New Digital Banking Solution from SAP Simplifies IT and Fosters Co-Innovation for the Bank of Tomorrow

Wazzup Pilipinas!

SAP SE recently announced the latest release of SAP® Omnichannel Banking, a digital banking solution that went live on December 23, 2016. The offering simplifies the process of managing mobile and online applications for retail, small business and commercial banking customers on a single platform built on open standards. With more than 500 available microservices, the new digital banking solution helps banks build responsive mobile, tablet and desktop apps with a unique, digital customer experience.

SAP Omnichannel Banking complements the solutions for customer engagement and commerce in the SAP Hybris® portfolio to form a comprehensive offering for banks to manage all aspects of customer interaction. Planned application programming interface (API) integration between these components will provide customers a seamless experience across multiple touchpoints. Together, SAP Omnichannel Banking and the SAP Hybris solution portfolio will enable banks to deploy intelligent digital sales and service processes, creating personalized customer interaction across all channels and helping banks get a 360-degree view of their customers.

The modular architecture of SAP Omnichannel Banking enables banks to roll out new products and services in an incremental fashion, without disrupting existing functionality. The solution can be deployed on premise or in the cloud and also addresses the need for faster time to market as well as an increasing frequency of updates. By providing an extensive library of customization accelerators and a single call-out for over 200 configuration services, the solution can substantially reduce the effort involved in developing bank-specific extensions. In addition, SAP Omnichannel Banking provides state-of-the-art tooling in the form of Eclipse plug-ins, a widely used integrated development environment (IDE) for developing microservices. This vastly increases development productivity and allows a growing ecosystem of established partners and FinTechs to further enrich SAP’s offering.

“For banks, maintaining multiple platforms requires multiple work streams, separate maintenance schedules and a slow, complex approach to updates,” said Falk Rieker, global head of the banking business unit at SAP. “With SAP Omnichannel Banking and SAP Hybris solutions, we are providing a holistic offering to manage all types of digital customer engagement – mobile and online, and across multiple lines of business. This is nothing short of a game changer, one that empowers banks to differentiate from each other and allows them to provide a tailored, digital customer experience.”  

The latest release of SAP Omnichannel Banking provides:

• Comprehensive business logic and robust self-service features that power out-of-the-box applications for retail and commercial banking 
• Components to centralize critical, operational tasks by providing frameworks for security, entitlements, approvals, alerting, channel management, scheduling, distributed caching, notifications, validations, customer insight aggregation, digital process framework, user administration, and channel and device management
• Open architecture that supports third-party business services and partner integration with the goal of creating collaborative scenarios and accelerating innovation
• Fully responsive SAPUI5, removing all restrictions on the technology used for UI development
• Optional integration with SAP’s core banking solution 

A recent IDC study commissioned by SAP found that banks want to collaborate with FinTech startups; however, the complexity of the IT architectures within banks makes that collaboration cumbersome. The API framework built into SAP Omnichannel Banking streamlines this process. Banks now are flexible enough to take an active role in the ecosystem, partner with FinTech companies and engage with established partners and industry leaders.

For more information, visit the SAP News Center or follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews. To learn more about SAP Omnichannel Banking, visit www.sap.com/solution/industry/banking.html.

Confidently Beautiful with a Blog

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Regardless of the unsaid but obvious "discrimination" and "disrespect" towards bloggers, we are very much proud that we are helping out others with our content that were originally just intended to serve as our outlet to express our thoughts, opinions, etc, and serve as our medium to share our story and experiences.

Even though some are taking us for granted by offering demeaning and less satisfying deals or arrangement, our priorities overcome the need to demand what we rightfully deserve if treated fairly based on our significant worth.

We have also evolved to be more appreciated but still the intimacy and personal touch remains since we are not tied up with a particular entity that will hold responsible for our demeanor or misdemeanor.

