Category: Politics

There is exactly one week left before the 2013 Philippines Election.  Have you chosen the candidates that you will vote for?  Do you know the do’s and dont’s in election campaign?  Did you know in which precinct to go to?  Do you know who the candidates are for senator, mayor, vice mayor, etc?

If you use any iOS devices, then you are in luck because there are two applications that can help guide you through the elections this coming May 13, 2013.  I really love that everything is online now!  Government agencies such as COMELEC is embracing technology, and partnering with the right groups to bring us mobile applications that are so useful to Filipinos like you and me.

Both applications can be found on the app store and are free.

e-Leksyon 2013

e-Leksyon 2013 is a project supported by Smart Communications to help inform and educate voters for the May 13, 2013 Philippine elections.

It was built by a group of young developers from the Smart Developer Network for free.  Meant to be used by COMELEC to help guide voters in things like reporting violation, simulating ballots, finding precinct, and learning what campaign violations are.

e-Leksyon 2013 is a pretty simple and straightforward mobile application, but it is fit for purpose and fit for use.  I love that I get to learn about campaign violations in a nice way.  Other than that, I appreciate that COMELEC is making it easy for Filipinos to report campaign violations by candidates.  In all honesty, a lot of candidates are guilty of that so I hope we can make use of this tool to help our government too!

Features:

• Precinct Finder – If you are a registered voter, you can find your voting precinct.  You can also help your friend find his/her voting precinct.  Results can be saved and viewed later on at ‘My Precinct’ section of the application.
• Ballot Simulation – learn to properly shade the ballot to make sure that your votes will be counted.  Sample ballots can be saved and viewed later on at ‘My Ballot’ section of the application.
• Campaign Violation Learning Module – a complete training for voters to understand the violations in campaigning.  Are the posters we see in the streets legal?  Is campaigning on election day allowed?  Get to know those and more by browsing through the module.
• Reporting Campaign Violation – once you understand what the campaign violations are, you can now report through the e-Leksyon application a candidate or party list who against them.  Those reports will be received by Comelec.

Download e-Leksyon 2013 for free.

Comelec Halalan 2013

Comelec Halalan 2013 is a mobile application made in partnership between Comelec and ABS-CBN.  It allows us access to relevant election-related information any time, anywhere through our mobile phones.  The application was launched as part of ABS-CBN network’s advocacy to help voters in making informed choices this upcoming elections.

I love how comprehensive, and useful this application is.  Comelec Halalan 2013 covered almost everything that we need to know of regarding the Philippine Elections 2013.  Things like complete list of candidates (including local!), list of COMELEC offices, a lot of how to’s, voter’s registration checker, precinct finder and a compilation of news about candidates and election.

The infographic on the ‘how to’ section were so nicely done that we wouldn’t miss not reading it.  Even if there are a lot of information embedded in the application, they were neatly arranged and placed appropriately.  This is one of the best Filipino-made application in the iTunes app store.

Features:

• Voters Status Checker  – allows voters to check the status of his/her eligibility to vote.
• Precint Finder – allows voters to locate his/her precinct or polling place.
• Halalan 101 – guides voters with important information regarding the elections
  • How to Register
  • Are You Qualified To Register As A Voter?
  • Things to Bring When Registering
  • Step-By-Step Process of Registration
  • How to Validate Your Registration
  • Step-By-Step Process of Validation
  • Transfer of Registration
  • Step-By-Step Process of Local Change
  • How to Transfer Your Voter Registration in Case You’ve Changed Residence Within the Same City or Municipality
  • How to Register for OAV
  • Things to Bring When Registering
  • Step-By-Step Process of Registration
• Candidates List – according to location, voters can see the list of candidates for national and local positions with candidate’s profile if applicable.
• Election News – offers election-related news from ABS CBN and myCOMELEC.tv
• BMPM Report – allows voters to submit citizen journalism reports with photos and videos through the Bayan Mo, I-Patrol Mo feature.

Download Comelec Halalan 2013 for free.

A group of netizens met up at Smart Jump Experience Center, SM Megamall yesterday to discuss the proposal to have a Netizens Coalition of the Philippines (NCP).  A lot of netizens were invited and urged to join the discussion physically at the venue or online through Google Hangout.

