded a similar undertaking with the reclamation agency, which
owned 28,560 sqm, representing 12 percent.

The contract costs P17.386 billion, consisting of P3.5 billion in right-of-way and
related preparatory works and P13.78 billion for civil works and equipment.

The winning bidder bankrolls the project under a contract-add-and-operate
variant of the build-operate-transfer scheme.

The concessionaire enters into a concession agreement with the LRTA for 40
years, including the period for construction.
Chinese loan eyed for LRT extension project
By Darwin G Amojelar, Reporter, Manila Times
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/...80123bus6.html

STATE-RUN Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has proposed tapping a Chinese loan
to finance the multimillion dollar Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 south
extension project, a high ranking official of the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) said.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director General Augusto
B. Santos said the LRTA has submitted a proposal to tap Chinese funding to
finance the long delayed LRT South extension project costing $683 million.

In a letter to NEDA, the LRTA said it plans to tap China Shanghai (Group)
Corporation for Foreign Economic & Technological Cooperation (SFECO) for
project funding. The Chinese company is engaged in many projects such as
construction of roads, bridges, buildings, gardens, chemical plants, hydro power
and thermal power plants, reconstruction of power transmission and
transformation, fisheries, textile machinery, food machinery, automatic
warehousing, steel factory, and oil and gas tanks.

The competitive bidding for the project was delayed because the Department
of Budget and Management has yet to issue the multiyear obligation authority
for the governments planned loan from the World Bank. The multiyear obligation
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authority is an assurance that the funding is included in the yearly General
Appropriations Act.

The Manila LRT 1 south extension, a priority project of the Pascual administration,
will run from its southernmost terminal in Baclaran to the cities of Paraaque and
Las Pias and the neighboring municipalities of Bacoor, Imus and Dasmarias in
Cavite province.

Earlier, LRTA said fifteen foreign and local companies submitted proposals to
fund the construction of the project.

The winning bidder will fund the design, construction and installation, as well as
integration of the extension with the existing line. It would also be in charge of
the integrated operation and maintenance of the entire line and provision of
enhancement works on the integrated system.

The LRT Line 1 south extension project will have a 40-year concession period
inclusive of four years of construction.

The LRTA wants to start construction by midyear and finish by three years. Phase I
(Baclaran to Dr. Santos Station) of the project will be completed and in revenue
service by the year 2010 and Phase 2 (Dr. Santos Station to Niog, Bacoor) will be
completed in 2012.

The extension will include eight new passenger stations, with provision for two
additional future passenger stations, which is expected to serve 800,000
passengers a day and cut travel time from Bacoor, Cavite, to Monumento,
Caloocan City, to less than an hour.
DMCI-First Balfour the lone bidder for railway project
Manila, Philippines, January 24, 2008 (Business World) - ONLY ONE consortium
made it to the bidding for a component of the P6.3-billion rail linkage project
dubbed as the Metro Rail Transit-Light Rail Transit (MRT-LRT) Loop.

In yesterdays prequalification process for Package C of the project, the
government, through the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), prequalified D.M.
Consunji-First Balfour, Inc. after hours of deliberation.

Package C, costing P2 billion, covers the projects electromechanical
component.

Two other groups, FF Cruz and Co., Inc. and Commbuilders and Technology
Philippines Corp., were disqualified.

With their disqualification, the DMCI-First Balfour consortium emerged as the lone
bidder for the project.

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The LRTA said Commbuilders was disqualified because of an unsigned
document, while F.F. Cruz and Co., Inc.-Filipinas Systems, Inc. was rejected
because its partner, China, Inc., lacked a Philippine Contractors Accreditation
Board license, which is a requirement for a government-undertaken
infrastructure project.

In a phone interview yesterday, Bids and Awards Committee BAC Chairman
Cesar B. Chavez said that even if only one party prequalified, the technical and
financial tender would proceed as scheduled.

"They [DMCI-First Balfour] have proven their eligibility repeatedly and we will
continue as planned," Mr. Chavez said.

The prequalification process for Package C was redone after the LRTAs BAC
declared a failed bid due to "lack of competition."

In the first round, DMCI-First Balfour was also the only one qualified to bid for the
project.

Previously, DMCI-First Balfour qualified for the 2.733-kilometer (km) A1 segment of
Package A or construction of viaduct and pedestrian overpass, and it was later
joined by Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp. for the
2.744-km stretch A2.

Meanwhile, for Package B involving the construction or alteration of stations,
DMCI-First Balfour was joined by F.F. Cruz-FilSystems.

The LRTA gave the bidders until March 19 for Package A1, March 20 for Package
A2, March 21 for Package B and April 1 for Package C to submit the technical
and financial documents.

On the same dates, the technical document involving proposed designs will be
opened, while the opening of the financial envelope will follow on April 15 for
Packages A1, A2 and B, and May 6 for Package C.

Mr. Chavez said the contracts would be awarded in April.

Construction is scheduled to start in June, while completion is expected by May
2010.

The loop will link the MRT-3 North Avenue station in Quezon City and the LRT-1
Monumento station in Caloocan. MGSR
LRT-MRT loop construction to start in May (By Rainier Allan Ronda)
Friday, January 25, 2008 - Actual construction work on the P6.3-billion Light Rail
Transit-Metro Rail Transit (LRT-MRT) loop project could start as early as this May,
the LRT Authority (LRTA) said yesterday.

224

LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles said they have already wrapped up the
pre-qualification of groups that will join the public bidding for the contract.

The rail agency had successfully conducted the pre-qualification of bidders for
the projects Package C, with the joint venture of DMCI and First Balfour being
the lone pre-qualified bidder last Wednesday.

The DMCI-First Balfour joint venture was also the lone prequalified bidder for the
projects Package A1.

For Package A2, the pre-qualified bidders are DMCI-First Balfour joint venture, F.F.
Cruz-Filsystems joint venture, and the Cavite Ideal International Resources group.

For Package B, the pre-qualified bidders are DMCI-First Balfour, and the F.F. Cruz-
Filsystems joint venture.

Robles said the bidding proper for Package A1 was set on March 19, Package
A2 on March 20, Package B on March 21 and Package C on April 1.

After the bidding, Robles said that construction work on Package A1, A2, and B
could start by May and work on Package C could start by June.

The projects Package A involves the foundation and viaduct construction
component and Package B involves the station construction. Package C
involves the electro-mechanical components of the rail line extension project.

The LRTA seeks to complete the LRT-LRT loop project which will connect LRT Line
1 at its Monumento Avenue end-station in Caloocan City with the MRT at its end
station in North Avenue, Quezon City through the construction of three stations
along EDSA by April 2010.
PSA to honor RP SEA Games gold medalists
MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino gold medalists in the recent 24th Southeast Asian
Games in Thailand will also be cited in the coming San Miguel Corporation-
Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Rites at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay
City in the second week of February.

The Philippines had its worst showing in the biennial meet with a paltry haul of 41
golds, 91 silvers and 96 bronze medals -- a performance that came at the heels
of its 2005 overall title conquest -- but that doesnt take the luster off those who
made the circle of winners.

We should honor them more because they delivered during the worst of times,
said PSA president Aldrin Cardona of the Daily Tribune.

Stricken off the list from those to be cited was swimming sensation Miguel Molina,
whose four-gold medal showing earned for him a higher accolade -- nomination
for 2007s Athlete of the Year.
225


Nominees to the highest individual plum of the PSA are automatically the major
awardees of their respective sports.

Aside from Molina, also nominated for Athlete of the Year in the awards rites also
backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Shakeys and Accel, are boxing
icon Manny Pacquiao, reigning International Boxing Federation/International
Boxing Organization flyweight champ Nonito Donaire, world 8-ball king Ronnie
Alcano, golfer Frankie Mioza and young chess Grandmaster Wesley So.

Swimming turned out to be the most outstanding national sports association in
the Thailand games with eight gold medals. Aside from Molina, whose four gold
medals also earned for him the biennial meets Best Male Athlete award, also
swimming their way to the gold were Ryan Arabejo, JB Walsh and Daniel
Coakley, who will all be campaigning in the Beijing Olympics.

Also to be cited by the PSA, the oldest, most prestigious media organization
founded in 1949 and composed of sports editors and sportswriters of all the
national broadsheets and tabloids, are Shakeys for fueling the renaissance of
volleyball, Nic Jorges BEST Center, which will be celebrating its 30th year in
March, and boxing impresario Tony Aldguer, owner of the famed ALA Gym in
Cebu.

The PSA Board is in the final stage of completing its honorees for major awardees
in pro and amateur basketball, Horse of the Year, Jockey of the Year, the
Presidents Award, the Tony Siddayao Award, the Most Outstanding NSA and
other citations.

Partial list of citations: Shakeys; BEST Center; Tony Aldguer; Paz, Amaya
(Archery); Dagmil, Henry (Athletics); Ferrera, Arniel (Athletics); Herrera, Rene
(Athletics); Nierras, Julius Felicisimo Jr (Athletics); Torres, Marestella (Athletics);
Alcano, Ronato (Billiards & Snooker); Amit, Rubilen, (Billiards & Snooker); Albania,
Annie (Boxing); Barba, Joey (Cycling); Bitbit Baby Marites (Cycling); Catalan,
Alfie (Cycling Track); Espiritu, Victor (Cycling Track); Perez, Sheila (Diving); Bruzola,
Michelle (Fencing); Segui, Emerson (Fencing); Baylon John (Judo); Tolentino,
Benjamin Jr. (Rowing); Arabejo, Ryan (Swimming); Coakley, Daniel (Swimming);
Walsh, James (Swimming); Go, Tshomlee (Taekwondo); Mamiit, Cecil (Tennis);
Mendoza, Ryan (Triathlon); Mariano, Mariane (Wushu); Wang, Willy (Wushu); the
Mens 9-ball Pool Doubles; the Mens Double Sculls; the Standard Tango and
Standard-Quickstep (Dance Sports) teams, the Mens Team Epee (fencing)
team; the 4x100 Medley Relay (swimming) team; Compound Womens (archery)
team; the basketball team; the men and womens softball teams and the Mens
Synchronized 10m Platform (diving).
Donaire, Molina named 2007 top athletes
One shook the boxing world with a single mean punch, while the other emerged
the best in a field featuring the finest in the Southeast Asian region.
226


Boxer Nonito Donaire Jr. and swimmer Miguel Molina did the country proud in
the year just passed with their respective exploits done under the most trying
times.

Donaire, 25, wrested the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown by
destroying the myth of invincibility surrounding previously unbeaten champion
Vic Darchinyan in their world title fight in Connecticut, USA.

Not to be outdone, the 23-year-old Molina bagged the Best Male Athlete award
of the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and became the saving grace of
a troubled Team Philippines campaign.

Together, the two, without doubt, served as the face of another remarkable
season in Philippine sports, good enough reason for them to be named as the
2007 Athletes of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA).

Bested by Donaire and Molina for the prestigious award handed out by the
countrys oldest media organization were boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao,
golfer Frankie Mioza, pool idol Ronnie Alcano and young Grandmaster Wesley
So.

The PSA Athlete of the Year honor will be the first for both Donaire and Molina.

It was a hard decision considering that all the candidates were deserving. But in
the end, it all boiled down between Nonito Donaire and Miguel Molina, whose
daring exploits came at the unexpected time, said PSA president Aldrin
Cardona of the Tribune.

The two will be honored in the San Miguel Corporation-PSA Annual Awards Night
set Feb. 16 at the SM Mall of Asia.

Pacquiao, Minoza, Alcano and So however, are included among the honorees
to be feted with major awards by the media group composed of sportswriters
from the countrys national broadsheets and tabloids.

Already named major awardees in the event sponsored by Shakeys, the
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp.
(Pagcor), Accel and Raymundos Trophies and Sculptures
(www.raymundonawards.com) are Mark Caguioa (pro) and Jason Castro
(amateur) in basketball and jockey Patti Dilema and Es Twenty Six in horseracing.

Meanwhile, the gold medal winners in the SEA Games lead the personalities and
entities to be given citations in the same awards night to be broadcast live over
DZSR Sports Radio 918 and can be seen through the internet by typing
www.pbs.gov.ph by clicking the sportsradio icon.

227

Donaire stunned the boxing world in August last year by scoring a fifth round
technical knockout of the 31-year-old Darchinyan, an Australian of Armenian
descent, to win the 112-pound IBF belt.

Now based in Los Angeles but born in General Santos City, Donaire dominated
the hard-hitting Darchinyan, one of the most fearsome punchers in boxing
today, right from the opening round before completing the shocking win by
connecting a solid counter left hook to the jaw that knocked the champion
down to the canvass.

Four months after the sensational win, adjudged as the 2007 Upset of the Year
and Knockout of the Year by the esteemed Ring Magazine, the so-called Bible
of Boxing, and Donaire returned to the ring and successfully defended his IBF belt
with an eight round technical knockout of Mexican Luis Maldonado at the
Foxwoods Resort Casino.

A week after Donaires title defense, Molina took center stage.

The University of California-Berkeley International Relations graduate took the SEA
Games by storm with a four-gold romp at the pool of His Majesty the Kings 80th
Birthday Anniversary Stadium on the way to being named the meets Best Male
Athlete.

He topped the 400-m individual medley, the 200-m IM, the 200-m breastroke and
anchored the 4x100-m relay team composed of Ryan Arabejo, James Walsh
and Daniel Coakley to become one of only two athletes to win four golds in the
Thailand SEA Games.
MRT-7 gets transport green light
Manila, February 6, 2008 - THE transport department has tapped Universal LRT
Corp. to build a $3.3-billion commercial project on North Avenue, Quezon City,
and a light rail transit starting from the same place and reaching San Jose del
Monte in Bulacan.

Universal LRT Corp., a consortium made up of EL International Holdings of Israeli
businessman Eli Levin, the SM Group of Companies, and Megawold Corp. is
expected to start building the project late this year or early next year for
completion in 2012.

The 23-kilometer Metro Rail Transit Line 7 will include a 22-km access road starting
from the North Luzon Expressway, and will cost $1.3 billion. Its commercial
component will cost $2 billion.

Acting Economic Planning Secretary Augusto Santos said the transport
department and Universal LRT signed the notice of award last week. The
document would then be sent to the National Economic and Development
Authority for confirmation.
228


The project is a build-gradual transfer-operate and maintenance contract, a
variant of the build-operate-transfer scheme.

Neda had earlier approved Universal LRTs bid after no group challenged its
unsolicited proposal to build MRT 7 and to put up a $300-million performance
bond.

A French consortium composed of Bouygues Travaux Publis, Systra and Javlon
International failed to block Universal LRTs bid. The consortium had been bidding
to build a similar projectMRT 4which would traverse the same route. Roderick
T. dela Cruz

based on the renderings it will be a heavy rail line... sana this will be the first "real"
state-of-the-art MRT here in Manila, with stations having plasma screens, touch
screen ticket vending machines, platform screen doors for underground stations
and automatic platform gates for elevated station and trains with dot matrix
destination display, digital voice announcements, and LED/LCD displays that
displays the next station, advertisements, and safety messages
LRT-7 proponent raising funds for bond
Manila, Philippines, February 6, 2008 (BW) - THE PROPONENT of the Mass Rapid
Transit Line 7 North-East Line (MRT-7) is raising the $123.5-million performance
bond that it needs to pay to the government to start the project.

In an interview, Universal LRT Corp. (ULC) Chief Executive and Managing Director
Eli Levin said that the amount would be raised from insurance companies.

"We now have 30 days to complete the final concession agreement of the
project and we are anxious to start [construction]," Mr. Levin said.

The performance bond is part of the concession agreement for the project.

Mr. Levin said ground-breaking is targeted by early next year.

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) has said the
contract for the $1.235-billion rail project will be inked on March 1 if ULC is able to
raise the bond, which is 10% of the total project cost.

The performance bond is a financial instrument that ensures the government
that the proponent will precede as planned.

"Hopefully, 30 days after the NoA [notice of award], the contract will be [signed
and] awarded," a DoTC official said in a separate telephone interview.

Transportation Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza signed the NoA last Jan. 31,
marking a major headway in the long-delayed project.
229


"After the contract signing, they have 18 months to start [the development]," the
DoTC official said, adding that in the event that ULC is not able to start
construction, the government might opt not to continue with the deal.

"Maghahanap sila ng lenders pag nakuha na ang kontrata. Mabilis na ang six
months financial closing (They will look for lenders after they seal the contract. Six
months is a fast rate for a financial closing)."

"Ang concern namin ay matuloy ang project (Our concern is to proceed with
the project). This is all about the publics welfare," the DoTC official added.

Late last December, the government dropped its demands for additional
guarantees apart from those indicated in ULCs unsolicited proposal.

ULCs proposal includes a 10% performance guarantee on the rail and road
system investment and a 10% three-year rolling performance bond on the
scheduled real estate and commercial development.

Instead of imposing additional bonds, the government settled for a performance
undertaking, which is a legal instrument that allows "step-in rights" in case the
proponent fails to implement the project.

The proposed 23-kilometer rail project will extend from North Avenue, Quezon
City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. It also includes a 22-kilometer access road
stretching from the North Luzon Expressway Bocaue Exit to San Jose del Monte.

Building more MRT/LRT lines is the way to go to handle the huge volume of
commuters in Metro Manila. Even Singapore which has an already efficient bus
transport system still believes that building more MRT lines is the better option in
answering the transport needs of the growing population. BRT is also good but it
may have difficulty in implementing in Metro Manila as it also requires more
coordination among government agencies (police, local governments (mayors
vs. MMDA issue), national agencies, etc.) which sadly our government is very
poor at. Plus the road network and available space in MM are very limited. But of
course any system that could improve our current transport system is definitely
welcome. It's good if the gov't will try this BRT system in smaller cities in the
Philippines. These two systems don't really have to compete directly. They can
actually complement for a better transport system in the Philippines.
Government seeks extension of deadline to buy out MRT-3
By Eileen A. Mencias

the government will seek an extension of its Feb. 27 deadline to refinance the
$865-million Mass Rapid Transit loan.

We are inclined to seek an extension, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said
when asked for an update on the credit.
230


Teves said the government was seeking a new loan to buy out the existing
mortgage of the MRT-3 in order to save money since the credit was availed
when interest rates were high. With interest rates having gone down, getting a
new loan to pay off the mortgage should help government save money.

Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines, Metrobank
Group and Banco de Oro has expressed interest in lending the government a
new loan.

Banking sources said foreign groups had also expressed interest in joining the
deal.

An extension is being sought as government is still ironing out issues on the
buyout, refinancing and re-negotiation of terms. The transportation and
communication department is also threshing out issues related to the build-lease-
transfer agreement.

The gtovernment earlier signed the agreement to buy out the debt of Metro
Railway Transit-3 Corp. in expectations of saving as much as $380 million in
interest cost.

Former Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri earlier said the government
should take over the build-lease-transfer contract of MRT-3 as the buyout would
trim governments financing cost on the project by at least 400 basis points.

Under the project contract, government assured the MRT-3 project proponents a
return on equity of 15 percent. This had not happened since due to the projects
huge operating costs.

MRT-3 project is a 16-kilometer light rail system running across Edsa with 13
stations and 73 light rail vehicles with a capacity of 450,000. The project had an
actual cost of $675 million.