The future is all about online, and many of the traditional media outfits have embraced already their fate thus the effort towards digital content has grown enormous and rapid in the past years. You will surely be left out of the game if you are without an online presence.

Do you believe that we should stop differentiating or separately mentioning "bloggers" from "media" (i.e. traditional media - print, TV and radio)?

Since bloggers are online media per se, and equally "influential" and could even have a wider reach, everyone should be collectively called as "media" instead to stop the "discrimination"

Though there are also the "online" media like Rappler, Choose Philippines, etc.(that are backed up or funded by "bigger" people), or the online counterparts of the traditional media outfits (that are equally highly financed), blogs are the more personal and intimate, and most of the time unedited, unfiltered and unrestricted. (Does it really matter if there's so many grammatical, or even spelling, errors...or the photos were poorly taken using a smartphone camera?) or mind the the numerous plagiarizing or "copy-paste" of articles and photos, otherwise known as "Sotto-fied" - named after the infamous comedian turned Senator of the country due to his popularity with the "madlang people." Filipinos are just fond of voting for anybody who makes them laugh.

If in politics, it doesn't matter if you had political backgrounds, or an actor's award, what matters is the people's grown trust in a specific "brand" by how they were promoted using any medium. May it be through the television, radio, magazine, newspaper,...or online via the Internet (free Wi-Fi at malls or coffee shops), all that's important for the "fans" is visibility or familiarity.

There's what you call subconscious mind-conditioning of which you are seemingly "brainwashed" - made to believe a reality which does not really exists but are forced to accept it as a reality by overfeeding us with the thought of it being true. Confused? You should be! It's happening right now as you read this article.

In the end, it's all about "reaching a larger and appropriate target market(s)" to sell products or services effectively (stressing on "effectively).

Even the "news" or "public service" is considered a product that aims to gain a considerable amount of followers.

If one has the budget or financing to launch a massive online campaign for the benefit of a "brand," that could very well make become successful if you just patiently invest incorporated with time and creativity, and a fabulous endorser to take it up a notch.

Nowadays, it's so easy to scam anybody so be warned that the "numbers" should not always be the basis of making your decisions. Sometimes, you have to rely on that "gut" feeling to know if what you see is too good to be true, or underrated.

To finally break it at a language you could easily understand, "media" today could now be even anybody posting on social media pages like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram since the "words" or "testimonies" of the actual people are the "real" information or feedback we should all be considering when looking for our next restaurant, hotel, TV show, or anything else we want some sincere recommendations.

Even if I was not a blogger, I would always speak highly of "reviews" or commentaries that are coming from those not connected to the large media outfits whose "sponsorship, ads, or commercials" makes them biased.

Sold Out: Cebu Pacific's "Piso Fare"

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It's the start of the travel season again, especially eager to experience again the many colorful festivals or fiestas at each province like for January there's Sinulog in Cebu, Biniray in Romblon, Ati-Atihan in Aklan, Apribaba in Sorsogon, Dinagyang in Iloilo or the rest of the festivals and celebrations for the rest of the year.

As expected, Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare promos are back, and we could't decide where we wanna go first! Stressful, yet adrenaline-pumping experience.

However, we envy those who have successfully booked their fights during Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare period. We were still trying to look for flights last night but apparently we were too late to decide. The Cebu Pacific site was crashing because of the Piso Fare sale. Many received the error message "Sorry for the slowdown! There's a lot of visitors accessing the site right now."

The final announcement of "Sold Out" was the terrible news. Expected but still gravely saddened of our fate.

"Your quick work on our PISO sale offer is testament to how everyJuan loves to fly, and at a bargain! All PISO seats sold, thanks for the "heart"!"

It is always good to have travel plans ready. No panic. Relax when booking. We should know better to plan ahead. I was semi-conscious aware of the Piso fare last night but the next moment I woke, they were all gone! How many seats did they sell anyway?

"Check back again soon!" could be another message you'll receive. It's just their way of saying "Better luck next time!"

