journalism portfolio

Journalism Portfolio | Rouchelle R. Dinglasan | 2

My Offline Experience......3 Resume.....6 Lure of nursing profession disappoints jobless graduates...7 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, BUSINESSWORLD | October 17, 2011

After Philex mine spill, a world of gray...9 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | October 31, 2012 4:27am

Philex spill biggest mining disaster in PHL, surpassing Marcopper DENR.....12 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | November 12, 2012 8:33pm

The surprising lightness of being a hijabi....14 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | February 12, 2013 10:18pm

Inside the 'killing zone' in Atimonan..17 Text and photos by ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | January 14, 2013 4:59pm

Overpopulated, Metro Manila is sinking and flooding fast.21 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | March 12, 2013 7:06pm

Manilas last piece of marine wilderness under siege23 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | April 4, 2013 10:20am

The battle for Manila Bay: reclamation or the commons.28 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | May 10, 2013 3:00pm

Dead man wins in Siquijor, defeats dynasty as widow takes his place.33 By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | May 14, 2013 8:37pm

References...34


During a lazy November afternoon in 2009, I was tinkering with our Facebook page - one of my duties as

an intern - when I received photos of men lying on the ground, presumably dead. More photos of tragic

scenes came in. I immediately alerted my supervisor

about it. It turned out, we had the first photos of the

Ampatuan Massacre - the most lethal event for

journalists in Philippine history. 58 people including 32

journalists died that day.

That was my first real encounter with journalism. I was

an intern at Philippine media giant ABS-CBN's citizen

journalism arm "Boto Mo I-Patrol Mo" (Patrol Your Vote).

I was with the company for more than three months, and

during my stint, I was able to write my first online op-ed

piece, my first television appearance as a guest panel representing the youth, and my first experience

with breaking news.

Those people who were killed during the incident were on their way to file a certificate of candidacy for

the upcoming 2010 national elections. The rival political family killed everyone in the convoy.

My bosses were not able to immediately verify the authenticity of the photo, taking almost the entire night

to validate the pictures. The military was not even aware of the situation. After proving the legitimacy of

the photos, we posted it online and it became viral. Since there were no video documentary, the photos

were also used in television reports.

It was then that I realized how important citizen participation was on journalism and how the internet was

suitable to be called as the new media. Through that experience, I understood that journalism is my

calling. I liked the excitement, the adrenaline, but most importantly, I liked fulfilling my curious mind with

answers that I could share with others.

The Gossipy Kid

When I talk to my parents and siblings nowadays regarding my chosen profession, they always say that

they have seen it coming. They told me how skeptic and inquisitive I was since I was in kindergarten. My

sister told me that I was so gossipy that I can tell her where my teacher's chipped tooth was!

Watching the evening news with my dad almost every night from my elementary school days to high

school geared me to this career. And yes, we would still watch the news together whenever I am home.

Birth Pains

After finishing a degree on Philippine Media Studies, I

applied for different career opportunities but none of

them turned out well, so I decided to take some odd

jobs.

It took me about a year to find that journalism job, a reporter for newspaper BusinessWorld, and it was a

grueling experience. As a beat reporter for the Philippine Senate, it was a big task for a newbie, but I had

the enthusiasm and I was willing to learn.


In my stint at BusinessWorld, I covered landmark events such as the first resignation of a Philippine

Senator and blue ribbon committee hearings among others.

I consider working in a newspaper the greatest training one could have as a journalist because at the end

of the day, it all boils down to writing regardless of the medium.

After six months of my crash course in journalism at BusinessWorld, I left the company. It was an

educational experience for me but it took its toll on my well-being. I was often sick and tired. I do not meet

my friends and boyfriend as I used to. My family also noticed how stressed I was with work and with that, I

quit. Still, it turned out to be the best career move for me.

Exploring, Expanding

When my co-reporters in the Senate learned that I have resigned, they told me about career opportunities

at their respective news organizations. I applied to GMA News Online, the new media arm of Philippine

media giant GMA Network.

While I was having my vacation, something big came up: the

Congress moved to impeach the Chief Justice, and after a month of

preparation, the Senate should act as the impeachment court.

And behold, GMA News Online needed a new reporter to help

cover the Chief Justice's impeachment trial. With my background as

a Senate reporter, I was hired barely two months into my vacation.

Indeed, it was a sweet comeback to the Senate in 2012. Many of

my former co-reporters were surprised that I will be covering the

historic trial with them. And the rest, as they say, is history.

As a general news reporter for GMA News Online, I was able to

explore different issues on environment, health, economy, science

and technology, and migration, but it was environmental issues that

captured my heart. So when my editor-in-chief and award-winning journalist Howie Severino asked me to

apply for the International Women's Media Foundation's environmental reporting fellowship, I immediately

applied.

Luckily, I was chosen as one of the fellows of a pioneering one-year program for Philippine environment

journalists. Under the fellowship, I produced two investigative reports on the issues of mining and land

reclamation.

I did a three-part series on a mine waste spill, which was the biggest in the Philippines history, and a two-

part series on a proposed reclamation project in the remaining portion of Manila Bay.

Currently, I am assigned as the police and military beat reporter, although from time to time I still cover

environmental issues.

Since newspaper reporting has been my background, I am expanding my knowledge in multimedia

kicking off with social networking sites and photography. Likewise, I am exploring other reporting

techniques particularly on video production and infographics.


The Next Stage

With some of my co-fellows from the Environmental reporting program, we planned to create a group for

young journalists that focuses on ethics. It is important for us to create a venue where young journalist

can evaluate and share their ideas and practices on reporting. Ultimately, we aspire to create a code of

ethics among ideal and young journalists like us.

I am also starting a pet project called News365 to document media worker's life. What prompted to start

this project was the lack of reading materials about journalists lives. Although some media workers have

their own blogs, it only acts as an extension of their workspace. With this project, I would like to unveil a

more personal knowledge on media practitioners.

The task for journalists under this project is very simple. They just have to answer an online form and

then send it to other media workers who would eventually send the same form to others. The answers

collected will be posted in a blog.

Overall, my experience as a professional journalist for more than two years have been fruitful and

enriching, but this year, I want to take it to the next level by continuing further education on journalism.

Rouchelle R. Dinglasan


ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN PERSONAL DETAILS __

Nationality Filipino

Marital Status Single

Age 24

Address Sampaguita St., Via Verde Village, Dasmarias City, Cavite, Philippines

Mobile No. (+63)919.999.4532

Email [email protected] / [email protected]

RECOGNITION _____________________

2012 2013 INTERNATIONAL WOMENS MEDIA FOUNDATION

Pioneer Fellow at Investigative Environmental Reporting Fellowship

WORK EXPERIENCES

2012 January Present GMA NEWS ONLINE

General News, Multimedia Reporter | News Producer

2011 June November BUSINESSWORLD

Senate Beat Reporter

2010 September December ASIA ON STAGE

Marketing Associate

2009 2010 BRAINCHILD STUDIOS

Production Assistant

2009 October 2010 May ABS-CBN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Intern | Volunteer Researcher and Data Verifier

EDUCATION

2006-2010 DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-MANILA

AB-Philippine Studies Major in Filipino in Mass Media

Deans Lister (1st year-1st term; 2nd year-1st term; 4th year-2nd term).

Outstanding Thesis Awardee.

