The Manila Times


A 2


BY BERNICE CAMILLE V. BAUZON REPORTER


news WEDNESDAY D e cember 8, 2010


New peso bills feature younger-looking faces E


XPECT a younger-looking Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmeña, Manuel Roxas, Benigno and Corazon Aquino,


Jose Abad Santos, Vicente Lim and Josefa Llanes Escoda on new and crisp bank notes as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is setting sail to finally launch new Philippine bills.


An insider, who refused to be named, revealed to a select group of reporters late Monday the en- hanced bank notes, with denomi- nations P20, P50, P100, P500 and P1,000, which distinctly have younger-looking and refined por- traits of Philippine national he- roes and past presidents. The bank notes are expected to be launched before the end of this year. “It will make the country proud,” he said, referring to the bank notes, which will start circulating next year. All bank notes will have additional security features—fewer than 20, more than three watermarks—including the signatures of President Benigno Aquino 3rd and the BSP governor, security threads, an alibata of “Filipino” both at the front and back, a picture of al- most two historically significant events


■ DEFENDS FROM A1 AFP chief defends


cash-strapped Philippine military, which despite US assistance has not been able to crush years of communist and Muslim separatist rebellions. Mabanta added that his visit to China did not signify a shift in military alliances, stressing that the Philippines valued Washington’s continued help against al-Qaeda-linked militants on the country’s main southern island of Mindanao. “There are no political implications [in this


at the front, the Philippine seal, a new BSP logo, a religious quotation and a map showing the country’s islands. The quotation, believed to be ap-


proved by various religious sects, states: “Pinagpala ang bayan na ang Diyos ay ang Panginoon [Blessed is the nation whose Lord is God].” It is printed on the mid-upper right part of the new bank notes, just above the logos of the Philippine republic and the BSP. The alibata—the country’s native al-


phabet—meanwhile, was printed on the lower right of the bank notes, slightly below the watermark print of the heroes’ or past presidents’ photographs. The new P20 denomination will


have a younger-looking Quezon at the front and pictures of the declaration of Filipino as a national language, and the Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan.


trip],” he said.


The Chinese government previously do- nated engineering equipment that helped the Philippine Army build roads and bridges to bring outreach programs in remote areas where Maoist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels operate. The NPA is the armed unit of the Communist


Party of the Philippines (CPP), whose rebellion that began in 1969 was initially supported by Beijing. Mabanta said that China “already cut ties with the CPP-NPA for a long time now” and it was now focused on helping improve the Phil- ippine Army.


AFP


At the back, a picture of the Banaue Rice Terraces can be found, alongside an animal related to that area, the Palm Civet or most com- monly known as the Musang. The P50 bill, at the front, will also


have a younger-looking Osmeña and prints of the Leyte Landing and the First National Assembly on either side. At the back, the Taal Lake and the Maliputo fish are featured. The American flag that can be found on the old P100 has been re- moved in the new bank note. Printed instead is a young Roxas with pictures of the old BSP building in Intramuros, Manila, and the inau- guration of the Second Republic. The Mayon Volcano in Albay and the whale shark (popularly known as butanding) can be found at the back of the new P100. The P200 bank note features a much


younger Diosdado Macapagal with photos of the EDSA People Power 2001 that elected her daughter, former President and now Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga, and the Independence House (former President Emilio Aguinaldo’s museum) in Kawit, Cavite. At the back, the bank note was printed with the sprawling Choco- late Hills in Bohol and the tarsier. And as previously reported, the new P500 will have the faces of the


country’s two icons of democracy, former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino and former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.


It will also feature pictures of the


EDSA People Power 1 in 1987 and the Benigno Aquino monument on Ayala Avenue, Makati City. At the back, a picture of the Sub- terranean Underground River in Puerto Princesa, Palawan and the Blue-Naped Parrot can be found. On the new P1,000, almost simi- lar pictures of Santos, Lim and Escoda are printed, as well as pho- tographs of the centennial celebra- tion of Philippine independence and the Medal of Honor, which was awarded to each of the trio. Pictures at the back of the new bank note include the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and the South Sea pearl. All bank notes will have a color almost similar to the ones used on the current bank notes—orange for P20, red for P50, bluish violet for P100, green for P200, black/gold for P500 and blue for P1,000. They, however, will carry some monochromatic color schemes in some parts of the bank notes.