If you are not aware, you don't exactly pay only 1 peso for the flight. If you add taxes and the other miscellaneous expenses, a Php 900 roundtrip would have been a nice deal already.

However, Cebu Pacific should create a separate website for their Piso Fare promo so as not to disrupt other customers who want an urgent flight and not availing of the sale! When the site crashes, even the regular passengers are affected.

"Dear self, you have enough trips for the year and you have bills to pay. STOP. IMPULSE. BUYING. PISO. FARE. TICKETS."

DOE Wants Gasoline Stations Ready for E-Vehicles

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With the emergence of the electric vehicle industry in the Philippines, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has created an ad hoc technical working group to determine the suitability of gasoline stations as charging areas for electric or e-vehicles.

“In preparation for the booming electric vehicle industry, I instructed the DOE's Oil Industry Management Bureau and Energy Utilization Management Bureau to issue the necessary policies that will support the development of infrastructures complementing the e-vehicle industry, such as the availability of charging in gasoline stations,” said Cusi.

“We are currently drafting a policy on the reclassification of gasoline stations according to standards which includes - the parking area, comfort rooms, CCTVs and even convenience stores, among others. We are also exploring the possibility of the integration of an electric vehicle charging area to the existing facilities of gasoline stations,” added Cusi.

Under the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 8479 or the “Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998,” the Department of Energy (DOE) is empowered to subject all industry participants to provide suitability of facilities for their proposed operation in accordance with existing national and accepted international standards.

Based on existing policies, this provision in the Oil Deregulation Law was reflected in the DOE’s Retail Rules on Liquid Petroleum Products (Department Circular DC2003-11-010), wherein the Philippine National Standards on Petroleum Products, Retail Outlets and Health, Safety and Environment (PNS/DOE FS 1-1:2005) specifies that the building/structures (i.e., gasoline stations) shall have a sales office, toilet facilities and an electrical/mechanical room.

“Apart from readying electric vehicle infrastructures, we also want to strengthen our gasoline stations’ consumer welfare and satisfaction through well-maintained and functional amenities within its premises,” Sec. Cusi concluded.

One Music PH to Hold "Be Discovered" Singing and Song-Writing Competition

Wazzup Pilipinas!

One Music PH is a premium music hub owned by ABS-CBN Corporation for fans across all genres to commune and rave about the latest updates, for up and coming musicians to create and share their music and for established artists to promote their music worldwide. 

Since its inception last year, it has already produced five digital concerts featuring the most sought-after artists such as Yeng Constantino, Ylona, Garcia, The Dawn and Darren Espanto. It has more than 60K followers on Facebook, 25K on Twitter and 15K on Instagram. It is the leading platform for producing digital concerts. Please visit www.onemusic.ph for more information. 

Aside from the digital concerts, One Music PH has partnered with the biggest events in the country such as Paradise, Neverland, Les Miserables, Fun Home, Jersey Boys, Little Mix, Jason Derulo and many more. It also holds a regular live session every Tuesday night dubbed as Stage One featuring both established and aspiring artists. It aims to help budding musicians to promote their music and be discovered. 

This 2017, One Music PH will be having its very first Be Discovered Singing and Song-Writing Competition among colleges and universities and we’d like to invite your school as one of our partners in doing this. As we aim to contribute to the music industry by making music and concert experiences more accessible through the power of digital media, we hope that through this partnership, we get to discover young and aspiring talents from your school. 

MoneyGram Honors Overseas Filipino Workers' Families with a Special Gathering

Wazzup Pilipinas!

MoneyGram launches a campaign to recognize millions of Filipinos working overseas and their families back home as modern day heroes.

“We understand the challenges and emotional stress experienced by families that are set apart. We want to bring them together not only thanks to our reliable and convenient money transfers but also give them a chance to reunite,” says Alex Chan Lim, country manager for the Philippines at MoneyGram.