2002-2006 ELIZABETH SETON SCHOOL-SOUTH

3rd Honorable Mention

INTERESTS

2011-2012 MADCOW PRODUCTIONS | Video Production Group

Founder

2010-2011 DULAANG LAKSAMBAYANAN, INC. | Theater Group

Pioneer Member

2006-2010 HARLEQUIN THEATRE GUILD | Theater Group

Best Cultural Arts Office Group for Marketing, 2008-2009

Outstanding Division Manager-Marketing and Publicity (2008-2009)

2006-2010 DASMARIAS LEO CLUB |Nongovernment organization

Dasmarias, Cavite

P.R.O., 2006-2007; Vice President, 2009-2010


Arts & Leisure

Lure of nursing profession disappoints jobless graduates

Rouchelle R. Dinglasan | BusinessWorld June 17, 2011

LUIGI F. LAIZ took up nursing some years ago, hoping to join thousands of Filipinos earning big money in

hospitals abroad. But now, the licensed nurse finds himself working in a call center.

Mr. Laiz is just one of thousands of nursing graduates who had to shift to different professions when the

supply of nurses in the country overwhelmingly exceeded demand.

Amid this job crisis, industry experts are increasingly calling for a shift in students' nursing ambitions.

The world will not stop demanding for nurses due to the ageing population, especially in [developed]

countries, said Marilyn E. Lorenzo, professor at the University of the Philippines College of Public Health

and former head of Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) technical committee on nursing education.

However, we should not assume that all nurses will come from the Philippines. We are competitive but

nurses from other countries are needed as well, Ms. Lorenzo said.

There were 100,000 nursing graduates in 2009 alone, according to CHEd. This year, the Philippine

Overseas Employment Agency has approved job orders for only about 8,500 nurses.

The country does not have enough positions for nurses right now. Because of this, nursing graduates

pursue other careers and work as medical research assistants, call center agents, pharmaceutical sales

representatives, and employees in the service industry such as banks, airlines and fastfood chains, Ms.

Lorenzo added.

Some companies have taken advantage of the oversupply of nurses in the country. Registered nurse

Scott B. Garcia said his former employer, a call center company in Makati City specializing in the sale of

medical equipment, hires only nursing graduates as sales agents.

Since he graduated in 2008, Mr. Garcia has worked as a call center agent in two different companies.

It's better to accept jobs unrelated to my course than become a bum for years, he said.

Besides, some of the nurses I know left their jobs in local hospitals because of the low pay, he added.

Despite such alternative employment, about 570,000 nursing graduates are currently unemployed,

270,000 of whom are licensed, said Leah S. Paquiz, former president of the Philippine Nurses

Association.

Ms. Paquiz added that many nurses are given only five months of work without proper benefits.

Jofri L. Castro, another registered nurse, recently resigned from his job as a medical representative

because he wanted to pursue nursing. But he has had no luck with his applications in hospitals and

private companies because these only hire graduates with paid nursing experience.


This requirement makes it doubly difficult for nursing graduates to find jobs here and abroad, as many

local hospitals get nursing trainees instead of hiring staff nurses.

This practice is exploitative. Nurse trainees provide cheap labor for the hospitals, but training certificates

issued by hospitals are not considered proof of practice or employment, Ms. Lorenzo said.

To help address the oversupply of nurses, the government launched this year a program to hire 10,000

nurses. But Ms. Lorenzo said the project is palliative: It is of temporary value. Our nurses need to be

employed...longer.

All Rights Reserved - BusinessWorld Publishing Corporation


News Special Reports

After Philex mine spill, a world of gray By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | October 31, 2012 4:27am

ITOGON, Benguet - Balog Creek in

Benguet is gray. The large stones along

the creek are colored gray, while the

riverbed is full of gray mud. The water

itself is a brownish gray color. It emits a

strong odor of acid.

It does not look alive. There are no signs

of frogs, dragonflies, aquatic plants or

moss along the waterway. It is too murky

to see if there are any fish.

The color is courtesy of Philex Mining

Corporations mine tailings, or waste

material, from its Padcal gold and copper

mine operations in Itogon, Benguet. Amid

torrential rains in early August, the mines lone operating tailings pond a dam containing wastewater

and sediments from the mining operations leaked its waste into nearby water channels, allegedly

destroying ecosystems, and livelihoods along the way.

After the first major leak, four other spills have been reported until September. The Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) earlier estimated that 20.6 million metric tons of sediment

were discharged from the Philex operation.

About three months after the incident, Philex claimed to have plugged its leak last October 18.

Be that as it may, Balog Creek appears to have taken the worst of the discharge, with most of the

sediments deposited along the 2.5-kilometer water channel.

The mine tailings look like the common gray sand used in construction projects. Theyve built up along

the sides of the creek, constructing themselves into a five-foot high cement-like embankment.

Visitors, unaware of the tailings spillage, may think the sediment build-up is natural to the creek.

However, it was reported that exposure to the gray sand brings an itch.

This reporter nervously starts to scratch.

Biologically dead

An environmental investigative mission

(EIM) studying the creek, which is

connected to the Agno River and the San

Roque Dam, has come out with its

preliminary findings.

Residents of Sitio Pangbasan take a break from searching for

scrap metal found along the creek. Photos by Br. Jun Santiago

The gray sandy sediment from the damaged tailings pond

build up on riverbank.


In a media briefing on Monday, Feny Cosico, agriculturalist and spokesperson for Samahan ng

Nagtataguyod ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Sambayanan (Agham), confirmed the ocular

impressions of a non-scientist the Balog Creek is dead.

Cosico explained that the sediments and wastewater from the August 1 tailing pond leakage covered the

biodiversity in the Balog Creek.

Our firsthand observations of the river system in Balog creek tells us that the river may be considered

biologically dead. There was no sign of living things or any form of life found in the river, she noted.

There is a high concentration of toxic substances. Because of the turbidity of the water, sunlight could

not penetrate the riverbed causing the normal biological processes needed to maintain life to cease,

Cosico explained.

There was also thick sedimentation and a rotten fish smell in the creek, she added.

Cosico warned that the sediments from the tailings pond may contain heavy metals and flotation

reagents that are toxic to plants and animals.

The EIM team has yet to release the official water and sediment test result from the samples gathered

during the independent investigation carried out October 26 to 28.

The EIM was organized by Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Amianan Salakniban, KATRIBU Indigenous

Peoples Partylist, RDC Kaduami, Kalikasan Peoples Network for the Environment, Center for

Environmental Concerns, Bantay Amianan, and Agham.

Meanwhile, Padcal Mine spokesperson Eduardo

Aratas, disputed the EIMs initial findings.

He told GMA News Online in a separate interview

that only about one to two tons of silt have been

deposited along the Balog Creek.

Furthermore, the Balog creek was not active even

before the spill, having no fishing activity along it.

That's not what local residents say.

Social Impact

Gold panning and fishing were the main sources of

livelihood among the 45 households of Sitio Pangbasan and four other sitios of Barangay Dalupirip in

Itogon, Benguet. The residents live by the convergence of the Balog Creek and the Agno River.

After the mine spill, the residents complained of zero fish catch.

Philex also warned them against panning for gold. They were told that they could return to this activity

once the tailings waste was removed from the creek.