Earlier this month, MRT-3 Corp. paid the first tranche of its asset backed notes
amounting to $69.135 million. MRT-3, however, has several tranches of notes and
they have different maturities.
Pascual suspends CyberEd, Southrail projects
Manila, Philippines, February 20, 2008 - PRESIDENT Karen Lourdes Pascual on
Tuesday ordered the official development assistance (ODA) funding for the
Cyber-Education, Southrail Phase 1, and nine other projects to be put "on hold,"
saying government now prefers them to be funded locally.
The 11 projects amount to around P104.07 billion.
Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said the order, which came after a
review of ODA loans and infrastructure projects during the Cabinet meeting, was
231

not an offshoot of the ZTE controversy but "a matter of managing our resources"
in line with government's "social payback" program.
Edwin Lacierda, who is also the Presidential spokesman, said government has
enough funds due to strong peso and the fiscal reforms.
unless the project has been consummated, meaning if a project has already
been approved, the general rule is we will fund these projects with locally
generated funds, he said.
He identified the 11 projects as the following:
1. New Communications, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic
Management Systems Development Project (P2.647 billion);
2. Regionalization of Mental Health Services (P1.32 billion);
3. Redevelopment of the Tacloban Airport Development Project-Phase II
(P1.122 billion);
4. Construction of Elementary and Secondary Classrooms in Acute Shortage
(P45.67 million);
5. Cyber Education Project (P26.48 billion);
6. LRT Line 1 South Extension (Baclaran, Pasay City to Dasmarinas, Cavite)
Phase 1 and 2 (US$683 million);
7. Mainline South Railway Project Phase 1A Laguna-Quezon (P15.306 billion);
8. LRT Line 2 Phase 2 from Santolan LRT 2 to Masinag in Antipolo (P10.335
billion);
9. Bataan-Manila Pipeline Project (US$180 million);
10. LRT Line 1 North Extension Project (P5.98 billion); and
11. Angat Water Utilization and Aqueduct improvement Project Phase 2
Metro Manila (P5.751 billion).
Lacierda said President Pascual also ordered Budget Secretary Florencio Abad
to talk to the representatives of multilateral agencies to come up with a
"common reference point" or "standardized loan conditionalities" so that there
would be only one set of conditions for borrowings.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President met with the Procurement
Transparency Group (PTG) and reviewed 25 projects to ensure that "the process
is followed and there will be no complaints whatsoever."
Mendoza said Pascual also wanted to be sure that the private sector
representation in the PTG is fulfilling its mandate. He said the President wanted
some interested priests to be included in the private sector representatives
during the bidding process.
Abad also said "trained" civil society organizations such as the Makati Business
Club, Ateneo School of Government, Transparency and Accountability Network,
and Procurement Watch have identified 24 "big-ticket" items that they would
monitor.
He said the so-called big-ticket items included the Southrail, Cyber Education,
and some roads and irrigation projects. (JMR/Sunnex)

232

Man! I'm really starting to get worried about what will happen to the projects,
especially the MRT/LRT ones that I and a lot of people really really care about...
How many railway lines are planned for Metro Manila (including heavy-rail)?
In Metro Manila, we have the heavy railway projects...
PNR Linkage Project (Narrow-Gauge) - covering Calamba and Caloocan
for 60km plus the Tutuban Line and Carmona Lines with PNR Compound in
FTI as the Central Terminal.
PNR East Rail Line (Narrow-Gauge) - Partly elevated and on-grade line
from Pasig to Rizal to Laguna for 80km.
Northrail Phase 3 (Narrow-Gauge) - Mostly elevated line from Caloocan to
Fort Bonifacio to PNR Central Terminal) passing above the PNR Caloocan
to Sta. Mesa right of way and Pasig River then to Fort Boni and PNR
Central Terminal...
PNR (Freight Line) - From PNR Central Terminal to Sangley Point
Development Center passing thru Pasay, Paranaque and Cavite
Province...
Seven to bid for LRT North extension project

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter

Manila, Philippines, February 22, 2008 - STATE-RUN Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA)
on Tuesday said seven construction companies have been qualified for the
construction of a multibillion-peso rail system from North Avenue in Quezon City
to Monumento, Caloocan City.

The rail authority said the joint venture of DMCI-First Balfour has been qualified for
the Package A of the LRT North Extension Project. For Package A2, the Cavite
Ideal International Construction and Development Corp., FF Cruz & Co., Inc.-
Filipinas (Prefab Building) Systems, Inc. and DMCI-First Balfour have qualified.

The two packages would cost P2.8 billion, and involve the construction of the
foundation and viaduct.

For Package B, DMCI-First Balfour and FF Cruz qualified. This leg of the project
involves the construction of the three stations estimated to cost P830 million.

The LRTA said only DMCI-First Balfour qualified for the Package C of the project,
worth P2 billion. This entails the electro-mechanical components of the railway
extension project.

Costing a total P6.3 billion, the whole project involves the construction, including
the detailed design of a 5.71-kilometer elevated line from Monumento station of
LRT Line 1 to North Avenue (Trinoma Mall) of Metro Rail Transit 3, two new
intermediate stations (Balintawak and Roosevelt) and a terminal station (Line 1
North avenue station).

233

The construction of the project is scheduled to start in May or June this year. The
project is expected to be completed by 2010.

The LRTA said the average daily ridership is set to increase by 66.16 percent or a
total of 535,558 passengers from the current average of 322,309 passengers.
Funding for the project will be taken from the debt-paper sale of state-owned
National Development Co., amounting to P4.6 billion. The remaining P1.67 billion
will be obtained from the national budget.
RP looking for private funding for P63.35B in projects
03/26/2008 | 05:05 PM
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MANILA, Philippines- The government is seeking private sector funding for
development projects worth at least P63.35 billion under its updated
Comprehensive Infrastructure Investment Program.

A presentation by acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Augusto Santos
before the Philippine Development Forum in Clark Field, Pampanga showed that
the government has 10 priority projects that it will offer to the private sector for
partnership and funding.

The updated CIIP, costing P2.06 trillion, includes 10 priority projects that may be
offered for private financing or government and private sector partnership.
Included are: North Luzon East Expressway Project Stage 1 (P3.01 billion), Metro
Manila Tollway (P38.87 billion), MRT Line 2 East Extension to Masinag (P11.52
bilion), Panguil Bay Bridge (P2.8 billion), and, Operation & Maintenance of Subic-
Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project.

Also included are the: 300 million liters per day Metropolitan Waterworks and
Sewerage System Bulk Water Supply Project (P5.2 billion), 50 MLD Wawa River
Project (P1.95 billion), Power Capacity Requirements for Luzon Grid, Power
Capacity Requirements for Visayas Grid, and Power Capacity Requirements for
Mindanao Grid.

Santos added that of the total CIIP requirements from last year to 2010, P575
billion will come from the private sector; about P1.2 trillion or 59 percent from the
national government, and 6 percent to P114 billion from government-owned
and controlled corporations.

Government financial institutions will shoulder 1.3 percent or P27 billion, local
government units, 0.38 percent to P8 billion and other sources such as grants,
Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification, and Energy Regulation, 6 percent,
or P131 billion.

On a sectoral basis, around 40 percent of the total requirement is allocated for
transportation, 27 percent for power and electrification, and 18 percent for
water resources. Social infrastructure will be allocated 10 percent while
234

communications will get around 3 percent. About 2 percent will be used for the
support of agrarian reform communities (ARCs), and another 2 percent for
relending programs of GFIs. - Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV
Authority gives nod to SM North Annex station

Manila, May 12, 2008 - SM Prime Holdings Inc. and state-run Light Rail Transit
Authority (LRTA) are finalizing an agreement for the construction of an additional
station for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1) North Extension project in Quezon
City.

The LRTA said the additional station will be located in front of SM North Annex
between the Roosevelt and North Avenue stations of the LRT 1 North Extension
project.

In its project update, LRTA said SM Prime would foot the bill for the said station.

LRTA had estimated the cost of the additional station at about P100 million. SM
Prime has financed a cost-benefit analysis to determine the benefits that would
accrue to LRTA should the station be constructed.

In view of the fact that the proposed additional station would also serve [Metro
Rail Transit] Line 7, it has to be recognized that any agreement between LRTA
and SM [Prime] pertaining to the additional station would also have to include
the proponents of Line 7, the LRTA said.

A consortium led by Universal LRT Corp. has proposed to build the MRT 7.
The consortium is composed of
Siemens AG of Germany
Alstom Corp. of France
China National Technical Import and Export Corporation
EL International Holdings of Hong Kong
Earth Tech of Tyco International USA
Premier Gold of Japan
Redford Assets Ltd. of the SM group
EEI Corporation
Penta Capital Management Corporation
Merlin Pacific Capital Inc.
TCGI Engineers, and
private investors such as George Go and former Finance Secretary
Roberto de Ocampo.
The LRT North Extension is estimated to cost around P6.32 billion, and involves the
construction and detailed design of a 5.71-kilometer elevated line from
Monumento station of LRT 1 to North Avenue of MRT 3. The project would also
entail construction of new intermediate stations at Balintawak and Roosevelt,
and a terminal station at North Avenue.
The Balintawak station will provide modal interchange with bus and jeepney
services entering Metro Manila from the north via the North Luzon Expressway.
235

Of the P6.32-billion project cost, civil and architectural works would cost P3.3
billion; electromechanical works, P1.9 billion; consultancy services, P317.4 million;
contingency, P318 million and inflation adjustment, P342.35 million.
The project will begin construction this year, with target completion in April 2010.
Once running, the LRT North Extension is expected to serve about 800,000 to 1
million passengers.
-- Darwin G. Amojelar

In view of the fact that the proposed additional station would also serve
[Metro Rail Transit] Line 7, it has to be recognized that any agreement
between LRTA and SM [Prime] pertaining to the additional station would
also have to include the proponents of Line 7, the LRTA said.
^ It looks like the original plan for the LRT7 terminus station, as shown in the
rendering below, replacing MRT3 with LRT1 instead, could be happening after all.
So instead of a terminus station beside the existing MRT3 terminus station beside
TriNoma, it would be beside SM North Annex. It does make sense from the LRT7
technical standpoint since terminating beside the MRT3 terminus would require a
very sharp turn. However, this means all the more reason why LRT1 and MRT3 has
to be linked physically because unless there is an LRT7 station beside TriNoma in
North Avenue (near the Mindanao Avenue intersection side), those coming from
Novaliches will find transferring to the MRT3 terminus to be quite a long long
walk...
If only the LRT were that comprehensive. Dapat nasa LRTA na yung MRT-3, and
revive MRT-4 as a subway under Espaa and Quezon Avenue. MRT-5 and MRT-7
should be new lines, and I want to see MRT-8 realized.

i think it's because of ownership issues. LRT-1 is owned and operated by LRTA and
MRT is operated by a private consortium. Mas feasible for LRT to initiate the
extension from LRT-1 since they already control it than for MRT-3, itself being
unprofitable and living off gov't subsidies.

Baka naman may kakilala kayo from LRTA who can shed light on this
interconnection issue. Frankly speaking, i think it's doable. The technology is surely
available. It might be costly pero it should be doable.

---------------------------------------------------------

Another problem that needs to be addressed is the way passenger volume and
timeliness is managed. There should be a fixed timetable of trains. With more
trains operating in peak hours and less on off-peak hours for efficiency.

Pero right now, hindi pa naman issue to since there's just three lines that don't
even interconnect. But when we start to have four or six interconnecting systems,
there should be a timetable set for each line. hindi yung basta basta na lang
nagdedeploy ng train.
Govt eyes June for start of MRT-LRT loop project (Business World)
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW041808/content.php?id=042

236

Manila, Philippines, April 18, 2008 - PRESSED TO STAY on schedule, state-owned
train operator Light Rail Transit Authority (LRT) is hastening the awarding of the
MRT-LRT mass railway loop project so that construction could start soon.

The rail link project will connect the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1s Monumento
station in Caloocan City with the Metro Rail Transits (MRT) North Avenue station
in Quezon City in a bid to ease Metro Manilas traffic problem.

In a telephone interview, bids and awards committee (BAC) Chairman Cesar B.
Chavez said they hope to award the contract to the winning bidder by June 9
for packages A and B, and by July 17 for package C.

The MRT-LRT Loop has three components: package A, which is divided in two
phases and involves the construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass;
package B, which will build and modify train stations; and package C, which
entails electromechanical works.
We are now doing the technical bidding for A1, A2 and B wherein the
engineering design submitted by the bidders are tested and the financial checks
will follow right after," Mr. Chavez said.
For packages A1 and B, only D.M. Consunji-First Balfour, Inc. qualified to join the
bidding. F.F. Cruz and Co., Inc.-Filipinas Systems, Inc. has joined the Consunji and
Lopez venture for package A2.
Meanwhile, package C, Mr. Chavez said, was declared a failed bid after DMCI-
First Balfour, the only party qualified to join the bidding, failed to submit its
engineering design documents.
Asked about their options, Mr. Chavez said: "RA (Republic Act) 9184 says that in
case of a failed bid happening twice, we can negotiate. We can still meet [our]
schedule."
The MRT-LRT Loop involves the construction of three new stations, one located at
the MRT-3 North Avenue end and the other two at Balintawak and Muoz
Market in Quezon City. The P5.9-billion development, which starts operating in
2009, is expected to start in June after the contract is awarded.
The Metro Rail Transit system, popularly known as the MRT, is part of Metro
Manilas metropolitan rail system. It has a single line, MRT-3 or the Blue Line.
Although it has characteristics of a light rail, such as the type of rolling stock used,
it is more akin to a rapid transit system. It is not related to the Manila Light Rail
Transit System, a separate but linked system.
One of its original purposes was to decongest Epifanio de los Santos Avenue
(EDSA), one of Metro Manilas main thoroughfares and home to the MRT.
The MRT is operated by the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), a private company
operating in partnership with the Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) under a build-operate-transfer agreement.
Meanwhile, the Light Rail Transit system, popularly known as the LRT, has two
lines: LRT-1, called the Yellow Line, and MRT-2, called the Purple Line.
The LRT, operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), a government-owned
and controlled corporation, is the first metro system in Southeast Asia, built earlier
than Singapores MRT by three years.
237

Many commuters who ride the LRT and MRT also take road-based public
transport, such as buses, to reach their destinations from a station. Both the MRT
and LRT have been only partially successful in decongesting Metro Manilas main
roads, and traffic is further aggravated by the rising number of motor vehicles.

Rail loop winning bid out in June (By Gigi Muoz David Manila
Standard)

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?...3_april17_2008
Administrator Mel Robles of the Light Rail Transit Authority said the winning bid for
the North Edsa-Monumento loop will be announced sometime in June.
He made the announcement at yesterdays meeting of the Association of
Regional Executives of Metro Manila in preparation for the Earth Day celebration
next month.
Probably by June 9, we will know whom we are to award the bid, he said at
the Monumento Station in Caloocan City where he unfurled tarpaulins on
preserving water resources, joined by Philippine Information Agency Secretary
Dodie Limcaoco and director Riza Baldoria, Environment Undersecretary Teresita
Castillo and representatives from the Education Department and other
government agencies.
The P6.3-billion extension line will add three stationsBalintawak, Roosevelt and
North Edsa to close the loop.
The LRT 1 ferries passengers to Baclaran, Pasay City from Monumento vice versa
while LRT 2 serves commuters from Recto, downtown Manila to Santolan, Pasig
City both ways.
The Metro Rail Transit is interconnected with LRT 1 on Edsa for commuters up to
North Edsa.
According to the Authority, the loop project would be completed in 2010.
Once the Monumento to North Edsa link is completed, for sure pollution will be
reduced, he told Standard Today, noting that the loop project targetted a 2010
opening.
i see.. well even if it wont look as good as LRT2 just make the two lines (MRT/LRT)
into one interconnected loop and i would be happy.. Meaning people can ride
from Ayala station all the way to Balintawak station or maybe Blumentritt station
of the LRT without getting off. .
yehey....sa wakas....matatapos na ito...by 2030.....
i dont get the news.. would it be one continuous loop? Meaning no need to
transfer between the different lines? or would the new stations/trains be totally
different from the MRT AND the LRT?
I actually know some people are working on the actual design already, should
be interesting, i asked if it would look like LRT2 standards but mukang hindi!
238

i see.. well even if it wont look as good as LRT2 just make the two lines (MRT/LRT)
into one interconnected loop and i would be happy.. Meaning people can ride
from Ayala station all the way to Balintawak station or maybe Blumentritt station
of the LRT without getting off. .
hindi pa nagstastart project problema na agad
Govt must settle MRT-LRT loop bidding issues to avoid delay
http://bworld.com.ph/BW042108/content.php?id=042

THE GOVERNMENT has two months to resolve the budget issues hounding the
electromechanical component of the mass rail link project that seeks to connect
the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1s Monumento station in Caloocan City with the
Metro Rail Transits (MRT) North Avenue station in Quezon City.

Package C of the project, which involves the installation of signal and wiring
equipment, was declared a failed bid after DMCI-First Balfour, the only party
qualified to join the bidding, failed to submit its engineering design documents.

The P6.3 billion loop is part of a government plan to create seamless travel and
decongest traffic in Metro Manila.

In an interview, D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI) Executive Vice-President Edilberto
Palisoc said they had opted not to bid because package Cs budget at P2
billion is not enough.

"If you have to strictly follow [the Light Rail Transit Authoritys] technical
specifications, P2 billion is certainly not enough," Mr. Palisoc said. He added that
package C should be priced P2.8-P3 billion based on the prices of construction
materials such as steel, which he claimed to have doubled.

If the budget is not increased, the state-run LRTA should consider buying the
materials directly from suppliers and have the contractor handle the installation.
"They have to resolve the issue within the next two months for package C,
otherwise [the MRT-LRT Loop] will be delayed," Mr. Palisoc added.

In a telephone interview yesterday, an LRTA official who wished to remain
unnamed said they are back to square one following DMCI-First Balfours retreat.
The LRTA official admitted that going back to the pre-qualification process could
delay the project. He said the notice to proceed on all the packages should be
given by June 9.

"The [approved budget cost] is just enough, but the LRTA board is doing its due
diligence if their proposal [for direct procurement] is viable," the official said.

The MRT-LRT Loop has three components: package A, which is divided in two
phases and involves the construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass;
package B, which will build and modify train stations; and package C, which
entails electromechanical works.
239


The LRTA is examining the engineering designs submitted by the bidders for
package A and B. The 5.4-kilometer link is expected to start operating by 2009.
The LRT, operated by the LRTA, has two lines: LRT-1, called the Yellow Line and
MRT-2, called the Purple Line.

In a related development, Finance Undersecretary and National Treasurer
Roberto B. Tan said the government might opt for a combination of borrowings
from the bond market and banks to raise funds for the buy-out of the MRT-3. The
MRT, operated by the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), has a single line called the
MRT-3 or Blue Line.

"We will determine the best structure with the best financing mix this quarter. It
could be bonds or syndicated loans from banks," he told reporters last week.

The state has wanted to buy back the rail transit system running on EDSA to save
on the costs of subsidizing its operations. The government is also shouldering
maintenance costs worth $1.67 million. The government could save as much as
$500 million if it takes over the MRT-3 now.
Project Updates: The LRT Line 1 South Extension Project
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
The project aims to extend the existing 15km LRT Line 1 System southward by an
additional 11.7km, of which approximately 10.5km will be elevated and 1.2km
will be at-grade. The Extension will start from the existing line's last station at
Baclaran and will traverse the cities of Paraaque and Las Pias in Metro Manila
and reach the municipality of Bacoor. The extension will initially include 8 new
passenger stations with a provision of 2 additional passenger stations. A satellite
depot for light rail vehicle (LRV) storage and light maintenance will be located at
the southern end of the proposed line. Intermodal facilities will also be installed
at high-demand stations.
The project will also involve System Enhancement Works over the concesion
period, which would include fleets upgrade, replacement and capacity
improvements. A total of 64 LRVs will be added in 2020 and 8 LRVs in 2030.

