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Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Die Deutsche Botschaft Manila gibt bekannt:
Sicherheitshinweis für deutsche Staatsbürger auf den Philippinen:
Die deutsche Botschaft weist darauf hin, dass am 09. Mai 2016 in den Philippinen nationale, regionale und lokale Wahlen durchgeführt werden. Seitens der philippinischen Behörden sind bereits Maßnahmen ergriffen worden, damit die Wahl ohne Störungen durchgeführt werden kann. Zu diesem Maßnahmen gehören unter anderem die Einrichtung von Check-points in der Nähe von Wahllokalen und das Verbot des Tragens von Waffen im öffentlichen Raum, welches für die Zeit vom 10. Januar 2016 bis 8. Juni 2016 angeordnet wurde. Verstöße gegen das Waffenverbot können mit Haftstrafen bis zu 6 Jahren geahndet warden, Ausländern droht zusätzlich noch die Deportation nach Verbüßung der Haftstrafe.
Bei früheren Präsidentschaftswahlen kam es im Kontext von Wahlkampf und Wahlen immer wieder zu Anschlägen und Ausschreitungen. Die Botschaft rät daher allen deutschen Staatsangehörigen, während des jetzigen Wahlkampfes, am Wahltag und an den nächsten Tagen nach der Wahl Menschenansammlungen und politische Versammlungen zu meiden und sich in den Medien aktuell über jeweiligen Entwicklungen vor Ort, inclusive zusätzlicher Sicherheitsmaßnahmen zu informieren.“
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Pulse Survey: Duterte Takes Clear Lead, Cayetano Picks up Pace
PRESS RELEASE
19 April 2016
Duterte takes clear lead in latest Pulse survey, Cayetano picks up pace, increases lead in Mindanao
Presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte once again topped Pulse Asia's latest voters' preference survey, surging ahead of Senator Grace Poe by a whopping seven percentage points.
The survey was commissioned by ABS-CBN and was conducted from April 5 to 10. It covered 4,000 registered voters nationwide, with an error margin of plus minus 1.5 percent. Duterte established a clear lead with 32 percent, which is a 2-point increase from his previous ratings in the March 29-April 3 survey.
Poe, meanwhile, trailed behind with only 25 percent. She was followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay with 20 percent and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas, who got 18 percent.
The tough-talking mayor was the top choice among all voting classes and remains to be the number one candidate in Mindanao, where he got 58 percent or more than half of the respondents’ total votes.
Duterte’s campaign team said while it is humbled by the latest survey results, it will continue to reach out to more voters. “We need to convert and convince others that the path to real change is through the unparalleled and decisive leadership that Mayor Duterte has been providing us," said Duterte's national campaign manager Leoncio Evasco Jr.
Cayetano gains momentum
Meanwhile, Duterte’s running mate, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, also enjoyed an increased rating compared to the previous Pulse Asia survey.
The senator’s numbers increased by 2 percentage points, from 15 percent in the March 29-April 3 survey to 17 percent in the April 5-10 survey. He also topped the survey in Mindanao, increasing his lead with 32 percent of respondents choosing him as their vice presidential bet.
Political analysts weighing in on the May polls claim that Cayetano’s numbers could still improve, especially following his outstanding performance during the first vice presidential debate organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) held last April 10. #
Statement of Mayor Duterte Regarding His Recent Remarks
PRESS RELEASE
19 April 2016
Statement of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte regarding his recent remarks
19 April 2016
I apologize to the Filipino people for my recent remarks in a rally. There was no intention of disrespecting our women and those who have been victims of this horrible crime. Sometimes my mouth can get the better of me.
However, I will not apologize for the things I've done to protect our people, especially the weak and defenseless, from crime. I know what it can do to the victims and their families. The anguish and pain they cause. The trauma that can't be erased. I have witnessed these myself numerous times.
This is why I am angry. I am angry because horrendous things like this continue to happen to our women and children all over our land. And sadly, government has failed to protect them.
If you will give me the chance to lead this country, I promise to all of you that I will protect our women, children and families from the horrors and disorder of crime. I will do this even if I lose my life, my honor and even the presidency.
