Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from November 2003

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from November 2003

'Abusing environment is stealing'.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Volt Contreras NEWLY installed Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales has started showing his "green" side. Rosales yesterday gave a divine boost to earthy concerns by lending his influence...

Ban sounds death toll for Pasay Road bars.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Margaux Ortiz NOT EVERYBODY is happy about the implementation of the smoking ban in Makati City. Owners and personnel of restaurants and bars on Pasay Road are complaining that they have...

Blu Boys clobber Iranians.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marc Anthony Reyes GAMES TODAY (Rizal Ballpark) 9 a.m.-RP vs India 11 a.m.-Japan vs Indonesia 1 p.m.-Chinese Taipei vs Iran 3 p.m.-Hong Kong vs Thailand THE RP Blu Boys...

BuCor officials, Las Pinas cops avert clash over demolition.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) A LONG-STANDING land dispute between the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in Muntinlupa City and the Las Pinas City government has led to the controversial demolition of around 24 houses standing on BuCor...

Bulacan gov answers raps.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) DESCRIBING the graft charges filed against her by a non-government group before the Office of the Ombudsman as "baseless and absurd," Bulacan Gov. Josefina "Josie" dela Cruz yesterday expressed confidence...

It's Bata vs Mika for 9-ball crown.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dennis U. Eroa EFREN ''Bata" Reyes didn't disappoint with a come-from-behind 11-7 victory over Leonardo ''Dodong" Andam yesterday to barge into the finals of the Cafe Puro 1st Philippine Open...

The neoconservative strain in George Bush.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ricardo S. Malay THE MISFORTUNES of George W. Bush in Iraq were a disaster waiting to happen. Based on cherry-picked and politically expedient intelligence, the decision to invade Iraq was...

'I dreamt of stars; I got a planet'.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Josette T. Biyo The following are excerpts from a speech delivered by the author, a multi-awarded teacher from Iloilo, last Oct. 24 during the Best Practices Forum sponsored by the San Miguel...

Economy takes backseat.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. FACED with the resurgence of kidnappings, bank robberies coupled with the growing drug menace, the country's top businessmen had to let economic issues take a backseat in...

Davao airport finished after 11 yrs.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) DAVAO CITY-Starting Tuesday, air travelers from and to Southern Mindanao would be treated with world-class amenities as the newly finished Davao International Airport (DIA) starts operation. The DIA,...

'Da King' meeting 'The King'?
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Edwin Villanueva LAST Sunday, we were all witness to a race won by a champion. Without a doubt the abilities shown by Wind Blown is indeed extraordinary and unique. I say this because...

Ecleo bid for bail junked.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Suzzane Salva CEBU CITY-Any hope by his family and followers that cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. would be able to spend Christmas with them was dashed Friday when the court denied his petition...

FPJ down with flu; or is it stage fright?
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gil Cabacungan Jr. FERNANDO Poe Jr. may have lived in the spotlight almost all his life, but yesterday he appeared to have been stricken by a bad case of stage fright. It forced him to...

Gloria is our bet, say NPC lawmakers.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Cynthia D. Balana SEVERAL congressmen belonging to the Nationalist People's Coalition headed by businessman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco have declared their support for President...

GMA hell-bent on national ID.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Juliet Javellana and TJ Burgonio FILIPINOS have accepted willingly several identification card systems, why should the proposed national ID system be any different? President...

Drama.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) ON OCCASION, leadership requires a sense of theater. Consider US President George W. Bush's lightning visit to Baghdad late last week. The secrecy of the Thanksgiving Day trip only heightened the dramatic...

HK training RP graft-busters.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Armand N. Nocum LOCAL graft-fighters are learning from the masters themselves-not the kung fu masters-but the revered anti-graft busters who rid Hong Kong of corruption in the 1970s. A...

3 free schools for Marikina poor.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Luige del Puerto NORMAN Subido's day job as a barangay kagawad (community councilor) earns him P8,000. With the money he earns-coupled with a lot of love, patience and the occasional...

Lacson willing to talk turkey.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) SEN. Panfilo Lacson yesterday reiterated that he was willing to meet with Fernando Poe Jr. on Dec. 3 to iron out their differences. "The other night, our leaders agreed to allow the two of us to first...

54th Fil-Am golfest gets under way tomorrow.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BAGUIO City hosts more than a thousand golfers coming from various parts of the country and the world for the 54th edition of the Fil-Am Golf Invitational beginning tomorrow. The lodging units of the...

None of the above.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Isagani A. Cruz THE BAKYA crowd is ecstatic over the decision of King Fernando Poe Jr. of the Movies to yield to the urgings of some supposedly responsible leaders that he run for President...

