The Manila Times


A 2


news THURSDAY D e cember 9, 2010


Napocor seeks more funds for off-grid areas S


BY EUAN PAULO C. AÑONUEVO REPORTER


TATE-OWNED National Power Corp. (Napocor) is seeking regulators’ nod for consumers to fully shoulder its off- grid and island operations.


Froilan Tampinco, Napocor presi- dent, on Wednesday said that the power firm has appealed the Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision


■ CONTINUES FROM A1 Search for truth continues


“Habang nandito ako, hindi ako papayag na patuloy na apihin ang Pilipino [As long as I am here, I will not allow the enslavement of the Filipino]” the President added. According to him, they are studying the Supreme Court deci- sion and the options available to Malacañang. Mr. Aquino made the statements


a day after the High Court issued a decision that declared unconsti- tutional the administration’s Ex- ecutive Order (EO) 1 creating the Truth Commission. The commission’s mandate was


to investigate corruption scandals that rocked the government dur- ing the watch of then President Gloria Arroyo. President Aquino said that the


Truth Commission’s main task is to put closure to all the unresolved controversies that hounded the Arroyo administration, among them the aborted $330-million broadband contract, the fertilizer- fund controversy and the “Hello, Garci” scandal.


Darkest chapters “Ang hinahabol po natin dito ay


katotohanan. Itinatag natin ang Truth Commission upang isara ang sinasabing isa sa mga pinakamadilim na kabanata sa ating kasaysayan— at malinaw na makakamtan lamang natin ito kung patuloy nating tu- tuklasin at kakapitan ang katotohan [What we are after is the truth. We put up the Truth Commission to put closure to the darkest chapters in our country’s history—and it is clear that we can only realize that closure if we continue searching for the truth and clinging to the truth],” he added. “Ang pinakamahalagang layunin nito: Bigyang-liwanag ang anumang sadyang hinarang ang pagsisiwalat, at patuloy pang itinatago ng mga nakinabang sa lumang sistema [The most important objective of the commission is this: Shed light on the intentional blocking of inves-


■ RH BILL FROM A1 Church, doctors take same position on reproductive health bill


by its president, Dr. Sylvia Carnero, agreed that “life begins at fertilization.” “The PMA is against abortion and so is the CBCP. We doctors took an oath to save and protect human life and that definitely in- cludes the unborn child. No doubt the CBCP supports our stand on this,” Catli added.


The PMA also distributed to the CBCP panel led by its Secretary Gen- eral Monsignor Juanito Figura cop- ies of “An Act Providing for the Safety and Protection of the Unborn & for Other Purposes” or House Bill 13 authored by Rep. Roilo Golez of Parañaque City (Metro Manila). PMA media affairs Chairman Dr. Mike Aragon said that they are sup- porting the measure of Golez be- cause of its “clear provisions” and of it being “pro-life.”


■ CANCER FROM A1 Chemical used in bills, receipts linked to cancer


till receipts made from thermal paper that they collected from 22 popular retailers and cafés and found that half of them were coated with large quanti- ties of BPA. “Since BPA in thermal paper is present in a powdery film, we suspected it could easily travel from those receipts to other objects,” said the study, led by Washington Toxics Coalition scientist Erika Schreder. Holding the receipts for just 10 seconds caused up to 2.5 micrograms of BPA to transfer from the paper onto a person’s fingers and rubbing the receipts increased at about 15-fold the


amount of BPA transferred from the receipts onto fingers, the study added.


From the fingers, the BPA


transferred easily onto dollar bills: the researchers found the chemical on 21 of 22 bills tested, although in much lower levels than on the till receipts. More than 130 studies over the


past decade had linked even low levels of BPA to serious health problems, including breast cancer, obesity and early onset of puberty. The European Union last month


followed Canada’s lead and banned the use of BPA in baby bottles after tests showed the petroleum product can affect neural develop-


ment and behavior in laboratory animals exposed to the chemical in the womb or very early in life. But BPA is still widely used in plastic water jugs, soft drink cans, hockey helmets, mobile phone housings, computers, car bumpers and other consumer products, and the health impact of the chemical on humans has been disputed. Last month, the World Health Organization said that BPA does not accumulate in the body, but admitted that “recent experimen- tal and epidemiological studies found associations between low BPA exposure levels and some adverse health outcomes.” Andy Igrejas, the director of


Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, called on US lawmakers to toughen up the law that regulates chemi- cals in the United States in the light of the study’s findings. “BPA on receipts, dollar bills and in many other products is a direct result of the absurdly lax controls on chemicals in the United States,” he said, calling on the incoming Congress to reform “the failed 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act.” The Rayburn Café in the US House of Representatives was one of the establishments where till receipts were found to have high levels of BPA, according to the study, which was published online by the two nonprofit organizations.


But the medical association did not reject outright the RH bill, say- ing that it also has some good points. But Aragon said that they are one with the church and pro-life groups in pushing for the passage of House Bill 13. “We are for the protection of life especially of the unborn. It’s very clear that the bill seeks to protect the unborn,” he added.