My life is an open book. I am a man of many flaws and contradictions. But when it comes to securing the lives and future of our countrymen and women, you can trust me to do the right thing. I will fight for the people until my last breath. ###
Saturday, April 16, 2016
The Filipino Crowd is for Duterte
The Filipino crowd is for Duterte
I can understand why the Dutertistas are focused on showing how big their crowds are compared to Roxas’, Poe’s or Binay’s. It will be the protective shield against cheating. If the Liberal Party cheats the sovereign voters no matter what tactics they will use, the fact is the Filipino crowd has already chosen Duterte. He is the candidate who can restructure our political system and government that have served us so badly. To make that change we will have to change the Constitution for a parliamentary federal government. Only then will the poor and marginalized sectors play an active role in our society. They must be given every opportunity to live decently, even excel through their capabilities.
* * *
And yet a year ago getting people into the streets to protest against bad government did not seem possible. Dedicated constitutional reformers just shrugged and said hindi na uso ang EDSA (massing people in the streets is no longer in fashion).
We will just have to be content with discussions in our living rooms and around dining tables to continue the work. In other countries in the Middle East, in Wall Street etc. people were protesting, dying and hurting using their numbers. We looked at them with envy and exasperation. What has happened to the Filipinos? Have they lost their will to fight for change by gathering in the streets? Until Duterte appeared as a shocking surprise.
We needed a leader and he came with no money and no machinery, but he was from troubled Mindanao.
The first one I attended was his launch in Century Plaza Hotel with the crowded hall unable to include all those who wanted to come in. They greeted him at the door cheering Duterte, Duterte. He made a shocking speech, cussing and speaking in the language of the poor and the unlearned. That speech reverberated to the millions who have been left out of mainstream media that wrote only of the “Philippines as the fastest growing economy in the region.” From then on, the Filipino crowd for Duterte was born. It was a hurricane. The masses became conscious of themselves because of this man who came forward to say p.i we cannot continue like this electing governments that oppress the people.
* * *
The establishment were shocked but they could only put up candidates who would carry on with their “business as usual.” It was ironic that they all represented the very evils we needed to expunge – Roxas the oligarch who has not liquidated DILG funds, Poe a young woman with no experience but had the name of an actor and dubious citizenship. We must not forget Binay the vice president, the typical trapo who started well to lift up the poor but soon realized there was money to be made too and he would expand his Makati rule to the whole country. How could we have a choice for the change we wanted? None.
That is one of the reasons why Duterte’s entry into the race changed the election game. He was a different type of candidate, one who could emote with the people. The crowds came to show the world that Filipinos were not hopeless bystanders. The battle has just begun but the Dutertistas have made a powerful pitch. Still danger lurks. I called my friend Glenn Chong, an activist against election fraud with the hacking of 55 million voters’ details by a group calling itself Anonymous Philippines. Would these affect the elections?
Glenn said well it had the name, the address, the contact details etc of the voter. Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials said these were not sensitive? These are not sensitive? And nothing can be done about it? We will now have two sets of voters’ data – one for Comelec and another for anonymous hackers. We don’t really know what it will be used for, yet for the moment there is nothing we can do about it.
Security researchers warn that with the entire database of the Comelec exposed, anything goes. The Comelec website was compromised and defaced on 27 March by Anonymous Philippines before a second hacker group, LulzSec Pilipinas posted Comelec’s entire database online days later.
Interestingly, the data spill is just weeks before May 9. “Comelec ought to harden the security of its vote-counting machines at the time the hacktivists defaced its website,” Anonymous Philippines warned. Isn’t that warning a bit too late?
As usual Comelec is “playing down the significance of the breach, telling local media that no sensitive information was accessed and that election-related systems will be run from a separate website.” Huh?
Chris Boyd, a senior malware intelligence analyst at Malwarebytes who has lived and worked in the Philippines, said “the hack and subsequent breach are the product of a politically charged local hacking scene as well as widespread security flaws in the country’s infrastructure.”