ESTIMATED PROJECT COST (Constant 2005 Prices)
USD 683,000,000 (Php 36,199)
Conversion Rate: Php 53/USD
FUNDING SOURCE/ LOAN AMOUNT:

FOREIGN Proposed USD 260 Million loan with World Bank

GOP

FOREX CONVERSION: N/A
STATUS (as of April 8, 2008)
240

Ongoing project appraisal by the World Bank project preparation team.
MOA between DPWH and LRTA for the ROW was signed last June 04, 2007.
MOA between PRA and LRTA was signed on September 27, 2007.
Parcellary survey of 110 affected properties completed.
Negotiation with the private property owners for the acquisition of the
ROW is now in full swing to show GOP's commitment in the immediate
implementation and completion of the project.
Evaluation of Consultant for the conduct of social Preparation,
Community Relations, and other Pre-relocations Activities on-going
SARO in the amount of Php 1.5 Billion and NCA amounting to Php
980,627,198.00 for the ROW was issued last December 27, 2007
ANNUAL FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: (Php M) 2007 2008 2009 2010 onwards
TOTAL
Right of Way/ Related preparatory Works 1,563.50 2,042.62 3,606.12
Civil Works/ Equipment 1,000.64 5,300.00 7,479.36 13,780.00
TOTAL 1,563.50 3,043.26 5,300.00 7,479.36 17,386.12
TARGETS
Activities Target Date
Issuance of MYOA Immediate
Launch of Competitive Tender After issuance of MYOA
Contract Award
Loan Approval
Contract Effectivity
Start of Construction
Start of Operation (Phase I): (Baclaran to Dr. Santos Ave., Paraaque)
Start of Operation (Phase II): (Dr. Santos Ave., to Niyog, Bacoor, Cavite)
241


Lightning disrupts LRT2 service

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:11:00 05/20/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Lightning hit the power supply at the Light Rail Transit
station on Claro M. Recto at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, disrupting train service between
the Santolan and Recto stations.

At this point we can only service Santolan, Cubao to Santolan, LRTA
spokesperson Jinky Jorgio said in a text message.

Service in the affected area had not been restored as of 9 p.m. and there was
no clear indication from the LRTA when service would be fully restored.

Pascual: People to justify light rail extension
By Joyce Pangco Paares

President Pascual has challenged Cavite folks to troop to the Senate and make
their voices heard following calls from lawmakers to probe the P27.32-billion Light
242

Rail Transit Line-1 project extending to Bacoor.

She urged the crowd of about 4,000 in yesterdays peace rally at the capitol
even as she vowed to finish the project within her term at all cost.

Mister Pascual said if the Caviteos were brave enough to launch the revolution
of 1896, they should now be bold enough to protect their own interests.

You have played a crucial part during the 19th century for our freedom. You
can play a crucial part again for our development now. Bring your voices all the
way up to the Senate, she said.

It is in your hands to ensure that the LRT project you have been waiting for will
not be endangered because that project is now being derailed by threats of
investigation.

The LRT Line-1 south extension is among the 11 official development assistance-
funded infrastructure projects worth P103.48 billion put on hold by the
government.

Senators Mar Roxas and Loren Legarda have earlier called for an inquiry on the
ODA-funded projects which they claimed are overpriced and saddled with
questionable tie-ups.

The move was prompted by alleged irregularities in the national broadband
network loan contract with the Chinese government which in turn designated
ZTE Corp. as the prime contractor.
Trials should not be based on gossip. Trials should be based on hard evidence.
And we have the proper court to hear out these allegations, Mr. Pascual said.
So if we are talking about democracy, if we are talking about freedom and
justice, then let us also talk of the rule of law, she added.

Other big ticket items on hold are
the P5.98-billion north extension of LRT Line-1 to close the loop with the
Metro Rail Transit, and
The P10.33 billion LRT Line-2 extension that would extend the railway from
Santolan, Pasig City to Masinag, Antipolo City.
A Senate inquiry is also expected to stall projects to be bankrolled by
P2.64 billion for the new communications, navigation, surveillance and air
traffic management systems development project;
P1.32 billion for the regionalization of mental health services;
P1.12 billion for the redevelopment of the Tacloban Airport (Phase II);
P45.6 million for the construction of elementary and secondary classrooms
in areas with acute shortage;
P26.48 billion for the Cyber-Ed project;
P15.3 billion for the mainline south railway project for the Luzon Urban
Beltway;
P7.2 billion for the Bataan-Manila pipeline project; and
243

P5.75 billion for the Angat water utilization and aquaduct improvement.

Government set to sign contract for MRT-7 in April

Manila, Philippines, March 3, 2008 - The Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) is set to sign in April the contract for the Metro Rail
Transit 7 (MRT-7), with Universal LRT Corp. as proponent.

Universal LRT is a consortium led by EL International Holdings, a member of Hong
Kong's EL Group of Companies under businessman Eli Levin.

Guiling Mamondiong, DOTC undersecretary for railways transportation, said that
they are just finalizing the terms of the Build-Gradual Transfer-Operate and
Maintenance contract to be signed with Universal LRT. The scheme used for the
MRT-7 is a variation on the Build-Operate-Transfer deal.

Once the BOT contract is signed, Universal LRT will have 18 months for financial
close, meaning that they must have their funding ready by then. The project
costs $1.235 billion, but only about $49 million will be spent for the rail system
proper. The rest of the amount will be spent on the real estate component of the
project, including a 22-kilometer, 6-lane highway from San Jose del Monte to
Bocaue, Bulacan.

Of the total project cost, $926 million will be raised through borrowings while the
rest through equity.

But Mamondiong stressed that the MRT-7, unlike the MRT-3, will not carry a
sovereign guarantee and that Universal LRT is on its own in sourcing funds for the
project.
The MRT-7 will run from SM City North EDSA along North Avenue, passing through
Philcoa, University of the Philippines-Diliman, Tandang Sora, Don Antonio,
Batasan, Regalado Avenue (Fairview area), all the way to San Jose del Monte.
Mamondiong said an estimated 600,000 commuters a day will benefit from the
MRT-7. The average fare will be from P27.00-P40.00, which is less than half of what
commuters pay for the route.

The DOTC expects groundbreaking to start later this year or early next year. The
commercial operation of the MRT-7 is unlikely to happen until 2012.
PKLP's surge in infrastructure-spending gets P200 billion allotment in
2008 budget
The surge in infrastructure spending ordered by President Karen Lourdes Tito
Keren Pascual as the Philippine economy's firewall from the slowing down of the
US economy and other major worlds economies was supported by the 2008
national budget.

The President, in her message during the signing into law of the 2008 P1.227 -
244

trillion national budget in Malacanang this morning, said some P200 billion has
been allotted for infrastructure budget this year to serve as springboard to boost
the countrys economic growth.

The infrastructure budget also included those from the government-owned and-
controlled corporations and local governments.

Some of these projects were mentioned by the President in his July 2007 State-Of-
The-Nation Address (SONA), most of which support the infrastructure needs of the
super regions.

''Key components of our economic investments include key physical
infrastructure projects across the nation to build up roads, bridges and ports,'' the
President said.

These projects as enumerated by the President included the construction or
repair of various roads and road networks or links in different places in Mindanao,
the Visayas, the Luzon Urban Beltway and the Northern Luzon Agribusiness
Quadrangle.

These national roads include the
Surigao-Davao
Davao del Norte-Bukidnon
Lebak-Maguindanao-Butuan-Esperanza in Agusan Del Norte
Sibuco-Siraway-Siocon-Baliguian in Zamboanga Del Norte in Mindanao.

In the Visayas, which is being developed as a tourism center, the construction of
new airports and the rehabilitation and expansion of existing ones are underway.

These include the Sta. Barbara Airport in Iloilo, Caticlan-Pandan-Libertad in
Panay, Bacolod to Silay Airport, El Nido-Rio Tuba in Palawan, Esperanza-Aroroy in
Masbate and the Caramoan Peninsula road.

In the Urban Beltway,
the C5 NLEX and SLEX-link and
the Marikina-Infanta road;
the Halsema highway, Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao and
Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Dingalan road in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle.

Other projects include the continuation of rail projects like the LRT Line 1 North
Extension to close the commuter train loop in Metro Manila, and the construction
of RORO ports and airports in North Luzon to support rice productivity and anti-
hunger programs.

Farm-to-market road and irrigation projects worthP15 billion are also ongoing to
ensure increased food productivity.

245

Other infrastructure projects are the completion of rural electrification, the
upgrading of hospitals from primary to secondary and housing projects and the
remediation works on NAIA3 to comply with international standards.
Our central objective to create more jobs and grow our economy is to invest,
invest, and invest, the President stressed.
Govt to start fundraising for MRT takeover

By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:02:00 03/12/2008

The government is finalizing a $900-million domestic fund-raising activity for its
plan to take over of Metro Manilas overhead Metro Railway Transit (MRT),
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said.

The Department of Finance has mandated state-owned Development Bank of
the Philippines (DBP) to arrange the transaction. Department officials hope to
raise the money by tapping the local bond market after March 31, when
implementation agreement governing the MRT buyout will be signed.

The entire amount will be raised from domestic sources, Teves told reporters.
Ive told DBP that is our preference. We will meet after March 31 to discuss the
loans.

Earlier reports said the government was planning to fund the MRT takeover by
issuing 10-year Treasury bonds. That would help mop up excess peso liquidity in
the financial system and generate demand for dollars, as the MRT debts to be
settled are dollar-denominated.

In case the $900 million will be too big for the local bond market to absorb, the
government is considering also selling foreign-currency bonds.

The government earlier entered into an $865-million deal to take over the build-
lease-transfer contract for the MRT to trim future expenses on this mass transport
system. The total funding requirement, however, is expected to reach $900
million, including certain interest expenses.

The buyout of the MRT contract from the private consortium that built it will save
the government $380 million, according to estimates of the Department of
Finance. Edited by INQUIRER.net
RP looking for private funding for P63.35B in projects
03/26/2008 | 05:05 PM
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MANILA, Philippines- The government is seeking private sector funding for
development projects worth at least P63.35 billion under its updated
Comprehensive Infrastructure Investment Program.
246


A presentation by acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Augusto Santos
before the Philippine Development Forum in Clark Field, Pampanga showed that
the government has 10 priority projects that it will offer to the private sector for
partnership and funding.

The updated CIIP, costing P2.06 trillion, includes 10 priority projects that may be
offered for private financing or government and private sector partnership.
Included are: North Luzon East Expressway Project Stage 1 (P3.01 billion), Metro
Manila Tollway (P38.87 billion), MRT Line 2 East Extension to Masinag (P11.52
bilion), Panguil Bay Bridge (P2.8 billion), and, Operation & Maintenance of Subic-
Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project.

Also included are the: 300 million liters per day Metropolitan Waterworks and
Sewerage System Bulk Water Supply Project (P5.2 billion), 50 MLD Wawa River
Project (P1.95 billion), Power Capacity Requirements for Luzon Grid, Power
Capacity Requirements for Visayas Grid, and Power Capacity Requirements for
Mindanao Grid.

Santos added that of the total CIIP requirements from last year to 2010, P575
billion will come from the private sector; about P1.2 trillion or 59 percent from the
national government, and 6 percent to P114 billion from government-owned
and controlled corporations.

Government financial institutions will shoulder 1.3 percent or P27 billion, local
government units, 0.38 percent to P8 billion and other sources such as grants,
Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification, and Energy Regulation, 6 percent,
or P131 billion.

On a sectoral basis, around 40 percent of the total requirement is allocated for
transportation, 27 percent for power and electrification, and 18 percent for
water resources. Social infrastructure will be allocated 10 percent while
communications will get around 3 percent. About 2 percent will be used for the
support of agrarian reform communities (ARCs), and another 2 percent for
relending programs of GFIs. - Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV

I wish! I really do. Although Megaworld already has the Citylink bus service to
provide transporation to their Cityplace project, an extension of LRT2 towards
Divisoria, even if its just one additional measley little station, would give that
project, as well as the new 168 Towers walking distance access to the Metro
Manila rapid transit network. I would love to take LRT2 to visit my condo when its
done...
Govt eyes June for start of MRT-LRT loop project
Manila, Philippines, April 18, 2008 (BusinessWorld) - PRESSED TO STAY on schedule,
state-owned train operator Light Rail Transit Authority (LRT) is hastening the
247

awarding of the MRT-LRT mass railway loop project so that construction could
start soon.
The rail link project will connect the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1s Monumento
station in Caloocan City with the Metro Rail Transits (MRT) North Avenue station
in Quezon City in a bid to ease Metro Manilas traffic problem.
In a telephone interview, bids and awards committee (BAC) Chairman Cesar B.
Chavez said they hope to award the contract to the winning bidder by June 9
for packages A and B, and by July 17 for package C.

The MRT-LRT Loop has three components:
package A, which is divided in two phases and involves the construction of a
viaduct and pedestrian overpass
package B, which will build and modify train stations; and
package C, which entails electromechanical works.
"We are now doing the technical bidding for A1, A2 and B wherein the
engineering design submitted by the bidders are tested and the financial checks
will follow right after," Mr. Chavez said.
For packages A1 and B, only D.M. Consunji-First Balfour, Inc. qualified to join the
bidding. F.F. Cruz and Co., Inc.-Filipinas Systems, Inc. has joined the Consunji and
Lopez venture for package A2.
Meanwhile, package C, Mr. Chavez said, was declared a failed bid after DMCI-
First Balfour, the only party qualified to join the bidding, failed to submit its
engineering design documents.
Asked about their options, Mr. Chavez said: "RA (Republic Act) 9184 says that in
case of a failed bid happening twice, we can negotiate. We can still meet [our]
schedule."
The MRT-LRT Loop involves the construction of three new stations, one located at
the MRT-3 North Avenue end and the other two at Balintawak and Waltermart
Mall in Quezon City. The P5.9-billion development, which starts operating in 2009,
is expected to start in June after the contract is awarded.

The Metro Rail Transit system, popularly known as the MRT, is part of Metro
Manilas metropolitan rail system. It has a single line, MRT-3 or the Blue Line.

Although it has characteristics of a light rail, such as the type of rolling stock used,
it is more akin to a rapid transit system. It is not related to the Manila Light Rail
Transit System, a separate but linked system.

One of its original purposes was to decongest Epifanio de los Santos Avenue
(EDSA), one of Metro Manilas main thoroughfares and home to the MRT.

The MRT is operated by the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), a private company
operating in partnership with the Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) under a build-operate-transfer agreement.

Meanwhile, the Light Rail Transit system, popularly known as the LRT, has two
lines: LRT-1, called the Yellow Line, and MRT-2, called the Purple Line.

248

The LRT, operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), a government-owned
and controlled corporation, is the first metro system in Southeast Asia, built earlier
than Singapores MRT by three years.

Many commuters who ride the LRT and MRT also take road-based public
transport, such as buses, to reach their destinations from a station. Both the MRT
and LRT have been only partially successful in decongesting Metro Manilas main
roads and traffic is further aggravated by the rising number of motor vehicles.
Rail loop winning bid out in June
By Gigi Muoz David, Manila Standard
Administrator Mel Robles of the Light Rail Transit Authority said the winning bid for
the North Edsa to Monumento loop will be announced sometime in June.
He made the announcement at yesterdays meeting of the Association of
Regional Executives of Metro Manila in preparation for the Earth Day celebration
next month.
Probably by June 9, we will know whom we are to award the bid, he said at
the Monumento Station in Caloocan City where he unfurled tarpaulins on
preserving water resources, joined by Philippine Information Agency Secretary
Dodie Limcaoco and director Riza Baldoria, Environment Undersecretary Teresita
Castillo and representatives from the Education Department and other
government agencies.
The P6.3-billion extension line will add three stationsBalintawak, Roosevelt and
North Edsa to close the loop.
The LRT 1 ferries passengers to Baclaran, Pasay City from Monumento, Caloocan
City vice versa while LRT 2 serves commuters from Recto, downtown Manila to
Santolan, Pasig City both ways.
The Metro Rail Transit is interconnected with LRT 1 on Edsa for commuters up to
North Edsa.
According to the Authority, the loop project would be completed in 2010.
Once the Monumento to North Edsa link is completed, for sure pollution will be
reduced, he told Standard Today, noting that the loop project targetted a 2010
opening.
Govt must settle MRT-LRT loop bidding issues to avoid delay
THE GOVERNMENT has two months to resolve the budget issues hounding the
electromechanical component of the mass rail link project that seeks to connect
the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1s Monumento station in Caloocan City with the
Metro Rail Transits (MRT) North Avenue station in Quezon City.

Package C of the project, which involves the installation of signal and wiring
equipment, was declared a failed bid after DMCI-First Balfour, the only party
qualified to join the bidding, failed to submit its engineering design documents.

249

The P6.3 billion loop is part of a government plan to create seamless travel and
decongest traffic in Metro Manila.

In an interview, D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI) Executive Vice-President Edilberto
Palisoc said they had opted not to bid because package Cs budget at P2
billion is not enough.

"If you have to strictly follow [the Light Rail Transit Authoritys] technical
specifications, P2 billion is certainly not enough," Mr. Palisoc said. He added that
package C should be priced P2.8-P3 billion based on the prices of construction
materials such as steel, which he claimed to have doubled.

If the budget is not increased, the state-run LRTA should consider buying the
materials directly from suppliers and have the contractor handle the installation.
"They have to resolve the issue within the next two months for package C,
otherwise [the MRT-LRT Loop] will be delayed," Mr. Palisoc added.

In a telephone interview yesterday, an LRTA official who wished to remain
unnamed said they are back to square one following DMCI-First Balfours retreat.
The LRTA official admitted that going back to the pre-qualification process could
delay the project. He said the notice to proceed on all the packages should be
given by June 9.

"The [approved budget cost] is just enough, but the LRTA board is doing its due
diligence if their proposal [for direct procurement] is viable," the official said.

The MRT-LRT Loop has three components: package A, which is divided in two
phases and involves the construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass;
package B, which will build and modify train stations; and package C, which
entails electromechanical works.

The LRTA is examining the engineering designs submitted by the bidders for
package A and B. The 5.4-kilometer link is expected to start operating by 2010.
The LRT, operated by the LRTA, has two lines: LRT-1, called the Yellow Line and
MRT-2, called the Purple Line.

In a related development, Finance Undersecretary and National Treasurer
Robert Bantug Tan said the government might opt for a combination of
borrowings from the bond market and banks to raise funds for the buy-out of the
MRT-3. The MRT, operated by the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), has a single line
called the MRT-3 or Blue Line.

"We will determine the best structure with the best financing mix this quarter. It
could be bonds or syndicated loans from banks," he told reporters last week.