Apart from the companys warnings, the residents couldnt really pan for gold as the creeks water level

remained high. It should have subsided by now. They also believe that they were less likely to find gold

as waste sediments from the mine spill covered the riverbed.

A fisherman docks at the tailings build-up along Balog Creek.


The residents are also worried over the creeks brownish gray color, its rotten fish, and chemical or

medicine smell.

As of this storys posting time, there are no reported cases of illnesses directly attributed to the spill.

However, some residents complained of skin rashes, nausea and head aches after having some form of

contact with the water.

Meanwhile, the EIM initial report noted that Philex provided for a one-time food assistance package and

medical mission. The mining firm also provided short-term alternative livelihood for the residents --

contractual clearance operations which lasted eight days.

Philex promised more contractual construction work; theyre going to build a footbridge within the affected

area.

In the meantime, Philex buys scrap metal from the locals at P13.75 per kilogram. They kept on finding

these scraps in the water channel. Apparently, they came from Philexs attempts to plug the tailings pond

leakage.

A resident recalled how they came across a one-ton hunk of scrap metal. Another said that about 10

people managed to carry a bulldozer blade they found. To sell these large pieces of metal, acetylene

torches were used to chop it down into smaller, manageable sizes.

Last September, the DENR slapped the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Philex with a P1-billion fine for its

tailings pond spillage.

However, Philex contested the DENRs penalties, with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau yet to

consolidate its final report on the incident. DVM/HS, GMA News


Philex spill biggest mining disaster in PHL, surpassing Marcopper DENR By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA News | November 12, 2012 8:33pm

(Exclusive) After months of recurring leakages, the Philex mine spill in Benguet has become the

biggest mining disaster in the Philippines in terms of volume, but the company is seeking a clean -up

option instead of paying the hefty fine of P1 billion, officials said.

Some 20 million metric tons of sediments have flowed into water channels from the Philex tailings pond in

Itogon since its drainage tunnel was breached last August, according to a report from the Mines and

Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (MGB-DENR).

This is ten times more than the volume of mine tailings that spilled out of the Marcopper mine in 1996 in

Marinduque, which dumped some two million metric tons of waste into the Boac River and is still

considered the worst mining disaster in terms of toxicity. Residents along the 27-kilometer Boac River lost

their fishing livelihood and diseases have afflicted the community after the incident.

In terms of volume, ito [Philex mine tailings spill] ngayon yung biggest mining disaster in the Philippines,

MGB chief Leo Jasareno told GMA News Online in an exclusive interview last Friday.

Philex spokesperson Atty. Eduardo Aratas affirmed the statement: Because of the volume [of the leak], it

is really the biggest. But on the toxicity, it is not.

Mining officials are still studying the toxicity levels of the wastes from the gold and copper mine that were

deposited in nearby waterways after heavy monsoon rains led to a major breach in its drainage tunnel

last August 1. About five "minor" recurrences have been reported since then, Jasareno said.

This week, the bureau is set to conduct a socio-environmental impact assessment of the tailings pond

leak to determine the extent of the damage.

The DENR has slapped a hefty P1-billion fine, almost as much as the mining firm's taxes last year, on

one of the countrys largest producers of gold and copper.

But Philex is reluctant to pay up, arguing that, forces of nature cannot be prevented 100 percent.

Aratas asserted, Ang sinasabi ng management, sige if you fine us tapos na dapat [yung responsibility].

Or, if you order us to clean up, then gagawin namin yun.

The MGB chief is standing pat on the penalty. Ang contention kasi ng Philex pagka-force majeure hindi

sila dapat magbayad ng P1 billion. [Pero] dun sa provision ng Mining Act na kung saan namin hinugot

yung parusa wala namang nakalagay na hindi ka magbabayad kung force majeure, Jasareno

explained.

Balog Creek biologically dead

The penalty for violating other environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act will be imposed

separately on Philex, Jasareno said. This will cost about P50,000 per day, in addition to a clean -up plan

for the rehabilitation of damaged waterways.


The company has said that torrential monsoon rains caused a breach in its Tailings Pond 3 -- the largest

in the country at 80 hectares -- which can hold up to 160 million metric tons of wastewater and sediments

from the mining operations.

The leakage in what is currently the only operating tailings pond of Philex spilled waste into nearby water

channels, particularly Balog Creek, which flows into the Agno River.

Last October, an environmental investigative mission declared Balog Creek "biologically dead" after it

suffered the worst of the discharge, which was deposited along the 2.5-kilometer water channel.

The creek had turned gray, with the riverbed full of mud and the water brownish in color. There were no

signs of frogs, dragonflies, aquatic plants or moss. The water was too murky to spot any fish.

According to the Philex spokesperson, the company is aware that the mining leak weighs heavily on the

publics perception of mining operations in the country.

Ang face ng mining will be at stake [dito]. Ayaw din namin na i-fail, said Aratas. Hindi lang Philex kasi

ito. We are carrying the burden of proving that mining is really responsible.

Trust fund for communities

Jasareno said the fines would be placed in a trust fund that will be used to pay for the claims of affected

residents or communities.

The MGB director added that the 57-year-old company would not be allowed to continue its operations

unless they are able to undertake the necessary remediation measures provided by law.

Dapat i-remedy nila, otherwise di [sila] bibigyan ng permit, he pointed out.

According to Aratas, the company managed to plug the leak last September, but its operations remain

suspended pending the clean-up of the mining spill.

In early October, President Benigno Aquino III referred to the mining disaster, without naming Philex

directly, when he told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines that reforms were

needed in the mining law:

"In terms of revenues, our position is government gets something like less than 10 percent of what they

(mining companies) make. But we have a hundred percent if there is a problem that crops up, meaning,

for instance, one of the oldest firms of mining firms in the country suffered multiple failures of their

tailings pond, and that redounds to quite a significant impact on the environment.

"We still stick with our position that there has to be a reformulation of the governing law with regards to

the mining industry. And we would rather not continue the situation or also the risks until the remedies or

the corrections in the mining laws will be corrected." YA/HS, GMA News

The author was a recipient of a grant from the International Women's Media Foundation, which covered

part of the cost of producing this report.


Cover me

The hijab I wore was a misrin that covered my head except for

my face. But, according to the Maranao Muslim vendors that

helped me make my choice as well as put on my headdress,

there are four kinds of hijab commonly worn in the Philippines.

- Kumbung (also called tundung) is the usual headscarf or

headdress used by Muslim women. It is a rectangular,

triangular or square scarf worn in different styles.

- Misrin is currently the most common kind of hijab, according

to my newfound mentors. It is relatively easy to wear

compared to a kumbung. It is a ready-made headdress, which

you dont have to tie or style.

- Mokna is similar to a kumbung but it is lengthier as it covers

everything from the head down to below the waist. It is used

only in Mosque worship.

- There is a hijab and abaya combination, but in this case the

hijab is a black headdress that covers the entire face except

the eyes. The abaya is a toe-length loose black dress. Women

who usually wear this are expected to also wear gloves and

socks.

Usually the headscarves cover the hair, neck and chest. All

these headdresses come in different colors and designs

except for the hijab and abaya combination. Ideally, those who

wear the kumbung should wear tops that also cover the arms

down to the elbows, as well as your rear and crotch area.

