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HEADLINES
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 24/II/June/2005
In fairness, Poe has never pretended to be an economist and has always replied that he was putting together a team of high-level advisers to come up with an economic platform.
But as Poe played cat-and-mouse with the media about the economy, some of the country?s leading economists were playing cat-and-mouse with the Poe campaign. After being hounded by the media about Poe?s economic advisers, campaign spokesmen reluctantly shared some names. But when contacted by the media, many of the named advisers, like former Finance Secretary Roberto de Ocampo, flatly denied that they were advising Poe or simply refused to reply to queries. Others would admit to having met with Poe, but denied that they had been recruited to advise him. The confusion arose from the question of what it meant to be an adviser to Poe.
What?s an ?adviser??
It began with Poe?s listening tour. Drawing largely on the contacts of Sen. Edgardo Angara, the Poe campaign organized a listening tour for the candidate, setting up meetings and seminars on economic issues between Poe and leading academics from De La Salle University (DLSU) and the University of the Philippines (UP). During the listening tour, groups of academics would be invited to spend the afternoon with Poe to discuss their views about the economy. The media were invited to cover the event, which the Poe campaign people billed as meetings with Poe?s ?advisers.?
One invited academic declined to attend because as he told Newsbreak, he felt the Poe campaign was using the term ?adviser? for political purposes. And so while many academics had indeed met with Poe, many did not want to be referred to as ?advisers? by the Poe campaign group.
All of this was beginning to make the markets nervous. Investors were beginning to see the denials as a repudiation of Poe.
But on February 17, the Poe campaign team released an official statement naming 11 economic advisers consisting of market-friendly names like Raul Fabella, dean of the UP School of Economics; Bernardo Villegas, adviser to past presidents and economics professor of the University of Asia and the Pacific; former undersecretaries of finance Romeo Bernardo and Victor Macalincag; Benjamin Espiritu business professor at DLSU; Yale-trained economist Ponciano Intal; and columnist Calixto Chikiamco, among others. Bernardo, Chikiamco, and Fabella are members of the pro-liberalization/free market Foundation for Economic Freedom, which includes other policymakers with links to the Ramos and Arroyo administrations.
Despite the press release, many of the so-called ?advisers? appear ambivalent about the designation. When sought for clarification, Villegas said while he was advising Poe, he would be willing to advise anyone who asked. Fabella and Intal have reportedly taken the same position. Bernardo, on the other hand, confirms that he is advising Poe but has declined to give interviews to the media.
Chikiamco is the least ambivalent. He tells Newsbreak that aside from advising, he supports Poe?s candidacy. He says the other advisers are reluctant to come out in the open because some have ties to the current administration. Others simply do not want to get dragged into election-related politics. For his part Chikiamco does not mind being associated with Poe. He has long been a critic of the Arroyo administration?s handling of the economy and says he believes Poe can do a better job because he will not be ?beholden to anyone.?
Definitions aside, the naming of Poe?s advisers seems to have assuaged some of the business community?s concerns. The fact that many of the names mentioned espouse International Monetary Fund-friendly, pro-liberalization policies and have links to the Ramos and Arroyo administrations give investors a sense of continuity-that economic policy under a President Poe would not be much different from that of Ramos or Arroyo.
Chikiamco says he has advised Poe that he thinks the biggest problem facing the economy is the loss of credibility of the country?s institutions. Recent decisions by the judiciary have hurt business and are keeping investors uncertain about the regulatory environment. Chikiamco says Poe would de-politicize the appointment process by limiting the president?s appointing power to members of his Cabinet and allowing a more merit-based appointment process for posts in the judiciary and the executive.
Another major problem for the economy is the looming fiscal crisis. Chikiamco says he would advise Poe to support the bill previously supported by Arroyo pending in Congress creating an independent revenue authority. He would also urge Poe to support an increase in consumption taxes. But at the same time he says he would urge a tax cut for salaried employees. He says the higher consumption taxes would make up for the tax cut on salaries and leave enough to prevent a fiscal crisis. A tax cut would make the other tax measures more palatable to the public.