“There are a lot of talented hacking groups in the Philippines, and it’s no surprise that a hack like this has happened. Whether in hospitals, airports, or shopping malls, every terminal you see there is running Windows XP,” Boyd told El Reg. “Additionally, most conversations at hacking events in the country tend to turn political, with many attendees frustrated with what they feel is underinvestment in the nation’s security infrastructure.”
Add to that: the receipts problem has not yet been resolved even with the Supreme Court voting 14-0 in its favor. With less than two months to go before elections Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista had to issue a warning that we may have to postpone the elections. He said the printing of vote receipts would have many complications.
He hopes he can still ask the SC to reconsider its decision.
“The risks of committing a mistake are higher when things are rushed, so the proposal to delay the elections is an option they are looking at.
“But that requires a law. Under Section 4 Article 7 of our Constitution, unless otherwise provided by law, regular elections shall be held on the second Monday of May,” he said.
Now you know why the Federal Court of Germany just chucked out the automated election systems. It is unconstitutional because a voter does not understand the technological process it involves. Filipino voters are mostly techno-illiterate. Therefore come May 9 voters have been thrown to the winds.
“The Comelec website also shows real time ballot count during the actual elections. While Comelec claims that this function will be done using a different website, we can only speculate if actual data will be placed here during the elections and if tampering with the data would affect the ballot count,” the security researchers added.
“Every registered citizen is at risk – regardless whether the hacking could affect the elections.”
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Sanity Lost
Sanity lost
(Re-published with friendly permission from the publisher)
EDITORIAL
Dabawenyos are not particularly in the right mood at this time so be careful when dealing with them. Some are walking around like zombies after spending hours without sleep, waiting for precious power to come back so they can finally go to sleep, if that makes sense at all. Others are in the mood to rant, and most of it directed towards the people in the power industry. The social media, especially Facebook, is filled with rants and memes making a mockery of the city’s power providers. Some even mocked the city’s “life is here” slogan with memes saying “but light is not here.” Except for lack of water, nothing can rile people the most than long hours of power interruption.
Business is seriously affected with losses estimated at millions a day. The Davao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. has not yet made an assessment as to how much its members are losing since the rotating brownouts started several days ago. Big businesses are bound to lose big time. But then again, small businesses suffer more even if they have smaller losses because they have little capital to start with and most are operating on the red. With these long brownouts, some of these businesses can close down even before Therma South Inc. gets its act together, or even before the heavens shower us with lots of rain.
The Davao Light and Power Company asked Dabawenyos to be more patient as they only have to bear with the five-hour rotating power interruptions until April 21 when TSI 1 gets repaired. However, there is still no reason to do the rain dance and rejoice because even if the coal-fired power plant is back full operation, there will still be brownouts albeit shortened to three hours. Now people are starting to question Davao City’s claim as the best place to invest in and do business. After all, El Niño is nothing new so those in the power industry should have known how to address its effects on power generation a long time ago. While people are worried about the billions of losses in the economy, perhaps we should be more worried about people losing their sanity.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Netizens and Social Media News Proclaim Cayetano Winner of VP Debate
Office of the Senate Majority Leader
Alan Peter S. Cayetano
Rm. 603 GSIS Complex Senate of the Philippines Roxas Blvd Pasay City
PRESS RELEASE
11 April 2016
Netizens, social media news proclaim Cayetano winner of VP debate
Social media was abuzz with the first and only Vice Presidential Debate organized by the Commission on Elections and CNN Philippines last April 10, especially with the performance of Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cayetano swept the seven (7) rounds of Rappler's online polls, mirroring the performance of his running mate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte, in the two previous presidential debates. The figures Cayetano obtained were as follows:
Round 1 – 47.17%
Round 2 – 50.78%
Round 3 – 47.62%
Round 4 – 41.12%
Round 5 – 54.88%
Round 6 – 41.57%
Round 7 – 51.3%
"Editors' pick"
Cayetano was also picked by Rappler's editors as the overall winner of the debate, citing his consistency in talking about his platform of government with Duterte, as well as his clear message of political will and leadership.
Cayetano leads CNN online polls
The Senate leader also took the lead in CNN Philippines' online polls. During the debate, the news outlet asked online readers who their VP bet is. Cayetano was the top choice, garnering 41 percent of the votes.