Considering that I know the people behind the idea, I know that NCP will be for our own good.  The purpose of the group is to help netizens across the whole country.  If there is something I can contribute, then I would do so.  The first step is to join the meeting in order to understand what the proposal really is.  Is it feasible?  Is it something that netizens would be interested in?  Is the goal enough to gather support from the netizens in the Philippines?

What is the proposal anyway?  Moreover, what is Netizens Coalition of the Philippines (NCP)?  I listed down my takeaways from the #netizensmeetup.  You can watch the recorded Google Hangout session as well.

Netizens Coalition of the Philippines (NCP)

A Coalition of the ‘Willing’.

a support, advice and education coalition of netizens for all with the end in mind of freedom and fairness to all.

when netizens join the coalition, they will undergo a process wherein they will be required to attend a seminar on two regarding internet safety & good online practices.  At the end of that, an oath (sets of good practices) of sorts will be followed.  Lastly, once all of that is done, the netizen’s name will be included in the official list of NCP.

• The idea came about two months ago when a blogger was sued for libel.  Cynthia and Noemi discussed it thinking that maybe bloggers should help each other through education.
• Juned came up with the idea of a coalition stating that times are changing.  More people are going online, there are more encounters online, more developments in our country like the cybercrime law, more people are being sued for online activities, and people being bullied online.
• The main proposal is to have a network of netizens who will actually support each other via education, and via advocacy in order to overcome strengths and challenges that come their way.
• It was initially limited to bloggers but later concluded that it should be open to everyone online.  Some people might not have blogs but they are online via Twitter, Facebook and/or email.  So basically, all of us are netizens.
• They wanted to propose NCP in order for netizens to group up and find a common good belief.  We all have different reasons why we go online (earn money, share views, marketing, etc) and this leads to disagreement.  However, we all have common values.  For most of us, we believe in transparency.
• There are a lot of talks about online credibility.  A collection of best practices can help provide guidance especially for newbies.
• before NCP will be created, a set of best practices (experiences & knowledge) should be compiled.
• Members of NCP can get support from the coalition as simple as asking a question or as complex as seeking help about an issue or a legal case.
• Main driver – Education & support.  A common pool of people who wants to learn from each other.
• The group does NOT want our freedom to be curtailed.  There is a need to form an organization to help netizens.  Right now, it all depends if you have the connection.  Not everyone has that.

I believe some people might not be interested in it.  However, there could come a time that they would need guidance in online matters, at least there’s NCP who they can approach.  As for me, in spite of being online for a couple of years, I still believe that there are a lot of things I need to learn.  I hope Netizens Coalition of the Philippines will push through.  It’ll be a non-profit, a charity-like organization for online people and a helping hand.  Who wouldn’t want that?

So there, that was what went through with the meet up.  Will you join Netizens Coalition of the Philippines (NCP) if it pushes through?  If yes, any ideas you wanna throw out there?  what kind of topics & issues you think NCP should handle?

It’s really admirable that government agencies are easier to reach now.  The first agency that most of us are happy about is MMDA.  Recently, when we were badly hit by a nameless monsoon, another agency stood out: DOST-Pagasa.

We saw how those two agencies helped us out fellow Filipinos through information dissemination via social media.  I’m particularly happy as both MMDA & DOST-Pagasa are now embracing technology.  We became more effective!

During the habagat days, I noticed tweeps following a certain @nababaha.  @nababaha is the Twitter account of Professor Mahar Lagmay, a disaster scientist.  Mr. Lagmay mentions Project NOAH frequently on his Twitter account.  I still did not know what Project NOAH is until I got invited for a media event (organized by GetReadyPinas & #SmartActs) regarding the tool.

In this post, I’ll be sharing what I learned about Project NOAH: how it started, how it works and how we can use it effectively.

Background

Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) was launched by the Department of Science and Technology when President Noynoy Aquino instructed the agency to put in place a program for disaster prevention and mitigation.

Considering our country’s location, Philippines cannot escape typhoons, tsunamis or earthquakes.  That’s why it is important for the government to implement measures so that we can prevent fatalities, infrastructure damages and economic losses due to our sensitive climate.  If DOST can provide a 6 hour lead-time warning to vulnerable communities against threatening floods then it can definitely make a lot of difference.