The CBCP earlier clarified that it


was not totally against the RH bill but only some of its provisions which, Figura said, “when seen from the moral point of view are not in agreement with the Catho- lic teachings.”


Large-scale public funding for ar- tificial contraceptives such as con- doms and pills is assured in the pro- posed RH measure.


But advocates of the RH bill disa- gree that artificial birth control is a form of abortion, which the Con- stitution disallows. Figura said that PMA’s position on the beginning of life could defi- nitely boost the Catholic Church’s campaign against contraception and abortion. “What is clear now is that the PMA as an institution has that com- mon agreement with the CBCP that, from their expertise as medical prac- titioners, human life begins at the stage of fertilization,” he added. “Contrary to what the RH bill


advocates are saying that life begins at implantation, the doctors are say- ing otherwise,” Figura said. The CBCP and the medical asso- ciation, he added, agreed that life should be protected from the mo-


ment of fertilization up to its natu- ral death “because the doctors are committed to save lives.”


CBCP President Bishop Nereo Odchimar earlier said that they will consult legal and medical ex- perts to help them prepare for a dialogue with Malacañang on con- troversial issues that surround gov- ernment efforts to craft a reproduc- tive health policy. PMA President Dr. Oscar Tinio said that their organization would voluntarily offer its scientific and medical expertise on reproductive health issues to both the govern- ment and the church.


House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales 2nd said that a lone sena- tor could derail the approval of the RH bill, since there is an unwritten rule on the need to get every sena-


tor’s consent before a certain bill can be discussed at the plenary. But Gonzales said that the House can approve the bill, especially if the leadership decides to push for its passage.


But he expressed doubt that there


would be senators who would op- pose the RH bill because some of them are seeking reelection to the Senate or higher office in 2013. Earlier, House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said that his group in the opposition bloc welcomed President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s full- backing of the RH measure despite a warning that President Aquino was risking possible impeachment com- plaint if he would support the con- troversial bill.


WITH REPORT FROM RUBEN D. MANAHAN 4TH


tigations of the scandals, which still are being feasted on by those who had gained from them, in the first place],” Mr. Aquino said. He also clarified that the Truth Commission is not singling out one person—former President Gloria Arroyo, now sitting as a Pampanga lawmaker. “Lilinawin ko po: Hindi nakatutok


ang Truth Commission sa iisang tao lamang, kundi sa maraming iba’t ibang mga insidente. Kailangan po nating malaman—hiwa-hiwalay bang kaso ito, o ito ang sistemang umiral sa loob ng siyam at kalahating taon? May mga kakuntsaba pa bang nasa puwesto ngayon, at may pagkakataon pang ipagpatuloy nila ang kanilang pamiminsala? [I will make it clear: The Truth Commission is not aim- ing at just one person, but at oth- ers. We have to know—are we talk- ing of different cases, or is this the system that prevailed in the last nine and a half years? Are those who gained still in the government, and do they still have the chance to continue destroying the govern- ment?]” the President said.


Possible options


Apparently reproaching the peo- ple, he said, “Kapag napinsala ang mga Pilipino, hindi po ba kayo nababahala? Hindi po ba kasama ang inyong mga anak, apo, at mga mahal sa buhay na makikinabang sa paglalatag natin ng maayos na sistema, kung saan mananagot ang mga nagkasala? [Are you not both- ered if you suffer? Isn’t it that your children, grandchildren, your loved ones will be the ones to gain from an orderly system, where those who do wrong will be pun- ished?]” he added. Mr. Aquino said that he re-


ceived a copy of the decision of the Supreme Court at 5:47 p.m. of Wednesday.


He added that among the possi- ble options available to Ma- lacañang are filing a motion for re- consideration and amending EO 1.


to halve the amount to be passed on to consumers, through the uni- versal charge for missionary electri- fication (UCME) component of


electricity bills, for its Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG). “Based on the current conditions that are being put upon us, that will result in reduced operational flex- ibility. But that does not prevent us from undertaking efforts, for exam- ple, in the authority that has been given to us in our UCME, we have filed a motion for reconsideration,” he added. Napocor’s SPUG unit provides


power to islands and areas across the country that are not connected to the main power grid. Under the Electric Power Indus-


try Reform Act of 2001, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities and Management Corp. was directed to privatize Napocor’s main plants in the main grid and manage its books. Napocor was left with running SPUG, including the financing of its operations.


Axe to grind


Tampinco said that up to 2011, the SPUG would need between P7 and P9 billion. The power firm earlier sought to


recover over P5 billion from its UCME application but the com- mission approved only around half of this.


Napocor then proposed to issue bonds to cover for the balance of SPUG’s requirements but opted not to proceed with this after the De-


■ LUISTRO FROM A1


MIRIAM WITHDRAWS


They claimed that Luistro had not acted on their complaints against the University of the East for alleged vio- lations of no-collection policy, field trips and the Anti-Child Abuse Law. Luistro said that he is grateful to Santiago for withdrawing her objec- tion before the Commission on Appointments (CA). “I am very thankful and apprecia-


tive that the good senator sent her letter withdrawing her opposition. She received me warmly during our meeting yesterday [Tuesday] and was very open to my explanation. I am elated that she accepted my ex- planations,” he added.


