PIA Dispatch - Friday, July 3, 2009

PGMA hails Smartmatic, TIM in settling rift 

MANILA, July 3 – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday hailed the Total Information Management (TIM) and Barbados-based Smartmatic, Inc. for settling their differences, the last barrier in the full automation of country's national and local elections in 2010. 

The Commission on Election (Comelec) has declared the joint venture between Total Information and Barbado-based Smartmatic, as the winning bidder in the P7.2-billion poll automation project. 

But while the Comelec was preparing the contract documents, TIM backed out of the partnership, citing lack of control in the financial management and technical aspect of the project, raising speculation that the poll automation project will no longer be pushed through. 

Speaking on behalf of President Arroyo, Presidential Political Adviser Gabriel Claudio said: “We have a big sigh of relief and congratulate COMELEC, Smartmatic and TIM for hurdling hopefully the last major obstacle to the full automation of next year's polls.” 

”We hope that they will establish an effective teamwork not only among themselves but also with election watchdog groups, media and the electorate themselves in ensuring orderly, honest and credible modernized elections,” Claudio said. 

Press Secretary Cerge Romonde earlier said Malacanang would support and respect whatever the Comelec's decision in resolving the automation of the 2010 polls,” 

Remonde said that President Arroyo hailed the ability of the Comelec, as an independent Constitutional body, to resolve the current issue on the poll automation. 

“The Palace will continue to support and respect the actions and decisions of the Comelec. With or without full automation, the elections will push through. And no matter what form it may take, the elections must always be safeguarded by our people, as their birthright in a democracy,” Remonde said. 

Remonde said that in an electoral democracy political leadership must be won in a free and open contest “and protection of the ballot is among the most sacred duties of those who govern us.” 

He said this was the reason why the President had long been pushing for the automation of the 2010 elections as part of her 10-point agenda. 

Remonde said that the government had been stressing there would be elections next year. 

Comelec chairman Jose Melo said that local firm TIM and Smartmatic had mutually agreed to proceed with the landmark poll automation project. 

TIM unilaterally backed out of the partnership allegedly for lack of control over the financial management and technical aspects of the P7.2 billion project. 

Last Monday, TIM said it would not be signing the incorporation papers of the joint venture. The documents, which will be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are required by the Comelec as proof of the venture’s legal personality. 

Melo said TIM and Smartmatic are set to file their incorporation papers with the SEC on Monday. 

Comelec and the incorporated Smartmatic/TIM joint venture will sign the contract for the poll automation project on Friday.


Quezon police nabs 2 NPA rebels
By: Bradley De Leon

Two members of the New People’sArmy (NPA) were nabbed by operatives of Special Forces of Region IV-A in Ilayan,Ipilan, Tayabas,Quezon. PNP Region IV-A Director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad identified the suspects as Emerson Cruzado, 34 years old from Barangay Bagumbayan, Gumaca, Quezon and Cesario Santonia, 41 years old from Barangay San Francisco Lopez. 

Confiscated from the said NPA members were three bags that contain improvised personal landmines, 2 pieces of electrical blasting caps, 3 pieces of apple type hand grenades, subversive documents and some personal things.

According to Palad, they will investigate if the suspected rebels are members of NPA’s bomb squad based on the items they confiscated. 


Government award cash incentives to 3 surrendered NPA rebels in Isabela
By: Bradley De Leon

Three NPA members who surrendered were given Php 200,000 by government in Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz, Gamu, Province of Isabela . Army chief General Delfin Bangit identified the surrenderees as Evelyn Tugade, alias,Janet, served as medical officer of Samahang Unit Propaganda Northern Fron of CPP-NPA, Edwin de Guzman alias Rudy and a certain Arnie. The returnees also surrendered different firearms which include caliber.38, hand grenades and M-16 rifle.

The awarding of incentives is part of the government’s Social Integration program where Php 50,000 will be given to surrenderee that will turnover an M-16 rifle and another Php 50,000 as livelihood cash incentive.