“MoneyGram Idol Awards” are designed to honor our modern day heroes with one-of-a-kind gathering to take place in May 2017. To participate in this contest, receivers should visit http://global.moneygram.com/ph/en between December 5, 2016 and March 5, 2017 and fill in a simple form. By providing their personal as well as transaction details, participants get the chance to win cash prizes (20 x 5,00 pesos and 10 x 20,000 pesos) as well as an invitation to a special dinner hosted by MoneyGram in May, 2017. Lucky winners will be announced in the 4th week of March 2017.

“Philippines is one of the world’s largest remittance markets, according to the World Bank. In 2015 over $28 billion flowed into the country constituting for 9.6% of its’s GDP. At MoneyGram, we firmly believe that the money OFWs send back home provide not only for everyday needs of their families but also support them in achieving their dreams linked to education and investments,” added Lim.

"Best Pig Ever" Zubuchon of Cebu to Open in Manila by Early 2017

Wazzup Pilipinas!

When it comes to any special gathering, the lechon or "litson" is always the ultimate star of the dining table, don't you agree?

This is why Filipinos highly anticipate a roasted pig at the most special occasion like fiestas, weddings, anniversaries, reunions and just about every huge gathering that wants to please their guest with the very best dishes.

The lechon is placed in the middle as a centerpiece. Its rightful place should always be at the center. But in some events, they are placed at a certain corner because they still need to chop this pig into pieces to be served to the guests. Like bone-in-hams, rib-eyed steaks, roasted turkeys, etc., the lechon defines the best event from an ordinary event.

This is probably why when news about Zubuchon coming over to Manila was heard, many wanted to know when they can have a piece of this "best pig ever."

Zubuchon, coined from the words ZUBU (Cebu's name in old Spanish maps) and LECHON, aims to produce very high quality and superb tasting lechons and related food products and dishes using the finest ingredients and artisanal methods. To provide good value and superior service for customers while achieving profits for the benefit of all the stakeholders, with an emphasis on employees and the communities we operate in, makes this business establishment "real."

As stated from their Facebook page, Zubuchon source their pigs from backyard raisers all over the province of Cebu, are fed 100% organic feeds a week before they are cooked to totally cleanse the pigs’ systems. A "Zubuchon" lechon is stuffed with more than a dozen herbs and spices, and the pig’s skin is “acupunctured” or pricked all over, then sprayed with fresh coconut water. These processes result to a crispy and brown skin once roasted. No MSG nor soy sauce are used. The lechon is roasted over charcoal, using bamboo poles.

Getting confirmation from their official Facebook page, Zubuchon of Cebu hopes to open in Manila early 2017. This means anytime soon they'll be announcing a grand opening of their Manila branch.

Just as how popular restaurants from the provinces are beginning to make their presence felt in Manila, Zubuchon - which was made famous by the visit of Anthony Bourdain years ago - is now setting up a branch for their fans in Manila. Bourdain mentioned the lechon as the "best pig ever" in his defunct travela nd food sho "No Reservations."

The first branch of Zubuchon in Metro Manila will be located at Yakal corner Talisay Street at San Antonio, Makati, according to food mobile app Booky.

However, the Cebuanos are very much serious with their lechon. There are some netizens who are claiming that Zubuchon is not really the authentic Cebu lechon experience. They are saying that "Zubuchon isn’t legit Cebu lechon. It’s just… lechon made in Cebu." - Anna Oposa.

Michael Alino says "It's not a rumor when it's said to open in Manila...however, being Cebu's best lechon is indeed, not just a rumor, but a farse. I mean, as a true blue Cebuanon who grew up eating and loving lechon, it's like near to an insult when in fact your lechon fell a notch beneath the standards of the tradional Cebu lechon. And a real Cebuano like me knows my lechon. And no matter how you dress it up with good branding, along with some spruced up dining establisments, it simply couldn't compensate with how mediocre you did with the way you roast your whole pig and call it Cebu lechon."