Military won't can 'boots' ad just yet.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: TJ Burgonio DON'T "infomercials" get boring after airing for months? They do, but the military doesn't mind. Pro-military information commercials on television-including one of a boy...

Log poachers turn into agri entrepreneurs.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Volt Contreras A CENTRAL Luzon community that once relied on illegal logging to stave off hunger is now a thriving livelihood organization that boasts some P2 million in assets, including...

Gov't loses hold of 'halal' trademark in high court ruling.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nash B. Maulana THE GOVERNMENT has lost its hold on the "halal" trademark, following a Supreme Court ruling that nullifies the Executive Order mandating its technical intervention on products...

Ready?
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Fr. Jerry M. Orbos, SVD THE STORY is told about two fishermen, Juan and Pedro, sharing a bottle of gin one starry December night. They talked about their dwindling catch, their children, their...

2 pilots bail out.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) TWO AIR Force pilots bailed out of an OV-10 aircraft at around noon yesterday leaving the attack plane to crash in the outskirts of Nasugbu, Batangas. No one was reported hurt on the ground. Capt....

2 PDEA men in shooting of NBI agent surrender.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila Salaverria and Luige del Puerto TWO AGENTS of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency who admitted shooting a National Bureau of Investigation agent in Marikina on Monday have surrendered...

No pep rally for RP bets.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) WHY is there no pep rally for athletes this time? This was the question posed by no less than the Philippine Olympic Committee yesterday after the athletes bound for the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games...

Look to New Zealand as trade partner, envoy tells Pinoys.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dennis C. Santos DAVAO CITY-There is room for Philippine exports in "Middle Earth." New Zealand, more popularly known today as the country where the movie trilogy "Lord of the Rings" was...

3 Pinoy kids have fun with robots, win a medal.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Volt Contreras FROM three frolicsome boys comes yet another proof that Filipinos are not far behind when it comes to high-tech wizardry. A trio of Grade 6 pupils from La Salle Greenhills...

The mirror of her soul.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ramon J. Farolan LAST week, I wrote about the late Brig. Gen. Jose Sembrano, a member of PMA Class 1953, who served as the corps adjutant or "Bow wow," during his final year at the Academy. I...

Ping: Justice, law, order.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael Lim Ubac PROJECTING himself as the solution to the alarming rash of kidnappings, robberies and worsening lawlessness in the country, opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday vowed, if...

Democracy.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Randy David CONSIDERING that almost all the past presidents of this country have been chosen by, and have served, mainly the elites and the middle classes, a yearning by the poor to change the...

Rallies, traffic rerouting mark Bonifacio day.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tina Santos and Martin P. Marfil PROTEST rallies to be staged by workers and the urban poor will mark today's observance of the 140th birthday of the Great Plebian, Andres Bonifacio. The...

Puyat sees gold rush in billiards.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Roy Luarca IT'S rather weird, but Putch Puyat, regarded as the godfather of Philippine billiards, doesn't want to predict how many gold medals the Philippine team would win in the coming...

Primero tops opening leg.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: June Navarro PUERTO PRINCESA CITY-Albert Primero exploited the absence of the battle-grizzled national riders to conquer the massed start phase of the 1st Air21 Puerto Princesa Cycling...

San Mig-Coke series on.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: June Navarro GAMES TODAY (Araneta Coliseum) 4 p.m.-Talk 'N Text vs Sta. Lucia Realty (battle for third) 6:30 p.m.-San Miguel vs Coca-Cola (Game 1, Finals) WITH little time to...

Gov't sets aside P370M for info on crime gangs.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE GOVERNMENT has allotted P370 million in reward money for information that would lead to the arrest of illegal-drug and kidnap-for-ransom syndicates. "We are determined to stamp out the operations...

2 shootings prompt joint investigation.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) DUMAGUETE CITY-The Commission on Human Rights and the Negros Oriental Provincial Attorney's Office will jointly investigate the recent shootings in Mabinay, a town some 85 km northwest of here, amid...

A few good women.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rina Jimenez-David KNOW a few good women? More specifically, do you know a thousand women-15 of them from the Philippines-who could receive the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 2005? There's...

Joe.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Al S. Mendoza SENATOR Pimentel called him the long distance runner. I call him simply the runner. He runs to friends when they need him. He runs to you when you least expect it. ...

Tribal community relents, Oks mine exploration on its land.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) TAMPAKAN, South Cotabato-A tribal community strongly opposing any mining activity in its ancestral domain finally softened and allowed the Tampakan Mineral Resources Corporation (TMRC) to conduct mining...

Gloria warns speculators.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Juliet Javellana PRESIDENT Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday warned speculators against putting pressure on the Philippine peso, stressing that the government had the tools to defend the unit. ...

