Aquino will visit Australia, New Zealand next week

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MANILA, Philippines–President Benigno Aquino III is set to leave for New Zealand and Australia next week for state visits to further bilateral ties with the two nations and updating foreign leaders on key Philippine developments, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

Aquino will visit New Zealand on Oct. 22 and 23 then proceed to Australia 24 to 26 for consecutive visits aimed at pursuing trade, defense and development relations with the two countries.

The President is also expected to discuss with leaders of both countries the recently signed framework peace agreement between the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), touted to be an initial step towards ending the secessionist war in Mindanao.

Key cabinet members, among them Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, will join Aquino to meet with their counterparts, the DFA said.

First on the President’s agenda in Auckland is a meeting with the Filipino community and a talk at a business forum organized by joint business councils of the Philippines and New Zealand. Aquino is also expected to hold one-on-one meetings with New Zealand firms.

There are some 36,000 Filipinos in New Zealand, accounting for around 1 percent of the country’s total population.

The President will then proceed to the capital Wellington to meet with Prime Minister John Key and Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae for discussions on issues of bilateral interest and updates on the GPH-MILF framework agreement.

Aquino’s state visit follows Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario’s trip to New Zealand in August, where he discussed partnerships on trade and geothermal energy with top government officials and business leaders.

In Canberra, Aquino will meet with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Governor-General and discuss furthering political, economic and defense cooperation.

The President is also expected to take up the GPH-MILF framework agreement with the Australian officials.

Aquino will then visit Sydney for his business agenda: he will keynote the Philippines-Australia Business Forum, speak before the Asia Society of Australia and the Australia Philippine Business Council, hold a roundtable meet with CEOs of top Australian firms and later have one-on-one meetings with Australian companies.

Aquino will also lead the unveiling of a statue of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal in Campbelltown, a Sydney suburb.

While there, the President he will also meet with the Filipino community to “encourage them to help raise the profile of the Philippines” by serving as “knowledgeable and competent” sources of information about their home country.

The DFA said there are around 224,000 Filipino migrants in Australia, making for one of the largest migrant populations there.

The band "America" unites Pres. Aquino and Former Chief Justice Corona

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TAMED AUDIENCE.  America, the 42-year-old folk rock group, performed Wednesday night at the jam-packed Smart Araneta Coliseum. Their finale, “A Horse With No Name,” was among the most applauded numbers though crowd could have loosened up a bit, stood up to dance and sing with the band. Video by Totel V. de Jesus/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—For more than two cheerful hours on Wednesday night, President Benigno Aquino III and a few of his Cabinet members were one with impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona and wife Cristina.

They were all sighted at the Smart Araneta Coliseum one-night-only concert of veteran American folk rock group named, well, America.

Why they’re there is pretty obvious.

The 64-year-old former chief magistrate was in his early 20s when America conquered the international music scene in the first quarter of the 1970s, about the same time the young Aquino was about to enter his teenage years.

The 52-year-old bachelor President was seen without a date though he was comfortably seated at the lower box with Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares while the Corona couple were at the 4th row middle part near the stage.

America had the Hawaiian soft rock group Kalapana as front act, who performed about seven songs. Naturally the most applauded of Kalapana’s very short set were “Night Bird” and their major hit, “The Hurt”.

The 42-year-old America, composed of original members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, started their set with, curiously, two major hits they released nearly a decade apart, “Tin Man” (early 1970s) and “You Can Do Magic” (1982).

The momentum could have been maintained but they followed them up with a lesser hit, “Don’t Cross The River.”

“We’re happy to be back here again in the Philippines. We’ve been performing here for decades,” Beckley blurted out somewhere in the middle of their first five songs.

He said they’ve been everywhere, from Ecuador to the Great Wall of China. Just to give the audience an idea how they continue to love what they’re doing, Beckly said, “We formed the band when we were in our teens, just fresh from high school in the early ‘70s. Now after 42 years we’re still around, doing 100 shows every year, all over the world.”

Without a break, they enthralled the audience with more hits that Filipinos from Babuyan Channel to Sabah Islands like to drunkenly sing in street-corner videoke bars; “Ventura Highway,” “Inspector Mills,” “Sandman,” “Sister Golden Hair’” “Lonely People” and “I Need You.”

AMERICA (from left): Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley. Photo from official america homepage

They also did a cover of the 1960s folk rock hit “California Dreamin’” from the Mamas & The Papas, Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” and the 1990s soft-grunge ballad, Gin Blossoms’ “Till I Hear It From You.”

The songs are included in their latest album, “Backpages,” released middle of 2011. The album also has their version of Bob Dylan’s “My Back Pages,” New Radicals’ “Someday We’ll Know,” and Simon and Garfunkel’s, uh, “America”, among others.

“These are some of the songs we wish we could have written,” Bunnell explained.

America did about nearly 20 songs, including their double-barrelled encore “All My Life” and “A Horse With No Name,” to which the crowd sang in unison.

Despite the applause and the videoke-like accompaniment with the popular titles, there were only a handful of fans who were brave, or better yet, energetic enough to stand up, sing and dance. Many were just contented clapping and singing in their seats, as if they were watching a late Sunday night TV special.

But America gave all they got and Corona was seen nodding repeatedly to almost all of their songs.

Catch America with Kalapana on October 19 at the Waterfront Cebu Hotel and on October 21 at the University of Baguio.

Eulogy of Jesse Robredo

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NAGA CITY—Eulogizing Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo on the final day of national mourning before his interment here on Tuesday, President Aquino said that the secretary had joined the pantheon of national heroes looking after his countrymen.

“Jesse is already in the ranks of heroes watching over us from heaven, and he is giving us the strength to continue with their good deeds. So let us stop weeping; instead, let us give thanks,” the President said in a speech delivered in Filipino that elicited repeated applause from the crowd at Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, where the concelebrated requiem Mass was held.

“For the brief time that he was here in this world, we were the ones blessed to be in the company of Jesse Manalastas Robredo,” said Mr. Aquino, who wore a black arm band as a sign of mourning.

“Goodbye, Jesse. In behalf of the nation, thank you very much,” the President concluded.

The funeral rites came 10 days after Robredo, 54, and the two pilots of a Piper Seneca died in a plane crash at sea in Masbate.

In his eulogy, Mr. Aquino summed up the gravity of Robredo’s death. “His family lost a husband and father; the nation lost a trustworthy and efficient leader; I lost a brother in the official family of the Cabinet who was an ally in our crusades, and a party mate. I lost a good friend,” he said.

Robredo had served for 19 years as mayor of this city before joining the Aquino administration in 2010.

‘Tsinelas people’

Fr. Kulandairaj Ambrose, Jamaican-based of the Missionaries of the Poor, who officiated the funeral Mass, declared Robredo a champion of the “tsinelas people,” referring to the poor, the abandoned, homeless, and neglected whom many considered  a “burden” on society.

Ambrose, a Jamaican missionary, was personally asked by Robredo’s widow, lawyer Maria Leonor “Leni,” to officiate the requiem Mass.

The priest said that Robredo had proven that the “Filipino is worth dying for,” borrowing the famous line of the President’s  father, slain Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.

“I am humble and honored to do this to a friend, a great man and a friend of the poor,” said the priest, who vowed to establish a free clinic for the poor “in his honor.”

Describing Robredo as a family man, a “man of the poor,” and a “God-fearing man,” Ambrose lamented that his wards would surely miss Robredo. “He was their father; they are his children,” said Ambrose.

“He was there even when we did not need him. You may call it a tsinelas friendship.”

Crowd like ‘Ina’ feast

The throng of mourners was so huge that more than a hectare grounds of the basilica and Magsaysay and Peñafrancia Avenues filled with  people, which only happens during the annual September processions of the image of the Virgin Mary, to whom Robredo was a devoted.

Two Marian processions are held every third Friday and Saturday of September in Naga City—the Traslacion on Friday and the fluvial procession the following day.

But on the interment of Robredo, all three recognizable landmarks of this city were filled with men and women in yellow, who also wore tsinelas or rubber slippers as tribute to the simplicity of Robredo.

