27 kids downed in Bohol by suspected poisoned food

By Ronron
March 9, 2005

Cebu – Twenty-seven children died Wednesday after eating a suspected poisoned food they bought from a sidestreet vendor at an elementary school in Mabini town, Bohol.

According to reports reaching the Bohol Governor’s Office and the Mabini Mayor’s Office, all fatalities were allegedly downed by different fried snack foods that had cassava contents in them.

The suspected poisoned food were reportedly sold by a certain Anna Luyong, 68, to students of the San Jose Elementary School in Barangay San Jose, Mabini town during the latter’s recess at around 10am yesterday.

More or less 80 pupils who bought Luyong’s food items reportedly began to either suffer abdominal pains, vomit, or experience loose bowel movement (LBM) at lunchtime when they were already in their respective homes.

The victims were brought to four different medical centers around the province, namely: Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital (GMPH) in Talibon town, Don Emilio Del Valle District Hospital (DEDVDH) also in Talibon, Kutamora Clinic in Mabini, and Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (CGMH) in Tagbilaran City.

At GMPH, two patients died; at DEDVDH, seven; at Kutamora Clinic, 15; at CGMH, two. One, meanwhile, died on the spot at Mabini.

The youngest victims were believed to be seven-years-old and the oldest, 12 years old.

One of the casualties now confined at the hospitals is Luyong, who reportedly ate the food she was selling to disprove allegations against her when she was investigated by police later in the day.

Government and municipal officers in Bohol are now sending investigating and medical teams to the different hospitals to address the tragedy./DMS

Arroyo seeks investors' support, presents RP standing

By Ronron
March 9, 2005

Cebu - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sought on Wendesday the support of both foreign and local investors gathered here for the Philippine Investment Conference for the implementation of her administration's infrastructure projects as she presented how the country's economy is faring now.

In her keynote address during the opening yesterday here of the Philippine Investment Conference at the Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort, the President encouraged investors to help upgrade and create new facilities such as airports, roads, and roll-on roll-off facilities, which, she said are vital, especially for tourism.

Arroyo made the appeal as she presented to the estimated 500 foreign and local conference delegates some projects and efforts her administration is undertaking around the country.

"We're counting on the full cooperation of the public and private sectors in order to capitalize on these vast opportunities that are before us... Our efforts to develop these sectors (energy and power, tourism, information and communication technology (ICT), outsourcing, and mining) provide many investment opportunities," Arroyo said.

Currently, the government, she said, are embarking on the following endeavors on which private investors may also take part: 1) logistics investments at Clark and Subic; 2) expressway and ports, high technology and manufacturing in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon; 3) agri-business in Mindanao and Northern Luzon; 4) tourism in Central Philippines; and, 5) business process outsourcing (BPO) in Cebu and Davao.

Arroyo cited the government's initiative to create the Philippine Infrastructure Corporation which will help develop commercial and bankable projects that can be taken over by the private sector.

"We are in a new round of reform and recovery. I believe that at the end of the tunnel is hope and opportunity borne of strong macroeconomic fundamentals including fiscal responsibilities, aggressive market initiatives, a positive climate for investment, and major drive against corruption," Arroyo said.

She bragged again about the gains of her administration: the rise of the country's gross domestic product in 2004 to 6.1 percent, the increase of the country's exports in 2004 by 9.3%, the surge of the stock market by 39%, the removal of the Philippines from the list of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, the increase of foreign investments, and the sound control of the budget deficit.

Arroyo also told the conference delegates about the passage by Congress of her revenue bills, the opening of the mining sector for investment, the upcoming opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal III, the surge of jobs at call centers, and the perceived benefits of the future trade agreements of the PHilippines between Japan and China.

To further complete the picture, the President assured the investors that peace and order in the country is being addressed. "Kidnapping syndicates are being broken. Kidnapping instances are weighed down. We are tough on terrorists," she said. Peace accord with seccessionist groups, like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), is also making progress, she revealed.

"This is a pivotal year for the Philippines, a year of challenges and changes," she marked.

Her Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri noted that with all the reforms being implemented now, "we expect the first half of (Arroyo's new term) to be difficult... But in the second half, everything will be okay."/DMS

RP economic heads downplay country's corruption ranking

By Ronron
March 9, 2005

Cebu - Economic managers of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's administration refused to comment Wednesday on the reported ranking of the Philippines as the second most corrupt country in Asia, and maintained instead that the present government is currently implementing reforms to curb graft and corruption.

In separate interviews at the sidelines of the Philippine Investement Conference (PIC) which started yesterday here at Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort, Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima enumerated instead anti-corruption efforts being undertaken by the Philippine government when sought for comment by reporters regarding the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Ltd. (PERC) survey.

The Philippines reportedly ranked second to Indonesia in the recent PERC survey on most corrupt countries in Asia. Singapore, Japan and Hongkong topped as the most corrupt-free countries in Asia.

"What is important is what we're trying to do with the challenges that we face as a country...the focus, the energy (that) the government is putting to make it easy for businessmen to do business in the country," Purisima said.

Purisima and Neri mentioned the following anti-corruption measures that the government had carried out to curb graft and corruption: the conduct of lifestyle checks, prosecution of corrupt officials, the appointment of an anti-corrpution czar, and the passage of different legislations into law such as the Procurement Act and Lateral Attrition Act.

In her keynote address during the opening yesterday of the two-day conference, Arroyo also assured the estimated 500 delegates, both foreign and local, that along with the fiscal reforms her administration is implementing is the major drive against corruption.

But despite these, Neri, in reference to the PERC survery, still sees much needed reforms to finally eradicate corruption in the country.

"I would like to have the specifics (of this survey) because it's hard to address perception. If they conduct a survey next time, they should specify if it's (Bureau of Internal Revenue) corruption, bribery corruption, smuggling corruption, etcetera, so we will know what agency to deal with," Neri said.

Neri admitted the survey "definitely" will affect the investment climate in the Philippines.

The survey also confirmed the recent survey conducted by the Wallace Business Forum which cited corruption as the number one concern among businessmen and investors in the Philippines.

"But for me, it does not matter whether we're number one or two or three or four. What does matter clearly is that there is a high degree of corruption in the Philippines and its a major disadvantage to doing business," Peter Wallace told reporters in a separate interview.

While he acknowledged the efforts of the government, Wallace could not say if these efforts are enough to cleanse the country, especially that corruption in the Philippines is not just about the people but the system or institution.

The famous business consultant praised Arroyo for the appointment of Bert Lina to the Bureau of Customs portfolio, saying that since he comes from the logistics/cargo business, Lina would know how to fight the problem of corruption.

"The government and private sector should get its act together and identify the corrupt sectors that need to be addressed," Neri appealed.

While Neri expressed fears that the PERC survey may affect the investment climate in the country, Purisima appeared more hopeful.

"This conference is an affirmation that the international community has recognized the changes going in the our country. The fact that Euromoney, the premier conference entity in the world, has focused and devoted this conference entirely to the Philippines is a big signal that we are again at the discussion table and are being considered for investments by investors," Purisima said.

Euromoney Conferences Editor Mark Johnson expressed yesterday a favorable impression on the Philippines' efforts to improve its investment climate by fighting corruption, saying: "I see a real committment to reform the structure although it's still a long road. The implementation of these reforms has just started."/DMS