Friday, August 28, 2009

Background - Richard Gordon

Richard "Dick" Juico Gordon is the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and head of the Philippine National Red Cross.

Early life and career
He was born on August 5, 1945 to James Leonard Tagle Gordon and Amelia Juico Gordon, (who were both mayors of Olongapo City). In 1954, he completed his elementary education at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila and on 1962, he completed his secondary education at the Ateneo de Manila University. He stayed in Ateneo and completed his tertiary education, earning a degree of Bachelor of Arts, major in History and Government in 1966. He was a student leader having been consistently elected president of his class. On 1975, he graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Philippines College of Law after taking a break in 1971 to run for the Constitutional Convention. Prior to that he topped the 1969 UP Student Council elections leading to the First Quarter Storm and joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi in 1968. From 1966 to 1967 he became a Brand Manager for Procter and Gamble Philippines. Towards the end of the 1960s, he helped his mother Amelia run the government of Olongapo after his father James Leonard Gordon was assassinated. With the declaration of Martial Law after finishing his law degree and passing the bar, he became an Associate of ACCRA Law Offices.

Early political career
In 1971, while still a law student at UP, he was elected as a delegate of the constitutional convention that drafted the 1973 Constitution representing the first district of Zambales. He was the youngest delegate of the convention and swore former President Diosdado Macapagal into office as Chairman of the Convention. In 1980, he ran as mayor of Olongapo City. In 1983, Olongapo became a highly urbanized City. Having been a victim of crime with the assassination of his father then Mayor James Leonard T. Gordon in 1967, Gordon managed to transform Olongapo from a “sin city” to “model city” with various innovations in local governance namely color coded transport system, public markets’ expansion, integrated solid waste management program, vendors’ cooperatives, community organizations and many other public and community development programs. In 1986, Gordon and Joseph Estrada became two of the local executives who refused to vacate their positions after the government reorganization by President Corazon Aquino. Gordon gave way for the Aquino appointed Officer-In-Charge after a formal written directive from the Executive Secretary representing Aquino was issued. In 1986 he joined Philippine Vice President Salvador Laurel in reorganizing the Nacionalista Party around the country. They campaigned for a "No" vote on the 1987 Constitution framed by the Aquino appointed constitutional convention. In 1988, he was elected as mayor with the help of the Nationalist People's Coalition a breakaway of the Nacionalista Party under Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco.

U.S. Naval Base in Subic Bay
On September 1991, Gordon led a nationwide rally for the retention of the U.S. Bases in the Philippines. The U.S. naval base in Subic Bay was a major income generating client of Olongapo City. In the same year, Olongapo experienced the greatest volcanic cataclysm of the century when Mt. Pinatubo erupted and dumped 14 inches of wet ash on the City. Determined not to be defeated, Gordon and the citizens of Olongapo fully mobilized and lobbied for 3 months to include the free port concept into the Bases Conversion Act which hitherto had been hastily cobbled together without consulting the people directly affected. They succeeded in their first unusual act of self-empowerment and volunteerism when the special provisions for the establishment of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone under the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) were included in R.A. 7227 in March 1992. On November 24, 1992, the U.S. Navy completed its withdrawal from the facility and its conversion for civilian and commercial use began. Volunteerism and the high civic spirit of the host community marked the pioneering efforts at conversion.


SBMA & Subic Bay Freeport
In the 1992 local elections, Gordon won a landslide victory and was reelected as mayor of Olongapo City. 1993, a citizen questioned Gordon's dual duty as mayor of Olongapo City and as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. The Supreme Court decided that Gordon must hold one position. Gordon decided to vacate his position as Mayor and assumed the position of SBMA chairman in full capacity. In the 1995 local elections, his wife Katherine, a three term Congresswoman, was elected mayor of Olongapo. In the 1996 APEC Summit, 18 world leaders were impressed with the facility and Subic became a new investment hub in Southeast Asia. Bluechip companies like FedEx Express, Enron, Coastal Petroleum now El Paso Corporation, Taiwan computer giant Acer and France telecoms company Thomson SA invested US$2.1 Billion in the freeport reinvigorating the economy and creating 70,000 jobs replacing those lost during the US Navy withdrawal.


