Liveblogging will be at Inquirer Current

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 1:44 pm 



Watch out for NERI.I still have high hopes for him.

mlq3 on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 1:54 pm 



tdc, word is, neri will not show up at senate today. let’s hope it’s just kuryente.

DevilsAdvc8 on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 2:00 pm 



zzzt! ahaha.

tonio on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 4:53 pm 



yup. he bugged out of attending. hahaha

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 9:27 pm 



After almost 6 hours of telebabad,I am totally shocked at the complete lack of real justification for the NBN project.It’s a project that is being pushed for the wrong reasons.

We need a government broadband network like we need a hole in the head!

1)While we are trying to privatize government-controlled or owned corporations,the project proponents of the nbn deal are moving in the opposite direction .

2)There are already three private companies (Globe, Smart,Sun)with a very wide national penetration.The government wants its own, redundant,network.

This project is all about high stakes COMMISSIONS not only for Abalos but also for Mendoza and the Pidals.

Kudos to Senators ROXAS,GORDON,ESCUDERO ,CAYETANO and PANGILINAN.Great job!

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 9:40 pm 



Senators Noynoy Aquino,Loren Legarda, Honasan:Please do your homework naman.I got the impression that you were just interested in the photo-ops and sound bits at prime time!

Senators Jingoy and Lacson:Not as fiery as the last session.

Senators Miriam,Joker and Enrile:It’s about time to recharge your batteries.No more adrenalin.Joker,I got the impression you really
want to be in the Supreme Court !

The young brave lions of the Senate today: ROXAS,PANGILINAN,CAYETANO ,ESCUDERO and
GORDON. Class acts today!

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 9:57 pm 



The more I watched Joey,the more convinced Iam about his credibility.Warts and all,he is 100% more credible than MENDOZA and FAUSTINO.They stink!

cvj on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:18 pm 



…and a better man than Romulo Neri. I looked at his biography and found that he had his high school at the Ateneo in the early 60’s. The Jesuits should revisit what went wrong with their values formation education for that decade.

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:19 pm 



God writes straight with crooked lines …..

1)Here is Joey De Venecia,a brave son of a most TRAPO father.
2)Then we have a Fatso who proves that flight is a strong evidence of guilt.
3)Brave journalists like MLQ3, Jarius,Ellen and Ricky .
4)The standard contravidas:Lady Miriam,LoloJohnny and Joker.
5)The original brave ones:Lacson and Pimentel
6)The new BRAVE Senators,Cayetano,Pangilinan,Roxas,Gordon AND
Escudero.
7)The power of INTERNET and brave bloggers.

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:24 pm 



CVJ:Don’t give up on NERI:He is a tormented soul now.They are watching him closely coz he worked with JDV before.

cvj on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:25 pm 



ok tdc, hope you’re right.

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:29 pm 



ROMULO NERI

Prior to his appointment as Budget Secretary last July 2005, Neri served as NEDA Director General and of the House of Representatives’ Congressional Planning and Budget Office (CPBO)under JDV.

As CPBO director-general, Neri provided advice to the leadership of the Philippine House of Representatives on socioeconomic issues, particularly on fiscal and monetary policies, development financing, and the budget of the national government.

He was a Eugenio Lopez Foundation associate professor for Corporate Financial Management at the Asian Institute of Management and as former corporate planning and finance officer of such companies as Canlubang Sugar Estate, Canlubang Pulp and Manufacturing Corporation, C-J Yulo and Sons Inc., Philippine National Oil Company, Luzon Stevedoring Corporation and Mobil Oil Philippines, Inc.

Neri obtained his master’s degree in business administration in 1979 at the Graduate School of Management, University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), majoring in Finance and International Management. He finished his business administration degree, major in marketing, at the U.P College of Business Administration in 1970, graduating class valedictorian and magna cum laude. He finished his high school at the Ateneo de Manila.

Manila Bay Watch on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:37 pm 



Mlq3,

That was an excellent running liveblogging commentary there…

Thanks loads and loads.

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:39 pm 



manila bay watch:Il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud.

Manila Bay Watch on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:41 pm 



Absolument, TDC entièrement d’accord.

Patricio Mangubat on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 10:57 pm 



I watched the tail-end of the hearings and its quite obvious that this deal does not deserve our hard-earned money. This is just a classic case of pambabakal and obviously entered into by the gang of FG to get a quick buck.

I do admire Senator Mar Roxas, Chiz, Pangilinan and Cayetano for their incisive questions. However, what got my goat was when Pangilinan approached Mendoza after the hearings. Roxas probably thought that the cameras were out at that time. What I saw sickened me. It was Roxas congratulating Mendoza for a “job well done.” It just reinforced the view that the hearing was just a “show” by politicians. Imagine, even JInggoy congratulating Mendoza, for what? For being a bumbling cabinet secretary? So much for expecting too much from these politicos.

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 11:04 pm 



Richard Gordon was a revelation to me! quite fair.Akala ko pang Ateneo Blue Buble Batallion na lang.Oh well,he had to find a better way of grabbing the spotlight now that the Blue Eagles have lost to La Salle.

Sana naman Dick dont bully small people like doble.

mlq3 on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 11:07 pm 



patricio, i think that was ok, it was elementary courtesy to a cabinet secretary and who was, after all, a guest at the senate.

tdc on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 11:10 pm 



MLQ3: more power to you! but ingat! the forces of evil cannot be underestimated!

Manila Bay Watch on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 11:44 pm 



Agree with mlq3 on the handshaking. Won’t do for Jinggoy to punch Mendoza at all.

BrianB on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 11:52 pm 



Good job, Manolo. Better than TV.

Karl Garcia on Thu, 20th Sep 2007 11:56 pm 



Patricio,
para sakin kahit na anung pumasok sa kukote ng malacanang,mabuti na din na full force silang dumating sa senate.
natawa ako ng kinomend ni villar si ermita sa pag dating,ay finocus ng camera na natutulog.

ewan ko lang sa garci,wiretapping kung same attitude ang cabinet dito…siguro mas matimbang itong zte

natural mas matimabang si FG kesa ke Gloria.

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 12:06 am 



many, many thanks, brian.

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 12:23 am 



It’s amazing, Manolo. You can rewind and fast forward by just scrolling up and down.

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 12:48 am 



Guys go visit yugatech dot com for a brief introduction on what ZTE was going to give us.

manuelbuencamino on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:01 am 



Gloria will cancel the deal and then ask that the hearings be stopped and we move on. Her Senate tutas will say that’s right no harm no foul let’s move on.

She doesn’t want to have to force Neri to perjure himself because he may just not go that extra mile for her,

And of course she doesn’t want to risk having to turn Analos into a scapegoat because he might turn on her and bring her and Mike down with him.

This ZTE deal is so big and the witness, Joey, is so credible that Gloria is in danger of losing the “somos” crowd and what then happens she’s done for.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:14 am 



manuelbuencamino:most likely scenario the one you just painted!

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:31 am 



Can anyone familiar with elite psychology explain to me how come this ZTE scandal has more potency in unseating Arroyo than the Hello Garci scandal?

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:42 am 



The elite did not like Fernando Poe.So they were able to rationalize the cheating of Mrs.Pidal

The ZTE story is different.Here is a young DaVID FIGHTING a goliath(Fatso),the queen,the CommissionER,the lackeys and
the three spoiled brats.Hard not to like this type story .

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:50 am 



Te David is the balding former drug addict? Hm. Our elite have the dramatic flair of British croquet players.

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 3:22 am 



if the best thing you guys can do is show the zte deal is “unnecessary”, “disadvantageous”, or “expensive”, that is a matter of opinion. but to suggest that fgma and the first family is involved in “corruption” on the basis of this “hearing”, is more than just ridiculous. joey de venecia is credible a witness as to the “chance” meeting at wack wack, no more, no less. nothing, nothing in this “show” even suggest a presidential family’s wrongdoing.

pete m. on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 3:58 am 



Bencard,

above all the ZTE deal is treasonous,

Sen Honasan touched on the sensitive national security issue.

But if not for commission what’s in it for GMA?

GMA needs cheap China loans as an addict needs money to buy drugs. GMA is addicted to power. She needs Chinese investments and loans to prop her up. A ‘good economy’ lays the predicate for PGMA beyond 2010,’to secure the gains of the economy’.

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:08 am 



It’s at least Betrayal of public trust

pete m. on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:15 am 



Cheap moneys in-exchange for national security is a lousy trade off.

“Biazon asks Formoso how many base stations Smart has; Formoso says ask NTC, companies view it as TRADE SECRETS. Biazon wants to know how many Globe, Sun, Smart have.”

But Communist China is doing the backbone for the gov’t lock,stock and barrel.

Terribly ridiculous if it were not so treasonuous.

pete m. on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:25 am 



Bencard,

While killing and kidnapping leftist militants, hunting down Ka Roger in the mountains, indoctrinating the soldiers with anti-communist propaganda, this GMA administration is practically surrendering our national security to Communist Chinese. Review Chinese investments in the country since GMA took power.

pete m. on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:30 am 



As an off-shoot of the Senate’s ZTE investigation, I suggest the creation of the Philippine-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

To monitor, investigate, and submit to congress an annual report on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the Phillippines and the People’s Republic of China, and to provide recommendations, where appropriate, to Congress for legislative and administrative action.

pete m. on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:06 am 



The NPA had been blowing up cell sites of local Telcos.

Will they do the same to ZTE towers?

Is there a ‘long-distance communications’ between the CPP Politburo and the Chinese Communist Party politburo? Was there an instuction emanating from China for the local NPA to do ‘preparatory action’ re Chinese investments in the Phillipines?

pete m. on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:10 am 



“the Communist Party of China (CPC), through the Chinese government, thoroughly dominates China’s economy, and seeks to continue dominating it through maintaining and enhancing control of its major State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).”

What’s the status of ZTE? Is it state-owned?

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:23 am 



pete m, you seem to “know” so much about this issue and the “culpability” of the presidential couple. why don’t you testify, under oath, instead of hyperventilating and making the usual leftist rantings in this blog? put your sense of patriotism where your mouth is. maybe you will do a better hatchet job than joey.

DevilsAdvc8 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 6:14 am 



truly a public service, what you are doing manolo (w/d liveblogging)

that way, people like me, who gets nauseated at all those hypocrisy and posturings in investigations like this, don’t have to sit through the whole event, jz to get an overview of what is happening. (oh, and if only this was done in other legislative investigations, no? i believe the Phils is also imitating C-span w/live coverage of congressional investigations, but as u can see, C-span bores most people to death, hence C-span defeats its purpose; which is to engage the general public)

i really cannot watch people make a fool of themselves. inwardly, i cringe for them and switch the channel. Enrile and Santiago also spouts so much bullshit that u need to have a strong stomach to keep on listening to what they say. I can’t understand how Enrile keeps winning elections. for God’s sakes, he’s one of the architects of Martial Law! (and you accuse us younglings of being unmindful of history. yet i suspect the large number of those who vote for Enrile are peole who experienced Martial Law. so queber na lang ba na isa sya sa mga asong humabol sayo so long as he saved you in the end?)

you provide the bare essentials, plus, a more palatable transcript, w/that humor of urs. thanks.

manuelbuencamino on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:20 am 



Brian B,

“Can anyone familiar with elite psychology explain to me how come this ZTE scandal has more potency in unseating Arroyo than the Hello Garci scandal?”

Mike Arroyo did somethimg completely declasse. He acted as an enforcer for his wife’s underlings.

manuelbuencamino on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:30 am 



Bencard,

If you missed the Senate hearing this time, you cam catch it next week, that is if Gloria has not cancelled the ZTE contract yet.

