Goodbye Haydee

The feared, respected, and loved among the lawyers of our generation has passed away after a long bout with cancer. But in our hearts she will remain, especially in those of media persons whom she defended, pro bono, during the Marcos regime. This columnist and many other journalists saw her deftly handle their libel cases filed by military generals, government officials and businessmen who could not stand criticism. Her hair was kinky as her speech was full of metaphors and ironical allusions, delivered with that characteristic pout-and-smile. Indeed, she was a pain in the neck for government prosecutors who had to do their homework for fear of being caught not knowing the law in the courts.

Yorac was born on March 4, 1941 in Iloilo, and finished the law course at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. After the EDSA Revolution, the human rights activist was appointed by President Corazon Aquino to be a member of the Presidential Committee on Human Rights. From 1989 to 1991 she was a member of the Commission on Elections. Then she was appointed head of the National Unification Commission, which began talks with the communist rebels.

Her taintless record, as fighter for truth and justice did not win her a senatorial seat, however. But that’s how elections in this country are: the honest candidates, who will not spend money to win, do not win.

In 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed her head of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) where she caused the organization of voluminous documents against the Marcos family and their computerization for the first time.

She remained single, but she was darned romantic, loving flowers and music, and she spent much of her earnings on books.

She went to the United States a few months ago, and then she was gone for good. But not for us, in whose hearts she will remain as a figure of honesty, integrity, and courage.

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Former President Fidel V. Ramos talked on globalization and its impact during the launching of the 2005 Human Development Report (HDR) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Philippines held at the Asian Institute of Management recently. His talk confirmed what many observers have said about the lopsided benefits of globalization. He said, "Now, more and more people tend to believe the power of the market system is worsening the income gap between the rich and the poor countries, and beginning to realize how precarious the process of globalization is – how easily market mechanisms can be rolled back by cultural resentments, real or imagined, over economic exploitation, political oppression, and social injustice." He added that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan himself has warned that globalization "might not raise all boats but only the yachts, and even wind up overturning a lot of canoes."

"Some Third World states have either retreated into hermetic isolation or collapsed into anarchy, dictatorship, juntas, mindless violence and ‘ethnic cleansing,’ Ramos said. "These conditions may not yet apply to the Philippines, but we Filipinos may get there – if we do not put our house in order."

Another source of instability in our time, he said, is "the doctrine of pre-emptive strikes fostered by the US against terrorist groupings and their state patrons. America’s leaders accept new terrorist attacks on the US homeland as ‘clear and present dangers’ which Americans must live with from now on. Obviously, the Cold War strategy of deterrence or ‘massive retaliation’ cannot work against suicidal groups without homelands and citizens to protect. Nor can the US wait until it has absolute proof of an imminent threat to justify a pre-emptive strike against terrorists aggressively seeking biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. Thus, America must always have at hand a hair-trigger response to any terrorist threat – and therefore, therein lie the seeds of further instability."

Ramos acknowledged the need for closer collaboration between rich and poor countries in dealing with political, economic and social challenges. That globalization is binding all our countries into ever-closer interdependence is inevitable. "No longer can any nation – however self-sufficient – afford to stay complacent and heedless of whether others sink or swim. (Thus) the global alliance led by America and the UN itself, must aim not merely to defeat terrorism. They must also attend to the other side of the coin of human security – which is people’s well-being and safety in their houses, neighborhoods, and workplaces."

Among the priority problems our leaders must deal with, he said, "Is international trade – opening rich-country markets to agricultural exports from the poor countries, and reforming the market system so that it begins to have a care for those whom development leaves behind. Until now, the United States and the European Union have yet to substantially deliver on their promises of market-access."

"Obviously, there must be an intensification of efforts to reduce global poverty, which has become a breeding place of resentment, envy and despair – hence a ready producer of violence and suicide-bombers. The debt write-off for the 18 poorest states – 16 in Africa and two in Latin America – that the G-8 countries agreed on last June is a splendid beginning. But it is not sufficient, since anti-poverty measures must encourage poor countries to carry out their own emancipation. A complementary mechanism, based on self-help and self-reliance, is the debt-to-equity conversion initiative that the Philippines has proposed to the UN, the rich countries, and the international lenders."

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The Makati Tourism Foundation, Inc. (MTFI) has an innovative tourism program. Zonito Torrevillas, McDonald’s public relations and communications manager, says the program, dubbed "Taking Off to New Horizons," will chart the foundation’s "new direction."

A program to be launched soon will provide tourism students from the provinces an opportunity to tour Makati for free. And tourism students from the University of Makati (Umak) will act as their tourist guides. Umak will also present a curriculum that will enable their tourism students to tap MTFI’s members as adjunct professors who will share their expertise through lectures and symposia, for free.

Another MTFI project is the Maginoong Driver campaign which will involve seminars for jeepney drivers regarding obedience to traffic rules, neatness and road courtesy. Appropriate road signs and reminders at key thoroughfares in Makati will also be installed as part of this project.

To help fund these endeavors, MTFI will hold a bingo fellowship coinciding with the induction of officers and trustees on September 21, at 6 p.m., at the Makati Park Garden on J.P. Rizal Extension. Fabulous prizes will include airline tickets to domestic destinations from Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines and Asian Spirit.

The foundation’s other officers are Ikuo Itoi, Marceline Clemente, Roberto Chan, Joseph Basso, Roger Mina, Mae Oblifias, and Gwyn Gareth Mariano.

The MTFI trustees are Bang Woo Lee, Glenda Barreto, Ed Carlos, Wally Cervantes, Felix Cruz, Patti King, Francisco Tankiang, and Irma Unson. Ling-Ling Cervantes, head of the Makati Cultural Affairs Office, is the board adviser.

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My E-mail: [email protected]