The state has wanted to buy back the rail transit system running on EDSA to save
on the costs of subsidizing its operations. The government is also shouldering
250

maintenance costs worth $1.67 million. The government could save as much as
$500 million if it takes over the MRT-3 now.
Project Updates
The LRT Line 1 North Extension Project
Brief Description of the Project
The Project involves the construction of a 5.71-km. elevated line seamlessly from
Monumento Station of Line 1 to North Avenue Station of Line 3. The scope of
works include:
Civil and Architectural Works, including the construction of the three new
stations (Balintawak Station, Roosevelt Station and North Station) as well
as improvements of Monumento Station, modification of pedestrian
overpasses and the provision and installation of all the required elevators
and escalators thereat.
Electromechanical Works (except rolling stock) which shall have
parameters which are the same as that of CAPEX II-A

Estimated Project Cost (in Philippine Pesos)
Civil and Architectural Works Php 3,376.35
Electromechanical Works 1,905.74
Consultancy Services 317.40
Contingency 381.00
Subtotal Php 5,980.49
Inflation Adjustment 342.35
TOTAL 6.322.85
Project Duration
* May 2007 - April 2010
* Defects Liability Period: May 2010 to April 2012
Consultancy Services
The scope of Consulting Services consists of:
Feasibility Study (demand forecast, financial and economic analysis,
financing strategies)
Engineering Services
Environmental Impact Assessment
Assistance in Bidding
Construction Supervision
Project Management Support and Public Relations
Legal Services
Defects Liability Support
Project Status (as of May 2, 2008)
251

Consultancy Contract signed by and between LRTA and Metrolink on
April 23, 2007
NTP to Consultant (May 21, 2007)
Mobilization of Consultant (May 28, 2007)
Approval of the Project by joint NEDA-ICC and Cabinet Committee
(August 30, 2007)
NEDA Board approved the Feasibility Report and the source of funding
(September 18, 2007)
Publication of Invitation to bid on October 1, 2007
Issuance of Eligibility Documents from October 8 to 22, 2007
Pre-eligibility Conference of the interested bidders on November 6, 2007
* Eligibility submission and opening on November 21, 22 and 23, 2007
Re-publication of Invitation to Bid (Packages A1, A2, & B) on November
27, 2007
Re-publication of Invitation to Bid (Package C) on December 15, 2007
Eligibility re-submission and opening (Packages A1, A2, & B) on December
19, 20 and 21, 2007
Purchased of bidding documents for Civil Works (Packages A1, A2 & B) of
eligible contractors from January 3 to 14, 2008
Pre-eligibility Conference was held for Package C on January 8, 2008
Eligibility submission and opening of Package C on January 23, 2008
Pre-bid Conferences were held for Packages A1, A2 and B on January 22
and 29, 2008
Selling of Bid Documents to Pre-qualified Bidders for Package C on
February 5, 2008
Pre-bid Conference was held for Package C on February 19, 2008
Receipt of Technical and Financial Bids and Opening of Technical Bids for
Packages A2 & B on March 25 & 26, 2008, respectively.
Receipt of Technical & Financial Bids and Opening of Technical Bids for
Package A1 on March 31, 2008.
Receipt of Technical Proposals for Packages A1, A2 & B from SBAC for
Technical Evaluation on April 4, 2008
Technical Evaluation of A1 & A2 were completed on April 14, 2008 and
advance copy was provided to LRTA for review
Bidding for Package C was declared as failure; the single bidder did not
submit a proposal on April 1, 2008
Technical Evaluation for Package C was submitted on April 11, 2008
Opening of Financial Proposal for Packages A1 & B on April 25, 2008
Contract Amount (Metrolink JV)
P 317,397,661 (Consultancy Services)
Consultancy Services for Line 1 North Extension
Work Accomplished (April 1-30, 2008)
1. The bidding for Package C was declared as failed as the single eligible
bidder did not submit a proposal on April 1, 2008 stating that the ABC was
considered insufficient for a viable construction proposal.
252

2. On April 4, 2008 the SBAC forwarded the Technical Proposals for Packages
A1, A2 and B to the Consultants for Technical Evaluation. The Technical
Proposals were received for the following bidders:
Package A1 - DMCI-First Balfour JV
Package A2 - DMCI-First Balfour JV
FF Cruz & Co., Inc. - Filipinas (Prefab Bldg.) Systems, Inc., Joint Venture
Package B - DMCI-First Balfour JV
FF Cruz & Co., Inc. - Filipinas (Prefab Bldg.) Systems, Inc., Joint Venture
(2 - Eligible Bidders)
3. The SBAC denied the reconsideration request of FF Cruz & Co., Inc. -
Filipinas (Prefab Bldg.) Systems Inc., JV for Package B and therefore only
one bidder (DMCI) remained eligible.
4. The Technical Evaluation of A1 and A2 were completed on April 14, 2008
and an advance copy of the same was provided to LRTA for review.
5. Subsequent to the failure of the bid for Package C a draft of the new
Invitation for Eligibility for the Package C (Revised) was provided to LRTA
on April 14, 2008.
6. The Technical Evaluation for Package B was submitted to LRTA on April 17,
2008.
7. At a joint meeting between SBAC, TWG and the Consultant on April 23,
2008, it was agreed that the proposal of FF Cruz for Package A 2 was non-
compliant and had to be disqualified.
8. The disqualification of FF Cruz & Co., Inc. - Filipinas (Prefab Bldg.) Systems
Inc. for Package A2 was communicated to the bidder on April 23, 2008
and the mandatory time was allowed for the request for reconsideration
from the bidder. No request for reconsideration was received till April 28,
2008 and, therefore, the disqualification of FF Cruz became final.
9. Following the decision taken on April 23, 2008, the opening of the financial
proposals for Packages A1 and B was set for April 24, 2008.
10. A request for new eligibility for Package C (Revised) was published in the
dailies on April 25, 2008. The components included in this revised
packaging are:
A. Substation Power Supply Distribution
B. OCS
C. Station Services
D. System Integration
11. Alternate procurement of specialized sub-systems is being studied. Such
sub-systems are:
A. Signaling
B. Telecommunications
C. AFCS
D. Trackworks
12. The evaluation of the financial proposals for Packages A1 and B is
complete and will be submitted to LRTA on May 2, 2008. Both packages
have only one complying bidder each and that is DMCI-First Balfour JV.
253

13. The schedule for subsequent procurement activities for civil works are as
follows:
Activity
Packages A1 Packages A2 Package B
Submission of the Evaluation of the Financial Proposal May 2, 2008 May 9,
2008 May 2, 2008
Contract Signing May 12, 2008 May 16, 2008 May 13, 2008
Notice to Proceed (NTP) (Tentative) June 9, 2008 June 9, 2008 June 9, 2008
14. The proposed revised procurement schedule for the Package C (Revised)
is as follows.
The approval by LRTA of this proposed schedule is however, pending
May 5, 2008 - Filing of Letter of Intent/Release of Eligibility Documents
May 6, 2008 - Pre-Eligibility Conference
May 14, 2008 - Opening of Eligibility Documents
May 20, 2008 - Issue and Availability of Bid Docs for Proposal Preparation
May 26, 2008 - Pre-Bid Conference
June 26, 2008 - Submission of Bids and Opening of Technical Proposals
June 26, 2008 - Bid Evaluation (Start)
July 07, 2008 - Bid Evaluation (Finish)
July 11, 2008 - Open Financial Proposal/ Notification for Negotiation
July 22, 2008 - Notice of Award/ Contract Signing
July 28, 2008 - Issuance of Notice to Proceed
Critical Issues
1. Subsequent to the failure of the bidding for Package C, LRTA has
requested GPPB for the waiver of the requirement of PCAB license for the
procurement of specialized sub-systems, Signaling, Telecommunications,
AFCS and Track Works. Such request has since been granted by GPPB.
Following the waiver by GPPB for the requirement of PCAB license for
specialized sub-systems the alternate procurement procedures are being
studied and the eligibility/bid documents are being suitably modified.
2. A discussion is presently taking place between LRTA and SM Prime
Holdings to finalize the agreement for the construction of an additional
station in front of SM annex, between the Roosevelt and North Avenue
stations of the Line 1 North Extension Project. Such station would be
constructed at the cost of SM.
3. A suitable cost/benefit analysis is presently being financed by SM to
establish the benefits that would accrue for LRTA should such an
additional station are constructed.
4. In view of the fact that the proposed additional station would also serve
Line 7, it has to be recognized that any agreement between LRTA and SM
pertaining to the additional station would also have to include the
proponents of the Line 7.
254

For more information please contact:
Engineer Engr. Federico J. Canar
Project OIC, Package A
Tel. # +63(2)851-7338 or at
Tel. # +63(2)853-0042 local 8888
20 firms to bid for P6.27-B LRT-MRT interconnection

By Lenie Lectura, Reporter

TWENTY construction companies are bidding for the P6.27-billion railway project,
the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) announced Monday.

The 20 interested firms are:
1. Sumitomo Corporation
2. Marubeni Corporation
3. Hanjin Heavy Industries
4. Siemens Inc.
5. DMCI-EEI First Balfour Consortium
6. FF Cruz & Co., Inc.
7. Leighton Contractors
8. Foundation Specialist Inc.
9. Cavite Ideal Intl Construction & Development Corp.
10. Systra Philippines Inc.
11. BES Engineering Corporation
12. Asset Builders Corporation
13. R-II Builders Inc.
14. Pacific Concrete Products Inc.
15. Romago Inc.
16. Telefonicka Inck.
17. Autre Porte Global Technique Inc.
18. Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corporation
19. Genials Trading & Contracting Co. Inc. and
20. China State (Philippines) Construction Engineering Corporation
Sumitomo Corp. undertook the capacity expansion project of LRT Line 1, while
Marubeni was the main contractor for the LRT Line 2 construction.
The winning bidder will undertake the civil works as well as the electro-
mechanical components for the railway project, which is envisioned to connect
the LRT and the Metro Rail Transit railways.
LRTA administrator Mel Robles said this is the first time for any government bidding
process with a high turnout of bidders.
This is a sign of confidence with the LRTA. There are no any other government
offices which received such huge response from bidders, Robles said.
255

A prebid conference will be held today. The LRTA has invited members of the
civil society like representatives from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines, Philippine Contractors Association, Transparency International,
Commission on Audit and Office of the Ombudsman to observe the process.
The LRT-MRT interconnection is a 7.71-kilometer elevated line from Monumento
station of LRT Line 1 to North Avenue of MRT 3, with two new intermediate stations
which are Malvar, Balintawak and Roosevelt and a terminal station at Line 1
North Avenue station, all equipped with escalators and elevators.
Robles said with the project, the average daily ridership is set to increase by 66.16
percent, or a total of 535,558 passengers, from the current average of 322,309
passengers.
Funding of the project will be taken from the debt-paper sale of state-owned
National Development Co., amounting to P4.6 billion. The remaining P1.67 billion
will be obtained through a General Appropriations Act enacted by Congress.
In November last year, President Pascual directed Transportation Secretary Ping
de Jesus and Robles to precede with the construction of the LRT-MRT loop after
thorough evaluation of several construction options.
Construction of the loop will start early next year and is expected to be
operational by 2010.
MANILA, Philippines - Pressed to stay on schedule, state-owned train operator
Light Rail Transit Authority (LRT) is hastening the awarding of the MRT-LRT mass
railway loop project so that construction could start in June.

The rail link project would connect the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1s Monumento
station in Caloocan City with the Metro Rail Transits (MRT) North Avenue station
in Quezon City in a bid to ease Metro Manilas traffic problem.

In a telephone interview, bids and awards committee (BAC) Chairman Cesar B.
Chavez said Thursday they hope to award the contract to the winning bidder by
June 9 for packages A and B, and by July 17 for package C.

The MRT-LRT Loop has three components: package A, which is divided in two
phases and involves the construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass;
package B, which will build and modify train stations; and package C, which
entails electromechanical works.

"We are now doing the technical bidding for A1, A2 and B wherein the
engineering design submitted by the bidders are tested and the financial checks
will follow right after," Mr. Chavez said.

For packages A1 and B, only D.M. Consunji-First Balfour, Inc. qualified to join the
bidding. F.F. Cruz and Co., Inc.-Filipinas Systems, Inc. has joined the Consunji and
Lopez venture for package A2.

Meanwhile, package C, Mr. Chavez said, was declared a failed bid after DMCI-
256

First Balfour, the only party qualified to join the bidding, failed to submit its
engineering design documents.

Asked about their options, Mr. Chavez said: "RA (Republic Act) 9184 says that in
case of a failed bid happening twice, we can negotiate. We can still meet [our]
schedule."

The MRT-LRT Loop involves the construction of three new stations, one located at
the MRT-3 North Avenue end and the other two at Balintawak and Muoz
Market in Quezon City. The P5.9-billion development, which starts operating in
2009, is expected to start in June after the contract is awarded.

The Metro Rail Transit system, popularly known as the MRT, is part of Metro
Manilas metropolitan rail system. It has a single line, MRT-3 or the Blue Line.

Although it has characteristics of a light rail, such as the type of rolling stock used,
it is more akin to a rapid transit system. It is not related to the Manila Light Rail
Transit System, a separate but linked system.

One of its original purposes was to decongest Epifanio de los Santos Avenue
(EDSA), one of Metro Manilas main thoroughfares and home to the MRT.

The MRT is operated by the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), a private company
operating in partnership with the Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) under a build-operate-transfer agreement.

Meanwhile, the Light Rail Transit system, popularly known as the LRT, has two
lines: LRT-1, called the Yellow Line, and MRT-2, called the Purple Line.

The LRT, operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), a government-owned
and controlled corporation, is the first metro system in Southeast Asia, built earlier
than Singapores MRT by three years.

Many commuters who ride the LRT and MRT also take road-based public
transport, such as buses, to reach their destinations from a station. Both the MRT
and LRT have been only partially successful in decongesting Metro Manilas main
roads, and traffic is further aggravated by the rising number of motor vehicles
Former President Corazon Aquino battling with cancer, Typhoon
Frank
Welcoming the new millennium 2008, with a bang. Newly INQUIRER Lifestyle
editor Thelma Sioson-San Juan, who replaces Chelo Banal-Formoso moves to the
Learning Section as editor and continued the project from February 1 to June 30,
2008. The
Months before the fashion show, On February 1, 2008, Atty. Francis Tolentino was
appointed by President Karen Lourdes "Tito Keren" Pascual as the ninth chairman
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of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). He is the first and
only non-resident of Metro Manila to hold as MMDA chairman.
On March 24, 2008 when the family of Corazon Aquino announces that the
former Philippine President is suffering from colon cancer.
In summer of 2008, David bid farewell to the show, another set of auditions were
held at the GMA Network Center. This coincides with the show's first anniversary
and as preparation for its relaunched. Unlike the first set of auditions, it was only
exclusive for boys 7 12 years old to fill David's vacant slot. In the second leg of
the Kids on Q Sunday Funday Year 2 on SM Sucat, the newest Q Reporter was
introduced to the staff, crew and those who were luckily present during the said
event. It was none other than Eugene Herrera who passed the auditions. Despite
Eugene's prior public appearance on the second (SM Sucat) and fourth
(Eastwood) Sunday Funday, his debut appearance on the show was set on the
relaunch episode of KOQ!
On April 28, 2008 at exactly 12 noon, the Bases, Conversion Development
Authority Announced the Subic - Clark Segment of SubicClarkTarlac
Expressway was now open to all vehicles. BCDA said that travel time from Manila
to Subic via North Luzon Expressway would now only take 1 Hour and 40 Minutes
while the travel time from Clark to Subic would only take 40 Minutes.
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake measured at 8.0
Ms and 7.9 Mw, and occurred at 02:28:01 PM China Standard Time at epicenter
(06:28:01 UTC) on Monday, May 12 in Sichuan province, killing 69,195 people,
and left 18,392 missing.
Filipino movie actor Rudy Fernandez died from periampullary cancer at his
Quezon City home on the morning of June 7, 2008. His remains were brought to
The Heritage Park in Taguig City, and his interment took place on June 12, 2008
at 3 p.m. for his burial.
Ces Orena Drilon Kidnaping
On June 8, Ces Orena-Drilon, news anchor of ABS-CBN's late night television
program Bandila, together with her crew and a Mindanao university professor,
was initially reported to have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in Maimbung,
Sulu, by the rebel group Abu Sayyaf.
On June 10, ABS-CBN management issued an official statement, saying that
Drilon and her crew are missing in Sulu.
On June 11, ABS-CBN management confirmed that Drilon and her crew have
been kidnapped for ransom in Sulu but declared that it "will abide by its policy
not to pay ransom because this would embolden kidnap for ransom groups to
abduct other journalists..."
On June 12, Angelo Valderama, the assistant cameraman from Drilon's crew,
was released. The abductors named Indanan, Sulu Mayor Alvarez S. Isnaji as their
emissary in the ongoing negotiations for the other captives' release.
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On June 16, when the kidnappers Abu Sayyaf issued an ultimatum. The rebel
group demanded for ransom amounting to P15 million by noontime of June 17,
in exchange for the release of Drilon, Encarnacion and Dinampo.
On June 17, when The Abu Sayyaf extended their deadline for the ransom
payment. Later during the day, PNP Chief Avelino Razon said that Drilon and the
other hostages are expected to be released within the next few hours. Drilon
and the hostages were freed shortly before midnight.
On June 18, Ces Drilon and her crew were taken to Jolo, Sulu. Afterwards, they
were brought by the Philippine army to Zamboanga city for a press conference.
Philippine Senator Loren Legarda joined the released hostages and was
reported to be the negotiator to the Abu Sayyaf. Legarda and the released
hostages flew afterwards to Manila for other press conferences, and were
brought to The Medical City afterwards for medication.
On June 19, when the PNP declared the Isnajis as suspects in the kidnapping of
Drilon, her crew, and Dinampo.
Typhoon Frank
On June 19, Typhoon Frank made landfall in eastern Samar in the central
Philippines and travelled northwest over the islands. Fengshen was initially
forecast to go through Bicol Region but later on shifted its course further
westward, eventually going towards the direction of Mindoro Province. However,
before even reaching Mindoro it again shifted its direction northward towards
the direction of Metro Manila, mainly because of the weakening of the High
Pressure area system in the northern part of the Philippines.
On June 21, when the ship MV Princess of the Stars, owned by Sulpicio Lines that
carried 626 passengers and 121 crew members, stalled in rough seas near
Sibuyan Island in the central Philippines. The ship left Manila Saturday morning.
Typhoon Frank caused the ship to sink, though it was previously reported that the
ship experienced engine failure.
With a new reporter and a lot of changes during its first year, Kids on Q needs a
new look and Opening Billboard (OBB) for its scheduled relaunch and upcoming
second year. The OBB shoot was set on June 4, 2008 with theme park Enchanted
Kingdom as its location. All ten Q reporters were present during the shoot,
including Eugene. KOQ! Team leader Kuya Tonipet acts as the director for the
new OBB. It first aired on Kids on Q's Relaunch on June 21, 2008.
On June 22, Typhoon Frank crossed Metro Manila between 5 am and 6 am
Sunday.
On June 24, when Philippine President Karen Lourdes Pascual and US President
George W. Bush had a meeting at the Oval Palace in White House as part of the
Philippine President's 10-day working visit in the USA. Issues on oil and food prices
and terrorism were reportedly discussed in their meeting.
On June 29, when Philippine President Karen Lourdes Pascual met with
Republican White House Presidential candidate John McCain. The President
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expressed her gratefulness to the latter's support for the approval of the Veterans
Equity bill. Other issues like terrorism in Mindanao were also discussed.[35]
On June 29 when Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao won against David
Diaz via knockout in the ninth round to win the WBC lightweight title.
Dayana Mendoza was crowned Miss Universe 2008 at the pageant in the Crown
Convention Center, Nha Trang, Vietnam, on July 13, 2008.
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 3 began partial operations at
05:15am on July 22, 2008 with 16 inbound and outbound domestic flights from
Cebu Pacific. Philippine Airlines' budget brand PAL Express and Air Philippines
moved their operations to this terminal two days later.
On July 25, 2008 12:01 am, the BCDA announced the opening of the Clark-Tarlac
Segment of the SubicClarkTarlac Expressway. Travel time from Clark to Tarlac
was reduced to only 25 Minutes and to travel the entire length of the SCTEx
would only take 65 Minutes. At the same time, the travel time from Manila to
Tarlac via NLEx and the SCTEx would only take 1 Hour and 25 Minutes.
Rudy Fernandez laid to rest
June 12, 2008 - To the end, actor Rudy Fernandez was well loved.
The action star, fondly called Daboy, was finally laid to rest Thursday as
hundreds of friends, fans, and family members mourned his loss after a two-year
battle with periampullary cancer.
We love you Daboy! We will miss you! fans shouted as the actor was buried at
the Heritage Park in Taguig City.
Fans were not allowed to enter the memorial park and had to content
themselves watching scenes unfold on top of the walls and on 10-wheeler trucks.
Fernandez was buried by hundreds of close friends and relatives at 3:05 p.m.
Earlier in the day, a necrological service was held at the nearby chapel that was
attended by family, led by his wife and actress Lorna Tolentino, and close friends,
who were all dressed in white.
Father Sonny Ramirez officiated the mass, saying Fernandez was finally saved
from the beating he took from cancer.
His body cannot take anymore the beating of this world and this is the day to
glorify God for the eternal life due to Rudy, he said.
Ramirez also told Fernandezs widow, Tolentino, to be happy.
Yung [The] love na binigay sa iyo ni Daboy [that Daboy has given you] should
be shared, he said.
Ramirez also told Fernandezs sons Ralph and Renz to take care of their mom
because you are all shes got.
Tolentino, with Fernandezs closest friends Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and
Jose Jinggoy Estrada, actors Philip Salvador and Tirso Cruz III, were emotional
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throughout the interment. Tolentino repeatedly kissed her late husbands casket
as she said goodbye.
Fernandezs casket was placed inside a horse-drawn carriage bedecked with
white roses. Tolentino, her sons, Alma Moreno and her son with Rudy, Mark
Anthony Fernandez; and other family members marched 50 meters from the
chapel to the burial grounds amid the heat.
The late action star was given full military honors, being a reservist in the
Philippine Navy. A 12-gun salute accompanied the actors burial. The Philippine
flag wrapped around the casket of Fernandez was handed to his widow, who
clutched onto it tightly.
Doves were also set free after the burial.
Former Philippine president Joseph Estrada also joined the burial procession.
In a statement, Estrada said Fernandezs death was a great loss to the movie
industry.
He said Fernandez was not only a fellow actor but a true friend of the family,
especially to my son Jinggoy, referring to Senator Jose Jinggoy Estrada,
considered one of the actors closest friends, along with Senator Ramon Bong
Revilla Jr. and actor Philip Salvador.
He said it was only fitting that Fernandez be buried on Independence Day
because to his family, friends and fans, he was a personal hero who will be
remembered forever.
Tolentino refused media interviews, but expressed her appreciation to the
thousands of fans who condoled with the family.
Maraming maraming salamat sa inyo [Thank you very, very much], she said.
Mark Anthony Fernandez also expressed his thanks.
Mahal na mahal namin si daddy [We love daddy very much] and Im sure hes
very happy right now, he said.
LRT north extension contracts awarded
By Riza T. Olchondra, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:39:00 06/13/2008