Rouchelle R. Dinglasan


The surprising lightness of being a hijabi By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA NEWS | February 12, 2013 10:18pm

When I was first assigned to wear the

Muslim headscarf called a hijab and write

about the experience, I gladly took on the

challenge, despite my unease about how

others would react.

I was surprised at how it seemed to bring

out the chivalry in even non-Muslim men.

But this social experiment was also

disappointing at other times.

By wearing a kumbung, the local term for

the hijab, I thought I would get a glimpse of

what discrimination was like, in honor of

World Hijab Day last February 1. I wasn't

completely wrong except that the virulent

response came from a completely unexpected direction.

But that would come later, after my adventure

started in a flea market stall in Cavite that sold

hijabs. When I made my kumbung choice, I

thought putting it on would be easy-breezy.

I was dead wrong. That perfect fold was

infuriatingly elusive. It was just a piece of cloth but I

was all thumbs. The Maranao Muslim women, who

provided instructions on how to wear the kumbung,

were all giggles over my cumbersome efforts.

When they finally decided they'd had enough fun at

my expense, they offered me a misrin. It's a kind of

hijab, but it's the ready-to-wear kind. It does not

need folding or tying.

Finally, correctly garbed, the women of this

community were gushing about how the hijab fit

me. Baka hindi ka na makilala sa inyo.

She was right. It took a second glance for my

friends to recognize me.

The hijab with strangers

Once outside the public market, I was feeling oddly

self-conscious. Is any one going to figure out that

I'm a Catholic wearing a Muslim headdress? Are

The author, during and after the immersion. Joe Galvez


people going to see me differently, through hijab-tinted glasses, so to speak. Will they give me

questioning looks? Are they staring?

But no one was. Everything was normal.

I also half expected to be treated like a second-class citizen, which turned out to be the farthest thing from

what actually happened.

If anything, I was being treated more respectfully. Men, specifically, were more chivalrous. They let me go

in and out of elevators first and they offered me seats on the train.

The service crew in a fast food joint were also extra attentive to my needs. When I asked one of the

service staff if their spaghetti had pork in it, she apologetically said that there was. But she didn't leave it

at that as I was then given an array of pork-free food to choose from instead.

Also, security guards didn't treat me with suspicion. They did not check my bag any more thoroughly than

usual.

At one point, I had to attend an event held inside a Catholic compound. And no, people did not treat me

differently.

In the hundred or so people I came across in those three days wearing a hijab, only one person, a cab

driver, dared asked me if I am a Muslim. The cabbie was curious because in his experience as a taxi

driver for more than a decade, this was the first time he saw a Muslim woman riding a taxi alone.

Sure, there were some who checked me over from head to foot. But there may not be a direct cause and

effect between that and my wearing a hijab. As Ate Emma, one of the Maranao vendors, quipped,

Siyempre, tinitignan kami. Pero malay mo tinitignan ka kasi naiiba lang ang suot mo o baka

nagagandahan lang po.

Hijab girl

My parents, however, weren't feeling particularly chivalrous nor deferential towards their now hijab-

wearing daughter.

When they saw me wearing a hijab as I came to dinner, they asked me if I had converted. I explained that

this was research for an article.

They weren't buying it, which was really odd because I wasn't really trying to sell them a bill of goods. But

they set the condition: if this meal was ever going to start, it would be with the kumbung taken off.

I did not oblige. I had committed to this experiment and I was determined to see it through. I was going to

live my life as usual, except as a hijab girl. Breaking bread with your parents what could be more normal

or more respectful.

Later, I joined my family in a visit to the cemetery. My folks asked me to stay in the car since I didn't want

to remove the headdress.

I refused. When they came across people they knew, they were at a loss as to how to introduce me. I had

to do all the explaining myself.


But I really couldn't blame them. They are what's known as saradong Katoliko. My hijab really threw

them off.

Likewise, I had to repeatedly explain to my friends that the hijab was a social experiment. I shared my

initial conclusion that men were more gentlemanly.

But in those three days in which I wore the misrin, a friend or two, everyday, would tell me that men are

not simply being chivalrous but were, instead, afraid of me.

Its fear not respect, one friend said.

Whether it was fear or respect, I had learned the value of being a veiled woman. It's a proclamation of

who you are and the traditions that you live by. It takes confidence to proclaim your identity through

clothing.

It's commonly believed that wearing a veil is a form of sexual discrimination.

I didn't find it to be so. To my surprise, the veil was strangely liberating, an unapologetic form of self -

expression. DVM, GMA News



Inside the 'killing zone' in Atimonan Text and photos by ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA News | January 14, 2013 4:59pm

ATIMONAN, Quezon -- It was the perfect spot for

a killing.

The site where 13 men were riddled with bullets

on January 6 forms the middle part of an S-

shaped stretch of Maharlika Highway in Atimonan

town, Quezon.

Because of the curve in the road, the checkpoint

where the shooting occurred was in a blind spot,

unseen from the vantage point of the other police-

military checkpoints at each end of the S-curve.

It's a short walk to the boundary between

Atimonan and Plaridel towns.

An abandoned beach resort sits a few meters from the road, its wall bearing bullet holes that have been

encircled by white chalk marks.

Next to the resort is a shrimp hatchery with large gates. Apart from the caretaker of the resort and the

hatchery, civilians live far from where the incident took place, or at least far enough to prevent innocent

bystanders from witnessing the bloodbath.

The authorities have yet to complete their probe of what occurred here. Was it a checkpoint confrontation

that just ended badly, or the result of a conspiracy that aimed to leave none of the men in the convoy

alive? If the intent was to kill without being seen by local residents, the planners of this deed could not

have chosen a better place.

Gunshots sounded like firecrackers

Just a week later, the road is dead silent, except for the occasional rumble of a passing bus, car or public

utility vehicle.

Whats left are a couple of white gloves that had been

used by investigators to examine evidence of the

incident, during which about 40 law enforcers from the

army and the local police as well as intelligence

operatives fired at the two-vehicle convoy, killing all 13

people inside. The dead included a respected

environmentalist, a businessman and two police

officers.

The boundary between Brgy. Lumutan in Atimonan and

Brgy. Tanauan in Plaridel town is a generally peaceful

place, the residents say; though having a police

checkpoint there is not uncommon in the area, the usual source of commotion are vehicular accidents.

The spot where the two-vehicle convoy stopped before being riddled

with bullets. Two men were found in the canal near the main road.

Gloves left behind by police probers after gathering

evidence at the killing zone in Atimonan, Quezon on Jan. 6.


This was why when the residents heard the gunshots, they at first thought someone had set off

firecrackers left over from New Year's Eve.

According to one of the residents, the shots lasted for five to 10 minutes.

It was a Quezon province police officer who said the

place was the perfect "killing zone."

The two Mitsubishi Montero Sport vehicles carrying

the victims were found on the left side of the road.

The first vehicle bears a PNP Academy

commemorative plate on the front and a special plate

("VIC 27") on the back.

According to the NBI Forensics Team, the first vehicle

was riddled with 214 bullet entry points and 96 exit

points. Almost all of the bullets entered from the right.

The PNP's Scene of the Crime Operation Operatives,

on the other hand, recorded 184 entry points and 91 exit points for the first vehicle.

For the second vehicle, which has a For Registration plate, the NBI notes 59 bullet entry points and 33

exit points, while the PNP's SOCO recorded 45 entry points and 29 exit points.

