PIA Dispatch - Monday, August 10, 2009

Palace debunks report on alleged defect on PGMA SALN

MANILA, Aug. 10 --Malacanang on Monday debunked reports alleging defect or irregularities in the preparation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s statement of Assets and Liabilities Networth or SALN.

In a press briefing at Malacanang this afternoon, Romulo Macalintal, the President’s election lawyer, said a news item insinuating irregularities in the preparation of President Arroyo’s SALN “ is most unfair and uncalled for.”

Macalintal said the President prepared and signed the said document (SALN) under oath to the best of her knowledge and in full compliance with the requirements of the Constitution.

“She (the President) honestly believes that she has been very transparent on her assets and liabilities and she has nothing to hide to the public,” Macalintal stressed.

“We do not now the standard used by the reporter in coming up with her analysis. Para bang kapag malaki ang ini-report mong asset, kailangang imbestigahan ito; kapag maliit lang, okay na ito, at wala nang imbestigahan,” he added.

Macalintal noted that since the Chief Executive had already submitted her SALN to the Ombudsman, “the President invites anyone who may have reservations to question the same before that agency if he or she has any evidence that the President violated or did not comply with the constitutional requirements in the filing of such disclosure documents.”

According to him, the President assures the public that she filed her SALN in good faith without any intention to deceive anyone.

“Those who alleged otherwise should come up with evidence to prove their uncalled for or self-serving accusations instead of being speculative or judgmental on the matter,“ he said.

Macalintal emphasized that the President is just being truthful to the people.

“She made a truthful disclosure of her assets and liabilities as required by the constitution. She made to the best of her knowledge and upon consultation with her husband, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, who is personally in charge of the family business being head of the family,” he said.

In this connection, Macalintal explained that the President has requested the First Gentleman, through his lawyer, Atty. Ruy Rondain, to explain the matter especially the business interest of their family.

He said that President Arroyo has reiterated that she has never used and will never use or take advantage of her position for personal profit as she had declared in her State-of-the- Nation Address and as expected of her by the people.


PGMA honors Ilocos patriarch, World War II heroes

LAOAG CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo honored today the war exploits of the late Governor Roque Blanco Ablan Sr. and some 470,000 World War II heroes recently included by the United States Congress in their stimulus package law.

“The war exploits of Roque Ablan Sr., reminds us of our other veterans of World War II who were recently recognized after 60 long years by the US Congress in their stimulus package law,” the President said in her speech during the 103rd birth anniversary of Ablan Sr. at the provincial capitol plaza here.

The President said that during her recent visit to the United States, Senator Daniel Inouye, who sponsored the stimulus package law, informed her that the law “is in recognition of the American government to the bravery and heroic act of Filipino veterans.”

The President recalled that when the war ended in February 1946, the US Congress passed a bill rescinding, and repealing the Acts of 1942, a measure thanking the Filipinos for their gallantry and heroism. 

“We Filipinos waited all this time. We have had measure after measure presented. We did so in the proper fashion, and we got filibustered, we got ruled out, and everything else. Finally, last February, the US Congress recognized them,” she added.

The President stressed that the entire nation, particularly, Ilocanos should be proud to celebrate Ablan Sr.’s birthday because it is also a tribute to all 470,000 fellow Filipino World War II heroes.”

Born to a poor couple, Victor Ablan of Solsona and Raymunda Blanco of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Ablan was elected governor at the age of 31 and became the youngest provincial executive of his time.

When the Japanese landed at Vigan, Ablan led the guerilla units in coordination with Lt. Feliciano Madamba of the Philippine Army. By mid-January 1942, the Ablan-Madamba Guerrilla Group of Northern Luzon was well organized.


Palace, DoH tell private hospitals to cancel 'hospital holiday'

Malacañang on Monday appealed to private hospitals which are threatening to declare a hospital holiday to dramatize their opposition to a 50 per cent reduction on medicine prices on August 15.

This developed as the Department of Health (DOH) warned that government will file appropriate charges that may lead to the revocation of government accreditation against private hospitals and hospital owners if they so decide to push through with the hospital holiday.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a morning radio interview that he finds unnecessary for private hospitals threaten a holiday, saying the issue on implementation could be settled amicably.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said it’s not a good idea for private hospitals to threaten the Filipinos of having a hospital holiday. “I encourage them, particularly the members of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) to have a dialogue with Health Secretary Duque,” he said.

Remonde said it will prove to be unproductive for these hospitals to embark on the move. “They should never allow themselves to be used as tools by the multi-national pharmaceutical companies to perpetuate over pricing of medicines in the country,” he said.

”We appeal to them to cooperate to lower the prices which will be for the good of these hospitals. So that, they can serve their patients better,” Remonde said.

Remonde also accused multinational drug firms of “sabotaging" the government’s efforts to bring down the prices of medicine in the country.

“These multi-national drug companies… because of the huge profits that they are used to making in the Philippines, they will do everything to sabotage all efforts to bring down the prices of medicine," Remonde said.

