AFTER ALL
Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr

SOMEHOW lost in the loud media drumbeating and government euphoria over the news that drug manufacturing giant Unilab is going to manufacture and donate US $1.25 million worth of oseltamivir, the anti bird flu drug, is the significant role of Asian plants and natural herbs in protecting all of mankind in this health-threatening age.

Buried quite deep in the reporting or narration of Unilab’s humanitarian gesture is the fact that the original main ingredient for oseltamivir (brand name: Tamiflu) comes from Star Anise, a kind of plant grown commercially in only four provinces of China.

It should not be lost on the western world and the more developed countries that if the bird flu scourge ever comes to a head, their very own survival could oneday rest on the primitive, exotic natural resources of the Asian continent. Not that this should be something the Chinese, and Asians for that matter, should view – or use –as a kind of leverage with the pale-faced brothers in the other part of the world because, in the case of an avian influenza pandemic, we’re talking of the whole human race and gloating or selfishness is out of the question.

Given the western countries’ highly advanced science and technology capabilities and determination however, it should not be farfetched to expect them to come up with synthetic products or similar drugs in the future, perhaps finding a plant with essentially the same qualities and chemical composition as the Star Anise.

But then that would time take. And time is what the human race would be in short supply of once – God forbid – we are faced with the feared pandemic. Sourcing out raw materials, not to mention the actual manufacturing process for drugs, requires months and years. We could just imagine therefore how everyone in this planet probably wishes and prays that the heavens always protect the Star Anise plantations in those four provinces of China.

As thought in a strange twist of fate, it is in China where some of the world’s most recent bird flu cases have been reported. Stranger still, no one among the wire agencies seems to be reporting whether or not Chinese healthmen are or have been administering oseltamivir drugs on those flu cases, and whether or not, it has proved to be effective enough as a course of treatment.

Over here, we Filipinos can only wonder – and pray.

* * *

How could the honorables of the sangguniang panlungsod of Dagupan have missed it?
We mean, the legal need for an imprimatur of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) before they could ever make money, okay, raise revenues on the national road thru the charging of roadside parking fees. As City Legal Officer Geraldine ‘Dindin” Baniqued almost coyly pointed out when pressed by nosey newshounds about the seeming faux pas of the gallant men and women of Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez, the legislative chamber is not wanting of legal minds to guide that body in the passage of city laws.

But this time, to put it mildly, they goofed; and now Atty. Dindin has to come out and say that indeed, such a measure as pay parking on national roads needs clearance, if not approval, of the DPWH. On the side, she admits she was never consulted by the legislators on their plan, otherwise she could have advised them.

So, we guess, it’s back to the drawing board for the ladies and gents of the city council. VM and Presiding Officer Alvin had intimated as much when cornered by newsmen Roland Hidalgo, Ding Micua and other reporters at the last session asking whether a public hearing on the pay parking issue is forthcoming. The vice mayor said calling a public hearing is within the jurisdiction of the concerned SP committees.

From where we sit, (we could be dead wrong, you know!) that sounds very much like our relative Alvin is not about to take more heat than he should on a very “hot”issue, courtesy of his, ah, exuberant (over-eager?) wards in the chamber.

THE PEN SPEAKS
Danny O. Sagun

PANGASINAN hosted two big events last week, an indication that this big and populous province is a factor to reckon with in the shaping of the country’s future. The first event on Tuesday was the tax roadshow on the expanded value added tax (EVAT) at the Leisure Coast Resort in Bonuan Binloc, and the second event, the Charter change consultations on Friday at the Regency Hotel in Calasiao.

The EVAT roadshow drew quite a big crowd forcing many participants to stay outside the main venue. We could have hoped for a bigger space, say, the People’s Astrodome, which could have accommodated up to 4,000 people.

The Cha-cha consultation did not have that big crowd as the participants were screened and selected by NEDA to represent the cross-section of society. The live coverage of Super Radyo Dagupan of the press conference before the consultation proper however brought the discussions right to the people’s homes and there they can decide for themselves if this is the time to tinker with the 1987 Constitution or maintain the status quo.

Collated reports show that the public, through the series of consultations held nationwide, favor the shift of government from the present presidential-unitary to parliamentary-federal. Unitary means powers are central to Imperial Manila. Federal means power is shared by the provincial/state governments. We have a powerful president under the present system, but the president under the parliamentary system is a mere symbolic head of state with very limited powers. The head of government is the prime minister.

