REVISED--The Way It Is METROPOST MARISSA NGAN DAMES


FOOD FOR THOUGHT


sk a group of Pinoys how they like their adobo, and you can be certain that each one will give a different answer each time — from the classic pork adobo to adobong dilaw or adobo sa gata.


A


Department of Trade & Industry-Bureau of Philippines Standards to set up a technical working committee on Filipino dishes (TC 92) that will develop Philippine National Standards when it comes to cooking adobo, sinigang, sisig, lechon, and other popular native dishes.


statement on July 9 that the committee began setting the standards for cooking adobo in May, referring mainly to Kulinarya: A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine for their guide on how to prepare and cook the Filipino dish. Two days later, however, the DTI clarified that the standards were not mandatory and would only “define what we promote internationally. According to Rappler


Philippines, TC 92 is chaired by Glenda Barretto, founder of Via Mare Corp.; and vice- chaired by Myrna Segismundo of the Food Writers Association of the Philippines, and Raoul Roberto Goco of the Hotel & Restaurant Association of the Philippines.


The committee members are representatives from the Unive r s ity of


th e The DTI said in a press the


lkdtiglao@gmail.com Philippines


So it’s no wonder that chefs, foodies and netizens, have pilloried the recent announcement of


College of Home Economics, Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Inc., Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc., Department of Science & Technology- Industrial Technology Development Institute, Philippine Association of Food Technologists Inc., LTB Chefs Association, Asia Society Philippines, National Commission for Culture & the Arts, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The DTI said the committee


was formed to standardize the cooking technique of adobo, amid the “various cooking methods published online by food writers, bloggers,


and vloggers.”They aim to determine the “common denominator among all the known ways of cooking it” to help “preserve the country’s cultural identity despite the variations made to it.”


“There will be different approaches and opinions. As long as I have, say one to three steps, it’s this recipe. Anything else you add to it is a variation to the cooking technique,” Segismundo said.


Ingredients range from chicken, pork, soy sauce, vinegar, laurel leaves, black pepper, to coconut milk, atsuete (annatto), sugar; while methods can range from braising, stewing, to boiling and more.


Diliman-


cooking technique for Philippine adobo will help ordinary citizens, foodies, and food businesses determine and maintain the authentic Filipino adobo taste,” said BPS Director Neil Catajay. The DTI said the draft


t was Stephen Covey who said that problems, challenges, and opportunities we face fall into two areas: circle of concern and circle of influence.


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Philippine national standards on adobo “will be circulated nationwide, once available, for review and comments of concerned stakeholders”. Once the standards of adobo are set, TC 92 will proceed to sinigang, lechon, and sisig. Chef Jam Melchor, founder of the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement


“There is nothing wrong with diversity. In fact, yan ang strength ng cuisine natin. Ang daming ways or effective approach


says: Much ado(bo) about nothing


/ measures to promote our cuisine and local food culture na pwedeng maisip at gawin.


As a staunch advocate of Filipino cuisine, this is my stand - standardization is NOT the answer at this point. Imagine, paano niyo sasabihin sa mga lola niyo na hindi pasok sa ‘standard’ ang recipes nila?”


Adobo is prepared and served in different ways, depending on which region it originates from.


This is why a focused in-depth subject on Philippine cuisine and gastronomy must be included in the current education curriculum. It would help people to appreciate each regional difference and highlight the beauty of Filipino food. It would also highlight that Filipino food is not only adobo, sinigang, or sisig etc.”


“Standardizing the basic


I had the rare privilege of meeting food historian, editor and author of the Republic of Taste Ige Ramos some years ago, and I was amazed at the fount of knowledge he has over


TO PAGE 8


PEOPLES CORNER


HONOLULU, HAWAII -- Well, here we are again with landfills. As I had stated in a previous post, landfills are inevitable, and more than likely a necessity.


Having said that, let’s examine a few issues as to how we got here: 1. Landfills have occurred at the Dumaguete bay in the past, although more naturally in the past due to lack of man- made obstructions, allowing the natural process of accretion to occur.


I’ve been told that many remember the natural shoreline being closer to the Catholic Church than where it is now. The boulevard as we know it was underwater decades ago. 2. City administrations in the past have never addressed the situation along the coastline until now. The present administration has been the only group progressive enough to address and provide options for this area. Unfortunately, the option being examined is deeply- flawed.


