US offers help in oil spill

Outgoing United States Ambassador Harry Thomas told Spy Bits that the US is prepared to help in the cleanup efforts for the Cavite oil spill. The Philippine government is still trying to assess the full extent of the damage (with at least four towns already affected) before accepting the offer of the US Ambassador. We were temporarily stranded in the US Embassy Residence compound in Baguio City over the weekend due to bad weather, with weathermen placing the eye of Typhoon Labuyo in the vicinity of Baguio City yesterday morning. 

The Ambassador (in photo issuing instructions to his staff from the US Embassy Residence compound in Baguio City) told us USAID-Philippines personnel met with the Philippine Coast Guard and DENR officials to determine what kind of help can be given, with the oil spill affecting an estimated 3,000 families who depend on fishing for their livelihood. Not many know that USAID-Philippines mission director Gloria Steele – a Filipino-American with an impressive track record in development work – has been spearheading  the  USAID-funded Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries (ECOFISH) project launched late last year with Agriculture Secretary Procy Alcala and attached agencies.

ECOFISH is a follow up to an earlier USAID-supported project called Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest (FISH) that successfully demonstrated that productivity and profitability of fisheries is possible through the enhancement of the natural resource base. ECOFISH goes one step further by applying ecosystem-based fisheries management in several marine conservation areas in the country.

Initial reports say an estimated 500,000 liters of diesel spilled into the waters off Cavite – with the spill first spotted off the coastline of Rosario town Thursday, with approximately 20 kilometers of coastline said to have been affected. Residents continue to be exposed to health hazards, with health experts already issuing warnings to susceptible groups such as children, the elderly and people suffering from asthma and other respiratory illnesses to stay indoors to prevent the inhalation of toxic fumes such as benzene, a known carcinogen. As usual, people continue to be stubborn, with children and adults using sponges to collect and “filter” the fuel washed on shore and selling the same to passing motorists.

Despite assurances from Cavite officials that there is “no danger to the environment and the community,” people continue to be wary about buying fish from Cavite, with environment groups describing the Cavite spill as “a repeat performance” of the Guimaras oil spill seven years ago, claiming that corals have been covered by sludge and that other marine species have been affected.  Meantime, the PCG has yet to determine the source of the spill – whether it was Petron’s underwater pipelines or the oil tanker MT Makisig – with Petron and third party contractor/MT Makisig owner Herma Shipping and Transport denying to be the source of the spill.

‘Pork Queen’

Spy Bits informants claim that they spotted Janet Lim-Napoles at the Milky Way restaurant along Pasay Road in Makati, allegedly with 20 bodyguards including uniformed policemen in her entourage. Some people in the restaurant initially thought President Noy Aquino or VP Jojo Binay was arriving, only to be told by the security guards of the building that they were expecting Napoles – whom some people are now reportedly calling the “Pork Queen” on account of her reported involvement in the alleged P10 billion pork barrel scam. People are wondering why Napoles needs all those bodyguards – perhaps to protect herself from those out to get her, informants commented.

Manila landmark turns 75

“Old Manila” is celebrating a milestone tomorrow with the 75th anniversary of Calvo Building – a three-storey neo-classic structure that serves as a proud reminder of Manila’s old charm and resiliency, having survived several earthquakes, fires and the bombings during World War II. Designed by Fernando Ocampo, Calvo Building was home to the Radio Broadcasting Network of the late Robert “Uncle Bob” Stewart, acknowledged as the “First Kapuso,” who founded radio Station DZBB which has now become the giant GMA 7 network. Calvo Building Managing Director Gerry Teotico informed us that Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada will be gracing the event, which will also showcase the rich history of the building via a photo exhibit with quaint objects and artifacts ‘from a bygone era” also on display.

American middle class not-so-wealthy after all

A report from the October 2012 Credit Suisse Global Wealth Databook is causing a lot of furor among middleclass Americans who are unhappy at discovering that they have fallen from the top when it comes to (median) wealth, landing at Number 27 below Cyprus (No. 25) and Kuwait (No. 26). America is supposed to be the wealthiest nation but apparently, its fall came as a result of several factors that analysts say include weak labor laws that undermine unions compared to other nations, with US minimum wage levels having stagnated at $7.25 per hour.

The lack of universal healthcare was also pinpointed; stiff college fees that put young American students into debt; the wealthy dominating politics; unequal tax structure with the rich and big companies not paying the right taxes; and the deregulation of Wall Street that paved the way for a lot of new and risky financial instruments. If one didn’t know any better, the disparaging reports about the “downfall” of America’s middle class would make one think they were describing the plight of some third world country where median wealth is inequitably distributed.  Australia occupied top spot while Japan and Singapore made it to the top 10.

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