He added that among the measures employed by the multinational drug firms is sowing intrigue among political leaders and the various sectors of society “to make them fight among themselves." Remonde did not elaborate.

Remonde made the statement following the threat of private hospitals to declare a hospital holiday with the forthcoming implementation of Executive Order 821, which would lower the prices of 21 essential drugs by 50 percent by the middle of this month.

PHAP claimed that they would not be able to dispose of their medicine inventory, which they acquired at its current high price, in a week's time.

They also warned that hospitals would go bankrupt if the government cuts down the prices of their medicines by half.

“We appeal to hospital administrators not to abandon their prime duty of serving the people. Hospitals are established for public service," he said.


SC opinion welcomed in National Artist hullabaloo

“So that once and for all, this issue will be settled legally" 

This was the statement of Press Secretary Cerge Remonde as the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) have expressed considerations of filing a case in the Supreme Court (SC) to “seek court injunction against the proclamation of the new national artists”.

Remonde described this as “part of our democratic life.”

“If you want to bring this issue to the Supreme Court that is also well and good. We respect other people's right to protest for as long as they do it within the law," he added.

In a related development, Carlo J. Caparas, one of the two National Artist awardee irked by protests, was quick to defend himself, saying “kaya kong i-represent ang ibinibigay sa aking karangalan bilang pambansang alagad ng sining sapagkat sa pamamagitan ng komiks ko, napapa-abot ko sa sambayanan, ang aking kakayanan at ang aking pagmamahal sa aking bayan.”

Caparas is a former security guard whose passion in Filipino comics writing have created characters Panday, Bakekang, Totoy Bato, Joaquin Bordado, and Kamandag among others. He later ventured into directing massacre movies such as Kuratong Baleleng and The Cory Quirino Kidnap: NBI Files.

For its part, the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA), through its Chairperson, Undersecretary Vilma L. Labrador, belied reports of “dagdag-bawas” for this year’s awardees as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is still in the process of choosing other National Artist for other category.

Labrador also revealed that after NCCA and the Cultural Center of Philippines (CCP) have submitted their recommendation list to Malacañang, nomination of other entities, persons and groups to the National Artist award was likewise entertained.


PGMA, Palace cite achievements of 2009 National Artist awardees

MANILA, Aug. 10 –- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Malacañang on Monday defended the nomination and subsequent award of the year 2009 National Artists, maintaining the finalists truly deserve the award.

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) director Cecile Guidote Alvarez and Filipino comics novelist Carlo Caparas led the National Artist awardees this year, Press Secretary Cerge M. Remonde said.

Other awardees are Manuel Urbano (film); Lazaro Francisco (literature) ; Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (visual arts), Francisco Mañoza (architecture) and Jose Pitoy Moreno (fashion).

Alvarez is also the executive director of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and co-host of “Radyo Balintataw," a radio program aired on AM radio station DZRH.

Alvarez (born November 13, 1943) founded the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), a pioneering theater group that honed creative artists and audiences through children’s college and community theater.

Alvarez was born in Manila to father Mauricio Guidote, a United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE) guerilla captain during the World War II. and mother Caridad, a nurse who supported and nurtured her family after her husband's untimely demise.

After completing her high school at the St. Theresa's College where she graduated as valedictorian, the young Cecile Guidote-Alvarez took up her college studies at the St. Paul's College and in 1962 graduated AB-BSE - summa cum laude. She was also among the first select group of Ten Outstanding Students.

She holds a Master of Arts degree in Theater and took special Communications Arts Studies in the State University of New York in Albany on a Fulbright-Hays and John D. Rockefeller III Fund Scholarship at the Dallas Theatre Center.

She then proceeded to Trinity College in Texas where she finished an M.A. with honors.

She is married to former senator and secretary of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Heherson Alvarez.

Her two children were named Hexilon and Herxila to relive the memory of their exile for 13 years to elude arrest and a shoot-to-kill order during the imposition of Martial Law.

From her experiences as drama artist and English teacher at St. Paul's College in Manila along with her broad background in the theater, Alvarez conceived a practical program for a national theater and organized it in 1967.

This became the Philippine Educational Theater Association, better known as PETA. For 38 years, PETA has depicted social issues through original Filipino plays, using the language of the masses and alternative theater spaces.

Today, as Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Alvarez has been described as a “cultural caregiver”.

Aside from being the chairperson of the Central Institute of Theater Arts in the Philippines (CITAP), Alvarez was also the producer-director of the Kalinangan Ensemble primarily devoted to the development and presentation of Filipino plays and the setting up of people's theater program popularized by peso tickets and even free performances.

She also produced Balintataw (Pupil of the Eye), a television drama which serves as a valuable laboratory and training ground for students and young talents in various areas of TV, stage, and movie production.

Alvarez is also the founder of Earthsavers DREAMS Ensemble, a performing group composed of disadvantaged youth recognized as UNESCO Artists for Peace.

Caparas, on other hand, has written popular Filipino novels such as Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang.