3. The process of due diligence of getting the community involved to respond to urban solutions that will benefit all has never been utilized effectively, if at all. Included in this woeful and embarrassing indictment is the present administration. 4. The local community, especially many civic leaders, are also culpable in this unfortunate situation. To the best of my knowledge, there haven’t been any Bills or Ordinances introduced and passed that seek to relieve some of our urban and environmental problems, nor


has there been any clamor to take any such actions for progressive urban solutions. All I’ve seen are signature complaints stalling or killing the process. 5. This doesn’t prove to be a healthy environment for all for the present and for the future that has yet to come. Now, many are probably upset with my words, and I haven’t left anyone unscathed. But I again don’t mean to offend, just to highlight a few reasons as to why many of us feel alienated and helpless in situations such as this. Let me make clear then my opinion of the proposal to reclaim 174 hectares along the Dumaguete coastline:


1.Boycott the contract- signing; even if it is a Private Sector Participation project, it is quite illegal and immoral as no due diligence was applied in its introduction and eventual approval.


communities progress, especially with commercially- viable properties. However, cultural and historic assets should be protected, and not disregarded.


comes to mind is proper sewage disposal. The proposal to place a sewage treatment plant as part of the landfill along the shoreline is wrong, and is quite out-of-date when it comes to present day, ecologically-sensitive water treatment solutions. There are many other ways.


An important item that


project still did not exist in the Dumaguete public mind. After its announcement and reveal by Mayor Remollo and his colleagues in the City Council on July 7, however, it has become, quite literally, all the rage. It seems beneficial for our


I “


I am, however, grateful that an outside entity would be interested in investing in our community. Which leads me past an awkward question: Where are our civic and business leaders in this regard? 2.Begin with the community


and civic leaders the process of protecting and improving our shoreline. My opinion is that a landfill isn’t necessary, nor is it an option that will benefit the community at all.


The process can begin with conversing our boulevard district which is historic, and should be protected. Many restaurants and businesses have been established in the old homes.


This is the way many


signature campaign to have the next administration address these issues is a big mistake. Kicking the can down the road is the worst action any community can take.


concerns needs to start now in earnest. Procrastination or ambivalence to any proposals is the fastest road to hell. The time is ripe, let us begin


TO PAGE 6 The process to address our


3.Begin to examine building setback lines that protect the boulevard with diminishing and respectful sight lines. At present, there are many pillboxes that have been, or are being built that are only for income-generating purposes, and only add to urban blight. Our boulevard is our promenade from the past, and should be preserved for all in perpetuity. The reclamation proposal aims to delete all of that, and appears to be merely concrete and glass solutions which obliterate what was our very own jewel bequeathed to us from previous generations. We should respect this history. 4. A proposal from one


My experience in public service taught me I had so many concerns but many of them were beyond me. When I tried to wrestle with those concerns, I ended up frustrated. In the process, I developed the value of compromises and win-win solutions, without necessarily compromising principles and beliefs. Some would call it as bending the law instead of breaking it. One


graduating senator inserted in the budget substantial amount for his district in Cebu because he was running as a congressman and the projects


were disbursed through our office, I was sad and angry as not a single centavo was being poured into my home province, the lone district of Siquijor.


Many times I’ve been threatened with transfer to other regions by congressmen who suspected their pork barrel funds were released to their political nemesis. I was also recommended


tim e, wh en a PONCIANO LIGUTOM BOW & ARROW pligutom@yahoo.com


Labor and Employment due to his perceived difficulty in handling me with regards to government projects for his District.


areas of influence. It was not easy.


mind as I am reflecting on the alleged wave of opposition to the ambitious project of the city government, the proposed 174-hectare reclamation project.


Those experience came to I learned to focus on my


online are centered against the destruction of marine resources in different coastal barangays of the City which would have lasting ill-effects in the surrounding communities, deprivation of the sea-based livelihood of families, and the destruction of the beautiful ambiance of Rizal Boulevard. Others comment that there


I thought of the reclamation projects done in Manila Bay and the Cebu-Mactan waterway. The original Cebu reclamation was conceptualized during the time of then-Mayor Serging Osmena. The project was labeled as too ambitious, and people said the Mayor was being foolish.


