PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, November 25, 2008

PGMA, Uribe compare governance notes in Cartagena, Colombia

CARTAGENA, Colombia -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe exchanged governance tips amid banter and both found to their surprise that their countries, although worlds apart, have many similarities and strengths, and share common challenges and solutions.

In their casual discussion that lasted one and a half hours in the sitting room of a historic site in the coastal metropolis of Cartagena, the two heads of state exchanged views on how they deal with rebels, the current financial crunch and a variety of common topics.

Businessman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and his wife Lizzie, who comes from a sugar-producing family in Colombia, played host to the President in their Cartagena home later in the day.

When President Arroyo asked President Uribe what he was doing in the face of the financial crunch, the latter said his government was extending direct help to the poor with conditional cash transfers, subsidies through school and medical aid, attending to rice and food sufficiency, and taking care of the poor and vulnerable through “fiscal stimulus.” And yes, addressing the rebels.

Finding resonance in the Colombian formula, President Arroyo acknowledged that the Philippines has learned from the good practices in South America and that, in fact, what Uribe mentioned were exactly what she has been doing in the Philippines.

“Yes, we are doing exactly the same thing back home. In fact, we adopted the good practices of South America to deal with our present -- day challenges,” President Arroyo said.

The conversation started in a light banter, with President Arroyo saying that the two best known women of Colombia got Filipino husbands, namely Stella Marquez-Araneta, a former Miss International, and Lizzie, referring to Mrs. Zobel.

Both presidents exchanged views on investment incentives like economic zones, and tax holidays. President Arroyo also invited the Colombian leader to visit the Philippines soon.

Like the Philippine President, Uribe is known for his work ethic, his frequent visits to his constituents, and doing governance in remote areas of the country whose population of 45 million is roughly half that of the Philippines.

The President’s small delegation, composed of two Cabinet secretaries, Peter Favila and Jesus Dureza, and five congressmen, was billeted in a century-old monastery converted into a quiant hotel within the walled part of the city very similar to Intramuros. The monastery was also built years ago to protect the Colombian hideaway from marauding pirates.

Today, Cartagena is a world tourist destination, and the walled portion of the city is a world heritage site.


RP, Peru business groups agree to explore trade opportunities

LIMA, Peru (via PLDT) – Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila witnessed on Sunday the signing of a private cooperation agreement between Peruvian and Philippine business groups on the possibility of expanding trade between the two countries.

The agreement was signed at the of Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola here during the reception that followed the conferment of a doctorate degree, honoris causa, on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Favila said the cooperation agreement could open many opportunities for the businessmen of the two countries, which share a common history of having been under Spanish rule for hundreds of years.

“We should forge closer ties economically with Peru given the similarities of our two countries,” Favila said.

He said a Peruvian company is keen on tying up with the Zuellig pharmaceutical company in the Philippines.

Peruvians are also interested in pre-fabricated housing materials to support the construction boom in this South American nation, Favila said.

“They (Peru businessmen) are still on the stage of exploring opportunities (in the Philippines),” Favila said.


Palace dubs House opposition walkout as “immature tantrums”

The Palace has dubbed the walkout of the House opposition members during the impeachment hearings today as nothing but “immature tantrums” to prevent themselves from hearing the arguments of their anti-impeachment colleagues.

In a media briefing today, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez Jr. said of the walk-out started by San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora: “What we saw are immature tantrums of walkout.”

“Tapos, pinakita nila na ‘di nila nagustuhan ang nakita nila,” added Golez.

“Pinakita nila sa sambayanan na kapag sila ang nagsasalita, dapat nakikinig… ‘Pag iba ang nagsalita, bakit ayaw nila makinig,” asked Golez who pointed out that the first day had the Filipino people listening to the impeachment proponents saying their piece – whether their claims are true or not.

“We are hoping that both sides of the coin would be heard, respected and argued about – ‘yan ang proseso ng impeachment,” Golez urged.

“Unang araw yung pro-impeachment -- yung tumutulak sa impeachment ang una magsasalita. Narinig natin ang mga sinabi nila -- whether kasinungalingan o otherwise -- pinakinggan ng tao.

“Susunod na araw, argument na nagsabi wala dapat impeachment o anti impeachment. Sinabi ang basehan kung bakit di dapat ma-impeach and Pangulo… ‘Yan ang proseso -- dapat nirerespeto ang impeachment (procedure).”

The opposition walked out when Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga pointed out that the impeachment document itself may be considered a falsified document because while it was notarized on Oct. 10, the affiants attested to the veracity of its contents only the following day, Oct. 11.

Barzaga said the mix-up in the dates is “so simple that even the ordinary man on the street” would notice it.

He reiterated that the notarization date was Oct. 10, 2008, but was executed only on October 11. “The crime of falsification is very apparent,” Barzaga had added, saying the proponents could be meted the punishment of “prision correccional.”

Before his walk-out, Zamora had asked the Justice Committee chair, Rep. Mat Defensor, to immediately rule on whether the document is falsified or not based on Barzaga’s contention; but Defensor stressed that he was not competent to rule on the matter right away.


PGMA will veto bill on term extension -- Golez

In one of its most forceful declarations on the Charter change issue, Malacanang said today that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will veto any bill extending her term of office beyond 2010, if such a legislative measure is ever approved by Congress acting as a constituent assembly.

In a radio interview, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez Jr. branded as baseless the charges by administration critics that the proposal of some members of Congress to amend the Constitution is intended to prolong the President’s term of office.

Golez’s statement was consistent with Malacanang’s pronouncements that President Arroyo will step down upon the expiration of her constitutional term of office in June 2010.

The President herself has repeatedly and openly declared that her presidency ends in June 2010 as mandated by law, period.

Golez also said that the President is staying above the political fray over the proposed Cha-Cha and the investigation by committees of both Houses of Congress of the alleged fertilizer scam.

He also said that there was no question about the political stability in the country despite the increased decibel of political noise over the Cha-Cha and the fertilizer investigations.

Otherwise, the President would have cancelled her trip to Peru where she attended the 16th Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Leaders Meeting, he added.

The President left the Peruvian capital at the end of the two-day APEC Summit yesterday and flew to Colombia before returning to the Philippines via Los Angeles, California.

She is expected to arrive in Manila on Friday at 5 a.m. Nov. 28.