Caparas (born December 14, 1948, in Pampanga) is a Filipino comic strip creator/writer- turned director and producer, who is also best known for creating Filipino superheroes and comic book characters.

Caparas’ works include Panday, Bakekang, Totoy Bato, Joaquin Bordado, Kamagong, Kamandag, Angela Markado, and Tasya Fantasya, Gagambino, Ang
huling lalaki ng baluarte, and Pieta, among others.

He is also known as a director of numerous movies dealing with tabloid massacre stories such as Kuratong Baleleng and The Cory Quirino Kidnap: NBI Files. Caparas was awarded the 2008 Sagisag Balagtas Award.

Manuel Conde (born Manuel Urbano (1915-1985) is a Filipino actor, director and producer.

Urbano made his first film, Mahiwagang Biyolin, in 1935 then later signed a contract for LVN Pictures, where he made almost three dozen films, both as an actor and director.

As an actor, he used the screen name Juan Urbano during the 1930s. He is the father of renowned television comedian Jun Urbano (a.k.a Mr. Shoolee).

Lazaro Francisco was a Filipino writer known for his novels such as Ama and Daluyong. He was awarded the National Artist for Filipino Literature. Francisco also received the "Republic Cultural Heritage Award" for Literature in 1970.

Born in Orani, Bataan, Philippines on February 22, 1898, Francisco was the fourth child of Eulogio Francisco at Clara Angeles. Between 1925 and 1960, Francisco wrote 12 novels which were serialized and eagerly read in Liwayway, the weekly Tagalog magazine.

Francisco’s novels tackled romance, class tensions, tenancy issues and agrarian unrest. His Tagalog novels include: Singsing na Pangkasal, Bayang Nagpatiwakal, Sa Paanan ng Krus, Ilaw sa Hilaga, Binhi at Bunga, Cesar, Sugat ng Alaala, Ama, Maganda Pa Ang Daigdig, and Daluyong.

Alcuaz is a multi-awarded Filipino Painter. He has exhibited extensively in the international painting arena and reaped awards for his Art abroad.

Alcuaz was born on June 6, 1932 in Santa Cruz, Manila. He is the 6th of 11 Children of Mariano Aguilar, a lawyer and a Musician and Encarnacion Alcuaz. He finished early schooling at the Dr. Albert Elementary School and San Beda High School.

Alcuaz studied law at the Ateneo de Manila and finished his degree in 1955. In 1949-1950 he took up painting subjects at the University of the Philippines (UP) School of Fine Arts.

In 1955 he went to Madrid with a scholarship at the Academia de San Fernando which he got thru the help of the Jesuits at Ateneo. In 1956 he chose Barcelona as his career base.

Alcuaz also became a member of the La Punalada Group which counted among its members Tapies, Cuixart and Tharrats. In the same year he began signing his paintings with Aguilar Alcuaz to distinguish himself from two other Aguilars who are also members of the La Punalada Group.

In 1959 Alcuaz met Ute Schmitz, a German girl from Hamburg, whom he married 3 years later. They have 3 sons: Christian, Andreas and Matthias.

Mañosa is a Filipino architect noted for his Filipino inspired architectural designs. He designed The Coconut Palace.

Mañosa, on May, 2008 built his own Ayala-Alabang village Bahay Kubo mansion.

With only 3 posts or "haligi", Manosa’s house has 5 one-inch coconut shell doors, 2nd floor, a "silong", Muslim room, sala, and master's bedroom with a fish pond.

”Pitoy" Moreno is an internationally- renowned fashion designer in the Philippines. He has been named "The Fashion Czar Of Asia". Pitoy Moreno is an artist, as shown by his achievement as a designer and his stature in Philippine fashion.

As a young and budding fashion artist, Pitoy designed costumes for the world-famous Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company.

Pitoy introduced the words jusi, piña and lepanto to world fashion on international fashion pages of the Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Holiday and Le Figaro. The Filipina bride in a Pitoy Moreno wedding ensemble became the centerspread in the pictorial history of Philippine fashion.

His collections have circled the globe: Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, Copenhagen, Athens, Barcelona, Sweden, Viennna, Moscow, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles.

Teheran, Morocco, Honolulu, Tokyo, Hongkong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur,
Singapore , China , and many more. Wherever his collections were shown, it was met with praise by critics and patrons alike.

First Ladies of the Philippines have always been dressed by Pitoy, in his trademark ternos.


AFP holds send-off ceremonies for Philippine contingents to Liberia and Haiti
by Bradley de Leon

The Armed Forces on Monday announced that a joint send off ceremonies for 12th Philippine contingents to Liberia and the 10the Philippine contingent to Haiti on Tuesday August 11 at around 2pm. All DPC and FOCAP members, TV, radio and Print reporters are invited.

The said event, with AFP Chief of Staff General Victor Ibrado as keynote speaker, will take place at Harribon Hangar, 600th ABW, Clark Airbase Pampanga. Transportation will be provided by the Public Affairs Office of the AFP. Jump off time will be at 12noon.