PHOTO BY MIGUEL DE GUZMAN


An axe-wielding firefighter on Wednesday smashes the rear of a bus after its engine burst into flames along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.


■ SPRATLY FROM A1 Chinese lighthouse on islands


when he was foreign undersecretary, said that China is allergic to the word “code” because to it connotes a legal obligation that all the parties would assume. Baja said that China’s thinking was,


“Why would we allow others to assume obligations over an area which we own?” Eight years after the signing of the


Declaration of Conduct for the South China Sea in 2002 at Kunming City between Beijing and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the implementing guidelines have yet to be finalized. China has been consistent with its position that the South China Sea is a bilateral issue among claimant countries, and has tried avoiding discussion of it in Asean meetings.


Asean, however, succeeded in having it discussed at the Asean-China summit in Hanoi in September. It was there that they agreed on the December 22 to 23 meeting.


US intervention Recent intervention of the United


States on the South China Sea issue has complicated matters.


In a meeting with Asean foreign


ministers in Hanoi in July, US State Secretary Hillary Clinton declared that it is in the “national interest” of the United States that freedom of navigation be maintained in the South China Sea through which 85 percent of the ships carrying oil for China, Japan and South Korea pass.


Clinton also said that the US


supports “a collaborative diplomatic process . . . without coercion” in resolving the territorial disputes. China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi


rebuked Clinton, saying internationalizing the South China Sea issue would “only make matters worse and more difficult to solve.” Baja said that the Americans hope to get a foothold in the South China Sea so they can monitor activities in the region. He took note of China’s statement that the South China Sea is a “core issue” just like Taiwan and Tibet. “That means China would be willing to go to war over it,” he added.


VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”


Santiago previously and for- mally objected to Luistro’s nomi- nation to head the Education de- partment because of “conflict of interest, gross ignorance of the law and political deafness.”


The Education chief earlier said that he was prepared to return to the private sector if he would not get the CA nod despite expressing confi- dence that he would be able to an- swer the issues raised by Santiago. Meanwhile, the confirmation of


Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim is stalled with the opposition of sev- eral stakeholders in the tourism in- dustry and with several congress- men reserving the right to question him in the next hearing. Dr. Robert Joseph, the founding chairman of the National Associa- tion of Independent Travel Agencies, said that Lim “lied” in washing his hands off the discredited tourism brand, “Pilipinas Kay Ganda.” “First, he said there were no ex- penses in launching the slogan but it later turned out that the government spent P55 million. Then he said that he had nothing to do with the slogan campaign but he was the signatory in the budget, vouchers and checks about the launching,” he added. Joseph also criticized Lim for al- legedly failing to lead in crafting a national tourism development pro- gram and for espousing a “one- sided open skies [policy] in favor of foreign airlines.” “The short time that he was ap- pointed Tourism secretary, Lim has failed to show the competence, pro- fessionalism, fact and wisdom that a Tourism secretary should possess,” he said in his sworn statement op- posing Lim’s nomination. Joseph noted that during the hos- tage crisis last August 23 involving tourists from Hong Kong, Lim said that the incident had little effect “be- cause Hong Kong is a small market.” He said that Lim was ousted from the Civil Aeronautics Board by then President Gloria Arroyo for favoring foreign airlines by pushing for one- sided open skies. “Lim is co-founder of the Freedom to Fly Coalition, which was unmasked in the Senate as being funded by the US group AGILE and other foreign interests,” Joseph added.


The confirmation hearings of Luistro and Lim will continue next week. WITH REPORT FROM


MARIA NIKKA U. GARRIGA »In The Manila Times


December 9, 1987 NP, LP loom as major parties POWER blocs, including those in President Corazon Aquino’s ruling coalition, have been predicted to realign finally into just two major contending political parties. It would still be the Nacionalista and Liberal parties, which would be contending for political power in the country, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said in an interview yesterday.


December 9, 1967 UP professor slain DR. Mariano Gana, 75, retired professor of the University of the Philippines, was bludgeoned to death and robbed of P200 by six men in his Caloocan City home at 9:30 last night. The six men stole into the house at 139 Tirad Pass, Caloocan City, behind the Balintawak High School and gagged and hogtied two maids.


AFP


December 9, 1947 Gold smuggling reports alert law agencies OFFICIAL reports that a group is planning to smuggle out P8-million worth of gold bullion already stocked somewhere in the city caused all local law-enforcing agencies to join in an intensive “Operation Gold Bullion,” it was learned officially. First to receive the reports was James Keefe, chief of customs secret service.


partment of Justice came up with the opinion that it could only raise funds for refinancing activities. In light of this, Tampinco said that they are hopeful that the com- mission would approve Napocor’s motion for reconsideration on its earlier petition “and we will get ad- ditional funds from UCME that would translate into better opera- tional flexibility for us in the SPUG areas.”


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