Jeff Mendoza says "For me, an authentic lechon cebu, the skin should be smooth and crispy, well seasoned especally in the rib area with lots of (tangad, sibuyas dahonan ug uban pa) and the meat should be soft. Traditionally Cebuanos season their lechon at the center part of the pig where the flavors are equally distributed. Comparing it to Zubuchon's version, the skin was too salty while the meat was a bit bland. The skin is not smooth instead it looks like that of a chicharon where you can actually taste a mild bitterness of burnt skin. This is not the traditional lechon that makes me crave for lechon. though others might not agree and have a different preference, Lami gihapon ni."

But from what we see all over the online world, not everything you read is true or 100% reliable. These may be just designed to ruin Zubuchon's reputation. Like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, taste is also on the tongue of the taster. What's good enough for me may not be acceptable for someone else. 

Zubuchon already released an official statement regarding the issues:

"For the record, WE NEVER CLAIMED WE ARE THE BEST, NOR THE FAVORITE. NEVER.What you have been reading on social media were authored by the sites' writers and using our photos taken from this FB page.  

We NEVER PAID, NEVER SOLICITED, NEVER ASKED anyone to write about our Manila opening. What they wrote was their own opinion.

Let us all respect each other's preference and stop putting each other down. Our opening in Manila will create more jobs, help Cebu's local economy (as most of our products, even the pigs! will be coming from Cebu). We are currently employing close to 300 Cebuanos/Visayans in Cebu which in turn are supporting more than a thousand family members. We want to increase this number because our PRIMARY objective in creating this business was to provide REGULAR employment. 

Let us create more jobs, feed more people, send more children to school. 

Because in the end, making your life better and helping one another is what your life's goals should be about...

Below is our Company President's statement in his blog, Market Manila. We will put this issue to rest right here.

Thank you and we hope to see you in Manila"

http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/why-doesnt-everyone-just-strive-to-be-better-not-bitter#comments

Before making a judgement, it should be best if we try Zubuchon out first. Becoming gullible to rumors is not healthy. I'm sure the owner Joel Binamira would attest to the quality of their lechon as it would not remain in operation if it was not as they say it is. I've been to Cebu many times but just never had the opportunity to visit a Zubuchon branch. I'm hoping to try it as soon as it opens its branch in Manila.

You may check out http://www.zubuchon.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/pg/zubuchonphilippines for more details.

Amnesty International Reports on the Philippine Police’s Murderous War on the Poor

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"So how did Amnesty International confirm that the "assassins" they interviewed are indeed "assassins"?" - Sass Rogando Sasot

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar says that international human rights watchdog Amnesty International’s (AI) report on PHL’s war on drugs 'unfair.' After AI has reported that policemen are getting paid certain amounts for every drug personality they could kill, the Duterte administration is surely in the hot seat again. The report that police men are behind the vigilante killings is not too far-fetched. It may very well be the reality.

“Acting on instructions from the very top of government, the Philippines police have killed and paid others to kill thousands of alleged drug offenders in a wave of extrajudicial executions that may amount to crimes against humanity.”

AI has reported that two persons have claimed being paid by a police officer P10,000 for each killing of a suspected drug offender. The report also says that some police are rewarded by undertakers for sending dead bodies their way, police steal from victims' homes, and paid killers are on the police payroll. "The police are behaving like the criminal underworld that they are supposed to be enforcing the law against, by carrying out extrajudicial executions disguised as unknown killers and 'contracting out' killings." 

The police “systematically targeted mostly poor and defenseless people across the country while planting ‘evidence’, recruiting paid killers, stealing from the people they kill and fabricating official incident reports” says AI.

In its report presented to the media, AI said that the two individuals it interviewed referred to the police officer as their "boss" and that they were hired to kill even before President Rodrigo Duterte was sworn into office.