1998 forced removal
During the late 1990s, Gordon became one of Joseph Estrada's vocal critics over differences on the US Naval Base. After winning by a large margin during the 1998 presidential elections, President Estrada issued Administrative Order No. 1 removing Gordon as Chairman of SBMA. Estrada appointed Felicito Payumo, Gordon's critic and congressman of Bataan as new chairman. The removal process was not easy. Hundreds of volunteers barricated the gates of SBMA and Gordon locked himself inside the SBMA Administrative Office Building 229. The issue sparked the interest local and foreign press known as the Showdown at Subic. Gordon filed for a temporary restraining order before the local court. The local court of Olongapo granted Gordon's request but Payumo's party filed an appeal before the Court of Appeals. The CA reversed the local court's ruling and it was affirmed by the Supreme Court G.R. No. 134171. With the Supreme Court decision, Gordon called Payumo and turned over the reins of SBMA at the Subic Bay Yacht Club two months later on 3 September 1998. Together with the Subic volunteers, they cleaned up the facility.


Philippine National Red Cross and Department of Tourism
Since 1986, Gordon was elected as governor of the Philippine National Red Cross, taking active roles in rescue, relief and rehabilitation in various disasters from shipwrecks, typhoons, 1990 earthquake in Cabanatuan, 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, 2004 landslides in Aurora, Quezon and 2006 Ginsaugun, Southern Leyte mudslide and the PhilSports Arena stampede. Currently he is the chairman as well as a Member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of the Red Cross. On January 2001, Gordon actively participated in the second EDSA Revolution that led to the removal of Joseph Estrada from the presidency. Newly installed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Gordon as secretary of the Department of Tourism. With his experience as a former brand manager of Procter and Gamble Philippines and chairman of SBMA, Gordon placed the Philippines in the international tourism map by actively marketing the Philippines in several tourism expositions and road shows with the Wow Philippines campaign strategy winning awards at ITB and WTM. From 2002, after four years of negative growth and in spite of threats of terror post 9-11, Abu Sayyaf kidnappings, SARS, Oakwood Mutiny, tourism arrival increased heavily. He also encouraged domestic tourism by holding regional events and having provincial destinations showcased at Intramuros and the rationalization of Holiday Economics. He held the position until January 2004.

Senate
In the 2004 national elections, Gordon ran as senator of the Philippines. In the initial public opinion survey, Filipinos were lukewarm on electing Gordon as senator. But with his very positive personality and achievements aired in TV and radio advertisements, public opinion changed and Gordon won and received the fifth highest number of votes from the electorate.

During the 13th Congress (2004–2007), as Chairman of the Senate Committee of Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Laws, he upheld the supremacy of the Constitution at all times. Though he may not have voted for the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, he took an oath to preserve and defend it. He insisted on the lawful process of Charter Change only according to the process set forth in the Constitution. He opposed the method of Constituent Assembly or "con-ass" initiated by President Arroyo and House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., which he considered to be unlawful, as well as the Sigaw ng Bayan People's Initiative and was one of the triumphant parties in the case of Lambino and Aumentado vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 174153, October 25, 2006.

He also preserved the separation of powers in government and asserted the Senate’s constitutional right and duty to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation against Executive Order No. 464 in Senate, et al. vs. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, April 20, 2006, and Executive Order No. 1 in Sabio vs. Gordon, et al., G.R. No. 174340, October 17, 2006.

He was also responsible for the passage of Republic Act No. 9369 — or the Automated Elections System to obviate cheating and post election controversies and protests that hound Philippine elections.