Thousands of Camarines Sur residents converged in Naga, mindless of the searing heat.

‘Voyadores’

The size of the crowd on the streets was comparable to the crowd that would gather every “traslacion” or fluvial  procession.

Some of the men donned the trimmings of the “voyadores,” or men who carry the Virgin Mary during the processions. They wear yellow headbands. Voyadores also wear headbands of different colors from red to blue during the Peñafrancia fiesta.

But unlike the voyadores who walk barefoot, most of the men wore slippers.

It was different, too, from the traslacion and the fluvial procession since many women came. Women are not allowed to join the main procession every September and can only trail the men.

Lea Marcelo, a teacher from Pili, Camarines Sur, who lined up with thousands of people as the bier of the late secretary was moving out of the compound of the basilica, was among those who described the funeral as “phenomenal one fit for a hero.”

“This is a manifestation of the greatest love for our secretary,” she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer as the cortege moved in slow cadence and the gun salute boomed.

“We can’t help but shed tears, yet only God knows the reason for the loss of a hero,” Marcelo said.

As Robredo’s bier mounted on an open truck decked with white and yellow flowers passed by, people waved to show they were saying goodbye to a well-loved son of Naga City. They shouted, “Pogi, pogi, pogi.”

Legion of Honor

Before the eulogy, the President conferred posthumously the Philippine Legion of Honor, with the rank of Chief Commander, on Robredo.

It was the President’s penultimate act before he handed Robredo’s widow the flag which, for many mourners here, has come to symbolize the country’s undying gratitude to a fallen son of Bicol who had devoted his life to God and country.

The future

The President talked about a future when he and members of his Cabinet would meet and discuss what they went through during their incumbency.

“Jesse will not be with us during those conversations. We won’t be teasing Jesse about how he would size up his daughter’s suitors, and in the coming years, he won’t be around to play with his grandchildren,” he said.

Mr. Aquino said many in the Cabinet had hoped that Robredo would still show up and say, “Forgive me, you were all inconvenienced by my delayed arrival.”

Simple living

He made public what could probably be Robredo’s private personality—the “what you see is what you get” attitude; his quiet but hardworking work ethic; simple living; and proximity to the masses.

Mr. Aquino also joked about Robredo’s singing “limitations,” although two of his favorite songs were “My Way” and “Impossible Dream.”

“Jesse is a trailblazer in the ‘straight path,’” the President said.

“He proved that someone could succeed in politics without becoming a traditional politician,” and that early in his political career, “he longed for deep and widespread change,” Mr. Aquino said.

Cabinet pallbearers

By virtue of a presidential edict, Robredo was accorded full military honors befitting a head of state when he was finally laid to rest here.

The funeral and interment arrangements prepared by the Palace Committee on Funeral Arrangements and Burial were followed religiously.

After the President’s eulogy, the honor guard carried Robredo’s flag-draped casket and put it on a bier.

Secretaries Leila de Lima, Rogelio Singson, Rene Almendras, Edwin Lacierda and Teresita Deles; Metropolitan Manila Development Chairman Francis Tolentino and Lualhati Antonino, the chair of the Mindanao Development Authority, served as pallbearers.

The police and military detail rendered for the last time departure honors, including a 19-gun salute, before the funeral cortege proceeded to Funeraria Imperial Crematory and Columbary, some 700 meters away from the basilica.

All Cabinet members

The President, Robredo’s immediate family—Leni, Aika, Patricia and Jillian—close relatives and friends, and all members of the Cabinet followed the bier on foot.

The cortege reached the crematory at 1:03 p.m., when the military detail rendered the final honors for Robredo and a three-volley gun salute accompanied by a sounding of Taps.

For the last time, the crowd applauded Robredo before the casket bearers removed and folded the flag. It was handed to the President, who then presented it to Robredo’s wife at 1:24 p.m.

National Days of Mourning

This ended the state funeral, which began on August 21, when the President signed Proclamation No. 460 proclaiming National Days of Mourning until interment.

Later Tuesday, Robredo’s ashes would be interred in a plot in the Eternal Gardens beside the funeral home in a ceremony exclusive to the family and close friends of Robredo.

National figure

In a span of just seven years, Robredo was the second national figure from this region to be mourned by Bicolanos.

Robredo was a close ally of the late Sen. Raul Roco—also one of the region’s most beloved sons—who died in August 2005, after a long bout with prostate cancer.

Robredo walked alongside Roco’s hearse during the funeral procession attended by some 50,000 people

Robredo known for ‘tsinelas’ leadership

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Whether responding to disasters or planning how to rescue flood victims at emergency Cabinet meetings, Jesse Robredo would always turn up looking so cool in tsinelas (rubber slippers). The image defined him, and Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, speaking at a necrological service for the late secretary of the interior in Malacañang on Saturday night, called it Robredo’s “tsinelas brand of leadership.”

It was the last night of the state vigil for Robredo in the Palace and members of the Cabinet gave their departed colleague a merry, song-filled tribute before his family took his body back to his hometown in Naga City on Sunday morning.

The colleague Cabinet members called “Pogi”—handsome —died in a plane crash in Masbate province on August 18, leaving President Aquino suddenly without a popular and respected ally to handle the consolidation of local power as his administration faced its first local and congressional elections next year.

Cabinet secretaries, along with Vice President Jejomar Binay and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., remembered Robredo in songs, laughter and speeches.

As mourners filed past Robredo’s bier at Kalayaan Hall, they performed Robredo’s favorite songs in between eulogies, drawing smiles from the
President and Robredo’s widow, Leni, and daughters Aika, Patricia and Jillian.

Eulogy

In his eulogy titled “Tsinelas,” Almendras recalled that when
Aquino called an emergency meeting in the military headquarters in the aftermath of the August 7 massive flooding in the capital, he was amused to see Robredo looking so cool in rubber slippers.

Days later, he said, when the President and the Cabinet officials motored to evacuation centers, Robredo disappeared from the van, but showed up later on stage, wearing slippers. Robredo came prepared, as they waded in floods at the entrance to a school in Valenzuela City.

“He’d tell me: ‘Pare, this is the right footwear for floods. Flood victims use slippers,’” Almendras said. He described Robredo’s tsinelas leadership as a “pragmatic” and “a more demonstrative version of servant leadership.”

As Almendras sees it, Robredo’s leadership has many features. The first, Almendras said, is willingness to wade in floods and travel to the most far-flung areas “to be with the most disadvantaged people.”

“We all know Secretary Jesse rarely said no. That’s why he was one of the most well-traveled Cabinet members. He went to many places where some of us could not go to,” he said.

The presence of mourners from Mindanao during the first night of the vigil on Friday was a testament to how far Robredo would go “just to reach people,” he added.

Another characteristic of Robredo’s leadership, he said, was breaking down the barriers “between us and the people we serve.”

“Many years ago, a young architect told me: I will design it so nicely so that those shod in slippers will be shy to get in. We’re here in Malacañang; we’re here at Kalayaan Hall. Look around you. This place was not designed for tsinelas. And yet last night, and throughout most of today, how many thousands of slippers came into this room to pay tribute, to pay homage and honor to Secretary Jesse?” Almendras said, referring to the mourners filing into the American-era hall to pay their last respects to Robredo.

“Leaders must be acceptable, accessible to those they serve. That was Secretary Jesse Robredo,” he added.

And, of course, what is tsinelas leadership but being casual with people?

Almendras said: “But really wearing slippers is the most casual form. Being casual is being warm. Leaders must be casual with the people they serve so that they can listen, hear and empathize with the people that they serve. That was Secretary Jesse Robredo in its truest form.”

More important, this kind of leadership all boils down to base-level transformation, he said.

“It’s about transforming the expectations of people from their leaders so that the next set of leaders will be better than the good ones we now have. Tsinelas leadership is about working on the basics, no frills, something as uncomplicated and casual as the tsinelas but with a very, very clear vision. That was Secretary Jesse Robredo,” Almendras said.

Genuine concern

A day before Robredo died, Almendras said he got a call from the interior secretary who sounded so concerned about why floodwaters in Bulacan, a province north of Manila, had not subsided and what could be done about it.