MANILA, PhilippinesContractor DMCI-First Balfour Engineering has been given
the go-ahead to start the civil works for a northward extension of the overhead
Light Rail Transit (LRT), the Light Rail Transit Authority said.
Package A1, A2 and B will go first, project manager Federico Canar said in an
interview. These will cost about P4 billion.
DMCI-First Balfour bested four other bidders for Package A1 and A2, totaling P2.8
billion, which cover the design and construction of the foundation, viaduct and
pedestrian overpasses.
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It also won the P830-million Package B for the design and construction of three
train stations (Balintawak Station, Roosevelt Station and North Station) and
improvements of Monumento Station.
The bidding for the P2.04-billion Package C was declared a failure as
prospective contractors failed to meet the deadline for the submission of
documents.
The total project cost is P6.3 billion, involving construction of a 5.71-kilometer
overhead rail line that will run from Monumento Station of the LRT Line 1 to the
North Avenue Station. The project is due for completion in 2010. With editing by
INQUIRER.net
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The July 31, 2008 INQUIRER Lifestyle Series: Fitness.Fashion with
Samsung Fashion Show
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264


The Inquirer Lifestyle Series: Fitness.Fashion with Samsung, the flagship runway
project of Samsung and the Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle, together with the
Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and the Peninsula Manila
Hotel, a catwalk team-up between some of the country's top designers and
best-selling activewear brands was held at the Rigodon Ballroom of the
Peninsula Manila in Makati City on July 31, 2008. The fashion show was in
cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the Makati
Business Club (MBC), the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts
(NCCA), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCor), the
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee
(POC).
The project was now completed after five years of planning, while in July 2008, a
year after the July 12-15, 2007 EDSA Tres in Makati City, and the excavations
works of the project at the Ayala and Makati Avenues in Makati City and the
construction works of the millennium celebration stage in the said intersection
with the official millennium Swatch clock beside the stage while the giant
circular stage on top of the Peninsula Manila with waterfalls cascading down
twin stairways lined by the very Filipino parols for four days from December 26,
2007 to December 31, 2007. The project's proponents were the Ayala
Corporation, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation of businessman Manny V.
Pangilinan, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority.
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How fitness marries fashion Reprinted from the July 25, 2008 issue of the
Philippine Daily Inquirer:
One idle Sunday lunch, Lulu Tan-Gan was wondering, now that fashion
shows are suddenly a dime-a-dozen, what other fashion-show concept
could we have? One that could benefit the local fashion design industry,
as much as possible.
Then she talked about how she has taken up running, how much shes
enjoying it, and how its keeping her blood sugar level in check. Could we
do a shoot of her in her running gear, we asked. A lot of todays women
could get many tips and ideas from her everyday wardrobe, one that
takes her from workout to work.
Thats it; we looked at each other, struck by the bolt of idea. Thats a
fashion show thats so now: activewear that takes a woman, or a man, to
the rest of his day scheduleand that even makes a style statement.
Lulu runs, joins a marathon. Sunday Inquirer Magazine editor Leica Carpo
is not only running, but is also preparing for a triathlon (Iron Woman). And
so is her sister Amanda. Inquirer columnist Tessa Valdes-Prieto is a mother
and wife who does yoga, diving, runningas physically demanding as her
party whirl. Tweetie de Leon-Gonzales is hardcore when it comes to
squash and yoga. Designer Rina Go is a diehard boxer. Sen. Pia Cayetano
uses her triathlon for a cause. Metroactive magazine editor-in-chief Jeena
Lopez is a wakeboarding champion.
These women are not athletes in the traditional sense. They just lead an
active lifestyle, like millions of other men and women in the country. They
do so because they want to stay fit and healthyindeed they want to
stay alive. Andthis is a big andthey get a major high when they feel
the adrenaline rush.
Weekend warriors, we can call some of them. And they live todays
lifestyle that is antidote to the stress and pressure of contemporary life.
Andthey dont stick to one designer for their clothes. Since activewear is
a style statement, they know how to marry brand with a custom-made
design of a Filipino designer.
That was how the idea for Inquirer Lifestyle series Fitness.Fashion show
was born. That Samsung chose to share this fashion vision turned the idea
into reality. The collaboration merely confirms Samsungs sustained efforts
to define what a lifestyle brand is all about. And PDI Lifestyle is a strategic
alignment, said Pen Roque, Cheil Country Director for Samsung
Philippines.
We tapped some of todays designers to collaborate with top active
brands.
They are Vic Barba, Joey Samson, James Reyes, Louis Claparols, Rhett
Eala, Patrice Ramos-Diaz, Tonichi Nocom, Randy Ortiz, Ivarluski Aseron,
Arcy Gayatin, Rajo Laurel, and of course, Lulu.
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They are collaborating with Kipling, Bench, Speedo, Adidas, Nike Golf,
Puma, Marks & Spencer, Fila, and Aigle & Oxbow. Virgie Ramos Swatch is
also supporting this collaboration.
Leica, Tweetie, Amanda, Rina, Sen. Cayetano, Jeena will be guest
models in this show on July 31 at Peninsula Manila, with Inquirer
contributing editor Apples Aberin-Sadhwani, Ruby Gan, Svetlana
Osmena, Fely Atienza, Akiko Thompson, Enchong Dee, Paolo Abrera.
LOreal is doing the hair and makeup.
Get fashionably fit and fab (Apples Pickings by Apples Aberin Sadhwani)
(Reprinted from the July 25, 2008 issue of the Philippine Daily INQUIRER)
Nowadays, everyone is more conscious about maintaining their health and
getting fit and fabulous.
As such, sports like running and tennis are gaining more popularity while other
activities like yoga, swimming, boxing and badminton remain favorites for many.
Todays generation lead very full, active lifestyles.
In spite of highly successful careers, plus families to take care of, they manage to
find time to take care of themselves by indulging in fitness activities.
Due to this multidimensional lifestyle, the need for fashionable clothing that
double as active wear has emerged.
Tapping into this new arena, Inquirer Lifestyle, together with Samsung, is
presenting a fashion show (the first of a series) titled Fitness.Fashion on July 31
at The Peninsula Manila.
Do you want to get into the Fitness.Fashion lifestyle, too? Follow these simple tips
to look great in and out of the gym, the track or the ring:
Throw out those hole-y and baggy sweats and tops. Oh, and ditch those dated
pieces youve kept from the 80s or some other era, as well. Its time to update
your workout wardrobe!
Comfort is key so choose pieces made of fabrics that can wick away moisture.
The best brands always invest in research to come up with the best in fabric
technology.
Never underestimate the importance of wearing the right undergarments. These
items should provide the best support at all times.
Choose the right footwear that can provide the right support, as well. You will
need a specific style with the right technology to meet your fitness needs.
Build your fitness wardrobe and show your personality through your choice of
color. Most brands create collections around color stories so its easier to pick
pieces you can mix and match.
Your choice of bag and shoes can also add flair to your workout outfit. Again,
choose items that show off your personal style.
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When fitting your workout gear, move around, sit and do all the other positions
you have to do when engaging in your sport or activity. This way, youll know you
have the right coverage at all times.
To complete your look, invest in after-workout items like jackets, or fashionable
sweats and tanks with chic matching slip-ons or more casual slippers that you
can wear when doing errands, or going out with friends.
Inquirer Lifestyle Fitness Fashion is also brought to you by HSBC, LOreal Paris and
Swatch.
Some of the activities of the 1st ILSFFF
Launching With the theme Ani ng Sining, The ILSFF was launched on
television via ABS-CBN network and at various locales in Cebu.
Pascual: Triumph of a Peoples Revolution - A book written by Ambassador
Wilfrido Villacorta will be launched. The book chronicles the success of
Keren Pascual in capturing the Presidency during the second EDSA
People Power revolution.
Exhibit of the Hyatt Regency Hotel Walkway Collapse Disaster (July 17-
October 1, 2008, - Ayala Museum) An event co-sponsored by the Hyatt
Regency Crown Center (Kansas City) and Ayala Museum, this exhibit
features the photographs at the time of the Hyatt Regency hotel walkway
collapse in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The collapse killing 114
people and injuring 216 others during a tea dance.
Collections: The Exhibit (July 15-October 31, World Trade Center Metro
Manila) A collections of Station IDs, Events, Infomercials, TV Shows, TV
Guides of Philippine, Hong Kong and Singaporean television channels,
articles from Philippine and Hong Kong Newspapers in News, Opinion,
Metro, Sports, Business, Entertainment industries, channel line-ups of
SkyCable, SunCable, Home Cable will be displayed at the World Trade
Center Metro Manila. The pictures tell the story of the Philippine-Hong
Kong-Singaporean news as seen through in 62 years.
Tree Planting Activity (July 22, 2008, 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 NN, Camarines Sur)
The Local Government of Camarines Sur, led by Governor Luis Raymund
Villafuerte Jr., has organized a tree planting activity wherein 50,000 trees
will be planted on government-acquired land. In an attempt to feature
the value of Pagkakaisa, this area, now called the Community of Hope,
serves as a home for rebel returnees and military families.
FITNESS.FASHION MARKETS: Sa Bayang Umaasenso, Sama-Sama Tayo (July
22, 2008, 4:00 P.M., NBC Tent, Bonifacio Global City) The Cayetano
Foundation in coordination with the Makati Business Club organized this
event in order to guide and educate Filipinos on how people and private
companies can use the market to address social problems in the country.
Fitness.Fashion Symposium Trainers Training (until the 26th) (July 25-26,
Kabayan Hotel, Cubao, Quezon City, 10:00 A.M.) Participants will be
trained in facilitating the Asia Babies Speak Symposiums so they will be
able to cascade the symposium in their respective regions.
Pilipinas Got Bukas (July 23, 7:00 8:30 A.M., Rizal High School, Pasig City)
In order to engage the youth towards volunteerism, the YesPinoy
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Foundation organized this event that will showcase a human mosaic
composed of 2,500 students. A passing of the torch by the EDSA Veterans
to the EDSA Babies will also take place. Musician and NCCA official Joey
Ayala serves as the host for the concert series.
Collections Expo (9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., World Trade Center Manila)
Exhibitors will provide avenues by which the Filipino Children can join in
nation building through volunteer and other socio-civic programs.
Exhibitors will be composed of student organizations and NGOs.
Job Fair (7:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M, POEA Building) - The POEA will hold a job
fair featuring thirty licensed employment agencies who have committed
to offer a total of 25,000 job openings. This job fair is open to the public
and thousands of job seekers are expected to come.
Fitness.Fashion Strip (7:00 A.M. to 12:00 midnight) - The north bound lane of
Makati and Ayala Avenues will be transformed into a festive strip where
people who will attend the event will be able to see the actual tanks used
by soldiers. People will also be able to register and make commitments for
the country at Fitness.Fashion Registration tents. Food will be available at
P25 at food stalls put up by the Philippine Franchise Association.
Medical-Dental Mission (9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., Gabriela Silang Parking
Area) - A medical and dental mission will be held throughout the day at
the Gabriela Silang Parking Area in front of EDSA.
Unveiling of the Fitness.Fashion Marker (11:00 A.M., The Peninsula Manila) -
A historical marker will be unveiled in the exact location where The Manila
Peninsula Hotel was opened to the public on September 14, 1976.
Party Time (12:00 Noon, Ayala and Makati Avenues) - There will be a
Handaan along Ayala and Makati Avenues for 25,000 people including
CEOs, LGU representatives, the lead personality, guest models, fashion
models, make-up artists, student leaders, and others. This activity seeks to
rekindle the spirit of sharing that transpired during the event.
Fashion Show (7:30 P.M., Rigodon Ballroom of the Peninsula Manila) - The
fashion show to be hosted by Tessa Prieto-Valdes, with raffle draw
including Samsung Mobile Phones, Swatch Watches and other prizes. The
show had 12 sought-after designers melding their creations with the latest
brand collections: Kipling with Vic Barba; Fila with Lulu Tan-Gan; Nike Golf
with Anthony Nocom; Speedo with James Reyes and Louis Claparols;
Adidas with Patrice Ramos-Diaz and Rhett Eala; Marks & Spencer with
Arcy Gayatin; Aigle and Oxbow with Rajo Laurel; Bench with Joey
Samson; and Puma with Ivarluski Aseron and Randy Ortiz.
Modern romantic, sports-wise
By Apples Aberin Sadhwani, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:19:00 07/27/2008

MANILA, Philippines - The strength of a woman is in her femininity, says designer
Patrice Ramos-Diaz.
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To illustrate the fact, Ramos-Diaz is presenting extremely girly pieces that she
will combine with activewear from Adidas for Inquirer Lifestyles Fitness.Fashion
fashion show.
The designer, whos known for her modern-romantic design sensibilities, is
highlighting a play on contrasts between the feminine and masculine. As such,
her collection is geared toward the modern woman whos not afraid to show her
strength and still remain unabashedly femme.
Diaz used stretch tulle, jersey and silk-screened lace on pieces such as a flirty
tennis outfit that can be worn as a cocktail dress. For the show, she will combine
this with an Adidas cropped jacket or ballerina wrap.
It was not a difficult task for Diaz to incorporate Adidas into her designs.
I patronize the brand so Im familiar with its aesthetics, she says. According to
her, it was inspiring and fun to mix the brands items with her own pieces.
Diaz embodies the modern woman who leads an active lifestyle.
She says, I consider myself sporty. Im not an athlete but Ive always been
involved in some kind of sport since grade school. In fact, I use Adidas whenever
I play golf and squash.
Left of center
Equestrian and designer Barba was inspired by French tennis legend Suzanne
Lenglen when he conceptualized his collection for Fitness.Fashion.
Lenglen, besides being a tennis star in the 1920s, was also a fashion
revolutionary, says Barba. When everyone else wore maxi skirts, she wore knee
length ones on court. Everything I designed for the show were items that I
imagined she would wear on and off the court, if she were alive today.
The designers black and white collection is composed of pieces in stretch jersey,
Lycra and natural materials like cotton that afford comfort and ease of
movement. The collection also reflects his design style, which he describes as left
of center.
My designs are not the norm. Theyre off center but not totally askew. For
instance, I would design a plain cardigan with a surprising little bustle just to
throw things off-kilter, he says.
Barba could not be more pleased about being paired with Kipling for this show.
He chose bright-colored bags to complement his neutral pieces.
On a more personal note, he adds, I love my Kipling luggage. Ive brought it all
over the world-from train to train, airplane to airplane, and bus to boatand it
has nary a tear.
Classic with a twist
Im no golfer or athlete but I really appreciated the selections I saw when I
visited the Nike Golf showroom, says SM menswear designer Tonichi Nocom.
According to this design veteran, the technology behind the fabric used in each
Nike garment was amazing and a testament to the brands strong presence and
market leadership.
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On a fashionable slant, Nocom was drawn to the bright colored items that he
plans to incorporate into his collection.
I chose separates in colors like aqua, coral, pink and bright yellow that I intend
to match with pieces that are younger in feel, and slimmer in appearance, he
says.
The designer is most known for classic menswear that changes in silhouette and
styling from season to season.
Im going for a modern country club look. I will be using preppy-ish items mixed
with denim jackets and the like, he adds.
The Inquirer Lifestyle Fitness.Fashion is sponsored by Samsung, HSBC, The
Peninsula Manila, Kipling, Speedo, Puma, Fila, Bench, Nike Golf, Marks &
Spencer, Adidas, Aigle, Oxbow, Swatch and LOreal.
www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1580012
TODAY is DAY 1 of 7 DAYS TO REMEMBER in JULY
JULY 27 (SUNDAY)
6:30 - Everything You Need to Know (C) (R)
7:00 - Magandang Gabi, Bayan
8:00 - SCHENKER PRESENTS: The Beijing Dream (C)
8:30 - Oriental Watch Company Special: America's Got Talent (II) (C) / OMEGA
Presents: Countdown to the Beijing Olympic Games (C)
9:30 - Weekend Blockbuster: I, Robot
11:45 -
Seven Star-Studded Days Kick Off Today
Lifestyle Network TV-27 takes primetime television by storm as it unleashes a
powerful entertainment package of internationally-acclaimed bestseller, world-
class blockbusters and certified local chartbusters starting today, July 27, Week
One, Day One of its Seven Days to Remember in July special programming.
Kicking off with SCHENKER PRESENTS: The Beijing Dream, featuring Filipino
athletes takes off in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, starting at 8:00 PM.
Will Smith in science-fiction action film, I, Robot with co-stars Bridget Moynahan
and Alex Proyas as director at 9:30 PM.
Day two heats up with FEI Equestrian World, a 30-minute sports show in English, at
7 PM.
Day three, Jamie's Chef featuring Jamie Oliver at 7:30 PM.
Day four slams with Planet Luxury, a lifestyle show on focusing the trends in our
country, starting at 7:30 PM.
Day five with USA Basketball International Challenge - USA vs. Turkey, starts at
7:00 PM.
Day Six with USA Basketball International Challenge - USA vs. Lithuania, at 7:00
PM.
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Day Seven with Delia Memorial School (Taikoo Shing) Presents: Rush Hour 2,
starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, at 9:30 PM.
Three designers, one mission
By Irene C. Perez, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:22:00 07/28/2008
Rajo Laurel is, fashion-wise, a household name. The seasoned designers works
are objects of desire, with posh celebrities, society princesses, brides and
debutantes aching to wear his creations.
For someone who has made couture stuff from linen to wedding cakes, and
turned rugs into it bags, Laurel seems to have the golden touch. So we offer
him a new challenge for the upcoming Inquirer Fitness.Fashion Lifestyle series of
shows: Transform active clothes into glam wear.
Sportswear is something new to me, Im used to doing suits, evening wear,
gowns, he says. For the fashion show, I am doing very hip outerwear.
Laurel goes urban chic by reconstructing handpicked items from the Aigle and
Oxbow brands, throwing in some of his own items and mixing them to create fun
but still elegant casual ensembles.
Its like this: Theres a triangle with Aigle, Oxbow and Rajo in the three corners,
then I make sure we all meet in the middle, he explains.
Instead of glaring Brights and soft pastels, he opts for warm earth tones to imbibe
the outdoors. Lots of browns, olives, green, beige and khakis define this fashion-
and-fitness merger.
For this shoot, Laurel dressed up model Jedah in a chocolate-brown printed
string bikini and khaki cargo mens shorts from Aigle. A dark-brown reconstructed
winter jacket from The North Face adds a warm and quirky surprise.
Accessories are minimala moss-green belt and aviators from Oxbow, while
sunny-yellow wellies with sunflower prints from Aigle lend a burst of cheerful color.
Laurel says he made sure all the items are wearable, either together or as
individual pieces.
They can be used for hiking or camping. I see them being worn while youre
trekking at the Banawe Rice Terraces, then you can go swimming or surfing in La
Union afterward.
In lieu of kitschy sequins, beads and feathers, Laurel uses more utilitarian accents
like scarves from Oxbow and bungee rope as bracelets.
Would this designer be interested in designing for a sports outfit?
Of course, that would be very interesting, he says with a smile.
Fun and functional
Joey Samsons collection is best described in three words: fun, young and
functional.
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The articulate designer, known for his well-constructed tailored pieces and his
ability to transform difficult fabrics into easy-to-wear feminine numbers, gives the
popular local brand Bench a more fashionable twist.
Ive worked with Bench before and now I want to inject a different approach
into this new projectsomething very wearable but I want to add a certain
flavor to it, he says.
Samsons Inquirer Fitness.Fashion collection offers black-and-white with a tinge of
red as accent color.
The clothes will have Japanese aesthetics. Im taking inspiration from Japanese
designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Junya Watanabe.
But none of last seasons kimono tops, and more of oversized shirts and tight
pants with natural waistlines. Enough of the low-waist trend, he says.
I got a pair of Bench pants and tweaked it. I want a just-pulled-off-the-closet-
and-randomly-put-together look.
Samson will be using Bench shoes and bags as accessories, and smooth hair and
light makeup for the show.
I dont want anything contrived. The keyword is clean and minimal.