The first cars windshield appears close to shattering, with 28 bullet entry points, while that of the second

vehicle had five.

The first cars tires were all blown flat. The second vehicle's right front wheel was the only one

undamaged.

According to the National Bureau of Investigation Forensics Teams initial findings, the windows had

probably been rolled up as the glass in all of them were either completely or partially shattered.

A source, who was able to take pictures after the incident, said that two of the bodies were found in a

canal near the vehicles, indicating that they were able to get out of the car. This is contrary to earlier

reports that none of the men was able to leave the car during the incident.

A Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory sketch confirmed the sources statement. The

sketch also showed that one of the doors of one of the SUVs had been open.

The Quezon provincial police earlier said the passengers fired at lawmen manning the checkpoint.

Following conflicting reports from the police and the relatives of the fatalities, the President appointed the

NBI to be the sole agency to investigate the incident.

The NBI's initial investigation shows that most of the shots were fired by the law enforcers manning the

checkpoint.


Ties to Atimonan police chief

Intelligence Officer Supt. Hansel Marantan, who led the joint police-military checkpoint contingent and

who was injured during the incident, has ties to the towns police chief.

In an interview, Atimonan police chief inspector Jonar Yupio disclosed that Marantan and former

Atimonan Police Chief Grant Gollod worked together at the Quezon Police Public Safety Management

Company. Gollod was a deputy under Marantan.

Yupio noted that having three checkpoints in the area was not "normal." The place usually has only one

manned checkpoint, he said.

Also unusual was the number of intelligence officers

included in the order. "Kasama po ang intelligence ng

probinsiya Hindi ko po alam kung bakit ganun

kadami," he said.

However, he added that before the checkpoints were

put in place a command conference with the

intelligence team was held at the Atimonan police

station.

"Lagi po kami may schedule ng checkpoint. Random

po iyon. Nagbibigay po ng schedule yung higher head

po sa headquarters sa Lucena," a sweating Yupio said.

GMA News Online tried to obtain a copy of the checkpoint schedule for January, but Yupio said that the

schedule was no longer at the station as it was passed together with the incident report.

Military warned residents

There are some houses along the highway, though down the slope of the road from where the incident

took place.

The residents first suspected fireworks when they first heard the shots, but were soon disabused of that

notion. Kuya Ambo (not his real name), recalled how a military officer shouted, "'Wag na kayong lalabas"

in their direction when the shooting began. Many of

the residents obeyed, holing up in their homes, though

other residents left their houses in a panic and ran to

the Lamon Bay shore. Kuya Ambo said he and his

family stayed inside until morning.

When Kuya Ambo went out to the road the next

morning, there was nothing to see, he saidnot even

blood as the rain from the night before must have

washed it away.

It started with two gunshots

Another resident, Ate Anday (not her real name), first

heard two gunshots.

One of the two police checkpoints that sandwiched the

convoy was located at the end of the curved road on the

way to Atimonan town.

The second police checkpoint was located at the end of

the curved road on the way to Plaridel town.


"May narinig kami na dalawang putok tapos may sumisigaw na dun. Parang medyo nagkakagulo na sila.

Akala nga naming ay paputok lang galing sa Bagong Taon," she said.

And then the barrage began.

"Maya-maya ay may kasunod na ratratan na," Ate Anday recalled. "Kami po ay dapaan na rine. Yun

lang po ang aming alam."

Ate Nenita (not her real name) said that her children were traumatized by the sound. "Ay ano ba mama,

ano ang nangyayari?" she recalled them asking her.

"Ngayon lang nangyari sa aming buhay yun," she told GMA News Online. "Ang layo pa naman ng

pinangyarihan. Ang layo sa amin. Rinig po talaga [ang putukan]. Baka ako tamaan ng ligaw na bala, ay

kami ho ay nagtakbuhan." BM/HS, GMA News


SciTech Science

Overpopulated, Metro Manila is sinking and flooding fast Rouchelle R. Dinglasan, GMA News | March 12, 2013 7:06pm

Metro Manila is sinking fast due to over-pumping of groundwater by its burgeoning population, which is

exacerbating already rising water levels due to global warming, a Filipino geologist has warned.

In an interview with GMA News Online, Dr. Kelvin S. Rodolfo, Professor Emeritus at the University of

Illinois at Chicago, explained that the over-pumping of groundwater is the main cause of land subsidence

or the sinking of land in Metro Manila and other highly populated areas.

In the Philippines, he detailed, global warming is causing relative sea levels to rise by seven to eight

millimeters a year. But subsidence is occurring at more than twice that rate from 20mm to as much as

90mm a year particularly in Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan and CAMANAVA (cities of Caloocan,

Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela).

Exacerbated effects of global warming

Coupled with sea-level rise, land subsidence can produce higher tides that reach farther inland, as well as

floods that recede more slowly. This could lead to permanent flooding, said Rodolfo, who is also a

consultant for the Science and Technology Departments (DOST's) Project NOAH (Nationwide

Operational Assessment of Hazard).

The main cause of our apparent local sea level rise is not (just) global warming (but also) subsidence

as sea appears to rise in the region, explained Rodolfo.

Very simply, if you are living at the coastline, with sea-level rising and land subsidence, ang epekto sa

mga tao roon, babahain sila, he added.

To the local people, the effect is the same but in coastal Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan and CAMANAVA

subsidence is more than ten times faster, the renowned geologist noted.

Over-pumping hastens subsidence

Although there are natural causes of subsidence, Rodolfo explained that over-pumping of groundwater

can speed up the process.

(The) ultimate problem is population. As population increases, groundwater use increases and

overuse of groundwater can greatly speed up the process (of land subsidence), he said.

Metro Manilas ground water demand is still increasing Consequent subsidence will continue and even

accelerate, the geologist claimed.

Overpopulation is a factor

Other than reducing ground water usage, Rodolfo stressed: If you cant control population You need to

bring water from the outside thats the solution surface water from the outside.


Still, the geologist warned that Metro Manila is not the only place that may experience drastic subsidence.

Any large, rapidly growing community built on a coastal river delta that uses much groundwater (is a

candidate for rapid subsidence), he added.

He singled out Davao City, Butuan City, Iloilo City, Lingayen City, Dagupan City and Laoag City as just

such subsidence candidates.

Apart from carefully analyzing field data, subsidence can be recognized if nipa palms advance upstream;

soil becomes salty and unproductive; and, water-well pipes rise up out the ground. TJD, GMA News



Manilas last piece of marine wilderness under siege By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA News | April 4, 2013 10:20am

Saving Manila Bay: Part 1 of a 2-part series

From the highway, speeding motorists often breeze past the clump of mangroves along the Manila Bay

coastal road between Las Pias and Paraaque without a second glance. But occasionally, a flock of

birds in the lagoon catches their attention, the only indication that this is no ordinary coastline.

In fact, beyond the squatter shanties and floating trash plastic bottles, tin cans, rubber slippers and

other waste pushed inland from the sea there's an unlikely paradise known only to intrepid bird

watchers.

Nestled in the sunny lagoon are two strips of land known as Freedom Islands where 80 species of

migratory and resident birds such as the endemic Philippine Duck, the endangered Chinese Egret, and

the rare Pied Avocet may be seen.