Yesterday, Sec Teves admitted that Abalos set up a meeting between him and ZTE and then, at another venue, between him, Mendoza and ZTE.

Would you disapprove a thorough investigation of Abalos and Mendoza based on the statement of Sec. Teves?

Also, Speaker de Venecia admitted to accomodating a request to reconciliate his son with Mendoza, Mike Arroyo, and Abalos at their request.

Would you disapprove a thorough investigation of this matter as well?

Ordinary people are asking, “What is the NBN and what is this ZTE, why is it that some of the higghest officials of the land are so intimately involved in the deal?

Do you disapprove of the public’s desire to know what’s really going on if there is indeed something going on?

Bafil on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:49 am 



DevilsAdvc8: I couldn´t agree with you more. Both on thanking Manolo wholeheartedly for what he is doing and perhaps more importantly, on your rant about the perpetual comeback whiz Enrile. The day when this man loses election will be a day of great victory for the Philippines indeed. Too bad he is not the only one we can say this about.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:12 am 



The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), is investing as much as P4 billion to modernize its bank note printing system to prevent a repeat of the “Arrovo” bill mishap, Inquirer sources in the central bank said.

Two Christmases ago, a European printer that supplied 80 million P100 bills misspelled President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s name as “Gloria Macapagal-Arrovo.”

GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROVO:How APT! “Ella robo”(nagnakaw!)

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:23 am 



yeah, buencamino. continue digging. but don’t make conclusions and condemnation until you find real dirt. the trouble with your people is that they always shoot from the hip first, celebrate, and then start looking for evidence. how can we ever extricate ourselves from these bad, bad habits? we are now in the 21st century, not rizal’s 17th. but have we changed as a society? i suggest you and manolo re-read noli me tangere and take a second look at rizal’s view of his society (expressed through padre florentino) and compare it with what we have now.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:29 am 



“the trouble with your people is that they always shoot from the hip first, celebrate, and then start looking for evidence. bencard)

Dear Tito Bencard:

Stay vigilant, my agents – in time, the opposition, for all intents and purposes, will BE the Luli Arroyo Internet Brigade!

Love and kisses,

LULI A. (My Mommy right or wrong!)

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:33 am 



correction: i meant pilosopong tasyo, not padre florentino.

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:41 am 



‘Brian B,

“Can anyone familiar with elite psychology explain to me how come this ZTE scandal has more potency in unseating Arroyo than the Hello Garci scandal?”

Mike Arroyo did somethimg completely declasse. He acted as an enforcer for his wife’s underlings.’

Ok, one more answer and I’ll admit I was being rhetorical. I’m with Bencard. What is the ZTE scandal and why will it topple this President. Are they talking impeachment? Or is merely that you people theorize na magkakapraningan ang mga pulitikong to at magbukuhan?

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:44 am 



Bafil, a lot of people still feel a lot of gratitude for Enrile on Edsa I. He never did become president like Cory and Ramos.

justice in waiting on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:45 am 



Corruptions under the PGMA administration as alleged day in and day out would not happen without the explicit or implicit knowledge by the Leader of the Band, and like any other leader, the “tithe” must be offered to have the flocks live in total harmony and share among themselves fair and square. What happen here, someone got so greedy, and forgot the golden rule among thieves, and start squealing, reminiscent of Chavit, (had Erap or somebody screwed him up good?) Thieves will bring each other down, justice still however achieved..

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:51 am 



Is GMA beyond redemption? I still hope for a “Road to Damascus” conversion for Gloria like St.Paul’s.

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:53 am 



Let me just clarify. What I don’t want is for another Elite conspiracy to unseat a President. This definitely sounds like another one.

What really bugged the elite about Erap is not corruption per se but cronyism. They just didn’t like Atong Ang, feared him rather. The elite couldn’t care less about over-pricing of projects and direct graft. Erap’s cronies threatened their businesses. Probably the same deal here with Mike Arroyo dangerously throwing his weight around. Is that what you mean by declasse, manuelbuencamino?

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:12 am 



justice in waiting, following your theory, corruptions that happened (i’m sure there were some) under cory’s and fvr’s watch were with their knowledge and the ‘tithe’ had been offered and shared. as to pgma administration being involved in every alleged “corruption” , i think you are jumping the gun. no one has ever made that conclusion except blog commenters like you and some ‘omnipotent’ journalists infesting pinoy society. put up or shut up.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:25 am 



BrianB, i think the elite is ok with whoever is in power as long as appearances are kept. Deniability is key. As it happened, one of their own (JDV3) undermined this deniability which is a cause of discomfort. Anyway, as you can see, Bencard is bravely trying to push deadma to new levels. With Rego’s help, maybe he can still succeeed and balance in favor of the status quo will be restored.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:26 am 



Let us remember SEPTEMBER 21:

1))The 35th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by Marcos.

2)The Macapagal-Arroyo administration showed its contempt for the hard earned rights of the Filipino people when it issued the Calibrated Preemptive Response to suppress mass actions on September 21, 2005

Never again!

BrianB on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:27 am 



Bencard, we don’t need reasonable doubt to fire politicians. We don’t even need due process. Whenever there is massive corruption there is a presumption that the buck stops at the presidency. I’m speaking as an ordinary citizen here. Scapegoating a leader is the only responsible scapegoating. Hell, it’s honorable, and the fact that the FG is right in the middle of a controversy makes such an eventuality pathetically crystal clear. I don’t like it that it has to be the elite’s choice again, but if Manolo and others who rub shoulders with industry leaders and political families (and what not) on a daily basis feel a change of government is in the air, then all I can do is sit back, count myself lucky and hope PGMA’s other transgressions (like all those leftist slayings) will not be forgotten. The rich and powerful and well-connected hold all the cards, so let them play it out.

inodoro ni emilie on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:28 am 



geez, why take on bencard, mb?

he does not want issues resolve. he’d rather fly the coop where he is safe than care about friggin’ corruption practices. if he did, in his eloquence, he could have been there at the forefront with arroyo (not the thief, but joker), saguisag, tañada, et. al. slugging it out with the marcoses.

tonio on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:30 am 



bencard,

why don’t you come home and talk for the administration? because out of everyone i heard at the investigation so far, you seem to be the most convincing.

the problem is not everyone here dude, your administration colleagues, knowing that everyone is out to get them, don’t even do their homework before showing up at the Senate. you don’t go into a den of lions with a fillet mignon strapped around your neck.

even Miriam thinks the admin people are “unprepared”.

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:34 am 



cvj, i’ll be honest with you. i never really got to understand what “deadma” means. the slang was not in use in pinas 37 years ago. pinoys here seldom use it and never in my crowd. can you please enlighten me?

inodoro ni emilie on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:38 am 



deadma=patay malisya

translation: comfort in distance can be desensentising and can blur one’s history of struggle.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:40 am 



Bencard:you left Pinas 37 years ago? right at the peak of Marcos despotic rule.Very heroic! and know you are a long distance critic ..

inodoro ni emilie on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:40 am 



desensitizing

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:43 am 



Tita Emilie:

“We don’t need shadows in this government. This is a government of transparency where accountabilities are institutionalized.”

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

inodoro ni emilie on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:45 am 



tdc,

indeed, this government is soooo transparent that they can easily hide under harry potter’s invisibility cloak.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:49 am 



Tita Emilie:

“We cannot NEVER this nation to turn into a playground of global criminal syndicates.”
- Press Conference, Malacanang
April 24, 2001

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:50 am 



“We can NEVER allow this nation to turn into a playground of global criminal syndicates.”
- Press Conference, Malacanang
April 24, 2001

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:50 am 



i.n.e., thanks. Deadma is feigned cluelessness that is made feasible by plausible deniability. With JDV3’s testimony, Gloria’s Assumptionista friends (as recounted by Manuelbuencamino), Solita Monsod and Bong Austero lost the cover of plausible deniability hence their discomfort which accounts for their responses. Aas MB and MBW speculates, canceling the ZTE contract may restore this condition.

tonio on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:04 am 



cvj:

already there are rumblings of possible chinese reprisals if the ZTE deal is cancelled. can the government really do this? considering it lauds chinese investment as part of its push for progress?

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:19 am 



TDC

Your use of the british english,by replacing z by s and all those frech quotes,makes me think you’ve stayed in europe like mbw for a while.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:20 am 



Tonio, reprisals against whom? Once the facts about the ZTE payoffs come out, the ones with the most to fear would be the ZTE executives themselves (in part for being clumsy and not discreet enough). While there is very real corruption over there in China, the difference is that the Chinese government has a bigger stake in keeping up appearances. Once details come out, the ZTE bosses have a real chance of being shot once scapegoated and convicted.

hvrds on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:23 am 



I simply had to share this to show how Rey “the Magician” Tetangco can create money out of thin air to defend the dollar even if the BSP really has no cash but simply the full faith and credit of the Republic.

While everyone is busy concentrating on Big Mike, HRH GMA and “Perky” Princess Lulli, Rey “the magician” blew Php 50B in paper loses (when the BSP is only capitalized at Php 10B)at the BSP. When you create money out of thin air it is the direct result of the magic of modern financial technology. Why no one in Congress even flinched? Ah, the magic of the sovereign power of the state treasury. Creating money out of nothing.

Why defend the dollar vs. devaluation anyway versus the peso? Rey “the magician” blew Php 50B on everyone’s behalf.
Business
BSP in good fiscal position – Tetangco
By Des Ferriols
Friday, September 21, 2007

Despite sustaining heavy losses from its forex operations, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is in a “good fiscal position” after building up capital reserve to absorb the impact of the peso appreciation against the dollar on its bottom line.

Speaking before the Quijano de Manila Symposium yesterday, BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. told reporters that despite reporting losses of over P50 billion from its foreign exchange operations, the BSP is still in “good fiscal position,” saying that sustaining heavy losses is to be expected in the conduct of monetary policy.

Tetangco made this statement amid talks with the National Government (NG) to finally pay up the remaining P40 billion of its P50 billion paid-up capital as provided in the BSP charter.

Tetangco explained that over the years when the BSP was making huge profits, capital reserves were put in place as it also continued to build up international reserves.

“In the first place, profit is not the primary objective of a central bank,” Tetangco pointed out. “A central monetary authority will do what it would take to maintain price stability. So if we sustain losses, that’s just part of what we do, it’s the cost of doing price stabilization.”

Huge losses being sustained by the BSP, however, underscored the need for the NG to start seriously considering how it would be able to fully capitalize the central bank.

Tetangco said the credit standing would improve dramatically when government pays up the remaining P40 billion of its capitalization and this would ultimately benefit private borrowers.

Tetangco explained that both the national government and the BSP were used as benchmark institutions for pricing private sector loans which would mean borrowers would have access to cheaper funds.

“We welcome the proposal to fully pay-up the P40 billion capitalization of the BSP,” Tetangco said.

According to Tetangco, the BSP is discussing options with the NG and details are still being worked out on how the government could pay up the capital.

“Ultimately, this is good for a more effective conduct of monetary policy to achieve stability,” Tetangco said.

The Arroyo administration initially said it is planning to issue a P40 billion obligational authority to complete the capitalization of the BSP, possibly beginning 2009.

Budget secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. told reporters that talks have begun to discuss how the government would fill up the remaining P40 billion from the P50 billion that it is mandated to provide as capital for the BSP.

Under the BSP charter, the government was supposed to provide the entire P50 billion capital requirement of the central bank but it has so far paid only P10 billion.

According to Andaya, however, NG and BSP officials have been discussing the possibility of a multi-year obligational authority.

“It’s like a guarantee that every year, the BSP will get a certain amount,” Andaya said.

