Big, big problem

One of the biggest problems in the country is the flourishing illegal drug industry.

Four mothers who are good friends found out as they dined that they have a common problem. Their four sons going to 4 different universities reported the easy sale of drugs and marijuana in the campus.

While the PDEA is reporting many apprehensions, they cannot quite catch up with the big number of pushers.

Many coastal towns in Mindanao are used for smuggling drugs from Malaysia and Indonesia. Drug pushers are found in Tondo, Sampaloc and Ermita plying their trade openly.

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RECTO EYES PAGCOR . . Senator Ralph Recto has filed Senate bill 3187 proposing to reorganize Pagcor into a new Philippine Amusement and Gaming Commission (PAGCOM).

There are 4 luxury casinos awarded a license to operate at the Entertainment City. Bloomberry Resorts headed by Ricky Razon expects to start operations in 2013.

In a similar vein the market is flooded with unsafe cosmetic products mostly from China. Many bleaching and whitening products contain mercury which is dangerous to one’s health.

The Philippine Dermatological Society calls on BFAD to tighten up on allowing whitening agents and continuing sale of banned products.

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LAWLESS BORACAY . . Foreign tourists have become the easy prey of thieves in Boracay, Aklan — 44 cases of theft have been reported since January this year.

The movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order headed by Ka Kuen Chua reports 11 kidnapping since January to date all over the country.

In Maguindanao, Sr. Supt. Marcelino Pintac warned of the resurgence of kidnapping in Maguindanao as trader Justina Pari and her daughter were wounded in a bungled kidnapping in North Upi, Maguindanao last Friday. PFC Rey Enerio, security escort of Justina Pari, was killed fighting off the kidnappers.

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SEAFARER’S DAY . . President Aquino last year declared June 25 as Filipino Seafarer’s Day. There is an estimated 400,000 Filipino seamen on foreign merchant ships accounting for one fourth of the world’s merchant shipboard requirements. They remit more than $4 billion in earnings to our country annually.

The seafaring industry is calling for reforms starting with simplifying the processing of travel documents and working papers. There is also the complaint of European countries that some merchant marine schools are producing poor quality graduates.

There is the urgent problem of protection of Filipino sailors from hostage taking by pirates. There is therefore a need for a wide ranging review of policies and regulations affecting seafarers.

Commendation should go to Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) for its world class facilities in Mariveles, graduating superior quality engineering graduates.

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MVP IN GOOD MOVE . . Businessman Manny V. Pangilinan maybe helping resolve the China-Philippine standoff at the West Philippine Sea as he announced plans to bring in a Chinese partner, CNOOC, in the Philex Petroleum Corp. project at the Recto Bank.

Pangilinan traveled to Beijing to start negotiations with the China National Offshore Oil Corp.

Minority owner Ricky Razon of Monte Oro Resources and Energy Inc. who owns 30% of SC72, the oil concession, however expressed his opposition to bringing in a foreign partner.

Pangilinan interviewed in Hong Kong could not give a time frame when the agreement with CNOOC will be finalized.

President Aquino expressed no objection to the Pangilinan plan provided he complies with the terms of his service contract.

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TV HUGE PROFITS, LOSES . . ABS-CBN reported a net income of P2.4 billion in 2011, GMA network reported a net income of P1.7 billion. TV 5, however, lost P4.1 billion in 2011.

GMA owners Felipe Gozon and Jimmy Duavit are reportedly asking for P65 billion to sell the network to Manny Pangilinan who has shown interest in acquiring GMA 7.

TV 5 is spending P6 billion to build its new corporate headquarters and studios in Mandaluyong. It projects to increase its market share to 30% in 2015. ABS-CBN has the bigger share nationwide and overseas.

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PCOS INSPECTION . . The Commission on Elections has started the inspection of 40,000 PCOS machines at the warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna. Chairman Sixto Brillantes and Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Elias Yusoph, Lucenito Tagle and Christian Lim were present.

People are still waiting for the security measures to be adopted to prevent the glitches experienced in 2010.

The Comelec accepted 14,000 PCOS machines so far after passing a Hardware Acceptance test, but 5% recorded glitches. Comelec expects full delivery by September. The 82,000 PCOS machines will cost P1.8 billion.

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TIDBITS . . . Gov. Jonvic Remulla is conducting an Ugnayan sa Barangay tour in Cavite. The program is styled ala Wiltime Bigtime with a band, singers, distribution of rice and a raffle with P10,000 as the top prize.

Pinky Aquino Abellada, the President’s Sister, donated a 2-classroom school building in Navotas City.

SM investments now operate 46 malls with the latest to open in General Santos. It is programming to build 4 new malls every year. We dropped by the SM City Mall in Iloilo and it was full of people on an ordinary working day. Congratulations to the Henry Sy family for providing employment to thousands.

Congratulations to Filipino American Erik Spoelstra, head coach of NBA Champions Miami Heat. I was told his mother comes from Quezon province.

Today is Plebiscite Day for Imus, Cavite for the conversion into a city. Last week, Bacoor approved its cityhood status.

The Iloilo Medical Society is spearheading an anti-tuberculosis campaign.

Greetings to Ambassador Victor Garcia, Aquila Legis Brod. Mayor Monching Calo of Carmen, Agusan del Norte, Vice Mayor Rosario Nimfa Dumagan of Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Eagles Officer, Mayor Hussin Amin of Jolo, Sulu, Mayor Jesse Lumanog of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, Greg Sineneng of Bantay Radio, Cebu and Kathy Binag of Niños Restaurant Davao City.