Put up or shut up

The 100 day business agenda prepared by business stalwarts, Washington Sycip, Manuel Pangilinan, Jose Pardo and Ramon Ang has spurred a lot of praise, controversy, discussion and critical thinking.

One of the first to take a swipe at the paper is businessman Dick Romulo, chairman of the powerful Makati Business Club. What is surprising, however, is he did not comment much on the content of the paper. What he commented on was that the P100 million guaranty pool fund that the group of Sycip will put up to help the government was "too small." Quite a shocking statement for someone who has not even put in a cent.

Romulo missed the spirit of the paper. The P100 million guaranty fund is a symbolic gesture on the part of businessmen to concretely show that they are willing to "roll up their sleeves," and link arms with the President to push this country forward. In other words, it’s time to put our money where our mouth is. If Romulo thinks the P100 million is too small, then he should get his own group together to beat that. In street talk, "put up or shut up." I must say this country is doomed if at every turn, good initiatives such as the P100 million guaranty fund are torn down by people who have less to contribute.

Presidential Secret

When President Bush came here recently, much hype was given about the fact that his driver is a lady.

What many do not know is that the primary tools of communication used by his security people were trunk radio handsets of Nextel. The Motorola handsets using the unique IDEN technology, which combine radio, voice, Internet, and data in one technology, cannot be bugged, which make them a favorite communications tool of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Armed Forces, and the police.

This is also the reason why the radio handsets of Next Mobile Inc., which provides the IDEN technology in the Philippines, have become a favorite among politicians as well as would-be politicians during this campaign period. Aside from the fact that the information transmitted is secure, these walkie-talkies also allow dispatch of communication to as many as 100 people at any given time. Next Mobile IMX handsets have also been the chosen means of communication among government agencies with mission-critical functions, such as the fire department, or the armed forces.

Filipinos In Singapore

Here’s one sent by a good friend who works in Singapore on the different kinds of Filipinos in this small territory:

Lords of the flings: For a fling around the dance floor, Filipino dance instructors, or DIs, are one of the best-kept secrets of some high-society women. Don’t call me maid: Self-assured and well-travelled, Filipino yuppies still feel a close affinity to their culture and home. Five suspected pickpockets held: Last March 5, police officers arrested in Singapore five suspected pickpockets after observing a cellphone being lifted from a female shopper’s handbag.

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