Succeeding administrations expanded the reclamation to the cities of Mandaue and Talisay (the South Reclamation Project of Tomas Osmena was made through a Ph6 billion loan from Landbank). I would like to believe the Osmenas were vindicated for their political will. Last year, the Philippine


for immediate recall from overseas assignment because of a fight I waged against foreign recruitment agencies and employers in the habit of keeping or confiscating the passports of our OFWs. An influential congressman in Negros Occidental also blocked the plan for me to be Negors Island regional director of the Department of


many unfinished road projects, garbage and waste disposal problems, the degradation of the Banica River, including the peace and order situation. They are valid objections but may not be enough reasons to stop the project. After all, environmental problems have alternative solutions.


Development or economic advancement


The present Dumaguete issue is my concern but I think is also is beyond my influence. My limited knowledge or experience as a former DOLE director and labor attaché in the Middle East (almost 40 years) has come into play on my thoughts on the proposed project:


Reclamation Authority also approved the P20 billion Ming- Mori reclamation project in the Cebu town of Minglanilla. This project was subjected to more than five years of a rigid and comprehensive review by the PRA and the Department of Environment & Natural Resources.


The objections to the proposed Dumaguete reclamation project that I have been reading about


MICAH STEFAN DAGAERAG


HONEST ENGAGEMENTS


micahdagaerag@outlook.com


t was not too long ago when the public-private partnership reclamation


ordinance, however, the BOT Law shall prevail.


collective activism then, that we be able to help keep each other up to speed not just on the key facts of the case, but also on what they mean in the broader view of things.


Was the BOT Law followed? No. There are about 35 steps that the BOT Law requires in the proper processing of unsolicited PPP proposals. As far as we know from currently accessible information, the City has disregarded around 30 of those steps.


When should public consultations be made? In a resolution titled Guidelines on Public Consultation and Engagement for PPP Projects, the national PPP Governing


PPP contract. However, neither the


BOT Law nor the local PPP ordinance requires this. The BOT Law, on the contrary, mandates that these negotiations should already occur before approval of the unsolicited proposal by the City Council, as in fact, the MoU drafted by the City Council stated that the period for negotiation already happened in February 2020.


pretense is not making much sense. I submit that the real significance of the July 14 vote


The infamous Dgte reclamation plan: some baseline Q&As


These are by no means exhaustive of all the important matters at hand, but I think these cover enough of its biggest and most fundamental aspects that we need to be aware of:


What law applies in this case? Public-Private Partnerships are governed by Republic Act 7718, as amended, also known the Build-Operate- Transfer Law. There are specific provisions regarding unsolicited proposals, which is how this reclamation saga began with EM Cuerpo Inc., being the original proponent thereof.


What is the role of the local PPP ordinance? Local government units are allowed by law to enact local ordinances to supplement and support the implementation of national laws such as the BOT Law. In case of conflict between the BOT Law and the PPP


Board, in implementing public consultation policies in the Local Government Code, requires the government entity to develop a Consultation Plan at the beginning of the project development stage, and to conduct public consultation and engagement no less than three times: prior to project approval, prior to implementation, and during implementation. To date, the City has


is that it granted the Mayor the authority to enter into a PPP Contract with the Original Proponent. Is the purported MoU in reality the actual PPP Contract?


developed no Consultation Plan, and has held no public consultation prior to project approval. What is the significance


of the July 14 vote of the City Council? The July 14 vote granted the Mayor the authority to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, on the pretense that it is necessary to allow the Mayor to enter into negotiations with the Original Proponent towards the final


Under the BOT Law, the signing of the PPP Contract follows the issuance of a Notice of Award to the Original Proponent. Again, there is no purgatorial “MoU” in either law or local ordinance as a prelude to the final PPP Contract.


already given on June 23 to the Original Proponent, the signing of the PPP Contract is the next logical step.


With the Notice of Award


Moreover, the drafted MoU itself on its face does not even bother to pretend that it is merely a tentative framework within which the parties may


TO PAGE 6 Needless to say, this


While government is the biggest employer in the country, it is not the main generator of jobs. Job generation is a function of investment. Investment is influenced by many factors: excellent infrastructure (roads, bridges, seaports, airports, etc.), reliable utilities (power, water, communication, etc.), peace and order, availability of qualified labor force,


Employment TO PAGE 6 Yes, I have observed the JULY 18 - JULY 24, 2021 OPINION 5


are still many other concerns of the City which must be prioritized.


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