Chikiamco?s views are his own, but based on the careers of the other ?advisers,? their recommendations would not differ too radically from his. Just like Joseph Estrada, if Poe were elected president, he would be getting more or less the same advice on the economy that his predecessors did.
It?s too soon to tell if, like Estrada, he would listen to others as well and resolve policy conflicts based on whom he trusts most.
By: Ricky Carandang
Newsbreak June 15, 2005
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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HEADLINES
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 24/II/June/2005
?Nakakapagod(It?s exhausting),? says Joan Dairo of Ang Pahayagang Malaya, describing how it?s been so far on the campaign trail with the former police general. ?It?s hard to keep up with him. We start at six in the morning.?
The day usually begins with the bet?s brief stop at a public market, where Lacson would press hands with the early risers and grant a short interview with reporters dogging him. After this, Lacson?s convoy hops from town to town in a province, taking only a brief break at lunchtime.
?We target 10 to 15 towns a day,? says Alain Pascua, president of the Ping for President Movement (PPM). ?He whistle-stops in most towns, makes quick appearances in market places and transport stations.?
The Lacson campaign team doesn?t have much of a choice but to take the fast lane. Running solo and stripped of a formidable political machinery, the senator is racing against time-time to improve his standings in public opinion polls which seemed to have plateaued this early and time to prove to the rest of the opposition that he can be a viable substitute for opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. should Poe be disqualified.
To his organizers, it pays to travel light.
Unlike Poe, who has a complete 12-person senatorial slate, Lacson is campaigning by his lonesome except on occasions when he is joined by senatorial bet Carlos Padilla. Lacson?s volunteers say that the lack of a powerhouse team is proving to be a blessing. Pascua says that under the setup, it?s easier to schedule sorties since Lacson doesn?t have to coordinate with other national candidates. It?s also cost-effective, he adds, because they get the desired results in terms of media coverage and visibility.
If one goes by the media projection that Lacson has been getting, one would get the impression that he has tamed most of the key media agencies. He gets positive plays in most of the major newspapers and tabloids, and TV reporters go to the extent of playing up even his most mundane sound bites and activities-such as his visit to a hospital where some of his campaigners were confined after an accident.
How this will play out in the coming months bears watching. After all, the audience can take only so much footage of brief stops, handshaking, and tough talk. Lacson, who frowns on song-and-dance numbers, merely delivers his campaign speech on a mobile flatbed truck before proceeding to the next town. ?It could be boring, but at least it?s a far cry from the usual style of most politicians,? Dairo says.
Doing it alone makes for faster travel in the provinces as Lacson juggles his schedule. ?In our case, one chopper is enough to bring the senator to the provinces. Thus he can hop from one province to another in a shorter time.?
Complementing his brief speeches in town halls are appearances in markets and bus stations which, Pascua says, is a conscious effort to maximize his vote-getting capacity.
He describes the style as ?niche marketing,? targeting specifically the C-D crowds. Pascua concedes that the E-crowd, the poorest of the poor, are already for Poe while the A and B voters are for President Arroyo, Raul Roco, and Lacson. Lacson?s camp believes that the C-D crowd, the majority of voters, can deliver the crucial votes.
Even without the help of a political party, Lacson is more prepared than some of the other candidates. His PPM was organized as early as 2002, with members from the youth, women?s and citizen?s groups, soldiers, lawyers, labor, transport, civic organizations, and the religious. The result is a broad movement that is ?exclusive? to Lacson thus ensuring a focused campaign, boasts Pascua.