“If they need P40 billion, starting for example 2009, they will get that much until the P40 billion is paid up.”

Andaya said the national government planned to issue a single instrument for the entire amount.

In turn, Andaya said the BSP could securitize this sovereign-guaranteed instrument at a discount. “As long as it has that guarantee, it will not default and they can securitize it,” he said.

tonio on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:31 am 



isn’t the NBN project somehow linked to a lot of other Chinese investments. already Mendoza has alluded to repercussions on these if the ZTE deal gets junked.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:35 am 



KG: expat for a multinational some time ago

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:41 am 



after the cabinet showed up in full force,back to normal in wiretapping siguro.

Siguro kahit yung si asec formoso di payagan sa garci as a resource person…..he was invited for his technical expertise

at next week darting kaya si abalos at nery? re:zte

kung dumating man:total denial to death panigurado.

wack wack is in mandaluyong,abalos was or is king there,and all the time he was pressent during joey’s meeting with the others and that comelec meeting of joey and formoso are just pure coincidences.

round and roud it goes,and oh don’t you know.. this is the game that we came here for.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:42 am 



I strongly believe romulo neri will tell the truth in the next Senate hearing.i have always known him as a MAN OF PRINCIPLE even during our college days.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:44 am 



KG: dont give up on Neri.We need a credible witness against abalos(in addition to the the brave Joey de venecia)

tonio on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:55 am 



tdc:

well, i just hope prof. neri comes through.

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:58 am 



thanks, inodoro and cvj for the definition. but still, what is there to deny? what is “plausible deniability” for? if its really corruption, and money actually changed hands or improper intervention took place, no amount of denying can save the culprit(s) where there is hard evidence to prove the crime. estrada was not convicted solely on the basis of chavit’s whistle blowing. neither would pgma or fg with joeydv’s harmless, nay toothless, testimony, even if believable.

brianb, contrary to your belief, due process is ALWAYS needed to “fire” a politician. it’s called (un)election’ i.e. when the incumbent is defeated in an election contest. under proper circumstances, “people power” is recognized by courts as consistent with due process as in edsa 1 & 2.

you may use a president as scapegoat but in a civilized, democratic society where fairness reign supreme, you cannot condemn and punish someone for the crime committed by others unless he/she herself is guilty as a co-conspirator, accomplice, or accessory “beyond reasonable doubt”. there is no “guilt by association” either.

tonio, thanks for the kind words. as the trite saying goes, “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. i’m a nobody vis a vis the senators, so what i say cannot be any better or worst.

Jeg on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:58 am 



We also have that waiter friend of Jinggoy who the senator said “saw the whole thing” referring to the FG’s ‘back off!’ episode.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 11:24 am 



“…round and round it goes, and don’t you know
This is the news of my life [this is the news of my life]…”

Now i’ll have that song stuck in my head for the day. Karl, just a tip, if you’re in a Karaoke with late-20 or early 30-somethings, stay away from ‘Electric Dreams’ if you don’t want to hear comments that it reminds them of when they were in Primary school.

rego on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 11:25 am 



Manuel,

What is somo? I read it in you rarticle at uniffors?

Shaman of Malilipot on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 12:51 pm 



If I’m not mistaken, Neri was a college classmate of Manny Villar.

tdc, it’s Ateneo Blu Babble Battalion.

Bencard, why do you think it’s all right for you to believe that it was merely a “chance” meeting at Wack-Wack? Why isn’t it all right for me to believe that it was an arranged reconciliation meeting, as what Joey de Venecia III said it was?

inodoro ni emilie on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:20 pm 



“We also have that waiter friend of Jinggoy who the senator said “saw the whole thing” referring to the FG’s ‘back off!’ episode.”

nah, jeg. this waiter is a mere snowflake at the tip of the iceberg. he will probably dread crossing path with dambo. or we can expect mike defensor again coming to his rescue.

you know how tiny they are looked down upon by lawyers (ask bencard)–like only the high and mighty has the monopoly of truth (not even joey, ask bencard). but at times, waiters can be reliable source of information if they find themselves waiting to squeal on renegade putschist like honasan (ask bencard).

like i said, mike’s testimony is holy and sacred. joey is an addict (ask luli, and bencard). but mike–hey, he is next of kin to st theresa of avila. he has line to heaven; he sits at the right hand of the fodder (ah, how much more fattening does he need?).

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:22 pm 



i’m a nobody vis a vis the senators, so what i say cannot be any better or worst. – Bencard

Sorry Bencard but i think you have it the other way around. It does not matter who you are and what your position in life is as long as what you say is the true, logical and compelling.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 1:25 pm 



…and hopefully not gramatically incorrect, sorry for the extraneous ‘the’.

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 2:05 pm 



pete, there was an interesting brief news item on asian news channel (singapore) which pointed out that the zte controversy has not gotten any attention at all in china’s media, and, the report described zte as “state supported.”

bencard, i will go as far as to accept that legally speaking, at best what has been pointed out are circumstances which have not yet achieved the level of facts which would lead to legal conclusions; but i contest your view that with regards the zte deal, everything is just opinion. that would be to render objective fact to be impossible in determining government infrastructure plans. or the impossibilty of a cost analysis for government projects. yugatech points to where a certain objectivity can be reached: he says, technologically speaking, zte’s proposal is superior. but what he can’t answer is, is it overpriced?

if everything were opinion then all accountants would be out of a job, no?

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 2:09 pm 



devils, i actually participarted in an ill-fated effort (to its credit, proposed, originally, by officials in the government) to transform the government-owned media facilities into something more useful and educational.

and to be fair, i think the ones dodging how a concrete step forward that could be done, are members of congress themselves.

c-span was a combined effort by media outfits to establish a neutral public access network. for example, the camera is on the whole time sessions take place, and the camera’s fixed, so no bias.

imagine if a (at least) cable channel were on in the senate and the house, the whole time sessions were taking place. attendance could be ascertained by anyone, any time, and the whole spectrum of work, from debates to speeches, etc., could be accessible. it’s up to the citizen if he or she wants to watch or not.

but i suspect congress isn’t interested because a certain lack of transparency is in its interest.

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 2:15 pm 



tdc, we always have to believe that no one is beyond redemption. but we also have to believe that until the sign of redemption comes, prepare for the worst.

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 2:18 pm 



bryan, i don’t think a change of government is in the air. this can go pfffft or get worse, it depends on a lot of factors. but it does mark a new low for the admin, because it’s affected a constituency (business, the upper and middle class) that so far,was willing to rationalize it’s living with the president and which was willing to uphold the status quo.

at the very least, it could have repercussions in narrowing the president’s options and that of her allies down the line.

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 2:23 pm 



folks, let’s be consistent here. if we hail filipinos that work overseas, then let’s respect bencard who sought a better life for himself abroad. he also follows the issues more than many people even here at home. so it’s foul to ask him where he was when tanada et all were in the streets. i respect bencard because his anti fm sentiments shows he was on the right side of history on that one.

inodoro ni emilie on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 2:47 pm 



just on that one?

whatever. my apo-logies to bencard and to you mlq. but…

never mind.

[*hums*:"di na ko papayag, mawala ka muli, di na ko papayag na muling mabawi......huwag muling payagang umiral ang dilim. tinig ng bawat tao'y bigyan ng pansin...handog ng pilipino sa mundo"]

Beancurd on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 3:17 pm 



MLQ3,

“i respect bencard because his anti fm sentiments shows he was on the right side of history on that one.”

people here are not hitting bencard for seeking a better life overseas. i think people hit bencard here for his rule of law and due process arguments. and that is precisely the point. he was right at the time of marcos because he was under marcos for sometime. asking him where he was when tanada et al were in the streets is not foul, it is irrelevant. him parroting the rule of law and due process line of civilized demoracies especially directed at us who are in the country when he does not live here to experience the brand of rule of law and due process that we experience day by day, that is not only irrelevant, that is foul. we do not take kindly to that kind of attitude from foreigners, we especially do not like that from our former brown brother, especially the makapili kind, or in the case of the illegal OFWs in other countries, those that tell on them to the foreign authorities for a certain reward. Coming from bicol, he is now in the company of the joker.

maybe a year in the country in the area of tondo might make bencard come to his senses?

Beancurd on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 3:28 pm 



and respect is a given, it is disrespect that is earned. I think the rich and the famous’ line is the other way around.

DevilsAdvc8 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:40 pm 



Manolo: ah yes, an ill-fated effort if that truly was true. considering broadcast media is a powerful tool, it’s such a waste to use it only for propaganda purposes. Though to its credit, the govt does air some shows that are highly educational. I remember watching the Japan series in one of its stations. (a show that showcases things abt Japan) Also very fateful for me to chance upon the airing of its WTO series. That was one hell of an eye opener for me. I didn’t realize before how harmful the G8 had been to developing countries with their inflexible attitude and double standards. (i was sold on globalization before, when FVR acclaimed when he was still pres) actually, i still believe in globalization (no matter what Bello says abt it being on the downturn) G8 jz need to practice playing fair, plus allowing developing countries prerogative in protecting industries they want without unfair subsidies on their part. debt relief has got to be seriously considered for everyone. the world can’t integrate every country’s economy if there are large disparities everywhere.
Going back to govt owned media stations, what a waste really. so much opportunities lying untapped.

The Ca t on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:45 pm 



As an accountant I am pretty much interested in the economic viability of the project.

For an ordinary person, savings of 20 billion is kind of WOW, that’s a lot but subjecting it to the accountant’s and economist’s tools of evaluating the project, it falls flat of the rosy picture the proponents are “painting” to make it economically viable.

According to NEDA’s evaluation, the NPV of the project before adjustment is negative.

Before adjustment means before inclusion of some more barangays which are already covered by another project of Deped.

NEDA’s computed economic NPV (net present value)is negative at P1,581.45 million.

That means given the future stream of inflows in the form of savings from the project, the cost is still more than the savings.

The EIRR of 13.01 percent is only viable if the interest remains low and is lower than 13 per cent for the duration of the project or remains fixed. It seems the interest of the loan is commercial and not that of a government to government loan.

After the adjustments made, the net present value becomes positive at about .7 billion. But the included barangays
may already be covered by another deal.

This is what Romulo was pointing at. The cost of overlap and the assumptions made due to adjustments given the condition of the loans.

I was trying to find the payback period so as to know whether the techonology will not become obsolete while it is being used by the government within the number of years, it is “recovering” the cost and paying off the loans for its financing.

The investigation should have included the presentation of economic and technological feasibility and viability of the project to show if it is worth sinking in billions of money in the form of loans.

Again, the prosecutors did not do their assignments.
They were only after the testimonies which expectedly would be a defense on the decision made. Qualitatively.

As to JDV3, a person who claims that he is a stockholder of a corporation or corporations and his names do not appear in the corporate paper, I can not imo consider him totally honest and credible.

And for a corporation that he claimed he owns, a paid-up capital of 325,000 bidding for billions worth of project is for me as a corporate account something fishy. I share the opinion of Enrile.

The Ca t on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:56 pm 



correction in the last sentence,
as a corporate accountant, I smell something fishy.

Dirk Pitt on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 4:59 pm 



bencard, you seem to “know” so much about the events here and the “rightheousness” of the presidential couple. why don’t you do it officially instead of hyperventilating and making the usual rantings in this blog? put your sense of patriotism where your mouth is. maybe you will do a better spin job than bunye.

Shaman of Malilipot on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:10 pm 



“G8 jz need to practice playing fair, plus allowing developing countries prerogative in protecting industries they want without unfair subsidies on their part.”

Devils, aren’t you asking the leopard to change its spots?

