P-Noy's achievements

The following are the achievements of P-Noy after 500 days:

1. 2.3 million poor Filipinos given cash doleouts;

2. Took 9 trips abroad - 3 to the US, 2 to Japan;

3. Met MILF Chairman Hadji Murad Ibrahim in Tokyo, released P5 million to MILF;

4. Sold his sports car Porsche turbo 9-11;

5. Prohibited wang wang;

6. Increased rice production, reduced rice imports.

7. Retained Usec. Rico Puno and KKKs, cleared Sec. Llamas of gun charges. Fired Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez;

8. Announced a policy of no all-out war but, all-out justice against MILF.

9. Announced on Oct. 18 a P72-billion stimulus package.

10. Continued GMA policy of holiday economics.

11. Built 4,000 housing units for soldiers and policemen.

12. He obtained the resignation of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez;

13. He accepted the resignation of DOTC Sec. Jose “Ping” de Jesus and DOT Sec. Alberto Lim.

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 OIL PRICE UPDATE. . Respected broadcaster Ted Failon explained that oil companies make a profit of P9 per liter of gasoline.

 Petron CEO Ramon Ang disputed that. He said that Petron makes only P2 per liter of gasoline sold because they pay P16 per liter in taxes unlike other oil companies. Recall that a tax case has been filed against Shell for not paying taxes on its importations of so-called Alkalytes additives for which BOC issued an assessment of P1.6 billion.

 Mr. Ang also explained that 80 percent of Petron profit is due to its Petrochemical business, not gasoline sales.

 Mr. Ang admits widespread oil smuggling but he swears that Petron does not buy smuggled oil or gasoline products.

 It is estimated that of the sales by small oil players who account for 27 percent of the oil market, at least 50 percent come from the smuggled products.

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WORSE THAN MARCOS. . Senator Joker Arroyo, former Executive Secretary of President Corazon Aquino, issued a statement criticizing President Noynoy Aquino’s denial of GMA’s request to travel abroad for medical treatment labeling “the Aquino Administration worse than Marcos”.

He said that the no Allow Departure Order (ADO) issued by Sec. De Lima and approved by P-Noy is violative of the Constitution and also violates GMA’s human rights. He observed that this is an “unhealthy trend”. He declared: “Human rights are akin to Christian Charity. The human body is inviolable. The Constitution prohibits cruel, degrading and inhumane punishment.”

Senators Edgardo Angara, Vicente Sotto and Francis Escudero expressed similar views supporting GMA’s Constitutional right to travel.

Previously, Sen. Joker Arroyo criticized the Aquino Administration for being run like a student council. He also observed that the President has a short attention span. Other observers noted the laid back, slow action of the President in acting on critical issues facing the Administration.

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INFERIOR QUALITY. . Reader Ellen Bocalan calls attention to the potholes and other defects of the new Cavite Expressway (Cavitex), a seven-kilometer coastal highway from Parañaque to Bacoor. She observed that there are no lights at night, no pavement markings and interchanges have no warning signs. I personally visited Cavitex to check out her complaint. It is true. Lubak-lubak (potholes) and some portions are elevated.

Just like the Osmeña flyover, this is a clear case of substandard, defective construction. DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson should hold the contractor to account. And TRB has no reason to ask for a toll fee increase for an incomplete project.

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VP’S BIRTHDAY. . Vice President Jojo Binay celebrated his 11-11-11 birthday the whole day yesterday. Starting with a jogging run at 6:30 a.m. after which he hosted a breakfast boodle fight for 1,111 Marines and Navy men at the Bonifacio Naval Station.

It was followed by a mass and lunch at the Tent in Global City, with an estimated 1,000 friends and leaders, the majority being local government officials.

Among the well wishers were: Senators Frank Drilon, Ed Angara and Nene Pimentel; Secretaries Jose Rene Almendras, Cayetano Paderanga, Sonny Coloma, Francis Tolentino and Maria Montelibano; Congressmen Edcel Lagman, Sim Datumanong, Monique Lagdameo; Governors Cora Malanyaon (Davao Oriental), Joseph Cua (Catanduanes); Vice Gov. Mark Leviste and D.V. Savellano; Metro Manila City Mayors Fred Lim, Bistek Bautista, Recom Echiverri, Tony Calixto, Sherwin Gatchalian, Aldrin San Pedro, John Tiangco and Lani Cayetano and more than 200 provincial board members, town mayors and city councilors, PDP-Laban officials, APO members and employees of HUDCC and Makati.

A select group of 350 close friends and relatives were invited to dinner at the Coconut Palace last night.

The Vice President has been adjudged by surveys as the most popular official of the country. Happy birthday, Mr. President in waiting!

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FALL OUT. . If P-Noy and Sec. de Lima get sick, they have no reason to seek medical treatment abroad in view of their official opinion that any kind of medical treatment can be done here. They are in estoppel.

Archbishop Oscar Cruz, Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo back GMA’s bid to travel.

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TIDBITS. . . Rep. Joey Manahan, a Filipino-American is Hawaii’s Representative to the US House of Representatives. Also in the US House of Representatives is Ohio Rep. Steve Austria whose father comes from Tiaong, Quezon.

CNBC, the US business network, rated the Philippines 4th worst country in the world for doing business. CNN Travel Site rated NAIA 5th most hated airport in the world. The defects of NAIA 1 have been known since Day 1 of the Aquino Administration.

Thirty Congressmen are watching the Pacquiao-Marquez fight.

Congratulations to Bishop Jose Advincula, 59, who has been appointed Archbishop of Capiz vice Archbishop Onecimo Gordoncillo, 75, retired.

Greetings to our readers Tess Ladanga, Leon C. Ngo, Wenceslao Vinzons Tan, Jose Antonio Leviste, Ibnotalib Nasirin of Tawi-Tawi, Apolonio Ramos, the Municipal Council of Balete, Aklan and Salvador Liked of Bauko, Mt. Province.