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Investors beware, warns US investment risk analyst

(This is in Saturday’s (Aug. 26, 2006) issue of Malaya.)

Increase in terrorist activities, political instability, and deteriorating economic and credit fundamentals make the Philippines a high risk for foreign investors, a US-based investment risk outfit said in its analysis of the Philippine situation this week.

Condor Advisers’ Aug. 21, 2006, analysis said: “Terrorist strikes in the Philippines are likely to become increasingly frequent over the next 16 months. The alignment between the Abu Sayyaf Group and Jemaah Islamiyah is expected to fuel terrorism as is the growing relationship between these organizations and the Rajah Solaiman Movement.”

The threat of terrorism, Condor Advisers said, “will be further attenuated by weakening governance and increasing political and social instability.”

“Terrorism, political instability and social instability will undermine economic stability,” it said.

Jephraim P. Gundzik, president of Condor Advisers, said in an article that appeared at Asia Times Online on August 24 that Philippine security and government officials regularly play down the threat of terrorism. “But the picture could be far less rosy than these officials are willing to admit publicly.”

He quoted Henry Crumpton, US State department’s coordinator for counter-terrorism, who said this about the terrorism potential in the Philippines: “The threat is very serious if you look at recent events, the intention of enemy forces, their collaborating with affiliates all around the region, and their technical skills, especially in bomb-making, their tradecraft skills.”

Gundzik said Crumpton was referring to the link between the Abu Sayyaf and Rajah Solaiman Movement with the Jemaah Islamiah (JI).

It is believed that around 40 JI operatives are in the country, training recruits in the finer points of bomb making.

On the political front, Gundzik said that the “Arroyo government’s inroads with the power elite, however, belie very weak popular support.”

Condor Advisers further said: “Economic growth is likely to be much weaker than expected in 2006 and 2007 as personal consumption expenditure weakens and private investment continues to contract. Weakening economic growth will push the public sector borrowing requirement and the debt stock higher. Deteriorating economic and credit fundamentals are likely to trigger significant capital outflows from the Philippines, led by the country’s banking sector, which has turned increasingly toward exchange rate arbitrage for generating profits.”

Condor Advisers said it expects the peso to depreciate sharply in 2007 while the stock market, domestic fixed income market and international bonds will all suffer serious corrections. “Investment risk in the Philippines is high and will remain high through 2007,” it said.

Condor Advisers, incorporated in California with offices located near the town of Mammoth Lakes, has been providing independent, emerging markets investment risk analysis to a select number of institutional investors since 1996. Its president, Gundzik, has worked in the field of international finance since 1987.

Its website says Condor Advisers’ clients include the largest mutual fund companies and hedge funds in the United States. It also says, “Condor Advisers develops its independent research from official statistics, local contacts and in-country analysis.

Its March 2006 analysis of the Philippine situation which was featured in Asia Times Online, said: “Many foreign and domestic investors continue to downplay the economic significance of the growing political and social turmoil. With foreign exchange reserves at a mere $18 billion, Manila’s central bank has little ammunition to ward off a potential foreign or domestic run on the peso – an increasingly likely case scenario once risk perception aligns with actual underlying investment risk. The Philippine peso, stock market and international bonds are all exceedingly vulnerable to sharp corrections in 2006. Investor beware.”

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137 Comments

  1. Chabeli Chabeli

    What now does that woman in Malacañan say about Condor Advisers? That they are liars? Heeheehee. They got her number. Simply put, DO NOT INVEST IN A COUNTRY THAT IS RUN BY A CHEAT, A LIAR and A THIEF. Indeed, “Investors Beware.”

  2. Tapos magmamalaki si Egcel Lagayman na iha-harrass daw niya ang mga Japanese investors sa Pilipinas for Japan’s refusal to budge in to Pandak’s request for a waiver for the Super Ta-pu she wants deployed to Japan. O buti nga sa yabang ninyo!

    BTW, for the record, the secret” bank account in Munich, Germany, which reportedly holds some $500 million, said to be in the name of the presidential son, Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo is apparently no longer a secret.

    According to Tribune, an official of the HypoVereinsbank in Munich, Hartmut Pfeifer, Media Relations Head, informed “that the bank is more than willing to cooperate with Philippine authorities on the controversial account, identified as account number 87570-23030-32100-6271-571.”

    I’m actually keeping the said information in my file. Kaya pala ang lakas ng sigaw noong anak ng foul!

    Kahit na anong yabang nilang mayaman sila no one in the Philippines has that much, I guess unless you have sucked whole the national treasury of the Philippines, which the fake first family is said to be engaged in.

  3. Toney Cuevas Toney Cuevas

    Again, the Pilipinos are the victim and not Gloria. We already know, the Arroyo’s, especially Gloria Arroyo couldn’t carelessof numerous banks and real estate investment in San Francisco. They’ve could at least invest the money they’ve stole back to the Philippines economy, of course not, the Arroyo felt it’s not safe to invest their money in the Philippines causes. That’s why $ 500,000,000 is in German bank as per Cayetano.

    Like I mentioned before, this can’t go on, it must put to stop by force by the people that are willing to save their country from the thieves. Gloria must cease or decease, it doesn’t matter how, it must happen. The argument or discussion is long been over, Gloria is guilty of the major crimes against the Constitution and the Pilipinos itself. We can’t let Gloria and co-horts further destroy of whatever remaining in the country. Moreover, we can’t let let them escape out of the country, ala the Marcoses. They must remain in the Philippines to be prosecuted, jailed and executed. Additionally, all their assets must be returned to the people. It’s the only way to stop this vicious cycle of stealing from the people. All must be accountable, most especially the politicians, the like of bogus Gloria Arroyo.