Project NOAH’s vision is to assure homeland security by reducing casualties and property loss from extreme hazard events and build disaster resilient communities in the Philippines by way of establishing research and development platforms and the promotion of frontier science and technology in disaster efforts.

To become a world leader in programs that leverage on advanced science and technology to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards.

During the past months, NOAH integrated existing disaster science research & development projects and initiated new efforts in order to achieve its objective.  Companies like Smart Communications and Digitel Mobile Philippines partnered with DOST through the NOAH program in developing systems, tools and other technologies to help prevent and mitigate disasters.

DOST will install 600 automated rain gauges and 400 water level measuring stations (river sensors) for 18 major river basins of the Philippines, namely: Marikina River Basin, Cagayan de Oro River Basin, Iligan River Basin, Agno River Basin, Pampanga River Basin, Bicol River Basin, Cagayan River Basin, Agusan River Basin, Panay River Basin, Magaswang Tubig River Basin, Jalaur River Basin, Ilog-Hilabangan River Basin, Agus River Basin, Davao River Basin, Mindanao River Basin, Tagum-Libuganon River Basin, Tagaloan River Basin and Buayan-Malungun River Basin.  Other river basins will follow soon after the work on the 18 major river basins is completed.

Sensor readings from both the rain gauges and river sensors will be transmitted to the central database of DOST at least four times every hour.  Information generated shall be shared to all of us through media and communication channels.

Project NOAH

We are in luck!  The NOAH team has made the system available online!  I heard that an Android version is on the works while there are plans to have it made for iOS and other platforms.

Here’s the site where we can access Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH): http://noah.dost.gov.ph/.

Now that weather monitoring tools are accessible to us, we are equipped to prepare for the next disasters to come.  We must embrace this development.  I must admit it took some time for me to understand the system but it’s all worth it 🙂

Accessing Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH)

• Get in the NOAH site by typing noah.dost.gov.ph in your browser
• Type in a location in the Philippines where you want to get information.  For me, I typed Quezon City as I live there.  You can also use the zoom feature of the Google Maps (located at the left side of the map) to get to a location.

• You can choose which view you want: Street, Hybrid or Terrain.  Default view is Terrain.  Personally, I opt for Hybrid.  It just looked so much cooler 😛  You can toggle options on the right hand corner of the map.

NOAH Features

There are a lot of information that we can get from the system.  Honestly, just by going through the NOAH site made me learn a lot of things about rains and floods.  I have renewed respect for the hardworking people in DOST especially PAG-ASA.

• Weather Outlook/Probability of Rain

The percent chance of rain (PCOR) is calculated every 30 minutes for all major cities of the Philippines.  The forecast is done for 1, 3 and 6 hours lead time.

According to DOST, this feature isn’t only used for disaster preparedness but for farmers who want to know when to dry rice grain, fishermen who would like to check the sea condition, construction workers who need to know when to pour cement, and housebands who need to ensure fresh and sweet-smelling laundry.

This feature alone is already extremely useful and this is just one of many!

• Flood Map

Flood maps indicate flood height and extent given a rainfall scenario.  In order to understand the colors, you have to press the “legend” tab in the top right of the panel.  The flood height was based on an average height of a Filipino: 5 feet and 5 inches in height.  Red color means flooding greater than 1.5 meters, orange means flooding 1.0 meter high and yellow color means flooding less than or equal to 0.5 meter.

The intensity of rainfall is categorized by how often rainfall of that amount falls in a given area. Both light and heavy rains happen regularly in a certain area, but the volume of rainfall is proportional to the recurrence interval; moderate rainfall occurs every 5 years, heavy rainfall occurs every 50 years, extreme rainfall such as Ondoy occurs only every 100 years or longer.

• Weather Stations

Weather stations (Temperature) show the amount of rainfall, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, air pressure, and humidity of a geographic area.

Stream gauges (Water Level) show the water level in rivers in real time.  Sudden increase or unusual height of the river may indicate possible flooding.

Rain gauges (Rainfall) reflect the amount of rainfall that pours in a given area.  The intensity of rainfall can be classified into light (<2.5 mm/hr), moderate (2.5<7.5 mm/hr), heavy (7.6 < 15 mm/hr), intense (15 < 30 mm/hr), or torrential rain (>30 mm/hr).  They are color coded as light blue (light rain), blue (moderate rain), dark blue (heavy rain), orange (intense rain) and red (torrential rain).  The amount of water collected by the rain gauges are measured in millimeters every 10, 15 or 20 minutes.  The graphs that represent the measured values are in millimeters/hour.