The Ca t on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:14 pm 



Ok, one more answer and I’ll admit I was being rhetorical. I’m with Bencard. What is the ZTE scandal and why will it topple this President. Are they talking impeachment?

I am with you Brianb. I still do not see documents that would implicate GMa and the FG.

What the opposition needs are hard evidences and not perceptions.

The testimonies of Chavit may not have brought a guilty verdict for Erap. It’s the bank documents and other paper trails that nailed him.

In the court, even the successful effort of a prosecuting lawyer to prove the presence of the accused in the scene of the crime will not make him guilty. It is still the smoking gun and the dead body that will.

In the previous blog of MLQ3, I raised the issue about the possible violation of the Graft and Corruption Laws of JDV3.

Reading the liveblogging of MLQ3 made me smile when Enrile was questioning JDV3 on his equity participation in companies that were involved in government bidding and contracts. His name does not appear in the corporate papers.

It is not because he is not a stockholder, but he is intelligent enough not to implicate himself in times of
investigation, documents-wise.

So why did he come forward? That my friends are left to you to ponder on.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:18 pm 



Devils, aren’t you asking the leopard to change its spots? – Shaman

Shaman, they already did once. Before the 1980’s, the USA actually allowed the developing countries to industrialize whichever way they chose. That’s when Korea, Taiwan and the others took off. After the 1980’s, they imposed their ‘Washington Consensus’ on us and other developing countries. (In her book, ‘Escape from Empire’, Alice H. Amsden characterizes the first phase as ‘Empire 1′ and the second as ‘Empire 2′.) That resulted in more anemic growth and recurrent debt crises.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:22 pm 



pete, there was an interesting brief news item on asian news channel (singapore) which pointed out that the zte controversy has not gotten any attention at all in china’s media, and, the report described zte as “state supported.” – mlq3

In a newspaper here in Singapore (‘Today’), JDV3 is characterized as the losing party in a government bid.

tonio on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:24 pm 



i agree with the Cat there, on various points. first, in the case of Joey, the fruit can’t have fallen that far from the tree. one very good reason in my mind for why you don’t put your name as a stockholder of a corporation is so that you can go off and own companies in similar or the same line of business, while avoiding conflict of interest allegations.

another also is to protect his father. i’m sure he knew about the prohibition of relatives of the top government officials to participate in government contracts. by not showing up in the records, they can’t pin any company joey runs directly to him.

(and i do remember J3 saying last night towards the end of the hearing to Teves i believe, “as a businessman, i believe you’ll understand if i wanted a certain degree of… flexibility.”)

on the numbers, it looks like i’ll have to run my own calculations, but the NPV and IRR results you got are dismal indeed. at a conditional 13.01%, the funds might be better off invested in government securities (at 4.824% on a 182d t-bill, i’d rather go for that than the ZTE deal. hahaha)

to think that one of things i remember from Prof. Neri in b-school is “invest wisely, especially if the money you handle is not yours.”

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:27 pm 



Ca T, to be fair to the ‘prosecutors’, they did not have Annexes A to K where the details can be studied. If ever they’re at fault, it’s in not asking for these documents earlier.

The Ca t on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:37 pm 



cvj,
I read that someone was asking for the feasibility study of the project.

Precisely, cvj, it is their fault.

To investigate a project that is alleged to be overpriced, what we need are numbers and not testimonies.

this is what i have been harping about. The people or “prosecutors” of Gloria are doing her a favor by not doing their homework. If they know nothing about broadband or knowhow on this latest technology and determining the economic viability of the project due to the absence of Neri, then they could invited some experts.

Awa ako oo sa mga senador na makapagsalita lang wala namang laman ang sinabi.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 5:48 pm 



You’re right on that Ca T. On the technology (i.e. cost) side, they have to get the bill of materials for hardware and software so they can compare it with the prices of equivalent hardware and software in the market. They should also factor in the refresh period because hardware and software becomes obsolete, and as importantly, the maintenance cost increases over time. In terms of maintenance costs, if we assume 10% of the equipment price per year then that’s 20 Million USD per year or an addition 340 Million USD for 20 years(assuming 3-year warranty). In terms of operating the equipment (under ‘Managed Services’), they have to cost in the cost after the 18 month period when ZTE staff manages the equipment expires, which is at least 700K USD per month. If they project a 20-year life, then that’s another 155 Million USD ((240 months – 18 months) x 700K.

nash on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 6:14 pm 



We want Luli, we want Luli! Surely Manolo can reconstitute what is going on in side Luli’s head.

Like all ensemble TV dramas, it’s time for Luli Arroyo to shine! Surely she has some choice lines to deliver! It’s very entertaining….

Ooops, me shut up now. Toy soldier Esperon just said he supports martial law…..

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:21 pm 



In a way, hvrds is right: “And for a corporation that he claimed he owns, a paid-up capital of 325,000 bidding for billions worth of project is for me as a corporate account something fishy. I share the opinion of Enrile.”

But you see, hvrds, that is the common practice in Pinas. A group spots a potential project for govt and then they set up a shell company that does the leg work, the consulting bit, and only after they (that group) land the contract do they start opening the capital to would be investors. Bit hullaballo way of doing business one must admit.

Hi-tech European companies that want to do business with govt have gotten used to dealing with Pinoy companies doing it this way. Most of the time, these Pinoy companies are actually just their agents and are signed up as their consultants but along the way, the Pinoy brokers begin to represent themselves as the bona-fide investement and corporate partners of their principals.

There are companies in Pinas that could be rightly called partners like EEI, DM Consunji (although they are in public works), Keppel Philippines, etc. but most of the time, these companies do not have the profile of “brokers” and yes, let’s be frank, “fixers” that foreign companies need to land the business so while they may use them as “partners” for the engineering part of the project, they sign up with consulting companies like Joey’s to do the first and most important part of the job: to sell.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:28 pm 



These consulting firms in Manila that act as brokers and country salesmen for the European companies (even for US companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumann, etc.) are a dime a dozen in Pinas.

Joey’s company must have been one of them… but that doesn’t take away the fact that these companies do most, if not all of the leg work and in a way, are the de-facto in country salesmen of those foreign companies and must be recognized as such.

Therefore, he has credibility – could be believed – when he says that he or his company has the financial and technical support, of his principal.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:33 pm 



To follow on: A company like ZTE (the original in China) that has now a turnover of something like 2 billion Euros but its capital is significantly less on paper could outbid anyone in Europe today for a project which is triple or quadruple its capital on paper.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:40 pm 



Re cvj’s “On the technology (i.e. cost) side, they have to get the bill of materials for hardware and software so they can compare it with the prices of equivalent hardware and software in the market.”

Actually this is the easiest bit for government to do and they could do this without any problem if they really want to.

The more difficult bit would be obtaining that bit coming under “operating the equipment (under ‘Managed Services’)” because this is where some companies bloat the cost 10-fold.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:43 pm 



I wonder if the cost of the ZTE proposal covers the expropiration costs (land) for the installation of their technology… If so, that bit could also be bloated several times, that’s something that foreign companies cannot accurately cost immediately.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:44 pm 



Today is CommissionER Abalos’ 73rd birthday!Let’s be nice to him please.

Benjamin Abalos is in the “legacy phase “of his very distinguished career

1)Abalos claims to have supported himself through college by working as a janitor, factory worker, and a caddy at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

2)In 2001 Abalos was appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), a post he held until the following year.

3)Abalos was appointed Comelec chairman in 2002.

His major achievements in Comelec:

a)Computerization Program: Comelec had awarded the contract to Mega Pacific Consortium – an entity that had not participated in the bidding process – and MPEI did not meet eligibility requirements. The deal was thumbed down by the Supreme Court.

b)2004 elections:”Hello Garci”.

c)2007 elections:”Lintang Bedol” and the “election” of the 12th senator(from Maguindanao)

4)Broker for ZTE deal.

Happy Birthday “DADDY CHAIR”!!!

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:46 pm 



MBW, your description has a familiar feel to it as in the 90’s, even the local IT vendors had to tie up with these Consulting companies for mega-bids in the Public Sector. They are needed for the purposes of political connections as well as financial backing (for investment cases like BOT/BOO’s). The IT Company normally acts as a sub-contractor to the Consulting company.

On the technology side, the game was to come up with technical specifications that could not be met by competitors or at least make it hard for them to match at a low price. On the financial side, non-traditional concepts (at that time) like Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or Build-Operate-Own (BOO) were proposed.

It’s evident that the same is happening in the case of automating the elections.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:47 pm 



Re Cat’s “If they know nothing about broadband or knowhow on this latest technology and determining the economic viability”

I would be surprised if none of those Senators (especially the young turks) don’t know something or a a bit about this technology – this technology is not defence secret anymore. One doesn’t have to be an engineer to have a ‘global’ knowledge of how it works. All they have to do is to get a ZTE brochure translated in English and to have a copy of the presentation materials from ZTE to obtain the desired info.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:49 pm 



cvj,

Re “It’s evident that the same is happening in the case of automating the elections.”

I can almost guarantee you that this is what’s happening in the automating the elections

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:51 pm 



bencard,
delayed reaction:
dead ma means parang walang nagyari….

dead ma= patay malisya as tdc said.

it is dead malice if transalted in barok=naabutan mo ba si barok,btw…37 years ka na pal wala sa pinas di pa ako pinapanganak..36 pa lng ako eh.

__________________________________—-
rego,walang sumagot ng wifi query mo…

wifi is just a brandname for a wireless technology brand …

as for somos crowd

ewan ko,pero baka …. baka somos= spanish for “we are”

mb,

ano nga ba somos crowd?

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:52 pm 



cvj,

Actually “Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or Build-Operate-Own (BOO) were proposed.” come under the Self-Reliance Programme that was prevalent during the FVR years – it has actually been passed into law in RP. If I’m not mistaken, this is very much still alive as a law.

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:53 pm 



Birthday nga pala ni abalos

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:54 pm 



General costing of a hi-tech project, eg, radar fo NAIA may be simplified is as follows ex works:

Hardware: 30%
Software and Engineering services: 50 to 60%
Other costs: 10%

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:58 pm 



The more difficult bit would be obtaining that bit coming under “operating the equipment (under ‘Managed Services’)” because this is where some companies bloat the cost 10-fold. – MBW

I agree, but it’s no longer that difficult now since Outsourcing Data Center operations is now an established practice. They can benchmark against outsourcing costs of telco’s like Telstra or Optus in Australia.

The way to see if this is over (or under) priced is to see the proposed scope of services, the proposed Outsourcing organization – including manpower and skills requirements plus management overhead and include cost of facilities (office space, electricity etc.) to get the fully burdened costs.

One thing that strikes me as odd is that the Engineering Services seems bloated considering that this is just a relatively simple project, i.e. equipment set-up and deployment. (Of course, the Annexes might reveal a good reason for the cost, such as a complexity that i wasn’t aware of.)

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 7:59 pm 



GMANews.tv has scooped everyone with Neda board meeting minutes.

cAt, cjv and MBW may find it interesting:

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/61443/Cabinet-split-on-cost-benefits-of-NBN-overlap-with-CyberEd

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:11 pm 



cvj,

I agree totally:

“The way to see if this is over (or under) priced is to see the proposed scope of services, the proposed Outsourcing organization – including manpower and skills requirements plus management overhead and include cost of facilities (office space, electricity etc.) to get the fully burdened costs.”

There will be no problem getting straightforward quotes from overseas companies (not sure about ZTE in China though), particularly from European companies.

Matter of fact, am pretty sure Pinas could easily obtain them off the shelf from companies that have teamed up with ZTE like Orange, Vodafone, etc., etc.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:11 pm 



Thanks, Mlq3… I’m on it now; very interesting.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:12 pm 



Right off the bat: How can this project be advantageous to govt if the financing terms are based on commercial loans?