In other words, definitely nothing too organized for this young designer who
wants his clothes light on the skin, including the wide-legged, fully sequined
pants that he says anyone could wear. And we are looking forward to the
reworked denim bodysuit for his model, swimmer Enchong Dee.
Any tips on how to dress up everyday workout wear?
Try incorporating a trend, say safari, black lace, a statement jacket. Dont be
afraid to add a bit of color. For this season, its tomato or fatigue. Invest in classic
pieces that you can work around with and that wont just stay in the back of
your closet.
Practical pieces
You have to give credit to designer Arcy Gayatin for two things: knowing very
well how to work with a womans body and taking an early morning flight from
Cebu just for this shoot.
I want to give women the freedom to move around, the Cebuana says of her
pieces for the Inquirer Fitness.Fashion show. The clothes have relevance. They
are practical and functional.
With Gayatin, its all about details, details, details. Her clothes remain pretty and
simple without comprising style. She is known for smart and clean silhouettes and
geometric cutoutsall figure-friendly but never boring.
Marks and & Spencer gave Arcy the green light to tweak and tinker with the
brands clothes for her collection.
I took a Marks & Spencer camisole and embellished it to go with my skirt, she
says.
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She also put floral appliqus on a rather plain spaghetti-strap tank and matched
it with a soft black skirt draped with a silver drop sash. The result: a flowy and fluid
number, elegant but with a punch.
Gayatin takes modern dance as anchor inspiration. I want something that spells
Martha Graham. So, for this collection, she worked with solid colors like
champagne black, white, metallics, silver gray. Her pairings are relaxed and
smooth; even the hair and makeup are fresh and minimal.
The shift to sporty, says Gayatin, is a challenge. But Im lucky Ive worked with
jersey and stretch fabrics for the longest time. I think activewear can really be
fashionable.
Her tips on how to add oomph to your normal workout clothes:
Layer. Marks and Spencers camisoles have all the right colors and are great for
layering.
Add a splash of metallic fabric to your basic sports wardrobe.
Tired of boring sneakers? Try patent leather.
Don a tank top and retro-print shorts instead of the usual running shorts-and-shirt
combo.
I like clothes that make it easy for the woman. We have enough to deal with,
she says.
Cebu is sure lucky to have Gayatin. Her ready-to-wear line is sold in L Manila at
the Filipino designers wing of Greenbelt 5, Makati.
The Inquirer Lifestyle Fitness.Fashion is sponsored by Samsung, HSBC, The
Peninsula Manila, Kipling, Speedo, Puma, Fila, Bench, Nike Golf, Marks &
Spencer, Adidas, Aigle, Oxbow, Swatch and LOreal.
3 designers show the versatility of sportswear
By Fran Katigbak, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:52:00 07/28/2008
Hindi ba tayo magpapa-makeup?
The unexpected question elicited guffaws and chuckles from everyone in the
room. It was veteran fashion designer Rhett Eala, apparently eager to be
groomed like a model for the days photo shoot.
Smartly dressed in collared shirt, trousers and Adidas sneaks, the RTW prince
already looked primed for the camera.
Eala teams up with Adidas to create an activewear collection for Fitness.Fashion,
Inquirer Lifestyles maiden runway project.
The show is a great idea because it presents the designers other facets, he
said. Fitness.Fashion shows you dont just design bridal gowns and cocktail
dresses but that you can also design other things. It shows versatility.
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Indeed, Eala has proven he doesnt lack in that department. With a career that
spans nearly two decades, he has established himself as a designer of elegant
cocktail and evening wear as well as casual and fitness apparel.
As creative director of Collezione C2, Eala helped the homegrown label
maintain youthful appeal while attracting a bigger market with a good mix of
casual but fashion-forward garments.
His fashionalista line, which has become very popular, features the Philippine
map as fashion statement. Embroidered or silkscreened in vivid, some in metallic,
colors, the map creates that fashionably nationalistic look on dresses, tees,
collared shirts and shorts.
For Fitness.Fashion, expect Eala to dish out knits and jerseys in comfortable
designs and pieces from the fashionalista line, all in neutral shades.
Visually, its a fresher approach, he said. Designers usually like to mix colors but
this time I want it very monochromatic Everything matches.
Louis Claparols
At the fashion shoot, Louis Claparols often huddled with the other younger
designers for snapshotsnot of the models wearing their Fitness.Fashion outfits
but of themselves.
He had the perfect reason to keenly document being on the project: It is his
first show with the Fashion Designers Council of the Philippines.
Im the only junior designer on this show, so its really exciting for me, shared
Claparols. Im also into fitness and sportswear is something I really love doing.
Claparols officially started designing in 2003, when he was featured in Preview
magazine. He had worked on embellished jeans and other items which were the
rage at the time.
The junior designer had ventured into activewear since his sports-inspired
collection debuted at last years Fashion Week.
Paired up with Speedos Spa Line for Inquirer Lifestyles fashion show, Claparols
described his collection edgy, Star Wars-inspired, futuristic black-and-white
separates.
The fitness buff, who attends yoga and pump-aerobics classes, associates his
new designs with people who have an active lifestyle because of the fabric
(lots of jersey) and look (very sporty) of the clothes.
I chose Leica Carpo as my muse for the collection because shes a triathlete,
the embodiment of a woman with an active lifestyle, said Claparols.
While he worries about being boxed in sportswear design someday, the young
maverick dreams of having a shot at outfitting tennis star Rafael Nadal and
football sensation David Beckham.
Lulu Tan-Gan
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Unlike Eala and Claparols, this is the first time the Queen of Knits ventures into
activewearand she seems to have come prepared.
Donning an all-white ensemble for the photo shoot, Lulu Tan-Gan gaily skipped
beside the model who wore her fashion collaboration with Fila (to a tee).
By incorporating her knits with Fila sportswear, the designer-entrepreneur has
created what she calls afterwear, clothes one can change into after sports or
exercise sessions.
The fashion show is an avenue for designers to venture into a new kind of
subject and with a new purpose, Tan-Gan said. My objective is to show the
versatility of sportswear and how it could be transformed into daily fashion.
Unlike a lot of the trendy apparel these days, however, Tan-Gans Fitness.Fashion
collection has more to do with the lifestyle of those who will wear the clothes
than with their body type.
It is relevant fashion, and now is probably the right time to introduce it as
possible streetwear for women who are busy with their careers but would like
to find time for sports, and for those who are physically active but need to blend
their sportswear with alternative pieces to create fashionable looks, Tan-Gan
explained.
The designer discovered it was a practical move to mix activewear into her
everyday wardrobe. Not only does Tan-Gan wear sporty outfits to work, at the
start of the year she also achieved her longtime resolution to slip into them for
actual physical activities such as speed-walking, running and gym exercises.
The Inquirer Lifestyle Fitness.Fashion is sponsored by Samsung, HSBC, The
Peninsula Manila, Kipling, Speedo, Puma, Fila, Bench, Nike Golf, Marks &
Spencer, Adidas, Aigle, Oxbow, Swatch and LOreal.
Style statement: Sporty
Exactly eight years, seven months and thirty-one days ago, on Saturday, January
1, 2000 at 12:00:00 midnight, the entire Philippines and the rest of the whole world
celebrates the New Year 2000 and the first decade of the third millennium and
the 21st century. It's twenty-two years after the first EDSA People-Power
Revolution and the downfall of the late former Philippine President Ferdinand E.
Marcos on February 25, 1986 and one year and six months after the second
revolution on January 20, 2007, 25 years after former Philippine Senator Benigno
"Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. was assassinated at the Manila International Airport on August
21, 1983 and 36 years after Martial Law was declared by former president
Ferdinand E. Marcos on September 21, 1972.
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277


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Fashion becomes less a spectator sport when sport itself becomes the fashion.
Last Thursday, July 31, 2008, Inquirer Lifestyle staged the rousing, filled-to-the-
bleachers (despite the heavy rains and flooding) curtain-raiser to its Lifestyle
Series of events with Fitness.Fashion, a catwalk team-up between some of the
countrys top designers and best-selling activewear brands, at the Rigodon
Ballroom of the Peninsula Manila in Makati City.
Co-presented with Samsung, it drew guests who cut across the fields of fashion,
business and commerce, arts, media and entertainment. With the support of
HSBC and Peninsula, the show had 12 sought-after designers melding their
creations with the latest brand collections: Kipling with Vic Barba; Fila with Lulu
Tan-Gan; Nike Golf with Anthony Nocom; Speedo with Louis Claparols; Adidas
with Patrice Ramos-Diaz and Rhett Eala; Marks & Spencer with Arcy Gayatin;
Aigle and Oxbow with Rajo Laurel; Bench with Joey Samson; and Puma with
Ivarluski Aseron and Randy Ortiz. (Read the fashion report in this Friday's Lifestyle
Fashion and Beauty.)
The exceptions of the articles about the INQUIRER Lifestyle Series: Fitness.Fashion
with Samsung fashion show from the said newspaper was:
Personalities like Senator Pia Cayetano, Waterfront GM Marco Protacio,
jewelry designer Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez and socialite Amparito Lhuillier
were among the big names who gamely participated in the event. -
from "A dynamic, eclectic 2008", Apples Pickings by Apples Aberin
Sadhwani, published in the December 26, 2008 issue of the Philippine Daily
Inquirer.

Notable personalities of the Inquirer Lifestyle Series: Fitness.Fashion with Samsung
Fashion Show in July 2008.
Fitness.Fashion also scored a coup with the runway debut of fitness
enthusiast and sports advocate Sen. Pia Cayetano. Other guest models were
Akiko Thompson, Amanda Carpo, Rina Go, Paolo Abrera, Phoemela Baranda,
Svetlana Osmea, Jeena Lopez, Enchong Dee, Ruby Gan, Fely Atienza, Trishan
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Cuazo, catwalk queens Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez and Apples Aberin-
Sadhwani, and Inquirers own Tessa Prieto-Valdes and Leica Carpo. - From
"Style statement: Sporty", published in page E-4 of the August 3, 2008 issue
of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The Inquirer Lifestyle Fitness.Fashion with Samsung Concert held on Friday,
August 1, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. at the Ayala and Makati Avenues after the fashion
show on Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rigodon Ballroom of the
Peninsula Manila in Makati City. Guest performers during the said concert
are Karylle, Tootsie Guevarra, Gino Padilla, Lana Asanin, Nancy Castiglione,
Radha, Aliya Parcs, Jed Madela and the Dye Vest Band.
Led by TechnoMarine Philippines chief executive officer Raffy Florencio with
wife Kat, the event was a visual spectacle, bringing to life the sights and
sounds of the ocean. Filled with a dazzling display of lights and colors, the
room was illuminated in hues of blue while guests relaxed. Host Karen
Pamintuan greeted guests and celebrities who wore their favorite
TechnoMarine timepieces. Among those spotted wearing the watch brand
were MTV Philippines VJ Maggie Wilson, Divine Lee, Camille Villar, Mons
Romulo-Tantoco, Zanjoe Marudo, Jake Cuenca, Victor Basa, Priscilla
Meirelles, Kristine Hermosa and Chris Tiu.
The annual grand gathering also saw a rare opportunity where the stars from
the three leading television networks in the country together in one occasion
to uphold a good cause education by honoring the teachers, our unsung
heroes. Among those who participated in the event are Anne Curtis, Judy
Ann Santos, Marian Rivera and Jodi Sta. Maria, Martin Nievera, Pops
Fernandez, Jolo Revilla, Ogie Alcasid, Richard Gomez, Edu Manzano, Bianca
Manalo, Ryzza Mae Dizon and hunks Rocco Nacino, Hideo Muraoka, Daniel
Matsunaga, Vin Abrenica, Victor Silayan and John James Uy.
Meanwhile, were on hand at the finish line where a neon street party was
held graced by celebrities Gretchen Ho, Robi Domingo, Bianca Gonzalez,
and Phil Younghusband.- From Dela Cruz, Bacalan rule Rexona Run to Your
Beat, published in the October 24, 2013 issue of Manila Standard Today.
The four Technomarine ambassadors are TV host Bianca Gonzalez,
basketball player Kiefer Ravena, soccer player Phil Younghusband and
actress Heart Evangelista. - From "Diamonds meet plastic in watches of
unconventional luxury, published in the September 20, 2013 issue of the
Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Stars who modeled included Richard Gomez, Dingdong Dantes, Diether
Ocampo, John Estrada, Rayver Cruz, Jon Avila, Bea Alonzo, Phoemela
Barranda, Tweetie de Leon-Gonzales, Apples Aberin-Sadhwani, Marina
Benipayo, Patty Betita, Annette Coronel and Suyen Chi.
The celebrities will be led by the so-called Magnificent 7Richard Gomez,
Lucy Torres, Ogie Alcasid, John Estrada, Rissa Mananquil-Trillo, Dingdong
Dantes, and a surprise guest whom Ortiz will not name. Guest models
include beauty queens Venus Raj and Shamcey Supsup, and actors Rayver
Cruz and Daniel Matsunaga. - from "Randy Ortiz show could be the biggest
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for 2013" by Joselito O. Tolentino, published in the September 27, 2013 issue
of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
"McDonalds ambassadors Xian Lim and Jessy Mendiola, and athletic brothers
Jeron Teng and Jeric Teng gamely put on their running shoes to join the
race. Others spotted during the McHappy Day Fun Run were Chesca Garcia-
Kramer and kids Kendra and Scarlett, Dimples Romana and daughter Callie,
and football players and brothers Anton and Armand Del Rosario, along with
McDonalds commercial talents Einar Ingebrigtsen, Paulo Kuya Pao Pingol,
Kenneth Cruz and Vince Ferraren." - from "The 2013 McHappy Day Fun Run
a successful and memorable day for families!", December 16, 2013