As a sectoral organization bereft of political baggage, PPM is able to work closely with personalities of various political inclinations. Among Lacson?s supporters are Sotero Llamas, the former communist chief of the Bicol region who is running for governor, and Loida Molina, wife of communist rebel-turned-mayor Mailed Molina of Bucoc in the Cordillera region. Recaredo Sarmiento II, Lacson?s former boss at the Philippine National Police, has volunteered his services for the campaign as PPM chairperson in Quezon and Marinduque.
In separate interviews, Sarmiento and Llamas said that Lacson defies the usual mold of a traditional politician. ?He has the will to curb the abuses of the police and the military,? Llamas said. ?He has the background to instill discipline,? said Sarmiento.
They claim that funding from Lacson?s is practically nonexistent and that they?re doing this for free. But those in the know insist that Lacson is awash with cash and spending it where it matters-he?s been running those TV ads for months, remember?
By: Aries C. Rufo
Newsbreak June 15, 2005
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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HEADLINES
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 24/II/June/2005
BREAKING the glass ceiling, board representation and corporate clout; even as women around the world are making great strides in the business arena over the past century, it?s easy to forget that in many parts of the world, many more are struggling to read, get a job or feed their children. Comprising more than half the world?s population, women also account for 70% of the world?s poor and two-thirds of the world?s illiterate.
This was especially highlighted during the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting on the Advancement of Women in Putrajaya last month, which sought to ?Empower Women in Facing the Challenges of Globalisation?.
?Poverty has a female face,? says Afghanistan?s Minister of Women?s Affairs Dr Massouda Jalal. Since the overthrow of the Taliban three years ago, Afghan women?s welfare has significantly improved. Once not allowed to work outside their homes, today, they are working in the government and private sectors. ?For the first time in Afghanistan, they are taking part in its social, political and economic life,? she adds.
However, a whopping 70% of the war-torn country still lives in dire poverty, and a lack of resources see the female population mired in need. ?About 90% of our women live in rural areas,? she says. ?They are illiterate; they lack skills, mobility and the money to be productive.?
Other NAM countries face similar challenges in the economic advancement of their womenfolk, albeit on differing scales. Neighbouring Indonesia, for example, has been advocating home industries among its rural poor. ?We have already seen many women in Indonesia who are working on their own terms but who are not considered as workers,? says Indonesia?s Minister For Women Empowerment Dr Meutia Hatta. ?The challenge is to help them earn more.?
One way, she adds, was to encourage economic activities while developing culture. ?Many of these women are adept at traditional craft such as weaving and batik. They are also involved in food processing and handicraft. If they turn it into a business, we can develop a market both in and outside the country. At the same time, they can also preserve our culture.?
Some governments, like Nigeria?s, have made some headway by setting up institutional mechanisms and measures to assist women, especially the educated, in urban and semi-urban areas. ?It is much better (now) than 30 years ago when Nigerian women were not supposed to be seen, let alone heard on issues affecting their lives,? says Hon Minister of Women?s Affairs Obong Rita Akpan.
Historically, Nigerian women have been active in the economy, especially in the informal sector where they make up 75% of the workforce in the agriculture industry. But as in other countries, the women face difficulties in making it in the macro-economic playing field due to lack of access to resources, especially monetary, and appreciation for their contributions to national development. ?I used to think it?s a Nigerian problem,? she says. ?Then I realised it?s an international problem.?
Poverty eradication is also a long-standing challenge. ?Progress has been made; the question is, are we satisfied with the level of progress or even with the speed at which this progress has been made?? Akpan asked. In her address during the ministerial meeting, she called for frameworks for poverty eradication through modern agricultural practices and information technology in rural communities. ?Let us now change gear and get into action.?
The 116-member movement was formed 44 years ago as a neutral group during the Cold War and remains politically active in its efforts to reverse the marginalisation of developing countries in world affairs. As Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said in her session on ?Trade-led Growth?, ?Today, as there is no longer the threat of the Cold War, the issues facing NAM members are different but no less challenging.?
