La Salle's aim

For years De La Salle University has been aiming to have a graduate school like its rival Ateneo de Manila University. Finally, an opportunity has presented itself with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), the premier business-management school which has been cash-strapped and having all sorts of problems, in particular management issues which have led either to the dismissal or resignation of some of its faculty. Members of the AIM Faculty Association had accused the management of infringing on their rights and failing to practice what it preaches especially in the area of good governance. Last year, the Labor Department ordered the school to reinstate “illegally” dismissed faculty and pay them in back wages amounting to over a million pesos. De La Salle University has offered to buy the Asian Institute of Management for an undisclosed amount.

Fear of flying

The Department of Foreign Affairs has recommended eight trips for President Aquino to take this year. So far the President has accepted to take only one trip - the UN General Assembly in New York mid-September. After New York, he is also expected to visit Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, DC. The US State Department for the first time in years has been following up on Malacañang’s response to President Obama’s invitation instead of the other way around – something unique to this Philippine president. PNoy has repeatedly stated he wants to cut down on government expenses for presidential trips but the DFA has informed the President there are at least three other “must attend” trips – the ASEAN leaders’ meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Asia-Europe Meeting in Brussels, Belgium and a China state visit lobbied by the Filipino-Chinese community. Somebody close to Noynoy however has reportedly said that the real major reason why the President has an aversion to travel is because of the “fear factor” in flying.

Apple of the iPhone

Many people are astounded at how Filipinos are always ahead when it comes to the latest gadgets like the Apple iPad 3G. And now, here we have the new iPhone 4 with a whole new experience especially for those who love new techno toys. But this early, compatibility issues are surfacing. For one thing, the iPhone 4 needs a micro-simcard and unfortunately for Smart subscribers, only Globe so far offers the smaller 128k simcard with the gold imprint – the same one that can be used for the iPad. Surprisingly, PLDT-Smart - supposed to be the smartest one of them all - missed out on the microsim and can’t provide its top of the line Infinity subscribers, especially those who have come to depend so much on the Ipad, the opportunity to enjoy the latest Apple offerings. Not a very smart move.

Cito still here

Contrary to news reports, former Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo is still very much around. He was the guest speaker at the Makati Rotary Club meeting in Mandarin Hotel last Thursday where he spoke about the Gawad Kalinga projects where Cito is involved in nowadays. To avoid having to answer questions about the fertilizer scam and incriminate himself due to the ongoing investigation, Cito brought along a Gawad Kalinga staff member to also speak in addition to his speech. By the time they both finished, half the Rotary members were gone, making the Q & A portion “moot and academic.”

‘Golf widow’

In reaction to last Thursday’s Spy Bits column on “sandbaggers and golf cheaters,” a disgruntled “golf widow” wrote to us saying she doesn’t really mind “golf cheaters.” What she can’t stand are cheating husbands who claim they are in the golf course when in fact, they’re in a different kind of course playing with their mistresses.

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