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:16 pm 



MBW, the NAIA radar project had a good deal of application development, customization and testing. For this Broadband project, i would have thought this portion would be lesser. One local Telco’s billing system, for example, was implemented for less than 20Million USD.

Mlq3, thanks also…will get on it as well.

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:20 pm 



“Re Cat’s “If they know nothing about broadband or knowhow on this latest technology and determining the economic viability”

kahit naman yung old timers bigyan mo lang ng analogy,ayos na…

maiba tayo.yung iba kelangan na ng sharpenners:
sino ba pinaka gurang dyan si enrile mga 84 na yata na almost or more than half a century of practicing coroprate law could not squeeze within three minutes why joey is not one of the incorporators of the various companies.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:20 pm 



cvj,

Re “One thing that strikes me as odd is that the Engineering Services seems bloated considering that this is just a relatively simple project, i.e. equipment set-up and deployment.”

Agree but if you team up with an engineering co in Pinas, the costs are driven up.

In Europe, companies usually have what they call a “barème”, i.e., some kind of a standard costing procedure so that engineering service will cost a certain amount but when one deals with Pinas for a govt project, that cost is driven up dramatically.

With regard to a hi-tech equipment, say a radar, it’s standard cost ex-works is what I enumerated above.

Now say a radar cover for Pinas from Batanes to the South should say cost roughly 100 million $, engineering services (management, training, maintenance, etc., etc.) including cost of money (financing, loans), in Pinas that cost would easily be bloated to 220 million $ if not more – frankly, it’s scandalous.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:21 pm 



Enrile was born on Feb 14, 1929 if I’m not mistaken.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:27 pm 



“ano nga ba somos crowd?KG”

They used to be called the con(~)o crowd.
“Somos” probably came from their song “somos,somos prostitutas, todas prostitutas de culi cili,la la la”(a bastardized Broadway song).lol

Karl;I was trying to see whether you were in the Senate session hall in the telethon yesterday

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:29 pm 



Re overlap:

very useful pala yung mga questions ni chair cayetano about the ict roadmap,which mentions intercionnnectivity of clasrooms

bilib na sana ako ke Formoso,palso at playing safe din pal ang sagot nya,na roadmap lag daw yon ,eto implementation na…

satellite technology has been the mode of cyber ed of our neighbors and if I may ask CVJ,in thailand,where the ambassadrss offered assistance for cybered,do they have a nationwide connectivity for their government?

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:29 pm 



MBW:Enrile was born on Feb 14, 1929

In packaged products ,that’s way,way beyond EXPIRATION date!!!

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:35 pm 



Kung c enrile na pinakabeterano dyan o pinakamatanda at naisahan o nalusutan ang almost sixty years of practice,joey3 is showing what he is made of.

baka sa no time limit, questioning mapasagot nya.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:39 pm 



Mas matanda pa!

Juan Ponce Enrile (born February 14, 1924) is a political figure in the Philippines. (Wikipedia)

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:39 pm 



Karl, i don’t know as i’m not familiar with the telco infrastructure of Thailand.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:41 pm 



Joker was born on January 05, 1927 in Naga, Camarines Sur .

His name “Joker” derives from his father’s fondness for card playing. His brother is called Jack.(wikipedia)

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:43 pm 



Ok cyber ed is also about the loan from chinese….
digressing a bit re: can cybered be incorporated to nbn?
since no one is sure of the upgradability features of broadband if it could feature seamless video,then all we need are the dvds and cds of the knowledge channel and implement asap….

parang ang dali ano?

ano nga pala ang mangyayari sa nasimulan ng abs cbn foundation,to be continued lang o scrap na pag me cyber ed?

we need this(nbn) for sure one day,but a lot of questions will have to be asked and asked before being asked again.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:45 pm 



Karl,

“we need this(nbn) for sure one day”

You need it now… but of course, not at just any cost.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:46 pm 



thnx tdc – knew he was born sometime in the 1920s.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:46 pm 



thnx tdc – knew he was born sometime in the 1920s.

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:51 pm 



I saw an TV interview with Romulo Neri this afternoon.Heavily guarded .4 security vans just to go to his CHED office.Is he being protected or under custody?(he normally travels alone).He looked pretty nervous.

He is a key player in the NBN deal.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:53 pm 



Mlq3,

Curioser and curioser: “Concession Buyer’s Credit of Chinese Government with a 10-year term, including 3-year grace period and 7-year repayment period).”

That’s definitely not a soft loan. Such terms and conditions could be had with any private bank!

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:56 pm 



Re: “P397 million” refers to “the costs of the management team from DOTC that will be dedicated to the NBN project (at PhP99.25 million per year for the 4-year implementation period to cover personnel, office expenses, travel expenses, among others),” the minutes said.”

Wonder how many people will be dedicated by DoTC known as DoTC team to the project for 4 years at a cost of PhP99.25 million per year! That’s a lot of people if we go by the minimum wage law in Pinas (technicians may cost a little more but just the same…)

tdc on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:57 pm 



mbw:knew he was born sometime in the 1920s.

Muy viejo y malo…Sept 21,1972

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 8:59 pm 



OK, this is even curioser and curioser, the DoTC team that will be dedicated to the job is a MANAGEMENT TEAM (what did I tell you, the Pinas side of management cost is one of those costs that’s disproporionate to the entire cost):

“Project management of P99.25 million per year for the 3-year implementation period will cover the personnel, office expenses, travel expenses, among others,” the March 29 report said.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:01 pm 



In addition, the Cabinet officials at the March 26 meeting questioned…

- “Whether the Chinese are capable of providing 4G technology given that China is still in the process of developing its 3G technology.” – GMANews.tv report

This is precisely the kind of technical specifications-hype game that vendors play (that i described at 7:46pm above). What’s ‘4G’ anyway and why would the Barangays and/or schools need it (as opposed to something more basic like schoolbuildings or higher salaries for teachers)?

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:07 pm 



Tell you what Mlq3,

In theory, when a major multi-billion peso project is decided for implementation in less than a year, there’s a call for rejoicing.

How wonderful it would be for Pinas if only decisions were made for these projects to be implemented and if they weren’t tainted, i.e., costs bloated, corruption ridden, etc.!

You described Gloria often to be a hands on micro management prone sort of leader, i.e., quizzing line by line of the budget proposal to Congress, etc.. Yet, this NBN deal smacks of half-baked scrutiny if ever it was scrutinized.

Just look at this:

On March 26, 2007: “special joint meeting” of the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee, Cabinet Committee and Technical Board,

The ICC-Cabinet Committee and Technical Board of NEDA had serious doubts about the “economic viability” of the project. Too, they wanted to be further assured that it would be good for the government to have its own backbone, rather than use private sector services.

On March 29, 2007, the NEDA board approved the project,

On April 21, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza signed in China the $329-million “provisional contract” with ZTE.

On the same day, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila signed, also in China, an agreement for a separate China government loan of $504-million (P22.77 billion) for the CEP.

Also on April 21, Mrs Arroyo flew to China for a few hours to attend an economic forum in Hainan province…

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:07 pm 



digressing a bit re: can cybered be incorporated to nbn? since no one is sure of the upgradability features of broadband if it could feature seamless video,then all we need are the dvds and cds of the knowledge channel and implement asap…. – KG

At the application layer – no. At the infrastructure layer (cables, equipment) – yes, it should. I don’t know the value of broadband delivered video as opposed to just broadcasting the Knowledge Channel over TV. Unless there is a compelling application that calls for it, i don’t see the value of extra spending on these gee whiz features.

As indicated in the NEDA meeting minutes, the government is better off riding on top of services of existing telcos . If they are not getting a good deal from existing telcos, they can do a number of things:

1. Use their bargaining power to extract more favorable rates from the telcos.
2. Work closely with telcos to see what are their cost pressures are (e.g. frequently bombed cell sites, revolutionary taxes) and see whether they can invest together and reduce those costs. Maybe government can help secure concessional loans for portions of the infrastructure that can be upgraded and shared by the telcos. Setting up a separate infrastructure in a business it is not familiar with is not a well-considered option.

That sort of relationship with businesses is what economist Dan Rodrik calls ‘embedded autonomy’ which is half-way between cronyism and arms-length interaction.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:11 pm 



cvj,

Agree! “This is precisely the kind of technical specifications-hype game that vendors play, i.e., 4G vs 3G…

Recently, the AFP fell for the same trap with regard their night vision goggles equipment!

Company A that lost the bid said theirs was 4th generation while Company B that won the bid per original tech specs of AFP was only 3rd generation and to be quite honest, losing Company A’s 4G specs were exactly the same as winning company B’s 3G specs.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:12 pm 



Re cvj’s “Setting up a separate infrastructure in a business it is not familiar with is not a well-considered option.”

Bad option I’d say…

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:14 pm 



Wow MBW, from the timeline you showed, it looks like the move-on crowd’s philosophy of “los[ing] our freedoms and our rights just to move this country forward” has really paid off. Such efficiency!

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:15 pm 



Hahahahahah! I’m so inclined to agree with you cvj, so inclined…

“…the move-on crowd’s philosophy of “los[ing] our freedoms and our rights just to move this country forward” has really paid off. Such efficiency!”

joey on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:18 pm 



cvj, mbw,

Typically, the process starts with

1)the money: ” Pete, we have to meet asap, the fund I’ve been waiting for is already available.” actual quote.

2)the project: “Think of a project” citing ‘political specifications’ – optimal political impact of project.

3)the specifications: a process of adjustments from initial pre-bid specs to final specs to: a) fit in the “spread” into target cost of project b) disqualify other bidders on technicality.

4) the commision: More often than not official asks for advance of commission prior to final contract. SOP rigged bidding; SOP commission/kickback min 20%;

The whole process starts with the money and ends with his money.

The Ca t on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:21 pm 



Mlq3,

That is where I got my NPV, EIRR.

If the media can get these financial information why our esteemed senators can’t ?

As to he cost overlap, that is a very important point to look at because as stated in the news after changes in the assumptions, the project shows a positive net present value of .7 billion and a higher EIRR of 15.8 per cent.

For someone who prepares a feasibility study, he knows very well how to make a non-viable project to viable with the change in the assumptions.

That’s the hocus pocus of finance.

In this project, they included barangays which are already covered by another project. It’s double counting in terms of savings from another’s pocket.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:26 pm 



Joey,

What you said there in a nutshell is how business with govt is effectively done.

Tell you what, when a foreign company that’s asked to participate in a bid gives his draft offer to his local “consultant” for say, 1 million dollars and is told by same consultant that it won’t do and to bloat it to 3 million dollars, the foreign company is perplexed and finds it extremely difficult to do so because they find it difficult to determine which item should be padded… It’s the consultant’s job to spot the item or items for padding. Believe me, very often, there’s loads of bickering that happens in that foreign company corporate hqs… because the engineers usually are against the practice!

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:26 pm 



joey, in my old job role, i usually came in at step #3b. i’m proud to say i wasn’t able to disqualify anyone with my technical specs except myself (accidentally of course).

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:34 pm 



mbw, in that case, think of the project’s impact on the country’s employment, especially engineers and technicians. often, public spending is good for a country to stimulate and nourish the economy. basic principles of economics tell us that employment generates consumerism which, in turn, propels more production of quality goods and services.

as in buying a laptop, you get what you pay for (unless you are a clueless sucker, a push-over for a scam). has anyone considered the cost of future obsolescence, and the ongoing maintenance to prevent it, or at least, prolong its useful life? maybe this item of cost is figured in the bottom line.

btw, joeydb, it appears, is nothing but a good, old-fashioned influence peddler – finagle a deal using connections in high places, then sell it and laugh his way to the bank. foiled, he decided to strike back, hitting whatever he considered most vulnerable – even with a dud for a weapon.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:39 pm 



Bencard, i agree with your textbook description but basic economics also has the concept of opportunity cost. Why spend on ‘4G’ when you need classrooms more badly? Also, by setting up itself as a parallel telco, it is taking away business (and jobs) from the existing Telcos.

joey on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:40 pm 



The Ca T,

“That’s the hocus pocus of finance.”