And certainly, each of the 84 member countries represented at the summit brings their own causes to fight for in improving the lot of women in their land. Massouda, for one, was tirelessly and passionately campaigning for her countrywomen. ?I?m here to raise the voice of Afghan women; I?m here to talk about their problems, their pains, and their hopes,? she says. ?Gender equality and access to economic opportunities are provided for in the Constitution, but to translate that into reality and action requires more resources, such as technical assistance, training, and financial aid. I hope that NAM will commit special attention to Afghanistan as we are far behind the other countries.?
The historic four-day conference ended on May 10 with the nine-point Putrajaya Declaration, which serves as a blueprint to address the challenges and grievances of women in economic development, education, health, information communications technology, armed conflicts, disaster situations, decision-making and gender mainstreaming, being signed. But the task of translating these into action lies ahead as the quest for the betterment of women?s welfare continues.
?The forces of globalisation should be better managed to promote a more civilised and just world,? said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in her address. ?Since women make up half of the world?s population, the definition of civilisation will never be complete and sufficient without the inclusion of women?s perspectives, interests, concerns and contributions.?
By: Joanna Sze
Malaysian Business June 15, 2005
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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HEADLINES
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 24/II/June/2005
THE revelations in the report of the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operations and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police are not entirely surprising. They merely confirm what many Malaysians have been saying about our police force ? that there is a serious need for the men and women in blue to clean up their acts. But that is not to say that the majority of cops are corrupt and inefficient. As always, a small percentage can smear the good name of the majority.
There are around 80,000 cops in the country. Even if, say, a mere 5% were to be crooked, that would come up to 4,000. Imagine the excessive damage these 4,000 can do to the force?s image.
But public perception of the police is also important and is the best gauge of their credibility. It is best we don?t live in denial and face up to the truth. Given that the report was, in many ways, a very critical assessment of the police, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi must be commended for making it public. Some have suggested the report be made available on the net as not everyone can afford the RM100 price tag. The Prime Minister must have anticipated the potential uproar that the findings of the report would cause among the public. And it did. The case of the cop who had declared RM34 million in assets was widely publicised along with other numerous misdemeanours and alleged corrupt practices. More importantly, it also revealed the many constraints that the police faced in carrying out their duties.
To his credit, Abdullah formed the commission without pressure from any quarters. Previously, royal commissions were set up following pressure on the government to do so. For example, in 1991, a Royal Commission of Enquiry was set up to investigate a fireworks factory fire that had killed 26 people, and in 1999, a similar commission was formed following claims of police brutality by former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Police Commission?s Report has also set new perimeters in the government?s efforts to be more accountable and transparent. The fact that the 16-member commission comprised respected men and women from a cross-section of society added to its independence and credibility.
So, while the government is being commended for its resolve, and the commission for coming up with an excellent report, where do we go from here?
The heavy responsibility of implementing the recommendations lies on Abdullah?s shoulders. He has said a special Task Force would look into the 125 recommendations and pick those that can be implemented immediately. Hopefully, there will be no unnecessary delays. The force is in dire need of manpower and housing. These require immediate attention.
The Deputy Chairman of the Commission, Tun Haniff Omar, has suggested setting up mini commissions or committees to study and find ways of implementing the recommendations. This has been done in Australia and England.
But whatever steps are taken to implement the proposals, police personnel must, on their part, be open and ready to embrace change.
Commission Chairman Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah made this important point. He warned that since the process of change will be long and arduous, it would need strong and inspired leadership to carry it through successfully.
Thankfully, the police have adopted a positive and open attitude towards the report. They have accepted the criticisms well. The credit must go to the IGP Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar and his deputy Datuk Musa Hassan for their open-mindedness and co-operation with the commission.
It is time to move ahead. The priority now must be on fighting crime. Since 1997, crime has risen by a whopping 29%. If left unchecked, Malaysia?s reputation as a safe haven for tourists and foreign investors will be severely affected. The consequences on the economy can be devastating.
Malaysian Business June 15, 2005
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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