"They said that before President Duterte took office, they had around two 'jobs' a month. Now, they have three to four a week," AI said in its report.

The report quoted a "male killer" as saying that all of their kill orders come through the police officer, who was not identified.

"When we're given an order, there's an envelope," the male killer said, adding that the envelope would contain their target's name, address and a picture.

"It's almost a complete profile... Someone else has already been assigned to do surveillance," AI quoted the male killer as telling them.

The male killer claimed to AI that they carry out the killings as a "riding-in-tandem hit-and-run" style.

The female paid killer added that the envelops given to them "now give a drug link" of their supposed target.

"The rate depends. For a user, it's 5,000 pesos. For a pusher, 10,000 to 15,000 pesos. It depends on the person," the female killer was quoted as saying in the report.

She added that there are times when they kill more than one suspected drug offender, they are paid "per head."

"If they work in pairs, they split the payment," AI said.

The AI report revealed that "many drug-related killings are extrajudicial executions that directly implicate the police."

AI said its researchers interviewed 110 people nationwide, and documented 33 cases of drug-related killings, of which 20 occurred in formal police operations and 13 involved unknown armed men.

However, the PNP are denying the key finding in the report. “There is no such pay-offs,” says Chief Supt. Camilo Cascolan, chief of the PNP’s Directorate for Operations. “(We) never [knew] about such thing. We just do our job for the people,” he added.

More than 1,000 people are being killed a month in drug crackdown...and we have a President who boasts of the killings and even more if these suspected or alleged drug personalities do not shape up. But the easy way out is only for the affluent. Those who live in the slum areas are gunned down easily with a defense that they fought back against the drug bust raiders. No matter how the relatives testify that the victims did not and do not even have guns, their cries remained ignored by the government who is more protective of their police rather than the citizens.  The police have routinely claimed that they had been fired upon first, which directly contradicts the witnesses' claims.

Indeed, the police corruption and abuse is strikingly real. There is no war on drugs but a war on the poor. The same streets that Dutete vows to get rid of crime are now filled with bodies of people illegally killed by his own police. Often on the flimsiest of evidence or hearsay, people are accused of selling or using drugs, and being killed for cash in an economy of murder.

The report on the war vs drugs is also a big slap in the face of the Senator Richard Gordon-led Senate Justice Committee. Not surprisingly, Gordon calls the AI report as mere hearsay. Menawhile, Senator Panfilo Lacson wants AI to show proof or evidence to back their report.

Sr. Maria Vida Cordero, member of AI Philippines Board of Trustees, urged Duterte to put an end to his war on drugs.

"The war on drugs has become war on the poor," Cordero said. "Mr. President, listen to the cry of the poor. You cannot solve a crime with another crime."

On January 29, Duterte ordered the disbandment of all anti-drug units of the Philippine National Police in relation to the killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, where several policemen are allegedly involved.

PNP chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said they will focus on "internal cleansing" for the meantime with the suspension of anti-illegal drug operations.

The war on drugs of the Duterte administration, however, would continue and will now be led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Huge Fire at House Technology Industries at Cavite Economic Zone Injures Over 100

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Cavite Governor Boying Remulla held a presscon in front of EPZA confirming two (2) missing persons from the February 1 fire that broke out at the House Technology Industries Ltd., (HTI) factory located at the the Cavite Economic Zone in General Trias, Cavite. The fire, the biggest to hit the province, caused injury to over 100 while 10 are in critical condition. One was already reported dead. But are these the real numbers?

We should be refraining from circulating unverified information that might cause panic since all of these figures are not yet the final counts.

Thousands of employees were supposed to be on duty at the time of the factory fire, so there could be hundreds hurt or dead from the blaze. The factory is operational on a 24 hour basis and has three shifts for its workers.