Fund source: loan classification, budget, release,
Payment: automatic appropriations

Hocus focus all throughout?

Chiz pointed out the unlawful IRR of the Procurement Law Andaya authored. I suspect the loophole was deliberate and not an oversight. Andaya looked very much the culprit when Chiz got back at him with the book. See isn’t he one of Team GMA’s Financial Operators?

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:42 pm 



Bencard,

Re “mbw, in that case, think of the project’s impact on the country’s employment, especially engineers and technicians. often, public spending is good for a country to stimulate and nourish the economy.”

I fully agree with you – no reservation there at all if that were the case but this is not the case at all.

The cost for that portion of the project that generates employment locally is not a problem at all if only the bolts, the nails, and the rivets were not being charged 1,000 times their genuine costs abroad.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:47 pm 



In effect, the practice of charging billing a management report for an unbelievably exorbitant price is what drives the costs and not the salaries of the technicians, engineers, labourers in situ!

The fellow or the group that submits the costly report needs to charge so much for that report in order to share his “revenue” with the rest of the guys at the higher echelons in govt.

That’s basically how foreign companies thwart the Ricoh law by paying the local partners for a report at an exorbitant and unbelievable fee.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:52 pm 



Actually, the Americans started this sort of practice in Pinas – in order to be able “to pay off” people in Pinas for the govt project involving equipment and engineering services they sell, they course the pay offs through their local partners, reps by making this company to bill them by submitting mandatory regular reports to a tune of sometimes millions of dollars…

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:52 pm 



cAt, the simple and honest answer is, too many senators have a baranggay police station cop mentality and not enough of a senator’s mentality. i’d reckon 90% of the basic establishing facts questions asked so far wouldn’t have been asked in, say, similar hearings in the states: they’d have established those facts and zeroed in on the really damning questions.

but also, to be fair, things are moving too fast. complete staff work for an educated discussion would require a 2 week hiatus for a proper timeline, digestion of documents, etc. in that time, anyone you want to pin down would have had ample time not only to get their stories lined up with their co-conspirators, but also destroy/suppress evidence.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 9:53 pm 



per report!

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:00 pm 



bencard,

I’m sure you are aware that’s how you start big business with RP gov: find an old fashion influence peddler.

Most of the close and extended relatives of people in the highest echelons of power, when they want to do major business particularly with big foreign companies, start off as influence peddlers…

The bigger your project, the more expensive the peddlers become because they are right on top…

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:05 pm 



TDC,

wala ako dun,……. di ako kailangan dun.
maniwala ka tv at liveblogging din ako umaasa. pag me na miss ako sa tv,livelogging… rewind lang by page up ang kailangan tulad ng sinabi ni brian b

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:07 pm 



…and the ongoing maintenance to prevent it, or at least, prolong its useful life? maybe this item of cost is figured in the bottom line. – Bencard

It’s not. As stated in Article 29 Post Warranty of the NBN Contract with ZTE:

“The Contractor may, upon payment of mutually agreed prices, provide maintenance and technical support to the Purchaser in respect of all the Equipment and Services for at least three (3) years after the expiry of the relevant Warranty Period. The said post warranty services may include repair of boards, PC boards, and other components, modifications of the Software, supply of spare parts, and other maintenance and operation support required by the Purchasor.”

In appears that ongoing maintenance is one of those items that is not included in the main contract. If it’s 10% of the equipment cost, then that’s 20Million USD a year or 340Million USD for 20 years (years 3 to 20). The government does not seem to have a view of Total Cost of Ownership.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:13 pm 



cvj,

in effect, govt should have ‘costed’ this particular item in their cost assesments because very often, contracts with foreign companies do not include the provision with respect to “providing maintenance and technical support to the Purchaser in respect of all the Equipment and Services for at least three (3) years AFTER the expiry of the relevant Warranty Period.”

That’s why there is usually a huge training cost provision in the contract during the implementation period of the project …

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:15 pm 



to enable the buyer to come up ultimately with its own qualified corps of engineers and technicians…

I wonder if there was a provision at all in that ZTE contract that required ZTE to effect some transfer of know-how, one step towards transfer of technology.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:23 pm 



in effect, govt should have ‘costed’ this particular item in their cost assesments…MBW

MBW, yes. Same goes with the ‘Managed Services’ portion which ZTE provides only for the first 18 months. Usually, these two items – maintenance and ongoing operations are the largest cost items over the life of the system.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:26 pm 



Absolutely cvj: Usually, these two items – maintenance and ongoing operations are the largest cost items over the life of the system.

You mean it wasn’t ‘costed’ as a lifetime cost? Whew!

Seems to me that this deal is really less than half-baked.

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:33 pm 



MBW, from what i read in the 39-page contract, these items are not costed in. (I’m still waiting for the Annexes to be available online though for a more complete picture.) Even the bill of materials of the equipment itself looks half-baked. In Article 5 Bill of Quantities (BOQ) of the contract:

“…The Priced Bill of Quantities shall be revised in accordance with the actual requirement of the project to be determined and approved by the Purchaser and the Contractor during the detailed engineering stage…”

This clause is standard for us vendors and is a fair one because one should not commit something if the requirements or design is not finalized. If the Customer accepts it, then well and good. However, for the government representatives to go on TV and quote ‘cost savings’ without knowing the full cost is misleading the public to say the least.

joey on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:38 pm 



mlq3,

“ample time not only to get their stories lined up with their co-conspirators, but also destroy/suppress evidence.”

The public have learned to factor that in, they won’t buy GMA’s story, whatever, however. Opportunity lost, you mean, but isn’t that, on the other hand, presumptuous?

And how would you factor in GMA’s all out transparency, cabinet attendance, covered live 3 gov stations?

I’d consider it a Calibrated Pre-emptive Response to the crisis. A calibrated pre-emtive transparency. Learning from Erap’s second envelop, she opened the ’second’ envelop. That was a crucial timely move. Weren’t many surprised? Would you admit? Isn’t that move worth analysing?

1)Is the ZTE ’second’ envelop really a dud/empty?
2)Or is it ‘in process’ empty given the “ample time”?

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:38 pm 



cvj,

“However, for the government representatives to go on TV and quote ‘cost savings’ without knowing the full cost is misleading the public to say the least.”

More than misleading if I may say, because how can you determine all these costs in less than 3 days?

On March 26, 2007: “special joint meeting” of the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee, Cabinet Committee and Technical Board,

The ICC-Cabinet Committee and Technical Board of NEDA had serious doubts about the “economic viability” of the project. Too, they wanted to be further assured that it would be good for the government to have its own backbone, rather than use private sector services.

On March 29, 2007, the NEDA board approved the project,

Karl Garcia on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:39 pm 



rewind a bit on the three telcos recent history

It is the top two celphone telco that are driving the prices up…then comes sun their
literal duopoly wanted to gang up on this new entrant,although gokongkwei is not new in telco but in cellular he was at that time.

when that telco o offered free text the two cried foul,but its a good thing the old man is not a push over,and is willing to go head on with the two.

a typical lemonade stand competition aplication done by the old man.

__________________

what are we missing here:

cellsites being bombed,pay or blow.

if the technology would still be L.O.S. then same old story,pag tinoyo rebelde o sinumang totoyoin sasabog cellsite wala aamnin.

———————————

Anna de brux or mbw,

I know you know what you are talking about,especially with your work with NATO etc,etc.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:40 pm 



Or maybe DoTC already had determined it between Oct 2006 and March 2007.

The best is for govt to submit the entire contract including the annexes for scrutiny without delay.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:43 pm 



cvj,

I still haven’t downloaded the contract. Frankly I’m only half interested in the body of the contract if the annexes aren’t included.

The details contained in the Annexes could easily serve as the backbone of comparisson.

The body of the contract usually is standard for any foreing company operating in high tech sales.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:43 pm 



main body that is…

cvj on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 10:46 pm 



MBW, i agree.

mlq3 on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 11:06 pm 



joey, definitely, it defused tensions and bought time, and in both cases, perhaps crucially. it prevented one collision (over eo 464) in the sc, which would have been counterproductive considering the zte contract is now pending before the supremes.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 11:28 pm 



Karl,

I know some but not all … my friends over here know lots lots more and can ask them to help out with comparisson.

Bencard on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 11:30 pm 



mbw, cvj, has here been a thorough scrutiny of each particular item of cost to prove overprice? (i realize, you are being facetious with respect to bolts, nails and rivets to prove a point, mbw) but maybe this is more perception than fact. the telcos may do the job, cvj, but are they willing to do it in exchange for government’s i.o.u.’s? otherwise, where will they get the funding, usaid, japan, the world bank?

beancurd, didn’t mean to ignore you. just to clarify certain of your misimpressions, i am not exactly a foreigner. i live and work (and partly educated) in the u.s. but i am as filipino as you are, in blood as well as spirit. my mother country may be out of sight but never out of mind (thanks, mlq3). i follow practically anything and everything that happens to my country and people. i share their joys and their pains, and still hope that they will become great, as rizal envisioned them to be over 200 years ago.

i don’t presume to lecture you on the rule of law and due process in every democratic society. their observance is a collective responsibility of everyone, for his own ultimate good. i don’t know what your personal problem is with the rule of law or due process, but i think the likes of jinggoy and the “batasan five” (as well as joma in neitherlands) have now a better appreciation for it.
to be honest, i actually resent your unfair insinuations that i am of the “makapili kind” betraying illegal ofws for a reward. fwiw, i earn part of my living helping people with visa problems. surely, i could not remain a lawyer for 41 years if i went around denouncing clients for being illegal aliens to get reward.

one more thing. will you just speak for yourself rather than pretend to be the spokesperson for everybody by using “we” insted of “i”?

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 11:30 pm 



Karl,

Garec is perfectly capable of doing the benchmarking were hi-tech is concerned. He’s already in situ, govt folks don’t even have to consult other parties abroad.

Manila Bay Watch on Fri, 21st Sep 2007 11:56 pm 



Bencard,

Agree, I was being a bit facetious to drive a point but other than that, all you have to do is give the contract on line even a cursory look to show that govt has not properly done its job.

I do realize that you being a lawyer, you want all ‘allegations’ to be backed up by tangible, irrevocable, irrefutable proofs of wrongdoings to prove that wrongdoings were committed – and that is all in yor honour, agree totally – but you must admit that it is not easy to do that if gov hides things and don’t allow the examination of the complete paper work; just the same, even with the really meager 39-page document that involves a multi-million dollar hi-tech project (a contract, which I suppose they pieced together because the original was declared stolen) thanks to cvj, we gain insight on how gov assessed the costs, not very well…

That alone now shows there’s been gross negligence in the handling of the project. Actually that’s why there’s bidding – bidding of projects, PARTICULARLY those that involve hi-tech is one way to avoid or prevent suspicions.

Factoring that in and added to that, the knowledge of how or the environment within which goverment projects are formulated, contracted, implemented as can be gleaned by the Abalos-JdV&son-Mendoza problems, NEDA minutes, etc. – not quite above board, there is strong basis to believe that this particular govt project is not at all corruption free.

If the gov can prove that this is above board, finance wise and whatever, then fine but I doubt they would be able to prove that.