Our own position on the issue? We do not really concern ourselves as to the type of government or structure we will have, whether parliamentary or presidential. It is unfair to throw the blame on the presidential system for the woes and turmoil this country has seen for years. It is also wishful thinking that this country gets out of the mess if we shift to the parliamentary system. Pros have taken this type of reasoning to convince others. They have cited progressive countries with parliamentary systems as their proof – Britain, Australia, and our neighbors Thailand and Malaysia, which reportedly overtook us in the last two decades or so.

But they seem to overlook the fact that the most powerful country in the world, the USA, has a president as its head of state and government. Ditto with Russia, South Korea, Taiwan and even France, with a powerful president under a modified parliamentary system.

This country was the envy of its neighbors some years after the War. Its rulers, all presidents, would have made this nation great. The greed for power of just one man, the dictator, halted that momentum though. And it was very hard for the country to make a turnaround. Cory did try but her efforts were not enough.

Then came the Pangasinan pride, Fidel Valdez Ramos. We never thought he would make things happen for the better being a former military man. But it was during his time that the country began to move from its lethargic state and could have fared much better if not for the 1997 Asian crisis. As they say malas talaga. Still, FVR and his economic team managed to fight off the crisis.

Erap won the presidency by a big margin over his closest opponent, our own JDV in the 1998 elections. That was a big mistake of Filipino electorate who opted for a showbiz, popular person over a man who could have pursued FVR’s programs and made this small country turn into an economic tiger, borrowing the term of speaker JDV. (FVR himself was linked to alleged irregularities and this corner does not condone such.)

Our point? The system of government is not the main problem here. It is the person governing. If we put the likes of Marcos or Erap in the presidency, then woe for us. But if we install men the caliber of Quezon, Magsaysay, and FVR (minus alleged anomalies, if you please), then this country will become great again.

Notwithstanding, proceed with the Cha-cha consultations and feel the pulse of the people. Anyway, it is they who will have the final say when the matter is tossed to them for final action and approval/disapproval.

WINDOWS
Gabriel L. Cardinoza

IF and when Mayor Benjie Lim fights Speaker Jose De Venecia in the 2007 congressional race as bannered by a local paper, it will certainly be a fight to the finish. Obviously fed up with the unfulfilled commitments of the national government for Dagupan City, Mayor Lim may have finally decided to speak out his mind and chose to confront President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s No. 1 ally.

There was already a near-skirmish between the Mayor and the Speaker in 1998, when the Speaker returned to the district to regain the congressional seat being occupied by Lim at the time. Lim did not budge in the beginning, but in the end, he was prevailed upon to give it up in favor of the Speaker and ran instead for mayor.

Despite the Speaker’s pronouncements that Lim is still “one of my best friends,” everybody knows that from the very beginning, what they had was a shaky political alliance. This became quite obvious during the 2004 presidential elections when Lim was said to be among the late FPJ’s “silent supporters,” having been seen by some local media practitioners in opposition rallies and meetings in the province. Susan Roces, of course, would confirm this in a news conference in Dagupan City when she said that Lim has been an FPJ supporter even before. As everybody also knows by now, the mayor was among the very first incumbent political leaders to ask for GMA’s resignation early this year.

What would again surely decide the impending De Venecia-Lim fight will be Dagupan City. When Lim fought Tessie De Venecia, Lim won only in Dagupan City. But his lead here of about 15,000 votes was more than enough to offset the lead then that De Venecia got in Mangaldan, Manaoag, San Jacinto and San Fabian.

Some self-proclaimed local political analysts, however, predict that in a De Venecia-Lim fight, Dagupan will vote for both of them, which means that they will gain an almost even number of votes in the city. The battleground, therefore, will be in the towns that comprise the district.

We should not forget, however, that Immigration Commissioner Al Fernandez is still very much a factor in the local political equation.

When Lim fought in the 1998 congressional race, the Commissioner, who was the mayor then, was with him, being Lakas’ standard bearer at that time. In 2001,when Lim ran for mayor, the Commissioner, who was the outgoing mayor at that time, also supported him, winning by more than 3,000 votes against a very popular Vice Mayor Teddy Manaois then.

In a De Venecia-Lim scenario, the risk that Lim has to take is that he may be fighting alone. Understandably, the Commissioner will stick it out with the Speaker, both being die-hard GMA supporters. Then, of course, it will be a mid-term election and GMA is the sitting President and the possibility that GMA will get back at him is not at all remote.