Trying to destroy the wall of hatred.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jeffrey M. Tupas HATRED. Distrust. Disgust. These are just some of the words written on the wall that is virtually dividing the Muslim and Christian residents of Mindanao. This wall...

Roco: Agenda of HOPE.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ma. Ceres P. Doyo FORMER senator and now presidential contender Raul Roco yesterday presented through his fingers his platform of government to the annual gathering of captains of business and...

Good food, art and small talk keep this cafe afloat.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Joyce Mejillano and Ronnie Lorejo LEGAZPI CITY-Never did it occur in the mind of Didette Peralta, a Food Technology graduate of the University of the Philippines, that her passion for food...

How do we stop kidnapping?
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE FUNERAL of slain kidnap victim Betti Chua Sy, a 32-year-old executive of Coca-Cola, turned into a huge rally for the lifting of the moratorium on the execution of people convicted of heinous crimes....

Tax issues may cause firm to go up in smoke.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michelle V. Remo WHAT became a successful venture into the tobacco industry for 48 years is turning out to be a tale of a family-owned corporation facing possible closure because of tax...

Ex-OFW gets financial taste of 'suka'.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) DARAGA, Albay-For almost 20 years, the homemade "suka" industry in the province of Albay has been dormant because local entrepreneurs concentrated on the more financially rewarding handicraft, pili and...

He used to help repair people's lives; now he fixes cars.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Alexa H. Bacay BUTCH Salvador was a pastor for 12 years before resigning to try his luck in sales. He tried selling everything from real estate to coffins. But it was 1998, elections...

Runaway finds home with Santas and reindeer.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gil Francis Arevalo LEGAZPI CITY-For almost four years now, Rey Pancho, 35, and a resident of Pilar, Sorsogon, has been making and selling Christmas decors made of rattan in this city's busy...

Juday 'couldn't have had an abortion'.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marinel R. Cruz ACTRESS Judy Ann Santos, rumored to have been made pregnant by her telenovela costar Robin Padilla, was so busy during her weeklong trip to the United States that she could not...

Nickelodeon empowers kids through Big Help.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Armin Adina NICKELODEON Philippines brings to the country one of its mother network's groundbreaking projects-The Big Help. The project started in the United States in 1994, encouraging...

Rome-born Filipina comes home to sing.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Danny Vibas THE YOUNG woman's voice soars as she sings of love not dying and not forgetting. The crystal voice moves you. That voice belongs to Marri Nallos, who says she has come home to...

Paolo to lose fifth co-host.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marinel R. Cruz REGINE Tolentino decided not to renew her contract as the quizmaster of "Digital LG Quiz Show" because of the restrictions imposed on her by the producers of the Sunday morning...

'Electile Dysfunction' hits the spot.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre IT'S still early days for the 2004 electoral campaign season, but politics is a yearlong obsession in these parts, so the political satire, "Electile Dysfunction," is enjoying...

Power entertainment in the mall.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Vangie Baga-Reyes IS THERE a more stressful place during the holidays than the overcrowded shopping mall? But before the crowds could put a damper on your holiday spirit, Robinsons Malls...

Wendell and Antonio took off their shirts, but the GMA hats stole the show.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Peachy Vibal-Guioguio IF AN SRO turnout is the gauge of an event's success, then the party sponsored by GMA Channel 7 for the Ad Congress delegates and guests last Nov. 21 was one big success....

The trees of life.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jasmine W. Payo JUST as Christmas feasts can mess up your diet, the excitement of holiday shopping can bust your budget. It's a season that prompts splurging, which leaves you feeling guilty...

A so-LA climax to UP Concert Chorus' international tour.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Janet and Ruben Nepales, LA Correspondents LOS ANGELES-The University of the Philippines Concert Choir (UPCC) recently concluded its gold prize-winning 2003 international concert tour here...

Our Lady of Caysasay shrine marks 400 years.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Josephine Darang AS THE OUR Lady of Caysasay Shrine in Barrio Labac, Taal, Batangas, celebrates the 400th year of the finding of the image of the Virgin in Pansipit River in 1603 by Juan...

On metrosexuals, bad Michael Jackson and recycled gifts.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Anton San Diego MUST-HAVE travel guide-Luxe. It's a stylish and brutally frank travel and style guide that covers cities like Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Bali, Hong Kong and Hanoi. What makes...

In-laws make her daughter doubt her mother's love.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tita Dulce DEAR Tita Dulce, Tami, my six-year-old daughter, is sweet and very smart. I have not seen her for two years because I have been working here abroad, but I phone her almost...

Chic carabao on the catwalk.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Cheche V. Moral YOU'RE invited to witness an exchange of (cara)vows. When the Inquirer's mascot, the cute gray calf named Guyito, says "I moo," er "I do," not just one but 10 of the...