Very difficult to do that when a project to be implemented is basically half-baked.

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:00 am 



A contract of this size (amount) should total more than 39 pages. The 100 m $ dollar radar deal alone for NAIA totalled more than 2 volumes of at least 200 pages each (annexes, etc. included).

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:00 am 



That did not include all the sub-annexes.

rego on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:13 am 



Medyo mahirap din sundan ang discussion dito kailanagan talagang titukan para maiindtindihan lahat. Which is not really posible for person like me na pasilip silip lang sa live blogging…

I do like the excagerates of CVJ, Cat, Brian, Bencard and MBW and the rest. Although I still dont like pasingit singit na pasaring ni CVJ sa Move on Crowds and the attribution of Austeros statement made 3 years ago to the current scandal. But Oh well that is CVJ forever bitter for not having his great ideas implemented.

Anyways reading through the comments still it doesnt answer the basic question.

Is it a contract or government to government agrement. As far as overpricing and the other technical issues. I have to go with CaT. We need the exact figures for that. It sgood that CVJ is pointing out some contrversial provisions of the contract. But, Bencard can you find a time to also read the contract or whatever documents available online. I believe it woudl be very enteresting if you can share your inputs on every provisions of the contract. If only you got time. Its just that its not possible for me to do it at this time. I myself have as many as 10 job related contracts in my desk that needs perusal…

rego on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:21 am 



BTW CVJ, do you the links for the NBN contracts?

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:22 am 



To my knowledge an agreement is a contract, Rego.

rego on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:26 am 



Oh nver mind, I saw the contract already from Inquirer,net. But how do you enlarge. Its really unreadable for me. I tried clicking the page but it just make it even smaller….

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:28 am 



Hahahah – “I tried clicking the page but it just make it even smaller….”

That happened to me yesterday… but cvj said that it can be enlarged.

joey on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:29 am 



It’s a contract at the point when it was signed by Mendoza but at the same time an executive ageement in process.

It’s a creeping executive agreement, a creepy one.

joey on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:44 am 



But the legal proceedure differs.

A Contract that is a pre-requisite of an executive agreement. An ODA but not treated as ODA.

What mutant of a contract/executive agreement is this? Gee.
Like a Chameleon, changes color as it gets along. For a while it was even an invisible contract!

This entity must be exterminated immediately.

cvj on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 1:04 am 



Rego, i had to right-click and then ‘Save Picture As’. After that, i opened the contract with Microsoft Photo editor. However, a commenter also advised me that you can click on the zoom icon that appears on the lower right of your screen so you can enlarge the image.

manuelbuencamino on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 1:22 am 



Rego.

somos is the upper class term for tayo-tayo. it’s spanish because omce upom a time mestizos ruled. im a way, to say somos is to identigy yourself as established as opposed to nouveau. It refers to the old families.

Everyone else is otros or aquellos – others or them.

And this brings us to JPE’s attack on Joey’s access. Putting aside the fact that JPE himself got his start because his father was a rich and well connected person, we can look at access as an integral part of somos or tayo-tayo.

Access is part of our culture. From the barrio to the city it’s about access. The person who complains about Joey’s access is probably the same person who uses his access to his barrio captain. There is really no qualitative difference here. It’s the size that offends us, Joey’s access is national the other’s is local. But scope does not make one less evil or more good.

It’s Konek. Whether in the Philippines or any other country in the world, the game is Konek. It’s how amd for what purposes one uses that Konek that determines its morality. So unless proven otherwise we cannot attack Joey for taking advantage of a blood Konek unless, to use Bencard’s words, we can prove he used his Konek in an illegal and immoral way.

So to me JPE’s attack on Joey’s Konek was not only facetious, it was also hypocritical.

Karl Garcia on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 1:24 am 



MBW,

I know you and my oldman go a way back….but he is already spreading himself too thin,that is why timing ang na isip ko na why not hire me as his assitant.

But one thing that made me proud of my dad during that telethon that they kept on citing is the Abaya vs Ebdane case where my dad assisted his “mistah” in digging deeper in that one,and he is no lawyer.I recall the whole class 59 filed a suit vs ebdane et.al

I meant the SC decision abaya vs. ebdane:[G.R. No. 167919, February 14, 2007]

as for the little help my dad to contribute to this country behind the scenes,and helping friends seems to be his calling.

re: for his capabilities in current ict technologies, I can say that on his early years as an officer, he was assigned for the computerization of the afp,but that was three decades ago…..

Ako lang yata kulang bilib sa oldman ko eh. All the feedback I hear from those who know him like you, is all good.

manuelbuencamino on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 1:32 am 



Rego,

By the way, there are somos within somos.

Karl Garcia on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 1:44 am 



“I meant the SC decision abaya vs. ebdane:[G.R. No. 167919, February 14, 2007]”

I know this was later dismissed by the supreme court but it still gave us the guidelines and a second look on loan agreements and awarding of contracts and procurement.

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:24 am 



In English, ‘not somos’ is “not one of us”…

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:25 am 



Where’s my post reply to Karl’s?

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:29 am 



Mlq3’s blog is refusing to post my message to Karl – hmmm… never mind, will try tomorrow!

BrianB on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:34 am 



“It’s Konek. Whether in the Philippines or any other country in the world, the game is Konek”

In a country and culture that doesn’t believe in the creative spirit, this is true.

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:38 am 



Hi Karl,

Often, I find children when they are grown up are sometimes dubitative about their old men – I find that with my kids too, they think they’ve outgrown daddy or me, etc. Heh! (You’ll experience that when your own baby grows!)

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:40 am 



But seriously Karl, your old man, who’s not at all that old btw compared to Enrile and Joker, possesses vast, incredibly vast amount of hi-tech knowledge on top of which he was THE MAN responsible for putting up most of the guidelines for the modernization of the AFP. He not only knows about hi-tech but also contracts.

This NBN deal/project/agreement/contract, etc. would be easy for him, aided by a couple or two of telephone oriented engineers can dissect this project easily.

Your old man dealt in defence hi-tech covered by defence secret; the NBN is not; as for qualifications, he was one of the first few ones from the AFP who was exposed to the highest, most complicate defence techs in Europe C3I – this NBN project is not exactly about developing or installing nuclear plants or nuclear bombs, etc. so would prove to be far easier for your old man to check!

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:41 am 



I’m not surprised your old man is appreciated greatly. He was one of the most fair and most serious people I’ve met in govt dealing in major, truly major procurements – not only that he’s humble, NOT AT ALL MAYABANG.

That’s why, to me, it’s easy for this govt to call on him – actually Biazon should be more aggressive in pursuing this in the Senate than he actually is doing.

(Sorry to say this Karl, I like Sen Biazon, decent man and all but he is no match to your old man’s intellect and won’t be surprised if your old man is doing all the diligence, technical thinggies in that office!)

Manila Bay Watch on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:46 am 



Am reading this article: The Morality of Moneylending: A Short History” by Yaron Brook. Quite fascinating.

http://www.theobjectivestandard.com/issues/2007-fall/morality-of-moneylending.asp

The Ca t on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:55 am 



“That’s the hocus pocus of finance.”

Fund source: loan classification, budget, release,
Payment: automatic appropriations

When I sadi hocus pocus, it means window dressing the financial statements.

Like in this project, stream of inflows to derive the net present value represents savings.

In the first copy of the project feaisibility, the NPV is negative. Simply said, the savings to be generated is less than the cost. For a decision-maker this is a no go project.

Back to the “drawing table”. Since there are to amounts here, the cost and the total savings, there has t o be adjustments on either of the two. Definitely, it is not the cost. Remember, comission should not be reduced.
So the only option is to increase the total savings. And what do you do to increase the savings? you include more barangays which are assumed to benefit from the project.
And the rest, you can read from the newspapers.

The Ca t on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:58 am 



cAt, the simple and honest answer is, too many senators have a baranggay police station cop mentality and not enough of a senator’s mentality. i’d reckon 90% of the basic establishing facts questions asked so far wouldn’t have been asked in, say, similar hearings in the states: they’d have established those facts and zeroed in on the really damning questions.

Mlq3, I just love the words you used. Barangay Police Station Cop mentality. Wala na bang mababa pa sa barangay. hahahaha

Bencard on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 3:51 am 



“Barangay police station cop mentality”. mq3.

and, if i may add, illusions of presidential powers, in addition.

Karl Garcia on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 9:28 am 



MBW,

Thanks, for remnding me about how to appreciate parents.

btw: that supreme court ruling is not yeat through,it is still for reconsideration:

abaya vs ebdane

matagal nga sc decision:3 years

pero pwede din itong maging reference to expedite zte.

tonio on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:23 pm 



this just in, the ZTE deal is suspended as per Favila.

expect calls to abandon an investigation on an “irrelevant deal”

mlq3 on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:26 pm 



a crude move:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=90068

and meaningless. the deal is tro’d by sc. so president has ordered nothing more than compliance with sc order.

cvj on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:31 pm 



Crude but maybe it’s good enough for the “let’s move on…let her work hard…make Malacanang her prison” crowd.

tonio on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 12:44 pm 



of course no explanations, no nothing. “everything i discussed with the President, is covered under executvie privilege. i have nothing more to add.”

sheesh.

inodoro ni emilie on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 1:50 pm 



“Crude but maybe it’s good enough for the “let’s move on…let her work hard…make Malacanang her prison” crowd.”

move on by exonerating those who may have committed bribery? galeng.

cvj on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 1:59 pm 



move on by exonerating those who may have committed bribery? galeng. – i.n.e.

that’s where bencard’s supremacy of the rule of law routine comes in. it’s a symbiotic process that’s propping up GMA and the pathological elite she represents.

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:07 pm 



FROM NEWSBREAK:

“It looks like there was indeed an attempt to bribe former chief economic planner Romulo Neri to approve the government’s US$329-million contract for a national broadband network with the Chinese firm ZTE.

This is how it supposedly happened. Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos approached Neri to ask for “help” with the deal, Neri then being the director of the National Economic Development Authority and chair of the Investment Coordinating Council.

“I’ll take a look at it,” Neri reportedly replied, meaning he wanted to study the contract.

Abalos was said to have taken that to mean that Neri was against the deal, so the elections chief quickly offered, in Filipino, “There’s 200 for you here.”

When a shocked Neri asked what Abalos meant, the latter looked like he thought Neri was saying, “Only P200,000?” So Abalos clarified, “P200 million.” Neri was said to have thought, “What’s in this contract that they would give somebody like me P200 million to approve it?”

Comelec chairman Benjamin AbalosAbalos didn’t physically show the money—and the conversation ended there.

When Neri informed President Arroyo about the bribery attempt, she supposedly asked him, “What did you do?” Learning that Neri refused the offer, Ms. Arroyo allegedly said that he can forget the money but he should just go ahead and approve the contract.

Two days later, Neri was removed from Neda to become officer in charge of the Commission on Higher Education.”

grd on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:15 pm 



“make Malacanang her prison” crowd.”

i would love to be imprisoned in malacanang.

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:17 pm 



Recent scandals in China that will tarnish its global image prior to the OLYMPICS:

1) contamination of food products.

2)lead paint in children’s toys .

3)ZTE bribery in the Philippines

This is a classic business morality tale. Competition by becoming a producer of commodities, seeking the lowest possible commodity price, is not a good long-term business strategy.

mlq3 on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:19 pm 



grd, no you wouldn’t. the state rooms may be grand, but the architecture of the place after the marcos renovations in 1978 makes it a really depressing place to live., in fact, i think it is enough to trigger psychosis in any long-term tenant. seriously.

mlq3 on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:22 pm 



favila couldn’t explain why president changed course all of a sudden.

see ricky carandang’s account:

http://www.rickycarandang.com/?p=115

inodoro ni emilie on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:29 pm 



“favila couldn’t explain why president changed course all of a sudden.”

here’s my speculation: neri is ready to spill the beans, following the lashing of monsod.

inodoro ni emilie on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:31 pm 



the neda ties that bind.

