THE much-awaited $5.5 million funding from US Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) was fi nally bestowed to the Philippines, MCC’s "model partner."
The memorandum of understanding between the Philippines and the US was signed on Friday by Ambassador Willy Gaa and MCC acting VP Darius Teter. The funds will be utilized to complete benefi t analyses, engineering designs and environmental and social impact studies on investments and cost estimates for proposed projects to benefi t the needy.
THE aftermath of twin typhoons, Ondoy and Pepeng left the Philippines devastated, with hundreds of people dead and others, still missing. Millions of pesos have been spent for damages and most areas in Luzon will never be the same again.
According to Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves, damage caused by the storms may shave percentage points from the country’s gross domestic product, which was initially projected to grow at least 0.8 percent this year. This is due to the fact that many industries have been directly affected – fl ooding destroyed most farm crops and factories.
FOUR years ago, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo emphasized that "corruption is strangling the Philippines." She has called on Filipino citizens to "join hands to root out this evil." She also mentioned that ill-gotten wealth would be seized from corrupt offi cials – both in the government and the military. Years later, in an ironic twist of fate, GMA’s administration has become one of the most notorious regimes for corruption in the history of Philippine governance.
The issue of rampant corruption in the Philippines has become a major concern for foreign businesses, demonstrated in the results of a survey on business expectations conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham). 88 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction over the overwhelming problem of corruption. "Dissatisfaction with corruption, which has improved in recent years, has reverted to 2005 levels," the survey pointed out.
THE Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States is currently a subject of contention among lawmakers in the Philippines.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has been a staunch advocate for its abrogation, especially since US soldiers were killed in an explosion in Jolo just this week. She said that "the soldiers weren’t supposed to be there, as their presence in the alleged landmine made the area a war zone."
Cebu Rep. Antonio Cuenco begged to disagree. Cuenco asserted that the Americans play a vital role in countering terrorism. Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Antonion Cerilles argued that the Americans were victims because they were on their way to do humanitarian works and were not in combat.
THE Clinton Global Initiative, timed to coincide with the UN General Assembly this year, brings together leaders from the political, corporate and civil sectors to develop and implement solutions to four global challenge areas: education, energy & climate change, global health, and economic empowerment.
Over 60 current and former heads of states, 500 business leaders and 400 leaders for nongovernmental and philanthropic organizations attended the meeting last September 22. Former President Bill Clinton established the organization in 2005, in the hopes of improving the lives of more than 200 million people in more than 170 countries.
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