Two-year lead time The source said that the new designs


took the BSP’s numismatic commit- ■ UNCONSTITUTIONAL FROM A1 Truth body unconstitutional


“It’s unfortunate. It will set back our ef- forts for reform and accountability,” Lacierda said. The ruling was a triumph of the rule of


law, Mrs. Arroyo’s allies in Congress said. House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman noted that the tribunal merely protected the sanctity of civil liberties against dero- gation by the government and showed that the Supreme Court remained to be the sanctuary of civil liberties. “It [Supreme Court] struck down in- cursions of the President into the realm of legislative authority,” Lagman said in a statement.


Senators Franklin Drilon and Francis


Pangilinan also said that the ruling out- lawing the Truth Commission set back the government’s campaign against graft and corruption. “Clearly, this decision is one of the


many legal obstacles laid down by the Arroyo administration to prevent the [Arroyo] administration from being made to answer to the Filipino people for its abuses and excesses,” Drilon said. Pangilinan described the decision as


“an early Christmas gift” for Mrs. Arroyo. He expressed fears that the High Court ruling might “unwittingly” create the pub- lic perception that the former president cannot be investigated and cannot be held liable for her actions, a view that “may further harm the image and reputation of the Supreme Court.”


From the start Sen. Joker Arroyo said that he had ex-


pected the High Tribunal decision on the Truth Commission. “Right from the start, I took the position


that it was unconstitutional,” he added. The senator rejected claims that Mrs.


Arroyo could no longer be investigated because of the Supreme Court ruling. “There are still many venues for gov- ernment to go against [the former presi- dent]. She can still be prosecuted if evi- dence warrants it,” he said. Senator Arroyo pointed out that the


Truth Commission is merely a fact-find- ing body, and this function could also be done by the Department of Justice or the Office of the Ombudsman. Voting 10-5, the High Court en banc granted a petition of Louis Biraogo, who had questioned the constitutionality of the


■ REPAIRING FROM A1 British scientists find key


numbness to crippling paralysis. “Therapies that repair damage are the missing link in treating multiple sclero- sis,” said Professor Robin Franklin, the director of the MS Society’s Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair at the Univer- sity of Cambridge. “In this study, we have identified a means by which the brain’s own stem cells can be encouraged to undertake


»In The Manila Times


this repair, opening up the possibility of a new regenerative medicine for this dev- astating disease,” he added. Britain’s MS Society, which partly funded the research along with the Na- tional Multiple Sclerosis Society in the United States, hailed the study and said that it could lead to clinical trials within five years and treatment within 15 years. “For people with MS, this is one of the


December 8, 1987 Ongpin found dead JAIME ONGPIN, former Finance secretary to President Corazon Aquino, was found dead in his private office at three o’clock yesterday, an “apparent suicide.” Police found Ongpin, 49, slumped in his swivel chair, blood oozing from his right temple, a .38 Smith and Wesson five-shooter in his right hand, prompting them to suspect suicide.


December 8, 1967 1,794 new CPAs A TOTAL of 1,794 out of 6,162 examinees passed the complete and removal examinations given by the board of examiners for


creation of the fact-finding body for the sole purpose of investigating alleged anomalies during the administration of then President Arroyo, now a lawmaker representing her home province of Pampanga. The decision was written by Associate Jus- tice Jose Catral Mendoza and concurred in by Chief Justice Renato Corona and Associ- ate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Martin Villarama Jr. and Jose Perez. Associate Justices Antonio Eduardo Nachura, Conchita Carpio-Morales, Antonio Carpio, Roberto Abad and Maria Lourdes Sereno dissented.


Equal protection There also was a similar petition against EO


1 filed by House Minority Leader Lagman but Maria Victoria Gleoresty Guerra, the acting chief of the Supreme Court Public Information Office, said that she was not aware whether Lagman’s petition was con- solidated with that of Biraogo. Guerra said that the High Tribunal struck down EO 1 because it violated the equal-protection clause under the Consti- tution as the Truth Commission focuses on alleged acts of graft and corruption of the Arroyo administration such as the $330-million national broadband net- work deal, fertilizer-fund scandal and the “Hello, Garci” controversy.


The commission is headed by retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., with former High Court Justices Romeo Callejo Jr. and Flerida Ruth Romero and law professor Carlos Medina Jr. and lawyer Menardo Guevarra as members. President Aquino signed EO 1 on July


30 this year but, days later, separate peti- tions were filed before the High Tribunal contesting its constitutionality. In one of the petitions, the President’s au- thority to create a public office without a law enacted by Congress was also questioned. The Supreme Court decision declaring


the Truth Commission unconstitutional was the latest of several setbacks in enforc- ing the President’s executive orders. EO 2 and EO 3 were also questioned before the High Court. Executive Order 2 revoked midnight appointments allegedly made by Mrs. Arroyo while Executive Order 3 revoked her EO 883 that allowed lawyers in legal


tee, headed by Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo, two years to complete. Members of the committee who initiated new design studies and proposed upgraded security fea- tures for consideration by the Mon- etary Board include renowned his- torian and newspaper columnist Ambeth Ocampo.