 
P, Brazil bilateral agreements to address climate change, promote sustainable agriculture

MANILA, July 3 - The recent visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Brasilia has resulted in the signing of five bilateral agreements between the Philippines and Brazil aimed to address climate change and promote sustainable agriculture through exchange of scientific technologies and agricultural research. 

First, the Philippines ' Department of Agriculture and Brazil 's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply or MAPA (Ministerio da Agricultura, Pecuaria de Abastecimento) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on agriculture cooperation. 

Under the agreement, both countries will cooperate to encourage development in agriculture, particularly in livestock and animal health, biofuel feedstock and development, dairy, horticulture, food safety, agribusiness management, sustainable land management, genetics and biotechnology, processing and post-harvest technologies and agricultural machineries, and plant and animal science, including disease control, quarantine, pest surveillance, pest risk analysis, cooperation in inspection procedures for international transit of animal and plants products and agricultural inputs. 

Both parties agree to promote cooperation in the areas mentioned through the pursuit of scientific and technical cooperation, trade, agribusiness investments and other forms of cooperation. 

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said that while the MoU is non-monetary in character, MAPA has assisted the DA in its request for Girolando cattle semen through the Association for Girolando Breeders; germplasm of high value crops and transfer of technology through the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corp. or EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria) ; facilitate the issuance of necessary phytosanitary certifications as may be required by the quarantine officials of both countries relative to transport of frozen semen, embryos and live animals; and request for possible donation of frozen embryos through the Association of Girolando Breeders, which is already donating the Girolando semen. 

Another MoU was entered into by the Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corporation (PADCC) and EMBRAPA for the exchange of information in science and technology through joint projects in the fields of agriculture and natural resources, for the purpose of broadening the existing knowledge base on sustainable agricultural development and institutional strengthening. 

Both sides will likewise cooperate closely in joint research, information exchange and technology transfer in the areas of high-value crops, fisheries, livestock, biofuels, and other agricultural crops, among others. 

In a joint statement, PADCC president Marriz Agbon and EMBRAPA president Silvio Crestana said they have committed to start this type of cooperation with the exchange of germplasm of selected high-value crops and the transfer of technology on crop assessment and production estimate systems. 

"We have agreed to cooperate in the field of science and technology towards our common goal of promoting sustainable agricultural development and institutional strengthening in our respective countries," the statement said. 

Both parties have further conveyed their commitment in facilitating the implementation of the MoU, starting with the exchange of germplasm of selected high value crops and transfer of technology on crop assessment and production estimate systems. 

Under the MoU, both parties have also committed to an exchange of scientists, experts and trainees, the organization of symposia and conferences, the joint publication of studies and papers, conduct of agricultural trade fairs and exhibitions, joint ventures and other means as may be mutually agreed upon. 

EMBRAPA is Brazil’s leading government-supporte d biotech and agricultural research organization with a long history of involvement in Brazil’s biofuel development. 

Since 1973, it has developed more than 9,000 technologies for Brazilian agriculture. It has projects all over the world, particularly in Morocco (production of biodiesel from castor seeds), Libya (partnership in irrigated agriculture) , Angola (development of biofuel from soybean), Sub-saharan Africa (post-harvest processing technology for cassava), and Korea ’s Rural Development Administration (biotechnology). 

Modalities of cooperation with EMBRAPA include training, technical assistance, germplasm exchange, and provision of equipment. 

The DA hopes to be able to source crop estimate and production system and germplasm of selected high value commercial crops through the MoU. 

A memorandum of understanding on Agro-Energy Scientific and Technical Cooperation was also signed by the Philippine Department of Agriculture and the Instituto Agronomico de Campinas (IAC) of the State of Sao Paulo. 

DA Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who signed the MoU, said the exchange of germplasm of high value commercial crops, particularly for coffee, will greatly revitalize and strengthen the country’s coffee industry. 