Declared the Las Pias-Paraaque Critical

Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) in

2007, the islands were included in the Ramsar

List of Wetlands of International Importance last

March 15, one of only six such sites all over the

country.

However, its uniqueness may not be enough to

save this last piece of wilderness in the

burgeoning metropolis of Manila from falling

victim to urban development.

Airport authorities are calling for the transfer of the wildlife sanctuary to another location, blaming it for

bird strikes at the nearby Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the countrys premiere gateway.

A P14-billion land reclamation project, which will surround the protected area, also threatens the islands

existence and may eventually cut it off from the rest of Manila Bay.

Critical habitat

The protected area covers 175 hectares of mudflats, mangroves, and a diverse assortment of birds in

addition to the two islands, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The Paraaque River runs along its northern boundary, the Las Pias River on the south.

Nine species of mangroves including the nilad, where the city of Maynila got its name, grow thick and wild

along the shoreline and serve as the roosting, nesting, and feeding grounds of the birds.

Annually, up to 5,000 migratory birds following the East AsianAustralasian Flyway make a stopover in

the area during the migration season. Conservationists say this figure is about one-sixth of the number

seen in the 1970s.

A visit to the islands may not be enticing at first, with fishermen on the shore busy filling dingy styrofoam

boxes with their catch for the day shrimp, mussels, clams, oyster, or fish.


The women of Freedom Islands

For seven years, the families of Leonor Bello

and Maribel Melo have been living in floating

houses along the coast of Las Pias and

Paraaque, where they survive on fishing

and gathering of seashells in the waters

around Manila Bay's Freedom Islands.

This is where the Philippine Reclamation

Authority (PRA) temporarily relocated their

informal community, from a vacant field at

the back of a mall in Paraaque, when the

area along the coastal road was reclaimed.

Plans to transfer them to a permanent site

fell through, and since then, their families

have been living in flimsy shacks, with

bamboo slats for flooring and recycled

tarpaulin as roofing. Pieces of styrofoam

allows the huts to float along the

breakwaters, but with every typhoon, the

fishing village consisting of about 70 to 100

families has to evacuate to safer ground and

keep rebuilding the houses.

But once inside, the enthralling sight of small bird colonies facing the bay or just gathering inside the

lagoon is a welcome experience for harried Manila residents. With a slight movement the birds fly off, just

like pigeons scattered around a busy church square, except that the island's feathered denizens are

much bigger with longer beaks and more colorful features.

Bird strikes

Since 2011, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has been calling for the removal of the

sanctuary purportedly to avert further bird strikes, one of the natural hazards in airports around the world.

So far, there has been no recorded fatal accident from bird strikes at the airport. In a report, the National

Economic and Development Authority's Land Use Committee also noted that the incidence of bird strikes

could not be attributed directly to the existence of the bird sanctuary, which is located some three

kilometers from the tip of NAIAs runway.

The frequency of bird strikes has been erratic in the past nine years There are anecdotal reports that

most bird strikes are caused by pigeons that are raised in the nearby communities in Paraaque,

according to the report dated March 20, 2012.

While aviation safety is of primary importance, there is no

substantial reason for demolishing the LPPCHEA, NEDA

said. And even if the sanctuary is removed, bird strikes will

continue given the Philippines location along the East Asian

Australasian Flyway and the airports proximity to Manila Bay

and Laguna de Bay, which are also resting or staging sites of

migratory birds.

Mike Lu, president of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines,

agreed with the NEDA's findings and even proposed the

establishment of more sanctuaries to divert the birds from the

NAIA grounds.

Pag nawala yung bird sanctuary, the birds will look for

alternative places to rest and one big area is the airport

runway. So we think that if you take away the bird sanctuary,

there will be nowhere else to go but the runway, he told GMA

News Online.

I would even advocate creating more sanctuaries to attract

the birds away from the runway. Thats a better solution, the

bird enthusiast added.

A proposed ordinance in the City of Paraaque prohibits the breeding of pigeons and other birds within

four kilometers of the airport.

or land reclamation?

The controversy about bird strikes cropped up again when tycoon Ramon Ang took over Philippine

Airlines in April 2012. This time, environmentalists asserted the issue was a smokescreen for a planned

750-hectare reclamation project which includes the bird sanctuary involving Ang's company that has

been up in the air for two decades now.


The Bay City project, which was formerly called Three Islands, was stalled after it became controversial

during the 1990s due to alleged corruption coming from the governments highest ranks. It was dubbed

the grandmother of all scams, and a senate inquiry was called to investigate it.

A report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism at the time said about P3 billion in bribes

changed hands for what was then known as the PEA-Amari deal, referring to the Philippine Estates

Authority and the Amari Coastal Bay Resources Corp.

Later, Amaris right to reclaim the land was passed on to the Central Bay Reclamation and Development

Corporation (CBRDC), then to Centennial City, which is now called Cyber Bay Corp.

When the Supreme Court declared the joint venture agreement between PEA and Amari as null and void

in 2003, Cyber Bay pursued a P13.385 billion reimbursement claim with the Philippine Reclamation

Authority (PRA), which replaced PEA.

Throughout the legal saga, Atty. Peter Suchianco, a consultant of Ramon Ang, was a constant presence

in the various corporations. He served as the director and president of CBRDC, and when the company

was taken over by Cyber Bay, he became the new firms president for five terms and director since 2002.

At the same time, Ang sat either as president or chairman of the board of Cyber Bay.

In recent years, a new property developer named AllTech Contractors, Inc. has entered the picture,

providing an unsolicited proposal to reclaim the coastal area in Las Pias and Paraaque, now whittled

down to 635 hectares and excluding Freedom Islands.

According to company records, Suchianco is AllTechs project manager for the proposed reclamation. But

despite their interlocking interests, Suchianco denied in an interview last year that Ang had a hand in

AllTech.

City within a city

With the growing trend in contemporary urban development towards city enclaves, or city within a city,

its no surprise that Las Pias is eager to join the game. But since, as it claims, the city has no mo re land

to develop, the local government opted to have an agreement with AllTech for a P14-billion reclamation

project.

In an interview, Las Pias Mayor Vergel Nene Aguilar said the proposed reclamation is a mixed -use

development with commercial and residential units, plus entertainment centers like malls and casinos. It

would be like The Fort in Taguig City, or Eastwood in Quezon City, he said.

He estimates revenues of up to P8 billion per year once the reclamation project is in place, or more than

five times the P1.4 billion annual income of the Las Pias local government. In addition, the project would

generate some 30,000 new jobs, he said.

But environmental economist Dr. Oggie Arcenas notes that local government units need to think beyond

political boundaries and local revenues.

Kadalasan silaw sa pera pero in fairness to them, it could be because theyre in need. Kailangan nila ng

pondo para sa projects nila. [But] everything should be taken into account, he asserts. Someone will

bear the cost. Who will shoulder the cost?"


Last year, the Supreme Court issued a writ of kalikasan against the project but did not grant a temporary

environmental protection order that would stop it, prompting the petitioners to seek recourse with the

Court of Appeals, where the case remains pending.

The legal battle over the reclamation project has pitted Aguilar against his sister, Las Pias Rep. Cynthia

Villar, who is leading the petition. She claims to have the support of some 300,000 residents of Las Pias,

who fear that the project would block the natural flow of rivers into Manila Bay and bring floods to the city

during storms.