    The discussion is long over, now is the time to act.

  4. norpil norpil

    the phil amb to scandinavian countries invited some fil organisations on a seminar on investment. objects are mostly tourism and real estate. it also turned out that those who came to talk about investment are most interested in alms.

  5. artsee artsee

    Kung kaya nilang ma-harass ang mga Japanese investors sa Pilipinas, hindi nila kaya ang mga Chinese investors. Diyan natin makikita kung paanong mas ginagalang ang mga Chinese kesa mga Hapon.

  6. Chabeli Chabeli

    Off topic…This is so cool! I got this from a blogger in another blog:

    Mali nga kaya or sinadya? =)

    1- Magpunta sa http://www.google.com
    2- I-type ang salitang “sinungaling”
    3- Pindutin ang “Sinuswerte Ako” o “I’m Feeling Lucky”
    4- I-send mo to sa iba habang di pa ginagalaw ng Google …

  7. Toney Cuevas Toney Cuevas

    As I see it, due to critical circumtances facing us and the future are at stake, the only talking point worth entertaining now is to “Kick Bogus Gloria Arroyo Out of Our House” by any mean, including by force. Other subjects are just for filling in time, and irrelevant. Per the Arroyos, taken a page from Gloria’s book, when they plotted to oust President Joseph Estrada (Only legitimate President of the Philippines), it doesn’t matter how, including shedding of blood, it need be.

    Shameless fake Gloria must go!

  8. artsee artsee

    Problema mo,
    sagot ko!

    The other day, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile declared that he was switching to the majority. His pronouncements and actuations for the past several months showed that he was uncomfortable being in the minority, preferring on many occasions to be Doña Gloria’s knight errant.

    A reader sent in this comment some two weeks back: “Enrile is just fulfilling his campaign promise. Remember his television and radio blurbs then? Problema mo, sagot ko!, he then promised. It turns out now it is not the people’s problems he was referring to. He was addressing GMA when he said problema mo, sagot ko!”

    ********************************************************
    Kaya pala matagal nang tahimik itong si Manong Johnny…iyon pala tulad ni Angara pakawala ng Malacanang sa opposition.

  9. fencesitter fencesitter

    it goes without saying that one engages in business not to lose money but to earn more profits. therefore, it is natural for businessmen to pull-out their investments in a country where they conduct their business at anytime sign of political instability or deteriorating peace and order become manifest. it is impossible for business to thrive under a climate pervaded by political instability and a chaotic social order. a fragmented society like ours is ready to disintegrate any time soon. after another regime change, all we can attain is an episode of relative peace, then back to where we were before. remember cory aquino which we pushed to the office in malacanang, even her presidency had to survive 8 coup de etat attempts.

    if ramos was able to run the government smoothly, it was merely because he was lucky enough to have a friendly predecessor. and yet, according to former sen. tatad, in his book “a nation in fire”, former pres. estrada inherited a bankrupt national treasury and a debt-ridden country to govern. if no issue was raised against ramos by estrada, i guess the latter was duly advised that touching a thorny issue of graft and corruption could activate some formidable enemies waiting to strike fatal blow that could easily crack his solid hold to power at that time. estrada’s downfall, while accelerated by conspiracies coming from all directions, his lackadaisical attitude towards a sacrosanct office of the presidency was the rootcause of his big trouble.

    we ought to put honest and selfless political leaders in power, but we have failed many times because our body politic consists of the elite (businessmen and professionals)have their own selfish interests and personal agenda to pursue and the vote-rich marginalized poor who can easily be manipulated.

    a four-year term without re-election for the president could have been an ideal set up in the constitution. normally, a new president performs relatively well during the first 2 years in office while the other half will be spent defending himself from vicious attack coming from all front. it is during this time that the president becomes less effective because he spends more time in defending himself and less time in governance.

    for our sake and for the next generation’s sake, we must invent or re-invent a form of government that can withstand the hold and sway of political storm sweeping our country too often. then perhaps, we can attain a stable economy and put the merry-go-round of foreign investments to a full stop.

  10. fencesitter fencesitter

    artsee, with all due respect, it is rather unfair to cast malice on sen. enrile’s plan to join the majority or his silence( on the current issues, as you put it). that is his prerogative as a learned legislator and experienced politician. this guy, brilliant as he is, knows exactly when to open his mouth. and when he does, i think he really makes sense.

    even during his term as defense secretary (minister) during marcos time, he was a moderating and reasonable voice in a rather cruel regime. in cory’s time, he was the most misunderstood cabinet member, too.

    remember during estrada’s impeachment he was also the object of scorn because of his obvious political leaning at that time? and nobody then understood that his stand on every issue during the impeachment trial was his strict adherence to procedure and due process, a rather technical aspect which hordes of mob then hounding the senate gallery on a daily basis could never have understood.

  11. artsee artsee

    Magtataka pa ba tayo tungkol kay Enrile? Kung si Marcos na patron niya sinaksak niya. Isa lang patunay nito, trapo rin siya gaya ng karamihan sa mga kasama niya. Kaya nga we need younger and more idealistic leaders para matama ang lagay ng bayan. Saka maraming deals si Enrile; noon pa naman ganyan na iyan… pulitiko eh.

  12. lakay lakay

    Tahimik ang mga military rebels, tahimik si Greg, tahimik ang kampo ni Cory, tahimik lahat! Calm before the storm!

  13. lakay,

    I hope that is true….

    @chabeli:

    I tried it, and lo!
    Lumabas ang mukha ng mandarambong!

    mwahahahahah!!!!

