It's not Panatag; it's Panacot

The other night I saw former Central Bank Governor Jimmy Laya at a dinner, and he told me, to my surprise, that some 200 years ago, maps showed a group of islands west of Zambales and Pangasinan referred to as Lumbay, Panacot and Galit – with Scarborough Shoal actually known as “Panacot” (or threat in Tagalog) by Filipinos. Jimmy may be known more as a banker but he also has a wide knowledge of Philippine history which accounts for his interest in historical artifacts and maps.

Scarborough Shoal is closer to Zambales (about 220 kilometers) compared to the nearest coast of China (in Hainan at about 849 kilometers), but the Chinese government is not about to budge over its territorial claim, insisting that Huangyan Island (their name for Scarborough Shoal) is historically a part of their territory.

As Jimmy noted, one small island or rock can pretty much look like another especially to early explorers and cartographers, who probably could only see the shapes from their ships anchored at a distance as they tried to draw what they see. Early Philippine maps were drawn by Europeans and over the years, the renditions have become more accurate and it’s not also unlikely that the names could also change depending on who was making the map or the time when it was being drawn.

Who knows? We would have been better off if we continued calling Scarborough Shoal as Panacot instead of Panatag since, according to a feng shui master, people would have been afraid to intrude in the territory. So now, people are saying it’s the Chinese who are doing the “pananacot” and that “tayo ang tinatacot.”

Anarchy on the road

Accidents involving passenger buses remain unabated, and calls are mounting to revoke the driver’s licenses of erring drivers and suspend the franchises of bus companies repeatedly involved in accidents. A lot of bus drivers continue to flout traffic rules, weaving in and out of lanes without regard for the safety of passengers and other motorists. 

A lot of reforms are being implemented to solve the problems concerning the public transport sector like the order to junk the commission-based compensation scheme and give bus drivers fixed salaries instead. The MMDA is also proposing the cancelation of the licenses of drivers who fail to undergo TESDA training and certification, and calls are being made to have drivers undergo psychiatric evaluation. Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas certainly has a lot on his plate, and people welcome his firmness in suspending questionable deals involving bus franchises and other alleged anomalies.

Rene Moral, one of our readers, reacted to our July 5 column (“Mar can make a mark”) and has several suggestions that Mar might want to consider. Rene wrote that several months ago, there was a proposal to limit the speed of buses to 40 kph by installing a gadget on the gas pedals. There was also a proposal to paint on the roof of the buses their plate numbers in big, luminous characters (no doubt to prevent the occurrence of hit-and-run cases), and to install cameras in strategic locations along EDSA to pinpoint speeding bus drivers or those who veer away from designated bus lanes. 

All of the proposals fall within the jurisdiction of the DOTC but as usual, bus operators are resisting them. Mar might want to revisit these proposals and see about implementing them as soon as possible before another accident claims the life of passengers or innocent pedestrians/bystanders.

Another win for CVCLaw

The Villaraza Cruz Marcelo and Angangco law firm, otherwise known as “The Firm,” chalked up another victory with the recent decision of the Court of Appeals’ 8^th Division upholding the revocation of Hayden Kho’s medical license by the Professional Regulation Commission or PRC. As one medical practitioner commented, “aray Kho!”

According to the ruling promulgated by Associate Justice Edwin Sorongon, the

PRC did not err in its decision, citing that “a license to practice in a profession is not an inherent right but a mere privilege burdened with responsibilities.” The CA noted the high standard of morality that medical practitioners must adhere to as embodied by the medical profession’s Code of Ethics, citing a decision in another case wherein a teacher’s professional license was revoked due to immorality and dishonorable conduct.

“…Good moral character is a continuing requirement which he must possess if he wants to continue practicing his noble profession. In the instant case, he failed to abide by the tenets of morality,” the CA noted, concluding that “the disqualifying immoral conduct of the applicant need not be directly connected with the practice of his profession,” since what is important is the protection of the sick and distressed from the “intrusion” of “vicious and unprincipled men… wholly destitute of all moral responsibilities.” 

Spy tidbit

One of the hardest hit during Typhoon Ondoy was Marikina, which is why the launch of Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) by the DOST and PLDT-Smart Telecommunications will enable residents to be more informed and prepared during disasters. In a text to Smart and PLDT chairman Manny Pangilinan, Marikina 2^nd District Rep. Miro Quimbo personally expressed Marikeños’ “deepest appreciation for making Project NOAH a success,” saying that “the city now has a lead time of six hours to prepare for any catastrophic flood.”

MVP’s stewardship has made PLDT one of the best managed companies in the country, having the distinction of being the first Philippine company to be given investment grade credit ratings by Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch Ratings – the three biggest global credit watchers. 

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