In a separate statement, Duterte congratulated his running mate, describing him as the clear winner in the debate. "Alan was able to show the political will, courage, and strength of character that we are offering to the Filipino people. He was able to distinguish himself from the others and put forward our bold solutions to end the country's disorder and realize meaningful change. His performance affirmed my decision to pick him as my running mate. He will truly fight for the people," Duterte said.
This was echoed by Atty. Paola Alvarez, spokesperson of PDP-Laban, Duterte's political party. "Sinusuportahan talaga namin si Sen. Alan bilang ka-tandem ni Mayor Duterte. Lubhang nagustuhan namin ang kanyang debate performance. Naipakita niya kung ano talaga ang agenda ng tambalang Duterte-Cayetano. Pinamalas talaga niya ang tapang ng loob at political will na kailangan sa ating mga namumuno," Alvarez said.
Cayetano is running with Duterte under a comprehensive platform of government, which aims to end the country's disorder caused by crime, illegal drugs, and corruption.
|
Where were you when we fought corruption?
Office of the Senate Majority Leader
Alan Peter S. Cayetano
Rm. 603 GSIS Complex Senate of the Philippines Roxas Blvd Pasay City
PRESS RELEASE
11 April 2016
Cayetano to Bongbong: Where were you when we fought corruption?
“Senator Marcos. Nasaan ka kapag korapsyon ang pinag-uusapan?”
Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said this as he slammed his rival, Senator Bongbong Marcos, on issues about corruption during the PiliPinas 2016 Vice Presidential Debate hosted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on April 10.
During the first part of the debate, candidates were asked to explain their stand on the issue of corruption and how they intend to solve the problem.
Cayetano, for his part, took a swipe at Marcos for claiming that he and his family had never been involved in any corruption anomaly. He then raised issues about the plunder allegations that the family faced during the Martial Law Era as well as Senator Marcos’ alleged involvement in the infamous pork barrel scandal.
“Tingnan niyo po ang interview ng nanay ni Senator Bongbong, sinabi niya they practically own the Philippines. I-search niyo po sa Google ang PCGG recovered money,” Cayetano stressed. “$1 billion ang pinaglalabanan pa rin ng gobyerno at Marcos family,” he added.
Cayetano also chided Marcos for his lack of sincerity to fight corruption. Cayetano said that, despite being a member of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Marcos never took the initiative to attend any of the committee’s hearings involving corruption anomalies.
“Anong hearing sa corruption nakita niyo nag-appear ang isang Bongbong Marcos? Kahit anong isyu sa corruption, wala siya doon,” Cayetano stressed. “Nasaan ka kapag corruption ang pinag-uusapan? Naalala ko noong hearing ni (pork barrel queen Janet-Lim) Napoles, galit si (Sen. Marcos) sa akin dahil pinapalapit ko ang isang Maya Santos, ngayon ko lang nalaman iyon pala ang middleman niya kay Napoles,” he added.
Cayetano, the running mate of presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, runs under a strong anti-corruption platform. During the debate, Cayetano stressed that of all the candidates in the upcoming polls, only he and Duterte have the political will to eradicate corruption in the country.
“Buong buhay natin may corruption, unless we change the system. Only a Duterte-Cayetano leadership can bring real change," Cayetano ended.
Duterte Congratulates Cayetano on VP Debate Performance
PRESS RELEASE
11 April 2016
Duterte congratulates Cayetano on VP debate performance
(Statement of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on the CNN Vice Presidential Debate)
I would like to congratulate my running mate, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for his wonderful performance in the CNN Vice Presidential debate hosted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at the University of Santo Tomas on April 10. Alan was the clear winner in the said debate.
Alan was able to show the political will, courage, and strength of character that we are offering to the Filipino people. He was able to distinguish himself from the others and put forward our bold solutions to end the country's disorder and realize meaningful change. His performance affirmed my decision to pick him as my running mate. He will truly fight for the people.
As we near the elections, I am again asking for your support to help Alan and I win this election. The challenge is daunting and we cannot do it alone. But with your help, nothing is impossible.