Almendras said he promised to bring it up with Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson.

“The very last line he told me was: ‘All right, pare. Our countrymen are really in a pitiful state.’ That is tsinelas leadership. A genuine concern and care for the people that we serve. That is Secretary Jess Robredo in its true context,” Almendras said.

Robredo was wearing slippers long before flip-flops and Havaianas became fashionable, Almendras said.

“My wish and prayer is the tsinelas leadership begun by Secretary Jess will become fashionable,” he said. Then turning to Robredo’s widow, he said: “Attorney Len, Pogi is also a fashion trendsetter. It won’t be far-fetched for candidates in 2013 to campaign in tsinelas. I hope this won’t just be for picture-taking. I hope they will step up to the standards that have been set by Secretary Jess Robredo, and that they will be worthy to wear the tsinelas.”

After the eulogies, the Cabinet officials rose from their seats and proceeded to the front of the bier and, clutching copies of lyrics, they sang Robredo’s favorite songs, “Impossible Dream” and “My Way.”

They ended Frank Sinatra’s famous song with the lyrics: “It was Jesse’s way.” Strategic Communication Secretary Ricky Carandang, the emcee, later said, “You know, I always hated that song, but tonight I liked it.”

The Cabinet dedicated their third and final song, The Stylistics’ “Betcha by Golly, Wow” to Leni Robredo, with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima leading. The song was the Robredo couple’s favorite.

At the start of the Cabinet memorial service, Noel Cabangon performed two songs, setting the tone for a night of entertainment and laughter.

Earlier, during the Liberal Party’s memorial service, Ogie Alcasid and Christian Bautista sang gospel songs. This was capped by Bayang Barrios with “Bayan Ko.”

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Robredo’s colleague in the Cabinet and in the Liberal Party, said he and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima discussed the meaning of Robredo’s passing.

“Cesar remarked: ‘Pare, what happened to Jesse is difficult … If we die, and we don’t get this kind of outpouring of grief, they might say we’ve done nothing,’” he said, drawing laughter. “Maybe, you should immediately get cremated.”

But then Abad said Robredo was a “tough act to follow,” saying he set an extraordinary standard as a public official, family man and servant of God.

“I, myself, have been grappling with this question and it’s clear to me that Jesse’s death isn’t the loss of this administration alone, it is the entire country’s. And our loss is defined first and foremost by Jesse’s uncanny, almost unmatched ability to navigate the delicate complexities of public service,” he said.

A good man

The sum of his achievements was founded on a basic truth: That Jesse was a “good man,” Abad said.

He wondered if it was coincidence that Robredo’s body was recovered on the 29th anniversary of the assassination of the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. when he returned from exile in the United States on August 21.

“Perhaps, perhaps not. But judging from the grief that swept the nation, judging from the public clamor for a new hero like Jesse, his passing invoked in us a renewed sense of commitment in much the same way as Ninoy’s death became Jesse’s impetus for public service,” Abad said.

“And here we are now at the very cusp of a revolution that the unprecedented election of our dear President Aquino into office catalyzed and which Jesse’s narrative further enhanced: A movement for effective, transparent and accountable governance and a call for the empowerment of all Filipinos, especially the poor and the disadvantaged,” Abad said.

The three-day state vigil for Robredo in Malacañang ended Sunday morning, with President Aquino leading departure honors for him at Kalayaan Hall before his remains were flown back to his hometown.

Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila said a predawn Mass prior to the sendoff ceremonies on the Palace grounds.

The President, Leni Robredo and her children, and select members of the Cabinet watched as an honor guard composed of 150 members of the Presidential Security Group rendered departure honors, paying last respects to the late interior secretary with a 19-gun salute.

The hearse bearing the remains of Robredo left Malacañang at about 7:25 a.m. for Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, where planeside honors were given by the Armed Forces of the Philippines before the remains were flown back to Naga.

The plane carrying Robredo’s casket arrived at Naga Airport a little past 9 a.m. A series of necrological services was held, with public viewing commencing at 6 p.m. and lasting until late Monday.

The President has declared Tuesday a nonworking holiday in Naga for Robredo’s interment.

The funeral Mass takes place at Basilica Minore de Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia at 10 a.m. Tuesday. It will be followed by the rendering of full military honors at 11 a.m., and by the conclusion of the state funeral at Funeraria Imperial, where Robredo’s remains will be cremated.

Aquino will deliver a eulogy at the funeral.

Sereno takes oath as the first woman Chief Justice

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MANILA, Philippines—Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno took her oath before President Benigno Aquino in Malacañang Saturday morning, without the senior justices of the Supreme Court.

Apart from Sereno’s family, academicians and Cabinet officials, only Supreme Court Justices Martin Villarama Jr., Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Mariano del Castillo and Bienvenido Reyes turned up at her oath-taking in the Palace.

Besides appointing Sereno as the Philippine’s first woman chief justice, Aquino also broke tradition by not picking the head of the judiciary from among the five most senior justices of the Supreme Court. In seniority, Sereno ranks 13th among the 14 justices on the court. Aquino still has to appoint a 15th member.

The five top senior justices are Antonio Carpio, who acted as chief justice after Renato Corona was removed by impeachment last May 29, Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion and Diosdado Peralta (who declined his nomination for chief justice).

Other candidates on the short list submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council to the President were Carpio, De Castro, Brion and Associate Justice Roberto Abad, along with Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, former representative Ronaldo Zamora and former Ateneo College of Law dean Cesar Villanueva.

Carpio, De Castro, Brion, Abad, Velasco and Peralta were absent from Sereno’s oath-taking, and so were Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez and Jose Mendoza.

Strategic Communication Secretary Ricky Carandang refused to read any meaning in their absence.

“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate in that way,” Carandang said when reporters asked him if he thought the absence of the senior justices meant they were not taking Sereno’s appointment well.  “As far as I know Sereno’s appointment was very widely viewed as a positive development.”

He added that Sereno was a “person of competence and integrity who, we all hope, will reform the judiciary and make it more responsive to the needs of ordinary people.”

Aquino administered the oath to Sereno, who entered Rizal Hall beaming, in simple, brief rites at around 10 a.m. Saturday. Her husband Mario Jose Sereno, daughter Sophia and son Jose Lorenzo stood behind her.

Also on hand to witness the oath-taking were former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Carandang, and Sereno’s former colleagues at the University of the Philippines’ College of Law, among others.

Sereno, who at 52 has 18  years to serve as chief magistrate, declined media interviews.

She later stopped by the wake for the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who perished in a plane crash in Masbate last Saturday afternoon, at the Kalayaan Hall.

Hours after Aquino received Robredo’s remains for a two-day wake on Friday, Malacañang afternoon announced Sereno’s appointment, three days ahead of the 90-day deadline that ends Monday.

De Lima, supposedly Malacañang’s “bet’’ for the top Supreme Court post until she was disqualified by the JBC because of a pending administrative case, praised Sereno’s appointment.

“She’s an excellent choice. She’ll be a very good CJ. Her youth, her dynamism and her brilliance would go a long way in ensuring that we can look forward to a judiciary that would be worthy of  the people’s trust,” she told reporters on her way out of the Kalayaan Hall.

After Sereno had her picture taken with the Cabinet officials, De Lima bussed and hugged the new chief justice.

“I congratulated her and then I said that [the] Supreme Court will now be in good hands,” De Lima recalled telling Sereno. “I have no rancor, whatsoever. I just said my piece when the JBC decided to disqualify me… After saying my piece, there was no rancor.”

When told that she could have been in Sereno’s shoes, De Lima let out a laugh and said: “That’s how it is. I guess I did my best in convincing my colleagues in the JBC. It’s just that there were obstacles. That disqualification was one obstacle I did not anticipate.”

Justice Villarama welcomed Sereno’s appointment. “I think she would be a good chief justice, given her talent and integrity. “I wish her luck,” he said in an interview.

He said the other justices failed to make it to the oath-taking because they were in out-of-town “lecture engagements.”  He was confident all the justices would throw their support behind her.