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:32 pm 



ZTE involved in spy software scandal in Germany!(FROM DER SPIEGEL)

German news magazine Der Spiegel reported recently that computers in the German chancellery and the foreign, economic, and research ministries had been infected with Chinese spyware software, and German officials say they believe the hackers were linked to China’s People’s Liberation Army.

“The ability of Huawei and ZTE to participate in, let alone win, telecom infrastructure tenders in the Western hemisphere may have lessened considerably following last week’s shock report,” writes Lindberg in a research note issued Monday. “It could trigger a return to national security clearance when it comes to procurement of telecom networks,” he adds.

inodoro ni emilie on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:32 pm 



ah, okay. so neri is indeed in the picture as carandang narrated.

inodoro ni emilie on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:38 pm 



so you see bencard, even if you don’t believe solita, i would still believe her source is even more reliable than joey.

long and short of it: joey may indeed be telling the truth!

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:38 pm 



FROM NEWSBREAK:

Now, how did we(NEWBREAK) learn of this story?

A politician thought he was one of a few confidantes to whom Neri bared his soul, sharing this juicy, insider story. Imagine his surprise when, a day or so later, the politician found out that others in and outside of government knew about Neri’s close encounter with Abalos. Our own contacts learned about this story from Neri himself, too.

One of our colleagues likened Neri to a broken-hearted lover, who has to unburden himself as a form of therapy so he can finally move on. We have called this the “Romy Neri moment.”

In public, Neri has chosen not to confirm or deny this bribe try. But with the number of confidantes he has unburdened to, the story has already taken a life of its own.

Shaman of Malilipot on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 2:38 pm 



So, Cat, do you really believe the G8, all 8 countries of them, will do what Devils is hoping they will do?

mlq3 on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 3:01 pm 



tdc (and anyone else who’d like to quote an article) please provide a link, it helps.

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 3:02 pm 



Tita emilie:If Neri is not “sick” and attends the Senate hearing next week and you see Solita in the gallery,expect “fireworks”.

Don’t give up on Neri!

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 3:03 pm 



mlq3:noted

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 3:06 pm 



Pls see NEWSBREAK’s special report on NERI:

http://www.newsbreak.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3694&Itemid=88889070

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 3:36 pm 



“Secretary to the Cabinet Ricardo Saludo recently echoed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s call for the nation to move on.”

Saludo:Move on to WHAT

grd on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 3:49 pm 



mlq3, of course plus the travels & the golf at wack-wack. but promise i’ll work harder.

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 4:24 pm 



Two Christmases ago, a European printer that supplied 80 million P100 bills misspelled President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s name as “Gloria Macapagal-Arrovo.”

GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROVO:mas bagay yata!

Shaman of Malilipot on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 4:45 pm 



I’m glad that, as Ricky reported, Neri is still committed to testify on Wednesday.

His security detail has been augmented.

grd on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 5:56 pm 



so if neri testifies and spills the beans, will it finally generate the feeling of outrage from those self-proclaimed right thinking “move on crowd”? so far they are still in denial w/ the exception of course of winnie monsod.

interesting developments in the in the lower house: allies of jdv said, “Oust JDV, we impeach Gloria.” http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=93468

who will blink first?

grd on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 6:48 pm 



so, if neri testifies and spills the beans, will it finally generate the feeling of outrage from those self-proclaimed right thinking “move on crowd”? so far they are still in denial w/ the exception of course of winnie monsod.

interesting developments in the in the lower house: allies of jdv said, Oust JDV, we impeach Gloria. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=93468

who will blink first?

Shaman of Malilipot on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 6:54 pm 



I wonder: Is the politician-confidante of Neri mentioned by Newsbreak his UP classmate Manny Villar?

manuelbuencamino on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 8:53 pm 



Bencard the lawyer didn’t see the live telecast of the hearing but he has drawn all sorts of conclusions about Joey de Venecia from seconf hand sources. Now as lawyers say, HEARSAY lang ang pinababasehan mo.

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 9:01 pm 



Ohe of the most memorable lines in the arrival speech of Ninoy:

“On one of the long corridors of Harvard University are carved in granite the words of Archibald Macleish: ‘How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms; by truth when it is attacked by lies; by democratic faith when it is attacked by authoritarian dogma. Always and in the final act, by determination and faith.’

I promised on the grave of Ninoy “NEVER AGAIN!”

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 9:24 pm 



“I have sat at the sumptuous tables of power, but I have not run away with the silverware.”
Diosdado Macapagal

We will celebrate the 97th birthday of the “Poor man from Lubao” on friday,Sept.28.

In his honor,pls.spread this text to remind GMA of her father’s timely advice to her!

TDC on Sat, 22nd Sep 2007 10:10 pm 



81.

The Senate:

I am grateful that the following were NOT elected Senators: Tito Sotto,Tessie Aquino,Chavit,Defensor,Pechay,etc.Can you imagine what they would be doing in defense of the ZTE deal.

I am grateful that Mar Roxas is showing a lot of guts and determination(I used to worry about his being “spineless” before).

I am grateful that Cayetano and Escudero are acting like true principled oppositionists NOW.

I am grateful that Pimentel and Lacson have consistenly been true oppostionists.

I am disappointed with Noynoy and Loren for not being prepared for the hearings and are interested only in primetime sounds bites and photo-ops.

I am aghast at the behaviour of Lolos Johnny and Joker and of course Lady miriam.

I am missing the presence Lito Lapid and Revilla.Puede naman magtanong sa Tagalog,ah!

Leave a Reply

grd on Sun, 23rd Sep 2007 1:04 am 



tdc, i am glad that your perception about cayetano and escudero has changed now.

Bencard on Sun, 23rd Sep 2007 1:08 am 



buencamino, as i pointed out in the preceding thread, hearsay rule applies only to witness’ testimony, not a lawyer’s argument. when i argue as a lawyer, i’m doing just that, not testifying as a witness. the two roles are not compatible.

tonio on Sun, 23rd Sep 2007 6:48 am 



yeah, mar was pretty “spiny” that last hearing.

you know what i think about abalos’ encounter with prof. neri? he probably thought, when neri raised the second objection, “aba, looks like this guy wants more than 200M, pano naman ako?”

inodoro ni emilie on Sun, 23rd Sep 2007 10:22 am 



tdc,

you keep calling me tita emilie. emilie is another persona who used to frequent this forum; however, i suspect s/he is still lingering around, taking on his/her more popular alternick. i was only offering him/her a vessel to dump his/her crap. and that’s my nativity background.

inodoro ni emilie on Sun, 23rd Sep 2007 10:46 am 



how to uproot the truth:

“Asked if the President’s move would defuse the politically charged atmosphere, Apostol said: “All’s well that ends well.”

He said it would “temper all sides—Malacañang, De Venecia and the Senate.” ” -inq, 23 sept

galeng. altogether now: “let’s move on” [*music rolls*:
"tatoe arashi ga futou tomo, tatoe oonami areru tomo, kogida sou tatakai no umi e, tobikomou tatakai no uzu e..."]

The Ca t on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 12:21 am 



I am aghast at the behaviour of Lolos Johnny

You would not understand the issues raised by Enrile.
It is the question of a corporation that has a very small paid up capital and is bidding in a government project that is worth billions.

It is also a question of the absence of the name of JDV3 in the corporate paper of the corporation he claimed he’s a majority stockholder.

Go study about corporation. This is true with that corporation of Estrada which was also thinly capitalized but was able to get the chunks of government funds.

baycas on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:31 am 



Gloria will cancel the deal and then ask that the hearings be stopped and we move on. Her Senate tutas will say that’s right no harm no foul let’s move on.
- mb, September 21st, 2007 at 1:01 am

yes, even if just suspended, senate hearings should stop. no harm, no foul. stop neri and abalos from testifying…

truth or lies they are going to say…doesn’t really matter now…

Let’s. Move. On.

(the perfected art of preemptive strikes!)

baycas on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:50 am 



Back off, Senate, back off!

karl garcia on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 9:03 am 



Senate to back off,I don’t think,so.

The sc decision on abaya vs ebdane that I have mentioned ,has been scrutinized more by the senate,kasi dati quick browsing lang.

remember the irr question by chiz to andaya was lifted from the case:

http://elibrary.supremecourt.gov.ph

THIRD DIVISION

[G.R. No. 167919, February 14, 2007]

“The petitioners also argue that the “Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 9184, Otherwise Known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, Part A” (IRR-A) cited by the respondents is not applicable as these rules only govern domestically-funded procurement contracts. They aver that the implementing rules to govern foreign-funded procurement, as in the present case, have yet to be drafted and in fact, there are concurrent resolutions drafted by both houses of Congress for the Reconvening of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee for the formulation of the IRR for foreign-funded procurements under RA 9184.”

but it all depends on eo464.

Kung di nila pasulputin si Neri,siguro pwede nang umagal ang senado sa SC.

tingnan natin kung tutuo yung stand ni villar,na di nya pababayaan ang senate under his watch re:eo464 and Mirriam’s pronounouncement of the same.

TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 10:28 am 



“The Chinese government may eventually call for the cancellation of the $329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal if critics continue to demonize the controversial contract, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said Monday.”

Let’s then continue this public outcry on these shady CHINA ZTE deals.

As China prepares to celebrate its emergence as a global power at next year’s Olympic Games, a rash of recent international opinion polls suggest that the Asian giant faces an uphill battle to convince the world it is worthy of its new status.

And it is more than just a question of food or toys.It’s now shady ZTE deals around the world!!!

TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 11:04 am 



“Romy Neri said a very powerful official arm-twisted him to turn the broadband project from a safe build-operate-transfer plan to a risky outright supply purchase. It was for that reason, he told me on Apr. 20, that he almost resigned from the Cabinet the day before.Jarius Bondoc.”

Mr.or Mrs PIDAL? your guess???

TDC on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 11:39 am 



“In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack – the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers. The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn. It is like moving in a circle – you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination?”
- Sun Tzu

The Power of the PRESS,Brave Journalists( like Jarius ,Ricky,MLQ3)and Internet blogging here and abroad about China’s ZTE deals.Don’t back off!

cvj on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 12:30 pm 



From the department of WTF:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=90327

karl garcia on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 2:34 pm 



So Neri will go w gma to the US

akala ko ba oic ched sya.
ano role nya don mag promote ng call cenetr education at outsourcing.

incidentally me kinansel nga sya na call cenetr lab payment,na ironically saya nag release ng pondo,dahil di naman ganum ang explanation sa kanya.

ok time for conspiracy theories….

iiwan nya dun si neri.babalik kung ideklara ng sc na itigil ng senate ang investigation,tapos di papayag ang senate tapos hahamunin ulit ang eo464.

inodoro ni emilie on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 2:36 pm 



is romulo neri now playing pa-cute? if so, hope he doesn’t forget to put on his chute all the time while on flight.

karl garcia on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 3:54 pm 



INE

natakot yata sayo si emilie,almost two years ko na hindi nakikita pangalan nya dito.
pero baka nga pasulpot sulpot lang.

ewan ko ba kung bakit wala akong naisip na magandang alias noon eh.

karl garcia on Mon, 24th Sep 2007 7:14 pm 



gano kaya katotoo na ang nakatalo ni neri ay si enrique razon,kaya unimit sa kanya si Mike Arroyo?

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!

You must be logged in to post a comment.