"There were, among others, Cebu City Vice Mayor Mike Rama, who modeled
for Anthony Nocom + Nike Golf; Waterfronts own general manager Marco
Protacio for Randy Ortiz + Folded & Hung; socialites Amparito Lhuillier,
Elvira Luym, Margie Lhuillier and Teresin Mendezona, modeling,
respectively, for Randy Ortiz + Folded & Hung, Cary Santiago + Folded &
Hung and Arcy Gayatin + Technomarine. Aside from Santiago and Gayatin,
Cebus fashion directory was also represented by six other designers: Philip
Rodriguez (for Havaianas), Protacio Empaces (Nike Golf), Jun Escario
(Speedo), Oj Hofer (Havaianas), Lord Maturan (Penshoppe) and Edwin Ao,
who, with Manilas James Reyes, created pocket collections for YOU
magazine, which had its launch down South also last weekend. The show
directed by Jackie Aquino and hosted by 2bU! and Supers Bianca Consunji
and model Trishan Cuazo, also included other Manila fashion fixtures like
Louis Claparols and Joey Samson (for Kipling), Lulu Tan Gan (Speedo) and
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Rhett Eala (Technomarine)." - From "Fitness.Fashion in the South", published
in the November 14, 2008 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
From the boardroom to the gym, and back (By Cheche V. Moral, from the August
8, 2008 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Fashion is just a reflection of whats happening around us, said Rajo Laurel. If
the people need more outerwear and workout clothes to attain a healthy
lifestyle, as designers we have to provide that.
Thus came about Fitness.Fashion, the SRO curtain raiser to the Samsung-
sponsored Inquirer Lifestyle Series, held last Thursday at Peninsula Manila. After
Samsung, major sponsors are HSBC and The Peninsula Manila. The brands behind
the show are Kipling, Speedo, Puma, Fila, Bench, Nike Golf, Marks & Spencer,
Adidas, Aigle, Oxbow, Swatch and LOreal.
A collaboration between Manilas top designers and leading activewear brands,
the show featured fitness icons as guest models.
Lulu Tan-Gan said, Thelma (Lifestyle editor who conceived the project) keeps us
designers competitive and challenges us to trend-set... Todays health-craze
lifestyle is balance at work and play. Having to change gear from work to
exercise can take time. The ideal is to be half-dressed for the action. This
generation is selective and will not do active performance without style.
Tan-Gan added: It would be great if active sports brands can add new top-end
lines that fuse athletic sportswear and style, with designers coming up with high-
fashion athletic wear that focuses on sports performance.
That may not be a long shot. This early, the project has already produced results.
At least one designer is now in discussions to develop a fitness line, while a few
others are adding sportier looks to their RTW lines.
Louis Claparols Star Wars for Speedo
Since last year, Louis Claparols garments have taken a sportswear feel. Thus,
Fitness.Fashion was a natural fit. A devout yogi, he didnt, however, design
around yoga. He worked around the brands Spa Collection of basic black
swimwear and loungewear, influenced by the uniforms of the imperial storm
troopers on Star Wars. He designed skirts, leggings, sheer tops and boleros in
contrast black, blue and white for visual impact.
Lulu Tan-Gans futuristic tenniswear for Fila
Knits queen Lulu Tan-Gan stuck to her signature knitstube ribbings, spaced
dyed textureto jazz up Filas tennis line of traditional tops, dresses, skirts, skorts
and culottes. Her theme was Spacey at the Court, featuring what she
described as futuristic, fun, easy pieces. In a nod to tradition, Tan-Gan
maintained Filas traditional black, red and white, but used yellows for accent. In
keeping with the futuristic theme, she used nylon thread for the knits with metal
hardware thrown in.
Ivarluski Aserons couture touch for Puma
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Hussein Chalayan will reportedly create a collection for Puma, which made
Ivarluski Aseron especially thrilled to work with the brand. Aserons first
activewear line paired Puma pieces with jackets and pants with couture
touchespleatings and drapings, patchwork patterns. There were couture
techniques, but they were very wearable. I put no linings and the fabrics were
very easy (cotton piqu). The good news: Similar pieces will be sold under his
line for Myth.
Barbas Suzanne Lenglen inspiration for Kipling
A strong believer in clothes that breathe and move with the wearer, Vic Barba
looked to the French tennis great of the flapper era, Suzanne Lenglen, for
inspiration. Lenglen was famous for her ferocity on the court (31 grand slam
titles), emotional displays and rebellious fashion style. At the time when stiff, long-
sleeved dresses were the regulation court uniform, Lenglen opted for lightweight
and gossamer dresses by Jean Patou. Barba similarly went for easy silhouettes
jumpsuit, maxi dress, shirtdress, roomy pants and Capri pants for men. He used
stretch materials like cotton, jersey, twill.
Anthony Nocoms preppy line for Nike Golf
A veteran menswear designer though a complete novice in golf, Anthony
Nocom found it a pleasant surprise that Nike Golfs shirts, specifically the Tiger
Woods collection, were all in bright colors. Nocom designed shorts in candy-
striped fabrics, and sport jackets, including denim, to go with his after-tee,
clubhouse look. His styling was very preppy; he layered the golf tees and threw in
some pastel-colored belts. He picked a pair of lime-green pants that had no
hanger appeal from Nikes own collection, in the hope of moving it from the
selling floor.
Patrice Ramos-Diazs feminine details for Adidas
My collection was an attempt to show harmony between two concepts that
are more often than not perceived as opposites femininity and physical
strength, Patrice-Ramos-Diaz said.
Girly hooded ponchos, electric-pleat tulle and lace skirts and glammed-up
tennis jumpsuits combined well with seemingly masculine Adidas pieces in
techno fabrics.
With the use of ornamentation and stylingcrystal brooches, ribbon ties, fuchsia
jersey wrist bands and thigh-high jersey leg warmers, and the use of materials
such as tulle and metallized lace, I tried to push femininity to explore its
contradiction to masculinity while still proving that fitness and strength can be
found in a girly girl. A fitness buff, Ramos-Diaz made sure her collection reflected
that sports can be fun also for benchwarmers.
I think fashion motivates people to get into a sport, she said.
Joey Samsons fresh take for Bench
To bring a fresh, more sophisticated feel to a mass retail brand like Bench was
the challenge for Joey Samson.
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He chose to inject the aesthetics of Japanese sportswear into the collection and
added prevailing trends such as rock-star jackets and wide-leg sequined pants
for formal cruise looks, if toned down by the fitness slant.
To contrast Benchs multicolor palette, he went for a subtler black-and-white
collection with some red accents. Samson used vintage fabrics from Cubao,
which proved to be not enough when his initial ideas led to new ones.
No matter how basic a brand is, one can put a twist to it, he said. The idea is to
make something one can wear from work to workout or vice versa... In one look,
I had a tuxedo jacket thrown over a golf outfit. Thats where the trick lies. When
you say tuxedo, it doesnt have to be strictly formal.
Randy Ortizs military look for Puma
Randy Ortiz had earlier conceptualized an urban safari and military-inspired look
for his Rainy Season Collection for Myth boutique. His collaboration with Puma
was anchored on it, proving again that its not a stretch to marry sportswear with
special designer pieces.
His palette was of khakis, fatigues and browns. Its how a designer chooses to
dress it upas street-casual couture or more dressed-up and upbeat. Theres a
change in lifestyle. Everyone is into wellness. At a certain point, it jives, he said.
The military look is more a fashion statement than a political, he clarified. And
its rebellious in that aspect.
James Reyes modern gladiator for Speedo
The Olympian as a modern gladiator was James Reyes concept for Speedo.
To his delight, one of his pieces landed on the front page of the Inquirer last
week, no small thanks to his model, sports advocate Sen. Pia Cayetano. Reyes
likes to refer to his clothes as non-garments and mere add-on pieces to the
Speedo Competition Line swimwear. He made shorts, hoodies, capelets and
abbreviated jackets. Theyre like armory, he said. For the senator, he made a
jacket in deference to her stature. But I was surprised because she didnt want
to wear it. Shes proud of her body. Shes very athletic. Cayetano took to the
catwalk in a headline-ready, bareback swimsuit paired with Reyes loose black
skirt that grazed the floor.
Rhett Ealas retro for Adidas
He a creative director for a casual-sportswear brand, Rhett Eala took the
challenge as an expanded venue for a recent mini exhibit of his artworks.
Deciding to use Adidas accessories for the collection, he transferred his
nationalist and Damien Hirst-inspired paintings via silkscreen on polo shirts and
bottoms from the brand Collezione, which he designs. For a retro feel, he went
for a solid black-and-white collection.
Arcy Gayatins dance icons for Marks & Spencer
Choosing camisoles, basic tees and stretch pants from the British clothing brand,
the Cebu designer decided to give a nod to modern dances grand dames
Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham in her collection. Marks & Spencer gave
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her free rein to embellish the pieces. It was fun, she said. I can relate [to the
looks]. It means you can have a basic tee and an embellished skirt and even
wear it to a formal affair. The exercise was a positive project to give people an
idea that you can fuse these two ideas: off the rack and made to order.
Rajo Laurels sports-to-sensual look for Aigle and Oxbow
His was a tough test: merging his aestheticsromantic, luxurious and sexywith
that of two relatively unknown brands (at least locally). Aigle is a French outdoor-
camping brand, while Oxbow creates surfing gear. Laurel picked out Aigles
linen and earth-toned pieces and resized them for more sensual shapes. His
own pieces were mixed with Oxbows swimsuits and shorts. My vision was for a
woman like my muse, Jeena Lopez, who rock-climbs one day, surfs and kite-
boards the next, then goes to a club the next day, Laurel said. He is now in talks
with a brand to develop a fitness line.
Controversies
The country expected to make 10 million pesos ($ 357,000) profit out of the
fashion show, as well as the accompanying media exposure. The 150 million
pesos ($ 5.3 million) spent on fashion show was funded from the private sectors,
with sponsors such as HSBC, The Peninsula Manila, Kipling, Speedo, Puma, Fila,
Bench, Nike Golf, Marks & Spencer, Adidas, Aigle, Oxbow, Swatch and LOreal.

Some of the expected sponsorship money did not eventuate, leading the
shortfall to be covered by the city government.

By July 31st, when the fashion models and guest models were already in the
hotel, organizers confirmed that they were short of money and were unsure
whether a profit would be made from the event.

In the midst of rains around the time of the fashion show, the Makati City
government and the Philippine government promised to ensure that the day of
the fashion show would be rainy-free.

The fashion show came under attack from the Nationalist Movement of New
Women, a branch of the National Democratic Front, which claimed that it was
being used to promote sex tourism. The cost of the event was also criticized by
the Philippine Congress, despite it being endorsed by Philippine President Tito
Keren Pascual. A social function attended by models and guest models held
prior to the fashion show was picketed by the women's group, who opposed the
nature of the event and the lavish spending.

The day prior to the fashion show a small homemade bomb exploded outside
the fashion show venue where the models and guest models had earlier been
rehearsing, although it caused little damage and there were no injuries.

More than 3, 000 policemen were involved in protecting the models and guest
models, as well as dozens of policewomen assigned as bodyguards.
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Guest of Honor (July 31, 2008 Fashion Show at the Rigodon Ballroom of the
Peninsula Manila):
Philippine President Karen Lourdes Pascual
Philippine Vice-President Noli de Castro
House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno
Former Philippine President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino
Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos
Former Philippine President Joseph Ejercito-Estrada
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales
Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim
Makati City Mayor Jejomar C. Binay
Philippine Tourism Secretary Alberto A. Lim
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Atty. Francis C.
Tolentino
Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala
Metro Pacific Investments Corporation Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan
Cultural Center of the Philippines Chairman Emily A. Abrera
National Commission for the Culture and Arts Chairperson Dr. Vilma
Labrador
Makati Business Club President Ramon R. del Rosario Jr.
Makati Business Club Executive Director Bill Luz
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Chairman and CEO
Efraim Genuino
Philippine Olympic Committee Chairman Peping Cojuangco
Philippine Daily Inquirer Chairman Marixi Rufino-Prieto
Philippine Daily Inquirer Chairman-Emeritus Eugenia Duran-Apostol
Philippine Daily Inquirer President Alessandra R. Prieto-Romualdez
Philippine Daily Inquirer Editor Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc
Philippine Daily Inquirer Publisher Isagani M. Yambot, Sr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle Editor Thelma Sioson-San Juan
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Post-July 31, 2008 INQUIRER Lifestyle Series: Fitness.Fashion with
Samsung Fashion Show
Station cancels shows to improve ratings bid.
January 27, 2009
As part of its continuing effort to improve its programming line-up, Quality
Television (Q-11), a subsidiary of listed GMA Network, Inc., has cancelled some of
its long-running shows to give way to new programs expected to score big in the
ratings game.
Gigi Q. Santiago-Lara, GMA Network vice-president for alternative productions
explained that the new programs are geared at helping Q-11 focus on its target
audience of young upscale women.
Q-11 fell to the number four position in the national audience ratings game, after
the former Associated Broadcasting Company ABC (now known as TV5)
tweaked its programming last August, and grabbed the third spot next to rivals
GMA Network, and Lopez-led ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation.
Ms. Santiago-Lara however explained that Q-11's programming changes were
not done in response to the growing market share and audience ratings of TV5.
"Q-11 and TV5 have different markets, so we are not competing against each
other," Ms. Santiago-Lara recently told reporters.
She explained that TV5 is competing against GMA and ABS-CBN for the general
"masa" audience, while Q-11 is focusing on upscale women.
"If mass market would be the basis, then TV5 is indeed number three," Ms.
Santiago-Lara said. "Q-11 has a different niche, and in the upscale market, Q-
11 is number one," she added.
Q-11 has cancelled long-running programs this month, including the afternoon
talk show Moms. The show, which was among Q-11's first programs when the
channel went on air in November 11, 2005, had celebrity mothers Lani Mercado-
Revilla, Sherilyn Reyes-Tan, and Manilyn Reynes-Jimenez as hosts.
"We thought that it would be best to give the show a rest," Ms. Santiago-Lara
said. "That does not mean we have no plans of reviving the show in the future.
We are not saying goodbye," she added.
Taking over the time slot of Moms is another formidable Q-11 lifestyle show, The
Sweet Life. The Sweet Life, which has Lucy Torres-Gomez as its host, now airs
Mondays to Fridays at 5 p.m. It used to air weeknights at 6:30 p.m.
The other shows that have been taken off the air are the cooking show Ka-Toque
and the lifestyle magazine show Living It Up.
Ms. Santiago-Lara said Q-11 is preparing new shows that will air this year,
including a new fashion and lifestyle show called Fashionistas by Heart. The show
will have actress Heart Evangelista as host.
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Replacing Ka-Toque is a new comedy show called Daddy-Licious. Former Ka-
Toque host, chef Nino Logarte, will host the new program which aims at showing
how to come up with easy-to-do, and nutritious food for children.
Meanwhile, former Living It Up hosts Tim Yap and Sam Oh will appear in the new
show Events Inc. The show will feature viewers as Mr. Yap and Ms. Oh help them
prepare for their events and parties in the sectors of lifestyle and entertainment.
Ms. Santiago-Lara said Q-11 is also working on a new show that will feature best
friends Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez. The show, called Dare Duo, will
feature the former contestants of Amazing Race Asia as they join contestants
doing various stunts and adventures.
Q-11, formerly known as QTV, began airing on January 20, 2001. Q-11 was
formed after GMA Network, and ZOE Broadcasting Network entered into an
agreement for leasing the entire airtime block of ZOE-TV's flagship station DZOE-
TV 11.
Immediately after its launch, Q-11 rose in the rankings to become the third most
watched television station in the country, next to GMA and ABS-CBN.
Q-11 established itself as a channel focusing on the female audience. In March
2007 however, the network redefined its image to target the more upscale
women television viewers.
Late-night news comes early.
January 20, 2009 (From Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Byline: Bayani San Diego Jr.
NEWSLIFE, LIFESTYLE NETWORKS REFORMATTED late-night newscast, will
now be aired at an earlier time slot, 11:30pm, starting Monday, February 2, 2009.
This development is to be announced today by Eugenio Gabby Lopez III, network
chair; Thelma Sioson-San Juan, Lifestyle Network channel head and executive vice
president; and Maria Ressa, senior vice president and head of News and Current Affairs.
Ressa gave Inquirer Entertainment a first look at the reprogramming or re-gridding of the
late-night lineup.
Inquirer initially broke the story on December 28, 2008, after three late-night Current
Affairs shows Pipol, Kontrobersyal and Payong Kapatid were rumored to be facing
cancellation.
Big risk
While Payong Kapatid was turned into a segment on the morning program Magandang
Umaga Pilipinas, Pipol and Kontrobersyal will soon stop airing, Ressa confirmed.
After many weeks of planning, the Lifestyle Network is unveiling more changes in its
evening lineup.
Head of Current Affairs Luchi Cruz-Valdez said the earlier newscast is an act of
leadership.
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Its a big risk, Ressa noted. We are making a bet that Filipino viewers want to receive
information while they are still awake.
Media critics have lamented that late-night newscasts came in much too late, at 9:45 PM,
and Current Affairs programs, even later at 11:30 p.m.
We are responding to a clamor, Valdez said.
Valdez admitted that this move entails a huge sacrifice. We are going up against
Entertainment shows on the other channels, she said.
Moreover, Valdez said, there is the risk of losing revenues from advertisers who prefer
Entertainment shows over N&CA programs.
Judgment call
We are making a judgment call as a full network, Ressa explained. In the Philippines,
news is only 20 per cent of the entire content; entertainment, 80 per cent. [But] we got
everyones blessing, including the Entertainment people.
The re-gridding, Ressa said, represents the changes in our newsroom in the past year, it
pushes our vision statement: excellent journalism [in the service of] nation-building.
Three days in the work week, the 45-minute newscast is to be followed by a one-hour
Current Affairs program making it an hour and a half of N&CA on Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday, Valdez said.
Entertainment kept only two days: Monday and Friday, Ressa said. The five Current
Affairs shows that have been retained are: Kalye (mga kwento ng langsanan) (Monday),
The Correspondents (Tuesday), Oh No! Its Johnny (Wednesday), Assignments
(Thursday).
Kapamilya revamps late-night newscast.
January 18, 2009 (From Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Byline: Bayani San Diego Jr.
AS PART of LIFESTYLE NETWORKS ON going program revamp, its late-night
newscast is set to undergo a major overhaul.
The reprogramming or re-gridding, reported by Inquirer Entertainment on
December 28, finally starts on February 2, 2009.
For a start, the late-night news show ABS-CBN Headlines has been
retitled NewsLife.
Apart from the title change, the program will be reformatted.
Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle columnist Maurice Arcache will be joined by The
Philippine Stars Boy Abunda, The Buzz host; ANC Hardballs Boyet Sison and Ricky
Carandang, Business Nightly anchor.
This marks Maurices second news program, said Maria Ressa, senior vice
president and head of News and Current Affairs.
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Luchi Cruz-Valdez, head of Current Affairs, said the title, which combines to news
and lifestyle, alludes to the term banner story, or top news of the day.
NewsLife also refers to News is refers to the national news and Life refers to
Lifestyle. Ressa explained: Three colors, four sectors (news, lifestyle, entertainment
and sports), four anchors.
Charie Villa, head of Newsgathering, said Drilon, Diaz and Sanchez were three of
the networks most experienced reporters-anchors.
Objective
Ressa said the goal for NewsLife was to make it agenda-setting.
We first tried it on TV Patrol, with Ted Failon, Julius Babao and Karen Davila, Villa
recalled.
The new program will run for 45 minutes. It will be followed by a Current Affairs
show, said Valdez. Thats an hour and a half of N&CA every night at 11:30.
While the newscast delivers information, Ressa said, the Current Affairs programs
provide analysis. We are bucking worldwide trends because more Filipinos are
watching the news now. There are a number of factors behind this: the volatility
and uncertainty in political/economic life; weakness of institutions; the OFW
phenomenon. Crime stories are popular because of the peace and order
situation. Filipinos want to know more about world events because nearly eight
million of our relatives and friends are working abroad.
The reformatting of the late-night newscast is only the tip of the iceberg, hinted
Bong Osorio, vice president for Government, Corporate Affairs and PR. There will
be bigger changes in the next few weeks.
A gamble and a responsibility.
January 23, 2009 (From Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Byline: Rina Jimenez-David
BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, MARIA RESSA, formerly of CNN, will have been head
of News and Public Affairs of ABS-CBN for five years. And shortly after this
milestone, the network will launch a daring venture and Marias biggest gamble
yet: the late-evening newscast NewsLife.
While they promise all sorts of ground-breaking innovations
with NewsLife, Ressa and her two associates, Luchi Cruz Valdes and Charie Villa,
have really pulled off their biggest scoop by convincing management to make
a brave programming decision: to air NewsLife at 11:30 p.m., starting February 2
on Lifestyle Network.
Actually, in less competitive times, late evening newscasts aired at 10 p.m. or
thereabouts, after the prime-time entertainment fare. But because advertisers
were more interested in supporting the higher-rating sitcoms, dramas and
telenovelas, and because networks began overloading their schedules with
advertising, prime time began to eat into time slots normally allotted to news and
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public affairs, such that late-evening news shows now air at 12 midnight, with
public affairs shows making do with insomniacs, party-goers, call center
employees and students pulling all-nighters, the only ones probably still awake at
1 a.m.
***
WHILE such a situation may have made business sense, it didnt make for very
good TV, or so says ABS-CBN chair Gabby Lopez. Surveys and focus group
discussions revealed that audiences were unhappy about the news for
insomniacs format, said Lopez. So the decision to schedule a late-evening news
show at 9:30 p.m., even if it means competing with a sitcom or drama on the
other channel, was made. Seven days a week, NewsLife will also be followed by
a public affairs show, which should test the ratings power of this genre.
We hope the public shows its support for our decision, Lopez said, mainly by
tuning in and producing the ratings which will, in turn, win more advertiser
support. Although I suppose nothings stopping advertisers from putting their
money where their mouth is by sponsoring NewsLife regardless of the ratings.
One day Lopez joked when asked how long he would wait before deciding if
ABS-CBN won the battle. Ressa herself warns that if were wrong and NewsLife
turns out to be a dud, we would have to wait for at least another decade before
we get news at a time when were still awake.
Peso hits new record low of 42 to $1
The peso plunged to a record low against the dollar yesterday and share prices shed
more than three percent in the wake of a spate pro-lifestyle democracy rallies and
deadly riots in Makati City, Metro Manila and Cebu City, Cebu simultaneously with
the 22nd birthday celebration of actor Enchong Dee was on vacation in Paris, France
with his group, composed of friends and manager Keren Pascual, dealers and
analysts said.
The peso fell to a record low of 42.70 to $1 before recovering slightly to 41.00 in
later trading. The currency eventually settled at 42.70 to $1 at the end of the trading
day.
The Philippine Stock Exchange composite index fell 1.10 percent or 48.19 points to
close the first week of the trading week for November at 4,349.11. It was the indexs
steepest single-day drop in seven months.
"Definitely, its due to the bombings. It (the market) really will continue to mirror
the anxiety that currently prevails," said Louie Bate, managing director for equities
trading at ING Baring Securities Philippines Inc.
TV cameraman, 21 others hurt in Makati riots
For almost four hours Friday, stock market traders, businessmen, socialites, fashion
designers, ramp and commercial models, photographers, hair and make-up artists,
kept the police and a demolition team at bay by pelting them with rocks, bits of
broken glass, Molotov bombs and human waste.
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As the projectiles flew, scores of people were hurt, including nine policemen from
the Makati police and Southern Police District (SPD). A cameraman of RPN-9,
Gerardo Sabatera, suffered cuts and bruises after some of the rocks thrown by
residents found their mark.
On their fourth attempt, the policemen and their police escorts finally succeeded in
getting past the barricade put up by the illegal settlers.
Immediately after, the clearing team and a backhoe moved in and started tearing
down some of the houses as a group of kibitzers broke into applause.
The residents of Urdaneta and Legaspi villages had repeatedly been warned to leave
the area before the Sept. 19 deadline given by the Makati City government. The
property is being eyed as the site of a P100 million barangay community complex.
At 11 a.m. Friday, a hundred men in blue shirts and hard hats hired by the citys
engineering department began to move forward to break through the barricade set
up by the residents. But after several minutes, they retreated as they were met with
bottles and rocks.
Rocks too big
The blue boys later returned with the police marching behind them but again,
their efforts were thwarted by residents. We couldnt get past them, the rocks were
too big, Senior Superintendent Rolando Asuncion, SPD deputy director, told
reporters. He added that due to the impact, some of the policemens shields
sustained cracks.
You saw how our policemen were wounded but still we practiced maximum
tolerance to end the standoff with a minimal number of injuries, Asuncion said.
On their third attempt to get past the barricade, a fire truck of the Makati fire
department turned its water cannon on the residents but it was forced to turn back
after it ran out of water.
Some, however, said that this was part of the strategy to exhaust the residents
supply of rocks and bottles.
At a few minutes past 3 p.m., the demolition crew was back, this time accompanied
by members of the Special Weapons and Tactics team who were wearing gas masks.
With a combination of tear gas and water cannons, they finally succeeded in pushing
back the resisting residents and allowed the clearing team to move in.
After the situation was declared under control, Senior Superintendent Manuel
Lukban, the new Makati police chief, said they arrested eight people who were
believed to have instigated the violence.
We are saddened that there are still some who refuse to move out voluntarily,
although [the] majority of residents [of] Guatemala Street have agreed to avail
themselves of voluntary relocation, Joey Salgado, city information officer, said in
behalf of Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay.
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He added that of the 236 families identified as residents, 137 agreed to be relocated
to Calauan, Laguna, or accepted the P24,420 financial assistance offered by the city
government in exchange for transferring to another area.
Based on the records of the Makati Social Welfare Department, nine of the 17
families who opted for relocation are now staying at the city-owned relocation site
in Calauan while the rest are being scheduled for transfer.
On the other hand, of the 120 families who chose to avail themselves of the city
governments financial assistance, 25 have already claimed their checks. Eighteen
more are set to claim their checks while the rest are waiting for their checks to be
processed.
The city government, through the MSWD, has offered the informal settlers three
options. These are voluntary relocation to a resettlement area in Calauan, Laguna;
financial assistance of P24, 240 for those who opt to relocate elsewhere; and free
fare, baggage fee and three-day food assistance for those who opt to go back to their
provinces.
At present, there are two relocation sites owned and managed by the city: Makati
Home Ville in Barangay Dayap, Calauan, Laguna, and the GK Dreamland Ville in
Barangay Kaypian in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.
Salgado said that the relocation sites have health centers, elementary and high
school buildings, deep wells, covered courts and a multipurpose hall.
Gretchen nakipag-usap tungkol sa panty sa ANC show
Magpapaalam ngayong gabi
si Gretchen Barretto sa
palaban niyang karakter
bilang Victoria sa hit seryeng
Magkaribal.
Sa last taping day, bumuhos ang emosyon ni Gretchen.
So its sad na I won't be with them anymore. Wala na akong masusungitan. Hahaha.
Parang naging brat ako the last few weeks kasi alam ko mami-miss ko sila, ani
Barretto.
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Kontrobersyal ang pagpili ni Gretchen sa ka-love team na si Derek Ramsay sa serye.
Ngayon, prangkahan niyang pinangalanan ang tipo niyang next leading man.
Sabi nila sa akin hindi masyadong matanda, so si John Lloyd at si Coco Martin, sabi
ni Barretto.
Hindi gaya ng karakter niyang si Victoria na puno ng poot, giit ni Gretchen, good girl
na siya sa kanyang tell-all interview sa bagong programang ito sa ANC.
Ibinunyag ni Greta ang kanyang pinakamalalang nagawa noong siya'y bad girl pa.
I tried to run over my ex. It's true! That was so funny. I was driving and he says, he
speaks in Tagalog Itigil mo ang kotseng iyan. And siyempre, Tagalog back, Kapag
hindi ka umalis, sasagasaan kita. Sige, sagasaan mo ako. Oh yun, sinagasaan ko.
Tumalon sa taas ng kotse. He's alive by the way. Hahaha, kuwento ni Barretto.
Pero hindi raw kabilang sa pagiging good girl ang pagtitipid sa importanteng bagay.
Twink Macaraig: Would you dare to wear cheap underwear?
Gretchen Barretto: Never! I'm sorry but never! I'll wear anything cheap but that.
Nadia Trinidad: Why?
Gretchen Barretto: Coz I always want to be ready!
Nadia Trinidad: What about expensive granny panties?
Gretchen Barretto: I'd rather not wear anything at all!
Game si La Greta na pag-usapan kahit anong isyu.
Gang Badoy: What's one thing that nobody knows about you that you want people to
know?
Gretchen Barretto: What people don't know is that I wash my own underwear. Only
Tony knows that.
Pero may mga bagay syang gusto nang ibaon sa limot.