“The court would welcome the new chief justice. We’ll try to cooperate,” he said. “We are all mature; we know what we’re doing. I guess if there is some dissatisfaction, I guess we can solve that; we can support the chief justice.”

If there’s any reform that Sereno should concentrate on, it should be “speeding up the resolution of cases” because of the growing backlog, Villarama said. “Reform should be geared toward that,” he added.

“Let’s give her time and prove her worth.”

Maria Lourdes Sereno is the next Chief Justice; excellent choice

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Hardly a sour note was heard.

Various legal, business and political sectors, public and private groups on Saturday hailed the appointment of Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as the first female Chief Justice of the Philippines.

“It’s a tough job. But like they say, when you want the best man for the job, pick a woman,” said Sen. Pia Cayetano.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said she doubted that Sereno would allow herself to be controlled by the President.

“If the charge is that she is just going to be a presidential puppet or marionette I’m sure that Ms Sereno will soon prove her critics to be wrong,” Santiago said.

Sereno is making history as the Philippines’ first female Chief Justice, she said. “But on the other hand, that weight of responsibility on her shoulders will prove to be a daunting challenge,” she said.

Santiago added that Sereno was a personal friend of hers who was one of her advisers during the congressional deliberation on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement in the early 2000s.

“It is my hope that the appointment of the first female Chief Justice should result in a more gender-sensitive judiciary,” said Cayetano, one of only three women in the Senate.

Where were the seniors?

Sereno took her oath before President Aquino in Malacañang on Saturday morning. The senior justices of the Supreme Court were not present.

Apart from Sereno’s family, academicians and Cabinet officials, only Supreme Court Associate Justices Martin Villarama Jr., Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Mariano del Castillo and Bienvenido Reyes turned up at her oath-taking in the Palace.

Besides appointing Sereno as the Philippine’s first female Chief Justice, President Aquino also broke tradition by picking the head of the judiciary not from among the five most senior justices of the Supreme Court. In seniority, Sereno ranks 13th.

The five top senior justices are Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion and Diosdado Peralta (who declined his nomination for Chief Justice).

OK with business

The Makati Business Club issued a statement on Saturday, saying that Sereno “is a morally upright person with impeccable integrity, independence of mind, and competence.”

“The impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona divided the country and greatly tested the faith of the people in our justice system,” the club said. “We sincerely hope that our new Chief Justice rebuilds the people’s trust in the institution by ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the courts.”

Mr. Aquino administered the oath to Sereno, who entered Rizal Hall beaming, in simple, brief rites at around 10 a.m. Her husband, Mario Jose Sereno, daughter Sophia and son Jose Lorenzo stood behind her.

Among those who were also there to witness the oath-taking were former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Sereno’s former colleagues at the University of the Philippines’ College of Law.

No interviews

Sereno, who at 52 will serve for 18 years, declined reporters’ requests for interviews.

She is the second youngest magistrate to become Chief Justice of the Philippines, after Chief Justice Manuel Moran, who was 51 when he was appointed in 1945.

She replaces Renato Corona, whom the House of Representatives impeached in December last year for violation of the Constitution, and the Senate fired on May 29 after finding him guilty at the conclusion of a four-month trial.

After taking her oath, Sereno proceeded to Kalayaan Hall to pay her last respects to Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who died in a plane crash in Masbate on Aug. 18.

Hours after Mr. Aquino welcomed Robredo’s remains into Malacañang on Friday for a two-day state vigil, the Palace announced Sereno’s appointment, three days ahead of the expiry of the 90-day deadline set by the Constitution.

No rancor

De Lima, Malacañang’s candidate for Chief Justice until the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which vets nominees for positions in the judiciary, disqualified her because of a pending administrative case, praised Sereno’s appointment.

“She’s an excellent choice,” De Lima told reporters. “She’ll be a very good [Chief Justice]. Her youth, her dynamism and her brilliance would go a long way in ensuring that we can look forward to a judiciary that would be worthy of the people’s trust.”

After the picture-taking with the Cabinet officials, De Lima bussed and hugged the new Chief Justice.

“I congratulated her and then I said that [the] Supreme Court will now be in good hands,” De Lima said. “I have no rancor, whatsoever. I just said my piece when the JBC decided to disqualify me … After saying my piece, there was no rancor.”

When told that she could have been in Sereno’s shoes, De Lima let out a laugh and said: “That’s how it is. I guess I did my best in convincing my colleagues on the JBC. It’s just that there were obstacles. That disqualification was one obstacle I did not anticipate.”

Out of town

Villarama welcomed Sereno’s appointment. “I think she would be a good Chief Justice, given her talent and integrity. I wish her luck,” he said in an interview.

Villarama said the other Supreme Court justices failed to make it to the oath-taking because they were in out-of-town “lecture engagements.”  He said he was confident all the justices would support Sereno.

“The court would welcome the new Chief Justice. We’ll try to cooperate,” Villarama said. “We are all mature; we know what we’re doing. I guess if there is some dissatisfaction, I guess we can solve that. We can support the Chief Justice.”

Sereno’s appointment is widely seen as part of President Aquino’s campaign for judicial reforms.

Villarama said that if there’s any reform that Sereno should concentrate on, it should be “speeding up the resolution of cases.” He said the backlog of cases was growing. “Reform should be geared toward that,” he said. “Let’s give her time and prove her worth.”

Strength of character

Santiago said she could vouch for the new Chief Justice’s strength of character.

“She is not identified with big business or with any other social grouping. So we should emphasize the autonomy of her judicicial personality,” Santiago said.

“She is free of ties that may have bound past Chief Justices,” Santiago added.

Private groups cheer

Private groups cheered Sereno’s appointment, and reiterated their calls for reforms in the judiciary.

“From the feedback from business leaders and professionals, people favor the appointment and now want to see reforms,” said Guillermo Luz, cochair of the National Competitiveness Council.

Luz said the council’s working group for the judiciary had drawn up proposed reforms, but discussion of the proposals was sidelined by the impeachment trial of Corona.

“With the appointment [of Sereno], we can now try to arrange discussions on the immediate challenges,” Luz said.

The immediate challenges, he said, are speed of courts, perception of fairness, and consistency.

“Speed is not just for the [Supreme Court], but for the lower courts as well,” he said.

As for consistency, he said he hoped the Supreme Court would now stop flip-flopping on decisions, as it did in the ruling involving the question of cityhood for certain municipalities.

“Business groups and the league of professionals are hopeful her tenure would be enough time to institute reforms,” Luz said. “We know reforms take a long time and because of that we would like to see initial efforts soon.”

Court of Appeals Justice Gabriel Ingles said he believed Sereno had the integrity and independence even if she was identified with the Aquino administration.

Ingles said Sereno was never accused of irregularity and as she would serve for 18 years, she would have enough time to implement reforms on the Supreme Court.

Judge Meinrado Paredes of the Regional Trial Court of Cebu City said Sereno was a good choice for Chief Justice.

Paredes described Sereno as an “insider” and said her appointment should be respected even if other senior justices, including Carpio, had been bypassed.

Being consistent

Lawyer Earl Bonachita, president of the Cebu City chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, praised the appointment of Sereno as the Philippines’ first female Chief Justice.

He said that by choosing Sereno, President Aquino was being consistent with his pronouncement that the next Chief Justice would be someone with integrity, competence, and adherence to the rule of law.

“Maybe the President found those qualities in Sereno,” Bonachita said. “Let’s give her a chance.”

Sereno bested Carpio, De Castro, Brion and Associate Justice Roberto Abad, along with former Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, former Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and former Ateneo College of Law dean Cesar Villanueva in the selection of a new Chief Justice.

Absent justice

Carpio, De Castro, Brion, Abad, Velasco and Peralta were absent from Sereno’s oath-taking, and so were Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez and Jose Mendoza.

Communication Secretary Ricky Carandang refused to read meaning in their absence.

“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate in that way,” Carandang said when reporters asked him if he thought the absence of the senior justices meant they weren’t taking Sereno’s appointment well.