Philippines Hopes to Lure More Foreign Divers
MANILA — With over a hundred identified diving spots across the Philippine archipelago rich in corals and marine species, the diving community in the Philippines and the government hope to tap a bigger share of the world's diving market.
The Asian Diving Society Foundation recently organised a symposium about the country's dive tourism to encourage Philippine embassies and consulates abroad to promote and market the country as a premier diving tourism destination.
"Our foreign affairs personnel are the country's front liners abroad and are blessed to be in a position to help introduce the country's dive attractions to interested tourists," said Josue Sim Zuniega, president of the foundation.
Speaking at the symposium, Domingo Ramon Enerio III of the Philippine government's Tourism Promotions Board said that, based on latest available data from the tourism department, the Philippines received 126,200 foreign dive tourists in 2012.
It was higher than the previous year's 59,572, and the 2010 tally of 89,911. Top markets include South Korea, the United States and Germany.
Enerio said the government expects 200,000 foreign divers to visit the Philippines this year.
"It's growing, although not as much as we would like it to," Enerio told Kyodo News after his presentation. "The growth of arrivals is because of the increasing popularity of the Philippines as a diving destination as an effect of government marketing, and also of the investments being made by private sector partners."
"Of course, there is also a much better appreciation by the diving communities about the Philippines, being in the centre of marine biodiversity," he added.
He cited a 2014 estimate by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors -- the largest certifying dive association in the world -- that indicated the global dive market could be as high as 24 million people, with 6 million of those considered as active divers.
Together with data from other agencies, the estimated total active divers all over the world could be as high as 8.75 million.
Enerio said a diver is likely to spend up to 20% more than the amount of money a regular tourist shells out per visit. Aside from such revenue, tourist arrivals also generate employment for local people.
In 2015, the arrival in the country of 5.36 million foreign visitors yielded a little over $5 billion in international tourism revenues and created 4.99 million jobs in tourism-related industries.
Enerio, who also used to dive, summed up in three words the characteristics of the Philippines as a dive destination: rarity, diversity and value.
Rarity is because many underwater sights are unique only to the Philippines, diversity points to abundance in fish and other marine species and value refers to cheaper costs compared with other dive destinations in the world.
He notes that there are at least 2,500 species of fish and about 500 species of corals in the country, higher than in those in the Caribbean or other popular diving areas across the globe.
Among popular dive spots in the Philippines are the Tubbataha Reef in the westernmost province of Palawan, which is a national marine park and a Unesco World Heritage Site; Anilao in Batangas province, south of Manila; Apo Reef in the central-western coast; Apo Island in the central region; and the central provinces of Bohol and Cebu.
Ryoshiro Ejima, a Japanese diver who gave a presentation at the symposium, said he fell in love with the Anilao diving spot after he first explored it in 1982 and quit his job in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, shortly after to pursue his passion for diving.
"I was shocked. It was very beautiful," he told Kyodo News. "There were many corals and many fish. Everything was exciting," recounted the 67-year-old who has lived in the Philippines since 1985 and went on to open diving shops in various parts of the country.
Having also dived in Japan, Thailand, Guam, Palau and Australia, Ejima, who is currently engaged in television production, regards the Philippines as having the best underwater sites.
He pointed out, however, that typhoons are a major source of threat to the country's marine resources.
Enerio also mentioned some other threats to the underwater habitat, including continuing illegal practices such as the use of dynamites and cyanides for fishing, overfishing and lack of anchor lines or buoys for diving.
Other concerns include unregulated fee structures for diving, especially by local governments, shortage of accommodation facilities for visiting dive tourists, and lack of functional hyperbaric chambers and special medical teams and services for emergency evacuation.
There is also not enough certified local guides and dive spotters as well as a lack of infrastructure for easy and convenient access to diving areas.
Through events such as the diving tourism forum, which Zuniega described as an interagency collaboration effort, all stakeholders are expected to address the identified challenges.
"The symposium intends to provide basic information on dive tourism to enhance our appreciation of the country's dive attractions," Jesus Domingo, assistant secretary of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said at the symposium.
"In turn, it is hoped that this will encourage deeper exploration of our dive sites and industry so that we may all become better diver tourism advocates," Domingo added.
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