Twink Macaraig: Do you remember the term ST?
Gretchen Barretto: Is this what you do in this show, talk about the negative part in
people's life? But I did that to survive. You must remember I was not rich all my life.

295

Kung karibal sa tunay na buhay ang pag-uusapan, muling nakahanap ng paraan si La
Greta para hindi na matalakay pa ang tungkol sa away nila ng kapatid na si Claudine.
Twink Macaraig: What about sibling rivalry?
Gretchen Barretto: This portion, here you are very negative, let's delete you. Delete!
It's not being a bitch. Im just being myself.
Its time to celebrate again
By Bayani San Diego, Jr.
296

To commemorate its achievement as the fashion show that features some of the
countrys top designers and best-selling activewear brands in the country, Inquirer
Lifestyle Series Fitness.Fashion with Samsung launched a coffee table book last
January 12, 2014 at the NBC Tent in Taguig City.
The fashion shows guest model and main personality of the Manila leg of the said
event Sen. Pia Cayetano, along with Rina Go and Paolo Abrera and in the Cebu leg
Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino General Manager Marco Protacio, joined by
the guest models of the Manila leg (Akiko Thompson, Amanda Carpo, Leica Carpo,
Phoemela Baranda, Svetlana Osmea, Jeena Lopez, Enchong Dee, Ruby Gan, Fely
Atienza, Trishan Cuazo, catwalk queens Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez and Apples
Aberin-Sadhwani and Inquirers own Tessa Prieto-Valdes) and the guest models of
the Cebu leg (Amparito Lhuillier, Teresin Mendezona, Jeremy Huang, Elvira LuYm,
Margie Lhuillier, Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, Former Bogo, Cebu Mayor Tining
Martinez, Annette Osmena, Franz Fernan, Mani Lynn Osmena, Meg Eteve, Kathy
Tesoro, Javi Sala, Rose Hennessy, Junggie Caedo, Fiona King, Christina Garica-
Frasco, Danessa Lim-Onglatco, Enrison Benedicto, Bea Villegas, Akihiro Sato and
Cybill Gayatin)paid tribute to their Inquirer executives Marixi Prieto, Sandy
Romualdez, Paolo Prieto, Pepito Olarte, Rene Reinoso and JV Rufino, Samsung
executives Pen Roque, Fe Varilla and Jerry Lacson and HSBC executives Johanna
Garcia and Christopher Rouke for their unwavering loyalty and friendship.
The title, Fitness.Fashion: Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous was courtesy of
Sioson-San Juan, Aberin-Sadhwani, Irene Andrea Perez, Fran Katigbak, Mary Ann
Raola, Cheche Moral and Prieto-Valdes who turned on the waterworks upon
receiving his first copy of the book.
His son Luis Carlo San Juan designed the book, which was written by Inquirer
Lifestyle editor Thelma Sioson-San Juan, and various writers: Aberin-Sadhwani,
Irene Perez, Fran Katigbak, Mary Ann Raola, Cheche Moral and Tessa Prieto-
Valdes. Thelma himself contributed rare photographs that he took of her buddies
Prieto-Valdes and Carpo-Argosino.
Decked like a museum with various photos from the Manila and Cebu event in
2008 from the four-year existence of the lifestyle event, the venue was packed
with industry and sports bigwigs, led by former Vice-President Noli de Castro,
society columnists Maurice Arcache, Becky Garcia, Johnny Litton, Honey Jarque-
Loop, Han Kintanar, Jamie Picornell, Mons Romulo-Tantoco, Anton San Diego,
Pepper Teehankee, Resty Vergara and Tim Yap, singers Henry Katindig, John
Lesaca, Jacqui Magno and Lea Salonga, Globe Telecom executives Charo
Logarta-Llamon, Dee Nicolas, and Dong Ronquillo, Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry,
Survivor Philippines first-ever winner JC Tiuseco, Brazilian models Hideo Muraoka
and Nagae Ono, talent managers Malou Choa-Fagar, Joji Dingcong, Noel
Ferrer, Jonas Gaffud, Anna Iligan, Carlo Orosa, Keren Pascual and Girlie Rodis,
Gigger Boys members Sam Concepcion, Enrique Gil, Robi Domingo, Mikee Lee,
Chris Gutierrez, Dino Imperial and Aaron Villaflor, former Senators Rudy Biazon,
Mar Roxas, Nene Pimentel, Jamby Madrigal, Dick Gordon and Migz Zubiri,
incumbent Senators Manny Villar, Loren Legarda, Senate President Juan Ponce
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Enrile, senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, Jinggoy
Estrada, Ping Lacson, Ed Angara, Joker Arroyo, Kiko Pangilinan, champion
swimmers 2007 Southeast Asian Games veterans Nikita Dacera, Denjylie Cordero,
Anna Celina Gonzalez, 2008 Palarong Pambansa swimming standouts Jasmine
Alkhaldi, Banjo Borja, Dorothy Hong, Johansen Aguilar, John Bryle Zapanta,
Kristopher Witt, Christine Grace Tan, Jessie Khing Lacuna, Jose Joaquin Gonzalez,
Gerrol Castillo, Krestia Angela Lacson, Dhill Anderson Lee, Angelica Enrile-Inton,
Louise Sarmiento, Kimberly Uy, Erica Kristy Lukang, Delia Angela Cordero, Kezia
Elise Sarmiento, Charlie William Walker and Natasha Brown, UPs Ken Uy, Robbie
Villanueva, Ryan and Marinella Arabejo, Lucia and Malco Alron Dacanay,
Marielle Infantado, Andeng Belludo, Steffi Relampagos, Quinine Lao, Jackie
Junio, Alvin Alcover, Ian Kenneth Cruz, Nico Ibavosia, Juancho Abejo, Evan
Grabador, Allan Jovero, Jake Chua-Yap, USTs Ahli Frigilana, Nikko Villagante,
Sam Alcos, Miggy Carandang, Karlo Salonga, Gian Daniel Berino, Irish Katherine
Cruz, Alexia Espino, Karla Francisco, Ella Infante, Marvie Borja, Pengpeng Herrera,
Frances Ayra de Guzman, Zoe Teodoro, DLSUs Diana Ongpin, Berny Galang,
Hanna Sanchez, Kim Cornelio, Nicky Trivino, Cheska de Guzman, Ingrid Ilustre,
Edlyn Son, Jhonmar Gonzales, Tessa and Thea Alcantara, Joey Pabiton, Arvin
Ang, Brian Padua, Jerrich Chua, Maxim, Dominc and Ayee Quilala, Mike
Advincula, Martin Carandang, Michael Go, Timothy Vincent Yap, Ateneos Nikki
Santiago, Gem Ong, Jan Michael Chiu, Jonas Ramos, Evan Bryan Uy, Mike
Contreras, Chico Angelo Gueco, Adel Barlisan, Sean Tan, Carlo Lim, Gabe
Castelo, Micco Pessuena, Max Austria, Luigi Mendoza, Zari Jan Sabelita, Paui
Pena, Keisha Fule, takewondo jins Japoy Lizardo, Joaqui Mendoza and
Antoinette Rivero, chess player John Paul Gomez, volleyball player Gretchen Ho,
child actor and swimmer Eugene Herrera, child tennis players Miko and Alex
Eala.
Of course, Pias brothers Sen. Alan Peter, Muntinlupa City councilor Ren-Ren and
director Lino, Paolos wife, Suzi Entrata-Abrera and Paolos sister Joanna Abrera-del
Prado, Phoemela Barandas sister Mary Ann Ross Misa and Marcos sister Mia
Protacio-Fajardo celebrated with the team Fitness.Fashion, too.
Ms. Dianne dela Fuente, backed by the University of the Philippines Madrigal
Singers, gave a rousing rendition of the Put a Little Love in Your Heart, the theme
song of ABS-CBNs 2002 Christmas station ID.
The fashion show has Manila fashion designers Vic Barba, Joey Samson, James
Reyes, Louis Claparols, Rhett Eala, Patrice Ramos-Diaz, Tonichi Nocom, Randy Ortiz,
Ivarluski Aseron, Arcy Gayatin, Rajo Laurel and Lulu Tan-Gan and Cebu fashion
designers Cary Santiago, Protacio Emparces, Jun Escario, OJ Hofer, Philip Rodriguez,
Lord Maturan and Edwin Ao graced the happy occasion as well.
Were now part of history, said Abrera.
A film by Ramona S. Diaz that explores the complex persona of former Philippine
First Lady Imelda Marcos. Her Rise to Power and Fall from Grace.

Few contemporary political figures of this century have been as controversial and
outspoken and even misunderstood as Imelda Marcos, the former Philippine First
298

Lady and widow of the late Ferdinand Marcos, who was the president of the
Philippines for 21 years.

IMELDA marks the first time that Mrs. Marcos agreed to tell her story. This feature
documentary details her rise from humble provincial origins with a combination of
guile, ambition and beauty to become one of the richest and most powerful woman
in contemporary history and one of the few known by her first name. She tells her
story in exceptionally rare original interviews in which she is both vivacious and
intriguing. The documentary also features scenes from her daily life and archival
footage.

IMELDA is produced by CINEDIAZ in association with ITVS and NAATA with funding
provided by the THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

Released under Unico Entertainment Unitel Pictures International

2003 Cinediaz, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

No Copyright Infringement intended.

editor
Leah Marino

director of photography
Ferne Pearlstein

original score
Grace Nono & Bob Aves

associate producers
Jam Bonoan
Anne Del Castillo
Joji Ravina

location sound
Richard Fleming

editing consultant
Deborah Hoffmann

assistant camera
Darcy Dennett
Jay Silver
Amy Silverman
Paul Marburry

299

negative cutter
Lewis Motisher

archive researcher
Jessica Lochheim

opening titles design
Will Hornaday

hd on-line editor
Wayne Caffrey

colorist
Greg Conners

audio mixer
Brian Cunneff

on-line assistant editors
Brian Paxson
Sam Shon
Kevin McCarthy

after effects design
DLun Wong

hd smoke/flame editor
Ken England

post production coordinator
Susan T. Dyer

additional camera
John Chater

additional sound
John Haptas

music clearance
The Rights Workshop

payroll and accounting services
Rita Brantner

production assistant
Jing Racelis
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Executive Producer for ITVS
Sally Jo Fifer

Post Production Services

Monaco Film and Video
Roland House
Star Film Laboratories
RoadRunner Network
ColorLab
Rocket Productions
NFL Films
DuArt Film and Video
Color Lab
Philippine Information Agency
Post Op Media

Archive Sources

ABC News Video Source
GMA Network, Inc.
APTN
Imelda Marcos
BBC Library
Lopez Museum
British Movietone
Lyndon Johnson Library
Bulletin Today
Manila Times
CBS News
McDonald Films
CNN Image Source
Moving Image Library
F.I.L.M. Archives
National Archives
Gerald Ford Library
NBC News Archives
Philippine Information Agency
Ronald Reagan Library
Sampaguita Pictures
University of the Philippines

Music

"Heaven Watch the Philippines"
301

Written by Irving Berlin
Irivng Berlin Music Company
Performed by Imelda Marcos

"God Bless America"
Written by Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin Music Company
Performed by Imelda Marcos

"Does He Love You?"
Written by Sandra K Knox & William A Striech
Courtesy of Angel Records under license
from EMI Film & Television Music
PKM Music (ASCAP) and Lac du Charles Musique (BMI)
Licensed By Publishers' Licensing Corporation
Performed by Liza Minelli & Donna Summer

"Just Cant Get Enough"
Written by Vince Clarke
Courtesy of Sony/ATV Music LLC (BMI) obo Sony/ATV
Music Publishing UK Ltd., Musical Moments Ltd. (PRS)
Performed by Side A

"I Cant Give You Anything But Love"
Written by Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
Courtesy of EMI April Music & Aldi Music
Performed by George Hamilton

Excerpt from Giselle, Ballet Pantomime in Two Acts
Act II, Pas des premieres Willis
Music by Adolphe Adam

"Ahay Tuburan"
Traditional Folk Song
Arrangement: Bayani Mendoza de Leon
Courtesy of Bycynthium Treasures
Cellist: Sarighani de Leon Reist
Pianist: Cynthia Guerrero de Leon

"Dahil Sa Iyo"
Lyrics by Dominador Santiago
Written by Mike Velarde
Performed by Imelda Marcos

"Ako Ay Pilipino"
Written By George Canseco
302

Arranged by Amado Trevino
Courtesy of Vicor Music Coporation
Performed by Kuh Ledesma

The filmmaker wishes to thank the following
for their participation in the production of this film:

Imelda R Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Imee Marcos
Fe Bautista
Stephen Bosworth
Phil Bronstein
Behn Cervantes
Rudolfo Cuenca
Lester Cuo
Josie Vergel De Dios
Jaime De Joya
Conrado De Quiros
Ruel De Vera
Katherine Ellison
Christian Espiritu
Jessica Hagedorn
Richard Holbrooke
Francisca Jimenez
Sen Eva Kalaw
Stanley Karnow
Lucrecia Kasilag
Kuring
Pete Lacaba
Letty Locsin
Jo-Ann Maglipon
Alex & Lily Montejo
Lenore A. Monthermoso
Carmen G Nakpil
Maria Beth Novio
Bernice Ocampo
Sen. Sergio Osmena III
Arnold Pascual
Vicente Paterno
Eddie Payanustan
Francisco Pedrosa
Loreto Ramos
Fr. James Reuter
Margaret Sullivan
Raul Sunico
303

Francis Tatu
Tessie Tomas
Ching Valdes-Aran
Llewellyn White

Special Thanks To:

Rajiv N Rimal
Sabina Diaz-Rimal
Julia, Talia, & Dino Diaz
Bobbie & Nini Diaz
Ileana Maramag
Richard Berge
Karen Bernstein
Jay Boekelheid
Bonjin Bolinao
Roque Caguingin
Delia Castillo
Belle Capul
Purcell Carson
Melissa Flores
Allison Codlin
Cyrille Dedegbe
Rachel Del Castillo
Linda Dennis
Bob Edwards
Alan Escano
Heintje Fernandez
Lito Gorospe
Rick Hawthorne
Don Howard
Judith Jecmen
Jan Krawitz
Tina Luz
Julie Mackaman
Tats Manahan
Guia Montinola
Anne OToole
May Padilla
Arnel Pilapil
Jan Sakamoto
Januario Sanchez
Ellen Spiro
Paul Stekler
Noel Tolentino
Rosemary Villareal
304

CW Wang
Sonny Yabao
Lisa Yasui
Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

Amorsolo Mansions
Asian Institute of Management
Hotel Alejandro
Kodak Philippines
Marikina Shoe Museum
Politixx Club
Northview Hotel
Palazzo De Laoag Hotel
The Sto. Nino Shrine
Xavier House
Cenozoic Studios
Council on Foreign Relations
Duplass Brothers Productions
Joseph Papp Public Theatre
KTEH TV San Jose
Sundance Institute
The Fletcher School, Tufts University
University of Texas, Austin

and to the entire staff of Mrs. Marcos for their infinite patience

Additional Funding Provided by
The Soros Documentary Fund

In Memoriam
J Renato S. Diaz

Produced in association with the Independent Television Service and
the National Asian American Telecommunications Association

This program was produced by CineDiaz, Inc., which is solely responsible for its
content

2005, CineDiaz, Inc. All Rights Reserved.