“As far as I know, Sereno’s appointment was very widely viewed as a positive development.”

He added that Sereno was a “person of competence and integrity who we all hope will reform the judiciary and make it more responsive to the needs of ordinary people.”

Bad for land reform

For the left-leaning Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), however, Sereno’s appointment could lead to a delay in the distribution of Hacienda Luisita, the sugar estate in Tarlac province owned by relatives of President Aquino.

“With Sereno at the helm on the Supreme Court for 18 years, Hacienda Luisita’s distribution could drag on for another two decades at the very least,” Randall Echanis, KMP deputy secretary general, said in a statement.

Echanis pointed out that in the Supreme Court ruling on the case in April, Sereno voted in favor of the compensation package demanded by the President’s relatives. With her as the new Chief Justice, Echanis said, the presidential relatives have the opportunity “to further derail and even evade land distribution.

Pres. Aquino brings Robredo home

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I think he wants to bring a friend home,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told the Philippine Daily Inquirer at the Masbate airport.

At high noon Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino took home the remains of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, fulfilling a promise to his grief-stricken family.

“Ma’am Leni, kids here. Honors drumming slow cadence, trumpet with mournful wail. So so tearfully sad. You’re home now Jesse,” Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas said in a Twitter message addressed to Robredo’s wife Maria Leonor upon landing with the President at Naga Airport.

Mr. Aquino flew from Manila to Masbate City upon hearing the news that Robredo’s body had been recovered three days after his plane crashed into the sea. He accompanied the flag-draped casket bearing Robredo’s body on the C-130 Hercules on the flight to Naga City.


On Tuesday night, the President signed Proclamation No. 460 declaring the period from Tuesday until the day of Robredo’s interment as national days of mourning, Malacañang said.

The proclamation said that, until interment day, the flag shall be lowered to half staff in Malacañang, in Naga City and at the Department of Interior and Local Government and offices under it. It also said the flag shall be flown at half staff in all government buildings and posts abroad for six days.

Retrieval operations for the two pilots who perished in the crash of the four-seater Piper Seneca along with Robredo—Capt. Jessup Bahinting, owner of the plane and CEO of Aviatour Air in Cebu, and Nepalese copilot Kshitiz Chand— were to continue Wednesday. Robredo’s police aide, Senior Insp. June Paolo Abrazado, survived the tragedy.

Roxas, head of the search and rescue operations in Masbate City, said the remains of Robredo and the two pilots were spotted by divers inside the fuselage of the ill-fated light plane, which was lying belly up some 800 meters from the Masbate shoreline at a depth of 50 meters.

In a hastily convened press briefing at 9:15 a.m., Roxas in a somber tone announced the “sad news.” He said that divers led by Matt Reed of Britain found the wreckage of the plane at 7:21 a.m.

“The body has indications that it belongs to Sec. Jesse,” said Roxas as he tried to fight off tears. “Sad as it is, we are now in search and recovery retrieval at 9:30 a.m.”

‘Absolute’ confirmation

Roxas said the President was informed of the discovery of the plane’s fuselage at 7:50 a.m.

Mr. Aquino had stayed in Masbate to oversee the Robredo search for two days but had to leave late Monday for Naga City, where he condoled with the Robredo family, en route to Manila, where he was to attend ceremonies Tuesday marking the death anniversary of his assassinated father, Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.

Upon hearing Roxas’ report, the President sought further confirmation.

At 7:45 a.m., Reed—who had been briefed by authorities of Robredo’s physical features—made an absolute confirmation, Roxas said.

“The diver could not come up directly (to the surface) because he had to stay underwater for his decompression (sequence). So he sent up his (waterproof scuba dive) slate with the information that the fuselage had been found,” Roxas said.

Even after Reed confirmed that it was Robredo’s body, “we waited for the body to surface,” Roxas said.

But at 8:15 a.m., any lingering doubt was extinguished. Robredo’s remains were brought to the surface and transferred to a Coast Guard vessel.

From the vessel, Eli Antonino, sister of General Santos City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, gave a positive identification that the body was that of Robredo.

Found near the door

Eli was coordinating civilian divers and volunteers, “so she physically knew Secretary Jesse,” Roxas said. “Robredo was first to be accessed by the diver since … Secretary Jesse was close to the door (of the plane). He was slowly brought up,” he said.

“The airplane was inverted (when found) and in that configuration, the two pilots were closest to the dashboard of the cockpit, so they are really situated in the deepest part of the cockpit. Secretary Jesse, being a passenger at the back, could be easily accessed,” Roxas said.

Asked to recall the President’s initial response, Roxas said:

Aquino’s initial reaction

“The President was very quiet. He sought absolute confirmation, and when it was confirmed, I had to call him back. He wanted to make sure that there was a close kin beside Ma’am Leni.

“Unfortunately, Ma’am Leni was not in her house. So we decided to tell her, instead of her getting speculations from other sources,” Roxas said, recalling the President calling Robredo’s wife at about 8:15 or 8:20 am.

“The President has already talked to the wife of Secretary Jesse informing her of the developments,” Roxas said at the briefing conducted prior to the President’s arrival. The President also called up Robredo’s brother, Butch, who was in Masbate at the time.

Retrieval operations continued throughout the day to extricate the two pilots, Roxas said, assuring the families of Bahinting and Chand that “scuba tanks and other equipment are being deployed underwater to continue with the retrieval operations of the other bodies inside the cockpit.”

Malacañang announced Tuesday that Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. had been designated officer in charge of the Department of Interior and Local Government. It said that a committee had been formed to prepare  a state funeral for Robredo.

‘Complicated’

Roxas said the retrieval operation “was very, very delicate.”

“Jesse had been underwater for (three days), so it’s not easy to do this. The change of pressure … is very complicated, so we are seeking the help of the forensic people from the Army, the Navy, Philippine National Police, and the Department of Health to ensure that the body is preserved,” Roxas said.

He said divers—both military and civilian—exerted care in extracting Robredo’s body.

“The fuselage is inverted, so the retrieval was complicated because they could not just disturb the fuselage for fear of pushing it into deeper waters,” Roxas said.

The short briefing ended with Roxas thanking everyone for helping the government find Robredo. “The success is the success of everybody who helped. It was a massive operation. All of these proved that if Filipinos are united, they can accomplish good things,” Roxas said.

Supporters of Robredo thronged the seven-kilometer route from the Naga airport to the Robredo residence, many waving yellow handkerchiefs and ribbons and shedding tears. People patiently waited at the grounds of the house where Robredo’s family members were closeted.

Somber ceremonies

In ceremonies at Naga Airport, the casket was turned over by the President to Robredo’s widow while a 19-member band of the Philippine National Police played a sorrowful score in the background. Only the family of Robredo was allowed at the waiting area of the airport.

Mr. Aquino accompanied Robredo’s family to the funeral parlor where the remains were being prepared prior to public viewing.

In Masbate City, Mayor Joshur Judd Lanete II of Placer, a licensed diver, told the Inquirer that he led the team that found the fuselage as early as 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The team included environment officer Edgar de Lara, and Police Supt. Gonzalo Villamor.

But lacking in deep-diving capabilities, the local dive team decided to mark off the area with an improvised buoy made of styrofoam and relayed the information to the British diver, Reed, and his partners, American Shelagh Cooley and Filipina Anna Cu Unjieng of the Evolution Diving resort in Malapascua, Cebu.

All hands on deck

According to Lanete, during  their second dive which took them 50 meters below and lasted 27 minutes, they spotted the tail of the plane. “It was whitish … belly up,” recalled Lanete.

But since they didn’t have a closed-circuit rebreather system, which allowed for deep-diving, the group decided to swim up.

“We were just five meters  away from the wreckage,” said Lanete, who then  relayed this finding to the chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Darius Tuason who, in turn, passed the information to technical divers and military officials.

Lanete’s team was among the first divers to rush to the crash site on Saturday night. But at the end of the day, Lanete said  the local divers were only too happy to lend a hand in putting an end to the suspense that had gripped the nation following the crash.