On April 9, 2008, Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor in Bataan, President Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No. 9499- Gordon's Veterans Bill. The Filipino World War II Veterans Pensions and Benefits Act of 2008 amends Sections 10 and 11 of Republic Act No. 6948, as amended, by removing the prohibition against our veterans receiving benefits from the United States government. Before the law was signed, the Philippine government benefits of veterans would be revoked once they were granted benefits by the United States government. Because of Gordon’s advocacy and persistence, this prohibition is now eliminated, and Filipino veterans will now be able to receive any form of benefit from any foreign government without losing the benefits given to them by the Philippine government.

Background - Noli De Castro


Assets and Liabilities
Total Assets (in pesos): 29,843,960.00
Total Liabilities (in pesos): 5,960,750.00
Net Worth (in pesos): 23,883,210.00

Manuel Leuterio de Castro, Jr.
(born July 6, 1949), better known as Noli de Castro or "Kabayan" Noli de Castro, is a politician and former broadcast journalist in the Philippines. De Castro was elected Senator in 2001 and was elected as Vice President of the Philippines in 2004. He is the first independent Senatorial topnotcher and the first elected independent Vice-President.

Early life and broadcasting career

Noli de Castro was born in the town of Pola, Oriental Mindoro. He graduated from the University of the East in 1971 with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Banking and Finance from the University of the East and a doctorate degree Honoris causa from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

De Castro began his career as a broadcaster during the Marcos dictatorship, when press freedoms were suppressed. He worked as a field reporter for Johnny de Leon, a popular radio announcer at the time. He later became a radio announcer in RPN's DWWW station from 1982 to 1986.

After the ouster of Marcos, de Castro joined ABS-CBN. He got his break into television as the segment host of Good Morning, Philippines' "At your Service". He also joined dzMM, a radio station of ABS-CBN, as the anchorman of "Kabayan". It was because of the popularity of the program that he gained the nickname "Kabayan Noli".

In 1987, De Castro became host of "Magandang Gabi Bayan" and anchorman of the news and public affairs hit, "TV Patrol". In January 1999 he became overall head of production of "TV Patrol" and vice president of dzMM.


Early Political career

Senator
In 2001, Noli De Castro successfully ran for senator as an independent candidate, though he campaigned with the opposition. He garnered more than 16 million votes, the highest ever for a senator in the history of Philippine politics at that time.

As a senator, De Castro authored Senate Bill No. 2029 or the "Local Government Transparency Act" which aimed to end corruption through transparency measures in the local government units as well as the Senior Citizens Act.


Vice-presidency

In the 2004 Philippine election, De Castro ran for vice president. He won by a narrow margin over Senator Loren Legarda but an electoral protest was filed by the latter. The Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), dismissed the said protest. He was appointed by President Arroyo as secretary for housing and urban development having been appointed as Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Council (HUDCC). As HUDCC Chair, Vice President De Castro also serves as ex officio Chairman of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF or Pag-IBIG Fund), the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), the National Housing Authority (NHA), the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) and the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) as well as ex officio Vice Chairman of the Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC). He has also been designated as concurrent Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers, as Alternate Chairman of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, Head of the Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment, Price Monitoring Czar and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development of the MIMAROPA Region (composed of the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan).

Background - Mar Roxas


Manuel "Mar" Araneta Roxas II (born May 13, 1957) is a Senator of the Philippines. He is the grandson of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas. Aside from being a native Filipino, he is of Spanish, Mexican, and Chinese blood, being a descendant of Antonio de Ayala and Domingo Roxas who were Basque-Spanish settlers in the Philippines, Antonio Fernandez de Roxas who was a Mexican settler in the Philippines and of the Acuñas who are of part-Chinese ancestry.