  14. lakay,

    I hope that is true….

    @chabeli:

    I tried it, and lo!
    Lumabas ang mukha ng mandarambong!

    mwahahahahah!!!!

  15. Takot na ang mga taga-ibang Bansa na maglagay ng pera sa Pilipinas.

    Bakit?

    Dahil sa bukod sa risk ng pera dahil sa kaguluhan,
    NAPAKARAMING KAILANGANG LAGYAN na mga bulsa, para lang makapagsimula ng negosyo.

    Alam yan ng sinumang nakapagnegosyo na sa Pilipinas.
    Bilang isang investor, napakarami ng dadaanang mga palad
    [na nakalahad] bago ma-aprubahan ang mga papeles.

    KUNG malinis lamang sana ang pamamaraan at kalakaraqn sa ating Bansa, disin sana’y napakarami na ang naengganyong maglagay ng puhunan para naman mapaunlad ang ating ekonomiya.

    Sa tingin ko sa ating mga “lider” [daw!] sila mismo ang nagsasabotahe sa ating ekonomiya. Ang resulta: sila lamang ang nakikinabang habang ang mamamayan ay patuloy na naghihirap.

    Sayang na Bansa!

    Sayang na Pilipinas!

    Bagaman mayaman sa kalikasan, mahirap pa sa daga ang Bayan.

    Yung mga burgis gaya ni esposo buta at ang mader of all liars, si glue lamang ang may pera sa Germany at SF! Ang Bayan mananatiling sawi!

    GISING NA! TAMA NA! SOBRA NA!

  16. Chabeli, ok yun a. Mukha ni gloria at ni bunye and lumabas. ha”ha” ha!

  17. artsee artsee

    Taipan, tutoong ayaw na maglagay ng pera ang taga ibang bansa sa Pilipinas. Kaya nga dinala ko na sa Tsina ang lahat kong pera. Dito sa Tsina, maraming gustong mag-invest. Booming ! Pumasyal ka lang sa Shanghai at makikita mo ang malaking pagbabago. Masarap din ang Lumpia Shanghai.

  18. There goes the inept bogus president again declaring national calamity in the midst of an oil spill to deviate attention to another more important issue—the stealing of national funds!

    Now there is the oil spill that cannot be cleaned because there are no equipments to clean them with nor money to buy those needed equipments because they have already been stashed in banks overseas in some private people’s accounts, and/or given to barking puppies in the Tongress for a job well done in killing the impeachment and/or the mobilization of some smelly group calling themselves “Legions” and quoting a verse in the Bible that refers to the “Legions” as the fallen angels who sided with Lucifer in that council in heaven, driven out of heaven and are now trying hard to have Satan’s plan to work—force everyone to recognize even the Pandak as God-chosen to help ironically to glorify Satan!

    And the shameless hussy is out with her cry wolfing again that no one would believe her even when the need for outside help is definitely now a reality with all the prevailing incompetence and ineptness of these crooks leading the country to perdition.

    People are seeing now the signs like the eruptions of even dormant volcanoes in the Philippines, typhoons and even disasters like this spill caused by the negligence of men. They should heed these warnings from heaven to remove these crooks as a matter of fact.

    The longer the Pandak stays there, the worse the problems of the Philippines and Filipinos will be. As they say in Tagalog, “Buwisit ang taong iyan!” PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA!

  19. Chabeli Chabeli

    Ms. Ellen & taipan88, ang galing ng google no? LOL!

    Lakay, parang nga “calm before the storm.” Kung babasahin ninyo yung “Condor Advisers’ Aug. 21, 2006, analysis” parang ganoon nga ang assessment ren nila.

  20. The site has been removed from the server on request of Malacanang I guess. 😛

  21. artsee:
    Dahil ayoko ng Lumpiang Shanghai, I prefer another area….
    Baka ma-shanghai ang aking kadatungan!

    chabeli: Thanks for sharing….

    ystakei:
    Nawala na sa google? Eh di totoo nga!
    Walang duda, nag-sa-surf dito si glue!
    Bwahahahaha!!!!

  22. artsee artsee

    Kung ayaw mo ng Lumpiang Shanghai, kahit anong tempura na lang. Bakit mas masarap ba ang pagkaing Hapong kesa sa Tsina? Tanggap internationally ang pagkaing Chinese. Hindi pa marunong mag-chopstick ang mga Hapon, nauna na ang bansang Tsina sa maraming bagay.

    Sana magkaroon din ng oil spill ang Malacanang para madulas si tiyanak.

  23. artsee artsee

    Isa ang Tsina ang nagrereklamo, pati na siyempre ang Pilipinas…

    WWII victims of Japanese occupation seek redress

    More than a hundred historians, legislators and victims of Japanese occupation from 13 countries gathered in the Philippines Saturday for a three-day forum to demand redress for atrocities they suffered in World War II.

    The forum aims to “come up with concrete regional action plans” to push the Japanese government’s recognition of its war crimes, especially the use of women from the Korean peninsula and the Philippines as “sex slaves.”

    “What we really want is to highlight the fact that it is now 61 years after the war and the comfort women are still waiting for redress because there is hardly any change on the attitude of the Japanese government,” said Nelia Sancho, an organizer of the International Solidarity Conference on Redress.

    The annual conference, now in its fourth year, is also a forum where victims can seek support and join campaigns aimed at forcing the Japanese government to compensate war victims.

    Sancho said surviving “comfort women” are now in their twilight years and many had died without receiving even an apology.

