Courtesy of and with permission-to-post by PNSRP and its Editor Mr. Rufino Gonzales
Manila-August 11, 2010

12-yr education cycle bucked

PNS -- TWO teachers organizations yesterday rejected the plan of the Department of Education to add two more years to basic education, saying it would only add to the people’s burden.

The Teachers Dignity Coalition and the Association of Concerned Teachers said they are renewing calls for DepEd to rethink their proposal to prolong the education cycle from 10 to 12 years.

“We fully support P-Noy and the DepEd’s leadership in pursuing reforms in the education sector, however, we believe that this 12-year basic education cycle should not be prioritized. Instead, the basic necessities in education should be given more focus,” said Benjo Basas, TDC national chairperson.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro on Monday announced a plan to add two more years to the current 10-year basic education. He said the department will present the proposal to the public on October 5 which happens to be World Teachers’ Day.

The TDC said government should instead resolve the shortages in classrooms, school buildings, teachers and textbooks.

The group said that they are willing to hold a dialogue with education officials and President Benigno Aquino to present the realities of the education sector.

Antonio Tinio of ACT added that education is supposed to be free and the addition of two more years in the cycle will further burden the people.

---

PNP revamp looms

PNS -- ANOTHER reshuffle of key Philippine National Police posts will take effect this week with the retirement of Deputy Director General Jefferson P. Soriano on Friday.

Today, Chief Supt. Artemio Hicban, Jr. of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1978 will take over as the new regional director of the Police Regional Office 4-B which has jurisdiction over the provinces of Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.

Hicban will replace his retiring “mistah,” Chief Supt. Paul Mascarinas.

On Friday, there will be an “upward movement” at the PNP with the early retirement of Soriano.

Sources said Deputy Director General Perfecto P. Palad will replace Soriano as deputy chief for administration, a post he held for two weeks just like Director Raul M. Bacalzo who will be the new deputy chief for operations vice Palad.

Bacalzo, the Chief of Directorial Staff, will be replaced by Director Benjamin A. Belarmino, Jr.

Sources said Belarmino will be replaced as Director for Research and Development by Chief Supt. Lani-O R. Nerez, who is currently the Police Regional Office 7 director in Central Visayas. Chief Supt. Ager Ontog is reportedly set to replace Nerez at the PRO7.

Chief Supt. Nicanor A. Bartolome, of the Police-Comnunity Relations Group, is also set to be designated as the new PRO4-A director in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region vice Chief Supt. Rolando R. Anonuevo. Sources said Anonuevo will be the new head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Southern Luzon vice retiring Director Eric Q. Javier.

Soriano and his batchmates last week said they will retire early from the service to allow their underclassmen to occupy their posts. He said he opted to retire on August 13 instead of Nov. 1 this year.

Sources also said Soriano, a former commander of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, is one of the top contenders for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s top post.

Another classmate, Director Romeo C. Hilomen, retired two weeks ago to give way to Chief Supt. Rey L. Lanada who is the new Director for Comptrollership.

---

Palace silent on cigarette tax

PNS -- MALACAŃANG will not say what President Be-nigno Aquino thinks of the proposal to impose a P4.50 tax for every cigarette stick.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said there has been no discussion on the issue, declining to comment if the President is receptive to the idea.

‘There is no policy decision on that yet. We have to coordinate with the Secretary of Finance about it,” Lacierda said.

The Department of Health has endorsed the proposal of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines for the government to impose a P90 tax for every 20-stick cigarette pack or P4.50 per stick to generate funds for the various health programs especially for the poor. The additional tax is also expected to be a big boost to the government’s anti-smoking campaign.

Lacierda said he is not aware if the President, who is a smoker, is seriously considering the proposal. “I will be speculating at this point,” he said, even as he assured that the proposal will be discussed.

---

RP soon to be Asia’s gambling hub?

PNS -- The Philippines is aiming to become Asia’s next big gambling hub with casino and entertainment resorts built in key tourist spots across the country, the nation’s gaming regulator said.

An “Entertainment City” in Manila to rival boom towns Macau and Singapore is at the heart of the plan and will hopefully be finished by 2014, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation chairman Cristino Naguiat said.

“The casino industry here in the Philippines has a very huge potential in terms of revenues,” Naguiat, who took over as chairman a month ago, said.

“We are way behind Macau and Singapore in terms of the casino industry... (but) we would like to be positioned right at the top.”

Naguiat said the government was looking to eventually build integrated casino and entertainment resorts in other parts of the Philippines, including picturesque Palawan and Cebu.

He said PAGCOR was open to hearing from foreign players interested in building entertainment resorts around the Philippines.

“We would like to receive their proposals with regard to this,” he said.

But Naguiat emphasized only proposals that incorporated other entertainment aspects aside from gambling, such as amusement centers and museums, would be considered.

“It has to be an integrated resort, not just a casino and a hotel,” he said.

---

PAGCOR offer ‘lucrative’

PNS -- THE government must set conditions in privatizing the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation since its lucrative franchise can be likened to a license “to print money,” Sen. Edgardo Angara said as he welcomed the offer of business tycoon Ramon Ang to buy PAGCOR for $10 billion.

Angara noted that PAGCOR’s gross income in 2009 had reached P29.78 billion. It is a regular contributor to the social fund of the Office of the President. Since January this year, the gaming agency turned over P5.04 billion to the government.

“Before we agree to privatize it, the contribution to government should not only be maintained but must be increased. They must also guarantee the share of local government,” he said.

“Finally, at least 20 percent of its net income should go to public hospitals and public schools. We should set conditions like those, otherwise it would be as if we just gave it away. It’s a very good franchise, almost like a franchise to print money,” Angara said.

PAGCOR is required under Republic Act 7656 or the Dividend Law to remit at least 50 percent of its annual earnings to the government.

Sen. Serge Osmena III is also in favor of the proposed privatization but after an audit of its assets so that the government can determine its “true” market value. “This could be done after its charter is amended to retain and redefine its regulatory function and the spin off of its commercial operations,” he said.

Munting Nayon News Magazine