• Overview

MTSAT or Multi-Functional Transport Satellite are a series of weather satellites which contain Infrared sensors which detect the extent of cloud cover, as visible from space.  The images provide a view of the clouds and general weather condition of the Philippines and surrounding seas.

Rain, temperature, and pressure values are shown in different contour maps for the whole country using linear interpolation.  By looking into these contour maps, you are provided with a quick look at the rain, pressure and temperature condition of every part of the Philippine land territory.

• Doppler

Doppler radars are configured to detect moisture or precipitation in the air and calculate its volume and movement.  The different colors of the doppler image represent rainfall intensity in mm/hr and would help you determine if the rain cloud hovering your area could precipitate light, moderate, heavy, intense or torrential type of rain.

It’s rainy season again.  I’m just glad that we have NOAH to refer to for weather-related information.  I cannot wait for the mobile versions to come out!  For now, we stick to the web to access the tool.  I suggest that you follow @dost_pagasa and/or @nababaha via Twitter as well for updates.

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Project NOAH
http://noah.dost.gov.ph

We do almost anything online these days.  Things like paying bills, ordering food, and finding information about various kinds of stuff.  However, availing of government services has always been a pain for me as I have to put up with going to the office, the long lines and long processing times.

That was the problem that Pilipinas Teleserv, Inc. (Teleserv) is trying to address.  The company developed proprietary services for various Philippine government agencies that have improved the way citizens transact with government.

Teleserv is experienced in customer service activities with operations running 24/7, 365 days a year.  Connecting their expertise with the current need to improve government transactions paved the way for Citizen Services.

Filipinos can now be provided with efficient, cost-effective and convenient services as Teleserv partnered with some Philippine government agencies.  I tried this myself (read more of this experience in succeeding paragraphs) and I was completely satisfied and happy with the service.

Here are the three government agencies that partnered with Citizen Services:

• National Statistics Office

Developed for the National Statistics Office (NSO).  This facilitates the application of Birth/ Marriage/ Death/CENOMAR Certificates by telephone and through the internet with a courier service for the delivery of the document requested by the applicant.

• Department of Foreign Affairs

Developed for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).  It allows Filipino citizens the facility to avail of a more convenient and expeditious application process for new, expiring, and expired Philippine passports.  Applicants may set an appointment by going online through its dedicated website www.passport.com.ph or by calling the DFA Appointment Hotline 737-1000.  This service is free.

The system is designed to help eliminate long queues formed with the old walk-in system, as the applicants would be pre-processed using information given via hotline or online.

• Philippine Overseas Employment Agency

Developed for the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).  It provides Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) a convenient, hassle‐free application procedure for Overseas Exit Clearances while on vacation in the Philippines.

OEC processing comes with PHILHEALTH and OWWA membership updates.

  Balik-Manggagawa OEC Delivery is available nationwide and is coupled with an inquiry hotline 737-7777.

  An OEC Express Delivery booth is also situated inside the POEA Balik Manggagawa area to cater to OFWs who find themselves at the POEA.

Personal Experience with Teleserv Citizen Services

My mom used to be the one who would request for copies of my birth certificate so I didn’t really know the process and how convenient or hard it is.

However, as soon as I got the invite to the Teleserv event, I gave Citizen Services a try by ordering copies of my NSO birth certificates.

The process was completely awesome!  I was blown away by how easy and efficient the process is!

I just visited the Citizen Services website, answered a few questions, chatted with the call center agent (who was very helpful & friendly), paid the processing fee and in less than a week, I got the birth certificates delivered to me!

Knowledge is indeed power.  If I haven’t known about Teleserv’s services, I wouldn’t have experienced how easy it is already to apply for NSO certificates.  So here I am, sharing with you what I learned and experienced.

Getting NSO certificates, Passport appointments and OEC has become so much simpler with Teleserv Citizen Services!  I’ll surely avail of those services when I need them in the future.  Oh, and by the way, GSIS services will come soon on Teleserv Citizen Services.