    Among other issues to be discussed are Japanese wartime use of forced labor, biological and germ warfare, and the implications of Japanese rearmament, Sancho said

  24. More related topid (at least): I got this note from a fellow crusader in CA, USA. Please read.

    Thank you for your prompt response in affixing your respective signatures to the petition letter. Have you noticed the dramatic increase in the number of signatories on the petition in a matter of days? It’s amazing. If this trend continues, politicians in the Philippines will take notice of our strengths.

    We must reach to 8 million signatories all over the world, and deliver those signatures with a message:

    1. That we care about our country and people back home;
    2. That we are UNITED and STRONG;
    3. That they can no longer ignore us;
    4. That they will realize the importance of our participation in national elections;
    5. That they will consider our vital role inhelping our economy afloat through
    money remittance;
    6. That with the approval of the dual citizenship, we are still very much a part
    of the Philippine political arena;
    7. That, working in tandem with everyone, we can make the Philippines a
    better place to live;
    8. and more…….and more…….and many, many more.

    The beauty of this exercise is we come to realize that when there is a calamity, we become united to a certain degree. With so many calamities hitting our country every now and then, this UNITY must be maintained. As the MANILA-U.S. TIMES’ slogan states: “In Unity, There Is Strength.”

    Please go ahead and spread the word. Request your friends to visit this URL to affix their signatures: http://PetitionOnLine.com/Guimaras/

    Johnny

  25. You got a hacker here, Ellen. If you do not have a spyware, fellow bloggers, don’t open any suspicious website.

  26. Thanks, Yuko. I deleted the hacker. It’s really a problem.

    On the other hand, it’s a sign that we are making their life difficult.

  27. Bentong Bentong

    O sige kailan tayo mag u-unite para naman me strength! Bullseye. Meron din Slogan na sinasabi “It’s all right to lose as long as we don’t lose the lesson” ang problema ay paulit ulit na lang para bang walang pag katuto sa pinagdaanan. Let’s UNITE to succeed!

  28. artsee artsee

    Lagi kong sinasabi na habang walang pagkakaisa ang opposition, hindi tayo magtatagumpay kontra kay tiyanak. Lalong nakakalungkot ang bulgar ni Cong. Suplico na may mga taga opposition ang nabayaran sa pamamagitan ng pork barrel. Kasama na dito iyon hindi sumipot kaya isa na dito si Cong. Biazon na hinahangaan ng ilan.

  29. norpil norpil

    it seems to me that gma is again one step ahead of the opposition. chacha is probably the next battlefield and not the next election and even if there will be an election next year it is much more easier to cheat than the previous since now they have learned from their mistakes.

  30. I don’t think so. It is not a matter of Pandak going one step ahead or having an edge. What she and her galamay do is kill literally her critics and people who can actually remove her if due process is allowed to work.

    Example is what she has done to the likes of Ruffy Biazon. Problem is a lot of people have been tricked into believing that the Pandak was sincere and so they have not been able to stop her when she started putting people for example in positions vital to her remaining where she is presently with or without the approval of her appointments by the Commission on Appointments.

    On the other hand, I cannot understand how they have not learned to curtail the power of the Executive especially one whose ascendancy is questionable.

    Now, the Filipinos should not allow themselves to be hoodwinked about the Chacha. This should actually not be left to the members of the Philippine Tongress but put on votes regardless of whether or not Abalos will allow another dayaan! This appointee likewise should be removed as a matter of fact!

    In other words, ang bobo naman! It’s actually just a matter of common sense, not even a matter of unity, etc. that the Pandak is even trying hard not to happen even when majority of the Filipinos are more unified this time that I have noticed in the past 20 years.

    These Internet Brigaders should not be too sure of themselves. Did they not say that the majority opposing the bogus president should not be talking too much? It’s exactly what they are doing now, I guess, even heeding the counsel of God, perhaps.

    It’s all vanity on the part of the Pandak, for there is a time for everything. She should not be too sure of herself.
    In time, she will be removed. I don’t think the majority of the Filipinos, who now make up the Opposition, are allowing themselves to be tricked once more by the Pandak.

    As Senator Pimentel, Cayetano, et al have stated, “The impeachment is definitely not dead!”

  31. norpil norpil

    i am not sure i understand sen pimentel’s and other’s statement. the last impeachment vote was lost. if they mean waiting for a next time, maybe that will not come if gma wins the battle for chacha.. i have learned from school that common sense is actually not very common.. it is also my belief as ystakei believe that the majority of filipinos are against this administration but the opposition must have a leader who is able to harness the forces in this majority.

  32. artsee artsee

    You hit the bull’s eye, norpil. Ang kulang ay isang lider sa opposition. Pero bago magkaroon ng lider ay kailangan magkaisa. Kung buhay pa sana si FPJ, siya ang siguradong lider. At kung pumayag lang sana si Susan, siya ang naging lider. Kahit na si Erap walang magawa. May problema na kay Dilangalen, may problema pa sa mga anak at pamilya. Kung ang mga anak at pamilya ay di magkasundo, paano maipagkakasundo ni Erap ang opposition? Ang Simbahan ay tahimik. Ang grupo ni Cory ay tahimik. Ang mga Marcos ay tahimik. Si Ramos at barkada niya ay tahimik. Lahat tahimik. Kung anong ingay noon ipabasak si Erap, ngayon naman katahimik. Ikinalulungkot ko man sabihin, aaminin ko na ang opposition din ang may kasalanan. Kung payag lang kayo na si Ate Ellen ang gawing lider, sisimulan ko na ang kampanya at hahanap ng taga-suporta. Payag ba kayong si ELLEN ?

  33. norpil norpil

    i am sure ellen will be a much better leader than gma. question is if she is willing and physcially capable.