Roxas was born in Quezon City, Metro Manila. A graduate of Wharton School of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, Roxas worked as an investment banker, mobilizing venture capital funds for small and medium enterprises before running for public office. He served as the Representative of the 1st District of Capiz from 1993 to 2000. His stint as Congressman was cut short after he was appointed by then Philippine President Joseph Estrada as Secretary of Trade and Industry describing him as a "seasoned investment banker". He resigned from the position at the height of the EDSA Revolution of 2001 and was later re-appointed by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her new Cabinet. He resigned again from the position after he decided to bid for a seat in the Senate in the 2004 Philippine election. He was elected as Senator by 19,372,888 votes – the highest ever garnered by a national candidate in any Philippine election and edged out Bong Revilla who was consistently number one in the surveys.

Early life and career
Roxas was born on May 13, 1957 in Manila, Philippines to Judy Araneta (born July 31, 1931 in Negros Occidental) and Gerardo Roxas. Roxas’ father was a former Senator (born August 25, 1924 in Manila), and the only son of Manuel Roxas, the first President of the Third Philippine Republic, and Trinidad de Leon. The couple married on 1955. He has two siblings namely Maria Lourdes or Ria, married to Augusto Ojeda and mother of three and the late Congressman Gerardo Roxas, Jr..

Roxas attended Ateneo de Manila University for his elementary education in 1970 until his graduation in 1974. He pursued his studies for high school in the same school and graduated in 1974.

He attended the Wharton School of Economicsin the University of Pennsylvania where some of the courses he took in Ateneo de Manila University were credited, but were not enough to constitute a full semester. He earned a degree in economics upon graduation in 1979.

After graduation, he worked for seven years as an investment banker in New York, and became an assistant vice president of the New York-based Allen & Company.

A day after when then President Ferdinand Marcos announced a snap election, he went to his managing director and told him that he would take a leave of absence to join Corazon Aquino’s presidential campaign, the widow of Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., a leading figure in the political opposition against the autocratic rule of President Marcos.

He left United States in December 26, 1985 at John F. Kennedy Airport and arrived in Iloilo, Philippines in December 31, 1985.

In September 1986, President Corazon Aquino went to the United States. He was one of those who organized a series of investment round-table discussions with the American business community. From 1986 onwards, he visited the Philippines more frequently.

He then proposed to his company to have set up shop in Asia specifically in the Philippines, and later, his superiors agreed. In 1991, he was stationed in the country under North Star Capitals, Inc. which took Jolibee in public. In the United States, he participated in the first financing of Discovery Channel and Tri-Star Pictures.

Roxas’ brother, Dinggoy, a Congressman representing the 1st District of Capiz died of cancer. At the age of 35, he decided to run in the special election to replace his brother and won.

Presidential ambition
After he garnered the highest votes in the Philippine election history when he ran as Senator, many people had already made him a potential presidential candidate by 2010. While he has been coy on his plans for 2010, the Mar Roxas for president in 2010 movement has been gathering steam with the Liberal Party revival targeting the youth (considering that the bulk of the voting population is aged below 30 years old). Other signs include the sprouting of Mar Roxas for president spots in cyberspace; and his colleagues endorsing him as the party’s standard bearer — Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III declaring him Liberal Party’s candidate for 2010, Liberal Party’s chair emeritus Jovito Salonga introducing him as "the next president of the Philippine republic" and former Liberal Party Chairman Franklin Drilon saying that Roxas is the party’s standard bearer in the 2010 elections.

On January 18, 2008, Senator Edgardo Angara stated that in the upcoming 2010 Presidential elections, there will be at least 7 presidential aspirants namely Roxas, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Senate President Manuel Villar, Jr., Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Richard Gordon, Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metro Manila Development Authority and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay. Sen. Francis Escudero denied any interest in 2010.

New LP President
On November 26, 2007, at Club Filipino, Greenhills, San Juan, the LP National Executive Council officials resolved to appoint him as president of the Liberal Party (Philippines). Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino and former Senate President Jovito Salonga, inter alia, signed the resolution.