'Suplado' meets his match in 'suplada'.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Joy de Leon-Valero, Contributor "MAGIC" is the word that best describes how everything worked for me and Gary. After three years of romance and a year of planning, our moment finally...

Mall perks up Bulacan town.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Vangie Baga-Reyes IF an SM mall can be taken as an indication of progress, then it can be said the modest town of Marilao in Bulacan has "arrived." Like a badge of honor and pride, the...

Repository of Mindanao's history, culture and tradition.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Linda B. Bolido LOOKING much less urbanized than other major cities in Mindanao, Cotabato City nevertheless anchors much of the history and tradition that makes the Philippines' second largest...

Foundation hears kids' silent plea for help.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Belle V. Bondoc IT only takes a generous heart and some creativity to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. This is what the GMA Kapuso Foundation's project, Give a Gift:...

Merry cleanup.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rowena C. Burgos BEFORE you put up the Christmas tree and deck the halls, clean the whole house because nothing turns off holiday guests more than dirt and grime. Lifestyle sought out...

Koronadal comes alive.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Text and photos by Raquel P. Gomez FOR one peaceful night, the streets of Koronadal were alive with glitter, dance and color, complete with costumes and bamboo torches held by the students who...

Nagmamahal, Charo.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Alya B. Honasan IT'S A Saturday afternoon at the Concio household in Quezon City. Paterfamilias and retired businessman Cesar Concio is upstairs reading, and the two boys Francis, 20, and...

Taking the wrong pill and loving it.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tessa Prieto-Valdes WOULD you take the blue pill or the red one? After watching the movie trilogy, I am even more confused about "The Matrix." But lately, I think I have been taking the wrong...

Probing the 'Probe Team'.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Cora Llamas IT was the end of an era." The words were heard again and again at the Probe Team's farewell party after the weekly magazine show chose to end its contract with GMA-7 over a...

Perennial as the bamboo.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Elizabeth Lolarga, Contributor NO one, not even the Big Bad Wolf, can huff, puff and blow this house down. To architect Ning Encarnacion-Tan's mind, it's about time that Filipinos are...

Just Another Statistic.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Lina Saragal Reyes EVEN here in his hometown, not many know the boxer named Freddie Gimay. Maapag, the barangay where the Gimays live on a nameless unpaved street is about 45 minutes by...

New high-end community breaks ground.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jaime Picornell THE HIGH-END Pristina North development project will be launched this December by Aboitiz Land. But friends in media got a preview of what it's going to be like at a lively...

Butch Abad Goes from House to house.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Pennie Azarcon-dela Cruz HE was the least likely guy to stand up to the Brat Pack, that group of brash, second generation politicians in the House of Representatives who initiated the...

RP Boxing Needs a Solid Punch.
November 30, 2003... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Recah Trinidad BEFORE Freddie Gimay there was Maruel Sayas who also died after being battered senseless inside the boxing ring. Before these two luckless figures, there was a line of other...

-.
November 30, 2003... (From Canberra Times) 666 ABC Canberra: 666kHz 5.30am Australia All Over 10am Alex Sloan Noon Grandstand 6.30pm Sunday Nights 9pm Speaking Out Radio National: 846kHz 5.05am Verbatim 5.30am Comedy 6.05am Singers of Renown 7.10am...

THE WEEK THAT WAS -.
November 30, 2003... (From Canberra Times) MONDAY ARU chief John O'Neill hints strongly that Wallaby captain George Gregan is close to re- signing. Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player call it a tie when the President's Cup is called off due to bad light. TUESDAY...

-.
November 30, 2003... (From Canberra Times) EIGHT years ago, when he made his Davis Cup debut at Budapest, Mark Philippoussis lost the decisive fifth match to a little- known Hungarian named Jozsef Krocsko and was comforted by his captain. ''I know how bad...

WaughforPM'smatch - The push to get Australia's Test captain to Canberra begins.
November 30, 2003... (From Canberra Times) CANBERRANS could have the opportunity to farewell retiring Australian Test cricket captain Steve Waugh in grand style with the maestro a possibility of captaining the Prime Minister's XI side to play India at Manuka...

-.
November 30, 2003... (From Canberra Times) What's ailin' Baden TALK about suffer for your sport. Leading Australian cyclist Baden Cooke is back in Australia for the Grand Prix Cycling series - and he's carrying a rather, ahh, delicate injury. He's suffering...

SCOREBOARDS -.
November 30, 2003... (From Canberra Times) ING CUP TASMANIA v NSW at Bellerive Oval Tasmania Innings M. DI VENUTO c Katich b Nicholson ! 125! M. DIGHTON b Nicholson... ...............! 19! R. PONTING b MacGill......................! 12! T. BIRT c Thornley b...