  34. artsee artsee

    Kung okay sa inyo si Ate Ellen, simulan na natin.

    Tungkol kay Ruffy Biazon, mabuting itanong sa kanya kung na-release ang kanyang pork barrel sa hindi pagsipot sa botohan.

  35. Bentong Bentong

    Heto, galing sa bosing ng Condor Advisors

    punta sa GOOGLE
    type “failure”
    click I’m Feeling lucky

  36. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    No one in the “united opposition”, and not one of anti-GMA posters in this blog, is fit to be President of this country. These people know nothing but destabilize the country. If any of these people becoems president, he/she will do the same thing GMA is doing, spend the rest of the term just warding off critics.

    Will you entrust your future to a person who can do nothing but just say “GMA resign”? Yung mga legislator na nasa “united opposition” pagandahin nyo muna ang mga distrito ninyo, baka mas palpak pa kayo kay Pandak.

    (I wanted to puke when one person likened Chiz Escudero to be a young Raul Roco)

  37. artsee artsee

    Anthony Scalawag, kung ang mga destabilizers ay hindi dapat maging pangulo, bakit naging pangulo ang gaga mong amo? Hindi ba kasabwa’t siya sa pagpatalsik kay Erap? Ginawa pa siyang cabinet member ni Erap pero iyon pala matagal nang kausap ang mga opposition noon at mga traidor na opisyales ng militar.

  38. norpil norpil

    now i know what is gma doing, i.e., warding off critics.

  39. The Philippines is lucky that there are still Japanese investors in the country. Other foreign investors have given up hope on the Philippines because of the moral chihuahua bansot’s politics and her piggy husband, Jose Pidal Arroyo fat greasy hands which are automatically extendible to receive lagays and bribes.

    Boy, let’s have him suing me for slander, libel in Europe and I’ll give him a run for his money. If first-class fatso crook who styles himself as the First Gentleman to a moral bansot bitch sues me here, he would pave the way for my lawyers (as well as high flying NGOs and media here) to legally unearth every bit of nook and cranny of the banks and other areas in Europe to examine the extent of the crookeries the Philippine first ganid family have, i.e., the real estate holdings which the first crooked family are alleged to have been gifted with in the UK.

  40. “…kung ang mga destabilizers ay hindi dapat maging pangulo, bakit naging pangulo ang gaga mong amo? ”

    Right on target!

  41. Anna:

    The truth is the only ones still enthusiastic to invest in the Philippines are companies with Yakuza connection! This I have been told by a friend of my husband’s doing business in the Philippines because the wife is Filipino. He is doing business now with the Yakuza operating in the Philippines for better police protection. Can you believe that?

    Neither my husband nor myself do business in the Philippines. I do catalog shopping of Philippine products, but I get them from a friend who does the exportation of the goods I sell to Filipinos in Japan to play safe. My husband does business with people in South Korea, Taiwan India, and Indonesia and KSA at the moment. He does not want to go into the Chinese business because he does not want the Chinese to steal his company’s technology. It’s called “piracy” and the Chinese in Mainland China is good at that.

  42. artsee artsee

    Anna, welcome back. Ang tagal mong nawala (di tsin ku bo). Karamihan ngang Hapon sa Pilipinas mga negosyante at turistang Yakuza. Tungkol sa “piracy” ng Chinese, di ba ang mga Hapon ang nag-umpisa noon? Noon mga 50s at 60s, puro peke ang mga produktong Hapon. Kahit sabihin na nating “piracy” at intellectual property violation ang mga Chinese, gusto naman ng ibang bansa lalo na ang Amerika. Mura na, magaling pa. Bakit hindi na lang aminin ng mga sakang na dinaig na sila ngayon ng Tsina sa ekonomiya? Kung tutoong piracy, numero unong pirata ang mga Hapon dahil lahat na ng Kultura at Tradition ay kinopya sa Chinese. Saan ba galing ang mga writing ng Hapon; ang chopstick at mga hitsura nila?

  43. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    To artsee

    “…kung ang mga destabilizers ay hindi dapat maging pangulo, bakit naging pangulo ang gaga mong amo? Hindi ba kasabwa’t siya sa pagpatalsik kay Erap?”

    I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE. KAYA NGA AYOKONG MAGING PANGULO ANG MGA DESTABILIZER. GMA IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF WHOM TO AVOID. NAGKAMALI NA NOON, DI NA DAPAT MAGKAMALI NGAYON.

    AT LEAST NOONG 2001, SA UMPISA, GMA SHOWED A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE. EH NGAYON SA MGA “UNITED OPPOSITION” DI PA NGA NAKAUPO MASUSUKA KA NA SA CHOICES.

    BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE “UNITED OPPOSITION” IS MAKING GMA LOOK GOOD. KUNG NAKAUPO PA RIN SA ATE GLUE NGAYON, DAHIL SA KAPALPAKAN NG “UNITED OPPOSITION.”

    DAPAT ANG TAWAG SA “UNITED OPPOSITION” AY “THE INCREDIBLES”

    Kung ang ‘pinas ay barko, kay GMA di umaandar, or usad pagong at best. Pero sa isang miyembro ng “united opposition” LULUBOG AND ‘PINAS.

    Saka iho/iha, tanungin mo ang taong bayang nakilahok sa EDSA II kung bakit naging pangulo si Ate Glue.

    To Anna de Brux:

    “Right on target!”

    YES NA YES. RIGHT ON TARGET. Hey we could be friends!

