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The Manila Times


TUESDAY


August 10, 2010


Edit orial Asean connectivity


SK reasonably well-educated and up-to-date people what “connectivity” is and they will tell you it has do with communications technology. And they are right. It was originally the word used by telecommunications and information and communications technology (ICT) experts to work out how to link differing systems, platforms and software. In the “ancient times” of early computerization, the problem


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was how to make Apple computers talk to IBM-based PCs. And until recently it was prohibitively expensive for a subscriber of a PLDT rival telephone company to talk to her PLDT-subscriber son. Now technical and commercial connectivity problems have disappeared. That is because everyone has realized that there is more money to be made if the signals of the cell phone, the Internet data packets, and video and television images are made to flow smoothly into every possible reading, audio or viewing device. There is now the “virtuous cycle” of packets of signals being read and interpreted “without bias” as to their systems, speeds and nature. “Protocols” allow these different systems of sending and receiving data to seem to be perfectly the same. There is now perfect connectiv- ity in terms of information and communications technology. That is what the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, at age 43, has made sure all the 10 member states enjoy between them- selves—as governments and as business, industrial, academic, scientific, cultural, and educational sectors—and their dialogue partners (Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, New Zealand, Korea, Russia and the United States).


Lack of connectivity with the poor But there is still a lack of smooth connectivity—still in terms of


telephony, Internet use, video transmission and reception— between urban and village fellow citizens in many of the Asean countries, including us in the Philippines. And there is a huge chasm between the peoples of Asean. Connectivity between them, now not just in IT terms, but also in actual links as human beings, is virtually non-existent especially among the poor.


Because of this, the messages some leaders of the Asean nations


gave on the occasion of Asean’s 43 Foundation Day August 8, referred to the need for greater connectivity within Asean and among the peoples of Asean.


President Aquino’s message Our own PBSA (that’s President Benigno Simemo Aquino to those


who have yet to get used to an abbreviation other than P-Noy or PNoy), on Monday reaffirmed Philippine support for the Asean Connectivity project. Its aim is to provide a framework for regional cooperation on connectivity and provide a foundation for further connectivity of Asean with East Asia and South Asia. “This hopes to create an Asean connectivity masterplan that consists of sectoral body plans in transport infrastructure, informa- tion and communications technology, energy power grids and tourism. The Philippines has major interests here, with its existing nautical highway or RORO project. Once it is implemented, Asean Connectivity will bridge our nation to our neighbors, shorten transfer distances and open more economic opportunities for more people,” said President Aquino.


Connectivity in the simplest terms just means “exposure.” So the President correctly said: “The greatest antidote to war, the most effective instrument of peace and mutual understanding, is cultural exposure and cooperation. A new generation of increasingly prosperous citizens in our respective nations are interested in getting to know their neighbors. With this curiosity comes a greater understanding among our peoples over the long term that would strengthen cooperation on several fronts: political, economic and social. In turn, Asean’s improved integration will reinforce its capacity to deal with the rest of the world.” Manifesting a deep sense of connectivity in our own internal


governance affairs, President Aquino assured our Asean neighbors and the dialogue partners that his administration would ensure that trade agreements signed by the Arroyo administration result in increased employment and expansion of the market for Asean goods.


Malaysia’s Prime Minister Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak’s statement—issued in Kuala


Lumpur on Saturday—called on Malaysian citizens, as well as those of the 10 Asean member countries, to bear in mind that the goal to realize the integrated Asean Community by 2015 is not just the work of governments but also the responsibility of individual citizens. The Asean dream of becoming a union and a common market like the European Union will help advance the prosperity of the 10 member nations. Prime Minister Najib Razak said that to raise the level of communication among Asean members, regional connectivity through development of physical infrastructure networks, trade, investment, tourism and cultural integration should be accelerated. The Malaysian premier also spoke of the importance of “Asean


values” which he said Asean citizens should assimilate and appreciate in earnest and not just put on as an outward show. This way the sense of an Asean identity and belongingness


would grow across the region. The free trade agreements between Asean and several of the dialogue partners came into effect early this year. PM Razak said these would help boost the development of the economies of the Asean countries.


He reiterated his belief that free trade is the backbone of increased commerce between Asean and the neighboring countries. Increased commerce would then raise the incomes and therefore the living standards of Asean citizens.


Burma’s primary junta leader Expectedly, the message from Burma’s primary junta leader, Senior-


General Than Shwe, offered a disconnection. He spoke of his hope that the master plan for Asean connectivity would come to a win- win solution reflecting the interests of all member states. He said Asean connectivity should “strive for balance between regional and national interests.” He obviously meant that Asean connectivity should respect the dictatorial ways of his military junta. That is impossible for most of the Asean citizens, who are aiming for the blessings of the democratic way to prevail in their countries.