Roxas is to unite the two LP factions, and set the stage for his presidential campaign in the 2010 election.[33] Lito Atienza, however, forthwith questioned Roxas’ appointment, attacking the composition of Liberal Party’s National Executive Council (NECO) and alleged that the Supreme Court of the Philippines’ June 5 resolution ordered the LP leadership’s status quo maintenance. Atienza stated: “I have no invitation. They kicked me out of the meeting; How can you (Roxas) unite the party when you take the wrong step?”

Usapang Halalan 2010

Dalawang (2) araw na nang huli akong nagsulat ng isang akda. Medyo naging abala ako sa pag-aayos ng panlabas na anyo ng aking blog. Nakalimutan ko na mas mahalaga ang nilalaman kaysa sa pabalat nito. Kaya eto na ulit ako at nagpipilit na naman na makabuo ng isang artikulo. Sana maging kaayaya ito para mga mga mababasa.

Napakaraming paksa sa utak ko na nais ko sanang talakayin. Kaya lang dahil na rin kasalatan ko ng kasanayan sa pagsusulat, mas mabilis ko itong nalilimutan kaysa masimulan man lamang na isulat ito. Pero habang ako’y abala nga sa pag-aayos ng anyo ng blog, mayroon akong nabasang mga tala(post) na nagpukaw ng aking interes sa naturang paksa – ang darating na halalang pambansa sa taong 2010. Ang tagal pa no? Pero pinag-uusapan na. Ibig sabihin mahalaga o maraming interesado dito.

Bakit nga ba maraming nahahaling sa usaping ito? Alam kasi natin na ang halalan sa ating bayan ay ang “pinakamahalaga”, pinakamahaba, pinakamagarbo, “pinakamasaya”, pinakamaruming, pinakamagulo at pinakamadugong piesta na nagaganap lamang tuwing tatlong taon. At ito’y nakataon parate sa buwan ng mga piesta-Mayo.

Pero, bakit sa ganitong kaaga ay pinag-uusapan na ito? Bakit nga ba? Kung kayo ay nakatutok parati sa radio at telebisyon, mapapansin nyo at tiyak napansin nyo ang mga iba’t info-ads ng mga pulitiko ng magsimula ang taong (2008) ito. Sa totoo lang, may mga pulitiko nga na nagsimula na mangampanya noong halalan 2007 para sa 2010. Kilala nyo ba kung sinu-sino sila?

Ang totoo mga kaibigan, ang mga pulitiko ay di tumitigil ng pangangampanya. Mula sa unang araw matapos ang huling halalan, lahat ng pulitiko(nanalo man o natalo) o nag-aasam maging pulitiko ay nagsisimula na magplano at/o magsagawa ng kanilang kampanya. Siguro sasabihin ng iba ay hindi ito pupwede dahil bawal ito sa batas. Hehehe! Pero alam din naman natin na madali para sa mga taong ito na ikutan ang batas.

Pano nga ba nila ito nagagawa? Lahat ng ito’y nailulunsad nila sa likod ng tinatawag na “serbisyo publiko”, “kawang gawa” o “tulong sa nangangailangan.” Marami pang palusot na ginagamit ang mga pulitiko para maikutan ang batas sa pangangampanya. At isa pa, marami rin talagang butas ang batas na ito kaya napakadaling gawan ng paraan para maiwasan.