But as they say, no one is really sure of any election’s outcome until the last ballot cast has been counted. Certainly, the mayor and his handlers know his strengths and his weaknesses. More than the money, more than a good campaign plan, it will be the candidate’s track record and personal relations with his constituents that will matter most. The De Venecia-Lim fight, if it pushes through, should prove this.

QUICKQUOTE: Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything. — Josef Stalin

SMORGASBOARD
Liway Manantan-Yparraguirre

GENERAL Arturo C. Lomibao, Philippine National Police chief, led the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new police station/building of the Mangatarem police unit last December 3. (Construction work has actually started).

Lomibao’s goal is to construct at least 100 police stations before he retires July next year. “What I am doing is to look at the morale of the men and women in uniform. When I retire, I can satisfy myself ya timmulongak during my term as PNP chief,” he remarked.

The general has in fact surpassed his target as the one being constructed in Mangatarem is the 104th. They were supposed to groundbreak in Aguilar that same afternoon but Mayor Evangelista said the lot available is only 360 sq.m. or below the required 400 sq.m. Lomibao assured him that will do and told the mayor to prepare everything while they at Camp Crame will prepare the funding.

The general declared he will continue with his project even past his target as there are more than 500 police stations all over the country which still don’t have their own building. I hope Basista will be one of the priorities as their police station looks miserable (unless it has already been renovated at this time of writing).

Teddy Cruz, former 2nd district congressman now secretary to the mayor of Mangatarem, profusely thanked Lomibao as there have been many promises and pledges in years past from former PNP chiefs but it is only now that their dream is being realized.

The lot was donated by the local government. Funding came from the PNP, plus a counterpart from the LGU and Congressman Amado T. Espino Jr.

Lomibao’s advice to his men: “reciprocate the generosity, give the best kind of service, the best kind of attention and concern to the people.”

With so many police stations being constructed, where is he getting all the funds? This we asked Gen. Lomibao before but the name slipped my mind so I texted him the other day and asked about it again.

He said the budget comes from the Trust Receipts from fees collected by the PNP for firearm licenses, permits and clearances. (They must have collected so big a pile now –Ed)

This is a clear example of the people’s money being given back to them through good police service.

*****

Congratulations to the Bautista (town) Liga ng mga Barangay basketball team led by Board Member Amadeo T. Espino.

They ruled the 5th district Punong Barangay Basketball Tournament by beating Binalonan in the second game of the best-of-three championship round held last Saturday in Rosales. Aside from the champion’s trophy, they will receive P50,000 cash said tournament director Ramon Morden. Schedule of the awarding ceremonies is still being finalized.

The 5th district Punong Barangay Basketball Tournament was sponsored by fifth district Rep. Mark O. Cojuangco, supported by the board members from the fifth district, the mayors and businessman Rosendo So.

*****

The Rosales United Stars Athletic Club (RUSAC) is now on its 69th year. RUSAC Premier Rosendo So and his fellow officers were inducted during the opening of the RUSAC Basketball tournament last November.

RUSAC was founded by former minister Conrado ‘Lakay Condring’ Estrella. It’s one of the oldest athletic ball clubs (second?) in the country.

*****

Before the 2005 South East Asian (SEA) Games started, the PNP chief promised the PNP athletes that promotion awaits the gold medallists among them.

Seventeen (17) policemen participated in the SEA Games, eight acted as coaches (different events) while seven were athletes.

The gold medalists were Police Senior Insp. Nelson A. Pacalso (karatedo-65 kg & below) and PO3 Mitchel B. Martinez (boxing – lightweight 60 kgs.).

Silver medalists were PO2 Christopher Yabut (pencak silat – 50-55 kgs.) and PO2 Reneto E. Tuñacao (arnis – sparing event). PO3 Junel Perania (karatedo – 70 kg below and team kumite), PO2 Juvy Jumuad (pencak silat – 60 kgs) and PO1 Henberd C. Ortalia (table tennis – men’s team) captured bronze in their respective events.

A happy and blessed Christmas for the gold medalists as each will receive P100,000 cash incentive from the Philippine sports body, a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland as promised by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, not to mention their promotion to the next rank.

Supt. Edgar Basbas, Dagupan City police chief, said Senior Insp. Pacalso is really good.