    To everyone:

    Pakiusap lang, please avoid ad hominems please. Stick to the issue. Saka huwag na kayong umasang mapapatalsik niyo si Pandak by people power. Ikampanya nyo na lang ang mga kongresistang siguradong mag-iimpeach kay Pandak sa 2007 para makumpleto ang 80 signatures.

  44. norpil norpil

    i tend to agree with tony s. that the opposition was in a way one of the reasons why gma is still there. the opposition has never been united anyway so its a misnommer to call them united.. as i said before, filipinos has never been good in choosing their leaders or to make it milder, the system corrupts the winners, simply because the winner takes all.. i still hope there will be a leader who cannot be corrupted. we need only one example whom the people can look up to so that those under can follow. like bad leaders i suppose good leaders are also like a sickness that can contaminate.

  45. Mrivera Mrivera

    meron ngayong dalawang bagong category para malaman natin kung saan panig ang mga mambabatas natin. una, ang makabayan at pangalawa ang maka kaban ng bayan.

    siguro naman mdaling malaman kung sa aling klase nabibilang ang mga scholarly nating mga tongessmen.

  46. So, Anthony Scalia, what do you suggest the rest of the Philippine population and Filipino mankind do? Sit back, relax and enjoy the GMA power show?

    If that would change the lives of 80 million Filipinos, improve the living conditions of those families who survive at less than 1$ a day, provide health care for the needy, eliminate graft and corruption down to the deep recesses of Gloria’s government, remove the crooks and cronies in her entourage (including the Jose Pidals of her family), upgrade the basic social services for the citizens of the Republic, lure bona-fide foreign investors (and not just gambling lords) to the country, decapitate abusive political ganglands, bring Garcillano to justice, jail Chavit Singson, professionalize the military to a reasonable military standard, stop the extra-judicial killings, and a few more (which I believe, you can add or outline here yourself), I would be willing to accept Gloria’s having cheated in the last presidential elections and would do it because I am reasonable.

    By that, I meant, I would not vote for her life-long imprisonment when she is convicted, judged and sentenced for plunder and other crimes she has committed against the Filipino people or for breaching the Constitution or for any past crimes and misdeeds during her illegitimate tenure; by that, I meant I would support calls for a limited and REASONABLE punishment on her person: 20 years in Muntinlupa.

    You see, I am a firm believer in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Social Contract and I believe that law is best applied when it is reasonable.

  47. soleil soleil

    i couldnt agree with you more ms Anna….everything u enumerated sums it all up..all the bureaucratic crap that this administration is professionalizing..that of grabbing everything that they can muster…
    although going back to the pathetic ‘i’m sorry’show, it was indeed a comedy of errors in the making…the bruha is presumably banging her head time to time when she remembers what she had done with the advice of her minions..this is what the filipino people should be thingking hard, very hard..why did she say ‘i’m sorry’ if she didnt cheat? sorry bec she contacted a crook-that-she-wasnt-s’posed-to crap?…
    i am a very forgiving person but this one bitch i will never forgive as long as i live…i will never forget her sanctioning murderers themselves to power, crooked military men acting like kings and degrading the common juan dela cruz to nothingness..NO WAY TO FORGIVE!!! ONLY WAY IS TO KICK HER OUT!!!

  48. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    To anna de brux:

    “So, Anthony Scalia, what do you suggest the rest of the Philippine population and Filipino mankind do? Sit back, relax and enjoy the GMA power show?”

    My dear Anna, did I ever say that? Did I even insinuate that?

    If all the “united opposition” just followed the lead of Tony Meloto and Gawad kalinga, and did what they have been doing ON A GRAND SCALE, mas maraming mahihirap ang may mga bahay at livelihood sana. Yes, nakaupo pa rin si Ate Glue, PERO MAY MGA BAHAY NAMAN AT LIVELIHOOD ANG MGA POOR.

    If all the “united opposition” just gave free English refresher tutorials to all call center applicants, TATAAS ANG HIRING RATE NG CALL CENTERS, MADADAGDAGAN ANG MGA MAY TRABAHO. Yes, nakaupo pa rin si Ate Glue, PERO NABAWASAN NAMAN ANG MGA JOBLESS. (call center attrition si another matter, though). TAKE NOTE THE CALL CETER INDUSTRY IS GROWING FAST, DESPITE ATE GLUE.

    If the anti-Pandak who are abroad just promoted our country as a tourism destination, OUR COUNTRY CAN BEAT THAILAND ON TOURISM. Yes, nakaupo pa rin si Ate Glue, PERO KUNG NAGINCREASE ANG TOURISM DITO, ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES WILL ESCALATE, RESULTING INTO MORE JOBS. NABAWASAN ANG JOBLESS.

    It is not enough to push our country to be first world, but it certainly is a big big improvement.

    And the rest of your post reveals what is wrong with us Pinoys – LAHAT INAASA SA PANGULO.

    All the developed countries in the world reached their status due to their private sector. TAYO DITO, ANG PRIVATE SECTOR AY MAY COLONIAL MENTALITY PA RIN. MIGRATING TO THE US/CANADA/AUSTRALIA/UK/NEW ZEALAND IS HEAVEN.

  49. My dear Anthony Scalia,

    Did I say that you said or insinuated what I previously asked you?

    Where on earth did you see, my dear fellow, that I said, suggested or insinuated that you said, suggested or insinuated anything at all related to my earlier questions?

    They were questions, dear boy! They were questions directed at you and not an affirmation that you had insinuated anything with regards my interrogation which you thereafter related to as my having perceived to have been insinuated by you but which in reality, was borne solely of your extremely feetile imagination, I dare say!