Ang mga sumusunod ay ang ilang mga gimik na pulitiko sa pangangampanya malayo pa o bago pa ang opisyal na simula ng kampanya:
1. Ang pakikibahagi, pag-aakisakaso o pag-aambag sa KBL (Kasal-Binyag-Libing)
2. Mga pagbati o pakikibahagi sa mga taunang okasyon katulad ng Piesta, Valentine, Graduation, Summer Vacation, All Saints Day, Christmas, New Year at iba pa.
3. Mga pagbati o pakikibahagi sa mga palaro, timpalak o paligsahan katulad ng Beauty Contest, Basketball Tournament, Clean & Green Contest at iba pa.
4. Pagtataguyod ng mga Scholarship Program, Training Program, Job Fair, Medical Mission at iba pa.
5. Pagtugon sa mga biktima ng kalamidad na gawa ng kalikasan o tao katulad ng kidnapping, bagyo, landslide, pagsabog ng bulkan, baha, problemang ofw, heinous crime at iba pa.
6. Pagtatayo o pagsasaayos ng mga basketball court, waiting shed, kalye at iba pa imprastraktura na kailangan o di kailangan ng bayan.
7. Pagdalo sa mga malakihang pagtitipon ng iba’t ibang sector ng lipunan katulad ng mga El Shaddai rally, protest rally, trade union convention, awards night at iba pa.
8. Padalo sa mga kasayahan ng mga kilalang tao sa lipunan katulad ng birthday party, graduation party, anniversary party at iba pa.
9. Ang walang humpay na pakikipagtunggali sa kapwa pulitiko o kilalang tao sa lipunan.

Ilang lang ito na ginagawa ng ating pulitiko. Sasabihin ng iba ay yan naman ang katungkulan nila at nakikinabang naman ang bayan. Tama pero bakit sa tuwing gagawin nila ito ay todo ang anunsyo sa pamamagitan ng media coverage, malalaking karatula o streamer-banner-poster. Kung talagang tinutupad lang nila ang tungkulin nila, pwede namang wala ang mga ito. Isa pa, dagdag din ito sa gastusin na galing sa mga buwis na binayaran natin. Bakit nila ginagawa ito? Para makintal o di mawala sa isipan ng mga botante ang kanilang pangalan. NAME RECALL ba tawag doon. Di na pamumulitka o pangangampanya na ito.
O sige mga kaibigan hanggang dito na muna. Siguro sa susunod mas maganda pag-usapan kung ano ba ang saysay ng halalan para bayan.

Philippines 2010 election not far behind in automated election

If the Philippines does deploy election automation in 2010 as planned, it will be ahead of most developing countries, according to technology vendor Smartmatic.

Smartmatic, a multinational firm based in Holland, is among a few vendors looking to clinch a contract with the government to supply machines for the 2010 presidential elections.



The company was also one of two vendors that supplied automation machines used during the ARMM (Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao) last October.

In particular, the Commission on Elections leased more than 2,000 direct recording electronic (DRE) machines from Smartmatic used during the ARMM elections.

DRE uses preconfigured "touch screens." It is touted to yield the fastest results. The Comelec spent about P188 million for these machines including training, according to Smartmatic.

In Asia, only India has used DRE machines to automate elections, according to Cesar Flores, the company's international sales director.

In a press briefing, Smartmatic demonstrated how DRE technology works.

"We still do not see that many countries investing in (election) technology to automate their elections," Flores said in an interview with INQUIRER.net.

"We believe the Philippines – Comelec, Congress and all the political forces --have expressed real interest in changing the system and that's very unique," he added.

This will all depend, though, if Congress approves the P11.9 billion budget the Comelec is asking to automate next year's national elections.

Comelec is expecting Congress to ratify the budget by end of March or early April.

The electoral agency is also expected to start the bidding process by this time.

Bob Cook, Smartmatic worldwide sales president, said this should give Smartmatic enough time to deploy its machines, if it does seal the contract.

"If by May or June, Congress still hasn't ratified (the budget), Comelec may have to rethink the amount of automation it plans to do. If it goes beyond that (time), there will probably be an issue," Cook said.

Also, a Comelec advisory council--created to assess different technologies to be deployed--has proposed that DRE be used along with less expensive optical mark reader (OMR) equipment.

Smartmatic also provides these other technologies although it is highly likely that Comelec will award contracts to multiple vendors.

"Because of geographical reasons and distribution of voters in precincts we believe a mix (of technologies) is best for the Philippines," Flores said. "It's not wise to install DRE in remote villages with only a handful of voters."

"The important thing to consider is how compatible these technologies are with the areas Comelec intends to automate," he said.