Irreversible destruction

The proposed area to be reclaimed will not

include the bird sanctuary, but the map

below shows that it would blanket almost

the entirety of the Freedom Islands and

choke off access to Manila Bay.

They want to reclaim seaward, but then

the sea is part of the feeding ground of all

the birds. It sustains the lagoon inside. If

they continue with the plan to reclaim, the

sea will be far away. We fear that the

marine life inside the lagoon will die,

WBCPs Lu says.

Noise pollution and siltation during the

process of reclamation may also drive

away the birds and fishes, the bird

enthusiast noted.

Dr. Rene Rollon, director of the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology at the University of

the Philippines in Diliman, also pointed out that the project will cause irreversible habitat destruction of

the mangrove ecosystem.

Kaya natin pinuprotektahan ang mangroves dahil sa kanyang function at ginagawa sa system, and

among those functions are as coastline stabilizer, spawning grounds, feeding grounds, he said.

Kung isolated na ang mga mangroves mula sa open area ng bay, ano na ang function niya? Wala na,

decoration na lang. We [may] have mangroves in an ecotourism spot, pero wala namang function, he

explained.

Through the years, the ecosystems in the Manila Bay area have deteriorated due to economic

development activities, but many life forms still thrive within its borders.

Hindi naman tayo totally against reclamation, e. We need development, but we have to balance

development and protection of natural resources, LPPCHEA program manager Rey Aguinaldo told GMA

News Online.

I will prefer to maintain this one and build it as an ecotourism area and a (source of) pride for the

Philippines [having a] wetlands park in Manila Bay, he noted.


Aguinaldo says the gains from preserving the bird sanctuary may not be immediately apparent, but it will

prove its worth in the future. Kapag na-reserve mo [ang area] hindi agad mare-realize ang immediate

gains, but in the long term saka mo lang mare-realize kasi na-preserve mo na ang area, he says. YA/HS, GMA News

The author was a recipient of a grant from the International Women's Media Foundation, which covered part of the cost of producing this report.



The battle for Manila Bay: reclamation or the commons Rouchelle Dinglasan, GMA News | May 10, 2013 3:00pm

Saving Manila Bay: Part 2 of a 2-part series

It's summertime and the fishing is easy on Manila Bay.

Crisaldo Alte, 52, has been throwing his hook and line from the seawall here for decades ("wala pa yang

baywalk na 'yan") and on most days has never failed to catch an assortment of fish.

He boasts that he has caught a fish here called "buwan-buwan," a larger specimen of which he saw on

the Discovery channel being hauled in by none other than former US president George Bush.

He and his equally swarthy friend Rey Modesto, 59, then rattle off the names of the other fish they have

caught in these waters just next to the

Manila Yacht Club, where boats of

billionaires face the makeshift rods of

men who fish for the day's meal.

"Terrapon, mamalig, banak, kanduli,"

they say alternately. "Babansi, asuos,

sekoy."

"Minsan ang daming alamang,

magbababa ka lang ng maliit na lambat,"

says Modesto.

Then there's the tilapia all the fishers

along the bay call "Arroyo," branded

such, they believe, because of the black

spots on its face. "Parang Dalmatian,"

says Alte with a wide grin.

Conversations on any given morning

along the bay easily contradict claims that it is dead, an argument asserted in a land developer's

controversial proposal to reclaim 148 hectares of this portion of the bay, a stone's throw from the Cultural

Center of the Philippines.

Dead bay?

According to project developer Manila Goldcoast, the reclamation project will not cause any disruption of

whatever nature to the bays marine ecology, not when studies conclusively show the absence of marine

life even sponges and ascidians that are tolerant to turbid and polluted water in the project site and

contiguous areas.

[The project] will not impact adversely on the environment, it concluded in its project statement.

The developer's claim of a dead bay as well as the expected obstruction of Manila's iconic sunset are

among the various contentious issues surrounding the plan, which was quietly approved by the Manila

Location of the proposed Solar City.


city government last year and is now the target of an array of creative protest actions led by artists of the

CCP.

On Earth Day last April 23, a long row of CCP workers and artists in Filipiniana costumes formed a long

human chain along the seawall to protest the project. More recently, a satirical art installation billboard

went up on the CCP's front lawn announcing the rise of a faux condo complex that would supposedly

block the sunset.

The two-kilometer stretch from the Manila Yacht Club to the US Embassy along Roxas Blvd. is nearly all

that remains of open sea that faces Manila. Much of the original seaside from Tondo to Cavite has

already been transformed by previous projects that transformed sea into land.

Manila Goldcoast is now eyeing the area behind the yacht club as an upscale business district with high-

rise office and commercial buildings, which would rival Eastwood in Libis or The Fort but bigger, with

space for casinos and a mall.

Manila city government reverses itself

The plan is the latest battleground between the moneyed forces of privatization and citizens groups trying

to stop the further encroachment by vested interests of "the commons," or public space where even the

poor would have equal access.

The plan was approved by Manila City Hall in 2012 after the city council surprisingly reversed a decision

in 1992 by an earlier set of councilors. But unlike in 1992, when a private developer could be contracted

by the national reclamation authority to do the project, the rules have been changed so that the city

government is now the official proponent with a developer partner.

Now an advocate of reclamation, Mayor Alfredo Lim had originally backed the council's ordinance

prohibiting the reclamation of the last remaining portion of the bay along Roxas Blvd. that is accessible to

the general public.

Back then, local government heeded the call of citizens groups that drew the line on reclamation, vowing

to preserve that hallowed two-kilometer unprivatized stretch of sunset view, where shoeless non-mall

goers could enjoy one of the free perks of being a Manila resident.

In the last year, Manila's city government has leaped exuberantly to the side of the developer.

Critics snipe that the timing of the approval of the P12-billion reclamation project so close to the elections

is not coincidental. Local officials counter that they are only doing what is best for the city.

The proposed Solar City project is being envisioned as Manilas financial hub, with space as well for malls

and casinos. According to its developers, the 148-hectare project will be divided into three islands, one

of which will house the first international cruise ship terminal in the country.

The project is part of the government's National Reclamation Plan, which includes 38 other proposed

reclamation sites stretching from Cavite to Bataan.

Fred Lim and Isko Moreno agree for a change

Now mortal enemies who have been busy throwing brickbats at each other during the campaign, Mayor

Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, who are both running for re-election, find themselves on the


same side of the reclamation issue, with both strongly supporting the project as a fast way for Manila to

catch up with other cities.

"Makakasama ba sa Maynila? In terms of revenues yung mga real property taxes, business that will be

established there, ang makikinabang City of Manila," Lim told GMA News Online.

When asked why he reversed himself just a year before the May elections, Lim sidestepped the issue and

instead said, "Sa lahat ng parte ng mundo, pag nagkaroon ng reclamation e nagiging productive."

Moreno, for his part, said this "city within a city" has been "one of my dreams for Manila.

Una, tignan mo for the past 21 years, we are being left behind. I will give you a very honest and

comparative example: 21 years ago, there is no Fort Bonifacio development in Taguig. Ang tawag nga

roon ay munisipyo ng Taguig, probinsya ng Rizal. Now, Taguig City, he added.

"Now, 21 years thereafter, what can we offer? Nothing Thats why we came up with the idea of

reclamation," Moreno further explained.