IAC was responsible for 95 percent of the coffee varieties used in Brazil today. 

The Philippines ' coffee industry was self-sufficient until 1998, when producers were even able to export to such countries as the US , Middle East , Japan , Korea . 

In 1999, however, market price for coffee fell steeply due to overproduction in Vietnam. Coffee producers in the Philippines began abandoning the crop and the country has become a net importer since. 

At present, total Philippine demand stands at 65,000 metric tons (MT), while local production is at 28,000 to 30,000 MT. As a result, 53.85 percent or 35,000 MT of domestic demand equivalent to P2.5 billion or US$ 52,709,255.75 is supplied through coffee imports, the bulk of which come from Vietnam. 

The Philippines hopes that through the germplasm exchange of this MoU, the country can supply its coffee demand in 5-8 years’ time. 

On the other hand, a memorandum of agreement (MoA) was entered into by the Philippine Sugar Research Institute (PhilSuRin) with the Centro Tecnologia de Canavieira (CTC) towards an exchange on sugarcane genetic material. 

Brazil’s major sugarcane area is 24.27 percent more productive compared to that of the Philippines. Its sugar production stood at 31 million tons for the period April 2008-March 2009. 

Sugarcane productivity in Brazil is at an average of 85 tons/hectare (based on record by the Centro Tecnologia de Canavieira). 

In contrast, the Philippines ' raw sugar production is at 1.89 million tons (as of April 2009, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration) or 2.5 million MT annually. 

The Philippines’ sugarcane productivity for 2007 is 67.28 tons/hectare, growing to 68.4 tons/hectare last year. 

Through the exchange of sugar germplasm, the Philippines hopes to increase production by about 20 percent in 10 years. 

For this year, the Philippines needs 223 million liters to meet the five percent mandate under the Biofuels Law. About 200 million liters of the requirement is currently being imported to meet the demand. 

With the technology from CTC, the Philippines expects the 200 million liters to be produced locally in the next 10 years. This would translate to savings of at least P5.6 billion or US$ 114,000 in the coming years (assuming ethanol is priced at P25/liter). 

The MoA was signed between PhilSuRin chairman Bernar Trebol and CTC Director William Burnquist. 

Besides these agreements, an association of Brazilian cattle breeders also committed to donate 2,000 doses of semen of the Girolando breed of dairy cattle to the Philippines to support the development and growth of the country’s fledgling dairy industry.  

The donation is equivalent to P100 million worth of cattle (2,000 doses of semen is equivalent to 1,000 head of cattle. Each head costs P100,000) and is projected to increase a recipient-farmer’s income by as much as US$ 2,691 or P117,500 (milk, P67,500/lactation or 4,500 liters/lactation, P15/liter; and calf, P50,000/head, female) per lactation. 

In a joint statement, DA Secretary Arthur Yap and the Brazilian Association of Girolando Breeders, led by Jose Donato Dias Filho, expressed their intent to cooperate with each other "in the interest of livestock development." 

Yap said the DA recognizes Brazil’s leading role as one of the major producers of cattle and other livestock worldwide. 

"In particular, Brazil has developed the Girolando dairy cattle, a breed that is particularly productive under tropical conditions," he said. 

The Philippines’ cattle industry is one of the weakest components of the agricultural sector. The country sorely lacks dairy animals. Domestic consumption of dairy products is 99 percent import dependent, with the local dairy cattle industry supplying a mere one percent of total demand. 

The Philippines largely sources its dairy cattle breed through importation of a crossbreed of the Indian Sahiwal and the New Zealand Holstein -- an expensive and unsustainable practice. 

Yap said that Brazil’s Girolando breed of cattle provides an opportunity for the improvement of the Philippines’ dairy cattle industry. 

Both the DA and the Brazilian breeders have committed "the facilitation of the donation (Girolando semen) through mutual cooperation in line with both parties’ national laws and regulations governing the exchange of genetic material."