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Teleserv Citizen Services
http://www.citizenservices.com.ph
NSO inquiries: +63-2-7371111
DFA inquiries: +63-2-7371000
POEA inquiries: +63-2-7377777

*** Disclaimer ***
The 35 questions by former PCSO Chairman Morato published in this post are allegations and unproven.

It has been more than a year since I’ve last written about politics.  I took a time off right after the 2010 elections.  However, I do miss my Blogwatch friends.  So when Blogwatch was set to interview former PCSO chairman Manoling Morato last May 13, 2011, I took the time to attend it.

There had been a lot of talks going around regarding Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).  It seems like there’s a big conflict between the previous and the current PCSO chairman.

• former PCSO Chairman  (2004 to 2010) – Manoling Morato
• current PCSO Chairman (July 2010 to present) – Margie Juico

Since a lucky Filipino carpenter won the 356 million peso jackpot recently, I felt it’s time for me to share what happened during our interview with former PCSO chairman Manoling Morato.

There were a lot of things former PCSO chairman Morato shared.  You can really feel how frustrated he is with what is happening with PCSO now.  He doesn’t trust current PCSO chairman Juico at all!

In the material he shared to us, there were 35 questions he wanted PCSO to address.  Let me share them with you and I want you to be the judge if you believe them.

Here are the 35 questions by former PCSO Chairman Manoling Morato:
It was a 17-page material and I have to summarize some of the questions but these are questions written by former PCSO chairman Morato:

1. Why did incumbent PCSO officials headed by Chairman Margie Juico preterminate a valid 50-year PCSO Lease contract with the Philippine Tuberculosis Society of the Quezon Institute for its offices inside the complex, under the pretext that this perfectly sound building may collapse “in case of a strong earthquake?
2. How was Chairman Margie Juico able to transfer the 1,200 PCSO employees, records and furniture to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) using army trucks and soldier in September of 2010, despite the absence of a signed contract of lease between the PCSO and the PICC?  The said leased contract was signed only on October 7, 2010.
3. Such a transfer is a major decision that requires presidential approval.  Was the transfer to PICC approved by President Aquino?  If not, it is patently illegal as it cannot be approved by the PCSO board alone since the PCSO was at the time under the Department of Health by virtue of EO 455.
4. In 1998, during the administration of President Ramos, I left US$5 million deposited in the Landbank, a government bank.  As of June 2010, before we left PCSO on June 30, 2010, it had earned interest totaling almost US$6 million.  The present PCSO board transferred said savings to UCPB (a private bank, hence the transaction is against the law) which, according to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, is in bad shape.
5. Chairman Margie Juico, upon assuming office on July 5, 2010 made irresponsible statements on television, radio and print media that the PCSO is “bankrupt” and yet, in the same breath, she paid taxes to the BIR amounting to Php2.9 billion.  If indeed the PCSO was “bankrupt”, why did she pay taxes?  PCSO tax is based on 10% of sales, meaning to say that the PCSO had an income of Php29 billion.
6. Anyone who brags about PCSO’s huge deposits in the bank while patients suffer is causing deception, for it can only mean one thing: The PCSO has failed miserably to live up to its mandate; that the PCSO built up a huge bank deposit for bragging purposes at the expense of extending medical assistance to the poor.
7. Chairman Margie Juico had no qualms spending hundreds of millions of Pesos in transferring to the new PCSO offices in the PICC instead of helping poor sick patients.  Is this right or justifiable?  I believe it is pure and simple mismanagement and a grave violation of its mandate under the PCSO charter.
8. There is no need to pass the RH bill.  Just leave it to Chairman Margie Juico to reduce the population.  A great number of those who are deprived of PCSO medical assistance are dying everyday, nationwide, causing added hardship to the afflicted families deprived of PCSO medical assistance.
9. Ang mahihirap ay may karapatan ring mabuhay.  Ang mga mayayaman lang ba ang may karapatang mabuhay sa mundong ito?
10. Why is Chairman Margie Juico wreaking vengeance against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s appointees in PCSO?  Lahat ba ng appointees ni Presidente Arroyo ay masasamang tao?  Diba isa rin siyang dating appointee ni Presidente Arroyo noong 2001, but was removed for cause in 2006?
11. The office building the PCSO was occupying in the Quezon Institute complex was meant to be the permanent home of the PCSO for 50 years, a lifetime contract, with the option to buy the 6.5 hectares & the buildings “at a reasonable price” as stipulated in the contract approved by President Ramos, signed by Justice Cecilia Munoz-Palma and myself, as approved by the PCSO board and the PTSI board.  There is a symbiotic relationship between the Quezon Institute and the PCSO because President Quezon founded the PCSO to support the Quezon Institute Hospital for Tuberculosis patients, Tuberculosis, being the number one killer disease at the time.  Under the law, the Quezon Insitute is a permanent beneficiary of the PCSO.  Kahit umalis ang PCSO sa Quezon Institute compound, the grant must continue.  The Php2 million grant the PCSO was extending monthly to the PTSI-QI was to help support the Quezon Institute Hospital as well as its clinics nationwide.  In exchange, the PCSO was given the west wing of the Quezon Institute and the 6.5 hectare land for its use, RENT FREE.  Tuberculosis still remains the number 3 killer disease up to now.  Bakit ipagdadamot ni Chairman Margie Juico ang tulong sa Quezon Institute?
12. When the PCSO, under Chairman Margie Juico, vacated the PTSI-QI premises last September 2010, after only two months in office, she allowed the building to be vandalized, leaving all the permanent improvements that cost tens of millions of pesos to be cannibalized instead of just donating those improvements to the Quezon Institute.  The contract stipulates that “all fixed improvements” must remain.  The law says so as well.  Chairman Juico blamed PCSO security for the vandalization, when, as Chairman, Juico should have properly protected the premises.  She alone is to blame for this under the principle of command responsibility.
13. The PCSO Clinic and Fund Allocation Department’s were transferred to the Waste Management area of the Quezon City Hall, a very cramped, unsanitary and smelly space for the hundreds of patients who line up daily to request for medical assistance, under the harsh sun and rain without waiting sheds.  May mga sakit na, pinaparusahan pa.