Rene dela Cruz, Mayor Lims long-time aide and now the city's legal officer, simply explained that the

mayor opted to accommodate development to attract investors.

Wala na kaming matayuan ng any activity or business anymore. No businessman [is] interested here.

Manila is the only city in NCR (National Capital Region) that has a potential of business expansion.

Manila lang ang may bay. Thats why, bakit hindi tayo maglagay ng business potential, he said.

He said the project may also help plug the P3 billion deficit that the city is facing, a fact that Lim's

opponent in the mayoralty race, former President Joseph Estrada, has been harping on during the

campaign.

For his part, lawyer Luch Gempis, secretary to the City Council of Manila, said, Much as we want to

transform Manila under our current setup, there is this big budgetary constraint."

Unless we do something drastic, parang wala nang pupuntahan ang budgetary deficit, he added.

Public consultations?

What was considered drastic by the city government was considered sneaky by a rainbow coalition

opposed to the reclamation for various reasons.

The group claimed that despite the fact that the opposition dates back to the early 1990s, none of them

knew that the city government was about to sign a deal with Goldcoast.

Less than one year after the City of Manila issued Ordinance No. 8233 that provides power to the City

Mayor to take steps in reclamation, Goldcoast and the City of Manila entered in a Contractual Consortium

Agreement in April 2012.

In less than 10 days, the City Council hastily ratified the agreement, leading to a memorandum of

agreement between the city, Goldcoast and the Philippine Reclamation Authority in June.

Two supposed public hearings were held in October before the city council finally ratified the agreement

last December.


Although the City Council of Manila and the Mayors Office claimed to hold public consultations, a

committee report of the City Council's laws committee showed otherwise.

The public hearings were held on 04 and 11 October 2012 wherein the representatives of Goldcoast,

PRA and the City Legal Officer were present, the report said, notably failing to mention the sectors

representing the public.

A staff member of Councilor Jong Isip, chairman of the City Council's laws committee, said environmental

organizations such as the EcoWaste Coalition and Gaia Philippines were present during the public

hearings and were just not mentioned in the report.

However, in an inquiry by GMA News Online, those groups denied having attended any public hearings.

Secrecy, last-minute invitations

A representative from the EcoWaste Coalition noted that the Manila council indeed invited them to the

public hearings but always at the last minute.

Halimbawa bukas na yung meeting, ngayon lang kami sasabihan. Paano kami makaka-attend e may

naka-schedule din naman kaming engagements, said Paeng Lopez.

The group S.O.S. Manila Bay: Save our Sunset movement questioned the contract between the Manila

local government and GoldCoast as it allegedly failed to conduct public consultations.

The agreement between the City of Manila and Goldcoast was shrouded in secrecy, environmental

lawyer Galahad Pe Benito told GMA News Online in a phone interview. Why resurrect the project? Thats

why it is a big question for us.

Lory Tan of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) concurred with Benito, saying: How can they claim to have had

[public] consultation when [the agreement was made] confidential.

Impact on environment

At the very least, the project's opponents say the plan's impact on the environment should have been

thoroughly studied first before the contract was signed.

For one, they say that by turning sea into land, the project will aggravate the flooding experienced on

Roxas Blvd. and other parts of Manila during the rainy season.

But Manila Goldcoast said this was unlikely. It will not cause floods and will, in fact, reduce the

occurrence of floods like other reclamation models all over the globe, it said in a statement.

But that scenario is far from conclusive, according to environmental scientist Dr. Rene Rollon, director at

the Institute of Environmental Science & MeteorologyUniversity of the Philippines, who is among those

calling for more project studies.

Rollon explained that the main cause of the recent flooding in areas adjacent to the bay came from river

channels that drain into the bay. He said impeding the land-sea interaction will just worsen flooding.

Kung flooding na galing sa dagat, hindi naman yan isyu ngayon, actually, ang flooding galing sa taas

[ang mas dapat problemahin], he said.

Rollon is among the citizens asking the government for a 10-year moratorium on reclamation.


Ang tingin ko, pag ginawa mo 'yung reclamation, parang you are declaring na wala ka nang pakialam sa

connection ng sea at land essentially. Wala ka nang pakialam kung may function ang coastline na ito. Ito

yung binubura mo, he said.

Critics have called for the redevelopment of existing land in Manila instead rather than filling in the bay,

and point to parts of reclaimed Pasay that have been neglected, its infrastructure unfinished or

unoccupied.

Ball now with DENR

With the project approval by Manila's city government, the ball is now in the hands of the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which has the power to issue or withhold environmental

compliance certificates on certain projects.

According to City Legal Officer Rene dela Cruz, the DENR has yet to issue the (ECC) for the Manila Bay

reclamation project.

If they acquire the coveted clearance, the project's proponents are just one step closer to getting the

Notice to Proceed from the Reclamation Authority a pro forma permit from the agency that has long

pushed for the project.

Regardless of who wins the election in Manila, the next city administration will not be inclined to stop or

slow down the reclamation of the bay, not when it is one of the few issues on which both Lim and Moreno,

running on opposing tickets, see eye to eye. HS/KBK, GMA News

The author was a recipient of a grant from the International Women's Media Foundation, which covered part of the cost of producing this report.


News Regions Eleksyon 2013

Dead man wins in Siquijor, defeats dynasty as widow takes his place ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA News | May 14, 2013 8:37pm

(Updated 9:19 p.m.) On the island known for sorcery, the dead can win elections.

Dr. Jose Jay Jojo Samson Pernes, 49, hoped to break the political dynasty of the Fua family by running

for the congressional seat in the provinces lone district.

But a day before the May 13 polls, he died.

According to Pernes nephew, Kim Quilicot, the candidate succumbed to heart failure triggered by high

blood pressure at their home in Siquijor around 3 p.m. last Sunday. He was subsequently brought to the

hospital where attempts were made to resuscitate him, but to no avail.

Word quickly spread that the popular physician backed by the Liberal Party had died on the eve of the

election. His widow, Dr. Marie Ann Serrano Pernes, quickly stepped up as his substitute and filed her

certificate of candidacy with Comelec

around 9 a.m. Monday, Election Day.

According to Comelec Resolution 9518,

The substitute for a candidate who

died may file his Certificate of

Candidacy up to mid-day of election day,

provided that the substitute and the

substituted have the same surnames.

With his wife to substitute for him if he

gained the seat, Pernes won by a large

margin, garnering 26,642 votes compared

to Orlando Fua Jr., his opponent, who took

22,845 votes, according to GMAs

Eleksyon 2013 partial unofficial vote tally

representing 92.5 percent of total votes.

No one knows how many of Siquijor's

voters knew they were voting for a dead man. But the election will be one more bizarre event in the

annals of an island known for witchcraft.

Pernes was proclaimed the winner of the race Tuesday morning.

Regardless of what people believe, the record will show that the late Dr. Jojo Pernes won an election

from the grave not because of sorcery, but enough votes to break the chain of Siquijor's political dynasty.

BM/HS, GMA News

The late Dr. Jojo Pernes (left) holds up his certificate of

candidacy. Photo courtesy of the Pernes family.


GMA News Online. Media Merge Corporation and GMA New Media, Inc., n.d. Web. 09

Feb. 2014.

"Codex." BusinessWorld Online. BusinessWorld Publishing Corp, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.

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