Atty. Karen Jimeno

10. Easier to win votes with basketball courts than cases in trial courts

9. Still focused on the “just because we said so” approach to presenting evidence

8. Not yet finished researching how to get Bartlett’s Book of Quotations as acceptable jurisprudence

7. Distracted with issue of what shampoo Karen Jimeno uses

6. Distracted with issue of what shampoo Serafin Cuevas uses

5. Never really had to contend with shouts from voters of “Objection: immaterial, irrelevant, and impertinent” whenever they sang and danced on the campaign trail

4. Looking for English-Tagalog translator to win the Lito Lapid vote

3. Waiting for Miriam Defensor-Santiago to give a lecture on law to everyone

2. Praying Manong Johnny (Juan Ponce Enrile) will be true to his campaign promise: “Gusto ko happy ka”

1. Still waiting for defense team pants to go on fire

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About Chief Justice Renato C. Corona

On May 12, 2010, two days after the 2010 elections and a month before former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s term expired, Renato C. Corona was appointed as the 23rd Chief Justice of the Philippines, succeeding Reynato Puno who had reached the mandatory age of retirement. Corona was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 12, 2011.

Early in his career, Corona served as special counsel at the Development Bank of the Philippines. He later became senior vice-president and general counsel of the Commercial Bank of Manila, and later a senior officer of the Tax and Corporate Counseling Group of the Tax Division of Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV & Co.), the country’s largest multidisciplinary professional services firm.

In 1992, Corona joined the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos as Assistant Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs, and concurrently served as head of the Malacañang Legal Office. In 1994, he was promoted to Deputy Executive Secretary and later Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and member of the Cabinet. In 1998, President Ramos awarded him the Philippine Legion of Honor medal, with the rank of officer.

In 1998, Corona became the chief of staff and spokesperson of then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. When Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001, Corona became the Presidential Chief of Staff.

Source: Dickie Soriano | Wikipedia

Photo from Fan Page at Facebook thru Flickr.com

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The Filipino Plaza public park in Vancouver, BC

Somewhere in Vanness Avenue, west of Sky Train’s Nanaimo Station, Vancouver, BC, sits a park Filipino-Canadians call the Filipino Plaza. The open park, sometimes referred to as a linear park, located underneath the Sky Train Expo Line, was one of the dozens of open parks built in 1986 as part of BC Transit’s Parkway Program showcasing different cultural parks on the 26-kilometre path that parallels the Sky Train.

Fronting this park is the colorful Sarimanok logo and a 2,000-red brick wall donated by the Filipino-Canadians who started the endeavor in the park. Construction of the park was made possible with the bayanihan spirit of Filipino-Canadian members of the “Filipino Plaza Committee of 1985.”

This year, the Filipino Plaza will be the official site of the Flag Raising ceremony to kick off the various Philippine independence celebrations in the lower mainland of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Source: Wikipedia

Photo from Wikipedia

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Michel Catuira, chairman of the Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon Migrants' Trade Union (MTU)

In 2009, Michel Catuira, a migrant Filipino worker in South Korea for many years, became a chairman of the Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon Migrants’ Trade Union (MTU), and the following year became the first foreign delegate in the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). After becoming chairman, he spent his days working in factories and his nights organizing workers.

The Korean government has not regarded the MTU’s activities with pleasure. Three of its past chairpeople have been the objects of “target crackdowns” by immigration authorities and forcibly deported. Catuira was almost deported until the Seoul Administrative Court took Catuira’s side, saying, “I suspect that Seoul Immigration Office’s handling of the case may have been because of the plaintiff’s labor union activity.”

South Korea is not a signatory to the United Nations’ International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which stipulates the right of migrant workers and their families to be free from discrimination compared to citizens of the country where they work, and includes the right to form labor unions.

However, Catuira is returning back to the Philippines to care for his grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. His cousin, who looked after the ailing grandmother, is leaving to work in the United States. Catuira is expected to be back in the Philippines at the end of this month.

Source: The Hankyoreh

Photo taken from No Base Stories Korea

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from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School in Newhall, California

When Vladimir Villapando heard about the devastating typhoon that struck southern Philippines in December, he knew he needed to do something.

“It hit close to home,” said Villapando, who grew up in the Philippines before immigrating to the United States.

So he looked to his school, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Newhall, where he serves as athletic director and spearheaded a donation drive.

And the private Catholic school stepped up: families gathered nearly 20 boxes of clothes, three boxes of shoes, two boxes of school supplies, three boxes of toiletries and toys and 14 cases of canned goods.