The massive search was a combined effort of uniformed services—Coast Guard, Navy and Army—and volunteer divers, enlisting 600 individuals, 17 ships of various sizes, and 9 aircraft.

Pres. Aquino remains ‘hopeful’ Robredo and 2 pilots still alive

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MANILA, Philippines –   President Benigno Aquino III is still “hopeful” that Interior Secretary   Jesse Robredo and   the two pilots missing   in a plane crash Saturday afternoon are still alive as search and  rescue operations  (SaR) resume  this Monday morning.

“(Aquino) is very, very serious, very somber. When we had  dinner  late  last night , he was very quiet,”  Transportation Secretary Manuel “Mar’ Roxas  said in  Filipino in a television interview on Monday.

That night,   Roxas said, the President only talked about the good times and memories with Robredo.

“He was just very quiet ,  very somber, very determined. The President is still hopeful. Sabi nya Mar, search and rescue ito,” Roxas added.

Aquino  and Roxas and other government officials immediately  flew to Masbate early Sunday or  a day  after  a Piper Seneca   plane  carrying  Robredo and three  others crashed  off Masbate waters  at around  5:00 pm. Saturday.

Robredo’s   aide, June Paul Abrazado, survived   but the Secretary and the two pilots remained   missing.

Two days after  the crash, the  Aquino  government  has no plans  on giving up on Robredo and the two pilots  as it launched an intensified  and massive efforts  to find them.

Roxas said the search and rescue operations will resume at around 10:00 am or 11:00 am with technical divers, who would probe the depths of up to 250 feet.

A special equipment from the United States called “forward  looking infra-red”  will also be used  to  detect signs of life amid the debris, he added.

Pres. Aquino at crash site of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo in Masbate

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MANILA, Philippines –   President  Benigno  Aquino  III  arrived  in  Masbate as the  search  and rescue operations (SaR)  for   Interior   Secretary Jesse Robredo   and two  others  resumed  early Sunday.

Transportation Secretary Manuel Mar Roxas  posted  on his Twitter account that he and Aquino, along with  other  government  officials, on  board PAF C-130   were at the  crash site “to lead the  SaR  efforts.”

“At the location, crash site within sight of beach, 500m & also within sight of end of runway,” Roxas said.

“Water’s calm, sky (is) clear, which will help in (the) ongoing  SaR,” he added.

Robredo, and three others were onboard a six-seater Piper Seneca plane when it crashed  in the waters off the shoreline of Masbate City at about 5 p.m. Saturday.

Robredo’s aide, P/Senior Insp. Jun Abrazado, survived but the Interior Secretary and the pilot and  co-pilot of the plane –Capt. Jessup Bahinting and Nepalese copilot Kshitiz Chand, remained  missing.

Kris Aquino: Mom proud of Pnoy

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MANILA (UPDATED) - President Aquino and his sisters, Ballsy, Viel and Kris, as well as close friends of the Aquinos and some members of the Cabinet, were at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City Wednesday morning to commemorate the 3rd death anniversary of former President Cory Aquino.
Fr. Catalino Arevalo, the spiritual adviser of the Aquino family, celebrated the mass. Fr. Arevalo's homily centered on how the gift of life of "Tita Cory" enabled the Philippines to come together.
After the Mass, Kris, speaking on behalf of the family, said she is positive their mom is proud of what a good president her "Kuya Noy" has become.
She also jokingly said that her mom must also be so happy to see her grandson Josh lose 50 pounds.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Aquino sisters unveiled a bust of their mother as well as a mini photo exhibit at the Our Lady of Edsa Shrine in Mandaluyong City.
Ballsy and Viel, togther with Mrs. Aquino's nephew Rapa Lopa, Vice President Jejomar Binay and some close family friends attended the unveiling of Mrs. Aquino's bust and the photo exhibit.
President Aquino was originally scheduled to lead the unveiling, but Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the president skipped the event as he is closely monitoring the flood situation in Metro Manila.
Luisito Ac-Ac of Paete, Laguna carved Cory's bust using Baticulin wood. It took him 3 to 4 weeks to finish it.
The bust will eventually be placed inside the church where former Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin's bust had also been previously placed.
The Edsa Shrine community was the one who thought of having Cory's bust made, according to the shrine's secretary, Manny Layson.
The Mass in the afternoon was officiated by Most Rev. Gabriel Reyes, Bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo City, and Fr. Leo Nilo Mangussad.

Kris Aquino defends brother Noynoy's TV Patrol speech: “[He] has the right to defend himself & express his opinion.”

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 Sa kanyang personal Twitter account ay sumagot si Kris sa isang Twitter post, kung saan naka-tag siya:
Sabi ng nag-tag kay Kris, dapat daw ay hindi inaatake ng Pangulo ang media.
Bilang depensa, sinabi naman ni Kapamilya TV host-actress na karapatan din ng kanyang kapatid ang magbigay ng sariling opinyon.
“@NinaBellatrix1 has the right to defend himself & express his opinion? Freedom of speech is a 2 way street right?” sabi ni Kris sa kanyang Twitter post kagabi, July 30.
Sabi pa ni Kris, “@NinaBellatrix1 PNoy is our president & I do believe the majority of our people feel he's doing a great job. Maybe he just like anybody else.”
Ilang araw rin bago nagbigay ng komento si Kris tungkol sa isyung ito. Nag-iingat lang daw kasi siya sa kanyang masasabi.
Kaya naman bago siya sumagot kagabi sa isang user, sinabi niya: “@NinaBellatrix1 hi Nina. Prayed be4 I replied to make sure I don't tweet the wrong thing. My issues r so trivial in comparison to PNoy.”
MALACAÑANG EXPLAINS. Samantala, nilinaw ng Malacañang na ang talumpati ng Pangulo sa pagdiriwang ng ika-25 anibersaryo ng TV Patrol ay hindi lamang ipinaparating sa ABS-CBN kundi sa lahat ng mga media outfit.
Ayon sa ulat ng ABS-CBN News, sinabi ni Presidential Communications Group Secretary Sonny Coloma: “Pinupunto lang ng Pangulo, maaaring maging instrumento sa pagbabago yung mass media sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay din ng mabuting balita, positibong mensahe, na siyang mag-e-encourage din sa ating mga kababayan.”
Ganito rin umano ang naging tema ng talumpati ni PNoy sa isang okasyon ng Philippine Press Institute (PPI).
At halos ganito rin ang naging tema ng kanyang talumpati nang dumalo siya sa pagdiriwang ng ika-25 anibersaryo naman ng pahayagang Business World kamakailan.
THE “PRANGKA” SPEECH. Nag-umpisa ang usap-usapan sa pagiging prangka ni PNoy nang magpasaring siya sa isang news anchor ng TV Patrol na hindi niya pinangalanan.

President Aquino Speech during the 25th anniversary of ABS-CBN's TV PATROL: "Airs his side against Noli de Castro"

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Tatlo ang naging layunin ni Pangulong Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III sa kanyang talumpati kagabi, ika-27 ng Hulyo, sa selebrasyon ng 25 taong TV Patrol.

Una, magbigay-pugay sa lahat ng bumubuo ng programa.

Pangalawa, ipaabot ang kanyang saloobin tungkol sa mga negatibong komento ng isang anchor sa dapat sana'y magagandang pangyayari sa kanyang termino.

"Stick to the facts," ang winika ni PNoy.

Pangatlo, payuhan ang mga mamahayag na maging "balanse" sa pag-uulat at pagbibigay ng opinyon.

Narito ang kabuuan ng talumpati ni Presidente Aquino:

Mr. Gabby Lopez; Mrs. Charo Santos-Concio; Ms. Ging Reyes; Senator Frank Drilon; Senator Loren Legarda; Secretaries Mar Roxas, Greg Domingo, Ricky Carandang; Chairman Francis Tolentino; Bangko Sentral Governor Sy Tetangco; Mayor Alfredo Lim; Representative Sonny Angara; Commissioner Ruffy Biazon; Commissioner Kim Henares; Chair Sixto Brillantes; past and present officials and staff of TV Patrol and ABS-CBN; fellow workers in government; honored guests; mga minamahal ko pong kababayan:

Magandang gabi po sa inyong lahat.