14. What hurts is when I questioned the transfer to the PICC, Chairman Margie Juico fabricated stories na ayaw kong umalis ang PCSO sa Quezon Institute kase tumatanggap daw ako ng lagay sa Philippine Tuberculosis Society ng Quezon Institute headed by Mrs. Zeneida (Nini) Quezon Avancena whose father, President Manuel L. Quezon was my father’s closest friend from childhood.  They remained close friends until the President died of Tuberculosis in Saranac Lake, USA.  I cannot take that sitting down, for Chairman Margie Juico’s information, my father was one of President Quezon’s biggest donors to the construction of the Quezon Institute Complex in 1938.  He continued to support the hospital thereafter as First Mayor of Quezon City in 1939 with his own personal funds, not with the city government funds.  This is the only attachment and personal involvement I have with the Institute.
15. Information has reached me that Mr. Alex Lopez, a colleague of Mr. Philip (Popoy) Juico, Chairman Juico’s husband, during his Philippine Sports Commission days, has a backer in purchasing the property left open for sale by Chairman Margie Juico’s arbitrary pretermination of the PCSO 50 year lease contract with 37 more years to go.  I was also informed that an incumbent PCSO official will receive 3 condominium units, over and above the promised commission.
16. Are the incumbent PCSO officials in the buy and sell business of government-owned lands?  Instead of acquiring property for the security of PCSO permanent employees, they are selling out at fire sale prices, when the PCSO is not in need of funds and is not bankrupt despite Chairman Juico’s claims.
17. As I previously mentioned, Chairman Margie Juico took over the PCSO like a conquering and vengeful warrior, fully confident that she is “untouchable” claiming on TV, radio and print media that “ka-textmate ko si P-Noy,” which should not even be publicly announced for it is highly improper.  As such, everybody on her Board and those appointed with her are so scared due to the great possibility that she can have them all removed.  Ika nga, isang text lang sila kay Presidente, if they don’t tow her line.  What a social climber!
18. The scandal she caused by telling the Ricky Reyes Foundation that runs the “Child Haus” located in the 6.5 hectare PCSO Compound where cancer children stricken are cared for to vacate the building by November 27, 2010, was very cruel, to say the least.  An order to cut off the water and light supply caused the children to be attended to by candlelight until PTSI Chairman and President Nini Quezon Avancena graciously extended their stay for another six months, ending May 2011.
19. For and on behalf of the PCSO employees who came to me for help as they were unable to complain to the incumbent PCSO officials under pain of dismissal under the Rationalization scheme now pending in the Department of Budget and Management, I filed a petition in the Supreme Court for a thorough investigation on the possible violation of the law as the transfer effected by the incumbent PCSO board is without presidential approval – unless a post-facto approval is sought for now.  Hopefully, that does not happen for it is the President who will ultimately be put in bad light.
20. I am not criticizing the incumbent PCSO officials.  I simply wish for them to do some soul-searching since they are remiss in performing their duties and in complying with the mandate of the PCSO charter, Republic Act 1193.
21. The resident COA auditor assigned to the PCSO has been conveniently removed for serving an audit report without clearing it out first with the board something which the resident COA auditor is not obligated to do, the COA being an independent body  But as I was informed, said audit report on the expenses incurred in the transfer to the PICC angered the Chairman for not being cleared with her first.
22. Several indiscretions committed by Chairman Margie Juico must be looked into.  Last September 8, 2010, on the 76th foundation day of the PCSO, Chairman Margie Juico gave a dinner for the 1,200 PCSO employees at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club for a thousand pesos per plate.  According to the employees, ang dami raw sa kanila ang hindi nakakain at kinulang pa kahit mostly spaghetti lang ang handa.  That’s only one of the problems.  What is doubly questionable is the fact that Philip Juico, husband of Chairman Juico, is the incumbent President of the Wack Wack Gold & Country Club.  Definitely, this is a conflict of interest.
23. The PCSO is now in the process of dismissing 700 PCSO employees starting with those who were hired as casuals and special agents 10 years ago and below.  To me, this move targets those hired during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the former PCSO board.  They are being dismissed for not having civil service eligibility, suggested to Chairman Margie Juico by Karina David, former Civil Service Commission chairman, a barkada of Margie Juico who was appointed by her as PCSO consultant.  What is bothersome and known to the rank and file, is the fact that the incumbent PCSO officials simply want to replace them with their own people belonging to the Yellow Army.
24. If I read the situation in the PCSO correctly, many will be dismissed because of the PCSO’s mismanagement now.  The PCSO’s operating fund suffered tremendously when Margie Juico ventured in transferring the PCSO offices to the PICC.  She kept on harping that it would cost PCSO less money by transferring to the PICC which proved to be wrong.  Ang laki ng ginastos ng PCSO to transfer to the PICC and to other satellite offices all over town, draining the operating fund of the PCSO that only gets 15% of sales.  The advantage of being in the Quezon Institute compound is very obvious.  It was “rent-free”.  The grant in exchange for the use of the 6.5 hectare property including its buildings was charged to the Charity Fund which earns billions of pesos from sales.  Thus, the Operating Fund was not strained.  As things are now, the rental in the PICC and all other expenses incurred in the relocation are all charged to the Operating Fund.  As the Operating Fund gets smaller, the number of employees will now have to be reduced.  That’s the reason why many will be dismissed in the coming months.