Read more at The Santa Clarita Valley Signal

Photo from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School in Newhall, California

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Randell Tiongson, Director of the Registered Financial Planner Institute Philippines, columnist of renowned broadsheets, 2011 Outstanding Alumni of the University of Santo Tomas, and a host of other distinctions, is conducting a half-day seminar entitled “Personal Branding for Finance Practitioners.” He writes in his blog:

“This interactive, engaging and practical seminar will help you understand, create and send out the unique brand that is YOU. Today’s business world is fast paced and so are the decisions and judgments we are making. There are more than a lot of business men and women, financial advisors, entrepreneurs both young and experienced bringing the same products, skills and services to your field in the industry. But why do some people still stand out above the rest? Best bet is that these people, consciously or not, have their own unique personal brand.”

I have attended a few of Randell’s seminars and have always been both entertained and educated by the simplicity of his presentations in a topic that normally generates, in Randell’s words, “nosebleed!”

Take a ganter into his upcoming seminar. It’s guaranteed to make a difference in you.

Source: Randell Tionson’s Blog

Image from Randell Tiongson’s Blog

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The new Philippine tourism slogan: Like or Dislike?

The Department of Tourism today launched its newest tourism slogan, “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” Including a Twitter hashtag #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines, many expressed mixed feelings of optimism, caution, disappointment and a wait-and-see attitude. Some expected more creativity than what was launched while others, including this author, are more concerned with the safety, security, and convenience of tourists visiting the country for the first time than a new campaign slogan.

I wrote about Philippine tourism, “Moments of Truth in Philippine Tourism,” where I mentioned:

“Think about it! The moment a tourist boards a plane bound for the Philippines, the customer experience begins and ends the moment he steps back into an airplane bound for his country of origin. Is the customer experience what we’d like it to be if we were in his or her shoes? Today, I will stand by my observation that the customer experience in Philippine tourism experience is at its low side, not necessarily worst.”

Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr., who announced the new tourism campaign slogan today, said the new brand campaign will be rolled out “this quarter in different key markets, along with its local tourism drive called #1 for fun Philippines.” He expects to attract 4.2 million tourists in 2012 using the campaign of which total project cost is still undisclosed. The tourism department’s landmark target in 2016 is to hit 10 million tourist arrivals.

The rectangular colored logo to the right of the slogan represents the Philippines using the idea of a “banig” (or a hand-woven native mat).

What do you think?

Source: Business World | ABS-CBN News

Images of photo from dot.gov.ph

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Training climb at Mt. Ugo

The Pilipinas Akyathlon (Philippine Skyrunning), the country’s first ever international mountain trail high altitude race, is all set on February 18 at Mt. Ugo in Itogon, Benguet. The race will be a 32.88 km race going up the 2,150 meters above sea level summit of Mt. Ugo and back to the barangay hall of Tinongdan, Itogon.

The Philippine Skyrunning Association (PSA), a non-stock, non-profit organization that started in January 2009, says this is the first of its kind in Asia to be accredited by the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF). It is also part of the eco-tourism thrust of the PSA to advocate carry zero-waste and the use of recyclable and reusable materials in the said event. Thus, they have partnered with local environmentalist group, Cordillera Conservation Thrust (CCT).

Mt. Ugo is known for its annual summer climb which won last year in the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines’ (ATOP) Search for Best Tourism Event in the Philippines under the Sports, Adventure and Wellness Category – Municipal Level.

Source: Philippine Information Agency

Photo by clariza at Flickr.com

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Browsing for books

Whether for personal or commercial use, the Department of Finance (DOF) signed Department Order No. 57-2011 detailing the guidelines to this new law of duty- and VAT-free status of books imported into the Philippines, including clearance procedures for customs-related agencies. The law however disallows publication for advertising purposes.

This new law reiterates the UNESCO Florence Agreement which the Philippines signed to waive tarrifs on books and other printed materials used in educational, scientific and cultural intentions.

“Individuals, who import books for personal use whether as accompanied baggage or through couriers or post office, do not need to secure an endorsement from the DOF Revenue Office. However, these importations should be cleared and released through the required declaration of goods under existing regulations,” ABS-CBN News wrote. However, importation of books is limited to twelve for an institution and six for an individual.

For commercial book importers, they must present an endorsement from the Finance Department’s Revenue Office so it can be exempted from duties and taxes. This includes a Certification from the UNESCO Office in the Philippines attesting that the importation/s is/are covered by the Florence Agreement.

Read more at ABS-CBN News

Photo by specialkrb at Flickr.com

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Planning your holidays for 2012

Malacañang Palace came out with an official decree declaring the different types of national holidays for the year 2012 for government units, businesses and schools in the country.

Only the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha has not yet been officially declared. The exact dates of the national holiday for these religious holidays shall be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined upon the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) informing the Office of the President on which day the holiday shall fall.

Source: Official Gazette of the President of the Philippines

Download PDF: Proclamation 295

Photo by vergara_dominic at Flickr.com

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