TUESDAY August 10, 2010 The Manila Times DANTE F. M. ANG 2ND, Executive Editor


FRED DE LA ROSA, Chairman Editorial Board RENE Q. BAS, Editor in Chief ROMY P. MARIÑAS, News Editor


ARNOLD S. TENORIO, Business Editor CONRAD M. CARIÑO, National Editor BRIAN M. AFUANG, Art Director RENE H. DILAN, Photo Editor


 DANTE F. M. ANG 2ND, President and CEO


Telephone All Departments. 524-5665 to 67 Telefax 528-1729; Subscription: 524-5664 Local 222 URL http://www.manilatimes.net • e-mail newsboy1@manilatimes.net Letters to the editor


THE MANILA TIMES is published daily at 371 A. Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila 1018


VOLUME 111 NUMBER 301


derdevelopment in less than a dec- ade, so can the entire Philippines. This was the simple message de- livered by Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga and Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr., governor of the Province of Camarines Sur, at the GK Builders’ Night in Cebu City. Correction: CamSur, is the new name of a reinvented, trans- formed and reborn province. This province was once just one of many poor, undeveloped and rebel infested provinces in the country. Today, six years after Gov. LRay Villafuerte was first elected governor, the province’s about 300,000 public elementary and high school pupils enjoy free education. Malnutrition has been reduced by about 50 percent. The province has moved from the 12th to the fifth spot of top rice producing province. It has surpassed even the Prov- ince of Cebu in tourism, being the No. 1 tourist destination in the Philippines today with a fo- cus on adventure and sports tour- ism. The CamSur Watersports Complex (or CWC) literally put this once typhoon-devastated province on the international map of “extreme sports junkies.” The CWC is a provincial un- dertaking. What is particularly impressive is that the revenues earned on this facility and other tourist attractions are being


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ever you fire a person and such is the case when Dr. Prisco Nilo was replaced as head of Pagasa, the local weather bureau. By various accounts of Pagasa people, Dr. Nilo is an extremely dedicated and very hardworking weather- man. It just so happened that Pagasa, under his helm, missed the call on Basyang when it failed to predict the devastating ty- phoon would hit Metro Manila. Wrong and inaccurate weather predictions cost lives and damage to property, which could be pre- vented if people prepare and if they know what’s coming at them. Basyang caught even the government and Pagasa by sur- prise when it unleashed its fury on NCR overnight. People died. Properties were destroyed. The economy took a hit. Somebody had to take the blame and as head of the government agency tasked to predict the weather, Nilo had to be it. He still has a job at the weather bureau, but not the job of head weather forecaster. True to his professionalism,


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there was nary a comment from Dr. Nilo. But naturally, his col- leagues rallied around him. There was a lot of emotion, a lot of questions and speculations about his sacking. It wasn’t all one man’s fault, they say. Basyang was an unusual storm, and Pagasa doesn’t have the right equipment. The guy did everything he could. Defensiveness for one of their own is but natural but at the end


HERE is bound to be some amount of grumbling when-


Firing as the last resort ERNESTO F. HERRERA


of the day Pagasa missed to issue a very important warning, and by principle of command responsi- bility, Dr. Nilo was held account- able. Pagasa critics argue that they can’t blame the lack of equipment for missing Basyang’s course. An amateur meteorolo- gist from Naga City, Mike Padua, correctly predicted the typhoon would hit Metro Manila using Internet resources. In the ver- nacular, even with no equipment he used abilidad.


Still, firing should have been the last resort used by the Presi- dent. There are many people in government, including the crooks in the Customs bureau, that need to be fired—not just replaced from their posts and kept float- ing but totally removed from gov- ernment service. The people in Pagasa who are underpaid and overworked are not among the lot. They need more training and technology certainly, plus a little more understanding. Perhaps the President just


wanted to shake things up at Pagasa. A new management cer- tainly can do that. I would just like to remind him from an or- ganizational point of view that


whatever Nilo’s perceived failures are reflects also on the failure of government leadership. Did we provide the right train- ing and adequate equipment so these people could do their jobs properly? Or did we set them up for failure? Command responsi- bility goes all the way to the top, all the way to the President. Being perceived a failure at


your job is about the most de- structive thing you can do to a person. It’s probably the last thing I would do to an honest, hardworking public servant, even if he did commit a monu- mental mistake. But then again, I am not the President.