    Did you, my dear fellow, misunderstand my questions? But really now, ““So, Anthony Scalia, what do you suggest the rest of the Philippine population and Filipino mankind do? Sit back, relax and enjoy the GMA power show?”” were so simple a set of questions that it can’t be made any simpler!

    Lest there be any misunderstanding that I misunderstand your point as something that you insinuated, which, in reality are simply straightforward questions (and you are at liberty to give straightforward answers, far more straightforward than what you enumerated in your relatively-charged misapprehension), let me repeat and perhaps, rephrase one of my questions:

    1. So, Anthony Scalia, what do you suggest the rest of the Philippine population and Filipino mankind do?

    2. Do you suggest that they should sit back, relax and enjoy the GMA power show?”

    And for the sake of clarity let me ask further questions which I am in no doubt you shall be able to answer as straightforwardly as they are asked ever so bluntly:

    Do you honestly believe that Gloria is not a sinungaling, a mandaraya and a magnanakaw?

    Do you honestly believe that her continuing illegal occupation of Malacanang will make all things illegal, legal?

    Do you sincerely believe that Gloria’s moral bansotism will improve to some form of moral agrandisement if her cheating, lying and thieving are forgotten?

    Do you believe that by leaving Gloria on her stolen perch, it would change the lives of 80 million Filipinos, improve the living conditions of those families who survive at less than 1$ a day, provide health care for the needy, eliminate graft and corruption down to the deep recesses of Gloria’s government, remove the crooks and cronies in her entourage (including the Jose Pidals of her family), upgrade the basic social services for the citizens of the Republic, lure bona-fide foreign investors (and not just gambling lords) to the country, decapitate abusive political ganglands, bring Garcillano to justice, jail Chavit Singson, professionalize the military to a reasonable military standard, stop the extra-judicial killings, and a few more (which I believe, you can add or outline here yourself)?

    Dear fella, if your answer to each of the above is YES, then you leave me no other recourse but to stop asking you any more questions to avoid a senseless, senile, sterile debate.

    You see, to me, Gloria, the moral bansot is not worthy of a debate. But I do promise you my dear fellow, that she deserves a one-way ticket to Muntinlupa and that when that happens, she’s worthy of the millions of flash bulbs that will click and click while she dons the prison uniform.

    And because I’m a reasonable human being, I suggest you and I should agree on a reasonable rule of engagement: that you and I agree beyond any reasonable doubt that Gloria Macapagal y Pidal’s DESERVES TO BE LOCKED UP or at best, BE KICKED OUT OF MALACANANG MOST UNCEREMONIOUSLY AND LED TO A DETENTION CENTER, (a reasonable caveat you must admit, old bean!) before we can evin begin to enter into any serious, intelligent, unwarped discussion on what the Philippine population or the rest of the Filipino mankind should do.

    Think about my reasonable suggestion, dear boy. Take all the time you need for I shall be sound asleep while you reflect on the future of Gloria, the moral dwarf queen! (Not to worry old boy… I shall soon be awake as mine is the sleep of the charmed and not the sleep of the wicked like your Gloria queen, the moral bansot. So, till then, old bean or in roughly 8 hours… Ta ta…)

  50. myrna myrna

    hahahhah….. good one Anna!!!!

    Ang sa akin naman, kahit anong kabutihang gawin ng mga expatriates (mag promote ng tourism sa Pilipinas), o mag remit ng dolyares, ganun pa rin, gagawa at gagawa ng paraan ang mga sa poder sa gobyerno para makakurakot.

    isang sa mga item sa news ngayong araw: dalawang teen-agers, first pumunta sa Pilipinas galing America, hinanapan ng identification (o cedula ba yun) ng mg pulis ihaw sa harap ng isang unibersidad sa Manila. Hindi kuntento sa ipinakitang driver’s licence at ang hanap ay passport. Hiningan ng $100. Sa takot ng dalawa, ayun, bumalik sa hotel nila at natural, balik America.

    Pano ngayon sabihin na mag promote ng tourism eh kung ganyan ang mangyayari.

    Ikaw Anthony, ano ang ginagawa mo para mapabuti ang kababayan mo diyan?

  51. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    Hi my beloved Anna,

    “So, Anthony Scalia, what do you suggest the rest of the Philippine population and Filipino mankind do? Sit back, relax and enjoy the GMA power show?”

    Wow, were you expecting a response to that question? By the tone of that sentence, you were not expecting an answer. You are making a declaration. You used a rhetorical device. You even expected that the answer would be an agreement to your final sentence “Sit back, relax and enjoy the GMA power show?”

    “Do you honestly believe that Gloria is not a sinungaling, a mandaraya and a magnanakaw?”

    NO

    “Do you honestly believe that her continuing illegal occupation of Malacanang will make all things illegal, legal?”

    NO

    “Do you sincerely believe that Gloria’s moral bansotism will improve to some form of moral agrandisement if her cheating, lying and thieving are forgotten?”

    NO

    “Do you believe that by leaving Gloria on her stolen perch, it would change the lives of 80 million Filipinos, improve the living conditions of those families who survive at less than 1$ a day, provide health care for the needy, eliminate graft and corruption down to the deep recesses of Gloria’s government, remove the crooks and cronies in her entourage (including the Jose Pidals of her family), upgrade the basic social services for the citizens of the Republic, lure bona-fide foreign investors (and not just gambling lords) to the country, decapitate abusive political ganglands, bring Garcillano to justice, jail Chavit Singson, professionalize the military to a reasonable military standard, stop the extra-judicial killings, and a few more (which I believe, you can add or outline here yourself)?”

    Kung iaasa nyo lang ang lahat sa pangulo, YES. The private sector can help ALLEVIATE the plight of our poor kababayans.

