Commentary

China aircraft carrier

By Ellen Tordesillas

China’s Defense White Paper released last Tuesday is an interesting read in the light of the current tension in the Korean Peninsula and its territorial dispute with the Philippines.

The White Paper titled, “The Diversified Employment of China’s Armed Forces” was released as US State Secretary John Kerry completes his Asia visit (South Korea and Japan) re-affirming the “rebalancing” policy initiated by the Obama administration in its first term.

Under the rebalancing or “pivot” policy, the US shifts its military power and presence from the Middle East war zone to the Asia Pacific region.

Apparently, the shift in the America’s focus to Asia is a matter of concern to Beijing. “The Asia-Pacific region has become an increasingly significant stage for world economic development and strategic interaction between major powers. The US is adjusting its Asia-Pacific security strategy, and the regional landscape is undergoing profound changes,”the White paper

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. officially commends the House of Representatives prosecution team in the Corona impeachment. Photo from the House of Representatives.
By Mikha Flores, VERA Files

UPDATED AND CORRECTED: The designation of lawyer Al Parreño as elections commissioner is the latest and at least fifth government appointment given to the ranks of prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Renato Corona since the Senate convicted the Supreme Court chief justice on a 20-3 vote in May last year.

This is the second government position entrusted to Parreño, an IT expert, who was appointed to the board of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) two months after Corona’s conviction.

VERA Files earlier wrongly reported that Parreño was the fourth and latest government appointee among the prosecutors. (The headline has been updated and corrected as well—Ed.)

Besides Parreño, at least three impeachment prosecutors are now serving the Aquino administration: Joseph Emilio Abaya, Arlene ‘Kaka’ Bag-ao and Renato Samonte Jr.

Abaya was appointed Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) in August 2012. He

Commentary

Itanim sa Senado

By Ellen Tordesillas

Some are concerned that with the lifting by the Supreme Court of the airtime limits on political advertisements, we would be bombarded with all those propaganda in the next 30 days.

Less-moneyed candidates are worried that they would be drowned by those with money to burn. Independent senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño said the SC’s ruling favors wealthy candidates or those backed by the ruling elite.

“Ginawang parang unli text, unli call.The problem is its steep cost,” he said. TV ad rates, depending on the time slot, would not go below P250,000 for a 30 second ad. A candidate would need some P30 million for the remaining four weeks of the campaign.

” It is disgusting that the SC has decided against the Comelec’s effort to rein in expensive campaigns which poor or cash-strapped candidates like me cannot afford,” Casiño lamented.

I am Pichay fanThe SC yesterday restored the old regulation of 120-minute limit for national candidates’ political ads over each TV station

Joel Mendoza, CEO of Skyjet airlines

By Pablo A. Tariman, VERA Files

For the first time in many years, a British Aerospace BAE-146 series 200 (94-seater) and four-engine jet aircraft finally landed in Catanduanes previously identified with commercial planes the size of small Fokker planes.

On its inaugural flight to Virac, Catanduanes yesterday, Skyjet Airlines once again expanded its route and served notice it is not interested in selling seats but is keen on promoting unspoiled tourist destinations ignored by the big players in the airline industry.

“We are not selling airlines seats,” pointed out Skyjet CEO Joel A. Mendoza. “We are selling experience in undiscovered island paradise of the country.”

In the inaugural flight were Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, Gov. Joseph Cua and former Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento who comes from the island.

After being greeted by brass band and waving islanders led by Virac Mayor Jose U. Alberto II and Virac Bishop Manolo A. de los Santos, the passengers of the inaugural

Pinky Marquez as Mrs. Robinson and Reb Atadero Benjamin Braddock

By Pablo A. Tariman, VERA Files

Repertory Philippines’ latest offering – “The Graduate” -- is a nostalgic journey into the late 60s which was the same decade the young were hooked on Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” and “Mrs. Robinson,” among others.

The play was of course the title of a 1967 Mike Nichols film starring Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock and Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson. It is originally the title of a 1963 novel by Charles Webb and adapted into the stage by Terry Johnson.

The film was of course touted as “one of the most powerful stories of sexual awakening and coming-of-age” and it happened on the decade of the country’s political awakening as it gave way to the birth of the First Quarter Storm.

The film was shown in a theater along Recto Avenue where -- as anyone growing up in that decade knew -- was also the avenue where lewd publications of “bedtime stories” hastened the sexual awakening of college kids of the late 60s.

A theater piece adapted from a

Filipino seafarers register for overseas absentee voting in Piraeus Port, Greece. Photo from DFA website.

By Cherry Joy Veniles, VERA Files

Gary Garcia has been working as a seaman for almost 10 years—and has been a registered absentee voter for just as long. In fact, it’s as long as Republic Act 9189 or the Overseas Absentee Voting Law, which provides for a system for Filipino citizens working or residing outside the Philippines to vote in a national election, has been in existence.

“But not once,” Garcia said, “have I ever been able to vote while at sea.”

One of the 26,808 seafarers who have registered as overseas absentee voter or OAV, Garcia still remembers how excited he was a decade ago when he learned from an orientation that seafarers and other overseas workers could now vote even if they were outside the Philippines.

“I bought into that,” he said. “But during elections, there was nothing, no one official who could point us to our options.”

So for this year’s midterm elections, Garcia is hardly optimistic that he and other seafarers who registered could even vote since they are at

Commentary

USS Guardian in Tubbataha

By Rex Robles, VERA Files

It was 1974 and I was taking up an advanced course in Mechanical Engineering at the US Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. For our final exam in Oceanography, our professor simply called the twelve of us to his office one by one and asked us a few questions. I noticed a certain level of interest in the Philippines that I did not expect.

For instance, he showed me a satellite photograph of Manila Bay and asked me what I thought about a plan to build a highway along the Manila-Cavite coastline. I mumbled some comment on how the ecology in the area would be affected.

Then he showed me photographs of the entire Sulu Sea with what looked like ridgelines in the water running roughly parallel to Palawan. I was intrigued. My professor, who is based in New Zealand, told me they were a dozen or so swells that go northwest at certain times. At other times, they go the opposite way.

The swells seemed to emanate from the Tubbataha area. I could

Text and photos by Vincent Go, VERA Files

The 11th Aliwan Festival brought together the country's best street performers and dancers at the Quirino Grandstand over the weekend, with colorful contingents from all over the country parading along the stretch of Roxas Blvd. towards the CCP complex.

Photography enthusiasts from all walks of life had a field day witnessing the best fiestas that showcased vibrant colors, creativity and diverse culture in one place.

For the fourth consecutive year, the best street dancing award went to the contingent from Iloilo which depicted the province’s Dinagyang Festival.

Adjudged the best float was the one from Alang-alang, Leyte, while Jamie Herell from the Sinulog contingent of Cebu was crowned Reyna ng Aliwan 2013.

(VERA Files is put out by senior journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. VERA is Latin for true.)