Starting off


on the wrong foot A lawyer like Edwin Lacierda should not have committed the same media blunder twice. Even if he isn’t a professional commu- nicator, there is no excuse for such a lapse. The last thing you would want in your press brief- ings is an air of tension and dis- trust. Perhaps, if you don’t feel comfortable facing the media, your talents could be best suited at another post. As it is, the rela- tions between media reporters covering the president and the president’s mediamen seem to be in need of a major reset. My best friend the late Ka Blas Ople taught me a lot about me- dia relations. Ka Blas used to be a journalist so he knows more than a thing or two about how media people go about their busi-


ness. When he was being inter- viewed, it was not uncommon for him to peek at a reporter’s notes and make corrections if he thought he was being misquoted. We started a Wednesday lunch gathering with Senate reporters, that was during the time the only one of its kind. Senate beat old- timers called it Batman and Robin. I understand nowadays various groups or cliques of senators have a lunch gathering with the Senate beat people every day of the workweek. So I suppose we started a fad. Anyway, if I learned anything


from Ka Blas it is that the best way to have good relations with the media is through honesty and candor. Lacierda was right to give a mea culpa when he made the mistake of breaking an important announcement on ANC first, af- ter snubbing his own press con- ference earlier in the day. But he should have learned from that one mistake, and should not have repeated it. A second mea culpa doesn’t carry as much goodwill. The media is just like any pub- lic that appreciates communica- tion based on openness and truth. Lacierda and company are very lucky to be serving a Presi- dent whom most of the Filipino people trust and believe in, a popular president in other words. As his front men, they too are perceived as trustworthy. They should build on that trust and not erode it.


ernestboyherrera@yahoo.com CamSur tops Cebu in tourism – and GK solidarity


F Camarines Sur could break the cycle of poverty and un-


MARIT STINUS- REMONDE


plowed back into the commu- nity in the form of scholarships, among others. The scholarship program has resulted in a sig- nificant reduction in the school dropout rate. Governor Villafuerte was one of the speakers at the Gawad Kalinga Builders’ Night held in Cebu City last week to mobilize support for GK. The young gov- ernor’s accomplishments are a challenge to Cebu’s political lead- ership considering that Cebu— both Cebu Province and Cebu City—takes pride in its state of economic development. Of course, Gawad Kalinga wouldn’t have brought the governor to this affair if not for the unique GK- CamSur partnership. CamSur has 120 GK villages,


Cebu 11. The first GK Bed and Breakfast establishments were established in CamSur, and a GK restaurant is coming soon. CamSur and GK have embarked on the next level. Mr. Meloto ex- plained that the first phase was social justice—building decent


homes for the poor and the homeless—while the second phase is wealth creation. In CamSur, GK villages are already embracing entrepreneurship and agricultural production. These communities are seen as models for responsible development. In order to further stimulate the creation of entrepreneurship and ensure that the enterprises are viable and not dependent on charity, GK has established what it calls GKonomiks. The mem- bers of the GKonomiks group identify viable productive under- takings and share their business talents and creative skills with the community. GKonomiks has become an outlet for Filipinos who were living very comfort- able lives abroad, earning sala- ries many times more what they could earn in the Philippines, but in whom GK inspired faith to return to the Philippines and make a difference.


Making that difference and the fulfillment that comes with it are things that money cannot buy, as expressed by GK volunteers, in- cluding Aileen Ong from Singa- pore. She has embraced Gawad Kalinga and its mission having found her humanity in the face of a poor child. Ms. Ong is pres- ently working on establishing partnerships between Singapore and the Philippines. The GK model is seen as an engine for building a better region, and this


is something the Philippines can be proud of.


Joining a community such as


Gawad Kalinga is, of course, not for everybody. Many of us have our own personal charities and advocacies that do not fit into the organizational set-up of GK. However, one may also just view the GK concept as a develop- ment strategy that puts pre- mium on collaboration, solidar- ity and patriotism. Every member of the commu- nity benefits, except he who thrives on the ignorance and pov- erty of others. The vision of GKonomiks—to build an eco- nomy where no one gets left be- hind—sounds like Karl Marx’ original idea of Communism. Both recognize that people are differently endowed, have differ- ent talents, skills and inclina- tions. We cannot contribute equally to building and main- taining the community. Within the family, the children, the sick and the old cannot contribute as much as the healthy, educated adults. Yet, the children, the sick and the old are cared for, their needs met by the productive members of the family. Nobody gets left behind. We can end poverty if we have the faith and the will. The re- sources—natural and human— and the ideas are not lacking.


opinion@manilatimes.net


opinion


MISSION IMPOSSIBLE


POLICY PEEK


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