Dito po magkakaaminan: noon pong kabataan ko, wala pang ANC, wala pang CNN, at aaminin ko po, sa totoo lang, wala pang cable TV.

Kung kailangan mo ng instant news, halimbawa, kapag may bagyo, nawalan ng kuryente, ang tutok namin noong mga panahong iyon: Radyo Patrol.

Sa pag-usad ng panahon, mas naging moderno ang pagbabalita— ang tinig na rumoronda sa himpapawid, nadadagdagan ng biswal na elemento.

At narito na po tayo ngayon, ipinagdiriwang ang Silver Anniversary ng isa sa mga pinakamatibay na institusyon sa pagbabalita: Ang TV Patrol.

Sa loob ng dalawampu’t limang taon, kinilala ang TV Patrol sa tapang at sigasig ng paghahatid ng impormasyon sa mamamayang Pilipino. Sa tuwing may sakuna, naroon kayo upang magbigay ng kaalaman kung paano umiwas sa peligro at disgrasya. Sa tuwing may agam-agam ang publiko ukol sa isyu, kayo ang takbuhan para sa tapat na pag-uulat.

Kaya naman, sa lahat ng bumubuo ng inyong programa, mula noon hanggang ngayon, sa harap man o sa likod ng kamera, talaga namang pong isang mainit na pagbati sa inyong ikadalawampu’t limang anibersaryo. 

Kapag katotohanan ang pinag-uusapan, lagi kong naaalala ang isang sikat na police drama noong ako po’y bata pa. Dragnet ang pangalan po ng programa. At sa pagkalap ng kaalaman, ang bukambibig noong isang bida, and I quote, “Just the facts, Ma’am.”

Hayaan po ninyo akong ilatag ang ilang facts na inihayag natin sa SONA noong Lunes:

Five point two million sa pinakamahirap na kabahayang Pilipino ang buong-buo at walang-bayad nang makikinabang sa benepisyo ng PhilHealth. Fact po ito.

Bago matapos ang susunod na taon, ubos na ang minana nating 66,800 na kakulangan sa silid-aralan. Fact na naman po ito.

Tinitiyak na po ang kalidad ng higit sa 70,000 na mga baril na ipagkakaloob sa natitirang 45 porsyento ng ating kapulisan. Matapos po ang prosesong ito, magkakaroon na tayo ng one-is-to-one ratio ng pulis at sa armas na kailangan po nila sa kanilang trabaho. Fact din po ito.

Ilan lang po ito sa mga pagbabagong tinatamasa ngayon, at nakamit po natin ito sa unang dalawang taon pa lamang ng ating pamamahala.

Nang mag-umpisa tayo bilang Pangulo, ni wala po tayong masipat na “light at the end of the tunnel.” Ni hindi nga po kami sigurado kung may dulo pa ang balon ng problemang ipinamana sa atin. Wala naman po sigurong magkakaila, napakalaki na ng ipinagbago ng ating bansa. At palagay ko po naman, fact din po iyan sa ating lahat. 

Huwag po sana ninyong mamasamain, tutal kaharap ko na po kayo ngayon, at one night lang naman sa 365 days ng isang taon ko kayo makakausap. Tingnan po natin ang paghahayag ng inyong institusyon.

Noong Oktubre ng nakaraang taon, may isang reporter kayo ang nagbabalita sa NAIA 3. Ang sabi niya, sa puntong iyon, tumaas ng dalawampung porsiyento ang passenger arrivals sa paliparan. Magandang balita, at higit sa lahat, fact po iyan.  

Sa kabila nito, nakuha pa pong humirit ng isang anchor n’yo at ang sabi po niya, and I quote, “Nasa NAIA 3 ka kasi; kung nasa NAIA 1 ka, doon malala.”

Sa loob-loob ko po, anong kinalaman ng ibinabalita sa NAIA 3 sa NAIA 1? May nagsabi po bang ayos na ayos na ang NAIA 1? Kung mayroon man ho, hindi kami. Nakaligtaan niya atang mahigit 30 anyos na ang istrukturang ito.

Napapaisip nga po ako: ‘yung nagkomento nito, hindi ba’t anim na taon ding tumangan sa renda ng gobyerno? Sabihin na po nating minana lang din nila ang problema; ‘di hamak mas luma naman ang ipinamana nilang problema sa amin. Anim na taon ang ipinagkaloob sa kanya para tumulong sa pagsasaayos ng mismong inirereklamo niya. Pero ngayon, tayo na nga ang may bitbit na problema, tayo na nga ang tutugon dito, pero, masakit nga ho, may gana pa tayong hiritan ng nagpamana?

Naalala ko rin po nang na-recover ng NBI ang isang banyagang bata na nakidnap. Ang ganda na po sana: nakakuha ng tip ang awtoridad, kumilos sila, at na-recover ang bata.

Masaya ang mga magulang na kapiling na muli nila ang kanilang anak; masaya ang bata na kayakap niya ang kaniyang ama’t ina; masaya ang awtoridad na maayos at matagumpay ang operasyon nila.

Mukhang ang hindi lang masaya, ito nga pong anchor natin na nagawa pa uling humirit na baka raw na-set-up lang raw ang rescue operation, at binayaran lang talaga ang ransom.

Kahit anong pilit ng reporter na malinaw ang operasyon, nag-surveillance ang mga taga-NBI, at talagang natiyempuhan nilang walang nakabantay sa bata, pilit pa rin po nang pilit ang anchor.

Sabi nga ho ng nanonood kong kasama, “Naman.”

Kami pa po mismo ang magagalak kung makakapaghain kayo ng kapirasong ebidensya ukol dito, at kung mayroon nagkamali, usigin natin ang mga nagkamali.

May naitutulong po ba ang mga walang-basehang spekulasyon, lalo na kung lumalabas ka sa telebisyon at sinusubaybayan ng sambayanan? Kung nagbabangkaan lang tayo sa kanto, hindi problema ang mga walang-basehang patutsada. Pero kung alam mong opinion-maker ka, alam mo rin dapat na mayroon kang responsibilidad. Sana po, sa tuwing sasabihin nating, and I quote, “magandang gabi, bayan,” ay totoong hinahangad nating maging maganda ang gabi ng bayan.

May isa pa po: Ang pagtaas-baba po kasi ng pamasahe, dumadaan sa mahabang proseso. Minabuti po nating makipag-ugnayan sa transport groups, sa pangunguna po ni Secretary Mar Roxas, upang bumuo ng kasunduang makatuwiran.

Dahil sa kaguluhan sa Gitnang Silangan, malaki ang naging gastusin ng mga tsuper sa pataas na pataas na presyo ng krudo, kaya oras na umabot ang diesel sa napagkasunduang presyo, ibibigay sa kanila ang kanilang fare hike para matulungan naman.

Ngunit sang-ayon sila na kapag bumalik ang presyo’t bumaba rin ang presyo ng krudo, magkukusa rin silang ibaba ang pamasahe. 'Ika nila, imbes na sumobra ang tubo, bilang Pilipino ay magmamalasakit kami sa kapwa Pilipino.

Ibinalita po ito ng field reporter ninyo. Good news po talaga: Ang risonableng mungkahi, napagbigyan; ang pamahalaan, grupo ng tsuper, nagtulungan. Panalo ang sambayanan.

Ang problema, nagawa pa rin itong sundutan ng komentaryo. Matapos i-report, ang pambungad na tanong ng inyong anchor: Ano raw ba ang angal ng mga grupo sa akin po. Ang reaksiyon ko, “Saan naman nanggaling ‘yun?”

Nagkasundo-sundo na tayong tugunan ang isang problema, mayroon pang naghahanap ng angal.

Nagkakasundo na nga, para bang gusto pa ring pag-awayin.

Mahirap pong isipin na bahagi ito ng inyong job description. ‘Di po ba kung umangat ang ating kalagayan, tayo ang panalo; at kung lumubog naman ito, tayo rin naman ang talo? Bakit parang mas gusto ng iba na makita tayong lumulubog?