25. Last month, one who was in line at an embassy to get a visa informed me Margie’s brother, Emmet Penson, was overheard saying that he now supplies PCSO with wheelchairs; brother-in-law, Philip “Popoy” Juico (Margie’s husband) is now in-charge of the substantial PCSO PR fund.  Philip Juico allocated the PR funds and makes the General Manager sign.  The GM is masunurin and does what he is told to do.  Margie’s son, Vincent Juico, is her chief of staff.  And the other son who is a Quezon City Councilor, Joseph Juico, holds office in the Executive Secretary’s office in Malacanang on a peso-a-year token salary, para harangin daw lahat ng complaints against his mother para hindi makarating kay President Aquino.  All bases are covered.
26. It’s time for PCSO rank and file employees to make the next move before most of them are weeded out of that office with the flimsy accusation na tauhan yan ni Presidente Arroyo, tauhan yan ni so and so, and tauhan yan ni Manoling Morato.  Most of those who are being persecuted in the PCSO were already there even before our time.  If they served us well, wala naman pong masam kasi we were also fair and good to them.  Trabaho lang at common decency ito.  This rule of vengeance, hatred and vindictiveness must end for it is inhuman and counter productive for everyone.
27. Last May 7, 2011, Channel 2 aired the “Ted Failon Special Report” regarding poor patients requesting for PCSO Medical Assistance at the PCSO clinic in the Waste Management Department in Quezon City Hall where hundreds congregate everyday.  Chairman Juico blurted out so many accusations running into the billions without specifying in whose terms they happened.  If I recall correctly, and if the records have not been lost in the sudden transfer to the PICC, the “ghost” TV commercials she spoke about happened during her term as director in 2001 to 2003.  I was reappointed to the PCSO by President Gloria in 2004.  So if there’s an investigation, siya ang sasabit doon, hindi ako.
28. Chairman Margie Juico blurted out about the so-called “ghost” TV commercials when her husband, Philip Juico was guilty of it too.  But she did not mention when they happened, in whose term they happened, and who are the ones responsible.
29. Nakakatawa ang sinabi ni Chairman Margie Juico sa interview ni Ted Failon.  Sabi niya: I always tell my board that “my board is above board.”  Is it really above board, Margie?  Above board ba itong pinaggagawa ninyo?  Above board ba ang pag-alis mo sa PCSO-QI cancelling a valid 50-year contract?  Above board ba ang paglipat ng PCSO sa PICC?  Above board ba na ang dami ng namamatay na mga pasiyente sa kamay ninyo?  Is killing people now “above board” dahil nagtitipid ka?
30. When Margie Juico was not able to get DOH Secretary Ona’s approval for the transfer to PICC (EO 455-August 22, 2005, transfer of PCSO from DSWD to DOH which placed the PCSO’s supervision under Department of Health), she rushed to Malacanang and had the DOH supervision on the PCSO removed by P-Noy through EO14, November 19, 2010, and transfer the PCSO from DOH to the office of the President.
31. Margie Juico hired the PR firm of her dear friend “for the reputation management of Chairman Margie Juico, PCSO.”  I have a copy of the contract.  Bawal sa batas gastusin ang PR fund ng PCSO for the “reputation management of Chairman Margie Juico” for the PR fund is strictly for the promotion of the PCSO products such as the lotto and the Sweepstakes, not for Margie Juico to smell good and look good before the eyes of the people when she is actually the opposite of what she tries so hard to project.
32. Php 300 million was earmarked for the PR expenses, and charged to the PCSO.  Because of this, sinisiraan ako sa mga tabloids na madali niyang mabili.  Lately, frontpage ako sa tatlong tabloids na may isang “Fely L” raw akong kaibigan na tagalagay ko raw ng pera sa aking “foundation.”  Unang-una, wala po akong kakilalang “Fely L.”  Wala rin po akong “foundation.”  At higit sa lahat, hinahamon ko si Margie Juico na tanungin ang lahat ng empleyado ng PCSO sa buong bansa kung anong klaseng tao ako, at kung anong klaseng tao si Margie Juico.
33. Pilit akong sinisiraan ni Margie Juico ngayon sa mga tabloids at hindi kinakagat ng mga disenteng diyaryo ang mga pakana niya kontra sa akin.
34. Marami kayong pananagutan sa paglipat ninyo sa PICC; pagkansela ng 50-year lease contract ng PCSO sa Quezon Institute; sa hindi ninyo pagbayad sa mga ospital subalit allotted na ang pondong pambayad.  Ayaw ninyo i-release para magamit mo lang ang paninira na malaki ang utang ng PCSO sa mga ospital, nationwide.  It’s your duty to pay those accounts, dahil ikaw na ang namumuno sa PCSO at ikaw ang may hawak ng pondo.  Alam mong Php7 billion sa bangko ang PCSO, but you refuse to let go of it.
35. Chairman Margie Juico, you slandered and belittled the “Pangarap Kong Jackpot” at “Kroko” ni Carlo J. Caparas.

In the spirit of fairness, Blogwatch organized an interview with PCSO Chairman Margie Juico the week after.  Unfortunately, it was scheduled during office hours and I wasn’t able to attend.

I’m not clear if chairman Juico was able to address all questions as I believe there was limited time in the interview.  Here’s the recording of the interview for your reference:

This is definitely a case of he said, she said.  I wasn’t able to meet PCSO chairman Margie Juico so I don’t have the right to judge.  I really just hope that whatever former PCSO chairman Manoling Morato shared weren’t true.  Because if those were true, then I feel so bad for the countless Filipinos seeking help from PCSO for their medical needs.