    “Dear fella, if your answer to each of the above is YES, then you leave me no other recourse but to stop asking you any more questions to avoid a senseless, senile, sterile debate.”

    Too bad. Im starting to like you

    “You see, to me, Gloria, the moral bansot is not worthy of a debate. But I do promise you my dear fellow, that she deserves a one-way ticket to Muntinlupa and that when that happens, she’s worthy of the millions of flash bulbs that will click and click while she dons the prison uniform.”

    NOTED

    “And because I’m a reasonable human being, I suggest you and I should agree on a reasonable rule of engagement: that you and I agree beyond any reasonable doubt that Gloria Macapagal y Pidal’s DESERVES TO BE LOCKED UP or at best, BE KICKED OUT OF MALACANANG MOST UNCEREMONIOUSLY AND LED TO A DETENTION CENTER, (a reasonable caveat you must admit, old bean!) before we can evin begin to enter into any serious, intelligent, unwarped discussion on what the Philippine population or the rest of the Filipino mankind should do.”

    NOTED.

    “Think about my reasonable suggestion, dear boy. Take all the time you need for I shall be sound asleep while you reflect on the future of Gloria, the moral dwarf queen! (Not to worry old boy… I shall soon be awake as mine is the sleep of the charmed and not the sleep of the wicked like your Gloria queen, the moral bansot. So, till then, old bean or in roughly 8 hours… Ta ta…) ”

    NOTED. Really, Im beginning to like you. Ta ta ta ta. Sweet dreams. Hope we can see each other in our dreams. It will be the longest 8 hours of my life.

    To my new friend myrna,

    I am a volunteer for an NGO that serves indigeous peoples, helping them become self-reliant and part of the mainstream of society.

    Also I am a small business entrepreneur. Kahit papano, I give employment to 4 people. In a very modest and humble way, I created 4 jobs.

    “Ang sa akin naman, kahit anong kabutihang gawin ng mga expatriates (mag promote ng tourism sa Pilipinas), o mag remit ng dolyares, ganun pa rin, gagawa at gagawa ng paraan ang mga sa poder sa gobyerno para makakurakot.”

    So you’ll stop promoting RP tourism dahil makukurakot lang later? Oh sige, NOTED.

    “Isang sa mga item sa news ngayong araw: dalawang teen-agers, first pumunta sa Pilipinas galing America, hinanapan ng identification (o cedula ba yun) ng mg pulis ihaw sa harap ng isang unibersidad sa Manila. Hindi kuntento sa ipinakitang driver’s licence at ang hanap ay passport. Hiningan ng $100. Sa takot ng dalawa, ayun, bumalik sa hotel nila at natural, balik America.”

    Talaga? That happened? Kawawa naman sila. I wonder if that is multiplied a thousand times over on a daily basis. I wonder if because of that incident, no American will set foot in our country ever. Please tell me if American tourist arrivals in the Philippines becomes zero in a calendar year, as a result of that incident you cited.

  52. “Really, Im beginning to like you. Ta ta ta ta. Sweet dreams. Hope we can see each other in our dreams. It will be the longest 8 hours of my life.”

    NOTED!

  53. norpil norpil

    i am happy reading the entries of anna, anthony and myrna. it gives me hope. i tend to agree with anna that the govt must be responsible for the high unemployment in the phil. it is their no.1 job. having work that can earn a living can minimize the no. of fil. going to other countries for jobs.. tourism? there was a campaign by the dept, something like take a friend with you when visiting the phil.. I did this, bring my whole family and even some relatives of my wife. there were comments afterwards about natural beauty of the phil but not enough controll on cleanliness, lack of hotels, bad infrastructure. for me and my family, it is ok, but for many who has other alternatives, the phil has a long way to go compare to thailand for example.. in away anthony is very lucky compare to a lot of fil., i.e., having graduated at the premier university in the phil. such that he has a good start compare to millions of filipinos who never set foot on any university or even high school.. but for me he is already a hero since in his own way has given hope and job to at least four.

  54. myrna myrna

    ano ito, nagiging extension na ng NOTED jurisdiction ni siraulo gonzales at kiko-kiko cuneta –opps pangilinan pala!!!
    🙂

  55. artsee artsee

    Tungkol kay Mr. Noted Kiko Cuneta, mananalo pa kaya siya uli sa election? Sa tulong ni Sharon, baka puwede uli. Pero mahihirapan na si Kiko ngayon. Grabe ang ginawa niyang pagharang. Nabali pa ang pamukpok maliban sa puro noted. Porke tatakbo uli kaya kunwari ngayon kampi sa opposition. Hindi lang traidor (Kapampangan din kasi), makunat pa ang mokong. Biro niyo nagpakain ng mais sa birthday niya.

  56. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    To norpil:

    Thanks for the kind words.

    On tourism, I think in terms of number of tourists, we trail Thailand by a big margin. But in terms of tourist spots, we are better. Boracay is a lot lot better than Phuket! (And if you ask the people of Palawan, their beaches are a lot better than Boracay’s) Yet how come the tourists go there, not here?

  57. norpil norpil

    to anthony scalia: i am not sure i have the right answer to your question on tourism but i can give my opinion. europeans like sun and beaches which i suppose are comparable. then one should have the accesibility, comfort, hotels and things to buy. i have not been to boracay nor to phuket but i have seen the brochures of big european tour operators about thailand. i have not seen any from the phil. i have seen something about palawan as the last frontier, but this attract those who are for the more extreme type of tourism. i think that what lacks is contact with the tourist operators there and those from europe.. on beauty, i will be biased to compare the two countries just like that for me the most beautiful children are my own.

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