The new images found on the


bank notes, which were all designed by Filipinos, were approved by the heroes’ and past presidents’ imme- diate families.


Also, the source said that the new bank notes will be hygienically treated, making them less prone to sweat and dirt. “Mas matagal yung buhay ng


bagong bank notes [The bank notes will last longer],” he added. “They are being printed on the latest banknote machine installed in the world,” the source said. The bank notes will be shipped from France.


The source said that printing the new Philippine notes in France is cheaper compared to doing it locally. Oberthur Technologies was the winning bidder for the production of the bank notes.


The contract, which cost 25.3 mil- lion euro, gives the firm until the mid- dle of next year to deliver some 702


million pieces of new bank notes. The source said that the BSP is slating to launch the bank notes this month, and will start circulating them next year. Oberthur was also able to produce the bank notes only eight weeks after it received the new designs. The BSP was further pleased with the cheap production cost of the new bank notes. The P20 and P50 denominations will cost P1.50 each to produce; P100 at P2 each; and the P500 and P1,000 denominations at P3.50 each. The French-based firm, during the bidding in August, offered a 30-percent lower price than the English, Dutch, American-Swed- ish, French-Sino, Swiss and Aus- tralian firms that also were inter- ested in the contract.


Oberthur will source the paper that will be used in producing the bank notes from Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany and France. Oberthur Technologies is a French printing firm that was re- sponsible for the new Costa Rican bank notes, as well as the Thai and Belgian e-passports.


The France-based firm was also the winning bidder for the country’s first ePassport project, which was implemented last year.


posts in the government executive serv- ice who had obtained graduate degrees in law and successfully passed their Bar examinations with the rank of Career Ex- ecutive Service Officer 3. In October this year, the High Tribu- nal issued a status quo ante order against implementation of EO 2. Like Lagman, Rep. Mitos Magsaysay of Zambales and Rep. Simeon Datuma- nong of Maguindanao said that the ver- dict on the Truth Commission proved that the Supreme Court is the guardian of the Constitution. Rep. Ignacio Arroyo of Negros Occi- dental said that the creation of the Davide panel was a waste of taxpayers’ money because courts already have been dealing with graft cases. Mr. Aquino’s allies in the House of Rep- resentatives, among them Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo and Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada 3rd of Quezon, said that the High Tribunal decision doomed the govern- ment’s campaign against corruption. Rep. Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna party-list warned that the Supreme Court ruling will set a bad precedent since it prevents future governments from creat- ing similar bodies to investigate human- rights violations and other crimes. But for Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales, hope springs eternal for the Truth Commission. “This setback is only temporary. If the President wants to find out the truth, I suggest that he issue an EO creating a multi-agency task force to be composed of representatives from the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police to investigate, establish a prima facie case and thereaf- ter recommend filing of appropriate charges against any person or persons who appear/s liable,” Gonzales said. Lacierda agreed, saying that “this tem- porary setback” will not stop the Aquino administration from seeking the truth. He added that they will be filing a mo- tion for reconsideration and explore other options to investigate those engaged in cor- ruption during the Arroyo administration. Lacierda said that Mrs. Arroyo’s allies should not celebrate yet because the gov- ernment will not stop its efforts to estab- lish accountability.


He dismissed speculations that the High Court decision meant to strike back at the Aquino administration. WITH REPORTS FROM CRIS G. ODRONIA, LLANESCA T. PANTI AND EFREN L. DANAO


most exciting developments in recent years,” said Chief Executive Simon Gillespie. “It’s hard to put into words how revo- lutionary this discovery could be and how critical it is to continue research into MS,” he added.


The research, published in the jour- nal Nature Neuroscience, identified a specific type of molecule called RXR- gamma, which appears to be important in promoting myelin repair. The team found that stimulating RXR- gamma in rats encouraged the brain’s own stem cells to regenerate myelin.


AFP


certified public accountants (CPAs) in Manila on December 4, 11 and 18, 1966, Malacañang announced yesterday.


December 8, 1947 8 Pampanga residents snatched, slain FOUR residents of Lubao, Pampanga, who were political supporters of Senator-elect Pablo Angeles David, were kid- napped from their farms last week. Two days later, their corpses were returned to the sites of the kidnapping, according to official reports received by the San Fernando Military Police on Saturday. The four were apparently victims of political reprisal as in life they actively aided the civilian guards and MP in their campaign against the Huks, it was learned.


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