Kung gabi-gabing bad news ang hapunan ni Juan dela Cruz, talaga namang mangangayayat ang puso’t isip niya sa kawalan ng pag-asa.

Mayroon po kayong The Filipino Channel, kung saan napapanood ng mga dayuhan at ng ating mga kababayan sa ibayong dagat ang mga balita sa Pilipinas. Isipin po natin: bawat isang turistang bumibisita sa bansa tinatayang isang trabaho ang naglilikha.

Ilang turista kaya kada buwan ang nagka-cancel ng bakasyon dahil sa araw-araw na negatibismo? Ilan kayang kababayan ang nawawalan ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng kabuhayan dahil sa bad news na ito?

Kung isa po kayo sa sampung milyon nating kababayan na nagsasakripisyo sa ibayong-dagat, gaganahan kaya kayong bumalik dito kung mas nakakasindak pa sa Shake, Rattle, and Roll ang balita sa telebisyon? Kailan pa po ba naging masama ang pagpapahayag ng mabuting balita?

Sa pagpapatrol ninyo sa bawat sulok ng bansa, tiyak na may nadaratnan kayong mga positibong kuwentong maaaring maging bukal ng inspirasyon at pag-asa sa ating mga kababayan.

Hindi naman po siguro masusunog ang mga TV sets at radyo ng inyong mga suki kung paminsan-minsan ito ang inyong ibalita. Hindi naman po siguro kalabisang isipin na sa pagtaas ng iniluluwas nating coco water na mahigit 3,300 porsiyento ang inangat, may mahahagilap kayong isang magsasaka na magsasabing, “Dati, itinatapon lang ito. Ngayon napapagkakitaan na namin.”

Sa mahigit tatlong milyong pamilyang benepisyaryo ngayon ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, hindi naman po siguro mahirap maghanap ng isang magsasabing, “Malaking tulong ang programang ito.”

Alalahanin po natin: Anumang sinasabi n’yo ay nakakaapekto sa pananaw ng Pilipino—humuhubog sa kanyang mga kilos, sa pagtingin niya sa kanyang sarili, sa kapwa, at sa bayan.

Kapag pinaniwala si Juan na panay pangit ang nangyayari sa lipunan, talagang mawawalan siya ng dahilan para tumungo sa katuparan ng mga adhikain niya. Pero kung nakikita niyang ang dating problema ay nasusulusyonan, mag-aalab ang pag-asa, at magkakakompiyansa siyang sumulong dahil alam niyang may pagbabago na.

Marami pa ba tayong problemang kailangang tugunan, at hindi po magiging madaling lampasan ang mga ito, lalo na kung kaliwa’t kanan ang hilaw na kuru-kuro at spekulasyon.

Sa akin na po mismo manggagaling: Marami pa ring butas ang dinatnan nating sistema at hindi perpekto ang gobyerno, kaya’t kung may pagkukulang kami, ipaalam lang po ninyo.

Parati ko pong ipinapaalala, sa ilang samahan na baka tumataas ang ere: nag-uumpisa ang kaalaman sa pag-amin na hindi lahat ng kaalaman ay nasa akin.

Ako na mismo ang aamin: wala kaming monopolyo sa husay at talino, at hindi kami tama sa lahat ng sandali. Subalit hindi malulunasan ang mga problema kung sa bawat isang hakbang pasulong natin, puro paatras naman ang hila ng ilang gusto tayong ibalik sa dilim ng ating dinatnan.

Kung may paligsahan nga po sa pag-unawa’t pagtitimpi, malamang naman po gold medalist na po tayo diyan. Bahagi po kasi ito ng trabaho natin. Bahagi rin nito ang magsabi ng totoo, at sa gabing ito, inilahad ko lamang po ang katotohanang nakikita ko.

Hindi ko hinihiling na kumatha kayo ng mga gawa-gawang kuwento o pagandahin ang imahen ng gobyerno. Ang akin lang po, kung naibabalita ang mga nagaganap na krimen at trahedya, ibalita rin naman po natin sana kung paano ito naresolba. Kung inilalantad po natin ang kabulastugan, matuto naman din po sana tayong kilalanin ang mga nagagawang kabutihan. At kung may maimumungkahi kayo para lalo nating mapagbuti ang pagsisilbi sa bayan, kami po ay makikinig. Ibalanse lamang natin.

Tandaan na natin sa bawat sulat, sa bawat ulat, ay nag-iiwan kayo ng marka sa publiko, nakakaapekto kayo sa buhay ng kapwa Pilipino.

Ang pagkiling sa negatibismo ay mag-aatras lamang sa dapat sana’y pag-usad na ng ating bayan at mga kapwa Pilipino.

Patuloy po tayong magsumikap upang iangat ang antas ng propesyunalismo, integridad, at kredibilidad sa larangan ng paglilingkod-bayan; patuloy nating isabuhay, bantayan at patingkarin ang ating demokrasya.

Bilang isang lahing Pilipino, sama-sama nating isatinig at ihayag ang ating paninindigan: nandito na ang Pilipinas, tinatamasa na ng Pilipino ang pagbabagong siya rin mismo ang gumawa.

Muli, at ako po’y pagpasensyahan ninyo kung masyadong prangka nagsalita ngayong gabi. Maganda na ho siguro yung totoo ang sabihin para magkaunawan tayo nang maliwanang.


Muli po, binabati ko ang TV Patrol sa inyong ika-25 kaarawan. Maraming, maraming salamat po sa inyong paglilingkod sa bayan at more power po. Magandang gabi po.

ABS-CBN has cautioned Noli de Castro to air his personal views even before he criticized President Benigno Aquino III

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MANILA, Philippines — Even before President Benigno Aquino III made his biting comments against one of the country’s most popular news anchors, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. itself has been upset about broadcaster Noli De Castro’s habit of injecting his opinion during the prime time news telecast.  It, however, chose not to reprimand its iconic anchor but merely cautioned him about showing his leanings in the delivery of news.
A network insider, who refused to be identified for lack of clearance to speak in behalf of ABS-CBN News, said that De Castro and his anchors were allowed to give their insights (to give more context to the news) but not their personal opinion as part of “TV Patrol’s” re-launch two years ago.
“It’s supposed to be a freewheeling banter, which was adopted from the ‘Pulso’ segment in the old TV Patrol. But it was made clear that their comments  should only be made at the end and not during the newscast,” said the source.
There were instances when De Castro strayed from the scripted questions and made snide remarks or facial expressions during live reports and the source said De Castro had been cautioned but not penalized  by his department superiors.
On the news coverage regarding the surge in passenger arrivals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 3, which was cited by the President in his speech, the source said the news bosses were also surprised why De Castro had to cite the terrible state of NAIA-1 during the report. “It might be a fact that NAIA 1 is a bad airport but why say it at that point of a news telecast? He could have made his opinions known in his radio program,” said the source.
The source admitted that officials of the news department were conflicted when they decided two years ago to bring back De Castro who was widely perceived as carrying a lot of baggage after spending nearly a decade in politics — from his tainted victory in the 2004 elections to his subservience to the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to his alleged involvement in the North Rail and Globe Asiatique controversies.
“The management was aware of all the criticisms against him… His political past made his return complicated. But the management stuck with him because they believed in his sincere desire to help and serve the masses,” said the source.
Aside from his ties to the old administration, the source said that de Castro role as main news anchor was at odds with his role as radio commentator in ABS-CBN’s affiliate, DZMM.   The source said the public looked to TV Patrol as the their main source of news and management was keen on keeping it free from accusations of bias.
Regina “Jing” Reyes, chief of the ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs, said that any complaints against their news reports or personnel were turned over to its in-house ombudsman for investigation. According to Reyes, there is no pending investigation of De Castro and that the management has not decided whether the President’s criticisms are enough to merit a probe.
“It’s a good and bad thing actually. It’s bad that the President himself made the criticism but it’s also good for us because it shows that we are not biased towards this administration as most of our critics claimed in our coverage of the Arroyo arrest and Corona impeachment,” said Reyes in a phone interview.