ASEAN SUMMIT in CEBU

[Kabayong Bayot]

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Asean summit - A VERY EXPENSIVE SHOW!

Ang gasto:

CICC - 600 million
street security cameras, the decorative lamp posts and the landscaping (Kaduha gihimo first time in December and replanted in January) - 900 million

repair and improvement of roads and the airport including a new VIP Hall - P500 million

Acquisition of 24 BMWs- P300 million

barong tagalog by Jeanne Goulborn, (at least two each for the head of state and his spousecos) P18,000 each

Five thousand soldiers, including helicopters and ships, were sent to Cebu to assist the 3,000 PNP personnel, sparkling new helmets, shields, vests and other equipment of the civil disturbance units. And of course, the suites of the 17 heads of state, the 10 foreign ministers, including all the incidentals were paid for by the host Philippine government. Include expensive gifts and souvenirs.

How much was spent for the overtime pay of soldiers, policemen, medical personnel, drivers, tourism beauties? And certainly, Lea Salonga, Pitoy Moreno’s models, RJ Jacinto and the entertainment program that was lavish were expensive. Another lavish party was thrown for members of media. This we do not know.

MURAG WA MAGLISUD ANG PILIPINAS! All for show.

[jerx d great]

it was a good investment mn sad!!! and some says mo double or mo triple pa ang atong makuha sa katong atong gigasto para sa asean summit!!!

[kamikaze426]

spend big win BIG... huwat nalang sa grasya nga ma-abot tungod sa ASEAN :mrgreen:

[baby_grace]

Arroyo seeks to assure ‘grassroots’ of ASEAN Summit’s gains

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 06:51pm (Mla time) 01/16/2007

TO ASSURE Filipinos that they will profit from the ASEAN and East Asia Summits, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo invited three people from the “grassroots” to explain the summits’ gains and to determine their reactions.

“Today, we have invited three officials who have done a lot at the ASEAN and we will ask them for their messages to the ordinary Filipino,” said the President in Filipino during a roundtable discussion in Malacañang Tuesday.

She referred to Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, and Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla. Also present was defense undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor.

“Also here are some ordinary Filipinos whose reactions we would like to here,” said Arroyo of her guests Maribel Sanchez, 33; Jose Barcita, 52; and Rolly Pormanes, 39 -- all living near the Palace.

The three had been informed of their participation a few hours before the meeting.

During the talk, Arroyo’s guests admitted that they didn't know anything about the summit, except for what they had heard on radio and television.

But they added that they were hopeful that like all the laws passed in Congress and other international agreements, the summits would ultimately benefit poor people like them.

In her statement at the close of the ASEAN and East Asia Summit, Arroyo had urged her fellow leaders to "bring ASEAN to the grassroots" and make them feel the benefits of the historic accord on migrant workers, trade and energy cooperation as the 10-nation regional bloc moved closer toward political integration.

Sanchez, a vendor near St. Jude Church, said she found it hard to make both ends meet with her earnings from selling handkerchief, clips, and other accessories.

Sanchez, a single mother, said her three children would have gone to college but had to stop schooling because she could no longer afford it.

Whatever the details of the agreements at the ASEAN, Sanchez said she was looking forward to the day when this would result into cheaper prices of basic commodities.

The protection of migrant workers was closest to the heart of 52-year-old Barcita, who once worked in Saudi Arabia. Barcita said he now tended an eatery.

Barcita said he hoped that something would come out of the ASEAN agreement on the protection of migrant workers.

Pormanes, 39, works as a driver for a Palace official and on the side, as jeepney driver for extra income. Their primary concern, he said, was cheap fuel.

[joy_happy]

spend big win BIG... huwat nalang sa grasya nga ma-abot tungod sa ASEAN :mrgreen:

mga kanus-a kaha? basin mangapo nako wala lang gihapon.

[junmar4]

anuary 17, 2007
Updated 11:49:15 (Mla time)
Dale G. Israel
Cebu Daily News


Had a fire broken out at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) during the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, the building’s sprinklers would not have responded.

Fire safety inspectors inspected the P515-million CICC on Tuesday and confirmed earlier reports that the building’s sprinkler system was not working.

Mandaue City Fire Marshal Oscar Mayol said the CICC would not be issued a fire safety certificate until the contractor, WT Construction, gets the sprinkler system working.

“Other than that, the building is completely safe,” said Mayol after leading the inspection on Tuesday.

Fire inspectors noted that the sprinkler system's piping runs all over the building, but does not work.

Mayol said last week that under the law, the Office of the Building Official (OBO) could not issue an occupancy permit for any new building unless the fire department ascertains the building’s compliance with the Fire Code, such as the number of fire exits, availability of water sprinklers and fire extinguishers, and fire alarms, by issuing a fire safety certificate.

An occupancy permit, however, was issued to the CICC last Jan. 11 by the Mandaue City government’s OBO, the same day media reports came out that the convention center had no fire safety certificate.

The occupancy permit was signed by City Engineer Hidelisa Latonio.

Mandaue City Councilor Wenceslao Gakit earlier said the application for an occupancy permit should come from the building’s contractor, not the building’s owners, since the certificate of occupancy relieves the contractor of responsibility.

The certificate of occupancy bore the name of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and the Cebu Provincial government as the applicants, not WT Construction.

Mandaue City fire officials said they did not know how the CICC got an occupancy permit without a fire safety certificate.

Reporters also noted a white liquid eraser mark on the occupancy permit's date of issuance.

[budmendz]

ug mokumentaryo ta, masuko. If dili na ta motingog, masuko. Unsa jud diay imo gusto mahitabo? Read back my last posts about the summit kuno bai! Pataka lang jud ka yawit then number reklamador baya ka sa lain nga forum!

^^^ASEAN summit was a success in terms of nahuman na. But the results nga ilang giingon nga naa daw investment is yet to see. Let's just hope and pray nga dili lang ang mga negosyante ang makaginansya ani. Mayyo unta kung makadawat sad ug alibyo ang mga mamomoo.

O kay ako bitaw nga gibasa imong mga posts pirme. Suma god? Di ba puro ra ka reklamo? Unya karon ra ba medyo nalain ang imong sabaw? Ug ako bay moreklamo akong gibutang sa lugar kay ako nagbayad sa akong mga buhis... Ikaw? Cg ra ka reklamo sa dan sa Andres Abellana unya di gani ka kapakita ug ebidensya o maka coninve sa Mayor nga nibayad ka sa imong buhis.

[budmendz]

ayaw ana preh... kalma lang... forum ra ni... views may change man gyud... labi pa nakita ang resulta

asside that... grats sa summit... ang ako ra gyud nakita sa news diri sa gawas kay ang riot sa mga protester (nga klaro binayran) ug sa mga police... :P

Mao bitaw nga forum ra ni so maong nangita ko sa comments sa mga saba-an... unya karon morag lain na ug mga panulti. Medyo nawala ang consistency.

[Archer sensAtion]

btaw sakto sad...na usab ang hangin...aw ana man jud cguro na... mo laylo ug kalit...hehe

[fingolfin]

... all these negativity is expected of people who has no patience. They want to see "instant" change after the Summit, hahayz...

... btw, Istorya.net is not only a forum but THE forum of Cebuanos. But having said that, it's still just a forum to convey our opinions and maybe enlighten those people who keep on complaining.

.. really now, to those who always complain, what will your complaining bring