If you have a missing relative or friend, you may report it to House Technology Industries' help desk at Gate 5 of the Cavite Economic Zone.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the victims of the fire will get aid from them and also from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

HTI, CEPZ and EPZA should pay for the medical needs, or burials (if worst comes to worst), of the victims. The employees should be compensated fairly.

After Kentex (a slipper manufacturing factory in Valenzuela where 74 people were killed in a fire), now it is HTI. When will DOLE impose workplace safety standards? When will companies agree to obey them? The HTI EPZA tragedy again reflects how Filipino workers are deprived of proper occupational health & safety & other fundamental workers' rights.

It was also proper that Cavite took back its declaration of a state of calamity since that is not the real case.

Gina Lopez and DENR to Shut Down Mining Firms in Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Mining companies should pull off an Ellis Wyatt on Gina Lopez. 

"I am leaving it as I found it. Take over. It's yours."

What happened, Pilipinas?! Ganito na ka kalbo ang mga kabundukan natin and it only took a new DENR Secretary to reveal the truth behind our balding mountains.

"Now I know why there is fighting in Mindanao;" ; there are many mining companies in Mindanao, says Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Gina Lopez.

There are "22 mining companies are closed, 5 suspended , 2 differed, final decision is the President" reports Lopez. She earlier stressed the need for convergence and human development in the priority areas during a DENR Expanded Excom in Rizal province.

President Rodrigo Duterte throws weight behind Gina Lopez's closure of 21 mines. The President says he has never asked the Environment Secretary to 'slow down' with the DENR's mining audit. There's no slowing down! I hope many will fully back the goal to eliminate illegal mining in the country.

Most of these mining companies were closed on grounds of destroying watersheds, while 6 others were suspended for violation of environment laws. The Secretary remarked that those who benefit from the mining operations are only the businessmen and not the residents.

Gina Lopez is an amazing embodiment of true public service w/o being partisan. I think she is the few good appointees of the President. I hope this is true-to-goodness "change." We admire her for the passion in her work. Setting aside political differences makes a difference when you start working for the benefit of the people and environment.

Our utmost respect goes to her for rejecting the plans of Viacom for environmentally damaging Coron, Palawan with the Viacom Nickelodeon Spongebob Squarepants underwater theme park. "..You can't kill the corals.For a theme park? No, no way man." says Lopez. She said Investors are welcome, but let us not over-commercialize Palawan. Let's give a big hand to the DENR Minister for turning down a tourism project which would cause major ecosystem destruction . However, Palawan officials say there has been no application's received, but the developer says theme park is a go. Huh?

Last January, Lopez also cancelled the environmental clearance to reclaim 635 hectares of coastal waters along Paranaque-Las Pinas-Bacoor corridor. The Secretary buried Ramon Ang's Manila Bay reclamation project, while San Miguel Corporation (SMC) clarified it has no participation in the proposed reclamation plan that was scuttled by the DENR.

Please also save the trees along Commonwealth Avenue of Quezon City that will be affected in the construction of MRT 7. Only 623 will be transplanted while 1,215 will be cut down to make way for the project.

There's also the pending Quezon City government appeal to reconsider her plan to shut down the Payatas sanitary landfill. I hope she doesn't give in since the area is not healthy for living conditions.

She should also work with the Department of Health to test if the reported health problems of the residents in Limay, Bataan were caused by the ash fall or spill from a byproduct storage facility being used by SMC subsidiaries in the coal plant.

Kudos to to the DENR Secretary for being true to her mandate of protecting our environment. Do you have a feeling that she will someday run for a high position in the government and win?

Meanwhile, critics want her probed on an anomalous deal. But she denies the allegations on the mentioned Air Quality Monitoring equipment. She sees a hidden agenda behind the graft complaint and says there are no strides without enemies. She suspects that the filing of the complaint versus her with the Ombudsman has something to do with the publication of DENR's mining audit.

"Ansabe ni Gina Lopez sa mga pinasarang minahan na umaapela pa? 

Eh di..... NEVER MINE!"